#ren’s writing ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

[darling-renyuu]

can this be a real thing? can it?

fic summary: living with kuni has been quite the experience. he still carries the attitude he developed as the balladeer, ordering you to do various stuff he can’t exactly do by himself. (in between therapy sessions with nahida, his schoolwork, and his part-time job as a barista, you’re often the one left at home with your “work-from-home” job.)

so you surprise him by finishing everything before he asks for it.

“[Name], can’t you throw out the trash? I’m leaving in a minute.”

“[Name], the dishes. My shift starts in an hour.”

“[Name].”

These are just some of the many statements you got used to at the start of your… cohabitation. Needless to say, Kuni has been stacked with things to do. Leaving some of the work to you.

“Ugh, they’re wasting my time. How hard is it to send your parts on time?” He clutches his temples, groaning. You set down a steaming cup of tea and a snack on his desk. Kissing his hair, you whisper.

“Take a break, Kuni. Starving yourself won’t make them move any faster.”

He turns to you slowly. Kuni scans your face, raising an eyebrow. “What’s gotten into you?”

You smile.

“Nothing,” you say, kissing his cheek next, “I love you.”

You feel his cheek warm slightly under your lips. Chuckling, you step away. Kuni stares at you as you exit his study, frowning with a flushed face. He shrugs it off as you being weird again.

He’s had a long damn day. Most of the customers ordered outrageous drinks again, and his head hurt thinking about how sweet the drinks would be. Add the cherry on top, their loud voices disturbing the cafe he works in. Once out of sight, he had rolled his eyes.

You all will get diabetes, idiots.

He approaches your apartment door, fishing his bag pocket for his keys. Kuni stares emptily into the door as he unlocks it. Ugh. I left the dishes unwashed before leaving. Guess I’ll have to-

His eyes widen at the empty sink, the plates placed neatly on the rack. The cups are all washed as well, turned upside down. He hangs his coat on a hanger, a warmth growing in his chest.

Rolling up his sleeves, he calls out. “[Name]? What do you want for dinner?”

Nahida walks with him, out of her apartment. “I think there’s been a very good improvement in your mental state, Kuni. I believe in you, and I know your partner does too.”

Kuni blushes hard, ready to refute when Nahida raises a brow. He snaps his mouth shut and grumbles. Nahida gasps, remembering something.

”Oh, I can’t drive tou back home today. Kaveh borrowed my car, so how do you plan on getting home?” She asks, her brows furrowed in concern.

He waved it off. “I’ll just get a taxi-”

A beep sounded behind them, and once Nahida caught sight of the vehicle, she smiled and waved. Kuni turned around, meeting the familiar sight of his love’s car.

You rolled down the window, grinning. “Hey, Nahida. How was Kuni today?”

Kuni stared at you, while Nahida’s smile grew softer. “He’s doing well! I think you’re helping him a whole lot, [Name].”

You smile sheepishly. “Aw, well. I’m doing my best.”

Kuni turns to Nahida, breaking out of his shocked stupor.

“I guess I’ll go home now. See you on Friday?” At that, Nahida nods.

“Yes. Stay safe, the both of you.”

He nodded, and got in your car. You waved goodbye to Nahida, before driving off to your house.

Somehow, you can feel Kuni boring a hole into your head with his eyes. You glance at him. “What’s up, love?”

“…Why are you doing this?” He asks, cautious. Your heart clenches, and you reach out to caress his hand.

“I was free today, and I figured you’d be tired. Is it okay that I picked you up, Kuni?” You asked, fully looking at him once you got to a stop light.

Kuni just stared at you, but then he gives a tiny smile. “…Thanks.”

You can’t help but lean over, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I love you.”

“…I love you too.” Kuni whispers, not quite ready to look you in the eyes today.

At home, you both end up cuddling, telling each other about your day.

”Did you know, Kuni? My coworker accidentally sent a meme to our official company page. It was hilarious, seeing the boss send confused messages about the pic.” You laughed.

Kuni snorts, pulling your head closer to his chest. He pauses, and grabs your face in his hands. “But tell me, what’s the real reason behind all this?”

“What is… this?” You ask, curious.

He bites his lip. “Making me tea, doing the dishes, driving me home, hell. The house is spotless. Why?”

Your smile turns shy. “Well, I saw how tired you were getting. Between your work, your schoolwork, and your much needed sessions with Nahida, I know how busy you are. I don’t want you to feel obliged to do everything yourself. I’m your partner, baby. I want to make it easier for you, even in the little things.”

Kuni’s eyes widen as you speak, his gaze getting softer. He sighs.

”I’ll admit. This… this whole thing is new to me. So I was freaked out. I really thought, at first, that you were just doing all that because you needed something. But… knowing your intentions now,” he says, caressing your cheek. “I-Thank you.”

You turn your head and kiss his palm. “No worries, honey. I’ll be sure to make you feel loved and cared for, just as much as you make me feel the same.”

Kuni allows himself a soft smile, holding you closer.

“Stop being sappy.”

“Make me, darling.”

“Just…Stop giving me a new petname every second, [Name]!”

“Oh, I’ve got a lot more in store, sweetheart.”

Kuni pinches your cheek, and you let out a string of “ah, ow, ow, baby! ‘M sorry!”

