#because he’s made it very clear that he hates writing romance and is not planning to write romance into the main story of one piece

[purplepenntapus]

I’m not gonna begrudge anyone their ships but when people talk about Zoro settling down with Tashigi post canon like it’s the obvious end to his arc it confuses me so much lmao

[moonlitwitchdaisy]

You Should Have Run Away

✰ summary: once upon a time, in the bustling streets of shibuya, there lived a beautiful mafia princess who had angered her brother greatly. no matter what she did, she couldn’t shake off her brother’s overprotective grip. frustrated and seeking revenge, the princess decided to venture into the forbidden territory of shinjuku. when the princess stepped into the lair of the evil king, it was impossible for her not to catch his attention. to her, using her brother’s greatest enemy as a tool for revenge seemed like a brilliant idea. but once the beast wanted something, it became his. in the end, the beast would make sure the princess paid the price for daring to enter forbidden territory.

✰ pairing: rival mafia boss!sukuna x mafia princess fem!reader

✰ warnings: +18 Minors Do Not Interact +18 mafia au, mentioning of beating, mentioning of sex, gojo as a protective brother, use of mature language, use of alcohol, eventual smut, neck kissing and sucking, sukuna calls reader “miss gojo” and “brat”, oral sex (reader receiving), fingering, sukuna has a definitely heels fetish, little teasing, big dick alert!!!!!, unprotected sex, possesive behaviours, creampie, sukuna hates gojo lol

✰ word count: 5.4k

✰ a little note: while i’ve started reading mafia romance books again, it wouldn’t feel right not to write something like this. enjoy!

“This was your last chance, and you used it, princess,” your brother yelled at you furiously.

“Fuck off, Toru! Just because I slept with someone doesn’t mean you can beat him half to death and then force him to grovel at my feet to apologize,” you snapped back, your tone far angrier than his.

Your brother’s increasingly overprotective behavior was becoming unbearable. Fine, maybe he was about to take over an important clan, and sure, given the dirty work he handled, he knew how manipulative and dangerous people could be.

Satoru Gojo wasn’t a bad person—at least not when it came to his family. But if someone disrespected the clan? No one wanted to see his bad side. And if they wanted something even worse than that, all they had to do was mess with you.

“Go to your room, princess. I don’t even want to see you step outside for the next two weeks. If you need something, tell Yuji to get it for you. But you’re not setting foot out of this house. Understood?”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Don’t test me, princess. You know the rules—anyone who dares to touch you faces a fate worse than death.” His eyes were bloodshot. He must not have slept all night, and finding out about your little escapade had probably wiped any chance of sleep from his mind.

Screw this. Enough was enough. You were perfectly capable of seeing whoever you wanted. If someone tried to use you, you’d know. After all, the whole “Six Eyes” thing, which basically meant knowing and seeing everything, wasn’t exclusive to your brother. But still, the bastard refused to believe you could protect yourself.

“How long are you planning to keep protecting me, Gojo Satoru? Until I’m dead? I’ll be with whoever I want—” Your words cut off as your brother shot you a deadly glare. You usually chose to fight back in situations like this, but Satoru, with his anger and lack of sleep, might very well set the house on fire.

“Go to your room. Now.” He didn’t shout, but the tone of his voice made it clear you shouldn’t push him any further.

“Fuck you, Gojo Satoru.” With that, you turned toward the stairs and headed to your room.

Slamming the door shut behind you, you began pacing back and forth, your anger boiling over. Did he really think you wouldn’t leave the house? You weren’t his precious little princess. And he wasn’t even officially the head of the clan yet. Sure, he ran most of the operations since your father had grown old, but the final word still belonged to your father.

Your pacing came to a halt when your phone buzzed with incoming messages.

𓉘22:32𓉝 Nobara: holy shit i just saw your message so your brother found out huh?

𓉘22:32𓉝 Nobara: honestly the only thing i can say about that guy is that satoru gojo’s gonna kill him

𓉘22:33𓉝 Nobara: if not he’ll probably do something worse

Nobara was right. Unfortunately, your brother had already made the guy wish he were dead.

𓉘22:33𓉝 You: i wish he’d just killed him

𓉘22:33𓉝 You: oh and guess what? i’m grounded for two weeks can’t leave the house

𓉘22:33𓉝 Nobara: if I know you there’s no way you’re staying put

𓉘22:33𓉝 Nobara: wanna do something fun?

You? Of course, you wanted to. Especially right now.

𓉘22:34𓉝 You: what's on your mind?

𓉘22:34𓉝 Nobara: there’s a party in shinjuku

𓉘22:34𓉝 Nobara: you know where

Shit. Unfortunately you knew. Everyone knew about Malevolent Shrine. And everyone knew what went down at the parties there. That club was pure chaos—exclusive and dripping with danger. Just like its owner.

Shinjuku was off-limits for you. Actually, it was off-limits for anyone from your clan. That wasn’t your territory. Worse, the owner, Ryomen Sukuna, was your family’s sworn enemy. His empire ruled Shinjuku, and he was the Evil King.

Sukuna was the kind of man no one should mess with. Especially not you.

You could never go there. For one, you’d die—not by your brother’s hands but Sukuna’s. The moment you stepped foot in Shinjuku, his men would put a bullet in your head. And if you somehow made it to the club, the security would handle the rest.

𓉘22:35𓉝 You: you know i can’t go there

𓉘22:35𓉝 Nobara: chicken

𓉘22:35𓉝 Nobara: name a better way to get back at your brother?

𓉘22:36𓉝 You: girl are you insane? the second i step foot there i’m dead meat

𓉘22:36𓉝 Nobara: chicken

𓉘22:36𓉝 You: stop calling me that

𓉘22:36𓉝 Nobara: i’m not stopping until you say yes

𓉘22:36𓉝 Nobara: chicken chicken chicken

This girl was crazy. Watching the string of “chicken” messages fill your screen, you considered her plan. You were furious with your brother. You didn’t want him to protect you forever. You were a grown woman who had every right to be with whoever you wanted. No one could dare talk about a woman’s “honor” like it was their business.

You were so sick of men.

The messages on your screen had already hit 20. Were you really going to stay home like a scared little chicken? Or were you going to be the mafia princess who didn’t care about the danger?

Screw it. There wasn’t a single drop of cowardice in Gojo blood.

𓉘22:38𓉝 Nobara: chicken

𓉘22:38𓉝 Nobara: fuck my fingers are cramping but i'm not stopping

𓉘22:38𓉝 Nobara: chicken

𓉘22:38𓉝 You: i’ll be at your place in thirty

𓉘22:39𓉝 You: my brother’s probably too busy at our club blowing off steam and fucking someone to notice

𓉘22:39𓉝 You: also yuuji owes me a favor

𓉘22:39𓉝 You: but yuuji can’t drive us there you know they’d recognize the car

𓉘22:39𓉝 Nobara: i knew you weren’t a chicken 😘

𓉘22:39𓉝 Nobara: wear that gold dress

𓉘22:39𓉝 Nobara: we’re stealing all the attention tonight 💃

Shutting off your phone, you walked to your closet and pulled out the gold mini-dress you’d just bought from Rabanne. As you held it up, a sly smile spread across your face.

There was no way you wouldn’t get noticed in this.

“I hate you, you know that, right?” Yuuji said, glancing at you through the rearview mirror as he drove.

“You owed me.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t, but this wasn’t what I had in mind.” In a high-pitched, comical voice, he added, “I didn’t know my debt was death!”

When you hurriedly got ready and came downstairs, as expected, your brother wasn’t home. Yuuji was sitting on the couch, playing on his phone. When he heard the sound of your heels clicking, he turned his head toward you, and the look on his face wasn’t a good sign. The sight of you in 10 cm heels and a sparkling gold dress could only mean trouble.

As you checked your lipstick in a small mirror, you said, “Don’t worry. My brother will drink himself into oblivion and fuck someone senseless tonight. It’s the perfect time to teach him a lesson.”

“Even if you threatened to tattle to Papa Gojo, I still shouldn’t be doing this. But damn it, your dad is even scarier.”

Your brother could definitely be terrifying, but the person who made him that way was your father. If what you wanted wasn’t done, your father wouldn’t hesitate to put bullets through anyone.

Of course, if your father knew you were heading to enemy territory in Shinjuku right now, things would turn out very differently.

Ten minutes later, when Yuuji stopped in front of Nobara’s house, you planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “Nobara said she called an Uber. That must be the car in front. Thanks for the ride.”

Just as you were about to step out, Yuuji grabbed your arm. When you turned to look at him, you saw the worry etched on his face. “This clears my debt. If anyone asks you, I didn’t bring you here, okay? Also…” He took a deep breath. “If anything happens, you call me. Immediately.”

“You’ve got it.” You smiled to ease his concern and stepped out of the car. As soon as you approached the idling car with its lights on, you peered through the window to see Nobara. The moment you spotted her, you opened the door and got in.

“God, it’s freezing out there.”

“Hey, gorgeous. Holy shit, that dress is incredible.” Nobara whistled, giving you an approving once-over.

“We have to make this night worth it, don’t we?” you said, a sly grin spreading across your face. Both of you laughed, and during the drive to the club, you recounted every infuriating thing your brother had done lately.

When the Uber driver announced you’d arrived, you looked at the black building bathed in red lights. If you were to paint a picture of hell, this would probably be it.

You were officially in forbidden territory. Maybe threatening Yuuji by dangling your father over his head hadn’t been the best idea. Going back home and curling up in your warm bed suddenly seemed a lot more appealing. But Gojo Satoru had asked for this, and as his little sister, you were going to push it further.

The guards at the entrance immediately shot you suspicious looks, their brows furrowed as if asking, What the hell are you doing here? It must have surprised them to see anyone from the Gojo clan walk into this place so boldly.

“Good evening, gentlemen. I hope there’s room for two lovely ladies tonight?” With a sweet tone and an even sweeter smile, you asked the towering guards as if everything was perfectly normal.

“Go home,” one of the guards said, his stern expression unchanging.

“But who stays home on a Friday night, right, Nobara?” Your friend chuckled in agreement.

“If you don’t want the boss to blow your head off, go back where you came from.” The guard’s tone suggested he knew exactly how this would end.

You weren’t leaving. Whatever lie you had to tell to get inside, you’d say it.

“I hate to break it to you, buddy, but your famous boss invited us here tonight.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” The guard on the left stepped toward you angrily, but the other stopped him with an arm and turned to you. “The boss invited you?”

“Yep. Apparently, there’s at least one Gojo he doesn’t hate.” You had no idea what you were saying, but you rolled with it.

The guard stared at you and Nobara for a moment before finally stepping aside. “Tell the bartender inside you’re special guests. They’ll direct you where to go. Enjoy your evening, Miss Gojo.”

Well, that lie had actually worked.

“Thank you, sir.” Hooking your arm through Nobara’s, you hurried inside. The moment you stepped into the club, you realized it was even more hellish than it looked from the outside.

First, it was boiling hot—a relief, given how freezing it had been outside. Second, the place was all black and red. No matter where you looked, there wasn’t a hint of any other color. When you told the bartender what the guard had said, they led you to a quiet lounge upstairs. While the club itself was luxurious, this space was something else entirely. There weren’t many people—just a few men you assumed were businessmen, an actor you’d seen in an action movie, and two women hanging off his arms.

As you sank into the plush leather seats, Nobara turned to you. “I think this place lives up to the hype.”

Leaning back, you replied, “Seems like it. So, where are these infamous sex parties?”

Nobara laughed. “Probably in some hidden area. You know, like in the movies where you go through a secret passage.”

That was likely true. Based on what you’d heard about Sukuna, the man probably designed this place like a maze.

When the waiter arrived with a bottle of champagne and two glasses, he said, “A gift from the boss, Miss Gojo.”

Sukuna knew. Not that you hadn’t expected this. The guards must have informed him the second you walked in. Honestly, you’d assumed they’d tell him when you’d first started lying.

“Please send our thanks to the boss,” you said with a bright smile, taking the glasses the waiter had filled. You handed one to Nobara, and the two of you clinked your glasses before sipping the expensive, delicious champagne.

“Why don’t we finish this and hit the dance floor?” you suggested, the mix of alcohol, music, and the lingering fear of Sukuna making your adrenaline spike.

Nobara grinned, clinking her glass against yours again before downing the rest of her champagne. Then she poured herself another glass.

If you had to guess, the two of you would finish the entire bottle within fifteen minutes.

I guess you were wrong with your predictions because you and Nobara finished that bottle in just ten minutes. You had no idea how you managed it so fast, but you drank it like it was water while talking. Anytime you were with Nobara, there wasn’t a single moment that wasn’t fun. She was one of those people who made time fly without you realizing it.

With the rhythm of the song pulsing through you, you ground your hips against the man behind you, feeling the hardness growing against your back. You weren’t drunk—sure, you’d downed that massive bottle in ten minutes, but it was just champagne. You’d had far heavier nights, and your tolerance was nothing to scoff at.

“You know how to dance,” the man murmured, his lips brushing against your earlobe.

“It’s what I’m best at,” you replied, your tone just as flirtatious.

“I’m sure there’s something you’re even better at,” he whispered, and his hands slowly slid lower, brushing against your hips. You smiled, even though he couldn’t see it.

“Maybe,” you teased.

The truth was, you had no intention of sleeping with this guy. Sure, it would’ve been a great way to stir up even more trouble, but your focus wasn’t on him. It was on the crimson-eyed devil who hadn’t taken his eyes off you from the upper floor.

From the moment you stepped onto the dance floor with Nobara, you felt someone watching you. A few minutes later, when your gaze drifted upward, it wasn’t hard to figure out who it was. Sukuna, leaning casually against the railing with a glass of whiskey in hand, was watching your every move.

Every sway of your hips, every time you brushed your damp hair back, every teasing grind against the men who approached you—he didn’t miss a single second of it.

You wanted to create a scene, but only for him.

There was no denying his handsomeness. Even though you’d never seen him in person before tonight, it was clear he was mesmerizing, even from a distance. As you danced, you realized why your brother had kept you far away from him all these years. If you had ever seen this man before, you, like everyone else, would’ve wanted him to ruin you. Even knowing the danger he posed.

He might just be the only bad boy you’d ever want to destroy you. But calling Sukuna a “boy” was an insult. Ryomen Sukuna was a “man” in every sense of the word.

When your partner’s hands drifted lower, you pressed them down, urging him to squeeze your hips. He didn’t hesitate, gripping you firmly. His lips found your neck, and he sucked hard, marking you. You tilted your head back, letting out a soft moan, all while keeping your gaze locked on Sukuna.

You weren’t sure what you wanted him to see. Maybe it was something like, “Look at me, I’m here, the one person who absolutely shouldn’t be in your territory. And I’m letting someone else touch me in your club,” as if you wanted to make yourself stand out.

It was a childish move. Trying to make someone like Sukuna jealous was a fool’s errand.

But those crimson eyes followed your every motion. You were certain. Even as he took a sip from his glass, he raised it slightly in your direction, as if to say, Enjoy yourself.

You laughed, throwing your head back.

“Like what you see, baby? I can give you more if you want,” the man murmured against your neck.

You barely heard him. Sukuna had disappeared into a black-tinted, private room upstairs, and your focus was entirely on him.

You pushed the man’s hands away and stepped back. Without even looking at him, you said, “See you around,” and made your way toward the room Sukuna had entered.

When you reached the third floor, two guards stood in front of the door. You expected them to stop you, but instead, they said, “Welcome, Miss Gojo,” and stepped aside.

Even in your own territory, you weren’t treated with this level of respect.

Offering a polite “thank you,” you opened the black glass door without hesitation. The room, unsurprisingly, was black. Oddly, there were no hints of red here. Sukuna stood behind his desk, speaking on the phone. Though you couldn’t catch the full conversation, it was something about a delivery. He didn’t turn around, not even to see who had entered.

It was as if he had been expecting you all along.

“Call me when you cross the border tomorrow. If there’s a problem, consider yourself dead, understand?” He ended the call but still didn’t face you. The sound of keys clicking echoed in the room as he typed out a message, his attention still fixed on the screen.

“Well, what a lovely surprise, Miss Gojo.” Finally, he put the phone down and turned to you. His tone was calm, almost warm.

You were still standing by the door, unsure of your next move.

“Looks like the boy on the dance floor didn’t keep you entertained,” he said, clicking his tongue. “Pity. He probably thought he had your full attention, but Little Miss Gojo didn’t care for him at all, did she?”

Finally finding the energy to move, you walked over to the couch in front of his desk. “I don’t like overly grabby men,” you said, sinking into the seat.

“Well, that’s his loss,” Sukuna replied as he sat in his own chair. “I take it the clubs your brother owns don’t amuse you anymore, so you decided to try out Shinjuku’s nightlife instead?”

“Oh, absolutely. Our clubs are, how should I put it… dull. And my brother, as you know, Mr. Sukuna, is a complete buzzkill.”

Sukuna laughed, a genuine, deep laugh. “Gojo Satoru has no idea how to have fun. I’m glad you chose to come here.”

“Thank you. Even as an uninvited guest, you’ve treated my friend and me so well. But seriously, why are your guards so polite? I’ve never been called ‘Miss Gojo’ so many times in my life.” As you crossed one leg over the other, Sukuna’s eyes followed the movement. He watched, unblinking, even after you’d finished.

“My men know how to address people properly, Miss Gojo. And no one would dare speak disrespectfully to you.”

That was… unexpected.

“Why?” you asked, letting your top leg sway slightly as you spoke.

“No one disrespects my special guests, Miss Gojo. If they do, I’ll have to cut their tongues out. And I doubt anyone wants that.”

