#oi nakamura

[rick1ty]

four times kaito refuses yuki’s offer to eat and one time he finally gives in

this scenario centers around the charged, complex relationship between my other ocs: Yuki Nakamura, a charismatic and skilled lead mechanic, and Kaito Kirishima, an aloof and talented Formula One driver, set against the high-stakes world of racing in Tokyo. as Yuki becomes increasingly concerned with Kaito's tendency to neglect his own well-being, particularly his eating habits, their usual bickering evolves into a deeper, more intimate connection, forcing both men to confront their growing feelings and the vulnerabilities they've long kept hidden.

basically, it’s just that driver/mechanic dynamic I love so much ���😭 especially when the driver is unapproachable, arrogant and self neglecting dumbass workaholic who puts his work before himself and requires someone to take care of him.

[stomach growling, teasing, I would say more caretaking than teasing]

1

The rhythmic clanking of tools against metal filled the garage as Yuki lay on his back beneath Kaito's car, tinkering with the undercarriage. The smell of oil and rubber clung to the air, a scent as familiar to him as his own skin.

A pair of impeccably polished shoes appeared in his peripheral vision. Yuki rolled his eyes. Only one person on the team wore shoes that pristine in the garage.

"Oi, Kirishima," he called out, not bothering to slide out from under the car. "Come to micromanage my work again?"

"Merely ensuring you're not about to sabotage my vehicle, Nakamura," Kaito's cool voice replied. "One can never be too careful."

Yuki snorted, tightening a bolt with perhaps more force than necessary. "Right, because I'd risk my job just to mess with your precious ego. Get over yourself."

He was about to launch into another barb when a loud, unmistakable growl cut through the air. Yuki paused, wrench halfway to the next bolt. Was that...?

Sliding out from under the car, Yuki propped himself up on his elbows, raising an eyebrow at Kaito. The driver stood there, arms crossed, a slight pink tinge to his usually pale cheeks.

"Was that your stomach, Kirishima?" Yuki asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Sounds like you've got a wild animal trapped in there."

Kaito's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. "Don't be ridiculous. It was probably one of your subpar tools malfunctioning."

As if on cue, another rumble emanated from Kaito's midsection. Yuki's smirk bloomed into a full-fledged grin.

"Hate to break it to you, but my tools don't sound like that," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "When's the last time you ate something?"

"I fail to see how that's any of your concern," Kaito snapped, taking a step back as Yuki approached.

Yuki shook his head, wiping his hands on a rag. "It is when you're piloting a multi-million dollar machine at breakneck speeds. You need fuel, same as the car."

"I'm perfectly capable of managing my own needs," Kaito retorted, but Yuki noticed the way his hand unconsciously moved to his stomach, slender fingers pressing against the empty spot.

"Sure you are," Yuki drawled. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an energy bar. "Here. It's not gourmet, but it'll keep you from passing out on the track."

Kaito eyed the bar like it might bite him. "I don't need your charity, Nakamura."

"It's not charity, it's common sense," Yuki countered, holding the bar out. "Come on, your highness. I promise it won't kill you."

For a moment, it seemed like Kaito might actually take it. His fingers twitched at his side, and Yuki saw a flicker of something – maybe hunger, maybe gratitude – in those obsidian eyes. But then the mask slammed back into place.

"I have a strict dietary regimen," Kaito said stiffly. "I don't put just anything into my body."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode away, leaving Yuki standing there with the energy bar still in his outstretched hand.

"Stubborn idiot," Yuki muttered, shaking his head. He tossed the bar onto his toolbox and slid back under the car. But as he resumed his work, he couldn't shake the image of Kaito's flushed cheeks and the brief vulnerability he'd glimpsed.

Next time, he thought, he'd have to try harder. After all, keeping the car in top shape was pointless if the driver was running on empty.

2

The pit lane buzzed with pre-qualifying tension, a symphony of revving engines and shouted instructions. Yuki crouched by Kaito's car, making last-minute adjustments, his practiced hands moving with swift precision.

Kaito approached, already suited up, his helmet tucked under one arm. Yuki glanced up, noting the tightness around Kaito's eyes, the slight pallor beneath his usual composure.

"Car's ready," Yuki said, straightening up. "She'll purr for you out there."

Kaito nodded curtly, but as he moved to step past Yuki, a loud, hollow gurgle emanated from his midsection. It was a drawn-out sound, almost like a whine, audible even over the ambient noise.

Yuki's eyebrows shot up. "Damn, Kirishima. Again? Sounds like a whole black hole has formed in your stomach."

A faint blush colored Kaito's cheeks, but his voice remained clipped. "It's nothing. Focus on your job, Nakamura."

"My job includes making sure the driver doesn't faint at the wheel," Yuki retorted, stepping closer. He lowered his voice, surprisingly gentle. "Come on, Kaito. You need to eat something before you get in that car."

Kaito's eyes widened slightly at the use of his first name. For a moment, the mask slipped, revealing a flicker of uncertainty.

Another growl broke the silence between them, this one a long, rolling rumble that seemed to echo in Kaito's lean frame. Yuki could swear he saw Kaito's firesuit move with the force of it.

"Here," Yuki said, fishing another protein bar he had prepared earlier from his pocket. Artificially flavoured protein bar, with an image of pancakes on a wrapper. “I got this specially. High-performance stuff, designed for athletes. It won't mess with your precious regimen."

Kaito's gaze flicked between the bar and Yuki's face, something unreadable in his expression. When his gaze lingered on that appetising pancakes image, he gulped, his stomach responding with an impatient gurgle. His fingers twitched, and for a second, Yuki thought he might actually take it.

But then Kaito's jaw set, his eyes hardening. "I appreciate the thought, Nakamura, but I'm fine. Save your concern for the car."

He brushed past Yuki, their shoulders touching briefly. Yuki caught a whiff of Kaito's cologne mixed with a hint of sweat and gun oil

"Kaito," Yuki called after him, frustration and something else – worry? – coloring his tone.

Kaito paused, half-turning. For a breath, their eyes met, and Yuki saw the conflict there, the pride warring with need. Then Kaito broke the gaze, slipping his helmet on.

"I'll eat after qualifying," he said, voice muffled. "I promise."

Before Yuki could respond, Kaito was climbing into the car, effectively ending the conversation.

Yuki stood there, protein bar still in hand, watching as the car roared to life. He shook his head, pocketing the bar again.

"Stubborn, stupid idiot," he muttered, repeating, but there was no real heat in it. Instead, a mix of exasperation and grudging admiration colored his tone. As he moved to join the rest of the crew, Yuki found himself already planning his next attempt. He was nothing if not persistent, and for reasons he wasn't quite ready to examine, getting Kaito to take care of himself had become oddly important to him.

3

The soft glow of evening settled over the empty garage. Most of the crew had long since departed, leaving behind the lingering scent of motor oil and the faint hum of fluorescent lights. Yuki hunched over his workbench, poring over telemetry data from the day's practice session.

The sound of footsteps made him look up. Kaito stood in the doorway, his usual immaculate suit replaced by a simple black t-shirt and fitted jeans. The casual attire made him look younger, more approachable.

"Kirishima," Yuki acknowledged, surprise coloring his tone. "Didn't expect to see you here this late."

Kaito shrugged, a surprisingly casual gesture for him. "I wanted to review the data before tomorrow."

As Kaito moved closer, Yuki couldn't help but notice how the t-shirt clung to his lean frame. He swallowed hard, forcing his gaze back to the papers.

"Well, pull up a chair," Yuki offered, gesturing to the stool beside him. "Though I warn you, I'm lousy company when I'm working."

A ghost of a smile touched Kaito's lips. "I've endured worse."

They worked in companionable silence for a while, shoulders occasionally brushing as they leaned over the same charts. Yuki found himself hyperaware of every point of contact, the warmth of Kaito's skin seeping through the thin fabric of his shirt.

Suddenly, a familiar sound broke the quiet. Kaito's stomach let out a long, plaintive growl, the kind that seemed to echo in the empty garage.

Yuki glanced at Kaito, noting the faint blush creeping up his neck. "Skipped dinner again?"

Kaito's jaw tightened, but there was less hostility in his eyes than before. "I got caught up in reviewing race footage. It's not important."

Without thinking, Yuki reached out, his hand settling gently on Kaito's flat stomach. The touch was soft, almost protective. "You've got to take better care of yourself, Kaito."

The moment the words left his mouth, Yuki realized what he'd done. He expected Kaito to jerk away, to snap at him. But to his surprise, Kaito remained still, his eyes wide with an unspoken emotion.

Kaito's face flushed deeper, but he didn't move away from Yuki's touch. Instead, he cleared his throat, his voice slightly strained. "We should focus on the data, Nakamura. The car's performance is more critical than my eating habits."

Yuki's hand remained on Kaito's stomach, feeling the subtle tension in the muscles beneath his palm. "The car won't perform if the driver's running on empty," he countered softly.

Their eyes met, and Yuki felt a jolt of electricity run through him. There was something new in Kaito's gaze, a vulnerability that made Yuki's heart race.

Another growl from Kaito's stomach vibrated against Yuki's hand, breaking the tension. Yuki couldn't help but chuckle, the sound warm and genuine.

Kaito's blush intensified, but a hint of his usual smirk returned. "If your hands wander like that when you work on my car, we're going to have problems, Nakamura," he said, his tone a mix of embarrassment and attempted nonchalance.

Yuki, realizing his hand was still on Kaito's stomach, reluctantly withdrew it. "Just making sure our star driver doesn't waste away," he retorted, but there was no bite to it.

"Your concern is noted," Kaito said, his voice softer than usual. He turned back to the data sheets, but Yuki noticed the slight tremor in his hands. "Now, about these lap times..."

As they refocused on work, Yuki found himself hyper-aware of Kaito's proximity, the lingering warmth on his palm, and the shift in the air between them. The usual prickly tension had softened into something else, something warm and full of potential.

And though they didn't speak of it, both men knew that something had fundamentally changed in their dynamic, leaving them teetering on the edge of uncharted territory.

4

The sleek conference room buzzed with anticipation, reporters jostling for position as cameras flashed. Kaito Kirishima sat at the center of the long table, the picture of cool composure in his tailored charcoal suit. But Yuki, standing off to the side with the rest of the team, noticed the slight tension in Kaito's jaw, the way his fingers drummed almost imperceptibly against the tabletop. Stubborn Kaito refused to delay press conference, deciding to attend it during his usual lunch hour. Smart move as always, Yuki thought with an exasperation.

As the team's PR manager introduced Kaito and outlined the purpose of the conference, Yuki's eyes remained fixed on Kaito. He watched as Kaito took a sip of water, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed.

The first few questions went smoothly, Kaito answering with his trademark poise and carefully measured responses. But as the conference wore on, Yuki noticed Kaito's replies becoming slightly clipped, his pauses between words growing longer.

Then, during a brief lull as a reporter fumbled with their microphone, it happened. A low, gurgling rumble emanated from Kaito's direction, audible even over the ambient noise of the room. Kaito's eyes widened fractionally, a faint blush creeping up his neck.

Yuki bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing out loud. He caught Kaito's eye for a brief moment, raising an eyebrow in a silent "I told you so."

Kaito's gaze hardened, but Yuki could see the flicker of embarrassment beneath the stern exterior. He watched as Kaito subtly pressed a hand to his midsection, as if willing it into silence.

"Mr. Kirishima," a reporter called out, "can you elaborate on the team's tire strategy for the upcoming race?"

Kaito leaned forward to answer, but his voice was cut off by another, louder growl from his stomach. This time, there was no mistaking the source. A few titters of laughter rippled through the crowd of journalists.

"Apologies," Kaito said smoothly, though Yuki could hear the strain in his voice. "As I was saying, our tire strategy—"

But his stomach wasn't done yet. A long, plaintive whine echoed through the room, causing several reporters to chuckle outright.

Kaito's composure finally cracked, a deep blush spreading across his cheeks. "I apologize," he said, his voice tight. "It seems the rigors of our training schedule have left me... somewhat peckish."

As the PR manager quickly wrapped up the conference, promising further questions could be addressed via email, Yuki watched Kaito practically bolt from his seat. He followed, catching up to Kaito in the hallway outside.

"Not a word, Nakamura," Kaito growled, his face still flushed.

Yuki held up his hands in mock surrender, but couldn't keep the smirk off his face. "I have to say, your stomach has quite the talent for public speaking."

Kaito's glare could have melted steel, but there was a hint of something else in his eyes—embarrassment, certainly, but also a flicker of the same vulnerability Yuki had glimpsed before.

"Look," Yuki said, his tone softening. "Let's grab something to eat. You must be starving after that performance."

Kaito's stomach chose that moment to let out another disgruntled rumble, but Kaito straightened his shoulders, his mask of indifference sliding back into place. "I appreciate your concern, Nakamura, but I have a meeting with sponsors in ten minutes. I don't have time for lunch."