He snorts, kissing your sore cheek. “Just go to sleep now.”

“Yes sir.” You smile, turning your head to meet his lips.

written by @/darling-renyuu. please do not repost.

[fr33time]

【☆】Anomalous Law at the Mystery Diner【☆】

Pairing: Ritsu x genderless!reader

Genre: Fluff, oneshot

Synopsis: MC has trouble finding motivation to do their anomalous law assignment. They turn to Ritsu and ask him to work with them at the mystery diner, since he’s such a diligent worker and maybe some of that will rub off on them.

A/N: I can’t lie… I absolutely love Ritsu, especially after episode 8 released. I find him so adorable and he needs more love. I wanted the reader to be genderless so everyone could enjoy it, I wanted the MC to admire Ritsu a bit for being a hard worker. I find romances where both partners find motivation in each other to be so cute, I hope you enjoy! This is my first fic on this blog, feel free to request me anything ♥︎ (no smut!)

Find my requesting rules here!

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Anomalous Law was a subject that was a bit difficult to comprehend. Technical speak is often used and you have to be very precise with your words when writing papers. You didn’t need help writing the paper that Professor Moby assigned you (as much as you wanted it), but it was a tad boring, you started thinking a study buddy would help your motivation to flow. Since you’re the honour student and technically a first year, you had the same anomalous law class as Ritsu. He paid close attention to the class, since he’s already acquainted with the law, he easily flew by in the course. The idea was to invite him to the mystery diner, maybe seeing him be so passionate about his work could help motivate you in your own.

Hey Ritsu! Did you want to work on our anomalous law assignment at the mystery diner tonight? Specifically at 8 PM, I have a few errands to run before I can work on anything.

It wasn’t in your best interest to work so late, but some ghouls asked you to deliver some papers from the teachers. As much as it’s a pain, you’re indebted to a few of them so you feel obligated to help them.

You expected Ritsu to answer back soon since he’s so punctual, but you assumed that he wasn’t busy at that moment because he replied in an instant.

First, can you please confirm that the person I am speaking to is MC?

You found it amusing that Ritsu insisted on asking this every time, but you considered it a cute quirk of his.

Yes it’s me! Do you accept my proposal?

Thank you for confirming. This is Ritsu Shinjo, Sinostra’s representative. Can you clarify what you want during this meeting? My consultation fee is 5500 yen per half hour, tax inclusive.

No, I’m not looking for a consultation. I need motivation to do my work, so I was thinking that since we are working on the same paper that having you work near by would help me! Like a study buddy!

You should be able to do work on your own, but as a business partner it’s important to hand in work on time. I agree to these terms.

A sigh of relief escaped you, now you could have something to look forward to while running errands.

ʚ♡ɞ

You arrived a couple minutes before 8 PM, you expected that he was inside already and headed in quickly. When you walked through the door, the anomalous owner came out to greet you and pointed to where Ritsu was sitting.

“Thank you so much! Is Ren off tonight?”

The anomalous owner made an “ohh” sound, nodded its head, and went to the back of the diner. When approaching Ritsu, you could see that he had his laptop out and coffee already ordered.

“You’re right on time.” He looked at you as you set up your own area at the booth.

“It looks like you got here way before me!” You gestured over at his coffee,

“You can never be too prepared.” He had a small smile on his face and took a sip before speaking,

“As my business partner, I have high expectations that you’ll successfully complete your work at an above average level. After all, you need to have skills on par with mine if we are going to keep working with each other.”

Ritsu is always prepared to work, there’s a certainty in his voice and eyes that make you think that you can be at the same level as him if you work hard enough.

“Of course, I’ll make sure to do my best.” Both of you go to shake hands, as a way to celebrate working on this assignment together.

There was silence in the mystery diner besides the clacking of the keyboards. It didn’t feel uncomfortable, you found it nice that you two could work in silence. Being around Ritsu lit a fire under you, he makes sure to be thorough in what he does and include you in his process. He can be stubborn but you found it… adorable. You can tell that he cares about his family, he always talks about living up to the Shinjo lineage, and sometimes you get to hear about growing up with his Mom and Dad. It’s endearing that he wants to follow in their footsteps, he’s even memorized the Compendium of Laws since he was a child. You were slowly learning about him on a personal level, it explains why he is the way that he is. It’s the kind of dedication you need in your life, he chose to work with you so you do your best to live up to that standard.

ʚ♡ɞ

Hours passed by without a hitch. You were starting to feel tired after looking at the screen for… 4 hours?!?! You knew the mystery diner stayed open all night due to the owners being anomalies themselves, but you weren’t sure if you could make it much longer. You looked over at Ritsu and he seemed as diligent as ever. When you turned back to your screen, Ritsu must’ve noticed and made note of how tired you were because he started to talk to you,

“I’m going to refill at the counter, would you prefer a new drink?”

You were a bit slow in answering “oh… yeah sure, I need something in order to finish this early. I want time to proofread and edit it tomorrow.”

He picked up both your mugs and made his way to the front of the diner. He couldn’t make it in time though, because by the time they were refilled, you had your head down on the table with your eyes closed. When he came back, he thought to wake you up but left you alone. He looked at your work and saw that you were close to finishing the entire thing, he wanted to give you a break since you can’t do your best when sleep deprived. He shut your laptop and let you sleep, unsure of what to do with your refilled drink.