Ryomen Sukuna would absolutely do it. You were sure of that—and you doubted it would stop at just the tongue.

“You look like a runaway sun,” Sukuna said, leaning back in his chair, eyes never leaving you.

The sudden compliment made you laugh. “Was that supposed to be a compliment?” you managed to say between chuckles.

He smirked. “It was. Being something so hot that it melts everything in its path isn’t easy. Not everyone dares to touch.” Sukuna leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “This is where you wanted to be, isn’t it? Rather than getting more riled up by some amateur boy, you came here to play with the greatest danger in the room. You think you can burn me.”

“You said it yourself—I’m the sun. That means I can burn you.”

Sukuna rose from his chair and walked toward you. He leaned over the armrests of your couch, caging you in. You leaned back, but the space between you was negligible.

“Miss Gojo, if there’s anything hotter than the sun, it’s hell. Don’t forget that.”

You didn’t care. You could burn in hell. All you wanted was a touch.

One of Sukuna’s hands trailed up the inside of your thigh, brushing the fabric of your gold dress. “What a beautiful dress. Shame it’s so short—it leaves a lot to the imagination.”

You struggled to keep your thighs from pressing together at his touch. Despite your best efforts, you couldn’t stop the subtle trembling of your legs as his fingers traced slow, deliberate patterns against your skin. The soft yet firm caress made resisting impossible.

“Gojo Satoru did well to keep you away from me. But you’re too much of a brat to listen, aren’t you? That’s why you’re here, in my territory.” His hand stopped moving, and this time he squeezed the inside of your thigh, firm enough to send a jolt through you, but not painful—just enough to make you crave more.

“Yes…” Your voice came out as little more than a moan.

“Know this, Miss Gojo: if I’m entertaining you as my special guest, I’ll expect a favor in return.” His hand kneaded your thigh, coaxing another soft sound from your lips.

“W-what kind of favor?”

“You want me to fuck you, don’t you?”

Yes. Yes, you did. You’d wanted it from the moment your eyes met.

“I-I—”

“You wanted it to be me instead of that boy, didn’t you?” He leaned closer, his face hovering near your neck. He didn’t touch, but his eyes lingered on the mark left by the other man. “Should I track him down and kill him? It’s my job to keep my special guest satisfied.”

“Oh…”

“Use your words, Miss Gojo.” The way he called you Miss Gojo made your head spin.

“Yes. I wanted him to be you, Sukuna. I wanted the Evil King to claim me in his territory.”

Though you couldn’t see his face, you heard the low growl rumble from his chest at your words. Before you could say anything more, he easily lifted you with one arm, carrying you to his desk like you weighed nothing at all.

Before you could brace yourself, Sukuna swept everything off the desk with one hand, the clutter crashing to the floor as he pinned you down. The hard surface met your back, and the look in his eyes told you all you needed to know—he had transformed into a ravenous beast, his gaze hungry, predatory.

Your dress was shoved up almost to your waist, and, unsurprisingly, the panties you’d forgotten to wear were nowhere in sight. Your dripping, needy core was now fully exposed to Sukuna’s greedy attention.

When his gaze dropped to your slick heat, his eyes fluttered shut briefly, as if fighting to maintain control.

“I wish I could see how Gojo Satoru loses his mind when he hears about this,” Sukuna muttered, dragging your body closer to the edge of the desk. He yanked your gold dress the rest of the way up, spreading your legs wide to get a clearer view of the spot he clearly intended to devour.

“Fuck…” he murmured, his left hand gripping the inside of your right thigh while his right hand traced over your wet folds. He moved achingly slow, teasing, as though savoring every drop of slickness that coated his fingers. His touch was deliberate, exploring the sensitive walls of your entrance, his movements maddeningly unhurried.

But as much as the teasing ignited your body, you wanted—no, needed—more.

“Sukuna…” Your voice was barely a whisper, trembling with need.

“What is it? You want more?”

You swallowed hard and nodded, unable to find the strength to speak. His fingers moved with such infuriating precision that you were losing yourself.

“If I give you more, there’s no going back. You won’t be able to escape. Are you sure?”

You should’ve run. You should’ve left and never come back. But here you were, in enemy territory, no longer thinking about revenge on your brother. All you could think about was your own desperate need.

“I don’t want to run,” you managed, biting back a moan.

“Fuck,” Sukuna growled under his breath. Taking your response as permission, he leaned in, his mouth claiming the place that needed him most. His large hands spread your legs even wider, giving him complete access as his tongue began its sinful work.

“Su-Sukuna—ohhh,” you whimpered as his head moved between your thighs. His tongue licked you from your folds to your clit, his pace changing between slow, teasing drags and targeted, rapid flicks. Occasionally, he focused on a single spot, making you cry out, his masculine groans vibrating against you as he continued.

You couldn’t describe it. You weren’t someone who slept with men often, but none of them—not a single one—had ever worshiped you like this. The man who should’ve been the last person to ever touch you was devouring you like you were his last meal.

“The forbidden things are always the most delicious,” Sukuna murmured, pressing a wet kiss to your swollen lips. Just before plunging his tongue inside you, he added, “You taste incredible.”

“Oh, God… Sukuna…” you moaned. His tongue worked inside you with practiced precision, each movement sending fresh waves of slickness to coat him.

“Your walls want to keep my tongue inside. I can feel it,” he growled, his voice low and thick with desire. “Fuck, you’re so tight. How’s my cock supposed to fit in here?” His right hand left a sharp smack on your inner thigh before he returned to licking you, unrelenting.

Then he added his fingers. Without warning, two thick digits plunged inside you, curling as his mouth latched onto your clit. The wet, obscene noises his hand created only added to the intensity.

“You made a big mistake making me kneel for you, little brat.” He sucked your clit into his mouth, drawing a desperate, shaky cry from your lips.

“H-how?” you stammered.

“It means you’re never getting away from me,” he said, his fingers moving faster, hitting the perfect spot inside you. The heat between your legs became unbearable, and you knew you were close.

“You’re so filthy. Look what you’re doing to my fingers,” he teased, driving them deeper. “When I pull them out, I swear they’ll be wrinkled from your juices.” His lips returned to your clit, sucking hard while his fingers pumped relentlessly.

“D-don’t stop… I’m so close—UGH I’M GONNA CUM S-SUKUNA!” The tension in your body coiled tighter, seconds from snapping.

“Fuck no,” he growled, suddenly pulling his fingers and mouth away. Just as your release hovered on the edge, Sukuna stood and unzipped his black slacks, pulling them down along with his boxers.

Your breath caught. There was no way that was real. The massive, throbbing cock he held in his hand couldn’t possibly be human.

“Are you ready for my cock, Miss Gojo?” His voice was a low, primal growl.

You weren’t. Not even close. You had no idea how it would fit.

He brought his cock closer to your entrance, teasing you by sliding the tip along your soaked entrance . He let out a moan as the wet heat of your pussy coated him. You could feel the precum leaking from his tip mixing with your own arousal.

“This—this is torture. Please…” You were barely coherent, but you couldn’t take the teasing anymore. You needed him.

“What? Say what you want, Miss Gojo,” Sukuna taunted, his cock brushing lightly against you.

“I-I want you. I want your cock inside me,” you begged, your words tumbling out in desperation.

Sukuna chuckled darkly. “You can’t even form a proper sentence. All you can think about is my cock, isn’t that right?”

“Y-yes,” you stammered, your voice trembling.

“Then take it,” he growled before slamming into you in one swift motion.

Your entire body arched off the desk as you cried out. He didn’t ease in, didn’t give you time to adjust. He buried himself to the hilt, filling you completely. Wrapping your legs around his waist, your heels dug into his lower back, earning a low groan from him.

“Every time I thrust into you, I want those heels to dig in. Do you understand me?” His voice was a harsh command.

“Y-yes,” you gasped.

“Good. Seems the only time you behave is when someone’s fucking you.” Sukuna began moving, his hips slamming into yours with unrelenting force.

He was too big, stretching you so wide it felt like he was splitting you open. Every thrust pushed you to your limits, his thick cock hitting places you didn’t know existed.

“Do you hear that, Miss Gojo?” He was referring to the sound of his hips slamming against yours, the wet smacks of his length plunging into you. “That’s real music.”

“You’re—you’re insane, Sukuna. F-fuck, right there—” His tip hit the perfect spot inside you, making your toes curl.

“Here?” he taunted. “Take it all, Miss Gojo. Be a good girl and take everything I give you.” Your legs trembled as your heels dug harder into him, pulling him closer, making his thrusts even deeper.

Provoking a beast like Sukuna was a terrible idea. Yes, he was driving you wild with pleasure, but you knew that after tonight, no one else would ever compare. No one would ever fuck you like this, hitting your G-spot with every thrust, coaxing more of your juices out with every motion.

Sukuna Ryomen was about to become your addiction.

“I should kill Gojo Satoru for keeping me from this for so long—fuck—for keeping you from me,” Sukuna growled, his cock continuing to batter your sweet spot. “I fucking hate that man.”

Even fully clothed, beads of sweat ran down from his abs to your thighs, dampening the space between your bodies. His head tipped back, his hands gripping your legs tightly as if he never wanted to let go.

“Know this, Miss G-Gojo,” he growled, his words rough as your silken walls squeezed tighter around his thick, veined cock. “From this moment on, you’re mine—ughhh.”

"Sukuna—just a little more, please—so close—"

"Say you’re mine," he demanded, leaning closer to pound into you harder. Though his hands released your legs, you still clung to him, wrapping your arms around his neck to pull him even closer.

His thrusts grew deeper, each movement dragging along every sensitive spot inside you, making you shiver. With his lips brushing your ear, you whispered, your voice trembling with surrender, “I-I’m yours, Sukuna.”

“Fuck, yes! You’re mine. Get that through your head!” he roared into your neck, burying himself deeper.

“SUKUNA, IT’S TOO DEEP—I’M GONNA CUM!” your screams echoed through the room as your legs spasmed, and the sharp heels of your shoes dug further into his flesh.

“Don’t hold back on me, Miss Gojo,” Sukuna growled as he bit your neck, sending you over the edge into a shattering orgasm.

Your juices dripped onto his black wooden table while his hot seed filled you to the brim. The feeling of his warmth pumping inside you only reignited the arousal coursing through your veins.

Still buried deep within you, Sukuna pressed a soft kiss to the bite mark he’d left. As you worried about how you’d hide it from your brother, Sukuna’s words snapped you back to reality “Tell that idiot brother of yours you’re mine now. And if he behaves, I might even let him step foot in my territory.”

Your eyes widened. “W-wait, this wasn’t just a one-time thing?” No matter how much you had told him you belonged to him, you had only said it under the heat of lust. You had never truly considered that Sukuna might actually want to claim you.

Sukuna raised his head from your neck, his hungry, feral gaze pinning you in place as he braced himself above you. “Sunday. My house. I’ll fuck you against every wall until your marks are all over them.”

“Shit,” you muttered under your breath.

You should’ve stayed home today, listened to your brother. Or, when you stepped into this office, you should’ve run as fast as you could. Anything to avoid this.

But the beast had already claimed you.

all rights belong to the @moonlitwitchdaisy do not copy, reproduce, or translate my work.

art by @Crain1Art on X

divider by @bernardsbendystraws

[moongothic]

You know I was wondering if Crocodile ever did have any kind of involvement with the Revolutionary Army in secret (lest the Government finds out and revokes his Shichibukai status), what kind of involvement would that even have been

And now, with both the Vegapunk/Ohara flashback and Kuma's flashback, it's being made very clear to us that the Revolutionary Army was broke as hell 22 years ago. Like the fact that this has been brought up twice now in a relatively short span of time is interesting to me, that's usually a sign it's not an unimportant plotpoint

But you know who would have had money to help fund the Army

A funny little warlord who would eventually go and build a fucking casino to run for funsies. A warlord who had to give the Government some of his Pirating Income to keep his warlord-status

Like Crocodile hated the Government anyways so why not help fund the Revolutionary Army in secret, out of spite if for no other reason

Vaguely related, but I keep on remembering this scene (post-Enies Lobby), which at first glance just seems like a basic Lore Dump

But then there's the

"Yet..."

(Or "however", she says "no ni" in Japanese and you could translate that in many ways, I would probably have gone with "however" but that wouldn't have fit into the speechbubble)

Mind you, the conversation just kind of ends there, next we see Garp realize he probably shouldn't have mentioned Dragon infront of such a massive audience, so wherever that "yet" was going to lead to we will never find out, because Oda conveniently changed the subject before we got to it

And you know. Like yes, Robin could be just expressing her shock over finding out that the leader of the Revolutionary Army had a child with someone

But also, Robin was a part of an organization that was trying to overthrow one of the founding countries of the World Government in an explicit attempt to go against said Government (compared to like, Blackbeard, who currently wants to make Fullalead into a "pirate country" that's a part OF the World Government)

Like you don't have to be a genius to look at Crocodile's ultimate goals and compare that to what Dragon is doing and find a few similarities here and there maybe

(Also like, Crocodile's equivalent in Romancing SaGa 2 is meant to be Wagnas, the queer-coded leader of the Seven Heroes (whom the OG Shichibukai are based on) who "hoped to help the world". You know, an interesting detail and all.)

Not to mention, during the time Robin spent with Baroque Works, if Crocodile was ever in contact with the Revolutionary Army at all, considdering she has the ability to easily spy on people and that she didn't trust Crocodile one bit, it wouldn't be unsurprising if she ever spied on Crocodile and/or just overheard a phone call or knew about Crocodile having secret spending habits or something

(Mind you, I'm not saying "she knew" Crocodile was involved with the Revolutionaries, more that she might've been Suspecting Things, that "yet" being about her connecting the dots while unsure if her conclusion was right or not)

Of course Crocodile's plans can't have been Dragon Approved by any means, especially considdering the Army had been looking for Robin for over 10 years (pre-timeskip)

Four years of which were with Crocodile. Like if he was FULLY allied with the Army and KNEW they were looking for Robin, surely he would've called Dragon and been like "hey I found the kid from Ohara, wanna come hang out" or something. But no, he had bigger plans and kept Robin a secret from the Revolutionaries and the Government alike

Also like, I have seen people question why the Revolutionaries weren't involved with Alabasta's rebellion at all, and "Oda hadn't come up with the Revolutionaries yet at the time of writing" (/"OP was meant to end at Alabasta at one point so there would've been no reason to introduce the subplot at that point") aside Between Baroque Works being a secret organization working undercover (thus the Army might not have been aware of the civil war being manufactured), the framing of the King making him look bad and very much the type of monarch that deserved to be overthrown in the Army's eyes, and Crocodile maybe lying through his teeth about what was happening in the country... Yeah, the Army's lack of involvement with Alabasta suddenly makes sense

EDIT Minor addition: Just realized that because Crocodile was technically working for the Government, if the Revs ever did send forces to participate in Alabasta's civil army and taking down the throne, the Government could've easily ordered Crocodile to step in to stop the rebellion and take down the Revolutionaries, right? Because he was supposed to be on the Government's side, right? And surely the Army wouldn't have wanted to fight against Crocodile if they were secretly allied (Croc's secret betrayal aside), and if Crocodile refused to fight the Revs the Government could've seen that as a reason to revoke his Shichibukai rights (which wouldn't be great if they wanted to keep Crocodile in a position where he could fund the Army?). So it could've also been a case of it being for the best for everyone's sake to let this one play out "naturally"

But my point is

I'm just deeply intriqued by these little details and wonder if I'm Actually Masterfully Connecting The Dots Like a True Genius or just seeing a pattern where there's none. Like this is far from confirming the theory, I'm just saying, the pieces do kinda fit together do they not

[rey-jake-therapist]

So apparently Cele/born has been trending on x. No hate to anyone who likes Cele/born, but I noticed that there's this particular crowd on there that want him to return for Gal and I think that's fine and all, like I know how the story ends. But the thing that's really, really weird to me is... for all his 'fans' who are campaigning for him to return in S3, there's like.. almost no fan content for him. No one's making videos (which I guess is cause he had little movie screen time), but still, there's no edits, or heck, even fanfics written about how his return would go or his emotional reunion. Which is quite odd, because if you truly are fascinated about a character, and care about their relationship to another character, wouldn't you try to, Idk, make fan content to express your support or love for your ship? And yeah, I know not everyone is comfortable writing fics or making art, but you'd think there'd be at least some works put out by now by some of them. Or even some headcanons and meta posts. Which again, no hate to anyone or Celedr/iel, but it's kind of telling that all that support is rly just superficial, at least from this certain grp of his 'fans' on x. I'm not trying to turn this into a halad/riels vs them war, but it's just something I noticed about them.

I think it just proves that Celeborn isn't as popular as it seems, and that those who are making his name "trending" are just a loud minority, who for most of them, indeed don't care that much for the character himself or even for his love story with Galadriel.

Most people who want Celeborn just want Galadriel to be a wife, so Haladriel can be 100% antagonist, at least from Galadriel's side. Celeborn's return won't stop Sauron from wanting Galadriel, I can assure you that. Somehow, the show made that pretty clear in season 1 :

Yeah, that's what he would try to do to Celeborn if he was getting in the way.

I don't know if it's because I'm European and we don't do extreme puritanism where I come from, but I'm always amazed that the main problem to Haladriel always seem to be : "but she's MARRIED, the slut's cheating !" and not, "Sauron's an evil, tyrannical maniac who plans to enslave all Middle-Earth, and who expresses his love for Galadriel through extreme possessiveness and obssession, a very bad recipe for a successful romance."

I mean, adultery seems to be quite secondary to me, in this context, but what do I know.

