#and a cool Yuki gearing up moment too

[sainz100]

two more small Friday moments ❤️ | 📸 via Guillermina Cardoso

[aughby]

From Your Next Door Neighbor

The warm afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over your desk. You stared at the paper in front of you, fingers gripping the pen a little too tightly as you wrote the final line:

From… Your Next Door Neighbor.

You let out a long breath, setting the pen down as you reread the letter. It was ridiculous, really, but for some reason, you needed to get it off your chest. Maybe it was because of how he looked at you the other day, a fleeting glance that brought back memories you’d rather forget.

Yuki Ishikawa.

The boy you used to know so well, who lived next door. The one you’d taken volleyball lessons with as kids. The boy who, at one time, you might have even liked.

But that was a long time ago, and things were different now.

You glanced out the window and spotted him in the driveway, getting out of his car, still in his volleyball gear. He looked as composed and serious as ever. It made your stomach turn, remembering the way things had been—how close you two had been, how you'd followed him around during volleyball practice, always trying to keep up with his impressive skills. Back then, you admired him. Heck, you might have even had a crush on him. Who wouldn’t? Yuki had always been talented, determined, and kind in his own way.

But now… now he was just a ghost of the boy you once knew. And you were strangers. Worse than strangers, really. He hadn’t so much as glanced your way in years.

Not that it mattered, you reminded yourself. Your feelings had changed. You’d moved on. The idea of dating him now? Impossible.

You folded the letter and shoved it into an envelope, not intending to send it, but the act of writing it felt oddly satisfying. Maybe it was just your way of convincing yourself. Maybe it was something more.

Later that evening, you stepped outside for some fresh air, only to find Yuki standing near the fence that separated your two homes. He looked up, catching your eye with that same cool expression you couldn’t quite read. Your heart skipped a beat, but you quickly pushed the feeling down.

You gave him a curt nod, hoping he wouldn’t start a conversation. But Yuki, for the first time in what felt like forever, spoke.

"Hey," he said simply, his deep voice startling you.

"Uh, hey." You shifted awkwardly, wondering where this was going.

Yuki leaned against the fence, his gaze steady. "It’s been a while."

You blinked, taken aback by the fact that he was even acknowledging your existence. "Yeah, it has," you said, keeping your tone neutral.

There was a long, awkward silence between you, and just as you were about to make an excuse to leave, Yuki spoke again.

"I saw you at the park the other day," he said, almost as if it were nothing.

Your heart raced. So, he did notice me.

"Yeah? Well, it’s a small town," you replied, trying to sound nonchalant. You hoped he hadn’t seen the way you’d glanced at him, just for a moment, the way you remembered doing when you were younger. Back when you admired him.

Back when you liked him.

Yuki shrugged, but there was something in his expression that made you uneasy. "It’s weird. We used to be friends."

"That was a long time ago," you said quickly, almost too quickly.

"Yeah, but it’s still strange," he continued, his gaze still focused on you. "You used to follow me around all the time."

You scoffed, crossing your arms defensively. "I was a kid. Everyone follows someone around when they’re kids."

Yuki’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile. "You liked volleyball. And… you liked me."

You froze. He remembered. Of course, he did. Your face flushed with heat, and you felt the irritation rise inside you. This was exactly why you’d written that stupid letter—to remind yourself how much things had changed. To remind yourself that you didn’t care about Yuki Ishikawa anymore.

"Yeah, well, things change," you snapped. "I don’t know you now, and you don’t know me. We’re not friends anymore, Yuki."

Yuki raised an eyebrow, as if your sudden outburst intrigued him more than it annoyed him. "That’s fair," he said, not missing a beat. "But I wasn’t talking about now. I was talking about back then."

"Does it even matter?" you shot back, your voice louder than you intended. "You left for volleyball, you became this big star, and now… we don’t talk. We don’t even know each other anymore."

Yuki was quiet for a moment, as if considering your words. Then, he spoke, his voice softer than before. "Maybe we should."

Your heart stuttered in your chest. Was he suggesting what you thought he was? No. There was no way. You swallowed hard, narrowing your eyes.

"Don’t get any ideas, Yuki. Even if you asked me out, I’d reject you in a heartbeat." You said it without thinking, letting the words fly out in defense of your own vulnerability.

Yuki raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then, to your horror, he laughed. It wasn’t the reaction you expected, and it only served to fluster you even more.

"Relax," he said, a playful glint in his eyes. "No one said I was going to ask you out."

Your face burned with embarrassment. "Good. Because I wouldn’t even consider it," you muttered, trying to regain your composure.

Yuki smirked, leaning closer to the fence. "You know, for someone who says they’re not interested, you sure seem pretty defensive."

You glared at him, fists clenched. "You’re the only guy I know in this town, Yuki. Doesn’t mean you’re a good option."

His smirk softened into something else—something unreadable. "Maybe not. But you don’t know me anymore. Not really."

"Exactly," you said firmly. "And I have no intention of getting to know you again."

There was another silence, but this time, it wasn’t awkward. It was filled with unspoken tension, memories, and the knowledge that both of you had changed. Grown. Become different people.

Finally, Yuki sighed, stepping away from the fence. "Alright. I’ll take the hint. But… if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

You watched him walk away, your heart still pounding in your chest. As much as you hated to admit it, his words lingered. Maybe you didn’t know him anymore, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t.

Shaking your head, you turned and headed back inside, the unsent letter still sitting on your desk.

Maybe, just maybe, you’d been denying more than you realized.

You sat on your bed, the folded letter still on your desk. Yuki's words echoed in your mind:

"Maybe not. But you don’t know me anymore. Not really."

You sighed, falling back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Why did his words get under your skin so easily? Maybe it was because he was right. Maybe you didn’t know him anymore, and it scared you. The Yuki Ishikawa you remembered from your childhood was different. Back then, he was just a boy, trying to balance his love for volleyball with being a regular kid. But now, he was this huge volleyball star. And you? You weren’t that little girl who admired him from a distance anymore.

But the truth, the one that gnawed at you from the inside, was that part of you missed him. Missed knowing him. Missed the easy friendship you once had before life got complicated. Before feelings got involved.

You sat up, biting your lip as you glanced at the letter. Without giving yourself time to overthink, you grabbed the letter, opened your bedroom window, and looked out toward Yuki's house. His bedroom light was still on. You didn’t even think twice; your feet moved on their own, stepping out of your house, letter in hand.

Standing in front of his door, you hesitated. What am I doing? You raised your hand to knock but froze just as the door opened. Yuki stood there, wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, his hair damp from a shower. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw you.

“You’re... here,” Yuki said, sounding confused but not entirely displeased.

“Yeah, well…” You held up the letter. “I wrote this. It’s stupid, but I guess I just needed to say… something.”

Yuki looked at the letter in your hand, then back at you, a small smile playing at his lips. “You wrote me a letter?”

“Don’t make it weird,” you muttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “It’s not a love letter or anything.”

“I never said it was,” Yuki said, amusement clear in his voice. He took a step back, gesturing for you to come in. “Do you want to talk about it?”

You hesitated, but then nodded. You stepped inside, following him to the living room. The house felt familiar and strange at the same time, like a place you’d once known intimately but hadn’t visited in years.

Yuki sat down on the couch, looking up at you. “So… what’s the letter about?”

You sat across from him, your fingers fiddling with the edges of the letter. “It’s just… I don’t know. A way for me to get my thoughts out. I was frustrated.”

“With me?”

“With us,” you admitted. “With how things turned out. I wrote it because I wanted to convince myself that I didn’t care anymore. That I didn’t want to know you again. But I think…” You trailed off, suddenly finding it hard to say the words.

Yuki leaned forward, his expression softening. “What do you think?”

“I think I’ve been lying to myself,” you finally said, voice quiet but steady. “I used to like you, Yuki. Back then. And I thought those feelings were gone, but seeing you again… I don’t know. It just brought everything back, and I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

Yuki was silent for a moment, his eyes searching yours. “You could have just said something. I mean… we’re different people now, sure. But I don’t think we have to be strangers.”

“I didn’t think you’d care,” you admitted. “You’re this big volleyball star, and I’m just… me. I didn’t think you’d even remember those days.”

Yuki’s smile was small but genuine. “I remember. I’ve always remembered.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, and for the first time in a long while, you felt like you weren’t the only one holding onto the past.

“I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t sure how you felt either,” Yuki continued. “But when I saw you again, it felt like something clicked. I just didn’t know how to bring it up without making things awkward.”

You let out a small laugh, shaking your head. “Well, things are definitely awkward now.”

Yuki laughed too, the sound warm and comforting. “Yeah, I guess they are. But maybe it doesn’t have to stay that way.”

You looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time, you saw the boy you once knew and the man he had become. Maybe you didn’t know him anymore, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t get to know him again.

“So… what now?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

Yuki stood up and walked over to you, standing close enough that you had to tilt your head back to look up at him. He offered you a hand, his expression soft and open.

“Maybe we start over,” he said, his voice steady. “Hi, I’m Yuki. I live next door. Want to catch up over dinner sometime?”

You stared at his outstretched hand, your heart racing, and for the first time in years, you felt a genuine smile tug at your lips. You reached out, taking his hand.

“I’d like that,” you said softly.

Maybe things had changed between you and Yuki. Maybe you were different people now. But maybe, just maybe, that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

As you stood there, holding his hand, the tension of the past slowly faded away, replaced with the possibility of something new.

[yukidragon]

Hey Yuki, I was thinking about this the other day and it would be hilarious for Jack to stumble upon Rick Astley’s ‘Never to Give You Up’ and start singing along to it before his Sunshine looks back at him with a quiet terror because of the Internet. (Bonus points if he starts to troll them with the song and also, ‘Together Forever’ sound like a happy ending for Jack and his Sunshine)

Pffffff, that it's very fitting, especially since "Never Gonna Give You Up" and "Together Forever" are part of Jack's official spotify playlist. Sadly, it was released in 1987 and 1988 respectively so he died before he could listen to them during his lifetime. Alas. I'm sure [Redacted] would've loved listening to them.

So that gives me the image of Jack doing chores around the apartment, listening to an oldies station on the radio that specializes in 80's era music, and "Never Gonna Give You Up" comes on. He hums along, swaying to the beat, maybe singing along to the lyrics a little, since it's such a catchy song, and it really speaks to him.

Alice in the living room vaguely hears the Rick Roll song through her headphones and checks what tab on her computer is playing it, doing work of her own on her laptop. It's then that she takes her headphones off and realizes Jack is listening to the song unironically. He looks so cheerful about it too.

There's a moment where Alice just has to stare at him bobbing to the beat in the kitchen, the gears in her mind locked up for a moment between flashbacks of the internet pranks and accepting, yeah, Jack would like that kind of song, wouldn't he? He's from the 80's after all.

...This isn't going to be a regular thing, right?

At the same time it makes Alice wonder how Jack would react to being rick rolled and... she just can't resist. She starts snickering and loads up some webpages in preparation and brings her laptop into the kitchen.

Jack, naturally, is delighted Alice wants to join him. Oh? The song? It's catchy isn't it? Yeah, he likes it a lot! He could listen to it all day. It's almost disappointing for him when it comes to an end.

Alice feigns innocence and says that she wanted to show him something she found on her laptop.

Jack, ever eager to engage in his sunshine's interests, turns off the radio and looks at the webpage - something harmless like a link to a recipe. Oh, Alice wants him to check this out? Sure he'll-

Suddenly the song starts and Jack jumps a little as the music begins and the video plays. Then there's excitement! Oh, it's the song! Alice found it for him. The music video is pretty cool too. He watches it with unironic enjoyment, happy as can be.

Alice takes pleasure in his happiness, but that doesn't deter her from her mischief. When the song is over Jack wonders why the link brought him to the video instead of a recipe. He's still not used to computers or the internet and has needed her help to catch up with that technology. He's quick to learn, but there's still a lot that he doesn't know.

Alice shrugs noncommittally and suggests he try the link again. It leads to the song, of course. Jack chuckles a bit, but pauses the video this time. He can listen to it later. He wants to help his sunshine now.

Strange. Why does the link not work? Jack wonders. He clicked it like he was supposed to. He asks Alice if he did anything wrong, and she says nope. Maybe he should try another link, she suggests, then directs him to another tab where a link supposedly leads to pictures of kitties.

Again comes the Rick Roll and Jack is even more confused. Again clicking the link results in the same thing. He's wondering if there's something weird going on with the internet.

The next few links do the same thing and Jack is absolutely perplexed. He even checked the link addresses and they all go to different places, yet always he comes back to the video! What's going on?

Of course, Jack is a clever man and very perceptive, especially when it comes to his sunshine. It didn't escape his notice that Alice was snickering and fighting to keep a straight face the entire time, highly amused about something, especially when that video starts to play. Finally he gives her a suspicious look and asks if she has any idea what's going on, his tone making it clear that he knows something is fishy here.

Alice, between giggles, suggests he tries another link. Jack looks at her with a smirk, guessing now that he's being pranked. He says that somehow he has a feeling he knows that this link that claims it leads to an article about llama racing is going to be a lot more musical than advertised.

Jack is just outright looking at Alice as he clicks the link, starting up the song while staring at her, and she can't hold it together, cracking up. He's amused and chuckles along, thinking the humor comes entirely with the prank.

When Alice eventually gets her giggles under control, she does explain the full context of the Rick Roll and what turned the song into a meme. She just gave him a demonstration of it, as all internet newbies fall for it when they first go online.

"Even you, sunspot?"

Alice lets out an overly dramatic sigh coupled with an exaggerated eyeroll. "Wayyyy too many times as a kid. My online friends at the time thought it was funny."

Jack, of course, is a good sport about being pranked by his sunshine. The two of them have a nice chat about it, laugh over it, and Alice even shows him some popular remixes to the song, though he likes the original the best.

By this point, Alice has helped Jack get his own Spotify-equivalent (Stripeify?) account so he can play his favorite 's songs whenever he likes and doesn't have to wait for them to appear in rotation on the radio. It's full of 80's songs mostly, naturally, but there are a couple he found from listening to her playlist that now always remind him of her.

Jack gets also a little more savvy about the internet and meme culture from this. He decides to get a little payback of his own, though not with link misdirects. Instead he suddenly starts humming and singing the song when Alice least expects it. It becomes a bit of an in joke between them.

Jack still loves the song unironically, and sometimes he sings it not to tease Alice, but more as a stealthy promise to her. It's so fitting for their relationship after all. She's so shy about things going further than friendship between them for the longest time, but he'll never give her up, never let her down, and so forth.

In a way, Jack can say all the things that he's thinking of well before things change between them, sneakily masquerading it behind a song that becomes something special between them.

Of course, the song leads Jack into listening to the other songs by Rick Astley. "Together Forever" is another favorite of his for obvious reasons. He and his sunshine will be together forever, never to part... and he'll move heaven and earth to make sure of that.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur

[theclearblue]

Hello, can I ask from this ask game :

https://www.tumblr.com/threecheersforinking/677824836625694720/anime-ask-game?source=share

For anime/manga : Haikyuu, One Piece, and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Thanks 🌻

Sure, looks fun!

Jujutsu Kaisen

Favorite Character: Kenjaku, Yuuji, Yuki, Choso, Geto

Favorite arc/episode/scene: Different answers for all of these lol. Favorite arc would probably he a tie between Hidden Inventory/Shibuya (I think if I reread Culling Games though it could potentially overtake Shibuya, despite it's flaws). Favorite episode would be the Choso vs. Yuuji fight (ep 13 or 14 season 2?) And also episode 6 of season 2, Premature Death. Favorite scene is is probably a tie between the "I'm You" scene with Yuuji and Mahito and also Mai's death :'(

Character I think is underrated: Hmmm I think Hakari. I think this is the same answer I gave before but I don't think he gets enough love :( Just such a fun character, never disappointed when he gets screentime, he has such a cool CT and also mindset and I'm hoping we get to see more of his fight with Uraume!

Character I think is overrated: Hmm it really just has to be Gojo doesn't it lmao. And I say this where he's still in my top ten characters in the series and used to be in top five, but his popularity is so so so much that you also get terrible interpretations of this character ALL the time and it's very grating. I'm very sad he died (I cried when I read the leaks lmao) but my eye does twitch a lil when I see Gojo revival theories after like 6-7 months for him when the narrative keeps reaffirming he's dead.

Fave ship/Pairing: Threeway tie between Satosugu, Nobamaki, and Chosoyuki. Honorable mention to my rarepair Takaken.

Something I love about the series: I think Yuuji really is the heart of the series and he's such an engaging and complex protagonist. I think the themes around death and purpose in life and death are explored in such an interesting way with him where he's such a kid but has to grow up so quickly in the face of such overwhelming tragedy in his life, knowing that for a lot of the stuff that happens, it's because he's alive and acted as the vessel to Sukuna. Any and all complaints of JJK never involve him and any scene he's in, it's always when the focus is away from him that a few issues arise for me. Also as a sidenote, big fan of the lore when we do get crumbs of it lol.

(One Piece and Haikyuu!! will be under the cut)

One Piece

Favorite Character: For strawhats probably a three-way tie between Zoro, Sanji and Robin. Also Luffy. For non Strawhats probably Corazon and Law, Pudding, Dragon, Vivi, and Crocodile.

Favorite arc/episode/scene: This is so difficult with this series lmao. Favorite arc still has to be Water 7 (and if I can wrap Enies Lobby in there too I would). Favorite episode would probably be Episode 1015, that shit was movie quality lmao. Favorite scene...so many to choose from omg. Right now my gut says the moment Sanji came back to the crew in WCI, or maybe Corazon and Law's last moments, or maybe the Alabasta goodbye, or maybe Robin's backstory, or maybe Nothing Happened, or maybe Gear 5-I could go on lmao.

