#THE EYES GO EVEN HARDER IN THE MANGA TOO WHICH IS ?????? SO BEYOND ME | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nanomooselet · 10 months ago

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Little but Fierce VII

Update: Okay, computer had the fear of me put into it and the pictures have been added.

I confess to some confusion over complaints Legato's significance was reduced in Stampede. We're still not even halfway through the story. The '98 adaptation hinged almost entirely upon Legato, and the manga had him as Vash's greatest ideological opponent. He's the best argument Knives made for wiping out humanity: a human who'd been so cruelly abused he viewed all who failed to help him as complicit and deserving of death.

In my opinion, Legato's had his turn in the spotlight, since with Knives not confined to a lightbulb he can be a direct and present threat in a way he couldn't be before. Now it's time for someone else to play the foil.

Meryl's learned everything she needs to learn and seen all she needs to see. It's time for her final exam. First up, Zazie.

Only nominally allied with Knives, Zazie occupies the role Meryl herself seeks: observer, witness, knower of the truth, bestower of judgement. They extend the privilege of that role to Meryl - she is a representative for humanity as Zazie speaks for the Worms. Having already discussed Zazie's interest in Meryl at some length, I'll move on, and pause only to note that it testifies how far Meryl's come that Zazie doesn't completely freak her the hell out.

She passes the test: along with being ignorant of the fate of Earth, she believes that humankind can and must change. Luida showed her a means to do so. It may not be enough for Zazie to fully trust humanity, but it's a reason not to fully trust Knives. The conversation will continue.

Second, Dr. Conrad.

He's a foil more for Roberto. The extreme end of the cynical mindset that Roberto tends to espouse - that cruelty is only to be expected on a world this cruel and cannot be changed. But where Roberto advises remaining uninvolved, Dr. Conrad finds it justification for cruelty in turn.

This test, too, Meryl passes; Roberto, inspired by her determination and conviction, successfully overcomes his own cynicism and mistrust, as well as over a century of accrued rationalisations, and manages to shake Conrad's faith, his judgement cutting him to the quick. It's a relatively subdued form of defeat, but, well, neither of these men are going to be engaging in high-powered gun fights. And so we move on to the final test...

Ah, she'll do nicely.

Yes, I understand dislike for the alteration to Elendira's backstory in Stampede (albeit I do wonder whether it relates to whatever Nightow had in mind for her in Maximum, even if I can't explain what makes me think it does. Just that I do). Otherwise I wouldn't have written what I did speculating how she'll develop beyond it. However, just as with Milly's absence and Roberto's presence, I think I see the way she serves Meryl's development into the woman she becomes.

Just as Vash will have to face and defeat his shadow in his brother before he can truly claim his identity, Meryl must face her own in Elendira. Small, femme, viewed as a child (to her annoyance) but a physically developed adult, accompanied everywhere by an older teacher who assumes responsibility for her. And a lot of the other implications and symbolism surrounding El are... I believe the technical term is "yikes".

It's easy to tell that in Meryl, Vash sees Rem - dark-haired, compassionate, strong sense of responsibility. She isn't Rem, because no one can be (arguably Rem herself couldn't live up to what she became to him, which is not her fault). But in Meryl Rem's spirit survives, just as in the rest of humanity; the living reason he follows his ideals, and a reason to live.

What may be a little harder to realise is that Knives is also inspired by a feminine figure elevated near to sainthood in his eyes. But it isn't Rem he believes himself inspired by, except in the sense that he loathes her.

It's Tesla. Where Vash is determined to take on the responsibility that his mother entrusted to him, Knives wants the power both to take vengeance for and to protect his sister.

It's important that he never actually knew Tesla, nor is she capable of conveying her wishes to him, just like the dependent Plants. He only assumes she must have been helpless and weak before human brutality, just as Vash is weak, and his brethren. So it's up to Knives, the big brother, to remove that weakness - he is, after all, their representative. Their blade.

And thus he allowed the creation of Elendira. Not exactly a human, but not entirely a Plant. Childishly vindictive, impulsively violent, filled with a deep loathing of humanity, needing nothing and no one - just like Knives himself wishes to be, and thus what Knives wants to believe would be true of Tesla. She would surely approve of all he's done for her. And she's absolutely loyal to him, and rejects Vash. Knives is her lord. She is proud to serve only him.

Here we have someone who refuses Meryl's judgement of her, the assumption of superiority it carries. Who are you to pity me? She also doesn't care to be disciplined by her teacher. Dr. Conrad tells her to stop and she shouts that he be silent and continues advancing.

On top of that… there's a sense of creepy, creepy suggestiveness around El. When she bursts out of the tank, she's nude, and unconcerned with being so. She is no less a threat in this state than she would be clothed. It reminds me of Knives during Fifth Moon in the original manga. Along with the way she behaved in other scenes, like when speaking with Rollo; she, uh, licks the tip of her finger. I'm not imagining the lasciviousness in that gesture, am I?

Meryl's demonstrated that she's intimidated by this aspect of adulthood. That Elendira looks so young just makes it more disturbing. (And I deeply respect that Orange didn't go for titillating, which anime has a bad habit of doing with similar characters. Elendira isn't there to excite us. She's terrifying. It's like ep 11 being SA but stripped of anything resembling sex, leaving only the victim's terror, suffering and despair.)

This is something Meryl can't face on her own. She needs one more example of teamwork… and Roberto, ever-willing to teach, manages to anticipate and protect her long enough to see one arrive.

Big brother comes to the rescue of little sister.

Wolfwood defeats Elendira because he knows better than to hesitate. He knows that one cannot judge by appearances - he's the younger of the two! Elendira was around before Rollo; Wolfwood came after him. But physically he's older, and stronger, and willing to exert that strength to defeat her. And Elendira's got the same weakness as Knives - her confidence can't withstand even a single attempt to hit back. She falls apart like a little kid, wailing as in much surprise and outrage as in pain. Did you just shoot me?!

Meryl suffers a much more devastating blow when she realises Roberto is dying. But she survives it. And Roberto proves one final time why he was the best teacher for her. Because he doesn't blame her. He could easily have left the same scar in her that Knives left in Vash - you cannot judge, because this is all your fault.

But he doesn't. He tells her this isn't her fault. He tells her she can choose. He tells her to follow her heart. Choose your own path and walk it with confidence. And he gives her the weapon that becomes her name, along with the name itself.

Meryl Stryfe.

She's the only one she has left to rely on now. And she's ready.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VIII

Part IX

#meta: little but fierce #trigun stampede #trigun meta #meryl stryfe #sorry it's a little bare bones. stupid computer #edit: OKAY it has pictures now #ever think about how elendira has red lipstick and nails and a pink dress (i.e. derivation of red)#and how her bangs are longer on the right side #and how she fires her nails like bullets #and how much tesla looks like vash #and how much is wrong with knives's horrible trash brain #because i do ALL the time

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hokusu · 2 months ago

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hello im a new fan of touya.. maybe not yet a bnha fan but definitelly touya. i have been avoiding bnha for the longest time and now i feel like i've opened up a treasure chest filled with diamond when i found touya.. i instanly fell in love with him. with tears filled my eyes and sobbing really really hard cause unfortunately i fell in love with him right after watching an edit of him fighting with his family.. watching him dying and in the most vulnerable states. but i guess its better late than never. (right?)

he's so beautiful and yet tragic and i believe there are so much depth in him. but where do i start as a new fan? any recomendations.

also since im collecting plushies can you please tell what kind of plushie touya have out there? i need to get my hands on them. do you also collect his merch and would you mind share it with me?

(sorry if i was rambling i wanna pour my heart out to someone, and you are the only one i know cause im a levi fan as well hehe, have a nice day^^)

Ohhh, hello hello Anon!!

I love talking about my beloved tragic beautiful Dabi... and have been thinking about him so much since the recent episodes. He's so painfully soft behind the hurt and revenge...

Congrats on coming over to the Touya side! Absolutely better late than never and there is still plenty of Touya left to love. The Todorokis have the most interesting plot line in bnha in my opinion. I really love this story in spite of it's end, so I hope you find time to consume it fully. Since you're not a bnha fan yet I assume you haven't consumed the anime or manga content either.. but if I can say, he does not die in battle. And in my opinion, it's clear he lives on even post-war even if I wished to have seen a more concrete happiness for him! 😭

The best way to enjoy your favorite character is always to consume all the content for them lol. There's so many edits and fanart of his beautiful face and you are welcome to go through my blog tag of '#Dabi' if you wish for a place to see a good collection of them 🥺... And of course my personal favorite is reading him in fanfics, where we can truly explore his character.

If I may, might I introduce you to the other half of my love that will always go hand in hand with Touya for me... Takami Keigo/Hawks? 👀 They are basically two sides of the same coin.. constantly in parallel and Hawks is yet another tragic beautiful character. I particularly enjoy his interactions with Dabi in canon, but the fandom world for them together is endless and I could talk forever and absolutely rec some amazing fics if you decide that is also your cup of tea. 🤣

Oh plushie Dabi's yes! I want them all as well but have found them harder to come by than plushie Hawks so I am also still looking for him. (he is also sometimes quite deformed 😭 so it's hard to find good ones!) 🥲 But 'Banpresto' has released a few plushies of him in various sizes from mini keychain types to a medium more firm size and it depends which but some you can find online or others you'll have to import from Japan. I've used 'AitaiKuji' for a good place to browse in the past. There's also a 'Mochibi Dabi' which is more like a tsum tsum shape (relatively easy & affordable to buy). There's also some round ball plushies of him like from Fuwakororin and I've seen some custom fanmade kitty versions of him 🥺 like the one from AgiJagi. Beyond that he has a selection of figures, where his face looks better than others 🤣 so choose wisely (his nendo is super cute tho!). There's also been some collectible very expensive custom ones of him like the one from 'weareanimecollectors'. Anyways, happy merch collecting, I've only had the luxury to start doing more of this in the past few years so I'm no expert! But I can take some pics of the ones I have if you want to see mines. 😉

Always happy to talk more about Dabi! Please feel free to ramble haha. And ohhh hello fellow Levi lover, it's nice to know someone remembers my love for Levi too 🤣 since it's been quite some time since I screamed about him (blame dabihawks lol they took me like the wind) , but he will always be dear. 🥲 💛 Have a lovely day💛

#ask #Anon #Bnha #Dabi #Todoroki Touya

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honoredbastard · 3 years ago

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such pretty tears, baby boy ♡

“does this get you off?” “MGH! y/n please-” “ah ah ah-”

✻ ˒ ໍ CHARACTERS ♡ bonten!mikey, bonten!rindou haitani and sadist gn!reader. all above the age of 20. they’re all timeskipped.

✻ ˒ ໍ CONTENT/KINKS ♡ NSFW, EDGING, TYING, OVERSTIMULATION, Y/N BEING A soft SADIST-(?) MASOCHISTS, BOTTOM, BOYS, GIVE NO REICIVE. drug/addiction mention(s). MENTIONS OF PET PLAY.

✻ ˒ ໍ A/N ♡ Y’ALL SADISTIC GN!READER HAS ME BY THE NECK-. i don’t know how to write rindou nor smut well FORGIVE ME GODS OF SMUT- it’s just a little drabble thingy ma jig that really couldn’t be kept in my drafts for too long- manga spoilers? draken will be next time? also toy/gear mentions.

:: ִֶָ MANJIRO “MIKEY” SANO 𓂅

sex with mikey was usually nice, lazy, and quiet. on other days he’d devour your body like a starving man, but in reality he was a little on the frustrated side. sexually. at times he’d be away for business purposes as he’d tell you and leave sanzu or rindou to be your bodyguard. as for rindou you appreciated his company, he didn’t talk to you much but the times you’d cook for him ( he loves your cooking, bad or not this man will devour it in full. so will ran, ran is just all smiles and eating. burnt food? doesn’t bother him. ) and/or just a small conversation was enough for you to smile. although sanzu was a different story, the top trusted bonten members and mikey all shared a loft, including you. so it didn’t take a lot of time to understand sanzu’s.... addiction.

it didn’t bother you much but whenever you came out of your shared room with mikey, he’d stare. just stare at you calmly, sword or gun in hand. sometimes he mistook you for his s/o, other times he was too high to think straight and was sprawled out on the couch. half of his body melting into the floor. you wondered how he could do that comfortably.

but that didn’t matter anymore, mikey was arriving home soon and you snuck around to grab some things around the house. a rope (thank you high sanzu for complying and ordering one), a ball gag, a small paddle that shouldn’t hurt too much, and a blindfold. all things you ordered off the internet after studying in secret for weeks.

when you were alone, lonely, and sexually frustrated you stumbled across bdsm and kinks. of course mikey had kinks and interests that he’d expressed to you which you happily indulged in them. ( his spanks hurt, but they make mikey’s hips thrusting against you afterwards 10x better. ) at the time you just believed you were a maso with a bratty side and mikey had to many kinks to list that left you both in undying pleasure.

all until you were alone all over again, sanzu drunk and on whatever drug he smoked or popped this time. you were free to do as you want. a little on the dangerous side when your boredom stretched for hours on end when sanzu was sober enough to recognize your sneaking presence. at times he’d play along and sneak up behind you ( he’s too good at this when he has his sanity tbh ) and whisper in your ear “what are we hunting this time?” “OH FUCK!!” you’d scream and on reflex threw a fist at the man, who’s arms blocked his face and your fist. “sanzu!” you groaned, heart thumping against your chest like a race horse.

“i’m sorry.” you voice strained, scared that you fucked up this last time with sanzu and he was tired of it. “it’s fine, it’s fine. i’m the one who scared you. sooo... whatcha sneakin’ about for?” he grinned, leaning closer to your face. his eyes felt like he could see your lies before you’d come up with one, so you just told the truth.... parts of it at least. “i didn’t want to wake you and i got ordered stuff that i wanted to use online and i was gonna go get it!”

sanzu’s face that was inches apart from yours leaned away, he smiled politely before trotting back to the couch. “all good, just wanted to make sure boss’ partner wasn’t meetin’ other gang members. y’know?” his body practically melted into the couch, eyes flicking between you and the t.v before getting comfortable. “you know i would never, sanzu!” you grinned, he shrugged, eyes already half-lidded.

yup, he was about as stable as a dizzy ram for a few minutes there. you sighed and marched your way to outside where two small boxes were stacked above a bigger box. those were all toys- anal beads, a small paddle, dildos. you name it, you ordered it. you could already fantasize it- mikey under your touch, tied to a chair with every. single. part of him.... exposed. your body felt a shock through it, biting your lip to remain calm but it was hard for your ideas to settle.

you could already feel a knot building in your stomach that you had to get out badly. mikey would be a couple hours right? when you arrived to your shared space with mikey, you put the boxes in the closet and searched for something of his. something that smelled of him, that made you tingle in all the right places. you found a familiar black shirt so you took it, plopped onto the bed and held it in one hand while the other went to town on yourself. you began losing your mind from the pleasure as you started edging yourself - falling into a fantasy of your own.

mikey body was wearing ropes like clothes, you were staring him down with a smug smirk. eyes slow and attentive, it made mikey twitch when he watched. toes curled when you licked your lips, biting down on your cheek to stop you from devouring him right there. no no no, you had to have your fun. you inched closer to him, eyes never leaving his.

the man unable to speak was bontens number one, his life was right there for you to hold in your palms. you were aware of this, but you treated him like he was another civilian. he, of course, allowed you to. your hands brushed his untouched cock that was dripping with precum, “excited already?” you asked, licking the pent up contents.

mikey, who was gagged, nodded quickly before your warm tongue dragged itself from his base to his already flushed tip. playing with the slit for your own amusement while he tried to buck his hips to no avail. you were aware he’d try to get himself into your mouth, lure you into his trap where he has his way with you and not the other way around.

“ah-ah-ah.” you shook a finger at him, a teasing yet playful tone, your hand wrapped itself around his veiny shaft, slowly but surely raising the speed with each bite you placed on his pale thighs. he twitched and squirmed as he neared his release till you slowed down at the peak moment. you could hear his frustration through his muffled pants and whimpers. your fingers rubbed back and forth across his slit before placing a thumb there.

you looked up at mikey who’s cheeks were redder than a tomato, you kept looking while your mouth neared his inner thighs. you placed hickeys, ran a nail from the inside his hip down his thigh which made him squirm more. his skin flinched at the odd feeling, then you did it with his cock.

that sent him into an odd feeling of pleasure that made his toes curled, breath hitch, and eyes squeeze shut. raising yourself from the ground, you sat onto his lap with open legs for taunting him. “should i remove that ballgag? hmm?” you questioned, blowing into his ear before biting at the lobe. “so sanzu can hear your pleasure as i play with you to my heart content?” you licked behind his ear, his head jerked back slightly - free rain to kiss up and down his neck.

“i’m not letting you cum till you cry for me.. slut.” you clicked in his ear, he shivered at your dominance over him.

