#so it's not really necessary to continue it hahaha

[ficsforeren]

Hi Kana! First of all, for a couple months I’ve been reading TLS and IAL but it’s been so long since we’ve had any notice or update about IAL. Can we get a lil sneak peek of the story, please? I hope you’re doing good! ^^ lots of love <333

Hi, baby!! Thank you so much for reading The Last Song and In Another Life! that means a lot to me 🥺 Yeah, unfortunately, I don't think I can post another chapter for IAL cause I have so much on my plate right now what with being pregnant and all I'm so sorry darling 😭😭😭 I have a few scenes I've already written but it's really rough so I don't think I'm going to post them 😭

Hopefully, one day (if I have the energy and motivation to actually finish those scenes), I can post a new chapter. I'll give you a sneak peek then, promise!

[boowritess]

part 1 hehe

notsobaddasssoldier!reader that is so incredibly under prepared for everything. and the 141 really do forget that you're actually still very green - very new to this life.

especially with things like interrogation.

for once, price is putting you on the sideline BUT you have to interogate the person they have captive for valuable information.

they'll give you whatever things you need in order to pry out any sort of information from the captive. they don't even second guess you asking for a guitar. they get one then they continue on with the mission while you interrogate the person.

their expectation may have been very high. they were betting on all the little fun bloody pain you could potentially do to the captive. seriously,

"knife, they're a knife person" *ghost*

"definitely not. fire. they're definitely using a blowtorch on em as we speak." *soap*

"sod of the both of ya - waterboarding. for sure." *gaz*

"choking." *price shrugs*

obviously, they were excited to come back and see who was right...

it really humbled them to see they were all wrong.

"please make them stop. i'll tell you whatever you want"

*captive yelling that can be barely heard over reader.*

"AHHHHHHHHHH *strum strum* AHHHHHH AHHHHHHH *strum strum* AHHHHHH-"

*reader who is loudly strumming the guitar out of tune, screaming in the captives' face over and over again.*

the guys don't know if they should be impressed or concerned. they were gone for nearly 5 hours.

5 hours you had been screaming in the captives' face 'playing' the guitar.

later on you get a lesson from ghost about what interrogations are supposed to be like - it ends with you vomiting and price patting your back and gaz holding a bucket to your mouth.

"what did you think was gonna happen when ghost showed ye what to do?" *soap*

"i don't know... go boo?" *scarred reader*

yeah... you're not allowed to do interrogations anymore or be involved in interrogations- you are also most definitely not allowed to talk to captives or guard them because -

"why're you doing this?" *captive*

"honest to god, i ain't got much goin' for me and i had hella stu-"

*reader's mouth suddenly gets covered, gaz looking at you like an idiot*

"hm? what is your little task force plan, huh? go on and blow the place?" *captive*

"well actually no. they plan too-" *your mouth gets covered just in time and you're getting dragged out the room by a very frustrated price*

you very much get ANOTHER lesson about what NOT TO DO when in the same room as a captive - it's pointless though because you're still not ever allowed in the same room alone with a captive.

HAHAHA

i can't stop thinking of reader who is watching a captive be interrogated for information by getting choked and reader just piping up like

"i don't think they can breathe..."

*ghost, long exhale, continues choking captive*

"that's the point, kid" *price*

"oh..."

*they continue choking the captive, waiting for them to crack-*

"if they can't breathe how are they going to talk-?"

"out." *ghost snaps pointing at the door.*

maybe they do give you a second shot at attempting to interrogate the captive. the 'correct' way this time, though. giving you ALL the necessary tools...

and you are ready, you're pumped. you can do it. you're not going to vomit - you're going to do it right.

you grab the pliers and walk towards the captive who is obviously panicked, very much expecting you to do your worse. which you are.

you grab their mouth and force their mouth open, ready to pull their teeth out - sucking a deep breath in as the captive starts to cry and beg.

but then you start to cry and beg.

"please just tell me the information i don't wanna do this"

"you don't have too!" *captive, crying and begging too*

"i do! i'm sorry..."

"no." *captive*

"yes."

"no" *captive starts screaming, making you start screaming as you pull on their tooth both of you staring at eachother and screaming your heads off.*

"I'M SORRY!"

"STOP!" *captive*

"I CAN'T!" *pulls tooth with pliers* "EW EW EW EW-"

you don't even do it right. you're pulling at their tooth with pliers and you're not strong enough so you're awkwardly just tugging the captives head. but the both of you are too busy screaming and begging to notice...

but you actually manage to successfully get the information - you're still not allowed to do interrogations... only being the very last option.

it does mean that you have to go on missions... even if you're useless omg idea?

*gasp* someone claims reader is a traitor - oop?

more parts, perhaps?

a/n: wrote this while trying to work through an anxiety/panic attack !! xx honestly tho these would be my genuine reaction. btw drink water and try sleep cause i can't xx

[rainychaoloveshack]

Suggestive Boom!Sonic one shot cause hes so flirty and so silly? ty!!!

ﾟ ⋆ ﾟ ☂︎ ⋆ ﾟ .  𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐠.

sonic likes relaxing with you. alone.

content (16+). boom!sonic x gn!reader, suggestive!!!, kinda needy sonic, teasing-like relationship, stupid idiot definitely loves flirting with you, bunch of kisses… and licks. 

☂︎ wc. around 900 ☂︎ a/n. i was feelin a bit… devilish this one 😈 (the post write clarity hit hard.) HAHAHA i hope i did your request justice anon! first time writing smth like this… i tried to keep it at least 16+ (as per my comfortability with writing spice), but mightve leaned more into rated M, my fault ^^’

likes, reblogs, and especially comments are extremely appreciated!!!

“Hey, you know everyone already left, right?” That familiar blue blur the village knows and loves comes through the doorway, crossing his arms and leaning against the sofa as he looks you up and down, obviously skeptical about your continued presence in the hut. “What’cha still doing here? I thought Sticks was really urging you to go.”

You shrug your shoulders, letting a yawn slip out as you wave him off, shutting your eyes as the hammock swings gently at your movement. A nice, sundown nap is in order.

“You didn’t feel like going with them?” You don’t bother opening your eyes, but give him a curt nod as you feel his presence beside you, hearing the tapping of his foot against the hard, wooden floor. “Well, why don’t you just come with me then? I’m about to run a couple laps to and back from the beach.” 

Booooringgg. You click your tongue in disapproval, but open up an eye to peek at him, curious about the fact that he invited you to hang out with him in the first place. Usually he’d just bug Tails about things like that, or challenge Knuckles to a couple rounds of golf. Well, maybe you’re just a last resort, considering the fact that you’re the only one here…

“That doesn’t interest you either, huh?” Sonic tilts his head, his ear twitching at your silent agreement with a nod. Words aren’t even necessary. No point in wasting your breath on them.

He pouts, staring at you silently putting his gloved hands right on his hips, cocking his head to the other side as his foot keeps on tapping on the floor. After a few beats of silence, he nudges you in an annoying manner, causing you to let a small curse slip between your lips as you gaze up at him.

“Alright, scoot over.”

What?

Sonic grins as he shakes the hammock, forcing a yelp through your lungs as he urges you to make way for him, climbing inside the hammock to snuggle against you before you can even utter a refusal. Idiot.

He chuckles, a cheeky, clearly amused grin on his face as he presses his cheek against yours, a soft purr rumbling from within his chest as his playful demeanor falters for a moment, enjoying the warmth emitting from your body. If you weren't so bugged out with him currently, you would’ve teased him for his animalistic behavior, but the thought slipped out of your mind the second it entered once you feel another purr ring from him. Lucky bastard.

You scowl, nudging him away from you. You were having a nice, relaxing time, and then all of a sudden he wants to butt in like this?

“Oh, what?” Sonic grins at you, relishing in your embarrassed expression. “You’re acting like you don’t like it. I know you do.” Your scowl doesn’t falter with his statement. And what brings him to that assumption?

“Cause if you didn’t, you could’ve pushed me outta here already.” Sonic murmurs, that stupid sly grin popping back on his face as he straddles over your figure, before you can utter a protest to his statement, and he leans down to kiss your neck, letting his tongue lap up the spot briefly, before leaning more towards the right to suck gently, nipping at it with his teeth.

Oh. 

You flinch at the wet feeling plastered on your neck, but soon settle down, stifling back a groan as he draws his tongue across your jawline, leaning so close to your face that your lips briefly touch against each other.

“You didn't need to go with the others anyway.” He says, a small growl behind his words. “It’s more fun with me, yeah?” Sonic groans at his own impatience, leaning in as soon as he finishes his sentence, running his tongue against the tip of your fang with a small growl following afterward, pleased at your reaction to his advance once you reach your hand over to hold his, intertwining your fingers with his as he pins it down to the hammock.

Suddenly, Sonic angrily nips at your bottom lip, almost begging for your tongue to make contact with his, and you comply with his begging as he whines softly in the kiss, clearly happy with your decision, though he’ll never say it out loud. His ego’s much too big for something like that, but displaying his affections for you in a hut where anyone from the group could walk in is just fine. Hmm.

The kiss is cut short as Sonic breaks away, panting softly above you and chuckling softly. “Sorry. I dunno what’s up with me today…” Maybe some self-evaluation would do him some good.

… Who’re you kidding? You know you don’t care.

Sonic’s soft breathing mixes with yours, along with his soft kisses against your cheek, shifting slightly on top of you as his leg straddles your body, cuddling and bringing you closer. 

What a loser.

You groan in a fake annoyed tone, muttering curses towards him as he laughs beside you, yet you snuggle closer to his chest and those curses turn into gentle kisses leading up his chest, tugging away his brown bandana with your teeth, and you relish in the sound of Sonic’s laughs cut short, and his breath hitching in his throat, his hand resting itself on your hips before making its way up your own torso, 

Eh. This isn’t so bad. You should stay back and just relax in Sonic’s Hut more often. Alone.

Yeah…

(i was actually gonna post this last night but tumblr was being bad >:[ its alright lol)

[physalian]

“Why doesn’t the villain just kill the heroes?”

Ah, plot armor. If you want to be a real go-getter and think up a more creative way for the heroes to always narrowly escape death out of sheer dumb luck, the villain being too slow on the draw, or the villain simply not thinking of it in the moment, you have to come up with a reason for why the villain doesn’t just kill the hero.

Four examples today.

1. Zhao & Aang

In “The Blue Spirit,” Aang is captured by Zhao, a man normally not above anything to further his agenda, including murder. The Avatar is the largest obstacle in his way, second to the Earth Kingdom, and all he has to do to take Aang off the gameboard is to kill a twelve-year-old. He’s got Aang in chains, not quite powerless but harmless enough, and could do it quickly.

So why doesn’t he? Per Zhao himself, if he kills Aang, the Avatar cycle will continue, born into some random water bender that may take them years to track down. Sure, they’ll be harmless for a few years and the Fire Nation might get lucky and find them easily, perhaps even sway the new one to their side, but what if the waterbending Avatar is born into the Foggy Swamp? Or they end up having to kill them, too, and then have to track down an earthbending Avtar across the entire Earth Kingdom? Does Zhao really want to take that chance when he can just keep Aang alive? Just barely?

Of course not.

Killing the hero in this case might stop the immediate threat, but it will just delay the inevitable, thus it’s in the villain’s best interest to exploit a loophole while likely committing war crimes in the process. He gets to secure a Fire Nation victory and make Aang suffer for the rest of his life.

