#in case you haven't noticed all characters in this novel are white

[la-pheacienne]

Me going through Les Miserables fandom for 15 minutes on Tumblr and Goodreads:

@phytine @rhaenyragendereuphoria thank you for that truly unparalleled experience

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update: july 2024

full disclosure: I started out July in a bit of a mental lurch, really feeling stuck in a rut. there are a lot of reasons for that, absolutely none of which need to be shared with the general populace of tumblr dot com, but suffice to say that I was feeling listless and reading was not a high priority. I was pretty content to accept that this was going to be another month where I didn't finish a lot of books. I was too busy for most of June, and now too unfocused and bummed out in July.

and then that ended up not being the case. I think I can chalk that up to three things:

very early in the month I realized that none of the reading I had been planning on getting to was grabbing my interest at all, so I did something drastically different: picked up a YA memoir that I bought at pride on the recommendation of a bookseller. not my usual kind of reading at all, but YA is very readable and memoirs grab me fast because I'm nosy, so I figured it might be great for getting out of a rut. and boy, was I right!

Akwaeke Emezi also has a new novel out, and if you don't know then please note now that I'm a person second and an Akwaeke Emezi fan first. their newest novel was a sinister joyride, non-stop twists and turns that I couldn't put down until I saw the characters through to their bitter ends.

and, of course, over in the Dungeon Meshi manga I got to Mithrun. I've only had Mithrun for a couple of chapters, but if anything happened to him I'd kill everyone in this dungeon and then myself. even if I hadn't been able to read anything else, that would have kept me running back to the library for more Dungeon Meshi.

all of which added up to a fairly voracious appetite for books being reignited in my brain, and my second most book-heavy month of the year so far (still haven't beat May, but there's time). sick!

so - what have I been reading?

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 7-10 (Ryoko Kui, trans. Taylor Engel, 2019-2022) - mannnnn I know I'm not saying anything that hasn't been said elsewhere, but Dungeon Meshi is so. fucking good. the way that Kui starts to raise the stakes of the story and grow the world beyond the core band of adventurers is so conscientious and well-done, timed perfectly so it never feels like having an undercooked heap of fantasy exposition thrown at you all at once. instead everything proceeds at a perfect simmer, leaving me feeling like the frog in that pot of boiling water who didn't notice how dire things had gotten until it was very suddenly too late and I was screaming bloody murder at a book. things have gotten so dire that I'm yearning for the days when fighting a red dragon was our biggest problem - and yet, through it all, every character remains rendered with humanity and compassion, no matter how scary, dangerous, or outright alien they first appear. I'm not naming any spoilers, but I need [REDACTED] to fix shit ASAP in Vol. 11 and [SUPER REDACTED] is on my shitlist fucking forever. also Mithrun sweetie you're perfect, do as many crimes as you want.

Heart and Hand (Rebel Carter, 2019) - my romance novel of the month, as picked by my lovely patreonites! this self-published historical romance promised some messy f/m/m, following a biracial (half Black, half white) young lady, Julie Baptiste, as she responds to a marriage ad that takes her out west to the fictional town of Gold Sky, Montana. Julie's sort of a standard historical heroine - she doesn't care for the silliness of high society and vastly prefers the company of books, looking forward to becoming Gold Sky's schoolteacher - but her marriage has a twist: rather than marrying one man, she's agreed to marry two, a pair of friends who have been inseparable since they served together in the Civil War. this book is charming, for sure, but I can't help be more intrigued by what isn't there than what is, namely: are these men having sex with each other or not? Rebel? hey, Rebel? why is there no DP in this two husbands mail order bride book? that was, like, he bare minimum that I expected. for the love of god, why did those men never put both of their dicks inside Julie at the same time? why did we spend so much time on emotional conflict that could be easily resolved if anyone just talked to each other when Julie's two beautiful husbands could have been having sex in front of her? HELLO?

also, listen, this is such a nitpick, but I am FROM Montana and it feels personal: I know that the general poverty of frontier life isn't sexy, but god these people are WAY too well off. at one point Julie enjoys some fucking BANANAS, something that I goddamn assure you were not easy to come by in late 19th century Montana. a banana. as fucking if.

All Boys Aren't Blue (George M. Johnson, 2020) - as is proudly advertised on the back cover of my copy, in recent years All Boys Aren't Blue has been the second most-challenged book in America behind Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer. reading through All Boys Aren't Blue it was initially hard to see what exactly was so objectionable, until I realized that a queer Black person living their life with compassion and joy is the scariest thing some of these motherfuckers can possibly imagine. Johnson writes about their life growing up in the nexus of racism, homophobia, and masculinity with wisdom and endless compassion, directly addressing young people who may find themselves in similar positions to offer them assurance that they, too, can be okay. more than anything, All Boys Aren't Blue is a plea for young people to live their lives without fear and shame. it's a beautiful blessing of a book that I hope brings comfort to every innumerable kids who need it.

Little Rot (Akwaeke Emezi, 2024) - how do I even begin to describe Little Rot? definitely not for those who feel squeamish about sex crimes, I guess that's an important place to start. this novel starts with the breakup of a long-term Nigerian couple, Kalu and Aima, and follows both of them into a weekend that starts with drugs and sex parties and spirals increasingly out of control from there, drawing more and more characters into a complicated snarl of money and power. Little Rot has the seedy, lurid draw of an episode of SVU if SVU ever grew up and realized that cops don't do shit, reveling in the nastiest that Emezi's imagined city of New Lagos has to offer. cannot say this book is for everyone - few of Emezi's novels are - but god, it's a thrilling study in corruption.

The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader (editor Joan Nestle, 1992) - this is a massive and fascinating historical document, assembled by Nestle as part of her work with the Lesbian Herstory Archives. within this collection are letters, interviews, academic essays, poems, and transcribed oral histories from all manner of self-identified butch and femme lesbians. while some of the contributors are recognizable names in the history of American queer activism (including Pat Califa, who's a bisexual trans man now lmao), others are women who were just trying to live their lives with as much authenticity, comfort, and dignity as was possible in their time. (although, notably, the vast majority of these women are white, and all but a very few are Americans. racial and cultural diversity is not one of the collection's strong suits.)

the personal narratives span all over the twentieth century, and I was really delighted to see the very frank discussions of what would be written off as "bad representation" by a lot of queer resources today: butches overdosing on toxic masculinity and getting in messy bar brawls, femmes committing outlandish acts of adultery, lesbian sexual awakenings taking place between fairly young children, and one extremely memorable instance of a butch getting unexpectedly pregnant and decided to do a little sex work on the side since she couldn't get more pregnant than she already was. I was particularly fascinated by the many, many accounts of "second wave" self-identified lesbian feminists who tried to do away with butch/femme identities and "politically incorrect" expression of lesbian sexuality altogether (that's everything but mutual cunnilingus, btw) in pretty eerie echoes of contemporary radfem arguments. at close to 500 pages it's definitely better suited to skimming and stopping to read whatever catches your attention rather than trying to read cover to cover, but I think this is a really invaluable piece of history.

American Mermaid (Julia Langbien, 2023) - this was a novel, for sure. American Mermaid is a novel about a broke, anxious high school teacher named Penelope whose novel, also called American Mermaid, is a runaway success that gets optioned for film. Penelope quits her teaching job and moves across the country to Hollywood to work on the script with two dude bros who don't really Get what American Mermaid is about, and set to work turning Penelope's weird, unsexy female empowerment novel into an MCU-style action romp with a hot young lead. the novel's strongest when it's deep in the spirals of Penelope's frantic mind, probing the conflict between her fairly desperate need for cash (she wants to be financially independent of her conservative father, she has good reason to suspect breast cancer is in her future, she wants to start a family someday) and the artistic affront she feels at watching her story be disrespected and dismantled. where it's weaker is in the extensive chapters of the story-within-a-story; while useful for context, I straight up didn't need to read that much of Penelope's novel. and the plot overall kind of felt like it fell off the rails near the end once Langbien finishes making her point about how Hollywood sucks. it's not bad, but it's also just... fine. it's fine!

How to Taste: A Guide Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life (Mandy Naglich, 2023) - how do I put this so nicely? this book is for people who are kind of dork ass losers about food, a group that I do very much count myself as a part of. I first became acquainted with Naglich's work when she appeared on a podcast called the Sporkful, which claims that it is "not for foodies, it's for eaters." I'm a fairly devout listener, and after listening to Naglich describe her efforts to become a master cicerone (one of the world's most elite beer tasters, a distinction that is taken Very Fucking Seriously) I thought sure, whatever, that's a book I can get behind. Naglich is maybe a big more entertaining as a podcast guest than a nonfiction author. in places the book can be dry or roughly constructed in a way that suggests another pass by an editor or maybe a co-writer would have helped. and straight up, there are just weird fucking typos in this book that are like. crazy to me, I cannot believe they got through. the cheap-ass cover art also suggests this was not exactly a high budget production.

but having been very mean about it, there are a lot of extremely interesting tidbits about the world of professional tasting here! it sounds awful and you couldn't pay me to do it, but here's the cool thing: Naglich is extremely aware that what she does is insane and she knows that the average reader doesn't want to learn how to identify where a coffee bean was grown just by sniffing the bean from across a room. what she offers instead are really approachable ways to be more conscientious about how you interact with and appreciate food! and she also shares some really cool info about tasting snobbery that IS bullshit, to help you sort out the stuff that actually matters and emphasize that fun and personal taste ultimately trump any "rules." it's a very dorky book but I, personally, did have a good time.

Sex Criminals Vol 3: Three the Hard Way (Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky, 2016) - every time I read another volume of Sex Criminals I find myself thinking "man, hang on, do I ever actually like Sex Criminals? am I enjoying this?" but then I end up placing a hold on the next one. I don't know, it's charming! it's like so very VERY 2010s in its dialogue, by which I mean it's like. you know. it's giving Joss Whedon before we all found out how bad he sucked and collectively booed him. but man, I love a story that's down to get weird, and Sex Criminals is sooooo about being weird. and yet also very normal where sex is concerned! considering this is a series all about people having freaky world-altering powers that activate when they cum, sex is treated as an incredibly ordinary thing, warts and all. I like that! I like seeing that! idk, I don't need every comic to be perfect, as evidenced by the fact that I'm actively enjoying Azrael: Angel of the Bat. sometimes the vibes are just good.

