#and Shiro would probably enjoy it too

[girlboypersonthingy]

omg i love your blog sm!! it’s been a while since ive been in the fandom and i didn’t think anyone wrote for vld anymore, ahhhh but i love the way you write!! you’re so so talented!! how do you think a love triangle sitch with keith and lance would play out? i love the both but UGHHHH THE DRAMA I LOVE IT😩😩

Oh my god thank you so much! I’m so flattered asfdafh 🥰🥹 I know the fandom is dead to most but not to all. I’m still here and voltron will always live on in my heart ❤️‍🔥 BRO THIS PROMPT??? PLZ ITS SO GOOD AAHHH ENJOY!

❤️Love Triangle💙

Okay first of all, these two would try to win you over IN COMPLETELY OPPOSITE WAYS.

Lance is, of course, over the top and very romantic and kind of cliche but so considerate and thoughtful and sweet.

Keith will be more nonchalant and mysterious, trying to use his skills and talents to impress you. He’s the type to slowly win you over by being very genuine and honest.

It started when Lance threw a pick up line your way and not only was the line terrible…but you actually laughed at it. It brought some pink to your cheeks as well. They both noticed that.

Lance was very smug about the fact that he made you giggle and blush.

Keith was a little annoyed at first, thinking Lance was just being his usual obnoxious self. So Keith just kept trying to make moves on you in his own way.

One day, Lance walked into the training room to see you and Keith sitting beside each other on the floor, breathing heavily as if you’d just decided to take a break. He couldn’t really hear what Keith was saying but you looked very focused, very into the conversation and you two were sitting just a little bit too close for his liking.

Lance didn’t like the eyes you were making at the red paladin

But Keith sure did. He was so excited to be sitting so close to you.

Then it’s like the spider man meme of them pointing at each other like 😧👉🏻 👈🏻😮

“Wait! You like (Y/N)? No no no, you can’t! I like (Y/N)!”

“Well I liked them first!”

“No! No! Dibs!”

“Really? Dibs?” *eye roll*

For the next week, they’re both acting like goofballs around you.

It’s kind of hilarious and very entertaining for you because…you notice that they start adopting each other’s ways of flirting and dropping hints. They do a little swap.

It’s like they think the other person has a better chance with you so they try to switch it up and copy each other. Lance thinks Keith’s ‘mysterious bad boy’ persona is something you’re into. Keith thinks you find happiness in all the silly, goofy things Lance does. So they both try to switch it up in hopes of making you fall for them. Does that make sense?

Imagine Keith trying to use a pick up line on you and failing miserably. He’s probably sweating through his shirt and his mouth is dry bc he’s so close to you, he can smell your shampoo. He’d end up stuttering and then getting really pissed at himself for looking dumb in front of you. May go back to his room and pout if he felt things didn’t go well.

Now imagine Lance trying to be all soft spoken and mysterious, trying to act cool. Lance trying not to talk too much is the equivalent of him holding his breath. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks character and says some dumb, cheesy shit that has you rolling your eyes. He awkwardly shuffles away to his room and also pouts bc he feels like he’s just loud and annoying.

The boys got into a yelling match about it once. The pot just boiled over and all you could do was watch.

That was their very shitty, joint confession of their feelings for you- them screaming about who likes you more, who liked you first, who you’re more compatible with, ect ect blah blah blah

All right in front of you

And all the while, the whole team is so confused

Cue Allura and Hunk stepping in between them because both their faces are turning red from anger and jealousy.

Everyone just looks at Shiro like 👀

Shiro, the dad of the group: 🙄😤 “fine…”

Shiro sits them both down for a long chat and by the end of it, the boys have come to terms with the fact that they both like you and not only is it your choice who you’d want to be with, but there’s a lot of other things to be worried about rn. They shouldn’t, and they won’t, pressure you.

Buuttttt…they do keep up some of the same things they like to do with you.

Keith still trains with you often (and he really enjoys helping you with your stance/posture bc he gets to be touchy✨)

Lance still invites you into his room to play video games (and he always seems out of breath when you sit so close to him, your arm touching his)

They try their best to control their temper around you and they try not to be around when you’re with the other person. They don’t need to see you being all close and personal with someone who isn’t them. :,(

The boys just continue to be their normal selves with you. They figure you should get to know them, the real them, before you make any decisions.

Yes, they both like you.

Yes. They’re both very competitive and very jealous.

But they respect each other and they respect you.

And we are in the middle of an intergalactic war right now, this is not a real priority.

They’ll give you some time and a pace to think about it.

Now comment on this post and tell me who you’d choose 😈 I love them both so so much but Lance is my soulmate for sure

[still--kicking]

I saw very cute art about Keith's love language being acts of service and now I'm thinking about everyone's love languages

I agree that Keith is probably acts of service for how he shows love and quality time for how he feels loved. I think words of affirmation is the most difficult for him to receive (I think that's part of why the early seasons dynamic with Lance works so well for him, I think the rivalry and bickering feel safer to Keith than outright affection would)

Loverboy Lance is probably a blend of words of affirmation, physical touch, and acts of service. Probably also quality time tbh he grew up with a lot of love being shown in lots of ways so I think he'd be fluent in all the love languages, but maybe has a hard time giving and receiving gifts

Pidge feels like a gift giver to me. Pidge absolutely tracks down that niche collectible you've been trying to find for years for your birthday and you'll never know if they got it through legal means or not, and receiving gifts that feel accurate and personal to them makes them feel the most loved

We know Hunk loves cooking for others and I'd say that's a blend of gift giving and acts of service. I can't see him struggling receiving any of the love languages in particular but that might be because the writers forgot to give him a character flaw to overcome

Allura is probably words of affirmation I can't explain it I just feel it's true for her. Somebody please tell her she's doing a good job please I beg you. I think acts of service don't register as a love language to her because growing up as a princess she was probably surrounded by people who did things for her all the time as their job rather than an act of love. Quality time is probably high up for her too because I imagine her parents were quite busy so making time for her felt special. We've also seen her appreciate getting gifts ("I'd love something sparkly!")

Shiro I'm stuck on tbh, he generally stays pretty separate from the other paladins and we don't get any of his family history and also he's not himself for the majority of the show. What we do know from the flashbacks in season 7 is that he feels the need to prove that he's capable, and we don't know where that drive comes from but I'd guess that makes him a words of affirmation guy. Similar to Allura, someone please just tell him he's doing a good job. We also see his clone appreciate the quality time with the team in the monsters and mana episode so that could be high for him too

Coran is absolutely acts of service and quality time, in that order. But I think he often thinks of these as going together, when he and Lance are cleaning the pods in season 1 we see him telling Lance about himself while they're working. That feels like a blend of acts of service and quality time to me

Anyway I got soooo carried away with this so I hope you enjoyed my 1am thoughts

[ggidolsmuts]

Bases Loaded, Holes Filled - Kep1er Yujin, Xiaoting, Mashiro

"Hmm? Hey Yujin!"

"Oppa, you can go 3 rounds right?"

"Yeah, I do 3 sets for my exercises, why?"

"Cool thanks, I'll see you soon!"

What was that about? You wonder. Probably nothing, just Yujin being random again. She did say she was going to the gym more, maybe she wanted you to be her gym partner? You don't think too much about it. You get a message from Yujin later that week to hang out, and you happily agree.

"Hi oppa!"

"Oh hey Yujin." She pecks you on the cheek, grabbing your arm and leading you in. "Oh hi Xiaoting, Mashiro!" You wave at them happily—they were probably heading out soon right? Yujin rarely calls you over with others around.

"We're playing Switch baseball, come join us!" They certainly looked the part, all dressed in the same baseball outfit you saw them perform in a while back. You shrug and join them, watching them play and taking a few swings yourself as well. The game was fun enough, you suppose, but it felt… boring? Like they were just whiling time away. You'd much rather go on a date with Yujin, if you were honest.

"Aish this is boring!" Xiaoting shouts, loudly and unnaturally.

"Oh, should we play something else?" you ask hopefully.

"No no, we just need to spice it up!" Mashiro chimes in on cue.

"Oh, how should we do it? Loser has to buy ice cream?"

"That's too tame oppa! We can have some fun you know." You recognize Yujin's playful tone—it's one she usually reserves for the bedroom. Wth some shock, you're suddenly aware that only the four of you are here. This was planned, a set-up.

"Yujin?"

"What? We can play with Ting and Shiro too, right?"

"Can we?" you ask yourself and them rhetorically.

"Yes, we're just playing." Xiaoting answers, pouting cutely, the same way Yujin would pout.

"Mmhmm, let's just have fun together." Mashiro scoots closer to you, mimicking Yujin's playful tone the best she can. "We trust you," she adds quietly and nervously.

"I… okay then." Is this really happening?

"Great! Oppa, you should play then." Yujin hands you the controller. "How much fun we have depends on how well you do." She runs her hands down your chest, rubbing circles over them in an open display of affection, even kissing your neck, sending a shudder down your spine—yes, this is really happening.

"I-I'll do my best."

You step up to the plate, and with the controller in hand you take a wild swing. It connects poorly with the ball, but you watch your in-game character run and make it to first base.

"Ooh ok, that's a good start!"

"Is it? I didn't score though."

"You got on first base, that's good enough. First base is Shiro!" Yujin takes the controller from you, and it is quickly replaced with Mashiro's hand as she leads you to the couch. You are hesistant as Yujin and Xiaoting sit down on the floor opposite the two of you, openly watching in anticipation.

"Pretend we're not here." Yujin waves your gaze away before leaning into Xiaoting and whispering in her ear. You wonder what she could be saying in such a situation, but you are quickly distracted by Mashiro grabbing your arms and pulling you into a kiss.

"Mmph, mmph!" You're falling on to the couch, Mashiro cushioning your descent as she pulls you on top of her. You much more vividly feel her cushions as she wraps her arms around your neck, making sure you can't not feel them. You bring a hand to her waist, still over her baseball jersey, and Mashiro moans loudly, clearly already forgetting about Yujin and Xiaoting.

"Mashiro?" Her eyes are round and shiny with desire, and she nods.

"Yes, please." She emphasizes it by bringing your other hand to her chest, begging you to squeeze. That's the sign you needed. You get to first base with Mashiro, enjoying her moans as you squeeze her breast. Your other hand slips beneath her jersey, gliding over her smooth skin. Expertly you feel for her bra, unclasping it from behind.

"Y-You're good," Mashiro comments, and she turns a deeper shade of red when you slide the straps off her arms. Neither of you hear the squeal from Xiaoting as you pull the bra off and toss it to the side—you're already busy feeling Mashiro up, fingers playing with her stiff nubs and making her squirm on the sofa.

Yujin's squirming along with Mashiro, knowing how it feels all too well. She watches you slip your hand down Mashiro's shorts, and her own hand drifts down her body, only to be stopped.

"Unnie!" Xiaoting is flushed red too, but she bites her lip and shakes her head—the three of them had so much planned, it'd be a waste to get themselves off now! They settle for holding each other's hands, squeezing and squirming in place as they each imagine themselves in Mashiro's position.

Mashiro does not have the luxury of imagination though, your two fingers slipping inside her very tangible and pleasurable. Your lips are on hers, and when she feels your tongue licking her lips she lets you in, allowing you to plunder her from both ends. Mashiro's soft everywhere, even on the inside, but her teeth clatters against yours when you find her sweet spot, her head jerking forward in response to your delightful rub.

"Nngh! Uhh, uhh, ahh, ahh!" Short husky breaths escape Mashiro, her cheeks puffing out as she purses her lips, trying to swallow the moan that is eager to break out. She gets louder in more ways than one as her wetness does the talking for her. Yujin and Xiaoting watch entranced, soaking themselves as they watch their cute racoon fall into rapture, a leg dangling lewdly off the sofa, showing off your movements through the stretching of her shorts. She manages to clutch at your arm, large round eyes looking at you unfocused.

"Do it," you whisper, and they roll into her head, a strained moan announcing Mashiro's climax. She shudders on the sofa, thighs taut and trapping your hand, making sure you feel her wave of juice over your fingers. You extract yourself when she relaxes, but you also let out your own moan when Mashiro reaches for you, grabbing you over your shorts.

"S-Shiro!" This time it is Yujin shouting. "Not yet!"

"Ah? Ahh, right, sorry." Sheepishly she withdraws her hand, pushing you off lightly. "Thanks oppa."

"What's going on?"

"T-That's just first base, we should keep going." Mashiro hands you a tissue shyly, and you cough and wipe your fingers with them.

"Okay, what's next?"

"We keep going." You stand up awkwardly—you are wielding two bats as you get in the stance, but clearly no one minded. You swing, and a strike, another swing, and another strike, you make a third swing and whiff also, and with that you have your first out.

"Looks like oppa needs some motivation." Xiaoting grabs her jersey and pulls up, but instead of taking it off, she merely ties it off into a haltertop, exposing her midriff for you. "Try again." Another three whiffs and you have a second out.

"Oppa, your stance is wrong, here, let me help you." She holds you from behind, pressing herself against your body—you notice immediately her lack of a bra, and her hand slips inside your pocket, grabbing your erection as she pretends to tweak your stance with the other hand. "Like this, got it?" She gives you a firm stroke, and your legs nearly buckle from her touch.

"Nngh, right, thanks."

"Good luck."

Strike one, strike two, ball, ball, ball. You take one last swing, praying it connects. It does, and you see the ball fly further out, but it is not a home run, instead leading to a double.

"Third base, good job, Yujin can you grab the things?"

Before you can ask what said "things" are, Xiaoting has dragged you backwards on to the couch, and you're making out with her like you did with Mashiro earlier.

"I prepared a lot for you," Xiaoting whispers, inviting your hand beneath her shorts, leading you to two discoveries—not only is she not wearing a bra, she is also not wearing panties; additionally, all you feel is bare skin around her warm entrance.

"T-Thanks— Ah!" You find yourself kissing Yujin all of a sudden, her hands aggressively tugging your shorts down. With quick strokes she gets you to full hardness, and with a groan you allow yourself to get wrapped up, a condom stretched over your shaft.

"There, done, go get her. Save some for me later." Yujin pulls away, joining a red-faced Mashiro who is not staring at you, but rather right in front of you. On the ground bent over is Xiaoting, naked from the waist down. You notice the bottle in your hand, and it leads you to a third discovery.

"Fuck me from behind, fuck me… there." There is no room for misinterpretation as Xiaoting pulls on one of her cheeks. You grab the bottle of lube and slather it on your shaft, spreading some around her puckered hole for good measure.

"Have you done this before?" you had to ask, both out of concern and curiosity.

"Just toys, nothing that big, go slow." You nod and press your tip against her rear entrance, applying a little pressure. "Harder." Your head presses more firmly against her ass, and you wriggle a little to open her up. "Fuck!" Xiaoting curses as your head slips in quickly.

"Sorry, sorry!"

"No no, give me time, fuck Yujin he's big."

"Y-Yeah, are you okay?" Ever the leader, Yujin's concerned about Xiaoting even as she's turned on, watching you disappear into her ass.

"Yeah, it's… filling!" Xiaoting nods back at you, and you begin to push in bit by bit, opening her up more than any toy could. You keep a firm grip on her hips, feeling for her reactions, listening for any moan or gasp of pain, slowly drawing her on to your cock. You stop when her toned ass finally touches you, and you take the opportunity to squeeze her butt—you're fully buried inside Xiaoting now.

"Fuck you're tight…" you groan, the pressure of Xiaoting clenching around you near overwhelming.

"Yeah? Better open me up then." You make sure to rise to her challenge, pulling out before pushing back in faster than before. "Oooh fuck, yeah just like that!" You settle into a rhythm, slowly pumping into Xiaoting, but each thrust is harder than the previous one. The clash of flesh is louder each time, as is Xiaoting's cry of pleasure. Forgotten in the background Yujin and Mashiro watch the two of you go at it, rubbing themselves—without Xiaoting to keep her in check the wet spot between Yujin's legs grow darker and larger, almost matching the one on Mashiro's shorts. You had never done anal with Yujin, but watching the forbidden act unfold in front of her sends her heartrate racing—she wonders just how full Xiaoting is feeling.

"Oh my god!" Xiaoting yelps in answer as you reach around her waist, sliding a hand across her shaven mound to find her clit. She immediately begins to fall apart—pleasure rockets through her body with every thrust into her ass, and that is now supplemented by your rubbing of her sensitive nub, a constant wave of ecstasy growing in the background. What was a pulsing, slowly growing ball of joy in her core is now burgeoning rapidly, persistently pushing its way through her thoughts, much like the way you are in her ass.

Mashiro watches you bent over Xiaoting, humping her, your hand hidden between her thighs, but it doesn't take much to figure out what you're doing to her. Xiaoting's arms weaken, and only her ass remains in the air. Mashiro spies her group mate's glazed over expression, and Xiaoting has never had a lewder look on her face. Her eyes widen suddenly, staring straight through Shiro, and her arm shoots backwards, trying to grab you.

"Ah! No— Yessss!" It's too late, with a wet gush Xiaoting splatters the floor loudly, her juice covering your thighs. She wails as you continue to rub her clit, extending her orgasm with violent quivers. Her slick continues to leak and trickle along her thighs, not nearly as explosive but just as hot.

"Fuck, gonna cum!" You groan, the pressure of Xiaoting around you too much after her orgasm.

"Do it, cum in my ass, want, you, to— Ah! cum!" Xiaoting manages to gasp between your plowing thrusts, eager for you to reach your own peak—with a grunt and a growl you press your hips to hers and unload into the condom. It doesn't prevent Xiaoting from feeling you throb in her ass, and Xiaoting moans with relish at the sensation.

"Haah, hah, ha, mmm…" You find yourself kissing Xiaoting mindlessly, stifling her last few moans. When you finally slip out of her, she takes the condom off you. She brings a finger to where you were earlier, gasping in surprise—you didn't just stretch her, you gaped her open, and there is a satisfying soreness to that, one that made her— Oh my! Blushing at the mess she made Xiaoting hurries to the bathroom without another word.

"Xiaoting? Are you okay?" You call out to her retreating form, but she the door closes without an answer. Yujin follows her quickly in.

"She'll be okay oppa, I think she's just overwhelmed, she normally doesn't squirt like that, or at all." Ever thoughtful Mashiro brings some tissues and wipes to clean up.

"Thanks— Mmph!" Mashiro jumps into your lap, juicy thighs straddling you. Through her shorts that she has somehow managed to keep on, you groan at just how soaked she is.

"Get hard quickly, we can do it before— Ah!" Yujin firmly tugs Mashiro off you, tutting at her.

"Later, it's not fair if you get two rounds before I even get one in Shiro!" The younger girl merely whines, but she nods in apology to her leader.

"Is Xiaoting okay?"

"Oh yes, she was just embarrassed, she's never done that before, but she said she wanted to do it again sometime." You gulp and get hard at the prospect of that. "And now you're hard enough, good, keep playing!"

"Are we really still keeping this up?"

"Yes! Otherwise Ting and Shiro won't be happy!" Mashiro nods seriously to reinforce the point.

"Okay okay!" You take a few wild swings, figuring you'll just luck into a hit and score. But no, maybe you were too horny to do it properly—it certainly doesn't help when Yujin begins stripping, supposedly for "incentive". All it does is distract you, and you strike out multiple times through multiple innings, until you're on your last swing. Xiaoting has returned, blushing but satisfied, and Mashiro and Yujin are growing agitated and annoyed.

"Aish, do guys lose all hand-eye coordination when they're horny?!" Yujin snatches the remote from you, and skillfully smashes it out of the park, home run! Immediately she jumps on you, tossing the remote to the side as she latches her lips to your neck, leaving a dark bruise. "It's a good thing I'm so wet, I got so bored and dry watching you whiff."

"Sorry!" With a moan Yujin eases herself on to your cock, and you see Mashiro and Xiaoting on the couch, enjoying the show and slowly pleasuring themselves too.

It is a different kind of tightness compared to Xiaoting's ass, but you enjoy Yujin's snug warmth all the same. Pinning you to the floor she starts humping you, midriff moving back and forth, throwing her hips up and down on you, making sure your length slides in and out of her fully each time. Sweat and scent soak through her jersey when she ups the pace, choosing to gyrate her hips instead, grinding her own clit against you. It's almost demanding the way she rides you, as if she's putting on a show for her groupmates.

"Are you gonna cum for me oppa? Gonna cum for Yujinie?"

"Yes, fuck Yujin I'm so close!"

"Good, cum in my mou—" Yujin makes to get off, but two pairs of hands stop her, holding her down on your shaft. "What are you doing!"

"Come on unnie, when are you going to tell oppa?"

"Nngh, what are you talking about?" you manage through gritted teeth, feeling Yujin clench around you—she's equally close.

"We found Yujin unnie's browser history, do you want to know what we saw?" Mashiro teases.

"No, don't!" Xiaoting keeps her leader down, firmly keeping your bodies flush together. You're even deeper inside Yujin now.

"Shush unnie. Oppa, the term she searches for the most is breeding, all her favorite videos end in a huge creampie, or even multiple."

"Fuck…" you moan at that thought, and because Yujin gets even tighter around you.

"Yet here she wants to get off you to suck you dry, what a coward, tell him what you really want unnie." Mashiro encourages.

"Yes tell him!" Xiaoting eggs her on."Don't you want to see oppa's thick load leaking out of you when you get off him, it's going to leak everywhere. Maybe we can record it too? We won't let you move until you tell him."

"Fuck!" Yujin cries out at the thought. Xiaoting helps both of you along, making Yujin move her hips on top of you, eking out just that little bit more pleasure and getting you just a little deeper inside her.

"中に出して! I don't need to translate that for you do I unnie?" Mashiro joins in on the filthy teasing.

"N-No, nngh!"

"Yujin I can't hold on much longer!" you grunt, Yujin's dirty thoughts and newfound desires gripping you just as hard as her pussy is right now.

"Okay, okay!" With a gentle push from Xiaoting she falls on top of you, whispering directly in your ear. "I want to be bred, cum in me! Breed me, please breed me oppa, I don't care, just cum in me." Yujin's begging whimpers become sobs of pleasure as you grab her ass and take over, bringing her down on you in time with your upward thrusts.

"Oh, oh fuck, that's so deep! Ah ah ah… yes yes yes!" There's no going back, and with a few furious thrusts upwards Yujin orgasms powerfully with you, clenching around your tip blasting seed into her womb. "I-I can feel it, it's so much, mmm…" She hugs you tightly, clinging to you for all she's worth and letting out small whispers of joy. For a while all that's heard is you and Yujin's laboured moans plus Mashiro's and Xiaoting's heavy breathing. When Yujin goes limp she sags on you completely, utterly wasted by the experience—you've never seen her like this.

"Wow… Look." Xiaoting helps pull Yujin up and back slowly. Your cock slips out of her, and immediately a thick stream of white oozes out of her. "Isn't that what you wanted unnie?"

"I guess, I— Shiro!" You back up as Mashiro straddles you, bending over to lick your load oozing out of her leader. She wiggles her ass as she does so, a clear invitation to get hard again quickly. You watch in dumbfounded surprise as the quiet girl continues licking Yujin, and it is only when her hands go to her shorts you realize what she is offering. You help Mashiro out, pulling down her shorts, just enough to expose her glistening pussy for the first time.

Mashiro's first attempt earlier was stopped by Yujin, but this time, having sufficiently distracted her leader with her tongue, the co-leader grabs your hard again shaft and lines herself up with it. Her moan is muffled by Yujin's muff, but there is no hiding your groan when Mashiro takes your stiff bat up her pussy. That is something for Xiaoting to stifle as she stands over you and grabs your hair. You take a moment to admire Mashiro's ass and thighs jiggling while she bounces on you, but soon your tilt your head back, allowing Xiaoting to push herself on your face. You eat her out from below, her juices no longer squirting out, but leaking constantly down your chin instead.

The sinful scene silently simmers, each of you quieting your pleasure through a pussy in the face or a hand on the mouth. Yujin's legs tremble, Mashiro's thighs bounce and jiggle, Xiaoting's pussy quivers and leaks, but it is all whispered names and whimpered "yes" until you grope Xiaoting's ass, spreading her cheeks while eating her out. A finger into her newly un-gaped ass forces her to break the silence, crying out a ecstatic apology as she floods your mouth with more nectar.

