#PLEASE BURN YUYA.

[vadymxarsioxska]

Yukako is so pretty in the manga :3

And then there's them.

(dont read the alt notes pls)

i love how much goofy the diu manga is T T.

PLEASE HELP IDKWHAT TO POST ANYMOR-

Actual pic if ya want ^_^

[chibi-taylormoon]

are the boys good cooks?

Yuya: he's average, his mom taught him how to cook certain things and thats what he's good at. Sometimes Yuya likes to be creative, he loves making omlette rice so he can draw pictures with ketchup. He once drew odd-eyes out of ketchup and immediatly wanted to show Yuzu his masterpiece.

Yuto: yes, hes fair when it comes to cooking, Yuto is very neat and organized in the kitchen. when Ruri comes over to his house, he'll make her food and they've even baked together.

Yugo: no, please don't leave him unsupervised in the kitchen. Yugo is a total disaster. He's burned food that he forgets to stir or just gets distracted in general. He once tried to make food for Rin to surprise her and didn't look appetizing at all. Leaves huge messes too.

Yuri: the best cook out of the boys, he can cook breakfast and dinners with elegance. He also likes fresh vegetables he grows in the family garden. He is the most organized in the kitchen, and he does NOT let Yugo anywhere near what hes cooking. Yuya is also banned. Yuri will let Yuto in the kitchen, they cook or bake together no problem

[the-letter-horror-lover]

Time Walking Through Memories

marchtwentyfour

Summary:

Arioka Daiki made a contract with a demon named Takaki Yuya to get revenge at whoever killed his whole family. However, as clues after clues are revealed, he realizes that he, along with everyone else, is connected by a thread called their past.

Notes:

Disclaimer: Does not belong to me plus some plot points came from Kuroshitsuji.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: PROLOGUE

Chapter Text

Foot steps sounded through the dungeon and Arioka Daiki's ears perked up. He relaxed his muscle, ready to take the beating of whoever this bastard was. It's like a pattern to him already that he had long stopped crying, long stopped hoping, and long lost the reason struggle to fight but never why.

All that is in his brain and heart right now is how much he hated him, whoever he is, who gave him this fate. That night how many years ago, he had long lost count, when his family was having a peaceful dinner then suddenly fire broke out; before he knew it, he had lost everything and he had become nothing more than a punch bag.

He loathes him and whoever they are. The reason he continues to live, despite losing hope to do so, is the thought of one day getting back on him, on whoever he is, and make him face the same fate as he did and more.

The door of his jail opened and he blinked to look at whoever would be punching the lights out of him. His body had gotten use to torture that he just pretend to scream and get hurt just to satisfy whoever is hurting him, it's become a cycle that it doesn't matter that much.

"Arioka Daiki," the voice said calmly and he saw a pair of man's shoes that looked perfectly shined to be there, "Look up at me."

It was the first time in a long while that someone spoke to him first before hitting him so he looked up to the man's face and when he did, he found no sign of expression that indicates that he would soon be beaten up. To be truthful, the man looked young and clean, probably around the same age as he is.

"What do you want with me?" Daiki sputtered and his voice coming as a hoarse whisper, "And how… do you know my name?"

"The Ariokas, 2 years ago, are part of the Big 3 Companies who works under Chinen Corporation that control the income of the whole Japan. However, 2 years ago, the Ariokas house got burned to the ground that left no one alive except for you," the man grabbed his face with his soft and warm hands, "The one and only son who is next in line to inherit the Company and all it's branches and underground works."

Furrowing his eyes brows, Daiki glared at the man who seem to know too much about his family. "What more do you know about my family?"

"The Ariokas, besides being a part of the Big 3, is the Chinen Corporation's private assassins. The family is trained to kill anyone who becomes a threat to the Corporation they work for. What more do you want to know?" Walking back, the man's eyes suddenly turned red and black aura engulfed the both of them.

"What do you really want with me? How do you know all of these things?!"

"I am Takaki Yuya," the whole room turned black and everything disappeared, "I am here to offer you a contract with a demon."

Chapter 2: CHAPTER 1

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Run away, Daiki! Run away, go!" His dad was on the floor, the fire consuming everything around them as he continued on pointing him to the door, "Please hurry up, Daiki. Go on and save yourself, please…"

"I-I c-can't… Dad!" Daiki tried to grab his dad's hand but his was slapped away, "COME ON AND SAVE YOURSELF!"

"They're not going to be happy if they don't find our bodies here, burned and dead." His dad looked at him with begging eyes, "Just go and save yourself, Dai-chan. The Ariokas will never end this way, we cannot just be burned to death."

"But we are going to end this way…" Daiki looked around him, the fire crawling in every possible way it can, "Before sunrise, the whole Arioka clan would have been wiped out and without a single trace left…"

"No, because you'll live! Run away and hide, run away and save yourself. You can't just die with us, son. The Ariokas, I cannot let us end this way." His dad grasped the ring on his finger and placed it on his hands, "Go on and run away, son. At least let the legacy of us live."

"Dad…" Daiki watched how his dad was swallowed whole by the burning curtain that fell on him and he had to suddenly leap back, "DAD! MOM! WHY?!"

"Master, you are dreaming." Daiki jerked up from his bed when he felt a hand on his shoulders silently shaking him awake, "Are you okay, master? Should I go get something to drink?"

"No, it's okay, Takaki." Daiki massaged his head before looking at the ring on his bedside table, "Hey, Takaki, can I ask you a question?"

"Yes, master?" The tall guy inclined his head to the left as he waited.

"Tomor--"

"This morning, you mean, master? It's 2:31 in the morning already." Takaki intercepted with a smile on his lips.

Daiki glared before coughing and continuing whatever he was planning on saying. "Anyway, this morning, I will be introduced to the whole company as the new president. Not just the company but the whole Tri-Com."

"Are you telling me, master, that you're nervous?" The other guy asked with a teasing tone and immediately shut up when Daiki sent him another glare.

"Today, I will meet the person who gave me this fate even though I wouldn't know it's him. Am I supposed to feel something different? Is there some kind of preparation that I should make?" Daiki took a deep sigh before gazing at the ring again, "There is still a long way before I get to the point of all of these… What are they like? Who are they? You know them all, don't you, Takaki?"

"Of course I do, master. The only thing I can describe them as is… interesting." Takaki stood up and placed the blanket back to Daiki's chest while patting his head and taking his hand away hurriedly when it earned a glare, "And master, don't worry. I think you'll do just fine. No, I'm sure you'll do fine. You have me after all."

"Shut up, demon." Daiki went back to his bed and closed his eyes, "Go out and turn off the lights. I have a whole day ahead of me tomo--later."

"Yes, master." Takaki bowed before leaving the room and closing the door as lightly as possible.

"So you finally came, Takaki." The girl rolled her eyes as she and two other guys stood up from where they were seated. "I thought you were planning on letting us rot here in the laundry dump of the hotel. Seriously, they smell."

"We had to try and stop her from trying to wash the clothes." Both guys said at the same time and then laughed and high-fived together, ignoring the killer gaze that the girl was sending.

Takaki rolled his eyes, annoyed but has to put up with these. After all, these three people are the only one he can trust this assignment with and trust is a heavy word for a demon like him. Handing them the hotel employees uniform, he cleared his throat.

"Faye, Kei and Hikaru, the three of you I trust when it comes to what you do best. Sadly, I cannot say the same for keeping your identities safe." Takaki held his hand in front of Hikaru's mouth who was obviously going to intercept. "You all will be pretending to be part of the staff, Faye as a maid and the two of you as waiters."

"That's a good plan, when do we strike?" Hikaru accepted the clothes and distributed it to Faye and Kei, even pretending to hand over the maid one to Kei who immediately glared at him.

"You will strike when I give you the signal to." Takaki checked his watch and realized he was a minute behind schedule. "I'm leaving now, make sure you change clothes and do your job properly else someone will suffer."

"Yes, yes. Now go and leave us so we can change now." Kei waved his hand, pushing Takaki out of the door.

Takaki let himself get pushed out but before he was able to get locked out, he reminded them of something. "From now on, during these assignments. Faye is not Faye but is Eyes. Hikaru is not Hikaru but is Poison. Kei is not Kei but is Slash."

"At this Arioka's 48th Founding Anniversary, we would like to introduce to you our new President," the announcer smiled as the curtains swished and Daiki appeared on stage, "The late President's son, Mr. Arioka Daiki!"

Everyone clapped and he let the excitement die down before he looked up and gave them his warmest greeting just like how an Arioka should.

"Good morning everyone, I am Arioka Daiki, 20 years old." Daiki then proceeded to explain and recite his prepared speech on what he is planning for the company and what his goals are. It was not something he enjoy doing but he could at least pretend he is happy about it.

"You did well, master. Congratulations." Takaki welcomed him from below the stage with a glass of water as soon as his speech ended and the start of the banquet was announced.

"Thanks, Takaki." Daiki gulped down the glass of water that felt like heaven to his tired throat, "We should go and meet the people now and continue this I-am-happy-to-have-you-here facade."

"Sounds very thrilling, master." Takaki glanced at the crowd waiting for them, "They seem to have a peculiar view on the Ariokas house getting burned, you disappearing and then 2 yrs later, coming back and announcing to be the new President."

"It should be fun." Daiki sighed as he gave Takaki the empty glass and fixing his tie, "I guess that… this is it? I'm going to meet them soon, won't I? They're here, aren't they?"

"He is sure to be here, master." Takaki patted Daiki's back in encouragement, "Well, what are we waiting for, master? We should not let the guests wait."

Mingling with the crowd was not Arioka Daiki's favorite thing to even before what happened 2yrs ago. He normally stays cooped up inside his room or hide behind his brother or mom during parties but that was him long ago, he cannot stay the same.

"Dai-chan!" He hasn't even taken 10 steps when a boy his height ran to his side with a taller one tailing him, "Oh my gosh, Dai-chan , you did great! I'm so proud of you! Why didn't you tell me you came back? I was so worried!"

Daiki had to stop for a second to take the other guy in and he had to bite back a smile and jumping into the others arm when he realized who it was. "Oh, Ryo-chan! It's nice to meet you, where's your dad?" He almost jumped the other guy, being a childhood friend and all.

"Dad is sick so he sent me as a representative instead since I became the President of the Company." Yamada smiled and patted the taller boy standing behind him hard, "And this is Yuto-kun! He's my Personal Assistant who deals with basically everything going on around me."

"Good day, Yuto-kun. I am Arioka Daiki and this is my personal assistant, Takaki Yuya." Daiki bowed and checked if Takaki did too. Of course he did, the demon was perfection in every way possible after all.

Before they could continue what they are saying any further when they saw a tall guy walk to the stage. Daiki had never seen him before but he had seen the boy standing behind him, the girl though, he has no idea who it is.

"May I apologize in advance for interrupting any important matters that I may have messed up." The tall guy bowed lowed before taking the microphone again, "I am Yabu Kota, the Chinen Family's Personal Assistant. I am here in behalf of the Chinen Corporation and Morimoto Company to introduce two important people."

The boy stood in front then handing his hand to the small girl standing behind him. The two of them walked towards the front hand in hand and Daiki had to admit they were a pretty cute couple who go together.

"I am Morimoto Ryutaro, Morimoto Company's first son and heir." He smiled to the girl standing beside him but just slightly and Daiki could tell it was a little bit forced, "And this is Chinen Corporation's only daughter, Chinen Yuri."

"We are pleased to invite you all to their engagement party next week. The staff will be sending invitations to all guests." Yabu Kota bowed and ushered the two off the stage while everyone clapped their hands.

Not long after, Ryutaro and the girl walked towards them.

"Hello, Dai-chan, Ryo-chan, Yuto and whoever that tall guy behind Dai-chan is." Ryutaro rolled his eyes as he let go of the girl's hands forcefully, "This is Chinen Yuri, my fiancé and the only daughter of the late Chinen Coporation's Director."

Daiki examined the girl before them. She was short, yes, even shorter than him and Yamada which is a nice surprise. She was pretty, no one can disagree with that. However, as he continued to stare at her, there was something bothering him.

"Hello, I am Chinen Yuri." She bowed at them.

Notes:

I don't really have anything to say except for one thing: I don't do gender switching for members of JUMP. So, yeah, here's an update and I don't know when will be the next one since I'm quite busy with school. I was only able to update today since we have 3 days worth of weekend.

Tell me what you think ♥

Chapter 3: CHAPTER 2

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

There were shots heard from the living room and Yuri had to hide under the bed, afraid for his life. He knew his brother was out there, battling for their whole being at whoever had come to ambush them. Knowing his brother's occupation as a hired assassin, it's a surprise for him that this was the first time someone actually found them.

The door opened and a pair of footsteps echoed. Yuri crawled out from under the bed, thinking it was safe and his brother was waiting to hug him and comfort him and tell him that everything will be fine. However, instead of his tall pretty brother, he met a face of an angel.

"Hello, Chinen Yuri." The other boy's voice was heavenly and if not for the blood on his fingers, Yuri would've thought he was a good guy. "You are indeed very pretty, like a girl… it makes everything so much more easier."

Yuri tried to crawl back but the boy had already grabbed him by his leg, pulling him close to him, the blood tickling his sensitive skin. Their position screams trouble in all way possible and there really was no way out for him.

"My name is not Chinen, I'm--"

"From now, you will be Chinen Yuri."

"Good afternoon, Yuri." The door of his supposedly room opened and revealed a neatly dressed Yabu who was carrying a package. "Here, the Morimotos want to meet you tonight to discuss the engagement party. Go get dressed and I'll send someone who will do your make up."

As soon as the older boy was out the room, Yuri picked up the dress inside the package placed on the chair to examine it carefully. There was too much frills for his liking plus it was a little bit short too, just above his knees. Worse, the color was pink and it screams girl in all way possible.

"Hurry up, Yuri! The Morimotos hate waiting, especially Ryutaro." Yabu screamed from behind the door.

Knowing that he doesn't really have any other choice, he went behind the curtains and started to undress. His body immediately reached out and wore the dress, arms going through the holes while his palms smoothed the creases of the lower part.

"Finished?" Without asking for permission, Yabu opened the door with the make up artist trailing behind him, "Fix him up for a light dinner, and don't forget to place the wig tightly since he has that bad habit of running around."

If he could, he would've thrown a death glare at Yabu but since that would be something that would risk everything he had built up for the past 2 years, he'd rather not. No one, and he repeats, no one would be able to understand why he is doing this.

"Yuri-san, please tilt your head like this--yes, like that." The girl instructed him as she applied the necessary powders, "There, you look gorgeous as always, Yuri-san. I'm sure you will knock Morimoto-kun off his feet when he sees you."

Yuri bowed slightly when he entered the private restaurant room. Everyone inside scrambled to their feet to bow as well. It was a ridiculous sight but he had to fight back the laughter that was threatening to come out of his lips. It would be impolite and rather obvious if he ended up laughing at them.

"Please take a seat here, Chinen-san." Ryutaro, the oldest son of the Morimotos offered the seat beside him politely but Yuri knew better than to believe him.

Sliding to the offered seat, Yuri decided it's not really that boring to pretend to be a girl. It's not everyday that people get to experience the royalty of being a Chinen, pretend or not. No matter how much he despise what he is doing, he doesn't really have any other choice than to go along so he might as well use it to his advantage.

The dinner flowed well as dishes after dishes were presented to them. Everyone around was eating with ease, all except Yuri who was picking the bean peas on his food without being too obvious about it. It was bad manners, he knows and Yabu would scold him for it, but he really has no plan on sacrificing his dislike for that specific vegetable.

It was after the dinner that the discussion for the engagement party took place.

"The details should be confirmed with my assistant, he's waiting outside." Yuri gave a smile and stood up to which everyone followed by standing up as well, "Oh no, you don't need to. I just plan to take a walk around the restaurant garden."

"Go and take your future wife to the garden, Ryu-chan." Mrs. Morimoto smiled at his son before turning to look at Yuri, "Please enjoy your walk with my son and I hope to have a good relationship with the company soon."

Ryutaro stood up and held his hand out. Yuri took it, feeling the boy's warmth spread through his cold and trembling ones. If he was a girl, he would've immediately fallen for Ryutaro's sweet façade in front of his parents. But that was if he was a girl, but he wasn't. And that was also if he didn't know any better.

"Good evening, I am Yabu Kota, I will be handling the details." As if on cue, Yabu entered the room with a clip board in his hand. He took the seat that Yuri just vacated and smiled at him. "Should I send some guards to walk with you, princess?"

"No need to, our son and his body guard would be able to take care of her." Mr. Morimoto signaled the guy standing behind Ryutaro, "Okamoto, accompany them but try not to get into their way."

Knowing Yabu trust him enough, Yuri just smiled at him as he let Ryutaro lead the way out of the restaurant. Even when they reached the garden, Ryutaro did not let go as the two of them walked through the pathway with Okamoto trailing not far behind.

"You can let go of my hand now, Morimoto-kun. And you can also stop pretending to be nice to me." Yuri tugged on his hand, not liking the tingly feeling that's crawling up his skin from the contact of their palms. "No one but Okamoto is here and I doubt he will sell you out to your parents."

Letting go without any care, Ryutaro faced Yuri with a hard glare in his eyes. Of course, Yuri had expected this but he just wasn't ready for it. Those eyes were too innocent and too open, Morimoto did not know how to mask his emotion and it makes him the more vulnerable.

"I don't want to get married with a girl that I know nothing of," Ryutaro's glare softened as he bit his lip. "I have to apologize, Chinen-san, if you felt my coldness since the announcement of the engagement at Dai-chan's party. I just didn't know… we're both too young to be engaged."

Yuri knew what the younger boy was getting to and he would've comforted him if not for his cover getting blown. "We are, too young to be engaged, Morimoto-kun. But we both don't have any say on this, do we? I don't want to get married either but if we don't, there's going to be so much more mess and I'd rather not undergo that."

Ryutaro stare at him and Yuri stated feeling conscious. The boy' s stare was heavy, as if it could read right through his very soul which is quite impossible, really. He started fingering the frills on his dress, thinking that they're way too girly for his own liking. He was looking down, afraid that if he looked up to Ryutaro, the boy would be able to see his secrets.That was how intensifying the boy's eyes are that Yuri is already going crazy.

"Chinen-san…" Even he boy's voice sounds alluring. If he was a girl, he was sure, very sure he would be crushing on Morimoto right now.

So Yuri looked up, thinking it would be impolite if he doesn't answer. However, as soon as he does with his mouth open to ask Why? Ryutaro has already clamped their mouth together for a short kiss. Nothing sensual but just their mouth pressed together.

"I think I'm willing to let myself fall for you, Chinen-san." Ryutaro whispered to his ears before grabbing his hands to intertwine their fingers together and tugged them to pull Yuri to a walk without saying another word.

And Yuri just stands there thinking that this was the worst scenario he could've gotten himself into because no, Ryutaro should not fall for him for so many reasons. He was not his real fiancé. He was a boy just like him. They were bound to get crushed one way or another.

Plus, Yuri was in the hands of a fallen angel.

Notes:

I will be tackling every character's relationship and Chiitaro's is the second most important relationship so I had to use them first. Boring chapter? Yes. But there were so much clues in here that I wonder if people will actually be able to pluck them out. Cookies for those who will guess? Who is Yabu Kota? :) S this translates that we will soon focus on Yamajima and HikanooFaye.

Please tell me what you think ♥

Chapter 4: CHAPTER 3

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Everyone was staring at Daiki in fear, for their lives or for their job, only they would know. It was probably leaning toward the former since with their Master's eyes blazing like that, they have no idea if they would end up as a cold dead body floating in the swimming pool.

"What happe--" Fortunately for them, Takaki entered the room that exact moment and they ran immediately behind him in fear, "What are the two of you doing? And why is master's clothes lying on the floor when I specifically ordered you to--Faye, what happened?" He probably already realized what is going on so he decided to ask the only one sane enough in all these events.

"Nii-chan and Hikaru nii-chan decided to play Tag while folding the clothes so they knocked off the basket carrying it." Faye gave a disappointed look at the two guys hiding behind Takaki before she turned to her master's direction and bowed. "I am sorry for my nii-chan and this stupid guy's actions. I will clean this up."

Having no other choice, Daiki let go of his irritation at the two boys before turning around and walking back to his home office. He has a meeting later in the afternoon and the plans aren't finished yet since he fell asleep early last night.

"Are you tired, Master?" Takaki followed him inside the office while closing the door behind him, "If you want, I can cook you some sweets to ease your nerves."

Seating on his place, Daiki sighed and stared at Takaki's dark red eyes. "Go ahead and bring me 2 boxes of Pocky, demon. I've been wanting to munch on one since this morning but I don't have they keys to the storage. Go, shoo, obey your master."

"Yes, Master." Takaki grinned playfully as he set down the paper works on the table before turning walking out again.

After a few minutes, not even a whole 5 had gone and Takaki was back in front of him followed by the two idiots who were hiding in fear from earlier. Seeing as he has his hands on his favorite snack, he didn't feel as angry as he already did and just waved it off as something they shouldn't do in the future again.

"Thank you, Master!" Inoo and Hikaru screamed at the same time before bowing low.

"Now, get the out of the room and stop making Faye worry." Daiki swirled the Pocky on his lips while signaling Takaki to open the door for the two of them. "Your sister is such an unlucky girl to have a brother and a friend like the two of you."

"I think we're the unlucky ones seeing as Faye is--" Hikaru was about to rant but Kei slapped him in the arm with a glare, "Sorry, sorry. Why are you so possessive of your younger sister anyway?"

Raising an eyebrow, Kei waited for Hikaru to find the answer to himself. When he didn't, Kei answered his friend's question, "Because she's my sister, that's why."

Finally having the two of them out the office, Daiki gave a huge sigh. "What's so good about those two anyway? Why were you so keen on choosing them as our assassins when we could've gotten someone who do not mess up every single day of their freaking life?"

Takaki chuckled at his master's remark. "Master, you've been gone a whole lot longer than I expected. Inoo Kei, Inoo Faye and Yaotome Hikaru are known in the underworld as the best assassins who can deliver death to any human they choose with a blink of an eye. I do not think human's ways of killing is effective however, theirs are always beautiful."

Daiki frowned at the information thrown at him. What, those two are the world's best assassins? Who would hire such idiots to do their bidding for him? …oh yeah, he hired them. He must be the bigger idiot right here.

"Anyway, besides those fools, did you search about what I asked of you?" Daiki looked up eagerly, hoping to find an end in all these mess as soon as possible.

"Chinen's Corporation's underground networks consists of a family of assassin." Takaki coughed because looking at his Master right in front of him and saying he was killer was somehow funny. Imagine, a 20 year old man eating Pocky and having it poke out of his mouth while trying to look serious? Hilarious if he might say.

"Continue already, you demon." Realizing he was being ridiculed, Daiki munched everything before giving Takaki the go signal to give his report again.

"Ariokas take that role. You are asking me what the roles of the other two are? Well, Morimotos take the role of giving the Chinen Corporation the entertainment that they need. Whatever, whenever and whoever the Corporation wants, they are in the need to bring it to them." Takaki handed the list of all the past 50 biddings that the Morimotos did for the Chinens.

The list was long that varied in all different forms. There were material wants, sexual pleasure but marriage as well. A lot of spouses of the Chinens came from the Morimotos, this time too." Takaki handed him a two pictures, "One is of Chinen Yuri, the heir of the Corporation while the other is of Morimoto Ryutaro, the fiancé."

"I think that there are more deeper things behind this engagement, is it possible to dig even deeper from it?" Daiki handed back the pictures as he looked at Takaki, "I've known Ryu-chan before and he doesn't seem to be the type to agree on these things."

"Of course, Master." Takaki took back the pictures before handing him a whole other set of papers, "Next in line is the Yamadas. Their contribution to the trio had always been a secret and none of the two are aware of it. However, I was able to check up on it and find a vague job description for them."