[lunarriviera]

another thrilling spirealm update

henlo my friends yes it's that time once again where i tell you what is happening on the bizarrely named drama "the spirealm," i am at episode 25 having shotgunned it all weekend and i have thoughts, opinions, and a gabillion screencaps of ruan nanzhu looking stricken, i finally had to stop taking them because he has the exact same face of devastated yearning in all of them and i was filling up my cloud drive. spoilers ahoy! [parts one and two are here if you even care]

as just mentioned, ruan nanzhu spends his time looking either 1) icily indifferent (when people who aren't qiushi are talking to him and/or dying in front of him, to his vast annoyance) or 2) torn asunder by pangs of desire (whenever he's staring at qiushi, who's babbling obliviously about science or clues or absolutely nothing of any importance whatsoever). here is a representative screencap but he has this look on his face pretty much continually, like he's just been hit by a car. a car of love.

it makes me put my head in my hands and scream quietly, i haven't seen a BL actor who understood the assignment this well since zhang xincheng or maybe even z1l. (who all clearly not only read the novel but underlined it, highlighted it, and stuck in colored post-it notes.) when not busy with adoration, he swans around being magnificent in a frockcoat like he's edward rochester, while lin qiushi trails behind him wearing a fit he got out of the goodwill box in his college dorm.

in spite of being besties with a literal fashion icon, at no point does it ever seem to occur to lingling "hm maybe i should dress a bit more formally for my imminent demise inside the doors"—no, instead he proudly wears his ratty sweatshirt with holes in it. which i sort of think might belong to huang junjie. idk maybe qiushi trusts it, and feels safe in it, hey look at that i made it sad.

massive power couple energy. also notice how their outfits are exact black-and-white negatives of each other, the harper's bazaar wedding photoshoot would have been so goddamn lit.

taking a brief moment for a shoutout to this guy. chen fei i don't even know what your fate will be but i already know you deserved better. not only do you patch everyone up with your veterinary knowledge, but i have seen your unrequited love. it did not go unobserved. you would have been a great partner, you're unimpressed by everything and drink your soy milk with chilling apathy. i'm real sorry the theatre gay didn't love you back. you're too similar i guess.

back to lin qiushi who has the worst case of main character energy since harry freaking potter. somehow the game is about him??? he has trauma??? none of this was in the novel and i'm just pretending it's not happening until it becomes impossible to ignore. in the meantime he continues to sympathize with door ghosts because he's just that nice of a guy. (EXCEPTION: nanzhu literally murdered two competitors bc they threatened his darling, and lin qiushi helped him cover it up. i was appalled for like 5 minutes then i shrugged. it's a cutthroat game, the doors change people. also it's like captain mal used to say: if someone tries to kill you, you kill 'em right back.) i have big Theories about what is fixing to happen but for now i will end by relating that lin qiushi has gone into a door alone, because he wants to butch up and be a better partner for ruan nanzhu. and that would be a great idea and super helpful except that nanzhu IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT OF HIS MIND WITH BLIND TERROR. outwardly of course he gives no signs of this (other than hiring someone to protect his fragile boyfriend, which, if lingling figures this out, ruan nanzhu will be sleeping on the sofa forever).

here he is pushing food around his plate miserably at lingling's funeral pre-solo-door party. everyone is having such a fun time.

and here he is standing in front of the door waiting like a dumb wounded animal. i have a feeling if lin qiushi doesn't emerge at 15 minutes on the dot, nanzhu will simply expire on the spot, like a wolf separated from its mate. maybe that's the end of the spirealm JUST KIDDING, we still haven't gotten to the part where they're on either side of a different door wailing at each other. i really need lin qiushi to stop being such a cheery equanimous little frat boy and START SUFFERING, can we get some mutual pining up in this bitch. (also i need his hair to change in the traditional BL post-wedding hairstyle alteration because i can't remember at this point if huang junjie even HAS a forehead under that vast curtain of bangs)

to sum up, we've had a) sexy handfeeding of lychees b) tender cat fur removal from face and c) stalking your pretty boyfriend aggressively against the wall so you can…offer him a packet of disinfectant. in the novel of course nanzhu bites him and yes xia zhiguang absolutely knows that's what he's supposed to be doing here, we love to see it.

oh and also d) "i'll protect you. i'll protect you forever."

SOON: THE THRILLING CONCLUSION. IT'LL BE SO FUCKING SAD. PS unrelated to any of this but the OST SLAPS and i sing along every time now, that opening song is an unskippable cut scene of a banger

PS gonna be sad when [redacted] dies, he's a real card. and that other person dies too. and that third person. shit it's about to get messy

[xxmissarichanxx]

✨XMACX Monthly✨May 2024

i'll be on a planned short vacay during the first full week of May! otherwise, some family stuff happened at the end of April so while i play catch up and make some adjustments, expect some delays. thank u for your understanding! c:

you can read the update on PTRN for free or below the cut~ you can also view the previous issue here.

I'm always flabbergasted with how quickly the months go by...

Some family stuff happened in late April. It doesn't change too much of my plans, but expect some delays as I readjust to a new lifestyle. I'll be essentially living in a different state for a whole month, so I have to pack and get settled and all that fun stuff. I'll still be on vacation for the first week of May, but y'all shouldn't notice an interruption because I've queued stuff for the week.

Some other housekeeping! I added Ippon! to the "About" section of my Patreon page since I'll be updating the BL comic monthly now. I also adjusted some of the verbage in the membership tiers, specifically the Pineapple Slices tier -- clarified that patron's name will be added to game credits.

Also, we're gonna try something slightly different for the Cover Model Polls this month. Previously I had the polls up for ~3 days on my social media. I'm changing that duration to just one day. The following day, Saturday, Cover Theme polls for patrons will open.

Schedule

May 1 - XMACX Monthly

May 3 - June Cover Model Polls drop on IG/X/Tumblr

May 4 - June Cover Theme Polls open for Patrons

May 10 - May Cover Art Process

May 17 - FBW Update

May 24 - Ippon! Update

May 31 - Sketch Dump

Ippon! Preview

If you haven't already seen, please enjoy this page from last month's update! Ippon! will continue to update exclusively on Patreon until it's completion. Join the BJP tier to read before everyone else!

Visual Novel Update | Froot Basket White

Tada! The logo for Froot Basket White!

My plan is to finish the script before completing art assets so I can have it proofread and Sutoro's VA, Jesse, will have some time to record lines. Though I still plan to be the character and UI artist, I plan to commission the background art and object art.

Next Month

I hope everything will be back to normal or to at least have a new status quo in June as I plan to return to my home state by then. In any case, I want to thank friends and family for their support, understanding, prayers, and well wishes. We really appreciate it!

We'll be celebrating zaddies and daddies with June's cover art (mmm yes, my specialty hahaha), so please look forward to the Cover Model polls dropping this Friday!

Aloha nui, Ari

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

Just in case you needed a laugh today - my (incredibly random) notes I took whilst reading Masque of Shadows:

*notices all the little writer things to show what the characters look like, etc, so as not to exposition everywhere*

Me: EEEEEEEEEE! 😍

*~*

Love me a good badass spymaster, huzzah.

*~*

Pheonix feathers are FIREWORKS!

*~*

No trauma or needless explanation of sexual or gender orientation - it just IS. 10/10, no notes.

*~*

I'm weak for green eyes (Dean Winchester, my beloved) but ma boy Eddie Diaz has turned me to brown so I FEEL YA, MATTHIAS!

*~*

The regent of Serenissima had been stabbed ten times.

Me:... Well, that's not good.

Also me: It's the whole point of the story, dingus.

*~*

Where was this book last year when my fiancé proposed, I want an engagement dagger!

In his defense, he has bought me so many books over the years, so. That's awesome.

*~*

Careful with that past tense, Matthias, Lyria isn't an idiot.

*two seconds later*

Told ya.

*~*

Oh, Jacques, you poor puppy. 😂

*~*

'It wasn't endearing' my ass, bless your heart, Matthias.

*~*

*finishes chapter twelve*

*cackles*

*~*

Nooo, Festivity!

*squints* Hang on...

*~*

See, I guessed Allegra, but then got all up in my head when Matthias accused Piper!

*~*

*Sapphire mocks Jacques getting railed*

Matthias: flustered

Me: *cackles*

*~*

Plague doctor mask for the win

*~*

Jasmine for White Masque. 💔 (My mum died some years ago and her favourite scent was jasmine)

*~*

I, too, struggled in maths

*~*

Inara! 😍 #fireflymybeloved

*~*

Ha! See, never trust the kid. 😅

*~*

I knew it was Antonio! Vindication dot gif!

I've been tearing up over this ask for a couple days now, and I considered not answering it so I could keep it to myself forever, but I wanted you to know how much it was appreciated.

I've been really struggling lately with my original novels. To be honest I've struggled for years with the idea that I'm not good enough as an original writer, creating my own worlds, and summer is when my seasonal depression hits so I'm not doing great in general (life has also been kicking my ass in some other ways but I'm not going to get into that).

I decided after talking it over with some trusted people that I would take a break. Focus on finishing my planned fics, so that I still feel I'm accomplishing something, and then when I wrap everything up for Halloween, I go back to my novels and see how I'm feeling. I don't like sharing all this publicly, but I know I have been making noises for a year now about trying to self-publish - creating a Patreon, submitting to lit agents again, making a separate blog under my professional name - and I feel like people deserve to know why I haven't yet delivered on those plans. I never want to be someone who's just all talk.

And I want you to understand just how very deeply I appreciate you sharing your reactions as you read my original story. I really love the whole cast of characters, some of whom like Festivity have lived in my head for over a decade. To know that you actually read and enjoyed it means the world. I'll be coming back to this ask and your lovely comments, and I hope it'll help me, come October, to feel ready to devote myself to my novels again.

Oh, also, my love and condolences about your mom. Jasmine is a smell I associate with a few different loved ones as well as clean, elegant spaces, and while I love how some cultures treat death as a celebration (Dia de los Muertos, Irish wakes) and not something to fear, I liked the idea of Serenissima, this generally party-heavy city, taking a break from all that in order to give the memory of the dead solemnity and dignity. I hope it was overall positive to have that part of the story remind you of her. ❤️

[thinkin-bout-milgram]

Idk abt a chara death (i dont even want to consider it) BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE FUNNY

since this series keeps on reminding me of danganronpa what if it pulls a dr3 and the most innocent by trial 3 becomes the next warden and the most guilty gets transformed into an animal??? Or smthg idk

Also what even is the lore on jackalope all i know is that he seems ro be rlly interested in a black white worldview (trailer 2).

I sent a rlly lonf ask like mb 2 days ago?? Idk if it got thru or smthg thats all srry

- yuno anon

Okay, first off, in light of our recent poll and this ask, I want to explain my thoughts on Milgram character death.