It triggers a chain reaction—Yujin watches Xiaoting's juice splash and trickle down your chin, and it triggers her own orgasm, her hands going to her co-leader's head, forcing Mashiro's tongue deeper into her cum-filled heat. Hearing the other two members cry out, Mashiro slams herself hard on your shaft and combusts with them, clenching around you and coating your shaft with her own slick.

"Fuck, I'm going to cum!" you shout, managing to disengage from Xiaoting's pussy to warn Mashiro.

"No, wait!" She shudders and forces herself to lift off you. Turning around, she tears her jersey off and makes you feel her bustiness, trapping your slick covered shaft between her breasts. "Do it oppa, go ahead." Watching the "innocent" racoon of the group push your cock through her cleavage and feeling her soft tits squishing around you proves too much, and with a jerk of your hips you splatter her face. Your own vision goes black, and you feel hands all over your shaft as you thrust blindly upwards through their strokes, shooting shot after shot until you are fully drained, and not even the hand on your balls can coax more out of you.

"Mmmmmph…" The sudden warm mouth on your cock does though, and you whimper and squeeze off a parting shot into it. You finally manage to open your eyes, just in time to see Mashiro releasing your shaft, licking your sensitive tip for good measure. Your eyes widen at her cum-covered face, a good amount on her neck and chest too; your eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when you see Yujin and Xiaoting next to her, faces also covered with white splatters and streaks.

"Home run," Yujin whispers, and the three of them look at each other and giggle. "Come on, let's clean up." They head for the bathroom, leaving you to wonder what the fuck just happened. Groaning in exertion you reach for some wipes, cleaning their juices left all over you and the floor. Sore but satisfied, you pull on your clothes and sag into the clean end of the couch, and it feels like you've taken a short nap until you notice Yujin's weight in your lap.

"Oppa." She hugs you and nuzzles your neck.

"Hey, hmm I guess that's what you meant by 3 rounds, and here I thought you were talking about exercises."

"Oops, sorry. I mean, technically it's exercise."

"I guess, I'm pretty sore." Yujin joins you in your chuckle. "Are Mashiro and Xiaoting okay?"

"Yeah, they're both a little sore."

"Mmhmm, we normally don't have something that big to work with." The two of you are distracted by Xiaoting and Mashiro joining you. Xiaoting winces a little as she adjusts her stance slightly. "Definitely a little sore."

"It's a good sore though." Mashiro assures you. "Thanks for the fun time oppa."

"Sure, it was fun for me too." Xiaoting's glance flitters from you to Yujin, and a glance from her leader makes Xiaoting's eyes widen slightly in acknowledgement.

"We umm, we're going out to get coffee!"

"We are?" Mashiro asks. "We have a coffee machine at home though!"

"It tastes better from a cafe! Let's go. Unnie make sure you take your 'medicine'."

"Medicine? Yujin are you sick?"

"Aish, for a co-leader you are slow on the uptake sometimes!" Xiaoting grabs Mashiro by the arm and leads her away firmly. "Bye!"

"Get me something too Ting!"

"Yes unnie!" With that, you and Yujin are alone once more.

"So, about that medicine, or rather, why you would need to take something…" You trail off, allowing Yujin to pick up the thread as you watch her get off you and go take a pill, her face blushing when she settles back in your lap.

"I—I know we've been careful, but I've just been watching more umm, videos, and it's really hot. I didn't think they would find that, I wasn't planning on bringing it up with you until much later."

"Why not?" you ask, bring a hand to her cheek and finding it very warm.

"We've never discussed anything about that, I didn't want to scare you away or anything."

"Look, it's just a kink, we know what each other likes, I don't think hiding a new kink helps, I want you to feel good too when we do it." You kiss and hug her, murmuring in her ear. "We can discuss our future together and what that looks like next time, not right after you pulled me in for a foursome."

"That's fair, sorry." You peck her lips in acceptance of her apology.

"If that's a kink you have, I'm more than happy to do it. I can trust you to keep us safe right?"

"Yes, I'll make sure I stick to the schedule and remember to take it on time."

"Good, then next time I'll be sure to go three rounds again, and it'll all go into you, fill you up fully."

"Yah… you make me want to do it right now," Yujin hits you cutely on the chest and pouts, and it turns into a smirk as she slips her top slightly and reveals a shoulder.

"Hah no more today please! Besides, aren't they coming back with coffee soon?"

"Hmph fine!" You cuddle Yujin to appease her need for skinship, and it was lucky you two didn't go any further, as a few minutes later Xiaoting and Mashiro return with ice-cold drinks.

"Oppa we got something for you too!"

"Thanks a lot!" The four of you switch to playing some actual games until Yujin checks her phone.

"The members will be coming back soon, you should probably go."

"Yeah, I'll head out, thanks for having me over." It sounded insane, like you were thanking them for a quiet night in rather than a wild fuckfest. You hug Xiaoting and Mashiro goodbye, and they press themselves against you fully.

"Thanks oppa." Mashiro's cheeks are a tint of pink, to think she was writhing beneath you on the sofa earlier, and then bouncing on you later!

"Thanks oppa! Let's have more fun next time." Xiaoting waves as Yujin walks you to the door, and you kiss and hold her close.

"See you soon, remember to take your 'medicine'."

"I will I will, thanks for playing along with everything."

"As long as it doesn't become a regular thing, the three of you are a lot for me you know? I can barely keep just you satisfied."

"Oh I was definitely satisfied, and I'm sure Ting and Shiro are too. Maybe I'll listen to Ting and actually record it next time."

"From one risk to another huh?" Yujin pecks you good bye and pushes you out the door.

Weeks later you get a message from Yujin.

We're doing another baseball thing soon, you know what that means~

You start practicing the baseball game—you can't leave them waiting too long the next time after all.

A/N: Just a crazy idea I had, ever since they did the baseball thing I thought about the foursome. Finally got around to it. Little bit all over the place, thanks for reading!

[voltronisanobsession]

Hii, I hope you are having a good day or night! I've recently read your platonic yandere voltron things. And I was wondering if you would make some more headcanons? Or stories with platonic yandere? Here are some ideas you could write either a few headcanons or a story about, for if you have low inspiration. Kidnapped reader with platonic yandere voltron, maybe by an alien species who wanted to help the reader? How would the team react? What would they do? Or maybe the reader get really sick which isn't easily cured cue the panic from the team? Again, just so you know I really like your work! So keep up the good work, and thank you for making your works in the first place! Take good care of yourself, and stay hydrated!

Yandere Voltron’s Reaction to Reader being Taken

O M G DONT EVEN PLAY WITH ME RNNNN!!!! I absolutely LOVE yandere voltron like they’re so fun to write for🤞😜 I love the idea of the group just going crazy if reader were to escape UGHH

tysm pookie, take care of yourself too and ENJOY THIISSSS

OK YOU JUST SPURRED IDEAS INTO MY HEAD

I can already imagine the group going crazy when reader suddenly gets swept up right from their grasp out of nowhere by some random spaceship

I know you said some kind of an alien species taking reader but hear me out

It’s LOTOR AND HIS LITTLE GROUPIES OOOOO

It’s painfully obvious that you’re the real star in voltron seeing as how possessive and protective they are of you, hiding you away whenever danger is nearby

So it only makes sense to Lotor to just kidnap you as leverage for his plans

Little did he know that you would be THANKING him for taking you away from the group lmao😭

Imagine your tied up and homeboys getting ready to explain his super mastermind plan to you when all of a sudden you start rambling about how good it feels to be away from them

“Nothing personal, you were the only thing holding that sad excuse of a team together, so I needed you out of the picture for now.” Cue smirk

“UGH THANK GOD! I was literally starting to lose my mind in there, you have no IDEA how needy they all are.”

Now cue a dumbfounded Lotor

He was not expecting reader to be so relaxed considering how he just snatched you up out of nowhere

You’re just chilling while looking around his ship, maybe making conversation with his generals

You finally get a break from the constant attention and possessiveness, ANYTHING is better than being around the group

While you’re happily talking your voice away with Lotor a group, everyone in the castle is freaking the fuck out

It’s bad enough that they let you slip away from their grasp, it’s worse knowing it was Lotor who took you away💀

We all know how Lance feels about Lotor so I think he would have one of the more extreme reactions to you being taken away

Probably starts pointing fingers and starts blaming everyone for not being able to keep you safe

Lowkey begins targeting Keith because it’s somehow always his fault when something goes wrong💀💀

Lance might even starting crying and wailing out for you with Hunk when the situation finally hits him

Keith is also another one to have a more violent outburst during and after your disappearance

He’s someone I see with strong emotions that he doesn’t know how to handle yet so we already know how he might act

Agitated? Yes. Scared? For you, yeah. Furious? Oh honey absolutely.

Keith might have almost caught you too, but he didn’t. He’s so angry with everything and mostly himself that’s he’s pushing everyone else’s buttons, trying to convince the group that the only right choice is immediately going after you

He’s too anxious now that you’re not in his line of sight, making him kinda desperate to get you back again

Hear me out but I think the calmest ones would PROBABLY be Shiro and Pidge

Now I’m not saying that they’re CALM but they have the nerves mostly in tact

They’re already trying to locate where you are with the secret tracker that have on you so it doesn’t really benefit them to try and blame someone for what happened to you

Pidge’s hands shake while she’s working her whizz tho. She has to type, erase, and retype every now and then because of how nervous and anxious she is

She’s so used to having you around that now her brain can’t function properly without you

She doesn’t want to lose you like how she lost her brother and father so Pidge is trying her best to have a one track mind

Shiro on the other hand is more level headed

He really does try to calm the group down as best as he could but with Lance and Hunk crying, Keith yelling at them to get up and do something, Pidge taking a long time to track you down, and Allura and Coran seemingly in an entire different universe, he can’t help but feel the pressure of this disaster falling on his shoulders

This man is ready to just end Lotor when they find him like I’m not even joking

Everyone is getting on this man’s nerves and knowing that you’re trapped with Voltrons enemy doesn’t really make him feel any better

Hunk might even strike fear into Shiro while he’s babbling on about if you’re hurt or not, if they’re torturing you to get any information out of you etc

Poor Hunk is a flood gate at this point. One moment you’re right next to him and the next you’re not

He’s having a complete meltdown in a corner, maybe trying to comfort himself with a small picture of a selfie you both took together

This dude is already imagining all these terrible scenarios you could possibly be in which makes him feel even more terrible

Quite literally feels like he’s gonna throw up now when he begins thinking about how he’ll never see you again

Allura and Coran are surprising quite and calm during all this

They’d keep to themselves but know that they’re going through some extreme inner turmoil

It’s kind of like Allura disconnected herself from the world ever since you’ve been taken

Her skin itches to run out and grab a pod to find you herself but she knows it’s a brash idea

The only thing she does is mull over the idea of making Lotor regret messing with Voltron

BUT TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORTT

They are willing to do anything to get you back, not caring for the description they’ll leave along the way

The longer your gone the less control and stability they’ll have as a group

Desperate and irrational are some words to describe them during your being away from them

They will stop at nothing to have you back with them, some more destructive and violent than others

No one holds back when getting you back from Lotor, leaving his ships wrecked and forcing him to put his plans on pause as he recovers

Who knows, maybe him and his group might’ve grown similar possessive feelings towards you as well with the time you spent with them? HMMMM

[starstruckkittensweets]

puppy love (ii)

Chuuya Nakahara x Reader

fandom: bungo stray dogs

Another part to the Chuuya with puppies series! Honestly it's been pretty therapeutic to write this out and plan out future parts. I don't really have any kind of direction for this series, it's just for fun and I write when I get inspired! But luckily my love for Chuuya isn't going away anytime soon, so you can look forward to more. I hope you enjoy!

warnings: fem reader, pet names ("doll"), rambunctious puppies who just wanna play, mutual pining perhaps (if you squint) || words: 2.6k

Part I | Part II | Part III

The next time you see Chuuya, you’re on your way home from the vet—with Kotaro, Pochi, and Shiro in tow.

Kotaro’s the first to notice him. His ears shoot forward, nose pointed straight in the cool night air, and he gives a hard yank on the leash in your hand. You start to scold him, but the words die on your tongue at the familiar sight of orange hair and bright blue eyes.

The really pretty eyes you haven’t stopped thinking about for the last few days or so. (As embarrassing as it sounds.)

Kotaro tugs hard on the leash, nearly ripping the thing right from your grasp, his tail swishing from side to side. He’s not the only one who’s noticed your new friend; Pochi is sniffing the air, trying to catch the stranger’s scent, while Shiro is digging his paws deeper into the ground, eyes fixed on the newcomer’s every move.

“Sorry,” you manage a smile, despite wrangling all three dogs back under your control. (It’s hard not to get the leashes all tangled up.) “They can be excitable sometimes—I didn’t expect to see you again so soon…”

To be honest, you thought he’d forgotten about your little meetup for lunch altogether (if his attire is anything to go by, he’s a busy man with a tight schedule). The sight of him now makes your chest feel warm, your fingertips buzzing around the handles of Kotaro’s leash.

You don’t even know his name; to you, he’s just the nice stranger who brought your dog back home to you that fateful night.

But that’s plenty enough for Kotaro, who’s scrabbling against the sidewalk to the man’s outstretched hands. You really should invest in some retractable leashes. Then again, Kotaro would probably just break them in two.

Not like Pochi and Shiro, who wait patiently at your side, despite their own curiosity.

“Out for a walk, huh?” The man lets out a chuckle, even as Kotaro presses his dirty paws against his knees. “Hope you’re not causin’ your girl too much trouble.”

“Not that much,” you mumble, cheeks burning beneath his gaze. “…Is it okay if the others say hi?”

There’s a sparkle in his eye, the same one you saw the first night you met. Something that reminds you of the children you pass on the street, the ones who pull at their mother’s arms, begging to let them pet the puppy by your side. Strange to say you recognize that kind of look on a grown man’s face, but it seems to suit him all the same.

Makes his eyes look so much prettier than they already are.

He slips a glove off and crouches down to the dogs’ level, while simultaneously trying to push Kotaro off him. Pochi’s the first one to step forward, his nose twitching almost violently. Shiro hangs back, pawing at the ground before plopping his bottom right down on your shoes.

You stifle a laugh at the bulldog’s expression. My human, don’t come any closer.

“Sorry about that!” It’s hard not to smile at the man’s baffled expression, at the way Shiro’s practically glaring at him from his spot in front of you. “He’s a little protective. But I promise he’s a sweetheart once you get to know him.”

“Nah, it’s fine, I get it.” And he actually does, by the way he only focuses on Pochi and Kotaro, taking turns scratching them behind their ears. Giving the grouchy bulldog some much-needed space, only smiling at him over the other dogs’ heads.  

Huh, that’s a first.

How many times have you had to shoo an eager child’s hand away or scoop Shiro up in your arms just to keep him safe? Shiro’s a rare case, comfortable with dogs but a bit uneasy around most humans. And it’s hard to find people who acknowledge that and just leave him be. No poking or prodding, or pulling on his stubby little tail and risk losing a finger or two. And that’s the last thing anyone wants.

“Just one pet wouldn’t hurt, right?”

“Not a fan of people? That’s kinda strange…”

“He won’t bite me, right? You shouldn’t have him out in public if he’s aggressive.”

The man’s voice jerks you from your thoughts; he’s too fixated on Pochi now, smiling as the beagle kisses his cheek, so much that Kotaro is starting to look a bit jealous.

“What’s his name?”

“Pochi,” you answer with a smile. “You already know Kotaro. And this big boy is Shiro.” You lean down to rub the bulldog’s chest; he grunts and leans into your touch, all the while keeping his eyes on the man before him. “Sorry about them, they can get a little excited.”

Quite an understatement, judging by the bits of dog hair flayed across his black suit. He swipes a hand through his hair, and your eyes linger on the frayed orange strands just a little longer than they should. Until his voice snaps you out of it, as his blue gaze flickers up to meet your own.

“Only three today? Thought you said you had eight of them.”

It’s hard not to smile at his words. He remembered that, huh? “The others are back at home. These three had their check-ups at the vet today. I’ll have to bring the next three in sometime later this week.”

“Only a couple at a time, eh?”

“Yeah, I’ve tried taking all eight of them at once—it was not fun for anyone, except for maybe this little mess.” You lean over and scratch Kotaro behind the ear; the dog looks pretty damn proud of himself as you recall that stressful memory.

But before you can say anything else the man rises to his feet, tucking his hands into his pockets, but not before giving Kotaro and Pochi one last pat on their heads. There’s a soft pang in your chest; is he leaving already?

“A little late for a vet appointment, isn’t it?”

You shrug, your eyes falling to the ground. “I gotta work around the shop’s hours. We don’t close until seven, and it takes about an hour to get these guys all leashed up and ready to go. The vet the next block over doesn’t mind, though. He even knocks a bit off the price whenever one of the dogs is sick. And sometimes it’s nice, being the only ones in there. You don’t have to worry about any other dogs or people over there.”

Are you rambling again? Probably, but he doesn’t seem to mind. At least he doesn’t make it noticeable, with the way he’s looking at you.

“This a usual thing for you, then? These nighttime walks?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” you answer with a giggle. “Any major shopping or appointments don’t get done until after work. I’m used to the late hours, though.”

The man hums in agreement, but his eyes tell a different story. Slowly he takes his hands back out of his pockets, eyes roaming the ground before landing back on your own. You swallow the lump in your throat (that definitely wasn’t there a few minutes ago).

“You sure you’re safe out here at this time of night?”

Another shrug, albeit a little more hesitant than the one before. “As long as I’ve got these guys, I think I am.”

He huffs out a breath, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. An uneasy silence settles over the two of you, only broken by the sound of Kotaro’s whining. He wants to get back home.

They all do, by the looks of it. A trip to the vet always wears them out. Not to mention, they’ve been hard at work guarding the shop all day. Being the faithful watchdogs you’ve trained them to be, alerting you whenever a new face shows up at the door.

(Not really, but you let them think they’re helping. It boosts their morale, lets them know they’re appreciated for all their hard work.)

“Let me walk you home,” the man finally says. “Just this once, alright?”

Maybe it’s the adorable wagging of Kotaro’s and Pochi’s tails, or the way Shiro doesn’t outright growl when the man steps closer to you, beckoning you closer with a gloved hand and a gentle smile. Or perhaps it’s the way you try to hold back a yawn, only to fail in the most unattractive way possible, as the weight of the day finally comes crashing down on your shoulders. For the first time since you woke up this morning, you realize just how damn tired you actually are.

Whatever it is, it has you nodding your head almost eagerly, your lips pulled up in a sleepy smile. “Sounds good to me.”

The walk back home is surprisingly comfortable, despite two of the three dogs yanking hard on their leashes. The friendly stranger keeps to the outer half of the sidewalk, a protective barrier between your dogs and the looming road ahead. The two of you are lost in your own little world, making casual conversation here and there, ignoring the skeptical looks of the few passerby’s out on a midnight stroll.

And by the time you see the dim lights and rickety old sign of the shop, you’ve learned three things about your new friend.

First, his name is Chuuya. He says it with a smile, orange hair falling into his face. It prompts you to share your own name, and hearing it roll off his tongue in that slightly raspy voice of his sends a shiver down your spine. (You decide then and there you like hearing your name fall from his lips.)

Second, he’s fairly wealthy. He doesn’t say it outright, but he doesn’t exactly make an effort to hide it either. From the way he dresses to how he casually mentions different brands and flavors of wine—names you’ve only ever seen next to their outrageous dollar amounts in the store. But at least he doesn’t seem snobbish about it. He doesn’t turn his nose up at the less-than fortunate state of the shop you run. Hell, he even turned down the promise of some quick and painless money just for bringing your puppy back to you that night, when most people would’ve jumped at the idea of a financial reward. Or maybe that’s just the way he is? You’re undecided about that for now.

And third, and probably most importantly, he wants to adopt a dog of his own sometime in the future.

“That’s…great! Amazing, actually! We have a lot of dogs back at the shop, it’s more of a makeshift shelter than a pet store, though. I don’t really like that term, pet store—sounds too cold and distant, right? Anyway, it’s nothing too official, none of them are really purebreds so we don’t have to worry about too many legal troubles. But if you don’t mind, you’re more than welcome to visit and see the rest of the pups. Get to meet them and see if you wanna take one home with you!”

Of course, it’ll be hard letting go of one of them. But that’s what you’re here for, isn’t it? Taking care of these dogs until they find their forever homes. Nothing’s permanent, it never has been. But it’s been quite a while since you’ve come across someone who’s interested in adopting a former street dog, sometimes it just slips your mind. You have to remind yourself it’s only a matter of time before you have to say goodbye to them.

Except Kotaro. You’ve got dibs on the shiba.

Chuuya doesn’t interrupt your little speech, but he’s not ignoring you either. He keeps his eyes on you the entire time, only pausing to steal a glance at the dogs at your side. He still keeps his distance from Shiro, who’s lumbering at your side at a steady trot. Pochi won’t stop pulling on his leash trying to get closer to him, and Kotaro’s tail hasn’t stopped wagging ever since you started your walk back home.

Honestly, he’s kind of impressed you’re able to hold a conversation while keeping a hold on three rambunctious dogs. However fun they seem to be, they all look like they’d be a handful to take care of.

“…Well?” You’re staring at him now, eyes wide and hopeful, holding your breath as you wait for his answer. “I know it’s a little late in the day now to meet them all, but what about tomorrow?”

And maybe the prospect of seeing Chuuya again so soon has you on edge, but in the best possible way.

But then he’s shaking his head, holding up a hand, and you feel your chest deflate just a bit.

…Okay, maybe a lot, actually.

“I’d love to, doll, believe me… But adopting a pup ain’t in the cards for me anytime soon.”

“Oh…that’s a shame…”

He winces at the pitiful look in your eyes, the way your shoulders sag slightly—for the love of God, even the dogs look disappointed in him. Kotaro’s ears are drooping, Pochi hangs his head, and Shiro gives a disapproving grunt under his breath.

No fucking way these dogs can understand us.

“I-I mean, not in the near future,” he says quickly, trying to remedy the situation. Trying to make you smile at least one more time tonight. “I’d still wanna meet ‘em, though, if you’ll let me.”

Right on cue you’re giggling again, and he lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “Sounds good to me! Just drop by whenever you can, the doors are always open.”

As tempting as it is to stay out here and talk with him just a bit longer, exhaustion is weighing you down. The dogs have to be tucked in for the night, and you have to get a few hours of sleep before the shop opens up early tomorrow morning. Or would that be later today? It’s already past midnight, isn’t it?

“C’mon, boys.”

Thankfully, none of the dogs put up much of a fight. Pochi holds his head high as he follows you up the steps to the door. Shiro sticks close to your ankles and practically snubs Chuuya with a grumpy snort. Only Kotaro lingers long enough to get one final scratch behind the ears, and then he’s joining you and the rest of the dogs with a soft happy yip.

Your chest feels unnaturally full as you unlock the door and let the dogs inside. But before you shut it completely you poke your head out—and your cheeks heat up when you realize Chuuya hasn’t moved an inch from his spot on the sidewalk.

What a true gentleman.

“…Thanks for walking us home.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he says with a smile. “It was my pleasure.”

Kotaro nudges his way back out the door; you groan and tug on his collar, dragging the poor pup back inside. And Chuuya can’t help but laugh at the flustered look on your face.

“Sorry about that… Have a goodnight, Chuuya.”

He stiffens—so that’s what his name sounds like in your voice, huh?—but recovers quickly with a cough. Hopefully you can’t see the light dusting of pink on his cheeks.

“…Yeah, goodnight, doll…”

You close the door and latch it shut behind you. Chuuya remains rooted to his spot on the sidewalk, hands stuffed in his pockets, until he sees a light flicker on upstairs.

Safe and sound inside.

Then he turns his back and heads down the length of the sidewalk. Unbeknownst to him, you’re watching him go from your bedroom window, peeking through the blinds.

For the rest of the night your chest stays uncomfortably full, even when the dogs are tucked in for the night and you’re left alone with your thoughts in the dark. Staring up at the ceiling, hands bunched around the bedsheets, replaying every single detail you can remember about your little meetup.

It takes a while to fall asleep, but once you do, all you can dream about are blue eyes and wagging tails, with a smile on your face.

[chibifox88]

Tragedy has Targets Chapter 2

That's your Plan?

