#finally in love again kazuki

[kirumiri]

on a date!!

[kayzowl]

you ever unexpectedly run into your old highschool crush and it causes a cascading catastrophic failure in your brain? yeah junta wouldn't know anything about that. no sir

merry @oofurixmas @ester-galls!!! i tried to do an homage to the absolutely gorgeous gift you made for me a couple years ago that i adore with my entire soul 💕 i hope your ides of march is good and stabby, and thank u for being so patient with your extremely belated gift :'D

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Now that Buddy Daddies is finished, I’m gonna say it: SPOILERS!

Buddy Daddies really is for the aces, aros, queerplatonic partners, and platonic life partners out there. 

I know, 100%  that there are going to be some people out there that are going to say, “See! It really was just queerbait all along” or some who are going to bemoan the fact that there were no declarations of romantic love or kiss or whatever. I’m sure this part right here:

Miri: “Didn’t you slip out yesterday to go drinking with a girl again?” 

Caused some frowns and I do get it. Because of this, the queerbait and Kazuki and Rei are just friends dialogue will continue and follow the series around. But, this episode has made it clear that Kazuki and Rei love not only Miri, but each other as well.

They are a work partners (相棒 - aibou)

They are partners raising a child together. (相方 - aikata).

They’ve moved (I’m pretty sure their diner is in Okinawa for reasons I’ll get to in another post), they’ve opened a business together, one which has a part of Kazuki’s last name in it (来栖 - Kurusu is his last name, the 栖 (su) part of his name means “nest.”), and Rei’s words to his father: Miri, Kazuki, and I share a bond stronger than blood. 

They are a family. They love each other.

Of course, friends can be a part of a family. Friends can love each other, but there are also reasons why people who are in situations like co-parenting, queerplatonic relationships, platonic life partnerships, and etc. don’t refer to their bonds as friendships and the people they are co-parenting or in a partnership with as their friends, but as words that give some space for those grey areas in-between.

Friendships are strong, deep, and beautiful. Platonic love is love and is powerful.

But, there are definitely still different sets of expectations and boundaries that come with friendships vs. other relationship dynamics. 

Kazuki and Rei’s situation falls outside of the usual friendship expectations and boundaries and sits somewhere between that, family and partnership.

I know this topic has been talked to death about. But, I felt like I needed to write about and address it one final time since Buddy Daddies has come to an end (though, who knows about a potential Daughter Daddies!) Especially after Miri’s line to Kazuki. (I feel I could also go into open relationship dynamics, polyamorous relationships, and etc. but that feels like it would be derailing). 

Basically, I just wanted to get one final post out on this. I was very pleased with this ending episode. It made my heart so happy and warm, and I know I’ve said it before, but this series really speaks to me as someone who is aroace. Aroace characters and our relationship dynamics have basically no rep, so even if this series wasn’t intended to be written with a queerplatonic relationship dynamic in mind, they ended up writing a beautiful depiction of one that makes me and what I would want from a relationship of some kind, finally feel seen.

[chosok-amo]

HI, BABY : GOJO SATORU , GETO SUGURU

your kid loves you so much, maybe more than he loves his fathers. just like your husbands, he can't get enough of you and just like how his fathers often calls you baby, your son takes after them and one day when you want to take a shower, he comes to you and calls you ‘hi baby!’

content warning: poly! satosugu, just nothing but fluff

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!!

the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the cozy household. It was a typical day, filled with the sounds of satoru and suguru bustling in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, and your three-year-old son, kazuki, running around with boundless energy.

the kitchen was filled with the comforting aroma of pancakes and freshly brewed coffee. satoru was at the stove, flipping pancakes with a flourish, while suguru was setting the table with an assortment of toppings — syrup, berries, and whipped cream. kazuki sat in his high chair, eagerly awaiting his breakfast, his eyes wide with anticipation.

you took a seat next to kazuki, ruffling his hair. “good morning, sweetheart. are you excited for pancakes?” kazuki nodded vigorously, his small hands clapping in excitement. “yes, mommy! pancakes!” satoru turned from the stove, a mischievous grin on his face. “who wants the first pancake, the baby or the baby?” he winked at you and then at kazuki.

kazuki giggled, pointing at himself. “me, baby!”

suguru chuckled as he poured juice into glasses. “looks like kazuki wins this round. but don't worry, love,” he said to you, “there's plenty more where that came from.” you smiled, leaning over to kiss Kazuki’s cheek. “well, I guess our little baby gets the first pancake.” satoru served the first golden pancake to kazuki, who squealed in delight. he then placed another on your plate, giving you a wink. “and here’s one for the most beautiful baby in the house.” suguru laughed, sitting down beside you. “Smooth, satoru. Very smooth.”

as kazuki started smearing syrup all over his pancake (and a bit on his face), you took a bite and sighed contentedly. “these are delicious, satoru. perfect as always.” you hold your husband's hand for a moment. satoru feigned a bow, still seated. “why, thank you. It’s all in the wrist action.” he demonstrated with an exaggerated pancake flip that had kazuki laughing and clapping his sticky hands.

suguru reached over, wiping syrup from Kazuki’s cheek with a napkin. “you know, it’s a good thing we’re a team. I’m not sure how one person could handle this much morning chaos.” you chuckled, nodding in agreement. “definitely. It’s a team effort every morning.” kazuki, with syrup still on his face and a piece of pancake in his hand, looked up at you, beaming. “mommy, baby!” you laughed, gently wiping his face.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

kazuki pointed to you, then to himself, and finally to satoru and suguru. “baby, baby, baby, baby!” suguru grinned. “you’ve got it right, Kazuki. We’re all each other’s babies.” satoru leaned in, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at you. “you know, I think kazuki’s onto something. we should all just call each other baby from now on.” you rolled your eyes playfully. “alright, baby. but only if you remember to make the pancakes every morning.” kazuki giggled, clearly enjoying the playful banter between his parents. “hi, baby!” he chimed in once more, causing all of you to burst into laughter.

after breakfast, you stood up, ruffling Kazuki’s hair once more. “alright, time for mommy to take a shower. I’ll see you all in a bit.” kazuki immediately perked up. “shower, baby?” you smiled, shaking your head. “not this time, sweetheart. let mommy have a quick shower, okay?”

kazuki pouted for a moment, but then satoru swooped in, distracting him with a playful tickle. “how about we build a fort while Mommy showers?”

kazuki’s eyes lit up again. “fort, baby!”

suguru stood up as he reached out his hand to touch your back lovingly , smiling at you. “go enjoy your shower. we’ve got this.” you nod your head as you kiss his cheeks before going to the bathroom.

as you left the kitchen, you could hear satoru and suguru already planning the grand fort construction with kazuki’s enthusiastic input. your heart swelled with love for your family, knowing that every moment with them, from breakfast banter to building forts, was a treasure.

kazuki had always been a mama's boy. his eyes lit up every time you entered the room, and he would cling to you, showering you with love and affection. while satoru and suguru were equally adored by their son, there was no denying that kazuki had a special place in his heart just for you.

you turn the water on and fill the bath up with water. you pour a bubble bath with a strawberry and cream scent. right before you take off your clothes a small knock sounded, followed by a tiny voice, “hi, baby!” a sliding door that connects your bathroom and bedroom slides open, showing your son smiling ear to ear standing there with a big grin on his face. his sparkling eyes were filled with love, and his tiny hands clutched his favorite stuffed animal.. you couldn't help but chuckle. It was endearing how kazuki had picked up on the term of endearment that satoru and suguru often used. “did you just call me baby?” you asked through the door, amusement evident in your voice.

“hi, baby!” kazuki repeated, his voice full of excitement and determination. “hi, baby," he said once more, giggling as he wiggled his way into the bathroom. before you could protest, kazuki had already started tugging at his clothes, eager to join you. his presence was like a ray of sunshine, and you couldn't resist the infectious joy he brought with him.

with a sigh of defeat mixed with affection, you allowed him to step into the shower with you. the warm water cascaded down, and Kazuki's laughter filled the room, echoing off the tiles. he reached up, tiny fingers trying to catch the water droplets, his giggles turning into a delightful symphony. your plan to relax disappears now, not that you're complaining anyway.

moments later, the bathroom door creaked open again, and satoru's head peeked in. “ey, I heard someone call for a shower party. mind if I join, baby?”

suguru's voice followed, “well if satoru's in, count me in too, baby.” you rolled your eyes but couldn't help smiling. “it seems like I can't get a moment alone, can I?” kazuki looked up at his fathers and then at you, his eyes gleaming with happiness. “i, baby!” he chimed in once more, making everyone burst into laughter.

and so, the shower turned into a family affair, with kazuki splashing around, satoru making exaggerated faces to elicit more giggles, and suguru playfully washing his son's hair. the small bathroom was filled with love, warmth, and laughter, a testament to the unbreakable bonds you all shared.

as chaotic as it was, these were the moments that made your family so special. the love between you, satoru, suguru, and Kazuki was a beautiful, living thing, nurtured in every “hi, baby” and every shared laugh. It was a reminder that even in the simplest of routines, there was magic and joy in being together.

[hubbydaddies]

Okay! So I rewatched the episode 11 PV again and I have a theory.

Based on the order of the scenes and how the other PVs are ordered, it pretty much goes through each scene chronologically. In other words, the final moment in the PV with Rei and Kazuki will happen after he gets shot. So, here’s what I think happens.

Rei is ordered to kill Kazuki. He’s forced to bring Ogino with him, like in his last mission.

When they reach Kazuki’s location, Ogino takes the shot but ends up missing and/or does so on purpose to ask for Kazuki’s final words, but when he’s about to take the killing shot, Rei puts his gun against Ogino’s head, which is why he looks so shocked in this frame.

This explains why Kazuki is so nonchalant in this frame because Rei has his back. Just like always because he’s his partner.

Which leads to the final scene. Ogino is going to die this episode but that officially makes them traitors of the organization. Kazuki probably doesn’t understand what happened or that Rei was given special orders to kill him.

It’s only when Rei spells it out that his boss directly demands he die that Kazuki fully understands what just happened and that Rei risked everything and went against everything to protect him. It will also jumpstart their mission to end the organization because there’s no going back now. Rei chose Kazuki- his family- over his family legacy.

Which leads me to the significance of the episode title, “Everyone Will Be Hypocrites.” Rei goes against his training because he has changed. Rei was taught to be emotionless from birth. He was treated and raised to be a killing machine, a tool, not a person. But now, because of Kazuki and because of Miri, he has found love and learned to love; he’s now going to fight for it. Thus, making him the biggest hypocrite of them all.

