#japanese mob wife au

[moonfox281]

Now that we have a ninja canon AU, I can not help seeing Dick in a kimono or as a geisha, can you one day do a fic about this? I would totally love it!

*Writer note: Sorry for taking too long with this one. And sincerely appology to other anos that requested the same fic, I can only answer one. And great thank you to the wonderful @cherrymiko-art for asking for this*

Beauty Itself 

(Word count: 8142)

To read on AO3

“When Bruce said the mission was in Japan, I had a different scene in mind.”

Dick darted his eyes around, watched the water flow through the bamboo pipe then drip down the tiny ceramic fountain. He didn’t like this, the door was covered in nothing but paper and weak wood, the room was too elegant and the number of weapons that could be produced from the items was strictly limited, and the silence, the haunting silence that assured a storm would come uninvited.

“Really? What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know, a ninja fight, samurai demons jumping out of nowhere, maybe some robots too.”

Jason snorted. “Come on, you think too much.”

Dick turned and looked at him. “It just− What are you wearing?”

“This? I thought for somebody who could speak Japanese since you were 12, you should know their traditional costume.”

“I know what a yukata looks like. But why are you wearing it?”

Jason shrugged, the edge of the fabric hanging on his wide shoulder. The colors brought out his eyes, matte black and thin strings of red, and they seemed to suit his attitude most of the time too. He let the obi hang loose and low, the hems were folded casually, not quite presentable if a formal meeting was required in this mission, but still, everything that was not presentable for formal occasions always suited Jason the best. Besides, Dick appreciated how the short sleeves showed his husband’s biceps.

“I figured if we’re here, why not enjoy it first. We don’t have to dip our hands right into the case the second we get here.” He sat down on the tatami that hugged the entire room, legs crossed. His face spoke that he was waiting for Dick to join him.

Dick refused to.

“This isn’t a vacation. Bruce signed us in because…”

“The underage slave ring leads here and we’re the only ones unoccupied?! Yeah, I know that. Which is why we’re gonna stay here, enjoy whatever this country offers us, while waiting for my intel.” Jason sighed and stood up, walking closer toward Dick.

“Your intel?” Dick asked, doubtfully.

“I’m a global kingpin, honey. I work with the yakuza, sooner or later, we’ll get a link, until then, let’s just relax.”

Dick knew Jason meant well when his arms slung around his waist and pulled him flush to his chest. Jason felt warm, he had always felt warm, and he didn’t wear anything underneath the yukata, almost half of his chest was out.

Dick knew the yukata was Jason’s way of saying he wanted to be out of costume for a couple of hours, which also meant he wanted Dick to be out of costume for a couple hours. That seemed too luxurious in Dick’s opinion, they were on a mission, a mission assigned by Bruce himself. They didn’t have time to waste, they could always enjoy this sometime else, when they were done being vigilante and off duty, which would probably be never, but still, not right now, not when there was a task to be done.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Jason said, when his hand came up to push Dick’s head to rest on the warm skin of his chest. “I know you’re anxious for some action, but here, locals talk, locals tell. There’s nothing two outsiders like us could do. Let the yakuza do their job, once they give me something, we’ll move.”

Jason was right, the best way to dig up some information around here was from the locals.

Jason pet his head lightly. He understood Dick tended to get tense, go overbroad on everything when the mission involved Bruce. Maybe Dick was truly the one that had problems with Bruce all along out of the two of them.

“Stop thinking.” Jason whispered into his hair. “You always think too much, it’s making me nervous.”

“Sorry.” Dick chirped.

“I don’t want you sorry, I want you relaxed.” Jason pulled away to look down on him. “If you’re uncomfortable…”

“No,” He said, too quickly. “It’s just strange, coming here and… not doing anything like this.”

This must have been the zillionth time Dick went to Japan, but still, none of the times he had the opportunity to even get a glimpse of relaxation. There was always a mission on hand, a goal to reach or a task to be done. And by the time everything was all wrapped up, it was time to move on to another place, with another mission to pursue.

Jason looked at him and understood. Marriage had turned him soft and open, but to be honest, Dick didn’t know if that was true. Jason had always been gentle towards him, and for him to open up like this, Dick didn’t know if it was that Jason was ready to share, or if he saw that Dick was now ready to accept what he was willing to share.

Dick didn’t know, he honestly didn’t know. From this point looking back, it was hard to not see himself as the root of every problem.

2 hours later, Jason’s intel came, a thirty something man dressed in a white suit with a big cigar in between his teeth. A nasty scar ran from his forehead down over the bridge of his nose, and as his hair was pulled back and gelled, Dick doubted the man was ashamed of it.

Dick looked at his hand when he reached out to shake Jason’s. Big rings, two callused fingers, a sign of regular use of a firearm, patchy knuckles showed a frequency of violence, but still, nothing missing.

This man wasn’t just a yakuza, he was an oyabun, the absolute head of a yakuza group. Dick was so having a conversation with Jason after this.

He sat down on the couch, flicking the tar of his cigar down in the nearby bonsai pot, and grinned at Dick. His eyes darted up and down, peeking through the hems of his newly changed yukata, publically stripping him with lust burning in his pupils.

Dick didn’t like this man.

“I didn’t know you brought company.” He spoke in Japanese, dragging the words out slow and decent. He must think Dick didn’t know the language on his tongue. He looked at Dick again before turning to Jason, grinning wolfishly. “I like your taste, very high-end.”

Jason just pulled a poker face. He must have been used to this kind of attitude while doing business with his men. “Eyes on the subject, Tobu. I asked you a favor.”

“Ah, straight to the point, and calling my name too. You’re never the polite one, Tengu.”

Tengu, a disruptive demon, a harbinger of war in Japanese mythology. The man must have worked with Jason long enough to witness what his wrath could bring.

The yakuza threw a paper file on the desk, crossed his leg over his knee and took a long drag of his cigar.

“Yakoshi’s group, big guys, one of the giants in the yakuza. Never liked them but business keeps me around with those bastards. They own around a dozen human trafficking rings all across the continent. Lately they joined a new industry, same resources, but more beneficial, dirtier too, even for our standards.”

It didn’t take much time to click. “Organ harvesting.”

The yakuza nodded. “They hooked up with a guy in Italy, who once distributed their supplies to purchasers, that guy’s dead now. So they’re looking for a new partner.”

Jason flicked through the file. Dick left the arm of the couch and went to sit next to Jason, peeking at the documents. Too many faces, a lot of information, no surprise if they were from such a large group. This shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes or so to memorize.

Jason’s hand wormed around to touch Dick’s waist, he was still digging his nose into the file, finding out who should be the main target, while rubbing little circles on Dick’s hipbone.

The yakuza watched. “Where did you get him?”

The question was obviously not for Dick.

“None of your business.” Jason casually answered.

“Come on, I did you a favor. At least tell me how much it costs to have a night with him.”

Jason looked up from the document, brows arched, face seeming unimpressed. “Put that thing away first.”

He meant the cigar. The yakuza huffed, brows drawn up in surprise. “This? Never thought you would say that one day.”

“Throw it out or I throw you out. He doesn’t like it.” He turned to Dick and switched to Romani. “Do you, my dear?”

Dick laughed. Gosh, his man knew how to romance, even in moments like this. He leaned forward to kiss the corner of Jason’s lips, only to have his husband push the back of his head for a deeper one.

The yakuza whistled when they pulled apart, the cigar missing from between his lips. “Alright, I’m turned on. Do I get a discount or not?”

“For you, sure, why not?” Jason shrugged.

“Spill, how much does it cost me?”

“Your dick.” Jason grinned, sharp teeth flashed.

The smug look slipped off the yakuza’s face. “Oh,” He suddenly seemed sheepish. “And that is with the discount?”

“Between your dick and your life, which one do you prefer?”

“Okay, so it’s a no. Shame though, a beauty like this should be shared around. I bet Yakoshi’s guys would think the same.” Dick understood that was this man’s way of warning Jason not to let Dick get involved in this mess.

Huh, so this man had a lot more to himself than he showed.

He eyed Dick again, up and down. This time Dick felt the arm slung around his waist tighten a little bit.

“Do you speak Japanese?”

This time, the question was directed at Dick. It went out in a Kansai accent, harder to catch even to some locals, harsher, quicker, a little deeper too. A test.

Dick smiled, hands coming up to rest on Jason’s shoulder, his chin rested on them.

“Only when I want to.” He purred.

The yakuza didn’t ask further after that.

Dick stayed on the couch while watching Jason part with the yakuza. They talked to each other at the door a lot more than at the table. The yakuza tried to lower his voice, now that he knew Dick understood everything.

“They meet at 6, tomorrow night. You know the location, I already booked you a place at their table. Try to act less like yourself, they don’t like partners they can’t control.”

“Alright, thanks for the help.” Jason grinned, already opening the door.

The yakuza turned back to look at Dick, before whispering to Jason.

“I’m serious, Tengu. If you refuse to share him with anyone, then he must be special. But if you’re planning to mess with these guys, I would suggest keeping him far away from this. They are not me, and organ trafficking is just one of the Yakoshi’s activities.”

Jason went silent after that.

“No.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“Yes, but I know what’s on your mind, so no.” Jason deadpanned. His face didn’t show any sign that he could be moved.

“But‒”

“Didn’t you catch what I just said? No means no.” Jason didn’t waver for once, and just like that, he turned back to his current task. Sitting opposite him, Tobu glanced between them, seemingly amused.

“So, 10 members, 5 guards, and 3 outside?”

Tobu nodded. “Yep, 30-story condo, guards on every floor, the meeting will be on top. I told you, they’re a huge group, and far less honorable than they used to be.”

“They won’t talk easily, will they?”

“You wish. We’re yakuzas, we’d rather gut ourselves before letting anyone hurt the group. And even then, Oikawa doesn’t trust anyone. Even if you suddenly gain the magic to defeat all of his army, you think digging something out of him would be easy?!”

Dick watched them and bit the inside of his cheek. He had waited all night until today’s lunch to add in his opinion, had to break through the middle of his husband and the yakuza’s discussion on the attack plan to do it, and he didn’t plan to be discarded easily like that.

“Since when do you get to be in charge of this mission?” Dick voiced, frowning. Not what he should have said, but still, he was bordering on anger.

Jason didn’t seem amused either, his head snapped back and he stared at Dick. “What did‒In charge…? Is that what you fucking think? This isn’t about me taking the lead, this is about you. You think I was comfortable watching Tobu stare at you like that?”

Next to him, Tobu winced, eyes darting around to take in the heavy tension in the room, until he decided. “Okay, I’m out. Call me back in when you two are done.”

“No, you stay here.” Jason growled, and Tobu dropped right back to his place at the table, holding his hands up in surrender. He knew better than to test Jason’s temper.

Dick groaned, feeling beyond tired. When exactly did Jason form a problem about this, he had no idea. Dick only knew one day, undercover suddenly became a sore spot for Jason to mention.

“This is ridiculous, there are kids out there, waiting to be opened up and here we are, arguing over whether to pass up the opportunity to help them in the fastest way.”

Dick knew he had taken the wrong leap when Jason stormed over and stared down at him. He looked giant up this close, dangerous, like a direwolf ready to rip Dick’s throat out. It was fascinating how Jason could change from a loving, gentle husband to this creature in front of him when he felt the need to, in a matter of seconds.

“Listen here, I want to help the kids just as much as you do. I am pulling every connection I have on this land to help them.” Jason stepped forward, looming over Dick and forcing him to stumble back. “But don’t you ever think that the urgency of this mission means I would ever hand you out like bait. You said this is ridiculous, the only ridiculous thing is that you’re more than ready to throw yourself out like this.”

When Jason brought it to this point, no further discussion could be made. Dick knew when his husband had made up his mind, when even the strongest voice couldn’t change what he had set out.

But Dick was angry, this was their mission, not Jason’s. Their meant it included Dick’s part in this. He refused to sit tight like a toy and wait for Jason to go save the day. This wasn’t what Bruce would expect of him.

“Our relationship shouldn’t be the obstacle of progress. I’ve told you that countless times.” Dick grunted.

Jason snarled at him. “I said this is about YOU! You need to stop trying to impress him, you need to stop trying to prove yourself. You left us, you left me, wasn’t that enough? I refuse to let you sacrifice yourself in exchange for something you’ve already had.” His head dropped down, resting powerless on Dick’s shoulder. From the Tengu he was called to be, Jason turned tired, weak and hurt with a mere switch. “How could you do this to yourself, ready to let them have their way with you just to speed the process? Those people are not me, their hands aren’t meant to love you.”

Oh.

Oh. Dick blinked, once, twice, too damn amazed.

So that was what had been nagging him.

Behind Jason’s shoulder, Tobu sat tight cross-legged with a stupid toothy smile on his face. He seemed to take in their conversation as an entertaining performance in a theater.

“You two should sign up for a Japanese reality show. Believe me, there’re some girls here who would kill to see this.”

Jason growled low in his throat, and Dick shuddered, worse, the sound and scene only made Tobu snicker harder. Jason’s hands went down to hold Dick’s waist, pulling him flush to his chest, his head rubbed into that corner between his neck and shoulder like a needy cat, dropping feather kisses down on his skin.

When Tobu whistled, Jason snapped and pointed a gun that Dick had no idea he had strapped behind his back.

“One more word and I swear I’ll blow your head off.”

Tobu only shut up then.

Dick looked at himself in the mirror. He looked like a freaking clown. Jason’s friend, the yakuza Tobu had wandered around the room he was in, eyes darting toward him at every chance he had.

Dick sighed and ignored him, focusing on the eyeliner in his hand. He tried to remember the way he had seen Babs use it, the way Steph used it. It was hard to follow, and he poked himself in the eye, twice. It stung, and he had considered putting on the Hypnos lens, but then reframed himself, the point was for them to see his face, and nothing else. Tobu watched him, staring down at his painted lips, and took a moment before returning to his eyes.

“The kimono brings out your eyes.”

Dick touched the hem of the cloth. It felt nice, soft and silky, with hand-knitted details. Dick stared down at the gold phoenix spreading its wing on his chest, the cherry blossoms blooming on the sides, the gold strings running along the edges of the kimono, the mystic blue that drafted over the whole of his body, black glitters glowing at any movement underneath every seam line.

Jason’s money never disappointed.

Dick styled his hair, made it fall down the sides a little bit more. He put on earrings, wincing because of the newly pierced holes, and reached out for the other accessories when Tobu appeared behind his back, gently putting something on his head. It felt heavy, suspiciously heavy.

Through the reflection of the mirror, Dick saw the gold glittering under the light, tiny stones at the top shone different colors when his head moved. A gold halo.

Dick’s eyes widened.

“This is too much.” He turned, attempting to accuse Tobu when the yakuza shrugged and put his hands up, defending himself.

“Trust me.” He said.

Dick sighed while waiting by the door. The kimono felt heavy, dragging his upper body down, the belt hugging a little too tightly on the waist, not too uncomfortable, but would definitely leave some lines. The upper half of his chest was more or less exposed, as the collar of the cloth hung loosely on the edge of his shoulder. Nothing else was underneath, Dick anxiously thought as he touched the back of his upper thigh where he usual strapped his escrima. He didn’t like the feeling of this, but again, going undercover never did the best for his taste in fashion.

There was a bell, and Dick understood that was his cue to walk in. On his steps, he remembered the way Tobu tugged on his arm after he had finished getting ready, the way the yakuza eyed him from tip to toes, concern and uncertainty painted all over his face.

“I don’t like this.” Before Dick could comment, he added. “Not the look, I mean. You’re a work of art, don’t deny it. But if something happens, you need to bail right away. You’ll come back to me and let Tengu handle it himself.”

The man thought Dick couldn’t handle himself, thought Dick was just some pretty accessory Jason had picked up along the way and grew a short-term affection with. Well, whenever he stood next to Jason, people tended to think so and Dick let them. Instead of being chaotically controlled by pride, he made an advantage out of it.

When he walked in, the room fell into silence. Dick could feel the eyes shoot out for him like bullets from a machine gun. He remembered the steps, back straight, hips swaying, one leg upfront and crossed over the other, just enough to keep his line straight, and  enough to expose a part of his bare legs, long, cleanly shaven, and all the way up to two third of his thighs. His shoulders hunched a little, showing the shoulder blades more, his hands folded upfront, so the sleeves slid down the sides of his path.

Dick blinked his hooded eyes, took a quick glance around the room. He felt like an idiot, but also recognized all the faces he had memorized just the night before.

He marched toward the middle, stopping at where he was sure everyone could get the best view of him. Dick spotted Jason at his 9 o’clock in a black yukata, the cloth hung loosely on his body to hide all the speciously powerful muscles underneath, a red cloth drafted over one shoulder down to his side. A dark look painted over his face as none of the attention was on him anymore, his mouth agape, eyes pinned on Dick in full surprise.

If Jason was amazed, then it should be a success.

“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise.” Someone, on his left, spoke. Grey hair, bright eyes, early forties. Oikawa Noiri, head of the Yakoshi’s group, the big grey wolf.

Bingo.

The man turned his gaze towards Jason, who had retreated to his casual character when all the attention was on Dick.

“When you said you brought along a small gift, I had a less colorful idea.” The yakuza smirked. His subordinates sat around chuckling at his words. He turned and eyed Dick again, up and down, stripping him with the lust burning through the bright brown pupils. “Do you speak Japanese, my dear?”

Despite the presence of his translator right next to him, Oikawa’s English was perfect, as expected.

“Not even a word, sir.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” Oikawa laughed, all teeth on display. He reminded Dick of an old wolf, dangerous just from looking from afar.

Smart man, really smart man.

Dick smiled and analyzed the man. His brows curved up, but the edge of his mouth dangled heavily. Oikawa had looked bored and tired before Dick walked in, his look was merely a breath of fresh air to change the man’s mood.

The yakuza looked interested, but not enough. Not revealing his ability would give Dick an advantage, people always let their guard down when underestimating someone, but Dick needed to gain his attention even more. He needed to get this man interested.

Dangerous men liked having their ego and temper tested.

“I had hoped you wouldn’t notice.” Dick switched to Japanese, speaking so fluently the brows of the other yakuza shot up close to their hairlines.

Oikawa grinned wolfishly, one of his leg uncrossed and came up, stamping the sole of his foot down on the edge of the zabuton. His finger came up and he called. “Pour the sake.”

Demanding, nothing new.

Dick walked over to his table, trying to mimick the flow of a fountain, he tried drawing all the gazes towards him if they had not already been.

He remembered the technique to pour out the traditional alcohol, had seen it countless times from the geishas. He knew how to make his movements graceful, knew how to keep himself addicting. He ignored the burning lust Oikawa was shooting at him, the way his legs moved to make more room for his crotch. No need to look, Dick already knew Jason was grinding his teeth from behind his shoulder.

Up this close to the enemy, in this disguise, Dick had had himself prepared, still he was caught off guard when a rough hand came up and harshly grabbed his chin, pulling his face up close.

“Hm, very beautiful.” Oikawa purred, breath stinking of sake, blowing on Dick’s skin. “Your eyes, they tempt me.”

Dick hoped Jason wouldn’t paralyze this guy for good after this.

The yakuza spoke slowly in Japanese. “I can make a fortune with these eyes.” He licked his lips. For a moment, Dick thought he would have been kissed. “But that would be a shame, taking them away from such beauty would be a sin. Who am I to ruin a work of art like this?”

Up this close, too close, Dick saw everything. The pores in his face, the edge of his wide grin, the blown pupils. And of course, up this close, Dick felt everything, the gun barrel poking out from the side of the yakuza’s hip, a tissue in his inner pocket, and something small, metal-like. When Oikawa pulled him closer and licked his cheek, Dick figured it out. A flash drive.

Bull’s eye.

Oikawa pulled back, and Dick faked a heavy sigh. He knew how to look like a shy, inviting mess. Without a word, Oikawa grabbed on Dick’s wrist and whisked him aside of the table. His hands were everywhere all of the sudden, resting on Dick’s hips and he pushed him to fall down to the side of his chest.

Dick felt urged to punch the bastard. He hated playing the mindless toy that anyone could grab and play with. Even the king of Gotham’s underworld had to kiss his feet if he wanted to sleep on a bed at night, who did this moron think he was?

The hand on his wrist left and squeezed a handful of Dick’s thigh, bringing it up to rest on the yakuza’s folded leg, the edge of the kimono slid down, exposing too much skin.

Now Dick wanted Jason to paralyze this guy for good.

God, marrying a mob boss did serious damage to his vigilante morals.

Still, that aside, Dick had a role to play, and a burner to take. He had spotted the form of the thing in the yakuza’s pocket. Get that too, and everything would be over.

Oikawa dipped his head down to whisper into Dick’s ear. “Be nice for me, and I’ll promise you pleasure.”

Jerk. Dick went with the flow anyway. He rubbed his cheek on the side of the yakuza’s neck, shook his breath just enough to make it sound lustful, hands wandering around the man’s chest. Oikawa wanted to show off his power to an outsider, which meant Jason. Dick could give him that. A sweet reward before the bitter penalty.

From this position, Dick could spot his husband, laughing idiotically with the other yakuzas. His brows slightly knitted together at the forehead, and the edge of his laugh seemed tense. His knuckles were white with the grip he had on his knees.

Underneath the disguise, Jason was furious.

“So, tell me, how many facilities do you have in the States?” Noiri asked Jason in Japanese, and let his translator do the job. An emperor’s ego.

“Many, and you can trust me on that. I have some connections in Europe too, in case you’re interested.” Jason laughed stupidly, the curve of his lips was lacking the usual predatory vibe. He was playing the underdog. It made Dick itch to slap him out of it. Undercover was never Jason’s strong point.

Noiri seemed interested. He turned to speak to his men, his hand still laid firmly on Dick’s hip. “How much cargo do we have left in Italy?”

“28 in Genoa, could be two containers. Meca died right when he was supposed to deliver.” His subordinate answered. From afar, Jason cocked his head aside and pulled a poker face, pretending he didn’t even understand a word, even when the man had written Dick a haiku for Valentine’s before.      

Genoa, Meca. For two containers, there must be a warehouse. If the assets they were talking about were humans, living breathing humans, then the place must be far away from the other warehouses that grounded up around the port. Less eyes and ears, and easier to transport.

How many men with a last name of Meca were in Italy, how many could own a warehouse in Genoa, and how many could own a warehouse on the outskirts of Genoa. Their search range just narrowed down significantly.  

“The more we drag it out, the worse it becomes. This foreigner is our only option at the moment.” Noiri’s man informed. His eyes glanced at Dick for a second, looking at his eyes and then the leg Noiri had dragged up on his. Dick understood when he frowned, not all men swung that way, even with how tempting he could look.

Noiri snorted and caught Dick’s chin with a hand, pulling it up to face him like he had read his subordinate’s mind. “Very well then, but keep a good chain on him. He’s a rabid dog, too eager to prove and not wise enough to win.”

On his other side, another henchman added in. “I don’t trust this man. He just came here, and we don’t know how deep his experience runs.”

Noiri huffed and as expected, turned down to look at Dick. “Oh, I trust this man’s experience.”

Jason had done his part well, now it’s time for Dick to do his.

The room was soon cleared out for only Noiri and his dirty intentions with Dick left behind. Dick got Jason’s dark gaze towards them when he was kindly invited out. Let’s just pray that the power of their comfy Crime Alley home’s couch would be able to stop Jason from bringing his wrath on the life of this yakuza.  

When the room was just the two of them, Dick patiently waited while Noiri casually sipped on his sake.

“I heard that you’re a very dangerous man.” Dick started. A man full of ego like Noiri, waiting and baring his neck wouldn’t do the trick, this man craved something new, something for him to conquer.

Noiri only snorted back. “And are you scared of me?”

Dick looked at him, straight in the eyes. He knew no one could ignore when his eyes demanded attention.

He cocked his head and made himself appear innocent. “Should I be?”

Noiri’s eyes widened, then he huffed out a laugh.

Dick half grinned, this time for real. It was too easy, kingpins, they were all the same. Dick married one, it wasn’t too hard to manipulate another. They all found joy when their partners were full of mysteries.

“My eyes, you said they tempted you. Do you like the ocean, sir?”

