#please don't use just the Japanese names if you give me a pair name!

[loveroftoomanyfandoms]

Sweet on You, Chapter 4

Pairing: Matt Murdock x F!Reader

Story Summary: HERE

Warnings/Tags: Sugar Daddy!Matt Murdock, Idiots to Lovers, No Age Gap, Alternating PoV, No Use of Y/N, Fake dating (sort of)

Word Count: ~2500

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has liked and reblogged/commented thus far! Enjoy Matt and Reader's first official "not"-date!

As always, if you'd like to be tagged, please let me know!

Tag List (struck-through blogs could not be tagged): @danzer8705 @capylore @shouldbestudying41 @atemydadforbreakfast @peachy-flxwr @sleepysleepymom @fishinsuits @milkbummm @lazyxsquirrel @beezusvreeland @caughtthefever @bohemianrhapsody86 @yarrystyleeza @indestructeible @pepperthebi-spy

Divider by the always amazing @theradioactivespidergwen!

You were quiet as you and Matt headed towards the restaurant he had chosen for dinner, your mind still processing the contract as you walked. 

To be honest, you hadn't expected the terms of the agreement to be quite so fair and even, and you definitely hadn't expected the increase in the amount of money Matt would be giving you per month. 

Just from the little bit of time you had spent with him you could tell that he was honest, fair, and kind, and you couldn't help but wonder if maybe the reason Matt was paying you more was because you had told him about having joined S&S in order to help your mother with her medical bills, rather than his given reason of simply feeling that your time was worth more than the amount you had originally agreed upon due to what was being requested of you. 

You mentally shook your head. No matter the reason, you were touched by Matt's fairness and generosity and were feeling better about having accepted his offer.

Matt slowed as the two of you approached Okinawa, a Japanese steakhouse where you sometimes picked up lunch for the partners. “We're here.”

He held the door open for you. “Ladies first.”

“Thank you.” You stepped inside.

“Good evening,” the seating hostess said. 

“Hi,” Matt replied. “We have a reservation for 6 o’clock under ‘Murdock’.”

The hostess tapped at the tablet in front of her. “Yes, of course. Right this way.”

She led the two of you to a quiet table in the corner. “Here you go. Your server will be right with you.”

You took your coat off and draped it across the back of your chair, pleasantly surprised when Matt pulled your chair out for you. “Thank you.”

Matt took his own coat off and folded his cane, putting it in his jacket pocket before sitting across from you. “You're welcome.”

You cleared your throat. “So, how was your day today? Do any interesting lawyer stuff?"

Matt chuckled. “Depends on what you'd consider ‘interesting’. I mostly did paperwork -- briefings, evidence review, stuff like that, although I did meet with a few clients. What about you? How was your day?”

You shrugged. You weren't going to complain about your job, especially since this was your and Matt's first dinner together. “It was busy, but fine. Made the day go by faster.”

Matt nodded. “That's good at least.”

“Yeah.”

Your conversation paused as your server stepped up to your table. “Good evening, and welcome to Okinawa. My name is Katie and I'll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started with something to drink?”

Matt said your name. “Would you like to go first?”

“Oh.” You quickly glanced at the wine list that was on the table. “Um, yes, I’d like a glass of rosé, if you don't mind.”

Katie nodded. “Of course, ma'am. And for you, sir?”

Matt turned his face towards her. “Can I get a Sapporo, please?”

“Yes, sir. I'll get those drinks for you right away.”

You flipped open your menu as Katie left to go get your and Matt's drinks, inwardly gawking at the prices of the entreés. Maybe I can make do with a side salad for dinner. Or soup. Or a single piece of sashimi.

Matt seemed to be able to sense your panic, because he smiled gently at you. “Order whatever you’d like. It's on me, remember?” 

You took a breath and nodded. “Right, okay.”

Katie returned with your drinks. “Alright, would you like any sushi or appetizers to get started?”

You shook your head. You would've loved to try some sushi and there were a few appetizers on the menu that looked interesting, but even though Matt had said to order whatever you wanted you didn't want to push it. “No thank you.”

Matt tilted his head curiously. “You sure?”

You glanced down at the table. Matt's focus was piercing, as if he could sense that you weren’t being truthful. “I'm sure.”

“Okay then. I'm good as well.”

Katie clicked her pen. “Do you need a few more minutes to look over the menu?”

Matt shook his head. “I'm ready if you are.”

You nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

Katie turned to you. “What can I get for you, ma'am?”

“Can I get…” You quickly scanned the menu and named something that sounded good but didn't cost an arm and a leg.

“Absolutely.” Katie wrote down your order before turning towards Matt. “And for you, sir?”

“I'd like the tuna steak, cooked medium.” Matt picked up his menu and handed it to Katie. “Thank you.”

Katie picked up your menu as well. “I'll get those right out for you.”

“So do you come here often?” you asked as Katie went to put in your orders.

Matt shook his head. “Not very. I mostly do takeout from the more casual places near my apartment, but since this is near the office my partners and I sometimes grab lunch from here, or we'll order in dinner if we're working late. What about you? Have you ever been here?”

You took a sip of your wine before answering. “I've picked up sushi from here for my boss and his colleagues, but I've never actually eaten here myself.”

Matt nodded. “The sushi's actually really good here. Maybe we can come back for lunch one day soon, sit at the sushi bar or a hibachi table.”

You glanced over at the hibachi tables as one of the chefs lit an onion volcano on fire to the delight of the people sitting there. “That would be nice.” If I get a proper lunch break ever again.

“I did think about booking us seats at a hibachi table for tonight, but then figured that something quieter and more intimate would be more appropriate for our first dinner together.” Matt waved a hand around the otherwise-quiet restaurant. “You know, in case we needed to discuss private matters regarding our arrangement.”

You nodded. In all honesty, you were glad Matt hadn't booked a hibachi table -- considering how much he was paying you just for your presence and how expensive the regular menu items were, you couldn't justify making him pay for a full hibachi dinner. “Right, of course.”

Matt took another sip of his beer. “Oh, I meant to ask you, how was lunch with your mom yesterday?”

You smiled. “It was nice. She and I made stir-fried noodles with homemade spring rolls.”

“Oh, that sounds great.”

You nodded. “It was. Mom and I both decided it was a keeper.”

“Do the two of you cook together a lot?”

“We used to before Mom got sick, but since she's been feeling better I think we might start up again.” You took another sip of your wine. “What about you, do you like to cook?”

Matt shook his head. “I don't really have time with my busy schedule. I'm either working or… well, working.”

You huffed out a light laugh. “No wonder you don't have time to date.”

Matt chuckled. “That's why I'm lucky that my best friends are also my business partners. I at least get to spend time with them, even if it's at work.”

Your conversation paused once again as Katie brought your dinners. After she had made sure that the two of you didn't need anything and left once again, you continued. “So how did you and your partners meet?”

Matt nodded. “Foggy and I were paired up as roommates our first year of college and quickly became friends, then once we graduated with our law degrees we decided to open our own firm together. Karen, our other partner, was actually our office assistant when Foggy and I first started the firm but eventually she earned her law degree and joined us as a partner.”

“Oh wow, that's so cool. No wonder the three of you are so close.” 

Matt cut into his fish. “We've gone through a lot of tough times together but we made it out in the end.”

You took a bite of your own dinner. “Mmm. Oh, wow.”

Matt smiled at you. “Good?”

You nodded. “Yeah, it's excellent.”

“Good.”

The two of you ate in comfortable silence, Katie only interrupting once mid-meal in order to check on you.

Once you were both finished, Katie came up once again. “Can I interest you in any dessert tonight?”

You hesitated. You definitely felt like you could go for something sweet but you already felt like dinner was costing Matt enough. “I'm --”

“--Actually, yeah,” Matt said before you could wind up saying ‘I’m good, thanks’ . “Can we see the dessert menu, please?”

“Certainly,” Katie replied. “I'll be right back.”

She quickly went to grab a menu, then handed it to Matt. “Here you go. I'll be back in just a few minutes.”

Matt handed the menu to you as she left once again. “Is there anything that strikes your fancy?”

You glanced over it. “Actually, I think I could go for some ice cream.” Besides the fact that it was the cheapest dessert on the menu, after the day you'd had (with the past couple of hours excluded) you definitely needed ice cream, a hot shower, and some sleep -- in that order.

Matt nodded. “You know, actually, that sounds great. What flavors do they have?”

You looked down at the menu. “Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, green tea, and red bean.”

“Okay.”

Katie came back. “Decided on anything?”

“Actually, yes.” Matt gave her his ice cream order. 

You smiled. That was the flavor you had wanted as well. “Make that two, please.”

Katie picked up the menu. “Okay, I'll be right back with that.”

“By the way,” you said as she left to go put in your dessert order. “I’ve had a really nice time tonight. You’re easy to talk to.”

“Yeah, same,” Matt replied. “On both counts.”

Katie soon returned with your ice cream and so you and Matt lapsed into comfortable silence once again.

After the two of you had finished and Matt had taken care of the bill, you both stood and put your coats back on.

Matt walked around the table, one hand trailing along the top in order to guide him.

He stopped beside you and unfolded his cane. “Ready to head out?”

You nodded. “Mmhmm. I'm ready.”

“Um, I might need you to guide me outside if that's okay.”

“Yeah, of course.”

Matt gently took your elbow and you guided him back towards the front of the restaurant, stopping briefly to thank both Katie and the seating hostess before exiting the building.

Once you were back outside, Matt let go of your elbow. “Thanks. I've got it from here.”

You nodded. “No problem. I'm happy to help guide you whenever you need me to -- consider it part of the service.”

Matt chuckled. “Noted.”

“Are you heading home?”

Matt shook his head and pointed back towards the direction you had come. “I have a few more things I need to wrap up before I call it a night, so I'm heading back to the office.”

“Oh, okay. I'm actually headed in the opposite direction, so yeah, just let me know when you want to get together again and I'll…see you then?”

Matt nodded. “Oh, about that. I was actually thinking Thursday evening, if that works for you.”

You mentally ran through your schedule. You didn't think any of the partners had a late meeting that you'd need to stick around for that day, so… “Yeah, that should work.”

“Great. I'll text you on Wednesday to confirm.” Matt paused. “I’m thinking we could try to keep on a regular dinner schedule of Monday and Thursday just for simplicity’s sake, but I'll let you know as soon as possible if I ever need to reschedule because of work or anything.”

“That sounds good.”

“And I'll give you as much of a notice as possible on any other potential non-work-related outings, which’ll all likely be on the weekends given both of our work schedules.”

You nodded. Besides your weekly visits with your mom your weekends were usually pretty open otherwise. “Okay. So I'll see you on Thursday then?” 

“Yeah. See you Thursday.” 

“Goodnight, Matt.”

“Goodnight.”

You turned and headed towards your apartment. 

You couldn't deny that Matt was attractive, and on top of that he was also sweet and attentive. Hanging out with him definitely isn't going to be a chore.

Matt headed back towards Nelson, Murdock, & Page until you were sufficiently far enough away to where he wouldn't catch up with you, then he doubled back to head home to his apartment. While he had wanted to do the gentlemanly thing and offer to walk you home, he hadn't wanted you to feel pressured to say yes, so instead he told you that he was heading back to the office.

Even though you had said that Matt was easy to talk to, he felt like you had been holding back from him. There had been times during your dinner together when you hadn't been entirely truthful -- the first time being when Matt had asked you how your day had been.

You had said that it had been fine, but the slight tension in your shoulders and the stress in your voice had told Matt otherwise. Either it had been busier than you had let on or something had happened at work to upset you, but either way you clearly hadn't wanted to talk about it.

The second time was when you had been looking at the menu. Matt had purposely chosen Okinawa because not only was it close to the office, but also because the two of you were celebrating the official start of your arrangement.

(And okay, maybe deep down Matt wanted to impress you just a tiny bit.)

He knew the place wasn't cheap -- he, Foggy, and Karen had only started eating there after Nelson, Murdock, and Page had retained enough high-profile clients for them to each earn comfortable livings while still being able to do the pro bono work they were passionate about -- and even then they only ate there on special occasions.

But despite Matt's reassurance that you order whatever you wanted, you had still declined ordering any sushi or appetizers even though you had spent several minutes reading over them, and -- if Matt’s memory served him correctly -- had ordered one of the cheapest entreés on the menu that wasn't a tasting plate.

(Not that there was anything wrong with what you did or didn't order -- Matt just had the feeling that you were uncomfortable with spending more of his money than what you thought you could or should.)

Luckily you had enjoyed your meal and had at least been willing to order the ice cream you had wanted for dessert -- even though it had been at Matt's prompting. I should probably take her somewhere less opulent on Thursday so she feels more comfortable.

He shook his head. He’d worry about that later -- he was going out on patrol once he showered and changed and needed to get into his Daredevil mindset. No distractions. That's the whole point of this arrangement.

[ghostlynachopanda]

The Talk

a/n: I hate school, all my classes have me up a wall. sleep-deprived and overworked. Tengoku is from Japanese folklore btw. I can't name shit to save my life. anyway, here's the next part pals

