#but we’ll see I have to force myself not to make that decision now at midnight

[ifeelfreewithoutmyshoes]

I’m usually not one for shaving my legs but something about having to tape your ankle (ie having to remove said tape later) can be quite motivating…

[dandylovesturtles]

Made myself emotional over the “Leo and Donnie chose to be twins” headcanon.

———

“By the way, it’s Leo and Donnie’s birthday next Thursday. You’re coming, right?”

Draxum looked up from his work organizing next week’s lunch schedule to look at Michelangelo, sitting on the counter and swinging his feet. Celebrating individual birthdays wasn’t a thing that the yokai did, but Draxum had been forced to accept that the boys could not be dissuaded from this human tradition. He’d been to two birthday parties now, for Michelangelo and Raphael respectively, eating cake and presenting them with some small trinket he purchased.

He’d known that he would have to go to more birthday parties at some point. But he wasn’t expecting two at once.

“Why on the same day? I can’t imagine the blue one wanting to share.” Actually, he couldn’t imagine Donatello wanting to share, either.

“Oh,” said Michelangelo with a laugh. “That’s ‘cause they’re twins!”

Draxum stared at him. “Twins? What kind of nonsense is that?”

Mikey tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“They’re entirely different species, for starters,” Draxum pointed out.

“I mean, we all are, but we’re still brothers.”

“Yes, by virtue of your shared DNA donor and the circumstances of your raising.” Draxum waved that off. “But “twins” refers to a situation where two children are born at once, especially as the result of a split of a fertilized egg. Which is absolutely impossible in the case of Leonardo and Donatello. Even if I were to be charitable and simply consider them “twins” for having the same hatch day, I can tell you they do not.”

“Uh, okay,” said Michelangelo, unimpressed. “But they’ve always been twins, so I don’t think it matters to them.”

“Why not? I would think it would matter to Donatello especially, since he claims to be scientifically minded.”

Michelangelo laughed. “Not everything is about science, Barry. Not even to Donnie.”

“Then his decisions about when to apply science and when not to are inconsistent and confusing.”

“Well, it’s their birthday, so they get to pick.”

“I am certain that is not how birthdays work.”

“It’s how it works for us!” Michelangelo slipped off the counter. “We’ll see you on Thursday, right? It’ll mean a lot to them if you come!”

Draxum was fairly sure Leonardo in particular would prefer he didn’t, but that didn’t matter. Now he had a mission: he had to correct this strange incongruence.

“Yes, I will be there.”

“Yay!” cheered Michelangelo. “Okay, see ya Dad!”

He squeezed Draxum around the waist on his way out. Draxum was finding he didn’t mind that as much as he used to.

———

Leonardo and Donatello’s party was just as loud and obnoxious as the other two. Blue and purple decorations covered every inch of the old subway station, strange music blared from unseen speakers, and a horrendous amount of junk food was spread out over a table. It was the same group of people present today as there ever was, the eclectic mix of humans and yokai that the boys considered family, but it felt like a crowd three times the size with the amount of noise being made.

Draxum stood off on his own for most of it, his slim birthday present already delivered to the table stacked with gifts. He’d been a little shocked when Donatello and then Leonardo came by to say hello, since he’d been prepared to be ignored by both of them. It was… nice, maybe, that they did that. Even if Leonardo just wanted to make jokes at his expense.

For most of the party, the two birthday boys seemed to be competing with each other for attention. In fact, the longer he took it all in, the whole affair seemed like a clash of ideas. The purple decorations were neat and tidy, geometric patterns and hard angles. The blue decorations were whimsical, uncoordinated, and haphazard, and there were places it seemed someone had deliberately covered up some of the purple with the blue. Leonardo wanted to play rock music and Donatello wanted to play techno. The cake was a mess because they’d both requested different themes for the decorations. There were arguments between the two of them every few minutes, and according to the human girl April this was “typical behavior.”

But why? They weren’t really twins. They didn’t have to share this day.

Hopefully Draxum’s plan would fix all this nonsense.

When it was time for gifts, Leonardo loudly declared that he was going first, sparking an argument. They squabbled for a bit before agreeing to play rock-paper-scissors, which was apparently what they did every year.

Leonardo won the game and celebrated obnoxiously while Donatello scowled at him. Then he gestured at the gift table - which Draxum, in his efforts to stay out of the main throng, was closest to.

“Hey, Barry! Grab me a gift! Make it a good one.”

Draxum sighed but reached over to take one of the blue packages, checking the tag to make sure it was for Leonardo. “This one is… to Leo from Donnie,” he read.

“Oh no, not that one. Our presents to each other are always last.”

“Because they always get sappy about it,” said April with a laugh.

“Do not!” yelled Leonardo at the same time Donatello hissed, “You take that back!”

“Uh, yeah you do, and you know I’m right.”

Draxum ignored the petty argument to look back at the gift table. If they weren’t going to be satisfied with his choice, he might as well give them his own gift.

He lifted it, in its sensible brown packaging, off the table and handed it over.

“Why not start with this? It’s to both of you from me.”

“Both of us at once?” asked Leonardo. “Oh man, you’re throwing off our whole system, Barry.”

“Yes, but he’s giving it to you,” Donatello pointed out, “which means my turn is still next.”

“Uh, no, if it’s for both of us then it counts for both of us, which means it comes back around to me!”

“Ooooh no, you do not get to loophole your way into opening two presents in a row-“

“Ahem!” Draxum loudly cleared his throat, getting their attention. “Would you please just open it?”

“Yikes,” said Leonardo. “Touchy.”

“Some people just don’t understand the sanctity of opening birthday gifts,” said Donatello with a sniff. But he leaned in to watch as Leonardo tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box.

They were both silent for a moment, staring at it. Then Leonardo said, “Uh, no offense, Barry, but what is this?”

“It’s a… scientific study on how twins are formed during the gestational period,” said Donatello, pulling the paper clipped thesis from the box. “Oh, there are more in here… Also about twins.”

“Uh…” Leonardo blinked at it, clearly bewildered. Well, he was always a bit slow. “Thanks…? I think?”

“Not that I don’t appreciate the scientific literature,” said Donatello, “but this isn’t really my area of study and Leo does better with training manuals and textbooks than research papers.” He looked up at Draxum. “Is there something about this we aren’t getting?”

“Yes there is,” said Draxum, sweeping his hand around at the entire party. “I am here to correct your mistaken assumption that you are twins.”

The room fell silent. Donatello set the paper back in the box, staring at him. Leonardo’s brow creased in anger.

“We are twins, though,” he said, setting the box aside like it was burning him.

“No, you are not. There is simply no way that the two of you could be twins. It is biologically impossible.”

“You think that I’m so stupid I don’t know that?” Donatello demanded, getting up from the chair he was sitting in. “Are you doubting my intelligence?”

“Yes, if you honestly think you are twins with him, then I am.”

“Uhhh, Draxum,” said Michelangelo quickly, stepping between him and the now furious Donatello, “this was a… funny joke, but you can stop now-“

“This is not a joke. I am simply explaining the facts.”

“Yeah, well,” now Leonardo was on his feet, too, “the facts are that me and Donnie are twins. Always have been, always will be.”

“You are not,” Draxum insisted. “And given what I have seen here today, I’d think you’d both be relieved, since you clearly don’t enjoy being twins!”

Both boys looked like they’d just been slapped in the face. The rest of the room had gone completely silent, like everyone was collectively holding their breath.

Donatello broke first, turning on his heel and marching out of the room, his hands balled into fists and his shoulders hunched up as high as they could go. “Dee!” called Leonardo, and then he was scurrying off after him. There was the sound of a heavy door slamming, then silence.

It didn’t last long.

“Draxum!” roared the rat, actually getting up from his chair to get in Draxum’s face. “You come in here and upset my boys on their own birthday!?”

“Seriously not cool, Drax,” said the human April. Cassandra shook her head in shared disappointment behind her.

Draxum pushed Lou Jitsu back, scowling at his accusers. “I was only explaining reality! This is really the rat’s fault for letting their delusion go on so long.”

“Delusion!?”

“Barry!”

“Rat!?”

“Ooookay,” said Raphael suddenly, stepping his way into the middle of the fray and starting to herd Draxum back toward the exit. “That’s enough of that for now.”

“I am simply trying to explain-“

“Trust me, hoss, you wanna step away from this one,” said Raphael, and his tone was angry but surprisingly measured. “Come on.”

They retreated to the sewer tunnels outside the subway station. The smell was much worse out here, and Draxum wrinkled his nose.

“Alright.” Raphael heaved a sigh, folding his arms. “So here’s the deal. Mikey likes you, and I guess I kinda do too, so I’m gonna try to help you before you completely torpedo your chances with the rest of the guys. Which, you kinda did already, but maybe we can turn it around.”

“I still don’t understand why they’re so upset,” said Draxum. “Surely it was obvious they aren’t twins.”

“Uh, yeah, they know they aren’t twins by bio-whatever,” agreed Raphael. “They ain’t stupid.”

“Hmm.” Draxum turned up his nose. “Donatello isn’t stupid, maybe.”

“Leo ain’t stupid, either, he just pretends like it.” Raphael pinched his brow. “Listen, that isn’t the point - the point is they already know they didn’t come from the same egg or hatch the same day or whatever. They’re just twins anyway.”

“But how? That doesn’t make sense!”

Raphael sighed again. “Alright, look. Dad didn’t know when we hatched, right? But we all wanted birthday parties like we saw on TV, so he let us pick.”

“Yes. And for some reason Leonardo and Donatello chose the same day.” Draxum could figure that much out on his own.

Raphael nodded. “I was the biggest and oldest, and Mikey was the littlest and youngest, and Leo and Donnie were just kinda sandwiched in the middle. I think at first they just wanted a thing. Somethin’ that set them apart from me and Mikey, ya know?”

“Not really,” said Draxum. Raphael glared at him, and he sighed. “But go on.”

“So they picked the same birthday and called themselves twins. I think Pops just so glad they were actually getting along that he agreed to it. And I think he thought once we got to the day, and they realized they were really gonna have to share it, they’d both demand their own day instead. I know I thought that was gonna happen.” He smiled at the memory. “But the day came, and… they fussed the whole time just like they do now. Arguing about what kind of cake they wanted and who got to open their present first. But they didn’t ask to split. They kept it the same day, and they kept calling each other twins and it just stuck, until we didn’t question it anymore.”

“…They are both stubborn,” Draxum pointed out, and Raphael laughed once.

“Yeah, guess they are. But that’s not what this is.” Raphael shrugged. “They chose each other back then. Maybe at first it was just to have a thing, but then it became real. And every single year they keep choosing each other. That’s why they’re twins.”

Choosing each other as twins… Draxum furrowed his brow. “It’s not normally a choice,” he pointed out finally.

“Yeah, well, our family doesn’t get a lot of choices, so just let ‘em have this one, okay?”

“…Fine,” Draxum finally relented. “As long as it’s noted that this is purely a social designation, and not a biological one.”

“Uh, sure, whatever.” Raphael rolled his eyes. “Glad we got that cleared up, though. Think you can come back to the party and behave?”

Draxum wrinkled his nose at that phrasing, but nodded. “Yes. I will not bring it up again.”

“Good!” Raphael’s smile abruptly transitioned into something much more dangerous. “Because if you make my little brothers upset on their birthday again, I’ll remind you what it was like when we were enemies.”

Then the smile was back. “Now let’s go in!”

He walked back to the subway station, leaving Draxum to follow on his own. Draxum couldn’t help but sigh wistfully.

Raphael would have made a great general for his army.

———

The boys had already returned by the time Draxum got back. They were opening more gifts, and he noted they were wearing hoodies now - though they had apparently decided to swap their signature colors. They were smiling and chattering, and any hint of their earlier upset was gone.

Until Draxum stepped into their line of sight, and both of them went rigid, wary of him.

Apparently just talking to the red one was not enough. Draxum would have to do more. What a pain.

But he didn’t want the boys to hate him. So he sighed and launched into it.

“I… am sorry. I shouldn’t have said you aren’t twins.”

The boys looked surprised at that; slowly, their posture loosened back up.

“And… to make up for my present, I will… take the two of you wherever you want to go in the Hidden City.” The next words were painful, and he ground them out. “My treat.”

Leonardo and Donatello shifted their gaze from him to each other. They were silent, but it didn’t seem like they needed to talk to have a conversation.

Then they finally looked back at Draxum, slow grins growing over both their faces.

Eerily matching, very evil grins.

“Oh,” said Leonardo, happily menacing. “I think we can think of something.”

“I concur,” said Donatello in the exact same tone.

Oh, thought Draxum. Maybe they really are twins.

[criticallyinneedofadar]

The Price of Compassion

Here is another part of A Flower Among Stone- about two years have passed since the first part of the story, elves court at a glacial pace since time moves differently for them. Disa is sick of it at this point

Pairing: Elrond x F!Reader

Warnings: None

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The tension in Durin’s chambers was thick as stone, the fire in the hearth crackling softly, the only sound breaking the heavy silence. The glow of the flames cast long shadows against the carved stone walls, illuminating the rich tapestries and intricate carvings of Khazad dûm’s proud history. Yet tonight, no amount of warmth could soften the sharp edge in Durin’s voice.

Elrond stood across from him, tall and composed, though a trace of weariness marred his otherwise serene expression. “Durin, I ask this not for myself,” Elrond said, his voice measured, but firm. “The Mithril is necessary—not for greed or wealth, but for survival.”

Durin’s hands curled into fists at his sides. He stood tall, his broad shoulders tense, and beside him, Disa rested a steadying hand on his arm. She remained silent, but her presence was a quiet force, a reminder of Durin’s strength and the unity they shared. “Survival for whom?” Durin snapped, his voice a low rumble. “For the elves, aye, but what of us? How deep will you ask us to dig, Peredhel? Until we break stone? Until we break ourselves? My father has forbidden the mining of mithril- and for good reason”

You stood between them, feeling the weight of their words pressing on your heart. You had watched these two slowly rebuild their friendship over the last two years, and to see it falter over this, brought you a great deal of worry. 

“Elrond,” you said softly, drawing his attention. “Durin has reason to be wary. The deeper they mine, the greater the danger. It would be wiser to leave decisions of stone to the dwarves. Surely, you must see this?”

He turned to you, his eyes softening as they met yours. “I do,” he said, his voice quieter now, tinged with regret. “But what I ask is not a whim. It is a matter of great need—for all of Middle-earth.”

Durin let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. “Need or not, you have no right to come here and make demands. This mountain is our home, not a treasure to be plundered.”

You placed a gentle hand on Durin’s arm, feeling the tension beneath your fingers. “Durin,” you said, your voice steady, “Elrond is not your enemy. He does not ask lightly. Perhaps there is a way to balance caution and need.”

Durin sighed as he looked at you, grasping your hand in his, though the frustration remained. “You’ve lived among us long enough to know what mining deeper could mean.”

“I do,” you admitted, glancing between him and Elrond. “And I would never ask you to endanger your people. But I also know that sometimes the greatest strength is found in working together.”

Disa, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm. “She speaks wisely, Durin. We are stronger with allies than without.”

Durin grunted, his expression conflicted, but he did not push her hand away. Instead, he turned his gaze back to Elrond. “And what will you do, Peredhel, if our mountain cracks? If our people suffer for this Mithril?”

Elrond met his gaze evenly, the weight of centuries in his eyes. “Then I will bear the responsibility, as will all my kin. I give you my word, no harm will come without answer.”

Durin narrowed his eyes but finally nodded, a reluctant but significant gesture. “We’ll talk more of this later,” he said gruffly. “But don’t think this is settled. Should I decide to search for more mithril, it will be an act of treason against my father.”

He strode from the room, leaving you and Elrond alone with Disa. She cast you a knowing look, her lips curling into a faint smile. “You’ve always had a way with words,” she said softly, before following Durin out.

When the door closed behind her, Elrond exhaled slowly, his posture relaxing. “You would take the side of the dwarves over your own kind?”

Though Elrond’s acquisition irritated you, you gave him a small smile. “I owe them much. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. I spoke on your behalf as well if you recall.”

He studied you for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. “And that is why your counsel matters so greatly. You have the ear of the Prince of Khazad Dum. Surely you can persuade him-”

You raised your hand, silencing the elf before you “I must stop you there, Elrond. I refuse to be a pawn in your political games. Should you need a friend or an ear to listen, I will always be there. But, I will not put my friendship with Durin and his family at risk.” 

“I owe you an apology,” Elrond said, grasping your hand in his, lightly brushing his thumb across your knuckles. “I should not have drawn you into this conflict. It was wrong of me to ask you to influence Durin. Your loyalty to him and his people is clear, and I had no right to press you.”

You offered him a small smile, stepping closer. “You were desperate. I understand that.” You folded your hands in front of you. “But I won’t choose sides—not when it comes to something that could cost so much.”

Elrond’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he nodded. “And yet you always find a way to bring calm to the storm.” His voice softened further. “I admire that.”

A silence settled between you, not uncomfortable, but thoughtful. Then, after a moment, Elrond spoke again, his voice low and inviting. “Come with me to Eregion.”

You looked up sharply, startled by the sudden offer, though it wasn’t unfamiliar. “Elrond…”

He held up a hand, offering a faint smile. “I know. This is not the first time I’ve asked, and I know your answer before you give it. But I still wish for you to see what we are working on. To understand why Mithril is vital.”

You exhaled slowly, your heart tightening at the sincerity in his voice. “I am grateful for your invitation, truly. But my place is here. These halls have been my home for years now. I belong to the mountain, to the people who saved me.”

He took a step closer, his expression unreadable. “And you are happy here?”

You hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded. “I am.”

A flicker of something—was it disappointment?—crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. He inclined his head gracefully. “Then I will not press you further. But if ever you change your mind, know that Eregion’s gates will always be open to you.”

You smiled softly, touched by the sentiment. “And if ever you find yourself weary of the open sky, you know where to find me.”

He chuckled at that, a quiet, warm sound. “I suppose I do.”

The fire crackled again, filling the space between you with its gentle warmth. Neither of you spoke for a long moment, the silence comfortable now, the weight of earlier tensions fully lifted. And as you stood there, watching the flames dance, you couldn’t help but wonder if the bond you had forged, so unexpected and enduring, was a gift from the mountain itself—or something far more fleeting.

Elrond left shortly after your conversation, leaving you standing in the dining room of Durin’s chambers. 

You were about to retreat to your thoughts when the door creaked open, and Disa entered, her expression both curious and amused.

“Well,” she said, folding her arms as she leaned against the doorframe, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief. “Do I need to teach you about courting braids yet?”

You laughed, shaking your head as you sank into a chair near the hearth. “Elrond does not see me that way, Disa. And even if he did, he wouldn’t know what a courting braid is.”

Disa strode into the room, her presence as warm and steady as the mountain itself, and settled into the chair across from you. “Oh, is that what you think?” she teased, raising an eyebrow. “You underestimate him—and yourself.”

You tilted your head, a smile playing at your lips. “And what makes you so certain?”

She leaned forward, her voice low and conspiratorial. “Because it’s not Durin’s soft gaze and sweet words that keep drawing the herald of the High King back to Khazad-dûm.”

The laughter that bubbled up from you was genuine, though it carried a hint of embarrassment. “He comes for the Mithril, Disa.”

Disa waved a hand dismissively. “Mithril,” she scoffed. “He can talk all he likes about politics and need, but I see how he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching. And if you’re honest, so do you.”