Yuki frowned, seeing through the obvious lie. "Kaito, come on. You can't fool me. Your stomach's practically screaming right now."

"I assure you, I'm fine," Kaito insisted, his tone clipped. "I'm not hungry. The... noises were merely a result of indigestion. Nothing more."

Yuki rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to argue, but Kaito cut him off. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to."

With that, Kaito turned on his heel and strode away, leaving Yuki standing there, exasperated and concerned in equal measure.

Yuki shook his head but he couldn't help the fond smile that tugged at his lips.

As he watched Kaito's retreating back, Yuki found himself already planning his next attempt. He was nothing if not persistent, and for reasons he wasn't quite ready to examine, getting Kaito to take care of himself had become oddly important to him.

5

The tension in the private garage was palpable. It was the night before the championship's final race, and Kaito had insisted on a last-minute adjustment session. The rest of the team had long since departed, leaving only Kaito and Yuki burning the midnight oil.

Yuki wiped sweat from his brow, emerging from beneath the car. "Alright, that should do it. Want to take her for a quick—"

His words were cut off by an almighty rumble that echoed through the empty garage. It was a long, gurgling growl that seemed to go on forever, loud enough to make Yuki jump.

Kaito stood frozen by the car, his face a mask of mortification. In the harsh fluorescent light, Yuki could see the driver's cheeks burning red.

"Damn, Kirishima," Yuki said, unable to keep the amusement from his voice. "Are you being serious right now? I thought we had an earthquake for a second there."

Kaito's jaw clenched, but before he could retort, his stomach let out another aggressive growl, even louder than the first. This time, Yuki saw Kaito wince, his hand instinctively moving to his midsection.

"When's the last time you ate?" Yuki asked, his tone shifting from teasing to concerned, once he saw Kaito’s reaction.

Kaito looked away, his voice barely audible. "...Yesterday morning."

"Yesterday mor—" Yuki cut himself off, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Kaito, for fuck's sake. You can't drive like this."

"I'm fine," Kaito insisted, but his stomach chose that moment to let out a sound that was almost a whine, undermining his words.

Yuki stepped closer, his eyes searching Kaito's face. He could see the exhaustion there, the slight tremor in Kaito's usually steady hands. Without thinking, he reached out, placing a gentle hand on Kaito's stomach. He felt it contract under his touch, another growl rumbling through.

"You're not fine," Yuki said softly. "You're running on empty, and if you try to race like this tomorrow, you're going to crash."

For once, Kaito didn't pull away from Yuki's touch. He stood there, tension radiating from every muscle, his eyes meeting Yuki's with a mix of defiance and something that looked almost like fear.

"I can't afford distractions," Kaito said, his voice hoarse. "Not now. Not with everything riding on tomorrow."

Yuki's hand remained on Kaito's stomach, feeling every rumble and gurgle. "And you think passing out from hunger in the middle of the race isn't a distraction?"

Kaito's resolve visibly crumbled. His shoulders sagged, and he leaned ever so slightly into Yuki's touch. "I... I don't know what to do," he admitted, the words barely a whisper.

Yuki's heart clenched at the vulnerability in Kaito's voice. "Let me help," he said gently. "There's a 24-hour diner just down the street. Good food, quiet booths. We can go over race strategy while we eat."

For a long moment, Kaito was silent. Then, just as Yuki was about to withdraw his hand, Kaito nodded. "Okay," he said softly.

Yuki blinked, surprised by the easy acquiescence. "Okay?"

A ghost of Kaito's usual smirk appeared. "Don't make me say it again, Nakamura."

Yuki chuckled, finally dropping his hand from Kaito's stomach. "Wouldn't dream of it. Come on, let's get some food in you before you pass out, you dumbass."

As they walked out of the garage together, Yuki couldn't help but feel like something fundamental had shifted between them. The usual barriers had come down, if only for a moment, and he found himself looking forward to more than just the meal ahead.

Kaito's stomach groaned again as they stepped into the cool night air, and this time, Kaito actually laughed sheepishly —a short, surprised sound that made Yuki's heart skip a beat.

"You know," Kaito said, glancing at Yuki with an uncharacteristically soft expression, "I suppose there are worse things than having a meal with you."

Yuki grinned, bumping his shoulder against Kaito's. "High praise indeed, Kirishima. I'm touched."

As they made their way to the diner, Yuki realized that for the first time, he was genuinely looking forward to spending time with Kaito off the track. And judging by the small smile playing on Kaito's lips, he wasn't the only one.

extra

The diner's warm lighting cast a soft glow over the worn leather booth where Kaito and Yuki sat across from each other. The aroma of sizzling burgers and fresh coffee permeated the air, and Kaito's stomach responded with a series of impatient gurgles.

Yuki noticed Kaito's eyes following a plate of steaming food as a waitress carried it past their table. "Hungry?" he asked, not trying to hide teasing in his voice.

Kaito's cheeks tinged pink, but he didn't deny it. "The smell is... rather enticing," he admitted, his usual composure slipping as another growl emanated from his midsection.

Yuki's expression softened. "Hey," he said gently, "it's okay to be human, you know. Even the great Kaito Kirishima needs to eat sometimes."

Kaito's gaze met Yuki's, a mix of embarrassment and gratitude in his eyes. "I suppose you're right," he murmured.

As they waited for their order, Yuki noticed Kaito shifting uncomfortably, one hand pressed against his stomach. Without thinking, he reached under the table, his hand finding Kaito's abdomen.

"May I?" Yuki asked softly, his fingers hovering just above Kaito's shirt.

Kaito hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod. "If you must," he said, but there was no bite to his words.

Gently, Yuki began to rub small circles on Kaito's stomach, feeling the taught muscles beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. He could feel the rumbles and gurgles under his palm, Kaito's hungry stomach protesting its emptiness.

"This okay?" Yuki asked, his voice low.

Kaito's eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment. "It's... not unpleasant," he admitted, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

They sat in comfortable silence, Yuki's hand continuing its soothing motions. He marveled at how natural it felt, this moment of intimacy with someone he'd considered a rival not too long ago.

"You know," Kaito said after a while, his voice barely above a whisper, "I can't remember the last time someone took care of me like this."

Yuki's heart clenched at the vulnerability in Kaito's tone. "Well," he replied, matching Kaito's soft volume, "maybe it's time you let someone start."

Their eyes met across the table, an unspoken understanding passing between them. The moment was broken by the arrival of their food, but as Yuki reluctantly withdrew his hand, he knew something had fundamentally changed between them.

As they dug into their meals, the conversation flowed more easily than ever before. And if their feet happened to touch under the table, neither of them mentioned it, both secretly savoring this new, tentative closeness.

[666mork]

‼️ AVISO DE CONTEÚDO ‼️

Esta fanfic é destinada a maiores de 18 anos e contém os seguintes temas sensíveis:

- Estupro (não condenado)

- Sexo explícito

- Abusos sexuais/assédio

Se algum desses temas for desconfortável ou desencadeante para você, recomendamos não prosseguir com a leitura.

Relacionamento: Satoru Gojo x Você, Você x Personagem Original

Capítulo 1:

À Beira da Mudança

...

Dentro dos escritórios modernos e elegantes da ExcelAdmin, [Nome] sentava-se em sua mesa, cercada por pilhas de papéis e relatórios. Como assistente administrativa, ela estava acostumada a lidar com o frenesi do ambiente corporativo, mas naquele dia algo estava diferente. O ar estava carregado com uma energia nervosa, e os sussurros ansiosos dos colegas indicavam que algo estava errado.

Os rumores de demissões iminentes pairavam no ar, deixando todos apreensivos sobre o futuro de seus empregos. [Nome], com seu olhar determinado e postura confiante, tentava manter a calma e continuar com suas tarefas diárias, mas a incerteza sobre o que estava por vir era perturbadora.

Enquanto ela revisava mais um relatório financeiro, seu telefone tocou, interrompendo seus pensamentos. Era seu marido, Hiei.

[Nome] pegou o telefone ao ver a ligação de Hiei, seu marido, aparecendo na tela. Com um suspiro tenso, ela atendeu.

— Oi, Hiei. O que há?

— Oi, querida. Como está o seu dia?

— Está sendo um pouco complicado. Os rumores de demissões estão ficando mais fortes aqui na empresa, e a atmosfera está tensa.

Hiei estava preocupado com a situação delicada descrita por você e queria oferecer palavras de conforto.

— Sinto muito ouvir isso.  Estou aqui para você, não importa qual seja o resultado. — ele disse, com compaixão. — Tenho certeza você vai dar um jeito meu amor.

— Obrigada, Hiei. Suas palavras sempre me acalmam.- murmurou [Nome] com gratidão.

— Entendo, meu amor. Preciso desligar agora. Tchau, te amo, te amo, te amo. - disse Hiei com um suspiro de despedida.

— Eu te amo mais que tudo.- [Nome] respondeu suavemente, sentindo o calor reconfortante de suas palavras preencher seu coração.

¡!BIP¡!

[Nome] sorriu enquanto colocava o telefone de volta no gancho, encontrando o olhar curioso de seu amigo de trabalho, Ryota.

— Sim, era o Hiei.- respondeu ele ainda sorrindo com o brilho de amor nos olhos.

Ryota inclinou-se para a frente, intrigado. — E como está o maridão? Vocês pareciam bem animados na conversa.

— Está bem, Hiei ligou pra perguntar se estava tudo bem comigo.

— Hummm, fico feliz. Aliás, Tenho ouvido rumores sobre possiveis cortes de custos.

[Nome] assentiu, sua expressão refletindo a preocupação de Ryota.

—Sim, Os números do último trimestre não foram tão bons quanto esperávamos, e a diretoria está considerando algumas medidas para melhorar a situação financeira.

Ryota suspirou enquanto seu olhar percorria o escritório, absorvendo a atmosfera tensa que pairava no ar. De repente, seus olhos encontraram os da assistente do presidente, Ayumi, que estava circulando pelo ambiente.

Rapidamente virou-se para sua mesa e continuou seu trabalho. Ele não queria dar a impressão de estar fofocando ou se distraindo dos seus afazeres diários.

[Nome] fez a mesma coisa rindo do neversimo do amigo.

— Nome.- chamou a assistente, capturando a atenção de todos os funcionários. — Por favor, acompanhe-me. O CEO está aguardando para uma reunião importante.

Os olhares se voltaram instantaneamente para [Nome], enquanto ela se levantava de sua mesa e seguia a assistente em direção à sala de reuniões. A curiosidade e a expectativa pairavam no ar, deixando todos se perguntando qual seria o motivo dessa reunião com o CEO.

Caminharam ligeiramente para do presidente. Uma inquietação mortal.

Ao entrar na sala de reuniões, [Nome] viu o CEO, Haruki Nakamura, sentado à cabeceira da mesa, sua expressão séria e concentrada. Ela cumprimentou-o com um aceno de cabeça, antes de se sentar em uma das cadeiras dispostas ao redor da mesa.

— Como você deve estar ciente, os resultados financeiros do último trimestre não foram como esperávamos. Enfrentamos alguns desafios significativos, incluindo uma queda nas receitas e aumento nos custos operacionais.

[Nome], com uma expressão séria, assente em compreensão.

— Bem, possa ser que eu tenha arranjado a solução. Mas por enquanto vamos aplicar aquela ferramenta administrativa PDCA. Creio que sabe o que é.

Sobressaltando-se levemente, [Nome] assentiu. — S-sim, Planejar, Executar, Verificar e Agir.

— Isso mesmo.- confirmou o CEO —  Mas bem, chega de enrolação. Quero dizer que recebi um convite para o Gala Anual de Beneficência Empresarial, um evento de grande importância para nós. Quero que a ExcelAdmin esteja representada lá da melhor forma possível.

— Certo, o senhor quer que eu me responsabilize quem fará isso?

— Bem, pensei em enviar uma equipe para representar a empresa no evento, e você é uma das pessoas que gostaria de convidar para fazer parte dessa equipe.

[Nome] ficou surpresa, estava lisonjeada. Mas não era menos, [Nome] era uma das mais que contribuía naquela empresa. Seu desempenho profissional era notável e muito admirado pelos seus colegas.

— É uma oportunidade importante para fazer networking e fortalecer as relações com nossos clientes e parceiros de negócios.

— Tudo Bem, CEO. Obrigada pela confiança. - seu sorriso foi de orelha a orelha tremendamente alegre e saltitante por dentro, querendo contar o quanto antes para Ryota.

— Vou enviar mais detalhes sobre o evento e os preparativos em breve. Pode se retirar.

O CEO permaneceu sentado, analisando seus documentos enquanto você se dirigia à porta para sair. No entanto, antes de você se retirar totalmente, ele falou com frieza e autoridade na voz, sem levantar os olhos dos seus documentos.

— Espera. — ordenou.

Suas costas estremeceu, um calafrio percorreu toda sua espinha, o suspense e a curiosidade tomaram conta de você. Você parou imediatamente e virou-se para trás, encontrando o olhar do CEO que mudou drasticamente.

