#also… BLUE IS SO ADORABLE IN THE EARLY MANGA!!!!!

[great-tusk]

Btw, I got a box set of the Pokémon D/P/P manga. It even has a cute poster in it. I also got the Red and Blue one early and it has a poster in it, too.

[beddybites]

Do you have some REALLY old sketches or drawings of kny characters you could show us, like maybe before your artstyle developed? 😋 (Idk I'm just so curious how you ended up with this fluffy adorable style bc I LOVE IT T-T)

oh my god i absolutely do--

lets use muichiro as an example

the first drawing was from 2019, to give you an idea of what my art looked like at the time

i had no idea how i wanted to go about drawing humans. at the time it was drilled to me i should draw more realistically, so my work suffered greatly. this is why the hair is so messy and the face just looks so... walten-filesy, i guess

the second drawing was from early 2023, when i tried drawing muichiro again as a result of catching up on demon slayer!

i was still not drawing humans, so you can tell i was kinda experimenting a bit with the brushes. i color picked from his official design

i stopped drawing him for a few months, as i really hated how it turned out. i ultimately gave up on my art for a bit

then, at the end of the swordsmith village arc, i tried again. i ended up getting really attached to all of the hashira, so i drew them little profiles-- as shown in the third image

this is where you can see im staring to develop my style properly. i came to terms with the fact that i wanted a more cartoony style, and i started to embrace it. i also made my own color palette to better fit my art style

from then on, i was fixated on demon slayer, and with muichiro being my favorite, i drew him constantly. the fourth image was drawn a couple months later, after the baby hashira craze

you can see how much it was changing. the detail in the eyes, the way i drew the hair, his palette, etc. through constantly practicing and drawing him, i developed my style more and more

the fifth image comes from the "hugging muichiro" series, in which i had to draw muichiro nine different times

i began studying art styles i really liked, and particularly analyzed the way muichiro was drawn in the manga. i loved his hair, and tried to replicate it in my style. you can also see i revised the palette a bit more to better compliment my work!

finally, the sixth image-- my more recent style!

his current rendition really just comes from me having drawn him so many times. my style just grew and grew and grew! i modified his color palette even more, making his hair more blue tinted and giving him a cool color palette

that saying "practice makes perfect" really does reign true tbh. the reason my style is the way it is was because i kept practicing and revising my work, and i would adopt things i like from other people, such as gotouge themself

i hope this helps!!!

my art literally started off looking like That. trust . everyone has potential!

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Synopsis: Despite an initial reluctance, Tabito heads off to a mysterious soccer program by the name of Blue Lock. Luckily, it’s not long before you get to see him again. Continuation of Five Ways to Kill a Crow and How to Drown a Crow!

Event Masterlist

Pairing: Karasu x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 16.1k

Content Warnings: spoilers for the u-20 arc of the manga, otoya slander to an unhealthy degree, reader’s best friend is crazily down bad, the bllk boys have karasu STRESSING, half of them think reader is fine af 💯, did i mention otoya slander because there is a LOT of that, 99% crackfic so don’t expect stunning characterization in this one it’s mostly silly compared to the first two parts, chigiri’s sister is also referred to as chigiri, reader & co. accidentally become famous

A/N: here is the final continuation of fwtkac that you requested karasu anon 💖 incidentally also the longest…w this installment the mini-series is over 30k words LMAOAO i hope you have enjoyed the ride because ik i have!!

Additional: part of my 500 follower event! see the event description and rules to make a request of your own. now closed!

Surprisingly, it wasn’t that difficult to reveal your relationship with Tabito to the rest of your friends and classmates. There wasn’t an official announcement or anything along those lines — neither of you were that big on social media, so you didn’t bother with launching each other there, and since half of the school already thought you were dating, things settled into an even rhythm quite quickly.

Tabito’s friends and teammates weren’t all-too-shocked, either. Apparently, you were just about the last person to find out about the crush he had had on you since middle school, so to everyone else, him asking you out had been all but foregone conclusion. What your respective circles were surprised about, at least at first, was that you had said yes.

You’re way too hot for him. This was what Tabito’s group said upon finding out about the news, which was met with crabbiness from Tabito and nothing more than a snort from you. They were just messing with him in any way they could, considering how difficult it typically was to find cracks in his flawless demeanor, so it was easy to dismiss. On the other hand, your own friends gave you confused looks — weren’t you just talking about how much you hate him? You could only shrug, because they weren’t wrong, exactly. You had been complaining about him only days previously, but it was funny how quickly things could change. They accepted it without much more questioning, however, congratulating you on finally getting a boyfriend, and after that life continued as it previously had, except now whenever your friend groups decided to hang out together, you would find yourself at Tabito’s side instead of as far as possible from him.

Being his official girlfriend was everything you had expected and more. He got along well with your parents — your father remembered his name and asked you how he was doing constantly, and your mother was always pleased by the steady supply of flowers he provided for your kitchen counter — as well as your friends, managing to strike that elusive balance of showing them kindness without being overly involved in their lives. His family adored you, especially his older sister, who frequently took you out shopping or for coffee, much to Tabito’s chagrin. All in all, things were going well, and though you two still competed over your grades, it was without the fervor of the past, so that you were gladder for one another’s success than you were incensed by them.

“I hate couples,” your best friend announced one day at lunch. You had finished eating early, so you were leaning against Tabito’s arm and playing Subway Surfers on his phone while he talked to one of his teammates about their upcoming match. Ever since you had discovered his penchant for the childish game, it had become a personal goal of yours to beat his high score, though you had not yet even come close.

“Hm,” you said. She scowled.

“I’m serious!” she said.

“You’re just mad because you’re single,” you said. “I told you I’m working on it, didn’t I? It’s not my fault all of Tabito’s friends are losers!”

She sighed. “I know. Actually, you two aren’t the ones that prompted me to say that this time, oddly enough.”

“Oh, then who did?” you said.

“You know how I went to visit my cousins last weekend?” she said. You nodded. “Well, we went to watch a movie while we were there, that new one I was really excited about, but somehow it ended up that we got stuck behind this guy on a date!”

“How’d you know that he was on a date?” you said.

“Because there was a girl sitting next to him, and he sucked her face off for the entire movie, thereby completely blocking the screen. Can you believe it? The worst part is, he was totally stupid looking!” she said.

“That’s annoying,” you said, secure in the knowledge that you and Tabito would never do something like that. Public displays of affection beyond hugging or holding hands weren’t really your vibe, and just the thought of making out in a movie theater caused you to feel nauseous. “How’d you know he was dumb looking, though? Wasn’t the theater dark?”

“I confronted him afterwards,” she said.

“While he was on a date? That’s a bold move,” you said. “What did the girl say?”

“Huh? Oh, she had already left. Guess she wasn’t that into him,” your best friend said.

“Yikes,” you said before pouting as your little Subway Surfers character was hit by a train. “Aw, man, I died. At this rate, I’ll never beat the high score.”

“Hey, can I have my phone for a second?” Tabito said, turning to you and plucking the device out of your hand before you could answer. You frowned, so he patted you on the head. “I’ll give it back. I just need to text our coach and remind him to bring my cooler back during the game tonight.”

“Whatever,” you said before directing your attention towards your best friend again. “Okay, describe this guy. I’m really interested in what could have driven you to judge his appearance so harshly.”

“Listen!” she said. “His hair was green!”

“Green?” you said. 

“Yes! Well, mostly it was a grayish white, but there was a green streak, and the undercut part was also green,” she said. You tried to picture it and found you were entirely incapable of imagining anything but the most ridiculous of styles.

“That’s wild,” you said. “Who told him that was a good idea?”

“I just wonder how much bleach he has to use to get it to be that color,” she said. You shuddered.

“I know for a fact that he had the most damaged, dead, crunchy-looking hair ever,” you said. Your best friend shook her head.

“It was actually pretty shiny and luscious,” she said. “If it weren’t for the weird choice of color and his terrible theater etiquette, I could see why someone might consider him attractive.”

“Maybe you can fix him,” you suggested. She immediately scowled in a clear-cut refusal.

“The main thing I’ve learned from your relationship with Karasu is that you can never fix a man’s hair, no matter how much he likes you,” she said.

“Huh? Did you say my name?” Tabito said, handing you his phone back. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” you and your best friend said in unison.

“That was suspicious,” he informed you.

“Just know that I’ll break up with you if you ever dye even a strand of your hair green,” you said.

He gave you an odd look. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Anyways, that’s my rant for the day,” your best friend said as Tabito evidently decided it would be for the best to leave you to your own conversation, which he was missing far too much context from to possibly understand.

“That really is awful,” you said. “Don’t worry. Someday soon, we’ll find you someone to date, and then you can be the annoying couple everyone slanders. Trust me on that one.”

“I do,” she said. “I have faith that you’re just being picky because you love me so much that you refuse to let me be with a substandard man.”

“Exactly,” you said.

She made a heart with her hands. “You’re the best.”

“I try!”

Now that autumn was bleeding into winter, it was getting chillier and chillier out during Bambi Osaka’s games. Thankfully, Tabito had draped his large jacket over your shoulders before running off to yell at his coach for once again forgetting to bring his cooler back, so you were mostly protected from the frost in the air. You could not say the same for the Bambi Osaka boys, who all looked miserably cold as they jogged in place, trying to warm up in their shorts and jerseys while Tabito and the coach argued.

“Y/N! I didn’t realize you were coming today!” a familiar voice said, its owner leaning over the fence separating the bleachers from the field. You extended your hand to ruffle his hair.

“I come to all of your games, Hiori, why would this one be any different?” you said. He gave you a sheepish grin.

“I know, but now that’s it not as nice out, I thought you might not,” he said. You pulled on the sleeve of your jacket to draw attention to it; Hiori grunted in approval when he noticed.

“Don’t worry, Tabito’s on top of it. Just between us two, I think he would cry if I had to miss one of his games, so he always makes sure I’m as comfortable as possible when I come,” you said.

“He’s a really considerate guy,” Hiori said. As if on cue, both of you turned to look at where he and their coach were still going at it.

“Holy fucking shit!” Tabito screamed. “Give me my cooler back, dude, you’ve had it for weeks!”

“I need it for the party I’m throwing this Saturday!” their coach shouted back. 

“I don’t give a damn about your party! Give me back my cooler!”

“Right,” you said, stifling a laugh. “Super considerate.”

Hiori cringed. “I guess nobody’s perfect.”

Ever since you had started dating Tabito, Hiori had become something of a permanent fixture in your life. He never tried to flirt with you or anything — you didn’t even think he was capable of having those feelings — but he was just so used to trailing after Tabito that, by extension, he began to follow you around as well. It wasn’t really that bad; you both lived close to one another, and frequently he’d ask you to come to the convenience store with him so he could ask you for advice under the guise of buying snacks together. You always went along with it, as you sensed he didn’t have many other sources of reliable help and wisdom.

For his part, Tabito didn’t really mind that Hiori’s attachment to him now included you. The thought of being jealous of the younger boy never even crossed his mind, mostly because he, too, didn’t really believe that the gentle and benign Hiori was capable of anything as underhanded as stealing his girlfriend. Overall, he was more bemused than anything, treating him with the careful fondness of someone who had been given a puppy they had no idea how to care for but found cute anyways.

Soon enough, Tabito joined you and Hiori, dragging his feet and hanging his head as he flopped against the fence. Exhaling, you reached out and stroked the side of his face with the back of your hand.

“Any success?” you said.

“Nope,” he said. “Another week without my cooler.”

“At least it’s getting to be winter,” Hiori said. “You won’t really need it to keep your drinks chilled for a while, right?”

“Tell that to my sister,” Tabito said. “She keeps bugging me about where I put it. I guess she needs it for college or something. Don’t ask me why.”

“I’m sure he’ll bring it to the next game,” Hiori said optimistically. Tabito let out a defeated sigh.

“We can only hope,” he said.

“In the meantime, you two should go over with the rest of your team before you both get yelled at for slacking off and get me banned from coming to anymore games,” you said.

“If he keeps holding my cooler hostage and bans you from games, I’ll fight that dumbass coach!” Tabito said. You pushed him away affectionately.

“Alright, alright, I feel very comforted by that. Thank you for defending my — and your cooler’s — honor,” you said. “Go play soccer.”

With a joking salute, Tabito, and also Hiori, ran off to join the rest of their team, and you settled back to sit with the rest of the attendees of the game, who were mostly parents of the players. All of them knew who you were at this point, though, so you were welcomed with open arms, easily joining in on their discussions about such subjects as how their children were doing in school and what their plans for dinner were.

It was a comfortable existence, and as you pulled Tabito’s jacket tighter around you, you thought that you could get used to it. If only things could stay exactly like this, you would be quite happy. If you could spend every day with Tabito and Hiori and the rest of your friends, you would never complain again.

Unfortunately, life was always changing, as you knew all too well. One day, both Tabito and Hiori received letters summoning them to some soccer training camp far away from your corner of the country, and though Hiori leapt at the chance, Tabito was initially uncertain at the prospect of leaving everything behind for a program that wasn’t even a sure thing.

“What if it doesn’t help me and I give up my schooling for it?” he said, pacing around his bedroom. You raised your eyebrows at him from your seat at his desk, where you were working on a lab report for Chemistry. “Do they really expect me to run there during my last year of high school? What about board exams and college? How am I supposed to get into a good university if I’m playing soccer when I should be studying?”

“Why do you think you won’t succeed in the program?” you said. “You’re amazing at soccer. If you join, you’ll definitely do well, and then you’ll become a professional athlete, so you won’t have to worry about college or anything like that.”

“Of course I’ll do well,” he said. This actually wasn’t anything like his normal self-confidence; when he was in this kind of mood, he didn’t brag, he only evaluated himself and the situation honestly, weighing the costs and benefits until he could come to a conclusion that he was satisfied with. “I just don’t like the thought of not having a fallback option. Even if I become a professional athlete, things like injuries can happen to anyone. It’s not smart to not have a backup plan. That’s why I wasn’t planning on trying out for the U-20 squad until after I got accepted to a university.”

“You can’t give up on your dreams for the sake of a backup plan, though,” you said, finishing up the report and clicking the submit button, shutting your laptop and spinning the chair around so you were looking at him. “I know it’s nerve-wracking, but isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

“No,” he said bluntly.

Blue Lock and its outcomes were like the water — entirely out of Tabito’s control, and hence something he was automatically opposed to. But unlike swimming and wading, this was also an opportunity for him to pursue his greatest dreams, so you stood and grabbed him by the shoulders. He halted in his tracks, cocking his head at you as you clasped his hands in between your own and gave him the sternest look you could muster.

“Listen to me,” you said. “You are not going to drown. You’re not because I say you’re not, and have I ever led you astray? You’re going to go to this Blue Lock place with Hiori, and then the two of you are going to come back and be so good at soccer that you immediately join the national team and end up so rich and famous that I can’t help but marry you and become your trophy wife.”

“When you say you, you’re referring to me, not Hiori, right?” he checked with a snicker. You poked him in the chest.

“Obviously,” you said.

“Do you really think it’ll be okay?” he said. 

“I think you won’t know if you don’t try. You’re so smart, Tabito; even if you somehow fail as a soccer player, I don’t think you’ll be unable to go to college. In fact, you could probably do this camp, come back and take your exams while on a break, and still get second in our class,” you said.

“Second?” he said.

“Of course, I’ll be the one getting first,” you said. “Second is still respectable, though. Any university of note would kill to have you, but a chance to improve your soccer career like this might not come around again for a while, if ever. Take it. Take it with both hands and don’t regret it a bit, okay?”

“You’re convincing,” he said, embracing you tightly, burying his face in the crook of your neck. “Thank you.”

“So you’ll do it?” you said.

“I’ll do it.”

A week later, he was gone. Even his phone was taken away, leaving you without any manner of contacting him in the meantime. To be sure, it was lonely, but you were too busy being proud of him to be depressed about it. Besides, you weren’t the type to abandon your friends just because you were in a relationship, so your invitations to events had never stopped coming. Now, you just said yes to them more often, much to everyone’s excitement.

That was what you did while Tabito was busy at Blue Lock: you hung out with your friends, having sleepovers and going for platonic dates with the ones you were particularly close with, and you visited his sister at her college when she was free, so you could hear embarrassing stories about his past, which you carefully filed away for later use. Occasionally, you even met up with Yukimiya’s girlfriend — in a shocking twist, he had also been invited to Blue Lock, much like Tabito — and the two of you would speculate about what your boyfriends might be up to in that strange facility and whether they might’ve met each other yet or not. 

It wasn’t horrible. Undeniably, you missed him, but it was bearable, and you knew he would be back as soon as he could be, so for the most part, you didn’t let yourself grow too sad. Your father was probably the worst off out of anyone, actually, always nagging you about when Tabito would return. He had grown used to having a friend to watch sports alongside, and was now entirely forlorn without any company to discuss his beloved games with. 

Some weeks after Blue Lock began, you received two emails with nearly identical subject headers. With a confused frown, you opened both of them in turn, but slowly, your expression turned to a smile as you read over their contents.

Congratulations, Y/N L/N! Blue Lock 11 player number 6, Tabito Karasu, has designated you as the recipient of his friends/family ticket to the Blue Lock 11 vs Japan U-20 match! Scan the attached QR code upon your arrival to the stadium in order to make your way to your VIP seat.

Congratulations, Y/N L/N! Blue Lock 11 substitute number 16, Yo Hiori, has designated you as the recipient of his friends/family ticket to the Blue Lock 11 vs Japan U-20 match! Scan the attached QR code upon your arrival to the stadium in order to make your way to your VIP seat.

Both Tabito and Hiori had chosen to give you their seats, which meant you technically had an extra one, so you could bring someone along with you. Your first thought was your father, considering how much he loved soccer, but then you pondered it further and decided that you probably did not want to spend the whole match listening to him explaining the rules. Plus, the game was in Tokyo, so if the two of you went together, you both would have to share a hotel room, and he’d make you spend the entire trip with him instead of exploring and possibly seeing Tabito, if you got the chance.