Ozai doesn't kill Aang until the first chance he gets, which just so happens to be the series finale. And we all know why Aang has a no-kill policy.

2. Sam, Dean & The Angels and Demons

Hahaha it’s the show known for its refusal to kill its heroes. We’re gonna ignore everything past season 5. There’s obviously meta reasons—kill the main characters and you have zero supporting cast that could realistically take over the show.

But in season 4, despite multiple deaths already for both of them, so begins the “if you die we’ll just bring you back” threat, because they’re angels and angels can do that. Similar to Aang, Sam and Dean risk a fate far worse than death if they don’t cooperate with Zachariah’s plans. He happily gives them both a slew of diseases and illnesses to get his way whenever he gets the chance and reminds them both that if they just kill themselves to escape the Apocalypse, he’ll happily revive them. The Demons won't kill Sam and Dean because they're necessary to further their own plans by breaking certain seals on Lucifer's cage, though they're not above breaking bones and killing bystanders.

Fate worse than death is a popular threat, but usually the heroes offing themselves is still a viable, if deeply unpopular, option. Supernatural removes it entirely and for such a simple little detail, it does a lot to make their survivability believable.

3. Batman & Joker

Ahh the age old furious rant by people who don’t understand Batman: If Batman killed his villains they’d stop busting out of Arkham and murdering innocent civilians, Batman has so much blood on his hands—

Babe. Babe, he’s a comic book character. By his very nature, he can’t kill his villains otherwise he’d have no rogues gallery. Comic books are like a giant board of Monopoly, going around in circles and occasionally having a timeout in jail.

But the in universe reason there’s no killing has been essayed about extensively and so has why Joker doesn’t try harder to kill him, but I couldn’t not include these two. Batman does not kill because he is not judge, jury, and executioner of his villains, most of whom have mental health issues and while they certainly know better and their crimes aren’t justified, his villains need actual therapy and help and medication, not death. Even those who he might agree must be stopped and there’s no other way except murder, Batman himself will not be the one to pull the trigger. He must remain a hero, so that no matter who he comes across in the dark alleyways of Gotham, they know he’s not here to kill them, be it criminal or victim.

Joker doesn’t kill Batman for a much simpler reason, and Heath Ledger literally says it: “I won’t kill you because you’re too much fun.” He does not need a more convoluted reason, he enjoys the game, the chase, the tug of war (most versions of him, at least) and to kill Batman would be to end his greatest form of entertainment, and the only person probably in the whole world who is neither afraid of Joker nor dismissive of him as simply a freak.

4. Optimus and Megatron

Optimus Prime and Megatron are very similar to Batman and Joker but with literal eons of history between them. In most serialized Transformers media, as opposed to movies where the plot is more urgent, Megatron both wants to win Optimus over and just can't quite let himself finally win. Who is he without his rival, after all this time?

Optimus is in the same boat, refusing to kill him because he's still holding out hope for Megatron's redemption, that there's a peaceful way to end this war (no matter how much collateral both leaders end up causing). Shit gets real whenever Optimus breaks the unspoken rules of their no-kill rivalry and Megatron gets incredibly pissy about it because he's in love.

—

Suggestions to workshop this plot hole in your own narrative:

The hero staying alive is absolutely paramount to the villain’s plan (in which case, you have to have rock solid reasons for why they keep narrowly escaping capture)

The villain is so confident in their plan that they don’t even consider the hero a proper threat

The villain doesn't really have a bodycount, but if they kill the hero, suddenly all the other powers that be will take them seriously and they'll have a huge mess on their hands

The villain is so full of themselves or so in love with their rival that it’d break their heart to have to kill them just to win

The villain is simply not capable of murder either physically or morally (perhaps because the hero is a child)

Killing the hero would make them a martyr and the villain would end up with a far bigger mess on their hands when the lone hero is replaced with an avenging army

The villain is too proud to simply kill the hero and wants to win fairly in a proper fight on the battlefield and not take the cheap and easy shot

The villain does not have a phyiscal form or real presence in the plot, acting through their minions, and their minions are incompetent

It’s simply not fun if the hero dies/the hero is the only one who understands them and they’d lose far more than they’d gain by killing them

The villain still wants to try and win the hero over and is so dedicated to this path that they regularly sabotage their own plans desperate to change the hero’s mind

The villain firmly believes in a fate worse than death and while the hero’s survival isn’t crucial to the main plan, they want the hero to watch their own failure/become the villain’s minion/ prisoner/ partner by the end

There’s a million examples out there to pull from and I could keep listing them all night. So long as whatever it is doesn’t come out of nowhere or open a plot hole of “why didn’t they just do that earlier?” you can get quite creative.

One last example that’s a personal favorite of mine to implement: In Eternal Night of the Northern Sky there aren’t too many opportunities to ask this question, but when it does arise, Villain A has Hero B as a meat shield, and while Hero B’s love interest, Hero C, is more than happy to shoot through them to incapacitate Villain A, the person they take orders from isn’t so reckless, which later leads to Drama and Issues.

[jay-m3]

Hazbin Baby

Pilot Male reader insert! Part 3 Continuation of Part 2 Next Part 4

You sit in your car seat, reaching up to play with Charlie’s fingers that were dangling and wiggling in front of you, trying to distract herself from failure.

Her feet was up, leaning on your car seat to right herself as she looks down at her son. Her oblivious son that was ignoring everything around him that wasn’t her.

'As long as you’re happy, then it’s all that matters.'

She’ll just have to try more harder to build up the business.

+

Arriving at the hotel, Vaggie drops herself on the couch from the exhaustion of dealing with Angel in the limousine and getting that bat shit crazy bitch of a newscaster off her girlfriend.

‘It’s been a long day.’

She sighs, watching (M/n) slide off of her and start to run around, stretching his small feet until he comes to a stop in front of Angel who pulls out a box of popsicles from the small fridge they owned.

“Here, kid.” Angel gives you one of the pops, smiling crookedly as you squeal in delight, grabbing it with uncare as you shove it in your mouth.

Humming happily at the sweet treat, you run off with melting juices of the pop down your hand. You run to find mommy Charlie with no luck so you change directions to mamá Vaggie.

Vaggie groans as she sees the mess of her son showing her his treat. She side eyes Angel who snickers, popping his own treat in his mouth.

“Hey, Vaggie!” Charlie calls out, a wobble of her voice is heard.

You perk up from her voice, excited to show her what you have. “

What?” Vaggie huffs out, her tone flat as she tries to wipe her sons’ sticky arms with wet wipes. But the squirming of the small body makes it more difficult than necessary.

“The Radio Demon is at the door!”

“What!?” Vaggie straightens her back as the name of what she just heard bounces around her head.

“Don’t let him in!” Vaggie expresses, trying to make Charlie understand what position they are in.

Unfortunately, Charlie didn’t understood or dismisses it as she opens the door once more.

“Son of a- stay here with Angel, sweetheart.” Vaggie sits you down next to the tall sinner, who places one of his hands on top of the couch above you.

You watch as you’re mamá rushes around, grabbing her spear that she has hidden from you. Looking at the spear in amazement, you try to get off the couch but you’re sheer lack of luck gets you a long arm wrapping around your waist.

You pout at Angel, ready to try your luck again when an unfamiliar man walks in. You stand on the couch, sticky hands grabbing the back of the couch to keep your balance as you watch the red man get closer.

“No! I’m here because I want to help!” Alastor declares, not bothered how Vaggie trails after him with her weapon.

“Say what now?” Charlie blinks, not believing her ears.

Did she hear correctly?

“Help! Hahaha, hello? Is this thing on?” Alastor taps on his mic that’s attached to the top of his cane.

“Testing, testing! Give it a try.” Alastor turns to you, the top of the cane near your face, waiting expectantly.

“Bah!” You yell, having watched the man speak into it. You smile as you see the eye of the mic open, “Well, I heard you loud and clear!” You hear it speak, making you giggle.

Before any more interactions can happen, Vaggie steps in front of you while Angel gives a glare at the red demon.

“Uh, so... uh, what's the deal with Smiles over there?” Angel asks, getting up from his place to throw away the stick of the popsicle that he finished.

“Wait, you've never heard of him before? You've been here longer than me!” Vaggie looks at him in shock, eyebrows furrowed with a slight turn of her mouth.

You look at them in boredom, slurping on the almost melted popsicle in your hand. After a couple of licks, you slide off the couch, seeing that Vaggie and Angel aren’t paying attention to you.

“Ya done? He looks like a strawberry pimp.” Angel laughs dryly, not really amused by the story that Vaggie told him about Alastor.

“Well, I don’t trust him!” Vaggie mutters out, setting her glare at the Radio Demon.

“To be fair, do you trust any man? Any men? Men? And little (M/n) doesn’t count.” Vaggie sets her glare to Angel before grabbing Charlie by the shoulder and dragging her away to talk to her.

You see the red man alone, inspecting a portrait before landing his gaze on you.

He tilts his head, smile widening as you wobble your way to him.

You throw your hand up to show your treat, juices sliding down your arm and staining your shirt.

“An interesting choice of flavor, my dear boy.” Alastor bonks you lightly on the head with his cane, making you giggle.

This man with the funny voice is fun!

“Okay, so, Al. You're sketchy as fuck and you clearly see what I'm trying to do here as a joke.” Charlie walks over, picking up her son.

Even if he was sticky as a chewed up gum, she hugs him before turning around and giving the two year old off to his other mother.

“But, I don't. I think everyone deserves a chance to prove they can be better. So, I'm taking your offer to help. On the condition that there be no… tricks or voodoo strings attached.” Charlie gestures with her hands which Alastor not so subtly rolls his eyes at the last statement.

“So,” Alastor twirls his cane, “it's a deal, then?” he presents his hand for a handshake as green energy bursts throughout the hotel.

“Nope! No shaking! No deals! I... hmm... As princess of Hell and heir to the throne, I, uh, hereby order that you help with this hotel. For as long as you desire.” Charlie looks over to Vaggie before turning her attention back to the demon.

“Sounds fair?” There was a bit of a pause before Alastor shrugs.

“Hmm, fair enough.”

“Cool beans.” Charlie sighs out, thankful that this interaction went well.

Alastor starts to look around more, having free reign now that he is expected to manage this hotel. He stops in front of you and Vaggie, “Smile, my dear! You know you’re never fully dressed without one.”

Vaggie’s glare hardens, not liking this predicament one bit.

Hearing the word smile, you automatically smile up at Alastor as he’s the one that said it.

“What a charming young fella.” Alastor compliments before moving on.

“So, where is your hotel staff?” Before Charlie can say a word, her eyes shifted to Vaggie told him everything he needs to know.

“Ohohoho, you're going to need more than that. And what can you do, my effeminate fellow?” He adjusts his monocle, leaning forward to come face to face with the tall, four armed sinner.

“I can suck your dick” Angel smirks seductively.

You jump in surprise as the sound of a mic feedback rings through the air as Alastor fully stands back to his full height.

“Ha! No.”

“Your loss.” Angel scoffs, crossing his arms at the rejection.