Pairing: Wednesday Addams x reader

words: 2.6k

~~~

There's still a couple of hours till curfew, making the deafening silence in Ophelia Hall odd. Wednesday's grip on your sleeve turned into a tight grip on your wrist. Her fury was almost palpable, making it impossible to not run away. You don't have a clue what will happen, or how it will end and that makes you anxious. The walk to her dorm feels too short but too long.

When she finally reaches the door she shoves it open, startling Enid and Thing. Neither of them turn around, thinking the conversation didn't end the way she wanted. "Wednesday, you can’t just throw the door open like that. You'll yank it off its hinges one day, really." Enid scolds lightly. Wednesday chose to ignore her, instead focusing back on you. "Sit down."

Enid and Thing turn around then, seeing you cowering behind Wednesday and having your wrist held in a tight grip gave them the impression you were in trouble. Looking much like a mother reprimanding her toddler after they did something bad in the store. It would have been an amusing sight for the two of them if you didn’t look close to tears. Enid springs into action, rushing over to you and pushing Wednesday out of the way, "Are you okay?! What happened? Wednesday what did you do!?"

"This is simply the consequence of her own actions, she's fine. Now, get out and take Thing with you." Wednesday answers for you. Enid looks to you, hoping you will answer for yourself. But you don't say anything, keeping your gaze on the floor. Enid deflates a little, she thought you two have reached the point where you felt you could talk to her. Enid thought of you as a friend, maybe that's where this wave of protectiveness came from. "Don't forget Wednesday, this kitty's got claws and I'm not afraid to use them." Enid looks at you one more time before sighing and going to grab a couple of items and Thing.

You can feel Enid's eyes glance over you occasionally, probably trying to extend time in the room. You can practically hear her thoughts from where you're standing, hear the gears working in her head trying to figure out what is going on. You glance up, catching her eyes. You don’t say anything, not wanting to. Giving her a small smile, hoping it will get the message across. Immediately noticing that it’s not enough, you form a fox with your hands.

"This is Tengoku, please don't freak out. I promise he's not going to hurt you. He'll accompany you wherever you decide to go, and he'll alert you if I get harmed in any way, okay?" with that a fox forms from your shadow. It's completely white with the star of David on its forehead and red lines on its cheeks, and its eyes slightly glow yellow. Tengoku stays standing, attention completely on you. He's a head and a half taller than you, taking up abundant space in the room, intimidating Enid and Thing.

"May I touch him?" Wednesday speaks first, not afraid. Erebus was nice, there's no reason this one would be any different.

"Of course," you respond while examining Enid and Thing's reaction. Watching as Enid slowly backs away and Thing hides under Enid's pile of blankets.

"You said his name was Tengoku, does he have the powers of a Tengoku?" Wednesday asks while inspecting the mark on his forehead. His fur is remarkably soft, not as thick as Erebus' but just as soft.

"Yeah, but there's only one, and uh - it's him," you said, surprising Wednesday. How had you managed to get the Tengoku under your control? Just how powerful are you? Enid pipes up next, "Okay, what the heck is going on right now?!"

Walking over to where Enid is and slowly guiding her to Tengoku and Wednesday. You look at Enid and see her wide fearful eyes and ask, "Enid, do you trust me?"  

She takes a breath, "Yes" it's a whisper. She's probably still scared of the giant fox that seemingly came out of nowhere. Taking her hand and lightly pushed it towards his forehead, feeling it tremble. Seeing Tengoku lower his head to accommodate the height difference, when her hand finally reaches his head you can virtually see a switch flip. Enid is no longer scared, petting his head, scratching behind his ears, and cooing at him.

Out of the corner of your eye you see Wednesday start getting impatient. Her attention is still on Tengoku, but her demeanor is slowly changing. "Enid, why don't you take Tengoku and Thing with you? It's been a while since Tengoku could stretch his legs."

Enid squeals excitedly, rushing to get dressed in warm clothes and grab Thing. She pauses, "How exactly will we get him out of here without being noticed?"

"Oh, don't worry about him. He can shrink so you can carry him out of here," you explained as he shrunk to the size of a normal house cat and jumped into Enid's arms, and snuggled up. Enid squeals some more before grabbing Thing and rushing out the door, saying, "See you guys later!" with the click of the door your alone with Wednesday.

There’s an odd tension that fills the room. The feeling of unease settles on your chest, the air feeling thick but electric. Keeping your eyes on the door silently wishing Enid would come back. You feel Wednesday's eyes on you, scrutinizing you. Again, you don’t know how to approach this. Obviously, you need to start by turning around, but her demeanor is cutthroat right now. It's frightening to have it completely directed at you.

"Sit down. We have a conversation to finish." Wednesday said, breaking the silence.

You didn't look at her, simply taking a seat on the floor a couple feet away from her desk chair. Pulling your knees to your chest and wrapping your arms around them, an act to close yourself off from whatever Wednesday was making you feel. If you really needed to, you could make a run for it. The shadow of her desk was only inches away. You’re not sure if you’re ready to face the consequences of running away and actually getting away from her.

"If you're thinking of trying to run away mid-conversation there will be a lot bigger issues than just this conversation. I'm not above breaking your legs or chaining you down to make sure you don't escape."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," you muttered, looking up at her. Watching her breath hitch makes something settle in your stomach. Whatever Wednesday is making you feel is heavy and foreign. You're not sure how to feel about it. She recovers quicker than you can,

"Why are you acting like this?" that question confuses you. Is this not how everyone else would react in a situation like this? Wednesday can see the confusion on your face, it's quite comical how you're emotions are so obvious. A small smile fighting to break its way onto her face. Walking to the chair and slightly shaking her head to clear her thoughts. You break the silence as she sits down, "Wednesday, what do you want from me?"

She pauses, not having an answer. Truthfully, she doesn't know what she wants. Were you asking for specifics? Are you asking this to find time to figure out your thoughts? Are you genuinely curious as to what she wants from you? Would you be bothered if she told you she has no idea? Would it be weird if she just wants you? If she told you that she wants you, in whatever way you'll give yourself to her, how would you react? She has a feeling you would run away, that's the last thing she wants. 

Wednesday is torn from her thoughts when she hears you stand, quickly focusing back on you. "If you're not going to answer then I'm taking that as 'nothing'. I'll be leaving then." your voice was loud in the silent room. Wednesday started to panic. You can't leave yet. This is not how this is supposed to end, not how she wants it to end. 

By the time Wednesday comes to her senses, you're already halfway to the door. She doesn't register what's happening until she feels your wrist in her hands. Her speed surprised you, you never knew she could move that fast. Wednesday's words get caught in her throat, she knows her face isn't displaying the pure desperation she feels. She hopes her actions are enough to get you to stay. They're not.

"I can't give you what you want if you don't tell me, Wednesday." you’re not looking at her. She wants you to look at her, wants to see your eyes. She can't tell what you're feeling if you don't look at her, especially since your voice was even. She can feel your wrist try to wiggle its way out of her grasp, and she tightens her grip in response. "Wednesday, you need to figure out what you want-"

"Right now I want you to talk to me, I want you to stay here." her voice wavered slightly, making you screw your eyes shut and your breath stagger. "I'll answer that question after we finish this conversation. You'll have to wait till then," she said evenly this time, regaining her composure. Her grip unconsciously tightened when you turned to meet her gaze, she didn't like the look you wore. Your face was neutral but your eyes looked tired. She knew that kind of tired. She's seen it on some of her classmates, it's the kind of tired that sleep can't fix. Is the same thing happening to you?

You nod, tenderly taking your hand away from hers. Waiting for her to tell you what to do, not exactly knowing how she wants to proceed. She takes your hand and guides you to her desk chair. You can see her hesitate to take her hand from yours, afraid you'll run away again. Sitting down and giving both of you a moment to gather your thoughts before moving forward. Wednesday clears her throat before breaking the quiet atmosphere.

"Warmth. Explain it to me." you take a breath to answer, but before you could get a sound out she says, "Not the dictionary definition, your definition."

"People give off warmth, as living things and certain things do. To me, it's dissimilar. Sure, they give off physical warmth but to me, everyone gives off a different kind of warmth or none at all. Some people are cold, some people give off gentle warmth, and very few people give off a warmth that almost hurts to be around." you softly explained, feeling rather exposed. Your eyes are trained on the floor.

"Where do I stand on that scale?" why did she have to ask that question. You could tell the truth, but you don’t know how she would react.

"It hurts to be around you," you whispered, voice slightly breaking. Wednesday was taken aback by how satisfied she was with that answer. You were making her soft, so much so that others were noticing. It was nice to know you were suffering the consequences - but it wasn't just that. That answer makes something crawl in her stomach and something bloom in her chest. It was a strange feeling, one she wasn't familiar with. She decided it was acceptable as long as it was you.

"Where do you stand on the scale?" her voice is demanding, the answer is simple though.

"Cold." that surprises her too. Going by your scale, she would rate you the same you did her. She doesn't understand, but making assumptions isn’t the best idea right now.

"Explain"

"I'm just an empty person. I have no warmth, I have nothing to offer to others." your voice is weak, pitiful. Wednesday finds still finds it beautiful. She is still desperate to change your mind, but you seem so deep into whatever hole this is. She's unsure if she can change your mind with this one conversation, no matter how many times she'll disagree with you. It angers her.

"You must be stupid to think you have no warmth, have nothing to offer. I've never heard something so unintelligent, you must be brainless. Say anything like that again and I'll cut your tongue out and feed it to Erebus." that causes your head to snap up, looking at her surprised. Her eyes show fury, hands clenched into tight fists, body slightly shaking. Was that supposed to be a backhanded compliment, a threat, or degradation?

"uh, Erebus actually doesn’t-" she cuts you off, "I'm unbelievably close to grabbing one of my knives and forcing you to shut up." That makes you snap your mouth shut. Scared Wednesday will follow through with her threat. She asks, "If you're so cold why does it hurt to be around me?"

"Wednesday, can we not-" she cuts you off again.

"Answer." you knew better than to test her.

"I'm worried about how I'll affect you. That’s why it hurts." That made no sense. Why are you so concerned about how you'll affect others? Just how idiotic could you get.

"Why are you concerned about me?" Wednesday isn’t sure what she's expecting. There are lots of possible answers to this question.

"I don’t want my lack of warmth to hurt you. I'm worried I'll take all your warmth and you'll be left with nothing. Hurting others hurts me too." it’s said so softly she almost didn't hear you. The explanation isn't exactly what she wanted, it's close though.

"And this is why you don't speak to anybody?"

"yes, I don’t want to hurt anybody" your voice seems to get weaker. If Wednesday wasn't straining her ears she might not have heard it.

"Use me then, I'll provide you the warmth you want." you stand suddenly, chair scraping against the wood. You look furious. It's the most evident emotion she's seen on you. It excites her to know she elicited such a reaction from you.

"Why would you suggest such a thing?!" you're voice is raised, almost to the point of yelling. "Don't ever say anything like that again, you sound psychotic Wednesday."

"You're right, the idea of anyone using me is out of the question. I do enjoy your presence though, I would also like to meet all of your animals. Stay with me, you'll get the warmth you want and I'll get what I want. There are no downsides." you look vexed. Is this not what you wanted? You want warmth, is this not you asking for permission? She is giving you a solution, a good one at that.

You laugh humorlessly, Wednesday really can't understand emotions. You ask, "And you're sure I won't end up hurting you?"

"I can protect myself. You won't need to worry about that," she said monotonously. Wednesday is content, she feels she got the point across. Silence fills the room. A couple minutes passed before you spoke.

"I don’t believe you," you said, walking over to the door. Wednesday is shocked, frozen in place, this is not how this was supposed to go. It's like a bucket of ice water was dumped on her, reality hitting her hard. You pause when you get to the door, not turning around to look at her. You don’t hear anything besides the beating of your own heart, you've never felt so cold in Wednesday's presence before.

"I'm really sorry, Wednesday."

And you're gone, just like that, leaving her alone in her dorm. This was not how it was supposed to go.

tag: @alexkolax

[2n2n]

ch 107

HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE....! Ah I can't believe it is ALL Tsukasa x Nene ! I always anticipate that we'll spend time elsewhere on the other guys... ahhh so many pages ♥♥♥ wonderful....!!

something so pleasant about the attentive, patient, listening Tsu... how he goes about his business navigating a boundary....

in Japanese, the word Tsukasa uses for Nene-chan here ["fussy"] is the same Amane uses to describe what Tsukasa will be like if he's interrupted at Katanuki.... ♥ Amane seems to feel very differently about 'fits' than Tsukasa does ... wwwwww.... hm, it's actually bad that Amane feels like... ♥ tantrum ... you're the one I worry about

it's too funny Tsukasa just does what Nene-chan says when she no wanna be upside-down....

I'm so sorry about your future boyfriends Nene-chan. Kidnapper and Abusive Boyfriend. they are both stupid and you hate them, I know I know....

but a pause to say, it's so funny how pairings can be as kids, ahahaha... Hakubo was, so annoyed by Sumire, such a brat child she was, so inconvenient.. apparently young Akane could be possessed to yell I HATE YOU! at Aoi....! Amane got so mad and shoved Tsukasa, and he used to call him dummy when he was frustrated too.... even Kou acts childishly and insults Mitsuba when annoyed (and isn't Mitsu such a brat haha ...) even in My Dear Living Dead and Narisokonai Snow White, we really have some "ugh!!!!" between the pairings, ahaha.

ah its funny to see Tsukasa say urusai wwwwww

GET HIM!!!! Nene-chan ♥ so bold so brave haha, Mitsuba wouldn't DREAM of doing this, haahahaha!!! you know the way people imagine Tsukasa VS Nene-chan, they'd imagine he'd rip her face off like a chimpanzee for this, I'm glad for some people to be proven wrong... lol...

meanwhile... wwwwww.... Tsukasa-chan, you complain about all of this fuss and tantrum and violence and such but... wwww.....

the atmosphere is so different wwwww all Yugi are so frustrating and make you cry, huh, Nene-chan? They wanna do things you don't and you're along for the ride, hehehehe....

Fascinated in the small gap in memory... maybe things that aren't so important to you, are easily forgotten in all that time, in a mundane way. What did mom do...? I don't remember... ah. I really like to see Tsukasa talking to his joudai so much; we don't see it as often as we do with Hanako... they seem to be saying something like, "well, children are different..." and "what did your mom do?" ... I like that they seem to not want fickle Tsukasa to lose interest or gumption hehehehaha they wanna solve this!!! nooo we can't just give up, we gotta-- do the things--- ngnngn!!!

such wonderful and magical things Tsukasa can doooo uwwaaahhh! Sometimes I get why Amane's name has the 'normal' kanji... with Amane he'll take you to a beach to do normal summertime things like whacka watermelon, go to festival stalls supernatural and non... I feel like only Tsukasa would wrangle a giant owl and steer you all around to delight you....

so sweet you're just trying to entertain her... make her happy... a natural talent

such a nice face.... ♥♥♥ Tsutsu please you...

it's like I'm having a beautiful dream... their little faces...

MOUUU IKKAI ahahahhaha, you were too good... ♥ you made her manic .. overstimulated... zoomies... soooo cute haha NENE-CHAAAN!! you're overwhelming no matter what hahahaha....

fickle.... ♥.....

the poor joudai really being put to task wwww it makes me feel like Hanako is much kinder to his, he is not this rude to them!! He is apt to pet them and thank them... I can't wait to learn what the hell these orbs are.... they are too personable lol

and then I start dreaming... madness madness... I can't bare it.... it can't be said enough, how long I've wanted this...! How it's felt so "set-up", with Tsukasa and Nene-chan both loving to sing....! I believed in my heart it was inevitable! Of course, it would be beautiful!

I can't believe Tsukasa can play this kind of coy and baiting little game....! whaaaaat? You're suddenly as adept as a children's show host... and it wasn't even your plan to send her to sleep! So what for? Just to invite her to sing? It's too cute....

ahhh.. I hope for a volume promo we get this in color. It's too sublime.... the steam off the hot gears as the boundary's water runs over them... knowing these gears are a golden color... and can you even imagine, in the anime? Both Tsukasa and Nene-chan's VAs can sing!!!! The sound is plausible....;;; it's too lovely... I can't believe such a beautiful scene can happen so 'soon' in their dynamic. I thought I'd wait so long for this, even though in my heart I knew it would happen at some point. It's amazing ... in some way, TsuNene lacks resistance.... it's their open and free natures ... impulses ... it can just 'happen'....

too serene... I wonder what it's like to not understand Tsukasa's hidden grace, the gentility? This scene is so gracious of him.... invite you to sing with me.... there are expressions only Tsukasa makes, and, suddenly the twins feel worlds apart. They feel impossibly different.... poor Amane, he doesn't often reach serenity...

I wonder what you feel, Nene-chan...? Comfort... warmth? Safety, even for a second? A sense of security... enough to fall asleep. So glad she turns to watch him sing...

Looking at it. Why is it like some sort of date ... TsuNene is impressive. You took a girl on an amusement park ride .... you serenaded her ... Amane, look out....

two things... 1. it's crazy you can just catch Mirai like this when Amane could NOT at ALL, even with how desperately he wanted to prevent her from touching Nene-chan in the Clockkeepers arc. and 2. you suddenly have this violent agility to stop this inhuman speeding mouse, but you simply let Nene-chan evade your sleep fingers just earlier? Tsukasa really is avoiding using violence with Nene-chan....

ah, you remind me of someone!

the Yugi can be so different and then so alike. It's a pain, isn't it? tedious things... the mysteries. And here Mirai is, droning on about justice and crime and rules.... all of the things we don't need. If we want to change the future, we'll have to break all of those. The Yugi look at other mysteries as chores in these circumstances. You'd just like to do as you please without annoying interruptions. Of course, it has to happen... sigh.