No, there was really only one choice. With an aunt who lived in the city and a deep-rooted desire to get a boyfriend, your best friend was the clear pick to take along with you to the game, and you knew before you even asked that she would agree to it. After all, what better way was there for you both to spend the two weeks of your last winter break before university?

As you had expected, she agreed enthusiastically and readily, texting you that her aunt was alright with you two staying at her place, as long as you didn’t mind that she’d probably be busy with work most of the time. Of course, this was more of a benefit than a drawback, so you forwarded the email containing Hiori’s invitation to her and immediately began the process of packing for your two week vacation.

Since you would be staying with a responsible adult — meaning your best friend’s aunt, not her herself — your parents didn’t mind that you were going on a mini-trip without them. Your father already knew about the game thanks to his subscription to the JFU’s magazine, and he was so exhilarated at the thought of you getting to attend it in person that you almost felt bad not telling him that he could’ve come, too. Then you imagined having to sleep in a twin bed while he snored in the one across from you and stopped feeling guilty entirely.

“Do you think it would be corny if I wore blue to the game?” you said when the day of the match dawned. You had made a mess of your suitcase trying to decide what you wanted to wear, and when you looked over at your best friend’s side of the room, you noticed that it was in a similar state.

“Maybe a little bit,” she said. “At least, if you went for an all-blue Smurf aesthetic. It would kind of make you look like a mascot or something.”

“I was thinking about that,” you said. “Ugh! This is so hard. Normally, I just wear one of Tabito’s jackets or extra jerseys at his games, so that I look all supportive and whatnot, but it’s kind of hard to do that when I haven’t even spoken to him in weeks and have zero clue what his Blue Lock jersey looks like.”

“That one coat you brought is his, right? You could wear that with a blue shirt underneath it so that it’s subtle but still clear which side you’re on,” she suggested. You closed your eyes, mentally putting the clothes on and deciding that it was a great outfit idea, giving off the exact effect you were aiming for.

“I knew ‘Hiori’ invited you for a reason,” you said. She chucked a pillow at you, fully aware that she was only even going to the game because you had been invited by both Bambi Osaka boys.

“I’ll be sure to thank him when I see him,” she said.

“Do you know what he looks like?” you said.

“No, but won’t his jersey say his name?” she reasoned.

“Touché,” you said. “Anyways, what are you going to wear?”

“It needs to be something casual but also cute, so if any of the players — the single ones, anyways — happen to look up at me, they are instantly smitten and ask me for my number once they win the game, after which we date until I’ve graduated college and they’ve made it in the big leagues, whereupon they will propose to me and we will get married in the most extravagant wedding the world has ever seen,” she said.

“Um,” you said, your mind working overtime to comprehend the run-on. “Sure. In that case, maybe you should go with the sweater dress you brought. It’s not blue, but you look really pretty in it, and if you put on a longer cardigan along with some tights, you should stay warm. Maybe your aunt has a blue scarf you can borrow? If you want to look spirited.”

“You’re a genius!” she said. 

“Thanks, I do my best,” you said before a silence lapsed between the two of you, both too busy getting ready to gossip, as you had been non-stop since you had arrived in Tokyo.

The ticket scanner definitely looked suspicious at the fact that both of you claimed to be named Y/N L/N, but there was nothing that she could do about it. After all, you both had unique invitations from two separate members of Blue Lock, so what did it matter what your names were? With a curt nod, she approved your tickets and described which way you had to go to get to your seats, though you were certain she was glaring at you as you walked in the direction she had indicated.

“Are you excited?” your best friend said, rubbing her hands together to warm them up. 

“I’m more excited to see Tabito again than anything. No matter how the game goes, I’m happy if he’s there,” you said.

“I can’t believe you just said that,” she said. “Pining has made you a changed woman. The Y/N I once knew would never say anything along those lines.”

“Oh, but you can plan your wedding and it’s perfectly normal?” you said, raising your eyebrows. She gave you a double-thumbs-up.

“That’s all hypothetical, so it’s not an issue,” she said. “On the other hand, you being all sappy about Karasu is reality.”

“You have a point,” you said. “My apologies. Moving on, are you excited?”

“Just to see if the players are good looking,” she said. “I don’t know that much about soccer.”

“It’s okay, I don’t, either,” you said.

“Your boyfriend is literally on the team?” she said. 

“Look, as long as someone on our side kicks the ball into the net, I’m happy,” you said. “If someone on the other side kicks the ball into the net, then I’m sad. That’s kind of the gist of it. Tabito and Hiori have tried explaining the finer details of the sport, but to be honest, it’s a bit beyond me.”

“Excuse me, but is anyone sitting with you two?” a bright voice said. You looked up to see a tall girl with cascading red hair and a brilliant grin pointing at the seat on your left with a questioning tilt to her head.

“Nope,” you said. Unfortunately, Yukimiya’s girlfriend’s school break didn’t align with the game, and she had regretfully told you over the phone that she would be unable to make it, so you and your best friend were on your own. “All yours!”

“Thanks!” she said. “My mother went to go sit with the other parents, and I was planning on going with her, but you two look closer to my age, so I was hoping it would be alright if I stayed here instead.”

“Believe me, I get it,” you said. “I’ve had to hang out with way too many parents at Tabito’s games. They’re nice and all, but most of the stuff they talk about is hardly relatable.”

“Exactly!” she said. “I can’t explain how happy I am to have found you two. I’m Hyoma Chigiri’s sister, by the way! According to the email we got, he’s number 4. Which players do you both know?”

“I’m number 6’s girlfriend,” you said, motioning down towards where the players were beginning to enter the field, getting some last-minute practice in before the game. “Tabito Karasu.”

You wished he would look over so you could wave at him, but he was utterly focused on his teammates and their warm up, so you contented yourself with admiring him from afar. It was clear to anyone that he was in his element, and a lump formed in your throat when you remembered that he had almost given this up. He had almost stayed back, and you could not even begin to fathom how much he would have regretted it if he had.

“I see him!” Chigiri said, shading her eyes with her hand so she didn’t have to narrow them against the sun. “My brother’s right over by where he is.”

Her brother was almost identical to her, a lean boy with flowing hair and a pointed face, and even if she hadn’t pointed him out, you would’ve made the connection.

“He looks just like you,” your best friend said, vocalizing what you had been thinking.

“We get that a lot,” Chigiri said. “What about you? Who are you with?”

“Technically, I’m not with anyone,” your best friend said. “The thing is, both Karasu and number 16, Yo Hiori, invited Y/N, so I just took her extra — what the fuck.”

“Is everything okay?” you said. Both you and Chigiri shot her concerned looks, but she was too busy staring at the field with her jaw dropped to pick up on it. “Hello? What’s gotten into you?”

“Y/N L/N,” she said. “Why is your boyfriend talking to that — that — that creature? Why is that thing even on the field in the first place?”

“Number 9?” Chigiri said. “Do you know him?”

True to her word, Tabito was speaking animatedly to player number 9, who according to his jersey was named Otoya. He was a slender and clearly handsome boy, his pale hair streaked through with green and his features distinctly sharp despite the distance. For some reason, there was something familiar about his description, and it was only when you noticed that your best friend was all but seething that the conversation came back to you.

“Are you serious?” you said. “That Otoya dude is the theater guy?”

“Deadly serious,” she snapped. “What is he doing here? Shouldn’t he be off ruining innocent moviegoers’ experiences?”

“Playing soccer, I’d expect,” you said. “It looks like he’s starting for the Blue Lock 11, too. He must be good — I mean, even Hiori is just a substitute, and he’s crazy talented, so their starting lineup must be nothing short of spectacular.”

The two teams got into position as the clock was set up, and a hush fell over the stadium as the ball was brought onto the field for the kickoff. Unexpectedly, Chigiri grabbed your hand, clutching it so tightly that your circulation was impaired, and when you glanced over at her, you saw that her shoulders were tense.

“Hyoma tore his ACL recently,” she murmured. “He never said it aloud, but I think he’s wanted to quit soccer ever since. This is the first time he’s starting in a game since before he was injured. I’m worried it’ll happen again.”

You rubbed soothing circles against her wrist. “He’ll be alright. I don’t think they would put him in if it was a health risk. Plus, they have substitutes, and I’m sure he’s much more in-tune with his body now, so the second he feels something off, he’ll probably ask to be put out.”

Chigiri dabbed at her face. “Thanks. You’re right. This is an exciting game! I shouldn’t bring down the mood. Let’s get ready to cheer our lungs out!”

The referee blew the whistle, and then the match was on. You could hardly keep up with the players’ movements, so fast was it all; this was a level of skill that even you could recognize was far above anything you had ever seen. Every single player on the pitch was at least on Tabito and Hiori’s level, if not above it. Unlike Bambi Osaka, where Tabito was the captain of the team and often had to play doubly as aggressively because of that, he blended right into the mix of talents that was this motley collection of high school forwards. You could tell even from so far away that this thrilled him instead of grating on his nerves; he wasn’t the kind of person who craved the spotlight, after all. If anything, it was something he shied away from, preferring to strike at his opponent’s weak points from the dark, and it was only here, with the rest of the Blue Lock 11, that he could finally play how he preferred.

When the first goal on Blue Lock’s side was scored, by the tall, pale-haired number 7, you, your best friend, and Chigiri shot to your feet, screaming and clapping as loud as you could. Your enthusiasm, which was a stark contrast to everyone else’s quiet confusion, sparked a tidal wave. The entire stadium resounded with a roar of approval as the number 7 — Nagi — crashed to the ground before raising his fist, getting tackled by his teammates directly afterwards in celebration. 

“That was amazing!” your best friend said as everyone settled for the restart. “I never realized that soccer could be so exciting to watch.”

“That guy is skilled,” you agreed. “So is everyone else. Including that Otoya—”

“Don’t even mention him!” she said. “Nagi’s the one who scored, so stick to praising him!”

“Hyoma’s doing so well!” Chigiri said, her cheeks pink from the cold and round from her grin. “I can’t believe it. It’s like he was never hurt at all!”

“Honestly, this is way more intense than I expected,” your best friend said, hugging herself tightly. “I really hope they manage to win.”

“They will,” you said. “I’m confident of that.”

Maybe the Blue Lock 11 were the underdogs, but something told you that they were going to win. There was just this fire to them, a heat and a hatred that emanated off of only their side of the field. The docile U-20 boys, who were so dependent on the efforts of defender Aiku and midfielder Sae, could never hope to compete with that overwhelming energy, which was so potent that the bleachers themselves were washed in it.

That was why you weren’t even surprised when number 10, Rin, scored another goal right before half-time, ending the first half with a lead for Blue Lock. You knew for a fact that your voice would be hoarse the next day from how much you were shouting, but based on your best friend’s and Chigiri’s faces, you figured you were in good company and didn’t even take any measures to lessen the severity of the consequence.

As the players began to move towards their respective locker rooms, Chigiri stood up and began to wave her hands frantically.

“Hyoma! Over here!” she called out. Her brother paused in the middle of drinking from his water bottle, whipping around, his face turning the same shade as his hair when he noticed his sister, who pulled out her phone and took a picture of him. “He noticed me! Ah, hello, Hyoma! You’re doing awesome!”

Tabito and Otoya walked past where the younger Chigiri was frozen in place, and before they could vanish into the locker room and out of your sight, you cupped your hands around your mouth.

“Tabito!” you said. He stopped in his tracks before twisting back to face you, his face breaking into such a wide grin when he saw you that it was a wonder his face did not ache from it. He raised his hand in greeting, and you did the same, so relieved to see him again that you thought you might vomit from the giddiness.

Beside you, your best friend stood, drawing herself to her full height. Then, before you could stop her, she jabbed her finger towards Otoya, who had remained at Karasu’s side when he had stopped to greet you. Otoya turned his head this way and that before pointing at himself hesitantly. Your best friend nodded and then stuck up her middle finger at him, causing Tabito to burst into a fit of laughter, his shoulders shaking as he dragged the helpless Otoya away from where he was suddenly rooted to the ground in perplexity.

“That’s what he gets,” she said with satisfaction, sitting back down now that she had accomplished her mission.

“He probably has no idea who you are,” you said, giggling to yourself, finding great entertainment in the one-sided feud she had with Otoya, who appeared to be a great friend of Tabito’s. “Also, you described him horribly back then. He’s really pretty good-looking, and the hair is nowhere near as bad as you made it sound.”

“I’m telling Karasu you said that,” she said. “If I was him, I’d be offended! My beloved girlfriend finds a guy who appears to be fresh out of the swamp attractive? That would really make me insecure.”

“I don’t find him attractive, I just said that he’s good looking. It’s objective,” you said. “And fresh out of the swamp? Aren’t you being a little harsh?”

She glared at you. “No way. He owes me the price of the ticket he made me waste, but since he obviously isn’t going to pay me back, I’m going to make as much fun of him as possible.”

“You do that,” you said, judging that there was no arguing with her. “Chigiri, do you want any snacks? I’m going to head to the concession stands while there’s a break.”

“Could you get me some fries? I’ll send you the money,” she said.

“As long as you save my seat,” you said. 

“Of course! Go quickly, I’m sure the lines are going to be long. There’s a lot of people here,” she said.

“Good idea,” you said, racing off and cutting through the crowds swarming the many concession stands so that you could get some fries for her, candy for your best friend, and chips for yourself.

The second half was even more exciting than the first, though you hadn’t previously thought that that was possible. A boy named Shidou, who had something like a current crackling through him, joined the U-20s as their striker, and in quick succession, he managed to not only tie up the score but actually get a lead, thereby undoing all of the work that Nagi and Rin had put in. To make things worse, right after Shidou’s first goal, Hyoma Chigiri collapsed, earning a gasp from his sister as she shoved a fistful of fries in her mouth. Simultaneously, one of their defenders, the number 3, stumbled before slumping over entirely

“It looks like a cramp,” you reassured Chigiri as one of the other players helped her brother stretch out his leg and then stand. “And I think Niko must’ve sprained his ankle during that earlier play. They’re going to have to put in alternates, but it’s not serious. Both of them just need some rest and they’ll be okay.”

“If you say so,” she said, biting her lip.

“No way, is that Reo Mikage?” your best friend said, her eyes wide as a tall, well-built boy took Niko’s place on the field. He had purple hair tied back in a messy ponytail, and a desperate sort of anger simmered beneath his serene exterior. You squinted and found she was right — the name Reo was indeed written above the large number 14 on his back.

“Like the corporate heir?” you said. Everyone who was anyone knew about the Mikages, but what business did the son have playing soccer? Then again, you supposed even the wealthiest people in the world had to have hobbies. Maybe soccer was just what filled the void for him. You supposed you couldn’t really comment either way.

“I’m sure of it!” your best friend said. “Oh, man, Y/N, he’s even more gorgeous in person…do you think Karasu knows him? Can I get an introduction? He’s so dreamy and perfect and amazing and unreal!”

“I can ask. I’m sure they’re at least acquainted, considering they’re playing on the same team — wait! Look, it’s Hiori! Oh my goodness, it’s Hiori! Yay, yay, Hiori! You’ve got this!” you squealed, pointing at him insistently. He was the one going in for Chigiri, and though he seemed solemn, you knew he must be nothing less than agitated at the moment. You willed him to glance up at you, and whether it was divine intervention or just a coincidence, he happened to shift towards your direction and thus made direct eye contact with you.

Immediately, any gloominess dropped from his shoulders, and you showed him your fingers, which were crossed for luck. He mimicked the gesture before running out to the field, where Otoya patted him on the back in greeting.

“Somebody save that poor, innocent boy,” your best friend said as the game began again.

“Hiori? From what?” you said.

“From being corrupted and turned into a bad-mannered asshole by Otoya,” she said.

“Fair enough,” you said before your jaw dropped as Reo Mikage perfectly mimicked Aiku’s signature defensive move, stopping Shidou from scoring yet again. “Woah. Reo’s rich and a soccer genius? I thought you were full of bullshit earlier, but you actually might be onto something.”

“Exactly,” your best friend said with a smitten sigh. “What a man.”

Despite Reo’s prowess and the goalie’s unorthodox methods, they were ultimately unable to stop Shidou from making that second goal. As the U-20 boys celebrated and the referee called for the ball to be retrieved, Blue Lock’s number 11, Isagi, stomped over to the sideline where their coach was sitting.

“They look like they’re arguing,” Chigiri said. “Do you think everything is alright?”

You weren’t sure when or how you had become the designated soccer expert, but for some reason, both Chigiri and your best friend looked at you expectantly, like you knew what the hell Isagi was pressed about. 

“Maybe he’s mad about his cooler?” you said.

“Huh?” your best friend said.

“Never mind,” you said. “Uh, if I had to guess, he’s probably either asking the coach to give them a new strategy or calling for their substitute to be put in. Shidou and Sae have backed them into a corner, and if they don’t switch things up soon, they’re going to lose.”

“Looks like Karasu and Hiori taught you more than you realized,” your best friend said as Isagi jogged back to the field and the referee whistled to call for a pause to the game. One of the benched Blue Lock members, their number 13, stood up, and you actually shivered when he did. He made every single other player look like a gentle kitten in comparison to his hulking presence, even those towering monsters like Shidou and Aiku. There was no doubt about it; this was a beast amongst men, his fangs bared as he stormed onto the field, and the only thing you could not understand was why he had not been playing from the start.

“That guy is scary,” you said.

“Scary hot,” my best friend said.

“Moving on from Reo already?” you said. “This is why you’ll never have a boyfriend. Too fickle.”

“Listen, I have to keep my options open! Not everyone is lucky enough to have someone who’s good-looking, talented, and has been obsessed with them for years,” she said, elbowing you in the side with a smirk. You rolled your eyes, though you could not help but look down at Tabito when she said that. “What if I get rejected by Reo? I need to have another option, or else I’m fresh out of luck.”

“Looks like he’s replacing Otoya,” you said. “What’s his name? Barou? I’m interested to see how he does.”

“He’s getting rid of that wannabe bog monster? Even better! He’s quickly shooting up in my rankings,” my best friend said.

“Wannabe — okay, I’ll just be happy for you,” you said. “Though his hair isn’t so green as to deserve this much slander…”

“Thanks,” she said, ignoring the rest of what you had said.