The Yamadas was the Ariokas closest friends. They've known each other since they could remember and that's why Daiki is close to Ryosuke. After thinking about it, as a child, he never had an idea on what the Ariokas do for the Corporation. It didn't matter then, but it does matter now.

"What is it that they do?"

"They are what we can call Trackers." Takaki smiled at the confused look that his Master was giving him. "All the past jobs and future jobs assigned to the trio are recorded by them. Even all the orders given by the Higher are also recorded. They keep track of it all and keep it as a file."

Processing for a second, Daiki had a sudden thought. "So… if someone from the trio had ordered for my family to be killed, the Yamadas would have a file of it, am I right?" Eagerness and hope laced his voice.

"Yes."

"Then what are we waiting for? Ryosuke would hand me over the file willingly, he's a good friend despite being stupid at times." Daiki stood up and was about to grab his jacket when Takaki's hand clasped on his wrist, making him unable to move. "What's wrong?"

"We can't." His voice was rigid, bland and full of worry. For who, he's the only one who knows.

"Why not?" Pushing Takaki's hands away, Daiki raised an eyebrow.

"Yamada Ryosuke has a devil by his side as well…"

Notes:

A fairly boring and fairly late update. I'm sorry, I think you know the reason why I can't write properly. Anyway here's the boring update. Boring but very full of clues and reasons. The character thread connection is already taking shape, if you've noticed (I made sure I placed it there, btw). The next chapter will be Yamajima, as I've hinted. Yes, I am introducing each and every character properly because it is needed on how you will analyze what they do in the future.

And oh, I might be on hiatus. Updates might come once a week, I am not sure of this yet. I am only sure that I can't update everyday like before. Blame school works and depression.

Please tell me what you think ♥

Chapter 5: CHAPTER 4

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"T-This cannot be… there must be a mistake…" Ryosuke was going hysterical when he heard from the police officer about what had happened, "DAIKI'S NOT DEAD! HE'S NOT DEAD! HE'S JUST HIDING AND HE WILL APPEAR ONE OF THESE DAYS!"

"Si--"

"Would it be--"

"GET OUT!" Ryosuke pushed the two officers out of his room, letting the security handle them. As soon as he had locked it, his back hit the door and he slumped on the floor while his hands went to mess with his hair, "Dai-chan is not dead… no matter what they tell me, I won't believe them… He's not dead… he's not going to leave me..."

He waited patiently for minutes that turned to days that soon turned to weeks and no sooner did it turn to a month. Not one single report, not one single clue, not one single sign that Arioka Daiki was indeed alive and had escaped from the gruesome murder of his whole family.

Everyone was telling him to move but he just--

"Sir, please eat something…" the maids brought food and for the nth time, he only drank the juice and left the food on the plate, "Sir, it's not healthy to--"

"WHO CARES ABOUT WHAT'S HEALTHY?!" his sudden rage kept the maids at bay in the coming days.

That was until Nakajima Yuto came into his life.

"He's back…" it was the only thing that Ryosuke had been muttering for how many days now, "Yuto, he's really back! I'm not just dreaming, right? He's back!"

Nakajima Yuto smiled as he placed the glass of water in front of Ryosuke. Without saying anything, as if ignoring what his master had said, Yuto walked back to the kitchen. Something was stabbing through his chest as he did so but not because of anything else.

"Ryosuke will not need me anymore…" he whispered to no one in particular.

That night, he tucked his master to bed. Watching him fall asleep, Yuto sat on the side of the bed. He wanted to touch him, to hold his soft skin with his fingertips but he didn't. He stopped himself because it was the wrong thing to do. So he just stared at him, watching how his chest heaves up and down while his warm breath tickles through the air.

"I will have to say good bye to you soon." Yuto let himself touch the boy's strands of hair because it was the only thing he could and the safest, "I can't break any more rules by staying with you. And I don't need to anymore because my work here is done…"

As devils, one is supposed to stay with a human so that he could create a contract with them and bring them to hell. They're supposed to give them what they want in exchange for their soul. And they shouldn't stay with them if no contract had been made.

He had broken all of them. He stayed with Ryosuke even without a contract and fulfilled his every wish even without a promise to have his soul in return.

All of this because he was in love with that human.

He stood up and was about to turn away and leave when he felt a tug on his wrist. Turning around, he saw Ryosuke's hands extended onto him. His eyes were closed but Yuto knew he wasn't asleep yet.

"Is there anything you need, master?" Yuto decided to ask, uneasy about the hands on his wrist and the silence enveloping the two of them. "Hot milk? Hot chocolate? A glass of water? A glass of ora--"

"You." Ryosuke opened his eyes and stared at him.

"W-What?" Yuto stood confused and he felt disappointed when Ryosuke let go of his wrist but only to kneel up and hug him by the waist. "M-Master, what--"

"Are you going to leave me, too?" Ryosuke asked, burying his face on Yuto's back, "Are you tired of me already like everyone all are? Will you leave me alone again after coming into my life and planting yourself into it?"

Yuto stood there, frozen on his place. His charcoal black eyes turned to watch how Ryosuke's hold on him tightened when he didn't move. He wish he could, he wish he could stay and watch over Ryosuke forever because that's exactly what his life meaning was, exactly what he decided hs life meaning was. But he's not allowed to and Ryosuke doesn't really need him.

"Don't leave me…" Ryosuke pleaded as Yuto felt hot tears soak through his back.

"I--"

"If I need to make a contract with you, then I will." Ryosuke looked up at him with teary eyes, "Just please, don't leave me. I'm tired of people leaving me… and you're the first person--"

"I can't allow you to make a contract with me!" Yuto pushed Ryosuke away and looked at him straight in the eyes, "I broke all the rules before so I can protect you so I will not just let them be in vain by having you give up your soul."

"B-But…"

"I'm not allowing you." Yuto said firmly as he pushed Ryosuke back on the bed and pulled the blankets to cover his shaking figure. The tears in the boy's eyes were thumbed away by him and it felt burn under his touch.

"So you're just going to leave me like everyone else?"

Yuto did not answer as he stood up and walked over to the door, switching the lights off on his way out. His foot steps were fast but measured as to not arouse any caution with the guards in the vicinity. Reaching the garden, he stopped in his tracks as he turned to look at the dark sky. Hoping they could see him, hoping they could do something about this.

But no answer came.

Ryosuke had undergone so much pain already and he vowed to be the one to ease him from all of it. He doesn't know yet how it would be done, but it will be, because he's not going to let anyone else take that from him.

"I'm not going to let you have him…" Yuto murmured into the night, "Arioka Daiki."

On his bed, Ryosuke let himself cry to sleep. There was never someone who had stayed with him through it all, only two people and those are Daiki and Yuto. Except, Daiki was gone for 2 years and Yuto appeared only 2 years previous.

In his heart, he had always loved Daiki because people are stupid enough not to love the boy and yet, Yuto has already found a place in his life and he knew he won't be able to let the boy go.

It was only the first of the many confusions that will come.

Notes:

First of all, sorry for the delayed update because I had to finish a 70 page handwritten script last weekend, Uni is being an ass right now. Second, I'm sorry if this story is really slow. It's because, I will hint, the most important part of the plot are the character connection story line. Once you've connected those past memories and past relations of theirs, everything would soon add up. So you'd just have to undergo around 2 more character intros: the Inoo's with Yaotome and the Morimoto's.

Please tell me how much it sucks ^_~

Chapter 6: CHAPTER 5

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Can we turn back the time?

It was Yaotome Hikaru who knows at least half the truth behind Inoo Kei and Inoo Faye. But he doesn’t say anything because if he does, who knows what could happen not just between the two’s relationship but to his best friend’s mentality as well.

“Hika, it’s been two years now…” Kei folded (or tried to fold) the clothes that Faye assigned them to finish, “Why do you think I still can’t put Faye’s face in those memories I had of my sibling? Shouldn’t I already have been able to…?”

Hikaru forced a smile to his lips as he hit Kei playfully on the arm, “What are you saying? Don’t force yourself, Kei. You don’t want to go back to the doctor, right? If your head starts hurting again, I promise I’ll bring you to the doctor.”

“I don’t want to go to the doctor again!” Kei wailed but turned quiet when he stared at the floor, “But Faye still doesn’t remember anything either… is our accident really that bad that we both can’t remember each other?”

“Oh shush, do you need memories to remember how the two of you are broth—siblings?” Hikaru slipped and he almost hit his head after uttering those words so he hurriedly tried to change the topic, “So, how about that mission that master is sending us again? Do you think I can borrow the kitchen knife? Mine’s getting rusty already…”

“Oh, yeah, that knife is awesome…” Kei trailed off and Hikaru could only breathe in relief, happy that he had changed the subject successfully because if Kei continues on pressing him about what happened 2yrs ago, he might not just be able to lie anymore.

Because two years ago, everything just changed in a flash.

”Hikaru, hurry up! Someone ambushed the Inoo’s house!” a neighbor screamed through his window and he felt himself jerk up, “We can’t get in, as if something is holding us back so hurry up!”

In less than a second, he was out the door and running towards the other side of the street. Whatever was holding back the people was already gone because they were already going near it, curiosity clouding the air above them.

“DON’T COME NEAR IT!” Hikaru pushed them all away and they stopped, knowing who he was. “I’ll go in. Call the ambulance of the underground hospital.”

Before he could get answer, he already went ahead and inside. He knows they’d do what he asked them to do, it was their job after all. So he opened the doors quietly to find Kei’s parents on the floor, sprawled with their heads hanging just barely connected to their shoulders with a strand of skin.

“What kind of monster would do this kind of…?” Hikaru muttered before running off, afraid to see what is waiting for him upstairs. “Please, please, please, I don’t think I can manage it if Kei is…” he can’t even continue what he is supposed to say.

The stairs has blood on them which means whoever killed the Inoo’s went up so he followed, afraid for what is about to meet him and for his life. He was defenseless right now and vulnerable.

“KEI!” Hikaru saw Kei on the front of the door leading to his younger brother’s room, “Kei are you okay?, Kei?! Answer me!” he sat next to him and felt his pulse, he was alive. “I’m so glad you’re alive, Kei…” there was only a minor bruise on his head.

There was a loud woosh on the other side of the room, this reminded Hikaru that the Inoo’s has another son. Hoping it wasn’t the killer who was inside, Hikaru opened the door slowly, peaking inside only to see a man’s feet with Kei’s brother disappear into thin air.

He vowed to himself that he will keep that secret forever.

“Nii-chan, I thought I told you to close with folding the right first before the left?!” Faye screamed as soon as she saw how messy the clothes were. “Did you and Hika nii-chan doze off or something and lost all sense of intellectuality in your body?!”

Kei pouted and so did Hikaru.

“Sorry, the pouting never works on me.” Faye scoffed before throwing all clothes back them who squealed in surprise, “Now go get this things prepared before master comes back and stop flirting with each other!”

She smirked when she saw the puzzled looks in both of the boy’s faces.

“Flirting? Who’s flirting?” Hikaru asked, blinking in wonder.

“Little Faye, do you even know what flirting means?” Kei asked as well, raising an eyebrow.

Faye rolled her eyes, couldn’t believe how much these two boys suck and are both stupid. No, wait, scratch that. She saw a hint of hurt flash in Hikaru’s eyes. Well, well, well, guess not both of them are oblivious of their feelings after all.

“Faye, would it be possible to assign you to arrange the preparations for a dinner with the Morimoto’s tomorrow?” Takaki suddenly appeared in front of her as soon as she entered the office of her master.

“For how many, sir?”

Takaki looked at Daiki, waiting while the other boy counted in his hands like a kid. “Probably for a group of 5, I don’t really like to extend my courtesy to their body guards as well. They can feed them by themselves.” Daiki answered as he turned his seat around and around.

“Master, you’re going to get dizzy like that.” Takaki warned but Daiki just ignored him and he went to sigh at Faye who looks amused, “I guess we’re leaving this to you. You can consult us—me—for the selection of foods.”

“No problem, sir.” Faye bowed to Takaki before bowing more lowly at Daiki who was folding a paper airplane with the paper he was holding.

“Master, that’s an important contract, don’t play with it!” Takaki warned again.

“Hmph!” came Daiki’s snort.

Faye thinks this house is full of idiots.

Notes:

Quite boring chapter but I totally warned you that the next coming chapters would be boring due to character intros. The last character intro chapter would be the next one and I will introduce to you the second to the last pair that you will come across in this fic :) However boring this might be, I left lots of clues here and there... and there. It's up to you to pick them up and put them together. I am, btw, going to be gone next week... gone in the sense that I won't be able to update a chapter so I'm sorry. I'll try to make it up to you guys the next. ♥

Please tell me what you think ;)

Notes:

I decided to post this today to test it out since despite plotting everything out, I'm quite unsure. So, yes, you could say that this is a test post. All characters of JUMP has major roles in here but TaDaiki is the main pair, followed by Chiitaro, Yamajima, KeitoOC, HikaNoo, and YabuOC. Oh and yes, the idea came from Kuroshitsuji but as you can see it's kind of a modern type and the plot is very different from Kuro. So erm, yeah, hopefully I will post chapter 1 sometime next week since have lots of assignments to deal with.

Please tell me what you think ;)

[chronomally]

I was hoping to see Declan get absolutely clowned on even though I know like narratively the timing would've been way off

[sand-worms]

HI EM HIIIII WAVES AT YOU!!!!! Can I please have prosciutto Rohan and Josuke 4 for the ask game?? Sorry if that's too much 🥺

Yeas you may <3

Prosciutto

-Do I like them: What do you think 🤨

-5 good qualities:

1. He’s genuinely caring despite his colder exterior

2. He seems to be very decisive and doesn’t hesitate much in his actions

3. He’s good at picking up on other people’s strengths and pointing them out

4. This is really hard to do because my favorite hobby is to be mean about him but uh hm he’s got a really cool stand. Certified birthday boy.

5. He’s got really good fashion going for him and his nonbinary swag is off the charts.

-3 bad qualities

1. Doesn’t have any qualms about resorting to violence when it’s not really necessary. I love you king but why are you hitting Pesci. Drop dead.

2. Seems to trust his instinct and go with things bases on a gut feeling rather than any real logical explanation which is debatably a bad trait

3. I could talk shit about him endlessly but instead I will just say the fact that he’s dead is a bad quality

-Favorite episode: what am I supposed to say. He shows up like 4 times. Uhhhhhh we’ll go with the Grateful Dead part 1 because it’s epic as fuck when he shoots Mista in the head. He should’ve secured one fucking W for la squadra.

-otp: :)

-Brotp: him and Pesci obviously. Not that they’re like best friends but there’s obviously a reason that they work well together and I think they get along really well typically. Also really like the thought of him and Formaggio being weird sort of friends when they can stand to be around each other. Idk.

-ot3: I don’t have one. I think that stupid old man would be lucky to find one person willing to put up with his ass romantically, let alone two people.

-notp: propesci and brupro. I can’t stand either ship. Also obligated to say it because I did see it one time if you ship him with Trish I’m coming after you with a brick in my purse. Die. I have also seen pros/Diavolo which like. Man what.

-best quote: I’m not taking this one seriously I’m sorry I’m too lazy to like go find one but I do think the anime should’ve kept in the part where he calls Bucciarati a motherfucker. I think it’s funny.

-head canon: what do I even say here I think I’ve shared like every headcanon I have about this bastard at this point. I think he has a hard time viewing Grateful Dead as an extension of himself. GD exists mostly as a tool for him, to be used when he needs it and he sees no purpose in using his stand for more mundane things.

Rohan

-Do I like them: actually yeah I like Rohan a lot he’s fucking insane and he has beef with a 16 year old for like no reason it’s funny as hell.

-5 good qualities:

1. He’s eccentric as fuck. Like he’s a weird little guy.

2. Seems to be driven by some sort of pursuit of knowledge with the goal of making his art better and more enjoyable through realism I think that’s cool.

3. Genuinely do we see him wear the same thing more than once. I don’t think so. King.

4. Despite the fact that he’s a fucking dick he does seem to have enough sense/care to do the right thing in situations where it really matters ie tracking down Reimi’s killer for the safety of Morioh

5. Stop making me say nice things about Rohan he licked a spider uhhhhhhhhh he does proper hand and wrist stretches before he draws. There.

-3 bad qualities:

1. He’s eccentric as fuck. This is a positive and a negative he contains multitudes idk what to tell you.

2. He’s got beef with a 16 year old for no real reason. As funny as it is can we like. Calm down man.

3. There’s so many bad things you can say about Rohan he sucks so much. Uh. His pursuit of knowledge leads him to doing very very stupid things like buying a mountain.

-Favorite episode: I think the highway star arc :) because it’s right after Josuke burns his house down and their arguing is funny also I love Highway Star and my boy Yuya is there!!!

-otp: I don’t really ship him with anyone! Lame ass loser man.

-brotp: his dynamic with Koichi is really funny. Not much else to say about it.

-ot3: nahhh

-notp: if you ship josuhan get off my blog. I don’t really get shipping him with Jotaro either.

-best quote: I don’t remember the things he says. The part where he says he doesn’t care if his house burns down because it’s imperative he knows how Josuke is cheating at dice. Idk.

-head canon: mmmmmmmmm not really a “headcanon” ig so much as like an opinion but I think he’s kind of similar to Melone, character wise. They’re both highly eccentric and a little intense, and driven by a desire for knowledge, just for different reasons. Idk they’re just like the same type of character to me I can’t really explain it.

Josuke

-do I like them: YES!!!! Josuke is my favorite Jojo right along with Giorno!

-5 good qualities:

1. He’s genuinely such a sweet boy! Like idk he really is just a teenager going about his life and getting up to trouble he just kinda ends up involved in stuff he shouldn’t have to!

2. I love that overall his way of dealing with enemy stand users around town is more or less just to befriend them? It’s really cool and shows how caring he is

3. He cares about his mom 🥺

4. The way he shows kindness to Okuyasu unconditionally like immediately after Okuyasu had tried to kill him??? He’s so GOOD and KIND!!!

5. I love that he doesn’t want to kill anyone like he’s very opposed to it. He wants to solve things peacefully if he can. This is just a reiteration of point 2 idc I’m tired.

-3 bad qualities

1. His avoidance of killing people kind of sometimes ends up with him condemning people to fates arguably worse than death on a whim, ie Angelo and Terenosuke.

2. Kind of has a temper especially in regards to his hair obviously.

3. He burned a man’s house down once because he was cheating at dice but I don’t really fault him for that.

-favorite episode: the Nijimura brothers arc :) Ik it’s super early on but I love them becoming friends idc

-otp: Josuyasu but they’re teenagers so don’t be weird about it please

-brotp: josuyasu again >:)

-ot3: naur

-notp: I already said josuhan. Also Josuke/Jotaro if you ship that die.

-best quote: obviously the thing he says about feeling refreshed like he just put on clean underwear on new year’s. Whyd he say that.

-head canon: personally very attached to the headcanon that he would become a paramedic when he got older! I think it fits him very well. Also he’s nonbinary :)

[yrpreciousmoon]

Morioh Hi-Fi (5/25)

Title: Morioh Hi-Fi (5/25) All Chapters Here Fandom: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Pairing: Josuke x Okuyasu; Rohan x Reimi; Koichi x Yukako; more. Rating: T for now Description: In an AU where Part 4 never happened, it seems Stand users are still  drawn to each other.  Rohan Kishibe runs Morioh’s coolest record store,  along with the  world’s okayest employees: Koichi, Yuya, and Okuyasu.  They live happily  in their bubble of obscure music references and  hipster style points  until the fateful day when Josuke Higashikata  enters the picture. AN: Please enjoy the absolutely stunning artwork that Miima created for the fic!!! It is so thematically appropriate for this chapter too!

Track 04 : Spinning

Okuyasu paced up and down the aisle, practically vibrating with excitement as he examined the paper in his hands. “Okay. Okay...” His gruff voice came through the filter of a chewed fingernail. “Right. That makes sense. That makes so much sense!” He finally stopped and looked up at the boy leaning against the brick wall of the store. “Have I told ya you have a way with words?” “You may have mentioned it.” A small smile played on Josuke's lips. “Seriously, man. It's like... it's like poetry sometimes. Is that weird to say?”

“Yes,” remarked Yuya, who was idly flipping through a magazine on the other side of the room.

“Ah shuddup, you of all people know the importance of some pretty words.” Yuya looked up from his reading, considered this for a moment. “Fair.” “Anyway...” Okuyasu returned his attention to Josuke, “What I'm tryin' to say is, I really dig your interpretation, man. It's totally what Bowie was goin' for.” “Yeah?” Josuke shot him another lop-sided grin. “It didn't read too much like a research paper?” An enthusiastic shake of the head. “Nah, bro. Bowie wants you to think about his shit. He wants you to build a fuckin' thesis statement around it.” He reached out and placed a hand on Josuke's shoulder, eyes intense. “Listen, I gotta introduce you to this one friend of mine... He loves 'Ziggy Stardust,' he's obsessed. He'll talk to you about it for hours if you let him, it's like goin' on an acid trip...” “Yeah? Have you ever been on an acid trip?” “No but that's beside the point.” A chuckle. “What is your point?” “Oh, uh...” Okuyasu paused, having momentarily forgotten. “I guess just that... I'm glad you liked it. I was worried I might be leanin' into the foofy stuff a little too hard.” “What?” Josuke tilted his head. “Foofy?” “Like...” Okuyasu tapped his chin. He looked over to Yuya, who was definitely still eavesdropping. Yuya took the cue and shrugged.

“I don't know, man, you always call my sense of style 'foofy,' so I guess it means tasteful and refined.” He pointedly adjusted his black cravat.

Okuyasu clicked his tongue, indicating that there were several other adjectives that came to mind first, though he thought better of using them.

“So you mean 'flowery,' maybe?” Josuke tried, “Err... experimental?”

“Yeah, yeah, you get it! So like, I wasn't sure if I should change directions and go a little more masculine instead. But I'm glad the experimental stuff really did it for ya.”

“I can do masculine too, y'know,” Josuke said with a raised brow, challenging. “Oh yeah?” Okuyasu replied, instantly picking up on his playfully competitive tone. “Okay, then how 'bout I hit you with a one-two punch this week?” He took a boxing stance and Josuke mirrored him without missing a beat. “I'll find ya somethin' more flowery AND somethin' with some big balls.” “Sounds right up my alley,” Josuke said, throwing a pulled punch that Okuyasu easily deflected. “But you're gonna burn through those 'Five Records to Blow My Mind' pretty quick. Are you trying to get rid of me?” “Course not, bro. Just tryin' to sell you some records so Rohan doesn't fire me.” He side-stepped, tried to jab Josuke in the ribs, was too slow.

“Alright, well I can't have you cast out on the streets. Go ahead, show me what you've got.” Josuke tapped his knuckles against the side of Okuyasu's head and was ready to gloat when the other took advantage of the contact, pulled him forward and caught him in a headlock. “Aah! No fair!”

“Yeah, Nijimura always plays dirty,” rang the cool voice from behind them, as Yuya appeared from seemingly nowhere. “Jeeee-zus,” Okuyasu gasped, hopping forward and releasing Josuke. “Toldja not to sneak up on me like that, ya freakin' ninja.” “Oh, get over it. I just wanted to come see which Of Montreal album you're about to recommend.” Okuyasu pursed his lips at this. Yuya flashed a smug grin. “I mean, you were talking about Mikitaka a second ago, right? And experimental music? Not too hard to see where you're going with this.”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm so predictable, losin' my edge, I get it.” Back to Josuke, he added, “Count Dorkula here is actually right. Of Montreal is my buddy Mikitaka's favorite band... they're this American group. Totally insane. I can't exactly say I get 'em, but you might. Experimental – check. Flowery – check.” He nodded his head in the direction of the 'O's and walked both of the other men over.