Let me know what you though of it! I struggled finding a good place to end this and I was already over 14,000 words. The first draft of this before I found the good braking point was around 17,000. So hopefully this isn't to long. I hope you all enjoyed reading this and I am already well on my way to done with chapter 3!

-Chibi

It had been a couple of months since Lord Ox had been unsealed, and to say it had been annoying would be an understatement. I still couldn't wrap my head around why Lady Iron had fallen in love with the demon in the first place. After years of dealing with Red Son’s temper tantrums, I thought I was prepared for anything. But the Demon Bull King? He was a whole other level of chaos.

In just this month alone, he had destroyed about ten different rooms in the mansion. Not to mention the damage he’d done to the Foundry. Red and the clones were working overtime to make repairs, but they just couldn’t keep up with the Bull King's reckless destruction.

I was getting sick of it, but it wasn’t my place to say anything. Even if I wanted to. Red Son was too wrapped up in his desire to impress his father to speak up. He let the Bull King run wild, hoping for even a moment of acknowledgment. If the demon said something nice to Red, he’d combust with excitement—maybe even literally.

Lady Iron wasn’t much help either. She was so blissfully distracted by her husband’s return that she was completely ignoring the havoc he was wreaking. Sure, the Demon Bull King had been sealed away for a LONG time, but did that really give him the right to destroy all of our things?

Am I being a hypocrite right now? Probably, considering I had been fine with him wreaking havoc in the city months ago. Surprisingly, the city had rebuilt and recovered fairly quickly from the destruction he caused. Good for them, I guess.

But now, I found myself sitting at the dining table with the Bull family for lunch. Ever since Lord Ox had returned, Princess Iron Fan had insisted on family meals, which meant Red Son and I could no longer eat in his lab.

As I sat there, I wished I could be in my own room or even Red’s lab, enjoying a quiet meal instead of being right next to Red, who was going on and on about his latest plan to gain power for his father. 

Meanwhile, the Demon Bull King was rambling at the same time about how that stupid monkey had ruined everything and how he was going to get his revenge—it was only a matter of time.

Well, they certainly were father and son; both could talk for hours without caring what the other was saying. At least it made it a little easier for me, since I wasn’t expected to engage with the Bull King. Red Son, on the other hand, believed I was hanging on his every word. To be honest, I wasn’t paying attention most of the time to what he talks about.

But this time, I was listening. When Red announced today’s plan, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, which made both Red and the Bull King stop mid-sentence. I turned to Red and asked, “Do you really think it’s a good idea to take over the weather station? What on earth made you think that?” I rolled my eyes, glancing back at my plate of… perhaps steak? It was some kind of meat that Bull King had caught and ordered the bull clones to cook, so I wasn't entirely sure what it was.

Red’s hair blazed with anger as he reacted to my doubt. “Of course it’s a good idea, Shiro! If we could harness the power of natural disasters, we’d be unstoppable! How could it be a bad idea?” He slammed his hand down on the table, making the silverware rattle.

I shrugged, taking a bite of the mystery meat, chewing as I met his gaze. After swallowing, I gave him my driest look. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because the weather center has a ton of foot traffic, and you’d be found out instantly? Or maybe your armor can only convert matter into energy and not a fucking tornado? Or, hear me out, that delivery boy will show up again and kick your ass since he declared himself the city’s hero.”

Red Son literally blew up into a ball of fire at my words. “How dare you! How dare you say that? That vermin—no, he’s even below a rat that garbage—can take me on and win!” He screamed at me, the heat from his flames almost burning me. I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my cool.

“That ‘garbage’ literally DID take you on and win,” I shot back. “Plus, he has the Monkey King’s powers, so even if you fought him, you wouldn’t be able to do much damage. What do you expect? That he got weaker over the last couple of months? You know better than anyone since you’ve had a bull clone stalking him. He’s been training with… someone. Most likely the Monkey King, if not someone at that level of power.” I scooted my chair further away from his, as he was still erupting in flames. My words had already pissed him off, and every time I spoke after that only seemed to stoke the fire further. He hated it when I threw his failures in his face, even if that was one of the things his mother wanted me to do.

It’s so amusing to be one of the few who can throw his failures back at him and deal with his fiery outbursts because of it, I thought sarcastically.

Red opened his mouth to yell at me again, but his father slammed his hand down on the table. The force of the slam made everything on the table fly into the air for a moment, but it had the desired effect: it stopped Red Son’s fire and silenced him. I looked up at Lord Ox, who was now giving us both a hard look, studying us. I couldn’t tell what he was trying to find, but both Red Son and I didn’t say anything; we didn’t look away from the Bull King. He wanted our attention, and now he had it.

His gaze settled on me. “Feline, what makes you believe my son would be bested by that little thief again?” My eyebrow twitched. What did he just call me? That was worse than “kitten.” At least Lady Iron called me that for a reason—one I didn’t like, but still a reason. I was more than just a cat.

But I couldn’t verbally lash out at the Demon Bull King, so I had to rely on logic and my own stubbornness. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I focused on Lord Ox again. “Lord Ox, Red is strong; I’m not saying he isn’t. But so is the noodle boy. He’s being trained on how to use his powers, and from where I’m sitting, Red isn’t treating him as a threat. You can be cocky,” I glanced at Red, giving him a dry look, “but you can’t underestimate your opponent, even if he’s new to fighting and magic.”

I looked back at Bull King and continued, “The boy is unfortunately a prodigy. Even if you dismiss it as a fluke, he still brought you to your knees, Lord Ox. So we shouldn’t make plans that are so flashy if we can help it right now. Especially since the Monkey King is keeping a close eye on the boy and his fights. If anything happens that Sun Wukong doesn’t like, he will step in. I know Red Son’s strengths well, but I’m positive he wouldn’t be able to stand against the Monkey King in a full-on fight.” The Demon Bull King’s hands curled into fists as he let out a huff of smoke. I didn’t even know he could do that, but I could tell he was trying to hold back his anger.

I then looked across the table at Lady Iron, hoping she could make sense of this whole situation. She rolled her eyes and turned to her husband. “Oh, my love, don’t be so dramatic. We’ve nothing but time. You will bring the world to its knees.” Then she shifted her gaze to Red Son and me. “As for you two, do what you wish, my son.”

My eyes widened at her words. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea. If he goes out there, he’s just asking to become a laughingstock again.” I started, but Red snapped his head toward me, his hair igniting once more. However, Lady Iron continued, unfazed by my protest. “I understand your concerns, and since you’ve voiced your strong disagreement with his plan, I will allow you to step back while he pursues it. If that nuisance of a child and his friends come to challenge Red Son, do not intervene. Let my son prove he can handle them on his own. If he fails, he will have no one to blame but himself. However, you must remain nearby in case anyone else shows up to threaten Red Son. Then it will be your responsibility to protect him.” She concluded, her gaze shifting between Red Son and me, her expression resolute. 

Red was giving me a shit-eating grin, clearly enjoying the chaos. I shrugged back at him. “Fine by me, but when you get your ass kicked again, you can’t complain about me being late for a whole three months.” I met Red’s cocky grin with one of my own. His expression became strained as he struggled to keep his anger in check. “And when I prove that taking over the weather center is the best plan, you have to give me your dessert for five whole months.” My eyebrow twitched. He was being a petty little brat, but I could play that game too.

I opened my mouth to reply, but a loud screeching sound came from beside me as Bull King stood up. He looked at Red Son and me with a serious expression. “Well, at the end of this, we will know who was right: my son or you, girl.”

I guess he didn’t like me much, but I truly didn’t care what he thought. As the tension in the room thickened, I glanced between Red and his father. There was a charged silence as we awaited the next move, each of us bracing for the unfolding drama. I could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me, on Red Son.

“Just remember,” I finally said, my voice steady, “underestimating your opponent could cost you. And I’ll be right there to remind you of that when it does.” I shot Red a challenging look, knowing full well that this was far from over.

The atmosphere shifted slightly; a newfound determination flickered in Red’s eyes. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but then Lord Ox stepped in, his presence dominating the room. “Enough of this bickering.  Feline, I expect you to keep an eye on things while maintaining your distance.”

I nodded once. He stalked out of the dining room, leaving the rest of us in silence. Princess Iron Fan was next to leave, gliding gracefully from the room. Sometimes I wondered how she did that. Maybe it was because she was a celestial, and it just came naturally to them. As a half-cat demon, I sometimes wished I had inherited the grace that cats were known for. Instead, I ended up with their clumsiness.

Now it was just Red and me. I turned to him and said, “You know you’re going to fail, right?” His hair flickered with flames as he glared back at me. “So you’ve told me. You don’t have to keep saying it, Shiro.” He was right; I didn’t, but I was going to continue anyway.

I stood up from the table. “I’m going to get ready for your useless mission. I’ll meet you at the gate in about an hour.” I started toward the door, barely catching him muttering under his breath that it meant I’d be late as always. But I ignored him this time.

As I walked through the looming halls, flanked by intricately carved pillars, the faint smell of incense lingered in the air. I slowed to a stop, pausing in front of one of the many paintings covered by a sheet during our time away from the mansion. The bull clones hadn’t gotten to this side yet, so much of the cleaning and unpacking had been neglected. Of course, that made sense. After all, when we returned to this country, Lady Iron was quick to make plans to free Bull King. We hadn’t even been living here for two months yet.

The Bull Family had been on the run for what felt like an eternity, their lives shattered by relentless pursuit. Without Bull King there to provide protection, Princess Iron Fan was left to bear the immense weight of their situation alone. The day he was sealed away marked the beginning of her despair. She stood in the ruins of their once-glorious life, grappling with the haunting reality that heaven had turned its back on her.

With a half-breed child nestled against her hip—a child whom the world deemed unworthy—she felt the icy grip of fate tight around her heart. The whispers of condemnation echoed in her mind, a constant reminder that there were those who wanted her son dead. To them, he was an abomination, a living testament to a union that defied divine will. The world outside was unforgiving, and she realized with a heavy heart that she had no choice but to flee, to create a new identity far from the shadows and scorn that followed her.

But that was before I came into the picture. I was…

As I reflected on her plight and my own past, I shook my head, trying to dispel the memories that threatened to overwhelm me. The past was a tangled web of sorrow and tragedy, and I needed to focus on the present. Just then, my phone vibrated softly in my pocket, breaking the spell of my thoughts. I reached for it, feeling the familiar weight of it in my hand, and pulled it out to read the message that had just come through.

Breezeblock: Neko, you still need to complete this month's job.

I rolled my eyes. Right—another task to check off the ever-growing list. One of my magical contracts was flaring for attention again, demanding I give it some of my time. Princess Iron Fan had never been opposed to me taking on side jobs. In fact, she encouraged it, so long as I kept Red and the rest of the family as my top priority. As long as the blood I spilled didn’t interfere with Bull Family affairs, she never blinked at my extracurriculars. The pay was decent, and frankly, I’d been bored the day I took this particular one. It had been one of those moments where distraction felt like necessity, and before I knew it, I had agreed. Plus the guild had already been on my case, anyway, warning me that my quota was overdue and that they were assigning me to Breezeblock whether I liked it or not. Another “permanent client,” as they liked to phrase it. I didn’t exactly get a say. At least I can choose when to end the jobs though.

The name they knew me by in that world—Neko—still made me cringe some days. It had started as a joke by a certain shadowy jerk, but somewhere along the way it stuck. Now it clung to me like shadow magic, whispered through grimy back alley corners and smoke-stained bars. Everyone had a story about Neko. The assassin who could kill with one bullet from miles away. The professional ghost. The demon who would take any job, no matter how dirty, as long as the price was right. And, of course, the favorite: that I never missed. That once I locked onto a target, their life was already over. Even I played into it sometimes. There was power in a reputation, even a messy, violent one.

I won’t pretend I wasn’t proud of my aim. I’d been forced to train obsessively for it, bled and burned through magic to hone my shots to the point of obsession. Everyone I’d worked with—my handlers, my clients, even my enemies—knew I had a damn supernatural shot. But even so, the myth was just that: a myth. The truth was quieter. I’d missed before, especially in crosswinds or during arcane interference. I always calculated to the best of my ability, mapped it out down to the millisecond, but I wasn’t a god. Sometimes variables slipped through. And even the best sniper in the world had to blink. I did my best, and usually, that was more than enough. But the legend didn’t leave room for mistakes. The underground liked its monsters polished and perfect. They liked to forget they were hiring a person underneath the scope.

Lately, though, I’d been getting the sinking feeling that “enough” wasn’t going to cut it much longer. The weight in the air had shifted. Magic was thickening, sharpening. More powerful demons were creeping out of whatever cracks they’d hidden in during the last decades, and I could feel it—pressing in from the edges of the city. The easy days were over. I knew it, even if Breezeblock didn’t. The kinds of enemies rising now weren’t the kind you picked off with a bullet and a clever curse. They were the kind that made you wish you’d never taken the job.

Still, the current contract was manageable. Tedious, maybe, but nothing challenging. I glanced at my phone, double-checked the details, and tucked it back into my pocket. I could get it done in an hour, two at most. It wouldn’t take long—especially not for someone like me. I’d wait until Red finished getting his ass kicked at the weather station and slip away once the air was quiet again. Of course also making sure he gets back to the mansion safely as well.  I started walking down the hallway again, heading in the direction of my room. 

When I got to my room, I quickly put on my holster belt, strapped on extra ammo clips, and slid my hand pistols into their holsters. But I also wanted to annoy Red, knowing he wouldn’t leave without me. So I plopped down on my bed and started scrolling on my phone. There were so many posts online about that delivery boy, all calling him a hero or their savior. Which, I guess, was true; he did stop Bull King. The more shocking part to me was how no one—literally NO ONE—had even noticed the Monkey King on the mech. How? How did everyone but me miss that stupid monkey?

Maybe it was because of my eyes. Perhaps he had a glamour on, and I saw through it. That could also explain why he seemed surprised when he felt me staring at him. Plus, there was the fact that I had shot at him. But he definitely deserved it; he had sent a kid to fight a massive demon. It was pure luck that the kid won, along with his natural fighting ability.

I sighed and lay back on the bed, one arm draped over my face to shut out the light. My phone sat abandoned beside me, screen still glowing faintly before it dimmed to black. My eyes ached—not from strain, but from existing. A dull pressure, always present. Not pain exactly. Just a constant reminder that they were still there, still working, even when I wanted nothing more than to shut the world out.

They called it “true sight.” The white coats used to speak about it like it was some kind of divine achievement. They whispered about it behind glass and glowing screens, poked and prodded and catalogued it like it was theirs to study, not mine to survive. I don’t talk about my eyes outside of the Bull Family. Not to clients. Not even in the underground, where people love to speculate. Let them think it’s just skill. A rare talent. A sniper’s eye.

They don’t know what it really is.

They don’t know what I lost to get it.

True sight. Sounds poetic, doesn’t it?

Like a gift.

But it wasn’t.

It was a curse—forced onto me, carved into my body, stitched into the marrow of my bones by people who never once asked what it would cost me. Didn’t care either. It lets me see too much. Not just distances. Not just heat trails or magical interference. I see weakness. Lies. The things people try to bury. I can watch a person’s aura fracture mid-conversation. I can read a battlefield before a single blade is drawn. I can calculate shots through steel, smoke, and enchantment like they’re nothing.

People would kill for eyes like mine.

But they don’t know what it’s like to live with them.

Useful? Sure.

Powerful? Undeniably.

But I’ve never felt farther from human than I do when I look through someone and realize I can’t stop myself from doing it. The white coats made sure of that.

I sat up slowly, running a hand down my face. The thoughts were circling again, heavier than usual. I shook my head, trying to force the spiral away. Gods, what was wrong with me today? I couldn’t stop thinking about things best left buried. And it was dragging me under.

Maybe it was something small setting me off today. Like the fact I hadn’t re-dyed my hair yet. The roots were probably fully  showing by now—uneven, too pale. I tried not to think about what that meant. Why the color underneath was always white now. It wasn’t natural. It never had been. My hair hadn’t started that way. It had been stripped, drained, changed in that lab, like everything else they’d touched. I could almost feel it again—the moment it started to lose its color, like even my body was rejecting what they were doing to me. I caught myself thinking about it and forced the thought away.

I hadn’t had time to fix it. Not with everything going on. Missions, guild demands, Red’s constant drama, and whatever the hell the noodle boy was doing lately. Maybe after my next job, I’d slip into town. Fix the color. Remind myself who I am—who I chose to be, not what they tried to build out of me.

First though, I needed to meet up with Red.

I glanced at the clock. Over an hour late. I almost smiled. Let him wait. I didn’t feel bad. Honestly… he deserved it.

By the time I reached the gate, Red was literally steaming. I couldn’t help but giggle as I walked closer to him, his fiery temper practically radiating off him. He whipped around, his eyes glowing red, and started yelling again. “You’re two hours late! We should have left hours ago! Why are you always late to everything I ask you to show up for?!”

As he yelled, his hair shifted from smoking to flaming, a clear sign of his anger. I rolled my eyes, not bothering to answer him. Instead, I slipped my hands into the pockets of my jacket and stepped through the gate, moving past him.

“Where are you going?!” he called after me, his voice laced with frustration. I paused and turned my head over my shoulder, giving him a deadpan look. “To the weather tower, like you want.” With that, I turned back to the road ahead and started walking again.

It took him and the clones a few moments to catch up, but they eventually did. Red sprinted ahead, likely believing that as a ‘prince,’ he had to be in front. Technically, he was right, but I wasn’t too concerned about that.

As we walked out of the Bull Family’s territory and into the city proper, I couldn’t ignore the glares from the citizens we passed. Their hostility hung in the air, thick and palpable. Red, however, seemed oblivious, either not noticing or simply choosing to ignore them. He even had the audacity to stop at a cheese tea stall, demanding two drinks for free, as if he were above it all.

When he returned, he handed me one of the drinks with a casual flick of his wrist. “Here.”

I accepted it with a short, “Thanks.” He could be nice when he wanted, but most of the time, he chose to be an angry brat. I couldn’t hold myself above him too much, though; I could be a brat as well.

But at least when I acted out, I wasn’t wasting everyone’s time. I couldn’t help but wonder: how many people would he annoy today with this stunt? How many might get hurt because of it? In the end, I didn’t truly care; it was just inconvenient for me.

I killed for money, after all. The job I was taking on after this was an assassination job. So, in my mind, less loss of life meant nothing. But it annoyed me when those losses impeded my current work and impacted how much I’d have to handle in the future.

I thought back to the chaos caused by the Demon Bull King, who had taken so many lives during his first attempt to seize the city. Of course, the citizens hated this family. I didn’t blame them. But that just meant more people would want to take out Red for revenge. They always assumed Red Son couldn’t fight or was helpless. He could fight; PIF just had me around so that if he didn’t feel like killing, I could. Or if he was distracted by something and didn’t notice the attacker, though those events were rare. He usually just didn’t feel like dealing with them himself. 

We finally arrived at the base of the tower. I looked up at the looming structure, feeling its weight in the air. Crossing my arms over my chest, I turned to Red and asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?” I met his brown eyes, frowning in concern.

He rolled his eyes at me, brushing off my question. Without a word, he walked through the doors, leaving me standing outside. I sighed, watching him disappear into the building. This was going to take a while, so I might as well find a place to sit while he did his thing.

I strolled over to a nearby restaurant with open seating under a canopy and settled into one of the chairs. Just as I sank into the seat, dark clouds rolled in, and rain began to pour.

I glared up at the tower, knowing he had chosen this moment to irritate me. He was fully aware of how much I disliked being wet. Just another reason he was a brat. I sighed, resigned to my fate, and took a sip of the cheese tea he had gotten me.

As a broadcast started, announcing his intention to take over the weather station, I stared at the TV across the street, my mouth wide open in disbelief. It’s official—he’s a complete idiot. Why in the heavens above would he do that? At least give yourself ten minutes to get settled! 

Maybe this wouldn’t take as long as I originally thought. After all, that group of so-called heroes was bound to show up soon, and I couldn't help but wonder how this chaotic day would unfold.

And just as I finished thinking that, a green dragon-shaped blur came racing by. It shot up the tower, and I could swear I heard someone yelling, "Let's kick his butt!" I slapped a hand to my forehead. How on earth did we end up here? He was going to get his ass kicked by two barely adults and three actual adults. I watched as a green dragon aura flashed around the top of the weather tower.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Something was watching me. I looked around, setting my tea down on the table ahead of me, pretending I hadn’t noticed whatever it was while I searched. My gaze landed on the top of a nearby building, and there it was.

That weird ginger-brown bird—red and blue feathers clashing like some kind of gaudy fashion disaster, with two mismatched tails twitching in rhythm—was perched across the street, three buildings down. Right where I said he’d be. Exactly where I warned them he’d be.

The Monkey King.

In full surveillance mode.

Staring directly at me.

And not in the casual, oh-I-just-happened-to-glance-your-way kind of stare. No, this was the full “I know what you did and I’m debating how fast I can end you” type of stare.

Charming.

I didn’t let my eyes linger on him, but the pressure didn’t go away. If anything, it got worse. That sensation of being watched with intent—with a predator’s patience. He hadn’t moved yet. Which, honestly, just made it worse.

So I did what any sensible person would do in the face of a potentially homicidal immortal: I pretended I hadn’t seen him. I kept scrolling through my phone like I didn’t know I was under surveillance from a divine nightmare disguised as an overgrown pigeon.

Classic me.

And look, I knew why he was pissed. The whole “I shot at him” thing. Minor detail. Could’ve happened to anyone. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I happened to be in a mood and holding a gun. But apparently immortals hold grudges. Who knew?

I rolled my eyes at myself and felt the faint twitch of annoyance behind them. Because, of course, I wouldn’t even be in this mess if the Bull Family had actually listened to me when I warned them that the Monkey King wasn’t just watching from a distance anymore. No, they brushed it off. Red brushed it off, acting like I was being paranoid. Iron Fan didn’t say anything, just gave me that “noted” look and moved on.

And now look where we are.

Me. Under celestial lockdown. Three buildings away from a magical nuke disguised as a bird. All because someone couldn’t be bothered to believe me.

All of this, just because I had to show him what he missed, what could have happened.I felt the weight of Wukong’s gaze still locked on me and resisted the urge to flip him off. Bad idea. Great emotional release. Still a bad idea.

And the worst part? I couldn’t even do anything. I couldn’t kill him. He was immortal, for one. For two—he was Wukong. You don’t kill Wukong. You hope he’s bored enough to let you live.

I could teleport, sure. That’d buy me a few seconds, maybe even a solid minute if I got creative with the distance. But we both knew he’d find me again. The man once outran Heaven. My evasion skills weren’t going to cut it against that.

Leverage. I had a little. Not much. But a little.

His protégé’s friends. I wouldn’t hurt them—not really. But I could grab them. Use them as hostages, human shields, bargaining chips. I didn’t like the idea. Not one bit. But I wasn’t above it. Not if it meant getting him to back off, even for a moment.

I sighed internally.

Gods, I hated it when my own actions came back to bite me in the ass. But what I hated more was having to deal with the fallout alone, because the people I worked for decided I was being “dramatic.”

Yeah. Paranoia’s a lot less funny when it turns out to be right.

Now here I was, trying to act casual while Wukong stared me down like I’d already lost.

And maybe I had.

But I’d be damned if I let him see me sweat.

As I was lost in thought, a body came flying from the tower, crashing down to the street across from me and creating a massive crater. To my surprise, it was surprisingly deep. I was impressed.

But then, Sun Wukong swooped down into the crater, glowing a bright golden color as he transformed from the bird into his true form. He jumped onto a cloud that seemed to appear out of nowhere and began munching on… were those peach chips? Where the hell did those come from? Were they in the cloud? He then spoke, “How you doing there, bud?”

The noodle boy shot up from his crumpled position in the middle of the crater, stars in his eyes as he found a second wind. He practically screamed in excitement, “Monkey King! Great! Now that you're here, we can fly up there and smash that—”

Sun Wukong’s gaze fell fully on the boy as he put his peach chips back into the cloud, shaking his head at the noodle boy. “No, no, no, no, no. In case you forgot, I'm retired. You're supposed to be taking care of the bad guys. Besides, you're invincible! Right?” The Monkey King tilted his head to the side, eyeing the boy with a mischievous smirk, as if he were throwing something back in the kid's face.