You felt heat rising to your cheeks, and you turned your gaze toward the dying fire. “He’s an elf of high station. I’m just—”

“A treasure of Khazad-dûm,” Disa interrupted, her voice gentle now. “One who has given him more than you realize. You’ve shown him a world he would never have known without you. That’s more valuable than any Mithril.”

You shook your head, though her words stirred something deep inside you. “He has responsibilities, Disa. A life outside these mountains.”

“And yet he keeps returning.” Disa’s smile softened. “If that’s not worth a courting braid, I don’t know what is.”

You couldn’t help but laugh again, though this time, the sound was softer, more thoughtful. “You’re incorrigible.”

She grinned, leaning back in her chair. “I’ve been called worse.”

You stood, patting Disa on her shoulder as you walked towards the door and offering a saccharine smile, “I thank you for your council, princess. I will take it under consideration.”

Disa snorted “Pfft. Princess. You sound more like a politician every day.” 

You laughed as you walked out the door only to hear Disa shout behind you.

“Write to him at least! For Durin’s sake, it’s like watching two snails circle each other!” 

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

The Farmer's Daughter 16

Warnings: non/dubcon, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Characters: Walter Marshall

Summary: You notice a peculiar change in a family friend. (short!reader, sorry size kink is out)

Part of the Backwoods AU

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

Walter helps you out of the truck, his hand firmly on your arm. As you stand on solid ground, his touch crawls around to your back, his longer fingers stretching between your shoulder blades. The residue of rain floods your nose as a coolness lingers in the air. 

He retracts his arm, shifting the folder in his other. You face the house and walk in-step with him to the porch. He squeezes your hand then waves you up the stairs ahead of him. You pull open the creaky screen door and he catches it behind you, following you through the larger interior door with a sniff. 

You put your shoes on the mat and he pauses to step out of his beaten work boots. You can smell coffee and hear the clink of porcelain. You sway in place as suddenly you’re in tunnel vision. The edges of your sight haze and you see only the doorway at the end of the entryway. 

You walk forward, overly aware of the gigantic shadow hovering over you. Walt stays close as you tiptoe into the door frame and stop to stare. You mother rubs her eyes as she holds her head and Timmy stirs a cup of coffee. 

“Mom,” you greet her and she sits up, “sorry I didn’t come back I...” 

“She got caught in the storm,” Walter nudges you and you break the threshold. 

“Oh, honey,” your mom preens, “thank you for getting her back safe.” 

“Of course. Really came down last night,” he lingers by the door as your mother watches him and Timothy barely seems to comprehend anything beyond his mug. 

You go to the counter and lean on it, making yourself smaller as you wait. Walter slides the folder from under his arm and waves it so it wobbles. He lets out an exhale. He grips it in both hands and rolls his tongue beneath his lower lip. 

“Bank approved the mortgage, we’ll have to get signatures to switch everything over,” he crosses the space and holds out the folder to your mother, “I’ll let you look it all over, of course.” 

Your mom swallows as she takes it and opens it slowly. She looks within. You barely remember everything they said at the bank. That daze remains, dulling your mind as you watch from behind a wall of fog. You put your signature all over those papers but you don’t really understand what you signed. 

“Hm,” your mom hums thoughtfully, “and?” 

She looks between the two of you. Timothy’s brow ripples as he does the same. 

“Sweetheart,” Walter prompts and Timothy’s eyes widen. 

You force out a breath, “yeah, uh, we’re... getting married.” 

“It’ll be good for collateral. You know, I know how much this place means to you all--” 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Timothy gestures from his forehead, “what? Married?” 

Walter looks at her mom and she cringes, turning it into a smile, “sweetie, I... didn’t want to get ahead of myself,” she faces him, “but it’s a good thing. You always wanted a brother didn’t you and your sister, she’s old enough now--” 

“Married?” He echoes, “them?” His voice turns pitchy, “but he’s Walter. He’s...” his eyes search the room and settle on you, “old?” 

Walter clears his throat, “I’m not gonna pretend I haven’t let some years pass me by but I can take care of this place. I can keep it all in order--” 

“But I’m... It’s my dad’s farm. I’m next in charge,” Timothy puts his mug down heavy, sloshing the coffee over the edge, “mom, what is that?” He charges forward to grab the folder. He skims the contents and confusion lines his soft features, “mom? Walter?” 

“It’ll still have you attached. When we marry. It stays in the family,” Walter assures calmly.  

“No, it’s my farm--” 

“It’s your father’s,” your mother murmurs, “Tim, please, we can’t... we can’t get the approval. We’ve spent too much already on your dad’s care and we just don’t have the equity left.” 

“I could!” Timothy insists. 

“No, you can’t,” Walter insists, “your dad’s a smart man. He’d agree. It’s the best course of action. Otherwise, all this is gone.” 

“No, you’re wrong,” Timothy snaps. 

“He’s not,” your mom sniffles, “please, Timmy, we never would’ve got the sowing done if it wasn’t for Walter, you know that. He fixed the truck, the tractor, he built that ramp. We couldn’t have done it ourselves.” 

“She’s right,” you finally find your voice, “dad put in all those years to give us this place, we can’t just let it go.” 

“Whatever,” she spits and stomps up to you, “you’re only saying that ‘cause it’ll go in your name. What will I have?” He snarls and jabs his finger at you, looming over you, “huh?” 

Walter moves subtly but decisively. He comes up beside you, then steps forward and puts his hand on Timothy’s shoulder, moving him away from you as he stands between you. 

“Don’t talk to her like that. Ever,” Walt says evenly, “you will get exactly what you earn. I’m not kicking anyone out. Got it? If it’s better your dad stays and gets a full-time nurse, that’s what we do. If he needs a facility, well, I’ll make that work too. Thing is Timmy, you can’t figure any of this out alone, otherwise, you would’ve.” 

Timothy is quiet. There’s electricity in the air. A tension with teeth. You feel it gnawing down as your brother huffs like a brat. 

“Mom?” He whimpers. 

“Dear, please, you can stay, keep doing what you’re doing, nothing’s gonna change--” 

“What about me? What about when I get a wife? Have kids?” 

“Lots of land,” Walter insists, “we can make it work. We won’t be staying in the main house. I’ll clear that patch to the west, build us our own. If you read,” he taps the folder in your brother’s hands, “you’ll see we got a subsidy for the building materials too. I got buddies from the yard, they’ll help me get it up too. You’re welcome to put in, might do to learn how to build.” 

Timothy stammer and you hear the slap of the folder on Walter’s chest but he doesn’t flinch. He bends his arms and takes it as your brother stomps away. He scoops up his coffee and shakes his head, “well congratulations to the happy couple,” he barks, “hope you’re happy, sis, with the old fucking man.” 

Walter growls but says nothing. Your mother whines and covers her mouth. Timothy storms out the back door as you lean to see around the larger man. It’s just like him. As much as it’s all a mess, they’re all right. He can’t handle the farm on his own. 

“I’m sorry,” your mom says, “he’ll come around. He’s just... surprised.” 

“Mm,” Walter nears your mother again and offers the folder back to her, “he’s young. Got a lot of growing up to do. Pity it has to be this way.” 

Your mom nods and looks down at the paperwork. She slowly raises her head and peers over in your direction, “I’m so happy for you two,” she snivels as her eyes gleam, “it’ll be nice to have something to celebrate.” 

“It will,” Walter backs up to put his arm over your shoulders, “we’re gonna go into the city and find a ring. Afraid I didn’t do it right.” 

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” she flicks away her tears, “so lovely.” 

“Would you like to come?” He offers, “I’d love to take my future mother to lunch.” 

“Pat’s nurse isn’t here yet and I can’t go even if she is,” your mother gives a bittersweet next time, “no, you two, you have fun. Maybe next time.” 

“Next time,” Walter agrees and turns to you, “why don’t you go freshen up,” he tugs at your sleeve, “rain’s got you all crusty still.” 

[familiarscars]

Lost In Control | Bad Omens | CHAPTER 15

adult content | minors do NOT interact.

⋆ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆. Bad Omens X ex-girlfriend and singer!Reader.

⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒. You and Noah had a difficult ending, but you still need to support each other for the band.

⋆ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆(𝐒). melancholy, ex-boyfriends, difficult relationships, alcohol abuse, swearing, drug addiction, violence.

It's okay to not agree with the characters' attitudes during the fic. It's good to remember that the story is fiction from the author's sick mind, and of course they will make dubious decisions according to my fantasies. Nothing is done to be compared to reality.

NOAH

The outburst of fury, often seen as negative, can sometimes be an important part of the emotional regulation process.

That wasn’t the case for me.

I was speeding past 120 km/h on a dark and empty road, slamming the accelerator to the floor, heading nowhere. The open windows let the wind whip through my hair, pushing it against my face, while the pressure crushing my chest was taken out on the leather steering wheel, my fingers gripping it tightly.

Nothing passed before my eyes except the dark mist that had been gradually consuming me since I left the studio.

I didn’t know what this strange feeling was. I had never felt like this before. But it was here, more alive than ever, and it intensified every time my mind wandered back to her—to her words, and that damned air of arrogance she carried whenever she threw in my face how I’d become the most useless piece on the board since she left.

She could.

My head still took an internal hit whenever I tried to stimulate my reasoning, and little by little, my ability to see clearly was disappearing. I oscillated between the need to keep forcing myself to drive aimlessly and the almost palpable urge to end that wretched woman’s life.

Five seconds of distraction, and everything happens too fast. Not even my effort to slam the brakes at the last moment could prevent the violent crash that tore me from my thoughts. It was too late—I had slammed into the back of a car because of my speed and lack of attention. My head dropped against the steering wheel as I let out a frustrated sigh, catching sight of the brake lights on the vehicle ahead.

Beside me, behind the closed window, a woman was yelling and pounding with her fists, trying to get my attention. I stayed still, staring at the dashboard, breathing only through my nose and closing my eyes as though trying to take my anger’s temperature and keep it in check.

Slowly, I pressed the button on my side, and as the window slid down, her shrill voice filled my ears, gradually amplifying my irritation.

“I need your phone number right now, or I’m calling the police!” she shouted, still failing to fully capture my attention. I ran a finger over another, carefully pressing against the skin around my nail, feeling it subtly peel as I applied pressure. “Have you lost your mind, speeding like that on a road like this? What if someone had been in the back seat?”

“Was there?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and turning my head toward her slowly.

“No.”

“Then I don’t see the problem,” I interjected.

With a long breath, I opened the glove compartment and pulled out a notepad and a pen. I bit off the cap and scribbled down my phone number along with my name, tearing the sheet off immediately after.

“If this is a fake number, I’ve taken a picture of your license plate, and we’ll meet in court!” she snatched the paper from my hand with an expressionless scowl.

“If you’re looking for a reason to see me again, you should think of something better.”

She clearly didn’t appreciate the joke, stomping away and huffing as she returned to her car. When her car started, I pressed the button to roll the windows back up. I collapsed, resting my forehead against the steering wheel, shaking my head side to side in disbelief.

I had come this far and had nowhere else I wanted to go.

My best choice seemed to be going back home.

It was like a damn nightmare walking through that door.

There wasn’t a room in this place that didn’t remind me of her. Everything carried her scent, her stray hairs, and when I stood still in one spot, I could hear her voice and the particular laugh she gave whenever I teased her and wrapped her in my arms.

Nothing was mine anymore; she had contaminated every particle of my being with the disease she called affection. I needed to recalibrate my brain’s commands, torturing myself by replaying every moment of the last few days and how I had incessantly avoided letting it all end the way our hours-long conversation had.

I spent the last bit of energy I had ripping my shirt open, popping the buttons off, as I made my way to the counter where a bottle of whiskey still sat. I didn’t bother with a glass, drinking straight from the neck without even flinching at the bitter taste.

I had never liked drinking, but there was no one else here—nothing else.

My music app seemed to be malfunctioning, as it kept playing the same track on repeat, just to remind me exactly where it hurt.

With each guitar solo, I sank deeper into the shadow of voices my mind had become in mere seconds. The sips of my drink were automatic by now, and I found myself sitting motionless on the floor next to the sofa, exhaling slowly through parted lips. Each buzzing sound felt thinner, like nails scraping against a chalkboard, blending with the instrumental of the song, and I was sure I was spinning in a spiral that blurred my vision.

It felt like my body was trapped in a new cycle, faltering without moving an inch. The suffocating sensation grew with each passing moment, but when I touched my neck, I realized nothing was obstructing my breath. I broke the trance with a piercing scream that propelled me off the floor and, in one swift motion, hurled the bottle at the sound system, finally silencing it.

The quiet that filled my home didn’t match the turmoil echoing in my head, and the adrenaline coursing through my veins like blazing embers heightened the noise, amplifying the agony. I walked to the wooden bat resting by the fireplace—a marker of reference—and driven by impulse, swung it at everything adorning the top of the cabinet, shattering the frames to the floor.

Nothing seemed to soothe the rage boiling through every drop of my blood, and I vented it with another swing at the liquor cabinet. The furniture’s frame collapsed into shards of glass, scattering across the room with a deafening crash, along with all the bottles that toppled from lack of support, soaking the laminate floor.

I clumsily wiped my face and noticed a shard of glass embedded in the palm of my hand, surrounded by dark, almost coagulated blood. I could only smile, because even pressing the wound with the sharp piece, I couldn’t feel the pain of it piercing my skin.

I couldn’t feel anything anymore.

Ignoring the countless calls—likely from my friends—I trudged heavily to my bedroom. I yanked out all her belongings from my wardrobe, along with her makeup and hair products, tossing them haphazardly into a trash can. Since she left, I had never touched anything she left behind.

I watched it all turn to flames the moment I held my lighter to her red dress, igniting the rest. I stood there, observing the fire diminish to ashes as if I were watching the greatest of films.

From up here, the city was still lit by commercial and residential lights. This place seemed to never sleep, much like me, as I swung my feet from the windowsill, downing my whiskey in one long gulp.

As soon as I finished the drink, I hurled the bottle into the street without caring where it would land. The wind acted as my protector, blowing in the opposite direction to keep my body steady on the narrow, precarious space where I sat.

If my calculations were correct, a fall from this height would make my head strike the edge of the pool below, likely causing a skull fracture and possibly severing my tongue from the impact of my teeth during the fall, in addition to crushing my bones into dust, killing me before the second cardiac arrest.

It was the thought of a sick person.

But I truly felt sick.

I felt that no matter how much I shouldn’t and couldn’t be near her, I needed to. Every day, our damned dilemma trapped me in a web of sticky edges. I didn’t like how I felt when we were together, but I didn’t know it could be even worse when we were apart.

I hated who I’d become since she left, constantly feeling like a part of me was missing, as if I walked through the streets with a gaping hole in my chest.

Lying on the ledge, staring at the sky, I desperately wished for it to stop burning.

I hadn’t slept at all—if you could even call spending a sleepless night on a ledge a lucid attempt at rest.

It was early, and I, Bryan, and Scarlet—the model from yesterday’s shoot—were gathered at a café near the studio to review the results of the photos. They were excitedly passing one picture after another, analyzing each one and exchanging editing tips, while I was focused on the bandage on my palm—a quick fix I’d had to make when I discovered this morning that I’d hurt myself.

“And what do you think, Noah?” Bryan asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Whatever you decide works for me.”

"Wait!" he blurted, exchanging a quick glance with the girl. "You’re excusing yourself from having an opinion on something? Are you sure you’re okay?"

"He looks like he’s hungover, cut him some slack."

"Wow, what an amazing observation, Scarlet. Want a lollipop for that?" I muttered with zero enthusiasm, and the girl fell silent, shrugging her shoulders. "I said you can do whatever you think is best, but if you’re going to keep asking me about it, I might as well just do it myself."

"Take it easy, man!" he raised his hands in mock surrender. "As far as I know, we didn’t sleep together for you to be this grumpy so early in the morning."

The waitress brought my coffee, placing it on the table before walking away. With the tips of my fingers, I pressed against my temples with some force; my head ached so badly that every word Bryan said vibrated painfully in my brain.

"A few more details and prep to upload to the site before the launch. I wanted to gather the rest of the band to discuss how the van recording will go, and—"

"She’s not going to be in the video," I interrupted, exhaling and hooking my finger around the handle of the cup to bring it to my lips.

"You still haven’t changed your mind about that? Without her, we lose the song. Are you sure you can whip up three tracks in a snap with the tight schedule we’ve got?" he grumbled, shutting his laptop. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"We’re not losing the song. We’re sticking to the original plan," I emphasized, carefully placing the cup back on the table. "It’s going to be a collaboration, just as I decided it would be."

"She’s never going to let you record the tracks without her."

"We’ll see about that."

I wasn’t expecting anything less selfish from her when she had the nerve to puff out her chest and claim the songs were hers alone—one of which we had written together on a plane. By that logic, I could say the band was solely mine, considering she joined after the fact.

Collaborations are common in any genre, and we were two albums in without trying anything similar. I wasn’t keen on repeating the same formula, and this wasn’t just about being contrary to her. But if she wanted to play dirty, so be it.

In the parking lot, just before unlocking my car, I heard hurried footsteps approaching me. Scarlet’s red hair whipped across her face in the wind as she came to a stop beside me.

"Noah!" she called out, slightly out of breath. "I’m free this afternoon. Do you mind if I tag along to the band rehearsal?"

Truthfully, I did mind. I didn’t want to be near her, let alone let her watch my band rehearse.

"Sure," I smiled, not too enthusiastically.

"Great!" she beamed, and my smile immediately faded. "Since Bryan’s already gone, can I catch a ride with you?"

"Sure," I replied again, just as unenthusiastically.

Before shutting the driver’s door, I noticed a noise coming from a short distance away. My eyesight wasn’t great for spotting things far off, but squinting, I saw two girls putting away their phones, their flashes still on. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before getting into the seat and slamming the door shut.

Hell wasn’t anywhere near over.

In the studio, everyone was tuning their instruments and running sound checks when I walked in. A tense silence settled as soon as they saw someone stepping in behind me. Across the room, the girl cleaning the mic stand seemed frozen for a few seconds before she resumed blinking.

"I don’t recall announcing today’s rehearsal as open to the public," she said in a biting tone, setting the mic stand aside and getting up from her seat. Her long hair came undone with each step until it framed her face.

Even though she hadn’t made an effort to dress up, she looked flawless in just an oversized band T-shirt and shorts.

"It’s such a pleasure to meet you in person… You’re so beautiful!" The poor red-haired girl made the gravest mistake when she stepped past me and eagerly placed herself in front of the other girl, radiating excitement—unlike the other, who looked as serious as if she’d been chewing nails. "I’m such a huge fan of yours!"

A piercing glare seemed to cut through Scarlet as she was stared down until she lowered the hand she’d extended for a handshake. I wanted to laugh but restrained myself, shrugging off my jacket and tossing it onto the rack by the door.

"Sit over there and make yourself comfortable," I said, motioning with my chin, and the girl nodded.

“How about we do a themed day at the studio tomorrow, guys?” I didn’t even need to turn around to catch the mocking tone she used. “Everyone brings their pet to the rehearsal and sits them down to watch us work.”

The guys let out a chuckle, and Scarlet frowned, threatening to stand up, but I quickly signaled for her to stay put.

“Is it just me, or is she calling me a dog?” she asked.

“She’s not all there,” I assured her, tapping my temple with my fingers. “Just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

Taking my place behind the microphone, I only glanced at her from the corner of my eye. Sarcasm seemed to drip from her lips as she winked at me, then turned back to her mic just as the music's intro started.