I’M GOING TO HELL FOR THIS ONE EVEN IF IT’S SHITTY LMFAO-

:: ִֶָ RINDOU HAITANI 𓂅

sex with rindou was about a mix of everything. it was like those ‘god making me’ tiktoks you’d stumble upon every-so often from your pure boredom. at times you were allowed to go to bonten meetings and overs you weren’t. ( rindou is keen on protecting you from the heavy shit he sees too often. especially if those meetings are fucked up. ) so when you weren’t either someone who was already informed like koko or ran which rindou trusted more than anyone to watch over you, to be your bodyguard.

the problem was, rindou didn’t touch you in the places that craved being touched. your bottom half was aching to feel his hands again, to become red, fading into purple and blues. aching afterwards but getting the best aftercare, you were treated like royalty after you let rindou have his way with you. you even missed his breeding kink that would never end and left you in a shaking mess.

yet although all the offers and signals you threw at him, he brushed you off. now this was getting on your nerves. very much on your nerves. so you set up a plan: overstim and edge your boyfriend beyond compare. you’d give him the best aftercare for a price. you were going to have your way with him, of course you’ll ask for consent and walk him through what you’d do to him. but after that the power exchange was all yours.

you’d both mutually set up on a safe word and if either of you couldn’t speak properly you set up a safe signal. rindou was invested in bdsm and you too, became invested into it. which may have flipped your sadist switch. the idea was to tie rin up or to a chair. you had plenty of gear ( both pet and non pet play ) and way too many restraining gear. which excited you of all the things you could do.

although you knew one thing for sure. you were going to play with his cock till it ached and tears were burning into his cheeks while you tried your way at humiliating him. he’d done this to you many times, restrained you, made your nipples harder than him. it was everything.

when you peered out of your room you saw ran sitting at the dinner table concentrating at something. “should i pester him?” you questioned aloud in a hushed voice, “hm? oh is that you, y/n?” “yes?!” you felt like you got caught, your voice was high pitched and confused which made ran laugh. “at ease, come on over here.” following his orders like a dog, you stumbled your way over to ran awkwardly.

you stared at the cards in awe, “are you playing by yourself?” “actually yes i am! would you like to play with me?” “sure!” you sat time with a smile, yyou seemed focused but your mind was somewhere else. far far away from the ground, it all played out with rindou’s loud moans and occassional grunts as your hand slid down his length. eyes flicking to him than the thing you were working so well for - applying your mouth soon after. though rindou failed your plans for his edging, you still went to town as he filled your mouth, riding his orgasim while you kept going. the pleasure becoming painful but it felt oh-so.... good.

thanks for reading! <3 it was horrible but fun to write 10/10. rindou’s part sucked everything that i had worked on was deleted and i’m still pissed so it’s not great, thank you!

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riewritten · 3 years ago

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11 DISTURBINGLY HEAVY

DUSK IN THE BRIGHTEST | chapter directory

erwin smith/fem!reader, erwin smith/you, no y/n | slow burn, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff & smut, mutual pining, canon AU, college/univ AU, professor erwin smith, commander erwin smith, non-linear narrative, manga spoilers

Trigger warning: canon-typical violence, graphic description, explicit sexual content, suicidal thoughts, mental health issues, trauma, implied/referenced sexual harassment, implied/referenced abuse, attempted murder, overdosing

Plot: It was always the nightmares, really. Entrapped with walls, human-eating giants, fighting through metal strings and swords – utterly violent, dreary, recurrent. But behind the blurry faces was a man with menacing blue eyes and vivid features; eventually appearing before you as your new reputable professor, Erwin Smith. Since then, the disaster had slipped beyond your subconscious. AO3

The shocking event in Erwin's car rendered you mindless the next few days — floating in an endless void with repeated mutters of "You can’t wish me a good night when you tell me something as horrifying as that!"

The heaviness had always been stemming from your dreams, but this time it's the other way around.

How much does he know? How frequent his nightmares were? Did he see me there as well? What does he think about it? And most of all, how spiteful he was towards my lack of acquiescence?

The thoughts halted when you heard your name — ranging from weak whispers to moderate echoes. It took a hard elbow nudge until you snapped back to reality.

He called your name again, "Are you okay?"

Oh, crap.

Reality, indeed. You’re in the classroom, Erwin's class specifically. He's looking at you from the instructor's table. The room is silent, the lesson is interrupted, and they are all looking at you.

"Huh?"

Historia nudged again and whispered, "What's happening to you?"

You mouted a silent "What?" with furrowed brows.

Erwin repeated the question, more urging this time, "Are you okay?"

"I apologize," you mumbled, "I was spacing out."

"You don't look well. I can excuse you if you need to go to the infirmary."

"No," you replied, slowly getting aware and conscious of your surroundings, "I'm really fine. Sorry."

"Okay, just tell me if you need to go. Your friend can accompany you," he cleared his throat then continued his lesson.

Historia's nudges came harder, "I swear to god, you've been like that for a week now. What the heck happened to you?"

You shrugged, not in the headspace to elaborate that "This mister in front of us dropped a bomb that brought my brain to shambles. Now all of you are required to repeatedly call me out to bring me back to the conversation."

Even when you come across Erwin at school, you couldn't greet him properly. His class only happens once a week, and this is the day you formally met again after that incident; no wonder he bothered interrupting his class for asking your welfare

"Don't worry too much, Hisu. I just need more sleep as usual."

Not long after, the class was grouped for its first major writing project.

"So, according to Mr. Smith, we'll be creating a short novel and deconstruct it using different literary theories," Armin, the group leader, started—every group member aside from you two groaned. "Three members will be the ones to write while the rest will deconstruct. Every group has a specific theme," he paused for a while as he squinted his eyes on the paper, then continued, "...uh, the theme's very vague? It only says dreams here."

"Fuck," you hissed which surprised the group. However, you shot Erwin a glare.l Instead of clarifying, He was looking at you, too—flatly so—as if just waiting for your reaction.

Historia tapped you gently from behind as she got the context immediately, "Tell me this is a coincidence."

"What the fuck is this man on?" you whispered back.

“It's not a coincidence? Does he know?"

You groaned in sheer frustration, "Oh god, I'm not doing this today."

"Hey," Ymir disturbed your dilly dallies, "what if we just write your freaky dreams instead? Let's get this shit done asap, please."

"Hey," Historia glared, "don't force her on that! You don't even know how bad it is"

Armin then called out your name, "Are you okay? Maybe I should just ask him to change our theme?"

"Yes, please."

And so he did raise his hand for it, calling Erwin’s attention. "Sir, can we exchange themes with the other group?"

His "no" didn't even take a second. Your frown tightened and yet Erwin took no mind of it.

Sensing the tension, Eren prompted, "You have sleeping problems?"

"Recurrent nightmares."

"That would do then! You lead the writing.”

"I said don't force her on that!"

"But," Armin interjected as he faced you, hesitation laced his voice, "we're the only ones who could actually write here. I suggest you lead the writing team, too. We don't necessarily have to push for your nightmares, though."

"But her sleeping problems would make things easier," The green-eyed pressed.

"God, be sensitive for fuck's sake! She's certainly not having a good time with it. That's why she’s here with us instead of the higher batch. And we're gonna use that as mere project material?"

The two batchmates kept bantering for a while—with Eren arguing for convenience while Historia countering with consideration over your welfare.

In your mind, however, Erwin's request just played again and again: Let it free by acknowledging its existence.

Acknowledge its existence.

Oh… yeah, why not? You're seeking progress, after all. That's why you told him you'd consider, after all.

"Fine, I'll do it."

Historia snapped out of her banters, "Are you sure?"

"The others are right. I also want this over immediately," you then scooted nearer to Historia and whispered, "Erwin knows about the nightmares and he's doing this intentionally."

"Have you told him?"

"The gist, yes, but then he told me he got nightmares, too."

"Huh!” the blonde shrieked. The rest of the class glanced at her.

"Hey, you made everyone in this room look at you," Ymir pointed out before continuing. “Going back, let's work on it now. We don't have much time left."

"So if we're gonna push for this, here's the premise; repeated nightmares in a post-apocalyptic setting, humanity trapped inside big walls so giant monsters wouldn't reach them, military fighting the giants by going outside the walls only to be mercilessly—wait, what the hell is with your reaction?"

They all averted their gazes at you after pointing it out.

"Oh, uhm… Just—just kinda heavy."

"It's just a plot."

"I know. I—uh—"

"Continue," Mikasa interjected.

"In those dreams, I've always been a soldier so I think it'll be an easy turnaround for the narration—especially since it's very vivid, physically and mentally."

"Physically? Like, you feel pain?" Armin inquired.

"Yeah, though the physicality just started recently. Got my bones broken there once, and when I woke up my whole body was throbbing in pain. It quickly subsided when I was oriented again though."

"So, some kind of multiplayer game where you can control your actions or something?" It was Ymir this time.

"No. It's like recalling a memory but with complete senses."

"I think we should just not push for it," Eren mumbled. "Sorry, we shouldn't have pressed you on it."

Historia rolled her eyes, "Too late. You already forced her."

“I really don’t mind it."

"It's not that. I'm just… uncomfortable with the plot. Don’t get me wrong, I love action and all but—"

"I don't get it." For some reason, his reaction unnerves you, "There are series with the same theme way more intense than what I'm proposing."

Historia agreed with Eren, though, "Well, I guess I just got accustomed to it."

Her girlfriend shrugged, "Well, if it’s this heavy then we might have a hard time making it."

"Well, if it's heavy for you then it's good for a plot. Good plot means a better score." you countered.

"If it's fine for you then let's just work on it." Without asking for the rest of the group, Armin started writing the summary on the paper.

"Maybe it's better to just…" Mikasa mumbled, giving you a slight surprise, "...take breaks in between as we make it. Working on it continuously might be draining for me as well."

You didn't expect the stoic kid to be bothered by it, too. Nonetheless you replied, "I'll try to write a more specific plot guide so things will get easier on your end."

"Sorry. If ever you don't want to push for it anymore, you could tell us. We'd understand."

You didn't answer anymore. It's not like you could withdraw from this. Erwin gave you this theme with ulterior motives.

After the group caucus, you put your head down on the table and shut your eyes tight. It went on until Erwin bid his final announcements and dismissed the class. Everyone gestured to leave except you; Historia caressed your head. “Are you fine? Maybe we should go to the infirmary."

“No, I don’t feel awful. I’m just tired. No class will be using this room afterward, right?”

“Yeah. Our class is the last one for today.”

“I’m taking a nap then. See you.”

Historia hesitated to leave, you felt that much with the tremor on her hands. But you're still not in the headspace to clarify. "Sleep well, I guess...”

Taking naps in public became a habit whenever you’re feeling extremely tired since sleep is less frightening that way, and thus you drifted for quite a while. However, the sound of someone tapping mindlessly on a table near you interrupted it; along with it was papers flipping. You didn't mind at first, but when the person in question started humming a random song, you shot your eyes open.

“Why are you still here?” you groggily asked; not lifting your head from the table but still wide-eyed.

Erwin tapped lightly on the papers he's been checking in response.

You turned your eyes to the professor’s table and it was empty. Quite confused, you stared back at him again, “And why are you seated beside me?”

“I figured it would be easy to do all these with the company of someone snoring.”

“I did?” you lifted your head up to sit properly, “I don’t snore in my sleep!"

"Really? I'm pretty sure I even heard you mumbling my name as you did."

Blood drained your face, "No shit. I did?"

He said nothing in reply, not even turning his eyes on you. Just focused on the paper, trying to hide a sneer.

"I did?" you pressed further, voice quite louder now but still no reply from him, "I swear to god if you're messing with me again–"

"Yeah, I was just messing with you," he finally faced you then, "I was quite worried about you earlier but now that you have that energy back, I guess you're fine."

Despite annoyance, relief washed over for not muttering anything alarming while asleep. You slouched down the table again and let out frustrated huffs.

"How are your nightmares?"

"Please don't talk to me about the nightmares. It's been very hard to deal with lately."

"I'm sorry."

"I told you I'd think about that first."

"Sorry."

"You're not sorry. Armin tried to ask you to change the theme but you said a flat no."

"To be fair, the theme was picked by the representatives themselves through draw lots. I didn't expect it to really end up in your group."

"Hah," you tutted, "bet you were satisfied with the results either way."

"I am," Erwin's reply incurred a glare from you. He could've just lied to alleviate your annoyance. However, your stare softened when you saw him with a poignant smile. "I'm still giving you the leverage to think about my request. I'm sure your group mates will understand if you really don't want to do it. I completely would as well."

You furrowed your brows at him in worry, well aware that you have to confront him one way or another. Avoidance warrants nothing. You have to hear about his fair share of nightmares regardless of the confirmation it would bring. That's the only way you can have someone to rely on.

"About your nightmares," you started with slight trembling, "what were those?"

"I told you I'll share that with you after you tell me all about yours."

God, I already know what it's about. I just want to know the details. You purse your lips in frustration, frustrated at your unreadiness to talk about your fair share of nightmares. You've been backtracking about this numerous times already as if you're not in control—that you still need a harder push so you could spit the lump out.

"Was it… tormenting for you?" How tormented were you on carrying the burden of our lives?

He looked down as his smile went even more wistful, "I was thankful it did, though; with all the things I've done that's just a trivial matter."

"What did you do to deserve that?" you spat quite loudly. Having to experience it yourself, you just know nothing could ever justify how tormenting it is and it ever will for you. Nothing.

"Well, you have to have something in exchange for that information," his demeanor then shifted from mournful to lighthearted.

"You just won't let me win this, huh? God, give me a break."

After his chuckle, only the flipping papers were heard again. It's a step forward, you thought to yourself.

"How long until you finish that stuff?"

"Until late afternoon, I guess."

"Roughly three hours or so, hm. I'm taking a nap again. I hope you get to finish that with snores amusing you." Then you slouched on the table, facing him as your eyes slowly heavied towards sleep.

"Thank you for your service, then." To return the favor, he stood up and lowered the curtains to decrease the light.

"You're much kinder that way," you hummed, almost inaudibly. "Just stay like that and don't be bad to me, okay?"

Fortunately for him, he still heard it. Erwin concealed a snicker, then lightly ruffled your hair. "I'll try my best this time around."

While you’re not sure what it meant, you released a small chuckle and finally drifted towards another nap, relatively peaceful this time around.

Slowly but surely, you’re finally doing what you were told; taking the mission seriously and getting appreciative of it by forming a bond with your comrades, albeit shallowly. The Special Operations Squad is doing better and the turnover of leadership to Levi was successful. Erwin, as usual, has been raising his reputation as a prominent Scout to the point of creating a barrier between him and Shadis. The commander has been facing critics left and right about how his underling does it better, while all he's done is staying alive. You didn't join the discourse though; Erwin's not the whole Scouting Regiment and you have separate missions to do.

"Hey," Levi called your attention as you walked towards them after an errand, "Big brow's requesting logistical help again. Go to him and work on it."

You sighed tiredly, “Of course he’ll put me in a newly built squad because the elites must be convinced of its relevance,” then slouched on the big wooden box beside you, "never thought he'd be able to order you around, though."

"You're not any different. Seems like he has no other purpose for you as well than kiss nobilities' asses in his stead." You didn't answer his banter and grabbed the water pouch to drink from it instead, but then, "Don't even dare. I drank on that already. That's mine."

"I was the one who brought this here. I didn't even get to drink yet."

"And I drank on it while you were gone. The mess hall's too far and that's the only clean thing here. Get something for yourself while you're on the way."

You sighed in dismay—these guys will not give you a break—then just stomped towards the building again.

You knocked on Erwin's office and made your presence known by stating your name. When he told you to enter, you opened the door and flatly closed it. He was sitting at the table, looking quite tired.

"I apologize, Levi told me you were just finishing an errand before I called on you. I also don't want to bother you anymore as you handle a lot of logistical work as it is; as well as representing the new squad with diplomatic concerns."

You didn't answer, but your eyes were speaking, "Okay, dismiss me then."

But he didn't, instead he opened his drawer and let out a stack of documents; he signalled you to go nearer before speaking again, "As you can see, despite our efforts, we're still in a difficult situation regarding funds. I guess Lobov's influence just doesn't die like that. What I have here is a pool of noblemen we could clinch. I know you served some of them before, that's why I have no one to ask for help but you."

"How did you know?"

"I heard your name from them during a gathering way back. I figured they would consider sponsoring us if it's a prominent soldier to convince them."

You flipped the pages and he was right, you worked with almost everyone on the list. However, you froze after seeing the profile of a certain man. "Murdoch Evans, is this one of the men who mentioned my name during that gathering you heard me?"

"Yes."

"Have you heard what he said?"

"Yes," you bit your inner lip.

That bastard really dared to spread that to his colleagues, enough to be heard even with military leaders.