[genericpuff]

I dont think snailords is literally going to end the series in 20 episodes. I think he is plotting the rest of the season and has the option to extend it 10 or 20 episodes.

That's not what he implies in his post, though, at all. The wording is very clear:

He's not saying "I have the ending for Death : Rescheduled planned out but I have this one mini arc I want to do before it", he's literally saying "the comic is ending whether you like it or not, but if you give me $1k I'll make sure it's 20 weeks from now instead of 10." He doesn't say he's plotting out the end which is however far from now, he just goes straight into "I'm gonna end the comic in either 10 episodes or 20". And then of course even goes to say "decide whether you want 20 more weeks with Kissae and Kreyul, or 10 more weeks to say goodbye". If he didn't want to give his readers the impression that that meant it was ending within that time range... then why phrase it like that? It doesn't help either that his phrasing is supported by his updates, where he says shit like:

(Also I couldn't find them but there are other screenshots out there of him saying shit like "thanks for showing you love the series" in a way that's frankly rude af because it's basically like he's asking for money for his readers to 'prove' they love him and his work, and that wouldn't be the first time he's done that either.)

If he is saying what you're suggesting, then he's not being clear about it at all because the language is very seriously implying that it's going to be ending when it returns. Which I'd hope it isn't considering what other readers are pointing out that the story has basically just gotten going and I'd hate for this to turn into another Freaking Romance situation, but I don't know how else we're supposed to read "

And, as I mentioned in my post about it, why on earth even contemplate putting in this mini arc that he's asking for $1k as a deciding factor over if he doesn't even have it written? He says he's way more confident just writing the finale arc as is, so why drag it out with an arc he's not completely confident in?

And of course, there's the urgency. If Death : Rescheduled isn't entering its ending arc after it returns from midseason hiatus - if it still has potentially years of storytelling left - then why now? Why suddenly ask your readers to buy $1k worth of merch in 24 hours or less to help you make a decision... if the actual consequences of that decision won't be made apparent for ages?

And at the end of the day, even if it's a possibility he meant what you're suggesting, that doesn't make it any less scammy to hold the comic's potential ending for ransom? Speaking as a comic writer myself of the last 10+ years, getting money from the audience in this kind of way has never ever been a deciding factor in how I write my work. Sure, things like stretch goals and Patreon milestone rewards are a thing, offering bonus chapters or NSFW art or just additional goodies if you hit a financial goal or if people sign into a certain tier, all that makes sense, but if what you're offering is worded specifically to make your audience panic - not saying "hey , you guys get an extra bonus 10 episodes if I hit this goal by this date" but rather "hey, you guys won't get AS MANY episodes if you don't pay me $1k in 24 hours or less" - and ultimately gets your readers an extra 10-15 episodes of an arc you're not even confident in writing ... the fuck is that, even? Just write the story you want to write, why do you gotta make your audience freak over not getting as much comic as they might want only to twist it into "surprise, it was for charity!" in the end?

The whole thing is silly and yeah, I'm calling it for what it is - a scam - because it's not the first time Snailords has taken advantage of his audience and played on their emotions and need for short-term gratification all for his own financial benefit. It's not even the first time he's tanked his own comic from rushing the ending simply because he was done playing with it. So at this point I wouldn't be surprised if the comic does come back and proceeds to spend 10-15 episodes waffling on a directionless mini arc before rushing into a 10 episode finale.

That said, that's all my two cents on it, you don't have to agree with me. I really don't feel like I'm misinterpreting his words but maybe someone else could enlighten me if there's something I'm missing here; that said, considering even his own readers were calling him out on this and that he never actually made efforts to clarify what could be poor language, I don't think I'm an outlier and I don't think there's even any misinterpretation happening. Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I've yet to see this guy do anything to prove that he's capable of doing the right thing. And frankly, even if what you suggested turns out to be true and the comic goes on for a long while before actually hitting that $1k-funded mini arc (and again, I kinda hope it does just so we don't end up with a repeat of what happened with Freaking Romance) it doesn't make any of this feel less gross IMO.

[leezlelatch]

Original Romancing anon here! I just wanted to add to the conversation that I also LOVE seeing kink portrayed in a fluid and normalized way!! Like it can just be part of the characters' sex lives, you know? Just a thing they enjoy sometimes. Some nights Copia wears panties and maybe he wants his ass ate and maybe he even wants to be topped. But it doesn't always have to be a 'scene' with someone being 'the dom' and someone being 'the sub' you know? Of course that sort of kink is great as well! But fan works so often fall into that trope that it's super refreshing to see kink written in a more "real" way 💖💖

Hi! Glad to see you back. :)

Yes, I absolutely agree. It doesn't have to be a big production. "Bottom" has unfortunately become synonymous with "submissive". And in that submissiveness, characters are portrayed as these feminized two-dimensional objects there for the "Top's" or "Dom's" pleasure.

Which we see a lot in the portrayal of Terzo for instance. You can write a character that loves to receive. You can write a character that is unapologetically queer. And as a character with not much background, but some, anyone can weave a tale exploring his sexuality, his relationships, and how they shape him as a person. But the integrity of a character is equally as important. We have learned that Terzo has a lot of internal struggle.

“He represents this frustrated old guy who hates everyone, especially himself. But despite his wounds and his darkness, he has a sense of humour and is endearing, like most of my heroes" (Metallian 7/2015).

We have learned that he had big plans for his papacy in leading his flock toward Meliora - the pursuit of something better.

"...even in his formative years, he remained a focused man of vision, looking far into the future, always addressing his people's needs and longings to keep our church together in those turbulent, rapidly changing times" (Source).

And through performances, the unplugged tour, etc., Terzo has made himself clear as a man who looks after the underdog, who has a sense of humor, who encourages the indulgence of pleasure, particularly a certain feminine one, and is very much a complex character in his own right.

So often you see him portrayed as this bed warmer. As someone whose only purpose is to take what he's given because he's the fandom twink. I think it's a disservice to the character. Which might earn me some frowns, but...

We have four old Italian men at our disposal to craft stories around. Which you can take anywhere and do anything with. I am just of the opinion that they should be allowed to remain old Italian men (other than stories set in the past, of course). With all the complexities that the source material we do have, gives us.

I apologize for my essay lol But thank you very much for your ask. I would absolutely eat Copia's ass.

[heretherebedork]

The worst is Dohan wasn't just afraid of coming out, he had a very realistic fear of being outed by his evil sister which is a million times more violent and traumatizing than deciding on his own to come out. And Dohan's fear of being out is 100% justified by the narrative, yet somehow the writers still treated it like a character flaw. He started the show being sent pictures basically threatening to out him, he is from a very homophobic society/country, he has siblings who hate him and Jihan and want to ruin their lives, his Grandfather has been trying to marry him off for years, we find out the Grandfather wanted him to stay in the closet, and he was suddenly forced into the public view without much warning and really without his consent at the beginning of the show because his Grandfather decided Dohan needed to take over the company. Dohan had literally every piece of control stripped away from him throughout the entire show. He was consistently threatened and pressured and he knows he's at risk. OF COURSE he tried desperately to hold on to the marriage plans?? And again Jihan doesn't take a single second to think about how Dohan must feel or what he's going through. No, instead Jihan and the writers try to convince us that having a secret, even if that secret could put you in actual danger, is the most selfish thing you can do.

And on another note, I think you've discussed this before but the people saying Jihan and Ahjeong had no reason to suspect they would be followed on all their public romancing must've been watching another show than I was. It was literally established that both Ahjeong and Jihan knew reporters were looking for Ahjeong, they even found her house!!! If I remember right Jihan knows Dohan was being followed because Dohan mentioned pictures of him in New York. Jihan literally sent a photographer after Dohan in the first episode. Ahjeong got recognized by a famous actress who hates her when her and Jihan were together. They were later chased by a reporter and had to go on a whole car chase! AND Jihan knows his siblings are angry schemers. And yet neither of these people stopped for one second to think that there's some possibility they could be followed or recognized? That the siblings would send someone? That the actress could spread rumors? And somehow people think I should go "well their faces haven't been plastered on the 9 o'clock news yet so obviously they won't think this could happen!" ??? They even kept having public meet ups AFTER knowing they were photographed!!! The writing on this show is genuinely just bad. There's really no other way to put it. I've seen more coherent writing and characterization in BLs that got about $15 and a dream to make them. What a let down.

Yeah.

The fact that the show starts with someone threatening to out Do Han seems to be mostly forgotten by the narrative and completely ignored by the narrative in terms of emotional connections and emotional reasons for narrative choices.

Because the show had no idea what to do.

I really want to be clear that this show was not good.

Yeah, Ah Jeong and Ji Han made like no sense. Ah Jeong was stalked by reporters, Ji Han had hired reporters before and knew his half-siblings were looking for ways to take Do Han out of the inheritance line up so like... it's nonsense to think that they had no reason to believe they might be followed. None! Of course they were followed.

Ugh.

It's over!

Let's start daydreaming about a Thai remake.

This remake will add in a romance for Do Han, make Ah Jeong a better friend and focus on their friendship and her understanding of why Do Han doesn't want to come out, give Ji Han an actual redemption arc including a lot more sympathy for Do Han not wanting to come out and for the fake relationship and just generally be much more friendly to the whole storyline and make us very happy.

Let me dream, okay?!

[jojikawa]

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙞𝙤: 𝙋𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙩 | 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙊𝙣𝙚

WICKED HEARTS

Author’s note: This is a POC FRIENDLY blog. I am a black girl and I want to write more fics that don’t leave the reader racially ambiguous. This is self-indulgent and I’m just sharing it with you. Jojo is far from realistic. So, I don’t need to be either. Please don’t leave hate! Thanks! 

This is a DARK romance so there will be toxic relationship themes, NSFW themes, descriptions of violence, and gore. There will also be unintentional sexism and racism from the characters toward the reader. The reader is canonically black in this AU but it is written for people from all walks of life to enjoy.

MASTERLIST

"You are my JOY..." Art by KDash_01 on Twitter!

I made this chapter into an audiobook. Audio File: The_Bride_of_Dio_Pilot.wav for those who want to listen while reading! I struggle with paying attention while reading. Made with Eleven Labs AI. It mispronounces Dio's name sometimes and tries to voice act. Could be immersion-breaking!

WORD COUNT: 4.5k

You’ve known Erina for some time now. Her family has always been extremely kind to you. Despite your situation, her parents allowed you and your mother to stay with them. Free of charge. Of course, your mother was very adamant about working off any possible favors. Erina never held it over your head or made you feel bad about it. She was so naive and innocent. She always viewed you as a best friend and sister. Not a poor girl living rent-free in her house.

The young girl was a pampered one as well. She had no idea how to put on her dress or do her own hair—but you did. You were always on your own, so you knew how to do a lot of things. You did it for her for a while and then eventually taught her how to do it herself. It was almost like you were her handmaiden. Life was comfortable but…you wanted more. You didn’t want to feel like you were mooching off of your best friend anymore. You never wanted your mother to work herself into an early grave just for you to live like this.

You just…didn’t have the resources to execute anything. After all, you were just a poor girl.

Your life had become boring and monotonous for a few years after realizing this. You spiraled into a depression that was barely visible to anyone but Erina. Unable to help, she would reassure you that you’re a pleasure to have around and that she’s always available to talk to. Unfortunately, that didn’t help. 

You busied yourself with education and chores, hoping that one day, you could find a suitor, just like Erina had. She went on about a boy named “Johnathan Joestar.” It was a very particular name, wasn’t it? Joestar. It came off like a noble name to you. 

Erina would tell you stories of how she believed the boy had a crush on her. It began when you needed to separate from Erina to grab lunch. She planned a picnic for the two of you, but she forgot to grab the basket with all the food. You were kind enough to go fetch it for her and while you were away, a few bullies showed up.

They made fun of her and took the doll she had been showing off to you. They tossed it around and held it out of her reach, making lewd comments about the doll and trying to take its clothes off. Erina claims the Joestar boy fought the bullies, but you were skeptical. Although, she did have a Joestar handkerchief as proof. Perhaps, he did. You were happy that Erina had discovered feelings for someone who seemed to be respectable. It was hard finding decent men these days. Most held no regard for women.

You were almost surprised when things had begun to spice up for you as well. You unexpectedly found yourself in the eye of someone else. This “Jonathan Joestar” has a brother. Dio Brando. 

It was clear that Erina thought poorly of Dio. She told you that he treated Jonathan badly. He kicked his dog on the day he first arrived. You couldn’t understand that. You loved dogs. It was also hard to imagine Dio doing such a thing. You would surely confront him about it.

Erina’s love for Jonathan had been blooming faster than ever. She gushed about it all the time and wanted to go out to eat again for a celebration. You prepared lunch together and made sure she didn’t forget it this time. 

The two of you sat beneath an apple tree. It made for good shade and if Erina wanted fresh fruit, you could easily climb up and grab it for her. You had barely sat down before the girl claimed she saw the Joestar boy and ran off to be with him. She wanted to return his handkerchief that you had washed for her. 

It didn’t help that Erina had become so impulsive like this. Jonathan this, Jonathan that, May I have an apple? Oh, Jonathan’s there! You were all the way at the top of the tree that you had climbed just for her. You had become stuck with no way down.

You tried to work your way down but today you chose to wear fancier footwear. You would slip and probably break your leg. You were beginning to lose hope and the idea of just waiting for Erina to come back and fetch someone to get you became more acceptable.

Then you heard a voice. 

“Erina is a silly one, isn’t she? Leaving you all alone once again.” 

It was deep and smooth but very sly and cunning. A condescending tone.

You looked around, confused about where the voice could be coming from. You couldn’t see anyone just yet. You shuffled around a bit before a person emerged from behind a tree some distance away. You recognized the blond hair and amber eyes. A look that couldn’t be found just anywhere. It was Dio. 

“Oh, it’s just you.” You were genuinely surprised to see him. “Oh? Is one not excited to see yours truly?” He smirked at you before crossing his arms. “Just when you’re in need of help as well.” His speech was slow and sure. He has all the characteristics of a villain from all the books you’ve read from Erina’s library. You remembered that your mother said not to judge people by their outward appearances.

“I believe I can get down on my own.” You informed him, trying your best to find a footing that wouldn’t let you slip. 

Dio walked over to the tree you were stuck in. He held out his arms for you. “If you could get down, then you would have already. Just jump. I can catch you.”

“How do I know I can trust you?” You lowered your gaze. You wanted to get down but Dio was supposed to be this horrible person who kicks dogs and is mean to his brother whom Erina crushes on. 

“You have no other choice.” 

You began to look around. The sun was beginning to set. The evening would come very soon. Your mother would be furious if someone else had to come out and get you. You looked back at Dio. He was patiently waiting for you to make up your mind. So smug and sure of himself. 

“Okay.” You sighed, readying yourself for the jump. The moment you let go of the leverage to move, you slipped anyway, coming off of the tree branch. Dio quickly stepped forward, seemingly catching you with ease. The abruptness of his actions actually caused him to suffer pain in his lower back and leg. You were a bit heavier than he predicted! 

Dio ignored the pain, smirking at you as he held you bridal style. “See. There was nothing to be fearful of. You should learn to trust me.” You huffed at his tone as it sounded semi-condescending. Rolling your eyes, you jump out of his arms and adjust your dress. “To be honest, I thought that you only came here to make fun of how I look.”

The blonde boy tilted his head. “Make fun of you? Why would you think that of me?” Even when his words were of curiosity, his tone made it as though he couldn’t be trusted. 

“Because that’s what everyone does.” 

This made Dio knit his eyebrows together for a brief moment. It was obvious why the others would make fun of you but you seemed to already have an opinion of him. Something he didn’t have control over. “I’m not everyone. I am Dio Brando.” 

The boy before you failed to hide how disingenuous he could be. 

“I know who you are.” You said lazily, not at all caring for your attitude. “Jonathan’s brother.”

 “I am not related to such a talentless oaf!” Dio scrunched up his face in disgust, averting his eyes and crossing his arms. He had a real bone to pick with that innocent boy. You had previously found yourself disbelieving the things Erina had told you of Dio but it was beginning to show. You found it rather funny. You expressed your joy shamelessly, giggling to yourself without the effort of suppression.

“This is how you thank me? By calling Jonathan my brother like we bleed the same blood and laugh in my face?” Dio narrowed his eyes at your behavior but he still held restraint. He had become self-aware enough to realize that he can lash out. This was something he didn’t want to ruin for himself.

“Okay, okay.” You rolled your eyes to the left and gave him a half smile. “Thank you for helping me, Dio.” You then turned to him. “But why exactly did you come over here?”

“Can a boy not go wherever he pleases?” Dio teased you, causing you to frown. His idea was to be flirty with you but it seemed like no matter what he said because the way he says things dictates the reactions. Dio’s smirk fell. You weren’t very privy to flirting, were you? The young man readjusted himself. “When I heard that Jonathan would be coming out to see Erina, I couldn’t help but think about how that girl just leaves you to your own devices.”

“Erina is like my sister and my best friend.” You told him. “I support her relationship with Jonathan. It’s just that-“

“—there’s no one around to support you, yes?”

You pouted, examining his face for any sign of being disingenuous. Your mother taught you how to read people. You needed to be good at it to survive as someone with a low status as yourself. It was the best way to tell when you were being used or discarded. “So, you haven’t come to make fun of me for how I look or that I’m not as rich as you.”

Dio placed one hand on his chest with the other outstretched towards you. “I come from humble beginnings as well. You can see me as…one who gets it. You have to get good at fighting if you want to survive where I’ve come from.” He gloated. This behavior was familiar to you. It was always something you saw men do in the presence of women. He was trying to impress you. Although it was subtle, the things he would gush about were normally about him and things you never asked about. 