Character I think is underrated: People need to start RESPECTING Pudding omg. She's just a girl in this world, and she's fucked up, but her arc in WCI was so so good and I just see people call her a bitch (which, YEAH, that's the point genius). Obviously I don't like that she hurt Sanji, but she grows from that and changes and the why is very clear after getting her backstory.

Character I think is overrated: Controversial Opinion but Garp. Don't get me wrong I think he's a very well written character and he's interesting and needed in the story, but he has such a large fanbase that go "Golly he's such a victim of the system :(." ...You mean the system HE'S voluntarily upholding???? He's so terrible to Luffy but ESPECIALLY Ace, and Koby might be his student but Koby is already twice the man Garp is lmao. I feel no sympathy for this man sorry.

Favorite ship: Frobin and Zosan, honorable mention to Namivivi as well. Frobin makes the absolute most sense in this world and Zosan I find to be a very fun exploration of both characters, even if it makes a lil less sense sometimes.

Something I love about the series: So I'm never going to claim One Piece is perfect, I have my issues with it. But it is undeniable that there is such love and care and joy injected into this series, while also balancing some really dark/realistic themes and concepts. Such incredibly strong character writing and worldbuilding, but most importantly Oda threads his themes through EVERYTHING in such an engaging way. I can talk about this series for hours upon hours I love it SO much.

Haikyuu!! (Forgive me this is the one I've watched the least recently plus I'm anime only lol)

Favorite character: I actually haven't talked about him much but probably Sugawara! Also Oikawa, Hinata, Bokuto, and Tsukishima are some of my faves as well

Favorite arc/episode/scene: Ooh maybe The Spring High Preliminary arc? I'm very excited for the movie though and I've heard great things about that arc as well. And not really an arc but I really really enjoy anytime they're training together, some of my favorite moments from the show even though they are less hype lmao.

Character I think is underrated: Sugawara >:( I just get him like no other and also kind of related with him being the second best setter on a team anskslxlfl

Character I think is overrated: Hmm don't feel too strongly about any character being overrated, maaaaybe Kageyama? I know most people would say Oikawa lmao but I like him he's the kinda pathetic man I like <3

Fave ship: Bokuaka!! Kind of elaborated before but yeah I just think they have a very sweet dynamic where they compensate for the other's quirks very well. Also love Hinata/Kageyama ofc, and also IwaOi

Something I love about the series: I think this is such a strong start point for people getting into anime or sports anime, idk if it's necessarily doing anything revolutionary but it just does everything right you know? Good feel good show and I do also particularly appreciate the volleyball aspect as that is my favorite sport lmao.

[arysthaeniru]

...I hear you’re doing drabble giveaways? :) I would love some nishitani/majima!! I saw you wanted to write a nishitani lives au and i hope you end up doing it because I would love to see how you write them ❤️

Aaaahhhh, thank you for this request <3 I hope you enjoy this little snippet, I really like Nishitani’s dynamic with Majima, because it’s so much about temptation and vices and flagrant hedonism that makes Majima value himself more as a person. Nishitani’s whole shtick is about pleasure and when Majima of Yakuza 0 is convinced he doesn’t deserve that, it makes for an excellent dynamic. 

Somehow Nishitani has found Club Sunshine. Majima notices him on one of their busiest days, on the tailend of dealing with a problem customer, who'd had issues with the quality of their champagne. He's cloistered himself in one of the back booths, entertained by Saki-chan.

Majima snaps to attention and rushes over to the booth, even though Saki hasn't made the hand signal for help yet. He snaps his fingers, once, twice. "Out." He says, shortly, and feels a slow curl of rage within him as Nishitani just turns to give Majima a once-over, slow and lingering, smirk spreading over his face.

"Majima-kun, I didn't think ya'd turn down a payin’ customer." Nishitani drawls, with a self-satisfied grin.

"Payin’ customer or not, yer trouble. Out." Majima snaps, stiffly.

Saki turns to look at Majima, anxiously, but she doesn't seem especially perturbed by Nishitani's presence. What is it about his charm where somehow, girls who dislike being taken for granted, are magically alright with Nishitani's presence? The girls at the Grand too, had been surprisingly unfazed by Nishitani breaking Majima's 'Look-Don't-Touch' rules. "Majima-san..." she says, in that tone that means she's worried about him.

"Ya all good here?" Majima asks Saki, gently. For all that she's a strong woman who is used to taking care of herself, Majima wants her to know she can rely on him to defuse anything uncomfortable for her.

"Don't be so paranoid, Majima-kun. We're getting along just fine!" Nishitani squeezes Saki's bicep, in an overly-friendly way, and Majima scowls when Saki just giggles, not even vaguely discomfited.

"Not talking ta you, am I? Shaddup."

"I'm fine, Majima-san." Saki says, with a sunny smile.

Majima grimaces to and turns his gaze on Nishitani. It's a busy night. He really can't insist on running Nishitani away, not if he's going to behave himself and get them money. He's got other girls to take care of. "One step outta line, and I call the police, pronto. Ya won't get ta fight me at all." Majima says, firmly, and turns on his heel to walk away, before he can get a response.

Inbetween getting refills for Yuki and towels for Erranda, Majima hears snippets of their conversation all evening.

"I like my lovers strong, intent. Makes everything more fun, ya know?" "Nothin’ draws the eye more than a girl who's confident in herself." "Gotta love somebody who can take care of 'emselves."

The whole time, Saki just laughs, handles herself with her usual graceful aplomb, steers the conversation in pleasant, easy directions, showing off her prowess as the former star of Club Jupiter, perfectly adept at handling rougher types.

Majima seethes, quietly and tries to not watch them, listen to them. But he can't help it. Whenever he has even a momentary breather, his peripheral senses can't help but turn towards Nishitani. He justifies it to himself as keeping an eye out for trouble, but if he's being really honest with himself, that's not the primary reason.

Majima's always been drawn to strength. It's the one thing that has always shaped his path, shaped his destiny. It had been what had drawn to him to Saejima, like a moth to the flame, in the middle of those Tokyo streets as a youth. It had been what convinced Majima to chain himself to Shimano’s yoke, get the man’s motifs and markings all over his back. It had been what made Majima so comfortable in Fei Hu’s shop, and so familiar with Lee’s rough approach. A mixture of sheer adrenaline, blood-thumping through his entire chest, a shot of courage, fury and wild chaos, and desire, slow and cloying, curling up in the pit of his stomach, making him light-headed and short of breath. Majima’s life has been defined and drawn around strength, power, desire, ambition.

And Nishitani’s powerful. He’d felt the surges of his strength, precision and cleverness throughout that short fight through the Grand’s centre-stage. If Majima had slipped even once, if Majima had been anything less than perfect, propelled by the fury of confusion, he would have died to Nishitani’s blade.

That shouldn’t be as much of a turn-on as it is.

Especially not when considering Nishitani’s about twenty years past his prime. He’s from the same generation as Shimano, Sagawa, those old fucks who’ve caged him in, trapped him down. With freckled sun-spots smattered over wrinkling skin, and touches of grey to the roots of his hair, and his scarred, calloused hands, Majima shouldn’t be drawn to him in that way. Old, pervy fucker, he should represent everything Majima hates most about the generation of yakuza above him.

But he can’t help it. Nishitani’s presence is like a livewire, electrifying, dangerous, addictive. And Majima couldn’t look away, even if he wanted to.

When the evening shift draws to a close, Majima leaves Youda and Yuki to be in charge of wiping down the place and saying goodbye to the last of the customers. He dips out for a smoke instead, to try and gain control of his fraying nerves, to pull himself back into a modicum of calm. He can’t lose himself in this.

He’s not yakuza anymore. Just a man desperately trying to stay alive long enough to let Saejima kill him. And a man trying desperately to preserve any sense of goodness, keep that fragile spark of a girl safe inside that cold warehouse... none of him has room for Nishitani’s advances.

And yet...

“You ever consider lettin’ yer hair free, Majima-kun? Just for a moment?” Nishitani drawls, voice dangerously close to Majima’s. They’re outside the club now, and he’s not a paying customer anymore. That makes this interaction dangerous.

“No.” Majima says, puffing out a cool breeze of smoke straight into Nishitani’s face. The fucker doesn’t even flinch, just grins, that lightly mocking smile.

“Not even once? Shame that. Pretty things like you only gets better when they cut loose a little, live free.” Nishitani says, sauntering around to prop himself up over Majima, trapping him into the wall. It’s at once a threat of aggression, and a threat of something else, something more sensible. His hand comes in close, as if to caress Majima’s hair, but he stops just short of doing it, balances it against the wall instead.

Perhaps he senses Majima’s internal tension, perhaps he knows that Majima will deck him the moment Nishitani lays a hand on him. Or maybe it’s something like respect for Majima’s rules. (Majima dismisses that thought immediately, Nishitani wouldn’t know respect if it came up to him and sucked his dick.)

Despite himself, Majima swallows a little, as he takes another deep inhale of the cigarette. “The fuck do you want? I ain’t tellin’ you where Makoto is.”

Nishitani grins. From up close, Majima can smell the alcohol on his breath, whiskey, cigarettes and something else, a little deeper. It’s not exactly a good smell, but it’s a familiar smell, a comfortable smell. Nishitani is the epitome of the yakuza lifestyle that Majima had grown up desiring.

“Don’t worry, Majima-kun. I ain’t here for that today. Got a little proposition for ya, instead.” he says, licking his lips. Majima can’t look away from his mouth, the slight pinkness of his tongue against his surprisingly dark lips, and so he almost misses Nishitani’s next sentence. “Got a job I need ya ter do for me.”

Majima frowns. “The fuck would I do that for?”

“Issa job only you can do” Nishitani grins, and waggles his eyebrows. “Compensate ya handsomely, of course.”

Majima rolls his eyes, but honestly, for cash-money, he’ll do just about anything for anybody, short of prostitution. Anything to get his debt to Shimano and Sagawa square. “What?” he asks, pretending to be bored, pretending none of this interests him.

“There’s this gambling club I run that’s been real trouble, lately. Won’t listen to a damn word I say, and they seem to be squirreling some cash away, some big winnings they managed to poach from a pack of fools. Can’t have that sort of shit on my turf.” Nishitani says, with a casual ease. “I’d send my boys in, but ya see, someone seems ta have done a number on ‘em, and they look about as threatening as a flock of pigeons, all covered in bandages like they are.”

“You could do it yerself.” Majima says, gaze darting down to Nishitani’s feet. Just over the edge of his socks, Majima can see the bandages, and he’s noticed that Nishitani holds himself with a limp. He’s clearly still injured from their fight, when Majima had shoved his fucking knife right inbetween his tendons.

“I could, but ya see, they know my face. They’d gear up for trouble the moment I stepped within a five-foot vicinity. You on the other hand...” Nishitani leans in, that smug grin only getting bigger.

Majima snorts, before he can stop himself. “Ya say that like everybody in this town doesn’t know my face, too.”

“Lord of the Night.” Nishitani agrees, and his voice hums with approval. “But ya see, yer reputation precedes you. Everybody knows ya don’t start fights, ya end them. So if you started a fight at the gambling parlour, not a damn soul would expect it.” There’s a crazed glint to Nishitani’s eyes, reflecting off the neon signs from the bars around them, and Majima shouldn’t be considering this at all, but he is. The thought of going in and smashing heads of people who actually deserve it always gets Majima’s blood simmering. He can’t help himself. He’s a creature nurtured on a diet of violence, and the Hole has changed him. It shaped him in the image of its own cruelty, and Majima had let its madness into his soul, or he would never have lived to see the sunlight again.

Majima wonders what had made Nishitani this way.

“The fuck would I jeopardize my rep for? For you?” asks Majima, dangerously.

“I’ll owe ya one, just the pleasure of seein’ ya go crazy in there.” Nishitani says, leaning inwards, mouth just centimetres from Majima’s ear. “Whatever ya want, name it.”

Majima’s skin is alit with goosebumps, he feels like a leaf in the breeze, one touch would undo him, undo all of Majima’s tightly laced boundaries, would unravel everything that has kept him safe and alive. If Nishitani pressed even an inch closer, Majima would agree to just about anything he asked. And they both know it, it’s the electric spark between them, Nishitani’s complete understanding of how fragile everything about Majima’s existence is.

But Nishitani doesn’t touch him, just lets his breath caress the inner curve of Majima’s ear and pulls back, eyes glinting with maleficent amusement.

He wants Majima to make the step on his own. He wants Majima to come apart at his own behest. Fucking sadist.

“Well. Let me know. Ya know where ta find me.” Nishitani says, slow and languid. “Be seein’ ya, Majima-kun.”

He saunters away without a care in the world, and Majima lets the cigarette drop from his mouth and presses his back against the wall outside Club Sunshine, desperately trying to quell the fire within him that blazes in indignation at letting Nishitani just walk away from him.

[athela-3]

crushing defeat

1.7k words; gen/comedy; hints of shipping if you blink, look here, and look away again; if everyone gives aspec vibes that’s my bad, I have no idea how allos work; 3 am nonsense is practically its own genre; mild language (canon-typical); no content warnings.

Yuki’s never had a crush before. Normally that’s not a problem, but now that he really needs to know what it’s like, nobody else in Mankai can seem to give him a straight answer. And what does cake have to do with anything?

“You. Elite Swindler. What's it like to have a crush?”

Itaru looks up from his phone and finds himself face-to-face with Yuki's inquisitive eyes. “Um.” He blinks, stalling for time while he forces his brain to take a U-turn from his game. “Why do you ask?”

Yuki sighs, swatting aside a strand of hair and tucking it behind his ear. “My character's supposed to be in love, but no matter how many times I try saying my lines it never sounds right. The Director said I should try asking around to get an idea what it's supposed to feel like, and you're sitting right here. So are you going to tell me or not?”

“Huh.” Well, that sounds like something she would do, Itaru concedes. He sits up, placing his phone face down on the sofa next to him. “If I have to describe it, I'd say it's inconvenient. Just because you like someone doesn't mean you'd like liking them. It's kind of like pulling a gacha and getting an SSR. If it's your favourite character, cool, but if it's a character you don't like and you already have three other copies of the exact same card, and now you have to grind all over again… not cool.”

Yuki rolls his eyes, and for a second Itaru thinks he's about to be on the business end of his trademark sarcastic zingers again. “But what is it like? It can't be as sappy as it looks like in Muku's manga.” Beat. Slowly, with dread creeping into his voice: “Is it?”

Itaru opens his mouth to answer, only for a better idea to spring into mind. He cranes his head to look into the kitchen, where Homare is nursing a cup of some fragrant tea blend with a complicated, bougie name. “Hey, Homare? How would you describe the feeling of falling in love?”

There's a brief pause, filled only with Yuki's wide-eyed Oh-No-You-Didn't stare, which Itaru diligently avoids. Then Homare places his teacup on the saucer with a gentle plink and replies, with the absolute certainty of an astronomer looking at the night sky: “Devotion astride with every doki doki… a sugary somnambulism, nefelibata's mazurka of watchfulness, feather-light fingertips painting patient litanies!”

“Exactly.” Itaru grins. “See? It's not that hard.”

Yuki's expression is flat, but Itaru thinks he can see the gears turning inside his head. Eventually he sighs. “Fine. You've made your point.”

“Look, that's all I've got,” Itaru shrugs. “Besides, why don't you ask someone who definitely knows what it's like? Have you tried asking Muku?”

“Duh. He tried to hand me a bunch of romance manga for reference. But that's fiction. If I want my acting to be realistic, I need to look at real life examples.”

“Why not ask Masumi then?”

“And listen to him babble about the Director for the next three hours?”

“Mm. Kazunari?”

“I'm not an idiot. I already asked everyone in my troupe.”

“Tsumugi?”

“I would, but he's not home. Tasuku says he's out tutoring. And before you start, I already asked the Muscle Freak. He mumbled something about high expectations and ran off.”

“Citron?”

“You've got to be kidding me.”

“Taichi?”

“The Dumb Dog? That's… a good idea. Plus I needed to check on his sewing anyway, he's supposed to finish them this—”

“Yo, Taruchi, where are you? Don't just go AFK on me like that!”

They turn to see Banri emerging from the stairwell, phone in hand and an annoyed look in his face. Itaru waves him over at once, relieved to find a potential back-up partner. “Banri! You gotta help me out, man. I need you to describe what having a crush is like.”

Banri stares slack-jawed, caught totally off-guard. “A crush? It's distracting, that's what. I mean, they're all you can think about, right? No matter what you're doing or where you go, you just keep thinkin' about 'em.”

Itaru snaps his fingers. “Right! And you know you've got it bad when you keep finding excuses to be around them. Or when you do weird stuff to get their attention, like giving them things or teasing them or picking fights with them—”

“Why would you pick a fight with someone you like?” Yuki squints, thoroughly unimpressed. “You can't expect them to fight with you and then magically like you back afterwards. That's just stupid.”

“Well,” Itaru grins, “it is.”

“Ah, but such is love!” rejoins Homare, his sentence punctuated by a neat clink as he places his drained teacup in the sink. “Even the greatest of geniuses are fools when it comes to love. Perhaps I should write a poem about that… the overripe ache of tenderness, rotting one's mind even as it enriches the soul…”

Banri shakes his head sharply. “Yeah, whatever. Just get the interrogation done with so we can start the next match.” With that, he marches off into the kitchen, brushing past Homare without a word to fetch a glass of water.

As the poet leaves, still murmuring fancy thesaurus words under his breath, Itaru turns to Yuki and raises his eyebrows. “So? Think you got a better idea now?”

