#alternative universe everybody lives

[levieske]

(𝟓) 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐞

In which Yuji Itadori accidentally spoils Hana Akiwara’s plans by ingesting Sukuna’s finger, and Satoru Gojo is constantly humbled as a result.

satoru gojo x ofc x suguru geto

[ canon divergence, fix-it au, everybody lives, no kenjaku, no shibuya incident, jjk s1, slow-burn, aged-up characters, age gap, questionable relationships, mentor-student relationships, unresolved sexual tension, more mature and graphic in future chapters, crack heavy for now, tvd references if you squint ]

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“Idiot.” Hana grumbled under her breath as the door clicked shut behind Kenji, signaling his departure. She turned to face the annoying older sorcerer, who hovered too close for comfort. “Ignore him.”

He was looking at her with an amused smile. Yuji, who stood rigidly beside them, seemed to be waiting for a fight to break out. Maybe it just would. Hana scooped to the other side of the couch before Satoru could take her brother’s seat on the armrest. He seemed entertained by her awkwardness, as he took it once she had already put some space between them.

Prick. Hana took back what she said about him looking normal and less annoying.

The man patted the space that Hana had vacated, and Yuji hesitantly took it.

“So, where were we?” The man adjusted his glasses, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous sparkle. “Ah, yes, Jujutsu Tech. With your brother’s dramatic exit, I assume we no longer need his blessing?”

Hana scrowled. She had no desire to engage in this conversation, and neither had Kenji. Her twin had an “akiwaresque” line of thinking, you could say. His disdain for Satoru was no secret; he saw the sorcerer as nothing more than a nuisance, an imbecile and a stalker. Kenji was convinced that getting involved with sorcerers was a risky move, especially when dealing with an unhinged sorcerer from one of the Big Three Families.

The siblings had been unsuccessful in their attempts to avoid drawing attention to themselves, as being active members in jujutsu seemed to attract other active members. The Akiwaras had decided to stay away from them since January. Not that there were many curse users lingering in Tokyo after whatever happened in December… The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

Hana shrunk herself in her seat, shaking off the gloomy feeling that thinking about that brought her. Kenji and her were in the US, peacefully celebrating the festivities with their family when hell broke loose in Shinjuku and Kyoto. Hana exhaled, they were safe.

Well, as safe as they could be now that their paths had intertwined with sorcerers.

The constant presence of Gojo and the looming threat that hung over their heads were already taking a toll on Hana, fueling her temper and her need for surrender. She had even noticed a shift in Kenji’s judgment. Whether it was driven by boredom, the realization that they couldn’t get rid of Gojo, or having heard Hana bawl her eyes out too much for his liking; Kenji was having a change of heart. 

The heart-to-heart the twins had after Yuji’s death and subsequent resurrection had been a turning point. Hana’s tears had flowed freely, a release of pent-up emotions she couldn’t quite comprehend. Then, after her eyes were all irritated and her head hurt from crying, they had weighed their options:

Option A: Run away.

Option B: Surrender.

And, option C: Fight (this was their favorite)

Option A was out of the question. Nuh-uh. They had come to Japan with a purpose; to stop hiding and practice jujutsu freely. Option B was annoying and option C had to be discarded if they ever wanted to live in peace. So B they settled with. Of course, they wouldn’t give up easily. They had some requests for Gojo and if they could buy themselves more time, they would. In case the situation escalated, they were also prepared for option C and A. In that specific order, yes.

Realistically speaking, as now turned pacifists, there were few paths the Akiwaras could follow that didn't involve a bunch of questionable stuff to get rid of their problem. They weren’t particularly opposed to it if things got to that point, but Kenji recognized Yuji’s importance in his sister’s life. He was considering option B for her sake, begrudgingly. It was one of the reasons why he left her to deal with Satoru, but he was also just a prick.

Kenji only had to endure him for less than an hour. It was unfair.

“Um, Hana?” Itadori’s gentle shakes drew her attention back to the conversation. He gave her a concerned stare. Behind him, his teacher looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I asked if Kenji and you had thought it over?”

“Oh, yes… We did.” Hana nodded, speaking softly.

“And?” Satoru pressed, leaning in slightly.

“We will, but-!” She made a pause and held up a hand at Gojo, halting his response. “Not yet. Not until Yuji does, alright? We want a break from all this mess.”

The sorcerer’s skepticism was palpable. “I’m glad you chose correctly, but what exactly would prevent you from running away?”

“Nothing.” She admitted with a smile, relishing the wariness in his tone. “But I think it’ll be great if we started on better terms and, since you don’t trust us and we don’t trust you, we’ve decided to show you our little collection of cursed trinkets.” His glare became more pointed. Hana rolled her eyes. “ And I’ll give you back the finger. Just let me end the sentence, geez.”

Yuji muffled a laugh behind his hand at the exchange. Hana was probably the only person able to annoy his mentor this way.

“Excellent.” The sorcerer’s smile returned, his demeanor shifting to one of satisfaction. “And, just so we are clear, I didn’t say I didn’t trust you, I just didn’t trust you too much! But I do trust you a little.”

The curse user lifted her thin, black eyebrows. “You should really work on your words, Satoru.”

“Hey! I’m being honest here.” Satoru leaned on the couch’s backrest, inclining to his side in an uncomfortable position. “You didn’t let me down.”

Hana leaned in the opposite direction, using Yuji as a human wall dividing her space from his. “I don’t need your approval. You’re not my teacher.”

“But I will be!” Satoru countered with a hint of triumph.

“Whatever.” Hana rolled her eyes, her sigh was a soft exhalation of her frustration with him. “Do you actually want to see our artifacts or not?” Gojo rose from his seat, almost too enthusiastically for her liking. She gave him a look, her gray eyes inspecting him before she continued. “No touching, just watching, got it?”

Both Gojo and Itadori nodded in agreement, the latter in a more credible manner. Akiwara stood and led them down the corridor to a simple, built-in closet. With a flick of her wrist, she slid open the door and revealed shelves full of different talismans, amulets and artifacts. Each piece emanated a distinct and unique cursed energy that was only now being noticeable.

Itadori’s eyes widened at the sight, completely awed. Gojo, however, remained unfazed, his attention drawn instead to the protective rune etched inside the closet. He had seen it in the living and kitchen area, alongside another he didn’t recognize. He guessed this one hid cursed energy and the other prevented unwanted guests like him.

“You have quite the liking for hiding yourselves, heh?” Satoru voiced his thoughts, to which Hana replied with a hum and shrug.

It was something he should have expected, now that he knew what kind of trinkets they had. Their little collection amounted to quite the sum of cursed objects Hana and her brother had been manufacturing over the years. Or kindly borrowed , Satoru suspected as he eyed some objects he had briefly heard about. Thankfully, they weren’t special-grade type of cursed objects. They weren’t even powerful enough to have to be confiscated, but it still made him wonder if they were Hana’s practice dummies so to speak. The sorcerer wanted to believe she wasn’t using sorcerers as guinea pigs, but he had half a mind to ask about it.

Both Hana and Kenji had decided to show him their collection as a little truce, but Satoru knew he was one stupid comment away from having the cursed energy sucked out of him. It hadn’t been pleasant when the curse user to his left did it before and he’d love to never have to experience that ever again. Plus, the fact that his infinity proved to be useless with her unnerved him. Just as she kept some things to herself, he did too, forcing a small smile on his mouth as he eyed the trinkets again.

The woman watched as the man recognized some of the items, silently confirming his theory. The twins had a habit of taking what they deemed worthy of other curse users when they were, conveniently, unable to protest. It wasn’t stealing if what they took was stolen in the first place, alright?

Hana caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, Satoru’s hand inching towards the shelves. “No touching!” She chastised him, swatting his hand away from the closet.

Yuji stopped looking at the insides in curiosity and turned to the sound of her voice, anticipating some kind of argument to erupt over the tension. Instead, his mentor only chuckled at his friend’s fierce protectiveness. She crossed her arms as Itadori scratched his head, knowing he was probably overdoing it with the worrying. He didn’t comprehend if his teacher and his friend hated each other’s guts or were in the path of friendship. Also, Sukuna’s monologue recognizing some of the artifacts didn’t help his peanut-sized brain to decipher it either.

“Now, where’s the finger?” Gojo inquired, making Itadori realize he had probably missed Hana’s explanation about what was in the closet. It wasn’t like he would have understood that much about it, aside from the basics. 

“Obviously not here.” The girl closed the door with a swift movement. The oppressive cursed energy dissipated the moment the closet was shut, lessening the tension in the air. 

Hana retreated to her room, her steps quick and purposeful. Kneeling down, she lifted a specific loose floorboard with a familiarity, and peered into the hidden compartment only to find it empty. “Yuji?” Hana called him out, her voice tinged with a mix of confusion and accusation.

“Um, yes?” Her friend appeared at the doorway, his expression completely dumbfounded.

“Did you have a midnight snack?” Hana grimaced as Yuji blinked at the implication of her words stilling outside her room. “A finger, perhaps?”

The teacher stepped into her line of view, his towering presence filling the space next to Yuji. “You let him sleep in the same room you were hiding the finger?” He questioned the woman with a raised eyebrow.

“You said he was in complete control.” Hana tossed her black hair to the side and put the floorboard back in place before staring back at the man. Her gaze was defiant as she remained seated on the floor, earning another pointed look with a raised eyebrow from Satoru. “How would have I known?”

“Rookie mistake.” Satoru chidded, the corners of his mouth turning up in a knowing smile. He took a few long strides into her room and removed his black lenses, surveying the space with a critical eye. His gaze swept over the room, noting the absence of any residual cursed energy, save for the aura surrounding Yuji himself. “When dealing with a vessel, you need to be more careful.”

“I’m dealing with my friend.” Hana retorted, her voice softening despite her irritation. “Besides, isn’t it good that he consumed it? You were going to make him do it either way.”

“Well, yes, but in a controlled environment.” Satoru exhaled a sigh. He readjusted his glasses, his eyes meeting hers once more. “Did he take over… or anything?”

The two friends looked at each other before shaking their heads.

Gojo blinked, processing the silent exchange. “I was right, then. You have unknowingly made a binding vow of shorts with Sukuna, Yuji.” His tone was casual, almost conversational, as if they weren’t discussing the catastrophe a biding vow was. “And now he’s able to overpower you. We should learn what the grounds for that are, because you are strong enough to control him.”

Hana’s glare shifted from Gojo to Itadori, her eyes narrowing. “You didn’t think it was important to tell me you had made a binding vow with him?”

“We weren’t sure.” The vessel looked like a kicked puppy with his crestfallen expression.

“But now we are!” Gojo interjected, clapping his hands together with a sense of finality. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

Hana was seething and she felt a migraine brewing. She let out a long, drawn-out sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened her eyes, she lifted her face towards the older sorcerer. “If that’s all, can you leave?”

“We still haven’t discussed-” Satoru began, but Hana cut him off with a sharp gesture.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” She exclaimed, her arms crossing over her chest in a defensive posture.. “Just make up some story about me helping you with a mission or whatever. I need time, and I’d rather join when he does.” Her gaze flicked to Yuji, who had resorted to just watching them. Her friend had a feeling he hadn’t done a great job convincing Hana, so it would probably be best if he sat this one out… “What’s the point of making us enroll when summer break is about to start?”

Gojo’s smile was infuriatingly serene, too calm in comparison to what Akiwara was feeling. “You might have a point there.” He conceded and paused. “But don’t think I’m letting you guys off the hook.”

“Whatever.” Hana sighed, her voice a mixture of exasperation and resignation. “Just do something on my terms for once.”

Fortunately, the sorcerer didn't argue further, leaving her bedroom instead. Yuji muttered a goodbye, to which she gave an acknowledging nod, and he followed Satoru out of her home. It was only when she heard the front door close that Hana let out another tired breath, leaning against her bed while still sitting on the floor.

Fingerless Hana 2 - The Strongest 1

Gojo knew that woman had already put him in his place multiple times. Meeting her had been a humbling experience, to say the least. Yet, as he descended the stairs with Itadori, a small, triumphant smile played on his lips. He was slowly but surely going to make up for it.

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For a few more minutes, Hana remained motionless sitting on the floor of her room. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, circling the revelation of Sukuna’s binding vow with Yuji. All the possibilities of what could have happened to Kenji weighed heavily on her, complicating an already messy situation she found herself in. The brief mention of her nana the night before had stirred some memories in her, prompting her to get up from the floor. Hana walked towards her desk, where she had a framed picture of her grandmother and her. In the picture, a teenager Hana had her arms wrapped around her elderly grandmother. The photograph was a couple of years old, it was her high school graduation, before her grandmother got sick. Hana was looking beautiful, but what caught her eye was the necklace she always used to wear.

The actual necklace was hung over the frame. It was made from silver and had a small circular locket with a detailed design, adorned with a tiny ruby. It was probably the most expensive item she owned, and the one that held the most memories. Her nana, Mineko Akiwara, had made it when she ran away from Japan with her sister, who didn’t have cursed energy. She wore it regularly in fear of a sorcerer ever finding her.

When her own children showed no signs of jujutsu, Mineko had set the necklace aside, believing that cursed energy in their lineage had ended with her. The birth of Kenji and Hana, children of her second son, reignited her deepest fears. They had the spark of cursed energy, but it wasn’t until years later that they tapped into jujutsu and discovered their cursed techniques. Hana had inherited the clan’s cursed technique, whereas Kenji displayed a natural talent for crafting cursed tools and possessed a more subtle reserve of cursed energy, just like their grandmother had.

