#name guide

[publicbreath2020]

Names

Hello, I’m Cozmix, (for now) and I’ve been going through a few names over the past couple months. These are:

a) Alexis

b)Galaxy

c)River

d)Cosmic

e)Cozmic (said the same as cosmic)

f)Cozmix (said like coz-mix not coz-mic)

This is partly for suggestions and partly for name inspiration. Which do you like the most? (Comment)

[emphasisabled]

main verse timeline + name guide + selfee culture thoughts + ideas

sol + nehm = 1920s. sol is effectively around 9 years old when he's trafficked to nehms manor in france

sol escapes after stabbing nehm a bunch, stealing all his shit, and setting his manor on fire which he thinks kills him (it would if nehm wasn't a very powerful mage) = 40s -> japan, taken in by a kind dojo sensei, sparking his love for the martial arts and the art of the sword especially. sol is a approximately a preteen at this time. his sensei's family comes from a long line of demon hunting onmyoji, as demons often come to the human plane to eat humans. this is where sol got his start with monster hunting as well.

his sensei gifts him with a talisman that hides his fae appearance.

sol starts travelling in the 60s after his sensei passes away. he doesnt inherit the dojo ofc but his senseis family insist sol keep his senseis katana. teenager, but dresses femininely so his height doesnt indicate his age as much, uses makeup and his clothes to look older and get less questions about travelling alone. he eventually lands in the usa. his talisman gets fucked at some point, forcing sol to invent various means of keeping himself disguised to blend in - including his holograph ear cuffs.

sol + kenn - 80s (sol is effectively around 19). sol and kenn continue to hunt demons for a bit, eventually upgrading from sols truck to a 1985 Fleetwood Southwind RV motor home and a beater car (a souped up morris marina?), but settle down when sol becomes pregnant with ren and ava. sol promptly submits a bunch of patents he'd been working on as a hobby. solkenn basically immediately become stinking rich. ren and ava are concieved approximately 1988

ren + chrys + callum + con - 00s - private school. oops, teenage pregnancy via ren and callum -> vasya and vivian

chrys and alex's parents die around 2006 when alex is 7 (born 1999) and chrys is 18

callum and con leave at around 20 after buying a house together where they promptly experience one fuck of a hell year, falling out of contact. callum drags himself back home. con does not.

evan + alex - about 14 at approx 2013 - attend the same private school as rccc. solkenn sponsor alex's tuition because chrys otherwise wouldnt be able to afford it. chrys insists on paying for everything else, however, incl alex's extracuriculars (ballet + guitar lessons) and hobbies (video games).

ed and blue reunite w/sol

evan gets schlorped into demon-plane by nehm along with kenn and sol, ada shows up w/a new hubby and 3 new kids incl vie

vie + evan + alex - together from 2014 on when theyre all 15. alex gets injured during the nehm fiasco, has to take a break from ballet, but heals, and is able to pursue ballet as a career still if she chooses

callum and ed become friends. theres strong mutual attraction but callum is too traumatized to be in a relationship, in ed's opinion, so ed gently says as much. callum does some thinking and agrees, but is too in love with ed to pursue other relationships though he tries at least the once. this ends his streak of seeking out abusive relationships to propogate his self hate. callum and ed eventually get together, eventually get engaged, and eventually married+do the life splitting ceremony when callum is in his 30s.

evan fucks off at around 19 cus oops, trauma from hell schlorp. has a one night stand with a woman vacationing in mexico at approx 2016. vie and alex go after him to drag him back. even if he doesnt want to be with them anymore, he clearly needs help. they do all get back together though.

lilah is born in 2017. rosa is born around 2018, taken in by solkenn shortly thereafter.

lilah + rosa - attached at the hip right from the start

gigi is born approx 2039, meets oscar and church at around 2054 at the age of 15, oscar is saved by a mysterious vampire half a year later after suffering a brutal attack by a rival at a dance competition - 2055 - they set off to #vanlife it shortly thereafter to find said sire and bully him into their polycule

selfee culture

oligarchy based on magical power

shapeshifting is a natural talent of the species but is reliant on magical power. onism isn't necessarily rare, but this means selfee en masse see gender and sex as separate. gender is spiritual, sex is physical. children are largely encouraged to shift their sex to match their gender to soothe dysphoria - which is considered a spiritual illness. -> sol cannot do this.

deer fae. extremely long lived, which reflects on rate of maturation, and as a very stagnant culture. sol is modelled after a white tail deer. sol has 4 points. selfee are not generally considered 'adults' until they gain 6-8 points, but usually their fawn spots begin to disappear by the time they hit 4 points. this is in spite of the fact that, by sol's 4 points, his maturation is on par with a human in their 20s. the joys of a long lived species.

ada is the eldest and most powerful selfee alive at the point sol and blue are born. suffice it to say, this creates tension when sol's inability to perform magic or even shapeshift are noticed - and that's not even getting into his neurodivergence.

selfee and humans have similar senses, similar rates of intelligence, and similar methods of interpersonal/social communication. ergo, a person who is neurodivergent will be as such in either society.

selfee are by and large vegan but in lean times, like deer, will eat meat. eating meat outside of lean times is considered taboo, and thought to corrupt the person's magic.