“A little,” Yuki admits. “You're not so useless after all.”

“Huh. I don't know what I expected. Guess I'll take what I can get.”

At that moment, the front door swings open, and in walks Juza, carrying a bag full of groceries in each hand. Behind him is the Director, bearing an identical bag in her arms and pulling the door shut behind her with her foot. “We're home!” she shouts.

“Welcome home, Director, Juza. Whoa, that's a lot of loot today.”

She laughs. “Turned out there was a sale, and since it's important that we save money I thought we might as well stock up ahead. I was lucky Juza came along to help, otherwise I couldn't have carried all of this back alone.”

While she stops by to talk, Juza keeps heading for the kitchen to unpack his groceries, only stopping when he realises his roommate is blocking the way. When it becomes apparent Banri has no intention to step aside, a scowl clouds over his face. “Move.”

A corner of Banri's mouth quirks upward. “Or what? You can't touch me, your hands are full.”

“Don't have to. You can stand there if you want, but the Director won't like it.”

Begrudgingly, Banri inches aside just enough for Juza to squeeze through. When he sees the topmost layer of groceries, he makes a small wolf-whistle. “Three bottles of strawberry milk? What d'you think this is, Hyodo, a damn onsen?”

“Ya gonna stand there babblin', or ya gonna make yourself useful?”

“Nah, I'm good.”

“Oh, Banri? Since you're already in the kitchen, and you're not doing anything,” the Director chimes in, industrial-grade cheerfulness dripping from her every word, “why don't you help me make dinner?”

Itaru snorts. “Curry duty? Ouch. I'll press F for you later.”

“Actually, tonight is sweet and sour pork. I got a deal on bell peppers, but they have to be eaten quickly,” she tells him, before calling out to Banri: “You can start by washing and chopping them, by the way.”

“The Currian chooses not to make curry?” If Yuki's eyebrows rose any higher, they'd completely disappear behind his fringe. “Did you hit your head on the door coming in?”

“I'm sorry, we can have curry tomorrow if that's what you want,” the Director smiles sweetly, and Itaru wonders if this is what she's like in the office. He tries picturing her giving instructions to her juniors and suggestions to her superiors, all in that inhumanly saccharine tone of voice. The mental image alone gives him the chills. “Oh! How's your role study, Yuki?”

“Eh, it's a work in progress.” He pauses, eyeing her with a slight squint. Oh, no, Itaru thinks, here we go again. “But now that you're here, why don't you tell me what you think a crush is like?”

“Me? I haven't had a crush since…” her voice trails off. She walks to the kitchen, places her groceries on the counter, and starts unpacking them alongside Juza. “I don't remember. What I do remember is that when you've fallen in love with someone, you want them to be happy. You remember the little things they like and don't like, because there's no feeling like seeing them smile and knowing it's because of you, or something you did. If they're happy, you're happy. But if they're upset about something, then you feel bad too, even if it wasn't your fault.”

Yuki hums a wordless acknowledgement, face scrunched in thought. “And you?”

Silence. After a few seconds, Juza looks up from the cabinet he is currently stuffing with raw pasta. “…Me?”

“Yeah, dumbass. Who else?” Banri snorts. “Oi, gimme the pineapple. I can't find it in this mess.”

“Didn't get any.”

“What, so we're making sweet and sour pork without pineapple? Who eats sweet and sour pork without—” Realisation dawns in his eyes. He blinks, as if startled, glances at the Director, and looks away again. “Oh. Huh. Well, that's interesting.”

“Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Settsu?”

“None of your business. Now answer the damn question already so we can cook in peace.”

“We ain't cooking, you are,” Juza points out. “An' I dunno.”

“You don't know?” Yuki presses impatiently. “Or you're not telling?”

“Dunno. Never had a crush.”

“Tch. Of course you've never liked anyone. All you like is cake.”

Itaru nods comprehendingly, shooting up in his seat. ”Banri's got a point, you know, the cake does kind of give it away. Bet you also like dragons.”

“Wait,” Yuki interjects, “what's cake got to do with anything?”

“You don't know?” Itaru twists to face the boy completely. “Aw, man. I thought you of all people would know. Do you like cake?”

“What does it matter?”

“C'mon, it's just a yes or no question!”

“They're OK? I'm not that big on sweets, but I like the really pretty cakes. Especially the ones with edible flowers on top.”

“The real question is,” Banri looks up from the cutting board and points the knife at Yuki, “would you rather fall in love or eat cake?”

“What kinda stupid question is that?” Juza mutters, still playing grocery Tetris with the cabinet and therefore completely missing the death glare Banri sends his way.

“Shut your cakehole, nobody asked you.”

Yuki's brows furrow, and Itaru notices his eyes flickering to Juza before he settles on a reply. “If I had to choose, I guess I'd choose cake. Having a crush sounds so exhausting. Besides, I know what cake's like, so I know what I'm getting myself into.”

Itaru claps his hands together, triumphant. “See? Congratulations, you're Team Cake! Don't worry about the dragons, we'll get there when you’re ready.”

“But what does any of it have to do with—you know what, forget it.” Yuki throws his hands into the air, mere millimetres away from clocking Itaru's head. “I should've asked someone who knows what they're talking about. You guys are hopeless.” With that, he turns on his heels and makes his exit, presumably off to interview the next hapless sap to cross his path.

“Good luck!” the Director calls out.

Itaru shakes his head. “And here I thought we'd get more affinity points than that,” he mutters. “Talk about being hard to please.”

“Don't blame him, it is a tough subject to crack,” she points out. “Oh, does that mean you're free right now? In that case, can you please make some rice while I get the pork ready?”

“Welp. Is this a mandatory quest?” She nods, and he sighs, slowly stretching to his feet and pocketing his phone. “All right. But you owe me cake. All this talk's got me craving a slice.”

“I'll grab you some tomorrow, how's that sound?”

Banri's head snaps up again. “Hey, if he gets cake for helping, then how come I don't?”

“You don't even like cake,” Juza grumbles.

“I’m just sayin’, it ain’t fair. And don’t pretend you don’t want some.”

She reaches past them to grab the packet of pork on the table and laughs. “All you had to do was ask. You know what? I'll get you cake. Both of you.” She pauses to scratch her chin. “Come to think about it, maybe I should just get a nice big cake for everyone to share. I've got a feeling we're all gonna need it come tomorrow.”

[toku-explained]

The Swordswoman of Mist

Heroes' Odyssey: After mentioning his own persistent enemy, Belial, Zero talks about Z's enemies the Barossa Seijin, and Tiga's enemy the Kyrieloid.

Saber: Well, Tassel's back, wonder what he was up to. Touma has a dream of Primitive Dragon standing over the bodies of the other Swordsmen, he's awoken right before killing Mei by Luna, who asks him to help "him" before Touma awakens for real, both Tassel and Master Logos appear to be aware of Luna contacting Touma, which tells Master Logos that she's still alive. Rintaro, in front of Ren, Reika and the Southern Swordsmen, asks Master Logos if it can be true there's a traitor, while still not wanting to believe it, but is told Touma is the cause of the discord. Ren doesn't know what to do. In private, Master Logos calls Reika "Sabela". The Northern Swordsmen discuss the new Caliber, Yuri leaving, they still have Rintaro's books. Reika interrogates Sophia about a book, she doesn't get an answer. Without telling anyone Mei takes Rintaro his books back, he's really stuck. Reika enters Northern Base, where Ogami and Daishinji are, intending to eliminate all of them, revealing Noroshi, and using Konchu Daihyakka to become Kamen Rider Sabela. As she fights Buster demands to know if she's thinking for herself in all this, she says her and Master Logos share a will, and everything is to achieve his ambition, as she wins Sora runs away. Mei and Rintaro talk, Touma listening in. Luna and Sora have both lead Touma to realise he needs to help the boy he's seen, who may be Primitive Dragon. Rintaro and Touma start arguing while talking about how much they care for each other, they come to some kind of understanding right before Sora appears. The victorious Sabela claims Bremen no Rock Band when Touma jumps in, after a look at Rintaro, decides to transform. Tassel tells Yuri Primitive Dragon was sealed because no one could control it, says he can't tell him anything about Caliber, and leaves for another appointment. The moment Touma tries to transform Primitive Dragon takes over, leaving Rintaro to think about using King Lion Daisenki. Saikou arrives, and then when Primitive Dragon targets Rintaro Caliber appears again to protect him. Touma sees the boy again right before both of them are de henshined, revealing Caliber to be the returning Fukamiya Kento. I mean we all knew this was coming, just a matter of when.

Zenkaiger: The worlds of the Past 44 Super Sentai have all been sealed in gears, apparently in the middle of their battles, the last world targeted it Kaito's. As it merges with Kikaitopia, the Kikainoids suddenly appear, Gaon among them, confused, but Kaito knows them from his father's research. It's been a month, and society has merged, but the Kikainoids don't know how they got here, as Magine tells interviewers. Kaito's parents are missing, Secchan sits in the shop which Kaito's grandmother, Yatsude runs. Zyuran hangs with some humans, thinking of the Kikainoids at the too of the chain, the Tojitendo leaders, King Bokkowaus, to whom Ijirude explains they are working to seal the last world into a Tojiru Gear. With no progress made thanks to part of Kikaitopia merging into Kaito's world, Gege suggests invading it directly, which Barashitara is assigned to. Vroon, a cleaner, overhears some of this. The invasion begins, with Barashitara, the Kudaks and Kudaiters attacking humans and Kikainoids alike, Zyuran's friends run on fear from him as well. Kaito is saddened by what's going on, holding Secchan and contemplating his parents, when he decides he'll save the world, activating Secchan, who sends them to his parents lab, revealing his parents found other worlds and, inspired by those worlds Super Sentai, created the Sentai Gears and Geartlingers, so they can fight. Kaito rushed out and witnesses Zyuran, despite everything, risk his life to protect a boy, shooting the Kudak and recognising Zyuran's heroism, offers him to fight together. They become Zenkaiser and ZenkaiZyuran. Zenkaiser is in the vein of the "Himitsu" Sentai, essentially looking like if Akaranger was designed after Varidorin, while if Zyuran is based on Geki, ZenkaiZyuran is in the vein of the "Kyoryu" Sentai, looking like Daizyujin. Using the Zyuohger gear grant Zenkaiser ZyuohEagle's wings, Zyuran uses the Ninninger gear to use Nin Retsuzan. Barashitara summons a giant Kudaitest, alongside the existing Kudaiter, to wreak havoc, but Secchan teaches Zyuran to grow big, he then converts to Zyuran Tyranno to fight, and both defeat their opponents. The heroic exploits of the Zenkaigers are just beginning, but why are their mushrooms on everyone's heads? Zyuran Tyranno, while obviously referencing Zyuranger's Tyrannosaurus, to me also serves a a reference to all 4 Kyoryu Sentai, which each had a Red T-Rex ranger.

Dogengers: Rookie tries to protect I-Doll, but is being beaten by Yabai Kamen. Shaberryman takes Yuki hostage, stopping the others from acting. Yabai Kamen defeats Rookie and uses the Golden Seal to return I-Doll to Insurgent Mode, the 3 AHK members abscond, along with Yuki. Kitaqman, realising Tanaka knew about I-Doll and said nothing, is upset that Tanaka didn't trust him and leaves for Kitakyushu, Fukuokaliber recommends splitting up for the moment, El Brave going to cool his head, leaving Yamashiron depressed. Alone and missing Aoiron and Daidairon, Yamashiron manages to unknowingly unmute them, having accidentally done so before, and they demonstrate they can appear to him as holograms from the grills in his arms, giving some much needed encouragement. The chief gives El Brave some advice on recognising his allies' weaknesses as well as his own. Fukuokaliber tells Tanaka that Ohgaman and them all saw he had something they don't, and want to see what he can do. Kitaqman stands on a rooftop. Yabai Kamen at the office stews over the fact that only himself, Shaberryman and I-Doll still have their Golden Seal power, but with Yuki he has an advantage in negotiation, and intends to win. Yabai Kamen calls the heroes out, to meet in Shikadoshima at 10 am, when Kitaqman appears behind him, saying it's 10 pm now.

[karasuno-writings]

Hiiii~ So you know the thing in Fukurodani where they tell Bokuto that a girl in some row say's he's super cool? Now, may I please request a scenario / headcanons where after a match, the girl (reader-chan) they told him about ran into them outside and she and Bokuto met and they actually hit it off quite well? I'm sorry if this is too much 🙏💓

This is such a good idea honestly!! I liked it a lot, and I do love Bokuto so I HAD to write this :3 Sorry if I took long! I hope this is fine!!! 

Fem!! Pronouns ahead!

______________________

“Akaashi” Konoha grabbed the setter’s arm, setting him aside just enough as to not raise suspicions. Both of them stopped stretching for a few seconds, Akaashi looking at him with expecting eyes. 

“Should we do something about Bokuto?” He asked the setter, who looked over at Koutarou, his eyes staring at the horizon fixated at nothing in particular, but not quite right nevertheless. Akaashi had noted this ever since they put foot on the gym, but now he was sure they had to get him motivated if they wanted to have any chance of a good start-off. 

“We should” Akaashi nodded, looking once more at Konoha.

“Same old?” he questions, knowing fully well that Akaashi would know what he meant, and as soon as the setter nodded with a shrug Konoha walked over to where Bokuto currently sat, stretching his hands out. 

“So…” He started, not waiting for the ace to even stand up as he began “There is this girl in the front row ya know? And she is really pretty too” Bokuto stood up and scanned the crowd with big eyes, until he saw what was indeed a very pretty girl, looking down to where the boys practiced before the match.

“Is that her?! I can see what you mean” Bokuto nodded, she had something about her that made her stand out. Konoha had not noticed her before but took it as the perfect chance. 

“Yes...Well, Yukie did tell me that she told her, that you were super cool” He said, most naturally as Bokuto turned to him, beaming. 

“She did?! Akaashi! Team! ” Bokuto shouted over to his friend, who instantly knew the plan had worked as soon as he saw the ace’s face filled with excitement. Akaashi knew he didn’t have to answer to get the boy to carry on so he waited for whatever Bokuto had to say, the whole team had turned to look at their captain too.

“Let’s show them what we are made of!” He exclaimed, smiling. Bokuto was set on showing her what he was capable of. The team smiled triumphantly as Konoha flashed Akaashi a knowing smirk.

Bokuto looked over at her once more before the match began, she was talking with some friends, but there was something so surreal about her, she seemed nice, and fun, hoping that he would catch her attention, and maybe then she would approach him after the match. 

The whistle sounded and both teams prepared to start, they shook hands once before getting on their respective positions. It was their turn to serve as Koutaro’s mind was now ready and going at top speed, nothing could stop him now.

The first set ran smoothly, the team pouring their all into each play, working as perfectly as a well oiled intricate clockwork, each gear turning perfectly; and Bokuto was no exception, it is undeniable that on the first set he was in his prime.

The second set however, had a bumpy start, as Bokuto began losing track as the middleblockers of the opposing team seemed to have figured out his patterns, and while his strength was basically unstoppable those one touch had proven to be lethal as they gave the rival team a chance at scoring. 

His frustration had began growing, clearly annoyed by the precision of the blocks and the intricate thought process that led to and impeccable guessing of the direction of his spikes by the pesky blockers. With each one touch his spikes became increasingly stronger, which would not be a problem if that didn’t meant that his directioning decreased with each blast.

Akaashi noticed that Koutarou was losing focus as soon as one of his spikes slammed barely inside the court, dangerously close to the edges, and knew that if he carried on like this it would ultimately end for the worse. Bokuto’s weakness 23, he though, looking over just before the next play could start and immediately knew what to do, he quickly motioned for a timeout.

Bokuto was fuming as he walked over, stomping as he approached his team, he was not one to direct his anger and while he liked showing excitement, he’d rather stay quiet. 

Akaashi thanked that Konoha had left a foothold for him to solve the problem, making it way less of a hassle to deal with than it usually would. The setter looked over to you, you were now looking at Fukurodani’s team, curious as to what the timeout was for. Akaashi noticed you and with a smile he turned back once more, knowing that it was the perfect moment to get his friend out of his low. 

“Bokuto, she is looking over at you, maybe she is curious as to why your spikes are so aggressive now” He said, looking at his friend who immediately whipped his head over to you. 

You frowned slightly and blushed, it had not escaped your notice that the teams setter had been looking at you a few seconds ago, and now you were being watched by the ace, such attention seemed unusual. You saw him wave at you and blinking in confusion you slightly waved back, feeling the blood rush to your cheeks.

Bokuto saw you blush and his smile returned, a new drive rising on his chest. Of course he was not going to look like a fool on the eyes of someone whose attention he has got, specially after they had just waved back at him. He cleared his head up, and smiled at Akaashi, who knew that this was truly a crisis averted.

Bokuto’s plays became way more tactical than in the first half, and while unbelievably strong, he stopped compromising the other aspects of his spikes, trading his strength and channeling it into a deadly precision. Every time he scored he looked over to see if you had seen him, and every time your eyes met you felt like something was going on in that head of his.

The match was over, Fukurodani held the victory and Bokuto was ecstatic, congratulation all the players in the team, and thanking them for their incredible performance. He shook hands with their opponents and soon left the court, hoping to catch you on your way out.  

You were outside the gym, waiting for your friends to catch up, but your thought were elsewhere.You could not take the fairly handsome boy of your mind, and you couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had you done to catch his attention in such a way, specially in the middle of a match. 

“Hey hey!” Bokuto skipped down the stairs, jumping over to where you stood. You turned to look at him, noticing how much handsome he looked up front, biting your lips as you hoped nothing would give your sudden liking of him off. Your head swayed left and right, expecting him to be talking to someone else, but you noticed he was talking to you when he stopped right where you stood. 

