#stagelight au

[anpanbun]

Stagelight AU

A modern music Lamplight adjacent AU. (Lamplight adjacent in that it uses the loose format of: guy who is powerful and can't talk + guy who will do anything for him). Thank you @liloinkoink @martynsimp69 @ilexdiapason @kingtheghast @honey-daisies and Bird for collective brainstorming this with me <3

Let's meet our guys in this AU!

Martyn is an aspiring musician, previously with the band EVO (though he left when the band signed with Watcher Records). Years later, he now works a pub called The King's Head, but attends the open mic nights hosted by The Burning Lantern down the road. He begins noticing a reoccurring audience member.

That reoccurring audience member is of course Ren Dog. An older man wearing sunglasses at every open mic night. He always sits through Martyn's performances, sometimes he leaves right after, sometimes he sticks around for a while, but he is always there when Martyn plays. Except that one time Martyn played an old rock song from Red King, the guy had left in the middle of that performance, odd.....

And that's where it starts.

Martyn, of course, immediately has his interest piqued. Originally, because there was a very attractive man staring at him intently, but afterwards because of the mystery. Who is this guy? Why does he only leave after hes had a chance to hear Martyn's sets? Why does he never come up and say something? Martyn is aware he's an attractive guy, and the musician look really does it for a lot of people, so he's no stranger to an audience member coming up for a chat after his set.

This guy never does though, so Martyn ends up taking the matter into his own hands. So he devises a little trap. If that man always waited for him to play, then how about using that to his advantage? Trading out his electric guitar for acoustic that night, Martyn delays his set until he is the last act of the night. The moment his last note finishes ringing out from the stage, he sprints down the steps to introduce himself.

Ren though does not react well to this situation at all, staring at Martyn in startled silence and before turning and walking away without a single word.

He eventually finds out Ren's name by asking the employees of the bar. Imagine his surprise to learn that his name is Ren, just like the Renthedog account that has been consistently liking his posts on AUstagram. Even after the disastrous introduction.

So the next time he reaches out to Ren, he tries to take it a bit slower. Making eye contact from the stage, a little wave. Next time he tries to talk to Ren, instead of offering to buy him a drink, he asks if he can get Ren's AUstagram, and with a laugh Ren hands it over.

A flood gate opens from there. For all that Martyn has never heard Ren speak, he sure has a lot to say when it's in writing. They hang out from there, quickly becoming friends. When Martyn finds out that Ren straight up cannot speak, and it wasn't just shyness holding his voice back, he tries to ask why. Ren just gives the vague answer of:

Stage fright, all the world's a stage

Which doesn't really explain anything.

They have a comfortable, distant, but a bit flirty, friendship. Which is something that changes when Martyn finds the photo.

He finds it when cleaning out an old box of stuff. In a box full of high school knick knacks, one of the photos stands out. It's of himself and BigB, they must be 17 or 18, and they're standing with their arms thrown around eachother at some sort of music festival or concert. That's not what gives Martyn pause on it though, it's the singer performing in the background. The face might be obscured by makeup, and time, and the noise of an old photo camera, but its Ren. Martyn is absolutely certain Ren is the one singing in that picture. It clicks what band that is, Red King, BigB’s favorite. Ren, Ren was the lead singer of Red King.

With some digging, he finds out what happened. Red King, a three man rock band, with Lead Singer/Guitarist Ren Dog, Drummer Skizz Leman, and Bassist/Harmony Singer Scar Goodtimes, was one of the bands of all time. Sold out shows, huge tours, the works. Until it suddenly broke up over a decade back because of a scandal involving the lead singer, involving Ren.

Their tour had stopped where Ren's childhood friend Lizzie lived, famous actress Lizzie Shadow, Lizzie. They had been out for dinner to catch up and Ren was driving her home when he took a corner just a little too fast, the car skids, hits a tree, Lizzie's taken to the hospital and suddenly Ren finds his life crumbling around him.

Lizzie had been fine when the paramedics had arrived, told him it wasn't a big deal and that he didn't need to worry about any bad press from this. Cause why would she want to hurt her friend?

But somehow the press does find out, and the person who tipped them off implied that it wasn't a mutual understanding but instead a cover up.

Someone reports that he was drunk when they wrecked (even though he wasnt) and that gets picked up and run with. The constant pregnant rumors that follow Lizzie also get thrown in the mix and whispers of an affair (which again he wasn't, they weren't) get picked up as fact.

Ren figures out pretty quickly it was Scar who leaked the accident, the initial reports had too many details that he'd only told a couple of people. And when he goes to confront Scar about it? Well, Scar's always been able to put on a good performance, it's why Ren had brought him into the band in the first place. To have that acting turned against him though? Used to manipulate the flashing paparazzi cameras so that it looks like Ren is lashing out against his innocent band mate? It makes him wish he'd never met Scar.

The day after that fight with Scar is flooding across the tabloid, they still have to go onto the stage to performing their show.

Ren steps up on stage and sees a sight that will haunt him for the rest of his days. The giant venue, a sold out show, stands almost entirely empty. He tries to push on, tries to sing, but his words get absorbed into the empty silence. And on that silent stage is the last time Ren Dog speaks.

Lizzie speaks out and clears up the scandal after she's leaves the hospital, but its too late for Red King to recover. Skizz returns home to his family, Scar builds a solo career off the stinking corpse of Red King, and Ren fades into the obscurity of a normal, secluded life.

Martyn takes this knowledge and uses it to help Ren on his journey to gain back his voice. They are drawn together by music and fall in love. In the end, Martyn and Ren go on tour together, The King and The Hand, not to become famous, but to travel around and continue to find the joy in music together. Ren is back in the stagelight, but Martyn is the one in the spotlight, and Ren could not be happier for him.

PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT THIS AU IT MAKES ME INSANE AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT IT MORE!!! THERES SO MUCH MORE I COULDNT FIND A WAY TO FIT IN!!!

Where it started:

[max-the-silly-guy]

Chat I have a vision

[artistsunbeam]

Here's a lazy sketch of Bendy. Scrooge McDuck 2.0??

[alixartz]

WELCOME HOME AU! much fun. Yes. ANYWAYS! this au is pretty much a mix of welcome home and dialtown. So ye! Two interests of mine merging! Much fun :3

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Musician Age Gap AU Pt 3

Whatever Kara expects from the even-keeled girl in the dressing room, the absolute showstopper of an opening number is not it. Lena emerges from the black in a spotlight of silver and sparkle, hair in waves and posed with a microphone with one arm outstretched above her head.

As at home as Lena had seemed to be curled up in her small armchair downstairs, it's clear to Kara that the stage could very well be her true home as she strutted and danced across it. She practically floated through the air, and all the while played to the crowd in a way that made them all feel part of the shared experience. As though she were giving as much of herself to them as they gave themselves to her.

And she's good. Phenomenally good. Even Kara finds herself bopping to the beat, while Esme sings along with the crowd to the point Kara knows the girl would be hoarse the following morning.

More than an hour later, Kara is simply amazed. Awestruck, in a way not unlike Esme had been. When the stagelights dim, Kara expects a break for intermission, but instead Lena speaks into the microphone.

"Now, y'all, here comes favorite part of the show!"

The crowd cheers raucously, eager with an anticipation Kara can't help but get caught up in, despite not knowing what comes next.

"As you probably already know, I like to have a partner to sing one of my favorite songs."

There's another round of screaming applause. Clearly, everyone else knows what's about to happen.

"Could seat CC26 and their party make their way down here to join me on stage?"

The crowd goes nuts. Kara can hardly hear herself think, until Esme clutches her arm in a death grip.

"It's us!! Oh my god oh my god!!!!" Esme jumps and squeals.