"Then why–" you cut yourself off and just heaved a grunt. "Have you set an appointment with him already?"

"Yes, actually he's the first one we will be meeting on that list. His appointment is set two hours from now."

You stared at him in disbelief, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I've been attempting to reach out to you since last week but you were always unavailable," his answer made you remember your intentional avoidance. "His appointment was supposedly scheduled three days from now but he abruptly moved it this afternoon after he was informed that you'll go with me, so I am left with no choice but to summon you here."

"How much have you heard on that gathering?"

"I'm pretty sure I grasped the gist of it."

"And yet, you…" you paused for a while to ponder, but decided to just brush it off. "This is what you're talking about when you foul play, huh." You blandly added.

"You're free to do the same if that's what you need to get the job done,"

You have to be fucking kidding me, good sir; you thought to yourself. "Am I the only one to talk to him on this matter?"

"No. I'm coming with you. I'm the one who arranged it after all."

"How high are the stakes here? And what proposal have you given him to consider?"

"The stakes are something we'll talk about later, but the only thing he had asked of me was to bring you to him. I was reluctant at first so I told him I'll give updates on whether or not you'll agree on that considering what I heard. But then he proposed a large sum. He said he just wanted to see you. I figured we could work around something as vague as that."

You walked towards the office couch and sat down, rested your elbows on your knees then massaged your temples to ground yourself. You don't want him to see how fumed you are with the situation he's putting you through. Out of all people, you understand how imperative sponsorships are and you’ve been putting a lot of effort because of your expertise in handling the elites.

But this one is just too personal for you.

Silence covered the room for the rest of the waiting hours. You stayed and he silently let you rest on his couch to prepare yourself. When it was time, he gestured you to follow through.

"Erwin!" Hange beamed, but they quickly averted their gaze at you walking behind him. "What's with her? Why so dark?"

"We're on our way to a meeting with a potential sponsor and she's coming with me since she knows the man."

"Right! As expected to the Scout's diplomat!" Hange exclaimed but your expression didn't change a bit. You’re glowering and you weren't able to hide it. "Is she okay, though? She looks bad."

"We don't have much time, Hange."

"Oh, sorry, sorry. Good luck, then! I'm sure it will end up good if she's going with you. Also, Erwin, I have something to report regarding my proposal on the squad's subdivision. You're available after this, right?"

"I am. Now if you'll excuse us."

Hange paved the way with a short tap on your shoulder, "I rarely see you like this. If you want someone to talk to, I'm here okay?" They whispered.

You nodded to her and mumbled, "Thank you."

A military police soldier stood in front of the door, confirming that that man was already there. You heaved a long sigh as it opened, successfully concealing any emotion before that man sees it for himself.

"Good day, Mr. Evans," Erwin greeted and the old man immediately perked up upon seeing your presence. "We apologize for being a minute late; a soldier asked us about some matters."

"It's fine," he sportively replied. "You brought me what I asked for after all. Come on, sit down."

You tensed, seething in anger that's a bit too hard to hide. The bastard was seated on the center part of the table, while Erwin on the right side. You sat beside Erwin, then.

"I would like to clarify something, good sir," Erwin remarked, "she's here to represent the logistical team on behalf of the Special Operations Squad. I figured you had heard of the newly established division and before we partake in the upcoming expedition, some of them are going to handle the preparations."

"I'd like this talk to be short, though. You were able to bring me what I want and I stick to my word regardless of my simple wishes."

You figured it was your time to speak, and thus let out a firm smile, "What do you need of me, Sir?"

"Quit the regiment and work alongside me again."

"I'm afraid I'm not a subject to be to be bought under specific propositions, Mr. Murdoch."

"Still so serious, huh?" The old man called your name and that sound alone made you clench your fists, "We haven't seen each other for a long time but you're still so young and perky. How have you been all this time? I was reaching out to you for years only to no avail because you're too busy."

"I'm fine. I apologize for not meeting you back then. My job was very hectic."

No.

You intentionally made it so you wouldn't cross paths, not to save yourself but to spare him from death. Now that he’s here, you realized that your desire to strangle him never wavered after all these years.

"Well, at least we have this encounter again. Brings back good memories, isn't it? It's a pity I just saw you one time as a soldier. I thought I'll be able to see you grow up into a beautiful lady since I took you and your brother in my wing decades ago."

It was Erwin's turn to be surprised. He glanced at you upon realizing that this was the same man who briefly kept you in childhood. You subtly gave him a glare to tell him how hard he fucked up now, then went back beaming at the old bastard.

"I appreciate you remembering such trivial moments, Sir. It's a pity you already retired years after the two of us became soldiers."

"I figured I want to take a rest early. I already have enough fortune to do so, after all. That said, I heard what happened to your brother. Ah, that poor child. You two were the reasons why I considered sponsoring the regiment. I'm so sorry about what happened."

You fell silent after that, and Erwin took the time to speak. "I never thought you were that close. That's quite an endearing reunion," he remarked. "Now, regarding the agenda at hand, let us talk about the proposition we made about the sponsorship. First, I would like to present the rationale for the next expedition."

"I really don't care about all that, I'm just feeling generous to give some of my fortunes. Again, what I am eyeing for is this lady beside you."

"I'm afraid she's not included in the agreement we've prepared–"

"Erwin," the old man is now annoyed. "Can you leave us two? I would like to discuss my conditions with her, alone."

You tensed in your seat, a big lump formed up your throat. The last time people left you alone together wasn't a great memory. The lump turned into trembles that Erwin noticed despite its subtlety.

You want to kill him.

Your concern is this job, the funds, and the expedition itself; all of it at risk if you fail to keep your cool. And the thing here is, you don't have something to protect with all your heart that would guarantee your endurance. You don't have your brother anymore.

"I'm afraid I can't leave here, good sir," Erwin answered, "you told me to bring her here and that's what I did. You never mentioned me leaving her alone with you. I have to be here to represent the commander, after all."

"So do you want the funds or not? You won't be getting it if you can't even comply with my simple wishes."

"I agree with my squad leader, Mr. Murdoch. I prefer to have this talk purely professional for now. We could save our personal reunion for later," you lied to calm him down.

"Tsk," he puffed on his seat. "Okay, I'll be sponsoring half of the sum that you need for the expedition. That's a bit of a gamble, don't you think?" You widen your eyes. That's really a lot.

"What offer would you like in exchange?" Erwin inquired.

He pointed at you lazily, "I told you already, make her quit from this shabby place and I'll take her as a soldier directly under my command."

"As expected of you, Mr. Evans. I knew you wouldn't gamble such a high amount on a wish as simple as that. However, we have to settle on another condition as we do not plan to dismiss her from her post. Her presence is important in our regiment."

"Mr. Murdoch," you started, quite darkly. "I really appreciate you taking lengths for my welfare, but I don't have any plans of leaving this regiment."

And I better be, unless you and this man beside me wish to die early.

"But you should know better now, don't you think? I'm heavily aware of the circumstances Survey Corps are facing right now. I understand, Erwin, it would be a pity to drop a soldier as skilled as her. You don't have enough people to begin with after all! Just think of her as collateral. If you give her to me, I won't hesitate to sponsor you as long as she stays under my command. Trust me, I'm a very valuable partner and you need to take this proposition seriously."

You both stayed silent for a while, with Erwin staring flatly at the man. Sensing your reluctance, the old man continued.

"I just want her to be safe, okay? She lost her brother already. Both of them didn't have a good life in the first place. I took them in out of pity, but due to circumstances, they slipped away from my hands. I want to make it up to her, at least, in her brother's stead. That's why I want to have her under my wing. She's like a daughter to me."

You almost felt like throwing up at the remark, especially the daughter part.

Very, very vile. He should not be allowed to stay in this world.

Erwin turned to you to silently convey a signal; you're free to be as foul as you can be if that's what's needed to get the job done.

It didn't take long until a wry sneer laced your face, "Mr. Murdoch, we both know that you're not keeping me under your wing for my safety."

He sensed you won't be hesitating if this talk continues, so he turned to Erwin. "Now, could you leave us alone, please?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I am staying here," Erwin remarked, then faced you as he feigned ignorance. "My good subordinate, what do you mean by that?"

"I'm glad you finally asked," you gritted your teeth, "This man–"

"Enough!" The old man banged the table. "I changed my mind. I thought this shabby place would at least have enough brains to not turn down such a good offer." He stood up and fixed his tie along with his composure. "Find someone who would be willing to waste money on you."

He was about to walk outside but halted when chuckles escaped your lips, mind consumed with the decades worth of darkness you kept hidden. "I locked the door from the outside, Sir. After years of not meeting me, it seems like you've gotten too confident, don't you think? The soldier you brought with you is someone I know as well, and he certainly knew better than going against me," you remarked, still full of smiles. "Now, if you understand what you're facing right now, please go back to your seat."

He fumed, very much so; this expression was something very familiar to you. He then turned to Erwin who stayed unmoved all throughout.

Upon realization of his predicament and the fact that he brought himself thinking you’re still as dumb as a kid, he laughed snarkily. "So this is the true colors of the Scout Regiment, huh? I should've known better. You were able to bring down Lobov, after all. Ah, I underestimated you, really." Erwin still didn't respond, just mercilessly towering over the man above him only with his dark stare.

"But, well," he walked towards, "what would this lady offer in her weapon, huh? Speak up, my sweet cupcake." You flinched at the familiar nickname and you had to clench on the table to keep yourself from throwing up or bursting. You remembered your brother telling you how you didn't bat an eye after being cornered by sick men like this one. It wasn't true at all. Remembering any of this, or getting yourself in such a situation, makes you want to bang your head open or lose all the sanity left in you so you could kill them in cold blood. "Pray tell, sweetie, what do you have under your sleeve?"

Before he could hold your shoulders, Erwin gripped his wrinkled arm. "I implore you to settle your hands to yourself and not defile any of your dirt on my subordinate, Sir." He flatly remarked, sheer authority lacing his tone; a voice deep enough to make anyone cower.

You felt the old man tremble as well, and he huffed in annoyance as he swatted his arms back. "What did you say? Dirtying her? Don't you know she's way–"

"Sit down," you scowled.

"You think you're mighty enough to be disrespectful to me? See what it gets you the time I leave this room. You can't trap me down here."

"I also want you to see what it gets you if you don't sit the fuck down," you released a ragged breath, "the time you dropped us to the ground after our parents got convicted, what circumstances brought you to that decision? It wasn't because we were not of any use or because we're children of convicted criminals. It’s because I was about to tell your wife about–"

"Fine! I'll sit down!" he exclaimed.

You can feel Erwin watching your every move and was subtly taken aback at that revelation. He cleared his throat first then spoke, "When I overheard the conversation at the gather, I was already repulsed by your taste despite your age. I didn't know you did such an abhorrent act, too, more so way back to her childhood.

"The noblemen are right. No one in the right mind would stay sane after charging outside the walls," he hissed in disbelief, "so, what are you planning to do about it, huh? Gonna turn me in? I'm sure you know better than that. If the law could really reach me then I'll be long gone now."

"But tell me, good sir, does Nile or Zackly know about this?"

As if it was a bullet, the man finally shut up. You can see the blood on his face drain. He really is dumb, you thought. The time Erwin stared at him emptily, he should've realized what was up.

"If my subordinate files a case directly to the people I've mentioned, it's over for you. Nile wouldn't sit still when a young soldier is being targeted by a wrinkled general. Regarding Zackly, I know you had something with each other, he's surely just waiting for a chance to put you down," Erwin then slid the document he was holding to the trembling man. "You know it, right?"

He really knew it because he gripped the document and scanned it with trembling hands. Contrary to his remark earlier, he seemed very drawn to the proposal at hand now—not that he had any other choice, though.

"So, I would like to continue my talk about the goal of the upcoming expedition. Would that be fine?" Erwin was back on his diplomatic tone.

The talk ended quickly; you were able to discuss everything regarding the logistics. He ended up sponsoring the rest of the money needed for the whole expedition in exchange for your silence. Erwin firmly, or perhaps sarcastically, promised the man that the Survey Corps will not waste the generosity he offered. It ended in a good light for the Survey Corps, while the old bastard stomped back on his carriage, completely devoid of gleam.

"So, how was that? It went well, right?" Hange wrapped her arms around your neck as the three of you walked back to Erwin's office.

Erwin gave them a small nod, "Albeit desperate measures, at least now we don't have to worry about logistics. We could proceed to your science division proposal, too."

Hange shouted in celebration, "Told you, we got this gem of a soldier right here!"

"It wasn't because of me," you clarified tiredly. It really wasn't. This sly man just used your personal issues as a combat tactic.

"Well, since you came, the logistics team really soared in abundance. With you and Erwin combined, at least we could get relatively better resources than before." Hange engulfed you in a hug. "Gah, I'm very thrilled! Now the science subdivision will flourish the way I wanted to!"

Before entering the office, you asked, "Can we talk for a while, Erwin?"

"Sure thing. Hange, wait until we finish this one."

"Aw, come on. I keep on getting held back here!"

"I'll cook you your favorite food," you deadpanned.

Hange squealed, "Talk as long as you want, then! Until morning, even!"

You shut the door quite loudly. Silence enveloped the room until you sighed and turned to him. You were fuming, and he knew what this talk would be about.

"I can't believe you would stoop as low as that," You muttered.

"Spare me your personal sentiments for now. The thing Hange will be consulting is something really important."

"You're heavily aware of what you did and there’s no way you’re deserving of any spare from me tonight. Weaponizing even my horrendous experiences so we could get the things we need to have, let alone not informing me of such an important matter ahead of time."

Erwin heaved a sigh, sat down, and massaged his temples for a while, "I didn't know there was a deeper issue at hand aside from his interest for you. I would've completely drawn back from that plan had I known. Still, that doesn't excuse my imprudent behavior. I sincerely apologize–" He stopped in his tracks when you abruptly released a hard sob.

You weren't able to hide the anguish anymore. You usually cry hard whenever something like this happens, albeit not with someone. But then again, it's not like you can control it any further. It's true that you were somehow desensitised on that matter because that bastard wasn't the only man who did something like that to you, but it was much harder to bear because he was the first one who did, and you kept it to yourself for decades.

"When he kicked us out upon knowing my plans to tell his wife, I just know I don't ever want to see him again," you choked on your tears. "The only thing that stopped me was my brother, but now that he's gone—because of you, let me remind—just how do you think I'll be able to manage that? Should I be condemned again for being mentally weak, Erwin?"

Despite awareness of the veracity of his actions, he never thought you’d respond this way, "No. No one would ever dare take that against you. I sincerely apolo–"

"Then, should I celebrate? We got what we wanted. We have the funds and enough logistical support. Heck, I even think he would be more than willing to support us more if we flashed the same blackmail."

You tried to glance at him but the look on his face made you turn away quickly. He looked really regretful; that expression alone left a bitter taste in your mouth. Whatever he feels right now wouldn't be of any use to compensate for the damages he incurred. He might feel remorseful for a long time but that will never be enough, and the worst is that you won't be able to make him pay for it, too. The only thing that could stop this man is when he gets eaten by a titan, and that would be barely an act of revenge. Getting eaten is a natural occurrence rather than an action of getting what was truly deserved. It won't be revenge—not even consolation—and that's extremely dreadful to face. The pain stays without resolution.

It was a long while that he let you cry in silence as he knew he couldn't say anything to alleviate his imprudence. You looked him in the eye upon gaining your composure again, "What made me stay here was the fact that this regiment's mission is more worthwhile than that rotten place could ever be. Our mission surpasses everything humanity could embody. I thought it would be much more bearable because here, I'm not rotting away with my own resentment alone. I would rot away with conviction that I'm doing something right. My comrades do it perfectly after all. My brother did. But it's just too good to be true, isn't it?"

You have nothing more to say so you turned your back and opened the door.

Before twisting the knob, however, he called out your name, "I-I'm sorry. I know I won't be able to make up for what I did."

"Yeah, you won't. Don't tell me something I already know. Just keep on doing what you do while you're good at it. If your blatant exploitation with me persists, I'll get fed up soon, too—really fed up that I'd rather die. At least my corpse would be your stepping stone for your noble goals. It's not like I can do anything about it."

You opened the door wide and left it like that to gesture Hange.

"What happened to you?" They asked worriedly, not with the usual cheeriness anymore. When they realized you wouldn't be answering the question, they patted your shoulder before entering the room. You leaned at the door for a while, hence you heard a bit of the conversation.

"Hey, Erwin. What did you do? She's like that whenever she's with you." Hange prompted; Erwin didn't answer. "You just can't treat her like shit all the time, okay? She doesn't deserve your crankiness when she's that useful. You know you have to practice your social skills more, huh! You're Shadis' second liner after all. Your eloquence isn't enough–"

"Enough with that talk," Erwin cut them off with his voice, completely tired, "speak of your concern or leave."