Noiri looked at him, staying silent for a couple of seconds before huffing. “I’m starting to.” He put the cup down. “What about you?”

Dick smiled. “Very much, sir.”

Come on, talk.

“Is that so? Then you’ll enjoy the east coast of Japan.”

East coast, that would be where they should scan next.

Dick was suddenly pushed down not so gently. He felt himself puddled in the kimono, the collar sliding off one of his shoulders.

Noiri stood up and only then did Dick realized how big this man was. He was not Jason’s size, not many men could come close to Jason’s size. But Noiri was big, with a wide chest and hard abdomen. He knelt down, back straight and muscle tensed like the way of a samurai, his hands, strong and decisive, grabbing on Dick’s ankles and pulling him onto his lap.

“You have distracted me from the very first moment you walked in.” He purred into Dick’s ear, face suddenly too close. “Be nice to me, and I won’t sell you out in pieces like I’ve done to so many before.”

Rude, still, Dick had too much history with rude men already. All the attitudes were just to cover up their swelling egos. Besides, Dick doubted the weight of that threat. Noiri was the mastermind of a human trafficking ring, he understood the value of a body, and Dick understood his advantage.

Dick pulled Noiri’s tie off, and the hand came out to catch his wrist was exactly like his calculation. Dick stared back at the yakuza and blinked, acting innocent and hurt. He knew a man like Noiri wouldn’t normally take off his clothes while screwing someone, he knew he had pushed a button, but he also knew that he would be an exception.

Too much lust blinded the mind of even the wisest. Dick licked his lips, batted his lashes as he watched Noiri shrug off his clothes, leaving his pants on. Dick ran his hands on those thighs, searching for any devices left. Noiri only grinned back, too out his head to even doubt Dick’s little action for a slight.

He pulled on Dick’s hair, forcing his neck back and dug right in the juncture of his shoulder. Dick moaned when the bite stung his skin, legs scrambling up to tighten around the yakuza’s hip. His toes found the leather on the handle of a pistol there. Noiri kept on working around his neck, like a rabid dog he seemed determined to rip off a chunk of Dick’s neck.

Dick kept faking moans and little shudders, patiently waiting until Noiri was drunk on lust enough to follow his rules. The man took some time to mark Dick’s skin as if he was a dog craving to prove his new found territory. Jason would definitely be pissed about what the yakuza had left on Dick. So, the sooner he ended this game, the better chance Noiri had to be alive until he ended up in a cell in which he would serve around 150 years for all the crimes he had committed.

“Please,” Dick breathed, whispering right into Noiri’s ear. “Kiss me.”

Noiri’s eyes turned darker, his grin turned wicked, like he had dosed himself with a whole can of Joker’s gas. Letting go of Dick’s wrist, the man immediately dug his head even lower to bite on his earlobe.

“Oh baby, you and I are going to have so much fun from now on.”

Nothing else.

This time, Dick was sure this man had nothing else valuable for him. It was time to drop the blinds. Show time was over.

Dick curled his hands around Noiri’s neck, spreading his fingers in his hair. It was a slight grab at first, merely hurt and only turned the yakuza on further, but then Dick tugged hard.

Before a cry could come out, Noiri choked on his breath as Dick’s hand came up cutting right on his windpipe. Dick pulled the gun out from behind his back with his toes and threw it on the other side of the table. As expected, Noiri’s hands came scrambling to find the item behind his back, his eyes went furious when he realized it had gone missing.

With that hit, the yakuza wouldn’t be able to scream, and Dick only needed that. With his legs still wrapped around the man’s hips, he flipped them over, forehead smashing into Noiri’s and sending him down. He ripped the halo off his head and hammered it right down on Noiri’s neck to keep him in place. Jewelry or not, in his hand anything could be a weapon.

Too easy, the man was blinded by lust, and was caught by surprise. It wasn’t even a fight, but it was neat, and exactly what Dick had wanted it to be. Noiri went down and out cold, laying out on the floor like a puppet without strings.

The big wolf was down, now came the subordinates. They would soon get suspicious when the inside was too quiet. Two? No, maybe four. And that was just outside this room, who knew how many more men were guarding this facility. Dick could take four, but four with guns and a condition to not make a sound would be quite a challenge.

With the interference of Jason’s growing, over-paranoid, and overprotective gang, and Bruce’s growing crime fighting clan, night life in Gotham had been spontaneously boring lately.

Dick was dying for some fun.

“I told you this wasn’t a good idea!”

Tobu screamed as he shot another thug coming at them. Next to him, his henchmen were all putting up quite a good fight. Jason didn’t worry about them much, the bodies could be cleaned, excuses could be made, he could always blame all the dead bodies on Tobu. They were yakuzas after all.

“Oi, you go back to check on your little boy toy.” Tobu grunted when the floor was clear. He ripped another clip out from his pocket and loaded it.

“He can handle it.” Jason didn’t want to think about what Dick was dealing with right now.

“Hey, I’m not joking. If that was me, then fine. But he’s in there with Noiri, alone. Noiri is the kind of psycho you don’t want to lay your precious doll near.”

“He’s not a doll.” Jason grunted, landing an extra kick on the already downed thug nearby. “And he’s not a boy toy either.”

“Then that makes it worth checking on him even more.” Tobu suddenly grabbed his arm. “Tengu, I don’t like putting civilian in the middle of shit like this. But that boy, that boy is important to you, isn’t he?”

Haiz, Jason didn’t like showing his weaknesses to others, especially his partners. And Dick was by far his biggest weakness.

Boy, if that man told Jason to blow up a planet, he would probably ask which one.

It took too long for Jason to answer, and that was enough of a confirmation for Tobu. The guy huffed.

“Let’s go get him then.”

“Get who?”

Jason burst out a laugh. He shook his head, and even with his eyes down at his feet, he could still imagine Tobu’s stupid expression when Dick marched out from the end of the hall.

Dick looked like a mess, with two fully sheathed swords in both hands, one sleeve of the kimono, Jason vividly remembered getting massively angry about because Tobu had made it too well and suited Dick too much, was now torn and the collar slipped off his bare shoulder.

Dick threw the swords down and walked over. Next to Jason, Tobu’s jaw fell to the floor.

“How did you get out?”

Dick quirked his eyebrow. “I fought my way here.”

“Where’s Noiri?”

“Unconscious and tied up.”

Just as expected, Tobu’s face turned comical. “What?” He screamed.

Dick only shrugged and got close to Jason, hooking his arms around his neck. Jason gladly welcomed him into his embrace. It felt nice to smell his scent, feel his warmth and his body in his arms again.

“Did you clean all the top floors?” He asked.

“Yes, I did. You guys seem to have handled it pretty well down here.” Dick grinned back.

Jason noticed the eyes Tobu was giving him now. Jason enjoyed it when Dick flipped the table and redefined the order of this world. He never ceased to amaze anyone.

“A phone and a flash drive. Noiri didn’t trust anyone but himself, it only made it easier for me.”

No wonder Bruce always pushed Dick to go undercover. He knew how to make impossible tasks possible.

“I contacted B. He’s already sent Batwoman to Italy. The authorities have already circled the area. The kids will be released soon.”

Dick nodded, smiling. He liked it when missions went smoothly and without much casualty. Behind Jason’s back, Tobu’s men had already cleaned up what was left of the Yakoshi’s. He looked at Dick’s eyes, those ocean eyes that never seemed like they came from this mundane world.

“Let’s go home.”

Dick smiled back. He thought everything would have ended with Noiri behind the bars, he thought the mess they created would be enough to draw the authority’s attention. He didn’t know Tobu was the head of the third biggest organized crime group in Japan, didn’t know the police wouldn’t come because even they knew gang rivalry between the yakuzas was not their fight. Dick didn’t know that Tobu didn’t come here to just help, he came here to claim the victory they left and cross the name Yakoshi off the top of the list.

Jason was fine if Noiri landed on Tobu’s hand. For now, he only wanted to go home, after Tobu was done with him, Jason would get his take. A psycho that made interest from the sale of children’s organs didn’t deserve an easy death. And under that no matter how hard he tried to hide under the loose cover of the kimono on Dick’s shoulder, Jason could still see through it, the marks that rabid dog had left on his husband.

It had been a while since Jason last had a smoke. His tongue was dying for the taste of it, his fingers were literally trembling when holding the little paper stick. Dick would shout at him, probably wouldn’t let him kiss him until he rinsed off the smell for good.

He tapped the cigarette and watched the tar fall, still shimmering like a New Year’s bonfire.

“So, it took us a week to clean everything up. Nothing major, just a bit of paperwork and adjustment around the area, but all things considered next time you come by, I’ll be staying in a new place.”

Jason huffed, blowing out the smoke. “I can tell you’re enjoying it.”

“Oh hell, I am. I really owe you big this time, Tengu.”  

Tengu. Jason liked the nickname, it reminded him every time of the time they met. Jason was in the middle of personal business, mining his knuckles with seven meathead bastards that busted his operation for small profit along the way. Tobu had just happened to be there and witnessed it all. The first thing he said when Jason noticed him, was “fuck”.

It must be because of the red hood, Jason had first thought, but throughout the time they worked together, Tobu had confessed. “It was partly the helmet, but just partly. When I first looked at you, with blood painting your clothes, bodies littering around in the snow, and your knuckles dripping with another’s blood, you immediately reminded me of that ancient demon that haunts wars and chaos.”

The nickname just came along since then.

“The cargo is already on the way. It should probably arrive at any minute now.”

Jason threw the cigarette down in the alley below, and took a quick look back into the bedroom.

“Good, how’s his condition?”

“Stable, didn’t break him too much since I got to leave all the best parts for you. I’ve heard you’re not very fond of his kind.”

“You’re not wrong.”

Tobu laughed, a short low sound that sounded like it came from an old man rather than his usual lively character.

“Anyway, how’s your little doll?”

“I told you, he’s not a doll.”

“He sure looks like one. My men took one look at him and just couldn’t fucking shut up all week. Keep your hands close on that one, Tengu. He sure is something, those Yakoshi guys he took down? None of them were dead, walking straight to jail with only bruises and broken bones and not even a fatal wound. Besides, I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that before, and that boy, with a face like that, in a world like this, you might lose him anytime without noticing.”

Jason looked back at the bedroom again, couldn’t see what was inside because of the one-way glass but still, he knew exactly where the bed was located, and where Dick was lying on the bed, probably had already rolled over on his side and curled into a tight ball.

“Yeah, no shit.”

“Alright, just called to report to you. Next time you come over, bring him along. He’s a real sight to‒”

Jason hung up and laughed alone when he looked up at the night sky. The clouds were heavy today, no stars, no moon. Still, Jason stared like he was expecting something.

“No shit.” He mumbled, and climbed back in.

In the bed, Dick had rolled onto his side, curling tight and hugging Jason’s pillow like it was his own belonging.

Jason smiled while walking over. He brushed Dick’s hair off his face, and felt a smile slowly forming on the corner of those fat lips.

“Don’t you dare kiss me with that chimney mouth.” Dick chuckled with his eyes still closed, wriggling himself deeper into the wrap of the comforter.

Jason kissed his hair anyway. Dick smelled sweet and clean, a different shower gel this time, different every time to be honest, but always the same scent. He always smelled like home, like Jason, and that alone untied the knots Jason didn’t know had been there in his head.

“Business?” Dick chirped, peaking open an eye to stare at him.

“Nah, it’s nothing. Just go back to sleep.”

He kissed Dick’s naked shoulder then went over to the bathroom. He just managed to wet the toothbrush when Beast followed and circled around his feet. The dog nudged on his legs a few times before leaving, probably going out to entertain Dick or something. Jason just hoped he still had a spot on the bed. King size or not, Dick always knew how to take over the whole damn thing.

A call came, and this time Jason didn’t even need to look at the screen to know whom it was from. He kicked the door closed and hit answer with the brush still in his mouth.

“You’ve got something for me?”

“A container. Big one, got Japanese on the tag. Is this what you’re expecting?”

He could barely hear Trevor’s voice. He heard his men yelling at each other, metal clicking and the sound of trucks.

“Hang on, we’re opening it‒Woah, what should we do with this?”

Trevor must have seen the cargo. Not an odd sight in this business, but still something.

“He’s from Japan,” Jason spit, then rinsed his mouth. “Has quite an abnormal job, makes profits out of poor kids.”

“What did the bastard do?” Trevor’s voice suddenly changed. That was what Jason liked about his men, they were all savages, but they were not that kind of savages.

“Depends on the request. Sometimes he sold them out at unique auctions, sometimes to the slave markets. And sometimes, to more customized orders, he sold pieces of them, organ transplants.”

Trevor went silent, and by the time Jason had dried his face, he only answered back. “Do you want him alive?”

Jason turned and stared at the door, on the other side, Dick was probably waiting for him. He could still remember the sight of him in that kimono, with fabric as blue as his eyes, and the gold halo nesting on top of his head.

Maybe Jason could ask him to wear it for him on some special night.

“There’s still one more thing.” Jason grabbed the phone, and headed to the door. “He touched Dick.”

On the other line, Trevor went silent again. This time it was longer. Jason drummed his fingers on the doorknob as he waited for a reply.

“Trevor?” He huffed, trying to hide the entertainment in his voice. He knew what his man was thinking, was already half grinning when the answer took this long to be dragged out.

“He touched Blue?!”

Ah, that was it. The rage. Trevor was one of his best men, it was so hard to drag that vivid anger out of him. Despite his look and his loose tongue, his right-hand man was not an easy man to piss off. But Jason knew Dick meant something special to his gang. Just imagine Jefferson’s expression when he heard the news.

“You know what to do.”

“Yes, sir. Goodnight, sir.”

Just like that, Trevor hung up. Jason huffed. Boy, wouldn’t it be a fun scene when he went to work the next morning.

He turned back to the room, and as expected, Dick was lazily playing with Beast on the edge of the bed. His head rested on his arm and he was clearly lying on Jason’s side.

“Come here boy.” Jason called, and Beast immediately dashed over his place like a rocket. Jesus, he just kept growing and growing every day. His dog must be the size of a fucking Siberian Tiger by now. Jason couldn’t count the time Beast got overexcited while playing in the park and literally knocked Dick off his feet.

“Go sleep in John’s room, big boy.”

On the bed, Dick had a shit eating grin directed at him.

“Did you brush your teeth, big boy?”

Oh hell, Dick would be his death, no doubt.

Jason crawled on the bed, towered over Dick, and planted his hands on both sides of his head.

“I did, my king. What else do you want me to do?”

Dick licked his lips; naked legs curling around his hips. “How about your husbandly duty?”

Oh hell yes.

“Gladly, your majesty.”

[riverdale-retread]

Riverdale S6 E2 (Rivervale Ch 2)

Happy New Year (this is being drafted Wk 1,  2022).  My ‘reading’ Rivervale as a fanfic of Riverdale continues!

Alternate Universes that fic writers come up with can be completely hypnotizing if you the reader are on the same wavelength. By the same token, fanfic using alternative universes can be utterly alienating if it’s not a thing you’re into.  For this installment, I must say that I was on the Read, Regret and Move On side of the dividing line for this AU that is Rivervale. Horror is not a favorite genre and because I find the myth of La Llorona as presented here kind of retrograde and boring. But! As a deliberate exploration of misogynist tropes that bind women characters in fiction this installment was very fascinating to analyze. 

Trope 1: First up, La Llorona, the Stupid Misguided Woman On a Really Dumb Vengeance Mission of Futility

La Llorona is not scary to me so much as kind of frustrating because her character construction is so stupid. She really is. Consider, in contrast, the villain at the center of the Japanese horror masterpiece “Audition.” SPOILER WARNING: In that movie, a middle aged man’s middle aged wife croaks, and he decides he’d like to find a pretty docile much younger woman as his second wife, so he uses his film industry connections to hold fake auditions for a non existent film project as a way to literally audition a young pretty woman as a WIFE.  Then he gets vivisected by the pretty girl he picks.  This girl was smart.  Men intend to cause her harm, so she harms them right back, but in a terrible, terrifying way. 

La Llorona by contrast is such a dumb monster - so powerless from start to end. She is a nurse who gets unfairly targeted as the source of the problem by (presumed and implied) male doctors, and the male power structure of police and whatever let her get killed in mob violence. She doesn’t say whether her killers, who also murdered her children, were men or women, but they were definitely not children. So when she gains this powerful immortality, she doesn’t go after male doctors, the sexist medical establishment that undervalues nurses, law enforcement that doesn’t protect individual women. Nope. She murders other people’s children. I hate this myth.

Men do this a lot in storytelling.  They create a woman who is justifiably enraged at the patriarchal power structure but absolutely wince away from a story about that woman getting revenge back on the men who hurt her.  I WONDER WHY.

*I am not talking about whatever the original myth of La Llorona is in whichever culture she is coming from. I’m talking about the La Llorona in this episode.

This trope sucks because the men who actually caused the murder of La Llorona are nameless and therefore unblameable.

Trope 2:  Darla Dickinson, A Mother Of Sons With No Other Identity

Darla was like this in canon too. She only existed as an appendage to her sons, who often looked older than her, and vice versa. This trope also needs to feature a blameless man, and this case is the dead Danny. He’s blameless because he’s dead. 

The episode did not explain what the rules for La Llorona are and why she has zero agency or how the magic with Darla is supposed to work.  I will say, a Southern accented white woman summoning a thing called La Llorona (coded not white given how everyone pronounces that moniker) to helplessly do her bidding and also results in the death of a woman of color was a really tone deaf choice.  It was also compounded by the fact that Sandra (Danny’s girlfriend) also dies, and her mother was blamed, and given Lucinda’s coded ethnicity, Sandra wasn’t white either.  Her death happens off screen, and the pain Lucinda suffers is also not dealt with at all.  

But by the way - the bit about the Serpents and the Ghoulies being in existence at the same time, in a Cain & Abel way, and they are moreover forbidden from dating each other, was an interesting touch.  Making Darla a Ghoulie was highly forced though, because don’t the Ghoulies seem like the type to execute members if they age past a certain number??

Trope 3: The Naggy Girlfriend Who Destroys Your Dreams  and Is Kinky In The Wrong Way

I really like how Veronica and Reggie look & are together, so this episode made me sad because apparently they are sexually incompatible.  He thought (like I did) that it was kind of gross to fuck on money (“Dirty 100 dollar bills!”) and Veronica dislikes being sexual in cars because she’s grown out of that (so have I). I understand both of them about these things, but it was sad for me to see how Veronica is shrewish, insecure, violently destructive, and put entirely in the wrong because Reggie here is blameless - His Daddy died while his girlfriend was destroying a prized possession. 

The thing is! Veronica is a lover of fine things and someone who tries to talk her way out of problems, so her destroying the car read as both out of character and abusive to me.   The other thing is, she isn’t wrong.  He is relating sexually to his car, to his childhood crush memories, and flaking out on promises he’s made to her and lying to her all the time.  Your dad dying does not lead to a blank check on being shitty in your relationship. If anyone can understand a highly problematic father it’s Veronica, but Reggie doesn’t respect her power quite enough to actually lean on her as a resource. 

I did very much enjoy the continuing incest-adjacent weirdess of Rivervale, taken straight from Riverdale. Hermosa and Veronica discuss their joint ex-and-current boyfriend and how to keep him docile and happy. 

Trope 4: The Domestic Woman Who Tries To Kill Your Manly Creativity And Gets Mad That Your Magical Artistic Process Is Incomprehensible To Her Bovine World View

I’ve already said that the Narrator Jughead of this AU is pro Bughead, but oh to stoop to a misogynist trope like this!    This is a hateful trope that vainglorious straight men have been harping on about for centuries: the supportive provider girlfriend  who dares to want actual recognition, respect and some help around the house. She won’t bow down quietly to your artistic genius (ahem) and hence is trying to ‘kill’ your ‘process.'

Tabitha is all the things she actually isn’t in Canon Riverdale. She’s passive aggressive - when Jughead hasn’t done the thing she wanted, she neither makes him do it then and there nor lets it go.  She just throws a hammer through the wall. I refuse to believe that the smart and competent Tabitha has no idea how to hammer a goddamn nail into a wall.  Tabitha in this AU is also deeply insecure, and even after experiencing Betty betraying Jughead by making the very upset voicemail public property, gets upset and jealous.  Furthermore, she seems unable to distinguished between the child writer Jughead showing his childhood girlfriend ‘vomit’ drafts and the published author Jughead, who had an unsatisfying experience at college, a toxic relationship thereafter and going through a vicious bout of writer’s block, needing something different.

All this is waved away by Ghost Possession and quickly wrapped up with an exchange of I Love Yous that also kind of freaked me out.  Being irritable, accusing, then moving on to destroying prized objects of sentimental value eventually escalating into threat of / actual physical violence is textbook domestic violence acculturation by perpetrator to victim, as is the suddenly ‘melting’ and providing ‘sweetness’ in the immediate aftermath of a violent outburst.  The fact that the person holding the literal hammer here is a very slender woman doesn’t make that much of a difference in how terrifying this is to me. 

The rigid adherence to the Chekhov Gun Rule continues! Tabitha is annoyed in her dream by the clickety clack of Jughead’s typewriter (which in waking hours she probably wants to hear because she wants him to get writing) so at the end the awake Tabitha in a fit of pique destroys the actual typewriter.  Same token - there’s a device to introduce the hammer (“Please hang up the paintings”), and she then tries to use it to kill Jughead during the climax.

Trope 5:  The Most Lovable Woman Is a Completely Silent Woman Who Smiles And Always Goes Wherever You Want To Go

Reggie and his Miss Soprano, who is setup in direct contrast with self-acknowledged Alpha Veronica. Do I even need to say anything? 

Trope 6: The Baby Hungry Woman

Betty, who ‘failed’ to rescue Polly in canon and participated in the murder-and cover up! - of Archie’s death in Chapter 1 of this fic, wants to name her potential baby either Archie or Polly, and Kevin is hilariously there to say “Of Course” to naming this poor infant Archie.  She does not mourn Archie in this AU, and she’s only peeved that using black magic and offering his body as live sacrifice resulted in a pregnancy that did not take. 

Trope 7:  Motherhood is about SACRIFICE

“Is there a better word for motherhood than sacrifice?”  This is what Jughead narrator says,  at the end of this chapter of Rivervale the AU. He’s smirking smugly even though he’s just been at the shore watching Toni, an ex-girlfriend, fellow Serpent and The Only One With A Braincell (™) get killed/possessed by a demon and wade suicidally into a river.     Motherhood could be about the glorification of womanhood, about the demonstration of a woman’s sexual power (fertility!). The only reason that it’s all about sacrifice is because men don’t do their part in parenting (Don’t fucking not all men me and just research some very basic stats on who does what at home ok?).  It’s also intensely ironic that Jughead is the one who says this because his mother consistently dropped everything and ran for the hills when the going got tough. Is that bitterness, then, behind his smile?

In Sum: Each of the MEN in this is being shit and yet is shown bewildered and blameless at the point when the woman he’s with can’t take it anymore and acts out.  And the final thesis seems to be that 1) motherhood is supposed to suck  and 2) the enemy of woman is woman as some sort of point (Darla/ La Llorona vs all the other women).

[smallblip]

JIEJIE BLIPPITY BLIP BLJP,

IMAHINE HABGE TRYIGN TO PREPARE A WWDDING....AND LEBI NEEDKNG TO REIGN HER IN OR ELSE THERE'S GONNA BE FIREWORKS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL PARK.

Eeeek💖 hello baobao @snudootchaikovsky 💖 sorry this took so LONG! And sorry this is awfully short. I sorta changed the prompt a little I hope it’s okay! Also for you lovelies asking for a continuation of this AU. I know Hanji refers to herself as Levi’s wife but let’s pretend that didn’t happen.

Something something romance

Hanji’s mind is a place of wonder. This is a well known fact because Hanji thinks out loud.

It’s inconvenient really. One moment she’s rattling on about covalent bonds to a class and seconds later she lets slip a “so how do I propose to Levi- I mean- what do I propose- what! No! I meant what do you guys propose we do! About… The covalent bonds…” Hanji blows the bangs out of her eyes, grin plastered on her face like she’s successfully dammed the river.