I initially thought it'd be basically impossible for a Milgram character to die before Trial 3 ended, even given, say, Amane threatening Shidou. However, then Jackalope's Second Trial Commencement Notice happened, which changed my perspective. I still firmly maintain that, despite what they say about Shidou and Mahiru, there was a 0% chance of any characters dying between Trial 1 and 2 for meta reasons. To hear some of my thoughts on this, you can check here, or feel free to comment/ask! Also, for anyone who's curious, I'm worried about specifically Kotoko dying.

I know DR very well; I assume you're maybe talking about the end of v3, where, if they didn't play by Tsumugi's rules, Maki would've been the Ultimate Survivor of the 54th killing game? In any case, I really doubt the turning into an animal thing (we don't know Jackalope lore but it seems pretty clear that this specific Jackalope has run several milgram experiments before), but it could be possible that someone could become the next warden. I still haven't read the light novel or a major summary of it; there might be more context in there, where I know the Es who's warden is a different "Es."

[mwschmeer]

The Case of the Thieving Seagulls: A ChatGPT-Generated Story in the Style of Raymond Chandler

Chapter 1

The seagulls were a motley crew, their cries cutting through the thick coastal fog. I watched as they swooped and dived, their white wings a blur against the grey sky. It was a scene straight out of a noir novel, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

I had been hired to investigate a string of thefts that had plagued the seaside town. The locals were convinced that the seagulls were to blame. It sounded crazy, but I had learned never to underestimate the power of a town's superstitions.

I made my way to the pier, where the seagulls were known to congregate. As I approached, I noticed a shifty-looking character lurking in the shadows. He was holding a large net and muttering to himself.

"What's your game, pal?" I asked, my hand on my gun.

The man looked up, startled. "I'm just trying to catch some seagulls, that's all," he said, his eyes darting around nervously.

"Is that so?" I said, my tone skeptical. "And what do you plan to do with them?"

The man shrugged. "Sell them, I guess. People like to keep them as pets."

I wasn't buying it. Something about this guy didn't add up. I decided to keep a close eye on him.

As the seagulls continued to circle overhead, I couldn't help but wonder if they really were behind the thefts. It seemed unlikely, but I had learned never to discount any possibility.

One thing was for sure: this case was going to be a tough nut to crack. But I was determined to get to the bottom of it, no matter what.

Chapter 2

I kept my eyes on the suspicious man as he continued to lurk in the shadows, watching the seagulls with a predatory gaze. He seemed to be waiting for the right moment to strike.

As I moved closer to him, I noticed a glint of metal in his pocket. I suspected it was a set of wire cutters, which could be used to snip the chains that secured the valuable items on the pier.

I decided to take action. "Put your hands where I can see them," I commanded, my gun at the ready.

The man froze, his eyes wide with fear. "What are you talking about?" he stammered.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said. "You've been stealing from the pier, haven't you? And you've been using the seagulls as a distraction."

The man's face went pale. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, backing away from me.

But I wasn't about to let him get away. I lunged forward, grabbing him by the arm. "Come on, pal, let's take a little trip down to the station," I said.

As I led the man away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The case was far from solved, but I had made a breakthrough. And I knew that with a little more digging, I could get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.

But as I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on here. Something deeper and darker than just a simple case of theft. And I knew that if I wanted to crack this case wide open, I would have to be ready for anything.

Chapter 3

I spent the next few days investigating the pier, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. It was slow going, but I was making progress. And every step of the way, I kept an eye out for any signs of the seagulls that had been blamed for the thefts.

But the more I looked into the case, the more I realized that something wasn't quite right. There were too many loose ends, too many unanswered questions. And every time I thought I was getting close to the truth, a new wrinkle would emerge, sending me back to square one.

One day, as I was walking along the beach, I saw something that caught my eye. It was a seagull, perched on a rock, staring out at the ocean. It was a peaceful, almost meditative scene, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over me.

But then, something else caught my eye. There was a man in the distance, moving slowly along the shore. He was wearing a dark suit, and he seemed to be scanning the beach for something.

I recognized him immediately. It was a local businessman named Victor Marco, who had been implicated in several of the thefts. But he had always managed to stay one step ahead of the law, thanks to his connections and his wily nature.

I decided to follow him, keeping a safe distance so as not to tip him off. As I trailed him along the beach, I noticed something strange. He seemed to be moving in a particular pattern, almost like he was following some kind of invisible path.

And then, as if by magic, a seagull appeared out of nowhere, flying directly towards him. I watched in amazement as the bird swooped down and landed on his shoulder, as if it had been trained to do so.

It was then that I realized what was really going on. The seagulls weren't the culprits behind the thefts - they were the unwitting pawns in a much larger scheme. And the man behind it all was none other than Victor Marco.

But I still didn't know how he was pulling it off, or what his endgame was. And I knew that if I was going to crack this case wide open, I would have to be ready for anything.

Chapter 4

I continued to follow Marco, keeping my distance but never letting him out of my sight. He led me down the beach and towards a small, rundown shack near the pier. I watched as he disappeared inside, the seagull still perched on his shoulder.

I waited for a few minutes before creeping up to the shack and peeking inside. What I saw made my blood run cold.

There were dozens of seagulls inside the shack, all of them in cages or tied up with ropes. And in the center of the room was a large, ornate machine, humming with energy.

It was then that Marco appeared, holding a small, silver whistle. He blew it softly, and the seagulls inside the shack started to stir, their eyes turning glassy and distant.

I realized then that Marco had somehow managed to train the seagulls to do his bidding. He was using them as a distraction, sending them out to steal valuable items from the pier while he made his escape.

But I still didn't know what his endgame was, or why he was doing this. I decided to confront him, stepping out of the shadows and pointing my gun at his head.

"Freeze, Marco," I said, my voice cold and menacing. "I know what you're doing, and it ends now."

Marco turned to face me, a sly grin spreading across his face. "You think you've got me, detective?" he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "You don't know the half of it."

And with that, he blew the whistle again, sending the seagulls into a frenzy. They flapped their wings and screeched, filling the small shack with chaos and noise.

I tried to hold my ground, but it was too much. I was knocked to the ground by the force of their wings, my gun skittering out of reach. And as I lay there, struggling to catch my breath, Marco disappeared into the night, his seagull army at his side.

But I knew that this wasn't over yet. I had seen too much, and I knew too much. And I was determined to bring Victor Marco and his seagull army to justice, no matter what it took.

Chapter 5

I spent the next few days pouring over the evidence I had gathered, trying to find a way to track down Victor Marco and put an end to his seagull thievery once and for all.

But the case had gone cold. Marco had vanished without a trace, and there were no leads as to where he might have gone or what he might be planning next. I spent long hours sitting in my office, smoking my pipe and trying to come up with a plan.

And then, one day, a breakthrough. A fisherman had reported seeing a man matching Marco's description aboard a small boat, heading out to sea. It was a slim lead, but it was all I had.

I chartered a boat and set out after him, my heart racing with anticipation. As we drew closer to the horizon, I could see a small speck in the distance - a boat, bobbing up and down on the waves.

It was Marco, I was sure of it. And I was determined to catch him.

We closed in on his boat, the spray of the sea misting my face. And then, as we drew alongside him, I saw something that made my heart sink.

There were hundreds of seagulls, all flying in formation behind his boat. They swooped and circled, their cries echoing across the waves.

Marco was controlling them with his whistle, just as I had suspected. And he had an army of them at his command.

But I wasn't going to let him get away this time. I climbed aboard his boat, my gun drawn and my nerves on edge. Marco turned to face me, his eyes gleaming with madness.

"I knew you'd come for me, detective," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But you're too late. The seagulls are mine, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

And then, he blew the whistle again, sending the seagulls into a frenzy. But this time, I was ready. I fired my gun into the air, the sound echoing across the waves. And to my surprise, the seagulls scattered, flying off into the distance.

Marco looked shocked, his eyes widening in disbelief. And then, before he could react, I lunged forward and tackled him to the ground.

It was a brutal fight, with punches and kicks flying in all directions. But in the end, I emerged victorious, my hands wrapped tightly around Marco's throat.

"You're finished, Marco," I said, my voice shaking with anger. "No more seagull thievery. No more games."

And with that, I dragged him back to shore, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks as a backdrop to our victory. The seagulls were free once again, soaring high above us in the clear blue sky. And I knew that justice had finally been served.

Chapter 6

With Victor Marco in custody, I thought my work on the seagull case was done. But then something strange started happening in the city. Seagulls were disappearing from the beaches and piers. The locals were getting worried, and I knew I had to investigate.

I went back to Marco's shack, the one where I had found his seagull army, and found something that made my blood run cold. The machine at the center of the room was still there, but it was now connected to a network of cables and wires that ran out the door and across the beach.

I followed the cables to a hidden location under the pier, where I found a massive underground laboratory. And inside, there were rows upon rows of cages, filled with seagulls of every size and shape.

It was then that I realized the true extent of Marco's madness. He had been experimenting on the seagulls, using them to create a new kind of energy that he believed could revolutionize the world.

But his experiments had gone horribly wrong. The seagulls were dying in droves, their bodies ravaged by the power coursing through them. And yet Marco continued to press on, convinced that he was on the brink of a breakthrough.

I knew I had to stop him. I destroyed his machine, freed the remaining seagulls, and took Marco back into custody. But the memory of those poor, tortured birds stayed with me for a long time.

In the end, I was hailed as a hero, the man who had saved the seagulls and brought Victor Marco to justice. But for me, it was never about the accolades. It was about doing what was right, even when it was hard. And about standing up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves.

As I walked along the beach, watching the seagulls wheel and turn in the sky, I knew that I had done just that. And that, for me, was victory enough.

Chapter 7

But just when I thought the case was closed for good, a strange letter arrived at my office. It was written in an unfamiliar handwriting, and the envelope had no return address. Curiosity getting the better of me, I opened it.

Inside, I found a cryptic message, written in what looked like code. I spent hours trying to decipher it, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. And then, just when I thought I had hit a dead end, something clicked in my brain.

The code was actually a map, leading to a secret location deep in the heart of the city. Without a second thought, I grabbed my coat and headed out into the night.

As I followed the map, I became aware of a feeling of unease, as if I were being watched. And then, suddenly, I was grabbed from behind and dragged into an alleyway.

I struggled and fought, but my attacker was too strong. And then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone.

Shaken, I continued on my way, finally arriving at the location marked on the map. It was a nondescript warehouse, and I had no idea what to expect.