ada is so powerful because he eats a fuckton of meat.

selfee's teeth are all flat because of this. no sharp incisors. unlike humans, they have evolved to be perfectly healthy on a meat-free diet (though meat does provide a significant boost) and this is reflective in their biology.

selfee have deer ears, hooves, antlers depending, and tails. juvenile selfee will have fawn spots on their face and down their neck and back. selfee of any age will have rocking white eyeliner.

selfee and humans share a similar range of skin tones.

the main door to the summerlands where they live was created by ada to enable the selfee to flee persecution and invasion. selfee are technically of the earthen plane, hence the many similarities between species and their ability to breed together. the main door is located in france, which is why nehm made his home there. they were probably fleeing charlemagne.

marriage is traditionally held on solstices to represent sharing life. life-splitting ceremonies - where the partners will undertake a magical ceremony to effectively conjoin their lives and ensure they die together - are held on the equinoxes to symbolize sharing death. marriage is considered the initial commitment ceremony, life-splitting a re-commitment. divorce is possible in marriage but impossible with life-splitting. people of any sex and or gender can marry.

during a marriage, the selfee will bring their pelt, folded, and one of their shed antlers if antlers are present with a sprig of, usually holly, tied around it. if there is no antler, the plant will instead be woven into a crown. these are exchanged during a handfasting ceremony. the plant is then buried at the foot of an elder tree. antlers are kept by the receiving spouse or spouses.

polyamory is not uncommon.

selfee do have a mating season. ayooooo lmao to this end, childrens birthdays are often a community celebration.

the human age equivalent of a selfee being considered a legal adult is 30.

purity culture ouo

a selfees natural form is a hybrid between a human and deer. fully deer is also considered a natural form. fully human, thanks to the nature of the exodus, is. not.

bigotry against humans is embedded in the culture. this is part of the discrimination that sol experienced in his early childhood - if you dont have magic, you're the next best thing to human. this, ofc, ignores the fact that humans often have magic, but because magic is not a common trait, etcetc. selfee often have european 'human' names, but insist that humans got those languages from selfee, so humans are thieves, and selfee are fine to keep these naming conventions therefore lmao

humans who have magic are typically elevated from their magicless peers to an extent. this is why nehm was allowed to hang out in the summerlands after accidentally falling into it - he was considered 'one of the good ones' and promptly took advantage of that.

this is a big part of why sol relates to humans so much, and is more comfortable among humanity than selfee-kind despite the circumstances that brought him into the human world and the person who brought him there.

sol remembers bits and pieces of his culture, but not that much of it.

magic elf weed

nehm - from german 'nehmetic' meaning 'to take'. nehm is his surname. nehm is a very handsome man with dark auburn hair, a short beard and moustache. he is very tall and well built and has a good, powerful reputation. he is considered family by the head honchos of france of the time. despite this his 'death' was covered up. buddy got ganked by his 12 year old child bride that everybody knew he had soooooo.... they moved to cover their own asses. to this end, sol was never pursued.

nehm's magic flexed when the room he was busy dying in began to burn down, transporting him to the demon realm. demons tried to eat him, thinking him easy pickings. he ate them instead. by the time he pops up again, he's effectively transitioned from a human into a demon.

ada fkn bodies him.

nehm -> bardulf nehmetic

kenn -> kennedy santos, then masters

ada -> adalhard

ed -> edmond

blue -> beauregard

ren -> renier

ava -> avaline-maria

chrys -> chrysanthemum jeremy slate, goes by chrys <- paternal grandfather's name for middle name

alex -> amaranth alexander slate, goes by alex <- maternal grandfather's name for middle name

jeremy and alexander were chosen with the full intention of allowing them to go by a name that wasn't a flower, even if their mom won the battle to make the flower names their first names. alex decided to go by such because none of her peers could pronounce her fucking name when she was little, so she got fed up, decided 'alex' was a unisex name, and was therefore good enough <- not that she used those exact words at the time but that was the gist. she actually doesn't mind 'alexander' even if she'll never go by it cus its too masc, but she thinks being named after, effectively a historical tactician-genius queer of the 'great' variety is pretty cool. alexander's solution has, therefore, become her favourite go-to problem solving method. her family figured out pretty quick that alex is trans, and she socially transitioned at around 6.

chrys started out going by jeremy, then pearl jam dropped jeremy, and chrys went 'NOPE'. people did try to bully him about his full name, but being one of the most popular kids in his class made that short lived. pretty privilege man.

peach -> cooper delaney. boy is so obsessed with princess peach he stole her goddamn name.

oscar -> oscar diego valentino del valle <- peurto rican -> familial nickname = carito? quq

sensei - tadashi ishimaru ('right' 'unweilding'), formerly tadashi kaburagi. from a long line of demon hunting onmyoji. in his young adulthood he and a kitsune working at a tea house fell in love with each other but his family killed her for 'using her magic to seduce him' which was vmuch not the case. he killed the perp back and left, spending a decade wandering, dealing with his grief, getting back into life. eventually he came across the ishimaru dojo (aikido????) and challenged the head for the rights to it. upon winning, he didn't kick the ishimaru family out, refusing to make them homeless just so he had a job and a place to live. they gradually developed a close relationship and he was effectively adopted into the family. a couple years after that he met the woman who would become his wife and had three kids with her.