That can't be right-- but when Kara pats for her ticket, she can't find it. Esme shoves her own in her face, showing the CC24 clearly printed on it. Then Esme points at the number on Kara's arm rest.

CC26.

"Aunt Kara, come *on*!!" Esme screams, now yanking on Kara's arm. Kara looks up, and sees a woman with a headset approaching them, no doubt to lead them down to the stage.

Kara barely remembers to collect their bags as she shuffles out of the row, Esme already out with the production assistant. As Lena performs a filler song to give them time to walk down, Esme practically vibrates, her eyes sparkling above a radiant smile.

They only have a chance to speak when they finally pause offstage.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Suddenly, Esme's excitement takes an audible turn towards dread. "I think I'm gonna barf."

"Whoa now, hey," Kara says, turning Esme to face her. "It's okay to be nervous. There's a lot of people out there, but just remember that it's just you two on stage. And she's gonna love you."

Esme swallows. "You think so?"

Kara grins. "I know so."

Before they can say anything else, the filler song finishes, and the stage manager is nudging them towards the stage.

"You good, kiddo?" the woman checks in with Esme.

With a deep breath, Esme nods. "I'm good."

"Now please," Lena calls into the microphone. "Let's give a warm welcome to tonight's guest!!"

Esme all but bounds onto the stage, bouncing into Lena's outstretched arms. Esme throws herself against in a fierce hug, and Kara notes that Lena squeezes just firmly.

"What's your name?"

"Esme!"

The crowd cheers. Lena's smile is dazzling. "Thanks for joining me Esme. I think you'll know this next one. Sing with me?"

Kara watches her goddaughter nod firmly.

"Awesome!" Lena turns to the crowd. "All right yall! Are you ready to dance!?!"

The crowd roars, and just like that, they're off. It is indeed a song to dance to. The beat thumps briskly, and the tune light and playful, lending itself easily to being screamed by a thousand fans. Kara can see Esme loosen up a little more with every line, and by the chorus she's bouncing and jumping with the energy only a hyped up teenager could have.

"Hey!" the stage manager calls over the music. Kara turns to listen. "After this we'll take you to the front row, and then collect you after the show. Lena likes to chat with her guests for a few minutes backstage."

Kara's surprised. She'd have thought anyone would be ready to pass out even now, and the show would likely go on at least another half hour, if not more. How would Lena have the energy to keep going even longer?

But she nods. "Okay," she says.

After the song, Lena gives Esme a double high five before wrapping her in another tight hug.

"Let's give it up for Esme!"

The crowd cheers as Esme gives a theatrical bow before practically sprinting back towards Kara.

"Oh my GOD!!!" Esme cries. "That was amazing!! Kara, did you see? She hugged me! Twice!"

Adrenaline has Esme trembling against Kara as they follow the PA down to the front row. It takes another two songs for her to calm, and return to a relative normal. A normal that disappears the moment the lights go down at the end of the show (after two bonus songs), and Kara tells her what comes next.

"What?!?" Esme nearly shrieks. "Really?!"

"Yeah!" Kara laughs. "You kicked ass out there! Of course she wants to meet you."

Except they don't stop backstage, but rather are led further into the building, to a door that Kara remembers keenly, despite the fact it looks exactly like every other door they pass.

"Wait," Esme blurts, stopping short. She frantically combs through her sweaty hair, patting down her shirt before finally wiping her palms on her jeans. "Do I look okay?"

Kara smiles reassuringly. "You look awesome. I promise."

Esme takes a deep breath. "Okay."

The door opens, and Kara's brain screeches to a halt at the sight of Lena's head tilted back to guzzle a large bottle of water. Her neck is lined with sweat, her previous waves now mussed and a little snarled. But she still looks....

Lena catches sight of them, giving a quick final swallow before shooting them a kilowatt smile.

"Hi!!"

"Hi..." Esme's voice is soft, still plainly self-conscious. Lena takes it in stride.

"Esme, you were absolutely AMAZING tonight! You rocked it!"

"Really?" Esme's voice turns up a little, brightening.

"I'm pretty sure you knew the words better than I did!"

Kara hovers near the door, content for Esme to be the center of Lena's attention. Her goddaughter is drinking it up, and Kara knows she'll be talking about tonight for months, if not years to come.

But then Lena glances up, and their eyes meet. Before Kara can even flush at having been caught staring, Lena flickers one eye shut in a clear wink before returning her attention to Esme.

Kara nearly swallows her tongue. She struggles to control her heart rate, until Lena urges Esme to take a look through some special not-for-sale merch to see what she'd like to take home with her.

"Then we'll take a selfie, okay?"

"Okay!"

Esme bounces to the table, allowing Lena a few moments to approach Kara. Her dress-- not the same one she started in-- is lasciviously low cut, and it sends a flash of fire through Kara's veins.

"You forgot this," Lena purrs, offering Kara's ticket between two fingers. She grins, letting Kara take it.

"Right. Uhm... thanks." Kara glances meaningfully towards Esme. "For everything."

"My original intentions were admittedly selfish, but I meant what I said. She was a  natural up there."

Kara nods, then freezes. "Selfish?"

"I might have wanted to see you again." Lena cocks a grin. "To apologize. For my venue being out of code."

"Oh. Right."

"And cuz you're hot."

Kara splutters. "Excuse me?!"

"Are you okay Aunt Kara?" Esme approaches with a trademarked backpack and a large glossy photo of Lena onstage in her hands.

"She's good," Lena assures her. "Just a little breathless."

"Riiiiight," Esme says, eyeing Kara confusedly before offering the photo to Lena. "Could you sign this for me?"

"I'd love to!" Lena swipes a silver sharpie from her dressing table and signs a large loopy autograph across the top of the photo. She even includes a personalization: To the world's best co-star-- always keep dancing!

Kara can hear the distant bustle of movement coming down the corridor, and knows their time with Lena has come to a close.

"Come on kiddo, it's time to get going."

"Do we have to?" Esme says in a whine.

Kara shoots her a look. "Yes."

Lena chuckles. "It's okay, we have to start getting out of here too. School night and all."

It's plain she means it as a joke, but Kara is struck by the fact that Lena is young enough to still be in university-- which in turn makes Kara feel ancient.

"Thank you, Lena!"

"Thank YOU, Esme," Lena says, hugging Esme again. "You truly made tonight a blast."

Just as the PA starts shuffling Kara and Esme from the room, Lena catches her eye.

"Ticket?" she mouths.

Kara lifts the offending ticket in a mock salute, and tries not to stumble when Lena grins.

The night air outside comes as a relief. Kara takes a deep breath, then tries to keep pace as Esme bounces through the parking lot, riding high on adrenaline and nervous energy.

"She said I was a blast!"

Kara listens to Esme chatter on as they climb into the car and start the drive home. It stops abruptly about halfway there.

"Turn back," Esme clips out, voice tense with anxiety as she frantically paws through her backpack. "Turn back!"

"Esme, what--?"

"My phone! I left my phone! We have to go back!"

Kara pulls the first u-turn she can, but not soon enough. By the time they reach the arena the lights are out and the doors are locked. Then all she can do is hug Esme as she bursts into tears.

"We'll call them tomorrow, sweetie," Kara tries to reassure her. She knows that the tears aren't for the texts or games on it, but the photos that were just taken, the proof of Esme's amazing night.

"We'll find it, I promise."

[unholywriters]

Demon's Desire - Chapter One

Tags: demon au, demon stray kids, demon Chan, demon Felix, demon han, demon Changbin, demon hyunjin, Demon seungmin, demon lee know, demon jeongin, obsession, poly, unproected sex, mpreg, markings, hell, minors DNI

WC: 2.9k

Summary: The reader is living comfortably in a luxury apartment while working at a booming nightclub as a sir of the night, after counting the cash from their closing show they wanted to head home after getting much more money than they thought. But ran into 8 handsome men with one of them offering to take them home, but waking up after a sudden car crash, they had a choice to make.