There’s an unholy silence, as dead silence always is in class full of rowdy high schoolers. And then all hell breaks loose. The river breaches the dam. Hanji’s attempts to rein them in proving definitely making the situation worse.

“So… You’re gonna propose to Mr Ackerman?” Ymir winks and Hanji wants to die.

“Yes. And no telling him!”

“But why?” Mikasa says. Her face a mix of genuine confusion and disgust.

“Why- do I believe in a flawed institution that reproduces heteronormative notions of family?” Hanji tries, brow raised.

“No… Why Mr Ackerman?”

—

The kids are helpful anyway. And part of Hanji grieves the fact that if the kids were half this enthusiastic about chemistry there would be more distinctions than statistically possible, and part of Hanji appreciates this because living with Levi doesn’t really give much room for much planning. The stress has been eating at Hanji and she almost regrets insisting she be the one to propose because I am more fun.

“Serenade him?”

“Apparently I’m tone deaf…”

“Rose petals leading to bed?”

And Hanji is about to say a surprised “what do you kids know about rose petals and beds!” But the rapid fire of suggestions leave little room for a conversation on that.

“A flash mob?”

“No flash mobs…” Hanji repeats what Levi had said to her- his one request uttered like a plea.

“I think I’m gonna take him to the usual places we go on our dates and propose to him in the park.” Hanji says, and it’s a good idea, but hearing it out loud makes her nervous. God this is really happening.

“The park where you walk your cats?” Historia asks.

Hanji winks. You know it. The class erupts into bouts of “aww”s and even Mikasa gives her a thumbs up.

Eren raises his hand, and from the way he’s shaking and grinning, he probably has the best idea of the century.

“Blow us away Eren!” Hanji points to him, grinning and he grins back- a little too confident.

“What about fireworks at the park?”

—

Levi narrows his eyes at the class. They’re a little too good today. And yet there’s a current of nervous energy in the air that causes the kids to wriggle like a can of worms. But he pushes on. He always promises an earlier dismissal if they sit down, shut up, and listen. But they never take him up on the offer- that is- until now.

“Any other questions?” He says at the end of annotating the chapter, and the resounding “no” is highly suspicious. He narrows his eyes further, considering them. Strange. They’d usually jump at any inappropriate window they call “opportunity” to ask him a series of personal questions and he doesn’t even know why because he’s sure Hanji would’ve already answered all of them.

“Okay. Class dismissed.” He says, still suspicious. The kids whisper and giggle as they shuffle out of class.

“Have a good weekend Mr Ackerman!” Jean shouts from the door and he returns it in kind, despite being very suspicious.

“You better get Ms Zoë some flowers this weekend.” It’s the girls- Sasha and Historia, but it’s Mikasa who utters the suggestion like a threat.

“Noted.”

—

It’s a regular Saturdate. They take a walk to the little Japanese hole in the wall near their place for some beers and yakitori. And it’s nice and comfortable and blissful. There’s even a bouquet of gerberas on the table because Levi thinks they suit Hanji.

And now they’re in the park, deed done, and Hanji admires the band on her finger. It’s simple, gold, really similar to the one she had gotten for Levi.

“So you knew I was gonna propose?” She marvels. Calling it coincidence that they would both propose on the same day would be too easy- also statistically unlikely.

“The kids were awfully well-behaved on Friday… Mikasa and Ymir threatened me on two separate occasions-” Levi frowns- “and Eren said something about fireworks…”

Hanji guffaws. Sweet kids. That explains why Levi had been shifting uncomfortably whenever he looks up at the sky. She’s a little disappointed that she had decided maybe simple was better- less room for fuck ups.

Levi’s eyes are wide with terror. “Hanji if you had set off fireworks at the park I-“

“Fireworks at our wedding?” She tries. It’s a good idea.

“No.”

Hanji pouts, but then quickly recovers with a-

“Fine. But i get to invite the kids.”

Levi smiles, taking Hanji’s hand in his, “wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[dayseternal-blog]

Hiii do you have any naruhina fanfics that involve an arranged marriage between the two? Sorry if you’ve already answered this before😅

I'm a big fan and please keep on writing! You're one of the best authors in the naruhina fanfic community and you're an inspiration to us all!!!! ❤️👏🏻

🧐  Wait “anon.”  (is this...is this not...but i just...we just...?)

If this isn’t who I think it is, the coincidence level is off-the-charts, and I’m confused.

But don’t feel bad or anything!  I’m just having a moment.

Anyway.  :DDDD  It’s very sweet of you to say so many nice things to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  💕💕💕💕💕  It’s definitely an over-exaggeration.  Thank you 😊  It’s lucky that my interests align with a lot of other people’s.

Naruto and Hinata Arranged Marriage AU! 💒

"Arranged Marriage AU" from "Tales of Two Ninjas" by @magmawrites - Rated M, Royalty AU, One-shot. They would both do their duties. And surprisingly this would be a change they would full heartedly accept.

"Mending Hearts" by NotosK - Rated M, Modern AU, Incomplete, small angst warning. Just when he discovers the love of his life in bed with his best friend, Naruto finds out about his arranged marriage with the daughter of the Hyuga family. With his heart broken he decided to accept the arrangement out of duty, can she make him remember what love really is?

"I Fell In Love With You Two Days Ago" by NotosK - Rated G, Canon-Divergent AU, One-shot. Hinata is recovering from an injury in Sunagakure, her father summons her back to Konoha after six months so she can finally meet her fiance, a foreign ninja that is thrice her age. the fourth Hokage assigns two elite ANBU to escort her back. Why is the one in the fox mask so familiar to her?

"Beast Tamers" by Mavda - Rated E, Fantasy AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. Mythical beasts roamed the world, all-powerful and terrifying, and the beast tamers sealed them withing themselves. Revered, feared or hated, a beast tamer will never have a normal life, and now Naruto Uzumaki is facing the start of his adult life: choosing a wife.

"Mob" by @bkgsbby - Rated M (?), Socmed format, Yakuza AU, Ongoing. When Hiashi can’t repay the debt he owes Kushina, he offers his daughter instead.

“Hard Love” by HoneyWriter78 - Rated E, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. Hinata Hyuga was always kept within her father's estate. Until her father comes home after losing everything. A powerful family comes and she makes her escape only to be caught and handed to the son.

and then the unfinished one I wrote is “The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl” - Rated M, Mythology AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. The folktale of the Japanese summer festival Tanabata, the story of Orihime’s and Hikoboshi’s love.

Thank you again, I’m happy that you enjoy my stuff 😊  and I hope you haven’t read a few of these recs before!!

[inorganicone2230]

All That Led Us Here (Part 1) Yandere!Overhaul x Fem!Reader

Part 2

Summary: Orphaned at the tender age of six, you are taken in and raised by The Head of The Shie Hassaikai along with his young son, Kai, who takes a strange and immediate interest in you, to an obsessive degree... one that only seems to grow as the years go by. A life with him and The Yakuza is all you've ever known, but is it all you really want? Kai would certainly have you believe so, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you never question it.

Warnings: None for this chapter, in fact, the first few will be relatively tame as we build up to the darker chapters later on, but I will make note of them as they pop up per chapter.

Side Note’s: Just a few quick things to help give you an idea as to how this AU’s world is set up. So first off, there are no quirks in this world, so that means that the Yakuza clans are still strong, wealthy and a huge influence in the Japanese underworld, unlike in the cannon version, and the Shie Hassaikai are one of the biggest if not THE biggest. Second, Kai is The Big Bosses biological son and not just some street rat that he took in. Since we never actually learn the old guys name, I figure that it can easily be played around with to suit the needs of this story and Kai’s looks can be explained by saying that he takes after his deceased mom. And finally, Eri will NOT be making an appearance in this story as of yet.

And as always, I want to give a BIG thank you to my amazing friend @talpup for all the brainstorming and encouragement on these stories! I’m sure I would have given up on this blog a while ago if it wasn't for all of their help. I highly encourage anyone who takes the time to read this to go over to their page or their AO3 account under the same name and check out their works, especially Chaos and Erase The Shadow. They are two of my favorite BNHA fics of ALL TIME!

Kai could still remember the first day he met you, no matter how much time passed or how many years flew by, that day was always going to be crystal clear in his mind.

It was the middle of a sweltering hot summer and his father, the head of the notorious Yakuza clan, The Shie Hassaikai, had received a call from an old friend asking him to come visit him on his deathbed in a nearby town. His father had immediately left, but returned just a few days later.

Only, he wasn’t alone when he came back…

It was already early evening when Kai, who was ten at that point, heard the commotion coming from downstairs and had gone outside with all the others to greet his father when he arrived home and was just as shocked, though he hid it very well, as everyone else to see that he had a little girl no older than six with him.

A tiny little thing wearing a purple sundress and hiding behind his father’s legs while she trembled like a leaf. She was so small that, if it weren’t for the quiet little whimpers coming from her, she may have gone completely unnoticed and Kai couldn’t help but idly wonder who she was and what she was doing with his father.

“Kai?” His father had called out to him once he was spotted by the gate. “Come over here Son, there’s someone you need to meet.”

Kai, being the well behaved and dutiful son that he was, immediately went to his father. He couldn’t deny that he was curious as to who the little girl was and even a stoic child like him was still prone to childlike tendencies every now and then.

“What is it Pops?” He asked, his voice already showing signs of deepening despite his young age. And since he had recently hit a growth spurt, he was easily a good foot or so taller than the little girl currently clinging to his father’s hakama.

His father stepped aside to reveal the child to him in full as he gazed down at her with a look of of care and pity. “Kai, this is (Y/N), she’s the daughter of a dear old friend of mine who recently passed away and she’s going to be living with us from now on.” His father reached down to pat you on the head and Kai knew from experience just how comforting that hand could be in a stressful situation, though he’d likely choke on those words if he ever tried to admit them out loud. “She’s family now, so I want you to look out for her. Ya hear me boy?”

Kai had nodded in agreement without a moment's hesitation, he was always eager to please his father no matter what the task was, though, to be honest, Kai had no real experience dealing with kids his own age, let alone one so much younger than himself. He tended to avoid the idiots at his school, they were always running around, getting filthy and he wanted no part in that, and it’s not like there were any other kids that lived in the compound for him to interact with. Hell, there hadn’t even been a woman living there since his mother died nearly eight years prior.

Kai snapped himself out of his own thoughts when he heard his father speak again, seems he wasn’t done talking just yet.

Kai watched as his father gave you another pat on the head as this time, he addressed you directly, his voice much softer and kinder than Kai could ever remember it being. Perhaps it was because you were a girl, or maybe it was because he felt sorry for the situation you were in, your father had just died after all. Either way, this was a side to his old man that he only ever saw when he talked about his late wife, so this was a rather surreal experience for the young boy.

“(Y/N), this brat here is my son, Kai.” He said, motioning his head towards the golden eyed boy. “If you need anything at all and you can’t find me, I want you to go straight to him, alright? This is going to be your home from now on and that means that you can just think of him as your big brother if that makes it easier.”

You had been looking at the ground for the majority of the time, but when you briefly glanced up to meet his gaze, Kai couldn’t help but feel drawn to the big (e/c) eyes that seemed to take up the majority of your chubby little face. They were wide and full of fear, but also a great deal of curiosity as you took in your new surroundings.

You gave him a small, barely there nod of your head as you mumble out a quick response, your voice just as tiny as you were in stature. “N-Nice to m-meet you Kai-san. I’ll try n-not to be a b-bother for you.” And then your eyes are back on the ground and Kai is left with a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach as he uncharacteristically thinks that he wants you to look at him again, and for longer this time.

The old boss tries to muster up a weak smile in the hopes that it will put you at ease. “I’m sure the two of you will get along just fine once you get used to each other. Now, why don’t we go have some dinner and then get you off to bed? It’s been a long few days and I’m sure you’ll feel a bit better in the morning.”

With affirmative nods from both children, nothing more is said as everyone is urged to get back to their usual duties despite talk over who the unexpected new addition to the household is and where she came from.

—————

Later on that night, after a quiet dinner was shared amongst the three, Kai went off back to his room and quietly continued to work on his summer homework. Pops was insistent that he keep up his grades, inciting that just because he was set to inherit the role as head of a mob family, that didn’t mean that he was allowed to be an ignorant fool with no brains to back himself up, and Kai was inclined to agree, there was only one thing he hated more than filth and that was stupidity and a general lack of common sense.

Tonight however, this usually easy task was proving to be just a tad bit harder to stay focused on.

The main reason?

He can hear your soft cries from down the hall in your new room and it’s proving to be rather distracting. Not that you were being overly loud, but thin walls and shoji screen doors don’t provide much in the way of soundproofing or insulation. And with the two of you bring the only ones living on this floor, his old man's room being situated one floor above and everyone else further down, it was even more quiet than a normal house.

Without really stopping to think about what he was doing, Kai got up from his desk and left his room to wander down the hall until he found himself quietly standing outside your door. He debated with himself for about thirty seconds before he made the abrupt decision to just open the door uninvited.

There you were, curled up on an unfamiliar bed that was definitely way too big for someone so tiny, your shoulders shaking even as your head shot up at the sudden sound of sliding wood and big fat crocodile tears continued to roll silently down your cheeks.

“U-Um… w-what are-”

“You’ve been crying.” Kai interrupted you.

You looked down, he really wished you’d stop doing that, almost as if you were ashamed to have it pointed out so bluntly.

“I’m so-sorry, I w-won’t do it a-again, I pro-promise.” You managed to get out between more sniffles.

Kai normally hated the sound of crying, it was like nails on a chalkboard to him and he attributed it to weakness, yet another thing that he so deeply detested. But, he supposed that given the events you had likely been subjected to over the course of the last few days, your blatant display of emotion was understandable, if not outright expected of you.

And besides, he thought, he knew what it was like to lose a parent, but he still had his old man at least, that was more than could be said for you, you didn’t have anyone.

No one but him and Pops…

Kai wouldn’t be able to properly articulate to himself what it really was, not until he was older and understood himself a bit better, but he felt an odd sensation swell up in his chest at the thought of you relying on him, of you needing him, he liked the idea of you staring up at him with those big watery eyes and asking him for help, begging him to make the hurt go away.

But more than that, he wanted to be the reason you smiled. He had yet to see a smile grace your face, but he knew that he wanted to be it’s cause when it did finally happen, or at the very least, he wanted to be the first one to see it.

It was a strange feeling, and not one he was at all used to, but Kai was a pragmatic child and rarely ever second guessed himself once his mind had settled on an idea. His father often told him that if he continued to cultivate that trait, it would make him an even better boss than him someday.

And to that end, he did what his father would expect of him…

“Do you… want me to stay with you, until you fall asleep?”

The two of you stared at each other for roughly a minute before you mutely nodded your head and Kai silently made his way over to your bed, easily climbing onto the tall mattress and sitting upright against the headboard while you laid your head back down on the pillow.

Kai never took his eyes off your face.

“Thank you Kai.” You mumbled sleepily, your swollen, puffy eyes already drooping as sleep threatened to finally claim you.

He wasn’t really great at comforting others, not that he had ever tried, so he acted on pure instinct, reaching out and taking your tiny hand in his own and closing his fist around it, an act that both shocked and astounded him, though he never let go of your hand regardless of that.

It had been so long since he had touched anyone else that he’d almost forgotten what another person’s skin could feel like and despite his steadily growing aversion to physical contact, he didn’t feel even the slightest bit of disgust when he felt your skin against his own. In fact, it was no different than if he was reaching up to touch the flesh of his own face.

Kai knew that this had to mean something, he just didn’t know what that something was just yet.

But he could figure it out, he thought, gazing down at your peaceful face as he brushed some of your hair behind your ear. This was your home now, and he had all the time in the world to learn what it was about you that seemed to set you apart from the rest of the filthy world.

—————

About an hour later, Kai was just beginning to feel his own eyes drop as sleep fought to overtake his senses when he heard a shuffling sound by the still open door and, looking up, he wasn’t all that surprised to find his father standing there in the doorway.

The Boss couldn’t sleep and so he decided to wander down and check on his new charge, he was already beating himself up for leaving you alone in a dark, unfamiliar room. He half expected to find you still awake and crying, however, what he found instead was something far more surprising than anything he could have imagined on his own.

You weren’t crying, in fact, you were sound asleep. Sound asleep and holding his sons hand, his son who hated all unnecessary physical contact. To say he was surprised was an understatement, he never would have expected to find a scene like this, not in a million years.

Kai meanwhile, couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit annoyed that his time alone with you was being interrupted. How was he supposed to think and ponder these new developments if he was being distracted by his father’s eyes boring holes into him.

But, he supposed this could have it’s own benefits, now that they were alone, he could ask his father some questions that have been plaguing his mind since he first arrived home.

“Why is she here Pops?” He asked quietly, never taking his eyes off your sleeping face.

The Boss was not the kind of man that believed in treating his son with kid gloves, he told him how things were in a very direct manner and rarely ever beat around the bush when talking to him. He was going to be taking over one of the most powerful Yakuza clans in the country and he couldn’t afford to have his only son and heir be a spineless weakling. Some might call him cruel for laying so much on a young child’s shoulders, but he knew just how fast he could be swallowed whole if he didn’t possess the necessary moral fiber to stand on his own two feet in this dangerous world he was set to rule in. It might not seem like it, but he loved his son and wanted to see him succeed and push the clan further then even he had.

“Her father was an old friend of mine from back in the day.” He began and leaned one of his large, broad shoulders against the door-frame. “He wasn’t a criminal, in fact, he was a pretty average guy. But he helped me out of more tight spots in our youth then I care to remember and despite knowing about my Yakuza heritage, he never dwelled on it or judged me for it.”

Kai watched as a look of sorrow passed across his father’s face, something that only ever happened when he thought about his mother and he realized it must have meant that he really cared about this dead man, whoever he was.

“We lost touch over the years, but when I got that call from him, asking me to come see him on his deathbed, I knew I owed it to him to go and send him off.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “When I got there, I found out what it was he wanted from me. His last wish was that his only child, his daughter, be raised by someone he knew and trusted. Neither he, nor his deceased wife had any known living family that could take her in. So it was either I take custody of the girl, or she gets put in the system. Clearly you can see what my decision was.”

Kai suspected that there was more to the story than that, but he got what he wanted so he didn’t press for anymore then that.

“So, you want to tell me what you’re doing here in the middle of the night?” His father questioned him.

Kai still had yet to look away from you and to be honest, he really didn’t want to. “She was crying.”

“So you came in here to check on her?”

“Something like that.” Kai murmured, his usual monotone still firmly in place. “She’s different than the others, she’s clean and I don’t feel sick being near her. I can even touch her.”

It was nearly pitch black in the room but there was just enough light streaming in from the hallway that allowed him to see his sons face, and what he saw there nearly had him busting out laughing, but he refrained for fear of ruining whatever it was that was happening to the boy.

Kai was blushing.

It was small and faint, but the tops of his cheeks were definitely looking a bit darker than usual.

And this seemingly innocuous turn of events sparked an idea in his mind, one that he would need to put some serious thought into, he couldn’t just rush something like this without analyzing it from all angles, but it was an option that could ultimately lead to his child’s, no, his children’s future happiness.

“So I take it you’re not going to be having a problem with her being here?”

Kai looked down at you, at the steady rise and fall of your chest and the way you curled in on yourself. He took in the way you nuzzled your face just a bit closer to him and he found comfort in your soft little breaths that he could feel against him arm.

So, did he have a problem with you?

“I’ll take care of her.”

I hope you all enjoyed this! Please let me know what you thought if you have the time!

[mctionsick]

MILES OKITA AESTHETIC & STATS

basic information

full name: miles kenzo okita

nickname(s): verse dep he probably has a ton

age: 18-22

date of birth: june 16th / gemini 

hometown: miami, fl. / verse dep.  

current location: usually a big coastal city.  LA.  NY.  Seattle.  

occupation: student / videographer / editor / film maker / verse dep.  

gender: cis male

pronouns: he/him

orientation: bisexual

religion: buddhist

species: human / mutant verse available for plotting 

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

face claim: nico hiraga 

hair colour: dark brown

eye colour: dark brown 

height: 5 ft 8 in

piercings: n/a

clothing style: skater / streetwear, lots of printed shirts, bright and bold colors, comfort more than anything.  always wearing a hat.   

usual expression:

HEALTH

addictions: n/a

drug use: heavy pot use, occasional psychedelic use.  

alcohol use: mostly social 

illness:  n/a

PERSONALITY

positive traits: creative, brave, intuitive

negative traits: deceitful, stubborn, reckless

hobbies: skating, thrifting for old cameras / gear, video editing, photography, traveling, urban exploration, meditation, yoga.  

habits: joint cracking, leg bouncing, whistling.  

FAVOURITES

weather: early in the summertime.  

music: truly a little bit of everything.  loves underground stuff and has lots of friends in bands who he supports wholeheartedly.  loves punk as much as he loves hip hop.  utilizing a lot of genres in his skate videos.  

movies: classics.  mob/crime movies.  horror flicks.  comedies.  indie movies.  old cky videos.  

books: lots of comics and graphic novels.  philosophy which would surprise most.   

food: traditional japanese food.  is a huge snacker and can always be found with food in hand.  

FAMILY- tw: parental death 

father: taketo okita.  an accomplished surgeon who didn’t slow down after his wife passed away.  loves his children but feels being a strict parent when he is around makes up for him being away so often.  in reality all it did was push away his children and make them fiercely independent.  he wishes for miles to follow in his footsteps and doesn’t understand him wanting a creative career.   

mother: amanda reeves (deceased).  was an english teacher until her untimely passing.  amanda and taketo were college sweethearts and he never quite handled grieving her and threw himself into his work.  he doesn’t talk about his late wife often to the dismay of both his children who try to keep her memory alive.  

siblings: eliza okita (28~).  miles’s older sister.  sought after a career in computer programming but in her senior year she helped with coding for a friend’s animation projection and fell in love with being able to use her art skills like that.  after earning her degree she went back to school this time in hopes of a degree in animation.  she has done it all from help develop apps to work on animated films.  supports her younger brother greatly though wishes he wouldn’t lie to their dad so often about his career goals.  

OPEN VARIANT VERSES 

filmmaker au.    miles took the plunge from making skate videos to directing indie movies.  

supernatural au.  can take the form of a serpentine dragon who can change it’s size.  is supposed to be a protector of his family’s land but has abandoned his post.  other abilities include white lightning breath, enhanced strength + agility + endurance + senses, fear masking, flight, and magic resistance.  this abilities don’t overlap when he’s in his human form but he can generate protective scales.  

mutant au.  solar based powers.  his body acts as a battery and he uses the sun to generate vast amounts of energy.  with this energy he has enhanced strength, invulnerability, and flight.  can release solar blasts / energy.  if not in the sun for extended periods of time his powers diminish / weaken.  

[kaisooficrec]

Hello there, fellow KaiSooists. I have never had as much concentrated written fun as when I was reading these fics. I really love intense violence/crime AUs and I had to leave out so many spy and hitman and military fics for the sake of sticking to mafia. SO I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOY LIKE I DEFINETELY DID.

Mafia Boss - kyungsoo is the mafia mob leader / vampire and has his secretary jongin by his side. he has to protect jongin since they got an unexpected news from him (mpreg)

Mad Love - mafia au, jongin is kinda soo's trophy wife ;) lots of sexual tension, nini in stockings n purple cropped sweater uwu 

Bluff - ot12, unfinished but chaptered. My all-time full EXO favourite. In a mafia based on playing cards system, Kai is a Heart and Kyungsoo the “leader” of Spades. Jongin betrays his group to join Kyung. Tao-centric but godDAMMIT THIS AUTHOR PREDICTED LOVE SHOT AND LEFT US ALL HANGING. I adore this, I really do.

Not Good People - Kyungsoo only wanted to prove his independence to himself and to his mafia boss of a brother, but he wasn't going to complain  when he got unexpected sex ed from a hot gang leader.