"Ow, 'kay. Seems like everyone's grumpy today, huh." Hange pondered for a while then continued, "Anyway! About the science subdivision, what we need for the approval of Shadis are…"

Finally, your feet finally cooperated to step out of the area. You thought of spending the night with your brother, grimly anticipating the trembling freeze this night could give, too. That way you wouldn't be stuck feeling really empty.

Or if you’re lucky enough, you could die in the cold along the way.

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thank you for this, @temariskadi!

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not-delicious-milk · 4 years ago

Text

untangle

pairing | itadori yuuji x fushiguro megumi

content | fluff, light angst, humor. birthday fic for the birthday boy. yuuji has adhd and i will die on that hill

word count | 1.7k

form | oneshot

originally posted | 23 december 2020

author's note | yes i wrote this because i got back into knitting. i know i’m a day late for fushi’s birthday but shh. anyway itafushi brainrot

Itadori hyperfixates on knitting. Shenanigans ensue.

It started out innocent enough.

Gojou had decided to treat them to shopping in the city, something that excited Kugisaki and Itadori beyond reason. Fushiguro thought that those two would probably faint from excitement if their sensei ever indulged them in a trip to Roppongi, as he'd promised them so many months ago, even though he knew fully well it was little more than a tourist trap.

Then they passed by a fabric store, and Itadori had stopped cold in his tracks at the sight of the multicolored yarns in the window. Peeking over a teetering pile of bags and boxes he was holding for Kugisaki, Itadori drew so close to the window his breath misted up the glass.

"What is it, Itadori?" Kugisaki huffed. She turned around and barely suppressed a laugh when she saw him staring. "Are you a grandmother now? Come on, I still need to pick up new stockings."

"No, it's just—" Itadori glanced back at her, wide eyed. "You know, my grandfather taught me to knit once, when I was really little. I hadn't given it much thought since…" His sentence trailed off. "Anyway, it's getting colder now, right? Plus Christmas is coming up. Maybe I should pick it up again."

Fushiguro shrugged. "As long as you don't go crazy. Like that time with the stamps."

"Listen — those were limited edition stamps—"

"And the historical romance movies."

"How did you — come on, Pride and Prejudice is a classic—"

"And the bullet journals?"

"I didn't even get that many of those! Gojou-sensei was the one who recommended those to keep track of stuff."

"You had to empty one of your manga shelves just to store all the stationary you bought!"

"Okay, I get it!" Itadori held up one of his hands in a gesture of surrender, nearly dropping Kugisaki's things in the process. "In and out. All I want to do is look."

But that was not all he wanted to do. Itadori wanted to touch the yarn, and then he was ogling the seasonal colors, and then he was flipping through pattern books, and then he was discussing different wool blends with the lady working there, and then he was picking out bamboo circular knitting needles, and then he was ordering cones of yarn in different colors, and by the time they staggered out of the fabric store, Fushiguro was ready to collapse.

The way home was just as bad, if not worse. Itadori talked Gojou's ear off the whole time about different stitches he wanted to try and projects he was going to start. "Oh, by the way, Fushiguro!"

Fushiguro turned at the mention of his name. "What is it?"

"Would you prefer a scarf or a hat? I picked out this blue acrylic-wool blend to match your eyes, but I'm not sure which one you would prefer."

Fushiguro blinked at him. "A— a scarf, I guess."

Itadori gave him a thumbs up and then went right back to talking a mile a minute. Fushiguro wasn't sure if he should be paying attention or not. He glanced at Kugisaki, who was in a world of her own looking at the souvenirs and new accessories she had bought with Gojou's credit card.

Gojou himself seemed only mildly interested in what Itadori was saying. He seemed to be thinking of something else, but he did seem to be making an effort to show his student that he was listening.

Fushiguro sighed. He really was hopeless. "Itadori, tell me about the patterns you want to try."

Itadori turned to him, and Fushiguro let himself take in the radiant glow of his eyes for one selfish moment, before training his gaze on the floor of the train.

(Was it too much to ask for him to stop being so bright all the time?)

The excitement could barely keep its way out of Itadori's voice as he described the different ways to knit a sock, and Fushiguro smiled a little, careful not to let Gojou see it. He would never let him live it down.

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

"Fushigurooooooooooooooo!"

He doesn't have to yell. The walls are so thin between our rooms anyway. "What?" he called back, a little quieter.

"I need your help! Come here!"

Fushiguro sighed and closed the book he'd been reading. It was a hefty tome on marine biology he'd picked up the week before. And in that week, Itadori had probably knit enough to clothe a small country.

Well, that was an exaggeration. But he really had been spending all his time working on some project or another, and Fushiguro was mentally counting down until his inevitable burnout.

He opened the door to Itadori's room and poked his head inside. "What— oh."

Itadori grinned sheepishly at him. He was in the middle of a pile of tangled yarn, probably partially tangled in it himself, seated on the floor. "Um, I could use another pair of hands."

Fushiguro sighed for as long as he could, feigning annoyance.

(He really didn't mind.)

"Thanks, man." Itadori wriggled his way out of his multicolored bonds and started picking at the strands. "I promise it's not as bad as it looks." What it looked was pretty bad.

"I just forgot to organize them when I was done with a color. I had just been putting them in a bin under my bed."

Really? Not a blender?

Fushiguro said nothing as he worked at a thick knot.

"Brat, do something about him."

His eyes went wide as Fushiguro whipped his head around to see a mouth formed on Itadori's cheek, speaking in a familiarly cold voice. "He's driving me insane."

Itadori slapped a hand over Sukuna's mouth automatically. "You were already insane," he muttered under his breath.

The mouth opened again on his hand. "All you think about are your projects. If I wanted to possess a grandmother, I would have done so. Brat, break his knitting needles, throw out his yarn, something. I know you find it irritating too."

Itadori pointedly ignored Sukuna's voice, but for a moment Fushiguro was sure he saw something flicker in his eyes — something like disappointment, or maybe regret. His smile seemed a little too tight, his gaze too fixed.

Ever since he had come back to life, Fushiguro had noticed that Itadori wasn't quite the same. He never wanted to talk about it, either, besides the few words they'd exchanged before the Goodwill Event.

But these days, something about Itadori Yuuji seemed a little unsure. He seemed harder, cracked around the edges like broken glass. He was smiling the same smile as ever, but something in his eyes told Fushiguro that he didn't mean it.

Fushiguro imagined that he was untangling Itadori. Maybe it was that he didn't trust him enough, wasn't close enough to him, didn't care as much about him as Fushiguro did him, but there was something twisted up inside Itadori that he didn't let anyone touch.

(He would never admit it, but Fushiguro wished that he could. Sort through the strands one by one, with care and with gentleness, until he was all smoothed out.)

"Itadori," Fushiguro said quietly.

"Huh?" By the time he turned around to meet his eyes, Itadori had already masked his brief slippage of control.

"I don't think it's irritating."

Itadori laughed a little. "No, it's okay. You don't have to feel bad, I know I'm going a little overboard…"

"I'm serious."

He fell silent and ran his fingers through his soft pink hair. Again, there it was — a flash of something between disappointment and regret. "I just… it feels nice to make stuff for other people, I guess." And there he went again. Always other people first.

(When would he realize other people worried about him too?)

Fushiguro didn't say anything else, but silently picked a piece of yarn off of Itadori's hoodie.

"Oh! That's right!" Itadori suddenly stood up and rummaged through his bag. "It's your birthday tomorrow, isn't it?"

It was. Fushiguro hadn't told anyone about it though — there wasn't much he hated more than other people fussing over him on his birthday. The attention, the coddling praise, the presents… all of it was too much.

Who could have—

The winking face of his sensei flashed across his mind. Of course.

"Here you go, before I forget to give it to you." Itadori handed him a folded blue scarf. "It's your birthday present!"

Fushiguro took the scarf gingerly. It seemed to tingle in his hands, and he could almost feel the attention and time that Itadori had put into it. It had a complicated-looking cable pattern that must have taken him forever.

"Do you— do you like it?"

He glanced up at Itadori, whose usually sunny face was clouded over with insecurity. Ah, I must have made a face by accident.

Fushiguro answered by putting the scarf on. It even smelled like him. If he breathed in deeply, he could smell Itadori's fabric softener and the scent of the outdoors that always seemed to cling to him — wood and soft grass and—

Stop smelling the scarf.

"I like it," he managed. He couldn't make eye contact with Itadori — if he did, he was afraid his careful mask of casual indifference might break and reveal something much more embarrassing.

"You do? Oh, that's good." Somehow Itadori didn't sound very convinced.

Fushiguro risked looking into his eyes. "I really love this," he stated firmly. "Honestly, I'm glad you decided to start knitting again." He paused a moment before going a step further, grasping at the tangled strands around him and within the boy who stood before him. "I think your grandfather would be really proud of you."

Itadori blinked in surprise. "Oh." A wide grin spread across his face. "Well, I'm glad you like it!"

Fushiguro gestured hopelessly to the mountain of tangled yarn.

"Ah, right."

An easy silence fell as they untangled the rest of the yarn. The warmth of the scarf around Fushiguro's neck was grounding, and reminded him of the warmth of the boy next to him.

Itadori scooted closer to him and rested his head on Fushiguro's shoulder, surprising him. Neither of them said a word as they picked at knots of yarn.

"Thank you," muttered Itadori under his breath.

Maybe birthdays weren't so bad after all.

#birthday boyyyy #slight spoilers for events just after the current anime canon #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #itafushi #itadori x fushiguro #itadori yuuji #itadori yuji #fushiguro megumi

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centrally-unplanned · 4 years ago

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(Spoilers ahead) Partner and I finished Season 2 of the Fruits Basket modern remake this weekend. I had only seen the, uh, 2001 original anime (2001? It was 20 years ago? Fuck), with no exposure to the manga, so a lot of the plot elements were new to me. I liked a lot of the show, but I have some big complaints about it handles its villain, Akito:

1: Akito occupies a very awkward place in this story. He (don’t worry, ill get to that) is the head of the main crew’s family and constantly inflicts abuse on all of its members, and is therefore the source of conflict for the plot, both in past trauma and present attempts as control and gaslighting.

Okay, so stories often have to walk a tightrope with abusive characters like this. Stories are normally pushed along and resolved internally - the main cast is going to experience the pain and drama, and fix it themselves, because that is the arc. For many plots that is easy, but if the story revolves around an abusive sibling/parent figure like Fruits Basket does, you will always be asking yourself the question “uh, why doesn’t anyone call the cops? or why don’t they just leave?” There is a tension between realism in the setting and the needs of the plot.

You can in fact resolve this tension in a lot of ways. If the abuse is primarily mental, slowly building, inflicted out of sight of responsible parties, etc, you can make this work. Lots of people don’t report abuse to authorities, or just move out of their house, but instead deal with it due to it being normalized. Other ways include making the characters teenagers - they don’t think of the world as having authorities outside of family (or school) and its much harder for them to reach outside of that bubble - the classic highschool bully problem. So Akito can work if he is subtle, slowly ramps, and controls his surroundings to hide his abuse from relevant authorities.

Anyway here is Akito pushing a 17 year old girl out of a two story window shattering her back and hospitalizing her for months:

And here he is threatening a 17 year old boy with life confinement in a literal cage unless he, uh, wins a duel with his cousin?

These are the worst moments but they are far from alone. This person is a raving lunatic, which fair enough that the 17 year olds don’t know how to handle that, but Akito himself is no older than 20. And the cast of characters who know everything that is going on includes:

-27 year old *published author* Shigure, who directly cares for both Akito and two of his abuse victims

-27 year old completely-independent business owner, Ayame, who is the *brother* of one of the abuse victims

-27 year old licensed medical doctor Hatori, who lives with and is the physician of Akito.

Hatori is violating every ethical obligation of his profession on the daily, dude is stone cold! This again could work if these characters were bad guys, but they aren’t - they are sympathetic protagonists or in Aya’s case even comic relief! The show wants you to think they are doing their best, Shigure even has a secret “plan” to deal with Akito that he has been planning for *years* and they all have "reasons” why they feel stuck due to the Zodiac curse yadda yadda. But you have to memory hole the fact that they are functioning adults in 21st century Japan, because otherwise Shigure and Hatori in particular reach levels of negligence to the children they care for that it tips right on over into being evil itself.

These kids go to public school, guys!

Now I know what any defender would say - “its the curse!” The whole cast carries the curse of the Zodiac where God invited them in long-ago times to a dinner, Akito is the current manifestation of that God in some form, and so they are bound to him to enact that “dinner” metaphorically in some way by staying by his side (also they transform into their respective Zodiac animals when chest-on-chest contact occur from the opposite sex, because Anime). Again, you can make this work! Show Akito exerting a magical force on characters who stray too far from him, or a compulsion locking them to being forever near the Sohma estate where he lives. Something showing that yeah, the relevant authorities could not handle this and dragging Akito away in chains won’t work. But sadly the show just...doesn’t bother. There is a “curse” but we are two seasons in and any negative consequences of the curse beyond Akito Being An Asshole are Footage Not Found (Kyo is an exception, but not a relevant one), despite everyone pretending like there is. Everyone wants to break the curse? Fine, kill Akito. Then you all get to live in peace and transform into adorable animals when you’d like, curse broken. Just throw “doesn’t cuddle or do missionary position” on your OkCupid profile to make your love life work, no one is gonna bat an eye, and some people will be, lets say, readily down with your particular transformation fetish.

None of this is fatal to the show per se, you can suspend disbelief. But the show takes itself so seriously that you can’t help but think these thoughts, and it colors in particular how the older characters act. And it would be so easy to fix! They just didn’t bother.

2: Can someone explain to me, in the year of our Zodiac Lord 2021, how a character secretly being a girl is a “surprise reveal” worth ending a season on? The final shot of Season 2 is that our resident asshole Akito has some female-presenting nipples, which is apparently a Big Deal? (maybe the show takes place on Tumblr, *zing*) Its the villain, they are an abusive maniac and also metaphorically/actually a divine being. Why does doubling their X chromosome count affect or change anything? I can envision plots where that is relevant, but this was not one! Maybe the next season will build that into the arc, but they haven’t done that yet, so the moment itself falls incredibly flat.

Yet people obviously feel differently from me - as is my habit I checked the reddit threads for the final episode and they are replete with people commenting on how shocking a twist it was, how they looked forward to it as manga readers, etc. Its a classic suspense trick I think, of how you can just have an event be surprising without it being thematically relevant, and it will work as long as you add the right drama bells around it. This was just a pretty egregious example of it.

-----

Between these problems, Fruits Basket has this aura of laziness around its none-core characters that does drag it down. Which is sad since I do actually like how it treats its core cast, even if it is stretched out over twice as many episodes as it needs. I am just guessing here, but beyond just “not caring” and doing it for the drama, I think it stems out of adapting the manga “faithfully”.

So Fruits Basket got an anime adaption in 2001, and the author (Natsuki Tayaka) haaaaated it. It was only twenty six episodes, a ~third of which got consumed just introducing the zodiac cast, so its plot had to be mixed around and truncated, and it was much more comedic and zany in tone. It was still very popular, so demand for a “better” adaptation of the full manga was high, which eventually happened in 2019. This time around Tayaka insisted on a high degree of control and faithfulness - I would bet it was essentially a “shot for shot” adaptation, and I have seen manga/anime comparison compilations to that effect.

The problem lies in how manga are made - they are almost never planned out start to finish. You pitch like a chapter, it gets picked up, and then its being published in tandem to its own production. That means that its pretty rare for the ending to be thought out, and the story figures itself out as it goes. Early manga Fruits Basket is pretty zany! Which means it plays fast and loose with its worldbuilding and its adult characters act silly most of the time. Once the high drama kicks in you realize that doesn’t work anymore, but you have already published it all months ago, no way to revise it now, so you just have to bite the bullet.

An anime adaptation would be a good time to clean that up! Its what Kare Kano did - a manga that starts as a cute highschool romcom and ends in sexual assault, for the anime they tried to create tonal consistency right from the start and change plot details around accordingly. But when the author, burned by a past studio, insists on Complete Accuracy...well then the anime has to bite the same bullets the manga did. And so you get Fruits Basket (2019), a show destined to never rise above its source material.

But hey, if Season 3 ends with Tohru just whipping out a gun, shooting Akito right between the eyes, and walking off into the sunset with a harem of zodiac hotties, then all will be forgiven.

#fruits basket #Fruits basket spoilers #Does a 2001 anime qualify as '90's anime discourse'?

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milkchu · 4 years ago

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˗ˏˋ꒰ 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒. 💌 ushijima wakatoshi ꒱ˎˊ˗

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 ༄ ushijima wakatoshi x camgirl!reader

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ༄ don’t read if you are under 18. nsfw, smut, dirty talk, mutual masturbation, mentions of blowjobs and unprotected sex. takes place beyond the timeline of the anime so manga spoiler? and ushiwaka might be a bit ooc? i tried my best orz.