— Deus... como pude me esquecer.

O clima tenso que antes tomava a atmosfera subitamente mudou, agora um leve acalmar invadiu o ambiente. O CEO observava você com uma atenção redoblada, suas bochechas assumindo um tinteiro rosado.

— Oh, perdão, não quis surpreender você assim. — disse ele suavemente, um sorriso brando adornando seu rosto geralmente impassível.

Ele se levantou da cadeira e caminhou lentamente até você, a elegância e a graciosidade que emanavam com cada passo.

[Nome], surpresa com a mudança de clima e a atenção intensificada do CEO, sentiu uma mistura de curiosidade e nervosismo. Ela ergueu o olhar para encontrar os olhos do CEO, tentando decifrar suas intenções por trás daquele sorriso brando.

O CEO parou diante dela, mantendo um espaço respeitoso, mas ainda assim próximo o suficiente para que ela pudesse sentir sua presença imponente. Ele estendeu a mão, como se fosse tocá-la, mas hesitou por um momento, deixando a eletricidade do momento pairar no ar.

— Você é uma profissional excepcional, [Nome]. - continuou ele, sua voz suave e cativante. — Sua dedicação e competência não passaram despercebidas por mim ou pela empresa. Estou verdadeiramente impressionado com o seu trabalho aqui.

[Nome] sentiu-se lisonjeada com as palavras do CEO, seu coração batendo um pouco mais rápido. Ela sabia que essa era uma oportunidade única de se destacar ainda mais na empresa, e estava determinada a aproveitá-la ao máximo.

No entanto, enquanto o CEO falava, [Nome] não pôde deixar de perceber a intensidade do olhar dele sobre ela, uma sensação desconfortável se formando em seu peito. Ela engoliu em seco, tentando manter a compostura.

— Oh, obrigada, CEO.- respondeu ela, forçando um sorriso educado. —É um grande elogio vindo de você.

Ele sorriu ainda mais amplamente, seus olhos brilhando com uma expressão que [Nome] não conseguia decifrar completamente.

— A propósito, [Nome], tenho uma ideia para melhorar ainda mais a eficiência do nosso departamento. Seria ótimo se pudéssemos discuti-la mais tarde, talvez em um ambiente mais... relaxado.

O coração de [Nome] deu um salto em seu peito. Ela sabia que a proposta do CEO estava indo além dos limites profissionais, e uma onda de desconforto a invadiu. Mas ela também não queria criar atritos no ambiente de trabalho, especialmente considerando sua posição e a reputação do CEO.

— Claro, CEO. respondeu ela, tentando manter um tom neutro. — Estou disponível para discutir qualquer ideia que possa beneficiar a empresa.

O CEO assentiu, satisfeito.

— Ótimo. Mal posso esperar para nossa conversa.- Ele se afastou lentamente, deixando [Nome] com uma sensação perturbadora de inquietação e incerteza sobre o que o futuro reservava.

***

Durante o horário de almoço, [Nome] e Ryota estavam sentados juntos em uma mesa do refeitório da empresa, desfrutando de suas refeições enquanto trocavam conversas casuais.

— O que!? — Ryota exclamou, quase cuspindo um pedaço de arroz ao ouvir a revelação de [Nome].

— Shh, fala baixo! — [Nome] sussurrou, olhando ao redor para garantir que ninguém mais ouvisse. Ela notou os olhares curiosos de alguns colegas de trabalho e abaixou ainda mais o tom de voz. — Sim, foi isso mesmo que aconteceu.

Ryota arregalou os olhos, incrédulo. — Mas isso é completamente inapropriado! O CEO não pode simplesmente... Você sabe, fazer esse tipo de coisa!

[Nome] assentiu, sentindo-se desconfortável com a situação. — Eu sei, Ryota. Fiquei chocada quando ele sugeriu discutir ideias em um ambiente mais "relaxado".

Ryota balançou a cabeça, visivelmente perturbado. — Devíamos relatar isso para o departamento de recursos humanos. Não podemos deixar que ele se aproveite da posição dele.

[Nome] hesitou, preocupada com as possíveis repercussões. — Eu sei que deveríamos, mas... E se isso afetar minha carreira na empresa? E se eu perder meu emprego?

— Ele está usando esse convite como uma desculpa para ficar mais próximo e... quem sabe o que mais.

Um arrepio percorreu a espinha de [Nome], enquanto ela processava as palavras de Ryota.

— Pensei que tinha sido chamada pela minha capacidade, não por interesse.- murmurou ela para Ryota.

[Nome] soltou um suspiro profundo, seus olhos expressando uma mistura de incredulidade e desapontamento. Ela se sentia perplexa com a revelação sobre as verdadeiras intenções por trás do convite para o evento de gala.

Ryota assentiu compreensivelmente, compartilhando a frustração e preocupação de [Nome].

— Agora a preocupação é você sair dessa situação, não pode deixar que fique assim. Conte para seu marido

[Nome] suspirou, sentindo-se sobrecarregada com a complexidade da situação. Ela olhou para Ryota com uma expressão cansada, suas preocupações pesando em seus ombros.

— Eu não sei, Ryota. Essa gente é tão poderosa.-confessou ela, sua voz carregada de incerteza e apreensão. — Vou tentar evitar e resolver o problema sozinha. Quem sabe ele me esquece, deixar bem registrado na mente dele que eu sou casada.

Ryota balançou a cabeça, discordando.  — Isso não importa, ele sabe que você é casada. Ele já é um mal caráter por estar dando em cima de você, se fosse solteira não faria diferença, casada ou não.

— Ah, Deus... isso sempre acontece. — [Nome] disse em descontentamento, deixando escapar um suspiro pesado.

Ryota franziu o cenho, preocupado com a expressão de S/n. — Já aconteceu antes?

S/n balançou a cabeça, seus olhos refletindo uma mistura de frustração e resignação. — Sim, parece que não consigo escapar desse tipo de situação. Já aconteceu antes, em meus trabalhos anteriores. Por mais que eu tentasse me concentrar no meu trabalho, sempre tinha algum chefe que via além da minha aliança no dedo.

Realmente, [Nome] irradiava uma beleza magnética, capaz de capturar a atenção de todos ao entrar em uma sala. Seus traços pareciam ter sido cuidadosamente esculpidos, combinando suavidade e fascínio de maneira única. Seu sorriso, uma verdadeira obra de arte, convidava irresistivelmente as pessoas a se perderem em seus encantos. Ela era completamente envolvente.

Foi somente quando Ryota a viu desabafando sob a mesa, envolta em frustrações, que ele finalmente percebeu a verdadeira profundidade de sua beleza.

Mesmo em um momento de vulnerabilidade, ela continuava a emanar uma aura de fascínio irresistível, deixando Ryota sem palavras diante de sua presença cativante.

Ele nunca notou e olhou pra amiga com esses olhos, tanto por estar focado no trabalho e ela ter um marido.

Enquanto suas bochechas coravam, Ryota percebeu que havia ficado tempo demais observando [Nome], e rapidamente desviou o olhar, constrangido. Ele se perguntava como não tinha percebido antes a verdadeira magnitude da sua beleza e presença.

Aquela cena, tão simples e humana, revelou-lhe uma nova faceta de [Nome]. Mas rapidamente recusou esse pensamentos percebendo que amiga voltou a encará-lo.

— Acho que atrair a atenção indesejada dos homens se tornou um padrão na minha vida profissional. Ainda bem que você não é assim Ryota. - [Nome] sorriu gentilmente que foi retribuído pelo seu amigo.

...

[linhciinder]

@poppywrights ; snow & harper.

tinha acabado de adormecer quando o seu celular corporativo tocou, assustando-a. " — merda!" exclamou, já sabendo que se estavam ligando para ela numa madrugada em que não estava de plantão, alguma coisa muito séria tinha acontecido. " — oi." a voz rouca pelo sono soou, as sobrancelhas juntas na tentativa de entender o que richard lhe passava. " — uma atriz? puta que pariu... a imprensa já chegou?" falava enquanto levantava da cama e arrancava as roupas do corpo, rumo ao banheiro. " — beleza, manda o endereço por mensagem que eu chego em 20 minutos." respondeu, findando a ligação sem esperar uma resposta. assim que a notificação com o endereço chegou, nakamura discou o corporativo de harper - entrando e saindo do que considerou ser o banho mais rápido de sua vida no tempo que demorou para detetive atender a ligação. " — harper, possível assassinato de celebridade na lincoln square, te mando os detalhes por mensagem." novamente, não esperou uma resposta antes de desligar, acreditando que a wakefield perdoaria sua falta de modos devido a urgência da situação.

molhava todo o banheiro pela falta de toalha quando parou na frente do espelho para escovar os dentes. " — porra!" quase gritou, aproximando o próprio rosto do reflexo no espelho e inspecionando o hematoma vermelho que tomava sua bochecha esquerda - tinha lhe fugido a mente o murro que levara na luta da noite anterior, sua mão direita também arroxeada pela atividade ilegal, mas pelo menos esta era facilmente resolvida com uma luva, não teria tempo para arrumar seu rosto com maquiagem - e foda-se, tinha coisas mais importantes para fazer naquele momento, como chegar na cena do crime antes que a imprensa ficasse sabendo do acontecido.

chegava a ser irônico o estado de paz em que as ruas se encontravam aquela hora da madrugada, principalmente quando comparado ao completo caos que era a cena no crime a qual snow se dirigia. estacionou algumas casas antes da que agora estava sendo fitada pela polícia, a movimentação chamando a atenção da vizinhança - conseguia ver as cabeças de alguns curiosos pelas janelas das casas, mas não tinha nada que ela pudesse fazer em relação aquilo. richard correu até ela quando a viu se aproximar, começando a passar todo o conhecimento coletado até o momento em voz baixa, a fim que os curiosos não ouvissem as informações confidenciais. ela escutava tudo atentamente, a testa franzida em concentração - um vizinho fez a denuncia? como ele soube que tinha um corpo dentro da casa? entrou com cuidado na residência, muito humilde para ser de uma celebridade, ela concluiu em sua mente. a primeira coisa que viu foi a poça imensa de sangue que cobria o carpete, o corpo da mulher jogado de qualquer jeito no chão, o pescoço num ângulo estranho e os pulsos completamente abertos, numa clara tentativa de simular um suicídio - provavelmente um crime passional? e claramente sem premeditação. " — essa casa está em nome de quem?" perguntou para ninguém em especial, tentando juntar os pontos dentro de sua cabeça.

[ofyokai]

starter for @aworidwithout​

“Oh... shit,” the girl quietly mutters under her breath, in English. For some reason, it’s one of her few perfect attempts at the language, namely, curses and insults and the like. English just never came as naturally as Japanese or Vietnamese does when she practices the tongue. Maybe it has something to do with her not having had the opportunity to learn this one until high school? Whatever the case, there she goes again: one Natsume Reiko bent over her desk, hurriedly rummaging through her school bag slumped on the ground beside the front legs of her chair. All the other students nearly knock into her as they quickly zip down the aisle at the end of class on their way out to the halls. Although, some make it clear to sneer and jeer as they pass right by her. Others whisper and giggle, and still more shiver and shudder, clearly intimidated and eager to hurry out of the way. But Reiko is perceptive and notices them all... notices them all and does absolutely nothing except for swearing that she put the assignment into her binder just before going to bed at three in the morning, swearing that she beat her own record last night at placing protective seals around her home to keep out the yōkai that had been so hungry to haunt her family’s dreams. “Oi, Nakamura-sensei...?” chirps the teenager, perhaps a tad bit too casually. Her expression breaks into a bright, sunny smile when at long last she finds the paper she’d been searching for over the last five minutes. Snatching it loudly from the bag, she jumps to her feet, skips to the front of the class, and nearly shoves the assignment at the man’s face. “Koshirō-sensei, my guidance counselor, told me that I ought to talk to you about my grades. Otherwise...” She shuts her mouth smugly, narrows her eyes at the teacher, and though her irises are golden amber, they briefly gleam an unnatural jade before she opens her mouth yet again to continue speaking. “... otherwise, he said he’d talk to you himself.” Canting her head to the side, the girl chuckles mildly. Her tone is mischief. “Seeing as I am his favorite private art student, I told him that it wouldn’t be very fair to him, so here I am... getting the job done so that he wouldn’t have to trouble himself.”