No warm-up, no preparation, not even proper posture—yet she sang as if it were part of her very being. The tone of her voice perhaps carried extra weight, given the events of the past few days, but it didn’t disrupt the effortless way she played with the microphone.

It didn’t feel fair.

All this time, and I still felt like I was losing every single day. She remained inspired, arrogant, fearless, and working as seamlessly as ever.

Meanwhile, I felt trapped in a never-ending whirlpool. But I had always known she was stronger since the first day I met her. Nothing in her life seemed to frighten her enough to unravel even a single strand of her hair. She never allowed herself to be affected, never showed fear, and always tried to teach me the same.

But I was never as good at hiding my feelings as she was.

Finally, the rehearsal was over. I was coiling up the cables to store them in the cabinet while Scarlet had gone out to wait for me in the car. The guys had decided to grab something to eat, though I suspected they were really just escaping being alone with the two of us.

It was just me and the devil.

“If the music video shoot starts this weekend, we’ll have enough time to edit the video before sending it for approval,” she said from behind the computer. I stopped in my tracks when I finished hearing her. She seemed to be ignoring our entire conversation from the previous day—typical of her when something didn’t sit well.

“What part of ‘you’re not going to be part of this’ do you still not understand?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. My arms were crossed tightly, my hands clenched with nervousness—a standard reaction when forced to face her ever-defiant expression.

“So, you’re sulking because you spent the whole night writing, I assume?” she said venomously, lowering the computer screen. “I’m curious to see what you managed to come up with. Care to show me?”

I let out a bitter laugh, rolling my eyes as I took three measured steps forward, stopping at the table where she was seated. I leaned over the wood and locked our gazes before she could distract me.

I didn’t want to catch her scent or let my eyes linger on her lips—not even for a second. I knew that would be enough.

“What if I told you I’m going to keep using the songs you wrote for my band?”

“You’re terrible at telling jokes, Noah,” she laughed.

Carefully, I pulled my phone from my pocket, unlocking the screen, which was already on the page I needed. Placing the device in her hands, I watched as her mocking expression gradually faded into seriousness. The defiant sparkle in her eyes shifted to something melancholic as tears filled them.

“You didn’t…” she murmured, shaking her head.

“Something told me you’d betray me the moment you gave that speech yesterday. So before you could be predictable, I beat you to it by selling the three songs to the label as singles. They’ll be released before the album drops.”

“You stole my songs!” she exclaimed, throwing my phone onto the table and storming away. “Since when did you become Gerard’s little puppet, betraying me in the dirtiest way possible? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, NOAH?”

“YOU!” I shouted back, matching her volume. “YOU ARE WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME!”

“This is the most mature way you can handle this? Selling my work to the man who’s doing everything to destroy me?” she yelled, digging her fingers into her hair. “All this talk about excluding me from the recording sessions—it’s all coming from him because he can’t handle someone standing up to the amount of crap he pulls! I’m the only one still fighting for the band, the only one who sees what Gerard’s doing to us while you cower before him!”

She was so furious her hands trembled, matching the quivering of her eyelids.

“You’re letting him push me aside because you refuse to admit that our feud has bled into our professional lives!”

“You were the first to do that when you left me alone on tour because you couldn’t handle the end of your relationship!” I shot back. “You were the first to ignore the band when you chose to self-destruct instead of being professional!”

“And you were so strong you had to cancel the entire tour because you couldn’t sing without your failed ex-girlfriend!” she retorted harshly. “You can use a hundred arguments to call me weak and unprofessional, Noah, but don’t compare me to you!”

A disbelieving laugh escaped my lips.

“I wasn’t the one who racked up a million-dollar debt for breaking a contract out of sheer whim. I wasn’t the one who pulled a song from the setlist because it reminded me of someone. I wasn’t the one who stayed silent while my fans tore your name apart online. I wasn’t the one who played the victim for months, letting you take the heat for being the ‘problematic’ one!” she spat, her words like venom she’d been holding back. “I took all of that in silence and never set the record straight in any forum because I always knew you couldn’t survive a day in my shoes!”

“Enough!”

“This is how all our arguments end—you realize that no matter what you say, your stance is shallow, and you retreat into the same place you always do: silence.”

Her final words were punctuated by the door slamming shut with a force that rattled both the walls and my hungover mind. A momentary flash of fury made me punch the edge of the table, letting out a low growl.

⭑ @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard ; @iluvmewwwww75 ; @anarchydomainglory ; @foliosgirl ; @lma1986 ; @chey-h ; @supersquirrel1996 ; @zozaline ; @just-randomm-stuff

[redtsundere-writes]

Jinx | Sukuna Ryomen

Part 14. Champion

Beginning. ← Previous | Next →

Sypnosis: Sukuna is a world champion with anger issues. It's believed by many that he is untrainable. Yeah, you can't train him, but you can dominate him. Contents: Fighting. Female reader being dom. Jinx AU (the BL, not the character from lol) Yuuji, Choso and Sukuna are brothers. Some characters are out of character. Warnings: Cursed words, I only read it once. Word Count: 9322 words (a long boy) Author's Note: So the final chapter is here. This has been a wonderful journey. Like I said in my last post, I'll edit the shit out of this, but I knew this was going to happen either way. I want to thank @elgonki for helping me edit this chapter.

"Faster!" Geto ordered me from the side of the ring.

"Just do it!" Nobara encouraged me to continue.

I kicked the pad that was at Nobara's chest with increasing force and speed. My legs wanted to give up, but I was going to let them. Nobara held the pad as tight as she could to keep it from being pushed with each impact.

Despite the distance, Nobara was always the first to hear the news of my life. She was the first to find out about my neck diagnosis, that I became a trainer, and that the king of the ring had hired me. She was the one who helped me when I needed it most. When Naoya happened, she traveled to Kyoto to give me a hug. I always tried to invite her to eat or drink something after training to thank her for her unconditional support.

It was great to have my old life back. Waking up at 7 in the morning to go for a run, going to the gym to exercise, getting into the ring to train with the other girls and teaching jiujitsu classes to the children in the afternoon. The only thing that had changed for the better was that now I had a nice boyfriend who supported me in everything.

"I brought lunch," Choso announced his presence at the ringside while holding a plastic bag with two salads. I pulled myself away from Nobara to greet my boyfriend.

"Let's take a rest," Nobara suggested with a smile. I got out of the ring and gave my boyfriend a big sweaty hug.

"You smell like you work hard," he joked before planting a kiss on my head.

"You are right. The fight against Maki Zenin is in less than a week. I must be in my best shape to take back what belongs to me,” I told him excitedly.

Mei Mei's office was very different from Nanami's. While Nanami's looked like a lawyer's office that drinks old fashions and smokes good cigars, MeiMei's office was very minimalist and functional. The bone walls contrasted with the black desk and silver electronics. Choso and I were sitting on the white sofa that was placed in front of a small plasma television. We talked about our days while we ate. The green salad with chicken that Choso had brought me reminded me of the meals I used to make for Sukuna from time to time when I lived with him. What I missed about being a trainer was being able to eat anything without having the pressure to gain weight.

“The UFC 300 fight card comes with a bang, as it will be a double championship night!” The host of a sports news program enthusiastically announced to a panel of experts.

“That's right! First, we’ll see The Snake de Medusa versus The Fury. Will The Snake be able to regain her title after her injury?” One of the drivers asked openly to the table to start the debate. 

“Are you nervous?” Choso asked me, leaving his empty plate on the glass table. 

“A lot, but I'll just get into the octagon, I'll do what I have to do, and I'll take down Maki no matter what,” I answered excitedly. 

“That's my girl,” Choso proudly placed a warm kiss on my cheek. 

In the time we have been together, my relationship with Choso has been the most beautiful and healthy one I have ever had in my life. He always cares about me, cooks for me and supports me in all my decisions. We had less than 3 months living together, and I still maintained the same opinion I had of him. It was a pleasure to wake up next to him every morning, do housework together and make love in the shower from time to time. I loved doing everything together with him. 

“I made you a green juice before I came here,” he said handing me one of my reusable bottles I had at home. I hated green juice, but I had to drink it for my own good.  

“Yuta Okkotsu was to face Toge Inumaki for the middleweight belt, but Inumaki suffered an injury that will prevent the fight from taking place. Do they already know who his replacement will be?” One of the commentators asked with curiosity. 

Yuta and Toge have always been friendly rivals. Outside the UFC they are almost always seen together at events and parties, but once they get in the ring, they are ready to kill each other. That energy of brotherhood and competitiveness makes their fights even more entertaining and among the bestsellers in the business. This rematch had been announced for 3 months. It was a shame that shortly before the event, Inumaki could no longer participate. I wanted to see the fight too. 

“It's a good thing you mentioned it, because we have exclusive news for Total Sport! Toge Inumaki's replacement will be no one more and no one less than Sukuna Ryomen!” At that name, I can't help but spit out the green juice. 

“What?!” I yelled as I got up from the sofa. 

“Just like that! Sukuna will finally go after a second title.” 

My mouth dropped open in shock. Sukuna and I would be at the same event! What wonderful news! After I moved to Nagoya, Sukuna hardly ever gave me any sign of life. He would either leave me on read or answer my messages weeks later. I sent hundreds of emails to Nanami to schedule a training session together, but I never received a reply. Every time Choso took me to one of his family events, I expected to see him there, in his fancy suit and expensive sunglasses. Unfortunately, Yuuji would always arrive alone and tell me that Sukuna was busy. It was frustrating to get in touch with him, but at last we would see each other again. 

“I'll get to see Sukuna fight live again, what a thrill!” I squealed in excitement as Choso wiped up the mess I had made with a napkin. 

“Are you that excited to see him?” I asked dryly. 

“Of course I am. I was his coach for a year, and he improved so much in such a short time. I want to see how much he has improved without me,” I answered wistfully. 

As much as I loved being back as a fighter, sometimes I liked to remember when I was his coach. The time when I could coexist in the mixed martial arts world and I didn't get hurt often. The best of both worlds. Even though I had my peace of mind, I missed Sukuna making me angry, laughing or crying with joy. 

“Do you miss him that much?” Choso asked me out of the blue, avoiding my gaze completely. 

“A little. It's just that it's been so long since I last saw him that I'm excited to see how he's doing,” I answered as I sat back down on the couch. 

It had been a year since we last saw each other. When we said goodbye after leaving his penthouse, I didn't think it would take me that long to see him again. If I was already excited to return to the octagon for my title, now I was happy to know that Sukuna would see me fight live for the first time. A smile crept onto my face at the idea.

After a heavy week of training until exhaustion, a diet based on chicken breast and study sessions on Maki, we finally arrived at the mythical land where all addictions are connected. Traveling to Las Vegas was always a pleasure. Nobara was excited to travel with me to a new place, Mei Mei was on the phone, and Suguru and I were constantly talking about the fight.

"You better not disappoint us." Suguru joked as the entire team and I headed to the UFC center for the official weigh-in in a family van.

"She will never let us down! She is the strongest fighter there is!” Nobara defended me.

"I’ll give my best," I said in an attempt to stop the fight along with a smile.

I looked at Choso, who had a sad look and hardly spoke during the trip. I tried to ask him what was wrong, but there wasn't a time when we were private enough to ask him. Maybe it was because the last time he was here was when he “found his ex-fiancée with his brother.” I tried to cheer him up several times by telling him that we would go for a drink after the fight and then to the casino, but I couldn't.

The official weigh-in went well. I showed up in front of my old rival Maki and the rest of the disgusting Zenin. I wanted to tell them to go to hell, but I maintained my professionalism. After all, my problem wasn't with Maki, but with her disgusting cousin. After the fight rules were read to us, we returned to the hotel for the exhibition weigh-in. Nobara and Mei Mei did my hair, and they retouched my light makeup to get me camera ready. Upon arriving at the hotel, an insane amount of reporters appeared out of nowhere. I smiled for the cameras, but without losing sight of the entrance. An assistant guided us to a hallway so we could wait there for them to call us for the press conference.

"You look pretty," Choso flattered me with a smile.

"Thank you. I hope you don't ask me offensive questions…” My eyes interrupted what I was going to say as soon as I saw that large figure that I hadn't seen a year ago.

His hair was longer than he remembered, and his features were thinner from having to have lost 5 kilos at once for the fight to take place. He walked alongside the Black Team with their respective jacket and black over-ear headphones. Our eyes connected and something in my mind clicked. I smiled instantly and ran up to him to receive him.

"Sukuna!" I greeted him excitedly with my arms outstretched, waiting for a warm hug.

But I didn't receive a hug, not even a greeting, a “fuck you” would have hurt less. He just ignored me and avoided me like I was the plague in person. My smile fell as I realized the reality. He who had ignored me felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown in my face. What had I done wrong? Why was he acting like this after everything we went through? Seeing his back walking away from me made my heart feel heavier than normal.

"Do not take it personally," Yuuji told me, approaching me. "He's only angry because he's hungry. He hasn't eaten anything since yesterday to reach the official weight.” My friend had dark circles under his eyes and he didn't smile as usual. He looked worse than Nanami on tax day.

"I see…" It was the only thing I could say without sounding disappointed.

"He's even an idiot when his stomach is full, they should be used to it by now," Uraume commented as they approached us. I greeted them after years of not seeing each other, happy that they was with Team Black.

"Yes, that's definitely Sukuna." Choso commented, joining the conversation as he put his arm around my shoulders.

"If he's not upset with something, he's not Sukuna." Yuuji tried to joke, but he couldn't even laugh. You could tell that Sukuna had been using him as his personal punching bag for the past few days.

The younger pink-haired boy began to tell us about the hell it had been to train with his older brother in recent days, while Choso hugged me by the shoulders. I looked askance behind me. Gojo and Nanami were talking to Sukuna, surely they were reminding him what not to say in the interview. His eyes met mine again for a second, but out of pride, I returned my gaze to the conversation I was in. I sighed in an attempt to ease my poor heart.

The press conference with Maki's team had also gone well. We maintained respect while the clear competitiveness could be seen from miles away. That day I spent warming up and training in the hotel gym, preparing myself mentally for the fight. Although now my problem was not with Maki, but with Sukuna. I understand that he was angry, but he doesn't ignore people just because. It's not like he ignored me by accident because he saw me, he saw my eyes. I am sure of it.

Night fell quickly. After a good training session with Geto and a good dinner that relieved my hungry stomach. Choso and I headed to the suite the UFC had paid for us. My body was so tired that once it hit the bed, it didn't want to get up. Despite my fatigue, I was not sleepy. The memory of Sukuna ignoring me ate me alive, I needed answers, but I had no way to get them.

Choso took off my shoes and lay down next to me. He wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in the crook of my neck. His breathing was soft and rhythmic. I stroked her hair as I looked at the ceiling that had a hint of glitter. The lights of bright Las Vegas peeked out the window in a dance between blues and greens. I lay on my side to hug Choso fully and give him a soft kiss on the lips. I moved a little away from his face to see him better. My finger pushed his raven hair to the side to see his eyes, but they were closed.

"Are you tired?" I whispered to him.

"A bit," Choso answered. "It's just been a long day," he said before pulling me towards him so he could lay on my chest.

I sighed upon hearing that response. More than tired, he looked discouraged. I wish I knew how to cheer him up, but I didn't. The only thing I could do was hold him close to me and stroke his hair, brushing it between my fingers. My hands slowly lowered to his back. I ran my fingertips along his shoulder blades and down his spine. Something that used to feel warm and welcoming now felt cold and distant. What was going on?

I could barely sleep. I opened and closed my eyes every two hours because anxiety was eating me alive. Between my championship fight and the strange behavior of the Itadori brothers, my mind couldn't calm down. My theories ran back and forth trying to give a reasonable answer to the situation. I reluctantly opened my eyes and noticed the time. It was 6 o'clock, an hour before the alarm would ring to go out for a run. Choso was on the other side of the bed. It shouldn't bother you.

Since I was alone, I headed to the hotel gym to use the treadmills. What I didn't expect was to see that Team Black coming out of the reception. “I forgot he also runs at this time,” I thought excitedly. This was my chance to ask him if everything was okay between us. I ran out of the hotel to catch up with them. Yuuji, Gojo, and Sukuna were warming up on the sidewalk to begin their morning run down the sidewalk. The champion was wearing his headphones like the day before.

"Good morning, guys!" I waved to the team as I approached.

"Good morning, and Choso?" Yuuji asked me curiously.

"Asleep. It's still very early for him,” Explain with a smile so they wouldn’t get worry. "Are you going for a run? Can I go? I asked excitedly.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Gojo intercepted me.

"I don't think Sukuna would mind, it's not like we haven't done it before, right?" I completely ignored his warning.

I approached Sukuna, who looked more intimidating than usual. Almost nothing had changed about his appearance, but his vibe was very different from the last time I saw him. What the fuck was happening? He looked at me getting closer to him, now I couldn't ignore me. He didn't greet me or take off his headphones to greet me.

"Hello! Can I join?!" I yelled at him so he could hear me even though he had his headphones on.

He looked at me from head to toe with disdain as if I were scum and turned to run away. I was frozen and with my mouth open. He's blatantly ignoring me! My mind couldn't understand why I was doing it. Did I do something wrong? Do I smell bad? Do you have amnesia and don't recognize me? What the hell is wrong with him?

"Sorry, see you later," Yuuji told me, giving me an encouraging pat on the shoulder, before following his brother and Gojo.

I smiled offended as I saw Sukuna running away. After a year together, was he going to pretend I didn't exist? I couldn't allow it. I wasn't going to let him make fun of me. I couldn't let the king of assholes straight up ignore me like that. If he could go back to how it was before, me too and it would be worse this time.

I ran after them. My feet moved before my mind could decide on a plan. He ran with all the frustration he had stored up since yesterday. In less time than I thought, I passed Yuuji and Gojo to reach Sukuna. I grabbed his headphones and ripped them off his head. I threw his precious headphones with all my might into the street, getting lost in the traffic. I smiled satisfied at my mischief.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?!” Sukuna yelled at me in annoyance before walking steadily towards me.

"Am I no longer invisible?" I asked, backing away from him.

Sukuna stopped as soon as he realized why he had done it. I thought he would yell at me more, call me some ridiculous nickname, or tell me to stop bothering him, but I got nothing from him. Absolutely nothing. He just looked at me like he pitied me. That had been a direct stab to my ego.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I exclaimed, annoyed, but he didn't tell me anything else.

He just looked at me with those dark eyes. Those eyes that used to look at me with anger, mockery, and sometimes desire. There was nothing behind them anymore. There was only one Sukuna who didn't care at all. An urge to cry invaded me, but I held it back.

"Forget it, I don't want to talk to the king of assholes anyway,” I blurted out, continuing my run by myself.

I ran and ran. My feet were already used to this, but this time they felt heavier. I couldn't give up, I had to continue until I reached the hotel again. I wanted to escape from that empty look. I could run all I wanted, but that memory was faster than me. Sukuna looking into my eyes as if I didn't exist for him. A pain invaded my ribs.

I went to a wall to rest, so the horse pain would go away. I bit my lower lip to stop the inevitable. A row of tears emerged from my eyes uncontrollably. I tried to wipe them away with the back of my hand, but they kept appearing. I crouched forward so no one would see me in my most vulnerable state. “Why do I care so much?” I questioned myself confused.