[7swordsmen]

on the other hand. i dont care about whatever they do with their relationship status going forward, bc they DIDNT SHY AWAY FROM SHOWING THEIR CLOSENESS.

wayyyy too many times have series gotten scared of people going "wait is this gay???" and forgo ANY shows of closeness bc of that fear. that, or they no homo it immediately afterward, which again makes it like.... doesnt feel as genuine, yknow? makes it feel like a joke. no homo should be the last thing on your mind at that point.

the bed scene? they went for it! i dont even care about anything else bc that WAS important to show rei finally joining the dynamic, him being comfortable enough to fall asleep immediately, kazuki waking up first again but not leaving like he has to do with his honeypot missions.... even with the possibility of gay allegations (regardless if those come true or not) they showed it in its 100%.

or the latest episode. the 3rd episode was all ABOUT rei accepting the papa title, so i honestly got kinda concerned bc. again. if pa works got too scared of the gay allegations, and listed rei as a family friend or uncle or something, that would completely destroy all the development we JUST saw him go through!!

BUT NO!!!!!! they 100% and fully delivered. theyre both miris papas, they have a good relationship and hang out all the time, and most importantly miri loves and is happy with them :'))) even if they do NOT do bad business. theyre partners now and whatever that means for them, we get to see their partnership development in its entirety ❤

[themattress]

The Evolution of Yu-Gi-Oh! Villainy

Thinking back on this post from @ultraericthered, It's interesting to note that Kazuki Takahashi developed in how he wrote villains as the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga progressed.

Let's look at how he initially wrote villains, shall we?

They're all the same type of one-dimensional, psychotic, horrible person. It gets old fast.

We then get a pair of two-parters with a slight step up.

Kaiba and Hirutani respectively are still one-dimensional, psychotic, horrible people, but they actually feel dangerous. Yami Yugi has been owning every other shmuck with relative ease; he honestly came off as more frightening than they did! Kaiba and Hirutani, meanwhile, show a more calculating and intelligent side to them that allows them to pose a genuine threat.

Then there's Takahashi's first attempt at a "Big Bad": Shadi.

And Takahashi himself has admitted that he sucked. He tried so hard to make him mysterious that he just ended up being confusing and bland, with no charisma or even an identifiable motive for antagonizing Yugi and his friends. Takahashi himself hadn't actually thought of any concrete plans for Shadi or the story's lore beyond vague details at this point, so much of how Shadi is presented here and the things he does end up feeling contradictory to how the narrative develops later. So after this failure, Takahashi went back to making one-note assholes before bringing back one of the best of them and elevating him to Big Bad status.

Now with the first name of Seto, Kaiba worked beautifully as a Big Bad since he had a clear motivation, established history with the protagonist, and we already knew he was a threat, with the new additions of just how rich and skilled at games he is plus a backstory explaining why he is the way he is cementing him as the series' best villain to date without question.

However, he was still lacking a key element: charisma.

"What?", you may be saying, "The Hell do you mean; Kaiba's super charismatic!"

Kaiba post-Mind Crush is super charismatic, yes. He's even charismatic in the 1998 Toei anime adaptation, where he has green hair and is more of a classy, scheming supervillain.

But originally?

He can pretend to be charismatic, particularly when he's playing for a crowd, but otherwise Kaiba is still the same charmless thug as before, and the actions he takes in this arc reach truly vile territory. Again, he's a wonderfully effective villain, but it's not because you love to hate him - you just hate him and want to see him brought down. You don't enjoy his villainy.

Once again, the arc is followed up by a few more one-off forgettable baddies, although at the end of that run we get Hirutani making a return appearance, now with a ratty sidekick named Nezumi who I feel like more could have been done with. And after that, he finally debuted.

Yami Bakura, while a step down from Kaiba in DEATH-T in terms of scale (feeling more akin to Kaiba in his debut two-parter instead), was when Takahashi finally managed to crack the charisma code. Yes, he's a psychotic asshole, but he carries himself with such conviction, schemes and plays games in such a meticulous way, and has such a sense of theatrical flamboyance and gallows humor that it's impossible not to be entertained by his twisted Dungeon Master antics. And unlike Shadi, he is mysterious the right way; you can tell there's a lot more to him that you don't know yet, but the arc foreshadows much of it impeccably, and as he goes on to be the main overarching antagonist of the whole series it's great to see him only become more dangerous until he successfully pays off all of his long-term planning.

And then...

Maximiilion J. Pegasus (Pegasus J. Crawford in the Japanese version) is the apotheosis of Takahashi learning to write villains. Like Shadi, he has crucial and mysterious ties to the overarching narrative, but like Yami Bakura it's done correctly. Like Kaiba, he's a large-scale corporate rich guy whom Yugi and his friends must fight through a dangerous game tournament to reach after he does something bad to Grandpa Moto, all while he monitors everything from his stronghold, and at the very end fully reveals a tragic backstory that explains but does not excuse him. Like Yami Bakura, he is insanely charismatic and you enjoy watching him even when he's doing the most dastardly things. And to take things a step further, he is directly connected to all of those prior Big Bads: he got his Millennium Eye from Shadi personally, he is colluding with Kaiba Corp which only became possible because Yami Yugi defeated and Mind Crushed Kaiba in DEATH-T, and he ends up killed by Yami Bakura!

I won't be talking about Mr. Clown, because ultimately he's just a decoy while Yami Bakura, under the guise of being an ally now, makes crucial progress in his big overarching evil plan.

Then we get the disappointment that is Marik Ishtar.

No, not that Marik Ishtar! He's actually great! A slight step down from Pegasus but a major step up from Mr. Clown, Marik is a different sort of villain: a distant, shadowy evil mastermind behind a criminal organization engaged in a conspiracy across Domino City. Marik is threatening, charismatic, and interesting: increasingly so as we learn his backstory, discover his blood ties to Ishizu, and see him enter a deliciously sinister alliance with Yami Bakura.

But then...

Not only does Yami Marik come out of nowhere, but his character can be summed up here:

Now, these kinds of crazy, evil-for-evil's-sake, "I wanna destroy everything" villains can be done well. But I'm sorry, I just don't think Takahashi knew how to do so. Yami Marik is boring. He's not remotely charming or engaging in his vile villainy, he is overpowered to an irritating degree, and he only serves to further complicate and elongate what was already a very complicated and elongated story arc. It feels like Takahashi was going to carry Marik all the way through but then gave him such a dark and sad backstory that he felt sorry for him and wanted to redeem him, but couldn't think of a viable way without inventing this even eviler alternate personality to serve as a scapegoat. So I am absolutely not a fan of Yami Marik....

...in the original manga.

Yes, for all that the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime adaptation screws up, it can sometimes fluke into improving on the source material, and Yami Marik is one of the biggest examples. Animation and voice-acting single-handedly change him from a boring villain to a wonderfully entertaining one; devouring the scenery and coming off more feral monster than serial killer.

Finally, we have Zorc Necrophades and Akhenaden.

Zorc is the standard Final Boss villain who has been built up to for a long time, and he serves that role very well. But Akhenaden is where the real interest lies. He's essentially Takahashi writing a Shakespearean tragic villain: a complex man both loathsome and pitiable, whose understandable desires and conflicting emotions lead him down a dark path that ends with him losing his humanity and becoming a hollow vessel for Zorc's soul, fueled only by hatred. Additionally, he has deep connections to all prior Big Bads and to Yami Yugi himself. He is worthy of Ultimate Villain status (which the Duel Monsters anime sadly took away from him).

My ranking of the manga's Big Bads: Shadi < Mr. Clown < Yami Marik < Marik < Kaiba < Zorc/Akhenaden < Bakura < Pegasus (would've been Kaiba < Marik if not for Yami Marik).

[wooahaeruby]

Chapter 16: Into The Thick Of It

Chapter Word Count: 5,469 (nice)

Anything in Bold Italics are Korean/Another language.

Master List | Prev | Next

“It’s late, Mimi,” you whined into the phone, pulling the blankets over your head, Jihoon giving a scoff beside you, tapping away on his ipad in bed. Pulling the phone away from your ear, you frowned. “It’s midnight here in the Philippines.” 

“ And it’s one in the afternoon here.” She huffed, “ Anyways, I need to know what you are doing after Christmas.” 

“ After Christmas? I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow. We fly to Singapore tomorrow.” 

“ Well ask Jihoon, he is there, isn’t he?” 

“Mimi-” You groaned, throwing the blankets back and looking at Jihoon. “ What are we doing after Christmas?” 

He dropped the ipad to his chest, patting around the blankets for his phone and opening his calendar. “ Indonesia on the 28th then the New Years event, then we would be home until we get work done for the comeback.” 

“So busy?” He only nodded. "We are busy until after new years.” 

“ So if we come for a week or two after new years, would that be an issue?”

“Yeah that shouldn’t be a- Wait- '' You pouted your lips in confusion. “Did you save that fast?” 

“ Well-” 

“Oh just tell her, they will tell ‘em anyways!” Papa’s voice was heard in the back. 

You heard Mimi hush him and a small sound of a hit with a quiet ‘ hey!” from Papa. “ Jamie and Kazuki, such lovely boys by the way, I’m so glad you met them. They were so sweet when I went over to your place to get everything finalized with the packing and said they’d lend your grandfather and I the last bit of money to help us fly out.” 

“Mimi- I could have done that, all you had to do was ask.” 

“ Don’t worry about it, sweetheart, it was only a few hundred bucks and we agreed to use their new frequent flier card to give them miles so they can come see you next.” 

“ Of course you all made a deal.” You laughed quietly. Jihoon reached over you, pulling the blankets back over the two of you, tossing his phone, watch, and ipad on the nightstand and curling up. “How about the second week of January?” 

“ Sounds perfect, I’ll book it tonight. And everything should be shipped out to your apartment within the week.” 

“Okay, I’ll make sure the staff know. Thank you, Mimi, I can’t wait to see you. Love you, tell Papa too.” 

Hanging up and tossing your phone aside, you attempted to get comfortable, back to the other. You tug on the blanket that Jihoon was attempting to hog for the fourth night in a row. 

“Come on.” You grumbled, looking over your shoulder only to see the back of his head and back. “Give it up.” 

“ Just move closer .” He shot back. Something playful was thrumming through the bond. 

“And you say I’m annoying.” Tugging the blanket again, he didn’t budge in the slightest. 

“ You won’t win this.”

Your shoulders sagged. Maybe you should start working out to try and win this battle of the blankets… He was a human heater…And you will use that to your advantage if he was going to take the majority of the comforter. 