[deltaphoto3]

来週から香港でのグループ展に参加させて頂きます。去年から引き続きありがとうございます。 #Repost @hiroshima_l_gallery with @use.repost ・・・ We are happy to introduce you to our exhibition in collaboration with the Art of Nature contemporary gallery of Hong Kong. 「雙城記」 出品作家：潘星玮 Anton Poon、林嘉裕 Inkgo Lam、陈霭凝 Chan Oi Ying、何芍韵 Ashley Ho、藤田薰 Caori Fujita、浅野坚一 Kenichi Asano、畠中彩Aya Hatanaka、钓谷幸辉 Kouki Tsuritani、佐藤令奈 Haruna Sato、中村绫花 Ayaka Nakamura オープニングレセプション： 2023年1月20日（周五） 17:00-20:00 展覧会期間：2023年1月20日 - 2月24日 会場：香港天趣当代艺术馆（荃湾美环街1号时贸中心21楼） ————————— Art of Nature specially presents A Tale of Two Cities– Youth Art Exhibition at Art of Nature Contemporary Gallery on January 20, 2023. The opening night will be held on the same day, and the exhibition will be on view until February 24, 2023.  The exhibition aims to provoke and present the dialogue between the ten artists encountering similar or different difficulties and doubts in their respective cultures, from Hong Kong and Japan.  We hope to gaze and pay attention to the feelings of a generation living in the cities and the relationship between individuals and the city in a cohesive way, regarding the artists' own forms of narrative as feedback on urban life and culture, as well as a proposal to deal with everyday anxiety. -Art of Nature contemporary gallery @aon_contemporary ————————— #天��當代藝術館 #hiroshimalgallery https://www.instagram.com/p/CnT7X8IPufP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[cranky-otaku]

Let’s play a game of ...

Ritsu or Yuu?

BONUS ROUND!

[musicshylover]

Siblings

This was a story I written very long ago so I decided to just post it anyways! 😅

Brother! Aomine x younger sister! Reader (mention of Kise x reader)

Genre: Fluff (slight angst)

Summary: Everyone knows that Aomine Daiki has a short temper but you could never ask for a better brother.

You were headed towards the market with your brother, Aomine Daiki, to do some shopping for your mother. He was reluctant to come so you had to drag him out of the house.

“You could have just gone by yourself.”, Aomine said before letting out a big yawn.

“Mou~! Onii~chan! Don’t be lazy! Okaa~san told me to buy a lot of stuff. I can't possibly carry all of them by myself! Besides, you have nothing to do today, not even training!” You pouted at him, causing him to let out a deep sigh, while letting you drag him to the store.

(Time skip)

“Hmm, let’s see... We have the potatoes, tea bags, apples….” You checked the items you have already gotten with the grocery list your mother had written.

Aomine was just standing at the side while you checked the list. Even though it was the usual, he couldn't get use to it. Grocery shopping wasn't anywhere near his checklist. All Aomine could do was sigh. "Oi Y/N, I'll get some chips."

You nodded, letting him know that you will be staying there before he walked off.

You continued staring at the paper in your hand, not noticing a group of girls approaching you from behind. “Well, if it isn’t the girl that follows our Kise around like a homeless puppy.”

You turned at the sound of a familiar voice, instantly recognising the group of girls.

They were from your school- Kaijou, and are members of Kise’s fan club. You know that Kise’s fan club members have a burning hatred towards you: claiming that you had ‘stolen’ Kise from them. The leader of the group, Nakamura Akari, was the one that had just spoken.

“Do you need something?” You looked at them calmly, ignoring their insult earlier.

“Yes, and that is to stay away from Kise! Who do you think you are? Such a ‘Plain Jane’, you don’t deserve him! He belongs to us!” Akari insulted and the group snickered. You stared at them blankly before replying once again- no hint of hesitation in your speech. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Ryou~chan can choose whoever he wants to be with. He is not an object, and he does not belong to anyone!”

“You think you are so great just because he chose you? How dare you show off, who do you think you are?” Akari spoke- anger and frustration in her tone. Before you could retort again, Akari interrupted, “That’s it! You know what? You need to be teached a lesson!” Akari took out a pair of scissors from her pocket causing your eyes to widen. You were definitely in danger now, seeing how you are outnumbered.

When Akari raised her hand with the scissors preparing to strike at you, you swallowed the lump in your throat nervously. Shutting your eyes tightly, waiting for the impact.

But it didn’t come….

“Oi, what do you think you are doing?!”

Hearing the familiar voice of your brother, you slowly opened your eyes, to see him grabbing Akari’s wrist from behind. Aomine tightened his grip on her wrist making Akari to cry out in pain and drop the scissors. The rest of the group cowered in fear from Aomine’s deathly glare. “Leave now! Before I change my mind about letting all of you off the hook so easily!” Aomine glared at them before walking over to you.

“You okay?” Aomine looked at you after the girls left. He looked genuinely concerned and was particularly worried that you were injured. You nodded your head and looked up at him,“Arigatou Onii~Chan!”

After ensuring that you were really alright, he nodded his head and you both proceeded to head towards the cashier for payment.

On the way back home, Aomine was walking slightly ahead carrying many of the shopping bags, while you trailed behind him. Looking at his back, you smiled softly as you thought about the event that happened in the market.

‘Come to think of it, Onii~Chan has always been there for me…”

<Flashback>

Your younger self was sitting on the sofa with your mother reading a story book to you. You slowly fell asleep and laid your head on your mother’s lap. Smiling softly at you, your mother gently pressed a kiss on top of your head.

Few minutes later, Aomine walked in together with your father. “Oka-san! Oka-san! I got alot of hoops today!” Young Aomine shouted, only to slap a hand to his mouth, seeing you asleep. Your mother smiled softly at him, before placing a finger on her lips, signalling to stay quiet. Aomine nodded quickly before quietly approaching the sleeping you.

“She’s so cute!” Aomine stared at your sleeping face with a smile and gently touched your face like you were so fragile that would break any moment. “Right! So we have to protect her from all the bad guys!” Your father stated as he looked at both his children. Young Aomine’s eyes sparkled, “I will protect her I promise!” His father smiled at him, “Okay, let's make it a deal! We will protect her together!” Aomine nodded and made a pinky promise with his father.

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

(In elementary school)

After school one day, you waited at the school gate for your brother that was in a different classes as usual. You were holding a card that you made for your mother during class. You wanted to show it to your brother first so you did not keep it in your bag. You were staring happily at the card when a group of boys who were slightly older than you, snatched the card away from you.

“Give that back!” You shouted at them but the boys just stuck out their tongues at you. “Loser!” One of the boys said when you tried to grab the card from his hand, but you were too short to reach it as he held it above his head. The other boys laughed at you and one of them knocked you out of the way. You ended up on the floor with a scraped knee. The boys laughed again as they ripped the card into pieces as you started crying .

With the boys busy laughing at you, they didn’t notice a furious Aomine who saw the whole thing. He ran towards the group of boys and punched the boy that caused you to fall onto the floor. “How dare you bully my sister!” Aomine glared at the boys angrily. The boys smirked at him, “What are you gonna do about it then?” Aomine was boiling with anger at this point so he charged at the boys throwing punches at them. The fight ended with Aomine winning, but he also ended up with some scratches. The boys had run off, scared that they would sustain more painful injuries.

Aomine looked at the boys as they ran off and heaved a sigh. He then walked off to you, “Are you alright?” You nodded and thanked him. However, when you remembered the card you had made was destroyed. You hugged him while crying,“Onii~Chan, they ripped my card for mommy!” Aomine patted your head and told you that he would make one with you again. “Really?!” Aomine nodded and you smiled happily and thanked him. Aomine was glad that you were finally smiling again. The day ended with Aomine giving you a piggyback ride home as you had an injured knee.

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

(In Teikō)

Recently there are rumours in Teikō that Kise is dating a girl, all the girls were sad and jealous about her. You felt happy that Kise finally found someone but it hurts you as you have feelings for the blonde hair boy. ‘No! No! No! I have to be happy for Kise if the girl makes him happy! I can't be selfish! But it hurts…’ you frowned while clutching the area on your shirt that is near to your heart. You were so deep in thought while on your way home with Kuroko and Aomine.

You only snapped out of your thoughts when she heard Kuroko’s voice. “(y/n)-san, is everything alright?” Kuroko and Aomine were a few steps ahead of you, looking back at you with concern. Seems like you were too deep in thought to realise you were walking too slowly as compared to the two boys. “It's nothing!” You faked a smile and ran to catch up with them. Kuroko only nodded slightly at your reply. Aomine knew there was something wrong but decided to leave it till when you both are alone.

Soon, you both split ways with Kuroko. Aomine then stopped walking immediately, making you look back at him questionably. “Spill it! What’s wrong?” Aomine looked directly at you. You were about to pretend it was nothing again when Aomine cutted you off. “Don’t play with me! I know it when you are pretending to be okay!” sighing softly, you looked down to the ground, “I really can't hide anything from you huh..”

“It’s about that Kise guy, isn't it? The rumours about him dating?” Aomine had realised from the start that you have feelings for the blonde even if you did not say anything to him. Your eyes widened when your brother said exactly what you were thinking about. Nodding your head, you told him, “My head tells me that I should be happy for him but my heart can’t seem to agree. I know that I am not good enough for him so I should have given up long ago but I just can't help it… I…” Before you could continue, Aomine flicked you on her head.

“OW! What was that for?!” You glared at your brother while rubbing your forehead. “You're an idiot. If that Kise doesn’t like you, it’s his own loss. You are perfect the way you are. Stop comparing yourself with other people.” Aomine said while taking a few steps forward before stopping in his tracks again and saying, “After all, you are my sister.” He continued walking forward, leaving you on the spot to process what he said.

When you realise that your brother was actually indirectly praising himself, your lips curled up into a small smile. You then ran forward catching up to him.

“You are the idiot!” You stuck your tongue out at him. “Huh?! What did you say? You shortie!” Aomine threw back his own insult. You both then continued throwing insults at each other. Even though you both are arguing, Aomine was glad you were feeling better and you were glad that you had your brother to comfort you.

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

Scene change (In Teikō)

“Onii~Chan! You have to go to practise! Come on, stop sleeping!” You looked down at your brother who was laying on the ground of the rooftop sleeping. Recently, Aomine had started skipping practise as he had come to the conclusion that no one can beat him as he was simply too strong.

You were worried about him and knew how upset he was when he could not find a worthy opponent for himself as he loved basketball so much. You had a talk with Kuroko and decided to take it upon yourself to try and convince him to practise. Aomine groaned as you kept shaking him. “Onii~Chan! Wake up!”

“I’m not going! There’s no point! The only one who can beat me, is me! So, stop bothering me and let me sleep!” Aomine turned on his side and away from you.

“Mou~ stop saying that! Come on! Let’s go!” You did not give up and kept trying to pull your brother up. Aomine was getting irritated, “It’s none of your business right? You are annoying! Go away!”

“What do you mean it’s none of my business?! I am your sister! I am worried about you! And how could you call me annoying?!” You glared at your brother. Aomine couldn’t control his emotion and finally losted it. He stood up, towering over you as he said, “Because you're annoying! You can’t even protect yourself! I am always the one that needs to protect you and it's getting annoying! Just mind your own business and go away!” Your eyes widened at what he said and looked down at the ground.

Aomine instantly regretted what he said after the words left his mouth. He didn’t mean any of that at all. He did not mind protecting you and you are not annoying. He was just feeling irritated. You did not say anything and continued to look at the ground. “Oi, look I didn’t mean what I said okay? I was just…” Aomine struggled to find the right words. But you interrupted him, “You don’t have to apologise, you are right, I’m sorry for being so weak and causing you so much trouble.” You did not look at him and simply walked away after that. Aomine cursed under his breath as he knew he messed up.

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

Flashback ends~

‘After that day, we drifted apart a little, until Seirin won that match and he returned more to his past self. However, since that day I have decided to become more independent and strong…’ you thought while still staring at your brother’s back.

Those words really hurt you back then but you realised that there was some truth in those words, which is the main reason why after middle school you decided to go to Kaijō instead of Touou. You wanted to be outside of your brother’s protection so she chose a different school. Beside the fact that your blonde haired crush invited you to join his school of course.

“Oi! How long are you gonna stand there?” Aomine turned around and looked at you. Snapping out of your thoughts when you heard his voice. You smiled and ran past him while saying “I will be the first to reach home!” “What?! I will definitely be faster than you!” Aomine exclaimed, running after you while carrying the heavy shopping bags. You smiled at your brother who had ran past you easily and thought ‘Thank you onii~chan for doing so much for me’.

Even though, you both had your stupid fights sometimes, you know that your brother is always there for you and wants the best for you. On your path to become stronger, you know that your brother will be there to support you and one day you would like to return the favour by protecting him as well. You know that Aomine is the best brother you could ever have and you wouldn’t trade for a better brother.

[asknarashikari]

Minific involving Chase carrying Gou like a sack of potatoes against his will

Is it really against his will though 😏

"Chase, let me down, you big brute!" Gou yelled, half-heartedly punching at the other Rider's back as Chase unceremoniously carried him through the hallway on his shoulder.

"Gou, you have not taken a proper rest in the entirety of this week." Chase replied sternly. "Anymore of this, and you would've collapsed. So I am ensuring you get the rest you need."

