#like okay okay we see dazai trying to teach akutagawa that he could use his ability for more than stabby stabby with mixed results

[videogamelover99]

we all get 1, maybe 2, chuuya scenes per season, as a treat. but on GOD they're gonna be badass

The Helicopter scene was the single most badass Chuuya enterance yet it was hard to beat the tension, setup and payoff that was "Mori sent someone to rescue the ADA from a seemingly invincible threat and OF COURSE IT WAS CHUUYA" who else can go toe to toe with the Hunting Dogs and come out on top through ridiculous methods of ability use.

[xxxchuuyaslovexxx]

Bsd characters with a darling that has an ability to see all the enemies movement, she naturally has stars on her eyes caused by her ability like Ai Hoshino from Oshi no ko

Darling is a very confident fighter, she may not be strong physically but with how many times she dodge almost impossible attacks with the speed of lightning we can tell that darling is a flexible and speed Queen, with her ability she can shoot from very far away and not even miss it ! She is the dodging queen and sniper queen ! Imagine how Dazai uses his ability on her and it’s the first time he sees her whiteout star yes since her ability is always active.

You can do any Bsd characters you want !

Thanks for your request. I hope you like this work. (Actually wrote the Dazai part 2 times bcs I wasn't happy with the first version so it took a bit longer)

Dazai and Akutagawa with a ability user s/o that can see enemy's movements

Headcanons + scenario for Dazai and Akutagawa

Warnings: None~

Word count: 1k

Dazai

Dazai was pretty amazed by your ability. He had seen it many times in action and the speed you were able to dodge was impressive

But there was one thing Dazai always criticized. Your physical strength. It was obvious that you could never win a fight on your own when you just dodge the attacks

But him being the great Dazai (his words) he would train you but under the condition that you couldn't use your ability

He absolutely not did that bcs he new he knew he wouldn't be able to defeat you with your ability

That was also the day he realized that the stars in your eyes are part of your ability as he uses his ability on you

And oh boy not even Dazai could take his eyes off of you for a moment

He feels like he could watch into your soul through your eyes

It took some moments for him to come to the real world again. And as he did he pretended that nothing happened and just continued with the training Even without your ability are fast enough to dodge his attacks

But you couldn't land a hit yourself so the both of you fighted quite a while

When finally Dazai tricked defeated you lay on the ground exhausted

Scenario:

'Well beautiful I see where the problem is. You can't even do the easiest attacks. Without a gun there is no chance you could win a fight alone. But you are lucky. I don't mind teaching you.' He smiles at you as you sit up. He offers you a hand which you take.

'I already know the basics. For example: you should never let your guard down.' You say as you pull him on the ground with you.

'Maybe you need some teaching as well.' You say as you smirk at him.

'You got me Belladonna~ Then up to you next lesson.' He suddenly pins you to the ground. 'You should always stay close to your enemy or else you will give him room to attack you.' 

You tried to free yourself and kick him but it didn't work. You give up and look directly into his eyes.

'Okay, you won. Seems like I still have some things to learn. Now get off of me. Someone might see it… And maybe think something wrong…' Towards the end of the sentence your voice got lower and your face heatened up. 

'My Belladonna is embarrassed. How cute. Of course I could give you free but you didn't even apologize for being cheeky towards me. C'mon a little sorry won't hurt.'

'Sorry…' You said as you looked away from him.

'What was that I couldn't hear you.' He said teasingly.

'Damn it Dazai. I said I am sorry. Now finally get off of me.' You cuss at him frustrated.

Dazai got up, giving you some room to move and get up. You look at him annoyed and the stars are back in your eyes. You turned around to go away.

'Asshole…' you mumbled to yourself as you blush again.

'What was that?'

'Nothing.' 

Akutagawa

Imagine Akutagawa trying to get you with his Rashomon but he just can't. It doesn't matter how many times he tried he just couldn't defeat you And it's frustrating him A LOT (but he wouldn't show it)

So he asks you to fight him over and over again until he will be finally able to defeat you

Yeah Akutagawa is very stubborn when it's about fighting… and he has his very… unique way of showing it

Like he will stare at you like he will kill you any second but actually he is just trying to think of ways to defeat you

The first times this happened you were actually scared of him and didn't want to upset him any further until finally his sister told you he was just thinking

After that you actually got to know him better and figured out he was actually pretty nice (in his own Akutagawa way <3)

You would sometimes talk to him (mainly about work and stuff) to get known to him a little better

You should also tell him how much you admire his fighting skills, his ability and his personality

Actually most things you know about Akutagawa are things his sister told you about

After some time Akutagawa would also warm up with you and open up a little

After a long training (Akutagawa still couldn't defeat you) you would go to get some food together. This time it's most likely he would talk a bit about himself even though he still prefers listening to you

It's actually funny that the fact Akutagawa couldn't defeat you made you good friends

Scenario:

Akutagawa never lost hope he would defeat you one day. But today wasn't the day. You dodged all of his attacks easily and it was getting too late to continue.

'Don't be sad Akutagawa-san! You are super strong.' But your praise actually didn't mean much to him. Pretty words couldn't cover the fact that he was too weak.

You always asked yourself why he was so hard on himself. Just because he couldn't defeat you didn't mean he was weak at all. You were only able to dodge his attacks. That didn't mean you were stronger.

'Let's get some food. I'm starving!' You say and he nods slightly.

You always talked a lot and it didn't seem like Akutagawa listened to you but he did. He listens to every single word you say. And he enjoys it.

'You know I think we would make a great duo.' You smile at Akutagawa.

'I work better alone, thank you.' He replied.But he was always like that, distant and straight forward.

But you couldn't blame him.

You know about his past. At least the bit he told you because you seemed interested.

'Akutagawa-san? You know you are really strong right? You have such a great ability and it's actually useful. You are a way stronger fighter than I am. Unfortunately I have a useless ability and can't physically fight at all. I really respect your strength!'

As if he didn't know that himself. But secretly it makes him happy hearing that. A slight smile appears on his lips.

'Thank you.'

Thank you for reading! Have a nice day/night

[poe-tat]

50 Shades of red; Chapter 2

Chapter index: Chap.1 |

I should go to be considering it's 1 in the fucking morning but I'm so tired I can't sleep so deal with it

Anyway

Chapter 2 lol

___________________________

After awhile Poe just accepted the fact that Ranpo just kidnapped him.

Even one but Dazai, Atsushi, and Kyouka had left. When Ranpo left to talk to someone he pushed Poe in the chair by his desk and Poe just stayed there ever since.

He was finishing up the writing of one of his novels.

He heard the window open and he saw Akutagawa next to Atsushi.

He tried to focus on his writing and not what they were yelling about but he couldn't cause well they were yelling

"It doesn't matter Akutagawa! we have a door! USE IT!!"

"It's not as dramatic Atsushi!""

It's still safer!!"

Poe walks over calmly "sorry to intrude but you can make walking through a door dramatic it's not hard actually" he says Akutagawa rolls his eyes "then prove it" he says Atsushi shakes his head frantically "No Poe-San! you don't have to!" Atsushi says Dazai frowns "Aw man I wanted to know!" Dazai said Kyouka nods in agreement "I would like to know too" she states

Poe realizes his mistake but he nods and walks out the door to the agency's office which confuses everyone on the other side of the door

Glad he had Karl with him he gave him scratchies on Karls head for encouragement and support

After some thinking a desperate attempt remember the one, he did, that got a 10/10 from the other guild members

He looks at Karl who looks at the door and no thoughts came through this raccoon's brain as he just smiles especially when the only thing Poe does is smile

Poe opens the door very dramatically and even more dramatically poses as he even more dramatically introduces himself

He smiles at the shocked faces that belonged to the detectives and mafioso. He offers to teach them how to make a dramatic entrance no matter what the entrance is. Door, doorway, pool, ect.

And then finally Ranpo returns from his day out with Yosano. They had lunch and went grocery shopping

When Ranpo's shift ends Poe explains to Ranpo that he is going back to America for a short moment of time. Ranpo was, reasonably, upset with this UNTIL Poe said, "don't worry Ranpo, I'll bring back a box of sweets just for you" in which immediately cheered up Ranpo

When Poe came back though Ranpo was given a box of sweets, nothing but sweets. Which made him happy

He immediately opened the box and saw candy, snack cakes, the lot of it. He looked through to see which ones he wanted to try first, attempting to read the names and getting upset when he failed.

However, he got to some certain candies...

He held a box of Mike & Nike's "Mike & Nike's? Who would want to eat a Mike?! He sounds disgusting especially since he's probably hooking up with whomever Nike is" Poe sighed "Ranpo it's just candy you don't have to do that, sides I don't think the candy is named after actual people" Ranpo rolled his eyes "whatever you say freedom breather" he said jokingly Poe giggles "what the fuck"

Ranpo holds up a box of nerds and shakes it at Poe "NERDS?! YOU EXPECT ME TO EAT YOU?!!" Poe's face went red and Ranpo realizes what he said "okay I said that wrong" he said also red faced Poe nods "how bout we find something else okay?" Ranpo nods I'm agreement "yep.. "

Ranpo finds a blow pop in the box "hey Poe look at this" he says Poe looks over "oh you actually found it?" He said he looked up at Poe with a smile plastered on his face all the while holding up the lollipop "this is something I could give you but you probably don't understand" Ranpo said then dropped it back into the box looking up at Poe's face out the corner of his eye watching his facial expressions as he tries to figure out what he meant and what the blow pop had to do with anything

His face of realization made the detective laugh. "Ranpo!" The blushing author shouted as the detective only laughs louder "whaaat?!" He said through laughs "don't say things like that!" The red faced author shouted and the detective calms down "fine! Fine! I'll stop laughing at you... So Poe dearest which one do you suggest me trying first?" Ranpo said Poe thought about it for awhile

He placed a finger on his chin tapped his chin twice then picked up a pack of peeps "these because they are as sweet as you" he says Ranpo smiles at the suggestion and ignores the comment that his friend I mean rival made

He opens the package and takes a bite of the marshmallow Bunny's head "wow! You're right they are sweet! I like them!!" Ranpo cheers Poe smiles at the happiest detective that is Ranpo "I know that is why i picked them out for you"

Ranpo smiles back at Poe and hugs him "you are the best Dearest Poe!!" Ranpo shouts Poe hugs Ranpo back "you are welcome Ranpo dear"

___________________________________

I was not expecting this to get this long-

[knockyasocksoff2022]

PM:

I think it was Chuuya, who is surprisingly a stickler for safety (unlike a certain someone *cough* Dazai *cough*) Dazai realises after Kyouka makes comments on his driving that sound exactly like the things Chuuya always says. Dazai complains to Chuuya and Chuuya is just laughing his ass off.

---------------

I think that if Koyou had taught her to drive she would drive like a madwoman. I headcanon that that’s just Koyou’s style of driving. She tries her best to show Kyouka proper safety practices but it doesn't work and Kyouka ends up learning to drive as if she’s speeding away from a crime scene with the cops chasing her. She’s an aggressive driver and picks up Koyou’s habit of swearing, and flasing he rmiddle finger, at other drivers. Also Koyou started teaching her when she was 10. She sat on three pillows to see over the dash and could only reach the pedals because of her tall shoes. She drives cars in the same way she approaches her work as an assassin. Slaughter everything: If she needs to be somewhere but there’s a gate she’ll just go through it, forget the left and right lane, she’ll take whichever is less crowded and weave around other drivers. Despite how chaotic it may look though Koyou taught her how to be precise and she’s never had an accident.

Everyone in the ADA expects her to be a calm driver because of her nature but when they let her in the car all hell breaks loose and she gets put right under Dazai on the no driver list.

---------------

Akutagawa is just her boss, I don’t really see him bothering to teach her to drive. Also I headcanon that he walks/bikes everywhere (and is super strong because of it, even though he looks skinny and weak). He covers his eyes whenever he’s in the car and the driver has to pay for gas. (Cheapskate! We still love him though.)

Atsushi is begging him to get a car since he certainly has enough money.

(I feel like Gin has a motorbike. Does she? I’m new to the series so idk?)

Gin is normally a “regular driver” but she can be a good getaway driver.

---------------

I also don’t see Mori teaching her to drive but since this has turned into headcanons about how the characters drive here you go:

Mori is a calm, safe and practical driver, he would never endanger Elise and he has to blend in in public anyway. He can bust some serious stunt driver level moves though, he doesn’t talk about it but he acn out drive the cops and pretty much anyone else easily.

---------------

Tachihara (like I said I’m new to the series so these may not be very in character) is kind of in between crazy and safe as a driver. Pretty normal. But will participate in street races, against other criminals. Same for Gin.

---------------

Just from his appearance I feel like Hirotsu can drive either totally normally or like a maniac depending on what’s needed for the situation.

---------------

Higuchi is usually a really cautious driver (she failed the driving test three times) but when Akutagawa is in danger she drives so fast and crazy that she almost crashes. All in all not a great getaway driver but okay in normal situations. She doubts herself though.

---------------

Kaji can drive crazy but is actually a normal driver when not on missions. When he is on missions will not hesitate to run an enemy over. One of the “cool” kids who do car stunts in empty car parks at night and leave skid marks.

(These are all the characters I’m going to do because I’m so new to the series)

ADA: (Let’s just be real because we all know ever single member of the agency drives crazy when needed)

Fukuzawa is kind of like everyone’s dad so I think he’d definitely want to help out teaching her. A little out of his depth with a child that young and it’s awkward at first (IIf it gets too awkward  can see him getting desperate and trying to “relate” with her by using slang and worrying if he’s using it right only to realise she doesn't understand it either and they decide to both just be natural) but they end up really bonding and Kyouka learns to drive really well. Fukuawa secretly does teach her some tricks for evading enemies though, but he makes sure she understands the importance of safety.

---------------

Ranpo can’t drive and refuses to learn (“Why should I when I have you all?”) but will sit in on driving lessons if he’s bored between cases.

---------------

Yosano is an excellent driver and she teaches Kyouka how to drive with precise technique. She teaches her all the basics but also how to do crazy turns and reverses to evade enemies.

---------------

Dazai was banned from being anywhere near Kyouka while she was learning.

---------------

Kunikida has tips for excellent driving in his notebook and is eager to share. Kyouka dislikes learning with Kunikida because he’s so strict and not fun, but appreciates his precise technique and clear instructions and finds his teachings helpful. Dazai teases Kunikida about being a buzzkill.

---------------

Atsushi is nervous about driving because he only learnt to drive himself recently (Kunikida taught him and now he has trauma. *I can make headcanons for this later* because of course the orphanage never taught him *besides he was too young anyway since the Japanese driving age is 18*) and doesn’t feel confident enough to teach someone else. But he will sit in the car while Kunikida gives lessons to make sure that Kunikida isn’t being too boring or harsh. Kunikida develops a soft spot for Kyouka by the end of it.

The first place Kyouka drives is the crepe place, she is very proud of herself.

---------------

Junichiro wants to help, he really does, but Naomi always gets in the way. (“Oni-sama!!!” “AHHHH!!! Naomi, not while I’m driving!!!”) Their antics are distracting so they settle for watching and being supportive from the sidelines.

Junichiro makes Naomi sit in the back seat when he drives (Naomi can’t drive.) because she tries to “cuddle” him while on the road. They try to take the train when they can, even though they do get some funny looks. (Just for the PDA, because thank god, they don’t look alike and they can pass for a young couple in love.)

---------------

Kenji actually already knows how to drive, he learnt when he was way too young in his village (because apparently there’s just no laws there). He prefers the train though because he can see the scenery.

(A/N: sorry this got so long. I intended for it to be funnier but I guess I’m jut not funny, sorry.)

its always ‘who in the pm taught kyouka to drive’ but i think itd be x10 funnier if it was someone in the ada

[starglow-xx]

(About the brother!atsushi) aRE YOU READING MY MIND MISS?! Because that has been on my mind for MONTHS. TYSM For writing it was amazing!! If you don't mind, may I request (if requests are open) atsushi, still an older brother, but with a sister that's 10-13 yrs old? It's totally fine if you don't wanna do it. Keep up the good stories, ily mwuah!

*sobs* you’re so kind thank youu 🤧🤧

i wrote this a bit differently i hope that’s okay anon! at first i planned for this to be mainly abt atsushi and the reader, but i decided to add in relationship hcs with the agency bc i ran out of ideas

if you guys liked this don’t worry! im planning a special part two for this one so be the look out for it hehe

atsushi with a tween! sister

ft. the armed detective agency

like in my baby sister hcs, you’re still the most important thing to him period

the two of you got picked up by dazai and kunikida when he was 18 (obviously) and when you were 12

for a 12 year old, you were a bit small bc of malnourishment (which makes atsushi feel so bad) so both dazai and kunikida thought you were a bit younger than you actually were

they assumed you were about 9-10ish

you and atsushi both share a favorite food !! chazuke :)

so when kunikida treated the two of you, he made sure you got more bowls bc like i mentioned above, he feels really bad that you were malnourished and under weight

(don’t bring this up but kunikida felt bad too hehe)

when dazai went with your brother to the warehouse, you were with kunikida

imagine the surprise of the other ada members when kunikida came in with a little girl dressed in rags that popped out from behind him

kenji was the one who vocalized his thoughts 

“kunikida-san you have a daughter?! wow! i didn’t know that! :D”

when you found out your brother was a tiger, you were a bit concerned but you were actually kind of excited

you were even more excited when you found out the two of you were going to be taken in by the agency

anything was better than the stupid orphanage

and besides!

you got a tiger for an older brother and a bunch of other super powered agents to take care of you! who could want anything else?

at your age, you’re very impressionable and can be influenced easily so atsushi makes sure to teach you more in depth of good morals and the importance of kindness

his heart swells with pride and relief when he catches you being kind to others

pride bc he’s proud that even after all the two of you have gone through, you still ended up being a good kid and having a bright view of the world

and relief bc he hasn’t failed as a big brother

pfftt like he could ever fail

but please, from time to time reassure him that he’s perfect and the only big brother that you’d ever want bc he rlly needs that kind of validation

with his salary and savings, he tries to buy nice things for you

what a sweetheart 🥺

he saw you eyeing that one dress at a store window? fast forward abt a week and half and it’s inside a pretty gift bag for you

you wanted to try that dessert from the nice bakery? that’s dessert after dinner at one point

but other than buying you things, he sets money aside for you

like all the time

(y/n), here have this, you might need it”

“but nii-san you just gave me—”

“take it”

#1 spoiler

also your #1 confidant and source of physical affection

you tell him anything and everything (except crushies and those kinds of things)

atsushi loves it when you talk abt your day and he can see the big smile on your face and the sparkle in your eyes

it gives him the strength to keep going 😖😖

the two of you aren’t as touch starved as you’d probably think, but that’s only bc the two of you had each other

in your opinion, no one can match the hugs of your big brother

and it got even better bc YAYY he has tiger arms now ٩(◕‿◕)۶

if you ask, he’d carry you around too hehe

you also get nightmares quite often so he’ll always be there ready to calm you down, talk if you need to, and rock you back to sleep

god i love him 🤧🤧

atsushi will do everything in his power to protect you and make sure you get to grow up happy, supported, and loved

port mafia attack? oop he’s already taking you to the nearest escape route

someone is starting to harass you? they just got suckered punched into the next week

you want to go out to have some fun? he’ll go ask the president for a day off

you’re not feeling well? he’ll take another day off and take care of you

whatever you want to do, he’ll do it with you! (as long as it’s within reason)

will always be your #1 supporter! and he’s the president of your fan club hehe

he loves you so so much and will do anything for you; your life and happiness will always be more important to him

you are his reason to keep going

agency head canons !!

atsushi is your big brother, but kunikida is most definitely some sort of father figure

everyone can see it

except kunikida of course

kunikida scolds you lightly if he thinks your manners need work or if you make a mess in the agency

you listen to him of course and in turn as some sort of a reward, he’ll give you pieces of stationary

he always gives you the nice, good quality kind and you’re over the moon

atsushi adores it when you come running to him showing your new notebook or fountain pen and blabbering what you’re going to do with it

sometimes it isn’t even as a reward for being a good child; he’ll just give it to you and he’ll say smth like “i noticed you’ve used up your last notebook quite quickly, so here’s another one” or “did you run out of ink? here have this then”

he usually has a soft spot for children in general, but he most definitely has a soft spot (or a thousand) for you

yosano is kind of like a motherly figure to you

she gives you the guidance a mother should and goes on shopping trips with you!

atsushi always gets dragged along by you, but he thinks it’s worth it seeing you look so happy

yosano being a doctor also tries to teach the things you should know, or things that would be helpful to you

she’ll teach you the basics of cooking, sewing, how to treat a cold/fever, etc

also gives you excellent advice 1000% of the time

“remember (y/n)-chan if someone hurts you come tell me and then i’ll chop them into—”

“yOSANO-SENSEI DONT TELL HER THAT—”

fukuzawa is like a father to most in the agency but you see him more as a grandfather figure

bi weekly tea and gossip sessions hehe

along with cat talk!

most of the time though, it’s just you talking and him listening to you, but the two of you enjoy it nonetheless

“and then kunikida-san ended up crashing into a pole and dazai-san started to laugh at him and i did too because it was really funny but we ended up getting scolded—”

“hmm i see...”

he’ll let you stay in his office as he fills out paperwork; you’re usually doodling or drawing in your notebooks

sometimes he’ll meditate and you’ll join him, but 4/7 times you’d fall asleep

you always wake up with a blanket over you

dazai is like a cool but a highly concerning and kind of high maintenance uncle

frequently takes you out with him when he ditches work

walks in the park, eating at uzumaki so he has the excuse of treating you so he doesn’t have to pay his tab avoiding kunikida and sometimes chuuya and akutagawa, all that fun stuff

also tries to not talk abt suicide in front of you especially if it’s just the two of you alone

he knows that you mean the world to his pupil and that said pupil would probably hate him for putting suicide inside your brain

he teaches you random but useful things like how to pick a lock, how to steal kunikida’s notebook if you’re looking for some information, how to sweet talk your way out of things, etc.

is also the one to tell you that if you ever get a significant other to introduce them to the agency first

he always wants all of your gossip; some of them work pretty well for blackmail

“dazai-san! dazai-san! did you know that kunikida-san lost his glasses and he was looking for them for nearly an hour when he was just holding them the entire time??”

“woah really (y/n)-chan?! hey hey can you say it again into this recording device so kunikida-kun would believe me when i tell him—”

always ends up giving kunikida a heart attack when he says that you’ve been with him all day

ranpo is also like a cool but a highly concerning and kind of high maintenance uncle

will share some of his snacks, but don’t push it or you might not get anything at all

loves it when you compliment him

if you tagged along with him and your brother on a case, he will show off to impress you

“...and that’s how the crime happened”

“UWAHH RANPO-SAN YOU’RE SO COOL”

atsushi is lowkey and kunikida is highkey stressed that ranpo’s eating habits will rub off on you

“ne (y/n)-chan do you wanna try this highly caffeinated drink and this concerning amount of sugar filled snack?”

“can i really?!”

“rANPO-SAN NO—”

ranpo definitely does stuff like that on purpose 

the tanizakis are like siblings to you!

a weird set of siblings but siblings nonetheless

the two of them adore you and think you’re precious

atsushi definitely knows how to do your hair whether it’s long or short but he got even better at it when he asked the two

hehe braid trains are definitely a thing + kyouka and kenji (and maybe even dazai)

sometimes you have sibling swap days

you’re with junichiro for most of the day and atsushi is with naomi

strange i know

each of the tanizaki siblings try to make it fun bc they know that the two of you did not at all have a happy upbringing

junichiro likes spending time with you by taking you out to different places that naomi likes to frequent

like the mall, different stores and restaurants, the park, places like those

naomi does the same thing with atsushi so if you ever bump into them, you go out and eat together :)

besides atsushi, the next one in line who spoils you the most would be junichiro (and yosano & kunikida both coming in at a close third)

he honestly can’t help it; you remind him of how naomi was when she was younger

and besides

he’s always been a sucker when it came to the happiness of a little sister

“would you really buy this for me junichiro-san?!”

“of course! don’t worry about it” :)

wanna talk abt boys/girls/celebrity crushes things like that? naomi is your girl

you feel a bit embarrassed to go talking to yosano or your brother abt that and kyouka does not know a thing abt them either

“uwahh naomi-san look at all these people in this magazine! they look so good!”

“right?! but of course onii-sama is still the best—”

you get along with kenji and kyouka quite nicely being roughly the same age as them; they’re also like siblings!

just pure, wholesome vibes from the three of you

you’re over the moon when she finds out that kyouka is staying with you and your brother

atsushi is twice as happy seeing you talk your mouth off and finally having a girl around your age to talk to

“do you think demon snow can change how she looks?”

“hmm... im not sure...”

you and kenji talk abt anything and everything

he even teaches you how to take care of plants!

sometimes the two of you are kind of in the same boat bc you don’t know much abt yokohoma being stuck in the orphanage and kenji doesn’t know much abt cities in general

“wait where are we again kenji-san?”

“ah we’re close to the ports! but im not really sure how close because i don’t know what the symbols on this sign mean”

“don’t worry! neither do i!”

bonus things!

yosano was kind of too late teaching you abt you know what

“NII-SAN IM BLEEDING IN BETWEEN MY LEGS”

you’re sobbing in the agency’s bathroom and atsushi is panicking trying to get you to open the door

“Y/N?! H-HOLD ON LET ME GET YOSANO SENSEI”

ranpo overhears and cackles making everyone around him confused

suddenly atsushi bursts in the agency basically on the verge of tears rambling incoherent sentences abt the bathroom, you, and blood

it just clicked for everybody in the room

(im going to pretend that kenji has sisters back home so that atsushi is the only one who remain oblivious here hehe)

atsushi is genuinely confused and sort of concerned that no one is freaking out with him

yosano waves her hand saying smth like that she’d take care of it and junichiro pulls atsushi to the side to talk to him

fast forward like half and hour and dazai and ranpo are cackling on the looks of both of your faces

honestly not sure who’s more traumatized, you or your brother

“why does this have to happen” :(

“ne ne (y/n)-chan!~ you’re too young but at some point you’re not going to have it!”

“uwahh really dazai-san?” :D

“yeah! but first you have to have ANFK—”

next thing you know your ears are being covered by your brother and dazai is thrown across the room by kunikida

you know

the normal

you’re twelve and have never gone to school, but the agency takes care of that

it’s too dangerous to go to school so they teach you what’s necessary and whatever else they can

kunikida takes care of math (obviously)

yosano takes care of science/biology/anatomy/health (whatever you wanna call it)

ranpo even dragged poe to help you with english

atsushi even got lucy to help you out with english too!

as tanizaki and naomi used to be students, they give you their old work books and they try to teach you all the other subjects

sometimes kyouka and kenji are there learing with you too!

sorry if there’s some errors! i’ll read through it again later :)

and as always, reblogs and shares are appreciated! i hope you all stay safe! and just in case nobody told you they loved you today, i love you! you are enough! <3

writing belongs to me! please do not plagiarize! the reblog button is there for a reason

[caffeinatedseri]

The Significance of Sunsets

We’re introduced to the significance of twilight during the Cannibalism Arc via the Tripartite Tactic. 

The essence of the Tripartite Tactic supports 3 core themes of BSD: moral ambiguity, the cyclical nature of life, and the beauty of humanity. 

First, the Tripartite Tactic establishes the moral balance of the BSD universe through the government, PM, and ADA’s interactions with one another to ensure the balance of Yokohama.

Day and night are binary opposites, similar to how the government and mafia operate on opposite sides. That would imply that the government and mafia are always at war with one another, working to bring the other down, but the Tripartite Tactic suggests otherwise.

Both the government and mafia’s survival are necessary to secure the balance of the city, just like how day and night, good and evil have to coexist in a state of balance.

However, there is a middle ground that bridges these opposing concepts together: twilight — as represented with the agency. 

As the evening acts the neutral point from day to night, the agency acts as a morally neutral organization between the government and mafia. They don’t necessarily abide by the laws and rules of “justice,” but they still work to establish a semblance of “good” in this world. 

We’ve seen the government act in suspicious ways, we’ve seen the mafia act in good natured ways, and we’ve seen the agency do both of the sort. Even though the government and mafia are supposed to represent “good” and “evil”, the fact that they break these molds serves to once again prove the moral ambiguity within the BSD universe. 

Twilight also symbolizes another important idea — the cyclical nature of life. As the passing period between day and night, it represents the end of a day, which will always lead to the start of a new day.

This cyclical nature lends itself to a feeling of hope that drives the journey of redemption — the hope that the night will pass and a new day will begin encourages our characters to persevere and hope for something better. 

Cycles also show themselves through character interactions throughout the generations.

Mori abused Dazai → Dazai abused Akutagawa → Akutagawa abused Kyouka, In this case, the cycle of abuse is born (although it fortunately stops at Kyouka). 

In parallel, Oda helped Dazai → Dazai helped Atsushi → Atsushi helps Kyouka, For this, the cycle of redemption is born. 

As twilight is a time for sunsets, sunsets are an inevitable motif for these themes. The arrangement of colors in the sky, characteristic of a sunset, tends to evoke feelings of awe or admiration for the beauty of such sunset. The beauty of a sunset symbolizes an appreciation for the beauty of humanity, aligning with the theme of accepting human nature as is. (think Dazai)

Keeping in mind these 3 aspects: moral ambiguity, the cyclical nature of life, and the beauty of humanity, the significance of every scene with a sunset becomes more prominent. 

Sunsets in BSD always appear at important points of the narrative, with my favorite being:

This scene’s significance is primarily Dazai’s transition out of the mafia as represented through the light shining through the window — as if light is being shined on the darkness that had surrounded his life.

This scene happens to be one of my favorites because it touches upon all three themes that the twilight-esque light represents.

Moral ambiguity: Oda knows that Dazai doesn’t care about justice or evil, or defining aspects of morality, so Oda argues Dazai should work for justice. Oda doesn’t try to argue that justice is morally correct, but he simply says it is “better” in an extremely vague way. 

The idea of Dazai joining the side of justice with no strong moral conviction opens up the concept of moral ambiguity. Is it important for him to have a moral code if he wants to find the purpose of his life? Can he help others if he doesn’t believe it’s the “right” thing to do? Does it matter? 

Most importantly, does saving others whilst not believing in the standards of morality place you within the boundaries of justice or evil? Or are there no such defined boundaries? 

Cyclical nature: Oda pushes for Dazai to save people, instead of killing people, mirroring the actions of Natsume-sensei who helped Oda come to that same resolve. This starts the cycle of Dazai helping Atsushi, Atsushi helping Kyouka, and hopefully Atsushi getting to help Akutagawa as well. 

This scene also reflects the idea of the “end of the night”, or the start of a new day as Dazai abandons the PM, and starts anew in the Agency. 

Beauty of humanity: PM Dazai was arguably the most “inhumane” version of Dazai that we’ve seen, due to his heavily logic driven intellect and distrusting tendencies. 

However, in this interaction with Oda, we finally see his humanity shine through. Oda gives no reasonable, straight-forward explanation as to why Dazai should leave the mafia, but Dazai follows his advice regardless because of their trust. 

The ability to trust and love, an innate part of human nature, can be seen as foolish from the eyes of the logic-driven, but ultimately that’s what makes being human beautiful. 

I admit the last scene may have been a little vague with whether the setting was actually a sunset, but this one is more obvious!

This takes place after SSKK’s fight with Francis, and they regroup with Dazai, Fukuzawa, and Kyouka. 

Cyclical nature: As the finale of the Guild Arc, the sunset represents the end of a day and the start of another as they close this chapter of their lives. It also parallels Dazai’s “redemption” scene, as Kyouka finds her redemption in sacrificing herself for others and becoming part of the agency. 

Just as Oda was able to help Dazai in the previous scene, Dazai is the one who tells Kyouka exactly what she needed to hear in order for her to survive and find a home in the agency. 

Beauty of humanity: Being human means to be compassionate, and I’d argue that Kyouka was uncompassionate in the past, just because no one had shown her what compassion was like. However, Kyouka grows from that — with the help of Atsushi and Dazai showing her empathy and kindness, she’s able to reciprocate that feeling and be willing to give up her life for the sake of others.

Dazai also praises Akutagawa for a short moment in this scene, which is also an act of compassion from Dazai although Akutagawa deserves more than that.

This scene follows the party at the end of the Cannibalism Arc, as Dazai and Atsushi have a nice heart-to-heart.

Dazai’s toast here is technically an anime-only moment, but obviously all of the sunsets are anime-only. Regardless, I’ll be discussing his entire talk with Atsushi here, along with the toast. 

Moral ambiguity: Akutagawa’s promise to not kill anyone for 6 months mirrors that of Oda — a mafia member who doesn’t kill. By doing so, he directly challenges the morality involved with being a mafia member (what would be “bad”) and breaks away from the black and white labels of “good” and “evil.”

If we followed the code of justice, presumably the morally “right” way, then it would dictate that Akutagawa would need to be punished for the crimes he committed. However, Atsushi’s decision to form that promise with Akutagawa gives him an opportunity to grow and redeem himself, even if Akutagawa fits with the “evil” label. 

Akutagawa and Atsushi are obviously foils — they’re different in almost every way, which you could use to define Atsushi as the hero and Akutagawa as the villain, but it’s undeniable that they also share many similarities. As the line between “good” and “evil” blurs, moral ambiguity is developed. 

Cyclical nature: Once again, this scene closes out the Cannibalism Arc, with the sunset symbolizing both the end and beginning. 

Atsushi’s promise with Akutagawa parallels that of Oda’s dying wish to Dazai; they’re both founded on the basis of trust, and they push towards a brighter future for Akutagawa and Dazai respectively. Thus, the cycle of redemption repeats itself once more. 

Dazai’s “To the stray dogs” statement also parallels his toast with the Buraiha trio (Dazai, Ango, Oda). It could be just a callback to Oda, but it also expresses Dazai passing on the toast to Atsushi, from one stray dog to another. Nevertheless, this still represents a cycle of actions in which the previous generation affects the present. 

Beauty of humanity: Dazai toasting to Atsushi with the phrase “stray dogs” offers a sense of compassion and hope. Dazai and Atsushi have undoubtedly grown closer to one another throughout the entire series up to this point, so it makes perfect sense that Dazai shows that he cares by sharing a piece of his past with Atsushi.

Toasting directly to the stray dogs implies a celebration of sorts for these dogs, who are stray but ultimately not alone. The toast is indicative of a hope for a better future whilst also acknowledging how one can feel lost in life (and how that’s okay). 

Atsushi’s promise with Akutagawa also serves as an attempt to teach Akutagawa the beauty of humanity, since Atsushi believes that Akutagawa doesn’t see the value of life (which is preventing him from getting Dazai’s approval). I would argue that it should be the other way around, but Atsushi has good intentions here.

After Atsushi discovers the death of the Headmaster of his orphanage, Dazai gives some comforting advice.

Moral ambiguity: Atsushi struggles with his conflicted feelings towards the Headmaster’s death, which is perfectly understandable. 

The Headmaster can’t be defined as completely good or completely bad, because he did impact Atsushi’s life in a way that led him to where he is today (once again, no definitive black or white answer as to whether that’s good or not).

Atsushi struggles with the thought that he has to pick whether to feel glad or upset, in order to fit within the neat labels of black and white, happy and sad. In response, Dazai (the definition of a morally ambiguous man) simply says: 

Although Dazai says “There’s no one who can fully grasp the deepest feelings of another person,” in the anime, I think the meaning of that is better stated in the manga. Dazai reasons that he can be both glad or upset, his feelings can be mixed, and there is no clear cut answer for how to feel (as Dazai only gives a general piece of advice). 

Cyclical nature: Dazai’s statement, “when someone’s father dies, they tend to cry”, could honestly be interpreted in a multitude of ways. 

Dazai’s reference to a father figure suggests that this “father” is simply a person who impacted their life greatly and made them who they are today. (since both of their fathers are unknown).

Following this definition, Oda is the father figure to Dazai in the same way that the Headmaster was to Atsushi. Although their methods of “helping” Dazai and Atsushi differ very drastically, the same cycle of this “father” figure impacting the life of their metaphorical son repeats.

Oda giving advice to Dazai, and Dazai giving advice to Atsushi is also another cycle — the cycle of reaching a hand out to someone in need. (which is the more sensical of these two conclusions)

Beauty of humanity: Dazai’s ability to be compassionate truly shines in this scene and shows just how much he’s grown from his time in the PM.

In contrary to PM Dazai’s unfeeling self, Dazai is able to empathize with Atsushi on a personal basis; just as the Headmaster was a integral part of Atsushi’s past, Oda was the same for Dazai. 

Dazai’s growing ability to understand others demonstrates his willingness to grow more accustomed to human nature, and love it for what it is. 

Atsushi’s confusion in dictating what he should feel also speaks on the nature of humanity; his feelings don’t have to make sense for him to feel them. In fact, the more illogical his emotions are, the more human he is.

[aarcanechaoss]

3. Strength

We learn some more about our outstanding team and we find that Ryoko is a strong girl... she just lifted Dazai over her shoulder with ease.

Okay Bokuto was actually very funny Ryoko found. Akaashi was a seemingly less dead inside version of Fyodor and she appreciated that greatly.

“Fukami Aoba Johsai’s captain wants to talk to you.” Higuchi said, venom lacing her words. The pinkette rolled her eyes making Akaashi giggle quietly.

“Alright blondie where are they?”

“Don’t call me blondie you hoarder.” She snapped. “Over there in the light blue t-shirt.”

“Yikes someone didn’t get their daily dose of Aku today. Nice chat boys talk soon.”

Oikawa wasn’t stupid enough to say he wasn’t nervous to talk to the pink haired girl, he’s a confident man, stupidly cocky and competitive but he knows when he needs to back down from the alpha dog. Ryoko being the Alpha dog. She was terrifying, even mad dog stared towards their team in awe. They looked friendly enough but Toru Oikawa was astute enough to figure out something was up with the Yokohama team.

Strong

Fast

Incredibly keen

He needed to know and he was going to ask each and every player on that team.

Hirotsu fiddled with his monocle and watched as the students mingled, called parents or friends and generally did their own things, the Fukurodani coach stepped beside him.

“Takeyuki Yamiji.” He says. “Your team is something.”

“Ryuro Hirotsu. Yes they are.” He smiled. “Fukurodani is quite strong too.”

“In comparison to your lot I’ll definitely take that compliment.” The man laughed. “I’m sure you know half the reason Yokohama was invited was so we could learn your plays.”

“We know.” Hirotsu said smugly.

“Then I must ask why agree? Some of us definitely aren’t near your level we were surprised you agreed to join the camp.” Yamiji wondered.

“Let’s just say our lot needs some normalcy. Our school is very much performance based they need to be good at everything they set their minds too. They can do it they are strong kids but a misstep would... uh... anger them. We don’t pressure them to be perfect in any way- we want them to do well... and they enjoy teaching others. The third years like being mentors, the second years want to show off just a little and the first years want to be seen outside of Volleyball. A training camp gives them freedom.” Ranpo interjected.

“Very well said Edogawa.” Hirotsu laughed. Yamiji nodded in understanding.

“Shiratorizawa’s coach needs to be more like you, he’s stuck in his old ways- should have seen his face when your girls weren’t managers.”

“Ugh.” Ranpo sneered. If only they all knew what the Yokohama team really was they’d change their tune.

“Ugh indeed.” Yamiji laughed. “I should go make sure Bokuto isn’t planning on kidnapping Fukami from you he looks so sad now that she’s gone over to Oikawa and their Ace.”

“Perhaps, she has that affect on people.” Hirotsu smiled. She carries a warmth about her that gets hidden by a stone like shell with cracks running through it. The warmth would be a raging fire if not held back.

All of the Yokohama team was like that- they weren’t normal the school made certain they knew that, no one at that school was. Could you even call it a school? Principal Fukuzawa wasn’t entirely pleased by the governments methods of teaching.... non of the teachers were... it’s not teaching if the kids pass out.

Speaking of Hirotsu should go with the other coaches to check on the food Ranpo will be alright alone.

“Oikawa and Iwaizumi right? Blondie sent me over.” The pinkette said lazily. She could see the side eyes of her teammates it’s not like she was going to attack anyone that only happened once and she wholeheartedly believes Twain deserved it.

“Just wanted to meet you. We’ll play against you tomorrow and since we’ll be stuck together for a while maybe become friends?” Oikawa answered. Ryoko snorted at his tone.

“If you have no intentions of being friends don’t pretend I don’t like liars. You seem like a smart guy just ask your questions.”

“Okay fine you got me what gave me away?” Oikawa laughed, genuinely laughed.

“Iwaizumi’s face.” Said Ace went to speak before noticing the quirk on her lips, she was teasing them. “But seriously what’s up milk bread.”

Oikawa spluttered, Iwaizumi snorted and all else who heard snickered quietly. Okay maybe not quietly Tendo found that comment extremely funny.

“Well I was offering a branch of friendship for volleyball note swapping but after that comment.” Oikawa huffed.

“In other words what kind of training do you all do?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Oh- you should talk to Oda and Chuuya on that stuff. I just show up and hit things.” She chuckled. It didn’t seem genuine if the Aoba Johsai players were honest. Her fiery eyes darken slightly, “Honestly we just work well together, like all of you we train each section, play and style to near perfection but again those questions are best for the Captains milk bread.”

“I’m not going to live that down now.” Oikawa grumbled.

“No way milk bread.” Iwaizumi teased. Ryoko twitched and pulled on her braid watching them with an awfully calm watchful gaze, like an animal studying something new. “Let’s let Fukami go back to her team I think her manager wants her.”

Ryoko nodded abruptly and walked back towards the dark haired man she was near attached to.

Fyodor had been watching, as had most of the Yokohama team or at least the Akutagawa’s, Ranpo, Junichiro and coach- who knows what the others were up to... Atsushi was making friends, Chuuya was grumbling to Dazai and Oda with the Karasuno and Nekoma Captains and vices. Ryoko had been with Bokuto and Akaashi but Higuchi had soured her mood (she was now as motioned before speaking with Oikawa and Iwaizumi).

Fyodor often watched, he had no reason to interact unless necessary and no one was coming over to him just yet thankfully. His pale bony fingers played with the silver band on his wrist, it wasn’t a nervous tick or anything just caution. Ryoko and Chuuya wore one too and stupidly many people just assumed they were friend (they are but that’s not the point) ship bracelets. Nope just some spectacular silver bands to keep the three of them controlled.

Purple eyes caught stark grey ones, Chuuya had been thumbing his own bracelet but had made a motion towards Ryoko with his eyes. Fyodor followed till he caught her tense shoulders. The pinkette’s head jerked quickly and only just noticeable to those who knew it was a tick she gained while trying to keep herself controlled- one Chuuya shared. Fyodor didn’t have ticks, he had intelligence and poise... he had a terrible habit to mumble not that anyone would tell him less they face the wrath of their stoic volleyball manager. Ryoko looked uncomfortable, like she wanted to itch at her skin and pull her hair, she was tugging on her braid is that close enough. Her chuckle fell through the air as Iwaizumi called Oikawa milk bread again, more mutters, then the pinkette was soon by his side again.

“Are you alright Ryo?”

“Fine. You? You’re playing with the band again.”

“You noticed?”

“Chuuya is too.” She said pointedly. “I hate wearing it.” She muttered.

“Alright Burnabitch how about we go get dinner.” Fyodor raised a thin brow waiting for the pinkette to get his joke.

“Oh fuck you Rat Bastard it was one time and Kaji deserved it.” She snorted pushing him out the door.

Sakusa watched too, less sternly than Fyodor but definitely more than Atsumu and Osamu were. The trio was off to the side, Atsumu searching for his favourite short ginger (Hinata where are you?).

“You think those two are together?” They heard Lev ask. Yaku hummed in response watching the two Yokohama students walk towards the cafeteria.

“They most certainly aren’t.” Akutagawa scoffed.

“Sound jealous.” Dazai snickered.

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not Dazai.”

“Are too Akuuu!”

“Is the Yokohama team normally this... chaotic? Their energy off the court is so different to their energy on.” Sakusa grumbled.

“It’s like they get to act like kids off the court or something. They aren’t getting in trouble so maybe it’s normal.” Osamu shrugged.

“Maybe. They just were so scary when we played against them.” Atsumu shivered. “Especially their setter... pretty sure he was going to set dunk my face.”

“You were flirting with the female middle blocker.” Sakusa droned.

“HE DID WHAT!”

“That’s you’re cue to run!” Oda yelled gripping what he could of Akutagawa with the arm that wasn’t in a sling.

“Running!”

The evening seemed to go by stagnantly. Everything moving either slowly or too quick bouncing from person to person.

Dinner was nice, sushi and soft drink with some fried chicken if anyone wanted some. Desert was some ice-cream. Pretty simple thankfully. Now everyone was in their designated rooms chatting and messing around until lights out

Atsushi and Tanizaki were bumbling around chatting quietly, Hinata attempted to join but to no avail the two apologised saying their coach sent them a message and ran off. The poor small ginger he was so confused.

“Uh it’s basically bed time man?” Tanaka said as Akutagawa stood to leave.

“Not for me. Good night.”

And with that the door was slammed.

Again the evening felt odd.

“Gin? Ryoko? Higuchi? Where did they go?” Yachi wondered noticing the three empty beds. With hands on her hips she sticks her head out the door but either girl were in sight. “Have any of you seen them?”

“Not since showers.” Kiyoko answered. The girls brows furrowed- where did they go?

“Dazai you can’t go to bed yet.” Oda sighed.

“But I’m tired.”

“No you aren’t dumbass.” Chuuya kicked him.

“Hey what’s going on guys?” Kuroo and Daichi asked.

“We must go coach needs us.” Fyodor answered cryptically. A knock on the door startled everyone.

“Why does this feel like the start of something bad?” Asahi asked quietly before Sugawara whacked him on the head with a mighty negativity be gone.

“Oi Dazai get up lazy ass.”... Ryoko?

“Ryoko?” Bokuto asked with innocent confusion.

“Sup Owlking.” Ryoko grinned with her hands on her hips. “Dazai get up before I make you everyone else has headed over besides you four.”

“I’m going.” Chuuya and Oda said rushing out the door.

“Don’t wanna.” Dazai sung. Fyodor sighed, Ryoko’s eye twitched.

“Don’t say she didn’t warn you.” Fyodor said.