In the dark and quiet of the hotel room, you scooted backwards until your back met his and the buzz under your skin began to lull you. 

There was a warmth at your back and a weight was around your middle. When you cracked your eyes open to look around, it was still dark outside, no light in the sky that peeked through the curtains. The blankets were snuggly wrapped around you which you appreciated, knowing Jihoon didn’t steal them, but when you shifted, your brain finally processed that it was an arm that was wrapped around your middle. You heard a short intake of air from behind you then Jihoon shifting as he tugged you closer to his chest. 

You were still tired, the warmth he was emitting and the rumbling soulbond was weighing your eyelids down. Being the little spoon was also comforting, bringing a feeling of protection, it was calming overall. In your drowsy state, you didn’t think it was that important, really it was bound to happen eventually. Step one was Jihoon sleeping next to you, step two was him cuddling up to you (then him vehemently denying it if you brought it in any capacity). The third step? You didn’t know what that even was at this point, but you will enjoy sapping body heat and the comfort any given day of the week from him. 

Sitting on the sidelines of the In the Soop filming was interesting to say the least. While the members were technically on ‘vacation’ with this mini getaway, there was a lot of stress they’d still be going home to. 

Almost exactly when you all would return to Seoul, Vernon would be recording and filming for his solo Black Eye. When having the after concert dinner in Singapore not too long ago, Vernon mentioned he had the melody down, all that was left with the lyrics which he wanted to work on while here. You had asked about his solo out of curiosity and got really excited when he said it was going to be more punk pop than rap heavy. When he saw your excitement, he did play a bit of the instrumental that was done, saying that you’d have to have patience to hear the rest of it (which made you pout like a child). 

“ They’ve been working out for almost an hour and two of them are striping.” Hyeji snorted, sitting in the house just off the main property, looking at the live camera feeds that the staff was monitoring. 

You had curled up on a mattress pad on the floor reading a book Wonwoo had lent you from his little collection. Since you were staff, you didn’t need to monitor anything or do much if you didn’t want to. “ And they’ve worked out for longer back at home. Who is in there?” 

“Jihoon-ah, Soonyoung-ah, Jisoo-ah, and Chanie. Soonyoung-ah took off his shirt and Chanie followed not long after.” 

“ Not even surprised.” Snorting out a laugh, you closed the book, using your finger as a bookmark. You focused on the hum of the shared bond, smiling and shaking your head. “ Jihoon feels happy. Stupid gym rat.” 

Hyeji and the man monitoring alongside her gave quiet chuckles. “ Happy they made the Soop team build them a larger gym than last year.” 

“You’ve given into the Seventeen Effect. They get what they want.” 

Turning back to the book, you continued to read, letting the murmurs and idle chatter of the staff blend into the background. This was the first time you’ve been properly away from Jihoon for longer than a couple hours. Since the morning when everyone left, he did text you here and there, but he fell asleep on the ride (he apologized), then your phone died once you arrived (you apologized), and now he was off with the guys. It felt weird, maybe you were a little antsy but you were going to make the best of the situation. 

While you were still tired from the constant travel and your depression was lingering, it was a literal breath of fresh air being back in South Korea and in the gorgeous landscape. For the days you’d be here, the head of production did say that no cameras were in this general area. If you wished to explore you could, just let them know in case you are seen on any cameras close to the Soop sight and they’d edit or blur you out as they did with staff. 

To your delight, the Soop team stocked the kitchens just as full as the kitchen Seventeen was using. When staff started to get hungry, you offered to help the crew members make the prepackaged meals and side dishes to pick at and share. Though you didn’t know much of the staff well, Hyeji was more than happy to help with introductions when the majority sat to eat.  

“ Oh oh! Chaeyoung’s soulmate was an intern at Hybe just before Covid! They had drawing soulmarks. They could draw on their skin and it would appear on the other. ” One of the older women on the sound team, Ji-yu, laughed. “ And now they are off on their late honeymoon, they got married not that long ago, right before the tour started.” 

“Wah, I almost forgot the wedding was back in June.” Hayoon, another woman from the social media and PR crew with Hyeji, looked blown away. “ I’m just over here married to this hunk.” She motioned to the man beside her, Dae-Seong, a man from the video team; tall, well built, kinda reminded you of when Wonwoo stood tall, sleeper build.

“ Ya, you begged me to marry you two months after our bond settled.” His low rumble of  a voice held no bite, but Hayoon leaned against him, smiling wide and kissing his cheek. 

“ Yeah, I did do that, didn’t I?” 

Conversation continued to ebb and flow between your small group at the table. Outside of the bubble of your companions, many others of the staff gathered and ate, some staying to enjoy the meal while others took a plate of food to return to whatever job position that they were in before. It was nice hearing voices that weren’t coworkers or members of Seventeen, not that any of them were annoying to listen to, it was just nice to hear voices outside of them.

“Ruby-ah,” Ji-yu called your nickname and your attention was drawn up to her, continuing to bring chopsticks full of food to your mouth.” Have you and Jihoon-ah talked about anything like that? Marriage? The future?” 

You choked on the rice you just shoved into your mouth. The harsh coughing you let out was helped by Hyeji handing you a water bottle and patting you on the back. From both the choking on food and embarrassment you waved them off, catching your breath. 

“ I- Listen- We have barely talked about the stuff we have going on now- Plus it’s only been two months- And with his career-” You rambled, stumbling over your words, face flushing brighter with each passing moment.

Hyeji snorted, trying to hold in the cackling you knew she was ready to let out. “ Ruby-ah, do you wanna know a secret?” 

Deflating in your seat, the pout that spread on your lips had Hayoon, Dae-Seong, and Ji-yu snickering. “ You are going to tell me anyway.” 

“A little bird in the travel team told me that Jihoon asked if both of you could just share a room during the Japan leg of the tour to,” She made air quotes, “ ‘lessen expenses’.” 

“I’m going for a walk-” Standing up quickly as the table erupted into laughter, you pull your (read: Jihoon’s) sweatshirt hood over your head and scurry out of the backdoor where you left your shoes. 

The cool evening air was welcoming against your heated face. Looking off into the distance, you could see the lights of the buildings from Seventeen’s accommodations, even a few people you couldn’t make out wandering around (but you did manage to spot Mingyu’s tall ass). 

You walked towards the edge of the river, letting the light in the distance and the gentle shine of the moon guide you. Listening to the sound of the water rolling over the rocks, the quiet swishing of wind, and the rustling of the crisp autumn leaves took your mind off the…previous and definitely should be a private conversation between you and Jihoon instead of being asked by practically strangers. Marriage wasn’t something out of the question, the conversation was too early to have. On top of that his mother still doesn’t like you and Jihoon hasn't met your family yet. 

“Ahhh, this is stupid.” Pushing the hood back and running your hands through your hair, you sighed.. “Snap out of it, idiot. It’s not that serious.” 

Finding a larger rock just off the water, you leaned yourself against it, sliding the hood back up and slipping your hands into your sweatshirt pockets, resting atop your phone. You drummed your fingers against your phone case, breathing in the refreshing air that was untainted by the industry surrounding the city. Though it was relatively dark outside, you could faintly see the colors of the autumn woods over the green mountains, loving the ever changing leaves until they all eventually fall to the ground when the time came. 

A shiver shot down your spine, the crunching of rocks and pebbles underfoot caught your attention but you didn’t need to turn to see who approached you. A hand was placed on your back, sliding up around your shoulder as he rounded the rock you leaned against. When Jihoon came into your peripheral view, you let yourself sink into his side, thunking your head against his shoulder. Letting your eyes slide closed, you reached around him and held his waist, scoffing softly as he was only in a t-shirt and joggers.

“ It’s cold out here.”  

“ Mmm, maybe if you wore warm clothes, you wouldn’t be cold.” 

“Can’t do that when you take all my sweatshirts.” 

Faking a dramatic gasp, you shrugged your shoulders up until your chin went into the collar of the very much stolen sweatshirt. “ You keep leaving them at my place or giving them to me so technically it is your fault.” 

Jihoon pinched your arm, making you whine and hit him on the chest. Jihoon mocked your whine before he spoke up. “Don’t turn this on me like you don’t complain that you are cold all the time.”

“Rude but I’ll accept my actions.” 

“ Why did you feel startled earlier?” 

“Oh- it was nothing,” You brushed it off, tightening your hold on his waist. “ I was having dinner with some of the staff I was making friends with and they brought up something and I choked on my food.” 

You knew he didn't believe you fully but he chose not to respond, instead of continuing, you took comfort in basking in the bond's warmth and the tranquil feeling Jihoon was embracing at that moment. The subtle rise and fall of his shoulder with each breath was familiar and just as you did previously on your phone, you drummed your fingers against the side of his waist you held. Feeling his cheek bump against the top of your head, Jihoon yawned, definitely trying to keep it quiet but failed horribly. 

Lifting your head and resting your chin on his shoulder, you could see him look down at you tiredly from the corner of his eyes. “ If you are tired, go back to everyone. You can stop by between things you got going on tomorrow. Enjoy the vacation.” 

Jihoon gave a gruff grunt, the tired pout he typically likes to sport evident on his face. “ I should…I sleep better with you though.” 

“Go, Jihoon-ah. I’m not going anywhere.” 

With much reluctance and a teeny bit of whining (which he denies he wasn’t whining), Jihoon finally placed a kiss to your forehead, muttering a goodnight against your skin. He kept you wrapped in his arms for a much longer hug than he probably intended and you didn’t want to let him go, but he was tired and needed sleep. Giving the final push, Jihoon kissed your forehead once more before he took the trek back to the main houses.

Watching him leave, you chuckled silently. For the first time in at least two weeks, you’d be sleeping on your own away from him. You got used to the bond being so close, to his rhythmic breathing that lulled you to sleep. It made you feel secure, knowing that both you and Jihoon were safe, comfortable, and able to sleep through the night. Hopefully you both could sleep through the night without an issue, him more than you if his small comments and the outwardly denying love for curling up in bed beside you, holding you to his chest. Maybe you’d be a little cold tonight, maybe you were glad you had stolen a sweatshirt that definitely smelled like his cologne.

You stood tall and stretched your limbs, yawning and grunting out in the pleasant feeling of tension leaving your body. With Jihoon gone, a cold shiver went down your spine and the chill of the night started to settle in your bones. Shuffling your feet over the rocks carefully, you made your way back to the staff house, slipping in through the backdoor that you left through earlier. Much of the house has settled down but Hyeji and Ji-yu were at the table, passing phones back and forth, laughing at something they saw occasionally. When they heard the door close, both turned to look at you and both of their expressions were soft and inviting.