“You really think I’m super cool?!” He smiled, eyes wide as he waited for an answer. You blinked in confusion, while he was not wrong you wondered what exactly had sparked such a thought on his mind.

“Well, I definitely do” You sheepishly answered, a hand covering your neck as you averted his eyes.

Akaashi stopped dead on his tracks as he saw Koutarou talking to you, he really did not thing that would happen, but knowing his friend he now noticed it was a foolish thing to overlook. He just hoped that Bokuto would not make a fool of himself. 

“I’m Bokuto Koutaro, nice to meet you! ” He smiled, pink tinging his cheeks as he took in your features properly for the first time. He now got why he was so absolutely mesmerized by you; up close your eyes sparkled, and the way your smile curled your lips up in such a sincere way made him stare maybe a bit too much. There was an air about you that just managed to peak his curiosity, and being so nice, he wanted to know you better.

“Y/N, a pleasure” You were still not sure how you had caught the attention of the captain, but the way his eyes landed on yours and the excitement with which he talked made you feel comfortable around him. 

“Hey! If you are not busy you can come with my friends to celebrate our victory!” He asked, formalities had never been his strongest suit, but the sincerity in his request really did say that he wanted to get to know you, it was not everyday that he hit it off so easy with someone like you. 

“Sounds wonderful”

[crapitskizaru]

Side Effects May Include: Devil Fruits Edition

🦖 Could I request some HCs on how devil fruits would affect the user’s sex lives? :o this is so vague but it’s so interesting to consider that I wanted to hear your opinions, haha

Warning: in-depth analysis of all the naturalistic filth that comes along in the topic of a human body and sexual encounters + freakishly long-ass post that includes most of the currently known devil fruits 

Logia Types

Hie Hie no Mi (Kuzan) 

❄️ since he’s such a chilly guy ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°), he’d certainly use his abilities to cool down the temperature of his body during any sexual encounter - Kuzan doesn’t really like all the heat and sweat that is produced during the steamy see what I did here? hilarious times in between him and his current lover 

❄️ if his partner’s vagina is sore because of reasons varying from physical injuries to hardcore love-making, he’s the perfect guy to come up with a quick solution - a chilly, smooth dildo of his own making to ease out the pain pretty much torpedoes the problem 

Goro Goro no Mi (Enel)

⚡️ this one’s a little tricky; since he can transform himself into pure electricity, he’d have to keep that in mind at all times, especially when reaching his climax - so that he wouldn’t electrocute his lover from too much excitement 

⚡️ if he’s an extreme sucker for kinkplays, he could use the tiniest bit of his powers to either stimulate his partner or punish them for disobedience of any kind, provided they’re into it as well 

⚡️ given that Enel can also use his skills to listen to the electrical sound waves in the air, he’d have an incredibly detailed perception of how his lover reacts to particular sex positions, angles of his thrusts and so on i honestly don’t know what to do with this information 

Gasu Gasu no Mi (Caesar)

☁️ sex in the air?????

Magu Magu no Mi (Sakazuki)

🐶 this shit only serves him an inability to get too caught up in the moment, unless he wants this particular person to get burned alive during sex 

🐶 so besides the obvious flaws, the only advantage I can think of is being able to serve as a human heater to his partner during particularly cold nights if only he would ever actually cuddle someone

Mera Mera no Mi (Acey & Saboo)

🔥 just as with Akainu, these bois will instantly heat up even their coldest partners - a lot of warmth and a lot of sweat-producing usually accompanies them during love-making sessions 

🔥 might include the annoying issue of holes being burned right through their clothing whenever they get too fiery with the act - as well as the possibility of unintentionally starting a fire in the room 

Moku Moku no Mi (Smoker)

🚬 I can easily imagine him using the ability of producing as much smoke as he fancies to blind his lover for maximized kinky submission experience 

🚬 also, using the great speed with which all the smoke allows him to move in order to intensify the frequency of his thrusts - could it get any better?

Numa Numa no Mi (Caribou) 

🛸 used for stabilizing his partner’s legs/waist/arms so that he can devote all of his attention towards pleasuring both of them, without having to worry about occupying his hands to hold them 

🛸 also available for kinky use - all of that bondage gear could be replaced with those muddy serpents of his just perfect 

🛸 provided he’s got a rather powerful dominance/daddy kink, Caribou could also create the bottomless swamps to trap his partner and make them beg for his cock 

Pika Pika no Mi (Borsalino) 

💥 reflecting himself into various positions to gain dominance? Heating his partner up? Providing enough room lighting? Sex at the speed of light? What?

Suna Suna no Mi (Crocodaddy) 

🐊 trapping his lover in piles of quicksand for further teasing seems like a good enough idea to me - also, since he can crumble things to dust in literal seconds, stripping his partner down is never as quick as when it comes to this man 

🐊 the ability to absorb any liquid makes cleaning up his cum from the drenched sheets a rather easy job that’s quite handy actually 

Yami Yami no Mi (Blackbeard) 

👺 the only use of this shit that I can think of is, again, blinding his partner and surrounding them with pure darkness, leaving them all hot and bothered in anticipation for his traitorous cock 

👺 could also serve as a technique of pulling a person towards himself, like he did with Ace, but that’s just too scary to me, idk 

Yuki Yuki no Mi (Monet)

💨 compressing her snow to different bondage gear, as well as cooling her partner down at particularly humid times - although I think it’d be hard for her to control the powers while being in a highly aroused state 

Paramecia Types

Ato Ato no Mi (Jora) 

🎨 courting her crushes with abstract art paintings, thank u very much 

Awa Awa no Mi (Kalifa) 

🛁 unlimited lube supplies

🛁 now that’s what I’m talking about 

🛁 I can assure you, this woman would go all out with those bubbly powers - using it to turn her various kinks into reality 

🛁 used for draining her partner’s energy to gain as much dominance over them as possible; also to clean up from all the bodily fluids that cover them after each round of sex 

🛁 could come in handy to relax her partner and bring them floods of pleasure, often to the point of overstimulation 

Baku Baku no Mi (Wapol) 

🏰 no, I can’t do this 

Bane Bane no Mi (Bell)

🛎 boing-boinging into his lover during sex??????

Bara Bara no Mi (Buggy D. Clown)

🤡 oh, this one’s good 

🤡 this fruit allows him to use more dildos and plugs with his fingers than he could count on one hand - mainly because he’s got two im so funny 

🤡 thrusting inside his partner and giving oral at the exact same time, because why not; the only requirement would be that his lover can’t get too grossed out by all of this dirty shit 

Bari Bari no Mi (Bartolomeo)

💫 being able to make love to his partner against the barriers that he creates/creating surfaces to fuck on in places that no one sane enough would ever consider as suitable ones for having sex 

Bata Bata no Mi (Galette) 

😈 imagine how much fun this woman has in bed - being able to control and restrict anyone’s movements with those buttery thingies, she doesn’t even have to try much to be the dominant one in between the sheets

😈 also, consider this: butter-flavoured lube and unlimited + unbreakable flavoured condoms 

Beri Beri no Mi (Very Good)

🍇 berry/sphere-shaped dildos??? incredible

Beta Beta no Mi (Trebol)

💧 if his partner has a vagina, he could control their discharge, as in the amount and its texture - what for, I have no idea 

💧 he’d also be able to restrict his lover’s movements, as well as come up with new positions, since he can attach himself to any surface 

💧 other use may be as a lube? although that’s pretty disgusting 

Bisu Bisu no Mi (Cracker) 

🍪 do you find yourself daydreaming about sweets when close to climaxing? Are you experiencing unexpected, overwhelming cravings during sex? Constantly hungry? Or simply bored with orgasms? Fear not! This man will supply you with floods of biscuits to munch on so that both of you will be pleasured 

🍪 moving cookie dildos??

Doru Doru no Mi (Mr.3)

🕯 various bondage constructions made with wax? 

Fuku Fuku no Mi (Kin’emon)

👙 imagine how many sets of lingerie this man would create for his partner to wear - a literal dream come true when it comes to this pervert 

Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Shiki)

🦁 advanced sex positions in the air/rotating his lover according to the man’s whims 

Giro Giro no Mi (Violet) 

🌹 this woman would bring her lover as much pleasure as possible while also making their deepest kinks and desires come true 

🌹 she’s also able to read which positions are the most enjoyable for her partner and what they secretly think of her sex skills kinda scary if you ask me 

Gura Gura no Mi (Whitebeard) 

🌎 what may be possible when it comes to this fruit is creating the tiniest vibrations in order to stimulate different areas of a human body and bringing powerful orgasms, although that’s just too good to be true 

Hana Hana no Mi (Robin-chwan) 

🌷 giving oral and being able to grope her partner, both at the same time, seems like a pretty good use of this devil fruit 

🌷 slight possibility of sprouting as many pair of legs as she fancies and ability to take theoretically unlimited partners at the same time? 

Horu Horu no Mi (Ivankov) 

👅 starting the love-making session while having a dick and ending it with a vagina? Why not? 

👅 imagine how much Ivankov could arouse their partner by increasing their levels of dopamine/serotonin/testosterone/estrogen, according to their desires

Hoya Hoya no Mi (Charlotte Daifuku) 

🏺 gains +1 spectator, if he’s an exhibitionist ;)

Kage Kage no Mi (Gekko Moria) 

🕳 could have multiple partners, exclusively at his service?

Kilo Kilo no Mi (Miss Valentine) 

🎀 would totally be able to pin her lover to the bed, preventing them from flipping on top of her - what an easy way to gain dominance, although she’d have to be extra careful not to crush them well

Kobu Kobu no Mi (Bello Betty<3)

🌌 her partner receives almost overwhelming waves of encouragement, whether in order to praise them or to push them to keep going - this woman certainly doesn’t take sex lightly 

🌌 is able to turn even the most insecure lovers into confident sex-animals in the matter of seconds 

Kuri Kuri no Mi (Charlotte Opera) 

🍦 moisture! Lube! Food kink! Quick snack! Fluffy surface! Whatever you want!

Mane Mane no Mi (Bon Clay) 

🦄 ever wished it was your crush instead of ą random hook-up? Problem solved indefinitely~

Mato Mato no Mi (Vander Decken)

🐍 he could try aiming dildos at his partner from afar? Why did I even think of this?

Memo Memo no Mi (Charlotte Pudding) 

🎞 rewatching her and her partner’s favorite sex moments whenever she wants, almost like a portable(?), realistic porn movie

🎞 being able to erase all of the sexual encounters during which she either didn’t enjoy herself enough or performed badly and doesn’t want her lover to remember it terrifying 

Mero Mero no Mi (Hancock) 

🎇 keeps perverts at distance 

Mochi Mochi no Mi (Charlotte Katakuri) 

🍩 food kink

🍩 is able to restrain his lover’s movements so that they have to plead for his cock - good method whenever Mochi’s in a dominant mood~ 

🍩 food kink

🍩 it also allows him to create as much mochi as he desires in order to either lick it off of his partner’s body or make them lick him clean 

Nagi Nagi no Mi (Rosie)

🍰 his lover can be as loud as they want - screams, pleads, moans and groans of pleasure - nothing will be audible outside of his sphere, which comes in handy when he just wants to have a quickie and Doffy’s in the room next to them 

Netsu Netsu no Mi (Charlotte Oven) 

🌡 hot dick 

Nikyu Nikyu no Mi (Bartholomew Kuma)

🐾 useful when you never want to see your partner again 

Ope Ope no Mi (Trafalgar the Fucking Law) 

⛄️ now that’s the kinkiest shit 

⛄️ just visualize all of the fucked up poses and positions he could slice his partner into, and then multiply it by Law’s level of sadism - great 

⛄️ this man’s totally able to make his partner watch from afar as he plays and fucks their body the way he likes 

⛄️ could he slice his dick off and use it as a dildo though?

Ori Ori no Mi (Hina)

⛓ brings hardcore bondage to a completely new level (:

Pero Pero no Mi (Charlotte Perospero) 

🍭 what else if not creating lickable, candy dildos - and just like Mochi, he loves to lick his own candy from his lover’s body 

🍭 also various candy creations to restrain his lover with

Wara Wara no Mi (Basil Hawkins) 

🃏 cute little voodoo dolls to cuddle!

Ito Ito no Mi (Donquixote Doflamingo)

🍨 imagine how incredibly kinky this man can get with his powers 

🍨 holding his partner in the air with those strings? Leaving small cuts all over their body, if they agree to that, edging and marking?

🍨 also using it as bondage gear and maximalyzing his Daddy authority/dom position, since his partner can’t even wriggle so that they won’t get cut 

Bastard Bastard no Mi (Eustass Kid)

🔥 manipulating the restricting bondage gear/handcuffs/jewelry of his partner’s according to his whims and wishes 

🔥 also knife play mastered to perfection?

Zoan Types

🦖 every furry’s heaven, thank u 

[venus-says]

Kamen Rider Gaim Episodes 21-47

I LOVE FRUITS.

⚠ ⚠ Warning! Very long post ahead, be prepared. ⚠ ⚠

Yes, I got a bit too excited about this damn show and I couldn't contain myself from watching the rest of it on the weekend so here we are, a post for the rest of the show in its entirety.

I feel like this, kinda like the first one I did for Gaim, will be a post where it'll look like I hate the show because I'll talk a lot about the points I disliked and I won't spend as much time talking about what I did enjoy so let me just reinforce, I LOVED THIS SHOW A LOT (so much that I couldn't wait for another week to watch the ending) it's just that ironically it's easier to talk about the bad points rather than the good ones. XD

Since there's a whole lot to talk about I'll do this differently and instead of talking about the story as a whole, I'll comment on each character and their journey instead because I feel like this the best way to do it.

Starting with our protagonist, Kouta... was kinda difficult for me. Like, I get that he went through a lot and he definitely had an arc of growth that was compelling to watch, but I think his indecisiveness at times was kinda boring to see. And my problem isn't so much that he's not assertive of what decisions he has to take is the fact that we see him in periods of doubt, then the show makes it seem like he finally has made a decision, just to a few episodes later make him be doubtful of his convictions again. And while I understand that it's a normal thing to change your thoughts about something, I feel like it happens SO MUCH in the show that it feels forced for convenience of the narrative at times. They can't make him decide on a path earlier because the path of other characters wasn't laid down yet so he had to be in this constant roller coaster which got a little tiring after the fourth time he argued about what would be the best course of action to deal with Yggdrasil, the Overlord invasion, Kaito and Mitchy, and all of that.

Though I'll give credit for the show where it's due and it is very in character for Kouta to be like this so as much as it bugged me I know that if he was a real person IRL Kouta would do the exact same things and take the exact same decisions he made so that's great. Though I have a little problem with his selflessness, in the end they make a huge point about how Kouta was always like that, he always put the needs of the others before his own, but we never really see a backstory for him, the closest we get to his past is that one episode where we get to know that he rescues a dog while he was kid, so all we have to back up that claim is the show and, at least to me, it never felt like he was putting himself aside for the others. Of course, that may be because he's so selfless that even when it looks like he's doing things for his own satisfaction he is helping the others because that's where his satisfaction comes from, but I can't deny that it felt like we missed an episode just to illustrate that a little better.

Now, if there's one thing I really didn't buy was Kouta basically becoming a God by the end. First, he looks awful, I know his "armor" is basically the Zenith form but goooooosh he looks awful, everything there looks 4 sizes bigger than Kouta's actors actual size and geez that wig... how could they find a wig for Mai that looked pretty natural (aside from the color) but gave him that awful instant noodle wig???? And not just the looks, I knew that Kouta would be the one to be chosen in the end, not just because of his relationship with Mai but also because the entity that should be impartial in this whole matter only actively helped him during this journey so aside of a brief moment where I thought Kaito had the chance of being the one, I pretty much knew since the beginning that the one to hold the golden apple at the end would be him, which took all the tension this specific plot had to me.

Speaking of Gaim, he got two new forms, and they were pretty dope. The first one is the Triumph Arms and it sits with OOO's Tajador and Wizards' Infinity as my favorite rider forms from the ones I could experience so far. He looks like he's fully geared up and he's gonna get into that field and beat the entire enemy army on its own, I absolutely love everything about it, the fact this form has two flags on his back announcing that he's coming and those flags are also used in combat to me it's just incredible, and the DJ Gun???? Omg, that's so creative and so fun, I absolutely love it, also the bgm song that plays when this form is used is super hype and I desperately need to download it and listen to it on repeat for a whole month. The way it came up to be in the show was a little meh, the first time he uses it is to destroy Yggdrasil's scalar weapon thing so it wasn't that big of a moment, but it was still great. The other form he gets isn't as cool, at least to me, but I love that his final form is an actual shogun, again whoever was the person who came with this concept was a genius. I have an aesthetic problem with the fruits basket on his chest plate, but I pretty much like everything else about it. This form is everything Fourze's Cosmic States wanted to be but less convoluted and way better looking. And again another great song for this form, I know it's not exclusive for him but it doesn't make it any less awesome, honestly, Gaim's soundtrack is just incredible.

Moving on to Kaito, seeing his descent into the final villain of the show and perishing because of it was quite fun, and I also like that despite him going to the evil path he didn't become a monster. I mean, he did become a monster by the end after he turned into an Overlord himself, but even in his villainous path he still cared for the people who were at his side, you could see that he cared for Zack (to a certain extent), and he really cared for Yoko, so it was good to see that he didn't just become a senseless evil force, he had a vision for what he wanted and he was determined to achieve his goal. If I have to say a bad thing about him, and in this case, it's very similar to one of the complains I had about Kouta, that is the fact that we didn't get a lot of his past, I said in my first post that I didn't really get him and I still feel this way, all I know from his past is that he hates Yggdrasil for taking over the city and destroying the life that he had, but we don't know anything else and it gets hard to understand why is he so obsessed with power like that, I think that if instead of having the episode that served as tie-in for the movie we had used that to dive into his path and on his character more it would've been better, especially to make his death more impactful (but maybe that's not really necessary and the impression I have from this moment not being as good is because of the faces his actor was doing at that moment).