You did think Dio was rather cute. You didn’t expect someone with blonde hair and a dumb smile on this face to sound a fair bit intelligent. Let alone, give you any attention that wasn’t negative. You weren’t ugly but the clear beauty standard was someone like Erina. You didn’t look like Erina at all…

“Mmm. I see.” You hummed, humoring him just a little. “So, now that you’re here, Dio, what is it that you would plan on doing?” You smiled at him, causing his pupils to retract while a dusted pink appeared on his cheeks. “I’ve come to get to know this fair maiden that’s been plagued by Lady Erina.”

You giggled. “Oh, I’m not ‘plagued by Erina’ but I appreciate your efforts.” You parted from Dio, beginning to clean up the picnic that you were having with Erina. There was a grunt behind you and recognized it to be Dio. “What’s the use in getting rid of everything when you’ve only just started?”

You turned to look at Dio. Was he trying to eat with you?

“Mm. You’re not as bad as everyone is making you out to be. Is this a prank? Have the city boys sent you to embarrass me?” You questioned as you halted your actions. You went to sit where you previously were, leaving room for Dio to sit as well. He acted on this opportunity, sitting by you in Erina’s place. “Not at all. I’ve come of my own volition.” He answered.

You rolled your eyes. You didn’t believe that at all but all you could do was give him a chance. If he was lying then that would just be something you had to deal with. What followed was completely unexpected!

Dio had come to visit you very often during the day. Sometimes spending the evenings with you too. The pot rumors of Dio became less and less evident as you got to know him. You didn’t know if he could actually commit the horrible things you’d heard of. 

Unbeknownst to you, your presence had caused Dio to behave a lot better. The young devil had been tormenting Jonathan for some time but recently, it didn’t feel like things were that bad. Was it because Jonathan had found salvation in Erina or was it that Dio found salvation in someone else?

Jonathan was unaware of your presence for some time. Dio was very good at keeping his secrets and his whereabouts were no exception. Since the Joestar wanted nothing to do with Dio, any time where the devil disappeared was highly welcomed, but he never would have guessed it was a girl. He heard it from Erina.

The two were together and had spent time swimming. It was clearly a date. Jonathan felt compelled enough by his relationship with the girl to carve their initials into a tree. Very wholesome. It wasn’t too enjoyable for Erina, though, as there was something eating away at her.

Your time with Dio.

Was she jealous? Maybe. This boy who tormented her boyfriend daily was now tormenting her by taking her best friend away. Erina vented to Jonathan.

“Has Dio been acting strange lately?” The girl questioned politely. Jonathan turned his head to the side, thinking for a moment before facing his lover. It was so easy to forget about Dio when he was having such a good time. “I suppose so.” The boy answered. “He hasn’t seemed to be too much of a bother!”

Erina frowned. “I believe that's because he’s spending time with (y/n), my friend.” She sighed. “He could be a bad influence on her.”

Jonathan agreed. Perhaps, Dio wasn’t the best person for you to be around. It was natural for your friend to worry about you, right? So, Erina asked Jonathan to warn Dio to…stay away.

That was a huge mistake. 

Dio only pretended like he had gotten the message. 

“I don’t think you should be talking to Lady (y/n).”

This caused Dio’s mask to begin slipping. Who were they to tell him who he could or could not talk to? He was Dio Brando. He could do anything he wanted. If anything, this made him want to be around you so much more. Anything to piss off those mongrels.

Even after all of this time you had spent with Dio, you still had a hard time believing that everything was real. It wasn’t a negative feeling. It was almost the same as pleasant disbelief. The first boy to ever give you time like this. You went from planning picnics with Erina to planning picnics with Dio. You didn’t want to call him your lover just yet but he already felt like one. Everyone expects boys to be a bit airheaded and oblivious but Dio seemed to be very in tune with his emotions. He was also very sensitive towards yours.

There were the occasional sexist comments that spawned from misinformation and curiosity but you’d always clear it up. 

It was mid-spring. The air was warm and the wind carried a cool breeze. It was refreshing and perfect for a date. You wanted to do something special for Dio. He had completely extinguished your feelings of loneliness these days. He even made you forget about your internal struggles. It was a sweet escape. As a “thank you” you made him some extraordinary Earl Grey tea. It was expensive and something you had only ever made for Erina’s family. 

Preparing food and drink and getting others to look nice was your specialty but it wasn’t something you enjoyed hearing about from Dio.

“I never knew that your kind could be so good at making English tea. This is extremely delicious. You should make tea for my father!” Dio held a joyous look on his face. His cheeks burned with delight at the taste of your tea. It was like heaven to him. 

You did not look the same. You could not tell if Dio was trying to be sexist or what. It defeated the point of the compliment. It was so backhanded and very like him to say such a thing. 

“Can you not say stuff like that?” You narrowed your eyes at him. The boy choked on his drink as he saw your face. The hot liquid went down his windpipe, quickly causing him to cough and gag. You rolled your eyes, patting him on the back for assistance. 

“L-Like what?” He repeated, mood displaced from the hot tea. “You said ‘your kind.’ That’s derogatory.” You told him. “I’m tired of hearing everyone being so surprised that I can do something well.” You sat your tea cup down, retreating inward as if you were trying to make yourself small. 

“But I wasn’t insulting you-“

“You were. You don’t understand because everyone already expects you to know how to do stuff.” You pouted. “I’m taught just like everyone else but for some odd reason my intelligence gets insulted.”

Dio grunted. “Well, I wasn’t trying to.” 

Tears pricked the corners of your eyes. Your heart sank and your chest ached at the memories of being put down for being a woman…or more. It had been piling up and only as a little girl, it had already become too much for you. Dio audibly reacted to your small change in behavior. He was never one to actually apologize to anyone—for anything! 

But it was clear that he triggered a response that ran deep within you. 

Dio puffed out his cheeks, avoiding eye contact with you. “I’m sorry, okay? Just stop doing that.” He looked off to the side, trying to do anything but look directly at you. This made you confused. You tilted your head, drying your eyes. “Doing what? I’m not doing anything.” 

“Yes, you are. You’re looking like that. I command you to stop.” Dio grumbled. One thing he hated more than seeing you sad was being the reason why you were sad. Dio would do any and everything in his power to never be like his god-forsaken father, Dario. 

“Hmm.” You hummed. It was easy to tell he didn’t have a good grasp on his emotions or feelings. Perhaps his apology is sincere. “It’s okay. I guess you didn’t mean anything harmful by it.” Your body language became open again. “Did you really mean it when you said I should make tea for your father?”

Your blooming relationship with Dio was picking up very slowly. It was easy to notice how he talked about you differently compared to other women. His language was more delicate and the good things he said about you to other people got back to you often. A part of you felt like maybe the two of you could become lovers in the future. Even if you didn’t show it.

You see, Dio found it hard to tell if you were ever returning his feelings. You rarely flirted back, nor did you initiate flirting by yourself. The only thing he had going was that he was the only male you gave your time to. He wanted so badly for you to just admit it so that his mind could be at ease. The thought of rejection plagued him like a bad sickness.

Dio was always calculated but attraction always brought out the worst in a human. Especially men. They were always expected to be the ones to act first on love while women waited there to be impressed, causing him to do something unthinkable.

“I believe that you should come by the Joestar mansion and make enough for everyone. I think everyone should be able to witness and taste such excellence.” Dio smirked, gaining enough courage to look you in the eyes. His eyes were like daggers compared to your soft teary doe eyes. “There’s no way I can possibly express my gratitude.” The boy leaned closer.

You smiled at his odd behavior. It was out of character for him so far to act this nice but it was welcomed. Perhaps, you were seeing a new side of him. “Thank you, Dio. It’s rather hard to…” you trailed off as his face was now only inches away from yours. “D-Dio?” You leaned backward, trying to create more distance but he only closed it more. His arm snaked around your waste to prevent you from falling. 

“I don’t believe we should continue to ignore the feelings that we have for each other.”

“Feelings? Dio?!”

Butterflies filled your belly at how smooth he was with his actions. It felt like the romance novels you’d read in your free time. 

“There’s no reason to be modest with me. Especially if we are alone, (y/n).” Dio teased you almost relentlessly, using his free hand to grab the wrist of the hand that was pushing him away. You were backing away because you were just shy, right? All women are shy. You wanted him just as much as he wanted you? You had to. There’s no way you could just be “nice” to this degree. 

“Then kiss me.”  You whispered, your breath hitting his lips. His confident demeanor diminished, not expecting you to lean so hard into his actions. “What?” His pale cheeks turned rosy. Were you actually returning the feelings or was this a test?

“Kiss me.” You repeated, an adorable blush covering your face. The expressions you’d make made his heart jump out of his chest. This was the perfect opportunity. Dio couldn’t let this slip away! He placed a chaste kiss on your lips. The faint taste of tea entered your mouth as he went deeper. 

That was it. Now, no one else could have you. Any chance of you being with anyone else was now at a flat 0% because Dio would now do anything to keep anyone from having you. 

You went home that day, feeling so much happier than you had ever been. Perhaps, the hardships you endured were suddenly worth it. You wouldn’t have met Dio if you never got here. Dio kissed you! It was almost like a fairytale. Your knight in shining armor wasn’t perfect, nor did he act like a knight or a Prince Charming, but he made you feel acknowledged. 

Dio never asked, but you considered each other lovers at this point. He never spent time with any other girls like this…

Or so, it seemed.

Dio was not the gentleman you had believed him to be.

On a random day, seemingly out of nowhere, your mother didn’t allow you to go out. She had you stay at the Pendleton mansion and do chores. Guests were supposed to be arriving and Erina’s parents expected the house to be presentable. Dio saw this as the perfect opportunity to punish both Jonathan and Erina for their comments about his relationship with you. He was definitely one to hold grudges. 

The devil, or—Dio, met with Erina, teasing her for her relationship with Jonathan, making no mention of you or anything else. The last thing he wanted was to bring more unwanted attention to you. Especially with what he did next. He soiled Erina’s innocence: stealing her first kiss and then striking her across the face. 

Dio hoped that his intimidation would keep the girl quiet, but no. The first thing she did was cry to you. Of course, Dio knew nothing of this until your next date. It was always the same routine. You show up first, you set up the picnic then he shows up and the two of you spend a few hours talking.

But you weren’t here. Dio had been waiting almost an hour with no notification of you coming at all. ‘Did she cancel on me?’ was all he could think. His weak pride was being hurt. How dare he let a woman dictate his emotions? He couldn’t help it, though. He did like you. The sun was beginning to set when you finally arrived.

Your face was sullen but that didn’t take away from your beauty. Any boy would be nervous in your presence but Dio was too arrogant to be nervous at a moment like this. “Where have you been?” He barked his questions at you. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for you?” 

Your expression didn’t change. You walked all the way up to him, not showing any sign of timidness. “I don’t care, Dio.”

“Why you-“

“You kissed Erina?!” You shouted, causing the birds in the tree nearby to become startled and fly away. Dio’s eyes widened. “Keep your voice down!” He commanded, failing to defuse the situation. “I will not!” You shouted again. 

Dio grabbed your forearm. “I did not kiss Erina. Would it be so out of this realm for her to make up things on behalf of Jonathan? I already told you that they don’t approve of us talking.” He spoke calmly. Too calmly. It was as if he rehearsed for something like this. “They’re jealous of us!” He added.

You shrugged Dio’s hands off of you. “And you have the capacity to lie to me as well. I should’ve known you were no good, Dio!”

“You don’t trust me!?” Dio raised his voice at you but you didn’t back down. “I saw the bruise on her face. She was covered in dirty water and mud. I know Erina wouldn’t lie about something like that. Maybe I should ask those street rats you call yourself being friends with. She claims they were there.” 

Dio clenched his fist. “That ungrateful wench!” He cursed to himself under his breath. “How can you be so evil, Dio?” You felt tears beginning to well up. This would be the first time Dio really made you cry. 

“I’m not evil.” He growled, his body language becoming more violent. “Can’t you understand that I was teaching her a lesson?”

“What lesson? The only thing I take away from this is that you’re unfaithful, you harm women and you have no issue lying to me about it.” You began to back away from him. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.” You whispered sadly. “No! You’re not doing this right now!” Dio grabbed your arm again, yanking you towards him. The force caused you to wince in pain at the contact. Despite only being able to see red, a small bit of humanity remained inside of him. Your face and cries brought him back into reality.

His breath hitched. He let go of you and you instinctively ran away, not looking back.  Dio looked at the hands he had grabbed you with. He was beginning to become the very person he hated. His father. No amount of rationalization could excuse what he just did. He wanted to hit you. It felt like he could no longer live with himself. Dio ruffled his hair into a mess out of frustration. “Whatever!” He yelled at your shrinking form. “You’ll come crawling back!”

Hi everyone! It's me, Maron. I've come back and started a new series that I have been planning for several months. I had a real lack of my creativity and I haven't been able to finish any of my Valorant requests. Someday, I will get to them but for the past few months, I have had little interest. It's not the requests themselves or the game. Its Riot. They do so little with the lore and characters. All of my fics are usually grounded by the existing plot. I'm sorry if that upsets people. - Maron.

[lyerra]

ROOM OF SWORDS SPOILERS

just me ranting about webtoon's comment section because I want to exteriorize some stuff

The whole Roseberry situation is so so weird to me. Tbh when I started room of swords I didn't care much about the ships, I was there for the plot, but when strawbarrow was revealed to have been canon all along I was so happy for them

However a lot of people were displeased because they thought Gyrus would end up with Tori.

I think one of the comment sections that struck me the most was right as the episode ended with Tori kissing "Gyrus" (who was actually Kodya in Gyrus' body pretending to be him) and someone commented "imagine possessing your boyfriend's body only for some girl to kiss him" which was a pretty funny comment

some people responded however that if anything Kodya was Gyrus' ex because he had been in a relationship with BB!Gyrus but New Gyrus didn't know him the same way. Which WOULD have been a good argument to make if Gyrus hadn't been making puppy eyes at Kodya since S1...

tbh it's fine not to see it, I didn't see it either at first, but to say that Gyrus was CLEARLY attracted to Tori???????? when he never showed any sign of liking her as more than a friend?

I've read RoS many, many times both before and after it ended (been reading it from 2019 oh god it's been so long???) and all through S1 there are these small, small hints that Gyrus has a small crush on Kodya EVEN THOUGH he doesn't remember him. They were always meant to be together.

Tori does develop some feelings towards him, granted (we do learn that it's because he looks like her beloved but that's later, people couldn't have known back then), but that doesn't make Gyrus entitled to return them.

People shipping Roseberry shouldn't make the authors entitled to change THE ENTIRE PLOT simply because some people aren't happy with their story choices.

At that point there's been many hints that New Gyrus and Kodya are still attracted to one another and I'm just sad and confused that those people were in so much denial.

On the brighter side, the next episode really starts with Tori telling "Gyrus" that she knows he loves Kodya because she's seen him LITERALLY PINING SINCE DAY ONE. AND THAT SHES A LESBIAN.

case closed, right? Kodya and Gyrus are canon and still very much in love, and Tori herself is in love with another, yet unnamed woman.

well lo and behold: s2 finale's comment section!

we finally see Kodya and Gyrus sharing their first kiss onscreen, so someone in the comment section said something like "THEY FINALLY KISSED AAAAA OUR SHIP IS SAILING" which was also my reaction and a legit reaction to it??

and since there was A LOT of dislikes (over 1,6k I believe) the op edited to say something about homophobes and the backlash was even greater

and in the answers there was actually quite a lot of people being salty because their own ship didn't sail and

I mean idk

maybe I can't understand because my ship sailed and not theirs but what the hell

first of all homophobes exist. the authors commented that they had lost about 20% of their audience when they revealed that Gyrus and Kodya were canon, and they received a lot of hate online for it.

second of all as I said it's not about ships it's about the plot. strawbarrow was always endgame and the whole story, including the romance between Kodya and Gyrus and the important role it played on the story, been planned since over a year before RoS was published. this is not your story, if you're not happy about it go read or write some fix it fanfics (it's not so bad once you get used to it). but in terms of writing strawbarrow was so well executed, I feel like being mad just because of a ship is really disrespecting the authors' intentions.

third of all, it had been made painfully clear since A LONG TIME AGO that they wouldn't end up together. clinging onto that hope was really unnecessary. they shouldn't be mad anymore, it had been over for a while now and they should have made their peace. people complaining by the time of s2 finale were really just delusional.

fourth of all, the dislikes may not all be from homophobes but if they aren't then they're from jerks. it's not because you're unhappy that things didn't go your way that you have to hate on other people because they got what they wanted and not you. that's just being mean smh,, let people enjoy the things they like in peace

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading updates: october 2023

hi everybody!!! things (by which I mean everything) have been a little bit hectic lately (by which I mean it feels like everything is one fire 100% of the time), which I guess explains why I'm late posting this AND why I only finished four books in all of October.

I would be very sad about this if the number of books I read had any correlation to my value as a person, but luckily it doesn't! so I don't give a shit, I am literally just vibing and trying to have a good time reading my silly little stories. here's a book report about it.

what I've been reading:

The Goblin Emperor (Katherine Addison, 2014) - okay, so picture this: you're the fucking elf king's least favorite son. you're not a bastard, but he didn't love your mom and after she died he basically banished you to a miserable little estate in bumfuck nowhere with no one but your abusive older cousin for company. probably he was going to leave you out there forever and hope that you would die quietly so no one would ever have to remember you existed. (un)fortunately, your shitty dad and all of his male heirs just died in a blimp accident and now you're the emperor. GOOD LUCK. this book is political fantasy of the highest order, with loads of machinations and intrigue and chewy worldbuilding interspersed with genuinely sweet moments between characters as one very good boy befriends his way to power. blah blah empires are inherently evil, obviously yes but this is a made up empire with 0 real consequences and Maia is my little dude. the only way I could love him more would be if he'd just nutted up and kissed his boy secretary on the mouth.