Ascending Rain - Yakuza!AU, psychological, angst(?), mystery, smut. You know what's hot? Japanese mafia heir tatted up Jongin and pristine looking genius sociopath Kyungsoo. You know what's even hotter? Both of them being in the darkest love-hate relationship in between murders and mind games. So much plot, so many details, great OCs, and occasional first person chapters. Awesome read, too bad it's unfinished.

spring snow - Character death, multiple ships. This is practically the modern shorter version of 48 Hours.Yixing helps Jongin find the man he left behind and watches a mafia slowly die out. It's heartbreakingly good.

Running Up That Hill - Recced before, but I can’t not mention this legend. A chaptered masterpiece with suspenseful angst, awesome smut, intricate detailed plot, ot12 characters, side XiuHan, top!soo and violence. No matter what I do there is no way I can express how unbelievably addicting this fic is. Just read it, it should be a fandom classic by now. 

Cypher - OT12, ongoing.

smoke - Oneshot. Kyungsoo as the heir to a security firm discovers that his dad is caught in mafia business. Later, as a president, he is faced with the same pressure from Kim Kai, the heavy smoker mob leader himself..

safe like springtime - only two chapters so far, with Jongin being bratty son-of-a-mobster teenager!Kyungsoo’s confused bodyguard.

4x4 (and away we go) - Twoshot, smut, tw. The Kim family is indepted to the famous stoic mafia leader, Do Kyungsoo, and Jongin finds himself obliged to pay back.  Uhm, unsettling

Subterfuge - Oneshot, smoking. Kyungsoo’s a mafia leader, and Jongin a heavy smoker barman. Again, a subtle piece that leaves you wanting more. (a.k.a I’m really whipped for kaisoo and mafia!au)

bang and burn - Incomplete, 4 chapters, pretty heavy drug use, smut and very mild angst. Jongin doesn’t understand what his retired sniper ex did to be worth a million dollars, but dead. He also didn’t understand how in ten years, his pancakes and skin are just as delicious. Indigo’s (a.k.a my favourite active author) freaky shot at assassins. Pretty damn awesome. 

in their blood and from the gutter - Oneshot, angst, smut, side BaekXing and murders. Kyungsoo is an associate of the biggest mafia ruling the city. He’s constantly in danger but one assignment officially makes him a dead man. An intense great read ; I’m not a fan of open endings but holy damn, I loved it.

and your sexy enemies closer - SeKaiSoo, based on the Love Shot MV, with bits of crack and uhm, a weird fingering scene. It was pretty good and unsettling because my first KaiSoo+someone fic.

I really don’t wanna let this rec go, but here, the latest pure mafia!AU rec. You can also (re)check other awesome fics here for extra action. And, well, long live KaiSoo, with lots of guns and rainbows.

- Admin Cookie

@icequeenpalace​ (Hey lovely reader! I am so so sorry for deleting your ask. I didn’t notice and our hero admin J in here told me about it. I hope you still know that it is for you too that this list has been formed and that I am sorry for the accident. PLEASE ENJOY ANYWAY AND FORGIVE A SMITTEN SOUL.)

[kaichan24]

Favorite Mafia AUs

Separation Anxiety. Deep in the dark, unsettling back alleys of St. Petersburg, a network of rival families makes up the heart of the mafia that runs the city's underground. Of these, none is more feared than the Nikiforov family, an infamous group that is said to be led by a man of cold blood and steel. Viktor, the son of the previous boss, knows only too well just how frightening this man is.

He is, after all, married to him. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8952229/chapters/20489131

Masquerade. “Just say the word.” came the whisper as Victor stepped close, behind them Yuuri was aware of guns out and at the ready, of confused men and questioned loyalties, here Victor was offering, and Yuuri was too selfish to say no.

“Ok.” Yuuri smiled as this game of masquerade came to an end, what would happen now, he didn’t know, he would probably die, his family would come after him and try to put a knife in his back or a bullet between his eyes, none of it mattered, because together they would fight, and the rest of the world would finally burn.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8565544/chapters/19636378

A Pakhan's Weakness. Yuuri has a morning routine that helps him stay alive and it involves opening his legs to the most dangerous alpha in the underground.

On the other side of the world, the hunt for the world's most wanted man has been going on for nearly a decade. A survivor brings information that changes the whole course of the investigation.

The Pakhan has a mate, an omega who belongs to the most fertile class in the world, and he will stop at nothing to keep him by his side.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16111763/chapters/37635491?hide_banner=true

Ivory and Gold.  Three years after certain events in Barcelona publicized the end of the Katsuki-Nikiforov crime era, Katsuki Yuuri waits out a death sentence in Fuchū prison and Viktor Nikiforov seems to have developed a commitment to running his own business into the ground. Such is not the legacy Katsuki Yuuri wanted--thus, when given the opportunity to escape his execution sentence in return for Nikiforov's orchestrated arrest, Katsuki accepts. In doing so, he invites all manner of troubles onto himself, not the least of which is that Viktor Nikiforov wants him dead, and maybe--maybe--Katsuki Yuuri doesn't want the same for him.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11091492/chapters/24743577

Nocturne. It's a charmed life, rife with luxury and glamour and a doting husband who gives him the world on a silver platter. It's also a peculiarly lonely life, being married to the underboss of one of the biggest 'yakuza' in operation. Either way, Viktor wouldn't trade it - or his husband - for the world.Or.A day in the life of Mafia Wife!Viktor.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/10993335/chapters/24485292

The Pakhan's Jewel. No one had ever heard the omega speak.

It was not that they had never heard him at all. They had all heard the voice of the omega at some point – a gentle laugh, for example, a quiet hum, or, quite more often, lustful cries and moans, caused by the Pakhan himself. But the omega never spoke, and never deigned to even look at them, for they all were beneath him, and mattered less than the dirt beneath his feet.

For they all knew that Katsuki Yuuri's heart belonged to one man only - and that man was Viktor Nikiforov, the Pakhan himself.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21804829/chapters/52031626

Blonde. Viktor Nikiforov is a son, a brother, a nephew, and the Pakhan of the St. Petersburg Bratva, but to him it's not enough. Something's missing, and he doesn't know what.

On a routine check-up of the sex-trafficing rings in the Bratva's American territory he takes interest in a young prostitute named Katsuki Yuuri, who's quiet and troubled; a perfect addition to Viktor's life. He hopes the boy can find life and love with Viktor in Russia, and that he can return the favour as well.

But not everything is as it seems, Viktor and Yuuri's pasts often come back to haunt them, and not every person in Viktor's circle loves Yuuri as much as he does, some even going to great lengths to make sure Viktor remembers the family business comes first.

This is Katsuki Yuuri falling in love, and getting in too deep.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9645959/chapters/21792248

There Are Stars Trapped Under Your Skin.  Yuuri's been living with Viktor for almost a year now, a slice of peace they have carved out of their violent lives. But nothing ever lasts.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9554768/chapters/21603482

A lack of Invitations. Viktor is ex-Russian mob knife for hire, with a terrifying reputation. Yuuri is a Japanese mob boss. They encounter each other at a party and for some reason, Yuuri is intrigued enough to hire Viktor on.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9418778/chapters/21320093

The Pakhan and his Swan. “So,” Anna Nikiforov starts and Hiroko leans forward, intrigued. “Say Mari presents as an alpha, and Victor does as well, but Yuuri presents as an omega. Would you be willing to arrange for them to mate?” Anna asks, smile breaking out in earnest on her face as she does.

“Victor and Yuuri? Now?” Hiroko’s eyebrows shoot up, looking out into the park at her son and the other boy sitting cross-legged next to each other. Yuuri is looking so intensely at Victor, brown eyes following every movement as Victor talks, waving his hands for emphasise.

or; the bratva and yakuza look to strengthen their ties their sons seems like the perfect way to do it. Every summer Victor and Yuuri get to spend three weeks together to get to know each other. Friendship blossoms, but could it be more? and what dark forces might want to prevent them from becoming it?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19788763/chapters/46848226

Blue Rosed Mafia. No one expected a Japanese m

an to run the number one Mafia family in Russia. Yuri Katsuki is the Pakhan for a Russian mafia group and Victor Nikiforov is with him too.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8950297/chapters/20485027

Long Live The Prince.  Yuri Plisetsky has a complicated family. He's not the only kid to have two fathers, much less divorced ones. But he can't count many children who have parents in the Russian and Japanese mafia respectively. Almost nine years ago a fight separated Victor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki, leading the latter to flee to Japan with their only son. Everything would remain the same for the two crime bosses, but Yuri runs away from home and puts his parents in a rampage. Yuuri panics, Victor is happy to have his little prince back and Yura just wanted his family together.  

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13705965/chapters/31483596

[thisisutl]

My Doujin Collection is finally up

So, after a lot of setbacks and delays, my doujin collection is finally up.

Now... a few things...

 In this public post, I am only going to post the covers and a brief description of what each doujin’s story is. The download links are on my private tumblr.  You know how to get there...

Only doujin that I have personally scanned are up. I am not posting doujin given to me by others, since I don’t want to betray their trust.

All the doujin are low quality and watermarked. This is to prevent people printing and selling them without the artist’s permission.

I do, in fact, have high quality clean scans, but there are... conditions. Or exchanges. One or the other.

Due to Tumblr blocking adult content, I can’t post the adult ones, sorry. But I can give you a link if you message me privately.

All doujin are in Japanese. If a story is translated somewhere, anywhere, I will give you the link on where to find the translation. But other than that, don’t expect to understand anything if you don’t read Japanese.

Since this is a looooooooong post, I am going to cut after the first doujin

Aoi Rukawa - Uzumaki Sanchi No Hinata San

Description: Being a housewife is not easy, especially when you are married to someone like Uzumaki Naruto. You might be interested to know that you can read a clean typesetted translation of this over at TLAnon’s Patreon!

Aoi Rukawa - Uzumaki Sanchi No Hinata San 2

Description: More SD NaruHina Housewife hijinx. Now with ramen!

Aoi Rukawa - Milky Time R(18)

Description: Hinata is breastfeeding Boruto, and Naruto is... well... curious. It’s actually much more sentimental than it sounds.

Aoi Rukawa - Nounai Orekaigi

Description: Naruto is going on a date with Hinata and the various parts of his personality are having a meeting. Think of Pixar’s Inside Out, except crazier.

Aoi Rukawa - The End of the Beginning

Description: Various side stories taking place before, during and after The Last movie. Feels galore!

Aoi Rukawa - The Hidden Leaf's Blooming Flowers

Description: Sai, Shikamaru and Choji are asking their respective love interests to join them during Naruto’s wedding as their mate. It’s not as easy as it sounds

Aoi Rukawa - Welcome to the Hyuga Clan

Description: Naruto is heading towards the Hyuga Clan’s house to ask for Hinata’s hand in marriage. Will he come out of this alive?

Enda Chisya - First Love Days

Description: Naruto makes Hinata wait a date and then has to wait back.

Enda Chisya - The Hyuga clan is Konoha's strongest, dattebayo!

Description: A collcetion of stories about Naruto living and interacting with the Hyuga clan

Fuesu - Holding Hands

Description: Naruto and Hinata go on a date. They have a great time, but Naruto just can’t seem to be able to find a chance to hold Hinata’s hand.

HonoHono - My Dear Husband (R15)

Description: Konoha’s housewives are trying to properly take care of the husbands. The key word being “trying”

HonoHono - MenmaHima meets NaruHina

Description:It’s what it says on the tin. I’ve got nothing to add here.

IchiUme - Summer, Dreams, Fireworks

Description: It’s the Summer Festival and there’s a fireworks display. Naruto and Hinata find a chance to go on a much-deserved date a few months after their wedding. But being intimate with your wife is not easy when you are Konoha’s greatest hero.

Itoshiki Mahoroba - Konoha's Big Family

Description: Three stories involving the couples shown here.

Izumi - I want to talk to you

Description: Hinata starts working at Ichiraku’s after Ayumi is temporarily incapacitated. How is Naruto going to deal with the fact that Hinata is getting lots of male attention?

Izumi - Please notice soon

Description: Naruto promises to be Hinata’s brother at Neji’s funeral. Hinata is touched but this is not quite what she wants from him,

Kamoto Moto - P

Description: High School AU. Naruto and Naruko are twin brother and sister. And they both love Hinata. Who is going to prevail?

Meguo - Dressing up Hinata 

Description: Naruto dresses up his wife. And he enjoys the view.

Meguo - Future Prospective View (R18)

Description: Naruto has always loved Hinata. But she is still feeling insecure about their relationship. How is he going to convince her of his love?

Minamo - Hero VS Team Eight

Description: A collection of various stories about Naruto interacting with Team Eight.

Minamo - Mission Mafia

Description: Mafia AU. Naruto is a self-made mob-boss that has fallen for one of the town oldest mob gangs. This short story chronicles his attempt to infiltrate the Hyuga Mansion and spend some “sexy time” with Hinata.

Miurin - In the bathhouse with Hinata

Description: Naruto and Hinata are on a mission to inspect a bathhouse. What could possibly go wrong?

Murig - Magical Girl's Club

Description: Naruto infiltrates a magic school and becomes a sexy witch. And, yes, Hinata still falls for him/her.

Nabe Tsukami - I'll see you in the light

Description: Minato and Kushina meet in the afterlife, and they find to their chagrin that they are not alone.

Nawa Luco - Happy Love to you

Description: Naruto catches Hinata smelling his Hokage robe and decides to have some fun with her.

Nearly Equal - Thank you

Description: A collection of stories from Konoha’s favorite families.

Rino & Uta - Shinobi are those who love deeply

Description: Two stories set in the “Unawareness Period” where Naruto and Hinata bond with each other.

Sami - 16Dream 

Description: Naruto gets drunk and Hinata changes back to her 16-year-old self to placate him. And... Things get out of control.

Sorry guys, it’s R18, can’t post it here, you have to message me for the raws. But you can find a clean translated version of this over at TLAnon’s Patreon.

Sami - Distance to the first bite

Description: Hinata feeds Naruto and reminisces about the past. A really cute story. You might be interested to know that it’s already translated and posted over at TL Anon’s Patreon.

Soda - All Right in the End

Description: A collection of short stories where the common theme is Naruto and Hinata growing closer and more comfortable with each other. You might be interested to know that it’s already translated and posted over at TL Anon’s Patreon.

Quail Egg - The Sky is just like

Description: A collection of cute short stories about Naruto and Hinata before The Last.

TOM - Naruto Bowl

Description: A collection of short stories focusing on all the canon couples, where the common theme is food and sharing. Some stories are funny, some are sad, some are sweet, some are bitter, but they are all pretty damn fullfilling. You might be interested to know that it’s already translated and posted over at TL Anon’s Patreon.

Veritas - A Bouquet of Flowers

Description: Temari decides to break up with Shikamaru in order to get back on the sand village and focus on her own brothers. But is this really what she wants? You might be interested to know that it’s already translated and posted over at TL Anon’s Patreon.

WankoHime - Nonchinochiato

Description: A collection of random stories set in the Boruto era,

Various Anthology- Happily Ever After

Description: A collection of stories focusing on various aspects and the NaruHina wedding.

Various Anthology- Shinobi Love World

Description: An anthology of short stories focusing on ALL the couples. Yes, even the most obscure ones.

[queenofcandynsoda]

PPG AU: Garden Yakuza

Yeah~ I’m doing this~

These characters actually come from an original story that I’ve never got to write (yet) and I decided to recycle them for the PPG AU~ @jknerd approved of this and I’ll be doing about three more of these~

The Garden Yakuza is one of the four teenage gangs that the Gangreen Gang took in. They were just a gang of homeless teenagers who pickpocketed and rob people to get money for their friend, Marisol, who was suffering from internal injuries due the abuse she suffered. The Garden Yakuza tried to rob the Gangreen Gang but were unsuccessful. After Ace see the condition that they were in, he decided to help and recruited them as one of the chief executives of his mafia, working directly under him. Soon, the Garden Yakuza has made a name of themselves with their smuggling of weapons and drugs.

Fuji

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Aliases: Eiichi Miyamoto (real name)

Occupation: Boss of the Garden Yakuza, Chief of Drug/Weapons trades

Abilities: Poison manipulation, enhanced swordsmanship, drug immunity

About: Fuji is the Japanese-American leader of the Garden Yakuza and the Chief of Drug and Weapons trade. He has major respect for Ace due to his past from being a petty criminal to becoming a big time mob boss. He has the ability to create poison from the leaves spurt from his arms. His poisons can varies from causing a mild rash to outright lethal. He carries a katana with him and tends to coat it with his poison. Fuji was raised by his alcoholic mother who is very neglectful towards him and herself, causing her to have very poor health and becoming homeless. After being forced out of a shelter because of his mother’s drunken rage, Eiichi ran away from her and started living in abandoned places.

Ume

Age: 14

Gender: Male

Aliases: Kaoru Shimizu (real name)

Occupation: Second-in-command of the Garden Yakuza

Abilities: Carnivorous plants manipulation, enhanced knife combat, drug immunity

About: Ume is Japanese French-American second-in-command of the Garden Yakuza. Though he’s only five foot one and looking like a middle schooler, he is the MOST intimidating member of the Garden Yakuza. He is able to spurt carnivorous plants from his body and can command them to attack. He also uses them to dispose the evidence or hide the drugs or weapons when he is smuggling them. He has a variety of throwing knives with him to fight. Ume was an orphan who was ditched by his older siblings when he was 8 for his creepy appearance. Not only his green skin, but also his creepy eye bags and sharp teeth. He soon met Eiichi when they were in a community dented for food before its budget got cut.

Suisen

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Aliases: Izumi Saitō (real name)

Occupation: Assassin of the Garden Yakuza

Abilities: Fragrance manipulation, Hallucination manipulation, Hypnotic manipulation, enhanced knife combat, drug immunity

About: Suisen is a Japanese-American assassin of the Garden Yakuza. She is very mentally unstable with her wide violet eyes, which she covers with a pair of cat eye sunglasses. She has the ability to make fragrance from the flowers that appear around her body. The fragrance can cause hallucinations and be used for hypnosis. She often fights with knives and tends to have a maniac smile. Suisen was abandoned by her parents, with her father being a famous politician who ran a campaign for protecting the children and keeping them off the streets, because of her mental health issues. They see her as a burden and an embarrassment. She met her friends, Kaoru and Eiichi, when they were trying to get heat during a winter storm.

Tsubaki

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Aliases: Hiroki Koizumi (real name)

Occupation: Arms Dealer of the Garden Yakuza

Abilities: Vine manipulation, Healing factor, enhanced swordsmanship, marksmanship, drug immunity

About: Tsubaki is a Japanese Chinese-American arms dealer. Though he appears to be tall and lanky, he is very strong to the point it’s very abnormal. He has the ability to make strong vines out of his hands and he has a healing factor that helps him recover from minor injuries and some major injuries. He often carries swords, knives, and guns with him and hidden them in his trench coat. Despite this variety of weapons, he preferred his katana. Tsubaki was in foster care where he only get a family once every four months. Most of the families were neglectful to him, causing him to run away at age 13. He soon went to an abandoned building, where he met Izumi, Kaoru, and Eiichi. After a few months of meeting Himawari, that’s where the Garden Yakuza started their life of crime.

Himawari

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Aliases: Marisol Bautista (real name)

Occupation: Drug Smuggler of the Garden Yakuza

Abilities: Plant/Flower manipulation (usually sunflowers), Bee manipulation (via pheromones from the flowers), enhanced knife combat, marksmanship, drug immunity

About: Himawari is a Filipino-American drug smuggler. She has a rare hormone disease called hypopituitarism, a condition that stunted her growth since her age 8 and caused proportional dwarfism. She uses her appearance as a little girl to avoid suspicion when she’s smuggling drugs. Despite her age, she is seen as the Little Sister of the Garden Yakuza. Himawari has control flowers, usually sunflowers, and uses the pheromones to control the bees so they can attack her enemies for her. She came from an abusive household where her mother’s boyfriend physically abused and neglected her as her mother had Munchausen syndrome by proxy to make her dependent on her and tried to isolate her from the world. Despite her father being seen as a much better parent than his ex-wife, the court still refused to give him custody of his daughter. Himawari then runs away with her friends but she still had injuries from the abuse she suffered. This causes the Garden Yakuza to pickpocket, rob, and sell black market products. This is how they met Ace, who then recruited them. She was then given the role of drug smuggler. The reason why no one suspected her is because she looks like a young girl and she carries the drugs hidden in school supplies in her backpack.

[letspurpletogether]

Death Gods Only Eat Apples || 01

Summary: You are the youngest and best behaviorist at the South Korean National Police Agency, but because of a recent case that earned you your first kill, you are forced to take a leave. However, a streak of recent, inexplicable deaths among Seoul´s worst criminals drags you straight back to the precinct to pursue the culprit to whom the people are referring to as Kira.

Pairings: Jungkook x reader, Seokjin x reader, Namjoon x reader.

Genre: Death Note AU, thriller, mystery, drama, romance, crime, angst.

Word count: 13.9k

Warnings: foul language, just your average crime-police drama, violence, blood, death.

You’ve never killed anyone before.

Right when you pull the trigger, you know it has to be done. You have to take the shot or an innocent woman is going to die. And you just can’t let that happen.

Your eyes find the woman’s as she is being held against her will, an arm around her neck. She screams. Her nails dig into her attacker’s flesh, but they do very little damage. He holds the gun against her head, his eyes red with madness, a vein protruding from his forehead as he warns you not to come any closer. ‘Or I’ll fucking paint this walls with her brains! I swear!’

The woman starts crying. ‘Please…’

But he just tightens his grip on her neck and starts back away towards the emergency exit. Your hands are shaking, you can’t let him get away, not after everything he’d done.

Backup is not here yet.

It’s just you and him.

The woman struggles for air, she bites and scratches him like a caged animal. She manages to draw blood as he reaches for the doorknob. He curses and, for a brief moment, the woman has a chance to escape. She slips from his grip and runs in your direction. Yet, halfway through her knees give in and she stumbles to the floor.

Her disheveled form extends a hand to you. And you notice as the man seems to struggle to open the door. You see a chance now. A struck of luck on your favor, it seems. The door is locked. He has no way out and you take the opportunity to rush forward and to try and restrain him. However, the moment he realizes this he curses and aims his gun at the woman’s back.

He gives you no choice now.

You pull the trigger.

The shot echoes through the brick walls.

And just like that, his limp body hits the ground.

‘Y/N-ssi, are you okay?’, that voice drags you out of your thoughts. You look up to see your partner’s concerned face in the desk in front of yours.

A sigh escapes from your lips. This thing again.

It’s been over 72 hours and you still catch yourself drifting back to that night. The night of your first kill. You’ve taken a life, nothing is going to change that. A young man barely older than your own brother was now dead by your hand. Yes, he was a criminal, you don’t go around shooting innocent people in the chest. He’d raped and killed four middle-school girls, he was going to receive the death penalty, anyway. But holding onto that to justify yourself doesn’t feel right. Deep down you still wonder if there wasn’t anything else you could’ve done. You didn’t have to kill him… Did you?

‘Hey, I’m starting to worry now’, Seokjin’s voice again. ‘Should I call doctor Park or something?’. You shake your head.

‘I’m okay’, you lie. ‘I spaced out’.

‘I can see that. Is the reason that bothers me’.

Seokjin was a very gentle and laid-back person. Even when you were his junior, he treated you as if you two were the same age. You weren’t sure why he did it, he was not like that with the other officers at the station.

‘It’s my head, not yours. Leave me alone’, you snap back. Jin scoffs.

‘You wish you meant that’.

You sigh and glance at the letter in your hands.

You had just been given an order to take a couple of days off because Human Resources thought you weren’t fit for the field right now. Although they were right, you didn’t want to take days off, work was all you had to keep you distracted, to keep you from thinking about that man over and over again. Closing your eyes is all it takes for you to see his vacant eyes staring at you again. Blood dripping from his lips, his body slowly falling to the ground.

Shit. You dig your nails into the armrest of your chair and take a deep breath. Your other hand, crumbles the letter into a paper ball. As a police officer it is kind of expected of you to shoot criminals if you have too, if the situation calls for it. And it did… Maybe you just weren’t expecting to wound him fatally. Geum San, wanted for armed robbery, domestic violence, rape and murder. He was only twenty years old…

‘How can this world be so fucked up that a kid like him turns out to be a monster?’ you say out loud, more to yourself than for Jin to hear. Still he replies.