Josuke's fingers immediately drifted over the various album covers, exploring the chaotic, 1960s-looking psychedelic scenes. “Hmm... 'The Gay Parade?' ” he read aloud.

“You wish,” replied Okuyasu.

“What's that even supposed to–”

“Look, The Beatles already did 'Yellow Submarine,' you don't need to listen to its little sibling.” Okuyasu dismissed the idea with a wave. Josuke simply nodded, as if this statement made any sense at all to him. “Nah, dude... this is what I was lookin' for...” He pulled out a record featuring what appeared to be several women woven together by the locks of their wild hair. Josuke smiled to himself, and Okuyasu knew exactly what was going though his mind. “Looks kinda like Yukako, right?” snickered Okuyasu, and the stare Josuke gave him let him know that his hunch had been dead on.

“Ah... 'Coquelicot,' ” observed Yuya, oblivious to the synchronicity happening between the other two.

“Eh?” asked Josuke.

“ 'Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies,' ” Okuyasu elaborated, as if this clarified anything. Josuke continued to stare. “Well... technically the full title is 'Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse.' ”

“It's foofy, alright,” Yuya muttered.

“...Man, my English is pretty good, but you may as well be making these words up,” Josuke said, squinting at the album cover.

“Hey, you're the one who's always writin' fancy, big words! Just trust me on this!” Okuyasu blushed fiercely. “I know it sounds weird, but I think you'll get somethin' outta it.”

Josuke shook his head, nudged the other's arm. “C'mon, don't pout... Of course I trust you! You were right about Ziggy Stardust after all.” He snatched the record away to make a point, inspected it some more.

“Hell yeah I was right!” Okuyasu shot a triumphant look over his shoulder at Yuya, who was snickering and retreating. Evidently he'd lost interest in this exercise now that Josuke had agreed to humor Okuyasu's bizarre recommendation. “So here's the thing, Josuke. 'Coquelicot' leans way, way into that weird, like, character stuff. This one's about fairies.”

“Fairies?”

“Yeah. I guess. Look, man, I'm not saying you're gonna like it, but it WILL blow your mind. This is gonna open up a lot of very weird doors for you. A gateway drug. And I'm gonna introduce you to Mikitaka afterwards, and he's gonna take you down the rabbit hole.”

“Uh huh. Okay, you've sold me, now before I change my mind... what's the other one you're sending me home with today?”

“Ahh.” Okuyasu closed his eyes, stood up a little taller. “Now this is a little more up my alley, personally. So if you hate it, don't use those pretty words of yours against me, okay? But I think you'll be into it. ...You better be into it.” He stalked a few rows further down the aisle and quickly plucked out an album with a stark red and black cover.

Josuke leaned in to suss out the writing. “Queens of the Stone Age... This is the album with big balls?”

“The biggest,” Okuyasu confirmed proudly.

“Hm. I think I liked your 'love-making and fucking' analogy better.”

“Yeah, well, this one fucks. It's all sweat and testosterone and muscle cars.”

“You've got a way with words yourself, y'know, Oku.”

The little nickname didn't get past him, and he swelled with the knowledge that Josuke had given it to him. When was the last time he'd gotten a nickname... one that wasn't an insult? “Ah! Flattery won't get you a discount, Josuke...”

“I had to try.”

Okuyasu slapped him hard on the back and, his job as the music guru completed, he promptly started off towards the register. He paused for just a moment to crane his neck and inspect the record that Yuya had picked up in the meantime – letting out an ominous “Hmmm” before continuing on his way. When he finally turned around again, he was struck by the deeply thoughtful look on Josuke's face.

“Um... Everything okay, dude?”

“Yeah.” Josuke shook himself out of it. “I was just thinkin'. I don't have anything to do tonight, so... we could listen to these here, maybe?”

Okuyasu's eyebrows crept up towards his hairline. “Oh? Huh. Yeah, sure! Why not? You're gonna get whiplash listenin' to these two back-to-back though, I'm warnin' ya!”

“We could take a break in-between. You get to take a break, right? We could grab a bite to eat or something. You're buying though, since I'm already pushing it getting these.” He tapped the records in his hand and smiled.

Okuyasu beamed back at him. In truth, he hadn't been too sure if Josuke was really into this budding friendship of theirs but... here he was, specifically asking to spend a couple of hours just hanging out with Okuyasu, shooting the shit about his favorite thing. A cool guy like Josuke – the kind of guy who probably spent most nights crashing parties and wooing the ladies – and he wanted to chill at Dark Pink? Damn. Okuyasu must be doing something right.

“Hey, hang on,” came Yuya's voice, breaking into the thought. “Since when do we get breaks?”

“Since you agreed to cover the store while we go out to eat. Thanks, man!”

Yuya just glared.

.

Ultimately, the two did not take a break, though not for the sake of poor Yuya; instead, they found themselves doing so much laughing and analyzing and waxing philosophical while Coquelicot spun on the turntable that it hardly seemed necessary to discuss it over snacks afterwards. And so with a little bit of coaxing Okuyasu had agreed to put on the second record immediately and ride out this little marathon of theirs.

While the music was infinitely different this time, heavier, the album still evoked the same jokes and back-and-forth-struggling-for-words that the first one had. And likewise remained the quiet, pensive moments where words simply wouldn't do. But that was okay, because somehow just by looking at him, just by being there, Okuyasu knew what Josuke was thinking and yeah, he was totally right. As always.

Sometimes Okuyasu would get especially excited about a particular bassline, grab Josuke's shoulders and tell him to really listen, and though a tiny part of him worried that his new friend might deem this behavior very uncool, he had a feeling Josuke would just get it.

.

At one point near closing time, Rohan had come in to check on something. He stared wordlessly at the two of them splayed out on the floor as he passed. Josuke flashed him a peace sign.

“...Yuya, you can go home early if you want,” Rohan called over his shoulder, “Since apparently Josuke works here now.”

Yuya slammed down the magazine he was perusing. “Yeah – really? That sounds good to me!” He grabbed his jacket and then raced from the store before anyone could argue. “Smell ya later, assholes!” he hollered from the front steps.

Frozen mid-air guitar and still on his back, Okuyasu tipped his head as far back as it would go to catch a glimpse of his boss. “Hey Rohan, umm... you're not mad at us for doin' this or nothin', right?” he called.

Rohan stepped back into the room to study them again. Arms crossed, hip leaning hard into the door frame, he raised a brow and took a long while to reply. “Nah. You two are mostly harmless. Frankly the least of my worries at the moment. But you have to actually do your job if anyone comes in.”

“I have been!” Okuyasu replied, “Honest! And anyway I'm just helpin' a customer here with his purchase.”

Josuke punctuated the statement with a smile and wave.

“Yeah, yeah. Don't forget to lock up.” Rohan disappeared into the office again for a few seconds, returning with a small portfolio that Okuyasu suspected held some unfinished drawings. Rohan rarely let Okuyasu peek at his artwork, and even more rarely appreciated his clumsy feedback about it, but there was no harm in asking, right?

“Hey, whatcha got–”

“If anything gets broken or stolen,” Rohan interrupted, “it's coming out of your paycheck. And Josuke will owe me another round.”

Josuke laughed. “We'll see about that.”

Okuyasu sat up slowly, watching his employer cross the floor to the exit. “Uh. Yeah, sure, man, you got it,” he called, and received only a flick of the wrist as both a reply and farewell. As Rohan vanished into the stairwell, Okuyasu looked over at Josuke. “...You guys went out drinkin' together?” He wasn't sure if he loved this idea or hated it.

Josuke avoided his eyes, suddenly something tense in his expression that Oku couldn't quite put his finger on. “Oh, yeah. We ran into each other the other night. I was sayin' hi to Koichi and Rohan showed up.”

“Oh.” Somehow, that was enough put Okuyasu's mind at ease. “That makes sense. Cool.” He hugged his knees to his chest and turned to look at the turntable that was still diligently spinning. The music quieted, dissolved into some indistinct chatter that indicated a change in songs. “Ooh, hey Josuke, pay attention to this one, okay?”

He closed his eyes, indicating that Josuke should do the same. And then he surrendered to it, the slow and sultry bassline washing over him, followed in short order by the drums and a ferocious guitar melody. When the surprisingly gentle vocals came in, he let out a breath that he'd been holding in. Yoga and meditation had nothing on this.

“You know...” Josuke said quietly from behind him, “I get what you meant earlier when you called this music 'masculine', but – it's really more than that, isn't it?”

“Mm?”

“It's like...” Okuyasu heard the other boy sit up, felt him lean his weight against Oku's back. “...There's a lot of energy. Raw energy. Pent up frustration. Pain. And... strength. It sounds like someone who's been knocked down again and again, but who always gets up and keeps fighting.”

“Yeah...” Oku turned this description over in his mind. “Yeah, dude!"

A moment passed, and Okuyasu could tell Josuke was debating if he should say what he was thinking. “It's just interesting that you said you... identify with it.” Okuyasu felt him shift again. “I mean... Do you feel like–” He paused, let the aggressive music fill the space around them, “–this?”

Okuyasu let his chin rest on his knees. “Sometimes, I guess,” he mumbled.

Josuke hummed softly. Okuyasu had a feeling the other boy knew there was more to it than that, but he didn't press. Instead he said, “You're a pretty cool person. You know that, right, Oku?”

But Okuyasu didn't reply; didn't want to say 'not really' and then get lectured about it. He'd been there enough times with Koichi to know better. So instead the two of them simply sat there together until long after the music had ended and the turntable clicked into its infinite, silent spiral along the inside of the record.

[cipher-wise]

Whumptober 2020 Masterpost

Still can’t believe that I’ve actually did all 31 days of Whumptober but here we are! Here’s all of my works compiled!!! ;)

Day 1. Let’s Hang Out Sometime

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuzu Hiiragi, Yuya Sakaki

Warnings: Hanging, Death, Insects

Day 2. In The Hands Of The Enemy

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki

Warnings: Collars, Chains, Kidnapping

Day 3. My Way Or The Highway

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki, Joeri

Day 4. Running Out Of Time

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V (Rage and Regret AU) / Ruri Kurosaki, Shun Kurosaki

Day 5. Where Do You Think You’re Going?

Tales of Arcadia, 3Below / Krel Tarron

Day 6. Please….

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki

Day 7. I’ve Got You

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki, Battle Beast

Day 8. Where Did Everybody Go?

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki

Day 9. For The Greater Good

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuzu Hiiragi, Yuya Sakaki

Day 10. They Look So Pretty When They Bleed

Ben 10 Omniverse / Ben Tennyson

Warnings: Blood, Injury

Day 11. Psych 101

Tangled / Cassandra, Zhan Tiri

Day 12. I Think I’ve Broken Something

Over the Garden Wall / Wirt

Day 13. Breath In Breath Out

Static Shock / Virgil Hawkins

Day 14. Is Something Burning?

Blue Exorcist / Rin Okumura

Warnings: Fire

Day 15. Into The Unknown

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki

Warnings: Eyestrain

Day 16. (Alt. 6) Altered States

Yu-Gi-Oh! DM / Atem

Day 17. I Did Not See That Coming

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V (Rage and Regret AU) / Yuya Sakaki, Yoko Sakaki

Warnings: Blood

Day 18. Panic! At The Disco

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki

Day 19. Broken Hearts

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Yuya Sakaki

Day 20. Toto, I Have A feeling We’re Not In Kansas Anymore

Coraline / Coraline Jones

Day 21. I Don’t Feel So Well

Danny Phantom / Danny Fenton

Day 22. Do These Tacos Taste Funny To You?

Danny Phantom / Danny Fenton

Warnings: Blood, Implied Poison

Day 23. What’s A Whumpee Gotta Do To Get Some Sleep Around Here?

Kingdom Hearts, Dream Drop Distance / Sora

Day 24. You’re Not Making Any Sense

Voltron Legendary Defenders / Lance McClain

Day 25. I Think I’ll Just Collapse Right Here, Thanks

Generator Rex / Breach

Day 26. If You Thought The Head Trauma Was Bad…

Kekkai Sensen / Leonardo Watch

Day 27. Okay, Who Had Natural Disasters On Their 2020 Bingo Card?

Teen Titans / Terra

Day 28. Such Wow. Many Normal. Very Oops.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V / Ute 

Warnings: Implied Genocide

Day 29. (Alt. 2) Falling

Miraculous Ladybug / Chat Blanc

Day 30. (Alt. 14) Shot

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Linked Universe AU) / Link (Wild)

Day 31. (Alt. 12) Water

Miraculous Ladybug / Ladybug

Previews under the cut!!! Look at your own discretion!!!

[entamewitchlulu]

oh my god there was only one bed for pendulumshipping? maybe theyre staying at a hotel and there was a miscommunication and yuya's too nice to let reiji say that its a miscommunication because the staff are already way too overworked and do not deserve to have to deal with that

i need you to know that i owe you my life

kiss meme open! | writing requests open!

“I’m so, so sorry, Mr. Akaba,” the harried receptionist said, actually getting up and bowing to him several times.  “I cannot imagine what could have gone wrong.  Please don’t worry, I’ll make sure this is fixed, right away.”

“It’s fine,” Reiji said.  “Please take your time.”

It actually wasn’t fine — Reiji was dead on his feet from no less than three meetings and two press conferences in a single day, not including his exhibition duel with Yuya just a few hours ago.  All he had wanted was to get into a hotel room, fall face first onto the bed, and stay unconscious until at least noon tomorrow.

Unfortunately, it appeared that there was some bug in the system, and his reservation had mysteriously disappeared — while the hotel was all but full of the dueltainment convention attendees.  At this point, Reiji would have taken a cot in the hallway if it could get him off of his feet and into blessed unconsciousness.

He shifted back onto one foot, leaning on the handle of his rolling suitcase.  The receptionist’s furiously clacking keys were just annoying enough to keep him awake, and on edge.  The last thing he wanted was to blame the poor receptionist for this mix up, but he was draining his patience quickly.  Were there any hotels near here that he might book instead?

“Oh, Reiji!  I didn’t know you were at this hotel too!”

Reiji blinked from the edge of passing out, turning his head towards the voice.  It was Yuya, of course — he’d recognized his voice immediately.  Yuya hurried over to him, and immediately paused, looking him up and down.

“You look like someone beat you up,” he said, rather bluntly.

It was enough to draw a small, tired laugh from Reiji’s throat.

“Perhaps someone did,” he said.  “You booked a room here?  I thought you’d go straight home.”

“I thought I would too, but I got caught up with some of the other duelists after the exhibition matches, knew I’d miss the trains.  Managed to snag a room here.”

He glanced at the pale faced, furiously typing receptionist, and then at Reiji’s tired face.  He frowned.

“Something wrong?”

“No, no,” Reiji said, waving a hand.  “There was, perhaps, a miscommunication of some kind...or a bug in the system.  At any rate, it seems my reservation may have not gone through.”

He blinked a few times to try to keep himself awake, steeling himself for another walk to see if another hotel might have a spot — at this point, he was only causing a stir.

“I suppose I may have to see if anywhere else has an opening for the night — I don’t want to cause any further distress here.”

“What?  Looking like that?” Yuya said, looking him up and down again.  “You’ll pass out before you take one step out the door.”

“There are few options,” Reiji started, but Yuya had already wrapped an arm about his elbow and turned towards the receptionist.

“Can you just add him to my room?  It’s 304.  I’ve got the key and my ID here if you need to check it.”

Reiji attempted to protest — or at least, he thought he did, but what came out may have been little more than a mumble, as even in his exhaustion he was suddenly hyper aware of Yuya’s arm hooked into his.  The receptionist looked uncertain, glancing between the two of them, and asked Reiji something that he didn’t process.

“It’s fine!  We’re friends — you probably saw the duel, right?  Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

Reiji tried to stir himself, but he found himself accepting the second room key from the receptionist, and nodding vaguely when he bowed again and insisted that Reiji would get a refund or some form of compensation for this inconvenience, and then Yuya was taking Reiji’s suitcase with one hand and steering him towards the elevator with the other.

“Yuya,” Reiji said.  “You don’t...”

“Oh, hush,” Yuya said, keying in for floor three.  “Look at you — you’re going to keel over.  You need to sleep.”

Reiji was tired.  Tired enough that it wasn’t until Yuya unlocked the room and led them inside that it occurred to him that Yuya had planned on staying at this hotel alone.  And that he had just invited Reiji into a room that had only one bed.

Yuya steered him straight towards the single bed, turning him around and making him sit down.

“You need some serious shut eye,” he said.

“Yuya,” Reiji said.  “I cannot take your bed.”

Yuya blinked at him.  They hadn’t turned the lights on, so Reiji couldn’t be sure, but...was Yuya blushing?  Reiji wasn’t so tired that his mind wasn’t starting to work overtime about the entire situation — being so close to him — being in the same room as him — thoughts about him that Reiji had spent months upon months trying to suppress, trying to hide.  

Yuya would never think of me like that, he’d always told himself.  It will not do to strain our professional relationship with unnecessary feelings.

But Yuya’s hands were still on his shoulders, and they were warm, and they were both staring at each other in the dark of a hotel room with only one bed.

Yuya cleared his throat.

“It’s fine,” he said.  “I think I could fit on the couch.  You clearly look like you need the rest more than me.”

Reiji’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly — had some part of him hoped...? No, no, but that was foolish.  He had to remember to keep his thoughts in check, even if he was tired.  But...

“That ‘couch’ is a loveseat,” Reiji argued.  “You’d have to curl up to fit.”

“It’s okay!”

“No, it’s not.”

“Well if I can’t fit on the couch, you definitely can’t.”

“Then I will sleep on the floor.  Or request a cot.”

“I’m not gonna let you sleep on the floor!  If you’re gonna be like this, then we’ll just both use bed!”

The words hung for a moment between them.  Even in the dark, it was obvious that Yuya’s cheeks burned — and if the heat in Reiji’s face was any indication, so were his.  For what felt like minutes, but was perhaps only seconds, they only sat in the echoing words.  Reiji didn’t know where to direct his thoughts or where to try to suppress them anymore.  The bed was certainly large enough for both of them but...but they would be very close...

Yuya coughed, clearing his throat.

“Fine,” he said.  “That settles it.”

He turned on his heel and headed into the bathroom.  Reiji watched him disappear.  After a few moments, still thinking about it — wondering if Yuya was simply trying to get him to pass out before crunching on the couch — he couldn’t last any longer.  He didn’t even change out of his clothes, slipping off his shoes and dropping his scarf to the floor before sliding beneath the covers.

He was nearly asleep when he heard the door open again.  Yuya stepped softly across the carpet, and Reiji was about ready to try to call him out on sneaking over to the couch when he got the sensation that Yuya was standing very near him.  He heard Yuya’s soft breaths above him, heard the carpet squish beneath his feet.  Then Reiji heard him walking around the bed, felt the covers shift as Yuya carefully slid himself into bed next to him.  The mattress sunk slightly under his weight, close enough that Reiji felt his body lean towards him ever so slightly.

Reiji was starting to regret having gotten into bed facing away from the bathroom — if he opened his eyes, he’d be looking right at Yuya.  Was Yuya facing away from him, laying as close to the edge of the bed as possible?  If he managed to crack open his exhausted eyes, would he see Yuya’s face instead?  Reiji wasn’t sure which he hoped for.

He was so tired.   Too tired to think about it.  He felt himself drifting down, down, down.

At the very, very edge of sleep, he felt something touch his hand.  Not enough to wake him — almost...tentative.  He felt a hand, fingers, gently touching the back of his.  Yuya’s fingers were cool, and nervous, shying back when Reiji sighed a little too heavily.  Reiji tried to slow his breathing.

He was nearly asleep again when he felt Yuya gently touch his hand again — this time, Reiji was certain of it.  

He knew that if he opened his eyes, Yuya would be facing him.  Perhaps in the morning, this would seem like nothing more than a dream.  Maybe it was.  Maybe they would both never speak of it again.  

But for one night.  Just one night...Reiji let his hand relax, and when Yuya’s fingers slid gently between his, he gently squeezed his own fingers back.  For one night, at least, he could believe that maybe...just maybe...he’d never needed to be worried at all.

[twinsky]

i keep forgetting to post my fics to tumblr but w.e. here have some soft platonic jubileeshipping courtesy of my brain having only sora.png on it

-

Title: A moment like a shooting star.

Summary: Beautiful, if not ephemeral and fleeting, but you hold onto the memory of it all the stronger even so.

-

Sora has pretty long hair, now that Yuzu's looking at it, long enough to braid even.

Word count: 1.5k+

[ao3 link]

"Hey," Yuzu says, and both Sora and Yuya look up from their duel to find her watching Sora, head tilted with her textbook closed and her pen lying forgotten on the table homework he and Yuya have already been ignoring now completely put aside, "your hair is pretty long you know."

Sora blinks, raising one hand to his ponytail like he'd forgotten it was there, it was a quick part of his morning, he didn’t think of his hair often. "I guess?" He replies, it had been awhile since he'd last cut it so it was long even for the usual just past shoulder length it was normally kept at.

"It's nice." She hums, standing up from the table to walk over, shooing his hand away so she can grasp it herself, wrapping fingers carefully around the band so she can pull it off. It falls down in a soft cascade of layers, framing his face and falling to rest just at the bottom of his shoulder blades.

"Hey!" He snaps, whipping his head around as he pushes the chair back from the table to try to grab it but Yuzu has already stepped away, hands hidden behind her back as she grins.

"What? I've never seen it down before, you look cute." She says with a still impish grin leaning forward just enough to ruffle his hair.

His cheeks heat, a warmth radiating from them that makes him want to hide his face behind his hands until it all goes away, shaking his head pitifully.

Why is this happening?

"You know you're right." Yuya agrees and when Sora turns to face him he's gotten up as well, hands braced against the edge of the table as he leans forward across the it like he's seconds away from climbing over just to get closer.

"Yuya are you kidding me?" Yuzu scolds, one hand coming to rest at her hip as she gives Yuya a dry look. "You're telling me you live with him and you've never noticed?"

Suddenly there is a hand on his shoulder and Sora looks up with a start to see Yuya there, a pout firmly on his face. When did he move?

"Yuzu..." Yuya whines, "Sora gets up so early, he's always ready by the time I get up." He defends as his eyes light up in remembrance. " He does usually tie it in a low ponytail to sleep though."

Yuzu's eyes sparkle like she's trying to imagine it and it's coming out magical before her gaze turns back to him, her expression terrifyingly expectant.

"What?" He asks, the word coming out with less bite than he'd like.

Yuzu's expression does not falter, hands coming together to a clasp right below her chin. "Yuya make sure he doesn't escape." She says solemnly before she darts out of the living room and up the stairs.

There are hands clapped around his shoulders before he can even process the words and he sighs, defeated, resigned to whatever madness Yuzu has come up with. It is always easier to go along with her plans then it is to attempt to dissuade her. Once her mind is set Yuzu is as stubborn as the lot of them, metaphorical heels dug into the sand refusing to budge even an inch.

"It really is nice." Yuya comments idly, having removed his hands from Sora's shoulders once he realised Sora wasn't going to try to escape. instead they rise now to card through his hair, gentle motions as he runs his hands down through it, grasping locks with precious care and smoothing out the stray hairs from Yuzu's earlier ruffling.

His shoulders relax without meaning to, a pleased sigh leaving his lips even as his face burns from the embarrassment. How does something so absolutely embarrassing feel so nice? How is that fair? And yet the motions continue and Sora doesn't have even the slightest will to tell Yuya to stop no matter how silly or childish this must look.

Instead his eyes close, lulled by the soothing repetitive motions and the soft hum that Yuya has begun to do as he continues his idle actions.