“ Ruby-ah, come sit with us again.” Hyeji motioned over and you lazily shuffled over, sliding into the seat adjacent to the both of them. 

Ji-yu hummed, “ Sorry for the teasing earlier. Seemed a little too easy.” She gave a wink and you shrugged. 

“ I plan to just go with the flow with Jihoon. If the conversation comes up, it comes up. If it doesn’t, we can sit down together and talk about it when the time feels right.” 

“ Very mature of you,” She placed her phone face down, focusing all her attention on you. “ When we were told that Jihoon-ah had found his soulmate and you’d be joining us, many of the crew from Pledis were a little protective. Bringing other staff in is fine but a soulmate? We’ve been working with them for years, they are a part of our little family.” 

“ At least you guys were nice about it. Don’t even get me started on when I met his mother.” You dropped your head against the table, laughing at yourself. Hyeji snickered and covered it up with a slap of her hand to her mouth. Ji-yu raised a brow, not fully understanding and you took the time to explain exactly how that horrible lunch went. 

“ So you are a well accomplished person and she still thinks you aren’t worthy? Typical mother-in-laws.” Ji-yu rolled her eyes. “ My mother-in-law wanted me to be a housewife and have a bunch of kids. My soulmate and I didn’t plan on having kids and she did not like that one. She holds it against me and it’s been ten years.” 

Hyeji chimed in, “ I hope my soulmate’s parents are never like that because if they are, I’ll scream.” 

“And like I told Jihoon, she should be lucky I’m caring for his ass. He can barely cook and I’m finally getting him on a proper sleep schedule most days. Maybe I’ll teach him how to bake for fun.” 

“That’s what you get when he spent his teen years in a dorm with other teenage boys. We should be happy some of them can cook now.” 

“ Amen.” Ji-yu leaned back in her chair. “ Vernon-ah can barely follow directions in a package. He’d live off toast and beans if no one fed him.” 

“ Do you know how many times the maknae line has shown up at my apartment just wanting food?” You were exasperated, huffing and shaking your head in no particular direction. “ I started to have them buy the groceries because they eat out my fridge.” 

“What about Jihoon? He has a bottomless pit for a stomach.” 

“Don’t remind me.” Groaning, you rested your chin on your hand, “ I told him that he is also eating everything in my fridge. He just smugly handed me his black card and said food shopping was on him now.” 

“Already sounding like a married couple.” Hyeji added.

Ji-yu pouted, “You are making me feel old.” 

“I feel like I've aged ten years since I’ve settled here because of Seventeen.” 

“ Join the party, Ruby-ah.” 

It didn’t take long for the three of you to branch off for the night. You took the mattress pad from your haphazard spot on the floor and found a corner of the main room that was free to curl up in for the night. Pulling to the collar of the sweatshirt up to your chin, you tucked into the comforter provided, closing your eyes and letting your breathing slow. Soon you were twisting and turning to get comfortable. The mattress wasn’t uncomfortable…you simply got used to a certain body heat resting beside you until you passed out. Pouting, you turned flat on your back, staring up at the ceiling. 

Most of the crew had settled in for the night, the house was quiet. You didn’t know how long you were just lying there, staring. Hyeji was knocked out on the couch, you could hear her quiet breathing and the quiet snoring. Under your pillow, you felt your phone buzz, and fished it out. You hissed out in pain at the blinding brightness and quickly lowered it to protect some of your sight. 

With quick tapping to find the notification, you smiled to yourself at the text you received. 

[Jihoonie 11:49PM] I can’t sleep. [To Jihoonie 11:50 PM]  Yeah, me too.  [Jihoonie 11:50 PM] Come here. 

You scoffed quietly at that.

[To Jihoonie 11:51 PM] I’m not gonna walk all the way over there to sleep then trudge my ass back here in the morning, idiot. We can go a few days without sleeping next to each other.   [Jihoonie 11:51 PM] You suck. →_→ [To Jihoonie 11:52 PM] No u ←_← Goodnight, Jihoon-ah. [Jihoonie 11:52 PM] →_→ Fine.  Goodnight.  Not like I need my sleep or anything.  Totally don’t. 

Taking a deep breath, you pinched the bridge of your nose but still managed a silent laugh, shaking your shoulders. Part of you wished to post this on instagram to expose the childish behaviors of your soulmate as a joke. If only Carats knew all the silly, childish things Jihoon subjects you to on a daily basis. Just this morning before you were to head out to Hybe, he wanted to make a blanket fort with the couch cushions and watch a movie. An absolute dork.

[To Jihoonie 11:53 PM] ←_← I’m changing your name in my contacts.  You changed Jihoonie to Twerp #1  There we go.  [Jihoonie 11:54 PM] ￣へ￣  Jihoon changed Ruby to Rude

You could feel he was tired through the bond, you could also feel that he was happy. Shaking your head, you typed out one final message. 

[To Jihoonie 11:55 PM] Goodnight, Jihoonie. Sleep as well as you can.  [Jihoonie 11:55 PM] (￣o￣) . z Z Goodnight, Ruby-ah 

By the third day, you had finished the book Wonwoo gave you since it wasn’t a long read and moved onto one that Minghao suggested. It was another short read, this one on the importance of inner peace and it sounded like a nice thing to find with the depression you’re coming down from. You had curled up on a seat outside, dressed in another hoodie of Jihoon’s (You brought three) and a blanket that was in the closet you peeked in earlier. 

When you raised your head, hearing Soonyoung and Seokmin in the distance, you tried to hold in the laughter that followed. There they were, standing on a rock in the middle of the river, with one of the other members standing on the edge of the water. 

“ Just jump!” You heard Jeonghan and you instantly knew this was all his idea… 

Standing up and closing your book, you left it and your phone in the seat, walking over to stand just off camera to watch the chaos ensue. You nearly fell over cackling when the two jumped in and scrambled to get out. You did squat down and hugged your knees laughing, covering your mouth to keep quiet when the oar floated off and Soonyoung swam to shore. Jeonghan tossed a towel over Soonyoung, walking off further from shore to wait for Seokmin. 

“ Ya! Ruby-ah! I lost a bet!” Seokmin called from the canoe, noticing you off to the side. 

“ Ahh~ Ruby-ah, come here!” Jeonghan called out, waving you over when he and Soonyoung moved towards the camping tent. 

Jeonghan waved the cameraman off that was filming in the distance and once more motioned for you to come over. Catching your breath finally, you stood back up from crouching and hurried your way over. When Seokmin managed to get off the canoe and onto dry land, he sprinted over, ready to take a towel. On your trek over, you could see Soonyoung and Jeonghan talking to Seokmin who’s back was turned to you. As you got within a few feet of the trio, the three of them were looking at you with the most evil glint in their eyes. 

“What?” You questioned, tilting your head to the side before Seokmin and Soonyoung were charging at you with wide, mischievous grins spread on their faces. 

The panicking fight or flight response had you running as fast as you psychically could away from them. Sadly, you weren’t close to being fast enough from getting away from whatever their plan was. 

Seokmin halted your fleeing, wrapping his arms under your armpits while Soonyoung joined in grabbing your legs to pick you up. You yelled out in protest, trying to kick your feet and wrangle yourself away. These assholes were laughing and moving as quickly as they could towards the fucking river . 

“Don’t you dare!” You yelled, screamed , and they didn’t stop. “ Stop it! Assholes!” 

“We are going for a dip, Ruby-ah!” Soonyoung cackled . 

They were high knees running in the water at this point and when it was deep enough, you went under with them. They instantly released you once you hit the water and you thrashed for a few moments before you surfaced and your feet found the rocky river floor below. Panting for air, you stood with scrunched up shoulders and murder in your eyes. 

“ You have…two seconds to run…before I kill you…” You took a forced breath of air in. “One…” 

And they bolted. 

Soonyoung, while agile on land, couldn’t get away fast enough in the water. You tackled him into the water, placing him into a sloppy chokehold to not hurt him but ended up giving him a noogie when he was back above water. You tossed him aside and waded your way through the water towards Seokmin who was catching his breath, standing knee deep in water. 

“ Lee Seokmin!” You yelled out, grabbing Seokmin by the arm and pulling him back. He lost his footing and fell back with a gasp, cushioned by the water behind him (and you making sure he didn’t actually get hurt). 

He whined so you knew he was fine, and ignored any complaining from either of them as you exited the water. Jeonghan, probably the mastermind behind all of this, was waiting for you with a wide smile, his phone in hand recording, and a towel. 

“ Ruby-ah?!” Jihoon’s panicked voice sounded out of breath in the distance. You could feel the bond warming but it only added to the boiling anger that pulsed in your veins. 

“By the river! They’re fine, Jihoonie.” Jeonghan scoffed, yelling over his shoulder. “ Just wet and very very angry.” 

“ Do you want to join them in the water?” You asked, pulling the sweatshirt over your head and sighing at your shirt clinging to your body uncomfortably. 

Jihoon closed in on the two of you (four but dumb and dumber in your opinion were still in the water), panting to catch his breath and groaning in frustration. His clothes were disheveled, same with his hair, and he took the towel from Jeonghan, dropping it over your head and helping you dry your hair. 

“ You need to stop scaring the shit out of me.” He spoke flatly, sighing when a shiver ripped through you. 

Your teeth started to chatter together causing you to huddle closer to Jihoon. “ Blame those three. Seokminie and Soonyoung-ah chased me down and threw me in.” 

“ Sorry~” Jeonghan snickered, tossing towels over to Seokmin and Soonyoung as they started towards the main houses to change. 

“ Sorry, Ruby-ah~!” Seokmin said in a sing-song tone, but there was a shake in his voice from the cold. 

“ Let’s get you back to the staff house.” Jihoon wrapped you up in the towel, took the soaked sweatshirt and walked back with you. “ I’ll deal with them later.” 

“ ‘m sorry.” You managed to get out albeit shaky. “ Jeonghanie called me over after I saw Seok-Soon jump into the river. I thought it would just say hello but they had other plans.” 

“Never trust when Jeonghan-hyung and Seokminie are together.” 

Laughing now, you took Jihoon’s hand to warm your freezing ones.  He flinched at the feeling but didn’t pull back from the touch. “Noted. Seokminie is Jeonghan’s prodigy after all.”

When you walked to the backdoor, Hyeji was already standing there with a fresh towel and a sympathetic smile. “ They got you good.” 

“ Shut up.” You huffed, taking the new towel and shuffled inside to find your suitcase. 