The third years watched as the pinkette strolled into the room slowly towards the seemingly unmovable Dazai and lifted him up.

No struggles or tugs just picked him up and threw him over her shoulder.

The third years sat gobsmacked.

“How?” Oikawa managed to get out.

“I work out.” She winked before sashaying out the door with Dazai swaying and grumbling over her shoulder. Fyodor just sighed again and followed out.

What the hell is up with that team?

[fantastic-rambles]

Black Beast, Silver Blade [3]

Fandom: Bungou Stray Dogs

Characters: Akutagawa Gin, Ozaki Kouyou, Dazai Osamu, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Nakahara Chuuya (briefly)

Warnings: Violence/homicide, mild gore, some angst, idk.

Word Count: 3.4k

"If you're his mentor, then isn't it your responsibility to look out for him?" Ozaki's voice was lightly venomous. Gin had never heard her speak in such a tone before, so instead of walking past the older woman's sitting room, she cautiously peered inside. A pot of tea had been set out on the table, but neither Ozaki nor the young man sitting across from her seemed to be touching their cups. Gin's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the heavily bandaged man swathed in black. If Dazai was here, was it somehow related to Ryuu?

"You know I have to stay with Chuuya-kun this time," Dazai retorted, leaning back on the couch. His eyes flicked to the doorway, widening fractionally as he noticed the girl watching them, and then he smiled as if he'd been expecting it all along. "Why don't we let Gin-chan decide, since she'd be the one in danger? Come in, come in."

He flapped his hand at her, but she hesitated on the threshold, looking toward her teacher. Ozaki was frowning slightly as she also turned her head to look at Gin, but she eventually nodded reluctantly, and Gin stepped lightly into the room, stopping when she stood at Ozaki's shoulder. She waited quietly, suppressing her presence as she had been taught, as she fixed her eyes on the youngest Executive of the Port Mafia.

He hadn't changed much since the last time she'd seen him, and she found herself wondering about his bandages once more. He didn't seem like someone who could be injured so badly, given that he'd apparently single-handedly taken down a small gang without lifting a finger, and yet, she never saw him without them.

"Yah, Gin-chan, you're as cute as always!" Dazai exclaimed cheerfully, though the steadiness of his gaze didn't falter. Even so, Gin could feel herself coloring, and she inclined her head slightly in silent thanks.

"Anyways, I was just talking with Kouyou-san about how I need someone to hold A-kun's leash for a little while," Dazai continued. "She thinks--and I agree--that you're not ready for a mission of this level yet, but there's also nobody else who could handle it without losing an arm, at the very least. We're planning a raid on one of our best suppliers because they've been skimming enough off the top that they think they have a chance at taking us on. To teach them the error of their ways and make sure that none of them slip through the cracks, I want to have a team go in from each side and trap them in a pincer attack. Based purely on strength, the vanguards would be Chuuya-kun and A-kun, but I'm worried about both of them losing control during the fight. I'm the only one who can stop Chuuya-kun if that happens, but your brother will probably listen to you, right?"

Gin frowned slightly beneath the mask that she'd taken to wearing. Ryuu had never been particularly inclined to obey anyone else, and these days, the only person whose words he seemed to hang onto were Dazai's. But before she could respond, Ozaki interrupted, jabbing in his direction accusingly.

"Tell her the truth, Dazai. It's not that you think she can control him, but that if he savages her, there's a chance he'll come to his senses. I thought that we all agreed to keep their relationship a secret so they can't be used against each other: if you do this, who knows what rumors will start? Unless you're hoping that Akutagawa-kun will kill Gin to remove that weakness."

"Aiya, aiya, you're too suspicious, Kouyou-san!" Dazai reprimanded the other executive. "Okay, yes, you're right: I think A-kun would recognize Gin-chan and hesitate to raise a hand against her, which means she can push him in the right direction during our raid. But I really don't want her to die! If A-kun actually killed her, or even if she died because of a situation that he got her involved in, he'd probably be of no more use to the Port Mafia!"

Although he spoke jokingly, Gin had to repress a shudder. It wasn't that she was afraid of Ryuu, or of death. But the way Dazai had said he would be "of no more use" so carelessly, as if her brother was simply a tool that would be discarded if it broke, was an icy blade in her heart. Both of them knew that Ryuu's mentor was just this sort of cold and logical man, but it still scared her to think what would happen if the only man her brother respected, the one who had given Ryuu a reason to live, abandoned him. And on top of that, if she was no longer there…

But if she wasn't there and Ryuu turned his fangs on his allies, he would either be killed by the Mafia or blacklisted if he somehow managed to survive.

"I'll do it," she said softly. She couldn't see Ozaki's expression from where she was standing, but she could read her mentor's feelings anyways in the way the older woman tensed. She was happy to know that Ozaki cared for her, but this was something that she couldn't back down from, and she was relieved when Ozaki didn't try to dissuade her. Instead, the executive addressed her next words to her counterpart.

"It has to be tonight?"

"Yup! I've already sent out the call to muster, so we're committed now!" Dazai stood up, brushing off his pants and clearly indicating that the meeting was over. As he passed Gin, he pulled a twist of paper from the pocket of his coat and offered it to her. Knowing that it was probably information regarding where she had to rendezvous, she accepted it silently.

"Tonight, then!" he reminded her brightly before he left. Afterwards, the room was filled with a tense silence, and Gin wondered if she should just leave. But then Ozaki sighed, taking another cup from the tray and filling it with tea before placing it beside her own.

"Sit down, Gin."

Quietly, she obeyed, taking a seat beside the older woman and turning her head to look at Ozaki. She was startled when her mentor suddenly reached out and placed a hand on her cheek, and she could feel the warmth even through the thin cloth.

"Poor child," Ozaki murmured, her expression soft and a little sad. "I wish that I could come with you, but I have a meeting with an important partner tonight. Which Dazai must have known."

Her eyes flashed with momentary irritation, and again, Gin felt a deep appreciation and sympathy for the woman who had been taking care of her. She herself would feel more confident if Ozaki were beside her tonight, but Dazai was always quite deliberate in his actions, despite how frivolous he seemed. If the situation really was as dangerous as he had suggested, then perhaps this was a test for Ryuu, to determine whether he would be able to expend his powers to the fullest without losing control: if Ozaki were there, even just as backup, he could afford to hold back.

But then Ozaki turned away to pick up the teacup, offering it to Gin with steady hands. Hesitantly, Gin unhooked her mask, smoothing it flat in her lap, before accepting the offering, the delicate porcelain rattling slightly on its saucer. She waited for the other woman to raise her own cup, then took a sip of the lukewarm tea. They drank in silence, and when Gin had finished, she reached out to place the cup back on the table and rose to her feet. After she had resettled her mask on her face, she bowed deeply to Ozaki.

"Thank you for your guidance."

"Come back." Ozaki's voice was low and fierce. "Whatever happens, stay alive: you and your brother. And come back to me. I'm not done with you yet."

"Thank you," Gin repeated softly, hoping that she would be able to obey the command. When her mentor said nothing else, she retreated, unfolding the paper that Dazai had given her and memorizing its contents before tearing it to pieces and disposing of it.

She had hoped that she would have the opportunity to speak to her brother before the raid, but he hadn't come home for dinner. So now she was elbowing her way through the foot soldiers--drawing more than one curious glance--and making her way to the front of the lines. One man tried to waylay her, but he immediately let go of her arm when she slashed her knife at him, leaving the faintest trail of blood across his throat. After that, she was given enough of a berth to let her slide through the crowd, preceded by a low murmur. Thus, when she finally emerged, both Dazai and Ryuu were waiting for her, and Ryuu's eyes widened with shock and recognition.

"You--" he took a step forward, but his movement was arrested by Dazai's arm across his chest.

"Akutagawa, this is Gin, one of Kouyou's subordinates. I've borrowed him to reinforce this side since I need to be with Chuuya-kun. Gin, I'm sure that you've heard of Akutagawa? I hope that the two of you can get along," Dazai introduced Gin blandly. Gin inclined her head slightly in silent greeting while Ryuu just continued to stare at her. Finally, he turned away.

"I don't need his support. He'll just get in the way," Ryuu retorted, sliding his hands into his pockets. Grinning, Dazai slapped him on the shoulder.

"Well, if he does, I'd rather you don't kill him. Kouyou would be upset with me." Apparently satisfied that Ryuu wasn't going to make a scene, Dazai sauntered away while Gin advanced until she was standing just behind her brother.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed. Glancing over her shoulder at the assembled men and women, Gin was satisfied that they were keeping enough of a respectful distance that the siblings could speak quietly together without being overheard.

"Dazai-san asked me to come. I agreed," she replied calmly. "He thought that it would be a good test of my progress without putting me in serious danger since you'd be here. And I think that he's concerned that I won't be able to kill actual people."

She lied smoothly, having rehearsed it in her head for hours as she'd waited for Ryuu. She hated having to lie to him, but she had quickly come to the conclusion that it was better than the alternative. The truth would only hurt him, knowing that the man who he respected so dearly doubted his ability, and her story was plausible enough. It might even be true: Dazai was someone who always saw several moves ahead and rarely did anything for simply one reason.

"It's fine if you can't."

"This is my choice."

Before Ryuu could continue to argue, his walkie-talkie squawked, and he turned to face the assembled forces, raising a hand.

"Five minutes."

As he turned back around, he caught sight of Gin's raised eyebrow and explained, "They'd get in my way."

Then his cloak warped, darting forward in dark blades to slice apart the heavy steel doors and send them crashing to the ground in pieces. Before the dust had settled, he sprang forward, and Gin followed at his heels. As the sound of gunfire echoed in her ears, she sprang off to the side, her eyes picking out features in the gritty haze: piles of shipping containers, a narrow walkway, frequent muzzle flashes. Then the crash of metal, screams, the bitter copper tang of blood.

Leaving Ryuu to his work, she ran silently along the wall of the warehouse, scanning her surroundings for a way up. He could handle the forces on the floor, but anyone on the walkway would be out of his reach, so she couldn't leave them be. If his men were five minutes behind him, there wouldn't be a need for her to be by his side until they caught up, so until then, she could act on her own to keep him safe.

When a flimsy aluminum ladder materialized in front of her, she quickly climbed up, peering over the top. But none of the men were looking at her, as they were focused on the carnage below them, so she crawled over the edge, staying low as she snuck up on the closest of them. Truthfully, though, she needn't have bothered: the man was screaming curses as his machine gun chattered away, and he only became aware of her presence in the moment that her left hand wrapped over his mouth and her right hand drew her knife across his throat. Instantly, she released him, and he fell to his knees, his hands reaching up to try to staunch the flow of his blood as she silently cursed herself for not cutting deeply enough to make a clean kill.

But he would die soon enough. Leaving him where he was, she ghosted up to the next shooter, her left hand gripping her right wrist tightly to try to stop its tremors. Something must have alerted her target, though, because he suddenly spun toward her, and she had a brief, terrifying moment of staring down the barrel of his gun before she ducked and rolled forward, slamming into his legs and knocking him into his companion, sending both of them sprawling to the ground. Gin, on the other hand, had risen to her knees and lunged forward, planting her weapon squarely in the man's throat and ripping it sideways, releasing a fountain of blood that drenched her and made her shudder. Her other assailant was struggling to untangle his own gun, giving her precious few seconds to reach up and slam the heel of her hand into his nose, driving the nasal bone into the brain.

And then a concussive force slammed against her left shoulder. Gasping, she retreated as a trail of bullets followed her, clinking against the metal with more than a few burning through her flesh. And then a louder roar echoed from behind her, making her flinch and drop to the ground as feet pounded by her.

"Are you alright, sir?" A hand landed on her injured shoulder, and she jerked away from the touch as the reinforcements rushed down the walkway to clean up the rest of the smugglers. Glancing over the edge, she saw the troops that Ryuu had held back surging up the warehouse in a black wave toward a figure of wild and concentrated violence. The other side of the warehouse was apparently in the process of being flattened, with dented and distorted shipping containers flying through the air. Waving off the man's concern, she stood on shaky legs, gripping the railing with her good hand and swinging over the edge, dropping onto a pile of containers, and rolling forward to decrease the impact. Her right leg cried out in pain as it was jolted, and she bit the inside of her cheek to avoid crying out herself as she looked down at it.

There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it, other than two holes that bled freely. There wasn't time to treat it properly, not if she was going to catch up to Ryuu, so she used her knife to cut off her left sleeve, wrapping it tightly around her leg to put pressure on the wounds and slow the bleeding. Then she stumbled forward, using the containers as an upper road that kept her out of the potential crossfire as she approached the maelstrom of cloth.

She paused just outside of his range, dropping down to solid ground with a wince. As she peered around the edge of the container, her heart ached to see Ryuu staggering, covered in blood, as Rashoumon whipped around him, devouring bodies with a ravenous hunger. The screams echoed in her ears even though she'd been half-deafened by the machine gun fire on the walkway, before they were abruptly silenced. But at least it was almost over: the rattling of gunfire was more sporadic now, some of their enemies throwing aside weapons and raising their arms in surrender.

And then she saw one pair of dark jaws flying towards a man kneeling on the ground. Without thinking, she ran forward, throwing herself between the two of them. With unexpected force, the beast slammed into her, its momentum driving her into the side of another storage container and making her cough and struggle to draw breath as the air was driven out of her lungs.

"Ryuu," she gasped. She didn't know if he heard her as sharp teeth pricked at her sides, and she castigated herself mentally: the man wasn't even one of theirs, but an enemy. What did it matter if he died? That was the point of this raid, after all. And yet, striking down someone who had lost the will to fight... how could she allow it?

Too soft, a voice whispered in her head. The iron jaws released her before floating back to Ryuu's side, leaving her to slide down the corrugated steel, still fighting to breathe. A sharp pain stabbed her side as she inhaled shallowly, fighting the urge to cough that would undoubtedly make it worse. Foolish, weak, still hiding behind your brother.

An ominous-looking ball flew toward her, but she just stared at it, unable to move. It crashed into the container, crumpling it inwards as easily as if it were a tin can, and she gazed at the enormous hole beside her with wide-eyed surprise.

"Alright, alright, good job everyone!"

A familiar voice rang out in the silence that was settling over the warehouse, and Gin couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief that made her wince. Glancing over, she saw Dazai standing nearby, his hand wrapped around a shorter man's wrist: Nakahara Chuuya, she guessed. Nakahara's skin was covered with dark marks that were retreating from their point of contact in a slow crawl that made her uneasy. Ryuu stood a short distance away from them, his coat no longer a mass of blades, but shining with a dampness that made it glisten ominously. But he remained in control of himself and his ability: a small blessing.

Gingerly, Gin rose to her own feet, using the remains of the container to support herself. The movement seemed to capture Dazai's attention, and he released Nakahara, who fell to the ground in a limp, boneless collapse that suggested he was unconscious. Before she realized it, the Executive was standing beside her, his hand under her elbow steadying her. Ryuu was only a few steps behind him.

"Akutagawa, take Gin to the medics, will you? And then you'll wait to get patched up too. I'll take care of the rest here."

"But Dazai-san--"

"That's an order, Akutagawa. Both of you did well."

Ryuu closed his mouth and bent over slightly to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Bands of soft, dark cloth curled around her torso so that she was barely standing, her weight almost entirely supported by her brother.

"Thank you, Ryuu," Gin whispered. But he just shook his head in response, guiding her away from Dazai and the carnage. Now that the fighting was over, he didn't seem to be in much better shape than she was: he was breathing heavily, and not all of the blood that drenched his cloak seemed to be the enemy's. But there was a fierce gleam in his eye as they walked towards the exit, his weakness concealed by a strong sense of pride that kept every step firm. For Gin, though, it was all that she could do to not lean against him, to reassure herself that he was really there. But Dazai had gone to so much trouble to keep their relationship a secret, to give Ryuu excuses for his behavior. She couldn't risk it all for a moment of self-indulgence: that could wait until they returned home together.

As they walked together, Gin wondered again about the purpose of this exercise. It hadn't seemed like Ryuu had lost control: was it intended as a test for her, after all? Or did her brother simply have a better grasp of his ability than his mentor expected?

And then she smiled slightly, her expression hidden by her mask. They were both badly injured, but they'd survived. That was all that mattered.

[bungou-stray-dingus]

Could I request headcanons of Chuuya with a girlfriend who is shorter than him, plays a lot of instruments(Piano, flute, violin, percussion, I guess singing counts too?) professionally, and is sun allergic? I’m sorry if it’s too much!

FOR BB!! Also hell yeah for marching band!! I miss my marching band days.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THIS AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED WRITING IT!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

High School AU

You sat in the back of the music room, waiting for the teacher to give the signal that it was time to head out onto the field. It was the first game of the season, the Homecoming Game, also known as the most important football game of the year. The sun was still setting, but just there enough to cause your eyes to water and you to start sniffling.

“You alright?” Chuuya came up to you, the drum sticks tried under his arm. He was so cute in his marching band uniform, and you had secretly been crushing on him since the first day you saw him. The two of you had managed to become super close, and you hoped deep down that he would ask you to the homecoming dance.

He waved his hand in front of your face, pulling you out of the daydream daze you were in and you shook your head, giving him an awkward chuckle. “Y-yeah, I’m fine. The sun is just setting off my allergy. Hopefully it’ll be fully set before we go out on the field.” You gave him a sheepish smile and he looked out the window then back to you.

“Oh yeah, do you need a tissue? We can’t afford to lose our best percussionist.” He smiled back to you and you felt your cheeks heat up.

“Uhm, first thing, your flirting sucks, and second, marimba isn’t percussion. Duh.” Dazai’s voice broke through, and you watched as he brought the trumpet up to his lips, trying to play it as he walked closer.

“Dude, shut up! Also, the marimba is definitely a percussion instrument. How did you even make it into this class. Who’s trumpet is that?” Just seeing Dazai had Chuuya on the verge of a fit of rage. His last question was answered when Kunikida ran over to where Dazai was standing, blowing into the mouth piece, producing a bunch of spit but no sound.

“Dammit Dazai, now I’m gonna have to disinfect it.” Kunikida said, snatching the instrument from Dazai’s hands with a look of disgust. “Also, the marimba is definitely a percussion instrument.” He added before walking away, mumbling under his breath about how disgusting it is to use someone else’s mouthpiece.

“I don’t know what his problem is.” Dazai shrugged, then looked down at you. “You look very good in the uniform by the way, Y/N.” His voice was suggestive and if it were possible, Chuuya would have smoke coming out of his ears, he looked so pissed at Dazai’s comment.

“SHE ALREADY KNOWS THAT!” He shouted, smacking Dazai with one of the drumsticks. “Y/N, you look great.” He said, and you dropped your head to try to hide your blushing face.

“Dude, why not ask her out already.” Dazai said, dodging Chuuya’s second hit. “I’m just saying!” He held his hands up as he backed away. “You guys would be soooo cute together.”

“I... He.... heh... let’s get your instrument down to the field?” Chuuya stumbled over his words, obviously put in an awkward situation and he didn’t know how to react at all. “Kenji, give us a hand?” Chuuya called to him from across the room. The saxophone player was rather strong considering his small build. He easily lifted the other end of the instrument with no sign of a struggle, he didn’t even break a sweat.

You sat on the bleachers with Chuuya, waiting for the other members of the band to come out. Chuuya situated himself between you and the light of the setting sun to help keep your eyes from watering. “Are you nervous?” He asked, noticing your fingers tapping nervously against your lap. He placed his hand over yours to keep you from tapping, and you felt the blush rise into your cheeks again. “There’s no need to be nervous, most of these people talk over our playing anyway.”

“I-I’m not nervous, I just...” You noticed he was staring at you, his eyebrows raised, obviously not fooled by your lie. “Alright... maybe I am. But...”

“I’ll be right next to you the entire time.” He whispered, his thumb rubbing circles into the back of your hand. It made your heart rate spike and you tried to keep your heavy breathing to a minimum. “Oh, looks like everyone’s coming down now. Are you ready?” He asked and you nodded quickly.

Everyone lined up on the field, getting into the formation that had been practiced multiple times over the last two months. The sun had finally set, but that was the least of your worries at this point. All the lights, all the eyes on you, it had you sweating profusely. Chuuya looked down at you and noticed how pale you had turned, the tiny beads of sweat that were forming on your forehead considering how chilly it was. “Psst.... hey.” He whispered just loud enough for you to hear. You looked up to him, his smile seemed brighter than any of the lights on the field. “Keep your eyes on me, whenever you feel nervous, just look at me. Okay?” His voice was soothing and you felt yourself relax a little.

You and your instrument were in the center of the field, the rest of the band had circled around you, but you kept your eyes on Chuuya, his red hair peaking out of the hat let you know that it was definitely him. You felt a pair of eyes on the back of your head and you turned around to see that it was Dazai. He licked his lips and winked at you before wrapping his mouth around the mouthpiece of the saxophone. You faced back to your teacher quickly, his hands were in the air as he waited for everyone to get ready. Then they dropped, and the sound of everyone’s instruments filled the field. The band started to move, walking in sync to the rhythm of the music and your eyes focused in on Chuuya, you could pick out the sound of his instrument through the sound of everyone else’s. When his solo came up you couldn’t fight the grin that spread across your face, hearing him play, it was pure talent. His drum solo was absolutely flawless, and you almost missed your time to start playing again, you were so entranced by his playing.

The football game started and the band took their seats at the far end of the bleachers, all the instruments and their cases littered the ground in front of the seats. You were sat between Akutagawa and Chuuya who talked across you about how football was meaningless. The crowd roared when the team scored a touchdown and Akutagawa groaned. “They didn’t cheer like that when we were done playing. They don’t appreciate the art that is playing an instrument.” Chuuya nodded at Aku’s words.

“Well I think we played really well tonight!” Tanizaki chimed in, leaning forward so he was peaking between yours and Chuuya’s shoulders.

“Heck yeah! We were awesome tonight!” Atsushi added, patting Chuuya’s back. “Oh, where’s Ranpo?” Atsushi asked, looking around the bleachers.

“He went to the snack stand. You want to go?” Tanizaki asked and Atsushi nodded. Akutagawa, Kenji, and Kunikida followed behind them.

You shivered as a breeze blew through the stands, and Chuuya wrapped his arm around your shoulder. You leaned against him, he was so warm and you enjoyed the feeling of his arm around you. “Awwww. You guys are so cute. Can you just ask her already!?” Dazai’s voice broke through, ruining the serene moment. You sighed and moved away as Chuuya did a 180 and turned to face Dazai who was sitting two stands up.

“Will you just shut up for once? God, you’re so annoying!” Chuuya argued, and you could see how agitated he was when Dazai just laughed. Chuuya’s cheeks burned red when he turned back around, he was breathing heavy as he tried to control his anger.

“You should just ignore him. He’s trying to make you mad.” Dazai’s laughter ringed in your ears as you tried to help calm Chuuya. He sighed loudly before standing up and stepping over your legs.

“You wanna take a walk?” He asked, waiting for you to follow him. Dazai’s clapping and cheering irked the both of you, and you saw Chuuya clench his fists as he walked a little faster, most likely to get away from Dazai as fast as possible so he wouldn’t punch him.

He held the doors open for you as you walked into the school. The empty building brought peace now instead of the anxiety that usually came along with the over congested hallways. It was quiet, and your footsteps with Chuuya’s seemed to echo down the long halls. Even your breathing seemed to be amplified by the emptiness.

“Chuuya...”

“Y/N...” You both spoke at the same time and you let out an awkward giggle that matched his own. “Oh sorry, you can go first.”

“No, no, what were you going to say?” You asked, stopping at the stairwell and taking a seat on the bottom step. Now that the two of you were alone you could hear your heart beating in your ears, your entire body felt warm as his eyes lingered on your face.

“Are you... uh... going to homecoming?” He asked, refusing to sit down. He was standing in front of you, biting his lip as he waited for your answer. You shook your head no and he smiled a little. “Oh... well... would you maybe want to... I don’t know... go with me?” Your stomach did a somersault as his words registered in your brain.

“Like, as friends?” You asked, hoping that he’d say no. He shrugged and finally took a seat next to you.

“I mean... if you want to go as friends.... but....” He wasn’t able to finish his sentence. The sound of footsteps racing down the hallway startled the both of you.

Tachihara turned the corner and spotted the two of you and he sighed. “Man, teach is freaking out because of you two. We’re about to go on for half time.” He was out of breath from running and you found it hard to hold back your laughter seeing him so flustered.

“Sorry dude, we’re coming.” Chuuya said, stifling his own laughter.

The three of you sprinted through the empty hallways, bursting through the double doors. You took your place on the field where the rest of the band was already in formation. Your teacher scowled at you and Chuuya, but that wasn’t even the worst. Dazai’s smug smirk put you on edge and you couldn’t shake the awkward, uneasy feeling his look gave you.

Chuuya’s words replayed in your mind over and over as you watched him move across the field. What was he going to say after the but? You wished that Tachihara hadn’t barged in at such a bad time, now you were left with the overwhelming feeling of nervousness at Chuuya’s unfinished sentence.

The music faded, and the band ran off the field as the crowd erupted with applause as the football teams sprinted out on the field. Everyone began packing away their instruments, ready to finish up the night and go home. You held Chuuya’s tenor drums as he and Kenji worked to carry in your marimbas. The two walked ahead as you stayed behind talking with Tanizaki and Atsushi who were taking apart their clarinets. “So where were you and Chuuya anyway?” Tanizaki asked, genuinely curious as he was highly worried when they couldn’t find you at first.

“Well... we were-“ You began but Dazai jumped in again.

“You two were probably making out in an empty stairwell. Ha! So cool, didn’t know you had it in you Y/N.” He said, leaning closer to you. “You know if Chuuya won’t ask you out-“

“Shut up Osamu.” You mumbled, pulling away from his whispering lips that were far too close to your ear.

“I like when you say my name like that.” He winked at you before walking away. Akutagawa shook his head as he looked after Dazai.

“Don’t worry about him. He’s just a typical upperclassman. He probably hasn’t even had a girlfriend.” Tanizaki said, patting your shoulder to try to make you feel less upset about what he had said.

“Yeah, he acts like he’s....” You stopped listening to them, you just wanted to get back up to the classroom and put your stuff away so you could go home.

Chuuya was waiting for you next to the door to the classroom, he had already changed out of his uniform, his backpack slung over one arm as he scanned the hallways, his eyes lit up when he spotted you. He took his drums from your hands and took them to the back of the class and you followed him. “You took a while, I was starting to get worried that Dazai got to you until he came up.” He chuckled, but you could hear that the thought alone made him uncomfortable. “I’ll let you get changed.” He reminded you that you were still wearing your uniform and you nodded, grabbing your backpack and heading to the restroom to change.

You stared at yourself in the mirror, suddenly self conscious about the way you looked. You so badly wanted Chuuya to like you, as more than a friend. Whenever you were around him you felt like you couldn’t breathe, he was so perfect and there was nothing more that you wanted than to call him your boyfriend. You didn’t know how he felt though, and you were way too nervous to ask him. You walked out of the bathroom, heading back to the music room to wait for your ride. Chuuya had probably already left, you would never find out what would come after the but. Even if you were to go to homecoming as friends, there was nothing bad about that, you would still be with him... right?

Taking a seat on the piano bench, you dropped your bag to the floor next to you and began playing a song that you had made up on the spot. It started out cheery, lilting and fun, then it slowly turned more solemn, kind of how you felt whenever you were with Chuuya. He was always able to cheer you up, he made you happy, he made you smile, whenever he would hug you it felt like your heart would explode out of your chest. Even with all of that though, you knew that there would never be anything more to your relationship. You would never be able to walk down the halls with your hand intertwined with his, giving him a quick kiss after he drops you off at your class. There would be no cute couple photos taken in photo booths filling the front of your binder.

Your fingers slid from the piano keys and rested by your side. “That was beautiful, I’ve never heard the song before. What song is it?” His voice was soft, he was hoping not to surprise you by coming in, and he was glad that he got to listen to you play. He never knew that you could play the piano, but that was just another thing he could add to the list of things you did that amazed him.

“I uh... I made it up.” You said, turning around in the bench to face him. “I thought you had already left.”

“No... I never got the chance to finish what I was saying earlier.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously, biting his cheek as he thought of how to word what he was going to say next. “I uhm... I didn’t want to just go as friends. I wanted to know if.... maybe you would like to be my girlfriend?” He asked, his voice rising an octave with each word.

You were shocked that he had asked, you had never thought that he felt that way about you. You couldn’t even manage to say yes, so you nodded, you nodded so fast that it made your head hurt. He laughed at your reaction, stepping forward to stand in front of you. He grabbed your hand and pulled you up off the bench, wrapping his arms tightly around your waist. It was different from the friendly hug he’d usually give you whenever he saw you in the hallways at school.

“Do you know how long I’ve been wanting to ask you that?” He asked quietly, his lips brushing the top of your head. The feeling sent shivers down your spine and you sighed as you rested your head against his chest.

“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask?”

[siberlius-moving]

i know i said no essay bUT HERE’S A LONG ONE

- spoilers for beast au ahead -

BEAST: On being human and alive

What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be living? 

The characters here refer to Beast AU’s characters, but I will specify when I am referring to the main universe’s respective characters.

Dazai and Akutagawa: what is a beast? who is the beast?

Dazai in the Beast AU, having glimpsed into the alternate universes, had concocted an elaborate plan to ‘save’ an universe where Odasaku got to write his novel. I would like to think, that this Dazai saw the lives of other Dazais who had left the Port Mafia and lived a purposeful life where he could genuinely be a good person and help others, surrounded by people he cares about and who also genuinely care for him (thus, in spite of all the suicide jokes, Dazai in main universe is actually clinging onto life pretty tightly). But Dazai in the Port Mafia was still a person who hadn’t learnt to appreciate human life as being something more than the act of moving and breathing. As smart as he was, he hadn’t had the maturity to understand empathy, sympathy, and the value of having connection with others. Main universe’s Dazai, in fact, is still learning to do so. He has a long way to go, but you realise that it is his connections with people like Oda, Atsushi and the ADA that give him purpose to live another day, and help him be so much more successful in pulling off his schemes since people actually trust and open up to him. You can argue that he would still have been successful being his old Port Mafia self, except with a lot more deaths and violence. But, he would have lived a very short life. Which, was what happened in the Beast AU. 

Beast AU’s Dazai, latching onto the regret of main universe’s Dazai, and encouraged by his own lack of will to live in his present life, decided that this universe didn’t matter (since he technically had already ‘lived’ in other timelines) and set on a path to help Oda finish writing a novel. It is incredibly selfish, because for everyone else, this was the only life they ever had, would ever lived. By the end of the book, Dazai realised this. He got called out by Oda for it. In their one and only meeting, Oda noted that Dazai was almost childlike in the way he tried to recreate a friendship that never existed. When Oda told Dazai that they were not friends and that he would do everything in his power to get Akutagawa back, Dazai understood. At the last stage of his grand plan, where he was to die, it had seemed like he got what he wanted - Oda had his book written and had led a nice life after all. But was it really what Dazai wanted? Was he not just slave to the main universe’s Dazai’s wishes? 

Akutagawa in Beast AU isn’t very much different from Akutagawa in the main universe, at least until Dazai came about and changed everything. Dazai in the Beast AU, had become the Port Mafia boss at a really young age. All the immaturity and issues mentioned above get ramped up here. He controlled the port mafia with an iron fist. I would think it was harder for him, because at least for Mori, he had years to build his way up. The rumours that Dazai killed Mori to usurp his position made it harder for Dazai to consolidate his power. He knew that he needed multiple figures of fear to rule. In the main universe, Dazai was an executive who didn’t know the existence of Atsushi. Akutagawa was the only one he could mould into a similar role he was looking for. Thus, Beast AU’s Dazai went to Akutagawa first. 

But in the main universe, Dazai realised too late that Akutagawa was too 'wild’. He was a blunt kind of mass weapon of destruction, too much of a wild card. In any case, Dazai was just an executive then, and Akutagawa served his purpose most of the time, and Mori had a good range of competent supporters he could use. Chuuya actually respected and was extremely loyal to Mori. In the Beast AU, Dazai didn’t have that kind of support. But he needed one, controllable weapon from the shin soukoku for his future plans. He tested Akutagawa by letting him kill all the gang members (in the main universe, Dazai had them killed as a ‘gift’ to Akutagawa to entice him to join Port Mafia). Akutagawa killed them extremely brutally, almost animalistically. Too wild for Dazai’s needs. That was okay, because Atsushi was perfect, and Dazai knew of Atsushi’s existence. Atsushi had a moral compass and knew right from wrong. He was only uncontrollable when influenced by his ability and he turned into a tiger, but this can be managed by a brutal spiked choker around his neck. His conscience, along with his fragile mentality, allowed Dazai to perfectly control his actions by using said conscience against Atsushi, without the unpredictable risks that Akutagawa posed.

Here’s the important thing: Dazai thought that Akutagawa was a ‘beast’. A beast is a thing controlled by its nature. It cannot be controlled by anything else besides a severe master. It is dangerous, it is wild, it is irrational, but it is innocent. After all, it is only doing what its instincts call for it to do. How can one be guilty, when it does not know what it is doing is wrong? If it is evil, then all it knows is evil deeds. Nothing one does can change it. After all, Akutagawa was inclined towards destruction, and he was talented in it. He tends towards irrational destruction with utter disregard for his or others’ lives. Gin was injured while saving Akutagawa during the massacre, and he abandoned her for mindless, hopeless revenge. This fact was used against Akutagawa - Dazai rejected him over it and took Gin away. Dazai told Gin that Akutagawa had abandoned her for violence and would abandon her again because when it came down to it, he was a destructive beast who cannot ignore his nature and he cannot love the way normal humans do. Akutagawa proved Dazai’s point when he attacked Atsushi for calling him out on this, even though Atsushi was leading him to Gin. Gin, out of resentment and love, left Akutagawa so that Akutagawa could live on, like he was a wolf that belonged to the forest.

But Dazai was wrong. Akutagawa had lived in environments that had shaped him to be extremely reactive, violent and constantly on survival mode. He would react to threats with immediate violence. But that did not make him inherently a beast. Even he had nothing, he acted as a protector for the children, and led them as much as he could. After Oda found him, offered him food and shelter and gave him a chance to live a life beyond constant survival, he flourished. He bonded with Tanizaki over the love of their sisters. He agreed to ADA’s conditions for helping him find his sister even though he could have simply attacked them for answers. When Kenji showed him the rice plains he was enraptured by the sight. He learnt to plant rice with Kenji and had continued to help him with farming even when he had no reason to help him. He sucked at paperwork but was really good at keeping with Kunikida’s schedules and helping him track and catch criminals (and without killing them!). He helped Oda babysit 15 kids by making playgrounds, showing up for their PTAs and helping them be more confident in school. When he had the opportunity, he could choose to be kind. When he had the patient guidance of a loving community, he could learn from them and change. (Minor scene at the start of the novel: When Akutagawa gets hot tea spilt onto him, Tanizaki and Kunikida sensed instinctive bloodlust on him. But what he really did, was to catch the tea cups and the serving tray swiftly with Rashomon and hand it back to the waitress.)

Oda pointed it out rightly - Akutagawa was an emotional person and he cared too much. When things he cared about were hurt, these emotions took control of him and he would lash out in rather violent ways. And he would feel guilty over it. But, how can a beast feel guilty? It is interesting that in the Beast AU, Atsushi was hardly ever referred to as a beast, even when he was famous for being unable to recognise friend from foe when he was in a tiger state. One of the more obvious parallels is then when Akutagawa noted that Atsushi was driven mad by guilt. And Akutagawa slowly saw it in himself. They were similar that way - both were hounded by the guilt of a irreversible mistake that destroyed/changed their lives. Akutagawa never forgave himself for leaving Gin alone that night when Dazai took her away, to the point that he wanted to die. He only wanted to find and kill two people. One was Dazai. The second was himself. He was afraid of this uncontrollable beast he felt was inside him. 

Oda told him not to chase the beast for a good reason - Akutagawa was not a beast. But he could choose to be one, if he followed that path of no return. Kunikida at the crucial fight point, when urging Akutagawa to stand up and continue fighting said it too: that Akutagawa was not an evil person, but he could choose to be a good person if he chose to become a detective with the ADA. And Akutagawa chose. He allowed Atsushi to live, and told him to keep on fighting and living. He continued working with ADA, trying to solve cases and save people, so that he could prove to himself that he was not a beast, and that one day, Gin could see that he was better and came back to him. I think, even in the main universe, Dazai knows he is wrong about Akutagawa - he may have given up in trying to teach non-terrorising skills in Akutagawa when he was still in the Port Mafia, but he has since tried to amend his mistakes through Atsushi.

Being able to make choices is what makes you human. Choosing to do things beyond our instincts, our nature. We are good, because of the choices that we have made. Likewise, we are bad, because of what we have done. Akutagawa was born to have traits of a rabid hellhound, but he didn’t become one. No one tamed him. What happened, was that he had met with kindness. He had friends. He shared his thoughts and his past and his feelings to the members of the ADA, and they had connected with him and helped him out as much as they could, even when he had yet to fulfil the ‘spirit’ part of the exam. Kenji and Akutagawa had an interesting conversation in the fields. Kenji pointed out that while his companions had died, he had continued to live well. Akutagawa then wondered if it was because his companions have given him the best parts of themselves for him to live on. It is the connection with others that make life worthy of living, that make life mean something. To be human, is to make choices. To be judged on our worth as a human, is to be judged by our very actions. This is inherent in what it means to be alive: living is only worthy when we can share our lives with others. 

Now contrast this with Dazai. Did he really have a choice? If he did, he made some dreadfully selfish ones that destroyed and traumatised the people around him. The Dazai in this world had his own experiences that made him a separate person from the other Dazais after all - his actions and the consequences were his and his own to bear. Who was he to have something that the other Dazais had worked to achieve? The Dazais in other universes may have lost Oda, but Oda was a friend, who shared memories and time with him, who understood and seen him. The loss was devastating, but main universe’s Dazai didn’t truly lose Oda. Oda was still alive, in his mind, giving him the motivation to live on, reminding him to reach out to others and telling him that he was not alone. Dazai in the Beast AU was truly alone. He might have thought that he could replicate a connection in this universe, but his actions had made them nonexistent. As much as Oda was kind and empathetic and perceptive in every universe, it was just impossible. And Oda’s life involved people he cared deeply about, people who Dazai had hurt. Dazai, in the Lupin bar that he had never been in this universe, may have been in denial to tide over the years of waiting for Oda to finish writing and for shin soukoku to develop the best they can be, but once he spoke to Oda, the illusion shattered. Even with all his knowledge of the world, it was never going to recreate a purpose to live. No matter his good intentions, Dazai would never receive the acknowledgement he badly wanted from Oda. Oda would never give him the relief of forgiveness Dazai wanted for the terrible deeds he had done. And Dazai would die, in misery, fulfilling a wish that didn’t truly belong to him.

If Dazai truly didn’t have a choice, then, he was compelled by forces that created this condition within him - he was then, the only beast of this universe. 

[patchwork-panda]

If A Moment Is All We Are (29/?)

AO3 link HERE

“Combat training?” I repeated as Kunikida nodded.

“Yeah. I heard about your last run-in with Akutagawa and well...”

He rubbed his neck again, looking awkward.

“Honestly, I’m relieved,” he said, “that you made it out alive. There are few who’ve met him and escaped and now you’ve done so twice. That was impressive. However...”

His jaw tensed and I instantly felt my heart sink as I recalled the words I’d said to Akutagawa back in the flaming wreckage of the garage.

“I’d rather die than be captured by the likes of you.”

I bit my lip.

Kunikida must’ve read the report, which meant he knew what I’d almost done. That was probably why he wanted to wait until we were alone to talk about it...

“And if I’m going down...”

I could still see Akutagawa’s steely gray eyes narrowing, still sense the smooth plastic of the car ignition underneath my index finger... still feel the cold, hard determination coursing through my veins as I lay in the wreckage of President Tanaka’s car, prepared to blow us both up.

“...I’m taking you with me.”

Kunikida looked up and without meaning to, I drew back.

“You were still seriously hurt,” he said at last, his voice low. “And if Dazai-san hadn’t brought you back to see Yosano-sensei in time...”

His expression grew solemn.

“You would have died...”

He grew quiet and as the silence filled the room, I felt a sudden flush of shame and embarrassment creep up the back of my neck.

Idiot.

I was a fool to think for even a moment that Kunikida had called me here to deliver the confession I’d been wanting to give him several years down the line.

What was I thinking?

It was such a far-fetched fantasy. There was no way Kunikida would confess to me first, much less reciprocate my feelings...

Kunikida sighed.

“I understand running into Akutagawa was...”

He paused to think.

“Unexpected,” he said at last. “But that’s why I wanted to talk to you about combat training.”

Kunikida’s gray-green eyes swept over me.

“I read your report, so I know you were trying to be careful. I know you only ran off to catch the bomber because your Ability had shown you exactly where she was going to be and that you worked carefully to avoid injury.”

His expression softened.

“I’m... glad. That you listened to me. I’m glad you took me seriously when I told you to take better care of yourself. I really can’t say it was entirely your fault you ran into trouble back there, but I do think it would’ve been a good idea to tell someone in the Agency, like your case partner, of your plans. Which brings me to my point...”

He gestured to the folders I’d been putting away at my work station.

“You’re going to be getting more and more solo assignments in the future,” he said, taking out his pen as well. “I trust you’ll call for backup in the future, should you need it—”

I felt a sudden stab of guilt.

“—but there will be moments where you’ll inevitably need to fend for yourself. And we won’t know when those moments will occur.”

Kunikida smiled at me then and I felt my heart flutter in my chest.

“Well, I suppose you might, if you’re anything like Atsushi-kun and your Ability ends up becoming more and more powerful. But let’s say it doesn’t happen very quickly or at all.”

I nodded, wondering if someday I really would have such power.

“I think it would be a good idea for you to learn some basic self-defense or martial arts skills.”

He got into a sort of kung fu stance that I thought I’d seen in a movie once and glanced back at me as he demonstrated. I tried to keep my eyes on his face instead of the way his clothes stretched over his musculature. My heart kept beating faster.

He has really nice arms...

“We can start with teaching you how to properly dodge, throw a punch or get out of a choke hold. You know, that sort of thing.”

He glanced back at me and I tore my eyes away from his biceps.

“President Fukuzawa was the one who taught me martial arts,” he said, a note of pride sneaking into his voice. “And I passed down what he taught me to Atsushi when he first joined. If you’re interested in learning from me as well...”

Kunikida’s smile shone bright.

“I would be happy to train you. One-on-one.”

His smile suddenly faltered a little and at once, he looked away. His cheeks were tinged with pink.

“I-if you’re okay with it, that is.”

I brought my fingers up to my lips.

“Kunikida-san...”

One-on-one training with my tall, handsome mentor?

How could I possibly say no?!

“I mean, we don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with it,” he elaborated, looking oddly flustered. “I could ask President Fukuzawa to train you instead if you’d rather have someone better--”

“I’d love to.”

He stopped talking immediately. He blinked.

“Huh...?”

“I’d love to have you as my teacher,” I replied, warmth flooding into my chest.

I smiled and bowed low.

“Please take care of me, Kunikida-san...”

“O-of course.”

When I straightened back up, I saw that he was adjusting his glasses, his face hidden by the pages of his olive-green notebook. He looked like he was rapidly flipping through the pages.

“In that case, do you think you’d be able to start tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?”

I pulled out my phone to check my schedule. Not much on there, but even if I did have a meeting or two, I’d move everything around just to be able to spend a little more time with Kunikida.

“Yes, I think so,” I said, putting it down. “What time?”

“Come to the training room at seven,” Kunikida answered, jotting the lesson down in his schedule.

He put the notebook back into his vest and smiled.

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

***

Training with Kunikida...!

I could hardly keep the smile off my face.

And from the sound of it, this was only going to be the first of many sessions...

I let out a long, drawn-out sigh, feeling like I was floating three feet off the ground as I drifted through the hallway.

Okay, sure. So neither of us had confessed our feelings to the other in the soft orange glow of the Agency office at sunset, but I was going to be getting training from Kunikida Doppo, the man who was both my mentor and my crush!

“I would be happy to train you. One-on-one.”

I barely managed to stifle an excited squeal.

Alone time with Kunikida...! He would be the first person I saw when I came to the office tomorrow morning and he’d be the first person I interacted with every other morning I had a training session as well.

I let out another happy sigh as I pictured us growing closer together over the course of the next several weeks, or however long these training sessions were going to last. Would we become close enough to the point where he’d one day feel comfortable calling me “Kyou?”

“Kyou...”

My cheeks grew warm as I imagined his deep, resonant voice calling out my first name, the look in his gray-green eyes as he turned his handsome face towards me, the way he would smile when he heard me calling him by his first name as well.

Ahh... if only that day could come soon...!

Even though I didn’t have my earbuds in, it felt like there was music playing all around me. I started humming under my breath as I reached into my bag and flipped out my phone.

I’d be meeting Kunikida at the training room on the first floor at seven. That meant I’d have to set my alarm so I could get up an hour earlier than usual...

Wait.

I stopped short and stared at the open memo on my phone.

Would I have enough time to make myself look decently presentable with only an extra hour to prepare? And what was I supposed to wear when I got there? It didn’t make sense to show up in my work clothes when he was going to be teaching me how to fight, so should I be wearing gym clothes and carry my work clothes in a bag?

And what about makeup? I wanted to make myself look cute for him (I always wanted to look my best around him!) but would he see it as appropriate for me to be wearing my usual light makeup? Or would he see it as me being frivolous and impractical when I was probably going to sweat it all off?

I felt the smile slowly sliding off my face as I thought about all the things I needed to do tonight to get ready for tomorrow.

I’d have to stop by a clothing store to get some new gym clothes (my old ones were really ratty and probably smelled bad), maybe go by a convenience store so I could buy some breakfast for tomorrow morning—oh, I should probably buy Kunikida some coffee too, to help wake him up and to thank him for doing all this extra work for me—

“Kusunoki-kuuuun—!”

I let out a shriek as someone suddenly popped out of a doorway on my left. That shriek immediately turned into a cry of frustration when I saw who it was.

Of course it would be Dazai. Who else?

“I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you leaving earlier,” I mumbled under my breath. “What are you doing here? Why were you hiding behind that door?”