Interesting to hear Mirai refer to their 'Court of Law'. I suppose that 'space' we see is some sort of body of their boundary, and some aspect of their themeing. These gavels ... how annoying. This truly is a force opposite to the destructive and villainous Yugi who are trying to bend fate to their desires. Strictures... ! Governing ... bleh.

[kafkaoftherubble]

做工前肯定要讲几句有关249的事: 憂太的 领域展开

// I Must Talk About c249 Before I Work: On Yuta's Domain Expansion

This post contains spoilers for Chapter 249 of Jujutsu Kaisen.

If I don't dump it here, these thoughts will distract me later! I'm already very distracted lately! Too distracted for my own good! Ahhhhh!

First off, I was eating so good. Yuta fans, simps, appreciators, and Rika (good taste, y'all)—rejoice, for this chapter is basically 95% Yuta! That's right; the next 5% was Yuta's Eyebags!

Look at this! He's so cute! So handsome!

Oh, I have to learn to exorcise spirits now. Then I can kick that fake Rika away and become his Rika!

Also, some people are somehow even more handsome just by being shown slow breathing. Is it just me who thinks that? Or is this what "rizz" truly means? I mean, look at that slight frown! Look at those eyebags! Look at him breathing!

... I'm sorry. I'm usually not one to write something with such trifling, substanceless content.

It's just... Yuta, man.

Anyway, the main point. Please, look at Yuta's

Domain Expansion

Shit is so magnificent. The many swords are obviously the first thing one would notice (and all that joke about Unlimited Blade Works and that Bleach... thing), but it's the abundance of crosses and the knots behind them that attracted my attention.

I'll get the easy out of the way first.

The Crosses

I would suspect these are meant to be "gravestones." Not too hard to think of "till death do us part," right? Though, to be fair, death didn't do Yuta and Rika part. In fact, it strengthened Yuta's split-moment craving for Rika and cursed her—in true dukkha fashion—into something quite macabre.

If one's Domain is the extension of their mental-scape, then it makes sense that Yuta's would incorporate gravestones, since his genesis as a cursed energy user effectively began on the day Rika died.

----

The Knots

Now this is the part that attracted the most of my attention!

Japanese knot-tying traditions are largely influenced by Chinese knotting (中国结) [1]. The word for knots in Chinese, 结, means "to bind," which then comes to represent all kinds of "union." Marriage, for example, is 结婚 (hanzi) /結婚 (kanji) [2][3]. Given Yuta's "love" motif, you can already see why the knots are part of his Domain.

There are plenty of meanings for the word 结, inter alia, it's a pun on 吉 (blessed) [2][3]. The fact that these knots are intertwined also comes to represent "interdependence," "connection," and "bonds." [2]

It's a bit of a stretch, admittedly, but I suppose one could probably draw this to that time Yuta described himself as "blessed." He is blessed because he was loved—he is enriched by connections and bonds with other people.

-

What is the knot type in Yuta's domain, then?

There are two candidates I could find.

I always rank each possibility from the highest confidence level to the lowest, so here goes. Note that I'm using the Chinese name (I would love it if someone added a more Japanese-focused viewpoint in this post on a reblog. I'm much more familiar with Chinese and cannot read Japanese, so...):

(1) 双钱结, The Double Coin Knot, 淡路結び [1]

It's shaped like two copper coins that are intertwined, hence its blessing is largely related to fortune and money [2][4].

However, the pronunciation of 钱 ("money") is similar to 全, "whole." Meanwhile, there is a pair of coins in this knot. This gives 双钱 an alternative reading—双全, "a pair that makes the whole." It also means 好事成双, "good things come in pairs." [4][5]

Yuta, as a jujutsu sorcerer, is more of a pair than an individual—he fights with Rika and is connected to her. These two together make a whole. A force of good that comes in a pair.

Due to sturdy enough sources corroborating the meaning of this knot, the similarity in appearance to Yuta's Knot, as well as the very fitting "pair + whole" symbolism, I have a higher confidence in this knot being the one in Yuta's Domain.

(2) 八字结, The “Figure 8” Knot

It's a pretty dime-a-dozen knot where the number 8 is formed. It has pragmatic purposes (eg. rock climbing), but here, because these two loops are intertwined, it apparently means "honest love" and "unchanging friendship." [6]

I rank this knot as lower in confidence level. It does at least pertain to the motif of love, according to one source, but it doesn't resemble Yuta's knot quite as well as the Double Coin Knot.

A bit of a caveat, in the spirit of intellectual honesty and rigor: The meaning of this knot has been found in only one source (see Citation #6), and it doesn't actually pass my internal rigor test. I've tried to search for corroboration from Chinese sources, but no dice. The only site in Chinese that corroborates the meaning of "eternal love" has busted web certificates and links.

----

The Name of Yuta's Domain Expansion

The translated name by OP Scan is terrible. It certainly pays homage to Yuta's fame (infamy?) as "The War God of Pure Love," but the actual kanji is 真贋相愛。

真 - Truth or real

贋 - False or fake

相愛 - mutual love, or reciprocal love, or "in love."

真贋 literally means "truth and false. Together it usually means "veracity." Here though? I'd interpret it as "The (Mutual) Love Between The Real and The False."

Isn't this shit metal as fuck? I mean, it's also fucking poetry. Truly the kind of magnificence only one with premium quality eyebags could provide!

It's worth nothing that 真贋 itself makes a contrasting pair, which again, links back to the Double Coin Knot's meaning.

I'm sure yall can make your own interpretation of what 真贋相愛 could symbolize vis-a-vis Yuta and Rika. Let's go, people!

----

Tangents to My Research - Side Dish

Knots have come to be a very important symbol of relationships, especially love, since the Tang and Song Dynasty [1]. To draw to the Japanese side of the practice, Chinese knotting practice reaches Japan during the Tang Dynasty as well [1]. It's not too surprising that this love connotation could also have been passed to Japan.

The entangling property of knots also comes to mind the term "连理（枝）", which means "interlocking (tree branches)." Here are two poems referring to the word:

(1) 同心结缕带，连理织成衣. —By Luo Binwang (骆宾王)

We tie this ribbon into a concentric knot, and we turn our interlocking branches (of love)into our clothes. Translation mine.

(2) 在天愿作比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝 —By Bai Juyi (白居易）

In heaven, I want to become a Biyi Bird (with you). On earth, I want to be (a mesh of) interlocking branches (with you). Translation mine.

The Biyi Bird is a mythological bird recorded in the purely fantastical geographical treatise, The Classics of the Mountain and Seas (《山海经》). The bird is born with only one eye and one wing on one side. To fly, it needs a partner with the other eye and wing of the other side—and the two will fly together as a complement. [7]

It's very lovey-dovey and romantic and shit.

...Damn, Yuta is really all about love and connection, isn't he?

----

Wow, I didn't work on my actual job at all. Because I deadass spend hours just on this. Seriously?

But then again, there has been a precedence to me breaking my lackadaisical attitude toward writing JJK-related things—and that is when it concerns my favorite character. You don't need to click on the link to know who that other one is; it was Gojo Satoru.

Yuta, bless his rizz, deserves all of my time. If he dies (NO FUCKING WAY, GEGE!!!), then at least I have made something of worth about him.

Thank you for reading my ramble!

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

Citations:

"Chinese knotting" from Wikipedia

"中国结的历史来历和寓意" ("The history and meaning of the Chinese knotting") from 妍妍旅行记 on Sohu.com (in Chinese)

"Chinese Knots, Winding the Best Wishes with Cords" by Beijing Tourism

"双钱结寓意和象征，双钱结编法" ("The meaning and symbolism of the Double Coin Knot; How to Make a Double Coin Knot") on 结艺网 www.zhongguojie.org (in Chinese)

双色绳的编法有哪些？("Whast are the ways to make knots using two different colors?") on Zhihu (in Chinese)

"19 Popular Types of Chinese Knots and Their Meanings" on AnyofChina

"比翼鸟" from Wikipedia (in Chinese; English page not created)

There are also other links embedded in the ramble; these are references for that one specific instance and so do not warrant their inclusion under this section.

[kafus]

i know they said bank will remain open after general 3ds wifi services shut down but i don't trust for how long that will be, so i'm making an absolutely massive list of stuff i want to transfer for my collection before the ability to do so gets shut off forever...

i'm putting it below the cut because the list is long but i do want to say here that if anyone else is making a sort of "collectible list" before bank's shutdown one day and you're not a total stranger to me (we don't have to be mutuals, i'm comfortable if i just see you in my notifs sometimes), please feel free to reach out to me about trades for old gen event pokemon, i have a plentiful collection of hardware to be able to distribute events to myself in gens 3 & 4 like as if i were a toys r us employee in real life, and i might be able to trade you something for your collection (the "legitimacy" of these since they weren't distributed at the real life event over a decade ago is up to you! but i think it's a cooler way of getting them than cheat codes or injection through PKHeX at least)

okay here's my current list

Ribbon Masters

Kaf Farigiraf

Porygon-Z KAF/U pair

Something from the GameCube games (Quagsire in honor of Ayano?? Butterfree because I like it??)

Gen 3 shiny Zigzagoon

Childhood PKTOPIA Raichu (+ PKTOPIA Pikachu if I have time)

The gen 3 PCNY Pokemon Venty is giving to me at Regionals next year

Gabby the Garchomp

Gen 3 Latias named Bianca

Sport Ball Shedinja/Ninjask (trade to DPPT for evolution)

LeafGreen Bulbasaur at minimum, maybe some other stuff to honor my childhood cartridge

Something to honor my love for Sinnoh, TBD

Maybe others

Mythicals

RNG Shiny Mew in JPN Emerald (Maybe RM it?)

Get Ayano to shiny hunt Celebi in VC Crystal for me (I could RM this one too), grab a normal one too, maybe from the HGSS event

RNG Shiny Wishmaker Jirachi unless that's too agonizing, in which case get a normal Wishmaker Jirachi and RNG a Channel Jirachi instead

RNG Shiny Deoxys in RSE or FRLG, get a normal one from whichever game I don't do the RNG on

RNG Shiny Manaphy in DPPT or HGSS, get a normal one from there as well (Phione can be bred later or RNG'd in gen 4)

RNG Shiny Darkrai in DPPT, get a normal one too

RNG Shiny Shaymin in DPPT, get a normal one too

Get a normal Arceus from DPPT, shiny hunting it isn't urgent since that's only doable in BDSP

Shiny Victini doesn't exist :(, get a normal one from BW

Shiny Keldeo doesn't exist either, get a normal one from BW

Shiny Meloetta ALSO doesn't exist, get a normal one from BW

Get a shiny Genesect from Japanese Gen 5 (the only place it was released), get a normal one too

3DS Mythicals and their shinies can be injected as needed into 3DS games (Volcanion, Hoopa, Magearna, and Marshadow have unreleased shinies. I have shiny Zeraora from SWSH. Magearna doesn't need to be injected)

Not currently concerned about Meltan/Melmetal/Zarude

Other collectibles

Need to check Apriball legality listings, maybe get a few of my favorite mons in Apriballs from HGSS

Transfer a copy of Mikoto's Safari Ball collection

One of every Legendary with a cool ribbon

Ayano's original Crystal team just in case

VC Origin Legendaries since I'm playing through Crystal anyway

Some other various gen 3 & 4 events I can self distribute

More TBD

[natorika]

GEN.

this blog uses the beta editor.

this is an independent roleplay account for phoenix wright / naruhodo ryuichi of the ace attorney series. presently unaffiliated.

i havent played any of apollo justice or the herlock sholmes games. im making my way through them. i've played all aa games centered around phoenix and have read through the others, however. sorry if i get anything wrong while i'm absorbing the remaining canon material.

i am exclusively games based at the moment. minor project x zone influences, completely unfamiliar with stage play.

dont disrespect me. i will block for a number of reasons. i dont care enough to deliberate the semantics of existing on this website and slash or in the same space. i am a human being, please treat me that way.

i would prefer to be hard blocked if interaction is no longer desired as i may otherwise accidentally refollow you. i'm stupid.

i don't care about tumblr drama. talk to me if theres something you want to sort out, block me if there isn't. i'm autistic and almost 30 and will not "take hints".

ART IN HEADER BY SABERTOOTHWALRUS; REBLOG HERE.

WRITING.

i am extremely slow. i am mentally and physically ill, developmentally disabled with a number of responsibilities to attend, and other blogs.

i'm extremely crossover friendly. given the nature of aa, i can and will pair phoenix with anyone and put him in any situation. please, if i follow you, write with me. unless all attempts at interaction go ignored (not just slow or late, i dont care about time, i mean actively ignoring me), i will always follow you / wait to interact.

follow basic rules. be kind, avoid godmodding. etc. i dont care about minor assumptions to move threads along and all.

i prefer para to multi para threads, but may engage in a few sentence threads from time to time.

as for formatting, please feel free to format to your hearts desires; i will always use small text, and usually an icon, but i don't care what you do or do not use in your own replies. however, if i'm struggling to see your icons or read your text, i may end up dropping a thread for my own comfort.

i portray phoenix as biracial, one parent being ashkenazi white jewish and the other being japanese. to account for the name discrepancy between localization and source content, phoenix's "japanese" name is the name used in his household and growing up, whereas "phoenix wright" is his professional name and the name he generally prefers to go by ("wright" being his father's surname). phoenix was a nickname he was given as a child, which eventually evolved into 'nick'. my faceclaim is ryan potter.

while i will happily do court threads, this will involve extensive plotting and clear communication between myself and the other party. i will require you to give me information such as purported evidence and how you would like the scene to go. please keep in mind phoenix does not defend clients he believes are guilty, so it is preferable to me if your muse is genuinely not guilty of whatever you have in mind for them. otherwise, i am completely happy to do non-court threads..

TRIGGERS.

this blog will handle topics that are typical of the ace attorney series, such as murder, gun violence, etcetera. i don't think i'm going to tag these as AA is far from gory nor does it portray these subject matters in any aggressive or forthcoming manner. however, i will tag most anything if you directly ask.

please tag pet death, pedophilia, and a/b/o or omegaverse content for me. repeated failure to tag will result in an unfollow.

there will be nsfw content here. phoenix is a grown man.

SHIPPING.

i am 100 percent fine with shipping, with both ocs and canons. i have no "preferred" ships, so, am fine with developing any and every. each ship (unless stated to be otherwise), will take place separate of others.

i am not comfortable shipping with very young characters. I DO NOT SHIP PHOENIX WITH MAYA. i will block you for putting this content on my dash untagged ("phoenixmaya" is a good enough tag for me to block, please), or trying to initiate it with me, no warnings, as it tells me you haven't read my rules. my primary canon-adjacent ship is wrightworth, but i'm open to shipping phoenix with anyone as long as they're a consenting adult and over 20 at the start of ace attorney 1. phoenix is bisexual.

i will not assume wrightworth is canon if writing with a miles, but i'll always portray phoenix as having feelings for miles, resolved or otherwise.

INTERACTION.

i will block you for putting certain people on my dash, especially "known" individuals, like miles. i reserve the right to follow and unfollow as i desire.

AS OF AUGUST, 2024, I DO NOT FOLLOW FIRST IF I DON'T ALREADY KNOW YOU. as in we're mutuals on another blog, or friends. you aren't discouraged from following me if you're interested in interacting, i just don't follow first anymore; i'm shy and don't like stepping over peoples boundaries.

i unfollow after like 7-8 months of inactivity. if you come back to your blog, if you quickly unfollow-refollow me, i'll get the picture and refollow you. or you can dm, i don't mind either way.

i am a gay jewish trans man (i identify with the term ay'lonit) and use he/it pronouns.

[evermourning]

𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐰 - lee minho

pairing: lee minho x reader, lovertober entry vi

genre: hurt/comfort, non!idol au, lovers to exes to lovers again??

wc: 5k

warnings: language, minho is kinda obsessive, lowkey stalking, allusions to sex (mdni), mentions of cheating, mentions of alcohol, grief, mentions of death

a/n: sigh. i'm so sorry this took way longer than necessary. enjoy!

the day minho met you was the day the clouds finally parted.

it had been a meeting of chance...was what you believed. you just thought it was some sweet guy who loved to cook as much as you did, complimenting the exquisite flavors of a dish you just happened to share.

it really wasn't, though. minho had an eye on you for months.

it all started when he watched you put your life on the line to help a stray dog and her puppy out of the road before angrily berating the man driving the vehicle that nearly hit them. you'd told him that if you ran into him again and his eyes were on his phone and not the road, you'd break it. you didn't look like you were bluffing, either.

minho was absolutely smitten with you from the moment he saw you. soon after, he experienced the baader-meinhof phenomenon.

after he saw you once, you started showing up everywhere. at the restaurant he frequented, at the pet store, the markets, hell, even the cat cafés. you were there, unaware of his haunting presence.

you didn't know he existed for months.

the first time you met him face-to-face was a cloudy saturday afternoon. the farmers' market was in full swing, and you were perusing the stands, relaxed and content as the sounds and smells entered your system.

you stopped at your favorite booth, selling all kinds of delicacies. but you were only there for one thing.

"hi!" you beamed at the man sitting at the stand. he gave you a small, courteous smile in return. "one pudding, please. any flavor is okay with me."

you then noticed a man standing next to you, giving you a soft, awkward smile.

"um...i was about to buy the pudding too. it's my favorite dessert here. that's so cool." you laughed softly. however, the employee did not have so much of a sweet reaction.

"that may be cool for you...but um, we only have one pudding left. they've been so popular today. i don't know how you all are going to figure this out, but i'll assure you it is thankfully in one of our larger sizes."

you were quick in your response, ready to deny the pudding and walk away dejectedly, but the handsome stranger spoke up.

"since it's the larger size, i can buy it for the both of us. we can separate it and put it in little cups. sounds good?" you couldn't refuse quality pudding. and plus, random acts of kindness weren't an everyday thing, so you'd have to take this in full stride.

"thank you so much. you are so generous." you repeatedly thanked him, and he turned away. however, you could see the tips of his ears were red.

"no problem. i love a good cup of pudding." he grinned, gesturing to an empty table with...just the right amount of chairs. "care to sit with me?"

you didn't have anything better to do...and he was really attractive, so what was the harm in spending some time getting to know him?

you learned his name was lee minho, and he worked not too far away from where you lived. he loved spicy foods and pudding, was fluent in japanese, and had three cats, which he wasted no time showing you pictures of. he was so sweet!

that was not the last time you saw him, either. he showed up again and again until you knew him like the back of your hand. he was so warm and inviting, and god, was he beautiful. you eventually became so close with him you'd spend whole days and nights at each other's houses. it was so nice having him in your life.

minho asked you to be his partner on march 15th at 8:24pm, right after your eighth date. not that he was keeping track or anything. he just had a really good memory. it was vivid in his mind.

you'd been leaving the restaurant when it began to rain.

