#like what the fuck. how tacky. how absolutely fucking money hungry is this

[fingertipsmp3]

Oh fuck I have the update

[midnight-pluto]

SPOILED!MEGUMI — headcanons

megumi was raised by gojo, he’s bound to be spoiled one way or another

CHAR: megumi fushiguro, satoru gojo

PAIRING(S): megumi fushiguro x gn!reader (can be read as platonic)

A/N: this is a topic that isn’t discussed enough, so I’m writing it and potentially going to elaborate on some more later

i would like to start off by saying i do not intend to paint megumi in a negative light by saying he’s spoiled — but i do intend on putting him in a goofy one

to be honest, megumi isn't that self-aware as he seems

y'all seen that one episode that inspired this post where yuji and nobara freak out over the price of gojo's shirt and question whether it's with tax or not and megumi deadass asks if tax matters? yea interpret that as you will

there is a decent chance that he doesn’t necessarily understand the value of money very well, which probably has something to do with the Gojo effect™️

ngl he probably said ‘print more money’ once and got attacked for it so he never said it again

but he's also so lowkey about it too like you would have never guessed that this boy would be as materialistic as gojo is

like he wears the same shit gojo does that's really expensive quality but doesn't have the brand name plastered onto it since he finds it tacky so you'll just never know unless he exclusively tells you

he also does have a talent of knowing what is good quality and what isn't; he would do great for those cheap vs. expensive videos

can also spot knock-offs from a mile away but never says anything about it since he doesn't have enough in him to care about that kind of stuff

so the first time both of you — including yuji and nobara — hangout at the mall and when you ask what he plans on getting and he just replies with something along the lines of new shoes so just imagine the collective shock between you all when he makes a beeline towards prada

"My boots got ruined last mission so I plan on getting a new pair."

"Okay, what store are you gonna be in so we can find you later?"

"Prada."

"Bitch what the fuck did you just say."

you didn't know what hurt more, megumi not telling any of you about the fact that he was loaded or his absolute nonchalance about the situation

and due to the amount of shock all of you were in, you all followed megumi like little ducklings bcuz his casual nonchalance about it was concerning

he was slightly embarrassed but found it easier to just pretend the rest of you weren't there during his hunt for new boots

it was also quite nerve wracking for you all since yuji only buys things from walmart and though nobara has expensive taste, she knows how to budget while you stay away from all things worth more than rent out of fear of damaging anything and having to pay for it

so it was safe to assume that it looked liked a bunch of kindergarteners in a line following their chaperone during a school field trip — just a lot more quieter and careful which cannot be said for every outing much to megumi’s dismay

megumi didn't take that long before picking out a pair that he liked and began to pay for under three pairs of wide eyes due to the sole fact that he pulled out a black card in order to pay for it

"Don't worry, it's Gojo's."

that statement did not help the situation at all

it also caused the three of you to demand why he isn't spending that money on you all to which his reply is just a deadpan: 'you never asked.'

i feel like this also extends to his taste in food as well

like when you suggest to head to the food court in the mall since yuji was getting hungry; this man has the audacity to disaprove since he doesn't like the taste

now that reasoning isn't the problem, the problem is that he suggests to eat at some expensive ass place an hour away because he was craving it and it was one of the only places gojo introduced to him as a kid which he actually liked

though he was forced to toss the idea aside due to the fact that there was no way you all could split the bill that way and you all weren’t that patient enough to walk an hour all the way to a restaurant you couldn’t even afford

it’s not that megumi didn’t offer to pay, he did, nobara just didn’t like the feeling of having to owe someone

that is until Gojo stumbles across his students and decides to get them food at the same exact place megumi suggested

A/N: writing this made me hungry

[palettes-and-prompts]

25 Dialogue Prompts For Each Color of the Rainbow

Red  1) "It's so hard being better than everyone else." 2) "How could they want someone else when they have a ten standing right in front of them?" 3) "It feels like a million butterflies are inside my stomach when I'm with them, I think this must be true love!" 4) "I should write them a love letter to confess my feelings--no! I'll write them a song!" 5) "Don't you dare put your filthy hands on me, only someone who is worthy is allowed to touch me!" 6) "I wanted to make our first time together special, is it too much?" 7) "I don't ever want us to be apart again." 8) "I could never love you!" 9) "They're perfect and check everything on my list! It's a sign from the universe that we were meant to be!" 10) "How dare you talk to me like that, I'm heaven on earth and you will treat me as such!" 11) "If you wont respect me then you'll die here!" 12) "If you look up perfection in the dictionary you'll find a photo of me." 13) "I want to be with you forever, and if you die I hope to die beside you." 14) "I love you but if you ever tell someone else they're pretty in front of me I will not only cry on you but also think about it for days." 15) "What have they got that I don't?" 16) "I want you in every way for the rest of my life I want you." 17) "Don't even think about going near them, I'll kill you where you stand!" 18) "We can do long distance, it's only for a few months. Besides, you and I love each other too much to let a few thousand miles get in the way." 19) "They told me my outfit was tacky! I mean, they had the nerve to stand there in a pair of dollar store shorts and say that to my face!" 20) "Maybe I'm not good enough." 21) "Let's go on a romantic getaway! How about Hawaii, or maybe Italy, no, Paris!" 22) "My whole body feels like it's on fire when they touch me and when they give me that look I feel like I'm going to melt right under them." 23) "Don't you know who I am?" 24)"You love someone else, who are they? I'd like to know who's taking my place!" 25) "Don't you just love love?"

Orange 1) "Relax! We'll do it later." 2) "Just chill, why are you always stressing yourself?" 3) "I'm not scared of anything, I just don't like doing things for people." 4) "We should go to sleep to wake up super early so we can get breakfast and then come back and binge watch this one show." 5) "Don't even worry, babe, this haunted house is nothing to be afraid of." 6) "What do you want to do today, we can go anywhere." 7) "You know, every time you kiss me I get that feeling in my stomach most people get when they jump out of a plane. Like that good kind of scared and excited all in one." 8)"How much money will you give me if I drink this whole bottle of wasabi?" 9) "Hey, hot stuff, miss me?" 10) "You're so soft, I think I'm gonna nap here on you." 11) "You look cold, take my jacket. It looks better on you anyway." 12) "I like seeing you smile, you don't do it too often but when you do the whole room feels brighter." 13) "If you get scared you can hold my hand." 14) "Come back to bed, how will I sleep without my little/big spoon?" 15) "Did you buy me food? Fuck I love you." 16) "Your butt is a really great hand warmer." 17) "What do you say, you wanna run off and marry me?" 18) "Did you sleep in my shirt? That's hot." 19) "How many puppies do you think we can fit in our jacket before they start noticing?" 20) "Why don't we have a lazy day in and stay in bed all day? If I get hungry I can just eat you." 21) "What's cooking, good looking, smells amazing. I bet it tastes great, maybe not as great as you do but I'm sure I'll love it." 22) "Cats are the devil and they're definitely out to kill mankind but look how cute this one is, his name is crackers!" 23) "I probably wont fight anyone unless I absolutely have to, or you want me to." 24) "Any particular reason your pants are off, though i'm not complaining." 25) "Get behind me, babe. And don't be scared, I've got this situation under control."

