#like bro you’re a walking antique

[feyres-divorce-lawyer]

LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN MY CAMERA ROLL😭😭

[herri-writes]

Frozen in Time

Chapter 2: Under the Deep Blue Sea

Izumi Sena x Reader (F) (!!)

Synopsis: After a reunion in the office, fate kept making their paths crossed and connecting, much to the photographers' dismay that it ended up with her in a circle meeting with someone.

Note: I am far too gone at this point. My priorities is Antique Legends Mika and acads. This fic is next in line. Sht got delayed bc I felt sick due to red week.

Kaoru being bitchless is real. Bro is already maidenless while being a shy mf towards Anzu/Player *Evil cackling*. DW Kaoru, there's Rei for your coping mechanism in being bitchless.

It was hard for Izumi to admit but he had a crush on you back in his childhood. Even though he clinged at Makoto often, Arashi teased him for being too blushy when you're near Izumi. Since your attention is Arashi often, you didn't notice nor realize that Izumi is also there all along but you always did whenever you had photoshoots with him together.

Now that he knew that you're that modeling agency's little princess, he remembered how you acted towards someone you're close with. He knew how you made his attention turn to yours when he wanted to be with Makoto all the time. But since Makoto's attention is on you, it'll be Arashi's opportunity to pester and annoy Izumi once she gets the chance.

"(Name), face the camera." You smiled and faced the camera while you sat on the grass cutely just as the photographer, your uncle, called your name. As you smiled and faced the camera, a flash came out and captured the adorable moment in his eyes. "Heh, you look cute in this picture. I'll tell my wife about this."

"Uncle, you can't just brag to Auntie every time you take a picture of me~" You pouted and crossed your arms. He patted your head as he messed up with your hair and teased you. "Aw~ is the little princess pouting~?" "Quit it!"

Izumi gazed at you and the photographer from afar while sitting on the bench and drank his water. Arashi on the other hand sighed and leaned on the bench's backrest and groaned, "Boooooring~"

"Shut up, Naru. You're soooo~ annoying when you complain." He closed the bottle with the cap and put it beside him. Arashi rolled his eyes when she saw Izumi staring at you and smirked a little. "Seems like Izumi has a crush."

"I don't." He blankly replied and she quickly retorted, "You're denying. You're staring at her."

"I'm not staring at her and I'm not denying."

"You are denying it."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm not." Arashi grinned and gave him a smug look at his answer.

"You aren't."

"I am." Izumi became surprised at the answer he blurted out and winced. "You played dirty!"

Arashi giggled and she let out a mischievous glint in her eyes. She jumped off from the bench and shouted out, "Big Brother Akiomi! Izumi has a crush!" Arashi called her senior and ran off to where he was. Izumi chased her and shouted, "I don't! Naru, how many times do I need to repeat that? You're so~ annoying!"

You turned your head to see Arashi laughing while running away from Izumi, who is chasing and yelling at her. You curiously blinked and blatantly ignored them while turning your attention back to the camera on your hand.

Makoto walked beside you and sat down and looked at the camera. The more you pressed the button, the more he saw pictures of you, Izumi, Arashi, and Makoto together.

The two young models began to feel tired after all of that running. Izumi sat beside Makoto while Arashi sat beside you, looking at the pictures on the camera with you.

"Makko, we look cute in this one. Don't you think so?" You showed the picture to Makoto and he nodded.

It's a picture of you, Arashi, Makoto, and Izumi sitting beside each other on the bench and Akiomi standing behind the four of you, behind the bench. In the picture, you held Arashi's arm and clinged on it while shyly facing the camera and she leaned closer to you and smirked at Izumi as she held your hand on her arm. Makoto only sat there, behaving while smiling as he faced the camera but Izumi clinged on him like a clingy child and pouted while looking at Arashi. Akiomi on the other hand leaned close as he rested his arms on the bench’s backrest and stood there, acting like a big brother to the four young child models.

Makoto chuckled nervously and scratched his cheek with his finger. "But Big Brother Izumi is clinging on me... while you..."

"I know, but it doesn't matter," You replied as his voice faltered. "It doesn't matter if you face the camera or not as long as it's a memory to remember once the camera took a photo in the memory that stays in your mind until you grow up."

"Even if it's blurry or a mess because you moved or something moved and made you not take a photo of that memory anymore, it's still a memory." You said and his eyes sparkled. "So this one is already a memory?"

You nodded as you hummed and answered, "Yeah!" You remembered something you wanted to do in the future and beamed, "I want to take pictures of different kinds of memories when I grow up someday while I'm modeling and posing for the camera. It's better to not waste a single second not making a memory to remember, you know?"

"Then we'll grow up together and make more memories with the others!" He lit up in agreement and you nodded. Your eyes began to sparkle and smiled brightly.

Izumi saw how your eyes shined and sparkled when you told him your resolve. He began to like the way your eyes shined and how you smiled that his lips curved to a smile, making Arashi snicker.

But that resolve didn't last when he heard that you'll leave the city the day after. It also means that you'll never be able to make more memories with them as you grow up. You did grow up but you couldn't see them anymore as you are far away from them.

Izumi woke up from his sleep at his dream, which is a nostalgic memory of his childhood. He sat up on his bed and was surprised that he woke up minutes before his alarm rings. He moved closer to the side of the bed and got up on his feet to prepare himself for the day.

Minutes later, your alarm clock beeps that you slammed your fist to turn it off and pushed it off your bedside cabinet. "Five more minutes..." You groaned and slept more.

Nyaitsu jumped off his cat basket and climbed onto your bed. He crawled on you until he walked on your back but fell on the bed as you shifted your body to lie down on your back. Nyaitsu jumped on your chest and sat on it and meows to wake you up. Since his meows weren't heard, he planted his paws on your face and kneaded your cheeks. 

You stirred in your sleep and opened your eyes. The first thing your eyes saw after you opened it is Nyaitsu hovering above your face. You smiled at the kitten's actions and patted his head and his back. "Good morning to you too, you silly cat."

You sat up and stretched yourself awake. You left the bed and got up to your feet, preparing for your morning meeting with Knights as their photographer. You exited your room and prepared breakfast for you and your fellow apartment mates. You put the bread in the toaster and made coffee from the coffee machine, enough for three.

To avoid any sacreligious attempts in traditions, you scooped out a few cups of rice from its container and poured it on the pot, enough for three stomachs for the morning and washed it on the sink with running water. You turned off the faucet and poured the rice water slowly and never wasted a single grain of rice. You turned on the faucet once again and filled up the pot with the right amount of water and turned it off. You wiped the excess water on the outside part of the pot with a dry towel and put the pot on the rice cooker and closed the lid as it automatically cooked on its own.

You took a pan out of the counter cabinet and flipped it with your dominant hand and placed it carefully on the stove. You added oil and heated it up before it goes moderately hot, hot enough to cook three eggs and six strips of bacon. 

You opened the fridge and took out three eggs from the egg tray and a pack of bacon from the freezer and opened it. You then gradually added the eggs on the pan after cracking the shell open, followed by the bacon on the sides and nudged them with a spatula. The bread jumped out of the toaster and landed safely on the plate as you caught it on time.

The scent of eggs and bacon filled up the air from the kitchen. The aroma seeped through the bedroom of your two other companions in their own bedroom, waking them up for the new, busy day.

You turned off the stove and scooped the eggs and bacon with the spatula and placed it on a plate. You took Nyaitsu's bowl on the counter and poured milk on his bowl and placed it on the counter. The kitten jumped on the counter and drank his milk for the day.

Just in time, the coffee finished blending and the pitcher was nearly full. You let out a carton of milk and pour milk in each cup on the desired amount for each coffee drinker in the apartment, followed by pouring hot coffee in the cup until it reaches the neck of each cup.

You took three bowls for the rice from the kitchen cabinet and opened the rice cooker as it finished cooking, ready to be eaten and give energy to its consumer. You fill the bowl with rice using a spoon to scoop it out and put it on the bowl on its desired amount for each person.

You prepared the table and placed a table mat on one side and two on the other, followed by a bowl of rice for each person and a hot cup of coffee as an energizer on the top right side and chopsticks on the right side of the bowl.

A yawn was heard in the living room and loud thud on the couch. "Mornin'..."

"Good morning." You greeted back and saw your cousin lying down on the couch. Your eyes shone a glint of mischief and you snickered.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the office at this hour?" You began to grin as you told her a lie that made your cousin shoot her eyes wide awake and rushed to the table and sat on her seat and thanked the food. 

She quickly ate and nearly choked herself and drank water. After she's done with her breakfast, she left the table after thanking the food once again and rushed to the bathroom to clean herself and to her bedroom to change into her work clothes.

You heard her bedroom door slammed open and rushing footsteps heading its way to the front door. "I'm leaving!" She exclaimed as she opened the door and realized when she looked at her watch. A cackle escaped your throat all the way to your mouth when she realized that she's too early before her leaving hours. You snorted and snickered, "You seem so stupid when you're rushing."

"Shut up!" She closed the door and returned to the table, drinking her coffee, annoyed. You smirked, "That's what you get from what you did to me yesterday~" You sat on your chair at the table and thanked the food before eating.

At the same time, inside Starmony Dorm, Izumi ate the breakfast Niki made for everyone and ate alone in the dining area. He drank his miso soup from his cup and rice with his chopsticks. He seriously ate that his presence alone scared everyone.

All except one.

"Senaaaaa!" Leo exclaimed in the early hours of the morning that he nearly spat out the miso soup he just sipped from his bowl or choked on the rice that he just chewed.

"Leo, it's too early," Izumi reminded him after he gulped down his food and continued to eat. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Not when I asked Ritsu to prepare your personal favorite~" Leo revealed a bento box with various kinds, including the shrimps as the main attraction for the silver-haired idol.

"I'll take it out for lunch." Izumi said and he completely finished his meal and took his tray and left the table. Leo sighed and pouted as he sat on the chair, propped his elbows on the table and leaned on both of his hands. He sighed out and looked at Izumi, worried.

Last night, whenever no one was looking, he caught Izumi glancing at something with a sad look. It wasn't shown on his face but his eyes said it all and how he constantly sighs by exhaling air out of his nose. Whenever the topic is about the junior photographer, (Name), he remained quiet and ignored everyone and it was different from how he acted back then in his Yumenosaki Academy days as a student.

Leo's brow twitched while he watched Izumi placed the bowls and utensils in the dishwasher and placed the tray on the stack with a sad look in his eyes. Izumi's lips are formed on a thin line and his brows furrowed. The composer sighed and never hesitate to ask him one question that could make the model's facade falter.

"Is this about (Name) again?" A glass shattering was heard in the kitchen and Leo's eyes let out a glint when he guessed it right. "Don't forget that we'll meet her at the meeting later."

An idol passed by and turned their head when they heard glass shattering as it fell. "Senior Sena? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Leo..." Izumi turned around to face Leo from the kitchen as he glared. "Don't you have other matters to attend to...?"

Leo answered, "I'll be at the meeting later, Sena."

Izumi stormed out of the kitchen and took the neatly wrapped bento box off the table and left the dorm, fuming in anger.

Tsukasa sighed as he took a broom and a dustpan to clean the glass off the floor to avoid any accidents. He sighed as he swept the glass and looked at Leo, "You know, it's really wrong to cross the line, Leo."

"I know but I didn't mean to trigger him..." Leo sighed and slumped on the table, stressed because he stepped on a landmine named Izumi Sena.

You arrived at Ensemble Square on time and gulped down, nervous for what's about to come. You didn't bring Nyaitsu with you because you know that he'll disturb and distract anyone for the whole meeting. You fumbled your pocket, not used to the feeling of Nyaitsu not sleeping in your coat pocket. You could only sigh and try to inhale and calm yourself down as you entered the main entrance and stood at the lobby.

You sat on one of the benches lined up at the center of the lobby and waited. You were messaged by Arashi that someone will pick you up at the lobby and escort you to New Dimension agency's office. You felt glad that you have connections within Ensemble Square, even if it's someone from your past that you haven't met for a long time.

You waited for that person to pick you up and listened to the music with your earphones and hummed.

Your phone buzzed and you saw Arashi's contact name and she sent you a message, a notification showing on your screen.

My Queen

(Name), is your escort there yet?

He's coming there in a few minutes. Stay there.

You unlocked your phone and replied to her message.

Little Princess: Why? Who's picking me up?

My Queen: Can't say until he comes to the lobby.

Little Princess: He? Who's the "He"?

After a few seconds, Arashi didn't reply back. You felt nervous that you don't know who's picking you up and taking you to the agency office in Ensemble Square. Your phone buzzed that you nearly jumped out of your seat and looked at the message she gave you.

My Queen: Probably ur crush;)

You narrowed your eyes as you tried to decode what she meant and typed back, not dealing with her humor today.

Little Princess: Where did your proper typing go? Out of the window?

My Queen: Just wait, princess. Your beloved knight will be there to get you and take you to our castle>;)

Little Princess: Haha very funny, Rashi.

You rolled your eyes at the classic joke. Well, that can't be helped because it's a Knights thing. Arashi once told you in the message that they used that as an endearment towards their fans by addressing them in the status they wanted them to call as their loyal knights. You smiled when she said that. Now you know that it's often used in their songs, touching their fans with their lyrics.

You hoped that Arashi would come here to pick you up soon. You continued to listen to the song playing in your earphones and waited patiently.

At that moment, someone entered the main entrance and stopped at the lobby. His phone buzzed as he reached the lobby and fished out his phone from his pocket and the first thing he saw was the Knights' group chat at Hold Hands popped up on his notification screen. He raised his brow when he saw Tsukasa messaging his seniors, followed by Arashi telling the others that they chatted at the wrong group chat.

Knights | Operation: Photographer

Tsukasa: Where's Senior Sena? Is he there yet?

Arashi: Tsukasa, wrong chat.

Ritsu: Naru, it's not like he'll see it. Is (Name) there yet?

Arashi: For goodness' sake, Ritsu.

He deadpanned as he saw his name and yours in one notification and sighed. He looked up from his phone and saw you at the seats, sitting there and waiting for someone. He wanted to walk closer but he couldn't. He wanted to leave but he stayed there, staring at you from afar.

You turn your head to see who's at the lobby and your eyes widen to see that Izumi is there looking at you from the entrance. You stood up and checked your phone and Arashi messaged you that Izumi will pick you up at the lobby, followed by a winking emoji.

You returned your gaze on him and you saw him looking at his phone and sighed before putting it back in his pocket and walked towards you. You stood there and froze on the spot as he walked closer. He stood there, a few steps away from you and said, "I'm here to pick you up."

Surprised, you blinked twice and nodded. You took off your earphones and put them in your coat pocket. Izumi saw you nod and walked ahead of you and you followed behind him as he escorted you to New Dimension's office.

Izumi stopped at the elevator and pressed a button, making you stop behind him. He waited for the elevator doors to open and crossed his arms, leaning his weight on one leg and the other tapped its foot while waiting. You fiddled your leather strap with your fingers and waited for the doors to open.

As the elevator let out a ring, the doors opened. Izumi turned to face you and said, "Ladies first." You nodded and entered the elevator first, followed by him and pressed a button to close the doors and pressed seven to go up to the seventh floor. You felt the lift carrying you and Izumi up towards the destination and waited.

The whole ride felt awkward as you stood beside Izumi while you looked down on the floor and waited for the lift to stop. You closed your eyes and held your breath, waiting for that one small ring once again.

Izumi glanced at you, looking at you with a blank expression. He saw how you held the camera like your life depends on it. Of course, a photographer is not a photographer without a camera and it's the most important item in their occupation. He wanted to say something or reach you but in the end, he still did nothing.

You close your eyes until the elevator stops. Your body shook and lost your balance. You held your camera tightly on your hands as you tripped on your feet and tumbled backwards. Izumi saw this and immediately caught you in his arms to prevent you from falling to the floor and held you closer to his chest. You slowly opened your eyes when you didn't feel your back hitting the floor and the first thing you saw was Izumi, whose face is close to yours.

To you, it felt like time stopped when your gaze met his and locked. Your face is close to his in proximity that you could feel his breath touching your lips. You gulped down at the way he held you in his strong embrace and held your breath.

The elevator bell rang and the doors opened. Outside of the elevator, Arashi and Ritsu are revealed and the two knights gasped at the sight in front of them. Ritsu fished out his phone out of his pocket and took a picture before running away from the scandalous crime scene. Meanwhile Arashi, whose arms were once crossed, her dominant hand moved to cover her smirking lips with her fingers and snickered.

Izumi held you back up and asked you, "Are you alright?" You nodded and backed away, exiting the elevator, followed by Izumi who stood there beside you and placed a hand on his hip. He asked another question and looked at you. "You better be careful next time. You're not used to elevators?"

You wanted to nod but you shook your head instead and stood behind Arashi and hid away from Izumi.

"(Name), are you being shy again?" Arashi chuckled and patted your head. Izumi looked at Arashi, dead in the eyes. What did he do to make you shy away from him?

"Rashi... w-we should head to the conference room..." You tugged her sleeve and she nodded. "Right, right..." She turned her head to face Izumi and said, "We should go. She has other things to do after the meeting." She said and walked away with you in tow.

As the three of you were close to the NewDi conference room, Arashi looked at you and saw how shy you seemed. A light bulb popped out of her head and lit up when she thought of something to make you less nervous since it's your first meeting with Knights as their photographer for the project.

"(Name), do you want me to carry you?" Arashi asked you and you blushed a little and waved your hands in front of her. "Rashi, you don't need to."

"Come on, it's been years since I last did that to you~" She made grabby hands to tease you. Out of instinct, you grabbed her wrists and raised it up in the air. You two stopped walking and the both of you stayed in that position. Due to your gap in strength, she escaped your grasp and attempted to grab you by your waist. As she successfully caught you, she hoisted you up in the air and spun around like a parent carrying their child to see them smile and put you down on the floor.

"Rashi..." You laughed and giggled as she put you down on the floor and she hugged you and gave you a small squeeze.

"I can't help it. I missed this." Arashi chuckled and nuzzled her cheek on yours.

From being timid to laughing like a child. Your smile can brighten one's day. It can also turn one's cold aura to warmth. Heat is more stronger when made contact with the cold and it quickly spreads.

Your smile affected Izumi so much that he let out a small smile. It melted his cold heart but he knows that your smile was made by someone who is close to your heart that he glanced away, avoiding your smile. Izumi entered the conference room, hiding away his softened yet sad gaze with his cold glare once more.

Before Izumi entered the conference room, three other members of the same unit saw how Izumi looked away when he saw you smiling at Arashi. Ritsu yawned and Tsukasa sighed. Meanwhile Leo puffed out his cheeks and scoffed.

"See?! That's what I meant when I said Sena seemed sad whenever (Name) is involved!" Leo groaned and exclaimed as he sat on the couch and threw his hands to show the entire scenario to Ritsu and Tsukasa.

"So our Frost Knight's getting colder or warmer?" Ritsu asked and Leo answered, "Probably both. He's cold whenever (Name) isn't around and becomes warm when (Name) is around."

"Probably because of the fact that she's Izumi's childhood crush." Ritsu chimed in and stood up and lied down on the other couch in front of them. "Naru once told that to me once back then at practice last time."

"He what?" Tsukasa looked at Ritsu, taken aback at what the vampire stated. "Naru's words. Not mine." Ritsu yawned and replied before napping for the day.

As Izumi entered the conference room, everyone minded their own business in their own way. Leo composed on the floor, Ritsu napping on the couch, and Tsukasa looking at the papers given to him from a folder. Izumi looked at everyone in the room and gave them a look that he thought that everything seemed suspicious but none of them mind it at all. Actually, they felt his gaze as their movements stuttered and continued to ignore him.

Everyone in the room heard laughter from the outside and turned their heads to look at where the laughter came from.

"You're mean..." You pouted at Arashi and she only chuckled. "I'm doing what I can to make my princess happy~" You rolled your eyes at her statement and walked ahead as she opened the door for you to enter the conference room. "After you, my lady."

You smiled at her and said, "I appreciate your kind gesture, my dear knight." You curtsied and entered the room, followed by Arashi who closed the door and took your hand as she escorted you to the seats and sat beside you.

Tsukasa cleared his throat and spoke, "Now that everyone is here," He then turned to face you and continued, "We'll begin the meeting with our photographer for this collaboration project, Picture Perfect, with (Name) of YMSK Modeling Agency."

"P-Please to meet you..." You stuttered as you replied and you felt Arashi's hand on yours. You look up to see her amethyst orbs staring back at you as she softly smiles and rubs her thumb on your hand, calming you down.

You cleared your throat and spoke up, "Please meet you everyone. I believe that we met two days ago with I, as a junior photographer, who is under my senior's guidance. Since Suou mentioned my name, then there is no need for more details to be stated after the introduction."

He then passed the papers given to him by the vice president of the agency to you and read it quietly. It's a list of schedules and general information of every Knights member in detail and your schedule being the first one in the sheets of paper given to you. You blinked your eyes twice to see if your mind was hallucinating and shook your head but your eyes never lied to you today.

"Are you sure I'm supposed to have this...?" You asked Tsukasa and he nodded and answered, "Well, according to the information of the collaboration project, you'll be with us for a year starting this spring so you need those and it's important."

"I see..." You murmured and read the general information profile of each Knights member before the schedule. Arashi patted your shoulder and reassured you. "It's okay, (Name). How about this? You'll hang out with us Knights once we have the time. And oh, I want to introduce you to my circle. We always have shopping dates~"

"Including mine, too." Ritsu yawned and lay down on his side, his head leaning on his hand on the couch. "I can introduce you to my circle too and have tea together at the garden. In exchange, you'll be my pillow."

You nervously chuckled at Ritsu's condition and looked back to reading the profiles. Your gaze fell on Izumi's profile and gulped. It includes his occupation, his height, age, what unit he is in, and his preferences in general, which is his likes and dislikes.

Your gaze shifted to the handwritten information as it caught your gaze and you thought that it is not a part of the profile. The handwriting is a little messy but rushed and you stared at it, deeply.

Likes: That one junior photographer

You look up to face Tsukasa and you see him waking Ritsu up. Arashi leaned close to read the information profile and she snickered. She knew that it's someone's handwriting which is oh so familiar to her. She glanced at the sleeping knight and smirked.

"Did someone write on Mr. Sena's profile...?" You asked as you looked around to everyone. There was no response until Izumi took his profile in your hand and returned it to you. He blankly looked at you and crossed his arms. "So? What about it?"

What about it?

What about it...?

You were about to ask him when he immediately replied, "That's not my handwriting so you can ignore that." Izumi continued and returned to his seat. 

You blinked and nodded and returned your attention to your schedule on hand and read it. Your eye twitched when you saw Izumi's name being the first one to be seen on your schedule for this day, right after your free hour, which lasts until noon, after lunch break. He has time to meet with his friends at the circle he joined after your free time. You held your sigh, thinking that you'll be stuck with him for the rest of the day.

'Of all idols...' You held your sigh and hid your face behind the papers. "Looking forward to cooperating with you in this project, Mr. Sena..."

After the meeting, you sighed out, sipping tea on the couch while missing Nyaitsu's presence but you had to leave him behind because of work purposes. You're not working at the modeling agency right now and you're at a different workplace, where pets aren't allowed at all. 

Out of habit, you kept touching your coat pocket where Nyaitsu slept often and you let out a weak groan as you held your camera and looked at the pictures of the sweet kitty being left behind in your aunt's office. You really missed him, that you wanted to touch and pet him all day, that it brought you to the verge of tears and sipped your tea in silence.

"What's got you sighing, rookie?"

You nearly spat your tea that you gulped it down and choked and coughed as a result. You felt a soft pat on your back and a voice calming you down. "Hey, calm down. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

You look up to see Izumi looking at you, worried. That same feeling where time stopped came back once again the moment your gaze locked with his.

The cold gaze you often saw shifted to soft, warm gaze out of worry. Those eyes, the ones that have the perfect color of the blue sea, could make you drown if you dived in— the very same eyes that looked at yours made you feel that you might sink, drown, and die. It's so deep that you could barely reach the surface and fade in the depths of the deep dark blue sea.

Though that frozen time was of a short moment, you held your breath and closed your lips shut. You gulped down that lingering nervous feeling inside you down to your throat. You immediately looked away and nodded.

"I-I'm fine. No need to worry." You didn't turn to face him and still look away, avoiding him.

He sat beside you on the couch and asked you a question. "I heard that you became a photographer after you left the modeling agency." You nodded at his question. "And I heard that you're also an alumnus of Yumenosaki Academy." You nodded again.

You turned to face him and asked a question, "I heard that you kidnapped Makko at DDD, am I right?" Izumi tilted his head and asked, "Who's Makko?"

"Makoto Yuuki." Izumi paled and he winced, "I thought those news only stayed at the Idol Course..."

"Well, darn, Broadcasting Committee has a lot of ways of obtaining information." You blankly answered and shifted your attention to the camera and looked at the recent pictures you took.

He asked you another question, "Do you hate me that you always run away whenever I'm near you?"

You nearly dropped your camera at his question and you fell silent. You breathed in and out and turned your head to face him. "It's not that I'm scared... It's just because I messed up something..."

Izumi raised his brow and looked at you. You showed him a picture of Izumi on your camera and it's the accidental picture you took when he passed by at the seaside.

"So you were scared to show up because of that?" Izumi asked and smirked, "You never changed at all, (Name). You always took accidental shots and it seemed good to the eye whenever you did that."

"What do you mean by that?" You tilted your head and he answered, "Remember when you adjusted the camera's lens and pointed it to me when we're kids? When I turned to face you, that was when the flash came out. But when I look at the picture you took, it seemed like it was frozen in time. The picture didn't seem blurry at all when I moved or when your hands shook due to the camera being heavy because you're just a kid back then."

Your mouth opened slightly agape when he reminded you of the past. A blush dusted on your cheeks as you saw him smiling at the memory.

"Zumi, don't move..." You said as you held the camera and adjusted the picture quality with the lens and slightly pressed the shutter to focus.

"Hah? Why are you facing that camera on me—" Just as Izumi turned his head to face you, the flash came out of the camera. You panicked when he retorted that you pressed the shutter and the camera was too heavy for you to hold. "Ah, sorry!"

Izumi walked closer to your side and looked at the picture you just took. His eyes widened in surprise and in curiosity. He grinned and said, "Whoa. I didn't expect that it'll be a good picture, (Name)."

"Heh, how could I forget that? It happens all the time whenever you hold your uncle's camera." He snickered, making you flush in embarrassment. You gripped the camera on hand firmly and didn't say a word while reminiscing about the past. "Mr. Sena..."

He only chuckled and smiled. He patted your head and grinned as he muttered, "Sorry, I can't help it when it's you, (Name)..."

You looked at him and you were amazed at his smile. The smile he showed you is different from the one he used on stage and on TV shows.

His cold gaze became soft like the spring breeze. His sharp brows softened, making his gaze seem gentle to one's eyes. His lips curved into a soft smile, a smile that one will use when they look at something they love and treasure wholeheartedly and unconditionally. Your heart palpitated at the sight of his smile right in front of you. You wanted to move but the feeling of his hand on your hand made you melt into his touch and close your eyes as you leaned on his touch.

"Mr. Sena... mind letting me go...?" You murmured. You felt like you're getting soft like a cat, like how Nyaitsu will be like when he was petted by you. If you are a cat, you would purr and lean on their touch while they pet you and gently scratch your chin, the back of your ear, on your head, or rub their hand on your back. Izumi could practically see you as one when you softened at his touch.

"You really never change at all, (Name)..." He muttered as he removed his hand off of you and smiled.

"Aww~" You hear someone cooing and you turn your head to see who it is. It's Arashi holding up her phone and taking a picture of you and Izumi for the whole time. You deadpanned at your childhood friend and you saw the composer composing a song with his music sheets and a pen on the table. Ritsu grinned as he rested his head on his arms on the table and snickered, "We saw everything, Secchan. Don't deny it, okay?"

Izumi deadpanned and scoffed and turned away from you. "Whatever..."

"Fufu, Izumi, you seemed like you wanted to hug her when you petted her. So cute~" Arashi squealed as she cooed at how adorable the sight is to her. She covered her lips with her fingers and chuckled while holding her laughter.