Ritsu continued to work until he completed his own assignment, which took about 30 minutes after you fell asleep. He figured that he should just wake you up and have you go back to your dorm, after all, a table isn’t the greatest place to get a good sleep. He didn’t want to just leave you to walk by yourself either, the mystery diner is relatively far away from the clementia dorm. The more he pondered, the closer he was to deciding that he’ll take you home for your own safety, he’s not looking to find a new business partner if something happens to you.. or at least that’s what he tells himself anyways.

He put his hand on your shoulder and gently shook you “MC, I’m taking you back to your dorm.” You opened your eyes and realized that you fell asleep while working.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry Ritsu! I didn’t mean to fall asleep while working!” You said hurriedly, He didn’t seem to mind and took your laptop from the table.

“Not getting any sleep is bad for productivity, you won’t be able to think straight and submit work that’s deserving of a high grade. Let’s start walking.” You felt lousy for sleeping in his company, but if he had a problem with it he would’ve voiced his concerns.

The two of you walked out of the mystery diner and towards Clementia. You were still tired from being woken up, your body was yelling at you to stop and take a rest. You were falling behind since your legs didn’t want to move at a faster pace. At this point, it would take forever to get to your room. Ritsu looked behind to you and offered his arm, you linked your own arm with his and started to pick up the pace. He slowed down for you but it wasn’t ideal to be walking at a snails speed.

It was a silent night out, not many people were up this late. The people that were outside tried to stay out of each other’s way, since they had their own business to tend to. It was on the colder side, but being close to Ritsu kept your body temperature from dropping. You’ve never been this close to him, it was embarrassing that he had to help you walk but you appreciated his help. He’s never shown this much hospitality so it was surprising to witness it firsthand, a little part of you wanted this walk to last longer.

Eventually you reached the Clementia dorm, Ritsu went inside to set your laptop down on a counter. As you sat down on the bed, you remembered that you did not completely finish your assignment,

“Oh… Ritsu what about the paper?” He looked at you and pulled a piece of folded paper out his pocket, shoving it to your face. You took it and started to unravel it,

“No need to worry, I couldn’t help you finish it because plagiarism is strictly against the rules, but I wrote down some pointers after reading what you have. At the pace you’re going and the advice I’ve given, I expect that you’ll do exceptionally well.” You were a bit dumbfounded, you could only imagine how silly you looked while staring at him. You quickly collected yourself and put the biggest grin on your face,

“This will help so much, if it isn’t too much to ask… could we start working on more assignments together? I had a nice time..” you trailed off and looked to the side in embarrassment, maybe you said more than you should’ve.

“I got more than plenty of work done. It’s beneficial for both of us, two birds with one stone.” He folded his arms and smiled at you, it was getting late and you could feel that he was about to leave,

“We will discuss this at a later time, I need to catch up on my own sleep. Meet me tomorrow in the cafeteria at 12 PM.” You got up to see him off, leading him to the front doors of Clementia and being careful of where you step. “Alright, that sounds good! See you in the afternoon Ritsu, have a good night!”

While you and Ritsu waved goodnight, you could feel yourself heating up. When the door closed, you went back to your room and all you could think of was seeing him again. The day started replaying in your mind as you turned over to fall asleep, why was it so difficult to get him out of your head?

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[renclawdi]

Throwing Ren at you (: ♡ At first I didn't think I would be this obsessed with ffxiv so didn't think much on his birthday so I gave him the same as me, later on I thought I could change it to May 22nd just for him to be Gemini lmao but I guess at the end I settled to share birthday with him, watch me on that day celebrating just Ren's birthday hah

♡ Ren arrived to Gridania when he was 24 years old, I hc one year per expansion so he was 29 during Dawntrail happenings, however at this point he would be 30 already, whenever post dawntrail msq is released I will give him a 3 years time skip somehow, so whenever we are back to msq he will be 32

♡ He grew up in Yanxia however he wasn't born there I have yet to write lore on the exact place he is from (aka I am still missing Shetona lore bc I haven't leveled up my botanist enough for DT role quests so I don't want to make anything related to this until I have seen/read everything I can at the moment)

⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ Little notes for me to remember ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅

❀ Earrings: Sharlayan Pankratiast's Earrings

❀ Weapon: Majestic Manderville War Scythe Replica (Ruby red dye)

❀ Head: Inspector's Eyeglasses

❀ Top: Scientist's Coat (Dark green dye)

❀ Hands: Field Commander's Gloves

❀ Legs: Wake Doctor's Bottoms

❀ Feet: Far Eastern Maiden's Boots (Soot black dye)

⚠︎ I barely know how to draw the little Ren sticker was made by @/starthresher <- this on twitter, also template by @/cparrisart I wish I could link it but guess who lives in Brazil and cannot use twitter... yeah ⚠︎

[arechickensreal]

✿Random Persona 5 headcanons that nobody asked for✿

These are just my personal headcanons so its fine if you don’t like them !! I’m gonna be referring to the protag as Ren bc .. yeah

Anyways, Enjoy the hcs!!!

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Haru and Makoto like playing solitaire and sudoku on their phones sometimes. 