After getting all my tears out, I looked for my phone in my pants to call a taxi. I was not in the mood to continue my journey to the hotel. Only my phone wasn't there. “Ah, shit… I left it in the suite,” I thought, annoyed with myself for forgetting it. No way, I would have to run back to the hotel.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, I breathed a sigh of relief to finally have reached the floor of my suite. I headed towards my door, but I heard terrible door knocks. I paused, debating whether I should check out what it was about or not. Although this was no longer safe Japan, this was wild Las Vegas. I headed back towards my door until I heard…

"Sukuna! Open the hell up! I know you're there! Choso shouted at the top of his lungs.

I turned back to see what was happening. Choso was pounding on the door of the master suite with both clenched fists. He acted like a lunatic desperate for attention. This was the first time I had seen him do something like that.

"What are you doing?" I asked him confused. He turned to me and looked at me like I was a ghost.

"There you are," He approached me, clearly upset. "Where the hell were you?!" He yelled at me.

Choso had never yelled at me like that before. My eyebrow raised at his strange attitude. My ego had been bruised enough today, I didn't need my boyfriend to jump on the boat too. What the hell was happening to everyone?!

"I went out to run…". I answered confused.

"Do not lie to me!". Choso yelled in my face.

"I'm not lying to you, you can ask Yuuji or Sukuna!" I yelled, offended. Choso clicked his tongue offended.

"So you were with him…" He muttered angrily.

"I found him at the reception". I defended myself. "Nothing happened".

"Oh yeah?" He rolled his eyes, he didn't believe me at all.

"Yeah! Why are you treating me like I've done something wrong?!” I exclaimed annoyed, getting down to his level.

"Because you tricked me, Yuki!" Choso barked angrily.

My eyes widened when I heard that. His eyes also widened as he realized what he had said. My world was falling apart in a single morning. I took a couple of steps back to get away from him while a knot formed in my throat.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean that," He tried to apologize. "You know this place brings back bad memories of what happened."

"I'm not like her," I muttered, annoyed.

"Of course not," He tried to take my hand, but I jerked out of his grasp.

"I would never use Sukuna for money!" I exclaimed, annoyed. "I wouldn't hurt others for my own benefit!" Choso looked at me shocked, as if I had said something bad about his mother.

"Do not tell me that…". He tried to say from the impression. "Don't tell me you believed that absurd story about what he wanted to use to get into the UFC."

"Yes, I do believe him."

"I can't believe you were so stupid."

Before I thought, my hand was already flying towards his cheek. It hit her in a clean impact that turned her face. He wasn't going to call me that to my face, ever. I wasn't going to tolerate another man treating me like trash. Choso looked at me surprised that I had the courage to hit him.

"Of course I'm going to believe him when the same bitch confirmed it." I declared.

"What?! Did you meet her?! Where?!" He asked me perplexed.

"You would know if you saw Sukuna's fights," I barked as I turned around. "You don't need to come to training today," I asked before going back to my suite.

Choso tried to follow me to reconsider, but I just slammed the door in his face. I entered the main room, tired, ashamed and exhausted. Everything had happened too quickly and without logical explanation. I looked for my phone and headphones on the nightstand. I unlock my phone to listen to music and the first thing I see is the photo I took with Choso when we moved into our nice apartment. A tear fell on the screen, preventing me from entering my password.

Choso had just thrown our entire relationship down the drain. That loving and attentive Choso disintegrated into the air like dust. The only thing I had left were its annoying ashes that I would have to sweep up later. First there was Sukuna ignoring and now Choso confusing me with a woman I hate. I curled up in bed to cry comfortably. I put on the first sad song that came across my playlist to cry to. I only had an hour before training, and I wasn't going to waste it. Soon I submerged on my own tears and snot. I fought against my own nose to breathe again through the mess. I had to get everything I felt in my chest to be able to put up a good fight.

The night fell slower than I would have preferred. Nobara, seeing me with swollen and somewhat reddish eyes, asked me what had happened, but I told her that I didn't want to talk about it now. I had to focus on the fight. She was going to get in the ring, do what she had to do and come out as the champion. That was easy.

UFC 300 started with a bang. I watched each of the matches while warming up with Nobara in the small conditioning room they had given us to wait for my turn to fight. He gently tapped the pads at a good pace, fast and precise. I would lower my head when she tried to hit me. We danced in the small space we had to do so.

"I like that look," Geto told me while monitoring my training. "You look angry."

I was angry. Choso had not arrived at the event and doubted he would. There were 15 minutes left until my fight. I told him he shouldn't go to training, I didn't think he would also take my biggest fight as part of it.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I asked for a break as I left Nobara.

I looked terrible. My eyes were puffy from crying and my skin looked duller than usual. I would look terrible on camera, but there was nothing I could do about it. That's what happened to me for crying in the shower instead of bathing properly. I slapped myself in front of the mirror. “Concentrate, you can't let two assholes take you down easily.” I tried to cheer myself up and, in a way, I succeeded. “You're a badass.”

When I left the bathroom, I was going to go back to my room, but out of the corner of my eye I saw that dark hair that I knew so well. It was Choso, but he wasn't heading towards me. He didn't even see me. He continued walking down the hallway until he got lost in a corridor. I had to return to my living room, but my intuition begged me to follow him and that's exactly what I did. I was going to turn the same corner as him, until I heard his voice.

"What the fuck were you doing with my girlfriend in the morning?" He asked annoyed. That was enough of a sign for me to stay hidden. It broke my heart that Choso didn't believe me.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sukuna's annoying voice echoed through the hallways. He had surely arrived at his conditioning room.

"She told me she was with you in the morning. Now answer the damn question,” Choso retorted, his tone becoming more aggressive with each word.

"We met at the hotel entrance. That was it," Sukuna answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! She threw my headphones into traffic because I've been ignoring her like you asked!”

This couldn't be happening. Was Choso the reason for everything? Was Sukuna ignoring me, ghosting me, or avoiding me because of him? I covered my mouth so as not to sob out loud. I never thought Choso would be able to take me away from one of the most important people in my life, especially his brother. I never thought his insecurity would reach this level.

"Good". Choso muttered. "I believe you."

"You better believe me this time because I've been suffering for you, and you know it." Sukuna replied annoyed.

"It's not my fault she chose me over you." Now what the fuck were they talking about? "It's your karma."

"Is that so? Are you just using her to get back at me?” Sukuna asked him offended. Faced with silence, he spoke again. "Just tell me one thing, do you really love her or did you just want to take her away from me?"

"I like her. She's pretty.”

One year dating! One damn year dating and this son of a bitch only likes me! My tears of sadness turned to frustration. What stupid game had they put me into? Had every moment we'd spent together been a lie? A beautiful lie to keep me by your side? He had been making fun of me this whole time, and I wasn't going to let him have it. I clenched my fists in anger. I heard how they began to struggle between grunts and curses. It was hard to know what was going on because I was still hiding in the corner.

"She’s pretty?! That's it?! God, you're a big idiot!” Sukuna yelled, annoyed. "You have a renowned fighter, a wonderful person and the most beautiful woman as your girlfriend, and you only say that she is pretty?!"

A weak smile appeared on my face. I didn't know he looked at me that way. That statement felt like the calm in the eye of the hurricane. My confused tears came out for different reasons. Anger at Choso's selfishness and happiness at finally knowing what Sukuna really thought about me. My phone vibrated in my pocket, returning me to my reality. I took it out to read Nobara's message.

Bestie: Where are you? We should be at the entrance by now.

I wiped my tears with the sleeve of my sweatshirt before running off to my championship fight. She was unaware of the entire strange situation between Choso and Sukuna, but she was sure of one thing. I was going to kill that bitch.

SUKUNA POV

Since we were kids, Choso knew me better than anyone else. He knew when he was hungry, angry, or wanted to get into mischief just by looking at me. I never understood how he did it. It was like he could read my mind better than I could. That's why he was able to share me his cookies without me asking, he calmed me down when I needed it and took the bucket out of my hands when I wanted to dunk Yuuji in front of his friends. His strong intuition no longer surprised me. It wasn't until he realized I liked Y/n before I knew it.

"She’s pretty?! That's all?! God, you're a big idiot!” I yelled in his face. "You have a renowned fighter, a wonderful person and the most beautiful woman as your girlfriend, and you only say that she is pretty?!"

I had him cornered against the wall. It was the closest thing I could do without beating him to death. The last time I did that, it didn't go very well. I really thought he loved her the same way I did, but no, he just used her to hurt me. My fists were turning red from the force I was applying so that he couldn't slip out of my hands.

"Do you see what it feels like to have something taken away from you?" Choso asked me.

"She's not damn candy!" I exclaimed annoyed. "She's a woman who really loves you, and you're still thinking about your whore ex. Don't you realize how pathetic you sound?!" 

"Hey, don't talk about Yuki like that!" Choso yelled back to me.

"And don't talk about Y/n as if she were a trophy!" I yelled at him, barely containing my anger. I was reaching for everything in my power not to knock him out again.

"She is! Finally, I have something that you don't!” He yelled in my face. "You always had everything, the best grades, the approval of our parents, the girls you wanted. Even the girls I liked, always they liked you! Yuki was the only one who really liked me back.”

“Y/n really likes you too.” I said before slamming him against the wall of anger. The door to my living room opened, Gojo's white head peeked out. I sighed and reluctantly let go of Choso.

"Y/n is already going to fight," he told me to return to the room.

"Shouldn't you be with her?" I asked him worried. He just avoided my gaze, ashamed. "Now what did you do?"

"It's already on!" Yuuji excitedly informed me from inside. Gojo asked me to come in with his eyes. I sighed exasperated, but ignored him. I pulled my little brother to come into the living room with me.

Hiss by Megan Thee Stallion echoed through the room as everyone settled in front of the television to watch the first championship fight of the night. She looked just as intimidating as she did in every fight, but this time she looked annoyed. I had seen her last fights, she always smiled confidently while fighting the air. This time, her smile had disappeared, and she just walked towards the octagon with a mean look. Her eyes looked reddish and lifeless. “What the fuck did you do to him?” I asked Choso telepathically. I didn't want to start another argument with Yuuji in the room.

Y/n took off her sweatshirt and revealed that body that drove me crazy. Her sports bra and those green 2-in-1 shorts they accentuated her figure beautifully. The referee checked her and gave her the go-ahead to enter the octagon. She walked around the place as if the entire place belonged to her. She stretched her limbs like an elegant panther ready to hunt.

It didn't take long for Maki to make her appearance, but I didn't care about her in the slightest. What surprised me was seeing the idiot Naoya behind her. Y/n probably knew this would happen, after all they are cousins, and they train in the same temple. This would only increase the pressure you feel.

The two fighters met in the ring. Finally, the moment Y/n had been waiting for for years had arrived. This would be the night she would reign in the octagon again. The referee repeated the rules to them and they both clashed gloves.

"Come on, Snake!" Yuuji exclaimed excitedly.

They both stepped back to start the fight. My eyes were on Y/n. “Come on, you can do it,” I thought, hoping to see an incredible fight. The bell rang, and she lunged at Maki without waiting another second, welcoming her with a Superman punch which made Maki step back. Team Black celebrated the small victory of the first blow euphorically.

Maki then lunged at her with equal force to try to take the fight to the ground. He took her arms to bring her closer to his body and threw her to the ground. Y/n resisted the attack well, but managed to take it to her advantage. She took advantage of the fact that she was holding her to use her thigh as a ladder to climb on top of her like a python. In one swift movement, she climbed over her to wrapped her powerful legs and strong arms around her arm. He slammed her to the ground using his own weight. The public went crazy when they saw a strong python strangling its poor prey. My eyes couldn't blink for fear of missing that live massacre.

Once on the ground, Y/n took advantage of the closeness to choke Maki with her leg. Zenin began to squirm to find a way out of the unexpected move. With her free opposite arm and her legs away from Y/n, she didn’t have any options. Her team was yelling incoherently at Maki in an attempt to help her, but there was nothing they could do. Y/n had already won with a perfect arm bar. After the referee saw that Maki could not escape in any way, he ended the fight so that she would not pass out from lack of air.

Team Black cheered euphoric. I already knew that she was a magnificent fighter. She had proved herself on again and again every time we trained together, but this time she had shined. She had proven once again that she was a dangerous woman that no one can mess with.

"Sometimes I forget that she could easily kill me," Choso told me.

"Only if you make her angry," I warned him.

END OF SUKUNA POV

"The Medusa Serpent defeated The Fury in 15 seconds! A personal record!”

I didn't know what happened or when it happened. I just blinked, and I was already choking Maki with my legs. Had won. She was the champion again. The Octagon belonged to me again, but I wasn't happy. I didn't feel the euphoria running through my body. My team jumped into the octagon to hug me and congratulate me on my victory. I smiled weakly. In the distance I saw Naoya scolding Maki for losing so embarrassingly. Even though the fight hadn't lasted long, my body felt tired.

"Y/n, The Medusa Serpent, Y/l/n, the new champion!". The host announced excitedly as soon as the referee raised my arm, granting me the victory. 

Geto helped me put on the gold belt and lifted me onto his shoulders, so everyone could see me. I raised my arms in victory as everyone applauded me. This was what I wanted, this was what I had trained for for years, why did I still feel like shit?

"We all knew you would make it!" Nobara hugged me once we got off the octagon after they finished interviewing my coach and I.

"This is to celebrate! I made a reservation at The Chandelier,” Mei Mei announced, thrilled.

"Go ahead." I asked them tiredly. "I want to see Sukuna's fight."

"We'll wait for you in the room then." Nobara told me before hugging me. "Are you okay?" She whispered so no one could hear us. I just nodded so she wouldn't worry.

I went to the seat I had asked the UFC to set aside for me in the front row. People around shook my hand to congratulate me on my victory. I just thanked them and smiled kindly at them. I sank into the black seat as I listened to the loud music and watched the lights dance through the audience. While enjoying the view, I saw Choso running through the audience. You looked everywhere as if you were looking for something. I sank further into my seat hoping he would see me, but he did.

"Congratulations, beautiful!". He greeted me with a smile. “Bitch ass fake.”

"Thank you."

"Let's celebrate! You deserve it!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"I want to see Sukuna's fight." I said without getting up from my seat.

"We can watch it with the others at the bar," He tried to convince me, taking my hand.

"No, I want to see the fight live," I asked him.

He was going to tell me something more, maybe convince me more, but the light in the auditorium went out and Sukuna's song began to boom from the speakers. Making the audience go crazy. The host announced the second championship fight of the night. Sukuna entered the auditorium like the majestic fighter that he is. The crowd around went crazy just seeing him live. I forced Choso to sit next to me so we could watch the fight together.

Sukuna climbed into the ring and walked around the perimeter of the ring, listening to the screams of his fans. Even though Yuta had entered the auditorium, he couldn't take his eyes off Sukuna. He looked better than ever. I missed seeing him through the fence. His strong body glowing under the white lights, his hair swinging from side to side as he warms up and his eyes watching me closely.

It didn't take long for the fight to start. Yuta lunged at Sukuna to hit him. Being smaller in stature, he was more volatile and flexible. His feet moved quickly to strike and defend with ease. Sukuna tried to catch him and hit him, but Yuta always escaped him. The king was engaging in an extreme game of whack-a-mole.

Until now, Yuta was the only one who had thrown punches so far. Sukuna tried to throw his best punches, but none of them managed to connect completely. His upper movements looked stiff and slower than usual.

"Come on, Sukuna. Stop playing." I whispered to myself.

The pace of the fight was guided by Yuta. He was the one moving, punching, kicking, it was like he was fighting against a steel wall. Sukuna tried to keep up with him, but his body was not up to it. He threw a punch, Yuta dodged it and landed a blow with his right shoulder. Sukuna's scream could be heard throughout the auditorium. I knew that cry very well. I stood up from my seat, like most of the audience, in an attempt to find out what was happening. Sukuna backed up to lean against the fence, holding his shoulder. Yuta took advantage of this to arrive and knock him out with a blow to the jaw. Sukuna fell like a sack of potatoes at that. The referee quickly arrived to assist him and declared the fight over. Shoko soon got into the octagon to check it out.

"Sukuna…" I whispered in shock, seeing him unconscious on the floor on the giant screen.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine." Choso told me.

"That scream was not normal," I said worriedly, stroking my neck when I remembered I was in Sukuna’s shoes.

"He just need to go to the doctor. Shoko will treat him and he will be fine,” He tried to calm me down again. "Let's get out of here, they are waiting for us to go celebrate,” He took my arm so we could leave.

"What kind of brother are you?!" Finally, I exploded in his face. Choso looked at me surprised. "Your brother is suffering on the ground, and you are thinking of celebrating?!".

"I only worry about you."

"No! You've never cared about me! You only care about yourself!” I yelled, furious. I didn't care who listened to me. I could not take it anymore.

"That's not true... You know I love you." Choso told me.

"Oh really?! And why didn't you tell Sukuna that?!” I didn't hit him again, but I did give him a verbal slap. "I'm not going to be your little consolation prize…"

"You are not," Choso interrupted me.

"Just stop lying!" I screamed tiredly. "It's over!"

"Y/n... Please, are you really going to choose him?" Choso wondered.

I was going to answer him, but I saw that the paramedics quickly arrived on the scene. This couldn't be happening. Not again. They put Sukuna on the stretcher and took him away from the chaos.

"I do…"

"What?"

"I do choose him, I should have done it from the beginning,” I answered firmly before dodging him.

I ran out to where they were taking him. Being a fighter, I had almost access to any part of the auditorium, so they let me pass. Escape the crowd to get backstage to the medical wing. Sukuna was still unconscious and with a mouthpiece in his face. My mind transported me back to 3 years ago, where I was the one on that cold stretcher and had no idea what I was going through having to tolerate the pain.

"Y/n!". Yuuji called me as he saw me with his teary eyes as we watched Sukuna being loaded into an ambulance. Once I hugged him, he collapsed in my arms. Gojo and Shoko got on into the ambulance with him and the paramedics closed the door behind them.

"What the hell happened to him?!" I demanded answers while holding Yuuji.

"Let's go to the hospital," Nanami told me without the intention of answering my question.

I stood watching the ambulance speed away with sirens blaring while my friend sobbed for his brother. I wanted to cry, but my eyes were already dry. I had already cried a lot that day, I had to hydrate myself.

Returning to the hospital gave me chills. The cold hallways, the people in a hurry and the strange clean smell. Being in the waiting room was no better. Being sad in a place surrounded by sad people only made my mood worse. We had already been here for two hours and the only thing they told us was that he needed emergency surgery for a throwing shoulder injury. A common injury among high-performance athletes is a tear due to stress on the shoulder.

"Congratulations," Gojo told me as he gave me a bottle of water to wake up from the trance.

"I'm not in the mood for congratulations," I said sincerely.

"It's not from me, it's from Sukuna." He clarified. "He watched the fight and was fascinated, you did a good job,” he told me before messing my hair.

The thought of Sukuna being proud of me calmed my tortured heart a little. Despite his coach’s good intentions, I wanted him to tell me himself. The door to the emergency room opened, and they called out to those who came to see Sukuna Ryomen.

"The surgery was a success. I already informed Shoko privately,” The doctor said. Yuuji and I sighed in relief.

"How long will it take to return to training? One, two years?” I asked excitedly. I didn't get a response. "Maybe three like me?" The emotion decreased with every word seeing that no one was excited by the news.