“You were thinking about me?” Dazai gasped, ignoring everything else I’d said and latching onto that one statement. “Ahh~ I was thinking about you too, Kusunoki-kun! Were you waiting long for me? Did you want to go out for dinner perhaps? Or drinks? Or maybe we could—”

“If I said no to dinner with Yosano-sensei,” I deadpanned, side-stepping him before he could reach out and grab my hand, “what makes you think I’d say yes to you? And before you finish that sentence, the answer is no. I’m not joining you in a double suicide.”

His face fell.

“Always so cold, Kusunoki-kun!” he whined, looking injured as I brushed past him without so much as a second glance. “I was just asking if you wanted to spend some time together. I mean...”

He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked alongside me as I made my way to the stairs, easily keeping up with my hurried pace because of his long strides.

“You’re going to be spending plenty of time together with Kunikiiiida-kun in the future,” he said, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned to face him.

Dazai smiled.

“So why not spend a little time with me as well? I mean, I’m your mentor too, right?”

“You were listening in?” I asked, gripping my bag. “Again?”

“No, it was just a guess,” Dazai said, his grin widening as I scowled at him. “But I was right, wasn’t I?”

He scooted closer, looking for all intents and purposes like an overly excited puppy.

“So, so? Did you confess?” he asked, his brown eyes sparkling with excitement. “No, wait! Don’t tell me.”

He gasped dramatically, covering his mouth with his hands.

“Did Kunikida-kun confess to you? I mean, he’s the one who called you to the office after work when nobody else was going to be around right??”

“That’s not what happened!” I exclaimed, shoving my hands over his mouth. “And you need to stop talking so loudly! Kunikida-san is still here, you know! He stayed behind at the office to finish up some work so if you could just—”

“Oh, ish he mow?”

Peeling my hands away, Dazai walked past me, making a beeline for the office.

“Perfect. Thanks, I actually wanted to talk to him about something.”

“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” I cried, going after him. “He’s busy right now! And it’s after hours. Can’t you do this some other—?”

“I mean, if you’ve changed your mind and you’d rather go get dinner with me—”

“That’s not what I said.”

I stopped walking and sighed.

“Oh, never mind. Just go.”

I brought my hands up to my head and started rubbing my temples to stave off an oncoming headache.

They’re partners, so Kunikida’s probably used to this by now...

“Just go, huh?”

Dazai’s voice was quiet. Uncharacteristically so.

I let my hands drop away from my head and looked up to see Dazai standing there before me, in the middle of the hallway with his half-bandaged hands tucked into the pockets of his sand colored trench coat. For a moment, he was still and stood there studying me with an unreadable look in his deep brown eyes. He cocked his head to the side a little as he looked at me, his bangs falling just so about his eyes.

And as I watched, the corners of his lips twitched upwards into a smile... a smile that looked oddly wistful for the perpetually grinning Dazai.

“Sure thing,” he said quietly, his smile growing slowly wider.

“Kusunoki-kun.”

I fell silent.

“Dazai-san...?”

What... what was that...?

He laughed a little, a bright and happy sound that didn’t quite fit the look in his eyes earlier.

“Why don’t you go home now?” he asked, turning his back to me and heading for the main office. “You’ve got a long day coming up tomorrow and I think you could use the rest.”

He waved to me as he continued walking away.

“I’ll see you around.”

And with that, he opened the door to the Agency office and went in without giving me a second glance. The sound of the door shutting behind him seemed oddly final.

For a moment, I just stood there, staring down the hall at the spot where he’d just been as the light slowly and surely faded away from the fourth floor.

“Dazai...?”

As the sound of muffled voices floated towards me from behind the closed door, I gripped my bag and turned to go. I wasn’t like Dazai, so it wasn’t like I was going to stay and listen in. Whatever business they had with each other was none of my concern...

But as I reached the stairwell, I stopped short and shot one last glance down the hall towards the office.

Why was Dazai looking at me like that earlier?

“Is everything alright?”

The empty, darkened hallway did not respond.

***

Okay... Five minutes to seven...

Taking a deep breath in, I tucked my cell phone back into my pocket and knocked on the door. The reply came immediately.

“Come in.”

Warmth flooded into my chest at the sound of that familiar deep voice, my pulse already racing as I thought about what lay ahead.

Calm down, Kyou.

Kunikida said he was going to be here waiting for me and he was. There was nothing to get excited over, he was just keeping a promise he’d made to me yesterday and he was here early because he was a professional.

It wasn’t because he was looking forward to this as much as I was...

But my heart only beat faster as I gripped the knob and turned it, carefully pushing my way into the room past a surprisingly heavy door.

There was no reason for me to worry about oversleeping and missing the training session. I’d been so excited about this morning that I’d practically jumped out of bed the instant my alarm went off. I was so energized by the thought of spending almost a full hour alone with Kunikida that I hardly needed the can of coffee I’d bought at the convenience store this morning.

Trying (and failing) to keep the stupid grin off my face, I headed into the room, taking a brief moment to look around at the polished wooden floors and freshly painted walls. I never would’ve guessed that just opposite the Uzumaki Cafe, with its pretty stained glass windows and warm, comforting atmosphere, was a fully furnished training room.

I passed a stack of gym mats and a collection of wing chun dummies and headed for the front of the room, which was marked by a large, framed piece of calligraphy. Pitch-black ink curled and looped across the parchment to form a single phrase: “If you have an honest mind, everywhere is a dojo.”

And sitting quietly, just below that sign... was a tall, seated figure.

I felt my heart literally skip a beat.

Kunikida-san...

He was wearing a plain white martial arts gi, with a black cloth belt tied loosely around his waist and no shoes on his feet. As usual, his long blonde hair was tied back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck and it wound down his back between his shoulder blades like a thin river of gold. Bright morning sunlight streamed in all around us and I realized that the closer I got to him, the more it felt like I was holding my breath.

He looked so dignified sitting there like that, with eyes closed and legs crossed, his palms resting gently on the tops of his thighs. I watched as he took a deep breath in, his broad chest rising and then falling slightly as he exhaled, his glasses slipping just a fraction down the bridge of his nose.

I felt a small smile tugging at my cheeks as I saw that, wanting nothing more than to push those glasses back up for him—

“Kusunoki.”

I jumped. The contents of the plastic bag in my hand jangled noisily as I moved and I suddenly wished I hadn’t chosen canned coffee to bring to Kunikida this morning.

He’d spoken without opening his eyes.

“Y-yes?” I squeaked.

“Put that down.”

I dropped the bag.

“And come here.”

I swallowed.

“Okay.”

Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I bowed slightly, forgetting that he couldn’t see me and shuffled forward.

“Closer.”

A flush crept up the back of my neck and I shuffled forward a little more.

“Closer.”

I obeyed and kept moving forward until I was standing right next to him.

“Good. Now sit.”

I sat.

A tiny smile crossed Kunikida’s face and seeing it, I felt my heart skip another beat.

“I want you to close your eyes,” he said, “and take a deep breath in. Slowly... good... Hold it for four seconds and slowly breathe back out, counting four seconds again.”

He was meditating, I realized as I closed my eyes and did what I was told.

That’s why he was here earlier. Did he start every morning with meditation?

Or...

“Keep going,” he said gently. “Focus on your breathing and just your breathing, okay? We’re going to do this for five minutes.”

Was he doing this because he could tell I was a little nervous?

Warmth flowed through me and I felt my smile returning as I settled in next to him and tried to focus on my breathing. Silence settled in around us like a soft, comforting blanket and I could feel myself nodding off, my tiredness from the night before finally starting to catch up with me. My head dropped lower and lower towards my chest, a jumble of memories and sensations rising to the surface of my mind into the beginnings of a waking dream...

“Just go, huh?”

I jerked up, my head snapping back harder than I expected and I winced as I heard Kunikida stir next to me. One gray-green eye opened and peered out at me from behind those thin, rectangular frames.

“Falling asleep?”

“N-no!” I lied, flushing in shame. “I mean... yes. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. One minute left, okay?”

I nodded, realizing a little too late that he’d closed his eyes again and couldn’t see me any more.

“Okay.”

I closed my eyes too and tried to clear my head, but it wasn’t working any more.

I just kept seeing Dazai’s tall, trench-coat clad figure strolling down that empty, darkened hallway... alone.

I sighed.

The truth was, I felt kind of uneasy after my encounter with Dazai last night. Although I tried to put it out of my head as much as I could, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was he wanted to talk to Kunikida about. Why did he want to wait until everyone had left the office to talk? And why wouldn’t he look at me as he left?

Was I just being paranoid...?

Or...

Was I missing something? Something important?

Next to me, Kunikida sighed. I jerked my head towards him, another apology ready to go when I realized he was just breathing out, releasing one last long, steady stream of air between his lips as the meditation session came to an end. I shut my mouth and stayed quiet, suddenly feeling strangely guilty as I looked at him.

“There. That was pretty relaxing, wasn’t it?” Kunikida asked, turning to me with a soft smile.

“Y-yes,” I stammered, my heart pounding just a little faster at the sight of that smile. “It was...”

He nodded slightly, looking pleased, and slowly got to his feet.

“Thanks for coming early,” Kunikida said, his gray-green eyes warm. “It’s always nice to have an enthusiastic pupil to teach. Really nice, considering how things at the Agency usually are...”

“O-of course,” I stammered, my tongue suddenly feeling thick and clumsy in my mouth. “Thank you for offering to train me. I—I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, it’s really nothing,” Kunikida replied, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away. “I just thought, as your mentor, I should...”

He cleared his throat abruptly and trailed off.

“A-anyway, have you ever taken any self-defense classes before, Kusunoki-kun?”

I shook my head and my neck cracked a little as I moved.

Apparently, I was in worse shape than I thought...

Not hearing the cracking noise, Kunikida nodded a little, seemingly deep in thought.

“I see...”

His gray-green eyes swept over me, his eyebrows knitting together as he spoke.

“Your Ability isn’t very useful for combat but unfortunately, like many others who possess information-gathering Abilities, you’ve had to defend yourself from being kidnapped or attacked. Based on what happened after your last encounter with Aktuagawa, I suspect the Port Mafia won’t go after you in the near future. However...”

His jaw tightened and I saw his expression darken in the bright morning light.

“There’s no telling who might target you in the future if your Ability grows more and more powerful. In fact, we should probably consider issuing you a gun in the near future, before you start taking any assignments that may require you to go out at night—”

“A gun?!” I squawked, backing away from him abruptly. “W-wait a minute, Kunikida-san! I thought today was—”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Kunikida said in a rush. “That’s not going to be happening right away. Like I said before, today we’re just going to go over some basics! However, please keep in mind that we are the Armed Detective Agency. In our line of work, combat seems almost unavoidable at times and so most of our members carry a weapon of some kind; there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have one as well.”

He grew quiet, his gray-green eyes downcast.

“Besides... I’d hate for something to happen to you when I could’ve...”

His lips were moving but I couldn’t hear what he was saying.

My breath hitched in my throat.

“...Kunikida-san?”

At the sound of my voice, he twitched—jerking up so that his back was ramrod straight and I took another step back away from him as he turned around and let out what sounded like a violent series of coughs. He looked really red and I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears as he turned back around. He was standing there with the most flustered look on his face I’d ever seen...

“Um...?”

I could barely hear myself talking over the sound of my heart beating in my ears.

What was he going to say?!

“A-Are you okay—?”

“L-let’s get started, shall we?” Kunikida exclaimed, his voice strangely loud.

His face was still very red.

“Why don’t we work on dodging first? I think that’s a good place to start!”

“That sounds good!” I agreed, nodding vigorously. “How should we do this?”

“Ah, well, I can’t expect you to know how to dodge properly unless I show you first,” Kunikida said, the color not fading from his cheeks in the least. “So why don’t you throw a punch at me first and I’ll explain what I’m doing as we go?”

My jaw dropped.

“Hit you?!”

I waved my hands in front of me and shook my head.

“N-no!! I can’t hit you! Kunikida-san, you’re my—my—”

Oh God.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to calm myself down.

What was I getting all tongue-tied for now?! And why did I have to blush?!

“You’re my mentor,” I choked out at last as Kunikida somehow flushed darker, “I can’t just—!”

“Please don’t worry about that, Kusunoki-kun!” Kunikida said in a rush, “I can take it. I mean—! I don’t think you’re going to be able to land a hit on me. Wait, no that’s not what I meant—!”

He slapped a hand over his face and groaned as I suddenly felt the strongest urge to grab one of the canned coffees I’d gotten at the convenience store and knock myself out with it.

“I know you know how to dodge,” Kunikida said at last, his voice muffled.

He still hadn’t taken his hands away from his face. His ears were now the color of fresh beets.

“If you didn’t, Akutagawa would have captured you the first time for sure. The fact that you were able to evade him twice means that you have good instincts and on some level, you knew exactly what you were doing when you avoided his attacks.”

The color fading from his ears, he took his hands away from his face at last and finally glanced back over at me.

“We’re just going to take what you know already and refine it a little. Hopefully, if this goes well, you’ll leave here after a few sessions being able to dodge anything that comes your way. So...”

He took a deep breath, then stepped back and got into a fighting stance.

“If you’re ready, I want you to try to hit me.”

Swallowing a little, I mirrored his stance.

“O-okay. Then...”

I drew back my fist, intending to copy a move I’d seen in a ninja anime recently.

“Here I go.”

For the next few minutes, I tried to hit Kunikida. Either punching or kicking or swiping at him, whatever I could think of. At first it was a little hard trying to get close to him (I did still have a massive crush on him, after all) but as he calmly side-stepped hit after hit, not dropping his guard for even the briefest of moments, I started to relax. Soon, I’d gotten used to the idea of just being that close to him and the heat building in my face had less to do with embarrassment or flustered and more with the amount of exercise I was getting.

“Okay, and we’re going to stop there.”

The color had faded a little from Kunikida’s face and he was smiling slightly as he dropped his fists and addressed me.

“We’ll work on your attacks later but for now, I want you to try doing what I was doing. Let’s switch places and this time, I’ll try to hit you. Don’t worry, I’ll go slow.”

And as promised, he did.

I managed to avoid the first few hits but as the lesson dragged on, I found myself getting tired, sloppy. Without the added boost of adrenaline that came with the threat of death or capture, I wasn’t moving as quickly as I could and it wasn’t long before Kunikida raised his hand to indicate we should stop.

I was so out of shape...

“Okay, not bad,” he said, tapping his chin. “But I think I can give you a few pointers...”

I saw his smile widen just a fraction as I took my phone out of my pocket and opened up a fresh memo and warmth flooded through me as I saw the look in his sage-colored eyes. His expression was almost... affectionate?

“You’ve got the right idea,” he said, “and you’re pretty good at keeping your distance, which is key to keeping yourself safe if you want to avoid being hit. But, you have a tendency to turn your back on your opponent and I want to train you away from that. You see...”

He put his hand on my shoulder and slowly walked around me so that now I was no longer facing him. He swept one leg out so that his foot was touching the back of my shoe and positioned me so that I would lose my balance if he let go of my shoulder.

“When you can’t see your opponent, you can’t see them telegraphing an attack. If you can’t see where the attack is coming from, you won’t be able to get away.”

He moved his leg back and took his hand off my shoulder as I turned to face him.

“Remember to keep your eyes on your opponent whenever possible. Both so you can avoid those attacks and so you can counter attack. Now let’s try that again.”

Time passed quickly. To my surprise (and Kunikida’s), I picked up on what he said very quickly and as the pseudo-sparring session continued, I was able to avoid every attack with ease.

“Good.”

His fist came towards me, a little faster this time. I took a step to the left.

“Very good.”

Kunikida began picking up the pace and as I kept dodging his attacks, making sure to keep my eyes on him and his movements whenever possible, I saw a smile blooming on his face. After about ten minutes of these rounds, Kunikida clapped his hands together and nodded, looking very satisfied.

“Kusunoki-kun, I’m impressed,” he declared, beaming. “You picked that up pretty fast.”

“Ah, well, I have a pretty great teacher,” I said shyly, twisting a lock of hair between my fingers.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen Kunikida looking so happy. Knowing that he was smiling because of something I’d done... I couldn’t help it if I was smiling as widely as he was.

“Since you’ve pretty much gotten the hang of dodging, let’s move on to counter attacks. There’s a whole range of techniques for countering grabs or holds of different kinds, so let’s do that next.”

He pointed at the fabric of his gi.

“We’ll do the exact same thing as before. I want you to grab the lapels of my clothes and I’ll demonstrate how to get out of it.”

His brows twitched together.

“Would you like me to put on gloves for this? Or are you comfortable enough with your Ability that skin contact won’t be a problem?”

“S-skin contact?”

What were we going to be doing?

“I think...” I decided slowly, “I want to try it without.”

I looked up at him, a strange sense of determination flowing through me.

“I... I don’t want to be wearing gloves all the time,” I said, my hands balling into fists.

I want my life back.

“I want to live like an ordinary person, as much as possible, and if I want to do that, I have to work to control my Ability.”

And I want to move forward.

“If President’s Fukuzawa’s Ability itself is not enough then...”

I looked up at him, my body tensing, resolve burning deep inside my chest.

“I’ll have to make up the difference.”

So that one day, I can finally stand beside you... beside all of you.

As your equals.

For a moment, Kunikida’s beautiful sage-green eyes widened.

“Kusunoki-kun...”

His mouth set into a line and his eyebrows slowly furrowed further. He studied me.

“Are you sure?”

I nodded.

“Okay, then.”

He patted his chest. “Grab hold.”

But as I reached my hands out towards Kunikida’s chest and gripped the lapels of his gi between my fingers, I came to the abrupt realization that he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath... and by grabbing on to the fabric of his clothing, I was opening his gi and pulling it away from his chest.

Smooth, glowing skin glistened up on me, the thinnest sheen of workout sweat condensing on Kunikida’s toned, well-muscled chest and I felt my grip faltering as I stared straight ahead of me. I suddenly couldn’t talk.

“Uh, Kusunoki-kun?”

Oblivious to my current predicament, Kunikida tapped my hand.

“I’m gonna need you to actually grab me if I’m going to show you how to break free of an actual grab...”

My tongue was sticking to the roof of my mouth. I could barely breathe. I swallowed thickly and tried to tighten my grip, praying he wouldn’t notice how much sweatier I’d just become.

“L-like... like this?”

“A little tighter.”

Oh God, my face was burning—burning!!

“How’s that?”

“Great.”

In one smooth motion, Kunikida moved his left hand across his chest and gripped my trembling right hand in his left. His hand was so large, it almost completely enveloped mine. He gripped my hand tightly and plowed on, completely unaware of how our positioning and overall height difference was causing me to literally tug his clothing off of his body.

“So this is going to sound counter-intuitive, but if you want to break free of a hold like this,” he said, gesturing at our positions with his free hand, “what you want to do is first trap your opponent.”

He pulled his arm down—the arm that had crossed over mine to grab my hand—and as he did so, both my arms folded downwards at the joint and I was pulled forward. My nose was now right up against his bare chest.

Heat exploded in my face.

I could feel the pull of my Ability but it was nothing next to the overpowering rush of sensations that flooded into my body as I tried to keep my face as far away from Kunikida’s chest as possible. I couldn’t hear anything above the pounding of my heart as Kunikida slowly and patiently explained the technique he was teaching me.

I was going to die... Die! But at least I was going to die a happy woman...!

“...Are you listening, Kusunoki-kun?”

My voice came out as a tiny squeak.

“Hm?”

“I asked if you were listening,” Kunikida rumbled and I bit back a groan as I saw a droplet of sweat slide down between his pecs. “I was talking about—oh.”

And for the second time this morning, he went completely red.

Kunikida let go of me at once. As we each backed several steps away from each other, I spun around and covered my face. I thought I heard him swearing softly under his breath.

“I-I’m so sorry, Kusunoki-kun,” he stammered, his voice sounding strangely muffled—like he was covering his face with his hands again.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I—”

“No, it’s okay!” I squeaked, not daring to turn around and look at him again.

I could still see that drop of sweat trickling down his chest...

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for!”

Absolutely nothing.

“You were just trying to show me something—!”

And as I stood there, several meters away from him, babbling like an absolute idiot in the middle of the training room, I heard a set of familiar voices carrying into the room from outside. It sounded like Yosano and Edogawa. If they were here, then it was almost eight...

“Ah!”

Kunikida let out a sigh of relief.

“It looks like it’s time to head up to work. Why don’t we pick this up another time and go upstairs with them?”

“Sounds good to me. Oh, wait!”

Suddenly remembering, I rushed towards the front of the room, where I’d left the plastic bag full of snacks and drinks I’d gotten at the convenience store this morning. Grabbing the bag, I plunged my hand into the middle and fished out a black canned coffee and croissant in a plastic bag.

“Here!”

I shoved both at him, my head inclined in a bow half out of respect, half so I wouldn’t have to look him in the face.

“I—I got you breakfast. I wanted to say thank you. For taking time out of your busy schedule to train me. I... really appreciate it.”

“Oh—!”

Kunikida sounded surprised. I risked a quick glance up and saw that he’d fixed his shirt. I tried not to think about whether I was relieved or disappointed.

“Thank you, Kusunoki-kun. That’s very thoughtful of you...”

“It’s really nothing!!” I exclaimed. “A-anyway, did you want to go upstairs together?”

“Oh, um...”

He trailed off and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I should stay here and clean up,” he said quietly, his eyes focused on something I couldn’t see. “Why don’t you go on ahead?”

He glanced back at me, a sort of half-smile tugging at his lips. His cheeks were still just a little pink.

“I’ll catch up with you later.”

I nodded.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you soon, Kunikida-san.”

As he nodded and turned away from me, I was struck with a sudden urge to ask another question.

“Kunikida-san?”

He glanced over his shoulder at me. I stopped chewing my lip and steeled my nerves.

“Same time tomorrow?”

There was a pause. Then he nodded.

My heart soared.

“Sure,” he said, his half-smile turning into a full one.

“Same time tomorrow.”

[avoresmith]

au where anyone other than atsushi is the main character, go

Kyouka

Kyouka is the most obvious option here, as her character arc literally follows Atsushi’s beat by beat and does it better because she gets to be seen having actual flaws and conflict while Atsushi’s point in life is just to Be Very Good. 

She’s an orphan who was beat down badly by the universe and needs to make peace with her Gift and how it’s uncontrolled presence in her life has played a huge part in all of the painful garbage she’s had to deal with. She has to learn to not just value her own life (Atsushi) but learn to believe she is capable of using the same abilities she used to kill to help people and that there is value to that (Dazai). She has a connection to Akutagawa, a better one than Atsushi, who just thinks that guy is a dangerous asshole, as Akutagawa fucked her up by trying to 'help’ her the same way Dazai 'helped’ him (which echoes the fact that Dazai fucked up Akutagawa by trying to teach Akutagawa the way he was taught by Mori). This creates a way more dynamic and interesting victims vs their abusers and cycle of violence story that they were TRYING to do with Atsushi and his abuser that falls completely flat, on account of how that guy wasn’t actually a character and we are just told we’re supposed to sympathize with him because ‘life is complicated’ instead of actually shown the ways in which life is fucking complicated. 

This would also allow for a narrative of victims vs their abusers where ACTUALLY HAVE, A VICTIM, CHALLENGING THEIR ABUSER AND DEMANDING THEY DO BETTER instead of what we currently have which is 1) Dazai flees Mori and hates him (legit) 2) Akutagawa seeks Dazai’s acknowledgement forever (no?? buddy) 3) Atsushi cries when his abuser died trying to maybe be nice to him for once finally =‘( (ohmygod).

Also, while Dazai and Atsushi mean... something?? to each other, it’s practically only relevant in Atsushi’s arc as something to yell at Akutagawa about, and while we can Assume Dazai Has Feelings we basically never see Dazai impacted by Atsushi. However, if it was Dazai who stops Kyouka from killing herself and takes her out of the mafia we have Dazai directly engaging with his perspective on suicide, and saving someone from the mafia in a way he was never saved, and this leads into him Also Engaging With All Of That, which then could be a continuing theme within their relationship.

(And I didn’t Go In This Direction because my central argument is that Kyouka already does everything Atsushi is doing if better and if given more focus could dramatically improve the manga, but also her relationship with Kouyou could also be given more prominence, and then holy shit, we’d have two important ladies instead of just one!)

In this AU Atsushi honestly doesn’t even need to exist. Kyouka could make friends with Kenji instead, and they could have adorable hyjinks where Kenji teaches her how to be polite to people and then they both get way too extra if politeness fails. 

(MORE UNDER THE CUT)

Akutagawa

This would probably have to be a darker manga, or Akutagawa would have to be less garbage, but as one of the only characters with multiple interesting relationships he is kind of a natural point to focus around. He has Gin, Higuchi, Kyouka, (thREE WOMEN) and Dazai as far as relationships that already important, and Chuuya and Mori and Kouyou are all characters that could be explored more if the manga was more mafia focused. While the mafia aren’t actually villains anyway, this change would make them more sympathetic, but Akutagawa would still be a really interesting MC, and this would fix the fact that Atsushi is only interesting around Akutagawa. 

Unlike Atsushi, Akutagawa has clear wants, motivations, and character progression, so Atsushi makes a lot more sense as Akutagawa’s rival character than the reverse. Boy with garbage life collides into the boy his master replaced him with, only to constantly seethe with anger that this asshole was so fucking lucky. Eventually discovers that his rival’s life actually wasn’t that easy but still can’t comprehend why his rival doesn’t appreciate what he has enough, or why this prick is worth more to his master than he was. Cue a compelling dynamic of Akutagawa improving himself relentlessly while not fully understanding what path he is on, but desperate to get out of the trashfire of his life. He thinks this means earning Dazai’s approval but in fact it means learning he doesn’t need to be a terrible human being to survive.

This would make Dazai far LESS sympathetic, but Dazai sucks so that is only fair.

Dazai

Okay, I won’t lie, Dazai would a SUPER CHALLENGING perspective character for a manga. What makes Dazai’s writing so amazing is how deftly he handles the unreliable narrator, which is hard to do when we don’t actually see the world via the MC’s perspective. And while I am happy to rag on BSD all the live long day, I do think one if it’s strengths is that it picked up on what an interesting character Dazai-types would be viewed exclusively from the outside, and has managed to portray that sort of peculiar contradiction of personality traits quite well. 

HOWEVER, despite being the most popular character, we never really get to see Dazai having a character arc. We know he has improved, we know he has wants and is actually probably working very hard to get his life in order, but we only know any of that from the end of the light novel to the start of the manga. We don’t actually get to see Dazai having conflict, confronting his fears, making hard choices, and growing as a person. 

However, while we never really see it in the manga, given what we know about Dazai’s history, we can probably assume that the choices Dazai makes to help Atsushi is something that actually impacts Dazai quite a bit. The last time he put himself in this position the result was Akutagawa; a challenge which Dazai completely failed on many levels, even if the result was technically a very loyal and capable mafioso and thus something Mori would have slated as a win. Dazai engaging with what it means to teach a human without himself knowing how to be a good human, and probably in the process also learning about ‘goodness’ via someone like Atsushi who is naturally inclined toward the heroic, would actually give Atsushi an interesting place the narrative. 

This would make Dazai waaaaaay more sympathetic, as we would also presumably see him struggling to adapt to ADA life, see his masks slip more often, and more signs of the fact that for real these last two years of being around decent human beings from 9 to 5 is probably the first time in his life he’s dealt with such people. We’d also get to see that he’s probably still depressed, drunk, and suicidal, but may be able to chart the ways he gradually becomes less so and what prompts those improvements. 

Kenji

Kenji is also a nice boy who wants to talk it out but then will beat the shit out of you if that attempt fails. What if instead of being a 2D one time gag character he actually had a motivation and a character arc to engage with? He could more or less follow the same story beats Atsushi sets up, just done better and with less redundancy. Kenji would make an interesting foil for Akutagawa since by all appearances his life wasn’t garbage, and his ceaseless tone deaf optimism in the face of Akutagawa’s ceaseless tone deaf fury would be, if nothing else, pretty fucking entertaining. 

Kunikida

wOW ANOTHER HEROIC CHARACTER WHO USES VIOLENCE TO RESOLVE CONFLICT. IT’S LIKE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THESE. What if Kunikida being Dazai’s partner was at all narratively relevant and they had a dynamic that went deeper than Dazai aggravating Kunikida for the lulz and Kunikida being willing to trust Dazai when the chips are down.

Since Kunikida is slated to be the next leader of the ADA he makes a potentially compelling choice as a protagonist, as it would be an easy way to involve all of the (MANY) under appreciated ADA characters, by having their future boss learn what it means to actually work with and appreciate the backgrounds of his various future underlings. It wouldn’t need to be slated specifically as ‘Kunikida Is The Heir’ but given that it’s a shounen manga it could be effortlessly set up that way, and unlike Atsushi, Kunikida has a LOT of obvious flaws. He is naive, inflexible, emotionally vulnerable, distrustful, impatient, judgmental, and gullible. He also has CLEAR WANTS (Idealism) seeing him struggling for something fundementally unattainable and the ways he learns to update his ideal of idealism, in part by overcoming his individual flaws and in part by realizing that while idealism might be worth seeking it cannot be achieved. He would have a lot to learn from every member of the team, and in doing so could give them more importance to the story.

Yosano

you waNNA KNOW WHO IS GREAT AND DEEPLY UNDER APPRECIATED?? YOSANO. IT’S YOSANO. AU where actually Yosano is the main character. If you need a more compelling argument than that IDK what to say to you.

Tanizaki

What if Tankizaki had a narrative purpose other than gag and deus ex ability.

Mishima

AU where Mishima Yukio is in the manga, he’s an ex-government worker who was fired for being a bit too radical but he deeply respects and is super gay for Fukuzawa’s aesthetic and agrees to join the ADA. Rather than being Dazai’s protege he fancies himself Dazai’s rival and is intent to expose what garbage he is but the joke is on him because everyone knows that including Dazai. 

None the less, Mishima also is a more callous and aloof person who wears a friendly mask and via picking at Dazai he picks at himself. The more fixated he gets on exposing Dazai, the more he has to confront the fact that the world is more complicated than he wants it to be and it frightens him to examine the degree to which he doesn’t feel he actually belongs among society and thus tries very hard to construct a place for himself in it with his radical behavior and exacting standards, whereas Dazai accepts that he just should go in the trash. 

Dazai, in response, really doesn’t like being picked at effectively. Everyone else within the ADA accepts the masks he wears without question, never actually confronting his suicidal ideation or talking to him about where he comes from, even once they know about it. Mishima, in his relentless pursuit of being able to classify and deconstruct Dazai to overcome him, does just this, and frankly it sucks a lot for Dazai because Mishima would be the first person to A) learn the grueling details of his past and B) understand how fucked up that is for someone like Dazai who is only hiding his sensitivity and C) still look him in the eye and tell him to get his shit together. Mishima becomes the first person since Odasaku who actually understands Dazai but this time it is the worst because Mishima is mean. 

Dazai counters by ruining Mishima’s life in the most extraordinarily petty ways as frequently as possible.

Atsushi

ALTERNATIVELY. Atsushi actually is a good protagonist.

HERE IS AN EXERCISE, WHAT DO EACH OF THESE SHOUNEN HEROES WANT AND HOW DO WE KNOW?

Edward Elric: wants the philosopher’s stone, will do basically anything for it, we find this out in chapter 1.

Gon Freaks: Wants to find his dad, chapter 1

Luffy: Wants to find his dad, chapter 1

Allen Walker: wants to save everyone from akuma because dad feels, chapter, idk, like 3

Naruto: Wants the acknowledgement of his village, works tirelessly for it. We find this out in like chapter 1. (yeah I know naruto is bad don’t @ me but look the MC had a clear motivation)

(AV have you read any shounen manga since 2001-- nO)

Atsushi: Wants... uh. To not starve??? This need is met in chapter 1. Wants to... be.. a good employee...? Wants to beat Akutagawa because... he’s bad....??? Wants to... make Dazai proud...?

It’s not impossible to write a story with a MC who isn’t clearly motivated, but it’s a fuckload harder to make it compelling and you prrrroobably need to have some other kind of clear focus to replace the fact that your MC does not. IE if you are specially exploring the story of an unmotivated hero, you frame his actions around the fact that he is really just doing things by route and how this separates him from the people around him who actually have priorities in their life. 

Or, if you want to be like ‘Atsushi’s motivation is that he cares and wants to help!’ LOOK: If they are sO HEROIC that they just nEED TO BE THE HERO ALL THE TIME (Allen Walker) either because they lack self worth (Allen Walker) or are so empathetic that they can’t help but try to save everyone (Allen Walker), you narratively frame the story around them so that it highlights this as both a strength and a weakness of their character. The inability to save everyone vs feeling like your life only has value if you can save everyone is deeply fucked up and should haunt your MC.

The manga starts to slightly course correct Atsushi after waaay too many chapters, which is why he starts having an actually interesting dynamic with Akutagawa. But now he wants to ‘overcome his abuser’, and though this itself is extremely unclear as to what it means. I suspect it means ‘continue to do the exact same shit he’s being doing until he believes in himself’ whichhhhh is boring. It could work if the framing is consistent and Atsushi begins to have actual conflict with his own behavior and the way he treats his life as disposable and his suffering as unimportant. 

He could also use some flaws, which, again, we only see signs off later in the game with his Akutagawa relationship. Atsushi can be forgiven for not realizing that Dazai was horrible to Akutagawa, since neither Dazai nor Akutagawa will ever explain that, but he is still pretty shitty to Akutagawa deliberately! And it’s nice seeing him be a little prick.

If everything that is happening now with Atsushi had happened from the beginning, you know how you are supposed to start a shounen manga with the protagonist actually doing anything interesting or important, the manga would be much less bad. If Atsushi had more than like 1.5 flaws and a .75 motivation now, the manga would also be a lot better.

I don’t actually like this idea as much as all of my other ones, but if he MUST be the MC, what if he was actually good at it at all.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 75

with internships finished, our hero students now have new challenges to face, and ranpo has a new admirer?!