“ Don’t just stand there, come on in, Jihoon-ah.” The door closed not long after that. “ Go take a shower, Ruby-ah, I’ll keep your soulmate company~” 

“Why am I friends with you?” You threw a glare over your shoulder, grabbing a fresh pair of clothes from your bag. 

“ Because you’d only have thirteen idiots as friends here in Korea.” 

“Hey-” Jihoon furrowed his brow, dropping himself on the couch. 

You did end up taking a short shower, happy for the hot water running over your skin and hair, quick to warm up the numbness in your limbs. You tossed on the third sweatshirt of Jihoon’s that you brought along and a pair of sweatpants before making your way back to the living room. Hyeji was sitting at the table on her phone and Jihoon…Well he was asleep again, only now on your mattress pad. It was kinda early for him, he did stay up all night with the guys from what one of the camera guys said this morning. 

“ It’s kind of funny,” Hyeji caught your attention, side-eyeing you as you shuffled over towards him. “ I’ve known Jihoon-ah for a while, he isn’t outwardly affectionate with words or physically, but when he talks about you, looks at you…He is definitely in love with you.”

You blinked once, twice. She just said the L word. You hadn’t even thought about that word because everything has been moving a million miles a minute.

“ Don’t think about it too hard. Maybe take a nap with him, both of you look like you need it.” She stood up and shoved her hands and phone into her back pockets. “ I’ll wake you up later if you sleep too long.” Hyeji walked out the front door of the house, humming to herself.

You graced her with a hum and scrambled out the door to grab your book and phone before returning to lie down beside Jihoon. Unlike the typical arrangement you’ve fallen into, you had the perfect opportunity to be the big spoon in this cuddle session. When you pulled the comforter back, Jihoon was curled up on his side, facing the wall and corner you picked last night. 

You slid in behind him and dropped the blanket over the both of you, slinging an arm gently over his waist to get comfortable. He stirred in his sleep but the slow sounds of breathing didn’t change. Pressing your front to his back, you rested your forehead against the back of his neck, snuggling up close. It didn’t take long for your own breathing to fully even out and fall into the same, slow rhythm that Jihoon had. 

With your eyes closed, you basked in the peace you’ve surrounded yourself in. Things were difficult, you’d worry about Jihoon, he’d worry about you, but being able to hold him (or be held) like this, all the worries went away. In moments like this, it was just you and Jihoon, two souls bound together by the strings of fate. You reminded yourself that if Jihoon was beside you, you could face anything together. It was soulmates against the world, and if you were being honest, you’d like to think you were kicking ass.

[greenchlorine]

On Kazuki’s feelings about Rei leaving him/going back to his father

I haven’t really seen many people talk about this after episode 11, and most of the discourse I have seen was “so they split up, just like that?” but we’ve been getting a lot of hints that Kazuki was mulling it over and was frustrated about it and decidedly not okay with it for months.

However, they had an arrangement not to ask/tell, so Kazuki didn’t want to pressure Rei by asking questions he knew he wouldn’t get the answers to. He was hoping Rei would tell him on his own, when he felt comfortable about it. 

That’s why whenever we see Kazuki thinking about this, both in episode 8 and in episode 11, he never directly challenges Rei about it, even if he’s not okay with the situation.

Episode 8:

Kazuki is sad/distraught thinking about whether Rei would leave him and Miri to go back to his father if their relationship improved. Later in the episode, he’s so frustrated about Rei not opening up, that he grumbles to himself how Rei has never told him anything that matters. He wants to be let in, but he won’t cross that boundary forcefully.

Episode 11:

So in the latest episode, when Rei tells him that he’ll go back to his father in the new year, Kazuki’s first reaction is surprise, followed by resignation.

Rei never tells him anything, so he’s not expecting more. Kazuki takes it as it is, and internalises it, even though he would love to say more and is evidently upset about this.

His line here: “Yeah... not like there’s much reason for us to stay together now.” is his way of reaching out to Rei without openly pressuring him. 

“Tell me that’s wrong, deny it, tell me there is still a reason for us to stay together.”

Later in the episode he opens up to Kyuu about it and we see even more evidence that he’s not actually ok with it at all. He tries to get Kyuu’s opinion on it, asking again whether that’s what Rei really wants, hoping, possibly, that Rei doesn’t want them to separate and go back to his ruthless, domineering father. 

Kyuu’s answer that that’s just how his family is does nothing to reassure him, instead it pisses him off. The translation here is: “rubs me the wrong way”, his Japanese line being, for further context: 

きにくわない (ki ni ku wa nai) - to be unable to stomach, sticking in one's throat

Which in my opinion leads to the later discussion about leaving Miri at an orphanage. Kazuki surely knows what that would do to her, being an orphan himself, lest we forget. But what else can he do when his partner told him that he’s going back to his father, and won’t open up to him? Essentially, Rei left him, just like everyone else in Kazuki’s life (whether intentionally or not, since we have no idea how he was orphaned).

Kazuki can’t fight them alone, he barely survived Ogino. The safest option at that point for Miri’s life and well-being would be to be as far from them as possible, given that the organisation would keep going after her. Kazuki isn’t even processing how he’s a target as well, or maybe thinks that he’ll just end up dead sooner or later because he’d made peace with the fact, thinking that this is just the life he deserves.

Thankfully, Rei does finally open up, and Kazuki finally sees his commitment. So I’m not actually surprised that Rei was the one to insist they take Miri into their care and commit to it. It couldn’t have been Kazuki, because he was the one who wanted it all along.

[imongmamabitch]

A Kid? (Kazuki Kurusu x gn!reader)

...notes: I have watched buddy daddies and I love kazukii, also its 12 am so if it doesn't make sense, that's why.

...contains: fluff, a hint of angst, brief mention of cheating, brief allusion to cheating (tho it never happens)

"WHERE IS HE?!" you thought to yourself as you kept waiting for your boyfriend to call you and tell you how their mission went. It's been over 2 hours since he last texted you, the text said that everything would go smoothly and that he would come over after.

Their missions always ended fast because of how well thought out their plans were, so you don't know what's keeping Kazuki right now. You huffed and set your phone on your night stand, you'll just have to deal with it and give Kazuki his gift in the morning.

Morning came and you checked your phone first thing, still no messages. You sighed and made up your mind to just go visit Rei's place since he'd be most likely there.

You take your keys and gift and walk over to Rei's place, since his flat was just a floor below you. When you get there, you knock on the door and wait for an answer. A minute passed and nobody answered, so you knocked again. Still no response.

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion, is Kazuki still asleep? Normally he'd be up by now making breakfast. You knocked yet again, "Kazuki? Are you there?" At that, the door finally opened, revealing a very annoyed Rei.

"Rei! Is Kazuki home?" you asked, fiddling with the ribbon you tied Kazuki's gift with. "He's here." Rei grumbled and opened the door wide for you to go inside. Thanking him, you quickly walk to the living room, setting the gift down on the coffee table. When you turned around you saw Kazuki holding a child.

You froze.

What the hell?

Kazuki looked at you confused at first before he finally realized what  you were looking at. "It- it's not what you think! Let me explain!" He waved his arm around nervously and put the child down, "Her name's Miri and we're trying to find a way to get her home."

"How did she get here?" you asked, there was no reason for you not to believe Kazuki. You trusted him with your life so you trust him enough not to have cheated on you during your relationship. He's always been a gentleman, telling you beforehand if a mission requires seduction so you wouldn't have to worry.

"I took the train!" Miri said with glee, like she was proud of herself and she most likely was. Kazuki sighs, "The things we know are that she lives far away and her mother's a singer." You think for a second, trying to remember any celebrity singer that had a child like Miri and you draw a blank.

"That doesn't really give much info." you said, "But you're going to find a way to get that information aren't you?" Kazuki scratches his head, "That's what we're doing next, we were just about to leave actually."

"We?"

"Me and Rei."

…

You crossed your arms, "You were just about to leave this child alone, in this apartment, unsupervised?" you could see Kazuki visibly start to sweat, "Rei wasn't going to stay with her so…" If looks could kill, the glare you'd sent his way would've had him dead by now.

"I'll look after her for you." you finally said after several minutes of tense silence. Kazuki sighed in relief, relieved to not be under your intense gaze any longer. He turns on the TV to a children's channel and kissed you on the cheek, "We'll be right back. Miri, be good, okay?"

Miri didn't bother to answer, eyes glued to the screen as she danced with the animated vegetables. You smile and gently push your boyfriend, "She'll be fine, dear, now go."

With that, Kazuki's off with Rei in tow, leaving you with a child, who doesn't seem to be losing energy anytime soon.

© do not repost, translate, heavily reference any of my works and please reblog

[ultfreakme]

I understand people’s frustrations about Yuzuko once again being the “dead wife” archetype who is pleasant and does nothing wrong. But I don’t think it was done because of misogyny or to fuel Kazuki’s man-pain by using Yuzuko as a plot device.

The series is 13 episodes long so they do have to rush everything. We know her solely through Kazuki’s memories of her, which he clearly doesn’t enjoy revisiting so we get only glimpses of who she is, shadowed fully by Kazuki’s pain. The fact that Kazuki doesn’t think of her beyond the pain is acknowledged in the story itself. We aren’t technically supposed to know her beyond the grief. But the sun shines, and he finally puts her picture up, allowing us to know stuff about her. It’s the start of Kazuki thinking about Yuzuko in things other than pain.

Also, okay Yuzuko didn’t get much but Karin absolutely did. Karin plays a major role here and we see how she has moved on, how she still sees Kazuki as family. We know that she’s sweet, kind, loves family, does fashion and we know her plans for the future. All in the 20 minute episode. Most other female characters in BD are pretty major players too. Misaki’s comment about how Kazuki talks big comes into play, she isn’t vilified and is actually proven right. We knows a lot about her in the brief time she appeared. Anna-sensei is also a frequent cast member, and okay we don’t know her background but she’s pretty important in Miri’s life as a teacher. I honestly expect Carol & Dorothy to never reappear but they do come back and yep they want Kazuki to spend all his money but they also seem to care about him as a person, with how they wished him happiness with his new ‘sweetheart’.

Considering the time limit and how other female characters have a lot of thought put into them, I don’t think Yuzuko existed just to make Kazuki’s angsty backstory. Tiger & Bunny also never elaborated on Tomoe(story about buddy superheroes, she’s one of the MC’s dead wife) until the manga and light novels.

People are right to point it out, it’s a genuine criticism but I don’t think it was done out of bad faith.  

[littleholmes]

I can’t stop thinking about Rei immediately telling his dad to keep Kazuki out of this because he knew this would likely happen and he doesn’t want Kazuki or Miri to be collateral in his dad’s twisted game of control.