"When I said that the surgery was a success, I mean that he did not lose his shoulder and that he will be able to move it with a lot of rehabilitation, but not enough to return to the ring." The doctor explained.

"What?!" Yuuji and I exclaimed at the same time.

"But this is his first injury, right?!" I exclaimed, worried that we would be given the wrong diagnosis.

"Yes, but it was not treated on time. Sukuna completely refused to have the surgery because he would stop fighting for a couple of years,” Shoko answered.

"Since when?" I asked angrily. I clenched my fists to stop myself from screaming, but I couldn't. "Since when have he had that injury?!" I screamed.

"Two years ago," Nanami replied, avoiding my gaze, clearly ashamed.

Two years ago I was his coach. During that year, Sukuna was suffering and didn't tell me? This day I couldn't get any worse. First Sukuna ignored me, then Choso mistook me for his ex-fiancée. It also turns out that my boyfriend doesn't love me. Now Sukuna will never be able to fight again because an injury that I could possibly worsen with exercise routines was not treated.

"And why didn't you tell me?!". I screamed inconsolably. Now it was Yuuji's turn to hug me to calm me down. "How could you let him fight in that state, you fucking idiots?!" I cried out loud against his chest. The only response I received was Yuuji's sobs. Out of anger, I pushed him away from me. "Why are you crying?! You surely knew, and you didn't tell me anything, you fucking gossip!” I screamed from the deepest part in my chest.

"I didn't know! If I had known, I would have helped him!" He yelled back at me with teary eyes.

That made me calm down a little. I was getting out of control. I took a deep breath and analyzed the situation. How did Yuuji, who is by Sukuna's side 24/7, not know about this? Wait… Yes, I knew that, but not the truth.

"The thing is, he has… “Sessions” with the physiotherapist. You know what I mean?" I remembered when Yuuji secretly told me that Sukuna was sleeping with Shoko. Did Sukuna lie to his own brother so he wouldn't know about his shoulder back then?

"Shoko" I called her. She looked at me curiously. "How many times did you sleep with Sukuna?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I am a lesbian," she answered with her eyebrow raised.

I was already tired of crying. All he could do was laugh at the ridiculous situation he was in. Sukuna was a huge idiot. A stubborn bastard who will do anything to be on top. Poor him… now he is on the slopes of the mountain while I am conquering him. Yes, you are the king of the assholes.

The nurse who was treating Sukuna left the room. I went ahead of everyone to go in first and close the door behind me. The others tried to open the door, but it was impossible from outside without a key. I approached the stretcher. He had a wet towel covering his sharp face. He had his arm posed with bandages and an angle where it wouldn't hurt further.

"You have 5 minutes to tell me the truth." I ordered bothers by removing the towel and throwing it across the room.

"Weren't you a pitcher in your past life?" He asked me sarcastically.

"Don't try to be a smart ass! Tell me the whole truth now! I know you've been hiding things from me since I've been your coach,” I ordered under my breath.

"I have a pitcher's shoulder injury and I didn't treat it because I didn't want to stop fighting. Happy?" He answered me dryly, without looking me in the eyes.

"What else?"

"There is nothing else," Sukuna lied to me.

"Please, Sukuna…" I begged him. "Do not do this to me. You know you've hidden other things from me. Just say it".

"How much do you know?" He asked me looking into my eyes.

"I know more things than you think."

"So if you already know, what's the point of me saying it?" Sukuna answered, closing his eyes and facing away. I squeezed the railing of the stretcher out of anger.

"So you're not going to tell me that you love me?" I asked offended. He turned to look at me faster than lightning, but he didn't say a single word. We stared at each other for a long while in silence. 

"I'm not going to say that to my brother's girlfriend." He answered dryly.

"Who in their right mind would stay with an idiot who can't get over their ex?". He just looked at me surprised at that statement. "So say it… You have a free field." I asked him.

Sukuna just stared at me in disbelief, debating in his mind whether this was real or a test. Say it, say it, just say it for the love of God! Tell me you love me, tell me I'm special to you, tell me all the things you bravely said to Choso, but you're ashamed to tell me when I am in front of you. After a couple more seconds of silence, I decided to give up. It was okay that I wanted answers, but I wasn't going to beg him to give them to me.

"Fine. I won't bother you anymore, get well soon." I let go of the railing to get away from the situation.

As soon as I turned around, his hand took possession of my arm and returned me to my place, this time pulling me towards him. Our faces were inches apart. I could see his features in great detail. His tribal tattoos framing his face, his penetrating eyes, his straight nose and his full lips. He grabbed my sweatshirt to close the distance with a deep kiss that made me melt inside. That's when I realized why I missed being his trainer or watching him fight, actually, I missed him. Being close to him, spending time with him, kissing him. I felt complete and complete every time Sukuna took me as his.

"I love you…". He whispered into my lips. "I love you so much that I let you go because I thought you would be happier with someone like Choso," he explained as he caressed my cheeks with his fingers.

"What's the point of being happy if everything is a lie?". I asked him with a smile.

"But I'm a mess, dear," he warned me.

"If you're a mess, I'm a damn chaos." I replied before meeting our lips again.

His lips traveled over my mouth as if it were newly discovered terrain. Even though we had already done this behind everyone's back, it felt like it was the first time. I loved him, and I was no longer afraid to admit that that love that I thought I had buried deep in my soul was still there. Only this time he would do anything to stay by her side. We were both being consumed by the agony of wanting to be together. Sukuna pulled me by the waist with his free arm to lift me onto the stretcher with a strength I didn't think I would have in this situation, making me sit on top of him.

"We can't do it here. Everyone is outside,” I whispered to him.

"I just want you to stay close to me, you damn pervert," He said with a mischievous smile. My face blushed with embarrassment.

I lay on his chest, on the side that wouldn't bother his injured shoulder. He drew imaginary circles on his chest as he told me everything he already knew. That Choso asked him to stay away from me so that she could trust him again. That he had lied to Yuuji about sleeping with Shoko so that no one would find out about his injury for fear of it becoming news. That he had hidden his feelings towards me, and he never thought that his feelings were reciprocated.

"And why did you lose the fight? What happened to your good luck ritual? I asked him confused.

"It hasn't worked since my fight with Aoi Todo." He answered with a smile just for me. That meant that all this time he had been fighting without luck on his side. "No one satisfies me like you." He purred against my cheek.

I smiled flattered by that strong statement. I snuggled closer to his strong chest and slipped my hand into his robe to caress his bare skin. My body felt light with each passing second and each time he brushed my hair between his fingers. It had been such a long day and I needed a break.

SUKUNA POV

Even though Yuta Okkotsu massacred me in the octagon, having her in my arms made me feel like I was still the champion. Little by little she fell asleep. I was sure my arm would fall asleep, but I didn't care at all. His warmth made me feel more alive than ever, and I never wanted him to leave me again.

I heard the living room door open. Yuuji was going to shout something, but I silenced him from my place. The rest of the team came in behind him to ask me how I was feeling.

"Do you need something?" Yuuji asked me in a low voice.

"I already have everything I need," I said, looking at Y/n.

Next →

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[dark-frosted-heart]

From a Mean Lie, Love Begins - Roger Barel

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this. Secondhand embarrassment ahead.

After finishing dinner, I had some free time and so I decided to help Roger with his research.

As I descended the stairs leading to the basement like usual, I heard two people talking and stopped in my tracks.

(Roger and…Harrison?)

Their expressions were so serious that I couldn’t find the right time to call out to them.

Harrison: …In such a bad shape?

Roger: Yeah. Heard from experts that it can’t be returned to its original state. Spine’s so wrecked and can’t stand without support.

Harrison: So caught up in research that you can’t even take care of yourself. What a laugh. …Could’ve done something about it if it was caught sooner.

(What does he mean…? Roger, are you in such a bad state that you can’t stand…?)

He looked fine last night while happily drinking.

(But…there are some illnesses out there that are invisible)

(Was he self-destructing by drinking so much because he couldn’t save himself…?)

Roger: Well, I’ll see what I can do for now. I got a reputation of not being a quitter. Just gotta hang in there ‘til the end. If you can’t…then we’ll deal with it when the time comes.

As I secretly peeped at them, I saw Roger give a weak smile.

(Roger’s body really is wrecked…)

(He couldn’t have been lying if Harrison’s there…)

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything and quietly left before they could notice.

–

(I wasn’t aware that Roger’s condition was that bad…)

(But now that I know…I can change my behavior)

(Tomorrow, I’ll do my best to support Roger so that he doesn’t suffer)

The day after learning about Roger’s condition, I secretly made a decision. I’ll immediately start helping him out.

–

Kate: Here, Roger. Open your mouth please.

After cutting the meat on the plate into bite-sized pieces, I held it up to Roger’s mouth.

Roger: …? I can eat by myself, lil’ lady.

Kate: Please don’t overwork yourself! I’ll be supporting you throughout your life! 

Roger: The hell’s gotten into you?

Roger tried to stand up with a puzzled look on his face, and I rushed to stop him.

Kate: Ah, please don’t force yourself to stand!

Roger: I just wanna get a drink…

Kate: I’ll get it for you!

I stood up instead and got Roger a glass of water.

Kate: Here you go Roger.

Roger: Thanks…

Alfons: Good grief…Stop worrying about that muscle-headed, research-obsessed idiot and feed me, little robin?

Kate: …You’re feeling fine, aren’t you Alfons? You don’t need help, do you?

Alfons: I’m certainly feeling rather energized this morning, however…

With the way you’re speaking…You make it sound as if Roger’s not well.

Kate: …

I became depressed as I thought back to yesterday’s conversation.

Roger: …Lil’ lady?

Kate: I heard it yesterday. The conversation between you and Harrison… That your body was so wrecked that you couldn’t stand…!

Roger: Hm? That’s…

Alfons: Oh? I knew you wouldn’t live long but is it finally time to kick the bucket?

Roger: …

At the question, Roger exchanged glances with Harrison and then let out a sigh.

Roger: …Everyone’s gonna wind up six feet under eventually. It just depends on when.

(If you’re not denying it, then it’s true…?)

Kate: Please don’t talk about giving up like that…! I may not understand your condition, but I’ll be supporting you from today onward!

Roger: That’s helpful. Well I got some research I’d like you to help me with now…

Kate: Please leave it to me!

–

I was helping Roger out with his research like he’d asked and it was approaching midnight.

Roger: It’s getting late. Why don’t you get back to your room, lil’ lady?

Kate: What about you?

Roger: …I’ll get some rest too.

Kate: Liar. You’re going to keep working, aren’t you?

When I glared at Roger for that impromptu lie, he just shrugged.

Roger: …I got some interesting data so I wanna work on it for a bit longer.

Kate: It’s not like the data’s going anywhere tomorrow and the numbers won’t change. Take it easy and look after yourself.

I forced Roger out of his chair and onto an infirmary bed.

Roger: Are you planning on helping me not just today, but the next day onward too?

Kate: Yes. I’m worried about your health so that’s my intention.

Roger: Heh, your thoughts never fail to surprise me. You’d agree to anything I’d ask you right now, wouldn’t you?

Kate: Is there anything else you want me to do?!

Roger asked me to help with his research today, but…that’s just an extension of how I usually help him.

(If I could do anything for Roger since he’s not physically well…I’d do it)

Roger: Yeah…How about this. Kiss me. Roger grabbed my hand as he sat up in bed.

(Why a kiss…ah)

(If you don’t feel well, then you’ll feel even more lonely or hopeless…)

No doubt the kiss wouldn’t have any special feeling behind it…rather, it’d  just be some physical contact to fill the loneliness.

(Roger’s selfishly kissed me numerous times before)

(No point in rejecting him at this point)

(More importantly, I’d like to help Roger when I can…)

Because I’m standing, I don’t have to go on my tiptoes to kiss him today.

To keep it from getting in the way,I tucked my hair behind my ear with the hand not being held by Roger.

Kate: Nn…

I gave Roger a light peck.

Though it was just a brief, I filled Roger’s heart with all the compassion I could muster.

Roger: Ha…it’s still not enough.

Roger tugged hard on the hand he was holding.

Kate: …Oof

Roger was pushed down onto the bed as he pulled me toward him.

Kate: A-are you alright?! Does it hurt anywhere?

Roger: Nothing hurts so just leave it. That aside, do it again.

Kate: …

At his begging, I pushed Roger down and kissed him again.

This time, his hand went up to the back of my head to keep me from pulling away too soon.

Kate: Nn…haaa…

Roger’s tongue slid into my mouth and tangled with mine.

Breathtaking kisses were something Roger had shown me.

(I don’t know how many more kisses like this I’ll get…)

The thought of it made my heart ache…I continued to kiss Roger to make him happy.

Roger: …You’d really do anything, wouldn’t you?

Roger mumbled as our lips parted.

Roger: Do you do this with anyone you know is weak…?

(I tried to imagine it but…it’d be difficult to do this with anyone but Roger)

(Roger’s touched me before, so it’s a different set of obstacles from others…I think)

Kate: I think it’s normal to want to do things for someone who’s suffering.

Roger: …If that’s the case, then I can’t just go quietly.

Kate: …Huh?

Roger: Who’ll take care of Crown when I’m gone? They could call in a doctor from the outside, but it’d be hard to respond at my speed. And if that does happen, you’d have a lot of weak men lying around you. Don’t wanna put you in a situation where you’d be compassionate toward weak men besides me.

(Are you saying this to protect me…? But…)

Kate: But even if you say that, your body’s already…

Roger: Ah…Think it’s time I cleared up this misunderstanding.

Kate: Misunderstanding…?

Roger: That conversation you heard between Harrison and me was actually about—

~~ Flashback ~~

Roger: …?

Harrison: What’s up?

Roger: Nothing, just heard the lil’ lady’s footsteps…But she turned back.

Harrison: She probably read the air when she saw how serious we looked.

Roger: We weren’t talking about anything important so she could’ve just come in.

Harrison: Not important…Roger, do you really understand the value of this book? It’s a book signed by Edgar Allan Poe and it got ruined by chemicals…! The spine’s falling apart and the chemical’s made the text fade so much it’s unreadable. It couldn’t even stand on its own when I put it on a bookshelf…

Roger: It was a gift, but I got so caught up in my research that I got careless.

Harrison: *sigh*...This is why people only interested in research are nothing but trouble.

~~ End flashback ~~

Roger: So…It wasn’t me that got wrecked but a book.

Kate: Really…?

Roger: Yeah, really. As you can see, I’m healthy as a horse. Sorry for playing around with you without clearing it up right away. Thought it’d be a good excuse to get you to help with some research. I’ll take all your complaints.

Kate: Y-you’re the worst!!

With a singular curse, I ran out and to my room.

After closing the door, I collapsed on the spot.

Kate: That’s a relief… At least Roger isn’t dying…!

Feeling relieved, uncontrollable feelings spilled out in the form of tears.

I ran from Roger because I didn’t want him to see me cry. 

Roger’s voice: …Lil’ lady.

Roger’s voice could be heard from out in the hallway.

Kate: W-what is it? I’m mad at you right now…!

Roger’s voice: I wanna apologize, so open the door.

Kate: Don’t want to…

Roger’s voice: That so. …With the lie I told, I don’t blame you.

I thought Roger would give up once I refused him, but he showed no signs of leaving.

Kate: Um…You’re not going back to your room?

Roger: I’m gonna wait ‘til you open the door for me.

(If you say that, then i have no choice but to open the door…)

I wiped my eyes and opened the door.

Roger: …

Kate: D-did you by chance…hear anything when I came back to my room?

Roger’s curse gave him supernatural hearing.

“At least Roger isn’t dying…”

If he heard me say that as I cried, then my angry act would be all for nothing.

Roger: No? Didn’t hear anything. Anyway, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let that misunderstanding about my life go that far.

Kate: … …You said you lied to get me to help you. So why the kiss?

Roger: You were worrying so much over taking care of me that it was endearing. I wanted to dote on you.

Kate: That wasn’t doting?! I’d call that making things difficult for me!

Roger: Really? I always thought you enjoyed the kisses. If I got the wrong idea then sorry. Let’s try again to be sure.

Kate: Why are you always taking things in that direction!  Do you even actually feel sorry at all?

Roger: I think so…Sorry.

Roger’s sudden, touching apology distracted me from my anger.

Roger: I won’t lie to you anymore. If me living longer makes you happy, then I’ll do just that.

Kate: I-I knew it. You did hear what I said when I got back to my room!

Roger: Whoops, that’s right. I didn’t hear a thing.

Kate: If you’re going to lie, then go through with it…!

Roger: Pfft…Haha.

Kate: …What are you laughing at?

Roger: Though I love how you look when you cry, I think I also love the way you yell with so much energy. Sorry for worrying you the whole day.

Roger roughly patted my head.

As I begrudgingly looked up at him, I realized that my heart was racing again.

(Roger already heard me say that I was relieved that he wasn’t going to die, but…)

(...I hope he doesn’t notice the sound of my heart racing as he pats my head)

[nerdishpursuits]

What really amuses me (or annoys, depending) is that we always manage to look for more than meets the eye, assuming the show has more depth to it, when in truth it’s lacking in so many ways.

We seem to forget what we’re dealing with here. And what that is? Is a novela, pure and simple. A Spanish one, true. But a novela just the same. And while in the beginning, for the most part, quality prevailed? It’s more and more obvious the show is becoming plagued by the inconsistencies of its genre.

We’ll never have a sensitive topic such as SA treated with the care and empathy it deserves (if anything, it encourages the message that victims are better off if they keep silent; the SA itself and the inherent misogyny? they were just background noise for the now 20+ episodes narrative of a woman suffering the consequences of looking for justice that was legally denied)

We’ll never see Fina’s recovery as it should have been treated.

We’ll never see Marta’s own trauma addressed.

I severely doubt we’ll see them healing together in a way that feels rewarding, empathetic and well thought out. We’ll get hints that they spent the night together, that they talked about their feelings and addressed the problems they’re facing. Hints and more hints. Surface level depictions that don’t really bother going beneath the surface. One of those high-speed trains that seldom stop at any station for more than a few minutes, the scenery a blur at the edge of one’s vision. Expecting more? Well, it might be asking for too much. We either enjoy what we can and as much as we can, or we desist. Plain and simple.

As for more of today’s events?

1. Just like Marta is a grown up, capable of making her own decisions? So is Tasio. For Carmen to lay all the blame at Marta’s feet is ridiculous. As is the show persisting in comparing her to Jesús, who is a de facto muderer and whose violent actions don’t have repercussions + let’s add Don Pedro to the list, whose revenge ended with the murder of the one responsible for his son’s death - I doubt there’ll be consequences as, after all, he’s a man and allowed to get away with it. For Marta though? Pandora’s box and all its blessings. May I just say succumbing to rage and helplessness one time, does not a violent person make, nor does it undo the moral tapestry of Marta’s character (for all the show loves to punish her for it).

But I’m digressing. Tasio is not a saint and to pretend otherwise is laughable (Carmen herself suspected he orchestrated the entire thing to curry favour with his father? I mean. Her trust in him is somewhere below sea level, no need to pretend otherwise. More so, she seems to forget it was Damián who paid for Tasio’s out-of-jail-card: claiming Marta’s family wouldn’t help him is borderline absurd). Marta didn’t force him to do anything, he chose to help her of his own free will. And at the end of the day? Marta never shies away from doing the hard thing: taking accountability. And she does it every single damn time, no matter how hard it is. (let’s see if Tasio ever gets there, fully). And I now find myself needing a scene where Fina defends Marta with Carmen.

