#shioya x reader

[yakuzacasual]

Dating headcanons for Shioya?? :3c

PREFACE

I want to open up with my best wishes to all the ppl reading this, that may be living in the US (and also are the Destiel fans because damn I am so sorry for y’all). It’s been not only rough, but also an incredibly crazy week all around so I hope you all are doing well, staying healthy and I offer this little piece of writing to maybe make you feel a bit better!

And now, to the lovely Non behind this request, say I SQUEALED when I saw this one and realized who Shioya was. He’s perfect to write for bc he’s got the funky Kaito vibe where I can think up some weird shit that’ll still feel like it holds true no matter how badly do I screw up the writing but also makes me feel so joyful all throughout the writing and just sksksk. It may be a bit of a mess but I. HAD. A. BLAST. Thank you so much, hope you enjoy it and see you around :3c

RELATIONSHIP 101 WITH SHIOYA

Not being able to keep his hand in the back pocket of his partner's trousers or just straight out on their butt? Major offense, call the police. See, while some may think he’s just an old perv who doesn’t know how to keep his hands to himself in public spaces, Shioya actually takes great pride in having someone such as yourself date a regular thug like himself and wants to openly wear it like a badge of honor. In that way it feels incredibly empowering to know that they are okay with him being slightly possessive of you like that. And in addition to his hand just being very comfortable, it does serve a greater purpose too! No sane person would dare bother you when he’s there latched onto your lovely behind like his life depends on it, after all. You don’t ever have to worry about returning the favour. He is more than happy to provide his own back pockets for your hands and will especially enjoy it if there is a bigger height difference between the two of you - and you are the short one, of course. All kinds of teasing can be expected from him, such as the usual joke of making you his elbow rest or putting things on the high shelves just so that he could see you struggle. It’s nothing but a bit of fun for him though and he will always stop immediately whenever he feels you are getting frustrated or starting to feel real bad about your height. He may not know how to make it better but you can always count on him lending you a hand and maybe even giving you a lift. Also, piggyback rides, a lot of them.

If by some miracle you end up being the highest of you two, he may be kind of grumpy about it at the beginning of the relationship. His alpha male pride is somewhat wounded but at the same time, damn, darlin’, you are the absolute coolest person to ever exist. Not only do you look like a snack, but your height makes it feel like you could snap him in half, even if that’s the farthest one could be from the truth. With time, Shioya learns to revel in being the smaller one, often pulling on your shirt so that he could give you a proper smooch or just act smug about being your partner. See that big ass person? Ye, that’s my baby. All in all it may make keeping his hands in your back pockets harder, but the payoff is definitely worth the price.

Likes to get piss drunk and cause trouble, preferably together with his partner. He knows every bar in the vicinity, from the worst drinking dens with cheapest booze to the most fancy bars serving expensive, albeit delicious cocktails in small cups. You can count on him to figure out a place that would suit you both and if you do actually have a drink with him, even if non-alcoholic, he’ll be elated enough to cover your tab no matter how high or low. And then also the costs of whatever fun adventures will the two of you get into after getting properly intoxicated. While he kind of can’t imagine himself having a partner that doesn’t get wasted alongside him, if you do turn out to be the more “proper” kind in that sense, it’ll turn out that there is nowhere he can feel safer, than in your warm arms, as you - the sober and reasonable one - stop him from doing some real stupid shit. He does, however, realize that his drunk shenanigans may be negatively affecting you and he worries about putting too much pressure on you by this selfish way of using you as his nanny. In that case, Shioya probably won’t stop drinking all together, but he will try to at very least control himself better. It will be a painful process, but he can’t bring shame to his beloved. 

Surprisingly for many, Shioya can turn out to be extremely gentle with you behind closed doors. The rough image he’s got to keep on the outside for everyone to see and fear is one thing, but in the four closed walls of your (or his) apartment when lights are dim, the TV static is the only sounds as he tenderly runs his big hands through your hair it just feels like it may have never happened at all. Whenever he is trying to be more delicate, you will discover little new things that his seemingly clumsy hands can do really well. Shioya turns out to be a pro at braiding hair really meticulously and in various different ways and he is incredibly good at quickly locating and massaging the tension points in your body. And, aside from just being naturally adept at it, he enjoys it a whole lot. It’s the only way he knows how to repay you for sticking around despite his numerous flaws.

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Manga Review – Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol. 1

Shakaijin Yuri, stories featuring love between adult women who have left school, is a well-established corner in the Japanese Yuri market. Over the past few months, the scene started to pick up its full force in the West. English audiences are experiencing new Shakaijin series, both contemporary like Still Sick and older such as The Conditions of Paradise. For me, there are few works so prolific and intrinsic to the Shakaijin boom as Syrup. In Japanese, the subtitle reads Shakaijin Yuri Anthology. While the English release drops the subgenre's label, the content remains the same, an anthology dedicated to nothing but Yuri love stories featuring adult women from some of the Yuri industries best. However, Syrup's focus on mature and workplace stories more than piqued my interest. However, readers will likely be disappointed with this inconsistent and often forgettable anthology that is just as sour as sweet.

One of Syrup's main draws is its contributors. Some of the best in the Yuri world touched this manga, and even Western Yurijin will likely recognize a few of the names like Yukiko (Futaribeya), Itou Hachi (Kindred Spirits on the Roof), and of course Morinaga Milk (Girl Friends). It is always exciting to read a story from one of your favorites. Even I, who cares rather little for authorship, was happy to see Ohi Pikachi, who wrote the incredible Our Teachers are Dating, among the list. It also provides readers with a chance to familiarize themselves with unfamiliar creators like Amano Shuninta and Kurogane Ken, who grace the anthology with some of its best chapters.