"shit, i don't have an umbrella." you cursed, reaching your hand out to see how hard it was raining. it was pouring, much to your dismay. you had two choices: to wait it out awkwardly in the restaurant, or make a run for it. you chose the latter, as you just wanted to get home. as you prepared to dash out, a hand grabbed yours, incasing it in an aura of warmth.

minho's concerned face was enough to make your heart feel like it was being squeezed. he pulled you closer, running a hand through your hair to attempt to rid it of its dampness, to no avail.

"you're so funny." he snickers, almost as if he was scolding you. "if you made a run for it in this weather, you'd absolutely slip on those wet bricks and hurt yourself. we can share an umbrella."

he pulled an umbrella, just big enough for two people, out of his bag and reached one loving hand out to you, which you took without hesitation. together, you walked the streets of the city, only a simple ebony umbrella to keep you dry. he walked you home without a second thought, as if your best interests were his deepest desires.

when minho arrived at your apartment, the spring shower had eased. now that the sky was clear, it could truly darken to reveal the ethereal stars splashed across the sky.

"i should get to bed, it's rather late..." you said gloomily, not wanting to leave him. he smiled softly at your words and responded by leaning in to press a soft and lovely kiss to your cheek. his lips felt divine on your skin.

"sleep well, then." he murmured, and you grabbed his hand before he could turn to leave.

"was that all?" you asked frantically. if he wasn't going to stay, he should've at least given you a real kiss. he cocked his head in confusion, but once he saw the glimmer of your eyes and heard the desperation in your voice he knew he was in deep.

"no, it wasn't." he replied just as quickly as you'd whispered the question. strong hands went to your waist as he pulled you in to smash his lips against yours passionately. you responded with just as much enthusiasm, your arms wrapped around his neck. when you separated from minho's plush lips, he almost looked disappointed.

"so...what are we?" you asked, breaking the awkward silence. minho grinned.

"soulmates."

the months you spent with minho were nothing short of beautifully tumultuous. every single day was a new adventure, whether it was traveling, working out, or a simple date at a cat café. you cherished every moment like it was your first outing all over again.

although he boasted a rather rough exterior, your favorite moments with minho were when he showed his true colors. he was really caring and kind, and the gentlest person you'd ever had the honor of knowing. one time, you were walking along the sidewalk, counting the cracks in the sidewalk as minho led you along, fingers tightly grasping yours. you'd found a tiny stray kitten, mewing for its absent mother.

minho had knelt down beside it almost instantaneously, reaching out a steady hand to show the kitten he was a kind soul. on wobbly paws it came over, scared at first, but steadied itself as it rubbed against the palm of his hand. minho cooed as the kitty warmed up to him, stroking its fur carefully.

"let's take this little guy to the shelter, okay?" he led the way, the kitten beginning to purr contentedly as he held it in his arms. you admired the way the corners of his lips curled the slightest bit upwards as he doted on the affectionate stray. "sweet baby...so cold and lonely."

he moped the entire walk home about how he couldn't keep the cat. you comforted him, soft laughter escaping your lips as your footsteps fell into sync with his. it was really nice, having a boyfriend. he was so hilarious and sweet. you didn't feel like you were missing anything anymore. and you hoped you'd feel this way forever.

when the weather turned cold, your boyfriend turned clingy.

the temperature cooling led to cozy cuddle sessions in bed, minho nestled comfortably between your legs with his head on your chest. his cats were sound asleep at the foot of the bed, huddled together to stay toasty warm. minho could hear your steady heartbeat, feel the rise and fall of your chest. he wanted to stay there forever. you were finally in his life, loving him like your life depended on it. it felt so unreal that you were just a silly crush all those months ago.

minho contemplated telling you the truth. he wanted to tell you he'd been watching you for months before you'd really met him, finding out what you liked and disliked to seem like the perfect person. he'd given away pieces of himself and taken in new ones to be your dream boyfriend.

how would you react?

would you blush? would you erupt into laughter, hugging him tightly? or would you hate that he basically stalked you, pushing him away with a look of horror on your face. would he open his eyes one foggy morning to see the other side of the bed empty and drab, all your belongings vanished from his home? he couldn't lose you. you'd been such a bright light in his life.

minho constantly reassured himself he had nothing to worry about. you loved him so much, the scene he was in now was a perfect example of it. moments like these, domestic and relaxing, were exactly what he'd needed all along, he just didn't know until you showed him.

minho wanted this memory engraved into his mind. no, scratch that. the human brain is fickle. even if you aspire to keep a memory safe and loved inside your temporal lobe, memory itself is finite. he wished desperately for some supernatural camera to take a picture of this moment, sealing it permanently in a polaroid where he could fondly gaze upon it until his hands were wrinkled and his knuckles were gnarled.

he could imagine it now, holding the square-shaped artifact in the palm of his hand as his weary eyes looked on. the picture of you, dipped in the fountain of youth. your skin like a canvas, his love seeping into you, painting your skin a blossoming pink.

minho sighed dreamily at the thought. a soft giggle escaped your parted lips as you laid with him, half-asleep.

you, on the other hand, were completely entranced by the serenity upon minho’s godlike features. he was so inexplicably beautiful, sometimes you felt like he wasn't even real. a soft smile on your face, you reached your hand down to cup his cheek lovingly. while looking up at you with those gorgeous brown eyes, he turned his head just slightly to press a soft kiss onto your palm.

you were so gratefully blessed to have minho in your life. he was your first for many, many things. your first committed boyfriend, your first time...and your first ex.

you ended things with lee minho exactly one year, three months, and five days after you began dating him.

it was the twentieth day of june, etched into your brain with some sharp object. minho's paranoia had been scaring you more and more. he jumped to conclusions so quickly, assuming you liked someone else more than him, and this all came to a crazy halt that day.

you'd been invited out to dinner by some old friends of yours, something you were very enthusiastic about. however, when you saw who would be attending, you frowned and showed minho. he grabbed the phone quickly, making a mental note of all the names.

"see that guy? jaehyun? we had math classes together in school. i think he had feelings for me." you laughed. minho's somewhat "selective" hearing focused on the end of the sentence.

"oh, hell no. what if he makes a move on you?" minho grumbled, and you rubbed his arm reassuringly, hiding the fact that your patience was running thinner and thinner each passing second.

"he won't. i'll tell him i have a boyfriend and i'll push him off me." you murmured. minho sighed, leaning over to press soft kisses along your jawline.

"i'm sorry, you're just so precious to me." he whispered in your ear. you smiled gently as he intertwined his fingers with yours. minho really did love you. maybe a tad too much.

as you left the house, you couldn't help but feel this sense of unease traveling through every nerve in your body that something was going to go wrong. you knew it. you knew it would happen and there was nothing you could do.

thankfully, the dinner went off without a hitch. your friends were kind and funny, and it was a lovely meal. however, when they asked you about your relationship problems, jaehyun perked up.

"is everything okay with minho? i saw you texted sieun the other day saying you were going through a rough patch. she asked me if i knew anything. we're worried about you, because we know how much that guy means to you." your best friend said quietly, hugging you. you decided to tell the honest truth. what harm could it do?

"he's really sweet, and he's the best boyfriend ever...and i don't think i could ever settle for less. but he's so in love with me, to the point where he gets scared whenever i go out to anywhere similar to a club. and he's so possessive. sometimes i can't handle it." you leaned back in your chair, massaging your temples. your friends showed their support through murmured words of affirmation.

“don’t worry about it, yn.” your friend said reassuringly, handing you a bottle of liquor. you honestly couldn’t tell what it was. “you can drink yourself silly and get all your emotions out tonight, he can care for your hangover, and then you can have a meaningful heart-to-heart!”

it honestly didn’t sound like a bad idea to you, so you had an extremely fun outing with your friends. by the end, you were a little tipsy, so your best friend called minho from your phone to let him know that you were drunk and needed to be picked up.

one by one, your friends left. some in pairs, some calling a cab, and some driving until it was just you, waiting outside for minho. you shut your eyes, exhaling softly.

“hey.” a voice said from beside you, and you jumped. it was jaehyun. “can we talk?” you grinned at your friend drunkenly.

"sure. what is it?" you asked, slurring your words slightly, but jaehyun didn't seem to notice.

"when you were venting about your boyfriend, the gears in my head were turning. i don't know how you'll feel about this...but you don't seem very compatible with him. i feel like you'd be much happier with me."

you gawked at him. "i have a boyfriend." you repeated, not fully in your element.

"i know you do. and i don't want to disregard that or anything...it's just that he's not right for you, i am. i've known you longer, loved you longer." and then he pulled you in for a kiss filled with need. you flailed your arms trying to push him off you, shutting your eyes tight, praying it was just a bad dream.

and then, he was pushed off of you, a sickening crack coming from his lips. jaehyun let out a grunt of pain, and you opened your eyes to see him lying on the ground, clutching his left arm to his chest. he wasn't looking at you.

"what the fuck did you do to my arm, you freak?" jaehyun yelled angrily, his voice hoarse. "this is why yn doesn't want you."

the whole scene felt like some cheesy movie's plot twist as you turned your head, almost comically, to lock eyes with minho. your boyfriend, minho. minho who stood there panting, fury upon his facial features.

"i'll snap your neck next, you dickhead." he hissed, lunging at jaehyun. you snapped out of your trance to grab minho's wrist, restraining him from causing any more harm.

"let's go." you snapped, already beginning to feel overwhelmed. much to your dismay, minho was just as angry as you were.

"what the hell did he do to you? did you want him to fucking eat your face like that? is that why he said that to me? i can't believe you." minho's voice faltered. "i've given you my everything. i thought what we had was special, but i guess not."

you snapped.

"you can't believe me? for fuck's sake, listen to yourself! you're so paranoid, 24/7, that something is going to end things between us and i didn't think anything is, except the very root of the problem. you're so overprotective it's terrifying. you're jumping to conclusions without hearing me out at all! we've been in a committed relationship for almost a year and a half and you're positive i'd throw it away for some dick from my childhood? no! i can't deal with this anymore. i'm done. you've blown this shit way out of proportion."

minho's blood ran cold.

"done?"

"done. as in, this," you gestured rapidly between yourself and him, "is done. i don't want anything to do with you."

and you stormed off, leaving minho's heart shattered upon the sidewalk.

those next few weeks were singlehandedly one of the hardest times in his life.

every single day he sent you texts, begging for you to talk to him, apologizing for every single thing. vowing he'd never do it again. not once did he get even a single word in return. sometimes you read the texts, and sometimes you didn't even look at them.

one cloudy morning, his texts came up green. you'd blocked him.

minho stared at his phone in disbelief. how did you have the audacity to not even respond to his texts, and then block him? a part of him hoped he'd be kept unblocked, so his wildest dreams could become true. what if one day you realized that breaking up with him had been much too rash of a decision, and that he was always going to be the one made for you?

he could vividly picture it. his apology would be loving and poetic, and you'd be even more head over heels for him than you'd been when you'd dated him. it was a perfect plan.

he checked every single social he'd once been mutuals with you on every single day. just for this stupid, blind hope that you still cared even an ounce. as the weeks went on, he started checking it less frequently, but those prayers he uttered before drifting off into sleep for you never lessened.

time passed without lee minho in your life. days start out slow but begin to pick up months later. however, it is not the same. you felt so sad, so empty. was it really the best decision to make to just kick him out of your life like that?

four months passed, and minho had someone new in his bed.

he hated every second of it. he hated how unaroused he is. he just wanted to get drunk at a club his friend ran, but of course some charming person who looked uncomfortably similar to you had to start trailing fingers across his skin seductively. as the stranger beneath him succumbed to a wave of pleasure, bare skin sweaty, minho yawned. maybe if he just let his brilliant mind do all the work, he could imagine the yelps and moans to be yours, not some hideous doppelgänger.

the minute it was done and he'd given the stranger proper aftercare, he opened his door and motioned for them to leave.

"the exit's that way. have a nice night." he deadpanned. a pout formed on the stranger's lips.

"are you sure? it's so cold and scary out there...are you sure i can't stay the night? who knows, maybe you'll be up for a round 2..." they winked. minho shook his head.

"get out. you make sick." he slammed the door after them and slumped against it, sliding down until he touched the floor. he was sick and tired of pretending like you were still there. he was tired of having to remove reluctant guests from his bedroom. he swore to himself he'd never allow some street pervert to defile your divine place of rest.

he thought he'd never see you again. until he did. and not in the way he was expecting at all.

march 22nd. again. you sighed as you stared at your calendar. around the fifteenth, scribbling joyously in pink pen with an overabundance of heart's were the words, "minho and i's 2nd anniversary!" you felt a pang in your chest. it would've been exactly one week ago.

somewhere along the line, you unblocked him, and he stopped texting. maybe he'd moved on? a part of you wanted him to be hung up on you.

the waiting game, wishing and wondering he still even remotely cared about you. it would be so much easier if he just said to your face he hated you, hated how you'd been so impulsive drunk that you'd broken up with him. that way you wouldn't lie awake at night wondering if he still had feelings for you.

it was a friday night like any other, oddly clear. you were walking home, the only light to guide you were dimmed, flickering streetlights lining the road. you shivered slightly, wrapping your arms around yourself to stay warm. your phone began vibrating in your pocket, and you didn't know exactly who was calling, so you'd look later and call them back.

but every time you let it go to voicemail, the person kept calling. again and again. once you got home and slipped through the front door, you pulled out your phone. it was your best friend. eighteen missed calls. something was up.

when you called her, she picked up on the first ring. it sounded like she'd been sobbing. you were multitasking, making yourself dinner while ready to comfort her. that no-good douchebag she was dating probably broke her heart or something.

"hi, chae." you said calmly. when she heard your voice, she uttered a cry of grief. "is everything okay? was it your boyfriend?"

you hummed as she tried to form coherent words, the vowels and consonants smashing together to turn into some jumbled mess. you put a pan on the stove, turning it on. it was going to get hot fast.

"do you not know?" chae wept. she was losing it. you were starting to worry. why would you already know about her boyfriend if that's what it was? "i'd think sieun's mom would've called you immediately, 'cause she called me..."

there it was. your heart dropped. something was wrong with sieun, one of your closest friends. your breathing sped up as you started freaking out.

"what did she tell you?" you whispered. the cast-iron got hotter and hotter. chae inhaled shakily.

"sieun was...she was driving home from work and she got into a really bad car accident. yn, she's dead. sieun's fucking dead. our sieun."

the ringing in your ears drowned her out, and you hung up. your hand was wrapped tightly around the sizzling handle of the pan. you were sure you had an awful burn, but you didn't even care. you felt numb. tears pricked your eyes.

and then, just like that, the realization hit like a truck. you felt a guttural scream come from your diaphragm and you sank to the floor, letting go of the pan with a hiss. your palm was an ugly red. all these emotions were mixing together into the ugliest combination and you wanted to punch the wall until the skin on your knuckles was as red and raw as your burnt palm.

you opened your phone again, wincing with every movement of your hand, desperate for solace. so you dialed the one number you knew better than yours, a number you hadn't called in so long. you had it memorized like it was some password you used every day.

minho picked up as soon as you called. he was overjoyed to hear you, but the minute he heard your quiet, hoarse voice he was concerned.

"is everything okay?" he asked softly, gently. you practically wailed at the sound of his voice.

"no, it's not. why am i even calling you? sieun's dead and i called you, out of every contact on my phone. now i'm sitting on the floor and my hand feels like shit and calling my fucking ex..." and then out of nowhere, he hung up. you sobbed at the realization. he didn't want anything to do with you. maybe he was hoping you'd give him an apology, or say you wanted to meet up, but no. you brought all your problems onto him after ghosting him for nine months.

you sat there, void of emotions except for the hot tears streaming down your cheeks. and then, a knock sounded at your door. and another one, and another one. three knocks in quick succession. your secret knock with lee minho.

you scrambled as quick as possible over so you could fling the door open and see him there in all his glory. he'd obviously thrown on whatever he could to come see you, wearing grey sweatpants, a large t-shirt, and fucking slippers. you wanted to laugh out loud.

he was silent, taking you in just as much as you were staring at him. you wanted to reach for him, to envelop yourself in his warmth...but at the same time, you were scared that if you reached out a shaky hand to rest against his chest he'd disappear, like a ghost.

"you came." you whispered hoarsely. he smiled, and your heart ached.

"of course i did. you needed me. how could i ever refuse that?"

and then he noticed the hand you were cradling to your chest, and rushed inside to inspect it. the feeling of his hand against yours made you cry even harder. he hugged you.

"shhh, it's okay. don't cry. i'm here now." he mumbled, carefully leading you back to the kitchen, as if you were so fragile you could shatter at the slightest motion. under the light, he took a look at your hand with worry. "oh, my. how did you get this?" when he looked over at the stove (which was still very much on) and the pan sitting upon it, he looked back at you for confirmation. at your hesitant nod, he took a deep breath.

"yn, you're hurt. your hand is horridly burnt and i'm gonna treat it for you to the best of my abilities. if you feel uncomfortable at all, kick me out, and i'll leave." you didn't want him to leave. ever. now that you'd reunited with him, why did you ever want to leave him?