Talking about Baron, I got a little disappointed because his power-up form as a Rider was using the Lemon Energy lock seed and you know considering he would end up becoming the final villain I wish he didn't use the same lock seed that other two riders already used, especially when for one of them Lemon is it's only form, I don't know if it was a logistic problem but like they could've given him another fruit to use, or even make a Banana Energy lock seed and make it feel like if it was a direct evolution of his suit. But I think they redeemed themselves with his Overlord design because it looks amazing, very threatening and incredibly powerful. I think I'll never forget his final fight with Ryoma, it was awesome.

Mitchy was fun, I hated him every second of it but it was really fun seeing him becoming a crazy, obsessive, delusional asshole. He was everything I wanted for a villain, but I didn't like how he ended. Like, he almost killed Kouta and his brother, and the other characters in the show kept wanting to save him, and then in the end the show gave him a redemption by making him a hero and I was "oh please no". Call me a heartless prick but I do think he should've ended broke in the same mind state he was after Mai "died", I'm not against the idea of bringing Takatora back from the dead, but he really shouldn't be there acting as a hero in the final fight for the last episode. If they wanted to redeem him they should make him play the role Gridon had in that fight but without transforming and then Kouta comes back, he forgives Mitchy, but Mitchy doesn't forgive himself and he still has to live with the consequences of his acts weighing on his heart and he'll have to work to become a better person with the help of his brother instead of magically becoming a hero and everything is all joy and dances.

Next in line is Mai, and the problem I have with her is the same problem I have with the archetype she is in this story. She's the girl who has a deep connection with the main rider that has almost no personality that in the end plays up a crucial role in the main story, it was like that with Koyomi in Wizard, with Yuki in Fourze (on a smaller scale), Hina and OOO, and I'm really tired of this, especially because none of these characters are actual characters, none of them get any level of development through-out their shows, they have a quirk unique to them (Hina's supernatural strength, Yuki enthusiasm for space, Koyomi is a doll, Mai likes dancing) and is that quirk that defines them and their actions and it's really boring. Making characters like them be so important for the final plot kinda weakens everything because these are characters that I don't care for, but then suddenly they have the power of god inside them and I must get apprehensive about who she'll turn into a god as well even though when it's obvious who they'll choose to beneficiate in the end. I really don't like this element.

Zack was a nice surprise, I do think they waited too long to give his character some development because despite he appearing quite a lot he also was in the back seat many of those times so it was a bit of wasted potential. But he had his times to shine and when it came to it he really shined brightly, I think one thing that helped him a lot was all his interactions with Kaito while he tries to understand what's going on with his friend that he cares so deeply. I should be angry at him since Yoko died because of him, but I can't deny that his plan at the end to act as a double agent was pretty cool. I'm glad they gave him a movie special because I feel like he really deserves more exposure, I started not caring for him but I ended liking him quite a lot.

Another set of characters that also changed in my concept was Oren and Hide. My problems with them still exist, but after seeing their bond in episode 25 and seeing them becoming allies I grew to like them more, especially during the final arc. I still wish they weren't used for comedy as much as they are, but I came to be okay with them. Also, Hide in that final episode showed a lot of character seeing that he hasn't let go from Hase yet showing that he's more than just a coward guy that lives in the shadows of the others so, it's kinda impossible to hate on them after the end of the show.

Going to the new generation Riders, Takatora it's the one that had the most interesting development. I think what I like the most from this portion was seeing that he's very genuine in his desire to help humanity, he was open to listening to Kouta when he got to know about the Overlords, he didn't want this fight to happen, he just wanted to keep people safe. I also liked seeing he's fall and his uprising, everything happened in a very short time span, but it was very interesting to see his world falling apart in front of his eyes, but even then he didn't lose his convictions and this culminates in that great episode where he fights against Mitchy. I'm a sucker for siblings fighting each other in situations like that and they really delivered here, like bringing back his original melon suit to go against Mitchy who was using his energy lock seed was awesome, I did wish he had won that but I guess if he had won we wouldn't have Mitchy going deeper and deeper in his darkness so... but I'm glad they brought him back, just wish they had used him more in the final episode. But well, we got him as a "ghost" inside Mitchy's head for a good portion of the show so I guess it was a good trade-off. I'm really excited to watch his movie.

Yoko makes me sad. Not because she's bad but because the show didn't allow her to be used to her full potential. Like, she's a strong independent woman, but the show doesn't let her shine on her own, she for some reason, has to be always following a man, and even though she's still amazing and all the decisions she makes are very befitting with her character, I still wish she had done more. I thought at that moment where Ryoma left her behind while the Overlord invasion was happening she would finally bloom, but no, she just started following Kaito around. And don't get me wrong, her period with Kaito was very good, it ended up with her getting killed but it was still good, I just wish they had used her more, especially considering her actress also did a good portion of her in-suit scenes. I think wasted potential is the best way to describe her, sadly. Still love her to death tho.

Sid and Ryoma I don't have a lot to talk about. Sid was interesting just until the time he stopped being a dude that watches the situation from the outside, in the moment he started to get obsessed with power he lost all he had going on for him. At least he died and his death was quite decent so. And Ryoma, well he's Ryoma, he never had that much of a character to begin with so I don't have a lot to say. He's the typical mad scientist that's willing to use any ways possible for the sake of his research. It's not much, but it works for him.

The final characters to talk about are the Overlords. I like them, their designs are very cool, I like the concept of them being the last reminiscent of their civilization, and I also like that they gave them a new language. I have a problem with the fact that after a certain point they start to use Overlords as MOTW, but it doesn't offend me a whole lot. I like how they enter this story both as a threat and as a sliver of hope and despite becoming the main villainous actors they don't last till the end. I think what we got was way more interesting than if the Overlords had taken the final boos spot.

This pretty much sums up all of my thoughts in regards to the characters, but I still have a few nitpicks to talk about in a general perspective.

First, the show had two episodes that broke the action that were very weirdly placed, the first is that one with cyborg guy and the second is the tie-in with the movie, and these episodes shouldn't exist, I'm sorry. I know the tie-in episode is kinda important because it's a villain of the movie that comes attack in the final episode, but I only know that because I went to look it up because from the tie-in episode there's no way for the audience that only had contact with the show to know who's that rider attacking is. My second nitpick is that the show ended without a message, I know a message it's not something necessary to make a show good or not, but I don't know I feel like it would've been nice to have something it was trying to pass.

In any case, this is already way longer than it should be so I'll wrap up right here. Gaim is an awesome show, despite my problems with it I really love it and I definitely recommend everyone to watch it. I'm in love with this series and I don't wanna let it go. I hope the next one will be just as good. Now if y'all excuse me I'll walk in the path of blossoms to my bed, thank you so much for reading this absurdly long post and don't forget, if they could make fruits and samurai work you can make any of your stupid ideas become real as well, maybe that's the whole message of Gaim. XD Oh well, I'll see you, folks, on the next time. ^^

[gx5ds]

Prompt: Spirit (Yugiotober) & Gunpoint (Whumptober) Characters: Judai, Yubel, Paxton Fettel (F.E.A.R.), Point Man (F.E.A.R.) Ship: None Warnings: Mentions of Minor Character Death as well as Past Canonical Character Death Summary: Judai makes his way through Fairport to where something is tearing down the barrier between dimensions. It's not a very nice stay so far.

A/N: You don't have to know the F.E.A.R. canon to read this fic as I made sure that Judai is pretty clueless about everything as well, but if you do, well, you're gonna understand everything I hinted at.

Judai hated Fairport. Sure, he hadn't been here long, but he had a pretty solid case so far between the weird cultists with their glowing red eyes and the soldiers happy to gun down anyone not wearing a uniform. And here he thought the weird dimensional breaking energy emitting from somewhere in the city would be his biggest problem. Everyone here was insane, a monster or both.  

"Good. We'll fit right in," Yubel's voice echoed in his mind.

He looked through one of the small houses in the suburbs he found himself in. Yes, he was still only in the suburbs. If it wasn't for that energy, he'd turn right back around. He just hoped he would still make it in time with all these distractions. At least this house was free of any candles or the blood paintings the cultists liked to leave everywhere. A good sign all things considered. He preferred to go up against the soldiers anyway.

Judai searched for any ammunition caches the soldiers may have hid. He was running low on ammo on the small handgun he nicked from a soldier, not that the guy had use for it anymore what with being dead. He never held a gun before unless he unarmed someone, but he was getting lots and lots of practice in. Plus, whatever helped him conserve his energy to fix the rifts in the dimensions was good in his book.

He was about to reach for the door to the backyard when it opened. A human, and he was pretty sure it was a human, moved faster than a human should be able to. A gun was leveled to his face. Judai raised his arms just as quickly, in surrender and getting ready to reflect any bullets with magic. He watched as as the guy's finger curled around the trigger. Magic gathered in Judai's hands, ready to push out a shockwave at the right moment.

"Wait, brother," A deep voice cut in, causing gun guy to stop in his tracks. "This one is... different."

Judai didn't dare look away from the guy in front of him to whoever was talking, but he did take the chance to look closer at him. He was a soldier, just not one of those soldiers. His equipment was worn and parts of it were missing. He didn't even have a bullet proof vest on, only a simple pullover. His face was all hard lines, thick stubble and seemingly pulled into a permanent frown. Dark chin length hair was combed back. His blue eyes stayed fixated on Judai as he waited for the other to speak again.

"You can feel it too, right? That he is like us. Different, yet the same."

The man frowned even deeper, but slightly lowered his gun. It was still trailed on Judai, just not his face. It still helped Judai relax. Not that he let his guard down. That would be a stupid thing to do.

"He could prove useful in finding mother."

Weird to go look for a relative in a situation like this when you had the chance to run away, but Judai had no room to judge them. He pretty much had done the same multiple times in the past and would do so again without hesitation. "Well, I am pretty good at finding people in the middle of chaos, so I'd be down for that. Usually it involves a lot less guns though."

The man's attention snapped back to him fully at that. And man was he good, Judai hadn't even noticed how much of it he spend on his brother, as if keeping an eye on his brother had been a higher priority than the threat right in front of him. As if his brother was a higher threat than anyone else. Huh.

"You can hear me?" A voice sounded near Judai's ear.

Judai tried to keep his cool. He hadn't heard any steps nor did he feel any breath on his skin despite the clear proximity. "Loud and clear."

He entered Judai's field of vision then. He looked just like the guy holding the gun. Though his face was softer and bare of a beard, his hair shorter. Dressed more like a civilian would, in leather jacked and simple pants. But above all he was translucent, like any other spirit Judai met. Unlike those spirits however, he was surrounded by a red aura and had a bullet wound in the middle of his forehead.

He watched Judai as Judai watched him. A grin tugging at his lips. "So you can see me as well."

Judai shrugged. "You're not exactly subtle with that glowing red aura."

The grin got predatory. "Indeed, I'm not." He looked at his brother over his shoulder. "Like I said: Different, yet the same."

His brother shook his head, but lowered his gun.

Judai sighed in relief as he let his arms flop down. "Since we'll be traveling through deadly enemy territory for who knows how long, I feel we should at least know each other's names. I'm Judai Yuki."

"I'm Paxton Fettel and this is my brother." He nodded at Point Man who was checking over his gear. "People refer to him as," he sneered, "Point Man."

Judai raised a brow. "Really?"

"Really."

"That sounds like a pretty bad name."

"At least it's better than what that man used to call us." The words were said with so much poison, all of DA could've fallen over dead.

Judai decided to drop the topic. "So... where do you think your mother could be?"

"The center of the disruption."

"The center? How far in the center are we talking here?"

"Dead center," Paxton confirmed, his grin reappearing.

Judai sighed deeply. Of course. "At least that means there won't be any extra tours."

Paxton got a look that Judai couldn't quite read. "You're heading for the center as well?"

"The reason I'm here really. I felt that the barrier between the dimensions began to break and some of them starting to fuse together. I gotta repair that before we all get destroyed. And to do that I need to go to where it's breaking."

"I see." He turned to Point Man. "Maybe he can get through that thick head of yours and make you see sense, brother."

With that he disappeared, leaving behind a dark red and black cloud of... something behind that slowly faded away. Judai could still feel his presence. Man that guy was a really powerful spirit for a human.

"You know, I'm really glad you don't do that when you fade away," he said to Yubel.

"I could."

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?"

Whatever Judai wanted to say to that was quickly forgotten when Point Man waved him over. He lead him through the house and out through the garage. He walked with purpose, though his steps were quiet. He apparently already knew the way. Or he was just very good at guessing. Either way they made quick progress. Point Man was always on the move and Judai was right at his heels.

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Curious, who's your favorite Persona MC?

(sorry for taking so long with this too ;w;) Including spinoffs, manga, and anime (not dramaCDs cause I haven’t listened to all of them tho I should note I do like the P3P one, both male and female side, nor novels cause....they haven’t been translated....tho that’d really only apply to P1MC’s novel form aka “Jihei”). I also don’t know where to put Anime!Ren, probably after P1MC if “Ren is kind of just their” fan’s testament is anything to go by.

Hamuko/P4MC/Souji/Maya>Naoya/Tatsuya/Moive!Makoto>Spinoff!Yu/Spinoff!Makoto>P3MC/Minato/Akira>Raito!Ren/Daybreakers!P5MC>P1MC>>>>Anime Golden!Yu>>>>>>Anime!Yu>>>>>>>>P5MC

Under the cut for explanation

I should note main games (P1-5), I like all MCs except for P5MC. And Hamuko includes P3P and PQ2 tbh. Btw I think Maya and Tatsuya are equally great, at that point it’s just preference I like playing as Maya more, but I still love Tatsuya.

For the first quadrant (P2 I’ll just say Maya/Tatsuya are both well written with clear character as both silent MCs and side characters, but their MC form allows a bit of choice....not a whole lot cause they are pretty solidified characters, but their characters are great regardless): The reason I like Hamuko and P4MC is....because....they have a lot of personality and a lot of choice. Like....you can really form them any which way you want, make them consistent or contradictory, a good person or an asshole. Each dialogue voice is clear, they are also the two MCs that can effect their story the most (at least with their SLs). It’s a joy playing as them. As for Souji, I just really like the manga a lot, like he starts off pretty there but slowly he opens up and we see his past and he uses it to relate to people around him (and what little establishing perspective in the early chapters show something similar to an Adachi mindset and it’s just really nice to see that his character really DOES show how Adachi’s life could’ve turned out if he had a support system, it really does a good job just.....establishing just that parallel). Is the P4 manga perfect? Nah, nothing is, but I think it’s the better of the two Sogabe works.

For the 2nd quadrant (already talked about P2 above):  Naoya? Great, really good character, really gave him a lot of personality! P1 manga feels like it lacks in developing/completing arcs outside of Naoya and Maki, but Naoya and Maki? Great! Makoto Yuki? I really liked his character, while the movies can be a bit shaky in the middle (and I wish he was still a little more stoic in the 2nd one), I really like how he went from emotionless asshole to actually caring about his friends and his own well being!

3rd Quadrant: Spinoff Yu and Makoto, I think they are pretty solid, not super amazing (might put Makoto above Yu tbh but ehhhh I’m pretty even), but they are consistent. And when I mean spinoffs I mean where they talk not their silent forms in PQ1 (cause man they have two gears, nice and asshole....but then again PQ1 everyone is kind of an asshole for some reason 8U at least it’s consistent). Yu’s a bit of an airhead, but he feels like a capable leader and tbh feels very similar to Souji (not 100% Souji, but much closer to Souji than Anime!Yu is to Game!Yu, plus tbh Souji has some silly moments too so I can’t say he got it only from Anime!Yu).