But as soon as I stepped inside, I knew that something was very, very wrong. The place was dark and musty, filled with strange machines and equipment that I couldn't even begin to identify.

And then, out of the shadows, emerged a figure I recognized all too well. It was Victor Marco, his eyes gleaming with madness.

"I see you got my message, detective," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I thought you might like to see my latest invention."

And with that, he gestured to a large machine in the center of the room. It was humming with power, and I could feel the air crackling with electricity.

"What have you done, Marco?" I demanded, my voice shaking with anger. "What kind of madness have you unleashed now?"

But he just laughed, his eyes wild with excitement. And then, before I could react, he hit a switch, and everything went black.

When I woke up, I was back in my office, my head throbbing with pain. I had no idea how I had gotten there, or what had happened to Marco and his machine.

But as I looked out the window, I could see that something had changed in the city. The sky was a sickly green color, and the seagulls were nowhere to be seen.

I knew then that Marco's madness had gone too far, that he had unleashed something terrible on the world. And I knew that it was up to me to stop him, once and for all.

Chapter 8

With a sense of urgency, I got up from my chair and began to gather my things. I knew I had to find Marco and his machine before it was too late.

As I stepped outside, I could see that the city was in chaos. People were running in every direction, screaming and shouting in fear. The green sky was getting darker and darker, and I knew that time was running out.

I started to run towards the location of Marco's laboratory, hoping against hope that I would be able to stop him before it was too late.

As I ran, I noticed that the streets were littered with strange, mutated creatures. They were like nothing I had ever seen before - part seagull, part machine, and all twisted and deformed.

I fought my way through them, using my fists and my wits to stay alive. And then, finally, I arrived at the warehouse where Marco had been conducting his experiments.

What I found there was beyond even my wildest nightmares. The machine in the center of the room had grown exponentially, and was now pulsing with an otherworldly power. And around it were hundreds of seagulls, all hooked up to wires and tubes, their bodies writhing in agony.

But then, out of the shadows, emerged Marco himself. He was almost unrecognizable - his skin was pale and sickly, his eyes bulging and manic.

"I knew you would come, detective," he said, his voice low and trembling. "I have been waiting for you."

"What have you done, Marco?" I demanded, my hand on my gun. "What kind of monster have you created?"

But he just laughed, his body wracked with coughs. "You don't understand," he said. "I have created a new form of life - one that will save us all."

And then, without warning, he lunged towards me, his hands outstretched. I fired my gun, but it was too late - his body collided with mine, and we both went crashing to the ground.

I struggled to break free, but he was too strong. And then, just as suddenly as he had attacked me, he collapsed, his body wracked with spasms.

I looked around, and saw that the machine had started to spark and smoke. And then, with a deafening roar, it exploded, sending shockwaves through the room.

I managed to scramble to my feet, and ran towards the exit. And as I burst out into the street, I saw that the green sky was starting to clear.

And then, from somewhere above, I heard the sound of seagulls. It was like music to my ears - a sign that the city might be able to recover from this madness after all.

But as I walked away, I knew that I would never forget the horrors I had witnessed. And that I would always be haunted by the memory of Victor Marco, the man who had dared to play God with the seagulls.

Epilogue

Years passed, and the memory of the seagull apocalypse began to fade from people's minds. The city had been rebuilt, and life had returned to some semblance of normalcy.

But for me, the memory of those dark days stayed with me. It haunted me, and I knew that I could never forget the horrors I had witnessed.

And then, one day, I received a package in the mail. Inside was a small, intricately crafted wooden bird - a seagull, to be precise.

Attached to the bird was a note, written in a shaky hand: "Thank you for saving me, detective. I made this for you as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope." There was no name on the note, no return address on the package. An anonymous gift from some grateful citizen? That's all I could think. The alternatives were too unsettling.

And as I looked at the wooden bird, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. It was a reminder that even in the darkest of times there was always a chance for redemption.

I placed the seagull on my desk, where it remained as a constant reminder of the horrors of the past and the hope for a brighter future.

[nanaminokanojo]

BLOOM | Sukuna X You | Part 1/3

CHARACTERS: Sukuna X You | Gojo Satoru | Geto Suguru | Shoko Ieiri | Maki | Fushiguro Toji | Baby Megumi | Megumi's Mom (OC) CHAPTER COUNT: 1/3 WORD COUNT: 8900+ GENRE: romance | fluff | slight angst | (eventual) smut | ooc sukuna | female reader CHAPTER TRIGGER WARNING: profanity/strong language | alcohol use | cigarette smoking | age gap | unhealthy simping XD SPOILERS: N/A

collection masterlist

one two three | Bloom Masterlist

His hair was the color of cherry blossoms, that's the first thing you noticed. It was the softest shade of pink, easy on the eyes, reminding you of the tendrils of filtered rays of the sun lightly touching the edges of clouds very early in the morning. Or your favorite angora wool sweater.

The man stole your attention from the book you were reading when you chanced a look from your periphery just to check who sat on the stool beside your usual spot on the bar – the seat at the very end by the wall. Your planned glance turned into a furtive stare at the sight of him from his candy-floss-hued hair, the rippling muscles hidden under his white oxford shirt and the array of tattoos that peeked through his neatly folded sleeves. And boy, since when did men smell like vanilla and spring while also exuding such a virile scent?

A smile tugged at the corners of your mouth at the thought, internally shaking your head at your behavior. You should not be staring at people, and though you weren't exactly ogling him, you were still observing him enough to associate him with your favorite article of winter clothing.

"Hey. The usual for you?" you heard Maki, the bar owner, ask, giving you the idea that the man was a regular. How you haven't spotted him before was a mystery.

If it was already hard concentrating on the novel you were reading, you've completely forgotten about it when you heard him say, "Make that single-malt." It's either the gates of hell opened at the sudden heat you felt on your skin at the sound of his voice or the gates of heaven did with how delicious it sounded in your ear, thick like honey and deep with a distinct ring to it. It got you wondering what his mother craved for when she was pregnant with him, and your brain said, "Greek gods," when you lifted your eyes from the current page you were reading and briefly exchanged looks with him as he shifted his line of vision from Maki to you.

You turned your eyes back to your book, making it seem like you were just absently looking about, but in reality, it took herculean effort to wrench your gaze from him. In that brief meeting of your eyes, the features of his face registered in your head like a bar code scanner, etching itself in your mind like a white-hot brand. He wasn't shockingly handsome, but he was beautiful in his own right with those intense eyes that reminded you of drowning pools and the rugged yet refined planes of his face. It was as if an artist painted him in passionate anger, slowly fell in love with the piece and began redefining his features with gentler strokes.

You turned the page of your book despite not getting any reading done. Well, it has been the case for a considerable amount of minutes now, but you tried anyway, furiously staring down at the new page but not comprehending anything. Your eyes kept scanning the same sentence over and over again but it was not sinking in at all.

"Excuse me, miss," that deep voice you've already developed a strange affection for assaulted your senses again, making your head snap up to the direction it was coming from. Hell, you think you'll do its owner's bidding just hearing it at the rate you were going, reacting automatically as if you were programmed with a voice prompt or something.

You were about to look at him but Maki caught your attention as she pushed the smoothie you ordered towards you, placing it precisely in front of you on the hardwood surface with her fingers. She arched a brow at you, causing you to stiffen on your seat.

You've been coming to the quiet little bar since you grew old enough to drink. In fact, you considered it your regular watering hole, going there whenever you can even in the day as it doubled as a gastro-pub. You've already come to know the staff who reserved the spot for you every single time you told them you were coming, particularly the tough but very lovable Maki. She's basically a friend now, and you knew you were acting off if she was giving you odd looks.

"Thanks, Maki," you said just in time, even managing to smile. She just shook her head at you before walking away to tend to another client.

"I have to know what book you are reading," the person beside you said just as you began sipping on your drink, which, you've noted, was a cherry blossom tea smoothie that reminded you of him.

You let go of the straw between your lips, swallowing hard. Turning your attention to him, you found him sitting sideways, chin propped on the heel of his palm as he regarded you. "Huh?" was all you could manage to say to him.

A slow, crooked smile etched itself across his mouth, the action appearing sensuous with the gradual way his expressions changed. "That book," he said for your benefit. "May I know what it is about?"

You just blinked, still questioning yourself if he was addressing you.

"If you're that engrossed about it, it must be great," he said. "Mind telling me the title?"

"Book?" you asked dumbly. He was really frying your brain.

He pointed at the book you were holding with his lips, protruding them slightly before smiling again. Jesus, you loved the way he smiled. The gesture didn't belong there when you've already thought he was the smirking, grinning-devil type. It was too soft a gesture, but then again his hair was shell-pink – a contradiction to his stridently brawny features.

"Oh." Despite yourself, you found yourself chuckling. "I'm sorry, I was distracted."

"Not by the book, I hope."

You looked away, smiling to yourself as you closed the object in question and slid it over to him. When you looked at him, you were surprised to see him actually reading the synopsis at the back, interest flickering in his dark eyes. You were already expecting him to just read the title, probably the author, too, thinking he was just flirting with you judging by his last words. But he was actually reading it.

"It's about an architect," he stated. "He must be mind-blowingly awesome if you're too transfixed on his story."

"No, Howard Roark is mostly a recalcitrant bastard who breaks rules here and there, doesn't cooperate or collaborate and is stone-faced about most anything."

"But it's what you like about him," he supplied.

You nodded. "He’s a breath of fresh air in a world governed by stuffy archaic principles. The spring to a long, stagnant winter of conformity. I'm in love with him." Noticing the look of amusement on his face, you were quick to add, "What?"

"Nothing." His smile didn't waver though. "Are you an architect, too?"

"Too?" you repeated with inflection then tilted your head. "Ah, you're an architect, huh?"

"Guilty."

"Any projects of note?" you asked, tilting your head in wonder when he seemed flustered. "What is it?"

He shook his head slowly. "You're very straightforward."

At that, you grinned. "Should I take you out to dinner before I get that information?" You sipped leisurely at your smoothie, glad that you throw him off as much as he flusters you.

"You don't have to," he found himself answering anyway. "But I work for a firm, so they get most of the credit. We built that new hotel at Shinjuku."

"Eh? Didn't pin you for a baroque kind of guy."

"You know..." He was all ears now judging by how he leaned closer to you. He leveled his expression to yours then. "So, what kind of guy did you think I am?"

There it is, you thought, the smirk you've been waiting for. Without giving it much thought, you said, "The Howard Roark type, of course."

***

"You seriously don't remember, do you?"