Taglist: @a-short-ass-disappointment @gnusihcom

Feel free to ask me to be added to the tag list of this one!

Men of the night, it’s not something a lot of people aren't used to seeing or hearing about. After all most men have the money to spend on things like this and keep it a secret from those around them just to seem like nothing else happened. It doesn’t matter to me, I get paid and live comfortably and paying my dues and debts. I’m living fa from home, a place where it was either I become a doctor or something that would bring in high money so my sister could do as she wanted without our parents having to work too long or be gone from her precious grasp. Leaving was hte best thing of my life, I had my phone just to see the messages from them and watched them get shunned from the family.

Of course after some years people tried to get me to forgive and talk to them again, Telling me that they’ve fallen from grace and now hvae to live paycheck to paycheck, my sister having the hardest time trying to adjust to not having everything she used to hvae, lavish dinners, endless shopping trips, all the cars she wanted, new clothes everyday, accessories. They had to sell everything and then had to start over, but I just started to cut off everyone, I had no family. I was alone just like I was used to after so many years. It was peaceful, I walked to the nightclub I worked at. Where I was known as shimmering Diamond. My show was always the last one just to watch everyon throw in the big dollars like they meant nothing and I could take them all home just to handle the rest of my personal things. I had enough to nearly buy out a place if I wanted to, but I like livinig in my apartment. Top floor, almost no one else lives there since the rent for those are so high with everything being high class and cleaned everyday by hnd trained staff everytime I leave.

With the list I leave out everyday whenever I leave for work, it gets done and I always have a new wine botttle everytime I leave to do so. It was somethign I tend to enjoy really and I like it. Getting to taste new wine befroe going to bed after dancing for hours, hearing nonstop screams and whistles while no one truly gets to touch me because I don’t allow it. Since most of the men that come in there aren’t gay, they just want a twink but I don’t allow them to have that fantasy. I’m a lot mroe then just a twink and I won’t let your ego think you can get a twink to scream with that one inch. But nonetheless, I grabbed my work bag from my closet door.It had my favorite sliver shinning wig sealed in a careful bag, there was also a thigh high boots sprayed with a glitter sliver that would glow in the stagelight, with my favorite outfit. The skirt would spread out everytime I did a spin around that pole like shimmering lights and the top would just melt into my skin. Grabbing everyones attention and would go crazy, some would even look like they were foaming at hte mouth just to see me finish and there was nothing I could do about it. But use it to my advantage.

I got to the back door and did the four knocks, ignoring the bright street light pointing to the mian entrance of the club nad saw the bouncer opn the door. Pushing his hair back with his left hand while he looked at me from the top step. “Come on in Diamond, your room is ready.” I playfully rolled my eyes as I walked inside the dark neon red hallway, hearing the door close and lock behind me as I walked and made a turn to my room. Some dancers hated my room, it had a star on it for me to know which one is mine and it was slightly bigger. The mian back wall was pratically a large mirror with lights on the side, spilt vanity on each side with every product I’d use and my own pole to give private shows. I don’t do those much or even often. Some hate it, others tell me I’m missing out, either way I don’t mind mising out. I want to last longer then 2 minutes anyway and have fun the rest of the night leading to me going home and them being mad my poor legs aren’t shaking like they hope they would.

But I dind’t care either, I took a quick shower while getting ready. Making sure everything was just right and my wig was on just the way I liked it. My outfit was on good enough and I smelled like roses mixed with peaches. wanting to bring in as much as I could for tonight, there was an outfit I wa looking forward to and wanted to get in the morning and hope it wasn’t sold out or anything. Then I’d have to put in an order for it and wait even longer since they are high demand for those who can afford it. After getting dressed and ready it was time for me to head out, something I either always hated or would enjoy but that depended on the crowd. I made my way out, saying hello to th egirls who were laughing at some gossip while others were peaking from the side. I susally tend to close out teh sound of the announcer and the screams as I make my way out. And when I did I saw why some girls looked worn out. The floor seemed to be filled with those who carry the big dollars. Those who really could afford to throw the single one dollars, maybe even the 20s if they wanted to.

Dancing at first can always be nerbous, because when you want to make sure you have enough, you want to go hard. Go wild just to keep everyones attention, but you have to start slow, then build your way up. Like a song, well some songs start off crazy but my point is start off slow. Even when I was looking in the ground sometimes quickly, I was dancing around and looking like a mess by the end of the night. And that’s how it was for the night, my shows are usually last about 4 songs at minimum since I like to throw in something that is slightly before dancing back like I was finally breakig free. Something I tend to do very well. But by the end of it all, the stage was covered in 5’s, 10’s,and 20’s. Something I’d never seen in the time I’ve been doing this. It was shocking and I didn’t know what to do other then just pick up everything as the lights went out. We were done for the night and we could do whatever we wanted. Go out and talk to people or get ready to do private shows. I didn’t have a list probably, I didn’t know but I was more focused on counting all the money. Each room has a money counter and we make sure all the bills we have are real and not fake. Some try to pay with fake bills which is why they have to pay up at front before coming back here. No cash? No show.

“5k for that?” I was surprised when I saw the total. I don’t know exactly how much but I put it all in my bag along with my clothes, if this is what I got then I needed nothing more from tonight nad could go home and take an early shower. Something I was excited about. I’d just need to talk to the manager about it before I could do anything else since I knew I wasn’t here long. But all of this and me staying for the full time would help some. So I covered myself with a black coat I have, fixing my hair some before walking out and walking to the main floor where she likes to hang out. Making sure my door was double locked while I kept walking. Looking up to the v.i.p. I saw the managaer head upstairs behind 8 well dressed men. Even waving me over to come with her so I did. Confused, I still went over to her before the two bouncers stood close together while we walked up the clear glass stairs.

walking over to the far side with the dark purple velvert with soft cusions with a glass round table in the middle. The music around now is softer since we aren’t performing. “Gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to see you. This is our best performer, Diamond. He loves the stage.” I softly bowed and waved to them, looking at each of them and wondering what in teh world are 8 handsome men doing here. They could buy this place out if they wanted ot and there would be nothing more that I could do, thought I would like to see that but that’s not why I’m here. “They did amazing tonight, they know how to keep a show going.” One of them said, crossing his legs over and pushing some of his hair back before holding his hand out to me. “Hyunjin Hwangm, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I shook his hand while looking at the others. There was somethign about the man in the middle, with how he sat there with the others arpund him. Like he was the boss and if anyone of his crew wanted aomething he woudl get it for them with a simple look, or wave of his hand. “Would you like to sit with us while we have a chat? The others don’t bite some are just…tired is all.” Hyunjin was very convincing with his word choice. The way he looked under the light just so his eyes could shine enough to make you want to stay, like if you told him no,there was no getting away from him.

“I love the offer Mister Hwang, but I wanted to ask my manager if I could get home. My landlord sent me something about a pipe or something, don’t want to risk a flood.” I slightly did lie, but there was some problems at the paartment because someone threw wipes in the toliet and it started to clog some, though I’m sure by now it’s fixed. But he looked over to the man in the middle, no words were exchanged, all I saw was a quick raise of both eyebrows before he turned back to me, smiling still while holding his bag. “Let me walk down with you to call a cab, please.” “If you inisit, mister Hwang, let me get my work bag.” He stood up with a poliet smile before walking with me, his arm going around my waist to keep me close while we wlaked down the stairs. I wondered why he wanted to walk with me but didn’t want to seem like I was too high, even my manager looked at me hoping something would go right. He stayed at the backroom entrance while I unlocked my door and walked in, grabbing my bag and walking over. It felt weird, having someone walk with me while they called a cab just to make sure I got home without any favors.