His shoulders slump further as he slides just slightly down the seat, mind hazy and content.

This is nice.

-

Sora blinks awake to even more hands in his hair and steady gentle movements. Still half asleep the rhythmic motion of it is nice, and the familiar voices filtering in through his groggy mind make it hard for alarm to form. He knows he is safe if they’re around, he trusts them with at least that much.

“Don’t tug too hard you’ll wake him up.” One of them… Yuzu? Yuzu, says, half laughing.

“If he didn’t wake up while you were brushing it I think we’re fine now.” Yuya replies, voice slow like he’s concentrating on something else.

… Brushing his hair though? Just what are they doing.

“What! I was being super gentle, it’s not my fault it got caught at the end.”

“Wh’t are you two doin’?” He mumbles, voice still heavy with sleep. “How long was I sleeping f’r?”

“You woke him up.” Yuzu says instead of answering, and he can picture the faux disappointed frown in her expression clearly from her tone.

“Me? You’re the one who was yelling.”

“Guys….” He says, shifting to get up before two hands clamp on his shoulders, startling him as they force him back down.

“Sora don’t move!”

“We’re braiding your hair, sit still.” Yuya says, turning Sora’s head back forward when he tries to tilt it back to look at them. “And you we’re only asleep for like, fifteen minutes max.”

“… Why?” He asks, but allows them the movement, keeping his head forward as they continue.

“Why not!” They reply in cheerful unison, as one of them tugs a bit too rough on one of his strands. He winces slightly but otherwise remains still, swinging his legs back and forth.

He doesn’t really have an answer for that, he muses. Sora has never experienced something like this, his mother was anything but gentle and the extent of care Sora extended to his own self usually amounted to remembering to wash his hair twice a week. The ponytail was convenient, it kept his hair out of his face since he didn’t particularly like keeping it short even if the hassle sometimes made him doubt –but this was different.

It was worth the length, the hassle, for the warmth in his breast, the steady beating of his heart. Even if he felt a bit silly for it.

For a brief embarrassing moment Sora wants for the moment to never end. Because there is nothing happening right now, nothing at all. And yet Sora is filled with a contentedness he cannot explain, and does not want to let go of.

“Are you guys almost done?” He asks, trying to inject annoyance in his tone, if for posterity’s sake only, and failing miserably.

“Almost.” Yuzu replies through a laugh, statement punctuated by another sharp tug that pulls his head back.

“Well I’m done!” Yuya says, the grin clear in his voice.

“That’s because yours isn’t as nice as mine.” Yuzu sniffs, another forceful tug accompanying the words, and despite the minor pain he laughs at her indignance. Laughing harder when Yuzu huffs and Yuya squawks his disagreement.

“Mine looks perfectly fine! Ayu always likes it when I braid her hair!”

“Ayu is a little girl sparing your innocent heart.” Yuzu replies primly as she clicks her tongue. “There, now I’m done. See how much better it looks?”

“They look the same.” Yuya replies and Yuzu huffs, brushing the two braids forward so they rest over his shoulders, two near identical braids each tied with a soft pastel pink tie.

“They do look the same…” He replies, hands raising to hold them, lifting them up and inspecting them. He probably looks stupid like this, and yet there is a smile growing on his face, pulling at his cheeks until they hurt.

He blinks, looking up to find them standing in front of him, a grin on Yuya’s face as Yuzu holds a hand to her cheek. “Well if you like it, then I guess it’s fine.” She hums, reaching a hand out to brush his bangs. “It really does look nice, you should do it more often.”

“… I don’t know how to braid hair.”

Yuzu gasps, mockingly surprised as Yuya sways, leaning against Yuzu for support.

“This simply will not stand!” He exclaims, grasping Sora’s hands and lifting him up, presenting the seat to Yuzu as she removes the bands from her own hair, each side falling gracefully down as she sits. “Yuzu here will be our dear model, and I your teacher once again.” He recites like a crier on the streets announcing the days news.

He rolls his eyes at the dramatics, but moves to stand beside him and listens as Yuya grabs the brush, parting Yuzu’s hair down the middle and offering one half to him, slowly reciting the steps as he does them.

He follows along and as he gets the hang of it the conversation drifts to other topics and Sora lets them talk as he focuses on his own actions, stopping and restarting more often then he’d like.

But even so, in the steady quiet of this moment, soft words and even softer laughter. He finds it impossible to feel anything but happy. To enjoy the steady joy of doing absolutely nothing with people you love.

[lazella]

Oooooo, what about a story about the avengers telling all their wacky adventures and the go characters tell theirs or a story about everyone doing trauma competitions. (Like don't is saying how he was captured and kidnapped and Yugi is like i lost a card game and my soul was trapped in a rock. Then they just keep going trying to out bet each other.)

So it probably turned out more angsty than you hope but I had a ton of  fun writing this one out!

Trauma Conga Line

Natasha wandered through the kitchen during a late night.She had a hard time sleeping, a rarity nowadays but they still happened, so shedid a quick workout then went for a snack. She was surprised to see Tonyalready in the kitchen seemingly having a staring contest with his drink.Natasha quickly put some facts together and asked,

“So what happened to the boys?”

“What makes you think something happened?” Tony replied notbreaking eye contact with his drink.

“You are having alcohol in the middle of the night and yourdad instincts have been in full force all evening.” Natasha explained, “So whathappened.”

Tony sighed, “You know that scouting mission that we didtoday?”

“That somehow ended up with you returning with cuts onYusei’s head, burns on Yugi’s hands, a black eye on Yusaku, Yuya constantlyflipping through his four personalities, Yuma with a nearly broken arm, andJudai looking like he foresaw his death? Yes that mission that you didn’t tellus what happened and sent each kid into his room then went for the alcohol.”Natasha frowned while holding back a lot of sass. “So yes…if you couldelaborate now please.”

“There were smugglers there like the report said…but theywere smuggling Vibrainium. And they wanted to go down with a fight. Things gotugly fast. We were trying to get Yuya and Yuma to safety but then a grenadewent off…Yuma was limp on the ground…” Tony went ash white, “Then……Judai…hejust...snapped.”

“Snapped?” Natasha raised an eyebrow, “How so?”

“He was in shock…then his went eerily calm…then his eyesturn gold.” Tony downed his drink, “His eyes turned a flat gold color then hesnapped a smuggler’s neck with barely any effort. I don’t think the Power Stoneactivated at all. But then he started stabbing the already dead body. Yugi andYusei tried to pull him off but I think Judai let off this black fire to blowthem off then went after the other smugglers. He only stopped when Yusaku usedthe Mind Stone to snap him out of it.”

“And what happened after that?” Natasha asked.

“They….They laughed!” Tony started laughing himself, “Theyjust talked talking to each other then they were making jokes and laughing!Like what had just happened was an everyday thing for them!”

Natasha frowned, that did seem rather odd. They were allrather young kids so the fact that being ambushed and nearly being killeddidn’t faze them was slightly concerning. Especially to the point that theywere laughing it off.

“Think something happened to them that near-deathexperiences don’t faze them anymore?” Natasha asked.

“Well…Yugi admitted to being put in life and deathsituations frequently.” Tony started listed off, “I also have Yuya frequentlyvisiting a therapist cause I think he, or one of the kids in his head, mighthave been a child soldier. And Yusaku has PTSD. But that’s only vaguebackstories for about half of them.” He pour another drink and downed it,“They’re kids Natasha…this shouldn’t be normal for them.”

“We’re not…exactly kids…”

Both Natasha and Tony jumped at hearing Judai’s voice. Theyoung man stood at the base of the stairs looking very nervous.

“Sorry if for the…scare today Tony…” He sheepishly rubbedhis head, “I haven’t gone Haou in some time.”

“Haou?” Natasha raised her eyebrow.

“It’s a remnant of my…past life…Yeah reincarnation was afactor here…” Judai explained at seeing the confused faces, “I think Ioriginally lived sometime in the Roman Empire. I was supposed to inherit akingdom and tremendous magical power but things…didn’t go exactly as planned.Even me getting my powers back in this life really wasn’t the best way to goabout it in hindsight.” Judai sat at the table joining them and continued,“Some maniacs wanted to reawaken me and one had the bright idea of sacrificingmy friends for that…” Judai sighed, “Let’s just say…he got his wish when my‘other side’ woke up and killed him.”

Silence hung over the table.

“Seeing Yuma on the ground like that…” Judai continuedwithout any prompting, “It looked too much like that day. I’m afraid about losinganyone else…so I went Haou. Dark evil king who slaughters all his enemies.”

“Does anyone else know?” Tony asked.

“Yugi and Yusei have an idea…” Judai answered, “I gave thema brief overview of my history and abilities when we first met. That’s how theyknew how to snap me out of it.” He started tugging on his hair in a nervousfashion, “It honestly scares me…knowing that I can snap like that if someone Icare about get hurts but today….they could of died….”

Tony put a hand on Judai’s shoulder before he could startspiraling down, “I thought you guy were going to get killed too…you’re honestlytoo young.”

“There’s no point in losing sleep over that Tony…” Judaisaid, “Destiny can call you at any age. It’s all about how you respond.”

“That sounds really profound for you.” Tony smirked.

“Don’t you start that….” Judai pouted, “I get that enoughfrom my friends from home!”

Natasha smiled as the two began to bicker. Seems like Tonyhas gotten over the trauma for tonight, but it seemed like there was moreheading their way when Thor came in the kitchen next with one hand on Yuma’sshoulder.

Yuma had his injured arm in a sling, a pillow under his goodarm, and his eyes looked red as if he had been crying. Not a good sign.

“What’s wrong Thor?” Natasha asked.

“Something I will admit is not my forte,” Thor seemed ratherexhausted himself, “I found young Yuma wondering the halls speaking ratheremotionally with his spirit friend. Apparently, they both seemed panicked aboutan event from the past repeating.”

“What event exactly Astral?” Judai asked confusing Natashafor a bit before remembering that Judai was one of the few people who could seethe spirit.

There was silence as Natasha assumed Astral was answer thequestion before Judai and Thor looked shock while Yuma looked ready to cryagain.

“Could someone explain what was just said?” Tony askedconfused.

“Astral said that Yuma had watched almost all of his friendsdie in front of him which was only fixed because they got a lucky break totweak reality.”

“You’re thirteen!” Tony yelled, “How do you have that kindof history!”

There was more silence but by judging by the way Judai,Thor, and Yuma were looking at the same space of empty air, it seemed likeAstral was talking again and Tony was getting a bit annoyed.

“Okay I can’t keep waiting for this game of telephone toplay out…JARVIS let’s test out that program.”

Of course sir…some whirring noise kicked in and alight flickered and Natasha gasped in shocked while Tony looked pleased withhimself.

Hovering in the air was a blue humanoid figure with greenmarkings and blue gems all over his body. He looked at them in shock, “You cansee me now?”

“And we’ve got audio yes!” Tony pumped his fist, “I toldYuma I wasn’t going to let something like being chosen by magical forcesprevent me from seeing spirits. It’s not perfect considering you look and soundlike a hologram but it’s better than nothing. So what were you saying?”

Astral took a minute to get over his shock before he repeatedhimself, “I was originally created as a weapon to settle a war between twoworlds before I lost my memories and encountered Yuma. He helped me regain themand his friends got involved with what was happening. But when things hit theirclimax Yuma nearly lost everyone…” He rubbed his chest, “Myself included.”

Tony was silent for a while, “JARVIS…wake everyone up.”

“Wait what?” Everyone else said at once.

“We are having an impromptu group therapy session. Get theblankets, pillows, and all sorts of drinks because we are not dancing aroundthis issue any longer.”

Sure enough that’s what ended up happening. People weredragged out of bed, forced on the couch under blankets, injured peoplesurrounded with pillows, and hot chocolate passed all around. Yugi and Yuseiseemed to be in a good mood about it while everyone else kept freaking out overthe now visible Astral. Yusaku’s reaction was the most memorable as he tried todo a 180 and leave the room immediately the moment he spotted the spirit, allwhile keeping a flat expression. He was dragged into the pile by Judai.

“Tony you know I have a flight to catch tomorrow…” Clintmuttered trying to stay awake, “Why’d you drag us out of bed.”

“Because some people…” Tony stole a glance at the sixcolorful haired boys, “Have been hiding a lot of trauma and it needs someserious airing out.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad Mr. Stark,” Yugi said with asmile, “That worst that’s happen to me was my soul getting yanked out once ortwice.”

Tony’s expression went flat, “You said that way to calm formy tastes. You make it sound like an everyday occurrence.”

Yugi just shrugged not losing his smile, “Got used to it.”

“I’m with Tony, you sound way to calm.” Steve said.

“At least he doesn’t have to deal with turning into a greengiant any time he gets angry,” Bruce said with much salt in his voice clearlynot happy with being woken up in the middle of the night.

“But seriously Tony why did you feel that it was necessaryto wake us up?” Steve asked.

“Because I know for at least three of these kids now…” Tonypointed to Yuma, Yuya, and Judai, “Have fought in some sort of war watchingtheir friends die.”

“Oh…” A sense of familiarity and understanding washed overSteve, “I see. And the events of the day stuck a chord?”

A round of nods.

“It is hard getting out of that way of thinking…in the warwe just called it shelled shocked. The doctors just thought the men weren’tbeing ‘man’ enough to deal with the fighting. After waking up in this century Ifound out that wasn’t the case. PTSD is not a laughing matter and it reallydoesn’t go away. You can learn how to manage it and be able to distance thosetraumatic memories, but you lose that feel of safety and security. There is nogetting it back.”

All of the Avengers nodded in agreement.

“How do you cope with it?” Yusaku’s voice was quiet as allheads turned to him, his face looking rather…hopeful.

“Word to the wise…don’t use alcohol.” Tony said.

“Except for Yusei…we’re all underage Mr. Stark.” Yugipointed out.

“Still putting it out there.”

“But Tony is right, going into self-destructing tendenciesdoes make things worse.” Steve explained, “It was tempting for myself. There’sno way to explain the shock of getting knocked unconscious and waking upseveral decade later know that everything you knew and love was gone. The barswere tempting that day…but I quickly found my new support. I got to know peoplein the century…and got a new team.” Steve gestured to the other Avengers.

“My life prior to this wasn’t that good either. Being assassinfollowing orders and constantly on the run...I got tired of it.” Natashaexplained, “I eventually let myself get caught just so it could end…but itturns out Fury had a better idea of how to put my skills to use which lead tothe founding of the Avengers.”

“What about you?” Yuya asked Clint, “Was it the same foryou?”

“Actually no…” Clint said, “I was just an agent that gotrecruited into the Avenger’s initiative. My trauma didn’t start till after thefact with several rounds of brainwashing and mind control.”

Several people winced in sympathy.

Yusaku gripped his mug tighter, “What about kidnapping?” Heshrank a bit at the bewildered looks he got, “How do you recover from that?”

“Is…that what happened to you?” Bruce hesitantly asked.

Yusaku eventually nodded. “I was six…”

Immediately Yusei put an arm around the boy, as did Natasha.Thor started muttering about getting justice and puny mortals. Both Tony andSteve faces went hard with anger.

“Yusaku…I’m sorry…I had no idea…” Yugi began.

“None of you knew…no one else knew…the whole thing wascovered up…” Yusaku gripped his mug so tight that he was threatening to breakit, “I was only found because someone blew the whistle on the whole thing…”

“Breath…” Yusei warned gripping Yusaku’s shoulder tighter,“What did you do after that?”

“I tracked down those responsible…” Yusaku explained, “Itwasn’t all that I hoped…the doctor behind it had died right before I found him.I only got the full details from his son who turned out to be one who turnedhim into the authorities.”

“You wanted revenge?” Clint asked.

“I just wanted answers…” Yusaku took a deep breath, “I gotthem but now…I’m not sure what to do.”

Silence hung over the room as everyone struggled to come upwith something to say.

Yuya was eventually was the one who made the first move. Hegot up and hugged Yusaku…tightly. Yusaku looked unsure on how to react to thehug.

“You’re not the only one…” Yuya squeezed tighter, “I feellost too…but it’s okay.”

Yusaku still looked unsure but with some prompting fromYusei, eventually returned the hug.

“Thank you.”

Tony relaxed in his seat and smiled. Seemed like theimpromptu therapy session helped out a lot though the late evening was takingit’s toll. Yuma had already passed out on Thor’s lap who looked torn betweengetting up or staying in place so that he didn’t disturbed him. Astral justreassured him that Yuma would sleep through anything, but Thor elected to stayput. Clint had already gone to sleep as well enjoying the pile of pillows. Oneby one everyone nodded up in rather cute positions and you bet Tony took plentyof photos for later. But before he took fell asleep, maybe he would make aquick pillow fort.

[chromsai]

19 predadorks

things you said when we were the happiest we ever were

Serena wasn’t much for surprises. She thought Yuri knew that much about her by now. Frankly, she was rather annoyed with him because of that, a fact she groaned out at him rather than hide.

Despite that, she still held on to his hand tightly, not like she had much of a choice otherwise at this point. 

Yuri had practically dragged her straight out of class the moment the dismissal bell rang at Yuya and Yuzu’s school on a day that was supposed to be, well, Yuya and Yuzu’s. How Yuri got them both to agree to give up their day together and let him “surprise” her is what smelled the most suspicious to her so, like the moon-struck kittens of her deck, curiosity ended up getting the best of her this time.

And so now here she was, blindfolded and guided by Yuri’s cold and stern hand.

“Oh come now, Serena, please quit your moaning,” Yuri snarled. “I went to the trouble of making sure this was gonna be worth your time.”

She pouted and sighed, but responded with nothing more until she felt him grasp her duel disk arm and briskly forced it into position. “Yuri! What the hell are yo—”

“Quiet, quiet! If the others find out, I’ll shave Yuya’s head!”

“Wha—?! How is that a threat for me?!”

“You wanna live a few months with that on your conscious? ‘Cuz I know Yuzu and the others won’t be too happy to wake up to that.”

He’s going to hold their hair hostage just for whatever he’s up to?! “Yuri, you’ve got to be f—!”

Swifter than she could exhale her latest curse at him, Serena heard Yuri activate a card on both of their duel disks, summoning a warm light that enveloped them both— bright enough to burn through her blindfold and blind her itself for a moment— and the next thing she knew she was finishing her sentence with an added haste in her words.

“—ucking kidding mewhat did you just do?!” She began to reach for the blindfold but Yuri wouldn’t allow her to even lay a finger on it.

“Ah ah ah. Not yet. Stay right here for just five minutes and then you’re free.”

Hmph. Free…, huh?

“Let’s see… he said this would be tight… ugh. Hmm… how the hell does he dress like this every day?” She heard Yuri off to the side, fumbling with whatever kinky outfit he wanted to try this time. It felt like they were out in the open still though, so… what gives? “Yuri…”

“Almost. Just. Ugh. There. You can take it off now.”

It really didn’t take Serena more than a second to fling the blindfold off, and instantly her vision came to to an image she wouldn’t soon forget.

Yuri had changed into a riding duel outfit.

Sure, he inhabited Yuya’s body, but the colors were all his. Violets and pinks and purples all adorned him gaudily. She almost laughed.

“What?! Don’t look good or…?”

She realized now she had to hide her smirk out of caution else she’d ruin his efforts. “You… look… uhhh…”

“Right. Your turn.” He pointed to a shed close by where she assumed was where he had procured the garment he wore now, but that’s not what she focused on. The surrounding field is what she saw instead. To her left and right, Serena found a continuous mound of empty bleachers, all coming together to form a long ring. She recognized the place. This was a stadium. She turned behind her. Yup, as she expected: two D-Wheels positioned at the start line, awaiting their dueling riders.

“Yuri, what in the world?” Serena breathed in awe.

“I guess I never told you but I saw you duel here once, you know.” Yuri took his helmet in hand and began to make his way towards the nearest D-Wheel. “You and Yugo looked like you were having fun, so I thought I’d give it a try, too. What do you say?” He smiled at her slyly.

She paused to take in his expression for a moment. It wasn’t cruel or cold this time like she’d known it before in the past. It was mischievous, sure, but… in that way that invited you on an adventure of a lifetime.

Serena smiled back at him. “Sure thing, Yuri.”

A few minutes later, they gathered themselves up onto their D-Wheels and revved their engines with a cool sunset fading down on their position. Even without a crowd, she felt she could still find this quite entertaining. Serena felt ridiculous for feeling so giddy, and yet there was still something she wasn’t understanding.

“Yuri, you really came back here just to duel on D-Wheels, though, or…?”

Yuri stood silent for a moment, revving his engine one more time before answering her tauntingly.

“Stupid. I came back here for you, of course.”

[chibicrow]

let's play "show/movie/fandom and I’ll tell you": VRains, Arc V, Zexal, please :> (are three okay? or too much?)

THREE IS PERFECT THANK U. (I had to click 8 pages on my blog to find the original prompt tho lmao @ me) 

AND IT’S THE NEW GEN YGO YEEEEEEEE. I love me some new-gen YGO. (even tho I got a strained relationship with Arc V rn, but once I rewatch it in a couple of years, all should be good lmao)  

VRAINS 

my favorite female character: GHOST GIRL/EMA BESSHO. What a queen. 

my favorite male character: MY FIRE SON HOMURA TAKERU/SOULBURNER!!!!! 

my favorite book/season/etc: ??? I mean, there’s only been two seasons so far (technically), so I think I’ll pass on this one lmao.

my favorite episode (if its a tv show): ok so that episode where Takeru goes to up to Yusaku and is like “H-Hi Playmaker... :D;;;” A masterpiece. 

my favorite cast member: well, it was Ishige Shouya b/c his tweets give me so much life, but then VRAINS was like “hey guess what kaji yuki’s gonna voice homura takeru,” and it’s been him ever since. I’m literally watching four anime rn where he voices major characters. It’s bad lmao. 

my favorite ship: ALL ABOARD THE DATASTORM SHIP!!! 

a character I’d die defending: FUJIKI YUSAKU!!!!! thankfully I haven’t seen a whole lot of hate for him lately (tho, I’ve unfollowed and blocked a good majority of folks I’ve seen hate on him so lmao), but the amount of hate he gets just b/c he doesn’t develop as visibly as the Other Treasured Soft Main Protags is a bunch of bullshit. also I know it says character and not characters, but I’d also jump in front of an army tank and punch Blood Shepherd in the face for Homura Takeru. 

a character I just can’t sympathize with: Go Onizuka, which apparently makes me racist, but go off, I guess, Go Onizuka fans.... 

a character I grew to love: Spectre. Surprisingly. Even tho he was such a little shit in the last arc/season, especially towards Blue Angel. I blame the last VRAINS fic I wrote 1000% and the fact Blue Girl also slightly irritates me now for this tho lmao

my anti otp: ANTI-OTP AND NOT NOTP? WHAT. But anyway, I’ve said all my VRAINS anti-OTPs at this point I think, but considering I saw this pair recently, Aoi x Yusaku. Can understand why people would like it, but just. Can’t get on that ship. 