sol, having a very difficult time supporting himself and aware he can't subside on the jewels and gold he stole from nehm, equally aware he shouldnt flaunt them as thats just asking for trouble, goes into pick pocketing. the power of child logic. he pickpockets tadashi, is caught by him after a bit of a chase where his head covering (hat? scarf?) falls off to reveal his ears. sol panics and kicks tadashi in the nuts and escapes, leaving even the money. tadashi, worried for this deer-eared kid, spends a couple days looking for him then, upon finding him, offers him food and shelter.

many many years later, sol does this very same thing for evan, and then several children after that.

sol remains close with the ishimaru family and helps support them need be, though they generally refuse to ask him for money once he strikes it rich. the truth of him remains the ishimaru family's well guarded little secret.

[englishclassquotes]

Nicknames

Admins

N/R -Admin Nova/Rae L -Admin Lucifer

Classrooms

Buttplug boy - a boy in the class that has asked if a tail with a clear chain "is that a Buttplug?" and "where did it come from?"

Basic blonde bitch -its in the name

Class pet /aff -a guy who talks to all the teachers and becomes friends with them

2 brain cells -a girl who complains she will fail the test because we talk when in relatatly she is on her phone and doesn't do anything

the boyfriends b and m - boys who act like boyfriends

hipps -last name

Zane

[bisexualgoth]

i can't wait for nadja and the guide to resolve their conflict and have lesbian sex. i mean lesbian sex. sorry i meant have lesbian sex. sorry i

[uncharted-constellations]

I am aware I said i wasnt gonna post my zelda 2.0 redesigns until i finished them all, but considering these have been sitting for nearly a year at this point (and may have been mucked by the new game coming out soon but who knows) I figured I might as well start sharing them.

But yes Links are included this round, some have funny pages, I promise i’m using the magazine/game manual pink dress zelda, just probably not where you’re thinking

[mellpenscorner]

Modern Writing Advice: don't load your readers down with a bunch of different names! Keep things simple so they can remember what you're talking about.

JR²T Himself: And here are these three mountains. Now listen to Gimli wax poetic about them and their names and histories in three different languages, then refer to the Extra Educational Material at the end of your volume to see what he's talking about.

[naycelium]

Hinoki, Caretaker of the Forest and it's Seedlings 🐇 🌰

[rxttenfish]

okay i need people to get this project to succeed and specifically to get to 30k because i need these fucking fish bags

[0vergrowngraveyard]

PART 1 (you’re here) | PART 2

finally getting this going 😭 this is my entry for @donelywell’s multiverse event!!! idk if i’m going to keep it as a comic as i’m not very skilled at making those yet so idk if id finish it by august. i sure can try tho ahshdjshsh

anyway hope everyone enjoys nine dealing with the “unbreakable bond but at what cost” brothers 🩵

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 167

Honestly, Danny is having such a good time right now. He gets to travel with Ellie, explore space, just have fun. Plus his secondary protector-instincts are having soothed despite him not technically doing any hero-ing anymore. Really his sister had the right idea when she decided she wanted to become a doctor, this is honestly a blast.

And if someone does end up passing away, well, Ellie is always happy to help soothe their spirit and guide them to the Realms where they can reach their respective afterlife. Or become a ghost. 

They are completely oblivious to the fact that there are now legends and entire temples dedicated to them now. Apparently accidental ascension is in fact a thing, as Dan later laughs at them about. 

[just-bee-lieve]

the ferryman

[lacamorte]

~ The White Lotus of Shuang Hua

Luo Binghe, being the Emperor of the united realms, has to congregate not only with the demonic aristocrats, but also the human ones. Seeking assurance that he did indeed unite the realms with good intentions, they urge LBH to take a spouse from among their own high-ranking families as a gesture of good will. At this point LBH has accepted that this will be another instance of the world throwing one pretty sister or another into his lap, and agrees to have a meeting with the female aristocrats.

When they arrive at the venue, LBH takes note of a group of very well-dressed young women in a courtyard, each holding fans of varying make in their delicate, manicured hands. In front of them is a lady wearing a lightly beaded weimao, who moves her fan between her fingers with remarkable skill, tapping it and flicking it with ease. She stood out for the simple design of her robes in comparison to the others who wore more ornate clothes — that, and the immense spiritual presence that she had. A cultivator, no doubt. She spoke clearly and sternly, sleeves gently swaying with her movements as she seemed to instruct the other ladies.

One look is all LBH needs to know that yes, this is the one he's here for.

She was quick to notice their approach, the bead strings of her weimao lightly clinking as she turned and raised her cupped hands to salute. The other women copied her example, but with not nearly as much elegance.

"This one greets the Emperor," one of the ladies spoke demurely, the others following suit in quiet murmurs.

Instead, LBH turns to the veiled woman, who after rising from her bow swiftly opened her fan in one smooth movement as if to cover her already veiled face, before pausing and lowering it as she realized the redundancy. LBH suppressed a wry smirk. A shy one, huh?

"Are these the flowers from which this lord is to make his selection?" He inquires politely, attempting to meet the lady's eyes from behind her veil. He catches a glimpse of pink lips before the fan is raised again.