╰─➤ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ, u.toshi. 💌

@babymochi ♡ 𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗥 𝟯 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

private message from babymochi [moderator]:┊❛ thank you for being a very lovely and loyal patron. because of your kind generosity, you have been selected for a private show with babymochi! click and apply below to redeem your free booking! hope to hear from you soon. ♡ ❜┊

wiping the sweat off his brow with a towel, ushijima saw the pocket of his bag light up, indicating that he had received a notification. putting the towel over his shoulder, he sat down on the bench, and grabbed his phone from his bag.

seeing the familiar app icon that he would always go to, he immediately looked around to see if someone was nearby. after seeing all his teammates were practicing their own serves while their coach was busy talking to another teammate, he lowered the brightness of his phone a bit and opened the app.

seeing the usual ‘welcome, u.toshi,’ he had one notification. checking the time, he thought it was a bit weird since he knew babymochi usually did shows late at night, and it was just a bit after noon.

playing for a professional team meant that there was no time for dating or messing around, at least for him. he was still human, however. when he found babymochi through one of his old friends in high school, he promised himself that he would only do it once. but that was months ago. he also decided to subscribe to the ‘TIER 3′ membership, which was the highest one, that included tons of perks and exclusives, and he did not regret it.

he almost became obsessed with babymochi, to the point where he would always scroll through your profile during his break times, and refresh your feed whenever he got a hold of his phone.

he would also wonder if you knew about him or if you watched volleyball or if you had watched any of his games. it was a silly and ridiculous thought, but it always made his heart race imagining that the girl who would always run around in his mind knew he even existed.

so, he almost choked on his water bottle when he read that message from one of your moderators. a small smile threatened to creep up on his face before his fingers were already moving against the screen, typing at the speed of light while he tried to redeem his free booking.

seeing the ‘congratulations!’ greeting after he had finished booking, he immediately set a reminder for his private show with you. he had a game next week so it was just the perfect timing.

already going through a list of things he would prepare for in his head, he got interrupted when his junior, kageyama, had asked if he could practice setting for him. putting his phone back in his bag, his head just continued to fill up with thoughts and excitement about you.

private message to u.toshi:┊❛ hello there! just reminding you of your private show with me tonight at 8pm sharp. very excited to see you soon, don’t be late! ♡ ❜┊

hitting send on your phone, you sighed as you sifted through your wardrobe, looking for your blue satin babydoll dress that included a ruffled band as a garter.

laying the set onto your bed, you immediately head towards your bathroom, and start putting a light amount makeup on your face, since you always wore a mask that hid your eyes during your shows anyway.

private shows were your favorite. as much as you enjoyed getting attention from several people during your normal shows, it was still quite overwhelming to try and fit in several requests in one show, especially since they came in with a donation.

deep down, you just hoped that this u.toshi guy wasn’t some creepy, greasy old man but what can you do? these people pay large amounts of money just to watch you touch yourself so you just go with it.

ten minutes before the clock hits 8:00, you sat on your bed, making sure the lighting was good and if the camera was alright. after putting the mask on and getting comfortable, you opened the website on your laptop, and started the show. seeing yourself on the screen, you waited for u.toshi’s camera view to pop up.

“good evening, toshi-kun!” you smiled sweetly, sighing in relief on the inside as you can tell he was a decent, young man even though his camera only showed his chin and black t-shirt. “is it okay if i call you that?” you tilted your head at him.

“y-yes,” his extremely low voice sent shivers down your spine, “you may,” he said, in an almost monotone voice. but it was probably enough for you to get off of, seems like tonight was going to be easy.

“great!” you clapped, “are you sure you don’t want me to use a toy tonight?” you asked, remembering that his booking requested that you would only use your fingers.

the simple, yet so vulgar question sent a blush to ushijima’s cheeks, “yes.” you giggled at his response, “alright! so why don’t you tell me about your day, toshi-kun?”

“i practiced with my volleyball team today,” he said, almost gulping when he saw your hands wander around your satin dress, “because we have a game soon.”

“a volleyball player, huh?” you bit your lip, watching as his biceps flexed a bit, which was enough for you to create a small wet spot in your panties. “i have a thing for volleyball players, you know?”

ushijima’s heart started to race, the thought of you possibly watching him play before making his pants grow tighter.

“i had a crush on this guy in high school, he was very popular and was one of the best players in the country. . .” you let out a soft breath, clenching your thighs together as you watched ushijima trail his hand down towards his pants.

“he never noticed me,” you sighed, “but i always imagined him. . .-” you felt your panties becoming damp. “oops, am i talking too much?” you tilted your head innocently.

“no, it’s alright,” ushijima said, in an almost strained voice, just wanting to touch himself in front of you. “would it be okay for me to touch myself?” he asked, not believing that the sentence just came out from his mouth.

“you can do whatever you want, toshi-kun,” you said sweetly, before watching him pull out his cock from his sweatpants. you almost let out a soft whimper, as you’re only able to see the head. but you could tell he was packing.

“you must be so tired from today,” you slowly removed your panties, running the wet fabric down your thighs and off your ankles, “i want to make you feel good, toshi-kun,” you moaned, seeing his head throw back a bit as he stroked his own cock.

spreading your legs, you finally revealed your wet cunt to him, noticing beads of sweat run down his neck. “i always want to be there whenever you come home from practice so i can get down on my knees for you.”

“would you like that, toshi-kun?” you ran your fingers down your slick folds, making noises that made ushijima pump his hand harder on his cock. he nodded, letting out soft grunts. “yeah? you want me to put your thick cock inside my mouth?”

your index finger started to circle around your clit, imagining the head of his cock slapping and grinding against the sensitive pearl. “i also want you to fuck me senseless, toshi-kun,” you mewled, already pushing two fingers inside yourself.

“i want you to use me whenever you feel stressed out,” your moans becoming in sync with his grunts, “i want to be your fuck toy, toshi-kun!” you curled your fingers, gently rubbing against your g-spot while you fondled your tits through the satin before setting them free.

ushijima kept his eyes on your hot body, and your soaking wet pussy, wishing your fingers were his cock instead, “i-i always think about you,” he grunted, brushing his thumb against the head of his cock, wishing that you were right there with him, riding his hard cock.

you let out a breathy giggle, “yeah? that’s why you pay so much just to see me touch myself,” you teased, “you’re so perverted, toshi-kun!” you pumped your fingers harder, almost nearing the end.

ushijima felt close too, he couldn’t last very long whenever he thought of you. so, he would probably finish quickly if he was actually fucking you. who would blame him? you were a literal goddess in his eyes.

your other hand then traveled down towards your clit, playing with it while your other hand fucked yourself. as soon as he saw this, he closed his eyes and threw his head back, breathing heavily as he feels himself about to cum.

“are you going to cum?” you said sweetly, fucking yourself harder with your fingers. he nodded frantically, his hand pumping harder by the second. “i’m going to cum too, toshi-kun! i want you to imagine cumming inside me, filling my wet pussy with your hot cum.”

you moved your fingers faster, hitting your g-spot rougher and faster, as you feel yourself about to cum, “i-i’m gonna cum!” you let out a loud moan, feeling your pussy throb.

meanwhile, ushijima gritted his teeth, leaning his head forward, not even caring that he probably revealed his face before finally coming undone, letting out rough grunts as ropes of cum released from his cock.

the air was filled with only both of you panting, trying to catch your breaths after such a euphoric experience. you decided to break the silence, “you did so well, toshi-kun,” you sent him a tired smile.

he immediately came back to his senses, immediately adjusting his camera, hoping that you didn’t see his face, “likewise,” he replied, still lightly panting. “t-thank you very much for the session.” he added, trying to be polite literally after you had just masturbated in front of each other.

you let out a soft giggle, “it was my pleasure!” you sent him a playful wink. “i still wished i was really there with you, toshi-kun,” you pouted cutely, sending a blush towards his cheeks, “m-me too.”

“well, as much as i’d like to talk to you more, our time is almost up,” you almost felt really sad on the inside. “thank you so much for supporting me, toshi-kun!” you bowed, “i hope we can do this again sometime!”

“yes, of course. thank you as well. hope you have a great evening,” he politely said, but also sad at the same time because it was over. maybe he could book another session? money wasn’t a problem for him so he’ll definitely do this again.

“you too! have a wondeful evening, wakatoshi-kun,” you smiled once more, before your camera view went offline on his screen.

he sighed, running his clean hand over his face, definitely feeling a lot better. after he stood up to go take a shower, his heart suddenly started beating faster, realizing what you just said earlier.

“wakatoshi-kun?”

𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒. [camgirl!au series]

˗ˏˋ𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐤𝐜𝐡𝐮 © 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎࿐ྂ

#camgirl diaries fic #milkchu fics #haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu smut #ushijima wakatoshi #ushijima wakatoshi x reader #ushijima wakatoshi smut

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joeyglowy · 5 years ago

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Bad Study Habits ft. Miya Twins

In which the Miya Twins learn not to waste your time when they are the ones that asked for help. That, and that their necks are surprisingly quite sensitive.

(Call it a commemoration for Miya Osamu finally having his character designs introduced, even if it’s the fucking laziest but most beautiful thing I’ve seen all week)

Miya Atsumu x Reader, 1500+ words Miya Osamu x Reader, 1700+ words

(I promise, I love them, almost equally)

Miya Atsumu

“Why do I need ta know Avocado’s number? Unless he’s down to help a brother getting blue balled by his own girlfriend, tell him I’m not interested.”

“It’s Avogadro’s number and for once in your life can you not think with your dick? We’re not here to have sex; I’m here to make you pass your chemistry test so you don’t get another detention for slacking off in class!”

For the past eighteen minutes, you had been using your middle and index finger to rub circles into your temple, a vain attempt to soothe the hammering headache that jabbed your eyelids each time Atsumu opened his mouth.

When your boyfriend had come to your door, ‘begging’ you to help him with chemistry, you found it pleasantly endearing. For all the faults to which Miya Atsumu had—for which there were many—he had unfortunately perfected the art of looking just sheepish enough that it became adorable while still bristling his feathers like a proud peacock that just made you want to pull his chubby cheeks. He was the naughty puppy that still had his ravenous canines punctured in your favourite lita boots with his tail tucked between his legs. He was that one bad kid in every class who fooled around but all the female teachers doted on him anyways because he was charismatic in that childishly infuriating way that made them lower their standards when he finally put in the effort.

Miya Atsumu, put bluntly, is a godforsaken brat.

“[Name]-chan! My chem teacher’s threatenin’ me! He said if I fail one more quiz I’ll have to sit through at least three detentions just, doin’ I don’t know, symbiosis! You gotta help me; you’re my girlfriend, aren’tcha?”

Yet, you somehow fell for this idiot anyway.

Enamoured with his honey-lemon eyes, you decided not to tell him that what you were doing was in fact stoichiometry and symbiosis is actually a biology term. But with the way he had grabbed your shoulders, for an inexperienced lover like yourself, it was more than enough to trigger a visceral reaction that caused some internal organ to clog your throat. His subtle guilt-trip did not go unnoticed but with your brain short-circuiting, you couldn’t bring yourself to care. Instead, you had dumbly nodded, cursing your inability to deal with intimacy and members of the opposite sex as you allowed him to barge into your home.

Since he was always practicing, you thought it would be a chance to do something that couples do. Using your infinite knowledge collated from various fanfictions and shoujo manga online, you had constructed a seemingly infallible plan to make the most of your time with Atsumu. It involved having every excuse to stare at him without being teased for it and if anything, you would be in the rare position of the teaser, playfully pointing out his mistakes to which he’d probably pout and whine about before undoubtedly, once you were done, he’d demand a reward. Enter obligatory make out sesh. Which of course, was more than welcome in your book. You were a simple girl and he had cultivated excellently curved muscles from his years of volleyball, sue your transparency.

There was just one chink in your perfectly polished armoured plan.

Atsumu was a brat above all else. A horny one.

Tutoring him was like trying to make caramel for the first time.

At first, you think it’s going well. You’re simmering the white sugar, careful and attentive, determined to make it a success. Yet, as the browning starts to come in from the edges, a funny aroma that was not the scent of sweetness but one of something being grossly burned beyond recovery did you realise just how taxing the job was. Before you knew it, it was like having your kitchen on fire, the ignition source being the abomination that is Miya Atsumu.

As Osamu would say, “His mental age regresses by five years when he’s playing. . . but it plummets by ten when he’s, god forbid it, studyin’.”

If he wasn’t whining, he was trying to stroke your legs with his spider fingers under the kotatsu, creeping up your thigh only to be smacked away by your own hand to which he’d just go back to loudly whining. He had the attention span of a five year old and the attitude of a twelvie that equalled a near migraine for you. Least to say, you were far too annoyed to be turned on now so you had abruptly gotten up in a fit of annoyance, told him you were going to drink some water and left him in the living room.

You sighed, the water only granted a moment’s worth of reprieve as you headed back to the living room to see his honey coloured mop of hair from behind. Your eye twitched when you looked from behind to see him doodling an avant-garde penis on the page. Lovely.

He still hadn’t noticed you peering over his shoulder so you took the chance to admire the back of his head, watching how his hairline faded out from beneath his undercut, the roots of his old hair still left their stain. You wondered if his neck down ever got cold, with the constant exposure and all. The longer you stared, the more you felt your stomach lurch, toying with a lingering thought that just might get you what you wanted after all.

In a swift movement, with your lips gently planted on the supple flesh, beneath his hairline, you caressed the skin tenderly. Your lips quirked upward to hear a squeak from your boyfriend who had shuddered violently, his shoulders shaking as his penis drawing gained an unexpected gradient slope, his pen streaking in a straight line across the page. You chuckled into his neck; nipping at it playfully as your hot breath caused the hairs on his neck to stand up. Pleased with the pinkish hue that spread across the skin like paint, you pulled away as Atsumu snapped his head towards you, moon eyed.

Although you may have burnt the caramel, it looks like you’ve found some hidden strawberries to snack on instead.

You watched the way his pretty blush flourished to his cheeks while he looked visibly affronted by your sneak attack. “Wh-what do ya think yer doin’!?” he spluttered on the spot, his hand flying to his neck as if you had just bitten into it. You wanted to lick your lips at the thought before you narrowed your eyes sternly, trying not to let a wolfish grin slip through the cracks.

“I don’t know about you but personally, I despise wasting time, don’t you ‘Tsumu?”

You drummed your fingers on the kotatsu’s surface, slow and pronounced. His golden eyes zeroed onto them in anticipation. You licked your lips. All these food metaphors made you realise just how starved you are. Atsumu being someone who had always been observant, seemed to pick up on your hunger as well, his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, as he glanced up at you from under his lashes, anxious. You turned back to the paper, almost nonchalant, as if you weren’t aware of his clenched fists and tensed thighs.

“Yet, you seem to be taking advantage of my generosity, good boyfriends shouldn’t do that ‘Tsumu. You’re a good boyfriend, aren’tcha?” you drawled lowly, as you started glancing at your nails using your other hand, viciously using his guilt-tripping tactic from before.

Atsumu looked positively famished. His brows twisted up guiltily, that sheepish, puppy look on his face once more. Still, you could see his eyes shining too bright, still thinking that it’d go his way if he played nice. He was a mischievous imp that was a little too used to getting what he wants. You decided you weren’t going to fall for it this time.

“[Name], I didn’t--”

“Oh, but you did,” you sharply interrupted him and he winced. Your heart throbbed and as much as you loved teasing him, you did want this to end with him pinning you to the couch so you smiled softly. “Why don’t we finish studying, yeah? Then you can make it up to me.”

If Atsumu wasn’t getting blue balled before, then he certainly is now. He had no idea how the situation began to drip with sexual undertone but with the unbearable heat coursing through him, he could only nod helplessly, at your mercy. For the remainder of the studying session, while it had become increasingly harder for him to stay focused with his raging hormones going haywire, he clung onto every single word that fell from your mouth like it was a lifeline as the incomprehensible scribbles on the page finally morphed into numbers and words that he could understand.

You grinned victoriously to see the eager look Atsumu would get in his eyes, awaiting your praise and what he thinks is his reward once you had both finally gotten through the content. He really is just like an overzealous, whiny puppy that wants his treat. Well now, this will most certainly result into an exciting night for you, just as you had planned.

You smirked triumphantly.

‘All according to keikaku.’

Miya Osamu

“So, do you know how to use Avogadro’s number?”

“Mm? Avocado?”

You sighed. “No, can’t you stop thinking about food for a second, it’s Avo—Osamu!” you yelped, seeing your boyfriend barely stirring from the nest he’s made with his arms as he blinks blearily at you. The sleep in his eyes quite nearly breaks open every dam with the unparalleled force that is your love and affection and ability to just gush about how adorable this man is for hours and yet, you are forced to restrain yourself. As much as you adore Miya Osamu, he is unfortunately, just as much of an idiot as his brother—yet strangely manages to get within a range of 1 to 5 per cent higher than him on every test.