Arc V

my favorite female character: HIIRAGI YUZU!!!! 

my favorite male character: if we’re counting veteran characters, CROW HOGAN-SAMA OF COURSE

my favorite book/season/etc: Synchro Dimension arc best arc. don’t change my mind. 

my favorite episode (if its a tv show): when Crow-sama defied everyone’s expectations and just uncarded himself and tag-teamed with Shingo to roast Zarc into oblivion. I didn’t even care that they were defeated, I was just glad Crow-sama wasn’t a card anymore. :’D (AND IT WAS TWO DAYS BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY TOO. BEST PRESENT.) 

my favorite cast member: BESIDES SHINTARO ASANUMA, OnoKen. Love him so much. Also Hosoyan. 

my favorite ship: ugh I have so many fave ships from Arc V tho. YugoxRin, YuyaxYuzu, Crow-samaxShinji.... (also I low-key ship ShingoxSerena lmao) 

a character I’d die defending: besides Crow-sama (obviously), I would get hit by a bus for Sakaki Yuya. (I’m seeing a theme here with the main protags... smh @ fandom) 

a character I just can’t sympathize with: as much as I tried to, Yuuri. After he carded Yusho, that was it lmao. Any sympathy I had for him was GONE. like can u just let people live a little, you wilted cabbage patch kid. 

a character I grew to love: SAWATARI-SAN!!! oh man, he used to annoy me so much in the pre-JYC arc, but then his rematch with Yuya was SO GOOD. But then he got on my nerves again up until the Synchro Dimension arc. and then he became friends with Crow-sama. And it was all smooth sailing in the liking department from there lmao. I love Shingo.

my anti otp: I used to be kinda on board with this ship, but YuurixSerena. I think the overexposure to it killed all the tolerance I had for it.... 

ZeXal 

my favorite female character: ANNA KOZUKI. Her personality was an instant hit for me lmao. 

my favorite male character: even tho he died too much in ZeXal, Astral. I still love you, my naked blue alien. REAL close second is my Shark son tho. 

my favorite book/season/etc: The Barian Invasion arc but like. Just before the Sargossa mini-arc. That was a good arc (with minimal amount of emotional damage!) 

my favorite episode (if its a tv show): THE ASTRAL-YUMA REUNION IN ZEXAL II AFTER ASTRAL DECIDED TO BE MIA FOR LIKE 10 EPISODES. I BAWLED!!!! so good ;A; 

my favorite cast member: besides Hosoyan (FANSERVICE!!!!), Hatanaka. What a gem. I love him. 

my favorite ship: KEYSHIPPING. KEYSHIPPING. KEYSHIPPING. 

a character I’d die defending: I would get sucked in a black hole for Tsukumo Yuma. it’s the least I can do to atone for my sins. 

a character I just can’t sympathize with: ??? I mean, other than Don “I’m petty AS FUCK” Thousand or Mr. “HEART BURNING!!!!” Heartland or Vector’s dad, I don’t know lmao. I could sympathize with them all. 

a character I grew to love: not really “love” and not that it took me a long time to tolerate him, but Tokunosuke 

my anti otp: not . . . sure I have one?? the benefits of watching ZeXal long after it aired, I guess lmao. 

[pawnshipper247]

Love Struck

Just a story that came to me after looking at kazaashamiko’s police au. 

Chief Yuri surveyed the scene of the police shootout that had just been resolved. He had heard that an officer had been injured. He had received word that it was an officer from his squad. That had narrowed the possibility down to two of the squad members. Yuto wasn't likely to get injured so it was either Yuya or Yugo. Both were prone to recklessness, especially when it came to Yuto or Yuri respectively. His suspicions were confirmed when he spotted Yuya and Yuto crouched next to Yugo, who was clutching a cloth to his upper arm. The once white fabric was stained with bright red. Yuto caught sight of Yuri first. 

“Chief!” he called out to him, waving him over. As Yuri approached the trio he could see Yugo biting his lip, obviously in a lot of pain. Yuya looked up at Yuri, 

“I saw it myself, one of the shooters was aiming for you chief but Yugo moved into the line of fire and got hit instead.” The red-and-green haired man looked on the brink of tears. Yuto knelt down to hold Yuya around the shoulder.

 “Yugo will be fine,” he assured the teary-eyed male, “The chief will make sure he's well taken care of.” 

The onyx eyed man fixed Yuri with a stare that screamed, 'You'd better look after him or else.' Yuri nodded in response when Yuya looked up at him. Then he turned his attention to the sky-and-sunshine haired male.

 “Have you had it looked at yet?” he asked. 

Yugo gave him a pained grin, “The medical team is still tending to the civilians who were injured. It's fine though, I can wait.” 

Yuri's eyes narrowed, “Let me see.” Yugo started to get flustered under his superior's intense gaze, “I-It's fine really. It's just a scratch.” But Yuri wasn't having any of that. “Let. Me. See,” he repeated, “That's an order.” Yugo was silent for a moment then hung his head, “Yes sir.” He removed the cloth from his arm with a subtle wince. A long gash ran across his arm, dripping red lifeblood. Yuri's eyes widened slightly in concern. Then he sighed heavily, “I'll take you there myself.” 

That got Yugo stammering again, “Th-That's alright chief. I-I can walk on my own.” But Yuri wasn't listening. In the next instant, Yugo found himself swept into his chief's strong arms, like a princess.

 “R-Really chief. I can walk just fine on my own,” he tried to protest. Yuya snickered, “Just enjoy the ride Yugo. Because in this case you really don't have a choice.”

 Yuto grinned at the sight, “Yeah. Chief Yuri is as stubborn as they come. So if he decides to carry you that's all there is to it. He won't change his mind.” Yugo covered his burning cheeks in embarrassment. But, as Yuri walked toward the medical tent, Yugo found himself leaning closer to his superior, enjoying the feeling of safety he gave off. The sky-and-sunshine haired man found himself nodding off. Yuri looked down to find his officer had fallen asleep in his arms, the adrenaline finally wearing off. He shifted the man in his arms so his head rested into the crook of his neck, cradling him gently.

 He brought him into the medical tent to get his wound treated. The nurse who came to greet them was a familiar face. A girl with short green hair named Rin. “He was being reckless again wasn't he?” she asked with a smile. Yuri nodded, “Even more so than usual I'd wager. He took a bullet to the arm for me.” Rin didn't seem surprised. 

“That sounds like something he'd do,” she snickered, “He has quite the soft spot for you after all. Whenever he comes in, you're all he ever talks about.” Yuri felt his cheeks grow warm, “Really now?” Rin nodded, “Yes. I always tease him about how he talks like he has a crush on you. His face turns so red and his words turn to gibberish. It's really rather cute.” Yuri watched Yugo's face as he set the young man down on a cot.

 “I'll need you to hold his hands while I clean this wound,” Rin instructed, “He has a tendency to dig his nails into his hands to endure any pain. Best not to give him any opportunity to injure himself further.” Yuri did as Rin asked, slipping his hands into Yugo's, marveling at how soft they were. Rin started to clean out the wound and, sure enough, Yugo began tightly squeezing Yuri's hands. 

“Try talking to him,” Rin prompted, “See if you can calm him down.” Yuri nodded and started talking softly to the unconscious young man. “There, there Yugo,” he cooed softly, “It's alright. You're safe now. I'm here. I'm here now.” That seemed to do the trick as Yugo's expression relaxed until the treatment was over. “Would you mind staying and keeping an eye on him?” Rin asked with a sheepish smile, “We're a little short-handed right now and he seems to trust you quite a lot.” Yuri nodded, his eyes not leaving Yugo's sleeping face. Rin left to tend to other patients, leaving the two men, secretly smiling to herself, 'Good luck Yugo. He seems quite fond of you too.'

Yugo woke up some time later. He felt rather dizzy and disoriented. As he sat up he winced as a throb of pain shot up his arm. Yugo looked over to find his wound had been bandaged. Then he became aware of a weight pressing into his side. Looking down, he was shocked to find Yuri sleeping peacefully at his bedside. 

'Why is the chief here?' he wondered to himself, 'He brought me to the medical tent so there's really no reason for him to stay.' 

Yugo brought his good arm up to gently shake his superior by the shoulders. He blushed lightly as he realized that the plum haired man was still hanging on to his hand, even as he slept.

 “Chief,” he said softly, “Chief. Get up. Come on, this is embarrassing.” The sleeping Yuri stirred with a groan, his mulberry eyes fluttering. 

“Yugo? You're awake,” he said, letting go of Yugo's hand to rub the sleep from his eyes, “How are you feeling?” 

Yugo felt his face flush as he broke eye contact. “A little sore I guess,” he said, touching his injured arm lightly, “But that's to be expected.” Yuri's eyes grew concerned as he looked at his young subordinate. 

His hand rose to ruffle Yugo's sky-and-sunshine hair gently, “What you did was very reckless and could have had very dire consequences. You're lucky it was just a small nick.” 

Yugo hung his head in guilt for worrying his superior. Yuri sighed at the look on the injured man's face, “But I still want to thank you for it.” That got the officer's attention. Yuri trailed his hand down to Yugo's cheek, cupping it to bring the other man's cerulean gaze to his own amethyst orbs. 

“Thank you for risking your life for me Yugo,” he said, lightly brushing his thumb over the other's skin, “I won't forget that bravery. And I hope that I may someday be able to return the favor.”

 Meanwhile, Yugo's blush had grown deeper to the point that the poor boy's face now resembled a ripe cherry. “W-Well of course I would defend you chief,” he stammered, tears gathering in his blue eyes, “Y-You're very important to me. I couldn't let that man hurt you.” 

In a moment of impulse, Yugo wrapped his arms around Yuri's neck, pulling the other man close. Yuri was stunned by the other's bold actions. Then he realized that Yugo was trembling, sobs racking his slender frame. 

“I-If something happened to you,” he sobbed, “I'd never forgive myself, especially when I know that I could have done something to prevent it.” Yuri was speechless at Yugo's admission of how much he truly cared about his chief. Then he gently returned the embrace, petting the sobbing boy's hair comfortingly. 

“There, there Yugo,” he hushed, “It's alright. We're all safe and sound.” 

Yugo's hold only got tighter, showing that he wasn't quite convinced. Yuri trailed his free hand down to circle around Yugo's waist, pulling the other closer. Yugo let out a small gasp as Yuri held him close, being mindful of his injury. 

“It's alright,” Yuri soothed, rubbing small circles on Yugo's back. Yugo relaxed into Yuri's hold, resting his head in the crook of the elder's neck. Once the sky-and-sunshine haired man had calmed down a little Yuri released him, but still kept hold of his shoulders, keeping him at arm's length. 

“It is nice to know that you care for me so much,” he said with a gentle smile. Yugo returned the smile with his own, “Of course I care about you. I've practically had a crush on you since we first met.” 

As soon as those words left his lips Yugo's face went pale as a sheet. Then he quickly slapped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide as saucers, and a bright red blush bloomed over his face. His blue eyes shifted around, looking anywhere but at Yuri. 

“Is that true Yugo?” the plum haired man asked, “Be honest now.” Yugo could only squeeze his eyes shut and nod.

 A silence fell over the room. Yugo hung his head in shame, waiting for the older man to start laughing at his stupid mistake. Yuri let a gentle smile cross his lips. He tilted the other boy's face up with a gentle hand under his chin. Yugo's eyes were still squeezed shut. 

“Yugo,” Yuri coaxed gently, “Look at me please.” Slowly those blue eyes opened, wide, frightened and coated with a layer of unshod tears. Yuri brushed those offending drops away with his thumb.

 “It was very brave of you to confess your feelings like that Yugo,” he said, “And I'm very flattered that you think of me that way.” The plum haired man held out one of his hands to the frightened blunette, “I am happy to accept your feelings.” 

Yugo just stared at his superior in shock, “W-What?” Yuri gave the shell-shocked boy a kind smile, then drew him back into his arms, locking them around his slender waist. Yugo froze for a few minutes before he relaxed into the embrace with an audible sigh of relief. He wrapped his arms around his superior's torso in return. 

“I love you so much,” he whispered, almost like he was telling a secret. The plum haired male chuckled, planting a kiss behind Yugo's ear, “I love you too.” The blunette giggled at that, sneaking in his own little kiss to Yuri's cheek.

 “Alright Yugo,” the plum haired man said, “You still need rest.” 

Yugo pouted a little but leaned back on the bed, letting the elder tuck him in. 

“Yu~ri,” he whined, “At least give me a goodnight kiss.” 

The plum haired chief rolled his eyes with a smile. He leaned down and locked the sky-and-sunshine haired boy in a gentle yet passionate kiss. Yugo wrapped his arms around Yuri's neck, keeping him locked in the slowly intensifying kiss. Yuri wasn't complaining though. Kisses with the blunette were intoxicating and delicious. The two broke apart with a pop, staring into each other's eyes lovingly. 

“Just remember dear Yugo,” Yuri warned gently, “This relationship shouldn't interfere with work alright?” 

Yugo nodded, albeit a bit sleepily, “Yes sir. I understand. But I think that restriction will only make me more affectionate when we have our time alone.” Yuri chuckled as he placed another kiss to Yugo's forehead, 

“I wouldn't have it any other way my dear.” 

Yugo smiles up at him, then proceeds to succumb to sleep once more. Yuri sighs as he sits back down to continue to watch over his sweet little lover.

[hsj-scenarios]

Brilliant idea about the horror AUs!! Can I have a scenario 9 with Keito. お疲れ!!

Buyer Beware | Horror AU | Word Count: 4,369

Note: I’ve actually been working on this off and on for months now and finally had the time to finish it! Perfect timing I suppose since it’s his birthday. Horror is still a new genre for me, so please be kind. Also, I was told after I had finalized the story that Rubik’s Cubes don’t work the way I thought they did, so I do apologize for that. Because of mentions of violence, blood, and gore, viewer discretion is advised. -Mod C

Huff. Huff. Huff.

Keito did everything he could to try and stabilize hisbreathing. If he was too loud, he would draw attention to himself and that wasthe last thing he wanted. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t get hisheart to stop pounding and his breathing to return to normal. His eyes wereburning from the tears and the toxic smell that had been plaguing them sincethey had passed through that gate. It was acidic and rotten and seemed to belingering everywhere in this god-awful place.

Once he had managed to pull himself together and his eyeshad somewhat adjusted to the darkness around him, Keito peered around the sideof the tree he stood behind, doubtful but still looking for one of the others.They had gotten separated when that…that thinghad started chasing them. If Keito could find them, the next step would be justfinding a way out.

Keito remembered the way the ornate silver gate had warpedin on itself as he and his friends had started running towards it. It hadgrabbed them from the living room of their apartment and flung them into thismess, vanishing as suddenly as it appeared. Getting it back open would be hard.Getting out without that thing noticing would be impossible.

“And what exactly is this thing again?”

Keito turned the strange silver cube over in his hands,eyeing it curiously. It was a bit larger than his hand, small symbols inscribedinto each plate. It seemed similar to a Rubik’s cube, but rather than color youhad to match pictures. Keito’s attention shifted to you as you sat down on thecouch beside him.

“It’s called Mania.” You plucked it from his hands, turningit over in your own a few times before tossing it over to Yuto who was sittingacross from you. “Some guy dropped it off at my family’s pawn shop, said somethingabout it being unsolvable.”

“Why is it called Mania?” Yuya, Yuri and Hikaru had returnedfrom getting dinner, boxes of pizzas and liters of soda being carried betweenthe three of them. They set it all down on the table, Yuri grabbing a slice beforesitting down beside Yuto, Yuya and Hikaru making themselves at home as well.

All of you had gotten together for Keito’s birthday, himinsisting that he wanted to keep it simple. For you all that meant hisapartment, junk food, and bad movies. Yuto was taking party photos and all ofyou had gotten Keito a joke gift and a serious gift, the throwaway from yourpawn shop being his joke gift.

Sitting up to grab a breadstick, you grin and say, “They sayit got its name because everyone who didsolve it went insane.” The boys all scoffed, rolling their eyes at your answer.“I’m just telling you what the guy said! And he definitely looked a bit out ofit.”

Keito laughed with them but, when the puzzle made its wayback over to him and the movie had been started, he found himself turning thecube over in his hands, eyeing it curiously.

Unsolvable, huh?

“WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?” You yelled. You still hadn’tlifted yourself up from your place on the ground, the suction from those gateshaving pulled you from the doorway halfway across the room. If it hadn’t been forHikaru’s tight grip on the couch and him grabbing you before it was too late,you would’ve ended up being taken along with the others. Instead, you werestill in Keito’s living room, reeling from what had just happened, shufflingfrom your back onto your hands and knees to look at the others who were left.

Hikaru was trying to catch his breath and Yuri was staringwide-eyed at the space where those gates had once been, not entirely sure if hehad seen what he thought he had. He had been here the entire time, he had seenit happen, his grip on the wall the only thing that had kept him from vanishingas well, grey paint buried deep under his fingernails. But it still seemed sofake. Slumping down on the ground, Yuri leaned his head back against the walland took in a deep breath.

“They’re gone…”

You could see the fear and resignation in both their faces,but you weren’t willing to let go that easily. They couldn’t be just gone. Theyhad been with you not that long ago so there had to be a way to get them back,those silver gates be damned. Getting up from the floor, you hesitantly walkedtowards the windows, taking it step by step in case the gates reappeared, orthe floor fell out from underneath you or any other crazy phenomena. You walkedaround the area, feeling the empty space to make sure that there really wasnothing there.

“(Y/N), what are you planning on doing?” Yuri asked.

When he finally found his voice, Hikaru said, “We need tocall the police…report them missing, abducted, kidnapped, something!”

“And who’s going to believe that? Yes, officer? My friendsand I were having dinner when suddenly a BIG GATE MATERIALIZED IN THE LIVINGROOM AND WHISKED THEM OFF TO NARNIA.”

The two of them began to bicker behind you, you doing yourbest to ignore it while looking for something, anything, that could help youunderstand what had just happened. You move closer to the wall, your foot steppingon something. Bending down, you picked up the flat piece of metal, your eyeswidening and you jumping back up.

“Both of you shut up!” You snapped turning to face them. Youheld up the engraved silver piece for them to see and, when you saw the lack ofunderstanding in their faces, you explained. “The puzzle. Keito must havesolved it. We need to find the other pieces. Then…Then, we might be able to getthe gate back open.”

Yuya had been walking for what felt like forever, no sign ofhis friends and no signs of that thing, either. It was cold and dark and soempty. Wherever that thing had brought them, it was home, but it wasn’t. Therewere no people as far as Yuya was able to tell and everything felt…backwards. Hewasn’t exactly sure what it was, but he knew that he definitely still wasn’t intown, no matter how many of the same stores and homes he passed.

He paused for a second in the middle of the street,listening closely to his surroundings. He was sure he had heard something justthen. He waited to see if he heard it again before walking, this time a bitfaster than he had before. Yuya heard it again, his name being whisperedthrough the wind, but rather than stop, he kept walking, hands in his pockets,eyes forward. He needed to find his friends and get out of here.

As he was turning a street corner, Yuya froze, hisskin crawling the second he locked eyes with it. Standing at around 7 feet,Yuya wasn’t best sure how to describe what exactly it was that he was lookingat. It was like a man or rather like it was trying to be a man but had no ideawhat it was supposed to look like. Its arms were too long, reaching well pastits knees that looked dislocated, its back hunched. Its skin was like burntcrisp leather, no visible facial features. With a sickening tearing sound, amouth formed, sharp canines showing in a gruesome grin. Yuya started to backaway from it slowly, his heart pounding in his chest.

The same breeze that had carried his name come throughagain, this time another word following it.

Run.

“The other pieces have to be around here somewhere.”You huffed in exasperation. The three of you had all but turned the living roomupside down looking for the rest of the cube. You had found 2 of the 6 piecesnear where the boys had vanished, but there was no sign of the others. Itdidn’t make sense. Where else would they be if they weren’t in the living room?

Throwing the couch cushion down, you groaned, placingyour hands on your head. Tears were beginning to well in your eyes from fearand frustration. You needed to find those pieces. You needed to get the boysback. But you also had no idea where you were bringing them back from or ifyour idea would even work.

Sniffling, you said, “I’m gonna go look in thebedroom. You guys…I don’t know. You guys, split up and see if you can findanything.” And with that, you left the living room and headed to Keito’sbedroom, closing the door behind you.

Everything was exactly as it had been that afternoonwhen you had first come over. The bed made, a glass of water, a book and hisglasses sitting on the bedside table. You ran your hand across the top of thedresser, pausing when your eyes landed on the guitar sitting in the corner. Hehad a larger display in the living room, but this one was his favorite, the onehis dad had given him. Just looking at it, you could see the smile on his faceand the excited tone of his voice whenever he talked about or played it.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, you tried tofight the tears that were forming again but it seemed like you biting them backonly made them fall faster. You knew that it had been meant as a joke and itwasn’t as if you really believed any of the things the old man had come intothe shop saying. But all you could hear was the voice in your head telling youthat this was your fault. If you had given him something else, if you had beenmore careful, Keito would still be here with you. You would still becelebrating his birthday, and everything would be fine.

You had seen it. Whatever it was that had taken theboys, you had seen it as the gates closed. You couldn’t stop seeing it, loomingin the distance as the gates tried to pull all of you in, that broken form of awould-be man.

Clearing your throat, you tried to pull yourself backtogether. Sitting here wouldn’t save them. Feeling sorry wouldn’t save them.Wiping at your eyes with the back of your hand, you started digging throughdrawers and his closet, trying to see if you could find another piece.

Yuto had gotten separated from the others. They hadtried to stay together, Yuya yelling for him and Keito to stick close to himonce the gates had closed. But, the second that thing had shown up, they hadscattered. Once he had been sure that whatever it was hadn’t been following him,Yuto started to head back towards the park where they had first appeared. Itwas the same park Yuto and the boys had been going to since they were younger,in between the convenience store and the apartment complex Keito lived in now.While he doubted that either of them would still be there, he figured thatmaybe they had had the same idea, that maybe they were trying to find him, too.

When he rounded one of the street corners, he ended upalmost exactly where he had started, three streets down. Confused, Yuto turnedaround and tried to go in the opposite direction, but no matter how many timeshe tried he couldn’t seem to get away from the corner of 245th and248th street. His confusion began to turn to panic, his heart rateonly increasing when he heard a scream. It sounded like Yuya.

Rather than try to take the main streets again, Yutocut through the alley between a coffee shop and a drug store, sprinting towardsthe sound. His pace slowed, however, and Yuto was left frozen in place when hedid find Yuya. He couldn’t believe his eyes, couldn’t think straight, couldn’tbreathe. Keito was standing over Yuya, ripping him apart with his bare hands,something Keito didn’t even think was humanly possible.

There was so much blood. The air reeked of it. But Yuto couldn’t look away.He was scared and confused but he couldn’t move. Keito looked over at him,hands stained red and splatters of blood on his cheeks. He smiled. It wasdisgusting, the curl of his lips, the overly exposed teeth and gums. Keitostood, his body moving almost disconnectedly, like he was picking himself upand putting himself back together. As he took a step forwards, Yuto took a stepback, distancing himself from Keito. He had to get out of there.

It didn’t make sense. Keito wouldn’t. Keito couldn’t. But he had seen it with his own eyes. Keito had killed Yuya. Yuto felt heavy andnauseous but did his best to move, to run, to do anything. When he finally gothis bearings, he went back the way he came, running as fast as his legs wouldlet him, tears burning in his eyes as his brain finally processed what hadhappened. He had no idea how to get out of here, but he wasn’t going to stayhere, especially not after that. He needed a way out.

Keito stood in the center of the park near his apartment complex, callingout for his friends. He couldn’t have been the only one who had the idea ofgoing back to that spot. He wondered how long they had been here, how muchlonger they would be here. Was it still his birthday? He wasn’t sure. The skyhad been the same thick gray color since they had fallen from the gate and hecouldn’t even see the sun or anything that would give him some idea of time.

As he started walking towards his apartment building, Keito caught sight ofYuto running down the street. He couldn’t remember a time he had ever seen Yutomove that fast but, from what Keito could tell, that thing wasn’t followinghim.

“Yuto!”

When Keito called his name, Yuto froze, Keito’s eyes widening when the twoof them locked eyes. Yuto looked terrified, face streaked with tears. Keitostarted to move towards him, but Yuto started screaming, yelling at Keito tostay away from him. He was moving backwards for every step Keito took forward,tripping over himself and landing on his butt. When Keito was finally able toget to him, Yuto was crying harder, swinging his arms to try and push Keitoaway.