Magaki: "..." guard: ... Magaki: *stomach growl* guard: *slides a bowl of rice under the door slot* Magaki: <...I was hoping for something else.> guard: <well tough luck...> Magaki: <Do you even know what I eat?> guard:..... Magaki: <...It's not like I want to...> *picks up the rice bowl, starts shoveling it* guard:....*walks away* Magaki: "..." *sniff* -elsewhere- Haumea: "He's been quiet." dahlia: perhaps he is ill? Haumea: "Hmmm..." *opens the door--and it's locked* "???" -elsewhere- Black Star: *sitting...upside down* naho: ~? Black Star: "...Damn it!" *lets himself fall forward* "Thought that'd help me think..." naho: 'bout what? Black Star: "Going back to Japan--again. And just..." *sigh* “We just got home, too..." naho: ah. Black Star: "This mission, and back to Japan, and more questions--" *rubs his hands through his hair* "GAH!" naho: ? Black Star: "Like, I don't even know my old man." naho:...do you want a hug? Black Star: "..." *sighs* *holds out arms* naho: *comforting hug* UvU Black Star: "..." *pat pat* -elsewhere- Lucy: "...A princess?" *starts pulling books off her shelves* atsushi: yeah. she's...chatty. ^^; did you want to meet her? Lucy: *starts opening up book after book* "Yes! I want to see how she compares to these!" *the books contain fairy tale drawings of princesses* atsushi: ...kinda similar, aesthetically. Lucy: *shiny eyes* "Fancy dresses?" atsushi: pretty fancy, i guess. Lucy: *claps* "Yay! ..." *serious face* "Did Dazai do anything stupid?" atsushi:..... define 'dazai doing something stupid.' Lucy: "Steal her crown jewels?" atsushi: i dont think so. Lucy: "Did he ask for a pardon?" -knocks- Lucy: "???" maria: hello~ ^^ Lucy: *shiny eyes* *turns back to Atsushi--and starts pointing* *squee* maria: OvO ~? atsushi: right. lucy, this is princess maria, princess, this is my girlfriend, lucy. .///. Lucy: ^\\\\^ *slight bow* "Greetings, Princess." maria: ^^ glad to meet you, miss lucy. ^^ *glances at her books* Lucy: .\\\\\. *quickly closes one* maria: do you like fairy tales, miss lucy? Lucy: *nod nod* "I like a lot of reading." maria: do you ever dream of meeting your prince charming some day? *shiny eyes* Lucy: o\\\\\\\o atsushi: o////o Lucy: "...I AM HAPPY RIGHT NOW, THANK YOU!" *bows again* maria: hehe~ can i tell you a secret? atsushi: aaand that's my cue to give you two some girl chat time, see ya! *exits* Lucy: "?!!" D:< "Hey!" *turns back to Maria* ^\\\\\^;; "Sorry, he's kind of nervous at times..." maria: is that right? seems he really likes you a lot. ^^ Lucy: o\\\\o "Y-Yea..." maria: you're soooo lucky! i hope i get to meet my prince soon. u////w////u i've had a dream about him. a cool and intelligent man, with striking green eyes~<3 Lucy: "Green is a nice color--" *imagines someone with green eyes...and likes to show off his intelligence--* *RECORD SKIP* o______O maria: ah~ my heart's all a flutter thinking about him~<3 Lucy: .________. *pats Maria's shoulder* maria: OuO~? Lucy: "...Um...Heterochromia can be attractive, too." ^^;;; -elsewhere- ochako: [happy b-day todoroki! *cake emoticon*] Todoroki: "..." *small smile* [thank you. 🙂 ] -morning- Yumi: *pouring coffee* lord death: thaaaanks =3= Yumi: "You're welcome." *cheek smooch* "Sleep well?" lord death: yeah. *hugs from behind* late night... Yumi: =\\\\= "Will you need a nap?" -elsewhere- Shamrock: "Who will be watching us while you are out?" tsubaki: mahiru said he and kuro will look after you. Sakuya: *sips his orange juice down the wrong way* o_o *slight cough* naho: OuO *vibrating* Belkia: "...Switch to decaf, girl." otogiri: *sweatdrop* Black Star: "Don't get into any fights with Kuro." Higan: "I don't think that's the action we'll have to worry about." Sakuya: *coughing* otogiri: *hard pats to the back* Sakuya: .\\\\\. "Th-*cough*-Thanks..." -elsewhere- Tanizaki: "Okay, buckled in?" *checking the mirrors* ranpo: yeah. maria: ^^ Tanizaki: "You sure, Princess?" *checking that the doors are locked* maria: *she nods* it'll be sooo cool to see you guys doing your detective work! Tanizaki: "Yeeeeeeah, about that..." *starts the car, backs up into the street* "We need to give you an alias while we're at work." maria: can i be 'mari'? *shiny eyes* ranpo: marioka? Tanizaki: "...Mari is fine." maria: yay! Tanizaki: *drives* "Ranpo, you reviewed the report?" ranpo: yeah. Tanizaki: "The police have cordoned off the area, preserved the evidence...No suspect yet." ranpo: *cracks knuckles* perfect! i'll solve this one in no time at all. maria: really? ranpo: yup, i am a genius detective with the special ability of super deduction after all, ohoho! Tanizaki: "Ranpo is our secret weapon." maria: ooh, sounds fancy! Tanizaki: *pulls up to the crime scene* "Get your ID out..." *pulls out his Agency badge* cop-chan: ...ah, mr minouichi, they've arrived. Minouichi: *spots Ranpo* "..." -_-# ranpo: ayyyy, what's up? Minouichi: "..." *through clenched teeth* "We...wanted your opinion based on the evidence..." ranpo: of course you did. so what's up? Minouichi: "..." *points at Maria* "I don't think the child should see this." ranpo: she's just here for training or something. Minouichi: "...Fine. This is going to be pretty gruesome...and it's hard enough to find any prints." -where the corpse is- ranpo: hmm... Minouichi: "Strangulation?" ranpo: with a belt of all things. Minouichi: "Not rope?" ranpo: look at the marks, there's leather indentations. Minouichi: "Hmm...No other indications for how the victim was killed?" ranpo: *pulls out glasses* -super deduction!- Tanizaki: *watches* maria: !!!.... (green...eyes...) *blush* Tanizaki: "..." ranpo: i think i found your perp. Minouichi: "Of course you did." -_-# "Where are they?" -as it turned out, a corner store employee worked with the victim to pay customers back with counterfeit money, but the victim was going to sell the killer out, resulting in the murder- Minouichi: "...We have been trying to find the counterfeiters for months...How do you know these bills are fakes?" ranpo: hold it up to a light, look on the right side, there's no hidden face. Minouichi: "...Oh..." maria: wow! *shiny eyes* Minouichi: "Yes, 'wow.'" ranpo: not only that, the texture of the counterfeits is different from an actual dollar, and the security tape is oddly missing... Minouichi: *crosses his arms* "We'll have Secret Service investigate." ranpo: till next time. *turns to face maria and tanizaki* now, you made an offer about food? maria: *shiny eyes and blushing* Tanizaki: ._.; "I-I was kidding about the Gleeful Meal--but if you want, okay...You still want the toy?" ranpo: YES. Tanizaki: "It's drive-thru at Abattoir Burger." ranpo: oi, mari, you want some grub? {princely!ranpo: care to join us, my lady?} maria: *heart eyes* of course... ranpo: awesome! Tanizaki: "..." *click click--DING* *light bulb* ._____.;;;; "Oh boy..." -elsewhere- Lucy: .____________. *shudders* atsushi: ? Lucy: "I sense...ships." atsushi: ??? Kyoka: "...I think you were on the Moby-Dick too long." -elsewhere- Patty: "Japan again?" tsubaki: yeah, tying up loose ends and what not. Patty: "Huh...That sounds important." -elsewhere- Bakugo: ("Just a few more days...You can handle this...You can...You can...") "...WHY IS EVERYTHING SO SHINY IN HERE?" best jeanist: that's because it's _clean_. Bakugo: "...Is that glitter?" -elsewhere- Meme: "I got the approval for the mission..." tsugumi: ok. Anya: "How soon?" ao: sometime within the week. Anya: "Better pack when we get home." -elsewhere- Yumi: *setting out missions* "Germany...Japan...Salt Lake City…" teacher: france? teacher 2: who's going to france? Yumi: "What threat level is the mission?" teacher: about a 2 star. Yumi: "I recommend a two- or three-person team." teacher: right. -elsewhere- Fitzgerald: *reviewing layouts* "Hmmm..." jordan: *whistling* Fitzgerald: "Jordan, hold this." *hands him a layout* jordan: ok, um… Fitzgerald: "Hmm...Not quite to scale..." *hands Jordan papers* "Hold these over your head.” jordan: ._.; Fitzgerald: "Hmm..." *frames with his fingers* *Jordan is holding papers that make him look like a mech* jordan: ._.; erm-... Fitzgerald: "No, it still isn't right..." *grabs Jordan's arm* "We'll need to add a rocket here...I'm sure that arm could be removed." jordan: O-O; -elsewhere- Rin: "How's it goin', Teach?" stocking: good. bit busy. Rin: *nods* "Training?" stocking: yep. Rin: "...Is it Neuhaus?" stocking: i havent checked in with him yet. Rin: "He's been...I mean, he was a dick before, but after his kinda-dead wife, he's been quiet." stocking: i'll add that to my agenda, then. Rin: *nods* "..." *looks around, then whispers* "I also know a vending machine that gives you two soda cans for the price of one!" stocking: where is it? Rin: "East wing, second floor, next to Room 202." stocking: noted. -elsewhere- Gopher: "What are your plans after school?" kirika: might head to the arcade later. Gopher: *nods* "Want to go head-to-head?" kirika: you're so on! Gopher: ^w^ "May the best one win!" -elsewhere- Chuuya: *taking a test* atsushi: *taking notes* Akutagawa: *already turned in the test...just staring at the chalkboard* Kyoka: *folding paper* -elsewhere- Joker: "To review: the governmental documents show no other path the Hoods could have taken. The Agency encountered the Hoods and somehow survived." Victor: *nod nod* scarlet: talk about a shitshow. Victor: "The good news is that we can be sure now they aren't in the Nether any more! The fireball created so much structural damage..." Joker: "Hmm..." -elsewhere- Crona: "..." *sets down a vase* mami: looks good. ^^ Crona: "Th-Thanks...I tried to arrange them..." mami: *she smiles* well i appreciate that. *small kiss on the cheek* Crona: .\\\\. "Y-You're welcome?" -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "How's this one?" *holds up a dress for the Fancy Fire Event* fang-hua: ^-^; Tsukiyo: "And this for you?" fang-hua: sure. Tsukiyo: "Yay!" *pushes her into changing room* fang-hua: ah- -elsewhere- Kid: *standing in front of the fridge...holding one of Shiori's drawings...and trying to find the right spot for it* o~O;;;;; jack: need help? Kid: Q~Q *nod nod* "No spot looks quite right to be symmetrical on the fridge..." jack: ^^; want me to help? Kid: *nod nod* "Make it perfect, please." -after that- Kid: *shiny eyes* "AMAZING!" jack: well, i've got quite a few years’ experience. *smiles* Kid: "It served you well...I-I don't have that experience..." jack: *pats his back* you'll get there. sometimes being a parent means making a few sacrifices here and there. Kid: Q_________________Q "My beautiful symmetry..." -elsewhere- Kyoka: *waves at Keek* keek: h-hey. Kyoka: "How is it going?" keek: survivin'. Kyoka: "...That is good to expect." *sits down* "Any research updates?" -elsewhere- yana:......*puts on some classical music and spins around on the office chair* Ivan: *polishing blades* Adam: *standing* mushitaro: *styling his hair just so* ... *bishie sparkle* hmhm~ ^u^ Adam: *staaaaaaaaaaare* "...How do you do that?" mushitaro: mousse, hair spray, and supreme combing techniques. Adam: "..." *moves a finger to touch the hair--* mushitaro: *hard grab + violent expression* do not. Adam: Q~Q yana: he's fussy about his hair. just thought you outta know that. Adam: "...I've learned my lesson. Please let me have my hand back?" -elsewhere- Mori: "..." *picks up a book, reads* mii: ... Mori: "...It's an old book." mii: indeed. Mori: "Was it one you used in your writing, for inspiration?" mii: *examining it* Mori: "Had you read this when you wrote?" -elsewhere- Poe: *humming* lana: im hooome. *plops onto the couch and sighs* so tired.... Poe: "Difficult work?" *moves to the couch* lana: *nod* busy day, today... Poe: *sits with her...supports her* lana: =///= Poe: "You can rest now..." *soft hum* lana: thanks, edgar. Poe: "You're welcome, Lana..." *cheek smooch* lana: ^///^ Poe: ^w^ *hug* -elsewhere- Shotaro: "You all look exhausted." mana: busy day.... mono: TT~TT Shotaro: "??? I haven't done a good deed yet. Anything I can do to help? mana: get us coffee. -elsewhere- zoey: *holding Q and humming* Q: =u= Ivan: *sneer* Adam: "???" Q: !! *snarls at ivan* Ivan: *hiss* Adam: O~O lydia: calm down everyone, what's going on? mushitaro: ivan and the medic are at odds again, typical workplace drama. Ivan: "She started it!" zoey: i was just.....minding my business... Adam: "..." *points at Ivan* "He sneered first." Ivan: <SNITCH!> lydia: *chop to the shoulder* behave. Ivan: "Ow!" -elsewhere- Motojiro: *passes a drink* Chuuya: "Thanks..." naoya: cheers! Chuuya: *clinks glass* Motojiro: -w- *sips* "So, Naoya, what mission you got?" naoya: 'nother recon mission. guess it cant be helped, given my ability. Motojiro: "Chuuya~ One of my new devices is a hat." Chuuya: "..." naoya: if it has a propeller in it- Motojiro: "D'aw, how'd you guess?" >3< Chuuya: -_- naoya:...... *laughs* i was joking! but holy shit! Motojiro: "Well, I was watching 'Inspector Gadget' re-runs on youtube and thought, 'Chuuya likes hats--'" Chuuya: "I appreciate it, but no." ayako: did the claw send you? naoya: how did she- Motojiro: *adjusts his glasses* "Actually, it was 'Dr. Claw.' And I don't think you're old enough to drink." ayako: oi bartender! give me your strongest orange soda you got! Bartender: "Right, a Sailor's Scurvy Special coming up." ayako: AWESOME! -elsewhere- Hyde: "...Echidnas suck." guildenstern: what brought this up? Hyde: "They think they're so cool with their eggs and spines and 'am I a mammal or a bird' bullshit..." *crosses his arm, kicks a video game box* guildernstern:...*sweatdrop* ._.; -elsewhere- Oda: (…) atsushi: ....(you ok?) Oda: ("Just thinking...Keep an eye on Mori.") atsushi:....(noted.) Oda: ("Even without...his ability, he is shrewd, cunning--and lethal...Maybe it wasn't a good idea...") atsushi: (perhaps....but given his current state....i think something inside him broke...) Oda: ("Elise.") atsushi:.... (yeah......have you...) Oda: ("What?") atsushi:... (lost someone?) Oda: ("...Yeah.") atsushi:..... Oda: ("...We do what we can...It doesn't always work.") atsushi: .... Oda: ("Just do your best.") -elsewhere- Patty: "I got this gingerbread house set for cheap after Christmas--and it hasn't expired! Guess what we're building?!" riley: gingerbread mansion with a moat? Patty: "Melted sugar moat? Or maybe a maple syrup moat?" -elsewhere- Kid: *lies down* stocking: *nuzzles* t-thanks, kid... Kid: "You're welcome..." *holds her* "Any time." stocking: *holding onto him whimpering into his chest* i thought i-i'd be over this whole thing by now.... Kid: "..." *rubs her back* "I know...I'm here for you..." stocking: *sniff* t-thanks.... Kid: *offers a tissue* stocking: *blows* *sniff* s-sorry. Kid: *small smile* "Nothing to apologize for..." *holds her hand* stocking: c-can you wash my back? Kid: "Yes, of course." *sits up* stocking: .... Kid: "..." *rests a hand along her shoulder* stocking: *hugs* -floof- -her wings popped out- stocking: .///.; um... Kid: *stares* "...Beautiful..." stocking: guess they needed some air too. ^^; Kid: "I suppose so...You've kept a lot in..." *kisses her shoulder lightly* stocking: u////u *small wing fluttering* Kid: *slight chuckle* "Cute..." stocking: oh shush, you're cuter. =///n///= Kid: "Hee hee...I've learned not to argue with you..." *holds her hand, kisses* stocking: =//////= Kid: *moves his hands to her shoulders, lowering the cloth* -elsewhere- Yohei: "They look happy." chie: they're almost like siblings. ^^ saki: *she smiles* Yohei: "Yeah...Runs in your family." saki: yeah... chie:....*hugging saki* glad you're here... Yohei: ^^ -elsewhere- Poe: *wraps up in a blanket* lana: zzzzz karl: zzzzz Poe: ^w^ *cuddles* lana: u////u Poe: *happy murmur* -elsewhere- Meme: "We'll be traveling up to the Pacific Northwest..." mio: ah. Anya: "That's going to be a few stops." Meme: "Thorough." tsugumi: i've been doing a lot of training too. *lance blade arm* Anya: "Ooooooo..." ao: impressive as always. ^^ Meme: *smiles* "Training paid off, Tsugumi." tsugumi: ^u^ mio: yeah, i still have a ways to go yet. *axe arm* Meme: "It's progress..." *pat pat* -elsewhere- miura: ... Motojiro: "All's well?" miura: as far as it's been going. Motojiro: "Good to hear!" *sets down a glass...of motor oil* miura:... -_-; Motojiro: "...Ha! Just kidding." *puts it away* "You happy with the work you're doing?" miura: *she nods* hirotsu has been doing a good job keeping things together. Motojiro: "He's good like that--age gives him that experience." miura: *she nods* Motojiro: "Imagine what you'll be able to do with that many years..." miura: .... -elsewhere- Izuku: "--and I think I'll be released tomorrow or the day after." inko: *on the phone* im so glad, sweetie. *wipes her eyes* Izuku: "...I'm sorry..." inko: izuku? Izuku: "I didn't mean to worry you..." inko: im fine sweetie. you're still alive, right? im proud of you. -tears are falling down her face- Izuku: QwQ "...Th-Thank you, Mom..." inko: i'll see you soon, then. Izuku: "I'll let you kn-now when I land at the airport..." inko: ok. love you so much. Izuku: "I love you, too." inko: *she hangs up*.....*she's crying* Izuku: "..." *sets the phone down* -elsewhere- Mephisto: *rubs Felisia's back* felisia: =///w///= *tiny wing flutter* Mephisto: "Better?" felisia: *nod nod* Mephisto: *hug* "I'm glad..." felisia: *snuggles* =w=~<3 Mephisto: *forehead smooch* -elsewhere- Black Star: "..." tsubaki: *alseep on the plane* Black Star: "..." *tucks the blanket over her before looking out the window* -elsewhere- Joker: *passes the bottle* ivy: thanks. Joker: "Welcome..." *flipping through maps* -elsewhere- Todoroki: "...Endeavor could not escort me to the airport himself?" intern: something came up. Todoroki: "...Understood." -elsewhere- Kid: "Better?" stocking: yes. Kid: ^^ *cuddle* stocking: *purrs* Kid: ^\\\w\\\^ *pat pat* -morning- Izuku: *closes his suitcase* gran torino: heading home now? Izuku: *nods* "Classes start up again soon, sir." gran torino: now, dont go forgetting what you learned here *fast forworded blah blah bladdy blah* -find a way to keep those nerves under pressure* Izuku: O____O ("...That was exactly what I was thinking...") *bows* "THANK YOU FOR YOU MENTORSHIP, GUIDANCE, AND PATIENCE WITH ME!" gran torino: yeah yeah... (he really is a lot like you, toshinori...) oi kid. i have one thing to ask.....who're you? Izuku: o_O ("HOW CAN HE STILL NOT--") *All Might shaped light bulb* "Oh!" *bows* "Deku. That is my name, sir." -elsewhere- tsuyu: *on the train home*.....*checks phone* Habuko: [hey gurl!] tsuyu: *smiles* [hey habuko! how's it going? \(^o^)/ ] Habuko: [classes are starting again: >3> what u been doin?] tsuyu: [headng back from an internship. im swamped =3=] Habuko: [oh hey--how did your internship go?] tsuyu: [pretty busy. did you hear about that smuggling incident on the gulf?] Habuko: [yeah?] tsuyu: [i was there. it was scary, but it all worked out ^^ ] Habuko: [OMG ARE YOU OKAY?! D8> ] tsuyu: [yeah. a few bruises, but ok. *thumbs up frog emotion*] Habuko: [THANK GOD. be careful! *hugs* ] tsuyu: [ok.] *small smile* -elsewhere- Bakugo: "Not. One. Word." eijiro + sero: QuQ *trying not to laugh* mina: hey kacchan, nice hair! Bakugo: "THAT'S NOT MY FREAKIN' NAME, RACCOON!" jirou: his hair looks like monoma's. Bakugo: "I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT EVEN IS!" Monoma: *pops out of the shrubs* "LIAR!" jirou:...........................why are there shrubs in a- plant student: can you please get out of there now? jirou:....nevermind. Monoma: "JUST GIVE ME THIS!" plant student: GET OVER IT ALREADY YOU NEED HELP! Bakugo: "YEAH, WHAT PLANT PERSON SAID! STOP STALKING ME!" Monoma: "STOP YELLING IN THE HALLS!" -elsewhere- Iida: "..." momo:....*she hugs him* Iida: "..." *hugs back* momo: i was worried about you, you know. Iida: "I'm sorry...I didn't mean..." momo: just.....be more careful....*sniff* Iida: "I will..." *nods* -elsewhere- Todoroki: *stretches* fuyumi: welcome home, shouto! Todoroki: *smiles* "Glad to be home..." -elsewhere- Kurogiri: "Would you stop pouting." tomura: *groans and scratches at his neck* Kurogiri: "And stop scratching yourself--it's leaving marks." -elsewhere- Aizawa: *grunts* yuuji: mmhmm....*nomming on snack bar* Aizawa: "...That enough for you?" yuuji: yeah... Aizawa: "Hmm...At least drink some water. That stuff will dehydrate you." yuuji:....yeah... Aizawa: "...Don't let the Quirk anger get to you." yuuji: ?... oh....right..... Aizawa: "...You hungry?" yuuji:....not really..... Aizawa: "Okay. You need a real meal. Dinner later. No excuses." yuuji: ...... Aizawa: "I'm picking you up after course prep. Now, take care of yourself." yuuji:...yeah, yeah... Aizawa: "..." *back pat* "Okay." -elsewhere- Izuku: *walks up to the apartment* ???: "Greetings." Izuku: "!!!!" *turns* "A-All--" All Might: "Shhhh!" Izuku: !!! *covers his mouth, looks around* S-Sir? what brings you here? All Might: "I got a call from Gran Torino that you had returned..." izuku: yeah..*looks at his hand* All Might: "And you're limping..." izuku:....s-sorr- All Might: "...It's time you learned. About One for All." izuku: ?! -elsewhere- jirou: *playing DDR* Aoyama: *trying to catch up* ochako: so how were your internships, guys? Aoyama: "Magnifique! I--" mina: AOYAMA, THE GAME! Aoyama: "!!!" *trips* "Oh, no! I missed a step!" Mineta: *hiding behind a trash can, shivering* Q_Q denki: what's up with him? sato: ah, im sure he's fine. Mineta: *can only hear sounds of Mount Lady's cackling* Q_________Q sato:...just fine. ^^ Ojiro: ^^;;; "I thought the internship was pretty basic. Lots of paperwork...Tail was helpful for stacking files..." hagakure: sounds nice. sero: are you sure you're gonna be ok? Ojiro: "..." hagakure: y-yeah! i'll be back to normal in no time at all! Ojiro: "..." *pat pat* hagakure: t-thanks. Ojiro: *sad smile* Kouda: (ono) sero: just be glad you didnt run into that hero killer guy. Shoji: "Yeah, that Hosu battle caused a lot of damage. Lucky those three didn't get caught up." sato: to think he's connected to the league, too....scary. denki: yeah, but still pretty tenacious with his goal, it's kinda cool. mina: waugh, dont say scary stuff like that, denki! >A<' Mineta: *pops up* "But he was ranting about being a real hero! Why join with villains?! Unless there are heroes who are actually villains!" *LOUD INCOHERENT SCREAMING* "SHE'S GOING TO STEP ON ME!" Ojiro: *ignoring Mineta* "Denki, wow." denki: !! s-shit, i didnt mean- -LOUD WHISTLE- denki: OW! momo: ok, everyone, settle down. Iida: "NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR INCOHERENT SCREAMING AND PRAISING VILLAINS WHO ARE DEVOTED TO FUNDAMENTALIST IDEOLOGIES!" *random hand motions...with his good arm* Mineta: *covering his mouth to stop incoherently screaming* Shoji: "..." denki:...*looking down at his feet* ... Iida: "Now let us prepare for our return to classes to apply all we learned with our successfully concluded internships and become the heroes this world deserves!" mina: right! hagakure: right. -elsewhere- izuku: ... All Might: "...And that's what I wanted you to know. What you inherited...It may make you a target if All for One knew." izuku:....... All Might: "And...there's..." izuku: ?? -no...not now...- All Might: "...You're going to need to take what Gran Torino taught you. Trust his word...Okay?" izuku:...right. i will. All Might: "...Sorry to keep you." izuku: ok. have a nice day. *heading back home* All Might: *waves* -elsewhere- Shotaro: *stare* nea:....do you need something, kid? Shotaro: "Can we get Emine cake?" nea: let's see what we can do, then~ ^^ Shotaro: *claps* "Yay! We'll toss in ice cream, too." nea: heck yeah! *shiny eyes* setsuna: ^^; Shotaro: *pulls out a cook book* "I got the ingredients. Just need help mixing and keeping cool..." -elsewhere- Black Star: "We're back..." mrs nakatsukasa: *hugs them both* Black Star: .\\\. tsubaki: ^^; Black Star: "So...I guess we should rest up first?" mrs nakatsukasa: that would work. Black Star: "Then... *yawn * ...head to the jail..." -elsewhere- Kuro: "..." Sakuya: "..." lavender: who's up for a movie? Higan: "Sounds good. Any genre?" -elsewhere- Hiro: *opens the door* "I'm home." mrs kenshimono: welcome back, sweetie. ^^ hime: hey. Hiro: ^^ "Sorry I didn't get back earlier..." *looks in the dining room* -hime's friends from school are there studying- Hiro: "Study group?" hime: yeah. Hiro: "Got it...I'll just eat elsewhere then..." -elsewhere- Mifune: "..." yuma: what's up? Mifune: "Oh, sorry...Was just thinking..." *sets down his tea* yuma: hmmm... -meanwhile, somewhere in japan...- ???: "..." *small growl* -the forest is silent- ???: "..." *sniffs the air* ???: "..." *his stomach growls* *looks...* -there's a small village not far off...- ???: "..." *stays low to the ground, careful with his steps over fallen leaves until he nears the village* elderly man: ... *He follows the Elderly Man...* elderly man: *going to a storage area* ???: "..." *looks at the storage area for exits, windows...* elderly man: *filling his sack with the food he needs for tonight's dinner* ???: *sniff sniff* "..." *approaches a window* elderly man: ?? <oh?> ???: "..." *gets closer* elderly man: <excuse me? i dont think i've seen your face around these parts.> ???: "..." *growls--both in his throat and in his stomach* elderly man: <are you a vagrant?> ???: <I...Hungry...> elderly man:...<why dont you come with me to our home? we're making udon tonight.> ???: "..." *stomach growl* "..." *follows* -elsewhere- Crona: *shudders* mami: are you alright? Crona: "J-Just felt...something." *rubs their arms* "Maybe a memory..." mami:...*hugs* Crona: "..." *small weeping noise* mami: im here. Crona: *nod nod* "I-I'm sorry..." mami: you're ok, chrona. Crona: "O-Okay..." *holds onto Mami* -elsewhere- Jordan: *sniff* *crying into his beer* "--and then they cancelled my favorite show, and Mr. Fitzgerald made me dress like a robot, and I don't--" *sobbing noises* daisy: *pap pap* eckleburg: that's rough, buddy. Jordan: "A-At least I can torrent the re-runs...Eckleburg, do you like working here?" eckleburg: it's nice. Jordan: "Compared to the old boss?" eckleburg: a lot better. Jordan: "I gues so...Probably same for you, too, Daisy?" daisy: ...im more or less indifferent. Jordan: "Hmm." eckleburg:... Jordan: "..." *nudges Eckleburg* eckleburg: ?? Jordan: *whispers* "She's like that--always 'indifferent.'" eckleburg: ??? Jordan: "Maybe you're 'different.'" eckleburg: ???? daisy: oookay, i think that's enough for you, jordan. Jordan: *pushes Eckleburg* "Whoopsie--" eckleburg: ow! daisy: hey! *helping him up* honestly jordan, go home. -_-; eckleburg: .///.; -elsewhere- Karim: "That's some progress you've made: great work." pearl: thank you. Karim: "Well, that'll be it--it's late. Wash up and get to bed." -elsewhere- Giriko: *tossing* arachne: *hugs from behind* mmmn.... Giriko: *calms down, opens his eyes* "...Hey." arachne: hey...*hug* *slight squish* Giriko: =\\\\= "Thanks..." arachne: ^^ Giriko: "..." *holds her hands, drawing them closer to him* arachne: u///u Giriko: *kisses her hand lightly* -morning- Kurogiri: *washing the counter* twice: did you watch that video again, toga? himiko: i watched it like...50 billion times! >u< Dabi: -_-### "...Punk-ass brat." twice: didnt you say 'you like the way this guy thinks'? =3= Dabi: "Just...You had the chance to kill Endeavor, and you didn't do it." twice: oh. Dabi: "Maybe someone else can step up to the plate..." mr compress: without a doubt, we'll be getting new members, soon. Kurogiri: "Should be here soon, so make a good impression..." himiko: okaaaaayyyy... -elsewhere- -a boy with a gasmask and school uniform sits on a bus stop bench with a sign that reads 'going to death city'- gasmask: ... *Bus approaches, its door opens* Driver: "..." gasmask:....*holding up his sign as he gets on* Driver: "Huh. You one o' those Quirkies?" gasmask:....is there a problem with that? Driver: "Nope. Off to get an education there?" gasmask:...yeah... (you could say that....) Driver: "See, I tell my kids 'Go to school.' But one of them wants to be--get this--a circus performer! I even told them there are colleges for that, but they won't listen and--" *talking talking talking* gaskmask:....*looks out the window* Driver: *blah blah blah* *Bus passes hills* -elsewhere- Poe: *opens an envelope--stares at the numbers* O__________o;;;;; lana: what is it? Poe: *shaking* "It-It's not possible! The interest rate should be higher than this! They lowered it on my savings!" lana: what's going on? Poe: *holds up the savings account listing...and it has a lot of zeroes after the number* lana:..... *JAWDROP* Poe: "They're ripping me off! I must have missed the statement that they were adjusting my interest rate--" *notices her* "...Lana, dear? What's wrong?" lana: i-im fine... m-must be the weather. Poe: *drops the papers, holds her hands* "Let's get you something to drink..." lana: t-thank you, edgar. @-@; (you love him for who he is YOU LOVE HIM FOR WHO HE IS, DO NOT FORGET THIS!!) Poe: ^w^; *guides her to the kitchen, retrieving some tea* "Have a seat..." -elsewhere- Bakugo: *sitting in his seat, looking pissed (as usual)* itsuka: hey katsuki. ^^ Bakugo: "Oh, thank God!" *hug* itsuka: o///o happy to see me? ^///^; Bakugo: "Out of everyone here, you don't annoy me." [Translation: "I love you."] itsuka: aww. *kiss on the cheek* Bakugo: =\\\\\= *tiger growl* -elsewhere- mushitaro: *doing his morning routine* (teeth brushed, check. pants on, check. binder on, check. shirt on, check. jacket on, check. bow tie on, check.) *styling his hair* *Knock knock* mushitaro: *glaaaaares* WHAT?! ???: "I need the key to the bathroom!" mushitaro: im in the MIDDLE. of my MORNING ROUTINE!! Adam: "But I have to go!" mushitaro: USE THE OTHER BATHROOM THEN! DX< Adam: "Someone's in there! And they only answer in Russian!" -elsewhere- Fyodor: <I just want to request my favorite song~> guard: you seem to be rather fond of the radio... Fyodor: *nods* "It's solace for the soul." guard:.....very well, what is it? Fyodor; " 'Fantasie Impromptu’, please." guard: alright then. Fyodor: *closes his eyes* -underground...- -the radio is playing- Ivan: *blush* zoey:...ah....<3 Ivan: ^\\\\w\\\\^ lydia: <seems they're enjoying themselves.> yana: mmhmm. Ivan: <So pleasant for him...> lydia: <shall we begin with his orders, then?> Ivan: <Yes~> Adam: "???" *has a door smashed over his head* mushitaro: TT^TT *mumbling* Ivan: <I believe Mushitaro may proceed with Master's orders...> mushitaro: .....*grins* Ivan: "Do you have the address?" mushitaro: *he nods* all i need to do is retrieve the item and take care of business~ Ivan: "Yay! Please do all to please Master~" -elsewhere- Todoroki: *walking through hall* ochako: hey todoroki! *waves* ^^ Todoroki: *waves* "Hello." *smiles* ochako: how're you feeling? Todoroki: "Relieved to be back." ochako: yeah. Todoroki: "How was your internship? Educational?" ochako:....you could say that. *super serious* Todoroki: .____. "...Hard core." -elsewhere- Kepuri: "..." *hug* akaderu: =////= Kepuri: "Better?" akaderu: yeah. thanks babe. Kepuri: *pats his neck* "...It's going to be okay." akaderu:....*hugs* sometimes....i worry i'll wake up...and you'll still be in that computer space.... Kepuri: "And that's not ever going to happen again...I'm going to be here when you wake up tomorrow, and the day after..." akaderu:...*hugs her tightly* ...... Kepuri: =\\\\\= "A bit tight, babe..." akaderu: TT///TT Kepuri: "..." *tip-toe to kiss his cheek* akaderu: t-thanks... -elsewhere- Black Star: "How you want to start?" tsubaki: we should speak with them Black Star: "..." *nods* "The prison?" tsubaki: *she nods* Black Star: "I'll call for the ride..." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: TT~TT *fox crying* louisa: toby? what's wrong? are you sick? Mr. Tsubaki: *curls up into a ball* *whimpers* louisa: *going to call a vet* Mr. Tsubaki: … {tsubaki: *smiles*} Mr. Tsubaki: Q____Q *buries himself under a blanket* -elsewhere- Higan: "Kind of surprised she trusted some kid and his cat to watch us...and they're at school right now, leaving us here." naho: we're gonna drink so many sodas. Higan: "...Guess that's one goal." Belkia: *picking a lock to the cupboard* "Right in here!" -chop- otogiri: behave. -.-; Belkia: >3< "IT WAS NAHO'S IDEA!" naho: tattle-tale! >A<# Sakuya: ^^; "Maybe go light on their punishment until Mahiru gets back, Otogiri?" -elsewhere- Dazai: "How are you feeling?" kirako: a bit nauseous... TT~TT Dazai: "Medicine? Tea?" kirako: yes please. TT3TT Dazai: *shakes out some medicine* "Just need some time to brew the tea..." *sets down a glass of water for her* kirako: thanks, dazai. Dazai: "Of course." *smiles* -elsewhere- sonia: .... Teacher: "--and don't forgot to finish your math homework. Any questions?" sonia: ... Teacher: "If not, you're free to--" *The door kicks open* Tachihara: "Here to pick you up!" Teacher: "?!!!" sonia:...uncle tachi, class isnt over yet. -_-; Tachihara: .w.;;;; "...Sorry." *sits down--in one of the school chairs, which is too big for him* Teacher: "..." Tachihara: *winks at the Teacher* Teacher: "...Sonia. Make your uncle behave." sonia: *facepalms* uncle tachi, stop. -_-# Tachihara: "What? What am I doing?" *the chair breaks under him--but since it's a child's chair, he just falls a short distance* Teacher: -_-# "You're paying for that..." Tachihara: "I could repay you with a date~" Teacher: "...Sonia? GET HIM OUT OF HERE! CLASS DISMISSED!" *headdesk* -in the car- sonia: -___-#; Tachihara: *slap mark on his face, which he's trying to pass off as cool* "So, what's on the agenda, buddy? We gonna get some fast food?" sonia: why are you like this? Tachihara: "Yeeeeeeeeeeears of practice at the School of Coolness." *lowers sunglasses over his eyes...only for one of the lenses to pop out* sonia:.....deep down, you have a lot of insecurities, dont you? Tachihara: "..." *pulls over to the side of the road* "..." *rests his head against the steering wheel* sonia:.....*pap pap* Tachihara: *covers his eyes* "I just want *sniff* what normal people have..." sonia:...do you want a hug? Tachihara: *nod nod* sonia: *hug* Tachihara: Q______Q sonia:....ice cream? Tachihara: "O-Okay...With sprinkles?" sonia: *nod* Tachihara: QwQ "Y-Yay..." *turns back onto the road* -elsewhere- Master: "Mana, I need a favor. See that customer?" mana: *looks* Master: "He hasn't paid his tab in months. Persuade him to pay. You have my permission to use threats." Hyde: *seated at the table where Master pointed* mana: excuse me sir.....pay your fucking tab~<3 Hyde: o_O "...But it's my day off--" mana: *grabs him by the neck* well then you're just gonna have to work it off ^^# Hyde: "!!!!" *grabs his wallet* "TAKE IT! JUST DON'T HURT ME!" *throws the wallet at her face* mana:..... -he got made to wear the dress- -elsewhere- Kuro: *yawns* "We're going back to that house?" mahiru: yeah. Kuro: *stomach growl* "Ramen..." -elsewhere- Rin: *stretches* "What you up for?" madoka: maybe visit the cafe? Rin: "Can we get some cookies?" madoka: sure! ^^ Rin: *shiny eyes* "Yay!" -elsewhere- Fitzgerald: "Do I need to put him into one of those carrying cages to take him to the vet?" louisa: most likely. Fitzgerald: "Could you help me, then?" *holds up his arm--where Mr. Tsubaki is latched onto it* Mr. Tsubaki: >n< louisa: its ok, toby. ^^; Mr. Tsubaki: *fox chittering noises* Fitzgerald: "Hold the cage, Miss Alcott--his claws are digging into my skin..." -elsewhere- Todoroki: "Any plans this weekend?" ochako: not sure. Todoroki: "Homework to catch up on..." ochako: study group? Todoroki: "Sounds good...Anyone to bring in?" -elsewhere- Steinbeck: "...Have you even _piloted_ a boat?" twain: does a paddleboat count? Steinbeck: "Barely..." *defeated sigh* "Still more experience than others have, I'm sure..." twain: ^u^ Steinbeck: "Where the heck is Oscar with the RV..." oscar: im here, lovies~ ^^ ebie: woah. baum: fancy. Steinbeck: ._. oscar: just a little gift from a family benefactor~<3 Hemingway: "Ostentatious." *opens the door* "And roomy!" dorothy: it's like a castle with wheels. Steinbeck: -_-# "I was hoping not to draw attention to ourselves..." oscar: 737;; Hemingway: "Aw, let Wilde have this! We can travel in style! Maybe even stop by some fishing spots..." twain: *laying on a cushy bed* =w= Steinbeck: "Okay, who's driving?" -elsewhere- Tachihara: *scooping up ice cream* TwT sonia: *nom* Tachihara: "So, your teacher seems nice." sonia: ..are you trying to get me to set you up? Tachihara: "Nooooooooo! Never! Not at all...But hypothetically--" sonia: no. -_-; Tachihara: "Worth a shot." *scoops up ice cream* "So, after this, I can show you how to get free tokens at the arcade." sonia: ok. Tachihara: ^w^ "What's your favorite game?" sonia:...not sure. Tachihara: "Ever play whack-a-mole?" sonia: *shrug* Tachihara: "Or a beat-'em-up game? Or a shooting game?" sonia:....i think i might remember how to use a gun. Tachihara: owo;;;;; "...'Kay...Maaaaaaaaaaaybe just skeeball." -elsewhere- Motojiro: "--and finished!" *turns on a disco ball* ayako: yeeeah! Motojiro: "We're gonna make this one superpower dance hall!" -elsewhere- White Star: *gobble gobble nom nom nom* elderly woman: <my, my, what an appetite.> ^^; White Star: *mouth full of food* o\\\\\o "..." *swallows* <Sorry.> elderly man: <you must have been hungry.> White Star: "..." <Feels like I haven't eaten in years.> elderly man: <well you take all the time you need to.> White Star: "..." *bows* -elsewhere- Yohei: "??? You okay?" chie: exhausted. =_=' Yohei: "...Food? Lie down? Bath?" chie: yes. Yohei: ^^ "Okay...I set out some bubble bath in the bathroom. I'll get your meal ready." -elsewehere- Black Star: "...Ready?" tsubaki:...*she nods* Black Star: *opens the door* Magaki: "..." tsubaki: hello... Magaki: *nods* <I should have seen this coming.> tsubaki: <we arent here to kill you. we just want to talk.> Magaki: "..." <What did you want to talk about?> tsubaki: <what is it you want? why did you do what you did?> Magaki: <...I've been like this as long as I can remember--which isn't that far. I get some memories of maybe...2 years ago? 5 years ago? It's hard to tell.> tsubaki:.....<what's the earliest you can remember?> Magaki: <...Dark water?> tsubaki: *listening* Magaki: <I...think I died.> *holds their chest* <I don't exactly have a heart beat anyway...> tsubaki: .... {????: <please.........my child....please save....} {Priest: <...> *picks up the child* } Magaki: <Priests...Priestess...Red water...?> tsubaki:.... Magaki: <...> *puts their head down, small groan* tsubaki:...*hugs them* Magaki: <...Why?> tsubaki:....<you looked like you needed that...> Magaki: "..." <Thanks?> -elsewhere- Patty: "Need help grading?" liz: *working hard* Patty: "..." *shrugs, looks at school reports* -elsewhere- Neuhaus: *looking at the books* "So why ask me?" nygus: stein figured you and him could compare research notes. Neuhaus: "What's he investigating?" nygus: he just wanted to compare notes on the zombi- Neuhaus: *tenses* nygus:....my apologies... Neuhaus: "...I'll share what I know." *hands her a book* "You're welcome to copy these notes for him, but I'll need them back." nygus: understood. -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *sips an appletini...through a curly straw* naoya: well? how is it? Akutagawa: "Sweeter. I couldn't taste alcohol." naoya: see, you're getting there. ^^ Akutagawa: "Why do people drink this? Alcohol tastes like poison and makes people act...like Tachihara." naoya: well, life can be stressful, it helps with that sometimes. Akutagawa: "...But in moderation." naoya: yeah. Akutagawa: "...Just afraid of doing something embarrassing. Or violent." naoya:... *pap pap* Akutagawa: "..." *shakes the empty glass* -elsewhere- Fitzgerald: "What do you think, Doc?" doctor: hmm... Mr. Tsubaki: @~@ doctor: he seems rather dehydrated. seems to be displaying signs of anxiety or depression as well. Fitzgerald: "..." *strokes Mr. Tsubaki's back* Mr. Tsubaki: TT____TT Fitzgerald: "What do you recommend?" doctor: im sure we can prescribe some anti-anxiety medication to calm him down. Fitzgerald: "I see...Are there non-medication options that can also be provided to him?" -elsewhere- Kouyou: "Something the matter?" leo: hm? no, just thinking. Kouyou: "Ah..." *passes a cookie to her* leo:...*tiny nom* Kouyou: ^^ "I think you've been doing well at catering to visitors." leo: thank you very much, ma'am. Kouyou: *nods* "You're welcome." *sets down her tea* "Could you watch the estate tomorrow?" leo: i shall do my best. Kouyou: "Good. I will be out in the morning." -elsewhere- Poe: "Feel better?" lana: yeah =w= Poe: ^\\\w\\\^ *forehead smooch* lana: hehe~ -elsewhere- ranpo: *whistling* maria: ^////^ ~<3 <3 <3 Tanizaki: "...So..." *his hair is sliced along one side--from knives* "Why don't you--" Kyoka: "Why are you into that guy?" Tanizaki: ._. ("So blunt.") maria: hehe, my prince~<3 ranpo: ? Kyoka: "..." *looks at Ranpo* "..." *looks back at Maria* "..." *puts a hand on Maria's shoulder* maria: ~? Kyoka: "..." *serious face* "DO NOT." maria: OuO ~?? ranpo:.....tanizakiiii, im out of ramune. can you drive me to the store? maria: can i come too?? ^///^ Tanizaki: ^^;;;; "Sure?" Kyoka: "...This will end in a way that will require brain bleach." maria: hehe~ naomi: that poor girl. Kyoka: -_- "No kidding. I know they say there is someone for everyone but...This?" naomi: yeah, falling for ranpo is pretty much a lost cause. Kyoka: *sighs* "I need to wash this from my brain..." *pulls up crime reports* -elsewhere- Black Star: "Think they've gotten better?" tsubaki:...i-i think so.... Black Star: "..." *pat pat* "You tried." tsubaki: .... Black Star: "Maybe talk to them tomorrow?" tsubaki:...yeah... -in a small home...- -blood stains the walls and floors....- White Star: "..." *loud sigh* -the elderly man and woman lay motionless, two souls floating above them- White Star: *stares in fascination at one of the souls...he pokes it with a finger* -elsewhere- Chuuya: ._.; "...Big prize you won at the arcade?" sonia: *nod nod* Chuuya: "Did Tachihara help?" sonia: *nod nod* Chuuya: "And did you thank him?" sonia: *nod nod* Chuuya: "..." *looks at Tachihara* Tachihara: OwO;;;; Chuuya: "..." *pats Sonia's head* sonia: uncle tachi showed me how to throw a curveball. Tachihara: OwO *nod nod* Chuuya: "...Well, thank you, Tachihara." Tachihara: ^\\\\\^ -elsewhere- Higan: "Better?" lavender: seems it. Higan: "Good...What did Tsubaki write?" -she explains what was in the note- Higan: "...And that...um, 'vampire,' just gave up?" otogiri: seems they were detained....they sound like they were weakened.... Belkia: "So, they could take down Black Star...then got injured enough to be captured? Guess Black Star hit harder than we thought..." Higan: "..." ("Or Tsubaki did...") -elsewhere- Arthur: "...You think the Captain needs a makeover?" tamaki: yeah, it might make him feel better. Relan: "Maybe a hair cut?" Arthur: "A suit of armor." tamaki: we should take nozomi out too. it might help her feel better. Relan: "Oh, good idea!" Victor: .w. iris: yeah. i like that. maki: and i know just the place. *shiny eyes* Relan: "???" -elsewhere- Hyde: *napping on the couch...with a kazoo in his mouth* licht:...im not even going to ask. Kranz: "I thought it was cute! And it makes funny noises--" Hyde: *breathing out in his sleep--* "WOOOOOOP..." romina: *snickering* Guildenstern: -_-;;; -elsewhere- Meme: *asleep at her desk* mio: ... Meme: *groans, sits up* "..." *her eyes are puffy* mio:...meme? Meme: "Y-Yeah?" *she tries to smile* mio:...*hug* Meme: "..." *shudders* mio: ... Meme: *small whimper* -elsewhere- White Star: *huffing, out of breath* {White Star: *cackling, slices at villagers* } {-footsteps are heard-} {White Star: "!!!" *steps back into shadows*} {-a man with a sword is standing there-} {Mifune: "..."} {white*star: ?} {Mifune: "..." *slices into the shadows*} {white*star: *jumps back* oh? what have we here?} {Mifune: "...So many that you killed..."} {white*star: ...} {Mifune: "It stops here--" *swings at White Star's head*} -CAW CAW- White Star: "!!!" *swings his sword* -a flurry of crows flies off- White Star: "..." *sniffs the air* -elsewhere- Asura: "..." *holding his head* mikan: asura?...*holding his hand* Asura: "Nirvana..." mikan: ? *she looks at the logos on the wall of the building* Asura: "What they want...Was this all fated?" mikan:...*rubs his back* Asura: "I-I didn't know who they're leader was...It's all so confusing what to do..." -elsewhere- Yohei: "Better?" chie: a lot better now. Yohei: "I'm glad..." *sets down some chocolates* chie: *shiny eyes* Yohei: *picks one up, brings it to her lips* chie: *nom* >u< *smooch* Yohei: ^\\\\^ "Mmm...Tasty." -elsewhere- Kid: *tending to Shiori* "It's okay..." shiori: >~< Kid: "Just a little stomach ache..." *rubs lightly along her back* shiori: mmn.. TT~TT Kid: *holds her, continues to rub her back* "I'm sorry...You'll feel better soon. I promise." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *lying down* "..." Fitzgerald: "...He seems calmer?" mary: did you feel sick today, toby? *pet pet* Mr. Tsubaki: *small grunt, moving his head as if nodding* -elsewhere- Benimaru: "We had to knock down another building." kirei: ah. do you know what will be in its place? Benimaru: "I was hoping for some ideas. So far I've heard 'storage,' but that's boring." kirei: perhaps we could build a shop there? Benimaru: "Hmm...Would boost the local economy. What would you sell?" kirei: eh? hmm. Benimaru: "Maybe clothing, or tools--" Tsukiyo: "SOUVENIRS!" -elsewhere- Poe: *asleep in chair* "Zzz..." lana:.... *puts blanket over him and kisses his forehead* Poe: =w= "Zzz..." -elsewhere- Gopher: "Zzz..." kirika: .... Gopher: *turns* *yawns* *opens his eyes* "..." kirika: you ok? Gopher: *nods* "B-Better...I guess I was exhausted." *looks up at the top of her head* kirika:....what? Gopher: "It looks great." kirika: um...thanks? *she has bedhead* Gopher: ^\\\w\\\^ *smooths her hair* kirika: =///n///=; Gopher: "..." *inches closer to nuzzle* kirika: *small growling* =/////=;; Gopher: .____. *leans back* -elsewhere- Kouyou: *lights a candle at a grave, holds her hands* leo: .... Kouyou: "..." *wipes her eyes* leo: lady kouyou? Kouyou: "..." *composes herself* "What is it?" leo:...did you need a moment? Kouyou: "..." *nods* leo: very well. Kouyou: *inhales deeply...tries to steady her breath* leo: ..... *examining the area* *Some buds are already forming on the trees, despite winter* leo:.....*faint smile* Kouyou: "..." *gets up* leo: are you ready to return home, now? Kouyou: "Yes...Let's go." leo:.... -elsewhere- Kid: *collapses in bed* stocking: long day? Kid: *yawns* "Yeah...Shiori had an upset tummy..." stocking: aww. Kid: "She's asleep...Just hope it doesn't last..." stocking: yeah... Kid: *facedown in bed* "..." *holds out his hand* stocking: *kisses his hand* Kid: "Mmm~ Thanks..." stocking: no problem~ Kid: *yawns, turns over, hugs Stocking* stocking: u///u Kid: =w= "Perfect person..." -elsewhere- Shamrock: *looking out the window* lavender: waiting for something? Shamrock: "I thought I heard something..." lavender: ? Shamrock: "Like someone stepping around..." lavender: do you think it's an intruder? Shamrock: "...Maybe...Wake up Sakuya..." lavender: *going to do that* Kuro: *yawn...sits up* mahiru: *already has the broom out* Shamrock: "..." *holds up his hand, making military gestures to indicate the plan silently* Belkia: ._. "???" mahiru: ?? Shamrock: x_-;;; "Two of you hide in the grass, the others land the first strikes from up and down." mahiru: oh. Kuro: "Then just say so...It's boring otherwise..." Shamrock: *holds up fingers, counting down...4...3..2...* *throws open the door* naho: *sneaks into a bush* Sakuya: *leaps forward* "RAWR!" Kuro: *bored roar* "Rawr?" Stray Creature: .