The blush grew on your face and you shied away as you drank your tea from the can. Ritsu snickered when he saw the blush crept up to your cheeks and teased, "Secchan, go comfort your princess. She's all flustered now."

"Your Princess?!" You were red at this point that you brought Tsukasa's hair to shame. Izumi glared at Ritsu and clicked his tongue. "Let her be."

But not for long, Arashi sat closer to you and looked at you with a glint of mischief in her eyes. Her amethyst orbs look at you with intent, in a sly way. She leaned closer and engulfed you to a hug, holding you captive in her embrace.

"Ra— Arashi— Ms. Narukami?!" You stuttered as you tried to say her name when you addressed her at work. She whispered into your ear and said, "Let me tease him indirectly with you, okay?" If you saw her winking, then there's probably a star popping out as she winked.

Then, she began to pepper your face with kisses as she squeezed you tight. Your eyes widen because from the public view, it'll seem as scandalous but who can deny Arashi's affection when she is the sweetest being known in the world, rotting you from the core as she gave you diabetes due to how sweet she is.

"M-Ms. Narukami...?!" You are melting at this point. She is turning you into a putty in her hands. You began to ask yourself what she was implying and who she was indirectly teasing with.

"Naru, you're being unprofessional right now," Izumi crossed his arms and looked at her, nearly annoyed as he kept his serious expression on his face. But Arashi is still doing it and she gave him a smug look as she looked up and began to rock her body with you in her embrace. "Aww~ Can't I give your princess affection? I'm sorry, I can't help it because she seemed like she needed it~"

"I'm sorry but whose princess…?!" You exclaimed and blushed at the nickname Arashi gave you. This is the second time they called you Izumi's princess. You heard her chuckle that it made you jolt.

She then leaned closer to your ear as she asked you, "Am I right, (Name)?" You know you're not looking at her but you can see her half-lidded eyes and her mischievous grin from the back of your mind and that scared you as she looked at you darkly. You blinked twice and your lip twitched at her expression right now. Her voice sounds like she's telling you not to say or answer anything other than "yes". You could only nod and she squeezed you tight in response while nuzzling her cheek on the back of your head.

Izumi and Tsukasa just sighed. Arashi smirked and asked, "Jealous? Why not try doing this to her?" 

Tsukasa's cheeks were dusted with pink and Izumi scoffed, "I'd rather die." Izumi rolled his eyes and glanced at you for a moment. The way your face is covered by lipstick marks and how you blushed made it seem cute for one to see that Izumi nearly snapped. He begins to think of himself in Arashi's situation right now. He gritted his teeth and looked away.

"Suuchan, Naru's not talking to you, remember...?" Ritsu snickered at the blush on Tsukasa's face and grinned. 

"I-I know that." The young leader cleared his throat and looked away. Ritsu's grin widened and asked him, "Don't tell me you have a crush on our photographer here?"

Tsukasa's pink blush turned red, matching his hair. "I don't—" "Yeah, yeah, you have a crush on Anzu, aren't you?" Just as Ritsu ignored Tsukasa's denial, unfortunately, his blush grew the more he thought of you and him together.

Tsukasa Suou, the young leader of Knights, began to blush as he put his own hair to shame as his blush grew more red because the photographer named (Name).

"Senior Ritsu!" Tsukasa shouted at Ritsu but the vampire knight just napped, ignoring the garnet's words of denial. He clenched his fists as he glared and grimaced at Ritsu but he didn't want to catch a certain ginger's attention and turn away.

"Ahahahahahaha! Sena, you're blushing!" Leo laughed and let out a music book. "Thanks for the inspiration, Sena. You and (Name)'s flushed faces give me inspiration." He then began to compose a song in silence while watching his favorite love triangle trio being chaotic in front of him. 

The three other knights looked at the three of you. Arashi embraced you firmly in her embrace, looking smug as she looked at Izumi, who was glaring at Arashi and deep in her soul. His glare could bring a blizzard as gaze became colder and colder while you who seemed to be in a predicament in the midst of the borderline of warmth and coldness.

"Is a love triangle unfolding right in front of us?! Inspiration is overflowing!" Leo exclaimed as he laughed again and continued to write at another set of pages in his music book. "I'll name this... The Queen's Princess and The Icy Cold Knight!"

'Why am I being surrounded by them...?' You thought while you surrendered in Arashi's overwhelming affection and Izumi's cold stare. You glanced at the others, staring at you. Great, you've made yourself an audience. You grimaced and suffered internally in this war between Izumi and Arashi.

You've remembered that you always went to AOUMI back in your high school days after school or on summer vacation. You had no idea that this is one of the places that the circle Izumi is in has a meeting here— probably the 13th reason why your cousin always goes here even if she disliked going to places with aquariums.

A long, distressed groan left your throat as you walked your way towards AOUMI Aquarium's entrance. This time, you were scheduled to attend OCEANS' circle with someone at AOUMI Aquarium in the afternoon after 1. The task given to you is to take a photo of every circle meeting that every Knights member is in and you sighed.

Currently, you were being dragged with someone. Someone like...

"Stop falling behind. You'll be late for the circle photoshoot." An annoyed sigh left the model's lips as he pulled you by your wrist until the two of you arrived in front of AOUMI Aquarium's main entrance. "Aren't you supposed to get to know each unit member of Knights with this? So, please cooperate. You're so~ annoying, you know that?"

Yeah, now you know who it is.

Izumi dragged you all the way from Ensemble Square to AOUMI's entrance the moment he knew that you were fifteen minutes close to leave for Izumi and OCEANS photoshoot. All the way there, he huffed out a sigh whenever he mentioned that you're late on the schedule. The reason why you're late is because of Ritsu, who napped on your lap after Arashi left you alone with Ritsu and Izumi. 

"Sakuma— I mean, Ritsu, can you let go of me...?" You called the sleeping vampire knight and poked his cheek to stir him awake. As expected of Ritsu, there is no response from him. You sighed and attempted to gently shake his shoulders but the next attempt was futile. He is still asleep.

"Ritsu, can you please wake up? I am running late for Mr. Sena's circle meeting..." You shook his shoulders once again but there was no response. You sighed out once again and gave up.

You gently pinched Ritsu's cheek and as a result, he stirred in his sleep and wrapped your waist with his arms and held you close in his nap. You deeply inhaled and held your breath, close to wake him up out loud.

You are so close to snapping when you tried to shake Ritsu awake but Izumi carried you away from Ritsu just as he tried to wake the sleeping vampire, pissed for making you and Izumi late. Izumi carried you out of the break room in his arms, carrying you like a princess being protected by a knight. Since he saw a damsel in absolute distress, he couldn't help but to do so.

The moment you stepped inside the main entrance with Izumi, you bit your lip when you nearly forgot to wear your facemask. You often did this to hide your identity out to the public eye and to avoid unwanted attention. Also, you felt glad that you were known as the junior photographer of YMSK Modeling Agency and not as (Name). A chill went up to your spine when you remembered a memory that you oh so not wanted to remember and shook it off.

Just as you and Izumi entered the main entrance, you fished out your face mask from your pants pocket and quickly put it on. Izumi glanced and looked behind him, seeing you wearing a face mask on. He wanted to question it but he just shrugged it off and looked for his fellow circle members, who were waiting for him at the front desk at the lobby.

"Isn't that...?" A familiar blonde looked at you and Izumi from the side of the counter and he grimaced when he recognized you. "Geh...! It's (Name)..." The corner of his lip twitched and he nervously laughed. "Apologies, I-I have to go to the restroom..."

"Kaoru? Where are you 'heading' to?" A slow, wave-like tone asked Kaoru, who was about to leave and the blonde jolted, not knowing that he'll get caught with his former club president of Marine Life Club and his fellow OCEANS circle member, Kanata Shinkai of RYUSETAI. Kanata then continued to ask him, "Izumi is already 'here', you know...?"

The four other OCEANS circle members turned their heads to see you and Izumi walking closer to them. While their attention is on the model and the photographer, Kaoru disappeared from thin air, taking UNDEAD's name quite far to literal context.

Just as Izumi looked to see if everyone in OCEANS was here, he raised his brow in confusion and asked them, "Where is Kao? I thought he's excited to meet (Name)."

"Lord Hakaze is..." Souma glanced to see if Kaoru is behind him but to his surprise, the blonde is no longer there. Kanata answered, "Kaoru went to the 'comfort room'. He seemed a bit 'suspicious' today." He paused for a moment and continued as he shifted his gaze on you, "I think it's because of this 'photographer' here~"

"P-Please to meet you all. I'm (Name), Knights' photographer for the Picture Perfect Collaboration." You bowed and introduced yourself as a greeting and Kanata sloppily smiled. "Nice to 'meet' you, (Name). Welcome to AOUMI Aquarium. Puka puka~" He greeted back and he began to slowly sway his body as he waved his arms, acting like a jellyfish swimming underwater.

A smile was formed on your lips but it was hidden behind the mask and yet your eyes showed that you like this kind of unique greeting given to you. Suddenly, an exclaimed question was heard from someone you knew in the past, that made your eye twitch.

"A-Anzu?! What brings you here...?" You turn your head to see Kaoru talking to Anzu and he seemed to be... nervous? You fell silent, confused at how the huge flirt and infamous playboy of Yumenosaki Academy suddenly became a nervous wreck. You blurted out a question, "What happened to that guy...?"

Izumi turned his attention to you and answered, "Kao tried to change himself after Repayment Fes but it seemed like he started to act like a total idiot when Anzu was in the same room as him. He's trying to change from his past self but his constant flirtings towards that certain person is making him look stupid while being a stuttering and flustered mess." You couldn't help but to blink thrice out of pure surprise, taken aback at the huge change of the Kaoru of the past and the Kaoru of the present. You wryly smiled and thanked Izumi for the answer and looked back to Anzu and Kaoru.

You thought their conversation would last until Anzu turned her gaze at you and waved her hand to say "hi". Meanwhile Kaoru, the moment he looked at where Anzu's attention went to, he paled when his gaze fell on to your shy figure. Out of instinct, probably a habit of yours, you hid behind Izumi's back.

Checking to see if he's still looking in your direction, you peeked from Izumi's back to see if Kaoru is still looking at you. Just as you saw that he's still looking at you, shocked because a person from the past, his fellow alumnus from his previous Alma Mater is right here in the same place he is in, you quickly hid behind Izumi and became more timid than you always were.

For the first time in Izumi's life ever since the day of the collaboration project, you came closer to him of all people. He knows that if you chose to hide behind someone, it's always someone you're close with but him seeing you like this made his heart squeeze and internally screamed at how cute you looked. But he could imagine Makoto as you in this situation but it went worse when he looked behind him, seeing you hide behind his back like a cornered mouse.

From the distance, at one of the passages to the lobby of the aquarium, three pairs of eyes were taken aback that their jaw dropped, also aghast at the sight before them.

Tsukasa's words remained stuck at the tip of his tongue and he gulped. "Whoa, did Ms. (Name) just...?" He hid his mouth behind his hand, stunned at the sight.

Ritsu, who is wide awake after his momentary nap and is more awake when he sees you hid behind Izumi. "W-Wow..." He couldn't help but to be speechless as his eyes widened in surprise and snicker. 

"Well, it seems like we don't need to give Izumi a good push after this." Arashi on the other hand, recovered herself from shock and sipped the smoothie she bought at her date with Mika at Pretty 5's circle activity and recorded the whole scene with her phone. 

"Where is Tsukippi when we need him? He really needs to see this..." Ritsu sighed. Meanwhile, the composer in question is absent due to his fountain of inspiration overflowing and he has to remain stuck inside his dorm room.

The garnet haired knight sighed, "We have no other choice but to have his status as M.I.A. because his INSPIRATIONS is actually overflowing out of him, thanks to Ms. (Name) and Senior Sena..." He then facepalmed and looked back at OCEANS, who stood there, also surprised.

"Senacchi," Kaoru called the silver-haired knight's attention and continued after the long pause. "She's Knights' photographer?"

"And also Izumi's future girlfriend." Arashi continued Izumi's words under her breath and snickered.

Izumi nodded in response and answered, "And she's here to take pictures of every Knights member in their circle meetings, which is her current task this week." The others in OCEANS nodded at his answer and looked at you, who is clinging behind Izumi with your hands on his coat.

"You know, Senior Sena, you two seem like you're dating." Adonis couldn't help but to point out a certain thing between you and Izumi.

You leaned closer to him to hide your blush and your grip on his coat tightened. Izumi's face is dusted with pink on his cheeks that he huffed out and rolled his eyes in response. "Now, all of you, aren't we too late on the schedule? Let's just go." He said and he turned around to face you and held your shoulders and gently pushed you as you both walked away from them, avoiding further comments to be given to you and Izumi.

"Okay, it seems like Senpai didn't score a (Name) point today and Izumi is winning." Arashi commented and sipped her smoothie, near empty. She smirked and said, "Looks like it's an aquarium date but there's multiple potential third wheels."

"Nah, make it a fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh." Ritsu then grinned as he laid his eyes on Kanata, Adonis, Souma, Kaoru, and Anzu, who came along with you for the project. Ritsu then grimaced as he laid his eyes on Anzu. "Can't she just stay away for a moment? I need to see Izumi and (Name) together."

Arashi chuckled and answered, "Probably later. Let's just wait until they reach the souvenir shop. It'll be cute. I'm pretty sure of it."

The day with OCEANS went smoothly as expected. You took a few shots of Izumi talking to circle members while the rest of them are all solo pictures of him. Every time your lens faced Izumi, you felt a gaze behind you that you became paranoid, making you frozen in place.

But, during all of that, you couldn't help but to admire how beautiful the aquarium is. Though it's one of the well-known entertainment spots, it felt like the water healed you while admiring the fishes and other sea creatures swimming in the blue waters. The ocean world is still full of mysteries but seeing it in person makes your heart at ease.

Before everything else, Anzu gave you a brochure about the contents of the whole aquarium, including a map. You fish out the old brochure you have with you since last year and check every detail on the map. You were not surprised that things have changed in the area so you accepted the new brochure and kept the old one in your bag. The more time passes by, the more things change all around you so it's not a surprise.

You visited this aquarium often back in the good old days as a Yumenosaki student and you haven't realized what made you feel attached to this place ever since the day you took a step inside the building for the very first time in your life. Your frequent visits once started at that one quiet summer, sometime around after Tanabata Festival.

"Come on! It'll be fun, I promise!" A person from the idol course tried to convince you to come to AOUMI Aquarium with him. You raised your brow and asked him, "Why are you so persistent on taking me there to the aquarium, Hakaze?"

"I don't know anyone else who to invite with. Kanata gave me these tickets to the aquarium and there's two of these so I can't just waste it because of his kindness." He answered, then he begged you as he folded his hands and bowed his head. "So please, go to the aquarium with me tomorrow morning. Just for once. Does nine in the morning seem good? Nine-thirty? Ten o'clock?" You sighed after he begged you to go out with him.

You massaged your forehead and inhaled deeply and answered, "Fine... Meet me at the entrance at nine-thirty." 

Kaoru grinned in response and said, "Alright~ It's a date, then." You irked at the word "date" that you snapped and glared at him. "It is not a date, Hakaze."

The next day, you waited for Kaoru to show up while looking at your wristwatch. It's five minutes close to nine-thirty so you are pretty early from the agreed meeting time.

You grimaced when you thought about why you agreed to go out with Yumenosaki academy's infamous playboy. Somehow, you couldn't help but to let out a distressed sigh when he thought of coming to you and asked you to go out on a date with him.

'It's just a one-time date, self. It'll end once the sun sets...' You thought as you still waited for Kaoru. Speak of the devil, he's finally here, wearing casual clothes, fit for the autumn season. He wore a white cotton shirt and blue denim pants and black converse shoes. His name may translate into fresh breeze but the summer breeze blew his blonde, mullet hair gently, slowly waving from the wind.

"Did I make you wait, pretty?" Kaoru smiled as he looked at you. He looked at your outfit for the day, which is a white summer dress, paired with a blue denim tote bag. For your footwear, you wore brown slippers, fitting for the casual summer wear in the city.

You scoffed, "Isn't this the wrong time for an aquarium date in the summer, Hakaze?" You crossed your arms as you asked him. He chuckled and answered, "It's the right time for the date, (Name). There is a dolphin show at the grand pool at the outdoor area of the aquarium later. Of course, we have to stay close to each other so that you won't get lost in the area."

You narrowed your eyes at him and glared. Surely you know that he'll be sticking closer to you and wrap an arm on your shoulder or on your waist. You hissed, "I am not letting you lay a finger on me, Hakaze."

"Wow, that's some scary glare you got." He chuckled but you could see that he began to pale at the sight before him. Much deserved for the person who forced you to go on a date with him.

You rolled your eyes and turned away. "See you in never, Hakaze," And entered the aquarium as you waved your hand, holding your ticket and leaving him behind. You went to the front desk and gave your ticket in exchange for a brochure, containing a map and the contents of the aquarium's area. You let out a distressed sigh as you wandered around the aquarium alone, without Kaoru with you.

Distracting yourself from the memory, you shifted your gaze to look at the circle members but it only stayed at Izumi as his figure alone caught your attention. You couldn't help but to raise your camera to your head and face the lens on Izumi and click the shutter. You always take quick shots and this shot made your heart skip multiple beats.

The deep blue waters emitted from the aquariums' lights made his hair shine from the light, making stand out from your perspective. His icy blue eyes matched the color of the water, making you compare the hues of his irises to the waters of the blue sea. You shifted your gaze back to the actual scene in your point of view and back to the picture on your camera. 

Somehow, it made you think you fell for him more but you shook your head when you focused on the task at hand. You know that he is beautiful in all angles and it makes you have a full-hearted crush on him but you always roll your eyes whenever you ignore it and shrug it off.

Stage one: Denial. Welcome to the denial stage, dearie. Congratulations on denying your crush on Izumi Sena. You have two options: Pine over him or open out your feelings to him. Pick your poison. The effects will be less lethal when consumed but the consequences will be dangerous.

"Are you done admiring?" Izumi asked you and he smirked. "I know I'm beautiful but don't stand there idly. Let's continue to go around." Izumi walked off and you followed behind him, sighing because he somehow read your mind. You hoped that he didn't read your expression about your tiny crush towards him that grew overtime.

Meanwhile, back at Starmony Dorm, Leo continued to compose a song about the cold knight and the shy princess. While composing, he pouted like a child and scoffed, "I felt jealous... I hope (Name) will trip if she's too clingy at Sena..."

You let out a small sneeze, almost like a kitten sneeze. Your sneeze caught someone's attention and he turned his head to face you. He noticed that you didn't wear your coat. It was left behind when Ritsu clinged on you like a cat that you had no other choice but to strip it off of you when you escaped from his clingy embrace.

The idol in question wore your coat and let out a smug smirk. "Sorry not sorry (Name)..."

"Are you cold?" Izumi asked you and you shook your head. It's rare for you to sneeze when you're healthy like a plant, getting enough water and sunlight. "I'm not. Let's keep walking." You sniffed and rubbed your nose and walked ahead.

A hand on your shoulder stopped you from walking when you froze. You turn around to see who stopped you but it's just Izumi, who took off his coat that hung on his shoulders and placed it on yours, making you wear it, partially. A blush dusted your cheeks and for the umpteenth time, you thanked your mask for covering the lower half of your face.

"When it's too cold for you, don't force yourself and tolerate it. You'll get sick if you do so." Izumi said as he patted your shoulders after he adjusted his coat on you. "You don't want to get sick while working, don't you?"

His cold gaze became warm but his face remained serious. In terms of proximity, he is nearly close but far enough to give you space. If you could recall your first "date" with Kaoru, this is way too different. You are frozen, not because of this side of him being all warm in presence and gaze alone but because your idol crush, Izumi Sena, nagged at you like a worried mother while being affectionate to you in the most comforting way possible.

His gentle touch on your shoulders made you feel warm and fuzzy all over while covering your body with his coat and adjusting it for you, keeping you warm from the cold temperature from the air conditioning in the building. Somehow, his coat did make you feel more warmer the more your blush grew from an innocent pink to a flustered red.

You remembered how his actions contrasts to his snarky, cold, and intimidating behavior which is actually gentle, warm, and protective. His soft touch, his firm yet gentle hold, his protective embrace contrasts to his cold gaze and intimidating aura. You felt like a cat, wanting more of that warmth as you craved for it. You realize your thoughts that you shook it off and shy away.

You're so shy to face him that you quickly turn away from Izumi to hide your blush, that was creeping up to your face all the way to your ear. Steam probably began to come out of your ears when you felt it hot from the blush. You held your fist close to your chest to calm your palpitating heart, that is beating fast and loud.

"L-Let's just go. We don't want to keep them hanging around in the same place..." You briskly walked away after you said that to Izumi. Honestly, you wanted to bury yourself alive for being too shy towards him right now. Since you're acting all flustered towards him, the urge to bury yourself increases.

A small, shaky sigh exited past your lips as you walked past the other OCEANS circle members. Question marks popped out of their head in confusion while Kaoru's jaw dropped open. To him, it seems like Izumi is getting maidens while the blonde remains maidenless until the day he dies. At this point, Kaoru already knew that your heart was stolen by Izumi at first glance.

Izumi on the other hand, is stunned when you suddenly walk away all flustered. There is probably something he never knew about you ever since you first met him at the seaside back then.

It is obvious that Izumi couldn't hold his feelings longer, now that his long time abandoned feelings towards you now resurfaced, making it obvious towards Arashi, who has known him since childhood. As dense as an oil in an heterogeneous demonstration experiment, you never realized any of these small changes of Izumi's behavior and actions towards you from the others. You, on the other hand, never noticed it. You wondered if it's just the same Izumi you once remembered in the past and let it slide.

Arashi's grin widened while she hid behind the pillar. "My, my, seems like Izumi is close to realizing Princess' feelings towards him," She snickered and covered her lips to hide her grin while letting out a dark, mischievous aura that seeped out of her. "This'll be fun if he knew about this. I wonder how he'd react if he did know about it."

"But you know that it'll affect their career if Izumi knew, remember?" Tsukasa pointed out a fact about something that'll result in a taboo known in the entertainment industry. Ritsu yawned and answered, "But Secchan will reject her feelings in the end, of course."

Tsukasa couldn't help but to facepalm and quietly groan out, "You know, that will affect our progress in this COLLABORATION once it happens, remember? Let's just... leave them alone. If one of them begins to pine for the other, then let's just tolerate them by listening to their confessions out while hearing their lovesick sighs."

Arashi and Ritsu nodded at Tsukasa's suggestion and grinned as they faced each other. Both are looking forward to yours and Izumi's pining.

Back to the OCEANS circle members (plus you and Anzu). The group passed through the jellyfish section, where various jellyfishes float in the water like small clouds as they formed as clusters. Since the room is slightly dim, they began to glow.

"Jellyfishes who live near the daylight zone and at the twilight zone are bioluminescent. Examples of these bioluminescent jellyfish are the Moon Jellyfish. Some species of moon jellyfish are capable of bioluminescence, producing light through a chemical reaction in their bodies. This light is used for a variety of purposes, including attracting mates, deterring predators, and attracting prey." You read the fact about the jellyfishes in the brochure and your eyes sparkled. 

You shifted your gaze to the view of moon jellyfish swimming under the water, with the glass revealing the whole display. 'What a new discovery...!' You brought out your camera and made sure the flash was off. You pressed the shutter and took a picture of the beautiful sight in front of you.

You live your whole life by the land and at the city that you always went to the seaside to admire the blue crystallized waters, changing colors as the sun rises and falls to the horizon. You always love the sea but it pains you that you could only stay on land. 

You wished that when you can live for yourself, you'll live by the sea, admiring the sea breeze, carrying the sea's salty scent, brush your feet by the brushing waves, listening to it crashing and susurrates to the sea and back to the land. It is your greatest dream and you will make it come true with your own hands to the most of your abilities.

But at the same time, the waves scared you that you feared going to the water. The ocean is vast and wide, also deep. You feared that you'd drown once the waves washed you away from the shore. 

You always dreamed of yourself, under the surface, sinking down to the depths, desperate to call but the waters muffled your cries. Fear washed over you as you flail your arms and legs under the water, desperate to see the sky that was shown above the surface. 

The you in your dream suffered from the cold water, making you suffocate from the water entering your system and from hypothermia. Your eyes are dull and skin paler than a paper. You lost your life as you sank deeper into the deep, dark depths of the ocean.

Then, the deep, blue waters in your dreams made you remember his eyes. The more you gaze deeply, the more you sink deeper. You were scared to look at him or face him. And yet, those arms that held you and embraced you made you feel like he dragged you out of your despair under the waters' surface. You were saved, by him and him alone.But those arms that hold you close to an embrace, the hands that gently touched you, treated you like a princess or a friend made you think otherwise. Those hands of his reached you from the depths and pulled you back to the surface, saving you from the suffering you've lasted.

"A-Anzu," You turned your head and called the producer. "Can you hold my camera for me?"

"Of course." She replied. You gave your camera to her. You placed it on her hands and put the strap around her neck, letting it hang loose. You smiled and thanked her, "Thank you, Anzu." You return to the tank where the jellyfishes are and admire them. 

The sea is indeed full of wonders that you couldn't help but be amazed by the sight. You gently placed your hand on the glass tank as your eyes glinted in amazement and your mouth slightly agape. You took off your mask from your face and continued to admire the beauty of the sea jellies floating under the water. A soft smile forms on your lips as you exhale out, breathless at the sight.

Unknown to you, a click coming out of the camera was heard as you were in a trance, your mind in a fleeting reverie was broken when the click was heard. You blinked your eyes, sending you back to reality. You slowly turn your head to see Izumi with a camera on hand, the lens facing you as the camera hides his face. You could see the smile on his lips when he lowered the camera down to see you, now looking at him.

"I can finally see why you look more beautiful with a smile on your face, (Name)," He complimented you with a soft smile on his face. His cold gaze was no longer there. His gaze radiating with gentle warmth, matching his sincere smile.

You do know all too well that once your gaze is locked with his, the time stops. And for the first time, your heart palpitated at his smile alone. His compliments made your heart flutter. "What's making you shy away from that smile of yours when you tend to avoid one's gaze or hide behind the mask?"

"I love seeing you smile. So please, will you smile more often... for me?"

A blush grew on your cheeks as he complimented your smile and asked you to smile more often for him. You turn your head and shyly look away, while hiding your stutters inside your throat as you cover your mouth with your hand. For the first time in your life, you heard those words that are full of genuinity and kindness, not the ones you often heard in photoshoots when you're being taken a photo of.

And for the first time, Izumi is the first person to tell you those words out of pure kindness.

"Th-Thank you, Mr. Sena..."

After the whole photoshoot tour around the aquarium's indoor area, the group arrived at the souvenir shop, the last and final destination before ending the day. Kaoru felt so tired that he sat on the bench near the souvenir shop with Souma comforting him and Adonis gave the brunette a bottle of water to drink.

"It seems like Rei's stamina loss rubbed off on me..." Kaoru sighed, earning a sneeze from the self-proclaimed vampire in RhythLin office, concerning his glasses-clad companion.

Your eyes widen at the sight of the merchandise lined up on the shelves from the outside of the souvenir shop. Your eyes sparkled at the sight, almost beating the sparkling lives of Trickstar. You shake your head to remove the temptation and look around to see Izumi is nearby and see if he's still holding your camera. You paled when you didn't see him around and nearly panicked.

A tap was felt on your shoulder that you jolted. You immediately turn to face who tapped your shoulder and it's just Izumi, holding your camera in his hand.

"Something wrong?" He asked and your hand shakily pointed at the camera on his hand.

"Ah, right. Apologies," He placed it on your hands, ready to hold your camera and hang the strap on your neck. You thanked him and immediately zoomed away to take pictures quickly since Izumi is near his fellow companions in the circle, starting from the circle members resting by the bench to taking solo shots of them.

After taking pictures for a moment, you saw Izumi entering the souvenir shop. You tilted your head in confusion and discreetly trailed behind him.