Yellow 1) "Why do something yourself if you can get others to do it for you?" 2) "Don't worry, I've got everything under control." 3) "You can trust me, we're friends aren't we?" 4) "No, you can't do it like this, everything has to be just right. I wont settle for anything less than perfection." 5) "Just trust me, have I ever let you down?" 6) "Don't panic, you know me, I always have a plan B." 7) "You deserve someone who puts you first, not someone who treats spending time with you like a chore." 8) "I will sacrifice anyone for you, everyone for you." 9) "I want to go out with you, but I can't, I have too much work to do. But maybe if you helped me we could get it done faster." 10) "Oh, you like them? Well, I didn't want to say anything because I don't gossip but I heard a pretty nasty rumor about them." 11) "Listen, cupcake, I worked my ass off to get everything together for you, now get out there and entertain or I am going to be very, very upset." 12) "They look happy together, well, we can't have that." 13) "Why don't you let me take care of that for you? I'll make sure they get the message." 14) "Don't go, without you none of this was worth it, without you this is all for nothing." 15) "I think you should stop looking into things that don't concern you, I'd hate to see someone like you get hurt." 16) "No, you don't have to get me anything, I just wanted to do something nice for you." 17) "I've spent my whole life being nice to people to get where I am now, and I am not about to let some bright eyed little brat try to take it from me." 18) "Should that scare me? I've spent my entire life surrounded by idiots like you trying to tell me what to do, so now you listen. Let go of me before I do something you wont like." 19) "Well, if you need a favor from me then I'm going to need something from you." 20) "Everyone has a price, so what's yours?" 21) "They got hurt? How awful." 22) "They're an infection and, since everything we're doing isn't healing it, looks like we're going to have to cut it out." 23) "I've said it once and I'll say it again. Stay out of my way, love.” 24) "It would be a shame if someone like them went missing." 25) "Oh love, you should have seen this coming, you know me. And what have I always said, looks can be deceiving."

Green 1) "Back off, they're mine!" 2) "Why would you want them to help you? I can do all of this in no time, you just relax and let me take care of you." 3) "Look at my outfit, don't you think it's cute? Hey, pay attention to me, don't you think I look cute?" 4) "What are you going to do, hurt me? Go ahead, who knows, I might even like it." 5) "Can I sit in your lap?" 6)  "Why are they so special to you, do you want them or something? I thought you liked me." 7) "God don't stop! Please don't stop!" 8) "If I'm not happy then why should others be happy?" 9) "I'm not always bad. I can be good if everyone gave me a chance." 10) "Not to be horny on main but like, if you pet my hair and call me baby or tell me I look good in a low voice while you put your hand down my pants I'm yours forever." 11) "I like to get what I want and I wont let you stand in my way." 12) "Why should they get to have that, I worked hard for it, I'm the one who wanted it!" 13) "I'm annoying? Have you even heard your voice?" 14) "I know I can be a little petty but like, I'm also really good at sex and people don't focus on that enough." 15) "Ow, that hurts! No, no, keep going, I never said I didn't like it." 16) "Can I do your makeup, please? I'll make it really cute!" 17) "You'll stay with me wont you? I don't want to be alone." 18) "You're so clingy." "Clingy? You're the one still hugging me!" 19) "Take your clothes off, I wanna feel your hands on me right now." 20) "Don't stop, just hold me for a little longer. You can stop in a little while but for now just...don't let go of me." 21) "Ugh, you're so boring! Let's do something fun!" 22) "I need love and attention so I'm going to need a lot of kisses, you don't want me to die, do you?" 23) "But what if I start wandering around and get lost? You'd better hold my hand just in case!" 24) "I know you're really mad at me but also I'm very cute so please don't be mad at me." 25) "Is bad I like it when you're mad at me, it makes the sex so much better."

Blue 1) "We're not friends, we're family." 2) "I love spending time with you all so much! 3) "You don't have to do it alone, you know? We're family and we're going to get through this together." 4) "You seem stressed. I know, why don't we go to an amusement park?" 5) "I love big holidays like this! Being around friends and family is the best!" 6) "Why don't I do this for you, you should get some rest. You look like you could use it." 7) "Don't get frustrated because you can't do it, just keep practicing, you'll get there eventually." 8) "It's only a little cold, you all didn't have to come here to take care of me." 9) "Your hugs are the best, I always feel so safe with you!" 10) "The choice is yours and whatever you decide we'll be right behind you all the way." 11) "I'm so lucky to have someone like you around, you always take care of me." 12) "You know, it's a beautiful day outside, why don't we go get some ice cream and go to the park?" 13) "I heard you were sick so I made you some soup and brought over some movies to watch." 14) "I can't fix you because you don't need to be fixed, okay? You're not broken and don't ever let anyone tell you any different. You're perfect, just the way you are." 15) "I'll support you no matter what!" 16) "I only want to help you, please let me help you." 17) "Of course I still love you, just because we disagree on a few things doesn't mean I'm going to stop loving you. It just means we're different, but different isn't bad. In fact, I think different is good." 18) "I can't stand by and watch you do this to yourself, I wont. Give me your hand, let's get you cleaned up." 19) "You seem sad, wanna go to the animal shelter and look at the dogs?" 20) "Don't worry, I've got you. You're safe, I've got you." 21) "If you really think that you can just give me those puppy dog eyes and I'll forgive you then you're right and I forgive you. Now please don't cry, come here." 22) "You can do it, I believe in you!" 23) "Family doesn't give up on each other." 24) "Everyone makes mistakes, it just means you're human." 25) "I am never going to give up on you."

Indigo 1) "That plan isn't going to work." 2) "Why would I want to work with you on the project? You'd just slow me down." 3) "I don't have time for fun, I've got to study for exams because unlike some people I care about my future." 4) "Spending the rest of my life with someone? Why would I want someone to distract me from my work?" 5) "Look, this is hard for me to admit so just let me try and say it, okay? I was not right today. You were. I was wrong." 6) "Do I have to have a partner on this assignment? I'd much rather do this on my own than have some idiot partner who does nothing and takes half the credit." 7) "Piece of advice? Give up, you're not great and no amount of effort you put in will ever be enough." 8) "You got me a gift? Wow, the only thing anyone's ever given me was a headache. Thank you." 9) "I don't think I'm better than you, I know I am." 10) "Speed dating is the most effective form of dating, it helps you wade through the idiots faster." 11) "I'm not listening to them, if I wanted dumb advice I would have just came to you." 12) "We're just going to listen to this idiot?" 13) "You really heard the question, thought about it, and then said that answer with full conviction. You're completely wrong of course but the fact that you were brave enough to say it in front of everyone is kind of inspiring. 14) "I've always been on my own, I'm comfortable that way." 15) "You're crying, should I call someone else? Anyone else? 16) "Don't walk away from me, I just--I'm not good at this whole interacting with others thing. But I really am trying." 17) "I'd like us to be friends, which is strange because I hate everyone. But I think I like you." 18) "This essay counts for a quarter of your grade, I've seen your report card, you might want to actually try on this one if you don't want to repeat this class." 19) "Why do I hang out with you again?" 20) "True love isn't real, it's just a fantasy created that's now being used by candy companies to sell chocolates, cards, and stuffed animals to idiots like you." 21) "Don't worry, this is just a tape recorder, I like to keep these recordings as a way to look back on past conversations. I listen to them when I'm wrong about something, I like to remind myself that I could always be dumber." 22) "I'm good at a lot of things, but sports, empathy, and feelings other than anger or annoyance aren't a part of those things." 23) "If you plan on saying something stupid now is not the time or the place. I'm very busy." 24) "It's moments when people say things like that that I truly worry for not only you future but the future of our earth." 25) "Look, I feel things when I'm with you, and it's new and scary but I think I like it."