Happy Hour (Marlowe Granados, 2020) - I kept seeing this book enthusiastically as kind of a light fizzy funtime celebrating being young and free and running around New York City with no plans, and man... that was not my experience! Isa and Gala are maybe the most stressful girls I've ever encountered in fiction: perpetually broke and hungry, absolutely lacking in direction or ambition, always ricocheting listlessly from one situation to another in search of a good time and mostly only discovering disappointment, I need these girlies to get their lives together for my sake as a reader. there's one scene in particular where Isa is crashing with some disgustingly wealthy friends at the beach and keeps getting callously dismissed while sweating profusely and trying to figure out how she's going to convince them to keep paying for her food and it was so visceral that I developed a second, worse anxiety disorder because of it. Granados' writing is stylish, to be sure, but drama was not worth it for me.

The Magpie Lord (KJ Charles, 2013) - this historical fantasy romance is quick, dynamic, and horny. I can't actually say that I'm particularly charmed by the quality of the writing, which is there to hurtle you at warp speed between scenes of homoeroticism and bald exposition about magic, but I do admire Charles' panache. the book opens on a rather gruesome scene of our protagonist, Lord Crane, attempting to slit his own wrist; it quickly becomes clear that this isn't because he's genuinely suicidal, but because he's been cursed by persons unknown in an attempt to drive him to ruin. enter Stephen Day, a magic practitioner who hated Crane's deceased father and brother but is determined to help him all the same. some plot happens, but also a lot of flirting and (spoilers) sex that comes with an actual power-up for Stephen due to the wonders of blood magic. a pulpy good-time all around, and short enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome.

The Fervor (Alma Katsu, 2022) - The Fervor is a historical horror with a tantalizing premise: in the 1940s, Japanese demons begin to manifest inside of an Idaho internment camp for Japanese-Americans, adding a swirl of the supernatural to a situation that's already rife with mundane horrors. the actual execution is... lacking. Katsu's prose is blunt at best; when I call it "unsubtle" I don't mean the way some racist might mean when they inevitably go on a ramble about how Katsu beats her readers over the head with how racism is bad. racism is bad, duh, and it's hardly unrealistic to emphasize the fear and hatred that dogged the lives of Japanese-Americans during WW2. when I say this book is unsubtle I mean Katsu approaches each chapter like her readers have maybe forgotten everything they read leading up to that moment; you will be reminded frequently of characters' names, relationships, and straightforward motivations. and yet, somehow, the actual plot is still pretty murky. much is hinted at in the protagonist's past in Japan, then never actually elucidated, a main POV character falls clean out of the plot without resolution just before the climax, I still don't know what was up with those goddamn demon spiders. disappointing!

there was also one very specific, GLARING thing in the ending of The Fervor that I did not care for in the slightest, but that's tucked away on my Patreon in the monthly hater post. pay me if you want to hear about some CRAZY copaganda!

[readbyred]

“And he’s cornering me in like a hunter does to an animal. This is not a sappy Casanova we’re taking about. Not a suitor you’re allowed to say ‘no’ to. He sees something and takes it. He’s not sighing dreamily at me, he wants to take me against my will. Or rather force me to give my whole self up to him! Do you even understand the foulness of his scheme?”

Literally obsessed with my limbus self insert! (And uh, my feelings for a certain character)

To anyone Polish that might be in the audience, this is my reimagining of Izabela. Yeah, Izabela Łęcka. With all those teens (largely teenage boys but that might be a skewed perception because of the friends I have) literally calling her a whore, I think the system failed us with this book. I get that the narrator is a self made businessman sigma, who can fight and help the community and all that. But my gosh, he was in his late 40s to early 50s, she was 25 at the oldest. And okay, some people make age gaps work. But not a creep like him

We are taught that she was cruel for ‘using him for money’ and all her sins are made out to be unforgivable. We cheer and write essays about the righteous end where she loses her father, house and is sent off to a nunnery because she “missed out on such a great guy”. Guys, are you okay? Let’s get a few facts straight

Iza’s canon stance on love

She didn’t want to marry. While used to being objectified and feeling like that kind of attention is a signifier of her worth, she didn’t want a husband. Nor love. The closest you see her to liking someone is when she’s giggling and kicking her feet at actors from her fav plays and cool musicians she likes or literally fawning over a fictionalised version of a Greek/Roman God (of whom she literally has ‘merch’). The only reason she’s even giving marriage the time of day is her father. A man who got them in such financial trouble that she would have to marry to give them any semblance of security. She showed her lack of interest in the main character several times and made it clear she wants nothing more than a husband who can give her family safety. It’s easier to understand the lack of loyalty if we remember that this marriage was never her choice. This wasn’t her happy ending, only a means to an end. So her fantasies of her fictional (well, the God isn’t but for the sake of my rant imagine this as more of a PJO version of Apollo) fave coming and sweeping her off her feet aren’t evil. We hate her because she was cynical and materialistic, but I don’t think any of those traits are a hatable offence?? Not to the degree we make it out to be

On their “romance”

Stasiek (Polish nickname from the name Stanislaw, bear with me) literally tried to make her father so dependent on him that it would ensure that her father (caring very little for her wellbeing to begin with) would basically sell her for a roof above his own head. Stanislaw’s plan was to get her no matter what and he tried to use their financial position to ensure she has to say yes. I know that’s ’so sigma of him to buy her all that stuff and help out the family’. But bro! He never bought her anything. He tried to buy her. That’s a bit different. She said she was unnerved, felt like a trapped animal as he stalked and watched her, trying to find any way to make her give in

“Oh, Kas, but she deserved it, she was a bitch!”

Where??? Was she proud? Yeah, no more than any other young girl who was made to believe that being the sole saviour of her family is a privilege. She was treated as a means to an end, a pretty object. With a price written above her head, she held that head high and used what she could to her advantage. She got shit from the author (btw that guy got rejected by a woman and then he wrote the book, you can see the picture, yeah?) for her escapism and being unrealistic, for that statue of Apollo and daydreaming. For seeing the world as a place made of wonders and magic. But my guy, what else did she have as a means of escapism from her bleak reality? She was constantly seen as nothing more than a lamb for slaughter, a puppet and a trophy. Due to being “poor” (at least for the society’s standards, she was well off so at least there I don’t have lots of sympathy, in terms of pitying her living conditions) people dismissed her unless they found her hot. She was talented. Passionate about languages and art. But this is a book about the new age sigmas who did local politics and dabbled in inventions (a world she wasn’t a part of due to actively being known for avoiding the stigma that came with women in those spaces; she was taught that she was a different kind of creature and to survive it was easier to avoid certain things in case they tarnish what worth she has left as a trophy meat). So we’re taught to believe she was dumber. That she was shallow for trying to make the most of the world she was thrust into and playing by the rules. She was cold and bitter upon closer inspection, mad at the mistreatment. The image she had of herself and the world forever warped by the way she was raised

And what about all the good the main character did for the community?

She doesn’t have to like him. Not even because he’s finding people jobs. If he was a good guy, he wouldn’t feel entitled to justify the way he treated her with his other good deeds. If a guy helps out at a homeless shelter I shouldn’t be a bitch for not liking him. And he didn’t do anything strictly for her. Only to ensure he was the highest bidder

Why was that wrong if she wasynt marrying for love?

Well, first of all he creeped her out. Yeah, yeah, we can go on and on about how she was an idiot for being uncomfortable with his scarred hands, but like, other than the authors bitterness seeping into the pages all I see is a young girl being very uncomfortable with the way his hands look because like???? My guy was fighting in an uprising and dealing with repercussions when she was, AT OLDEST, 10. Sure, I’m not shitting at all age gaps, but like, I think it wasn’t so terrible that she was put off by being reminded that this man was so much older. Also, a bigger thing, she was marrying to secure her family. In her ideal world, she’d be single (probably still objectified bc I don’t think she would heal and see herself as something more in that society), free to crush on her fictional fave and travel, talking to people and seeing new things. But she had to marry good. And in that context their relationship doesn’t make sense either! He came into money. Quick and with security that anyone would doubt. Yeah, we know he’s great at money and he’s the main character so it will all work out! Does she? Hell no! It’s not a matter of ‘he doesn’t come from a rich family so he’s not worth my time’. But girlie knew how easy it is to lose money, she was in her right to look for someone who, while she wouldn’t love, wouldn’t be a creep with doubtful financial security at best. If she wanted a good life for her family, she had to look for someone who wouldn’t be screwed if he was unable to work. Marrying into a rich family was never a fantasy, but a move she had to make to make sure she’s connected to people who will never leave her in a situation similar to the current state of things (I’m not fond of rich people and like fuck classism, but you have to be realistic about her motives, man)

What does she get in the end?

Her father gets sick and dies, not efore she gets shit for, for once, not being feminine enough to care for him in a good womanly fashion. Her whole life she was taught that the most gross, unattractive thing she can be is at work (bc of course sexism). Not that she hates it. That she will be seen as even more worthless if people see her working (I kinda see that like shaving? Idk I like it, but ik a lot of ppl who feel like they should do it bc the alternative makes th gross to others). You can uh, sort of imagine where that would leave her mentally in a situation like this. So, good for the man for showing she shouldn’t have kept denying him! Now she learns her lesson! (/sarcasm) Ah, and then her cousin takes over her estate. She’s seen talking with another man too much (that I might not remember but wasn’t that ALSO HER COUSIN???) so her last suitor drops her. The main character is heartbroken because he “got over the bitch” by hearing what she spoke about him in a language she hoped he wouldn’t understand, one he was learning for her. So he doesn’t want her either. The cousin sents her off to a nunnery and the readers cheer that that young, bratty girl got what she deserved for saying ‘no’ repeatedly. Like yeah, she gave in at one point, but Stasiek was so pushy I think a rock would give up, let alone a financially desperate girl. And yeah, it’s rude to talk behind his back but what about how no one took her complaints seriously? How she wanted to speak her mind in private to her cousin without the man she was stuck with listening. And honestly, if you want to hate her for her flaws, go ahead. But please, please be mad, furious even at him as well. Because if she is bad, then no good deeds should outshine his evils. Not my kind of approach, but at least that will be a bit more fair to both

Now that my rant is over, what did I do to put her into Limbus?

I wanna play around with a few ideas here. Mainly, her familiar relationships. In canon her father isn’t all that great but she’s loyal to him. For my own reasons I’ll throw in some mother-related trauma because this is my self insert, so I can. Many people falsely say that the book’s title ‘the doll’ is about her. It’s a common misconception, though completely untrue. However, I will definitely be playing around with that, as it might get on well with the themes that are already present. Those would be the loss of bodily autonomy and being dehumanised. She’s a Pavlov’s dog reimagined, a canine in a lab, who’s most desired when hooked up to machinery and obedient. With men gathered around, she performs all the steps of the routine she was trained for and any silly, feminine escapism is something she is mocked for by the older men observing. I will play it up for Limbus (because that setting kinda requires it) but I won’t have to do much. I wanna play around with her city being canonically vile and her desperately trying not to get to the financial point of having to interact with it, only to then fail. The gloves she wears are a meme in Poland at this point, so I’m keeping them. But, in the fashion in which the author treated her, I will do only one thing he might have approved of, which is adding to her misery. After she lost her home I believe her hands, still made of flesh (which is not the case for a chunk of her body as you can see) would also get scarred, a remained of a man she once tried to escape. With her parent being happy to do anything, even if it impaired her autonomy, to keep his canon gambling habit alive, I think her being made into a doll falls in line with canon. Not only is the world portrayed in Limbus intense, but even in canon she lives surrounded by inventors and great scientists, looking for opportunities to test their theories and improve everything. The last thing is that statue and her fascination with it that I want to underline. I have to make those selfship parallels work and an image of an attractive person that serves as a reminder of her humanity and dreams/goals is too canon to pass it up

This is not the last time I’m ranting about her but this is all for now 🐶🌸

[baddygab-bi]

I saw someone saying that Buddie is a slowburn, and I agreed with that for the longest time. But I was thinking about slowburns.

A slowburn means a slow growing relationship that takes time and forms over seasons. A will they, won’t they thing. A “too much sexual tension” type of relationship. A relationship where everyone knows they’ll get together, except the two of them. A relationship where they can’t say in words what they feel for the other person, but the entire audience knows because it’s shown very clearly.

I was thinking about my favorite slowburns. Stop reading now if you don’t want spoilers for Bones or The West Wing.

On Bones, Booth and Brennan took a long time to get together, and the show creator even said he wouldn’t have put them together as early or fast as he did (End of season 6) had Emily not have been pregnant. But from the very start of the show and all the way to them officially getting together, they had a very clear and very explicit romance. People called them out on it, they were at times very open about their feelings, or very explicitly not open about their feelings. It was incredibly clear and obvious that it was leading to a relationship. There was no doubt. The only thing was when it would happen. They dated other people, but we always saw how it affected the other. They lived their lives, and we saw that with the other person. It was a slowburn from start to finish.

The West Wing, Josh and Donna. Aaron Sorkin said that he didn’t write them as romantic because he was basing the relationship on his own platonic relationship with his own assistant. But he then said he regretted that, and when watching it all back later, he wishes he had put them together earlier, in season 2. Even though they weren’t planning on a slowburn with Josh and Donna, it was clear that they both had feelings for each other that went over that line of friendship. When Josh is shot, Donna is there. When Donna gets hurt, Josh is there. People tease them about each other. Donna’s feelings are explicitly said by other characters. They ask Josh a million times if he and Donna are together. Donna helps Josh with dates. Josh hates all of Donna’s dates. They are always there for each other. It was always seen that they’d get together, the only question was when it would happen. It was built up super naturally, from the friendship to the romance. It was a very classic slowburn. But the hints were dropped every single episode.

Now, here’s how Buddie isn’t a slowburn, though it could be if the writers were brave.

The writers haven’t written enough to explicitly show any change in relationship from friends to romance. They’ve done really really well with showing Eddie and Buck together as best friends, but considering most of the general audience can still rationalise things and say “they’re brothers” or “Buck and Eddie aren’t romantic, that’s how I am with my best friend” it means that it’s not explicitly romantic. They still have the ability to turn it and add more of a romantic lens to them in order to actually set them up as a slowburn, depending on how the rest of the season goes. But until the audience can see and agree that there’s a romance happening between Buck and Eddie, I can’t say it’s a slowburn anymore after this episode. If they wanted it to be, they would’ve had something said, they would’ve had Buck react to the dates. They would’ve made it clear. You wouldn’t have to squint at straws and grasp at crumbs. It would be clear. The writers already have the strong base for Buddie. They already have made it clear that Buck is looking for a family and Eddie doesn’t want to date. They’ve already made it clear that Buck loves Chris and Chris loves Buck. They’ve already made it clear that Buck is in Eddie’s will. Now they have to add the romance to it, if they so dare. It has to be infallible to the audience. It has to be visible to the audience. It has to be revealed to the audience. When Ravi said that a partner always has your back, Buck talked about Taylor stabbing his. Same with Shannon talking about her back. But they didn’t ever even allude to the guys thinking about how they have each other’s, that would’ve been a great place to show something to the audience. During any of the breakups they could’ve shown stuff. They could’ve had Buck call a past guy he slept with if they wanted to drop that he’s bi, which would’ve been an obvious thing for the audience. There’s so many, sooo many moments in the show where if they had just moved things a little one way it would’ve been explicitly romantic. But since it wasn’t, it just wasn’t.

A slowburn doesn’t mean that the absence of anything romantic means the presence of romance. You need it all explicitly said and acted on, or explicitly not acted on stuff to make it a slowburn. There can’t be any doubt in the mind of the people watching. Slowburn doesn’t mean it’s a secret. The audience should be 100% aware of what will happen, the characters should not be. That’s why it’s a burn, because we’re waiting and waiting and waiting like a fire slowly licking at us as we watch and wait and watch. The audience has to see it all unfolding without any doubt.

That’s a slowburn.

[lunas-otome-blog]

Luna's Review: Café Enchanté

Official Summary:

When Kotone inherits her grandfather’s Tokyo café, she discovers the shop holds more secrets than anyone could imagine.

The café is a meeting spot for beings from multiple, mystical worlds. You’ll meet the king of demons, a humanoid beast, a fallen angel, and more.

And when government agents monitoring non-human activities show up at your door, your new café is about to become a lot more colorful.

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(Spoiler Free) Luna's Thoughts:

(Just as a reminder, I'm writing this for myself to keep track of my thoughts and leave a record of the games I've played. Others are welcome to read and feel free to provide your own thoughts, but please, no hate! They're just my opinions, nothing more.)

I was excited for this game. The premise sounded amazing: a cute cafe full of magical beings from other worlds? Sign me up! I love the colorful cast of characters, and the art is undoubtedly gorgeous.

But, while I enjoyed elements of this game, the setting falls apart almost immediately, and has very little to do with any of the routes, with the exception of the true end. The whole game is actually incredibly dark, complete with bloodshed and death in every route, which is normally not a bad thing, but it feels a bit misleading here.

You're told almost at once that the cafe is somehow sustained on payments from only a handful of romanceable characters, none of which use human currency or seem to have jobs that would involve payment, with the exception of the one human bachelor Rindo. This is nitpicky, I know, but I found it frustrating because it would have been so easy to write a way around this.