Anzu caught a glimpse of you entering the souvenir shop and went to the entrance to check on you and see what you were doing. Just as she peeked from, her eyes stared and widened in surprise. The producer couldn't help but to blink at the sight and shook it off when Kanata leaned behind Anzu and peeked on what caught the producer's attention at the souvenir shop. A smile formed on his lips and watched at the sight before them.

At the plushies section, you secretly took a picture of Izumi looking at the plushies that took the form of marine creatures, mostly on cephalopods and marine mammals, especially dolphins and whales. While you're taking a picture of him, she couldn't help but to wonder what made Izumi so deep in thought while looking at the plushies he had on hand.

Izumi wandered by the shelves where the plushies are and pondered, 'I wonder what does (Name) like...?' He thought as he looked at the dolphin plush sitting on the shelf. He took it and held it in his hand and reminded him of something, 'Kao once mentioned that she went to the dolphin show here last year at summer constantly that time...'

'Wait. Why am I thinking of (Name)'s interest in sea creatures?! This is not you, Izumi!' He shook his head and looked back at the plush on his hand. 'Somehow, dolphins remind me of her back then... Playful, talented, obedient, and eye-catching. Right now...'

Izumi returned the dolphin plush to the shelf and glanced at the octopi plushies beside the whale plushies. He let out a small smile and whispered, "She's pretty and shy and aloof."

Somehow, while taking a picture and observing him quietly, you began thinking of giving him something, like a keychain or a phone charm but you know that he is not interested in such items. Until your mind thought of giving a plush that reminded you of him but you honestly don't know what kind or shape or form you would give to him as a gift or a mark of gratitude.

'Is a jellyfish plushie a good gift for him?' You thought as you subconsciously went to the other side of the plushie shelves' marine sea jellies section, opposite to where Izumi is. 'What about a whale...?'

You shook your head and moved on to the next plush near you. "What is shiny and silvery like...?" You muttered under your breath until you saw a gray dolphin plushie, with a pearl on its snout, showing like it's playing it. 

'I think I found one...' You thought as you picked up the dolphin plush and hugged it and nuzzled your face on the soft plush. You let out a joyful hum when you feel how soft the plush is on your arms. It's so soft like a marshmallow or a fluffy pillow. A contented sigh leaves your system as you indulge yourself with the plush toy in your arms.

You felt someone looking at you and you turned your head where it came from. Your cheeks were dusted with a shy blush as you saw Izumi holding a phone on one hand while the other holding an octopus plush with the color coincidentally matching his eyes that is blue.

A blush crept up to your cheeks as you hid your face behind the plush. Flustered, you shy away and stutter out, "Y-You didn't see anything...!" You then turn away, avoiding his gaze. He replied, "I don't. Really." You prayed to Mother Earth to take you alive and become one with the soil.

Unknown to you, he took a picture of you with his phone. He couldn't help but to take a picture of you when you're hugging that plush. It's cute, he thought. He put his phone back in his pocket and followed you to the counter to purchase the octopus plush he had on hand.

'I felt like I wanted to perish...' You thought as you scurried away and went to the counter to pay for the plush. You placed the plush on the counter and purchased it just as you gave your money to the cashier on the exact price of the plush. You took the paper bag on the counter and exited the souvenir shop.

You walked your way towards Anzu's side and let out an anxious, shaky sigh. Your sigh startled the producer and asked you, "Are you alright? You seem to be in distress."

"I am not a damsel in distress..." You retorted and sighed out, "I'm just... in a rush..."

The producer saw how you have blue, red, and white on your face that it concerns her. If you're wearing your face mask, then she could only see blue and red. She shrugged it off and nodded as she hummed in confusion to your strange behavior.

She looked behind you and saw Izumi walking out of the shop with a paper bag in hand, carrying from the handle. Seeing that the time of the circle meeting is coming to a close, she asked out, "It seems like we're done for the day. Is there anything else you wanted to do before leaving the aquarium?"

You looked at Kaoru who nervously looked away from Anzu and shook her head, Souma holding a small turtle plush on hand, also shaking his head, Adonis holding a bottle of water for himself since he gave the rest of the bottles of water to the others and answered no, and Kanata shook his head and answered, "It seems like there is 'nothing' else we could do here since we're all done going 'around' inside the aquarium." Everyone nodded at Kanata's reply and all left the aquarium to return to Ensemble Square.

The moment everyone exited the aquarium's doors, they were greeted by the twilight sky. They all didn't realize that it's finally dark outside that they spent too much time together in the aquarium's indoor grounds. Everyone then chatted about their day and what happened the day before as various reactions were done by each person.

"Anzu, do you remember that time when Senior Hakaze—"

"Adonis, let's not talk about me right now..."

"Well I remember when Kao—"

"Senacchi, don't."

As you listened to their conversation, you couldn't help but to smile. Seeing that Izumi made friends with someone other than Knights and Makoto. You could remember that he always clinged on Makoto often and never forget the fact that Izumi kidnapped Makoto once on the day of DDD, making the whole unit disqualified in the event.

Shaking that aside, you can see that he changed from his personality but his cold demeanor became warm the longer he spent time with Knights. That thought alone made your smile widen and made you remember that you forgot to put your face mask on. You put your face mask out from your pants' pocket and wear it on your face.

Distracting yourself from your thoughts, your gaze shifted to the city lights as you walked on the path. The night life in the city is so bright, just like the lives that were often held at Ensemble Square. You couldn't help but to let out a quiet smile curved on your lips.

Your momental trance lasted short when an arm pulled you and dragged you beside him. "Don't get too close to the side street. You'll get hurt." You then realized that Izumi pulled you to the opposite side away from the street and close to him. His arm wrapped around your shoulder and held you protectively.

You were flushed due to the proximity between you and Izumi that your breath became visible as you breathe. You two kept walking, close to each other while Izumi kept you warm from the spring's cold weather. "I-Izumi, aren't you too close?" You stuttered and he turned his head to look at you. He warmly smiled, "So you finally said my name. I've been waiting for you to call me that."

"I— I mean..." Your voice faltered as you kept locked gazes with him. Izumi's arm on your shoulder is firm, firm enough for you to back away from him. And yet, you didn't. "You mean, what?" He let out a small smirk and you looked away.

"L-Let's just go..." You walk ahead, releasing yourself from his hold and he follows you behind. He put his free hand in his pocket while his other hand held his paper bag and smiled as he saw you walking ahead from everyone. You hugged your paper bag close to you and pressed the lower half of your face as you hid your pout behind it.

Kaoru gritted his teeth and shed tears as he clenched his fist, feeling proud for his best friend for making a move on the girl he met after a long time. Kanata can only think of two seahorses in love when he sees you two close to each other. Souma's eyes glinted in astonishment when Izumi pulled you closer to him, as if he's protecting you from harm. Adonis and Anzu only smiled.

You began to summarize the events that occurred today from the Ensemble Square to the aquarium and back. Firstly, you thought about what happened to Ensemble Square, starting from the part where he escorted you from the lobby all the way to the 7th floor of ES building and saved you from your lightweight fall when the elevator stopped. Next, he gave a pat on your head and his aura became warm, warm enough for you to feel as he put aside his cold demeanor towards you. 

For the events that occurred between the two of you at the aquarium, it started when he offered you his coat against your will but he did that to keep you warm. Next, he took a picture of you when you smiled at the moon jellyfishes at the jellyfish exhibit. And lastly, he acted like the gentleman he is by pulling you away from getting close to the street. What's next? Walking you back to your home? You wouldn't know.

Too flustered and shy to let anyone close to you, you briskly walked away from the group. Seeing that you walked fast and a few steps away from everyone, Izumi followed you as he walked behind you including Anzu, making sure you won't fall or break anything on you.

"(Name), wait for us!"

"(Name), don't run off like that! You'll hurt yourself!"

The other three members of Knights gave up on spying on you and Izumi when all of you rested near the souvenir shop. All of them returned to Starmony Dorm and called the composer to form a meeting with him at the common room.

Serious in the face, they all formed a conclusion as they looked at each other, each holding a whiteboard in their hands.

Tsukasa looked at his seniors holding a small whiteboard in hand and uttered, "Everyone ready?" The rest of them nodded as they held their own whiteboards.

"Now!" At his signal, they all flipped their own whiteboards to reveal their answers.

"Let's watch over the two while their relationship progresses."

"More inspiration to write."

"New tea to spill to FLAVOR."

"Leave them alone."

At this point, one of them gave up as they let out an exasperated sigh.

W/N:

Bro is too gorgeous that I use Taylor Swift's gorgeous in every fic possible... (Including my Valentine's Day Hiiro fic). Might as well as use Enchanted next time... *sigh*

Taglist: @thelocal-idiot​

[rewordthis]

Episode 7: Evening Festival • My boy Muta… if you’re going to inform someone about an impending fucking disaster, then fucking do THAT! Since you couldn’t communicate with the outside world by telecommunications if your stupid technique still works, then by all means find a moment to let yourself unguarded to talk to Miwa!!! How stupid can you be??? Everybody’s safety is both depending on you and is greater than you and if you’re going to be left wide open just to activate your remote puppet then do it! I honestly consider the whole activating ultimate mechamaru time as enough wasted time to sent out a signal or better to hold it off until you gave the info at someone at school. Heck write it in a note??? Something! Don’t go off believing you’re able to defeat special grades, baka! (Am I the stupid one for saying all that? Maybe. But in my life I have learnt that if you’re going to do something, you twist yourself and do it if you must!) • Why is Geto called Geto??? Aren’t these guys in the know that Geto was executed the previous year??? What the actual… Was it kept under wraps that Gojo killed Geto? Only the Tokyo school knew that? I have a feeling Utahime would freak out if she saw Geto walking the streets and talk to Gojo straight up, just like everybody from Tokyo Tech, too. I can’t imagine Nanami going “Geto-san” upon seeing him. He’d definitely ask who on earth he is!? But then again I don’t know. Japanese have some quirks about name calling so… 😗 • Nanami ‘cockblocking senior act’ full Domain Expansion! I had a flashback of Gojo going “it’s not worth acting like a senpai around you”, when he put ice on Ino about trying to act like a senior to Megumi. lmao

• Nanami asking about Gojo. That’s it. That’s my whole point. I rest my case. • Naobito’s moustache springing back in place gave me a hysteric laugh for a moment. Bro! • Nita’s wearing earrings?! Since when? Was she on a date when they got called in??? 👀 • And what was that Nobara? Stop flirting with Maki during briefing, girl! Geez~ • Kusakabe speaking got me teleported into Antique Bakery. No, I can’t do this! I can’t concentrate in Jujutsu Kaisen, now! Get this Devilish Gay out of here, please!!! I’m crying!!! 🤯🤣😭 And he’s even popping a lollipop in his mouth… what the hell, man! You must be getting along with Gojo?! Do you all but Nanami and Shoko run on sugar???🫠 • Gojo finally arriving at Shibuya at 20:31 while everybody else was in place since 20:14… You’re late again, Gojo! Unfashionably so! あ，ごめん。✋ With the exception of Nanami’s scene (PO) this started pretty underwhelming, didn’t it?

Also; Megumi, what?

[obeymeoasis]

Demon Bros React: MC Is Insecure

Warnings: mentions of insecurity surrounding body image, physical appearance, self-worth.

Lucifer

It was the day after a party Diavolo had thrown at his castle. You had had fun for the most part, dancing with the brothers and eating delicious foods prepared by Barbatos. 

But you also remembered how it had felt to look around the room and realize you were surrounded by gorgeous demons, not a single flaw on anyone’s face. Doubt and insecurity had begun to creep into your mind, and that feeling had carried over into the next day.

You had only talked briefly with Lucifer at the party because he was too busy interacting with Diavolo’s guests. Every time you tried to catch his eye, you noticed how beautiful whoever he was talking to was and found yourself swallowing down your greeting.

Currently Lucifer was at his desk like always, scribbling down notes and shuffling through papers. You brought him afternoon tea and sat reading in one of his armchairs to keep him company.

You had been telling yourself that you were going to ask him the question that was burning in your mind, but an hour had already passed since you first came in. You tried to distract yourself with your book but the words were fuzzy on the page. Finally, you spoke. “Luci?”

He didn’t look up from his desk when he answered, “Yes, love?”

“Do you... do you ever wish I was more beautiful?”

The scratching of his pen stopped immediately and Lucifer lowered the papers he was holding to show his face, a carefully blank expression revealing nothing. “What exactly do you mean by that question?”

“I mean exactly what I asked. Do you ever wish I was more beautiful? More attractive? As the Avatar of Pride have you ever been... embarrassed to be seen with me?”

At this Lucifer’s expression grew cold and furious. “Has someone... made you feel this way? Has someone made you feel as if you are inadequate?” You shook your head sadly and whispered, “No, just my own brain.”

“Ah, I see. Well pet, I don’t ever wish you were more beautiful because you are the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen. So it would be physically impossible for you to be more beautiful than you are now.”

You snorted. “Luci, that was so cheesy. Your brothers would throw up if they heard what you just said.” Lucifer’s lips quirked up in amusement. “Well, I’m glad I was able to make you laugh. And I do mean what I said. I’ve never once felt embarrassed to be with you; you are my pride, the source of my happiness. If anyone were to suggest otherwise, I would gladly kill them.”

“Luci, we’ve been over this. You can’t just kill everyone who is mildly rude to me.”

Lucifer went back to working on his papers but there was a gentle smile on his face. “Darling, you’ll find that I definitely can. I have a permit.”

Mammon

You were regretting tagging along to one of Mammon’s photo shoots. At first, it seemed like a fun idea getting to look at all the clothes, makeup, and jewelry. Plus, you really wanted to see what Mammon was like when he was working professionally. 

It was fun at first, you cooing over how handsome Mammon looked in his outfit and watching him get all flustered and blushy. But then the actual photoshoot started and you watched as Mammon posed with a stunning model.

You tried to not let your insecurities get the best of you. You were here to support Mammon! But as the shoot progressed you couldn’t help but start to compare yourself, keeping track of how they were more beautiful and you more flawed. 

The photographer stopped to take a break and Mammon immediately bounced over to you. “MC, did you see me? How does it feel to watch the Great Mammon in his natural element? I look good, don’t I?”

You caressed Mammon’s cheek and feigned a bright smile. “You were amazing Mammon! You look so handsome. And this is such a cool outfit!” But Mammon was somehow always able to tell when you were faking a good mood and he frowned. “MC, is something wrong? You look sad. Did something happen?”

You opened your mouth, an excuse ready on your lips, but found you couldn’t lie right to Mammon’s face. You gestured toward the model who was talking to their manager in the corner. “Do you ever wish I looked like that?”

Mammon cocked his head, confused. “Do I ever wish you had blue hair? Not particularly? Although now that I think about it, blue hair would look cool on you too.”

You sighed. “No, I mean do you ever wish I looked like a model? Sexier? Or prettier?” Mammon thought for a moment, processing your question, and then frowned. “Oh no no no. Treasure, what’s this all about? What happened?”

“Sorry Mams, I didn’t want to distract you while you’re working. I just got really low and insecure all of a sudden. Started thinking about how you should be with someone really beautiful, you know? And sometimes I feel like that’s not me.”

Clearly upset, Mammon rushed to give you a crushing hug, tucking your head underneath his chin. “MC I- I wish I could beam my thoughts into your head. That way you’d really believe me when I say that you’re so precious to me. Every day I wake up and think about how lucky I am to be with you.”

You chuckled a little. “I do put up a lot with you, don’t I.” Mammon gently smacked you on your back. “Hey! I’ve been good lately! But seriously MC, you are stunning. You are gorgeous. And it’s okay if you don’t believe me right now because- because I’ll tell you as many times as you need me to! I’ll tell you a thousand times a day! A million times!”

You tried to blink away the tears in your eyes and held onto Mammon even tighter. “Thanks Mams, I love you so much.”

“Love you too treasure. Your first man’s gonna take care of you, don’t you worry about a thing.”

Leviathan

Usually you liked watching anime with Levi; it was one of your favorite things to do together. Levi was always more happy and lively when watching with you because he was able to express his opinions freely without judgment. And you thought it was adorable how excited Levi got over his favorite characters and storylines.

Today, you were snuggled together on some cushions re-watching an episode of “The Magical Ruri Hanai: Demon Girl”. At first you were enjoying the episode, laughing as Ruri got used to the oddities of the human world. But Levi’s repeated comments about how cute Ruri-chan was, which you usually never minded, started to bother you a bit.

You took a quick glance around the room, noting Levi’s enormous collection of Ruri-chan posters, figurines, and other merch. Levi tapped you on the knee, interrupting your thoughts. “MC, you’re missing the best part! What are you looking at?”

You sighed a little, struggling to act nonchalant. “Sorry Levi, it’s nothing. I’m still watching.” Frowning, Levi paused the episode and turned to look at you. “Hey, what’s up?”

Taking a deep breath, you said “Levi, I’m not Ruri-chan.” He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Yes... I know?”

You continued, “I don’t look like Ruri-chan. Does that bother you?”

“Does it bother me... that you don’t look like an anime character?” He repeated the question slowly, as if you had asked him the strangest question in the world.

Frustrated, you blurted out “I don’t look like Ruri-chan! I’m never going to be as cute as her!”

Levi looked completely bewildered, his eyes wide and staring at you in confusion. “B-But you are cute! MC, w-what are you even talking about?” 

Embarrassed at your outburst you looked down at the floor silently. Levi scooted over toward you so that your knees were touching and he waited until you broke the silence. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m good enough. I think maybe you’d like it if I looked cuter or acted cuter, like the characters in anime.”

Levi hesitated for a moment before quickly grabbing onto your hand, blushing furiously as he did so. "MC, I-I already think you're c-cute. Really really cute. So don't say things like that. And also, I like you because you're you! Not because you're like someone else."

"And you make me really happy. I'm just a gross otaku. I never thought I'd be able to... to find someone like you. Someone who accepts me."

He tried to lock eyes with you but blushed even harder and stared at your joined hands. "Plus, I couldn't to-touch an anime character. But I can touch you. I can hold your hand or give you hugs whenever you need it, o-okay?"

You leaned your head onto Levi's shoulder and closed your eyes, letting the peaceful silence wash over you.

Satan

You were accompanying Satan on a trip to one of his favorite stores: an antique shop that sold all manner of rare books and artifacts. The owner, Ms. Sparrow, was a friend of Satan’s and she welcomed the two of you wholeheartedly.

Today, she looked as gorgeous as she always did. Her chic pearl dress and matching silk gloves shone against her dark skin. Not a curl in her hair was out of place and even the click-clack of her heels on the floor seemed melodious somehow.

You left Satan to look at the books and went wandering off into the various aisles of the store, marveling at all the bits and bobs. In one of the over-stuffed corners you happened to find a glittering silver key on a red velvet ribbon. Taking it in your hand, you went back through to show it off to Satan, wanting to ask him what he thought it opened.

But Satan was busy chatting and laughing with Ms. Sparrow. You watched the two of them for a moment and noticed how well they complimented each other. Both had a certain poise, a kind of confidence and certainty in their movements.

On your walk back to the dorms, you were unusually quiet and Satan noticed. “Pet, is something the matter?”

You hesitated, wondering if Satan was going to find your insecurity childish. “Satan, I’m not very....elegant.”

“Yes, I know. You choked on a piece of bread yesterday. The day before that you tripped over absolutely nothing and fell down.” He smiled, expecting for you to get riled up, but it fell when he saw that you looked dejected. “Love, what is the matter? Have I upset you?”

You avoided his gaze. “Sometimes... sometimes I wonder if I bring you down by being with you. I feel like you deserve someone elegant and sophisticated. Someone who matches you. But I’m not. I’m clumsy and messy and not perfect, like Ms. Sparrow.”

Satan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Ms. Sparrow? What does she have anything to with this?” He turned you around so that you were facing him. “Pet, please look at me. I love you. And I’m not with you in spite of you being clumsy or messy. I love you because you’re clumsy and messy, because those are parts of you and I love all of you.”

He leaned down to press his forehead against yours. “And why would I need someone perfect? Am I perfect? Yesterday you saw me screaming at my cup because I accidentally spilled some tea and burned my finger.”

You shrugged while giggling, “I thought it was a perfectly reasonable response.” You wrapped your arms around his and buried your face into his shoulder. “Thanks, Satan. You always know how to make me feel better.”

He reached down to give you a gentle kiss. “Anytime, love. I’m always here for you.”

Asmodeus

Asmo has a lot of fans across all his social media accounts. That was made perfectly clear the first time you went on a date with him outside. Sitting in the trendy coffeeshop, several people had come up to ask him for a picture or an autograph. He was never shy about you and always introduced you as his sweetheart, cooing about how beautiful you were. 

Some days it was okay. You loved seeing the bubbly social-butterfly side of Asmo. He was always so sweet to everyone who came up to him and genuinely enjoyed meeting new people. But other days, your insecurity rose up like a huge wave and dampened everything.

This particular day you were shopping with Asmo in a new boutique that had opened up. You were aimlessly flicking through the racks of clothes when you heard a large squealing.

Two demons ran up to Asmo, talking and gesturing excitedly. You could make out that they followed him on Devilgram and were asking if he was willing to take a picture with them. These demons were some of the most attractive beings you had ever seen. Their clothes were incredibly stylish and their hair and makeup were done flawlessly.

Looking around the shop, in all of the full length mirrors you could see the reflection of Asmo and his beautiful fans. And you looked out of place, like a puzzle piece that didn’t fit in at all. 

Tearing up, you grabbed a random pair of jeans off the rack and ran into a changing room. You turned away from the mirror, not wanting to look at yourself, and took deep breaths to try and keep from bursting into sobs. After a few moments Asmo began looking for you, having finished taking pictures. “Sweetheart, are you changing? Let me see what you’re wearing when you’re done!”

At the sound of his voice you burst into tears and your attempts to muffle the noise were futile. Outside the door, Asmo’s voice sounded panicked. “Darling, are you okay? What’s the matter? Please come outside, whatever it is please let me help you!” You hesitated, not wanting to face him, but this made him even more frantic. He started jiggling the doorknob and knocking on the door.

You opened it, afraid that he would accidentally break the doorknob leaving you trapped inside. As soon as he saw you he gathered you in his arms and began making shushing noises while smoothing your hair. “Sweetheart, why are you crying? Please talk to me, please tell me what’s wrong.”

You tried to get the words out in between sobs and hiccups. “A-Asmo, don’t you want someone m-more beautiful? Someone who-who looks g-good with you?” Asmo paused for a moment, processing your words, and then his eyes burned with anger. “Sweetheart, did one of my fans say something mean to you? Did someone make you feel like this?”

You shook your head vigorously. “No, just me.” Asmo breathed a sigh of relief at hearing no one had harrassed you and resumed smoothing your hair. “Oh, darling. You ARE beautiful. You’re stunning, sweetheart. I wish you could see the way I saw you, how adorable and gorgeous you are. And I understand that there are going to be days when you don’t believe me, when you feel like you’re not. But at least don’t go through those days alone, okay?”

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak without tearing up again.

"Now, let's go get some ice cream. We can eat it while taking a bubble bath."

Beelzebub

You weren’t really sure why Beel liked you coming with him to the gym all the time, even if you didn’t exercise. He said your presence was calming and that it made him focus better, which was odd because a lot of the time you just sat on an unoccupied machine and scrolled through your D.D.D.

Today was much the same, with Beel running on the treadmill and you watching some videos. The gym was pretty empty, just a few students exercising here and there.

Your eyes drifted to Beel who was running without even breaking a sweat. His body was all solid muscle: his arms, legs, and abs looked perfectly chiseled and toned. Last week you accidentally ran into Beel in the hallway and it felt like you had smashed into a brick wall. Beel, on the other hand, was completely fine.

You began to wonder what Beel thought about your body. He could be pretty handsy at times and he wasn’t shy in his affections. But what if there was something he didn’t like? Something that he thought needed changing?

He’s never mentioned anything about exercising to you before. But you thought back to the students you had seen in this gym: all of them were extremely fit with incredible bodies. You couldn’t help but start to compare yourself to them and think that maybe you were lacking.

Just then, Beel finished his run and walked over to you. You weren’t sure what kind of facial expression you were making but it seemed enough to concern him because he asked, “MC, is everything okay?”

“Hey Beel... do you ever wish I had a nicer body?”

He squinted in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘a nicer body’?”

“I don’t know... just better. Whatever nicer looks like for you.”

Beel was quiet for a moment, thinking. “No, I've never wished for that before. I still don't know what you mean by 'nicer'. I love you. And I love your body because its yours. The only thing that matters to me is whether you’re happy. And as long as I'm still allowed to touch you, then I'm happy.”

He looked at you nervously then, biting his lip. "Am I... still allowed to touch you?"

You laughed and reached to give him a hug, loving how safe it felt in his arms. "Of course, big guy. Thanks for making me feel better. You always know what to say."

Beel flushed with pride and closed his eyes in happiness, leaning into your hand as you patted him on the head.

Belphegor

You knew you were dreaming because you were sitting in a R.A.D classroom surrounded by fellow students, but you couldn’t focus on any of their faces. They were blurry, as if someone had smudged them like an artist had smudged some charcoal.

You were at your desk, looking around the classroom, when as if on cue all of the students began to slowly gather around you. They stood there silently for a moment, unmoving, and you felt a shiver go up your spine. 

And then one by one the students began to hurl insults at you.

“You’re not good enough. Not good enough for Belphegor.” “You’re ugly, you’re hideous. “You’re unwanted, go back to where you came from.” “You don’t deserve what you have, don’t deserve good.” “You’re weak.” “You ruin others, you ruin everything.”

As they insulted you the students began to draw themselves closer, pushing and shoving to reach you. They almost made a cover over your desk as if to block out all the light. You hunched over your desk, shaking and panicking, trying to curl up to protect yourself.

One of the demons began shaking your shoulder roughly, you yelping in pain. He began yelling in your ear, “Wake up! Wake up!”

“MC! Wake up!”

You startled awake and looked around the room in fear. You were in Belphie’s bed, your pajamas sticking to you with sweat. Belphie was looking at you with concern, one hand still on your shoulder.

“MC, you’re okay. It’s just me. It was just a nightmare.” You let out a sob and buried yourself in his arms while he patted you on the back until your breaths evened out.

“D-Did you see my dream?” you asked. You were nervous about showing Belphie that weak side of you, the insecurities that had been brewing since the two of you had begun a relationship. He looked apologetic. “I did. You were whimpering and shaking in your sleep. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He reached over, one hand smoothing your hair, the fingers of his other hand interlaced with yours. “None of what they said was true, you know.” You looked down, embarrassed. “I mean it, MC. You are good enough. You’re beautiful, you’re wanted, you deserve all the nice and beautiful things in the world, you’re strong. And most importantly, you lift others up. You lift me up everyday.”

He lifted up your hand and pressed a kiss against it. “You lifted me out of darkness. I love you so much. And I’ll gladly stay by your side, for as long as you’ll have me.”

You grabbed the front of his sweater to draw him into a rough kiss, lips bruising. “Forever, Belphie. Forever.” 

[xoxo-teddybear]

Chaotic Family Tingz - Bakugou Katsuki

Bakugou x f!reader ft. Older brother L/N Ryu and Younger brother L/N Itazura

Warnings: Cursing, Crack, Fluff, Tatted Bakugou bc ✨SPICE✨

Summary: You have a very….special family. You were nervous to not only bring your Tatted, motorcycle riding boyfriend to your home but also to show your very loving boyfriend your insane family. Unfortunately, the truth cannot be hidden for long. Unfortunately for your boyfriend, Bakugou, he learned the truth in a very L/N family way.

BAKUGOU’S MASTERLIST

A/N: Heavily inspired by Good Luck Charlie. ALSO, I wrote this more based around Y/N and her life but Katsuki plays part in it. I still think it’s good bc imagine Bakugou being in this situation 😆🤣

You and Bakugou Katsuki have been dating for a year. You fell in love with the Bakugou Katsuki.

He who had a sleeve full of tattoos, who wore black combat boots and chains, who rode slick black motorcycles yet was a total softie when it came to you

Even though you had been dating for over a year, you didn’t bring him home for multiple reasons

1. You wanted to be sure he was the one before he met your crazy family, 2. You didn’t want him to meet your crazy family

Notice how we keep saying crazy?