“I hope they can make a comeback,” Chigiri stressed. “It’ll crush Hyoma if they lose.”

“No matter what happens now, he should be proud of how he did in the match,” you said. “Pass that message along when you see him, please. There’s no way he’s not going to get scouted by some seriously great clubs in the future.”

“You’re really kind,” Chigiri said, leaning her head on your shoulder with a sniffle. “I hope that Hyoma and your boyfriend stay on the same team for a while. Watching games is so much more fun with you.”

“Thanks! You as well. But speaking of being on the same team…” You whipped out your phone during the lull of the match, pulling up Yukimiya’s girlfriend’s contact and typing out a quick text.

‘are you watching the game??’

She responded almost immediately. ‘i convinced my parents to let me skip school so i could lol. i’m so stressed out right now!! karasu is playing super well btw.’

‘so is yukimiya!!’

‘thx!! omg also i saw you and your best friend on the screen HAHA.’

The last text was startling, to say the least. Nudging your best friend, you showed her the message, after which she took out her own phone, flipped on the camera, and checked her appearance in it.

‘no way. when??’

‘YES it was right after nagi scored in the first half. you two + the redhead were the ones who started the cheering, so they focused on you guys at first!! dw you all looked rlly pretty. as usual <3’

‘ohhh that makes sense. and tyyyy but you’re the pretty one here!!’

‘STOP you are the sweetest. also look at this LMAO they’re already making edits of you guys!!’

‘WHAT?!?!?!’

She sent you a link, which you opened with trepidation, beckoning Chigiri and your best friend over. Turning up the volume, you held up your phone as an edit of the three of you at various points in the match began to play. You were equally impressed and horrified at the speed with which the editors had gotten to work, but you couldn’t even be upset — whether it was the song or the clips they had chosen, the video made you all look magnificent. You saved it to your folder and then put your phone away, vowing to go through the comments later.

Mere minutes after you all tuned back into the flow of the game, Barou somehow pulled off a near-miraculous sliding shot, slamming the ball into the goal and once again tying back the score. This time, nobody was uncertain about what to do; every single person was on their feet, whooping as Barou tore off his jersey and tossed it in the air, flexing his arms and raising his chin as Tabito wrapped an arm around his neck, Nagi jumped on his back, and Isagi clapped him on the shoulder.

“Wow,” your best friend said.

“Wow is right! That was an incredible play. Barou is in another realm entirely!” you said, your palms stinging from how hard you were slapping them together. Your rudimentary soccer knowledge was apparently sufficient enough for you to keep up with the game, though just barely.

“Oh, I don’t know enough about soccer to be in awe of his goal,” she said. “I’m talking about those wow muscles of his. I bet he could carry me with one arm…”

“Ew, nasty,” you said, smacking her, fully aware of where her thoughts had just gone.

“Come on, you know it’s true!” she protested.

“I have a boyfriend. I’m not allowed to answer that,” you said.

“But you’re allowed to say that Otoya is good-looking?” she said.

“That was just me being nice!” you said. 

“I sense favoritism,” she said. “And not even the good kind, because for some reason, you’re favoring the worst guy in the bunch! Since Karasu isn’t around to be disappointed in you, I’ll do it on his behalf.”

“Shut up,” you said half-heartedly. “I liked you better when you were in love with Reo.”

“Believe me, I still am,” she said. “He’s not the kind of person you get over easily.”

“Ah, and remind me of how many times you’ve spoken to him?”

“That’s not the point!”

The match was decided when Sae and Rin — who were supposedly brothers, according to the guys Chigiri had overheard while she was heading to the trash can — got into a fight for dominance over the ball. Somehow, it managed to end up in exactly the spot where Isagi was waiting, and without taking a moment to think, he drew his leg back. At the very last second of the game’s overtime, he sent it streaking into the net.

“They did it!” Chigiri shrieked, tackling you and your best friend in a hug. 

“They did!” you shrieked back, equally as overwhelmed. 

“I can’t believe it!” your best friend said. “They really pulled it off!”

With that one-goal lead, Blue Lock had managed it. They had won the game against the U-20s, thereby cementing their place in the world of soccer for good. Those whispered hopes that Tabito had shared with you, his dreams of being an athlete and playing the sport he loved…they were as you had always assured him: inevitabilities instead of impossibilities. 

After all, you would say to him, over and over until you were sure he believed you. Do you think I would spend so long hating someone if they were mediocre? You can do whatever you turn your mind to. Whether it’s winning a soccer game or managing a company or getting the girl you like, your success is a guarantee.

The Blue Lock boys were ushered back to their facility after the game, so you didn’t get a chance to congratulate Tabito, but even being able to wave at him had lifted your spirits immensely, so you didn’t feel like you had wasted the trip.

In fact, you had a new pastime to occupy yourself with: namely, watching edits of yourself and liking all of the comments hyping you up. There were many of both, and when you weren’t listening to your best friend rambling about her favorite Blue Lock boy of the hour — Barou and Reo were definitely the ones she brought up the most, but Nagi and Isagi were mentioned a fair bit, too — you spent your hours on social media, sending the best edits to the group chat that you and your best friend had created with Yukimiya’s girlfriend and the elder Chigiri.

A couple of days after the game, you and your best friend were lounging in her aunt’s living room when you got a call from a number you had not seen on your phone in ages. Springing to your feet, you answered it immediately.

“Tabito? I thought they took your phone in Blue Lock?” you said.

“Hi, Y/N. Yes, they did, but we just got our stuff back and are on the buses back to the city. We’re on break for the next two weeks! Are you still in Tokyo?” he said.

“Yes! I’m here for about that amount of time — for all of winter break,” you said.

“Perfect. Some of the guys have plans to meet up in Shibuya tomorrow, but I don’t mind canceling—”

“Wait,” you cut him off, an idea formulating in your mind. “Are Barou, Nagi, Isagi, and Reo Mikage included when you say ‘some of the guys?’”

“Uh, I think Reo’s going to be there, but not any of the others. Why?” he said quizzically. Your best friend gave you a puzzled look, obviously wondering why you had just listed off her top Blue Lock crushes while on the phone with your boyfriend.

“Is it okay if we come, too?” you said. Tabito hummed uncertainly.

“Er, I don’t know…it’s not that I don’t want you to or that they’d mind or anything! In fact, they’d probably be delighted if you showed up. Rather, it’s that a few of them are a little bit odd, and you’d probably not enjoy yourself very much if you came,” he said.

“On the contrary, I think we would enjoy ourselves a great deal. Some of us more than others, naturally, but as long as you’re there, I’ll have fun, and as for my plus one…let’s just say that she could probably listen to a speech about the drying of cement, as long as it was Reo giving it,” you said.

“I see what’s happening here,” he said with a snort. “Okay, I got it. I’ll ask them and let you know what they say, alright?”

“If they say no, then tell them you can’t go and come hang out with me,” you instructed him. “I want to be with you tomorrow. I’ve missed you for far too long.”

“Will do. I miss you more.”

The line went abruptly dead, ostensibly from a lack of signal on his part, but now that you knew you were going to see him the next day either way, you just tossed the useless device aside and grinned devilishly at your best friend.

“What was that all about?” she said.

“Just go ahead and tell me you love me,” you said.

“I love you?” she said.

“And I love you,” you said. “So much that I’m making my boyfriend take us along on his group date with his soccer group — where none other than the man himself, Reo Mikage, will be present.”

About an hour or so later, Tabito texted you in the affirmative, sending you the address of the cafe where they were planning on meeting up at and giving you a rough estimate of the time they’d all be there. You and your best friend stayed up late that night, picking out your outfits — well, mostly hers, you were at the point in your relationship where you were positive that Tabito would find you pretty even in a trash bag, so you weren’t anywhere near worried about your own clothing — and planning what she’d say to sweep Reo off of his feet. Once you were done with that, you got in your pajamas and watched romantic comedies to get yourselves in ‘the zone’ and be completely prepared for the day to come, which might have qualified as one of the most important in her life. 

You were the first ones at the cafe the next morning, so you took the liberty of choosing the largest table you could find and setting your things down before looking up their menu online. Your best friend, who was the one that had convinced you to be so obsessively punctual for fear of making a bad first impression on Reo, did the same, though she left two seats in between you and herself.

“Tell Karasu to sit next to you, and then have him get Reo to sit in between himself and me,” she said to you.

“Yup, I know the plan,” you said.

“Good,” she said. “Have you picked what you’re ordering? Since no one else is here yet, I can go in and grab stuff for both of us.”

“Yeah, I want this, and this,” you said, pointing at the exact menu items so that there was no room for misinterpretation.

“Mm, looks good,” she said. “Eek, I think there’s a line.”

“It’s peak brunch time,” you said. “We’re lucky to have gotten a table at all, let alone one so big. Just leave your sweater on your chair so no one else takes it. Unless you want me to go in instead?”

“Nope, I don’t want to look like a friendless loser if Reo gets here before you come back or the others show up,” she said.

“You should hurry up and join the queue before it gets any worse, then,” you said. “It would suck if you were stuck waiting and Reo left before you could even meet him.”

“I’m going!” she said, speeding into the cafe, the glass door clanging shut behind her. You laughed softly at how easy she was to rile up, resting your chin in your hands and regarding the bustling scenery of the street with adoration. Tokyo was different from home, but you didn’t mind the change. It was fun, anyways, coming up with backstories for the people who walked past, inquiring into their lives from the snippets you were shown with the curiosity of a squirrel.

“Is it okay if I sit here?” a light, playful voice said, distracting you from your thoughts. The speaker was a boy in a dark jacket, with headphones slung around his neck and a beanie pulled low over his hair, though a few stubborn strands poked out anyways — grayish-white strands, in specific, which were cut through by brilliant green. You swore under your breath. How had you not realized that he would be here as well? You could only hope that Reo would distract your best friend well enough that she would not flip out over Otoya’s presence

“You’re Otoya, right?” you said. At the mention of his name, he grinned and slid into the seat designated for Tabito, leaning his elbow on the table and batting his eyelashes at you.

“That’s me. How did you know? I’m certain we’ve not met before, because I’d remember a lady as pretty as yourself,” he said. 

“You played in the match against the U-20s,” you said.

“You watched that?” he said. “I was pretty great, wasn’t I?”

“I don’t seem to remember you ever scoring,” you said thoughtfully. “And weren’t you subbed out? Ah, but yes, I was actually in the audience that day.”

Otoya wilted. “Oh. Were you rooting for the U-20s?”

“No, I was on Blue Lock’s side,” you said.

“Hold on, are you one of the guy’s sisters?” he said, stroking his chin and inspecting you. “Probably not Chigiri’s, but maybe Barou’s? I think he mentioned having younger sisters at one point. But I hope not, he’d definitely kill me for talking to you. Speaking of which, what are you even doing around here? Wanna go somewhere a bit nicer together?”

“I’m waiting for my boyfriend,” you said.

“Boyfriend?” Otoya said, face growing unnaturally pale. He inched his chair away from you. “Who’s your boyfriend?”

Before you could respond, a hand covered your eyes, blacking out your vision. “Guess who?”

“Tabito!” you said, standing up, yanking his hand away from you and kicking your chair out of the way so you could hug him. He was already waiting for you, pulling you to his chest immediately, burying his nose in your hair as he did when he was particularly tense or had been missing you.

“That’s correct. Gold star for Y/N,” he said. 

Though it had been a while, now that you were back in his embrace, it felt like no time at all had passed. That was how it was between you and him, a product of the many years you both had known one another before ever dating. Tabito was as much your friend as he was your boyfriend, a confidante and a rival and a companion and a lover all wrapped into one package. There could not be secrets nor distance between the two of you, not when you both had been studying one another’s complexities since before you had even understood what it meant to pay such special attention to another person.

“Sit next to me,” you said, tugging on his coat.

“Sure thing,” he said. “Dude, move over.”

Otoya scrambled to his feet, taking the seat on Tabito’s other side and eyeing you warily, his cheeks flushed a light pink — no doubt due to that brand of humiliation which was borne from trying to get with one’s friend’s girlfriend.

“You’re Y/N?” he said.

“That’s me. Has Tabito mentioned my name or something?” you said. When he realized you weren’t going to rat him out, Otoya relaxed and pretended to gag.

“All of the time. I thought you were his celebrity crush or idol, the way he talked about you! I couldn’t believe you were real when he waved at you during the game. You were sitting a bit too far away for me to get a good look at you, but you waved back, so I had no choice but to believe him,” he said. You recognized that this was his attempt at an apology, and, finding no merit in anything but acceptance, you shrugged.

“I wasn’t that crazy,” Tabito said.

“I don’t know. Otoya doesn’t seem like the lying type,” you said. Otoya let out a sigh of relief, catching your eye and mouthing thank you when Tabito gave you an irritated look.

“He totally is! Don’t believe a word out of this asshole’s mouth, he’s full of shit!” he said.

“So that must be why you’re friends, then?” you said. Otoya let out a choked laugh, and Tabito gave you such a kicked-puppy look that you could not help but lean over and press a kiss to his cheek. “Just joking. Who else is coming?”

“Well, you already know about Reo, but besides him, Tokimitsu said he’d come, Aryu, and Yuki,” Tabito said, counting off each name on his fingers.

“Yuki? Like Yukimiya? You two are friends now?” you said, already planning double dates with Yukimiya and his girlfriend in your head.

“We were in Blue Lock together. That kind of experience can bond anyone,” Tabito said.

“This guy really hated Yuki at first, though,” Otoya said, jabbing his thumb towards Tabito, who scowled. “So fucking funny. Yuki would just be standing there, and he’d go crazy, talking about how ‘one centimeter isn’t a big deal’ and how Yuki was ‘just an average, mediocre guy.’”

“You can stop talking now,” Tabito said.

“But all’s well that ends well, right? Now Yuki and Karasu are great pals. He never did explain what his problem was at the start, however. I’ve always wondered,” Otoya said, in a tone that clearly suggested he was fishing for an elaboration from you. 

“I can’t believe you’re telling on me! And to my girlfriend of all people!” Tabito said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Why does Tabito not like Yuki? It’s a funny story, really,” you began.

“One we do not need to go over,” Tabito said. Now that the misunderstanding was well beyond cleared up, that fight right before you two had gotten together was a point of great embarrassment for Tabito, who still could not quite believe that he had behaved so irrationally.

“What don’t we need to go over?” It was another newcomer, but one who you knew — Yukimiya himself, who beamed when he saw you. “Oh, Y/N! Karasu mentioned you were going to be here, but to be quite frank with you, I sort of forgot. How have you been?”

“Can’t complain. What about you?” you said. “Great job in the game against the U-20s, by the way.”

“Thanks!” he said, sitting down across from you. “I’m in the same boat. It’s nice to be on a break. I actually slept in for the first time in forever, and I got to use my own skin products instead of the crap Blue Lock gave us.”

“I’m happy for you,” you said. “You all deserve a break. It’s obvious you’ve been working really hard.”

“Pardon, madam!” You hardly had the time to react before a spindly man with flowing black hair and dark, painted fingernails was crouching beside you. “I’m sorry if I’m overstepping, but I just — I have to acknowledge glam when it’s so obviously in front of me.”

“What?” you said.

“Here he goes,” Otoya said, steepling his fingers in anticipation.

“It’s just…I was aware that Karasu was bringing his girlfriend and her best friend to this little meeting of ours, but I didn’t know that one of you would turn out to be the most glam individual I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in ages! Please, tell me you’re the best friend,” he said.

“She’s the girlfriend, Aryu, so leave her alone,” Tabito said. Aryu pressed the back of his hand against his forehead.

“In another life, my dear,” he said, fluttering his fingers at you.

“No?” Tabito said. “In no other life! She’s mine in every one, so piss off!”

“Uh, thanks for the compliment. It’s nice to meet you, Aryu,” you said awkwardly. Otoya and Yukimiya did nothing to dissipate the tension, both of them exchanging looks and giggling.

“Sorry about him,” a stocky boy with huge, panicked eyes said, taking the chair beside where Aryu was still muttering to himself about a ‘grand love affair’ that would ‘shock the world with its glam potential.’ “You’re the girl from the edits, aren’t you? Y/N L/N? I’m Tokimitsu.”

“How do you know her full, official, government name?” Tabito said, arching his eyebrows. Tokimitsu shook his head so rapidly you thought his neck might snap or something from the speed of it.

“No, no, it’s not like that, Karasu! She’s just famous at the moment!” he said.

Tabito’s eyes flicked towards you for confirmation. You rubbed the back of your neck, beginning to explain for the benefit of the entire table.

“Right when Nagi scored, the three of us — my best friend, Chigiri, and I — were the only ones cheering, so the cameras focused on us,” you said. “After that, they would periodically show us throughout the match, and people have been making edits of those clips. At first, we were just the unnamed Blue Lock fans, but I think I liked one too many comments calling me hot, because now everyone knows who we all are…”

“Some of the edits are really good,” Tokimitsu agreed. “They’re all over my dashboard. People have even started shipping you guys with the players! Right now, the most popular pairings are you with Karasu—”

“Good,” Tabito said, sticking his nose in the air. You pinched him on the bicep, finding his uncharacteristic possessiveness as endearing as it was unnecessary.

“—and your best friend with Otoya,” Tokimitsu continued.

“Huh?” Otoya said.

“The clip of her giving you the middle finger right before halftime is super popular,” Tokimitsu said. “People have actually taken screenshots and made matching profile pictures. It’s a whole movement.”

“Huh?” Otoya said. “How am I supposed to flirt with girls if everyone thinks I’m taken by some psycho who hates me for no reason? Where can I file a complaint? This needs to be stopped at once!”

“It’s not for no reason, exactly,” you said.

“There’s a legitimate explanation?” Tabito said.

“Legitimate is a stretch, but there is an explanation,” you said. “You know her. She wouldn’t hate someone without having at least some kind of logic to it.”

A shiny black limousine pulled up in front of the cafe, and the back doors opened to reveal Reo Mikage, who stepped out and thanked the driver before walking over to join the rest of you. You were about to tell him to take the seat in between Tabito and your best friend, but then you realized that there was a massive problem: somebody was already sitting there. Namely, Otoya, who was busily swiping through his phone and reporting every account that he came across which had either him or your best friend as a profile picture.