Let me be clear that I don't necessarily mind a game with a ridiculous premise. I love Mystic Messenger, and the entire game hinges on the fact that you have moved into a stranger's apartment and have somehow remotely taken on party planning for a charity group of people you haven't met. But the thing about Mystic Messenger is that the ridiculousness is upfront, right at the beginning, and once you get past it and accept the game for what it is, you can enjoy it.

This is not so with Cafe Enchante. There are many times in this game where just a little more thought could have made things make more sense. To me, the whole game was plagued with sloppy writing and baffling plot details that could have easily been avoided or explained in a different way — not to mention the litany of literal editing errors. It's also not translated very well in places — or maybe it is, and just written poorly in its original Japanese. Either way, it reads awkwardly a lot of the time

Overall, I was not impressed with this game. It just goes to show that pretty artwork and a fun initial premise do not necessarily make a good product.

Below are my thoughts on each route in the order I played them.

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(SPOILERS BEGIN HERE)

Ignis Carbunculus Route

This is the route I got first, without trying. I actually did not want to get Ignis first, because I figured he was the tsundere character in this game, and I like to do those a bit later. He's actually not particularly tsundere at all, just hypermasculine and therefore not great at expressing emotions other than rage.

This is one of the darkest and, in my opinion, one of the laziest-written routes in the game. You're expected to believe that Ignis went on a rage, literally killed and ate many of his own people, including his family, forgot about it and then just continues on with his life, only to be conveniently reminded of his dark past at the right moment to advance the game. And the rest of his clan has been tolerating him because they're afraid of him, and for whatever reason, Ignis has never noticed everyone hates or fears him??

Ignis is also the only member of his species who can eat. The rest don't need to because they're born with all the calories they need for the rest of their lives apparently, meaning the beasts of the literal beast world don't kill each other for food, just sport. And oh, yeah, that's somehow also Ignis' fault.

I felt like this route could have been simplified in a way that made more sense. Instead, the writers had a vision and manipulated many small details to make the rest of the game work within that vision, resulting in a lot of strange decisions.

I'm aware this game isn't meant to be realistic, but Ignis' whole plotline seemed very contrived. It's like they had something written already but realized certain elements weren't congruent with other aspects of the game, so they just...manipulated elements of Ignis' route until it kind of fit.

Overall, I think Ignis' route was my least favorite. It felt the most rushed, the least polished, and assumed a lot of things conveniently went unnoticed for years in Ignis' life. There was just too much coincidence in this route for me.

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(SPOILERS)

Il Fado de Rie Route

This was the second route I played, and overall my favorite route. It felt the most cohesive out of all the characters, and it was the longest aside from the true end.

That doesn't mean I don't have my gripes with it. My biggest one is that Il, who has apparently based his entire personality, including his name, on an otome game character, makes the baffling decision to tell Kotone about the game and literally recommend she try that character's route first, only to immediately regret it when he realizes she's going to notice something is off.

Like, I could understand it if the personalities were just similar, but he took the name, too. I cannot believe he would be so stupid as to forget the game that he stole his persona and name from and then just freely give away that information. What pisses me off so much is that Kotone could have so easily encountered this information on her own. Have her buy the game independently to surprise Il, and then discover the overlap herself. Why on earth would he just give her that information? It's lazy writing.

I did really enjoy how angels are basically human androids and god is a supercomputer. That was rad as hell and is a brilliant explanation for why angel magic is math based. I'd say this route has the best worldbuilding, including the gorgeous pretty-boy side characters.

I don't feel completely satisfied with how Il's route was resolved, as there's still some question to how much of his personality is his own, but ultimately it was the most solid route in the game. I didn't think I would like Il as I don't particularly enjoy his character archetype, but in the end I was pretty attached to him. His characterization in the true end route was adorable as well, and I adore his friendship with Misyr.

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(SPOILERS)

Kaoru Rindo Route

Rindo was my second favorite route in the game. I think it's super funny that Kotone keeps talking about their age gap even though he's the second youngest character in the game at 42 years old.

His route is also (to my knowledge) the only route that lets you just straight up kill the person you're trying to romance, although it does dead end the game if you make the choice not to save him when you can.

The worst part of this route for me what the treatment of Rindo's sister, Shizuku. She doesn't get a proper sprite in her human form, so you have no idea what she looked like, and it makes it kind of hard to feel anything for her. I did like the utter horror of watching Mikado feed her with his blood with no explanation.

This is one of the darkest routes and the only one where a side character with a sprite actually dies. And when he does, you feel bad for him because he was just trying to protect the woman he loves.

It did feel a little predictable to have Rindo become non-human after oodles of conversations about whether or not humans and non-humans can have relationships. Honestly the game writers are cowards for not making Rindo look more extreme as a non-human. Make him a freak!!

I do appreciate that he remains non-human at the end, though. I feel like forcing him to become human again would have eliminated any of the growth he made during the route.

Personality-wise, Rindo is one of the cuter characters IMO. He's flirty but as soon as things get serious he backs off. Super adorable!

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(SPOILERS)

Canus Espada Route

This route was...ok. Just ok.

Honestly, I was bored through most of it. I can't really say why. It just didn't appeal to me that much.

Right at the beginning it annoyed me by assigning a gender to Vennia. Like, he could have just been left nonbinary. It's canon in this game that fairies don't have genders anyway, so it would have been fine to continue using they/them pronouns. I guess otome games haven't gone that way yet but it would have been nice.

I did like Vennia's relationship with Titania, and in the end, when he betrays Kotone, it felt natural. You can't hate him because you know he just wants to protect his sister.

I thought maybe his headlessness would be plot relevant but on the contrary, we get literally no explanation for why he's headless and nobody else is. I get that they wanted to make him an interesting character, but we know his ancestor was not headless, so why is he? Aren't there other dullahans in Medio?

I do think it's hilarious that we don't ever get to see his face. The implication is that he does in fact have one, so I had predicted it would be revealed as part of his route, but they stuck to their guns and kept him headless throughout the entire route.

Idk why I wasn't impressed with this route. Worldbuilding-wise it was one of the more solid storylines. It just wasn't particularly shocking or interesting to me, so I didn't love it, but I suppose I didn't hate it either.

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(SPOILERS)

Misyr Rex Route

This route was, quite frankly, absolutely ridiculous. This was the most obvious case of having an overall idea and not having the skills to execute it well.

So many things happened just because Misyr willed it to. For example, he gains magic powers and a semi-human form simply because he wanted to visit a four-year-old on earth? How does that even happen? This is already ignoring the fact that he transformed into an ash monster through forced evolution or whatever, which is already a stretch, mind you.

And if that's not ridiculous enough, we then get introduced to Noah, who is somehow an entire world. I actually found him to be more interesting of a character than Misyr, now that we know that Misyr's entire life consists of going to one cafe and doing nothing all day.

The most disappointing part of this route was Asmodeus, who was largely not relevant at all other than the initial shock of realizing Misyr wasn't the demon king. Why bother making such an annoying character for a brief gag? He could have been so much more but instead he's reduced to an unlikable flirt who kidnaps Kotone in order to provide an excuse for a cute CG, and then we barely see him ever again.

This whole route stinks of worldbuilding with no consideration for how certain elements would affect the rest of the world. You know how sometimes worlds in fictional programs (ie: Black Mirror) build their entire concepts around one aspect of society and don't bother fleshing out everything else? That's basically this whole route in a nutshell. It falls apart under the tiniest bit of scrutiny.

To top it off, the good ending of this route, and therefore the whole game, involves Kotone becoming the world herself, largely losing her human form, now cursed to live for eternity as a realm that turns people to ash????? Who decided this would be a satisfying ending for an otome game?

The one element I did like was the explanation for why non-humans look so much like humans. I think it's super cool that humans used to have superior technology and lost it and everything else grew from that. I like the biblical references as well.

Ultimately, though, this was a disappointing way to end the game for me.

[butchelves]

Alright I’m back from the bookstore here is my list so far. Most of the front facing published fanfiction books were straight romances and quite frankly I didn’t want to put in a huge amount of effort to look so there’s only gonna be 2 books for now. I’m gonna write the title down, then the cover, then the plot synopsis, then my thoughts

1) Fall for Him by Andie Burke

Plot synopsis: Dylan Gallagher’s hot neighbor loathed him from the second he moved in, and causing a flood, falling through the floor, and landing directly onto that same neighbor’s bed probably means that’s unlikely to change. The poorly timed “It’s Raining Men” joke didn’t help.

Meanwhile, ER nurse Derek Chang’s life is a literal when-rains-it-pours nightmare. A man he hates dropped into his life along with an astronomically expensive problem originating from Derek’s own apartment’s plumbing. Also, the local HOA tyrant has been sniffing around trying to fine him for his extended, illicit banned breed dog-sitting.

Since Dylan also wants to keep the catastrophe quiet, he offers to fix the damage himself. Dylan’s sure he’s not Derek’s type, so he focuses all his ADHD hyper fixation energy on getting the repair job done as quickly as possible―avoiding doing anything stupid like acting on his very inconvenient crush. Meanwhile Derek tries to ignore that the tattooed nerd sleeping on the couch is surprisingly witty, smart, and kind, despite the long-term grudge Derek’s been holding against him. But will squeezing all their emotional baggage plus a dog into a tiny one-bedroom apartment be a major disaster…or just prove they’re made for each other?

My thoughts: I’m like 99% sure I’ve read a fic with this plot before. Also I read the first chapter of it (it was like 3 pages) and yeah it’s. It’s pretty damn close. The mc that fell through the ceiling also has adhd. Which I think a lot of people forget is fanon because it’s such a popular headcanon for Lance. Anyways this one’s pretty blatant but holds nothing to

2) How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager by D. N. Bryn

(Had to include the back cover too to really drive this one home)

Plot synopsis: Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and they’ve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he can’t help returning for seconds.

Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampire—to use as bait. He’s certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments.

Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me.

Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up.

Wes’s plan is perfect. He’ll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned.

My thoughts: so this one. This one is pretty blatant. It has everything. Bisexual Latino main character who’s really into skincare. Sad guy with fingerless gloves. Enemies to lovers. Silly little bets all throughout the book. Even a possible dirty laundry reference! It’s crazy. And just to be clear I say none of this disparagingly I’m absolutely obsessed with this concept of fully just publishing fanfiction with the characters only slightly changed from the source material. D. N. Barnes is my hero. Get that bag.

There was one other book that was possible but it was a little too. Generic for me to be like “yeah klance was definitely an influence here”.

Anyways hmu if you want to join my book club where we only are reading published klance fanfiction

Gonna go to the bookstore tomorrow and find poorly disguised klance fics. Will update with my list of books I believe are klance fics

[m-jelly]

JELLY FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO TELL THAT I LOVE YOUR STORIES AND YOU ARE A WONDERFUL WRITER!!! and i wanted to ask if you can write some post war Levi and Reader story, so i was thinking about that Levi and reader are a beautiful and happy couple but at first Gabi get suspicious and thinks she's trying to use him? ( not because Gabi hates reader, it's just that she acts like protective sister after everything Levi did for her and Falco) With a happy final please???

Through Gabi's eyes

Pairing: Levi x Reader

Genre and tags: Gabi's POV, fluff, romance, suspicions, thinking.

Concept: This story follows Gabi's POV through time.

Tag list: @levisbrat25 @ladycheesington @skittlelover69 @li-anne @nyxiieluna @strawberrybunny123 @galactict3a @notgoodforlife @demonsimp6

I suspected her at first. I mean, everyone knew who Captain Levi Ackerman was. Even with all his scars, he was still very recognisable.

Levi took me and Falco in, he looked after us and cared for us even though he was badly hurt. We took care of him to show our thanks. He gave us our lives back. He gave us freedom and most of all he gave us parental love.

We stayed with Levi as he healed. We kept him thinking positively to the point where he wanted to go out places by himself. He'd come back smelling of tea and baked things. He was blushing a little and seemed really happy. His blush turned to smiles and wearing his best things. He then started working and not being home much.

When he started walking using a cane instead of using a wheelchair, it took me and Falco off guard. It shocked us that he had this spring in his step. We asked him and he just said he found a passion. We thought it was a job, but it turned out to be a person.

The first time I met her, I thought she was really pretty and kind. Levi was very smitten with her, that was so clear to see, which is why I suspected things. Levi was so in love that he might have become blind to any bad things. So, I started looking not because I didn't like her, but because I wanted to protect Levi.

Falco never supported my suspicion and told me to just let Levi be happy, but I needed to make sure that he wouldn't get hurt again. I owe him my life so I have to make sure he has a good life.

I followed her without her knowing. I saw she ran a teashop and had a bakery section. I thought maybe she dated Levi so his fame could bring more customers in, but I tried her baking and tea and knew she didn't need to use Levi's fame at all. She's an incredible baker.

I started to follow her outside her shop and thought maybe she was bad behind closed doors, but I was wrong. All baked things that she didn't sell she would give to those in need. She cared about others and asked for nothing in return.

I watched how she was with Levi too. She was so kind to him and didn't treat him like some child or weakling. She acted normally around him and was caring. She was so patient and laughed at all his jokes. She helped him out only when he asked for it. She never made him feel weak.

She knew nothing about Levi and his time in the scouts. She fell for Levi for who he is and not what he was. She truly loves him for everything he is. She always came around the house and the more she was, the more Falco suggested we move out and have our own home. I didn't want to leave Levi, but I understood.

The first night she slept over was the first time I'd ever seen Levi have a spring in his step. He was so cuddly with her and it was cute to see. I began to understand I needed to let go of Levi and let him have his first romance. Plus, Falco and I were getting closer as a couple.

Moving out was hard, but I knew that I was leaving Levi in good hands. They are perfect for each other, they truly are. I would visit every weekend and the house was warm, welcoming and full of love. It was just magical to see such joy oozing from Levi.

The day Levi asked for help with how to propose was so beautiful. We helped him pick out an engagement ring, plan the date and what to do. Hearing that she said yes was the best thing in the world. It wasn't long before the wedding came around. Falco and I gave Levi away and watched with pride as the closest thing to a dad we had married the woman of his dreams.

What is wild to me is how she became a mother to Falco and me. She was always there for us and helped us out as much as possible. She baked our wedding cake for our wedding and it was the best thing I'd ever tasted. It was incredible and my love for you both has never been stronger.

When Levi told us that there was a baby on the way, it made us cry. It was wonderful news that something so beautiful was going to be welcomed into this world. I cannot wait to meet the little one. I really can't.

[sukirichi]

reckless [01.]

With a lackadaisical playboy as your boss, being reckless wasn’t an option. But on the one time you let loose and made mistakes, your life is shattered, and now you’re playing house with your insufferable boss who is the father of your baby.

✘ cw. explicit smut, accidental pregnancy, playboy! gojo, slight angst

✘ note. dedicated to wifey @7tsumurai​ who also made the banner and always supports me and showers me with love aaaa i love you baby <3 also this fic is mostly romance and fluff so i hope you enjoy this as much as i did writing it! thank you to @chosonore​ for pr-ing UWU. and we get like...10-15 chapters of this?!

one  ✘  two  ✘  three

You shouldn’t be doing this.

The night was young; streaks of gold flashing with the shimmering jewellery collared on your neck, the romantic humming of the violins pairing perfectly with the champagne that fizzed in your hand. It was supposed to be another day at work where you accompanied your boss to one of his events, considering the Casanova refused to bring his girlfriends in fear they might get the wrong idea he liked them outside the bed. It should be just another day at work; you’ve accompanied him hundreds of times before. Today wasn’t any different.

And yet it was.

You blamed it on the alcohol. On the slow dancing. On the fact he hadn’t stopped complimenting you all night and you’d been so stressed, the amount of planning and sleepless nights sacrificed in exchange of preparing for this event made you grab for three more flutes, the touch of your undeniable attractive boss permanent on your waist.

Satoru was equally aggravated. You’d worked him long enough to recognize even the smallest of cues, and the fact you’d spend nearly every hour of the day working with him for weeks straight in the office let you know he needed to let off some steam.

And what better way to relieve both of your tensions if not to give in to the cloud of lust?

The sultry gazes, the clashing perfumes between rose and musk, and the alcohol – the fucking alcohol – that gave way to you succumbing to your desire just this once.

There were no more thoughts – or if there were, they were muddled – as you kissed him back just as passionately, forgetting the fact his stylist spent an hour gelling his hair back to perfection as your eager fingers traced over his scalp. How you ended up in the back of limousine was beyond you, and neither was it your biggest concern when Satoru insisted you kept your heels on; his large hands caressing all the way from the ankle pressed beside his waist up to your waist.

You felt his daft fingers move the lacy thong you wore especially for tonight (not because you expected something, but the boost in confidence felt necessary) before he slides inside almost too easily.

Both your gasps and moans are swallowed in the stuffy compartment, windows fogged saved for the handprint you’d left when he hit a sensitive spot. He was moaning in your neck, skin slippery and sweaty as you slid from one another, seemingly never staying from one place as your hands treaded through his hair down to rake your nails on his back; his touch angry on your hips before his thumb found home in your clit.

As much as you hated him, hated his reputation, you couldn’t deny he really earned his title for being an absolute god in sex. You were no virgin, but you’d never felt this good, never felt this alive as bruises began to form in your skin and his lips hungrily sought out yours.

“S-Sir...”

“Satoru,” he corrected through your lips, the kiss barely even one when you were too busy moaning left and right. Satoru hitched your leg up to fold it right beside your waist, allowing him to explore deeper territories that not even you could mark.