"Merely buds as of yet, I'm afraid," her voice is very soft, a contrast to her earlier demeanor, as if speaking for him alone to hear with his demonic senses. Binghe notices the glint of a spiritual blade resting on her hip, almost hidden by her robes. Binghe's eyes glint with intrigue.

"The young mistresses await further inside, my lord," the aristocrat beside him explains. "If Junshang would follow this one—"

Binghe hums. "No need. I'll take this one."

Everyone seems to take a second to process his statement. Then, they collectively turned to the object of Binghe's attention — the lady in the weimao. The lady herself can only squeak in surprise.

The aristocrat startles, before laughing nervously. "Ah, Junshang, that is—the White Lotus of Shuang Hua is only temporarily in our employ, but—"

Ah, so she is a renown cultivator — and with a title, no less. Perhaps he'd spent too much time away from human society, to have not heard of her. "There is no need for further discussion. This lord has come to select a wife at your abode, and now I have." Then, he archs a brow imperiously. "Or are you refusing my choice?"

The man is sweating. "By no means, my lord! Rather, er, my lord seems to have misunderstood, Shen-xianshi is a ma—"

Master cultivator? Binghe scoffs. As if he hadn't already sensed the woman's immense spiritual presence. "Yes, I had noticed. It is of no concern to me." He waves a hand dismissively. "Send the other women home. Xianshi will be returning with me."

The aristocrat lights a candle in his heart in despair for his fellow men — especially for Shen-xianshi. Lord Luo, that's no sister you're taking as your wife — that's a man!!!

aka: LBH mistakes SY for a woman and says he'll take cultivator SY as spouse in compliance with a political arrangement. Not wanting to anger the demon emperor, the aristocrats quickly find a genderbending artifact for SY and send him off to join LBH's harem.

[renshengs]

大梦归离 fangs of fortune names + titles masterpost

brought to you by @mengyan and @renshengs <3

*note: this is only for what we consider as main characters, or recurring side characters! if you need clarification for a character that isn't here, send either of us an ask!

common terminology:

daren 大人 (suffix) — gender-neutral honorific often translated as Mr. or Ms. (e.g. Pei-daren = Ms. Pei)

xiao 小 (prefix) — little (e.g. Xiao-Jiu = Little Jiu)

jie/jiejie 姐姐 (suffix) — older sister (e.g. Wen-jiejie)

ge/gege 哥哥 (suffix) — older brother (e.g. Xiao-Zhuo-ge)

didi 弟弟 (suffix) — younger brother (e.g. Bai Jiu-didi) 

“A-” 阿 (prefix) — added before a single character of someone’s name/address, to indicate affection, familiarity, closeness etc (e.g. A-Heng, A-jie)

“er” 儿 (suffix) — added after a single character of someone’s name & is an affectionate term used by someone (often older) whose relationship to them involves some kind of caregiving; can be romantic or platonic (e.g. Wen Xiao’s foster father calling her Xiao’er)

common mistakes:

referring to someone with only one character—in chinese this is generally considered odd (e.g. Zhuo Yichen as “Zhuo”) and is not recommended unless done in-story (e.g. 蜚 Fei’s name just being Fei).

referring to a character by only their surname (e.g. Pei Sijing as “Pei”). chinese names put surnames before given names. (to call her by just her given name, use “Sijing”.)

referring to a character with a 2-character name by only their given name (e.g. Bai Jiu as “Jiu”). since his given name is only 1 character, it can’t be used on its own. using just the given name generally only works with 3-character names (e.g. Zhao Yuanzhou can be referred to as just “Yuanzhou”).

NOTE 1: calling a character by their given name usually implies closeness and informality. generally it is more common among chinese-speakers to use each other’s full names or their surnames combined with a title.

NOTE 2: to call a character by their surname or 1-character given name, you add on a prefix or suffix (e.g. Xiao-Zhuo or Xiao-Chen with Zhuo Yichen, Wen-jiejie or Xiao-jie with Wen Xiao)

NOTE 3: jiejie, gege, didi, (+meimei, what Wen Xiao called E’shou) are not just addresses exclusive to those of blood/familial relation! they can be used to address anyone younger/older than you and also be used in a flirtatious manner (e.g. Wen Xiao’s “Pei-jiejie” is very different from Bai Jiu’s “Pei-jiejie”)!

characters!

name: Zhu Yan | Zhao Yuanzhou [朱厌 | 赵远舟]

abbreviation: ZYZ

nicknames/titles: Great Demon (大妖 -> Da Yao), Stinky Brat (臭小子 -> Chou Xiaozi)

who uses what:

Wen Xiao: Zhao Yuanzhou, Da Yao, Zhu Yan (early on), gege (once)

Zhuo Yichen, Li Lun, some minor characters: Zhao Yuanzhou, Zhu Yan

Pei Sijing: Zhao Yuanzhou, Da Yao

Bai Jiu, Ying Lei: Zhao Yuanzhou

Ying Zhao: Chou Xiaozi

name: Wen Xiao [文潇]

abbreviation: WX

nicknames/titles: Baize Goddess (白泽神女 -> Baize Shennü), Wen Xiao-xiaojie, Wen-daren, Shennü-daren, Wen-jiejie, Xiao-jie, Xiao’er, Archivist Wen (文典藏 -> Wen-diancang)

who uses what:

Zhao Yuanzhou: Wen Xiao, Wen Xiao-xiaojie (early on)

Zhuo Yichen, Pei Sijing: Wen Xiao

Bai Jiu: Wen-jiejie, Xiao-jie

Ying Lei, Ying Zhao, Zhu Yin: Shennü-daren

Fan Ying: Xiao’er

minor characters (often people who aren’t close/are lower in position): Wen-daren, Wen-diancang

name: Zhuo Yichen [卓翼宸]

abbreviation: ZYC

nicknames/titles: Xiao-Zhuo, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo Yichen-daren, Xiao-Zhuo-ge, Zhuo-daren, Xiao-Chen, Zhuo Xiao-Chen, Commander Zhuo (卓统领 -> Zhuo-tongling)

who uses what:

Zhao Yuanzhou: Zhuo Yichen, Xiao-Zhuo, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo-daren, Zhuo Xiao-Chen (once), Zhuo Yichen-daren (once)

Wen Xiao: Zhuo Yichen, Xiao-Zhuo, Xiao-Zhuo-daren (rare)

Pei Sijing: Zhuo-daren, Xiao-Zhuo (very rarely), Zhuo-tongling, Zhuo Yichen (once)

Bai Jiu: Xiao-Zhuo-ge, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo-daren (once)

Ying Lei: Xiao-Zhuo-daren

Li Lun: Zhuo Yichen

Zhuo Yixuan (ZYC’s brother): Xiao-Chen

Fan Ying: Zhuo-tongling, Xiao-Zhuo

Tiandu citizens: Zhuo-tongling

minor characters: Zhuo Yichen, Xiao-Zhuo-daren, Zhuo Yichen-daren

name: Pei Sijing [裴思婧]

abbreviation: PSJ

nicknames/titles: Pei-daren, Pei Sijing-daren, Pei-jiejie, A-jie, jiejie, Pei-jie

who uses what:

Zhao Yuanzhou, Zhuo Yichen: Pei Sijing, Pei-daren

Wen Xiao: Pei Sijing (once), Pei-daren, Pei-jiejie, Pei Sijing-daren (once), jiejie (once)

Pei Siheng: A-jie, jiejie (occasionally)

Bai Jiu: Pei-jiejie

Ying Lei: Pei-jie

minor characters: Pei-daren

name: Bai Jiu [白玖] / implied to originally be named Situ Jiu [司徒玖], after his father’s surname, and took the name Bai Jiu after his mother, Bai Yan

abbreviation: BJ

nicknames/titles: Xiao-Jiu, Little White Bunny (小白兔 -> Xiao Baitu), Bai Jiu-didi, Bai-daren, Bai Jiu-daren, Xiao Bai Jiu, Tu’er (Disciple)

who uses what:

all characters: Bai Jiu

Demon Hunting Bureau squad, Zhen Mei, Wen Zongyu: Xiao-Jiu, Tu’er

Zhao Yuanzhou: Xiao Baitu

Wen Xiao, Pei Siheng: Bai Jiu-didi

Bai Yan (Bai Jiu’s mother): Xiao Bai Jiu

minor characters: Bai-daren, Bai Jiu-daren

name: Ying Lei [英磊]

abbreviation: YL

nicknames/titles: Little Mountain God (小山神 -> Xiao-Shanshen), Shanshen, Shanshen-daren, Little Ying Lei, child

who uses what:

all characters: Ying Lei

Zhao Yuanzhou: Xiao-Shanshen, Shanshen (once)

Wen Xiao, Zhuo Yichen: Xiao-Shanshen, Shanshen-daren

Zhu Yin: Little Ying Lei

Ying Zhao: child

name: Li Lun [离仑]

abbreviation: LL

nicknames/titles: daren, Boss (老大 -> Lao Da)

who uses what:

almost all characters: Li Lun

Ao Yin: daren

the pagoda spirit: Boss/Lao Da

name: Pei Siheng [裴思恒]

abbreviation: PSH

nicknames/titles: A-Heng, didi

who uses what:

almost all characters: Pei Siheng

Pei Sijing: A-Heng, didi

[crispy-kitten-princess]

YEEEEEAH LIBRARIES

I gently adore books which inspire me to draw something rather than "a flying head" LIKE THESE AND THE MAGISTERIUM SERIES

[basket-of-loquats]

homecoming

[a11eya]

TITLE: lights will guide you home

CHAPTER: 8

PAIRING: Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

SUMMARY: Soul-lights aren’t as common in this day and age as they were in the past, before quirks, but they’re common enough that people do still find their soulmates.

At thirteen, you meet Bakugou Katsuki, and he lights up for you in orange and gold. You tell him he's your soulmate. He sneers and tells you that you aren't his. He makes your adolescence miserable until you part ways.

You meet again as adults, late at night, in a grocery store, over a pile of bok choy. He apologizes for how he treated you when you were children.

(In which you have a choice—to reject Bakugou's apology, reject him, or to let him show you the man he's become, to learn with him what it means to love and forgive.)