The boy looked down at the ground, wringing his hands together. He spoke mainly at the pavement, glancing up at the Monkey King. “Well, yeah, I mean, I am invincible, but, you know, every time I try to do anything, I just gunk everything up. Something's wrong.” He threw his hands up in frustration. Sun Wukong stared at him for a moment before launching himself at the kid, climbing onto his shoulder. The boy stumbled, yelling, “Hey, what are you doing?!”

Sun Wukong began to search through the boy's hair, seeming to look for something. After a few seconds, he leaned closer to the boy's head, a worried look crossing his face. “Oh yeah, you're right. Oh, this is bad. Something's really wrong,” the Monkey King stated.

The boy gasped and started to flail around like a fish out of water, yelling, “What is it? What's wrong?!” He began to go pale.

The Monkey King then grabbed a bug from the boy's hair and ate it, jumping off him and out of the crater. His back to the kid, he tossed an insult over his shoulder. “It's you, dummy.” It might have been childish, but wow, he was really playing with this kid's feelings.

The boy tilted his head to the side, stunned by the Monkey King's words. A simple response fell from his lips: “What?”

Sun Wukong nodded to himself, still not facing the kid. “In order to have full control of your powers, you need self-confidence.” He then placed one of his hands on his hip.

The boy crawled out of the crater and stood next to the Monkey King, stating, “I got self-confidence!” He threw his hands in the air and leaned in close to the King.

The Monkey King turned his head away from the boy, raising his tail and pushing him away so forcefully that he lost his balance and fell to the ground. As he did, Sun Wukong stated, “No, you're just loud. The only way to get self-confidence is—”

The boy interrupted him, sparkles in his eyes as he stood up again. “Fake it 'til I make it?” he asked innocently.

The Monkey King’s head snapped to the noodle boy. “No! Practice! You think I took shortcuts? No. It took me centuries of training and fighting and just beating up demons. Just so many demons.” He looked away from the kid as if searching for the right words. “A-anyway, nothing worth anything comes for free.” He raised his fist to his mouth and coughed lightly into it, still avoiding the boy’s gaze.

The noodle boy looked down at the pavement, struggling to find his own words. After a few seconds, he finally looked up at the Monkey King. “But what about my friends? The city? They're all counting on me.” His eyes started to water. I looked away for a moment, grabbing my tea. Damn this kid; he had a soft heart. It was annoying, reminding me of someone I wished to forget.

I turned back to the scene as the Monkey King groaned. “Fine. If it'll stop your whining, I know a way to limit your powers so you can learn to control them. But…” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his head, still not looking at the kid.

“But what?” the boy asked, stars back in his eyes. The Monkey King turned to face him again, a strained expression on his face. “You won't be invincible anymore.”

That made me pause. If the kid wasn’t invincible anymore, it meant I could take him out. I could hold the kid over the King’s head! I could eliminate the boy way faster than the Monkey King could stop me. The boy’s friends probably didn’t mean much to Wukong, but that kid did. A cruel smirk pulled at my lips as I heard the boy say, “Alright, let's do it.” Maybe I can get out of this alive after all.

The Monkey King nodded at him. “All right. No turning back.” Before the boy could change his mind, the Monkey King put his hands together. They began to glow gold, and a seal appeared in front of him. I recognized that seal; it was an old one. I had only seen it in books so ancient they were falling apart.

He then shoved his hands forward into the boy’s chest, sending him flying back into the crater. When the golden light dimmed, Sun Wukong walked over to the kid, scratching his cheek as he asked, “Feeling alright, bud?”

The boy looked up at the King with a smile on his face and replied, “Yeah!”

Sun Wukong smiled at the boy and gave him two thumbs up. “That’s the spirit, MK! Now go up there and rescue your friends.” He placed both hands on his hips, his grin widening.

So, the noodle boy's name was MK, huh? I noted it, but it didn’t matter much; I’d need to use him as leverage against the King. Slowly, I moved my hand down to the holster on my hip, trying not to draw his attention. If I could just reach my handgun, I might be able to get the King to back off a little.

But before I could even begin to draw the gun, the Monkey King gleamed gold again, transforming back into that bird. He grabbed the back of the kid's collar and took off into the sky. Well, that sucks. He must have sensed my intentions.

Now I needed to figure out my next move. I put my elbow on the table and rested my head on my fist, letting out a sigh as I closed my eyes for a moment to gather my thoughts.

I didn’t have anything on the Monkey King down here. Maybe I could use the civilians? No, they all seemed to have cleared out from this area. What else could I do to get out of this? To cling to what life I had left. Red would be fine. I didn’t believe Sun Wukong actually considered him or the rest of the Bull Family a threat to MK.

As I contemplated my options, my sleeve fell back slightly, revealing the top of one of my magical contract seals. I sat up fully and examined the seal, my mind racing. Maybe, if I played my cards right, I could convince the Monkey King to enter into a contract with me instead of eliminating me.

I could offer to spare the kid, even if ordered to kill him. I knew the Bull Family wouldn’t bother ordering me to take out that kid anyway since Red wanted to be the one to kick his ass and regain his self-respect. But Sun Wukong didn’t know that. He thought I was itching to kill the kid. But what would I ask for in return?

It had to seem like I genuinely wanted something. Was there anything I desired from that monkey? I hadn’t ever really wanted much in my life or needed much. I guess what I truly needed was money. Hmm, maybe I could play the desperate card. My other hand gripped the sleeve of my jacket, pulling it back up over the seal.

As I finished that thought, the wind picked up, tossing my hair around my face. I pushed it out of my eyes and turned my head to meet the golden glare of the Monkey King. The tension crackled between us; I kept my spine straight and my face neutral, determined not to show any sign of nervousness. I had my half baked plan. I’ll just have to wing in on getting it there.

I grabbed my tea again, taking a sip as we stared at each other. The air felt thick, almost electric, as I raised an eyebrow at him, slowly assessing his posture. He stood with his arms crossed, his spine rigid, as if he expected me to try and run away. I turned back to look across the table from me and calmly gestured to the seat opposite me. “What can I do for you?”

He stared at me for a few seconds longer, then nodded, uncrossing his arms and heading toward the chair I had indicated. I hid my surprise; I had fully expected him to remain standing, looming over me like a thunderstorm.

He slipped into the chair, still leveling me with that unyielding glare. I watched his body language, noting the silence as he continued to scrutinize me. The tension built between us, each of us waiting for the other to break the silence. It couldn’t be me; I had cards to play, and speaking first would make me seem desperate. I needed to appear calm, collected, and confident, as if I could take out the kid even with him present.

I glanced back at the weather tower, seeing the kid fighting Red Son at the top. It looked like Red was getting his ass handed to him. Turning my gaze back to the Monkey King, I took another sip of my tea, steadying myself for what was to come.

Finally, he placed his arms on the table and clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. “So, who are you?” There was no warmth in his tone, unlike the one he had used with the kid. He truly saw me as a threat. Maybe I should feel honored, but to be honest, it sucked. I didn’t want to be on any list this powerhouse had, no matter what that list was.

I kept my face neutral, knowing the role I needed to play.

       I had to push any and all emotions down.

 It was fine; I was used to it, just like I had to be when I was young.

         I was not afraid, nor nervous, nor worried.

                    Everything was fine, and I had it all under control.

I met his gaze, raising a brow. “You know it’s rude not to introduce yourself first if you’re asking for someone’s name,” I said, my voice steady. I broke eye contact and looked at the iced tea in my hand, swirling the ice around to create a small whirlpool that faded as quickly as it had formed.

He hummed for a moment. “I know you know who I am, but fine, if you want to play this game, I’ll play. I am The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the one and only Sun Wukong!” His voice rose at the end, taking on a playful tone, almost as if he were trying to impress me.

I nodded slowly, looking back at him with a bored expression. “Ah, I see,” I stated dryly. He couldn’t get under my skin. I needed to get under his first, to take him off balance just a little. I took another drink of my tea, maintaining that same dry look.

“Well?” he prompted, raising one of his brows. I looked him up and down again, taking my time. “Well, what?” I retorted, meeting his gaze once more.

I saw one of his brows twitch as he struggled to stay calm. “Well, who are you? What do you want with MK?” His glare was molten hot. If looks could kill, I’d be dead ages ago.

“Oh, yeah, that.” I leaned back in my seat, resting one arm over the back of it. His eyes tracked that arm, as if expecting it to reach for one of my weapons. Good; I was at least pushing him to the edge. Just a bit more pressure, and perhaps this might work. I looked back to the tower, ensuring Red was still up there, along with the noodle boy and his friends.

Turning my gaze back to the Monkey King, I let my head tilt to the side. “I’m nobody special. Just a hired gun for a half-breed prince.” I shrugged, finishing my statement. His mouth formed a thin line, and his stare grew harsher, if that was even possible.

He gave me a closed-eye smile, but it had too many teeth to be friendly. “What’s your name, girl? I won’t ask again,” he stated. Okay, good—he was getting pissy. A smile of my own began to form on my lips, letting him believe I was just another cocky fool like the rest of the Bull Family.

“Oh! Is that what you were asking?” I raised my free hand to my mouth, feigning surprise. “Sorry, mister, not many actually want my name. Of course I’ll tell you!” I gave him a fake smile, one I knew he could see through, just so he understood I was messing with him. But he remained silent, waiting for me to reveal my name.

Finally, I gave him my name with a shrug, adding, “But I also go by many other things—Neko, Shiro, Bitch, Whore, Gun, Assassin, Weapon. So pick any of those, and I’ll more than likely answer to it.” He nodded slowly, still assessing me, gauging whether the wariness he felt was warranted.

The tension in the air thickened, and I could almost feel the weight of each unspoken word hanging between us. I was taking a dangerous gamble, but I had to project confidence, even as my heart raced. If I could keep him off balance, perhaps I could turn this situation to my advantage.

He nodded again, then asked, “What do you want with the kid?” His hard stare felt like a weight pressing down on me. Okay, this was going as well as it could. I just had to keep this up. So I shrugged, took a drink of my tea, and glanced across the street at the crater in the middle of the road, making him sit there and wait.

Finally, I spoke. “The noodle boy? Personally, I could care less about him. My employer, on the other hand, is a different story.” I looked back at Sun Wukong, noting how the knuckles of his clasped hands were turning white. His tail began to sway in irritation, but he wrapped it around the bottom of the chair to keep it still. I could see the way his hair stood on end a little. Okay, maybe I was pushing too hard. But at this point, I couldn’t back down.

“So, your ‘employers’—what do they want with MK?” He was trying so hard to maintain his composure, to not just kill me right there. I could see it in his eyes. Maybe that’s why I didn’t make him wait this time; I replied nonchalantly.

“Oh, that? I don’t know. Whatever they ask of me, I’ll do. I’m not really in a position to question why or when.” I grabbed my iced tea again and took a sip, letting my statement settle over Sun Wukong.

“So,” he asked, voice low and almost deceptively soft, “if they asked you to kill him… would you?”

As if he didn’t already know the answer.

I didn’t blink. Didn’t smirk. Just gave him a slow, deliberate nod. The truth didn’t need dressing up.

His eyes stayed locked on mine for a long moment before he finally looked down, exhaling through his nose like he was counting the seconds it would take to not obliterate me on the spot. Three breaths. Steady. Intentional. Not to calm himself—but to center whatever came next.

“I don’t want to kill you,” he said, voice flat, calm, final. “But I will.”

There was no edge to it. No heat. Just certainty.

“You’re a threat to my successor. Maybe the biggest one he’s ever faced. And I don’t even know what you’re fully capable of yet.”

He leaned forward, voice quiet but pointed, like every word was chosen for maximum precision.

“You think you’re clever. Dangerous. And maybe you are. But I’ve ended armies. Outwitted gods. Buried monsters so old their names were forgotten before this world had a name. If I decide you’re not worth the gamble—if you push me—I will erase you. Entirely.”

He didn’t blink.

“You’ll be gone. No body. No soul. No trace. Just silence where you used to be.”

Then, with no effort, he unclasped his hands and dug his fingers into the edge of the metal table between us. The steel screamed under the pressure, folding in on itself like it had never been solid to begin with.

I sighed—not loudly, but enough to show I wasn’t impressed. Or at least, that I was pretending not to be.

I breathed out slowly, tilting my head just enough to look unimpressed. “That’s a very poetic death threat,” I said, tone light but steady. “You practice that one?”

He didn’t laugh. Didn’t even blink. Of course not.

“I’m just trying to save you the trouble of thinking you’d have options,” he said calmly.

Cute.

“Look,” I said, tilting my head lazily, “as much as I’d love to avoid being crushed into a metaphysical pulp, it’s not that simple.”

He didn’t answer, but the air around him shifted slightly—waiting.

I kept my tone even, casual, like we were talking about the weather. “I’m under contract. Magical. Binding. I do what I’m told—as long as it doesn’t interfere with another standing contract.”

His brows pulled together—just faintly. Not confusion. Just… recalculation.

I kept going, nice and easy. “Which means unless someone else has a standing contract with me before the order is given, I follow the Bull Family’s commands. It’s not personal—it’s magical law. And breaking one?” I gave a small shrug. “Let’s just say it’s a fast track to a painful death… if you’re lucky.”

That made him pause. Not visibly. But I felt it. He sat back, gaze still sharp, but narrowed now. Focused. The gears behind his eyes were turning.

He mulled over my words for a moment, looking down at the table where he had bent the metal, then back up at me. “You said you’d have to do what they told you to do, as long as it doesn’t interfere with another contract, correct?”

It took all my willpower to keep my expression bored and neutral, but I nodded. “Yup.” I popped the “p.” “They don’t mind me taking on extra work, as long as I prioritize Red Son and the Bull Family’s jobs. Of course, they included a clause in our contract stating that any work I get outside of the family has to be magically sealed.” I took a drink of my tea again, finishing it off. “Not many underworld jobs nowadays want to make a contract with someone, so it’s been a pain in the ass.” I rolled my eyes and placed the empty cup on the table between us.

He watched me intently, the gears turning in his brain. “So, you can only make magical contracts right now because of your current one with the Bull Family?” I nodded. I wasn’t lying; that was a condition in PIF’s and my contract. She didn’t want me to take on more jobs but also knew I’d get rusty if I didn’t use my skills often. So, she made it a pain in the ass to get more jobs. Of course, that wasn’t the only stipulation in our contract, but it was the most annoying part.

“Okay.” He looked down at his hands again, taking a deep breath, seeming to come to terms with what he was going to propose. “How about you and I make a magical contract then?”

My mouth fell open, and my eyes widened. I pushed any joy or excitement deep down. He had taken the bait; I just needed to keep this act up to reel him in. It wasn’t over yet.

“You, the Sun Wukong, want to make a magical contract with me? The girl who shot at you a couple of months ago?” I asked, letting a hint of disbelief seep into my voice. He nodded at me. So I straightened up, leaning back toward the table and bringing my arms to rest on its surface. Of course, I had to take this seriously; I would have to uphold this, and he held most of the power in this contract. I just hoped he wouldn’t see that, or that he was too upset or distracted by my earlier attitude to think it through.

“Okay, you have my full attention, Monkey King. What is it you’re proposing for this contract?”

He met my gaze, eyes sharp and unwavering, and began outlining his conditions.

“You will not kill MK, Mei, Tang, Pigsy, or Sandy—even if you’re ordered to by anyone. And if you’re around MK and someone he can’t handle tries to hurt him, you’ll step in and take care of the threat, however MK says to deal with it.”

Simple. Direct. No hesitation in his voice.

I leaned back slightly, arms folded. Okay. Not as bad as I’d been bracing for. Not great either, but nothing that caught me off guard. Honestly, I’d been expecting something a little more… dramatic. Maybe some over-the-top vow about honor or loyalty, considering who I was dealing with. But this? I could work with this.

Now it was my turn.

I sat forward, fingers drumming lightly on the table as I considered how to phrase what I wanted. The key here was detail—leave a single word vague and this guy would find a loophole big enough to drive a mountain through.

“Fair enough,” I began. “What I want from you is five thousand dollars a week. Plus that you're not allowed to kill me, or let me die if you’re around.”

I said it plainly, like I was asking for a glass of water. Just let it sit there in the air.

His reaction was immediate. He leaned back hard, eyes going wide as if I’d just asked for the moon.

“Five thousand?! A week? What do you think I am—made of money?”

I gave him a casual shrug, already prepared for that response. “Well, then how about I choose between the money or one of your many ancient artifacts? I could sell those for a pretty penny myself.”

There. That should keep things flexible. Either way, I win.

He blinked at me, clearly stunned. And honestly, it felt a little satisfying seeing him caught off guard for once. Sun Wukong, flustered. Not something you see every day.

Of course, it didn’t take him long to recover.

“Why?!” he asked, voice sharp with genuine confusion.

I leaned in a little, letting my tone settle into something steadier. Calm. Professional.

“That kid is the humans’ hero,” I said. “Demons hate him. Especially the Bull Family. Taking this contract with you?” I gestured vaguely toward the sky, where some distant explosion cracked the clouds. “It’s going to cost me. A lot. Jobs, trust, potential alliances. That’s a big hit to my paycheck. So I’ve got to make that money back somehow.”

He was still staring at me.

“And the artifacts? They’ve got value—magical, monetary, both. I could use that to buy safety if things go south. Or firepower, if it comes to that.” I held his gaze. “I’m not dumb enough to take this job without a backup plan.”

His expression softened. Not relaxed, exactly, but less confrontational.

And then—he pouted.

He pouted.

I stared. No, really stared. Seeing Sun Wukong pout was… something. Creepy. And weirdly unsettling. Like watching a lion sulk after losing a game of chess. I pushed the thought away before it got any weirder.

“Okay,” he said at last, dragging out the word like it hurt. “If I have to pay you five thousand a week or let you take something from my collection, then you also have to come to my home once a week to check in on what the kid had been doing while I wasn’t there and report what he’s doing.”

I froze. For a heartbeat, I just blinked at him.

Go to his place? Once a week?

“What?”

I had to physically stop myself from recoiling. Nope. Absolutely not.

“I can’t do once a week,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice even. “The Bull Family’s work comes first. I’ve got obligations. Other jobs outside the family, too.”

Hopefully that’d make him back off. I didn’t even know how I’d get to wherever the hell he lived—much less feel comfortable dropping in on him every week.

But of course, the monkey wouldn’t make it easy.

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm…”

No. No “hmm.” I didn’t like that sound.

Then he brightened. “How about this: you’ll come once every week if you’re able to, and you’ll need a legitimate reason if you can’t. But you’ll have to show up at least once a month. The rest, we can figure out case-by-case.”

He looked far too pleased with that compromise.

And technically… he hadn’t really changed the number of visits. Just added a minimum number of visits a month.  Still, I could deal with that. Once a month? I could suffer through that much. As long as I kept myself busy the rest of the time, I wouldn’t have to think too much about it.

“Fine,” I muttered. “But the visits last an hour. Max. Unless I decide to stay longer. And—once there’s no longer a threat to the noodle boy and his friends from me—I can end the contract at any time.”

That part was important. No way I was getting tied to this thing longer than I had to.

He raised a brow at that. “Why would you want a clause that lets you break the contract at any time?”

I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes right out of my head.

“Because if I’ve already decided I’m not going to take any jobs that target them, then why the hell would I keep a magical leash tied to my wrist?” I met his gaze, letting my voice drop just enough to make the point clear. “I don’t do long-term unless there’s a reason.”

He studied me for a long moment, then gave a small nod.

“Fair enough.” 

The moment the words left his mouth, something shifted in the air. A staff shot from the top of the tower like a comet, flying high into the sky Red at the top of it—only to be struck by lightning.

I winced.

Yeah. Red Son was definitely going to be feeling that later.

I turned my attention back to Sun Wukong. “Looks like I need to go deal with Red and get him home. So, do you have anything else to add, or are we good?”

He locked eyes with me. There was something searching in his expression—something I couldn’t quite read. But then he nodded and held out his hand.

“I accept the terms of this contract.”

I reached out and clasped his hand. My voice echoed his. “I accept the terms of this contract.”

As soon as the words were spoken, I felt it—the buzz of magic crawling up my arm, spreading warmth through my shoulder until it turned searing hot, then faded just as fast.

Contract sealed.

I stood from the warped table, grabbed the empty cup, and dropped a card in its place. The tracker in my pocket blinked to life as I activated it, scanning for Red’s location.

Turning back to the Monkey King, I gave him one last glance.

“My number’s on the card. Text me the when and where for our meetings.”

Then I raised a hand and waved lazily.

“Till we meet again.”

And before he could say anything else, I vanished in a swirl of pink petals—leaving behind a stunned Monkey King and the faintest trace of magic in the air.

The world snapped back into focus as the last of the pink petals scattered on the breeze. I landed lightly on a quiet side street, far from the noise and chaos of the fight I’d just walked away from.

Dusk soaked the city in gold and gray. The light stretched long across the pavement, casting everything in shadow.

I checked the usual spots—corners, rooftops, alleys—out of habit more than need.

Clear.

Only then did I let myself lean back against the brick wall behind me. It scraped against my jacket, grounding me, and I finally let go of the breath I’d been holding since before the teleport.

The silence pressed in, thick and still. For a moment, I just stood there, letting it settle. Letting it soak through the noise still rattling in my bones.

There it was—that flicker of feeling, slow and deep and a little too heavy to be called triumph. Not joy. Not pride. Just… the quiet knowledge that I made it out.

I survived. Take that, the consequences of my actions!

A tired smile tugged at my lips, more reflex than emotion. I tipped my head back and looked up at the sky. Purple clouds smeared across the fading light, like bruises on the horizon.

I got out alive.

Unharmed.

Unhunted.

And bound to Sun Wukong by a contract he proposed.

It should’ve felt like more of a win. But maybe I’ve just been running too long to celebrate anything properly anymore.

Still… it wasn’t nothing.

The terms weren’t perfect, but they were better than I’d hoped for. I can’t kill the kid or his friends, and if I’m present, I can’t let him die. But harm? That was never ruled out.

He was in such a rush to be done with it, he didn’t even think to tighten the wording.

Not that I manipulated him into it, exactly. I just let him reach the conclusion I wanted. I kept things vague. Let him assume. Let him get frustrated enough to offer what I needed without realizing what he was giving up.

It wasn’t clever. It was just survival.

He added the check-in clause. He insisted I visit. He thought it would be a way to “keep me in line.” I agreed. Nodded. Acted like it was a leash around my throat. Let him think it was his idea to hold the chain.

Five grand a week. A magical contract. One meeting a month.

It sounds simple. Clean. Like I’m being paid to play nice. But nothing is ever that easy.

The check-ins will be another kind of cage—just a quieter one. But I’ve lived in worse. And if it means access to Wukong’s knowledge, his relics, his wards… then maybe it’s worth it.

I need that edge. My body won’t keep up forever. The way things are going, I might not always be able to outrun what’s coming.

And I remember what Demon Bull King said—called Wukong a hoarder. Dismissively, almost. But it stuck.

If he’s holding onto ancient tools, lost spells, protections no one else remembers how to use, then I need to learn everything I can.

Because when the white coats come again—and they will come—I want options. Not just fists and flight.

So yeah, this was a win. Not clean. Not easy. Not without its cost. But still a win.

I just have to keep away from the kid. Avoid the emotional tangle of his little crew. Show up for the check-ins, keep my head down, and stay useful.

Why Wukong wants to see me at all, I don’t know.

Maybe he wants to keep an eye on the Bull Family. Maybe he’s testing me, seeing if I’m a threat. Maybe he’s just curious.

Whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter.

I looked down at the tracker in my hand and sighed.

Red’s still out there. I need to make sure he got home—or get him there myself. After that, I’ve got other work to take care of. And then… Breezeblock. He’ll want to hear it from me.

That it’s done. That I held up my end.

The world dissolved again into the swirl of soft pink petals as I teleported to Red’s location, the weight of everything I’d survived still clinging to my skin.

As the world gradually came back into view, petals gently floated to the ground around me. My eyes followed their descent, settling on none other than Red Son sprawled on the pavement, his eyes unfocused and spinning. It was clear now—I had been right. He hadn’t managed to make it back home.

Surveying the area, I saw the remnants of bull clones scattered around him. That explained why he hadn’t moved since I last saw his location before leaving Sun Wukong. Red was unconscious, and the bull clones had been shattered by the lightning strike.