Most sorcerers of Mineko’s age and their ancestors had often lacked a distinct technique, their jujutsu watering down from generation to generation. Instead, they relied on their profound understanding and creation of cursed tools and weapons, their sharpness being passed down. Yet, it had proven not to be enough when the clan had to face the Big Three Families, and running was all that was left for them. Mineko was determined to keep her grandchildren away from sorcerers, mentoring Kenji how to make artifacts. His first creation was two rings that would cloak them completely from sorcerers. It was an emergency measure, sure, but they had put it to use in Japan.

For Hana, it was another story. Their nana had her using her old necklace, as a means to dwell down her cursed energy. The fear that sorcerer’s instilled in Mineko was still great, even if she was in a completely different continent and hadn’t met any of them in over thirty years. Her life had been marred by tragedy, the loss of her entire family at the hands of sorcerers left her with severe trauma that only shared with her sister. She had passed away before Hana and Kenji were born, and Mineko, being the matriarch of the clan, had to make some decisions for the well-being of her family. Her sons, nieces and nephews, as well as their respective spouses hadn’t opposed her choice. They felt the beacon Hana could grow up into, sadly. In her desperation, Mineko believed the best course was to veil Hana’s powers from the world.

Even as a little girl, Hana wasn’t capable of resenting her grandmother. The loss of her cursed energy when she wore the necklace was noticeable, feeling a void within. She knew a piece of herself was being restrained, but she remained an obedient child and never took off the necklace.

It was only at a family gathering that Hana’s interest in jujutsu was piqued. Most of her extended family had attended, filling her nana’s already packed home. Some of her relatives from her great aunt’s side started discussing jujutsu and the clan’s history. They mentioned Hana and her technique, which was the one who could “restore the family’s honor”. That was the Akiwara’s legacy, a centuries-old legend about a savior who would bring back the clan’s old glory and avenge their ancestors. To Hana, it was some story her ancestors had made to keep their hopes up, as they were being massacred left and right. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy, really. If sorcerers kept killing them, it was a matter of time before one tried to return the favor. Yet, as much as she disliked sorcerers, she didn’t want to start a war.

Not then, and not now.

Mineko’s reaction to their conversation was one of alarm. She got pretty upset with the other family members, as she didn’t want them putting those ideas in Hana’s head, but it was already too late. Hana asked her grandmother about what they meant, and Mineko reluctantly explained that her technique was supposed to be able to beat the Big Three Families. She never wanted to put Hana at risk and believed she would be safer away from jujutsu, which they knew was the truth. Hana, nearing the end of high school by that time, was determined to fly to Japan and get stronger. It wasn’t to comply with the family's legacy, but for the peace of mind it would offer her grandmother. Mineko’s heart swelled with mixed emotions, pride mingling with fear. Kenji supported his sister’s decision, also believing that going to Japan would be great in order for both of them to get stronger and possibly to allow their family to come back to their roots.

The twins left for Tokyo the fall following their graduation, as nothing else aside from their family and a few friends stopped them from going. They settled down in Kichijoji, a neighborhood close to what would eventually become their campus, Sugisawa College. In the time being before the start of the school year in April, they grew accustomed to a routine of training and working at their part-time jobs. Hana was recruited by the café she currently worked at, and Kenji was briefly a supermarket clerk before taking a position as an instructor in the local gym they frequented. Kenji wanted his sister to learn self defense, just in case running away wasn’t an option one day. Back in high school, Hana used to be on the track team. She was an excellent runner, quite faster than the average, but also wanted to be able to fend for herself. In the first months in Tokyo, she made quick progress while her brother perfected what he already knew.

But their learning didn’t stop there; the twins also trained jujutsu at home. Kenji had deciphered the rune that made cursed energy untraceable inside their flat after a few weeks of investigation and sleepless nights, a matter Hana wasn’t able to help him with. Until then, his sister wore Mineko’s necklace even to go to sleep, just as she had done for the last eight years. Kenji’s rune allowed her to get used to her own cursed energy, as well as accustomed to sensing others’ and seeing curses, in the safety of their home. Her brother counted and described many curses when they went outside, a great contrast to America’s fewer and weaker curses. Hana worried that without her necklace, the flood of cursed energy might overwhelm her senses and not only because she was fairly new to it. Since her technique specialized in detecting cursed energy, she was quite sensitive like somebody with good hearing or a strong sense of smell

Nowadays, Hana wondered if that was what Satoru felt like. She suspected his problem was a lot bigger than hers was, as the man had to cover his eyes. Her nana had mentioned briefly the abilities the Six-Eyes had or, at least, what she knew about them. Satoru was basically the best glorified curse detector.

In those initial months in Tokyo, the necklace remained clasped around Hana’s neck. It was a part of her, the memories of being gently chided by Mineko for forgetting to wear it still clear in her mind. Yet, Hana was also doing it for her grandmother’s sake; the poor woman would have a heart attack if she knew Hana was “flaunting” her cursed energy. What the Akiwara’s matriarch hadn't realized was that the necklace also emanated a strong cursed energy and it was hard to miss once you had spotted it.

That was what provoked Hana’s second meeting with another fellow cursed user to take a different turn. However, her first meeting was a lot grimmer.

The twins had been searching for a cursed object for Hana to channel and practice on, as she still didn’t have a great grip on her technique. Using it on Kenji was out of the question. If she stripped off a sorcerer all their cursed energy, they would die. The siblings found out about that when their paths crossed with a curse user, a man that had been looking for the very same cursed trinket they just acquired. He made sure to let them know of his intentions, knocking Kenji unconscious upon his arrival. Hana used her technique on the man, grabbing him by the shoulders.

She didn’t realize what she had done until she dropped his gray, desiccated body. That was the effect of her technique when she exceeded the limit of how much cursed energy the victim produced. If the rate at which she took it was faster, she would eventually deplete her opponent of cursed energy.

This encounter made Hana more wary of sorcerers, if that was even possible. She practiced daily with the tool, while Kenji made more of them for her to train on. His trinkets were weaker in comparison, but she dedicated herself to master the balance, to understand when to stop at varying cursed energy levels. There were more positives to using objects. It meant they could put cursed energy inside it again and reuse it, whereas if Hana used sorcerers, their bodies would pile up.

Do not get it twisted: Hana didn’t want to hurt anybody, but she also didn’t feel remorseful for taking that man’s life. The woman would always choose their safety over a stranger’s life. There just were more risks in letting the curse user live when he already had made it known he wanted to kill them.

Another great point in using cursed objects was that they could sell them afterwards. There was a large underground market many curse users were a part of that they could exploit. You see, the average idiot buying off of them didn’t realize that the cursed object they were sold had been stripped out of its original cursed energy and instead had been replaced by some to resemble it, making it practically useless. The item didn’t have its original properties, which meant Hana and Kenji were actually doing Jujutsu Tech a favor, getting all of these dangerous weapons away from curse users' paws and, instead, giving them useless copies. 

Their operation was a well-oiled machine, shipping out packages to eager buyers who were none the wiser. For safety reasons, it was best if they weren’t present when the buyer realized their mistake, but there was one curse user who offered a great sum of money. Money they needed for college, as what they had gathered until that moment wasn’t enough to cover for both their tuitions.

They needed 1.64 million yen, roughly 10k dollars, and they were halfway there by the start of December. The Akiwaras had three months to come up with the rest of money to continue with their education, and the stranger curse user’s offer of 900,000 yen to sweeten them had worked. Mineko Akiwara was adamant they went to college and tried to live a normal life, and the twins' efforts to accomplish her wishes grew as her health deteriorated. That was the only thing their grandmother asked them to do, since she knew there was no point in stopping them from going to Japan. Both Hana and Kenji knew their grandmother wouldn’t live to see them graduate, but they wanted to make her proud and happy that they were enjoying life despite jujutsu.

Thankfully, tuition in Japan was less expensive than in the States, but it still didn’t mean they could ask their family for help. The Akiwaras didn’t come from money and some of their relatives were already struggling. They actually intended on sending them money from their “business” once their college fees were paid.

So, against Kenji’s judgment, Hana accepted the curse user’s kind offer and met him one cold night of December in a quiet park. The silence was filled with her breaths and her steps as she navigated through the park. Whatever bad feeling she had about the encounter was kept at bay with the reminder that all she had to do was drain his opponent if it came to it.

The man she was to meet had signed off as S.G., and she didn’t even know what he looked like. They just agreed to a place and a time, but Hana believed she wouldn’t have trouble spotting him. Even wearing her necklace, which prevented her from recognizing cursed energy, they would probably be the only people in the park at that hour. It wouldn’t be difficult.

Just as she thought about it, she reached their agreed spot. It was a bench near the lake, already occupied by a man. He had been pretty punctual, which was something she appreciated.

The sound of her boots scraping the paved pathway made the stranger turn his head towards the source. As her figure emerged from the trees and approached him, the man inspected her. Hana was clad in black clothing excepting her scarf, which engulfed her neck making her look even tinier than she already was. She sported a layered bob cut that framed her pale face and made her gray eyes adorned with eyeliner pop.

The image would have made him chuckle if it weren’t for the fact that he hadn’t noticed an ounce of cursed energy emitting from her, only from the object he had purchased. There were lines forming on his forehead before he erased his annoyed expression with a more kind one. Hana lifted her thin eyebrows at his reaction, insulted.

He probably wasn’t expecting a woman to arrive, just as she wasn’t expecting a monk.

The man had beautiful sharp features and pretty fox-like brown eyes, that closed into crescent moons when he smiled upon her arrival. A very fake smile now that she had seen him frown, Hana may add. He wore blue robes and sandals, which resembled a buddhist priest’s attire. Hana thought he seemed fairly young to be one, and knowing he was a curse user just like her, it was probably some kind of ruse.

The woman put her hand inside her bag and grabbed the object the fake monk was waiting for. With a flick of her wrist, Hana tossed the object towards him, keeping some distance from him. The man caught the item with ease, his smile faltering. He then took a stack of money from under his clothes and actually handed it to her, like a normal person would. Hana stored it in her bag, smiling now that the exchange was complete. She spun on her heel, thoughts already drifting to the warmth of hot chocolate.

But the man wasn’t done. “I paid you, and you’re not going to tell me the object is fake?” His voice sliced through the cold night air, sharp with accusation.

Stupid monk. 

Hana stopped dead in her tracks, as panic took over her. She mustered the picture perfect face of innocence before turning to the man. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It isn’t fake.” Her voice didn’t waver, as she feigned confusion.

“No, you’re right.” He shook his head, getting up from his seat on the bench. “It is the original piece, but it doesn’t have the cursed energy it used to have.” His eyes firmly fixed on her, his expression worryingly tranquil as he discarded the useless trinket onto the frosty grass. “ You don’t have the cursed energy you should have. I suppose that’s the job of the talisman you carry, am I correct?”

Stupid monk and his stupid keen eye.

Hana was frozen a few steps away from him, almost rooted to the spot. Her hand instinctively went to her necklace when she saw him try to shorten the distance between them. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” She warned him, her voice barely above a whisper

But the man, sharing the white-haired sorcerer’s stubbornness, paid her no mind. Hana took off her necklace with a swift movement, her other palm colliding with the man’s chest before he stepped closer. She held onto his robes, feeling the exhilarating rush of sucking the cursed energy from him. A pleased smile played on her lips as he grimaced at the feeling. The man had a big amount of cursed energy, Hana noticed. She still didn’t fully know how to control her technique, the process stopping as she wasn’t concentrating anymore.

The man retracted a few steps from her, staring at her with wide eyes. Hana’s stance remained defensive, her hand extended in front of her warily. The man had underestimated her, that much was clear, but he also took notice of her hesitant nature. Her raw power was unrefined, yet the potential was undeniable. The cursed object he was looking for was nothing in comparison to who had delivered it to him. It had been four years since he had seen an exhibit of power like that, so needless to say he was intrigued.

Especially with a technique like that.

“That’s all?” Hana challenged him with a look, lowering her arm.

The man didn’t respond, which she attributed to shock. Instead of waiting for his answer, the woman turned and started walking. She had barely taken a few steps when his voice pierced the silence.

“Wait!” He called out.

Hana paused, her shoulder tensing, but spun back. “I’d rather not talk to curse users I’m not making business with.” She sighed. She was growing tired of his shenanigans already.

The man gave her an eerie smile. His expressions seemed performed, only natural when she had taken him by surprise. “Meet me here on Saturday and I won’t spread the word about your shady business.” He proposed, a certain glint in his eyes, but just Hana raised her brows at him in an unimpressed manner. “Alright, and I’ll give you an extra 100,000 yen.”

That was better.

The mention of money drew a smile from Hana as she clasped her necklace back on. The man watched it work with interest. “Saturday at 12, sharp. Right here. And you’re buying lunch, eh…” She trailed off, her brow furrowing slightly.  “What’s your name again?”

“Suguru Geto.” He replied, a note of amusement in his voice that did seem real. Hana nodded in acknowledgement, his name didn’t ring any bells, although she found it cute. “Yours?”

“Hana Akiwara.” She shot back and turned again, this time decided to get home no matter what he said. She waved her hand without looking in his direction, which was more dismissal than farewell. “See you then, Suguru!”

As she vanished into the night, Suguru stood motionless, a rare flicker of confusion crossing his features at the use of his first name by the stranger. It was the first time somebody was able to make him break his practiced character multiple times in a row, which he found more interesting than unsettling. His seller was turning out to be a delightful surprise.

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previous - ao3 link - masterlist - next

"Why is a filthy monkey delivering the cursed object?"