TAGS: soulmate au, trope inversion/subversion, slow burn, getting together, falling in love, fluff, aged up characters, pro-hero characters, eventual smut, mild bullying

NAVIGATION: Series Masterlist

Ikeda tells you that two of the pictures—only two!—you took of Bakugou are viable and that one of the videos is passable. It’s a little harsh, in your opinion, especially considering who your subject was. 

She also asks you for the name of the organization you used to foster the kittens. You tell her the organization name, and, a little sheepishly, that the adoption and foster program’s called Save the Meow Meows. It makes her laugh. 

“Next time, try to get Dynamight to smile, okay?” she says after her laughter dissolves into a grin, audible even over the phone. “He looks like he’s being held hostage in 90% of these.”

“I know. I tried, but you know how he is.” It takes a half-second for the entirety of her words to process. You blink. “Wait, next time?”

“Well, yeah!” she says, sounding amused. “This first post we just put up on Dynamight’s socials is already doing well, and your pictures with him at the pet store are in the rearview mirror. Who knew that people would like them so much? No accounting for taste, I suppose.” 

Well. You knew, the moment you saw Bakugou pick up Mikan. There’s one photo in particular that didn't make it to Dynamight’s social media because Mikan’s mid-motion in it, but something about Bakugou’s expression… You’ll never tell him, but the two of them together make such a pretty picture that you favorited it on your phone. 

You try to pay attention as Ikeda continues, “A couple more posts should suffice, so we need more photos with him in different clothes, maybe in a different spot in your apartment, individual shots with each kitten… and definitely better expressions. Only makes sense, right?”

“Right…”

“You can go ahead and let him know about the additional shoots; you did a great job of coordinating things between you. And good job wrangling him so far! Keep up the good work! ”

“Thanks,” you say, after a pause, to the dial tone. You wonder if Bakugou knows how much Ikeda dislikes him. 

Grimacing, you type out a message and send Bakugou the bad news. 

You: Hey. Just finished talking to Ikeda. She says we need to take more pictures 🙏

Not a minute passes before your phone begins vibrating in your hand. You eye it like it’s a snake and answer hesitantly. 

“…Hello?”

“What’dya mean, more pictures?” Bakugou snaps. 

“Literally, there are no other meanings for that statement.”

“Call her back and tell her to fuck off.”

“Bakugou,” you sigh in exasperation. “I’m not gonna tell her to fuck off. Also, she’s your PR person. If you have complaints, shouldn’t you tell her directly?”

“The fifty pictures you took weren’t enough?” he demands.

“She says we need to take pictures of you wearing different clothes, in different spots in my apartment, so it’s clear they happened on different days. She also says you need solos with each of the kittens. And that you need to smile.” 

Quietly, you mutter away from the receiver, “Like I told you to.”

Bakugou must have the ears of a bat because his tone lowers, dangerous. “What’d you say, brat? Come and say that to my face.”

“Make me,” you say immediately, then close your eyes, feeling embarrassed. He really does bring out an unfortunately childish side of you. 

The line goes silent.

You wait, wondering if you pissed him off. 

“Text me when you’re free this week,” he says abruptly. “I’ll come by for the damn pictures.”

He hangs up before you can reply. 

Bakugou: I’m outside. 

Standing from your couch, you walk over to your front door and pull it open.

“Hey,” you tell him, but you stop in confusion when you notice he has a duffle bag in one hand and a reusable bag, the kind you’d put groceries in, in the other. His expression is pinched when your eyes meet.

“Here,” Bakugou says, and shoves the reusable bag at you. You automatically grab at the handles and make a sound when he lets go; it’s heavy. 

“Gotta reschedule the dumb photos. I was called in for work,” he says. 

Bakugou steps back, clearly moving to leave, and you grab his wrist.  

“Hold on,” you say. You let your hand fall from him and raise the reusable bag. “What is this?”

“Nutrients instead of the garbage you usually have. Be grateful,” he tells you, baring his teeth in a mean smile. You make a face at him, instinctively, and the mean fades from his smile, shifting to an amused twist of his lips. He looks at you as if he’s going to say something more. He doesn’t. 

Bakugou turns and makes his way down the hallway. 

You stare at his back, then duck your head to look at the contents of the bag. 

There are several bentos in there, stacked neatly, easily a week’s worth of lunches. The ones at the top have sticky notes on them, labeled with a number and what looks like a list of ingredients. 

When it finally clicks what you’re holding, your eyes widen. 

You shove your feet into some slides, grabbing another shoe to hold your door open, and chase Bakugou down the hallway, lugging the bag with you.

“Bakugou, wait,” you call, catching up to him where he’s waiting at the elevator, duffle bag on the ground. 

He turns to look at you, eyes narrowed. You come to an abrupt halt in front of him and try to give him the bag back. 

Bakugou crosses his arms, a refusal. “The fuck are you doing?”

“I can’t accept this,” you say. “It’s so much food! And was probably a lot of work to make!”

“S’why you should shut up and keep it,” he growls. “Go back.”

You scrabble about for a more convincing argument. “You should keep it. You’re going to work, right? You need lunch!”

“Already got lunch. This shit’s just because I made extra meal prepping this week,” Bakugou says.

Your mouth opens, and you furrow your brow, looking down at the bag. Uncertain, now.

“If you don’t want it, toss it,” he tells you, rolling his eyes.

“I can’t do that,” you gasp, just as the elevator arrives and opens. 