Violet 1) "I handle it, you stay here, I don't want you to get hurt." 2) "Don't you get it, they're using you! They don't care about you, they only care about getting what they want." 3) "Just because I'm not crying all the time doesn't mean I don't have feelings." 4) "We'll leave in a minute, I just want to hold you a little bit longer." 5) "I know you've heard the rumors about me, do you believe them?" 6) "Just because I'm helping you doesn't mean we're friends." 7) "You make me want to be better." 8) "Something about the way you smile makes me feel like everything's going to be okay." 9) "I'm walking away now, do not follow me." 10) "How cute, you were worried about me." 11) "Don't worry about me, honey, I'll be back in no time." 12) "Do you want me because you actually like me or because I'm the kind of person your friends and family warned you about?" 13) "I work alone." 14) "I didn't mean to say what I did, okay? I didn't mean any of it." 15) "Every time I try to forget about you I see you everywhere. I see every time I close my eyes, in my dreams. I can't stop thinking about you. 16) "I don't want much, I never have, but I want you. God do I want you." 17) "It really does feel like you and I were made for each other." 18) "You make it so hard to protect you when you keep running towards danger like this!" 19) "You're annoying! You're a stuck up little brat who throws a tantrum when things don't go your way and I can't believe I'm in love with you!" 20) "I have to be honest with you, the thought of getting close to you kind of scares the hell out of me." 21) "I'm not your knight in shining armor or your prince charming. I'm just someone who got paid to keep you safe. A babysitter with a sword, nothing more." 22) "I've always left relationships before they got serious but there's something about you that makes me want to stay." 23) "You're nothing to me, just a stupid prince/princess who opened their legs for the first person to make them feel special." 24) "Keep talking, maybe we'll get lucky and you'll annoy them to death. Can't believe I'm fucking stuck in here with you." 25) "Don't leave, I know I said I didn't need anyone but that's not true. I need you."

[elddansurin]

New Vegas: a story in pictures pt 5

Welcome back for another chapter in the tale of my friend and yours, Mr. Bones. Last time we met, Bones had a surprisingly pleasant-ish visit to the town of Novac, and he got a hit put out on him by those legion boys. Where will the road take him next?

Part 1 || Part 4 || Part 6

---

Feeling mostly confident and only a little shaken from his encounter with a band of legionary assassins, Bones runs off the adrenaline by tangoing with a swarm of ants.

The next leg of his journey is quiet and lonesome, just the way he likes it. On his way down to Boulder City, he comes across a billboard that in no way foreshadows where his life is about take him.

Definitely not anything to make a mental note of.

Bones soon finds himself staring down on the fucked-to-death remains of what was once Boulder City. He bonks a couple scorpions on his way down, then immediately finds himself in another testy situation.

Bones has no time and even less respect for uniformed authority figures.

And two brothers are reunited once again.

Another NCR goon stops Bones on his way into the barricaded town, warning him of some hostage situation or something to that extent. Admittedly, Bones wasn’t paying too much attention. However, he can’t help but notice the absolute fuckton of soldiers and khans hunkered down in the wreckage. Both sides are ready to open fire at a moment’s notice.

Following the line of khans brings Bones face to face with a familiar... face.

But before Bones can roll out the royal beatdown, the two find some common ground.

Bones decides against turning Jessup’s face inside out. No, he’ll save that energy for the guy who really deserves it. Instead, he is somehow talked into toning down the whole “impending shootout” situation outside. Thankfully, Bones knows that money talks.

A bit of a bribe is all it takes for the whole situation to wind down. The NCR walks away with the hostages alive, and the khans get to go home in one piece. Everyone’s happy, and Bones is more hungry for revenge than ever.

Against all odds, Bones is making friends.

He’s learned much in such a short time. Including how to blast the absolute fuck out of anyone who gets into swinging distance.

And so, once again, Bones is Vegas-bound.

Until he is distracted by another brightly colored billboard.

The Repconn HQ provides a fun and educational experience. In fact, there’s even a guided tour. And Bones, being the model citizen that he is, would never dream of sticking his nose where it ought not to be.

And he’d never assume someone else’s identity to get himself into off-limits territory.

But that stolen pass key only gets him so far. Suddenly, the third floor is all flashing lights and alarms. The sentry robots roll onto the scene, and Bones realizes it’s time to get serious.

Maybe a little too serious.

But the med-x does its job, and Bones soaks up automatic fire like a sponge, swinging all the while.

Neither man nor machine can stand in his way.

Seeing all he needed to see, Bones skitters back on track toward New Vegas. By now, he’s feeling a little jittery. The siren song of med-x is already calling, and he’s fresh out. He starts to get mean.

With his newfound powers, Bones sends his short-sighted enemies flying. What started as an ambush attack quickly turns into Bones grinding the fiends into meaty paste.

He’s getting close. He can almost smell the acrid stink of that cock and his tacky suit. But he’s also tired and in full, balls-out withdrawal. A safe place to sleep for the night is definitely in the cards.

The El Rey motel isn’t quite as inviting as the Dino Deelight, but Bones is able to break his way into a room. However, another squatter has already beat him to the punch. The squatter is then beaten (to death) by a punch (from Bones’s fists).

Turns out, good things come to those who indulge in their violent impulses.

And so we say good night once more to our pal Bones. Tune in next time as Bones gets heartily distracted in good ol’ Freeside. Innocent blood may or may not be spilled, and friends may or may not be made.

TO BE CONTINUED?????