2. They found the most contrived way of using Marta’s journal against her - if it is her journal, that is; for all we know it’s Marta’s calculus notebook (Santiago invading their safe space and just so happening to find it laying there? It’s not only supremely absurd but a sacrilege as well, yet another violation of their intimacy). Rather funnily, this show might be trying to preach violence is not the answer yet here we are, ascending to the next level altogether (I personally don’t see any other way to be rid of Santiago - his demise needs to be imminent and it needs to happen). Not to mention how outlandish it is that a nobody is able to get into Fina’s cell, waltz into Marta’s office or walk onto their property like so? This level of absurd is top-tier for sure.

3. The one consistent thing? Marta’s love for Fina and Fina’s love for Marta. That hasn’t changed and it won’t (it’s very much obvious Marta is nothing but irritated with Pelayo and for good reason: that man is like fungus, chemical treatment needed)

Oh well. Since the inane seems to be the way? Let’s join the circus: Santiago is moved to tears upon reading Marta’s journal and gives them his blessing, for Pelayo and Santiago it’s love at first ‘stache and they buy the property next to Marta’s so they can be felices los quatro, Jesús launches a business promoting hair-growth (dar en el calvo) and Eladio writes a book in prison (from SIcario to NOcario).

On the bright side? Flirty and Horny Fina is back tomorrow? Or so it would seem. She’s been dearly missed 😌 Furthermore? For everything that’s not being said, shown or addressed? It’s still a feat Mafin remains the healthiest relationship on the show. No doubt about it!!!

[howdoyousleep3]

Hey, mama. I'm not American but I live in a country with very strict laws about LGBT and porn and stuff. And you know what, literally NOTHING changed with these laws. Noone can take your queerness from you, noone can forbid you be who you are (woman, man, non binary, whatever). But I've never thought you'd be THAT angry over something that didn't even happen yet. Don't you understand ppl vote against this anger ("fuck men", "make everyone uncomfy", "double the suffering and gelive it to trump")? I have no respect for anyone who's trying to take yours from you. But you're doing exactly what they want to do. The only difference is they are against queer and you're against straight. You can send me to hell or not reply in any way. But in a four year time you'll see, that your life didn't cange much. Trust me. People always find the way to do what they want to do. Breathe out girl. Everything's gonna be okay. Even if it doesn't seem like it now.

Yes, I will take this opportunity to “send you to hell”, thank you lol

This is all a backwards line of thinking. This isn’t just another candidate that’s running for President and another candidate that we’ll move on from in four years; this is a man that’s been elected President that will alter and change the trajectory of our country and our government structures itself. Democracy will no longer exist the way that it has for 250 years, if at all.

He has already made announcements of forcing the government to only acknowledge two genders, of punishing teachers with civil crimes if they try and teach anything but, of altering education in schools to only teach about man and wife, man and woman.

What do you mean, “breathe out”?

This is the man that overturned Roe v. Wade, that stripped women of the rights to their bodies. He appointed extreme and conservative Supreme Court Justices that will make similar decisions for this country until the day they die. This is the man that wants to force all women to have unwanted pregnancies at any age, for any reason, even if it might kill them and even if they are the product of rape. He wants to make it illegal for pregnant women to cross state lines, wants the government to track women’s periods, wants to get rid of birth control as a whole.

“Breathe out”?

He wants to make interracial marriage illegal, wants to make gay marriage illegal, wants to get rid of the Department of Education and radicalize education to where everyone prays in school and learns a very white-washed education (moreso than now) that focuses on how amazing America is. He wants to jeopardize school funding more than it is and wave it over districts heads as a threat. Public school and children will suffer more than it ever has.

That’s just scratching the surface.

It shouldn’t matter that it hasn’t happened yet; we’ve barely recovered from the effects of his last presidency. The hate he encouraged and spewed is something I’m not sure we’ll ever recover from at all. It hasn’t happened yet, but he’s outlined exactly how it’s going to happen and exactly what we should expect.

And you think I should take a deep breath?

I’m happy that your life is exactly the same as it was before your laws were put into place. But this is WAY more than a focus on LGBTQIA+ communities. This is our entire livelihood. This is our entire government, country, communities, futures at stake. And this is extremely personal, even as a white woman in a straight presenting relationship. I can’t imagine the fear that any woman or person of color or any trans person or anyone in a gay marriage is feeling.

I’m angry for myself, my two young daughters. I’m angry for the women in my life who have to put their future plans on hold or who have to decide right now if they want to get pregnant or start a family now and are mourning for the loss of it. I’m angry for my best friend who is a woman of color who now has to wait and see if her marriage will end up being legal, whose safety I worry for every single day. I’m angry for all of my trans friends who have to yet again question why this country hates them so much and doesn’t cherish and love them for existing as they are.

I’m angry. I feel rage in my body and spirit that I have not once felt before and that’s with me being one of the lucky ones to receive generations of trauma and anger I have to work through. I’ve never felt anger like this, this stagnant, still, villain era anger. And I’ll be damned if I don’t use it for good because I think it’s ridiculous of you to say that I should be quiet and let the other side, the side that instills fear in others and wishes to take away their very basic human rights, be louder than I am.

Fuck that to the highest degree.

I’m about to use my privilege to scream my love and my support for those in need from the highest of mountaintops. And if that comes in the form of screaming my hatred for men, the patriarchy, Republicans, and conservatives directly back to them then I sure as shit will be doing that; they are the ones with hate in their heart who are wishing to take away the rights of others. I didn’t vote for that. If my hatred comes in other forms like becoming a part of local community groups with like minds, supporting local and black-owned businesses, supporting my local library, educating my daughters to be empathetic and supportive, standing up for women in public if need be, then I will also sure as shit be doing that.

The world deserves my anger.

This was an ignorant ask to send. I don’t hate straight people; that’s just outright fucking stupid. I don’t think you’re educated enough on the subject to be sending me an ask that is effectively telling me to calm down, WHICH IS SO FUNNY because that’s what women are always told when they’re hysterical, because this is much much more than just the rights of LGBTQIA+ people and another President being elected.

Sure, I hope you’re right and that everything is the same in four years. But you’re wrong.

Sure, I’ll breathe out. But then I’m going to take a deep breath in and scream my support at the top of my lungs even if it comes in the form of hating men, conservatives, Republicans, and Trump.

Please don’t pretend as if you know me. This is the internet, this is fandom, this is somewhat of a persona.

Yes, I am angry. I can’t understand how people are not.

[merakiui]

I made breakfast + Jade bc he'd be a teasing lil shit and I love him 👉👈

-🦈

Omg this prompt with Jade… 🦈 anon, you’re a genius!!!

(fwb dialogues)

Half-dead and horribly hungover, you wake to the smell of breakfast. It’s a delicious beacon amidst the crushing burden of morning exhaustion. Groaning lowly, you bury deeper beneath the duvet, your face pressed into the pillows.

Clad in sweatpants and a mushroom-print T-shirt, his hair a rightful mess, Jade pokes his head into the room minutes later. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

Your response is a not-so-beautiful moan. “I look and feel like shit.”

“Then shall I amend my wording? Ah, but Sleeping Monstrosity doesn’t sound very pleasant now, does it?”

You turn over to greet him with a scowl. “I’m not in the mood.”

But it was my fault for calling him. I always do that. Why did I even decide to drink in the first place? I never make good decisions when I’m inebriated.

He beams, unbothered by the ice in your eyes. He presents the tray with minimal flourish, held at arm’s length. You stare at the contents—plates piled high with pancakes, accompanied with dozens of sides and toppings. It feels like a buffet despite the portion being meant for one person.

“I made breakfast.”

“No shit. Why?”

“Is it not common courtesy to feed your guests?”

“I wouldn’t know. I like to leave before breakfast.”

“So I’ve learned.” He moves in closer, lowering to sit on the edge of the bed, testing just how far he can go before you push him away. “Aren’t I fortunate to have you to myself just a little longer?”

You scoff when he gathers a bite of pancake on the fork and offers it to you. “Don’t get used to it.” Throwing your dignity aside, you close your mouth around the utensil. “Not bad.”

“Consider it a token of my gratitude.”

“For what?”

“For calling me. I do so enjoy our midnight mischief.”

Your brow furrows. “I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”

“Are you sure you’re not mistaking accidental for intentional?”

You snatch the fork out of his hands. “I’ll block your number and never call again.”

A smirk curls on his lips. You think he almost wants you to go through with it, if only so he can laugh when you inevitably come crawling back.

“We’ll see.”

“Just you wait,” you threaten around another morsel of pancake.

Jade chuckles. “It’s difficult to take you seriously when you’re stuffing your face like a hamster.”

“Can’t help it. Food’s good.”

“I’m pleased it’s to your liking.” Jade’s gaze flickers from your face to your hand. “If I may ask, why were you drinking alone?”

“No reason.”

“That’s not what you said last night.”

You struggle to recall that, but from the way his eyes twinkle you suspect he remembers it well enough to recite it verbatim.

Intending to spare yourself the embarrassment, you heave a great sigh and force the words out. “My friend announced they’re getting married, and that makes me the last one.”

Jade blinks, stunned. You’re beginning to wonder what version you told him in the midst of your intoxication.

“The last one?”

“The last one left. I’m not married. Yet. Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t be…here.”

“Obviously not,” he echoes. “Well, if you’re so devastated, why not find someone to marry?”

“You say it like it’s easy. Where am I gonna find someone who wants that?”

Jade opens his mouth and immediately shuts it.

Neither of you says anything else regarding that matter. Maybe it’s for the best. The future is scary, but a future with Jade is even scarier. Because that would mean opening your heart to him. Because that would mean recognizing what he is to you.

Because you’re not here for the breakfast, and it’s not just drunken desire that leads you to his doorstep. It’s muscle memory, but you won’t acknowledge that. Neither will Jade. Not yet.

[bluepluto03]

Branch Sacrifices himself for Floyd AU

Summary: in which Branch sees Floyd getting the life sucked out of him and gets freaked enough to make a really bad decision

———————————————————————

“I have a proposition for you. A trade.”

“Branch no!” Floyd yells

“Trade for what?”

“For me. You free Floyd, and you can use me instead.”

“Branch, leave, please.” Floyd begs.

Branch ignores him resolutely

Velvet seems to be considering. “Why should I trade?”

“Um… I won't die as fast?” Branch offers, caught off guard. He didn’t expect he’d need to convince her to kidnap him.

(Full mini/bullet fic under the cut)

———————————————————————

Note: this is a cross between a actual fic and a bullet fic bc I have Other Projects I’m supposed to be working on and I’m trying to limit myself from going all out on trolls, but if people like this maybe I’ll try to clean it up some more and put it on ao3

Branch gets the bait letter sometime before the wedding. He panics badly, barely stops to leave a note for Poppy before running off to mt rageous.

JD has already spoken with Floyd and left to collect everyone

At first their Reunion is pretty similar to cannon with a bit more confusion and worry

Branch starts trying to get the cover off the vents so he can take Floyd with him- he doesn’t want to leave him there. But It’s a huge metal grate over a vent and he’s one tiny troll there’s only so much he can do

Floyd hears Velvet and Veneer approaching and tells Branch to run. Branch argues against him, keeps trying to open the stupid grate, ignoring Floyd’s pleas for him to run

In the hallway the voices of Velvet and Veneer go quiet but the trolls are too frantic to notice

Floyd points out Branch can’t help him if they’re both caught, and Branch reluctantly agrees to hide

Velvet, who’s been listening at the door, bursts in. She lunges at Branch but he escapes into the vents where she can’t reach him

Vaneer whines they’ll never be able to find him now

Velvet is like hmm… picks up Floyd’s crystal, Floyd seems scared, looking back up at her

“Such a shame. Im not sure this one will last until the next one shows up.” She says loudly

Her voice rattles around the vents and shakes the ground Branch is trying to stand on and he he grits his teeth against it

“Oh im sure another one will show up soon enough, but we have half a dozen shows in the next few days. This one’s getting pretty weak.” she shakes Floyd. “With two, well theres one for each of us! Right veneer?”

“R-right?”

“Im sure two would be able to make it much longer…”

Branch knows what she’s doing. He knows she’s just trying to bait him out. The stupidest thing in the world he could do would be to go down there right now.

But all he can see is how pale floyd is getting, and the terrifying translucence of the tips of his fingers, and-

And. if he goes down there he’ll be useless to save floyd.

He’ll have to just figure out some other way to get floyd out

“We’ll have to keep him with us now, i guess, since theres some little critters running around. We don’t want them bothering our little guest”

Anxiety starts to choke Branch and he tries to push it down. Okay, that complicates things, but it’s fine. It’ll be fine. He’ll still manage to save Floyd. Before it’s too late

He can’t pull himself away from the edge of the vent. He realizes he’s been edging closer and closer on his stomach, out of the shadows, desperate just to see Floyd for a moment longer

Velvet looks around. She sees a shadow in the vent and grins to herself

“Well we’ve gotta get going to our next show. Time for a quick spritz”

She sprays herself

Floyd lifts up from the force of it, eyes rolling back in pain. His body shudders once with the wave, then goes boneless as he drops to the bottom of the bottle

“NO-“ the scream rips through Branch’s throat before he can catch it. Velvet looks at the vent with a predatory look in her eye. Floyd looks dazed and terrified on Branch’s behalf

Velvet takes one predatory step forward and instinctively Branch yells “DON’T MOVE”

Velvet stops, seemingly more out of surprise than anything else. She laghs. “Why should i troll? What’re you gonna do? Sing at me?”

“I’ll disappear into the vents” Branch says with much more confidence than he feels. “By the time you get to me, i can be deep enough that you won’t be able to grab me.”

Velvet frowns, eyes scanning the distance between them, but she dosn’t move forward

“Why not just run off then?” Veneer asks, though it sounds more genuinely confused, lacking his sister’s mocking undertone

Floyd is looking at him with a furrowed brow, confusion evident on his face as he struggles to figure out what branch is doing, even as he leans limply against the side of the bottle

“I have a proposition for you. A trade.”

“Branch, no!” Floyd yells as he figures it out

“Trade for what?”

“For me. You free Floyd, and you can use me instead.”

“Branch, leave, please.” Floyd begs.

Branch ignores him, resolutely pushing down the fear in his chest

Velvet seems to be considering. “Why should I trade?”

“Um… I won't die as fast?” Branch offers, caught off guard. He didn’t expect he’d need to convince her to kidnap him.

“Maybe, but pinkie here is pretty powerful. How do I know you’ll be anywhere near as strong?”

Branch hesitates then forces himself move forward “I’m stronger.”

“No he’s not! He’s terrible!” Floyd insists

“Excuse me?” Branch shoots back, indigent and caught off guard

But Floyd’s not looking at him hes talking to velvet. “He’s awful. If you use him you’ll sound like-” he grasps for how to convince them ”like a broken chalkboard, or nails in a clock, or- or a crying bird!”

“You’re mixing metaphors, babe” Veneer tells him

“Or something! It’ll be bad, okay??” floyd insists desperately

branch feels irrationally a bit hurt because he knows floyd is only saying that to protect him. He takes a deep breath, pushing down all the fear and hurt

“No it won’t. I have the voice of an angel.

Velvet raises an eyebrow. “Prove it.”

He sings a few bars

“Deal.” Velvet agrees to the trade

Now there’s the problem of actually doing the trade

They tell him to come down, he says no you’ll take us both, gimme floyd and then ill come down, they accuse him of the same thing, they agree on branch standing on the edge of the vent and them putting floyd next to him as they pick him up

They do it and branch tries not to shake in fear

They let Branch help Floyd into the vent because he’s so weak, but both Velvet and Veneer are hovering so close and they’ve figured out how to shut some of the vents so even if he wanted to leave he couldn’t

As floyd is placed down he beggs branch “branch please don’t do this, please.”

Branch can’t look at him. He wishes he had something, anything to say

Floyd’s hair wraps around his wrist weakly, it’s all Floyd can manage. Branch just gently takes it off and keeps going

As he steps into velvets hand he tries his best for a comforting smile. “I’ll be back. I promise.”

This time, when one of them walks away, they both know he’s lying

Note: that’s what I have so far! Cue very sick Floyd watching his brother suffer and desperately trying to save him while so weak.

Maybe I’ll continue if ppl like this maybe I’ll finish editing this into something a bit cleaner but we’ll see! Honestly depends if people are interested bc I have other stuff I really should be working on but the trolls hyperfixation hit me with a frying pan and dragged me into the fandom in a burlap sack.

[that-dumb-blond]

I’m back after a short break (due to a ridiculous amount of homework) with Chapter 3 of Scythe. Spoilers for a good chunk of the series ahead

-This chapter has the first of MANY mentions of destiny in this series. Destiny is a concept that reoccurs again and again. First, with Rowan and Citra becoming Scythes, the various deaths that follow, and the ending. It’s pondered a lot when they regret something, which I think is very accurate to how people think.

-Them seeing the opera “The Force of Destiny” cements this idea into my head. They may not have religion, but Destiny is as big in their world as it is in ours.

-Right off the bat, some cheeky worldbuilding. “Letters from the eccentric - the only type of people who still wrote letters”. In the series a lot of things are just Shushterman having fun with what he can put in, but there are definitely elements of prediction. Like this : today a good portion just email or text things, but there are still letters. Shushterman took this a few hundred (?) years into the future and figured that letters were probably VERY rare by then. It’s not a new concept by any means, but I think it’s cool.

-There’s a lot of foreshadowing in this book. I do tend to over-analyse things, since I can’t help myself, but I think that the thing Citra says about whoever invited her is pretty obvious. “It’s probably some loser’s way of inviting me on a date”. There are a few problems. Rowan didn’t invite her, and in my books he is most definitely not a loser. But my point stands!

-Genetic indexes are introduced!!! I find this fascinating because you can see how much people have mixed, so race is now a pretty fluid concept. In this chapter we only discover what two of them are. The third number is PanAsian, and the second number is Afric. This is a great way of giving a base idea of what your charecters look like, without going into an out-of-place detail sesh.

-Faraday commands respect when he walks into a room. And I think that the line “Honourable Scythe Faraday was not a figure you soon forgot” doesnt only refer to the fact that people respect Scythes, but that people respect Faraday. And fear him.

-Rowans reaction is great : “You?”. There are a lot of ways to interpret this, but I can feel the contempt radiating off of the pages.

- Rowan understands a lot, he has great observation skills, and he’s similar to a scythe Faraday. No wonder he clocked that he wasnt going to glean them before Citra did. He knows that’s not the only outcome.

-I don’t have anything to add to this quote, I just love it. “With nothing to aspire to, life has become about maintenance. Eternal maintenance.” Because that’s it. That’s part of the point of the book. That humans will always try and find a way to live

- The decision not being difficult for Rowan makes sense. It’s also a great contrast to Citra who has to leave a lot of stuff behind to be a a scythe. It’s pointed out, but Rowan already knows what it feels like.

-Faraday taking them to a mortal art exhibit is so good. Like, of course. Faraday, who is ao obsessed with humanity, who has ridiculously high empathy levels, loves art. And Rowan does too. He says it himself “In the end it was the art that did it”. Him and Faraday are very alike.

-The contrast between Rowans and Citra is very clear in this chapter. “We’ll support you either way” compared to “if you think that’s best”.

-Scythe Faraday gets to shine in this chapter. He “breaks” into an art gallery, and when questioned by it he just says “perks of the position”. He got the kids he’s going to make into killers to meet at an Opera. He loves art so much, you can tell.

