#but I’m planning on getting to the venue at 17:30

[gatheryepens]

Seeing hozier tomorrow night and I’m soo excited…

[putschki1969]

『Hikaru LIVE TOUR -ROUND-』 KYOTO

Tweet by Hikaru | Instagram story by Hikaru | Instagram post by Hikaru

▼2024 11/30 (Sat) Soul Power, Toyama 17:30 / 18:00 12/07 (Sat) Music Bar Perch, Aichi 17:30 / 18:00 12/14 (Sat) LIVE HOUSE enn 2nd, Miyagi 17:30 / 18:00 12/21 (Sat) MUSE, Kyoto 17:00 / 17:30

▼2025 02/11 (Tue) Club eX, Tokyo 17:00 / 18:00

Setlist Notes: The new song is called “With”. I originally thought it was “Wish”. My bad! Not sure about the order of some of those songs (maybe there’s something missing too??). I had to wait till I was on the train to write everything down but at that point, all the songs had gotten mixed up in my mind. It was made worse by the fact that I didn’t immediately recognise some of them and Hikaru didn’t always introduce them either☠️

That ticket holder clearfile looks so good!! Glad we got this as tokuten. A bit bummed though that there was no special design for the drink ticket😿For those who bought more than one copy of the “Mask” EP, there was a special present too, an alternative cover image. Super pretty 🤩 I mostly spent the rest of my day in Kyoto eating touristy stuff 😅And I headed to the Pokemon Center to get a few exclusive items for my nieces/nephews.

On a side note, those pink gummies were posted by Keiko earlier this week on her Yodel app. Of course I had to get them too (tho the packaging is a bit different, there’s a variety of designs. I got the same design as her today🤗)

1.With 2.Treasure??? 3.Koganeiro no Yakusoku 4.Flow 5.Survivor 6.Under the rain (acoustic ver.) 7.Lack 8.YES/NO 9.Disclose 10.Escape 11.End of line 12.Kiseki En 1.Breathe En 2.紡-TSUMUGU-

Some highlights: I was SUPER close to the stage, it was AMAZING!!🤩 You can even see me quite clearly on the photo that Hikaru posted 🤗So glad she allowed us to take off our masks for the photo. Wouldn’t have wanted to miss that opportunity.

As always, Hikaru had an incredible stage presence, she was confident and cool, oozing charisma during each and every performance. I feel like we made eye contact several times but maybe that’s just wishful thinking 🙃Her singing was powerful and even though I didn’t always recognise the song (shame on me), I had a good time. “Under the rain” was hands down my favourite 💕So beautiful. I almost cried. She sounded better than she ever did before. The acoustic arrangement is very flattering. The upbeat songs were a ton of fun (despite sitting right in front of the speakers☠️). Hikaru literally rocked the stage🔥I almost feel bad for not being more active but I guess I’m just not the type to move a lot. (Clapping is the most I’ll usually do😅)

Sorry for adding lots of stuff on the go. I forgot to mention that Hikaru teased some upcoming solo activities for 2025. She says there are already more or less concrete plans but she will wait to make an announcement until everything is finalised. Of course she also briefly discussed the Kalafina Anniversary concert and asked who of us was planning to go. Obviously, almost everyone said that they would come, Hikaru seemed very happy about that and ensured us that they would put all of their love and strength into delivering the best possible music to us so we should all look forward to it.

EP Mask Tracklist Notes: For some reason I thought there would be more new songs🫣But it’s just “With”. The other tracks have been released digitally already.

1.with 2.End of line 3.Lack 4.Koganeiro no Yakusoku 5.Breathe 6.Kiseki

13th Single 「End of line」 MV (Short ver.) ④

And here’s another music video clip of the MV for Hikaru’s latest single release. You can watch it on Instagram! Also be sure to check out her YouTube Short. The song is featured on her EP “Mask” which is set to be on sale at her solo tour venues.

[ms-m-astrologer]

The Week Ahead: August 26 - September 1, 2024

We’re in a waning Moon this week. This is not a good time to start anything, but it’s very supportive if you want to stop doing something. (Quitting a bad habit, for example.) While the Moon is in Cancer, it’s a good time to prune things that you want to grow back slowly (like a high-maintenance hairdo?); when it’s in Gemini and Leo, it’s a good time to weed (or get rid of unwanted body hair).

Lunar Phases

Monday, August 26, 09:26 UT - Last Quarter Moon, 3°38’ Gemini

The key phrases for the Last Quarter lunar phase are “turn away,” and “tear down old structures that no longer serve us well.” One way to determine what to do, is to look at what we have lost interest in. What bores us? What do we have a hard time focusing on? What are we using as a distraction? We’re probably mentally sluggish (Mercury rules Gemini, and is stationary), so we’ll be patient trying to sort through our thoughts.

Friday, August 30, 02:17 UT - Balsamic Moon, 22°12’ Cancer

The key phrases for the Balsamic lunar phase are “let go of the past,” and “envision the future.” This is a holiday weekend in the US, and if you have the extra time off, take the opportunity to nurture yourself. Even if you have to work*, you can still make sure you eat comfort food, hydrate, and rest.

* Ms M remembers long ago, when everybody had Labor Day off. We’d all remind ourselves to fill up our cars beforehand, as the gas stations wouldn’t be open on Labor Day. Sigh.

Void of Course Moon

Monday, August 26, 01:40 UT (Taurus) - 03:04 UT (Gemini)

Wednesday, August 28, 07:14 UT (Gemini) - 08:47 UT (Cancer)

Friday, August 30, 15:24 UT (Cancer) - 17:09 UT (Leo)

Monday, September 2, 00:25 UT (Leo) - 03:48 UT (Virgo)

Retrograde/Direct/Etc.

Pre-retrograde shadow: Jupiter/Gemini

Retrograde: Mercury/Leo (until Wednesday the 28th), Ceres/Capricorn (until Monday the 26th), Saturn/Pisces, Chiron/Aries, Uranus/Taurus (starting Sunday the 1st), Neptune/Pisces, Pluto/Aquarius-Capricorn, Eris/Aries

Post-retrograde shadow: Mercury/Leo (starting Wednesday the 28th), Ceres/Capricorn (starting Monday the 26th), Pallas/Scorpio

Transiting Ceres stations direct on Monday, August 26, 07:38 UT, at 7°29’ Capricorn. As she re-retraces her steps in this sign, between now and November 11, we can implement structured plans, with more of an eye on the longer-term. October 10-17 should be an especially productive time.

Transiting Mercury stations direct on Wednesday, August 28, 21:14 UT, at 21°24’ Leo. We aren’t out of the “Storm” until September 3, though, so continue to be cautious!

Transiting Uranus stations retrograde on Sunday, September 1, 15:18 UT, at 27°15’ Taurus. Those parts of our lives that feel stuck in a rut (even if it’s a comfortable rut), are “encouraged” to change, Uranus-style. Look for sudden surprises and disruptions. Uranus stations direct on January 30, 2025, at 23°15’ Taurus.

Ingresses

Thursday, August 29, 13:23 UT - transiting Venus enters Libra

Lasting until Sept. 23, we need to work hard on being more Eleanor Roosevelt and less Lady MacBeth. We want connection, and we need to be honest and reciprocal about acquiring it.

Monday, September 2, 00:10 UT - transiting Pluto retrogrades into Capricorn

One final visit, until November 19. A final chance to work on choosing integrity and responsibility - as opposed to being a status-driven control freak.

Et Cetera

There is one Opportunity Period this week: Wednesday, August 28, 08:47 UT - Friday, August 30, 17:09 UT. “Very good opportunity to implement changes and return to projects that were stuck during Mercury’s retrograde period.” (The next OP happens on Monday, September 9, so if you work with these be prepared!)

Format change - due to health concerns, this week I’m going to cut back on writing posts. Hence I went into more detail with this forecast! After this week, I will probably continue with a “beefed up” weekly and limit other posts to lunar phases.

______________________

Venmo Mary_Brack

PayPal MaryVBrack

Thank you!

[roseyjean]

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? about average, I suppose

02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? my mom

03: Do you regret anything? that I’ve burned a lot of bridges with my family because of my issues

04: Are you insecure? definitely

05: What is your relationship status? single (dating multiple fictional people in my head tho)

06: How do you want to die? painlessly, quickly if possible. Maybe in my sleep. No regrets, tho/

07: What did you last eat? chobani Greek yogurt with baking chocolate chips and homemade caramel mixed in. It was dessert.

08: Played any sports? no. Unless soccer with my mini aussie Shepard counts

09: Do you bite your nails? a lot. I wear nail polish to help stop. I tend to bite the tough-ish skin at the edges of my fingers instead

10: When was your last physical fight? umm idk I haven’t ever gotten into an actual fight. Just play fights

11: Do you like someone? fictional. But yes

12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? no, but I once pulled an all-nighter when I was twelve bc I was up watching YouTube. Just watched YouTube. Nothing productive was done. I felt like shit

13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? fictional. And myself

14: Do you miss someone? yeah. My bff- I can’t talk to him as much rn

15: Have any pets? yup. Four cats, three dogs, a bunch of chickens, and three cows

16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? relaxed. A smidge sleepy

17: Ever made out in the bathroom? I’ve never made out, period

18: Are you scared of spiders? only big ones

19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? If I could keep my memories, yeah

20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? in my head

21: What are your plans for this weekend? uhhh maybe go to a cat cafe idk

22: Do you want to have kids? How many? adopt kids probably. Idk how many

23: Do you have piercings? How many? two. Standard lobe ones

24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? english, probably. I’m homeschooled

25: Do you miss anyone from your past? yeah. The people I had as friends when I was 8-10. I have a couple added on discord, but we haven’t talked in forever.

26: What are you craving right now? chocolate and cuddles

27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? don’t think so

28: Have you ever been cheated on? I’ve only ever dated online. And uhh my first boyfriend supposedly did. We were both like nine lol

29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? uhhhh I’m not sure

30: What’s irritating you right now? the stupid Venus razor ad playing on my radio

31: Does somebody love you? I sure hope so

32: What is your favourite color? purple. Deep, galaxy purple

33: Do you have trust issues? yeah. Not extreme, but yeah

34: Who/what was your last dream about? ummmmmm…. I don’t remember

35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? my mom, I think. I got yelled at

36: Do you give out second chances too easily? i don’t think ao

37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? forget.

38: Is this year the best year of your life? nah

39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? according to my family, I kissed a cousin when I was like three. I don’t count that as my first kiss, tho

40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? I live in the country, but god no

51: Favourite food? pizza or spaghetti

52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? yeah

53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? got off tumblr 💀

54: Is cheating ever okay? no.

55: Are you mean? I don’t try to be but I think I’m pretty blunt. No filter.

56: How many people have you fist fought? nobody lol

57: Do you believe in true love? yessss im a hopeless romantic

58: Favourite weather? rain. When it patters against the windows, or a light drizzle to play in.

59: Do you like the snow? yeah. Doesn’t snow much where I live, tho

60: Do you wanna get married? yup

61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? I ain’t been called that in my life unless c.ai counts but yeah love, baby, sweetheart, doll- I like pet names

62: What makes you happy? mm- animals, watching anime or smth, hanging out with those I love, listening to music, playing video games, eating yummy food, sleeping

63: Would you change your name? yes

64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? Uhh yeah bc he’s fictional

65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? die. Reload. Die. Break. Repeat.

66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? Yup, my only bff

67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? my dad

68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? my mom, probably

69: Do you believe in soulmates? no doubt about it. Yes. It might take a bit to find them, but I think they exist.

70: Is there anyone you would die for? mm.. my cat and my best friend

@starzfallen

do it, bff

70 horrible questions ... Fuck it

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? 02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? 03: Do you regret anything? 04: Are you insecure? 05: What is your relationship status? 06: How do you want to die? 07: What did you last eat? 08: Played any sports? 09: Do you bite your nails? 10: When was your last physical fight? 11: Do you like someone? 12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? 13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? 14: Do you miss someone? 15: Have any pets? 16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? 17: Ever made out in the bathroom? 18: Are you scared of spiders? 19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? 20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? 21: What are your plans for this weekend? 22: Do you want to have kids? How many? 23: Do you have piercings? How many? 24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? 25: Do you miss anyone from your past? 26: What are you craving right now? 27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? 28: Have you ever been cheated on? 29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? 30: What’s irritating you right now? 31: Does somebody love you? 32: What is your favourite color? 33: Do you have trust issues? 34: Who/what was your last dream about? 35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? 36: Do you give out second chances too easily? 37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? 38: Is this year the best year of your life? 39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? 40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? 51: Favourite food? 52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? 53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? 54: Is cheating ever okay? 55: Are you mean? 56: How many people have you fist fought? 57: Do you believe in true love? 58: Favourite weather? 59: Do you like the snow? 60: Do you wanna get married? 61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? 62: What makes you happy? 63: Would you change your name? 64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? 65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? 66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? 67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? 68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? 69: Do you believe in soulmates? 70: Is there anyone you would die for?

[edinfurs]

EdinFurs December Meet - 2nd December 2023

Hello and good evening!

As is becoming the tradition these days, I'm fashionably late in letting people know about the next Edinfurs meet! It might be just a 6-day heads-up, but I'm sure many of you will have guessed the meet would be next weekend!

The Next Edinfurs meet will take place on the 2nd of December between 12:00 and 17:30 on the upper floor at The Outhouse bar, 12A Broughton Street Lane, EH1 3LY.

https://goo.gl/maps/PQgdAm63wYzPiayf8

I know this place is a little bit out of the way, but it is rather cozy! In a good way! Sadly, the place does not have a kitchen, so ordering food at the bar is a no-go. They allow people to bring their own food, but be prepared to put it away if staff asks you to. This isn’t something that should be taken for granted.