Futaba got them into some other games too

Akechi also likes playing sudoku and crosswords. He is really good at them.

Ryuji taps his fingers on things and taps his feet when he’s listening to music. 

Ren also does that.

Ryuji has a workout playlist he listens to when he’s training or running.

He listens to it with earbuds if he’s at the gym on his own. But if he’s at home or with Ren then he won’t use them and will play it out loud on a speaker or something

Ryuji is able to remember really weird things at times.

Like, he'll have a hard time remembering things for exams, but he could remember a random fact from a youtube video or twitter post he saw 4 years ago.

Akechi is really good at trivia.

Ann, Haru, and Makoto go to the gym together once a week to workout and train. They tried inviting Futaba to come a couple of times, but most of the time she declines. 

Ann had a tumblr account at some point

Ryuji wants to get a job to help his mom, but he has a hard time getting jobs because of his appearance/demeanor

Sojiro does genuinely enjoy it when any of Ren’s friends come over to chat. It certainly makes his day less boring since leblanc isn’t exactly bustling with customers all the time (Yusuke is secretly his favourite - excluding futaba)

Ann takes really good pictures because of her experience modelling.

Like, if she’s taking pics of other people she’ll tell them how to slightly adjust their pose to make it look better

I FORGOT I HAD A DOC OF LIKE?? 6 PAGES OF PERSONA 5 HEADCANONS?? SO IM PROBABLY GONNA POST THEM AT SOME POINT SINCE I HAVE NOT POSTED IN FOREVERRR

but yeah also!! feel free to send in asks and requests if you want me to write stuff!!

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Rules for Requests/Asks || Masterlist || Send asks/requests here!

[glitterym]

ʚ♡ɞ M's Masterlist ʚ♡ɞ *♡∞:｡.｡ Rules & info｡.｡:∞♡*

✼ •• Who I write for •• ✼

MARVEL

Loki/Tom Hiddleston

Peter Parker/Tom Holland

Peter Parker/Andrew Garfield

STRANGER THINGS

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

Billy Hargrove

GINNY AND GEORGIA

Marcus Baker

SCOTT PILGRIM

Gideon Graves

Matthew Patel

DC

Dick Grayson/Nightwing

Barry Allen/The Flash

HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter

Fred Weasley

Draco Malfoy

Cedric Digggory

Neville Longbottom

Newt Scammander

STAR WARS

Kylo Ren/Ben Solo

Din Djarin

YOUTUBERS

Jake webber

Colby Brock

Matt Sturniolo

Matpat

HAZBIN HOTEL

Lucifer Morningstar

Vox

Alastor

[darling-renyuu]

windblume festival shenanigans ⋆˙⟡♡ (ft. kaeya, diluc, and venti)

during the windblume festival, kaeya spends every available moment of his with you.

perhaps it’s to wordlessly apologize for his “work” taking over his time with you; but even though plenty remains unsaid and plenty of his words are yet to be proven, you sure can’t deny yourself the sweet, and genuine smile he sends your way when he thinks you’re too engrossed in your springtime adventures.

formerly mentioned springtime adventures include picking fresh fruit to mix in a oddly colorful cocktail. kaeya is ever confident in his sweet concoction. it might be different from what he’s used to, but your reaction (whether pleased or utterly mind boggled) is enough to squeeze an amused laugh out of the man.

he walks with you around the city, sneakily taking some flowers from the display to tuck them behind your ear. he reasons that there are loads of them around the city, and that nobody would even notice if some had been plucked by a certain lovesick cavalry captain. all the while, he presses kisses to your face and whispers praises for you into your ear.

you usher him to a bench and start weaving his hair into braids, placing the colorful flowers into his deep blue hair. they stand out beautifully in the dark canvas of his hair, and you take a moment to admire your handiwork. kaeya wonders how you convinced him to keep them throughout your stroll in the city; and if he’s blushing, you might just be hallucinating, aren’t you darling?

later at night, he mixes up a drink just for you two. (he startles himself, about how he just wants to spend years tucked into your welcoming embrace. he hopes, for once, that it stays that way.) you both start a conversation, but it soon fades out in favor of your warm, hands gently untangling his braids. his face is tucked in your shoulder, and your heartbeat echoes in his ears. his cold hands are tucked into the sheets and he presses them to your cheeks. he smiles, although strained, at your surprise.

he presses his cold, shivering form to you, his forehead touching yours. maybe he isn’t just shivering from his cryo vision. at least, you make it just a little better, one windblume festival at a time.