[junk-story]

Interview Archive 1, 12.1993 - Ongaku to Hito Special Edition

BUCK-TICK is an exceedingly rare sort of band. Although the Band Boom has ended up vanishing as if it never happened at all, in an area totally unrelated to the Boom, where no one else is drawing a crowd, is a group with a unique stance who have continued following their own path of “individuality”. Their stylish visuals have the lingering scent of decadence. Their lyrics, like “I just want to go mad”, are laden with the aesthetics of self-deprecation. And, with “strange” sounds that have absolutely no roots in Western rock, and truly catchy melodies – from any angle, they are a “Japan Original”. Furthermore, although these “nonconformists” have also continued to be a great success commercially, they are still breaking new ground. Although their eerie ambiance is often misunderstood by ordinary people, this unique sensation is something that anyone can have a share of. Sakurai Atsushi reigns with a “negative charisma”, but his absolute desire to escape and narcissism in the sense of “being lenient with oneself” can happen to anyone. I support the weakness of humanity.*

Ichikawa: How do you think BUCK-TICK are seen by ordinary people?

Sakurai: …Maybe...I suppose people who aren’t interested just aren’t interested at all. Because no matter how many times something that doesn’t interest me shows up on TV, that’s where it ends for me.

Ichikawa: Despite your CD sales, you’re passive about this.

Sakurai: Yeah, because there are people who don’t listen to music, so even if I stood face-to-face with such a person and said, “It’s me”, they’ll just be like, “And who are you?” (laughs)

Ichikawa: Conversely, what kind of people do you think listen to BUCK-TICK?

Sakurai: Hmmm...I think a lot of them are daydreamers. (laughs) Even watching the same movies, like Alain Delon1 rather than Jurassic Park. (laughs) When I read the letters I’ve received, that’s the feeling I get.

Ichikawa: What kind of letters do you get most?

Sakurai: In my case, I get everything from the heavy stuff to the light stuff. (laughs)

Ichikawa: What sort of content is in the light letters?

Sakurai: “Your stage outfit was so cool this time”. (laughs)

Ichikawa: And what about the heavy letters?

Sakurai: The heavy ones are incredible, really – like a 21 year old girl who got divorced even though she has a child, or things about their family members, or about how they’re sick. Also, there are many people who write emotional content.

Ichikawa: It’s become Kitaro’s Yokai postal service2, hasn’t it?

Sakurai: Hahaha. But, there’s nothing I’m able to give them...you know.

Ichikawa: Although this idol-like reaction is understandable, is there no “added hidden value” appearing more and more?

Sakurai: Hmmm, I wonder...although I’m making music...music isn’t necessary to living, and you won’t die without it. So I think people who aren’t interested don’t listen to music that deeply, and naturally, they don’t synchronize their listening to the situations I find myself in and my reality. So the band is getting more media exposure, which is supposed to give us more opportunities to be heard, but I wonder…

Ichikawa: But on the other hand, the Yokai Post Box has letters arriving to it frequently, right? Obviously, that’s different from just a popular song and supporting some harmless rock music.

Sakurai: But I expect that the people who are watching idols are definitely greater in number. Because they’re all the same.

Ichikawa: But BUCK-TICK are already big names, and you’ve been reigning on the front lines for 6 years. Naturally, you should be different from them. And hey, if you were part of SMAP3, that would be a problem, wouldn’t it?

Sakurai: Yeah, that would be an issue. (laughs)

Ichikawa: So for example, what do you think people come to see Sakurai Atsushi for at concerts?

Sakurai: I really don’t know...for example, I receive letters saying like, “I want to see more of your humanity4 during the MC sections”, and I think it might be better if I expressed my humanity more. Also, I think the songs I want to sing and the songs people want to hear may be different...I’m always confused.

Ichikawa: You still haven’t gotten a grip on what your stage persona is.

Sakurai: No, if I think about understanding it, it’s easy, but I think hard about it and then it confuses me. I suppose there won’t be any problem if I do everything like an entertainer with a strong sense of providing a service, but.

Ichikawa: Like, “I’m Sakuraiiiiii!”

Sakurai: Wahahahaha.

Ichikawa: What’s an example of a song people are expecting?

Sakurai: Songs like “Speed”, “Jupiter”, or “JUST ONE MORE KISS”, don’t you think?

Ichikawa: And the song you think they’ll dislike?

Sakurai: Taiyou ni Korosareta. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Aah, Sakurai’s song about the thing at the core, the “aesthetics of self-deprecation.” Well, it certainly seems like a song that was written sitting on a hill of despair.

Sakurai: Oh? (laughs) But lately, I’ve received letters saying that Taiyou ni Korosareta was good, so I’ve thought that maybe I’m not as misunderstood as I thought I was.

Ichikawa: So you ought to have more self-confidence, Sakurai.

Sakurai: I should, right. More...not to flatter myself, but I hope I can cross the line to becoming an entertainer.

Ichikawa: Well, I think it’s enough that you’re performing as this “dark entertainer”. What do you think is lacking?

Sakurai: It’s not that something’s lacking...it’s that it’s incomplete.

Ichikawa: Well, then where is something lacking?

Sakurai: Mmm...in my own head. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Oi, come on now.

Sakurai: (laughs) I think it could be anything, but, for example, when I go out in front of 2,000 people, I just don’t get that same high anymore.

Ichikawa: So even though you have this stately and dark look – you don’t even think things like, “These 2,000 people have gathered to come see me!”?

Sakurai: No, I don’t. There can be people who are looking at something else even if they’re directly in front of me. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Aren’t you being narrow-minded about this?

Sakurai: It’s caught my attention. So I stare at a single point and act like an idiot who doesn’t see that sort of reaction to me.

Ichikawa: Wow. First of all, haven’t you ever thought, “I’m popular”?

Sakurai: When they’re screaming, “kyaaaaa!” (laughs)

Ichikawa: A live venue is really a melting pot of those “kyaaa” screams; does that make you feel anxious?

Sakurai: I don’t think it’s anxiety, but...I’m always agonizing5 over if I should take myself less seriously. It’s not only people who are listening to the music and enjoying it; there are also many people enjoying another part of the performance, so I think I should do what I want, but...I’m insecure.

Ichikawa: Have you ever thought about the influence you have?

Sakurai: I have. For example, it’s easy to tell when there are kids wearing the same fashion as I am. Also...I don’t know if this is my influence or not, but...the people who like the same world that I do. They give me these detailed, maniacal (laughs) opinions on things, like, “that musical is really good”, “have you read this novel?”, “you like this type of aesthetic, right?”, “this thing you said in an interview really spoke to me”, like that.

Ichikawa: Fundamentally, is it that the recipients of your work can’t accept Sakurai Atsushi as a real person? With your charisma, it’s like you’re magnified up 5 or 10 times bigger in their minds. And those voices, their expectations are like, “Well, if it’s Sakurai-san, naturally he’ll understand my aesthetic sense.” I think it would be natural to gain some self-confidence from those voiced expectations and support.

Sakurai: It would be better not to betray that sentiment, but when it comes to my own conviction...I think if I can put out more that says, “this is how my world is”, I’ll be able to clearly have that conviction.

Ichikawa: Even with Sakurai having this internal conflict, you’re being seen by ordinary people, other than your fans6, as a so-called “rockstar” now – in your case, you must be feeling the difference of that.

Sakurai: I do. Even people who don’t know music have said, “Ah, it’s that guy” – although I had just come there to have a meal. (laughs) I’m human just the same as a salaryman that’s the same age from that area, so..while I think that about myself, I guess they’re in a position where they can’t see it.

Ichikawa: Even if you don’t want to be considered special, in the first place, rock really must be thought of as “exceptional”. Moreover, being exceptional is the biggest characteristic of BUCK-TICK. Do you not have any awareness that this means you are exceptional?

Sakurai: I’m also very aware of that. It’s both extremes. There are also times where I want to say, “Leave me alone!”, turn my nose up and walk away, but (laughs) that’s also tiring, so there’s the converse argument to be made, too, like, “I’m a human just like you, so leave me alone.”

Ichikawa: Do you think things like, for example, that you could be as self-absorbed with how exceptional you are as Ei-chan7?

Sakurai: …I really do, without everyday life.

Ichikawa: What I’m asking is, can’t you become that way?

Sakurai: I can’t~. I don’t like being interfered with, and I switch Sakurai Atsushi off in those moments. (laughs)

Ichikawa: But there’s David Bowie, who isn’t doing fan service around the clock, but at work...(laughs) As a charismatic person, you can behave as you see fit, right? Although I think you could do it if you tried, you’d always agonize between those two selves.

Sakurai: I wonder why...because I’m afraid of being caught off guard?

Ichikawa: Don’t you think you’re cool?

Sakurai: there are times when I think, “I am super cool”, but there are also times where I think, “What am I doing?!” (laughs) I’m hard on myself, maybe.

Ichikawa: But, it’s simpler8 to think of yourself as cool, isn’t it?

Sakurai, Yes, much simpler. But in order for me to think so, I have to aim for being an entertainer, and I’m no good.

Ichikawa: This orientation you have toward being an entertainer is also being taken too far, actually – it’s like chloroform you breathe in every day until you lose consciousness.

Sakurai: Wahahahaha. That’s harsh!

Ichikawa: Don’t you want to become more arrogant and charismatic?

Sakurai: I really just want to shine within music, if it’s something I’m able to do. Aah...I see...maybe...I’m rebelling against it, aren’t I. Everyone views me as a rockstar, so I wonder if maybe I simply want to betray that notion and rebel against it.

Ichikawa: Does the so-called narcissistic state, where you can think of yourself as cool, not last long? It seems like only the high of not caring what the people around you think lasts, but. (laughs)

Sakurai: It doesn’t really last, no. It’s like...I end up able to see reality. That I’m someone who can go as far as narcissism, but can’t sustain it, I can see that.

Ichikawa: But without narcissism, the fantasy of rock won’t flourish, right? You’re a man who can’t be proactive, aren’t you?

Sakurai: Yeah...but that’s quite kind, because it makes people’s dreams of it expand more and more. I don’t really seem very kind, talking selfishly about my own needs while also saying, “I won’t show you the important parts.”

Ichikawa: If you said more, would it be like, “It’s your fault for coming to love me without my permission”?

Sakurai: (laughs) I wouldn’t say their fault...more like, it’s a waste. If I could be understood even if I didn’t say anything, I’d be extremely happy, because I hate the regret I feel after babbling out an explanation. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Then, explaining yourself to an ordinary person who thinks of you as a rocker must also be miserable.

Sakurai: That’s right. But...lately, my way of thinking about it changes all the time. Sometimes I think, “I’m gonna make that guy who doesn’t know me take another look!”, and other times I think, “It’s no good! I’m tired.” (laughs)

Ichikawa: So then, as I thought, you do think you’re cool, don’t you? If you were to call out to the women on the roadside over there9, you have confidence they’d quickly follow you here, right?

Sakurai: If I wanted to do it. (laughs) But using the energy is more trouble than it’s worth. I think maybe I’m unkind in that way.

Ichikawa: Well, calling out to them isn’t really nice either. (laughs)

Sakurai: Oh. (laughs) But, I’m thinking I want to become less sentimental, colder.

Ichikawa: What’s the reason behind that?

Sakurai: Because I have a heart. Wahahahahaha.

Ichikawa: Well, regardless of some minor occurrences of it, (laughs) Sakurai Atsushi doesn’t have any arrogance, really, in the bigger picture of things.

Sakurai: But I’ve also come to understand that I could be just a bit easier on myself, too. I think I could become cooler if I did.

Ichikawa: As Sakurai, and as BUCK-TICK, too, even though you’re this deeply self-centered person who doesn’t care about the existence of other people at all10, I think gradually it becomes necessary to see yourself objectively. And you have to become aware of the influence you have.