He walked me outside pasy the crowds of people, standing under a light pole while some people were stubmling trying to get away, or some were trying to get close, but he just ignored them. “WHat brings you and your friends to this rundown place?” He looked over to me and smiled, like he was waiting for this question in order to finally tell someone a secret he was waiting to tell after being given permission to do so by the person. “We want to expand this and make it a safer place for some, one floor for dancing, one floor for v.i.p.’s, and the top floor for staff, each room would be large for comfort and things like that. We’ve done a lot and deicded this was one, I love coming here to get something to eat. Not in the obvious way when some come here.” “Oh yeah? I feel like with you 8 running the place we’d have a lot more people coming in just to see you in action.” He let out a soft chuckle before walking in front of me to open a car door, it was a luxury car that had a little snack jar in between the seats. I liked it. “Just tell teh driver where to drop you off and he will, see you around, diamond.” I gave him a smile before getting in and sitting in the car. Giving the best I could to get home and just let him drive. It was a cery relaxing drive.

I found myself falling asleep in the car, which I just thought was me being tired from waking up early and then just ketp moving. I was used to it but there were times I was so tired that I just wanted to sleep anywhere I could and get enough energy to keep going for the next day. There’s nothing wrong with that. I started to wake up because something flt off, but i felt a lot better when I woke up. Slowly looking around before suddenly being thrown around in the car, someone had ran a red light and took us both out. I tried to keep my head covered but everything was hurting when the car finally stopped. But since this was a busy street we would be saved soon. I could feel myself being lightheaded trying to look out the broken window but something was shocking to me. I saw hyunjin standing far back while people were trying to get us out of the car. He had his hands in his pocket with his head slightly tilted. But what shocked me more was his left eye, it was bright sliver color, almost glowing while he had a smirk on his face. He didn’t move but everything went black for me and there was nothing I could do about it. I could hear everything but I was fading in and out, I didn’t know what to do.

Then I heard the sound of torches, slowly turning around I found myself surrounded by roses, some were red, some were black. They were creating a path and I just slowly followed down the path before seeing 8 thrones where the flowers seemed to create a circle closing me in. Each Thrones had a flower and all I could see was the outline of them. No features, no eyes, no nothing, yet I could hear them still. “I told you guys this one was special, how could we ever past this up?” Their voices were disordered so it was harder to pinpoint what they sounded like. Everyone was moving around in their chairs, expect the one in the middle. Who’s eyes were scanning me, it just felt like it and there was no hiding from it. “And this is the one all of you agreed to sharing. Espcially you, greed. I don’t want to hear it after a week.” “Oh relax, I won’t be that bad.” That giggle was scary to say the least, but looking down I saw a mantal slowly rise up from the ground, holding a large black wine cup. Whatever was in it was red, and something about it was wrong, but there was no trying to run.

“If you want to live, you will drink that cup till there is nothing left, no matter how much it burns. But as you can tell, there will be a catch to it. Lust, you explain.” The one that was in front of me, his rose was the prettiest light blue I had ever seen, but the little pollen in the center was blood red, almost as if it was bleeding. The one two seats down from him, letting out a sedueced sigh began to spoke in a tone that was made for seduction, enough to make anyone fall to their knees if he wanted to. He moved like a wave, slowly sitting up and standing up and slowly wlaking over to me, dragging his feet as he walked over and leaned closer, picking up the cup and slighly swirling around. “You’ll be immortal, you can’t die but you can still feel pain. You’ll work for us, you won’t know who we are unless you find all 8 rose tattoos around our places, if we let you in. Every night you will be visited by us but won’t see our faces till we know we can truly keep you. Some don’t last much longer then a week, little diamond.” He held the glass to my lips, almost inviting me to drink it.

I almost didn’t want to, but it wasn’t fair that I got in a crash to die. I had enemies to outlive and piss on graves. So I started to drink it and it did burn. Like my throat was closing in on itself and there was nothing anyone could do, but the person had the cup just pouring more, careful not to waste anything but making sure I get every drop. By the time it was done, I opened my eyes, sitting striaght up and gasping for air, holding my chest while trying to get used to the bright lights around me in the room I was in. I was in a hospital room, wires connected everywhere and doctors trying to keep me alive. I was so confused, did I just sell my soul over…?

[agried]

okay so i saw @lunar-stagelights, @enstars-syndrome and @reblogsquire's tags on my art and went insane and had to confirm some guesses for my giselle au. here's some real sketchy pencil brush scribbles for fun

hiiro takes the place of albrecht, a nobleman visiting the village where aira lives to oversee and help with the grape harvest. after a rocky first meeting with aira, one full of misunderstandings, he only divulges that he's a traveler visiting for the harvest.

aira is giselle, a peasant boy with a weak heart but a deep love for dance. though his health makes it difficult for him to leave the village he was born and raised in, he dreams of leaving it one day... and the stories hiiro shares with him on their late night meetings makes him yearn ever more. but when hiiro's true identity is revealed, his shock and panic overtax his weak heart.

and as some folks guessed, kohaku is myrtha, the queen of the wilis. after aira dies, kohaku revives him as a wili, a vengeful spirit that dances betrayers to death. and though hiiro never meant to hurt aira... the wilis cannot disobey the orders of their queen.

i've got more plans for this au, so perhaps some of the other roles will be revealed in future... but i gotta go sleep now lol

[77ngiez]

hey, i wrote a pafl fic!

it's called "blinding stagelights" and it's an actor au! it focuses on sanya/yura, nadya & yura, sanya & temnova, and sanya & tsar & arthur. nadya/temnova is also a side ship! i've been working really hard on this fic so i'd love for y'all to give it a chance!

[winwintea]

the smau is almost over (we're getting to climax soon) which means im already thinking about my next work which is bad cause i need to finish my angst fic series....

(ill post the mark one today maybe haha suffer)

but anyways i was still thinking about doing another smau (i love overwhelming myself) and i have like two ideas in mind and these are the plots

"the meticulous portrayals and fame seeking parodies, all of which converge below the spotlight, and belong to me. for those stagelights, for which i'm born to die." basically murder mystery au but they're at a theatre, y/n is the detective, everyone lowkey toxic and drama ensures, many people die, y/n falls in love with renjun who's plays the male lead in the theatre. NOT A HAPPY ENDING. (which is it's only flaw lol. otherwise i love the plot)

scott pilgrim vs the world but mark lee and mark has to fight her 7 evil exes (the dreamies + soyeon bc i love women) and that's it that's the plot. go watch scott pilgrim vs the world.

[i7propagandamachine]

Binary Vampire prequel sorta?

Feat. some of my raw sketches lol. Idk first time posting here thats not some low quality shitpost ig

Since most ppl agree that Binary vampire parallels with actual revale it shouldn’t come as a surprise I made banri a vampire too. In my headcanon him and yuki were some kind of vampire duo who hunts together for food. Oh and they live together in some abandoned castle (from banri’s long dead family maybe). You could probably also put something about Yuki-vampire initially being isolated because of his vampirism and Banri-vampire opening him up a little on the idea of not having to spend eternity alone.

Then their notoriety for killing increased and got the attention of famed vampire hunter Kujo Takamasa while on his search for the First Vampire, Zero. Takamasa originally approached them peacefully and promises them safety if they join him in searching for Zero. Being a prideful vampire, Yuki doesn’t shy away from showing his disinterest and annoyance with the man. Takamasa is turned away from the castle and things were normal for a while. That is until villagers head to their castle shouting for the demons be killed. Shit hit the fan, they fend off for a while until someone shoots the chandelier it falls into the ground ala phantom of the opera (you could tell I love me my gothic fiction).