________. naho: awww. how cute! Stray Creature: *animal chitter* Kuro: =_____=; Shamrock: x\\\\\\o;;;;; lavender: just...what even is that, some kind of squirrel? Belkia: "A capybara?" Stray Creature: *head tilt* "???" naho: are you lost, little buddy? Stray Creature: "..." *slowly approaches* naho: ^^ *holds out a hand* Stray Creature: "..." *small lick* naho: hehe ^^ Stray Creature: ^w^ *licks--then hand chomp* naho:..... QwQ Sakuya: o______O Belkia: "D'aw, it likes you!" otogiri: *already has the medkit out* Stray Creature: *wagging tail* ^w^ -elsewhere- Black Star: "..." *groans* "They just going to keep them locked up?" tsubaki: its possible.... Black Star: "Think they deserve that? I mean, they killed..." tsubaki: ..... Black Star: "..." *pokes her nose* tsubaki: *small chuckle* what? Black Star: "You're thinkin' somethin'..." tsubaki: i guess... Black Star: "...Well, you're better at the planning stuff. What we need to do to convince others to help them out?" tsubaki: i'll see if i can find out more from magaki about their situation. Black Star: *nods* "Maybe I can talk to some witnesses or cops..." -elsewhere- Hibana: *sips wine* gabriella: this is nice. ^^ Hibana: "A well-deserved break." *passes a glass to Gabriella* -morning- Akutagawa: *stares at the calendar* -jan 15- Akutagawa: *shudders* "Just a little more..." -elsewhere- Lucy: "--and she's now gah-gah for him." atsushi: oh wow. sucks to be her. Lucy: "Could be worse in dating choices--but Ranpo is so oblivious that she's going to get hurt--" *pinches Atsushi's cheek* atsushi: >3< ow! Lucy: "--and we should at least minimize the hurt. Wouldn't you agree?" atsushi: y-yeah. that does make sense. Lucy: ^w^ "Good." *lets go* "She seems to like some treats, so she'll probably pig out on those when Ranpo crushes her heart like a brittle seashell in his hands." atsushi: ._.; Lucy: "...I was reading nautical fiction. The word choice got stuck in my head. But seriously, let's give her a night out to minimize the pain." atsushi: sounds good. -elsewhere- Kid: *sets out breakfast* "So many plates to pass out..." lord death: yep. Kid: "...Did you ever think a family would get this big?" lord death: well, life can be full of surprises, even for a family of reapers, haha! Kid: ^^ "I suppose so..." *opens the cupboard--* o_o Patty: *wedged inside, eating out of the cereal box* "..." liz: again? Patty: *mouth full* "Always!" -elsewhere- Ivan: "--and she's vomiting again." lydia: <i feel kind of sorry for her...> Ivan: <In a hilarious way...> ^w^ lydia: ... -_-; mushitaro: jeez, and i thought _i_ was petty. Ivan: <I can afford to be!> mushitaro: 737 Adam: "But she's sick. And someone has to take care of the child--" *holds up Q* Q: =A= put me down! im not that small! Adam: "But you are tinier than I am. And I'm huge." Q: IM 14 YEARS OLD! >3< Adam: "...Really? I thought you were 6." yana:.....huh. Ivan: "..." *steps back* lydia:.... ._. (not how i expected to spend my birthday...) Adam: "Oh!" *picks up a crudely wrapped item and hands it to Lydia* "Glorious Nascent!" lydia:...thank you. *opens it* *Inside is a book--Hawthorne's Bible* lydia:....this is the pastor's. ._.; Adam: "That's how gift-giving works, right?" *smiles* lydia:....um....thank you...adam. (i'll just return this later...) -elsewhere- nozomi:..... Relan: "..." *whispers* "We doing this?" shinra: *nods* it'll do good for her. tamaki: hey nozomin! nozomi:...h-hey. Relan: ^^ "So...We had an idea..." tamaki: we were going to head out to chibuya crossing. there's lots of cute shops there, you want to come with us? nozomi:....i-i suppose. tamaki: great! shinra: hey maki, can you be our driver? Maki: "Sure thing." *grabs the Matchbox keys* iris: commander, we're heading out for a bit! Akitaru: "Oh? Where you heading?" tamaki: chibuya crossing! Akitaru: "Okay, have fun! Have your cell phones!" shinra: we will! -and so- tamaki: ah, chibuya crossing is so stylish, even in winter. nozomi: hm.... iris: ^^ Relan: "And lots of post-Christmas sales..." tamaki: no way! they have valentines stuff out already?! shinra: welcome to the world of retail. Maki: *stares at the candies* O~O nozomi:..... tamaki: ....oh! that store looks cute! hey nozomi, lets go find you some new clothes! nozomi: e-eh? Maki: "I agree! Come on, Iris!" iris: ^^ Relan: "...Um..." shinra: did you want to go with them? Relan: "I don't know...I haven't done shopping trips like this--I don't know whether it's appropriate for a guy to join in." shinra: hey, if you want to, then you go ahead and join in, heck, i'll join in too! Relan: "O-Okay..." *smiles* -inside the store- tamaki: *modeling an outfit* Maki: *claps* "So cute!" iris: *snaps a pic* ok, who's next? shinra: ok, im ready! *he has on a visual kei style outfit* Relan: "Oh, wow..." iris: so cool! shinra: UwU *bishie sparkle* tamaki: *picking out clothes* Relan: "How about you, Maki?" Maki: "I...don't think I could pull that off." ^^; iris: im sure you would look nice, though. Maki: "...Well...I could try..." shinra: that's the spirit! Maki: *picks one* "Only if Relan tries something on..." Relan: ._. shinra: want me to help you out, rel? Relan: "Wh-What should I try on?" -later, it was nozomi's turn- nozomi: h-how does it look? tamaki: you look so cute! you should totally buy it! Maki: *nods* "Right now!" nozomi: oh, um... tamaki: we'll pool our money together! Relan: "Something else for after Christmas!" -elsewhere at chibuya crossing- Shotaro: "How about these?" *puts on silly glasses* mana: ^^ Shotaro: *puts them on Mana* "There--now I barely recognize you!" mana: >3<; mono: we'll need to stop at the bookstore too, the new volume of that 4-panel manga i've been reading is out now. Assi: "??? So it's good?" mono: a-at least i think it is. 737 mana: oh right, you've been reading 'Ringo Aaparu's fruity flavored classroom' right? Shotaro: "??? Is it sweet?" -elsewhere- Todoroki: *sits down* "Haven't had ramen in a bit..." fuyumi: want to order take out or head somewhere? Todoroki: "Maybe head out. Could use the walk." fuyumi: alrighty then. ^^ Todoroki: *small smile, as he retrieves his wallet* -elsewhere- Chuuya: *points* "And there's the children's museum, straight ahead." sonia: *looks* Chuuya: "I heard they got dinosaur bones, and an otter tank..." sonia: wow. Chuuya: *smiles* "Want to go in?" sonia: sure. Chuuya: "Yay!" *a little too excited to see the otter tank* sonia: ....*small smile* Chuuya: *hands the admission price to the ticket taker* "One adult and one--" Hyde: "Here." sonia: thanks. Hyde: "...You're welcome." Chuuya: *opens the door for Sonia* -elsewhere- otogiri: well, at least that creature was returned to its owner now. naho: TT~TT my poor hand... Sakuya: *sets down tea* "What kinda creature..." -elsewhere- komori: ........*she takes her face mask off, revealing Glasgow smile scars, and starts eating lunch* Arthur: *walking through a nearby hall* komori: ....*nom* Arthur: *passes where Komori is eating* komori:....!! *tries to cover her mouth* Arthur: "???" *turns around* "Hey..." *picks up a quarter off the floor* "I found money..." komori: [good for you] Arthur: *nods* "How's lunch?" komori: [alright] Arthur: "Not up for the makeover the others were doing shopping?" komori: [too busy] Arthur: "Well, at least no one is too injured here..." komori:... -elsewhere- Relan: *biting into a large pretzel* =w= shinra: so where to next? *checking a chibuya crossing map on his phone* Maki: "I hear a fighting game calling my name." tamaki: you're so on! Relan: "Oh, oh! One of the racing games!" shinra: ^^ *notices somebody* ?? Izuku: "Shinra!" *waves* shinra: izuku hey! *waves* Izuku: *walks over, limping slightly* "Hey...Hi, Relan!" Relan: *meek wave* shinra: we all decided to spend the day off at chibuya crossing. nozomi: ... Izuku: *spots Nozomi* "Oh, new outfit?" nozomi: y-yeah... m-miss tamaki helped pick it out for me. Izuku: "I think it looks great. That was really nice of Tamaki to help." tamaki:..*small smile* Izuku: "What game are you playing?" -elsewhere- Anya: *walking through neighborhoods...looking around corners* maria: *following ranpo on a job* ^///^ ranpo: *whistling* Anya: *spots Maria and--* "...!!!?!" ranpo: hmn? hey, arent you that weird doctor's daughter? maria: hmm? Anya: "...Do I know you?" maria: oh, call me mari! ^^ *holds her hand out* Anya: *looks at her hand* "..." ("...What is it with princesses disguising themselves?") *takes Maria's hand, smiles* "Anya." maria: nice to meet you! Anya: "Likewise." *spots Ranpo* "...Are those Crocs?" ranpo: oh these? they're my water shoes. Anya: "...Aren't you a grown man?" ranpo: your point? maria: hehe, you're so funny~ ^^ Anya: ._.; "...Um...So, what are you two doing?" ranpo: work stuff, solving mysteries, the usual. maria: hehe~ *hugs his arm* Anya: ._________. "...Are you from that cartoon with the hyper-active girl and the boy with the pine tree hat?" maria: owo~? ranpo: saw it, saw the theories, debunked them, same old same old. Anya: "...You have a highly active life on fan community’s sites, don't you?" ranpo: eh, sometimes. -elsewhere- stocking: .... Kid: "..." *cuddle* stocking: t-thanks... Kid: *nods* *rubs her hand lightly* "It's okay." stocking:....*hugs him* Kid: "..." *hug* stocking: i love you so much... Kid: "I love you, too, so much...Always." stocking: *kiss* Kid: ^\\\^ *smooch* stocking: mmm u////u Kid: *holds her close* "..." *small laugh* "I can feel your heartbeat..." stocking: ^///^ Kid: "..." *closes his eys* "And your soul..." stocking: *holds him close to her chest* Kid: =\\\\\= "It's beautiful..." -elsewhere- Magaki: "..." -...- Magaki: *sips water...grimaces* {???: <please......child......save my child....>} {Baby Magaki: *shudders, panting*} {??? *in tears* <please, save my baby!>} {Elder: "..." *takes the baby*} Magaki: *holds their head, moaning* -elsewhere- Giriko: "Cute sweater." arachne: thank you. ^^ Giriko: "And not to ignore our little cutie's sweater..." anna: ba! ^o^ Giriko: "Hee hee..." *picks her up* anna: *giggle* Giriko: "...She's getting so big..." -elsewhere- marie: we're baaack~! christa: hiyaaaa! Yumi: *holding up a sign at the airport: "Mjolnir"* ^^ christa: hiya auntie! Yumi: "Hi, Christa! Enjoy seeing your family?" christa: yuppy! marie: ^^ Yumi: *hugs Marie* "Good trip?" marie: *she nods* -elsewhere- Maki: *carrying bags* "Think we got enough?" tamaki: yep! nozomi:....hey guys?....thanks for today....i...had fun. *small smile* Maki: "D'aw, that's great!" *smiles* tamaki: any time, nozomi. *smiles* Relan: ^w^ *holding a new mouse wheel for Buttons* shinra: we're home! karin: welcome back, kiddos! Arthur: *waves* maki: we bought some stuff for the others too. they'll be on the couch. Arthur: "???" *looks inside one bag* -it's one of those horse head masks- Arthur: "...I am so blessed." *puts it on* shinra: *laughs* Vulcan: *walks by--* "...Oh, wow..." *walks up to Arthur* "..." *starts stroking his head* Arthur: "...What are you--" Vulcan: "Shhh..." shinra: *about to cry from laughing so hard* Vulcan: *pulls out a carrot, offering it to Arthur* Arthur: "..." *shrugs, lifts the mask, starts eating the carrot* Takehisa: *walks by* "Nice mask, Arthur. It elongates your face." Arthur: "Thank you, sir." Vulcan: =w= Takehisa: "???" *looks inside a bag* "...Oh. Did you all buy these?" maki: yep! iris: 0x0; Takehisa: "..." *looks up* "...Thank you. I shall try this on." iris: ._.;;; Relan: "Oh boy..." Takehisa: *walks away with the bag* tamaki: ^u^ iris: lord forgive us. Maki: >w> "I'm sure it'll be fine..." Vulcan: =w= *still petting Arthur* Arthur: *has the mask off* "???" -elsewhere- Black Star: *yawns* tsubaki: zzzz Black Star: *sleep hug* tsubaki: *small smile* Black Star: "..." *loud snore* -elsewhere- Chuuya: *staring at the otter tank* *shiny eyes* sonia: wow. Chuuya: "They're so tiny but so fast..." sonia: yeah... Chuuya: "!!! That one is holding a ball!" sonia: *small giggle* Chuuya: *snaps a photo of Sonia watching* sonia: ^^ Chuuya: "Want to see the other exhibits?" sonia: ok. -elsewhere- Takehisa: "..." *standing* tamaki: >3< shinra: *chuckles* iris: ._.; Arthur: "..." karin: ._. Takehisa: "Greetings, Doctor. How are you?" *he is oblivious* -his hat reads 'the walrus was paul'- Relan: .w.; Vulcan: "..." *thumbs up to the hat* iris: ^-^; Akitaru: *steps outside, thumbing through papers* "Greetings, everyone. How's everything--" *looks up* "..." Takehisa: "..." Akitaru: "...Captain." Takehisa: "Commander." tamaki: >3< Akitaru: *hands files to Maki* "Captain, a word?" Takehisa: "Okay." *follows* -minutes later- *Loud screaming is coming from Akitaru's office* Takehisa: ( . ) __________ ( . ) Relan: *hiding behind Iris* Vulcan: "...I don't think that's how you conjugate that word..." Victor: *writing notes* shinra: *backing up* Akitaru: "WHO GAVE YOU THOSE CLOTHES?!" Takehisa: "..." *puts his hands behind his back* "I bought them." shinra: .-.; Akitaru: "YOU HAVEN'T LEFT THE FIREHOUSE ALL DAY!" Takehisa: "It was mail order." Akitaru: "THE PRICE TAG IS STILL ON THE SHIRT!" shinra: what a trooper. tamaki: it was shinra's idea! iris: D8< Relan: "LIAR!" Akitaru: *disappointed Dad face* shinra:.... Q____Q Akitaru: "..." *teeny-tiny chop* shinra: .-. Akitaru: "Your punishment will be Takehisa gets to pick your outfit for tomorrow." Takehisa: "???" shinra: TT.TT that's fair. Takehisa: "I suppose I can pick something out that is appropriate." -elsewhere- Ivan: "Do you have everything?" yana: i think so. Ivan: *nods* "We need a bit more information to actualize Master's plan..." yana: yeah. Ivan: "I suggest reconnaissance. Who should explore?" lydia: <i'll go.> Ivan: <Thank you.> *hands her a map* -elsewhere- Yohei: *sips coffee* "Aaaaa..." chie: long day? Yohei: *nods* "But accomplished..." chie: mmhmm. Yohei: "Got paid..." *hands the check* chie: awesome. *kiss on the cheek* Yohei: ^\\\\^ *yawns* -elsewhere- Shima: "Woo woo!" *holds up a DVD* "Sexy film!" -CHOP- izumo: no. -_-# Bon: -_- "Please, tell me someone picked another movie." Rin: *snatches the DVD from Shima* Shima: TT~TT shiemi: got it! Rin: *shiny eyes* "Little Mermaid?!" madoka: ^^ Rin: *squee* *sits down* Shima: T3T "Why you got to be so mean, Izumo? I bet you never even watched these kinds of films growing up..." izumo: ... Shima: "..." Rin: "Wow, really? You haven't! Oh, man, you're in for a treat! See, it's about this girl who lives under the sea--" -elsewhere- Mephisto: T_T "Demons get such a bad rep..." *looking at a cartoon picture of a demon* felisia: *pap pap* ... !! the baby just kicked! Mephisto: QwQ *puts his hand on her belly* "Really?" felisia: ^^ still thinking of a name... Mephisto: "...Mephy Jr?" *joking tone* felisia: *chuckle* Mephisto: "Something sweet...and perfect..." *looks into Felisia's eyes* felisia: *small blush* Mephisto: *holds her hand* "Any name come to mind?" -elsewhere- Todoroki: =w= "Good meal..." fuyumi: good eats. =w= Todoroki: "..." *small laugh* "We should do takeout in the future, too." -elsewhere- Relan: *pat pat* shinra: TT3TT *mumble* stupid jerk, tamaki... Relan: "Just give it time. Her bad luck and karma will catch back up with her..." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: TwT mary: feel better, yet? Mr. Tsubaki: *nuzzle, sad moan* mary: *pap pap* Mr. Tsubaki: *yawns* -elsewhere- Hibana: "I think you'd look good in this, sweetie." hanako: ^u^ Hibana: "Try it on! You can even try on one of Mommy's necklaces." hanako: for reals? Hibana: "Really real!" hanako: yay! -elsewhere- Magaki: "..." -two guards are talking- Magaki: *listens* "..." guard: <you dont think....it's, y-you know...do you?> Magaki: (<'You know who'?>) *leans closer to the door* Guard #2: <But they're dead, right?> guard: <that's what i heard, but...what happened in that village...> Guard #1: <Not too different from what happened years ago...> Magaki: "..." guard 2: <still, freaks me out...> Guard #1: <Same. Glad we're not investigating it.> -elsewhere- White Star: *hunched under a tree in a forest, picking something out of his teeth* -a city is in the distance- White Star: "..." *flicks the "food" out from his teeth* "..." *stands, starts moving towards the city* -elsewhere- Kouyou: "Good meal." leo: thank you, miss kouyou. Kouyou: *pours wine* "..." *looks around* "I thought they would have returned by now..." leo: ? -knocks on the door- leo: *goes to check* ah, they're home. Kouyou: "Then let's see what they're up to~" *pulls back her hand--and knocks the door down* sonia: ._.; *holding an otter plushie* Chuuya: *waves* "Hello." leo: welcome home, sir. Chuuya: "Sorry to be a bit behind schedule..." sonia: hi grandma. Kouyou: "Hello, sweetie. What's that plush?" sonia: papa bought this for me. Kouyou: "Cute! Did you give them a name?" -elsewhere- Benimaru: *opens a box...finds a small doll* "..." reimi: what's that? Benimaru: "An old gift..." reimi: ah. Benimaru: "...There are parents always happy to have the protection...including for what they could have lost." reimi:.... Benimaru: "..." *sets the doll onto the shelf* -elsewhere- Akitaru: *mutter grumble mutter* karin: still in a sour mood? Akitaru: "In the time I've known Hinawa, he's always been like that. I once had a meeting with the top brass when we were still forming this brigade. You know what he wore?" karin: what? Akitaru: "A tutu." karin: did he really? Akitaru: "With the tiara. I think he's...like, face-blind? Only it's not a face, it's clothing?" karin: *chuckle* i guess he's humoring them. Akitaru: "??? You think he meant to?" karin: probably, nozomi seemed to lighten up a bit. *smiles* Akitaru: "..." *nods* "Guess you're right on that one." -elsewhere- Tanizaki: "...So, Ranpo, we have to talk..." ranpo: *sipping on ramune* wassup? Tanizaki: "What you think of the Princess?" ranpo: eh, she's alright, i guess. Tanizaki: "Well, you should be aware that...That is to say...Um...Look, just don't get her hopes up." ranpo: ?? Tanizaki: "I mean, because...you...and her..." ranpo: ??? Tanizaki: "See, when two people get close, then they start to feel things one way or another about...feelings?" ._.; ranpo: what, like sex? Tanizaki: O____o *grabs him by the shoulders, starts shaking* "YOU BETTER NOT BE DOING THAT WITH HER!!!" ranpo: ew, dude no. i mean, i know what sex is, im just not interested, like, at all. Tanizaki: "...Okay." *lets go...smooths out his own hair* "...Look. I think she's crushing on you. Maybe you should talk to her, let her know you're not up for it?" ranpo: i tried that already. i think she lives in her own little world. poor delusional moron. Tanizaki: *chop* "No need to be mean!" ranpo: ow! >3< im just being honest, jeez. Tanizaki: "Learn to phrase things in less mean ways...And you need to just be honest but not so rude with her..." -elsewhere- Shotaro: "...That's kind of embarrassing, Mom..." setsuna: what is? Shotaro: *he has a scuff mark on his face* "That whole 'spitting onto a rag to wipe someone's face' thing that parents do..." setsuna: oh. *small chuckle* ^^; Shotaro: ^^; "Yeah..." *rubs his cheek* "Man, Mana punches hard." -morning- Takehisa: "There. We have concluded." shinra: =~=''' Takehisa: "I think this is fashionable? I heard people like bunny slippers." shinra: *presses the cat head, which meows* greeeat. Takehisa: "The sound will be delightful, I think. Like a small cat following you everywhere." shinra: TT-TT; Takehisa: "I even packed you a lunch." *it's in a lunchbox...a princess lunchbox, with glitter stickers* shinra: TT-TT thank you, sir. Takehisa: *nods* "...Wel, goodbye." *turns and leaves--showing a kick-me sign on his back* -at school- Akutagawa: *crosses out a date in his notebook calendar...smiles* marie: *teaching the lesson* Chuuya: *writes a note, then raises his hand* marie: yes? Chuuya: "Will this be on the test?" marie: *she nods* indeed it will. Chuuya: *writes more notes* Akutagawa: "???" *whispers* "I didn't catch that..." -elsewhere- Anya: "--and she seemed infatuated with him." ao: oh my, is that right? Anya: "That creep is going to break her heart--and I don't see her recovering quickly." atsushi: ? Anya: "The guy was nothing to look at either. Creepy cat smile, closed eyes, some Sherlock Holmes get up, and ugly Crocs." atsushi: ._.; Anya: "Should probably report him to someone...Like the fashion police! ...That's a thing, right?" atsushi: >->; Meme: "Maaaaaaaaybe change the topic..." *holds up a tourist map of Salt Lake City* mio: right. Meme: "I suggest we check this shady part of town when we get there. And maybe if we have time, stop by the ice skating rink--" mio: m-maybe. Meme: "??? Not a fan?" mio: im not very good at it. Meme: ^^ "Practice, then..." mio:.... .///.; r-right. -elsewhere- Gin: "It's quiet..." higuchi: yeah. Gin: "...No sign of them." *calls into radio* "Report." naoya: doing recon now. Gin: "Spot the targets?" naoya: yep. 3rd floor. Gin: *nods to Higuchi* "Cover." higuchi: *nods* Gin: *talks into radio* "Troop A, deploy." -a few goons head in- Target #1: Q____Q *runs* "Crud crud crud--" -SMACK- Target #1: "OUCHIE!" naoya: sup, buddy? Target #1: Q_________Q "DON'T KILL ME!" naoya: depends.... !!! *pistol-whips a guy coming up from behind her* Target #2: "AAAAH! FUCK!" Target #1: "..." *puddle forming* naoya: dude, gross. Target #1: "I HAD A LOT OF SODA AND YOU'RE SCARY!" >3< naoya: awww, is dat twue? T3T# Target #1: Q_______Q "Don't kill me..." naoya: alright, just tell us what we want to know, and we wont have miss silver bullet witch put holes in your skull. katya: *maniacal giggling* Target #1: O________o "BEHIND THE PAINTING OF THE DUCKS!" naoya: *nods to pushkin, who looks* pushkin: woah. is this a Maltese falcon? Target #1: *shrug* "Just looked valuable--so we stole it..." -elsewhere- Dazai: "...So...Is this what babies like?" yosano: yep. basically. Dazai: "Well, should have the paint dry in a bit..." -elsewhere- juria: *chewing gum, slouching in her seat* Karim 2: -_-; "At least sit up." juria: um, are you the teacher? if not, shut up. if so, same thing. Karim 2: "Hey! We got to look better than all the other brigades, and I got no time for some back-talk!" juria: ugh, so annoying. selim: *griiiiiins* gwen: .............. Karim 2: *sighs* "Best brigade there is, and stuck with you twits...Yo, Ogun! You're their mentor--deal with them!" -elsewhere- Nurse Arg: *looking at a photo: it is a small child being lifted into the air by Commander Arg* "..." huang: is that you, asako? Asako: *nods* "A long time ago..." Asako: "Before grandfather..." huang: .... maybe he'll be at the event? Asako: *sad smile* "After everything, that would be nice..." -elsewhere- Magaki: *hands cuffed to the table...with some cold tea poured for them* <...Not a fan.> tsubaki: ... Magaki: <It's not even hot. I know they don't trust me with that...> tsubaki: ....<what sort of fruits do you like?> Magaki: <...Peach?> tsubaki: <ok then.> ^^ *she goes to get peach flavoring* Magaki: <...I don't know that I'll taste them as well. This...condition alters what you taste.> tsubaki: hmm... Magaki: <Some people taste different...> tsubaki: <as in the blood type?> Magaki: <Even what they ate...> *grimaces* <Junk food eaters are dreadful.> tsubaki: ^^; Magaki: <...Your partner tastes like meat.> -elsewhere- Mephisto: "How are classes?" stocking: doing good. it's rewarding. Mephisto: "As I should expect~" *offers a cupcake on a tray* stocking: *nom* ^u^ Mephisto: ^w^ "Are you sure you don't need me to talk to any of your supervisors? I can arrange for whatever you need~" stocking: *shakes her head* im good so far. how's mom coming along? Mephisto: "...Well..." >_> stocking: ._.; im scared to ask. -elsewhere- Dazai: "...So Ranpo is her catnip?" mii: =3= naomi: seems like it. Dazai: *pets Mii* "...I think you need to get some protective equipment, because when Ranpo pisses her off, she's going to wreck the place." -elsewhere- Johannes: "How's work going now that you've been here a bit?" medea: it's been alright. Johannes: "Ah. You getting along with the customers?" medea: moderately. Johannes: "??? They been rude to you?" medea: no. Johannes: "Well, let me know if they are. I have ways to keep them quiet." medea: noted. -elsewhere- Mori: *snore* fukuzawa: *reading* Mori: *grumbling in his sleep* "Head...Head..." fukuzawa: ? Mori: "I just...wanted me to go on...Future..." fukuzawa:.... *checks his temperature* Mori: *grabs Fukuzawa's hand* fukuzawa: !!! Mori: *eyes snap open* "...What were you intending?" fukuzawa: im only checking your temperature... Mori: "...Oh..." *lets go* fukuzawa:... *reads the thermometer* Mori: "...Bad?" fukuzawa: running a bit of a fever... Mori: "...Water?" fukuzawa: *goes to get it* -elsewhere- Tachihara: "That's what you all retrieved?" *looks at the statue* "Some bird?" pushkin: a maltese falcon. ^^ hirotsu: hmm... Tachihara: "Like in the movie? If we smash it, will there be a map inside?" katya: i'll get the hammer. hirotsu: -_-; Tachihara: "Yay!" -elsewhere- Relan: ^^;;; "You'll change when you get home..." shinra: yeah, that's one comfort. TTuTT Relan: "...I think you look fine in anything..." shinra: d'aww. ^///^ Relan: ^\\\\^ *hand squeeze* shinra: *smooch* Relan: >///w///< "Hmmm..." shinra: ^////^ Relan: "Maybe take a bath and have a good meal. And pick out your shoes for the dance." -elsewhere- Kid: *pours tea* "Been well, Homura?" homura: *she nods* thank you. Kid: "And your next mission?" homura: there's been a few incidents up north. Kid: "Good progress?" homura: seems like it so far. Kid: "You filed reports? I could take a look..." homura: *she hands him one* Kid: *looks through it* "...Any distinguishing features?" -elsewhere- Black Star: "How'd the meeting go?" tsubaki: i think it went well. Black Star: "...Anything that's going to convince the authorities not to...you know?" tsubaki: hopefully..... Black Star: "...Talk to your dad?" tsubaki: *she nodded* Black Star: "What'd he tell you to do?" tsubaki: ... Black Star: "What'd he tell you to do?" tsubaki: ... Black Star: "...And if you say it, will the cops do it?" tsubaki:...i dont want to kill them. Black Star: "..." *nods* "Idea what to offer?" tsubaki:.....well....maybe we could....and this is going to sound crazy....take them in? Black Star: "..." o_______o "...Do we even have any more room?" tsubaki: hopefully? ^^; Black Star: "..." *sighs, leans against her side* tsubaki: thanks... Black Star: *nods* "Any time...You going to tell them tomorrow?" tsubaki: probably. Black Star: "...Want me to come?" tsubaki: i would like that... Black Star: "Then I'm there." -elsewhere- White Star: "..." *sniff* -it's quiet- White Star: "..." *inches forward* -in town- tsubaki:... !! Black Star: "The heck..." tsubaki: you felt it too? Black Star: "...Kinda? Like...rage?" tsubaki: come on. Black Star: *follows* -outside- tsubaki: *in sword form* Black Star: *moves into shadows* "..." tsubaki: *quietly* see anything? Black Star: "..." *nods to a corner* "Blood." tsubaki: .... Black Star: *inches along a wall towards the blood* "..." tsubaki: ..... *notices someone* !!! White Star: *turns...stares* Black Star: "?!!!! The hell..." tsubaki: !!! White Star: *swings his blade--* Black Star: "!!!" *blocks* tsubaki: !! White Star: *stares at Black Star, slicing away at him* Black Star: "Gonna need some distance..." tsubaki: *nod* Black Star: *leaps back--* -BOOM!- -smoke fills the area- Black Star: *leaps back* ("Okay, then use Tsubaki's ninja star form to slice through this--") *Someone explodes forward through the smoke, until he is face to face with Black Star* White Star: "..." Black Star: "!!!" tsubaki: !!!! White Star: <...That face...> *lifts up his sword, ready to swing it down--* -blade block- Black Star: "...That face..." tsubaki: ?? *notices the star marking* !!!!!!!!!!! White Star: <Imposter!> *stabs at Black Star--* -blade block- Black Star: *flip over--kick to the back of White Star's head* "Too slow, old man!" White Star: *grunt, falling to the ground* tsubaki: black*star.....look..... Black Star: "...No..." White Star: *motionless, collapsed on the street* tsubaki: di-didnt mifune kill him? Black Star: "..." *leans down, grabs White Star's arm--* *STAB* White Star: *eyes open, a kunai thrown into Black Star's forehead* tsubaki: !!!!!!!!!! Black Star: "..." *starts waving his arms wildly* "GAH! WHAT THE HELL?! THIS STUPID FREAKING THING IS STUCK REALY DEEP NOW!" White Star: *passes out* tsubaki: hold still! im amazed you even survived that. Black Star: TT~TT "I've enough forehead damage to last a lifetime..." tsubaki:...what do we do about him? Black Star: "...We even know this is him? What did he call me? 'Sash of sha'?" tsubaki: 'sashosha', it means 'imposter'. (i really need to help him brush up his language skills) Black Star: "...How the heck I'm the imposter? He could be an imposter! Running around impersonating some dead guy who's freaking dead!" *childishly kicks White Star in the side* White Star: "Umph!" *still passed out* tsubaki: regardless, he still did attack us. we should bring him in. -elsewhere- mahiru: *splashing his face with cold water* >///~///<;;;; Kuro: ._. mahiru: cant unsee it... Kuro: "It couldn't have been that bad..." mahiru: i only saw it for a split second.... *shudders* Kuro: "..." *pat pat* "You know what helps with forgetting awful things? Ramen." mahiru: at this point-.... *lightbulb* SAKUYA! Kuro: *protective cat mode* "Whatever you're planning to do with him--" mahiru: hey, sakuya, you can alter memories, right? Sakuya: *yawns* "Yeah? Why?" mahiru: i need you to remove the past 15 minutes from my memory! Sakuya: "...'Kay. But there may be some side effects." mahiru: *tight grip on his shoulders* JUST PLEASE DO THIS FOR ME, OK?! Sakuya: .\\\\. "Okay, okay--I'll do it! Just relax your shoulders so I can put my hands on your head..." mahiru: *lays down* ok. naho: O/////w/////o *steam coming off her head* Sakuya: *leans over him, presses his hands along Mahiru's head* "..." .\\\\\\. "This may hurt a bit..." mahiru: *gulps and closes his eyes* naho: (come on. come oooonnnn) Sakuya: *closes his eyes...energy appears along his hands--* mahiru:......*yawn* ngh? oh crap, did i fall asleep? how long was i out? naho: =3= Sakuya: "...Yeah. Just for a few minutes. Don't you remember?" mahiru: guess i'm pretty tired after today. ^^; Sakuya: "..." (" 'Pretty' alright...") "Well, better get some food cooking..." -elsewhere- Kid: *kitten yawn* stocking: morning~ Kid: ^^ "Good morning, Angel." stocking: hehe~ ^^ *nose nuzzle* Kid: ^\\\\\^ "So...*yawns*...cute." stocking: ^///^ Kid: *cuddles* "But alas, a busy day..." *hug* -elsewhere- Meme: "All aboard!" tsugumi: yay! Anya: -3- "I could have driven if I could..." EF: do any of you have a license? ^^; Anya: "...I drove a scooter once." tsugumi: ^^; Meme: "We really should get a license--like for a monster truck!" mio: ._.; Anya: "...Or start smaller. Like a 1924 AJS Model D Combo cycle with a sidecar." -silence- Anya: "...I was trying to expand my interests..." tsugumi: and that's totally ok. Anya: TT\\\\TT mio:....you gonna be ok, meme? Meme: *wipes her eyes, smiles* -elsewhere- Izuku: "..." *looks at his hand* tsuyu: how's your hand doing? Izuku: "Still hurts a bit..." tsuyu: ah. *pat pat* Izuku: =\\\= "Just got to get better..." -elsewhere- Chuuya: "...Fuck!" naoya: hm? Chuuya: "I was trying to track someone--and I lost them." naoya: let's see... ~perception~ Chuuya: "They were scrawny, fidgety, kind of nervous--and fast. naoya: !!! he's got some girl as a hostage. Chuuya: *grumble* "Shit...Weapon?" naoya: none i can see... Chuuya: "...Griffin Path." naoya: *nods and heads up the fire escape* Target: *not noticing* "I'm losing my patience: where is your car?" girl: ..... Target: "..." *pulls back his hand to slap her--* ???: *ahem* Target: "?!!!" *swings his arm* -something grabs his fist- naoya: well howdy, buddy, pleasant day today, ya? ^u^ Target: "?!!" *lets go of the hostage, swings his other fist at Naoya* naoya: *grabs other fist and kicks him between the legs* girl: !! Target: .______O *collapses* naoya: *looks at the girl* ....hey. girl: *muffled 'hey'* Chuuya: *grabs the Target* "It's done." girl: !!!! ozaki?! Chuuya: "...Oh shit..." girl: d-did you come here to save me? Chuuya: "..." naoya:...*looks at chuuya* Chuuya: "Y-Yeah...Happened to run into someone and told them the emergency..." girl: are you a secret agent? naoya: .___.;;; Chuuya: "...No. Just in the right place..." girl: .///. Chuuya: "...I'll walk you home." *nods to Naoya* "Thank you, random person." naoya: *already absconded* Chuuya: "...Huh." *turns back* "...You live far?" -elsewhere- Arthur: "..." *pokes the letter with a stick* shinra: -_-; *checks his letter* Letter: "Shinra! Arthur! How are you surviving the Eighth?" shinra: *keeps reading* 'things are pretty hectic here at the 4th as always, what with that oni chick and lava boy selim and all, haha'..... *excalibur face* oh right, those two... Arthur: "??? Oni?" *grabs a sword* -elsewhere- Aizawa: -_-# "...This plan is stupid." yuuji: what is? Aizawa: *sighs* "All Might planned another extracurricular lesson--and he roped in some students from another school." yuuji: oh? Aizawa: "...You remember the last time he wanted to 'make the lesson fun'? He got kicked in the balls." yuuji: ._.; yikes. Aizawa: *sigh* "Attend it. I'm going to need backup." -elsewhere- Kunikida: "..." -nobuko....rokuzo......that little girl.....minato.....they're all dead....- Kunikida: *mutters* "Like I don't know that..." -who will be the next to die, i wonder.....aya? atsushi? dazai? ranpo?- Kunikida: "Shut up..." -...- Kunikida: "..." *curls up* -elsewhere- Dazai: "...Shit." kirako: ?? Dazai: "...Sorry. Just thinking of Kunikida." kirako: .....i hope that he's ok... ranpo: how about i check on him tomorrow after my shift at the shopping plaza? Dazai: "Yes! That would be--...Wait. You still have to do the plaza thing?" ranpo: ok, it's settled then! i'll see him tomorrow then! Dazai: ._. -elsewhere- Black Star: "...Just...Fuck." tsubaki: *hugs him* Black Star: "..." *pat pat* "...Who gave him a right to show up?" tsubaki: i dont know.... Black Star: "...Is he even normal?" tsubaki: .... Black Star: "He looks like...what they all said I was...A demon." tsubaki:....*rubs his back* Black Star: "..." *sighs* "What am I supposed to do?" tsubaki: you arent your father. the only thing you are is you. Black Star: "...And what do I do with him? Kill him?" tsubaki: .... Black Star: "Is a 'dead man' even on Lord Death's kill list anymore?" tsubaki:.....i dont know... Black Star: "...He wake up?" tsubaki: not yet. Black Star: "...Maybe tie the restraints more." -elsewhere- Adam: *head shoved into the wall* "..." lydia: ._.; Hawthorne: "...He would not be quiet." lydia: was....this kind of punishment needed? Hawthorne: "Ask him." Adam: *muffled voice* "I'm okay!" lydia:.... <oh lord give me the strength...> -_-; Hawthorne: <It's in this book.> *taps it* lydia:....oh right, yana's been teaching you. Hawthorne: *nods* Adam: *muffled* "What you guys talking about?" -elsewhere- Kid: *pours tea* "Another cookie?" stocking: why thank you~ julie: *nods* kirika: *nom* Kid: *passes the plate* "And then the cupcakes will be ready..." *sits down* "How has everyone's day been?" kirika: been alright. had to do a photoshoot for school promotional stuff, but at least i got paid for it. Kid: "Oh? For new students?" kirika: more or less. Kid: "Well, good face to put onto the Academy--" Gopher: *pops up from under the table* "I agree!" kirika: *hands him a cookie* hey. Gopher: =w= *nom* Kid: ._.;;; stocking: she's not even shocked anymore. Kid: "I guess that's lov--" kirika: finish that statement and i'll rip off your balls. *casually drinking tea* Kid: .__________. Gopher: owo;;; -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *sits up* *hunger whimper* bram: here you are. *puts down food* Mr. Tsubaki: *sniffs...nom nom nom* *wags his tail* bram:...*faint smile* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *lean* bram:.... *small pet* Mr. Tsubaki: ^w^ *fox chitter* -elsewhere- Sakuya: "You okay?" naho: *snuggle* yeah. Sakuya: *hug* "Good..." *forehead smooch* naho: mmm~ Sakuya: "...Did it bother you?" naho: you and mahi? Sakuya: "Yeah." naho: ...you really think i would be bothered by two men getting all close together?! OwO *slight nosebleed* Sakuya: ^\\\^ "I suppose not..." *wipes her nose* "You seemed to have wanted more?" naho: .///w///. Sakuya: "Sorry to have disappointed..." naho: it's alright, i guess. *hug* Sakuya: *pat pat* "Hey...I love you." naho: i love you too, sakkun. Sakuya: *rubs her shoulder lightly* *smiles* -elsewhere- Chuuya: "I'm home..." sonia: *hugs his leg* Chuuya: "..." *smiles, hugs her* "I missed you so much..." sonia: did you have a good day at work? Chuuya: "...There were challenging parts of it...I'm just glad to be home." sonia: ... Chuuya: "...You were a good girl for Grandma?" sonia: *nod nod* Chuuya: *smiles* "Good to know...It's getting late, though." sonia: ... mito: *streeeetch* Chuuya: *pets Mito* "Time to brush your teeth..." -elsewhere- Asako: *yawns, removes her glasses* ritsu: zzzz.... Asako: "..." *rubs her eyes, then puts a blanket over Ritsu* ritsu: *tiny smile* Asako: ^w^ *pours tea* -elsewhere- lana: zzzzz.... Poe: "..." *tucks her in* lana: uwu Poe: *forehead smooch* -elsewhere- Magaki: "..." tsubaki: <i spoke with the head of the japan branch...> Magaki: <...Oh.> tsubaki: ... <you'll be coming back with us to the states, but under surveillance.> Magaki: <...If I refuse?> tsubaki:...<then they'll most likely kill you...> Magaki: <...You think that would not be welcomed?> tsubaki: .... Magaki: *smiles...and starts crying* <It's what should happen, right?> tsubaki:.....<in my opinion, no. just because some people have done bad things, it doesnt always mean they're bad people...> Magaki: "..." *tries to cover their face--but their hands are still shackled to the table* "..." tsubaki: ... -elsewhere- White Star: *struggling inside a straight jacket* Black Star: "..." DWMA guard: <mr black*star, there's an old man here to speak with you.> Black Star: "??? How old we talkin'?" DWMA guard: <seems like some old hermit.> Black Star: "..." *looks around the Guard to see the Hermit* hermit: .... *weak smile* Black Star: "..." hermit: <mind if we have a chat, young man?> Black Star: "..." *glances back at the room holding White Star, then at the Hermit* "...'Kay?" hermit: *ahem* perhaps english would be easier for you? Black Star: "Oh, totally. What's up?" hermit: normally, i dont visit the city, but i figured today i would make an exception. not every day that i get the chance to meet my grandson. Black Star: "...Wow! Really?!" *smiles* "...Who's your grandson?" hermit:... about yey high, blue hair, star marking on his shoulder, talking to me right now? Black Star: "..." *looks around* "..." *points at himself* "Me? ...Wait...How can you be...?" hermit: it's a long story... Black Star: "...I got time." hermit: alright. Black Star: "...So, what do I call you?" *sits* hermit: for now, you may call me 'grey*star' -a long time ago, when i was still in my youth, i was the leader of the star clan. back in those days, we were just a group of vagabonds, trying to get through life- Black Star: "...By stealing?" grey*star: we were young and stupid. no offense. -we did some reckless things, but for the most part, we were harmless....keyword 'were'. my son, on the other hand, had different ideas on how our group should be run, he had, dark, malicious intentions. - Black Star: "...He took over?" grey*star: *he nods* i tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldnt listen, and i was cast into exile, losing an eye in the process, and the rest was history from there. i dont know why he chose the path of the demon like he had done. i thought he was too long gone to be saved, so i had an outsider come to finish him off, and we thought he had been successful, however, it seemed fate had different plans... Black Star: ._.;;; "...You hired Mifune to kill your kid?" grey*star: ....it does sound pretty bad when you say it like that, but keep in mind just who we're talking about. Black Star: "Yeah, a guy in a straight jacket who tried to kill us." grey*star:....so you've met mifune, then? how is he these days? Black Star: "Got kids." grey*star: is that right? Black Star: *nods* "He's good at it." -elsewhere- Mifune: *sneezes* yuma: you're not getting a cold, are you? D8> Mifune: *sniffs* "No. Maybe just some dust..." -elsewhere- Takehisa: *adjusting his tie* shinra: *antsy* Victor: "Vulcan, you got to wear a shirt." Vulcan: -_- "Fine..." *buttons up a shirt* lisa: ... *small pout* Vulcan: "??? Lisa? You okay with this?" lisa: y-yeah... Arthur: "The event should be populated..." tamaki: soooo, who's hosting it again? Akitaru: "The Fifth. So it'll be all kinds of fancy." tamaki: cool. Relan: ^^ "Get to catch up with friends..." shinra: yeah. im sure the other members of the other brigades will be there too. Akitaru: "Like the Fourth..." shinra: hey, maybe ogun and the others will be there too. (and commander arg...) Arthur: "??? Ogun is alive? I thought he was eaten by that griffin that keeps mailing letters..." shinra: maybe you'll see those two cheerleaders of yours too, arthur. tamaki: what cheerleaders? am i gonna have to kick someone's ass? Arthur: .\\\\\. "It was a long time ago. We don't talk about it. I can't remember. I have brain damage." shinra: i knew it. iris: *chop* be nice -3- shinra: yes ma'am. o-o; Relan: ._.;; Arthur: >\\\\< -elsewhere- Benimaru: "Everyone ready?" fang-hua: *nod* kirei: i believe so. Konro: *in his formal kimono* *looks around* "...Where's--" Tsukiyo: =w= -elsewhere- lana *holding poe close* sorry you had a nightmare, edgar... Poe: *shivering* lana: *hugs* its ok, im not going anywhere, alright? Poe: Q~Q "P-Promise?" lana: *kiss* of course, always. Poe: "..." *cries quietly* -she'll abandon you eventually, who could love an abhorrent freak like you?- Poe: *sob* "I'm..." lana: *rubs his back* Poe: *sobbing* "I'm a freak..." lana: edgar... Poe: "They said it..." lana:...if i could, i would go into your head and take out that voice that keeps hurting you. Poe: "..." *small chuckle* lana: ? Poe: "I-I would really like that..." lana:...*smiles and kisses his forehead* Poe: TT\\\\w\\\\TT -elsewhere- Kishiri: "Stupid tie..." >-< mikami: ? Kishiri: "Boss said I needed one...But it stifles my style..." ryuuko: how unfortunate. Hibana: "Fuck boi ain't a style, Kishiri." Kishiri: Q_Q "...How long you been--" Hibana: "The entire time." ryuuko: we'll send our best regards to your next of kin. Hibana: *smirks* Kishiri: *stares at Ryuuko* "Rude!" -elsewhere- Black Star: "..." *presses his fingers to his temples* "That's a lot to take in..." grey*star: i could imagine... Black Star: "...What would you suggest doing with him?" -elsewhere- Takehisa: *gets into the driver's seat--taps the GPS on his phone* "Everyone ready?" shinra: yep. tamaki: mmhmm. iris: ^^ Relan: *nods* Vulcan: "..." *looks at Lisa* lisa: y-yeah. Vulcan: *holds her hand* Victor: *looks at Nozomi* nozomi: y-yeah... karin: *pats her back* Akitaru: *nods* "Okay, let's head out." Takehisa: *backs out of the garage* -elsewhere- Patty: *shiny eyes* "IT'S SO BIG AND FANCY!" takeru: y-yeah. hito: i heard the 5th commander lives in this building. Honda: "Indeed! She made a lot of money from her work with Haijima!" 3rd acting commander: *pacing, too nervous to go in* o~o;;; hito: isnt that commander tennouji? Honda: "??? COMMANDER!" *spreads out his arms and starts waving both of them wildly* "OVER HERE! HELLO!" tennouji: EEP!! c-c-commander honda, p-p-please dont startle me like that! >~<;; Honda: "...Right. No bear hugs--I remember that! Still nervous about going in? Hibana won't bite your head off or anything! And her daughter is a sweetie! Right, Juggernaut?!" takeru: r-right. tennouji: im not sure if i should be going in at all, im not even an official commander and *mutter mutter mutter* Patty: "??? I like your outfit!" tennouji: oh, um...t-thank you. ._.; -inside- Fulham: -_- "We got here too early, sir." Burns: "It is important to be punctual." Hibana: -_-# "Saaaaaaaaave me from this annoying guy..." pearl: ^^; Burns: "So, Hibana, what did you do with that ankle bracelet after you were exonerated?" Fulham: ._. Hibana: *stare* "...When you lost your eye, how much money did you save on eyedrops?" gabriella: ^-^;;; hibana, please... Fulham: .___.;;; "How about a drink? Or maybe mingle with other people, sir--Oh, look! Kusakabe arrived!" Hibana: "I need two drinks..." shinra: OwO;;; *whispers* tamaki dont do anything too rash. tamaki: sod off, shinra. Relan: "...Don't hiss at Burns, Tamaki." tamaki: i wont!..... *nasty glaaaare* gabriella: (this is going to be a long night... ^^; ) Relan: *innocent whistling* Hibana: "!!! Iris!" *hug* iris: hello sister. ^^; gabriella: *phew* Hibana: "Are you feeling well?" iris: i'm doing alright. -elsewhere- Asako: "That looks amazing, Commander!" huang: thank you. *she wore a pantsuit* Asako: ^^ "I asked the vehicle be pulled up--Is everyone here?" vivian: yep! tao: *nod nod* Asako: "Very good--and wonderful clothes!" -inside- Ogun: "--and then I said to him, 'Kusakabe, that's one way to open a door'!" shinra: ?? !!! *waves* OGUN! HEY! 8D gwen: ..... Ogun: "Speak of the Shinra!" *fist-bump* shinra: it's been ages, man! tamaki: friend of yours? Relan: "???" shinra: arthur, you remember, ogun, right? from school? iris: oh, so this is ogun? it's nice to meet you, sir. ^^ Ogun: "Hello, Sister. Good to meet you, too." shinra: *smiles and looks at relan* Relan: .w.; Ogun: "And you're Relan? Happy to meet you!" Relan: *nod nod* "Th-Thanks..." shinra: ^u^ tamaki:.... 7-7 gwen: ......... Arthur: "Oh. Hello." gwen:.......hi arthur... tamaki:.....*holds his hand* Arthur: "..." *squeezes Tamaki's hand* "This is Tamaki." shinra:.... ? what happened to the other girl? gwen: ......................................................... Arthur: "Where's Morgan?" gwen:....*shaking* Arthur: "...Oh." shinra:......!! s-shit... iris: *small prayer* nozomi: ..... Arthur: "...Was she given last rites?" gwen:...*nods* Arthur: "...I'm sorry." gwen: i couldnt even do anything....im really...really useless, huh? nozomi:....dont say stupid things like that. Arthur: "..." Victor: "???" nozomi: if you just give up now, then...then how will you ever get better?! karin: nozomi... nozomi: my father, he was working on a cure for this, he worked so hard, even though he became an infernal himself....still, i cant just give up like that. even though i've been through a lot recently, learning things i wish i didnt, but it doesnt matter now, because i have to be the one who carries my father's legacy. Victor: "..." *small smile* shinra: *smiles* aw yeah, she's back! nozomi: *smiles* excuse me, i need to go do something, i'll be right back. *heads off* tamaki: ah... Arthur: "???" nozomi: *looking around, until she finds a room. seems to be a dressing room.* .... *she walks over to where the mirror is*........*she takes a pair of scissors and cuts her hair shorter* -elsewhere- Takehisa: *standing by the wall* maki: heyo~ ^^ Takehisa: "Hello." *sips his punch* "...It's starting well enough." maki: yeah....say, let's go dance! Takehisa: ._. "...Okay?" maki: *takes his hand and pulls him onto the dancefloor* karin: oho, seems we got a few lovebirds here~ Akitaru: "??? Oh? They've been friendly for a bit..." karin: but look at the captain's face. Takehisa: =\\\\= Akitaru: "???" karin: he's got it bad. Akitaru: "...Ooooooh...Huh." -elsewhere- Benimaru: "...It's not terrible." kirei: ^^ Tsukiyo: *pours some wine* kabuki: ^^; *in a suit* Tsukiyo: "Nice jacket!" kabuki: why thank you. Tsukiyo: *touches the fabric* tao: OwO ~? Tsukiyo: "So soft~" =w= tao: whatcha doooin? kabuki: hmm? fang-hua: ah! Benimaru: "Behave. Now. Or I'll send you home." Tsukiyo: >3< misora: T3T (stupid miko hanging all over beni...) miwa: you ok, misora? misora: OwO; fine! just fine! -elsewhere- Asako: "Hello, Gabriella." gabriella: asako, nice to see you doing well. Asako: *nods* "How is the Commander?" hanako: hi miss. ^^ gabriella: im making sure she behaves tonight. ^^; Asako: "I appreciate that, after the last time she and the Commander--" Hibana: "Commander." -_-# huang: hello hibana. *nods* Asako: .w. *smiles at Hanako* ^^; "Let's let your mother and the Commander talk alone..." Hibana: "Still running the hospital?" huang: indeed. Hibana: "Huh. I see you saved Shinra from dying." huang: *nods* it's been pretty busy for all of us. Hibana: "Yes...which is why it's good to kick back a bit. What will you have to drink?" -elsewhere- Patty: "--and he bought me this shiny necklace!" vivian: how cute! ^u^ Patty: "I love what you did with your hair! Where'd you get it done?" vivian: i had a professional hair stylist from paris fly in to style my hair tonight! Patty: owo "Wooooooow...Kid once had pizza flown in from New York because I kept poking him with a stick!" Kishiri: "--and I'm telling you, the chicks are into tall guys. You feel me?" takeru: you're sure about that? b-but what if i step on them?! Kishiri: owo;;; "...Hey, man, I'm not judging your kinks--but I think you need to get their permission for that kind of thing..." takeru: i guess i should be careful of where i walk, then. ._.; Kishiri: "Yeah, you do that. But, um, I thought you were happy enough with Thompson over there, so you're probably not looking into other people..." takeru: ??? wait, i thought you were talking about baby chickens ._.;; Kishiri: "..." *pours another drink* "I'm gonna need this...Man, your kinks are _really_ messed up, bro." takeru: ?????? *confused* -elsewhere- Arthur: "..." tamaki:...*lean* Arthur: "..." *puts a hand on her shoulder* "Thanks." tamaki: no prob... Arthur: "...A lot has changed." tamaki: i can imagine... Arthur: "..." *looks at Tamaki* "...So have you." tamaki: *blush* Arthur: "..." *pats her hand, holds it* tamaki:...*hugs* Arthur: .\\\\. "..." *shakes a bit* "Th-Thanks..." -elsewhere- Fulham: *sipping water* pearl: enjoying yourself? Fulham: *shrug* "A'ight. Fine." pearl: im glad. Fulham: *nods* "You like it?" pearl: it's nice. ^^ Fulham: "Good...You dance?" pearl: sometimes. Fulham: "Interested?" pearl: a-as in right now? Fulham: "...I mean, it can be later?" pearl: r-right. ^^; -elsewhere-