carefully, he ran your hand under cool water, murmuring sweet words of praise every time you felt like it was hurting you.

"you're doing so good. you're so brave." he said faintly, his other hand rubbing your back soothingly. "where do you keep gauze?" once you showed him, he carefully wrapped your shaky hand in the bandage until it'd been properly taken care of. then, he took to your bathroom and helped you get ready for bed. sleep was what you really needed, after all. once you'd gotten into bed and were dozing off, minho smiled and went to leave. "it was good seeing you again."

you grabbed him, your eyes wide and pleading.

"stay, please. who is gonna take care of me now that sieun's dead? not my family, they live so far away. not chae, not anyone. i can't do this without you." you bawled, not in a right state of mind, but everything you said was 100% genuine. and minho knew that. "you being here tonight made me think. it make me think about how i was drunk and jumped to conclusions. min, we should've talked it out...i shouldn't have dumped you. i haven't been able to find anyone better."

minho's eyes widened.

"i'm sorry, too. i was so scared i'd lose you that i acted so violently and rashly...it was so terrible of me. if you want me to stay, i will. if you want me to part the seas so you don't have to swim, i'll find a way to. if you want me to love you like i've never loved anybody else, i will. i'll love you until my heart stops beating and all is barren and desolate." he sat down next to where you laid, his breaths soft and soothing. "i can't sit here and lie to you, either. i know everything is not going to be okay, but that in itself is okay. it will take a long time to heal, especially since you've known her since you were little and now she's gone. but day by day it'll get easier. some days will be harder than others, you'll see a sight or smell a scent and all the memories come pouring in, but one day you'll focus less on her loss and more on the lovely times you spent with her."

as he leaned down to press a soft kiss to your forehead, for the sake of old times, you decided that perhaps it wasn't the end of the world. there was a light at the end of the tunnel for you, and minho was going to guide you to it, step-by-step.

taglist: @darkypooo , @hyunbae-35 , @kpopmenace143 , @stateofdelicategrace , @elizaschuyler18 , @lillithathecat , @imastraykidsfan , @nightimescapes , @mal-lunar-28

@evermourning, ©2023. all rights reserved.

[sucroseverse]

thinking abt tottori again. them meeting for the first time

[LIGHT] - Few sexual references, nothing explicit.

-

kiba 🦷: ...so, you guys are getting this whole group together out of tradition?

kashi 🦅: Hell yeah! 'N also, I think it'd be good to get to know each other! Our dads were pretty tight, you know?

uso 🔫: Yeah, ain't it so. I think we'd better go 'round the group 'n introduce ourselves. I'd better go first-- Liars be liars, and liars be damned, "Uso"'s the name~ ♪

🦅: I'm Bryce! Nice t-- ...I was supposed to make up a name, wasn't I?

(everyone staring at him)

🦅: ... (turns to Uso, in English) What's the Japanese word for 'eagle' again?

🔫: Kashi.

🦅: Kashi! That's my name.

🦷: ... you've gotta be fucking kidding me.

🔫: Yeesh. Put them fangs away, white-hair. The original tottori had an American, and so do we.

🦷: the "original" tottori also had five members, asshole.

🔫: And we have four. Your point?

🦷: it'd be better with three, honestly.

🦅: I can fucking hear you, ya know!

suna 🏜: Sand.

...

🦅: What?

🏜: Sand.

🦷: is that... gonna be your name?

🏜: Yeah.

🦷: tch. so we've got a liar, a sand guy, and a stupid american eagle. fun.

🔫: Woof, monster boy. With a snarl like that, ye could break my skin from here.

🦅: Yeah, didja sharpen them teeth of yours?

🦷: you wouldn't get it, birdbrain.

🏜: ... Fangs.

🦷: huh?

🏜: Those fangs you've got, pretty hot, not gonna lie.

🦷: ...what?

🏜: Yeah. I'd let you bite me.

🦷: excuse me?!

🔫: No, no. He's got a point. Ye look like a wild animal over there, "Fang". ...I kinda like that for ya.

🦷: wh--?!

🦅: Sooo, Kiba?

🦷: (audible groan) fine. kiba. are you guys happy?

🔫: Very, now that we've got everyone's names down. And don't y'all go sayin' Kashi's name. He fucked up once, leave him be. The rest of you, we've got a pact to speak no names and share no details. Capisce?

🦅: I like you, man!

🦷: of course the stupid american would fuck up that easy, though. it's gonna be hard not to make fun of him.

🔫: ...A'ight, Kiba. Since yer gettin' so confident, how's about we go around picking a leader? If we wanna become an idol unit, to do our job better 'n all, I'd say it's pretty necessary.

🏜: Who's the most legal?

🔫: ...The word yer lookin' for is 'oldest', Suna. And that'd probably be me, by a longshot. But I think we need fresh blood to give a fresh pair of eyes, hey? I elect Kashi.

🦷: WHAT?

🔫: (smirking at Kiba) Yeah, Kashi. I'd say you give a good perspective, hm? And if we're gonna roll with the cowboy theme, I'd say it's good to have someone from the West lead the charge.

🦅: I'm from New York. But I'd be more than happy to vote for myself!

🏜: I can fuck with that.

🦷: ...

🔫: Democracy's a beautiful thing, ain't it, Kiba? Looks like it's settled then. (getting in close to Kiba) And it looks like you'll be answering to the "stupid American".

🦷: if you're trying to piss me off, it's working.

🔫: No, no. I broke you outta the iron bars, didn't I? I wanna get to know ya. And I think it'd do ya some good to learn to treat our Sheriff with respect.

🦅: Yeah! Suck it, Kiba! I'm your leader now! Beg like a dog if ya hate it!

🔫: Kashi, you too. Be nice to each other.

🏜: I'll gladly suck it then.

🦅: --?????

🦷: is he just gonna always talk like that?

🔫: Seems like it. It's somethin' we'll all have to get used to.

🦅: Ooookay. A little weird, but I can roll with it. Do you guys speak English?

🦷: (in English) no, never have in my life.

🦅: (also in English) Alright, prick. Didn't you hear Uso when he told us to play nice?

🦷: (continuing in English) i would prefer if you speak english, to be honest. your accent when speaking japanese hurts to listen to.

🏜: (to Uso) What are they saying?

🔫: (in English) Boys, a language we can all understand, please. I don't wanna have to keep babysitting you two. (back to Suna, in japanese) They're arguing. Best just to leave 'em be.

🏜: Ooohhh. Hot, I gotcha.

🦷: tell him, not me. he's the one who asked.

🦅: Don't start it up again! Just say you're sorry and move on!

🦷: say that i'm sorry? how about you just shut--

🔫: Well, while those two argue over the marital assets in their divorce, how's about we exchange numbers? If anyone needs private phones, I've got some back at my place that I can bring next meeting.

🦅: Cool, I'll jot down my number real quick.

🦷: we are not married.

[kakushigo]

Does anyone have a list of pairs for Prince of Tennis 2019?

I know (? means unsure of):

Imperial Pair- Mu Siyang/Ji Jingwu

Perfect Pair- Mu Siyang/Zhuo Zhi 

Pillar Pair- Mu Siyang/Lu Xia

Kindness Pair- Zhuo Zhi/He Xinglong

Dream Pair: Zhuo Zhi/Tang Jiale

Rival Pair- Qiao Chen/Zhang Baiyang

Golden Pair- Chi Dayong/Tang Jiale

Emerald Pair- Yan Zhiming/Zhang Baiyang

Ponta Pair- Lu Xia/Qi Ying

Thrill pair- Lu Xia/Zhuo Zhi

Silver Pair-  Feng Zhiyuan/Hu Liangliang

Alpha Pair- Bai Shiting/Tian Zilong

Sensual Pair - Lu Xia/Bai Shiting

Sadist Pair - Zhuo Zhi/Bai Shiting 

Sadist Trio Pair - Lu Xia/Zhuo Zhi/Bai Shiting 

Cap Pair - Lu Xia/Tian Zilong

Mood Pair- Qiao Chen/Tang Jiale

Haiguang Troika - Tian Zilong/Liu Lian/Bai Shiting

Royal Pair - Lu Xia/Ji Jingwu

Data Pair - Yan Zhiming/Liu Lian

Childhood Friends Pair- He Xinglong/Ya Jiuxin

The Power Triangle: Mu Siyang/Lu Xia/Zhuo Zhi

New to Chinapuri

Gremlin Pair- Ji Jingwu/Zhuo Zhi

Perfectly Imperial- Ji Jingwu/Mu Siyang/Zhuo Zhi

Passion Pair - Lu Xia/He Xinglong

Height Difference Pair/Delta H Pair- Mu Siyang/Qing Yi

[kohakun]

title » songs that remind them of you

pairing » alkaloid x gn!reader || crazy:b x gn!reader

requested? » no, but units suggested by march (@rinnelovebot) and chy (@/cxffeelings)

genre » fluff

a/n » like my other post, none of these songs are in english (except for darl+ing), but i decided to write the lyrics in english rather than japanese/korean so that you don't have to search them up. but if you do want to listen to the parts i quoted, the time stamps are next to the artist name !! (the time stamps are from the spotify versions, so i don't know if it'll be the same on some of the youtube mvs)

➳ rinne amagi

✧ darl+ing by seventeen || 0:45 — "dialing you.. sorry, darling you. you know without you, i'm so lonely, when you're not here, 911 calling. into your heat again i'm diving, darling you, darling you, baby"

➳ niki shiina

✧ sora to utsuro by sasanomaly || 0:41 — "i have a feeling that we can understand each other, and that's fine for now. i love this world, and the light only you give me. makes the world i see through this fractured eyes, look gleaming and bright. there is no such thing as a sure thing, but you can see me, can't you?"

➳ himeru

✧ to you by seventeen || 0:46 — "within the whirlwind of a day, for giving me trivial happiness, for handing me all the smiles in this world into my two empty hands. even when i'm out of breath on a steep path, even when i get lost on a cold day, you who holds out your hands with warmth. to you, to you."

➳ kohaku oukawa

✧ polaroid love by enhypen || 0:42 — "it's like a polaroid love that's an old fashioned feeling, but my heart is beating fast, what's wrong with me? it's like a polaroid love, nothing is going my way. there's not even a filter, but i love that vibe."

➳ hiiro amagi

✧ love countdown by nayeon || 0:59 — "tell me, do you wanna be my lover? are you ready to be mine? you can hurry up, my eyes, your eyes, and tell it to me quick, don't lie. and baby, i just wanna be your lover, one, two, it's the sound that calls for you in my heart. right now, look at me, 10 to 1, it's love countdown of your life"

➳ aira shiratori

✧ after like by ive || 1:20 — "twice, thrice, don't ask me again. you know what my strength is? it's that i'm honest. don't try to doubt what i just said, it's beyond 'like', what's 'after like'? you and i, it's more than like."

➳ mayoi ayase

✧ tracing that dream by yoasobi || 3:02 — "i'll cast off the present, i'll head towards, the you i can meet again tomorrow. for just a little longer, please don't end. in just a little while — look, the last of the fireworks are enveloping us both. in this soundless world, the words reverberated 'i like you'"

➳ tatsumi kazehaya

✧ blue hour by txt || 0:47 — "cause of imagination, before the orange glowing magic in that sky comes to an end. cause of imagination, in that instant, can you feel the rush? can you feel the rush? freeze this moment, i wanna stay (please), on the boundary between the two worlds. i want to leave a trace of you and me."

[wonderingwhyiam]

So ever since I started watching I've been curious about the end titles because they're obviously jokes (based on 'no photos' and 'nutcracker') but since I am clearly not Japanese, what do the rest of them mean?

So I googled em and here's what I found

Chakuseki = floor mat. Well, Miya does kinda get flattened in that blooper.

Matasaki = leg split. Also pretty self explanatory. Lovin' Shadow's tights though, I want a pair meself.

No Photos: clearly Ad*m is trying to save face after his ridiculous moment but I'm sure that Tadashi will betray him and give us the pics eventually. Hopefully.

Pochan = 'drip' / 'plunk' / 'kerplunk'. This is apparently one of the sound effects used in manga. We're sorry Cherry, but in our defense don't make the love of your life so expensive and fragile maybe?

Nutcracker: Joe cracked his nuts man how else do I explain this one

Hitori Piledriver: according to Wikipedia, "A Piledriver is a professional wrestling driver move in which the wrestler grabs their opponent, turns them upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the opponent head-first into the mat."

There's a gif for y'all. Anyway, 'Hitori' means 'alone', so there you have it: one-person-piledriver... aka flippin yourself into the ground headfirst. Maybe Reki saw Langa and decided he gotta show off his pro wrestling moves on a skateboard, hah.

Reito Maguro: this one's difficult. 'Maguro' refers to a type of tuna eaten raw as sushi, while 'Reito' is apparently a male name meaning 'multiple'. When you look up the whole thing you just get some kind of expensive tuna brand? Hmmm. Well, a deeper search reveals that Reito is also a type of knife with a serrated edge made for cutting frozen foods, so maybe the expression translates to 'cut tuna'? Still unsure how that would apply to Langa though, are they comparing him to frozen tuna and then saying he keeps getting injured? I feel like I'm still missing the joke here, since all the others were referring to the image specifically and not just the character in it.

Well, that's that for a search. If anyone has the meaning of the last one or needs to correct me on the ones before that, please do tell me!

[lightningliyue]

Definition:

Otome is a term in Japanese for games where girls can play as a Y/N (your name) character who's anonymous most of the time and date any other characters in the game.

Disclaimer// I just wanted to note that just in case anyone didn't know what an Otome was, you never know who might be interested 💫

_______________________________________________

You were so bored after your classes, studying for medical school was tiring. You decided to take a break and open in your laptop after you put away your school binder. You went on Netflix and started watching your favorite series. A few hours later a weird ad popped up, 'Liyue Dating Simulator'. You disregarded it at first but noticed a character that caught your eye. He looked so handsome and well put together, you couldn't help but click on the link despite the fact that it could have a virus. You couldn't resist the pull. After clicking the link, the apartment you were in turned black. You waited a moment then all of a sudden the lights came back on.

"Um, where am I?", All around you were beautifully crafted buildings. You could tell someone put a lot of time into making them, there were gardens scattered around as well.

"You're in Liyue.", said a husky voice from behind you. You turned around and say a man in a suit. To your surprise he looked just like the man in the ad you clicked on. "Now what are you doing outside of our palace looking so lost, have you forgotten the many years we have ruled together?." That was it this man, no matter how dreamy he looked, was delusional. I've never been here, you thought. Not knowing what to do you decided to try and slowly walk away. "Trying to sneak away, are we?." You felt a pair a soft but firm hands touch yours and start guiding you to a jewelry shop nearby.

"Huh? What are you doing, please let go of me.", You remarked feeling unsure of yourself but you couldn't let go of his hands for some reason. You felt at home in them. However, he let go of them just like you asked and you felt more lost then you did when you arrived to the town you learned was Liyue. He started talking to the shop keeper going on about looking for jade and cor lapis. While they were talking, you were trying to process everything that was going on. You were a medical student who wanted a break and decided to make a risky decision to click on an unknown link which brought you here somehow. Were you sucked into your computer, were you kidnapped by someone? You didn't know. Why did this man seem so familiar to you? While you were lost in your thoughts you heard him speak to you again suddenly. You turned your head.

"Which do you want, my silk flower?", He held up gorgeous necklaces made of expensive looking material. I was astonished and speechless. "This one?" He held up one that seemed to be giving off a slight gold glow and placed it around my neck before fixing it to make sure it was on right. I nodded giving into the treatment I wasn't used to receiving. I was a nurse but no one took the time to check on me, or to see how I was doing. I lived alone, all I knew were my classes and profession. This was a breath of fresh air. I couldn't help but give into his kind and secure atmosphere.

"Yes, this is perfect.", I smiled. I don't remember how long it's been since I smiled so earnestly. He told the shop keeper he'd take that one. A few minutes passed and we had the necklace, but I didn't see him give the store owner any money. Strange, I thought. I looked at him.

"I'm happy to see you look so pleased. I know things have been stressful for you.", He stopped walking and turned around to face me. "Who would have thought a human like you would stir up these feelings within me."

[kiribaku-queen]

The Blood King and his Queen [7]

Pairing: Bakugou x reader

Romance, Angst, Drama

Word count: 2.4K

Summary:  From being a mere servant girl to marrying the scariest prince in existence, your world changed right before your eyes. Exchanging places with the princess, you knew, wasn’t going to be easy. But could you have found love on the way? Or was it never meant to be?

A/N: I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter because I think its my favorite chapter so far! FYI, if I don't update this series in a while, it'll be because I am working on an 18+ oneshot for a collab for Bakugou's birthday. So if that does happen, the regular uploads will happen after Bakugou's birthday. And let me tell you, its going to be S P I C Y~

But I can't express how surprised I am by all the love I'm receiving! I really wish I could respond to all your comments, but again, this is my side blog so I can't comment! If ya'll want to follow me on my main... please dont. LOL not to be mean or anything but I don't use my main at all and I don't post ever so there's no point in following me there :)

PLEASE ENJOY AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE ADDED TO THE TAG! JOIN THE FAMILY!

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Your heart physically dropped when he said that. You felt sick. Your palms were sweating and shaking. The air around you grew dense and you felt like you couldn’t breath. You couldn’t move for that matter.

Ruin?

What would he do to you if he found out that you weren’t really a princess? That you were a fake lying to him this whole time. It made you sick, just imaging every cruel thing he could do once he found out. But then you remembered, he wasn’t like all the rumors you heard. He was different. He was kind and understanding. He wouldn’t really ruin you if he found out, would he? You shook away the thought. The more you think about it, the more you were likely to get caught.

You were completely exhausted from all that labor you produced in a week’s time. Town after town, you were able to help his people even if it was just a little bit. But it sure depleted a lot of energy out of you. You don’t know if you’ve ever been this drained before in your entire life. It’s not like you had to do hard physical labor back at the palace. This experience was hard on you but also gave you insight on the prince and his kingdom.

Completely drained of your energy, you sat down on one of the tree trunks his soldiers brought for you at the camp not far away from the village you were at. The impoverished village didn’t have enough shelter as is, so you were left with no option but to set up your own shelter. It wasn’t a big deal to you anyway since that’s how you’ve been spending your nights so far.

All the soldiers had gathered around to take a breather for the night and drink away the stress. You weren’t a drinker, but enjoyed the atmosphere the soldiers created: fun and rowdy, like they didn’t give a care in the world. They were dancing on tables, clinking their drinks together, singing songs while hooking their arms around each other’s shoulders.

You laughed at the sight and stretched out your arms. How you wanted to continue the night away but your muscles were soar and aching. A physical exhaustion that you weren’t used to and didn’t want to get used to.

Bakugou was watching his crew from the door, arms crossed and enjoying his crew have fun. He was never the one to be center of attention, so he had his own fun from the back. He saw the way you extended your arms, faced wincing from how sore you were. Cute. It was your last night of volunteer work, why not end the night with something special?

You felt the Blood Prince’s breath sneak up behind your neck, sending chills down your spine.

“Tired?” he asks.

“Maybe just a little,” you admit. You look up at him and he’s giving you those soft yet piercing eyes. He goes to sit next to you and everything is just… peaceful. In that moment you felt content. You felt free. If this was how life was out of the palace, if this was more to life than just serving a spoiled princess, then you didn’t want to leave.