"Filthy monkey? Is this a racist thing?" Hana was stunted. "Look man, I just want the money"

i initially wanted to add this but geto is like one of the characters i want to take seriously hahahahaha

i promise as the story goes on i'll make my tone more serious for the tiniest bits of angst i'll write, but be warned that this is mostly a fix-it crack fic, i don't want to see my babies suffer :(

mmmm also let's forget i said kenji and hana lived in sendai, i didn't take into account the distance it had from tokyo so it didn't make much sense... sugisawa college is now in tokyo

on another note, has anybody noticed the vampire diares references at all???? or the fact that hana and kenji are basically mikasa and levi from shingeki physically?? i just love when i notice this in other fics, kinda cute, hope you don't find it annoying!!

and as always, comments and suggestions are highly appreciated! hope you guys like how it's turning out <3

[salem-witch-slut]

Unrequited

Ellie Williams X Abby Anderson

SYNOPSIS: Ellie and Abby hate each other, and all of Jackson knows it. But when Ellie has a dream about the blonde one night, she suddenly starts to feel things that are not exactly hate... and Ellie does not like it.

WARNINGS: Swearing, Everybody Lives AU, loser!ellie, no real warnings its SFW

DIVIDERS MADE BY @cafekitsune

for @olliesasimplething who always encourages me to keep writing. my biggest supporter

It was a cold day in winter when they first met 3 years ago. One of the worst blizzards to ever come about Jackson was upon the city and two patrol groups were stranded in the snow. Teton County, and Elk Creek became a maze of white and ice, and the creek group took shelter within an abandoned library, while the other group was forced to keep moving…

Infected were swarming the massive office warehouse building near the lodge on the Teton County trail, and the two assigned to the route before the sun came up were able to spot what was happening. A young woman, no more than 24, tackled by a runner into the snow, struggling to keep its gnashing teeth away from her but failing due to clear exhaustion.

Joel reacted first. His revolver pressed into the runner’s face, and he fired a quick round, reaching down and shouting at the blonde to give him his hand. She was disoriented, shaking, but otherwise unharmed as she stood on her feet.

“We’re gonna have to run!” Joel warned as his brother, Tommy, laid down the cover fire that was needed to escape. The blonde went along with the two men wordlessly, and it seemed that she was just as desperate to escape as they were. No questions were asked as they ran throughout the entire building, deflecting attacks and fighting off the infected that just seemed to never, ever, ever end.

The group made it to the lodge where two horses were, but the infected just kept coming. Very slowly, Tommy reached out to get the woman’s attention. Her heart was racing and her pupils were dilated, barely able to focus on what was what.

“Hey, I’m Tommy, and that’s Joel,” Her eyes flittered between the two and she shared a moment of centering herself. Almost like her ears were still ringing from the gunshot. “What’s your name?”

“Abby,” She stated, out of breath as her hands trembled on the gun with every bang against the door that was just barricaded shut. Tommy asked her if she was okay, and she barely agreed as she took a step back, almost like she was preparing for the door to come down at any second.

The two brothers seemed to have different ideas about what to do. Joel wanted to get out of here, but Tommy was adamant that staying put was the best option due to the horses being with them and they would not outrun the blizzard.

Abby was quick to offer a solution. “My friends! My friends are at a mansion just north of here; It’s fenced in, we have the whole perimeter secure.”

Joel looked towards his brother and nodded. “It’s the Baldwin place. That could work.”

“I’ll get the door!” Tommy rushed to the front door and began to untie the horses while Joel put his pistol down.

“You ride with me, come on!” Joel told Abby who was quick to agree, following close behind him like her life depended on it; and it, in fact, did depend on it. Without these two, she would be deader than dead. As soon as she was close to Joel, she grabbed his hand and he lifted her onto the saddle behind him.

In seconds, they were gone.

All Ellie needed to hear was that Tommy and Joel never showed up to the lookout point. In mere seconds, she was out the door on Shimmer to find him in the snow, regardless of the blizzard state outside. She split up from the group, covering the entire Teton County trail in a few hours.

“Joel! Tommy!” Ellie shrieked over the howling wind, desperate to find the two most important people in her life. Shimmer ran through the snow quickly, her rider frantically searching the area and coming to a halt when she saw the dead infected at the gate of the Baldwin place… Her stomach dropped and she immediately dismounted from her horse, tying Shimmer up to a tree out of the direct sight line as she made her way down the hill.

Ellie knew the Teton County trail and she’s been to the mansion before. She knew how to get in the back way. Her legs wobbled in terror as she slunk down through the hole in the fence and jumped the railing to get inside. “Joel? Tommy?”

Her voice seemed to reach on deaf ears as she came in through… an open sliding glass door? Something about this felt far too eerie. Ellie’s fear was at an all-time high as she moved through the mansion, looking for something… anything…

The sounds of voices had her jumping as she pulled out her pistol and followed them. Those voices could belong to anybody, and trespassers were always a problem, but Jackson’s policy wasn’t to shoot first, it was to see if they would shoot first… Ellie breathed slowly and followed the voices, down a large staircase to a door that led to a basement.

Laughter echoed in the room and Ellie gulped, grabbing the door handle and slowly pushing the wood out of her way. She was not expecting the number of people inside of this room and before Ellie could even blink, she had at least four guns pointed at her face.

“Hey, hey, put your fucking gun down!” Ellie shouted, not giving one shit that she was outnumbered as she lifted the pistol and stepped inside of the room. “Back up! What the fuck are you—”

“Ellie!” The voice rang in her ears as Ellie looked up and almost immediately, her fears were quenched. Joel ran right up to her and immediately put his hand on her pistol. “Ellie, calm down, it’s alright. They ain’t dangerous—”

Ellie didn’t even care about the crowd as she immediately wrapped her arms around the man and let out a breath of relief. Joel stumbled back and wrapped his arms around her, pushing his nose into the top of her head and scratching her face somewhat with his beard. “C’mon now, what’s this all about?”

A moment passed before Ellie stepped back and immediately shoved him with her hands, making him stumble back yet again. “You fuckin’ dick, don’t scare me like that!”

“Could- could you put the gun down, Ellie?” Joel said, holding out a hand and the girl sighed with a slight growl, tucking the gun back into the waistband of her jeans and putting her hands on her knees. She was covered in snow and her nose was red from how long she had been traversing the landscape looking for him and his brother. “Here, there’s a fire in this room, alright? C’mon.”

The others in the room seemed to be relaxing at the girl’s presence as Ellie stepped in time with Joel, going to the other room. “Who are these guys?”

“They’re just passin’ through Wyoming, trynna get back to Washington… We came across one of ‘em in the snow ‘bout 2 hours ago? She was getting’ swarmed by infected near the lodge,” Joel explained what happened and why they had to hunker down and wait out the storm. Tommy was sitting by the fire and Ellie let out a sigh of relief at seeing him, crouching down next to the blonde man and whacking him in the shoulder.

“Hey! Respect yer elders, girl!” Tommy joked, making Ellie chuckle before she sat down on her knees and put both hands on the warm ground near the little firepit. “Ellie, this here’s Abby. She helped us get outta the storm.”

Ellie was confused who he was talking about but she heard heavy boots fall in front of her and she looked up to see a blonde that was at least half a foot taller than her, long hair in a braid going down her shoulder as she knelt down next to the fire across from her.

“Hey,” Abby said, looking at the girl for a bit too long before she looked over her shoulder at where Joel went, seeing him talk to a man with reddish-blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. “See those two got along almost immediately?”

“Well, yer dad’s easy to like,” Tommy shrugged his shoulders. Ellie watched Joel converse with who was apparently Abby’s father, seeing them talk away from the group a little and try to keep things hush. Ellie had a suspicion of what he was declaring…

That was over 3 years ago. The rest would be history. Joel said that if they didn’t find what they were looking for in Seattle, they were welcome to come back to Jackson. Half a year passed by, and just as spring was coming to an end for summer to roll in, the group reappeared at the gates in front of Jackson, minus a few people… It seemed that Jordan, Leah, and Nick didn’t make it back with them.

It was almost too easy for them to integrate into the life of Jackson as Joel vouched they were good people and they were offered a place to stay. At first, Ellie was indifferent to Abby and the rest of the group… but that began to wear thin.

Abby was quickly becoming a pain in the ass. Whenever they were paired together for patrol, which happened quite often, Abby insisted searching everywhere and anywhere possible, causing more trouble than was needed and nearly getting them killed on several occasions.

And it didn’t take long for Abby to break Ellie’s record of the amount of infected killed on a patrol. It didn’t matter what either of them did, everything felt like a competition, and Ellie was losing. She hated losing.

It was the night after a particularly hostile patrol, and Ellie was sporting a brand new set of stitches on her cheekbone and two splints on her left ring and pinky finger while sitting at the bar in the Tipsy Bison. Dina was sitting next to her, going on about something that Ellie just wasn’t paying attention to, but then she flinched at hearing the door open. Ellie didn’t need to look to see who it was.

Abby’s right arm was in a sling for a few days thanks to an infected knocking her onto the ground and having her roll down a hill into a riverbed. Ellie laughed at first, but she knew that Abby needed her to save her sorry ass, so she was quick to join her at the bottom of the hill.

She was so busy worrying about the runner that she didn’t hear the clicker approaching and before she could defend herself, the infected knocked her down onto the ground, her fingers breaking under her body and her face slicing against a very sharp stone in the dirt.

Everything was fucked, and Ellie was pissed off, but Abby was just as equally pissed as she approached the bar and slammed her left hand down onto the counter. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“I’m not the idiot that went into that trailer—”

“You’re such an asshole,” Abby grabbed Ellie by the front of her shirt and lifted her off the barstool. “You stood there and laughed at that runner taking me down!”

Ellie shoved her hands into Abby’s chest, a hand getting too close to her dislocated shoulder and making her grunt in pain. Ellie could have cared less. “Stop acting like you’re fucking invincible, you dense cunt! You could have gotten both of us killed!”

“And I could have been bit,” Abby got near Ellie’s face, close enough for the redhead to smell her pine scented soap that she used. Ellie tried not to inhale, finding that she detested the smell now more than ever before. “But you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Guys, can we just calm down?” Dina stood up, stepping between both of them and Ellie scoffed. Abby could see blood dripping down her cheek and sliding into the collar of her black t-shirt, her adrenaline rushing and opening her wound back up. Her heart raced as she picked up the glass of whiskey and downed it in almost two seconds. Abby tried not to flinch at seeing the ugly bruises on her splinted fingers.

“I may fuckin’ hate you,” Ellie snapped. “But that doesn’t mean I wanna see you dead, Anderson.”

With that being said, Ellie left the bar and went straight home, leaving Abby to be her brooding self inside of the building. The entire walk home, Ellie wanted to tear her hair out. How can one human be so damn infuriating?! Ellie can’t remember the last time a person had pissed her off so badly. Her heart was racing, and she felt nauseous… or maybe that was just the whiskey in her system.

 In her haste to get inside of her home, she didn’t even acknowledge Joel on his back porch, Jerry sitting next to him on a chair and both of them bonding over the coffee they recently got through a trade. Joel tried to say hi, but she ignored him and slammed her door.

Ellie slammed her hand against the wall, and immediately groaned in pain at her broken fingers throbbing under the skin. Her blood was boiling and dripping from the wound on her cheek. Everything felt overwhelming and she had to calm down somehow. Her heart felt like it was trying to escape from her chest.

After a very short shower, she replaced the bandages on her cheek and changed into a different set of clothes not covered in her sweat. After getting her shit rocked today, Maria agreed to give her a few days off to recuperate from having her bones broken. Ellie could sleep in… And forget about bitches named Abby.

It was well into the night and Ellie had been tossing and turning through her entire dream. Turning onto her left side, she curled both hands into her chest and muttered something under her breath; something she would have slapped herself for saying if she was conscious… “Abby…”

The sensation of rough, calloused hands across her cheeks had Ellie’s eyes fluttering in an embarrassingly lovesick manner. The strong palms on her face slid up, a thumb swiping over her lower lip as Ellie reached up, her own rough-skinned hands sliding over massive biceps to rest on broad, freckled shoulders.

The blonde braid was unmistakable, and Ellie leaned ever closer to her, feeling the heat of her body against Ellie’s own and trembling in the blonde’s grasp. Oh, the scent of pine filled her nose, and she reveled in the pleasure that coursed through her entire being.

“We’ll take things slow, yeah?” That melodic, heavenly voice that stroked along her brain and sent shivers all over her nerves. Ellie sighed, almost like she couldn’t get enough of this, and leaned forward. Her hands went higher, one curling around the base of her braid and pulling her down a little more, but she stopped Ellie with a palm on her chest. Ellie’s heart quickened.

“Abby,” Ellie begged. Abby chuckled, and she leaned forward slowly… Her lips got so close, and Ellie swore she could feel the heat of Abby’s breath on her face. She was so close… so close that Ellie could practically taste her on her tongue—

Ellie let out a loud gasp and jolted upward from the bed. Her body glistened in the moonlight pouring from the window and she grabbed at her chest over her shirt with her good hand. Everything felt like it was buzzing and Ellie couldn’t calm her heart down.

“What the fuck did I just—” Ellie’s thoughts went to her dream, and lingered on Abby… Where she once saw annoyance, Ellie found herself BLUSHING! She remembers the way Abby once grabbed her hip to keep her from falling. She remembers that time Abby patched up her leg when she got hurt. She remembers the way Abby winked at her once a long time ago…

Ellie remembers the dream, and suddenly…. Abby was the one thing on her mind. She tried to think of anything else, but the sound of Abby’s breathing in her head refused to escape and she found herself wondering what she would look like in such an intimate moment…

A pure whine of pitiful defeat, and a little annoyance, tore through the air and Ellie simply covered her face with the pillow, screaming and wishing that she was now dead. What was once in her mind of Abby— all the hatred and disgust for her existence? Ellie couldn’t get the image of her hands caressing her face out of her mind.