I let out a soft sigh, my gaze lingering on Red. I had tried to warn him. Kneeling beside him, I gently poked his cheek. “You alive there, Red?” I asked softly. He responded with a sound that was somewhere between a groan and a growl. So, he was alive, but not fully present in this world.

I nodded to myself, contemplating the situation. Then, carefully, I wrapped my arms around him, lifting him slowly to his feet. His weight was heavy against me, and I let out a grunt as I steadied us both. Locking my knees, I concentrated on channeling my magic, feeling it flow through my veins like a warm current.

I closed my eyes, picturing the infirmary within the Bull Mansion. Teleporting alone is straightforward, but doing so with another person is a challenge. It requires skill and focus, especially over long distances. Even the most talented can only manage to transport five or six people at a time without breaking the journey into segments.

When I opened my eyes again, we were in the infirmary. Soft pink petals drifted to the floor around us. The bull clones stationed there spun around at our sudden appearance, initially taking defensive stances. Recognizing me, they relaxed, swiftly moving to assist when they saw who was leaning heavily against me.

Gratefully, I relinquished Red to their care. I watched as they gently placed him on a table and began the treatment process. I knew he would be fine in the end. His pride might be bruised, and he would carry a few physical bruises for a couple of weeks, but he would recover.

Satisfied, I turned and left the room, my thoughts shifting to my next task. I headed towards Lady Iron’s chamber, mindful of the other part of our contract. The seal was starting to heat up since I was so close to her. 

When I reached her door, I knocked, certain of her presence inside. A soft yet commanding voice responded, “Enter, Kitten,” from beyond the massive door. It was built to accommodate the Demon Bull King, so like most doors in this mansion, it was grand and imposing. I placed my hand on the cold stone, channeling my magic through it, and the door responded by slowly swinging open.

Red Son, a genius in magical engineering, had designed technology that allowed doors to open with a touch of magic—one of his more practical inventions. As the door creaked open, I took a moment to take in the room's opulence.

To the left, a grand bed was perfectly centered against the wall, its plush coverings luxurious and inviting. Nearby, two braziers filled with glowing red coals cast a warm, flickering light, carefully positioned to provide warmth without risk to the bed. To the right, a small step led down to a cozy sitting area. A plush couch faced a sleek coffee table, and a large TV stood a few feet from the wall, perfectly aligned with the couch. Behind the TV, a formidable battle ax was mounted—a relic from Lord Ox’s younger days, no doubt.

Directly ahead, a vanity was cluttered with an array of brushes, makeup, and hairpins. The small bench in front of it was just enough for one person. Sitting there was Princess Iron Fan, her reflection meeting my gaze through the mirror. I noted the absence of the Bull King, a small relief in the back of my mind.

Approaching her, I watched the graceful way she brushed her hair, each stroke deliberate and precise. Perhaps she was preparing to redo the intricate bull horn hairstyle she often wore. It was always immaculate, likely because she constantly maintained it.

Meeting her deep brown eyes in the mirror, I said, “So, I assume you know why I’m here.” She broke eye contact, placing the brush down with a soft clink, and raised a hand. A sudden gust of wind materialized, and when it settled, another chair appeared beside the vanity, facing her.

Taking the cue, I settled into the chair she summoned, watching her hands as they deftly parted her hair with a comb. “Yes, it seems you were busy making a contract while my son was humiliated,” she remarked, her voice calm but edged with disappointment.

“Well, I did say he’d lose if he fought that kid,” I replied, my tone light yet firm. She cast a brief glare my way, and I shrugged in response, maintaining my composure. She sighed softly, rolling her eyes, then returned her focus to her hair, each movement poised and deliberate.

“So, what is it this time?” she asked, her interest piqued as her fingers skillfully twisted her hair into place. I paused, knowing the terms of our agreement. Part of my contract with Princess Iron Fan allowed me to take on other jobs, provided they were magical contracts, and required me to inform her about them. If a contract included secrecy, I had to disclose as much as I could without violating those terms.

She wanted to be aware of my activities when not directly serving them. It was a bit of a nuisance, but manageable, and I didn’t have to inform other clients unless they inquired. The Monkey King hadn’t requested confidentiality, despite knowing my affiliations, an oversight on his part.

I shrugged and began, “He wanted me not to harm the boy and his friends, and to check in at least once a month.” She paused mid-brush, one eyebrow arching in curiosity.

“I’m surprised you can tell me anything; they usually negotiate better deals with you,” Lady Iron mused, her voice a blend of admiration and intrigue. I nodded, offering another casual shrug.

“Well, I annoyed him enough to distract him from asking, and I believe he hadn’t made a contract in a long time.” A knowing chuckle escaped her lips, familiar with my tactics from firsthand experience. She understood that I often managed to subtly guide others into outcomes I desired. Whether they realized it or not, I usually emerged victorious in a way.

“So… who was the fool this time?” Her voice was smooth as velvet—and twice as suffocating. “One of the Fanboys friend’s you took pity on again? Honestly, you need thicker skin when it comes to the lesser creatures crawling around us. You tied your own hands with that deal—even if my son would never actually let you kill his prey.”

I met her brown eyes.

“Oh, none other than Sun Wukong offered me the contract first.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, she sputtered and started coughing, dropping the section of hair she’d been about to pin into a bull’s horn. It made her look a little disheveled as she leaned back on the bench, slapping a hand to her chest to try and force the air back into her lungs.

“SUN WUKONG?!”

Her eyes flared with pale yellow energy—dim and sharp, like sunlight filtered through ice. It didn’t warm. It pierced.

“You made a contract with him? With the monster who destroyed my family? Who turned us into fugitives and shattered everything we built?!”

“Why in the heavens above would you even entertain a contract with that monkey? Did you lose your mind?!”

She slammed one of her delicate hands down onto her vanity, hard enough to rattle the objects on it. A piece of hair fell in her face as she shouted at me, unpinned and forgotten. I looked away, gaze dropping to the floor.

Then she stood from her seat and began to walk toward me—slowly, deliberately. It forced my eyes back up to meet hers.

I said nothing.

I couldn’t. My voice wouldn’t work—not without cracking. And I wasn’t going to let her know how much her words were getting to me. How fast my heart was racing now.

Not because of Wukong. Not anymore.

Because of her.

The shame curled hot and low in my gut. The guilt sat like lead in my chest. And worse—worse than all of it—I knew she was right. Maybe not about the betrayal, not completely, but the weight of it? The way it looked? The way it felt?

Yeah. That part was real.

“He sealed my husband,” she hissed. “Left my son fatherless. He made me run, Kitten. Hide. Beg. I gave up everything just to keep our name breathing.”

Every word struck like a lash.

And gods, I wished I could argue.

I wished I could say she was wrong. That it hadn’t been that bad. That it hadn’t left scars.

But I’d seen them. Not all of them were physical. She stepped closer, every word digging deeper.

“And then I brought you in. Off the streets. Half-dead. And I made you part of this family. I gave you food. Power. Belonging. And you—you—turn around and sign a magical contract with him?”

I swallowed hard.

My fingers had curled into fists at my sides, nails biting so deep into my palms I could feel the warm sting of blood welling beneath them. But I didn’t let go. 

I couldn’t.

I needed the pain. Needed something to ground me. Because if I didn’t hold on, I might fall apart right here. I wanted to curl in on myself as she yelled. I wanted to sink into the floor and disappear entirely.

But I didn’t.

I couldn’t meet her eyes anymore—but she hadn’t been there. Hadn’t sat across from him. Hadn’t stood face-to-face with someone who made it clear you wouldn’t survive a wrong answer. Someone you couldn’t defeat.

I know my limits. I’m not a brawler.

I’m powerful—stronger than most. But Wukong? He’s something else. A close-range fighter with better control over his magic, centuries more experience, and immortality on his side.

What the fuck was I supposed to do?

I’m a long- to mid-range fighter. I win my battles by thinking ahead, by hiding in the shadows, gathering information, striking before the enemy even knows I’m there. My magic helps me—but it can’t carry me through a drawn-out brawl. Not with him. I’d never outlast Sun Wukong in a head-on fight.

So I made the contract. Because I had to.

But even now, standing in front of her fury, I kept my spine straight. My face unreadable. My body still.

My fists still clenched so tight I was sure the blood was pooling down my palms.

I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me crack. Even if I already was.

Because the truth was… I hated this. Not the decision—I stood by that. I’d survived. I was alive. I’d made it out with something. That wasn’t nothing.

But this?

This silence between us. This disgust in her eyes. This bitter, hollow disappointment behind every word. That’s what gutted me. She was the closest thing I had to—

I clenched my jaw before the thought could finish.

Don’t go there.

Don’t call it family if you’re going to destroy it to save yourself. 

But I didn’t mean to destroy anything this time.

I’d been cornered. Cornered and face to face with him, and I did what I had to do to keep breathing. That should’ve counted for something. Should’ve mattered.

Shouldn’t it?

Shouldn’t it matter that I didn’t cave? That I didn’t beg or grovel or break? That I manipulated a legend into giving me an out?

But I knew better than to say any of that to her. She wouldn’t hear it. She’d only hear the name. She’d only see the signature burned into the figurative parchment. The physical  proof of the contact on my shoulder in the form of a seal.

And all it would mean to her is that I was his, not hers. Even if that wasn’t true. Even if I hadn’t moved an inch from the moment she made me one of her own. I didn’t betray her. I protected myself.

I did what she taught me to do. But none of that would matter now. Not while her eyes still burned with that pale yellow fury. Not while I still hadn’t found the courage to say the words that kept choking me:

“I didn’t want to make you ashamed of me.”

Because I knew I had. Because I could see it on her face. And gods help me… I didn’t know how to fix it. Even when in a logical world I did nothing wrong. 

She didn’t even know the rest of our contract terms.

That I have to go to his place once a month. That I’m required to spend at least an hour with him. If she did know… she’d probably explode the same way Red Son does when things don’t go his way. Maybe worse. And the sad part was that I had to tell her, even if I didn't want to.

Her and my contract demands that I tell her about any and all magical contracts I enter outside the Bull Family the moment I’m near her. In return, she gave me a place to stay. Food. Protection. Stability.

If I ever touched the seal etched on my hip, she’d know where I was. She’d feel it instantly—that I was overwhelmed, that I couldn’t handle what was happening. That I needed her.

I never used it. Maybe that’s part of why she’s so angry. Besides the obvious—the fact the contract is with their sworn enemy, the one who tore her life apart—there’s this deeper, quieter hurt underneath it. The part she’s not saying. It’s the fact I didn’t call for her.

But… why would she be angry about that?

I told them he was still watching the kid. I’d told them days before that he hadn’t let up. That he was just waiting. I gave them everything I knew, every piece of truth I could safely share. What I hadn’t expected was for him to come to me. To sit across from me in the middle of a clean, silent street and make it clear—leave the kid or I’ll kill you myself.

And still… I got out alive.

I made a deal with a being who could’ve ended me with a flick of his wrist. I walked away with breath in my lungs and power on my terms.

But it didn’t matter. Because now she was angry. Disappointed. Ashamed of me. I could see it on her face, plain as day. No mask. No veil.

It didn’t matter how long I’d been with the Bull Family, or how loyal I’d been, or what I’d done to stay alive. All she saw was the name on the other side of that contract.

I felt my chest tighten, and my throat began to close again. The shame curled cold and sharp in my stomach. And I couldn’t say a word.

God, how pathetic of me.

The pale yellow glow had begun to fade from her eyes as the silence stretched between us. The space between her fury and my silence was heavy. Thick. Unbearable.

She sighed.

It wasn’t theatrical, not loud—but it dragged through the air like something old and tired. She ran a hand down her face, dragging her palm along her jaw before turning away and walking slowly back toward the bench.

Her movements weren’t tight anymore. Just exhausted. Like something had slipped loose inside her. She sat down heavily, her frame smaller than it had looked moments ago.

She didn’t look at me right away. Instead, she turned toward the mirror.

And stopped.

Her gaze fell on the corner of the vanity. A picture. Small. Hand-painted. The colors faded from age. The details crude, almost illegible. But I recognized it.

Red must have made it when he was a child. It looked like some version of a family—three shapes, three halos of color. Their old selves. Before the war. Before the fire. Before Heaven turned their name into a curse.

Her fingers didn’t reach for it. But she stared at it like it was something she didn’t know how to hold anymore. 

Then, finally, she looked back at me. “Listen, Kitten…” she said, voice quieter now, rougher. “I…” She paused. Her lips trembled just slightly before she pressed them into a line.

“I was out of line,” she admitted. “You didn’t deserve that.” The words didn’t feel like they were for me, entirely. “You didn’t deserve to take the brunt of my anger at him. It’s not your fault he tore my family apart all those years ago.”

Her shoulders fell just a bit more, like she’d let go of something she’d been gripping too tightly for too long. But her eyes—there was a flicker there. Something that hadn’t eased. Grief. Not the screaming kind. The slow-burning one that never really dies.

“I’m aware of your limitations,” she continued. “And… after giving it some thought without being blinded by my rage, you had every right to make a contract with whomever you saw fit.”

Her voice sounded steadier now, but I could still hear the weight behind it.

You had the right.

Not you did the right thing.

“You warned us he was watching the fanboy. We didn’t take your words seriously enough. That’s on us.” I watched her glance at herself in the mirror again, smoothing a strand of hair behind her ear like it was muscle memory. Like it helped keep the pieces of her mask together.

“I’m sure you kept Sun Wukong distracted so my son could have the fight he wanted,” she added. And there it was again—that hint of deflection. Of spinning it into something practical. Strategic.

I didn’t call her out on it. But I saw it. I always saw it.

She picked up her brush again and began combing through the sections of her hair that had frizzed during her outburst, each stroke deliberate. Rebuilding herself.

I let out the breath I’d been holding, forcing my fingers to finally relax. My hands were stiff. My palms stung.

I looked down. Tiny red crescents stared back up at me. Still there. Still proof of how hard I’d held on. The tightness in my chest hadn’t gone away. I doubted it would anytime soon. But I could breathe again. A little.

“I…” I started, then steadied my voice, kept it quiet and even. “Can I tell you the rest of our contract?” She nodded without looking up, keeping her hands busy as she pinned the sections of her hair back into the familiar horned coils.

I took another breath.

“Once a week, he wants me to meet with him. I have to tell him what the noodle boy’s been doing when he’s not around to watch him himself.”

She didn’t react yet. Not visibly.

“If I see the kid in danger… I can’t let it happen. And I’m expected to handle the threat in the way MK would want.”

I looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hand froze. Her knuckles had gone white on the brush. But she didn’t explode.

Didn’t scream.

Didn’t cry.

She just stared at her own reflection like it had betrayed her. Her silence screamed in the way her words hadn’t. And I saw her—really saw her—beneath all the grace, the poise, the practiced composure.

She wasn’t just angry at me. She was angry that this still hurt. After all these years. That he could still reach into her life through me. That even now, she wasn’t free of him.

She exhaled slowly through her nose, reined herself in with impossible control.

Then, at last, she nodded.

“Okay. Thank you for telling me.”

She set the brush down with care. “You’re free for the rest of the week. Go get some rest.”

Then, with a flick of her wrist, she waved her hand in my direction.

A swirl of wind and magic gathered beneath my chair, forming a miniature cyclone that wrapped around me, lifting me off the floor and into a teleportation spell.

And just like that, I was gone. Chair and all. Dropped neatly into the center of my room.

That was one way to end a conversation. I didn’t move right away. Didn’t even blink.

The room was too quiet.

[randomreadingtimewithtsuki]

Dating HCs for any of the following?

Juuzou Shima, Satan, Lucifer, Shiro Fujimoto, or Mephisto? 👉🏻👈🏻

I saw you don't know the limit so feel free to choose whoever you feel most comfortable writing 🥰

🩵😺 (blue cat anon idk I'm making it up as I go)

Hi Blue cat Nonnie!

Thank you for requesting! i hope this is of you liking, lease let me know what you think!

Tsuki's note: Out of these i picked Juuzo and Mephisto! Please go check my wors related to Shiro and Lucifer !

Juuzo:

Juuzo is the oldest sibling of the Shima family and that means he has a lot on his plate.

That being said, your dates may be interrupted by calls about family issues, about Renzo or about exorcism.

The man does try to make time for you though! It's just some things cannot be delayed, like a demon eating people.

Exactly because of these responsibilities he has, he became a reliable man and partner.

You count on him for anything you need!

I feel like Juuzo lies on the lowkey romantic guy.

He will leave notes for you around the house to take care of yourself or leave little treats for you.

He knows all favourites.

He may come off as blunt when telling you he loves you, but, he doesn't say it quite often.

Juuzo strongly believes you know you are loved.

In the scenario you feel down or upset, he will offer you a big bear hug!

Talking about hugs, Juuzo enjoys being the small spoon, but he prides himself of being the man to protect you - you have to convince him to allow you to spoon him.

He blushes alot when you request it, it's adorable.

The man enjoys home dates more than anything, but if you feel like going out he is all in!

Also the kind of guy that loves being pampered, will never admit it, but his favourite nurse is you.

He worries a lot about your safety, regardless if you are an exorcist or not.

After all you may get backlash from being his partner or die in a mission.

Please reassure him you will be safe, ok?

Mephisto:

Dating Mephisto is a wild ride.

It's hard to tell what he is thinking or if he is telling you the truth sometimes.

But exactly because it is hard to know what he is thinking about, it also make it all very fun.

Surprise dates, fancy dinners, amusement parks, you name it!

It all happens suddenly and in a drop of the hat.

Mephisto really enjoys gifting you clothes.

He balances it out between your's and his taste.

The demon also enjoys gifting you things, it can be something completely random or just flowers.

He knows about everything you like and he does an excellent job at gifting you something you would love!

Mephisto enjoys having you on his lap while he watches something from above on that fancy chairs of his.

Would you fit next to him? Probably, but lap is better.

The demon is unhinged, so brace yourself.

Expect anime dates.

He doesn't care if you are human or not, an exorcist or not.

If you are an exorcist you, he won't treat you very different regarding missions.

But he may ask for the report to be... a little too close, you know?

Mephisto also likes to have you depend on him "oh my poor little lamb, are you in need of you saviour?"

Adores when you hold him in his dog form.

But like i said before, sometimes is hard to know if he is telling the truth.

Obviously you get upset and start to overthink.

He notices you are a bit aloof. And he sort of knows why - no one trusts him in the order and the rumors doesn't help you at all.

So, whenever this happens, he takes the day off to be with you.

Anything you want. He will not answer any calls, go to the school, nope.

It's a day for you and you only.

Mephisto will also say some cheesy things to you - like pickup lines or beautiful sayings.

He tries really hard to shake your insecurities away.

In the end of the day, the best he proves to truly love you on a normal day to day thing.

How? By choosing you over anything else, unconsciously.

He does care about you a lot, the demon is willing to sacrifice whatever in order to keep you safe.

Of course, he wouldn't let you know about the lengths he is willing to go to protect you - he knows it may upset you.

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

Thank you for reading!

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Hello Mousie✨ this is a random one but u know how Kent randomly sends you bombs in the mail, and how the farmer is just like "yo thanks bro I'll use them in the mines" and is really chill about the fact that there is a whole bomb in their mailbox? How do you think RSV marriage candidates would react to it? Like maybe they wake up before the farmer and go check the mailbox and there is a whole bomb just sitting there? Would they not care? Throw it in the farm lake? Call the cops? (I was specifically wondering how Shiro would handle it but you can add whoever else you like✨)

Anyway that's all, don't forget to take care of yourself and have a great day 🎀

Oh yeah, of course I know about Kent sending us bombs..... Because almost every time, I accidentally activate a bomb that destroys my crops, sprinklers and rarecrows 🥲 Always a little paranoid about it so I don't destroy everything again.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words, dear anon, and for your ask! 🥺 Enjoy, and have a great day as well! 💖

_________________________________________

RSV bachelors/ettes react to mailbox bomb sent by Kent

RSV bachelors:

Opening the mailbox door, Sean thought at first that it was a firecracker, the kind he with Blair and Keahi often used for pranks. But when he saw the sender and the rather serious warnings on the bomb, he was a little taken aback, and slowly closed the mailbox. "Hon, I don't think our neighbor likes us very much." Because... how else do you explain this?

Shiro wants to have a very serious talk with his comrade and war veteran, because with all due respect to Kent, why the heck is he literally sending weapons to him and Farmer? Yes, Shiro's spouse will find a use for that bomb, but you can't just move an explosive device carelessly through the mail. So this is the first and last warning. No drastic decisions for now tho, it's just that Shiro got worried.

Bryle opened the mailbox door just a little, and his practiced bodyguard reaction worked at once. Bouncing out of range, he immediately sprinted over to Farmer, ordering them to move away from the window and drew his service weapon. "Someone is trying to kill us. Be careful, they might be on the farm property." "If you mean the bomb in the mailbox, it's probably from Kent." "???" Though Bryle later clarified the situation with Kent, he kept a bit of an eye on him. A drop of caution never hurt.

"Dear, did you cross some local criminal organization or what?" That was June's first question to Farmer when the pianist saw a round object with a wick instead of the usual letters and packages in the morning. June really thought it was some kind of sign or warning from the criminals, because it didn't occur to him who could have sent the bomb in the first place, other than ill-wishers. He's a little worried, but no panic from him.

Jio reaction was fast, and the place where the mailbox of his and Farmer's house had stood was now just a blast site, a small fire (which the elf put out at once) and broken windows from the sound wave. He calmly announced to his dazed spouse that "the threat has been eliminated". After learning from Farmer that this Kent has sent bombs like this many times before, the elf wanted to "talk to him really badly" ("Jio, put the katana away-"). Of course he'll see it as an attempt to hurt him and Farmer, because that's how some of his enemies have tried to hurt the Cult before.

One, two, three - and Kenneth carefully removed the wick of the bomb, rendering it non-threatening. He wasn't too pleased, to say the least, that Kent had sent them a bomb like that without warning. Sure, the veteran had just given away an item that Farmer would need in the Mines, but what if they opened it and accidentally activated it? What if their children activated it? Kenneth is afraid to even imagine that situation. So no bombs, okay?

A quiet morning for Ian: day off, morning tea, beautiful weather, bomb in the mailbox, cooked breakfast- Stop. Bomb... in the mailbox. Ian looked carefully to make sure his eyes weren't lying to him. From Kent? Ian burns with a great desire to write a letter back, and he certainly doesn't need much knowledge in to write "Kent wtf".

Oh, no no no no no. With all due respect to Kent, Philip will not tolerate Kent sending any more dangerous bombs that could accidentally activate and explode, harming Farmer, him, or their children. Why is the veteran even sending them anything dangerous? Yes, Farmer uses bombs, but they are stored in a special place where it is safe and no one but themself has access. It won't come to a scandal, but Philip will stand his ground. No offense to Kent.

Zayne is sure to be taken aback by such an interesting package, not knowing how the head of the Amethyst family should even react to such a thing. He'll inform Farmer about the bomb in the mail and express his concern about the dangerous object on their farm, and then write a long letter thanking Kent for the gift but asking him not to send bombs to their address, worried for the safety of himself and his family. Even if they're "not too dangerous".

"Uh... Honey, there's a package for you, but I don't think we should touch that." When Anton found a bomb in the mailbox instead of letters, he would gladly run with Farmer away from the mailbox, not wanting to test fate. Will had a mini heart attack when Farmer went to the mailbox and picked up the bomb as it was just a regular package. "Oh, Kent sent it over. Just what I need for my trips to the Mines." Anton and Farmer need to talk.

Jeric ran from the mailbox to Farmer, dragging them behind a thick wall, and quickly contacted Bryle for some backup. He reckoned someone wanted to get rid of him as the Governor's son, and he feared for Farmer's life and his own. But then Farmer told him that it was probably another bomb from Kent. "Hold one, Bryle, I'll call you back." *Click* "Farmer, darling, what do you mean "another"?"

RSV bachelorettes:

"Heh, someone wanted to play a trick on us. Definitely Keahi." Blair calmly tossed the bomb with her hand, showing the attempted prank to her lover. To which Farmer said it was a real bomb. The fisherwoman nearly dropped the explosive thing on the floor out of shock. That's... hardcore, to say at least. So... what now? Throw it in the river? No, wait, the explosion would definitely kill the local fish, and that's no good.