One of your neighbors, coming back from walking her dog, blinks at the both of you from inside the elevator. 

You quickly step closer to where Bakugou’s standing so she can pass. Bakugou picks up his duffle bag so it isn’t in the way, and you exchange greeting smiles with your neighbor as she slips by. Her big dog stops to sniff at the bag you’re holding, no doubt detecting the food, but your neighbor tugs at the leash and away.

Feeling self-conscious now that you have an audience, even if she is getting further down the hall, you turn back to Bakugou. He’s looking at you already, an exasperated expression on his face.

“Stop being stubborn,” he says, mouth a downward slash. “Gotta go. Eat that shit or don’t. I don’t care.”

He steps into the elevator and jabs the button for the ground floor. He’s gone before you can come up with a response.

You stack the bentos in your fridge, taking care not to jostle them more than you had during your jog down the hallway. As you place the last one inside, you trace the edge of its lid thoughtfully.  

You weren’t sure, at first, why these bentos bothered you, why your first reaction was to try to give them back. But the longer you sit on it, the more clarity you have. 

You feel a little guilty, that Bakugou keeps doing things for you, giving you things. The feeling has been building, especially over the past couple weeks since you’ve been messaging him, talking to him. You talk to him nearly every day. You’ve learned he prefers phone calls to texts—not surprising, considering how brief his messages usually are. He’s become part of your routine, and you find yourself feeling like something’s missing when a day passes without a snarky message from him or a phone call where you update him on the kittens, despite his claims of disinterest. 

You don’t want him to think that you only want him around because he gives you things and does stuff for you. You hope nothing about you gives that impression. 

You’re not sure how to tell him this. It makes your stomach swoop, just thinking about bringing it up. Because you know you’ll have to tell him what you just realized: that you like him for who he is. That you like him in your life. That he doesn’t have to earn your time or attention or—or forgiveness with things or by doing things. 

At work the next day, you sit and eat in the break room for the first time in several weeks, nearly crying over your first bite of a bento. It’s so good.

You figured out the numbers on the sticky notes indicate the order in which you should eat the bentos. Even though the ingredients are listed on the notes, you’d been tempted to crack open each bento to see what you’ll be eating later in the week. But so far, you’ve been able to control yourself. It’s kind of nice. Like a little surprise to look forward to each day. 

You finger today’s sticky note, taking in the words crossing it. For some reason, you’d assumed Bakugou would have messy, wild handwriting. But the kanji are precise, neat. You wonder what he’s doing right now.

The break room door opens, and you look up to see a colleague from a different department.

“Hey!” he greets you, crossing the room to fill his water bottle at the fill station. He turns to face you as he waits, and you panic internally, struggling to remember his name. Sato? Suzuki? 

“Surprised to see you in here,” he remarks. “Usually you eat in your office.”

“Yeah!” you say. You had no idea he took so much notice of where you ate. When were you first introduced? A couple months back? You feel worse about not remembering his name. 

You give him a smile, hoping the guilt isn’t on your face. “Just felt like a change of pace today.”

“That bento looks good! Do you like to cook?” he asks.

“Oh! No, a friend made it for me.” Your smile shifts into something more genuine. “He said I’ve been eating garbage, so. His attempt at trying to make sure I don’t die prematurely, I guess.”

“Oh, gotcha,” Sato or Suzuki or something else entirely says, tone shifting, and he picks up his now-full water bottle and twists the cap back on. 

“Well, enjoy your lunch!” he says, waving goodbye as he leaves the break room. 

You stare at the closing door for a brief moment before shaking your head. You need to find out that guy’s name before you see him again. He totally clocked you for not recognizing him, because what was that weird look on his face as he left? You decide to ask your team—discreetly!—what his name is after your lunch break.

When you’re finished eating, you snap a picture of the empty bento and send it to Bakugou.

You: Thank you for the food! 🙏

You: You know, if you ever change your mind about the hero thing, I think you’d get a job as a chef, easy

After a moment, you decide to send another message. You want to bring up the thoughts you’d had the other day, about how you don’t want him to feel compelled to keep doing things for you, but you feel like it’s a conversation better had in-person. Or on the phone, at least. 

It takes you several minutes of deleting and drafting before you settle on something inadequate. 

You: Sorry I was so weird about it yesterday 

Standing abruptly, too chicken to wait to see if he replies, you clean up your area and get back to work. 

It’s at the end of the work day, on the train, when you check your messages again. A text from Bakugou is waiting for you in your inbox, and you’re definitely not nervous when you tap on it to read it.

Bakugou: Better be sorry. Next time, don’t be a brat about it

You exhale, huffing a laugh, relieved. You type out a response.

You: Yes, Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight sir 

He doesn’t reply. One thing about Bakugou is that he leaves his read receipts on—intentionally, you suspect, because it’s just like him to make sure you know he’s ignoring you, even through texts. It makes you grin.

The week passes, and you find yourself staring at a pile of empty bento boxes, hands on your hips.

You: Hey, when can I return the bento boxes? Washed them and everything!!

Bakugou: I’d fuckin’ hope so 

You: 😒

You: Should I drop them off at your agency? 

Bakugou: No, bring ‘em to my place

He sends you an address.