(more below!)

diluc assures you that he doesn't need much, this windblume festival.

yet, he's quite excited about your idea of having a little picnic date. you catch him staring at the cloud-filled sky, passive-aggressively whispering unintelligible things to the wind. (now, you remember that the wind blew a little too strongly that afternoon.)

diluc is quite disappointed that he can't help you with the picnic preparations, because of an urgent meeting with the guild, but you send him off with a sweet kiss and whispers of assurance. the morning after, you both manage to fish out picnic equipment (with the help of adelinde,) and set off to enjoy the spring breeze.

once you're settled on the blanket, you decide to dig in the sandwiches that you both made. diluc angles his head, silently asking for a bite, and you laugh at his adorable antics. you're glad you can let loose, even if it's just for the festival.

diluc seems more relaxed, too. he's put his hair down, and he sets his head in your lap. he's content with your soft thighs beneath his head, and your hands absentmindedly running through his hair. as much as he wants to curl into your touch and sleep, he wants to make the most of this reprieve with you.

he can't take his eyes off you. there's something special about you, and though he can't put a finger on it, he likes it nonetheless. there's a newfound warmth and fondness that grows with every second and every touch. diluc would have never thought that he'd be yearning for someone, but when that someone is you, his starlight, he'd never mind at all. and when you lean down to press a gentle kiss to his forehead, he smiles, content and smitten.

as night falls, you gasp at the starlit sky, and diluc smiles, pleased. you did say that you wanted to see the stars one time. sometimes, diluc loathes the way his sharp memory brings back every painful detail, but at least, he can use it to see you smile.

perhaps diluc's memories are tarnished by his tumultous past, but like a soft wind that gently blows over the clouds, you remind him, everytime, that there are star-like moments he can always look back on and treasure.

venti is thoroughly disappointed at himself. he slept through the morning! what about your plans to see the sunrise? he pouts as you bring him his breakfast. (or lunch. or brunch.)

nonetheless, you suggest you do something different this windblume festival. you can both stay home and make cookies to enjoy with wine, later on. his happy spirit returns, and he's so glad he's got such a genius as his windblume!

he'd cling to you the entire day, enthusiastically mixing your dough while you heat the oven. (he asks you one thing every time you bake; that you can measure the amounts, but he mixes. he loves mixing!) he'd ask you to listen to his newly composed song on his lyre, and his voice wafts through the air like the heavenly scent of the cookies that he'd put his whole heart into mixing.

he'd tell you about the origins of the windblume festival again, somehow adding more embellishments to the story each time he retells it. plus, you know for sure that he's lengthening it this time because he's waiting for the cookies to cool down a bit. (though, with the window open and the breeze pouring in, venti is most likely angling the wind to make the cookies cool faster.)

you smile at the unconcealed glee he has when he takes a bite out of the cookies. looking at him now, his unbraided hair, the lack of his hat, and him dressed in more homely attire; he looks so domestic, and you feel a growing warmth pooling in your chest. he has assured you many times that he's yours after all.

at the end of the day, the house is filled with his happy, slightly drunk giggling. he babbles about how much he loves you, and how much he wants to hug you and kiss you... and every lovely form of affection he can think of. you might brush it off as the wine's influence on him, but the look in his eyes; it says it all.

he truly does love you, and he tries to show you in every little thing he does. archons, he would most definitely dedicate a whole festival to you! extravagant displays of affection beside, he’s discovering the little things that make you smile, and even make you laugh ‘til you wheeze. he wants you to know that he loves seeing you smile, and that his own heart flutters when you look at him with such love.

now that you’re cradling him close to your chest, close to your beating heart, he can sing of a million reasons and more, that he’s lucky to be with you; his one and only windblume.

[darling-renyuu]

and time can't stop me quite like you did; auron & rook

fic summary: just rook, and how red became their favorite color. a/n: this popped into my head and i had to write it down before i lose it forever. also, my rook's side of the whole thing (but hehe i hope you like it (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)) word count: 845 words

the first time was a well-hidden farce.

his hands were shaking minutely as he spoke words that meant everything and nothing all at once. ones he had rehearsed over and over and over in front of a mirror until he went insane - but he was not sitting face to face with his own soul. no, not at all.

he asked himself once: how can someone be so unknown and so familiar to him all at once? how can someone be so like and unlike him?

his red hair made his vision blur, yet why do his veins yearn to flow through them? when did red make him feel so alive? when did brown eyes feel so cold?

it's truly odd.

everything about him makes his blood thrum and sing songs of unwritten epilogues. like stars etched with scarlet thread in his skin, longing to return to the heights. he's ecstatic when sanguine fills his periphery until its all he could think about. words and jargon blur on his screen, forming a silhouette that makes his heart yearn.

the second time was an instinct.

he should have felt fear. that's what they've taught them in school, right? red means a warning. a blaring message telling you to stop and run away.

though, red feels warm amongst the candles. intimate, with the light dancing around his hair and making him glow. he knows from those brown eyes that his soul is cold and battered and broken down until poisoned shards remain.

with every drop of wine, he could feel himself pressing his ear to the shattered mirror to hear the faint thump of a heart. the edges bite into his skin, but he smiles.

he feels like a fool; a happy fool. one who bares out a piece of his being to let this blood-soaked dagger lodge itself into the softness underneath.

grabbing his chin was an instinct. he needed to brand himself into his memory just like he had for him. he wanted hazel eyes to tint his vision just like brown eyes had for him.

it was a gamble, a risk, but it was a calling. it was a glint of something more that went beyond silly fantasies and fiction. it was as if his offer could put words to paper and make them come alive.

and it did.

the third was an epiphany.

the festivities were nothing compared to the joy he felt when that red appeared once again. he realized that red meant something new; an intriguing vulnerability, like blood underneath hardened skin, coiled around barbed bones.

he wanted to catch a glimpse of the man in an ivory tower. the man whose walls were crawling with crimson-tainted ivy, his gardens filled with fire and fury.

and somehow, in between, where the heavens and the earth meet, he did.

speaking so candidly with him felt odd. like seeing snow on the beach. so, so strange, but beautiful.

it was if they were circling each other, entangling themselves in a song and dance where their eyes and skin communicate for them.

his lips, bitten until they looked like cherries; his cheeks, blooming in rose... and that addicting scarlet bleeding like ink into the sheets.

before he knows it, red has become his favorite color.