Chase fished out the keys to their apartment from his pocket. Gou groaned as their next door neighbor came out of her apartment, the little old lady eyeing them with a chuckle. "Is he being difficult again, Chase-kun?"

"Yes, Granny Nakamura," Chase replied. Gou choked, stuttering in protest.

"Ah. Of course." Granny Nakamura nodded knowingly. "Well, you take care of him now, okay, Chase-kun."

"Of course, Granny." Chase answered dutifully, then bowed slightly in goodbye as he got the door open. Granny Nakamura waved at the briefly before she went on her way.

Chase didn't bother to take his shoes off and made his way into their bedroom, despite Gou's protests about his muddy boots leaving tracks (they weren't). He yanked the covers back before dumping Gou onto the bed, took his shoes off, and tucked him in so tightly that Gou could barely even squirm.

"O-Oi, Chase, what's the big idea of this?" Gou protested as he left to put the shoes away. "So tight... I feel like I'm in a cocoon..."

Chase came back, sans his boots, and sat on top of the covers beside Gou. "So you can't get away, of course. I'll wake you up when you have slept sufficiently."

"But-"

"I know that you're working hard to revive the others for my sake. But you also need to care for yourself, for my sake as well as yours." Chase told him seriously. "So please... just get some rest."

Gou sighed, feeling the last of his resolve melt away from Chase's sincere plea. "Fine. Alright, I'll get some shuteye...." He yawned as his exhaustion started crashing into him. "'Night night... Chase..."

His head lolled over, and he promptly started snoring. Chase chuckled and settled in to watch over him. "Good night, Gou."

[xxelfmamaxx]

[Hi guys! It took me at least 3-4 hours writing this lol, I hope y'all will like it, I tried my best, sorry for the spelling grammar if there is any, enjoy!]

[A little introduction before the story begins]

Two Sato Siblings live together in a apartment near the famous Hunting for Clues detective agency, Hanami loves and protects her younger brother, after two years of the military Hanami didn't hear from her older sibling, in the future Hanami will face very strong criminals and fight for her and others safety and safe everyone.

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

[Monday morning, 7:30 AM]

Ring ring... Ring ring.. Ring ring..

*??? slowly gets up and turns off the alarm*

???:God damn..this alarm is really annoying..*goes back to the bed and closes eyes*

???:Hanami! Wake up! You have work today, don't blame me if you go there and be late!

Hanami:Okay okay fine!

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Name:Sato Hanami

Age:18

Pronoun's: She/her

Height:164

Weight:55

Hanami's character look:long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, black dot under the left eye, big scars on both of her arms.

Jobs/hobby/personality:professional assasin at Hunting for Clues detective agency, sleeping, baking

Sibling Akihiko

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Name:Akihiko Sato

Age:16

Pronoun's: He/him

Height:169

Weight: 60

Akihiko's character:messy black hair, bright pink eyes.

He's a high school student.

Jobs/hobby/personality:reading books, playing soccer, does karate

Sibling Hanami

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

Akihiko:I hope you will like the toast I made for you, Onē-san.*Akihiko puts a plate with the toast on it*

Hanami:Oh dear, you didn't have to! I could do it myself

Akihiko:No worries, I gotta go to school now before I'm late

Hanami:Alright, bye Akihiko!

Akihiko:Bye Onē-san!*Akihiko left*

*~*Hanami gets ready and goes to the Hunting for Clues detective agency*~*

*~*Hanami steps into the agency when her best friend Isamu Tanaka greets her happily*~*

Name:Isamu Tanaka

Age:22

Pronouns:He/him

Height:189

Weight: 65

Isamu's character:wavy brown hair, green eyes, wears eye-patch,

Jobs/hobby/personality:he is very lazy lol-

he's a detective in the agency, sometimes uses drugs

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Isamu:Good morning Hanami! Did you sleep well? o((*^▽^*))o

Hanami:It's not a good but it is morning, I hate the fact that I have to wake up at 7:30 ಢ‸ಢ

Isamu:Ah, don't be like that now! Be happy that we will not have paper work toda-

???:ISAMU!!!!!!

Isamu:Ugh..not again..

Hanami: 🙂...

*~*??? Runs towards Isamu and Hanami*~*

Isamu:What now Haruto..

Haruto:There you are guys! I have been looking for you everywhere in this big agency, just wanted to inform you that the boss gave us some papers to do today. I'm sure it won't take it long.

*Hanami and Isamu at the same time*nOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

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Name:Haruto Nakamura

Age:22

pronouns:He/him

Height:190

Weight:65

Haruto's character: he wears glasses, wears suit, black hair with hazel eyes.

Jobs/hobby/personality:works as a detective at the agency, he is a nerd- also strict, reads books a lot.

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

???:It's too noisy here.

???:And annoying.

Hanami:Oh dear Lord, have mercy-

Isamu:I rather start working on papers than deal with them🙄

???:Oi! What did you say?!

???:Yeah, don't make us break your legs!

???:Girls..calm down..

Hanami:Oh! Doctor Daisuke, how are you?

Daisuke:Good how about you?

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

Name:Gotō Daisuke

Age:28

Pronouns:he/him

Height:190

Weight:65

Daisuke's character:Wears glasses, dark purple hair with light purple eyes

Jobs/hobby/personality:he works as a doctor in the clinic in the agency, he is very calm and sweet! Total a husband material 😩

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

Hanami:I'm fine, thank you ^^

???:Tsk, I'm out of here, let's go Nana*~*pulls Nana's arm*~*

???:Hachi wait!!

Name:Shimizu Nana

Age:20

pronouns:she/her

Height:167

Weight:50

Nana's character:She has black hair and dark purple eyes, she wears some bandges on her arms, wear kimoto

Jobs/hobbies/personality:she trains karate and judo, she is sometimes a meanie, sometimes nice, she is one of the along with her lol

a secret watcher

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

Name:Shizumu Hachi

Age:24

Pronouns:she/her

Height:170

Weight:50

Hachi's character:same looks as Nana, she's very overprotective and loyal, she is also sometimes mean and sometimes not just like her sister Nana.

Jobs/hobbies/personality:just like nana, nothing special lol

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

Hanami:Well, I better get to the work

Isamu:Same here, can't wait for the new mission because I'm lazy to do the paper wo-

Haruto:Guys! The boss is calling us to the meeting room! It's an emergency!

The others:were coming!!

*~*At the meeting room*~*

???:Okay, I have brought you all here, because...

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

Name:Kiyoshi Yōshida

Age:42

Height:190

weight:69

Pronouns:He/him

Kiyoshi's character:Very old lol- wears kimono, old fashion style, has a ponytail like, small one-?

Jobs/hobbies/personality:He is the boss in the Hunting for Clues detective agency, he is overprotective and quiet, really kind person

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

Isamu:So, you're saying there will be snipers tonight on the main street?

Kiyoshi:Yes, a professional ones. They are from the most dangerous and famous criminal group called "Snakes". I think I remember one of the sniper's name was Michio

Hanami's mind💭Michio..what did you get yourself into...

𝗧𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱...

{𝐃𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.}

♡Chapter two♡~~~♡Chapter three♡

@littleoanh @draken-s-bitch @simpforchuchu @mercyboluthecrazychicken @southside-otaku @eves-blues @justhaitanithings

[myelocin]

Forever, forever | Konoha Akinori

Synopsis: And so love came with the intention to stay, to bloom, to linger. 

Characters: Konoha Akinori

Genre: Fluff, Domestic AU |  WC: 1,500+

A/N: This is a commissioned piece by @gg9183​ :D You can check out my commission sheet here if you’re interested <3

音楽のある風景  - Haruka Nakamura

There’s an afterglow that comes with coming home with groceries.

So take this: it’s February 11th, where the sun looks like summer in the sky despite the bite of the last bits of winter around. When you say home, you think of the house in the suburbs, bought after a year and a half of marriage, instead of an apartment in the city.

There’s a fridge, with some photos, hung by the magnets Akinori swiped from his boss’ office table at work. The curtains in the living room tied together by some strings you remember you found in a corner of your room and chucked in a moving box almost seven years ago, but somehow it fits.

A lot of things fit:

The grocery bags in the trunk of his car, the jacket he wears that you bought for him last Christmas, and the ring on your finger that shines with the same kind of gold as his. There’s a cabinet for shoes right by the door of your home that holds your shoes and his perfectly, and a little bell hung right by the door that Akinori hums along to every time he comes home.

Life like living in the afterglow of an “I love you,” confessed at eighteen, then an “I do,” years later. An endless, infinite sense of love found in the little things, because love is meant to do just that. To linger in the spaces in between and bloom endlessly for a lifetime and a couple more. It remains in the photos you pocket in the albums, and in the ones framed on the wall. In a spot he missed in your bedroom when you first moved in and painted the walls, and in a polaroid of that day tucked inside his wallet.

A grounding sense of home, within a house you found on a listing together. Bits of what’s you and him shown through the different hues of paint on the walls and the furniture. Your shade of mint and carnations to his smoky grey and blues. On occasions it clashes, but it works.

Love works. Life works. The little system in you settled into within the world that’s both you and him works.

And Akinori loves you like that. He loved you before the “will you marry me?” and the “I do,” because he was tripping on his own two feet and diving headfirst into the flow the second he cracked a joke and you looked at him and laughed. He remembers his red cheeks, and your smiling eyes. Laughter ringing like bells, the sound a melody instead of just noise. Time, afterwards which moved in a gentle flow, the waves sometimes rough but oftentimes kind.

As kind as the love February 11th brings him, because even if it’s just a Thursday—it’s a day where he’s at home unpacking groceries with you.

You’re laughing, retelling the story of a funny memory at the market just 45 minutes ago, and he’s sat in front of you with a bag of carrots in his hand and his heart’s bursting. As kind as love is, he realizes that it’s also just a little bit terrifying. The years he built with you, evident through the tangible pieces of today, and he’s scared.

He thinks of what it means to lose, and the idea of love—you, this, and home—as something he can lose as much as gain has his mouth feeling dry all of a sudden.

There’s too many bits of you scattered around what became home to him, that he just knows pieces of him hold your name or face now. The blankets he sleeps under smells like the detergent he let you pick out, and he doesn’t want to lose that. The exact brand of your shampoo and conditioner is something he never uses but always buys during his grocery runs and he doesn’t think he even wants to imagine a scenario where he’d have to skip the aisle. You’re the face he thinks of when he sees mint and carnations, and Akinori knows nothing’s ever going to redefine that.

But then you’re laughing again, even louder, and the noise in his head is quick to die.

“Aki,” you chuckle, and every thought that fed into his fear is hushed.

“Oi,” you say again, a little louder. “Akiiii.”

He’s home.

He remembers that the bag of carrots are still clutched in his hand and that today’s just a Thursday where he unpacks the groceries he got with you. On the table are your favorite kind of chips next to the kind he prefers.

Love is also that.

So much of it felt when the trivial things that bloom because of love are staring at him in the face, the feel of it on his palms. 

He’s staring at you, the smile on your face still true, while you reach forward to pinch his cheek when he’s a little slow to respond. Akinori’s never been the type to say much, but you know he’s always felt things as they come. Emotions raw and so, so unapologetically real, you can’t help but love him just a little bit more—even though just the day before you swore to yourself nothing would ever come above that moment.

The sight of him, wide eyes, clutching onto a bag of baby carrots, and the scarf you had to wrestle him to wear earlier that morning half slipping off makes you think otherwise. Every day, love truly does grow.

Your smile mellows into a soft line and you hop off the stool and walk in front of him.

“Grace,” he says, and clutches onto the bag just tighter.

“Hi,” you whisper, peering up at him.

In the moment, even if he could spend his days finding the right words to define that love can be this, or that. Words to sentences to paragraphs and novels—more than anything, the only definition that triumphs above even the most gentle words of a poet is that love, will always be you.

“My Gracie,” you hear him say, and even if you want to chuckle at the uncharacteristically soft way he says your name, in the moment you just let him be and hold him. You settle with taking a seat on the stool in front of him, keeping your eyes trained to him as you tug on the bag of carrots still clutched tight.

Something inside you softens at the sight of his whitened knuckles around the plastic, not budging.

“Babe the carrots did nothing to you,” you laugh.

Akinori’s sheepish with his reply, his shoulders relaxing and eyes blinking as if to get rid of the tears whose sting have been nudging at him for a while now. At the sight of you, the last of the intrusive thoughts fizz away, and what remains is what matters.

And that’s the moment. 4pm on an OK kind of Thursday, the smell of your hair just soft enough for him to smile at, and a bag of carrots from his grocery run with you in his hand. He’s home, with you, and the slippers on his feet are still the silly pair he recalls you laughing at when he first bought them. You still say his name with kindness and patience, and love him with the kind of love that had him seeing the stars and the world just a little more gently since day one.

Love, through grace, because that’s who you’ve always been. His bundle of grace in a world perceived as too rough to heal by tendrils of just love alone.

Akinori supposes the world could always be wrong in some ways.