4th Quadrant: So like I like Minato’s name more, but his manga is a bit all over the place. His personality is....hmmmm kinda just their? I mean I still believe him to be a capable leader, but he feels more just their (possibly commentary that...like....plot’s happening all around the P3MC off screen? which I’ll give some points for). That being said he does have some funny moments, and I do get a sense of “not really caring to caring about friends and his surroundings” journey from him (it’s not as apparent or drastic or interesting as Makoto Yuki but it’s there). As for Akira.....at least for the first two dungeons, I actually really like him? Like it took a bit to look past the.....expression....struggle art (it’s not great with facial expressions ok? I dunno what to call it), but after looking past it I saw something. He’s really a 100% just a giant freaking n00b. They all are! And.....I LOVE IT! I hate how P5 it feels like “oh yeah we’re so freaking cool! look at how freaking cool they are! gawd we just instantly get cool!” And like, P5 manga has it’s cool moments of course, but after the initial summoning it’s like “oh shit they actually are just winging it and they are owning the fact they don’t know what they are doing and aren’t really trying to act like they are hot shit” (cause PT aren’t hot shit but act like they are in every interpretation except for this one, and it’s endearing because of it). I mean I don’t like his name, I prefer Ren’s name, but I prefer Akira’s interpretation the most. As for P3MC, I do like him, and in all honesty I dunno if I should be putting Minato/Akira on the same level, nor P3MC/Minato on the same level. While I value P3MC, he is a bit boring to play as, mostly in part due to his SLs. He does have some funny moments, and I think while he might not be a total jokester, he def is a lot more fluid in interpretation than I feel a lot of people will allow him to be. I think he can be fairly open, maybe not as bombastic as FeMC might take it, or as extroverted as P4MC, but I don’t think he’s 100% grim dark emo boi everyone makes him out to be. But compared to FeMC/P4MC, he doesn’t have as much variety as them, on top of his lines being pretty generic (I mean he has a voice tho, but the dialogue isn’t all that crazy a lot of the times......well unless you went 100% asshole route, but you don’t want to go that route, you will screw yourself if you go that route cause of how his SLs work 8U)

5th Quadrant: Raito does a good job with Ren in both Mementos Missions and his anthology chapter in the first anthology book (tho he wasn’t called Ren or anything in that chapter I don’t think). Raito  gives him character, gives us some background regarding his issues with adults (not canon, and mostly in the anthology comic, but it’s something), and tbh it’s just all around better than the game. That being said.....he’s.....I like Raito, and I’m having fun, and I like their art, but I still just don’t.....really care about Raito!Ren.....I’m just not super into him. As for Daybreakers!P5MC, he has a bit of a different personality, a bit more of a “I don’t really care” personality....which I’d probably wouldn’t like considering how I feel about P5MC proper, but his “I don’t care” is more of a “Rip to me, cross that burning bridge when I get to it I guess. XP” than “I’m confessing to you but I’m like super checked out and don’t really look like I care” feel the P5MC game gives me. We don’t really spend a whole lot of time with him sadly, but what we do see is fun (in a similar vein to Mementos’ Missions). Him and his team are.....weird in personality tho, I mean I can’t say I hate it, but it’s not like the game or any other adaptation, and I wish we could see more of it expanded on. It’s just a weird dynamic and personality that I can’t just outright say I dislike cause it’s not really developed enough.....

6th/7th Quadrant: P1MC.....nothing really bad about him tbh, but from what I’ve played and remember from P1.....he is the most true and 100% blank slate MC out there. I think that’s the point of him tho (cause even the ending is “you come up with what happens to him”). And I can’t/don’t hate on it, but it’s not exactly super duper fun to play as him cause he doesn’t have a variety of options like FeMC/P4MC (or even P3/5MC), but he also doesn’t have a super duper defined personality like Maya/Tatsuya. I don’t hate him tho! Just.....eh I’ll stick to the manga or any other adaptation. Golden Anime!Yu.....From what I remember and seen of the anime, he was generally a good guy, uber goofy but nice. That’s....all..... I mean I can’t hate on him too much, his anime doesn’t allow him to do a lot of things cause it’s just a string of OVAs tbh.

8th/9th Quadrant: Sigh......oh.......Geez.....I really hate first anime!Yu....a lot, I mean the anime and Anime!Yu have....their good moments, they have some REALLY GOOD moments.....but they also have some REALLY BAD “this wasn’t in the game, this is totally conflicting with the game what are you doing????” Moments. The biggest is his personality, he’s an asshole. They have him choose a lot of asshole comments but instead of.....being treated as an asshole for saying it, everyone is like “Oh ok :P Lol you da best dude!” and moves on (and this is reflected in how they mishandle A LOT of the what should be serious moments in the anime, and I say should because they were serious in the game, sure characters might’ve been uncomfortable but they didn’t risk the lives of people to make jokes and such). I think he’s an asshole, I do not like him, I really hate this adaptation a lot. As for P5MC? I ranked him lower but tbh they could just be tied for all I care, the issue is I have to spend more time with this jerk than Anime!Yu (and at least Anime!Yu has a freaking voice and has some good moments). But I’ve already gone over my issues with P5MC.

I basically prioritize either freedom of a silent MC, or the quality of their personality if their personality is more solidified (both points are more aimed at the games, specifically silent MCs). And then how I like the character as a character in adaptations (aka if I think they are an asshole, and the context of that universe allows them to get away with it or they’re just really unlikeable.....then yeah I won’t like them....I bring up the extra explanation on this cause I DO like some asshole characters, but that’s usually cause they are 1) acknowledged as an asshole, and 2) there’s some other world building factor at play, maybe everyone in that world is an asshole ala MPGIS/Panty and thus equal and Stocking, or they get their just deserts for being an asshole ala Victoria in Life is Strange, still can’t explain why I’m fascinated with this jerk but I am, but Yu and P5MC don’t fit under those two exceptions and thus I do not like them), there can be other reasons I don’t like a character, it’s a case by case basis tbh. 8U

So there’s my essay, maybe it’ll change when I re-read the mangas or re-watch the animes.

Oh wait...I forgot Shin and Kazumi (PTS and P2 manga MCs)....uhhhh put them with Spinoff!Yu/Makoto, they’re solid from what I remember. Might move them later.

[mayuuunaise]

fic post: a man for flowers (feel better)

a/n: apologies aren’t enough :’’)))) but i hope you like it!! thank you all for the support!!

read on: ao3 / under the cut 

Megumi manages to thank Ryouko for her purchase before she turns away and coughs. She's been sneezing the whole afternoon; Fumio-san has already asked her if she wanted to leave early to take care of her incoming flu, maybe she should grab something hot and stay warm under her duvet. Megumi, obviously, has declined the offer one too many times already. Ryouko looks as if she wants to say something, a hand on her hip as she stares at Megumi with a perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised.

Megumi looks at her sheepishly in return; she has an apology ready on the tip of her tongue before she stops herself. She knows Ryouko would only nag at her more if she did so. Instead, she opens the drawer underneath her desk and pulls out a face mask to put on, hoping it would at least placate her friend. Ryouko continues to look unimpressed, her tongue clicking in annoyance as she adjusts the bundle of flowers under her arm.

“Honestly, Megumi,” the red head chastises. “You should take a break. Isn’t your manager supposed to be here today?”

“Shinomiya-senpai is out today,” Megumi croaks out in explanation. Her voice comes out a bit mumbled and hoarse: partly due to the mask covering her mouth, mostly because of her constant coughing. “He’s making sure the arrangement for a client’s wedding is alright.” she leaves out that he had also been invited as a fill-in groomsman, and grumpily left the store in the wee hours of the morning mumbling profanities towards a junior of his falling sick on a mutual friend’s wedding day. Ryouko doesn’t seem to be impressed, perfectly painted red lips pursed into a pretty pout.

“You. Need. To rest.” She punctuates every word with a poke to the florist’s head. Megumi smiles in apology, although the only indicator of her change in expression is the crinkling of her eyes. She can’t leave the store unattended, having had Shinomiya-senpai explicitly order her to keep watch of the flower shop for the day.

“I’ll leave,” Megumi coughs into her hand.  “As soon as I end my shift.”

Ryouko stares hard, purple orbs boring into her own amber ones. Megumi surprises herself by not looking away until Ryouko relents with a roll of her eyes. The voluptuous beauty throws a hand up in defeat, clutching the purchased bouquet in the other.

“Tell that stupid boss of yours if he doesn’t get his ass into gear, then I’ll-” Megumi is saved from the string of profanities sure to come next by her friend’s cellphone. The merry little tune brings a grimace to her face, Megumi sees the affection clear in her eyes but her expression says otherwise. Must be Yuki. Watching the long-haired beauty struggle balancing a bouquet on one hand and scrambling for something to write with on the other, Megumi figures that planning a wedding must be hard. She’s tempted to remind her friends to keep it easy so they wouldn’t tire out, but that would be hypocritical of her.

As if her body wants to remind her that she is in no state to even think about such a thing, the florist goes into another coughing fit. Ryouko pauses to shoot the girl a glare, a silent “I told you so,” as Yuki whines louder about teal and aquamarine linen on the other side of the phone. Megumi flushes a beet red, scribbling doodles on the side of her own notepad as she attempts to appear busy. She’s fooling no one. Ryouko hangs up a few seconds later, promising to meet Yuki in about half an hour to assure the newly engaged girl that yes, she was being stupid, she didn’t even like green or linen.

“Wedding blues already?” Megumi asks fondly.

“Honestly,” Ryouko sighs out in exasperation. “Most of the stuff she’s worrying about aren’t even things she cares for on a normal day.” The bartender pouts, pocketing her phone and adjusting her grip on the floral arrangement in her arms. Megumi watches her move with a strange curiosity. For all the years she has known of the beauty, she still wonders how she can move so gracefully under any circumstance. If she had been the one to catch whatever virus that was causing her to practically hack a lung, Megumi doesn’t doubt how she’d still be the prettiest bartender this side of the town.

Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Ryouko levels her a deadpan stare that could combat her manager’s. “And as for you,” she points an accusing finger at the blue haired girl. “Go home already. It’s not as if you’ll have any more customers at this time.”

Megumi glances at the clock after waving her friend off. She still had a few minutes before the shop’s dead period on the last few store hours. With a sigh, she finally slumps in her seat. Her limbs feel like lead, and her head is starting to thrum out an inconsistent beat. She supposes Shinomiya-senpai could cover for her tomorrow, if ever the heavy weight decides to stick around. Or maybe she could ask a favour from the grocer Isshiki-san next door.

Megumi shakes her head, blue braids floating around her; she really must be sick to even think about asking such a busy person to man the shop.

She thinks it's because of the weird weather recently. One moment it's raining cats and dogs, the next minute the sun beats down on her head ferociously. The work hours have been more than a little demanding as well, but she reasons that it isn’t her manager’s fault that he needs to handle most of the back work. She sighs, letting her head rest on the marble of their countertop. Megumi is pretty sure she hasn’t developed a fever (yet), but the cool sensation from the counter’s material does wonders for her headache.

If Shinomiya-senpai were here, she would have been easily reprimanded. Presentation is everything for a flower shop, he had once said. If the person manning the shop didn’t look like they’d be able to handle flowers, customers would never go inside. Megumi’s mind starts wandering, slowly but surely fading into black…

- o -

Megumi wakes up with a start to the soft tinkling of the bell above their front door. She flushes beet red, anxiously glancing at the clock on the wall opposite the displays. The florist squeaks out a hurried, “Welcome!” as she adjusts her clothes and hair into something that looks more professional.

The young man that greets her is familiar; she easily recognizes him as the same brunette who stopped her from closing the shop a few weeks prior. He doesn’t look as wound up with his crisp white dress shirt and pressed checkered slacks, but his brown hair still sticks up at odd angles. Isami - she recalls his name - grins cheekily at her, no doubt aware of her sleeping state just a few seconds prior. Megumi wants nothing more than to crawl into a hole at that very moment. Isami, possibly ignorant of her embarrassment, casually strolls in, surveying and taking a whiff of the flowers on display with genuine interest.

“Have I come at a bad time, again?” He teases, trying to look nonchalant as he inspects the hydrangeas. Isami steals a glance over his shoulder, and Megumi sees nothing but mirth in his baby blues. Although she feels her face getting even hotter, Megumi steels herself quietly and pushes back on the counter to stand.

“Is there anything-“ she coughs twice. “-I can help you with?”

Isami changes his expression from that of amusement to worry as he seems to realize that the face mask is not just for show. He takes quick steps forward, breaching the space between them in almost an instant until he’s almost - quite literally - face to face with her. The brunette’s hand shoots upward and Megumi flinches, memories of Shinomiya-senpai knocking her on the head whenever she messed up during training flooding her thoughts. Instead, she feels a warmth from a large hand resting on her forehead gently. When Megumi opens her amber eyes, she’s only greeted by endless blues.

(She has never seen so many shades of blue before. The ocean would be jealous.)

Surprisingly, Isami is the one who pulls away first, his cheeks tinted a soft pink but that might just be what Megumi’s sick state wants to see.

“You don’t seem to have a fever yet.” He shoves his hands in his pants’ pockets, clearing his throat to divert her attention. “But are you sure you’re fit to work, Tadokoro-chan?”

His worry is genuine, even in her hazed state. Megumi is oddly flattered at the thought, tugging a soft smile from behind the face mask.  Isami’s question doesn’t register in her thoughts until his own lips quirk into an amused smile. Flushing, she fakes a cough to cover up her daydreaming.

Someone help her.

“I’m fine,” she lies through her teeth, gathering her tools. She has the odd feeling that he’s probably going to ask her for another bouquet today. “What would you like today, Isami-san?”

The brunette perks at the use of his name, his grin easily morphing to that of a cheshire cat’s as he leans down on their marble counter. “You remembered my name?” he asks, ignoring her question easily. She makes no eye contact with him, attempting to look busy as she moves to step outside of the confines of her perfectly safe spot behind the counter. This only seems to amuse the brunette even more. “Are you ignoring me now, Tadokoro-chan?”

Megumi only flushes further, thankful for the mask covering half of her face. “The- the request, please?” she isn’t sure how he switches so easily, casually falling into comfortable banter with her. Isami spares her from further embarrassment and chuckles instead. He moves to follow her as the florist surveys the flowers they have available.

“Would you be able to make a ‘get well soon’ bouquet?” he asks. Megumi immediately turns to look at their inventory, humming (and sniffling) in thought. An easy enough bouquet, and one she does often. Her fingers glide across the daisy petals, searching for imperfections Shinomiya-senpai would never dare to have in his shop. She wonders if Isami is giving the bouquet to the same person she had arranged flowers for before.

“What was that?” Isami pipes up, appearing by her side.

“I, I, I-! Uhm, was saying maybe daisies would be nice!” she squeaks out. She doesn’t realize she’s been murmuring distractedly until he snaps her back to the present. The florist grabs a handful of the colourful gerbera daisies to choose from, but sneezes ferociously as she does so. Her cold is getting worse; she wonders if being around pollen when your sick makes you more susceptible to sneeze attacks? Her head aches afterwards, Megumi thinks her sinuses are about to explode.

A warm hand gently takes the daisies from her near iron grip. When Megumi looks up, she sees Isami smiling down at her, worry still clear in his eyes. It takes time for her to process what’s going on until Isami shifts the pile of daisies in his hands to the crook of his arm, looking at her expectantly. When it hits her, she squeaks in protest; “I-I, I! Please give those back!”

“You’re sick,” he says simply, easily holding the flowers out of reach from her. Megumi sees him trying hard to suppress the grin on his lips. “Let me help, Tadokoro-chan. Think of it as thanks for the last time I was here.”

Her pride tells her to remain firm; her aching muscles, however, are yelling at her to take his offer up without any question. Still, her body just can’t seem to handle the facade any longer as she goes into another mini-sneezing fit. Isami waits for her to finish, not saying a word and even looking away to give her some semblance of privacy. When she looks up at him through her lashes, embarrassed beyond her comprehension, she can’t quite place his expression. It’s a cross between fondness and amusement, she suspects. Megumi blinks and he’s turning his back to her, placing the daisies on her work desk.

“What else do I need to bring?” he asks, walking back up to her. Megumi doesn’t protest this time, and points to the rest of the flowers on the shelves. She names the ones he gather and tells him what each means and how they fit the bouquet he requests for. He hums in delight with each of her quiet explanations. When Isami isn’t looking, too busy balancing delicate flora and beautification tools to notice, Megumi plucks a few white hyacinthus to add as an afterthought. A nice little piece to tie it together, she thinks.

She works mostly in silence after that, unlike the first time Isami had been to the flower shop. She wonders if it’s for her sake, knowing that if he asks questions now like before, she would be unable to turn him down. With slightly trembling fingers, she works nimbly to hurry up the job. Sitting around without any hint of a distraction wouldn’t be a very nice experience for her customer.

(She sneaks glances up at him from her work table from time to time; each time, her eyes meets his and Megumi can only quickly look away, attempting to look busy)

When she’s almost done, she finally pauses her work to find Isami snooping around her shop. Flustered, she hurriedly scurries to his side when he nears the break room.

“I-I,” another cough. “I’m sorry! But-but, that’s a restricted area, Isami-san,” Megumi squeaks out, hurriedly latching on to the crook of his elbow to stop him from going inside. She recalls leaving used tissues all over the room and she absolutely cannot let him see that in such a state.

Isami’s eyes dart from her face to her hold on him. When she notices her tight grip on his arm (she can feel ropy muscles tensing under her touch, but that isn’t the point), Megumi quickly lets go. Isami’s cheeks colour a little red, though that could easily be just the setting sunlight playing a trick on her eyes. He coughs out, eyes darting to the side, embarrassed.

“No, I should be the one who’s sorry, Tadokoro-chan.” Isami rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. He seems to be considering his next few words carefully. “I thought it might help your cold if I prepared some tea,” he explains, and Megumi wonders how she hasn’t melt into a puddle at his thoughtfulness. “I didn’t want to leave you alone in the shop to buy some. I figured you must have had a break room, but I realize that was very rude of me, still.”

“No, I,” the next few words she wants to say die from her mouth. His kindness shuts her up easily. An apology is on the tip of her tongue, “…Thank you,” she mumbles instead, not really knowing what else to say.

Isami straightens, having gotten back his confidence and bearing from her words it seems. His grin is almost cheeky as he steps closer to the florist. “Thank me by getting better soon, Tadokoro-chan,” he teases softly. “Maybe tea with you will have to wait ’til then.”

Megumi flushes red at his implication, quickly turning back to her work desk. “Your bouquet will be finished soon,” she announces, attempting to change the topic. Isami hums in response, amused as he moves to follow her.

“Do you still have things you need to do before you close shop, Tadokoro-chan?” he asks, checking the clock on the wall while leaning his weight on her cluttered work desk. The hands are almost on closing time, and often this is the time Megumi would clean up a little before locking up. She wonders slightly how long it will take considering her current physical state and the fact Shinomiya-senpai wouldn’t be around to help her.

Absentmindedly, she lists her chores out loud as she finishes wrapping the ribbon to tie bouquet together, a pretty white silk to tie it all together. Inventory of the flowers, delivery reports, watering the plants, updating the to-do list, and a little sweeping maybe, especially in the seedling section where a child accidentally scattered soil earlier that day. It really isn’t too much should she be in her usual state of health. She secures the ribbon with their signature white four clover pin.