-THIS QUOTEEEE “Tonight we will witness yeh spectacle of human folly and tragedy. Tomorrow, we shall live it.”

That’s all for today, but chapter four should be soon!

[jujumin-translates]

★ Main Story | Act 13 - Budding Spring | Chapter 9 - Back to the Basics

Woman A: Thank you so much~!

Woman B: We’ll keep on supporting you!

Chikage: Please get home safely.

Young Man: You guys showed me how cool actors are all over again! Thank you so much!

Boy: That was fun~!

Citron: It was our pleasure!

Towa: Thank you so much!

Izumi: No, thank you for participating. And it was all thanks to you that we even had the wonderful idea in the first place, Towa-kun.

Towa: --Actually, I was kinda hesitant about participating at first. I didn’t want to be a complete failure in front of Masumi-kun…

Towa: But I’m glad I took the risk ‘cause I had a blast!

Towa: And now that I know what kinda view Masumi-kun and the others see when they’re up on stage…

Towa: I feel like I know even more about how theater’s done and I feel like I know more about everyone too.

Towa: It’s like a whole new world has opened up for me!

Tsuzuru: When you put it like that, it makes it feel like the whole thing was definitely worth it, don’t you think, Masumi?

Masumi: Well, it’s not like you didn’t do your best.

Towa: Oshi praise overdose…!

Izumi: Come and see our next play, okay?

Citron: We will see you then~!

Towa: Yeah! I’ll be there! Well then, I’ll be heading out now!

*Footsteps*

Rento: This event was a huge success even though it was our first time doin’ it.

Akashi: I… don’t usually get many opportunities like this… so I had fun…

Rento: It was nice ‘cause us backstage crew guys don’t usually get to interact with the audience members much.

Izumi: Thank you both for all your help today!

Rento: Just gimme a call if you’re doin’ anything like this again, yeah?

Akashi: Me too…

Izumi: Of course, absolutely!

Sakuya: We look forward to working with you again!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: …Everyone’s acting sure was lively and they all seemed like they were having fun.

Sakuya: I couldn’t help but remember the first time I stood on stage while watching them.

Tsuzuru: Same, it really is a nostalgic feeling, huh?

Citron: I could feel everyone’s excitement~!

Itaru: We were just like that when we first started out.

Chikage: Now that you think about it, we really have grown a lot.

Masumi: I was better than they were.

Tsuzuru: And for some of us, there’s parts that haven’t changed at all.

Sakuya: For me, I used to be so nervous just trying to read a single one of my lines. Half the time, all I could think about was which of my lines was next.

Tsuzuru: I know, right!? I was always panicking because I’d be too busy wondering how I was supposed to be moving that I’d completely miss when someone else said their line.

Citron: I could say my lines when I was practicing by myself, but then I would always make mistakes when we would practice together!

Masumi: You still do that.

Itaru: I’m pretty sure if past-me saw the current me, he wouldn’t be able to believe we’re the same person.

Chikage: Because you didn’t think you’d end up being so devoted to theater?

Itaru: Something along those lines. Then again, doesn’t that go for the both of us, Senpai?

Chikage: I suppose I can’t deny that.

Izumi: When he said that he felt like he had a whole new world opened up for him, Towa-kun’s eyes were really sparkling, weren’t they?

Masumi: He was pretty nervous at first, but he ended up having fun.

Sakuya: When I decided to join MANKAI Company, I was pretty excited like that too.

Sakuya: I’m so glad I took the risk and dove into this new world.

Tsuzuru: I remember hesitating before I took that first big step into this world too. But once I finally made the decision to join the troupe, I didn’t even have a chance to second-guess taking that step before I was forced to full-out sprint into it.

Masumi: I didn’t hesitate at all because it was fate for me.

Izumi: Ahaha, I guess it kind of was. This is so nostalgic.

Sakuya: This has kinda made me wanna perform RomiJuli again!

Citron: Me too! I was almost reading the lines for myself!

Itaru: I know, right?

Izumi: Why don’t we do a rerun of it?

Tsuzuru: If we’re doing that, then I wanna create an actual role for Chikage-san.

Citron: I would like to appear in even more scenes!

Izumi: That’s a good point. The current Citron-kun can play way more roles than the Citron-kun back then.

Chikage: But aside from those few things, if everything else stays the same, there won’t be anything all that new about it. Especially since we’ve already done reruns of it before.

Sakuya: Then why don’t we do it after the Fleur Cup?

Itaru: Since RomiJuli’s a pretty popular work that’s got all sorts of things like movie and ballet adaptations, it’s easy for theater newbies to get into it.

Itaru: Pretty fitting to fulfill the requirements for our back-to-the-basics quest line, don’t you think?

Izumi: But competing in the Fleur Cup with a rerun performance is way too risky of a move…

Tsuzuru: …Ah.

Izumi: ?

Tsuzuru: What about a sequel, then?

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsumugi: Good job on doing the workshop. How was it?

Sakuya: Everyone seemed a little confused at first, but as soon as they started talking and moving around more, they all seemed to be enjoying themselves!

Tsuzuru: It was really inspiring to watch too.

Tasuku: Sounds like it gave you guys a chance to take a step back and look at theater more objectively again.

Tsumugi: It really sounds like quite the learning experience. I think Winter Troupe should try doing that too.

Homare: I think we should make sure to have adequate time to create poetry when we do that.

Tasuku: That would change the entire point.

Homare: I believe that the skills that come with studying poetry that has a particular emphasis on the rhythm of language could be easily transferable when it comes to thoroughly analyzing lines in a script.

Guy: You make a good point. Shakespeare was a poet in addition to being a playwright, after all.

Hisoka: …And we could end it with a bonfire where we roast marshmallows.

Tsuzuru: We all know that’s just your own agenda even if you try to frame it like it’s some kinda recreational thing at the end of a summer camp.

Sakuya: Sounds like a workshop that’ll show off each of your unique characteristics.

Izumi: Let’s plan another one when we get the chance.

Sakyo: Looks like everyone’s finally here now.

Izumi: Alright, let’s start the troupe-wide meeting, then.

Izumi: I’d like to talk about Spring Troupe’s next performance, which will be during the voting period of the first quarter of the Fleur Cup…

Izumi: After doing the workshop, we all talked about how we should go back to the basics, back to where we first started.

Citron: To put it simply, we want to do RomiJuli again!

Sakyo: You mean like a RomiJuli rerun?

Tsuzuru: No, not quite. I was thinking of something more along the lines of a sequel…

Tsuzuru: A version of RomiJuli that we’d only be capable of doing now that we’ve grown more-- The future of the RomiJuli we did back during our debut performance.

Tsuzuru: I think it’s something that we could do only because we’re living in the future from when we did it back then.

Sakuya: And it’d be our first attempt at doing a sequel, so I’m sure it’ll be a bit of a challenge.

Sakuya: Of course, we really wanna perform RomiJuli again, but…

Chikage: We have to be sure that our upcoming performance serves as a stepping stone to the finals of the Fleur Cup.

Itaru: Aside from that, if we don’t at least ensure we get enough votes and earn enough points, we might not even be able to make it to the next round, let alone the finals…

Itaru: And those aren’t our only concerns, so that’s why we wanted to hear everyone’s thoughts and opinions.

Tenma: A sequel to your debut play, huh… never saw that one coming. But I get how you feel about wanting to do it again.

Tsumugi: You can’t help but wonder how you’ll be able to play your role now. There’s always a sort of newness to it no matter how many reruns you do.

Kazunari: And since it’s our very first performance, it’s probs the one that like, set the vibes of your troupe and the vibes of the whole company the most~.

Sakyo: It was pretty rough around the edges, but I guess you could say that it set the direction for the entirety of the Newborn MANKAI Company.

Banri: And it’s prolly the one you’ve done the most reruns of, so it’s def well known. That’s a bonus, ain’t it?

Juza: ‘N since you’ve gotta good foundation for your roles, it’ll prolly let ya approach the performance inna way ya usually wouldn’t.

Juza: ‘N above all, it’ll be a nice challenge to perform a sequel that’ll fill in the blanks ‘n connect the dots from your debut performance.

Homare: The things that have changed, the things that have remained unchanged, mundane things in your daily lives… those can all be expressed on stage.

Guy: I think this could be a good experience for you as actors and it will help you grow even more.

Tasuku: And I think that it’s a valuable opportunity to experience living out more of the life of one of your characters.

Taichi: Plus the OG RomiJuli fans would def be hella hyped!

Omi: The fact that it’s also been a fan-favorite since the beginning is one of it’s advantages too.

Azami: It’ll also be easier to imagine the settings.

Yuki: My concern is that since they’re the same characters, it’s not as completely brand new as it could be.

Kazunari: It’d probs be a good idea to keep that in mind and make some changes to the visuals.

Itaru: I’m personally a little concerned about the curse of sequels never being able to surpass the originals.

Banri: We can do more with sound effects ‘n lightin’ than we could do back then, so we’ll just have to show ‘em how much we’ve improved.

Yuki: Thinking of our past selves as our rivals is kind of getting me fired up.

Kazunari: And there’s no way we’re gonna lose to ourselves~!

Sakyo: That said, we still need to satisfy the audience members who haven’t seen the original. Unlike with the Mankai Performance, there’s a fairly big gap between the original and now.

Kumon: But I’m kinda jealous of you, Chikage-san! I wish I had my own role in Summer Troupe’s first performance!

Misumi: And I’m ki~nda interested in what the Genie from “Water me!” is doing right now!

Muku: I know, right!? Just like we’re living in the future from back then, I want to see how their futures are going too.

Azuma: If we’re doing a sequel for Spring Troupe’s first performance, then perhaps we should do the same for Summer and the other troupes too.

Tenma: Well, that would be the logical thing to do.

Juza: I kinda wanna be Lansky again…

Omi: I’m suddenly getting pretty motivated.

Sakyo: All that said, none of us are gonna get to that point if Spring Troupe’s sequel fails.

Homare: Choosing to do a “sequel” in a situation where we cannot afford to lose and have to accommodate many a new audience member is certainly a bold decision.

Izumi: That’s true.

Tsuzuru: W-Way to put more pressure on me.

Hisoka: …Every troupe’s gonna have to do their part in order to pass the baton onto the next one.

Guy: After Spring Troupe in the first quarter, Summer Troupe will follow in the second quarter, then Autumn Troupe in the third quarter, and finally Winter Troupe in the fourth quarter. We all must contribute to the rankings in order to stay in the finals.

Tsumugi: But isn’t it somewhat reassuring to think that RomiJuli, the very first performance, will be by our side as an ally for this?

Sakuya: Yeah… because it’s the “beginning” of our Spring Troupe.

Citron: It was both Spring Troupe’s and the Newborn MANKAI Company’s first adventure!

Masumi: If we can’t pull off our performance, then there’s no way the other troupes will even get a chance.

Itaru: Basically.

Chikage: I think it’s well worth the gamble.

Tsuzuru: No choice but to just go ahead and do it…

Izumi: Alright, that settles it. Let’s fight for the New Fleur Award using sequels to each troupe’s debut performance as our weapon!

Izumi: (Finally, we’re taking our first step toward the Newborn Fleur Award.)

Izumi: (Now all we have to do is stay as united as we are now as we keep our eye on the performance. Please let us get through this without any trouble…)

[ ⇠ Previous Part ] • [ Next Part ⇢ ]

[joeys-babe]

Someday We’ll Be Together

Chapter 12: Since Lsu

————————————————————————

September 30, 2021

(y/n's pov)

its been..

18 days.

432 hours.

25,920 minutes.

1,555,200 seconds.

since i've talked to joe.

since our kiss.

since we cried on the sidewalk while it rained over top of us.

i had come to the decision to wait 2 weeks before possibly reaching out to joe, but now it had been 2 weeks and 4 days.

i did want to hear what he had to say.. but i was also nervous to hear what he had to say.

it was stupid for me to think the felt the same way, he could have any girl in the world; and there was no way he'd pick me.

over the past couple weeks, i've lost track of what day of the week it even was. i stayed in bed most of the time, busy feeling bad for myself.

gracie and jess had texted me everyday wondering if i had talked to joe yet. i'd tell them no and in they'd give me a pep talk in return.

they really wanted me to talk to joe, but i still had no clue to why.

it was 1 o'clock in the afternoon when my mom came in my room.

"good morning sunshine!" - your mom laughed

"not funny." - you

"i just thought i'd come in and check to see if you were alive." - your mom

"definitely alive, feel a little dead though." - you

"oh you're exaggerating. but.. you need to get up and out of this bed today. you, your father, and i have plans tonight" - your mom

"wait what? what are we doing?" - you

"we're going to the bengals game. joe got us three tickets but robin was the one to walk them over here. she said he didn't want to make you uncomfortable by coming over here." - your mom

"i don't know mom, i might not go. i don't know if i'm ready." - you

"this would be the perfect way for you two to talk, robin said he's going straight home after the game, win or lose. that's when you two can finally talk." - your mom

"i'm scared though." - you

"of what, honey?" - your mom

"what he's going to say." - you

"it's joe, y/n. it's the same boy you used to force to play barbie's with you. i wish you two would realize that you can't live without each other, and just stop fighting." - your mom

"it's hard to mom. it's hard to just see him as my childhood best friend when he's so much more to me." - you

"i understand, just tell me your decision before we leave." - your mom

"i will." - you

my mom gave me a small reassuring smile before disappearing out of my room.

joe hadn't left my mind once since that night at the bar and now i have to decide wether or not to go to his game.

on one hand, it was nice that he wanted to clear things up and the fact he invited me and my parents to his game today really showed he cares about our friendship.

but on the other hand he cared about our friendship.

to him i was nothing more than that, and at times it seemed like the only reason he talked to me still was because of how long we've known each other.

when i went downstairs for breakfast i immediately noticed robin sitting at the island with my mom. i had been avoiding her and jimmy too, only engaging in small conversation from time to time.

"hey honey!" - robin smiled

"oh hi! morning." - you

"you doing okay?" - robin

"uh.. i'm starting to get better, yeah." - you

"i'm really sorry honey, i hate seeing you hurt. especially over my damn son." - robin

"i'm fine, robin. i'll get over it." - you

"there shouldn't be anything you should have to get over! i raised him better than that. i mean has he even tried to explain to you why he did it.. or apologized?" - robin

"he has apologized, and he has tried to explain but i shut him down. he tried texting me, but after 2 days he gave up because i didn't answer. i'm sorry, i just can't talk to him yet." - you

"oh honey don't apologize, he really messed up. i understand you're side of it completely." - robin

i gave her a small smile before grabbing my breakfast and exiting the kitchen. before i got to the first step i turned around and asked robin something.

"hey robin?" - you

"mhm?" - robin

"is joe upset?" - you

"of course, y/n. that following tuesday, after practice joe went to the gym till dark. i had to call him and practically force him to go home. he's coming to a realization that he can't live without you and it's hitting him pretty hard. he won't talk much, to anyone really." - robin

"wow. i didn't know he was actually being affected that much." - you

"he's really upset with himself. he knows he messed up big time and wants to fix it. there have been a couple paragraphs he's showed me that he thought about sending you but i don't know if he ever did." - robin

"if he did i wouldn't know, i blocked him on everything.." - you

"that's your decision and i don't blame you. i wouldn't wanna hear from him either after what he pulled." - robin

"i'm just surprised he told you the truth." - you

"he wanted sound advice on how to fix the whole situation that's why. supposedly today was step one of his plan, you and your parents going to the game." - robin

"despite all of this, i cant but think about how sweet that is." - you

"i told you y/n, he really really cares about you. like a lot." - robin

"thanks for everything." - you said before walking upstairs with your breakfast

*time skip*

it was a few hours later and my parents had just left for the game. i decided to not go because i didn't want my first time seeing joe since the fight to be at such a huge event. both my parents and joe's respected my decision and said their goodbyes before leaving.

now that i was home alone i sat bored on my bed scrolling on my laptop looking for jobs.

i eventually gave up and picked my phone up off my nightstand to scroll through instagram. the first thing i saw was joe warming up and i couldn't help but smile, he looked so good.

when the game started i slipped one of joe's jerseys on and made my way into the living room.

once the game started i found myself zoning out while watching joe. he looked unbelievably good in his uni and it was hard not to watch him intently.

the whole first quarter every time the camera panned to joe he was looking up in the stands. it didn't take me long to figure out that he was looking for me.

(joes pov)

there was 2 minutes left in the first quarter and to my disappointment, y/n wasn't here.

i couldn't blame her, after all the shit i pulled i wouldn't come to the game to support me either.

but, there was a hope deep down that she would be here. the start of the 2nd quarter didn't make me give up either, i sat on the sidelines still staring up at the box my parents and y/n's parents were sitting in.

"joe. she ain't comin." - ja'marr

"you don't know that!" - joe

"i think she'd be here by now if she was going to come." - tee

i shrugged them off and while running onto the field with the rest of my offense i looked up at the box, she still wasn't here and that's when i concluded that she wasn't coming.

(y/n's pov)

i finished getting ready with 5 minutes in the 2nd quarter to spare. when i stood in front of my mirror i took in my appearance. i was wearing a  black long sleeve turtle neck with the black version of joe's jersey over top, biker shorts, and black combat boots to complete the outfit.

hurriedly i ran downstairs, grabbed my phone, keys's, and wallet before sprinting to my car.

i wanted to make it before halftime was over so when joe ran back out he would see me.

thank god my mom left my ticket on the kitchen table or else i wouldn't be able to get into joe's box.

when the security guard opened and i walked in, both sets of parents' faces lit up.

"y/n!!" - robin smiled

"hey y'all!" - you smiled

"come here, you can sit by me." - your mom grinned

i moved over and plopped down between my mom and robin.

"what made you decide to come?" - your mom

"i was watching the game from home. every time the camera was on joe i noticed that he was looking up here. i assumed he was looking for me so i wanted to be here for him." - you

"you don't even have to assume, he's definitely looking for you." - your mom

"no doubts there y/n." - robin laughed

(joe's pov)

when we ran back out after halftime i refrained from looking up at the stands. i didn't feel like getting let down again.

i was mid conversation with ja'marr when tee came running up behind us to interrupt.

"joe! joe!" - tee shoved joe's shoulder

"what?!" - joe

"look!" - tee pointed at the stands

my eyes trailed to where tee was pointing to see that it was in the direction of my box.

at first i didn't know what i was supposed to see until she started vigorously waving with other hands.

it was y/n.

a huge smile formed on my face as i waved back to her.

"you're whipped, son." - ja'marr laughed

"yeah.. i am." - joe continued smiling at you

"come on, lover boy we gotta go. you can fawn over her later." - ja'marr

(y/n's pov)

watching joes face light up when he saw me was so incredibly cute. my mom and robin's audible "awwww's" made the moment even sweeter.

the rest of the game joe seemed a lot less distracted, and they won 24-21.