“We’re gonna eat the carrots anyway,” he counters, setting the bag on the table and leaning down to press a kiss on your forehead.

“Yeah,” you pout, then continue, “but they don’t need to be smushed yet. They’re supposed to be crunchy. I don’t like bruised carrots.”

“Aren’t hickies the same thing as bruises? Last time I checked you didn’t complain wh—“

“Oi,” you cut him off, smacking him on the arm with a laugh. “But what’s up? Something bothering you?”

He hums, eyes glancing towards you, then at the photos and post-it note scribbles you leave for him on the refrigerator door. “Nothing,” he says. “Just thinking about how much I love you that’s all.”

“So you squeeze a bag of carrots half to death because you love me?” you snort, walking over to the fridge and placing the bag inside.

“I squeeze a lot of things because I love you babe, but I guess I’m thinking about it just because,” you hear him reply, along with noises of what you assume are just him folding the paper bags together.

“Just because,” you whisper to yourself with a smile, closing the refrigerator door and feeling your heart swell at the post it note Akinori left for you yesterday morning when he had to leave a little earlier for work.

“gotta leave early :(“ it reads, next to, “can’t wait to come home. i love you forever, forever. –aki”

[forestwispocs]

💍 Grab any of our ships If you wanna

I might be rusty cause it's been a while, but I have an idea for three or four of them)

Lutfia and Aiden

"Aiden what has gotten into you," Lutfia for once whined about him getting to close in her personal space.

It was definitely out of character, at least for her. She was taking a nap on the tree and then suddenly he showed up having his arms wrapped around her waist with a loving smile, "I've missed you, I didn't want to waste any minute not being around you." Aiden said making her cheeks heat up, usually she's the one that goes to him to make the first move. Lutfia tried to move him away, but it was barely, "Aiden can we go to Sam...or maybe your teacher Marcell to see what happen?"

Aiden soon scoop up Lutfia making her squeak.

Helena and Nakamura

"Oi, cut it out!" Helena pouted for once Nakamura usual cocky smile was a love smile and she did not like it.

"Oh, come now love you wanted me to be more loving didn't you," He pulled her into a hug, making Helena whine "It's not fun when you're the one doing it," She probably understands a bit how he feels when she does it though. "You're so adorable when you get mad," He chuckled as Helena tried to bite his hand, but due to her doing that a lot it didn't bother him.

"I'm getting Marcel and you can't stop me!" Helena tried to turn into her student form and ran off to find Marcell.

Lumi and Vanessa (Red Velvet)

"Lumi are you sure you're okay?" Greg asked trying not to laugh.

Lumi was trapped by her tall partner, yeah she can't escape this even if she tried. Lumi was a huge fluster mess, "This isn't like her, well...something feels off, but I've noticed her eyes were more pink?" She didn't have trouble forming words this time. "I don't want to let you go, what if I don't get to see you again?" Vanessa looked at her smaller girlfriend with a slight pout, holding her close, "I'll come back I promise," Lumi said, but she wasn't budging.

Lumi looked at Greg, "Can you get a teacher or someone that can help with this?" She couldn't do this on her own now.

Flynn and Kiki (Quiet Play)

Kiki noticed his eyes and was in complete shock.

The two were doing a walts of swan lake? Nutcracker? Who knows all Kiki knew something was wrong with Flynn. "Is something the matter?" Flynn asked placing his free hand on her cheek, Kiki shook her head and was trying to figure out what happen.

She tried to look for an out, but how far could she go? She could use her UM and look for help, but what would Nanoya think? She was in a pickle. She wondered if a fan of his did something which obliviously backed fire. Maybe a teacher of his knows.

"I'll find your cure," She said softly looking at Flynn, "Dear, that sounds like a tragedy," He said with smile.

[haruhi1087]

Zero: Rise - Alternate Hospital Scene

Here’s one of the first drafts I did of the hospital scene in Zero: Rise! In this version, Aizawa’s been gathering details on Hawks and confronts him about having a soulmate.

Katsuki hated this.

He hated being back in a hospital again, stuck here with Deku.

At least Sensei was with them, though the man had been stabbed from what Deku had said. His enhanced healing must really be something because the hero moved with ease. Well, he did when it was just Katsuki and Deku in the room, or with Nakamura-sensei.

If anyone else was there, suddenly Aizawa-sensei would move slower, and acted as if his shoulder was stiff.

It would be amusing if Katsuki wasn’t stuck to this fucking bed.

A knock came on the door, and Katsuki looked up with a grin. “Hawks!”

“Hey, hatchling! Heard you did a number on yourself.”

Fucking hell. Katsuki turned bright red as Deku started laughing at his expense. As if he had any room to laugh.

“Eraser!” Hawks grinned at Aizawa-sensei, who nodded at him from where he sat by the door. “Heard you got wounded in the showdown with Hissaikai. Glad you’re better enough to be put on guard duty.”

Aizawa sighed. “I don’t trust anyone else with these two after last time.”

“Oi!” Katsuki glared at the man as Hawks laughed. “I wasn’t involved in that!”

“And you!” Hawks turned on his heel to face Deku, who let out a startled squeak from beside Katsuki. “I don’t believe we’ve met yet.”

“Um…” green eyes darted between Katsuki and Hawks before finally spoke. “M-midoriya Izuku. It��s nice to meet you.”

Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Deku’s a fan. Ignore him.”

“Kacchan!”

“Aw, don’t be like that. I’m flattered to know that your soulmate likes me.” Hawks spun a chair around, then sat down with a thump, leaning his arms on its back while he faced them, his wings stretching out behind him.

Aizawa sighed, standing and moving to the door and checking the hallway before he closed it. “While you’re here, Hawks, I’ve actually got some questions for you.”

“Oh?”

Katsuki stiffened. This had to be about the soulmate questions. He knew Aizawa was suspicious but he couldn’t understand—

“You have a soulmate.”

Katsuki’s eyes widened. Hawks… what?

Hawks raised one eyebrow, tilting his head to the side as he watched Aizawa-sensei. “That’s not a question.”

Aizawa-sensei leaned against the door, pointedly blocking the exit. Well, Katsuki supposed Hawks could still jump out the window, but getting it open would take a few seconds, and with his capture weapon that was all Aizawa needed to stop him. “You haven’t bonded with them, either.”

Katsuki really didn’t like the way Aizawa-sensei’s hand was now on his scarf, or the way Hawks was toying with one of his razor-sharp feathers in his hands, as if stressing that it didn’t matter. if Aizawa-sensei erased his quirk, Hawks would still have a weapon.

“You don’t even have proof that I have one.”

Aizawa-sensei shrugged. “Your agency hasn’t updated your costume since your debut. Your shirt isn’t cut resistant and regularly ends up in shreds after big fights. You would have changed the material if you sealed a bond with someone.”

“Done your research, have you, Eraserhead?” Hawks ginned. “That could just mean that I don’t have one.”

“I don’t believe that. You’ve asked Bakugou too many questions. Questions about the bond that you shouldn’t have known to ask.”

“I have good sources about Shigaraki’s status.”

“Your mysterious informer that visits you so much? He wouldn’t have known that those details are important.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“You need more information than you’re getting from Bakugou.”

Hawks’ eyes narrowed. “I always assumed All Might was their mentor, but this makes more sense. You’re much more cautious than he is. Though who….” Hawks’ voice trailed off as he tilted his head to the side, then grinned after a second. “Mic, right? I always figured you two were eternal bros, but apparently I’m wrong. It has to be him.”

“You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.”

Katsuki hated this. He hated this tension, he hated that Aizawa-sensei was risking so much—

“What’s your play? Why reveal yourself?” Hawks entire body was tense.

“To help.”

Hawks laughed, and it had a darker tone that sent a chill down Katsuki’s spine.

He’d never seen Hawks like this.

“I’m afraid we’re beyond helping, Eraserhead.”

“So it is your informant.” The man sighed, suddenly looking exhausted. “I’m sorry, Hawks. I still want to help, though. I won’t turn him in unless he does something right in front of me.”

Hawks stared at Aizawa.

“You teach <em>hero law</em>.”

“So I know how to live in the grey.”

Hawks stared at Aizawa-sensei, still not moving an inch.

Aizawa’s hand purposefully left his scarf. “When I can, I will always be on the side of soulmates. Too many of us have died young.”

“What about Shigaraki?”

“I said when I can, though I’d much rather see him in prison than dead.”

Hawks snorted. “Like there’s a prison that could hold him for too long.” Hawks shook his head, then sighed. “Alright, let’s say I believe that you just want to help out other soulmates. What exactly do you want from me, then?”

“A name would be nice. To talk to him in a neutral setting would be nicer.”

“You want him to come in here? With security footage rolling? With the hatchlings? If you think he’s my informant you have to already have a suspicion about who he is.”

“Bakugou and Midoriya are the only reason you haven’t tried to skewer me already. And there’s no footage in this room at the moment—something which would benefit all of us if we meet in here.”

“He won’t have the same reservations.”

“I’ll trust you to handle that.”

“How do I know you’re not bugged?”

“Most bugs would interfere with hospital equipment. I wouldn’t risk it.”

“We both know the ones that wouldn’t.”

Aizawa-sensei shrugged. “Trust then. I say I’m not. We’re both heroes, so I have no reason to lie to you.”

Hawks sighed, dropping the feather he’d been toying with and letting it fall onto their bed. “Fine, I’ll get him.” The hero went over to the window, opening the latch, but pausing after he swung it open. “He’s on the roof.”  Hawks hopped up onto the ledge, then jumped out, disappearing in a second.

Katsuki’s brain couldn’t process what had just happened. Hawks had a soulmate? But… why wouldn’t he just <em>tell</em> Katsuki that?! They’d been talking as if his soulmate was a villain, but—

“Sensei?” Deku’s voice was quiet, uncertain.

Aizawa-sensei remained silent as he crossed the room toward the sink. “If he comes back, no matter who he brings, don’t make a scene and stay in the bed. Bakugou, if things devolve into a fight, take Midoriya and get out of here.”

“Sensei!” Deku’s voice had a note of panic in it, now, as Aizawa-sensei pushed up his sleeve and drew his knife. He cut a single line on his forearm, then cleaned off the blood in the sink and grabbed some gauze from the cabinet above it. The cut doctored, Aizawa pulled his sleeve back over the wound.

“What did you tell Mic-sensei?”

“That I’ve initiated contact.” So Mic-sensei already knew about Aizawa-sensei’s suspicions?

And then Hawks was jumping back through the window, an annoyed look on his face. “He says he’ll come the normal way.”

The normal way?

“I take it he’s not a fan of flying, then.”

“No matter what I say, he refuses it.” Hawks sighed dramatically, his feathers shutting the window so that he never turned his back on Aizawa-sensei.

Katsuki hated everything about this. Hawks was the number two hero! Why was he acting as if his soulmate was—

And then the door opened.

Katsuki’s heart froze. No. He knew… He knew this person! He’d seen him slouching around in the office sometimes, always wearing a hood, but every time Katsuki had dismissed him, they were in Hawks’ building, after all, but seeing him here, knowing this was probably a villain—

The figure pulled back his hood.

Cold blue eyes surveyed the room, finally coming to rest on Katsuki.

“Hey, explodey. I see you’ve gotten hurt again. Need help eating your food?”

Katsuki snarled.

[pau-neko-chan]

when Koro-sensei gets desperate in matchmaking

Koro-sensei: I’ll let you shoot one tentacle for each couple that gets together by the end of the term nurufufufu

Everyone: * looks at Chiba and Hayami *

Chiba: ...

Hayami: ...

Chiba & Hayami: We respect each other.

Nakamura: Who wants to be Nagisa’s boyfriend?!

Nagisa: H-hey! What if I want to be somebody’s boyfriend?!

Kayano: * blushing * b-become a couple with N-Nagisa...

Sugino: * eyes locked on Kanzaki *

Takebayashi: * proposes to Ritsu *

Kataoka: * looks at Isogai *

Isogai: * notices Kataoka looking at him * What is it, Kataoka-san?

Maehara: Oiii Okano maybe I’ll let you date me! What do you say?

Okano: * kicks him in the crotch *

Yada and Fuwa: * pushing Karasuma and Irina together * DO THESE TWO COUNT

Irina: Karasumaaaaa, the fate of the world depends on your performance ♥♥♥

Okajima: * tears off shirt * THE TIME HAS COME FOR ME TO SACRIFICE MY BODY FOR THIS MISSION

Kurahashi: Senseiiiii, can we date someone who isn’t a classmate?!

Hazama: * getting the voodoo dolls ready * Okuda-san, you handle the love potions!

Okuda: L-love potions?!

Hazama: Just mix some chemicals in some booze and I’ll recite an incantation to turn it into love potions. Then we can test it on Terasaka.

Terasaka: OI WHAT THE HECK

Okuda: Do you want the potion in pill form for easier administration?

Karma: If I marry Okuda-san now, will you let us cut off all your tentacles?