Well, Paula won't be surprised by a bomb - she's seen it all in her time in the army. Except the doctor can't understand why one of the war veterans thought it was the good idea to make such a parcel. It's dangerous, and Kent himself could be in serious trouble. "Paula, that's how I send people a parcel like that too." "A bowl of soup is one thing, and bomb is quite another." Paula will ask Kent to at least give her and Farmer a warning about mails like this.

Faye bounced away from the mailbox as if scalded with boiling water at the sight of the bomb. The waitress quickly rushes over to Farmer, panickingly babbling that they need to call the bomb squad/emergency services and get as far away from the mailbox as possible and warn everyone to stay away from their farm. "Kent sent me a bomb again?" "What do you mean again????"

Irene tries to stay calm, believing that panic will do no good, but she can't shake the growing worry about the dangerous package from Kent. Like, okay, if their neighbour had sent some cookies, or even a battery, that's fine, but a bomb? The chef will try to politely ask Kent not to send them any bombs in the mailbox.

Farmer doesn't even have time to say anything before Corine picked up the bomb and made it so that it definitely won't explode. "Well, it no longer provides a threat" Yes, except the bomb has become useless, and you can't use it in the Mines anymore. It's a pity that Kent's gift is gone. "From Kent, you say?" Corine didn't intend to get the veteran in trouble, but she couldn't help herself when she caught a slice of panic on her spouse's face.

"What the actual fu- Who send this?!" Maddie's not sure who thought of sending Farmer a bomb in the first place. In the mail! A dangerous object, and by post! The lab assistant took the letter to read who the sender was, and walked with quick steps to Kent's house, to tell him what she thought of his "package." Nothing would stop her rage, not even a loving spouse.

Flor is always a little drowsy in the early morning, so she goes to the front porch first to get the mail, hoping the morning freshness will wake her up right away. You can't argue with that - she's really perked up... by the sight of the bomb in the mailbox. Panic seized the girl, and she took hold of her hands, then realized what exactly she had taken hold of, and, afraid to make sudden movements, began to call to her spouse for help.

Poor Alissa was at a complete loss. First she opened the mailbox door, closed it, then opened it again to convince herself that she had actually seen what she had seen, closed it again. And after half a minute she opened it. She was scared to touch the bomb, but the girl didn't want Farmer to touch it either. But she couldn't leave it like that either. What's she supposed to do?

"Did I hear you right: our neighbor from Pelican Town is sending you... bombs in the mail?" Honestly, Kiarra doesn't know what she's more surprised about anymore - the dangerous package, or the fact that, according to her spouse, this wasn't the first time such a package had been sent. The graphic designer will try not to take drastic action and will invite Kent to their home for tea, talking about the topic and trying to find a compromise for safety reasons.

"Cutie, a package from Kent." You'd think Daia would be cautious, considering the Cult's house has already been tried to be destroyed by sending the same kind of packages with an explosive object in the mail. But the ninja shows no concern about that. She's studied Kent enough to know that such gifts are no way to harm her and Farmer, plus Daia knows how to defuse bombs instantly. Besides hey, a free bomb.

Ysabelle isn't sure if she should call the bomb squad or not. She's seen all sorts of things in the Farmer's mail: plates full of (still hot!) soup, statues made of gold, elixirs and gems, but a bomb is something new. And this new thing she doesn't like, because at least soup can't explode and hurt you. "But you can get burned by soup, too." "Not the point, Farmer." Ysabelle is going to insist that Kent not send bombs in the mail anymore. Better safe than sorry.

[justsomevoltronstuff]

Hello hello!

I was wondering if you write for any of the BOM members.

If so can I get angst to fluff, Kolivan and Ulaz (separately) with a medic s/o who is a member of team voltron and they get poisoned?

If not, then Shiro, keith, and lance with the same scenario.

I do believe at this point only God knows when this ask was sent in, I'm like really bad at answering reqs in a timely manner but I think everyones aware of this at this point.

I absolutely LOVED this plot idea and may or may not be writing additional parts for the Paladins as well lol

as always, I hope you enjoy! please feel free to comment/reblog with your thoughts🫶

c/w: poison; medical facility; mentions of fighting; badly written 'fight' scene; Kolivan gets wounded in his and reader is the one wounded in Ulaz's; reader is a medic so if you don't like depictions of medical practices, even briefly, this probably isn't your fic love; Ulaz’s got out of hand and is more of a small one shot than a scenario. my bad.

dividers by @cafekitsune

For as long as you could remember, you had always wanted to be a doctor. Your dream was to help people. You'd joined the Garrison Space Program in hopes of getting the opportunity to further your knowledge in multiple areas of medicine, quickly working your way into position of field medic.

Getting the chance to actually go to space had never been in your plans, you liked having your feet on the ground, where you could be more useful. But signing up for the Garrison didn't leave you with much choice in such matters.

The mission was supposed to be straight forward and to the point, you were hardly even needed. The people in charge wanted you there for the soul purpose of logging the members vitals. Collect scientific data so that the Garrison can use it for their next generation of space suits.

You had only wished it'd been that simple.

It was difficult to tell time in space. Your easiest guesses had been the rotation of meals and when you and the other prisoners were let out to fight in the gladiator pits. You loathed the days you were meant to fight and mostly kept to yourself in order to attend to wounded prisoners best you could.

When Shiro had told you he was busting out, you hadn't even hesitated in packing up any medical scraps you had left and leaving them with your apprentice of sorts. Promising to return to free the rest of the prisoners. Neither of you wanted to leave them there, but getting both of you out would be hard enough.

Getting back to Earth proved far easier than you'd anticipated with the Galran technology. You'd tried to attend to Shiro's arm best you could while he piloted the two of you home.

Home. You honestly thought you'd never see it again.

The landing was, rough. But you'd survived, and then you'd been treated as if you were a threat. Saved by a bunch of cadets before you could be transported back to the Garrison, where you probably wouldn't have seen the light of day for a good while.

Thinking back on those early days, how you'd come to be with the Paladins of Voltron in the Castle of Lions, was almost nostalgic despite not having been so long ago.

Kolivan

Organizing some of your equipment, you tried to busy yourself to not think of the mission they were on. Trying not to get too concerned for the team you'd come to think of as your family. Trying not to think of the one you'd come to love.

Before you could spiral into worst case scenarios, the door to your clinic burst open, Keith holding it open while Antok carried an unconcious Kolivan through the threshold, gently placing him on your table.

You were in full doctor mode before he was down, already gathering up various tools to check his vitals.

"What's the situation?" You asked to no one in particular.

"I think he's been poisoned. He was grazed and just collapsed not long after."

“Are you hurt?” A quick scan told you Keith was relatively unharmed.

“No, it’s just Kolivan.”

Cursing under your breath, you started searching for the wound, making quick work of cleaning it and patching it up after pulling a blood sample from it.

"Get this to Pidge, tell her to run it with every type of poison we have, I need to know what was on that blade." Keith was out of the room before you couldn't even finish.

You prepped every antidote you had or could make, waiting to hear back from Pidge.

Satisfied with your preparation, you turned all your focus and energy to Antok, checking him over for injuries and checking his vitals until he huffed out an “I’m fine.” taking up position by the door and watching you as you began to pace, no more concerns left to keep your mind busy from your bedridden lover.

"Y/n."

Kolivan's voice was hoarse, but very much real. You felt tears spring to your eyes as you turned to look at him.

"I'm okay." He tried to sit up, stopping only due to your hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down on to the bed.

"Okay or not you're going to stay put until I say otherwise."

It wasn't much longer before Keith returned with the type of poison, and you had the antidote administered.

You watched as even Antok seemed to relax, he and Keith both leaving the infirmary to give you some space.

Kolivan watched in silence as you cleaned up your area, carefully stashing away every antidote for every poison you've ever come across or even just read about.

"I'm okay, my love." He says again.

"I know, but you're only okay because I know what I'm doing. You could have died today." You tried to keep the tears threatening to break at bay.

"But I didn't because you know what you're doing. I have nothing to fear if I have you."

You scoffed a laugh, glaring at him over your shoulder.

He just shrugged, holding open his arms for you. Crawling up onto the bed, you snuggled into his chest.

"The mission always comes first." He whispered, a reminder of the life you'd signed up for and willingly walked into the day you'd fallen for him.

"And I'm not saying it shouldn't, just that you don't have to be so reckless with your health."

"I am not reckless."

The pointed glare you shot him made him chuckle, holding you tighter.

"I'll always come back to you safe, my love."

"Safe enough at least." You grumbled, curling tighter around him, causing him to flinch slightly from pressure on his wound, and hold you tighter against him to keep you from pulling away because of it.

Ulaz

You didn’t often find yourself actually in the thick of battle unless the Castle was, but even then there was a level of safety.

Finding yourself actually on a Galra cruiser was not common for you. At least not since you escaped your prison. But you’d sworn you’d be back for the ones you left behind, and after plenty of arguing back and forth, you found yourself tagging along with the paladins to do just that.

Moving about the ship to find your way to the cells felt like second nature, you and Shiro leading the way. The operation was going smoothly up until you passed the hall you wished you could forget.

Ulaz had lived on that hall. Forth door on the left, knock twice, wait, knock twice again. It was ingrained in you, just as the safest path to it was.

You'd tried not to think of Ulaz or your time together on the ship, it was easier not to than to ponder what might've become of him. Had he been made? Would the other Blade's have gotten him out if he had? Was he even still alive?

Time wasn't a commodity you had as you found yourself in the cells, already wrapping up any wounds that needed immediate care and taking note of what could be done once back on the ship.

You'd been far too focused on assisting the wounded, you'd forgotten the dangers of mission and the fact that could easily turn into a battle.

The prisoner you were helping screamed just a moment too late and you felt searing pain as a blade made contact with your arm. You hardly had time to look at your attacker before all you saw was the back of a Galra soldier.

Breathing a weary sigh of relief, you finished your work and urged the prisoner to follow the others, before taking a quick assessment of your wound and the room around you, smiling when Ulaz dropped to his knees beside you.

"What can I do to help?" He asked earnestly, checking your wound himself.

"I think there was poison on the blade, so if I fall unconscious, get Pidge, the Green Paladin, to run a test to figure out what type, I should have the antidote-"

"Get away from them!" Ulaz grunted as he blocked Keith's attack.

"No, stop. He's not hurting me."

The Paladin's all looked at you like you were insane. "He's Galra, Y/n." Hunk stated incredulously. "You're literally bleeding."

"And he dispatched the one that made me bleed. Look I'll explain on the ship, but lets get these prisoners to safety."

Lance moved to pick you up, but Ulaz tightening his grip and standing effortlessly with you stopped him.

"Lead the way, Paladin." He said gruffly.

Somewhere between the holding cells and the lions, you lost consciousness entirely. Comforted by Ulaz’s presence and the knowledge you’d be safe as long as he had you.

“We’re just going to let him stay here? What if he’s leading them right to us?”

“He hasn’t left Y/n’s side for longer than it takes to go to the bathroom, does that really seem like someone who’d compromise them?”

“He’s Galra Keith.”

“And when have the Galra ever not been completely forthcoming with exactly how they feel about us? Face it Lance, even the Galra have emotions and aren’t all bad.”

“But he was on a Galra fleet cruiser, that’s not exactly a green flag.”

“Y/n trusts him, so we at least need to hear them out.”

“Do they always talk this much?” Ulaz whispered.

You chuckled, followed by a coughing fit. Cracking open your eyes and squinting against the bright lights of your infirmary. 

“This is mild for them.” Your voice was hoarse from lack of use. “You get used to it though.”

“Y/n!” Lance screeched, rushing to your side, shoving Ulaz away from you to check you over. “Keith, go get the others! Y/n how are you feeling? Do you need anything? What can I do to-” 

You reached your hand up, covering his mouth. “Dim the lights, they’re gonna give me a headache. And don’t shove the love of my life away from me again or I swear I’ll leave all your healing to those ten thousand year old pods. Understood?”

His eyes widened in shock, looking between you, to Ulaz, and back again.

“Love of your life?” The muffled question felt just as incredulous as it was probably supposed to sound. Pinning him with what he dubbed the ‘Mom Eyes’ he quickly moved to dim the lights. 

Ulaz returned to his spot beside you, gently pulling your hand up to his lips and kissing the back of it gently.

The other Paladins joined you, each taking turns to fill in the blanks of while you were out. Pidge informed you of the type of poison on the blade and how shocked she was that you actually had the antidote. Hunk mentioned the few survivors that have refused any type of healing, holding out for you to check them over. Finally, it was Allura that demanded to know why in the universe you thought bringing a Galra on board was a good idea. You just shrugged and shared a look with Ulaz. 

“Because we’re married.”

The room filled with various amounts of confused faces, indignant squawks –yes, squawks– and a barrage of questions sounding over top others. Your voice couldn’t be heard even if you tried to answer any of them.

Ulaz brought the room to silence with a laugh, an honest to goodness full belly laugh unlike one you’d ever imagined getting from him. He looked at you fondly, kissing the back of your hand once more before turning to your team.

He filled them in on how you’d met while you were imprisoned, how you’d come to fall in love, the ceremony of a wedding the two of you had completely alone in his quarters, and finally of how he was instrumental in yours and Shiro’s escape. He told them that neither of you had ever expected to meet again after that. War wasn’t kind on anyone, but especially not on lovers. 

When he’d been notified that there was an escape attempt happening at the cells you had been held in, he left his post to go check it out. 

“Knowing Y/n, I almost expected their return for the captives. I needed to know they were safe if it was them. I truly mean all of you no harm. I just wanted to make sure my Y/n was safe.”

“What made you break away from the Galra in the first place? It’s cool you’re in love with our Doc, but you’re still Galra, no offence.”

“I was never truly affiliated with the Galra Empire. Much like you, I seek to bring it down. I was working on the inside as a spy when I met Y/n. I am just glad they are mostly safe now. Thank you Paladins, for caring for them while I couldn’t.”

-Admin Rori💜

[xjulixred45x]

Hi!

How would Lucifer, Mephisto, Satan, and Shiro react to a half demon who's considerably younger than them crushing on them? Maybe their relationship too? 👉🏻👈🏻

(age difference like if Rin and Yukio were adults, reader is the same age as them)

First of all, i don't like that kind of age differences, but i can do the crushing Headcanons(this would be kind of short for the amount of characters). Thanks for the Request

Half demon Reader x Lucifer/Mephisto Pheles/Satan/ Shiro Fujimoto: Crush and relationship

Genre: Headcanons

Reader: neutral

Warnings: BIG BIG SPOILERS FOR THE MANGA!!!!!(the only one who dosen't have it is Mephisto 😅), Illuminati, Satan is honestly a LOT of warnings himself, some posessive/overprotective behavior, lots of fluff, Reader is corresponded:)

Mephisto Pheles

**sigh** THIS MENACE--

We all know that Mephisto is someone arrogant and pompous, that doesn't change even if he is interested in someone aka reader.

The fact that the reader is half-demon only helps to increase his curiosity towards them and definitely broadens his interest further.

Don't worry, I've dealt with other hybrids before, and reader is definitely the friendliest and prettiest of all ;)

Definitely when that happens he becomes quite clingy and does not hide it in the slightest, either with displays of physical affection such as hugs to say hello, following them in his dog form, saying things that KNOW they are interested in, etc.

In general he is playing to WIN so to speak.

so when he finds out that it is reciprocated, he is quite arrogant about it (he doesn't want to admit that he is partly relieved).

In general a relationship with Mephisto is quite extravagant.

Mephisto IS already flamboyant, but he's surprisingly good at listening to what his partner has to say.

ESPECIALLY if it has to do with humans, and he honestly doesn't understand some of the social norms that cause problems for the reader. But he is willing to listen.

after all you can 1- spend time with your partner and 2- know more about humans, Two for One!

HE GAVE READER GERMAN NICKNAMES, CAN YOU TAKE THIS HEADCANON OUT OF MY COLD, DEAD HANDS.

I think the fact that Reader is half-demon would help him see them as an equal more easily, but he is definitely still VERY protective of them, since at the end of the day they are much weaker than him.

MANY GIFTS, seriously, and sometimes they are strange gifts or that look like GENUINE antiques that reminded the reader and no, he is not saying where he got them from.

He enjoys making his partner angry in a harmless way, even with the demonic part, for him he is like an angry kitten, is adorable for him.

They would probably watch the students' torture training together:) I hope you have a strong stomach.

Mephisto can and DOES demand to be held and pampered in his dog form, I don't make the rules.

He is still as clingy as the first day, but amplified, of all of them, he is the least afraid of PDA, hugs, kisses, holding hands/arms, he doesn't care, he just wants to have his hands on your partner in some way.

this man would randomly bite his partner like a cat CHANGE MY MIND.

All in all, not a bad match if you think about it.

Lucifer

He's not surprised, like, at ALL.

Let's say that for this reader is part of the Illuminati or the hybrids that work with Lucifer, because I don't think another type of case would work very well.

Probably this + the reader's attitude was what caught Lucifer's attention in the first place (how someone can support the Illuminati but have a certain... innocence as far as possible)

At first Lucifer justifies his sudden interest by saying he has to make sure Reader isn't a spy, but he quickly realizes that, well, he really cares about Reader in other ways.

Maybe because they see him as a living being and not just the idealized (cult) leader of the Illuminati, or because they genuinely care about him without reaching fanaticism, let's say that Lucifer has good reasons. so he gives in quite easily to falling in love.

especially because the reader is half-demon, which makes him not a hypocrite and he likes them even more (even if they had been a normal human, he would continue with his particular interest).

Let's say that Lucifer is quite...direct, but at the same time quite clumsy because he doesn't understand social rules(like me)

For example, he will constantly demand the reader's presence with him, regardless of whether they are good or the worst cadet ever seen, he wants them close.

When the reader confesses (because Lucifer lets it happen, out of satisfaction) Lucifer is already prepared for that.

He's a control freak, what did you expect? Hell, he probably even already knew when reader was already in love by their body language or sudden changes in behavior. It's predictable but enjoyable for him.

A relationship with Lucifer is structured and somewhat rigid, but at the same time do not doubt that he takes advantage of every occasion to keep his partner close.

He likes physical contact, especially on days when he can't move or is particularly sore. It's like a psychological painkiller for him.

Being Lucifer's partner also implies a lot of security, the reader will not set foot outside without at least Homare and three cadets.

Surprisingly good at words of affirmation, although hey, what do you expect from a cult leader? The difference is that no matter how much he says everything in a monotone, he really means everything he says.

very "shows don't tell" style

I think his partner would be the ONLY PERSON he vents to about everything that happens in the story, the incompetence of certain doctors, Shima's attitude, ranting about humans, etc.

one of the few moments where he leaves his mask (lol) and says what he REALLY thinks.

In general it's cute, but definitely a little more isolated than Mephisto (although ideal if you're antisocial like him xd)

Shiro Fujimoto

Smug motherfucker--

Well, not really, I think at first he would have difficulty accepting 1- that he is interested in a hybrid and 2- that they like that hybrid too. especially the last.

We already know how stubborn he is (especially when he's young), and with his oath to exorcise as many demons as possible, I can't help but think that at first that included the reader too😅

However, when he started interacting with them, when they gave him attention without having to be an idiot, when they said nice things to him that they really meant it...

He is in denial at first, STRONG.

But rather than treating them badly, he simply lets things be, friendly, he thinks it is better not to hang out with them beyond that.

He doesn't think he's in the place to be with someone that nice.

so when they tell him that the reader likes it, he doesn't believe it at all. He sees it as a joke.

but...if READER were the one to tell him...

The man dies there and here.

You just can't believe it! but it's true! wow!

Speaking of young Shiro, he's definitely arrogant and moody, but he's in a considerably better mood if he goes on a mission/is with his partner.

Shiro without a partner nearby: >:(

Shiro with partner nearby: :^

He definitely doesn't hesitate to defend his partner's honor if necessary, and look, he makes jokes from time to time about being half-demon, but 1- he doesn't mean it and 2- only HE can do it >: (get ready to take a beating

Once he gets used to it, he's pretty good with PDA, not a lot, but he likes it to some extent, especially on outings.

I would say that one of Shiro's greatest displays of affection would be to make his partner laugh (especially once he grows up), either with the aforementioned jokes, or by exaggerating his expressions to get a laugh from them. likes.

He definitely likes to annoy a LOT, it's his other main love language (along with quality time and MAYBE coocking once he learns, maybe even coocking togheter and trow heach others the breakfast? Who knows), if he spends time with Reader, half of that time they're annoying each other and enjoying EVERY MOMENT.

After Yuri, he is a bit paranoid, but he tries VERY HARD to not let it affect the relationship, after all, the reader is not Yuri.

He will have his own demons to deal with, but his partner encourages him A LOT to improve. It's better than it seems for sure.

That's it, it's a PACKAGE once he has the twins, but honestly? I think we all would be even more into with it ;)

Satan

This depends if we talk when he was just "born" or in the pseudo actual time.

Okay, this depends a little on whether we're talking about when he was just "born" or if we're talking about pseudo-current times.

Young Satan is definitely more innocent in his interest but is still somewhat brutal and very direct (after all, he acts like a VERY big and VERY lethal 5 year old).

The best way to realize if a human likes you is the same as what happened with Yuri, that is, he is much more docile in the presence of the reader, he throws tantrums so that they are with him, etc.

He doesn't even consider the possibility that they don't want him, whether out of early arrogance or a genuine innocence of not thinking ahead.

Current pseudo Satan, on the other hand, is a little more aggressive with his advances.

Like, as soon as he realizes that he is attracted to an inferior hybrid (although he passes that stage very quickly) he is basically DELCARING that he belongs to the other demons (although not to the reader, because for him, that is already a fact).

by far the most jealous of all, although at least after, um, some experience (ahemYURIejmejm) he knows how to better hide his most unpleasant facets.

That doesn't mean they aren't there, but I guess if the reader had a crush on Satan of all beings in the first place it's because they can handle that shit/they like it.

Being reciprocated is definitely a bust to his already monstrous HUGE ego, because it only confirms that he was right in what he did, possessive behaviors and all.

Although he definitely has a soft spot for his partner, after all they are the only being of value of all humans and hybrids (even demons).

Satan is quite angry and proud, so he expects the reader to receive the same kind of reverence and fear as him (okay, not as much, but close to that).

Needless to say, he's quite paranoid and overprotective :), let alone why.

I think he's one of those demons who is fine with doing absolutely nothing with his partner and considers it quality time, whether it's being silent, reader playing with his hair, etc. knowing that they don't abandon him is enough.

Honestly, he's like a yandere in many ways, only at least now he's more aware of the limits of humans/demons and he's DEFINITELY not willing to lose another partner or have this partner leave him, ever. no again.

Did I mention that he has abandonment issues?

This demon NEEDS words of affirmation, I just know it.

In general, even with all the redflags (there are not a few), he loves as much as he can love.

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

Another done? Baby i'm ON FIRE(literally, collage is killing me:,D but i'll try to do all the Requests i can before My exams and My driving tests, wish me luck!)

[kotegiris]

Hi Selenaaaaa 💛💛💛

I saw your answers for the event stories and card stories you like and honestly I love your answers too! (And since I’m reading from mobile, the format looks neat!)

I also really love the Summer Festival event stories, there were so many funny moments (esp the Villa butler with how they were kicking the assassins in the hot springs 🤣 and hiding it as Hanamaru and Teddy jumping inside)

And I love to hear more about your ramblings about Akuneko!!

How about: Why is Bastien your kamioshi? I wanted to know how you fell for him!

And if you could select an oshi from each floor, who would they be?

Thank you as always 💖💖💖

Hellooo anon thank you for the ask!! Hope you're having a lovely day!!🫶

I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed reading my answers and my rambles!! 🥰 The villa butlers in the summer festival event were hilarious and that was one my favorite moments!

So when I first got into akuneko, Ammon was actually my favorite at first. Since I went into episode 1 completely blind I didn't expect it to be so heavy and angsty so Bastien's past hit me very hard.... I cried lol. I could also relate to his feelings of not wanting to make bonds out of fear of losing them 😭😭

At this point he was probably in my top 3 and I can't remember when exactly he became my kamioshi but it was definitely after episode 1. His character growth and seeing him open up to the other characters after that was just so lovely. I adore his relationship with Lono. The gap between his stoicism and cute side was endearing and the way he would flirt with aruji without even realizing it had me giggling. Eventually I realized that I paid more attention to him than Ammon (sorry Ammon I still love you too...). There's other reasons why I like him too but these are the main ones.