Osamu lets a little smile slip. “Avosamu? I thought it was Avogadro.”

You offered him a hard glare before deflating into the kotatsu, just like he did. He perked his head up to hear your muffled groans, his lips quirking up at how cute you sound. “Osamuuuu, you need to study for the test tomorrow! It’s worth a third of your grade!” you exclaimed, erupting from the cocoon of your arms to pout at him. Osamu grimaced just a little because every move he made was with restraint as he guiltily looked away.

“I know but m’tired,” he mumbled into his arms, burying his nose into them. “From practice,” he clarified with a grumble that faded out into something roughly incoherent. You had to stop yourself from smiling at his petulant tone of voice as you sighed, shaking your head. He was a kid, just like Atsumu too apparently.

“I know but . . .” you trailed off to see him in a sleeping position. You shook your head, unable to stop your smile this time as you gently raked your fingers through his hair. A sound rumbled from his chest and you snorted, of course only Osamu would be able to do the human equivalent of purring. His face resurfaced from the blanket of his arms as he leaned into your touch, sighing contently. You found your hand devoured by the dishevelled mess that was his hair as you fondly played with his matted grey tresses. Your love for this man warmed your heart beyond words as you could feel yourself relaxing—you blinked.

Wait a minute.

The way you ripped your hand out of his hair was like a splash of cold water to the face as he startled, bewildered by your forceful action as you glowered at him. “You fox!” you hissed. He blinked innocently in return as you shook your head adamantly. “I will not be an accomplice to your illicit sleeping endeavours! Nor the reason why you fail tomorrow’s test and have to stay back to do catch up work! Atsumu and the team would never let you live it down you know!”

You clutched your beating heart with a flush on your cheeks. ‘Ahh, that was close! He’s much more convincing than I thought but I won’t be fooled!’

You offered him another glare before sighing. You’d done that too many times this session you now realised. “Look, I’ll get you some tea, okay? But after that, you have to stay awake! You’ll be in big trouble if I come back and you’re asleep,” you softly reprimanded him although he looked completely unabashed as he nodded.

“Mm’kay.”

You were only gone for five minutes but when you had returned . . . he was definitely in trouble.

You gripped the steaming cup of hot tea by the handle; careful not to brush your knuckles on the actual cup so you don’t burn yourself and spill it like a waterfall. Carefully, you placed the cup of tea out of reach so he doesn’t knock it over before you plopped onto the cushion next to him, pouting. Really, coming over, begging you to help him study, only to fall asleep in front of you, what a tease. . .

“Jeez, I was hoping for some, fun times after we finished up too~” you whined to yourself, letting your chin fall to your fist before a movement other than your own caught you from the corner of your periphery.

You narrowed your eyes. His lashes flickered like a butterfly’s wings, elegant yet silent. Then nothing. You drummed your fingers slowly on the kotatsu’s surface before aptly concluding that your, apparently, asshole boyfriend, was faking his slumber. Your Sleeping Beauty was actually a Beast in disguise so it would appear. You pursed your lips, blowing air from your nose like a puffing, huffing steam train. He wants to play like that, does he?

You swiftly rose out of your seat before standing behind him, your shadow devouring him. You just might too if Osamu doesn’t tread carefully. You eyed his fraying hairline, beneath his undercut. You wondered how sensitive it would have now become, what, with it being constantly exposed to the frigid air all the time. A smile coyly played to your lips, as you hummed kittenishly before leaning down.

Tenderly, you placed your lips to the back of his neck, giving it a quick peck.

You looked up, gauging for a reaction but received none. You smiled daringly. Perhaps your dear boyfriend needs a bit more persuasion. You pressed another kiss into his neck. And another one. Accompanied by another. Before you began peppering his neck in searing kisses, from the roots of his hair to the brim of his collared uniform. You watched in delight as the skin gradually increased in heat while you continued to reap the benefits of your ravenous exploits.

You could feel the skin beneath your lips beginning to tremble but since he still wouldn’t reveal he was awake. . . it might be time to go exploring. You hovered over his ‘sleeping’ frame as both your hands slithered under the arms pillowing his face. They coiled around his waist and you found yourself licking your lips, suddenly feeling rather hungry. You could see him beginning to squirm yet he was adamant not to budge. A wolfish laugh escaped you as you plunged your fingers under his shirt to dance on his stomach before your teeth finally met his skin.

The last thing you heard was a sharp gasp that sounded like absolute heaven before your world turned on its axis. Your back met the ground with a thud and you suddenly realised you couldn’t move. Casually taking a quick glance, you craned your neck to see two calloused fists handcuffing your wrists and pinning them above your head. You looked up to finally see a panting Osamu, glaring at you.

“Oi.”

You blinked.

Osamu was every shade of grey. Every expression, every movement, although a little rough, it was done with minimal effort and restrained. He was always in control and always composed. He was a little slow and sluggish like that, but he could become a dynamic black, cool and confident whenever you pluck just the right strings.

Which is why it was all the more endearing to see a lovely peach pink speckling on his cheeks.

“What,” he breathed out, as if he had just sprinted in a marathon, you could see his torso trembling, “do ya think yer doin’?”

You watched him placidly and couldn’t stop admiring the pretty colour on his cheeks. You wanted to capture it, burn it in your memory until your final breath. You wanted to paint it, to smear the red all over his grey. You licked your lips.

“I told you, didn’t I? That you would be in trouble if I came back to find you sleeping. So pray tell, what were you doing, ‘Samu?” you purred beneath him, a playful smirk crawling to your lips as you felt a pooling sensation bubble in the pit of your stomach.

Osamu’s eyes widened and even though he had overcast a shadow on the both of you, you could tell that his cheeks had darkened. He suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights and he could no longer meet your gaze. With an agonisingly slow movement, he tentatively released one of your wrists to feel the back of his neck.

“D-did you . . .?” he stammered, not able to bring himself to finish the question.

Picking on what he was insinuating, using your left hand, now free, you roughly grabbed him by the collar before pulling him down. He yelped like a puppy that had lost its footing, as he lurched forward like a tidal wave, almost tumbling over, quickly stamping his free hand to the ground, stopping him from knocking his head into your as you curled your finger under his chin.

“No, I didn’t. I warned you though, right? If you try to fall asleep again when I’m teaching you. . .” you slur, tracing your finger, teasingly let it tap on his Adam’s apple as he swallowed, his eyes now wide awake and focused only on you as you grinned hungrily.

“I’ll decorate your neck with hickies until you’ve got a goddamn necklace of bruises.”

Osamu shuddered as he fell to his elbows, barely holding himself up. Feeling his voice shake, he meekly nodded, trying to hide his arousal as he shakily—but briskly—flew back to the kotatsu, promptly hiding his face from you, just like a mouse.

You bit your lip, grinning wildly at the ceiling which although, was completely uninteresting, was the only excuse you had to not let him see your dorky smile.

‘HOLY SHIT THAT WORKED. Reading all those fanfics and manga finally paid off!’

You can’t let yourself come off as too desperate though. You realised that you had been waving the stick in front of him for too long now, it was time to finally bring out the carrot.

You propped yourself, being deliberately slow as to keep him waiting before you tenderly held onto his shoulder. You could feel him tense you brushed your nose against the lobe of his ear, your wispy breaths dyeing it pink as you whispered:

“When we’re done, I promise, you can eat whatever you want.”

While he didn’t fall asleep and actually got some proper studying in afterwards, perhaps it was him being petty or a vain attempt to gain back some control, he did not offer you his dick but went straight for the fridge to get some pudding. Still, it didn’t change the fact that you were hungry and Osamu found out that night that not only were you quite convincing yourself but you also really liked turning his neck red.

Hmm. And you called him a fox.

#miya twins #miya osamu #miya atsumu #osamu x reader #atsumu x reader #haikyuu!!#hq atsumu #hq osamu #in which i am so whipped for the miya twins #finally putting atsumu in his place #haikyuu atsumu #haikyuu osamu #miya atsumu x reader #miya osamu x reader

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vs-redemption · 4 years ago

Note

who are your favorite top ten black clover characters & ships? talk about them! ~tat!

From Cindy: Hello tat! I hope you are doing well today and thank you for visiting my blog. It was really fun to write this because I got the chance to really think about the characters in depth. I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a shipper so I couldn’t come up with 10. I did my best to think of and write about as many ships and brotps as I could though.

Also, I got your other ask about BNHA as well! I have a Japanese lesson I need to prepare for this evening, but I’ll definitely get that posted tomorrow sometime!! Thanks again!!

This is very long, so I put it under a cut :)

Top Ten Black Clover Characters

Yami Sukehiro

I love everything about this guy. He’s hilarious, number one. Everything he says cracks me up and the nicknames he uses for people are gold. I like that he insults people and makes toilet jokes so casually. He comes off crass, but it’s the fact that he treats everyone equally that makes me respect him so much. He holds everyone, including himself, to the same standards. He doesn’t care about your past, wealth, appearance, gender, unconventional magic abilities or wacky personality. No matter who you are, he will call you out if you’re not acting the way you should, but will also back you up and support you when it’s needed. He’s a great leader because he treats everyone equally and is also very accepting that everyone is different.

Luck Voltia

Luck was one of the first characters I fell in love with. I don’t have a lot deep meaning behind how I feel like I do with Yami though. I just really enjoy his chaotic energy and the fact that he wants to fight people all the time. I also think his magic is super badass. His little lightning boots and gloves are so cute. I just wanna cuddle him and ruffle his hair.

Finral Roulacase

I feel so bad for Finral. This poor love starved boy doesn’t deserve the heaping amounts of anxiety he always seems to be feeling. I know he’s supposed to be the ‘perverted’ character, but compared to characters from other anime (Mineta [BNHA] Meliodas [SDS]) he’s not that bad. He tries so hard to be a gentleman by taking people on dates, complimenting them, giving them flowers, and not physically molesting them lol but they never give him a second glance. I also love his character growth so far. Watching him find self-worth beyond being just a mode of transportation, and confidence enough to stand up to his brother has been really fun to watch. I’m so proud of him and I think he’s amazing!

Zora Ideale

This guy. Haha His blunt honesty is so uncomfortable but hilarious at the same time. Like Yami, he calls people out but is somehow so much more offensive about it. I love how he just gives people unsolicited criticism and then adds injury to insult like “oh by the way, here’s a freaking stink bug in your nostril.” To be fair though, he is just as harsh on himself and will acknowledge (to himself) when he made a mistake. His backstory is also so tragic! It is seriously messed up what happened to his dad, but I love that Zora uses that trauma to try and change the word for the better by being the best magic knight he can be and also encouraging (threatening?) other magic knights to be better too. He could’ve so easily become a villain, but he didn’t and I think that’s really honorable.

Mereoleona Vermillion

Oh my god. I love this woman so much. The fact that she was supposed to be the captain of the Crimson Lions but said “nope” and then just went off by herself to live in the most dangerous places in the wild to get stronger is just phenomenal to me. I also really like that, even though she’s a royal and a member of the Vermillion family, she doesn’t just focus on her own squad. It was great when she showed up at the Black Bulls hide out and straight up kidnapped them to have them join her training. I’m just in awe of both her physical and mental strength. She was so cool when she went up against all those elves by herself. I’m not caught up with the manga, but I think I saw a spoiler about her recently and I’m very excited to find out more about it. I pretty much wish I was Mereoleona. She is my spirit animal.

Charmy Pappitson

There is a lot to adore about Charmy. First and foremost, she is an adorable badass. I love that her passion for food is something she shares with her allies and friends instead of being something that makes her greedy. I feel like Charmy is underrated because her magic is great for restoring mana, defense and offense. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t she one of the highest ranked knights in the black bulls? I also love how she gets away with a lot of shit just because she’s cute. The episodes where she straight up just hops onto the wizard king’s lap and feeds him snacks without anyone batting an eye get me every time!

Vanessa Enoteca

Sometimes I think about how Vanessa was willing to give up her own freedom just to save Asta’s arms, and how she gave up drinking for a few episodes in order to focus on a way to not only make herself stronger for upcoming battles, but the rest of her teammates as well. I like her dedication to the Black Bulls. Her thread magic is also pretty cool and I like the clever ways she’s learned to use it.

Fuegoleon Vermillion

Poor Fuegoleon is so calm and sensible compared to his siblings. I like that he’s a fair leader that makes sure to consider all angles before passing judgement on someone. He is also a dependable captain and full of great wisdom that aids in character development for important characters like Asta and Noelle. I love how he competes with his sister though, and watching them bicker in the episode where they throw a birthday party for that nun lady was silly.

Asta

How can you not like Asta? He has such a big heart and the best self-discipline out of anyone in the show. He would always rather talk things out before resorting to fighting and likes to understand the motivations behind the actions of his enemies. He is unashamed to be himself and continues to pursue his goals even when other people mock him or put him down. I also like that he is more perceptive of how people think or feel than it would seem sometimes.

Sekke Bronzazza

His personality is pretty much the worst (and I think he actually tried to kill Asta after the magic knight exam… asshole) but the way he always manages to fit “ha-ha” into his speech is so funny to me and always cracks me up. And the way everyone calls him the “ha-ha” guy is very amusing to me, especially when he tries and fails to politely correct them. I also love how he always ends up in the most random situations (in Yami’s bathroom or working for the king).

Top Ten Black Clover Ships/BroTPs

Finral x Vanessa

I guess I just think back to that fight against the Despair guy from the Third Eye because both Finral and Venessa sort of worked together and pushed past their limits for the first time. I think Venessa is also the one that put the green in Finral’s hair, right? I don’t know. Venessa is good for Finral because he’s so insecure and she’s so supportive of other people. They’re cute together.

Yami x Charlotte

I think everyone ships this? lol Charlotte’s independence and personal strength are important to her, and the fact that Yami acknowledges and respects those traits in her makes them a great match. He also constantly encourages her to show her softer side, saying that it’s okay to lean on other people and ask for help. He could help her find balance and be comfortable in her own skin.

Asta x Mimosa

Mimosa is a much better match for Asta than Noelle because Noelle constantly needs validation and attention that she’s just never going to get from Asta. His brain just doesn’t work that way. Mimosa is content with supporting Asta with her magic as best she can, and doesn’t get jealous or competitive in the way Noelle does. Mimosa is soft and gentle which is a nice contrast to Asta’s loud and rough personality.

Yuno x Charmy

I know this is almost like a crack ship, but I can’t help but like it anyway. Like Asta, Yuno isn’t going to be the type of guy to actively pursue a relationship or be overly affectionate. This doesn’t seem to affect Charmy who seems fine with even the most minimal of interaction haha. I think it’s so cute how much she supports and roots for him when she sees him in a fight. And Yuno doesn’t seem to mind her trying to feed him and take care of him either.

Magna x Luck (brotp)

Lucky’s personality is quirky, chaotic, and frankly just difficult to understand, so I think it’s hard for people to get close to him. He comes on so strong with the pranks and desire to fight, plus he doesn’t really know how to hold back. The fact that Magna can endure all that while also seeing Luck as a person on a deeper level than just being some spazzy boy is really wholesome to me. I think it’s good for Luck to have someone who can respect him that way without asking him to change his behavior. I do not think this would work romantically though. Magna is actually pretty sensitive and emotional, and gets pretty upset when Luck is stronger or does better than him in something. It ultimately just drives Magna to work harder, but I think that sort of competition might be bad news in a romantic relationship if he’s always feeling inferior.

Yami x Jack the Ripper (brotp)

I want their friendship! I really do. The way they go from relaxed and having fun to ready to beat each other’s asses is hilarious. And there’s literally no reason for it, they’re just like unnecessarily competitive and I’m living for it. Whether they’re celebrating at a festival, about to have an important meeting with the wizard king, or in the middle of a huge fight with a major bad guy, it doesn’t matter. They will trash talk each other and probably end up brawling. I love it.

Gauche x Grey

The episodes where Gauche had to fight with Gordon and Grey were really cool because those three are probably the oddest oddballs of the Black Bulls. I don’t know if I ship them romantically or just at friends, but the development of the relationship between Gauche and Grey has been interesting and I wouldn’t mind seeing more. Also, please give Gauche something else to obsess over besides his sister lmao

Mars x Fana

I don’t have any strong feelings for them as characters individually, but I like that they fought so hard to protect each other as kids and how they continued to fight for and protect each other after being reunited.

#Tat anon #chat with cindy #black clover #black clover ships #yami sukehiro #luck voltia #finral roulacase #zora ideale #mereoleona vermillion #Charmy Pappitson

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mobagehelllocal · 4 years ago

Note

While reading leona's part in “wendy?” “hello peter pan” i thought for a split second that mc's green eyed daughter was Leona's child and thus that mc didn't know she was pregnant when she left the mirror ! 😯

Oooh! Honestly, I hadn’t really intended it to seem that way.