This almost falls into Yuki-vampire but Banri-vampire pushes him away just in time but ultimately gets him instead. Its basically the stagelight incident but make it

✨Gothic✨

The chandelier causes a fire trapping the vampires as the villagers make their escape. Unbeknownst to anyone this was actually a plot by Takamasa to drive the duo away from their home and maybe consider joining his side. His plan is a fail though as Yuki-vampire is too distraught over banri vampire being unable to regenrate from underneath the chandelier and himself collapses from all the smoke (I am so sorry for making vampires really weak in this one).

Years, decades, pass and the old castle is now a ruin of its former glory. Sometime in the middle, yuki-vampire regained consciousness with banri-vampire nowhere to be seen. With his hesitance to approach humans, he is unable to regain his powers causing the wild beasts of the forest to rampage (and ig he adapts vampire vegetarianism?). It was then that a young orphan enters the ruins in search of a demon but instead finds a curled-up weakened man, finally kicking off the plot of binary vampire. (Sorry for the naked yuki it is not canon my own demons possessed me)

I haven’t read any fanfics or anything of that sort after the anni released (which reminds me I definitely should) so sorry if there were any similarities 🙇‍♀️

I lowkey wished they had separate names for the charas like they do with the kujis unless we are just supposed to call them “Orphan” and “Demon/Vampire”??

I also made sketches of other charas (mostly those related to revale) as au-compliant charas in the binary vampire sequel im cooking so look forward to that. Anyways thats it from me *bites and sucks ur blood*

[wildflowerteas]

hella has officially joined the tsp book club! part 2 of our reactions pending lmao those were some very intense hours

if this was an irl socratic circle i would pay to be a fly on the wall. I FUCKED UP BY ADDING TWO MARGARETS THATS MY BAD. they'll be distinguished in upcoming dialogue. Brown goes by 'Maggie' n_n. Precinct 1 breakroom has seen some things. Also, yes! The DA prosecutes for the state! In a civil dispute, it's person to person going before a judge. But in criminal cases, the government is trying to put you away, not receive money/fair compensation for damages, so the DA does that work.

Your flabbers will be gasted 😭 might need to start using that.

BEAST tag is there for a reason! I only tagged it 'beast skk' so that people wouldn't expect the same dynamics or roles for the other characters ( like akutagawa sibling dynamic ), but of course, if skk is beast-au inspired it would naturally affect a few of the characters closest to them as well. Also, Skk is slowly but surely devolving into the aesthetic of their BEAST counterparts. Dazai hasn't been written in that brown coat for a good while now. The white suit at the New Year's party was also a deliberate choice.

never seen or read All my Sons all the way through, but i've encounted this quote in the wild:

“...he'll come back. We all come back, Kate. These private little revolutions always die. The compromise is always made. In a peculiar way. Frank is right-- every man does have a star. The star of one's honesty. And you spend your life groping for it, but once it's out it never lights again. I don't think he went very far. He probably just wanted to be alone to watch his star go out.”

---and i absolutely loved it and have been influenced by it.

i would be sat for that essay honestly.

. . . yes. it's the same diner. implied only, but i do have art in the drafts of skk on a case-date of milkshakes and files with skk in the same seats to parallel it.

Kouyou's assimilation!!!!! I can't believe Rori noticed that!! yes, she's almost always mentioned in a kimono, tying an obi, or wearing her haori, and even needed Chuuya to translate for her during their first years together. but she's changing. super excited to introduce the Kouyou of the present ( yes, she's alive ).

Agatha Christie was. self indulgent.

Yep! Jouno! 😭 The hunting dogs have been in my notes-app plot web since the very beginning when I decided to write tachihara into this. Since I'm translating the insane post-war politics of canon BSD into this au, they were naturally going to find themselves written into it.

TV girl .. . save me TV girl.... taking what's not yours is tsp skk i will be adding this to my on-loop writing roster.

THE JOUNO/DAZAI DIALOGUE HELLA 😭 I ACTUALLY CHOKED.

Unlike canon, TSP fyodor would, in fact die if you shot him. Not that I'm planning on writing that . . .

Jouno and Chuuya was lovely to write. They will be interacting again, unfortunately, so expect some introductions to the other members of the hunting dogs as well.

Dazai in the spotlight for once! Now he knows what it's like to be under the stagelight with Chuuya in the audience.

Kousano! Yeah that ship is preparing to set sail. Whether it's still afloat is the question. A question that hasn't been answered by Miss Medical Examiner's presence in the 1978 timeline. Yet.

[max-the-silly-guy]

Grrrrrr gay people

[artistsunbeam]

Chapter 2 Stagelight Comic

(Leave Q&A answers/questions for story continuation! I will respond to them with art)

Please read THE PROLOGUE before this chapter!

[alarici]

dn yuri (meronia rhythmic gymnastics AU) Near has Mello derangement syndrome more at 12.

After Rio, there are three years without seeing her. Without a whiff of her. Near does everything short of tracking her down. She knows where she went. It would be as easy as two train tickets and a three hour flight. It's not meant to be.

Nothing she can say can change the denouement.

It was the smell of her that Near remembers so clearly. Her face is unforgettable, but Near is taken by any passing afternoon of jasmine on the metro. Gardenia in a hotel bathroom. Rosewood at a dinner party. There are pieces of her scent everywhere. Near has enough reason to shy from the world—but new things always lead back to Mello, Mello, Mello. It's worth it to sit through the clamoring of others--the drivel, the stagelights.

Maybe one day she'll breathe all of her, again.

Amidst the stale air and the of the gymnasium there was her sweet breath. Her perfume—jasmine and lotus, orchid, spice, gardenia, rosewood. Her sweat, the chlorine fraying her spun-gold hair. Salt on her skin. Sweet lidocaine spray on her shoulder, her knee.

There was her, and Near knows that she’s never coming back. She isn't coming back until she wants too. With each passing year, Near considers that she never will. Near learns that this will be okay.

[stierhai]

Yaobikuni Holds Her Breath

Characters: Kanata, Chiaki, Madara, Tetora

Endless Vide/Mech pilot AU.

Cross-posted to ao3 and dreamwidth.

Kanata finds himself at the edge of the water again, dim light and the lullabye hum of machines his companions. He breathes. Frost eddies in the air in the shape of his exhale, whilst the water agitates below. Sits. Slips one leg, then the other into the tank and remains there with his legs dangling beneath him, the water tracing ripples anew in the wake of his movements. "Splish. Splash." The dark shapes beneath say nothing back.

Two planets and 617,000 kilometers ago a live battle had meant stagelights, song, and dance.

Now, Europa's cold surface sings violence with the live broadcast activation, war machines revving. Tetora's voice crackles over the comms, "The Black Flame is the mark of effort! Ryuusei Black, Nagumo Tetora!" Black Flame towers to its full mechanical height over the ice-crust and snow.

"The Red Flame is the mark of justice! Ryuusei Red, Morisawa Chiaki!" Across the battlefield, Hero Protagony poses. In the privacy of his cockpit, Tetora rolls his eyes to the sound of Chiaki's laughter. Time was, he'd stopped resenting the sentai poses as lame. With the added bulk of the mech, massive cables pulling the metal frame into place to imitate its pilot and stunt combat swapped for the real thing, his opinion reverted.

He still takes a combat stance of his own, though.

The music starts in, an old-world recording of Ryuuseitai. Singing is optional, but Tetora still mouths the words to his parts. Colors Arise! Now, I’ll raise up a blinding beam of light— and with the flick of a switch, Black Flame is covered in its namesake, radiating heat as he launches forward to slam into the Protagony at speed.