It wasn't that you didn't. You simply had no idea how you got home, considering how you ended up all smashed after enjoying too many margaritas after your smoothie. You seriously just didn't know certain things. You didn't know what happened after you reached your limit. And out of all the things you know you should not have missed, you didn't know his name.

You were sitting on the kitchen counter, nursing a headache, trying to fill in every bit of information your friends were trying to leech out of you in your addled state. You've been expecting it - the great inquisition - especially after you returned in a state lesser than they've been expecting, unconscious, according to the collective stories of your roommates, when you told them you were just stepping out to get some reading done. And on a school night, no less. Very atypical of you indeed.

"What should I be remembering?" you responded to Ieiri. You weren't exactly fond of her worrisome nature although you knew she was just watching your back especially since she has been rather disapproving of your escapades with these guys you somewhat dated back then. You appreciated it, but it didn't mean you liked it.

"Oh, I don't know, Y/N. Strawberry blond? Tats? Drives a Jeep? Ring any bells?" she said, jogging your memory. "He came knocking at two in the morning, carrying you in his arms. I mean he was hot according to Satoru, but do you even know the guy?"

“Cherry blossom,” you absently corrected the color Ieiri mentioned.

“Huh?”

“Him, I remember.” You smiled at the thought, not hiding your delight from them. You were sure they were just annoyed that they weren't in on the action since Satoru, your other friend and roommate, who seem nonexistent recently, was the one who interacted with the man you met and supposedly brought you back to the house you rented with all of them. And Satoru doesn't know basic decorum to actually ask what the man’s name was. "Howard."

"Howard?" Suguru, another one of your friends who was in the literature department as you were, asked. "Howard Roark?" He knew the reference, obviously. You forced him to read the book before it even became one of your study materials.

You nodded enthusiastically. "He's an architect."

"He didn't look like a 'Howard,' apparently," Ieiri said.

"That name is from her favorite book," Suguru supplied, his dark eyes shifting to you as he tucked some stray strands of his long, raven locks which were currently tied in a half-up. "So your guy's an architect, too."

"That, but he isn't 'my guy' and I don't know what his name is."

He grinned then. "If you're openly calling him by the name of the character you claim to be in love with, I'm assuming..."

"No!" Ieiri gasped.

You laughed despite the action making your head hurt. You were still hungover after all, but you didn't mind, not when you knew you had a good night. Probably a great night to allow yourself to be hammered like you have been. You only ever drank to your fill when the company is great and when you were in a jovial mood.

"It's nothing like that. He just feels like spring time. Looks like it, too." You waved your hands in front of you for emphasis. Still, your expressions said otherwise.

You weren't in love with the man because you didn't believe in mushy things like love at first sight, but you knew you liked him, just that you weren't getting your hopes up cause there's a chance you might not see him ever again, assuming your meeting was something transient like the blossoms his hair made you think of. Even if he was a regular at Maki's, if your schedules didn't coincide with one another, it would not be easy to meet. You've been coming to the same bar for years and yet, you've only ever seen him that time. You never really know.

But then, you got your answer pretty quickly.

From: Satoru

See you at 7 tomorrow night. Same place.

That’s how Satoru's message read, sent late the previous night. You almost forgot about the agreement you’ve had with him to get unlimited barbecue after sleeping the rest of the day but you made it out just in time. It was something you did with all three of your friends as a way to bond with them individually.

You glanced at the clock on your phone, feeling the stares of the restaurant staff on you. Well, you’ve been there for more than an hour waiting for him. One hour and thirteen minutes to be precise. All you’ve ordered so far was a glass of lemonade and you were able to finish that in the first half hour, sitting on a table for two when evidently, you were alone. All your texts were ignored and your calls were always being redirected to voicemail.

“Where the fuck are you, Gojo Satoru?” you asked him in one of your messages, hissing low into your phone just so the other diners would not be offended by your words. You got a message another twenty minutes later, the sound of your phone almost making you jump from your seat. However, when you looked at it, it was from an unknown number.

You were about to check the message when one of the waitresses came to your table, pad and pen on the ready. She’s always the one who served you whenever you and your friends would go there for a dose of beef and pork fat, and she has always been nice to you.

“Not to be nosy but I think your friend isn’t coming.”

You nodded, grimacing. “Tell me about it.”

“The boss has been giving you the stink eye, too.”

Looking over the counter, you saw the elderly man really looking at you. He looked away when you met his eyes, muttering to himself. You knew how the owner could get, but you simply loved going there since their food is good and the service is just the same. You smiled ruefully at the woman before you. “I’ll have a sukiyaki set and warm sake, please. Thank you.”

“Would that be all?”

“Yeah.”

“Coming right up.” She flashed you a bright smile before disappearing into the back rooms.

You almost forgot the message you saw earlier, but then, your phone lit up again with that familiar tone. The new message was from the same number.

From: Unknown

How are you?

From: Unknown

I hope you’re okay.

You frowned, not having the slightest clue as to who could be texting you.

From: You

Who is this?

Your order came but there was no response from the mystery texter or Satoru. You felt pathetic looking at your phone every once in a while as you ate and drank. Normally, you wouldn’t even have given anybody, including your best friends, the time of the day, making you wait for longer than an hour without as much as a message. You don’t ever wait for people over the agreed meeting time. You hated it with passion. And you were already thinking of ways to make Satoru pay.

You were about to eat a mouthful of beef when you heard the chair across you being dragged back. Your eyes flicked to the direction, and to your utter shock, you almost dropped your chopsticks if it weren’t for the hand that reached out and held onto your hand, securing the utensils.

Once again, you were sitting on your usual spot at the bar, eyes clashing with those intense ones owned by the pink-haired guy who apparently drove a charcoal grey Jeep and reminded you of spring, the same one who drove you home the other night.

“Careful,” he said, his scent assaulting your senses.

A lump formed in your throat, making you unable to form proper words, so you settled for putting down the chopsticks. You folded your hands together on your lap, recovering from your consternation before you finally looked at him, unable to help it but grin. He looked different that day, more laid back in a white baseball cap mussing his candy-floss hair down, a loose-fitting shirt in the same hue and jeans. He looked so fresh, you felt the air around you cool down considerably.

“How did you…” you hesitated and shook you head. “Hello.”

He broke into that crooked smile. “Crazy how the moment you sent the message, I saw you through the glass walls while I drove past.”

You opened your mouth to say something, but closed it again, not quite knowing how to react to it when suddenly, the first part of his statement registered in your mind. “Wait, message?” You picked up your phone, showing him the messages. “This is you?”

He nodded slowly. “Looks like you’re doing great.” He regarded the bottle of sake on the table. “I had to get your number to check up on you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Y-yeah, I mean, no, not at all. Thank you by the way.” You chuckled, saving his number and naming him Spring God in your contacts. “I wasn’t really expecting you to bring me home.”

“I got your address from your driving license.” He grinned then. “I thought of taking you back to my place, but I didn’t know how that would sit with you.”

Who says chivalry was dead? “I’m sorry for acting crazy, if I did anyway." You chuckled. "I don't remember…and for having to bring me all the way to the house.”

“It’s fine. It was lovely meeting Satoru.”

At that, your face flushed red. You winced. “I’m sorry for whatever he did while I was out of it.” He could be crazy at times, and you wouldn't be surprised if he did something untoward.

He shook his head, letting out a slight chuckle. “He was very nice to me, don’t worry.” He furrowed his brows then. “I also got your name. Y/N. I don’t know if you forgot to tell me or you just didn’t trust me enough, but I’d like to think it’s the former since you didn’t seem to think twice about getting wasted with me like you did.”

You deliberately didn’t tell him your name, but he was making it sound a little nicer. It wasn’t really something you planned on doing again, meeting him, but somehow, he found you. You shook you head, coming clean. “If you put it that way, okay, but really, I thought it was better if you didn’t know.”

“Hmm. Why is that?”

You found it endearing that he tilted his head a bit to the side when he asked the question. Your lips curled upwards at the corner. “I just never thought I’d meet you again.”

“That would be unfortunate.”

You laughed awkwardly at his remark. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”

“I’m not offended.”

“Okay.”

You requested for another order of barbecue for him. He declined but you insisted. “Come on. My treat for your act of kindness.” You snickered. “Besides, my supposed date bailed.”

“Date?”

Sighing, you said, “Well, not really. Satoru. We agreed to meet here over an hour ago but he hasn’t been answering my messages or calls. Something probably came up.”

He eyed you thoughtfully. “If you don't mind me asking, is he your...?"

"My what?"

"Your boyfriend…maybe."

You chuckled at the thought, but then you realized you didn't even know his name. "I don't really tell strangers about things like that," you teased.

“Okay, but I thought we’re past being strangers.” He smirked then and you swore you felt your stomach flip.

“We’re in the getting-to-know-each-other phase,” you told him with a laugh, acceding. "Since I didn't tell you my name, I didn't expect you to tell me yours. Plus I didn't ask, so may I have yours?"

"Sukuna," he said. "Ryomen Sukuna."

"Su-ku-na," you repeated, liking the feel of the syllables as they rolled out of your tongue. Finally, the person you've gotten so fond of in just a short time had a name. You didn't know what his name meant but it seemed to match him well regardless of how arbitrary it was to his person. You couldn't think of any better name though. "I like your name. It's pretty." You smiled brightly at him then. "And no, Satoru is not my boyfriend."

Ryomen Sukuna was an absolute puzzle to you. How he could look so badass and pretty much intimidating with his strapping physique and inked skin – throw in the multiple piercings on his left ear which you were noticing or the first time – while also pulling off all these adorable little actuations was a quandary to you. Tall, solidly built men like him should not be reminding you of soft, cute things, but the moment he blinked in confusion, you knew you couldn't get enough of it.

"Nobody ever said that about my name, but thanks," he returned in that deep voice after a moment's pause. And was that a dusting of roses over his cheeks? The surprises you were getting from this man was endless. He really was such a breath of fresh air, so far from the usual stereotypes.

Your face seemed to be perpetually pulled into a smile whenever you were around him, and you didn't think you were doing a good job suppressing the urge to be beaming like an idiot around him. "So, anyway, what made you think that blue-eyed idiot is my boyfriend?" you asked, changing the topic.

"Well, he was a bit hostile at first when he took you from me, making me explain things but then started apologizing after. He told me you could be a handful when inebriated..." He let his voice trail off as if letting you chew on his words.

"You agree with him." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Sukuna pretended to frown. "He also calls you 'his princess'."

You threw your head back, covering your eyes momentarily in embarrassment. "Now I wish you met Ieiri and Suguru instead," proceeding to explain that the nickname was something akin to what a father would call his precious daughter.