“Don’t touch me!” He cried. “Don’t touch me! You…You killed him! YOU KILLEDHIM!”

Keito dodged Yuto’s fists as best as he could until he could finally grabhold of his arms. “Yuto! Look at me! What are you talking about? I haven’t…LOOKAT ME!”

Yuto stopped fighting, his whole body shaking as he locked eyes with hisfriend. Keito wasn’t sure if he had ever seen Yuto this upset in the entiretime they had known each other. His eyes were cold and blurred with tears, hisexpression blank and withdrawn, like he had given up. He didn’t answer Keito. Histongue had turned to lead in his mouth and he felt faint. Even if he wanted to,though, he wouldn’t have had time.

A few moments after Yuto had stopped fighting back, Keito was pulling himup off the ground. Yuto was mostly dead weight at this point, but Keito did hisbest to lift him back onto his feet.

“Come on, buddy, I need you to pull it together,” He said hurriedly. “We haveto get out of here.”

He could see it coming down the street, partially hidden in a stream of fogthat seemed to be changing it. It was big and then small, disproportionate andthen not, like it was still trying to put itself together, figure out what itwas supposed to be. Keito managed to get Yuto up right and they were going tostart heading in the opposite direction when the fog cleared, and it was Keitothat almost fainted. He saw himself coming out of that fog, eyes dark andclothes bloody. He understood why Yuto had been so scared when they ran into eachother. He would’ve been afraid, too. Hell, he was terrified.

“Would you please be quiet? I am doing the best I can!” You snapped. Betweenthe three of you, you had managed to find the six sides of the cube. You hadtorn Keito’s apartment to shreds in the process, but that was quite definitelythe least of your problems at the moment.

You were trying to figure out how the pieces fit together. And, while youloved Hikaru and Yuri, they were not even remotely helpful in the process. Theywere both panicky. You understood that because you were, too. But it was as if,the second you had managed to find all of the pieces, that panic kicked intooverdrive. You were halfway through your only plan. You had found the piecesand now you just had to put them together and then...Well, then you just had tohope that what you thought would happen actually happens.

After trying several different combinations and the pieces refusing tostick together let alone open an interdimensional portal, you were getting morethan a little frustrated. Turning one of them over in your hand, you looked atthe carvings that were made in the cool metal and tried to think. You gettingirritated would only make it harder for you to figure it out. You carefullyaligned the pieces, pleased already when they began to click together ratherthan Hikaru having to hold them in place for you. When you attached the finalpiece, there was no clicking sound like with the others. This made you worry atfirst that you had put it back together for nothing.

That worry vanished, however, when the cube began to warm up in your hand. Youdropped it onto the table and watched as it began to shake. Yuri and Hikaru bothgave you uncertain glances, but you got off the couch and kneeled in front ofit, watching eagerly and hoping that whatever was happening would get you yourfriends back.

They had managed to create some distance between themselves and that thing,but only because it was letting them. It was moving too slowly, toying withthem, trying to see what they would do. Keito knew that. He knew better than tobelieve that they had run faster than that thing when it had so adamantly chasedthem before. But still, the distance was a relief.

He had led Yuto into the apartment building, the hallways dark and cold.Keito was relying mostly on muscle memory. If everything else here was the sameas back home, then the way to his apartment should have been too. Thankfully itwas, but Keito was skeptic when he saw the door to his apartment open. Themoved slowly towards inside, and Keito froze once they had made it to theliving room.

He could hear you. It didn’t make sense because you hadn’t been there withthem. He remembered seeing you on the other side of the gate, holding ontoHikaru for dear life but still looking like you wanted to reach out and grabKeito, save him. But he could hear you.

“Would you please be quiet? I’m doing the best I can!”

Yuto looked at Keito and then back towards the couch. He could hear you,too, but he remained frozen in his spot. Keito, on the other hand, was alreadymaking his way to the center of the room. He stood on the other side of thetable, across from the couch, waiting to see if you would say anything else. Instead,he heard clicking. The same clicking he had heard when he had solved the cube before.Then it stopped. He heard you wince in pain and the clatter of metal on wood. Andsure enough, the cube sat on his living room table. Keito’s eyes widened and helooked back at Yuto who was wearing a similar expression, moving around thecouch to get a better look.

“How did you get it to open the gate the first time?” Yuto asked anxiously.

“I…I don’t know. I just solved it and it opened.” Keito replied. “(Y/N)solved it so that should’ve been it. I don’t understand why…”

Keito reached out to grab it, the metal hot under his fingers. He pulledhis hand back but, as soon as he did, the gate was opening where the table hadbeen. He could see you in his living room with Yuri and Hikaru.

When the gate opened again, you started crying. Frustration, fear, relief. Allof it came pouring out of you as you jumped up from the floor. You reached outa hand to touch Keito, to see if he was really there. When he reached out back,you pulled him through the gate as soon as you felt his skin against yours. Hikaruand Yuri reached in for Yuto and you pulled Keito into a hug, apologizingthrough your tears. He was apologizing, too, for scaring you, for not being ableto save Yuya. You stared to ask what he meant when Hikaru called your name.

“What’s that?”

He was pointing through the gate. You and Keito saw it at exactly the sametime, putting itself together in the corner of the room, moving towards the gate.It was still wearing Keito’s face and he had to place a hand on your shoulderto reassure you that he was with you.

“We need to close the gate?” Yuto said. He was still shaken from what hehad seen before. And while he didn’t know whether that thing come cross thesame way that they could, he wasn’t willing to risk finding out.

“But how?” Yuri asked.

It started walking forward, face tearing into the same uncomfortable andinhuman smile. It was moving faster and you panicked. You couldn’t think of anyother way to possible close the gate, so you picked up the cube from the tableand threw it to the ground with all the force you could manage. The cube splitback into pieces and the gate warped in on itself the same way that it had whenit had taken Keito and the others.

“That’s all of it.” You sighed, closing the door to Keito’s car. Aftereverything that had happened, he decided to move to a different neighborhood. Itwas strange. You all had grown up in that neighborhood and Keito was the onlyone who hadn’t moved away for college or work. He was your last tie to the areaand even he was leaving. But for very good reason.

Of course no one was able to explain what had happened to Yuya, whose bodyhad shown up in the park two days later. Of course no one even felt remotelycomfortable trying to vocalize to anyone else what had happened. Even you didn’tknow what really happened. You had been too afraid to ask since Keito and Yutowere both so shaken up after they had gotten back.

You got rid of the pieces of the cube as best as you could. It wouldn’t meltand didn’t seem to be able to break into any smaller pieces, so you all haddecided to put it into a lock box and bury it far from the city.

Keito had already said goodbye to everyone else after Yuya’s funeral, buthe had asked you to help him get the last of his things. He wanted to saygoodbye to you alone. He hugged you for what felt like a long time and not longenough all at once. When he let you go, you started to ask him, again, if hewas okay, if he really wasn’t mad at you. But he had been trying to explainthat it wasn’t your fault. That you, just like everyone else, had only thought itwas a joke. You didn’t purposefully try to hurt him.

“Really, I’m okay. Or, at the very least, I will be. I’m gonna move closerto my parents so I can see them more often and look for a new job.” Keito gaveyou a small smile, hand pressed against your cheek. “It’s over now.”

You nodded and repeated that to yourself. “It’s over now.” Then you watchedas Keito got into the car, waving after him as he drove off before headingtowards the subway station.

The two teenage boys heaved the box onto the counter of the girl’s kitchen,her protesting the entire time. “You guys, come on. You know my parents don’tlike you being over here. Nozomu, that thing’s dirty, don’t put it up there!”

“Calm down, Sena.” Nozomu chided, looking through the kitchen drawers forsomething to pick the lock open with. When he found something that was decentenough he flashed Sena and smile and moved back to the box.

“Yeah,” Seiya parroted. “We’ll be gone as soon as we see what’s inside.”

“There’s probably a reason it was buried down there. We shouldn’t havetaken it. Let’s just go to the arcade like you guys promised.”

They were both ignoring her, though, and her complaints were cut off by Nozomuand Seiya’s cheers at popping off the lock. Triumphantly, Nozomu opened the box,his excitement immediately turning into disappointment when he saw there wasnothing in it but a cube.

Pulling it out, he asked, “Who the hell would want to bury a Rubik’s cube?”

Seiya plucked it from his hand and started bragging about how he can solvethem in under a minute. The turns of the sides were punctuated with loud clicksand then Seiya’s giddy laughter and matching the pattern so quickly. And then.

Nothing.

[seasaltmemories]

Classical for 29, pretty please?

After they had finally discovered the secret to pendulums, Nakajima suggested he take the rest of the day off as to enjoy a bit of relaxation before the Miami Tournament was underway.  And Reiji had agreed with him.  It was a perfectly logical conclusion.  Constant stress would only run him down, and with these pendulums finished, soon he’d have to focus on creating the Lancers and raising a vanguard to take on against his father.  It was vital that he rest or he could jeopardize the entire mission  Still there was just one problem.

Reiji realized he didn’t know how to rest.

As he sat in Miami Park, he still found his mind drifting back to LDS and work.  Which was disastrous as established previously.  He was not usually one for busy places such as these, but there should be something that should catch his attention for at least a few minutes.

As if on cue, a certain familiar set of pigtails appeared in the corner of his eye.  The Hiragi girl from You Show stood in line at a concession stand.  Now that was an interesting distraction.  Since their showdown, he had been wondering what preparations You Show had been making for the tournament.  She could provide an valuable lead.  

He studied her carefully as the gears in his head began to turn, but soon all thought was halted when she swirled around and made eye contact with him.Reiji froze, embarrassed from being caught in the act of staring, and not shameless enough to simply turn away.  She did not look happy to see him, and oh my, was she actually getting out of line and approaching him?

“What are you doing?”  Her blue eyes were arresting, planting him in his seat with both their beauty and their intensity.  He tried to force his tongue to come up with a half-decent excuse, but instead what came out was something neither of them expected.

“Can I treat you to something?”

Ten minutes later, Reiji was seated back on the bench, only this time the Hiragi girl and an ice cream cone accompanied him.  He wasn’t much for desserts, but she had insisted he buy himself something as well.  At the very least it was something to keep his mouth occupied with as he continued to try and find the right words for this situation.

Similarly, the Hiragi girl’s mood had hardly seemed to change.  With every lick of her cone, she glared daggers at him, as he had shredded her deck or thrown her ace into the sea.  Perhaps that would be as good as starting point as anything.

“Did I do something to upset you?”

“Look I understand that our business together was unresolved, but can we post-pone it to a later date?  Dad is super stressed as it is with everything–”

“I didn’t come here to discuss my mother’s disagreement with You Show.”  Once more that rogue tongue acted as if it had a mind of its own.  Thankfully, instead of frustrated, she seemed intrigued by his interrupting.

“If that’s the case, then what’s this about?”  She gestured to their cones.  “I don’t take you the time to pick up random girls in the park.”

A wave of heat rushed to the tips of his ears.  “….no that was not my intention.”

“Then what is it?”

Reiji adjusted his glasses.  She really left him no other option than a straightforward answer.

“I’m curious about You Show’s plans for the Miami Tournament.”  He finally admitted.

The Hiragi girl scrunched her nose. “I rather not reveal school secrets to the enemy.”

“I am not interested in trade secrets.”  Reiji lied.  “I am more interested in how you are preparing as an individual duelist Miss Hiragi.”

She blink twice, as if surprised to be referred to so formally.  “Why me? Yuya and Sora are also entering once they get their duels done.”

“I didn’t want to assume otherwise.  So far you’re the only applicant from You Show.”  He tucked away those nuggets of knowledge.  Sakaki Yuya had practically been a given, but knowing the other student intended to also enter could be useful.

“Yet I’m the one who’s gonna have to work the hardest after losing to Masumi.”  She spat her words as if they were venom. What a strange act.  Usually the first of LDS to qualify were a cocky bunch.  If anything, her qualifications humbled her.

“I remember watching you participate last year…”  Reiji found himself speaking with little restraint once more.  “It was a quick and devastating loss to an average duelist at best–”  She arched an eyebrow and opened her mouth, but he quickly continued before she could give him a verbal lashing.  “–yet a few weeks ago you went toe to toe with one of our top Fusion Duelists.”

“So what’s your point?”  She spoke forcefully, but the anger had been drained from her words and replaced with curiosity.

“My point is, you have great potential, Miss Hiragi.”  He took a bite of his ice cream.  “If you manage to rise and meet my expectations, LDS might have some offers for you.”  The more he looked into his father’s plan, the more it seemed she was somehow connected to it all.  Rationally it would be better to keep such a pawn away from the fight, but her prowess could provide to be indispensable if she continued to grow from her last duel.

“I’m no traitor; You Show is my home.  Still I plan to improve from last time alright.”  A fire burned in her eyes, blazing with an irresistible determination he could hardly look away from.  “And from now on call me, Yuzu if you plan to take me as seriously as you claim.”  The previous flame had softened somewhat, Reiji realized.  While still bright, it occurred to him that now she was finally looking at him as another human being.  For some reason, it stirred a pleasant feeling in his belly.

“Well I have work to get back to.”  Reiji stood.  Any more excitement today and he might faint from it all.  “I look forward to seeing you again, Miss Yuzu.”  

[entamewitchlulu]

Holding Up the Stars

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V

Pairing: Pendulumshipping (Yuya/Reiji)

Characters: Yuya, Reiji, Reira, Lancers, others

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: depictions of child experimentation

Summary: When Admiral Akaba Reiji of the interstellar imperial navy is charged to hunt down a defected soldier who has stolen military technology, he knows there’s much more to the story than he’s being told -- especially since the soldier in question is one Sakaki Yuya, whom he has met before.

Ao3 version

for @czoedy! | commission info

***

“We're coming up on the rogue speeder. Permission to fire?”

Selena's voice tenses, crackles on the edges. But Reiji holds up his hand, eyes fixed on the monitor.

“Negative, Lieutenant. Hold your fire.”

He can feel the surprised gazes burning into the back of his head from the rest of his crew, but he does not deign to meet them. His eyes are reserved for the old, decommissioned imperial ship they're pursuing. It swings back and forth erratically, an evasive maneuver to attempt to shake off any tractor beams that might attempt to snatch it into the imperial ship. It looks like it's about to shake itself apart against the black, starry sky.

“Sir,” Tsukikage says, his voice low and even, not a hint of distress or disobedience in it. “Our orders are to...”

“I know what our orders are, Captain. Please remember yours.”

Tsukikage falls silent. A faint hum of unease seems to encase the control center, despite the fact that no one is speaking. No one knows why Reiji is hesitating. He has never hesitated before, after all.

Reiji's fingers drum lightly against the smaller screen at his side, attached to his arm rest, where the orders for their mission glow. A simple directive: Soldier gone rogue. Stolen sensitive military tech and data. Terminate on sight.

The image, and the name that glows beneath it, indicate the rogue soldier as Sakaki Yuya.

Reiji tenses his jaw.

What are you doing, Sakaki?

*

It’s the sound of giggling that attracts his attention — that’s not a sound that he’s used to hearing aboard his ship.  He pauses at a window, eyes wandering automatically out at the inky blackness of the vacuum of space just beyond it, as he tries to determine which direction the sound is coming from.

It’s two doors down, in one of the galleys.  He makes his way towards it, knocking lightly on the door before entering.  The giggles splutter a bit, as though people are trying to stop laughing before he lets himself in — this attempt fails, as the occupants are still laughing when he opens the door.

The most surprising thing about the room is Selena — she’s practically bent over the table laughing.  Reiji blinks. He’s never seen her laugh like this before — she’s always so tense and strict. Sawatari looks reluctant as he laughs, too, but his cheeks are red.

The third member of the table, however, Reiji doesn’t know.  He’s probably a few years younger than Reiji — a fresh recruit, straight from the Academy, no doubt.  His cheeks are round and pink with his laughter, his whole face and body alight with the joy that seems to pour out of it.  His shaggy green and red hair is only barely contained by his military hat, red eyes alight with mirth. Those eyes meet Reiji’s as the door opens, and rather than shoot to his feet and stand at attention, the way that Selena and Sawatari scramble to do as they leap to their feet, he only smiles and raises a hand in greeting.

“Oh!  Good morning!” he says.  “Sorry, were we being too loud?”

The young man suddenly notices Selena and Sawatari standing up at parade rest, and a light pink flush overtakes him.  His eyes fall on the bars on Reiji’s pocket, the ones that indicate him as the commander of this fleet. The young man immediately shoots up to his feet and salutes.

“Oh!!” he says.  “Sorry, sir! Didn’t realize who you were.”

Reiji waves it off, indicating to them that they may sit back down.

“It��s fine.  I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.”  Reiji tilts his head at the young man. The young man smiles back, making another salute — this one seeming more playful than the last.

“Yuya!  Sakaki Yuya,” he says.  “You must be the commander, Akaba Reiji.”

Reiji nods, surprised to find a small smile on his own lips — something about Yuya’s cheer is infectious.  He’s not used to soldiers being so...happy.

“An excellent deduction.  And you must have just joined our fleet.”

Yuya shakes his head.

“Actually, I’m with the contingent going in,” he says.  “We’re riding along with you to get to the tech docks.”

Ah, of course.  Reiji nods.

“Well, I welcome you aboard, then, Private Sakaki.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Reiji starts to turn, but then hesitates.  He glances back at the three of them.

“If I might ask...what was so funny, earlier?”

Selena goes bright red, Sawatari leans his head forward, and Yuya’s entire face lights up with glee.  Selena starts waving her hand at him, as though trying to get him to stop without Reiji noticing, but Yuya doesn’t look at her.  Instead, he reaches for the pair of chopsticks from their finished meal on the table, and before Reiji knows exactly what he’s doing, Yuya sticks them both on top of his head like a pair of antennae, and wiggles them up and down.

“Listen up, idiots,” he says, in a perfect imitation of Lieutenant Sanders, one of the fleet instructors at the Academy — Reiji remembers him from his own days in school.  “I will only say this once!!”

Selena can’t contain herself.  She collapses with muffled giggles, face pressed into the table, and Sawatari is looking away with a hand crunched over his mouth and shaking from the effort of keeping the laughter inside.

Reiji blinks for a moment, his mouth slightly open.  For a second, he thinks of how absolutely disrespectful this is, and that Yuya should know better than to make fun of his superiors.

But it sounds just like him, and the chopsticks look just like those ridiculous little tufts of hair on the old soldier’s head that would bounce when he yelled, and it’s like for a moment, Reiji’s been transported back in time to morning drills and daily lessons.

And he can’t help it.  A smile cracks over his face.  A small snort escapes his lips — one that gets Sawatari’s and Selena’s eyes both snapping up to him with shock.  Reiji covers his mouth with one hand, but Yuya’s already seen the smile and heard the laugh, and he grins so hugely that it’s like his face might split it half.

Reiji coughs to disguise the laugh.

“Amusing,” he says.  “Do be careful, though — not everyone may have the same sense of humor as you.”

“Will do, sir,” Yuya says, with yet another playful salute.

*

Yuya slaps at the controls, trying to breathe. The imperial ship is gaining on him. He's not sure which one, but it doesn't matter. All of them will shoot him down if given the slightest chance. He chokes on his own air as he wrenches the controls back and forth. His ship is old – not at all like the top of the line imperial ship on his tail. His shields might hold for a single blast, and he doesn't have any hyperspace capabilities.

We might be able to escape if...

“No,” Yuya says aloud to the voice in his head. “Absolutely not.”

He keeps his eyes on the radar as he tries to maneuver the ship. He knows what he's done. He knows what the military will do. They'll shoot him down without asking questions. That's why he has to do whatever he can to be a difficult target. He wrenches the controls wildly again – he can almost hear his flight instructor scolding him, and a wry grin splits over his face. Thinking about school now? He must be really losing it.

He exhales, and inhales again, holding it. He tilts the controls downward suddenly, spinning them forward. They start to tip upside down – he's going to go for it. He's going to loop underneath the ship, zoom in the other direction, and count on it being too slow to turn around after him –

The ship yanks to a stop so abruptly that he crashes against the console, and it sparks. He yanks at the controls, but they don't respond – every screen has gone a blank, pulsing teal.

His heart rises into his throat, and he reaches for his blaster. Tractor beam. He's been snatched, rather than shot. What...who's on that ship?

*

It's quiet in the observation deck. It reminds Yuya of home, a little. Home before the bombs, and the fires. From here, in the darkness, lit only by the glow of the planet far below them in the view of the bay window, he can pretend once again that he's in a grove of glowing willows, the darkness of the sacred cave surrounding him and broken only by the waving back and forth of the willows long, glowing branches as they trace across the water's surface. None of the other ensigns have ever joined him out here. They're all busy back in the mess hall, laughing, drinking, and playing cards, making the most of their time after school has ended and before work begins.

That's why he's surprised when he hears a soft footstep scuff against the metal floor. He's even more surprised to see Admiral Akaba being the owner of the footsteps.

“Oh,” Yuya says, standing up straight with his plastic cup of tea in one hand, awkwardly saluting with the other. “Hello, admiral. Sorry, am I interrupting?”

“Not at all,” Akaba says in that soft voice of his. “I hope I wasn't interrupting you.”

Yuya shakes his head, and realizes that he's probably breaking a lot of protocol rules right now by not saluting properly. But there's nowhere to put his tea, and well, Akaba did laugh at his jokes earlier. Maybe he'll let him off easy.

To his relief, Akaba does not make a mention of Yuya's unbuttoned jacket or his sloppy salute. He simply joins him at the railing, looking down at the planet below.

“Are you ready to disembark tomorrow?” he asks, and his voice is gentle enough to not feel as though it's breaking the silence.

Yuya bites his lip as he considers the question, swirling his tea around in his cup.

“I think so,” he says. “I've never been this far away from home before, actually. It's weird.”

Akaba glances at him through his glasses for a moment, dark violet eyes looking black in the light.

“You're from the Outer Rings, correct?”

Yuya's lips part, and his fingers almost slacken on his tea. And then he brightens.

“Yes!” he says. “You can tell?”

Akaba nods, leaning his elbows forward on the railing.

“I have never been,” he says. “But I have always wanted to.”

This gets Yuya's eyes to widen.

“What? Really? You?” he says, and then realizes how rude that sounds. “Sorry, sir.”

Akaba actually cracks a small, soft smile, and it seems to make him glow a little. It brings a faint, strange warmth to Yuya's cheeks.

“Is that so surprising?”

Yuya ducks his head towards his tea, holding it in both hands. The light of the planet reflecting its double suns makes the edges of his tea glow.

“To be perfectly fair, sir, it seems a lot of people don't like the Outer Rings very much,” he says.

That's an understatement. He's heard the things his fellow ensigns have said about the Outer Rings – dirty, primitive places, backwards worlds that still believe in dragons and worship trees. Worlds that deserved what they got during the Struggle. His fingers tighten into his cup.

“I hope no one on my crew has said such things to you,” Akaba says.

“Oh, no, definitely not,” Yuya says, looking up and waving one hand. “Your crew is – they've all been very good to us, sir.”

Akaba smiles slightly again.

“I'm glad to hear it.”

He turns his gaze back to the planet for a moment, and then leans back, standing straight again.

“I've also heard many things about the Outer Rings,” he says. “But mostly about how beautiful they are.”

He glances at Yuya out of the corner of his eye.

“I know there was great struggle there but...from the holo-photos I've seen of the place, I can't imagine ever wanting to leave.”

The soft kindness in Akaba's voice actually makes Yuya's heart swell. He smiles.

“I hope you can see it one day,” he says.

Akaba nods softly, and then looks back to the planet. Before he walks away, however, he turns to Yuya again.

“I hope it doesn't come as too forward, but...why did you leave, Sakaki? Why did you join the military? I mean no offense, but...you don't seem of the nature for it.”