Isami stares at her, his baby blue eyes seem to be boring holes into her face. The florist holds his gaze, a little unsure of his sudden pause. Isami surprises her by abruptly pushing off of her work desk and rolling his sleeves up until his elbows. Megumi is unsure how a simple change in outfit can make someone appear even more handsome than they already are. She’s still a little confused (she blames it partially on his rolled up sleeves) as he casually picks up the broom she left by the counter.

Isami shoots her another of his chesire grins, the one that doesn’t take no for an answer.

“Where do we start?”

- o -

Isami patiently waits for her to gather her things. He ends up doing more than half of her list of pre-lock up chores. If her head isn’t so fuzzy and her body not as heavy, Megumi might have protested (and apologized) even more than she already had. Isami assures her that this is nothing compared to his usual prep work in the bakery (he’s a sweetheart and he knows how to bake - it makes her think perfection isn’t but a distant dream). Perhaps she might actually take up his offer of helping out part-time. Shinomiya-senpai definitely wouldn’t mind when he sees how quick and efficient the young man is.

Megumi shakes the thought from her head; her almost-flu sure likes reducing proper decision making skills into a practically non-existent level.

They exit the store together, Isami readily reminding her to go straight home afterwards. There’s a subtle question in there, asking her if she’s sure she doesn’t want to let him walk her home. Megumi readily ignores it, her embarrassment already at sky rocket levels. She has definitely had enough slip ups for the day to last an entire week.

Before they part ways, the brunette plucks a white hyacinthus from the arranged bouquet. Megumi would normally be just a little furious at the action, cute boy or not, but his next words cut her short.

“For you, Tadokoro-san.” Isami extends his hand out and quietly tucks the flower into her hair. Isami smiles at his handiwork before his blue eyes find hers. “A ward to help you feel better.”

Megumi’s face turns red, but she’s almost a hundred percent certain it has nothing to do with her flu.

(scientific name: hyacinthus orientalis genus: hyacinthus colour: white meaning: sincerity; loveliness; my sincerest prayers for your well-being)

[hazydreamerneko]

Report of LH Live Tour 2017「Shingeki no Kiseki」8/7 Concert in Chiba (PART I)

Original Report (Chinese) found here

Original Text (Chinese) by：初霜翼 Image report by：-流曰-

Translations by: HazyDreamerNeko/LostNeko  (Referencing Lyrics Translations by marchen-v-friedhof)

It’s been a while since I have done any translations, but I was very excited to read the report and have thus sought permission from the Sound Horizon Chinese Wiki site to translate and share the cuteness that is Revo with overseas Laurants ^^ 

It’s SUPER LONG so I will split it to 3 parts, this is part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Any use of the original text please contact the Chinese site/writer to seek permission. Any mistakes with translations please feel free to contact me!

Before the Concert

Merch:

Day 1 merch sales start from 11am in the morning. Perhaps due to the reservation system employed for the Premium seat audiences, the queue for the merchandises is not very long, it’s possible to see the head of the queue.

Right after 11, announcement was made by staff to conduct the sales of merchandises: We will now begin the sales of「Shingeki no Kiseki」Tour merchandises. Shinzou wo sasage yo!! (Offer up your hearts!!)

Linhora Corps Members: …?! Ha!! (Did the Heart Salute by reflex)

It took a moment for us to realize what we did, and everyone started laughing and clapping. This time, the staffs also did the heart salute to customers as they sell the merch. Entering the venue, purchasing the merchandises, getting the stamp, and taking a seat all happened as usual. My seat for day 1 was on row 13, which was rather close to the stage. I could even see the preparations going on behind the screen before the performance began. I could also easily identify YUKI who took his position with his guitar.  

Announcement before the opening. As expected of Linhora opening announcements, even though it was not SH and there wasn’t Sascha making use of various popular SH lyrics, there were still bunch of settings incorporated to emphasize the story elements. The announcer is a female voice, and introduced herself as “Linhora Corps Relay team Recruit Isuka (TN: Iska?)”

Iska: Everyone from Linhora Ichihara branch, good evening. Welcome to the Live Tour organized by Linhora Corps, 「Shingeki no Kiseki」. I am Linhora Corps Relay team recruit Iska. I heard from our squad leader, Vial, that there are a lot of creatures bigger than Titans in the Ichihara branch. They are  called “Elephants”. Even though they are not a species that eat people, I still get very frightened when I see gigantic creatures!

Subsequently it was various precautionary announcements. These were repeated twice, the first time emphasizing that photos and recordings are not permitted, and the second time to test the wristbands. Unlike Sascha, there are not much lyrics thrown into the announcements at these parts. Iska explained everything in a very proper manner. Her sentences always end with 「~dearimasu」(TN: indicating formality (?)).

After the second round of announcements, it was about time for the concert to start. The screen was still down, and the image of the (shingeki) wall was projected upon it. As we waited, a row of people came up behind the screen, presumably the singers, and they stood neatly in a row. Subsequently, someone whose silhouette closely resembled Revo walked to the center of the stage. Everyone screamed and cheered while clapping.

Main

All the songs from the main performance were fully accompanied by videos from SNK anime, it’s quite extravagant. Moreover the contents of the anime and songs are matched almost seamlessly.  

After the show, someone commented that it is “An Ojisan that loves SNK and is a diehard fan of SNK. He brought together the singers and musicians he liked to create the best SNK music from his heart. This was coupled with the best edited anime clips to form the “official” huge MAD with concert music onsite.” That’s true wwwwwwwww.

Especially in the songs for the female supporting characters, the key sound effects completely match with the anime clips. Regardless if it was the sound of Carla being eaten by the titans, the sound of Ilse being eaten by the titans, the sound of the Petra’s body being tossed from the cart, or the sound of Annie’s female titan fingers being sliced by Mikasa, all these scenes was shown on the screen.

01.   Nikagetsugo no Kimi e (To You in Two Months)

The sound of wind and the sea started after the venue darkened. The wristbands turned blue.

The prelude began with the scenes on the translucent screen. Across the wall, through the Titan Forest, and thereafter is the scene from the first episode of the anime. The wristband turned orange. At the same time the stage lit up, revealing the person behind the screen.

The main singer is Commander (Revo), 5 singers stood alongside him for the harmony. This included the chorus part at the beginning, and the refrain. The choreography is the same as ToLH (Theme of Linked Horizon), there’s a strong sense of déjà vu.

Commander’s clothes are the ones on the album cover. The five singers’ clothes are mainly white, with the Linhora style napoleon jacket in black with gold accents. Their hair are styled similarly to the main character of their songs. The other musicians’ clothes are also of the same standardized style.

At the part「Guren no hi wo matoi (Wreathing yourself in crimson light)」the huge screens inside of the stage lit up, showing a red sea.

「Ji ni moeru kusa no me ni wa ( grass buds sprouting from the earth)」the images were of fields with flowers

As the screen in front played clips from the first episode, the screen at the back shows the sea. At around the interlude the translucent screen opens and the anime clip transfers to the screen at the back. The dancers appeared at around「Korekara mo tsudzuku tatakai wa (This battle will only grow harshe)」, performing as though in combat with hand lights that looked like silver lightsabers to express the “Battle” here. There’s a total of four dancers here, theres seven on the concert publications. Unless more people are added during subsequent concerts, it should be alternating between the seven dancers.

The band also appeared during the interlude. During the guitar solo, Commander played along with air guitar.

When Sascha announced the song title in German, it was shown on the screen with the handwritten animation effect.

The dancer’s props were super cool this time. During this song we thought it was just normal silver lightsabre representing the blade of the omni-directional mobility gear. But the light effects are actually adjustable, and it was used in various unexpected ways as the concert progressed…

- MC -

After Nikagetsu , Commander made the scissors hands gesture before he even started speaking. It’s super cute!

He spoke too much during this MC and I can’t remember everything, so this is just the rough idea.

Commander: Good evening. We are Linked Horizon. The tour finally started. Ahh, the rehearsals passed in the blink of an eye. I wanted to practice for a while longer, but on one hand it’s the desire for more rehearsals, on the other hand I still wanted to meet all of you sooner.

Commander: This tour is already longer than the rehearsals. That rarely happens for my concerts.

Commander: I’m very happy to be performing with such excellent members. I hope this tour will become one that makes everyone increasingly love SNK.

Commander: Ah from my perspective the lights on the audiences are so bright. Even with my sunglasses it’s so bright! There should still be a lot of people in the back rows, right? Shine some light there for me to have a look~? Fighting for the opening tickets should have been an intense battle for you all, the seats should be quite full, it should be fine to shine the lights there I hope? If it happens that the back rows are not filled, I am going to feel uneasy.

(The lights are adjusted brighter towards the back)

Commander: Oh oh~ Among those seated here, regardless if it’s for Sound Horizon or Linked Horizon, who is the first time seeing us perform today~?

(A show of hands, mostly among the back rows)

Laurants: \Oh oh oh~/ (Claps)

Commander: Thank you, but I can’t see the show of hands like this! Stop clapping for a while, sorry, can the first timers raise your hands again?

(A show of hands)

Commander: Ah quite a few. For this performance, it doesn’t matter to what extend you like or understand Linked Horizon, you can enjoy it so long as you like SNK. Although I trust that there will be a lot of people here who know us very well, the concert today are irrelevant to past concerts! Everyone is on the same starting line. Perhaps the ones who know us well will feel that I am being too long-winded. But I hope to make this as easy as possible for the unfamiliar ones. (He repeated things to this effect several times)

Commander: We intentionally rearranged the CD song sequence for the subsequent set list. Please anticipate what the next song will be.

02.   Moshi Kono Kabe no Naka ga Ikken no Ie Dato (If Everything Within These Walls were Just One House)

The moment the prelude’s pendulum sound began, everyone started cheering.

Although I had expected them to play this song, I didn’t expect it this early!

In hindsight, it made sense since both Nikagetsu and Guren are Revocal. It might be too tiring for him to sing back to back in concert, as per the sequence in the CD. Thus, it was necessary to insert a song by another singer between them. Inserting this song before Guren is seamless both in terms of music continuity and story timeline. After all, the ending to this song matches the beginning of Guren - it is the most suitable under all considerations.

It’s still fully accompanied by anime clips. The beginning is the same “door” as in Jiyuu e no Shingeki (TN: gate? I’m not entirely sure what they are referring to..) , with a young Armin beside the door.  The subsequent video focused on the trio when they were young, and the part in ep 12 where Armin was shouting at Eren after he lose his mind in his Titan form. There were also home Eren imagined (?) and Armin knocking outside the window. The lyrics「Water made of flames, lands of ice and snowy fields of sand are expanding」were perfectly matched with the images in the video.

Unlike in the CD but akin to all the other songs in 《Shingeki no Kiseki》, Sascha’s German narration of the song title was added, with the title simultaneously displayed on screen with animated effects.

03.   Guren no Yumiya (Crimson Bow and Arrows)

Moshikabe logically flowed into Guren no Yumiya.

The narration is of course the album version. The TV Size part of the song used the season one OP animation, thereafter it’s from the first few episodes of season 1, the start of the first episode and Eren vs Colossal Titan etc.

Narration for「That day mankind received a grim reminder…」used the same scene as where the narration appeared in the anime.

The Dancer’s hand lights which we initially thought to be silver blades changed in this song to look like they were spitting fire, such that when they swung them around they looked like burning arrows. What’s even cooler was when they spun it - the afterimage looked like flames!

The「Jäger」and「Eren」were standard Call & Response，「Wir sind der Jäger」also continued being audiences’ chorus.

Commander’s actions were also the familiar set of actions. Yet they seem subtly less than what I remembered from Kouhaku… 

04.   14 Moji no Dengon (14 Lettered Message)

Sung by Eiko Matsumoto.

Scenes are of Carla’s highlights, so of course it’s mainly from ep 1 and ep 2.

During the thunder background sound effect at「Mata kikime no usui kogoto o kurikaesu (I scold you again, as ineffective as it is)」, the stage lights also flashed, imitating lighting.

During「Jikan'yotomare (if only time would stop)」, the images turned to black and white, and the lights on the wristbands faded away.

It switched to Carla’s final scenes at「Tatoe anata ga (Even if you eventually…)」. The rhythm and the sound effect of the titan’s footsteps starts to be almost in sync with the video.  

The melodica at the end was live by Igarashi.

Finally, the sound effect when the Titan bit down M A T C H E S  P E R F E C T L Y with the scene in the anime.

What was already a very impactful scene became even more emotional with live music accompaniment.

How daRE.

In the end the screen showed CG of three birds flying across a sunset sky, recreating the final image in the BK.

05.   Guren no Zahyou (Crimson Coordinates)

The translucent screen is down. There’s the sound of rain at the start, and there’s also drizzling projected on the translucent screen.

At「Rakuen o samayoeru awarena hitokage (Pitiful silhouettes that wander in paradise)」the four dancers imitated the mindless roaming titans.

「Jäger」and「Krueger」are again standard Call & Response。

The two parts「Sono ishi wa Muda janai (Their dying wish won’t be in vain), Kono mama ja Owarasenai (I won’t let it end like this)」and「Kono ishi yo Toki o koe (Let their dying wish transcend time), Nandodemo Uketsuga re (To be passed on over and over again)」switch between the left and right channels as in the CD, and the light position also change according to the sound channels.  

06.   Saigo no Senka (The Final Battle Deed)

Sung by Tsukika

During the first part of the song, scenes from when Survey Corps depart for the 57th expedition beyond the walls were shown.

They start to use the OAD scenes in the second part.

After「Watashi wa saigomade kusshinai (I will never give up)」,「Kidachi chino kage ni (…from behind the trees)」was immediately matched to the scene of titans appearing. 「Yumiru no Tami… Yumiru-sama.. yokuzo (“…subjects…of..Ymir…” “…great….Ymir…” “Well met…”)」fully correspond to the image of the titan talking on screen. Tsukika will make the gesture of writing everytime she sings「Kusshinai (never give up)」

The second last part of the song fully correspond to final moments of Ilsa in the OAD, the sound (TN: of the notebook dropping?) and the image are totally in sync.

For the last part of the song, the stage was lit with purple lights.

- MC -

When the darkened stage brightened again, Commander is back with a change of clothes.

Commander: Thank you

Commander: As we kept singing, were you all thinking “Are there no MCs anymore”?

Commander (Turning to look behind): Ah-! Why did everyone disappear from the stage once I come up for MC? Is it because everyone at the Ichihara branch are too uncooperative?

\Eh--??/

Commander: Nah (Laughs). The next song will be one that is religious in nature. This song doesn’t need the band, instead there’s a choir – (turns around) Even though the choir is not here today, the singers will sing it with the audio of the choir. There’s no accompaniment, so there won’t be any band performing. But it would be boring if it’s only like that, so the band members will be here dressed as believers (Wallists) . They are now preparing backstage, so I’m here to buy time.

Commander: Does everybody know about the Church of the Walls? I don’t really understand their doctrine, but roughly it’s just that the walls are untouchable! If you touch it, you will provoke them! You can only look at the walls, but not touch it! If you touch it, you will offend them! You will be punished!

Commander: Since we can’t touch the walls, can we dig a tunnel from beneath it? No! Even though tunnels are really convenient, isn’t it? You have all travelled on things like Shinkansen right? Like the Tokaido Line (makes gesture of a straight line). If we can’t dig tunnels things will become very difficult (Gestures a squiggly line)!

Commander: In summary, the wall is sacred, you can’t do anything to the walls!

Commander: Has everyone seen the anime? (Image of the Wallists praying is shown on screen) That’s the feel of the Church of the Wall. Does it give you a sense of foreboding? Despite having considered that it might be fun for all of you to sing it, the song requires splitting the singers into different groups. I’m afraid once we start singing you might get confused like “eh? Which part was I supposed to sing again?”, and some will not be able to keep up. So for now – and it’s only optional! If you want, you can do this Wallists action, and link like a chain with the person next to you. It’s entirely voluntary! Absolutely do not force yourself! It’ll be bad if I’m suddenly telling you to link arms with the strange old man beside you, and in hindsight it becomes “I didn’t want to do it at all! We were sweaty and sticky and didn’t want to touch at all but this bastard Glasses Oji-san forced us to do it!” No, it’s voluntary. The band members know each other so it’s fine. For all of you, casually introduce yourself to the person beside you and ask each other “Do you want to do it?”. If yes, reply “Jäger (Looking very passionate)” , if not, say “No Jäger (Looking very disdainful)” like this. I hope I can let everyone have the sensation of being in a great church. After we are done we will be accepting everyone’s complains ––  it will be received and managed after the tour ~

\(Laughter)/

But from my observations, at least most within my field of vision linked arms.

07.   Kami no Miwaza (The Work of the Divine)

The five female singers were wearing white robes with necklaces of the Church of the Wall. They sang while standing on the stairs in the middle of the stage.

The band members stood on both sides of the stairs, cosplaying as Wallists.

There were three steps of stairs, the singers stood in the formation of 2-2-1 from top to bottom steps respectively. At the 「Thou～Thou～Thou～」part, the singers on each step repeat it once. At「Maria」「Rose」「Sina」, the singer on the first step sings 「Maria」, the second step「Rose」, the third「Sina」, symbolizing the three layer of walls.

(Continues in Part 2)

[itsfoolishjoker-blog]

Home Is Not Home Anymore (Maybe a part of a mini series? I dunno)

Akira didn’t want to leave his friends behind. Not after all they had been through, all the good and bad times they shared, and not after he finally felt like he fit.