[patchwork-panda]

If A Moment Is All We Are (33/?)

“Good.”

Kunikida walked around me, his gray-green eyes sweeping over my body as he took in my form.

“That’s right, Kusunoki. Keep your shoulders squared. Just like that.”

He kept circling me, his eyes traveling from my shoulders to my arms as I moved to adjust my stance. When he came to my right elbow, he paused, the neutral line of his lips dropping into a thoughtful frown as his gaze settled on my right hand.

“Kusunoki...”

I swallowed nervously.

“Y-yes?”

I felt the heat of a faint blush rising to my cheeks as he came a little closer. One large hand settled warmly on mine.

“Make sure to keep your thumb tucked under your fingers when you’re making a fist,” Kunikida said, gently taking my hand and folding my thumb into the correct position.

“If you don’t, you’ll break your thumb when you land the punch.”

“Right...”

I swallowed thickly, my mouth suddenly too dry to form the words.

“Thank you, Kunikida-san.”

Kunikida smiled.

“Of course.”

He released my hand and took a step back.

“Now then.”

He pointed his finger at the mannequin in front of me, which was actually just a large inflatable roly-poly toy (okiagari-kobōshi) someone had scrawled an angry face on with a Sharpie.

“Punch him.”

I glanced from Kunikida to the doll, clenching and unclenching my fists in preparation as I stared down the doll with its beady black eyes.

Okay, here goes nothing...

Clenching my fists as tight as I could, I cocked my right arm back exactly the way Kunikida had shown me and released my punch. Wind whistled past my knuckles. A sharp, audible crack echoed throughout the room as my fist made contact with the doll. I looked to Kunikida as it reeled away from me with a loud squeal, my heart pounding in my throat and my fist stinging slightly from the hit.

“Not bad.”

Kunikida’s smile grew just a tiny bit wider and I instantly felt my heart beating faster at the acknowledgment. Nodding approvingly, the tall blonde gestured at the doll, which was slowly but surely uprighting itself on the tatami mat floor.

“Do that again. Other hand this time.”

I nodded back and drew my left fist back, preparing to strike it again.

Day Two: my second training session with Kunikida.

Hoping to spend a little more time with my handsome mentor before training officially began, I decided to arrive a little earlier than I had yesterday—so I could join him for a full meditation session rather than just the tail end of one. To my delight, I ended up arriving at the exact same time as Kunikida and I got to spend a full ten minutes sitting quietly by his side.

Just the two of us.

Alone.

Admittedly, I might’ve been just a little too excited to properly clear my mind and try to actually meditate, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. And at least I was able to think about someone other than Dazai today...

In fact, I was actually kind of excited to continue where we left off yesterday. Sure, maybe Kunikida was wearing a T-shirt under his gi this time (probably for the better. I’d probably die of a thirst-induced nosebleed if things had kept going the way they had) but I’d mentally prepared myself for anything and everything. I was really looking forward to learning how to break away from a sudden grab attack...

Especially if it meant getting to hold or be held by strong, handsome Kunikida...

Unfortunately for me though, after the... incident... Kunikida decided to abandon the grab counters entirely in favor of teaching me how to punch and block instead.

I guess he was still feeling understandably awkward about it.

Darn.

“Good.”

Pulling out his notebook, Kunikida paused to write something down.

“Keep it up, Kusunoki. I want to see you do that a few more times before we move on to blocking.”

I nodded and kept going, alternating between left and right punches as Kunikida walked over to the corner where a group of training dummies stood waiting on standby. I watched as he paused to look them over, his hair gleaming like finespun gold in the early morning light, his pure-white gi stretching over his broad back, his sage-colored eyes soft and contemplative as he studied the mannequins.

If only I could tell him the truth... That I really was okay with what had happened yesterday, that maybe I even liked it.

That I liked him.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, Kunikida turned around to look at me and my fist glanced off the doll’s cheek without actually hitting it.

One corner of his lips quirked upwards in amusement and I was so distracted by the way he was looking at me that it took me a moment to realize that Kunikida Doppo was smirking.

I flushed.

“Concentrate,” Kunikida rumbled, with the barest hint of a laugh.

“S-sorry.”

But my concentration was definitely shot. As I resumed punching at the doll, I found my gaze constantly wandering over to Kunikida, who was now pushing aside a training dummy that looked like it had been clawed by a large cat (probably Atsushi’s doing. If I recalled correctly, his Ability allowed him to transform into a white tiger). I watched him select the least battered wing-chun dummy in the set before forcibly returning my attention to the roly-poly doll I was abusing.

Even though Kunikida was wearing a shirt under his gi today, I could still see the way his muscles tightened as he moved...

“Kusunoki-kun.”

I stopped punching the dummy, which let out one final pained squeak, as Kunikida finally arrived with the wing-chun dummy in tow.

“This,” he said, setting it down in front of me with a heavy thud, “will be our next opponent. I’m going to use this to show you a few different blocking techniques. For that, I’m going to need your help.”

He tapped one of the three wooden pegs on the top row.

“Stand behind the dummy and move the arms towards me. Try to go slow so that you can watch what I’m doing.”

I nodded and got into position, watching and listening carefully as Kunikida taught me the moves. Fortunately, it didn’t take me very long to figure them out and a short while later, we switched off so I could practice.

“Good,” Kunikida said, nodding approvingly as I raised my forearm to block. “Keep that up, Kusunoki-kun. Just remember to concentrate.”

“Yes, sir!” was all I managed to get out before another arm came sliding towards me.

“I think you’re ready for the next phase,” Kunikida decided, the beginnings of a broad grin making its way onto his face.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         “What do you think? Want to try it?”

“Next phase?” I parroted, throwing my arm up in time to block another hit.

Kunikida nodded.

“Combining what I’ve taught you so far,” he said, a tiny spark growing in his eye. “I think you’re ready.”

And before I knew what hit me, that gorgeous, devilish smirk reappeared on his face, so fast it was almost out of character. Almost.

He looks so proud...

My heart raced.

I bet this is the face he makes when he’s doing something he’s passionate about.

I could not say no to that face.

“Sure.”

“Great!” Kunikida exclaimed. “Here’s how we’re going to do this. When I move the top arms on this dummy, I want you to duck. When I move the ones in the middle, you block. And when you see an opening of any kind—any that you feel safe taking—I want you to throw a punch.”

He tapped a blank spot in the middle section of the dummy.

“Right here. And don’t worry, I’ll go slow. You ready?”

“Yes!”

And with that, lesson three began. True to his word, Kunikida started slow—slow enough that I was able to get used to the hits fairly quickly. After just a few rounds, I was able to recognize the patterns Kunikida was using and as the opportunities for hits, blocks and ducking began to fall into a steady rhythm, I found my thoughts drifting...

I had no plans to use my Ability on Kunikida for ulterior motives. But was it possible to use my Ability for combat situations? Or to suss out potential enemies?

Kunikida aimed an arm at my head and I ducked.

What if—just what if—I ran into an enemy I was able to touch? Would I be able to use my Ability to tell when attacks were incoming? Or from what direction? Could I use it to save my life or another’s in an actual fight?

“Oda-san took out an entire battalion of soldiers before his demise,” Akutagawa’s voice echoed.

Another wooden arm came at my head and I ducked again.

Oda-san...

As I threw out my next punch, I thought back to the lone grave under the tree in the cemetery.

S. Oda...

I had no proof this was the same person as the “Oda-san” Akutagawa had spoken of in the parking garage. The only things the two seemed to have in common were the fact that both were deceased and they shared a last name—a very common one.

I blocked just as an arm came swinging in from my right.

“When they told me an Ability User who could see the future had appeared once more, I was set on capturing them at all costs... I thought perhaps you were the second coming of Oda-san.”

The top arm swung towards me and I ducked once again.

An Ability User who could see the future, like me...

From what Akutagawa had said, it seemed my Ability was similar to his, this Oda’s. Similar but not the same, apparently. But still useful enough that the Port Mafia had taken an interest in him.

Who was he? And what connection did he have with the Port Mafia?

I heard a soft thwack as my fist made contact with the center of the dummy once again.

Kunikida’s eyebrows furrowed together.

“Kusunoki...”

“Oda-san... That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”

Dazai knew of him. And he seemed to know Akutagawa too. Did the rivalry between the Agency and the Port Mafia stretch that far back?

But the way he’d laughed...

“Kusunoki.”

Dazai had laughed almost as if we’d been talking about an old friend...

And his face...

I threw out my left arm just in time to block the incoming hit.

He looked just like Professor Matsuyama did when we stood there in the cemetery in front of Kei’s grave. Such a quiet, yet wistful smile...

Just looking at him made my heart ache...

“Kusunoki!”

I came to with a sharp gasp just as a wooden peg came rushing towards my head.

There wasn’t enough time to block or duck!! What should I—?!

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for impact. But all that happened was the arm coming to an abrupt stop at my temple. I opened my eyes to see Kunikida, standing on the other side of the wing-chun dummy, his grin now completely gone and his gray-green eyes stern.

“Kusunoki...”

I felt a light tap as Kunikida softly nudged the arm against my head.

“You were distracted,” he said, his frown deepening. “You do realize that in an actual fight, your opponent won’t give you many chances to strike back or defend yourself?”

“I... I know,” I mumbled, a slow flush of shame coloring my ears.

Unable to face him, bowed my head and looked away.

“I’m sorry.”

“‘Sorry?’”

Kunikida’s voice was low, troubled.

“I don’t mean to be harsh with you, Kusunoki-kun, but it’s dangerous for you to lose concentration when you’re in the middle of something like this. You could’ve gotten hurt.”

But as I found myself staring at a tiny bit of tatami unraveling on the floor, I heard Kunikida breathe a very heavy sigh from the other side of the dummy.

“I’m not angry with you, Kusunoki-kun,” Kunikida said softly, stepping out from behind the dummy. “Nor am I looking for an apology.”

He grew quiet.

“I just want to know if there’s something going on.”

I looked up.

“Huh?”

“You’re still distracted,” Kunikida said, now sounding a touch concerned. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

I hesitated.

Kunikida-san...

He was worried. About me.

I studied the tall, blonde detective’s face, his handsome features tightening in a show of unease. My stomach twisted painfully as I realized I’d done this to him.

I was the reason Kunikida was making such a face right now.

Should I tell him about the grave? Or even the case?

I remembered the way he’d looked at me the night I’d held that glass shard to my neck in the infirmary—the look of absolute horror at what I was about to do.

My stomach tightened further.

Or might it trouble him if he knew what kind of memories this case was about to bring back...?

I looked away.

“I’m alright, Kunikida-san...” I murmured, feeling my bangs shifting slightly over my eyes.

I lifted my hand to tuck them away and smiled.

“It’s really nothing... I was just thinking about my new assignment.”

One of Kunikida’s eyebrows lifted up towards his bangs. He adjusted his glasses and studied me.

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “It was a little difficult getting started without a case partner but there’s no need to worry.”

I can’t make Kunikida worry. Not when he’s already doing so much for me...

I dropped my hand.

“Dazai actually helped me yesterday and it’s going okay now.”

At this, Kunikida’s eyes widened.

“Dazai... did?”

“Y-yeah.” I laughed a little. “I know. Surprising, right?”

When Kunikida didn’t speak, I suddenly realized I’d made a mistake.

Oh no. I just insulted his partner...! Quick, Kyou! Think of something nice to say!! About Dazai, as much as it hurts to!

“I—I mean, I know he’s not usually that serious about his work,” I babbled, “but he can be a surprisingly good mentor when he’s trying to be! Don’t you think? If anything—!!”

I flushed, my face suddenly burning like the steadily rising sun.

“I think I’m really lucky! To have both Dazai-san and Kunikida-san as my mentors!”

Agh! I said it!

I couldn’t take it. I turned around to hide my face as Kunikida’s eyes widened even further.

That was embarrassing! SO embarrassing! If only I had the guts to tell Kunikida what I thought of him without having to bring Dazai into it—!!

But maybe one day...?

“Kusunoki-kun...”

Kunikida’s voice was quiet, hesitant. Almost uncharacteristically so.

I turned around to see him standing there with an unreadable look in his beautiful sage-colored eyes.

“Is that...” he started, his gray-green eyes searching mine for something I couldn’t name.

He swallowed.

“Is that what you really think?”

I felt my breath catch in my throat.

“It... it is.”

“I see...”

He dropped his gaze. He looked like he was thinking very hard about something.

“...Kunikida-san?”

I took a step towards him.

Why was he looking like that? Did I say the wrong thing?

Did I upset him?

But when Kunikida glanced back up, the unreadable look was no longer visible and I found myself once again looking into the calm eyes of a professional.

I stopped moving towards him.

“Should we... go back to training?” I asked hesitantly.

Kunikida’s brows drew together.

“Training?”

“Yeah,” I said slowly. “We were working with the dummy?”

“Right...”

He frowned.

“You’re not tired?”

“No, not at all!” I lied, ignoring the subtle ache in my arms. “Honestly, I could even go for another hour if you want!”

Kunikida raised an eyebrow.

“Really?” he asked.

Crossing his arms, he came towards me.

“You really want to spend another hour training with me?” Kunikida asked, taking his olive-green notebook back out of his gi.

I could feel myself sweating bullets as his gray-green eyes raked over me.

I was starting to regret my words.

“Uh... yes?”

He sighed.

“You’re pushing yourself again, aren’t you, Kusunoki?” he said, to which my only response was a violent twitch.

Busted.

“Don’t do that,” he said, his expression softening. “If you push yourself too hard too fast, you’re going to make things more difficult for yourself down the line. Not to mention you still have the rest of the work day to get through.”

“Right,” I mumbled, rubbing the top of my head self-consciously even though it didn’t hurt.

“And on that note...”

Kunikida looked to his phone as it began emitting a subtle beeping noise.

“I think that’s all the time we have for today,” he said, silencing the alarm and looking back up at me. “Why don’t we end here and pick back up tomorrow? We actually got a lot further than I was expecting today and you’ve already improved a lot in just a couple sessions.”

He studied me for a moment before speaking again.

“...You practiced at home last night, didn’t you?”

I was taken aback.

“You can tell?”

“I can.”

Kunikida nodded at me and for a moment, there was a flicker of that beautiful smile again, the one he’d worn earlier this morning.

If I didn’t know any better...

I swallowed dryly, my stomach doing a weird sort of flip as I looked at him.

I’d say Kunikida looks proud of me...!

“Keep up the good work, Kusunoki-kun,” Kunikida said, turning back around to drag the training dummy away. “I’ll see you same time tomorrow morning. Just remember not to overexert yourself in the meantime, okay?”

He shot me a stern look over his shoulder just as I was about to reach for the dummy, to help him put it away.

“Y-yes, sir.”

“And Kusunoki?”

I let out a surprised squeak as Kunikida lightly swatted his notebook on top of my head.

Kunikida smiled.

“Don’t forget to concentrate.”

***

“Keep up the good work, Kusunoki-kun...”

I couldn’t help wiggling around a little in a sort of happy dance as I picked up the tea pot and moved it towards the cups I’d been preparing nearby in the break room.

He really was proud of me! I’d done something to impress Kunikida-san!

I thought back to the way he’d looked this morning, that playful smirk, those quiet little grins, those beautiful, absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous smiles...!!

I brought my hand to my cheek and sighed.

These training sessions were great!!

Something hot brushed against my finger and I jerked the teapot away from the first cup just as it began to overflow.

“Oh, shit.”

Kunikida had been telling me to concentrate all morning and here I was zoning out again.

I put the teapot down and sighed.

If I really wanted to be the kind of mentee Kunikida could be proud of, then I really had to start focusing more.

I reached for a towel and began wiping up the spilled tea.

That’s right. Focus, work hard, and someday—maybe someday soon—I could finally confess my feelings to Kunikida. I wanted to see him smile more—wanted to be one of the reasons he smiled every single day!

“Kyou-chan...”

Yes, to hear him call me by my name so casually would be the height of bliss!

“Kyou-chan!!”

I actually jumped as a black-clad hand descended on my shoulder.

I whirled.

“Y-Yosano-sensei?!”

“Daydreaming, are we?” Yosano drawled, looking every bit as amused as she sounded.

She reached over the small puddle I was trying to sop up and picked up the only full teacup on the counter, blowing on it softly before bringing it to her glossy pink lips, which were stretched wide in a very knowing smirk.

“I take it the training session went well?”

“H-how could you tell?” I squeaked, going red yet again.

“Oh, I dunno,” she said, leaning on the counter next to me. Her grin widened. “Might have something to do with that little dance you were doing earlier.”

I flushed even darker.

“You saw that?”

“You were humming too,” she pointed out, taking another sip of her tea. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed! I thought it was cute. I bet Kunikida would find it cute too, if you ever decide to show him.”

“Yosano-sensei!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” she laughed, her violet eyes sparkling as she regarded me. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to him, especially if you’re not ready to tell him. I’m just having a little fun with you, that’s all.”

“Thanks,” I breathed, lifting the teapot back up so I could fill the rest of the cups.

“But seriously,” Yosano said, holding out her cup for more tea. “Are you going to tell him any time soon? Because he’s really not good with this kind of thing and if you don’t...”

I put the teapot down as Yosano took her cup with her on her way out of the break room.

“If I don’t...?”

“Ah...”

Yosano paused by the door, her gaze dropping to the floor.

“Sorry, Kyou-chan. I shouldn’t have mentioned that,” she said quietly. “Not my place to. Just... keep in mind what I said, okay?”

“O-okay...”

And with that, she disappeared out into the hallway. Confused, I went out into the hallway with the tray of tea cups and began passing them out to my coworkers.

“He’s really not good with this kind of thing.”

What did she mean by that?

And what was she going to say before she stopped herself?

But as the tray emptied and I went back to my desk, I found my thoughts drifting from Yosano’s cryptic words back to Kunikida’s advice.

Stay focused and work hard. That was the way to the man’s heart.

Which meant it was time to get back to work. If I wanted to make it so that I wasn’t lying to Kunikida about making good headway in my case, I needed to verify the things Professor Matsuyama had said to me yesterday in the cemetery.

I opened my laptop, pulled up the search bar and started typing. A few moments later, I had what I was looking for: news articles from several years back.

The short one mentioning Kei’s suicide was easy enough to find but the information on Kei’s dead parents was a little harder to come by. After about a half hour of searching, I landed upon the obituary. Kei’s parents were indeed long since deceased and the remainder of his family had now moved out of Japan entirely and chosen to settle abroad in the US.

I leaned back in my chair and sighed, staring at the photo of Kei taken in high school, arm in arm with a boy I slowly began to recognize as a much younger Matsuyama Shin. It looked like they were celebrating their scholarships and entry into the university professor Matsuyama now taught at.

They looked like a couple of shounen manga heroes, blissfully unaware of what the future would bring...

I hit print and went to retrieve the documents.

With the police reports and these articles, I’d solved the first part of the case. I now knew exactly who Masaoka Kei was and what his relationship was to Professor Matsuyama.

As for the second part of the case...

“I want you to tell me if Sensei was responsible for Kei-san’s death.”

I placed the articles into the case folder and sighed.

At this point in the investigation, that answer was just about wrapped up as well. Most of the suspicious aspects of the case—the waiving away of the autopsy, the next-of-kin thing, even the professor sneaking off to mourn in private—all of that seemed to check out.

The only thing left unsolved was why the professor felt so guilty about Kei’s suicide.

I bit my lip.

I had promised to leave Natsuki out of any further investigations but I needed another lead if I wanted to close out this final part of the case.

Maybe I should call Nomura again, to give him an update and ask if there was anything else I might be able to look into.

I reached into my bag for my cell phone and immediately groaned when I pulled it back out.

Looks like I’d accidentally opened a video in my web browser while I was busy this morning and now my battery was completely drained. Grumbling to myself, I slid open the drawer that held my spare charger but the first thing I saw when I peeked inside wasn’t the slim white cable I was looking for.

It was the envelope the clerk at the police station had given me.

And Kei’s suicide note was still inside...

Heart pounding, I reached for it with trembling fingers.

Would this give me the answer I was searching for?

I pulled it out and began to read.

“To my dearest Shin-kun...”

My eyes widened.

It was addressed directly to the professor?

I placed the letter on the desk and smoothed it out on the polished wooden surface so I could see it better.

“To my dearest Shin-kun...

By the time you read this letter, I will have departed this world for the next. I apologize that you have to be the one to find me like this but I hope you won’t think too badly of me for it. It wasn’t my intention to leave you and Natsuki in this way. In fact, up until two days ago, I believed I would be parting ways with you at the airport in a few months’ time, with each of us heading for a future much brighter than the ones we’d imagined for ourselves in high school.

Shin-kun, I couldn’t be more proud of you.

I still remember when you had remedial lessons, when you’d come to me for help at the end of the day and I would jokingly offer my tutoring services in exchange for favors or snacks. I remember the day my parents died and how you’d been the one to comfort me when I was crying in the library. And I remember the day we’d arrived together at the university and how you’d fearlessly stepped through the archway while I faltered and watched you go on ahead.

And now, you’ve done it.

You, my best friend and brother, have been accepted into the program of your dreams. In several years time, you will be a history professor at your chosen university, lecturing starry-eyed students while your research papers make it into journals read all around the world. And not only that, but you’ll have Natsuki-chan, while I...”

Pausing for a moment, I squinted at the page and brought it closer to my face.

The ink looked like it was running here and the page was slightly stained...

“Are these...?”

“Natsuki-chan, huh?” said a voice in my ear. “She sounds cute. She single?”

I let out a surprised squeak.

Clapping my hand over my burning ear, I turned to my right to see Dazai perched at the edge of my desk, a thick bundle of electrical cables clutched in one hand.

“What the—?! Dazai-san,” I choked out, pushing my chair away from him as he looked at me.

I didn’t take my hand off of my ear.

“What are you doing at my desk?”

“I wanted to borrow this extension cord,” he said plainly, reaching over my mug of tea with one long, bandaged arm. “You’re not using it, right?”

“I am using it!” I snapped, pushing him away. “Can’t you see I’ve got my phone plugged in? And besides...”

I eyed the collection of electrical cables in his hand.

“Don’t you think you already have enough?”

“Hardly,” he snorted, trying to get around me as I kept pushing the cord away. “These are all way too short. I’m gonna need a bunch more if I want to make it work.”

“Make what work?” I asked, already dreading the answer.

“Oh, just a small project that may or may not grant me the painless death I’ve been longing for,” Dazai quipped.

Brightening up, he turned to me and smiled.

“In other words, I’m braiding these together to make a noose! Wanna help?”

Mortified, I pounced on my extension cord.

“Absolutely not!”

“Aww, c’mon, Kusunoki!” he whined, his eyes getting all big and puppy-like. “I’m not asking you to join me, I could just use a little help getting there! Please, pretty please?”

“I said no!” I exclaimed, my grip tightening on my extension cord.

“Hey, Kusunoki-kun...”

A shiver traveled through my arm and up my spine as Dazai dropped his voice low, his tone sultry and inviting as he spoke right into my ear again. I felt the heat in my face intensify as he began stroking my hand—the one that was still gripping the cable—with one long, thin finger.

“Come on, please?” he whispered, his eyes growing dark. “If this works, I won’t ask you for anything else ever again. I promise.”

His breath was so warm against my cheek. His brown eyes sparkled as they looked into mine.

“Be my accomplice?” he whispered.

Dazai smiled.

“Please...?”

“Please, please, keep what I’ve said to you today from my wife...”

I gasped.

Suddenly I was staring not into the eyes of the attractive, bandaged brunette but the eyes of Professor Matsuyama. I could practically feel the sea breeze on my face as it swept through the graveyard and as my mouth hung slack, I recalled the way the professor had gingerly touched his fingertips to the headstone before him and whispered the words aloud...

“I’ll be seeing you.”

Panic surging through me, I reached out and seized his arm.

“No, don’t!!”

CRASH.

All eyes in the room turned to me as I felt something warm and wet dripping down my arm and onto my skirt. I looked down to see that I’d knocked over the mug of jasmine tea that had been sitting on my desk and as I slowly took in the scene around me, I realized two things.

One, I was clutching Dazai’s bandaged forearm with both hands as if my life depended on it.

Two...

The tea had spilled all over my table and my copy of Kei’s letter was now completely illegible.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 59