It's nothing Yuya hasn't heard before, so he doesn't take offense. It's actually endearing, the sort of gentle curiosity in Akaba's voice.

“You obviously know about the Struggle,” Yuya says, leaning back against the railing, his back to the planet. “Everyone does.”

Akaba only nods, and Yuya keeps going.

“I was right there. At the invasion point, I mean. In Maiami.”

The words make Akaba's face pale, and he swears softly.

“You're lucky to be alive.”

Yuya nods. He feels himself getting distant, like he always does, when he talks about it.

“My mom, my best friend, and her dad got out because my dad covered us. But he didn't make it out after us.”

He squeezes his tea cup so tightly that it squishes beneath his fingers, and tea spurts out of it and onto his hands. But he's so far away now that he doesn't notice. For a moment, his mind is full of nothing but the sound of bombs, and screaming.

“But we still wouldn't have made it out,” he says. “On the other end of our escape route, they'd formed a blockade to catch fleeing refugees. We wouldn't have escaped if...if not for...well, for her.”

He can still remember the moment, as clear as though it's happening in front of him. Clinging to his mother's shirt as she screamed and yelled, waving a broken blaster in an attempt to scare off the firing squad that bore down on them. And then...her. Just one, single person, running headlong to intercept the blasters from striking him and his family, armed with only a single shield and a single energy lance. He remembered the way her red-brown hair, tied into twin tails, had spilled out from beneath her hat as it went flying off her head. Her flashing eyes, and the determined scream that spilled from her lips as she struck down the first line, cutting through lasers, breaking apart blasters before their ammo could strike the civilians behind her.

Others had streamed after her, then, people in gray uniforms quickly surrounding Yuya and his family with their shields raised while others advanced on the blockade, breaking it down. And somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, Yuya could still see her – the woman with the red-brown hair, one twin tail undone, but still surging about the field like an avenging angel.

He remembers seeing her only once afterward. Her coat hanging open, shirt torn, hands shaking slightly where she gripped her lance, her shield fractured. He remembers hearing the officer yelling at her for breaking formation, as she stood stoically without either guilt or defiance. And he remembers running towards her, breaking out of his mothers grip, to tug on her jacket. Her pale violet eyes, dropping down to him, and her lips parting. His vision of her blurred from the tears.

“Thank you,” he cried. “Thank you for saving us.”

And he remembers her smile, as she got down on one knee to his level, and put a hand on his head.

“Keep going,” she'd whispered. “I fought so that all of you could keep going. So don't ever stop.”

Yuya blinks away the memory, realizing that he'd begun to cry. He quickly wiped away the tears.

“I joined so that I could be more like her,” he says. “So that...even just one person. So that I could save even just one person.”

Akaba doesn't respond, and when Yuya chances a glance at him, he's surprised to see him staring off into the distance, seemingly seeing nothing.

“Sorry,” Yuya says. “I'm sure that sounded...maybe a bad reason.”

Akaba comes out of whatever trance he's been in, and he shakes his head. To Yuya's surprise, he puts a hand on Yuya's shoulder, and squeezes very lightly.

“Not at all,” he says. “You are very noble, Sakaki.”

Another faint smile crosses his lips.

“I hope you'll hold onto that, after this.”

He is the first person since Yuya got here to look him straight in the eyes like that – like he isn't a joke. Yuya ducks his head, and blushes.

“Thank you,” he says. When Akaba's hand slips away, Yuya glances up at him again. “You can call me Yuya, if you'd like.”

*

“I don't understand why you have to go in alone.”

Kurosaki stalks after Reiji as Reiji makes his way down to the tunnel. Yuya's ship has been stabilized and drawn in, and they'll wind the connecting tube out the rest of the way. Reiji will go down that tunnel, and speak with him.

“Because if I go in with a whole contingent, he'll panic,” Reiji says.

“Take a blaster with you,” Kurosaki snaps, trying to push one at him. Reiji pushes it away, shaking his head.

“Again. It will only frighten him. I must speak with him where he doesn't feel threatened.”

“I don't get why you're doing this!”

They reach the door, and Reiji pauses, turning to look Kurosaki in the eyes. Kurosaki always looks angry, but he looks even more so now.

“You wouldn't do this for anyone else,” Kurosaki says. “Why is this kid any different? Because you met him once?”

Reiji hesitates. He turns the question over in his mind. Why is he getting so worked up about this? Is it because he was fooled by Yuya's charm? Is he losing his mettle?

Or is it, perhaps, because Yuya was there at the last battle Akaba Ray ever survived?

Reiji inhales.

“I knew him only a short time, but I did see something in him, Major Kurosaki,” Reiji says slowly, evenly. “Something that I do not believe should be dismissed.”

“He stole tech and data and you want to talk to him civil? We could get court-martialed for this, you know, along with you.”

Reiji holds Kurosaki's gaze.

“Did you think, for a moment, Major, about what Yuya may have stolen? And why the military is so at ease with it being destroyed?”

This takes Kurosaki aback, and his lips part. He furrows his brow.

“What are you saying?” he says slowly. “You're saying something that I never thought Admiral Akaba was going to say.”

Reiji clenches his jaw. Kurosaki has never been...completely silent on his views about military secrecy. It's one of the reasons that Reiji's ship is the only one where Kurosaki has managed to stay on for as long as he has. In fact, all of Reiji's crew, it seems, are the misfits – the ones that no one else thought were possible to corral or redeem. Kurosaki with his hundreds of infractions for fighting with other officers and demanding to know more about the missions they were sent on. Selena's tendency to shoot out of formation in order to cover civilians. Tsukikage and Hikage's both being seemingly unable to fight without the other within comms reach. Gongenzaka and his refusal to wield a blaster due to personal reasons he would not disclose. The entire fact that Dennis had once been selling intel to the enemy, and may possibly be looking for an excuse to do it again. That wasn't even counting Sawatari's stunning incompetence in eighty percent of encounters – only showing his true mettle when backed against a far corner, and never exactly when you needed him to.

If any crew in the universe should be suspicious of the orders they'd received, it was this one.

“You think this is a cover up,” Kurosaki says.

“I will make no such assumptions,” Reiji says, turning towards the door and keying in the code to open it. “Only that I wish to gain information before making assumptions.”

Kurosaki does not argue, and does not stop him this time. The doors slide shut behind him, and Reiji turns to the dark corridor. The walk to where it attaches to Yuya's ship ends all too quickly. He hardly has time to formulate what he is going to say.

The door opens before he can touch it, and Yuya is already there, a blaster trained on him. Reiji raises both hands up, noting the way Yuya's eyes widen and his lips part to see him.

“Admiral Akaba?” Yuya says, soft, hoarse, as though he hasn't spoken aloud for a while.

“Ensign Sakaki,” Reiji says in return.

For a moment, they only stare at each other.

“Why didn't you shoot me down?” Yuya asks.

“I want to know what's going on. This doesn't seem like a move you would have made, from what little time I knew you. I want to know why I'm shooting someone down.”

Yuya's eyes flick past Reiji, and then back down the corridor.

“Are you trying to distract me?” Yuya asks. “Have someone come in on the other side?”

“And do what, do you think?” Reiji asks. “Our orders are to kill you, not capture you. Unless you think I might be putting myself in range of a missile.”

Yuya bites his lip, face pale. He's shaking, and he looks...smaller than he did. His hair is mussed, his face is sweaty, and his uniform is half undone. He's been on the run for only a handful of days, but he looks exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes indicating little sleep.

“What do you want?” Yuya says.

“To know the truth.”

Yuya presses his lips together.

“You can't possibly expect me to believe you don't already know.”

Reiji frowns, brow furrowing. His hands slip a little down to his sides, and Yuya tenses, tightening his grip on the trigger. Reiji raises his hands back up again.

“I quite honestly haven't the slightest idea what's happening,” Reiji says.

“Don't play dumb,” Yuya says, voice cracking. “You're so high up in command, Akaba, and your dad is the High Admiral – you can't possibly not know.”

“I don't know,” Reiji says again, more firmly. “My father and I share nothing more than a job description and a blood tie.”

Yuya is starting to hyperventilate now, shaking slightly.

“Please,” he says. “I liked you, Admiral. I don't...I don't want to shoot you. You seemed like a good person. I don't want to shoot you.”

“You don't have to.”

“Then just let me go, and you'll never hear from me again, I promise.”

“I can't do that.”

Yuya smiles, but it's wry, and there are tears in his eyes.

“That's why I can't trust you.”

His finger twitches against the trigger. Reiji tenses.

No!

The word seems to ring through Reiji's head, and Yuya's eyes widen as though he's heard it too. Yuya's head whips around towards the corridor. Reiji's eyes follow.

He exhales.

Why is there a child on Yuya's ship?

The girl can't be more than ten, eleven. She's so small, so bony, the medical dress she wears seems to hang off of her like her body is a coat rack. Matted violet hair tangles against her back and over her shoulders, big blue eyes so huge and wide it's like they can stare into his soul. Her hands tremble, and her legs shake as though it's hard for her to hold herself up when she stumbles forward.

“Reira,” Yuya gasps. “I told you to hide...”

Reiji puts a hand over his mouth, his body slackening in horror as he sees the rest of her. Sees the collar strapped around her neck, with holes for plugs, and the scars all down her arms. Sees the glowing, pulsing teal battery-like apparatus that seems to be inset in her chest. A soft gag releases from his throat. What...what's happened to this child?

Yuya's eyes whip back to face Reiji at his sound. For a moment, they only stare at each other. And then Yuya's face breaks. His arms drop to his sides.

“Oh, fuck,” he says. “You really didn't know, did you?”

Reiji swallows back bile. Is – is this child the stolen tech? If they had shot Yuya out of the sky, they would have –

“What's been done to her?” he manages to gasp out.

Yuya bites his lip, eyes filling with tears.

“They were torturing her,” he says. “They were torturing all of them but – but she was the only one I could...”

He shakes his head, and with shaky hands, he lifts his blaster again.

“Please,” he says. “Just let us go.”

Reiji shakes his head slowly, eyes elsewhere, his brain working over time trying to figure out what this means.

“Akaba, I – I will shoot you,” Yuya begs, voice cracking.

“If you do, my crew will shoot you down,” Reiji says. “If I let you go, you'll be hunted, and both of you will simply be shot down out of the air.”

“Then what do you want me to do? Turn myself in?” Yuya gasps, eyes filling with tears. “They'll only execute me and take her back to be tortured! And if you didn't already know about the project, they'll definitely never listen to you to shut it down – ”

Reiji holds up a hand for stillness, and is somewhat surprised when Yuya obeys. His eyes slide back to the child, the girl with her hands clasped against her chest and her whole body shaking – her eyes meeting his with the desperation of a wounded animal.

“You will be shot down immediately without a chance to explain, or blow the whistle on whatever is happening,” Reiji says. “Unless...you have a high profile hostage on board.”

Yuya's eyes widen. His jaw slackens, and his arms fall to his sides.

“You're not serious.”

Reiji moves his eyes back to Yuya's, and holds his gaze.

“I'm completely serious.”

*

Despite Yuya’s obvious exhaustion and panic, he’s an excellent actor once he’s given a role to play.  His voice doesn’t shake at all after he blows up the connecting tube with Reiji’s instructions, breaking the junker off of the imperial ship and releasing it to zoom off, and informing the crew that he has taken their commander hostage and if they care for his safety, they won’t try shooting or following.

The moment the intercom is shut off, and they’re far enough away that even Reiji’s top of the line imperial cruiser won’t be able to catch up on them again, Yuya’s role drops, and he slides back into his chair, exhausted.

Reiji steps forward — now that the plan has actually happened, he feels a little weak kneed himself.  He’s made a wild, impulsive decision — it’s not like him at all.  He is determined to wring the whole story out of Yuya now, no matter how tired Yuya is.

Before Reiji can say a word, however, the girl — Reira, Yuya called her — leaps in between them, arms outstretched.  She shakes slightly, but she doesn’t drop Reiji’s gaze.

Don’t hurt him.

Reiji’s lips part at the impression of a voice in his head, and Yuya sits up as though he’s heard it too — just like before.

“He’s not going to hurt me,” Yuya says soothingly, stroking her hair.

Reira eyes Reiji suspiciously.  But she backs away, sliding back into Yuya’s lap, and he pulls her up there, holding her lightly as though he’s afraid of breaking her.

“I assure you, I am not going to hurt you now that I have committed treason with you,” Reiji says.  “I only want to know everything, now that I’ve thrown my lot in with you.”

Reiji slides into the copilot’s seat and folds his hands on his lap, waiting expectantly.

Yuya looks at Reira, and Reira looks at him.  For a moment, it’s as though they share some secret conversation.  Then Reira slides off of Yuya’s lap, and disappears into the hall, closing the door behind her.

“She doesn’t want to have to listen,” Yuya explains.  “She doesn’t want to...deal with remembering.”

Reiji nods, slowly, almost afraid of what he’s going to hear.

Yuya sighs, and leans forward with his elbows on his knees.

“It was after you dropped my contingent off,” he says.  “We were assigned to a security detail on a laboratory.  Nothing high-level, just checking the IDs of everyone who came in and out at the security box.”

Reiji nods.  It’s a normal enough first job for a fresh ensign, straight out of Academia.

“There was this one researcher who I saw a lot because she came and left during my shift,” Yuya continues.  “She was...nice.  And kind of cute.  She reminded me a lot of my best friend, Yuzu, back home — Yuzu’s a researcher too, you know?  She’s studying to become a biologist to help preserve the Outer Rings.  She has the same drive and curiosity...and the same cheer.”

Yuya bit his lip, starting to shake slightly.

“Anyway.  I got pretty close to this researcher — Grace, her name was.  Grace Tyler.  We went out for coffee a few times.”

That was definitely against any workplace dating ethics that Reiji had ever known, but that clearly wasn’t the issue here.

“One day...well, one day, she wanted to show me what she’d been working on.  So she let me into the lab after my shift.”

Yuya inhales, and closes his eyes.

“That’s...when it all happened.”

*

“What’s this one?” Yuya asks, pointing — but not touching — at a strange, twisty looking staff.

Grace lights up, giggling as she grabs it and held it up.  She twirls it once, and Yuya gasps as a rain of electrical sparks flew out of it, radiating out into a brief, shimmering shield.

“Like it?” she says, giggling at his awed expression.  “It’s a portable forcefield.  A much stronger and wider one than the arm shields they were using back in the day.  More coverage.  And it doesn’t let thin-grade lasers through!”

“Whoa,” Yuya says, eyes widening.  “That definitely looks useful.”

“I did the schematics for it!” Grace says proudly.  She spins it once more, and the shield disappears.  She frowns as she sets it down, though.  “They want me to redo it.  Apparently making their soldiers spin a baton around to have a shield is ‘too frivolous.’”

Yuya can’t help but laugh.

“I guess it would be pretty funny to see,” he says.  “But not everyone can spin so gracefully.”

Grace beams at him, eyes lighting up as she elbows him in the side.

“Oh?  Gracefully?  Are you making puns, now?”

“I might be,” Yuya says, winking at her.

Grace giggles again.  She starts walking along the side of her workbench, looking for something else interesting to show him.  Yuya follows after her, glancing across the piles of blueprints and glowing screens and tools he has no name for.  

He’s about to ask about a schematic for a blaster when he hears the screaming.

His hand falls to his blaster, eyes widening as he spins around towards the sound.  It seems to be coming from everywhere at once — or from inside of his own brain, like a ghost shrieking inside his skin.  He can’t place where it’s coming from, or who the person is that’s screaming.  Grace barely reacts, though, flipping through her binders.  Yuya swings his head towards her.  Does she not hear it??

“What is that?? Is someone in trouble?  Do you hear that?”

“Hm?  Oh, that?”

She looks up.  After a moment, the screaming fades.  It had...it had been so loud...as though it were coming from the next cubicle over.

“Don’t worry, darling, it’s nothing.”

“It didn’t sound like nothing...”

She shrugs.

“It’s only the telekinesis division,” she said.  “They’re very noisy.”

Then she bites her lip, furrowing her brow.

“Oh dear.  I’m not supposed to talk about them. Pretend you didn’t hear that, all right, darling?”

Telekinesis division?  Yuya’s head spins.  Questions poise to tumble from his lips in a rush, but Grace has that look on her face, the one she gets when she almost grazes over classified information in conversation, and he knows he can’t ask.  

He tries to be excited about everything Grace shows him, but he can’t get the screaming out of his head.  Grace leaves him at her workbench for a moment to go to the bathroom, and Yuya stands alone in a dim, cluttered cubicle in a mostly empty laboratory, hoping that he won’t get in trouble if someone sees him here.

A scream rips through him again.  Yuya’s breath catches in his throat and he almost chokes on it.  He feels it as though it’s surging down to the very core of his being, as though it’s coming from inside of himself, chilling him from the inside out.  His whole body begins to shake, and his mouth goes dry.

And then the screaming changes.  It turns into a thin, shrieking keen that seems to stab through his head and wriggle around inside him.  His knees shake — it feels as though the scream is becoming a part of him, digging into his skull and searching for something.

HELP!!!!

The voice punches through his head as though he’s been physically struck, and the images come after it.  His eyes glaze over from the barrage that come from somewhere outside of him, but projected into him — he sees a series of glowing white pods, each with a shadow inside it.  He sees a pair of white coated scientists seizing a screaming, kicking shadow out of one of the pods.  He sees a haggard, sunken eyed child strapped to a table, trembling and crying as electricity pumps through the electrodes attached to his temples.  He sees a splatter of blood across the floor, a twitching hand as doctors with masks make careful incisions into the skin of a child who is very much awake and aware.

And then they stop — cut off, like someone’s pulled the line on a phone and disconnected the line.

Yuya doesn’t think.  He only runs.

He can follow the echo of the screams as though it’s a scent wafting down the hallway.  He dodges through dark cubicles until he reaches a door.  It’s not locked, despite the card key reader, and he pushes through, running down the long narrow corridor.  A thin light appears at the end of the hallway, peering through the gaps in a door up ahead.  Yuya nearly crashes into it at the speed he’s going, but he manages to get ahold of himself just in time, and pulls to a stop, breathing hard.  Only now does it hit him that he’s breaking so many rules and if anyone finds him down here, he’s probably going to lose his job at best or something else so much worse, or Grace is going to worry or get in trouble and why is he doing this?

He nearly backs away from the door when he hears the scream — this time, it’s out loud, and not inside his head.  He stops thinking, and he yanks the door open.

Light pours over his face, causing him to throw a hand over his eyes and squint through the blinding glimmer.  He bites back a cry at how bright it is compared to the dark offices and the even darker hallway — yet, his eyes adjust faster than he expects.  This hall is ablaze with a clinical white light, windows running along each wall.  He moves to the one on his left, first, peering down.  His stomach turns.

They’re children.  There must be at least twenty of them, all between the ages of five and twelve, all locked inside of the same glowing white pods he saw in his mind.  One of them is flailing and clearly screaming inside the pod, electrodes attached to their temples as they pound their little fists against the glass — the others all appear to be in varying states of unconsciousness.  He spins to the other window, running across the hall and pressing his palms against it.  He nearly throws up.  There’s only one child down in this room, but there are people in white coats surrounding her where she’s strapped onto the table.  A terrifying looking drill is poised over her head, and there are all sorts of terrible implements and technological bits on the tables surrounding her.

He flinches at the sound of footsteps in the hall beside him, whipping around to find Grace giving him a small, sad smile.

“Darling,” she says, crossing over to him and putting her hands on his shoulders.  “You’re not supposed to be in here, you naughty boy.”

“What — what are they doing to them?” Yuya gasps.  “They’re...they’re hurting them.”

Below him, he hears the girl on the table screaming again.  Grace smiles at him again, cupping his face in her hands.

“Oh, darling, don’t be like that,” she said.  “This is important work they’re doing.”

Yuya can’t disguise his horror, ripping himself out of her hands.

“They’re kids!”

Grace blinks, as though this distinction makes no sense to her.  She only sighs, and holds her hand out towards him.

“They haven’t noticed you yet, darling.  We can be out of here in a moment, and no one has to know that you know anything.  Go back to being your darling, cheerful self, and pretend you never saw this.”

He searches her eyes, mouth wide, trying to decide if he’s actually hearing this.  Grace is...acting as though this is okay.

He never once looks, or reaches for her hand.  He only feels a horrible, swirling pit in his stomach as he remembers every day she walked past him, smiling and joking with him — not just her, but everyone who passed through his security box, going in with smiles on their faces to...to do this.

Grace’s eyes widen and she scrambles backwards when Yuya draws his blaster, but he doesn’t point it at her.  He aims at the window and fires.

*

Yuya can see that all of the color has drained out of Akaba’s face as Yuya keeps talking.

“I got lucky, somehow.  The windows weren’t reinforced.”

He feels his tongue like lead in his mouth, speaking only on autopilot.

“I was able to break through, and I nearly broke my leg dropping in.  None of the scientists were armed, and the only security was on the other side of the door.  I was really lucky.”

He shakes his head.

“I cut Reira off the table, grabbed her, and ran.  I wanted to go back for the others but...there was no time.”

He clenched his hands into his lap, trying not to cry as he thought about those other scared, trapped faces, the ones he couldn’t save.  Tears fall against his hands and he realizes that he is already crying again.

He’s surprised when another hand slides on top of his, and looks up to see Akaba leaning towards him.  His face is still pale, but his violet eyes are calm, and remarkably close.  Yuya suddenly remembers just how beautiful Akaba’s eyes are up this close.

“You did admirably,” he says, in a soft, gentle voice.  He squeezes Yuya’s hand briefly before letting go. “And we are going to put a stop to this.”

Yuya’s mouth opens involuntarily.

“We...we are?”

Akaba’s lips twitch into a very small smile.  He stands, smoothing out the threads of his epaulettes.

“One way or another, Sakaki, you have gotten me involved,” he says.  “And when I get involved with things, they get finished.”

Yuya can only stare at him for a moment, eyes wide.  And then a choked laugh escapes him.

“I cannot believe this,” he says, shaking his head.  “If you told me a month ago I’d be on the run from the military with Akaba Reiji on my side...I don’t think I would have believed you.”

Akaba actually chuckled softly.

“Then perhaps you ought to start believing in more uncommon things.”

*

Reiji leans over the old database, rubbing his chin.  His coat lays across the back of the chair, his dress shirt undone in a casual fashion he hasn’t worn in years.  But it’s warm in this ship without a proper cooling unit, so he doesn’t bother with decorum.  Anyway, he’s a hostage — or a fugitive, whichever makes more sense.

He pushes his bangs back, frowning as he flicks through the holographic screen.  The database on this decommissioned ship hasn’t been updated for a while, and without connecting to the grid, they can’t update the information.  Connecting to the grid, however, means they can be found — it’s the reason Yuya stole a decommissioned ship in the first place.  Reiji will have to make do with what he has.

The door to the little lounge opens, and he glances up.  Yuya appears in the door with two cups of steaming tea — he stops, however, eyes widening.  Reiji blinks.  He looks behind him for a moment, even though he knows there is only wall there, wondering what Yuya is looking at.

When Yuya lets out a little snort, he looks back to see Yuya blushing, but with a goofy grin over his lips.

“I was looking at you,” he says, handing the tea over.

“I fail to see what causes such surprise,” Reiji says, accepting it.

“You.  With your....your shirt undone like that.”

Yuya actually blushes, looking away, and Reiji glances down at himself.  He’s only undone two buttons.

“It’s warm,” he says, looking back up.

“I...I know,” Yuya splutters.  “I just...always took you for the straight-laced type.”

Finally Reiji gets it.  A faint smile pulls at his lips.