To really explain this, I have to go into my image of Leona, and why I chose to portray him as is. This will contain spoilers for those who haven’t read “wendy?” “hello peter pan”, so please avert your gaze if you have yet to read it!

This is also lengthy, so if you want, I put a TLDR at the very bottom. HAHAH.

PS: to make something clear, Twisted Wonderland is a work of fiction. Therefore everything—from story to character is truly up to interpretation. I’m just giving a reasoning behind why I chose to write Leona the way I do. At the end of the day, I will not begrudge you for portraying Leona differently from me. I just really want to share the way I understand him. Perhaps this could help, perhaps it won’t—either way it was fun to think about this. ^^

I knew from the start that I wanted the daughter to be the image of what Leona could’ve had.

Here’s something you probably wouldn’t figure out from my writings: I originally disliked Leona.

Now! Before you go clicking off, let me explain.

Savannaclaw’s story is sandwiched between Heartslabyul and Octavinelle--both of which are very emotionally driven narratives. I’ll try not to spend too long on these two houses, but look at it this way.

We can empathize with Riddle because he suffered a lot in the process of upholding his mother’s teachings. He put up with it because it had to be the truth--as if they were false this whole time, then he was suffering for nothing. So when you come in, and prove exactly that--it makes sense for Riddle to lash out the way he does.

Let’s not get started on Azul. We empathize with Azul because we all have that one bully, one person we want to either get even with--or become better than. Azul was bullied extensively in his childhood, and just snapped. He, with nothing in his hands, decided he would take everything away from his bullies. In the process of taking away from his bullies, he would build himself into someone infallible. He distanced himself from his past because he was ashamed of that part of him. So when all that hard work is snatched away by someone more fortunate than him? When even the indestructible version he had built himself to be is beaten? It meant to Azul that he hadn’t changed at all, that he was still that bullied octopus. He snapped. It might’ve been a big middle finger to Azul because it essentially invalidated all the hard work he put into being someone who could.

Then what about Leona?

The emotional drive behind Leona’s Overblot is exhaustion at being seen as the inferior second prince to his brother. In fact, it’s generally his inability to become number one. In Afterglow Savanna, he has to go up against his well-loved and preferred brother. In Night Raven College, he has to go up against Malleus Draconia, the strongest student.

Here’s the thing though, and this is my personal gripe about Leona--which tbh, I would still call him out for.

He doesn’t try.

Or if he did try, we don’t see him do it.

We see him laze about, doing nothing. Yeah sure he comes up with an underhanded strategy that could help them win against Diasomnia--but he actually barely does anything. And the moment it doesn’t work, he just concedes. It pisses him off, but he gives up. Just like that.

It’s also why him turning into the Overblot feels... (personally) so lacking to me. Like, I felt he had no place to get angry, when others (especially like Ruggie) were relying on him to pull it together at the end. Like, we all knew Leona would get the Overblot because he’s the Scar themed character. But narratively speaking? A stronger story would’ve been Ruggie being the Overblot, and Leona reacting to it. (Like do you know, how amazing that would be for Leona’s character to? I want to see it so bad!)

At the end of the day, we got an angry Leona. To me, at that time, his anger felt so entitled. Like, Leona’s always been seen as incredibly smart, skilled PLUS he’s also really wealthy. So to me, I just thought, “how could you be so angry when you’re so lucky to have all of this? In fact, why can’t you use that anger and turn it into a determination to make yourself better? You’re smart, you’re skilled, you have the resources--if you exerted more effort, I think you could get farther.”

I still think the Savannaclaw chapter could’ve been better, but I’ve also realized that it’s because Leona is the way he is, that makes it impossible to resolve his problems the same way Riddle or Azul is able to.

‘Ai, when will you stop bullying Leona?’

Hang on, I’m actually done, and I’ll finally get into why Leona’s story in “wendy?” “hello peter pan” turned out the way it did.

There are two people, aside from me, who actually gets to read these pieces before I post it on tumblr. They don’t know each other, they’ve never spoken to one another--the most they know about each other is probably from whatever I say to them about the other. And here’s the thing, they both told me this: “Leona is the best one you wrote from “wendy?” “hello peter pan.””

Of course, I’m instantly confused. I didn’t like Leona when I first wrote anything for Twisted Wonderland, by the time I was writing his piece from the series (he and Riddle were written days ahead of the rest actually) I was 50/50 on him. I was okay with him, but I certainly didn’t like him. So I did a lot of internal introspection about this.

I realized that at the end of the day, I understood what Leona was angry about.

It wasn’t anger about being stuck at second place.

It was anger about never being acknowledged in the first place.

He was never seen as Leona Kingscholar, he was simply The Second Prince of Afterglow Savanna, or Prince Farena’s Younger Brother. He never was acknowledged as his own person.

And here lies another problem. I believe Leona is someone who represses. I think he’s someone who prefers to shut his eyes and sleep, over acknowledging the problem. He decided to sleep instead of confronting Jack’s bullies in that short manga strip, he doesn’t confront Jack’s bullies in the SSR Card Dorm uniform either until he really needs to. He’ll put it off as long as he can, and if it solves itself, then that’s better for him. This ties in with the idea the fact that he’s seen as someone inferior to Farena, how he’s never acknowledged beyond that, and how it’s an opinion he can’t control. So he just decides to let it be, and keeps all his feelings to himself. Because acknowledging ugly feelings are always so exhausting, crying, getting angry--these things are exhausting, and he must’ve felt or had pent up all these emotions so much so that he’s decided the easiest way is to just leave them be. Not acknowledge them, and don’t think too deeply about it.

I had, ironically, written Leona’s piece, while unconsciously knowing this.

Leona’s piece in “wendy?” “hello peter pan” is a result of his own inaction. We all know that Leona’s cool and calm demeanor is what makes him so popular and attractive. That’s why him not expressing his true feelings is something we all, just know he does. Because that’s his character trope. However, it’s because he choses not to share his feelings that the MC leaves, and moves on with her life.

Remember, I said that Leona will “put it off for as long as he can, and if it solves itself, then that’s better for him.” Leona, at the beginning of the piece finally decides to take action. The MC being missing has probably put a toll on his otherwise impeccable control of his emotions. He wants to drag her back, claim her, make her his wife, have children with her--all of it. He realized that he wanted that, and that’s what sends him into action. However, he’s late. Very late.

The third portion of his piece, when he looks at Leona II, and realized what he could have had--the way he visualized that possible future--he lets himself have that because he realized that it’s because he didn’t try harder to hold onto her, that this future was no longer possible.

Making Leona II have features that could’ve looked like him was so intentional on my part. I wanted to confront Leona’s character with this: “this is what you could’ve had if you had been more proactive” because I personally thought, that this was what we were missing from Leona. It’s what we didn’t get in Savannaclaw--a Leona who became more proactive about the things he wanted.

Everyone else had that arc after all. Riddle, a stickler for the rules set up by his mother realized that some rules can be broken for the sake of empathy. Azul, who had denied his past self, learned to accept his past self and mistakes, and moves to become someone even greater.

We don’t get that from Leona, and I think that’s why my piece ended up the way it did.

THIS... became way too long, and I’m really sorry for that. I hope you don’t mind that I really... just... expressed what I thought about Leona and the type of mindspace I go into when I write pieces for him.

If anyone is interested in adding to this discourse, I definitely encourage you--be it if you agree or disagree with me.

TLDR: Yeah, I would’ve never given that moment of “she’s actually your daughter” to Leona because he needed to confront his lack of proactiveness.

Thank you so much for this ask!

#twisted wonderland #leona kingscholar #twst leona #aimuses #aistudies #you can all say 'but ai arent all the stories in w?hpp abt inaction'#well yes they all are but leona's proclivity to inaction makes his story the strongest #i concede defeat leona you & your good looks & sexy character depth has rendered me weak and in tsundere love #ill still pretend to deny it tho ba-baka #i can probably go into depth abt the other characters but alas...#the tags are probably not the place for that lol #interestingly enough this idea of leona's want for acknowledgement is very useful in analyzing his relationships with cheka and ruggie #especially ruggie who tbh seemed to be the first person leona is willing to be proactive for #anonymous

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trashbunnywrites · 4 years ago

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Hi! Thanks for doing matchups!!! (I love them 😊)

I have brown slightly curly hair, brown eyes (with blue framed glasses), and I'm 5'6. I like playing video games, watching anime, and reading manga. I also like going to painting classes sometimes!

I like HxH, Naruto, and JJK! Don't feel pressure to do all three though!

Thanks again 💕💗💕

Sorry if the three are shorter than the perv ones I didn’t want to make the whole thing too long.

Another heist and another success. Being of one of phantom troupe was dangerous yet a lot of fun having weird characters as spider mates and the heists were complicated yet a lot of adventures.

As you watched phinks and nobunaga start arguing for the 10th time over poker, you noticed shal being oddly quiet. He usually interferes as the mediator and calls down the air. Instead he was weirdly fixated on his phone.

Heading towards him you noticed he immediately hides it behind him as he smiled his shinning smile towards you.

“Is something the matter ?”

“You tell me, you’re acting weird”

“You just be imagining it !”

Suddenly a figure appeared behind him as his phone was taken away by the giant of the troupe and held up where he can never reached.

“How do you ask a girl out for valentine ? Seriously ? And here I thought it was something fun”

“HEY”

Shal screams as his phone as thrown at him with Uvo walking away. His eyes landed on you again as he sighed.

“I wanted to ask you out since we don’t have anything to do tomorrow but didn’t know how. Uvo had to go and ruin it for me”

Chuckling at his pouting expression you couldn’t refuse.

As hard as your mission was, nothing was harder than seeing “couples only” on your favorite ramen place.

It was where everyone’s went to eat and the fact that they made it so it’s couple only even for a day was depressing.

Walking human with slumped shoulders , you felt someone tap them. The bright smile of the sunshine of the leaf village was smiling at you

“Yo ! Wanna get ramen with me ?”

“It’s couples only naruto”

His face flushed for a second before looking to the found nervously and scratching his cheek.

“Yeah........will you go with me still ?”

Looking up at him raising your eyebrow as he looked anywhere near you. Was he asking you out ? Or was it only for ramen ?

“Naruto if you want ramen so bad just get instant one instead of trying to get me to play your valentine.”

“It’s not about the ramen ! I really want you to be my valentine”

He screamed before turning red and rubbing the back of his in another one of his nervous habits.

Holding his hand and turning around to get ramen while he held into your tightly.

Staying over in your friend place as you both binge watched your favorite anime was a fun day ahead. You both were lonely and wanted company so why not ?

You saw each other as family and even if you might have a thing for part of him. Well not you can call a loud screaming curse that comes out as a mouth on different body parts of him to speak and comment on how awful the show was.

It made you laugh which angered him beyond belief. How dare you a mere human laugh at the great king of curses ?!

“Hey, sukuna says you look adorable laughing , Don’t yell at me how should I know not to tell”

Blushing slightly as you watched yuji and sukuna argue but it all stopped when sukuna said “Extension”

Blinking at the sight of the smirking demon looking down on you as he rips his shirt apart revealing the black marking on it.

“Now, be mine or you die”

His hand held your face in place as his smirk growing wider at the sight of your face turning redder and redder.

His lips ghosted over your own before whispering.

“I’ll be back tonight, don’t get too chummy with him if I’ll kill you both”

The words barely registered before you saw yuji returning to his former self asking you if you’re okay and why is your face flushed.

#match up event #shalnark #naruto uzumaki #sukuna #beautiful eevee #hope you like them #sorry again short

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laceymorganwrites · 4 years ago

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birthday fic <33

A/N: this is a birthday fic for lovely @miyaniacs!! I hope you have a wonderful day today and are celebrated just like you deserve!

Word count: 1,970

Pairings: Gojo x Bea, Getou x me (I couldn´t help myself ehehhe), no tags since it´s just for you anyway <33

Another A/N: okay ever since we had that talk about Gojo being an embarrassing boyfriend and double dates...I just HAD to (tho I wish I could´ve executed those ideas better also the ending sucked cause I literally had no idea how to end it, BUT I still hope you can somewhat enjoy it <3333)

YOU´RE AMAZING; THANKS FOR BEING MY FRIEND; I CAN´T WAIT TO MEET YOU!!!

It was still early, the sun just rose, painting the sky a beautiful rose gold.

Getou was already up, he enjoyed the silence of the early morning.

Everything seemed to be at peace in those moments, no matter how little they lasted.

It didn´t matter to him anymore, he was at ease with Ace next to him.

His boyfriend´s presence calmed him down immediately and somehow the small boy always knew how to put a smile on his face.

They were like two popcorn kernels in a pot, nobody ever had any expectations for them but still they managed to exceed them, working harder than most people would recognize.

Working on yourself was always harder than it should be, but it was work that needed to be done.

Gojo was really proud of him for doing so, being afraid of what would happen to his friend if he didn´t.

Ace arrived at just the right time to give him the light he wanted to shut out of his life so bad.

Getou was glad he didn´t.

He found his missing puzzle piece and he´d never let it go, he had sworn to protect him at all costs.

The man stretched a bit before slowly getting up, careful not to wake the sleeping figure next to him.

It was routine at this point. But he liked it. Both men needed structure and routines in their life to be able to function. Even though they got better at being spontaneous, it was still hard to do overall.

Getou and Ace had the same sleeping pattern, preferring to go to sleep early and having the most energy in the early afternoon.

They also both had trouble sleeping, always waking up after a few hours and being unable to go back to sleep. It was easier now though, it was nice to know that there were always arms ready to hold. It was nice having someone there when you went to sleep and woke back up, it was the warm touch that was missing in both lives.

Getou prepared some coffee for himself and already cooked some breakfast. Meanwhile he was updating their grocery list and checking if anything else needed to be done.

Today was a big day, it was Bea´s birthday and Ace was beyond excited. It had been a while since they had last seen her and Gojo.

To be fair, Getou always tried to avoid double dates since Gojo could be quite exhausting.

After a while Ace slowly woke up, groggily sitting up in bed and yawning and stretching thoroughly.

“Good morning, love” he smiled from the kitchen counter as Ace slowly dragged himself to sit next to him, laying his head on his shoulder. “Morning, baby” he mumbled tiredly and slowly started eating his breakfast and drinking his tea.

Getou had helped him wrap his presents for Bea just yesterday since Ace´s wrapping skills were quite underwhelming to say the least.

The two talked for a bit and once they finished eating, they started cleaning the apartment, getting groceries and everything else they needed.

After a while they were done and just enjoyed the last few quiet minutes before the other couple would arrive.

The morning routine in the Gojo residence looked quite differently.

First of all, Gojo didn´t have a residence, he just liked calling his apartment that since there would be no way in hell a sorcerer of his caliber would live in an apartment building with others, normal citizens nonetheless.

However sorcerers didn´t get paid that well, no matter whether or not they had the six eyes. Gojo always had the little conspiracy that the elders cut his paycheck extra short.

And somehow he got off on it, he´d prove them all wrong anyway. He didn´t need them, he didn´t need anyone.

Only that the last one was a blatant lie.

He didn´t know he needed anyone until Bea came into his life.

She was quite something, so beautiful, made him laugh like no one else ever did. With her he didn´t have to hide anything, he could be himself.

And more than that: he could finally find out who that even was, he had time to think about those things now and not push everything aside like he did usually.

No, he wasn´t perfect like everyone thought, like he told everyone so that they´d leave him alone.

He was just a man.

A damn lucky one at that, being able to have her by his side.

Bea was new to the sorcerer world, but she had great potential, he took it upon himself to train her, though it really was just an excuse to get to know her.

She had her own issues, he could tell. But he wasn´t an asshole to pry on them.

Instead he asked her out immediately, because yes, he was one to rush things, following his heart.

To this day he asked himself why she said yes.

Somehow they got along incredibly well, so well in fact that he got to take her home.

Gojo never believed in falling in love but she just made it way too easy.

But it scared him, he never had been in love, not this way at least, never truly.

It was always a game to him, someone he´d hook up with and then never see again.

It was fun while it lasted and then left a burning, aching hole inside his heart that was just too sad to look at so he drowned himself in alcohol and did it all over again.

Bea was the first one he went on multiple dates with, the first one he tried to be a decent human being with.

Since both didn´t want a relationship in the beginning, both being too scared of rejection and hurting, they didn´t put a label on it.

They just fucked, went out, sometimes she stayed over at his place, that was nice. And sometimes she´d even laugh at his dumb jokes, that was even nicer.

Nice wasn´t the word to describe her though.

It was so much more than that, an incredible kindness and warmth that he only felt with her.

She made him feel special in a different way than all the others did and for the first time in his life he believed it.

Gojo wanted to make her feel the same way too and so he tried really hard, he tried to come up with exciting date ideas, take her to places she´s never seen before and show off like he always did.