[caroline18mars]

A Man On Fire - Chapter 6

Dark, kinda sleazy-ish, testosterone filled bar at the edge of town, where the music was on even more steroids than the men, fan-fuckin-tastic! “how the fuck did you find this place? Lemme guess, you just googled 'machoheaven' and hey presto?” Jared grumbled at Shayla as they found a table close to the bar. “Oh come on! I happen to like this place, It's got a certain je-ne-sais-quoi” she took in her surroundings with a smile, “Well, yes, I have to admit that there's more guys with Freddie Mercury moustaches here than I've ever seen in my entire life, but hey if you're into that sort of thing..maybe this is a new sort of kink you haven't told me about?” he rolled his eyes, he so didn't want to be here, “will you just shut up? Sit down! I'll go get us a drink”. Jared did as he was told and jumped on one of the barstools “So..how is she?” he asked as he looked at Sean who gave him a surprised look, “the girl in New York you seemed so worried about?”. Right at that moment, Shayla almost dropped their drinks seeming all jittery and nervous all of a sudden while he noticed Sean go bright red, oh Shayla, Shayla, always such a sucker for the obvious punishment these little macho cupcakes were. “Oh..her..no, I wasn't worried, she's just some friend who happens to live in my block and lost her key or something, she's such a drama queen”, liar, liar, oh he could see right through guys like this, he could because he had been the one doing the lying all too often, but hey it was good enough for Shayla, because she gobbled up his story like he was serving it on a silver platter. “Sounds like someone I know” Shayla giggled looking at Jared while she took her shot of tequila “anyway, here's to drama queens, bottoms up” and raised it to all around the table who followed her example in downing it in one go. The hard liquor burned his throat and actually managed to numb his brain and by the second and third shot this place was starting to look a whole lot less like the dump he had walked in to, hallelujah, even the few women present were starting to look a whole lot prettier..oh it definitely was!

Hungggrryyyyy, she was so hungry, her stomach growled its' dissaproval to the lack of food as she crawled down her scaffolding again, creaking and wobbling as she jumped down the last flight, she needed to look into that but first food. Opening her fridge she scrunched up her nose, empty except for a couple of bottles of water, she so needed to hit the supermarket..just not right now! She slammed the fridgedoor shut again, grabbed her keys and jacket and walked out again, the Chinese around the corner would just have to do. “So, a number 56 and a number 43 plus fried rice, is all that for one person or is someone joining you?” she could have sworn the girl suppressed a giggle, “No..it's just me..” she mumbled, which earned her a dissaproving stare from the girl, what the fuck was her problem? Not every woman could survive on a salad leaf and a carrot a day! “ok, well you can sit by the bar at the window, that's reserved for singles” the girl gave her a sarcastic smile as she accepted her money. Harper couldn't help sticking out her tongue at her as soon as she tick-tacked away on her high heels to enter her order, singles, window, fine, she plodded over to the window and plopped down on one of the barstools. Shrugging off her jacket she took a look around the restaurant, practically every table was littered with couples, they made it look like New York was such an easy place to find love..where did all these people meet? Suckersforlovearesuckersformisery central? idiot central? With a deep breath she turned back to the window while her food was shoved in front of her, cracking the chopsticks apart she dug into her food, worst service in the world but definitely the best chop choy this side of the Hudson, leaning back a bit as she chewed she caught a glimpse of herself in the window, paint on her face, paint in her messed up hair, and her clothes were eternally stained with the stuff. No wonder people avoided contact and when they did make contact they ridiculed her, it wasn't because she was a loner at heart that she didn't need some human interaction once in a while too, and now that Sean was gone, any form of human contact had been brought down to the absolute minimum. Lately her only contact with the outside world was Joe, she grabbed her phone, no new messages, this was depressing, she put down her chopsticks and stopped a waiter “I'll have this to go, thanks”. Half an hour later, she plopped down on her couch with her food and switched on the TV, much better, no awkward looks, who needed people anyway? certainly not this alien, right now she needed food, mindless tv-shows and then sleep, she would deal with the world out there again tomorrow.

Jared looked out of the window in the back of the cab that was bringing him back to the hotel after a drunken night with some girl he already couldn't remember the name or the face of. The alcohol was still buzzing around his system, and he was suffering from some major post-coital depression, even the sun rising above the city did nothing to soften his mood, it just made the city look bleak and dull. 'Beep' Harper gasped in shock, the book slid off her face and thudded on the floor, trying to wake up from her little coma, she sat up and put the box of Chinese food back on the coffee table.

From: BJLCubbins

To: HCDeRobiano

Subject: Re: Re: Earth to Coco

Coco,

So no calls, huh? Shame, but ok, if that's what you want..

Alright, let's cut the bullshit, I want to see you, I want to see the artist that is working on this masterpiece I've seen, so fuck the pictures, I want to see it with my own two eyes and that's exactly what I'm gonna do!

So, how does the day after tomorrow, Times Square around 4PM sound? It's neutral grounds right? Coffee, chat, looking at paintings, dinner, and lots of talks, face to face instead of screen to screen, be there?

Sorry for the lack of eloquence, but I just had the most exhausting night, bar, too much to drink, anonymous sex, and I'm in the back of a cab on the other side of the world on my way to the hotel to get some sleep before I get ready to come and see you.

Don't say no!

Regards

Joe

What? What? WHAT? Harper's heart was beating in her throat, oh she was awake now! He was coming to New York?

From: HCDeRobiano

To: BJLCubbins

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Earth to Coco

OK!

Regards

Coco

Ok? Really? Ok? Yeah ok! Jared walked inside the hotel with a lighter bounce to his step, what would she look like? Did that matter? She could be 6 foot 5, bigger than a bus, or have really weird teeth, it didn't matter, her paintings were phenomenal and so was she! Yeah, New York City he was on his way. What had she done? Fuck this could be some serial killer or some dirty, old freak, ok it wasn't too late to tell him that she had changed her mind, right? 'beep' fuck..she took a deep breath and took her phone, what was the worst that could happen? And when was the last time she had actually had a conversation about her work and art? Uhmmm, never!!!

From: BJLCubbins

To: HCDeRobiano

Subject: Fuck Yeah!

Coco,

OK? you mean that? Ok? Just like that? Cool! We've got ourselves a date..well not a 'date-date' but a friend's date! 4PM in front of M&M's world? Nice and tacky :)

I think we'll recognize each other straight away when we see each other, exciting!

See you soon, but in the meantime don't stop 'talking',..Friend!

Regards,

Joe

He pulled his shirt off and let himself fall flat on the bed, when was the last time he had been this excited about anything? Centuries ago?! 'Beep' oh he was getting really fond of that annoying little noise.

From: HCDeRobiano

To: BJLCubbins

Subject: Re: Fuck Yeah!

Joe,

M&M's world? Really?

Too much to drink? Anonymous sex? You lucky bastard! :-) your e-mail woke me up with a book full of love letters from grumpy old men plastered over my head and a box of Chinese take away in my lap, oh the exciting and glamorous life I lead. What kind of business are you in that gets you to fly around the world to come and look at some paintings? Oh wait, you're the CEO of M&M's!

Anyway, go to bed (if you're not still in it), we'll talk tomorrow!

Friend? Yeah I like the sound of that!