“I am impressed, princess,” Bakugou spoke. “This whole trip, you never, not once sat out. You helped the whole time. Are you sure you’re a princess?” he side eyed you.

“If I am not a princess, then what am I?” you asked back. (y/n), what are you doing? You could expose yourself and everything would be ruined! But for some reason, you wanted to be selfish. You wanted to know his reaction and how he would respond. Maybe you would give up your whole mission for him.

“An innocent and hardworking beauty that is not a princess. She is my future queen who will help me restore this kingdom.” He came closer to you, meaning every single word. Your eyes softened and you got emotional, almost to the point of tears. He’s smiling at you, but suddenly gets up. But gestures for you to take his hand. Of course you did.

“I want to show you something,” he says and leads you away from the crowd of people and into the woods.

You two were walking for a while, your hand in his the whole way. He hadn’t told you where he was leading you to but it had to be something special if he was dragging you to what seemed like all across the country to get to your destination.

“Your highness, are we almost there yet?” you asked, fatigue hitting you once again.

“Almost,” he responds, continuing to look ahead. You huffed and held on tight to his hand so you didn’t get lost or left behind. After a few more minutes of walking, you felt the air get hotter and thinner. Bakugou smiles in front of you, looking excited.

“We’re here,” he announces. He pulls back these huge leaves, revealing a natural hot spring. The water was clear enough that you could see right through it, steam rising from the water, and rocks surrounding it, creating this gorgeous, peaceful atmosphere. Your eyes lit up and a loud gasp escaped your lips.

“How did you find this place?” you asked, getting closer to the hot spring.

“You like it? None of my men know about this place,” he says.

“It’s beautiful!” you continue to gasp, feeling the water with your hands. The heat of the water made you giddy and you couldn’t wait to hop in.

“You deserve it,” Bakugou comes up to, whispering in your ear. His statement made you blush, but this time, you didn’t hide it. He smirks behind you and you heard something falling to the floor. You dare turn around to see Bakugou shirtless, discarding his clothes one by one. As if your face wasn’t hot enough, steam was coming out of your ears with embarrassment.

“What are you doing?” you freaked out, turning around immediately.

“Getting in,” he said in the most obvious tone of voice.

“Together?”

“You’ll be on one side and I’ll be on the other,” he points out a huge rock, separating the hot spring into two pools. That seems a little better, but the idea of soaking in a hot spring together with the prince was nerve wracking.

“Princess, you can enter first, if that makes you feel better,” he suggested. When you turn to look at him, he already had his back turn out of respect for you.

So you undress and enter the heated water, noticing that all your muscles relaxed and the aches started going away as soon as you hit the water. You lean the back of your head on the rock and allow yourself to fully relax and destress. You could hear water splashing from the other side of the rock, indicating that Bakugou had also entered the water. Humming in satisfaction. You grew deeper and deeper in the hot spring until your nose was sitting on top of the water.

“Princess, I realize that I don’t know your name,” Bakugou spoke. Your name? You stayed silent. Was it wise to use your own name or should you continue to play as the princess?

“(y/n).” you decided.

“(y/n),” Bakugou repeated, elongating your name as if he stopped saying it, it’d disappear from him forever. The way your name left his lips felt like butter to him. He couldn’t help himself from repeated your name over and over again in his mind. You giggled and looked over the rock, arms crossed and head resting over them.

“Your highness, allow me to scrub your back,” you offered. Bakugou waved his hand while shaking his head.

“Nonsense. You shall not attend to me. We’re here to relax,” he had to remind you. But you insisted.

“But I want to, Prince Bakugou,” you pouted, jutting out your bottom lip.

“The high and mighty princess wants to wash the blood Prince’s back?” he questions playfully. He glances back to see you resting on top of the rock, giving him your big doe eyes.

“If you insist,” he gave up. He turns his back again, making sure to give you the privacy you needed to be able to come over to his side. You make your way over to him, covering your breasts in case. When you got settled behind him, you started washing his back.

You expected Bakugou to have scars from his many battles he’s had, but you didn’t expect his back to be covered in decolored and deformed wounds. Unknowingly, your hands went up to caress each scar.

“Does that frighten you?” he asks.

“Not at all,” you tell him honestly. “I think it makes you very brave.”

A comfortable silence fell upon you. Only the sound of water running and insects in the background could be heard. That was until you felt poke your butt. The hairs on your body hiked and you screamed as loud as you could, rising from the water in panic.

“Princess!” Bakugou instinctively put protection mode on, shooting up from his place to see what the danger was. You immediately clung to him, Bakugou wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you close. What Bakugou saw wasn’t an enemy but rather, a wild Japanese macaque monkey poking his head out of the water.

“Shoo!” Bakugou scared the monkey out of the water and back into the forest. Bakugou grunted and relaxed his shoulders. “Damn monkeys. I thought they only came out during the winter season. Are you okay, prin…cess,” he looked down at you only for you to look up at him with your exposed chest fully pressed against his chest. Now this could easily be the most embarrassing moment of your entire life. Your face heated up with embarrassment and you let out another scream, using all your force to slap him across the face. Bakugou wasn’t expecting such a reaction and it caught him off guard. You put for much force into the slap that Bakugou flew back and fell into the water. You ran out of the spring, covering up as fast as you could.

Bakugou had never been so flustered in his life. He was a blushing mess and now the image of your naked breasts on him could not escape his mind. He needed time to calm himself down and a certain friend from getting too excited.

When you both had returned back to the rest of the crew, everybody had been knocked out cold from the alcohol. Thank goodness, because they couldn’t see how awkward you two were at the moment. That night, you slept in the tent again while Bakugou camped outside.

But you couldn’t sleep. How could that situation happen to you, out of all people? You weren’t sure how much he saw of your naked body. Maybe he didn’t see anything at all. But you saw the expression on his face, he definitely saw something. You covered your chest and closed your eyes. To think that a man saw your body and it wasn’t even your wedding night.

You felt the wind enter your tent, the chill making you shiver. If it was cold inside the tent, it must be extra cold outside. Bakugou was sleeping outside. You bit your lip in confliction. You wanted him to be warm but that means you had to confront him. Ah, fuck it. You opened your tent and saw Bakugou resting on the grass with his cape wrapped around him. And it wasn’t doing a very good job because you could see him shivering. He couldn’t hide it no matter how hard he tried.

“Would you like to come inside?” you invite him in.

“It’s for you, princess,” he reminded you.

“I understand. But it’s too cold to be sleeping out here. Please. I insist,” you urged. He opens one eye and sighs.

“As you wish, princess,” Bakugou gave in. You scooted over to make room for the large man to sleep next to you. Bakugou made himself comfy but he was a tad too tall for the tent that he had to have his legs hanging out. The opening of the tent revealed the big, bright moon overhead.

“I’m sorry for hitting you,” you apologized. Bakugou just lets out a breath.

“It’s whatever. I didn’t see anything, by the way,” he reassures you. Embarrassed again, you unconsciously covered your chest.

“You sure?”

“Erased from my mind,” he says as he closes his eyes and moves his hands around his head, as if he was erasing his memory. You laugh at his antics, more comfortable with the mood that was created. Bakugou laughs with you and turns to you, meeting eyes. This is the nth time that his heart leapt when you stare at him with those innocent, childlike eyes. He clears his throat and all of a sudden, his ears got red.

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Bakugou professed. You blinked in confusion. You weren’t sure why he said that. Glancing up at the moon, you guess you could say that it was beautiful. It was a full moon, and shone brightly above your heads. You weren’t versed in the poetics so you couldn’t comprehend the message the Blood Prince was trying to get at you.

“The moon is especially beautiful tonight. But isn’t the moon beautiful every night?” you responded.

Bakugou looks are you in mortification. Fuck, did he just get rejected? His ears got hot and he covered his mouth with his hands.

“Yeah… yeah it is,” he agreed, embarrassed. He took a deep breath in and back out again to calm his beating heart. You look over at him to see him a little distressed. You softly smiled, another side you got to see of him. It was cute. You could feel your heartbeat starting to pick its pace up and that’s when you realized. Gathering up all the courage you could muster, you leaned over to kiss him on the cheek you slapped.

“Good night,” you quickly say, then turned over to face away from him. Bakugou stops everything in his tracks and is frozen. He couldn’t help but smile and fall asleep next to you.

The moment you made the decision to kiss him was when you knew that you wanted to be selfish. You wanted to become his queen and rule his kingdom together. You were going to forget your past life. You were going to forget this mission you were on. You were the princess now. That was his truth and you weren’t going to change it.

A/N: For those who don't know, the phrase "the moon is beautiful, isn't it" or 月が綺麗ですね is a more poetic way of saying "I love you" in olden Japanese. And then the response to that would be "I can die happy" or 死んでもいいわ. Just for reference.

As I said before, I absolutely love this chapter and I really really REALLY want to know your reactions and thoughts!

Spoiler: drama starts in the next chapter :)

If you'd like to be tagged, please let me know in the comments or DM me! and if you'd like to be tagged when my 18+ oneshot comes out, let me know too! I love you all!

Tagged: @superblyspeedydragon @melasnchz-things @animexholic @bkgwrites @sam-i-am-1025 @apexqueenie @katsukibabe @germfart3 @tspice283 @angie-1306 @bakugous-trauma @bakugousmrs @random-fandom-girl-24 @monetfatalia @triviajeongin @readingslumpfanfic @softredrobin @briefhoundpartynickel @bnhahegao

[lordymaru]

I'm about to refute this entire essay with the simple explanation being:

The only interaction we've seen of these two is when she's a freaking 8 year old. Your self insert shows no boundaries.

And this is probably the last time I'll make a post about the stupidity behind the way the pair is viewed:

Note: I know there's people out there with a brain who ship these two in a more conventional way. In the end you do you, ship whatever you want, no one can prevent you from doing that, just don't be gross about it.

One of the parts being the Significance of their first encounter:

She’s a poor peasant girl who’s suffered immense trauma, suffering, and loneliness. Her initiative to help Sesshomaru came from her generosity

Exactly, she's alone for her family had been killed before her eyes, the villagers treat her like garbage. When she meets Sess he's wounded and simply in a bad state, both mentally and physically. Both of them are, the difference being he's a demon, a powerful one and for him to have ended in such a bad shape only stabbed at his pride- Rin on the other hand is a child, a human tiny child who is vulnerable and to him she poses no threat. Both of them are weak then.

At this point, it’s observable that despite knowing her story, her scars, and her difficulties, humans do not even empathize, let alone sympathize with Rin. It is the feudal era, after all. She’s a young, disabled orphan and the villagers only see her for what she lacks: a voice, a family, and a place of belonging.

Again with your feudal era shit. I can assure you the world is just as ugly today as it was before you and I existed. Next.

When he asks about her bruises, this is the first time anyone had ever afforded her a second glance.

This was a huge step forward for Sess, a huuuuuuge one for he showed interest in another living creature, not just any creature but a human. And for her it was probably like Christmas, for no one had showed her any mercy or interest. Ok you get a point. But oh, boy, how I'm about to spit on the next one:

The audience can see Sesshomaru calculate her body language, recognizing that she is mute. Instead of pressing her further or ignoring her outright, he attempts to comfort her (in his own way), making her feel that it is okay if she chooses not to answer him; that her desire to reply to him should only be a desire, not an obligation. I think, on one hand, that was the first moment of something that would resemble compassion that Sesshomaru had ever administered, trying to put himself in her shoes — if someone had asked him to do something that required, for example, his left arm, he probably would have appreciated them saying “you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to” so to provide him agency for something that he actually cannot do. And the same goes for Rin. He recognizes her disability, maybe even resonates with it and decides to empower her with a choice. Choice is important when it comes to the Sesshomaru/Rin dynamic and it’s a word that will come up often. 

Ok why are you comparing the loss of his arm to her not being able to talk? Not all disabilities are the same, you moron. Or am I dumb for thinking this way? If so, feel free to call me out on my lack of common sense kr whatever you wanna call it. Sess physically couldn't do shit with his left arm because well- it was gone! That's a physical disability. Rin had "lost" her voice after what she witnessed and so she wouldn't speak anymore. Have you heard of Psychogenic Dysphonia? If not, you can click here and give it a reading or do your own research. The more you know: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892199703000158

So you say he "empowers her with a choice" that is "important when it comes to the Sesshomaru/Rin dynamic" let me get this straight, a choice because why? She's a child? A female? Because you said so yourself, it's the Feudal Era after all and therefore women had no choice in life, no voice, no agency, no nothing. So he was being magnanimous then? You know... This is where you start edging into the gr00ming territory. Can't you see? No? Alright, moving on.

BRUH WHAT THE FUCK?! Are you fucking good? See how you self insert? Bye. Next

The next time Sesshomaru sees Rin, it is suggested that he actively sought her, whether it be by curiosity or concern for well-being

He did... It is not suggested, he actually did asdfhkl. For both curiosity and he probably was worried. He also states he wants to test out his sword, what a perfect chance to do so for Rin is pretty much dead and that's the only way to make his sword work. So she was both being a guinea pig and an itch he wasn't quite sure how to scratch. Next.

Silence Rin.

Rin screams endlessly, annoying Sesshomaru. Firstly, this is the first time we hear him call her by her name. Secondly, Sesshomaru is visibly annoyed by her noises, however, he does not tell her to “shut up” as he normally would with Jaken or even InuYasha. He simply says “enough of that Rin, stop it.” (In Japanese he says, “Silence, Rin. You make too much noise.”) Even analyzing the Japanese dialogue, it is evidently softer than Sesshomaru’s usual ‘kisama’ (貴樣) manner of speech that we see depicted usually. This is the first time he’s had a companion who is not a demon, someone with compassion, and who has had his general best interests at heart with no expectations in return. His softer tone is a logical deduction to make.

Ok... "someone with compassion, and who has had his general best interests at heart with no expectations in return." Bruh... As if he would even consider meeting someone's expectations. Are you sure you're talking about Sess? Another thing is, he always speaks in a calm tone, he rarely yells or loses his composure- he had no reason to be rude to her either, you're excusing his regular behavior simply because she ain't Jaken. Anything else?

Rin doesn't change Sesshomaru overnight, it's a gradual and long process

Well duh!!! Just like you don't lose the pounds you gained from eating in one sit 12 donuts a week ago. Stating the obvious and for what? What's exactly your mf point?

The silence part is important, idk how to tell you there is a power imbalance in their relationship from the moment he tells her to be quiet. He didn't say please, he didn't ask her to, he told her to be quiet. Like a parent would, if I could count the times my mom told me to shush.... That's your first indicator he is not her friend, he is not her equal.

Letting you Be Yourself: The Panther Demon Arc

the first frame the audience sees in the anime sets the scene, painting the Sessshomaru entourage in a serene manner, indicating a level of comfort between group members (episode 75). This is vastly different from our last depiction of Sesshomaru and Rin’s relationship. In episode 44, he was unable to withstand her (albeit annoying) childish antics. But here, it’s observable that Sesshomaru can accept her and her package of unconventional fun. Not only does he tolerate and even more so, accept Rin, but he accepts her influence on his vassal, Jaken and allows them to be free around him.

Is called developing patience. I can assure you that when you're a parent or an older bro/sis and your kid/younger sibling is noisy af you either learn to tolerate that or get used to it for kids are kids abd you have to let them be kids. Next.

She's a child, she's not stupid.

The Abducted Rin: Calling her Name

The respect that Sesshomaru shows Rin is insurmountable. However, the InuYasha franchise is clever to portray the subtlety of Sesshomaru’s respect for her. KV on Twitter points out how highly he regards his companion and never relegates her to anything less than the value that she as a person embodies (@KVndie via Twitter). He consistently humanizes her. 

He only sees how important she is to him after her ass dies a second time. What do you mean? He respects her enough to not coddle her, she is independent and taught her to be self sufficient from the very start. That's respect. He consistently humanizes her because... She ... Is ... Human! OMG WHAT A SHOCKER!

As Naraku remarks on his hostage to Sesshomaru, "Naturally, the girl you're looking for is not here…,” he continues, “the girl is in custody outside of the castle..." Naraku never makes an attempt to give her personhood, leaving her unnamed, disposable, and relegating her to a mere "girl." But Sesshomaru doesn’t take any of this. He is a cold-hearted Daiyokai, yet he still makes an effort and upholds his principle to refer to her as Rin — not a replaceable “girl.”

Naraku is a mf genius. It didn't quite click until now he wanted to see if she was important or not to him and to what extent. For he planned his moves that way, making people turn against one another. While he wouldn't have made Rin turn against Sess he set everything up so he would end up wanting to kill Kohaku and in doing so, Inugang would have engaged against Sess.

Sesshomaru’s insistence on using Rin’s name isn’t only highlighted in this isolated incident though. It pays off. It is an ongoing theme in their dynamic throughout the series.

That's her name ... How you want him to call her? Baby?

I could go on and on but... This is a fucking essay. And then I stumble against more bullcrap:

The second point I want to highlight here is Sesshomaru’s reaction to Rin’s fall and her risky expedition. At this point, it’s unquestionable that Rin has a special place in his heart.

Of course she has a special spot in his heart. I won't deny that. What worries me is how you're trying to justify the way she's important to him since she was a child. As if his way of seeing her had changed.