But he always had this hopeful look in his eyes that she really saw what cool thing he did (which in reality was just dumb, but in his world it was cool).

And she gave him compliments.

Damn, did he love them.

He knew he was somewhat attractive but despite showing off he never really paid much mind to it.

But when the two of them were alone in bed, her tracing her fingers all over his body, those irresistible eyes looking down on him, that damn smile as she told him: “You´re so fucking beautiful, do you even know that?”.

“Right back at you” he´d grin, averting all of his attention to her so she wouldn´t comment on the fact that he was blushing.

They had quite the different relationship (once they finally admitted their feelings and called it that, so far everything went more than just perfect) than Getou and Ace, theirs was more fun, Gojo said.

Bea and Gojo always had the most fun, they always teased each other and could laugh a lot, as well as tell each other their darkest secrets without being judged.

“This isn´t a competition, you know?” Getou commented on that, but Gojo just grinned, to him it always was. And he always won.

He thought that Getou should be more grateful, after all he hooked him up with his boyfriend.

Gojo didn´t like Ace. He was so quiet. He didn´t like that about people.

However when Bea was around it was like he bloomed, suddenly he wouldn´t stop talking.

And that was annoying too.

Which is why Gojo always wanted to avoid meeting him.

But for her birthday he´d try to get along with him. For her.

The two of them had been on a mission yesterday and slept in now since they got home pretty late.

They somehow always woke up at the same time though which was more than just convenient. Gojo was mesmerized at how cute and pretty she looked even in the morning, he himself of course always looked dashing.

“Good morning, birthday bunny” he grinned, kissing Bea lazily but still taking her breath away.

“Why bunny?” she laughed, Gojo would always give her some cute nicknames that were quite random at times, but she never got used to it.

It was weird, having this affection without any intentions, just because he loved her.

“It fit” he grinned, he would embarrass himself in front of her a thousand times if it meant seeing her smile for only one instance.

She shook her head giggling and buried her head in his chest, his warmth was so comforting to her, she never wanted to get up.

“By the way… wanna have your first present?” he smirked, hands wandering down to her hips as he leaned closer to her to give her some neck kisses.

“Let´s wake up the neighbors, shall we?” he husked.

Meanwhile Ace was checking if the cake was already cold enough to decorate, which to his luck it was.

Ever since meeting Getou he baked more, they also baked together a lot.

Decorating wasn´t his forte, but Getou helped with that, he had steady hands and a good eye for those things.

“You know, wrapping a plushie isn´t as easy as I thought it would be” he laughed slightly. Ace loved his laugh, he was one of the few people who ever heard the real one.

“I´m sure you did great” he grinned and stood on his tiptoes to give him a quick peck.

Indeed the presents looked amazing, Getou even put on a little bow on the wrapping paper. Ace got Bea some manga volumes, a plushie and some other merch he hoped she´d like.

Now it was time to wait.

An hour later the other couple finally arrived.

“Sorry we´re late, we had important adult stuff to do, you two wouldn´t understand” Gojo announced grinning as he entered your apartment.

“Satoru! Shut up” Bea blushed and playfully punched his shoulder.

Getou just sighed and shook his head, why was he like this?

“Happy birthday, Bea!” Ace rapidly stood up from the couch and greeted her with a hug.

He gave her her presents and they talked about all sorts of things while their partners were in the kitchen to slice the cake and prepare the plates.

“I don´t want to hear it” Getou sighed. “Huh? I haven´t even said anything!” Gojo pouted, albeit feeling caught. Of course he was going to taunt his friend about his relationship, he of course never spared enough details to hurt anymore, but just enough to make everyone just a tad bit uncomfortable with embarrassment.

He couldn´t help himself, he had the best girlfriend in the world and everyone should know it.

The rest of the day wasn´t anything special, after all in the current situation you couldn´t do much.

But still, it was nice to meet up with friends, eat cake and have nice conversations.

They all ended up on the couch watching some movies and being too full to order proper takeout.

Though that was the fun in it, Bea was happy, she wasn´t alone like Ace feared, that was all that mattered.

He hoped her next birthday would be more eventful.

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yumeisha · 4 years ago

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Love In Print [Masaru] - Episode 1

“But Mari, I don’t WANT to go read this on Wattpad, I want to stay here on Tumblr!” Listen, my friend. Let me help you. Here’s all of Episode 1! (But the rest is over here if you decide you want to read it!)

— SATURDAY NIGHT —

She’s started to think of it as the summer of weddings. Like purgatory, but with more flowers.

Reiko sighs. Another Saturday, another charming garden venue. Soft, flickering tea lights float in shallow porcelain bowls. It looks like something lifted straight out of Pinterest, and it’s pretty in all the right ways, hitting every obligatory aesthetic beat. The music is loud and many of the guests are amiably drunk, swaying in slow circles on the dance floor or queuing up for one more lap around the buffet.

Alone at her table, Reiko hides behind the towering lily centerpiece, nursing a headache. She fishes her phone out of the tiny, mostly useless evening bag she’s bought to go with this dress and takes refuge in her work inbox.

She’d love to go home, but it’s too early to make her retreat. Another two hours, she coaches herself. You can make it for two more.

“Come on,” says Ren, prodding her in the shoulder. Reiko jumps half a mile and nearly drops her phone, not that her cousin notices. “We’re missing a cake opportunity,” he whines.

As usual, Ren resembles a figure pulled directly off some runway in Milan. Impeccably attired, hair artfully tousled, a Rolex gleaming from his left wrist. Reiko plucks at a tuft of fur caught on the cuff of his tuxedo.

“You know, there is such a thing as a lint roller. You have one somewhere in your apartment.”

Ren peers down at the wad of cat hair slowly drifting down to the grass beneath their table. “Lint roller? What lint roller?” And then his face lights up. “Oh! You mean that tape-on-a-stick thing from the last time you came over?”

“Yes,” Reiko answers patiently. “That tape-on-a-stick thing. You use it to make sure you aren’t leaving the house dressed in cat fluff.”

Suzu pops up behind Ren. “He likes for everyone to know that he’s more complex than he appears. An insufferable playboy and a sophisticated cat bachelor.” She loops her arm through his and makes a show of sniffing at his clothes. “Ah,” she breathes. “The smell of too much money, layered over eau de too many cats.”

“I have three. How is that too many? And why aren’t either of you interested in getting some cake? This is a wedding. You go to weddings for cake.”

“That’s definitely the primary reason for attending weddings.”

“It’s from Fujiwara’s, you know. They never do weddings anymore. You’re missing the dessert event of your lives.”

Suzu straightens his boutonniere. “You accosted the Fujiwara grannies for these people?” A low whistle. “Wow. Dad must really like them.”

Reiko follows her twin’s gaze. Their father, Ryuuki, is busy holding court at a neighboring table. He laughs raucously at someone’s cheesy anecdote and is having the most fun out of all of them. “It’s all business, I suppose,” she says, unable to keep from smiling despite how little she’s enjoying herself.

Suzu snorts. “Of course it’s all business. Isn’t it always?” To Ren, she says, “Hey, how long before we’ve done our duty for the family market stall? I still have ten pages left to write on a research paper and it’s…” She grabs his arm in order to check the time on his fancy watch. “… 9:34. With half an hour’s drive back to my apartment.”

“You can spare ten minutes to have a slice of legendary cake, Tachibana Suzuna.”

“God, okay. But it better not be weird like that sheet cake you ordered for the charity auction last month.”

“Not weird. Avant-garde.”

“Uh-huh. Also, it tasted like beets and had radioactive magenta icing. So gross.”

“You and Reiko just really have no appreciation for the finer things in life. Let’s go, the line’s only getting longer.”

“Don’t want any,” Reiko pipes up. “I’ll have a slice vicariously, through Suzu.”

“Twin powers,” Suzu concurs, initiating the special handshake they invented when they were six. Almost twenty years later, they’re still augmenting the sequence with new moves. “Anything I ate, Reiko also ate. And vice versa. Page 2, Line 21 in the Twin Manual.”

“The worst plus-ones anybody ever brought to a wedding,” complains Ren. He pours Reiko a fresh glass of water from the pitcher on the table and gives her a pat on the head, a gesture of silent sympathy.

She watches Ren and Suzu as they stop to tease Ryuuki along the way. And then she blinks back the onslaught of unwanted tears, reaches for her phone again, and taps the newest e-mail notification. Three unread messages beckon through Reiko’s blurred vision. She scans the subject lines, head bowed over the glowing screen. Slipping into the steps of a familiar dance, she starts at the bottom with the oldest message first, because that’s easier than confronting her emotions.

PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN - SPS OMNIBUS EDITION. A reply from the manufacturer about a shipment of Star Princess Sanna enamel pins she asked about on Friday afternoon. Delayed for another two weeks. Not ideal, but better than never getting them in at all. Reiko marks it for a response later.

TENJOU DELIVERY WEDNESDAY. Timestamped a mere ten minutes ago. She isn’t the only one working on a day off. Reiko notices right away that the message has been flagged as important, which is odd. This e-mail appears, without fail, every Monday of her life. Throughout the long history of this exchange, the message has never been flagged as important. At least, not that Reiko can remember.

She almost opens it, curiosity triggered, but then she sees the subject of the next e-mail and momentarily forgets everything else.

ALL DEPTS: QUARTERLY MEETING — MON @ 10AM

A thrill dances through her, momentarily displacing the throbbing ache in her skull. The sounds of the reception fade away. She taps the message and it unfurls into a calendar invite. Representatives from every department at her publishing house will be expected to attend, including Reiko and the other senior marketing staff.

Most meetings are a dreary prospect, especially when scheduled for first thing on a Monday. At these quarterly gatherings, it takes hours to discuss things like sales figures and future business plans. But this one is special, because they’ll finally present the twentieth anniversary plans for DUCHESS Magazine’s most iconic franchise to date: Red Thread. The first manga she ever read all the way through, start to finish. The reason why she applied at Yumeisha in the first place, as soon as she’d graduated.

Reiko accepts the invite and adds it to her burgeoning, meticulously color-coded calendar. She can’t keep from breaking into a smile. She’s still beaming at her phone when she hears the grass crunching softly under someone’s feet and looks up to find that she is no longer alone.

The someone is tall, just about as impeccably turned out as Ren, and wearing a pair of dress shoes so highly polished that Reiko can see her reflection in them. He’s shed the jacket and rolled up the sleeves of the crisp white shirt underneath.

There is only a bowl of tealights to see him by, so it takes a moment for Reiko to recognize the man now seating himself across from her. But if the head of blond hair hadn’t given it away, the green eyes and trademark smirk would have made it very clear within the next two seconds, anyway.

She blinks at him. “Oshiro?”

“Hi.”

“Um, hi. What are you doing here?”

He leans back into the chair and stretches his long legs under the table, instantly making himself at home. “Attending a wedding,” he replies. “Chatting with the bride’s aunties. Waiting for you to pay attention to me.”

“And sending e-mails?”

“No rest for the wicked, as they say.”

Reiko puts her phone down. “It’s weird seeing you outside of work. This is the last place I’d expect to run into you.”

“Why? Because you figured that I live at the office and camp out under my desk on days off?”

She laughs. “I mean, yeah.”

“To be fair, I’d expect the same of you.”

Well, that really is fair. Sometimes Reiko looks up from the endless loop between work and her apartment, her apartment and then work, and realizes that her entire existence can be summed up in three boring sentences or less. And then she’ll go back to her computer screen, her half empty coffee mug, the pathetic little granola bar that will have to serve as her lunch. But that’s just the way of things, isn’t it? At least she genuinely loves her job. It would be much harder to bear, otherwise.

“I’ve considered just packing myself a bag and living in my cubicle,” Reiko admits, without any real shame. In the background, the band segues into their much livelier cover of a depressing breakup anthem. Over the noise, she adds, “At least it would save me a commute.”

“So dedicated.”

She shrugs. “So lazy.”

“Anyone truly lazy wouldn’t be checking her inbox at a wedding reception,” Oshiro points out.

“Guilty as charged. Have you come to scold me for not participating in wedding activities?”

“No, I’ve come to ask you why you haven’t opened my e-mail.” He waves his own phone at her. “I checked three seconds ago. It definitely still says unread.”

“It’s flagged important and with a read receipt? Seriously?”

“Seriously. It’s high priority. Read it right now.” He angles a covert glance over her shoulder, in the direction he came from earlier. “Oh, and if you don’t mind, don’t reply until I’m back over there.”

“Wait, you want a reply, too? What am I supposed to say? You send me the same four lines every week. I have the thing memorized by now.” To prove this point, she clasps her hands behind her back and recites, “Heading to Tenjou on Wednesday. They need endcaps, window decals, sticker packs, blah blah blah, for insert-manga-title-here. I’ll stop by and grab them on my way out. Thanks. Oshiro Masaru, DUCHESS Sales, 81-4-8914-1111, extension 822.”

His demeanor shifts, now part bemusement and part blatant self-satisfaction. “Look, Tachibana, I’m beyond flattered that you hang onto my every word like this. Not surprising. I’m extremely eloquent in my digital correspondence.”

She rolls her eyes. “There it is. I knew it was coming.”

“You even know my extension by heart,” Oshiro continues blithely. “It’s like my wildest dreams coming true. But what I really need right now is for you to open that e-mail and write me a timely reply. By timely, I mean don’t hit send until I’m at my table again. And then I’ll read your response and write you back. So on, so forth, rinse and repeat, until this torture is over and we can both leave.”

“Ah.” Reiko crosses her arms. “You want a prolonged reason to be on your phone.”

“Correct.”

“Because you don’t want to be here.”

“Also correct, but needs clarification. I don’t want to be at this wedding. I do want to be at this table with you.”

He tips his head towards his original seating arrangements. Reiko risks a covert glance and notes that Oshiro’s vacated chair is surrounded by chattering ladies ranging from middle-aged to elderly. Somehow, without ever speaking to a single one of them, Reiko can tell that they’re the problematic aunties who don’t get along with any of the other aunties. Consequently, they’ve been placed where they can ostensibly do the least damage. From the looks of it, they’re having a fabulous time.

Reiko bites her lip, smothering a surge of laughter. “Wow. How did you end up with the best seat in the house? Like, who did you offend?”

“Ha ha. I owed the groom a favor and he cashed in, majorly.” Oshiro leans forward. “They’re a nice bunch, don’t get me wrong, but if they set me up with another of their nieces, I’ll be double booked from today until Christmas.”

“You’re welcome to sit here instead,” she offers. “We have an extra chair. My dad prefers to migrate between friend groups.”

“Thanks, but I can’t just abandon my post. I wouldn’t put it past them to follow me over here, or else I’d take you up on that suggestion. I figure random texts to my brothers will seem rude, unlike important work e-mails. So play along, won’t you? And keep in mind at least one of them will be reading over my shoulder the whole time.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? What on earth do you think I’d be putting in that e-mail?”

“I’m just saying, don’t use this as an opportunity to confess your undying love or anything. Maintain professionalism and all that.”

“Gosh, what a tall order. How will I ever comply?”

“Dig deep, Tachibana. Find that inner strength.”

Reiko pulls a face. “You came all the way here just to make me do this?”

“Yes,” says Oshiro. “You’re welcome. I’ll look for your thank you note in the mail. I also like gift baskets. The ones with baked goods are okay, but no edible fruit bouquets or artisan cheeses. Nobody wants those.”

“But why me?” she persists. “Don’t you have anyone else you can trade fake work e-mails with? What about Ueda? Or your boss?”

“Hey, take it easy. I’m not used to outright rejection.”

“I’m not rejecting you, I’m just confused.”

“What’s there to be confused about? I don’t want to be here. Neither do you. Let’s help each other out.”

Neither do you. Reiko feels very, very obvious, now.

He watches her expectantly. She can tell that he’s fighting hard not to break into one of his insouciant grins. Reiko can’t decide if she wants to smack him or bask in the infectious warmth of his attention, like a deprived houseplant straining to soak up every drop of sunshine it can get.

This conflicted reaction is more embarrassing than being caught on her phone. For God’s sake, it’s just Oshiro.

Their departments — Sales for him, Marketing for her — are often flung together, which means running into him at Yumeisha is pretty normal. They take the same elevator from the lobby and frequent the same break room on the tenth floor. He stops at her desk most Wednesday afternoons, as promised in his e-mails. Once in a while, if she stays even later than usual, Reiko might see him striding ahead of her through the lobby’s sliding glass doors, crossing the street to catch the same train. They never talk much, though, unless it’s about work.

Still true, she concludes, as Oshiro stands up and pushes the chair into place, preparing to return to the Island of Matchmaking Aunties. He walks backwards away from her, hands in his pockets. “Talk soon,” he tells Reiko, smiling as if he’s guessed all her secrets. And then he’s gone, threading his way through the crowd while she stares after him, utterly bewildered.