Another benefit of having such a variety of contributors is the plethora of different art styles in the anthology. There is such a stark yet fun contrast between more mature or sensuous styles like Matsuzaki Natsumi and Ito Hachi's bubble moe characters. The manga spans almost every point between these two styles, and just flipping through the pages to look at the artwork can be a fun experience. Of course, some are more polished than others. Mochi_Au_Lait's simplistic and flat style stands as an unfortunate outlier among some other fabulous artists. However, their story, "The Cram School Teachers," is one of the funniest in the anthology. Not every story's aesthetics will suit all readers, but that is the point of a collection, to sample a wide array of talents. Fly's beautiful cover illustration wraps the fantastic art within, standing as a crown jewel of Yuri manga covers.

Unfortunately, the plot and characters are not nearly as enjoyable as the art. While a mixture of aesthetics can add to a work, different story styles often feel inconsistent. For this reason, I usually prefer collections of a single author's short stories, like Rouge Nagashiro's Eve and Eve and Morishima Akiko's The Conditions of Paradise. However, a unifying theme can often correct this issue. Sadly, a few too many of the stories seem to revel in the more "adult" allowances of adult characters and ironically created some of the most immature entries in the anthology.

Before diving too deep into the weeds of mediocrity, there are some chapters in Syrup worthy of highlight. Two of the best chapters, Shioya Teruko's "Promise" and Kurogane Kenn's "Rose Quartz" feature women in established relationships taking the next step in their relationship. Reading about these women celebrate their feelings for each other is wholesome, charming, and even sensual. The latter of the two stories is also one of the few to use adult content in a way that feels more mature. It clarifies the characters' love and attraction for each other, rather than just flashing a panel of exposed breasts for fanservice. It is great to see artists use their allowance to show a little more in profound ways while not letting it run away from them. It demonstrates admirable restraint and thoughtful writing that respects its characters.

Other interesting chapters include "Mama X Mom," which is less about the sexual relationship between two women and focuses on the character's emotional bonds in a unique situation. Ito Hachi's "First Grown-Up Love" perhaps lives up to the Syrup title the most, as it is an adorably sweet and fluffy tale of first love at adulthood. As one of the longer stories, it also has a bit more time for subtly and, thus, it includes some of the stronger and more interesting characters.

Sadly, most of the stories in Syrup are incredibly mediocre. Telling a compelling narrative with interesting characters in such a brief form, in some cases as short as six pages, is a daunting task that most chapters fail to overcome. They are utterly dull and forgetful, with characters designed with little more than maybe a job and the fact that they are interested in a woman in mind. They leave little impression, and even in the moment of reading, one finds themselves tired and wishing for the passage to end. A few tales show some modicum of potential, like Kodama Naoko's "Daily Smile," but they often end before they can get going.

A few dull chapters are acceptable, as tastes will vary, and many will enjoy some of the stories that left me utterly unenthused. However, where Syrup struggles are in its weak chapters. Some, like Yoshimura Kana's "Coward Queen," a confusing and offputting depiction of two women making a pornographic movie, and Matsuzaki Natsumi's "My Femme Fatale" revel far too much in displaying as much nudity as they can get away with before being labeled as porn. The former of these portray a lust for sadism that clashes with the rest of the primarily mundane anthology. It might even spoiler the next several chapters, as it is one of the first stories and leaves readers with immense displeasure.

There are some questionable attitudes towards boundaries and crossing lines, even outside the more salacious and exploitative stories. Depictions or descriptions of actions like staring at a woman's underwear or breasts, or awkwardly splurting out "I'm a virgin," are tossed out casually, often portrayed as romantic. Now, this manga is a work of fiction and can be enjoyed even with some more questionable aspects, as they usually are not deal breakers here. However, the dated attitudes feel like something out of an '80s comedy, not in a manga that, in all else, appears to at least attempt to hold an air of realism. This pervasive element at best makes an already struggling story worse, but it can add unpleasant notes to otherwise delightful offerings.

There is no better example of potentially compelling work squandered by its unsavory elements than Morinaga Milks "Working with an Angel." It starts pretty well, introducing readers to an entertainment agency manager with a forbidden otaku friendship with a model. However, instead of taking a more intelligent or realistic approach of the two trying to keep their growing relationship secret or a heroic, "consequences be damned," declaration of love, the story turns sleazy. The model wants to show her naked body off to the manager as the latter admits that she spies on the models while they change. Off-putting is the most generous review of this final chapter.

While Syrup: A Yuri Anthology has a few bright offerings of sweet and compelling relationship between adult women, it is incredibly bogged down by forgettable and mediocre stories. Few stories can present more than a weak premise and characters best described as "female" within their short page count. More objectionable, with a few notable exceptions, Syrup muddles its attempts to show how grown-up Yuri can by mistaking boobs and fanservice for maturity. Yes, Shakaijin stories, tales of adult women can be sexy. In fact, they should be more than willing to describe inelegance and lust; after all, for many people, that is what love is. Still, too often, Syrup forgets the heart, affection, and emotion, substituting them for cheap, uninspired story beats and characters. There are some chapters worth readers' time, but unless you are a hardcore fan of a contributor, this is an easy skip 

It is challenging to award ratings for Syrup, as each story's merits vary. Some are a comfortable 8 or 9 and others a measly 2 or 3. However, the majority of the book was unobjectionable yet poorly constructed fluff, as respected in the scores below.

Ratings: Story – 5 Characters – 3 Art – 8 LGBTQ – 6 Sexual Content – 8 Final – 5

Review copy provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

Purchase Syrup: A Yuri Anthology Vol. 1 digitally in print: https://amzn.to/39ObT5F

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