I'm gonna disagree by agreeing with you in a few pointers. Kagome and Kikyo were rivals, they both romantically love the same guy. Kagome being the only one who could save Kikyo chooses to help her, knowing damn well Inuyasha would have suffered if Kikyo had died- further more, if it was in Kagome's hands to do something about it.

Rin on the other hand, I will applaud to her how she grew past her fear of Kagura after being kidnapped by her, she saw her body in the river and said fuck it and did her best to try to pull her from the water. I loved how stubborn and brave she was, even tho Sess had to pull everyone out of the water- she deserves a gold star. You go baby girl!!!

Rin later makes a cheeky comment, noting Kagura’s romantic interest in Sesshomaru. Jaken brushes this off as childish naivety. But for the spectator, this establishes two things: (1) That Rin does not see Kagura as a rival for Lord Sesshomaru’s attention, let alone affection; and (2) that Rin is still a child. Rin is certainly a child, with a youthful and fresh outlook on life that brings out the best in people. But even as a child, her relationship with Sesshomaru is incredibly healthy, clear, and surprisingly communicative.

Why would she? She's not a spoiled brat

Nah? I thought her double D indicated otherwise. OF COURSE SHE'S A MF CHILD.

Why do you keep mentioning is healthy? Do you need reassurance of it? Communicative in what way? Cuz if you wanna talk about communication let's talk about how he didn't even acknowledge her ass when she gave birth. He didn't even say her name, didn't even look at her. Tell me now how they are communicative and healthy?

I could go on, I really but all I'm getting from this load of bullshit I'm forcing myself to read is how you do in fact need to reassure yourself thr ship is god tier and is... How you said it was? Ah, healthy.

Anyways, thanks for reading and if you see any typo ... My apologies, I tried. Also if you have any input or I was out of line in some way, my apologies once more.

[bbugyu]

of all the views you had seen, there was little that could compare to him.

6.2k | cavalry captain!jeonghan x gn pyro!reader, genshin impact au, fluff, adventure, drinking, so much flirting, mentions of trauma, honestly this is the sweetest i'm ever gonna write jeonghan

happy inazuma release day!!! it's your local kaeya trash, because i predictably fall for gay bastards that lie straight to my face (example: jeonghan), and i'm here to give you a fic i wrote AGES ago and just polished up a bit to celebrate the release of what is likely going to be my FAVORITE region in genshin impact. i'm japanese so 😅 i have a soft spot. if there's any other gaymer carats out there, enjoy this one. if not, sorry! you can actually probably still read this and understand it for the most part, though you might miss a bit of context of the landscape and the lore.

ps. go tell @babiemingoo that wonwoo xinqiu 🤭

~

your work with the adventurer's guild was always efficient. you received your commissions, you carried them out, then returned for your reward, usually before the sun had even peaked. the rest of your day was generally spent either basking in the eternal sun of mondstadt, feeding cats in inazuma, or enjoying a hard earned meal in liyue, depending on where you decided to stay that week, finding board and paying for it with the commission you had earned that day. your tendency to wander came less from choice and more from nature - you could call yourself a nomad, but generally, you just got bored, and preferred seeing everything teyvat had to offer rather than settling in one place. adventuring was simply what you were meant to do, your mother had told you at a young age.

she, too, had wandered for most of her youth, and didn't stop just because you had come into her life. you remembered getting scooped up because you had wandered off a bit too close to the railing at wangshu inn as a toddler, playing with dogs at the docks of liyue harbor. you remembered the ludi harpastum and the first time you had ever had a sweet honey roast, and the way it made your eyes grow ten times in size before you dug in for more.

when your vision was bestowed upon you, you already knew how to use a sword. it was important, your mother told you, that you knew how to protect yourself. she had a vision as well, younger even than you had, and you had come to recognize the static in the air as a sign that she was angry - whether it was because of an altercation with someone on your journey or because you had secretly eaten the last hashbrown without consulting her first.

she used her vision and a sturdy blade she had owned since before you were born to protect the two of you on the road, but when she felt you were old enough, she taught you how to weild. a two handed weapon that was far too big for you when you were only fourteen, but when your reckless abandon got paired with a spark, you suddenly became far more dangerous than even your own mother. she scolded you for nearly starting a forest fire when you tried to pair the two skills for the first time after receiving your vision, and you both agreed that training was a beach activity from then on.

your mother settled eventually, after you were old and skilled enough to take on the road alone, pulling the many favors she had gathered in her travels to build a home in a small neighborhood south of liyue harbor, nestled in the foothills of mount tianheng, where you visited as often as your wandering allowed.

you had become much better with your vision. more careful but just as hot. quick to scan situations and strategize in the moment, hardly taking a second before jumping into action, slaying hilichurls like you were getting paid. well, you were, you supposed, but you had been doing this long before you had discovered the benefit of joining the guild. you were good at it. you were built for adventure, but revelled in leisure. there was good reason you were able to take afternoons off, and you milked every last second of it.

"you're back in town?"

you grinned, leaning your sword against the wall and dropping your bag off your shoulders before settling at the bar. "for now."

rubin often served you alcohol - when you were in mondstadt, at least, however often that may be - but never questioned you deeply. he would ask how your travels were, and listen to your stories from regions beyond his knowledge, of the cultures that he had only heard of from people like you. he enjoyed them just about as much as any, if not a little more, purely because your tenacious personality brought something more to the table. he wondered, though, how long you intended to keep living day by day, sleeping in different beds every week.

"what's wrong with sleeping in different beds?" you teased, laughing into your wine glass. "if i didn't know any better, i'd think you were shaming me, rube."

rubin simply laughed, knowing your tone by now. "i just wonder if you ever intend on digging in your roots, or if you'll continue travelling forever."

"if i dig roots, you may never see me again. is that what you want?"

"what," he said. "you don't like mondstadt?"

"i love monstadt," you assured him. "but i also love inazuma. and my mother is in liyue, though she might be upset with me if i try to settle too close to her. perhaps natlan would suit me more?" you shrugged finally, the door behind you opening as you finished with "i suppose i'll settle when i've found a reason to love one place more than the rest."

rubin shook his head, a chuckle falling from his lips. "a wanderer through and through." his attention was quickly drawn to the man entering the bar. "ah, captain! the usual?"

"please," the decorated man said, quickly taking a seat beside you despite the rest of the bar being available. "would you like another, wanderer?"

you eyed him cautiously, studying what you could see if his face around the black eyepatch, gaze skimming down his elaborate clothing before looking down at your emptied drink. "sure."

"another for your wandering friend, rubin, on my tab, please." your brain swirled, considering the brief information you had been given and wondered how you had never managed to meet this regular during your past visits. "are you just drinking dandelion wine, or something more fun?"

"more fun?" you asked. "what are you drinking, then?"

"well, a death after noon, of course," he stated. "don't tell me you haven't had one."

you blinked at him. "i haven't."

you turned towards rubin when he laughed at the back and forth. "shall i make two, then?"

"definitely," your new drinking buddy said, then gestured to you. "you trust my taste, right?"

you said nothing, but he accepted your silent smile as an agreeance. "captain," you said finally, thinking of how rubin had addressed him. "of?"

the man turned towards you, his elbow planted on the bar and his cheek on a fist. despite his get up, he had a playful smirk across his lips. "you mean, my reputation doesn't precede me? you really are a wanderer. everyone in mondstadt knows my name."

"everyone but me," you corrected. "as i'm currently in mondstadt."

his teeth shone behind his smirking lips before he sat up straight. "well, allow me to introduce myself." he saluted, his arm extending from his side at an angle - a salute you recognized from the guards around the city. "i am jeonghan, the cavalry captain of the knights of favonius."

"ah, the knights," you smiled briefly, before letting your eyes wander as you thought, crossing your arms over the bar. "i don't see much of a cavalry in the city, though."

he let out an amused exhale. "so i have a bit more free time these days."

"i'm sure the acting grand master is jealous of all your free time," you teased. "poor guy, looks like he's staving off a panic attack every time i see him. you should probably help him more."

"so," he sighed, leaning against the bar again. "you know of the acting grand master but not me?"

"jihoon?" you asked. "of course i know of him. he's all anyone ever talks about around here."

jeonghan nodded once, thanking rubin when he placed two drinks before you. "people talk about me, also, you know."

your lips stuck out in a pout. "jeonghan, you said? doesn't ring a bell."

he rolled his eyes and picked up his drink, holding it out for you to cheers against. you giggled, clinking your glass against his before taking a sip. the golden liquid was sweet, but not like the dandelion wine you had grown to love in this region. it had more depth, a subtle bitterness to it, and a refreshing bubble. you stared after the glass when it left your lips, then looked over to find jeonghan grinning at you.

"i see why it's your usual," you said, taking another sip before placing the glass on the bar. "i could drink too many."

"will you?" he asked.

"not tonight," you replied coolly. "i haven't asked sana to put me up at the guild yet, and if i get there too late, i'll get a cot instead of a bed. unless rubin finally wants to come clean about something?"

the bartender laughed. "how many times do i have to tell you? we don't even have rooms to board."

you squinted at him. "i know there's something upstairs. i'll learn your secrets one day, rube."

"i wouldn't be a very good bartender if i didn't know how to keep them."

"so you're in the guild?" jeonghan asked as rubin attended to another patron. "an adventuring wanderer."

you smiled vaguely at him. "i am. i have to pay for my travels somehow."

he shrugged. "there's other ways to make money. probably more profitable, too."

you eyed his teasing smirk. "i'm not sure i know what you're implying."

"as a captain of the knights of favonius, i assure you, i'm implying nothing at all," he said, exhaling sharply and adjusting on his stool. he leaned over towards you before speaking in a quieter tone. "but as jeonghan, i think you know exactly what i'm implying."

you only laughed, recognizing the thinly veiled attempt to worm a secret out of you. "i outgrew those means a long time ago. besides, when mora gets tight, i can always board up with my mother. i like liyue enough."

jeonghan studied you as you drank again. "liyue's home, is it?'

"for her, yes," you said, looking over to him, but you found yourself looking away again when his steely blue gaze met yours. you thought carefully about how much of yourself you were willing to reveal to this stranger, especially considering how important he was in the rule of the city. "she was a wanderer, too, and ended up falling in love with liyue harbor."

jeonghan made note of the way your face softened as you spoke about your mother. "and what about you?"

you met his intent look again, thinking about how his covered eye somehow made him even more intimidating. perhaps that was its purpose. "what about me?"

"what have you fallen in love with?"

a smile crept onto your lips as you processed his question. "oh, archons, what have i not fallen in love with? the smell of the open ocean in inazuma, the breathtaking temples in sumeru - have you ever been to waterfall city?"

jeonghan merely shook his head at you, the corners of his mouth turning upwards as he put his cheek on a fist again, leaning against the bar. "beautiful?"

you exhaled, eyes wide as you thought of the towering falls and the light mist that covered the city, trying to come up with an apt description. "humbling. there's nothing like it."

he watched your expression, head tilting further. "what a wonderful way to describe a place. tell me more."

your gaze went to him, then away briefly, feeling suddenly shy as you noticed his look. "about waterfall city?"

he shrugged a fur covered shoulder, shaking his head lightly. "about anywhere. describe your world, wanderer. i'd like to hear whatever you have to say."

you wondered if the heat that ran through you was because of the alcohol or the man, but you just took another drink and cleared your throat lightly, thinking of more places you had discovered in your travels. you thought of qingce village, one of your favorite places to visit, because the people are kind and welcoming and the fields are so beautiful. you told him about a tea shop owned by an old man - he insisted you call him pops so fiercely that you weren't even sure you had caught his given name - and it was probably the most relaxing cup of tea you ever had.

"it's been a while since i've gone," you sighed. "i think i'm overdue for a chat with pops and his tea."

jeonghan was smiling when you looked at him again. "the tea in liyue is unmatched," he said, reaching for his drink. before taking another sip, he gestured for you to continue.

so you did. you told him about sakura pond, about celestia city, about the volcanic black beaches. you told him liyue had your favorite people, but inazuma had your favorite food. he clicked his tongue at you.

"what about mondstadt? do we have one of your favorites?"

you smiled, genuinely. "sunsets. the night sky is different here than it is anywhere else. i think mondstadt is the closest we can get to the stars without joining the archons."

jeonghan studied you briefly, his blue eye flicking over your face as you finished your drink. "i think that's an apt observation. it seems your eyes are always wide."

"i travel for the views," you exhaled. "i don't plan on missing any."

he thought a second. "have you been to starsnatch cliff?"

your eyes lit up. "not in years," you said, in complete shock that you could have forgotten such a place. you pushed from the bar slightly, turning towards him, and he noticed the flash of a red gem strapped to your right thigh for the first time. "my mother took me there when i was a kid, but i haven't gone since."

"it never gets old," he said, sipping at the end of his drink. "i've yet to see that view and not be in awe."

"i'll go before i leave mondstadt again," you decided.

he looked to you. "when will that be?"

you sighed. "not sure, yet."

he just chuckled. "would you like another drink?"

"oh, no," you said, standing and stretching your spine. "i should make my leave. i don't like sleeping on cots. i just came by to let my ol' pal rube know i was in town again."

jeonghan watched you pull your pack onto your back, grabbing the handle of your sheathed claymore from where it was leaning against the wall next to the bar. "perhaps i'll see you again tomorrow?"

you looked at him, a vague smile on your lips as you strapped your sword back on. "perhaps you will, captain."

"jeonghan," he corrected. "but i don't believe you ever shared your name?"

"that was by design, captain," you said, and he swore he caught a glint in your eye as you bid rubin a farewell and stepped out of the angel's share.

jeonghan spun back around on his stool, immediately looking to rubin. "do you know their name?"

"no, sir," he said, looking at the closed door. "they've never said."

jeonghan's gaze went to the empty glass you had left behind, thinking about your stories, your sword, and the signifier of your vision on your thigh. "fascinating."

you got lucky - sana had a private room for you, and said you were welcome to rent it for your stay. she said not many people were travelling to mondstadt these days, and that more often than not, the adventurer's barracks in headquarters went unused. ever since the fatui had holed up in the grand goth hotel, it had been harder for you to make extended stays in mondstadt, but it seemed that something was telling you to stick around longer than usual. you laid on the hard mattress - a feeling that was more comforting than most, thanks to your continuous travels - and thought of the charming captain that had made a night of questioning you. you wondered if he really had any interest in anything you had to say, or if he had been hoping for details about something pertinent to an investigation.

you packed a lighter bag in the morning, only bringing along the essentials as you set out for your commissions for the day. that afternoon, you wandered around mondstadt and asked questions. questions about the simultaneously well-discussed and mysterious cavalry captain that had listened to your tales of travel, and answers came easier than expected, though they didn't contain all the details you were looking for. that night, you waited up at the angel's share to brag about your newfound knowledge to the captain that never showed, and you did your best to not let that hurt your ego.

the next day, you made a detour on your way back to the city after completing your commissions, stopping by springvale to enjoy a well deserved lunch and catch up with some locals. you sat in the grass with a skewer of grilled meat, watching the windmills of mondstadt steadily spin in the distance as time passed, thinking about how rubin had asked you if you didn't like it here.

you did, you decided. mondstadt felt different than anywhere else you had been. untouched, almost. wilder. freer. despite being born in inazuma, your first memories being in celestia, or your mother being in liyue, mondstadt felt comfortable. felt like a home. you wondered to yourself what that might mean.

sana greeted you happily when you returned much later than you normally did. she told you to go ahead to the guild and come back, filing away your reports and retrieving your rewards. you dropped off your things in your rented room, quickly, practically galloping back down the steps towards the entrance of the city to continue your conversation with the adventurer guilds' mighty receptionist without your sword weighing you down. you crossed your arms on the counter, comfortably lounging as you chatted with her, having always enjoyed her conversations more than most. like rubin, she was a reason mondstadt always felt comfortable.

"fancy meeting you here," an all too familiar voice said, and you pulled your eyes from sana to find jeonghan leaning his side against the counter next to you.

"good evening, cavalry captain!" sana chirped, placing your reward - your room free already removed - on the counter and bowing politely. "can i help you with anything today?"

his icy gaze flickered from your lightly curved lips towards sana. "oh, no, my dear. i'm just coming back from an investigation near springvale"

"interesting," you said, eyeing him. "i was just there and didn't see you."

"i wouldn't be very good at my job if you did, wanderer," he grinned. "knight business, you wouldn't understand. got the assignment yesterday."

"ah," you shifted to your side to face him, making him eye the vision on your thigh. "is that why you never showed? rubin was worried."

he looked you up and down. "rubin was, huh?"

you rolled your eyes and adjusted your posture to face away from his smirk. sana looked between the two of you twice before clearing her throat as quietly as possible, making jeonghan let out a chuckle before he directed his attention to the guild's receptionist.

"how goes holding the post, sana?"

she looked almost frightened when the attention was directed back to her. "good, captain! in fact, one of our most capable adventurers-" she gestured to you, "-just returned from taking care of some of our more difficult commissions - no one else would take them."