If she closed her eyes again and brushed the spot where dream-Abby touched her cheekbone, her entire face would glow with a blush again and it felt borderline sickening.

“Fuck, fuck,” Ellie cursed, not knowing how else to react to this situation.

Ellie was content on hating Abby for a long time, maybe even until one of them inevitably got killed on patrol or by raiders or anything of the sort. But noooooo… that would be too easy for her brain to comprehend. So instead, Ellie would avoid her. And this time, she wouldn’t even look at Abby Anderson, afraid that if she looks at her for too long, she’ll wonder what she tastes like.

So, Ellie did what any normal person would do: she locked the door and pretended to die for a few days.

“Has anybody seen Ellie?”

The question had everybody stopping for a brief second in what they were doing. Dina shared a look with Tommy who simply just shrugged. No one has seen her in, apparently days? It had been three since her fight with Abby in the bar.

“She ain’t been comin’ out of her room,” Joel concluded, his features creased with slight worry at the idea of Ellie being hurt, or even sick. He knows that having 2 broken fingers wasn’t very fun, but she burned herself with chemicals in order to hide her bite mark. The girl was tough as nails, she could do anything with 2 broken fingers.

“I haven’t seen her either,” Dina frowned. It wasn’t like her best friend hiding away on her days off. She’s always doing something. “I can go check on her?”

“Good idea,” Jesse said, lifting a hay bale off the ground and tossing it towards the pile where the others were. “She’s gotta come back for patrol tomorrow.”

Dina stripped off her gloves, tucking them away in her back pocket before she left the stables. The walk to Ellie’s little garage home wasn’t exactly long, but it felt like forever under the Wyoming sun. Sweat dripped from her hairline as she approached Ellie’s front door, gently knocking on the wooden surface.

“Ellie? It’s Dina,” Dina announced, hoping that saying just her name would be enough for Ellie to let her in. But when she was met with silence, Dina began to tap her foot on the ground outside of the door. “I know you’re in there, Ellie. I can see you moving around in there.”

A curse echoed in the bedroom before Dina could hear Ellie actively tripping almost every single thing in her wake. And when she opened the door, Dina had to step back in order to fully take her in. What the hell happened to her?

“Ellie, are you—” Her nose wrinkled up a little as she smelt the unmistakable scent of weed and alcohol on her breath. “Fuck, have you just been in here getting shitfaced for three days?”

“What do you want, Dina?” Ellie deflected, like she always does when she’s got so much on her mind. Dina doesn’t know what upsets her more; that Ellie is getting high, or she’s getting high without her.

The redhead pushed her sweaty forehead against the doorway, almost like she was going to collapse if she stood there for another second than she needed to. So instead of talking outside, Dina pushed herself into Ellie’s home like it was her life’s purpose. Almost instantly, Ellie fell onto her ass, either too blazed or too plastered to fully take in what was happening.

“Dina, what the fuck—”

“What the hell is going on with you?” Dina crouched down, slapping her hands on Ellie’s cheeks and making her blush under her freckles. “And it isn’t the broken fingers because you broke your nose last month and still went on patrol the next day!”

“Wh- nothing! Nothing is wrong, I just—”

“I know you’re lying,” Dina snapped, still holding onto Ellie’s face. She looked like a bunny staring down a rifle barrel. “You wanna know why? Cause you suck at it!”

“Get off!” Ellie shoved Dina’s hands away, attempting to stand on her own but failing miserably. Her knees wobbled as she got off the ground before she fell right back onto the floor and for a few seconds, simply laid there with her face on the dirty rug near her sofa. “Just… Just go, Abby—”

Dina immediately froze in place, her brows knitting together for a brief second as it seemed like the whole world was coming back into focus. Before this moment, Dina was prepared to knock some sense into her best friend, but that moment passed quickly.

“This is about Abby,” Dina said, standing up and running a hand across her face. “Come on El, Abby is always gonna be a bitch, that’s just how she is!”

“S’not about that,” Ellie finally stood up off the ground, her shirt sticking against her sweaty skin as she rubbed her forehead, trying to stop the room from spinning. Her wobbly legs managed to carry her to the bed where a half-burned blunt was sitting inside of an ashtray. “Just go. I can’t deal with this right now…”

Dina watched as Ellie picked up the roach and inhaled very slowly, the end of the blunt glowing and illuminating her face. Dina could see the bruises under her eyes from a lack of sleep. Whatever was happening inside of Ellie’s head, Dina couldn’t figure it out… So she left.

As soon as Dina was gone, Ellie let out a harsh breath as she looked down at the sketches littering her bed. And if Dina had stayed, she would have understood. Abby’s face was all over the papers, her eyes staring back with that characteristic scowl she always held, and the slight pout to her bottom lip…

A curse escaped Ellie’s lips as she shoved all of the drawings on the floor and shoved a pillow back over her face. There was no reason that this affected her so badly, she’s had stupid crushes before—

“No, nope, absolutely fucking not, this is not happening,” Ellie scolded herself, gripping the fabric of the pillowcase like it was her lifeline from drowning. Lines were drawn on the invisible white board in her mind, and she felt like thoughts were knitted together.

Realization hit her like a bus. Ellie Williams has a crush on Abby frickin’ ANDERSON!

When Ellie emerged from her so-called hobbit hole, as Joel called it, she looked like death warmed up. Her face was pale and she looked like she was going to be sick at any given moment. Her trek to the stables felt like the longest walk of her life. She chugged a ton of water just to get through the day and Maria had been gracious enough to give her one extra day to sober up…

Wandering around the town was normally a good idea, so she decided to take a walk and try to clear her head. Everyone seemed to be out in full force today enjoying the warm weather while Ellie is starting to wish that she grabbed those sunglasses she saw on patrol last week. Her limbs felt impossibly heavy as she turned a corner towards the stables, going to see if Joel was back yet. But on her way, Ellie nearly fell over as she ran directly into someone.

“Hey! Watch where you’re–” Ellie looked up, ready to fight whoever wasn’t watching where they were going, and then she went completely silent. 

That blonde braid was unmistakable, not to mention the sling over her shoulder. Abby looked pissed, to say the least. Her brows were pulled together and her bottom lip was pouted out even more than usual. It was a look that Ellie has seen almost a thousand times… so why did it feel different now?

“Can you get out of your own world for five damn seconds and watch where you’re going?” Abby snapped, readjusting the sling on her shoulder and biting her lip to try and hide the wince of pain she felt. Normally, this would be the time that Ellie would fire back. She was waiting for her words that usually cut as deep as her switchblade. 

But when Abby looked back, she saw Ellie had gone red in the face. Abby figured she was coming up with some “clever” retort, and she decided to poke the bear again. “What’s wrong, Williams? Clicker got your tongue?”

If Abby had been looking closely, she would be able to see Ellie’s hands trembling slightly as she took a step back and immediately turned around and walked in the other direction. What the fuck, that didn’t make sense– Ellie never misses the opportunity to fight with Abby. What was going on?

“Williams,” Abby started following behind Ellie, who pretty much refused to acknowledge Abby’s presence. If Ellie was even more childish, Abby would assume she was being given the silent treatment, but she was more mature than that… by a miniscule fraction. Ellie was never afraid for someone to know just how much she hated them. Reminders of Ellie almost stabbing Seth in the bar will forever be a prime memory for Abby. 

She wasn’t stopping, and Abby didn’t know what to do. “Ellie,” A hand went on the redhead’s shoulder and she immediately went still. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Ellie said way too fast to be convincing. Her heart was racing and as long as she didn’t look at Abby, the blonde couldn’t see the color rising to her cheeks. “Can you just…” 

Abby watched Ellie carefully grab Abby’s wrist with the hand that had two fingers in splints. Suddenly, Abby felt a surge of guilt in her stomach from the sight. It technically was Abby’s fault that Ellie had broken two of her fingers, but she was also responsible for her dislocated shoulder. 

Actually… No, it was all Abby’s fault. Had she been thinking, she wouldn’t have gotten attacked by that infected. She let her guard down, and in doing so, almost got both of them killed because of her dumb quarter collection. She’d never tell Ellie that’s why she went exploring; Ellie would only make fun of her for it, and she didn’t need the girl to have anymore reasons to pick on her.

“Are you-” Abby tried to step around to look at her face and try to see if the stitches on her cheek were okay, but before she could, Ellie turned her head to avoid eye contact. “What is wrong with you? Why are you–”

“I have somewhere I need to be,” Ellie immediately changed the subject, turning away as fast as possible and going towards the stable. This time, Abby didn’t chase her. The blonde just stood there, looking more confused than she’s ever been before in her life. 

The redhead, on the other hand, felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest and she immediately hid behind a house, covering her face with both hands and feeling like her skin was suddenly too tight for her own body. Her stomach twisted, and she wanted to bash her head into the brickwork of the house behind her. 

What the hell is her problem? She’s had crushes on people before, none of them have made her act like this! Even when it was Cat, she was cool about it… Well, as cool as she could be. And even with Dina, she didn’t go practically paralyzed with fear or pure discomfort that she may discover how Ellie feels. 

So why did she do this with Abby? Why couldn’t she play it cool and act like nothing was wrong? 

Because Ellie didn’t fucking want to like Abby. 

[dizzzydancin]

Lights, Camera, Mouthwash!- Chapter 2

THIS JUST IN: NEW CHAPTER JUST DROPPED! Make sure you read the prologue before this chapter, though I feel like that's self explanatory lol

College has just entered the spring semester—you know what that means! Final projects are being assigned, and luckily for Jimmy, he has a brilliant idea. Introducing: Mouthwashing- a psychological horror film written by Jimmy himself.

Enjoy!

[middleearthpixie]

It is time!

Finally! Here is the fic I wrote for this amazing artwork done by @artgoalsandlovelythings! It was wonderful to work with them (and I learned a few things about blacksmithing in the process!) and I'm so glad I can finally share this!

Title: Two Hearts

Rating: M

Relationships: Boromir x ofc Sarina

Characters: Boromir, Sarina, Faramir, Ballard, a couple of accident-prone soldiers

Warnings/Triggers: Unprotected sex, slinking off into the night

Word Count: 17k

Summary: The last thing Boromir expected when he walked into Gondor’s smithy was to find a woman behind the counter and Sarina is unlike most of the women he knew. She is loud and opinionated and to his surprise, a fast friendship is born between them.

Like Boromir, Sarina is dealing with past trauma of her own, and while she is coming to think of Minas Tirith as home, she hesitates to look too far into the future. At the same time, she cannot imagine a time when she’d want to leave Minas Tirith, or Boromir.

But time passes and it seems there just might be more between them than simply friendship. It’s the last thing either one wants or needs, but it just might be the one thing neither one can live without…

Check out the story and the gorgeous artwork on AO3!!

[jan-holdres]

[charleslee-valentine]

car selfies- feat. Chucky and Tiff as their doll versions

[asoiafzambi]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, House of the Dragon (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen/Daemon Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen/Rhaenyra Targaryen, Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laenor Velaryon, Alicent Hightower/Viserys I Targaryen, Baela Targaryen/Jacaerys Velaryon Characters: Daemon Targaryen, Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen, Viserys I Targaryen, Daeron Targaryen (Son of Viserys I), Rhaenyra Targaryen, Laenor Velaryon, Alicent Hightower, Otto Hightower, Criston Cole, Helaena Targaryen, Jacaerys Velaryon, Lucerys Velaryon (Son of Rhaenyra), Joffrey Velaryon Additional Tags: Mpreg, canon typical underage marriage, Targcest | Targaryen Incest (A Song of Ice and Fire), Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, tolerated infidelity, Work In Progress, Domestic Fluff, Cute Kids, Light Angst, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies

Summary:

Premise/AU Diverging Point: Driftmark incident goes a bit different. Aemond takes Luke's eye. Rhaenyra flips her shit, Viserys grows some balls, no civil war occurs.

A/N: Yes, another WIP (I’m sorry)

This is all vysehrn's (tumblr) fault. This Muna Aemond art is so cute. I think it's a commission for a trans Aemond AU, but I have to put my own spin on the idea.

Though my Aemond here is actually an Aemond "Two-Eye" Targaryen. 👀   (And yes, his punishment for taking Luke's eye was having to wed uncle Daemon. How mean.)

Omegaverse usually makes me uncomfortable, so we go with the old - IT'S MAGIC- 'explanation' of some males being able to get pregnant and give birth. Would likely be considered a third gender but whatever.

This is very WIP, like an excerpt from the middle of the story so far, but self contained. I can't write stuff chronologically for the life of me. The beginning will be a rewrite of the show's infamous Driftmark dagger scene. This has about 1700 words. I would guess the end product (sceduled for 2036) will have around 10 000 words.

[askthekraliekrew]

couldn't help but notice that infinity symbol on jays hat... autism? :>

___ Jay : Sorry... It's been a while since I've been in front of a camera like this.

Alex : [Meet Jay, Tumblr! You can ask him things too... Brian probably wouldn't mind either. I don't know about Tim, but I can try and get him to talk to you guys if you want that, or whatever.]