Lastly my oshis from each floor! 1st floor: Bastien (of course) 2nd floor: Ammon 3rd floor: Lucas Basement floor: Lato 1st floor villa: Yuhan 2nd floor villa: Shiro

[ridiasfangirlings]

S4 under Munakata really need more appreciation omg. The amount of time they clean up other mess especially Munakata and Fushimi. One the good thing from RoK is that we see a glimpse of Munakata's emotion when he quarrel with Fushimi. The close up of his hands show how that quarrel was also painful for munakata. Although Munakata being Munakata must have prepared for the situation when for Fushimi to left Jungle when he was found out, it still didn't change the fact that Munakata have to put Fushimi in danger to save the world.

The gold king, I'm sure he know the danger of Suoh's sword from fallin, what effect it will cause. But he doesn't seems to be care that much about it. And there's Mizuchi (is that his name) case too, the gold even ask specifically for Fushimi's help.

I can see why Munakata was very fond of Fushimi and annoyed with Shiro who run away. Fushimi is someone who really face his own problem, like on LSW we can see it. Being a very genius, Munakata probably so happy to find a genius like Fushimi. Munakata was probably smiling in his office knowing that Fushimi being Fushimi probably create a system during his time in intelligence to place the old system

Is it time for another Periodic Munakata Appreciation Post (™)? Time for another Periodic Munakata Appreciation Post (™). Munakata definitely spends a lot of time cleaning up messes and not getting any appreciation for it, though to be fair he likes cleaning up messes. I do think it’s worth noting that Habari’s S4 was dealing with a very different situation than Munakata’s, Habari’s Blue clan and Kagutsu’s Red clan were truly enemies (versus the more ‘friendly’/sexual tension rivalry of Munakata’s clan vs Homra) and Habari’s people were constantly being put in danger or even killed due to the actions of the Red clan. In that case it’s somewhat understandable that there were only so many members of Habari’s S4 that Munakata found useful at all, a lot of the most loyal were probably killed when the Kagutsu Crater happened and the rest held on under Shiotsu but were ultimately largely disbanded after having to work as the Gold King’s dogs. From Munakata’s point of view these people had a different view of justice than he does and dealt with a different threat, so it’s no wonder he doesn’t find many of them useful in his new clan. I don’t think that speaks to Habari’s men being ‘lesser’ and more than that they had a different enemy and different goals than Munakata does. And on that same token, even if Habari wanted to remake the world like Munakata does he had a much bigger obstacle in the way that he had to focus on, Munakata is much more able to treat Homra as annoying buzzing flies while he pursues other goals whereas Habari had to focus a lot of his manpower on keeping Purgatory in line. 

And in keeping to his goals and ideals Munakata is more than willing to put himself or those he cares about in danger, because he will do what he thinks needs to be done to keep everyone safe. He definitely didn’t enjoy having to have that fight with Fushimi, especially since this being Munakata he absolutely always knew just the spots to hit to make it most painful and therefore seem the most real (and even so he totally trusted right from the start that Fushimi would do his duty and save everyone). I feel like Munakata tends to get blamed a lot for having to do the hard things that were ultimately proved to be right too, like Yata’s mad Munakata sent Fushimi into jungle but it’s not like there was much other choice, Munakata always believed in Fushimi’s ability to complete the mission, and he specifically put two contingencies in place (Yata himself being one of those) to make sure Fushimi made it out safely even though Munakata knew that he himself might not survive the coming battle. Similarly he gets a lot of flack for being ‘the guy that killed Mikoto’ even though he literally spends all of S1 trying not to do that and his face when he realizes that there’s no choice is really heartbreaking. Considering what Munakata’s had to face head on and his own strong beliefs I’m not surprised that he wasn’t impressed by Shiro, because Munakata’s never been a person to run away from what he sees as his duty.

[4littlefishies]

The 36th Floor

Office worker Satoru Gojo finds himself stuck with the task of training his brand new coworker, but he doesn't know what to expect when he sees who he's supposed to be training. He can't fall in love with the man that sits in the cubicle across from him, right?

satoru gojo x suguru geto office au

warnings: nothing for this chapter, smut in later chapters!

wc: 6.6k

note: Hi all! Thought I'd start posting this on here as well. I always upload first on ao3, so if you wan't to keep updated, I'll put a link at the bottom! :) This is a non-curse non-jujutsu au because I enjoy writing fluff and happiness and crack and all the good stuff. <3

Monday Morning

Satoru Gojo opens his eyes as the sound of his alarm blares through his previously silent bedroom. His hands come up to rub the sleep out of his eyes as he sits up in his bed before grabbing at his phone to make the annoying sound of his alarm stop. He takes a couple deep breaths and sits with his eyes closed for a moment before he finally pushes the comforter to the side and shifts his legs off of the side of the bed. 

Standing up from the warmth of his bed, Satoru shivers as the cold air hits his skin. He makes his way to the bathroom to start the routine that he does every morning before work: Shower, brush his teeth, skincare, hair; in that order, five days a week, 12 months a year. He loved how the structure of his morning before work and getting to listen to music as he calmly got ready made his whole day feel better.

Afterwards, he would make his bed and head out to the kitchen to eat a quick breakfast, which typically consisted of a sugary cereal or some kind of fruit for on the go if he was in a hurry to leave - which unfortunately happened more often than not. Thankfully, today was one of the days where he had time to sit down at the counter and eat a proper breakfast.

Humming along with the music playing through his phone, he makes his way back into his room and steps into his closet. He pulls out a navy blue suit jacket and pants, along with a white button-up shirt for underneath and a tie to pull it all together. Satoru gets dressed and with his jacket folded over the side of his now neatly-made bed, he picks out a pair of brown oxfords and finally puts on his watch. 

The mirror by his bedroom door is the final step in his routine as he checks his reflection one last time before heading towards the front door. The blue of his eyes almost glow back at him as he looks over himself in the mirror, making sure his bright white hair looks decent before flicking off the lights and pulling on his jacket. He picks up his bag from the table next to the front door and grabs his keys out of the bowl, shoving them into his pocket. 

“See you when I get home, Shiro.” He whispers to the white cat, looking up at him with wide eyes from the couch. The cat makes a quiet noise that makes Satoru smile as he closes the front door behind him and checks that it’s locked before turning and walking down the hallway towards the elevator. 

Today was just another day for Satoru, a typical Monday morning. He would walk to the station not too far from his house and wait for the train along with everyone else also going to their 9-5 jobs in the city. He found joy in the time he got to listen to music on his commute and enjoyed seeing the same people he would see every morning. The man seated across the aisle from him would get off the stop before Satoru, every single morning. The woman a couple rows in front of him would get off the stop after he got on. 

Satoru liked to ponder and imagine what these strangers on the train were doing with their days. The scenarios in his head were probably much more exciting that what was actually going on in these people’s lives, but he would rather imagine that the stranger in the same black trench coat every day is actually a member of the Yakuza and not just an accountant or a lawyer or something normal. 

Before he knows it, the train is coming up to his stop. He stands up, stabilizing himself with one of the many hand holds as the train finally slows to a stop. The doors open and he steps off, walking in time with his music, his hands in his pockets as he walks out into the crisp morning air. The walk to his office is a short one, but he stops at the coffee shop in the lobby of the building as he does every morning.

“Good morning, Miwa!” He says in a singsong voice as he steps up to the counter. The young woman smiles and grabs a disgustingly sweet drink set to the side of the register that was just made for him. He picks it up and hands her twice as much cash as it actually costs before turning and swiftly walking towards the elevator. “You’re the best, Miwa!” He calls out over his shoulder as he rushes towards the closing elevator doors.

“Have a good day Gojo!” She calls out after him in response. He waves with a smile as he steps into the elevator. Just another part of his routine that makes his day even better. He takes a small sip of his still-too-hot coffee in the half full elevator and presses the button for floor 36. He readjusts his bag on his shoulder and pulls out his key card as the elevator makes stops at a few floors before he reaches his own. 

“Have a good day guys.” Satoru says as the elevator opens to his floor, resulting in a few quiet thank you’s and you too’s. Someone else steps off of the elevator at the same time as him and Satoru turns to notice that it’s his coworker, Shoko Ieiri. A surprised look crosses his face as he looks at her. “What the hell? I didn’t even notice you in there!” He says with a cheeky smile on his face as they walk down the hallway towards the glass door of their office. He holds his key card up to the side of the door before the lock clicks and he pulls the large glass door open, allowing Shoko inside first.

“Just say you don’t care about me, idiot.” She says, rolling her eyes with a smile, walking inside as Satoru holds the door open for her. The two of them head straight for the break room, Shoko puts her lunch box in the fridge, and Satoru grabs a strawberry-mango yogurt, along with a spoon. 

“Maybe you need to be more noticeable.” Satoru teases back at her. Shoko closes the fridge and glares up at him. The two of them have been friends since high school, which resulted in their sibling-like relationship that consisted of endless teasing and fake bullying.

“I got you hired here, I bet I could get you fired too, you know that right?” She says as they both turn to walk out of the break room to head to their cubicles, which luckily - or unluckily - were right next to each other. Satoru leans on the edge of Shoko’s cubicle as she sets her things down and tries to get adjusted.

“No way, Shoko. Nanami loves me.” He says, talking about their boss. She raises an eyebrow at him as he backs up into his cubicle across the aisle and sets his bag down on his desk. He puts his hands up, as if to say “I can’t help it” and sits down in his chair with a smile and turns to turn on his computer. 

The office is quiet with the chatter of everyone arriving for the morning along with the sounds of keyboards typing and mice clicking. Gojo starts with the normal morning things like checking his emails and then his planner to see what he has planned out for the day. “Shit.” He whispers, but still loud enough for Shoko to hear. 

“What’s your problem?” Shoko asks, not even turning her head away from her monitor to look at him. 

“They’re having me train someone new.” He says, sounding slightly annoyed. “I have so much to do already and they want me to train someone new?” He rubs his forehead and closes his eyes, thinking about how much more this is going to set him back. 

“If you need help with anything, just let me know.” She responds, trying to be helpful, all the while knowing that she would have no idea how to even do most of the things that Satoru does on a daily basis. 

“I just need to get as much done in this hour that I have before he gets here.” Satoru says, mostly to himself, but loud enough that Shoko hears.

“I have a meeting at 10, but I’ll be back after lunch if you need anything.” She adds, trying to be helpful and make him feel better about the day ahead.

“Thank you, Shoko, I appreciate it.” He says, starting to work on a presentation for when some of the higher ups from corporate were coming later in the month. He pops one headphone in, trying to get focused into his work to get as much done as possible in the shortest amount of time. 

Slowly but surely, Satoru’s coffee disappears and the strawberry-mango yogurt cup he had grabbed from the fridge is empty and long gone. His fingers type away quickly at his quiet keyboard as he fills the slides with information that he needs to get across to the corporate visitors. Sales had been great this year, and it was his responsibility to explain to the higher ups what their branch is doing right and things that they think could help other branches to do better.

An hour passes much more quickly than Satoru would have liked, but Shoko is gone to her meeting in one of the conference rooms and suddenly Satoru’s phone rings. He rarely used it to talk to anyone outside of the office, so he was not surprised to see the name Utahime Iori on the screen. He smiles and grabs it before answering sweetly.

“Why good morning Utahime.” He says nicely.

“Gojo, I just finished up paperwork with the new hire, so I’m just giving you a heads up that he’s on his way, okay?” She responds, trying to avoid conversation as much as possible.

“Not even a good morning back?” Satoru responds, sounding hurt, all the while he has a smile on his face. 

“Good morning.” She says, shortly. “He’s on his way, his name’s Suguru Geto. Bye.” She hangs up and the line goes blank.

“Hello? Utahime??” Satoru questions at the obviously ended phone call. He chuckles and hangs the phone back up. He hears a quiet set of footsteps walking on the other side of the wall to his back. He turns around and stands up just in time to see the long black haired man come around the corner. He’s wearing a black suit with a red patterned tie and wears his hair half up and half down. Satoru makes eye contact with him and he feels immediately nervous, as well as something he swears he’s never felt before. 

“Um. hello, are you-” He starts, but Satoru stands there almost unable to move. Immediately, he feels like he knows this man from somewhere. He seemed so familiar to Satoru - his voice, his face, his eyes, even though he knew that he didn’t know this man. “-Gojo?” He finally finishes, quietly, unsure if he remembered his name correctly. The way he says his name sounds like velvet. He wants to hear him say his name over and over again. 

“Yeah! Yeah, Satoru Gojo. But you can call me Satoru, if you want.” He says, breaking out of his thoughts, He sticks out his hand to shake it. Their hands meet in the middle and they both grip the other’s hand firmly. Both of their hands are warm, but Satoru feels like his hands are on fire. He smiles at the man in front of him, and he nods back, seemingly trying to put his name to memory. “What was your name again? Utahime told me but-” He trails off, waiting for the man to tell him his name. 

“Suguru Geto.” He says, a soft smile painted on his face.

“Nice to meet you, Suguru.” Satoru says, bravely using his first name. His palms start to feel sweaty as he steps back into his cubicle. He is silently kicking himself as Suguru stands there quietly. “So, you can grab Shoko’s chair from over there, if you want and bring it on over here and we’ll get started. Oh, and you can set your stuff in the cubicle in front of hers, that one is going to be yours.” He says, pointing at the cubicle diagonal from his. 

Suguru quickly sets his stuff down and decides to grab his chair instead of Shoko’s and wheels over to Satoru’s desk. “Good call, she might have killed me if she knew I told you to take her chair.” He smiles to himself towards his monitor as Suguru sits behind him, his jacket left behind in his cubicle, showing off his broad chest and shoulders in his grey button up.

“Yeah, definitely. That’s where Shoko sits?” Suguru asks, curiously.

“Yeah, um, do you know her?” Satoru asks, slightly confused as to why it sounds like Suguru knows who he’s talking about. He takes a silent deep breath, feeling his heart rate increase at seeing him without the jacket. Jesus Satoru, calm down he thinks to himself, waiting for Suguru to answer his question. 

“Um yeah, she’s actually the one that got me this job.” He responds softly.

“No way! I went to school with her, she got me this job too.” Satoru responds, sounding way too excited.

Suguru chuckles softly at Satoru’s excitement and of course Satoru notices. He doesn’t know why, but he wants to make him do it again. The sound was like music to his ears. He takes a quick deep breath and quickly changes the subject. “So! Should we get started?” He doesn’t know what’s come over him. Normally he’s an incredibly extroverted person and would have no problem talking to new people, but he doesn’t want to say something wrong this time, and he doesn’t know why but he’s nervous.

He tries to calm down and opens up the website on his computer that the company uses for training new employees. This is something he’s done enough that he doesn’t really have to think about it, which is good because he can’t stop thinking about where he could maybe, possibly know this man from. It’s driving him insane, the immediate connection he somehow feels to this person that he’s never met before. He feels the tops of his ears get hot. 

“Alright so, you get in here and I’ll sit behind you so you can see the monitor and work on the computer when you need to, and I can sit back here and mostly watch and answer questions if you need me to.” Satoru says, standing up and moving his chair to switch places with Suguru so that he can see the monitor better. Their arms brush up against each other in the tight cubicle space as they switch spots and Satoru feels like he’s going to lose his mind at the feeling.

He starts going through boring training videos and and every day procedures with him, trying to focus on training him for work, rather than just talking to him like normal. All he wants to do is learn about who this beautiful man is. Why would Shoko never tell me about him? Satoru thinks to himself as Suguru watches another video. Satoru sits behind him, organizing his drawer of pens to occupy himself until the video that he’s seen countless times comes to an end.

“So, is it all kinda making sense?” Satoru asks, closing the drawer and looking over at Suguru as he clicks to the next page. 

“Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think I’ll just need to do it a couple times and I’ll be good.” He shoots back, confidently. 

“Oh yeah, absolutely. You’re a natural.” Satoru says, earning a smile from Suguru, causing him to smile as well. “Okay, you can start the next video, but I’m gonna be right back, okay?” He stands up, putting both of his thumbs up as he creeps out of the cubicle. 

“I’ll be here.” Suguru says, putting one hand up as Gojo walks around the corner of his cubicle and out into the hallway that leads towards the bathroom. 

He quickly walks into the dark bathroom and the motion activated lights click on. He looks at himself in the mirror and takes a deep breath. “What the hell is your problem?” He whispers to himself in the mirror. He’s never felt this way about anyone except for this complete stranger. He wants to get to know him. He wants to get closer with him. He turns on the water and runs his hand under the cold water before holding it to his forehead and cheeks, trying to calm down. He takes another deep breath and runs his hand through his hair, fixing it, even though it didn’t need fixing. 

“Calm down stupid, you’ve known the man for an hour and a half. Keep it together.” He says quietly in the mirror to himself once again before leaving the bathroom and heading back to his cubicle to continue training Suguru. He rounds the corner and Suguru perks up once he sees that Satoru is back.

“Oh good, you’re back! I got stuck on this page and I didn’t want to mess anything up, so I waited for you to get back.” Sugaru says, pointing at the screen. Satoru walks up behind him and grabs hold onto the mouse, clicking around to see what's going on, bent down next to Suguru. He hadn't been this close to him yet, even when they shook hands, he couldn’t smell his cologne. He can now smell the warm scent of cashmere but also pine coming off of him as he leans down next to him. 

“Ugh I hate this thing. It signed us out, just a second.” Satoru says, before reaching in front of Suguru and pulling the keyboard to the side so that he could sign back in and they could keep working. Satoru sees Suguru sit back as he watches him get back to the place where they left off. Once he’s back, he slides the keyboard back in front of Suguru and pushes the mouse back to him. “There we go.” He says, slowly sitting back into his chair. 

“Thanks.” Suguru says softly before getting back to the training. 

The next hour and a half goes by without incident and thankfully without too much awkwardness between the two of them. Satoru is thankful for lunch so that he can get a break. He thinks about inviting Suguru to join him for lunch, but decides against it. He needs an hour to himself to think about why he’s feeling the way that he is, and what he thinks he’s going to do about it, if anything. 

“So, we get an hour for lunch, you can stay here, go somewhere, whatever.” Satoru says, explaining to Suguru as they close out the training. 

“Okay, thanks!” Suguru says, standing up and rolling his chair back to his cubicle. Satoru looks over as he puts his jacket on and walks out into the hallway. Gojo takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair, stretching his arms before standing up. He grabs his jacket and pulls it on before grabbing his phone and wallet and heading towards the front door. He pops his headphones in as he steps into the empty elevator and heads down to the lobby. 

He clicks play on the last song that was playing as the doors open to the busy lobby. Satoru heads straight for the main doors and out onto the street, where he puts on his sunglasses as he steps outside. He takes a right and heads towards his favorite cafe to go for lunch during his work week. The walk is only a couple of blocks, but the air is cold and it turns Satoru’s cheeks and nose a rosy pink with the chill of the wind. I should have invited him. Satoru thinks, shoving his hands into his pockets and picking up the pace in his walk to the cafe. He probably thinks I don’t like him. Why was I acting like such a weirdo? The thoughts cloud his mind the entire duration of his walk. 

He reaches out to pull the handle and the normal sound of the bell on the door makes its presence known as Satoru steps into the small cafe, gaining the attention of the young pink haired teenager behind the counter. “Hey Gojo!” He calls out as Satoru approaches the counter. “You want your usual?” He asks, already typing his normal order into the cash register. 

“Yes please!” He replies, “and can I also get one of these? Actually- two of those. If I don’t get one for Shoko, she’ll kill me.” He replies, pointing to the delicious looking cupcakes in the display case. 

“Alrighty then!.” The pink haired boy says, sliding open the case.

“Just you today, Yuji?” Gojo asks, pulling out his wallet while the total pops up on the screen in front of him on the counter.

“Yeah,” Yuji says with a sigh. “Megumi is off today, so just me!” He says, taking the cash that Satoru hands him. “No receipt, right?” Satoru shakes his head no, and Yuji crumples up the receipt and tosses it into the trash behind the counter. “Have a good rest of your day, Gojo!”

“You as well, Yuji.” He says in response as he grabs his food and heads to a table in the corner where he can sit down and relax for a bit before heading back to the office. He settles on his usual spot - the small table with two chairs in the back corner, and sits in the chair facing the front door so that he could once again people watch. He takes a bite of his sandwich before setting it back down and looking at his phone at a text from Utahime.

‘Geto is training for the rest of the day with Haibara once you’re back from lunch.’

Satoru reads this and feels relieved because now he can get his work done, but also disappointed that he wouldn’t get to be around Suguru for the rest of the day. He reacts to the message with a thumbs up and decides not to bother her anymore for once. He sets his phone down and looks up at the group of people that just came in from the street and he sees him. 

Shit shit shit shit. Satoru thinks to himself. Should I go say something? No! He has a quick mental battle with himself. He doesn’t want to bother him outside of work, but he wants so desperately to get to know who Suguru Geto is. He watches from behind his sunglasses as Suguru approaches the counter and interacts with Yuji. Satoru notices his smile is soft as he orders and pays. He looks around and that’s when Satoru picks up his phone and starts looking at it again, trying to avoid possibly making eye contact with him. 

Just from what Gojo can see in his periphery, Suguru seems to look around for a moment before he steps towards the front door and leaves the cafe, seemingly taking his food back to the office. Satoru breathes again as he realizes that he was holding his breath waiting to see what would happen. He wasn’t even sure what it was that he wanted to happen. If he would have noticed me, he would have said something, right? He thought to himself, sure that Suguru didn’t spot him over in the corner. 

Satoru realizes that his hands are sweaty and wipes them on his pants, hurriedly. It’s fine He thinks again. He tries to finish his sandwich, but ends up getting sick of it after a few bites and wraps it up to take back to the office along with his cupcakes for him and Shoko. He gives Yuji a wave as he steps out onto the street to start his walk back to the office, an upbeat song once again playing in his ears. 

He walks through the large front doors and heads towards the elevator, taking off his sunglasses and tucking them into his jacket pocket. He steps into the elevator and immediately notices Shoko this time and calls out her name. 

“Oh, so you noticed me this time huh?” She teases as the doors close and they are the only two inside. He wants to ask her about Suguru, but he decides that it’s better that he doesn't - at least for now. 

“How was your meeting?” He responds, choosing to ignore her statement. He takes her deep sigh as her answer. “That bad, huh?” He asks, the elevator starting to quickly climb.

“It was just a bunch of old creepy men and I just kept getting talked over the whole time.” She says, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, obviously annoyed. Satoru shakes his head, knowing that she’s not exaggerating. He’s been in those meetings and they just don’t care to hear what she has to say. It’s extremely frustrating and he tries his best to help when he’s there. 

“Well… It’s not that much, but I got you a little treat.” He says, handing the cupcake box to her as the elevator reaches the 36th floor and comes to a stop. Her eyes widen and her mouth falls open in a smile as she reaches out and grabs the small box.

The elevator doors open and they step out, walking down the hallway together. Satoru uses his key card and opens the door once again, following Shoko inside. Satoru heads straight back to his cubicle to see if Suguru is at his desk. To his disappointment, he isn’t. Satoru sits down at his desk and unlocks his computer to get working on his presentation for later in the month. He checks his email and sees that thankfully, the marketing department sent him all of their reports that he needed for his presentation. He hears Shoko sit back down into her chair as he’s working diligently. 

“Where’s your trainee?” He hears Shoko say over the sound of the music in his ear. He takes out his headphone and turns his head.

“He’s with Yu for the rest of the day. Guess they want him to learn different positions.” He says, and it comes out more disappointed sounding than he meant it to. “I’m just happy they’re giving me time to focus on my own work. I’m more behind now, but I think I can catch up by the end of the day if I just focus.” He says, turning his head back to the monitor in front of him. 

He doesn’t see Shoko raise her eyebrows at his change in attitude all of a sudden. She grabs a pen and a sticky note and writes “Do Not Disturb! Satoru Gojo hard at work! >:(” and rolls across the aisle, sticking it to the outside of his cubicle with a smile on her face that goes completely unnoticed by Satoru. 