Eventually, Bakugou got tired of waiting. He wanted you to be comfortable but he also wanted to know you loved him enough to think he was the guy you would want to bring home to meet your family

Meeting the parents and meeting the family is a big step and shows that you really want him as part of your life. It would mean a whole lot to him

And when he requested to meet your family and you shut it down again, he began to question you

“Do you not want me to meet them because…of me? Do you not want them to meet me?”

You looked at your boyfriend with a sad look as he stared at you like a kicked puppy

“Baby, no. Of course I want my family to meet you.”

“Then why haven’t they?”

“….Because I don’t want you to meet them.”

“What?”

“Suki! They’re insane! I’m just- *sigh.* What if their craziness drives you away from me?”

Bakugou laughed at you in disbelief. Leave you? Like hell he would. Bakugou’s done a whole lot in his life and you are the one thing he got right.

“Yeah no. Sorry princess but you’re stuck with me for life. I’m not going anywhere.” When he said that, he kissed your knuckles before leaving a kiss on your lips which convinced you to let him meet your insane family

He celebrated right in front of you

Anyway, what you need to know is that you’re family is….crazy crazy. Crazy as in things are never boring in your house because things are always happening

(Mind you, the actions below happened before you said yes to letting Katsuki meet your family)

Now back to what we were saying

Bad things happen a lot. Things like your little 11 year old brother, Itazura, always getting into trouble at school. In fact, this time he got into so much trouble that his teacher called for a parent teacher meeting

Not wanting to get in trouble at home, Itazura had you and your brother pretend to be his parents and go to the meeting

Now you said no in the beginning, but he blackmailed you by threatening to tell your parents you broke their priceless-antique wedding china and so you had to give in

It didn’t take much convincing for your older brother, Ryu, to join in on Itazura’s plan. Ryu was a very….simple person.

“You’re just gonna give in like that?” You asked him

“I mean, in the end it just saves time.” He said, referring to how Itazura will always find a way to get what he wants

“Yeah, that’s fair.”

And so, you and Ryu posed as Itazura’s parents. You dressed in your mom’s work clothes while Ryu dressed in a suit and put on a fake mustache for gags

You both presented yourselves along with Itazura to his teacher, who can barely see straight, and the plan went on perfectly. You guys got away with it!

That was until Itazura’s teacher, who was named Mrs. Iko, saw you at the movies on a date with Katsuki

And this is where it all goes down. Take a seat my bitches, and bros, and non-binary hoes cuz shits about to get real

(Shoutout to you if you get the reference ;)

—

*Ding Dong*

Your brother was sitting on the couch with his boyfriend when all of a sudden the doorbell rang, catching Ryu’s attention.

Opening the door, Ryu was met with the sight of Mrs. Iko. She took notice of his younger clothes, appearance, and mustache-less face. “Mrs. Iko? What’re you doing here?”

“Mr. L/N!” Mrs. Iko said with a shocked face and hand over her mouth. “You look so much younger! And your mustache has disappeared!”

Ryu grew visibly nervous at her words and gulped before letting out a shaky laugh. “O-Oh! Right! Yes, Uh- yes I’ve always been known for my Uh- youthful looks! And I just recently shaved- wanted a new look, you know?”

“Oh, well that doesn’t matter. I’m afraid I have some awful news.” Mrs. Iko said with a worried face as Ryu listened. “It’s about your wife.”

At that, Ryu’s longtime boyfriend, Daisuke, stood and walked towards the two. “Your wife? You have a wife?”

“No.” Ryu said.

“You don’t?” Mrs. Iko asked.

“Of course I do!” Ryu said, turning to her. Mrs. Iko looked around as if everyone in the house was crazy (they were) before speaking.

“Who are you?” She asked Daisuke.

“I’m his boyfriend.” He said. At that moment, you walked into the house holding Katsuki’s hand, ready to introduce him to your family, totally unprepared for what was about to go down.

“Hey guys! We’re back from the- GAH!” You said, yelping once you saw Mrs. Iko in the house. Mrs. Iko looked at you and Katsuki in shock as she pointed to you both.

“And here she is with her boyfriend!” Mrs. Iko exclaimed. Ryu felt pressured to play along and tried to save Itazura’s secret by keeping the husband act going.

“You’re cheating on me?!” Ryu said to you. “You’re a married woman!”

“You’re married?!” Bakugou asked you with an angry and hurt voice.

“No! No, no, no, no.” You said with a nervous laugh, trying to reassure him.

“You’re not?” Mrs. Iko asked.

“Of course I am!” You said, snapping your head to her. At that moment, Itazura walked in from the kitchen, but once he saw Mrs. Iko, he quickly turned back to go to the kitchen once more with a shocked expression.

“Geeeh!” He exclaimed before turning around, unfortunately caught by you.

“Uh- ITAZURA!” You shouted from the door as Bakugou held you close by the waist as a way of claiming his territory just in case things were in trouble for the two of you. Don’t worry, they weren’t. He believed you when you said you weren’t married but he’s starting to notice the weird shit that goes down in this house.

Itazura then came back, slowly poking his head in from behind the door as he stepped out. “Yes, Mother?”

Hearing you referred to that, Bakugou’s eyes popped before looking down at you. “Okay! I’m starting to see why you didn’t want me to meet your family.”

You nodded your head in a very ‘yeah…sadly,’ type of way.

“Uh- Itazura,” you said, walking towards your little brother. “Mrs. Iko has found out that your father and I are having problems.” You said in a ‘help us out of this you evil mastermind,’ type of way.

“Uhhh..and does she know that you guys are the reason I misbehave?” Itazura said, loud enough for Mrs. Iko to hear, hoping she would.

“Oh, I do now!” Mrs. Iko said sympathetically. Itazura came in like the evil mastermind he is and pulled out his fake tears.

“Well, maybe some good can come from all this pain,” he said with his fake tears and pouty lip towards his teacher. You faked a laugh before whispering to your younger brother.

“Hehehe…dial it down.” You said to him before turning to his teacher. “Um, Mrs. Iko, if you’ll excuse us, this family has some healing to do.”

“Which! I would like to do with just my parents and their apparent significant others,” Itazura said pointing to Daisuke and Katsuki.

“Welp! You should be on your way! Stay warm now!” Ryu said, beginning to escort Mrs. Iko out the front door by her shoulders. “Don’t wanna freeze off your toes!”

Unfortunately, right before the two reached the door, your actual parents came in. At the sight of them, you and your siblings flinched, sighed, and groaned before facing them. Luckily, Itazura came in once again to try and save the day in his lying ways.

“Grandma! Grandpa!” Itazura said going in to hug his actual parents to play his part. Your parents looked down to your brother in confusion and suspicion, well aware that your brother can get into some mischievous trouble.

“What’s going on?!” Your mom said, shaking off your brother’s hug.

“I’m Itazura’s teacher, I came to talk to his parents.” Mrs. Iko said introducing herself and gesturing to you and Ryu, to which the two of you scrunched your faces at being caught.

“We’re his parents.” Your dad said, gesturing to your mom and him. Mrs. Iko grew a face of utter shock before Itazura opened his mouth again.

“Hahaha, that’s right grandpa! You’re my dad!” Itazura said before whispering to Mrs. Iko. “He thinks he’s the president too.”

Your mom looked unimpressed at your brother’s lie until she caught sight of Bakugou in his white v-neck tee, and his big beefy arms covered in tattoos, holding his green bomber jacket, wearing his black ripped jeans and black combat boots. “Who are you?”

“Hey, I’m Bakugou Katsuki.” Your boyfriend said, waving with his gentler voice. Your dad looked outside and pointed to the foreign vehicle in their driveway before turning to Katsuki.

“Is that your motorcycle?” Your dad asked, making you nervous before you jumped to stand next to Katsuki to defend him.

“Um, yeah, about that-“

“I love motorcycles!” Your dad exclaimed with a smile.

“We’re dating!” You proudly said with a bright grin as you wrapped your arms around Katsuki’s as he looked down to you with a loving smile, loving when he heard you say those words to other people.

“Will you stop throwing that in my face?!” Ryu said, still playing his act.

“We’re not doing that anymore.” You blankly said to him with a dead stare.

“Great! Because I was getting a bit confused,” Ryu said and wrapped his arm around Daisuke’s waist.

And on that night, Mrs. Iko left, just as confused as Ryu.

—

“Alright,” your mom began, beginning to speak to you, your siblings, Daisuke, and Katsuki. “You, you, you, you, and you, sit. Now.”

“Uh, sorry,” your boyfriend said, “but I’m not your child. I don’t think you can tell me what to-“

“Did. I. Stutter?” Your mother asked with her devil eyes. Your gentler father stood behind her with a pleading look to your boyfriend to try and convince him to save himself. Katsuki felt his heart shake in fear at your mother’s tone and he opened his mouth to speak before closing it and taking a seat next to you on the couch.

“Mama Bear?” He asked you, referring to your mother.

“Mama Bear.” You confirmed. Bakugou nodded his head before relaxing into the couch.

“Okay. Now somebody tell me what’s going on.” Your mom demanded. You and Ryu remained quiet while your boyfriends sat in confusion. You all looked to Itazura who sighed before giving in.

“Okay, fine. I was getting in trouble at school and it got to the point where I had to have a parent teacher meeting. I didn’t want to get in trouble at home so I blackmailed Y/N and Ryu into being my parents so I could get away with it.” Itazura then explained.

“I guess somewhere along the line, Mrs. Iko caught me and Katsuki together so I guess she came here to tell Ryu, who she thought was my husband, that I was having an affair.” You then explained. Ryu was just sitting on the couch with his arm still around Daisuke before he raised his hand.

Your mother sighed at her oldest child being so..childish. “Yes, Ryu?”

“Uh- no I was just wondering if I could put on the fake mustache again.” He stupidly said with a genuine heart. You and your younger brother sighed in disappointment at his idiocy before turning to your parents.

“So? Are you going to punish us?” You asked your mom. She smiled at you sweetly before taking a seat in front of you on the coffee table.

“Oh, sweetie…..of course we’re going to punish you.” She said while placing a hand on your knee. She then stood to hand out her dealings. “Itazura, no video games, no sleepovers, no tv. Ryu, Y/N - no phones, no tv, no going anywhere after school. All of you, grounded. 2 weeks. We’re letting you keep your laptops for school work so if you need to communicate, use those. Am I clear?”

You and your siblings all nodded before your mother sighed and addressed the last thing. “Now finally, what did you say your name was, sweetie?”

“Oh! Uh, Bakugou Katsuki.” Your boyfriend said. Your mother smiled at him kindly before dropping that smile and giving him a look.

“Age?”

“18.”

“Grades?”

“Straight A’s.”

“School?”

“U.A.”

“Tattoos and Piercings. Why?”

“Most of them are to honor the people in my life.”

“Motorcycle. Why?”

“It was a gift I decided to not let go to waste.”

“Are you an asshole?”

“Only to idiots.”

“Why my daughter?”

“Because when she smiles everything in the world instantly makes sense to me.”

His last answer made you smile at him in awe as you scooted in closer. It also made your parents smile before your mom reached over to place a hand on his arm. “Welcome to the family, Bakugou.”

—

“So that’s your family, huh?” Bakugou asked as you both sat in your backyard on the hammock looking at the starry sky.

“Heh, yeah. A bunch of clowns.” You said, resting your head on his shoulder as his arm held you close.

“I don’t think so. They seem fun.” Bakugou said, trying to uplift your spirits.

“Fun. Crazy. Same shit I guess.” You said causing you both to laugh. Katsuki sighed in gratitude at finally getting to meet your family and allowed his head to drop on your own. “Umm..you’re not gonna leave me though..right?”

“Never.” He said with a small laugh and kiss to the crown of your head. “Like I said, you’re stuck with me. Besides. I now know if I’m ever bored, your family will always be around. S’like free entertainment.” He said making you giggle. “Plus, Itazura doesn’t seem so bad. I don’t know, might wanna pull a few pranks on him just to teach him a lesson.”

“Aww, baby.” You said kissing his cheek. “No you don’t, it’ll backfire on you and he’ll set your ass on fire. Doesn’t matter if you’re 5 years older than him.”

Bakugou widened his eyes in offense before chuckling and cuddling in closer as you both swung on the hammock. That was when you raised your head to look at him. “So…when can I meet your parents?”

Bakugou’s eyes once again popped as he thought about his timid father who was a doormat to his demonic mother. “Uh…I don’t know..They’re kinda…insane.”

Here we go again.

Taglist: @sxcker4you @aomi04 @tessabrown101 @ebiharachan @is-this-ash @iris-shihabi @sxturn-stars @isolight @lanantoine @whatdidshesayyy @qtsuki @lazyafgurl @dessykcm @misssugarless @unicornlover25 @sweethcnvy @hanamura-manami @thisuserlovesyouandyouandyou @ssurewhynottt

[tentamissilebrat]

So I don’t know the canon on this, but I like to think that Cerberus in the Obey Me universe is definitely Lucifer’s dog, but he’s also sort of the family dog.

At least, according to Lucifer.

Now, Cerberus is definitely, 100%, Lucifer’s dog. So, on the weekly chore calendar, I’m sure Lucifer has already signed himself up for most of that feeding. Cerberus is his dog, his responsibility, he will feed the dog.

But it’s such an obvious punishment to make his brother’s do it. Especially Mammon. Bro gambles away some antique desk Lucifer liked and set that boy up for a month of feeding the dog. Mammon swears that’s how he got that tiny sliver of a scar near his wrist. He’s like “that dog is nasty. That dog is ugly. MC stay away from that dog”

(You will not, in fact, stay away from the dog.)

So yeah definitely, but I also thought how Lucifer maybe hoped that it would endear his brothers to Cerberus too? Like that Dad thing where they make you do a chore you hate in the hopes that you’ll see how important it is that you learned how to do it when you’re an adult? Not sure how often that one works, but I find it rarely does. Exhibit A: the boys.

But I’d like to think Cerberus knows them by smell fairly well. All of them really, not one boy can keep himself out of trouble. Not one boy can go three days without starting, causing, or saying shit. So they’ve all been on dog feeding duty

And I imagine any dog loving MCs or MCs who specifically have cool headcanons about MC having a new big, three headed doggo to adore, will definitely want time on the chore wheel for feeding the dog.

Which surprises Lucifer!! He’s like “MC, Cerberus is under my care, thus it is imperative that I feed him.”

And MC is like “Yeah yeah, whoppedy do, you let the other boys do it”

“They seem to think it’s some kind of punishment to have to feed him—“

“Cool, so it’s a punishment then?”

MC just walks over to the nearest table and knocks a vase to floor

Looks at Lucifer

“Alright, there. Punish me daddy”

Lucifer of course let’s them feed Cerberus if they’re that interested, far be it from him to stop them.

(He does punish them for breaking the vase by reimbursing him for it. “What? Or it’s not that expensive. Something like 2,736 Grimm give or take? Oh no, don’t worry, I don’t expect you to have it today….but I’ll give you a month because you’re family.”)

And MC bonds with doggo! Because of course MC bonds with doggo! Playing fetch! Tummy rubs! Sicing him on their enemies! The works!!

And the rest of the boys are horrified!!! “No! MC! You don’t know what you’re doing!! It’s a monster!!”

MC, scratching the back of one of six floppy ears, “this is my dog and I love him and you’re just a bunch of weenies”

So, after such insults, they have to go near Cerberus to prove themselves to MC. And when Cerberus starts growling, the boys freezing in place, MC rubs the head of the one who’s growling like “shhhh, shhhh, you’re okay, it’s okay.”

And helps gently guide Cerberus into familiarizing the boys’ scent more, showing the boys that Cerberus does know them!! But the brothers get twitchy and nervous, because this is a big dog that they have not integrated well with in the past.

And Cerberus’s instincts don’t take well to skittish, erratic behavior!!! Cerberus can smell that they’re afraid and animals can attack first in fear that they need to strike and get away. The boys make him just as nervous

But like MC guiding them into it, and Lucifer watches it and takes notes of how MC does it, how MC shows them how to read Cerberus and tell when he’s getting agitated and why.

And Lucifer knocks on their door and is like “I need to know how to do that”

“I’ve seen you with Cerberus, you obviously can read him”

“I don’t know how to explain that to my brothers.”

And MC ponders this and starts suggesting things they’ve noticed about the boys. If you have an MC that focuses on learning styles, they can tell him what they know on how to talk and tutor the boys based on how they’ve studied with each of them. Maybe you have an MC who is generally observant and has tips on how they think he could set up dog and brother interactions that could work for everyone involved.

Maybe they even schedule times MC could come in and do defense in case things go wrong (a Bad combination of Satan, Lucifer, and Cerberus doggo time could end catastrophically if that fire isn’t extinguished fast.)

And Lucifer starts really having Cerberus….be the family dog. And everyone is a little easier around this dog that they feel more comfortably hanging around and spoiling and petting. And Cerberus is a lot calmer and generally more loving and protective of the whole family. And he’s still a monster of uncontrollable nightmares, but now he can get tummy rubs from everyone when it’s their turn to feed Cerberus.

Because its no longer a punishment, it’s a reward.

“If, and only if, you all behave, you don’t have to lose the rights to feed Cerberus for a month. Do I make myself clear?”

[worldsover]

Judgement to the Desiccated ft. Karina

length ✦ 5573

genres ✧ sm type future; asphyxiation; blackmail; virtual_servant!Karina;

✦✧✦✧✦✧

Air did a poor job of not being polluted so Lee Soo Man flooded the world instead. The man himself certainly must be long gone and could not have been in charge of that decision but the legacy of his company far exceeds the legacy of any other human collective in history. Once on this planet, gas was the fluid of choice for respiration and breathing was an unconscious reflex. Now there’s Aether by SM. How very on-brand of them to have the liquid air you breathe follow perfume naming conventions.

Open your eyes and exit the sleeping chamber. Aether has you work for each inhalation, it desaturates the color of the bedroom—maybe there’s a subtle but uncomfortable tinge of yellow—and it makes your nose itch. Your muscles wield much less force than they used to because of the lack of resistance the fluid provides. Moreover, it smells like hairspray as though the ozone layer is taking sardonic revenge.

Screens impersonating windows track your eyes to ensure realistic parallax, playing the scene of divine blue heavens that could not exist. An azure sky is a reward for those planets that have an atmosphere and a sun for light to scatter. Your walls are either chrome or drywall white and your whole bedroom is plainly decorated just like the day you moved in.

“Etymology of bedroom,” you think out loud, though it falls on no ears.

“Bedroom is a compound noun consisting of bed and room. Bed goes back to Old English bedd ‘sleeping place, plot of ground prepared for plants,’ which goes back to the Germanic-”

Plants and sleep are both strong words to use nowadays. The former doesn’t exist in nature and it seems you’re the only one who bothers with the latter. Faint buzzing distracts you from the AI’s response and signals you to the nano drones that swim throughout the liquid to process carbon dioxide from your lungs. This whole ordeal could’ve been much worse if you didn’t have brain interfaces doing the hard part of controlling your diaphragm. The most you need is a purposeful thought. Still, it gets tiring having to think the same thought every three seconds. In. Out.

Was the metaphorical Soo Man teaching a lesson in perseverance? You love K-pop and imagine it’s how trainees used to practice dancing, singing, being charismatic. Being an idol had to be as natural as breathing air. Inhale and exhale. Right now with any antiquated programming language you clung on to, you could write a single for loop that did the same job. For every three seconds: breathe in, breathe out.

“What’s for breakfast today?” Not loud enough. “What’s for breakfast?” you think it louder.

“Welcome, master. Ae-Karina is ready for service.” It’s quite a kindness for SM to blur the bland dystopia you live in by augmenting reality through your neural device. A bosomy woman in a gold-lined but otherwise modest maid outfit appears from the corner of your eye and she bows. Ae-Karina is bewitching and almost becoming of her basis as its graphics have gradually upgraded over the rotations but you wouldn’t misconstrue the avatar as human.

“I said, what’s for breakfast!” It feels impolite to scream in your head, there’s other residents there, but finally the fridge lights up.

“Of course master. May I remind you eating is unnecessary?”

In. Out. Every day, she does remind you, yes. How kind of the company to put all your nutritional requirements in the new air. Aether goes in then Aether goes out. You wish the thoughts of breathing could fade into the background but they’re just like your cravings for food. Always hungry but never starving, whole though not once satisfied. Your eyes pause at her gorgeous face and she tells you there’s bacon. Take it from your fridge. Bacon goes in. Well, the drones take care of the out.

Your assigned living space is the entire 207th floor of a tower. Two hundred and seven floors below the surface. The neighbor a few floors upstairs says that he thinks living deeper is a sign of status. What a luxury. That guy should check the status of his facial muscles, maybe improve his code that lets him tell lies while he’s at it. A couple hundred flights of stairs to swim up is a useless skeuomorphism of skyscrapers in the days of the sun. In fact they were more than useless, you would've preferred a single vertical hallway as it would have let you propel upwards unimpeded. Each floor is the exact same, a glass door that affords no privacy for its residence, a false tree on each side. At the upper levels, malls, convenience stores and other gaudy retail, but it’s the gyms that mock you that you mock in return. They’re always empty.

Finally reaching the top is no true break even if it is a change in scenery. Inhale. Aether tastes a little different up here. Exhale. Can’t say you like it.

Countless satellites form a parody of the star from which the planet flew away, the false image refracted by the upper boundary of Aether. They can’t take away your memories of this star. Looking up at the sky once blinded you with ultraviolet radiation, burning your cornea. It was beautiful. Now everyone’s decided that if they’re playing the part of corporate dystopia, they might as well fit the aesthetic. In a way, it’s self-fulfilling. They wouldn’t have chosen a neon pink sun to compliment the blue and metallic gloom of the cityscape if it weren’t so ingrained in popular media already.

Still, you would’ve expected Google or Walmart to become the megacorp responsible for the state of the world, not a Korean entertainment company. Must’ve been quite the red paperclip scenario. Instead of material design or utilitarian architecture, tacky artistic structures line the streets. The same advertisements for albums that they’ve been selling for the past however long. It's all so obvious, the city could've been designed from scratch to accommodate new forms of travel and goddamn liquid air but instead they went with futuristic Tokyo.

Dubstep permeates your inner ear implants. A notification informs your thoughts that it’s “Hip-hop EDM dance pop with a strong jungle house groove and urban influences.” It’s dubstep. Liquid carries barely any sound so SM affords the option for implants if you're nostalgic for one of the senses. Even though it’s a slower form of communication than direct neural transfer, the noise comforts you. Of course the company would choose dubstep as their background music, but maybe they make money off refunds somehow. It switches to Ice Cream Cake. Much better.

You walk the not so busy roads towards a short brick warehouse in the distance and heavy rain soaks your clothes. No such thing as weather without the sun and water but it’s all simulated anyway.

A warm Seulgi adlib and you know it’s Psycho that starts playing. No, none of your senses are real. The most you could trust is your vision but even that’s being lied to. You could be living in a vat and fed all these thoughts, but then why make it so mediocre? Not paradise, nor torture but a lukewarm in-between. Guess that's what happens when SM Entertainment manages the post-apocalypse. Good on them for trying. The alternative would be a frozen hellscape without solar radiation. Can’t deny their work with geothermal and nuclear energy to keep the Aether warm so that you didn’t have to live underground for the rest of human history. It’s quite great PR to save humanity.

“Hey now, we’ll be okay,” repeats a few more times than you remember.

The Idea Factory Alpha White Delta Green says the neon tubes lighting the front of the brick and mortar building. Your ID card bears a name but it’s not yours, not until they approve your name change. Those usually get processed faster with how often people liked changing their names.

Sit at a desk with a sterile white keyboard and slick new monitor. Type and empty words appear on the screen: “Think for the many, not for the one. We need to think ahead.” A thumbs up. The company appreciates the input. That’s probably enough work for one day. Some SNSD live stages help the time pass, SM certainly appreciated the streaming numbers and it would net you some social points.

It’s hard to say what comes to mind when they ask you to envision a world without the sun and air, especially since it’s what you’ve known for... Two hundred years? There’s no frame of reference, that much you can tell from when you counted seconds to see how often the satellites completed their orbit. SM really took time to have them propel at random speeds, they love withholding sensitive information like that from citizens. To be fair, time is sensitive. Guess the meaning of that phrase changes like all parts of language.

Look around. Dozens of employees at identical workspaces all try to answer the same questions. Naturally, there’s no need for manual labor anymore but there will never be a replacement for human ingenuity. Nice slogan but you know you’re only here for data. Can’t see a need for customer retention though—what’s the alternative, skip Earth? See you on another planet?

“Hey bro, you come up with anything new?” Dave says. Two desks away, you see the enthusiastic, surprisingly spry man play around with a Newton’s cradle. The balls at each end bounce back and forth, not slowing down their rhythm any time soon.

“I think I got something,” you say, “Earth is not the answer. It can’t be, long term.”

“Ooh, I like that. Actually, I really like that.”

“What are you gonna do, copy me?”

“Of course not. You know how much SM hates plagiarism.” Click. Clack.

“Ha. As if there’s a single original thought left in the world.” Click. Clack. The imaginary sounds of metal spheres bouncing play in your mind. They got the volume wrong, no way it’d sound that loud from that distance. “You’d think with all their resources, they’d have figured out space travel by now.”

“I don’t think they want to leave, bro. Wouldn’t be great for profits.”

Your mouth opens to laugh and causes laugh8942.mp3 to play in Dave’s head. “I love it. SM probably hates that sass too,” you say.

“Oh no, they’re gonna arrest me for thoughtcrimes. Nah, they love creativity, just when it suits them. Also, if they actually did bust you for wrongthink like rumors say, I wouldn’t have this on me.” Dave twirls a finger and points at you and you thank his absurd flair for the histrionic that keeps you amused with such drab work.

“NewDrug.mp6. Would you like to play it?” the dry system voice notifies you.

“Woah woah there tiger, hold on.” Dave must’ve noticed your intrigued eyes and holds his hands up. “You might wanna experience that at home. But if you’re interested in more, ask for chicken parm at the vegan place. You know the one.”

Dave leaves his desk. He doesn’t return. You finish your work. Inspire. Expire. You’d rather not.

In contrast to your commute to work, the roads fill with others on your way home. You have to know. Take solace in the comfort of a bench where a huge McDonald’s arch bathes the surroundings and its people with a yellow glow. Really shouldn’t watch it now, especially if Dave says it’s a home type of watch but you have to know. A family of five watches you pass out. They, along with every other passerby, ignore your still body draped over the chrome outdoor seating as you look like yet another junkie. The title is correct after a fashion, the simulation is some sort of new drug. The details of the exploits that happen in the immersive replay wash over you but you don’t need them to know that it’s the sort of lewd that SM would not allow—at least not publicly and not without the right exorbitant payment.

Suit pants and underwear go straight to the laundry. That must’ve been an embarrassing sight but no one bothered to stop you, so it doesn’t matter. Look up where this vegan place was that Dave so presumptuously assumed you knew about and you find that it’s about four Avengers’ stores down from work. He must’ve eaten there before.

“Yo Dave, just wanna make sure, what’s the name of the vegan place called?”

“What are you talking about, man? You telling me there’s some secret underground farms that SM wouldn’t know about?”

You can’t tell when you got to work, a lack of standardized timing would help as well the haze of living in a monotonous dark. “Nah, I mean, for the-”

“I have no idea,” Dave emphasizes each word, “what you’re talking about.”

“I see.”

Work flies by, unusually.

“Hey, can I get a chicken-”

“Uh, this is Maron’s Veggies Only, it clearly says on the sign.”

Clear your throat. “Parm.”

The shifty part-time worker looks around and rubs his fingers gesturing for money. “No digital.”

Over the counter, you pass him a gold coin stamped with a holographic 1 and he hands you a USB stick and a laptop in return. How old-fashioned.

“It’ll sync with whoever you have set as your avatar experience aspect,” the worker says.

“Thanks.”