This venue is a bit out of the way, so if you're unsure and would like to meet up before going to the venue, just ping the Edinfurs group a message and I'm sure someone will be able to sort something out.

Unfortunately, there are still certain aspects of current day life that we have to pay attention to, which means the following:

- If you have any symptoms or are otherwise feeling unwell, please do not come. Your health and that of others comes before socialising.

- We also recommend bringing your own hand sanitisers as we can't provide them for you.

The usual rules also still apply:

1. Please no prominent Tails at the meet, this has to do with potentially knocking things off of the tables. Conbadges, small accessories and ears are fine. As we’ve got the space for ourselves again, I’m giving the go-ahead for partials and full-suits. Just beware the drinks of the table and risk of overheating (in winter? Yup.)

2. Don't be jerk, creepy or overly affectionate to people you don't know.

3. Respect the places we are! Please don't bring your own food and drink, within reason. Please also buy stuff at the places we are in, it helps leave a good impression and means we could come back in the future! (Temporary adjustment as this venue does allow outside food. Still no drink though!)

4. BRING ID! Even if you're not planning to drink.

5. Please drink responsibly and look out for fellow furs.

6. You must be 18 or older to attend this meet. This is in line with the requirements for the telegram group.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me. @DiamondDragon on Telegram, or contact us on your fav social media! ^^

[hotboygucciglockboy]

Tag how many mutuals you want to ask these 33 questions to

tagged by @kyameron 🤝

1).Name and nickname: Andre. My true friends say Andre The Giant, but few and far in between.

2).meaning of your tumblr username: black kray lyrics. 98 flameboy

3).What is one dream you have yet to accomplish?: travel, but before that i want to own a home.

4).What accomplishment are you most proud of?: moving out to texas on my own.

5).What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done and would you do it again?: at rolling loud 2015 a group of friends and i left the venue and got back in line with a duplicated vip email and got back in successfully.

6).What type of music are you into?: mostly rap/ hip hop but there’s an appreciation for a bit of everything.

7).What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?: i’m suppressing all of that so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

8).What’s the one thing that people always misunderstand about you?: that i’m off and can’t explain why.

9).If a genie granted you 3 wishes right now, what would you wish for?: i want my health intact. a steady stream of income and the ability to protect those i love most.

10).If you had superpowers, which one would you have and why?: i would either be a stand user or have baki’s strength and fighting ability.

11).What is the strongest animal you could win against with just your bare hands and feet?: i would destroy a crab fr.

12).What is your strongest qualities?: i think patience is my strongest quality. i’m working on empathy as well.

13).What's the best advice a family member gave you growing up?: my mom told me “there’s nothing worth taking your life.” i think about that often.

14).if you could have an one night stand with anybody who would it be?..it could even be an mutual if you like or celebrity: 🤐🤐🤐

15).Ethnicity & Nationality and do you take pride in it?: Alexa; play Black & Proud by Robb Bank$

16).hobbies or talents: i like to play video games mostly. no standout talents :/

17).what is your fashion style: i’m on the fringes of street wear. haven’t had any new shit since 2019 fr.

18).What do most people overestimate or underestimate about you?: i couldn’t tell you honestly.

19)..are you an lover or fighter: it could go either way.

20).If someone narrated your life, who would you want to be the narrator?: Earl or The Dude.

21).What problem are you currently grappling with?: self image and things that deeply affected me in the past.

22).What's your favorite physical attribute about yourself?: my hair and shape. wish i were a bit more muscular tho.

23).What hobby/talent have you always wanted to develop?: i want to produce music, or get better at gloving. but FL studio is $200 away!

24).What’s the certain product you couldn’t live without?: chewing gum, a life saver if you get heartburn…

25).what is one thing you would change about yourself: i wish i had thicker skin.

26).What personality traits did you get from your parents?: i’m quiet and soft spoken, i think i get that from my mom.

27).Which one do you prefer: being controlled or be in control?: shit seems easier when you “go with the flow” but that can land you in some shit if you aren’t careful. but being in control is another form of pressure. let’s meet in the middle.

28).What are your phobias?: heights, car accidents. bodily harm in general.

29).What qualities do you want in a partner who will be with you for the rest of your life?: i just wanna feel like i can be myself. even if i don’t show that right away. as yams said (R.I.P) you gotta get to know me to truly see my swag blossom.

30).Who is your role model in life?: as of late.. Joe Budden. (work harder)

31).What are the things that drive you crazy?: it’s usually a buncha tiny shit that builds over time, no specifics.

32).Do you plan to have kids?: i have a beautiful son, and have plans for 2 more then i’m out the game.

33).Would you rather visit your ancestors in the past or meet your descendants in the future?: why not both? knowledge from the past to bless the future.

alright gang, if you see this or are tagged just lmk. also copied the questions if y’all want me to send it (if the messages will even let you copy text)

@bluegriptape @q00chie @vuzi @gytbro @slumperella @idcdontfwm @occvltswim @doublecupleen @slurpdemon @mwadvillain

[cheri-translates]

[Fan-created Texts] Compatibility Test

Original creator: 夏月_mleila

Gavin’s Post: 30 Questions Compatibility Test for Couples. Hurry and see if you’re each others’ destiny. http://moqiceshi

Minor: ?!! Bro Gavin, I didn’t expect you to do such things?

Eli: Is this a mistake or did you forget to hide the post?

Gavin @ Eli: None of your business.

Me: What’s this?

Gavin @ Me: Private message.

MC: Why did you post that?

Gavin: You mentioned a few days ago that we should test our compatibility.

Gavin: So I looked through some questions, and...

Gavin: My finger slipped and I posted it on Moments.

MC: Haha, who knew that the normally swift and decisive Commander Gavin would do such tests in his spare time?

Gavin: ...

MC: I know you did it for me. You’re the best.

MC: But why didn’t you delete the post afterwards?

Gavin: By the time I realised, those two comments were already there...

MC: Haha, they must have been waiting for you to embarrass yourself for a very long time.

MC: How about this - I’ll leave a comment saying that I was the one who used your phone and posted it.

Gavin: No need, it’s fine.

MC: Is it really okay?

Gavin: Really. I can handle it, don’t worry.

MC: Okay then. Are you busy now?

Gavin: I’m having a break.

MC: In that case, should we try the questions from that test?

Gavin: Now?

MC: Mm.

Gavin: Okay, let’s begin.

MC: First question: What’s your catchphrase?

Gavin: I don’t have one.

MC: That’s not true! It’s “cough” or “anything’s fine”.

Gavin: I guess so.

MC: What do you think are important for couples?

Gavin: Mutual understanding and keeping each other company.

MC: What would you do if the other party were to forget you one day?

[ 17:29 ]

MC: Are you busy?

MC: I won’t disturb you then.

Gavin: No...

Gavin: I’d do my best to help you regain your memories. But if they can’t be recovered...

Gavin: I’d pursue you all over again, and we’ll create a new set of memories.

Gavin: Whether it’s in the past or the future, I hope to be in your memories.

MC: Want to guess what my answer is?

Gavin: The same as mine?

MC: Nope~

MC: I’d immediately run to you and shout, “Hi, Hubby!”

Gavin: Cough. Really?

MC: I’m just worried that you’d think I’m a pervert and handcuff me instantly.

Gavin: That won’t happen.

MC: You can’t be so certain.

MC: After all, you’d have...

Gavin: I won’t forget you. Even if my mind forgets, my heart wouldn’t.

Gavin: You’re the only key that can unlock my heart. Without you, I’d no longer be a complete Gavin.

MC: In that case, you’d have to wait for me. No matter how difficult the path may be, I’ll definitely return to your side.

Gavin: Okay. And I’ll do my best to stay close to you. I believe that our hearts will be drawn to each other.

MC: I hope you wouldn’t mind if I arrive late. I’m already on the way!

Gavin: Mm. It’s fine even if you’re a little late. My wish has always been to meet you again.

MC: That’s my wish too. We’ll reunite again. Trust me!

Gavin: Okay. But when the time comes, will you really say those two words?

MC: Do you actually want to forget about me?

Gavin: I don’t. I just want to hear...

MC: Dream on! I’m heading out for a meal now!

Gavin: But we aren’t done with the compatibility test?

-

[ Later ]

MC: Knock knock. Is Mr Gavin at home?

Gavin: I’m here. Is the wedding over?

MC: Yup. I took so many photographs for you. You have no idea how beautiful the venue was. It was so dream-like!

Gavin: Okay, you could send them to me. Are you home?

MC: Nope, I’m on the way to your house.

Gavin: Why are you coming over?

MC: The stir-fried chicken was amazing, so I wanted to bring some over as soon as I could.

Gavin: Are you bringing them over specially for me?

MC: As expected, I can’t lie to the wise and mighty Officer Gavin. It’s your fault for not having proper meals!

Gavin: It’s fine to eat cup noodles occasionally.

MC: No! Not even once! Chronic diseases are cultivated over days and months. You can’t do whatever you want just because you’re young!

Gavin: I don’t do that, do I?

MC: Aren’t I warning you in advance?

Gavin: Yes madam.

MC: Don’t worry, I'm here to protect your health!

Gavin: Okay. Where are you? I’ll pick you up.

MC: I’m still four or five stations away. Don’t head out too early. I’ll send you a message when I’m almost there.

Gavin: Okay.

MC: We haven’t finished the compatibility test from before. Want to use this chance to continue?

Gavin: So you remembered that it wasn’t finished?

MC: Cough cough. So do you want to continue?

Gavin: Yes.

MC: At which age do you plan to get married?

Gavin: Is there really such a question?

MC: Of course. Just answer it.

Gavin: Anytime.

MC: Where do you want to go for your honeymoon?

Gavin: Wherever you want to go.

MC: In that case, I want to go to the romantic places like Turkey, Tokyo and Paris!

Gavin: Okay, we’ll visit all of them.

MC: Do we have that much time?

Gavin: We could go at different times. As long as we’re together, anytime is a honeymoon.

MC: Outstanding answer!!!

MC: Do you prefer having a son or a daughter?

Gavin: I like them both.

MC: No way. You have to pick one!

Gavin: ...if I had to choose, I’d pick a daughter.

MC: Why?

Gavin: A daughter would definitely be as cute as you.

Gavin: Small delicate hands tugging on my pinky finger, a child-like voice calling for her dad to carry her and take her flying...

Gavin: I could protect the both of you... no, I think a son would be better.

MC: Why?

Gavin: There will always be times when I’m not around. If anyone bullies her, I might not be around.

Gavin: I could teach my son how to fight and protect himself. And boys aren’t afraid of getting hurt.

MC: You could also teach such things to a girl. I believe your daughter would be just as strong and brave as you.

Gavin: I could teach her, but I wouldn’t force her to learn these things.

Gavin: Girls and boys naturally differ in strength. If she were to meet a tough opponent, I’m afraid she’d get injured.

MC: You think too much. She wouldn’t be afraid, because she will have you as her role-model.

Gavin: We sound like we actually have a daughter.

MC: Huh? So a son isn’t good?

Gavin: That’s not what I meant. You asked me to pick one.

MC: If he’s Gavin’s son, he’d definitely be a small handsome lad!

Gavin: Am I not handsome?

MC: Your son would be handsome precisely because you’re handsome.

Gavin: Which one of us would you prefer more?

MC: No way. Are you already getting jealous? He’s your son.

Gavin: Even so, I want to know.

MC: Fine, fine. I’d prefer you. I like you the most. Happy?

Gavin: I was just joking. Are you reaching soon?

MC: I’ve just left the station.

Gavin: Were you really asking questions from the compatibility test?

MC: ...yeah.

Gavin: Okay. If there are other questions, put down your phone and ask me in person.

Gavin: Look up.

-

More fan-created texts: here

-

[ Permission to translate ]

夏月_mleila: Sure, of course you can. Thank you for liking it. I also wish for more people to see them

[amandabe11man]

okay I actually DID get Rammstein-tickets for me and a friend!! BUT-- I was stupid and so blinded by the end goal that I didn’t think to check if the sellers were any good (apparently, they’re not very good), so I didn’t think to actually CHECK on that until after I'd already bought the tickets for the concert + the ferry + the train ride + told everyone I'm going to see rammstein. I feel mighty stupid now-- HOWEVER

I contacted the organizers abt if they can see if my tickets are valid, and they said they weren’t able to do that for tickets that have been resold (as mine probably have been). but they also said that the tickets are likely valid, though I have to be there early to be sure we’re let in

thus, I've formulated a plan to be there like-- several hours before the venue even opens at 17:30. just gon’ drop stuff off at the hotel and immediately drag my friend over to ullevi and camp outside the entrance from the early morning hours. together, we can do this....

[putschki1969]

Hi Puts!!

I hope you’re doing well! Thank you for always sharing information about pretty much everything, along your thoughts. After every event I always look forward to reading your reviews/comments.

You’ve pretty much inspired me to learn Japanese (along with the girls)! I’m even studying abroad in Japan this fall!! My exact days are August 22 - December 22.

I wasn’t sure I would be able to go until quite late (my program sucks at communications info) so I’ve been busy dealing with preparing to go to Japan, that I haven’t applied or bought any tickets! (Pretty much panicking at this point since I don’t know when I’ll be back).

Unfortunately YK vol.#20 tour ends before I arrive which I’m so depressed about since I loved every setlist (especially with Hikaru now performing T_T) (hoping she has more performances). Thankfully there’s still Wakana’s Classics, but I’m trying to figure that out still.