His stare on you is perverted; openly wanton as he lets his empyrean gaze snake down to where your bodies connected. It was embarrassing to be this spread wide open for him, though it didn’t matter much, not when you clutched onto his bicep for dear life and panted breathlessly. He was kissing you everywhere – smearing your lipstick all over your lips and his, a stain of red on his hard, white collar and love bites marked deep into your collarbones and under your breasts. You tightened around him once he changed his rhythm into a more sensual one; the quick pace replaced with him pulling out slowly – inch by delicious inch until you felt empty with each growing second – before slamming back inside with fervidity that he never quite possessed behind his desk.

He groaned at your walls clenching down on him, his hips stuttering in the process. “Call me Satoru.”

“Satoru,” you moaned out, and his next sounds were pained. Pained because you sounded too gorgeous, felt too good, and with you following his hips thrust by thrust, neither of you would last any longer. Not even as you shake your head, lips swollen as you remind him, “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“We shouldn’t,” he agreed with a curled lip, sweat beading from the streaks of his white hair. “But I want you – god, you’re so beautiful tonight. Need to fuck you good—”

Gojo Satoru, one of the most eligible bachelors in the entire South East Asia and ranked as the second richest man in his early twenties, was a man of his word despite his reputation. Just as he was praised and fawned over for his beauty, charisma, and power, he was equally hated for breaking the hearts of women and treating his past ‘lovers’ like they were objects. The news were so confident of it; that he fooled them, played around with them, but behind the scenes, you knew Satoru wouldn’t do such a thing – from the first time he laid his eyes on someone, he made it extremely clear they were not to be attached. Everything with him was physical and sensual – anything beyond that would simply be out of character.

You weren’t surprised that he really did keep his word and fuck you good, because you couldn’t feel your legs the next morning and even though it had been hours, you still very much felt the shape of him carve through you.

The bastard wouldn’t stop laughing, of course, snickering under his breath every now and then each time he saw you grimace from doing simple things such as standing up and giving him the files he asked for. Perhaps it was because your dislike for him was apparent that Satoru quickly went back to fooling around, pretending you didn’t exist and only approaching you when need be. There were still moments you had to clean his mess up for him; taking his drunken phone calls at 3am because he got wasted in a bar, or doing the same for his current sex buddy who he didn’t want to stay in his home.

He was terrible, terribly awful that you despised this part of him.

You were only grateful enough that neither of you brought that night up ever again, for no matter how immensely hellish of an experience it had been, it was also something you’d really rather not be reminded of.

But now, there was no more running away from it. The truth stared at you blatantly in the form of two white lines that had appeared four times already from previous tests.

You were pregnant.

The world had never been that heavy on you. You had a rough upbringing, but it was a household filled with love and patience that it was innate in your nature to keep strong, be levelled, continue moving forward even during the times it felt like everyone and everything was going against you. You’d been through so much worse and you can do this, but you still couldn’t stop the tears that pushed from your eyes, your heart shattering the same time you dropped the stick.

“No, we won’t cry, it’s okay. I can handle this – I’m strong,” you repeated to yourself like a mantra, taking deep breaths to stabilize yourself. Clearly, this was unexpected, but you wanted to do your best, had to do your best. You didn’t have time to lose your composure, so you quickly fished your phone out your purse to dial the person you trusted the most.

“Rei...?”

Your best friend picked up on the second dial. “Sweetheart, where have you been?! I’ve been calling you for like hours now and you’re not picking up, I heard you called in sick for work and you never do that even when you’re about to pass out!” Some shuffling could be heard from the background before she spoke again, her tone a lot more gentle in response to your muted sniffles. “Is there something going on? Do you need me to drop by there right now? Tell me what you need; I’ll be there right away.”

“No, no, Rei, it’s fine, I just...”

“Sweetie,” she sighed, “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

You nodded even though she couldn’t see it. Rei had been there for you in everything, starting from when you newly arrived in the city; fresh-eyed and hopeful for new opportunities. She’d been there when you first complained your boss was a creepy flirt, all the way until you’d made peace with said boss and remained firm in your boundaries. But those boundaries had clearly been crossed – no, rather, you erased those boundaries. You were drunk enough to give in to the need to be touched, but sober enough to consent to everything that happened. You couldn’t place this all on him.

“I’m pregnant,” you said eventually, voice barely above a whisper as you added, “And Satoru’s the father.”

Rei stopped munching on her – you assume – bagel.

“Satoru? Gojo Satoru, your boss, bonafide casanova, the face on billboards and one of the most “eligible” bachelors in the country, billionaire Gojo Satoru?” she let out in one breath, the image of her flipping her hand out in the air in disbelief as clear as day. “Am I really hearing this right? I’m not going crazy, am I?”

You sighed.

“We were drunk. I slept with him.”

“Did that bastard force himself on you?”

“No, gosh, never,” you defended with widened eyes, sitting back down on the toilet with the lid now closed. You couldn’t look at the tests even if you dared yourself to, the plastic bag concealed in the garbage or else you’d feel sick all over again. “I-I wanted it too...we just got carried away and the night was just...I don’t know. I don’t know what came over me and why I did that, but there’s no point in fretting about it because I’m carrying his baby now.”

“Well,” she started unsurely, “What are you going to do?”

“I’m keeping it. There’s no way I would even consider abortion.”

“But what about him?”

The back of your head throbbed in pain. Just thinking about his stupidly handsome face made you want to throw up once more. “I don’t really want to tell him, but he has a right to know that he’s going to be a father.”

“Will he even take responsibility for it?”

You swallowed nervously, nibbling on your thumbnails before snatching your hand away. Composure was something you didn’t struggle with; you were the more reliable one in the duo of you and Satoru, but you had a bad habit of picking on your nails whenever you were anxious. Had it not been for Satoru flicking your nails away from your mouth each time you dazed out a little bit, you would’ve never gotten rid of the habit, but it all came crashing back down on you in an instant.

A heavy knot formed in your belly.

“Most likely not, I know how he’s like. He loves his single life so much that he’d never allow to be tied down like this. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he tells me he doesn’t want it.”

“What an asshole!”

“Yeah, he is, but I don’t need him in my life,” you reinstated, finally feeling more confident the longer you talked to Rei. She was your instant hype machine in more ways than one; her presence itself gave you the reassurance you could handle everything your way. With hope blooming in your chest, you picked yourself of the toilet and wiped away your tears. You could do this – you can handle this. Not just for you, but this baby growing in you as well.

“In our life. I’m more than capable of taking care of the baby myself,” you told her, gaze hard and determined as your sunken reflection stared back at you in the mirror. Sighing, you shook your head and pictured Satoru’s face, already picturing a thousand ways this could go wrong. Only one way to find out.

“I have to go now. He needs to hear about this and then I’ll resign. Probably move back home – anywhere that’s away from him.”

“Doesn’t the baby deserve to meet their dad?”

“Their dad doesn’t even want to be one,” you muttered bitterly and threw your sweater back on, refusing to kick yourself around any harder. Now wasn’t the time to be illogical; you were now a mother and had to be responsible now more than ever. But first, you needed some well-deserved rest after endless agonizing of missing your period, along with the baby drop that until now, had shook you to your core. “I’ll call you back, Rei. I’m very tired.”

“You let me know if you need anything, okay?” Humming in response, you ended the call and crawled back to bed.

It wasn’t that you felt lonely, but you didn’t feel particularly belonging anywhere. You were far from home in a city that felt like the future, and each day you come home, it was mostly just a place to rest before you went back to work the next day. It was a dull, empty routine that you’d gotten used to, but never had it sunk deep into you that you did felt completely hollow.

But not anymore.

You were with your baby now, and as much as it scared you shitless to be a mother with zero preparation and knowledge, you were confident things were going to be okay.

Wrapping an arm around your belly, you had the best sleep you’d had in years.

You’d just have to worry about tomorrow. Hopefully, and you quite prayed harder than you ever did before, Satoru would let you go and keep things less complicated than it already was.

“No,” Satoru shook his head, his words dropping like a heavy boulder in the middle of nowhere. You stood in front of him shock still, hands wrung solid beneath your belly. Satoru merely shook his head, brushing back his gelled hair with a dry laugh. “No, what are you even thinking? You’re not resigning.”

You pursed your lips. “I wasn’t really asking for permission, Sir.”

Truth be told, you expected this sort of reaction from him. It may be true that you and Satoru never got along in personal levels since he was too crass and you much stiff, but it couldn’t be denied you worked well together. You balanced each other’s flaws and brought out the best in one another. If someone had asked you years ago prior to you being employed by the heir if you could even tame the renowned free spirited man, you would’ve said probably not, but after sharing struggles and quite literally forcing one another to do better, you both reached highs neither expected to achieve.

It was an experience and a whole lot lessons learned working with him.

Unfortunately, all things must come to an end, and you had to leave even if Satoru negated to it.

“We’ve been working together for years. Do you know how many people I fired and have resigned all because they’re not equipped for the job?” he plopped down atop his desk, loosening his tie out of frustration. The simple gesture made you swallow and look away – it felt impossible to look at him any other way than a boss now that you had his baby inside you. Thankfully, Satoru was mouthy as usual that he pulled you back from your train of thoughts as he gestured between the both of you. “You and I are perfectly compatible – I can’t let you go like that. I’m sorry, but I need you. There’s no one else I can work with this functionally. No one else is as willing to tolerate my bullshit except you and...I need you to stay.”

You clenched your teeth at the desperation in his voice.

Satoru admitting he needed people was one thing. But him asking others to stay? It may have just been for your value as the only person who had put up with him in both his best and worst times that made him feel that way, but you had to keep your foot down on the ground.

You wouldn’t let him sway you like this.

Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and willed all your energy to spring forth. “Sir...I’m more than thankful for all the opportunities, it truly was a pleasure working with you but—”

“Is this because we slept together?” he cut you off, your shoulders tensing. Upon your silence, Satoru heaved himself away from the desk and took cautious step towards you, stopping a foot away when you stepped back defensively.

You almost wished you didn’t know him so well. His eyes shone with a flicker of hurt before he masked it just as quick as it had came – for Gojo Satoru was a master of many things, and a great actor was one of them. Cautious, you had to be cautious, and you clenched your fists behind your pencil skirt as you tore your gaze away from his pleading ones. “It is, isn’t it?” he affirmed with a clear of his throat, looking just as lost as you did. Satoru stuttered for a minute before he eventually composed himself, but even then, he didn’t sound half as sure as he wanted to be.

“Listen, whatever happened that night, we can forget about it if you want. We’re both adults and professionals – we can put this aside us and just go back to normal. You don’t have feelings for me, right? So then it shouldn’t be a big deal.”

“Satoru...it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?” he demanded, aggravated. Satoru began to round his desk and pulling out little white envelopes, stacking them before you in a haste. “Do you want a pay raise? A new car so you could get to work easily? O-or perhaps a bigger house where you can work more comfortably, somewhere nearer to the office? All you have to do is tell me and I’ll give you what you want. There’s no need for you to resign, this company has given you everything and we’ve got so much offer just as you could still be great—”

“I’m pregnant.”

Satoru’s slender fingers halted around the pen hovering over a cheque slip. “What?”

“I said I’m pregnant,” you exhaled, biting down on your bottom lip to prevent yourself from quivering. A quick sweep from your face to gather sincerity trailed down to your belly, staring at you hard enough as if he had the ability to look through your soul. “And you’re the father.”

“Is that true? Is...is it really mine?”

“Yes sir,” you nodded, “I’m not telling you this because I expect that you’ll be responsible for it. No offense, sir, but I’d really rather raise the baby alone. Plus, I understand that you’ll never settle down or suddenly abandon your old ways just to—”

“Stop right there,” he raised a palm, “You mean to tell me you’re resigning because you thought I wouldn’t take responsibility for it? For you?”

The hurt in his voice and expressions were evident, lip curled in disgust; not for you, but rather of himself. Satoru was the type of man that couldn’t be withered down even with the harshest of rumours; you’d never seen him be affected before by tabloids and nasty ex-girlfriends who only slept with him for money or fame, only to talk smack about him afterwards. But now, he was crumbling before you, and you didn’t know quite what to say or feel over the vulnerability present in his cerulean eyes. It almost pained you know that you caused this – for the comforting, blue sky to be tainted with a thunderstorm that hinted of anger, of disappointment, of betrayal.

But could he blame you for not thinking the best of him?

“I’ve worked with you for years, sir, I know you.”

“Clearly not well enough,” he chuckled sarcastically, “Admittedly, I’m surprised, but not upset. The only thing that I’m upset about is that you actually believed it would be better to raise the baby – our baby – alone like I don’t even have a right to be in their life. Sure, it was an accident, but we made that. That’s our child and I’m going to take care of you and be a great father, even if you don’t think I’m capable of it.”

“Sir, I didn’t mean—”

“That’s the first time you said something stupid. That’s our baby. We’re a family now,” Satoru’s hesitance had vanished into thin air as he was on you the next instant, hands shaky before they landed on your shoulders. It was meant to be a comforting gesture; a reassuring one, yet you couldn’t help but flinch and falter under his gaze. As if getting the message, he quickly retracted his hands and shoved them deep inside his pockets with a sigh. “You don’t need to resign or worry about anything else. I promise I’ll give you both the life you deserve, just...just please don’t go. Now that I know we have a baby, there’s just no way I can let go of this and pretend I never heard of this at all.”

You swallowed, rubbing your sweaty palms on your skirt.

Out of all the different scenarios you stayed up late at night to turning your head in one by one, none of them included this. Undeniably, he was an asshole to most, but maybe he was right.

He hadn’t done anything wrong to you and he was still the father of your baby; he deserved a chance. Satoru had the right to be the father he was willing to be. You could already tell this might completely turn into one big mess, but his eyes were so hopeful, his smile so nervous yet expectant that you couldn’t help but say –

“Okay,” you relented.

His reaction was instantaneous. Satoru beamed and lounged at you, arms wide open for an embrace before realizing at the last second you could stab him with a pen and not regret it. One warning glare sent his way and he was retracing his arm behind his head, pretending to stretch with an off-tune whistle.

The sudden switch between pained and enthusiastic gave you whiplash, but you really shouldn’t be surprised. This was Gojo Satoru in the first place – he was as unpredictable as nothing was permanent and lasting to him.

It could be both a blessing and a curse.

For the sake of your baby, you genuinely hoped it was the former.

Not wanting him to get too ahead of himself since you still didn’t trust him enough, you raised a finger to poke him in the chest. Right now, you were no longer his secretary that openly despised him but added six sugar cubes in his coffee just as he liked anyway, but rather a woman who shared this mess with him, and as the mother of his child. You had to be strong. Being with Satoru felt like playing with fire, and you had far too much at stake – both of you did – but you weren’t privileged and fortunate like Satoru. One bad thing thrown his way could be brushed off, but for you? Everything you worked hard for could disappear just like that.

If you really chose now to play with fire, you had to be careful not to be the gasoline that ignited things to burn down into ashes.

“Satoru,” you stressed with your lips pressed into a thin line, “The only thing I expect from you is to be is a good father to our child. I know that it would be difficult for you to be a new person in a day and that your old habits won’t die right away, so please do what you can to be a good parent, and I’ll be with you every step of the way. I promise you don’t have to worry about me getting in the way of your life as well.”

His smile slowly vanished.

“Is that how low you really think of me?” he echoed rather sadly, “That I would still sleep around knowing I’ve got a family now?”

“We’re not a family, Sir. I have no intentions of marrying you nor would I ever want it. I’m just staying for the baby.”

“Fine. For the baby, let’s both do our best,” he crossed his arms on his chest, pumping out the hard muscles from how tight his shirt was. You were stuck between wanting to slap him or be closer to him; the hormones too much of a mess that you had to grip your thigh for restraint. “But tomorrow, you’re moving in with me. I’m going to take care of you from now on – I’ll get you whatever you need so whatever it is, just tell me. My credit card is yours to use as well.”

Move in with him? You wanted to laugh. That was the last thing you would want to happen.

“Sir, it’s fine, I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t, but I want to take care of you both,” he reiterated, growing slightly annoyed from your rigidness. You professed that you were being difficult right now, but it was much better than being easy around someone like him.

“We don’t have to be friends or lovers, alright? I know you don’t see me that way and I’m probably repulsive in your eyes – which is understandable since you always clean my mess up for me – but as a father, at least, let me do my job. There doesn’t have to be anything between us other than a mutual want to be good parents. Is that alright with you?”

You mulled the thought over in your head. So he was capable of being sensible sometimes, and after a few moments of silence, you narrowed your eyes at him.

Still suspicious and your guard was most definitely still up, but he was right. You both had a mutual want to be good parents and that was the most important thing right now. Everything else that complicated matters would be handled afterwards.

“I’m okay with that, but I would have to set down lots of boundaries if I’m living with you.”

“So you’ll really stay with me then?” You regretted nodding in response because Satoru was now fishing his phone out, a goofy smile on his face.

He took the news...surprisingly well, and you didn’t know what to make of it.

“Perfect! I’ll have your room prepared!” You tried to grab his arm to stop him from going overboard; knowing full well Satoru always had rushes in which he impulsively overdoes things. He might turn your room into some sort of grand suite that you wouldn’t really like, but he was far too excited and lost in his own thoughts that your words went from one ear and out the other. “Fuck,” he laughed to himself, “I’m going to be a dad.”

Whether it was relief or anxiety that bubbled through you, you had no idea.

It was definitely anxiety.

Satoru felt like a hyper child to be around, and as much as you were grateful that he was happy about this, you also wished he would calm down. You didn’t even have enough chance to settle in before he’s shoving you inside room by room, announcing that what was his was also yours and he would have a baby room set up next week.

You followed him around like a puppy as he marched into the kitchen, mumbling incoherently to himself about baby proofing furniture.