Chiaki has a shield waiting to meet him and Tetora grins. Way to go, Morisawa-senpai. They've choreographed it well— perfectly timed to satisfy the audience and to let them go home in one piece. No fatalities, no major repairs. Unlike certain other earlier incidents— berserking, people pulled from cockpits unplanned, and censored broadcast after censored broadcast. Ryuuseitai was given Europa because they could be counted to keep the image clean, and know how to keep to choreography. Sparks fly out, firework-bright against the void sky for a moment before momentum wins against the minimal gravity and Black Flame propels them both forward. Snow explodes outward and evaporates in the same moment, steam all about them and he swaps his visuals to infrared in the mist that wreathes them now.

He pauses for it to clear, before comes Chiaki's return volley. When the combat can't be seen, there's no point.

No return volley arrives.

Seconds tick past. He loses his place in where he should be in their predetermined routine. Thirty seconds gone now and in the mist heat signals multiply while Hero Protagony's bulk has dissipated to nothing. Tetora blinks hard, but the readings don't change. His screen tells him he's alone in a sea of angry blips. His heart speeds, he whirls around, and the sensors berserk. The guitars in Colors Arise continue to scream electric chords at him— the stage now real as the one then. His every nerve shouts, forget the plan, go on the defense, go on the attack, do something—

Ice fissures beneath his feet. Creaks and hollow thuds build to a shattering eruption, and the glacial shelf falls away. The abyss swallows him whole. Red dyes his monitors completely, as Black Flame is no longer surrounded but inundated. Panic chokes him and he yanks at the controls. Unlike Kanata's Meteor Abyss, Black Flame wasn't designed for undersea combat; he can feel icy liquid seeping in past the rubber soles of his boots. Up to the ankles. Knees, thighs, his chest all underwater, the deluge coming fast.

His hands are off the controls now, but he doesn't use them to struggle with his bindings— mech fighting jolts the cockpit too much for the pilot to be safe in any other position than firmly strapped in. He peers down into the wavering image of his own numb hands moving beneath the water, LCD panels blurred and are rendered unreadable and unreliable by refraction but still he can see the red warning signs of something in there with him.

There's nothing else for it.

Water up to his nose now, tilting his head back to take the last few breaths he can, he kicks hard from his seat to shatter the casing on the emergency self-destruct. So much for no damage to the mechs. But without hesitation, he slams his closed fist on the button, despite the shards he's unleashed in the watery cockpit. His head goes under entirely. He can only feel his stung numb useless limbs in abstract and he shuts his eyes against the glass floating in there with him.

The countdown starts, slow seconds and blaring warnings that sound like the reality of an alarm echoing through a dream as Tetora begins to drown.

He doesn't know how long he's suspended there, in the unreality of his breath held until his throat spasms, saltwater with a sulfuric edge flooding in. His body is heavy with water weight, his mind light-headed from lack of air. He waits for— there! That jolt! The cockpit shifting sideways, ejection launch ready, pistons work and reliable hydrolics jostle the cockpit and then it tears free.

He is thrown from Black Flame. Water leaks from everywhere and the cockpit's pod crashes loud with impact, bounces, and goes skittering across the ice. Cuts open and leak. Tetora's eyes open, wearily, but he views the world through the black haze of oncoming unconsciousness. He coughs weakly, water seeping from his mouth.

Black Flame stands tall and still before him, high and dry and fully-functioning, lights and sounds blaring out an emergency. Get back. Evacuate.

It doesn't make any sense.

Less sense still, Shinkai-taichou's presence. He kneels down to put his damp hands on his cheeks, thumbs gently working open Tetora's mouth. His eyes water and Kanata's wavering shiloette abandons delicacy to shove in the rest of his fingers, like to force Tetora to disgorge all his chest took in. That isn't what he does, though. Instead, his other hand drives his jaw shut over the digits, grinding teeth into skin until it breaks and blood seeps a raw iron taste into Tetora's mouth.

"Swallow, Tetora…" Shinkai-taichou's voice floats down to him, as if from a great distance. And, more by instinct than of his own volition, he does. Only then does Kanata release.

As his vision finally gives in to darkness completely, the last thing he sees is Kanata swinging himself into the empty space where the cockpit had been. Impossibly, Black Flame's steel frame shuts itself around him with a spray of wet gore and rises.

—

Chiaki keeps both his hands anchored tight to Nagumo's in the hospital room. Kanata, damp, drips in the second seat beside him.

Another sudden mechanical failure, the flashing suicide lights on Black Flame as it threw its pilot out on the ice without warning— Nagumo wasn't the first to have it happen. Not by far. And now, he lay as another body in a another bed with a nasal canula and oxygen pumped into lungs flooded with mystery fluid from drowning in a bone-dry cockpit.

Kanata had finished out the battle, swapping in and calming the mech as medical crews pulled Nagumo in from the sub-zero wastes. Black Flame was ensconced in its hangar bay, diagnostic crews looking for what caused its fraudulent signals. He wants to trust the ES doctors, he really does. He'd grown up in a hospital bed, his fate in their hands and they'd carried him through. He'd decides to believe in them, even knowing this isn't the first time. There were others that had made it before. Takamine had been fine too, after his incident. He had left though, Shinobu travelling with him as support whilst he gets used to his new posting training the understudies— until he decides if he wants a replacement or to come back.

Anyway, Nagumo will be waking up soon. Experience says so, Tetora's tougher than he gives himself credit for. And as Chiaki isn't scheduled to beat up his mech on camera, he's staying here and waiting until he does. He takes in a deep breath and laughs loud enough to not hear the beeps of Nagumo's heart-rate over the sound of his own voice.

"Fuhaha! Chin up, Kanata! Imagine Nagumo's face, seeing his hero looking so blue!"

Beside him, Kanata's brow furrows in confusion as he slowly metes out a reply, "But… I am. I am Ryuusei Blue?"  He doesn't sound sure.

"Yeah!" He reassures him.  Kanata hasn't appeared in battle in a while, but that doesn't change his position in the unit!  "But we're not on stage right now."

"Hmm. . ." Kanata considers it. "If we're not 「on-stage」then . . . I'm not a hero."

Chiaki refutes him, "You don't need to be so humble! When Nagumo's up, I'm sure he'll agree and praise you as the coolest, most reliable hero there ever was!"

"I do like 「praise.」

"Right! So accept it!"

"But… . . . Why am I being 「praised?」 His wide eyes look at Chiaki, searching.

Unease begins to filter in.  Whatever got Tetora might have gotten Kanata too.  Maybe he should refer him to the doctors as well?  But that's a thing to worry about later.  In the moment, he answers, "Since you took over his fight, the medical crews were able to see him right away! You saved him, just as much as the doctors did! And his Live ranking won't even drop, since you put on a wonderful show. A clean battle with cool flourishes and with no dirty work. You were a perfect, reliable hero!"

"Oh. I did?" He looks pleased. "Thank you, Chiaki. I'm 「happy」. To be Tetora's hero."

"You're a hero's hero! When he wakes up, he'll tell you himself."

"When will he wake up?"  Kanata looks about, like he's expecting a second Tetora other than the one dead asleep on the bed to pop up and thank him.  "I 「want」 to see Tetora."

Chiaki has no immediate answer. The pause lasts just long enough to be awkward, before he lets go of Tetora's hands to take Kanata's and guide them to take his place holding Tetora's.  Finally, Kanata seems to recognize who is in the hospital bed.  Kanata gives a watery smile and leans to rest his head on Chiaki's shoulder, and Chiaki scoots in closer.  All their hands clasped together, they settle in to wait.