[levieske]

(𝟔) 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐞

In which Yuji Itadori accidentally spoils Hana Akiwara’s plans by ingesting Sukuna’s finger, and Satoru Gojo is constantly humbled as a result.

satoru gojo x ofc x suguru geto

[ canon divergence, fix-it au, everybody lives, no kenjaku, no shibuya incident, jjk s1, slow-burn, aged-up characters, age gap, questionable relationships, mentor-student relationships, unresolved sexual tension, more mature and graphic in future chapters, crack heavy for now, tvd references if you squint ]

previous - ao3 link - masterlist - next

On the following Saturday, they saw each other again.

“Hey.”

The soft timbre of his voice cut through the crisp morning air, startling Hana. She turned, her gray eyes locking with his brown ones. She had arrived earlier than him, Suguru noticed.

Their positions had reversed, this time Hana had claimed the bench. She sat with her legs crossed in order to maintain as much warmth as she could, her legs twitching under her wide jeans. Her hands were inside the pockets of her black coat and her enormous white scarf engulfed her neck. Her freezing figure was hard to miss for Suguru. His eyes easily landed on her, the signature cursed energy of her talisman working as a beacon, as he walked past families strolling through the park and children playing in the freshly fallen snow.

Now that the man was within her field of view, Hana inspected him with curiosity. Dressed in a coffee-colored coat, a black turtleneck and black dress pants, he smiled at her. His long, black locks waved with a gust of wind. Hana shrank from the cold, getting up from her seat at the bench. 

“Hey.” She finally greeted back, guiding him through the park’s paths as their walk began. “No monk robes today?”

Hana had half-expected the man would wear his eccentric costume, but she didn’t dislike the alternative either. Both styles suited him, to be honest.

“Thought I’d dress for the occasion.” Suguru quipped, a playful edge to his voice.

“Okay, stop right there, monk man.” Hana halted with an interjection, outstretching an arm in his direction as she put herself in front of him. “Don’t get it twisted, this” Hana gestured between them, “isn’t a date, this is only a business meeting.”

Suguru’s chuckle was low, clearly enjoying the teasing. “One in which I’m buying you lunch?”

“And in which you’re paying me for information. Just business.” The girl affirmed, lifting both her thin eyebrows at him. Suguru stared back at her with an amused expression. They resumed walking, as a devious smile crept down her face. “Didn’t think you were into escorts, Suguru. I’m sorry to inform you that my services don’t extend to that.”

Hana feigned an apologetic grimace as she lifted her face to the older man. A hint of color rose to his cheeks over her bluntness, a rare show of vulnerability that she noted with satisfaction. “I don’t need to pay women to get dates, Akiwara.” He bit back after regaining his composure, and shot her a smile.

“You were the one who said this was a date.” Hana shrugged. She was enjoying annoying this man, and he seemed not to completely detest their banter. It could be worse, Hana guessed. “And, please just call me Hana. I’m not used to people calling me by my family name. It feels weird.”

“A foreigner, eh?” Suguru inquired, looking at her briefly.

“I thought you had already noticed my slight accent. American family, Japanese roots.” Akiwara explained with a nod. “But, this isn’t why we’re here, so shoot.” She stared at him sideways. “What do you want to know?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Geto retorted, his gaze intense as it met hers. “Why are you hiding your gift?”

She sighed. “It’s a long story I’d rather tell you about with a delicious, hot bowl of ramen in front of me.”

“You already have a place in mind.” Geto pondered, his eyebrows arching slightly.

“Yep.” She confirmed with a nod. “But, what I meant was what do you want to get out of this meeting overall? The more information, the higher my price gets.”

“I just want to know more about you.” Suguru responded, shaking his head at her attitude. “You really want the money.”

“You’re the first curse user I’m attempting to bleed dry; I need to know how much I can bargain.” Hana retorted with a smile that just made the other curse user shake his head. “Besides, you haven’t asked for your money back even though I’ve essentially scammed you.”

“The cursed object is useless in the grand scheme of things. You, on the other hand, have piqued my interest, Hana.” Suguru admitted, her name rolling off his tongue softly, unfamiliarly. The woman couldn’t say she hated the sound. “I see it as an investment. Why do you want the money?”

“Oh, it’s for college.” She revealed nonchalantly.

Suguru Geto was growing more and more curious about her as she spoke. Why was a talented curse user wasting her potential in mundane stuff? Hana anticipated his thoughts, rolling her eyes in amusement. It seemed most curse users struggled to balance their ordinary lives with their jujutsu. No wonder almost all of them seemed a bit unhinged. Or at least the ones Hana and Kenji had contacted through the underground market did.

They settled in silence until they arrived at the cozy restaurant Hana had an eye on for some time. She could have brought them somewhere more expensive, and lucrate from Suguru’s money, but she was somewhat of a picky eater and she wanted to at least enjoy her meal if she wouldn’t be enjoying his company.

Not that she wasn’t having a great time annoying Suguru. It was surprising that he hadn’t lost his temper at her yet. Most curse users became somewhat irritable after realizing they were scammed by Kenji and Hana.

Meeting this stranger was probably reckless on Hana’s part, but she was confident in her abilities, and Suguru didn’t seem intent on harming her. It didn’t look like he was planning on killing her, which was a good sign. He hadn’t even defended himself the other day and was offering more money than any of her other gullible clients had. She would likely face some scolding from Kenji when he’d find out, that was -of course- if she made it out alive. It didn’t look like Suguru was planning on killing her, which was a good sign. Even though she knew her brother didn’t approve of her methods, the money she was bringing home would make him less angry.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Hana and Suguru were escorted to a table. Hana shrugged off her coat, revealing her oversized cream sweater. As she moved, the sweater slipped off one shoulder, exposing her collarbone. Her silver necklace -the talisman- glinted against her skin. Hana noticed Suguru’s eyes roaming over her body, curiosity evident in his gaze, but he remained silent. He also removed his coat, folding it neatly and putting it over his chair. The black turtleneck he wore clung to his form, accentuating his muscular physique. Hana found herself momentarily captivated by him before shaking herself out of it. She sat down unceremoniously when he turned around, and Suguru also took a seat.

It wasn’t exactly the time to be ogling, no matter how attractive the man was. This was a business meeting and, as the saying goes, you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure.

The menu was handed to both curse users, and they quietly scanned the menu. Hana already had a specific ramen in mind, but her eyes darted over the array of dishes anyway before they placed their orders. It was Suguru who finally shattered the silence that had formed between them.

“Why are you hiding your gift?” Geto inquired, repeating his question from earlier, his gaze locked onto Hana’s necklace as she subconsciously fiddled with it. “Why are you holding back?”

“I thought I said I wanted a bowl of ramen in front of me before I started.” Akiwara teased playfully and the man playfully rolled his brown, sharp eyes at her. “Alright, alright. It’s a safety measure. I could suck all your cursed energy by mistake, killing you.”

Geto tilted his head. She seemed to have confirmed a hunch he had. “So, you don't have full control over your technique?”

“More or less.” Hana admitted just as the waiter arrived with their food, the delicious smell filling the air. “I’ve been using jujutsu only for a few months.” This intrigued Suguru, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And I’m not used to sensing this much cursed energy. My technique can be overwhelming, and it could potentially expose me. You have seen it for yourself.”

As they began to eat, Suguru leaned back for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “What really makes you stand out to sorcerers is the talisman.” Hana tensed, her previously calm demeanor evaporating with his words. The man quickly took notice of that. “I’m a curse user like you, you don’t have to worry about that. I cut ties with sorcerers years ago.”

Realization dawned on Hana, her posture relaxing slightly. “If you’ve worked with them, then you already understand why I don’t exactly want to attract attention to myself.”

Suguru nodded, his brown eyes never leaving her gray ones. “Your clan is thought to be extinct, they were involved in some questionable stuff in the past and they have been persecuted since.” He said softly. “I’m just surprised they didn’t find you before I did. Why come to Japan of all places?”

Hana’s smile was a bittersweet thing, setting a few more lines in Suguru’s frown. “I’m just tired of having to fit in with non-sorcerers because sorcerers fear us. I’m tired of having to bend myself for their morals. I don’t want to do jujutsu for their sake, or from the goodness of my heart.” She sighed, her head drooping slightly. Unbeknownst to her, Suguru’s expression softened with understanding. “I want a world where my technique isn't persecuted and my family can stop living in fear.”

They continued to eat in silence before Suguru responded. “You’ve been robbed of the experience of jujutsu. I can relate to that to an extent.”

Hana hummed. Her client wore a determined face, which made her wonder what were the horrors he had seen. The world of jujutsu was itself cruel, and not only for the grim past that surrounded her family.

“I didn’t come to Japan to commit mass murder, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Hana joked and flashed Suguru a genuine, infectious smile. “It would be lovely to get rid of those assholes, but then more assholes would spawn. So, I think I’ll settle for proving them wrong and showing them that powerful jujutsu can be born into my family despite all the killing they did to please their morals.” Hana gesticulated with a scowl. “I don’t really know how we’ll get to that, but it’s an on-going plan.”

Suguru’s soft laugh echoed her statement. “So, you’ve come here to get stronger right under their noses as a big fuck you.” Suguru’s eyes sparkled with understanding and respect, Hana saw. “It’s impressive.”

Hana chuckled before taking a sip from her water. Looking down at her bowl, she had finished her whole meal. She was a quick eater, alright? “Did I satisfy your curiosity?”

Suguru seemed lost in thought before he answered her, his gaze scrutinizing her features. “I think you just made me hungry for more.” Hana playfully rolled her eyes. He reached into his coat pocket and handed an envelope to Hana. “Hope this helps your college fund.”

“Will do, thank you very much.”Hana replied, pocketing the money and standing up to grab her coat.

“We can hold the next meeting at my compound.” Suguru suggested, watching her movements.

“Oh, no, no, no.” Hana shook her head, her short hair following her. She put on her coat and wrapped her scarf around her neck. “No more meetings. If you ever need someone to locate a cursed object, contact me.” Suguru was visibly taken aback by her blunt rejection, his eyes widening slightly as he stared at her. Yet, there was no anger in his gaze. “I promise I won’t pull any tricks next time, for a higher price, of course.”

The curse user just stared at her. It may have been the first time Suguru’s charm had failed to recruit someone, but he would never confess that aloud. Hana Akiwara, his fraudulent seller, was simply different. She was driven by a similar passion to his and seemed to take a perverse pleasure in draining his wallet, but that wasn’t enough for her to surrender. There was something else that kept her from making that decision, and Suguru was itching for answers. But, as much as he would love to just get her to join his cult- his family, the older curse user wanted to see how things would play out.

He had a feeling they would cross paths again soon, and it wouldn’t be because of him.

Lost in his thoughts, Hana exited the establishment completely unscathed.

It had been a fascinating encounter, she gave him that. This was the second curse user she had met in person, and he had left a great impression, regardless of what she first thought his character would be. His whole cult-leader persona was captivating and it wasn’t like Kenji and her had that many allies, but Hana had no interest in making deep bonds with what both Akiwara twins strictly saw as cash cows.

Most curse users were a little bit sick in the head, and she didn’t want word to spread around about them. This would be her first and only meeting with a client, she was sure of that. She repeated that mentally a few times, she couldn’t stop thinking about how they seemed to have found an unexpected common ground. As genuine as he seemed, he was still a stranger and whatever connection they may have might as well be as fake as his smile had been the other day. Plus, neither her grandmother nor her brother would be pleased about any of these meetings. Her grandmother’s health had been on a steady decline lately, and she had just been admitted to the hospital. Hana didn’t want to add to her worries in her final days. Hana and Kenji would be visiting her on Christmas, and she hoped the stranger wouldn’t bother them in the near future.

In the present, a year and a half later, Hana returned the necklace to its original place, nestled on the frame of the photo she had with Mineko. She sighed at the memories of the person who would eventually give her the confidence to stop using her grandmother’s old necklace: Suguru Geto.

˖ ⁺ ‧ ₊ ˚  ♡  ˚ ₊ ‧ ⁺ ˖

It had been just a couple of days after their last encounter with Satoru, when the siblings decided to reach out to him. As much as they were enjoying their tranquility and their quality time free of sorcerers, the Akiwaras needed to make their requests known. Hana had obtained his number all thanks to Yuji. Now the older sorcerer had the ability to bother her anytime, but it was a price she was willing to pay in order to bargain their “alliance” before the man decided not to be so benevolent with them.

In their three-hour-long text message discussion, Gojo and the Akiwaras had agreed the twins would officially become sorcerers under four simple clauses:

One - The siblings' enrollment in Jujutsu Tech would be postponed until further notice.

It wasn’t confirmed exactly when they would have to join the school. Gojo had only said they would be enrolled for the Sister-School Goodwill Event, which was when he will inform everybody about Yuji’s resurrection and all. He didn’t specify a concrete date, but Hana suspected it would be around the end of summer. Still, the twins clung to the remnants of their normalcy. They went to work, attended their classes and completed their mundane routines they had before, choosing to ignore for the time being that they had already lost all of it.

Two - There would be no more threats of execution or any kind towards them and their clan.

Kenji had annoyed Satoru to no end with this request, despite his countless assurances that they would be fine because he was the strongest and such kind of bullshit. Regardless of the importance of his name, Hana recalled it didn’t stop the high-ups from setting a trap for Yuji. It was then when Gojo had to surrender and accept the fact that they could flee if things got ugly, not needing a trial or other sorcerer bureaucracy, only if they didn’t commit mass murder or something. Kenji then pointed out that the higher-ups could just incriminate them with false evidence, and Satoru and him spent a good half an hour debating.