Ever vigilant as the patrol is, the alleys are the last place you want to go to hide with the obvious criminal element within them all but you head to one anyway. Dump the anachronistic technology in your storage pocket dimensions. Looking at its contents, you’d have to clean that mess up later, but the more you look like an average slob the better. The biggest problem with the inventories is all the people squatting in them. Inspectors wouldn’t care about the archaic ruins you left in yours.

“Welcome, master. Ae-Karina is ready to service.”

“I’d like to go on a date. A special date.” You highlight the key word special and sit on your living room couch. No one’s going to look in your glass door and regardless, you wouldn’t be the pervert for glimpsing into someone’s home.

“Ah yes, master. Ae-Karina is ready to fully service,” she says with a provocative tint in her tone, her sclera disperses to black to match. A pole drops from the ceiling while parts of her maid outfit dissolve which reveals more of the silky skin of her thighs, her lissom arms and most importantly her overflowing breasts. Ae-Karina wraps her legs around the pole and spins around, teasing fingers trace curves on her body to harden you. Her dance is precise but sultry regardless. She pulls up her short skirt to flaunt more of her ass beneath white panties and then pulls down to flourish her cleavage, not trapped by a bra. “Are you enjoying your maid’s show?”

“Very much so, yes,” you say.

Half of a smile forms before a glitch occurs and she teleports next to you, fully nude. It doesn’t pull you out of the illusion however. You just stare and drink in the splendor of her created body.

“You’re not going to touch?” Ae-Karina says.

A feel of her tits and you find it softer than pillows you used to rest on. Soft isn’t much of a character that exists anymore when the whole world is engulfed in liquid. No one has beds, especially with the rarity of sleep. Therefore, her mounds are a consummate dedication to the texture as you squeeze and pinch at her cute nipples.

Her maid outfit rematerializes as she straddles you. It provides more friction to your pants as she begins her lap dance. The weight of her body dragging across your legs and clothed erection induces your carnal impulses further. If only you could fuck the virtual idol. You have to make do with the imprint of her pussy lips on your bulge sliding up and down. Breath in. Breath out.

Ae-Karina pulls down your boxers and spits on your erection. It's not real but her hands so slick on your cock and you let reality slip. Real is for the past, you have desires gratified in the present. There is no real person nibbling at your neck but your nerves activate in sexual desire without discernment for truth. No, she doesn't love you, but when the voracious mass of ones and zeroes says it loves its master, you say it back.

"I love you."

ILOVEYOU infected ten million computers in 2000. An explosion. Calibration engaging. It’s 1:21 PM, Sunday, July 18, 2286 and hypothetically the sun would be out in its full rage. At this latitude and longitude, you’re at what was once the epicenter of all—Seoul, where a fountain caused a chain reaction allowing the hopeful remnant of a world to exist. It lasted a surprisingly long time without the sun and without Aether but the dying planet would succumb inevitably to the ever-increasing contamination so SM of all corporations took charge. A different kind of chain reaction occurred when they acquired a restaurant chain that discovered the recipe for liquid air. The law is on its way and prepared to punish you to its full extent.

You reel while your ears ring. An even sexier version of the woman you already fantasized about appears from your peripheral vision in the crater of your floor. A skimpy cop outfit, striated with reflective material that seems to wane black at different angles, outlines Karina’s curves. She has a tool belt with absurd gadgets, such as a knife baton hybrid, a taser combined with a spray bottle and a Tamagotchi. None of this is necessary. They could just immediately arrest you, impose limitations on your devices. Sure, SM cloned people to deal with underpopulation, but why Karina would be the enforcer is a whole nother issue. Maybe the entertainment company loves their irony?

“Halt. You’re under arrest. Any resistance will be penalized according to the combined Terms of Service of all SM and SM associated products.”

Fucked anyway, you figure you might as well go for it. Escape into your inventory and only seconds later you’re forced out. You manage to get what you need regardless.

“Violation of access rights will be charged to your account.”

It’s so obvious but there’s a reason you kept so much gold in physical storage. As you swim away, the sides of your apartment start to bubble. Bubbles? Already, your limbs feel unsteady. Something’s wrong in the Aether.

“This is standard procedure for escaping suspects that are indoors. Again, this is all agreed to under the Terms of Service.”

“When the fuck did I ever click accept to that shit?”

“When you were born in this world and decided you want to stay in it,” Karina says out loud. You hear her say it. Your physical ears process the vibrations in the air that come from her mouth. Gravity thwarts your desperate escape as your limp body floats on the limit between liquid and air. The atrophy of your muscles becomes apparent within the gaseous atmosphere. She watches you sink down as the room drains of all the false air though her eyebrows crease when she inspects you closer. Your breaths are involuntary. Despite your muscles shorting out, the force of gravity and the pressure of the gas bearing down on you, you’re breathing and you don’t mean to. Her eyes wander farther down. On your pants, a concrete rod stamps the fabric.

“Oh, you like what you see?”

“Shut up, criminal. Anything you say can and will be used against you.”

“Your pussy,” you say and she scoffs.

“Original.” Karina bites her lip as your erection continues to grow behind its prison. You use all effort to put your hands up.

“Please, miss Karina. I’ve been bad.”

“I could punish you even more for sexual assault.”

“Then do it.”

Heat radiates the room in a way you haven’t felt in a while and droplets of sweat form on each of your bodies, especially on the thighs that her revealing outfit parades. Her facial features contort in deliberation and the wait kills you. You bat your eyes at her before Karina takes off her tight shorts and drops herself into your anticipatory face. This makes no sense but none of this life made any sense so you decide to go with the tides.

Centuries of training your respiration has led to this moment, but when you finally have real air to breathe, you spit at the opportunity and choose to suffocate. Then you spit at her pussy and lap it up. Karina’s nectar transfixes your olfactory glands, for once a smell that isn’t the sterile Aether. Your eyes are mesmerized in parallel because of the perfect design of her pussy, a single crease that leads into her hole that your tongue emphatically explores. Karina spreads her thighs wide to reveal a small nub that craves attention. So give it. Suck and swirl and flick your tongue, and the woman provides you the tight clench of her legs as a gift. And the sounds, rediscovered glorious noise. Loud, almost too loud, and clear is how they assault your ears, even surrounded by the flesh of her thighs. Muffled by the weight of her legs, you hear Karina moan in approval but she’s still clearly in charge with how she chokes you with her legs. This is not about your pleasure but hers, and any satisfaction that you derive is not only incidental but probably punishable by SM copyright law.

Karina squirms her hips subtly on your mouth. Her eyes are sharp and she’s just about to stop your hands from moving but she notices them clasp together.

“I’ll do anything to make you cum, please.” you say sloppily as her pussy juices fill your cheeks and drip down your chin.

“God. I can’t.” She takes deep, contemplative breaths. ”That’s more time added on for inappropriate behavior.” Her groaning and brief squeals make her words sound incogent.

You give her a concluding lick and a kiss on her slit. “So what have you been doing right now then?”

Point to a corner of the room and a subtle red light indicates a recording camera. At once, she pulls out a hose from a pocket that could not fit it and the vacuum submerges the room with noise. Her expression shifts quickly to serious.

“We don’t play games here in SMTOWN unless it’s SuperStar so don’t fuck with me.”

“Look who's trying to be a comedian. How about you fuck with me any further and the video gets released.”

“That’s funny, you think you have any sort of power-”

“Yoo Jimin, I suggest you don’t push me more.”

“Where do you know that name from? Right now.” She weighs herself down on your neck.

“You think I don’t have contingencies for if I die too? Karina, we can make this a  win-win scenario. We both get to cum, we both get to walk away unscathed.”

“Fuck you.”

Your weak arms wander between her thighs. At any moment, a feeble punch towards your face or another ten seconds of asphyxiation and she could call your bluff. Even if you did have the ability to expose her perversions in any way, there would be no permanent recourse, not as long SM was in charge. So it surprises you when Karina takes off her shorts. 

“Goddammit. Your cock just looks too good. And your mouth, how are you so good with it?” Put up five fingers when she motions to remove her top as well, and instead she opts to take off your clothes, seizing your pants and throwing them to join the rubble in the room.

A finger slips in, then two and a third dares. Her flawlessly architected pussy lips clings to your digits and Karina shudders in reply. You explore her wetness and find it’s smooth to the point of having no faults, but her juice inside is gloppy and causes your fingers to stick more than the liquids she spills from her slit.

“Who said you’re allowed to have more?”

You lap up the nectar on your fingers. “Then why’d they make you taste so good?”

Your thumb teases her sweet tight asshole and puts just the slightest amount of pressure on it while you finger her with more intensity. The mass of her butt burdens your torso the closer she gets to orgasm. Her eyelids squeeze close and you see her body ripple in anxious pleasure. Karina shows off her pearly whites, teetering on the cliff of hysteria.

“Yes, yes! I’m so close,” she screams.

"Not yet."

“Fuck." Karina sobs, "God. Damn, fuck I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Just fuck me.”

“My pleasure,” you say. There’s no need for you to grab her since she brings herself down to your groin, which you’re thankful for as your arms are as good as jelly now. Fortunately, your cock throbs as hard as ever while Karina’s slit rests on it.

“Say you’ll delete it all, all the evidence, promise me.”

“You’re gonna fuck me first or what?” Your breath hitches while she makes a strangled noise as her velvety walls swallow your cock whole to leave no room for comfort. Her tightness is stifling and you have to start counting just to breathe again.

“One two-”

“Be quiet.”

But there is no quiet when pleas for your cooperation intersperse her excessive profanities when she seats herself into your cock and ricochets up and down. Sweat emanates from her creamy skin while her legs widen to find a better angle for her supporting knees in her cowgirl position. Grapefruit and other citrus mingle with the scent of the sweat, fruits you haven’t seen except on billboards in music videos. As much as your mind crackles and your blood roars for every atmosphere of pressure Karina’s walls provide on each thrust in and out, you can’t help but reminisce on sweeter, more innocent times.

The white fluorescent lights in your apartment sputter. For all the advancements in technology, some among many things never change. Light refracts differently in air, less bright, but you can see the pure enjoyment on Karina’s face no matter the luminescence. Karina slows her ride to pull her hips down harder instead and she jolts when your cock finds the most tender spots inside her pussy and it interrupts her babbling.

Karina almost hyperventilates when she gets up to spit on your cock. She pulls out some kind of meter from her tool belt and sighs when there’s no beeping and you recognize it having to do with carbon dioxide. She gets back to dribbling saliva and the filament trailing down to your shaft mesmerizes you. This spit is real, not simulated, and it wettens your erection in a mix with her pussy juices to paralyze you further in your already listless state. Her bare thighs jiggle and you can’t exert much force with your hands but her buttcheeks are firm with just a bit of give.

“Thank you for this cock, thank you for being bad,” Karina says as you watch her ass sink deeper while her pussy holds your dick taut. She’s frenetic when bounces up and down to play an unadulterated orchestra of slick noises between your groins.

“You’re welcome,” you accomplish getting out the words between planned breaths. Your hands cup her buttcheeks but you fear they may break with how she strikes her ass into you.

Karina turns around once more to give you the spectacle of her facial expressions as she fucks herself into you. Knead her calves laying on your torso and they take no energy to spread them though she brings them back together, compressing your hard shaft within her pussy. A new game you play with her, a separate rhythm of loosening and tightening. Her feet press on your chest to help her bounce, but the way they bear down on your lungs against the timing of your breathing causes you to fumble. Your cock bends straight forward as she plunges herself into you and it sends prickles to your entire skin, making the new angle difficult but worth it. Karina takes your hand and starts sucking on your fingers.

“You want my promise that bad?” you say.

“Yes, as bad as I want your cum. I swear, I need it.”

She draws her knees up to her torso and hugs her legs to keep thighs as tight together as possible. Karina couldn’t keep her word, she was trying to kill your cock with constriction.

“Fuck, your pussy is so fucking tight. God, Karina, fuck. You’re so good.” Even if good isn’t the word you want to use to describe her.

“Do it, please, please. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, baby. Karina can be a good girl, a good maid, a good cop, whatever you want. Just don’t get me in trouble, please.”

Karina’s mouth stops saying words though her lips writhe, drunk in increasing lust. Her cheeks flush, before the rest of her skin joins in redness while she grapples your chest and whatever spare limb she can find. You still struggle wresting control of your body but nature seems to take over when you drive yourself into her and match her needy cadence. The air in the room is replaced by a new air but it isn’t Aether. Passion, sweat, heat and all fluids that you both exude join squelching sounds, slaps and moans in harmonic bliss when her body tenses and she screams. As her body tightens, her pussy especially holds your cock for dear life and endeavours to wring out all your semen as her wetness throbs and spills. Karina starts counting to three repeatedly and you laugh though your amusement quickly subsides when you feel her juices become more viscous and she continues her ride, even in the dying pulses of her climax.

“Was I good?” Karina asks.

Just a moment goes by before you mentally send her a screenshot of all the recordings being deleted. Karina hasn’t stopped fucking you yet so at least it wasn’t a ploy.

“Thank you, thank you, I love you.” The flexion of her pliant legs brings them all the way back to rest on top of your legs. Karina lays prone above you and finally give you a kiss. The citrusy flavor may be closer to lime than grapefruit but it’s been so long that you can’t remember which scent is which. Lips crash and her tongue lashes out at yours trying to establish dominance. Keep still to let her investigate your mouth while her pussy does the same to your shaft.

You savor the way Karina’s top emphasizes the bouncing of her tits synchronous with the rebounding of her waist on your cock, but your mouth waters when she frees them. Take the shortest moment to relish in the sight before Karina smothers you with her plump globes. You wriggle your face to try to breathe. Inhale, up and exhale, down, but all you inhale is the scent of her orbs’ sweat. Her hips undulate with a pace at least double yours breathing and the echoes of slapping flesh resonate throughout the air-filled chamber. The loudness is unlike any you’ve experienced in a long time. It’s almost a flashbang every time her ass slams into your lap, especially as you start to see white when orgasm threatens to overload you with preludial pulses.

The last words you hear infected ten million computers in 2000. Fade to black. Cut. You’re slammed out of existence back into existence as a sun rebirths both within you, heating your core to a dangerous high, and from your eyes, dazzling you in an unforgiving white light. In the throes of unconsciousness relapsing to consciousness back to tenebrosity, your streaks of semen suspend in the Aether like a dead tree resting from the wind. What flashes your mind in its orgasmic state are two things only you would remember, plants and weather. Your hyperventilation is unconscious but not unwelcome, as it’s the first time in a while your breaths were reflexive even in the liquid air. However, basking in your newfound power, you start to choke. Right. You breathe in and out again. In and out. In. Out. In. Out. Back in.

“Replaying KarinaArrestsYou.mp6.” A hint of vexatious glee in the system’s otherwise dry voice. You don’t stop for it.

✦✧✦✧✦✧ 

AFF, AO3

It’s pretty silly but the idea danced around in my head ever since I saw the absolute Black Mirror concept that SM had for aespa and I concur that Karina is insanely hot.

As I’m writing this, this Kurzgesagt video on the idea of a rogue Earth comes out and now I have to rewrite stuff to make it at least a little consistent. I’m obviously already going nuts with all these ridiculous sci-fi concepts but this video almost feels too targeted to me writing this for me to ignore it.

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Shaw’s 2021 Birthday R&S

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an R&S which has not been released in EN! 🍒

Knowledge of Shaw’s 2020 Birthday R&S is highly recommended before reading this!

[ This R&S was released on 16 June 2021 ]

[ Chapter One ]

This is the fifth month that Shaw is learning how to skateboard. The little buddies who started out with him had given up one after the other because they couldn’t endure the bitter taste of tripping and falling. In the end, he’s the only one left.

The wheels grate against the ground in a regular rhythm. Leaping over the obstacle, it makes a swerve, accelerates, and flips... the skateboard is lithe and graceful beneath Shaw’s feet, akin to a reed leaf as it brings him into the largest skatepark in Loveland City with a wilful rush.

“Shaw! Shaw!”

Shaw halts the skateboard and turns around.

A little fatty with a band-aid on his knee walks over, smiling and revealing his missing front teeth. “Finally found you.”

Shaw laughs scornfully. “Why’s a defeated opponent looking for me? Do you want to lose the remaining half of your front teeth?”

“You!” Little Fatty flushes red in an instant. He straightens his neck and points to an area behind him. “I’m not competing with you. Someone else wants to!”

Shaw looks in the direction of his finger. A boy who is obviously taller than him by a head smiles at him, the skateboard beneath his feet sliding back and forth. At a glance, it’s clear that he’s experienced.

“My Bro Zhou is in the Loveland City Qing Xun Team,” Little Fatty hugs his arms with pride, as though he’s the one in the team. “So? Dare to accept it?”

So that’s how it is. He’s a scaredy cat who only dares to call in reinforcements.

Shaw purses his lips. He steps on the tail of the skateboard, and it responds by flipping upwards, the the edge of the board landing steadily in his palm. “Why not? What are we competing in?”

Bro Zhou shrugs. “I won’t make things hard for newbies. We’ll compete in tic-tacs and going over obstacles. How’s that?”

“Sure.”

[Trivia] Tic-tacs are a series of consecutive heelside-to-toeside kickturns where your feet remain on the skateboard. I copied this from Google and have no idea what it means LOL

-

THUD-

Losing his balance for just a moment, Shaw falls heavily onto the ground. His knees, elbows... waves of pain bloom on every joint. It isn’t a good feeling, but what makes Shaw even more frustrated is the arrogant laughter of Little Fatty. t’s even noisier than the cicadas from afar.

“HAHAHAHA Shaw lost! Let’s see if you still have the guts to be proud!”

He has a lot to say despite being a noob. Shaw rolls his eyes. Enduring the pain, he’s just about to lift himself up by the elbows when Bro Zhou walks over to him, offering him a hand. “Not bad.”

“Thanks.”

The other party continues. “But at your age, it’s best to stick to the basics. There’s no hurry to learn high difficulty moves like the dolphin flip. You’ll definitely fall.”

Shaw’s expression immediately turns cold. “I don’t need your pointers on what I can learn at whatever age.” He doesn’t touch the hand, standing up by himself. Lifting his head, he gives the other party a look over. “Do you come here often?”

“The Qing Xun Team practises here every day.”

“Okay. Next time, I’ll definitely win against you.”

Shaw doesn’t bother about the expressions on Bro Zhou’s and the Little Fatty’s faces after hearing his words. He casually pats off the dust on his body, picks up the skateboard which is flipped over on the floor, and leaves the skatepark.

-

[ Chapter Two ]

The moment Shaw enters through the doors of the antique store, the Old Man’s uproar begins. “Little Ancestor, did you wreck havoc in the Heavenly Palace again?”

[Note] Here, the Old Man calls Shaw “小祖宗”, which literally means “Little Ancestor”. This term is used in an affectionate way to address a naughty child

“Wrecking havoc in the Heavenly Palace” is a reference to a novel called Journey to the West (西游记), which features a troublemaking Monkey King Sun Wukong

“I’m hungry. What’s there to eat today?” Shaw doesn’t respond to the shopkeeper’s words. Placing his bag and skateboard behind the counter, he reaches out to play with the silly parrot at the entrance - it’s truly silly. Even after teaching it for a month, it can’t even say “welcome to the shop”. It causes Shaw to wonder if the Old Man was perhaps duped of his money once again.

“All you know how to do is eat...” The Old Man sets down the ancient text in his hands and props up his presbyopic glasses. “Old Qian from next door boiled chicken soup today and is giving us half. I’ll stir-fry two dishes. You can ask if the chicken soup is ready.”

Shaw makes an “mm” of acknowledgement, then turns around and heads next door.

The shopkeeper gets up and takes a few steps towards the kitchen. Then, he abruptly returns to the counter, reaching out to touch the coarse scratch marks at the edge of the skateboard. Inexplicably, he sighs.

The chicken soup is a little bland, and the stir-fried dishes are a little salty. Mixing and eating them together is just nice. Shaw lowers his head and pushes rice into his mouth with chopsticks. In his left ear, he hears the news of how the GDP of Loveland City has risen. In his right ear, he hears the nagging of his mentor:

“...I’m not discouraging you from playing with this thing. It’s good to toughen yourself up while you’re young and your bones and muscles are sturdy. But don’t be too rash. This... this thing of yours...”

“Skateboard.” Shaw speaks.

“Yes, skateboard. I remember that it’s only been a month since it was bought, and it’s already tormented to such a state. You have such an impulsive temperament. You should be more level-headed.”

What does this have to do with temperament? If I were to truly be impulsive, I wouldn’t need a month. Just three days would be enough to break a skateboard. Shaw looks at the chicken leg in his bowl, not saying these words aloud.

“Also, remember to report to the shop early tomorrow. Old Qian and I are preparing to head to the neighbouring city to look for goods. You should come along to broaden your horizons.” The shopkeeper taps his chopsticks against the rim of the bowl, signalling for Shaw to pay more attention. “Isn’t it your birthday tomorrow? I could pick out a gift for you! Sigh, I actually had my eye on an agate snuff bottle, but the guy suddenly decided not to sell it...”

“I’m not going tomorrow.” Shaw interrupts the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper furrows his brows. “Why are you throwing a tantrum?”

“I’m not. I have proper business to attend to tomorrow. The school organised a visit to the museum.” Shaw lifts his eyes, and his thin lips curve upwards. “The things I see there will be much more valuable than those trivial things you fiddle with.”

“You little rascal!”

Shaw laughs, wedging the chicken leg between his chopsticks and sending it into his mentor’s bowl. “I’m full, so I’m heading to the back to do my homework. Chicken legs are really nutritious, so you should have it.”

“Tsk tsk, and you still said you weren’t throwing a tantrum. You aren’t going home again?”

“I don’t want to go back today. I’ll definitely go back tomorrow.” Shaw has already walked to the entrance. He suddenly thinks of something, and turns his head to ask a question. “Mentor, your shop will always be open, right?”

These words came out of nowhere, and the shopkeeper isn’t able to comprehend them. “What?”

“Nothing much. I’m just worried that I won’t have a place to have dinner if an old man like you were to throw in the towel someday.”

The shopkeeper fumes with a glare. “What do you mean by that? You only care about the food? Also, my shop can continue running for a decade or two. I’m still waiting for you to bring back a disciple or a wife to serve me tea!”

Shaw lets out an “oh”, and his eyes crinkle. “In that case, you’ll have to wait for another twenty or thirty years.”

The eyesight of the shopkeeper is no longer as good as before, but he can clearly see that the smile of this child didn’t reach his eyes. After Shaw leaves, he suddenly recalls the fortune that he drew for Shaw half a year ago: “What awaits this catastrophe is a new beginning...”

This child is will meet his predestined fate this year, so what’s left is to see how he endures through it. The shopkeeper shakes his head, sighing once again.

[Note] The actual fortune is “河图数九，洛书数七，脐于九陵，七日来复” but I don’t have the energy to explain it so what I’ve translated above is the overall meaning :>

-

[ Chapter Three ]

When Shaw awakens on the next day, the shopkeeper has already left to inspect the goods. The shop is empty, and he’s the only one left.

Westmoon Street is lined with old houses, and there’s no soundproofing. Lying on the bed, Shaw can hear the chirping of birds outside the window, the yelling of people on the street, and the babble of the Chinese opera from the old bookstore next door: “I’m just like a caged bird with wings that can’t be outstretched. I’m just like a shallow water dragon trapped on a beach...”

Shaw rubs his face, then sits up on the bed.

The school had set the assembling time to be 9am. Heading out now will give him more than enough time. Shaw quickly washes his face and rinses his mouth. Just as he walks towards the front counter with some rice grains from the kitchen for the parrot to eat, he suddenly discovers that there’s something on the counter.

Walking over, Shaw sees that there’s a cake box as well as a t-shirt which has been washed clean.

There’s a slip of paper on the shirt. The strokes are clean and thin. At a glance, he knows that this is the Old Man’s handwriting: You need energy and drive to participate in the school activity. Don’t wear yesterday’s dirty clothes. Change into this.

The shirt look slightly familiar. He probably changed out of it one day and forgot about it, leaving it in the antique shop. Shaw pays it no mind, turning his head to that small cake once again. The various calligraphy and writings in the antique store are considered relatively charming. Yet, why does he always buy such unsophisticated cakes?

When his classmates celebrate their birthdays, what they eat are high quality custom-made cakes - red velvet, matcha crepe, chocolate molten lava... such a traditional longevity cake is probably found only in a place like Westmoon Street. It’s clear from the light red and light green colours that the embellishments on the cake were made by hand. Eating it would definitely dye his tongue. If he were to speak later, wouldn’t he get laughed at by his classmates?

Shaw bunches up his brows, but the fork in his hand doesn’t stop. The cream is plant-based and tastes bad. He eats a small egg shell at the base of the cake and it tastes bad. The “Happy Birthday” was written using peach jam, and it tastes really bad.

The silly parrot at the side tilts its head, watching as the boy eats mouthfuls while shunning it with every bite, finishing the cake entirely.

Shaw wipes his mouth, then rinses it with the barley tea on the table. Picking up that t-shirt, he returns into the house and changes his clothes. 

-

[ Chapter Four ]

“...this ‘Painting of the Elevated and Pre-eminent’ depicts four famous scholars enjoying themselves. Students, do you know who the Seven Sages of the bamboo forest are?”

[Trivia] If you’re interested in seeing the actual painting, search for “高逸图” (“gao yi tu”)

“It’s such a waste that you didn’t watch yesterday’s episode. That scene where the main lead destroyed the opponent like a boss is unparalleled!”

“Aside from the both of us, did anyone else have fun at Anime City?”

“Are you done with the math homework? Lend it to me - I’ll find a place to copy it.”

...

The question posed by the museum guide is drowned out amidst the laughing and frolicking of the kids. He forces a smile while shaking his head. All of a sudden, he notices that a boy with bluish purple hair isn’t the same as the other kids. He’s staring at an ancient painting in the showcase, lost in thought.

As though seeing a saviour, the guide quickly points at him. “Student, why don’t you give me an answer? It’s fine even if you get it wrong. Uncle will explain to you!”

“...” Shaw turns his head, opening his mouth to say some words, but his voice doesn’t reach the guide’s ears.

“Student, what did you say?” The guide raises his volume.

“I said that the four people in ‘Painting of the Elevated and Pre-eminent’ are Shan Tao, Wang Jie, Liu Ling and Ruan Ji.” Shaw’s face is pretty much expressionless, and there aren't many fluctuations in his tone. “The one sitting down with his hands on his knees at the far right is Shan Tao. The one holding the ruyi sceptre is Wang Tao. The one next to him and drinking wine is Liu Ling. A boy is serving him. The one at the far left needs no mention - he’s the first of the Sages, Ruan Ji. So this painting is missing Ji Tang, Xiang Xiu and Ruan Xian.”

“...”

The surroundings gradually quieten down, and only Shaw’s voice echoes in front of the showcase.

"The scholars in this painting evoke a refined and tasteful sentiment, and the lines are beautiful. This is an extremely precious treasure in the realm of silk scrolls. This is why the ‘Painting of the Elevated and Pre-eminent’ has always been kept in the royal palace. It’s a pity that in order for our predecessors to avoid taboos, only Si Ma Zhong’s inscription is left on it.”

The youth lifts his chin, shooting a playful smile at the guide. “Okay Uncle, you can explain the next museum piece now.”

“Shaw, you’re incredible!” His classmates flock over to him, bumping him on the shoulders. “You were staring at that painting for such a long time. Did you memorise the words on the museum label?”

“Tch. These’s no need to memorise the museum labels for such things. You’ll know it from a glance.” Shaw laughs. “Also, I wasn’t looking at this painting...” When he says this, he pauses for a moment, swallowing his words.

If he wasn’t looking at this painting, which one was he looking at? The students follow Shaw’s gaze, and realise that there’s a floral painting hanging next to the “Painting of the Elevated and Pre-eminent”.

“Painting of a Courtyard and Dayliles”, Northern Song Dynasty, Xuan He Imperial Art Academy, anonymous... The students read the explanatory note on the museum label.