‘You’re going about that Geum San case again, huh?’

‘I don’t understand why I can’t stop thinking about it’

‘The first is always the hardest’, Seokjin leans back in his chair, his arms fold over his broad chest and he shrugs. ‘I still remember mine, the guy’s face, the blood, the smell… everything’.

‘Does it ever go away?’

‘No. But it gets easier…’ he gives you a soft smile. ‘Trust me’.

You nod and check your silver wristwatch for the time. It’s almost ten, any other night the precinct would be boiling with people. But for some reason today is a quiet one. An anguished sigh escapes your lips and you lay your head down on your desk. What are you going to do now?

That’s when you feel the warmth of a palm softly touching your shoulder. ‘Wanna grab a drink?’, Seokjin asks. ‘You look like you could use one, Y/N’.

Your desk is almost drowned in paperwork you hadn’t finished but for which you definitely were not in the right mindset now. You have no one waiting for you at home since your brother left this morning for Daegu to visit your mother at the nursing home. You two live alone, and you really don’t want to arrive to an empty apartment after this notice. So yeah… A drink sounded nice.

You sit up straight, 'I would like that’.

Seokjin stands up in an energetic gesture. A bright smile illuminates his handsome face. 'Great! I know just the fanciest of places!’

The place isn’t exactly fancy, but it is cosy. And it is conveniently close to your apartment complex. There is a big red sign at the entrance that reads “Yonosuke’s Table”. It is one of those japanese-themed izakayas, very traditional looking, with shoji-style sliding doors and washi lanterns. You have never been here before, but it looks like they probably sell cheap soju. A faint smell of sugar, soy sauce and mirin welcomes you at the door. Your stomach growls so loud that Seokjin by your side hears it too and laughs.

'We can grab something to eat as well’, he says and you cheeks turned bright red. 'The dumplings here are the best’.

You hadn’t been eaten well lately. Your appetite had been shining for its absence in the past couple of days. You can’t really explain why is this being so hard for you. It’s like a sickness has taken over your body. You can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t even breathe without feeling the smell of gunpowder and blood in your hands. Whenever you close your eyes, Geum San’s vacant eyes are staring back at you. Blood dripping from his lips, his body slowly falling to the ground as the red stain on his chest expanded over his white shirt. Maybe it’s because he was the same age as your baby brother.

You sigh. And take Jin’s offer, gladly.

You go in and take a seat by the bar.

The chef is an middle-aged man dressed in a blue yukata and a white hat on his head, he reminds you of those hibachi chefs in Itaewon.He welcomes you with an energetic ‘irasshaimasen’ in a heavy Busan accent. A handsome young man walks to your table right away. By the black apron tied around his small waist you figure he must be the waiter.

'Welcome, Jin-hyung’, he says. His lips stretch in a bunny-like smile.

You take a moment to look at him properly. His light brown hair was parted to the side, and a pair of silver hoop earrings hang from his ears. Something in his face seems familiar, though you can’t really put your finger in it. And by the way Seokjin greets him back, they haven’t just met.

'Ggukie! Long time no see. How’s school going?’ Your partner smiles.

'School is great, thank you’. he replies and then glances your way.

His dark eyes scan your face, with one eyebrow cocked. Something about the way he looks at you makes you uneasy in an instant. Like he isn’t looking a you directly but to something past you.You suppress your urge to check if there’s actually something else behind you apart from the concrete wall.

Seokjin doesn’t miss a beat as he places a hand on your shoulder. ‘Oh, this is Y/N, a colleague from work’, the young man bows shortly at you, still with that suspicious look in his eyes. ‘Y/N, this is Jungkook-ah, he’s the chief’s son’.

You force yourself to smile, and try inadvertently to remove Jin’s hand from you. You’ve known Seokjin for years, but you’ve never been confortable with people touching you so easily in public.

'So you are Jungkook, your father is always talking about you’, you lie. You don’t know why you do it, perhaps it is your way to be nice to him. Maybe is you trying to escape from your thoughts through some meaningless small talk. The truth is the chief never talks about his family, not since his wife passed away under unknown circumstances. At least that is what the girl from IT, Seulgi, confided you once during a case.

The rumor was his wife had been killed as retaliation from some arrest involving the mob. Seokjin probably knows all about it, but for some reason you would rather not ask.

Jungkook’s gentle features harden at your words, disappearing into an fake smile.

‘Does he, now…’, he mutters. His tone is bitter, and you notice how he presses his tongue against the inside of his cheek.

You clear your throat, completely aware of what you just did. ‘Anyway. It’s nice to meet you, Jungkook’. And the brat doesn’t reply. Instead, he shifts his gaze back to Seokjin as if you don’t exist.

‘What can I get you, hyung?’

'A bottle of soju’, Seokjin says, and turns to you. 'Oh! and an order of dumplings, you know how I like them’.

'Of course’, Jungkook scribbles the order down in a small notepad.

He leaves but comes back right away with the bottle and two cups. He puts them down in the table. And so your eyes can’t help but follow the movement of his hands, and accidentally wander down the muscles of his tanned arms. You take a curious look at the veins that run along his forearms and the way his biceps flex with each movement. Oh, he works out, alright. You can even see the outline of what looks like a defined chest through his white cotton t-shirt. Not bad for a brat, you think and for a brief second your eyes meet.

He gives you a questioning look, and you are quickly to look away as if nothing happened. You really don’t want to be caught checking out your own boss’ son. A small scoff leaves Jungkook’s lips, and soon he leaves again without saying a word.

Seokjin busies himself with setting the drinks so thankfully he doesn’t notice the flush on your cheeks.

‘So he’s the chief’s son, huh? He doesn’t look like his father at all’, you say, trying to brush off the feeling of awkwardness that has built up in your stomach.

‘Of course, he does. He just needs to grow a moustache’. Seokjin laughs at your disgusted face.‘Okay. Maybe not, but he’s very smart like his father’. He smiles and hands you the cup.

‘Thanks…’, You bring it your lips and drink it in one fell swoop. Seokjin chuckles.

‘Thirsty, are we?’

‘You have no idea’

‘Here, have another’, he says as he fills your cup again. He hasn’t touch his yet.

‘If I didn’t know you any better I would think you’re trying to get me drunk’.

‘Maybe I am’, Seokjin wiggles his eyebrows suggestively stealing a laugh from you.

‘Give me that’ you take the drink and chug it down, ignoring the burning aftertaste down your throat. ‘God, I really needed this’. Your partner looks at you and laughs.

‘Glad I could help’.

For a moment, a warm feeling invades you and it’s definitely not the soju. You and Seokjin have been working side by side since your first day at the force. He was assigned by Captain Bang as your supervising officer when you came fresh out of the Police Academy. Ever since, you’ve worked your cases together. You are not the social butterfly your he is, you know you have a temper and you know you are difficult to deal with. Everyone back at the precinct can and will agree on that if asked. To this day you still wonder why Seokjin chose to stay by your side when he could have easily been promoted to a different division or have a partner with his experience on the field. He just need to ask Captain Bang and he wouldn’t say no to him. No one would ever say no to Kim Seokjin.

You can’t help the smile that tugs at your lips, and you reach out to place your hand on his arm. This is very unlike you, but the moment feels right. There’s something you know, though. You have one friend, and his name is Kim Seokjin.

‘Thank you, sunbae’.

He glances confused at your hand, and when the words slip from your mouth he remains quiet, staring at you with his lips puckered. His eyes run across your face, like he’s trying to guess if you’re being serious or not. For a brief moment they land on your lips but then he burst into giggles.

‘Jesus, are you drunk already?! You are seriously out of shape here, Y/N’, he pats your hand gently. You roll your eyes.

‘I’m never calling you that again, you dick’, you remove your hand and glare at him. Seokjin just laughs even more, clapping his hands together.

‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You took me by surprise, you’ve never called me sunbae before’, he says and brings the little cup to his lips. ‘Look, I’ll have a drink on you now, okay?’, He chugs it down and give you an amused grin like he’s saying ‘ta-da!’.

‘So… about the chief’s son’, you scan the room for Jungkook’s figure. You find him smiling, while he serves an elderly couple a few tables away. ‘You seem quite close. I thought the chief wasn’t exactly the social type’

‘He isn’t. I met him because of a case. Do you remember that fraud case from a couple of years ago, right?’ you nod. ‘Well, the chief and Sejin-sunbaenim were asked to participate and they brought me along because by that time Sunbaenim was my supervising officer…’, Seokjin refills his shot glass first, then yours. ‘We’d been staying at the precinct for three days in a row, so Jungkook came by to give his father a change of clothes and he overheard us talking about the case. Then he came up with a brilliant suggestion about how to catch the suspect and it worked. I don’t have the details, but the leading officer, Mr. Bang decided to make him a civilian consultant for the NPA.’

‘Wow, are you serious?’, you raise your eyebrows. He is way too young to be a civilian consultant, so he must be some kind of genius for the higher ups to even consider a kid his age. ‘But I’ve never seen him down at the station before’.

Jin shrugs. ‘That’s because Jungkook-ah refused to join the NPA even if it was as a consultant. He said he was not interested in police work’

‘Why not?’

A tray of dumplings lands with a thud in front of you. You jump in your seat, startled and raise your head to meet Jungkook’s unamused glare.

‘Because my father let my mother die thanks to his job.’, he scowls. His voice is as cold as his eyes when he looks at you. ‘Do you have another question, detective?’

‘Jungkook…’, Seokjin gives him reprimanded look.

'It’s okay, Jin’, you say and then glance at Jungkook again, trying to sound diplomatic. ’ I didn’t mean to pry’.

Jungkook presses his tongue against the inside of his cheek. ‘Enjoy your food’, he says. Then he leaves.

Seokjin is quick to defend him. 'Don’t take it personal, maybe he just had a bad day’, he says with an apologetic smile. You roll your eyes. 'Then that makes two of us’.

Seokjin is a hell of a talker, so he does most of it. As the night progresses, he tells you about his life in the Academy, about his older brother who is going to become a father soon, about his eight cousins and his childhood in his grandparents’ beach house in Jeju. You discuss the summer weather and the latest appointment of Bae Joohyun as head-assistant of the Crime Investigation Bureau. Maybe it is the alcohol kicking in, but by the time you reach that specific topic, you are being way too loud. You are not usually like this, however Joohyun just brings that out of you. You two have your history and it isn’t pretty. Besides... Nobody is happy about that appointment anyway. She is too young and inexperienced for the job. But since her uncle is the director of the NPA, no one dares to say anything against it—At least not out loud. Everyone at the Bureau knows that position belonged to Chief Jeon, he’s earned it through years of being one of the finest detectives in the force. But director Bae goes and overlooks all of it just to favour his niece, that crook.

‘You know? All the chief said about it was that we all should just accept it, and keep doing our jobs’, You slam a hand against the table. ‘He didn’t even seem upset! I don’t get it! He deserved the job…’ Seokjin shrugs. ‘That’s the way the Chief is. He’s like a wise monkey’. You nod in agreement. Always strict, formal and collected, that is the chief you know. With a gleam of something else in his eyes, something dangerous… And you learned today that his son has the same look in his eyes. Like a calm ocean that awaits for the right storm to raise…

Or maybe you have had enough alcohol for one night.

After a friendly competition, one bottle becomes two, and two becomes three and a couple of beers. Seokjin is all bad jokes and giggles as he tries to impress you with his drinking tricks. The dumplings are as good as he promised and he suggests ordering some rolls as well. You keep drinking, and eating, until you are the only customers left inside.

Seokjin’s almost passed out on the table, his head between his arms, his eyes puffy, his cheeks all red. And he still dared to say you were out of shape. You glance at the seven empty bottles of soju in front of you.

‘I guess we should call it a night’, Seokjin snores in response triggering a lazy laugh from you. You check your wrist watch. Jesus… It isn’t even midnight yet.

‘We are hopeless…’ you laughed again and drink what’s left from your second bottle of sapporo, before deciding to wake him up. 'Hey, Seokjinie… time to go’

'Hn…’

'Kim Seokjin, wake up’, you slap his head and he springs back up in his seat.

'This is the police wait-!’ he exclaims still half asleep. One eye open and the other closed, and a trail of saliva going down from the corner of his mouth. 'What?’

'You’re drunk, go home’, you say and he nods, starting to fall asleep again. 'Hey!’

'Ah! Yes, yes… home’

'Get up, I’m going to get you a cab’, yoy stand up and reach for him, pulling him up from his jacket suit to make him stand up. He stumbles over the table but you manage to keep him on his feet until you reach the door and you stop a taxi. 'Take him here and make sure he gets inside’, you hand the driver a paper with Seokjin’s address and push your drunken partner inside the car.

'Thank you for going out with me, Y/N’, Seokjin mumbles.

'This wasn’t a date’.

'Yes, it was’, he gives you a rather goofy grin so yo can’t help but smile back.

‘Get some rest’, you close the car’s door and watch it drive away. When you back inside to gather your things, you approach the chef by the bar. ’Ahjussi, how much is it?’, you ask. He waves a hand in the air.

'Don’t worry, I already put it on his tab’.

'But, I-’

'A lady shouldn’t pay when a man invites her’, he says with an indulgent smile. Well, you are not going to complain. You give him a small bow.

'I’ll be going then. Thank you for the food’

'Oh, lady, wait’, you stop and turn around just in time to see the ahjussi gesturing something to Jungkook who is minding his own things cleaning the bar. Whatever he says, the boy doesn’t like it.

He rolls his eyes before taking off his apron and toss it next to the wet cloth he was using to clean. But the ahjussi smiles at you. 'It’s too late for a pretty lady to walk alone, Jungkookie will escort you home’.

'That’s not necessary, sir. I’m-’

'I insist, please’, the worried look he gives you chastises any protest you might have.

Although you could remind him that you are a police officer and his worries have no basis whatsoever, you don’t want the bother. It’s late, and you want to go home. ‘…Okay’. He smiles at you warmly.

After a few minutes, Jungkook comes out from the back room wearing a checkered shirt, sleeves rolled up at his elbows and a pair of bluejeans. His body language says it all: hands in his pockets, eyes narrowed and chin slightly raised. He isn’t happy about having to escort you home.

'Let’s go’, he says without looking at you. He just walks pass where you are standing and stops by the door. 'What are you waiting for?’

You take a deep sigh.

You’ve been walking for about five minutes and neither of you has said a single word. There is still a few blocks to go before you arrived, and you can’t stand that awkward silence any longer.

'So, Jungkook-ah…’, you try to sound friendlier, 'Are you a student?’

He scoffs. 'Why? Do I look like a mediocre man than can’t do anything better with his life than to work as a waiter in an underrated izakaya?’ His tone is sarcastic. He is such a child if he is still mad at you for asking Seokjin about him. How immature, you scowl at him.

'That’s not what I meant’

'Yes, I am a student’, he says, as if your question is the stupidest thing he’s ever heard.

'Good for you’, you reply sharply.

The silence settles between you two again. Your footsteps against the pavement is all that is to be heard along with the occasional car that passes by. But it doesn’t take much longer for Jungkook to break the silence.

’Hyungnim is a good guy, make sure you don’t hurt him’

You raise an eyebrow. 'Excuse me?’

‘You heard me’. He doesn’t glance your way one time. He just keeps talking with his chin held high like the pretentious little prick you realise he is. 'You look like the kind of woman who doesn’t cope with the girlfriend thing’

You stop on your tracks and turn around to face him.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?’

'I’m just warning you, because hyung likes you a lot’, he says, ignoring your previous question. 'You are Y/N, right? He talks about you a lot when he comes by the bar.’

'We are just friends. Besides, that’s none of your damn business!’, you snap at him and quickly resumed your walk.

Jungkook follows a few steps behind.

'It’s nothing personal, I just happen to know your type, Y/N’, he speaks again and you swear you are about to hit him in that pretty face of his. He doesn’t even use the honorifics and you hate the way your name sounds in his lips. 'Women who are too comfortable with the attention they get to actually be serious about someone’.

'This is unbelievable’, You mumble under your breath and turn around to face him. Your sudden move brings his steps to a halt. You note he’s tall, maybe taller than Seokjin himself. 'Listen, kid. You don’t know me enough to get to share an opinion about how I am! I don’t care if you are the chief’s son, you can stick your opinions up your ass!’

Jungkook lets out a conceited chuckle and shakes his head like he finds your word hilarious.

'Do you plan on becoming hyung’s girlfriend or not?’, he bluntly asks. You don’t reply, though. It’s not worth it. He is not worth it. He’s been nothing but childish and downright annoying. Jungkook takes your lack of answer as a negative and gives you a condescending look. ‘That’s my point’

'So what? Am I a bad woman just for not being interested in a guy that’s into me?’

'Not for that. For using him, and abuse his attentions to get distracted’

'That’s it! I don’t know what I did to deserve this attitude, but I’m sick of you’, you glare at him with all your might. 'I’m leaving. And you… you can go and fuck yourself’

You start walking away when his voice manages to stop you again.

'The truth hurts, doesn’t it?’

Fuck it. You turn on your heels and hold his gaze.

'You want truth, huh?’ You take a step closer. ‘How about you go deal with your daddy issues. Then we can talk’.

Jungkook’s eyes go wide with indignation. He stammers like his tongue got caught in between his teeth. 'Apologize!’ He manages to bark at you.

You huff. ’You apologize first’. When Jungkook doesn’t say a word. You take it as your cue to finally leave. 'Good night, Jungkook’.

You turn on your heels and leave for good. This time he doesn’t follow you.

That conversation was such a waste of time and energy. As if you have to explain yourself to a complete stranger. How old could he be? 18? 19? You are still his senior by at least four years, who does he think he is to talk to you in banmal and with no honorifics.

You reach the building complex where you live in no time. You notice the weather is actually nice as you take the outdoor stairs to the third floor. The sky is clear and a full moon shines brightly above. You take a moment to appreciate the quietness of the night. If only everything could be as simple as this.

A flash of red and blue paints the building grey walls when a police vehicle rushes pass the street. The echo of its siren brings back more memories from that night.

You are alone next to Geum San’s body. The woman, Ahn Hyejin has passed out in the floor and you try to make her regain consciousness. Your hands are sweaty, you can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins making your heart race desperately.

‘What are you doing?’

Your brother’s voice halts you out of your thoughts. You must have been so far gone that you missed him opening the door. He is home earlier, you thought he wouldn’t be arriving until tomorrow morning. You take a moment to look at him. You try to focus on the silver earrings dangling from his ears, on his messy brown hair, on how much like a little boy he looks with that blue oversized sweater on.

You are home.

‘I was just…’, you gesture vaguely around. ‘you know, admiring the view’.

Taehyung scowls at you and steps back so you can get inside. You take off your shoes the moment you set foot on your apartment and toss them next to the door, not even bothering placing them correctly on the shoe rack.

‘Did you drink?’, he asks. You shrug.

‘Yeah, I had a few beers with Seokjin’, you take of your suit jacket and toss it on the couch on your way to the kitchen. Taehyung follows you.

‘What about work?’

‘Since when do you want to know about my day?’ you eye him through the corner of your eye while you pour yourself a glass of water.

‘Since you just went out to get drunk with a man’. You stop what you are doing and move your gaze to Taehyung.

You don’t like his tone anymore than his posture. His arms crossed over his chest, hands hidden from your view and his head slightly tilted to the side. He’s upset, but he’s holding something back. Still, you really don’t want to deal with whatever this is right now. You are exhausted and your bed is calling for you.

‘First of all, I’m not drunk’, you walk out of the kitchen and head for you room without looking his way. ‘Second, what I do with my time is my business not yours’.

You hear him let out a sarcastic laugh.‘You’re such an hypocrite, Y/N…’

That leaves you stone cold. You slowly turn around and give him a questioning look. Where the hell is all this attitude coming from? ‘What did you say?’

Taehyung shuffles his weight from one feet to another and shakes his head in disapproval.

‘You told me you couldn’t come with me to visit mom because you were busy with work!’, he snaps. ‘Does your work include having a few beers with some dude now?!’

‘Oh my God I was with Seokjin, Taehyung! Not some dude! What the hell?!’, you shout back. You just can’t believe this. What a fucking day you’ve had. ‘Listen, I was already yelled at tonight by a bratty teenager for my life choices, I’m not going to stay hear and listen to another one’.

You motion to open the door, but Taehyung’s words stops you again. He’s clearly not going to let this die tonight. ‘Yeah, it’s not like you listen to me anyway!’ You take a deep breath.

You head has begun to hurt. ‘Can’t we not do this now?’, you plead.

Taehyung growls in frustration, smacking his hands on his thighs. He paces around the hallway like he’s trying to collect his thoughts, but finally gives up.His eyes meet yours and you can no longer see anger in his features. His lips are slightly tugged down, and his brow is furrowed. 'Why are you like this, noona?’

‘Like what?’

He takes a step closer. ‘Tell me something’, his tone is calmer than before. ‘When was the last time you visited our mother in that horrid place you put her in, huh?. A sharp pain pierces through your temples and weights heavy around your left eye.

‘I don’t have to explain myself to you, Taehyung. You know damn well that it wasn’t my decision alone, and frankly I don’t know where the fuck is this coming from..’, He simply stares back at you, not saying a word. ‘All because I didn’t skip my job, which by the way is paying for your tuition, to get on a fucking train to Daegu and visit a sick woman that can’t even recognize her own daughter’s face?!’

You feel something warm going down your cheek so you bring up a hand to inspect. The tips of your fingers get wet and you realize you are crying. Another twinge of pain drills into your head and you close your eyes to take a deep breath.

Taehyung calls your name but you raise a hand on the air to stop him from coming any closer. ‘Just leave me alone…’, you manage to utter before disappearing inside your bedroom. You kick the door close behind you and let yourself fall on the bed.

You don’t even bother to change your clothes. It’s like your head is going to explode in pieces if you do as much as moving your feet.

You don’t want to think about your mother.

You don’t want to think about all those days you spent glued to her hospital bed hoping she would wake up. Hoping you could turn back time and tell her you were fine that day, so that she wouldn’t leave her house to see you. That way the bullet would have never reached her. She would still be the one you remember and not this helpless excuse of a person incapable of control her own sphincters.

It was your fault you mother ended up in such humiliating state. You had no right to visit her, you couldn’t even gather the courage to admit to yourself how much you missed her scent. The mother you knew is dead, you killed her too.

Like you killed Geum San.

Who is going to be your next victim?

Your alarm goes off at six just like every other day. Your headache is gone, but it threatens to surface again when you remember you are off duty for the next seven days.

What are you supposed to do with all this free time? You could barely manage to keep it together when you were busy with cases, now they’ve taken away the only thing that gives your life a sense of purpose.

You shift uncomfortable between your sheets and doze off another two hours until you hear someone opens your door.

‘Why are you still in bed? Is thursday’

You groan and turn around on the bed to face away from him. ‘Leave me alone, Taehyung’

‘What is wrong with you?’

You take a deep breath and decide to get up. This was going to happen sooner or later, your brother would get curious at why you, a workaholic, was skipping work.

Taehyung is ready for his classes. His hair’s still wet from the shower and you can smell his cologne all the way from there. He stares at you like he’s a judge and is waiting for you to present your first witness.

‘I’m suspended’.

He blinks. For a second you doubt if he actually heard you. It takes him a moment, but he reacts.

‘What?’

‘I said I was-’

‘No, that I get.’, he steps inside and takes a seat next to you in the bed. ‘What I don’t get is why. Did something happened?’. Now he looks genuinely concerned.

You shake your head.

‘I just got this letter saying I should take a few days off for my health’.

‘Why…? What’s wrong? Are you sick?’

‘No, I’m- I’m fine…’

‘Is this because that guy you killed?’, Your faces gives you away. He presses his lips together and gives you a little disapproving look. ‘Why are you like this?’

'Like what?’ Taehyung rolls his eyes.

'That guy was a criminal. You did this world a favor, Y/N’.

‘Maybe…’, You sigh. ‘Aish… This world is fucked up’. Taehyung nods in agreement. ‘It’s just…’, your brother looks at you and you can see the concern in his brown eyes ‘I always thought it would be much simpler, you know’

'What would?’