Sakurai: Lately, I’ve been chatting with people who have the same tastes as me, and it’s interesting to see how I can come to see myself when I see those people. While I was drinking in Osaka, a person came and sat down who said, “I can see ghosts” – why, I wonder, is it always that sort of person who comes to me? (laughs) But, it turned to conversation about our newest song, “die”, and they said, “You’re definitely a narcissist”, and I was like, “Ah, right, right, I’d forgotten that, now that you mention it.” The person I show other people is a narcissist; I felt like I’d forgotten.

Ichikawa: In the end, those types of people are the ones who come together under Sakurai with peace of mind, don’t you think?

Sakurai: That’s true. I think the people who are thinking about me must be seeing me with some amazing eyes.11

Ichikawa: Give those “amazing eyes” a response, a spectacular one.

Sakurai: I think it will change during our current tour. (laughs)

Ichikawa: (laughs) With that – BUCK-TICK is a band where the members take walking alone endlessly to the extreme, right? The most of any in Japan.

Sakurai: That’s out of my control. There’s nothing I can do about that.

Ichikawa: And that’s also why you feel like you can’t effectively exert your influence, I imagine.

Sakurai: Hmmm...so, I expect that I’m afraid of cheapening what I do. I just did what I wanted to do, so. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Are you being careful with your words?

Sakurai: You could call it being careful; you could call it cowardice.

Ichikawa: Certainly, in the early years – you may have been perceived as cheap during the pop era of your music where your hair was straight up, but since then, I think conversely, you’re perceived as a luxury good.

Sakurai: Yeah, I think we aren’t perceived as cheap, but I certainly have fear of being thought of that way.

Ichikawa: That’s like an ordinary girl thinking, “Don’t become friends with that person” about a yankii in their same class.

Sakurai: (laughs) Is that so?

Ichikawa: This yankii is stubborn, but in reality, he’s facing the dilemma of wanting to be friends with anyone at all.

Sakurai: Exactly. (laughs) But, I’ve been thinking that from now on, we should harden up more, get colder, and that I hope that those who don’t care about our music don’t bother with it. I hope that those who do care it experience it whenever they get the chance, and that those who don’t, never experience it again.

Ichikawa: Well, but, you’re so cool, so wouldn’t it be better to be more free-spirited?

Sakurai: Hahaha. I’m always overthinking things like that.

Ichikawa: I wonder if that overworrying is part of your personality.

Sakurai: Hmmm...I don’t know. But I’m always thinking about how I want others to enjoy and be happy.

Ichikawa: Even so, there are a lot of ups and downs in everyday life. (laughs)

Sakurai: Hahaha. I may not be handling them so well.

Ichikawa: Well, in the end, trouble always ends up coming about.

Sakurai: And that’s why all you can do is stand your ground, right...or I’m going to act out that pretense. (laughs)

Ichikawa: Have you been acting pretentious lately?

Sakurai: Quite pretentious.

Ichikawa: Anyway, you’ve got a good face for it.

Sakurai: Yeah.

Ichikawa: Oh, an easy agreement on that from this guy.

Sakurai: Fufufufufufu.

Ichikawa: So, if you acted like you owned the place, you could powerfully establish your own world – and moreover, externally, Sakurai is already waiting for it. All that’s left is you feeling like doing it.

Sakurai: ...it’s troublesome, you know.

Ichikawa: You sure are BUCK-TICK’S frontman.

Sakurai: (laughs) I want to have an effective presence that has a detailed edge to it. More than feeling like a big, enveloping presence.

Ichikawa: Aren’t you seeking a long life full of detail?

Sakurai: No way! (laughs) But, lately I’ve realized this. Because I’m using energy on this tour. (laughs) How can I say this...it’s like more...pushing forward the next day while feeling like, “I’m losing it, aren’t I?” (laughs)

Ichikawa: You’re a man predestined to being a paradox.

Sakurai: ...Has this ended up being an unspectacular interview? (laughs)

Ichikawa: Well, even if we sang “Shimauta”12 at karaoke, we didn’t sing “die”, so. (laughs) It’s considered special, you know, definitely.

Sakurai: Even if we’re doing something special, like – I end up feeling like everything is lumped together. I feel like the people who listen to music have become cowards, too. Like the provocation is frightening to them.

Ichikawa: Even though the propagation of provocation is the theme of this band.

Sakurai: Right. And moreover, we’re trying to even out the high and low points of unevenness, and there’s a feeling of something unseen moving.

Ichikawa: When it’s that way, you can only go back to the basics and put your hair straight up again!

Sakurai: Right? Although I wasn’t aware of it during the time my hair was up, that “We are special” thing.

Ichikawa: But I think if you put it up now, you might be able to do it having that awareness.

Sakurai: Imai currently has a mohawk while having that awareness.

Ichikawa: Well then, next will it be Sakurai Atsushi with his hair up?!

Sakurai: When should I put it up...people might say, “It’s uncool!” (laughs) I really don’t want to use my energy on that sort of thing. (laughs)

~~~~~ Footnotes: * This makes more sense as you read the interview - basically, I think he's saying that he argues Sakurai ought to be more lenient with himself. 1 A French movie star. 2 A reference to a manga. Kitaro is a “sullen ghost boy” who “protects others from malicious spirits”. 3 The biggest name in Johnny’s of that time, and still one of their biggest ever. 4 Human-ness? I don’t know a better word for this in English. They want him to emote, talk more, things like that. 5 Very dramatic word choice here – literally “suffering until you faint”. 6 Who are not ordinary people, obviously, lol. 7 Eikichi Yazawa, a big Showa-era rockstar. 8 Simpler in the sense of more comfortable; less work. 9 I wonder if he was actually gesturing to someone, or if this was hypothetical. 10 I think he’s ribbing him here – calling him out on his bullshit. Sakurai is repeatedly trying to say this about himself and then contradicting it. 11 In other words, they are seeing a version of him that he doesn’t believe actually exists. 12 A 1992 song by the band “The Boom”.

~~~~~ Some final translation notes:

I don't know who put the LibreOffice suggestion on my dash, but I used that to type this up this time instead of Google docs, and it seems to have preserved the footnotes (at least on desktop.) I'll try and test this on mobile too but hopefully it's a better experience!

Also, just a basic note on "cool" in Japanese - kakkoii. It's commonly translated as "cool" but really encompasses things like being attractive, sexy, etc. in ways I think the word in English doesn't. I think its usage packs more punch when you think of it that way, as like "heart eyes, motherfucker" cool.

[twst-aceofhearts]

Prison Break

a/n: CHOOSE YOUR OWN ENDING HAHAHA -@thegoldencontracts floyd special ehhehehe

taglist: @luxaryllis @waterthatsmoe

royal au again bcuz why not floyd x gn!yuu

words: 2555

Being part of the royal family is stressful. People would call Yuu ungrateful for saying so, but the constant rules and etiquette classes were depleting them.

Wanting to escape the restricting life, Yuu grabbed their cloak and headed to the local towns in secrecy. 

Through a fateful encounter, Yuu was able to meet Floyd Leech, the one who treated them like normal despite their status, resulting in a fruitful friendship.

“Oi, shrimpy!” someone yells outside Yuu’s window, followed by vexatious knocks. They jolted awake, frantically looking around in their chamber drowsily, only to realize it’s from their window.

“Wake up, and let me in~! It’s sooo cold out here. It’s like you want me to become eel jerky~” Floyd had managed to climb all the way up to Yuu’s window—several floors high. 

“Floyd- it’s one in the morning! The sun had barely rose!” Yuu scolded with a huff, unlocking the window for him.

Floyd swiftly jumped into the room, landing with a small thud. He laid down on Yuu’s bed, taking up way too much space than he should.

“Shiiiittt, it’s cold out outside~” He shivered in place. 

“And it’s one in the morning?” He glanced at your nearby clock confirming it was, indeed, one in the morning. “Oh~... I guess it is~ whoops.”

Yuu pinched their nose bridge, letting out a small sigh. Usually they’d be more happy to see him if it wasn’t four in the fucking morning.

Hey, doncha’ look grumpy?” Floyd chuckled as he watched Yuu’s reaction to him showing up this time. He patted the space on the bed next to him, gesturing for them to sit down. “Come oooon, stop being so stingy and chill with me, shrimpy.”

Yuu let out a sigh, lightly shaking their head in despondency. “Is it necessary to come this early?”

“Mm…nah~”  He admitted, shrugging with a small smirk. He sat up and sat cross-legged on the bed, his black streak framing the side of his face. A playful smile tugged at the edges of his lips as he continued speaking. “Just got bored and wanted to see ya~ Didn’t expect you to be all grouchy this early in the morning though. You normally don’t mind me popping up like this.”

‘I normally don’t mind you coming because you don’t pound on my window at one in the morning!” Yuu huffed, letting out small groan.

“Hey, don’t ya’ think you’re being a little too whiny?” He teased in that laid-back manner, as usual.

“I just wanted to see ya’ again. I haven’t seen ya’ in a few days and my brain was rotting from boredom~ I couldn’t wait.”

“...Floyd, I saw you yesterday evening.”

“Eh? Oh yeah-” 

Floyd seemed to count the hours in his mind before realizing that he had indeed. 

“Okay, but still~” He protested, making a pouty expression now. “I get bored easily and that was too looong. Like- imagine if I really had to wait, I would’ve gone insane by then!”

“Never thought you were a clingy type, Floyd.” Yuu mumbled bluntly, placing their hands on their hips.

Floyd gasped dramatically at the accusation and pointed a finger at Yuu, his eyes narrowed. 

“Hey! I’m not clingy!” He lied, but it was obvious that he was. “I just like being around ya’~”

Yuu raised an eyebrow at his defiance.

Floyd glanced away from Yuu, a slight pout on his face. He didn’t have any good counter-arguments as he knew it was true.

“Ugh, don’t do that. Why ya’ gotta tease me?” He mumbled and slumped back down onto the bed.

Yuu rolled her eyes, cracking a small smile. “Don’t take it as an insult, I think it’s cute how much you enjoy my presence.”

He looked at Yuu and immediately gave them a pouty look again. But this time, a slight tinge of pink dusted his fair skin. “Don’t say stuff like that, or else I’ll think you’re the clingy one here, shrimpy.”

“S-shut up! I hate compliments…” Floyd protested, turning his head now, refusing to make eye-contact with Yuu.

“Sureeee…”

“Sh-Shut up-!” Floyd grumbled, giving them a weak glare, his face being a light shade of pink from their teasing. He countined to pout at you, almost seeming like a grumpy five-year-old that was told he couldn’t have a second scoop of ice-cream.

Yuu snickered a bit at his expression, covering their mouth to muffle their own amused laughter bubbling up in their chest.

Floyd glanced up at you, his pout intensifying at the sight of Yuu trying to hold back laughter. He let out an annoyed huff, grabbing a pillow he found on your bed. In one swift movement, he threw it at Yuu.

“Stop laughing at me!” Floyd narrowed his eyes at Yuu and gave them a menacing glare. Although it was meant to be intimidating, the pouty expression completely ruined it. “You’re lucky I haven’t strangled you yet…,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

“Woowww, you would strangle one of your best friends? That’s cold.” Yuu sulked.

Floyd gave Yuu another glare at their mocking retort and chucked another pillow at them with a little more force. “Shut up, you annoying little shrimp. I should strangle you just for saying that.” 

Yuu sweatdropped a bit, knowing 99% of the time, he was serious with his threats. After all they’ve seen it first hand while hanging out with him in the market once. 