The final hours of the day slip by faster than Satoru would have liked, but he feels good with where he’s left off on his work. He leans back in his chair and stretches his arms out before glancing over at Suguru’s cubicle once more, only to see it still empty. Hmph. He lets out quietly, hoping that he would be able to say goodbye at least before heading home for the day. He looks over to see Shoko is long gone, her computer already off and monitor black. He smiles to himself as he stands up, grabbing his jacket off of the back of his chair and throwing it on before grabbing his bag from underneath his desk and slinging it over his shoulder. He grabs his empty coffee cup from the morning and finally tosses it into the garbage on his way out the door. 

Satoru takes one last look around to see if he notices Suguru anywhere, but he’s nowhere to be seen. He’s probably gone home idiot. He thinks to himself, looking down at his watch. The day was technically over 15 minutes ago. He walks out the front door, saying goodbye to lingering coworkers on his way out. He makes sure to grab his sandwich from the fridge and shoves it into his bag, making sure to grab his cupcake as well.

For the last time of the day, he steps into the elevator, alone this time, and pops his headphones in, ready for the commute home. The elevator makes a couple stops to pick up people from other floors also on their way down, but the ride isn’t too long to the lobby. Satoru steps out of the elevator and makes his way towards the front doors. He begins his short walk back to the train station, once again walking to the beat of the music playing in his ears.  

He sees the train is already at the station as he’s walking up, and he begins to take a bit longer strides as he tries not to miss the train, but eventually, just misses it.

“Shit.” He hisses as he looks around for an open bench to wait on. A woman and her son sit on the bench directly behind him, so he finds an empty one slightly further down the station and sits down. He decides to text Utahime, who is probably still at the office.

‘Hiii Utahime, Just wondering if I was going to be training him again tomorrow morning :)’

He clicks send and almost immediately the three bubbles pop up to indicate that she’s typing. 

‘Yeah, he said that he liked training with you, which surprised me. Now leave me alone and go home.’

Satoru feels his face get red. He what? He thinks, a smile creeping onto his face. Don’t be crazy. With a stupidly excited grin, he rubs along his jaw, bringing his bottom lip in between hit teeth to try to bite back his smile. He can’t help but read the text over and over again to make sure that he understood correctly, and no matter how many times he reads it, it’s always the same message. He liked training with me? A voice comes over the speaker announcing that the train will soon be arriving in the station. Satoru stands up, straightening out his jacket while trying to suppress the goofy smile on his face. 

He steps onto the train and picks a seat close to the door. His short train ride was of course filled with people watching and imagining what their days are like. Finally, his stop arrives and he steps back out into the cool air and begins his walk back to his apartment. He can’t stop smiling to himself on the way home, just excited to go back and see him the next day. 

I have to invite him to lunch. He thinks to himself. They went to the same cafe, it was only polite to, right? Satoru opens the front door of his building and heads towards the elevator. He clicks the up arrow and waits for the ding and the doors slowly open. He steps inside the empty elevator and clicks the button for the 36th floor - same as the office, funnily enough. It makes it really easy to remember where you live and work when it’s the same number. He enjoyed being up so high, able to see all the beautiful lights of the city of Tokyo from his home. 

Satoru grabs his keys out of his pocket as he approaches his door, and easily unlocks the door without any trouble. He steps inside and calls out. “Shiro, I’m home!” He hears a small meow followed by a thud and the patter of paws padding out to greet him. “There’s my girl! Are you hungry?” She responds with a meow as Satoru sets his bag down and kicks off his shoes before stepping towards the kitchen and pulling out a can of wet food for the cat. A constant stream of meows fill the room until Satoru finally sets down the food for her. “Yeah yeah! I’m getting there!” He calls out to her as she yowls up at him from his feet. He sets down the bowl in its normal spot and Shiro digs in. “You act like you’ve never eaten before.” He says as he picks up his bag and shoes and heads into his bedroom. He sets his shoes back in their spot and hangs his bag on the hook on the back of his door. 

Satoru starts by taking off his jacket and hanging it up, followed by shedding the rest of his suit and clothing down to nothing but his underwear. He walks out of the closet, taking a quick look in the mirror with a smile on his way by to the bathroom. He turns on the shower and stands there while it heats up, thinking about his day, about how good this shower was going to feel, about Suguru. He takes a deep breath before shedding his final layer and stepping into the steamy shower. He lets the hot water run down over his hair and face before he rubs his face with his hands, still smiling over the day.

“You need to chill out.” He says out loud to himself in the shower. He runs his fingers through his hair and goes through the normal order of things in his after-work shower. He takes a deep breath and tries to relax his muscles as the hot water runs over his shoulders and down his back. The pressure of the water feeling good on his back, which is sore from sitting in his chair hunched over all day. He closes his eyes and lets the water run over his tired muscles for a minute before finally turning around and turning the water off. He shakes his hands through his hair, trying to get as much water out as possible. 

Satoru grabs his towel from the hook on the wall and uses it to dry off before wrapping it low around his waist. He opens the bathroom door and makes his way over to his dresser to pull out some sweat pants and a black tshirt. 

After putting on his moisturizer and getting redressed after his shower, Satoru makes his way back out into the kitchen. “What should I have for dinner, Shi?” He asks the fluffy cat, but mostly to himself as he opens the fridge to check what he has. After checking the pantry, he decides that he has the correct ingredients to make some lemon pepper salmon with rice, so he starts pulling out ingredients and in less than an hour later, he’s plating up and setting it on his dining room table. He takes a quick picture, satisfied with his work before he sits down and starts eating. 

“This is delicious!” He says into the empty apartment to himself. He smiles to himself as he finishes up his dinner and decides to wind down by watching something in the living room. He turns the tv on and picks up his phone before queuing anything up and sees a text from Shoko.

‘You didn’t tell me that you were training Geto!!!’ 

He reads the text and his heart rate immediately picks up again. Is he talking about me to Shoko? Races through his mind and he begins typing a response. 

‘You never asked ¯\_(ツ)_/¯’ He clicks send and immediately sees Shoko typing. He didn’t think to mention that he had in fact mentioned that he knew her. Not only that, but that she got him the job, similarly to how she had also gotten him the job. 

‘Dude!!!’

Satoru is confused as to what she’s getting at.

‘???’ He sends back.

‘Why didn’t you tell me??’

‘Idk, didn’t really realize that I needed to.’

‘Okay, I’ll talk to you tomorrow!’ She finishes with. 

“Weirdo.” Satoru says out loud to himself before setting his phone to the side and picking a random movie from his collection and pressing play, just to have something playing. He props his feet up on the coffee table and interlocks his fingers behind his head as he sits back, thinking about Suguru once again. He stares up at the ceiling, remembering how nice he smelled, how nice he looked. He feels a soft movement from the other side of the couch as Shiro makes her way over to plop herself down right on Satoru’s lap. 

“What the hell am I gonna do, Shi?” He asks, still looking up at the ceiling before bringing down one of his hands to pet the cat, who was happily leaning into the pets that she was getting. He smiles down at the fluffy white cat in his lap and paints his attention back up to the tv where his movie continued to play. Satoru spends his Monday evening watching movies and eating the cupcake from his favorite cafe, all while being unable to stop thinking about Suguru Geto.

About three movies and enough sugar to send a child into a sugar rush, Satoru looks at this phone once again. Empty of notifications and the time reads 10:31. “Guess I should get ready for bed, huh baby?” He says as the cat follows him into his bedroom. He flicks off the lamps as he walks by, leaving his living room lit up by nothing but the moon and the lights of downtown Tokyo down below. He turns on the lamp on his nightstand before stepping into the bathroom for one last time to brush his teeth. 

He walks out of the bathroom over to his windows. He sits down for a moment in the arm chair in the corner of his room and looks out the window. He enjoyed doing this before bed, just to relax a little bit. He liked to think about all the lives of everyone he could see from his window. Every person he can see has their own life that he will never know about. Satoru takes one last look at the busy street below and stands up and walks slowly over to his bed, yawning as he does so.

Pulling back the comforter, he climbs into his bed. Shiro jumps onto the bed and lays down close to his feet. Satoru throws the comforter over himself and grabs his phone from the nightstand, turning off the lamp as well. He opens up his text message with Utahime one more time just to smile and read that Suguru enjoyed being with him today. He thinks once more about how he also had mentioned him to Shoko. Satoru makes sure his alarms are set for the morning before turning on some brown noise to help him sleep. 

Last, Satoru sets his phone on the night stand and can’t help but smile excitedly into his pillow. He was excited for the day ahead of him for tomorrow. Finally, something to look forward to outside of the monotony of a typically boring office job. 

chapter 2

[theamityelf]

I was thinking about your Mini's au while I was making som fanart if it and I was wondering how UDG/V3 would be able to work with the concept.

I'm totally sure with Udg with V3 minis (that just seems like...not great lol) However V3 with UDG characters seem a little more fun and can we could get more creative with it instead of having just either THH or GBD as their mini senpais (although it's kinda funny to think about there being a DOUBLE amount of senpais to take care of.)

Theres kind of a lot of ways we can go with this. We could just have the main characters (WOH, Komaru and Toko) and only them. Which could result in the pairing (or more) of the V3 characters to take care of 1 of the 7 minis. (I'd say Shuichi and Kaede take care of Komaru because it's adorable. Imagine Shuichi with 2 very energetic enthusiastic girls. He'd die + Naehara maybe who knows ooooooh~)

But we could also go the route of including other characters from the game such as Yuta, Taichi, Hiroko, Izuru perchance, and even Shiro and Kuro Kumas. Add in Byakuya for some spice That would bumb us up from 7 to 11 ( bears cause I'm not totally down for it. And izu could be done differently) It makes pairs easier to divide!!

For more fun we could include Hajime and Makoto from the demo!! It evens out the characters much well and they could accompany Kaede as they did in the demo but now we have a Protag squad (yaaaaay) Additionally it allows for some good sibling bonding for Makoto and Komaru!

I was imaging that for Trial 1 they disappear halfway and nobody would be able to find them afterwards (referencing the end of the demo because it just cuts off mid trial) which adds some drama for the V3 students that were assigned to them. In a similar light, Hajime and Izuru switch places mid trial and Makoto is still nowhere to be found. Allows us to include all UDG characters present and even more issues!!

For the pairings it would be hard to say but I'm working on a chart at the moment and if interested I'll totally share it in the next ask! (I work better with charts it's unfortunate 😞)

I dunno hehe, It's really a 4 am idea it might not be coherent lmao but I had fun writing this out. Thanks for letting me get my ideas out lol, I hope you enjoy reading this!

(Btdubs I'm still working on that mini rp server, I'll get back to you when it's up and running >:D)

(Awesome!!! So exciting!!)

(Mini Classmates AU Masterlist)

I really, really like the idea of the V3 cast having to pair up to care for Mini UDG cast. I would definitely love to see your chart, if you do make one. Right now, my thoughts are:

Komaru, Toko, the Warriors of Hope, and Yuta makes eight minis for the sixteen participants.

Kaede and Shuichi can share custody of Komaru, like you said. That works great, for the reasons you said.

Himiko and Tenko can maybe share custody of Yuta, because that would be challenging for both of them for different reasons, and I find that kinda funny. They would have to adjust in cute ways. Himiko is exhausted just watching him, but he fully buys into her magic stuff, and she becomes amenable to being more active.

Kokichi and Kiibo share custody of Monaca, but Kokichi is too un-trusting to actually share custody. (The rules are still that you die if the mini you're caring for dies.) This means that, if all else goes the same (which it of course probably wouldn't), then Kiibo wouldn't be around Monaca almost at all until Chapter 5, and then he loses his antenna. Monaca would understand the significance of the antenna so quickly. Honestly, she probably clocked it long before he even lost the antenna, and she mentioned it to Kokichi early on.

(I thought about having Kokichi paired up with Gonta, but I think not doing that shows off how special it is that Kokichi trusted Gonta with some of his plans.)

Kirumi and Maki share custody of Kotoko. It would be mostly Kirumi at first, but it would bring out a very cute side of Maki.

I'm torn between having Kaito and Angie share Masaru and having Korekiyo and Angie share Jataro. But I already have a fic for Kiyo, Angie, and Jataro, so actually maybe Rantaro and Angie could share custody of Jataro. They would be so supportive and patient.

Korekiyo and Gonta share custody of Toko. Because bugs and serial killers and the arts; it just feels like it would be a cool match in a lot of ways. Toko sits on top of Gonta's bug catcher. Also, Gonta casually picks up Toko's author vocabulary. Also also, I like the idea of these three spending time together.

Kaito and Miu share custody of Masaru? They would get so parental about it so quickly. Like, they would genuinely talk to each other like divorced parents. "Has he eaten?" "You're giving him a lot of screen time." Miu has a clear willingness to be maternal at the drop of a hat, and Kaito would match Masaru's high energy and need for attention really well.

Tsumugi and Ryoma share Nagisa? Ryoma having someone to care for would be a big deal for him, and the shared mental illness would be out of this world. Tsumugi might craft a tiny Nagisa Shiota cosplay.

Again, these are just the initial brainstorm matchups, lol.

But having the participants share a mini-person goes well with the rule where two people can survive together in this one (and also maybe parallels the Monokuma-and-Monokubs dynamic, but I digress). Plus it allows the potential for drama, because it seems like it would be a no-brainer that, if you were to survive with one person, it would be the person you share a mini with, but some characters feel differently.

Maybe Kirumi is the one who cares for any minis who lose both caretakers (if that ever happens).

And maybe part of Angie's new rules, once the student council stuff starts happening, is something about sharing the minis communally as a protective measure or even turning them over to her so they're all protected in one place, but then someone points out that doing this would mean that Angie could kill anyone without consequences by killing their mini. Angie wouldn't actually do that, but whether the unspoken threat of it is intentional or not remains unclear. She doesn't end up getting everyone's minis, but maybe she gathers a few together, from other student council members. Having a lot of minis in one place has the potential to prevent one's self from being murdered.

The downside to this is that I'm now realizing that the Mini Classmate AU's are arguably more fun without plot, lol. A part of me kind of just wants these characters to hang out in the situation rather than doing a Danganronpa. But also. It's fun either way. 🤣

[thecrispier0nion]

Destiny characters: Italian edition

disclaimer: this is funny, but because it references a lot of things i don't expect non-italians to know, it's probably only gonna be truly funny to me and other italians. so sorry for that. feel free to ask me about stuff if you wanna know what something is or if you want an explanation on a specific hc tho

Osiris: Milan, Lombardy

Born and raised in Milan. Thinks he's better than you because of it (like all people from Milan do).

Probably teaches at the Politecnico University. Everyone hates his course but he's without a doubt the best professor there.

Spritz for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Has made at least 1 attempt on Matteo Salvini's life.

Will take panettone over pandoro any day like the old man he is.

Saint: Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige

I can't not picture this man being from South Tyrol like. It's such a perfect fit.

Definitely worked at the Museum of Archeology before and will NOT shut up about the Ötzi mummy.

Met Osiris this way, who most likely dropped everything and everyone and moved to Bolzano with him because no one is dumb enough to take Milan over Bolzano.

Honestly thriving.

Yodels.

That's it. I think this man would just live in the mountains in what is considered one of the Italian cities with the highest QOL with his posh husband and just thrive like no one did before.

Cayde: Rome, Lazio

Insufferable roman, made even funnier by the fact that he probably lives outside the GRA. Probably like. Acilia.

Acts like he lives and breathes ASRoma but he actually has no clue how football works, he's just doing it for the meme.

He does however own a SHIT TON of their merch.

Infiltrates fascist meetups to start fights. Cops hate him.

Definitely worked as one of those gladiators you can take pics with near the Colosseum at some point.

Drifter: Meana Sardo, Sardinia

People think he's from Naples but no. This is a Sardinian man. A true pecoraro.

He did however live in Naples long enough to assimilate it's vibes into his personality.

Blasphemy king. Banned from the Vatican City. The Pope has a restraining order on him.

Went to Rome exactly one time to try authentic Trippa. Genuinely enjoyed it.

Most likely on a first name basis with Caparezza. Somehow.

Shiro: Campobasso, Molise

Molisian.

Trenitalia victim.

90% of people in the street consider him to be a valid vehicle when it comes to Yellow Car (iykyk).

Absolutely LOVES trash Italian reality shows and/or drama series made for grandmas.

Sorry I don't have much on him for now.

Eris: Foggia, Puglia

Born and raised in Foggia, won a scolarship and went to study in Florence (with Asher).

Her gang smokes opium because weed is too expensive /ref

Exclusively feeds on piadinas, it's actually quite concerning.

Extremely specific: The Casapound movement tried fucking with her the one time she visited Milan and they soon found out why you don't fuck with Eris Morn (knocked a guy out and left him hanging upside down in Piazzale Loreto. No one is sure how she did it, including me, but I really enjoy the mental image)

[bluedemon1995]

This is late but I’ve been sick. Hopefully you enjoy and I can catch up!!

Dec 27 Candles

No power. Katie was sitting in the dark. She had matches but without candles it really didn’t matter. They were not even the long matches, so they went out way to fast to be any good. She was stuck. No laptop. No internet. No phone. Sighing closed her eyes regretting deeply that she forgot to charge it before she got caught up in her project. And now she had to pay the price by sitting in the rapidly darkening room.

Winter sucked. It got dark too early and there’s no way she’s walking to her brother’s apartment in this weather. Hell, she probably wouldn’t even make it down 13 flights of stairs! More importantly, how can there be power outages in this day and age. Once the power is up, she’s hacking into the power company and upgrading their power grids. This is bullshit. Ruining her weekend gaming plans and now leaving her bored. Now she wishes she didn’t do work first and gamed first instead. Hell, she’d rather be at work if she knew there was going to be no power here! At least she would have been with Hunk and Lance.

Instead, Katie is sitting on her couch feeling depressed when suddenly she hears a knock. Um, why would someone be knocking on her door. Especially when she can’t even check her ring camera to see whose there. She freezes; she usually never answers the door when she doesn’t know whose there. It’s not like she ever invites anyone over so it can’t be someone she knows.

Knock KNOCK. It sounded…angry?

Getting up slowly, she quietly walks to the door, looking through the keyhole. Huh.

Unlocking the door, she pulls it open cautiously, “Hello?”

“Hi, so this is going to sound stupid but I have candles but no matches. And since my stove hasn’t been delivered from the store yet, I can’t use that either. So, um want to partner up?”

Katie stared at the man in front of her. Blinking, she realizes she knows this man. Keith? Keith…the bad boy from her childhood was standing in front of her? Her brother’s BFF kinda brother was literally standing here. In her doorway.

“Um, ok? Do you live here? Or well obviously not here, cuz I live here, but in this building? On this floor?” Jesus Katie, shut up!

“Yeah, 5 doors down. Well, I’m just staying here it’s my brother’s place, he’s doing a semester abroad somewhere so I’m crashing here.”

Clicks in place. Oh yeah that makes sense.

“Well, sure, come in-and watch your step, I’m not a neat person, and I’m not expecting anyone so there’s parts everywhere.” Oh. My. God. Can I sound dumber?!?

Katie’s pulse is racing. Fucking Keith Kogane is in her apartment. If she told her 15 year old self this she’d have called herself a liar. She had a sort of crush on him during high school. Granted he never knew who she was but that really didn’t matter. And Matt never told her that he was staying in Shiro’s place. Now what? They can’t play any games or watch a movie. Hell, she doubts she even has edible food.

After she locked up, Katie lit the first candle that Keith offered her and then they were just sitting in her living room, shoulder to shoulder on the small loveseat she has. Awk-ward!

Katie starts to make some piles of paper, magazines, notebooks and parts. God she really should clean on a regular basis. Or hire someone. Damn. This was actually embarrassing and she never felt embarrassed.

Just then, Keith moves a foot and sends a freshly made pile of clothes slide into a pile of magazines. He quickly saves the clothes but as he saves the pile his had touches her bra. Both of them freeze and Katie knows she blushing furiously. His eyes find hers and then he practically jumps over the damn couch.

OHMYGODWHYISMYLIFELIKETHIS!

Keith turns and then freezes. “Hey, is this a Mothman figure?”

Katie rapidly throws the clothes in her arms in her bedroom and slams the door. “Um, yeah. You know him?”

Keith nods, “Um, yeah. Along with every other cryptid and ghost story out there.”

Katie grins, “I bet I know more.”

Hours later, the lights abruptly return. Illuminating the mess, as well as the empty beer cans, discarded chip bags and candy wrappers. Both blink when Keith grins, “I’m so glad Shiro told me the Holt girl lived in 1308.”

Dec 28 Holiday Movie

This will be a continuation of the last bit, with time skip.

Keith was walking with his friends. It’s been almost a year since that power outage and him knocking on Katie’s door. He knew his life had changed from that first knock. He was annoyed and had zero expectations for that night. But, that one night, it changed his whole life, and he knew she had no clue, the impact she had on him.

Through her, he met Lance and Hunk, apparently again. Though he had no recollection of them, he went to high school with them. And over time, they became friends. Then Shiro returned home. Suddenly they were all hanging out together and suddenly he was part of a larger group text.

Then through Katie getting an internship with Altea Corporation he met Allura and Coran. Then through her work teams, he met Lotor, Acxa, Zethrid, Ezor and Narti. While he wasn’t a big fan, they also were part of the circle. Things were so different from a year ago, yet not as different as he hoped.

Glancing towards Lance he saw how he was trying his best to get close to Allura. Despite Lotor being her ex, he had no qualms about putting himself in the way. His eyes tracked to Katie, who he has probably likes since she moved into his intro to drawing class.

Thinking back, he couldn’t help but smile. She was added to his class a week before the semester ended. He had no idea why someone would do that do a kid, but the Garrison didn’t care. Finals came and everyone had to put their artwork in the Winter show. She drew a mechanical lion, it was beautiful.

Since that moment, Keith kept an eye on her. He saw her rise to the top of the class and he made sure, no one messed with her. He might have gotten into a few more fights, gotten a few more detentions, definitely more lectures… but it was so worth it. She blossomed. Her head no longer down. Her voice strong. And when she was valedictorian, he felt satisfied. Honored to see her reach her potential.

Now, he was in her inner circle. It was amazing. Yet, he still felt…unsatisfied.

At the ticket booth, he tried to pay for Katie’s ticket, but Matt had already paid for hers. Then he winked at him?

Keith sidled up to her in the concession line. “Hey wanna split? It’s way cheaper to share.”

Katie nodded when suddenly Griffin accosted them.

“Holt!”

Both Holt siblings turn, but only Katie nods. Keith grits his teeth and tries to keep his composure.

“What are you seeing? Elf?”

“Oh, is that playing? I like that one too! Unfortunately, we are seeing Krampas 2.0.”

“Isn’t that a horror movie?”

“Well, I guess if that’s what you want to call it? Personally, we call it a holiday movie. Right Keith?”

Keith takes that cue to step up to her and throw his arm around her shoulders. “Exactly. Just our type.”

Katie grins. “Cryptids unite.” She holds out a fist and Keith kisses her temple, softly knocking her fist.

Keith can feel the stares of their friends but he’s decided. He’s going all in.

Dec 29 Takeout

Katie is confused. She felt like Keith was trying to tell her something last night but she had no clue what. She knew what she wanted it to be but she really wished he was clearer. Did he…like her? Like she liked him.

When Griffin showed up it felt like things were super charged. But then her brother, Shiro and Hunk intervened and things kinda sputtered out. Now she was determined to clean her place. After last year, she really needed to.

So Katie focused. Room on room. She folded, she dusted, she organized. It was six o’clock and she was finally done. But now it was late and she was hungry. Flopping down on the couch she groaned. How did the day pass so quickly?

Knock. Knock KNOCK. She ercognized that knock.

“Keith?”

“Hey, hungry? I’ve got the crème le crème of leftovers…a la Hunk.”

She grinned. “My guy.”

Locking up, she followed Keith to his and Shiro’s apartment. “Um, is Shiro here?”

“Nope, he went with Matt to give the update to the Rebel cause. You okay with that?”

“Of course. Why are you asking that?”

Keith paused, then shook his head. “No reason. Let’s heat up the food and then wanna watch the premiere Mysteries Unsolved?”

Katie grinned, “Um, YEAH!”

Hours later, Keith reached for the last biscuit, “Are you sure you’re full? Otherwise, this is mine.”

Katie grinned, “Piggie. But, yeah, I can’t eat another bite.”

Looking at him, she absently wipes her thumb along his lip to wipe the crumb, when suddenly he licks her thumb. Freezing their eyes meet, and he leans forward, licking her lip.