I also can’t stop thinking about Rei getting that call in the foyer from Kazuki asking him when he’ll come home with Miri yelling in the background that she wants to talk to Papa Rei and for the whole call, for that moment in time, he was just a dad getting a call from his partner and his kid—he wasn’t an assassin, he wasn’t his dad’s puppet, he was Rei and he was hearing from his family…but the weight of his father’s threats and the obligation of being a Suwa assassin and taking over the business weighed so heavy on him and clouded the conversation and I just *screams*

I also can’t stop thinking about seeing Rei fighting his mentor and losing him after he fought defensively and tried to save him and the devastated look on his face…It was similar to the look he had when Miri was sick on the couch and he couldn’t do anything and he ran to Kyu-chan and he was powerless—but at least she was okay in the end. I just…I don’t want to see that look on his face again and I don’t want it to be because something happened to Kazuki or Miri.

And also that conversation he had with Kazuki where he finally let his emotions out and accepted how he feels about the trajectory of his life and how he wants to change and want something different than the family expectation, I can’t get over. He wants happiness and it’s okay to want that and I want that for him so much.

And Rei not remembering his own birthday (and that probably being the only time his birthday was properly celebrated), and him walking into a warm home with lights and laughter and comfort when his dad’s home is dark and cold and hostile and distant literally and metaphorically.

idk I’m rambling but I can’t get over so many things in this episode, and seeing Rei realize that he doesn’t want to live up to the family name anymore (especially after the whole car conversation with creepy family ghoul dude), and seeing Rei accept that Kazuki and his help, especially during his low moments, meant a lot to him and Miri does too, was so nice.

But also seeing Rei go from just letting life happen to him to clawing his way out of a dark place to wanting to have a found family that cares and remembers his birthday when he doesn’t, and actually hoping for a better future and wanting to take control of his life? I love it and idk I just can’t stop thinking about all of it

[deadboyswalking]

Buddy Daddies is both very funny at times and very sad at others.

Kazuki makes my heart ache, to be honest. He's so kind and so caring and it was so profoundly unfair that the wife and unborn child he adored so much were ripped away from him in seconds, his little family destroyed before it even had a chance to begin. And this was AFTER his own parents abandoned him so young that he barely remembers them.

Kazuki has so much love in his heart to share and it seemed like the universe was completely stacked against him as if to say, "Kazuki, you are a cursed human. You don't deserve to have a family or be happy."

And then he had Rei, someone to care about again. And then he had Miri and finally, all of that fierce affection inside him had somewhere to go as he built his new little family with the two of them. Kazuki probably never thought he'd get to have love in his life again after finding and losing it so devastatingly the first time around.

But, like spring flowers after a hard winter, love's blessings returned to him.

[ghostxrose]

𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑨𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 | 𝑩𝒂𝒌𝒖𝒈𝒐 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒖𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five (final)

Note ~ Hello, Lovelies! I hope that you all have been enjoying the series so far! I cannot express enough just how much I appreciate every like, comment and re-blog, so thank you all so much! This part will be shorter than the last two with only about 3.3k words, but I hope that you enjoy it all the same! <3

Tags/Warnings ~ Fem!Reader, Reincarnation, Soulmates, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Fluff, Emotional, Temporary Character Deaths, Depictions of Injuries, Potentially Triggering Content, No Use of Y/N, Hurts So Good (let me know if I should tag anything else <3)

You weren’t sure how long you had spent in limbo waiting for Katsuki.

It could have been seconds.

It could have been years.

You prayed it had been years for Kazuki’s sake. That sweet little boy deserved to have at least one parent to guide him through life.

You had also prayed that Katsuki had lived the rest of that life as well as he could have even if you weren’t by his side.

Even though your time in limbo was indeterminate, you spent it wondering when you and Katsuki would get a full lifetime together...

Because once you got one whole lifetime together, from meeting until death by old age, it was guaranteed that every single life afterward would be like that.

You were tired of one or both of you dying young, never able to finish out the lifetime together.

In the eyes of the Goddess of Fate, you were both still young souls, but the pain of losing one’s Eternal Love in horrible ways over and over again can make it feel as though one is much older than they are.

...

...

...

For 500 years, you had lived on an Earth where humans did not exist. Large creatures with massive wings, scales covering their bodies, breath made of fire, and the ability to communicate telepathically were at the top of the food chain during this reality. And you were born as one of those magnificent creatures.

The scales that covered your body were a deep midnight purple and had an iridescent shine in the sunlight, and the scales of your underbelly were a dark blue. The horns protruding from your head along with the claws on your hands and feet were pitch black. The massive wings on your back were iridescent black along the ridges of bones while the webbing was the same dark blue of your underbelly scales. The fire you could breathe from your sharp-tooth-filled mouth was violet in color and molten hot. Your eyes were violet with cracks of piercing blue, the same as they had always been.

Just like your previous lives, your mother showed you endless love while your father ignored your existence. The family, or more appropriately called flight, of dragons you were born into was fairly large and decently powerful. Not long after you hatched you were thrilled to discover that you had some familiar souls surrounding you. Souls such as; Izuku, Ochaco, Shoto, Momo, Tsu, Iida, Itsuka, and Tetsutetsu.

It puzzled you that they remembered you from their previous lives. That was one of a few firsts in that new life you were living. Another first had been entering that new life with more than just your parents, Katsuki, and Katsuki’s parents as familiar souls you could recognize. You guessed that the group of souls you met in your previous life that now surround you were either new souls cast down to Earth by the Goddess of Fate or you all were simply too spread out to run into any of them in any of your other lives. Either way, it made you realize just how much you seemed to learn about reincarnation with each new life you lived.

In that life of giant scaly beings, though, you decided to let Katsuki come to you. It had been a few lives since he was the one to find you so you wanted to see how long it would take your Love to set out on a journey to reunite with you. You could spare the patience and quite frankly you thought that it could be entertaining. You wondered if he would travel by himself or if he would bring others with him. You hoped he would finally reconnect with the red-haired friend he had during your Mermaid lifetime. Katsuki had seemed to really like that soul and you missed the cheerful energy the redhead always carried.

So you spent 500 years learning the ways of your flight, roughhousing with your friends, doing the tasks assigned to you by the elder dragons, and maturing. Dragons were known to live for a long time, the end of their lifespan reaching anywhere from 1,500 years to 2,000 years. Once a dragon had reached the age of about 500 years old they were considered mature adult dragons. At that age, they could leave their flight and go off on their own, join another flight, or stay within their birth-flight. They could do whatever they wanted to, even find a mate.

That world of dragons was much more peaceful than one would think. Dragons from all across the world had gotten along, so wars were simply not a thing. Sure, there were small fights occasionally either within flights or between two different flights. But that was just what would happen when one dragon touched another dragon’s treasures.

Peaceful. That’s what it had been like when you woke up to the routine sound of the flight elders’ roarings and wake-up calls echoing through the air. Early morning rays of dawn were slipping into the mouth of your cave when you opened your eyes. You let out a long huff as you stretched your sleepy body then stood up and made your way out of your cave. You sluggishly made your way to your flight’s field of sunbathing rocks. You found yours then laid yourself out on top of it, ready to soak in the warmth of the rising sun. Ochaco, Izuku, and Momo along with your other friends joined you and lounged out on their own rocks not long after you had arrived.

It was your flight’s morning ritual; the elders would go around to wake everyone, and then you all prepared for the day by letting your cold-blooded bodies heat up in the rising sun together. It was like a community bonding type thing done before everyone headed off to do their tasks. It was common for most to chat idly as you all splayed out on your rocks and gained energy from the sun’s golden rays.

Like most mornings, you chatted with Izuku, Momo, Tetsutetsu, and Shoto about where you would be hunting that day. That was the main task the five of you were assigned to do by the elders. Every morning, midday, and evening you and the other four members of your group would go out and bring back loads of meat for the whole flight.

As your bodies woke up and became more energized and warm, your little friend group got more rambunctious like usual. Playful swipes at each other, teasing words, and small puffs of smoke or fire had ensued like you were all still young whelplings. You and Tetsutetsu were probably the worst out of the bunch; constantly throwing teasing remarks back and forth, play-fighting every chance you got, and spitting harmless flames at each other. It was safe to say that you and Tetsutetsu were best friends in that lifetime.

As soon as the communal sunbathing was over and everyone was warmed up and energized, you and the other hunters set off to gather breakfast. The five of you flew down to a valley that you hadn’t hunted in lately and split up to hunt on your own for a while. When the five of you met back up, each of you carrying a few dead creatures, Izuku took inventory of everything everyone had caught. He deemed it just shy of being enough for the whole flight and suggested that you all try to gather more during the flight back.

Your group had been successful in grabbing more creatures on your way back to the flight and were praised gratefully by the elders. The five of you plus a couple of the elders distributed the food amongst eagerly waiting flight members before settling down and eating for yourselves.

The rest of the day continued on as normal as any other day of your life. You sunbathed a bit more with Ochaco, Momo, and Tsu. You went searching for treasures to add to your hoard with Izuku and Shoto. You had a strength competition with Tetsutetsu that you most definitely won (read as; lost) and had proven to the stubborn silver-scaled dragon once again that you can(t) beat him. You did your tasks and even went to the hot springs with your mother. That night as you curled up in the darkness of your cave preparing for slumber, you let the feeling of near-contentment settle over you even though you knew you wouldn’t breach full-contentment without Katsuki there.

You awoke later that night, moonbeams spilling into your cave from the full moon hanging at its highest point in the sky. The sounds of another dragon shuffling around your cave sent you into attack mode. If there was one thing about your flight it was that everybody respected everybody else's space, nobody just wandered in and out of others’ caves. So with that knowledge at the forefront of your mind, you launched yourself at the strange dragon rifling through your small bit of territory.

The both of you tumbled out of your cave and you pinned the stranger to the ground as warning growls rumbled loudly through your chest. You built up an inferno within your chest and was ready to release it when the invader spoke.

“Wait! Please, wait! I know that wasn’t very kind of me to do, just walking into your cave without permission, but I mean you no harm!” The dragon beneath you pleaded.

You glared down at him for a few moments as you took in his words then got off of the strange invader. Once he was upright again you took in his features the best you could in the light of the moon. 

His body was all red, the scales of his underbelly a darker shade of red than the rest of him. His horns were the same shade of red as his body and his claws seemed to be gray in color. His eyes were red as well, similar to Katsuki’s, but a different shade. Before you could ask the invader anything about who he was or why he was there, angered roars and telepathic shouts echoed through the canyon and within your mind.