"He was rather intimidating, but I guess he's just looking out for you."

"He's still not off the hook for standing me up," you quipped, "But you finding him intimidating is funny."

"Why?"

You scoffed, gesturing over to him. "I think you can snap him in two if you wished, too."

"He was scary," Sukuna insisted.

"He's harmless...most of the time, but yeah, he’s rather protective. That’s one of my dads for you."

He laughed then. "There's nothing scarier than a fiercely protective friend…or a doting father. I can't muscle my way out of that for sure."

"Ah, then you'll find Ieiri scarier."

The night pretty much went well and ended on a good note. Sukuna did most of the talking for the rest of the night. You learned he was six years older than you at twenty nine, one of the head architects at the firm he worked for, has a love-hate relationship with his job cause he wants to draw portraits instead, was a delinquent when he was younger but got away with things cause he was a straight-A student, loved dogs so much that he cries when they die in movies, was closer to his mom, got his tattoos on a sudden whim, and was pretty much a sweet, charming genuine person which contrasted his appearance. What you see isn't what you get. That just isn't how it worked with him.

You loved it when he talked. It was rather entertaining as he had a way of telling stories which made you feel like you were actually there when it happened. Eventually, you forgot the reason why you were at the restaurant in the first place. It was as if you went there for the purpose of meeting Sukuna himself. Satoru was all but forgotten as you dissolved into carefree laughter and playful banters, and you felt at ease and more like yourself around him, pretty much like when you were with your three favorite people in the world.

“It’s not really that funny,” Sukuna told you, watching you laugh heartily at that one episode in his freshmen year when he made a mistake of going on a date with the wrong girl who happened to have the same name as his supposed date. You continued to laugh as if he didn’t say anything.

“It’s just crazy that both of them were there at the same time. I mean, what were the odds?”

He parked by the sidewalk in front of your house, killing the engine. “That’s the reason why I have never agreed to a single blind date ever again.” He pulled the key out of the ignition, glancing at the direction of your house. “We’re here.”

Your laughter died down when you followed the direction of his gaze. The lights were off except for the one lighting up the porch of the house you shared with your friends. You returned your gaze to him then. “Thanks for driving me home. Again.”

“I enjoyed your company. It’s the least I can do.”

You smiled warmly at him, reaching over to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek when he suddenly turned his head a fraction towards you. That minute change made your lips end up against his instead. He was surprised at first and remained immobile against you, but when you pulled away, he chased you back, connecting your mouths, his lips feeling soft and warm yet emitting that air of dominance as it coaxed yours to move in sync with his. You were kissing him back in no time, but you immediately caught yourself and withdrew, utterly flustered.

Your heart thudded heavily as he held you in his intense gaze, his tongue slowly running over his lower lip, making you even more mentally incapacitated. It made you want to just pull him back to you and covet those lips with yours again. You snapped out of it though. You already knew he was capable of hot-wiring and hijacking your brain.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” you told him when you were able to form words again.

Sukuna looked at you from under his lashes, smiling slightly. “I’m not.”

Taken aback, you chuckled nervously. “No?”

He shook his head, reached over and ruffled your hair a bit. “Go inside. It’s late.” You nodded and disembarked from the car while he leaned on the steering wheel, watching you. You were already on the pavement, about to close the door, when he spoke again. “Can I come see you again?”

“Sure,” you said without thinking. “Good night, Sukuna.” Man, you just loved saying his name.

“Bye, Y/N. Good night.”

He drove away while you made your way towards your doorstep. Your fingers flew to your lips once you were standing on your porch, smiling to yourself at the realization of having kissed him. Shaking your head, you fished for the keys from your pocket and entered the house, not quite remembering how you got to your room, but you slept that night with pleasant dreams of running your fingers through pink locks of hair.

***

"I'm really sorry. Something came up and my phone died."

You acceded. It wasn’t as if Satoru did something so big. You went to the outdoor kiosks near the parking lot by the football grounds to catch up on some reading while Satoru ate and told you bits of his past few days, since he got held up at their family estate. Having such a traditional, high-ranking family in the country sure had its downsides, and you weren't about to make him even more agitated than he already was. He had it difficult, you knew that, and you weren’t about to be petty over him not coming to your supposed bonding time. He may be happy-go-lucky but you felt tension simmering just under the surface when you squeezed his hand in assurance.

Suguru and Ieiri followed shortly after Satoru fetched you from class, also surprised to see him there. "So, you finally decided to show up," the former said.

"Don't ask," Satoru said.

"Wasn't planning to," Suguru scoffed, his attention shifting to you. “What are you working on anyway?” he asked, flipping the file you were reading haphazardly to peer through the contents.

“I’m making an analysis report on ‘The Romantic Manifesto’.” you answered, looking up from the notes you were writing when your eyes suddenly strayed over his shoulder. You almost did a double-take, glancing at Suguru before returning your line of vision at the spot beyond where he sat.

“It’s due…” your voice trailed off when you realized just what, or rather who, you were looking at. You weren’t so sure whether what you were seeing was real or a mirage, a very familiar, specific and detailed one, but then, you figured it was the former when the person smirked and cocked his head to the side, beckoning you over to where he leaned against his grey Jeep as he raised a cup of what looked like cherry blossom tea.

Suguru arched a brow at you, looking behind him but not really noticing the object of your distraction. “Hey, you okay?”

Ieiri followed the direction of your gaze and nudged you when she saw who you were looking at. "Is that your Howard? Damn, girl. He’s sizzling."

You nodded, but at that same moment, you rose from the table without any explanation, your feet immediately leading you towards the outdoor carpark. When you were within earshot, you said, “What are you doing here?”

You stopped a few feet from him, glancing behind you to where the others had already turned their heads to follow the path you took, flashing you shit-eating grins. It wouldn’t surprise you anymore if they had pieced together who the person was before you. They claimed to be your ‘parents’ but acted like children at times.

“I brought you tea.” Sukuna walked towards you, standing so close that you forgot how to breathe for a few seconds as you inhaled his scent and took in his appearance, looking immaculate in a plain white shirt and faded jeans, but your brain only seemed to register those lips and the memory of how they felt against yours.

You shook your head, snapping out of your trance, mentally cursing at yourself. “Hi.” You exhaled loudly, trying hard not to smile like an idiot while you absently twirled your hair on your finger, suddenly seeing the world through a pinkish filter. "How do you keep finding me?"

Sukuna's smile dropped. “Did I come at an inconvenient time?” he asked gently, trying hard not to sound miffed, but he obviously was taken aback by your words.

“No.” You shook your head, placing a hand over your forehead. You finally smiled at him, letting out a choked snicker. “No, Sukuna. It’s good to see you. It’s just that I wasn’t expecting to see you here. And you didn't really tell me you were coming.”

He grinned at you then but he still appeared unsure, placing a hand behind his neck. “Right.”

You flashed him a helpless look. “Please don’t look at me like that. I’m just really surprised.”

“Hmm." He moved closer to you, wrapping your hand around the transparent disposable cup. His proximity was affecting you in ways you couldn't admit out loud. "Are you happy to see me, too?"

"Too? So, you're happy to see me?"

"Always."

That's it. You're done for. Trying to avoid his intense gaze and escaping his scrutiny, you glanced over your shoulder to find everyone on your table observing you blatantly. Satoru raised a thumb at you while Ieiri was giggling with Suguru.

"Are those your friends?" Sukuna commented, his minty breath fanning against the side of your face which made you turn a little too quickly to face him again only to be confronted by his face leaning towards yours, mere centimeters away.

“Y-yeah.” You leaned a bit backwards but he moved forward. “That they are.” You stepped backwards again, nearly faltering on your feet, but you immediately gained your balance when he grabbed you by the arm, steadying you.

"Are you alright?" Sukuna asked, looking at you with concern written all over his face which morphed into wonder when you said, "Yeah, you're just overwhelming."

"Huh?"

"I can't think properly when I'm around you," you stated casually, your expressions not giving anything away as per usual. You arched a brow at him when he did the same. "You hot-wire my brain."

"I know what you mean." He smirked despite his confusion. "Is that good or bad?"

You eyed him thoughtfully, biting on your lower lip. "Good for you, bad for me. You can probably tell me to eat dirt and I'd do it in a heartbeat."

He chuckled, looking at you tenderly. "You're too honest."

"To a fault," you agreed, "Suguru tells me all the time. Wanna meet them?"

He ruffled your hair. "Sure."

***

While you weren't exactly expecting to see Sukuna again after the night you met, he became of constant presence around you. You have gone out with him several times over the course of two months. He was a busy person and you also had your priorities, but he always makes you feel special whenever you two would be out and about, behaving like such a gentleman opening and closing doors for you, naturally shifting closer to traffic while you walked, bringing an extra jacket in case you felt cold or a larger umbrella so you don't get wet, bringing you your favorite tea whenever he could.

He picked you up from school for lunch twice, making the most of the hour, and one time, you brought him lunch at work when he suddenly canceled on you, saying he was swamped with work. He sounded really upset so you decided to go to him instead. You brought Suguru with you as a buffer, but Sukuna's colleagues still teased him. He was different in the office – gruff and strict which fitted him more – but he still beamed at you happily when you brought him food, not caring who saw.

Apart from the brief phone calls, you two never really texted. It wasn't really your thing and he didn't like it either, so it could go days on end without you saying anything to each other, but when you do get a chance to speak, it would always be like picking up on where you've left off. He has only ever sent you two messages. One to remind you to take good care of yourself because he was going to be away for a while and another one a week later asking if you wanted to go out with him that coming Friday night.

"Your timing's off," you told him over the phone. You really wanted to say yes, but, "Ieiri, the boys and I are going out that night. Gang tradition."

"Some other time then?"

"Sure."

You hung up after a few more exchanges of words, getting started on reading some notes when Ieiri entered the kitchen. "Was that Howard?"

"Yeah. He's inviting me to go out on Friday, but I already said yes to clubbing with you guys."

She grinned cheekily, wrapping an arm around you as she poked you on the cheek. At times, it feels like Satoru was rubbing off on her. "Are you sure you don't want to ditch us for the hot architect?"

"Hot architect –" You snickered. "Did you just say that?"

"I was supposed to say 'sugar daddy,' literally and figuratively. Sugar and his cotton candy hair. Get it?"

You narrowed your eyes at her, shaking your head. It was supposed to be amusing, but when Ieiri says it, it just sounds weird. "Can I read in peace now?"

She left you alone, but laughed at your expense.