Seeing that Yuu dropped the subject seemed to appease Floyd, and as a result, his expression began to soften a bit and he lost the pouty look.

He looked in a contemplation for a moment, as if he was thinking about something for a moment, as if he was thinking about something before he spoke again. “...Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Have you ever… thought about running away?”

“Huh? Running away?”

“Yeah, like…running away from the castle…from everything.”

He sat up and leaned against the wall that the bed was next to, looking outside Yuu’s window at the sky, the sun rising and shifting the sky into the blue color it is. He didn’t look directly at at Yuu as he seemed to be contemplating something.

“Well, I wouldn’t be able to in the first place. The palace is surrounded by guards and there’s even some on the roof. Even if I miraculously made it past them into the forest, they’d be able to find me easily.”

The corner of Floyd’s mouth ticked up into a small smirk. He glanced at Yuu over the edge of his shoulder and let his gaze rest on them for a moment before speaking. 

“What if, hypothetically speaking, someone magically knew the layout of the castle and the guard’s patrol routes? And he knew just how to navigate the castle without being seen. And say hypothetically, this person also knew how to use magic to throw off the guards’ search efforts? Would you hypothetically be more interested in running away then?”

“This isn’t hypothetical, is it?”

Floyd gave Yuu a playful smile before shaking his his head no. “Nope. We’re talking serious business here, shrimpy~”

“Hm…I don’t know.”

An annoyed huff came from Floyd, and he immediately looked back at Yuu, a frown on his face, as if upset that Yuu hadn’t agreed right away.

“That’s it? You just brush off the idea because you ‘don’t know’? C’mon, live a little, shrimpy~”

This is my life Floyd. To prepare to become [king/queen].”

“Yeah, sure~ Prepare for a life filled with nothing but boring formalities and etiquette lessons—sounds sooo exciting,” he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he spoke and then he made a loud, annoyed groan. 

“I would kill for more exciting things in my life, and yet you’re just willing to throw away the first opportunity to do something interesting. I don’t get ya’ sometimes.”

“...You would kill no matter what…”

Floyd let out a huff, annoyed that Yuu had a point. “Hey, that’s not the point shrimpy. C’mon, don’t ya’ wanna do anything even remotely exciting? Don’t ya’ wanna ditch your boring, royalty life and do something fun and spontaneous? You get to see everything outside this stuffy castle, experience everything outside the castle, have fun, and spend time with me.”

"Yes" Ending:

“I’m in.”

Floyd’s face lit up at Yuu’s agreement, his mischievous smile returning. He gave a devilish chuckle and rubbed his hands together in mock-evilness. 

“Haha~ I knew it. I knew that you wouldn’t be able to resist the opportunity to ditch your boring life once I said that you could spend time with me~”

He teased Yuu with an air of cockiness. “Alright, then. Let’s sneak out through your window.”

After the two of them had snuck out of the castle from their window, Yuu was led through the town that surrounded the castle. The streets were quiet with not many people around at this hour. Many of the kingdom’s citizens already went to sleep since it was dark outside.

Floyd stopped at a tall wall that stood in the way of a path, looking at Yuu with a smirk. “And now, where the real fun begins~”

He crouched down to his knees and laced his hands together, gesturing with his head for Yuu to set their foot in his hands.

Yuu looked confused for a moment, and raised an eyebrow at him, but decided to humor him. 

They hesitantly stepped into his hands with one foot, and then they felt Floyd lift them up. Suddenly, Yuu was thrown up in the air, higher than they thought was possible.

Yuu flew over the wall (letting out a scream of terror,) and landing with a somewhat rough thud on the other side. They laid still on the ground for a moment, letting out a quiet groan. Thankfully nothing was too bruised. 

“Hey shrimpy!”

Yuu sighed, sitting up. “I could’ve climbed the wall…did you really have to throw me?”

Floyd let out a quiet chuckle from behind them, leaping over the wall. He stood over Yuu, looking unimpressed. He shook his head and gave you a bored sigh.

“Shrimpy, that’s no fun!” We’re on an exciting adventure, who would you go and do something boring, like climbing a wall, when you can be launched into the air to go over it~?”

Yuu narrowed their eyes at him, but they couldn’t argue with that. They just sighed and stood up, brushing themself off and looking around. “Where are you taking me, anyway?” They ask, not knowing what his real plan after getting them out of the castle.

Floyd just smirked and chuckled in response. He walked past Yuu and then brusquely grabbed their wrist, tugging them along with him down a cobblestone path.

“No questions~ I have this all planned out nicely. We’ll have tons of fun tonight~” He grinned with excitement, leading Yuu down the path that was illuminated by the light of the moon above.

Yuu was led into one of the large fields, coming across a large lake, its waters still, almost reflective as the full moon shone above. It was an ethereal sight.

Floyd dropped down with a thud onto the grass near the edge of the lake and laid down. He smiled at the sight of Yuu’s bewildered expression and patted the spot next to him. “C’mere, shrimpy.”

Yuu slowly walked up and sat next to him on the ground. They looked around into the black water of the lake, watching the small ripples in the water from the gentle breeze that came in.

Yuu couldn’t believe that they were finally outside the castle after so long. After a couple of moments, they then felt Floyd snake an arm around their shoulders, his hand resting on Yuu’s waist as he pulled them a little closer with a smile.

Floyd turned his face away from Yuu’s, looking up at the starry night sky and watching the twinkling of the hundreds of stars above. A small breeze came in on the calm lake, causing the water to move a little bit and the grass to sway with a quiet noise. “Pretty, huh?” He commented, glancing at Yuu for a little while.

Yuu looked up into the night sky too, nodding their head after hearing his question. The starry sky was indeed pretty, but it would be prettier with the company of the one sitting close to them. Yuu then turned toward him and gently laid their head to rest on his shoulder. “Mm…yeah. It’s definitely prettier than the castle walls.”

He chuckled softly, bringing the two of them closer together, his arm wrapping around Yuu’s shoulder and waist—around their whole back, then giving the top of their head a soft kiss.

"No" Ending:

“As much as I want to, I can’t Floyd.”

Annoyance flashed across Floyd’s face at the response that Yuu gave, his mouth setting into a frown that seemed to only deepen with every passing moment.

“Whyyyy not? Ya’ got one life, why do ya’ wanna waste it all in such a boring place?” he complained.

“Or…I guess it’s my fault that ya’ don’t want to go with me. Ya’ think I’m too boring, don’t ya’? I knew it!”

“What? No, that’s not—”

“Yeah, you do! I bet you wanna run away with Jade instead, don’t ya’?” He continued without letting Yuu speak, as if he didn’t even hear what you said and just jumping to conclusions. 

“Or is it Azul? I bet you like him more since he’s your little precious noble ‘business partner’,” he continued to list off the possibilities in his head, each suggestion more and more ridiculous than the last.

Floyd stopped speaking now, looking over at Yuu with a frustrated hint in his eyes. He seemed almost… hurt by the thought of Yuu liking anyone else more than him. 

“Ya’ do like them more than me, don’t ya’? If they asked you to go with them, you’d drop everything and leave in a heartbeat, no questions asked.”

“Floyd, that’s not true…”

“Oh, yeah right~” He didn’t believe them one bit. He quickly got himself worked up agan, so much so that he alost sounded accusatory.

“Name one good reason why ya’ wouldn’t wanna go with me.” Floyd demanded, his gaze narrowing on Yuu, daring them to answer.

“Because I’m scared, okay? My parents would do everything in their power to hunt me down and punish me until it’s engraved into my mind!”

Floyd was about to retort, but their answer caught him off guard. His expression immediately softened, all the bravado and overconfidence disappearing. It was only now that it occurred to him that it wasn’t him Yuu was avoiding—that Yuu had an entirely different reason to not want to run away. 

He leaned forward, no longer trying to be all intimidating and scary, now looking at Yuu with concern. “...Are they really that bad?”

Floyd didn’t wait for an answer, grabbing the nearest blanket he could spot before pulling Yuu down onto the bed to sit next to him. He draped the blanket over Yuu’s shoulders, gently pulling them into his body before carefully wrapping his arms around them. He didn’t say anything, it was clear that he just wanted to hold Yuu in a comforting manner. His head was laid on Yuu’s shoulder as he sighed, his grip gentle and light.

credit to @cafekitsune for divider

[moonlight404-translates]

A3! Mikage Hisoka | SR - A Silent Vow KISS | Translation

————————–

Disclaimer: Neither English nor Japanese is my native language, but I did my best with the translation. If you find any mistakes, feel free to tell me. By the way, the director's name will be Izumi. (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

Marshmallows Stuffed with Feelings / 1

Hisoka: (I’m glad they had all their new marshmallow products.)  Employee: Thank you for your continued patronage. I will add a flyer with our future release. Hisoka: Future release?  Employee: Our masterpiece product for White Day. Please, look forward to it! Hisoka: (White Day… I completely forgot about it.)  Hisoka: (This new marshmallow release sounds like a good gift for the director…) Hisoka: … Hisoka: (I’ll get some for myself when I come to buy it.)

Hisoka: …I’m home. Izumi: Welcome back, Hisoka-san. Izumi: Where did you go… I guess I don’t have to ask. Those bags tell me everything.  Hisoka: Some marshmallows are refrigerated and delicious. I’ll put them in the refrigerator.  Izumi: I’m sure everyone will know they are yours, but don’t forget to write your name on them, Hisoka-kun.  Hisoka: It’s okay. I already did it.  Hisoka: …Director, open your mouth.  Izumi: Eh? My mouth…  Hisoka: Don’t worry. I’ll give you something nice.  Izumi: Okay…  Hisoka: …Here. Izumi: Hm? Munch… Ah, such a tasty marshmallow! Strawberry flavored, right?  Hisoka: Fufu, correct. Because of how hard the director always works, I’m giving you one of the special ones I bought.  Izumi: Thank you. Sweets are the best when you’re feeling tired.

Choice 1: So relaxing. 

Izumi: Haah, so soft and relaxing… I can understand why you like marshmallows so much, Hisoka-kun.  Hisoka: It looks like you’re happy. I’m glad. …Here. I’ll give you another one.  Izumi: Eh, it’s not necessary. You’ll run out of them like this.  Hisoka: It’s just one more.  Izumi: Okay… thank you, then!  Hisoka: …A special one only for the director. 

Choice 2: I’ll do my best! 

Izumi: Okay, I’ll keep up with the hard work! Hisoka: …I can give you one more marshmallow if you work like that.  Hisoka: And later, I will give you some of the marshmallows I put in the refrigerator.  Izumi: Fufu, I should do my very best to get some reward marshmallows! 

Hisoka: I’m going to my room to take a nap. I have to work in the evening.  Izumi: Gotcha. Sleep tight.  Hisoka: Thanks. Goodbye. 