I was wondering if you knew any upcoming performances where there’s a good chance I can buy tickets still (whether online or at door) or have any advice on what I should do? I know there’s the Highway Star Party event but I’m not really interested in that. I will have a japanese phone number, address, and residency card so hopefully even the trickier tickets don’t cause any problems.

Also is there anywhere you suggest I visit? Restaurants and food? I plan to do a deep search and visit places the girls have mentioned ^ ^, more specifically around Tokyo.

Anyways, sorry for the long post/ask. Thank you for everything you’ve done!!

Hello there!

Thank you for this lovely message! And wow! That sounds amazing! I hope you'll have a great time in Japan.

What a shame though that you won't make it in time for the last YKL Vol#20 performance with Hikaru as guest vocalist. As of right now, I don't think they are planning to add any more dates for Japan. They have been known to announce at least one or two additional performances for Tokyo in the past but this year, it looks like they will end the main portion of the tour this weekend in Saitama. However, there are four concerts scheduled for November in China, Thailand and Malaysia. Chances are high that Hikaru will be invited as guest vocalist for these. Keep an eye out for any updates on that! We don't have any details yet but if you get the chance to go on a short weekend trip, I'd definitely recommend you get yourself a ticket and check out one of those places.

Overseas Performances YKL Vol.#20 Tour The performances are scheduled for November 2024. YK and her team will be returning to Shanghai (China), and will be performing for the first time in Guangzhou (China), Bangkok (Thailand), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

It may be a bit too late for this but you should 100% try to get a ticket for Keiko's upcoming fan club event! Just a few days ago, they announced a second lottery round so there's still a chance to apply for tickets until August 4! I don't know if you are a member of Keiko's FC but you could technically still register and hopefully finish the procedure in time to take part in the ticket lottery. Please note though that you'll probably need help from someone in Japan when using Lawson Ticket.

『KEIKO fan meeting chocolate meating #4』 Date: September 7, 2024 (Sat) Venue: TIAT SKY HALL 1st (Day): Open 14:00 /Start 14:30 2nd (Evening): Open 17:30 / Start 18:00　

Aside from possibly joining the YKL Vol#20 Asia tour leg, Hikaru will also be holding her very own solo tour during the winter time. Again, we don't have any details yet but once further infos get announced, I recommend you get your hands on a couple of tickets for one or two of those concerts. The Toyama live in particular is something I'd aim for if you want to have the best possible experience. Also a great opportunity to explore Hikaru's hometown

Hikaru Solo Tour 2024/25 -2024- 24/11/30 (Sat) Toyama 24/12/07 (Sat) Aichi 24/12/14 (Sat) Miyagi 24/12/21 (Sat) Kyoto 25/02/11 (Tue) Tokyo

The FC ticket lotteries for Wakana Classics are already over but there will be other options available soon. Last year, ticket playguide lotteries for non-FC members took place in October (with a subsequent regular sale) so I expect the same to happen this year. Just be patient a little while longer. They will most likely launch a dedicated webpage on the BSFuji website with some more infos on the concert and where to get tickets.

『Wakana Classics 2024 (tbd)』 Date/Time: 2024/12/18; Start 18:30~ Venue: Hamarikyu Asahi Hall

As for food and restaurants, that's very difficult for me to answer because I typically try to visit places that the girls have recently been to (I guess it's more of a spontaneous thing?). I do my best to keep track of all the good spots but it's a struggle T_T I suck at everything that's related to locations. However, you can check out my MEDIA posts on Twitter to see pictures of some of the spots I've already visited. I usually add a little description to my tweets so you should be able to figure out which places I'm talking about.

Three very popular Kalafina pilgrimage places are definitely Tsurutontan Roppongi (from an old blog post), La Maison Kioi (from a SPICE interview) and Shinagawa Aquarium (from a FC Harmony feature). Here's a blog post where I talk about visiting all three of them. One day, I want to eat at all the gyoza restaurants that Wakana has recommended in her fan club magazines but that's actually not so easy since most of those places are tiny and require a reservation.

You should also try to make short day trips to Ishikiri-Sanmyaku and Oya History Museum (best done with a group of locals or fellow fans). Both are beautiful locations which were used for various music videos (Kalafina's "Hyakka Ryouran", Hikaru's "Alterna-ate-", Kalafina's "Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa", Wakana's "Butterfly Dream").

Sorry I can't provide a better list but hopefully, this will help at least a little bit.

[ms-m-astrologer]

Transiting Juno enters Taurus

Saturday, March 11 - Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Caveat: this most likely won’t affect you much (if at all) unless Juno is prominent in your chart - namely, closely aspecting the Sun, the Moon, and/or an angle.

Any time Juno goes through a Venus-ruled sign, everybody’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. In airy Libra this emphasis is going to be more theoretical; but in earthy Taurus, we want to manifest and put our ideas/plans into actual practice.

All one-to-one relationships - we want our equal-peer relationships to be stable, calming, and comfortable. Negatively, this can warp into relationships based on materialistic and status-seeking values.

Protocol and social ritual - this can be very tradition-oriented and snobby. But sometimes, tradition is a good thing - I’m thinking mourning customs in particular; it would be nice to have people respect others’ right to grieve.

The powerless (women, battered wives, abused children, minorities, disabled, victims) - there can be more of an emphasis on basic necessities here, eg food and shelter. Everyone hasto have the same basic rights.

The atmosphere (weather, climate, storms) - I keep thinking of what’s called a “farmer’s rain” - steady, constant precipitation, just right for the crops. Humid and on the chilly side.

Juno’s passage through Taurus actually looks pretty tranquil? A few dates that pop out at me:

March 21: Venus will be conjunct Juno and the North Node, at 5-plus degrees Taurus. Out and out romantic!? A really good opportunity to manifest, too.

April 10: Juno conjunct Uranus at 17°17’ Taurus. The only real disruptive energy in this transit.

April 22-30: Juno trine Ceres, sextile Neptune, and sextile Pallas Athene. Working on our comfort levels.

A concern with money is going to color all our Juno areas, too. “How are you going to pay for all that?” Ideally it is less about what we save, than getting the best value for what we do spend. But, again, this passage doesn’t look to be very intense or dramatic; we may even find some decent solutions to money issues.

[ilovebeingcalledawhore]

ABOUT YOU | JISUNG

Content: Fluff, Arranged Marriage Au, Angst

Summary: Fate works in wonderous ways and you believe in it, you just didn’t expect it to have the person you’ve been wanting to actually be yours.

Note: not proof read, comment the corrections

Let me start this story off with a little description of my crush, Park Jisung.

Tall, talented, funny, and hellishly handsome. Everyone in the year group has tried to get his attention, become his friend or girlfriend, they wanted to be involved with the particularly lonely boy.

Unfortunately for them, he ignored every single thing they said, he didn’t even give a nod, a smile, or a quiet reply. He just stared straight into the wall or the window as he tapped his fingers to the beat of the music playing on his headphones.

No one knew why he did the things he did but not one of them was planning on stopping. At this point, I reckon people have already made bets on who’s gonna make him talk first.

I did like him like most of the girls in my year group but I didn’t have the guts to do what they do. I couldn’t walk up to him and give him a ‘hi’, I couldn’t even give him a little grin because the moment I see him, my body seems to freeze.

I’m slowly getting over it, I don’t look at him as much nor think about him as much, sometimes he’s way too quiet that I forget he’s in my class. I guess that’s a good thing, right? Liking a guy who hasn’t talked to you for two years straight isn’t that hard to get over.

September 20, 2020 [9:00 am]

“Crap” I muttered, my brows furrowing and my heels dropping to the ground. There was no ladder near me, not even a stool. I tried again, I tip-toed and tried to grasp the red paint bottle but its plastic coverage just slipped against my fingers.

“Come on” I muttered in disbelief, my hands falling to my sides and the little strands of my hair falling against my face. “Thud!” My ears perked and my eyes widened at the sudden sound, the red paint bottle was now in front of me.

I turned my head wondering who helped me and the first person I saw gave me doubts...Jisung. He was just a meter away, his back facing me, his hands in his pockets and his earphones on full blast making me hear little bits of the song he’s playing.

“Did he just....” I started but didn’t continue, realizing that no one would answer my question anyway. I ignored the little incident and turned my body back to face the red paint. I flicked the cap open and squeezed a bit onto my palette.

“Y/n!” My body straightened in shock. “Geez, Soobin you scared me!” I replied to the tall boy beside me and he grinned, his eyes disappearing while his dimples deepened. “I was just going to ask you something” he started, rubbing the nape of his neck.

“Are you friends with Jisung?” The question was indeed out of the blue. “What are you talking—“ I was just about to reply when a deep, low, quiet voice replied for me. “What if we are?”

I turned my head around and his close presence made the hairs on my body stand. His neck just before my eyes, making me tilt my head back to really see him. It was Jisung.

Soobin’s eyes widened at the sudden interaction and even I couldn’t help but wonder what was happening. Beomgyu, the class president called Soobin over, so before he could say anything, I was left alone with the mysterious boy.

“Wait...why are you talking to me?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing and my voice faltering. “Your father is the owner of Elite Studies isn’t he?” Jisung asked, pulling his earphones off his ear. “Yeah” I muttered, wondering if he was going to ask for money, especially since my father is pretty known.

“Well, I’ll say it now before you get the news at home”

“What?”

“We’re getting married”

-

September 20, 2020 [3:45 pm]

“Mom! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I asked in disbelief, my parents just sighing at the ruckus I made. “It’s just for a year, show the media you’re together then file a divorce” my father replied, the plea in his eyes making me stressed.

I don’t mind getting married to him, hell, I’d love to but I don’t know him, not a single bit of him and he doesn’t know me! Are we going to start talking at school? Is he going to give me rides? Will he propose? Is he going to hold my hand?

I don’t know and I'm scared that he’s not going to like me.

_

September 28, 2020 [11:30 am]

I tightly gripped on my royally white dress, the beautiful silk and lace being something I’ve never found myself in. I took deep breaths calming my pounding heart, the sound of cameras were already filling the magnificent venue and I didn’t know whether that was our paid photographers or the paparazzi.

“You’ll be fine” my dad whispered as I hooked my shaking hands around his arm. I nodded to him but I guess it was more directed to myself, I hope that I’ll be fine.

“Please welcome the bride” I heard someone say and the big double doors of the church opened, I slowly walked in with a smile, trying to convince everyone that everything was alright and I was having fun on my wedding day. The sound of the piano, violin, horns, and cheers entered my ears as I waltzed into the venue. It was gorgeous but what else did I expect from my perfectionist of a mom? “Focus” I hear my father whisper and my body straightened.

Jisung looked magnificent.

You know when you like someone and you start creating scenarios in your head? Well one of them was this and it was actually happening. I was getting married to him. The pounding of my heart worsened but not from nervousness. I was scared that if the butterflies in my stomach flapped their wings even harder I would fly.

I stood in front of him and the music stopped. Calmly taking my shaking hands, I give him a half hearted smile. I hear the priest speak but I can’t even register his words, one second I see my mom crying, the other I already have a ring on my finger and moments after that, his lips were against mine.

October 2 2020 [7:47 am]

“How’s it feel to be married to me?” Jisung asks with a grin, taking a sip of his coffee. We were at a famous coffee shop in the business district and we were well aware of the paparazzi inside and outside the store. I roll my eyes at him, looking out the window, giving a sneaky glance at the photographer inside her car, acting as if she was checking her camera's gallery.

“In all seriousness though, how is it?” Jisung asks and I turn my head to face him. I didn’t know if I should reply with a joke or with a normal phrase but I had to answer one way or another. “It’s...” I hesitate, not wanting to say the wrong word. “It’s interesting”

“How so?” He asks, his eyes connecting with mine. “Well, it's not everyday you get to marry someone you genuinely like” I replied feeling a little brave and I watched as his eyes widened. “You liked me and you didn’t even talk to me?” He said in disbelief and I chuckled nervously at him. “Well you already had like....millions of girls talking to you, what would I be compared to them?” I uttered out and he shook his head with a little grin, one that made my heart flutter.

“I swear Y/n, you should really start telling what you feel, I can’t believe I spent 2 years wondering if you liked me back”

"Stop tripping" I roll my eyes. After the time I've spent with him, I learned that he was one hell of a funny lad and what I liked most about that was how he laughed. The sound of it echoing through my ears before I sleep giving me the best dreams.

“But I’m not” Jisung replied, his eyes not leaving mine. I chuckle, looking away, taking a sip of my drink.

October 5 2020 [6:03 pm]

Today, we had to put on a show. A public dinner with the Park family could go either extremely smoothly or horribly but it was part of the deal.

“Ah welcome!” Mr. Park greeted us as we entered the venue. Mr. Park was still sitting on his chair because only his black crane kept him standing. He wasn’t that old but he was weakening, sometimes I’d see Jisung holding him up, even on the wedding day, I watched as he sat still on his chair, chatting away, only having his wife fetch food for him.

He couldn’t stand, so I walked towards him and gave him a smile. Greeting him out of respect.

Here’s the thing, the place was wrapped in velvet and gold. It was a ‘private’ room away from the other customers but its wall was made of glass. Once the people from outside look up the second floor of the fancy restaurant, they’d see us but that’s exactly the point.

I immediately gave a light hug to Mrs. Park and walked towards Jisung. As if it was natural, he stood up and wrapped me in his arms, leaving a peck on my forehead. I let him finish his act then I sat on the fancy chair beside him.