Friday couldn't have rolled around fast enough and you headed out with your friends at the club owned by a friend of yours, prepared to party in a pair of tight-fitting jeans, a crop top and your hair hanging about in wavy layers. You were already expecting the place to be cramped as hell given the day of the week so much so that Suguru had to hold onto you tightly so as not to lose you when you entered until you found the area you had reserved for the night. It was for good measure too since the place was drenched in purple, blue and green laser lights which were disorienting at first. And so, your night began as such.

You were in the middle of dancing, only pausing when you had to down your nth shot for the night when your eyes suddenly strayed to the bar area at the elevated part of the club adjacent to the the leather seats. You looked away but returned your gaze towards said direction when you realized this very familiar guy was looking at you. He was watching you as you danced and let loose, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

You craned your neck, looking back and thinking the guy looked a lot like Sukuna, but then he couldn’t be. He was engaged elsewhere, still you continued to ogle him until you were pretty sure it wasn’t the same person. But the longer you looked, the more it was being proven to you that it was him.

That lopsided smile drew itself across his lips, seeing as how you were doubting yourself about his identity. There was no mistaking that look on his face, the way his dark eyes seemed to sparkle whenever he smiled even if the action didn't belong there.

“Sukuna?” you mouthed his name and he nodded, motioning for you to come over with his head. It had been a solid ten days since you last saw him, and for some reason, your heart raced at the thought of seeing him there.

Without saying a word to the people you were with, you squeezed yourself through the crowd, your feet carrying to the upstairs bar, to Sukuna. It took you a while to traverse the space between you, and when you finally stood before him, all you could do was smile up at him, taking in the soft look about him as he regarded you which were at odds to those fiery eyes that had the capability to turn into bright orbs of light when he beamed down at you.

“Hello, Y/N. Once again, fate has brought you to me,” he said rather dramatically, a smirk drawing itself across his pretty mouth.

Laughter escaped your throat, unable to say anything when you realized that you actually missed him, missed looking at him. Unable to help it, you stood on your toes and reached out to touch his hair, the action surprising the both of you. He eyed you, his expressions that of a half-smile and a look of confusion while you retracted your hands as quickly as you felt his soft locks with your fingertips, wincing at the realization of what you were doing.

At that, he laughed heartily, stealing your hand and pressing it over the side of his head. “Go ahead. I don’t mind you touching me,” he told you, staring into your eyes that you felt like all the air in the room was gone.

You blinked at him, processing what he said and joined in his mirth. “You're here!” You shook your head when it dawned to you that you were stating the obvious. “I’m sorry. How are you, Sukuna?”

“Pink?” he offered and chuckled at his own joke which made your face heat up. “Kidding. I’m great. I missed you these past days. How are you?”

“You did?” You felt your insides melting at his statement, made worse when he nodded to confirm it. “I’m fine. Great. Where have you disappeared to anyway?”

He snickered a your question. “Madrid.”

Your jaw dropped. “As in Spain?”

He nodded. “Had to do something there.”

“Uh-huh.” His words were rather obscure, but you didn’t want to encroach on his private life.

“What are the odds that we’re at the same club?”

“The owner is a friend,” you answered, smiling awkwardly as you glanced at the direction of your friends on the dance floor. You saw all of them looking at you. Suguru winked at you, giving you the thumbs up, making you laugh at his silliness.

“The gang’s all here, I see.”

“What?” You faced Sukuna, finding him leaning close beside you against the metal balustrade. Just then, a waiter passed by holding a whole tray of shots, and before you could duck, he grabbed you by the waist so that you were leaning against him with no quantifiable space between your bodies. Your eyes widened in shock and you froze, your thoughts clouded by the familiar smell of rain in a bamboo forest during Maytime. “T-thanks…”

He hummed in response to your gratitude, but he didn’t let you go. “I didn’t know you enjoyed places like this, too.”

“Why is that?” you asked, feigning ignorance to how close you two were.

"I never pinned you for the party animal type. I kinda developed a fondness for that quiet, nerdy girl sitting at the corner of the pub."

"Not exactly. I prefer Maki's place to be honest but coming here once in a while doesn't hurt. Especially with those three." You frowned slightly at him then as you thought of something. “So, why didn’t you approach me?” You motioned towards the dancefloor. “I'm sure the three-headed monster won't mind if you joined us. You alone?”

“Yes, sweetheart, but aren't you supposed to be hanging out with them?" You grabbed his arm before he could refuse you and started leading him towards where the others were.

However, he had other plans in mind. Again, he hooked an arm around your waist until your back was leaning against him. You eyed him sideways, startled by his actions, but unable to counteract it anyway as you’re just stunned speechless all the while. “You can go back to them, Y/N, but I don’t think I should go with you.”

You turned around, gently easing away from his hold. “Why not? They already know you, and they like you.”

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a party pooper.” He leaned towards you, tilting his head to the side while his lower lip slightly jutted out.

"What are you talking about?” You rolled your eyes at him then snickered.

He eyed you seriously then. “Just in case this is a friends-only affair?”

“Satoru already ruined that by bringing his girls into the mix.” You laughed at him when you saw him hesitate. “Come on, Sukuna. Join us. For me?” You showed him your best impression of puppy-dog eyes. “Pretty please?”

When you saw that he wasn’t budging, you changed your argument. “Fine. Dance with me then.” You didn’t give him any time to contradict you as you took him by the hand and dragged him to the dancefloor.

He was just standing still, looking uncomfortable as you started to groove to the beat, so you took his arms and started moving them until he was moving on his own, finally breaking into that smile. He looked too awkward that you wanted to laugh but decided against it, simply raising your hands and feeling the music.

“Aren’t you having fun?” you asked him as you were bobbing your head to the bass.

“I am!” he answered above the music.

“You don’t look like you’re having fun. Are you shy?” You chuckled openly at that.

“No.”

“You don’t dance?”

“I can dance.”

You giggled. “Then show me what you’ve got!”

Without a warning, he started moving in sync with you, taking your hands in his and finally letting loose in such a graceful manner as you both got into the beat and started waving and swaying against one another, his hands slowly running at your sides in sensual rhythms that got you reeling in excitement. You almost forgot that you were with other people as you danced with him. It was fun and it felt good to be that carefree, not minding your friends, drinks flowing in nonstop.

Soon, the group you’ve left joined you and Sukuna. They all greeted him excitedly while the boys exchanged high-fives with him as they were dancing. Satoru and the two girls who were with him also joined in and somewhere along that, Suguru offered everyone cigarettes, and you gladly took one when you saw Sukuna taking one as well. You didn’t really smoke on a regular basis but you didn’t exactly shy away from the so-called cancer sticks.

After taking another shot, you pulled Sukuna out of the dancefloor, hollering at the others as you raised your cigarette, signaling where you were going in case they wanted to come with. You made your way to the smoking area at the veranda situated at the back of the building with the older male in tow. You were pretty much buzzed, calming down from the high you had while dancing, grinning wide as the cool night air met you, making your lungs expand as you breathed in.

Sukuna watched you as he took his place against the banister, following him shortly as you produced a lighter from your pocket, something that you always carried just in case.

“You smoke?” he asked, toying with his own battered stick, twirling it around his long fingers.

“Sometimes,” you admitted, watching his reaction. “And you?”

“Not really.”

“You took one anyway.” You wedged the item in question between your lips and raised the lighter, but before you could light it, it was pulled out from your mouth and the next thing you knew, Sukuna was kissing you, his lips pressed against yours as he pulled you closer by the hips which he seemed to have a fixation for since you came up to him. It was a soft yet urgent kiss that cajoled you to respond, and not long after, your lips were submissive clouds moving to the will of the wind that was his luscious mouth.

Like the first time you felt his lips against yours, electricity ran through your body as if he was touching you elsewhere apart from your mouth. It was driving you off the edge of sanity, and you knew you’d probably jump off a cliff for the male. He grinned at your dazed state when your eyes met after he finally pulled away, showing you the cigarette that was supposed to be between your lips before he unceremoniously laid claim to them.

“You’re going to ruin your lips by smoking. I’m keeping this,” he told you.

You were too mesmerized with the tingling feeling in your mouth while your eyes stayed glued to his as you blinked slowly, your mind and heart racing at a thousand miles per second. “W-why would you do that?” you stammered, feeling your throat go so dry that you had to drag the words out.

“Apart from the fact that it’s terribly unhealthy, it ruins your sense of smell and taste.” He waved the cigarette in front of you before shoving it into the pocket of his jeans. “Scientific fact.”

You couldn’t quite process what he was saying. You were asking why he kissed you, but he misunderstood. “Are you going to taser me with your lips every single time I’m about to smoke?”

“Taser…” He chuckled and narrowed his eyes at you. “I might just if it means these dangerous things don’t touch your pretty mouth.”

“What the –” You didn’t know if you would be scandalized by what he said or if you were going to laugh. The latter won and you tittered. “That’s a good one.”

“I mean it, Y/N.”

Boldness engulfed your whole thought process as you stepped closer to him, looking straight into his eyes. “And if I insist on it? Placing dangerous things in my pretty mouth? What are you going to do then?”

He, too, leaned forward, eyes flicking to your lips. “Then I guess I just have to keep your mouth too busy to even think about smoking again,” he whispered to you, his breath hitting your lips.

You smirked at him then. “I guess I just have to make sure you aren’t around if I do feel like smoking.”

He pouted. You burst out laughing.

You reached over and pinched both of his cheeks. “You’re so adorable.”

Sukuna swatted your hands away, but smiled nonetheless. "You're the only one who says I'm adorable."

"You are. You just don't know it."

“Okay then. If you say so.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear then, your skin tingling where he touched you. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

“Not really.”

“Good. I wanna do something for you.”

You eyed him questioningly. “Hmm. What?”

“That’s a surprise.”

It was already around two in the morning when everyone had the unanimous decision to leave the club which was still packed. You, too, were getting tired especially after Ieiri ended up hammered and Satoru was emptying his guts through his mouth. Suguru was a bit drunk, too, but he was trying his best to help you take care of them. Sukuna had been very nice all night, even helping you load Satoru and Ieiri into the backseat of Suguru’s car.

“Would you like me to drive you home?” he asked you after shutting the door to the backseat.

“No, I’m gonna be fine. Besides, I can’t just leave Suguru to deal with them both.” You motioned to his Jeep. “You should go ahead, too.”

Sukuna grimaced as he nodded. “I guess that would be for the best. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. You take good care now.”

“You, too, sweetheart.” He stepped forward and pulled you against him, hugging you, enveloping you in his warmth and that scent you loved profusely. “It’s really great seeing you tonight.”