[Trivia] If you’re interested in seeing the actual painting, search for “霜庭萱草图” (“shuang ting xuan cao tu”)

The painting seems to depict a corner of a courtyard. A few daylilies display the patterns on their leaves. One big and one small dragonfly are perched on the flower. Aside from that, there isn’t anything else interesting about it. This painting doesn’t seem to have a name or seal, neither does it have a detailed explanation. Even the guide skipped past it. Since it isn’t a rare and precious ancient painting, what exactly was Shaw looking at?

His classmates are a little puzzled.

-

[ Chapter Five ]

All the classes assemble in lines at the entrance of the museum. The teacher very patiently reminds the students not to forget to do their homework over the weekend, and to remember to write down their reflections about the museum. The students drawl out “got it”, but their hearts have long since flown a million miles away, ready to keep toys and snacks company.

“Shaw!” After dispersing, Shaw’s classmates wave at him.

Shaw walks over. “What’s up?”

“All of us know that you aren’t in a good mood because you lost to a senior in skateboarding yesterday. Isn’t it your birthday? Bro Lu bought the newest game, so let’s head over to play at his place.” His classmate smiles while putting an arm around his shoulder.

“Who told you that I lost yesterday?” Shaw speaks coldly.

“Who else but Fatty? He was so proud yesterday.” The classmate gives Shaw a pat. “Relax, we’re on your side. Don’t think about these unhappy things. Next time, we’ll have lots of opportunities to get revenge...”

“If I wanted revenge, I wouldn’t wait till next time.” Shaw purses his lips. “I’m heading to the skatepark now. You guys coming?”

-

Since it’s the weekend, quite a number of skateboard hobbyists are already practising by the time Shaw reaches the skatepark. Very quickly, he locates Bro Zhou from yesterday.

Shaw gets straight to the point. “I lost yesterday. Today, I want to have a race with you. Do you accept?”

A hint of shock is in Bro Zhou’s eyes. He has probably never met a kid who is this unwilling to lose. “You fell so badly yesterday but still want to compete with me? You should practise more!”

“There’s no need to practise more when competing with you,” Shaw says.

With this, Bro Zhou’s temper starts to flare. He tilts his chin. “Fine, come on. Just don’t cry if you fall and break your arm today.”

A short while later, the news of how a “junior high school newbie dared to challenge Bro Zhou from the Qing Xun Team” spreads throughout the skatepark. Everyone gathers at both sides of the race course, curiously sizing up the main lead for today.

“S-Shaw...” His classmate pulls on Shaw’s arm. Looking at the deep bowl in front, he gulps. “Are you sure you’re competing with him in this? It won’t be good news if you fall!”

“If I want to play, of course I’ll only play the fun stuff. Just watch.”

Shaw walks to the starting line and takes a deep breath. When moving his limbs, his hand subconsciously touches the hem of the t-shirt - there’s a small Chinese trumpet vine. The green leaves and red petals cover the hole which was originally on the shirt. It’s just that the stitches are crooked, and it’s incredibly crude. At a glance, it’s clear that it wasn’t sewn by someone familiar with needlework. 

[Fun fact] Chinese trumpet vine is 凌霄花 (“ling xiao hua”)

Shaw’s name in CN is 凌肖 (“ling xiao”)

Mentor is the best <3

He bites his lower lip.

The referee raises both hands. “The old rules apply. After getting past the Cola can obstacles, cross the bowl. The first person who reaches the goal will win. Ready... go!”

In the midst of a clamour, a bluish purple light rushes forward, taking the lead.

-

[ Chapter Six ]

The friction of wheels against the ground results in ear-piercing screeches. The skateboard brings Shaw forward at a high speed, and the cold strong wind accompanies the summer heat waves, brushing past his cheeks. The upright Cola cans aren’t enough to faze him. With the continuous twisting of his waist and a skateboard which moves naturally like flowing water, he and his opponent seem to bypass the obstacles comprising of twelve Cola cans at the same time-

There are three consecutive rows of Cola can structures in front of him. He has to use all sorts of techniques to jump over them. That way, he can rush down the bowl, and enter the final stage.

The arm he injured from the fall yesterday is still aching faintly. His feet seem to be protesting as well. He successfully jumps over the first row, the second row... Shaw holds his breath. He steps on the tail of the skateboard with his left foot. Gravity takes over quickly, and his right foot causes the skateboard to rise. The skateboard beneath his feet is akin to a flying fish jumping out of the water surface, creating a rotating arc above the Cola cans!

“It’s a dolphin flip!” Members of the audience exclaim.

Clack! Shaw’s shoulders wobble slightly when his feet return to the skateboard. When he finally stands steadily, he continues rushing forward. The final bowl is right in front of him. 

The moment the skateboard dives downwards, Shaw feels a brief moment of weightlessness. This feeling is reminiscent of being thrown out of the entire world, making one want to continue falling like this until they plummet into the bottom of the swamp. The deep bowl is like the trough he’s currently going through. If he’s unable to climb out of the trough, he will drown in hatred, anger, powerlessness, disappointment... and lose to that weak heart of his.

But he’s Shaw, and he won’t lose just like that.

With a rapid dash, he soars upwards without trouble - underneath the brilliant blazing sun, the youth leaps out of the bowl!

After flying out of the bowl, the inertia causes Shaw to stumble a few steps. He falls onto the ground, lying on his back while pressing the finish line.

At the same time, he hears a dull thud from the bowl - his opponent had fallen back into it.

“Shaw won!” “Shaw reached the goal first!” “That rascal actually won against Bro Zhou?” “This competition was so awesome!” ...all sorts of voices emerge in the surroundings in a disorderly fashion, and a set of footsteps walk towards him.

“Your name’s Shaw?” A masculine voice asks from above his head.

Shaw doesn't speak.

“I’m Coach Wang from Loveland City’s Qing Xun Skateboarding Team,” that voice continues. “I see that you have lots of talent, and will make a good young successor. Are you interested in joining the Qing Xun Team?”

While saying this, a registration form is handed to him.

The late afternoon sun illuminates the sheet of paper, reflecting a glaring light akin to snow. Shaw takes one look at the registration form, then shifts his lips slightly. “I don’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“My shirt’s really expensive, so it isn’t worth tearing them.”

The coach is rendered speechless.

Just as he’s about to say a few more words to persuade the kid, he suddenly spots the small flower at the corner of Shaw’s shirt from his periphery - this is clearly not an expensive t-shirt. These days, few shirts are mended using embroidery. And the fact that he’s willing to wear it despite the clumsy embroidery...

This kid has family members whom he cares very much about. The coach seems to understand this. His lips open and shut, and he swallows back the lines he prepared. In the end, he simply says, “...that dolphin flip you did earlier wasn’t bad.”

“Of course.”

The coach laughs as he leaves. Amidst the cheers from the surroundings, Shaw lies on the ground. Covering his eyes with his hand, he laughs.

“I won. Happy birthday to me.”

🛹 Shaw’s Date Prologue: here

[misslilli]

Whelp, with yesterday we're back at school. Teaching first grade is hard, man 😂 Thank you guys, again, for going on this adventure with me :)

Felix Felicis

MSR. AU. PG-13. | tagging @today-in-fic | read on AO3

Chapter 17 - The Mulder Boys's Birthday Bash

[ DS ]

The Saturday of the Mulder Boys’s Birthday Bash, I find myself standing in front of my closet with the girls, frowning at my selection of dresses. “What about this one?” Holly fingers a yellow sundress.

“Nah, it’s pretty but she looks like she’s going to church in that one.” Sarah tugs on a dress with a daisy print on it.

“Are you joking? That one’s even more Virgin Mary than the yellow one!”

Alex reaches into my closet and pulls out a navy two-piece dress I bought on a whim a few years back, but have never worn since then. “How about this one?”

“A, that’s perfect! It’s classy, yet sexy, just what we’re going for!” Sarah shoves me towards my bathroom. “Go try it on, D! And wear those nude heels with it.” I take the dress out of Alex’s arms and the shoes from Sarah and change into the outfit quickly. The straps drape across my arms just below my shoulders and it’s low cut just enough for my comfort. My cross necklace gleams against my skin and I decide to keep it on for tonight. Since it’s a two-piece, there’s just a sliver of skin visible between the top and the skirt, which flares out and swishes around my knees.

Slipping on my heels I step outside and the girls gasp in unison. “Yes, that’s the one! How does it feel D?” Holly pulls me over and I twirl in front of the full-length mirror, smiling as the skirt billows out around my legs.

“It’s beautiful, I love it. Thanks, girls!”

“The Mulder boys won’t know what hit ‘em when you show up wearing that!” Sarah winks at me suggestively and I roll my eyes at her.

“You know exactly that that’s not why I’m wearing it!”

Now it’s Sarah’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yeah sure, just keep telling yourself that…”

“Come on guys, we’re already unfashionably late. I’ll just call us a cab, are you ready?”

I grab a shawl against the cold and my purse before we make our way downstairs to wait for the cab. When we arrive at the house, we can already hear faint party noises from the backyard and my heart’s beating hard against my chest when we walk up the front walkway to ring the doorbell. My gaze wanders around the front of the house, the glass veranda on the right catching my eye. It’s completely different from our beach house, but it’s beautiful all the same.

The door opens to reveal Principal Skinner with a glass of whiskey in his hand and he holds the door open for us. “Hello ladies, come on in! You look extraordinarily beautiful tonight! Follow me, the party’s out back in the yard.”

He leads us through the house and I notice that it’s got polished hardwood floors and is furnished with antiques, giving it a cozy feel. We walk past the glass veranda which houses the dining room on the right and the living room with a massive couch to the left, which opens into the kitchen. The wooden staircase to the first floor is tucked away in the back. Skinner points us to the bathroom as we walk past it before we step outside onto the back porch and my breath catches in my chest.

They really went all out on this party, there’s string lights twinkling all around the hedge and in the trees, catered food and a bar in one corner, round tables in the middle and a massive dancefloor with a DJ in the other corner. Holly whistles through her teeth. “Man, they sure know how to live it up. Why are our parties never this nice? Jesus, I think they invited half the town for this.”

“Well, that’s on me I guess, they don’t know many people around here yet so I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to make new acquaintances,” Principal Skinner admits but I’m only half listening because my eyes are too busy scanning the crowd. Sarah nudges my hip and tilts her head over to the bar and I’m embarrassed that she knows exactly who I was looking for. There he is, deep in conversation with Skinner’s wife, laughing at something she said.

He’s wearing a dark blue suit with a white dress shirt and a crimson tie and while the sight of him in a plain t-shirt with jeans are enough to make my heart skip a beat, him in that suit is going to give me a heart attack.

“Would you look at that D, you color coordinated, matchsiiiesss.” Holly whispers in my ear and I give her a pointed look.

“Shut up, Holly!” I hiss at her.

Just then, he looks over at us standing on the elevated porch and I can practically feel the slight burn his eyes leave as they travel up and down my body, giving me the once over. I hope he has a defibrillator. He flashes us a smile and raises his hand in a small wave, then continues his conversation with Arlene Skinner.

“Come on, girls, let’s put the presents on the gift table and get something to eat and drink.” ‘Eat, drink and be merry for today you may die.’

At the bar we sidestep the wine for now, since we haven’t eaten yet and I don’t want to embarrass myself by getting tipsy and stumbling over my heels. With my luck, I’ll just faceplant at a certain someone’s feet. ‘Huh, maybe he’ll catch me in those strong arms of his, though, if you’re really lucky…‘

When he spots our little circle, Felix comes over to us wearing a boy version of his dad’s suit, only with short dress pants and sneakers better suited for running around with the other kids. He’s tugging a tall woman along, with wavy brown hair and a kind face that seems somewhat familiar, but I’m not sure where to place her. His face is flushed and he beams at us happily.

“You came!”

“Of course we came, happy birthday Felix!” Sarah raises her glass to him and we all chime in with our Happy birthdays. The woman he came over with also raises her glass and ruffles his hair affectionately.

“This is my teacher Miss Anderson, and Miss Carter and Miss Spencer and Miss Scully,” he introduces us while the woman takes her turn shaking our hands. She regards me curiously and her lips curve into a smile.

“I’m Sam, Fox’s sister and Felix’s favorite aunt!” His sister, that’s why her face seemed so familiar. “So you’re the enigmatic Miss Scully I’ve heard so much about. It’s so nice to finally meet you!” She notices the surprised look on my face. “Only good things, I promise. Felix won’t shut up about you when we talk on the phone.” I laugh, mostly because of the exasperated look Felix gives his aunt at revealing his secret.

“Glad to hear it, we’re having a lot of fun with him during recess! Nice to meet you, Sam. I really like your dress, did you get it around here?”

“Thanks, but no, I got it back in LA, I’m only visiting for a couple of days, I just couldn’t miss my two handsome boys’s birthday bash!”

“Handsome, huh? You spoil me sis!” Her brother has snuck up behind her, throwing his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side and planting a kiss on her cheek. “Hi ladies, thanks for coming, you look very lovely today!” We raise our glasses to him as well, wishing him a happy birthday and my drink spills over a little in my shaky hand. I pray that no one notices.

“Sam I’m so sorry to drag you away, but can you help me out and check if everything’s alright with the caterers?” They excuse themselves and we decide it’s time for us to check out what said caterers have prepared, our stomachs already rumbling. Hopefully, the butterflies in my stomach will make room.

----------

[ Sam ]

After checking with the caterers inside, I return to the party, standing on the back porch to watch everyone have a good time and I’m secretly a little proud of myself. Planning the party from all the way across the country had been stressful to say the least, but it turned out great. My gaze wanders around the tables and it catches on the tiny red-head and her three friends, who seem to be having a great time, laughing and chatting at their table.

I’ve heard many stories from Felix over the last few weeks but what surprised me the most was the way my brother looks at her. When I saw the way his whole face lit up when she walked in, I realized that Felix was not the only one taken with Miss Scully. She’s not his usual type - not that she’s not pretty, she is, very much so - but she’s actually nice. A vast improvement from the piece of work that’s his ex-wife, let me tell you. I wonder if he’s thought about asking her out yet.

----------

[ DS ]

After dinner, we’re treated to another visit from the little Mulder, who’s breathless from the game of tag with his friends. “Hey Felix! Are you having a good time?” He nods enthusiastically, trying hard to catch his breath.

“Yeah, auntie Sam did a really good job! I can’t wait for my cake, she said it’s really huuuge! And the DJ is playing aaaall my favorite songs, too!”

Suddenly shy, he shuffles his feet a bit and then, gathering all his courage, he looks up at me and holds out a tiny hand. “Miss Scully, will you dance with me?”

“Of course, birthday boy, come on.”

----------

[ Sam ]

Once I’m finished making another round of checking that everything’s running smoothly, I spot my brother standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching the party. Stopping on the last step, I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my chin on his shoulder. “Great party, huh?”

“Yeah, you did a pretty good job sis. And Skinner’s managed to gather up quite a crowd. Almost everyone’s here tonight!”

“You know what I think? You’d be just as happy if it were only you and one other special guest here tonight.” He turns his head a little, frowning.

“What?” I motion my head to the woman who’s currently talking to Felix at her table. “Aah. Is it that obvious?” I snort derisively

“Are you kidding me, bro? I’ve known you all my life, I can see the hearts in your eyes from a mile down the road. Have you asked her out yet?”

“No… I’m so nervous around her I can barely string more than a few coherent words together. She probably thinks I’m a huge idiot. I asked her if she believes in aliens, Sam!” We watch as Felix holds his hand out to her, asking her to dance with him. He’s so cute I can barely stand it.

“I’m sure that’s not true. You should take a page out of your son’s book though, boy’s got game!” My brother laughs as the somewhat mismatched pair sways on the dancefloor.

I release him from my embrace, an idea popping into my head. “You should go and cut in.” Now he fully turns to me and looks at me like I’m crazy.

“What? No…” He’s making his panic face.

“What yes! Carpe diem, right now!” I give him a gentle shove in the direction of the dancefloor. “Go! I’ll handle the music.”

----------

[ DS ]

Of course, I can’t say no to the little charmer and we make our way to the dancefloor and I sway with Felix in time to the music, twirling him around until he giggles.

“You look really handsome tonight, Felix!”

He smiles shyly and narrowly avoids stepping on my shoes. “Thank you! You look really beautiful too.”

“You’re absolutely right, son. Mind if I cut in?” A tingle shoots up my spine at the sound of his voice and Felix nods, stepping back. His dad holds out his hand to me. “A dance for the other birthday boy?”

“Well technically, it’s not your birthday for a few days.” I tease him, but I slip my hand into his and he spins me against him, wrapping his right arm around my waist, clasping my left hand in his tightly. The DJ fades into a new song and I groan inwardly as Sonny and Cher’s “I got you babe!” starts droning from the speakers. We sway for a few beats before he whips me across the dancefloor in a quick waltz. Over his shoulder I can see countless pairs of eyes following us but for once, tonight, I don’t care because all I can feel is the burn of his fingers resting on the sliver of exposed skin of my waist and the tickle of the hair at the back of his neck against my hand. God, this guy can waltz.

On the last few notes, he twirls me out with a grin on his face, tugging on my hand to bring me back in and then he dips me back for the grand finale. Dips me. The move takes me by surprise and I laugh, breathless when he brings me upright again.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to dip your lady in a waltz!” I realize my Freudian slip a fraction of a second too late. ‘Your lady? What the heck, Dana.’

He just shrugs nonchalantly, still grinning. “If I fancy to dip my lady, I will dip my lady! Thank you for this dance, Miss Scully!” He bows his head and I chuckle, curtsying. “The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Mulder!” ‘Who ARE you?’

We step off the dancefloor and I return to our table, sitting down still a little bit out of breath, only to be met with three incredulous stares. ‘Here we go, 3, 2, 1…’

“What was that, D?” Holly.

“Oh my God, the two of you on the dancefloor!” Sarah.

“That was incredible!” Alex.

I shrug, picking up my glass, but I can’t hide the blush on my face and smile around my straw. “Mr. Mulder can waltz.” I’ll never live this down.

Sometime after the birthday cakes came out, Felix appears at my side again and leans against me heavily. I can tell he’s coming down from his sugar-high. “Miss Scully, remember how I told you about the encyclopedia on butterflies?”

“Yeah I do, what about it?”

“Would you like to see it?” He looks up at me hopefully and I agree, glad to get away from the action for a while.

“Okay, come on!” Together we climb the steps to the back porch and he tugs me inside into the living room where we sit down on the couch. I can finally slip off my heels while Felix runs to get the encyclopedia and after returning, places it on my lap curling up into my side. He opens the heavy book and shows me his favorite butterflies, explaining in great detail what’s so special about it.

His voice gets more and more quiet with each new butterfly until he stops talking altogether and looking down I realize that he fell asleep, completely wiped. Coming off my own sugar high, I scoot down lower into the cushions and lean my head back against the back, closing my eyes. Just for a second.

[tiramisiyu]

【未定事件簿】  Tears of Themis: Xia Yan Personal Story 4-14 Translation

Translation Masterlist | Xia Yan Masterlist | Video

Chapter 4: 4-1 / 4-2 / 4-4 / 4-5 / 4-6 / 4-7 / 4-9 / 4-10 / 4-11 / 4-12 / 4-13 / 4-14 / 4-16

Sickroom

When I woke up again, I was in a sickroom at the Stellis Municipal Hospital.

MC: Ugh…

Xia Yan: You’re awake!

What first popped into my vision was Xia Yan’s face.

And my hand was being held tightly in his.

Xia Yan: How does it feel? Does it hurt anywhere? I’ll call a doctor over!

There was nothing disguised in his eyes that shone with joy as he looked at me.

MC: I’m pretty alright…

MC: You asked so much all at once, so how do I answer it all…

Xia Yan: Sorry, I just got too happy when I saw you wake…

Xia Yan: You’ve been sleeping for a whole day – are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you!

Xia Yan’s hair was an utter mess, and there were black circles under his eyes.

I reached out in concern, patting his hair gently.

MC: Have you been by my side the whole time without sleeping? You’ve even got dark circles.

Xia Yan: Silly… don’t worry about that. This is no big deal – you’re the sick patient here.

There was a bit of self-blame and concern in his voice.

He looked at me without shifting his gaze away, as if scared that I would disappear in the next second.

A long moment after, Xia Yan suddenly came back to his senses.

Xia Yan: Oh right, I’ll go call a doctor over to give you a checkup.

He was just preparing to press the signal bell when I subconsciously grabbed his hand.

MC: No need to rush that much…

Xia Yan’s warm body heat transmitted to me through our interlaced fingers and linked hands.

It took so much for me to hold this hand again. I didn’t want to let go.

I just wanted to stay with him like this for a while.

MC: I meant… there are some things I wanted to ask you.

Xia Yan: The case stuff, right? Don’t worry – Ji Xiaoyu, Sergeant Li, and the others are all doing well.

Xia Yan: The police also caught Song Heng. They’re currently interrogating him.

MC: Is Ji Xiaoyu also at this hospital?

Xia Yan: Yeah. Though she got closer to drowning than you, she wasn’t in too much trouble, and her injured hand is also being treated.

Xia Yan: She woke a little earlier than you. A few hours ago, when the nurse brought her for an examination, she came to see you.

MC: Then let’s go see her when she has time.

Xia Yan: Sure.

MC: Right, how did you find me?

Xia Yan: After dealing with the event hall parking lot issue, I rushed to where you and Song Heng had agreed to meet.

Xia Yan: After Sphinx heard from the hidden earbud that you had been hit from the mountain road into the river, he immediately contacted the nearby water rescue staff.

Xia Yan: So when I got there, I immediately got on a rescue boat to save you.

MC: So that’s what happened.

MC: Speaking of which, I wonder if Sphinx is willing to meet us in person.

MC: If I can meet him, I want to thank him myself.

Xia Yan: About that… I’ll give him a call and ask. I think that he’ll probably be willing.

MC: Okay!

As we were almost done talking about serious business, another question quietly but quickly occupied my whole mind, urging me to probe Xia Yan.

--

[Flashback]

Xia Yan: What do you want to say? Does it hurt anywhere? What can I do to help you…

MC: Xia… Yan…

These two words took all the strength I had to say.

Xia Yan: I’m here! I’m right here!

MC: I… like you… the most…

Xia Yan: Don’t say that! Don’t say that sort of thing at this sort of time…

[Flashback end]

--

MC: …

What did Xia Yan think about what I said…

⊳ Ask Xia Yan ⊳ Wait and see

MC: Uh… Xia Yan…

Xia Yan: What?

MC: Back then, on the boat…

Xia Yan: …

I hadn’t even finished speaking when Xia Yan’s face turned red instantly.

 ⊳ Ask Xia Yan ⊳ Wait and see

I really wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

For a moment, Xia Yan and I sank into silence.

Due to nervousness, my hand trembled unconsciously, as if caressing Xia Yan’s palm.

 --

Xia Yan: Uh, I… actually…

Xia Yan spoke quietly, and I didn’t dare raise my head. His face in my periphery kept getting redder.

???: Miss Lawyer, you’re awake!

Two doctors pushed open the door and walked in, probably because it was time to check the rooms.

The slightly older doctor between the two glanced ambiguously at Xia Yan’s and my tightly clasped hands, then laughed proudly at the colleague beside him.

???: I win, Little Xu. You’re paying for lunch today.

Doctor Xu: Hah, if room-checking were later by 10 minutes, I would’ve won.

MC: ???

???: Sorry about that… I know we came at a bad time, but room-checking happens at set times. I can’t do anything about it.

???: Don’t worry, we’ll just ask a few questions, and then we’ll leave immediately!

Xia Yan: …

MC: …

This teasing tone sounded familiar for some reason.

MC: (This tone with its subtle hints is really familiar, but I don’t remember meeting him before…)

MC: May I ask who you are?

Yang Xiao: I’m Yang Xiao. You could consider me as… an old friend of Xia Yan’s.

MC: Old friends? How did you two meet? I didn’t know Xia Yan had a doctor friend.

Yang Xiao: That’s all his fault. He never brings me up.

Xia Yan: Bro Yang… be serious.

Xia Yan glared at him.

Yang Xiao: I met Xia Yan at his antiques shop. My significant other likes cleaning antiques a lot, so I go to his place a lot to buy stuff.

Yang Xiao: And then we ended up getting more familiar.

MC: So that’s how it was.

MC: Uh, it might be a bit weird if I ask this… but I keep feeling like I’ve heard your voice before. Have we met?

Yang Xiao: Uh… I’m guessing that it’s because I was also there during the river rescue.

Yang Xiao: I was the one who went rescuing with Xia Yan and pulled Ji Xiaoyu onto the boat.

MC: So that’s what happened! Thank you so much!

MC: Although, why were you there back then?

Yang Xiao: Uh, just coincidence.

Yang Xiao jabbed at Doctor Xu beside him with his arm.

Doctor Xu: Right, we heard that you faced off the criminals directly to save someone, which is why you fell into the river.

Doctor Xu: The situation back then must have been very dangerous, right?

Doctor Xu: Your boyfriend was beside himself when he brought you in.

I snuck a glance at Xia Yan. The blush on his face had extended down to his neck.

MC: Is that so…

MC: (Xia Yan didn’t deny it, so is he acquiescing…)

Xia Yan: Alright alright, you just woke, so don’t talk so much – you’ll get tired.

Yang Xiao: Yes yes yes, Miss Lawyer, you just need to concern yourself with listening.

Yang Xiao: Little Xu, keep going. Give her a good recount on what happened before.

Xia Yan glared furiously at Yang Xiao, while Yang Xiao fearlessly stuffed a water kettle into Xia Yan’s hands.

Yang Xiao: Xia Yan, I know you don’t want to hear people recount the scene of your social death.

Yang Xiao: Here’s an opportunity for you – go get some water in here.

Xia Yan: Yang Xiao, you—

Yang Xiao grinned at me, his voice full of suggestion.

Yang Xiao: Miss Lawyer must want to know about what happened, right?

MC: I…

Yang Xiao: I can tell by your expression that you really want to know.

Yang Xiao: Xia Yan, aren’t you going to go get the water?

Yang Xiao spoke as he pushed Xia Yan out of the sickroom.

After, he and Doctor Xu spoke, one at a time, as they recounted what had happened before.

--

[Flashback]

When the ambulance arrived at the hospital, I was immediately sent to the emergency room.

Doctor Xu: Where’s her family?

Xia Yan: That’s me!

Doctor Xu: The first aid measures may require some emergency operations. Please sign your name.

Doctor Xu: What is your relationship with the patient? Husband and wife or siblings?

Xia Yan: We… have no legal relation…

Doctor Xu: Then I’m sorry, but you do not have the power to sign. Please contact her other family members.

Xia Yan: …

Yang Xiao: Little Xu, the situation’s urgent. Focus on the emergency treatment first.

[Flashback end]

--

Doctor Xu: Two hours later, when I got out of the emergency room, he was still sitting by the room door.

Doctor Xu: When we pushed you back onto the sickbed, he also stayed by your bedside, refusing to take a single step away.

Doctor Xu: Doctor Yang and I explained to him several times that you were alright and would wake soon.

Doctor Xu: He could eat something and rest a bit – but he refused.

Doctor Xu: When Doctor Yang said, “when she wakes and sees that you haven’t even changed out of your drenched clothes, she’ll definitely feel sad”, he finally changed clothes.

My heart was a mix of emotions – embarrassed, emotional, concerned… but I felt even more apologetic.

I suddenly understand why Xia Yan was always saying “sorry” to me after being injured.

He had to face danger, but this way, I would often be worried and sad. But there was nothing else he could do…

Doctor Xu: So, Doctor Yang and I made a bet earlier – what was he going to do when you woke up?

Doctor Xu: Doctor Yang said that he’d disappoint us and would just be holding your hand at most. But I thought, well, young people…

MC: !!!

Yang Xiao finally cut in.

Yang Xiao: Little Xu, I’d like to speak to her in private for a bit.

Doctor Xu: No wonder you asked me to play along with you and recount what happened before we came in. Looks like you’ve got a lot of objectives going on.

Doctor Xu: Sure, then I’ll go check the rooms.

Doctor Xu smiled at me, then left.

Yang Xiao: Sorry for using these methods to speak to you alone.

MC: No problem. Although, Doctor Yang, what did you want to say to me?