—

Madara leans over the rail in the mech bay. Down below, he can see Tetora's boots and not much else of him as he works on Black Flame's electric insides, denuded of its armor. The mechanic's bag beside him spills over, wrenches and calipers, laid on bare metal across from wet towels with soft pink stains. Absorbed in his work, he doesn't notice Madara's heavy footfalls on the catwalk above.

"Heeeeey!" He calls down. "It's Tetora-san! ☆ You're up and at 'em!"

Tetora emerges with a smooth slide of the wheels. "Ossu~." He gives a casual salute with oil streaking his gloves, a sodden towel still in his grasp. "What's up, Mikejima-senpai? Do you need something for Zarathustra?" He sits up to wring the towel out into a bucket murky with dark liquid, and tosses it aside with the others. "Gotcha! I'm pretty much done with diagnostics. Until the cockpit gets put back, not a lot left to do. I'll go carry this all over!"

Madara descends the stairs as Tetora shoves tools back into place and hefts them. He hadn't needed them, but it's as good an opportunity to get Tetora alone and away from cameras as any. "Aren't you a good boy, Tetora-saaaan? Sure, come on, Zarathustra is this way!"

He leads him over and as Tetora makes to set the toolbox down, Madara yanks him by the wrist into his own mech and seals up the entrance behind them as the tools spill over the catwalk with a clatter. Whoops. ☆

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Tetora protests, wincing as he tugs his arm free.

Madara lets him go but takes his place, blocking the door release latch. "Haha! Now, now that no one is around— you're a good kid! You don't want to worry your seniors, riiiight? Okay! Let it all out, vent all your frustrations at Mama! Fuhahaha!"

Tetora, cornered, looks more exasperated than scared. "So you're where Morisawa-senpai got that laugh. He told me what he used to be like, but s'hard to believe he'd come up with that over-the-top problem personality all on his own," He shakes his head, "Even if he's tryin' to imitate his beloved tokusatsu heroes. It's 'cuz of yours."

Madara shrugs, expansive. "Right! Incisive! Here's the problem, ab origine. But that means he's only seeing my surface." He grins, showing his teeth, "Really, I'm a scaaaaaary guy who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the people I love safe." He looms now over Tetora, taking full advantage of his height, his broad physique. "So you understand me, right, Tetora-san? You, who has also chosen to walk the path of a villain, because he can't become a hero!"

With folded arms Tetora says, "You can just cut to the chase."

"What happened with Kanata-san?"

Their eyes meet. For a long time they stare each other down, but Tetora averts his gaze first. "I dunno, Mikejima-senpai. I blacked out."

Madara scrutinises Tetora, same as he scrutinises his own memories. Stacks of reports, highlighting the myths of their homeland and the bad things that have occurred since Europa became the homeland— papers that were more highlighter yellow than not. Kanata, made his leader again. Kanata there just in time to save Tetora, Kanata there at the hospital wing, Kanata pouting and avoiding answering him. Kanata asking questions he ought to know the answers to. It's discomfittingly like viewing the world through crossed eyes, double images that overlay when he focuses: the Kanata when they were children at the Shinkai compound, the Kanata walks on his own, his human legs firm on solid ground.

Tetora's hands have blood in the cuticles and under the nail beds, the ES uniform boots have left a trail of dilute red in the patterns of his treads behind him. Tetora's downcast gaze sees the same thing, and Madara decides it's frustration that he sees in the cast of his jaw.

"Haha! Is that so!" He puts a hand on Tetora's shoulder and squeezes, a gesture that's meant for comfort but he never has been good at controlling his own strength. "Tell me if you remember anything, Tetora-san!" And he slaps Tetora companionably on the back, and leaves Zarathustra's cockpit, closing it up behind him.

Tetora registers he's being shut in a moment too late and Madara only hears the edge of his voice calling after him, protesting, as he goes without so much as a glance back.

—

In the guts of Midori's old mech, Tetora inhales deep. With his eyes closed, his brain narrows down the scent to sea salt, lingering. His nostrils flare confirming it's only air, even as his brain insists on calling back to what it was like to drown.

Eugh.

He opens his eyes. The torch beam cuts a circle in the dark. Where it lands, it could be rust flaking at the edges of the valves. Only one way to be sure and he had his tetanus shot kind of recently. He hoists himself up, face lifted close, and licks.

It's the same stuff he tasted before, when Kanata bled in his mouth.   So now he's left with a hard dilemma: what gives?  He saw Kanata crushed in his mech, he's found Kanata's blood in Midori's, he talked to Kanata literally yesterday about dripping all over the breakfast table and getting the rice soggy.  He'd check other mechs from older incidents, but he needs to lift a card for higher clearance. If he's still hallucinating, does he go back to the ES doctors that keep finding everyone "fine" after everything?  Mikejima-senpai didn't react to him scrubbing blood out of his mech but Mikejima-senpai wouldn't.   Maybe he should get that bucket back and see if Chiaki screams.   He's weak to spooky stuff so even if there's some grand conspiracy, Morisawa-senpai would give it up right away

He lowers himself down from the bar he hangs from, clambering back out of Midori's mech, Mascot, landing with a soft thud.  In the hangar now, he hears he's not alone.

Shinkai-taichou's voice echoes off the steel walls, magnified to distortion.  Tetora looks down through the beams to see him standing there nude, pale, and a puddle of water at his feet.  Hustling, Tetora takes the stairs at a run, two steps at a time.

"Shinkai-taichou!"  He calls down.   "Shinkai-tai...chou...?"

His steps hesitate when Kanata turns to him, and there's zero recognition in his eyes.  He's been singing, but there's no words.   It's like whale-song, indescribably sad.  Condensation has formed on the silicate faux-glass roof above him and a steady drizzle falls on him alone.

Before he can take another step forward a doctor appears and Tetora stows himself behind a concrete pillar before he can be seen.  The doctor hustles him off and Tetora watches them go, a dripping trail left in their wake. 

Okay, he's got to talk to Morisawa-senpai. Whatever is up, those ES doctors know. They cannot trust them.

—

Chiaki pounds on the door to Kanata's quarters— always kept locked. A fine discovery! It's good that Kanata has figured out privacy, and discovered he enjoys some time to himself!

It is making inviting him to the beach more difficult than he had figured on, though.

Chiaki calls out, "Kaaaanaataaa! Beach day! Come on, we're going out! Beach day time!" The big inflated beach ball sitting in the hallway behind him will make the point just as much as his voice, if Kanata looks through the viewport.

". . .Europa beaches are 「cold」." Kanata's green eyes appear through a slit and Chiaki internally celebrates.

"Hahaha! Where was this attitude when I tried to get you out of the school fountain, way back when?"

"The 「fountain」 had water. Europa is all 「ice」."

"Not this one! Pinky promise! Heroes never lie!"

The door opens a crack and behind it Kanata is visibly pouting in his darkened quarters, backlit by a dim stack of aquarium tanks behind him. Still, he's opened the door, and that's what counts! "Where…? Show me."

"Okay! Close your eyes!" Chiaki puts his hands over Kanata's, which Kanata doesn't seem amused by.

"Chiaki . . ." Kanata warns, hands reaching up to remove Chiaki's.

Chiaki rebukes, "Don't look! A hero has no fear of the unknown!"

Kanata sticks his tongue out, but keeps his eyes closed as he pulls Chiaki's hands away fully. Chiaki grins at his sightless face, and puts his hands on his shoulders to steer him down the hall, leaving the door to slide shut behind them, auto-locking. They traverse until Chiaki stops at a VR training room and yanks the door open. He gives a gentle shove to push Kanata into the room, and Kanata's eyes open in surprise as his bare feet sink into warm soft sand.

Inside, Chiaki has used his clearence to wreck the training room perfectly. Speakers sound seagull cries, and water tank footage plays on one wall, ocean dunes displayed on others and clear blue earth skies above. Sand bags meant for weight have been spilled to make their own beach, stacked high enough to prevent the mini-lake he's flooded on the far-side of the room from spilling into the hallway beyond them.