Hana remembered with a chuckle how her brother had driven the man to mental exhaustion. In the end, Gojo couldn’t promise them that the elders wouldn’t be a problem, but did promise them to have their backs. He’d make sure the elders would have to just suck it up if they weren’t happy with their clan and their presence. Hana was actually pleased with his unhingedness for once, as it played in their favor.

Three - Gojo would pay for their expenses.

Now that the twins were sure Satoru’s mind was more than a bit stunted from Kenji’s insistence, they got to the money issue. They were going to ditch their respective jobs to join the school, so the least Gojo could do was cover their rent and groceries. The sorcerer had actually found their thought process amusing, but he agreed without any resistance. He smugly told them he was loaded, which earned some mocking and rolled eyes from the twins on the other side of the phone. Satoru also informed them that the school paid students for their assignments, but the twins still wanted to mooch off of him. They didn’t feel guilty when it was him who proudly announced his wealthy status.

Gojo had a feeling that the twins had no qualms about taking advantage of others in business matters. It made him wonder how they actually managed to afford both tuition and an apartment in Kichijoji with minimum wage jobs. Satoru knew the siblings were playing some kind of scheme to manipulate him into agreeing to their demands by being incredibly insufferable. They had mastered the art of bending things to their will, he had to admit.

Regardless, Satoru would have probably agreed to their requests anyway, although he enjoyed seeing how they operated. Even if that meant that Hana and Kenji would drain him financially.

Four - The siblings would have to report to him.

After all, they were Gojo’s responsibility and he was supposed to supervise them. The sorcerer established this after the twins were satisfied with their demands. Hana and Kenji had talked about everything but this, knowing they would have to give up their freedom in some kind of way. Even though Satoru had assured them he wouldn’t be too invasive, Hana had a feeling their opinions on the matter would differ. He promised them they could have their privacy, stay at their apartment or fly back home if they wanted, but they needed to be in contact with him. He just wanted to be informed.

Hana suspected he would have them monitored in some way, like a helicopter parent of sorts, but agreed nonetheless to his only clause. Kenji had done the same after complaining for a bit, completing their ‘contract’.

Hana would have her suspicions proven correct a little bit over a week later in Ginza, where Kenji and her were at the moment. The older curse user stared at the map on her phone and guided her brother though the busy streets, finally approaching an unfamiliar building in a residential area. Inspecting the streets, Hana didn’t see a recognizable mop of white hair sticked up in a toilet brush fashion.

“Where the hell is Satoru?” She muttered, almost grumbling as her brother joined in the search for the sorcerer.

They had been spending their time without any jujutsu related incidents during the past week, until she received a message from Satoru the previous day. He had been brief, only sending her the location, date and hour. He didn’t even answer her questions or offer any kind of reply. It had been radio silence since then and the siblings still complied. They had embarked on a 40-minute train journey and a 10-minute walk to what could probably mean their death.

Trust? Yeah, Hana wasn’t there yet.

The girl expected some kind of communication back if the sorcerer wanted them to keep in contact with him. They didn’t even know what they were getting into, yet they believed Satoru was going to ask them to do something for him. Keeping that in mind, Hana had chosen to braid her hair as usual to keep it out of her way, and wore workout clothes: a black open hoodie, a tight crop top, some wide gray joggers and a pair of comfortable sneakers. Kenji had picked an outfit in a similar fashion, his colorscheme varying in different greens. They probably just looked like thieves to the residents of Ginza, noticing how the women grabbed their purses or how the men looked at them with suspicion when they walked past them, but the twins ignored them. 

Just when Kenji was about to complain, Satoru emerged from a car in front of them with Yuji. It was the same car he had driven her last time, Hana noticed. Something sporty and white, it looked like a new model. She stopped eyeing the vehicle with interest to stare at the late man, lifting her thin eyebrows.

“Hey.” Hana greeted the newcomers as they approached. Kenji, who was leaning on the building, simply nodded and straightened himself.

Yuji waved his hand at them, giving Hana a tiny smile she reciprocated. “Sorry for being late.”

“Glad you could make it.” Satoru flashed them a grin, staring back at her through his blindfold. Hana wondered how he hadn’t been stopped yet by the police for driving with that on. “Were you waiting for long?”

“You called, we came.” Han rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”

“You’ll see. Now follow me.”

He made a gesture with his hand and his three students accompanied him inside the apartment complex. They entered the polished lobby and made their way to the elevator. The four of them filled the tiny space when its door opened. The silence inside the minuscule metal box was heavy, filled with palpable tension between them. The doors closed and Hana found herself inadvertently locking gazes with Satoru. Or at least, she assumed she did, given the blindfold. The man was literally in front of her and his large figure loomed over her, it wasn’t intentional on any side. Hana lowered her gaze, as she waited for the elevator to ascend.

But it didn’t.

Gojo raised his eyebrows under his blindfold. “I forgot to press the button. Whoops.” He turned around, hitting both Akiwaras somehow on his way. Hana’s body collided with the walls of the elevator and Kenji hit Yuji as the older sorcerer moved. It happened again when he turned back to Hana after choosing the floor, deepening her frown. “Now we’re ready.”

This idiot.

The elevator did ascend this time, both Hana and Kenji not too pleased having to spend more time than necessary with Satoru in close quarters. Once they reached the selected floor, the four of them stepped out into a hallway. Their poor excuse of a mentor led them to a door at the end, knocking in a rhythmic pattern.

The door swung open, revealing a tall blond man with sharp features and tiny glasses. He was a sorcerer, one who wore a business suit for some reason. The suit consisted of a blue dress shirt underneath a tan blazer, with matching slacks and a dotted tie. A little bit tacky for Hana’s liking, but she still felt underdressed in her sweatpants. If it weren’t for the amount of cursed energy he emanated, both curse users would have mistaken him for a civilian.

His expression was unreadable as he examined his guests.

“Nanami!” Gojo shattered the silence when he greeted the aforementioned. The blindfolded sorcerer flashed a big smile that the man didn’t return. In fact, his voice only seemed to age Nanami further. Was that the effect Gojo had in the long-term, wrinkles and a resting bitch face? “Thanks for letting us use your place.”

The man stepped aside with a nod, which worked both as a welcome as a resignation. “It’s not a problem.” He said, though his tone suggested it was a minor inconvenience.

Satoru’s smile widened and he ushered the twins and Yuji inside. “As you may have suspected, this is going to be your first mission as sorcerers.” The man announced with a slightly off-putting cheery tone. Hana and Kenji shared a look, as their new mentor continued. “I won’t be able to lead you this time, but don’t worry! I have a friend you can trust.” Gojo put his arm around Nanami’s shoulders, who noticeably stiffened. “This is Nanami Kento, the ex-salaryman jujutsu sorcerer!”

Both Hana and Kenji grimaced at the man’s expression; his frown only deepening. “Please don’t call me that.” Nanami interjected, his annoyance thinly veiled beneath his composed exterior.

Still, Gojo kept talking as if he hadn’t said anything. “Plenty of jujutsu sorcerers are oddballs,” he stated, prompting an eye roll from the older Akiwara, “but since he worked for a company, he’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’s a first-grade sorcerer and my underclassman, too.”

“I’m sure no one would want to hear you saying that about them.” The trio noticed Kento was slowly but surely losing his patience with the blindfolded sorcerer. It made Hana wonder how many years of pure discipline had taken him not to snap at Satoru every time he opened his damn mouth.

“Ex-salaryman? Why didn’t you become a jujutsu sorcerer from the start?” Yuji inquired, with a confused gaze directed at the blond man.

Hana shrugged before replying. “Clearly, not everyone wants to be in that school, Yuji.”

“We are not even here willingly.” Kenji added, making Yuji deflate with a hum. “And what even is a first-grade sorcerer? Isn’t he a bit old to be still studying?”

Hana nodded, but before she could add anything, Kento cut their banter. “We should greet each other first.” The man bowed. “Nice to meet you, Itadori and Akiwaras.”

“Oh, yes, nice to meet you, too.” Itadori responded, also bowing, and Hana and Kenji mimicked his actions.

Hana straightened her back, her gaze fixed on Nanami. “Please, use our first names.”

“It’s going to get confusing if you don’t.” Kenji explained, nodding in agreement to his sister.

The three sorcerers observed the twins, slightly unnerved by their synchronized speech. Even their mannerisms were alike.

“Alright, Hana and Kenji.” Nanami conceded, understandingly. “Please, take a seat before we continue.”

The trio nodded in awkwardness, as the five of them still stood by the entrance of his flat. They walked further into his home, settling into the comfort of the couch. Gojo, already familiarized with the environment or simply lacking manners, claimed a dining chair for himself and placed it near the coffee table. Nanami made no comment about it, choosing instead to seat himself in the armchair. The interior of his flat was warm and cozy. It made Hana feel like they were intruding on some kind of sacred place and, judging with the amount of lines in Nanami’s frown, they probably were.

Did Gojo ask him to use his place or did he just appear with the three students on his door?

Nanami resumed the conversation, his gaze intensifying. “I studied at Jujutsu Tech, and one thing I learned is that jujutsu sorcerers are shit!”

“Huh?” Yuji was perplexed, but both Hana and Kenji shared a laugh, not really expecting the man to voice that. Hana had a feeling they would be getting along.

“Then I worked at your typical company, and one thing I learned,” he continued, his eyes narrowing with conviction, “is that work is shit!”

Itadori couldn’t contain his surprise. “Really?!”

Nanami nodded. “If both are equally shit, I’ll take the one I’m more suited to.” He didn’t really leave room for discussion, explaining himself nonchalantly. “That’s the only reason I came back.”

“That’s dark.” Yuji mumbled, still taken aback. 

Satoru nodded, inclining towards him. “Right?”

“Itadori, please don’t believe I’m of the same mindset as Gojo.” Nanami clarified, his gaze fixed on the younger sorcerer. “I do trust and have faith in him.” Satoru looked at Hana with pride, smiling widely. Okay, maybe she wouldn’t be getting along that well with Kento… “But I do not respect him!”

Gojo’s expression shifted to one of surprise, pouting. “Huh?!”

Hana couldn’t contain her laugh behind her hand, and Kenji didn’t even try to hide it. Scratch that, they would definitely be getting along. Hana was actually pleased with a sorcerer for a change.

“I hate the way the higher-ups do things, but I believe in rules and regulations.” Kento continued with a sigh. “This conversation is dragging on.” He disliked Satoru and liked getting to the point? “In short, I don’t recognize any of you as sorcerers, yet. Even if you, Itadori, do carry the bomb we know as Sukuna, please make an effort to prove that you are useful.”

“Lately, I’ve been forced to realize how weak and useless I am. But I’ll become strong. I have to be strong, or I won’t be able to choose how I die.” Yuji’s voice was full of determination as he locked his brown eyes on Kento’s hazel ones. “I’ll make you recognize me, even without that advice. Just give me a bit more time.”

The man just offered a dismissive shrug. “Say that to the higher-ups, not me.”

“Oh, right…” Itadori mused, his cheeks tingling with embarrassment.

“Frankly, I don’t care!” Namai exclaimed bluntly, eliciting chuckles from the twins at his sudden outburst.

Yuji grimaced. “Okay, I get it!”

By that point, Hana and Kenji had barely spoken any word, instead enjoying their new chaperone’s critique about his kind. It was honestly refreshing. In the end, the twins had just discovered what Gojo regarded as monitoring: Kento Nanami, a hot salaryman by day and jujutsu sorcerer by night or something. A quiet and polite man, something both curse users appreciated in comparison to Satoru's petulant nature.

It seemed that the man and the twins were a bit alike. They both returned to jujutsu after trying to abandon that side of them. Well, the twins’ situation had really nothing to do with him, but Hana just enjoyed his presence. She was able to respect him already, and he seemed more reliable than Gojo anyways. What puzzled her was the fact that Nanami was supposed to be younger than Gojo and they both were still attending school…

Eventually, Hana snapped out of her thoughts and voiced her question, interrupting whatever the older sorcerers were bickering about. “You mentioned he was your underclassman, just how old are you, Satoru?”

Nanami’s eyebrow arched at the use of his colleague’s first name.

“Isn’t Nanami a bit older?” Kenji chimed in, his thoughts having gone the same route as his sister’s.

“He’s actually younger than me.” Satoru deadpanned, staring at the twins through his blindfold. “I’m 26 and he's 25.”

“It may appear so because you lack manners and act like a child.” Kento remarked. A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth, the Akiwaras noticed.

“That was actually pretty accurate.” Hana didn’t even try to hide her laugh this time, smiling at the man’s jab. “Why didn’t I meet you first?”

“I’m not that bad!” Satoru whined and protested, pouting at her.

Kento ignored both of them, sighing. “We’re getting off topic. We are set to investigate a murder at a cinema.”

“Wait, hold on!” Kenji interrupted the older man, frowning. “You’re 25 and still studying? Just how long do we have to keep training?”

“We’re not-” Kento stopped himself and sighed, rubbing his temples. Maybe he wasn’t enjoying their company as much as they were enjoying his. Whoops. “We have already graduated, it’s like college, four years.” His clarification made Kenji exhale, his fears dissipating. Hana also relaxed by his side. “Grades are how we rank the strength of jujutsu sorcerers and curses. Has he not explained anything?”

Nanami’s glare at Gojo was sharp as the twins shook their heads, innocently amplifying the blonde’s disdain towards the white-haired sorcerer. The latter offered an apologetic smile that wasn't apologetic at all.

“Well, now seems like a good time for a quick lesson.” Nanami finally concluded.