Rook's eyes blink open, groaning softly. His hips hurt like hell, but hey, at least last night's shenanigans weren't some dream that would fade in the morning...

The ceiling of Auron's penthouse greets him, and he snuggles right back into the covers like a darling thing.

Like some kind of rare event, Auron was still asleep. The sun greets his peaceful form, the invisible string tying his brows together was not pulled taut for once. Rook simply stops, focusing on how his arm fits snugly against his waist, how his breaths slowly synched with his.

That article he read pops up in his mind again. The one about a pair of heartbeats synching when being in close proximity. Would theirs do that too? Would the silence be adorned with two heartbeats, seemingly fitting into the quiet as one?

He swallows, resting his cheek back into the pillow. He laughs softly to himself, thinking of all the ways Auron would chide him when he wakes up. Maybe something about "watching him in his sleep" or something.

And yet, even if they were entwined a few hours prior, he longs to touch. To feel, once again, the hum of his pulse against his fingertips. One that his soul is willing to echo.

He slowly brushes a finger against his cheek, his breath catching in anticipation. He knows he doesn't need to be so soft. His heart says otherwise.

And so, with a swipe of his thumb against his cheekbone, he lets out a breath with a quiver. His hazel eyes catch the sunlight. If ever Auron were to awaken at this moment, he would see red in the color of love; a subtle thing, something cautious and curious, blooming in the cracks.

for the fourth, time stops like it never had before.

writing belongs to @/darling-renyuu. please do not repost. art belongs to @/jackieeleanor.

[darling-renyuu]

SEVEN; the bittersweet trio

content: bittersweet trio being cute, some cussing, "what if they first met each other once as kids but they didn't exactly remember" kinda hc special thanks to @lunasdemise for beta reading!!!

Sweet tea in the summer Cross your heart, won't tell no other And though I can't recall your face I still got love for you

“Where should I put this, sugar?”

They turned to see Seth hauling a box over his shoulder, a messy “FRAGILE” scrawled across the side. Sugarboo smiles, and raises a flour-spattered hand over to the couch, pointing.

“Just over there, Seth. Thank you so much!”

The brunet obliges, just as Alphonse gets in and closes the door. He beams at Boo, peeking around their shoulder at the cookie dough they were mixing. “Sweet! Thanks for the cookies, babe.”

He doesn’t make a move to leave, though, expectantly beaming at the baker. They raise a brow and hand the frosting-covered spoon to him, chuckling. “All yours, Al.”

Alphonse gratefully shoves the spoon into his mouth, without forgetting to peck a swift kiss to his babe’s cheek before Seth comes up to the kitchen.

Sugar hands him some water, which he also gratefully receives. As he sips, the condensation runs down the bottle to his chin. Sugar quickly dabs at the drip, grinning as Seth looks at them dumbfounded.

“Did I have something on my chin?” He asks, narrowing his eyes at Alphonse’s… appreciative look. “What now, bubblegum?”

The aforementioned bubblegum prince simply waves a hand and licks the last of the frosting off.

Seth snorts as Alphonse turns away to wash the rapidly accumulating dishes in the sink. He busies himself looking over at the cookies Sugarboo’s laying on the tray. “What’ya makin’ sugar?”

They raise their head, gesturing to the little blobs of divine, saccharine goodness.

“I’ve made a dozen! The half’s got cinnamon, and the other half’s plain butter cookies,”they say, giving a glance to each of the two, “Wanna help me decorate ‘em later before they get devoured?”

The two voice their agreement, and Sugarboo goes on to place the cookies into the oven. They huff, bumping Alphonse hip with theirs as they make him scoot a little to the side to they can wash their hands.

Wiping their hands on a nearby cloth, they look at the box and back at Seth. They grin. “Wanna do a little unboxing?”

“Sure, sugar,” he says, following them to crash on the couch.

Cradling the box in their lap, they shift around to sit cross-legged on the plush couch. They rip off the tape, unfolding the flaps like it was some sort of blooming cardboard flower. Sugar immediately snorts at the contents.

“Oh shit, this is from years ago! Gosh, my old journals… my recipe books… and huh?” Their awed voice tapers off to a mumble, “My camera, too. Haven’t seen this in a while.”

Seth squints at it, pursing his lips. “I think we got some batteries- hold on,” he quickly gets up from the couch to pull a drawer open, “Here ya go.”

They give him a smiley “Thanks!” before flicking the compartment open and replacing the older batteries. Alphonse comes just in time to sidle up beside Sugarboo. Seth settles into their other side.

The camera flickers to life, and the two men curiously lean in. “Damn. How old is this thing, Boo?”

“…It’s almost as old as I am.” They whisper, trying to remember where the gallery button was. With a click, it opens the very last picture taken on it. It was a picture of them before they moved into town, in their childhood home surrounded by an army of cardboard boxes.

Sugarboo cringes. “Ugh. Hate the haircut.”