Kanata, wondering, trails into the room and Chiaki unbuckles and kicks off his boots in nearly the same motion, and begins to run. He grabs Kanata's wrist as he goes, and takes him with him to the water's edge. Kanata has replaced shock with giddiness and goes running with him, keeping pace as they jump into the shallows. Their faces mirror each other's, grins wide.

Chiaki turns to face the wall of simulated water, and shouts, "Moooom! We're home! Your precious boys came home, back to your big blue arms!"

Next to him, Kanata echoes, "We're home~".

The only waves are the ones they create sloshing about. But they create plenty, Kanata immediately submerging himself to the waist, down on his knees in the water and Chiaki remembers now to run back for the beach ball. He serves it up and starts a ruleless game, the two of them declaring how it is they're winning now, calling out move names as they serve and catch. The sky-blue earth sky fades to twillight orange and even Chiaki is left a bit winded from their play, exertion more a glow than an ache. The awkward tension he's felt with Kanata recently has dissipated in the water entirely.

Now, if ever, is the time to ask.

Chiaki leans back on his elbows on the shore, and does. "Do you know what happened with Tetora?"

Kanata doesn't show any bewilderment. He turns to look at Chiaki, and his mouth twists out of a smile. His expression is now all resistance.

"In the footage, there was something weird. You piloted it, right? But the cockpit was already gone," Chiaki elaborates.

"…"

"Tetora didn't just eject himself, Black Flame's not built to throw him to freeze on the ice. All the piloting mechanisms, the cockpit all come out too! How did you do that? You were there in the footage, it wasn't remote piloting."

Silence stretches between them and Chiaki can't do anything but keep going.

"And Tetora threw up water after, even though he never got submerged. Like it came from inside!"

Kanata finally responds. "Chiaki. . . No. Don't ask." He stonewalls.

"So you do know!" Chiaki rises, ready to begin a speech. Surely, if Kanata shares his burden, then the two of them can tackle it together. They're stronger together. The five of them were Ryuuseitai— he'll tell their juniors, and it will all work out!

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a human shape in the water tank footage. He twists to see it, to make sure no one's fallen into the reservoir— a hero's words are important, but their deeds more so! But as he sees the shape fully, he recognizes it.

Kanata.

Chiaki's mouth hangs open and he starts to ask a new question, turning to look at the Kanata at his side but in Kanata's eyes is determination as he puts a palm against Chiaki's mouth to stop him from finishing even the shape of his name. Shaking his head, voice slow and soft as ever, Kanata tells him, "I. . . don't want you to get 「replaced」 too." Chiaki realises now that he hears not just agitation in his voice, that's concern. Kanata's eyes fix above the entrance, where an ubiquitous security camera sits placidly recording everything.

He's watching the wrong place.

A moment later, the door beneath it swings open, and another Kanata stands in the doorway.

Oh, Chiaki realises.   This is a nightmare.

—

"Morisawa-senpai! It's the ES doctors!"

"Wait— ES is being infiltrated by evil scientists?" Chiaki's voice edges into excitement at Tetora's announcement. "Are you sure? We have to let Tenshouin know right away!"

"No. It's not going to be news to him." Exasperation. "We are the evil orgainzation. Again."

". . . In the past, Tenshouin has definitely used us for selfish gain. But he always acts for gain— he's always been the lesser between two greater evils. Like Crimpro! You remember Crimpro! If we're pawns, he's got an opponent, or at least a goal! Until we know, we can't move against him."

"Stop defending ES."

Chiaki does not stop. "You haven't been compromised? I had a nightmare, too. If we are being studied, or experimented on, or there's brainwashing, it could be a quarentine measure from—"

"We're fine! We're all fine. You remember what Takamine-kun said, right? Before he left."

Chiaki's voice fades. He does.

"Yeah. Kanata got him out of Mascot. And never got out after. S'what all the claims have in common— he saves us, then doesn't save himself."

Chiaki finishes then, understanding. "—It wasn't a nightmare!" A beat, rearranging the pieces in his head. "Tenshouin wants idols everywhere." Softer, now. "Even here. Even if here comes at a cost."

Madara clicks stop on the tape Tetora had passed him, ejecting it. He watches Kanata's face and no surprise shows, just a knowing unhappiness.

They've figured it out.

In the story they grew up on, the myth their religion fed them with every meal, the Shinkai blood and flesh had been panacea. A curse had come from the far flung heavens and crashed into earth, bad things that flowed into the land and into people's blood. Bad will and bad health had followed, until the people had given a distant ancestor to the sea and then torn him apart with their teeth and took him into their bellies. An ancestor's song had soothed a cursed people.

Now, they lived on an ocean in the far flung heavens. Kanata's blood painted the mechs, his voice rang in the all hanger bays, as they lived shut up in a metal colony, far below Europa's waters. Of all the places they could have settled, it was here. An otherworldly ocean, the place most likely in the world to sustain life— a world that might have sustained the same things that made it to Shinkai land, after the meteor. Of course, it wasn't even coincidence. Eichi wasn't a believer, but he was supremely practical. He must have seen exactly what Madara had, in the reports of the Europa pilots behavior. He'd seen bad things, and if he hadn't, Keito had.

Kanata doesn't deny it, his jaw set defiantly.

A God after all.

Madara stares him down. Then, his shoulders slump. He confesses, "I wanted you to get to live as a person."

Kanata looks down, sorrowing. He knew and so he had hidden it. Madara has finally been allowed into his ever-locked room; all secrets between them vanished away. Madara approaches, to hear his voice better, over the hum of the oxygenating and purification machines. He takes his seat at Kanata's side, and Kanata leans against him. Their two sets of legs dangle into the water below. Their gazes settle below the gentle ripples, where drift the dark shapes of Kanata's own body, repeated and cloned. A fate Kanata had taken on all his own.

After a long beat, Kanata starts, "I know. . ." He looks up once more, meeting his eyes. His voice has rare steel in it, a martyr's determination. "But. . . I 「want」 you to live."

—

It is hard, being leader. It is hard, keeping secrets.

It's been hard since that rotten emperor had come to him, three of his bodies explaining in turn the world he'd remade in the shape of his dream of eternity. Mass-produced idols, he said, rows of bodies floating behind him.

"Welcome to the club," Eichi had purred to Kanata, before giving a breathless little laugh. Kanata had shoved him back but the other two Eichi hadn't even deigned to stop him, relaxing against each other, enjoying the show. Eichi, back up against the tank, had barred his blunt teeth, and made his offer:

He'd thrown plenty of bodies to Europa before Ryuuseitai. Europa had a curse that ate through minds and hearts, and now thanks to his Majesty the Emperor's schemes, they'd be familiar hearts and minds. A Tetora, taking his frenzied teeth to his own wrists. A Chiaki, laughing alone to phantoms. Break one, send another. A fact, and a threat-- no, Kanata couldn't tell anyone.

So Kanata had made his choice. New Captain, now and forever. His awful, lonely choice.

And now, Madara at his side, he'd keep making it. He'll paint every mech's insides with his own iron, talismanic, until Europa is 「safe」.

Madara is good at plans. Madara is good at schemes.

And what is an emperor to a God?

[ultimateplaylistmaker]

Your luckster reminded of this AU where Himiko is the SHSL Luckster, and his luck sorta feeds into his delusions. Like she ‘casts a flying spell’ on herself, and a stagelight suddenly falls right next to her, the weight and force turning the plank into a seesaw, sending her flying.

JSNFJSNFANHFKN NOW THATS THE KIND OF LUCK TALENTS IM TALKING ABOUT!!!!