˖ ⁺ ‧ ₊ ˚  ♡  ˚ ₊ ‧ ⁺ ˖

previous - ao3 link - masterlist - next

and we're back! geto is in the flashbacks and nanami had been introduced in the present hehe

the next chapters are going to be a bit more canon compliant, but don't worry! no shibuya here. i can't deal with what's going on in the manga nowadays so… yeah, no shibuya and no kenjaku for me!

i'm not entirely proud of this chapter, but i wanted to update and keep going!!! if i reread it any longer i'd go crazy, i'll just probably revist this later on

as always, comments and suggestions are highly appreciated! hope you guys like how it's turning out <3

[loksthegreat]

If Aemond lived long enough to meet his sisters grandkids …

[dizzzydancin]

Lights, Camera, Mouthwash!- Chapter 4

Long time, no see! It's been a few weeks since I've updated, but my interests have shifted, PLUS I'm working on another fic on top of this, so I'm keeping myself busy! That being said, LCM won't be going anywhere anytime soon, so enjoy the latest update!

College has just entered the spring semester—you know what that means! Final projects are being assigned, and luckily for Jimmy, he has a brilliant idea. Introducing: Mouthwashing- a psychological horror film written by Jimmy himself.

Enjoy!

[pandawriterstuff]

Crankshaft Excerpt Ch 6

Brian knew Tanner had reason to be telling him off.  Knew the man was suspicious, and God, he was right to be.  It didn’t change the fact that it was irritating the crap out of him.  He sucked it up and took it.  Tried to.  “Look, if there’s nothing there to see, that’s one thing.  If you’re missing it or ignoring it so you can romance on the job we have a problem.”

“I told you-”

“I know what you told me.  I want you to tell me the truth. ”  

Brian sucked in a deep breath while Tanner did his best disappointed glare.  Drilled a hole in his head with it.  “I’m sorry if you think I’m not doing my job right.”  Maybe there was enough snot in his tone that if Tanner had been in a good mood it still would’ve gotten Brian a look.  As it was, the older man went stiff and straight, swallowing hard before he answered.  Teeth gritted.

“You asked for a chance to get your detective badge.  I went out on a damn limb to get you this case instead of giving it to somebody more experienced, because you had the driving skills.  I expected you to be giving this your all.  You aren’t.  What the hell is going on, Brian?”  The last question was almost shouted, Tanner leaning over his desk toward him.  

“I can’t give you evidence I don’t have!  I told you why I was with Mia yesterday.  Even if it was the wrong choice, I can’t change it now, alright?”

“ Not alright.”  They both sat there, glaring.  Brian dropped his gaze first.  Feeling hot and stupid and determined and resentful and about fifty other things that weren’t really going to be very helpful in the middle of a raid.

[your-average-teenage-mess]

... Ok so now I'm crying thanks

Return of the King - A Gary King Recovery Fic

A no apocalypse, all 5 Musketeers got out alive AU where Gary’s recovered.

Andy hadn't believed it at first, when he got the text. That was a shock within itself, not only that Gary wasn't using the same Nokia he'd probably had since the turn of the millennium but that he'd figured out WhatsApp. Andy arrived at the train station with an almost crippling wave of deja vu. 

This was exactly the same as the Golden Mile. The Five Musketeers, as Gary had called the group chat, sat on a bench, catching up. His uneasy feeling was the same. 

Not everything was the same, however. Steven was talking about Sam and had the glimmer in his eyes of a long term relationship settling in. And Andy held out hope that this wasn’t going to be another pub crawl.

He'd tried to stay caught up with Gary, but the last time they'd really spent time together, Gary was eight months out of rehab and had asked him to read over a few contracts for what he called 'Grown up things'. 

So, it seemed he'd made something of himself. And Andy would rather them not go on this holiday than seeing Gary at a new low, having messed up his new start.

The taxi pulled up outside the quaint train station. He opened the window and shouted, "Taxi for Andy?"

"That's us."

They piled their bags into the boot and crammed into the car. The air conditioning was just an inch too cold and hit him like a wall. It was far too grey and blustery for it. All it did was add to the unsettling feeling he had. 

Pulling away, Andy looked at the old buildings. Weathered brick and period windows against grey skies and bright green bushes. It was humble and reminded him of Newton Haven without the sense of impending doom or the fear that he'd never leave. 

He'd never understood Gary’s affiliation with the town. Andy knew it was a harmless place, at least when they'd lived there, but eighteen years of rural peace had almost made him sick. It was probably why he wanted to leave so badly. He had to get out at the first moment he could or else he knew he'd become one of the old farts who never left.

Gary didn't see it that way, however. To him that place was heaven, the epitome of all his good times, a cure-all for every ailment he had. His attitude didn't make sense though, not with the bittersweet memories of his childhood also being there. 

He hadn't spoken about it much. Andy had to guess at most of the details but he knew his childhood hadn't been the nicest. Drunken nights when they were teenagers revealed that there'd a lot of arguing for most of his life, his dad walking out when he was twelve and a mother, distraught, overlooking how much her son was slipping.

His mum had always been put together when they visited. But they didn't go around often, and things were often different behind closed doors. 

Andy shook himself awake and saw them pass the sign to the town where Gary was calling home. The driver stopped at the docks and turned to him.

"That'll be £30,"

They pulled out notes, having taken money out at the station, and lugged their bags out of the car.

The smell of the sea threaded through the air. Ahead of them, a short beach stretched out. People were scattered about, less than on a sunny day, but still enough to be slightly busy. On either side the stone dock extended out onto the harbour. Boats, small to medium, bobbed on a calm tide.

"So, where is he?" Oliver said.

They scanned the beach. Families swaddled in coats who insisted on going to the beach bundled up more as it grew colder. The sky was turning a milky grey and a wind rolled down the hills and out to the sea. 

"Late probably," Andy sighed. 

He looked at his watch, he'd said half two, it was now closer to three. It should've shown him for believing Gary could be on time to anything. He still believed being fashionably late was cool, or was too arrogant to even realise he was late.

"Hey, hey, hey!" A familiar voice said.

They turned in unison to see Gary King. Andy's deja vu grew worse as he looked at Gary. He wore the same long black coat, same black shirt and sisters of mercy band tee. His eyes were hidden by the same aviators and his ginger roots were leaching into his poorly dyed black hair just like when he called them all to Newton Haven.

"You came!" 

He half ran toward them and pulled them all into a hug. His face lit up with a smile, stretched across his cheeks and, if Andy looked hard enough, reached his eyes.

That was new, at least. A genuine smile. 

"Yeah, you did ask us to," Peter said.

Gary pulled out of the hug, rubbed the back of his head and looked down. He laughed more awkwardly this time. 

"Wasn't sure if you'd actually show up," he said. "Especially after the last time I randomly brought you somewhere."

That was very un-Gary. He'd never been sheepish or shy. It was strange after so long of knowing him as arrogant. Andy hoped this was a good sign. If he was acknowledging that what happened at Newton Haven wasn't good, acknowledging that something wasn't a good time when it seemed to be all he cared about, it had to be a good sign?

"Come on, you had no say in anything with the Blanks," Andy said.

"Still got us all there."

"And got us out." Steven added.

Gary laughed, lowly, and shrugged.

"You know you're late, right? " Steven said, changing the subject. 

"Late shmate," Gary said and started to walk to the docks. "Come on, I have something to show you."

Andy sighed and followed along. He was the same, in some ways, but different in others. He had a strange glow about him, his face had more colour to it and laughter full of life. Of course he still spoke with arrogance, or was it confidence? Had the air that he knew he was the best, although he wondered if it was real this time or just an act, like in Newton Haven.

They passed some shops. A cafe with a blue facade, its amber lighting glowing out the window and melting with the canary yellow walls. An ice cream parlour shone with its pink walls and neon sign. Souvenir shops blended together, built into the cliff face as they walked the bending path around to the dock.

Gary walked the path liked he owned it. Wooden boards grew out of the bumpy cliff face. Multicoloured boats, tied to posts, bobbed on the tide. Some of the boats towered above his head, others probably couldn't hold all five of them.

He stopped in front of a medium sized blue boat. The cockpit was a small square room that rose to about half his height above him. Compared to some of the boats around them, this was humble. It wasn't a yacht or a dinghy. It was humble and stable. 

"Welcome!"

"That's a boat." Oliver said.

"Yeah," Gary said, gesturing behind him. "Thought that was obvious."

"You live on a boat?"

"Why else would I bring you to a boat? We're not going to break in." He sniggered. 

They looked at each other. Oliver was the most puzzled. He'd shown Gary apartments to rent in London over the past three years, he'd said no to all of them and, when Andy had heard, his heart dropped when it seemed like Gary wasn't sticking with this recovery thing like he'd promised.

"Do you want to come in, then?"

Andy nodded and followed Gary onto the boat via the board on leading to the top deck. He kept telling himself that although it wasn't what he expected, Gary had been making an effort and did seem different.

They arrived on a blue deck, not too long or wide. Solar panels were attached to the roof of the cockpit with smaller ones around the edge of the deck. Gary walked to the cockpit door and unlocked it. It was routine for him, they could tell in the way he walked without seeing the path to the door. 

Inside, foldable chairs were stacked against one wall. Controls and a steering wheel opposite the door overlooked large windows with a perfect view of bobbing boats and a grey-blue sky. To the right, a set of stairs with chipped white paint led to the lower floor of the boat.

They left their bags in there as Gary gestured for them to go downstairs. The stairs creaked as they walked, framed pictures, generic ones of cities that Gary'd never been to. 

They walked onto light tanned wood, contrasting the white panelled walls. To their left was the living room, a tired yet vibrant dark green sofa stood out against white. Armchairs bracketed them and looked equally as old. A small television stood on a stand against the wall to the staircase. 

Ahead of them was the kitchen with warm white counters. The fridge sat against the back wall, a cluttered sink next to it, the oven and kettle were against the left hand wall and a connected island gave some seating in the small space. A door was ajar were next to the fridge that, if he looked closer, led to the bathroom.

"Bedroom's through there." Gary pointed toward the door next to the armchair, behind the stairs. "And my office."

"Office?" Andy said.

They peaked through into the little hallway. His bedroom was cluttered but more organised than Andy expected. Gary wasn't making the most of the space, or didn't care by the look of the occasional piles of clothes around the bed.

"Wow, look in here," Steven said.

He was looking in the office. Andy understood his shock when he joined him.

Straight ahead was his desk, busy with fresh, half finished drawings and sketches. A shelf above the desk had rows of pens and pencils, paints and brushes. A cupboard above that, almost reaching the ceilings, gave them a glance at a few full sketchbooks. What was truly impressive was the drawings on the wall, detailed flowers, orange explosions and recognisable band logos. 

"Didn't know he could draw?" Oliver said.

"He took art at A-level didn't he?" Peter said.

"Oh yeah," Oliver said as they turned back to the living room. "Didn't know he was that good, though."

Gary had taken his coat off when they returned. His black shirt rolled up to the sleeves.

"Tea?" He asked.

They nodded, telling him how they liked it. Andy tried not to make his further surprise more evident. 

You could see the scars on Gary’s wrists from his suicide attempt. They'd healed by now, it had been years. Shaded lines against his pale skin. Faded enough that you wouldn't notice if you weren't looking. 

The others weren't looking, that was certain. They just sat down. They didn’t know the details like he did, all they knew was that Gary'd fallen into addiction and depression and couldn't see a way out. 

But Andy had listened to the gritty details when Gary had been motivated to tell him. He'd seen the scars when they were healing. He knew the shake of his hands and how his face withdrew, pale, as he went through withdrawal. The others didn’t have the investment into Gary’s future like he did.

Not to say they didn't care, they did, but Andy had a strange need to see Gary’s life succeed. They'd been as thick as thieves once. Maybe it was because of the crash and how far they'd drifted apart that he felt a need to help him.

"Those are good drawings," Steven said.

Gary looked up from the boiling kettle. He was tapping his fingers on the counters.

"Thanks."

"Didn't know you could draw like that?"

He scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, well, I'm a tattoo artist, got to be good, haven't I?"

"Tattoo artist?"

"Yeah, get paid well," he laughed, then his face dropped. "That's not the only reason, though, quite like drawing to be honest, a bit freeing,"

The kettle clicked as the water boiled. Gary poured it in the five cups. He was building himself up to something.

"Got back into it in rehab, therapist kept on going on about healthy coping mechanisms so I thought I might give it a go," he said. "Not that I was allowed to be alone when I did, they didn't trust anyone alone with a pencil sharpener."

He shook himself and started to stir the tea. His usual bravado was gone. He'd finally learnt that he didn't need to seem like he was always having a good time to be important, or for people to care.

"You got good, though," Peter said.

"Yeah, yeah I did." He smiled to himself as he finished off the tea. "Got into tattoos once I got out, saw a connection between the two and here I am."

He slipped his black shirt off. His upper arms were thick with detailed black ink. From far away, he couldn't see anything too detailed but could make out a skeleton with flashes of red and blue on his right arm and an astronaut surrounded by planets on his left.

He pointed to the astronaut, "Designed that one myself."

He let them gawk for a moment before shrugging his shirt back on again. He placed the mugs on a tray and brought them over.

Gary collapsed in one of the armchairs. His face washed blank for a brief moment. It wasn't the kind of relaxing blank, it was the break in a storm or before the next wave crashed on the ocean. 

Andy could see his age now. They weren't ancient but they weren't young anymore. It all added to the realisation that he was recovering, beyond the boat and the job and his new healthy coping mechanism, he wasn't trying to look young or maintain a youthful outlook to mask his aging face. He'd accepted that they weren't getting any younger, didn't need to acknowledge it either, and that was a big step for him.