A part of you is a little relieved he’d suggested you not bring them to his agency. Thinking about it, going there to drop off a bag of empty bento boxes feels a little too… revealing. That people might see that you have the kind of relationship where he makes you lunch. You don’t want to cause trouble, especially since the pet store fiasco is just starting to fade from people’s memories. 

You: 👍

“Hi.” You feel a little out of place, standing in the hallway outside Bakugou’s apartment. You hold up the bag of bento boxes. “I brought the goods.”

Mentally, you’re kicking yourself. You’re always saying such dumb shit in front of him. 

Bakugou’s gives you a deadpan look, an I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that look. 

“Well don’t just stand there,” he says, and moves back to give you some room.

You step past the threshold, and he closes the door behind you. He grabs the bag from you and heads deeper into his apartment. Hurriedly, you toe off your shoes and follow him.

He’s gone into his kitchen, you realize, and he has a cabinet open, where he’s placing the bento boxes inside, one by one. He meets your gaze as he’s putting one away, and while maintaining eye contact with you, he opens one of them and makes a show of inspecting it for cleanliness.

“Very funny,” you say dryly. 

Bakugou barks out a laugh and you smile, despite yourself.

As he continues to put away the boxes, you take a moment to glance around his kitchen while he’s busy.

It’s big. It has some fancy-looking appliances you wouldn’t typically find in a home kitchen. The stove looks top-of-the-line, and you see an impressive-looking knife set displayed on the counter. There’s even a stand mixer in one corner. You wonder if Bakugou bakes. 

“Y’want water, tea?” he asks, closing the cabinet and turning to you.

“Oh, water’s fine, thanks,” you say. You’re chagrined; even Bakugou’s a better host than you are.

You lean your side against one of the counters, watching as he grabs a pair of glasses and fills them up. 

He’s the most dressed down you’ve ever seen him, in a faded shirt and worn pants that he easily could’ve slept in. His hair is nearly flat, falling in relaxed strands, softening him. All his edges are blunted, here, in his apartment.

You murmur a thank you as he gives you your water, and you subtly study his face as he drains his glass. He leans a hip against the counter. 

He looks a little tired, slight bags under his eyes. The way he’s holding himself is relaxed, but his shoulders slant, droop in a way you haven’t seen before. When he leans over to place his cup in the sink, his shirt lifts a little, exposing a glimpse of skin and the lip of his boxers rising above the waistband of his pants. His lights are gentle swirls around him, bathing him in a soft glow. 

He’s handsome, it dawns on you. The thought flusters you, and heat begins to rise to your cheeks. 

What the hell? You’ve seen him in casual clothes; you’ve seen him in his hero suit. Objectively, people are more attractive when put together, right? Presentable. There’s nothing about him, now, that you should find attractive. He’s just some guy, standing in his kitchen.

But Bakugou in his off mode, at home, does something to you. It’s like wires rearrange in your head, and you can’t stop looking at him. 

“Hey,” you say—anything to leave this train of thought behind, because nope. “Thanks again for the food. This week was the best I’ve eaten, like ever.”

“You’re damn right it was,” he says, and you roll your eyes, smiling. 

“Alright, alright, Mr. Ego. I did want to talk about something else, too, while I’m here. If you have a minute.” By the time you’re finished talking, a serious note you’re unable to help has crept into your voice. 

An expression you’re unable to decipher flickers across his face. Bakugou crosses his arms. “Spit it out.”

You put your glass down on the counter, fiddling with it. Stalling, you realize. 

“I want you to know… you don’t have to do all this for me, okay?” you say, glancing up at him. 

His eyes narrow. 

You continue, hurriedly, to clarify. “I mean, like buying me the couch protectors, or making me lunches. I appreciate it all, I do.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Bakugou says, a little growl on the end of his sentence. 

“I just don’t want you thinking you need to do these things for me,” you say, voice faltering, quieting. “Even if you don’t cook me another meal, or buy me a single thing, ever, that’s fine with me.” 

Please understand, you will to him, watching him. Your thoughts feel clumsy, your words clumsier, like it’s a monumental effort just to string two sentences together. You can’t find the words to tell him what you mean: that you think he’s funny when he quips at you and that you know he’s observant, thoughtful. That you like talking to him, spending time with him. It’s enough.

Maybe you have found the words, but you can’t say them aloud just yet. Not yet.

“I know I don’t need to do shit. I only do shit I wanna do,” Bakugou says gruffly.

You open your mouth to argue, to try again to make sure he understands you, but he interrupts, puts a hand on your head. He’s a little rough, but his hand is warm. Reassuring. There’s a softness in his eyes that you’ve never seen before. You could fall into them, like this. 

“You think too much,” he tells you, but peering into his face—you think he’s heard you, loud and clear. 

You do think too much, you acknowledge on the train ride home. 

You’d left his apartment soon after your conversation; he’d needed to get ready for work. But your thoughts still buzz with him. 

You think about how the shape of your life has changed with him in it, within just a couple weeks. You think about the fact that he’s your soulmate but you’re not his, how this is something that can’t be changed, no matter how well you get to know Bakugou and how well he gets to know you. It’s been a long time since this—that you can see his lights but he can’t see yours—bothered you. You thought you’d accepted it, moved on from it. 

It really, really bothers you.