Yang Xiao: I just want to ask you a few questions. Of course, I’m just asking out of my own curiosity – it has nothing to do with Xia Yan.

MC: Feel free.

Yang Xiao: As a doctor, I’ve long learned to not put too much weight on life and death.

Yang Xiao: But this must be the first time you’ve experienced this sort of thing, right?

Yang Xiao: Actually, professions like lawyer or… uh, police are all somewhat high risk, correct?

Yang Xiao: Have you thought about changing occupations? Otherwise, wouldn’t your other half be too pitiful, having a significant other who might be in life-threatening danger at any given moment?

MC: …

MC: Doctor Yang, thank you for asking me these questions.

MC: The fact that you took the initiative to ask these shows that you really do see Xia Yan as a good friend, which is why you’re thinking for him.

Yang Xiao: … I’m not as good as you say.

MC: But I won’t change occupations, and I won’t make my other half change occupations.

MC: I know that some occupations require one to face various dangers at any point in time, but I respect their decision.

MC: As for potentially encountering life-threatening danger anytime…

MC: Even if one is a healthy, normal person, it’s hard to guarantee what their next day will be like.

MC: Which is why the life promise oath is “for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part”.

MC: Plus, because of what happened this time, I’ve learned even more to treasure what I have right now.

Yang Xiao: Treasure?

MC: Yep! To treasure everyone around me, as well as every minute spent with them.

--

Xia Yan carried the kettle with one hand and carried several bottles of mineral water in the other, standing silently outside the door.

The conversation between the girl and Yang Xiao transmitted clearly to his ears, falling into his heart.

“For richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part”.

“Treasure everyone around me, as well as every minute spent with them.”

Xia Yan: …

Xia Yan: MC, you…

Xia Yan quietly called the girl’s name. Right then, it felt like the air around him had warmed up.

Xia Yan: You’re a lot more courageous than me…

[eyeballjazz]

First of all I've been binge reading your fics whenever I get some free time so huge kudos to ya <3

Second, I've got a fun lil ask for ya: domestic headcanons for HB/PI and SS/DD :D

how do they share all their houses' chores? We all know HB is probably an amazing cook and DD looks like an organization freak but what about the rest? Does anyone besides HB knows how to cook a proper meal? We need to know!!

Well, hell!

First of all, thank you so much this is so sweet! Absolutely makes my day to know you’re enjoying my work. I hope you get lots more time to read soon, bro!

And second I’m about to go ON so I’ll chop the post here, but I’ve got headcanons old and new cooked up for you:

As I’m sure you’ve noticed I like writing about buildings so I can tell you exactly what everyone’s houses are like. The whole Crew lives across from each other on a block in the center of their territory, Slick and Droog in a Victorian townhouse and Hearts and Clubs in a duplex that’s broken into two railway style spaces. Slick would live shoebox if it was up to him, so thankfully Droog has very opinionated taste and likes spending his husband’s money enough to buy a whole antique for them to live in. 

I don’t have to tell you that cooking is huge for the Crew. They’re a small family of Italian uncles, so cooking is a major factor of their lives. 

As skill goes Droog is the best cook out of anyone. He’s self taught but for the very basics and some old family recipes his mother drilled into him back in Tuscany. And like everything with Droog, he’s someone who grew up dirt poor and now desperately wants to show off taste and affluence by being a highbrow snob. That means his skill for cooking has driven towards very elegant, subtle cuisine, lots of French influence (he says it must have been Italian, originally, but the French got famous for it somehow), and small portion size. Think of the fanciest restaurant you've ever been to and how teeny the serving sizes were and then imagine it was cooked by someone who is ferociously closeted and you’ve got it. 

Despite all that, Droog has not had working taste buds in at least thirty years because he’s smoked two packs a day since he learned to walk. Slick, likewise, had a bad smoking habit and quit for the kids so he’s not swimming in buds either. Add to that the fact that he’s had his nose broken so many times he’s functionally lost his sense of smell and you’ve got a match made in heaven. 

Lucky them, Karkat and Aradia get the spoils of Droog’s great cooking and are the picky eaters their fathers wished they could have been as boys. Droog is very proud to have snotty kids. So it is his great displeasure when, instead of having a single scallop lightly seared in browned butter then dusted with rosemary and thyme, the kids just want peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But both happen regularly. 

Hearts is a close second but of a very different school. He learned to cook primarily from his mother, who is a master of Southern cooking and made sure her boy knew how to do for himself before she let him leave her home. The rest he learned as a cook in the army, and then later from Droog after Hearts insisted he learn some real Italian recipes since his father never cooked when Hearts was a boy. Hearts still has a habit for cooking for a literal army and so he often cooks for the whole family. 

His food is mostly soul food/American southern and he seasons hard and often. One might even say it is dangerously flavorful, and everyone agrees it is extremely fortifying. It’s even strong enough to get through to Droog, who can (with the addition of hot sauce) taste it and secretly wishes Hearts would offer to teach him a thing or two.

Too willful to learn, Slick is a very low third place. He doesn’t care about food much and burns most things he tries to cook out of impatience. Plus, he hasn’t needed to learn since he married Droog so why start now?

Pickle Inspector, dead last, can’t so much as fry an egg. He loves food and knows the locations and operating hours of every restaurant and pub and gas station hot bar in the city. But cooking itself eludes him. He does occasionally try to go vegetarian but folds immediately when offered the chance to have a big beautiful meal he didn’t have to cook himself.

This matches up perfectly with Hearts’s master plan, which is to feed Pickle Inspector to within an inch of his life. And Pickle, like a stray cat, loves the attention and knows where the free food is. Hearts insists he’s too skinny and will often say ‘Just have a little,’ and then hand him a plate with half a lasagna on it.

HBPI is a ‘you cook, I clean’ split. Self conscious of his lack of cooking knowledge Pickle does every dish in the house whenever he sneaks in (read: breaks in) to spend time with Hearts and Tavros. And very often when he breaks in he tries to carve out some time to spend playing DnD with Tavros, with an ambition to get him and Hearts in a game so they can show Hearts a more kinetic version of fantasy than having a read a lot of books by nudists from the 60’s.

Because they may or may not be out as a couple to the Crew, Pickle and Hearts don’t get to spend a lot of time out on Hearts’s front porch together, although kicking back on the porch is one of Hearts’s favorite things to do. But, every so often, they take their coffee together out on the porch way before anyone else is awake. They watch the city all in blue together, right before the sunrise.

SSDD and chores are much more complicated.

Droog is fastidious, meticulous, and intense about cleaning. He also uses it to avoid or ignore any emotions he may be feeling so their Victorian is constantly spotless. Droog does all the kitchen chores, all the rewarding dusting of art pieces, mantles, and mirrors, and looks after the kids to make sure they learn how to keep their own spaces clean.

He dumps all the chores where you actually chance getting dirty on Slick. Taking out the trash, mowing the lawn, cleaning the bathrooms, washing the cars, touching anything weird, bugs, that’s all Slick.

Slick also looks after their garden, not for any love of plants but because he’s gotten himself into an all out war with a warren of rabbits that want to eat Droog’s spices and tomatoes. The war has been multi-generational for the rabbits and they’re too invested to pull out now. Slick is the only person who really looks after the garden, Droog assumes ownership of the plants but doesn’t care about them beyond having fresh basil to cook with.

Slick’s contempt for the bunnies and ferocity in keeping his husband’s plants alive have made him an unwitting expert on what a good spice garden needs. Like Droog, his feelings for the whole thing aren’t tied to love for the plants but instead pride and anger. Droog, meanwhile, loves seeing Slick do violence in his name and will often watch his tantrums in the backyard whenever one of the tomato plants gets chewed up.

Whew, this got long quick. Since it’s already so long, I’ll leave you with one more hc which is that Pickle Inspector knows how to juggle. Thank you again for the great questions, this was so fun!!!

[dirtycccat]

things that remind you of them w the demon bros+ (un)dateables

highkey tw for some unhealthy behaviors and uhhhhh maybe sensitive stuff idk just keep that in mind

lucifer

an impromptu orchestra concert in an abandoned church. a forgotten off key piano found at the back of an antique shop. tradition worth more than luxury. 

the crackling of fire. glittering glasses of wine. changing a vinyl with naked hands, brushing the dust off its hard body. a cold hand touching  the back of your neck in passing. whispered words of affection in the ear of your sleeping beloved.

running on air. falling with your lungs full of fire. trying to rebel against fate, against the inevitable moment the ground will break your bones for trying to cheat the laws of nature and its gods.

the heavy weight of perfection bending you backwards. counting down the moments until it will finally break you. measuring your worth in work, in being good at, in being useful, in being needed.

sticking up with family, with rules, with loyalty despite your own desires. acting like you’re the first but always putting yourself second. 

being afraid to dare to be selfish and to love. being scared of your own devouring passions. waiting for your beloved to take the first step and running the whole way to finally meet them.

mammon

the fluttering of wings in the silence of a white september afternoon. a sea of crows watching your every move from atop a nearby building. finding a black feather on the ground and keeping it in your pocket for good luck.

the friction between leather seats and leather jackets. heavy cologne mixed with the scent of sweat and leather. the purr of a motor. finding a half empty pack of cigarettes in the pocket of your old jacket.

winning second place so many times you’ve given up on first. still dreaming of clawing your way onto the top of the podium sometimes. 

the heavy burden of capitalism of having your worth monetized. having to constantly show the word you’re worth something. selling your soul for value. 

wanting everything you could never have before. overspending, oversharing, overwhelming. being too much but also never enough. 

finally being someone’s number one. strong arms holding you while you cry. a reassuring presence, a constant in your life 

leviathan

imposter syndrome. feeling like you’ll never fit in, like you’ll never be good enough.

replacing real life with dreams. looking at life from the outside. living inside your head.

playing games until 3 am on a school/work night. letting your passions consume you. still feeling guilty of not doing anything measured in money or public approval. calling all your hobbies guilty pleasures because you still care about what others think despite appearances.

finding comfort in the solace of the ocean. sitting at the bottom of the pool holding in your breath and your tears. crying in the shower. letting the water wash you clean and reborn. 

letting someone in. being accepted for what you are and the little you can offer. vast depths hidden by shallow waters.

satan

rage. pure unfiltered rage. the desire to stand up to authority figures.  clenched fists, heavy calming breaths, tightly closed eyes. tears of anger, of not being right, of never being good enough or smart enough.

subtle jabs. heavy sarcasm. veiled ironies. cruel eyes and bloody smiles.

putting your nose in a cat’s fur and smelling home. holding a small being full of love and feeling fulfilled. finally feeling like you want to protect and not just destroy.

having to put a book down after reading a certain line that perfectly described that unknown feeling you’ve had all your life. rereading the same line again and again and feeling the knot in your heart and stomach loosening. knowledge as power turned into knowledge as a way of truly becoming yourself turned into a shelter of understanding guarding you from the anger.

swearing in other languages under your breath. reciting poetry aloud by candlelight while drunk on wine and desire. heavy whispers full of hot meanings in the ear of your lover during dinner in languages spoken only by you two.

finally getting the happy ending you’ve always read about. finding your anchor. being a better you for your beloved. improving and helping each other with their shortcomings. balancing each other.

asmodeus

perfectly done make up that had you wake up 2 hours earlier than the others. using concealer to hide a pimple or any imperfection. pants too tight to walk in. the sound of heels in an empty hallway. 

caressing your desire while taking a hot bath. focusing on carnal needs, on your senses, on what you feel, on the present. drunk kisses. flirting with strangers at moonlit bars. red lipstick stains on blushing necks.  

drinking a glass too many despite the warning in your head. drinking to forget yourself. drinking to escape your fears, your inhibitions, your shortcomings. drinking to become the perfect you the others always expect to see you as. but also drinking to be selfish and feel good for yourself and yourself only.

the sad knowledge you’ll never be the best ever again. being compared to others and ending up comparing yourself to them. knowing your worst enemy is yourself, but trying to hide that fact with mean jokes and confident airs. feeling afraid of being known, but even more afraid of having no one knowing the real you.

beauty at a price. happiness sold for beauty. cruel beauty that devours its worshippers. 

the reassuring hands of a stranger holding your hair as you let it all out, the alcohol and the guilt. crying with your head on the cool toilet porcelain after you came home from a party that you thought would help you escape. 

help and love coming from where you least expect it. noticing the little things. noticing the person behind the character.

beelzebub 

an unknown hunger gnawing at your insides. trying to fill the empty inside but always choosing the wrong meal.

feeling satisfied after a good meal on a good day, feeling bursting on a bad one. devouring until you can’t. still feeling empty, still needing to fill yourself up but knowing it is useless.

feeling breathless and weightless after a run. being high on adrenaline and feeling like you can do anything. the smell of a sweaty used gym and leather boxing gloves. 

falling in love so slow and easy it feels like a meeting in the middle of an already drawn path.  

belphegor

living just to pass the time. living for others. living but forgetting how to live. being told to do better, to be better, to just get up and do something.

sleeping in. falling asleep at 6 am after a night of insomnia. hearing the world wake outside when inside you’re just going to bed.

strong emotions with no release. feeling full without escape.  dark humor. saying too much, revealing too much, being to much so you hide.

getting away with shit because you’re the smallest and feeling no guilt. 

the feel of fresh bedsheets. being covered in a blanket just right. feeling warm and protected in the comfort of your room.

love that comes like a question and an answer. love that feels heavy despite it’s light.

diavolo

a commanding tone bringing silence to a room. respect earned justifying the respect you were born with.

luck of birth. being born with a silver spoon. being sheltered, being always different, being untouched by the world outside and its people. 

being born with a burden. accepting your prescribed fate. believing in legends and asking yourself if you’re the hero or the villain of your own story. realizing that life is more complicated than fairytales.

abandoned castles. ivy walls and moss floor. a lit figure at the window of an empty mansion. the creaking of old staircases at night when you’re home alone. feeling like you’re from another time.

a strong hand squeezing your thigh under the table. the reassuring warmth of your lover’s presence in a time of need. being loved and not just desired. finally being touched where it matters.

barbatos

unwavering loyalty. living to serve. giving up on your individuality.

a shadow following you at night while you walk back home. sharp eyes locked onto yours from across the room. 

passive aggressiveness. hiding behind a smile. an impenetrable facade of public politeness.

the ennui of knowing too much, of living the same day, of being hungry  for a breakthrough. knowledge as a burden but also as a gift.

knowing everything about others but no one knowing anything about you. making small thoughtful gestures that remind others of your deep knowledge of their habits and wants.

finally being noticed and seen for yourself alone. getting the surprise you were craving. being taken care of.

simeon

living different lifetimes through your writing and through books.

the smile of a pretty stranger in the train that will forever visit your dreams.

a handwritten message in cursive on the fridge. a hastily written poem on the back of a receipt.

being the outsider. the watcher. being the director of the play of your life and not the actor.

tea that s just hot enough to warm your insides. falling asleep on an armchair with a book in your hand. sunkissed skin. the softness of summer. the fluttering of invisible wings.

ageless wisdom.

rewriting a cursed tale of history. going against tradition. trying to carve your happy ending. succeeding.

solomon

knowledge coming at the price of youth and life.

a thirst to know. devouring books. staying up until 5 am reading. eyes burning dry. feeling like you’re still not doing enough. head full of little nothings. feeling like you will never know anything however much you try read or learn.

notes in the margins of a book you took from the public library. wondering who is the person behind the words. fleeting attachments to the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

being the outcast. the kid at the back of your class reading a russian novel in the original language underneath the table during math class.

a house in the middle of the woods with smoke coming from its chimney. rituals in the dark. wet moss on your soles, the moon lighting up your eyes. the silence of night on a full moon. 

whispering prayers and praises to the earth under your breath as you go. feeling drunk on fire. noticing the magic around you. kissing the earth. finally grasping the knowledge you sold your soul for. asking yourself if it was really worth it and having no answer.

love as an adventure. finally feeling and not thinking. giving up on reason and embracing your heart’s guidance.

[babyboy-cody]

What about Roman being anxious at his first thanksgiving at your family’s house? He would be overwhelmed by how nice your mom is and your grandma being interested in his work. At one point you notice he’s gone and find him in the bathroom just kind of losing it for a second because everyone is SO nice and he’s freaked tf out at all the affection😩🥺😩🥺

Roman looked at himself one last time in the mirror and began to over analyze his appearance. His outfit wasn’t the right color, it’s too dark. His hair was in the wrong style, it’s too slicked down. Should he put his tie inside or outside his jacket? Every little thing made him second guess himself. He cleared his throat and buttoned his cuffs. He breathed slowly out of his mouth and nodded stiffly at himself. The only thing he didn’t notice was your beautiful self standing at the doorway, all dressed to perfectipn and ready to go. You can tell that he was miles away in that dark head of his. It always happened when he was put in a situation that made him feel like whatever he did wasn’t good enough, and you always tried your hardest to steer him away from going into a negative headspace.

“You look very handsome,” you told him, your voice soft and calm as to not scare him. “We match perfectly.”

You stood in front of him and straightened his tie, smooth your hands down the front of his fancy jacket. The maroon color of his tie and handkerchief tucked in his suit pocket goes well with your maroon dress and black heels. Roman stared down at you silenty, taking in every feature that he loves and every imperfection that you hate. You can tell by the stiffness of his jaw that he was nervous, although he doesn’t want to admit it. Roman Godfrey was never nervous, for anything. He was calm, cool, and collected, most of the time.

“I’m gonna fuck things up, I know it,” he starts doubting himself with an emotionless chuckle, but you press your thumb against his pink lips and cupped his smooth shaven cheeks.

“They’re gonna love you,” you gently told him, smiling brightly when his large hands slide around your hips to pull you closer. “And you’re gonna be amazing, okay? I’m excited for you to finally meet my family and they’re excited to meet you. So don’t be too much of a worry butt, yeah?”

“You’re a worry butt,” he mumbles and lowers his head to kiss your lips, grinning and feeling the tension in his body lessen at the sounds of your sweet giggles.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

The car pulls to a stop inside the driveway of your mother’s beautiful home in Easton, Pennsylvania. There were other cars already parked and you recognized your grandparents newest minivan, as well as your sister and brother-in-law’s black Pathfinder. You were practically buzzing with excitement because you get to see your nieces and nephews. You unbuckled your seatbelt and made sure you had your purse in your hand. You looked over at Roman and saw his hands rubbing up and down his thighs to wipe away the sweat on his palms.

“Hey, look you me,” you gently told him, leaning over the console to hold his smooth jaw in order to tirn his head to yours. “I’m with you, okay? I’m not gonna leave. If you want to go at any time, we’ll go.”

He nods and leans over to peck your lips, breathing in your comforting scent and feeling himself get back down onto earth and be in the moment with you. When you both exited and locked the car, you intertwined your fingers with Roman’s surprisingly warm ones, despite the cold weather in Pennsylvania. He stood behind you as you both stood in front of the large red door that had a wreath hung up with cute little gold and red bells. When you rang the doorbell, you can faintly hear your niece and nephews running around and laughing, along with music playing in the background. As the door open, you heard Roman quietly mumble to himself, “Lets do this.”

Your mother stood in the doorway with a dirtied apron protecting her Thanksgiving outfit. She quickly wiped down her hands and immediately pulled you in for a tught hug, you groaning and laughing in her shoulder as she excitedly sways you back and forth quickly. She gave both of your cheeks a big kiss and held your face gently as she took you in.

“Look at how gorgeous you look. We really do have some good genes, huh?” She winked at you as you jokingly rolled your eyes. She looks past your shoulder and you noticed her looking Roman up and down with a pleased grin. “And you must be the handsome beast Y/N’s been yapping about.” You playfully slapped her arm and moved aside so she can greet him. “It’s finally good to meet you, honey.”

“It’s really good to meet you too, ma’am,” he tells her with a charming smile as he reaches a hand out to shake hers, but he’s pulled down by her arms that wrapped around his broad shoulders for a hug. He carefully hugs her back and looks at you in shock at how welcoming she is. You send him a wink and walked inside your mom’s warm home with her pulling Roman inside eagerly by his hand.

You hung up your coats and entered the living room where the others were at. Your sister and her husband were sat on the sofa drinking wine while your grandparents stood at the Christmas tree, admiring the twinkling lights and ornaments.

“Where’s my little monkeys?” You called out and immediately heard the fast running steps of the kids barreling towards you. “There they are!”

You knelt down and englufed them in your arms. You haven’t seen your nieces and nephews in almost a year and you’re in partial shock at how much they grown. They all talked over each other, each one telling something new about themselves. Whether it was a missing tooth, a new cool scar, or even a new friend. You listened with wide eyes and animatedly butt in every now and then. And you looked past their shoulders at your sister, who is now standing with a bright smile and her arms wide open. You fell into them and groaned as she rubbed your back.

“I missed you so much,” she tells you, squeezing her eyes shut as you chuckled in her shoulder. “Did your boobs get bigger? You look hot.” She held at arms length and whistled. You rolled your eyes and tugged on Roman’s arm.

“This is Roman. Rome, this is my big sister and her husband, Matt,” you smiled as they exchanged hello’s and hugs. Matt firmly shook Roman’s hand and pulled him in for a bro hug. You loved how different he stood out from everyone else, so dark and mysterious compared to all the bright colors.

A small tug at Roman’s slacks caused him to look down. It was your seven year old nephew, Mason. His little eyes were wide as he stared up at the stranger in his grandma’s home, his head tilting all the way back to take the tall man in.

“What’s up, bud?” Roman grinned and waved down at him.

“Are you a giant?” Mason bluntly asked, looking at Roman’s large hand in awe. “You’re big.”

“Yes, I am,” Roman grinned. “Do you know how I became a giant?” He knelt down at the eager little boy who frantically nodded his head. “I ate all my veggies.”

Mason gasped and immediately ran as fast as the speed of light to the kitchen yelling, “Nana I want veggies!!!” Roman laughed to himself and sat on the sofa beside you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder as you leaned into his side. Not even a minute later, your other nephew Dominic and niece Rose came into the room following after Mason. He was talking so fast that you can barely understand a word coming out of his mouth.

“Is it true?” Dominic asked Roman, his little lisp coming out from his two missing front teeth. “You’re a giant?!”

“It’s very true,” Roman chuckles to himself at the kids excitements at his large stature. He wasn’t always fond of kids. He always found them annoying, like little fruit flies or mosquitoes that can never seem to go away even after swatting at them thousands of times. But these kids made his heart gentle and soft. And he couldn’t help but to let his guard down for them. “The secret is to always listen, alright?” All three kids crowd around him, hanging onto every word he says. “When someone says go to bed early, you listen and go to bed early. Then when you keep doing that, soon you’re gonna be big and strong! Same thing with veggies. When you eat all your veggies, you’re gonna be just like me!”

“Nana, veggies!” All three of them ran to the kitchen.

You giggled and leaned into Roman once more to kiss his cheek, quietly mumbling against his skin, “You’re so good with them.”

Roman bashfully smiled and shrugged. “I’m alright.”

“Is that Y/N?!” You heard your grandpa say from across the room, him and grandma now noticing you after ten minutes of you and Roman being there.

“I’ve been here, Pop!” You laughed softly and stood up to greet them with warm hugs and kisses. Your grandpa’s hands shook as he rubbed up and down your back, gently laughing in your shoulder. “It’s so good to see you and Nana!” You bring your tiny grandma into a hug, grinning widely when she cups your cheeks in her wrinkly hands and pats them lightly.

“You look just like your mother, so beautiful and all grown up. And who is this handsome man behind you? Is he yours?” Nana asked and held onto Pop’s arm as she slowly took a few steps towards Roman, her little cane clutched in her hand.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Roman bent down nearly two feet to bring your grandma into a gentle hug, laughing quietly when she holds his cheeks just the same way she did yours.

“I hope you’re treating my angel over here how she deserves,” Pop rasped softly and chuckles as he pats Roman’s arm shakily.

“Of course,” Roman grins and wraps an arm around your waist to pull you into his side, your own arm wrapping around his back as you held onto his shirt.

“Dinner’s ready!” Your mom yelled from the dining room.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

Forks and knives lightly clinked against the antique plates your mom set out for dinner. There was everything you could possible imagine. Turkey, cooked ham, mash potatoes, rice, green beans, corn, biscuits, gravy, cranberry sauce, and so much more.

“This is probably the best home cooked meal I’ve had in a long time,” Roman politely tells your mom as he gives her a small smile. You lightly hit his bicep, to which he laughed at before leaning over to give you a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, honey. Before you two leave, I’ll be sure to give you lots of leftovers,” your mom told him, reaching over to pat his arm lightly.

“Roman, what do you do for work, honey?” Your seeet tiny grandmother asked him as she shakily brought her spoon to her lips to eat some mash potatoes.

“I inherited my father’s company for Godfrey Industries and I’m currently the CEO,” he tells her.

“Oh goodness. Such a handsome young man to be a CEO! So mature and handsome. Isn’t he handsome, George?” Nana asked Pops.

He didn’t hear her. He just shoveled more corn into his mouth. You chuckled and reached over to wipe away some cranberry sauce on Dominic’s mouth. Roman grinned as he saw you interact with him, the act being so natural and motherly. Your mom didn’t miss the way he was looking at you. Her heart warmed because she can tell how deeply and madly in love Roman was with you.

“What do you do there, honey?” Nana asked him.

“Well I make sure everyone’s doing their job. I deal with a lot of paperwork sent to me from other companies and I either approve or deny them, whether they’re blueprints to improve another company building or if they’re reports and contain bank statements for my company,” Roman sounds proud as he had a charming smile and spoke freely with his hands.

Your mother and grandmother stared at him silently in awe, especially Nana. Her hands her pressed together in a praying motion with her elbows on the table as she looked at Roman with a smile you couldn’t explain. It made you so happy seeing him warm up to them as he was incredibly nervous.

“That sounds like a lot of work, Roman. How do you do it?” Your mom asked as she sipped her drink.

“I have Y/N by my side to help me,” he looks over at you with a grin reserved for you and for you only, and it makes you blush and giggle softly.

“You are so smart!” Nana gushed as she laughs, her eyes wrinkling even more at the sides.

“Um, may I use the restroom?” Roman suddenly asks your mom, removing the cloth napkin from his lap to lay it onto the table.

“It’s upstairs, second door to your left,” she told him.

He silently got up with a polite smile and nod and stalked out of the room. Your mom rose her eyebrows and reached over to touch your hand.

“We love him,” she told you sincerely, causing you let out a sugh of relief. “He’s perfect.”

“So handsome and charming, holy moly!” Nana interrupted, using her hands to fan her face. Pop was busy cheeing his mash potatoes to listen. Your sister rolled her eyes with a dorky smile.

“I see you guys lasting long like Nana and Pop,” she told you and nudged your ankle with her foot gently.

A few minutes later and still no sign of Roman. You briefly excused yourself and quietly walked up the steps to where the bathroom was. You lightly knocked on the door and softly said Roman’s name. He opened the door and went back to his position of leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.

“What’s going on?” You asked him, genuienly confused on why he left so suddenly. “They were loving you out there.”

“That’s the point!” He quietly exclaimed and held his hands out in disbelief, eyes comically wide. “They actually like me!”

“That’s...” you trailed off, not knowing what to say because you were so fucking confused. “Do you not want them to like you?”

“No no no, that’s not what I’m saying,” he muttered and shook his head as he rubbed his hands over his faces exasperatedly. “I’ve never had anyone be so interested in what I do or who I am, expect for you of course. And the hugging?! I didn’t even know that was a thing cause I’m so used to only receiving it from you. And your grandmother; sweetest little woman I’ve ever met!”

You watched in amusement as he quietly ranted on how great your family was and how their open arms made him so overwhelmed and have a mental breakdown in the bathroom while they’re all probably talking about him so highly downstairs. You stepped forward until you were pressed against him, your hands holding his wrists to stop them from waving around as he spoke animatedly and frantically.

“Rome,” you quietly told him, your soft and gentle voice stopping him completely. “They love you, okay? And they’re incredibly happy and blessed that someone like you is with me.”

“Someone like me?” He quietly mumbles, curling his hands around your hands as yours press into his chest.