Different colored flames could be seen lighting up the night from a few different caves and you began to panic slightly. The red dragon you had tackled took off towards Izuku’s cave where bright green and bright orange flames had been spilling from. You wanted to make sure that your friend was okay so you took off, following after the red dragon.

When you got to the ledge of Izuku’s cave the green and black dragon himself and another dragon tumbled out. The other dragon that Izuku seemed to be fighting was covered in black scales, its underbelly a bright shade of orange.

You and the red dragon dove towards your respective friends and pulled the two fighting dragons apart. You stood protectively in front of Izuku, glaring at the two invaders when your eyes met the ones of the dragon that the red dragon had been holding back.

“Katsuki..?” You asked telepathically in disbelief.

Immediately, the crimson-eyed black and orange dragon stopped struggling against his friend and looked at you.

“Fucking finally! Yes, it’s me, Violet!” Katsuki telepathically yelled in relief.

Before you could say anything else to him, other members of your flight were exiting their caves. Most were curious about what all the commotion was about and a few were hauling other invaders out of their caves while demanding to know what was going on. You let out an annoyed huff while looking back at Katsuki, wondering if he knew or cared about the drama he caused.

“Don’t huff at me, damn it! I was just trying to find you!” Katsuki agitatedly shouted at you telepathically, giving you your answer.

After a long discussion with the elders, you convinced them that the foreign dragons were not here to harm anybody and did not pose a threat to the flight. The elders even graciously granted the outsiders permission to use a few of the empty caves to rest in so long as they didn’t cause any more ruckus. You, the outsiders, and even Katsuki thanked the elders then you led the outsiders to the caves they could stay in for the rest of the night.

You wanted to be petty over the headache Katsuki caused you that night and not let him sleep in your cave with you but one look and you gave into his silent pleas. You and he made sure his friends were settled before you led him back to your cave. Once inside, you both wordlessly curled up next to each other and fell into the best slumber you ever had during that lifetime.

The next morning when you awoke to the elders' calls you decided that you didn’t want to join the rest of the flight for morning sunbathing. You simply didn’t want to deal with all of the questions that your friends would have. So, you and Katsuki moved to the ledge that extended from the mouth of your cave and laid out next to each other as you awaited the warm rays of the sun.

“So, who are the members of your little band of troublemakers, my Love?” You teasingly asked Katsuki. He huffed annoyedly as he shifted his body to lay his head on your shoulder.

“The red one is Eijiro, you might remember him from your mer life. He was the redhead that always came around to bug me, that hasn’t changed apparently.” Katsuki said in feigned annoyance and you hit him lightly with your tail.

“The yellow and black one is Denki, he’s kinda dumb but entertaining. The all-black one is Hanta, he said he knew you from our previous life. And the pink and yellow one is Mina, she’s just as annoying as Eijiro. They all insisted on traveling with me and I couldn’t manage to get them off my tail at any point along the way.” Kastuki finished explaining and you huffed a laugh.

“You said Hanta remembers me? It's probably because he was one of the cooks, and also one of my friends from my life in the castle, last lifetime. Do any of the others remember their previous lives at all? My group of friends here all seem to remember me from our last life along with some having memories of their other past lives.” You told him as you both moved to sprawl out and let the sun hit your bodies fully.

“Well, Eijiro remembers you and me from the life you were a Mer. Denki and his Eternal Love are possibly new souls because they don’t seem to have memories of previous lives. And Mina is actually Eijiro’s Eternal Love, we just never got to meet her during the lifetime you were a mer. But she has memories of her previous lives. I’d say, out of both of our groups, you and I may be the oldest souls.” Katsuki told you and you hummed in agreement.

You shifted your body so that you were tucked into Katsuki’s side and he wrapped a wing around you, “Tell me, Kats..” You started.

“What, my Violet?” His gruff voice asked gently within your mind.

“Did you and Kazuki live a good life?” You asked forlornly as a cold sadness that not even the warm sunshine could thaw settled over you.

“We did, my Love. It was fucking painful at times without you there but I made sure our kid knew he was loved by not only me but you as well. He was so strong just like you told me he’d be and.. and he was just like you in so many ways. He had my god-awful attitude sometimes but most of the time he was just like you.” Katsuki told you, a sadly nostalgic and awe-filled tone in his voice.

Your heart ached at Katsuki’s words and you wished so very desperately that you could have lived that lifetime with them.

“Did you-” You began to ask but Katsuki cut you off knowing what the question was.

“Yes, Violet. Kazuki had his pops around until he was about 23 then I got sick. It was a bad illness that was rolling through the other kingdoms until it finally hit ours. Damn me for saying this, but my body was too weak to fight it off and once I got it, my body just quit on me. But I left that lifetime not worrying about our son because I knew that he was strong like his pops and brave like his mother.” Katsuki said in a slightly somber tone, his voice thick like he could cry if that was something dragons were capable of.

“Kats..” Your voice cried even if your eyes could not and Katsuki curled around you tighter.

“It’s okay, my Violet. We will see our son again. We will have our peaceful forever together as a family. I’m not sure when but I know that we will.” Katsuki soothingly murmured to you as his head nuzzled against yours.

You hadn’t realized at the time that your Love’s words would ring true during that lifetime.

Shortly after Katsuki had found you in that lifetime you, your Love, and both of your groups of friends had set off to start your own flight. Your flight had found a spot of free territory and settled there. You and Katsuki had each other, and your friends had their mates.

The years went on and on, full of both happy times and tragic ones. You and Katsuki welcomed the arrival of Kazuki in that lifetime with overwhelming amounts of joy in your hearts. You had rejoiced the day that the little dragon had hatched out of his egg. He had your midnight purple scales covering most of his body except for the burnt orange of his underbelly scales. He had his father’s crimson-colored eyes and a lot of your personality. He was just as Katsuki had described him being many years before when he had found you in that lifetime.

The bad times were rough on everybody. You and Katsuki had to watch your friends lose their Eternal Loves in sad or horrible ways. You both knew what that gut-wrenching pain felt like but you also knew that there was no way to help your friends. Just like both of yours, your friends’ lives rested in the hands of the Goddess of Fate.

You and Katsuki lived that lifetime with a healthy dose of fear that you could be ripped from each other’s arms within a moment's notice but something miraculous happened...

Curled up into each other, neither of your old bodies willing to move anymore and your breaths shallow and labored, you and Katsuki looked at each other and knew.

You both had finally made it.

You looked into Katsuki’s eyes, the sun setting behind where you both were lying in that grassy field, and you felt so many emotions at once.

“We made it, Kats.” You told him, your voice soft and quiet.

“We did, my Violet. We made it to our peaceful forever together.” Katsuki rasped.

“I love you, Kats. Don’t forget to look for me.” You whispered as your eyes closed peacefully.

“I’ll never forget, my Violet. I love you.” Katsuki whispered back, joining you in closing his eyes and giving in to the familiar pull of death.

Though this time, for the first time, you both peacefully welcomed death knowing that when you find each other again in your next life and the one after that and the one after that.. That you will have the whole lifetime together.

Author's Note ~ Just one more part after this one, Lovelies! I feel like I rushed with putting this out for you all, but with all of the feedback and love that has come from you all so far I couldn't keep myself from posting! I'm also a very impatient person, haha. Let me know your thoughts on the series so far and/or if you want to be added to the tag list! Much love and appreciation, My Lovelies!! <3

Tag List ~ @damnirina @queenpiranhadon

Divider Credit ~ @archonfurina

[zapreportsblog]

A Mother's Search

➥ summary : Miri’s mother finally finds her

➥ Buddy Daddies x Reader, Kazuki x Reader x Miri x Rei

The gentle rays of the sun bathed the city park in a warm glow, casting a peaceful ambiance over the gathering of families and friends. Among them, a young woman named (Y/N) sat on a bench, her eyes scanning the playing children with a bittersweet longing. (Y/N) had been through a heart-wrenching journey, one that began the day her daughter, Miri, was taken away from her.

Miri's disappearance had left a void in (Y/N)'s life, an ache that never truly faded. For years, she had tirelessly searched, following every lead, desperate to find her missing child. Her life had become a ceaseless quest, guided by the singular hope of reuniting with her beloved daughter.

One summer afternoon, as the park buzzed with life, (Y/N)'s gaze froze upon a sight that sent a shock through her heart. There, among a group of kids, was a girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to the photograph (Y/N) had cherished for years. Trembling with a mix of anticipation and fear, she observed the girl, her heart pounding in her chest.

The girl laughed, her eyes sparkling with delight as she played with a boy and another girl, the three of them seemingly lost in their joyful activities. It was a scene that should have filled (Y/N) with happiness, but instead, tears welled up in her eyes. This was the moment she had dreamt of for years—the moment she would finally see her daughter again.

Summoning all her courage, (Y/N) stood up, her legs feeling like jelly as she approached the trio. Her steps were hesitant, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she struggled to maintain her composure. As she got closer, her heart raced, and her eyes locked onto the girl's face.

And then, in a surge of emotions, she couldn't contain herself any longer. With a strangled cry, (Y/N) rushed forward and enveloped the girl in a tight embrace. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her arms held onto the precious figure before her. "Miri... My sweet Miri..."

The girl stiffened in her embrace, clearly startled by the sudden affection from a stranger. But before (Y/N) could fully process the moment, a voice laced with authority and concern cut through the air. "Who are you? What are you doing with Miri-chan?" The voice belonged to a tall, protective-looking young man, who had immediately stepped in to shield the girl from (Y/N)'s grip.

Miri, now struggling to break free from (Y/N)'s hug, cast a bewildered glance between the two figures. Her eyes held a mix of confusion and curiosity, unsure of what was happening.

In the midst of this tension, (Y/N) finally managed to choke out, her voice quivering, "I'm her mother... I've been searching for her for so long." Her voice trembled with a mixture of emotions—relief, desperation, and a deep, enduring love.

The young man's stern expression faltered, replaced by a mixture of surprise and disbelief. Miri's gaze flickered from her mother to the stranger beside her, her own expression shifting from confusion to something resembling understanding. As if a floodgate had been opened, memories and emotions began to resurface within her.

In that fragile moment, (Y/N)'s tears fell freely as she stared into Miri's eyes, searching for the spark of recognition, the connection that had never truly faded despite years of separation. And as their gazes locked, a glimmer of recognition shone in Miri's eyes—a connection that transcended time and distance.