Regards

Coco

'O Heart O Love everything is suddenly turned to gold! Don’t be afraid don’t worry the most astounding beautiful thing has happened here! I don’t know where to begin but the most important. When Bill [ed: William S. Burroughs] came I, we, thought it was the same old Bill mad, but something had happened to Bill in the meantime since we last saw him…but last night finally Bill and I sat down facing each other across the kitchen table and looked eye to eye and talked, and I confessed all my doubt and misery — and in front of my eyes he turned into an Angel! ' – Allen Ginsberg. Harper closed the book and sipped her coffee daydreaming, she hadn't been able to go back to sleep after that last e-mail she sent, she had been too excited and too exhausted at the same time, getting attached to someone just wasn't her thing and the fact that she was getting attached, and she so was, was getting her restless. She liked to set her own pace and this was going way too fast, but what was? the fact that she was going to get coffee with a guy? Or the fact that she would have to talk about her work, something she didn't like to do, AT ALL! A loud banging on the door startled her, “Countess..wait, what the hell is a Countess? Uhmm yeah..Countess Harper Coco De..De..” the UPS guy leaned against her door and read her name without even looking at her, “De Robiano, yeah that's me” she grabbed the enveloppe and scribbled her name on his terminal. What the hell was this? She kicked the door shut with her foot, sender? Lawfirm..what? Nervous fingers ripped and tugged, To Countess, yadda, yadda..it is Count Marco De Robiano's..blegghh..wish that any financial support to his daughter Countess blah blah will be stopped as from this date..WHAT? Financial support? What? The nerve of that stupid old fuck! She threw the letter on the kitchen counter all disgusted, when had she received any financial support over the last couple of years? He had made it perfectly clear when she had left years ago with slamming doors that she was no longer his daughter, but now that it was about his precious money he remembered that he did have...stupid fuckin' a-hole..ok take a deep breath..repeat after me, I don't give a fuck..no my heart isn't breaking, na-ah, no way..shit, this hurt like a motherfucker, she kicked the paint cans on the floor, cursing under her breath she crawled on her scaffolding, fuck you Daddy dearest, let's show the whole fucking world how ugly and disgusting you really are!

[bibliosexxual]

I don’t even know. I was taking a walk today and this idea popped into my head. I swear I’m still writing the bookstore AU, too. Also, *pops confetti*, I hit 2k followers today! Who ARE all you guys? Anyway, this fluff/ridiculousness is for you. ~1.6k words, rated G. Sterek, of course.

now also on AO3

The whole thing starts with Stiles really, really craving a meatball sub from the place across the street.

"God, someone shut him up," Erica groans. They're all kind of at their breaking point by now; they've been camped out in this meeting room all day, brainstorming. “He’s been talking about the same goddamn sandwich for seven and a half minutes now, and it’s making me hungry.”

“If only our ad campaign were about sandwiches, Stilinski would have it in the bag and we could all go home,” Isaac sighs.

From across the table, Derek rises abruptly to his feet and storms out. (Or maybe it's just that Stiles always interprets everything Derek does as stormy. With those eyebrows, it's hard not to.)

Stiles assumes he's just gotten so fed up with them all that it's either storm out or kill someone, and he's just grateful Derek chose Door Number 1. It's a good day not to get killed by Derek Hale.

Only, fifteen minutes later he comes back in. With a paper bag from the deli.

As soon as he gets within grabbing distance, Stiles practically collapses across the table in his haste to reach for it. "Oh my god, is that what I think it is?"

Derek holds it up over his head. "Who says this is for you? Maybe all your talk inspired me to go get a meatball sub of my own."

"Oh, please. Like anyone with your abs eats meatball subs." Stiles leaps to his feet on his swivel chair—because screw safety, Derek will catch him if he starts to topple over—and snatches the bag out of Derek's grip. Derek doesn’t fight him for it very hard.

"Why don't I get a meatball sub?" Erica whines, thumping her head down on her notebook. “Doesn’t anyone love me?”

Derek shrugs and takes his seat again. "You didn't ask."

"You just like Stilinski better," she grumbles, and Derek just shrugs again.

Meanwhile, Stiles rips into the bag and takes a huge bite out of the gloriousness that is this sandwich. He can't help throwing in a few theatrical moans just to taunt Erica, and she suitably rewards him with a glare of death across the table.

"Mmm," Stiles says. "Derek, I love you so much, dude. Marry me."

Instead of the grumpy eyebrows he expects, Derek meets his eye, leans back smugly in his chair, and says, "Okay."

Stiles blinks at him, sandwich held halfway to his mouth. "Okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay—"

"God," Erica interrupts, "as riveting as this conversation is, I'm going to get my own meatball sub. See you losers later."

*

Stiles mostly forgets about it. That is, until Derek is surprisingly awesome again, this time with coffee when they have an impromptu team meeting at 8:30 in the fucking morning two weeks later.

“Dude, it’s official, we’re having a June wedding,” Stiles groans between sips of hazelnut latte goodness.

The weirdest, most delightful thing is that Derek fucking goes along with it. “June? How cliché. I vote April or May.”

"Okay, sure,” Stiles smirks. “It's gonna be on April Fool’s Day or not at all.”

Derek clutches his chest. “Why, so everyone will think our love is a joke? I'm wounded, babe.”

“Shut up, both of you,” Isaac groans, stealing the to-go cup right out of Stiles’ hands and taking a huge sip, and Stiles is suitably distracted chasing him around the room and yelling barely-workplace-appropriate insults to tell Derek exactly why they need to have an April wedding.

He tells him later, though. He doesn’t forget. They compromise on mid-April.

It kinda becomes a thing, after that. Seriously. Stiles has a thing with Derek Hale. A gay chicken thing, except with weddings. And it’s awesome.

“It's gonna be a small, intimate gathering—”

“—of all our two thousand one hundred and eighty combined Facebook friends. Perfect. I was thinking the same thing, babe.”

“You’re paying to feed them all, then.”

“I’ll buy two cakes, since we probably aren’t going to agree on cake flavors at all.”

“Mine better be German chocolate with buttercream frosting.”

“Wait, seriously? That’s what I was going to pick. Okay, I’ll make my cake be coconut. Ooh, we could do a tropical theme! We’re gonna have flowers everywhere.”

“Only if you want me to sneeze all over you all day.”

“Derek, it’s a spring wedding, we’ve gotta have flowers. But we can get fake ones. And balloons! I fucking love balloons. Also, who says we’re gonna get married in the daytime? What if I want to get married at night?”

“An evening wedding, then. The reception can be at night.”

“Only if you let me hire the DJ.”

“Absolutely not. You would pick something totally tacky for our first dance, like ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ or the Chicken Dance.”

“While that would be hilarious, I was actually thinking ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’”

“That’s… actually not bad. Huh.”

“I do have good taste sometimes, boo.” Stiles even throws in a wink. “After all, I like you enough to marry you.”

It turns out Derek isn’t stormy and grumpy all the time, and he actually has a really nice smile. Especially when he’s blushing.

*

Erica, probably looking for an excuse to party and/or laugh at them, throws them a surprise fake-engagement party one Friday. The whole office shows up, probably lured in by the free food.

It actually ends up being fun. There’s chocolate cake and sparkling grape juice, and Stiles manages to get Derek to take a selfie with him while wearing a flower crown and not looking even a little bit murderous. Stiles immediately sets it as his new phone background just to see Derek pretend (badly) not to like it.