“Go and order whatever you want” His dad welcomed us, so I gladly took the menu and as I read through the thick black and gold fonted paper, I felt Jisung’s hands go over my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.

“What do you want?” I asked pertaining to the menu and warily sending a look to my parents just to see them chatting away. “I want you” he leaned into my ear as he whispered that and I glared at him. Well correction...I tried to glare at him.

“You’re stupid” I whisper and I felt him reply with a little peck on my head. “Stupid for you babe” I cringed at the name. “Don’t call me babe” I complained and he smiled. “What do you want me to call you?” he asked and I thought about it. Might as well get a special name for each other since we're doing this for a year.

“How about…...love?” I questioned, raising my brow at him. “I like that...love” he replied and I chuckled. Suddenly I felt eyes staring at me so I looked at Jisung just to see him going through the menu, his arm still wrapped around my shoulder.

So I looked up front and I found my parents and his parents staring at us with a smile. “Maybe it isn’t so fake after all” his mother whispered to my mom but I heard and...I felt chills running down my spine.

October 17 2020 [1:07 pm]

You were having lunch at his home, this being something you’re now used to. It was quiet and calm, your parents discussing about making a joint building and adding more staff meanwhile you were there reading a book as you shoved the pasta down your throat.

You hear Jisung laugh so you turn your head to side to see what he was laughing at, turns out it was you. “What are you looking at?” you scrunch your nose and he chuckled a little louder. The boy leaned closer and placed his lips on your ear, it was something you were used to at this point.

“That’s not the only thing you can shove down your throat, love” he whispered and your eyes widened. “Jisung!” you squealed making both your parents stop and give you guys a look. “It’s nothing” Jisung laughed so they disregarded it and continued their conversation.

November 10 2020 [10:06 am]

Today we were visiting Jisung’s family to say a little goodbye to them since they were going on a holiday trip in Greece. I wasn’t really in the mood since I was enjoying binge-watching this show called “I-land” but my mom had to interrupt and stop me.

“Where’s Jisung?” I asked Mrs. Park and she pointed towards his room. “Ah” I nodded and walked towards the white double doors of his batcave. I calmly walked towards it, making no sound and no fuss but I heard something that made me halt.

I heard sniffles, loud ones and a sad groan that made my heart beat fasten. ‘Was he crying?’ I thought to myself and I hesitated. Do I still walk in? Or should I wait for him to calm down? Maybe he’s just watching a video with someone crying? to say it simply. I didn’t know what to do.

So I decided to just talk to him anyway.

I knock on the door then hear him shuffling, the sniffles come to a halt and the tension inside the room emitted outside his door then seconds later, it clicked open.

-Narrator’s POV-

You noticed the way he wiped the dried tears on his skin and how he splashed water on his face to make him look livier. The redness of his cheeks and eyes still said otherwise so without a word you open your arms and wrap it around his torso.

The boy softens against your touch.

You get inside the room and shut the door, guiding the shaking boy to the bed. “What’s wrong?” you asked and he shook his head. “Please tell me”

“I can’t handle seeing you in pain” you feel sadness bubbling up your body and you feel him melting in your arms deeper, if he softened even more you’d fuse into one another. The boy sobbed into your neck, the tears dripping down your skin, painfully slow.

Still, he didn’t speak.

“You’ll be okay my love” the words rolled off your tongue easily like you were meant to say it. “Now, can you tell me what’s wrong?” you ask and you feel him nod into your neck. “I…” he starts. “I have to take my father’s place as the CEO…’cause he’s ill...he’s dying”

The world seemed to stop at that moment, he feels your body turn tense and worried. “My goodness” you mutter and he cries harder. You shut your eyes, sighing in frustration but still trying to keep calm for him.

“Fuck it” you mutter, gently cupping his face, raising it, making your eyes meet. The tears rolling out his eyes landed on your hands but you didn’t mind. You didn’t break eye-contact, you stayed there and drowned yourself in his tears.

“Jisung….I know you and you’re strong, I’m here for you...I love you”

You feel his jaw clench and the tips of his lips lifting, you expect him to say something as his mouth parts but instead he pushes your hand off and kisses you.

And you kissed him back.

[grelleswife]

How about 3, 4,6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 25,27,28, 29, and 30 foooor Sebagrelle ;3

Sure thing!

3. Most common argument?

Every few years, they'll have a dispute over getting a dog. Grelle would love a little white froo-froo dog to carry around in her purse; Sebastian will not allow a wretched cur in their house under any circumstances, thank you very much. D:< The demon and reaper also occasionally squabble over clothes if they both want to wear the same outfit or pair of heels on a particular day. And, of course, there's the decades-old argument over whether their meeting was mere coincidence (as Sebastian insists) or fate (as Grelle adamantly maintains).

4. Favorite non-sexual activity?

Dancing! In public, this appeals to their exhibitionist tendencies, since the graceful pair inevitably dominate the venue, whether it's a ballroom or a club. Grelle loves the romance and spectacle, while Sebastian views dancing as an opportunity to flaunt the fact that this incredible woman is his mate.

6. What is their favorite feature of their partner's?

(I'm assuming this means physical features?)

Grelle firmly maintains that Sebastian's eyes are his best feature. They're her favorite color, and burn with a hellfire that never grows dim. Her acceptance of his demonic nature made Sebastian fall even deeper in love with her when they were first courting. >w<

Sebastian utterly adores Miss Sutcliff's hair. Sensory demon cannot get enough of how lush and silky it is, and he'll often pamper Grelle by combing and styling her locks. He also considers her teeth extremely sexy, because they're a reflection of her wild, ferocious side. >:3

7. What's the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

Sebastian's instinct upon realizing (to his horror) that he's falling for Grelle is to deny, deny, deny. H-he has a crush on Sutcliff, of all people?! What insanity is this? The Phantomhive butler would never stoop to such things...even though Grelle is gorgeous and one of the most powerful reapers he's ever met and...oh, dammit...

Grelle is so accustomed to rejection that she tries not to put too much sincerity behind her flirtations; a lady's heart can only be trampled upon so many times. Therefore, when she realizes that her feelings for Sebastian go beyond a mere crush, she's caught off guard. Grelle's not stupid, and she's aware of how potentially dangerous demons are, not to mention the punishment she'd face for dallying with one in earnest. She needs to withdraw and do some serious soul-searching before deciding to see this relationship through. After all, the heart cannot be denied...

12. Who initiates kisses?

Sebastian! This may seem counterintuitive since Grelle is more impulsive, but initiating kisses is a tacit way for the demon to tell her "I want you, I choose you, I'm continuing to chase after you just as you chase after me." >w<

13. Who reaches for the other's hand first?

Grelle, by a slight margin. My headcanon is that Sebastian loves holding hands with his romantic partner(s), but Grelle tends to beat him to the punch; she's the type who will walk hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm with her s/o literally anywhere.

14. Who kisses the hardest?

Maybe Grelle? I feel like her legendary teef give her an advantage in this area. XD Sometimes she'll inadvertently (or accidentally-on-purpose) nick the demon's lips, but Sebastian doesn't mind. >:3

17. Who says I love you first?

Grelle. One night, she and Sebastian are sitting on the roof of the Phantomhive manor, hanging out after a playful sparring match. Grelle abruptly goes silent before quietly admitting that she loves him. "I'm afraid it's the genuine article, darling...though who's to say whether we're players in a comedy or a tragedy," she adds, glancing down.

The demon takes a moment to process this (sweet hell, she actually loves him!!!), but takes her hand and tenderly kisses it.

"Then let us see how it ends, rufina."

19. Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

Technically, Sebastian doesn't tell the other Phantomhive servants about his courtship with Grelle (and for obvious reasons, he daren't give the young master cause for suspicion), but it doesn't take long for Bard and Mey Rin to realize the dork is in love. Bard notices how dreamy and flustered the butler is these days, as well as the long red hairs that occasionally cling to his tailcoat (Miss Grelle has a tendency to shed). Mey Rin could've sworn she caught a trace of woman's perfume the last couple times she walked past Mr. Sebastian, yes she did! Mey is initially crestfallen but later gets together with Paula, so all's well that ends well, while Bard mercilessly teases Sebastian about his "new gal."

"I don't know what on earth you are talking about," the trash demon mutters. Sebastian also ends up discretely discussing the relationship with Agni. When he and Grelle have their first big fight, he asks the khansama for advice on how to make up with her.

20. What do their family/friends think of their relationship?

For a long time, Ronald is the only reaper aware of Grelle's relationship with Sebastian. Knox disapproves because he's worried that the butler is using his senpai to obtain information or gain her support as another of the Phantomhive brat's pawns. However, he later develops a grudging respect for Sebastian when he realizes that the demon truly loves her.

The servants never learn exactly who Sebastian's lady love is, but they're very supportive!

25. Who needs more assurance?

Grelle. She's grown accustomed to being misunderstood and pushed away, so she needs affirmation that Sebastian is loyal and won't ever desert her. Of course, in happy fanon land, Sebastian is unequivocally devoted to his wife.

27. Who would sing their child back to sleep?

Both of them! Their kids have fond memories of their parents harmonizing together when they needed to be soothed after a nightmare.

28. What do they do when they're away from each other?

In the canon timeline, Grelle is focused on reaping during business hours. In addition to her beauty appointments (hair and nails must be maintained at all cost!), she also enjoys going out to cafes or hitting the pub with Ronald, Eric, and other people from her small group of work friends. Sebastian's butler duties keep him busy, and he tries to distract himself by playing with his cat or reading in his small amount of leisure time (he still ends up pining for Miss Sutcliff, though).

29. One headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart?

A constant terror that lurks in the back of Sebastian's mind is the fear that O!Ciel will learn of his relationship with Grelle and command the demon to harm or kill her.

30. One headcanon about this OTP that mends it?

I headcanon that Grelle is somewhat touch-starved, which is why she makes her little dollies to sleep with. After Sebastian finds out about this, he surprises her on their first Valentine's Day as a couple with a special Funtom rabbit in a red dress. When she has to go for long periods of time without seeing him (they have to exercise extreme caution when planning their trysts) Grelle will cuddle the bunny, which serves as a tangible reminder of Sebas's love for her.

[majorxmaggiexboy]

idk if i’m actually going to attempt to participate but i still want to make a little list of Tober/Tember prompts and ideas of what to do with them. also tagging @f-ro-g bc New Pack. Every time i do one of these i start forgetting every media i’ve ever consumed so we’re going to see if i can at least get more than like three different fandoms on here. Might or might not come back through and flesh these out with actual details later on.

Whumptober Ideas

1) All Trussed Up and Nowhere to Go/”You have to let go”/Barbed Wire/Bound - Hadestown, full stop. The whole prompt is Hadestown. It’s in the lyrics, even. It is this post that makes me finally notice the “Keep on walking and don’t look back” line in Wait For Me and i’m so angry right now

2) Talking is Overrated/Garotte/Choking/Gagged - I’m thinking a rewrite of my first Three Musketeers fic just because it was funny the first time around and also wouldn’t take much Effort. Next.

3) Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But.../Taunting/Insults/”Who did this to you?”

The Bradmadge Brawl of S2E1 but with passion and malice next question

4) Trust Fall/”Do you trust me?”/Taken Hostage/Pushed

Nothing springs immediately to mind but i’m leaning toward Psych or The New Pack

5) Red In My Ledger/Betrayal/Misunderstanding/Broken Nose

*slams hand on table* New Pack. Mordaunt. It writes itself.

6) Touch and Go/Bruises/Touch-Starved/Hunger

On-Drakon we’re going to give Arman and Mira some love even if only two people on this website even know them.

7) My Spidey-Sense is Tingling/Helplessness/Numbness/Blindness

TASM just for the sake of it? Undecided

8) Coughing Up a Lung/Pneumothorax/Exotic Illness/”Definitely Just a Cold”

Ben Tallmadge and the Delaware Dive next question

9) Rumors of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated/Presumed Dead/Blind Rage/Tears

Bucky it’s your turn babe

10) Oops, I Did It Again/Hospital/Flare-Up/Ice Chips

Ben you’re going back in the Delaware it’ll be so funny

11) Just Keep Swimming/Adrift/Drowning/Dehydration

Personally i think having a third Ben vs. Water fic would be the funniest possible move but Grimaud or Mordaunt could also work here

12) It’ll Be Fun, They Said/Torture/Made to Watch/Begging

Jean-Olivier comes to mind but hmmmmm there was also that one TURN S3 au that could work

13) That’s Gonna  Leave a Mark/This Is Gonna Suck/Burns/Cauterization

Hmmmmmm OH! OH! Raoul! The New Pack. Done.

14) Under Pressure/Crush Injuries/Beaten/Force

It says Force and Force is Star Wars so naturally this is Mando’s number.

15) Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever/Delirium/Fever Dream/Bees

Ben Tallmadge guess what....

16) On a Need-to-Know Basis/Recovery/Scars/Aftermath

I’m thinking the Psych Not-Ghost AU would work here but there are certainly other options.

17) Field-Care 101/”Please don’t move!”/Hemorrhage/Dread

Might go with something Leverage right here just because i just watched Leverage. Nothing’s jumping immediately to mind. Warm Bodies could also work though.

18) The Doctor is In/”Now smile for the camera!”/Doctor’s visit/CPR

I’m thinking Reid just because Dr. and i’ve never been able to write Doctor Who so. What other Doctor characters are there. McStuffins isn’t in the running here. Oh! We could do something MCU, Bruce is a Doctor isn’t he? God can you imagine Dr. Hulk trying to

19) Just a Scratch/Bitten/Bleeding/Stabbing

Didn’t ... d’Artagnan once utter the phrase “it’s just a scratch” in relation to someth.....first episode, i think? Great so we have a winner, good job everybody.