jeonghan looked at you. "why did sana have to tell your secret?"

your eyebrows quirked upwards. "what secret?"

"that you're good at this. shouldn't you be bragging?"

a chuckle spilled from your lips, and jeonghan watched you as you looked away. "i'm not the bragging type."

he studied you a moment. "what type are you, then?"

you considered the question, wondering exactly how to answer. what type were you? if not a teller, than surely you must be a shower, but that didn't seem right either. you exhaled. "the quiet type. see you later, sana."

he laughed, pushing off the counter as you tucked your mora into your waist bag, wishing sana a good evening and following you towards the fountain. "you sure talk a lot for being the quiet type."

a smirk landed itself on your lips as he fell into step beside you. "maybe private is a better description."

"that one i can see," jeonghan said, looking over to you. he thought of how you had spent nearly an hour telling him about the best views in teyvat, yet he still didn't know the most basic information about you. "do you share your name with anyone?"

you thought. "my mother."

he scoffed. "anyone else?"

you looked to the sky. "rubin."

"wrong," he retorted. "he doesn't know your name, either."

you laughed, looking over to him as you came up to the fountain, spinning and sitting back on the ledge. "you asked?"

"of course i asked," he said, planting one foot on the ledge beside you and placing his arms on his knee. "i asked other people, too. almost everyone knows you, but they don't know anything about you. bits and pieces, but never the full picture."

you just smiled up at him from your relaxed posture on the concrete. "what's wrong with a little intrigue?"

he just smiled back at you. "nothing. i tend to keep a bit myself. did you know there's a large number of people in this city that were shocked when i said you wield a claymore?"

you hummed, dipping the tips of your fingers into the fountain. "did you know there's a large number of people in this city that consider you the most eligible bachelor in not only mondstadt, but in all of teyvat?"

his lips parted slightly as you spoke. "so you snooped, too."

"i was bored yesterday. it wasn't hard," you exhaled. you flicked a drop of water towards his foot. "jeonghan yoon, the cavalry captain of the knights of favonius since he was only nineteen. who loves wine and whose adopted brother runs the biggest winery in teyvat, yet they're hardly ever seen speaking. who comes from a far off land on a different continent, but has come to love mondstadt like it was his home. who wears an eyepatch but has never told anyone why."

he chuckled at the assessment and pulled his foot off the ledge to sit beside you. "so when do i get to learn about you?"

"i told you about me yesterday," you said.

"you told me about teyvat," he corrected. "and while i was able to infer some things about your character, i still know close to nothing about you."

you thought for a moment, realizing no one had ever noticed how little you truly shared despite always being willing to tell stories. "sometimes it feels like i am teyvat. it's hard to think of things that are just about me."

"you could start with that vision," he said, nodding at the strap across your thigh. you looked down at it, exhaling.

"what's there to tell? you know what it means, and that's more teyvat than me, too."

he leaned back on a hand, looking you up and down in curiosity. "how old were you."

you chewed your cheek. "fourteen. you?"

his lip quirked upwards. "sixteen."

you bumped his shoulder with yours playfully. "beat you."

he laughed. "how'd it happen?"

you paused. "you go first."

he just chuckled and looked away, watching a dog wander past the general store. "another day, then."

"no fun," you sighed, brushing your hands together as you leaned forward. "what about the eyepatch?"

he met your eyes, mouth slanted in a smirk. "another day."

you clicked your tongue. "if you wanna learn about me, you have to be willing to give up some details, too. i value a fair trade."

"then stop asking questions that you know i won't share the answer to." jeonghan noticed the color of the sky, then suddenly pulled a pocket watch out, checking it quickly to confirm that there was enough time and stood. "come with me?"

you stared up at him. "where?"

he grinned, extending a hand to help you to your feet. "you said mondstadt's sunsets were your favorite, correct?"

you generally weren't prone to following mysterious men into back corridors, but jeonghan easily convinced you with no words at all that sneaking around the sight line of the acting grand master was completely normal behavior, sushing you with a grin as you giggled, taking refuge around a corner after the two of you made it up to the second floor of the favonius headquarters. he tugged your hand with his, pulling you into a steep maintenance staircase behind a door.

"this feels like it's against some rules," you said, climbing the stairs behind him.

"nonsense," he said, looking back at you and grinning. "are you suggesting that a knight of favonius would break rules just to impress a mysterious traveler?"

you laughed quietly, wondering if he really meant that he wanted to impress you. "not most, but maybe this one."

he only thought for a split second. "if anyone asks, we're on official knight business."

he opened the door and you found the sky again, beginning to glow orange as the edge of the sun began to hide behind the cliffs. you stared in awe at the way the few fluffy clouds reflected pink and gold, then readjusted your focus when jeonghan spoke again.

"i hope you aren't afraid of heights," he said, walking over to the parapets that surrounded you. "the best view requires a bit of a climb."

you looked up at the tower, and while it wasn't much higher than where you stood, you also recognized that you were well above most of mondstadt already. "you climb up there?"

he paused, studying you. "we don't have to, we can just sit on a merlon-"

"no, we can climb," you said, walking over to where he was and eyeing the small gap between the parapet and the adjacent roof. "hop over?"

he laughed, stepping over the gap and holding a hand out for you. "watch your step."

and though you didn't need it, you accepted the hand anyways, and it stayed on yours as you walked over the roof to the tower, as if making sure you didn't misstep several stories in the air.

"would you like to go first?" he asked. "i'll catch you if you fall."

you rolled your eyes at him, dropping your hand from his grip. "you go first. i want to see where the handholds are."

he just grinned at you. "very well," he said, tugging on the wrists of his fingerless gloves to make sure they were taught against his skin before taking hold of a brick. you watched him as he took foothold after foothold, and he resisted the urge to show off by speedily scaling the wall in favor of making sure you had the chance to see where he gripped. when he reached the opening in the tower, he pulled himself up and spun around, exhaling with a grin as he seated himself at the ledge with his legs dangling above you.

"your turn."

you adjusted your waist bag as you sighed in amused annoyance, spinning it to be behind you and out of your hips' way to climb the wall. it wasn't much - a couple meters, maybe - and you had definitely climbed further, but jeonghan's presence made you slightly nervous. that nervousness, however, just fueled you to prove yourself.

you scaled the wall easily, making jeonghan whistle and jokingly call you some kind of adventurer, and your only hesitation came when his hand was in your face. despite your initial inclination to ignore it, you put your left hand in his, allowing him to help you pull yourself up on the ledge and sit beside him.

"impressive," he commented.

you laughed, brushing off your hands. "you, too."

"c'mon," he said, gesturing his head over his shoulder before making moves to stand. "the view's on the other side."

you sighed, looking over the view of mondstadt shrouded in golden light as he stood and walked to the other ledge. "never a moment of rest with you."

"if you want to miss the sunset, be my guest."

you leaned back on your hands and laughed, pulling your gaze away from the city to look at where jeonghan had seated himself on the other end of the tower, and subsequently the view of the rolling hills beyond him that were glowing golden in the evening sun. you blinked for a second, realizing you hadn't seen the sunset the night before, and quickly got to your feet to join him before you missed this one, too.

he gave you a soft smile when you sat beside him, and you briefly wondered how many he had in his repertoire. the wind was stronger higher, whipping gently through his hair and alleviating any uncomfortable warmth you may have had from exerting yourself on the way up. you watched the dregs of sunlight skip across the grassy hills and the sky turn deep orange and bright pink, feet swinging lightly over the edge of the tower.

"i was fighting with my brother," he said suddenly, causing you to look at him with a start before you realized he was telling you about his vision. there was a slight smile on his face as he looked out on the fields. "hyungwon. it was bad. he already had his - he's a pyro, like you - and we were both young and stupid and just lost our dad. we were sword fighting and it came to me when i needed it. it probably saved my life, honestly."

you blinked at him. "you think he would have killed you?'

he exhaled, leaning back on his hands. "i think if the roles had been reversed, i would have tried to kill him, too. i'm grateful it didn't go that way, though." he coughed abruptly, clearing his throat. "we're on speaking terms, and i do love him as a brother, but i generally avoid him."

you let that thought ruminate as you watched the sun sink, halfway beyond the horizon. "my father was in a gang in inazuma, but my mom ran away when she found out she was pregnant. didn't want to raise a kid in that world, i guess? we ran into him when i got older and he wasn't very understanding." you paused, remembering the detail too well. "they were going to take her vision. that's what they did to traitors. probably take me, too. they weren't expecting me to start setting fires."

jeonghan's gaze was on you as yours was on the horizon. "just a couple of survivors."

you looked over at him, a smirk on your lips. "a couple?"

he laughed waving at your implication, thinking he would have said the same thing in an attempt to fluster you just as you were to him. "like, more than one and less than four."

you only laughed back. "fortune favors the weak, i suppose. the archons saw we needed help and extended a fig branch."

"is that what it was?" he asked, a laugh on his lips. "we were both fighting people. that's hardly an offer of peace."

"look for the deeper meaning, jeonghan. we were fighting for our lives," you pointed out, and he realized it was the first time you had addressed him by his name rather than his title. "i was fighting for family. for freedom. is that not the greatest pursuit of peace?"

he watched you as you pulled your knees to your chest, putting your feet on the edge of the stonework surface you sat on. he studied the way the golden rays lit your skin and made your eyes sparkle. "i suppose so."

you paused in that moment for a long while, and jeonghan allowed the comfortable silence as the two of you watched the sun disappear beyond the cliffs of mondstadt. the sky was turning a deep shade of purple when you told him your name, and jeonghan thought that it was quite possibly the best news he had ever received, but he kept that joy to himself as he confirmed your name, and you rolled your eyes.

"are you gonna answer my other question now?"

he scoffed. "about the eyepatch? is it really that interesting?"

"not any more interesting than my name," you retorted.

"completely untrue," jeonghan insisted. "i've never been so excited to be told a secret, and i get told a lot of secrets."

you eyed his smile warily. "my name may be unknown, but it's no secret."

he sighed and shook his head lightly. "you really wanna know the reason i wear it? it's probably not as dramatic as you're hoping."

"yet you hide it?"

he laughed. "what's wrong with a little intrigue?"

you looked away, recognizing the parrot of your own words. "whatever you say, captain."

"no!" he whined and grabbed your arm, making you start and look at him with big eyes. "you just started calling me jeonghan, don't go back to captain."

you stared at him, only breaking to laugh, dropping your legs over the edge again. "you won't show me what's under the eyepatch, so i thought we weren't on first name basis."

his hand on your bicep was warm and gentle, but his gaze was piercing as he thought it over for a bit longer. you did your best to hold it, but you felt yourself shrinking when he quietly muttered, "go on, then."

it took you a second to register what he meant, and you reached out slowly, fingers hesitating before they brushed upon his cheekbone. jeonghan closed his eyes, resigning to your touch as you gently lifted the eyepatch. his eyes opened again, slowly, and you thought your heart might have skipped a beat.

"like chocolate," you commented, and a smile spread across his lips.

"that's the kindest reaction i've gotten."

your fingers fell upon his temple, brushing down gently as you inspected his singular brown eye. "since birth?"

he nodded, his eyes flicking down to your lips briefly before he spoke. "heterochromia. it's a characteristic of my family."

you studied his face. "not the one here?"

he sighed. "not the one here."

the icy blue of jeonghan's eye had always struck something in you. it made him mysterious. commanding. it felt like he saw more than you despite having one eye covered. but now, you felt warm. you felt his gentleness. there was comfort hidden away behind that black patch, and you told him that you understood why the cavalry captain had chosen to hide the eye he did.

but to you, he was willing to show anything that would keep you around longer, he said.

"why me?" you asked, studying his expression when he looked away. the sun had retreated behind the hills, leaving the sky a deep blue.

jeonghan didn't respond right away, and you wondered if he himself even knew the answer. "we're birds of a feather, you and i."

you looked out to the view again, watching the subtle movements of the wild hills. "did you travel much before you came here?"

"it was all i knew," he told you. "i was thirteen when my father left me here."

your neck snapped, your eyes on his profile when he leaned back on his hands. "left you?"

he almost laughed, a smile on his lips when his eyes met yours. "i was slowing him down, i suppose. hyungwon's father found me and took me in."

"so you stayed?"

"i didn't always want to," he assured you. "i had the itch to leave for years. as soon as i was able, i always told myself." he paused, eyes dropping. "then father died. then hyungwon turned down his position with the knights. and i was their second choice."

you pursed your lips. "you stayed for a job."

he laughed. "it's not that simple."

you smiled at him, enjoying the warmth of his eyes on yours as the sky cooled. "are you sure we're birds of a feather?"

"listen," he said, getting off his hands and brushing them off on his thighs. "i accepted the job so that i could set the story straight. i didn't want to run from the people that believed that hyungwon tried to kill me to avenge our father."

you studied him. "i'm sorry."

"don't be," he said, nudging your shoulder. "i was still planning on leaving, but then i fell in love."

you looked away, trying to sort out the way your stomach flipped. "are they still around?"

"not with a person," he laughed, then nodded towards the now dark hills. "with the views. besides, i get free reign whenever i leave for missions. i have fun adventuring, and come home to the best sunsets in teyvat. there are worse places to call home."

your eyes scanned the horizon, remembering the brilliant rays of sun you had just seen skip across it. "that is tempting."

"how tempting?" he asked.

you thought on that for a moment. "almost as much as a death after noon right now."

jeonghan laughed, slightly proud that he had hooked you on his favorite drink. "shall we go see rubin, then?"

you hummed, smiling at the captain. "as long as i don't have to sit alone again."

"that's a promise," he told you as he stood, holding out a hand that you took without hesitation, though he withheld his intention to make sure you were never alone again.

[strawberry-s-otaku-safe-haven]

CREDITS

Dividers Made By: @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Sonia Reaction Edit Set Made By: Me! (the images aren't on this post specifically, they're used for when I answer my asks)

Helped Give Me Advice For The Blog: @dangan-chi @dangan-millie-madness (thank you for that guys ^-^)

INTRODUCTION

Do you like Danganronpa? Is you liking Danganronpa an understatement and you actually love Danganronpa? And do you like headcanons and fanfiction? Then this is the blog for you! My name is Strawberry-chan (though you can stick to just Strawberry if you'd like to as well), and I'm hoping to kick my blog off of the ground!

As stated in the previous paragraph, I'll be writing headcanons and fanfiction revolving around our favourite series, Danganronpa! If you're interested in being one of the first people to request a story or list of headcanons from me, then please, continue reading, I would really appreciate it!

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

But before we get into that stuff, let me tell you a bit about me personally! Also, this is NOT A SPOILER FREE BLOG, so if you haven't played the main 3 games, I'd suggest that you click off.

I'm not too big on giving out my name, so I go by Strawberry-chan/Strawberry! I'm 21 years old and am a writer in the works! I'm Nonbinary, so I'd like you to use they/them pronouns for me when needed. With that being said; THIS BLOG IS LGTQBIA+ FRIENDLY! Don't come in here with hate towards the community, I will personally chew you out if you do.

I can be a bit on the shy side sometimes, but I am very friendly! I try my best to be nice to everyone, and I'll only be rude if I absolutely have to.

With all of that being said, let's move on! ~

MY CONTENT

As mentioned before, I write fanfiction and headcanons! This section is going in depth about all that I will specifically write. Let's start off with genres that I will do!

♡︎Romance

♡︎Fluff

♡︎Angst (light and heavy)

♡︎(Light) g0re

♡︎Smut

♡︎Drama

♡︎Fantasy

♡︎Action

♡︎Adventure

♡︎AUs

♡︎Crossovers

♡︎Slow burn

♡︎Fast burn

Now, for pairings that I am willing to write!♡︎

♡︎Canon Character x Canon Character

♡︎Canon Character x Canon Character x Canon Character

♡︎Canon Character x Reader

♡︎Canon Character x Canon Character x Reader

♡︎Any genderpairing

♡︎As long as it's legal, any ship

♡︎Genderbends allowed

I will write fanfiction and headcanons for all of the above things! And you can request more than one genre, pairing, or character, make it challenging!

Some of the genres I'm willing to do are triggering to others, so I will always have content warnings for the following genres:

♡︎Angst

♡︎Smut

♡︎Light g0re

I know that some ships are viewed as toxic in the fandom, such as Junko x Mikan, but I will write any legal pairing! If it is a ship that is commonly viewed as toxic, I will put a content warning for the fanfic/hcs revolving that ship!

I am a VERY detailed writer, so I do take time to write my fanfics! I promise that I can knock out at least 2-3 a day though! As for hcs, I am detailed with them, but I knock them out a lot quicker than my fanfics.

I will also have you know that I played through the Japanese version of the game, so the characters will, depending on the fic/hcs, will potentially use honorifics! And for certain requests, you might have to imagine stuff with their Japanese voices.

Speaking of characters: I can quite literally write every single canon character! I can also write human versions of Monokuma, Usami/Monomi, and the Monokubs!

Request via asks by the way!

Anons

Anons are enabled! If you plan on requesting a lot, I'd suggest that you give me an anon name for you! For example, when I used to send anonymous asks, I would put 'Strawberry-chan🍓 ~ ' at the begining of my ask! This, of course, isn't required, but is definetely an option! Here is the list of Anons so far:

♡︎Anonymous Cat

♡︎Key Anon

♡︎Anonymous Anon

♡︎Locky-Anon

Outro

Thank you so much for reading through! A follow or request would be much appreciated, but please don't feel pressured to do so! If you have any questions, you can absolutely comment your question below, and I'll answer as quickly as I can!

Have an absolutely amazing day/night,

~ Strawberry-chan