That draws a chuckle out of Seth, and a teasing grin out of Alphonse. “I mean, it could be worse, Boo.”

Sugarboo quickly presses the “next” button, and the oldest photo props up. Their eyes soften as soon as it appears.

Sugarboo, in all their toddler glory, looking shy and unsure as they face the camera.

“Aw,” Alphonse starts, “How old were you in this?”

They shrug. “Like… maybe six? I remember getting the camera when I first started school.”

They flick through the photos, until they land on a specific photo that catches Seth’s eye. “Wait, sugar. This road looks familiar t’me.”

The photo was a slightly blurry shot of the sidewalk, along with some equally blurry blobs of what look like stores. It’s obvious that it was taken by a kid who was running. Or speed walking.

“Oh yeah. The next pictures are from a family trip. Though I can’t exactly remember the name of the place, I never forgot the vibes. It almost feels like here, in this town.” They explain, Alphonse unusually quiet and staring at the photo.

The next photo makes Alphonse’s brows furrow. “Wait, I know that playground. All rusted now, but Seth and I used to play there when we was just little brats…”

Sugarboo flicks to the next, and it makes the trio’s eyes collectively widen.

“Holy shit.” Alphonse helpfully supplies.

It’s a candid photo, of little Sugarboo playing tic-tac-toe with two children. One’s got fluffy black hair with bright blue eyes, and the other’s got his tongue out in concentration as he traces an x into the sand. He’s got very familiar brown hair and eyes.

Seth blinks at the photo. “Holy shit indeed.”

With every consecutive photo, Sugarboo’s mental jaw drops closer to the ninth circle of the inferno.

The swing creaks ominously, and they glance up to make sure they won’t fall. Their face scrunches up as they squint against the afternoon sun.

Summer vacation won’t last long, but they don’t exactly have anyone else but their family to spend it with. There aren’t exactly kids their age here…

Footsteps crunch against the sand, and they whip their head to the sound. It’s two boys, chatting up a storm as they skip towards the playground.

They’re almost tempted to flee, until they catch his blue-eyed gaze. He points to them, saying something to his friend.

The child grips the swing, cautiously looking at the pair in silence. They walk up to them, and the black-haired kid grins, waving.

“Hey. You new here?” At their nod, his smile gets brighter. “Nice! You here to stay, or…?”

“For a trip. Visiting my relatives.” They reply meekly. Alphonse nods, holding out a hand.

“Well, welcome! I’m Alphonse. What’s yours?” He bumps his friend with his hip, who bumps him back. He shyly gives them a wave.

Now that they’re looking at him, they notice how both his brown eyes and hair catch in the sunlight. Dinosaur bandaids are plastered onto his knee and cheek.

“…I’m Seth. Welcome to town.”

They say their own name, and shake Alphonse’s offered hand.

“So uh,” Alphonse starts, “What do you guys feel like doin’?”

After an intense game of tic-tac-toe and a round of sweet iced tea, the trio climb up to where Alphonse and Seth have claimed their spot.

They chat about a lot of things; what food you like, what you don’t, if you believe in dinosaurs, and what your favorite color is.

The summer sunlight flits through the trees, casting light on the trio laughing and clutching their middles.

Soon, a woman calls their name, and asks if the three of them could take a little commemorative picture before the little one has to go home. The pair happily oblige, and they stand on either side of them, each of the children with their own little pose and smile.

The shutter clicks and they smile.

The picture stays on the screen, like a little mirror to the present; except instead of cute little smiles and peace signs, the present image is a flabbergasted trio. Significantly older too.

They take the time to stare at each other in bewilderment, before Sugarboo breaks out in a laugh.

“Oh my goodness, how could I’ve forgotten that?” They snort, shaking.

Seth chuckles. “So that’s why you were so familiar.”

“This is some real destiny type stuff here! Shit, how could I, nah… how could we have forgotten you?” He laughs breathlessly, but a mischievous smile grows on his face, “…Maybe ‘cause of the haircut?”

Sugarboo lays an affronted hand on their chest, clutching their invisible pearls. “Excuse me?”

“Woah, low blow for someone cosplaying a laffy taffy.” Seth chirps, earning another laugh from his mini-audience.

“I look damn good, and you know it, Seth.”

“Yeah, sure.”

The oven dings, announcing the upcoming arrival of their cookies. But before anyone gets up, Sugarboo takes both their hands.

“I…I’m glad I met you guys. Just, better late than never, right?” They smile at their boys, receiving two fond smiles back.

“Glad I met you too, Boo.” Alphonse squeezes their hand. He glances at the brunet who smiles wistfully.

“…Seth, you gettin’ teary-eyed again?”

“Oh shut up, you sap. Let me help you get the cookies, sugar.” Seth gets up, giving Sugar a slight tug to their feet.

They in turn tug Alphonse up, and they somehow walk hand in hand to the kitchen.

A single red thread hangs from all their pinkies.

Your braids like a pattern Love you to the moon and to Saturn Passed down like folk songs The love lasts so long

do not repost; writing of @/darling-renyuu

[lxkeeeeee]

Sobbing this is so cute 😭😭

can this be a real thing? can it?

fic summary: living with kuni has been quite the experience. he still carries the attitude he developed as the balladeer, ordering you to do various stuff he can’t exactly do by himself. (in between therapy sessions with nahida, his schoolwork, and his part-time job as a barista, you’re often the one left at home with your “work-from-home” job.)

so you surprise him by finishing everything before he asks for it.