“Yes, someone like you. Someone so intelligent and hardworking. Someone so good-looking and charming. Someone who’s good with kids and gentle. The list can go on and on, my love. I’m so happy that they see what I’ve always seen in you,” yoi sincerely told him.

You felt his heartbeat thump faster as he listened to your words. He cleared his throat and nodded. You can see his lips quiver for a moment before he nibbled on his bottom lip. You smiled and got onto your tippy toes to kiss his jaw, hearing him let out a slow sigh of relief.

“Lets get back out there, yeah?”

[antrivictrianne]

Okay, here’s another one for all Dipper x Pacifica shippers out there.

and the inspo behind this was this.

Dipper was rummaging through the box of vinyl music records collection in his uncle's office and there Grunkle Stan walked in and asked him as he sees him too focused on his task.

"Hey kid, what are you doing with my stuff?"

Dipper replied as grabs a the stack of vinyl records stacked on both of his hands, "I'm just going to borrow these for a while." He took a moment to realize and with frustration on his face he told in himself out loud, "Why carry this with my hands if there's a box for me to carry it around!" He placed all the vinyl records one by one back in the box.

As he carries it and goes out of his uncle's room he told him, "Don't worry Grunkle Stan, I'll take care of these," His uncle replied as he chugs a can of Pitt Soda and looks at him going out of his room, "I highly doubt that and do whatever you want."

Dipper and Mabel went back in Gravity Falls not to just spend their summer with their Grunkles place, but rather they were excited about the re-opening of Greasy's Diner. After 3 years, they were able to go back in the town but this time it was something that the twins were excited for taking a role to prepare for the grand event.

"Okay Pacifica, I got what you wanted." He places the box on one of the dining tables in the Diner and he continued, "I thought the jukebox in this diner has like a LONG list of like the greatest hits of all time."

As Pacifica still on her waitress uniform, grungily was wiping on the counter table, "Are you gonna keep complaining? Or are you going to stick with Mabel's plan?" Dipper shrugged as he looks away from her doing her chore.

Dipper and Pacifica still hated each other even of what happened during the Northwest Party 3 years ago and the time that Mabel got her face stolen.

Dipper sat on one of the chairs of the counter saying with a bad mood on his face, " I can't believe that Mabel assigned me to do the task with you" He raises his hand the air saying, "Why can't Mabel assign this to me on my own."

Pacifica, on the other side of the counter slammed her hand in front of him defending herself, "Let me clear out my part." Dipper saw her as she makes 3 points with her hand, pointing each one while she was holding a rag and she continued, "Number one, I'm just doing this for Lady Suzan. Number two, I never asked Mabel to work with you and Number three, I don't really want to work with you either."

Dipper continues to look at her wiping each speck of stain on the counter, she saw him and she got disturbed, " What are you looking at Dipstick." he replied with a smug smile across his face, "Look at you working at the middle of the night. It's just ironic that the rich girl became a part time waitress in the night."

Pacifica tucks the rug away in one of the drawers under the counter and said, "Yeah yeah, shut it with your words Pines, I'm already used to hearing those 24/7."

She goes in the stockroom, grabbing an antique vinyl record player and places it next to the box of the vinyl records that Grunkle Stan owned.

She placed her hands on her hips and turn towards Dipper as he approached to the table and said, " Mabel saw this in the stock room and that's why she asked you to borrow your uncle's records. When he arrived at the dinning table, she added, "Besides, where is Mabel?"

Dipper replied as he grabs all the records one by one, "She's making the decorations back in Grenda's place and staying there overnight." he realized with a grudge on his face, "basically leaving us on purpose to give the responsibility to the both of us."

Pacifica crosses her arms and said with frustration, "No wonder she's had this all planned."

Dipper looked at her with confusion on his face, "What do you mean 'planned'?"

Pacifica with her crossed arms, made a sigh and place her right hand on her face as she looks down, " She texted me over and over again about us not getting along." She placed her left hand on her hip, "I told her that it wasn't a big deal to me." she raises her hand in the air and pointed on the window as she added, "and she made a joke about asking Lady Suzan leaving me here in the middle of the night with you." she crossed her arms again, "and now it happened."

Dipper who was grown tired of the situation replied, "Okay, that sounds like something that Mabel would do."

As she start to prepare the vinyl record, she said, "Let's just go on and try your records."

He asked again, "Why not use the jukebox? I mean it's from the 50's so it must have Iconic songs from that era."

With her annoyed face she replied, "If I have a dollar for every song I memorized in that jukebox. I would have the same amount as of how many songs are in the old box."

Dipper tries to hold his laughed as he realized that she was basically tortured by listening to the same list of songs 24/7.

As the night goes on, Dipper and Pacifica sit on different sides of the table, they were able to try almost every vinyl record in the box.

Pacifica who was sleepy as she placed and replaced each record to the record player, " Can we call it quits already. I need my beauty sleep."

Dipper grabbed the last vinyl record in the box and replied to her, "We still have one more."

This time, he placed the record to the player.

A slow, a ease, and catchy romantic song plays across the room.

Dipper said with a little shock, " I didn't know that he listens to love songs."

Pacifica replied as she lays her head on the table, " I mean we've been listening to some funky 70's music for the last few hours so it's kind of nice to listen this song for a while."

suddenly, he said "Wait, you know this song?"

she replied, "yeah. It's what my mom and dad danced on their wedding day and it's a timeless classic."

he added, " I thought you hate old songs."

she defended, "I didn't say 'all' old songs."

Their conversation broke into silence and the music continues to echo in the walls of the room, they both sat in silence as they listen to the song as a break from the disco like music they've been listening for the past few hours.

As Dipper sat there listening to the music, he recalls the time when he was with Pacifica 3 years ago. They weren't really that close back then he knows her for being the rich, spoiled, and entitled brat in the entire town. Ever since what happened in the Northwest Mansion 3 years ago, he slightly changed his mind about her and her growing up with such a harsh childhood that was caused by a bell. If he does remember something that was really significant from her. It's about the hug that she gave to him and occurred to him that she did it twice. He can still recall the smell of champagne and roses years ago and he can tell the same smell from her until now.

"Do you know how to dance?" Pacifica asked all of a sudden.

Dipper raised his eyebrow as he replied "What?"

"I'm asking if you know how to dance, dummy." she asked.

he asked her again "Okay this isn't like you Pacifica, are you sure you're not the shapeshifter."

"Real funny, Dipper." as she rolls her eyes

"Why should I dance with you?" he insisted

"That's not how you should reply to a young lady, Mr. Pines." she looks away from him as she realizes that she regretted asking that question

"You know what let's call it a day." Pacifica stood up from across the table and heads to the back kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Dipper asked.

"I'm going to throw the garbage from the kitchen to the back and once I go back here you better turn off that song." she walks in the kitchen as the kitchen door closes.

He asked himself why she was upset of him not dancing with her, until his phone rang. He picked it up and leaned it to his ear.

"Bro bro, so how's the mission?" Mabel asked

Dipper replied, "Really? Pacifica?! You expect me to work with her?"

she answered, "What's wrong with that? Besides she told me she was willing to do anything with you anytime." she answered

"There are some many things wrong with- wait. Did you just say she's willing to anything with me?" he stuttered at the last line his sister told him.

Mabel made a little giggle, "Dipper you know it's what you wanted."

"I didn't ask for this Mabel." as Dipper tries to dodge the situation he got into

she answered with a scheming smile on her face "But Mr. Journal number 3 says otherwise."

"Like I said Mabel, it was not supposed to be there." he whispers and place his hands to cover his mouth

"But it says that she looks very nice in her gown and she smells like champagne and roses." she replied with joy on her face.

Dipper paused and blushed a little as he realized that did wrote that without hesitation.

she added, "And I told that Pacifica as well."

"YOU WHAT!!!" Dipper screamed to the phone

"If there's something you want to get from me right now, there are 2 things. One of that is for you and the other one is from Pacifica. You choose what ever you like, The first thing is that one of you want to do this task alone. The Second one is that one of you does not mind of doing this alone."

Dipper was confused with her statement, but that confused him in so many ways to the point he was concerned about what Pacifica thought about the entry that he wrote about her.

"Well, good luck." Mabel ended the call and as he tried to speedial his sister's number,

Pacifica went out of the kitchen.

she asked him, "Why didn't yo turn off the song?"

he replied, "Mabel called m-."

As he was about to finish his sentence, Pacifica turned off the player and tries to tidy up the used records.

There the music was playing again and as she noticed it playing she said, "Dipper, I swear to the heavens above. I will break your bones if you don't turn off the song-"

She turns her head to her side and she saw him giving his hand to her asking, "Wanna dance?"

Pacifica stood there silently, "Earth to Pines, are you there?"

He rubbed the back of his head his other hand saying, "I guess Mabel told you about the entry I wrote about you in my Uncle's journal."

Pacifica blushed intensely, "So... Mabel wasn't lying?"

Dipper made a little smile on his face admitting, "pretty much."

Pacifica added, "This is the worst time for you to ask me for a dance, so we better get going-"

He grabs her hand, grabs her waist close to him and shyly asked her, "Well you didn't say no."

Pacifica gave out a sigh and said, "Fine, you got me."

As they were about to move to their first step to dance, Pacifica placed both on her arms on his neck and she asked him, "First of all, do you know how to dance?"

He looks away and replies, "Is 'No' a good answer?"

Pacifica lets out a small giggle, "You asked me to dance even if you don't know how?"

He blushed as he tries to defend himself, "I did what I had to do, can you at least give me credit for that."

she called him, "look at me and just move side to side along with the beat of the music."

Pacifica counts to the beat as they both took a step until they danced along with the music and he said, "I'm getting the hang of it-"

she suddenly said, "you're not so bad yourself."

Dipper said, "Well, that's the first time you complimented me."

She added with a little chuckle, "Well, your pass to getting my compliment was the part where you stated that I smell like champagne and roses."

he paused, lets go of her, pushes her away and lets out a big groan, "I FORGOT ABOUT THAT PART, WHY DID I WRITE THAT. I SOUND LIKE A CREEP."

Pacifica him saying while patting his head, "It's okay Dipper, I don't really mind. Besides you're the only person who complimented me for who I am, you know, the time Mabel got her face stolen?"

Dipper looked at her with a genuine smile across their faces, as he looks at the clock and said, "It's getting late. I think we should-"

Pacifica grabbed him by the face and she kissed his cheek, there he sat there dumfounded by the fact that the Pacifica Northwest gave him a kiss on the cheek. There he was still trying to process the fact that she kissed him in the cheek.

She got annoyed by the fact that he wasn't responding to her calling for attention, she grabbed his face again and gave a little kiss on his lips and she added with a little smug smile on her face, "If you're not going to talk I'm going to make you talk."

Dipper who already got her attention replied, "I don't really mind."

Maybe I should do this often.

[obeymeluv]

Diavolo as a Dad

I just want to take a sec and thank everyone for the attention this blog gets. I’m always surprised at how many notes and reblogs there are. Seriously! I have, like, 16 posts and somehow I have 400 followers?! It’s really nice (つ´∀｀)つ

I like it best when there’s comments. It makes me happy ＼(^o^)／

I saw a comment on “The Bros as Dads” post asking for Diavolo as a dad, so here you go. I tried to tag you, but your handle didn’t come up :/

Hopefully you guys like this. I feel like Diavolo’s character is very vague.

This kind of turned into general Diavolo headcanons + Diavolo as a Dad. My b.

 General Diavolo Headcanons:

I headcanon that demons have a natural attraction to humans not only because of whatever energy they could provide, but because there’s something innate that makes them want humans. Maybe like an ancient call to their corruptibility or something. Or simply a predator coaxing prey into the den.

Diavolo is especially susceptible to this because he’s the prince. The higher up in the demon hierarchy you are, the more you want humans for their spirit, purity, the soul contract, and just some kind of satisfaction only they can give

There’s probably a forbidden fruit element to it, too. Demons were harassed by humans and angels alike to leave them be, and that just made them more attractive 

He genuinely wanted to befriend humans and knock down some old walls and superstitions, so he made the exchange program. A lot of times the sheer excitement of making it happen is enough to take the edge off his demon side. Ignore the whispers saying the little human would be such a treat, like a little lamb in the palm of his hand...

Diavolo’s a pretty outgoing and friendly guy who’s been trapped in a castle of propriety and demands. This human is also his chance at escape, to learn more than books could ever teach him.

At first he’s worried about seducing them (like the old call demands) but when he realizes the human has a crush on him without that influence, he’s stoked.

Pure and perfect, right? THE example of what his program was trying to achieve!

The dates start off innocent and cute--studying and tea in the castle, a small brunch here and there. Diavolo has skipped out on several duties because he simply must treat you to Devildom cuisine! If he didn’t, they wouldn’t get the full experience now, would they?

Barbatos has had to hunt down Lord Diavolo more than he cared for. If you end up convincing Diavolo back to the castle, he respects you. He appreciates the extra babysitter.

You bring a joy to Diavolo’s lavish monotony and he wants the Devildom and human world to know he’s serious about forging better bonds, so he asks if you want to make a pact.

That’s what he says, but it’s so much more than that. Diavolo couldn’t put it all into words and you probably don’t have the lifespan it would take for him to explain (if he could).

At most, there’s something warm and giddy and pulsing in him at the thought of being so close with you. Two souls sharing a bond. Being looked at with such love and adoration...

His pact mark is large and elaborate, and he takes great joy in hiding it from the Devildom, relishing the rare mornings where he helps you dress. He doesn’t regret bonding with you, but he doesn’t want to draw unsavory attention. 

Diavolo as a Dad (when you’re pregnant) :

You realize you’re pregnant before Barbatos and Diavolo do, neither one of them very familiar with how humans carry the pregnancy or change throughout.

There’s subtle signs about how your skin is changing, the way your hair looks, and how you smell different. It’s firing off in Diavolo’s brain, tickling at the edge of it, but he can’t figure out what it is.

Barbatos consulted Solomon and got extra suspicious. When you realize he’s starting to put it together, you do the reveal.

You write a note and draw a picture of the pregnancy test, mixing it up in the papers he has to review. Then, just to be extra cute, you busy yourself about the castle to “give him private time”.

Diavolo is handling his paperwork, per usual (it’s almost automatic). The unofficial form catches his eyes since it’s more a note than anything. He reads it and suddenly the WHOLE CASTLE is up in arms with joy.

Doesn’t matter what room you’re in, you heard him. That big, joyful laugh that works his whole chest.

The Little D’s of the castle are skittering around and whooshing through walls to help him find you. You can hear him flying around and calling for you, and it’s like the times you’ve played hide and seek.

The second Diavolo finds you, he crushes you to him and smothers you with kisses. His eyes sparkle as he snuggles you, big purr rolling through his chest. He’s asking a million questions about human children

The two of you take classes together. He studies up on humans and you learn about how to care for demon babies.

Barbatos cries inside at the thought of baby-proofing the castle. He gets the bright idea to hire a bunch of moms and they do sweeps of the castle, tidying up and making lists of what needs to be put away or added to make it safe

You’re given a special brew (exclusive to the royal family) and drink it daily. It fortifies your body to deliver the child and gives the baby its royal heritage (basically makes sure Diavolo’s genes and the demon side comes out a bit stronger).

Even though it tastes good and something in it makes you want to drink it, you’re sick of it by the second month. Barbatos and Diavolo continue to insist that you do. The child should be at least half-demon and will need to be recognized as next-of-kin for ruling.

Diavolo would love to take you out to socialize and attend public classes, but he’s busy and you’re in a delicate state. The royal physicians say the brew does a lot internally so it’s best not to stress you too much (If he’d done The King’s Brew ritual before you were pregnant, the baby would’ve been 3/4th demon and you wouldn’t have so many restrictions. Who knew?)

There’s a lot of private dates around the royal gardens and any beautiful sight he can give you. If you want company, he invites people to you. You want exquisite food? Barbatos can cook, but if you don’t want his cooking then Diavolo can have it delivered. The castle is spacious enough for you to get your daily exercise with simple walks. 

He adores seeing you in the royal colors and is constantly sharing visions of diaphanous gowns and anything that can make you comfortable to the designers. Always gushes when he sees you in something new.

Being an old-fashioned demon prince, he does a series of small oil paintings instead of maternity photos. When you explain that maternity photos are more of a human thing, he books a session so the child can see both (the oil paintings are tasteful and appropriate for the castle but they all end up in his study).

Is totally on board with helping you dress (or laying in bed with your huge baby bump when clothes seem a bit hard for the next 5-10 minutes), and taking long, relaxing baths.

Takes his paperwork to bed so he can watch you sleep. You might snore, and the bed is almost comically huge, but you look so relaxed that Diavolo swears you lied to him about being purely human

His favorite thing to do is rub ointments and tinctures on your belly to help your skin. Loves to give you shoulder kisses while he does.

When he finds out you’re having a boy, he commissions tiny matching outfits. He doesn’t know if he wants to gush over the details or cry (”Barbatos, how inconceivably tiny! Isn’t it amusing?”)

Diavolo as a Dad (for real) :

Has to be given very explicit instructions about age-appropriate play because the minute the kid is crawling Diavolo’s going to want to play with him like a toddler.

Lets him teethe on old antique gold stuff that gives Mammon an aneurysm when he realizes what the kid’s doing (and how expensive the thing is in his hands).

Had a treasure chest-style bassinet comissioned because his kid is his treasure. One of the two--two and a half, with Barbatos--greatest treasures in his castle.

100% uses the kids to shirk his royal duties, but you and Barbatos keep him on a tight leash. Literally. He has a coupon allotment for the week (if you didn’t do the coupon thing he’d NEVER get any work done).

He LIVES for the skin-to-skin contact and is very disappointed when he has to put clothes back on for guests or meetings. He’s just doing what’s best for his son, okay?

That child is going to be spoiled AF. Always wanting to be held or next to his papa.

Diavolo isn’t allowed to do the chest carrier because he gets so excited about stuff he might sling the kid around on accident (Barbatos banned it after he held the baby through some paperwork and spent half the time playing with his feet).

Can never get over how tiny his son is, or how he can hold him in one hand. Somehow works it into every conversation.

Will work his kid into every conversation. Has pictures to go along with it.

His official Devilgram is 80% his kid or you (or both), 5% Barbatos, 5% other people, and 10% bad shots he doesn’t know how to delete.

Almost all of his Devilgram videos were taken by Barbatos because Diavolo absolutely loses it when the baby speaks gibberish. He dies laughing and just can’t hold it together. The video is just shaky and blurry otherwise. 

You’d think every time he sees him is the first time because Diavolo is so smitten and amazed

The Little D’s of the castle are always giggling to themselves and racing to tell you that they caught Diavolo peppering kisses on his little baby forehead or fists.

He’s a really involved and happy dad. Childlike and joyful by nature, he’s super invested in his kid. Sometimes it’s like you have two, but Diavolo means well.

Decent at all reverse psychology ploys. Kid doesn’t want mommy’s affection? More for him! Kid’s not hungry? He’ll eat it, then (and the dessert that they totally can’t have now)!

Can’t really discipline. Feels too guilty. Threatens the child with Barbatos or you.

Is really surprised when the kid has a ‘mom day’ where it seems like he doesn’t exist but totally understands (”Your mom has that affect on me, too.”)

Hope you liked it :)

[switchbrainedholylime]

A little more Renga for @emmettspeakz

Sitting next to Reki in English class was beyond awkward. Any kind of harmless small-talk Langa tried to bring in was shot down like a submarine missile. The worst part was that Langa barely knew any of his other classmates, so there was no one to turn to at school. 

Their teacher, an American woman named Ms. Boyer, was stood in the front of the class, “Kyan Reki!”

Silence. The American woman walked closer. “Read pages 23-27 of The Chronicles of Narnia.” 

“Oh, sure,” And with one mutter, Kyan Reki had just made Narnia out of to be the most boring place ever. He stood up, nearly tripping over the legs of his chair. He mumbled through the reading and then sat back down. 

“Langa Hasegawa, pick up where he left off.” 

“Right,” Langa looked down at the pages. “Edward followed Lucy into the wardrobe. He thought he was better than his siblings.” 

Langa continued to read the portion assigned out to his class and then sat back down. He looked over at Reki, “Hey, you did a great job.” 

“Hm,” Reki looked away. 

----------

After everyone was shuffling to go home, Ms. Boyer halted Langa from skating down the hallway. Her arms crossed. “Be real with me, what’s going on with you and Reki?” 

“Is it really that obvious?” 

“Yes. Now are you gonna tell me or not? Because I might know a person who could help you.” 

“Really,” Langa blinked. “Sure, what’s their name?” 

“They’re a middle school teacher. Follow me,” 

“A middle school teacher?” Langa asked. What could they know about me?  

------

In the staff room, Langa spotted a bound book with his name on the spine sitting on his English teacher’s desk. Curious, the Canadian picked it up and began to flip through casually until he came to a startling conclusion; it was a book about every detail of his life up to that point. 

It started off with his upbringing in Canada as as snowboarder and move back to Okinawa with his mother after his father’s death. It described him meeting Reki, working at the shop. It described his race with Shadow, Miya and ADAM to the T. It was the most in-depth analysis of it he’d seen. 

“Hasegawa, right?” A gruff voice interrupted. “My name’s Mr. Tsuchigomori. I see you’ve found your book.” 

“Y-Yeah, where did you even GET this?” 

“I run the 4pm library. One of the 7 mysteries of the old school building. I’ve only seen the description of those books change once in a hundred years; and it wasn’t pleasant.” 

“They tell the future, too?” Langa flipped through towards the back. He hadn’t seen much left to go after his challenge with ADAM. He turned to the last page that read: “DIES CUTTING HEAD ON ROCK WHILE RACING WITH ADAM”. 

Langa almost dropped the book on the floor. He was going to race with Adam in a week’s time. He was going to die in it? 

“I’d make up with that Reki kid while you still have time.” Mr. Tsuchigomori blew into his cigar. “You can try to prolong your life, but again, this book never really changes that often from what it originally predicts.” 

“But I’m terrible at smalltalk. Is there anyone you think could help me?” 

“Well, there is one person, and he also happens to be the only one who’s ever changed his fate. If anyone can help you, it’s him.” Mr. Tsuchigomori turned back to Langa. “Since you don’t have much time left, you’ll probably be able to see him, too.” 

“’Him’?” Langa asked. 

------

 Langa went into the old building that served as its middle school section. The blue-haired skater looked back and forth to make sure no one was looking. 

“Alright the coast is clear,” Langa bit his tongue and bolted into the girls’ bathroom. He was met with a green-tipped girl who was mopping the floor and a floating boy in an antique uniform. Was that from the 50s? 60s? Why was there a boy in the girls’ bathroom? 

Then again, I’M a boy in a girls’ bathroom. I shouldn’t judge. Langa breathed deeply. “Are you Yugi Amane, the one Mr. Tsugomori spoke of?” 

“Yep! I go by Hanako, now though...,” 

“I have one week left to prevent my death. I’d like your help to, uh...not do that.” Langa stated. 

“Wow, that’s a huge hurdle you’ve just thrown on me! I don’t know your name here, buddy! You didn’t even knock on my door or anything.” Hanako laughed. 

“I’m serious. The man I’m going up against has touched more underaged boys than a Catholic priest.” Langa sighed. “My name’s Langa Hasegawa.” 

“Well, if you say so I’ll have to oblige. Let’s see what I have,” Hanako reached into his pockets. “I mean, I’ve killed before, but right now I’m working on repenting for my sins.”  

Langa’s eyes widened. “Okay...,” 

-----

Hanako began following the blue-haired skater around the school, and it didn’t take Langa too long to piece together that no one else could see him. He chalked it up to him being a ghost.

“So this is your boyfriend?” Hanako poked Reki who was still ignoring Langa. “He’s a cutie!” 

“Hanako, leave him alone. Reki didn’t ask for you to touch his hair like that.” Langa ordered him. Reki then looked over at Langa in confusion.

“What’s going on with you?” Reki asked. “Did you hit your head?” 

“I tried the Hanako ritual all the girls talk about. Y’know, knock three times on the third stall in the bathroom, summon the ghost of Hanako, get three wishes.” 

“You went into the women’s bathroom, you perv,” Reki pouted.  

“He started following me--he’s right behind you!” Langa pointed at Hanako who was making a funny face behind Reki, sticking his tongue out. “No one else seems to see him!” 

“You’re really freaking me out here, bro.” Reki looked at him. “You gettin’ enough sleep here?” 

“I promise I’m not making this up.” Langa insisted. “Look behind you!” 

“I don’t see anyone.” Reki peered over his shoulder. 

“Dude, is that Canadian kid alright?” One of their classmates gossiped. 

“Maybe he bumped his head?” Another classmate whispered.

Langa hid his face as Hanako floated around him and began to play with his hair, pulling it into a ponytail. “There we go!” 

------

Bringing Hanako to S was...surreal. A schoolboy in a 1960s uniform floating around the abandoned factory.

“I think I remember when this place was active. I knew some classmates whose parents worked here!” Hanako looked around at the shell of a factory. “So whadda do ‘ere?” 

“We skate, but I’ve got to come up with a good excuse not to go up against ADAM.” Langa held his skateboard. 

“Hey, SNOW!” Miya and Shadow came up towards Langa as he was talking with Hanako. They were utterly confused. 

“You can’t see him, either?” Langa pointed at Hanako. 

“Ah, no. You’re talking to air.” Miya chuckled.

“Look, I got a ghost from school attached to me.” Langa explained. “He followed me here. His name’s Hanako. Hanako, the 7th of the 7 Wonders of my school.” 

“A ghost?” Joe blinked. 

“How foolish a fantasy.” Cherry scoffed.

“Do yah think SNOW got his head bashed in?” SHADOW asked. 

“Look, I have to come up with a good excuse never to skate against ADAM ever, because I read a book that has my entire life in it, including the future...and I die this Saturday night.” Langa pulled out a copy of his book from the 4pm library. 

“Whoa...this goes way back,” Miya flipped through the pages. His eyes widened as he got to the end with the skate with ADAM that would result in Langa’s death along with the dismantlement of S. “What...?’  

The sound of a familiar skateboard rolled past. Its rider was a hoodie-wearing Reki with a sullen-looking face. 

“Reki!” Langa put his hand on Reki’s shoulder. He looked up. “I’m not going to skate ADAM. I’ll stay home Saturday night to avoid him. Please, I miss you. This ghost is not substitute for your cheerful smile in my life! Please!” 

Reki’s eyes lightened. “So you won’t skate with ADAM?” 

“No, I promise.” Langa embraced his boyfriend in a long, close hug. “I’m sorry for being so selfish. I won’t take your love for granted anymore.” 

“Same. You’re my best bro, SNOW.” 

“You can call me Langa.” 

-------

That Saturday, Langa and Reki sat at home and watched some hilariously bad movies on Netflix. They ate popcorn and Hanako made the duo some plain, good ol’ fashioned homemade donuts. 

“So you wanna watch 50 Shades of Grey next or The Room?” Reki sat in Langa’s lap with a donut in his mouth as his boyfriend flipped through Netflix. 

“I wonder if ADAM’s noticed we stood him up yet.” Langa grabbed another donut. “Oh well,” 

“Man what I wouldn’t give to see that idiot’s face.” Reki laughed.

“Hey I got some candy from the Mokke, want some?” Hanako offered. 

“You mean those pink bunnies that pull pranks?” Langa took one of the candies and popped it in his mouth. “That’s good.” 

“I know I probably shouldn’t mention this, but I have a twin named Tsukasa and he asked if he could be let out of the school just to see what this ‘ADAM’ guy is like.” Hanako mentioned. 

“What’s your twin like?” Langa asked. 

“He’s...um, psychotic.” Hanako replied. 

------

Langa and Hanako slept over at Reki’s house. 

The following morning, they woke up and the newspapers read: Diet Member Ainosuke Shindo found stabbed to death in abandoned factory. Suspect still unnamed and unidentified. If you have any information, please contact the Okinawa Police Department. 

“Yeah, I figured that’d happen with Tsukasa.” Hanako shrugged. 

“So ADAM just got stabbed by a ghost.” Langa asked. 

“Well, I think my job here is done.” Hanako yawned.