[fumiko-matsubara]

Writing Exercise 2 // AssClass x Tower of God AU - Reunion

Writing Exercise // AC x Tog AU - Catching up

Summary: In their 10 years of climbing the Tower together nonstop, Team END should have known by now that anything could happen so suddenly.

However, a reunion with an old teammate was certainly not what most of them have in mind.

Word count: 2.3k words

• ▪ • ▪ •

Nakamura was exhausted.

Well actually, all of them are. But yeah, she's exhausted.

Team END had recently just cleared the final floor test that allowed them to arrive at the 30th Floor, which was basically a more brutal take of the Capture the Flag game, that lasted them over 8 hours to finish.

Injuries barely treated, bodies aching, sleep lacking, and stomachs starting to rumble, the last thing they'd want to happen was to encounter another trouble the moment they had been transported to the next floor.

"Oi Nakamura, are you sure we should be heading this way..?" Okajima barely squeaked out, frozen at his own spot as he fearfully stared at the sight before them.

"That's what it says on my lighthouse!" She hissed quietly, glaring at the glowing blue cube floating beside her.

Chiba should have been more specific about where his goddamn house is located in this floor.

He had told her before that he has his own residence here at the 30th Floor, somewhere beyond this swamp-like forest thingy, which he had given Team END the permission to reside in for the next 20 Floors until they become C-Rank Regulars.

Yet he never said anything about dealing with dangerous creatures along the way.

Nakamura had discreetly messaged him through her Pocket minutes ago, which he had replied to not long after.

"Wait, I just got off from work. I'll be right there." - Ryuunosuke

It had been 15 minutes since then.

Nakamura is surely going to give him a good slap the moment she sees the Spear Bearer. Well, if she can still recognize him, that is, since the dude had that annoying black cloak nearly hiding his entire body when she first bumped into him at a marketplace at the 21st Floor three years ago.

So here they all are, standing frozen before a sort of gigantic forest creature (who looks hungry, by the way), too exhausted and injured to put up a fight, let alone save themselves.

A Green Mulso, Kurahashi had informed them, is a shinheuh that resembles a gigantic Water Buffalo meant to guard certain areas in a swamp forest from outsiders. There are two types of Mulso, a green one and a brown one. The brown ones are much smaller and friendlier apparently.

Kurahashi then oh-so helpfully told the team that Green Mulsos are wild, incredibly sturdy, and cannot be tamed at all, even by the most talented Anima.

So in short, unless they still got enough stamina to spare, they're doomed.

I swear to god, Ryuunosuke. If I die here right now in the most pathetic way I will fucking haunt you for eternity-

A flash of bright blue from a distance had cut off Nakamura's thoughts, her eyes widening as she watched the water-like shinsu pierce through the wild beast before them at a frightening speed, killing it instantly.

A chorus of surprised yelps were let out at the sight, some where even full-out screams.

Everyone then instinctively moved away when the now dead green mulso had fallen to the ground, it's large size causing it to shake for a moment.

"Oh my god what was that..." Maehara breathed out, his hand clutching over his chest.

Some of them tentatively stared at the dead giant creature before them, some where eve cautiously approaching it to see the wound, while others chose to avoid looking at it.

Nakamura just stayed at her spot, the gears in her brain already working to find answers. A blast of water-like shinsu was what killed the creature, which could have been done by a Wave Controller from just the shinsu's form itself alone. Yet the blast itself looked too thin compared to what Nakamura usually saw what Wave Controllers do.

Not to mention it looked like it had come from a very long distance, which is a range that not even Rankers could reach, as once clarified by Koro-sensei when they were still at the 2nd Floor. A range like that is something only Spear Bearers could do.

Nakamura then frowned at the thought.

But are there even any Spear Bearers who use water-like shinsu to shoot? She knows about Lightning and Ice users who make their own spears, there have been plenty of Regulars and Rankers who were known for that after all, but a Water user Spear Bearer is unheard of.

This would be the first time she sees one if she was correct.

"Woah I got here just in time, thank goodness..." A familiar voice spoke out at a fair distance.

Nakamura's eyes then roamed around the tall trees surrounding them, assuming the guy was somewhere perched up at one of them, based from where she could hear his voice coming from. "Well, you sure took your sweet time to get here," she huffed.

A wave of murmurs and whispers gradually built up and Nakamura could make out some of them wondering how she seemed to know the voice that was talking just now.

"The town was especially busy today and I can't just jump between rooftops, you know that..." He sighed out. "On another note, I didn't think you guys would actually go to this part of the forest. This place is inhabited by Green Mulsos after all, you know how wild those things are."

"And yet it only took you a single shot to kill one," Nakamura raised an eyebrow, her eyes darting everywhere, still trying to look for him.

"I live around here. You just get used to them."

A flash of light and suddenly an overwhelming pair of bright maroon eyes were right in front of her, along with a wide smile gracing the face those eyes belonged to.

Nakamura hesitantly took a step back, giving the tall figure that had appeared before her a once over. Sharp maroon eyes, tall nose, plump lips, strong eyebrows, and long dark hair pulled up in a high ponytail with fringes widely parted at the middle ー a pretty one yet there's a tinge of manliness to it with that long brown coat over a white polo and black pants combo.

How handsome.

Nakamura then narrowed her gaze. Something about this person is ridiculously familiar to her but she couldn't recall anyone with this appearance or at least close to having it.

Hey wait a minute. Nakamura frowned even further. If that was Chiba who I was talking to just now and this person showed up then-

The person's smile dropped then raised an eyebrow at her instead. "What's with that look?"

A scream ripped itself from Nakamura's throat.

• ▪ • ▪ •

"Wow you changed a lot!"

"You think I'd still look the same after 10 years?" Chiba incredulously asked.

30 seconds of dodging mild embarrassment and composure regaining, Nakamura then revealed to the rest of the team that the person who had appeared before them was Chiba, their former teammate who had been seperated from them 22 Floors below.

After that sudden reunion, but not without a strong slap on the shoulder by Nakamura, Chiba soon led the whole team towards the place he is residing in, which was beyond the forest. The route they are currently taking was much farther away from where they were at previously and less closed off.

There were less trees around them and the pathway is much clearer and if they look even further ahead, they can see a wide clearing at a distance.

The walk was fairly quiet, as the whole team was too exhausted from the previous Floor Test to even make enough noise. Some even start to doze off and are just being carried by lighthouses instead of walking, and some of the Light Bearers in the team had just went inside their respective lighthouses.

Kurahashi in particular was fast asleep on Cattus' back, a cat-like cactus creature she had befriended back then, currently in its giant form as it cutely marched beside Chiba and Nakamura, who were walking ahead of everyone.

"Water spears are definitely the last thing I thought you'd use," Nakamura remarked. Unlike the majority of them, she still has enough energy to engage in a conversation. "I was kinda expecting you to wield a sniper rifle or something."

Chiba let out mellowed chuckles. "I actually do own one. But I only use it for specific types of Floor tests," he professed.

"Oh really?" Nakamura blinked at him im wonder. "Where'd you get it?"

"Ah I won it at the Workshop Battle I participated in 4 years ago."

Nakamura nearly faltered at the name almost bitterly but then quickly recovered. "I see," she forced a cheeky grin. "Probably gave them hell, huh?"

"That was Miki," Chiba rolled his eyes though his smile never left his place. "Anyways, water spears. I've always known how to make them but I've only started to utilize them even more around the time I came to the 12th Floor."

Nakamura hummed in response. "So like... 8 or 9 years ago..?"

"Nine years ago," he confirmed. "Enough time for me to solidify its reliability in battle and learn more ways to utilize it."

"I believe this is the first time I've heard of a Spear Bearer who uses Water shinsu to make their own spears," a golden-litted lighthouse suddenly flew in front of the two. "I apologize for abruptly joining in but I am personally intrigued by this discussion, if you don't mind, Chiba-kun."

"Oh Asano-kun," Chiba's smile widened. "You'd be surprised to know that I'm actually not the only one who does this."

"Is that so?"

"But you're still right," Chiba slightly moved away from Nakamura and faced the two of them, bringing his right arm out.

A small bang of water-like shinsu started forming on his palm then suddenly sprouted into a very long shaft that is twice the height of Chiba himself less than a second after. Its blade forming into a drill-shaped head with small flows of water spiralling around the shaft almost prettily.

With a proud smile, Chiba momentarily spun the newly formed spear around. "I'm the only Spear Bearer in the family who had managed to make it sturdy enough to be a main weapon of choice."

He doesn't need to elaborate for both Nakamura and Asano to know what he meant by 'family'.

Ryuunosuke is from the Great Family of Chiba, whose Head was one of the Great Warriors who had first climbed towards the top of the Tower along with the King himself. Anyone tied with the Chiba bloodline is automatically a Water User by default, unless they chose not to use the water-manifested shinsu, as the heritage is that strong.

Chiba himself is not a direct descendant of the Head, making him one of the less important members as the Family Tree is ridiculously huge that a random Regular could actually meet at least 2 Chiba members in each Floor.

But from what he implied just now, his unique standing as a Spear Bearer might just make him stand out in the vast sea mostly full of Wave Controllers.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't intentionally trying to get my name out there in order to be respected in the family as my own person and not be seen as 'just another Chiba'," he admitted with a determined look. "After all, I was born thousands of years after my greatest grandmother had become one of the Great Family Leaders in the Tower."

He then grinned almost challengingly. "But hearing what both of you said just now is just making me want to work even harder."

Nakamura smirked anticipatingly, trying to bury down the nervousness that had shot throughout her body. That frightening display just earlier and yet he's saying such things like this right now... damn he's grown out of our league...

A seemingly amused chuckle had suddenly come out out the golden lighthouse floating beside them. "It's almost admirable to see how very self-assured you are despite the strong clutches of your influencial family name. I can respect that."

Equally amused, Chiba had vanished the water sphere and turned to the giant glowing golden cube. "Well I suppose my conviction is new for someone who is the only descendant of the Great Lord Asano," he remarked.

"But enough about me, I want to hear your story." He gestured a hand towards him (or the cube) and grinned further. "How did the only child of the strongest Light Bearer in the Tower end up travelling with an old team of mine after that initial claim he had of taking no absolute interest in them?"

Nakamura, who had just been attentively listening to them the whole time, suddenly let out an evil cackle. "Oh man do I have the perfect story to share..."

"No! Her so-called 'perfect story' is nothing but exaggerated lies! Do not listen to her!"

"What exaggerated lies?" Nakamura laughed out loud, her grin even wider. "I literally got a lot of proof saved inside my lighthouse!"

She then gasped dramatically. "Maybe I should just send them to him!"

"Don't you dare!" Asano warned.

Chiba just owlishly blinked at the incredulous sight of Nakamura and a floating golden cube bickering. He was sure it wasn't that long ago when Nakamura had told him about Asano and Sakakibara temporarily joining Team END for a while. Yet the display before him made it seem like their newly formed alliance wasn't that recent at all.

Yeah, there's a lot of catching up for me to do alright...

[snakeboistan]

A Wish In A Jar

Pairing: Sugino and Nagisa (gen)

“Sugino,” The captain of Tomohito’s high school baseball team drawled from his perch on a changing room bench, “are you aware that there will be a hole on the floor from your pacing. Like, seriously dude, you’re worrying so loud that I can literally hear thoughts.”

“This is the fall tournament, Takahashi,” Tomohito said, nerves all tangled up into an anxiety-ridden amalgamation and hands wringing frantically, “winning this qualifies us for the Spring Koshien. Losing it w-”

“We’re not going to lose, Sugino,” their vice-captain, Nakajima, clapped him on the shoulder and shot him a friendly smile, “we’ve all been practically eating, sleeping and breathing baseball for the past few weeks so why don’t you sit down and try to calm down alright.”

“Yeah, dude,” another teammate voiced his concern, “you look like you’re about to keel over. I don’t see any reason why you should though - your fastball’s gotten pretty good.”

That didn’t really do much to soothe his apprehension but with a resigning sigh he did drop down onto a free bench. Anyone and everyone that knew Sugino Tomohito, or at least had a five minute conversation with him, knew that baseball was his passion, no competition (like, no joke, he even got sent to E-Class because he was too into it - but then again his year in 3-E was by far the best time he’s ever had so he’s counting that as a win) and that his dream since elementary school was to make it to the Koshien High School Baseball, and then get scouted and meet Arita and make it to the Japanese Professional Baseball League, and then play in the Nippon Series and then play for Major League Baseball in the World Series (hey, he’s got high hopes, sue him). Anyway, the idea is that baseball was his life and this game really means a lot to him so if he messes up even once then he can kiss his hopes and dreams goodbye as he buries himself under his bed covers with a bucket of fried chicken and hibernate there until he dies. Well, maybe he won’t be that dramatic but he really really wants to win and not disappoint his other hardworking teammates when they’ve already come so far. His dream was so close he could almost taste it. Or maybe that was his sense of impending doom. Who knows?