“You would be disappointed to hear what others in the navy have to say about me then,” he says.  He cups his tea in one hand and flicks through the database with his other finger.  For a moment, the pair sit in silence.  Reiji swirls his tea, considering the database, and the quiet.  He and Yuya have been traveling for a few days together, now, but aside from their first conversation, most of their conversation has been limited — constrained to possible places to go to, possible strategies for freeing the other imprisoned children, generic talk about food and supplies that are left on this ship and where they can go to safely resupply.

Reiji’s head spins considering all of their options — or lack of them.  They want to save the children, that much he is sure of.  He cannot....he cannot allow this to continue.  Not with the proof of the corruption he has always known was there finally in his grasp.  

The only question is what to do with that.

He shakes his head, considering the notes he’s made on the ship log.  They can find an old radio tower and use it to transmit the data Yuya has stolen to the United Empire, reveal the truth of the navy’s corruption and let society take it from there.  But the navy has more than enough power to shut down a broadcast and erase the evidence, or shut down any potential uprising.

They can go to Synchron, long-standing enemies of the Imperial Navy, and sell the information to them.  Stir up a conflict that could give them the chance to break down the navy’s stranglehold on the universe and their power over the imprisoned children and who knew how many others harmed.  But Synchron isn’t necessarily to be trusted either, and they could be trading one tyrant for another.

They can go to Heartland and seek allies among the independence movement, reveal to them the depth of the navy’s human rights violations and bring up a massive political upheaval that might cause a total tear down of the structure.  But Heartland, for all its might, isn’t yet strong enough to actually push for their own independence — much less to tear down a power structure hundreds of years old.

And no matter what decision they made, it would likely always lead to yet another bloody, galaxy-wide war.

“You’re thinking hard,” Yuya says over the top of his glass.

Reiji sighs, putting his elbow on the table and pushing his hand through his hair.

“I’m afraid I have far less ideas that I thought when I first decided to join you,” he says.

“Do you...regret it?”

Reiji glances up, and finds Yuya looking away from him.  He clutches his cup with both hands.

“I could....drop you off on a planet or something.  You could say that I kidnapped you but you escaped.”

Reiji scoffs softly.

“Absolutely not,” he says.  “I meant it when I decided to join you, Yuya.”

He puts down his tea and steeples his fingers beneath his nose, considering the outdated information before him.  A breath escapes his lips.

“Yuya,” he says.  “I’ve known for a long time that the navy was hiding many things — and many harms.  It’s why I joined.”

Yuya shoots him a quick, surprised look.  Reiji has never said this before.  He’s never said any of it before, none of it aloud — not even to his crew members, not even to the people he trusted to have his back for when he made his eventual turn on the navy.  He’s barely even let himself think about it in all the years he’s fought to become an Admiral.  Hidden it, deep down, where no one would find it, no one would suspect him.

“When I was a child,” he says, his eyes unfocusing, “my sister was in the navy, as well.”

Yuya says nothing, as though the silence is a spell he’s afraid to break.

“She was everything I wanted to be.  She was...strong.  She fought for those who needed her — even when it got her into trouble.”

A soft smile grows over his face.  Had it been so long, since he’d even dared to think about her?

“She was often in conflict with my father, as she made him look poorly,” he says with a soft laugh.  “But she never backed down.  She broke formation to protect people.  She put their lives ahead of anything else.  She spoke out against human rights violations, testified against other soldiers in court martials, did everything she could to be there for those who truly needed her.”

Reiji’s smile fades.  His hands slid down to the table, cupping around his tea.  He stares into the darkness of the liquid, lips tight.

“And one day, she did not come home,” he says.  “I always knew it was suspicious.  She had always told me, in secret, that she knew the navy was hiding more than it was telling.  And she would tell me her plans to tear it down.”

Yuya’s breath catches.  Reiji doesn’t have to look at him to know that Yuya has already made the connection.  Yuya already has guessed — that the woman who saved his and his family’s lives is the sister Reiji speaks of.

“She...she died?” Yuya says, his throat choked.

Reiji looks down.

“I believe she was likely assassinated,” he says.  “She got too close to truths.  Killed in the heat of battle by her own comrades, likely, to hide the truth of it.  The ballistics report on her death was inconclusive, but far too convenient.”

He looks up at Yuya then, holding his gaze.

“I played the role of the perfect soldier for many years, hoping to get close to those truths — and to finally finish what my sister started.”

Yuya’s lips are parted, and his eyes are wider.  He puts down his tea before the shake in his hands gets to him.

“I had...no idea.”

Reiji smiles.  He hears the door crack open, and sees the sliver of Reira’s eye staring at him.  He can almost feel her staring straight into his mind — and he wonders, perhaps, if that’s why Reira shouted at Yuya not to shoot him, when they had first confronted each other.  Perhaps Reira had known his intentions.  Perhaps she still does.

“Don’t worry,” Reiji says.  “Until now, no one else ever had, either.”

*

Akaba is asleep when Yuya comes back from the pilot’s seat after readjusting their coordinates.  Yuya is almost surprised to find him sprawled out on the couch in the lounge, head lolling over — he still feels surprised to see the former admiral being so casual.  He’s more surprised, however, to find Reira sitting next right to him, eating her dried sandwich.

“Hey,” Yuya says, putting down his jacket.  “You doing all right?”

Reira looks up, chewing.  She swallows before answering, even though she doesn’t need to use her mouth to speak.

I like him.

Yuya smiles, sitting down across from her.

“Yeah?”

Reira nods.

He’s....nice.

The word echoes in his head, almost with some kind of wonder.  As though ‘nice’ isn’t a thing she knows quite how to understand.

Yuya smiles again, leaning forward on his elbows.  Akaba looks surprisingly peaceful, and yet quite casual, asleep with his mouth hanging open.  He can’t help but smile.  If someone had told him he’d be on this crazy adventure with someone like Akaba Reiji...he never would have believed it.

“Yeah,” he says softly.  “I think so too.”

*

There aren’t many places to sleep on the ship.  It wasn’t made for long voyages like this.  And there’s only so much time one can spend in the pilot’s seat when the ship does most of the flying itself.

Reira sleeps sprawled over the couch, her head in Yuya’s lap, Yuya’s head lolled backwards, but it’s hard to sleep that way.  He lifts his head when the door opens, revealing Reiji.  His eyes and glasses glow softly in the light.  At first, it’s obvious Reiji doesn’t notice Yuya’s awake.  He just walks slowly over to the only other seat and slumps into it.  

He looks...tired, Yuya thinks.  How hard must it have been, to spend his whole life pretending to be someone he wasn’t in order to fulfill the dream of someone else?  Reiji slumps forward, elbows on his knees, head down.  Yuya can hear him breathing in the quiet — should he let him know that he’s awake?  Reira stirs slightly in his lap, sliding off of him as she curls up in her sleep into a tiny ball.

Reiji lets out a deep, heavy sigh.  Yuya hears...a choke in it.  As though...there are tears.  He sounds so young.  It only now occurs to him that Reiji is only a few years older than him.  Reiji...when did Yuya start thinking of him by his first name?

“I can figure this out,” Reiji mutters to himself.  “I can...I can come up with a solution.  There has to be...a plan...”

He mumbles, shaking his head and rubbing his hand over his mouth.

“Ray...” he mutters.  “I’m...I’m so sorry.  This wasn’t the way I planned to fix everything.”

Yuya’s heart clenches.  Before he can think better of it, he whispers.

“Reiji...?”

Reiji startles, eyes wide as he sits up.  In the dark, they stare at each other, lips parted.  It’s too dark to tell, but Yuya almost imagines he sees a light blush run over the other man’s face, and feels his own cheeks heat as well. He...he called Reiji by his first name.  What was he thinking?

Reiji coughs, covering his mouth with his fist.

“I’m sorry,” he says.  “Did I wake you?”

Yuya shakes his head.

“Sorry.  I was already awake.”

Reiji looks down.  He tenses slightly.  Yuya leans forward.

“You...you don’t have to solve this all by yourself, you know,” he whispers, voice low so as not to wake Reira.

Reiji slowly, quietly looks up at him.  Yuya stands, walking across to sit gingerly next to him on the other couch.  For a moment, the two of them sit together in silence, just watching Reira, curled up and sleeping peacefully for once.

“I mean...I’m here too,” he says.  “And I might not be as strategic as you but...I can help.  If you’ll let me.”

Reiji does not respond.  Then his shoulders slump forward.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.  “I’m...I’m not used to this.”

Yuya feels his heart thumping in his chest.  In the dark, it feels as though they’re floating out in the universe itself.  Like it’s just them, alone and adrift in the universe.

“Not used to what?  I thought you were good at this strategy and planning stuff,” Yuya says in a joking tone.

Reiji shakes his head, slumping forward a little bit more, so that he’s almost bent over his knees.

“Not that,” he says.  “I’m not used to....not pretending.”

Yuya’s breath catches.  For a moment, they sit in silence again, the quiet stretching the distance between them.

Yuya closes it, one inch at a time, until his hand is on Reiji’s back.  He starts to rub soothingly, the way his mother would after a nightmare when he was a child.

“You’re tired,” he says.  “This is what happens when you push yourself for too long.”

Reiji lets out a choked laugh.

“I pushed myself for my entire life.  I don’t...I don’t know who I am, really.”

He runs a hand over his face again, and sits up.  Yuya lets his hand slide from his back, and is only half surprised when Reiji’s raises up to meet it as it descends.   Their hands cling together.  The only things in the darkness.

“You are the first person I have told anything to,” he says.  “I...I don’t know how to handle this.  Someone knowing who I am.  I’ve...I’ve never been real.”

Yuya’s heart is in his throat, now, and he doesn’t know how to handle all of the thoughts in his head.  All he can think about is the quiet, refined admiral he first met, who laughed at his joke and didn’t discipline him like anyone else would have — the kind, gentle person he met in the observation room, who spoke in such longing tones of seeing other worlds.  The boy who became a man because his sister died, and left him the burden of saving the world.

Yuya doesn’t know what he’s doing before he does it.  But he’s leaning across the darkness, closing up the expanse of space between them, and when Reiji’s head tilts towards him, it’s almost like they’re two planets dragged together by gravity as their lips press together.  For only a moment, Yuya thinks he’s made a mistake.  But then Reiji’s hand is in his hair, pressing him against him, and in the quiet vacuum of space surrounding them, they breathe in each other more than they have breathed in anything ever before.

When Yuya comes back up for air, head falling against Reiji’s chest, Reiji’s arms snake around him as he gasps for breath.

“I think you were real,” Yuya whispers.  “Beneath everything, I think you were always real.”

He feels a single tear drop into his hair, and he holds Reiji closer.  

“Thank you,” Reiji whispers.

And it’s all that needs to be said.

*

“This is the last place I expected to come back to,” Yuya says, shifting nervously.

It’s been so long since Reiji has seen natural sunlight, and even longer since he has seen such a green planet.  He carefully eases the speeder into the thick trees outside of the remains of Maiami City, the place where the first Struggle took place.  Any god out there willing, their presence here would not start a second Struggle.

Reira shivers and clings to Yuya, and Yuya holds her back, stroking her hair.

“Do you sense anyone?” he asks.

Reira shakes her head.

That doesn’t mean anything, she says.  They had helmets to block us.

Reiji hates the sound of that, but they are out of options.  They have to resupply — they need fuel, food, oxygen, and water — and a rest from the emptiness of space.  The Outer Rings were the closest to them, and they have an environment that supports life naturally.  That means they can find most of what they need in the wilds, without having to risk going into a city.  Yuya’s face is likely plastered on every wanted post in the entire galaxy — and while this may be home for him, now is not the time to find out which of his neighbors are willing to sell him out.

“You’ll need to navigate,” Reiji says, bringing the ship all the way down and gently shutting it down.  “I’m not familiar with the area or what is safe to harvest.”

“There’s some stuff we can use to set some traps and catch some game that I can preserve for a while,” Yuya says.  “It’ll take us a few days of waiting, though.”

“Likely, that will be how much we need to tap into this gas deposit for refueling anyway.”

Reiji chafes at the thought, as he presses a few buttons to send a tube out of the ship to burrow into the ground and seek natural sources of fuel.  Staying in one place for so long is dangerous.  But they have no options.

I’m going with Yuya, says Reira, and there’s a tone in her voice that says there will be no arguments.  Reiji can’t help but smile — she’s gotten more confident lately.

“It’s not very safe,” he says, spinning around in his seat and rising to his feet.  “But...you’ve been cooped up here long enough.”

Reira’s eyes light up.  Reiji jumps a little when she throws her arms around his knees, almost sending him toppling over.  Yuya shoots Reiji a smile, and then takes Reira’s hand and leads her towards the back of the ship.  Before he disappears, however, he pauses.  And he reaches a hand out for Reiji.

He knows he should stay on the ship.  But he takes Yuya’s hand, and lets himself be lifted to his feet.

“Come on,” Yuya says.  “Do....don’t you want to see it?”

There’s such softness, such uncertainty in his voice, that it gives Reiji pause.  As though he’s afraid Reiji won’t like it.  Reiji smiles at him, and squeezes his hand.

“I believe...that I’d like that.”

Reiji lets Yuya lead him and Reira to the back of the ship, and it feels like it takes agonizingly long for the ramp to lower, for the air to finally burst in as he takes in his first breath of non-filtered oxygen in weeks.  It’s...cool, he realizes.  But not cold.  A gentle breeze wafts in, bringing with it the scent of flowers.  He hasn’t smelled flowers in...in years, maybe.

He and Reira both stand with wide eyes and slackened jaws, while Yuya grins madly between them, when the forests of the Outer Ring meet them.

Reiji has never seen a tree that wasn’t grown in a pot.  They’re....they’re massive. Just one of them is almost as tall as his imperial cruiser.  And they’re so green.  There is something growing on their bark, something soft and green, and there’s a thick carpet of leaves on the ground that don’t crunch, but rather simply press down beneath his feet as they slowly step down from the ramp, Yuya leading the two staring tagalongs onto the solid ground.

“What’s that sound?” Reiji breathes, as he hears something begin to chirp in the distance.

Yuya’s smile is dazzling.

“Birds,” he said.

The Outer Ring is no primitive planet, Reiji thinks.  Perhaps it is undeveloped, without all of the luxuries and comforts of the Capitol.  But is beautiful.  And it is ancient in a way he cannot possibly comprehend.

He breathes in deep, surprised at the scents that come with the air, and how clear it tastes despite that.  The breeze wafts about them.  Slowly, cautiously, Reira takes a step away from Yuya, hand sliding out of his.  She nervously wanders towards a sprout of small, blue flowers, bouncing in the breeze where they nestle between a tree’s roots.  She pokes one experimentally, and her eyes widen.

They’re soft!

She whirls to face them, her face alight with more joy and excitement than Reiji has ever seen out of the quiet, scared girl.  Yuya’s hand squeezes Reiji’s involuntarily, and Reiji squeezes back.

Perhaps his worry is misplaced.  Perhaps no one followed them this far out in the galaxy.  Perhaps, even...his mind wanders as he looks up into the faraway canopy of leaves, sunlight dappling through them.  Perhaps...they can find a way to stay.  Find a life out here, in the Outer Rings.  Maybe they don’t need to save the galaxy — they can disappear.  Live a quiet, hidden life.  They can be happy.  Reira can be happy and free.  She can live in a world like this, with no one hurting her, no one chasing her.

For the first time in his life that he can remember, thinking about a possible future makes him feel warm.  For the first time in his entire life, he wants something — something that wasn’t laid out for him.  Something that he didn’t choose to shoulder.  And he aches from the wanting.

“Yuya,” he whispers.  

Yuya’s eyes widen, and he shivers slightly — Reiji realizes that this is the first time...the first time he’s said Yuya’s first name aloud.

“Yeah?”

Reiji doesn’t get a chance to say it.  Because Reira suddenly shoots straight up, her face going white, and she opens her mouth and screams.

Reiji sees the blaster poking out of the invisibility shield just in time.  He yells, shoving Yuya to the ground before it fires.  With Yuya down, Reiji bolts for Reira, trying to grab hold of her.

He isn’t fast enough.  Hands shoot out of the open air, snatching him by the arms, forcing him down to his knees and shoving his head forward.  He hears Reira screaming, with her lungs and with her mind, and the sound rips through him as he struggles and yells, trying to see her.

“Reira!  Reira!”

“Stop it!” Yuya screams.  “Don’t touch her!! Leave her alone!!”

Reiji throws his head back against the hands holding him, just barely managing to get a glimpse of Reira — her face pale, her body completely frozen, as two soldiers with tranquilizer guns corner her against the tree that just a moment ago was making her smile so large.

“Stop!” he shouts.  “Stop, you’re frightening her!”

“Shut up,” one of the soldiers holding him snarls, shoving his head back down.  “Traitor.”

Reiji tries to twist himself free, but his captors have him caught firmly.

“How unfortunate, Admiral Akaba,” comes the voice, and Reiji’s stomach twists.  He knows that voice — of all the people to catch them...

Admiral Roget gives him a very terrible smile as he comes into view.  Perfect.  Just exactly who Reiji wanted to see.  Reiji grits his teeth and tries to look calm.

“All this time, your crew has been so worried,” he says, eyes flicking back over his shoulder.  “Only to join me in securing your rescue and finding...that you’ve been consorting with the enemy this entire time.”

Reiji’s heart drops into his stomach.  Involuntarily, his eyes flick to where Roget was looking.  His heart sinks when he sees them.

It’s his crew — all of them.  Selena is holds her blaster loosely at her side, eyes flicking back and forth from Reiji and Yuya.  Tsukikage and Hikage are as impassive as ever.  Shun looks red in the face, shaking slightly.  Gongenzaka’s arms are folded, even now carrying no weapon of his own.  Sawatari just stares with his mouth hanging open, and Dennis looks distant, not looking at anyone or anything.

Roget can’t stop smiling, on the other hand, his lips peeling back in a horrible grin.

“How terrible,” he says.  “After they all trusted you so much.”

Reiji’s mask crumbles in spite of himself.

He’s failed.  He’s failed all of them.  He’s failed his crew.  He’s failed Reira.  He’s failed Yuya. He’s failed himself.

He’s failed Ray.

“What?  Nothing to say?” Roget says with a smirk.  “No claims for your innocence?”

Reira lets out the tiniest of cries, and Reiji feels his eyes fill with tears.  His head slumps forward.  He’s...lost.  Roget laughs softly.

“Very well then.  We’ll save it for your trial,” he says, turning around.  “Secure the subject.  We’ll let his crew take their traitorous admiral to the brig themselves.”

He nods at the group — only Selena stirs.  She grits her teeth as she shoves her blaster back into her holster, and takes out a pair of cuffs instead.  Slowly, she approaches.  Reiji can’t look her in the eyes.  She gets up close to him, inches apart, cuffs hanging from her fingers, eyes fixed on his so that he has to look at her.  She crouches, then, right in front of him.  Reiji’s captors make to move his hands so that Selena can cuff him.

“Why didn’t you trust us?”

Her voice comes out so soft, so hissing, that Reiji barely hears it — barely moving her lips, speaking through her teeth.

Reiji’s lips part slightly.  His eyes flicker towards Yuya, who still struggles and screams Reira’s and Reiji’s names over and over again while soldiers try to drag him away to the hidden imperial ship.  His eyes return to Selena.  He feels his shoulders slump.

“I was afraid,” he whispers back.

“Of what?”

The soldiers holding Reiji exchange a glance, clearly confused as to why Selena isn’t cuffing him yet.  One of them starts to reach for the cuffs.  Selena doesn’t move, eyes still on Reiji’s.

Reiji thinks of Ray.  The sister he barely got to know, who died fighting a war she could never win.  He thinks of Reira, the child who never got a choice on whether or not to fight for the right to live.  And he thinks of Yuya — the boy who didn’t hesitate, who put his life on the line without thinking for a second if it was going to be okay.  Only that it was the right thing to do.  And now his life is being destroyed for it.

“Of ruining all of you,” Reiji whispers.

Selena’s eyes narrow.  The soldier’s hands twitch towards her cuffs.

Her fist raises up in the air at her head — and in one breath, several things happen.

Two quick, perfect shots ring out, striking Reiji’s captors in the arms and shoulders, causing them to wrench back with yells of pain.  A second pair of equally perfect shots, silent and deadly, strike the two soldiers holding Yuya, who is dumped to the floor as they stagger back.  The soldiers advancing on Reira suddenly shoot into the air, as Gongenzaka grabs the both of them by the back of the neck and throws them unceremoniously into the woods.  And Selena spins to her feet, drawing her blaster in one motion, and shoots Roget in the back of the head.  

Reiji only stares for a moment, mouth hanging open.

Gongenzaka scoops up Reira, who doesn’t move or breathe.  Kurosaki has Yuya under the arm already, firing blasts backwards at the rest of Roget’s forces while gunfire blazes over their heads.

Selena shoves her blaster into her belt, and grabs Reiji by the arms, shoving him to his feet.

“I hope that dumbass ship of yours can hold more than just three!” she shouts at him.

And only then, does Reiji stir back to life.  He snatches the blaster out of Selena’s holster and fires at an approaching soldier as the two of them fall back.

Step by step, protected every inch of the way by his crew — they make it back into the ship.

“We don’t have enough fuel or supplies!” Yuya gasps, as Kurosaki dumps him to the floor.

“Lucky for you, we came prepared,” Tsukikage says quietly, producing a solar battery from some unknown location and darting off to the pilot’s seat.  Gongenzaka lays Reira gently down in Reiji and Yuya’s laps, and then turns around to yank the door closed behind Dennis and Sawatari, the last to leap in.

“Whew!” Dennis says with a bright smile.  “You certainly know how to make things interesting, Admiral!”

Reiji only gasps for air, Reira clutched in his lap with one arm, and scrabbling for Yuya’s hand with the other.

“You...why did you all...?” he says.

The crew all exchanges a glance.  Then Kurosaki snorts.

“You picked us all for a reason,” he says.  “We just guessed you had a good reason for picking Yuya, this time.”

He glances down at Yuya, who looks back with wide eyes.

“Were we right?”

Yuya glances quickly at Reiji, lips parted and eyes questioning.  Reiji can’t help but break into a smile.  He squeezes Yuya’s hand tightly.  Then he smiles at his crew, too, and he sees the surprise in all of their faces — he has never smiled so widely before them before.

“Yes,” he says.  “You were.”

Reira snuggles closer into them, and Reiji runs a soothing hand through her hair.

“You were all always exactly the kind of people I knew you were.”

*

“Hey! Those were mine!”

“I didn’t see your name on them.”

“They were ON!! MY TRAY!”

“Sawatari, stop antagonizing Selena.  And don’t hide behind me. I will not defend you.”

“That’s so cold, Gon!”

Yuya laughs as he watches a spoonful of potatoes go flying over the tiny, cramped mess hall.  It feels like only yesterday this room felt almost cavernous from being filled with only the three of them.  Now it practically bursts at the seams from Reiji’s — no, their crew members filling up the space.

Reiji looks pained, as though he wanted to call them out for being undisciplined, but was also considering the fact somewhere deep within him that they weren’t a military vessel anymore, and perhaps there was no point in trying to reign them in.  Yuya slides up close to him, pressing his shoulder against his, and after a beat, Reiji’s hand finds his and twines into it.

“Too noisy?” Yuya asks.

Reiji cracks a small smile — but a bigger one than Yuya has ever seen on him.  Before he can answer, the soft touch of Reira’s mind brushes against theirs, and then she’s wriggling up from beneath the table, pushing herself between them and causing them to lose their grip.

Pay attention to me, she says, petulantly.

Yuya and Reiji both laugh, and as one, they wrap an arm around her, cradling her between them as the rest of the crew continues to bicker and banter, filling up the old ship with noise and laughter.

“No,” Reiji says finally, in response to Yuya’s unanswered question, his arm sliding around Reira and Yuya at once and holding them close.  “I don’t think it’s too noisy at all.”