20) Lost & Found/Trunk/Trapped underwater/Solitary Confinement

Weirdly Mando is the first character to come to mind. Someone beat me to 80% of my other idea but there’s potential.

21) That’s Where the Blood’s Supposed to Be/Bleeding Through Bandages/Pressure/Blood-Matted Hair

Let’s be real the only two options for this one are Bucky or Eliot and they’re virtually the same character so where does that leave me

22) They Made Me Do It/Cursed/Demon/Obsession

*vague wave* Merlin ?

23) You Break It, You Buy It/Auction/Ransom/Pursuit

That one 3M au with Athos and the big mix-up and the Oops and all the...stuff, yeah. That works.

24) One Down, Two to Go/Self-Induced Injuries to Escape/Flashback/Revenge

Holy sh- i didn’t see this one initially. I mean? Jean? Ow.

25) Hide & Seek/Escape/Flight/Hiding

Psych? Orrrrr....TGM?

26) You Will Go Down With This Ship/Fallen/Waterfall/Trap Door

I’m trying to think of literally anything i’ve ever read or watched that’s got a ship in it ummmmmmm hey what if we interpret “ship” as yeaaaah let’s do another Mando one that’ll work

27) “I’m Fine, I Prom...”/Passing Out/Vertigo/Collapse

I mean..... .... ... is there a character this doesn’t work for though? Wait. No actually let’s do Childermass since he gets that what is it an allergic reaction to magic? I mean i know Segundus gets like that to so....ha let’s make it be Both of them.

28) It’s Not Just In Your Head/”Good, you’re finally awake”/Nightmares/Panic

First thought is New Pack but it might take some pondering.

29) All Work and No Play/”You’re still not dead?”/Too weak to move/overworked

it’s like Civil War but with Bucky and Jean-Olivier having an all-out brawl good lord it’s an either/or situation.

30) Digging Your Grave/Major Character Death/Left For Dead/Ghosts

*shot of choc milk* the exact TURN AU i was Just thinking about yesterday,,,

31) Hurt & Comfort/Disaster Zone/Trauma/Prisoner

I feel like i need to put Gwynplaine here just because he hasn’t had a turn yet

Alt. Prompts

1) Losing Control

Arman. Very obviously extramuch Arman definitely. Let’s have another one with the involuntary dragon himbo.

2) Threats

*chin hands* trying to think of a character who gets threatened a lot. will circle back. I’m actually thinking Psych again but idk.

3) Caning

Ro we’ve genuinely discussed about 16 different variations on this one i think it’s Time

4) Mercy

MORDAUNT MORDAUNT NEXT QUESTION

5) Forgotten

Is it time for Jack Frost of all people to make an appearance or is this just Bucky again

6) Head Injury

It would be real easy to just put the headbonk au here but i’m going to try to show some restraint and do a different headbonk story

7) Screaming

Going to assign Gwynplaine here just because he really has been neglected in this lineup and also it would probably be good for him to vent a little bit in this manner

8) Comfort

Someone’s going to get petted like a cat and i just haven’t decided whomst but when i do it’s over for everybody

9) Self-Sacrifice

What do i even say to that i Feels like another New Pack but it’s still up for grabs tbh

10) Trapped

Tempted to pour one out and just say Bucky but idk idk we’ll think of something this is very much a first draft stream of thought general idea planning session

11) Near Death Experience

It would be hilarious to just put something like Meet Joe Black for this one but WAIT NO NO GO BACK ACTUALLY WARM BODIES LET’S DO WARM BODIES

12) Regret

It’s gotta either be Psych or TURN

13) Tragedy

My first thought is to do a damn Hannibal fic without ever having actually watched the show just because i’m still angry about how i read it ended but considering that i only know the characters’ voices from tumblr chatposts i feel like that’s not the best venue to

heck we might just do New Pack

14) Battlefield

Either TURN or New Pack or....the song’s a little bit dramatic for a Bucky but actually....unless? no....but Maybe,

15) Anxiety

Every character i’ve ever cared about could potentially fit right here so :/ Arman could have 3rd ficlet but again, literally every character, i,,,,,they’ve all got anxiety X’D

[xmxisxforxmaybe]

1998

Summary: Once your brother left for college, it became clear to you that Rami was going to make you Scott’s replacement. And as his replacement, you could expect two things.

One: Rami would continue spending more time at your house than his own.

Two: It was only a matter of time before Rami Malek talked you into doing something that could get you grounded for the rest of your life.

A/N: This fic is basically porn for the best decade EVER: the 90s. @the-real-ramimalekpeen​ I hope this does your request justice 💛

Wordcount: 7106

Warnings: All the characters are underage (17) so I will warn for drinking, smoking cigarettes, and PG-13 making out. Honestly though, by today’s standards, this fic is wholesome as fuck—welcome (back) to the 90s, bebes 💛

Considering it was after 9:00 pm on a school night, Rami Malek had no business being in your bedroom.

 Except that Rami Malek, one half of the legendary Malek Twins, was always at your house.

 His best friend, who also happened to be your brother, had just gone off to college. At first, you thought Rami still hung around so much because he was scared about doing the same next fall, but then, a part of you began to wonder if he really did miss your brother that much.

 Scott was the first real friend Rami made when he and Sami came to your school as freshmen. At first, they didn’t appear to have a thing in common, but after a few months, Rami and Scott were inseparable. By the end of Rami’s first year at Notre Dame, everyone joked that Scott was actually Rami’s twin, not Sami.

 One thing all three of the boys had in common, though, was their penchant for mischief. It wasn’t that they were bad. They were energetic, charming, and had decided to dedicate most of their high school experience to testing the limits placed upon them by authority figures.

 After Scott had left and the time Rami spent at your house did not diminish, it became clear that to Rami, you were now your brother’s replacement. And as his replacement, you could expect two things.

 One: Rami would continue his tradition of eating dinner more times a week at your house than his own.

 This didn’t bother you because your parents loved Rami—they loved him so much they didn’t protest when he insisted on doing the dishes on the nights he ate with you. That was a win in your book because it meant you had one less chore.

 However, Rami’s new focus on you did prompt a rather uncomfortable conversation with your mother.

 One night after he had gone home, she knocked on your bedroom door and fixed you with that look as she took a seat on the edge of your bed. She sharply inhaled then asked if you and Rami were dating. Because if so, she and your father needed to set some boundaries about the times Rami could and could not be at the house.

 The mixed look of shock and horror on your face made her laugh, but that initial reaction was quickly replaced with anger. Scott had girls at the house all the time and your parents had never said a word. In that moment, it became clear that your brother was afforded more freedom just because he was a boy. It was total garbage!

 So, for the next few weeks, you stewed in quiet rebellion, outraged by the clear gender discrimination being doled upon you by your OWN parents, and when you confessed as much to Rami, he flashed you the famous Malek grin and you knew you were in for expectation number two: It was only a matter of time before Rami talked you into doing something that would get you grounded for the rest of your life.

 A few nights later, you were watching TV in the living room and doing homework (you were doing homework while Rami seemed to be practicing his origami skills) when a paper airplane flew directly into your face and bounced off your forehead.  

 “Hey!” you yelled, glaring at Rami while you rubbed at the spot where the point hit.

 He was already leaning forward, an apology tumbling from his lips which seemed pretty insincere considering he was also trying to stifle his laughter.

 “What is this?” you asked as you picked up his paper airplane from the spot where it had landed, the bright colors of the paper catching your eye.

 After you unfolded it and realized it was a flyer for a local band, your stomach began to flutter.

 You looked up at Rami who looked like the cat that ate the canary. He nodded vigorously at the question on your face, then began to talk in a low, rapid voice.

 “Got it all worked out. I’ll come over for dinner. Sami will meet us with the car after your parents are in bed. You don’t have to do anything other than follow my lead—and not get caught.”

At 17, music was everything.

 You loved listening to live music, and as long as the concert was at an all-ages venue, you were allowed to go unchaperoned. That was great, if you wanted to see mainstream music, but since focusing his attention on you, Rami had turned you on to the joys of underground rock bands.

 Instead of listening to another shitty recording, Rami was presenting you with the opportunity to see a live show.

 Feeling giddy, you slammed your notebook shut and you and Rami spent the rest of the evening ironing out your plan. By the time he left to go home, you felt like it was foolproof.

 * * * * *

 The band was playing at a dive bar just outside of West Hollywood. Rami said the crowd would be fun—mostly college kids, partying it up on Thirsty Thursday. The plan was to hang out, watch TV until your dad gave you the look that meant it was time to kick Rami out, but instead of him leaving, you would call out your goodnights and he would sneak upstairs to your room and hide in your closet.

 After you had said goodnight to Rami, you went back into the living room and tried to swallow all of your excitement. After fifteen minutes of fidgeting, you told your parents you had a big test in the morning and wanted to go to bed early.

 They smiled and said goodnight, your mom following you up the stairs to take a bath and settle in with her book.

 You went into the bathroom and followed your nightly routine, making sure not to rouse any suspicion, and when you finally climbed into your bed and turned off your lamp, Rami popped out of the closet.

 “Are they asleep yet?”  

 “Shhh,” you hissed, clambering to the end of your bed and knocking into him as you stood. “Dad just shut off the TV.” “Sami’s waiting,” Rami said glancing at his watch even though it was too dark to see anything more than a blob of black on his wrist.

 “I’m aware of the plan,” you whispered as you ignored his fretting and flipped on the closet light to pick up the outfit you had set aside earlier.

 You paused in your movement and hurriedly flicked off the light. Straining your ears, you heard your dad walk by your room and you only released the breath you had been holding when you heard his door click shut.

 You flicked on the closet light again, and almost pulled your pajama top off in your haste before realizing that Rami was staring at you. When you turned to look at him, he motioned for you to hurry up, his eyes growing larger as if the bigger they got the more hurried your movements would become.

 You threw up your hands and harshly whispered, “Turn around!”

 Rami blinked stupidly, his mouth popping open as he realized you needed to change. If you could have seen his cheeks, you would have seen that they were the same color of red as the squares of plaid on his shirt.

 “S-sorry,” he stuttered as he turned away, his head hanging down as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his oversized jeans.

 With a tsk of dismissal, you shimmied into your favorite LEI jeans with the flared bottoms tattered perfectly from dragging on the ground. You had opted for a fitted, light blue, long-sleeved tee that just showed off a bit of your stomach because the v-neck also showed off your cleavage. You thought about grabbing the flannel you had stolen from your brother, but it was still warm enough out not to need it. Besides, there was sure to be something in the boys’ car if you needed it.

Sitting on the floor, you pushed down the top of your thong, knowing it was peeking out as you settled in to do your makeup.

 “I’m dressed,” you said as you began to swipe on some frosted blue eye shadow.

 As you pumped your mascara, Rami whined, “Can’t you do that in the car.”

 “In the pitch-black car?” you bit back as you scraped a bit of the eye shadow into one of your empty make up containers before dribbling clear lip gloss in to mix it up. As you dabbed it on your lips, you smiled at the perfectly muted but still-frosty compliment to your eye makeup.  

 Smacking your lips together with a pop, you quickly wrapped two small chunks of your hair up in two messy knots and secured them with tight, clear gumbands. You adjusted your chocker, then slipped into a pair of black, chunky shoes.

 You grabbed your wide, black belt and looped it through your jeans as Rami paced, the swishing of his jeans starting to drive you a little crazy as you rushed over to fix up your bed so it looked like a lump of a human was still in it.

 After situating your colorful hemp purse across your torso, you softly said, “Okay. Let’s go.”

 Rami stopped pacing and looked you over before giving you a half smile. “You look good.”

 “Until my parents catch us doing this and skin me alive,” you countered as you flicked off the light.

 Rami grinned, his teeth flashing in the dark. “They won’t—promise.”

 “Your promises have, like, an 83% failure rate,” you argued as you pushed past him and opened the window as quietly as possible.

 “Fine—I swear on Sami’s life we won’t get caught,” he whispered before he scrambled out of the window and on to the roof.

 He held out his hand and you took it while you climbed out after him. Your eyes looked toward your parents’ room, and your heart hammered as you were sure their light was going to flick on at any second.

 “That mayyybe gives us odds in the ballpark of 70 - 30,” you whispered when you turned your eyes back to Rami, quickly pulling away as you realized you were still holding his hand.

 He stifled a chuckle as he crept toward the farthest edge of the roof, and when a ladder appeared, you knew Sami was below.

 “Go ahead,” Rami rasped, holding on to the top of the ladder as you swung your legs over and began to cautiously climb down.

 When you got closer to the ground, you felt Sami’s hand on your calf as he whispered, “Hey, Y/N—you good?”

 “Yeah,” you whispered back, a wave of ease sweeping through you when you finally touched the ground.

 “Cute,” Sami smiled as he gave one of the twists in your hair a little tap.

 You smiled back before turning your attention to Rami as he hopped off the second to last rung. With a practiced ease, he pulled the ladder from the roof without making a sound and laid it flat behind your mother’s rose bushes. The ladder was completely hidden, and you quickly realized that the boys had done this many times before.

 The three of you jogged to where Sami had parked the car, and since you had followed him to the driver’s side, he opened up the back door so you could climb in. When Rami settled into the passenger seat, he let out a whoop of success. The three of you laughed, and you knew you had to ask, “How many times did you two sneak Scottie out of the house?”

Sami snorted and started the engine, while Rami shrugged his shoulders and turned his hands over, feigning ignorance.