“Sir,” you called out, “Sir, listen to me. We need to talk about boundaries.”

Satoru blinked owlishly at your tired eyes, sheepishly smiling at you. It must’ve dawned on him that his speed tour of his penthouse felt a lot more overwhelming than welcoming, and he sat you down on the island stools before drumming his fingers impatiently on the cool marble. “Sorry, you were saying? I kind of got carried away.”

Carried away was far an understatement.

“I said, we need to talk about boundaries.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” he paused with a furrow in his brow. “Also can you just call me Satoru? We’re going to be parents anyway and it’s awkward if you keep uh, calling me Sir.”

“Fine,” you rolled your eyes, not really in the mood to argue with him right now. You had to keep intact with him while you still had his full attention. Taking out a little notepad you prepared the night before, you slid it over Satoru who tilted his head to the side rather cutely to read it. “So here are my boundaries. One, I don’t want this pregnancy to be announced in the media unless I’m ready. I understand that we can’t keep this a secret forever but I need time to process this. Two, just because we’re living in the same roof together doesn’t mean that I get to go anywhere and everywhere with you. I’m going to work by myself—”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“I said no,” he repeated more firmly this time. “You’re pregnant and I want to make sure you’re safe at all times. I’m driving you to work.”

“Didn’t you just hear what I said? I don’t want to be seen with you.”

“You’re my secretary. People see us together all the time.”

“But you never drove me to work! I live far from the office and I most definitely don’t drive an Audi.”

“Things change, that’s your life now,” Satoru shrugged nonchalantly, stealing the pen you twirled in your hands. The sudden contact sent jolts of electricity from your knuckles, one that had you recanting your hands back to yourself. Satoru didn’t seem to notice as he crosses out the second rule, “Sorry not sorry but I don’t want to let you go places like that. Fine by me if you don’t want me to drive you, but at least have one of the chauffeurs take you somewhere if you really don’t wanna be seen with me.”

“Fine,” you gritted your teeth. Compromise, compromise, meet in the middle – you repeated to yourself to keep your sanity. “Rule number three: I don’t want you changing your attitude around me. We may have a baby on the way, but you’re still my boss and I want to keep our relationship professional.”

“You’re saying I’m not allowed to fall in love with you?”

You flicked his forehead, effectively erasing the teasing grin he wore. “That’s not going to happen,” you interjected irritably, although your heart skip a beat. That was a massive red flag already; you could never be too comfortable with him. For Satoru, his little comments here and there may come naturally and probably meant nothing to him, but there was a chance you could receive it with different interpretations. Shaking your head at him, you ignored his grumblings on how ‘mean’ you were. “We’re never going to be a couple. We’re just raising a child together. I don’t want you acting weird or too comfortable with me.”

Satoru scratched the side of his head as he mulled about it, “Are we allowed to be friends, at least? I understand the professional part, but I can’t imagine the both of us getting along for nine months and more when we act like boss and employee even alone at home,” before you could say anything, Satoru raised his hands in surrender. “I promise I won’t do anything weird to you. No offense, but you’re not really my type, so same as you, I view you platonically.”

Right. The heart surely was stupid and confusing.

You didn’t want him getting any ideas that this could lead to something more, but at the same time, it hurt a little to know you weren’t his type.

Hiding that pang of hurt behind a tight lipped smile, you forced yourself to agree with him. “I view you professionally, Sir.”

“Satoru.”

“Whatever,” you grumbled. “Rule number four: don’t bring home any of your fuck buddies or flavour of the night. I really don’t care if you sleep around, but respect my privacy and my standing as the mother of your childIf you’re really desperate to get your dick wet, go fuck them somewhere else.”

“You’ve never been this vulgar with me.”

He wasn’t wrong about that. Despite countless of times that he tried being friendly with you to ease your stiffness in the office, you always shot him down.

You came to the city to work and provide for your family, not to be friends with your annoyingly hot boss who enjoyed his life way too much. Unlike him, you were more work than play, and eventually Satoru respected the fact you would never speak or treat him casually.

Until now.

“Try being in my shoes and see if you’d still have the patience of a saint,” you mumbled under your breath, sighing when Satoru’s smile got more awkward. “Listen, Satoru, I don’t mean to be difficult, okay? It’s just...this is a lot. This isn’t just us about anymore – we’re going to be parents and that’s a huge responsibility. It’s not only our lives changing here, a child will be relying on us in the future and I simply want to be a good mother, but I also don’t trust you very well to be comfortable enough to act like we’re suddenly friends.”

“I understand that.”

“Good.”

“Do you have rule number five?”

“No, not really, but I can add more as we go.”

“I have a rule number five,” he piped in, flipping the notepad his way as he scribbled something down. “And it’s that if you need help – and I mean with anything – you would let me help you. I’ve worked with you for a long time and I’m not dumb enough to not notice you like to do things by yourself. Like you said, things are different now, and especially with this pregnancy, you’re not alone in this. You need to let me take over the wheel sometimes. I can’t be just a passenger in the car – you and I are both in this together.”

“Just keep your hands to yourself.”

“That’s easy,” he chirped, and there was that uncomfortable knot in your chest again. However, it didn’t sink in too deep because Satoru was blatantly staring at your belly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “So do we have a name for them already?”

“Satoru, I’ve only been a few weeks pregnant, I don’t—”

Conflicting his previous statement that he’d keep his hands to himself, Satoru suddenly dropped to his knees. You watched with wide eyes, too flabbergasted to move as he places his ear on your belly.

“Hi there, little one,” he spoke in a soft tone, large hands caressing the tiny bump beginning to form. You couldn’t move; hell, you could barely breathe from how comforting his touch seemed in contrast to your mind ringing warning bells above. His voice quickly pulled you back to reality as he flattened his palm, white lashes fluttering against the cotton of your shirt. “I’m your daddy; I can’t wait to meet you. Daddy promises to take good care of you and make you the happiest kid ever, alright? You don’t have to worry about anything as long as I’m here.”

“D-don’t spoil them too much, Satoru.”

“I’ll try not to,” he chuckled. Satisfied with that small moment he had, he straightened up and trudged over the dining table that was far too big for a man who lived alone. In that moment, an image flashed in your mind – that someday that table would no longer look empty as you and your child shared meals with him. You could already imagine how heavenly the sun would shine on the glass windows behind it, the flowers gathered in the middle of the table blooming to life.

Out of nowhere, it struck you.

Could it be that this was why he loved this baby so much after only knowing about it for a few days? Could it be that Satoru really was alone?

“Okay, we should probably have a welcoming dinner! The chefs left me something tonight. I forgot what it’s called but I think you’ll like it. Grab some wine on the cellar for me?”

“Satoru, I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, right! My bad,” he clapped his hands together before pulling out ceramics and a cold pitcher, “Just water for mommy then,” Satoru said absentmindedly, completely oblivious to how your mind short-circuited a few feet away from him. He went about his way ignorant to it all and gently tugged you to sit with him, eagerly digging into the heated meals as you realized both of you hadn’t eaten.

For a guy who talked a lot, dinner with him was surprisingly quiet. Other than the occasional clinking of utensils against the plate, you enjoyed the silence with him.

You wouldn’t have believed it to be possible since Satoru made it his daily business to always fill in the gaps. Peace and comfort stretched before you the whole time, however, that for a moment, just a short moment, you found yourself letting your guard down. Even when you both caught each other’s in the middle of a bite, you found no tension or awkwardness in it. Perhaps it was the familiarity of being beside each other for years now that this should feel natural, or maybe it was because you both mutually agreed on wanting the best for your baby. Whatever it was, you didn’t want to overcomplicate it right now.

“You know, I’m really excited about this. I can’t believe I’m actually going to be a father,” he mused through a bite, swirling his red wine through his glass. Satoru gazed at his reflection almost dreamily, seemingly too deep in thought that he felt far from reach.

Or maybe you were the one who was detached, the one who kept pushing him away, because you could offer him nothing but a lame nod. “I’m glad to hear that...”

“What about you? You don’t look too happy.”

Your eyes widened at his worry. “No, I-I’m happy, of course. It’s just...it’s unplanned, and I’ve had my whole life planned out that I’m not really sure how this will all fall into place together.”

“Hey,” he laced his fingers with yours, squeezing warmth back into your skin that you hadn’t noticed turned cold from the nerves. Unlike his usual self with eyes brimming with glee, you could only see tenderness in him now, some sort of silent vow through a private smile shared only between the two of you in that moment in the solace of his home. Your home. “I promise I’ll be there for you and the baby every step of the way. I know that I haven’t had the best reputation and I have zero idea on parenting, but you’re not alone in this. You can trust me on this one, just like how we always trusted each other during work. Being a parent and running a business are both responsibilities right?”

“Yeah...”

“Well then you already know we work well together. We’re great partners!” he cheered, patting your shoulder way too bro-like. You resisted the urge to cringe. “We’ll be great parents, Y/N. I’m sure of that.”

Unsure of what else to do, you squeezed his hand back. He was right, you would be great parents as long as both of you never gave up. The thought of eating meals with him again with another addition to the table made you smile, and you hadn’t noticed you were spacing out, thumb running over his knuckles that were smooth for a man who never knew a day of hard labour. It wasn’t until you felt something prodding at you metaphorically, and you chuckled nervously as you saw Satoru smiling mysteriously at you.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing,” he grinned, “I’ve just never seen you this close before; not so much that I paid attention anyway. But this is nice – having you here, I mean. It gets lonely here sometimes.”

“Don’t you bring your girlfriends around?”

“I never make them stay,” was all he said, and just like that, whatever thread that was beginning to form snapped. Satoru released his hold on you and gestured to your plate, carrying the dishes in his hand before leaving you alone on the table. Like always – a whiplash. “I’ll clean up, you can rest in your room now. I’ll take care of the dishes.”

“Do you even know how to do them?”

“Yeah, my mother forced me to wash dishes because she didn’t want me to rely on the house help too much,” he informed, the new information shocking you right to the core as he put on dishwashing gloves and started scrubbing. From this angle, he sure looked damn nice and domestic in just a white shirt, hair ruffled down to bangs.  “I’ll be right there with you,” Satoru announces casually, spinning on his heel with red cheeks once he realized what he said. “For just a goodnight, I mean! We’re not sharing rooms!”

“Yeah, no,” you coughed out, “We’re definitely not.”

It felt…surreal, to wake up in a room much grandiose than yours yet felt like home even for the first night. Satoru handled your moving in rather happily; you found him singing to himself this morning as he brewed his own coffee before realizing you were right behind him, sleepy as you lazily made waffles for the both of you. Everything flowed nicely and normally, like this had always been a normal thing that for a moment, you questioned once more what would happen next.

You were now getting ready for work, hands tugging at his tie because he was such a man-child who couldn’t even properly knot his own tie. His suit was custom tailored and he looked effortlessly gorgeous – beauty ripped straight from magazines he was constantly a front page of, but his tie was skewered and loose that it irritated you.

“You’re such a mess without me.”

Satoru bent down to wiggle his brows at you, thought you didn’t notice because he wouldn’t stay still for you to fix his tie fast enough. “Isn’t this sweet; you fixing my tie for me as we both get ready for work?” he teased, “We’re like a married couple already.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’m kicking you in the nuts.”

“Then how can I give you more babies?” picking up the newspaper on the coffee table beside you, you rolled it and started whacking him, a string of profanities colorfully painting his otherwise monochrome and sleek walls. Satoru’s laughter boomed all over the room even as he wiggled away from you, clutching his bicep that had been the victim of your abuse. “Ow, ow, I was joking! Jeez, woman, you are strong. Fight men a lot like this?”

“I work with you. My fighting instincts are always activated.”

His laugh really was annoying. But it did help ease your nerves – though you’d never tell him that – as you sat beside him in his car, the expensive leather seats no longer strange to you. It would’ve felt like any other day where you accompanied him somewhere, except the reason was different now, and it came crashing down on you of your current situation that things were undeniably different from now on.

You immediately stepped away from him the moment you got out of the car, clutching your clipboard to your tummy when Satoru bumped his shoulder with yours. “Come closer, it’s fine. No one will suspect a thing,” he points to the crowded building with people bumping and walking past each other, everyone too occupied in their own heads to even notice you.

It wasn’t much, but hearing his voice and reassurances relaxed you, even for just a little bit. Maybe your first day at work after the baby news wouldn’t be so bad, after all, but it seemed you had spoken too early.

Satoru heavily insisted that you worked inside his office from now on.

Your desk was located right outside his office, the phone line always within reach in case you needed to pass calls to him or if he needed you to come. Satoru preferred the privacy of his own space – or so he said; he actually just didn’t want you to witness him slacking around and experience your wrath – but now he was dragging you inside his office, pushing your shoulders down until you were ‘settled in.’

You didn’t even want to ask where he got a new desk from, or why it had to be right across from him. His desk remained elevated on a few levels, the welcoming lobby of the room filled with couches and stacks of coffee with a rich amount of sugar cubes.

Safe to say, most of the morning was spent (or rather, wasted) on you telling Satoru off. The man was too persistent, coming in on the office at random times of the hour with either snacks or heaps of biscuits on his arms. He always greeted you with a wide grin on his face, only to be kicked out of his own office because you had his hellish schedule and events to deal with. That was around three hours ago when you’d asked him to shut up and go bother someone else. You were halfway around finishing your workload for today when the door swung open, a tuft of white hair and mischievous eyes peeking through.

“Hey! Just checking in on mommy—”

“Satoru!”

“What? It’s just you and I,” he defended with a shrug, welcoming himself inside. Surprisingly, he was empty handed, though the pout on his lips told you it was against his will. “Seriously though, do you need anything? Do you want snacks? Tea? Do you need help going to the bathroom? You haven’t moved in your desk for an hour now.”

“Satoru, I’m pregnant, not disabled,” you ignored him for a while, resuming to working back on his schedule for the month. There were a bunch of e-mails you still had to respond to, which normally wouldn’t be such a daunting task if Satoru wasn’t shifting his weight from one foot to another, the sounds of his shoes hitting the tiles in an annoying click-clack rhythm getting to you. “Will you stop fidgeting! Your anxiety gives me anxiety, stop that!”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it, I just feel like there’s something I should be doing.”

“Shutting up and letting me work in peace would be great, thank you.”

“You really don’t need anything?” Sending him a warning glare, Satoru sucked in his cheeks and ran back to his desk where he hid behind the safety of his large monitor. “Nope, yeah, I got the message: leave you alone. Good luck with that then, I’ll need those archives to pull up for our meeting with the directors later at five.”

Muttering a sarcastic finally under your breath, you resumed working.

The routine was per usual – answer the calls professionally with a welcoming and sweet voice, a pen always in one hand to jot down notes in reminders, adjust his schedules, work out his plans, go to him whenever he needed to sign something before responding back to e-mails. You were focused as you always were, but someone wasn’t, and it was getting harder and harder to keep being placated.

It didn’t help that he made no effort to hide the fact he was slacking off, the tip-taps of him randomly pressing keys on the keyboard similar to a fork dragging down a plate.

“I can feel you burning holes at the back of my head,” you twittered, “What do you need?”

“Nothing at all. I’m just realizing how beautiful you are right now.”

You paused. Unable to deny your curiosity over how serious he sounded, you spun around in your swivel chair. Satoru had his chin on his hands as he stared right back at you, his face devoid of expression that you couldn’t pick up on a single clue. “Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

You rolled your eyes at him. Of course the bastard would be teasing you, his loud chuckles a painful reminder of that. It was best to ignore him, so you went back to reading e-mails and forced yourself to focus on the task at hand. “We’re at work. Please stop distracting me; I can’t focus when you’re staring at me like a creep.”

“Sorry, babe, I’ll try to be less distracting next time, though I can’t control my charisma, you know!”

You jotted your thumb to your desk outside, “I can walk back to my desk where you can’t see me. That’d be a great for both of us.”

“Stay right there, I was joking!”

“Do you promise to be quiet and actually do your job if I stay?”

“With you disciplining and ordering me around like that, why not?” Mouth open for another heated retort, Satoru stopped you before you could say anything, his aura more serious this time. He was always like this; fooling around and maturing the next second, only for the cycle to repeat and test your patience. “I’m just teasing you, Y/N, I’ll shut up now. You’re free to end work as soon as you’re tired though; the driver is waiting in the parking lot whenever you want to go home.”

“I’ll go home with you.” Home. It felt weird to say that, but also…natural.

“You’ll stay with me at work today?” He sounded genuinely surprised, and you responded with a one-shoulder shrug. That seemed to be enough for him, however, and it wasn’t long before Satoru found the oh so rare and fleeting motivation to work hard.

Once he was settled, sleeves rolled up to expose his veiny forearms and brows furrowed as he centered all his attention on the pile of paperwork before him, there was no stopping him.

Roles reversed and positions switched, you were now the one unable to take your eyes off him.

In this light, in this moment, Gojo Satoru had never looked more beautiful. He was much the same as you in the manner you never really noticed each other this way before; not romantically, but even just person to person. In your eyes, he was nothing but your irritating boss whose boisterous self always crowded over your peace, and in his eyes, you were nothing but his secretary who he knew always silently hoped would leave you alone.

But things were different now. You were different now.

Boundaries there may be, you couldn’t help that fluttering forming in your stomach. Contentment, happiness, relief, nervousness – all of them jumbled into one big mess. Out of them all, however, there was most definitely adoration, either out of respect for his unexpected kindness, or simply because it felt nice to feel for once.

Turning away from him until your back was the only thing he could see, you hid your smile as you secretly held your belly.

You’d never been reckless before, but what was to be a good story when there wasn’t a mistake or two made?