Homare: Welcome, Hisoka-kun. Hear about this marvelous column I just now—  Hisoka: Arisu, wake me up around the time I leave for work. Homare: …Oh, very well. I will wake you up later.  Hisoka: Zzz…

Marshmallows Stuffed with Feelings / 2

Izumi: …san! Hisoka-saaan!  Hisoka: Did I just hear the director’s voice…?  Hisoka: …It was just my imagination… Zzz…  Izumi: Wait, don’t fall asleep! Look down here! Hisoka: Ah… tiny director. I think we met before…  Izumi: I told you before I’m not your director, I’m a marshmallow fairy!  Hisoka: Really…?  Izumi: That’s not important. Marshma Lonllon has reappeared. Please, help me!  Hisoka: Marshma…? …He must be the one with a body made of marshmallow.  Marshma Lonllon: HAHAHA…! It’s me, the one and only Marshma Lonllon!!  Hisoka: Yes, that’s it. Can I eat you like last time?  Marshma Lonllon: Of course not! Hisoka: …  Marshma Lonllon: Anyways, you are planning to gift marshmallows on White Day, aren’t you?  Hisoka: How do you know it…?  Marshma Lonllon: It doesn’t matter how I know it. More importantly, do you know what is the meaning of giving marshmallows?  Hisoka: …I don’t know. What is it?  Marshma Lonllon: Well, that… means you hate the other person!  Hisoka: ……Eh?  Hisoka: Hate…? I didn’t know that…  Marshma Lonllon: Humph, I see you don’t know anything at all!  Izumi: H-Hisoka, don’t let it get you…!  Hisoka: ……  ???: …kun. Hisoka-kun!

Homare: Hisoka-kun!  Hisoka: …(wakes up surprised)  Hisoka: …Arisu?  Homare: Are you feeling okay? It’s not time for you to go to work yet, but it seemed you were having a nightmare, so I didn’t think twice and woke you up.  Hisoka: Marshma Lonllon…  Homare: Marshma…?  Hisoka: …Nothing. I just had a strange dream.  Hisoka: I’ll go out to get some air for a while. 

Tsumugi: …Okay, I finished watering them. Next is…  Hisoka: …Tsumugi. Can I watch them by your side?  Tsumugi: Ah, Hisoka-kun. Yes, of course.  Tsumugi: …You look gloomy, did something happen?  Hisoka: I had a strange dream… Tsumugi: A strange dream? Are you okay?  Hisoka: I thought about giving the director marshmallows for White Day.  Hisoka: But I heard in my dream that giving marshmallows means you hate them…  Tsumugi: Aah. Now that you mention it, I’ve heard that meaning before…  Hisoka: I’ve given marshmallows to the director and the others until now without knowing it meant something cruel…  Tsumugi: So you’re worried about that.  Hisoka: …  Tsumugi: …Hisoka-kun.  Tsumugi: Even if giving marshmallows to others has that meaning, everyone knows you love marshmallows, don’t they?  Hisoka: Mhm…  Tsumugi: The director and all of us understand how much it means for you to give someone a marshmallow. You don’t need to worry about it.  Tsumugi: Besides, the most important thing is the feeling behind it.  Tsumugi: No matter what the common meaning is, for you, Hisoka-san, is something special to give someone a marshmallow?  Hisoka: Mhm… It’s something really special. Hisoka: I feel better after talking with you. Thanks, Tsumugi.  Tsumugi: Fufu, don’t mention it.  Hisoka: For White Day, I won’t only give her marshmallows. I’ll add smores and guimauves. Hisoka: I’ll give the director an assortment of my favorite things.  Tsumugi: That sounds good! I’m sure she will be happy.  Hisoka: …Mhm.

[creative-kny-fics]

Lee! Yoriichi and Ler! Sumiyoshi and Suyako?? Pliss

Of course! In the manga/anime, Yoriichi showed a great approach to family! (Artist name is in the images) (I also added Sumire-)

Lers: Suyako, Sumiyoshi and Sumire Kamado

Lee: Yoriichi Tsugikuni

"After Yoriichi gave me his precious earrings, I thought I would never see him again... I felt that this gift marked a farewell... Am I wrong...?", Sumiyoshi thought, he was not sure what it had happened to his friend, they constantly talked through letters, but there was nothing more to it than that.

That was their communication until one day...

'Hey Sumiyoshi! Don't you know what I found on the way back home... Or rather... Who!', Suyako announced excitedly, pulling at the haori of her husband, who had his back turned. 'Is it a squirrel? Or is it maybe...'

'Hello... Sumiyoshi...', that voice... Sumiyoshi turned around quickly, shook his head and rubbed his eyes, he couldn't believe it, was he dreaming? 'What's wrong dear...? I thought you'd be happier to see Yoriichi-San... Maybe-?'

Suyako jumped to the side a little when Sumiyoshi rushed to hug her companion, smiling when she saw him hug Yoriichi, it had been a long time since she had seen them together.

After that hug, they invited him to stay, well, more like they forced him a little, his 'it's not necessary' was totally ignored by the couple. 'It's been a while... How have things been...? Anything new to tell?'

'I don't know... Everything has been a bit confusing, there are things that my mind needed to think better... And I apologize for that, for the way you hugged me and how you expressed yourself, it seemed like I worried you...Excuse me for that', Sumiyoshi patted his shoulder, assuring him that everything was fine.

For Sumiyoshi, seeing his friend again was more than enough. Besides, he wasn't the only one who had missed his presence. 'Dad!'

'Huh? Oh, what's wrong Sumire?'

'This is Sumire...? Wow... Did I really isolate myself for so long? The last time I saw her, she was just a baby, she's grown up a little...'

Sumire looked at him confused, she had never seen him before, although her parents always told her the story of how he saved them, she didn't know that it was about him.

'Sumire... Meet Yoriichi-San. You remember him, right? Your mother and I always tell you about him! Besides, he used to carry you when you were very little... I remember your little smile when you saw how he approached our house...', the little girl approached, bopping Yoriichi's nose and then grabbing his cheeks with curiosity

'She seems to like you hahaha! Sumire has also missed you a lot, she used to wait for you every day and she would get sad when she saw that you didn't arrive... But we never let her forget about you!'

'Did she really do that...? Forgive me, little girl... I didn't mean to do it', he sighed and sat the youngest on his lap, stroking her head and looking away.

Sumiyoshi frowned and motioned to his daughter, who nodded laughing. 'He-hey! Su-Sumihire!'

'Ooooh, is that a giggle you just heard~? Hmmmm? It is not? Then why do I see a smile on your face~?', he laughed, thus encouraging the little girl to continue.

Sumire's hands began to rise Yoriichi's neck, smiling while he himself tried not to wrinkle his neck to let her continue. 'Ooooh? Aren't you avoiding stopping Sumire? How adorable!'

'I-It's juhust... I do-dohon't wahant to h-hurt her! Sumihiyohoshi! Stahahap heher!'

'Mmmm... Why should I? You obviously like this! Come on Sumire, give your father some space! Here I come Yoriichi~!

Yoriichi didn't even try to get away from him, his only attempt was to raise his hand while asking him not to come closer, but that only encouraged his friend to join his daughter. 'Wahahahaihit! Sumiyoshi plehahasehehe!'

'Mmmm? Please what? Be more specific Yoriichi-San! Do you want us to continue? That you want?! Did you hear that Sumi?! He wants us to continue!', the little girl laughed and nodded, this time she lowered her hands and began to press on his ribs.

Both she and her father laughed as they noticed how Yoriichi moved his arms that were covering his ribs away and tried to keep them away.

His excuse was 'not wanting to hurt them', but they both knew he was just too shy to admit he was having fun. 'What's happening? Have I heard some laughter? Oooooh! Is it tickling time?! What fun!'

'Suhuyahahakoho-Sahahahan! Stohohop thehehehem!! W-wahahaihit!! Nohohot yohohou tohohoho!! Thihis is so unfahahair!!'

The tickling continued, none of the three moved from the spot they had chosen to tickle, Suyako had his neck, Sumiyoshi his hips and Sumire his ribs.

'He's laughing a lot, isn't he? But maybe not enough... What if we try to make him really laugh?!', there was no need to convince them, they both agreed.

Suyako lowered her hands to his thighs, squeezing them gently, but it wasn't the reaction she was looking for; Sumiyoshi tried his knees, all he earned was a squeal.

Apparently they could only get him to laugh up to that volume, his laughter didn't increase!

'Mmmm... His sides! Dad mom! Help!', they both looked at what the little girl was pointing at.

No one had noticed that Yoriichi was covering his sides, at the moment when Sumiyoshi had decided to go for his hips, to avoid having his sides tickled, he decided to choose to cover them. 'Oooh! Good observation! Honey, do we do the honors~?'

'With great pleasure!'

'W-wait... Let's talk about this!'

There was no way, Sumiyoshi and Suyako took Yoriichi's hands away from his tummy, thus giving Sumire the opportunity to make him scream, or at least try to...

'HEHEHEY!! O-OKAHAHAY YOHOHOU GOHOHOT MEHEHE!! YOU CAHAHAN STOHOHOP NOHOHOW!!'

'Stop? Hmmm... Well, we'll stop, with some conditions~', Yoriichi looked confused.

What did he mean by "conditions"?

'The first is that you must admit that you like this!'

'HUH?! BUHUHUT-!! AHAHAHAHA!!! OKAHAHAHAY!! I LIHIKEHEHE EHEHEHEHE THIHIHIS!!'

'Hmmm, what exactly is "this"? Be more specific Yoriichi-San!'

Suyako laughed and playfully pushed her husband, after a while of laughing, they both stopped. 'That is better! You have a very nice laugh, Yoriichi-San!'

Sumiyoshi nodded, walking over to his friend to make sure he was okay.

'And what is the second request...?'

'Smile more often or else...-!'

'You'll tickle me... I get it... I'll try to comply...', Yoriichi stood up, using his fingers to form a smile for them.

Definitely, both Suyako and Sumiyoshi missed that smile...

[xsezzie]

TickleTober Day 7 : Playtime

The sassy Aether face I found made me laugh so I had to use it here instead of a Fontaine one LOL

Also, Paimon does not exist here 😶

Characters: Neuvillette & Navia & Aether (no shipping here!)

Warnings: Nah

Pairing key: & = platonic, x = romantic!

Time to make Neuvillette the big lee he is :3

“You remember that day I just… really let my heart out in your office, and then we left and it started raining? That was you… wasn’t it?”

Navia questioned the Chief Justice cautiously, partially because it was a sore spot for both of them, and also because she didn’t want to bring about more rain again.

“Mm… yes. Emotions welled up inside me and… I just locked myself in my office for the rest of the evening.”

Neuvillette, Navia and Aether were watching the sunset above Poisson, after the interesting ordeal that just took place and the truths that were uncovered.

Aether decided to lighten up the mood a little, “If it rains when you sad cry, what happens if you happy cry? Or even laughing?”

“Ooh that’s right, hmm I wonder…”

The two blondes stared at Neuvillette curiously, making the dragon feel a little nervous. “Well… it would probably rain just like usual… or perhaps not rain at all?”

“Why don’t we try tickling him?” Aether smirked as he suggested, making Navia’a face light up with excitement.

“Ohoho~ Yes we should! Neuvillette~ Are you ticklish~?”

“T-Tickling? That’s the strange feeling you get when something lightly touches your skin right…?” Neuvillette’s heart rate was beginning to increase, why was he getting so nervous about this idea? “Well I have felt that before… when water drips down my face or an insect is crawling on me…”

“Ohh well that’s a type of tickle… but we mean when someone is grabbing at you… like this~!”

Navia moved behind the Chief Justice and gently squeezed his sides, though he stiffened slightly, his layers of clothing were much too thick for him to feel any real tickling.

“Argh dang it! Aether help!”

“Haha! Neuvillette, take your coat off!”

“I-I don’t think that is necessary…”

Neuvillette could sense the two’s pure intentions, it reminded him of when the Melusines wanted to play with him. And he couldn’t help it when he felt the urge to let his guard down, so he complied, removing his thick coat so that he was just wearing his shirt and pants.

“Alright… let’s see what the two of you combined have got.” Neuvillette was almost teasing them.