well, the sport’s festival has kicked off! and things are getting wild

Akutagawa: "...Please bite me." teacher: excuse me? Akutagawa: "Oh, are you hard of hearing as well in your old age?" kirika: *snickers* teacher: D8< why you little- yana: oh shit son. Akutagawa: *crosses his arms, stares at the teacher* "I am taking notes for my colleague, who is missing class, so I think I'm paying sufficient attention already. Now, proceed, or do you wish to deprive your students of their education, you low-paid, whiny, egotistical halfwit?" yana: *chuckles* teacher: D8< Meme (teaching assistant): ^^; "Araragi? I suggest you apologize to our teacher--" Akutagawa: "Or what?" Meme: "..." *looks at Mio, nods* mio: *hammer arm* someone's gonna get wrecked. Akutagawa: "..." *closes the notebook, slides the pen into it, and hands it to a classmate* "Please protect these from the ensuing battlefield damage. I have to break a hammer in two." -elsewhere- Todoroki: *puts coins into soda machine* "..." eijiro: eeeeey todoroki! are you todor-okay? Todoroki: *stare* "...Ha." -elsewhere- Yumi: *with Shiori in the park* *points* "And that is a dandelion." shiori: dad lion! Yumi: *glasses flash, smile* "So smart!" -elsewhere- Ponera: "..." *pokes the unconscious Shaula* shaula: *whine* mamaaaaa.... Ponera: "...Um...???" shaula: *whimpering* Ponera: "..." *hug* shaula: TT~TT w-why duznt mama love mueh? Ponera: "I-I'm sure she did--does!" shaula: its shho shtuuupiiiid like. she always gives meduza nd arachne aaaalll the attenshun... Ponera: "...Maybe they _need_ more attention? Maybe your mother trusts you?" shaula: zzzzzzz..... Ponera: ^^; ("Now...how do I get her off of me...?") -elsewhere- lana: *resting* Poe: owo;;; *holding a platter* "T-T-Tee-Tee-Tea?" lana: hmm? oh. sure. *smiles and takes it* Poe: owo;;; "I-I'm happy you are here." lana: im happy too. ^^ *kiss on the cheek* Poe: O\\\\\\O "...Why did you do that?" lana: well, cause i love you of course ^^ Poe: "..." *hug* "I love you, too!" lana: ^///^ *hug* Poe: *rests his head* "...I-I-I would...like to get you something for our...um...2-and-a-half week anniversary?" lana: ^///^; that sounds nice. (thinking: oh my god he is too precious for his own good holy shit! >/////< ) Poe: "I-I-I just need to wrap it..." -elsewhere- Lucy: "Heard your stalker got detention." atsushi: yeah....part of me feels kind of sorry for him, but the other part really wants him to leave me alone... Lucy: "Dude could use therapy." *sips her tea* atsushi: yeah....maybe i could ask dazai for advice? Lucy: "Well, they did work together. Worth a shot." odasaku: ..... *remembering how hostile akutagawa was towards him* .... {Akutagawa: "Why does he not trust me?!"} odasaku: .....*sighs* atsushi: *knocking on dazai's door* dazai? are you in there? -THUD- Dazai: "Whoops!" atsushi: ?! dazai?! *using the key and opening the door* DAZAI?! Dazai: *on the floor* "...It didn't work." atsushi:.....!!! *helping him up onto the couch* Dazai: *cough* "W-Welcome!" *smiles* "How are you?" atsushi: we could ask you the same thing... Lucy: "...What the hell were you trying to do?" Dazai: "Kill myself." Lucy: "..." *facepalm* atsushi: ....*sigh* is something bothering you or is it the usual? Dazai: "A bit of both. See, I saw this new beam up there that I hadn't tried before--" atsushi: *sighs* do you want some water or something? Dazai: *nod nod* atsushi: ok. lucy, could you keep an eye on him while i get some water? Lucy: *nods* *stares at Dazai* "...Don't do anything stupid." Dazai: "What, me? I would never! So, you keeping an eye on Atsushi for me?" Lucy: "...Yes?" Dazai: *eyebrow wiggle* Lucy: "...TIGER! HURRY UP BEFORE HE STARTS SAYING WEIRD THINGS!" atsushi: ok i got it! here you go dazai. Dazai: "Thanks, buddy! So, how're you two kids doing?" Lucy: -\\\- atsushi: actually, we wanted to ask you some questions...about akutagawa. Dazai: *spits out his water* atsushi: well, you've known him longer than either of us have. could you give us some insight on why he is the way he is? Lucy: *her face is now covered in spit* "..." *removes her own hankie* Dazai: "...Because I was a shitty teacher." atsushi: ....*listening and hands lucy a paper towel* Lucy: "Thanks..." Dazai: "My attitude was, sink or swim. I wanted perfection..." atsushi: ... Dazai: "That's what I thought the Mafia wanted...what I thought Mori wanted: a soldier, perfect, powerful..." atsushi: ....*remembering how terrified kyouka was of mori* ....(thinking: what kind of person is he...?) Dazai: "And when your boss wants something, you do it...Mori always seemed so...pleased, happy, just wanting to see the best..." atsushi:....i see....do you think....akutagawa hates you because of that? Dazai: "Yes. I think he wants my approval." atsushi: ...wait, didnt you give it to him after the incident on the moby dick? Dazai: "Approval isn't just a one-time thing. You have to keep giving it." atsushi: ...i think i see what you mean....but it makes me wonder how he fell in love with me. here i am thinking he hates me guts...aaah, its so confusing like, why is he like this? and even then he's still hella agro on me! odasaku:...hella agro? atsushi: (thinking: shut up! it slipped!) Dazai: "Hmm...He may be hella agro out of a desire to get closer to that person who receives my approval, his hatred warping into some form of what he considers 'love.'" atsushi:....with all due respect, that's fucked up. odasaku: yeah, that is pretty damn unnerving. Dazai: "Yeah, maybe he should get therapy." Lucy: *soft slap on Atsushi's arm* "See?" atsushi: yep. exactly. but im not sure if we can exactly 'convince' him. seeing he is on the enemy side, after all. Dazai: *sighs* "It's something he has to want to do himself...or have a friend take him." atsushi: .... *lightbulb* we could ask chuuya! Lucy: "...'We'? I think if Dazai asks him it will end badly." Dazai: "Tch. What're you talking about? I'm great with Chuuya! I have a full notebook of 'short' jokes I haven't told him yet!" atsushi: *sweatdrop* Lucy: *chops Dazai* "No." Dazai: TTWTT "Fine. You two ask Chuuya." -and so- atsushi: i think this is the right apartment... odasaku: it's been a while since i've seen chuuya. last i saw him he was getting ready to travel abro- atsushi: *knocks on the door* mr chuuya? Chuuya: *from inside* "Careful--or the fluffy teddy bear will get you with a big bear hug!" atsushi: ???!!! (thinking: what the?) *rings the doorbell and looks at lucy* Lucy: o____o "What sick stuff is he into?" Chuuya: *inside* "Hang on, Sonia--" atsushi: *rings the doorbell again* Chuuya: *looking out the peephole* "???" *opens the door a crack* "...What do you two want?"' atsushi: we were wanting to ask you about akutagawa. sonia: *peeeek* papa, who are these people? odasaku:... !!!??.... how long have i been gone? Chuuya: o_o; Lucy: *shiny eyes* "Oh my God, she is so adorable!" Chuuya: "Um...They are my...classmates, Sonia." sonia:....hello.*small wave* atsushi:....is this a relative of yours? Chuuya: "...I'm taking care of her now...Would you like to come in?" atsushi: um...*looks at lucy* Lucy: "Yes! Thank you!" *enters, bringing in Atsushi by the hand* atsushi: oh, um. o///~///o -and so- sonia: *staaaare* atsushi: have you noticed any changes in akutagawa's behavior recently? Chuuya: "Yes. He is really odd around you." Lucy: "...How old are you, Sonia?" sonia:....you got red hair like mama does...but mama's is a darker red. atsushi: yeah, i noticed that...what was he like? after dazai left the mafia, i mean? Lucy: ("...Doesn't really answer my question...") ^^; "Thank you. I like your hair." Chuuya: "Rather serious, but abusive. Especially towards Higuchi." atsushi: yikes....is she ok? Chuuya: "It took her a long time to get over...a lot of complicated regard she has for him." atsushi:....ah.... Chuuya: "On the one hand, he's gotten a bit better...then there's you." atsushi: *points to himself* me? Chuuya: "He...is infatuated with you." atsushi: ...i kinda know that....but the way he has been going about it is.... alarming. Chuuya: "No kidding. I don't know what to do with him..." atsushi: maybe try getting him therapy? Chuuya: "...Not a bad idea. Don't know how to convince him, though." sonia: *picks up mito and pets her* mito: =w= Lucy: "Oh, you have a cat? What's their name?" Chuuya: "...Mito." mito: *mreeow* ^^ atsushi: oh right, i think i saw her the last time i was here? Lucy: "That's a cute name." *stares at Mito* Chuuya: "Yeah...She's doing well." sonia: she's got the same name as mama....but mama's in heaven now. atsushi: ...... Lucy: "...Oh." sonia: *hugging chuuya* Chuuya: "..." *pats her, hugging her back* -elsewhere- Gin: "...What am I going to do with him?" higuchi: i have no clue. naoya: same tbh. Gin: *sighs, pours another drink* "He'll be in detention all week. That is not helpful for missions." naoya: god damn, did he kill anyone? Gin: "No. He was knocked out by a meister-weapon duo." naoya: seriously? how did that happen?! Gin: "The weapon had two edges...I would not be surprised if he was distracted." higuchi: how do we get him out though...? naoya:...*lightbulb* i could pose as his aunt! Gin: "And do what?" naoya: see if i can talk them into letting him out in those guardian-teacher conferences! Gin: "Ah. That is a good idea. Please do so." -elsewhere- Mori: *sets down tea and cakes* elise: ^^ *nom* miura: ... Mori: "Miura, we should really give you something to let you eat and drink..." miura: it's fine. i dont need anything at present. Mori: "Oh, you don't know what you're missing with this cake." *takes a bite* "Just imagine the taste..." miura: -_-;;;; Mori: "Elise, it is tasty, yes?" elise: *nods* miura: -_-; Mori: "See? Now we just need to give you an intestinal track, taste buds--" miura: i think i'll pass up on your offer. Mori: *shrug* "Oh well. More cake for us, Elise!" -elsewhere- Hawthorne: "..." RHOD member: got a call from pushkin. he said he'd be arriving sometime this month. bandage butler: *pouring tea* FD: "His return will be helpful...but I do not look forward to his bear-hugs." bandage butler: i can imagine after his previous conversation with miss lewis, he will be steering clear of her. short girl: i do not look forward to him lifting me into the air like last time...if he tries that, im going to be tempted to put a bulled between his eyes. yana: jeez katya, chill. FD: *small laugh* "Will certainly be more entertaining around here..." yana: ....huh. im actually surprised there's a bunch of people working with us. for a while, i forgot about the rest of them. FD: "Simply taking care of business abroad. All part of the plan." yana: noted....whats up with the padre? he looks like he's about to collapse... FD: "He...needed to be reprimanded." Hawthorne: *shudders* yana: .....oi padre, you look like shit. Hawthorne: "...Yes." katya: <here i thought the nurse hitting him with a pipe would have given him brain damage. that's one durable priest.> Hawthorne: *stares at Katya* <Indeed.> yana: oh, look at that, he's learning. Hawthorne: *stares at FD* "I will do as you instruct...my lord." FD: *smiles* "Glad to hear." -elsewhere- Sho: "...Him..." dahlia: sir? Sho: "The one with the Adora Burst...He will be dealt with." -elsewhere- Aizawa: *covered in bandages* momo: D8 tsuyu: did something happen? Aizawa: *muffled voice* "I volunteered for medical training today. The lesson was on bandages. The students over-did it." momo: *sigh of relief* Aizawa: "I also have forms for you all to fill out for the Festival--" *tries to pick up papers--but his hands are wrapped* "..." -elsewhere- Lucy: *waves to Sonia* ^^ sonia: byebye... atsushi: ^^ Chuuya: *waves* "...You were very polite to our guests, Sonia. Good job." sonia: .... Chuuya: "...Did they seem friendly to you?" sonia: *nods* Chuuya: "...Want to go out for a walk?" sonia: *nods* Chuuya: "Okay." *pulls out a jacket Kouyou gave him* "This should fit you." sonia: *puts it on....the sleeves are a lil big, but ok* Chuuya: "..." *smiles* "You'll grow into it." sonia: *holding his hand* Chuuya: *smiles* "Maybe we can stop by a shop and pick you up some other clothes, too. You like dresses?" sonia:...*nod* Chuuya: "We'll get you a dress that you like--whatever you like." *opens the door, leading her out* -elsewhere- Lucy: "...So, how are you going to tell Dazai that Chuuya has an adorable daughter?" atsushi: welll..... 7-7;;; -gilligan cut to...- Dazai: "...WHAT?!" atsushi: yeah. ^^; Dazai: "...I need to buy a present!" -elsewhere- naoya: hello there! im ryuzaki's aunt, a pleasure to speak with you! ^^ Akutagawa: o_o; Teacher: "??? Um, hi...How may I help you?" naoya: well, we heard you've given him a week's worth detention for him acting out in class? Teacher: "Yes. It was quite a disturbance in class." naoya: ah. you see, i think he's stressed out because of the time of year. it was around this time that his mother died, my sister in case you didnt know. Teacher: "...I'm sorry." naoya: yeah. Teacher: "Still, his behavior was disruptive, and he must be held accountable--" -elsewhere- Gin: *sigh* "That's a relief." -elsewhere- sonia: *nomming on crepe, shiny eyes* Chuuya: "How is it?" sonia: this is the most delicious thing i have had today. where have these been my whole life? Chuuya: "Hee hee...Well, they're here whenever you want. I mean, during business hours. And only after you have your--" Dazai: "HUUUUUUUULLOOOOO!" sonia:...papa, who is that weird person? Chuuya: o_o; "..." -_- "No one. Just ign--" Dazai: "I'm your Uncle Dazai! Pleased to meet you, Chuuya Jr!" sonia: *glaring at dazai* Chuuya: -___-;;; "This man is just a fool, Sonia, ignore--" Dazai: " 'Sonia'? Why not something better? Like--" sonia: dont talk to me, scrub. Dazai: OWO;;; Chuuya: "..." TTWTT "So proud..." -elsewhere- Kunikida: "How did your mission go?" kenji: it went great! we even got to see one of my friends from ihatov! Kunikida: "Oh? Who was that?" nankichii: *peeeek* Q-Q; Kunikida: "??? That them? Don't just stand there--present yourself." nankichii:....nankichii niimi....im in the city....working for the salamander publishing company.... Kunikida: "Oh, you're an editor?" nankichii: i guess y-you could say that... Kunikida: "...I write." nankichii: are you a novelist? a reporter? Kunikida: "Novelist." nankichii: really? how interesting. Kunikida: "Yes. It is a noir story, with romance." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "...Well, thank you for freeing me from detention." naoya: no problem, akuta. *hair ruffle* ^^ Akutagawa: -_-# *small growl* naoya: *chuckles* Akutagawa: "...Not my fault that teacher didn't shut up." naoya: yeah, i feel you, man. Akutagawa: "And I would've won that duel if I wasn't distracted." naoya: what distracted you? Akutagawa: "..." =\\\\= "The Weretiger..." naoya: ahhh, i see. you really like him, dont you, akuta? Akutagawa: "I-I simply want to dominate him in combat--and maybe make out a bit." naoya: *nods* Akutagawa: "...You think I'm weird, don't you?" naoya: i dont think so at all. whatever floats your boat, dude. some people like girls, some like guys, some like both or more, some arent interested at all, it's no big deal. *shrug* Akutagawa: "...Folks don't want to be intimate with their enemies." -elsewhere- Mori: "How is work going without Chuuya?" kouyou: its been busy. i've already had some of my servants deliver a few things to his apartment. ^^ Mori: "...Happy to see you so devoted." ^^; kouyou: ^^....i was expecting ace to make some smart ass quip, but he is dead, so no one cares. Mori: "Ha ha ha!" kouyou: we still havent found a replacement for him yet... Mori: *shiny eyes* "Time to interview..." miura: ._.; Mori: "Do an internal search among current employees--and maybe we can interview outside--" miura: understood, sir. Mori: "Thank you, Miura." *looks around* -elsewhere- Spirit: *doing push-ups* -elsewhere- Higan: "...Not quite right." -elsewhere- Rin: *practicing with his sword* -elsewhere- louisa: *writing things down* Fitzgerald: "Miss Alcott, update." -elsewhere- Gin: "I am finished." hirotsu: good job. Gin: *bows* "Thank you. Will that be all?" -elsewhere- Kid: *stomach growls* .\\\. stocking hungry? Kid: *nods* -elsewhere- Vulcan: *checking the backyard with magnifying goggles* -elsewhere- Chuuya: "Come along, Sonia." sonia: *walking with him* Dazai: QWQ *broken inside* "...Such awful language by someone so young..." sonia: *glares at dazai* Dazai: D8> Chuuya: *pats Sonia's head* "You have a good day?" sonia:..*nod* Chuuya: "That's good. And we'll have your bed set up tomorrow." sonia: okay papa. Chuuya: ^^; "I think you'll like your own bed. And we can decorate your room. What would you like on the walls?" sonia:....*shrug* Chuuya: "Well...Maybe flowers?" sonia:...i guess... Chuuya: "...Your grandmother likes flowers." sonia: *smiles* Chuuya: "We can meet her tomorrow. Would that be good?" sonia: *nods* Chuuya: "Okay, then. We'll bring Grandma a gift, too." -elsewhere- Akitaru: "..." *sips coffee* "...Why are there linear scorch marks along the walls?" maki: hm? Akitaru: *points* "It's like someone just kept attacking the wall with, what, a laser pointer?" maki:....*stares at arthur* Arthur: *his shirt is scorched, has a flame still burning on his shoulder* "..." *he's still holding a fiery Excalibur* "...What?" -elsewhere- Shinoda: *sipping apple juice* nea: *enjoying an ice pop* hard to believe it's october already. Shinoda: "Yes...Time keeps passing quickly..." *clears his throat* "Have you considered what to do for Halloween?" -elsewhere- Todoroki: *in his pajamas, drying his hair with a towel* fuyumi: im back from work! Todoroki: "Oh. Welcome. How was work?" *pours tea* fuyumi: went well. *smiles* Todoroki: "That's good. The stew is about done." fuyumi: awesome! Todoroki: "...Sis?" fuyumi: hmm? what is it, shouto? Todoroki: "...This is a lot of food. I was thinking of...company." fuyumi: oh? one of your friends from school? Todoroki: "..." *nods* fuyumi: have anyone in mind? Todoroki: *nods* -elsewhere- Hawthorne: *seated in his room, reading* "..." child!hawthorne?: *staring at him, bleeding* ...... Hawthorne: *glances* "...What now?' child!hawthorne?:.....*just smiles, with blank, hollow eyes* Hawthorne: "!!!" *shuts his book* ???:....na...tha...niel.... Hawthorne: "?!" *looks around* -what looks like mitchell is crawling closer to him.....'she' looks up at him, pale skin, with the same blank hollow eyes- mitchell?: its.....so cold....here......i...miss you.... Hawthorne: "!!!" *tries to back up--and falls out of his chair* mitchell?: *she crawls on top of him* im so lonely nathaniel....its so cold its so cold its so cold its so cold -her voice almost sounds like its being spoken over an old radio- Hawthorne: "Get off of me! This is not how I want it!" mitchell?: dont you...love me? *stroking his cheek* Hawthorne: *shudders* "Mitchell...I'm going to s-save you...but you aren't...this isn't..." mitchell?: dont you....want me? Hawthorne: o\\\o "Mitchell...This is not how..." mitchell?: *kissing him...she's freezing* Hawthorne: *trying to push her away* "N-No! Stop!" -knocks on the door- -both the fake mitchell and the young hawthorne are gone- Hawthorne: *collapsed on the floor, shaking* katya: *leaves his food on his desk then exits* Hawthorne: Q~Q -elsewhere- Lucy: *shiver* anne: *pulls the covers up over her* Lucy: =w= "Thank you..." -morning- Kid: *happy sigh* stocking: zzzz Kid: *turns over* stocking: zzzzzzz Kid: *hug* stocking: =w= Kid: *smooch* stocking: hehe~ Kid: "Good morning, angel..." *pats her side* stocking: mmmm~ Kid: "Sleep well?" *holds her close* stocking: mmhmm....you? Kid: "Very...Guess who was in my dreams?" stocking: *smirks* elvis? Kid: *soft chuckle* if I were doing things like _that_ with elvis, that would just be all kinds of weird. -elsewhere- Dazai: *snoring* -elsewhere- Chuuya: *setting out a bowl of cereal with yogurt* sonia: zzzz Chuuya: *sets out cat food, heads to his bedroom where Sonia sleeps* "Sonia?" sonia: *yawn* Chuuya: "I got fruit and yogurt for you, and some granola." -elsewhere- Todoroki: *tossing in bed* -*screaming*- Todoroki: "Wh-What?!" -silence- {Todoroki: *shaking*} {???:...useless...} {Todoroki: *sniffles*} {???: i should have disposed of you the moment you came screaming into this world} {Todoroki: "Wh-Why...Why are you doing this?"} -alarm clock- Todoroki: *blasts an icicle spear through it* -silence- Todoroki: "..." *lets out a sigh, trying to steady his breathing and racing heart* -at school- Mineta: "--and she said, 'But that's how it's supposed to work!'" *smiles widely, waiting for the laugh at his punchline* -no one payed any attention- student: i dont get it. Mineta: D:< "I WAS TELLING YOU A HILARIOUS JOKE! I'll start over. See, it's funny because--" ochako: oh, the teacher is in! Aizawa: "Hi." *in a duck costume* ochako:....*covering her mouth, trying not to laugh* Aizawa: "...I can explain. We need volunteers to dress as mascots for the Festival. Those who are not participating in the games should volunteer. Ask your friends. Or, those of you without friends, ask your classmates." jirou: cool. Aizawa: *hands the flyers to Iida to pass out* Iida: *looks at the mascot options* "...You actually have a capybara outfit?" -elsewhere- Kepuri: *honking the horn* "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" nea: ouo; *in the passenger's seat* Kepuri: *cuts someone off* nea: HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! D8> *legit terrified* Kepuri: "??? What? You said you wanted to get there at a good time. And this is how I always drive." nea: BY GOOD TIME I DO NOT MEAN A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE!! Kepuri: "I told you, I drive this way all the time." *runs a red light* nea: Q_Q;; akaderu: *asleep in the back* Kepuri: "I've been doing this kind of thing for years--never got a ticket once, still got my license. Isn't that right, babe?" akaderu: *sleep nod* nea: how the hell?! i grew up into a mafia family and even _we_ drive better than this! Kepuri: "Then you haven't seen anything yet..." *drives off a platform--off the highway* -elsewhere- Mori: "Elise, just once! Please!" elise: no way. it looks so stupid! >xP make miura do it! Mori: "??? I don't think it's her size...Miura, can you shrink your body?" miura: no. -_-; elise: lame. and we cant use rainy's body because she wont react.....what did you ever even do with it, rintarou? Mori: owo; "...Buried it, of course." elise: did you really? -.- Mori: "Would I lie to you?" elise: .... -.- Mori: "Now, no one is leaving until someone in this room puts on this dress." -it ended up being mori who put it on- -elsewhere- Gin: *tosses her kunai at the wall* "Stop." ayako: OuO;;; higuchi: o.o; Gin: "Watch again. Higuchi will help me demonstrate." -elsewhere- Todoroki: *writing notes* -elsewhere- fang: uu! kurome: *showing him a picture book* Kurogiri: "D'aw..." himiko: ^^ Kurogiri: "I brought snacks..." *holds up a tray* kurome: *nom* thank you, papa ^^ Kurogiri: "You're welcome. Make sure to chew your food--and have some juice." -elsewhere- Arthur: *in angel wings* shinra:....i think boyle has finally cracked. Arthur: "I descend from Heaven. I stand here on Earth. I am your Holy Knight to protect you all." licht: ..... Hyde: "...Kick his ass, Licht." licht: *grabs hyde and throws him at arthur* Hyde: *SCREAM* Arthur: "???" *tries to swing his sword, but--* -KO- Arthur: X___X Hyde: *twitching* shinra: i'll dig another grave for arthur's dignity....again. Hyde: "Licht...Save me...I’m dying..." licht: i'll arrange your funeral then. Hyde: D:< "Avenge me!" licht: i shall bring you to heaven because *pose* i am an arch angel here to bless you. Hyde: "..." .\\\. iris: i have no idea what's going on right now. shinra: ditto. Relan: "...Evidently, Arthur's dead, and Hyde's going to get a funeral?" -elsewhere- Izuku: *doing chin-ups* -elsewhere- Todoroki: "..." *drawing in edges of paper* momo: you alright, todoroki? Todoroki: "??? Fine. Thank you. Just focusing on the competition." momo: ah. Todoroki: "...I know you are as well. Good luck." -elsewhere- Vulcan: *crushing cans* -elsewhere- Black Star: "I'm going to hit this one far!" *has a baseball bat and ball* soul: alright. *eye glint* sayaka: wa wa waaaa kilik: ^^; Black Star: *holds the bat, ready to knock the ball out of the park* soul: *TOSS* Black Star: *swings* -SHAWIIING- *crack* soul: oh... oh shit. Touma: "WHO DID THIS?!" sayaka: FUCKING BAIL! kilik: oh shit oh shit oh shit. Touma: *running* @@#^@$@T$*@&Y$!!!! Black Star: "..." soul: O-O *grabs him and runs* Touma: *catching up to Sayaka* "YOU'RE PAYING FOR THAT OUT OF YOUR ASS!!!" sayaka: *SCREEEEECH* ???: "Oh no you don't!" sayaka: ueh? Johannes: *surgeon punch* Touma: D: *knocked down * sayaka: o.o ..... Q_Q;;;; soul: are you fuckin real right now? Johannes: *wicked voice at Touma* "So...I see I have a new patient..." *removes a scalpel* "Time to operate..." *then smiles at Sayaka* "Hello, Lima Bean! Long time~" sayaka: TTuTT (thinking: just when i thought this chapter of my life was over..... W H Y ???? ) mafura: D8> Touma: *dazed* "I see the stars...Am I in outer space?" Johannes: *shiny eyes* "How have you been? You look taller. How's your health? Need a blood test? Turn and cough..." mafura: please dont die mr touma! D8> sayaka: *voice crack* been good. Touma: "God? Is that you? I see the light..." Black Star: "...Um...Maybe we should head home--" Johannes: "I'll give you a ride!" mafura: *poke poke* sayaka: aaactually my mom was gonna give us a lift! OuO;; Touma: *his mouth moves, bleeding a bit* "Nom nom..." Johannes: "Then I shall meet her and let her know how great you are!" kilik: yeah, im sure she'd love to meet the weirdo who has been harassing her daughter. soul: oh sick burn. Johannes: "I'm not harassing! I'm talking!" kilik: yeah, you're just one letter missing from that. soul: oh sick burn x2. mafura: mr touma! you're bleeding! should mafura make it better? Touma: "Yes, Miss Angel--help me..." Johannes: *somehow already behind Kilik and Soul, twin scalpels ready* "..." kilik + soul: O_O; you sure he isnt related to stein?! sayaka: not that i know! mafura: *licking the blood........her pupils dilate* Johannes: *looks up at Mafura* owo;;; mafura: *charging at them* sayaka: !!! *blocks with her sword* HOLY FUCK! kilik: ?!?! soul: the fuck is wrong with her?! Johannes: "Don't let her bite you!" sayaka: IS IT RABIES?! mafura: *snarling* Johannes: "More like a vampire!" sayaka: O_O BLACK*STAR DO SOMETHING! YOU'RE THE VAMPIRE EXPERT HERE! Black Star: "..." *walks up to Mafura* mafura: *hisses at him* kilik: O_O; Black Star: *takes Mafura by the back of her neck* mafura: *growls* Black Star: *slams her, face first--into Touma's forehead* -KO- -elsewhere- Poe: *humming* karl: *resting on his head* Poe: *looks over the pages* "..." *nods* *turns to the first page, and writes a dedication...* karl: *peek* *Dedication: "To Lana, the light that illuminates the recesses of my mind, and gives eternal warmth to my heart”* karl: ^^ Poe: "..." *looks at business card* "... ... ... I CAN'T DO THIS!!!" karl: *pap pap* Poe: "M-Maybe I should burn the manuscript. The publisher doesn't need to see this! Just destroy it--" karl: *raccoon chop* =3= *raccoon sounds* Poe: Q~Q *rubs his head* "You make a persuasive argument, Karl...I can set this aside and think about it..." karl: ^^ Poe: "...I don't even know whether she'll like it." -knocks- Poe: *tenses* "Y-Yes?" lana: hey. hope you dont mind me dropping by. ^^ Poe: owo "N-Never! Delighted to see you! How are you? Hello, Lana!" lana: ^^ doing good. hard to believe it's october already. Poe: "!!! It is?! But I haven't decorated for Halloween yet!" lana: i could help you out if you want. Poe: "...YES! I would like that." -elsewhere- Shotaro: "Welcome back!" nea: *scarred for life, foaming at the mouth* awawawawawawawawa...... Emine: "..." *stares at Kepuri* "Teach me how you did such a bad deed." Kepuri: -_-; "I didn't do a bad deed. We were test driving my new modified car--" Shinoda: D: "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" *shakes Akaderu* akaderu: 'parently she has motion sickness. nea: awawawawawa... Shinoda: *smashes wall glass with tiny mallet, revealing a small refrigerator with frozen ice cream inside* "Eat! You must recuperate!" Kepuri: ("I bet he won't even thank me for installing the 'Emergency Cold Stuff' wall unit...") nea: *nom* TTuTT Shinoda: "It's okay. You're safe now..." Kepuri: *looks at Akaderu* "What's with people not able to handle a quick drive?" akaderu:....*shrug* -elsewhere- Jacqueline: .\\\. -elsewhere- Chuuya: "...Can you recommend a school for Sonia?" secretary: a school, sir? hmmm. depends on what you're looking for in terms of her education. Chuuya: "Private. Best in the area. Good security." secretary: let me just take a look then, sir. Chuuya: "Thank you." Mori: *calling out from his office* "I think it looks wonderful!" secretary: -_-; Chuuya: "What the--" *Mori comes out in the dress* miura: -_-; elise: *laughing* secretary:............ mafioso:...consider this my week's notice. Mori: "See? Elise likes it?" Chuuya: o_o; "..." -_- *pulls out a flask* naoya:.....im not sure if this is the best or worst thing i have ever seen... Akutagawa: "..." *bringing Rashomon to his own eyes* rashomon: *blindfold mode* hirotsu:.....*takes a long drag* to each their own, i suppose. mafioso 2: aaaand posted! Mori: owo;;; "...'Posted'?" mafioso 2: ..... >3>;;; -underground- yana: oh. my. fucking. god. FD: "???" katya: ......no comment. RHOD member: it does make him look pretty, got to give him that. FD: "...I can think of others who would look better in it." -elsewhere- Dazai: "..." *loud laughing* mii:......*cat snerk* Dazai: "Gonna forward this to Ango..." kenji: he looks really pretty ^^ Kyoka: "...I can't unsee it..." atsushi:........ odasaku:....yeeeah im not touchin that one. Kunikida: "We're not paying you all to stare at crossdressing photos. Back to work." fukuzawa:........ -____-; not even a lifetime of sake will get me to unsee that. Dazai: "Don't know unless you try, Boss!" -elsewhere- ango:......*glasses crack* DAMMIT! Taneda: "???" ango: *exits out* nothing sir. -elsewhere- Relan: "...I wore it better." shinra: so true. Relan: "Speaking of..." shinra: hmm?... o///o oh. Relan: "I can...try it on..." -elsewhere- Touma: *waking up* "Wh-What...?" medic: feeling better? Touma: "...Fine. Where is Mafura?" mafura: *in the bed next to him, asleep* Touma: "...When will she awaken?" medic: she's resting for right now...we had to apply some sedatives to her... Touma: "Get her to recover. When she does, we'll have a mission..." medic: understood, sir. will you be bringing tsurugi along as well? Touma: "Yes." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: =w= *kicks slightly* kirei: he seems happy. Tsukiyo: "Yeah...Any idea why?" kirei: he's probably dreaming about something... {tsubaki: *pet pet* ^^} {Mr. Tsubaki: ^W^ "Am...I good?"} {tsubaki: *nods and hugs*} {Mr. Tsubaki: o\\\o "...That means so much to me..."} {tsubaki: *leans in for a kiss*} {Mr. Tsubaki: o\\w\\o *closes his eyes, leans in...*} -elsewhere- Black Star: *putting ice on his arm* tsubaki: you could have died!! D8 Black Star: "Well, I didn't." ^^; tsubaki: *sigh* honestly... Black Star: "...Hey, it got solved. At least Sayaka didn't get hurt..." tsubaki: well, then again, sayaka is able to heal. right now im more concerned about you! Black Star: "...Thanks. I'll...recover." -elsewhere- Johannes: =w= metsu: you seem in a good mood today, doctor. Johannes: "Ran into someone after a long time~" metsu: oh? Johannes: "That sweet little Lima Bean..." *sigh* metsu:...*dials phone* yes, i would like to report a pervert. Johannes: D: "Why does everyone say that?!" -elsewhere- Aizawa: "Another drink?" namiko:...*nod* Aizawa: *pours* "...Rough, huh?" namiko: yes.....the ropes didnt work.... Aizawa: "You can't go on like that..." namiko: TT-TT -elsewhere- Patty: "Hello, Mrs. Stocking's Mother!" felisia: hello patti. what brings you here? ^^ Patty: "...Can we talk in private?" felisia: ah. what's on your mind? Patty: "...What's it like being pregnant?" felisia: well, other than being sick in the mornings....it's...it's pretty scary...you have a small life growing inside you, and you want to keep it safe... Patty: "...I...never knew what that was like with Big Sis's pregnancy..." felisia: *small shock*......oh... Patty: "...!!! Shit! I shouldn't have said that! D-Don't tell Sis..." felisia: ... ^^ i wont say anything. Patty: "...It's just not something I can ask Liz about when...you know." felisia:....*pats her head*... Patty: -w- "Th-Thanks..." *sniff* felisia: ...... Patty: "I don't know how you all do it...I can't imagine it..." felisia: .... Patty: "A-Are you scared?" felisia:...hard not to be. one of those things that comes with being a parent, i suppose.... *remembering how angry stocking had been with her* .... Patty: "Is it weird having a child pop out of you?" felisia:....it can be painful. yes. and dont forget all the screaming. Patty: o______o "...Yours, or the baby's?" felisia:........................................yes. Patty: o_o; "...I think I'm going to be practicing safe sex for a bit." felisia:....good call. -elsewhere- Rin: "...Have I improved?" shura: sure have. Rin: "...Then why don't I feel it?" kyouko: takes practice i guess. Rin: "I guess...Then I guess I'm still practicing..." -elsewhere- Bakugo: "Don't think I'm going to go soft in the Festival." eijiro: *holding up punching bag* Bakugo: *one punch after another...* eijiro: keep up the great work! Bakugo: *pulls back his fist* "I'LL SHOW YOU WHO IS THE HERO OF THIS CLASS!" *powerful blast* eijiro: *KNOCKED BACK BUT STANDING GROUND* that was.....WICKED SWEET! Bakugo: *panting* "...Still not enough for the Festival...Take five." -elsewhere- Shinoda: "Any better?" nea: =n= *nod* Shinoda: "..." *rubs her back* nea:..... Shinoda: "You're safe now." nea:.....*sniff* i missed you, dummy. Shinoda: "..." *hug* "I missed you, too." -elsewhere- Kid: *stretches* stocking: *hug* *smooooch* Kid: "!!! Hee hee...Jump scare?" stocking: maybe.... i love you so much~<3 Kid: ^\\\^ "I love you, too." *smooch* -elsewhere- Izuku: *swimming laps* mina: *timing him* Izuku: ("The water will give resistance...build up arm and leg muscle...regulate my breath...") *taps the wall, swings around--and pushes his feet off to swim back* -elsewhere- Yohei: *with a picture book* "And so, the inventor put together the pieces, until she made a new toy..." toru: *watching* uu! Yohei: "Hee hee...It's a funny toy, right?" *the picture book has a drawing of a teddy bear, with some soft cloth attached to touch and feel what the bear feels like* "Want to pet the teddy bear, Toru?" toru: *pat pat* ^o^ Yohei: "Soft teddy bear, right?" *there's a button on a toy robot* "What do you think the button does, Toru?" -elsewhere- Konro: *cutting up vegetables* -elsewhere- Chuuya: *in overalls, covered in paint* "I think that's about it..." naoya: nice job. she's gonna love this. Chuuya: *small smile* "I hope so...Thanks for helping." naoya: no probs. ^^ Chuuya: "How have things been at work?" naoya: same stuff as usual, i guess. Chuuya: "Akutagawa behaving?" naoya: define 'behaving'? Chuuya: "Has he compromised the Mafia in any way that required bribing, drugging, or killing witnesses or authorities?" naoya: in short, he hasnt murdered anyone outside of required targets, no. Chuuya: "Well, that's progress..." naoya: i guess... *sigh* the kid's been put through a lot in his life... Chuuya: "..." *nods* "When you are on the street...and then how Dazai treated him..." naoya: .....i never did like that stuck up little shit. his additude seriously pissed me off, acting all high and mighty just cause he is the 'youngest mafia executive in history'. tch-, more like a spoiled brat, if you ask me... Chuuya: "No kidding. You know, there _are_ other executives with accomplishments, Dazai--glory-hog." naoya: yeah, even ace-hole had something going for him, even though he was a BITCH! haha! Chuuya: "Don't let Mori hear you--he likes to think his choices of executives have been excellent." naoya: hey, i wont say anything if you wont. but in all seriousness, acehole can fuck right off. Chuuya: "He certainly failed to have any good will among his subordinates. That is no way to run an operation." naoya: gotta give those rats _some_ credit, they managed to knock him off his high horse....and off the mortal coil. Chuuya: "...Yes." naoya:...just what do those rats want? ....you think this might be another situation like what happened with mimic? Chuuya: "I don't know...Mimic seemed rather focused on one thing. These Rats...just seem to want to rip apart." naoya: ....shit. you got any booze on ya? thinking about all this is just...i dont even know, man. Chuuya: *hands her a flask* naoya: thanks. *takes a long sip* ah, fuck that's good. Chuuya: "You've had your practice with alcohol." naoya: yeah...cant believe its been like, what, 8 years since i joined the mafia? Chuuya: "Any regrets?" naoya: .....about as many as most people, i guess. but no turning back for me now. Chuuya: "..." *sighs* naoya: ......hard to believe you're a dad now. Chuuya: "...I am." naoya:....that kid's going to be depending on you...trusting you....you better not break that trust. *her expression is serious* Chuuya: "I-I won't! I swear." naoya: .....good. *smiles* so, you gonna be in the sports festival? Chuuya: *sighs* "Don't see how I can avoid it." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "..." mafioso: what a day... Akutagawa: "What? Exhausted already?" mafioso: just been a long mission....got something on your mind, akutagawa? Akutagawa: "...No one takes me seriously." mafioso: sir? Akutagawa: "I'm now playing a student, getting detention...Cannot get Dazai to take me seriously, the Tiger..." mafioso:...that's rough, buddy. Akutagawa: "I can't even get drunk..." mafioso: but hey, how about next year, we take out out someplace nice? Akutagawa: "...Fine." mafioso: awesome! Akutagawa: "...Maybe I'll go out for a walk." mafioso: be careful out there, man. Akutagawa: "I am. Always." -elsewhere- Sakuya: *points at a window* "How about going there?" naho: hmm? ooh! that looks nice! Sakuya: *opens the door* After you~" naho: thanks sakkun ^^ Sakuya: "Any time...Should be able to get a table--" Host: *looks at Naho* "May I help you?" naho: table for two, please~! ^^ Host: "I have the perfect spot. Right this way..." *leads them up the stairs...* naho: ^^ woah! *The table is already set--with one of Naho's favorite appetizers...* naho: *shiny eyes* *drooling* Sakuya: ^^ *pull out a chair for her* -elsewhere- Benimaru: "Ready?" fang-hua: *nods* Tsukiyo: "Yep!" Benimaru: "Proceed." fang-hua: *charging forwards* Tsukiyo: *war cry* -elsewhere- Gin:"...No." Tachihara: “AW COME ON! it’s one favor I’m asking here!” hirotsu: ?? Tachihara: "Just once! And I'll never ask for anything ever again!" mafioso: i doubt that! Tachihara: "SHUT UP, KEVIN--YOUR BREATH SMELLS LIKE DOG FOOD!" mafioso: -_- *mutters* play the bean boozled challenge once, and ya never hear the end of it... Tachihara: *on his knees* "Please, Gin! Just once!" Gin: "..." *looks at Hirotsu* "What should I require he give up in exchange?" hirotsu: given there is a formal event coming up. actually wear a suit this time, and not that trashy suit t-shirt. what is he asking for _this_ time? Gin: "Retrieve the number of some girl he is stalking--" hirotsu: *facepalm* of course. Tachihara: "IT'S NOT STALKING! She works at the cafe--" Gin: *holds up a hand* "Put on the fancy suit, you'll get it." hirotsu: if you're that desperate, why not talk to her yourself? Tachihara: TT_TT "The guy ahead of me in line asked for her number--and got thrown out the window." mafioso: yikes. Gin: "I can promise that will not happen to me." -elsewhere- Kyoka: "You seem pleased." atsushi: i guess i am. Kyoka: "Any particular reason?" -elsewhere- Kunikida: *grunt* -elsewhere- Kouji: owo *petting puppy* dog: ^u^ Kouji: ^W^ *LOUD SCREAMING* Kouji: QWQ; *turns around* jirou: what the-? Bakugo: "GET BACK HERE, YOU CRIMINAL, SO I CAN BLOW YOU UP!" -elsewhere- Izuku: "Thank you for the meal, Mom!" -elsewhere- Todoroki: *sends an icicle through a target* "...Suppose that's good enough." -soon, the opening ceremonies would begin- lord death: HOW'S IT GOING EVERYBODY! -audience cheering- Hiro: *his view is blocked* ._. "...Is something happening?" lord death: thank you all for coming to this years sports festival! and for those of you watching from wherever you're viewing this, be it at home, or on the go, thanks for tuning in! EF: ah! i got a livestream up on my phone, here. Hiro: "Oh, great! Thanks." -elsewhere at the festival- Ann: "Man, security here is a pain--at this rate, we'll never get inside for interviews!" camera man: well, considering all the incidents... -inside- itsuka: hey! katsuki! best of luck out there, ok? Bakugo: .\\\\. "I-I don't need luck...I'm just going to blast my way to the top with my own skill!...Th-Thanks." itsuka: glad to hear. because i wont hold back either! *shiny eyes* *determined* Bakugo: "?!!!" *smirk* "Oh, yeah? WELL YOU BETTER NOT HOLD BACK! I'm here to do the best against the best!" itsuka: ^^ Mineta: *pacing* "Don't be nervous don't be nervous...Just do what you should do when you're scared: imagine the audience naked!" *pause* "...THAT ISN'T HELPING!" ochako: IM HELLA PUMPED! eijiro: YEEEEEAH! Iida: "Okay, everyone! Get your game faces on!" Izuku: *nervous smile* Todoroki: "...Midoriya." Izuku: "??? Y-Yes, Todoroki--" Todoroki: "I know you are being groomed by All Might. I know your skill. But don't think for a second that will be enough. Out there, we are competitors. And I will win this Festival." Izuku: ._. Bakugo: "?!!!" mina: woah, he's seriously getting into it o.o;; Izuku: *clenches his fist, shakes slightly* "Todoroki...I respect your powers...but don't think I'm going to back down either. All of us are fighting for something out there. And I have a reason, too--I am will do my best to win!" momo: besides, today is only the opening ceremonies. Todoroki and Izuku: .\\\. "...Oh. Right." Bakugo: "Tch. Noobs." -in the other training room- yuuji: ..... hitoshi:......good luck. yuuji: *nods* yeah.... -in another training room- atsushi: seems the hero classes and ALT classes have different uniforms. im kinda nervous. Chuuya: "Because it makes you a target for the heroes to knock you out of the competition first?" atsushi: yikes. ._.; kyouka, are they always this hostile? Kyouka: "Pretty much." Akutagawa: "Tiger..." atsushi: *SHRILL SCREECH* heeeeeyyyyyy ak-er-'araragi!' ^^;;;; Akutagawa: "...I just want you to know that, just as everyone else is fighting for someone out there, I too am fighting for someone: you." atsushi: owo;;;;; um....w-wha-what about dazai? OwO;;;; Akutagawa: "When I kill you, I will have impressed Dazai." Chuuya: -_- atsushi: ah...huh...eh...hueh??? ????? Akutagawa: "By killing you, I will surprise Dazai. And when you are dead, then you will be mine, now and forever." Chuuya: "Missing about 12 steps there..." atsushi: ........yeeeeeaaaaahhh im just going to back far away from you now. *backing up from him* Akutagawa: "...What did I say?" Chuuya: "Dude, just...Dude." Kyoka: *follows Atsushi* pony: jeez, even monoma aint dat creepy! Akutagawa: "...You take that back..." pony: OwO;;; Monoma: O_O;; ibara: it's time to begin now. we should start heading out. Chuuya: ("...Sonia...Watch me out there...") -elsewhere- twice: *watching the games on tv*.....!!! YOOOOOOO DUDES! CHECK THIS OUT! LOOK WHO'S WITH THE UA GENERAL DEPARTMENT! *points to yuuji* Kurogiri: "!!!" himiko: HE....looks familiar. yuuji:....*scratching the back of his head, awkwardly on the tv* Aizawa: *whispering* "Don't look so nervous. Talk." yuuji: uhhh.....lets get this shit done? *forced smile* hitoshi:.... girl: *facepalm* how lovely. midnight: ^^; well, anyways, onto the support classes! Aizawa: "...Points for effort, Yuuji." mei: hey everyone! mei hatsume here! lets give it our all!! Izuku: *polite applause* midnight: and for the heroes courses, we have katsuki bakugou! mitsuki bakugou: GIVE EM HELL SON! Izuku: ._.; "...Wh-Why is it Kacchan--" Bakugo: "..." *marches up to the stage* *clears his throat* itsuka: ... Bakugo: "Don't fool yourselves: I'm taking first." Izuku: D8 itsuka: *sweatdrop* bold. girl: D8< Student: "Cocky asshole!" Iida: "Why are you sapping the dignity from these ceremonies?!" *waving his arms* Student #2: "Dirty bastard!" Bakugo: "You're just stepping stones to me reaching the top." momo: *facepalm* Todoroki: *sighs* tetsutetsu: YOU WANNA GO YOU LIL SHIT?! Student #3: "Over-confident jerk!" Izuku: ("No...He's not smiling. He's pushing himself, insisting he won't lose...") -_-;; ("But he's still royally screwing us over with his arrogance.") midnight: ^^; well, those sure are some *ahem* colorful comments from your peers, bakugou. Bakugo: "Yeah, you're welcome." -elsewhere- atsushi: OwO;;;;; *nervous* Kyoka: "Breathe. Calm down." atsushi: *inhales* ok. im good. midnight: ok, up next we have ryuzaki araragi! Akutagawa: "..." *uses Rashomon to lift him up to the stage* "..." atsushi: O_O;;;; (thinking: NOOOOOOO) Akutagawa: *clears his throat--and stares at Atsushi* "Don't die out there. You better survive this when I face you in combat." Student #4: "...That's a weird way to talk to the entire crowd." atsushi: ._.;;;;;;; odasaku: ...my words fail me. Kyoka: "...What a fool." Akutagawa: "..." *moves closer to the microphone* "Go team." atsushi: *glances at chuuya* Chuuya: -_-;;;; "Idiot." -elsewhere- naoya: oh my god. Gin: -_____- higuchi: this is going to be a long festival. naoya: you have no idea. Gin: "I'll get the booze." -elsewhere- Master: "I'm behind on these orders. Have the other waiters and waitresses arrived?" liz: im here! miranda: present. Patty: "Yo, boss!" Master: "Glad to see you. Please change into uniforms--and try to push the Sports Festival-themed items on the menu. We'll have more TVs being set up--" -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "Who do you think has the best shot at winning?" -elsewhere- Yohei: *collapses on the couch* chie: long day babe? *kiss on the forehead* Yohei: *nods* "My boss and Kepuri's boss had us working to the last minute on security and audio-visual for the Festival's stadium..." chie: ah. toru: uu! Yohei: *weak smile* "Hey, buddy." *pats Toru's head* toru: ^o^ io: anko yohi! anko yohi! saki: ^^ Yohei: *sighs, sits up with a smile* "Io! How was your day?" io: guu! chie: that's good to hear ^^ Yohei: "You been keeping an eye on your younger cousin's safety, Io?" io: yuppie! Yohei: "Good work!" ^^ -elsewhere- yana: *looking around* ???: "Ah, aren't you going to share your snack?" yana: nyeh? *looks back at who is talking to her* Meme: *waves* yana: oh, you're one of...anya's friends, right? mio: *nods, nomming on cotton candy* Meme: "Meme, yes!" yana: ah. cool. you in the games or no? Meme: "Yep! Just got turned around getting to the participants' entrance..." ^^; mio: it's this way, meme. Meme: "Oh, cool! Later, Yana!" yana: yeah, see ya round... *Present Mic can be heard in a nearby room, broadcasting* yana: *looking around at the stands* *There are boxed seats with teachers in them...* -elsewhere- Relan: Q~Q iris: it's ok relan. im sure you'll be able to take part in the festival next year ^^ Relan: "I'm just not that good..." iris: there's always time to improve ^^ Relan: *nods* "I wish there was something I could do now..." -elsewhere- Mori: "Any update on our missing person?" miura: keek still hasnt replied....i have some concerns about this. Mori: "No leads?" -elsewhere- sonia: *drawing* Gin: "Do you have enough crayons?" sonia: *nods* hirotsu:...and these people are? sonia: they're from underground... Gin: *points* "Who is that one?" sonia: that one's mr priest....he's frowning because he was always in a bad mood...he always had booboos on him too. Gin: "Do you know how he got those booboos?" sonia: ....i dunno. Gin: "I see..." *points to another drawing* "And that one?" sonia: that's zoey. my fake mama. she said she was my mommy when i came out of the tube....but i found out she was lying in my dreams....that's where i meet my real mama. Gin: "...'Tube'?" higuchi: she must mean the incubator we found in there. sonia: that thing. higuchi:....i see. sonia: she really likes mr fyodor a lot, and she always agrees with him because she always screams 'yes yes'. higuchi:....is....that...right? ^^;;; Gin: -_-; "Sonia, were there other people down there?" sonia: *showing a picture of several people, including a large man, a small yet angry looking girl, a girl with a flower hairclip, a man with bandages on his head, a girl in glasses...and a sad girl with the name 'keek' written above her head* Gin: " 'Keek'?" sonia *nods* she cries a lot. higuchi:..... *her stomach drops* hey sonia, mind if we make a photo copy of this real quick? sonia:...ok. Gin: "Thank you, Sonia." *soft smile* -elsewhere- FD: "I said to work faster." *holding remote, his finger over the button...* keek: I AM! DX> FD: "Only by about a half second. Maybe you need encouragement...How long does it take to code this?" -elsewhere- Todoroki: *looking at the audience* fuyumi: *waving* ochako: seems the games themselves officially start tomorrow! im so hyped! Todoroki: "Hmm. The sooner, the better." ochako: ....about what happened in the locker room. you seem really into it... Todoroki: *hard look* "Because I am here to compete. This is not some team sport." ochako: ... Todoroki: "...So, that is my goal. Otherwise, I will not rise to be a hero." -elsewhere- Bakugo: *looking at social media* "..." *angry face* eijiro: how is it? Bakugo: "THEY'RE ALL CALLING ME A JERK?! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT SHIT?!" -elsewhere- Lucy: "Eat well for the competition!" atsushi: *nods* Kyoka: *hold up empty bowl* "Then give me more." Lucy: -_-;;;; *hands her another plate of tofu* "I hope you're paying for this, Tiger." -later- sonia: .....*staring at the door, with mito on her head* *The door opens* Chuuya: *pokes his head in* "???' sonia: *hug* Chuuya: "!!! ..." *smiles, hugs her* "I'm back." sonia: =///= mito: *mreow* ^^ Chuuya: "...You okay? Hungry?" sonia: *nods* -her drawing is up on the fridge- Chuuya: "??? Sonia, you drew that?" sonia: *nods* i was behaved for aunt gin and aunt higuchi. Chuuya: *pats her head* "That's very good. Did they leave a note?" sonia: on the counter. Chuuya: *picks up the note, seeing Higuchi's handwriting* note: 'good luck in the games!' Chuuya: *smiles* "That was nice of her..." *looks at the drawing* -it was the same drawing from earlier. as well as doodles of 'the demon'.....and 'mama' and 'papa'...- Chuuya: *stares at 'the Demon'* "...Sonia?" sonia: ?? Chuuya: "..." *smiles, hugs her* sonia:.... *hug* i love you, papa... Chuuya: "I love you too, Sonia..." -elsewhere- Mori: ("That child...") -...- (Mori: *tossing a condom* "Won't be needing that...") {rain: .......*whimpering*} {Mori: "Now why would you bring a thing like that...?" *unbuckling his pants*} {rain:....*she just stares at him with a dead expression....much like the one his mother had always given him as a child*} {Mori: "...Stop that..."} {rain:.....} {Mori: *slaps her* "I said stop!"} {rain: *winces.....tears falling*} {Mori: "There...That's better..." *has lowered his pants and boxers* "We can continue."} -knocks- Mori: "!!! ...Who is it?" miura: just me, sir. Mori: "...Enter." miura: *opening the door* seems the fax we received from higuchi revealed some members of the rats. Mori: "Let me see it." miura: *hands him a photo copy of sonia's drawing.* Mori: "...A child's drawing. Really? Or did someone hand Tachihara a set of crayons?" miura: apperantly it was drawn by the child that the black lizard found. and considering she had been with the rats prior.... Mori: "...'Keek'?" miura: it appears the rats have our hacker as a hostage... Mori: "...Given what she knows, that could destroy this organization..." miura: what shall we do, then? Mori: "Retrieve her. Alive...or dead." miura:....very well. but we dont know her location, which is a problem. Mori: "Don't we geo-tag these people?" miura: ... Mori: "I will take that as a no. *sigh* Any leads on the Rats' den?" -elsewhere- FD: "--and that is how I remove chips from people's skin." keek: D8> FD: "And I think it would be good practice for you to put chips into some test subjects..." keek:.... Q~Q FD: "Who wants to volunteer first? Bill? Rebecca? Jane, you look the kind of person who wants a chip shoved under her skin." jane: *a hostage miner* why are you doing this? FD: "Research. And I like to know where my possessions are." -elsewhere- Izuku: *shuffling his feet* tsuyu: you nervous? Izuku: "Y-Yes? I mean, I have some difficulty discerning whether it is nervousness or still being energized after post-workout cooling down--" -elsewhere- stocking: *petting kid's head* feeling better? Kid: *small shiver, but nods* stocking: ....