'To kill a somebody’.Taehyung doesn’t say a word. You run a hand through your mess of a hair and sigh. ‘I’m going back to bed, be good…’, Taehyung clicks his tongue with a look of disapproval in his eyes. You roll your eyes ‘What is it now?’

‘I’m sorry, Y/N. But look at you…!’, he shakes his head. ‘You’re beating yourself up over a worthless criminal! He was a beast who needed to be put down. He deserved worse that what you gave him. Have you forgotten what he did to those little girls? Their families are now seeing you as their heroine. You brought justice and closure to their lives… Why is it that is stopping you from seeing the reality of things?’

The reality of things?

You raise both eyebrows. The reality of things was that you had shot a person to death. Period.

‘Killing a killer has never actually reduced the number of killers in this world, has it?’, you say back

Taehyung’s eyes narrow with a vexed expression and then he looks away.

‘Then it’s easy…’, he stands up and walks to the door. ‘You’ll have to kill another one. Don’t you, noona?’.

Your stomach ties in knots.

Killing was wrong, it didn’t matter whether the victim was a heinous criminal or a charitable soul. If one person started taking justice by its own hands, what could stop everyone else to start doing the same thing? It would be madness and chaos. After all, what was justice but a polite term people used when what they actually meant was vengeance.

A terrifying thought send shivers down your spine. Was vengeance something your brother has in mind? You look up at him, but you are unable to find your words. So when no sound comes out, Taehyung lets himself out shutting the door closed behind him.

You react a moment too late. He’s already left the apartment when your phone starts ringing. You grab it from the night stand where you left it.

You are surprise by seeing Chief Jeon’s name on the screen, and press the green button immediately. You’ll deal with Taehyung later.

‘Morning, sir. To what do I owe your call?’

‘I know Bang got you suspended you from the field, Y/N. But I need you to come to the precinct now’.

‘Why? What happened?’.

‘I have not time to explain it by phone. Just get here’, and he hangs up.

Sometimes you forget how much you hate public transportation. Being stuffed inside a worm-looking wagon, with people’s elbows or suitcases piercing your sides that morning reminds you just that. Being suspended meant you can’t drive the station vehicles either, and you’d never really bother buying a car of your own… which you are very much regretting now. This is the only way you have left to move around the city. And since your boss decided to call for you right before the rush hour started, getting there on time in a cab would’ve been like expecting snow in this humid summer. You can’t do anything but endure the ride until you finally reach the Gangnam station.

The streets are flooded with people as you step out of the little crystal dome that covers the entryway to the underground station. The sky is cloudy and the air holds certain humidity that makes you wonder if it is going to rain anytime soon. The walk to the precinct is just fifteen minutes, but that’s all it takes for a thin layer of sweat to cover your forehead by the time you reach the main building.

You can feel the fabric of your blouse sticking to your sides. However, the moment you step inside the facility the familiar smell of stale coffee and rusty cooper desks makes all the discomforts disappear. Your heart jumps with excitement. Even if you are not officially back, having something to do with your morning that involves police work is such a relief.

Being busy keeps your mind from thinking nonsense. Being busy is a good thing.

You stroll pass the desk captain’s booth and give him the mandatory greeting, you don’t bother bowing all the way down for this man. Considering that among the people you can’t call your fans, captain Lee Sunho takes very much the first place. You have all the intention to walk past him without any trouble, but deep down you know you’re never that lucky. He eyes you suspiciously and motions you to come closer with one finger like you are some stray dog.

You’ve hated his condescending attitude towards you and all the the female officers since your first day at the precinct and when he’d asked you to fetch him coffee from the shop across the street. The innocent you from back then genuinely though he had mistaken you for a new secretary since he’d never seen you before, so you kindly explained to him you were the new addition to the CSI department. “That’s great, doll. So about that coffee, I take mine with two sugars and no cream. I’ll be in the meeting room”, was his reply and you were this close to punch him in the face. Luckily for him, Seokjin appeared to scoot you away before you had a chance to reply.

‘Last time I checked you were suspended. What are you doing here, Y/N?’ he asks, one eyebrow raised and his nose scrunched. The classic contempt gesture. He can’t hide it and you don’t blame him. He doesn’t have the brains to understand the body language, let alone control it.

‘Well, last time I checked we weren’t on first names terms, officer Lee’, you fake smile, poorly enough so he can notice. The scowl in his face deepens and you smirk, pleased. ‘Besides, I don’t report to you. Good day’.

You are about to walk away when his hand reaches for your arm and yanks you back. Your hip hits the corner of the metal desk and you have to place a quick hand on it to hold your weight. Otherwise Sunho would have likely smashed you against the glass-covered surface.

‘I’m not having a good day so I recommend you apologise to me right now before I make you’ he speaks but it sounds more like a hiss. His teeth gritted. His fingers curl around your bicep, hard enough to leave a mark. And you swear you are about to make him wear his tongue as a tie until a familiar voice calls your name.

‘Y/N!’, you hear Seokjin’s voice and your head turns in his direction. He approaches the desk and Sunho lets go of your arm in a hurry.

Still, Seokjin shoots him a glare, he probably noticed. But instead of getting physical like you would, your partner simply places a protective hand on your back and motions you to follow him. ‘Come, the chief is waiting for you’.

A sarcastic chuckle leaves Sunho’s lips. ‘…Like always the prince is here to rescue his wench’, you hear him clearly and Seokjin does too. His eyebrows knit together in a frown and you clench your fists so hard your nails bit into the skin of your palm. However, Seokjin manages to make you walk away with him, leaving Sunho behind with his spiteful comments.

‘I swear, Jin…’, you take a deep breath, ‘One of these days I’m- I will kick his tiny balls so up his throat he will end up looking like a goddamn rooster’.

Seokjin snorts, covering his mouth with one hand at you foul language.

‘Jesus christ, Y/N…’, he laughs and shakes his head.

‘I mean it. He’s such an asshole’.

‘Just ignore the idiot, he’s not worth it’, Seokjin waves a hand in dismissal. ‘He’s like that to everyone and the only reason he’s still working here is because he’s with the syndicate. Not even Seulgi likes him and she likes you’.

A bitter chuckle escapes your lips. He has a point, though. You don’t really have friends here apart from Seokjin—and maybe, just maybe chief Jeon. Still, doesn’t feel right to think of him as your friend, the chief is more like a mentor-figure. And considering how good his son and you hit it off, well…

You sigh. At least you have Jin.

‘I don’t think I can ignore someone who’s constantly trying to put me down like I’m less of a person than he is just because I’m a woman’.

‘What do you want me to say, Y/N?’, Jin presses his lips together and shrugs. ‘You don’t need to ask me for permission if you want to hit Sunho in the face. He probably deserves it, but he’s not going to change. He would only have more reasons to hate you’

Yes, he would. You scoff bitterly. Seokjin is right, as always.

You take a look at his side profile as you two keep walking down the corridor to the chief’s office. He’s always been a handsome man, and more than once you’ve jokingly blame him for the hate you receive from the other female employees. ‘You are your stupid handsome face is the reason why I can’t make friends with the girls here’, you would say and he would laugh every time, giving you a cheeky smile. ‘So you think I’m handsome?’.

He displays some signs of narcissistic behavior, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. You wouldn’t be able to get along if he was a real narcissistic like the desk captain. He’s just confident in himself, and why wouldn’t he be? The smooth and clear skin of his face doesn’t hold a single scar from teenage acne like most of the men here, and he’s always impeccable groomed. The only times you’ve Seokjin disheveled is when he’s drunk, like last night. Which reminds you… He’d said some strange things while you said your goodbyes.

‘Why are you squinting at me?’, Seokjin catches your eye for a moment, but you don’t look away.

‘I’m just thinking…’

‘About what? Me?’, A flirtatious smile tugs at his lips and he chuckles with false modesty. That manages to make you laugh and you turn away, nodding. ‘What- really?!’.

You don’t understand why he sounds so surprised.

‘I’m thinking about how the hell do you manage to look so refreshed today. You were sleep on the table last night after all that soju I had to carry your drunk ass to the cab, remember?’.

He huffs, his lips puckered.

‘I wasn’t that drunk, you didn’t have to carry me’

‘Also… ’, you’re not sure how to bring the subject up. Normally, you would just brush it off and ignore it. Like it never happened. Seokjin probably didn’t meant anything by it and it was just another joke. Yet, you find yourself in need for a confirmation. It’s that brats fault, he managed to get into your head after all and now is making you questioning the nature of your association with Seokjin. ‘You said something funny’.

He doesn’t get it.

‘I’m always funny’, he replies.

You bite your lip and shake your head.

‘Not as in funny-funny, more like weird-funny’, Seokjin cocks his head to the side, surely confused by your wording choice.

‘What did I say?’

‘You said…’, should you say it? What if he doesn’t remember? What if you make things weird?, ‘You said- um… that yesterday… it’s nothing’

You can’t bring yourself to speak, but it’s too late. You have Seokjin worried and he stops his tracks to turn around and look at you, making you come to an abrupt halt against his chest. ‘Shit-’, you mutter. The smell of his after-shave cologne surrounds you like a cloud and his hands come to rest on your shoulders to steady you.

‘Sorry, are you okay?’,

‘Yes, I’m fine… Just nevermind’, you step back holding your bumped nose with one hand and waving the other in a dismissal gesture. You weren’t expecting Jin’s chest to be that hard, did he actually work out behind your back? He was always complaining he didn’t have enough time to hit the gym. ‘Do you have any idea why the chief called us here? You, I get it. But I mean, I’m still suspended’

Seokjin follows you suspiciously quick, was he hoping for a change of subject?, you wonder are you eye him carefully before motion him to resume the walk. The chief’s office’s door is a few feet away, you’re basically there already.

‘Actually no, I’m also just arriving…’, He replies as you come to a stop in front of the wooden door. A golden plate hangs next to it and reads the chief’s full name and title. ‘Though he did sound a little… worried. Do you think something happened?’.

‘It better have, otherwise it’s going to be a boring morning’, you reply and hear Seokjin’s chuckle behind you.

You reach for the door handle and push it open.

A strange quietness surrounds the room, and you notice something is off the moment your eyes land on chief Jeon’s face. He’s sitting by the window, light pouring over his neatly combed grey hair. His thick eyebrows furrowed, deep creases form on his forehead as he stares at the papers scattered across the wooden table in front of him. Standing next to the chief is sergeant Ho. she’s wearing and an impeccable black suit that wraps beautifully around her curves, her bleached blond hair tied up in a ponytail. Her arms are crossed over her chest and her is gaze lost somewhere between the marbled floor and her own thoughts.

But just as you steps inside, she acknowledges your presence. Her chin shoots up and you are welcomed by an all-familiar scowl.

Sergeant Ho Hyunju is yours and Seokjin’s direct superior. You’ve earned yourself a place in her naughty list long ago during a case you would rather cross out of your resume. A boy was being held hostage by his stepmother. You had her cornered in the backyard, and she was pointing a loaded gun at his head. Her hand were shaking too much for her to be able to pull the trigger, that’s why you decided to step in and taunt her into killing the hostage until she was crying and pointed the gun at you. You easily disarmed her after that and the boy was brought into safety by the other officers. However, Sergeant Ho almost suspended you that time because she thought you were being reckless ‘and could’ve had that boy killed, for heaven’s sake!’. You tried to explain her you reasoning, you tried to show her that the woman wasn’t going to fulfill her threat anyway. But she didn’t listen.

You got off only with a warning thanks to chief Jeon. that was a year ago and still she doesn’t approve of your ‘wild’ behaviour, even when you and Seokjin have the best arrest record in the precinct.

That’s when you realize, whatever this is, she doesn’t want you to be there.

It only serves to spark your curiosity even more.

The chief greets you and your partner, and then gestures you to take a seat at the meeting table. Sergeant Ho sit down next to the chief, you and Seokjin sit on the opposite side so you can all face each other.

‘Thanks for coming in such short notice, detectives’, sergeant Ho speaks, her red lips pursed in a thin line.

‘I assume this is not a social call, or there’d coffee’, Seokjin jokes, trying to ease the tension that has suddenly built up inside the room. No one laughs, sergeant Ho’s scowl shifts to him now and you can see Jin glup. The bob of his adam’s apple manages to distract you for a brief second and the the chief clears his throat.

‘I asked you two here because you are my best team, and despite y/n here being suspended’, the chief signals to you with an open hand as he glances briefly at sergeant Ho. ‘There’s no denying she is the best profiler we’ve got’.

‘What is this about, sir?’, You ask.

With a waving gesture, the chief signals something to Sergeant Ho. She then proceeds to slides a paper across the table to you. You manage to take a look at its content before Seokjin grabs it.

It’s a list of names.

‘Last week seven dangerous criminals at the Myangdo Penitentiary died from heart attacks’, Sergeant Ho explains. ‘The autopsies didn’t show traces of poison or something else that might have explained the sudden deaths. The last medical exams showed they were all as healthy as one can be in prison. There’s nothing on security footage either, they weren’t attacked. Between 7:20 and 7:22 pm last wednesday each one of them collapsed to the floor. Dead’.

You frown and gesture Seokjin to hand you the list.

‘How can that happen?’, you ask, your eyes are quickly to escan the seven names. Two of them you remember from previous cases.

‘That’s the thing. We don’t know, no one does’. The chief replies.

‘That’s insane’, Seokjin brings his thumb and forefinger to massage his temples. ‘How can seven people die simultaneously without a cause?’

‘Wait’, you place a hand on the table and glance up to your superiors. ‘If this is happened last week why are we holding a meeting now?’

‘Because it happened again, yesterday’.

‘Yesterday was wednesday too’, you are quick to realize. The chief nods. ‘How many died?’

‘Seven, again’, Sergeant Ho replies handing you another list of names. ‘Fourteen dead and that’s only the ones we know about’.

Seokjin examines the list with a thoughtful frown.‘You think there’s more?’

‘We asked the main office to check with other stations. We’re waiting to hear back from them, but they find the situation hilarious’. Sergeant Ho explains. She drums her fingernails on the table, a disappointed gesture takes over her features for a microsecond before falling back to her stoic resting face. ‘Who cares about criminals dying, that’s what they said’.

‘I don’t know why, don’t know how…’, the chief takes a deep breath and takes off his glasses. ‘But this deaths are not a coincidence. Something- someone is killing this men and I have the feeling there’ll be more deaths. So unless we gather some proof, we can’t present it as a case to the captain let alone the director’.

‘Criminals or not, murder is murder’, sergeant Ho adds, and her gaze turns to you ‘I’m sure this is something we can all agree on’.

‘It is, ma’am’, Seokjin beats you for a second, determination shining in his brown eyes. You can’t help the half smile that tugs at your lips.

‘So, Y/N. This is where you fit in’, the chief says as Sergeant Ho takes a thick blue folder fromㅡwhat you assume isㅡher bag, and hands it to you.

‘Here’s all we’ve gathered about the victims’, she explains. Calling then victims doesn’t seem right, but if the chief is right that’s what they would be. ‘Police records, inmate files from the penitentiary, and some personal information, family, education, work’.

‘There’s gotta be a connection between those men, and I need you to find it. Since you’re our of duty it would be best if you work from home’, chief Jeon says. You take the folder in your hands and acknowledge the command.

‘Yes, sir’

‘What should we do in the meantime?’, Seokjin asks, eager to get involved as well.

‘You and sergeant Ho will head for the Myangdo Penitentiary to question the guards on duty. An appointment has been made already. And I’m going to the Archive, Kang-ssi agreed to help already to find something that might resembles this MO in out files. We meet with the director in two days, work hard’.

With all decided, the chief dismisses the reunion and you part your separated ways. Seokjin sees you to the door and helps you catch a cab. You thank him and give one final bow to sergeant Ho. Each one of you has a mission to fulfill and you are more than eager to dive into yours.

In the following days you receive a call from the chief again. He wants to know if you found anything relevant for today’s meeting and you’re pleased to give him the good knews. You’ve managed to establish two factors that connect the fourteen men: the first thing is that they are all convicted on murder or manslaughter charges. The second, their charges were publicly broadcasted on the news.

But your research didn’t end there. All over the internet there was talking about criminals around the world dropping dead in the streets for no apparent reason. And again, most of them were either accused of murder, rape or other heinous crimes.

One particular post stuck with you.

In Japan during an hostage situation involving a daycare center, the criminal Kurou Otoharada was said to kill himself by jumping from the rooftop even after the authorities had agreed to comply with his demands. It was odd considering he commited suicide and didn’t just died struck by heart failure like the others. His behaviour was suicidal from the beginning, but for your reason you found yourself headed to the National Archives to check the press from the last month and have a better insight into Otoharada’s story.

You didn’t get much, your japanese has never been the best, unlike your brother’s. From what you could gather he basically had died while live in TV, his identity had been publicly displayed like the others. But before him… there was nothing else. And yesterday, another criminal added up to the growing numbers.

The chief sounds pleased with your findings and encourages you to arrive on time for the meeting.

Foolish you thought it was going to be just the four of you and captain Bang. Much to your dismay when you arrive at the office, you realize the chief decided to gather the whole division for this.

As if suspension isn’t enough of a punishment, you have to endure a meeting with over a dozen men, in a narrow room that smells like cigarettes and cheap aftershave. Not to mention that Alain Delon perfume that is like the distinguishing mark of men in the force despite the age, apparently. You find Seokjin among the crowd and decide to stick closer to him, his is the only smell you can stand right now.

On top of that, the chief has barely begin to explain the situation when a particular spiteful comment against the deaths has all them yelling and insulting each other’s’ guts. Almost at the same time.

You catch sergeant Ho’s exasperated gaze across the room. Apart from you she’s the only woman in the room and by the look in her eyes she’s about to slit someone’s throat. Her mind is probably entertaining the same thought you have: Perhaps, apart from Seokjin and Chief Jeon, there were no men in this room but barking dogs.

Maybe if you weren’t in a division where nearly the one-hundred percent of the officers were men, things might be a little different and a dialogue could surface among this peacock fight.

‘All of the victims are criminals. Either being pursued by the police or already behind bars’, another intervention in the debate pulls you out of your thoughts. It’s Seokjin. He’s probably trying to push some sense in this mess. ‘We can assume that more wanted criminals, whose whereabouts are unknown, have died as well. In which case the death toll could be reaching a hundred’

‘I still don’t understand why are we opening an investigation for criminals, captain?’, you hear Detective Jung Dongil speak. He’s past his forty, whites mingled in his black hair, and his nose stands out from his face like a ships’ sail. Captain Bang barely looks at him. He’s been dozing off in his chair since the meeting began. ‘It’s a waste of resources in my opinion’.

‘Then it’s a good thing no one asked for you opinion, Dongil’, replies another and the shouting resumes for another round until sergeant Ho finally has enough of this.

She slams her palms against the wooden surface of the meeting table. ‘Are you gentlemen or a bunch of cattle?! We are discussing a real threat here so I recommend you keep your personal ego debates to yourselves!’.

‘Sergeant Ho is right’, the chief speaks from the head of the table opposite to the captain. ‘This has gone loud enough and you gentleman haven’t heard any of the facts yet and-’.

‘You want to call criminals victims and want to prosecute a ghost’, the nasal voice of supervisor Han chimes in, interrupting him. His small eyes shooting daggers at sergeant Ho who’s still standing at the edge of the table next to the chief. You clench your fists below the table, the chief has made you promise not to intervene today since you are technically not allowed to be there. Still, you are part of the investigation. ‘If you want to keep this nonsense be my guest, but I can’t and won’t ask my men to follow’.

‘People are dying, sir. Someone is killing them’, sergeant Ho replies.

‘Not people. Criminals, sergeant’. There’s a condescending smirk on his face as he eyes the sergeant.

'B-but is it really that bad, boss?’, a young officer officer next to the supervisor addresses sergeant Ho. His tone more conciliatory than judgmental and you notices how he tries to shrink himself into his chair when the sergeant’s eyes land on him. ‘The v-victims were all criminals who deserved the capital punishment several times over, weren’t they?’

'Violent criminal or death row inmate, Yugyeom, if someone kills them it is murder’ Sergeant Ho replies. The young man nods and scribbles something down in his notepad.

'But has it been verified that is murder?’ Dongil asks.

'How could over a hundred heart attacks be a coincidence?’, Seokjin huffs. ‘Of course is murder!’

'Is it?’, for the first time captain Bang intervenes. He eyes Seokjin with a wary look and your partner stiffens. ‘Who could possibly murder that many people over a such a wide area virtually simultaneously, detective Kim?’

‘I- I mean… the thing is, sir- we’ Seokjin can’t reply. He never stammers, and you watch him incredulous as he starts fidgeting with his pen.

'Maybe this is a carefully orchestrated mass assassination carried out by a large organization, wouldn’t you agree, detective?’ Dongil says, with a mock painted across his face.

You roll your eyes. This is getting worse each second, and you are desperate to speak your mind, if only this men would listen to you.

There is something that still feels funny about the records. You can be wrong, though. But from what you’ve gathered so far, the larger amount of victims are concentrated in Seoul. You thought about mention it to the chief in your report, but by the concerned look on his face when this all began, he’s most likely noticed already.

'You gentlemen are missing the real issue here and I might understand Jeon’s concerns’, says captain Bang with his usual bored tone. He eyes the chief with clear contempt as he raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth again. ‘With so many criminals dying like that, what can be said of our pride as police, that’s what worried you, isn’t it?’

And that is it for you. You can’t handle the disrespect anymore. Your right hand slams against the table mimicking sergeant Ho’s intervention before. The thud reverberates through the entire office. You stand up. The room full of noisy men is suddenly silenced as they all turn to look at you.

'This is not a matter of pride, captain’.

'Y/N, don’t-’, the chief hushes you, shaking his head as to remind you you are being inappropriate.

You ignore him and address the entire table this time.

'This is not about pride or reputation. This is a question of justice and if you gentlemen can’t see this, if you think murder is okay because the victims are criminals you are not worthy of wearing your badge’. The table remains silence as to waiting for the captain to scold you. But he doesn’t. He looks at you over his glasses, like he’s hoping you elaborate what you just said. ‘…A man who kills another is a murderer, whether the victim deserved it or not. Period. Our job is to find whoever is responsible for this and prosecute him according to the law’, you say and for a moment your eyes meet the chief’s. Whispers flood the room. Your heart beats aggressively against your chest and you can feel your legs start to tremble.

'So what this woman is saying is that we should believe that it is possible to give other people heart attacks?’, Dongil speaks up again. The same mockery in his face from when he tried to embarrass Seokjin. ‘Please… That’s illogical! These deaths are a coincidence, that is the only reasonable explanation’.

You are not letting him off that easily.

'Perhaps for you, detective, and your narrow little mind it is’, you reply. Dongil’s face turns bright red as he glares at you.

'How dare you talk to your elder like that?!’ he barks. You roll your eyes.

'Heart failure is predominantly caused by cardiovascular diseases or hypertension. However, in some people it can be attributed to the cardiotoxic effect of a particular drug.’, your eyes find Dongil’s. He’s shooting daggers at you. ‘So it is, indeed, possible to give people heart attacks… sunbaenim’

'Spare me the science lesson, woman! You can’t track down a murderer when the cause of death is heart attack!’, he spits back. 'If they had a knife sticking out of them it would be different thing!’

'Every criminal who’d died had his identity publicly broadcasted either on the internet or in the news. Anyone who’d saw who they were could be the killer!’, you add, looking at the conflicted faces scattered around the table. ‘It has to be possible for someone to kill like this, it must’

You hear Dongil scoff. 'That’s just speculation!’

'No, sir. That is a fact’. Dongil doesn’t give you an answer, though you swear he mutters “bitch” between his teeth as he sits back down.

Captain Bang lets out a loud sigh and waves his hand as to ask you to sit down as well. You are not satisfied yet, there’s more you would like to say. But for now, you decide to obey your captain. 'How about putting it to a vote?’, he suggest, he looks tired and annoyed.