“My apologies for the tardiness,” Reo said. His mere voice had a particular cadence to it that spoke to his wealth and upbringing, and down to the slightest, his mannerisms were genteel and refined. “I had to sneak out from a meeting to come here.”

“Sneaking out from a meeting to come to another meeting? You’re a busy guy, Reo!” Aryu said, evidently completely over his earlier heartbreak. “What a glam schedule.”

“That’s not the word I’d use for it,” Reo said, running a hand through his hair, which fell loosely around his face now that he wasn’t playing soccer. “Anyways, I hope I didn’t keep you all waiting for too long.”

“No, we haven’t gotten started yet,” Tabito said.

“We’ve been discussing the edits people made of Y/N and her friends!” Tokimitsu said. Reo looked over at you and smiled politely.

“I’ve seen a few of them. It’s an impressive marketing strategy on the JFU’s part — by sprinkling in clips of you three, they managed to appeal to a broader audience. Now, people who ordinarily never would have watched the game are watching reruns, therefore increasing their revenue tenfold,” he said, offering you his hand to shake. “I’m Reo Mikage.”

“Y/N L/N,” you said, taking it as professionally as you could, all the while wondering what was holding your best friend up. She ought to be here as soon as possible, or else she really might lose her chance. 

Like she had read your mind, the glass door of the cafe swung open, and your best friend strolled out, two plastic cups balanced in one hand and two scones in a napkin held in the other. 

“Sorry I took so long,” she said, thankfully oblivious to the members of the meeting you were crashing. “The barista got confused and made my drink iced. I told her it wasn’t a big deal, but she insisted on dumping it and remaking it properly, free of charge. Apparently, she’s new or something, so she’s still in that phase where she isn’t entirely jaded by the public yet.”

“It’s okay,” you said. “Tabito. Grab my drink before she—!”

“You!” your best friend said, pointing at Otoya, who groaned in defeat and buried his face in his hands. Your drink slipped from her hands and clattered to the ground, spilling out onto the concrete, though she took no notice of it, putting the rest of the goods on the table and glaring at Otoya.

“My drink,” you said mournfully.

“I’ll go get you a new one,” Tabito said, making like he was going to stand. You grabbed onto his arm and shook your head.

“No, don’t leave me here,” you said.

“What? Why not?” he said. You pointed at the infamous duo, both of whom looked about ready to blow up, and then you looped your arms around his neck, peeking over his shoulder at the pair.

“If they get in a fight, I’ll be stuck in the crossfire,” you said. “You have to stay here and defend me if it comes to that. Quick, take the scones while she’s distracted. I’m going to eat them as payback for her dropping my drink.”

He did as you commanded. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” you said.

“You owe me ten dollars!” your best friend said.

“What? No, I don’t. We’ve never even met, so why would I owe you any money at all?” Otoya said. “Wait. We haven’t met, right? Or did we go on a date at some point? If so, I’m sorry that it didn’t work out, but you have to understand that things just end up like that sometimes. I’m not going to compensate you for that.”

“Jeez, Otoya,” Yukimiya said with a chuckle. “You’re kind of horrible, man. How many dates have you been on, if you don’t even remember whether you were with her at some point?”

“Do you really want the answer to that?” Otoya said. Yukimiya made a face.

“You were definitely on a date,” your best friend said. “I wasn’t, though. In fact, I was just innocently trying to watch a movie with my cousins, when somebody decided that they would just go ahead and make out with their date, right in front of my face, for the entire one hour and forty-seven minutes of the film!”

“Who’s somebody?” Tokimitsu whispered.

“Probably Otoya,” Aryu whispered back.

“Oh, I do remember you!” Otoya said, snapping his fingers. “You came and yelled at me after the movie, too, right? That was funny.”

“Okay, guys, how about we all relax and get to the point of this meeting instead of squabbling over past grievances?” Reo interrupted before the argument could grow anymore heated. Satisfied that things were now under control, you ceased your cowering behind Tabito, though you did make sure to shove the last of the scones in your mouth before your best friend could ask where they had disappeared to.

“Fine by me,” Otoya said when your best friend did not respond. “Yo, you gonna sit down or what?”

“You guys can have your meeting without us, since I’m quite sure it’s not anything that we’ll be able to meaningfully contribute to. In the meantime, she and I will go and get a replacement drink for me,” you said.

As soon as the two of you were inside and out of earshot of the boys, she let out a wail. “I completely made an awful first impression on Reo Mikage!”

“I can’t lie, you definitely did,” you said. “But at least it was entertaining for the rest of us. Cheer up! There’s still Barou, Nagi, and Isagi, right? You have an entire list for a reason. Reo might be a wash, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up entirely.”

“You’re right, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. If only that lettuce-headed Otoya weren’t here! Things would’ve gone perfectly, but ruining my life must be a particular hobby of his,” she said.

“You might be better off if you pretend he’s not around,” you said. “How about this? We’ll get Tabito to set you up on a date with one of the others on your roster, and I’ll personally ensure that Otoya stays far, far away.”

“Thanks,” she said. “Here, I’ll pay for your drink, since I spilled it the first time.”

“Yeah, I was going to make you do that even if you didn’t offer.”

Upon your return outside, drinks and additional scones in hand, you were met with a larger group than you had left. Even more of the Blue Lock boys had appeared, and all of them were talking animatedly with one another.

“You’re Hyoma!” you said, taking a sip from your still-hot beverage, waving at your new friend’s little brother. “I sat with your sister at the game.”

“She’s mentioned you a couple of times. Said you thought I did well in the game,” Chigiri said, scratching the bridge of his nose shyly. “I really appreciate it. You’re Karasu’s girlfriend, right?”

“Yes! Thank you for knowing that!” Tabito said, snatching your drink from you and taking a swig, bursting into a coughing fit as it scalded his throat.

“That’s what you get,” you said, taking your drink back, blowing on it to cool it before taking the tiniest sip. “Alright, I know Isagi and Chigiri, but who’s the third one?”

“That’s Bachira,” Tabito said. “He’s a fascinating guy.”

“You know what we should do? Since all of us are together for the first time outside of Blue Lock, we should hang out!” Bachira said, rocking on his heels. 

“That’s good with me. Our meeting ended up not being that productive,” Yukimiya said.

“Mostly due to certain individuals,” Reo agreed, looking pointedly at Otoya.

“Me? Blame her!” Otoya said, pointing at your best friend, who was busy exchanging hair care tips with Aryu instead of putting the moves on Isagi, as you thought she might’ve. 

“Reo’s too much of a glam gentleman to blame a lady for anything,” Aryu said.

“What he said,” Reo agreed. “Though, again, I wouldn’t put it like that.”

“Where should we go?” Tokimitsu said. “I’m okay with anything.”

“Wait, what about Nagi? Isn’t he with you guys?” Reo said to Isagi, who hummed.

“He was supposed to meet up with us, but he overslept, and then he saw an arcade on the way, so he stopped in there,” Isagi said.

“Reo, I bet you have Nagi’s location on your phone at all times, right?” Bachira said. Reo nodded. “Then I say we use that to go and find him!”

“An arcade day does sound like a blast,” Yukimiya said.

“Thanks for the invite, but I think I’m going to stay back and spend the day with Y/N,” Tabito said.

“She can come, too!” Bachira said. “On one condition: she has to be my partner for rhyming ping-pong.”

“That’s a fair deal in my books,” you said. Ordinarily, you would have agreed with Tabito — a calm date with him was far more appealing than the prospect of going to an arcade with a bunch of soccer players — but above all else, you were a loyal friend, and you could hardly abandon your best friend when Reo, Nagi, and Isagi would all be present at this gathering.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to feel bad for me. I don’t mind missing out on hanging with these idiots. I see enough of them in Blue Lock as it is,” Tabito said.

“I’m offended,” Otoya said dryly. “What happened to bros before hoes?”

“Considering she’s his girlfriend and he’s liked her for going on six years now, I’d say she’s probably a bit more than a ‘hoe,’” Yukimiya said.

“I don’t feel bad for you, Tabito, so you can put that out of your mind. I haven’t gone to an arcade or played rhyming ping-pong in ages. It’ll be fun, I think,” you said, kicking him under the table and angling your chin towards Reo and Isagi ever-so-slightly. His mouth formed an ‘o’ in realization.

“Then I guess we’re off to the arcade,” he said. “Lead the way, Reo.”

“Follow me,” Reo said, holding up his phone, which displayed the elusive Nagi’s location on the screen.

You all must’ve appeared an odd group to any onlookers, but that didn’t stop any of you from enjoying yourselves as you weaved through the streets of Shibuya. You walked with Tabito, your hand intertwined with his like usual, both of you pointing out window displays you found appealing or ridiculous. Chigiri and Bachira hotly debated which arcade games were the best, Isagi doing his best to mediate while Otoya egged both of them on in turn. Reo and Yukimiya continued their discussion on the economics of Blue Lock from the earlier meeting, and Aryu described every single step he took in the shower to your best friend and Tokimitsu, both of whom were enthralled by the topic. All in all, it was a blend which should not have worked but somehow did, and more than simply working, it really excelled.

“There you are, pain-in-the-ass gamer prince!” Tabito cackled as everyone entered the arcade and saw Nagi sitting at one of the booths, controls in his hands and a small frown on his face as he gunned down his virtual enemies. Letting go of you, Tabito wrestled Nagi into a headlock, messing with his hair as Nagi whined in protest. “You’re going to lose all of your friends, you jerk!”

“Caught red-handed,” Reo said with a sigh. “Classic Nagi.”

“Now that we’ve found him, it’s time to party!” Bachira said, pumping his fist in the air. “Tokimitsu, let’s go play darts!”

“Okay!” Tokimitsu said.

“I’m heading over to the claw machine,” your best friend said. “Wanna come, Y/N?”

“Sure, I’ll cheer you on,” you said. “I’m pretty bad at it myself, so I won’t waste my money on my own attempts.”

Everyone dispersed throughout the arcade. Tabito, Otoya, and Aryu followed you and your best friend towards the claw machine, much to your best friend’s disgust — you were certain that she had been hoping Isagi, Nagi, or Reo would come with you, but all three of them were preoccupied with the darts competition Bachira had set up, leaving her to side-eye Otoya and stick to conversing only with Aryu. For his part, Aryu was happy to oblige her, as sticking close to your best friend had the double effect of cooling Tabito’s ire from earlier as well as alleviating the hostility between her and Otoya.

“This has got to be rigged!” your best friend said when her third attempt at trying to nab a panda plushie proved unsuccessful. On each attempt, right before she was able to drop the plushie into the chute, the claw would give out and it would fall back into the pile, leaving her out of money and patience.

“Move out of the way,” Otoya said. “Let me show you how the masters get it done.”

“You call yourself a claw-machine master?” you said. “What, do you practice or something?”

Otoya entered a token into the machine and shouldered past your fuming best friend, grabbing the controls with casual ease. “Girls love it when you win stuffed animals for them. Check out my flow!”

“I never put you down as someone with this type of functional glam,” Aryu said, pressing his face against the glass of the machine. “I sincerely repent for the underestimation!”

“You really are a master,” you breathed, doing the same, watching in astonishment as Otoya expertly maneuvered the plushie towards the chute.

“Stop shaking the machine, idiots, you’ll make him mess up,” Tabito said, pulling you and Aryu away from the glass by the back of your collars and holding you there until Otoya had retrieved his prize.

“Bam,” Otoya said, tossing the panda at your best friend. “Ninja skills.”

It hit her in the face and fell to the ground; with a withering glare, she stooped over and tucked it under her arm before stomping away.

“You better not find yourself anywhere near the dartboards! I’m warning you, I have a bad aim, so look out!” she threatened before disappearing, presumably to join in on Bachira’s tournament.

“Isn’t that just a self-insult?” Otoya said. “Sucking at darts is even worse than sucking at the claw machine, don’t you think?”

“She means she’ll hit you with the dart and you can’t blame her for it because she warned you, you dunce,” Tabito said, face-palming. “Come on, Y/N, let’s go see how the tournament’s going.”

The tournament seemed to have split into two sections. On the right side, Reo, Tokimitsu, Yukimiya, and your best friend were tossing darts at the board with precision and care, tallying up their scores and congratulating one another after each round. On the left, Nagi was standing in front of the board with his arms spread and his back to Bachira, Isagi, and Chigiri, who were gleefully taking turns throwing darts in his direction, talking about how this was his ‘punishment’ for standing them up.

“Who’s winning?” you said, right as Bachira sent a dart shooting towards the back of Nagi’s head. Nagi exhaled heavily.

“Sorry,” he repeated for the thousandth time.

“Do you think it’s even possible for someone to win in a game like that?” Tabito said. “Better to ask those guys.”

“I think Yuki is up right now,” Reo said in response to your unasked question. “Although Tokimitsu’s catching up. It’s super close. Could be anyone’s game.”

“Now that you’re here, Y/N, let’s go play rhyming ping-pong!” Bachira said.

“Who will we play against, though?” you said.

“Nagi, for one,” Bachira said.

“I don’t want to,” Nagi said. Bachira raised another dart, causing Nagi’s sleepy frown to deepen. “Okay, I will.”

“Then Tabito can be your teammate,” you said. 

“You’re challenging me?” Tabito said. “You’re going to regret that. Prepare to lose.”

“Bachira and I won’t let you get even a point, right, Bachira?” you said. 

“That’s right!” Bachira said, high-fiving you and charging forwards as the entire group headed over to the ping-pong table. Picking out four paddles from the rack, he handed one each to you, Tabito, and Nagi, keeping the last for himself and joining you on your side of the table.

“If we beat you, then you have to take me to the aquarium for our next date!” you said, brandishing your paddle at Tabito.

“Fine, but if we beat you, then you have to join me during my workouts for the rest of the break!” he said, tossing the ball up and down in the air.

“We have to crush them,” you said to Bachira. “If I have to workout with him, I’ll probably die.”

“Got it,” Bachira said, rolling his shoulders. “Ready when you are.”

“Nagi, get your head in the game,” Tabito said to his reluctant partner. “We need to win this. The aquarium is so creepy and unromantic! What kind of first date back from Blue Lock would that be? I need your talents, prodigy.”

“Okay,” Nagi said. “Are we starting?”

“Yeah, you can serve. Do you know how to play?” Tabito said.

“Not really,” he said.

“Whenever you hit the ball, you have to say a word that the other team can rhyme to, and when they return the serve, they have to come up with that rhyme and say it,” Bachira said. “Pretty easy, right?”

“It’ll be a simple win,” you said. “I’m first in the class for Modern Literature, so I know a lot of words.”

“Don’t underestimate Nagi,” Reo said. “He may look like little more than a typical idiot slacker, but he actually came second in our year without studying at all.”

“I’m so torn,” your best friend said. “Who do I root for?”

“Why’s it a question? Wouldn’t you want to root for your best friend?” Chigiri said. 

“You wouldn’t get it,” she said.

“Hmph,” Chigiri said. “Whatever.”

“Okay, are both sides ready?” Yukimiya said. He had been chosen to referee, mostly because he was the most impartial. All of you nodded, and he whistled. “Rhyming ping-pong, begin! Your serve, Nagi!”

“Um,” Nagi said, tossing the ball in the air and tapping it with his paddle. “Orange?”

Yukimiya whistled again. “Out! Y/N and Bachira are the winners!”

“What was that?” Tabito screeched.

“He must’ve gotten nervous in the face of Bachira and I’s combined prowess,” you said, tossing your hair.

“Not really. I just didn’t wanna play,” Nagi said. “There’s some good aquariums in Tokyo, Karasu. You can probably have a fun date there.”

“You’re the worst,” Tabito said. “I’m taking Chigiri next time. I bet he wouldn’t have picked orange as his first word!”

“I would’ve gone with bat,” Chigiri said.

“Ooh, and then I would’ve said cat!” you said. Bachira had vanished alongside Isagi and Reo, giving some excuse about karaoke before running out the door after them, leaving you standing alone across from the furious Tabito and lethargic Nagi.

“Maybe we should’ve teamed up,” Chigiri said to you. You winked and gave him a thumbs-up in assent.

“Can we go see what Reo and the others are doing?” Nagi said, limp in another one of Tabito’s headlocks, completely unbothered by the vulnerable position that he was being held in. 

“Bachira said they were going for karaoke,” you said. “Maybe we should find Otoya and Aryu before joining them, though.”

“How about just Aryu?” your best friend suggested, though her ideas went unheard.

“I’ll text them,” Yukimiya said.

“No need,” Otoya said, peeking his head into the door. “We’ve been looking for you guys for a while.”

“Such unglam conduct, disappearing like that,” Aryu said in disappointment.

“Sorry!” Tokimitsu yelped. 

“Since we’re all here now, we should be good to head to karaoke,” Yukimiya said.

“Karasu and I are going to do a duet,” Otoya informed everyone as you all followed the signs for the karaoke section of the building.

“Hell yeah,” Tabito snickered. “We’ll knock everyone’s socks off. They’re not ready.”

“What song?” Tokimitsu said.

“Something with a lot of belting,” Otoya said. 

“Please don’t,” your best friend said. “I didn’t bring ear plugs, and I do value my hearing.”

“Wait a second,” you said. “Hey, Tabito, Yukimiya — isn’t that Aiku from the U-20 squad?”

“Huh?” Tabito said.

“It is!” Yukimiya said. “He’s talking to Reo, Isagi, and Bachira, too. That’s unexpected.”

“Looks like the whole gang’s here, in fact,” Tabito said, cracking his knuckles and motioning towards the rest of the U-20 squad, who were glowering at the boys beside you as they approached.

“A fight?” Nagi said.

“Could be,” Otoya said, striking a ninja-pose that caused your best friend to dissolve into a fit of laughter, which he ignored completely. “I’m stoked.”

“Need backup, Isagi?” Yukimiya said, his hands in his pockets and a genial smile on his face. “We’ve got you.”

“Ah, but don’t expect anything from me!” you said, flashing them all a peace sign. “I’ll cheer for you from the corner, though.”