*

“Aw, is that your boyfriend?” a client asks one day, leaning over his shoulder, because Stiles never quite got around to changing out that photo on his phone.

And... Stiles shouldn’t. It’s probably crossing so many lines.

But he does.

He smiles widely and says, “We’re engaged, actually.”

The weird thing is, it's supposed to be a joke, but Stiles actually really likes the sound of it, and before he can second-guess it, he’s off inventing a whole story about their wild office romance and how it all started with an innocent meatball sub.

The client gets actual tears in her eyes by the end of it.

Stiles should be a professional actor. He’s obviously missed his life’s calling.

*

“Stiles,” Derek growls the next morning, “why did Wanda just call me to congratulate me on my engagement to you?”

“Uh, because we are engaged?” Stiles tries. “We’re having a spring wedding with two flavors of cake, or did you forget? By the way, you still need to buy me a ring.”

Deflection successful—Derek crosses his arms and demands, “Why am I the one buying the rings in this scenario? You’re the one who proposed to me.”

“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure you have more money. I make too many impulse decisions regarding video games, and books, and concert tickets, and… yeah. I have no concept of budgeting.”

Derek sighs and shakes his head and totally forgets about the whole “Stiles told someone we were getting hitched” thing.

*

It just keeps going. Stiles gets in the habit of calling Derek “babe” or “boo” sarcastically, just to see Derek flip him off or roll his eyes or blush, and if anyone around the office says something like, “I dunno, ask your boyfriend,” or, “Tell your boyfriend good job on that presentation,” Stiles knows exactly who they’re talking about. 

He’s pretty sure there are a few people around the office who actually think Derek is Stiles’ fiancé at this point, which amuses Stiles to no end. 

One day he even catches Derek actually reading a wedding magazine on his break.

*

It’s not exactly weird when Derek drifts to a stop by Stiles’ desk at the end of the day one evening, grey messenger bag slung over his shoulder and hands in his pockets. They walk out to their cars a lot together, these days.

It’s also not that weird that Derek opens with, “Do you like sushi?”

“I thought we agreed we were just having cake at the reception,” Stiles says absently, chewing on a pen. He’s come up with ten different slogans in the past hour for this brand of dish soap, but they’re all puns, and the client probably isn’t going to go for it.

“Right, we are,” Derek says, and Stiles finally does look up, because Derek sounds nervous. Usually when they talk about the wedding there’s a lot more smirking and fake-outrage involved, and a lot less hand-twisting and lip-biting. “I was just thinking… wondering… if you liked sushi. There’s this new place a couple blocks from here, if, um.”

The pen falls out of Stiles’ mouth and clatters on the floor.

“Forget it,” Derek says, half-turning away.

That’s about as far as he gets before Stiles bursts out of his chair and tries to grab Derek’s arm but ends up with a fistful of his shirt instead. It gets Derek to stop and look at him again, though, so there. “Dude, are you asking me out right now?”

Derek says, “Let go of my shirt, Stiles,” which isn’t a no.

“Please tell me this isn’t a gay marriage chicken thing,” Stiles says, after he lets go of the shirt.

Derek swallows. “It isn’t a gay marriage chicken thing.”

“In that case,” Stiles says, “I love sushi.”

*

When they do get married for real a year later, they’re totally prepared.

[dreamingofravens]

Leave The World Blind

Warnings for violence, eye trauma, and teenagers being shitty. 

Had Korren thought this out a little better he wouldn’t be in the situation. Had he not left home he wouldn’t be in this situation. Had he not made it to where he had to leave home he wouldn’t be in this situation. The cuffs on his wrists were digging into his skin and making the goose-flesh on his arms and neck prick up and itch uncomfortably. He had to stand on his toes to keep this from happening but he was tired. He was tired and he wanted to go anywhere but where he was.

A shift in the darkness alerted Korren that his captor was back again. An ex-client so to say. He should have known he didn’t have it in him to kill someone. He’d only ever done petty crimes; the money had been too good to say no to. He hadn’t meant to wimp out. He hadn’t meant to just take the money and run. Well, he had, but at the same time…

A kick to the knee had Korren hissing in pain as he lost his precarious balance and fell hard against his shackles. Fuck, could this possibly get worse? (Knock on wood.) The man before him had a cold expression that only made him all the more frightening. He was calculated in what he was doing. This wasn’t a passion act-- this was just straight revenge for what Korren couldn’t do. Not what he had done but what he didn’t.

“Pathetic.” A strike to the head had Korren’s thoughts reeling round and round as he tried to push himself back up with his good leg. The sudden searing pain in his thigh made him go limp again with a ragged noise escaping his throat. (Was that his own knife?)

The hilt sticking out of his leg was definitely one he was familiar with. He could see the indents his grip had made into it over the past year. Tears started to prick at his eyes as he bit his lip and held back a sob of pain. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He couldn’t show that this hurt. He was already being weak right now. If he let on anymore he’d never see the end of this.

“It’s one thing to not do a job you’ve been hired for. It’s another to run like a little fucking coward with his tail between his legs.” The man seemed to just be muttering to himself now. Korren already knew this. He regretted it more than most things in his life in that moment. Psychological pain sucked but at least you could bury it down and ignore it. A knife in your leg was a little harder to push aside.

“Fucking kids, don’t have any fucking sense of honor… Dog eat dog world… Teach you a fucking lesson, I will.” A punch to the gut knocked the wind out of him and he ragdolled. If Korren didn’t already know it was useless he would try pleading. This was ridiculous. His entire body hurt and his stomach was in tight knots that didn’t have anything to do with the fact he just got suckerpunched. He was hungry, thirsty, had no idea how long he had been down here. Why this had to be so dragged out…

“Not good enough-- have to… Got it.” The feel of the blade sliding back out of his leg made Korren want to wretch up what little contents his stomach had to offer. Blood automatically started to seep out at an alarming rate as the man hauled him up by his hair and got a good look at him.

“You got real pretty cow eyes don’cha, kid? Bet you got away with a lot of shit with mommy and daddy. Well, I ain’t your mommy or you daddy.”  A slow slice to the cheek had Korren fighting not to grimace. That’d only make the wound worse. The hand fisted in his bangs pulled harder as the path of the blade became clear.

“You best be fucking pleased I didn’t let nothin’ too terribly happen to you, you bastard. I could’ve killed you in your fucking sleep. Could’ve gut you open and strangled you with your own intestines.” Korren started to squirm as the blade came closer centimeter by centimeter at an absolutely treacherous pace. This son of a bitch was going to carve his fucking eye out.

“No-- No, no, no, no, no!” Korren shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get the man to stop in one last futile effort. All it got him was another punch to the head, this time catching him in the temple and causing everything to go white for a good solid minute. Looking back on it maybe he should be happy he survived that strike alone. But what followed it was just too much to feel grateful he hadn’t died then.