‘If I may speak…’, a deep voice from the back of the room suddendly steals the badged collective’s attention. There’s a man standing next to the door that wasn’t there before. He’s dressed all in black, a leather briefcase hangs from his left hand. He’s pale, and young–maybe seokjin’s age or younger. You can’t really tell by the way his fringe covers his eyes. Before someone has a chance to question him, he opens his mouth again.‘I have a message for captain Bang of the Gangnam police from RM’.

The room goes silent again for an instant, followed by a wave of murmurs.

'RM?’, you turn towards Jin who’s wearing the same perplexed expression you must have. ‘As in the RM? The faceless man?’

Nobody knows RM’s real name, or whereabouts or even how he looks like. The first time you’ve ever heard that name was back at the academy. You had signed for a forensic psychology course, and the professor talked often about the mysterious detective RM who could to solve any case no matter what it was. But it wasn’t until you joined the police formally that you really got acquainted with the stories about RM’s cases. He never showed his face, but people seemed to be sure he was a man. His first famous case was back on the 2000’s, about serial bombings in England, so perhaps he was english… but again, nobody knew.

‘We didn’t ask for his involvement’, says the captain.

The man nods. 'Yes, but… The truth is that RM’s been investigating this case for a few days now, it has picked his interest and he’s decided to aid the police in the case’, he explains. He has a calming voice that seem to dissuade the men from protesting against his presence.

‘Who are you, boy?’, Dongil asks.

‘You can address me as Agust, I’ll be RM proxy I look forward to working with you’. He bends down to withdraw a laptop from his briefcase and sets it up in the middle of the table without waiting for permission. Nobody stops him. 'Now please, if you all would keep your tongues to yourself it’d be appreciated. You will now hear RM speak’

The screen lights up with two capital letters in bright green RM over a black background.

’Good afternoon, this is RM’, a high-pitched scrambled voice greets the room. You figure he must be using a filter since it doesn’t sound too mechanical. ’The case before us is unprecedented in scope and difficulty. And is a monstrous case of mass murder that must be stopped at all cost. In order to solve it I request the full cooperation of the Police force. These mysterious deaths are a worldwide phenomenon, but the most deaths as registered in korean soil. Whoever is doing this it’s safe to assume he’s korean. I think I will be able to share with you my theories very soon in a direct confrontation with the killer…Thank you, that would be all for now. You’ll hear of me soon enough’.

After the broadcast ends, Agust doesn’t say anything else. He just packs his things and leaves the room in a silent chaos.

The meeting room cleared an hour ago, but you remain there going over what RM said. He seemed convinced there was only one killer and that he was male. You’ve already figured out he must be korean considering the amount of deaths pilling up in the city’s public records. You can’t help but replay your last conversation with Taehyung.

‘Killing a killer has never actually reduced the number of killers in this world, has it?’

‘Then it’s easy… You’ll have to kill another one’.

You wonder if your brother would ever approve of this. Whoever is having those criminals killed, if it as single person, then it has to be a psychotic fool. His actions: killing so many criminals all over the world, speak of a person who is not doing this for some personal agenda but for the delusion of a greater good. You wonder what kind of thoughts cross his mind. If there are no more criminals, would the world be safer? Would it be fairer? That is not the way the world behaves, and you know it. But clearly he doesn’t.

‘You still here?’.You raise you head to meet Seokjin’s gaze. He’s standing by the door, hands tucked inside his pockets.

‘Looks like it’, Seokjin smirks and walks over to sit next to you.

He stays silence for a moment, but you can tell there’s something in his mind by the way he keeps running his fingers through his fringe only to brush it back into place. For an instant you worry he might bring up you awkward conversation from the past thursday. You never really got to tell him what happened, and he didn’t pressure you to speak up until now. You had secretly hoped he’d forgotten about it.

‘Can I ask you something. Y/n?’

‘Sure…’, You brace yourself for the question when he opens his mouth.

‘What do you think about what RM said?’

Ah. You have to fight the sigh of relief that threatens to leave your lips. As always you worry over nothing, and instead of dwelling more into it, you clear your throat.

‘You mean about the killer being just one person?’ you ask and he nods. You lay back on the chair and let out a sigh. ‘I think he’s probably right. These murders were not carried out by an organization. If it’s a group it has to be small…’

Your partner frowns a little. ‘Why?’

'Well… statistically, the more people involved, the less chance of success. I think it responds to the theory of chaos. Do you have a pen?’, Seokjin pats his breast pocket and fishes out a black pen. You take it and tear a piece of paper from the report sergeant Ho handed you. 'Each individual is a variable’ You draw six crosses in two columns, three on each and join them with straight lines. '…and the more variables determine the initial conditions’, you add more crosses and join them with more lines until the drawing looks like a cobweb. 'The more possible different outcomes. Therefore, to have succeed at killing this many people in such a short period of time, the killer must have acted with very few to cero companions’.

'I see’, Seokjin brushes his nether lip with his thumb and takes his time to examine your doodles with a thoughtful frown. 'You are sure of that despite of the fact that is virtually impossible for one person to kill people simultaneously in two different sides of the world?’

You shrug. 'It has to be possible… somehow’.

'Yeah. I think I agree. Otherwise these deaths wouldn’t make sense at all…’, he says, and gives you a half smile you can’t help but reciprocate. 'We’ll see what he has to say when all this “direct confrontation” thing takes place tomorrow’

‘Yeah…’

Seokjin stands up with a heavy sigh, stretching an arm over his shoulder and then the other.

‘You want me to give you a ride? we can go grab a bite’

‘Thanks, but I’m fine’, you shake your head. ‘Besides… I think I’m going to stop by Seulgi’s station before heading home. I’m thinking about asking her help to monitor naver’s forums in case something interesting pops up’.

‘Very well…’, Jin smiles and places a hand on your shoulder, giving you a comforting squeez. ‘Don’t forget to eat and rest’

You chuckle. ‘Sure thing, mom’

Seokjin gives you an amused smirk over his shoulder and winks before exiting the room.

‘They are calling him Kira now’, you sigh and as you close your laptop. Eyes stinging for having stayed all night at the precinct, monitoring the public naver forums with Seulgi. She’s already gone home, you, on the other hand, stayed for the first official meeting regarding the serial deaths of criminals.

Seokjin next to you only nods.

‘So I heard’.

You are all gathered in the meeting room—chief Jeon, Seokjin, the sergeant Ho, and a couple of officers that willingly asked to join the investigation, senior detective Jung Pilkyeo and his current protegee, rookie officer Kim Yugyeom—waiting for the ‘public confrontation’ RM talked about to happen. His proxy, Agust, sent word to the chief that you all should be watching the national channel around 10 am but gave no other instruction.

‘They are also saying he’s the angel of death, sent by God to punish the evil’, Yugyeom says, eliciting a chuckle from your partner lips.

Detective Jung sighs loudly and shakes his head in disapproval.

‘People can be incredibly superstitious sometimes’, he comments running a hand through his dark locks of hair. He is a handsome man, square chin, wide shoulders and thick eyebrows. You don’t talk much, like you, he isn’t one for social events either so this is the first time you and him have been in the same room for more than an hour.

It didn’t surprise you when you heard he wanted to join the newly-formed task force. From what you’ve read in his reports and the way he handles his cases, Detective Jung’s sense of justice is very similar to yours.

‘How much longer will RM makes us wait?’ sergeant Ho’s voice drags your attention back to the whole table. ‘We need to know his plans if he wants to work with us’.

‘I have the feeling he’s not one for team play, Sergeant’, replies the chief. ‘I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I don’t think Agust would ask us to wait if RM himself hadn’t ask him… In the mean time I want to hear all about this new nickname. You said they were calling him Kira?’

The chief’s gazes falls on you.

‘I think it has to do with the english word ‘killer’, sir. They are also calling him Azrael, like the angel of death in christian lore’, you explain. ‘But Kira is the one nickname that people seem more fond of. It’s alarming the amount of people that support his doings…’

‘He’s offering a machiavellian solution to crime, of course people would support him’ says detective Jung. ‘It would be strange if the didn’t. People tend to find solace in believing there’s a higher power that controls life so they don’t have to worry about facing the cold reality’.

You nod. That’s precisely what you concluded in your assessment with Seulgi.

‘If we can catch him and expose his humanity to the world, then it’s over for him’, you say, ‘People will support a killer God, but won’t support a human murderer’.

‘Am I the only one that finds this terrifying?’, Yugyeom asks from his seat. Again you notice his shy nature, he’s looking down at his lap and tugging at the hairs on his nape. ‘What if he gets angry at us for trying to catch him? What if he kills us?’

The table remains silence. Although Yugyeom is the first to be vocal about his worries, this is something you are sure you all have thought at some point before this began. If he can kill people from the distance, who says he won’t kill people who are against him? But catching the bad guys is your job as policemen, that’s the whole purpose of your badge. To protect innocent people and to bring criminals to justice, and if you are not willing to put your life on the line for what’s right then you can’t call yourself a police officer.

You know some of your colleagues outside this meeting room have other views as to what’s the purpose of their badge. Some of them use it as a privilege, some of the abuse that authority to be as bad as the criminals they put behind bars.

But your thoughts are soon cut by the TV. The screen turned dark blue and the Interpol logo shone over it.

’We interrupt your program to bring you a live broadcast from the International Criminal Police Organization. This is the ICPO to the whole world. Kim Yoonho will provide simultaneous interpretation in Korean’

'Could this be…?’, Seokjin stands up to grab the remote and turn the volume to the highest setting.

The interpol logo disappears and the screen changes into a shoot of a well-dressed man sitting on a red leather armchair.

’My name is Ralph Moore, otherwise known as RM. I am investigating a string of deaths among heinous criminals’, he begins.

The group attention is on this man now. You can’t help but frown as you look at him. Despite of the fact that he does look the way you have imagined RM to be: a man in his mid forties, english and smartly-groomed; you can’t believe him being RM. After who knows how many years hiding his true face, his identity from the world, why would he decide to star in a worldwide broadcast just like that?

There is something that smells fishy about this. He isn’t RM. He can’t be.

'What is happening, sunbaenim?’, you hear Yugyeom’s alarmed tone.

'I- I’m not sure…’ Pilkyeo replies.

’Kira, I have a pretty good idea of why you might want to do something like this. But no matter how brutal the criminals might be, you have no right to judge people. What you are doing is evil and I will do my utmost effort to hunt you down.’ He says. The camera focuses on his face as the broadcast goes on.

This isn’t RM.

His speech sounds too stiff, as if he’s playing out a script.

’Kira, are you watching this?’, he keeps calling him Kira, why? You wonder. Does RM actually believe in that God-punisher theory? Or is this something else? ’How are you killing these people? You may be feeling like God, but from my perspective, you’re just a hopeless, stupid murderer. Stop judging the world by your yardstick. Justice always wins. Kira, I will destroy your childish plans. Do you really think you are needed? Kira, I will send you to the gallows! I will hunt you down! Prepare yourself, Kira…’.

Ralph Moor starts laughing.

Manically.

This man is not RM. Not in a million years.It’s only seconds after that he stops abruptly. His eyes go wide as he clutches his chest. Soon, collapsing on the floor.

The room goes wide-eyed, in a collective gasp.

'Dear God…!’, the chief exclaims.

Your mouth falls open, your heart beating hard against your chest is almost painful. Did he…? Is he…? A heart attack? Can this be a coincidence or was this man actually killed without direct contact? But that’s just impossible… right?

The broadcast doesn’t stop, though. The camera y showing the man lying limp against the armchair, his eyes bulging out of his sockets.

Dead.

This person is dead, Kira killed him.

'W-what just happened?’, Seokjin asks, his tone falter. 'Is he…? d-did he die?’

'This is sickening…’, Detective Jung’s face contours in disgust and looks away from the screen.

‘Chief, look!’, this time is sergeant Ho who points to the small tv plugged on the table.

The screen turns black and a two letters in green appear on the middle of the screen.

RM.

’I can’t believe this, Kira…’ a familiar scrambled voice speaks. ’You can actually kill someone without direct contact? The Ralph Moore you saw on the broadcast today was a convict due to be executed today. In other words, a stand-in for me.’

'I knew it’, you mutter to yourself.

’Kira, if you don’t like it, try to kill me again…” he states. Nothing happens, though. “Go on, do it! What’s wrong? Can’t do it?’.

‘What is he doing? Is he trying to get himself killed for real?!’, sergeant Ho exclaims. The chief doesn’t seems capable to give her an answer, his eyes glued to the screen.

A few seconds pass. Nothing has happened yet.

’I see…’ RM speaks again. ‘So there are people you can’t kill, it seems. Oh, one more thing. I said the broadcast was going live to the whole world but it’s actually only being broadcasted in Seoul. I’d planned to broadcast it in other regions after some time had passed but there is no need for that now. After all, you’re in Seoul, aren’t you, Kira?’

'Oh my God!’, Yugyeom’s face drains of color and you notices his hands start to shake. He looks like he is about to cry, poor boy.

He must be terrified. You are all terrified.

’But that is no reason to just give up and turn yourself in just yet. You are going to be found and your method of killing exposed… by me. Remember that’.

And just like that the transmission ends.

[liquidatia]

YOI Chicago AU

Chicago AU where famous Japanese danseur Yuuri Katsuki is framed for his wife’s murder while on their first American tour in 1920. Alone in a foreign country and trying to navigate the sensationalized American legal system, Yuuri meets actual murderers. Yuuri’s chances don’t look good and he’ll need the help of one Christophe Giacometti, Chicago’s most renowned lawyer, to get out alive. It’s too bad that he has to compete with Chicago’s darling - Victor Nikiforov - for the Swiss’s attention. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) for Victor, Yuuri is willing to do anything to survive, even giving the media the old razzle dazzle by becoming Eros incarnate.

Pop: Yuri Plisetzky, a quick to anger young man who had fired two warning shots into his no-good, bumming (ex)boyfriend’s head.

Six: Phichit Chalunaut, Yuuri’s new bunk mate. After finding out about his boyfriend’s six wives, the Thai man fixed him a rather deadly cocktail. He also somehow had his six hamsters smuggled into their cell, probably because he’s pretty buddy buddy with the warden Ciao Ciao.

Squish: Otabek Altin, a quiet and serious young man whose boyfriend ran into his knife ten times after accusing him of cheating with the milkman.

Ah ah: Yuuri Katsuki, a dime a dozen danseur from Japan on his first international debut with his partner and wife, Chihoko. Without much of a warning of her untimely death, he was falsely accused of holding down his wife while his attendant cut her head off.

Cicero: Victor Nikiforov, known as Chicago’s darling and the living legend. He was particularly known for his double act with his younger brother (long-haired Vitya). After catching his husband cheating on him with his brother, Victor claims to have blacked out. It wasn’t until later when he was washing the blood off his hands he even knew they were dead.

Lipshitz: Georgi Popvich, a melodramatic man and artist. He had always known his girlfriend Anya went out every night looking for herself, finding others to spend her nights with. It’s when they broke up that Georgi realized their artistic differences. She saw herself as alive, and he saw her dead.

Bonus:

Christophe Giacometti: Chicago’s most notorious lawyer, known for charming the media and getting any client out of a bind no matter how impossible the odds. However, much to everyone’s surprise, all Chris wants is love.

Yakov Feltsman: An investigator who may have a reluctant bias for Victor, Georgi, and Yurio, having watched them grow up together in their Russian neighborhood of Chicago

Minami Kenjirou: A young aspiring reporter and avid fan of Yuuri Katsuki. He was even there when they arrested him the night of his performance.

Celestino Cialdini: The warden for Chicago’s Cook County Jail. It’s also rumored he has ties with the Chicago mob family, but Phichit is keeping mum on the whole matter.

Lilia Baranovskaya: Yakov’s ex-wife and prolific lawyer taking on Yurio’s and Georgi’s cases, having seen them grow up. It is only at Yurio’s request that she takes on Otabek Altin’s case as well.

@satbiym

[legrandepapillon]

Missing In Action (thaurens)

Summary: In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a duty or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning. In military terminology, John Laurens is a war criminal. In military terminology, so is Thomas Jefferson. Prompt: Person A is a soldier that went AWOL after watching his battalion execute a group of teenage soldiers. Person B is helping them hide from the military officials looking for them. Author’s Notes: (WWII AU, part II of II) I dunno why I’m doing this series (maybe its because the current political climate is scarily similar to the one from the war days before and during the Holocaust) but I do know that I’m having a little fun exploring it. I am fascinated by both of the world wars and do a lot of research on them for fun, so it feels nice to be able to have my two hobbies crossover. I chose the prompt of desertion for Laurens because c’mon… he would so desert if the military’s actions weren’t morally sound. hopefully, the next time I do a series, it’ll be for the seven deadly sins.

c. 1942-1943

When Thomas Jefferson is shocked awake in the middle of the night by a loud banging on the door of the house he shares with his family, he immediately begins to worry for the couple sleeping in the room over. Ever since George had returned from the war, he and Lafayette spent all of their time together—there wasn’t a moment they weren’t apart, they'd even gotten some perverted version of common law married. Lafayette flounced about Shadwell with a diamond on his ring finger and Washington walking around with a gold band on his like idiots—each speaking of some made-up French wife when asked about it. Though their immediate family knew the truths of their relationship, it was still a secret that needed desperately to be kept elsewhere. And for a moment, Thomas worries that it hadn't been.

As he takes his flashlight down the flight of stairs with him to see who could possibly be at the door at this time of night, all sorts of horrid images run through his brain of his cousin and his secret lover being strung up and castrated by a mob of angry Virginians—especially after that incident where the Mayor’s daughter almost caught the two of them in bed together. The images are made more realistic when Thomas remembers that George would be shipping out to Germany the next morning—they had probably figured that it would better to be now than miss their chance of killing the sodomite.

However, he is—either pleasantly or unpleasantly, the debate of that would be saved for later—surprised to find not a mob of angry townsfolk standing on the porch of the manor, but the freckle-faced soldier he’d befriended two years ago during a pen pal program standing at his door. The young man is soaking wet and shivering from the cold and heavy downpour of April rain. Corporal John Laurens.

“John?” Thomas asks, reaching up to wipe the sleep from his eyes in the confusion. He shines the light off the porch and into the night—looking for some sort of trap to be sprung, or waiting to wake up from the strange dream. Neither of those things comes, which only makes the worry lines on his forehead even deeper. “What are you doing here? What happened? Are you alright? What happened to being in Japan?”

“Let me in, Thomas. Please,” John pleads, his eyes wild and desperate as he looks over his shoulder. Jefferson eyes him strangely, naturally hesitant. He’d only met the young soldier once before when he’d come back stateside briefly for Christmas. Despite the fact that they’d been friends for two years, exchanging quite intimate letters, Thomas still didn’t particularly know the man very well. After all, they'd only met in person once—and it had been very briefly—but all of a sudden the soldier had shown up on his doorstep. In the midst of a world war.

“What happened, John? What’s wrong?” he asks warily, brows furrowing nervously. The look of exhaustion in the soldier’s eyes quickly unsettles him though, so he steps aside so that John can get into the house—hurriedly locking the door behind him. When he turns around, John is standing in the middle of the foyer—using his equally wet undershirt to attempt to dry his hair. “Laurens?”

“Thomas, you should’ve seen the shit they did… in Japan… it was… oh god,” John’s eyes are shocked with red and brimming with tears when he turns around, blending seamlessly with the rainwater still on his face. “They were kids, Thomas. The oldest couldn’t have been more than seventeen. And they were jus’ executed. In cold blood, right in front o’ my face. I couldn’t… I couldn’t fight that stupid fuckin’ war no more.”

“What are you talking about, John?” Jefferson asks, guiding him through the manor to the closest bathroom. If he's being completely honest with himself, seeing the other man in such a distressed state was not only worrying him but breaking his very heart. All the pictures he'd ever been sent of John, the freckled man had been sporting a bright smile—even when his eyes betrayed the truth of his psyche. He'd grown accustomed to Laurens’ happiness, had even become dependant on it for his own, in a way. To see him this way was absolutely crushing.

He hands the soldier one of the warm, fluffy towels from the rack and watches with straying eyes as the man strips of his clothes. He spots scars—whipping scars, by the looks of it—forming almost a sort of railroad track across his back, crisscrossing over each other with varying degrees of freshness. The newest can't be but a year old. Strong muscles move and work beneath tanned, freckled skin as John sheds his soaking wet clothing—stirring a shameful pit of desire in Thomas’ stomach.

Jefferson only abashedly averts his eyes when John looks over his shoulder to speak again, voice sounding more broken and sad with each word.

“I'm talkin’ about the outright murder of children. My platoon came ‘cross a group of Japanese child soldiers. There was this massacre in Nanking before the war… and it left a lot of innocent folks dead. So my platoon got their revenge. Some of them raped those boys, others just flat out tortured ‘em. Then they shot them in ditches and took body parts as souvenirs. Heads, eyes, hands. I couldn't stand it after that. I'd watched these fuckers sodomize a Nazi’s wife and child, massacre entire villages… I couldn't do it anymore, Thomas. I refuse to go down in history as a monster. I deserted. Took a refugee boat leavin’ Japan here to America, and hiked from California to Virginia. To you.”

John turns fully at his last words, bringing a bruised hand up to Thomas’ face—pushing his kinky curls from his cheeks and staring at him affectionate yet sorrowful green eyes. Jefferson almost leans into the touch, almost allows himself to be comforted by the fact that the man he'd disgracefully fallen in love with was finally here—but then those awful mental images of Gilbert and George being hung and castrated cruelly return, and he pulls away from the touch as if it'd scalded him.

“Oh my God, John! Desertion is a war crime!” Thomas exclaims, instead of dwelling too long on that fluttery feeling in his chest. “You're a traitor!”

“You don't think I know that!? I already know I'm bein’ court-martialed, the military is lookin’ for me—I almost had a run-in in with an Army base in Texas, and my father already told me that if I go back to North Carolina he'll turn me in the second he catches a look at my face. But I'd rather commit this war crime than murder any more innocent people. I went to war because I didn't believe in what Germany was doing to those poor jewfolk. But I don't believe in what US troops are doing to those commies either. Please, Thomas. I need you to hide me out for awhile.”

Giving a frustrating grunt, Jefferson turns away from the young soldier. There's a conflict stirring in his mind, and he wrings his hands together nervously as he debates himself.

On one hand, he doesn't want John around. Not only because the man was a war criminal and a traitor—which put far too much heat on a household already helping to cover up one crime—but because he'd mistakenly fallen in love with the young soldier through their letters. They'd been writing for several years at this point, but that had been something Thomas knew he could handle. Distance—the extent of their communication being held within the pieces of paper they sent each other. As long as John wasn't a material temptation standing before him, as long as there was no crime to commit, the young man could quell the desires that waged wars within him. He could bury it and lock it away, marry some nice Christian girl just like his mother wanted him to and pretend that his affections were nothing but a schoolyard crush.

But with John here, in this house with him… especially after months of seeing just how happy Gilbert was whenever his George was around… Thomas just isn't so sure he'll be able to control himself. The young soldier certainly wasn’t terribly hard on the eyes and he was far too good of a man for Thomas to resist falling for his mind all over again. The thoughts of loving touches and late nights spent together, wrapped within each other’s arms and simply enjoying being together… Jefferson had tried to burn them out of his mind and lock them away. But now they were no longer wishful. If he gave in, if he just conceded to take a taste of that cursed apple…

“I don't know, Laurens. I'm already helping one too many criminals.”

“What're you talking about?”

“General George Washington and my cousin are… ahem… engaged. Illegally, of course, but the idiots say they're in love and Lafayette has always been the more childish of us… we don’t have the heart to deny them. Of course, my cousin is… well, he's got the wrong fixings to be publicly married to a General,” Jefferson realizes he’s nervously rambling and turns on his heel to face John—who had stopped in the midst of running himself a warm shower. Sitting there on the edge of their bathtub with wide-shocked eyes, he looks positively adorable and Thomas hates how that’s the first thought that comes to mind.

He barely gives a passing thought to the fact that John doesn’t even miss a beat at the thought of Washington being attracted to men.

“General Washington? Is here?” Laurens asks nervously, rising from his spot on the edge of the bathtub to peek outside the bathroom door—his eyes dart wildly around before he closes the door and locks it, pressing his back against it and fluttering his eyes closed.