“A girl? Hello—” Aiku began, though he was immediately interrupted by Tabito.

“Nope, don’t even think about it,” he said. 

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” Aiku said. 

“What are you all doing here?” one of the U-20 boys, whose name you couldn’t recall, said.

“Likely the same thing as you,” Chigiri said.

“But in a more glam way, naturally,” Aryu added.

“The fuck? Don’t think I won’t mess you up, freak!” the U-20 player said.

“Freak?” Aryu said. “Say that again, I dare you!”

“How about we settle this over a game of bowling?” Aiku suggested. “That way, none of us get in trouble with our coaches for accidentally injuring ourselves.”

“Fine by us,” Yukimiya said. “We’ll beat you either way.”

“I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to watch you all pummel each other,” you agreed.

“Same,” your best friend said. “Though I wouldn’t mind too much if you roughed Otoya up a bit…”

“Hey!” the boy in question said.

“The ladies have spoken,” Aiku said. “Bowling it is!”

“Are you going to play?” Tabito asked you as you all trekked towards the bowling alley. 

“Nah, this is a feud between Blue Lock and the U-20 players. I’m just an onlooker,” you said.

“Aw, but you’re the bowling champion! We’d win for sure if we had you on our side,” he said. Going bowling had been a common event for both of your friend groups all throughout high school, so he had been privy to many a round in which you absolutely annihilated everyone else, demolishing him and his friends and yours alike with a careful, needle-like precision.

“You’re not half-bad yourself. Plus, who knows how good the others are? It’ll be alright. Go beat those U-20 boys again, and then let’s get out of here,” you said.

“Just us? Or do you mean everyone?” he said.

“Just us,” you said. “I’ve been downright helpful all day, so no one can begrudge me for being a little bit selfish and sneaking off with you. I’ll only do it if you win, though.”

That was a lie, but Tabito was the type who performed better under pressure. The thought that he might miss out on a date with you — especially one not at the aquarium — would be more than enough to drive him to bowling success.

“Y/N!” your best friend hissed to you as Tabito and the others went to check in at the counter. “Check it out! It’s Shoei Barou!”

“He’s bowling all by himself? Huh, that’s a little startling. The more you know, I guess,” you said. Privately, you had believed the intimidating Barou would have had similarly intimidating habits, like powerlifting, or beating up thugs in alleyways, or activities more along those lines, but of course, everyone had layers, so maybe you shouldn’t have assumed.

“It’s kind of cute, if I’m being honest,” she said. “Like, oh my gosh, you’re a friendless loner! I need you so badly.”

“There’s a lid for every pot,” you said, not at all seeing the appeal in that kind of person but having decided long ago that you were more glad than anything that you and she didn’t have the same taste in men — you had likely avoided many awkward situations in that way. “Well, what’s your plan? You’ve got Reo, Barou, Nagi, and Isagi all in one room. Who’re you going to go for?” 

“Let’s weigh the pros and cons. That should help us come to a proper conclusion,” she said.

“Got it. Cons: Reo finds you super immature for fighting with Otoya, Nagi doesn’t seem to care about you one way or another, Isagi is much more interested in hanging out with Bachira and Chigiri than trying to talk to you, and you haven’t even met Barou yet,” you said. She gulped.

“And, uh, the pros?” she said. You frowned.

“Uh…at least Nagi’s opinion of you isn’t bad?” you said. “And you haven’t had the chance to make a terrible impression on Barou yet.”

“That’s it?” she said.

“Sorry,” you said. “But kind of. It’s not looking good.”

“What do I do, then?” she said. “Is it time for me to give up on my dreams? Am I destined to be single forever? Will the closest I get to a wedding be in the form of attending yours as a bridesmaid?”

“Don’t be pessimistic,” you said. “There’s always Aiku. He seems like he’d take anything on legs for a date or two.”

In unison, you glanced over at Aiku. He, and Otoya for that matter, were talking to a pair of girls, who were hooked on their every word, irises sparkling as they listened to both boys flirt. You and your best friend exchanged looks.

“I’d rather die alone,” she said. 

“That kind of relationship wouldn’t last,” you affirmed. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask Tabito if he can introduce you to Barou. He’s likely your best bet at this point.”

“You might be right about that,” she said, following after you as you made your way towards where the ones not actively bowling were hanging out.

This, unfortunately, was a fatal mistake. The route took you past Otoya and Aiku, and, more importantly, the girls they were chatting with. One of them happened to catch a glimpse of you both, and she immediately gasped, shoving past Otoya to tap the two of you on our shoulders.

“You’re the girls from the edits!” she said. You winced at the murderous expressions on Aiku’s and Otoya’s faces.

“Yeah, we are,” you said.

“No way!” the other girl said to your best friend. “You and your boyfriend are my sister and her boyfriend’s profile pictures!”

“Boyfriend?” your best friend said. “I’m single, though?”

“The guy you gave the middle finger to at the Blue Lock vs U-20 match! Aren’t you two dating?” she said.

“No!” your best friend and Otoya said at the same time.

“Wait, I didn’t recognize you because of the hat, but you’re the confused player that she flipped off!” the girl said to Otoya. “Can we get a picture of the two of you together? We’re guaranteed to go viral if we can post something like that!”

“Oh, boy,” you said. “Aiku, you seem like a nice guy, so I’m going to advise you to run right about now.”

“What?” he said. 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” you said, darting off before you were caught up in the fallout that would accompany the request, not slowing your pace until you were safely over by Tabito and the rest, far away from the brewing situation.

“I think we’re going to do it!” Tabito said when he saw that you were once again at his side. “As long as Nagi is more motivated to bowl than he was to play rhyming ping-pong.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, that’s great,” you said. “Let’s go.”

“Right now?” he said.

“Right now,” you said.

“Did something happen?” he said.

“This bowling alley is about to turn into a war zone,” you said, gesturing over to where Otoya and your best friend were standing stiffly beside one another, the girl angling her phone to take as many photos of them as possible.

“Uh-oh,” he said. “See you guys later!”

“What? You’re already leaving?” Chigiri said.

“Yup, it was great to meet you all! Good luck in Blue Lock. Hope to see you again!” you said, sprinting towards the doors with Tabito, ducking out right as your best friend went off on a tirade about how Otoya needed to stay a ‘minimum of two bodies’ away from her at all times lest he ‘infect her with the green hair disease.’ “Phew.”

“We made it,” Tabito said. “Now what?”

“Now we do whatever we want,” you said, reaching up and kissing him softly. “No more worrying about everyone else. Let’s do something for just the two of us.”

“Finally,” he said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as you left the arcade behind. “I’ve been missing you for so long, and when I finally got you back, I had to share you with all of my dumbass teammates. Not fair.”

“I’m sorry,” you said. “It’s like Otoya said — bros before hoes.”

“Otoya’s a jackass,” he said. 

“True,” you said. “But enough about him. I want to hear about everything you did in Blue Lock, so that when you have to go back, I can imagine what you might be up to at any given moment and feel a little better.”

“Gross,” he said.

“You act as though you hate it, but I knew deep down you like it,” you said. He wrinkled his nose, though it did little to hide his prominent blush.

“Nah,” he said, drawing you impossibly closer to his side, as much to be affectionate as to prevent you from further exposure to the redness of his face. “I just like you.”

“Oh?” you said. “That’s good, because I like you, too.”

“I already knew that,” he said.

“Never mind,” you said. “If that’s the case, then I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” he said. You smiled, playing with his fingers as the two of you walked around the city with no destination in mind, no end goal but to enjoy each other’s company.

“No, I don’t.”

[purplehairedwonder]

I am all up in my feels about the first chapter from the new Law novel. (I read a translation here.) General reactions under the cut for spoilers:

This seems to be taking place fairly early into the Heart Pirates' career, as we start out with just the OG Four on the crew. And Hakugan is the first recruit.

Law already has a bounty of 80 million berries, and he has his epithet of "Surgeon of Death." Chalic also says he's going to take the title of Strongest in the North Blue from Law. Again, when the Hearts are still just four strong.

Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin originally all wore orange jumpsuits. It was Bepo's idea, and Shachi and Penguin were all in. Law is too particular about his own fashion so won't wear one (😂), but he's fine leaving the others to it to create a sense of unity in the crew. They're very proud of their jumpsuits!

We get one of my favorite tropes: Devil Fruit users going into the water. This, apparently, is the impetus for the Hearts to take on their sea-based combat abilities; they want to not only take on ships from above and below the surface but always be ready if Law goes into the water again. They love Law so much. I cry.

Hakugan is the one to rescue Law from the water, and he does it because he thought Law looked like a "hero of justice." Law scoffs because pirates are hardly "heroes of justice," but he also doesn't hate it either because it makes him think of, amusingly, of Sora (Law, you nerd), but also his parents. 😭

Law goes out of his way to help Hakugan and some fellow villagers who were kidnapped by a defeated pirate crew by bringing them home. Law says it's because he owes Hakugan for saving his life ("Life is give and take," which he learned from Wolf), but Hakugan calls him on it. Law, your kindness is showing again.

Law originally had a graded sword, Koshou, but it broke during his fight with Chalic, and he only had the hilt after going in the water. He's pretty heartbroken about losing the sword. Oh, Law. Always having what you love ripped from you.

When they reach Hakugan's home island (Welbems Island), it has nice weather, so Penguin and Shachi change into Aloha shirts. Hilarious, and also clearly a nod to Wolf.

Law, thinking of Corazon and Wolf, also refuses to let Hakugan (who wears his mask because he has a severe burn on his face from rescuing an old woman and her daughter from a fire) avoid visiting the village chief. He even ruffles Hakugan's hair at one point and encourages him. Softie.

Law spends the whole chapter trying to warn civilians that they are pirates and probably dangerous, and everyone looks at them and goes

Hakugan's parents were killed by pirates who are in control of part of the island, and Hakugan wants to avenge them. Law tells him not to get obsessed with revenge. Trafalgar Literal Hearts on His Sleeve Law. He does, at least, recognize his own hypocrisy as his desire for revenge just keeps growing.

Hakugan has a little sister, Nanagi, who reminds Law of Lami, and he teases her, which feels nostalgic. Just rip my heart out, why don't you. Nanagi gives Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin nicknames but just calls Law by his name; they have a little rivalry going, and it's adorable.

The Hearts spend three days at Hakugan's house, and Law spends his vacation reading medical books and practicing swordsmanship. Giant. Nerd.

Law actually laughs quite a few times in this chapter. There are a lot of really wonderful little character moments showcasing how close the OG Four really are.

Looks like Law will meet Kikoku next chapter.

It's been way too long since Law appeared in the manga, so it's good to get some fresh Law content. That was a lot of fun, and I'm excited for the next chapter!

[xjulixred45x]

Yandere! Demon King! Rin Okumura x reader

BIG SPOILERS FROM THE MANGA!!! DONT READ THIS IF YOURE NOT UPDATE!!

Keep reading under Your own risk!!

Now, a little background because this idea came to my head when I was rereading the manga for the third season of Blue Exorcist.

Remember the alternate reality if the Maga had leaked and many of the protagonists had died? When we have the two-year Time Skip, Rin is something like a terrorist on the side of the demons(along with other Things, but this is the Main Focus).

Can you imagine what it would be like to have this Rin as a Yandere?

Obviously he's not as harmless or innocent as the canon one, not at all, if he can already kill humans without blinking on a normal day, being a Yandere for someone definitely triggers all these aggressive impulses TO THE MAX.

I like to think that the object of this Rin's obsession/adoration would probably be his partner before the whole Maga incident happened, and that he just started to develop yandere tendencies as an early response to the trauma.

reader in this case I really didn't see anything wrong with this precisely because they was also traumatized by the incident (and potentially orphaned, like many, so Rin is the ONLY person they have left. Codependency).

although I don't rule out the possibility that Rin could become obsessed with someone after the Maga incident!

I see more likely an obsession with someone or 1- that he is very innocent and correct, just wanting to isolate them from the world and protect them from the Cross. or 2- someone very competent and who has morals clearly contrary to the cross, precisely because they would understand each other better in this universe.

although it doesn't matter how Rin meets his partner, he is definitely much more brutal when it comes to protecting them 💀 you already saw what he did to the girl of the Cross (Michael), if someone tried to do something to his partner he would definitely set them on fire. or decapitate them. whatever comes first through his mind.

he is VERY overprotective, probably reader@ is isolated in some hideout that Rin has out of the reach of the Order, and they are constantly guarded by demons, so escaping is a big NO NO.

If by chance, reader, he managed to get out of hiding, I highly doubt he would get far, Rin would find them with the giant snake and take them back to the hiding place.

Ironically, the little demons can be both allies and enemies. Some are mischievous and like to play matchmaker between Reader and Rin (tangling them together, pushing them into hugs) and others genuinely don't think much of what they do.

Rin can control them to take care of Reader when he's not around, doing things like bringing them comics to entertain themself, bringing them food, even acting like house cats and asking for cuddles.

There are demons that even show favoritism towards Reader and have helped them out of hiding several times (sometimes the other demons have given them away, sometimes they haven't).

...but at this point it's just to get some fresh air. Even waiting for Rin to arrive on the porch.

The first time it happened, Rin was pretty freaked out. Then he cried with happiness and hugged Reader for an hour.

Unlike the original Rin, Demon King Rin is not as delusional and is much more aware of the situation and how bad it is, he falls more into the category of a repentant yandere but who would not let go of his obsession. He simply cannot risk it. He has lost so much already. Let him have this.

Despite everything, he treats his partner very well! He constantly brings them gifts, he cooks for them himself (he even remembers how to cook thanks to them), and from time to time they even read books/manga together!!

It is one of the few moments where he does not have to remember the kind of world they live in, and in what situation it all started.

(This Rin would definitely be more than capable of causing a Blue Night if his partner is taken away from him, do not try it).

I don't think Rin (not even this one) is capable of hurting his partner, but he's definitely more than capable of scaring them, whether it's coming home with blood on his clothes or even taking them on one of his escapades. It's not nice to hear him burn people alive.

DK! Rin has a lot of nightmares, so maybe the only thing he really forces his partner to do (aside from living and hiding with him) is sleeping in the same bed. It's almost...sad. Listening to him talk to people in his dreams and wake up crying.

Ironically he's a lot calmer when he and reader are in fields or abandoned places, he can even be convinced to get the demons out of the area and play with them.

And they probably do this quite often, when everything is too much, or when Rin finds someone from the past in the city. He NEEDS this. A moment of disconnection and comfort. A moment of tranquility...and love.

seeing the reader smile and play, having fun, smiling at you... is enough.

If you make slimes with your eyes . It is eerily domestic...

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

@trancylovecraft i think You might like this 👀

[animentality]

As fan of Bachira and Shidou & Sae, do you love them since the first moment you saw them or as time goes on? Until now, what are your top 5 favorite moments from Blue Lock?

The second I saw Bachira, I knew I loved him. He has the most iconic intro of all time, kicking Igaguri in the face like that.

You know immediately that he's playful, violent, kind of a dick...and he's got the right idea.

Assisting Isagi too, when he didn't have to...saving him from elimination...while also being batshit insane, for almost eliminating himself... seriously the best character intro ever.

Just so unique. I absolutely adored him the second I saw him.

As for Sae... I didn't know him enough to really love him instantly... I did like how cunty he was though! I loved how he was like... I hate Japan. None of you are worthy of my presence or my passes.

That was funny to me.

And I knew I'd like him as a villain (he just had those vibes).

As for Shidou, well... I was spoiled on his existence early. I knew who he was.

I was just excited to see him.

It was love at first sight, I just saw him before I ever read him organically in the manga.

But I love those three goobers.

Anyway. Top five moments:

Shidou's super goal. Holy fuck. Most iconic moment in all of Blue Lock. Plus his celebration + him leaping on Sae's back.

Bachira's solo goal against Team V. Just. So epic for him, and badass as hell. He's the only reason they won, I'm telling you.

Bachira's awakening + backstory. Made me so emotional...still does. Letting Isagi go...finding his own ego again...AAAAARGH.

Shidou's penalty kick. The beginning of the epic RyuSae romance.

Isagi refusing to leave Bachira behind... and Bachira getting stolen by Rin later...

Like damn.

Everything before NEL was so peak, but...those moments... ugh.

Honorable mentions:

Chigiri letting go of his fear and outrunning the Wanimas, Shidou trying to kill Rin, Shidou and Sae's first meeting, Barou devouring Isagi's light, the entire Team V match, Reo crying as he realized he wasn't the one to change Nagi, Rin beating his brother, Barou yanking his shirt off...ah.

I miss when this series was peak. I really do.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Characters Voice Our Frustrations

March 2023 Wk 2

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Bed Friend (Sat YT, GaGa & iQIYI uncut) ep 4 of 8 - I love these two so much. King is so utterly in love with this boy. I like that this is one of the first BLs I’ve ever seen where sex is depicted as a coping mechanism. Is it healthy? No..ooo..? But it is different. It is phenomenal to see King depicted as sensitive enough to realize that something is wrong with Uea, despite his desire. (FYI all the triggers on this show forever, I’m gonna stop naming them now) 

A Boss and a Babe (Fri YouTube) ep 2 of 12 - The flirting is cute. The stalking is not. There’s a Kdrama tone to this pair’s dynamic. I don’t know why I feel that way, I just do. I mind it less this week than I did last week. Cher is a funny, kindly chatterbox and a FIERCE flirt. But not a tease, as it turns out. His poor boss does not stand a chance. Interesting pacing, this is awfully early for a kiss in a Thai BL. I like GMMTV doing these generational discussions around gayness and society, even if this version is more on the nose than Moonlight Chicken.  

The Promise (Thai WeTV & YT) ep 2 of 10 - I’m still enjoying it but I want there to be a good reason for parting with no contact for 10 YEARS, but I do not trust Thai narratives to satisfy in this regard. A drunk kiss is NOT a good enough reason. Oh HI BOSS! (What’s Zabb Man) you so pretty, I like the earrings. 