You returned the gesture, smiling up at him as you tried to compose yourself. “It’s great seeing you, too.” You stood on your toes and pecked him on the cheek before giving him a gentle shove towards the car. “See you, Sukuna.”

He waved at you then boarded the car. You watched as it disappeared down the street before turning away to enter the club to get Suguru who was left to settle the bills. You found him seated on one of the couches, finding your way easily since the crowd thinned a bit.

“You okay, dude?” you asked when you reached him. He was pale and he looked like he was going to throw up anytime. “Do you need to go to the restroom?”

He shook his head. “Just get me out of here.”

You chuckled, leading him faster out of the club. You sat him down on passenger side and soothed his back, asking after him again as you started the engine. He said he was fine, laughing when he caught a glimpse of the two who were already passed out on the backseat with Satoru lying on Ieiri’s lap while her head was lolling limply to the side.

The drive was rather short without much cars on the road, but Suguru was still able to squeeze in a conversation, and of all the topics he could broach, it had to be about Sukuna.

“I thought Sukuna will be driving you home,” he began, glancing at you.

“He offered, but I can’t just leave you.”

“That would have been okay.” He glanced at the rearview mirror then, checking on the two, you could only guess. He could be such a mother hen at times. “I think he’s cool.”

“Mhmm.”

“And he’s really good-looking,” Suguru threw in with a chuckle. “Just date already.”

You chuckled. “Why don’t you date him instead?”

“Don’t you want to try it out with him?”

“He hasn’t even asked me to date him.”

“Yeah, but he already kissed you –”

“How did you know about that?” you demanded, mortified. Your cheeks were heating up again at the memory of it.

“Well, you’re in a public place.” He laughed. “So, it’s bound to end in dating anyway.”

“Not necessarily.” You turned sideways to look at him. “He’s older after all, not that I see the age gap as a problem. But you know, he might just be passing time.”

“He obviously likes you. If you date him, it’s a win-win situation. You like him, too, you just don’t know it.”

You scoffed. “How can you say that?”

He blew a raspberry. Typical Suguru behavior. “You can be yourself around him. You’re all smiley face around him, too. I saw you. You can’t lie to me.”

“Really now?”

“Yeah. You look your best that way. And don’t ever think you are just a pastime. I’ll kill him if he treats you as such.” He smiled knowingly at you. “Besides, you should date properly. Enough with your flings with stupid boys in campus.”

“Okay, dad.” You sighed, trying to contain your excitement. “I do like him though. He’s so nice to me.”

Suguru reached over patting you on the shoulder. “Ah! My daughter is a grown-woman.”

You swatted at his hand, laughing at his antics.

-end of part 1-

If you're curious who Howard Roark is, he's one of my fave literary characters from Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead." He's excellently made. That's it.

Can architect!sukuna please call me "sweetheart," too?

If you want to be included in the tag list, please DM me :) I'll be posting every week (or I'll try to anyway). Someone remind me to post the next chapters please?

Additional notes are available in the masterlist, particularly on the reasons why I wrote some things the way I did. I don't know what I'm trying to prove there, but haha!

Thank you so much for reading. Likes, comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it.

© ORIGINAL WORK BY nanaminokanojo. CHARACTERS ARE INSPIRED BY GEGE AKUTAMI'S JUJUTSU KAISEN. [20210618]

PHOTO/IMAGE/GIF/FANART SOURCES FULLY CREDITED TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

[miumoou]

Not Alone Tonight ~ Chapter 8

Dazai X Reader 💞

After a long slow paced thirty minute walk we finally reached the place I called my second home which I shared with a couple of friends.

There was a total number of six of us with each having their own exclusive bedroom. We also had two shared bathrooms, one single toilet with a tiny sink and one large spacious kitchen with two well used coal black sofas and a TV monitor screen which was bought in by one of my friends from their own home.

As I reached out for my keys a wave of realisation hit me. I left the keys in my bedroom when I was rushing out to find Dazai.

"Oh!"

Dazai didn't say a word.

"I forgot the keys in my bedroom!" I exclaimed.

Dazai continued to stay silent.

"Ohhh what should we do! Maybe I'll message them but what if they are all asleep now? It is quite late....aghhh why did I leave them!"

Suddenly Dazai spoke up after being silent for awhile.

"[Y/N] over there"

Dazai's slender finger pointed at the blurry figure of a human through the door window which seemed to approach us closer and closer.

Then the door gently opened and I saw a familiar face. He was just a bare shadow a moment ago but now he had clear features. It was Luke.

His diamond blue eyes met mine. They were full of worry, fear and a slight hint of anger which was almost entirely hidden. His eyes were a little puffy which meant that he once again stayed up late last night probably drinking like he always does.

"[Y/N]? Did you forget your key? Why are you back so late? Everyone was worried!" He asked.

"Haha yeah I did...you know me Luke! I always forget things haha thanks for opening the door!"

"Yeah of course" his cheeks flushed similarly to the sunset I saw earlier. He always gets a little shy around me when I thank him which I find to be his sweetest trait.

"Your a real big help Luke! Like for real!" I gave him a wide happy smile as I lifted myself off the pathway into the house. I chucked my shoes to the side forgetting that Dazai was behind me. Once I realised that I did that in front of him I felt a surge of embrassment flood me.

"Wait" Luke stopped Dazai from entering.

"And who might you be?" He asked Dazai with an intense gaze.

"Oh well I'm-" I quickly cut halfway through Dazai's words like I cut through statements in Danganronpa games.

"Oh he is my friend! One of my old friends from school! He is just visiting [Insert where you live here]"

You see Luke can act quite overprotective and I'm not sure why. He woun't let me have a stranger over at my room but he'll let others do so which doesn't make sense?

So I had to make sure that he believed that Dazai was my good old friend. He can't know that Dazai is technically a stranger or should I say a fictional character which makes him sound even more suspicious!

"Oh your her friend yeah?"

Dazai gave Luke a slight nodd.

"Fine you can come in I suppose" his eyes wondered around the corridor until he met Dazai's chocolate brown eyes again. "Would you like to drink with me?"

"Drinking?? Why ask? Of course I would like to drink. Drinking is my hobby ~" he excitedly replied. Then he looked over at you and noticed your smile fade away.

"[Y/N] will you join us?"

"Oh well... I don't drink Dazai" I hesitantly responded..."I know that you love to drink so I woun't stop you but I woun't"

Dazai's eyes widened with shock.

"...you don't drink? But don't everyone?"

"Everyone but not me Dazai. I don't want to be like everyone. I'm not a big fan of drinking or the aftermath effects...and well you see I'm happy being sober" I smiled awkwardly back knowing that I'll probably be alone tonight in my room as Dazai will leave me to join Luke on a drinking game.

Dazai was silent for a moment. He looked like he was analysing the situation.

Then he turned back to face Luke.

"If [Y/N] woun't drink then neither will I...I don't want to make her feel left out after all that she has done for me. Sorry."

Luke's eyebrows rised. And his mouth line became straight like a ruler. His drinking proposal had never been declined like this. Everyone loves him and his drinking games. But now here he stood.

"Are you sure?? You see [Y/N] woun't mind..." Luke gave me a look which told me that I should say something.

"Dazai you don't have to...its ok you can enjoy yourself tonight you've had a long day!" I quickly faked a smile.

"No I woun't drink today as much as I would love to I can't make you feel uneasy." He firmly responded.

My [E/C] eyes glowed. I've been waiting for so long to hear someone say that they woun't drink. I know I shouldn't say this but seeing Luke like that makes me chuckle inside. Haha finally his drinking proposal got rejected! And I woun't be alone!

"Well then what shall we do [Y/N] chan? ~" he happily whistled.

"Oh yeah of course! What about you come to my room! You can leave your coat in my room and well you know..." I looked over at the pocket where the cotton white bandages were located.

"Sounds like a plan lead the way ~"

We walked passed Luke leaving him in his confused state and headed up the stairs to the second floor. We stopped at plain white door. A sign hanging with my name on it was almost sliding off the door handle.

"Here's my room"

I opened the door and let Dazai walk in first.

I closed and locked the door behind me to make sure that Luke woun't be able to enter or peek into my room. I also hurried to the window and closed it as well. My friends sometimes hang around in our small garden and I woudn't want them hearing our conversation. Then a thought just hit my head. I need to hide the bungo stray dogs manga and light novels! I quickly grabbed each book before Dazai could even have a chance to have a look and put them in a plastic bag which I found near the closet. I just need to keep an eye on this bag. I placed the bag inside my closet as he probably woun't look in there considering how private a girls closet can be.

Looking back at Dazai he was heavily examining my room. I could see his eyes linger from corner to corner as he walked around the small space.

Finally he came to a hult and spoke out.

"Your room is so lively. I like the use of blue in your room. Those posters with the hot air balloon with a bright blue sky, the blue double bed duvet with hummingbirds painted on it and the blue dinosaur plushie. It's very cute [Y/N]"

"Aha thank you! I tried to give my room a theme and in this case it's a light blue theme! The posters are of my favourite band BTS!"

"BTS?" he looked at me with a puzzled look.

"Oh haha of course you don't know them" I waved my right hand left to right.

Dazai sat on my soft bed trying to be extra careful to not mess anything up. He took off his coat, took the bandages out and placed the coat on a nearby chair.

"Hey Dazai let me help you!"

"Hmm?"

"Let me help you put on those bandages I know it must be tough doing it all by yourself all of the time and it's the least I could do for what you told me earlier!"

"Hmm sure [Y/N] why not"

I sat beside him and gently moved his left arm towards my lap. I took out the bandages and began cutting with the scissors which I grabbed before sitting down. Then I wrapped his left arm like a present. I did the same with the right arm.

"And I'm done!"

Dazai looked over at his arms "Haha thank you. You don't seem to be much of an expert tho! I've never seen anyone wrap bandages like this pfff" he laughed.

"Hey hey I know I'm not an expert but I tried!"

"I know but it's just" he coudn't stop laughing and smiling.

My eyes looked to the side I was so embarrassed. "Hey stop laughing!"

Then I grabbed my pillow and chucked it at his face.

"Oh your also feisty [Y/N]! ~" his arms waved around then he smirked I could almost imagine anime sparkles surrounding that face.

"You really are something Dazai!" I crossed my arms and huffed.

"Okay okay I'm sorry for laughing for real though thanks [Y/N] I haven't laughed that much in awhile~" he spoke out in a joyful tone.

"Fine fine I forgive you"

"You do??" Dazai got incredibly close to my face. His puppy eyes charmed me and I coudn't help but forgive him. I shyly nodded.