"do you wanna come see joe with us?" - robin

"i'm probably just gonna go head home. thanks for asking though, and also tell joe i said thank you for the ticket." - you

"of course. we'll see you tomorrow?" - robin

"yup! goodnight guys!" - you

i made my way out of the stadium fast to try and beat traffic. my parents plus jimmy and robin were going out to dinner tonight, and from my mom i learned that joe was heading straight home from the game too.

when i got home i took my boots off and changed into a more comfy outfit.

sitting at the kitchen island in complete silence, i contemplated texting joe. after seeing his face light up on the field when he saw me in the stands, i needed to see him.

i found myself zoning out, my thoughts never stopping for a second when my phone vibrated on my lap.

grabbing it immediately, disappointment washed over me when it was just a message from my mom.

make it home okay?

i texted back a quick "yup 👍" before putting my phone down again. i was getting up from my seat after deciding to just go to bed when my phone buzzed again.

this time when i picked it up, my heart started beating out of my chest. it was a text from joe.

can i come over?

for a second i thought about what i could send back. something simple? something that shows how much i miss him without being too greedy? a simple yes?

after a few seconds of panicking i typed something up and sent it without thinking any longer.

please.

a smile wouldn't leave my face as i made my way to the living room. i watched through the window that overlooked the road, and started blushing when i watched joe fly out of his front door. his pace across the road was quick, practically running after he looked both ways.

once i could hear his footsteps on the front porch i started towards the front door to unlock it for him, but once i got to the hallway he was already standing there.

"i forgot you had a key." - you laughed nervously, unsure of what to do now that you were face-to-face with him

joe moved towards me and wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his head in my neck as my arms were around his neck.

i heard him mumble something incomprehensible, and when i asked him to repeat himself he pulled his face away from my neck. joes arms were still around my waist, my arms around his neck and he looked down into my eyes as fondness filled his.

"i can't do this anymore." - joe

"you can't do what anymore?" - you

"y/n, i want to clear up everything. tell you the truth." - joe

"then tell me, joe." - you

joe unwrapped his arms around my waist and grabbed one of my hands, pulling me into the living room and sitting on the couch.

"i'm so so sorry for what happened weeks ago. it wasn't what i planned at all." - joe

i heard his apology, but the only thing i heard was "planned".

"planned?" - you searched his eyes for answers

"planned. i wanted you to go to my game, and win or lose i was going to take you somewhere after. thankfully we won, and now i can admit to you why i was so persistent on you going to the bar with me. it was my plan to kiss you, but when i did.. i was so worried that you had just gotten caught in the moment and didn't actually want to kiss me. i totally panicked and the first person i saw was lexie. i'm truly so sorry y/n, and i know i can't explain it away. nothing happened between lexie and i either, she was being a total bitch and i'll tell you our conversation later. that is, if you still want to be friends?" - joe

friends.

"joe, over the past weeks i've realized that i can't go without you. i accept your apology, but i just have one question.." - you

a smile formed on joes face when i said i accepted his apology, relief washed over his body and the way his body physically became more relaxed showed that.

"ask away." - joe

"what were you going to do after you kissed me, if the lexie stuff didn't happen? what was the whole point?" - you

i watched him tense back up and his gaze left my face, joe looked at his feet as he thought about how to word his next statement.

"i was going to admit something to you." - joe

"admit.. what?" - you

"something i should've told you back when we were still at lsu." - joe

"which is?" - you

joe sighed before scooting closer to me on the couch, he took one of my hands off my lap and held it in his.

"in high school i came to the realization that you were the most beautiful girl in the world. when we were at ohio state together i started getting butterflies every time you said my name.. every word that left your mouth made me blush as long as it was directed towards me. when you went along with me to lsu, that's when it really hit me. you're the only girl i've ever truly truly cared about, y/n. no other girl i've ever been with has mattered to me as much as you do. you understand me more than anyone else, and i'm so grateful to have you in my life." - joe

my heart rate got higher and higher as words spilled out of his mouth. was joe really confessing to me right now? he felt the same way?

"what are you saying?" - you

joe licked his lips before making eye contact with me and letting go of the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"y/n, i'm in love with you." - joe

i squeezed his hand as those words left his lips, i've wanted to hear those words for so so long.

joes eyes were still searching my face for a reaction when i realized i hadn't said anything yet. without thinking i launched forward and hugged my arms around his neck, now sitting on his lap.

when i pulled myself away from him i cupped his face in my hands.

"joe, i'm in love with you too. have been for a long time, and you have no idea how happy i am to hear you feel the same way." - you

joe couldn't get the smile off his face, and i couldn't either.

"can i kiss you?" - joe smiled

"of course." - you

joe leaned forward and pressed his lips onto mine, it felt like fireworks were going off around us as our lips connected.

after a few moments we pulled away completely breathless with our foreheads touching.

"god, i'm so happy you feel the same way. now you can understand why i was so pissed off when you went on a date with tee. it wasn't just because he was my teammate, i just couldn't stand seeing you with another guy that wasn't me." - joe

"it makes sense now. i'm really really glad things ended up working out though. i've been venting to my mom about you for the past 5 years." - you

"i vented to her too! i don't know how your mom was able to keep from telling you that i felt the same way." - joe

"she was hoping a moment just like this would happen, that's how. and you don't have to worry about other guys anymore, by the way." - you

"i know. all mine now." - joe leaned in and kissed you

"i love that you just did that. we just kissed and it was so casual. like i can kiss you whenever i want now." - you smiled

"you're so cute." - joe laughed

eventually joe laid flat on his back and i laid next to him, his hand on my back keeping me from falling off the couch.

"what time is it?" - you

joe picked his phone off of his chest and read the time out.

"almost one. 12:47." - joe

"i don't want you to leave." - you buried your face in his neck

"i don't want to leave either. can i just stay the night? i really don't feel like sleeping without you tonight." - joe

"sure, let's head up to my room." - you

joe and i made our way upstairs to my room, he was now laying in the middle of the bed in the room that he helped me set up.

i excused myself to go wash my face, and by the time i had gotten back joe was sprawled out on the bed looking super comfortable.

"someone looks comfy." - you laughed

"i'd be even more comfy with you next to me, c'mere." - joe patted the space next to him

i made quick work getting underneath the covers and getting comfortable.

"you really sleep in just sweatpants and a sweatshirt?" - you

"i just sleep in boxers, but i think it's a little early for that." - joe winked as he moved a hair out of your face

i giggled and returned to laying on my pillow instead of joes like i was moments before. i guess joe could sense my unsureness of what to do next because he smiled as he pulled me into his chest.

"you can lay on me." - joe kissed your head

my cheek was pressed against his left peck as my hand rested just bellow his right.

"your chest is so comfy." - you

joe laughed sweetly before kissing my forehead, as soon as he pulled away he pressed another kiss to it and another and another.

"you're gonna kiss your lips off, joe!" - you giggled

he finally moved away and moved onto his side, now he was leaning on top of me.

"that's the plan, honey." - joe smiled

the nickname had me blushing and giggling before i pressed another kiss to his lips.

"we've gotta make up for the 5 years of missed opportunities for kisses." - you

"i can arrange that." - joe moved down and kissed you again

after a few more kisses, joe laid back down and pulled me back to his chest. his arms were wrapped tightly around my waist and it felt so right.

"our parents are gonna flip when they find out about us." - you smiled

"our moms have been planning this since they found out i was a boy and you were a girl." - joe laughed

"i have a question." - you

"you're full of those tonight, huh?" - joe grinned

i laughed before continuing on.

"what happens now? about us?" - you

"well, i'm a little tired right now. so i was thinking tomorrow night i take you on our first official date. that is if you aren't busy and would like to go with me?" - joe

"of course i'll go with you. plus i'm never busy joe i literally live with my parents." - you

"hopefully that'll change eventually." - joe

"what do you mean?" - you grinned up at him

"if we start dating and have a serious relationship, i was hoping at some point you'd move in with me. i mean would you rather live with your parents or your super ultra-cool best friend/boyfriend." - joe

"i love the sound of that." - you blushed

"living with me?" - joe

"that… and also you calling yourself my boyfriend." - you

"who knows, i might be able to call myself that after tomorrow night." - joe shrugged and you hid your blush in his chest

"you're gonna be the absolute death of me, joseph lee." - you

joes laugh shook his chest, me included, as he rubbed up and down my arm. when he finished laughing he let out a loud yawn.

"you tired from your game? i haven't even congratulated you on your win yet, i'm sorry! i'm such a terrible almost girlfriend." - you

"you're a perfect almost girlfriend. plus there have been more important things on our hands tonight." - joe

"okay well, goodnight joey." - you kissed his cheek

"goodnight, y/n." - joe kissed your head and rubbed your back in attempts to lull you to sleep

it wasn't long before joes chest got into a rhythm of rising and falling and small snores escaped from him.

tonight i fell asleep on the chest of my favorite boy knowing he was just as in love with me as i was with him.

————————————————————————

authors note: some fluff to end the horrid sunday that this day has been. 😭

(some angst is def coming soon though 😉)

hope you enjoyed! ❤️

[otomehoneyybearr]

Act 12

Episode 4: Strange Father and Child Part II

Working w/ Maybelle Lace

Note: As you read, you will see that some sentences highlighted in a different color, this is what they indicate.

Pink: Flashback

Blue: Characters are acting

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Aoshi: Excuse me.

Aoshi: Mr. Azumi, could you review my special leave application form?

Azumi: … Looks good. It must be tough being a member of a renowned theater company like the Hyakka Troupe.

Azumi: I’ll come watch a show someday, so keep up the good work with your rehearsals.

Aoshi: (It was accepted so easily… I guess that’s to be expected from the town of theater.)

Aoshi: Then I’ll be heading out now.

Homeroom Teacher: Ah, Shikagawa. It seems your older brother is waiting in front of the school gates.

Aoshi: Huh? My brother—

Homeroom Teacher: Come Look.

Aoshi: (No way...)

….

Kabuto: …

….

Aoshi: Wha— why is that guy…

Homeroom Teacher: He has an unusually captivating aura, so the students are causing a commotion.

Azumi: Come to think of it, Usui’s brother, also came to the school gates and created quite a ruckus too.

Homeroom Teacher: Oh yeah, I remember that ~

.....

Aoshi: Hey, what are you doing?! And seriously, please spare me from the whole “older brother” thing.

Kabuto: What a nice attitude you have there. I’ve got a cab waiting, so get in already.

Aoshi: Huh?

Kabuto: …

Aoshi: So, what do you want?

Kabuto: …

Aoshi: (You force me to come along with you, yet you don’t want to answer.)

Aoshi: Also, I’m not exactly free either, so where are we going?

Kabuto: To a regular quarterly event.

Aoshi: Is it like a shareholder meeting or something?

Kabuto: It’s a much more depressing event than that, but compared to when it happened every month, its not so bad now.

Aoshi: I’m not sure what that means, but please don’t just drag me along to this kind of stuff.

Kabuto: It’ll be fine. Today will be good opportunity for me.

Aoshi: … Haa.

Aoshi: (I have a bad feeling about this, but it’s pointless to say anything. And it’s not like this is the first time this star actor had taken me to who knows where.)

Amadate: …

Kabuto: …

Aoshi: (… Why is this happening?)

Amadate: … I see we have an unexpected guest today.

Aoshi: Sorry for the intrusion… what’s today’s meeting for?

Amadate: Once every three months, Kabuto and I have meetings like this to deepen our parent-child relationship and discuss the future of the Hyakka Troupe.

Aoshi: In that case, I don’t wish to intrude on such an important meeting, so I’ll take my lea—

Kabuto: Sit down and shut up, third-rate actor.

Aoshi: …

…..

Kabuto: Its hard to attract more people when all we do is classics. We should expand our repertoire.

Amadate: I don’t think the current system we have in place is sturdy enough to spread out so much.

Kabuto: I want to reform the system to in order to create a stable structure.

Amadate: How so?

Aoshi: (Amadate seems calm, but he’s exuding intense pressure. Its impressive how Kabuto can hold his own against him head-on.)

Kabuto: I want to reduce the employment of the production staff that aren’t worth the cost and establish a core team with people that I trust.

Amadate: …Its true that you, alone, are the core of this theater troupe, as the director and star actor.

Amadate: However, I am still the founder of this troupe and I preside over all personnel decisions.

Kabuto: I’m well aware of that. This is just me begging a request from my dear Papa.

Amadate: … If it’s a request my beloved son, then I suppose I can hear you out.

Amadate: First, make a list of the personnel you want and we’ll make a decision once we go over it.

Kabuto: …Tch... fine.

Aoshi: (This seems more like a probing of each other’s intentions rather than a bonding between parent and child…)

Amadate: Well, I have an early day tomorrow so I’ll excuse myself first.

Amadate: Dessert will be served soon, so you two can eat and then head home.

Aoshi: Ah, alright.

Amadate: However, this is the first time my son has brought someone along. He seems to like you a lot.

Kabuto: He’s just a third-rate actor. Just perfect for a supporting role.

Amadate: Aoshi, please support my son as a semi top actor.

Amadate: Right.

Aoshi: (I was thinking that they were a strange pair, but that last comment seemed fatherly.)

Amadate: Kabuto… Your scheme was clever but keep in moderation.

Kabuto: …Whatever.

            *Amadate leaves*

Aoshi: --What do you think you’re doing?

Kabuto: Hm? It’s a coup d'état.

Aoshi: A coup d'état? That’s…

Kabuto: And… A pure love for theater.

Aoshi: Huh?

Kabuto: Nothin’.

Kabuto: By the way, weren’t you were scouted by the old man?

Aoshi: Yeah. I was approached by Amadate at a local hospital, and since I wanted to leave my parents’ place, I came with him.

Kabuto: So, your indebted to him.

Aoshi: Well…

Kabuto: Whose side are you on, mine or the old man’s?

Aoshi: What?

Kabuto: If we’re ever in a conflict in the future, whose side would you be on?

Aoshi: Its hard to say for sure, until that time comes.

Aoshi: While it’s true that I’m able to do theater in Veludo Way because Amadate scouted me, I don’t have any personal attachments to him.

Aoshi: I’m not working hard for the sake of paying back a favor. When the time comes, I’ll choose the option that’s most beneficial to me.

Kabuto: Heh, alright then. I’ll have you carry out a part of my plan.

Aoshi: I respectfully decline.

Amadate’s Subordinate: Will you be going straight home?

Amadate: No, head to the office.

Amadate: Also… Keep an eye on kabuto for a bit.

Amadate’s Subordinate: Yes sir. Aside from that, there’s something else you may want to know…

Amadate’s Subordinate: Reni Kamikizaka is colluding with Syu Otomiya and the other members of the first generation’s Mankai Company to look into you, Sir.

Amadate: … Well, isn’t that too bad, Kamikizaka?

Amadate’s subordinate: What would you like to do?

Amadate: Just let them swim free a little while longer.

Amadate’s subordinate: But they have some pretty troublesome members over there…

Amadate: When the time comes, I’ll do whatever it takes to crush them, even if I have to be a bit forceful.

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[zealotpara]

You've Got This (fan song) | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Brain Rot

I have issues. I spent two hours last night between the ungodly hours of 2-4 AM writing a reprise of I've Got This from Tangled the Series/Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.

Why did I do this instead of getting a good night’s rest? I wish I knew. I have this issue where my best ideas come to me when I’m trying to fall asleep and I will spend literally hours doing stuff like this until I basically pass out from exhaustion. This is not by choice. I am a prisoner of my own subconscious self.

I really like I’ve Got This, but I wish there was a reprise at some point in the series with a happier conclusion because that chorus brings me so much joy and has untapped potential.  So I came up with the idea of a version that plays when Raps has been queen for a while and has a good handle on her kingdom. And then it turned into this goofy plot about a bunch of fuzzy creatures overwhelming the kingdom and Raps struggling with trying to solve the issue without forcing the fuzzies to leave because she thinks they’re cute.I would love it if one day people who can sing in the voices of these characters could get together and bring my little song to life. If anyone is interested in doing so, please contact me at corpazealotpara@gmail.com. I'd like to explain to you exactly how I imagine the song sounding in my head. If I had the skill or health to record it myself, I would, but that's not something I can do right now with my disability. Also I'm a guy and even if I did become a master vocalist my voice could only go so far and wouldn't be able to sound anywhere close to the female characters. I don't know anything about song structure, but hopefully you can understand what parts of my song are supposed to sound similar to the original.​ Here's the original I've Got This song for reference as to how it generally would sound (my version is much longer)​

And here is the instrumental, in case anyone wants to maybe take this and edit it to hell to fit with my version.

And here is my Tangled brain rot on full display. You've Got This:

Rapunzel: Royal decision-making

Now I’m accustomed to it

I’ve got a town that needs me

And friends to help me do it

Bring it on I’m ready ‘cause I’ve got this

I’ve got this

No sweat

Nigel (he only speaks): O Queen Rapunzel

Once again, your most humble subjects Male Citizen #1:

These new creatures strolled in like they own the place overnight Raps: (hm) Male Citizen #2:

How can I catch any sleep with fuzzies in my eyes! Achoo! Male Citizen #3:

Last night I was eating when my bowl was full of frizzies! Female Citizen:

Please would you address our plight?

Raps: (Hold tight!)

Raps:

Pass this on to all, we’ll build new homes for frizz and fuzz

Ergo, we’ll need lots of food to calm their little buzz Citizens: (Check!)

Go on fetch them hither, bring me all these crazy critters

We’ll make homes for everyone

Done? Citizens: (Yeah!)

Yes! This sounds like fun

Eugene:

She’s really come a long way

I know that Cass would be proud

I just wish we had her help ‘cause

Their buzzing, gosh it’s so loud

I don’t know how but I guess I’ve got this

I’ve got this, let’s go

Rapunzel:

Is that the last fuzz?

Eugene:

Well, not exactly

Rapunzel! (Eugene and everyone being buried in fuzzies)

Male Citizen #1:

Things have gotten crazy, there’s just not enough room to spare Raps: (no where?) Male Citizen #3:

I’m still getting frizzies in my food and everywhere (really?) Pete:

The treasury’s been ransacked Stan:

Now they’re dressed in royal “this and that” Lance:

Everybody’s lost their hair Shorty:

I can’t find my shoes

(sad slow section) Raps:

Gotta say I’ve been knocked down a peg

I’m at a loss for answers

I just don’t see a better way

The fuzzies must go elsewheres

I know I’ve been through worse but it’s hopeless

There’s no chance they’ll stay (Half sing, half taking) Raps​:

That’s right, I have been through worse

This is the end? Who’s to say?

(Energy returns):

That’s right, I’m Queen Rapunzel

It’s not a fluke I’m here, man

My friends are all so awesome

Let’s see what they’ve got for plans

Everybody get up ‘cause I know you’ve got this 

We’ve got this, think hard 

Varian:

I discovered frizzies eat polite if you ask nice Raps: (okay!)

They can make us freezers ‘cause their breath is cold as ice Raps: (brr)

They’ll make lovely sweaters ‘cause don’t worry, they shed like feathers Raps: (cozy)

They’re an alchemist’s delight

Raps: (That’s the spirit, Varian!)

(Extra energetic) Raps: 

Everybody thinks we blew it, but I’m sayin’ hup! get to it

Don’t you know there’s more of you to give? You’ve got this 

We’ve got this. You’re smart

Xavier: They’re so great for cleaning they don’t moan or cry or whine Raps: (great!)

Mrs. Crowley: Their feet are so wonderful for stretching my old spine Raps: (crack!)

Kiera and Katalina: I love to play with frizzies they’re so cute and fun and silly Raps: (aww)

Lance wearing fuzzies as a blinking wig: Where have they been all my life? Raps: (right?)

Raps:

See, folks that’s what I’ve picked up

It’s a most important lesson

Just gotta keep your chin up

And you will find your blessin’

Change your outlook see the light and know you’ve got this

You’ve got this, my friends

​Male Citizen #2: Achoo!​