Kazuki's protective stance softened as he exchanged glances with Rei. The depth of the situation was becoming clear, and they both realized that their assumptions might have been premature. "I'm Kazuki," he finally said, his voice gentler now, his eyes locked onto (Y/N)'s. "This is Rei. Come with us."

(Y/N) nodded, her heart still racing, but a glimmer of hope now mingling with the fear. She released Miri from the hug, allowing the girl to step back. Kazuki gestured for (Y/N) to follow them, leading the way as they left the bustling park and made their way towards an apartment complex nearby.

As they entered Kazuki and Rei's cozy apartment, (Y/N) felt a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. This was a moment she had dreamed of, a chance to finally explain herself and hear about the life her daughter had led during their separation. She took a deep breath, steadying herself for the emotional journey ahead.

Sitting down in the living room, (Y/N) shared her story with Kazuki and Rei. She recounted the day Miri had been taken from her, the years of relentless searching, and the way she had stumbled upon the familiar face of her daughter at the park. Her voice trembled with emotion, but her determination to convey the truth was unwavering.

Kazuki and Rei listened in rapt attention, their expressions shifting from skepticism to empathy as the tale unfolded. They could sense the pain and longing in (Y/N)'s words, and it was becoming evident that there was a deeper connection that they needed to understand.

After (Y/N) finished her account, there was a moment of heavy silence in the room. Miri sat nearby, her eyes wide as she absorbed the magnitude of what she had just heard. Rei finally broke the silence, her voice gentle yet probing. "Miri, do you remember anything?"

Miri looked down, her brows furrowing in deep thought. Memories, like fragments of dreams, began to surface—fleeting images, feelings, and flashes of familiarity. She glanced at her mother, then back at Rei, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I remember snippets. A woman's voice, a warm embrace..."

(Y/N)'s heart skipped a beat, tears pooling in her eyes once more. She leaned forward, reaching out to gently touch Miri's hand. "Sweetheart, that was me. I've been looking for you all these years."

Miri's gaze met her mother's, a mixture of wonder and disbelief in her eyes. Emotions warred within her—confusion, the pull of forgotten memories, and a growing connection that she couldn't ignore.

Kazuki cleared his throat, his voice filled with a newfound understanding. "We'll need to figure this out, but it seems like there's more to this story than we initially thought. We want what's best for Miri-chan."

Rei nodded in agreement, his expression softening. "Let's take things one step at a time. Miri, if you're comfortable, we'll help you navigate this."

Miri looked between her newfound family and the mother who had suddenly reappeared in her life. It was a moment of reckoning, a crossroads where past and present converged. As her heart raced, she nodded slowly, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions that were both familiar and new.

Miri's gaze shifted between her mother and the two individuals who seemed to be intertwined in her life in ways she couldn't comprehend. Her heart raced with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. "Okay," she finally said in a small voice, nodding at Kazuki and Rei.

With a gentle smile, (Y/N) watched as Miri darted off towards her room, her excitement palpable. It was a bittersweet moment for her—years of waiting and hoping had led to this point, but she understood that there were still uncertainties to navigate.

As Miri disappeared into her room, Rei turned his attention back to (Y/N), her expression thoughtful. "I hope you understand that we need some form of documentation to ensure that Miri is really your daughter. It's not that we don't believe you, but we need to be certain."

(Y/N) nodded, her eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and understanding. "Of course, I completely understand. I have some documents at home that can prove my relationship to Miri. I'll bring them over later tonight."

Kazuki added, "We're just trying to be cautious. Miri's safety is our top priority."

With a grateful smile, (Y/N) replied, "I appreciate that. I'll do whatever it takes to show you that I am her mother."

As much as it pained her to leave, (Y/N) eventually bid Kazuki and Rei farewell, promising to return later with the necessary documents. Her heart raced with anticipation as she walked away from the apartment, her mind consumed by thoughts of the reunion that might finally be within reach.

Later that evening, as the city's lights began to twinkle against the darkening sky, (Y/N) returned to the apartment with a folder in hand. Her palms were sweaty, and her heart raced with a mixture of hope and anxiety. She knocked on the door, and Rei answered, his expression guarded yet curious.

(Y/N) offered the folder to Rei, her voice steady but her eyes reflecting the years of longing. "These are the documents you asked for. Birth certificates, medical records, and anything else that could help you believe that I am Miri's mother."

Rei accepted the folder, his eyes never leaving (Y/N)'s. "Thank you. Please understand that we just want the best for Miri."

"I do understand," (Y/N) replied, her voice tinged with emotion. "I've been searching for her for so long, and I want her to have the best life possible."

Rei nodded and retreated to another room with the folder. (Y/N) could feel the tension in the air, a mix of anticipation and trepidation. She waited anxiously, her heart pounding as she imagined the confirmation that could finally bring her daughter back into her arms.

Inside the room, Rei's fingers danced across the keyboard as he scanned the documents and cross-referenced the information. His skills were not limited to those of an ordinary person; he was proficient in digging deeper into digital realms. His commitment to ensuring Miri's safety was unwavering.

Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity to (Y/N) as she paced the living room. Finally, the door to the room opened, and Rei stepped out, his expression softened. "Everything checks out. These documents seem to confirm your identity as Miri's mother."

Tears welled up in (Y/N)'s eyes as she breathed a sigh of relief. It was a moment of triumph, of validation after years of uncertainty. With gratitude in her voice, she said, "Thank you, Rei."

Rei nodded, his eyes meeting (Y/N)'s with a newfound warmth. "Welcome back to Miri's life."

As the door closed behind her, (Y/N) could hardly contain her excitement. The journey had been long and fraught with challenges, but she was now on the brink of a reunion that would reshape her world. The pieces of her heart that had been missing for so long were finally falling into place.

[impromptu-sketches]

Buddy Daddies, final thoughts.

I had such a fun time watching this show one episode at a time every Friday morning. I haven’t been this tuned in to an anime in a long time but I was so excited about this one from the beginning!

It’s so weird thinking back to everyone saying “it’s like Spy x Family with two guys” because that became inaccurate so fast haha we really thought it was going to be a light-hearted comedy... they really got us.

I loved the Wednesday previews, the music (especially the lofi remix!), the instagram posts, the notes, and whoever started the bingo, bless you! ♡

♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡

Overall Buddy Daddies was a rollercoaster (not ferris wheel thank goodness)! I really could not guess where it was going from episode to episode, it could have gone in a million different directions, but I am so happy that this is the story we got.

The way Miri burst into everyone’s hearts from episode one ♡ and for a four/five year old, was shown to be such a great kid who wants to be accepted, wants to make friends, who sticks up for others, and who tells people when they’re doing something wrong.

Rei starting out as a stereotypical quiet mysterious dark haired character but becoming SO MUCH MORE. Sure it took him a minute but he was the one who FOUGHT for their family the most - he became the GLUE. We all thought it was going to be Kazuki, but it was Rei. He said ‘I want to be a family’ and then they DID.

Kazuki on the other hand, the overprotective mama hen, he created their family. He CHOSE Rei, chose to move in, chose to take care of him, to buy him a couch, cook for him, and stay with him. He took one look at Miri, smiled and chose to run after her - he didn’t have to do that during their mission. He chose to risk the mission to save her, to call himself her papa, to take her home. This means so much more knowing he’s an orphan who never had a family - he went and created one.

♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡

About the queerness specifically ~

From what I saw -from the show- if I knew nothing about it and just hit play and watched all the way through...

Rei seemed ace/aro to me. He’s not shown to have any romantic or sexual relationships past, present, or time skip. This guy grew up with ZERO affection so it’s either he doesn’t know how, can’t, or isn’t interested. But there’s no attempt or interest, so aro/ace it is! Even with Kazuki, we see him accepting help, them clearly forming a bond to be living together for three+ years and be partners doing dangerous work together - that requires a lot of trust and we finally see that trust and teamwork in episode 12 - but it’s unspoken between them. They’re not affectionate with each other, not physically close, etc. (that we see anyway).

Kazuki definitely seems bi or pan. He’s obviously into women, but he also does this thing where he’s kind of flirty with guys in a joking way? (see images below) To me that’s nervous bisexual energy. That’s just the overall vibe I get from him too. Also that look he had on his face when he first saw Rei... suspicious.

Would I have liked it if they showed each other more affection? Yes! Especially in the later episodes. If their relationship was canon? Hell yes! Because I like BL and I think it would’ve been cute and also made sense and added to their character development. 

There’s ~plenty~ of room to read into queerness in this show... I actually think it would be an even better story if they were in a relationship for a few reasons.

For Rei, finally being free to be his true self, being with someone for love and not for the family bloodline, to accept love and affection. And Kazuki, forgiving himself, letting himself be happy again, finding love again. I think that’s an amazing story for the both of them!

But they didn’t make it that way. This show isn’t (technically) a BL and that’s okay. They still both found happiness and family - and that’s what’s most important.

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Buddy Daddies was FUN and that could have been it but it was deeper than that, watching all of them grow and change together. The ending made me cry tears of joy and relief that they’re all happy and safe.

I have a few tiny things I didn’t like or would have changed, but they’re so minor looking back at the show as a whole.

I do wish they spread out the story, either with more episodes, longer episodes, or both. I wanted to see more small moments, more fluff, more day-to-day family activities, more Rei & Kazuki being friends and having regular conversations, and more assassin scenes with them working together like in the beginning of ep. 1 and in ep. 12. We mostly saw them mess up their work... I wanted to see more action!!

But the show did SO MUCH more than expected with this story. 

The ending episode was AMAZING!! We got to see them fight together for themselves and their family, we saw them being there for Miri, and the time skip!!!! I CRIED EVERY TIME I WATCHED THE TIME SKIP SCENE!!! Miri growing up to be a lovely happy healthy girl. Rei & Kazuki owning a diner at the beach. A simple life full of love and acceptance.

From episode 1, did I think Buddy Daddies would make me cry? NO

Did I think I would post this much about this show? NO I wasn’t planning on posting about it at all!

But here we are crying and spending all day/night on tumblr sharing our thoughts, reading the thoughts of others. It’s been a blast!

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*Update ~

I wrote all that ^ the weekend after ep. 12 came out and now it’s almost a month later.

I’m so happy to see everyone still posting about them ♡♡♡

Lily is still posting drawings - we’ve gotten so many great ones, official images from the DVDs are coming out, and I’ve seen so much fanart and fanfiction going around! Amazing!! Thank you to all of the creators out there!!

Shoutout to some fanarts on twitter I’m loving!

@KMRbd5118 ^

@tamsekai​ | twitter

@toroandpoko11

@NasuNattou

@dailykazurei

@incorrectbudds

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