 “I see how it is,” you said, narrowing your eyes at Rami’s profile until he quickly turned and shot you a wink that was more like a blink.

 You giggled, “One eye is a wink, you dork!”

 Sami’s shoulders shook with a silent chuckle as he turned up the radio and you settled back in your seat to bask in the joy of being with your friends; it was well worth the trepidation you had felt about sneaking out on a school night, and as you watched Rami’s smiling profile, lit up by each street lamp you sped past, you felt a sudden flush of pleasure that he had gone through so much trouble to give you this night.

 As soon as you were on the 101 heading out of the Valley, the boys both lit up. Rami offered you a cigarette, expecting you to decline, so when you said, “Why not?” he choked as he was inhaling and Sami’s eyes flashed up at you from the rearview.

 “Um, this is my night of rebellion, okay? I may as well do it right,” you explained as Rami put your cigarette between his lips, lit it, then passed it back to you.

 He watched with interest as you smoothly inhaled, then blew a stream of smoke out in his direction.

 “What? You think Scott and I never partied together when mom and dad went outta town? Who do you think got me drunk for the first time?”

 “How old?” Sami asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled, his cigarette dangling from his lips as he relaxed back into the driver’s seat having just switched lanes.

 “14. Got me fucked up on screwdrivers of all things. I couldn’t drink OJ for a month.”

 The boys burst into laughter, then Rami explained that Scott had done the same thing to them.

 “Sami was so hungover mom thought he had the flu.”

 “And you weren’t hungover because you puked your guts out in dad’s hedges. I still don’t think he knows why that one turned brown and died.”

 “Shut up,” Rami grinned as he lightly punched his brother’s shoulder.

 “I’m driving asshole,” Sami murmured around his cigarette.

 “At least I don’t look like one,” Rami countered, making you roll your eyes and take another long drag of your cigarette.

 Because you didn’t smoke often, you already felt the sweet lightheadedness that came after a few pulls. You ashed out of the crack in your window and breathed in the cool air that was flowing from the boys’ open windows, contrasting deliciously with the heat of the smoke as it trailed down your throat.

 “Fight nice, boys,” you called up to the front, before immediately regretting your interruption because they both teamed up to rag on you.

Twins, you thought as you countered their attacks as best you could.

 Maybe it was the effect of the nicotine, or the natural high of sneaking out with the Malek brothers, but watching Rami from the back seat, you began to think of him as more than just your brother’s friend, and now, your friend. There was something about him, something about the way he made you feel that didn’t feel like any of your other friends.

 And speaking of other friends, you looked at the back of Sami’s head and watched his eyes in the rearview mirror, but that thing, that chemical pull of attraction wasn’t there. When you glanced over at Rami, you felt it.

 You let your gaze ping-pong between them, testing out your fledgling feelings. With a frown, you turned away from both of them and watched the cars in the parallel lanes, wondering if it was even worth figuring out.

 “Helloooo,” Rami called, squeezing your knee to pull you out of your thoughts.

 “Huh? What did you say?”

 “I asked what you thought of Stacy.”

 “Stacy Browning?”

 “Duh. She’s like the only Stacy in our English class.”

 “What about her?”

 “She’s supposed to be here tonight.”

 “Rami’s got the hots for Staaacyyy,” Sami sing-songed as he signaled and took the exit for West Hollywood.

 Rami didn’t refute his brother and something mean bubbled out of you as an image of Stacy, laughing and pushing into Rami’s side as he wrapped his arm around her waist, his fingers just resting above the pocket on the ass of her jeans, flashed through your mind.

 “Sami has a better shot than you any day of the week. Isn’t that how it usually works, Ram?”

 You watched as the hurt twisted across Rami’s face, but your attention was drawn to Sami’s laughter as he guffawed, “Ooooh—harsh!”

 You laughed, looking anywhere but at Rami, who half-heartedly joined in.  

 What you said made you feel sick, like an aftereffect of a violent action.

 What the fuck, Y/N? you scolded yourself.

 “Is this the turn?” Sami asked, growing serious as he navigated the crowded streets and started looking for parking.

 “Yeah—park anywhere you find a spot. The bar’s like a block, maybe two that way.”

After a few more minutes, Sami found a spot and parallel parked with an easy precision.

 “Good thing Rami didn’t drive,” you teased, trying to get him to look at you like he had before you’d hurt him.

 Instead, he hopped out of the passenger side and slammed the door shut.

 Sami opened your door, and chuckled as he said, “Fuck—there are at least three trashcans that have unclaimed relatives lying in the morgue thanks to him.”

 You laughed and looked over at Rami who had a soft smile on his face. He shook his head, “Fuck you guys.”

 You skipped over to him and poked at his ribs. “Come ooon—we know you didn’t mean to destroy the entire trashcan-family on Woodbridge Street. It was an honest massacre because you forgot which pedal was the break.”

 “Like the first time I drove EVER!” Rami defended, finally turning to smile at you.

 “And who doesn’t even have their license?” he shot back, his face coming dangerously close to yours as he picked on you.

 “Like, excuuuse me for having an older brother! How keen do you think mom and dad were to let me drive after Scottie nearly got arrested for speeding—twice?”

 “Oh, shit,” Sami said. “I remember that second time—”

 The twins launched into a retelling of the story, one you’d heard a thousand times, but it made Rami laugh, his face back to its normal, jovial disposition. As you walked, your head turning between the boys as they spoke, you relaxed knowing it wasn’t in Rami’s nature to dwell on something negative. By now, he had probably dismissed your comment as a joke.

 The bar came into view and there was no mistaking it for a nice place. The neon signs made it look more sinister than hip, and the trashcans outside were overflowing. However, the crowd queued at the entrance was just as Rami had described—college-aged kids, smoking, talking, and laughing as they paid their cover and ducked inside, the noise spilling into the street each time the bouncer opened the door.

 Instead of joining the line at the entrance, Rami led you and Sami down an alley that was a little too dark for your liking.

 “Rami?” you questioned, and he reached back for your hand, linking his fingers with yours.

 After a few more steps, Rami stopped and released your hand. He reached up and banged loudly on the unmarked, steel door.

 An older man, probably in his 50s, pushed open the door and flooded the backstreet with light. You squinted as you were assaulted with the brightness and the smoke that wafted out.

 “Malek. My man,” he rasped as he fist-bumped Rami. “And Malek Número Dos. What��s up bros?”  

 Sami greeted the man in the same fashion as his brother, and then the man noticed you.

“Switchin’ it up tonight, huh? Bringin’ a girl ‘stead of leavin’ with one?”

 You raised your brow and crossed your arms, that same feeling from earlier creeping through your chest and into your gut.

 “Scott’s little sister,” Rami explained, and the older man chortled and gave you a full, lingering look.

 He nodded with what you deemed to be approval and he fished out three paper bracelets from his pocket.

 “Keep her outta trouble, yeah?” he said with a slow, lecherous grin.

 “You can count on it,” Rami answered, giving him a tight, but still friendly smile as he turned to you, instructing you to hold out your wrist.

 You watched as he positioned the neon orange band, then peeled back the tape.

 “Too tight?”

 “Nah. It’s good.”

 Maybe it was nothing, but Rami’s thumb lightly stroked the spot where he had just stuck the band in place and when you looked up, he was watching your face.

 You smiled at him, a slow, sincere grin and when he returned your look, it felt like you were swallowing honey—sticky and sweet, the warm feeling slid down your throat and made your cheeks feel hot.

 Sami cleared his throat.

 “Someone wanna do me?” he asked as he waved his bracelet in front of your faces.

 Rami shot him a vicious look, but Sami just stuck out his wrist and waited.

 “We meet right out front after the show. Not in the alley.”

 You and Rami both just looked at him, and Sami prompted, “Okay?” as if he were dealing with two teenaged idiots instead of also being one himself.

 “Yeah—meet out front,” Rami said dismissively, his eyes willing Sami to get lost, but he was already slipping away down the hall and out into the bar.

 “You ready for this?”

 “Just—just don’t leave me alone, okay?” you said, thinking about the way Rami’s guy had looked at you.

 “Of course not,” Rami said with a reassuring smile. He lowered his voice and continued, “Let’s put some distance between us and Crazy Carlos.

 “Crazy Carlos?” you hissed.

 “No one calls him that to his face,” Rami assured you, then laughed at the way your eyes widened.

Once you were mixing into the crowd, the noise level ratcheted up and you were forced to yell into each other’s ears.

 Rami’s eyes scanned the bar, once, twice, and you couldn’t help but wonder if he was looking for Stacy.

“Wanna get a drink?” you asked loudly, leaning into his body to get closer to his ear.

 “Yeah! What do you want?”

 “Just a beer!”

 Rami nodded and led you to the bar. You tried to take up as little space as possible and when you spotted a couple leaving their hightop along the wall, you tugged on Rami’s flannel to get his attention. He turned back to look at you and you pointed to the table. He nodded and watched as you darted over and took a seat.

 Instantly, your hand landed in the waste of someone’s spilled drink and you huffed in disgust as you wiped your hand on your jeans. You looked around for Sami, but it was impossible to see through the throng of drinkers and the haze of smoke.

 “You okay?” Rami yelled, taking the seat across from you and sliding your bottle toward you.

 “Stop treating me like a baby! I’m the same age as you!”

 Rami rolled his eyes, but his lips were drawn into a smirk as he took a swig of his beer.

 You took a drink, too, and watched him comfortably lean back into the wall so he could face the room and check out the crowd, your mind immediately flashing back to that image of Rami and Stacy, laughing, touching.

 “She’s not good enough for you,” you said through gritted teeth.

 “What?” Rami asked, leaning forward as much as the table allowed.

 “She’s not good enough for you!”

 Rami shook his head, still unable to hear you. With a huff, you slid off your chair and rounded the table to stand between his spread legs. You rested one hand on his thigh as you leaned into his ear and yelled, “Stacy! She’s not good enough for you!”

 Rami moved back, raising his eyebrows, as he sat up straighter on his stool.

 “Not exactly what you said in the car,” he answered, your eyes watching his lips so you could make out what he said.  

 Scanning his face, you wondered if he could see that you were sorry.

 Just as you leaned in to apologize, the lead singer whistled into the mike and made you jump. Rami’s eyes danced with laughter as he took another swig of his beer, and both of you turned your attention to the band.

 “Hey, you drunk motherfuckers—you ready to put a little shimmy in your jimmy? A little rock in your cock?”

 The crowd cheered, and you felt Rami stand, his front pressing into your back as he lightly pushed you into the crowd. He kept moving until you could see the stage, then he moved to stand beside you, his arm resting against yours.

 The first two songs were great, and you knew that sneaking out had been completely worth it. The band was good, really good, and you expected you’d be able to say you’d seen them live before they made it big.

 As the songs played, you and Rami both moved along to the music, heads bobbing and bodies shifting as much as the limited space allowed. Every now and then, you’d shoot a grin at each other, and when the third song began, you realized your beer was long gone.

 You thought about shoving the empty bottle in your pocket, but Rami read your mild distress and leaned in to tell you to save his spot.

 He shuffled through the crowd to get rid of your empties, and you widened your stance to save his spot, then refocused on the band.

 Before the third song was over, Rami was back, and you mouthed thanks. He gave your hair twist a tap, just as Sami had done earlier, making you smile and shake your head.

 After the next song, the bassist and lead guitar put their instruments down and the drummer disappeared.

 “You’re fuckin’ animals and I love it! But those guys need a drink so I’m gonna slow shit down with a song I wrote a few years back.”

 When the acoustic number began, you were shocked the lead singer’s gruff voice was so low and smooth. As he crooned, people swayed lightly with their faces trained on the stage. You don’t know whether it was you who moved closer to Rami or Rami who moved closer to you, but somehow, you found yourself standing partially in front of him, just close enough for his hand to creep around your waist. You smiled without looking at him and stepped into his touch, pulling his other arm to wrap around your waist as you leaned back into his chest. He laced his fingers across your stomach and leaned into your hair, both of you swaying in time to the soft music.

 As you stood together, like a couple, your mind began to race. Everything became too much and not enough at the same time. Rami’s grip was too loose and too tight. The singer’s words were too soft and his guitar was too loud. The shadows cast on the stage were too dark and the spotlight was too bright.

 And when you felt Rami’s chest vibrate into your back as he sang along under his breath, it felt too harsh, but when his pinky lightly stroked the exposed flesh on your stomach, it felt too sensitive. Your body was a tingling mess at his touch, so you took back some control. Your arms were already resting over Rami’s, but your thumb found his and you touched him gently, back and forth, in a mirror of the way his little finger was still sliding over the exposed skin of your midriff.

 Rami’s mouth crept closer to your ear and you shivered as his breath rustled your hair. You wanted to crane your neck, turn into his body and give him the angle he needed to kiss you, but you were still at war with feeling too much and not enough at the same time.  

 When the song ended, the singer thanked everyone, then encouraged you all to grab another beer while he took a piss. You felt a profound loss when Rami relaxed his grip and let his arms slide away from your waist and to your hips.  

 “Want another beer?” he asked into your ear as he gave your hips a squeeze before he dropped his hands.

 “Sure—yeah,” you lied.

 You turned to watch him disappear into the crowd and almost immediately, Rami’s warmth against your back was replaced with a new but identical one.

 “Having fun?”

 You whirled around, your mouth popping open slightly before snapping shut.

 “Wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, Sam—are you drinking?” you asked, bending slightly to sniff at his cup.

 “It’s water, dumbass. They only have two more songs.”