Tin Tam Jai (Tues Gaga & iQIYI) ep 2 of 12 - Oo. There’s only one bed trope. Also queer over achiever expectations. I’ve only seen DBK address this one. Well done little pulp. The tsundere seme admitting that baby boi was his security blanket was so flipping cute. But this show is leaning into taboo stepbrother stuff. So if that wigs you out, avoid. I, however, am enjoying it. Queer fam and local neighborhood kid dynamic is cute. This is more slice of life than drama, not much is happening, but I’m okay with it. 

Pastsenger (Thai Weds Gaga) 1 of 12 eps- Stars Marc (My Gear & Your Gown) and Cooper (My Engineer) in a time travel paranormal that smacks of HIStory 5. Sunshine 90s kid travels to 2022, goes to university, encounters grumpy nerd. I cannot STAND the music. Pratfall... into intentional kiss? That’s new. Of course it’s a dream. I like the 90s mentality and language rep, but I’m not sold on the show. 

Chains of Heart (Sat iQIYI) ep 4 of 10 - I guess we got the backstory? Did it explain stuff? Sort of. This is still a pretty incomprehensible show. And then a random cute (+ ALL the BL tropes) date, and then “but actually I am still in love with my dead lover.” I’m so confused by characters, plot, pacing... everything. 

Our Winter (Thai & Korea YT & TikTok under ThaiMiniSeries) eps 10-11 of 14 - they remain as TutorYimmy in the snow as they are out of it. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Dating Sim (Korea Thurs Viki) eps 1-2 of 8 - THIS SHOW IS GOING TO RUIN MY LIFE IT’S SO GOOD. Reunion romance featuring popular smart boy + shy art queer. It’s ridiculously adorable. What do I do? It’s SO CUTE. 

All the Liquors (Korea Thurs Gaga & Viki) eps 3-4 of 8 - I like the shy chef with the crush, but I wish we knew why he doesn’t want to sell booze. 

Jack o’Frost (Japan Fri GaGa) ep 4 of 6 - Jealousy + manic pixie dream boy + pregnant pauses + great acting = Japan doing its thing. 

It’s Airing But ...

Love Syndrome (Thai Sat WeTV) ep 2 of 10 - I’m just not into any aspect of it (except fucking Lee Long Shi and I can watch him in Tin Tem Jai) saving to binge if the ending is okay. 

Blue Sky Complex (Japan ???) 5 eps for VR - Kei Ichikawa's manga is getting a JBL adaptation. Weird distribution though, it started Feb 27 sequentially on 360 Channel (SHOCHIKUch) a VR video distribution service. Will inter-fans ever get to see this, and if it’s filmed for VR will it adapt without being overly dark and fuzzy? I have questions. But as usual, you do you Japan and we will wait (im)patiently to see if you remember the rest of the world exists. This is my preferred kind of live action yaoi, so fingers crossed:

Boyband (Thai) ep 2 of 10 - Stopped airing on YouTube, and only available in Thailand & Japan. Not sure if they’re working a distribution deal or just fucking with us.

Cafe In Love (Thai ???) 10 eps on Ch3+ - Thai pulp, about trying to save a coffee shop. FairyGodBLer came through for me, but I’m collecting to binge just in case. It’s my new policy with the grey stuff.

Destiny Seeker (Tues WeTV Thailand) 10 eps - it’s not on any WeTV I can get ahold of. Bad Buddy the pulp rebirth meets Japanese handsome host club action. Same as above.

Heesu In Class 2 (Korea Thurs unknown, I check Viki Gaga iQIYI & WeTV nada) - A gay(er) version of Sex Education. I’m still not sure this one is actually happening.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Tomorrow: Future (Thai Sun YouTube & Gaga?) 5 eps - Based on a y-novel by Faddest (En of Love - yeah I didn’t know that was based on a novel, either). About, you guessed it, an engineering student and a dentist. Maybe this will be the FOTS we were all hoping for? Fuse (the engineering student) is played by Boom from the En of Love and is kinda the same character (Field). I think we can expect this one to be soft, it’s from the 21 Day Theory people. (maybe March 19 international)

3/14 A Shoulder to Cry On (Korea Tues Viki & Gaga) 7 eps (?) - Adaptation of Dongmul's manwha, high school set, features a teasing confident gay, and a rich/poor pairing, about homophobia/gossip putting a scholarship in jeopardy. Star idols Jaehan & Yechan BOTH from OMEGA X, a first for the industry.

3/17 Unintentional Love Story (Korea Fri iQIYI) 8 eps? - Ji Won Young is intent on winning over the heart of Yoon Tae Joon as he's the boss's favorite artist. Stars idol Gongchan (maknae of B1A4).

Full list of upcoming in March 2023 is here.

2023 forthcoming BL master post. (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

The Department of You Said It For Us:

You speak for ALL OF US honey. (Am I the only who keeps seeing KarnNut in these roles?) The Promise 

I’d put in the gif but the giffmaking children of tumblr are sadly lacking in the unfettered genius that is Grosse Pointe Blank. 

Chains of Heart reviewing itself. 

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

GMMTV continues its 2023 Apology Tour. (Boss & Babe) 

King (Bed Friend) might be stealing Consent King title from Win. 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? Hidden Side from HWANG MIN HYUN (aka Minhyun of Nu’est & Wanna One RIP) - with few exceptions I’m not usually into the visual, but this is a terribly catchy song. And the poor thing has been awfully unlucky with his groups, maybe his solo and acting career will take off? 

[sunfloo-wers]

four for the character questions?

OK OK OK OK FOUR

(I'm so tempted to make this about the Colors too, and do like 5 different ones (one for Four, one for each Color, but we'll see how it goes)

favorite thing about them

I can't pick between character design and personality sooooo

I really like the tunic, I know it's a color pallet nightmare and shouldn't work, but it makes him visually stand out against the greens and blues of most of the chain, which I think is fun! (also pretty colors) (and smol)

From a personality/characteristics view point, I really like the complexities with his character! It's really difficult to see him as a 2d character, because of the Colors, which I think is really fun! Stick four different, but still somewhat flat sometimes (as is their point kinda), characters together and you get the real humanity of a fully fleshed out person unavoidable in the character!

least favorite thing about them

Hmmmmm, this is difficult because I love the little guy, but I'd have to sayyyyyyyy... drawing the bangs/headband thingey? from a purely selfish point of view, because I do like how they look, and it's a fun way to differentiate character designs, they're just so hard to drawwwww

favorite line

Not really a line, but when he just fucking cackles in Dawn pt4 when Wars says "I think you ought to practice some teamwork. It could use some improvement."

brOTP

hmmmmmm, I'm very fond of Four and Dot's platonic relationship, but I'll get into that more in a later section soooooooo

In the chain at least I think Four and Wind are cool because of the underestimation bondings be it because of age, or babyface/height, or just being the small ones! Although, Four and Sky is also a really nice dynamic... AND the Four and Legend one is real fun, both because their personalities work very well together, and the whole Palace of the Four Sword angst potential >:3

Honestly I could speak towards any sort of within the chain relationship and can't pick just one :(((((

OTP

Four and Shadow, I am nothing if not predictable (more specifically Vidow because of the manga, but BlackSmith (or whatever the Four and Shadow ship name is) is fun too!). They're just adorable and horrible okie? :3

nOTP

I'm just generally not a big fan of romantic Four and Dot, no disrespect to people who do like it, but I think they're better as besties! Like, I think MC!Link at least was very young (and FS(A)!Link was also fairly young I think, but more of an early-middle teen than like 8 or 9), so romance was probably the last thing on his mind, just "I gotta save my best friend!"

And! They've known each other since they were children because their parents were friends and Hyrule Town is a fairly small town, no? This could be argued towards a friends-to-lovers plot line technically, but I just automatically file "known each other as kids" under "a subsection of siblings" because of my own experiences (and the aroaceness) sooooooooooo... yeah...

random headcanon

Colors: I think Red and Blue bake stuff together a lot and give it out to the rest of the people of Hyrule Town for fun, or maybe they open a bakery! (this is all after the events of lu, or before I guess)

Four specifically: I really like the idea that he keeps a journal/diary. Writes down everything type journal. This is a fairly popular head cannon I think (maybe????) so for an out of left field one have... uhhhh...

He goes crazy for raspberries. Sure why not, that feels like it weirdly works for some reason

unpopular opinion

I don't think I really have that many unpopular opinions (unless something else here is that) buuuuuuut, maybe something about him being at least a little morally grey? Like, I get heros and all that jazz, but like... let him be at least a little morally grey hmmm?

I guess that's not really unpopular, I just see "hero character is good' and think, how about no, not exactly, and for him it works!

song i associate with them

Okay, I don't have one for Four, couldn't find one in the "all o' it" playlist, but I did find one for Vidow so I hope this suffices:

Little Soldiers by The Crane Wives

(I am nothing if not a puppet for the Little Soldiers Renchantyn propaganda, and it has only made me realise it kinda works for these two as well)

favorite picture of them

As you've probably assumed by now, I cannot pick just one sooooo:

He's so little, so very smol, and the overhead pov just makes It so much more apparent hehhe (also angy little guy)

This one is just hilarious due to the context, another iteration of little guy

and these two because they are new and we all love them :P

(all art credit to Jojo over at @/linkeduniverse of course)

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

This was really fun thank you so much for sending it in! :D

[snippychicke]

Deal with the Devil Part Three!

Again, tumblr mobile.makes formtting a bit challenging, so I will spruce if up later on. For now enjoy the fluff, and hint of spice!

I did mention Iruma is a few years younger in this than in the anime/manga, right?

Near

You woke up early, only briefly disoriented to the much larger room than your own.

Despite not sleeping in your own home, your own bed, you surprisingly slept well. Back on Earth, you had always had trouble sleeping anywhere but home, but… the manor felt just as safe and familiar as your cottage.

And either the imps or Opera had somehow not only washed and dried your clothes from the day before, but had also set out a wide array of clothes that weren't from your home, yet looked like they would fit you as well as your style. You had a feeling Sullivan might have had a hand in it as well, though instead of the worry and guilt that usually nagged you anytime the demon lord tried to shower you with gifts, you felt… touched. Someone had taken note of your preferences and built a whole wardrobe from it.

Once dressed, you were anxious to check on Iruma. You had encouraged him to find you if needed through the night, and honestly had expected him to wake you. After all, you could only imagine how traumatizing the last day had been for him.

Yet a peek into the room gifted to the young boy showed him fast asleep, little more than a blue spot amongst the giant plush bed. You leaned against the doorframe, a smile on your face as you watched him sleep. There was something heartwarming in watching him sleep, looking even younger as he cuddled the stuffed animal Sullivan had grabbed from somewhere.

You couldn't help but think about how much Sullivan was going to spoil him. Anything he wanted would soon be his, if the way Sullivan treated you was any indication. And really, you had a feeling Iruma deserved to be spoiled just from talking to him yesterday. How was it that this small boy had quickly wormed his way into your heart in so few hours after meeting?

"My two favorite humans both in one place," Sullivan spoke softly as he appeared behind you, giving you little warning before his arms wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you against his chest as he rested his chin on the top of your head. "Oh! And look at our little boy! He just looks so adorable!"

You blushed both at his words and his touch. You had offered rather impulsively to assist Sullivan to raise Iruma, though Sullivan had eagerly accepted before you could reconsider. Yet even after having time to consider, you still wanted to. Both for Iruma's sake, and, honestly, to have more reason to be around Sullivan. No longer just a neighbor or a friend. But something… more.

It was how much more you wanted that scared you.

"You're going to be such a great mother," Sullivan continued, his voice becoming lower as he held you a fraction tighter. He cupped your chin and tilted your head to look upwards at him, making you remember acutely how tall and powerful he was as he looked down at you with a smile that wasn't quite as gentle as normal.

A smile that sent thrills shooting down your spine and pool in your lower abdomen. At least you weren’t the only one who wanted more out of this relationship.

Scribbles

You sat on the playroom floor with Iruma, both of you enjoying a break from your attempts to homeschool him and instead took time to draw.

He was too young to attend Babyls, and while there were classes for young demons, you and Sullivan agreed that it would be best at first to help Iruma adjust to his new home before he was surrounded by demons who didn't know his origins.

Or rather, Sullivan happily agreed when you said as much. And who better to explain demon customs than you who had been slowly adjusting to the world for the last few months? Things that might have been overlooked by those overly familiar with this world and not Earth.

Besides, you knew Iruma needed time to adjust to his new life before being thrown into the chaos that was school. To go from being ladened with responsibilities far too large for his wiry shoulders to being allowed to be a child was a large enough change.

Granted, he was handling it well… perhaps a little too well as he agreed to do whatever you offered. As if he was truly unable to say no.

He hadn't shed a tear either that anyone had noticed. And it worried you.

"Ma'am?" Iruma broke the silence after a moment. "May I ask a question?"

"Of course," you smiled. He was so overly polite, even to Sullivan who already had the boy calling him papa. At first it had been a bit stilted and awkward (again, raising concerns about his inability to say no) but had now grown almost natural.

"Papa said you're his special friend, what does that mean exactly?" His question caught you breath, surprising you. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice as he continued to color. "It's just, you two seem so close, but you don't want me to call you mom or anything, so…"

Your stomach twisted as you tried to swallow the sudden lump in your throat. "We are close," you agreed, remembering how Sullivan had begun to flirt with you in honesty. Those once innocent touches now anything but as they lingered. The look in his eyes when he smiled at you had a new kind of glint in them that made your heart flutter.

You yearned for more, to be honest, but were too nervous about taking that next step.

You pushed those thoughts away and focused on the boy. "It's not that I don't want you to call me mom. But, I don't want you to feel indebted to call me anything besides my name. I mean, it's been just a few days since…'' His parents sold him to a literal demon. "...since you came to live here. I know you agreed to Sullivan adopting you, but…"

If he loved his biological parents and missed them, you didn't want to step on that. You were familiar with the notion that children would love parents no matter how badly they were treated.

His blue eyes darkened slightly as he paused. "My parents sold me, you don't need to imply anything else. Honestly, when papa offered to be my dad, I figured he couldn't be any worse.” It about broke your heart to hear the child talk like that, with such lack of feeling, the dark expression in his eyes proving he was already acquainted with the darkness that you had ran from when you had made your own deal.

But as quick as it came, it changed as he smiled, darkness chased away by the happy light in his eyes. “And I was right. He's a lot better than my real dad. And you're like what I wished my mom was like."

Oh, your heart. It felt like it was being crushed to death the same time it was splitting from being so full of love and sympathy. You reached over and touched his cheek, offering him a reassuring smile. "To be honest, I couldn't imagine a child better than you. If you want to call me mom, you certainly can."

“Really, you wouldn’t mind?”

You chuckled as you ruffled his hair. “Of course not. It would be an honor, if anything.”

Later on, Iruma finished and held up his picture proudly, which made your heart skip. A little blue haired stick figure between a much taller purple figure that had to be Sullivan and one that was unmistakable as yourself, with Opera by Sullivan's otherside, and the manor in the background.

You couldn't resist. You pulled the boy into a hug much like Sullivan did, with tears in your eyes. "It's beautiful. Sul… Papa is going to be overjoyed when he sees it."

Crash

Sullivan didn't exactly mean for this to happen. After all, he was the kind of demon to have things planned out, and seducing you slowly had been working splendidly. Watching you grow flustered and acting as if you weren't affected was so amusing and attractive.

But not nearly as attractive as watching you become a mother to Iruma. He wasn't sure exactly what it was about you tending to the young boy that was so alluring, but it was. It made his chest ache in both love and yearning watching you fuss over him. The adoring smile. Reading Iruma a bedtime story before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

He mimicked your gesture, wishing the boy a good night before following you out in the hallway. He wasn't about to say anything regarding the fact you had all but moved into his home, taking a guest room not far from Iruma’s.

And not far from his own either.

"Do I get a goodnight kiss too?" He couldn't help but tease as you reached your door.

He expected you to laugh and wave him off as he tapped his cheek. Not blush and bite your lip, as if honestly thinking about the idea.

Not that he was going to complain. He closed his eyes in giddy anticipation, just imagining what it would be like to have your lips pressed against his skin, if even for a brief moment.

Nothing could have prepared him for you leaning up to cup his cheek, tilting his head just slightly before pressing your lips against his. A long soft press, but it stole his breath away and fanned the fire within him.

After a long moment that was over way too soon, you pulled away with the faintest sigh. His eyes opened to gaze into yours, heart beating rapidly at the expression he saw in them. How they contrasted so beautifully with the darkened color of your face as you blushed.

"Was that okay?" You whispered after another pause.

Was it okay? Devi, it was more than he had hoped for, but at the same time it had caused his chains of self restraint to loosen, waking his hunger.

His smile was more than a little wicked as he stroked your face, taking great delight in watching you react. "Oh, my darling," he crooned softly as he stepped closer, backing you up against the door of your room. "That was more than okay. But you should be careful with a kiss like that, or I may get the wrong idea."

You shivered beneath his touch, swallowing hard. He could see the vein in your next flutter as your heart likely pounded.

He needed to back off. His slow game was paying off, and he couldn't rush you. But you smelled so wonderful, your already delightful human scent mixed with excited arousal. He wanted to bury himself in it, in you.

While he was struggling to control himself, you licked your lips, making them glisten in the light. "And… and what if I'm giving you the right idea?"

Devi and deities, did you realize what you were doing to him by offering yourself like that?

There was no amount of restraint that could keep him from leaning down and chasing the gleam on your lips with his own. You tasted divine, and left his mind spinning in a haze of greed and lust as you leaned into his kiss, willingly opening your mouth to him.

His hands drifted to yours, his fingers lacing between your own as he pinned your hands against the door on either side of your shoulders. Pinned. Caged. But oh so willing. Eager, even, as you returned his kiss and arched into him.

Sullivan groaned against your mouth, his thoughts becoming hazier the more he kissed you. His sweet little human, so accepting of his affection and those soft little noises every time you tried to catch your breath.

He wanted more. Needed more.

A faint noise made Sullivan freeze, his eyes opening and scanning for whoever would interrupt this moment.

Only to see little Iruma, blue eyes wide in surprise before the boy turned and retreated quickly back into his room.

"The joys of having children," you groaned in fond exasperation, confirming you had seen the boy as well.