“[Name], can’t you throw out the trash? I’m leaving in a minute.”

“[Name], the dishes. My shift starts in an hour.”

“[Name].”

These are just some of the many statements you got used to at the start of your… cohabitation. Needless to say, Kuni has been stacked with things to do. Leaving some of the work to you.

“Ugh, they’re wasting my time. How hard is it to send your parts on time?” He clutches his temples, groaning. You set down a steaming cup of tea and a snack on his desk. Kissing his hair, you whisper.

“Take a break, Kuni. Starving yourself won’t make them move any faster.”

He turns to you slowly. Kuni scans your face, raising an eyebrow. “What’s gotten into you?”

You smile.

“Nothing,” you say, kissing his cheek next, “I love you.”

You feel his cheek warm slightly under your lips. Chuckling, you step away. Kuni stares at you as you exit his study, frowning with a flushed face. He shrugs it off as you being weird again.

He’s had a long damn day. Most of the customers ordered outrageous drinks again, and his head hurt thinking about how sweet the drinks would be. Add the cherry on top, their loud voices disturbing the cafe he works in. Once out of sight, he had rolled his eyes.

You all will get diabetes, idiots.

He approaches your apartment door, fishing his bag pocket for his keys. Kuni stares emptily into the door as he unlocks it. Ugh. I left the dishes unwashed before leaving. Guess I’ll have to-

His eyes widen at the empty sink, the plates placed neatly on the rack. The cups are all washed as well, turned upside down. He hangs his coat on a hanger, a warmth growing in his chest.

Rolling up his sleeves, he calls out. “[Name]? What do you want for dinner?”

Nahida walks with him, out of her apartment. “I think there’s been a very good improvement in your mental state, Kuni. I believe in you, and I know your partner does too.”

Kuni blushes hard, ready to refute when Nahida raises a brow. He snaps his mouth shut and grumbles. Nahida gasps, remembering something.

”Oh, I can’t drive tou back home today. Kaveh borrowed my car, so how do you plan on getting home?” She asks, her brows furrowed in concern.

He waved it off. “I’ll just get a taxi-”

A beep sounded behind them, and once Nahida caught sight of the vehicle, she smiled and waved. Kuni turned around, meeting the familiar sight of his love’s car.

You rolled down the window, grinning. “Hey, Nahida. How was Kuni today?”

Kuni stared at you, while Nahida’s smile grew softer. “He’s doing well! I think you’re helping him a whole lot, [Name].”

You smile sheepishly. “Aw, well. I’m doing my best.”

Kuni turns to Nahida, breaking out of his shocked stupor.

“I guess I’ll go home now. See you on Friday?” At that, Nahida nods.

“Yes. Stay safe, the both of you.”

He nodded, and got in your car. You waved goodbye to Nahida, before driving off to your house.

Somehow, you can feel Kuni boring a hole into your head with his eyes. You glance at him. “What’s up, love?”

“…Why are you doing this?” He asks, cautious. Your heart clenches, and you reach out to caress his hand.

“I was free today, and I figured you’d be tired. Is it okay that I picked you up, Kuni?” You asked, fully looking at him once you got to a stop light.

Kuni just stared at you, but then he gives a tiny smile. “…Thanks.”

You can’t help but lean over, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I love you.”

“…I love you too.” Kuni whispers, not quite ready to look you in the eyes today.

At home, you both end up cuddling, telling each other about your day.

”Did you know, Kuni? My coworker accidentally sent a meme to our official company page. It was hilarious, seeing the boss send confused messages about the pic.” You laughed.

Kuni snorts, pulling your head closer to his chest. He pauses, and grabs your face in his hands. “But tell me, what’s the real reason behind all this?”

“What is… this?” You ask, curious.

He bites his lip. “Making me tea, doing the dishes, driving me home, hell. The house is spotless. Why?”

Your smile turns shy. “Well, I saw how tired you were getting. Between your work, your schoolwork, and your much needed sessions with Nahida, I know how busy you are. I don’t want you to feel obliged to do everything yourself. I’m your partner, baby. I want to make it easier for you, even in the little things.”

Kuni’s eyes widen as you speak, his gaze getting softer. He sighs.

”I’ll admit. This… this whole thing is new to me. So I was freaked out. I really thought, at first, that you were just doing all that because you needed something. But… knowing your intentions now,” he says, caressing your cheek. “I-Thank you.”

You turn your head and kiss his palm. “No worries, honey. I’ll be sure to make you feel loved and cared for, just as much as you make me feel the same.”

Kuni allows himself a soft smile, holding you closer.

“Stop being sappy.”

“Make me, darling.”

“Just…Stop giving me a new petname every second, [Name]!”

“Oh, I’ve got a lot more in store, sweetheart.”

Kuni pinches your cheek, and you let out a string of “ah, ow, ow, baby! ‘M sorry!”

He snorts, kissing your sore cheek. “Just go to sleep now.”

“Yes sir.” You smile, turning your head to meet his lips.

written by @/darling-renyuu. please do not repost.