 You narrowed your eyes at Rami’s twin as he continued to look at you, clearly waiting for you to confess your secret. You didn’t know if he had seen the two of you during the last song or if he was just acting on a hunch, but you were not about to confess your feelings to Sami before you told Rami.

 Even though that was exactly what Sami wanted.

 The same blueish eyes as Rami’s bored into yours, but neither of you spoke.

 You decided to answer Sami’s original question in a breezy tone, “By the way, yeah, I’m having fun. Are you having fun?”

 He narrowed his eyes in response.

 “Because I think this is the most fun I’ve ever—"

 “Just tell him!” Sami interrupted with a huff.  

 “There’s nothing to tell,” you insisted, crossing your arms and stepping toward him as someone bumped into you.

 “Stop lying.”  

 “There isn’t,” you insisted, hating the way Sami was smirking at you over the rim of his water cup.

 He took a drink, then said, “Guess I’ll let Stacy know she’s free to come ov—”

 “She’s here?!?” you panicked, your eyes darting in the direction Sami had been looking.

 His laughter rang out over the din and you whipped your eyes back to his.

 “Nothing to tell, huh?”

 Your nostrils flared as you pinched at his side, knowing he was ticklish. He jumped away from your fingers, chuckling as he made his way back to his friends. You watched him go, making sure he was lying about Stacy.  

 Right before the band packed back onto the tiny stage, Rami shuffled back into his spot beside you and handed you a beer.

 You greedily drank, thirsty from the smoke and eager to unwind your nerves after Sami’s taunts.

 Rami watched you drink and smiled at you over the lip of his bottle in an identical grin to his brother’s earlier teasing smirk.

 “Easy, killer.”

 Swallowing, you reminded him, “This is still my night to let loose, right?”

 Rami pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and bobbed his head in a slow nod, his eyes filled with something you couldn’t read.

The band started up again, actually playing three more songs so you got to bask in a silent satisfaction that Sami had been wrong about one thing. As the band bid goodnight, you were wired.

 The set had been incredible, and you wanted to say so to Rami, but he was already nodding his head toward the exit. As you navigated through the crowd, you grabbed on to the edge of his flannel. It was last call, and as you passed by the bar, it was almost too crowded to toss your empty bottles on to.

 When you were finally outside, you couldn’t stop babbling to Rami about how great the music was, even though your ears were severely ringing. He punctuated your excitement with several toldja sos, his eyes watching the crowd for Sami.

 “I just love this feeling, ya know?” you exclaimed, bouncing on your toes and taking a cigarette when Rami offered.

 “Imagine how it feels for them—the performers.”

 You looked at Rami through the haze of his exhaling smoke and your eyes danced over his familiar, yet altogether new face. How could you have never seen just how attractive he was?

 “Rami. I . . .” you dropped your gaze and flicked your cigarette nervously, wondering if you should just confess like Sami told you to do.

 “Wanna thank me for draggin’ you out on a school night? Making sure you had a great time? Being the perfect friend? I assure you, all this I know,” Rami finished with a smug look, his round cheeks hollowing as he pulled on his cigarette.  

 “That’s just it. Are we . . . friends? I mean,” you floundered for a moment, your eyes landing anywhere but on his. “Don’t you just hang with me because you miss Scott?”

 Rami laughed.

 “Are you for real? In case you haven’t noticed, you don’t exactly look like your fuckin’ brother.”  

 Your eyes landed on Rami’s just in time to catch the way they dragged over your body, top-knots to toes and back again.

 “You like the way I look?” you asked, your voice so low you almost couldn’t hear it over the ringing in your ears.

 Flicking your cigarette to the ground, you stepped toward Rami, wetting your suddenly dry lips.

 “Yeah. Thought that was obvious,” he said, his eyes half-lidded but still commanding as his blue-grey irises darkened when his pupils grew just a bit wider.

 “Not to me,” you answered, shaking your head slightly as Rami’s hands came up to your waist, his ring and pinky fingers settling against your bare skin.

 His eyes were almost shut. Your faces moved closer and Rami’s tilted slightly to the right—

 “Ready to go?” Sami asked, jangling the car keys obnoxiously next to your ears, startling you and Rami apart.

 “Jesus Sam you fucking cocksucker,” Rami cursed, running a hand through his curly hair as he glared at his brother.

 “Not interrupting, am I? Because there’s nothing to interrupt, right?” he questioned you with an arrogant lilt.  

 “Nope! Nothing at all!” you shot over your shoulder as you stalked off in the direction of the car.

 The boys quickly followed, and Sami snickered, catching you and slinging his arm around your shoulders.

 “Have a good night, Y/N?”

 “For the most part,” you grumbled.

 Sami released you and you fell into step next to Rami.

 His hands were buried in the pockets of his jeans and he kept his eyes to the ground as you walked. You kept checking your peripheral to see if he was looking at you, but he wasn’t.

 The drive back was relatively quiet, Sami turning up the radio to drown out the ringing in his own ears. As you leaned back in the seat and watched the blurry skyline, Sex and Candy came on the radio and you tried not to think about Rami as John Wozniak’s deep voice reverberated through the car; you tried not to think about how close you’d come to kissing him and about how badly you didn’t want this night to end before you did.  

Mama this surely is a dream Yeah mama this surely is a dream

 * * * * *

 “Need help with the ladder?” Sami asked as he put the car in park.

 “Nah. We’ll manage,” Rami answered as he got out.

 “Goodnight, shithead. Thank you for driving,” you snapped before you opened your door.

 “Better kiss him goodnight before Stacy does,” Sami said, looking at you in the rearview, puckering his lips so he could make a loud smooching noise.

 “Stacy doesn’t live on my roof!”

 “You ne-ever knooow,” he sang.

 “Oh my god,” you said, smiling in spite of wanting to slap him.

 Sami cackled as you opened the door, his lighter hissing as he lit another cigarette.

 “I hate your brother,” you muttered on the walk back to your house.

 “What did he say?”

 “It’s not the what. It’s the way. Like he knows every fucking thing there is to know in the world.”

 “Well . . . usually he does.”

 “I know,” you sighed in defeat. “So can I hate him for that?”

 “Absolutely,” Rami chuckled.

 The streetlamps lit your way, but once you reached the edge of your lawn, Rami made sure you stayed on the perimeter of the dusk-to-dawn light. He wedged the ladder out from behind the roses, then set it up, stepping on the bottom rung to make sure it was steady.

 “Go ahead. I’ll follow to make sure you can get your window open.”

 Climbing steadily, you had to stifle a laugh thinking about how often your brother had done this, and done it stinking drunk. The effect of the two beers you had drank were long gone, but the thrill of what you were about to get away with still hummed beneath the surface of your skin.

 That . . . and Rami’s presence.

 As he stood up when he stepped off the ladder, your eyes locked and sent a fresh wave of butterflies to assault your stomach. Clearing your throat, you shuffled to your window. Rami followed, slowly and quietly working it open. As you waited, you were overwhelmed by the scent of him—the remnants of the bar, his fading cologne, the shampoo he used in his hair—all of it swirled together into something that was more intoxicating than a hundred beers.

You ducked into your room as soon as the window was open, and the sleeve of Rami’s shirt brushed against your arm as he helped you, his fingers featherlight on your shoulder before trailing down to the exposed skin of your lower back as you moved away.

 You kicked your discarded pajamas from earlier toward the gap at the bottom of your bedroom door, made sure it was locked, then flicked on the light in your closet, pulling the door mostly shut so there was just enough brightness to see Rami as he stood in front of your window, hands back in his pockets as he crossed and uncrossed his feet while leaning against the window sill.

 “Thanks for tonight,” you whispered, closing the distance and letting the last energy of the band spur you on to make your move.

 “Yeah. Of course,” Rami murmured, his eyes finally meeting yours.

 You were so close now, all one of you had to do was lean into the other’s lips, and somehow, you just knew it had to be you.

 Your hands shaking slightly, you rested them on the top of his chest, the smooth fabric of his black long sleeve shirt warm under your touch.

He shuffled, awkwardly pulling his hands from his pockets so he could rest them on your waist, his fingers nervously ticking over the skin on your lower back.

 You glanced from his lips to eyes, and when your eyes flicked back to his lips, he sucked in a breath.

 Then, you kissed him.

 He was stiff and uncertain at first, but as you leaned into him, your body flush with his, he relaxed, opening to exhale as he kissed you back, his tongue the first to swipe over your lips. You opened for him and when your tongues twined, it was electric—a culmination of everything that had been building between the two of you.

 Moaning into his mouth, you grabbed the sides of his flannel and pulled him toward your bed, backing up until your legs hit against the mattress. You broke free from the kiss with a smacking sound before you pulled Rami on top of you.

 You both silently giggled as he settled between your legs, his weight heavy, warm, and so fucking welcome on top of you.

 Rami’s lips pressed into yours again, and soon you were exploring each other’s mouths with fervor. One of your hands had snaked around his torso while the other was thrust into his thick curls, urging his mouth to keep moving against yours.

 He held himself up with one arm, but his other hand was roaming—sliding under your shirt to clutch at the soft skin of your side, then moving up to cup your breast over your bra.

 With a sighing moan, you wrapped your legs around his waist and slid your own hands under his shirt to clutch at his hot skin. You rubbed across his abdomen and over his chest before moving around to lightly scratch across his back.

 Only when you felt the hardness underneath his jeans grinding into your crotch did you regain some semblance of what the hell you were doing.

 With one final buck of your hips that drew an obscene, entirely too loud moan from the back of Rami’s throat, you gently pushed him away.

 Both of you were panting, swiping at your mouths to clear away the excess saliva.

 Rami sat back and slid off your bed, adjusting himself as he stood.

 “Holy shit,” he breathed.

 “I think we better say goodnight,” you said as you scrambled up.

 Rami moved back to your open window and turned before he ducked out.

 “Goodnight,” he said with a megawatt grin that lit up his entire face.

 “Goodnight,” you said, your face split into the same grin.

 He leaned in and sweetly kissed the smile from your face.

 Your eyes had only just barely opened again, and he was on the roof, ducking down to whisper, “See you at school,” his face lit by that grin again as you watched him shuffle to the edge of the roof and down the ladder.

 When the top of the ladder disappeared, you shut your window then dove onto your bed and gurgled with excitement into your pillow.

 Senior year was definitely going to be a year to remember.

[antpernas]

6/17/21

This day was super cool as well!

8:00 AM - We all woke up, got ready, headed to a Starbucks that was on the way to our little segway tour starting point and had some breakfast. I accidentally fucked up and had the baristas remake a drink because I thought my mom had said oat MILK and not oatmeal.... fun times! After that we briefly stopped at a Ross and then finally went to the segway tours

10:00 AM - The segway shit was SO fucking cool, we started with a little mini training and then got to zooming. We saw Grant Park, Museum Campus, just a bunch of super cool stuff.

12:00 PM - Tour ended, I went back to the hotel and decided to go to the gym before my date, that was super fun and cute, it's always interesting to see how the Planet Fitnesses are different from mine!

2:30 PM - Got back to the hotel from the gym, got ready as quick as I could and headed to the MCA for my date

3:00 PM - Got there, met up with my date, he was super sweet! There wasn't much chemistry but he was nice, and the museum was amazing!!! We were there until it closed and I truly had to resist getting more shit from the gift shop

5:00 PM - Head home from the museum, stop by the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on the way and also a Lush because I didn't have a face wash. Then I chill at the hotel for a bit until we're ready to go to a jazz show I had found out about :D

8:30 PM - We get to the venue/restaurant and the artists are already playing. I was a little worried because the song we had walked in on was a bit more avant-garde (and I was worried my family wouldn't get into it), but the rest of the songs in the set were amazing so it was all good! I ended up following two of the performers and one of them followed back, I'm hoping if I'm polished enough by the next time I'm in Chicago we can jam a bit jeje

10:00 PM - We get back to the hotel, my family goes out and I stay in. That's pretty much it!

Super super super fun day! I started chatting to a friend of a friend who happened to spot me on Grindr and he seems so sweet! We planned a date for the following day and in general I've just been chatting up a lot of honeys, so I really REALLY need to come back.

[saintstrawberry]

When the Night is Over/Just What I Needed

Second Chapter is up!

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27733207/chapters/68086045#workskin

Ships:

bokuaka, kuroken, kagehina, daisuga, daiaka, iwaoi

Description:

A surprise visit, mariokart, and Oikawa. Malibu also makes an appearance (Or multiple).

Notes: Akaashi has a bad memory. Relatable content.

Songs I recommend for this chap are Dionysus by the Buttertones, Best Interest by Tyler the Creator (for Kuroo), and Shampoo Bottles by Peach Pit for the ending. I promise Bokuto will show up in the next chap! >.<

I also make a reference to Natsume Ono because she smacks! Read her manga Not Simple; it is fantastic!

Thank you for reading!

—————

Shampoo Bottles

It’s Saturday, something Akaashi doesn’t realize until he is flying halfway out his front door and huffing a breath at his phone screen’s mocking display: 6:30 AM, Saturday, June 14th. Exactly a week before Hinata’s birthday.

He blinks and remembers the night before, when he was nursing a red wine and a deadline for his “Ono Natsume: Shouting for the Voiceless” article. He remembers, vaguely, submitting the piece at 11:50 and dropping his head right there on his cheap Ikea desk, exhausted.

Presently, he’s nodding awkwardly at his neighbor (leaving the complex to work out, no less) and trying to make it look, somehow, like he meant to open his front door only to close it seconds later.