Having children. He was still overjoyed you had offered to raise the boy with him. His son, your son.

The first of his children with you.

"We should go check on him," you continued after a moment, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his lips, far different from the heated kisses from before.

Sullivan was greedy for all of them. Heated kisses, soft kisses. Little pecks on the cheek.

He had caught you, and he was not going to let you go.

Together

Sullivan was all but hovering behind you as you returned to Iruma's room. Your heart was still pounding in your chest, your face still uncomfortably warm.

Stars, you just meant to give him a quick kiss. To try and give him the same teasing treatment he had been torturing you with these last few days. All those lingering touches, that soft yet husky voice when he was talking to you.

But how could you refute his challenge? The burning desire in his eyes. "Oh, my darling," he crooned softly as he stepped closer, backing you up against the door of your room. "That was more than okay. But you should be careful with a kiss like that, or I may get the wrong idea."

There was no backing down from that. It was virtually an invitation that you could not, would not, refuse.

And you did not regret it in the least bit, even with your body humming with desire as you knocked gently on Iruma's door.

The boy opened it after a moment, those wide blue eyes so innocent.

But also worried.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I… I didn't mean to interrupt."

"There's no need to apologize, my boy," Sullivan reassured as he knelt down. "If anything I should apologize if I scared you, as it was not my intention."

You frowned, wondering what kind of look Sullivan had shot the boy while you had struggled to reign in your breathing.

"Did you want something, dear?" You asked, learning early on to ask Iruma if he wanted something and not if he needed anything. Because at the ripe age of eight, he thought he needed nothing.

The boy blushed and scratched his head nervously. "I just… there was a scary screeching noise from outside and it spooked me. That's all."

Your heart ached, knowing exactly how terrifying the noises were at night in the Netherworld. And yet he was acting as if the whole debacle was him just being silly.

Sullivan reacted before you, picking the boy up and holding him against his hip. "No need to fret, my little Iruma. Papa will protect you, promise."

Oh. To see Sullivan being doting warmed your heart. And Iruma simply melted against him, soaking in the affection and comfort as if starving for it.

Which, unfortunately, he probably was.

You stepped close and brushed his hair reassuringly. "You're safe here," you echoed Sullivan's words softly. "Between papa Sullivan and Opera, nothing will get inside these walls."

"Promise?" Iruma asked softly.

"Absolutely," you assured without hesitation. "But if it would make you feel better, you could stay with me for the night. A little sleep over?"

“You wouldn’t mind if I slept between you and papa?” he asked, making your heart stop. You couldn’t meet Sullivan’s gaze, though you felt it as he watched you intently, waiting to see how you answered.

“Not at all,” you answered almost automatically, distantly wondering why you were saying that and not correcting him. “If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do.”

Iruma nodded his head softly, resting it against Sullivan’s chest as he relaxed into the demon’s embrace. He looked so small and young at that moment, making your heart melt. Without even thinking, you looked up at Sullivan. His expression conveyed everything you felt; he cared as deeply as you did for your newly adopted son.

Yet there was a gentle smolder in his eyes as his gaze met yours, assuring you that he hadn’t forgotten earlier events. Yet, right now little Iruma took precedence.

***

Sullivan barely slept that night. Instead, he spent the hours watching you and Iruma sleep, the boy happily nestled amongst the covers between you. For part of the night, you had one arm slung over the boy almost protectively, the other stretched towards Sullivan.

He had taken your hand, relishing in the warmth of it, how small and delicate it was compared to his own.

Everything he wanted was right here at this moment, and he wasn’t going to waste a moment of it sleeping.

[cozage]

A few people have asked…

So here’s the 2.5 things that I didn’t love about the OPLA

[SPOILERS FOR OPLA BELOW]

Again, just to reiterate: I LOVED the Live Action. It was beautiful, lovely storytelling. Everyone involved put everything they had in it and you can really see that.  But there were some changes that I didn’t think were justified, and they were both in Arlong Park.  

1. The Cocoyasi Village Residents genuinely hating Nami. In the manga and anime it’s very heavily implied (and maybe outright said? I can’t remember) that the residents of Cocoyasi Village are AWARE that Nami is trying to save their town. They only act like they hate her to try and get her to stop sacrificing herself. I’m not entirely sure why the call to change that was made, but it made me really sad the way Nojiko treated her in the OPLA (especially after seeing the moment in the manga where she tells Nami that “tattoos are just decoration; they don’t actually mean anything!”). A lot of the decisions to cut scenes with young Nami and Nojiko (and just young Nami in general) really took the punch out of her backstory. 

2. Garp and Koby meeting up with Luffy in the East Blue. I actually REALLY loved the Garp/Koby/Helmeppo storyline up until the last moment. I think it added to the world building and showed us very early on how the World Government is morally questionable and how the world operates. It also helped close the gap of how Koby and Garp got to know each other and how he falls under his command. I really enjoyed following them along for the ride. Until Cocoyasi Village. There was something about that moment that felt…off? I don’t even know why. Maybe it was because Garp has NEVER approved of Luffy being a pirate. He knows Luffys resolve, but he would never say “I was testing you to make sure you wanted this path” and then basically grant his blessing. I know there had to be some kind of resolution between them, but I didn’t like the way it ended. I wish it had been more like the Water 7 moment. Garp felt far too serious the entire time (the only time i really remember him laughing was when Luffy fired the cannonball back at the marine ship).

Impel Down spoilers

2.5 This is so small but we KNOW that Buggy cannot travel without his feet (unless I’m misremembering?). He has a range and cannot move out of it. So his head hitching a ride to the Baratie is just so canon-breaking it HURT ME. I know it’s unlikely we’ll ever make it to Impel Down for that to be a problem (I genuinely think Skypiea would probably be the last arc the LA could cover, but Water 7/Enie’s Lobby could be done if the budget was big enough) but it just BOTHERED ME. WHY. WHY DID THEY DO THAT. I know there’s ways to fix it (maybe he can’t MOVE after a certain range, but can still be carried?) but STILL. 

That’s really it, honestly. I know a lot of people had gripes about Usopp and Syrup Village, but I liked the changes. I never felt like Usopp was overshadowed (plus, background character is the way he likes it honestly, keeps him away from danger). I liked that Kaya was so welcoming and a part of the bigger storyline, and I loved the way it took place in the mansion instead of on the beach. I was OBSESSED with the way they did the Baratie, Sanji’s interactions, Mihawk's reasoning for going to the Baratie, and how he left Zoro and Luffy. 

I. ATE. UP. the zolu content during the Baratie and Nami/Zoro sibling dynamic really coming out there. Oda approved the absolute BEST changes during Baratie specifically, hes so real for that. 

I’m going to watch it again with my family, maybe I’ll feel differently after I rewatch.  Again it’s imperative you guys understand I ADORED this show, and I NEED a season two IMMEDIATELY. It was fantastic and if you haven’t watched it, go do that right NOW. 

[chiarrara]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

Oh my gosh this is impossible, I like too much and I'm the most indecisive motherfucker. I actually agonized over this, like this is so broad I was trying to think of everything I've ever liked, and what do you mean by favorite, and do I like the story because of the characters or the narrative, and how much do I like them now vs. how much I used to like them. I was doing way too much.

Basically, this is a list (loosely ordered) of my favorite characters (probably) right NOW, either based in recency bias, or in their lasting ability to remain a favorite years later A.K.A. characters that altered my brain chemistry because I'm insane about them:

Yuri Plisetsky - Yuri!!! On Ice

Yuri Plisetsky is my favorite of all time. If the rest of the list isn't quite in order, he's still at the top every time. There are some characters that just click for you and he's one of them. You're gonna start seeing a pattern here with some of these characters so it might just be that I have a type, but either way I love him like he's me. I love to put him in situations. I love to explore his character. I love to imagine his future. And I love his lil face. He's just so determined, and so angry, and I adore him and all his flaws.

2. Otabek Altin - Yuri!!! On Ice

Now listen, he's not a major character, he doesn't have a lot of screen time, but he made a huge, huge impact. It's not a coincidence that I love Yuri P so much, Otabek is so high because of Yuri P. But ultimately, he's one of my all time favorites because of a version of him that exists in fanfiction and fanon. Specifically, I love Otabek because of "From Almaty, With Love", my favorite fic of all time. I love to inhabit his mind, but also I just love him. He's the type of guy who's nothing like me, but I wish I was more like him. Also, I'm just a sucker for the strong and silent type.

3. Megumi Fushiguro - Jujutsu Kaisen

Current biggest projection target. Oh my god how this lil guy has taken over my mind. I watched JJK for the first time in December, but I don't think I really got insane about Megumi until I read the manga and... just check out my tag #megumi fushiguro's gay little hands. He's just so compelling to me. I just love a grumpy teen. I love a troubled little guy. I love how out of touch with his emotions he is. I love that he's insane. I want to put him in every possible situation and see what he does. He's my favorite, I don't know what to say.

4. Ahsoka Tano - Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Ahsoka!!! I love her so much!!!!! It's been a while since I watched The Clone Wars, and I'm off the Star Wars hundred million franchise properties train right now, so I haven't watched the new show, and I probably won't because I like her just the way she is in Clone Wars and I don't need any more. She's the coolest girl, she pulls like crazy, she's some variety of lesbian, she's a skilled fighter, she has a great personality, and she's a brown girl for brown girls. Like, little boys get cool characters they can latch onto all the time, she's that for me. Love her forever.

5. Zuko - Avatar: The Last Airbender

Ahhhhh, Zuko. I'm gonna try to be normal about him. Best redemption arc ever written in any media ever. He's just so lovable. You get to know him even a little bit early on in the series (The Storm) and it's just...OH. You start to understand. And it just grows and grows from there. He's a sympathetic character (The Blue Spirit), but you don't pity him because you're with him every step of the way as he has to grow and fight through all the pain and conflict inside him (Bitter Work, The Avatar and The Firelord). And he makes the worst mistakes. He makes the wrong choices (Crossroads of Destiny). And he has to earn every little bit of his redemption. And he does. What an incredible character. One of the most iconic voices of all time (Dante Basco, I love you). Also, I just love him. "Hey, Zuko here!" He will always have my heart.

6. Yuuri Katsuki - Yuri!!! On Ice

It is actually impossible for me to pick only two pictures of Yuri Katsuki because he's just so precious in every single one in completely different ways. I wasn't sure at first if I was going to put him on this list because Yuri P dominates my thoughts around YOI so much. But I don't love Yuri On Ice because of Yuri P. When I'm actually in a rewatch, Yuri Katsuki reminds me how much I love and adore him and how much he really means to me. Discovering Yuri, and everything he doesn't show you through his unreliable narrator ass as the show goes on is so so special. And nothing in that show could make me fall in love with figure skating the way "Yuri on Ice" and "On Love: Eros" did. My 2017 Spotify Wrapped was 90% YOI music because I used to fall asleep to "Yuri on Ice" on repeat. I love him so much. He means so much to me. That's all I can say.

7. Rue Bennett - Euphoria

She is me. I am her. This is less about her character, and more about how she allows me to see myself and be seen. My weakest parts. My most painful parts. The worst experiences of my life. I don't think I've ever related to a character or what they have gone through more than I have with Rue. I don't think I've ever related to a character's flaws and worst moments more than I have with Rue. Say what you will about Euphoria, I don't care. It's so important to me because of Rue. At least....Season 1 is.

8. Effy Stonem - Skins (UK)

Are we starting to see the patterns here? Effy Stonem is THE original indie sleaze girl. I wanted to be her sooooo bad. I wanted to be her in Gen 1 (I loved Effy Stonem before Gen 2, I'm not like other girls. lmao, anyway...) Skins was a very formative piece of media for me. There is no world where I love Euphoria without having loved Skins first. Skins and Effy made me want to go to raves in Bristol, wear ripped tights, take MDMA, smoke spliffs and cigarettes 24/7... it was actually such a bad influence, but it means a lot to me. I loved Effy from her first appearance on screen, and I loved her until her last. Kaya Scodelario you will always be famous.

9. Ash Lynx - Banana Fish

Ash Lynx is one of the most complicated and compelling characters I have ever seen. I had a hard time deciding to include him because I don't feel like you can divorce Ash the character from Banana Fish the story, or from Eiji and their relationship. Do I love him as his own character, or do I love Banana Fish in its entirety? But I do love him. He's very special to me. Banana Fish is about him. It's a love letter to him, in a way. You can't love Banana Fish without loving Ash, everyone around Ash loves Ash, even the horrible people who want to claim him. His pain and trauma is so overwhelming, but you as the audience can see the person he is through all of that even if he can't, and you just want him to find happiness and see it for himself someday. And be safe for the first time in his life. A tragic hero who really shouldn't have been in a tragedy. An unfair tragedy. He deserves the world.

10. Kyo Sohma - Fruits Basket

At this point you have to be seeing the pattern. I love a well-written grumpy boy. And I love Kyo Sohma so, so much. I watched 2001 right before 2019 and let me tell you, the vidication... I was absolutely in love with 2001 Kyo, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. He was my little shojo crush, it was fine if he wasn't Tohru's. Then I popped on 2019, and he had the SAME VOICE ACTOR!?!?!? Bro, the way I melted. And then the show went on and I noticed he was being framed a little different than he was in 2001???? I mean, if you want my whole watch through check my #fruits basket 2019 tag. I had a whole journey. Let's be so honest, Kyo is on here because I'm in love with him. But also, he's an amazing character with so much deep turmoil from really really difficult circumstances, and he still manages to be caring and attentive and kind, along with a million other amazing character traits. Most character of all time. I love him so much.

BONUS (Characters I can't believe didn't make this list):

The Entire Skins Gen 1 Main Cast (who I love more than Effy, but I can't pick just one favorite), Suguru Geto (who's creeping up on me more and more as I dive deeper into his character), Eiji Okumura (the other half of AshEiji, and just the sweetest boy alive who's also the biggest ride-or-die I love him), and Victor Nikiforov (out of the YOI cast, he's my least most favorite, but I love him so much and his lil heart mouth. He's a star, he is the moment, give him his flowers).

[nanamis-bigtie]

2024 manga reading journal - an extract

this was supposed to be a bigger project but 1) i forgot 2) i haven't read as much as i hoped and i'm kinda bummed about it

but i found a few new favorites, returned to some older reads, finally did a proper reading of my current obsession... it wasn't a fruitless year

if you want to follow my 2025 journey, i will list everything i read on my bluesky, feel free to follow ❤

without any further add-on - my personal favorites of 2024:

delicious in dungeon

do i need to say anything?

handsome girl and sheltered girl

one is a little awkward, the other is extremely stupid, what can go wrong? to this day one of my favorite yuris

dragon ball

it aged bad as fuck. but i still enjoyed the dip back into my early manga days. despite its many flaws, it's a classic worth reading not only for its cultural value. it's just a piece of good story.

demon slayer

i like returning to this story from time to time. it's comforting. everyone deserves a little bit of tanjiro in their life

no touching at all

one of the first yaois i have ever read, still one of my favorites, and another re-read only confirmed me in my opinion. amazing slice of life story with the right pinch of angst to it

boy meets maria

this story teared me into tiniest pieces, chewed through, swallowed, spat me out and chewed again. and i mean this in the most positive way possible. brilliantly brutal.

a story of seven lives

expected a sweet story about pets. got hit by a bus. surprisingly complex story about loneliness, survival, love and trust. but if you're sensitive to the topic of animal abuse...better avoid it. don't fall for a cute cover, it's a hurt/comfort story

home office romance

i admit, i got it only because i saw higuruma in that guy. i stayed for the story. it's such a warm, adorable and hot nerd 4 nerd romance! it's sweet but knows where to add spice, and the author knows how to build the tension.

under my skin

yeah, it's a gay smut. but what kind of gay smut. if you like mature characters and guys in suits being bottoms, that's the meat for you. sex scenes are so hot they got a bl veteran like me blushing.

kabukicho bad trip

yeah, it's a gay smut x2. but also an interesting take on dom/sub relationship. i don't see many bdsm manga around, i'm going to cherish this find

goodbye, eri

it's tatsuki fujimoto, do i need to say more?

sesame salt & pudding

age gap enjoyers, i'm pspspsing you closer. hot dilf, hot fmc, hot plot and hot sense of humor - and everything sprinkled with the perfect dose of mature approach to the topic. must read, if you're into this

jujutsu kaisen

no matter what the fandom will bark, i loved the ending. i am not kidding, this manga has dragged me through 2024 and i'm not sure if would still be alive if not for gege and his characters.

octave

i was making faces because idols and music aren't my thing but i thought it because i gotta support queer manga market here in poland. and i was swallowed. idk what it says about me that i vibe so much with stories about loneliness and self re-discovery.

nichijou complex

this has no right to be so relatable and funny?? an unexpected take on relationship crisis and aging. plus dilfs are hot. in a dilf way hot.

home far away

people died. i'm the people. i don't think i will ever recover from this.

kaiju no 8

give kafka's tum back ffs. i have a little love-hate relationship with this title because it could be EVERYTHING i want from a shounen...and turned into the most generic thing ever. but it still has kafka. even if they absed him.

dandadan

i have no fucking idea what is going on here but i also have no fucking idea what is going on in chainsaw man and i ride this bus for 2 years now so-

blue lock

horrible soccer manga. wonderful gay teen drama manga. grew way too invested for something that had me facepalming every 3 pages at some point. i still lowkey hope shidou will eat that ego freak alive at the end.

honorable mention to series i read 1st volume for a try and 100% will continue in 2025 because they got me locked in:

[centrally-unplanned]

Here is my Comiket haul, for those who may care!

Arranged on the apartment chabudai for maximum weeb vibes. I won't go through all of them, just note a few to showcase the diversity of things that were on offer. If there is one someone wants a deep dive on, let me know, happy to take photos!

First up, the centerfold star - A Bocchi/Shimo-Kitazawa Fan Celebration doujin in the shape of a vinyl record:

Its extremely adorable, these guys went all in. It comes in an album case with "tracks", the vinyl-shaped doujin has an A side and a B side with totally different content when flipped, and when you are reading it the text slowly rotates page by page as if you are "playing" the disc.