At first it was such a surreal experience Korren almost felt as if nothing was happening at all. It was then the pain hit and a scream ripped itself out of his throat. Everything went lopsided, tilted, backwards-- and with tears filling the eye currently not occupied by a knife, Korren found himself truly blinded. Even with his legs kicking out and his arms straining against their holds with all their might Korren was only making it worse for himself. There was a twist, another twist, and a gouge, and then he was let go. Hands were on his face and then there was a finger in him.

In all the scenarios Korren had thought of a finger going inside him, this certainly had never been one of them. The man had a finger shoved in his eye socket, moving it around experimentally. Korren quickly realized then that he was indeed screaming still. He couldn’t see anything through his tears but it didn’t matter much.

“That’ll do. I’ll leave you one for good luck. You’re gonna fuckin’ need it too, kid.” There was nothing left to do at this point so Korren hung there sadly, weeping. Blood was dripping down his face and he couldn’t tell if there was really that much blood or if there were tears mixing with it. Could you still cry if your eye had been gouged out? Questions he had never had to consider.

The next few things that happened seemed to occur in a blur. The shackles were unlocked and he was on the floor for a period of time in which he was pretty sure he was being kicked. The expression kicked while you’re down suddenly made a lot of sense. Then he was being picked up, slung over a shoulder, and walked out of wherever he had been. Which had apparently been underground. That made a lot of sense too. It was much too bright outside at the point and Korren was trying his best to keep his one good eye shut against the light. He didn’t need anymore pain added atop of what he already felt.

He ended up being dumped in a stream that he laid face first in until he couldn’t hold his breath any longer. What a fucking joke this was. Pain was still pulsating from his (lack of) eye, making everything fuzzy. He wanted to split his skull open on the rocks right that moment but instead sat there and cried. He cried until he eventually just passed out-- from the exhaustion, the blood loss, or the pain he couldn’t tell.

Eventually Korren came to, although no longer in the creek and rather in the company of a kindly lone herbalist, he didn’t care much for anything at that point. He stayed with the poor bloke harboring him until he could function properly with his new lack of features and promptly robbed them.The eye-patch he managed to nab was tacky and all his wounds itched to blue blazes, but he had paste to numb them and salve to heal them. Not to mention a decent sized bag of money to get him through the next month or so. At least he’d learned one thing for the experience.(Really, how could you come out something like without doing so?) It really was a dog eat dog world.

[kakiokuru]

NOBORIZAKA: NOVEMBER RAIN

Chapter Six | Close Calls

“You absolutely sure this is the place?”

“That’s what my trackers indicate, yes.”

“Aquarium? How tacky.”

“Wonder if they actually have fish… I want to see fish… Eat some too. Maiyan, I’m hungry!”

“Always thinking with your black hole stomach... You’re so noisy.”

“Let’s go.”

Exactly four weeks had passed from the day Miona arrived from her attack. Mai had planned, stressed, gathered every detail she could about Majijo and their missing leader. All sources pointed to her working at this hostess bar, still maintaining her leader status. Even if they couldn’t start a fight here, simply putting out a declaration would be enough. Mai had more than a few choice words for the absent leader and her train wreck of a team.

The rag tag team of six rode the cramped elevator up and stood at the door of the thriving hostess club, right at the beginning of their evening. Some customers had already gone in, taking their pleasures as they saw fit. Mai couldn’t help but to think how disgusting a place like this was. How completely degrading it was for a yankee and a woman. To think Majijo had stooped this low.

“Reika, what’s the deal on this place?” Yumi nudged the girl with her elbow.

Glancing down at her tablet, the student body president tapped her screen and swiped up a window of text to read from. “The summary of it is that Majijo was in an appalling amount of debt that threatened to close school down. So Rappappa, uh, the top fighting team of the school, and some other girls dropped out and opened a hostess bar to raise the money to keep it open. Suffice it to say, they made their goal.”

“So, they sold their bodies? Tramps.” Nanase couldn’t help but snicker at the thought. “Wouldn’t giving up be easier?”

“Well that’s not far off… I have it here that–”

“Enough. We’re going in.”

Leading the pack, Mai crossed her arms, holding her head high as she strode inside. The scent of alcohol smacked the barely legal group in the face as the doors closed behind them. Bright, flashy lighting could be seen just down the hall, contrasted with red and black seating.

“Uwaaah~ Maiyan, it stinks!!” Kazumi’s face dropped in disgust as the group made its way down the hall, pinching her nose to shield herself from the stench of alcohol and intense perfume.

“Perhaps the fish in the aquarium have already died and rotted, typical of a Majijo girl. Never living up to the hype.” Nanase tilted her head to the side, looking at Mai as she added to Kazumi’s statement.

“Don’t assume things too early. Hostess or not, this girl lasted two minutes against Salt.” A record indeed. Most opponents were downed in thirty seconds or less, but this Sakura girl was durable, even if she lost.

“All of you, honestly… You’re being rude.”

“So? We’re yankees who gives a shit?”

Mai stopped in her tracks, turning on her heel to look at the group and looking each one in the eyes. For the first time, she almost resembled MaiMai, regarding her teammates like children she was looking after. “We’re meeting someone dangerous. Someone we plan to either fight or declare war on. You’re all going to keep your mouths shut. You’re all going to be respectful. You will all stay at my side and not touch a single thing in this building. We’re representing our school. MaiMai. We’re honouring a fallen classmate. Do not fuck this up, please.”

Erika looked to her leader for the first time with a sense of pride, smiling as she spoke. The rest, however, deflated like balloons. But none the less, they continued after their leader without a word.

The music grew louder, drowning out any chances of hearing conversation. There was glitter littering the floor, tacky decoration pieces on every inch of blank space in the showroom floor. And the smell, god the smell. How could anyone breathe with this disgustingly stuffy air? Despite it hardly being evening, many men were already intoxicated and tossing money at girls who were over dressed and far too friendly.

However, as soon as a blacksuit approached them in question, Mai wasted no time or words to get right to business.

“The top here, where is she?”

The music cut out, everyone stopped and turned to look at the group of intimidating, actual high schoolers. The air in the bar all but completely changed, immediately filling with tension. Mai took a step forward, taking charge of the group, the rest standing at her heels. “Sakura, where is she–”

“Ahh, Maiyan! Look, fruits!” Kazumi bounced off to the table five feet over, kneeling down and eyeing the tray of colourful fruit. She took a tiny, plastic sword, stabbing a chunk of melon and popping it into her mouth. “They’re fresh!”

“Whoa, wait hold up. A lot cute girls here. We can hang around for a while, right? You don’t need all of us. I’ll just sit over there for a while. Thanks!” Yumi scurried off to the nearest empty seat and claimed it as hers. “Well, hello there.”

“Figures you would find interest in girls who bedazzled their chests with too much glitter. Control yourself, pervert.” Nanase called across the room, aimed directly at the fevered teammate.

“Oh, come on, Nanase, don’t tell me you didn’t look either.”

“I never look at girls like that.”

“Liar~ You’re doing that thing you do when you lie! Holding your breath and puffing your cheeks!”

“Kazumin…!!”

“You’re single, aren't you? Go enjoy yourself. Like always.”