Toeing off his work shoes and entirely caught off guard by the idea of a day off, Akaashi retreats to his bed. He passes out almost as soon as his foggy head hits the pillow, dreaming of nothing. The next time he opens his eyes, his breath and body still completely.

“Mornin’, sleeping beauty! It’s ten, I’m surprised you slept so long!”

“Kuroo-san, why are you in my apartment?”

The offender offers no answer but grins brilliantly, gold irises level with Akaashi’s blue-green.

“And just how long have you been here anyway?” Kuroo ignores him again, instead choosing to stand from his squatting position. His hands at his hips, Kuroo wears a white oversized Bouncing Ball hoodie and black skinny jeans. Much to Akaashi’s discomfort, he still has his shoes on- red and white high top sneakers with the laces tucked in. As always, the guy’s flawlessly disheveled, silver jewelry glinting from his ears and neck.

Akaashi groans and plants his face in his pillow. It’s too early for the young, beautiful, and rich.

Kuroo, unsurprisingly, doesn’t yield Akaashi’s thoughts and scoffs once. He moves to draw open the curtains in his room. Keiji can’t help but grimace as he feels his skin bathed in hot summer light.

“Man. You should really dust your windowsills. Do you even ever open these things?! You’re not some bat, ‘Kaashi. You need fresh air.”

“I think bats need air too,” Akaashi mumbles into the pillow.

Kuroo waves a dismissive hand and turns to survey him, arms folded across a broad chest. Keiji reluctantly turns his head to address his stare, squinting without the aid of his glasses or contacts. Kuroo’s bedhead is seemingly even worse today- probably from whatever plane he just hopped out of. The latter smirks devilishly.

“Well. Are you gonna welcome me back or what?”

“So you didn’t expect to land in Tokyo until Thursday?” Akaashi asks this of Kuroo about 45 minutes after his intrusion into the writer’s apartment. The pair are getting brunch in some needlessly swanky rooftop restaurant, one where Kuroo insisted he wouldn’t get recognized. Akaashi raised his eyebrows at that- his friend had stuffed his signature messy locks into one of Akaashi’s ratty baseball caps and donned aviators the moment they got outside.

No matter to him, anyway. Akaashi got fancy champagne out of the deal.

“Sure didn’t. Management canceled the show in Singapore last minute. Something about the venue. Fuck if I know,” Kuroo explains almost incoherently through colossal bites of egg.

“What matters is nobody got hurt. We refunded tickets and rescheduled the gig. S’all good. I’m just happy to be back home with my buddy!” Kuroo reaches over to slap Akaashi on the back with a friendly grin.

He’s sputtering over his mimosa when Kuroo continues, “Can’t wait to surprise Kenma tonight, either. Can you imagine his face?"

“Yeah, actually, I can,” Akaashi slouches his shoulders forward in his chair with an uninterested expression and quirks up an eyebrow ever so slightly, impersonating his best friend.

“Hey, that was pretty good! Though I guess it’s not that hard for you. You’re both pretty stoic. Like Easter Island Heads.”

Akaashi swats at him half-heartedly. Kuroo laughs.

“Anyway, you’re lucky I didn’t call him immediately this morning- or the police for that matter,” Akaashi says matter of factly. Kuroo clutches at his heart dramatically.

“Akaashi-kun. You wound me. I am the furthest from a criminal.”

Akaashi huffs a laugh.

“Tell the Osaka police force that.”

“Hey! What, a guy can’t take a piss anymore?”

“Not, apparently, from the top of the Umeda Sky Building-”

“To be fair, I didn’t know the police officer was right there,” Kuroo interjects.

“-After downing half a bottle of Malibu with Oikawa. And you were 17. You were lucky you didn’t get charged with public indecency.”

Kuroo pouts but offers no petition.

“Guilty as charged, I suppose. Hey, speaking of police officers-”

Akaashi clears his throat and interrupts, “Speaking of drinking, how was Singapore?”

Kuroo takes the hint and stretches back in his chair, raising his third bloody mary to his lips.

“Didn’t get much time there, only about four days before I got the call about the cancellation. Flew straight here after the news.”

Straight to Kenma, Akaashi supplies mentally, grinning fondly at his friends’ relationship.

“Anyway, it was pretty mild, all things considered. Bokuto seemed to like the clubbing scene more than I did. Matter of fact, he’s staying there ‘til the next concert.”

“Bokuto?” Akaashi says, cutting into his eggs and watching the yolk spill onto his fork.

Kuroo, now onto his nearly 2,500 yen crepe, takes a break from his meal to look up at him with a puzzled stare.

“My tourmate? Bokuto Koutarou? X. Ace?”

Akaashi meets his eyes blankly.

“I guess it makes sense his stage name doesn’t ring a bell, but I’m surprised you don’t know about the guy’s v-ball career.”

The blue-eyed 24 year old drops his gaze to the napkin in his lap.

“Sorry, sorry. Touchy topic.”

Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo-san.

“Anyway, you should really check out some of his matches with the Panthers.”

“He was signed with the Panthers?” Akaashi sputters, clapping his mouth shut immediately after.

Kuroo cackles.

“Don’t give yourself a heart attack, Akaashi. It’s okay to be impressed- it’s impressive. He’s crazy. You’ll be meeting him soon.”

Akaashi only hums in response.

"You're coming to the show, right?"

Akaashi hums again.

"Big talker today, huh, Keiji?"

"Bah."

“Right. So.. you baited yourself a hook yet?”

“Beg your pardon?”

“You know. After Daichi,” Kuroo tries again.

No, he really hasn’t.

Akaashi downs the rest of his drink. He peers into his empty glass in response.

“Haven’t thought about it really. He said it himself- I don’t have the time.”

“Oh, Keiji. Nevermind him.”

“Don’t sigh like that. Did you fly all the way from China to pity me?”

The rapper shakes his head, “No, I didn’t. I just want you to-”

“Be as happy as you are with Kenma,” Keiji finishes.

Kuroo gives a gentle smile, “Can you blame me?”

“God. You two are worse than the shoujo manga I have to review.”

“But twice as fun.”

“Shut up and eat your crepe.”

Kuroo happily complies, “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

“I’m glad you’re home, Kuroo-san,” Akaashi remarks. And he is. Even with his busy lifestyle as a chart-topping artist, Kuroo somehow manages to draw Kenma and Akaashi out of the house.

Kuroo and Kenma are both relatively new to their fame- about three years out from Kuroo’s first breakthrough hit and four since Kenma first started his Bouncing Ball Youtube channel- but their fans are��� dedicated. Akaashi often marvels at how even Kenma takes it in stride. He's entertaining to watch and a seasoned video game expert. And Kuroo... Akaashi looks to the man and the ketchup stain on his lip.

"What?"

Well, they both deserve their good fortune.

"Nothing, nothing."

He has interviewed them each multiple times for the journal. The good thing about his friends’ famous status is that Akaashi gets to profit from it as well. He tells Kuroo as much and the latter almost chokes on his stupidly expensive breakfast laughing. Even Akaashi cracks a small grin.

“I told that was him!” The writer hears two girlish voices behind him, talking in excited whispers.

“E-Excuse me, K-Kuroo-san?”

The rapper breaks out in a large grin and stands, bowing formally at the pair.

“Yes? Hello, ladies. Are you two fans of mine?”

“Yes!! Very much so! I loved your new song!” The girl, about 17 with dark lashes and fire red hair, praises politely.

“Would, would you mind taking a picture with us!?” The other chirps.

“Not at all! Akaashi, my pal, would you be a dear and snap some shots?” It takes everything for Akaashi not to roll his eyes.

“But of course.”

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

This is how Akaashi comes to search up the 2018 Panthers roster on his phone’s Google. He gives up his sleuthing when he realizes he doesn’t remember the guy’s name or know what he looks like.

He forgets about the whole thing until later that night, at Kenma’s celebration party for 5 million followers. It’s small, of course, about ten of them drinking champagne and playing drinking games. Akaashi knows Hinata did all the planning anyway, despite the event being at Kenma’s. The trio is standing off to the side when Akaashi pulls out his phone briefly to check the time.

Kuroo should be here any minute, he thinks. Hinata peers too, instinctually curious.

“Hey! Whatcha looking up the Panthers for? That’s not the latest roster, you know! Ooh, you’re looking up X-Ace, right?! Seeeeee, I knew you’d like him!”

Akaashi looks down at the picture Hinata points to. The guy’s sturdy and smug with one thick eyebrow raised. His chest is broad and his eyes are perfectly golden. The first thing Akaashi notices, however, is his hair. Absolutely ridiculous, he thinks. Makes sense that this guy’s Hinata’s idol.

Kenma raises his eyebrows.

“What made you do that?” he asks.

“Oh, uh, just...curious.”

Kenma looks like he’s about to say more when Oikawa joins their group with a boisterous, “Pudding Head! Congratsssss!” He pinches the smaller’s cheeks, who just about hisses in response.

Akaashi, grateful for Oikawa’s interruption, takes another quick glance at… X-Ace, and pockets his phone.

Hinata grins wide when Tooru, seemingly already a bit tipsy, ruffles his hair.

“Thanks, Oikawa-san," Kenma begrudgingly replies.

“You know, Kuroo is-”

Akaashi, ever vigilant, cuts in immediately, “-is so happy for you, Ken.”

Oikawa seems to get the hint, his eyes widening in realization.

“He sure is! Want some more alcohol?” The chestnut-haired friend of Kuroo’s quickly shoves his bottle of strawberry rum in Kenma’s face.

“You know I hate your sticky Malibu. Why are you guys acting all weird?”

Hinata, completely oblivious to the unspoken diaogue between Akaashi and Oikawa, tugs Kenma’s shirt.

“Kenma, Kenma! We should stream!!”

“Hey, that’s not too bad an idea, Shoyo,” Akaashi adds, if just to distract him.

“Sure, we could play some Mario-Kart. My fans seem to like you guys. Just don’t do anything stupid, Tooru.”

“Who, me?! And when do I-” Oikawa starts dramatically. The rest of the men send him a collective stare which answers his question before he can even finish it. He crosses his arms with a huff.

“Whatever. I call Princess Peach.”

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

After Kenma finishes setting up the Livestream and the small group has gained over a couple thousand viewers, Akaashi is in dead last as Blooper. Well, almost dead last, expect for...

“How am I losing? No fair, Kozume!” Oikawa whines.

“Me? What did I do?” Kenma-san replies, uninterested. Unsurprisingly, the Youtuber is in first place with his signature Toad.

“I don’t know, your fancy settings or something. Iwa-chan! Back me up, here!”

“It’s ‘cause you suck, Trashy-kawa,” Iwaizumi-san, whom the quartet bribed into playing with agedashi dofu, doesn’t hesitate to retaliate. His player, Bowser, is in second, with Hinata close behind as Yoshi.

“Take that, Hajime-san! Oh, shoot, sorry, Akaashi-san!” Hinata shouts, rising from his seat as he hurls a red shell, accidentally hitting Keiji.

“Hinata, language!” Kuroo’s smooth voice floods the apartment in mock disapproval. Kenma whips his head so fast he drops his controller. The blonde doesn’t say anything but slowly rises to his feet, then breaks into a short run at the sight of his boyfriend. The former picks up Kenma effortlessly and twirls him in a tight embrace. Akaashi looks on fondly.

“Kuroo-san!” Hinata exclaims, jumping up excitedly.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Tetsuro’s home. I’m about to kick all of your asses!” Oikawa waves away his entrance, sticking out his tongue. Iwaizumi slaps him on the back of the head.

The stream chat has exploded at the sound of Kuroo.

bb-corp: is that Kuroo???

applephi: NO WAY djwhdnbwibdfwq

yoyotetsuro: couple goals

kurokenxx: will anyone ever love me like Kuroo loves Kenma?

keeeeenmaaa_: I think this is the first time BouncingBall’s lost at Mariokart

----------

A little tired and a lot tipsy, Akaashi insists on taking a cab home. It doesn't feel right to invade Kenma's when the Kuroo's home. Keiji could tell the pair... needed their space for the night. He splits the ride with Hinata, who talks his ear off the whole way about Kuroo's arrival and how badly he wishes he had the money to go to a concert. Akaashi smirks at that, just a little. Shoyo exits the vehicle with an enthusiastic, "Bye, 'Kaashi-san!! I'll see you soon! Maybe I'll come to the store, or, or, you can come to see me and Tobio-chan! He didn't come out tonight because he has a game tomorrow, but-" The rest of his goodbye is drowned out by him closing the door.

"I apologize for the noise," Keiji addresses the driver. She makes a noise of recognition and drops him off 15 minutes later. He thinks about his conversation with Kuroo about "baiting his hook" as he enters his living room, dropping his keys unceremoniously on the floor next to his door. What does that even mean? Akaashi doesn't exactly meet a lot of people with his work and his friends are all, well, with each other. He's happy for them and all, but sometimes being around so many couples gets a bit nauseating. Akaashi is struck with a small wave of loneliness when he waters his small bamboo plant, made worse by the two shots of Malibu Oikawa shoved down his throat. This is all I have to come home to, a fucking bamboo plant. Akaashi stares at its braided stalks with a vengeance. Not a second later, he pets the leaves in apology. I shouldn't take this out on the plant.

He's always been relatively independent, but having someone felt kind of... nice, for a change. It's been almost a year since Daichi left, and probably 6 months since he and Suga got together. It's one of those things that Akaashi didn't process for awhile, forcing him to fend for himself when the realization came to knock him on his ass months down the line. He's been confronting turned over picture frames and empty sheets ever since.

And so it goes.

He pads over to his bed with a sigh and for the second time today, falls asleep and dreams of nothing.