“Yes, he's asleep upstairs. Why is there something wrong with him being here?”

“I have to get out of here. He’s known for being merciless with deserters… he’ll send me straight to prison, and I can’t go there. They’ll kill me, Thomas and I don’t wanna die over somethin’ like this.”

“Hey, hey, no! No, you don't have to go anywhere,” Thomas exclaims, placing his hands on John’s shoulders in order to keep him still from where he’d begun pacing. If only just to calm that deranged, cornered animal look that’s in his eye. He knew all too well from living with the General what a cornered soldier looked like, and it wasn’t pretty. “He's leaving for Germany tomorrow—first thing in the morning, Lafayette is driving him down to the docks to ship off. You can sleep in my room tonight, and in the morning we'll see about getting you to Canada.”

“So you’ll help me? You understand why I did what I did?”

“Of course, John.”

Admittedly, Thomas doesn’t fully understand what this promise entails… might not really grasp what he’s signing himself up for. He’s still quite young, and naive in his own right when it came to matters of the law. Though significantly smarter than most boys his own age—managing to find an excuse well enough to dodge the draft was smart as hell—he still hadn’t been smart enough to make the effort of finding out the consequences of harboring a war fugitive. And due to this oversight, when he returns home from grocery shopping ten months after agreeing to let John Laurens stay with the Jefferson family, he is met with the consequences of this.

It’s a fairly snowy day in Shadwell, Virginia—the old Monticello plantation looks almost like one of those catalog homes, sitting prettily against the backdrop of the greyed skies and drizzle of snow and the frozen manmade lake in front of it reflecting the trees surrounding the manor. To his knowledge, Thomas and John are the only two staying at Monticello through the Winter. Lafayette had moved down to the Mount Vernon plantation near the Potomac on request from George to handle some of the manors affairs in his absence and would be there indefinitely. And most of his family had retired to their home in New Zealand to wait out the cold weather, especially since his sister was terribly prone to colds.

For nearly three months, Thomas and John had the vast Monticello estate to themselves. It had been a lovely experience, including many nights of passionate sex in front of the living room fireplace. To Thomas’ knowledge, there was no one that knew of John Laurens’ whereabouts. According to the military, he was supposed to be MIA or deserted.

Jefferson had begun to get notions of living out a long, happy life with his soldier—unbothered by the American military or the war. Of course, he’s young. Naive. Though, a bit too smart for these fantasies. He should’ve known better.

For as he pulls up to the snowy, frozen fields of his home, his stomach immediately sinks to his toes at the sight of the local Sheriff’s car sitting in the driveway—obviously either waiting for Thomas or come to take John away for good.

Once he reaches the driveway and has safely parked beside the Sheriff’s car, Thomas tries his best to come off as innocently as possible. He wouldn’t want any of his strange behavior to tip off the policeman if he wasn’t there for any important reasons.

“Good evening, officer,” Thomas calls out plainly, adjusting the bags of groceries in his arms so that he can pull his coat tighter against the cold. Sheriff Seabury turns on his heel rapidly at his voice, shock evident all over his pale face. It takes all of Jefferson’s muscles to keep a neutral expression, and not frown at the odd reaction. “How can I help you this evening?”

“Well, Thomas. I must say, I am a bit surprised. Your father asked me to come by. Said there was a missing soldier holding you hostage and demanding board for the winter. Is that true?”

“H-holding me hostage?” Thomas stutters out, confusion now completely taking over his countenance—despite his efforts to remain as calm and collected as possible. Why would his father do such a thing? It was one matter to call the police to the residence on a wellness check, knowing that John was there and could be found out. But another matter entirely to tell the local Sheriff that not only was there a deserted hiding out in their home, but that said deserted soldier was anything but a friend and was actually holding Thomas hostage. “I admit, I’ve no idea what he’s talking about.”

Seabury nods, looking around once more. He’d always been a bit of a mousy young man, so Thomas honestly expects him to take his word for it and go. Besides, even if what Peter Jefferson had reported was true—Seabury was a white Sheriff in the very deep South. He had no obligation to any young black man, even one whose grandfather had amassed large amounts of wealth by selling off some of Monticello’s land following his childless slave master’s death. If there was a soldier in there, threatening harm onto the prodigal Jefferson son, it was of a high probability that Seabury would care more about a local white shopkeeper’s home getting vandalized than a threat on Thomas Jefferson’s life.

Which, of course, is why Thomas is once again shocked when Seabury rests his hand on his gun says, “Well, I better have a look around. Just in case. Make sure you're safe.”

Swallowing thickly, Thomas gives a curt nod and fumbles through his pockets for his keys. What else is he to do? If he denies the Sheriff, he might draw even more suspicion and the manor would be searched anyway. He can only hope that John might’ve well had the sense to hear the car rolling up or the conversation going on and hide away.

When the door swings open, Thomas takes a sigh of relief at the sight of the place completely desolate. He makes quick business of the groceries, setting them on the dining room table before turning back to Seabury—who is taking small peeks around corners and into closets, as though he’s looking for a monster under a child’s bed.

“See?” Thomas says quietly, as he shrugs out of his coat and goes to light the fireplace. Doing his very best to make himself seem polite but simultaneously nonchalant, he even offers the man a seat. “No deranged soldier here. I assure you, Mr. Seabury, I am perfectly fine. The house is empty, save for myself.”

“I see… you mind if I ask why you didn’t go with your family? I hear their property in New Zealand is beautiful this time of year. Warm weather year round, it is, ain’t it?”

“Yessir,” Thomas mumbles, before clearing his throat and straightening his back. As he does, he sees John—when Seabury had turned his back to face Thomas in his spot in the dining room, John had apparently snuck from his hiding space in a cupboard. It takes all the nerves in Thomas’ body to remain focused on the conversation. “Last year we had vandals on the property when everyone left. I offered to stay behind so that Father didn’t have to pay so much to the insurance company this year.”

“Ah, I see…” Samuel says, seemingly giving the place his stamp of approval. He’s just about to turn to leave when he catches a glimpse of John in the hallway mirror and gives a loud shout. “Hey! Stop right there!”

“John, run!” Thomas shouts, closing the space between himself and the Sheriff by tackling the officer. He doesn’t know what he’s thinking, attacking a fully-armed white cop like this—it goes against the very nature of his entire upbringing. He’d always been taught to keep his head down and his nose clean. Obey every law there was, speak with propriety in his tongue. Give them no reason to bother him, and they wouldn’t.

But it seems he’s willing going against his instinctual nature for the love of the renegade soldier.

Samuel is cursing and shouting, but all Thomas can focus on is the gun. His hand is right over the barrel of the small revolver, and if Sheriff Seabury could get his finger on the trigger, it would be blown right to bits. All he has to do is give it one good yank to pull it entirely from the smaller man's grasp, but it’s a difficult task with the Sheriff attempting to use what little weight he has to his advantage—slamming his upper body against Thomas’.

Adrenaline pumps through Thomas’ veins as Seabury gets a better grip on the gun, and he stares deep into the other man’s angry, startled green eyes. He knows that he’s using this battle—that in a few seconds, the Sheriff would slip his finger onto the trigger and pull. Briefly, he wonders if there will be any body for his family to bury. Or would he be ripped to bits by the angry white citizens of Shadwell?

He hopes John has gotten out safely. Hopes that the man had already taken the car and driven as far as he can, away from the inevitable mess. He prays that John stays safe.

Thomas lets go of the gun the second two loud shots ring through the air and closes his eyes in anticipation. There’s no pain, there’s nothing. He wonders if he’s already dead, or if this is what dying feels like.

But then Seabury slumps back, and Thomas’ eyes open again to find the Sheriff’s cold and dead—staring straight ahead at the ceiling. Looking around, Thomas’ eyes land on his lover—who still has the gun in hand, eyes furious, and breathing hard. He recognizes the weapon as something that John had come to Monticello with, having stolen it from the armory when he deserted.

Eventually, the blood leaking from the holes in Seabury’s head begin to stain the carpet, forming a wine red halo around his head.

“John…” Thomas exhales, eyes filled with fear as the realization of what just happened settles over him. John Laurens, deserter, war fugitive, trained soldier had just killed Samuel Seabury. The town Sheriff of Shadwell, Virginia. This certainly meant two things—Thomas Jefferson was now also a criminal, and he was very quickly going to become a fugitive as well. “What have you done?”

Laurens ignores him, his expression falling into something steely and cold as he drops the still smoking gun beside the dead man's body and turns towards the staircase. “Pack some clothes. We’re getting out of Virginia before someone comes looking for Captain-Save-A-Lot.”

Author’s Note: if you want to read more about deserters and the people that harbor them (especially those during WWII), here are the links I used for research: [max punishment for desertion: dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay, five years imprisonment & max punishment for harboring a deserter: fines & three years imprisonment]

https://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/189275754/wwii-deserters-stories-of-men-who-left-the-front-lines

https://military.findlaw.com/criminal-law/failure-to-report-for-duty-awol-and-other-charges.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertion 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1381

[madokasoratsugu]

/poses/ after a million years...i finally bring to u...a proper update to mafia au, this time with the adults !!! there’s more hints to the plot here so like. nice. some ended up way longer bc i rambled aha;;

check out the rest of the mafia au here /  ways to support me if you enjoyed this 

Sanzaemon is the former head of the Nakiri family, now retired (?). Passed the position to Erina, although it was originally supposed to have been taken over by Azami (the plan went to scrambles after Erina’s mother died, Azami abandoned the family and slaughtered any and all who got in his way, taking prized blueprints and tactician plans on the way out). Was initially still watching over Erina as an advisor in the main mansion until Azami personally came back to try and assassinate him. Heavily wounded, he now resides in a hideout with Dojima as his main link/informant as to what the family is up to nowadays. Back when he was a boss and even now, he helps Jouichirou with trying to find the murderer of his wife. Using his position as a boss and influential member of the mafia, has attained some of the most valuable leads Jouichirou currently has. Now that he's retired, he's been putting more time into this area of research, and is beginning to get a sickening suspicion that things are more than they seem, and Azami may have been much more underhanded than anyone could ever believe.

Shinomiya is one of the most successful bosses, having strong ties and alliances with families in both France and Japan. Also known as one of the most unforgiving and sadistic due to a past incident of nearly executing half his own family. It was a matter of the past when he’d just assumed his own position, yet found himself under heavy attacks/info leaks all of a sudden - immensely stressed and unable to trust anyone, he began witch hunting any and all suspicious members and executing them. Doujima and Souma were the ones who curbed his killing spree, albeit with much effort and investigation. Hinako was the one who properly stopped him, with a vicious slap to the face and cold demand for him to get a hold of himself, and live up to the name of the Shinomiya (and soon to be Inui) family. All family members who survived the incident deeply understand and know how badly it affected Shinomiya (esp mentally), and have sworn to never allow Shinomiya have a reason to doubt their loyalty again. As such, the Shinomiya family is also one of the most tight knit and loyal; spies and moles fear their family, so much so that it’s become common knowledge that to accept an infiltration job into their family means a fate worse than death. (funfact: Shinomiya knew of Souma through a job of hiring him to stalk and assassinate one of the suspicious members, and Souma got a lot more involved+talkative with the boss than necessary, resulting in their friendship. Shinomiya taught Souma quick firing techniques and sleight of hand. He has also quietly hinted that Souma is under his protection once, and if anyone fucks with him they won’t get away with it. Megumi, as his doctor, is also under Shinomiya’s protection.)

Hinako is a delicate and gentle flower of an internationally recognised tea shop, who is also a full time yakuza boss of the Inui family. She runs the family like a good tea ceremony; methodical, careful and (rather) unforgiving for mistakes. A calm and collected boss who always has a smile on her face (there’s only minute differences to that smile, and you better learn to tell what they are, and fast), and an excellent tactician who never takes more than necessary from her enemies. Has a good eye for hidden talents and polishing said talents. Marries into the Koujirou family after the “ascension massacre” (the underworld’s selfdub for Shinomiya’s incident), many hold her in high regard for that (although it’s partly bc of her that so many were killed - since Hinako and Shinomiya were seeing each other at that time, Shinomiya’s paranoia that someone would go after her too killed hundreds). Enjoys using poison to kill, though her favourite weapon is a traditional katana, handed down from generations through her family. Knows Mizuhara from functions between Japanese yakuza meetings, and was the one who introduced Shinomiya and Mizuhara, that lead to their families’ alliance being formed.

Mizuhara was initially from an influential Japanese yazuka group, but she moved to Italy to get away from her family as she wanted no part to do with them, considering how her brother was already set on becoming the next head and she didn’t want to complicate matters (sibling with different mothers, rivalry abound. her bro doesn’t rly care for this Drama bc he trusts and loves her v much but the mothers are a whole other story.). But mafia members recognised her, and she got into some trouble with the Italian mob, whom she thoroughly schooled. The mob was a small faction under Takumi and Isami, who met with Mizuhara and got chewed out for disorganisation within their family. After learning about the mess their family was in at that time (this happened around after Aldini papa’s death and Takumi’s ascension), Mizuhara contacted her family back in Japan who were more than happy to agree with her plan of including the Aldini family as one of their allies. She now works on extending her family’s alliances from overseas, and is also working with Takumi and Isami in managing Italy’s underground (but in terms of hierarchy she’s higher up). Plus partially helping out w the Aldini family’s management/organisational matters, as well as looking into dragging Shinomiya into Erina’s alliance at some point.

Soe was the previous head of the information branch, but is now travelling all over the world in an attempt to refresh the Nakiri family’s old alliances on Erina’s request, as well as collecting information from all these families about Azami. Cool headed (unless his family is threatened), charismatic and suave, is extremely sleuthy and able to hook information out of almost anyone. Pretty much the walking infobank of the Nakiri family, his life is constantly targeted so he isn't able to be with his family as much as he'd like. Due to this, he's also incredibly skilled in both close and long range combat, considering how he never knows how people are gonna try and target him next. He's the one who taught Alice her knife skills, and fav weapon is a rifle. Didn’t initially have many plans to join the mafia; he was well on his way to becoming a world renowned scientist and researcher when his sister died and Azami abandoned the family, prompting an immediate return back. Although he blames no one for his impromptu return to the mafia, to this day he holds a deep regret of not being able to fully give Leonora (and Alice) a life without bloodshed like he had promised.

Leonora is a weaponry expert/researcher, and is currently looking into combining poisons and various weapons in a much more efficient manner, plus inventing a few of her own weapons (she designed Ryou’s dagger and Alice’s favourite butterfly knife, and gave Hayama’s rifle an insane upgrade). Works in a lab in Denmark near a hideout, and is in constant contact with Alice and Soe. Born into a wealthy business family with many mafia connections, her love for experiments and Science was cultivated well ever since she was a child. Met Soe at one of the many mafia networking parties, and he fell in love with the young genius at first sight. Had little to no qualms about entering the mafia world since she grew up with the mafia integrated partially into her life. Quick witted, making a great conversationalist and negotiator. An expert at guns, has no preference. Knew of Azami and Erina’s mother ever since they were engaged, feels a deep sense of loss and sadness for them, but at the same time is unforgiving towards Azami for causing so much pain to her niece and daughter.

Chapelle used to be a spy who would work exclusively in France, now one of the most sought after informants by all mafia members alike. Typically uses go betweens to deal with his information exchange, very rarely shows up himself in public. As such, little is known about him by mafia members, except that no one has seen him (or doublecrossed him) and lived to tell the tale. Skilled with bombs and guns, good at killing swiftly and silently. Back as a spy, his allegiance leaned towards Sanzaemon (and to an extension, the Nakiri family), so despite his position as a neutral ally in the upcoming power struggle, he favours Erina’s alliance/side more so than Azami’s. His favourite and best go between is Ryoko, and no one but Isshiki and Fumio knows that Megumi’s landlord who likes going to the Polar Star Bar every other night is a famed (and heavily wanted) spy.

Hisanao is top of the mafia AU’s INTERPOL. Famously known among the underworld as the man who can and will singlehandedly tear apart an entire family, starting from the bottom. The mafia don’t really bother the public, but when they do, Hisanao is there to wreck havoc on them. Works closely with the mafia government (this AU’s version of WGO) to ensure that the fine line between the mafia and the general public is not crossed. Strong sense of justice and honour, has been awarded numerous awards for his service yet has accepted minimal. Does not believe in completely wiping out the mafia as that is an incredulous and silly thought. Sharpshooter whose skills rival Hayama’s, favourite weapon is his trusty police gun. Always carries a pair of handcuffs with him. Acquainted with Sanzaemon due to a past dispute that dragged in a civilian, and has his own information network running through the underworld. He’s keeping a close eye on the upcoming power struggle - it’d be a huge blow to the police force if the past were to repeat itself, after all.

[codzombiesartwork123]

Werewolf AU Takeo was waiting for Nikolai to wake up.

On DA.

The deer is all alone in a forest on a rainy day, quite peaceful and solitude in that woods and felt safe until... Crack! The deer perked up to the noise and try to find the source of the sound. Whatever it'd came from had hopped to branch of a tree and is trying to be quiet.

The scared deer is alarmed and afraid whatever it is will try to sense it and is watching his prey.

On the branch is a male-like figure, an Asian with a samurai sword around his wrest, ripped sleeveless shirt, bandaged hands, his black hair is tied in a man-bun. With a red glow of a predator's eyes, he is ready to pounce on his prey.

With that, the deer took off running towards a dangerous terrain with that man on it's heels. the deer continued running as fast as it could but that man is much faster than any human could do, that man is catching up with a determined look on his face, deer ran much faster until the man finally caught it with... His sharp teeth...

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

The Russian is walking in the woods with riffle in hand, quietly looked around for any endangered animal or... A monster, that Russian is a professorial monster hunter with a daughter of his own.

He's a quiet man once a peaceful man with wife and kid until... horrible fate, he really don't like to talk about but there are rumors of his wife being a witch but in reality, she's a good witch and loved her husband and their dear child, Til one night, an angry mob came marching towards their home, luckily, she warned her husband about the danger is about to fall on them and escape with their daughter and go on without her. He was hesitate at first, tried to talk her to go with him until giving up, heartbroken and wished there was another way to save her, he knew that he and their child would get caught in a firely cross fire if he stayed with her.

He fled with his daughter on horseback and not knowing his wife's fate but got a sinking feeling as he watched smoke rising in the sky.

He manged to deafened his and his daughter's lives from monsters among the way and becoming a monster hunter and was famous in most towns and cities.

6 years later on, his daughter had caught an unknown flu and fallen into deep sleep, he looked around disparity to find a place to stay for a while and, thankfully, there was a town nearby and townsfolk are kind enough to let him live in a farm just far from there. He sat at his daughter's bedside, waiting and hoping one day she'll wake up.

Just a week later (Back to the present), he is now out hunting, he is being cautious after he heard from incidents and attacks from wolf and worse; a Vampire. His ocean-blue eyes scanned around the area, then that's when he heard a deer running and then a- Thud!

He ran towards the source of the sounds and found, an Asian man with his teeth sunk deep into it's neck and drinking every last drop of it's blood until the deer stopped moving.

The Russian quietly walked towards him to get a closer look until the Asian, had no idea how that man sensed it, turned around and saw the Russian monster hunter and they both stopped...

Both the Russian and Asian looked at each other. Asian looked at the clothing that man wore and looked like: mustache and a bread, dark brown short-long hair tied in a ponytail, Ocean blued colored eyes, Cowboy hat with goggles, treach coat, gloves, grayish shirt, black pants and boots.

They stood there, unsure what to do until that Asian sensed something behind the other man and yelled in Japanese ''Look out!''.

Before Russian would turn around, a bear swatted it's paw at him, he got out of way but his arm got slashed, he yelled in pain as he dropped the riffle and hold his arm, he looked at his arm and down at his gloved hand: To see, he's bleeding badly but not servery.

Bear longed out towards him but he got of the way and picked up his gun and yelled ''I have fought bears more scarier than you!'' but he missed, bear hit him dead in the chest and got his back on a tree and his vision had blurred a bit to see a bear right in fount of him.

But, some miracle, Asian stood between the Russian and bear, the bear growled and was about to hit this man til it'd stared into his eyes, Asian's red eyes was... somehow, hypnotizing, the bear stood frozen and then out of the blue, it'd turned around and then walked away from them on all fours.

''What... How can he...?'' is what the Russian man thought after what he witnessed what happened, Asian turned to looked at him and stared at him, knowing he is slowly losing consciousness due to blood lost and kneed to his level.Russian slipped into unconsciousness after the last thing he saw was the Asian's eyes turning from red to brown.

Asian looked at the unconscious man and then a stent of blood had changed his brown eyes back to red. Leaned forward and doesn't stop til he reached the man's exposed neck and was about to bite down til the Asian groaned ''N-no...'' he forced his head back and then shook his head while he muttered ''No no... Not here, not him... I don't want to... I don't want to...''

After he reasoned to himself and looked at him with brown eyes that changed color again and looked around and knew he can't just leave him here or he'll die if he did.

''I wonder who you are and why you're here... Maybe... Maybe time will tell.'' the Asian thought as he began to carry him around the arm and other on his hip.

He began to walk around to find shelter from the rain for while til he found an old abandon cave with vines, he decided to take shelter in there. After they entered, he found a spot for injured Russian and began to removed the upper layers of clothing, first the gloves, then the coat and finally the shirt.

He saw his chest haired chest and froze... He's clearly different from everyone he had lured and attacked to get blood, he snapped out of it as he heard a groan from the Russian so he rummaged his backpack to find the medical supplies and found them, he began to snitched and bandaged his injures til he's done.

He than sat down and waiting for him to wake up, he found a squirrel and drink blood out of it just in case his hunger was not satisfied.

2 hours had passed, that Russian finally woke up, he then finds himself in bandages and that same Asian but for some reason, is not afraid.

‘’So, you finally woke up, Russian.’’ Asian said with heavily Japanese accent that the Russian knew, he then replied ‘’You saved me? But you-’’

‘’A Hybrid, not a vampire.’’ Asian replied.

Russian knew what a hybrid is: a mix breed of vampire and human. ‘’You and I knew what was happening, you were the one with a hunger that sometimes can’t be satisfied.’’ after putting two and two together of the vampire attacks.

‘’And I knew you’re a hunter that kills monsters like me.’’ the Asian man replied as he looked down as he remembered the attacks that he wished those would never happened.

‘’But you saved me from that bear, what makes you do that?’’ the man asked him and other male replied ‘’I can't let it kill you like that, I just don’t want to let it happened.’’

‘’I see, I just want to know who you are.’’ Russian asked again this time, clamly.

The Asian sighed and then replied ‘’My name is Takeo Masaki, the samurai. And your name?’’

‘’I am Nikolai Belinski.’’ The Russian, now named Nikolai, replied.

They talked over the problems and quite same ones, after simple talk, he put his upper clothing and hat back on. ‘’I am sorry but I had to cut this short, Takeo.’’

‘’I understand Nikolai.’’ he replied, before he left, he said ‘’Thank you.’’

‘’For what?’’ Takeo asked.

‘’For saving my life Takeo.’’ he replied. Takeo got a thence of pink on his cheeks and replied ‘’You are welcome.’’ and he left.

-Two days later-

Takeo was still in the same cave, feeling quite lonely and looked around in the cave as his hiding place, then he heard footsteps, he was prepared to fight til he realizes... It’s Nikolai, he was revived and asked ‘’Nikolai, what brought you back here?’’

‘’I wanted to give you this.’’ Nikolai answered as he got out a vial of what appeared to be blood, Takeo took it and sniffed it and realizes it’s blood of a deer.

‘’Nikolai, why would you-?’’ ‘’Wanted to thank you for saving me, I wasn’t sure what to give you and then I thought this might be it.’’ Nikolai said.

‘’...Thank you...’’ Takeo replied as he blushed, ‘’Well, I better leave, good bye.’’ Nikolai said and before he leaves, Takeo walked by him and Nikolai said ‘’Takeo, what are you-?’’ ‘’To guard you in case that bear came by again.’’ Takeo immanently answered, made Nikolai blushed and then replied ‘’Alright.’’ and they both walked down the path to the forest with warm feeling... From each other.