“Navia you get him from the right, I’ll go left!”

The two dove at the older man and he swiftly dodged, allowing them to both fall flat on the grass.

“Ugh! It’s still wet, nooo!”

Aether laughed as Navia was distracted with wiping off the wet grass and got up to chase Neuvillette across the field.

“Come back here you old… man! Dragon!! Uhhh… Melusine maybe!?”

“Perhaps it is wiser for you to not use your words and instead focus on your actions…”

“Hey!”

As Neuvillette was distracted by Aether, his Geo companion came in from behind, tackling Neuvillette to the ground. “I got him, I got him! Tickle attack!!!!”

Navia cried as she began to softly scribble under his arms.

“Pff- ah!! Ahahaha!!”

The deep, wheezy laughter shocked both the blondes, they weren’t expecting Neuvillette to be ticklish, or to even laugh. This encouraged the two of them to continue tickling him, with Aether sitting on his legs and squeezing the back of his knees.

“Wow, the Chief Justice of Fontaine is ticklish huh… look at him smiling~ Aww this is so adorable Monsieur Neuvillette~”

“Ahahah!! W-What is thihihis… d-don’t you dare tell anyone- EHEHEHE!!”

Neuvillette jerked when Aether moved up to tickling his waist now.

“Oh look, I bet if we keep this up he will be cry laughing in no time~” The Traveller grinned at Navia, who was moving her hands down his ribs now.

“Gaahahaha!!! HAHAHA STAHAHAHAP! Y-You two will b-be heheheheld accountahahahable for this!!”

“Ohh you hear that, Aether? He’s going to put us on trial for tickling!”

“I don’t think he would want all of Fontaine to know how ticklish he is!”

“EHEHEHHAHAH!! Stahahahaap!!! Uuurgh….”

Neuvillette buried his face in the grass at this point, he could definitely feel some tears coming to his eyes. What was this odd sensation causing him to laugh uncontrollably? It wasn’t as unpleasant as the tickling he’s felt before… there was something different about it.

He was certainly reaching his limit though. The breathless feeling and heat reaching his face. He squirmed as much as he could but these two youngsters had him well pinned down.

“Hehe look, his little ears are pink~” Navia teased and softly scritched one of them, causing him to make a squeaking noise and swat her hand away.

As Aether and Navia giggled at his reaction, they began to feel the familiar cold prickling of drizzle from the sky. Looking up, they realised that the clouds were not grey, but in fact a soft hue of oranges and pinks. The water was even causing a rainbow to appear across the sky, over the islands.

Both looked down to see Neuvillette’s red face, some tears streaming from his eyes and he even ended up with a sniffle. He was pouting.

“You… are both… going to face justice…”

Even a flustered Chief Justice was a scary one, and the two knew they were doomed… so they did the only thing they could think of. Run.

[theleetoalerandalertoalee]

Ler!Alhaitham x Lee!Kaveh

Day 4 - Weak Spot

I know that the plot “weak spot” isn’t tied very well in this but I hope you all enjoy it either way ^^

“This is killing me-! How can he say no to this design?!”

Alhaitham came into his house, disappearing to his room immediately upon entry. The Acting Grand Sage wanted nothing to do with whatever it was that the architect was whining about.

“Agh…I followed everything he asked for! I can’t lower the rate or price any more! These materials- this is insane!”

Alhaitham spoke from his seat in his room, “is this level of volume necessary to complete your project?”

“Well- no- but it’s just- it’s really annoying!”

“Oh. I couldn’t tell.”

The architect scoffs, looking away, “can’t you pretend that you care for once?!”

“Fine,” Alhaitham stands up, setting down his book and walking towards the architect.

“Kaveh, I can see more of your designs than I can of the very floor in the house.”

“Well, I’m sorry that you simply don’t understand what the lifestyle of an architect consists of!”

“Does it include being on the poverty line?”

“You-! Ugh- I don’t even know why I bother with you!”

Alhaitham suddenly puts his hand on the window in the back of Kaveh’s shirt.

The architect jolts forward in his seat, caught off-guard, “ghk-! What are you doing?”

Alhaitham speaks from his stance behind Kaveh, “there’s no words that I can say that’ll get through that thick skull you have. So, I’m going to not attempt that route anymore.”

Alhaitham slides his fingers down Kaveh’s shoulder blades, focusing on the muscles right beside the architect’s spine. The Acting Grand Sage knew full well what he was doing.

Kaveh gasps, “ah-! Wh- what are you doing? Stop that-! Gah!”

Completely ignoring his words, Alhaitham continues, “you were at the tavern the other day, as always. You kept griping about how tense your shoulders have been because of stress- and, since you don’t take care of it- you’re making it my problem, so here am I fixing it.”

Alhaitham digs his thumbs into the muscle he was grazing with his fingertips just seconds beforehand.

“Alhaitham wait- don’t!”

Alhaitham ignores Kaveh, continuing with his mischievous massage with the smallest of smirks on his face. Kaveh jolts in his seat, laughter pouring out of him, like the wine that’s seemingly pouring endlessly into his glass at night.

“Hm, I’m surprised that somehow you can become louder than before I came home. I could have sworn I could hear your complaining from the House of Daena. I’ll wager the researchers at Sanctuary of Surasthana can hear you now.”

“Alhaitham-! Wh- hahahahaha! This isn’t- hahaha- helping!! Hahahaha!”

“This is your weak spot, so you might as well embrace it.”

“Wh-? How do you know- hahahahaha!”

“You can barely handle even fabric on this spot, so it’s natural to infer this.”

“Well it’s uncomfortable to wear- gah! Stop it- hahahahaha!”

“Hm, I doubt you actually want me to stop. You are free to stand up and walk away, and yet you haven’t.”

Kaveh’s face flushed. Alhaitham is right- of course he is…when is he not, at this point?

“Just shut it- hahahahahaha!”

“Now you want it to be quiet? Hm, how amusing.”

Kaveh gives up acting like he wants it to end. He needed this attention. He’s been nothing but neglected, and the only attention he got was when he was being degraded or rejected…but just this once…neither of those are the case, and it’s nice to say the least.

Alhaitham stops the massage, walking away to his room silently to continue reading his book.

Kaveh whirls around in his seat, feeling more relaxed but a bit disappointed that it was over, “umm- Alhaitham…?”

The Acting Grand Sage turns, waiting to hear what the roommate had to say.

“Thank you…”

“Sure.”

Alhaitham continued to read his book quietly. For the first night in a while, Kaveh reached for a bottle or water rather than a glass of wine. Maybe this weakness is a secret benefit after all…

[wildflower-otome]

[Translation] 9 R.I.P. - Kureha - Heavenly Ending After Story

Source: 9 R.I.P. Stella Set Special Bonus Booklet Note: Major Spoilers for Kureha's Heavenly End below.

9 R.I.P. - Kureha Heavenly End After Story

On a certain day, a little while after Misa had become a ghost and we had begun to live together—.

Today, as a breather, we had come out to the shopping mall in front of the train station so I could introduce her to my friend, Koyo, but-…..

For some reason, she seemed to have an interest in him.

Supposedly what she was interested in was his ability to sense spirits, but I, too, had a sense for spirits that was just as good as Koyo’s…or should have anyway. Probably. Maybe.

Hahh…..I was beginning to wonder whether letting her and Koyo meet was such a good idea after all.

‘Hey, Kureha-san. Look, over there. There’s someone staring right at us…..’

‘Hm…..?’

Misa calling out to me, when I looked towards where she was pointing-…..

—Koyo.

Speak of the devil…..no, he was exactly the person we had been looking for.

‘Let’s go, Misa. That’s Koyo. I’ll introduce you.’

‘Sure, I’ve been wanting to meet him.’

She’d been “wanting to meet him”…..

As if trying to rid shake away the murky feeling that had appeared in my chest, I waved to Koyo, beckoning him over.

‘I’ve been looking for you.’

‘That’s unusual. Don’t often see you bring anyone along with you either.’

‘Yeah, it hasn’t been that long since she became a ghost. I brought her with me today thinking I could introduce her to you since you’re a friend.’

‘Hm~m, a friend, am I.’

‘Nice to meet you. I’m Misa Isshiki. I hope we can be good friends too.’

‘Same here. That uniform…are you a Narimigahama High student?’

‘Yes, that’s right. I’m a second year student…..—’

As the two of them began a conversation, I did my best to act the composed observer but…..on the inside, I felt unsettled.

Now that I thought about it, I’d never really seen her talk with other guys before.

No, I had seen her speak with Hibiki, but this situation felt somehow different…..

—While I was fretting, the conversation between the two of them continued.

‘Koyo-san, you knew Kureha-san even before you were a ghost…..or rather, you sensed him, didn’t you?’

‘Yeah, sure did. I was a student at Narimigahama High too. I was aware of Kureha-san’s presence ever since then.’

‘That’s amazing. Ah, but…..now that I think about it, I might have sensed Kureha-san as well while I was still alive…..although it was only the once.’

‘So you’ve got the spirit sense too. Guess we’ve got something in common.’

‘Heheh- I suppose so.’

Aren’t you guys getting awfully chummy rather quickly?

Her encounter with me had been a different matter, I hadn’t expected them to get so friendly quite so soon.

‘Hey, since we’re already here, why don’t we go see a movie together, all three of us? There’s a new one they started showing just today. Ah, are you alright with horror, Misa?’

‘”M-Misa”—!?’

I’d been so taken by surprise it had ended up coming out in my voice, by the time I realised it, it was already too late.

‘…..Kureha-san, what’s wrong?’

‘Ah, it’s nothing…..I was just thinking I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go if it was a horror movie, hahaha…..’

‘Ah, I see. That’s right.’

I thought it’d been something of a strained excuse, but unexpectedly it looked as if she’d believed me.

Still, that Koyo…..I hadn’t thought he’d be calling her by her first name right from their first meeting…..And I’d even gone and made it obvious how jealous I was. Good grief.

‘Koyo, I’m sorry, but about that movie…..’

Just as I went to speak, I realised. That Koyo's eyes were mischievous as he looked at me.

Koyo clapped a hand to my shoulder and murmured in my ear.

‘…..I’m happy for you, Kureha-san.’

So speaking, he went to walk past us.

‘Let’s leave it at that for today. See you later, Misa-chan.’

—!

‘Ah, yes. Goodbye.’

‘Oh, that’s right. Kureha-san, just so you know, I’ll be coming over to make fun of you again tomorrow.’

‘Hmph-, that won’t be necessary.’

As I watched Koyo walk away, I was internally apologising to him.

If this was going to happen, I should have just told you from the beginning. About Misa being the person I love.

‘Koyo-san is a good person, isn’t he? He really gets you, Kureha-san.’

‘…..Don’t tell me you knew what he was doing all along?’

‘I guessed it when he called me “Misa-chan” just before he left. Also, what he said about “coming over to make fun of you”…..Hehe-’

‘When Koyo comes to visit tomorrow, I want to make sure I explain about you to him properly…..would that be alright? I’ll tell him how important you are to me, and that I’m deeply in love with you.’

Her eyes widened slightly, and her cheeks were red as she smiled.

‘That would make me really happy. But be sure to tell him not that “you’re in love with me” but that “we’re in love with each other.”’

Now it was my turn to blush.

‘Yes, that’s right.’

The murkiness that had been in my chest having disappeared before I realised it, I now felt warm inside.

—Let’s be together this way, forever.

I took her hand and began to walk.