*hugs* im right here kid, and im not going anywhere, ok? Kid: "I know...I'm just...anxious..." stocking: *hums and rubs his back* Kid: *soft breathing* -elsewhere- lana: *walking home, exhausted after a long day* *Poe's house appears in her peripheral vision* lana: *relieved sigh* thank fuckin god... *rings the doorbell* Ghost Butler: "Oh, hello, Miss." lana: *collapses onto the floor, asleep* ghost maid:...i'll call her father. Poe: "Who is it at the door--!!! ..." ("She looks exhausted.") lana: zzzzzz..... Poe: "I'll bring her to the guest room." -later- lana: *sleeping peacefully* =w= Poe: *seated in a chair* "..." ("So angelic...") karl: *plops onto the bed and small cheek lick* lana: *giggles* e-edgar, that tickles... Poe: D8 *tries to stand up to pick up Karl* lana: *hugging poe's arm* =///w///= Poe: .\\\\.*steam coming off his head* -elsewhere- Vulcan: "Yep. You got it, Maki." maki: awesome! ^^ shinra: we're back! Relan: *small wave* Vulcan: "Hey. How were the festivities?" shinra: opening ceremonies were pretty interesting. tamaki: ._.;;;; *nervous* Vulcan: "??? Hey, Tamaki? What's up?" tamaki: just worried that something dumb is gonna happen to me. shinra:....well arent you just a big ol bag of sunshine. tamaki: shush you. Arthur: "Relax. All we need is to find you a four-leaf clover." Relan: "...Only one?" shinra: *snerk* good one, rel. -elsewhere- Aizawa: "Adequate job out there." midnight: thanks~!.....you alright? you sound different. allergies? Aizawa: "No, just haven't been the same since I was a smear on the floor at USJ." midnight: yikes. Aizawa: "So, how many students you think will make it through Round 1?" -elsewhere- Benimaru: *turns off radio* "Some festivities..." -elsewhere- twice: CAN YOU FUCKIN BELIEVE THIS BULL MALARKEE?! MUTHAFUCKIN YUUJI BIOENI TAKING PART IN THE FUCKIN SPORTS FESTIVAL! UN-FUCKIN-BELIEVABLE! kurome: uh oh, uncle twice said a no-no word. Kurogiri: *low growl* twice: OwO;;; Kurogiri: "You better apologize..." twice: sorry kiddo. ^^;;;;;;; Kurogiri: "Good..." *growl* -elsewhere- tsurugi: aww, the sports festival looks like so much fun. mafura: *staaares at the screen* Touma: "...Mafura, not so close." mafura: *backs up* Touma: "That's better. Can't have you affect your eyes." tsurugi: mr touma~ can we do something like that someday? Touma: "If you train hard enough to beat the person who fires explosives out of his hands." tsurugi: YAAAAY! 8D mafura: \(^o^)/ Touma: "..." ("They're going to die so badly...") -elsewhere- Yohei: "Zzz..." chie: *reading a bedtime story to toru* toru: o.o Yohei: *small snore, before he sits up* "..." chie: tired? toru: bapu! Yohei: *nods* "Sorry...I'll be better this weekend..." *yawns* chie: *smiles and kisses his forehead* Yohei: =\\= chie: ^^ toru: uu! Yohei: *hugs Toru* -elsewhere- Gin: "That drawing..." higuchi: yeah....if they really do have keek... Gin: "...Mori's orders, too...It's a lot to process." higuchi: i never really knew her all that much. from what i gather, she often kept to herself in her own home due to having difficulty dealing with other people. Gin: "And if one of us had paid attention to her...maybe she would not have been captured." higuchi:....*punches wall* dammit! Gin: "!!! Ichiyou..." higuchi: ....*looks at her fist....it's bleeding a bit*.... Gin: "...Let's bandage it...It's going to be fine." higuchi: good call. but i've gotten used to the pain over the years... Gin: "..." *shudders...then hugs her* higuchi: !!.....*hug* Gin: "You can't let yourself get hurt all the time..." *pats her back* higuchi: yeah, but i guess it comes with the job. Gin: *pulls back* "The job is not everything. There are people involved. There is also you." higuchi:...right. Gin: *examines Higuchi's hand, begins bandaging it* "...I'm sorry what Ryu has done..." higuchi: *nods* it sucks, but i know you two have been put through a lot in your life.... Gin: "Yes...The price for survival is high..." *finishes bandaging* "Everyone has their burdens to bear." -elsewhere- Gopher: "..." *holds a tray of cookies* kirika: *nom* Gopher: .w. kirika: thanks. Gopher: owo "You're welcome!" -elsewhere- Dazai: "That should do it..." naomi: hmm? Dazai: *points to a map* "I have been tracking various locations..." naomi: for what? Dazai: *points to one spot* "This where I would be hiding if I was avoiding the Mafia and authorities." *points to another color pin* "This is where people were already searching." *points to a red pin* "And this spot is where I can try jumping to my death." naomi: ._.; oh. um.... Kunikida: *CHOP* "Stop scaring children like that." kenji: good luck, dazai! ^^ Dazai: "Thank you!" *his head is bleeding from the chop* "And now, I depart to find more locations to sniff out these rats!" *leaps out the window* kirako: ah- yosano: !!...oh, seems the law firm is getting new couches. Dazai: *calling up* "This one is comfy!" -elsewhere- Poe: "Zzz..." lana: zzzz karl: =w= Poe: *shifts slightly* lana: =////= Poe: *yawns, opens his eyes* lana: zzzz..... Poe: o\\\\O *brain breaks* lana: *nuzzle* Poe: *opens his mouth--and no voice comes out* lana: *she seems content* Poe: "..." ("She looks so calm...") *doesn't move, just lets her rest...* lana: *sleep talking* love you, edgar. Poe: o\\\w\\\o "I love you, too..." -early morning- Kid: "Zzz..." stocking:......*neck kiss* Kid: *small moan, as he opens his eyes* .\\\. stocking: still tired~? Kid: .\\\. *shakes his head 'no'* "Y-You?" stocking: nope~ *smirks as she goes under the covers* Kid: owo;; "O-O-O-Okay..." *lays back* stocking: *smirking.....soft sucking on the tip* Kid: *soft moan* "Ah~..." stocking: like your wake up call, hun~? Kid: "V-Very...Feels great..." *his fingers rest along her head* stocking: that's good~ *sucking* Kid: *small pants* "So-So good...I-I've wanted th-this..." -elsewhere- kirako: good luck in the games today, atsushi and kyouka! atsushi: OKAY! OwO;; Kyoka: "Thank you. We will bring honor to the Agency and massacre our enemies." Dazai: owo;;;; ("...At least she'll keep Akutagawa in his place...") -elsewhere- Chuuya: "Be sure to watch..." *pat pat* sonia: *nods* Chuuya: "And be good for Granny and your aunts." sonia: okay. Chuuya: *hug* "I'll be home tonight. I love you." sonia: love you too, papa. mito: *mew* ^^ Chuuya: *smiles, pets Mito* "And take care of Mito too, okay?" sonia: okay. ^^ Chuuya: *smiles, as he exits...* rain?: do your best out there. Chuuya: "?!" *looks around* -nothing there...- Chuuya: "..." *small smile, as he goes down the stairs* -elsewhere- Gin: "Better?" higuchi: *nods* Gin: "That's good. Ready to begin?" -elsewhere- Aizawa: "Okay. Line up." -alt students lined up- atsushi: *nervous* OwO; Akutagawa: "Good luck." atsushi: you too! (thinking: atsushi. just...just shut up.) =u=;; Akutagawa: "This will end, one way or another..." atsushi: noted. *screaming on the inside* odasaku: look alive kid. atsushi: YESSIR! Aizawa: "..." *points at Atsushi* "See? That's the fired up spirit you need out there." Akutagawa: *now glaring at Atsushi* atsushi: OwO .... QwQ;;; odasaku: 7-7;;;; sorry, i know, i kinda suck at this whole 'guardian angel' thing. Aizawa: "Let's see what will be your first round of competition..." tsugumi: *determined* Meme: *cracking her knuckles* mio: *yaaawn* ao: ... sayaka: *hyped* madoka: *looking to the audience* hitomi: *waves* Rin: *two thumbs up* owo madoka: ^^ Aizawa: "Then let's see what your first round is..." *pulls a lever next to the podium, causing the TV sets around the stadium to cycle through various options...* *Screen flashes "MARATHON"* Aizawa: "Get on your running shoes. This is about endurance--and dodging your competitors..." atsushi: (thinking: maybe this wont be so bad) Aizawa: "And you have to make sure your peers don't try to pull you down with them...or throw you back." Akutagawa: *Rashomon is quivering* kirika: *cracks knuckles and smirks* Kyoka: "..." Anya: *re-ties her shoelaces* tsugumi: ... Anya: "...Do your best, Tsugumi." tsugumi: we will. Anya: *small smile, nods* Aizawa: "On your marks..." atsushi: *breaths* Aizawa: "Get set..." kirika: *smirks* Aizawa: *hits the button, as a loud buzzer goes off* "GO!" atsushi: *starts running* kirika: *dashes right past him* atsushi: O-O; announcer: and kirika kure is already making a headway with speed manipulation! it truly is a free-for-all! Kyoka: *far in the back* Chuuya: *picking up speed--* Akutagawa: *--but he passes Chuuya* shinra: *FLAME ON* WOO HOO! tamaki: *picks kyouka up and makes a dash for it* atsushi: *tiger arms and legs and running forwards* Kyoka: "???" Akutagawa: "..." *Rashomon appears behind him* tamaki: how you holding up, kiddo? announcer: and it seems tamaki kotatsu is giving a helping hand to kyouka izumi. talk about a team player! Kyoka: "Fine. Why are you lifting me?" tamaki: you looked like you could use some help. *smiles* Kyoka: "...Thank you, ma'am." *small smile* Chuuya: *starting up his gravity abilities* -elsewhere- louisa: *watching the screen.* ... Fitzgerald: *sips* "Quite a game. Did we place our bets?" louisa: i dont think you place bets in the sports festival. ._.; mary: loser buys lunch! bram: -_-; Fitzgerald: "Hmm...I think I'll bet on the tiny girl held by the taller cat girl." louisa: *sweatdrop* mary: what about the redhaired girl with the big monster? louisa: HUH?!?! *looks* !!! Fitzgerald: owo "Oh my goodness..." mary: oooh. whos that, mr fitz? Fitzgerald: "...A former employee." -on the track- Chuuya: o___O "IT'S A JUGGERNAUT!" takeru: *SCREAMING AS THE MISSLES SEND HIM ....forwards?* announcer: AND TAKERU 'JUGGERNAUT' NOTO IS USING THE RECOIL OF HIS ABILITY TO SEND HIMSELF AHEAD! Lucy: o_o; "...I thought _you_ would be the juggernaut here, Anne..." *ducks* Chuuya: "No no nO NO NO NO--" anne: ^o^ *Chuuya is knocked down by Takeru before he can dodge* Dazai: "Huh. Chuuya's such a tiny target I thought he wouldn't get hit..." atsushi: oh shi- Akutagawa: "..." *puts up a Rashomon shield* -nice catch!- Chuuya: *knocked across the marathon--into a barrier* x_x announcer: oh! and chuuya ozaki is knocked right into a barrier! that's gotta hurt! kouyou: CHUUYA KICK THEIR SORRY ASSES!! rain?: dont give up now! Chuuya: *snaps awake* "Rain?" *looks around--and sees the race* "..." *his eyes start to go white...* sayaka: you ok there, ozaki? Chuuya: *three contestant float off the ground--and can't run any further* student: w-what the heck?! Chuuya: *flies forward, picking up students off the ground along the way* student: WOAH! sayaka: YEEEK! ochako: woo! you go, gravity buddy! Chuuya: *tearing up the ground as he goes forward* Akutagawa: "...Show off." -elsewhere- Gin: "Has Ryu killed any competitors?" higuchi: thankfully no. sonia: papa's flying. higuchi: !!!! i dont see any markings, so he isnt using corr-....h-he's fine. Gin: "...If there is a problem, someone will intervene." higuchi: r-right. Tachihara: "Damn. Look at him move! He's super-fast." naoya: i dont see the markings, so at least he isnt using corruption, that'd be bad. hirotsu: *pressing tachihara's suit* indeed. Tachihara: "??? Ah, come on! I don't need you doing that to my threads!" hirotsu: well, you do want that phone number, dont you? Tachihara: -___- "F-Fine..." -elsewhere- Kyoka: "Look out, Tamaki. He's coming up behind us." tamaki: !!!! Chuuya: "..." *he's heading right for her and Kyoka* Kyoka: "..." *opens her phone* tamaki: oh fu- Kyoka: *calls into her phone* "Now." tamaki: *bracing for impact* Kyoka: "Demon Snow. Block him." demon snow: ~understood~ *BLOCK* annoucner: AND KYOUKA IZUMI BLOCKS WITH DEMON SNOW! Chuuya: *still white eye...he's held back...but he's pushing Demon Snow enough that he's propelling Tamaki and Kyoka a bit* tamaki: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Q~Q Chuuya: *yells as he keeps pushing--and they all move forward with a burst of speed* Kyoka: "..." *hugs Tamaki* tamaki: *SCREAMING*.....*from the speed, her pants fly off...but a plastic bag floating in the air ends up as her new skirt* FUCKING FUCKER FUCK! announcer: woah! i guess that's letting the cat _into_ the bag! Announcer #2: "...Holy crap, June." Kyoka: ._. "...Huh." tamaki: WHYYYYYYYYYY Q_Q Chuuya: *pants now in his face, as he starts to wake up* "Wh-What is even--" *he slams against the ground--and the force knocks Demon Snow, Kyoka, and Tamaki to the finish line* tamaki: *FACEPLANT* announcer: FIRST PLACE GOES TO TAMAKI KOTATSU, KYOUKA IZUMI AND CHUUYA OZAKI!! Kyoka: *lands on her feet at the finish line* "..." *picks up Tamaki, and drops her off on the finish line first* Chuuya: x___x kouyou: MY BABIES WON! plus some thieving cat BUT WHO CARES ABOUT THAT ONE! tamaki: Q~Q Relan: "..." *struggling not to laugh* Akutagawa: *still racing* "..." atsushi: *jumping forwards* kirika: NYOOM MOTHER FUCKERS! *2nd place* Akutagawa: "??? You think you'll get ahead of me?" atsushi: CANT STOP NOW! (thinking: MOSTLY BECAUSE I DONT KNOW HOW TO USE THE BREAKS!!) Akutagawa: *he's in Atsushi's path* "...Oh shi--" atsushi: OwO (thinking: mama) -BOOM CRASH- atsushi: LUCY HELP ME! -they both made 3rd....with atsushi ko'd on top of akutagawa- atsushi: X_X -cue screams from overjoyed fujoshis- naomi + maki + naho: *SQUEEEEEEEEEE~* Akutagawa: owo "...God?" Lucy: D8< "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY MAN! ANNE, CRUSH HIM!" anne: *picks atsushi up and puts him aside, and punches akutagawa* atsushi: *tiny birds flying around his head* lucy montgomery you're my hero. Akutagawa: D:< "DAMN YOU--" *sent flying out of the stadium* Lucy: -w- "I know." *forehead smooch* "Let's get you to the infirmary...." higuchi:....we should retrieve your brother now. Gin: *sigh* "He's probably outside the city by now. Bring a shovel--he likely landed in sand." higuchi: noted. chuuya: im fine...just sore. dont worry about me obviously =_=; Kyoka: "Okay. No one was worrying about you." *takes Tamaki's hand* "Thank you for your help, Tamaki." tamaki: Q~Q *covering herself with the bag* its fine.... Kyoka: "...Demon Snow, bring her to the locker room. We'll get her new pants." Chuuya: *lifting himself from the ground, looks around* "...What happened?" kirika: you won first, shipdit. not bad for a newbie. but in the next one, im whupping your ass. Chuuya: "..." *smirks* "We'll see about that..." *then notices--* "...Why do I have a pair of pants draped over my shoulders?" kirika: ....dont ask. tamaki: *takes the pants.....and punches him right in the face* kouyou: D8< sonia: bad lady! hirotsu: *pinching the bridge of his nose* so uncouth. Kyoka: "..." *thumbs up* Chuuya: X_X *nose bleeding* announcer: oooh, that's _gotta_ hurt! Announcer #2: "I know I expected a bloodbath _during_ the competition, but not _after_." Kyoka: "Pants acquired. Good work." Lucy: ._.;;; "...That's weird." -elsewhere- Kid: *smooch* stocking: ^///^ Kid: *hugs, whispers* "Thank you for earlier..." stocking: any time, hun~<3 Kid: *whispers* "I'll pay you back...whenever." stocking: challange accepted~ Kid: "Hee hee..." *pats her hip lightly* -elsewhere- Anya: "So much for even placing..." tsugumi: cheer up, anya. 13th isnt that bad. we still make it into the next round! Anya: "How? At this rate, I think we're going to get removed the next round." tsugumi: we'll just have to work harder then! Anya: "..." *sigh* "Your optimism is boundless." tsugumi: ^^ Meme: *stretches* "Could've been worse. I'd hate to have gotten knocked around by those giants. BTW, how did Takeru do?" tsugumi: 7th place! mio: steep. Meme: "Huh. Would've thought crashing through the line that fast would've gotten him further ahead. The anti-gravity guy was just too powerful..." mio: even kotatsu got ahead of us... Anya: "..." *smirks* "Most of her did..." tsugumi: anya! that's not very nice. even if it is true. Meme: "More on the 'true' than 'not nice' side." tamaki: SCREW YOU GUYS I GOT FIRST PLACE! Meme: "Eep!" *hides behind Mio* Anya: *eyeroll* "On a technicality..." ao: it was a 3 way tie~ ^^ Anya: "...I can't believe I'm agreeing with Ao, but yes, what she said." -elsewhere- Lucy: "Here, hold the ice..." atsushi: *wince* aaah... Lucy: *sighs* "That guy is not going to quit." atsushi: no kidding. *sigh* Lucy: "Maybe carry a taser?" atsushi: maybe....perhaps i should ask his sister for advice? Lucy: *nods* "Can't hurt." atsushi: we'll just have to find her first. *Knock knock* atsushi: ? Kyoka: *enters, hands over her eyes* "Please tell me you two are decent." atsushi: yes, yes we are. ^^; Lucy: -_-;; Kyoka: *uncovers her eyes...approaches...hugs Atsushi* atsushi: congrats on winning first place today! Kyoka: "Thank you. I had a lot of help." atsushi: still. *smiles* Kyoka: "...Are you feeling better?" atsushi: yeah, a little sore, but im not dead. Kyoka: "Don't tell Yosano that." atsushi:.........noted. Lucy: "Any update on next round of competition?" Kyoka: *shrug* -elsewhere- Gin: *digging* naoya: found 'im! higuchi: oh thank god, he still has a pulse. *phew* Gin: "!!!" *runs* Akutagawa: x_x naoya: ooi, akuta, you with us man? how many fingers am i holding up? Akutagawa: "...6?" naoya: *holding up 3 fingers* shit. *opens a bottle of water and splashes it on his face* Akutagawa: *coughs* "Wh-What happened?" naoya: you got 3rd place in the marathon!....and some doll monster knocked you right out of city limits like motherfuckin team rocket. Akutagawa: "...The tiger?" naoya: we have it on the DVR if you want to see it. Akutagawa: "..." *shivering, Rashomon rising up* "..." naoya: there ya go, buddy. Akutagawa: *lets out a low, loud, guttural bellow that blows outward from himself, causing Rashomon to rise up over the desert's sands* higuchi: O-O; naoya: woah, easy there- Gin: "...RYUNOSUKE AKUTAGAWA! YOU WILL STOP THIS BEHAVIOR RIGHT NOW!" Rashomon: owo;;; Akutagawa: *he's not stopping...* higuchi: MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE! *PUNCH* Akutagawa: X______X *knocked to the dirt* Gin: "...It had to be done." higuchi: *phew* that....that felt warranted.... Gin: *pat pat* "We'll bring him home." *lifts up Akutagawa* "Naoya, a little help, please." Rashomon: xwx naoya: *helping lift him up* there we go. come on kiddo, you need to rest up for tonight's party. Akutagawa: X_X *flies buzzing around him* Gin: "??? 'Party'?" naoya: remember the party that tachihara agreed to wear the suit for to get that chick's phone number? Gin: "Ah. You do know he will fail in this endeavor." naoya: i know he will. i talked to her already. *smug grin* Gin: "???" *looks at Higuchi* "You are going as well?" naoya: sure. they got a drink bar. like balls im gonna skip out on free booze. Gin: "Hmm. That is a good reason indeed. Higuchi, be my date?" higuchi: .////////. i would love to. see you there! Gin: "Excellent. I will see you as well." -elsewhere- {Giovanni: "You understand my instructions, correct?"} lisa:....*staring up at the ceiling*.... -elsewhere- Akitaru: "Brilliant work out there!" shinra: ^^ *he won 8th* Relan: ^^; Arthur: "...I got lost going to the field." tamaki: Q.Q iris: congrats on making 1st. Akitaru: *nod nod* "That was a great performance! Good work carrying that small child to the finish line." shinra: *laughs* *ahem* s-sorry. just thought of something funny... tamaki: im pretty sure that guy is around our age. Akitaru: "??? I meant the girl you picked up." Relan: *looking at Shinra laughing* "???" tamaki: oh. shinra: *whispers into relan's ear* we scored our initial brigade numbers. Akitaru: "In any case, we got you your favorite dessert as congratulations, Tamaki." Relan: "...Ah. Heh." -elsewhere- Aizawa: "...They leave the stadium such a mess at the end of each day..." -elsewhere- Chuuya: *holding ice to his head* "It all hurts..." sonia: get well soon, papa. -she hands him a bandaid- Chuuya: "Thanks, sweetie..." mito: *asleep on his torso* Chuuya: *looks at the bandage--it has kittens on it* "...Cute." *applies the bandage carefully to his cut* sonia: ^^ Chuuya: "I guess I'm missing the party...but I'm glad to be here." sonia: *hug* Chuuya: "Hee hee--ow!" sonia: O.O Chuuya: "Sorry...Still sore." sonia: oh. ok. Chuuya: "Just go easy on the hugs until my aches heal--which, I promise, will be soon." *pats her head* -elsewhere- Gin: *finishing her makeup* -elsewhere- mii: zzzz kirako: im home, mii~ *taking her shoes off and heads to her room to change into her pajamas* *humming as she finishes changing* -elsewhere- Tachihara: *adjusting his collar* -_-; -elsewhere- Rin: "I think you did awesome." madoka: thanks *hug* sayaka: yeah, but watching the games is always a lot of fun too! madoka: *nods* Rin: "And I made the snacks! Anyone up for more pizza bites?" kyouko: heck yeah! momo sakura: can we have shrimp too? hitomi: ^^ Rin: "Sure! Just got to finish cooking them." *puts on his apron* "So, who are you rooting for out there now?" sayaka: im rooting for kyouka. she's a precious bab. kyouko: you're letting this whole 'senpai' thing get to your head. sayaka: can you blame me~? *head donk* ^^ Rin: "Can't blame you for that. How 'bout you, Madoka?" madoka: i havent seen her yet, but i think asui has a lot of potential. Rin: "Oh, I can see that. She's pretty fast in athletic competitions, especially pool." kyouko: and let me guess, _you're_ cheering for bakugou or something? Rin: "Nah. He's too much of a stubborn jackass. My money's on Izuku." kyouko: ah, i see. Rin: "Izuku's worked so hard for this kind of stuff, and I think he deserves a win." -elsewhere- Mephisto: "May I bring you anything?" felisia: one of those popsicles. banana and grape flavored please. Mephisto: "As you wish~" *small cheek kiss* "Be right back* -elsewhere- Dazai: "Congratulations!" atsushi: ^^ Kyoka: "...Where is the food?" yosano: we got it right here in the meeting room. Kyoka: "Yay." *pushes Dazai aside* Dazai: QWQ Lucy: "..." atsushi: you hungry, lucy? Lucy: *smiling, blushing* "Oh, no, I'm fine--" *LOUD STOMACH GROWL* .\\\. kenji: ^^ you want some, kyouka? *offers ice cream* Kyoka: "..." *nom* kenji: ^^ Lucy: *starts with a salad, salivating* "So hungry..." -elsewhere- yana: oi, im back, what i miss? katya:.........sounds played over the intercom. pushkin: *pokerface* yana:....your reactions say it all. fuckin nasty. zoey: ahhhh~ *still twitching on the floor* FD: *humming to himself, buttoning his shirt* "Thank you very much, my pet." zoey: ahhh~ *she's still dripping wet* FD: "??? Need help drying yourself?" zoey: *shakes head* i love... feeling your cum inside me.... <3 FD: "...Okay." *adjusting his cloak* "Kind of like how I like feeling myself in you." zoey: ah~<3 FD: "And do you want anyone else in the world?" zoey: i live only for you, master~ FD: "Very good." *forehead kiss* "And if I brought another woman here, what would you do?" zoey: if you desired, i would do whatever you asked of me to her... FD: *gropes one of her breasts* "Such as pleasure her for me?" yana + katya: *backing far away from the door* O_O;;;; nope. FD: "Tell me, have you imagined being taken from more than one side, Zoey?" -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *black eye'ed* -_(-) -the DVR shows the playback of akutagawa and atsushi crossing the finish line.- Akutagawa: "...I had him." medic: ?? Akutagawa: "Right on top of me. So close. I could have delivered the killing blow..." medic: .... Akutagawa: "Or take his heart, body, and soul..." medic: mmhmm. Akutagawa: "...Leave me alone." medic: *exits* Akutagawa: *rewinds and plays...pauses...squirms in his seat, letting out a small noise* “…” *leans back, staring at Atsushi's face...his hand rubs along his chest* "Mmm..." -elsewhere- Gin: "...You look very good." higuchi: you too.. .//////. kuniko: use protection you two! Gin: "Understood." higuchi: o//////////o Gin: *takes Higuchi's hand* "Just a little joke to break the ice." *small smile* higuchi: right. hahaha... Gin: "I appreciate your company, Ichiyou." *small hand squeeze* -at the party- Tachihara: *adjusting his tie* "Girls really like these things?" naoya: depends on who yer askin. Tachihara: "..." *sigh* "This better work. I didn't put on a suit like this to not get some." naoya: i even went the extra mile and told her a black lizard commander invited her to this lil shindig. she seemed pretty excited. Tachihara: "...For real?" naoya: *nods and smiles* Tachihara: "...Well, okay, I can deal with this suit long enough...Thanks." -elsewhere- Assi: *opens a door* "Mono, I got your mail--" mono: O//////O *she's in her undies* Assi: "..." *his glasses' lenses crack, revealing his eyes* "..." *small nosebleed* "N-Nice stripes..." -too violent to be shown- Emine: "...Did you hear something?" lin-kimpur: *shrug* Emine: "Hmm...." *smiles* "I think I have finished my bad deed, having Assi hand out mail today." -elsewhere- Lucy: *pats her full stomach* Kyoka: *eating a crepe* atsushi: ^^ Lucy: *small cheek smooch* "Can't wait to see how the competition goes next..." -elsewhere- Relan: *yawns, cleaning off his plate* -elsewhere- Gin: *hands a drink to Higuchi* higuchi: thanks. Gin: "You're welcome." *sips* "...Seems like a good gathering." higuchi: yeah. girl: *looking around, she seems antsy* Gin: "??? I think that's Tachihara's date." naoya: *smirks* oh this is gonna be good. Tachihara: "!!!" *walks towards her* girl: (thinking: where is he....?) Tachihara: *approaches her* "Evening." girl: oh....its you. *she sounds displeased* Tachihara: *oblivious* "Yep--me alright! Glad you could make it." girl:.....just get me to the bar. -_- Tachihara: "Of course~ Now it's my turn to serve you a drink." *smiles* higuchi: she looks about as pleased as all of tachihara's dates usually do. naoya: *trembling, trying not to laugh* Gin: "...Naoya. Explain." Tachihara: *pouring a drink* naoya: you'll see... Tachihara: "Here you go!" girl: *sips* thanks. Tachihara: "You're welcome! So, did you get here okay? Having a good time?" girl: i guess.... Tachihara: "That's great! I'm so glad you could make it! Want a snack?" girl:....look, sweetie, im gonna level with you here, when your friend told me a black lizard commander asked me here, i was expecting someone else. Tachihara: owo; "...I mean, I know I'm different here than I am out in public, but I didn't think I was _that_ different. Like, which version of me do you prefer? I can go both ways." girl: i was expecting the other commander. Tachihara: "...'Other'? Wait. You don't mean...Who are you talking about?" girl: you seem decent enough, so i'll put this in terms you'll understand; i prefer older guys. Tachihara: "..." *light bulb--which then breaks into giant shards that litter the floor and stab into what is left of his broken heart* DX Gin: "..." naoya: *cackling* OH SHIT SON! I PLAYED YOU LIKE A GODDAMN FIDDLE! *slamming fist on to the table as she laughs* tachihara: SHIGA WHAT THE FUCK Gin: "...Quite humorous." Tachihara: "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" naoya: just cuz~ hirotsu: hmm? girl: did you..want to dance for a bit? .///. Tachihara: D8 Gin: "..." *long sip* hirotsu: um... ._.; Gin: "Sir, it would be rude to turn down a lady's request." Tachihara: Q________Q hirotsu: very well then. higuchi: ouch. Tachihara: *arrows into chest* "...Damn it..." Gin: "These things happen." naoya: ah, you'll be fine, kiddo. *pats his back* Tachihara: *death glare at her, low growl* naoya: OwO;; Tachihara: "Give me one good reason I shouldn't snap you in two..." naoya: well, im older than you for one thing. and i dont think hirotsu would want you murdering your fellow mafiosos for such petty shit....if its any condolence, sorry. higuchi: did you really like this girl or was it just your dick that liked her? Tachihara: "Shut up! I know what I felt! And this was different! And you!" *points at Naoya* "You're going to owe me for this!" naoya: ok! ok! fair enough, sheesh... Gin: "Hmm. Well, that was entertaining." *sets down her drink* "I would like to dance." Tachihara: *growling* higuchi: O-O; Gin: "..." *takes Higuchi* "Let's put some distance while they 'talk.'" Tachihara: *still growling* naoya: .... Tachihara: "That was just mean..." naoya: yeah, yeah it was. stupid me for not thinking of others first. *sigh* Tachihara: "Glad you can admit that." *sulks, crosses his arms* naoya: ...you really liked her, didnt you? Tachihara: *sniff* naoya:...*sigh* oi bartender! shot'a bourbon for this one. Bartender: "Coming up." Tachihara: T_T naoya: want me to call you an escort? Tachihara: *nod nod* naoya: alrighty then. -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *small pant* -silence...- Akutagawa: "..." *closes his eyes* -...- {Akutagawa: *contented sigh*} {atsushi: *hug* hehe~} {Akutagawa: .\\\. *hug* "...You're huggable."} {atsushi: ^^ i love you, ryu} {Akutagawa: "...Atsushi...I love you..." *kisses his lips lightly*} -phone rings- Akutagawa: *eyes snap open* "..." *groans, answers* "Yes?" -elsewhere- Chuuya: "Zzz..." sonia: zzzz mito: =w= Chuuya: *pulls blanket to tuck Sonia in--and leaving him uncovered* sonia: =w= Chuuya: *muttering...* "Rain..." sonia: zzzz Chuuya: "I miss you..." -...- Chuuya: "It's not fair..." {rain: ? mr nakahara?} {Chuuya: "??? ...Rain..." *hugs*} {rain: o///o e-e-e-eh?! m-mu-mr nakahara?!} {Chuuya: "It's so good to see you."} {rain: um...i-it's good t-to see you too...} {Chuuya: *pulls back, smiling* "You busy? Coffee?"} {rain: um... s-sure ^^} {Chuuya: ^^ "Great." *holding her hand* "That's great."} Chuuya: *shivering, whimpering* mito: *nyaaawn* Chuuya: "D-Don't go..." -silence- Chuuya: *crying* sonia: mmmn......mama.... Chuuya: *hearing Sonia's voice, his eyes break open* "???" sonia: zzzz.... Chuuya: "..." *holds her* sonia: =w= Chuuya: "..." *smiles* ("I'll keep her safe, Rain...I promise.") -elsewhere- Higan: "...Love the outfit." lavender: hehe~ ^^ -elsewhere- himawari:............. Shamrock: "...It's okay." himawari:......i thought....i'd be ok by now.... Shamrock: "...Sometimes, it's an everyday thing. One day at a time..." himawari:....*whimper* Shamrock: "..." *hug* -elsewhere- Izuku: *turning in bed...can't sleep...stands up, puts on his tracksuit, steps outside...* -it's a cool night out- Izuku: *exhales, seeing his breath...starts to jog* -the night is calm- Izuku: *heading down the street, along the canal, the moon shining along it* -splash- Izuku: "???" *looks* lovecraft: *casually swimming along the current* Izuku: o________________o lovecraft: *locks eyes with him*....you didnt see me. i wasnt here. Izuku: o_______________________o "...Do you need help?" lovecraft:....im good. thanks. Izuku: "...'Kay. G-Good day..." *keeps jogging* o___o -elsewhere- Hibana: *tossing* {rose: *screaming*} {clematis: it hurts! it hurts!} {iris: *wide eyed, tears falling*} {Hibana: *covering Iris's eyes* "D-Don't...Don't look..."} {sumire: *stumbling forwards} {Hibana: *makes eye contact with Sumire*} {sumire: *bits of her skull can be seen* hi..ban...a...} {Hibana: *horrified, her mouth opens--but she cannot make herself scream*} ???: -..na wake up! Hibana: "NO!" gabriella: *hugs* it's ok...it was just a nightmare... Hibana: *shaking...starts sobbing* gabriella: it's ok....im here now... Hibana: "I-I'm sorry..." gabriella: it's ok... -elsewhere- ivy: .... *turns on her lighter, drawing a small snake from the flame* .... Joker: *groans, seeing through the darkness* "Too bright..." ivy: in the pitch darkness? Joker: "I didn't think you would be seated here...My eyes haven't adjusted yet..." ivy: dont have anywhere much else to go... red gonna be here or is she busy? Joker: "She's around..." ivy: ah. -outside- scarlet: ..... Joker: "...Hey. Look who's here." scarlet: ugh....get me a hard whisky. long night. Joker: *already pouring* "Talk?" scarlet: ran into some weird guy....tried to stab me. something about him....was just off. Joker: "??? What, he was drugged?" scarlet: wouldnt say that....it was more like....he was a puppet. Joker: "..." *takes a long drag* "Like he was possessed?" scarlet: maybe? seemed more like mind control if anything....freaky. Joker: "You scare him away? Or..." scarlet: i fired a warning shot at him....then he screamed about me being the devil or some shit, yammering about my soul being damned and what not. ivy:...i hope he chokes. Joker: "Hmm. Evangelist?" scarlet: *shrugs* seemed more puritan. ivy: *rolls eyes* either way, i couldnt give less of a fuck. Joker: "...Maybe get a drawing of this guy, in case he shows up again..." scarlet: alright. *sketching a picture....of hawthorne* Joker: "...You're good at this." ivy: *pout* Joker: "??? Ivy? What is it?" ivy:...nothin... -elsewhere- Gin: *walking with Higuchi* "Thank you for being my date." higuchi: *smiles* i had fun tonight. Gin: "So did I. I always miss having a good dance partner." -elsewhere- Poe: OWO;;;; lana: thanks for letting me stay over ^^ Poe: "Whenever you want!" lana: ^^ *hugs* Poe: "...I-I l-love you." *hug* lana: i love you too. ^^ *smooch* Poe: "!!! ..." *smooch* -elsewhere- Kid: "Rise and shine..." *smooch* stocking: mmmn, kid, that tickles.... zzzz Kid: *small pout* *hugs her* "Time to wake up..." stocking: zzzz *slightly drooling* Kid: "..." *smirks, as he slips under the sheets...carefully tugs down on her pajama pants...* stocking: mmmn~ Kid: *kisses slightly along her legs, one side at a time...* stocking: *opens her eyes* frisky already, hun~? Kid: "With you, always." *his tongue makes quick, small licks along her* stocking: *soft moan* Kid: *places his lips along her, slipping his tongue into her...* -elsewhere- Chuuya: *stretching* sonia: zzz mito: *streeeetch* Chuuya: *sets out a bowl of cereal and a dish of milk...starting making pancakes* -elsewhere- Relan: "Good luck today." shinra: i will. *smiles* Relan: *smiles back* "I'll be cheering for you." -elsewhere- Tachihara: *snores* prostitute: zzzz Tachihara: *yawns, opens his eyes...sits up, nudges her* prostitute: *yaaaawn* Tachihara: " ...So, thanks. Got your cash." prostitute: thanks hun~ Tachihara: "...Yeah, sure." *pulls up his pants* -elsewhere- Gin: "How was your date, sir?" hirotsu: i wouldnt exactly call it that. -_-; Gin: "What would you call it?" hirotsu: a simple dance. Gin: "...I have to admit, that's more boring than what I thought would happen. But I appreciate that you were a gentleman, sir." hirotsu: *takes a drag* likewise. Gin: "...Did you get her number?" hirotsu: didnt bother. naoya: well, in his defense, the guy is 50. Gin: "True. Hope you let her down gently." -elsewhere- Belkia: *snoring* otogiri: .....*watching tv* Sakuya: *stumbles into the room* "...Stupid rug..." otogiri: *nice catch* morning. Sakuya: "..." *smiles* "Hey. Thanks." *rights himself* "Anything on?" -elsewhere- Aizawa: *at microphone* "Welcome to Day 2 of the School Festival. Congratulations again to yesterday's victors in the three-way first-place finish..." *points to Chuuya, Kyoka, and Tamaki* tamaki: =w= Kyoka: *small smile* Chuuya: *still has a bandaged nose* Aizawa: "And as the three of them won first, they now have the most points...which any of you can now acquire." tamaki: wait what now? *The screens around the stadium show photos of the three of them--with 500 points listed for each one of them* Aizawa: "So, if you beat one of them in the competition, your ranking will increase for the next round." Chuuya: "..." ("Shit.") tamaki: mother fu- Kyoka: "Bring it on. I'll fight all comers." -elsewhere- Rin: "Oh shit, man! This is going to hurt..." kyouko: oh shit, indeed. Rin: "Maybe some of the other students will go up in rankings. How many people are left in this round?" -elsewhere- Vulcan: "..." *turns off the TV, looks back at a photograph...of him, Yu...and Lisa* nozomi: ... Vulcan: "...Yo, Nozomi? I got something you could help me with. Maybe...take your mind off of...Um...I mean, you okay?" nozomi: hmm? oh, im fine. ^^ Vulcan: "...Up for a project? I'll let you use the jackhammer." nozomi: oh goodness, im not sure if i can use something that big... ._.; Vulcan: "I can attach foot holds for it..." -elsewhere- Announcer: "It is pandemonium! Meme Tatane has a folding chair!" Meme: "I got you now!" student: WHERE DID SHE GET THAT?! Chuuya: *floating students away from him* "Really? This the best you all got?" Kyoka: *using Demon Snow as a barrier, yawns* Anya: *hand chopping opponents* "I knocked down possessed students from all sides! This all you got?!" -elsewhere- Mori: *writing notes* elise: *drawing* Mori: "Elise? Didn't you want to play with Sonia?" elise: yeah, but she doesnt come by a lot....like ever. Mori: "Maybe you can have a playdate at her apartment." elise: maybe. Mori: ^^ "What are you drawing?" -it's herself, sonia, Q, and mori as a child.- Mori: TTWTT "Um...Wh-Who is that?" elise: it's rintarou, duh. Mori: "...That's n-nice..." *pats her head* elise: ^^ Mori: "Let's hang it up..." -elsewhere- Takehisa: "Please keep the Commander away from the shovels. He keeps digging holes..." maki: noted. Akitaru: "This new shovel is great! Doc, how did you get it to dig so well?" -elsewhere- Patty: Q_Q "Takeru...Hang in there..." takeru: *SCREEEEEAM* Akutagawa: "I will have first place..." *trying to grab onto Takeru with Rashomon--and failing* "Hold still, damn you." -elsewhere- Ponera: "Feeling better?" shaula: yeah, why wouldnt i be? Ponera: "...I mean, you seemed...bothered when you were...inebriated." shaula: eh, im fine, no skin offa my nose. Ponera: "..." *hug* shaula: OwO; Ponera: "You're okay." *pat pat* "Try talking instead of just drinking alone, okay?" shaula: alright? >->; Ponera: *pulls back, smiles* "Good. Well, time for me to get this mission ready. -elsewhere- Mephisto: *stares at an empty bowl that once had ice cream* owo; felisia: zzzzz.... maid: ._.; Mephisto: *whispers* "I guess my sweet tooth just got beat...Be ready to bring her breakfast, 'kay?" maid: understood, sir. -elsewhere- Assi: *his head is bandaged (but he still has his A glasses on), as are his hands, like mittens* "..." *reaches for his spoon for his cereal--and his fingers are too bandaged to get it* "..." *muffled* "Darn." mana: showtaro, could ya feed ashi his breakfast? Shotaro: "Sure! Open wide!" Assi: "..." *muffled voice* "Ahhhh..." Shotaro: "..." *pulls down bandages--which causes a ripping sound* Assi: "OUCHIE!" Shotaro: "Whoops! Sorry!" Emine: *small smirk* -elsewhere- vivian: *she has her fan out* -CRASSH- tamaki: HOLY FUCK announcer: AND VIVIAN HELVITZ IS USING HER 2ND GEN ABILITY TO SHOCK THE COMPETITION! LITERALLY! Kishiri: o\\\w\\\o Anya: D8 *trying to outrun the electricity* Chuuya: *dodging charges* "Crap crap crap--" Lucy: *ZAPPED* X_X vivian: uhuhu~ torry~ i hope you're watching~ atsushi: !!! *grabs lucy and kyouka and gets them to safety* Kishiri: "Oh, I'm watching..." Kyoka: "...Now what?" atsushi: *thinking* if we had rubber suits, it would make us shock proof. Kyoka: "If only. Unless you know someone who can spontaneously generate rubber--" atsushi: crap....wait.... *glances at akutagawa*.... *lightbulb* it's not rubber, but rashomon can consume anything, right? Kyoka: "...Yes. How will you convince him?" Lucy: X____X atsushi: it's a risky move....but i might just have to take it! *runs out into the field* Kyoka: "...Good luck." Akutagawa: *swings another student around the field* "Be gone." atsushi: *jumping headfirst where he will likely get struck out* Akutagawa: "!!!!" *looks around--spots Vivian* *glowers* "...No one will have victory over the Were-Tiger but I!" *aims Rashomon at Vivian* vivian: OuO; *blocking* *Rashomon pushes upon Vivian* -elsewhere- Dazai: *tenses up* kirako: ?? Dazai: "I sense a disturbance...Did I leave the toilet seat up?" -elsewhere- Gin: o_o;;; higuchi: ._.; Gin: "...We'll need another shovel." -elsewhere- yana: electricity, eh? interesting. *looking up info on haijima's europe branch* FD: "Quite powerful." yana: should we pay these haijima guys a visit? FD: "Do it." yana: *grin* -elsewhere- Hibana: *staring in horror at a photograph* "...That's not him." *it's dated 8 years ago* gabriella: ?? princess? *Photo caption: Dr. Giovanni* *It looks like a rather normal man* gabriella: who is he? Hibana: "One of the fire commanders, from eight years ago...Before he put on that mask...I had never seen him without it." gabriella: ah. i see. Hibana: "...If this could help find him..." -elsewhere- Rin: o____o "...That's a lot of screaming." madoka: ._.; announcer: AND IN FIRST FOR THE SECOND ROUND, VIVIAN HELVITZ AND RYUZAKI ARARAGI! Akutagawa: *cough cough* *waving* Kishiri: QWQ atsushi:...huh. *Leader board has Vivian and Akutagawa's scores rise up; Kyoka, Tamaki, and Chuuya's fall* Kyoka: "Boo. But at least we aren't dead." atsushi: at least we made it to the next round. takeru: im just glad im out. *sigh* Lucy: *holding her head* "I feel like I got hit by a very large horse riding an even bigger horse..." Patty: "TAAAAAAAKERUUUUU!" *glomp* takeru: omph-! Patty: "Hee hee!" *cheek smooch* Chuuya: *looks at the score listing* "Where did I place?" -seems chuuya made 2nd. tamaki: D8 13?! atsushi: oh, looks like you got knocked out. sorry kotatsu. Kyoka: "..." *hug* tamaki: OxO .... TTxTT nyuuuuu.... Kyoka: *pat pat* Relan: "Kind of amazed she made it this far." shinra: yeah... Kyoka: "How did I place? Atsushi, did you qualify?" Chuuya: *smiling* "Hope that's good enough, Sonia..." atsushi: i made 12th, so im still in. how about you lucy? Lucy: "...14th place. Darn." atsushi: oh. maybe we can get lunch to celebrate? you did your best, right? ^^ Lucy: "..." *hug* "Food sounds great right now..." atsushi: ^^..... (thinking: i can feel a glare of intense hatred in my direction....) Akutagawa: "Tiger..." atsushi: OxO;;;;;;;;;;;; Lucy: -_-; "Oh. This nonsense again." atsushi: *SCREAMS ON THE INSIDE* Akutagawa: "You better survive the next round. Because I assure you, in the last round, I am going to face you. And before everyone here, they will see me dominate you." atsushi: *high pitched* sounds good, my dude....*forced laughter* Akutagawa: "Those are not the noises you will make when my heel is digging into your hand, as I repeatedly jab into you." Kyoka: "...I think he means he will jab with his fists. Into your abdomen. Not anywhere else." atsushi: *voice cracks* thanks for the clarification! Lucy: *holds Atsushi's hand* "Come. He's not worth it. Not until the last round when you kick his sorry behind out of the competition." Akutagawa: *DEATH GLARE AT LUCY* atsushi: WHO WANTS LUNCH?! OuO;;; Lucy: o__o; "Me! A thousand times!" Kyoka: "I will eat them out of business." Akutagawa: "..." *stomach growls* -and so- atsushi: TTuTT (thinking: ODASAKUUUU SAVE ME) odasaku: to tell you the truth kid....if i were in your shoes....i'd be besides myself too. *sweatdrop, scratching the back of his head* Lucy: -____- "J-Just finish the meal, I guess..." atsushi: QuQ;; Akutagawa: "...What about dessert?" Chuuya: -____-;;; "Will you come along?" Kyoka: *sipping her tea* "Like this peon will defeat Atsushi. He will send you running home crying." atsushi: *trying not to piss himself* Akutagawa: "I doubt that." Kyoka: "Want to bet on it?" atsushi: WELLLL it's getting late. time to call it a night, right guys? ^^;;; Akutagawa: "Like I need to take a bet when I could just sneak into his residence and kill him in his sleep." atsushi: *forced laugh* oh, you're so funny! but enough joking, lets head home now please? Lucy: "Oh, sounds like emo boy here is a chicken. A big, fat chicken." Akutagawa: "..." atsushi: ahaha...lucypleasedonottempthim. Akutagawa: "What would I get if he loses in the competition?" *A hand chops Akutagawa in the back of the head--into the pudding put out for him* Dazai: "A wild Dazai appears!" Kyoka: "...That was a waste of pudding." atsushi: *phew* Dazai: "Now, where's Chuuya? I thought he'd be here..." *looking over Chuuya's head* Chuuya: "..." *tries an uppercut* Dazai: *dodges* Chuuya: *random muttering growling* atsushi: ^^; Dazai: "You taking care of my niece okay?" Chuuya: "SHE'S NOT YOUR NIECE!" atsushi: oh, you mean sonia? Dazai: "But I already got her a teddy bear as big as you!" *holds up...a normal size teddy bear* Chuuya: *struggling to ignore Dazai* "Yes. Sonia. She is well. She's drawing so much, writing, counting--" Kyoka: "...You had a child?" Chuuya: *uncomfortable silence* atsushi: .... Chuuya: "I adopted her." Kyoka: "Ah." atsushi: ... Chuuya: "Sh-She needed someone..." Dazai: *pats Chuuya's head* "Best dad!" Chuuya: -_____- atsushi: mm.... odasaku: ..... Chuuya: "Speaking of which, I should get home--and bring him with me..." *pulls Akutagawa's head off the plate* Akutagawa: *covered in pudding* -_____- -elsewhere- Arthur: *holding a "You Tried" cake* tamaki: TT.TT Arthur: "I thought you did good. You were ahead of so many other people." tamaki: 737 Relan: "Yeah--and this time you didn't have any wardrobe malfunctions." tamaki: =n= Takehisa: *facepalm* Relan: "!!!! I-I meant that as a good thing..." Akitaru: "Come on, Tamaki! I got the plates and drinks..." tamaki:...*nom* TTnTT Akitaru: "There you go!" Vulcan: "And if it makes you feel better, I got some new tech for you to try out." -elsewhere- Anya: T_T tsugumi: it's ok anya. ^^ ao: it's not like you've contracted a flesh-eating disease. Anya: "...Gee, thanks." -elsewhere- Meme: *humming* -elsewhere- Kid: "Cookie?" stocking: *nom* mmm~<3 *nuzzle* Kid: =///w///= *holds her* stocking: ^^ kirika: *rolls eyes* get a room. Kid: -_-;;; "No one is making you sit here." -elsewhere- Assi: *collapsed on couch...his bandages and clothes are torn up* TT__TT -elsewhere- sonia: zzzzz.... mito: =w= Chuuya: "..." *tucks Sonia in* sonia: =u= Chuuya: *kisses her forehead, whispers* "Sleep well, kiddo." sonia: zzzz Chuuya: "..." *sighs, places a stuffed bear in her arms* sonia: *snuggles it* =u= *she seems content* Chuuya: "..." *shy scratch of his cheek* ("Guess Dazai can get some things right...") mito: *nuzzles chuuya's leg* *mrew* Chuuya: *small smile, pets Mito* "Good Mito..." mito: *mweow* Chuuya: "Shhh..." *picks up Mito* mito: =w= *purrs* Chuuya: "Better feed you..." -elsewhere- Gin: "At least he didn't injure too many." naoya: oi, akuta. congrats on first place! Akutagawa: "Thank you..." *still wiping pudding off himself* naoya: heard you ran into that waste of bandages today. he give you a hard time? Akutagawa: "He teased me for not dominating over the Were-Tiger, then said I should try a dating site." naoya: *rolls eyes* typical. Akutagawa: "I will wipe that smile off his face, too." naoya: finally getting over your schoolboy crush on him? higuchi: come on, naoya. -_-; Akutagawa: "Hmph. I will not even dignify that with a response." naoya: suit yourself then. *shrug* Gin: "It's okay if you don't find someone, too. Just let things go as they will." Akutagawa: "...Thank you." *looks at Higuchi* higuchi: .... *glances at gin* Gin: "..." *blinks* "..." *holds Higuchi's hand* higuchi: ^///^ Akutagawa: "..." *nods to Gin, walks away* Gin: "...Ichiyo..." higuchi: *hug* >////< Gin: o\\\o "..." =\\\= *pat pat...cheek smooch* naoya: look at this. my gals being so cute together. i feel like such a proud mother ^^ Gin: =\\\\\= "Please. That's a little embarrassing..." *holds onto Higuchi* -elsewhere- Yohei: *smooch* chie: =////= Yohei: "I'm done for the day...so I'm all for you." chie: *grins and drags him to their room* Yohei: *follows, slight chuckle* -elsewhere- Aizawa: *sets out the drinks* -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *fox yawn* -elsewhere- katya: .... Hawthorne: "...What?" katya: .... <oi boss, im back.> FD: <Welcome. How did it go?> katya: *hands him a USP port* <i got a copy of the stuff you asked me to get.> FD: <Good. Let's pull it up...> *inserts into a computer* -a few folders appear with 'employee records' 'projects' 'locations' etc.- FD: *opens a record* -elsewhere- Todoroki: *forming a snowball* -elsewhere- Arthur: "Zzz..." -elsewhere- Ponera: *nodding off* grimoire:...*carries her to bed* Ponera: *holds onto him, murmuring* grimoire: ?? Ponera: "M-Ma..." -elsewhere- Kunikida: *sets down his tea* -two letters have arrived- Kunikida: *looks at the addresses* -one is from aya, the other doesnt have a name- Kunikida: "..." *opens Aya's* note: dear mr kunikida, i hope you're doing well. ^^ it feels like such a long time since you helped me back then. if you ever need a jr detective to help you out, let me know ^^ ~Aya Kunikida: "...Cute." *sets it aside, examines the other letter* note: GUESS WHO'S OUTTA PRISON ASSHOLE! well, sorta. im stuck on parole atm. got part time work as a grocery bagger, but they're keeping tabs on me in case i 'become a threat to public safety'. XP shit, you probably have no clue who i am. remember that blonde dude from 2 years ago? the one with the numbers ability? yeah that would be me. peace out. -there is no name written- Kunikida: "..." >_< -silence- Kunikida: *sigh* *starts writing words on sheets of his notebook--including the names of certain weapons* -elsewhere- Kyoka: "I'm sure you'll be fine." atsushi: i hope so.....what do you remember him being like? d-during your time with..y-you know. Kyoka: "...He was sad." atsushi:....maybe if i try, i dunno, befriending him maybe...maybe he'd chill out a bit? Kyoka: "Worth a try. I would bring protection." *holds up a baseball bat* atsushi:...noted. Lucy: *passed out on the couch* *snore* atsushi:....i should take her home now. *picks lucy up* Lucy: =w= "Zzz..." Kyoka: "I'll get the door." -elsewhere- Dazai: "My babies are growing up." =w= kirako: ^^; Dazai: "And Sonia takes after me so much. She has that hard stare I make when the guy Mitch at the sandwich shop gets my order wrong..." kirako: ^^; is that so? Dazai: *nod nod* "And Atsushi is going to win that competition. Or Akutagawa. Or both. Or neither. Either way, I'm responsible for their entire greatness." kirako: i see. ^^ Dazai: "So, how you doing? I didn't get to see you much at work." kirako: doing good. you doing well? Dazai: "...You know what? Yeah." *smiles at her, stares at her* kirako: that's good to hear. *making tea* Dazai: "..." *hugs from behind* kirako: *sly grin* getting frisky already? Dazai: *presses from behind her* "You tell me." kirako: mmn...at least let me finish making us tea first, ok? Dazai: "Ooooookay." *pats her side* -elsewhere- FD: *reviewing papers and video clips* "All good..." zoey: ..... FD: "Look at this one, Zoey. With a better diet, I think we could get their performance up." zoey: .....perhaps...do you.....need me to do anything right now? FD: "...Zoey. Close your eyes, and imagine the thing you want most in the world." zoey: ....... -i want to be with you- FD: "What do you see?" zoey: i see you... FD: "What expression is on my face?" zoey: i can see a smile...but that's all i see... FD: "Do I look happy?" zoey:....yes. FD: "That's good. What am I doing?" zoey: ....kissing my hand softly... *she blushes* FD: "Like this?" *she can feel his lips brush along her hand* zoey: *soft moan* y-yes. FD: "And after I kiss your hand?" zoey: ah.....please.....take me however you wish. FD: "...Keep your eyes closed." *he kisses just above the top of her dress* zoey: a-ahhh~ FD: "If I ripped every last stitch off of you..." *kisses her cheek lightly* "What would you do?" zoey: *soft sigh* i-i'd....i'd do whatever you wished of me... FD: *unbuttons top of her dress* "Aren't you embarrassed, your naked body exposed?" zoey: i-if it p-pleases you, master...i would gladly expose myself... FD: *his hand slides down her back* "All of you?" *lifts up the bottom of her skirt* zoey: ah~ y-yes. FD: "When you dream...What do I do to you?" *his fingers slip under her panties, clutching her cheek* -elsewhere- Kepuri: *staring in the freezer* *every carton of ice cream is labeled 'Nea'* mana:...house petition to invest in a mini fridge for nea. chie: agreed. Kepuri: "Seconded. I'll get to building one." *pulls out a wrench* -elsewhere- Mori: *sighs* -silence- Mori: "..." *presses his intercom button* miura: yes sir? Mori: "I want to go out." miura: very well sir. Mori: "You're coming, too. You need to get out." miura: understood. Mori: Make sure you have a good outfit on..." *opens his office closet, removing a suit* miura:.....sir are you asking me on a date? Mori: "No. I just expect company with me to dress appropriately for the establishments we will visit." miura: understood, sir. Mori: *is putting on the suit* "I'll see you in 30 minutes." -elsewhere- Tachihara: *slurred speech* "Stoopid sheet! I-I'm too good for these things!" naoya: uh-huh. *making sure he doesnt fall over* Tachihara: "What've these bitches got up their butts?! I'm sooper!" hirotsu: im sure you're just swell. Tachihara: "Right?! So why did that cunt go for your old balls and not me?!!" hirotsu: two things; first of all, show a little damn respect. second; different people have different tastes. if it makes you feel better, we didnt fornicate. Tachihara: "Then she could've fucked me, man! I'm hot! I'm young and with it! I'm hip!" naoya: hey, there's plenty of fish in the sea, right? Tachihara: "Then why can't my big-ass lure attract a fish?" mafioso:...you wanna go to the lake then, man? naoya: maybe it has to do with your commitment issues? Tachihara: "I'm committed!" hirotsu: oh really? i think what she means is have you ever been in a meaningful relationship? one that lasted more than a week? Tachihara: "..." Q~Q naoya: ....*pats his back* Tachihara: "I-I just like things to be fast and immediate, man..." naoya: ah. Tachihara: "It's supposed to be simple, like in those dating sims." naoya: well, this is reality, kid. hirotsu: and people are much more complicated and unpredictable. Tachihara: "...Damn it. Maybe I can take notes or something..." naoya: maybe Tachihara: "Maybe take hookers on practice dates..." naoya: sure, knock yourself out....though not literally. Tachihara: *drunken laugh--then passes out* naoya:.... hirotsu: *pays the tab* i'll carry him back. naoya: good call. -elsewhere-