Mai turned to her quickly dissipating group, her eyes widening. “G-Guys!!” Her brow furrowed in irritation. Kazumi and Yumi were already long gone. Reika eyes were glued to her tablet as she took photos where she saw fit. Even Nanase seemed to have little to no interest, picking at her nails in irritation. Erika was the only one who seemed to have every intention of staying at Mai’s side.

“You’re fucking kidding me…”

“Are you really surprised, Maiyan? It’s a wonder why you even invited them.” Erika crossed her arms, sharing her leader’s annoyance towards her comrades. She stepped up and took her place at Mai’s side, as she promised. “Keep your head high, just us is enough.”

“You asked for me?”

A girl in a sparkling, pure white dress and a tiara on her crown made her way to the pair of girls, heels clacking against the tile to signal her entrance, and emerging from the small crowd like a shark in the shallows. Her eyes did not fit her appearance; even her aura seemed more than she what appeared. She truly fit her pseudo persona, Same. Shark. There was no denying, this girl was secretly a yankee.

“How rude of you, making me seek you out a second time.” Mai held her defences high, staring at the former yankee down. “You sure are a troublesome leader, off doing whatever you want.”

“My apologies. I didn’t realize there were still stupid yankees willing to pick fights with my former school. I’m not a student there anymore, and this is no place for yankees. Please leave, children are not welcome during business hours.”

“We are of age. One of your underlings attacked a student of our school. Our school is a private academy, not a yankee girls school. This wrong cannot be overlooked.” Erika stopped Mai from interjecting, holding her arm out in front of the leader. “The girl was only a first year, she couldn’t defend herself, was badly hurt, and her uniform and handbook were forcibly taken. As your school’s leader you must answer for those crimes.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m graduated.” Sakura stared at the group with cold, uncaring eyes. Even she could tell these were not proper yankees. This was hardly a team, already seeing that two of them were off in their own business and one clearly incapable of throwing a proper punch. These girls had no idea what they were trying to start. Any war they started, Majijo would stop in an afternoon.

“Actually, you dropped out.” Reika raised a hand, jumping into the conversation. Everyone snapped their attention to her. She hid the bottom half of her face behind the tablet, shy from everyone’s staring. “What? I’m simply stating a fact…”

Mai took a deep breath to clear her head, growing increasingly more irritated. “Anyway, your school has no top. You never passed that torch, so either fight me one-on-one or… Noborizaka will take over Majijo.”

“Go ahead. I’m sure the slaughter of your pathetic rich princess school will be fun to watch.”

Mai was taken back by the girl’s words, her eyes slightly widening to the insult flown their way.

Even Yumi couldn’t ignore the slander spewed from the hostess in white, immediately rising to her feet and returning to her leader’s side. Her eyes narrowed at the flashy girl in front of her, glaring daggers into her made-up, blemish free face. “Who the hell do you think you are?” She growled under her breath.

Nanase pushed through the team, grabbing the snobby girl by her fake pearls. “The fuck did you say? Washed-up, trashy, one-dimensional piece of shit. Majijo is nothing now. I would know, I already made it to the gate easily. You have no defences. If we wanted too, we could take that piss poor excuse of a top school with no trouble at all. Just as we are.”

“Ah, you’re the girl who caused trouble last year and walked away. Couldn’t commit? That a common problem for you?”

Nanase’s eyes darkened. Like a volcano, all that pent up anger bubbled up at once and exploded into a fit of rage with just a few little words. The angered scout raised her fist and swung it at the hostess only for her fist to be caught in Sakura’s manicured fingers. Nanase was known to be fast, faster than any other fighter. If someone caught even her hand, everyone knew it was because she let them, wanted them to. Just as soon as she saw her hand being grabbed, Yumi was on the scene, pulling Nanase back by the waist before the enraged girl could land cheap jabs on the hostess.

“Don’t. Let the leaders handle it.” Yumi scolded her in a hushed tone, pressing her face against the side of her head to whisper in the girl’s ear. A familiar scene, Yumi’s arms snaked around Nanase’s frame to keep the girl from letting her temper control her. Yumi knew she was probably the last person Nanase wanted defending her, but Yumi was the only one strong enough to stop her. “Now isn’t the time. She’s just trying to set you off. You’re smarter than that.”

Sakura smirked to herself, watching the scene. “You really are all children…” She spoke with amusement, her heels clicking against the tile as she came face to face with the opposing leader. “If you want a war, go ahead. But I have no stake or place there anymore. All I can offer in my warnings and premature condolences.”

Mai glared at her in response, her gaze unwavering. This truly meant war. Sakura wouldn’t fight her one on one so the only choice left was to take down Majijo themselves. The first strike had thankfully been stopped in a call closer than she felt comfortable with. She would have to scold Nanase later, but for now, more pressing matters must be tended to.

“Thank you for your time.” Erika grabbed Mai by the hand. “Let’s go, it’ll be curfew here soon.” Even if they were yankees, they had school rules to follow like normal students. “That means everyone.”

“Fine.” In a huff, Nanase jerked forward, forcing the yankee off. “Didn’t want to stick around in a sleazy place like this anyways. Come on, Kazumin.”  

Kazumi, whom had been stuffing her face with fruit the entire time, perked her head up from the booth when she heard her name. “Ah, yeah, coming!” Carefully climbing out of the now slightly sticky seat, Kazumi hugged the still full fruit bowl as she charged after her group of friends to the elevator. “Anyone want some?” She pulled from her pocket a handful of tiny, plastic swords. She was only given a tired staring as a response while the elevator door closed.

Reika sighed, recording the outcome of the confrontation into her notes. “Well, that went well. So what’s the plan now? Clearly Miyawaki-san doesn’t want any part of this. The gall honestly, you’d think she’d take more responsibility.”

As the door closed, Mai wasted no time dropping her cold leader face. “We’re going to war. Sakura says they don’t truly have a top, then it's time for us to take over in Noborizaka’s honour.” Her voice carried a weight of pride with her aura intensifying to match. “Reika, research every girl. I want a strength chart, weaknesses, special information, all of it.”

“Understood.”

“Wakatsuki, save your strength. You’re a hard hitter; I need you at 100% so that means no challenges. Erika too.”

“Finally some good action.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Maiyan.”

“Naachan, I know she pissed you off but she isn’t our target. You’re fast enough to get in and out of Majijo unscathed. Channel that anger into the upcoming mission.”

“...Fine, Miss ‘Leader’.”

“Kazumin…” Mai looked over to the tall girl, who was a happy mess with strawberry seeds clinging to her cheeks. Kazumi was strong and a great fighter, she wasn’t the team's tank for nothing, but a pacifist at heart. Mai couldn’t force her to fight, it wouldn’t be right. “Just keep eating and cheer us on, okay?” Mai, for the first time in a while, smiled at her guard, patting her on the head, making a mess of her hair.

“Can do!!” Kazumi raised a fist in the air, bouncing in place with the brightest smile only she could show.

Mai stared forward as the doors opened on the first floor. “We attack at the end of the week. Rest up until then.”

To be continued...