His parents were certainly glad to see him, though he knew what the rest of his family and neighbors truly cared about.

“The Phantom Thief”.

Not even the house was safe from the questions. No sooner did Akira open the door when his cousins began asking about what a Phantom Thief was, what it was like, if it was cool breaking the law, and any other question that could even remotely be asked. His grandparents were less concerned about his exoneration and moreso loudly voicing their disappointment in him for even getting charged in the first place.

Just when he was wondering how he could excuse himself from this surprise party of questions and disappointment, he imagined how Ryuji would handle this exact situation.

“Eff off, he’s been through enough! More than any of you could ever understand. So if you’re going to get an attitude with anyone, I’m your guy. Bring it, it’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”

All Akira could do is blink a couple times, dragging himself unwillingly out of the imaginary moment, and tried to lock eyes with either of his parents, wordlessly begging for some breathing room.

“I’m feeling nauseous thanks to that sandwich I got from the store on our way home. Can I go upstairs and lie down?”

Begrudgingly, his parents relented, and Akira did his best to appear nearly sick to his stomach, bolting for his room, all the while bringing his bag with him.

With a quick lock of the door, he sat at the edge of his bed, and tried to take some deep breaths. He didn’t know that he had been anxiously holding his breath, or hyperventilating as he booked it up the stairs. 

He looked over to the space to his right he’d always leave for...

That’s right, they were back in Tokyo. He was alone here.

The thought hung around him like a heavy necklace, pulling his head down to the point he only saw the floorboards and his legs and feet.

He figured he’d miss the mere presence of his friends, or knowing they’re only a short ride away, or perhaps the antics they could easily get up to, or even the familiarity of life over the past year. 

However, what hit him hardest was the utter silence. The noise of his family and neighbors gossiping was, at most, a quiet murmur that was more like an annoying buzzing than relaxing.

“I bet Yusuke would hate it here. It just gets quiet enough that you try to relax, but something loud always happens to break your peace of mi...”

On cue, his neighbor four houses down let out a shrill laugh, one he was glad to have left behind last year, and even less pleased to have to be stuck with on a weekly basis.

“This must be what it’s like for Haru when she has to go to board meetings.” Akira mused out loud, but quietly enough that no one could hear him.

Slowly but true to his nature, his mind slowly started shifting gears from excitement, anticipation, happiness and eagerness to a creeping sense of anxiety, apathy, depression, and the feeling his energy was left back at Leblanc.

“It’ll be good to come back to my friends” became “What friends? Your friends are back in Tokyo, not out here”, or “It’ll be nice to relax” turned into “I have nothing to do but be on my own.” or worst yet, “I’ll be okay” was now a resounding “I don’t care”. 

What didn’t he care about?

His parents? His extended family?

He already had heard some of the most devastating things to hear from parents or mentors, with such classics as “You are a disappointment”, “You deserve to be locked up”, “Are all your achievements a lie”, “You’re always screwing up”, “You’re a delinquent menace” and “You never do enough”, and no matter how much he tried to believe they had moved past that, that pain wasn’t going to evaporate.

The backfire of a nearby motorcycle made him imagine Makoto being there, looking at his down state.

“Akira, I know this hurts. I’ve been called similar nasty things by my sister...but you know what? She respects me now more than before, and we are doing our best to be better friends and family than we did before. If we can do that, in spite of everything, so can you and your parents. You’ve always had the gift of turning what others call a lost cause into something incredible.”

He decided he would just close the blinds and try to sleep this feeling off, though picturing his friends and what they’d do or their own experiences of similar situations did help him at least calm down enough to even attempt to fall asleep.

“You should get some rest.”

Picturing Morgana lecturing him was the last step he needed to sleep. Funny how the small things were the only things keeping him together.

Waking up early in the morning, Akira slowly and still mostly groggy stumbled down the stairs. He smelled the scent of coffee, and imagined Sojiro and Futaba waiting for him, with Futaba happily sharing her latest new manga craze with him. Still waking up, he imagined the sight of someone he never thought he, or anyone else would see once he could see into the kitchen:

Goro Akechi.

Clearly Akira wasn’t readjusting to life back home, and this only further unnerved him. The smell of freshly made pancakes and coffee being brewed were clearly the scents that tricked his mind into imagining Akechi sitting in the kitchen, looking more forlorn than he normally would with his favorite breakfast in front of him.

Akira was exhausted, and tired from the memories that all seemed so much sweeter now that he was gone, wordlessly ate.

“I’m sorry about yesterday Akira. I was hoping they would be happy to see you, not...”

Akira purposefully took a huge bite of the pancake to avoid talking, and waved his mother’s sentence off.

“Akira...Son, are you okay?”

Akira grabbed his bag and wordlessly walked out.

Frankly, he didn’t want to know the answer to that question.

His walk to school was a good fifteen minute walk, and while he could normally catch up on what he missed gossip wise, regardless if he wanted to hear it or not, today he couldn’t. The fog in his mind only got deeper as the fog crept in to the town, to the point that he felt what he knew he truly was here....Alone.

Here he was alone. And nothing was changing that.

“...Kurusu. Akira Kurusu! Don’t you have anything to say to the class now that you’re back?”

He didn’t know what Mr. Ishiyama was expecting, he didn’t know why his rude neighbor Yuki Hammura counted as family to his parents, nor did he know why his own parents cared all of a sudden that he existed.

He didn’t know why he cared either.

“No sir.” Akira mumbled, catching Mr. Ishiyama off guard.

“Well...you’ll be sitting in the fourth seat back, by the window there. Now, everyone, settle down, we aren’t an institution to only discuss one student’s life outside of town, so please, stop badgering him for answers. You’ll have an exam this Saturday regardless, so make your choice. Ask him endless questions, flunk your first exams, or listen, stop running your mouths, and pay attention!”

The class largely ignored Mr. Ishiyama, and Akira looked out the window, picturing his friends being in class themselves.

Then came the last one. The last Phantom Thief, one of the very few he had hoped wouldn’t haunt him so much, wouldn’t hurt so deeply in their absence as he was hurting, and the unending sense of brokenness that came with it.

Ann Takamaki.

She was the first person he had met from the group, and that moment began to replay in his mind. He fully immersed himself in the memory, letting his hand, ears and brain do all the note taking subconsciously.

He couldn’t look at the desk directly in front of him. If he didn’t, he could still pretend, still imagine, still hope against hope that she was there, that all of his friends were still there.

On sheer instinct, he looked forward, and the pain of that last hope being crushed felt worse than any weapon leveled at him in the cognitive world. It felt as if each vow, each unspoken pact was slowly being unwound, and each tiny fiber that once held it together was ripping his heart apart.

A quiet buzz from his phone gave him a little reprieve from the downslide, especially since it was his friends, all in a group text seeing how the first day was going for one another.

[TEXT] Makoto: Akira, how is your first day back at school going?

[TEXT] Ann: Ryuji’s already getting on his teacher’s nerves.

[TEXT] Ryuji: You know that’s not true!

[TEXT] Futaba: ...not the same. Hate it. 

[TEXT] Haru: My day is going well, but I hope your day is a pleasant one!

[TEXT] Yusuke: I believe we’re deviating from what this group text was being used for today.

[TEXT] Makoto: Yusuke’s right, we were all wondering how your day is going!

Akira had a thousand ideas, ranging from being honest and depressing all of them immensely, all they way up to lying right through his fingertips.

Against any good judgement, he lied, and lied so intensely that he had to pause and focus on classwork to try and distance himself from it.

[TEXT] Akira: I’m doing really well. Being back in town and back to school is easier this time around.

He slowly pushed the text out of his mind, his eyes glazing over in apathy and pain, increasingly  losing even his sub-conscious focus on the material. The sounds of people whispering rumors, Mr. Ishiyama lecturing, the air conditioning, the way desks and chairs creaked and groaned, all of it was lost in this mental fog.

Just as the second break was ending, and course work resumed, Akira felt his phone buzz once. He caught a peak at it and spotted Ann’s icon with one message. He could only do his best not to crack, not to let on how anxious he was, how alone he felt, how much it all hurt, how it felt like he had just left the best people he’d ever have in his life behind, that he had cut himself out of a life he had made with them...

[TEXT] Ann: ...Liar. I know you too well to not know when you’re putting on a front to keep us happy and not make us worry. I miss you Akira, and I know that you’re hurting.

Before he could even begin to handle that text, a message from Makoto followed immediately after he read Ann’s.

[TEXT[ Makoto: You don’t have to be brave for us Akira. We all miss you. I...miss you quite a lot. 

He didn’t know what to say, or what to do. Frankly he wanted to grab his things and run away, run back to the friends, no, the family he had made, the people that loved him through some of the biggest tragedies, failures, and losses. He knew he’d never make friends quite like his friends from the past year.

 He missed them. He...

He needed them. He knew, always knew, deep down that they had saved one more person than they may have realized.

They had saved him.

And he knew now he couldn’t go from such a strong support system, to nothing. Not like this. 

There had to be a better way.

[kaorei-endgame]

Have you gotten around to prey? If so, how does it compare to System Shock 2? Never played it, but I'm loving the hell out of Prey, more so than Dishonored or the Bioshock series.

It’s super good! And it hit me at the right time, which means I played it during a mega depresso binge over like three or four days.

It felt to me like this could’ve been a follow-up to System Shock 2 in some alternate universe where Bioshock never happened. Bioshock pared things down way too much for my tastes. This was like a midpoint between System Shock 2 and Dishonored in terms of systems, inventory management, stuff like that. You better believe I got SUPER hype when I killed the first enemy in the demo and found a research item I’d need a skill upgrade to harvest. That’s my bread and butter!

Don’t know exactly how to say this without spoiling it, but the trick they pull in the very beginning hit me like seeing an action movie constructed entirely out of practical effects would in this modern era where everything is CG blood. The tomfoolery with the helicopter ride. Them pulling the rug out from under you, then proceeding to show you how they manufactured the twist entirely in-universe, without, like, map-changing trickery was beyond rad. They could’ve just spoofed the helicopter ride with map changes, but instead you can walk around in the lab where the twist is deployed and see how all the pieces fit together It made me think “oh, they really cared about how tactile feel of this universe.” Essentially, they created a practical magic trick in a medium where it’s 10000% easier just to make literal magic. It spoke volumes about the ethos they were going for, that they worked hard to make all the pieces line up on something that a lot of people wouldn’t really even bother to think about too hard, or even care about if they did.

That’s present everywhere. When you start fighting mind-controlled crew members later in the game, they’re all named NPCs. There’s no like “mind-controlled crew,” it’s “Roger.” If, as I’m now told, we’re calling these games “immersive sims,” then this is about as immersed in one of these games as I’ve been in a long time. The touches are omnipresent, and touches are what make games stick in my mind after I get some time away and the gameplay hooks start to dull. Really early in the game, the first time you run into a stronger enemy than the standard mimics, it’s a spooky ghost monster but the spooky ghost monster is named “Yuki Sato” and later you can go to Yuki Sato’s room and paw through her stuff. The level design is Space Station Bland at points, but I can almost forgive it because they clearly put the effort into creating one big, confined space. Unlike Bioshock, where everything is segregated playpens with no sense of place in the greater world, when you eventually get to go out into space and see how all the pieces fit together, it’s a cool moment of realization that all the pieces really do fit together. That’s a commitment you don’t often see, especially these days. Before like six people told me they’re called Immersive Sims, I would think of games like this as “Dioramas.” They hit the exact right level of craft and verisimilitude to keep me interested. Not too tiny and scripted like a Gears corridor shooter, not too big and procedurally generated gunk like a Far Cry open world. The goldilocks of exploration.

I’m also totally sick of audio logs and want a moratorium on them almost across the board. I’m basically 180 on them and think the whole idea’s stupid because their purpose is to give you something to engage your brain while you’re rooting around trashcans, but practically speaking you have to sit still when you’re listening to them because the human brain actually doesn’t multitask well and it’s stupid to play the odds that you won’t run into a monster or get distracted by a hard to reach bauble and have to listen to the whole thing over again.

…..but the ones here were pretty solid. For one, it felt like they hit more character building notes and far less Expository Worldbuilding Gunk that I tune out on immediately because I know I’m gonna forget it as soon as the game’s over anyway and I’d rather save that brain space for, like, a book. For two… well, I try not to make super declarative statements on this stuff because I don’t feel like it’s 100% my place, but when people were talking up and being excited about the presence of queer relationships in this game, I assumed it was the usual case of having to do a lot of Rounding Up like to, y’know, pretty much always have to do in video games. 

So I was surprised that they gave you a couple fairly fleshed out queer characters whose plot was more than “yea I’m gay, super gay, all-the-time gay wanna fight about it,” was interesting. While I can’t shake the feeling that they gave your character a girlfriend because you could be a guy or a girl and people (especially gamers) are gonna be less gross about–well not less gross about but less angry gross about–lesbians than they are gay dudes, still, having that relationship play a fairly central part in the game beyond “Who You Choose To Bang 2/3rds Of The Way Through A Bioware RPG,” can’t be all bad, even if seeing the practical strings guiding that decision does get you kind of down about the state of things (slash-the-world-at-large).

I was disappointed in that part where you go into the lab and there’s post-it notes that say “not a mimic” on every single flask and coffee mug in the room and they didn’t pull the obvious trick of making one of the “not a mimic” post-its itself a mimic. To me, that seems like an extremely rude missed opportunity.

Really, the primary disappointment was the tech trees. I didn’t find almost any of the powers exciting, and I’m still craving that Shock 2 model of only having 4 super upgrade slots and for the 20-odd powers you could fit in them. Most of those powers were bad or useless, like “get more health from food,” or some crap, but that wasn’t the point! Some of them were cool things like “equip another cybernetic implant,” which were a huge boost. As always, I want far fewer upgrades that have far greater impact on how I act in the world. To an extent, getting mimic abilities did a little of that, but it was mostly for traversal. It’s that Path of Least Resistance thing I sometimes talk about–I didn’t really see much point in spending a bunch of time in the power wheel toggling around between my ability to launch enemies up in the air or mind control them or zap them when the shotgun and recycling grenades could handle almost everything without a fuss.

Likewise, the weapon upgrades were unspeakably dull. I was fine with them going with kind of a low-tech feel for the weapons, kind of like Half-Life, where the best you get is a shotgun and then a couple weird experimental science guns. It fit the theme. But I wish each weapon just had a couple of distinct, substantive upgrades (like I dunno, flaming shotgun shells or shotgun shells that shot alien bees) rather than the usual tepid “+1 to damage” and “+10% reload speed” that you just stack on without thinking about it. I just wish more games took the New Vegas approach of having individual accessories for each gun type, especially since those also applied aesthetic changes.

And the pacing’s weirdly back-loaded. I don’t know if that’s exactly something to complain about, but I played for like 20 hours essentially being alone with no one to talk to, like you do in these games sometimes, and then all of a sudden the next 10-15 hours are stuffed with NPCs and timed sidequests and stuff like that. I would’ve liked that to be spread out a little more just because my personal idiosyncrasies have me playing games like these at 120%++ in the initial hours (picking up every banana peel, reading every log twice, scouring the top of every bookshelf, unlocking every safe) that by the time they gave me more options to interact with the world, I’d burned myself out on most of it. I assume i’m far from the only person that does this, like I assume it’s pretty much the norm for the genre, so I wonder what the thought process was there–if it was anything beyond “we really want to keep the player isolated for as long as possible, because that’s what happens in these games.”

The twist itself, ehhh, you know. Once they hit you with that Trust No One vibe, you know the Trust No One x2 is coming at some point, so my initial guess on the ending right out of the gate was pretty much 80% correct when the credits rolled, but I didn’t feel bad for it. Because, like a magic trick, it’s about “how do all these actions line up??” rather than knowing the end result. Though I do think it was a bad call to give you a Bad End that’s accessible super early in the game and all but spells the final reveal out for you. The core conceit of the narrative (and the choices you make therein) not being based around “morality” but “empathy” hit a major chord with me. Even if I don’t think this is an end-all, be-all story, with video games, you kind of expect Nihilist and at best get Fatalistic. So to have Prey–a game about a Super Science Research Station Where Ethics Are Strictly Optional–poke and prod at compassion, and how it works, left me with a pleasant feeling. 

There’s this part where you go into a guy’s room and he’s got this gigantic, hand-crafted holographic diorama that, if you turn it off, there’s a chest behind it. I think I knew what I had to do to open it (it’s part of a similar secret earlier), but I couldn’t figure out how I had to do it, so I had to sit there and be like “do I wanna break this guy’s art to get his 60 credits or whatever?” And I don’t mean to be all Think Piece-y about it–because obviously I know people in video games are not real people–but I appreciate any time a game activates that fleeting instinct to be kind or preserve in me because I know there’s no permanence to anything I could do. Because like… I know people in books are not real people either, but I also get sad about them sometimes. To that end, recovering the composer’s symphonies was my favorite sidequest.

Prey got me at the right time. It’s got an aight sci-fi story, it’s got some fine trashcans to root around in, but what really invested me in it was the aesthetic choices and the cohesiveness of the world. I’d super ++++++ recommend it for anyone into Dishonored, Deus Ex, any of those games. Dishonored 2 had much better level and encounter design–Prey is a little too much on the Shock-style “random pipe zombie spawns to keep you on your toes at all times”–but the story/acting in it was kinda shit, so maybe it’s a wash. Anyway, if it’s within your budget of time/money, both are Capital G “Great++” games that you should get around to.

Tho I still super miss having to go around to the different science labs to correct the right minerals to research an enemy organ. Make a game where I have to pick up my Pb and Au to get that bonus damage to hybrids in 2017 (or beyond) and I’d be in heaven.