“Hey, Sugino, listen,” his captain said, “at least you’re still a first year. Even if something happens - which won’t by the way - then you’ve got all of the summer and next year to try again, and then the year after that.”

“Yeah, I know, but-”

Then, cutting through his thoughts like a professional pitch through the air, was a voice that Tomohito could recognise with his eyes closed, a voice that he’s known since Junior High would always be able to lift his spirits up.

“Sugino! Sugi-Sugino!” 

And just like he expected, a flash of blue caught his vision before the person he was expecting stood by the door of the changing rooms, a hand gripping onto the door frame. He looked just as he sounded, out of breath and like he had ran a marathon. He was breathing deeply, the apples of his cheeks tinted red and the drawstring shoelaces at the center of his hoodie askew, but the moment he locked eyes with Tomohito, his face had physically brightened.

“Nagisa,” Tomohito said with a disbelieving laugh, “wha-how?”

“Oh, thank god you’re here,” their second baseman placed an arm around the blunette’s shoulder with a dramatic sigh akin to a priest whispering his thanks at the altar. He jerked his head in Sugino’s direction, “that one could use some cheering up. He’s acting like Cap did before he confessed to Naho-chan.”

Nagisa ducked instinctively when he saw an empty plastic bottle soar towards the other boy’s head and hit him square on the temple, the captain glowering at his teammate, “Oi, shut the f*ck up, Hagiwara.”

Tomohito watched with mild interest as his teammates began to undergo their usual routine of pre-game bickering before he felt a presence by his side and looked down to meet Nagisa’s shy gaze, “uh, hey?”

Nagisa giggled slightly at his (sorta lame) greeting, “hey, Sugino. Just came to check up on you, you know. See if you’re okay.”

“Why are you speaking like you didn’t spend an hour last night hyping me up on the phone and then sent me an essay over text about how I’m amazing and how much you believe in me,” Tomohito raised an amused eyebrow, muffling his laughter at Nagisa’s bashful smile. He vaguely registered someone whispering ‘gotta get me a bro like that’.

“I’m-I’m just trying to be a supportive friend,” the shorter boy defended himself, “I know how much this means for you okay, I just want you to know that I’m here for you.”

“Dude, I’ve never once had to question whether or not you’re there for me,” Tomohito punched the other lightly on his shoulder, “I like to think I know you well enough to know that I can always count on you to be by my side.”

“Always,” Nagisa nodded, “and hopefully that means you know me well enough to know that even if you don’t win - which is honestly the least likely outcome - I’ll still be proud of you because I know you well enough to know that you gave it your best.”

Tomohito swallowed, “I just wish that we do win.”

At that Nagisa smiled like he did when he had just won a game or had figured out a particularly difficult question, “Well, I think that I might have something that might help with that.”

At Tomohito’s furrowed brows and confused head tilt, the blunette turned and reached inside his shoulder bag that Tomohito had just realised was dangling near his hips. He placed both of his hands inside and then pushed something cold and solid into his chest. Tomohito glanced down before flicking his vision back at Nagisa’s meek face and then looking back down again. Slowly, he gripped onto the sides of whatever it was Nagisa had thrust towards him. Aware of the hushed whispers and gasps of awe, he held it out in front of him. The object appeared to be a medium sized mason jar which held hundreds upon hundreds of tiny little pieces of multicoloured papers, all folded into really small … paper cranes.

“A thousand paper cranes,” Nagisa said, looking at the floor and playing with the hairbands on his wrist, “Now if my memory serves me correctly, I believe that this should grant you one wish. You-you don’t have to use that now and I’m more than confident in your skills but, you know, if you need some form of divine intervention, which unfortunately I can’t give you, then…”

You’d think that being best friends with Shiota Nagisa since he was fourteen would make him immune to being surprised with just how much of an unbelievable person he was, but time has no impact whatsoever because the short little brunette with stuttering words and cautious hands always somehow seems to do yet another thing that completely throws him off his axis.

“When-when did you even have the time to do this?” he managed to stutter out, 

Nagisa shrugged noncommittally, flashing one his signature shy smiles, “I have my ways. Plus, origami’s been a hobby of mine for years.”

“I-this is,” Tomohito choked, “Nagisa, thank you.”

“No problem,” Nagisa beamed. A few feet away, some of Tomohito’s teammates placed hands on their hearts whilst one pretended to faint. 

“Would Keisetsu Daigaku Fuzoku High really mind if we keep you here?” One of his teammates asked Nagisa, “like seriously, have you ever considered transferring?” 

“You’ve asked me that like twenty times,” Nagisa pointed out. 

“Twenty-one,” Tomohito muttered. To say that Nagisa had some sort of charm would be an understatement. Even though Tomohito and Nagisa no longer went to the same school, they still made a habit to walk home together. Thankfully, their schools were within walking distance from each other and Tomohito’s after-school practices with his team lasted long enough for Nagisa to be able to make it to his school’s playing field at least five minutes before packing up. After two and a half weeks of Nagisa waiting for him by the gates of the field, his teammates demanded to be introduced and one thing led to another and now they all love him. Well, to be honest, how can anyone not? He wasn’t named ‘Class 3-E’s resident cinnamon roll/sunshine boy’ for nothing (Nakamura’s words, not his). Nagisa said that it was because of his unnecessary boasting that another school’s sport’s team would invite him over for baseball club sleepovers but Tomohito just laughed and said that there was a reason Fuwa had once told him that he could take over the world.

“I’d best get going to the stands,” Nagisa turned to his ex-classmate, “You brother’s saved a seat for me next to him and I don’t want to cause any problems. Oh and I’ve got to warn you - some of our old classmates are here and they’ve brought banners.”

Tomohito blushed, face-palming with a groan, “Seriously?”

“I tried,” Nagisa smiled sheepishly, “Fuwa wanted to bring a megaphone but I managed to negotiate her down to a noisemaker.”

“Whyy?” Tomohito despaired into his hand whilst Nagisa’s eyes shone with amusement at his clear suffering. Doesn’t he get enough embarrassment from his family?!

“I’m sure that they just want to show their support just as I do. And don’t worry, Isogai and I are here to keep them in line.”

“Thank the gods.”

The other gave him one last ‘good luck’ shoulder punch before adjusting his bag’s strap.

“Don’t forget what you told our sensei back in Junior High,” Nagisa said as he made his way, “‘I don’t want to just put up a fight. I want to win’.” The shorter boy then turned his head and looked directly into his eyes, a small smile gracing his face, “so go out there and give them hell.”

And with that, he left, leaving the ensemble of sportsmen staring at the door in his wake. 

“That’s a good friend you’ve got there,” Yamato Akane, the team’s short-stop, observed. 

“That was so sweet,” Hagiwara started swooning, stars in his eyes as he draped himself backwards onto a locker, “Oh if only someone would wish me luck like that. Hopefully a cute girl - who would come to me before the game and blush as she hands over a bouquet of flowers-”

“Shut the eff up, dumb*ss, no one wants to hear your stupid fantasies.”

“Ugh, rude.”

Tomohito dodged the stray jersey that was sent flying in the other boy’s direction, clutching onto the jar like it was his first born child. His entire body was on fire.

Let’s show them.

[koreaweeb]

Marionette - Dealer’s Choice (1) *Side story

@i-should-be-writing-my-own-fic @laraplisetski @omegahighendpro

TW: SWEARING, VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, SEXUAL CONTENT

-

-

Her name was Nakamura Aimi.

When she came to this world, she had no idea where she was and how she ended up here. Everywhere she went, it was empty as if Tokyo had been abandoned for a decade. Then she was approached by someone.

She did not understand initially, what being a dealer entailed. 

In order for her to survive in this world, she had to make sure those participating in games died. It sounded cruel at first, but then it made sense. It was either her or them, and she chose them to die. 

It was not long before she adjusted herself in this new world. As crooked as it sounded, she looked forward to every night. Even when she was not setting up a game or participating in one as a fake player, she sat in front of the monitors, laughing whenever a player would fail at their task. 

“Hey, I have a game tonight, Eight of Clubs. It’s going to be escape rooms. We need someone to set up and possibly take part as a fake player. Who’s up for it?”

Aimi’s hand was in the air almost immediately.

Her visa did not expire for another three days, but it did not matter to her. She just wanted to have some fun tonight.

“Alright, here you go,” the man smiled, handing over a folder. “Orders from above, although the rules don’t say how many survivors are allowed, you gotta make sure only one of them survives. You get an extra day visa if all of them die.”

Looking through the folder, Aimi grinned to herself.

This could not have been easier for her. And with nine participants allowed in the game, she could earn ten days on her visa without so much as lifting her finger. 

For the next few hours, Aimi set the game up, humming to herself the entire time.

--

Game time.

Arriving at the arena (an abandoned factory), Aimi was quick to adopt a facade, looking as fragile and scared as possible. There were already two other people waiting, and she walked up to one of them, asking in a croaking voice if they knew what was going on, and why did everyone in Tokyo disappear. 

Her acting was immaculate as they took pity on them, explaining that they too had no idea what happened but they did know that they had to play games to survive. It was hard to try and keep a laugh in, but somehow she managed. Perhaps she would let them live, just for the little kindness they showed her.

Players were arriving one by one, and the last two were a man and a woman. They seemed to be partners. It was always a challenge to separate groups, but Aimi liked a challenge. Friendships meant nothing in Borderland. She had seen even couples fighting to be the one who survived. 

As soon as all players arrived, they entered the arena together and were locked in the first escape room. 

Aimi took her time, wanting to let them relax before she started her plan. Once they started to solve the puzzles and earned a sense of achievement, that would be her turn to shine.

She kept quiet, continuing her act while she observed the group. There were a total of five women and four men. Among them, the only person she was a little worried about would be the big man with the muscles. He had a scary look on his face, and scars all over his body. He was the survivor type. Even if he did not have the intelligence, he would be fighting to get out of here purely physically. 

The other three men were nothing much to look at. There was the kind one who answered her questions. He looked young, and perhaps already participated in a few games before. Then, there was an older man, perhaps in his fifties. He had the word ‘arrogant’ practically written on his forehead. He would be the one causing trouble for the group, she could use him. The last guy was probably the youngest of them, and with his glasses, he looked fresh out of high school. Perhaps a smart guy, a gamer.

Looking over to the women, Aimi could not help the small grin on her face. Three of them had grouped together, and they looked no older than twenty-five. The confused look told Aimi that they were probably first night participants. How unlucky for them. There was an older woman, who seemed calm on the outside but the tapping of her foot was telling another story.

That was when Aimi locked eyes with the last woman.

Wearing denim shorts with a hoodie, she looked as if she had just come back from a vacation. But it was her eyes that bothered Aimi. She had been observing the group too, keeping quiet as everyone began discussing clues and puzzles. And she was looking at Aimi like she knew what she was doing. 

The game masters would not be sending another dealer in here without telling her, would they?

That was when the woman looked away, walking through the arguing group and up to the bookshelf. She picked a book off the shelf, flipping through until she got to a page, pulling out the next clue. Reading the clue, she then moved on to the next. She was solving the puzzles one after another as if the answers were all written down for her. 

“Anyone here know what the Fibonacci sequence is?” the woman asked, walking up to the safe where the key was. 

“Fibo-what?” One of the three women asked.

“The Fibonacci sequence. It’s a string of numbers where each number is the sum of the previous two.”

“Oh, we have a smarty pants in the house,” the woman smiled, turning the knob on the safe. 

With the safe opened and the key obtained, they easily got out of the first room in just ten minutes. All the players were starting to trust that woman, and Aimi was not liking it one bit. As much as she liked a challenge, it would be a lot harder now to get people to believe in her words if she wanted to point them the wrong way. She needed to form a plan, and quickly. Perhaps it was time to use that older man.

Sliding next to the man, Aimi could see the dislike on his face.

“She’s so smart, isn’t she? She even knows what the Fibonacci sequence is. I didn’t know that until today.”

“Smart? You call that smart? The Fibonacci sequence isn’t obscure information, any idiot knows what it is. She just got lucky.”

“But she solved all the puzzles and got us out.”

“Don’t be so naive, kid. In these situations, the first room or puzzle is always the easiest. That’s how they get you to let your guard down. Don’t go worshipping someone just because they showed a little intelligence.”

Oh, but you’re the naive one, Aimi thought.

Having planted the seed of doubt in his mind, Aimi walked away and looked around the room, pretending to be looking for clues. 

Everyone else was doing the same, and anything they thought could point to their escape, they brought straight to the woman. Humans were fascinating in a way, how quickly they always looked to one person to lead was amusing. Why could they not just rely on themselves for their own survival?

“Oi! Why are you all bringing her the puzzles?” the old man asked. “There are nine other people in this room, don’t you think someone else might know the answer? Why are you all relying on one person? You don’t even know who she is. She might just kill you, and you are letting her with a big stupid smile on your faces.”

Here we go.