Some of it is the circle's thoughts on Bocchi, but more is about their love for the part of Tokyo that Bocchi takes place in, Shimo-Kitazawa, with sections on show-accurate locations and favourite cafes and stores. They even included a map with all of the spots they recommend you visit in the area!

This one is to me the most "magic of doujin": we all have favourite parts of our cities, and if we sat down could maybe make a map like this. But why would we do that? Who would care? The joint power of a locally-set anime & Comiket, however, makes that personal map into a piece of art people want to own. This piece is pure creativity & passion, and its very special for that - a symbol of doujinshi.

Also one of their members spoke fluent English and aggressively upsold foreigners at the event ^_^ Successfully so! Good job.

For something a little less high concept, this tiny artbook of Rin from Laid-Back Camp as Ghibli characters is adorable:

A smol kiki, too cute. And look at her as Nausicaa! Full blue and ready to kick ass.

Its like 5 pages and each page is a gem, great buy.

This next one is a genre of book I really love - the photography/anime composite book focusing on scene locations, starring our girl Haruhi Suzumiya:

I appreciate how much fun this one has with its concept, lots of cute drawings on the margins; and the photographs are not all Haruhi related, instead it is just the author's own journey put through a Haruhi lens. This book is another great example of how "transformative" these works are, breaking the bounds of their source material.

"Hey, its me!"

Okay, now for some extreme Ash-brand doujin - Flowers for Yamada-san, a history doujin about Hiroyoshi Yamada, also known by the name Koji Kawamoto, a manga & magazine editor who played an instrumental part of the lolicon boom of the 1980's:

He passed away this year, and so this doujin is a memorial to him, an accounting of his influence and role in early manga, a wider discussion of the lolicon boom in general, and its own creative work; sandwiched between essays are comic depictions of moments of his career done in a mimicry the classic loli/bishoujo early 80's style:

This will of course take some time to read - I am excited to dig into it. As I have mentioned before, I am toying with the idea of a deeper research project on the "lolicon boom"; its, for understandable reasons, extremely neglected in western discourse of the history of anime & manga. But that moral aversion doesn't change how instrumental this period was, so I think a lot of good work could be done documenting and explaining its place. This book was an amazing find to stumble upon, and the creators are extremely well-researched on this period.

Anyway this is probably long enough lol. I did find some ero-doujin as well of course, though very few - as I mentioned, Comiket was a warzone, and I did not 'prep' for that side of things. I laughed at the idea of people doing days of research to prep of their porn buying adventure - I was the fool, they the wise, you absolutely need to do that if that is your goal. It wasn't really mine but I respect it now for sure - and I actually found the Comiket experience sort of liberating on that front, I "get it" now in a way I didn't before.

This is of course a tiny sliver of the book buys from Japan - hopefully I can make a few posts about the rest soon.

[zabberzim]

Landot: an essay 🪐💥

Contains manga spoilers for the later chapters

Also some head canons and basically how I interpret them

@silvercrane14 here’s the aforementioned ramble

_________________________

「自古紅藍出CP」

Is a saying which basically means “Red & Blue make the perfect couple, ever since the beginning of time” and it’s true.

In terms of character and colourisation, red and blue typically stand to be opposites of each other, their characters reflect that as well in their personalities. Red and blue characters turn couples tend to also always start off as enemies, or at least some sort of rivalry, before they get to know more about the other and develop the enemies to friends to lovers arc.

Colouration of these traits are usually found in a character’s colour scheme, and is especially obvious in Lance and Dot in MASHLE as both their hair and eye colour are of their respective colours, blue and red.

(I have no idea how Komodo colours his characters, but the blue and red in their respective characters are especially prominent.)

Dot Barrett is hot-headed, a bit too cocky and loud for his own good but still a good kid who stands up for what he thinks is right (suffering from main character syndrome, more on that in another post lol); Lance Crown is cool, a pretty boy character who’s powerful and uses this power to help others as the team mom (values his sister above all else , weird but respectable once you understand how close he was to losing the person who he shares unconditional sibling love with)

Dot hates all pretty boys (Lance) and Lance despises rude boors (Dot), setting the stage for the rivalry between the two early on in the story.

Lance has announced that him and Mash were rivals even earlier on after their fight, but to me, this rivalry is more of a friendly rivalry one sided rivalry than true rivalry, as their rivalry stems from them fighting for the same goal rather than unconditional hatred. Plus, LanDot rivalry seems more mutual, something that needn’t be announced and stems from the soul, appearing solely for the fact that they are incompatible, yet in the end they still find a compromise but that might just be my delusions. Of course, both rivalries have underlying friendship between them, they are a group of friends after all.

Prominent LanDot interactions in the story line would be their first meeting(CH18), baby fight(CH64),training arc(103?) , and Endgame fight (122). But besides these, they’ve been shown fighting in the background sometimes ( dumbasses fight in the ED)

SO lets start with the prominent points first

—————————————————————————————————————

Chapter 64. Dot, Lance and how babies are made ( sus title but ok)

During the fight with Sitter Baby, who’s basically Alessi’s stand Sethan from JJBA pt.3, Sitter deages Dot into an adorable bb. With limited magic as a baby, Dot reluctantly finds Lance for help, in which was can see that Lance is just fucking pissed at Dot for turning into a baby. Thinking that Dot turned into a baby as a prank at a time of love and war and having the audacity to think that Dot is annoying to look at, we know that the loathing is actually very much mutual. Comparing how he reacts to Dot with how he reacts to Mash, Lemon or Finn when they want his help shows that this dynamic is unique to them. Dot also comes to realise just how powerful Lance actually is.

This establishes the enemy part in enemies to friends to lovers

Chapter 103. The Training Arc

Lance wants to get strong for the endgame fight and for his sister, in which Dot follows because why not.

(I’m not sure if Wahlberg especially assigned them to work together or if Lance just went to find Wahlberg for training and Dot came with)

During the training arc, they train under No.1 Mash Bully, Orter Mádl, who throws our boys into shadow realm with water for basic sustenance, where they are forced to train together despite each other’s dismay. Dot had briefly considered actually working together but Lance being stubborn and self reliant makes it hard, Lance being naturally stronger than Dot , having the whole world on the line of course makes it understandable on why he considers Dot to be dragging him down ( mean, but ok??)

A mini speech from Dot on how he’d die than be a baggage to anyone seems to cause Lance to set aside their differences and actually train together.

Lance still doesn’t trust Dot to not drag him down but their bond has still somewhat strengthened in learning how to fight together, a little bit of the friends to lovers bit but mostly still enemies.

Orter sees himself and his junior in them multiple times throughout, I will expand on this later.

Chapter 114. Entering Endgame

Entering the final arc and deciding who fights who, we get plenty silly interactions and a hint towards who and what caused Anna to lose her magic

Lances fear of ghosts and bugs, and Dot’s bright idea to head but him into a wall.

Lance knowing that one of the brothers may be directly responsible to his sisters illness makes him not want to work with Dot, despite their training together, now with his sister directly on the line he’d risk nothing to get his revenge. 3rd brother, Epidermis the pudding cult leader, is the one behind Annas illness and who they fight against. Dot has tea with Epididmus before it was revealed how hes the one behind this. The boys argue :(

Chapter 122. Ultimate Proof that LanDot is canon

Enemies to friends to lovers speedrun

Lance pushes Dot away more to fully avenge his sister himself, again, his sister is above all else to Lance , hes not risking Dot, the guy that just took a bite of poison pudding so recklessly, to drag him down. He NEEDS to win, NEEDS to beat the fuck out of Epidem.

But to finally be able to confront the person responsible for stealing his only joy of this world from him, he’s overwhelmed with anger and unable to summon his thirds, Nemesis. When the condition of his sister is revealed to both Epipen and Dot , Epithelial builds a fake Anna with reference from the pendant, taunts Lance and Dot cant just stand there anymore despite their previous discourse, rushing up from where he stood to steal the Anna pendant back.

“We’re friends.” And with a slap to Lances face , he stops being stubborn and fights with, then alongside Dot.

Friends,now onto lovers

With Dot having slapped him out of his dumbassery, he summons his thirds in whole, a shit ton of black holes making Epipi intimidated into also summoning his thirds, sailor moon Sisyphus. Having to fight against a machine gun would be hard for most teens, Lance is able to use the black holes to absorb and dodge the bullets but Dot is still a one liner, there’s only so much he can hold off. Casting syphilis to end the weaker one (Dot) off,

Lance jumps in front of the finishing blow to protect

Dot

Yes he hates him , despises him even. Loud, crude, Dot is the most annoying person hes ever had the displeasure of meeting.

But

For some reason his body decided to move on its own,

And its up to Dot now to finish it all…

A foolish choice really, letting the weaker one survive? Why?

Seeing his homie sacrifice himself for his sake, Dot goes sicko mode and swears to kill Epidem hundredfold (my boy is so good at maths)

From machine guns to a whole Arsenal, he really just started blasting before Sissy burns into crisp

Dot goes to check on Lance, an emotional questioning of why hed sacrifice himself before Lance tells him to shut the fuck up and that he has Anna pins to protect him. Some mangas got plot armour, we get sister pin armour.

Now I’m going to ramble about this scene now and why there’s got to be some sort of love

Fellas, is it straight to die for someone you hate?

We’ve see early on how Lance usually thinks of Anna before taking action, even in battle, and obviously the self sacrifice is a heat in the moment decision.

But id like to argue that this means Dot bypassed the Anna protocol. You’d think Anna wouldn’t like Lance fighting someone for no reason and would definitely disapprove of his constant quarrels with Dot, right? Even when he was out fighting bullies when he was young there was a net gain even if Anna gets worried. Lance fighting Dot despite these factors, there’s only a net loss in them fighting yet he still does it , makes Dot an exception to the brain Anna protocol.

And that’s saying a lot with how he puts his sister to such a high calibre .

These fools bring out the worst in each other when they fight( jealousy and stubbornness) but also the best in each other when they fight together (teamwork, motivation and stability)

Lance is finally able to confront the person responsible for stealing his only joy, yet he throws it all away, for… Dot?

Epidem considers killing Dot to get at least the weaker one out of the way, yet Lance jumps in front to prevent his demise. Dot is weaker than Lance, and Lance is so close to avenging his sister, letting Dot die would mean he wouldn’t drag him down anymore and would allow Lance to achieve his goal easier. Lance shielding Dot, preventing him from dying ,essentially throws away all Lance has worked for.

He believes Dot will drag him down before the fight and reluctance to work with Dot shows that he believes Dot is still weaker than him, and that he doesn’t know about Dot’s trump card the Ira Kreuz. (Only Finn and Mash has seen Ira Kreuz Dot in action, lack of trust in Dot’s strength might mean either he doesn’t know it or that he can rely on it)

Which makes it even irrational on Lance’s part.

If Lance, the stronger one, dies, what hope is there for Dot to succeed? For all he knows, success lies solely on his shoulders only, and maybe maybe with Dot too, who’s said he’d rather die than be a burden, so why sacrifice success over some chump you hate, burdening you down from an epic win? Keep in mind the wrath he has on Epidem, if Dot fails, there’s no cure for his sister, the world may continue to lay in chaos, there’s no backup plan like with the waiting-for-Mash-to-wake-up-fight later, even if Dot survives, how long can he survive for? There’s unconditional trust in that sacrifice.

On the off chance that Lance knew of this trump card before hand, I highly doubt that Lance planned this all out to pretend to die in Dot’s arms just to trigger the Ira Kreuz, because that’d be kinda fucked and a bit out of character…

The gay-ass monologue seems to have come from the heart and there’s no way his sister pins actually prevented him from becoming Swiss cheese. If hed taken the sister pins into account, he wouldn’t let Dot get too worried and say something ambiguous like “its up to you now”, some Romeo Juliet shit.

But what about Lances self sacrificing spree later?

Lance later goes on to actively risk his life for Ochoa and Mash, the latter turning him into a clock with the seconds hand piercing through him, its what Anna would’ve wanted him to do, he says.

Through this journey hes learnt the power of friendship and is integrating it into fights. We know hed risk himself for the greater good, but never as extreme as this, so even if you don’t agree with on the love aspect, you’ve gotta agree that something clicked in him in almost seeing Dot die ( and how its reflex to go and save him)

Risking his life for Mash and Ochoa is a conscious decision, I don’t think this is the same for Dot.

I actually think he thinks hes about to die in the Epidem fight

While both the fight with IZ and Epidem is important to Lance, both basically meaning the entire world to him, you’re telling me he can stay conscious with a minute hand pierced through him but cant stay conscious for an attack that didn’t hurt him as much??

I believe that after his gay-ass monologue where he borderline confesses, he actually wanted to die but cant, so he’s taking every opportunity to do it now/j

Parallel between LanDot and the dynamic between Orter and his nameless junior

In the Orter fight chapter, his backstory is reveal in which he also had a spikey teethed zigzaggy mark friend ,junior,that’s also way too hot-blooded for his own good. Which is what triggers normally cold blooded deadpan Orter to soften on the two during training arc, especially Dot.

Strong prideful bastards with their silly spikey companions, you can see how Orter and his junior mirrors Lance and Dot respectively in design, at least Dot with Junior. Of course, their personalities and goals differ but its a similar dynamic, similar enough for Orter to reminiscent about his late junior, who sacrificed himself for the greater good.

In the backstory,Orter, who usually doesn’t care about anything but his needs, unwilling to put in more efforts given the imbalance of quantity return, eventually starts to actually put effort into his job after juniors constant nagging. There’s less fighting going on between them, but the silly one eventually brings out something better in the prideful one.

Amongst the corrupted magic world of Mashle, its rare to see an actual police conduct justice, junior tries his best to conduct justice by the rules but ends up dying in his pursuit of Domina. Becoming a Divine Visionary, Orter takes juniors last words to heart and reinforces everything with law and order (I’m sure killing magicless kids isn’t what junior had in mind though) DVs have great political influence, to use this influence to just follow through on what your bestie believed in shows just how much his passing affected him.

While, unlike Lance, Orter had no other friends besides his junior, not even mentioning his brother once, if Lance had to witness Dot die like how junior did, it’d be devastating to him

Honestly, i just think having a parallel to LanDot supports my statement already.

Conclusion

To me, there’s something inherently special about these two’s relationship, whether it be the enemies to friends to lovers speedrun or dynamic parallel, they complete each other despite constant arguing. There will be many pretty boys and there will be many hot blooded sillies, but the underlying fondness and care they share. As a pair acknowledged by an official double sided pillow , LanDot is my favourite ship in Mashle

[benkyoutobentou]

31 Days of Productivity Reading もう一回！: Day 25

I finished 憎らしい彼 today! I only had 32 pages to complete the book, so I ended up finishing it earlier in the day than I usually read until. I actually considered picking up another volume of manga, but ultimately decided that I should probably continue reading my library book that's due early next month.

Honestly, finding the motivation to finish 憎らしい彼 was more difficult than expected, but it was a lot of what I talked about in yesterday's update with the writing style being more difficult than I'm used to. Also, since I was just reading the epilogue, my brain felt like we should be finished already and was totally ready to move on. But again, I still really do enjoy this series and these characters. I own the third book and will be reading it, but I don't plan on getting to it right away. In the next book, I'd like to see Hira and Kiyoi start calling each other by their first names (you know you read Japanese romance when), and I'd also really be interested to see Kiyoi come out to the public as gay. Honestly, that's what I was hoping for from the second half of the Love Stage!! manga and I'm still disappointed about it. Please, fulfill my expectations from a completely different series. Anyways, I always think plot lines like that are interesting, having a public figure come out as queer in the public eye, especially in Japan since its less common for celebrities to be open about their private lives and especially in that way.

Tomorrow, I start reading 本を守ろうとする猫の話 ! This is a book I've seen everywhere in English speaking book spaces, so I'm really hoping that it lives up to the hype. Animal books are a surefire way to make me cry, so let's see what happens... Also every single translation for this book seems to have a different cover and they're all adorable. The person on my cover looks like Miyano from Sasaki to Miyano though. The cover is also orange and blue like Sasaki and Miyano, which is obviously how all of this works. Right?

[bat-eclecticwolfbouquet-love]

Hmmmmm..now that i think about it, shiggy with white,long hair and abs sounds pretty sexy to me i cant stop imagining him pounding in a unknown speed to mankind while choking me❗️(I want to worship those monster abs)

But i will miss the weak,grumpy Lil skinny boy with hands all over his body, short blue hair that looks really virgi-I mean adorable and wants to be dominated or at least trying to be dominant but he is too clingy🤧

Both got me thirsty but I prefer to be dominated by a beast in heat if yk what I'm sayin'.I'm also kinda sad that I can't see ppl making a lot of content about season 6 shig especially when he lookin hella goodd

But the thing i wanted to know the most:Which shig do you prefer?😏😏😏😏

❗️❗️❗️❗️I LOVE YOUR CONTENT I HOPE YOU GET BETTER, I WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH AND DONT PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD AND FOCUS ON YOURSELF, DARLING ❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️

With a lot of love,anon💗💞💋💖💝💘💟❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹❤🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🤎🖤🩶🤍💓

First, I'm so sorry for taking so long to reply. Please forgive me 🥺🩷 and I too want to be dominated by the Shig beast in heat

There are so many Shigaraki versions to love, and honestly, it depends on my mood. Although I can't see a sub Shigaraki at all, man just doesn't have those vibes to me. But clingy, needy early Shigaraki with a hint of yandere mood was what I feel in love with.

But DAMN the new Shigaraki King....man has the power to destroy me in every way and I'm into it. The sheer strength and power, the presence.....I'm dying. And yes he could pound that cock of his into me so fast I wouldn't be able to catch my breath, only hold onto him for dear life. Love love love it. Also there are fics with season 6 Shigaraki but they were written a few years back when he first showed up in the manga. I wrote a 2 chapter one called Target Acquired if your interested 👉👈😳 cause he made me do 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵.

Thanks for sending this, Anon, and once again, I'm sorry it took me so long to answer. It's been crazy in my life, but 😘😘

Ps. New powerful muscular Shig as Alpha 🥵💦 gods I would walk for a week