[focsle]

This may be a strange question, but is there any prep you think someone should do before reading moby dick? Or just anything worth bearing in mind for it? Especially for someone whos only read a small handfull of books that old

Hmmm I don't know exactly but here's my stream of consciousness answer to this hahaha.

I don't think it's a book that requires necessary prep to jump into (though it's always helpful and enlightening to hear other people's thoughts and analysis about it while you're reading). As far as the age of the book, a lot of people tend to be surprised at how modern and humorous the language is, though it's very dense and winding. I think it's a book that asks you to spend time with it--it's not one to skim. It has, mostly, very short chapters though that help make what it's saying digestible. But if you're jumping into it expecting an adventure novel about hunting a white whale, that's not gonna be it! I describe the process of reading Moby-Dick as watching a man unravel his soul in front of you for hundreds of pages. It's all his meditations and grapplings thrown out in the open. And maybe, in witnessing one man's soul unraveling, you can find little pieces that resonate with your own.

I think it's always good to bear in mind the time in which it was written: 1840s into the 1850s United States: rapidly industrializing, a period of European immigration in ways the country hadn't seen in the decades prior, the continued violence and land theft wrought upon indigenous people in growing westward expansion and idea of Manifest Destiny really making itself felt in a white American identity, a country extremely polarized and filled with tension around the institution of slavery and fugitive slave acts also destabilizing the lives of Black people in free states, and ultimately a nation fast on its way to hurtling into Civil War. It's a critical decade when it comes to the path of the country and I think many of the questions Moby-Dick raises arise from its time. And that time, if you ask me, feels startlingly close to our moment right now in a number of ways. I think the 2020s will be just as critical a decade. I'm rambling now, forgive me. Call me Ishmael. And also that it was written during the golden age of whaling, where it was one of the largest economic sectors in the country and so much of the energy and product consumption was linked to it. Whaling was a Big Deal, and so many of the issues mentioned above are inherently woven into the industry. I feel like an 1850s American whaleship was very much a male microcosm of its own country. And I think the Pequod in Moby-Dick reads that way as well.

Getting a cursory sense of Herman Melville too can also give an insight into this work. Because--this is perhaps controversial of me to say from a Literary Analysis standpoint but--so many of his books are autobiographical to some degree. He puts a lot of himself into them, I think. I think his personal experiences, at least to some degree, inform the sort of questions he asks and conclusions he reaches in the book.

The book has a LOT of references ranging from the historical to the biblical. There are podcasts that dissect Moby Dick chapters (tho I'm bad at listening to podcasts so I can't recommend a specific one). Power Moby Dick is a meticulously annotated virtual copy that can give context where needed.

Historian Nathaniel Philbrick wrote a book called Why Read Moby-Dick. He's the one who called the book a metaphysical survival manual which I think is such an apt way to describe it and the way I perceive it too. The book however was published in 2011 and has a very like.....Liberal White American 'Obama Is President So The Trajectory of the Country is All Lookin' Up From Here We're All Good Now' skew that, especially today, reads rather flat. But there are still interesting things he brings up.

Very silly, but there's also a book called Our Daily Breach by Dennis Patrick Slattery that engages an examination of each chapter through a personal lens, if that's your sort of Thing. If you're a Journaler.

Anyway! Read how you like! I think one can go in blind and when stumbling across something that feels confusing or intriguing, can follow that thread after reading the chapter. But it is an interesting novel to hear other opinions on (and man have the opinions been written. Throw a stick on jstor and you'll find 8 million essays), because it's a very weird book that can be read so many ways and mean so many things.

[desceros]

Hello! Hope you're having a good day. Is it OK if I ask you a question?

How is it you manage to maintain really great flow with your readers POV in your long fic? For example, you maintain really good consistency with their thoughts and how the story is meant to be perceived so nothing seems sudden or out of the blue.

Do you reread your previous chapters a lot before posting the next or is it your beta reader who tracks this for you? Thank you for your time!

hello hello!! yes of course; i love getting questions like this. as for beta readers, i’ve never been one to use them. i support the practice fully. i just don’t have the patience to wait for feedback, hahaha!

mostly, this effect is because of my writing style, mechanically speaking. my writing is like knitting. as opposed to quilt-style writers, who can take little pieces of a story and sew them together at the end, i am a knitting-style writer, and i like to start at the bottom and gradually climb to the top. i write from beginning to end, and i like things to flow from a to b to c to d with as few gaps as i can get away with while still keeping things interesting.

i used to have an internal rule that i didnt like time skips because that’s time in the character’s life that could be used to develop them. while i’ve matured out of that, i still prefer to keep skips short, and i refer back to things that happened during those skips to keep that development. (an example in symphony is how i say that leo sends you funny memes all the time. i don’t show it, i tell it; but sometimes, telling is an economical alternative and the showing isn’t necessary for Every Little Detail.)

i can count on one hand the number of times i’ve written a scene out of order. writing out of order is a really good recommendation if you’re feeling stuck on a scene (just skip it and go to the next one you don’t feel stuck on) but i’ve… never been one to take that advice, haha. my writing builds and builds on itself over the course of the story, so if i miss a step, it’s more annoying later to sew it in. i just plow through the current scene like a stubborn mule cutting through clay.

a side effect of this is that my writing has very good flow, as you say. it takes a lot longer to write this way, and i have to trudge through less interesting scenes before i get to what i Really wanna write, which can be demotivating if im not excited enough for the project as a whole, buuuut… for a reader, i personally think it’s a superior experience. and there are times when i Never get stuck on a scene, and things just flow out of my hands like water. what a magical feeling that is when it happens! that’s how you can get absurd feats like me writing euclidean line in three days.

for my longer works, eg symphony, when i sit down to write, i skim the previous chapter to recall events. then i deep-read the last scene of that chapter (eg talking with leo at the end of chap. 22) and then i’ll start writing the next chapter. this makes sure that there’s continuity from the end of the previous chapter to the beginning of the next; and then because of the aforementioned way i write knitting-style, the new chapter is cohesive internally with itself. as a result, there is one long, continuous stream of flow that could be read from beginning to end without being jarring to do so.

besides all this, it really helps to have a strong mental picture of everything. what i mean is… i know who viola-chan is. how she talks. how she thinks. how she reacts to things. i can keep her very consistent from one scene to the next because i understand her. i know the plot of the fic very well. i know where i am and where i’m going in the story. i know the world i’ve built. i can weave all of these things together organically (almost like yarn, one could say, hoho…). a lot of power the author has comes from the establishment of strong characters living in a strong world and interacting with it via a strong plot. when those three things harmonize consistently over time, it creates a solid experience for the reader that Oh. This Is A Real Person In A Real Place Doing Real Things. Yeah. and that right there is the thing i think that all authors strive to improve every day.

anyway! wow! long answer. but thank you for such a thoughtful question!!

[forlorn-crows]

people are so weird about dewdrop so often, like it’s fine to make him like femme stuff and yeah he’s small but so many are like MY UWU BOY SO SOFT like let him live bro!! he’s messy and weird and neurotic and mean! it esp makes me upset when people do that and then hc him as trans, because it feels really obvious that they’re still stuck in the “all trans men are soft bois” phase. there’s a lot of really good dew forcedfem and dew trans stuff, but I feel like if you’re ONLY writing dew like that, maybe you should re-examine why you automatically hc the short, long haired guy as the feminine and trans one. anyways sorry for the rant, ghouls are genderfuck anyways, trans princess mountain supremacy

i know there was a post circulating about this topic a little while ago. and i know there were some good takes and some . . . not so good takes lmao.

there is definitely a boundary between sexualization and appreciation. some people dont know that line. and, like youve mentioned, some people have biases and stereotypes about thin androgynous trans men that dont ever really . . . expand beyond that point. youre absolutely right that if that is seriously the only way you write 'trans dew' (i say this in quotes really bc i think ghouls have a different idea about gender as a whole, but this conversation, like fat female characters, tends to go beyond just ghost when we have it) then i think taking a step back and asking why that is, is important.

like i mentioned earlier, while its okay to have aspects about your characters that are stereotypical, they have to be balanced and incorporated into things that go beyond sexual actions/identity. or what a person is to other people. bc ive read some totally hot, totally well-rounded stuff with forcefem trans bottom dew, like you said. but it can def get repetitive (and a lil sus) if thats literally all someone writes.

bc big, strong ghouls can have cunts too. tiny feminine ghoulettes can have dicks. these are opposite ends of the spectrum kind of examples, but you get the idea. and again, thats not to say 'oh well if people are saying only this kind of trans ghoul gets written, then i need to go the complete opposite direction and write them the other way!' cause like. gender has nuances and has nothing to do with personality, you feel? can the way you express your gender have to do with personality? yes. but yeah, they dont dictate each other.

and, as a cis person, my advice about trans ghouls in general is you should know the hard lines not to write. and you shouldnt act like you know everything. especially when it comes to transitioning, hormones, surgeries, etc. i hope i dont come across that way, and its why i dont ever explore those aspects in my writing. i dont have the experience (and again, i think it works differently as ghouls but i digress)

BUT. everyone has different experiences regardless of body type and whatever junk you got. thus, everyone can feel differently about the way a trans character is portrayed. some people are like 'hell no i dont want to read about any P in V sex' and others are like 'literally give me every dick in the vicinity'. you know? theres a lot of fluidity (hah) to explore, and i dont think one should be discouraged in writing 'trans' ghouls even if they're cis. take valid criticisms when necessary and needed, but like. they're hellbeasts. they arent human anyway haha. i would like more monster aspects, personally (tentacles anyone?)

and yes, i support the trans princess mountain agenda, please continue to spread it hahaha

[darkfictionjude]

Originally I was trying to make my MC some sort of failed or twisted Imre. That is, someone who is handsome in a conventional way (including some level of muscle and athleticism). Like, an MC that has everything to be an Imre, but their personality and issues stops him from being like that.

But then I noticed that the story doesn't really allow that, mostly due to how much is stated that MC does not gain any muscle (even if you choose to do a lot of exercise). And while I chose the stocky body type thinking of some muscle mass (as stocky can be both fat and muscle, either together or separately, based on what I understand of the meaning and usage of the word as a non native English speaker). It's obvious now to me that you did intend all along for MC to not be muscular to any rate, and I was being delusional.

Of course, I can continue my delusion and say MC has body disphoria (which, all in all, wouldn't be that surprising given how unreliable MC is as a POV). But, I think I'll just make a twink instead.

(This wasn't an ask to change it in game, by the way. It's not necessary. If your vision for the story goes another way, it's your calling as writer. I just commented this based on how funny I found it personally. My idea for MC crumbled, anyway, as the story advanced. I already was imagining my MC as a short skinny guy, or twink, when I realized the error of my ways.)

Hahaha yeah I gathered this wasn’t an ask.

I figured mc has been on many drugs, experimental and not. They have poor nutrition and don’t really consume a lot of vitamins so it would make sense for them to not be muscular unless it’s genetic in a way. (Speaking of genetics none of the crowns are that muscular either). That’s also the reason when I make choices for clothing it’s never too flashy because mc has never cared about what they wear.

For me stock in mc terms is compacted and chubby. But hey that’s actually a pretty interesting idea. That mc doesn’t really see themself accurately because they are unreliable in pretty much all areas of their life. They could be super ripped and not know it 😭

I welcome all head canons because my readers experience playing the game is different from me writing it. To be honest I haven’t played the game at all. I might when the full season is released (and change some things because I know how I am).