"So, you've got somewhere to live-" Steven started

"Yep."

"-got a job-"

Gary hummed in agreement.

"Anyone special we should know about?"

He darted up from his seat, "Anyone want any biscuits?"

Steven smiled, "That a yes then?"

Gary had moved to the sink with lightning speed. His back was turned, arms splayed white and black as they lent against the counter.  His head was bowed so only the ginger tips of his dyed hair could be seen. 

"Gary-" Peter said.

"No. Fucking no, I'm not seeing anyone." He stood up and got some bourbons from the cupboard. "Hate that phrase anyway, 'seeing someone', I see everyone, got eyes for a reason, haven't I?"

He turned around with the biscuits in hand. His peaceful face turned angry. It was the tired anger you only got from many of the same annoying conversations.

They looked from him to each other. It was such a quick change, from happy to sad. 

"I can see your faces, it's always the same, they see I've got my life on track, the boat, the job, the art, and when I say there isn't anybody they look at me like I've downed a bottle of vodka and snorted a line of cocaine right in front of them," he barked.

Steven gulped, "So there isn't anyone."

"No, don't think there ever will be,"

He slowly walked back to his chair. The anger dissipated and his morose calm came back again. 

"Never will be?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, well, in my exploration of the modern world, I discovered that there's a lot of words for things that we didn't have when we were kids," he said.

They looked at each other again.

"Words?" Andy finally spoke.

"Well, you know, we had gay and lesbian and bisexual but there's other words, like pansexual, if who people are, you know, male or female or whatnot, doesn't really matter, or asexual, if you don't like anyone." He took a sip of his tea. "And I thought well, that pan-whatever word sounded right, I mean I've never really thought it was such a big deal who you liked, as long as they weren't a prick, you know, thought I was just being open but apparently not."

"What does this have to do with you not wanting to be with someone?" Andy asked.

"I'm getting to that," he said. "Well, I found the word aromantic, it means you don't feel romantic attraction to people, so like marriage, holding hands, cuddling, all that shit, you don't feel a want to do that with someone."

"Didn't know that was a thing?" Peter said.

Gary ate another biscuit, "Neither did I, but it makes sense in hindsight."

"Does it?"

"Yeah, my girlfriends were always like 'We only ever snog' and complained that I never said I love you or held their hand but I never got it, made me feel like a dick but I genuinely didn't think people cared about that sort of thing, thought it was just something they told you, didn't actually think people saw and wanted that kind of, well I don't even know what people want, I don't know, I've never experienced it."

They pondered for a moment. It did make sense when Andy thought back. All of Gary’s partners had classed as flings at the most. A flame of passion that they all saw as immaturity, an extension of Gary's need to have a good time. But he'd never shown any interest in actually dating anyone at school, just about the physical aspect.

"So, this identity, it makes sense, you think it fits then?" Andy asked.

"Yes," Gary said. "It hasn't been easy though. There's a lot of information out there, useful stuff, but a lot of conflicting opinions, people saying that it doesn't exist, that I'm trying to be special when I'm not or that something's wrong with me."

He continued, his face contorting in anger again without the rage, "Anytime I tell people they think it's just another thing I need to recover from, I did too, it's what I went in thinking when I went to rehab, they think it's another sign of immaturity or me chasing people for a good time like booze or drugs but when I got better it didn't go away."

"My therapist faced it like a coping mechanism to be fixed or a problem to face but as I started to realise what was wrong with only wanting a good time and relying on booze, I didn't see not wanting anything romantic as a problem."

He slumped in his chair. The anger dissipated. His face eased into something melancholic, a deeper anger from longer pain.

"But I had to keep telling my therapist that it wasn't hurting me and the idea of me and romance hurt more and it was only after telling him over and over and over again that he finally listened." He said. "And even then it didn't go away. People fought for it to be a thing, people fought against, people made it seem like romance was an intrinsic human thing and I wasn't human or that I had no emotions or empathy and was evil-"

He sat up and threw his arms out. A disgusted wave of bitterness came over him. Andy knew in the way he swirled his tea like he used to swirl a whisky glass and the way his upper lip curled.

"Well, if not feeling romantic things for anyone makes me evil, then I guess I'm fucking satan!"

"Woah, Gary, calm down," Andy said. "You're not evil mate."

Gary slumped back down. That melancholy calm came back but was broken by a smile. Despite his churning emotions, the bittersweet smiles to rage, he was evidently better just because he was letting himself show more emotion than just glee.

"I know, I know, it just still hurts that so many people, especially those who want me to get better, are determined to convince me that something that isn't hurting me, is bad," Gary said.

Peter spoke up again, "Well, does it make you happy, do you think it fits?"

With a smile, Gary nodded, "It does, it really does."

"That's all that matters then." Andy said.

They moved on from there. Steven got talking about Sam and how they'd been moved in for about a year now. Gary made his usual jokes but with less bite, less carelessness, less desperate to hide something.

Outside, the sky turned dark and gray. The rushing sound of the water against the boat grew louder. Gary turned on some lamps and the amber lights warmed the room. He'd really made this place homely.

"What about you then Andy? Last I heard you and the wife were giving it a go again?" Gary asked.

It caught Andy off guard. Gary didn't remember stuff like that, he never had. 

"Oh, it's going well, we've been going to couples counselling for a while and it's helped." He met Gary’s soft gaze. "Yeah, it's going well, thanks mate."

He nodded again. Andy checked his phone for the time, it was getting toward seven now, they should probably check in to the hotel.

"We need to get to the hotel," he said.

They made their way to the door. Gary's face formed a hard line, his hands tucked in his pockets and shoulders slumped. He'd never been good at saying goodbye to his friends at the end of the day.

"See you tomorrow, yeah?" Oliver said when they arrived in the cockpit.

"Yeah, there's a good cafe around the corner, does good pancakes, we'll have to go for breakfast."

Andy smiled at him, "Sounds good."

He pulled them each into a hug, awkward ones where they patted each other on the back. Andy was left last. 

Gary pulled him into a proper hug, arms wrapped around and chins tucked over shoulders. He sighed when they'd settled. It was warm, cosy, and screamed some kind of vulnerability.

"Thanks," Gary whispered. "For being there, for having faith, I don't think I could've done it without you."

"I always knew you had it in you, just wanted you to see that too," he pulled away. "You're the King again."

Gary smiled and rubbed the back of his head. It was natural. Like how the low lights shone through the ginger ends of his hair and gave an amber glow. His scars had healed, he had a home and a purpose. He was healthy and Andy flushed with pride.

"Yeah, I am, aren't I?"

I tried to think of what Gary could do to actually take care of himself without just amalgamating into the boring suburban life he didn't want. I chose to make him a tattoo artist after this post asked what a levels he took and I thought he'd be an English Lit, Drama and Art kinda guy (if he showed up at all). Also the whole boat thing made sense as he has a home but is free to go anywhere.

Also I have now watched all the Cornetto Trilogy multiple times and Spaced and kind of want to write something where Tim, Shaun, Nicholas and Gary are cousins.

Hope you enjoyed this!

[hellcheerficdatabase]

Michelin Star PB&Js

Author: @foredwall

Rating/Warning: Teen and up audience, referenced ED

Chapter Count: 1/1

Description: Chrissy plans a surprise picnic for Eddie, leading to a night full of sweet kisses and good feelings

Tags: Alternate Universe- canon divergence, alternate universe- nobody dies, everybody lives, fluff, tooth-rotting fluff, lil angst, light angst, kisses, declarations of love, established relationship, alternating POV, one-shot, status: completed

[larluce]

First I wanted to say hello and tell you that I love your works. They really have me on the edge of my seat every time I read them.

Second. Can you imagine that Merlin, in some new alternative universe, for some reason, upon arriving in Camelot, arrives with a baby? It's all still a Merthur ending, it should be noted.

Like, we know that Merlin was already a bit of an outcast in the village for the reason that nobody knew who his father was and even more so because strange things were always happening around him.

The situation gets much worse when he finds a crying baby in the middle of a burnt tent near the village.

Will and his mother try to help him for a while, but with the visits of the evildoers to the village becoming more and more frequent, Merlin and the baby have no choice but to go to Camelot.

And so the adventures begin!

Only now Arthur wonders if they can make crowns for babies, because he is willing to marry Merlin and legally adopt the baby as his own.

And Morgana… well, she and Gwen enjoy dressing up the baby in all the clothes from her old dolls. Not to mention that she notices that by taking naps with the baby she no longer has nightmares.

The knights become, in some way or another, glorified nannies. The servants and maids must chase after a baby who never stops causing mischief in the castle.

And Merlin just wants to survive colic season and potty train his baby… and everything would be easier if there weren't a murderer or a resentful wizard trying to kill Arthur every 3 minutes.

First, thank you so much for the compliments! 🥹🤧❤️

About the concept. I love it! I don't think going to Camelot to live would be Merlin or Hunith's first option for a baby that can't control their magic at all. So I firmly believe Hunith would send Merlin with the baby there so Gaius can take them to a druid camp so they could take refuge there.

The problem is, before Gaius can do so, Merlin is made the prince's personal manservant. Merlin can't exactly deny the king and he does need the money to take care of his baby so he decides to stay to Gaius dismay. Gaius and Merlin try to keep the baby hided at first so they take turns taking care of her (in my mind is a her) in Gaius' tower in secret. It works out for some weeks but then the plague (Nimueh's Afanc) happens and Arthur searches Gaius' tower.

Arthur: (enters Merlin's room) Merlin: (running inside) Arthur, wait! Baby: (sitting on the bed, looks up at Arthur and gives a cute giggle) Arthur: (Turns to Merlin slowly) Merlin? Merlin: Yeah? 😅 Arthur: Why is there a baby in your bed? Merlin: (in panic, shouts the first thing that comes to his mind) She is mine! Arthur: ... Arthur: What? 😧 Merlin: (repeats more quietly but more firmly) She is mine. (runs to hold her up and embraces her) She is my daugther. Arthur: (thinking) But... but he is so young. (says) Where's the mother? Merlin: (with pain as he remembers the burnt tent) She passed away. Arthur: (his heart hurting for Merlin) I'm so sorry. But Gods Merlin, why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have given you so many chores if I knew... (thinking) And I almost sacked you. I almost sacked a single father with a baby in arms! (says) And why the hell are you hiding her? Merlin: I... wasn't sure if I could keep her. Arthur: Of course you can keep her! What kind of master do you think I am? Knight x: (from outside) Sire? Arthur: (shouts back) In a minute! (to Merlin) What's her name? Merlin: Brigitta. Arthur: (repeats softly and smiles) Brigitta.

From then on, Arthur doesn't give Merlin as many chores and raises his salary considerably. And then everybody else finds out about Briggitta and go "I've only met Brigitta for a day and a half, but if anything happened to her, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself".

Some events would change, obviously, and some would remain the same but with a new perspective. I don't think Merlin would have time to make Lancelot a fake seal, for example, having to look after Brigitta and all. I can imagine Lancelot becoming Brigitta's first unnofficial babysiter, then Arthur makes it official so poor Lancelot has a salary and a place to stay in Camelot. The Poisoned Chalice episode would remain the same, except Arthur would be more in panic mode and desperate because MERLIN HAS A DAUGHTER! BRIGITTA CAN'T LOSE HER FATHER TOO!

I think it would be The Beginning of the End where Arthur and Morgana find out about Brigitta's magic and Merlin's magic. Not because they discovered her, surprisingly, but Merlin decided to tell them all the truth about her and himself after seeing how they saved Mordred. Also, since Merlin saw Brigitta's possible future in Mordred, he wants to leave Camelot too to keep her safe. Screw all what the dragon told him about destiny, his daugther comes first.

So Merlin and Brigitta are about to leave with Mordred with the druids. They are having a heartfelt goodbye with Arthur, who scorted them there, but then...

Brigitta: (cries very loudly in Merlin's arms and the earth starts shaking a bit) Merlin: I know, I know, baby, but we have to go. Brigitta: (cries more loudly and extends her little arms to Arthur) Arthur: (barely containing his tears) I'll miss you too, Biddy. But this is the best for you- Brigitta: ATHU! 😭 Arthur: (open his eyes wide) What did she just said? Brigitta: (still crying and making grabby hands at him) ATHU, ATHU, ATHU! 😭 Arthur: (tears roll down his eyes) She said my name... Merlin, she said my name! (grinning widely) Let me hold her one more time, please! Merlin: (gives Brigitta to Arthur) Druid leader: (urgently) We need to leave now! Merlin: (looking at Arthur and Brigitta tenderly and smiles) Leave, we'll stay.

I also can imagine Nimueh going after Brigitta's life instead of Hunith, and having to confront not only a very furious Merlin, but a feral protective prince.

That's how far my imagination can go. If you have any ideas of how Merlin and Arthur or other character would act in other episodes now with Brigitta in the equation, share it in the comments or reblogs. I'll be happy to read you 🥰

[mikakuna]

nothing would be funnier than the bats universe-hopping and finding all these different versions of jason, and shoving in their jason's face that these alternate jasons would not agree with his fatal treatment of criminals (because some of them look straight up happy and have great relationships with bruce + the others).

but then to everybody's surprise, each jason has their own variation of their jason's methods. they literally all have similar opinions, even the ones who didn't die at the joker's hands. some were robin and some were never robin, some were adopted by bruce and others weren't, some lived worse lives than their jason and others lived much better lives-- but they all became their own version of red hood either way.

and jason is just absolutely having the best time looking at the bats' disappointed faces