#the bear of Kamurocho

[skygayzer]

SO..

I struggle with writing, a lot.. so I'm just going to make a post about my Yakuza AU and the three parts of it.

I don't have a name for the full series, but I have titles for each individual story.

The Bear Of Kamurocho; follows Ida Kowalski, a Polish immigrant who moves to Japan - specifically Kamurocho, with her sister and mother after her father's death. Because of her loud and arrogant attitude, she finds herself indebted to The Tojo Clan after causing a bar fight that ruins a potential treaty between them and the Omi Alliance.. what she doesn't realize, is how much the Tojo clan actually needs HER.

When A Dove Cries; follows Joanna Kowalski, the younger sister of Ida, as she tries to navigate her life in Kamurocho now alone and vulnerable. (Still underdeveloped honestly)

A Crow's Rise; follows Pluto Kowalski, a teenager who spends most of her life taking care of her single mother Joanna. She struggles with her self worth, feeling like she has no control over her life - even worse, she hates how the yakuza terrorizes the helpless... It's thanks to meeting Tsuki Shimano, the daughter of a Famous Tojo family captain, that Pluto has the courage to stand up and form her own group; The Crows.

I plan on making more posts, and hopefully getting back into writing again!

(and yes, this au is extremely OC centered and VERY OC x CANON)

[todayisafridaynight]

What the hell was that other anon on, I signed up to see masadai and minedai good shit, not that cursed timeline, it caused me PHYSICAL PAIN to read that last ask

Not even "oomf angst" pain but physical pain from trying to comprehend this at all smh REAL LIFE PSYCHIC DAMAGE

you hear that other anon we gotta stone you to death. sorry this is a democratic inbox :/

[hardcore-gaming-101]

Yakuza: Dead Souls

It took nearly two years and near cancellation, but Sega finally managed to get the long-awaited Yakuza spin-off to shelves. Bearing the subtitle Of the End in Japan, this entry of the series has you not fighting random thugs, but blasting your way through hordes of zombies in a quarantined Kamurocho, as the Tojo Clan tries to get to the bottom of why their family offices are being attacked by a familiar-looking zombie, and Japan’s Self-Defense Force struggles to keep the infection under lockdown. Your playable characters this time around are Yakuza 4’s loan shark with a heart of gold, Shun Akiyama; Yakuza 2’s nemesis Ryuji Goda, expelled from his clan and sporting a prosthetic arm that transforms into a gatling gun; Goro Majima in his playable character debut, wielding an automatic shotgun with which he indulges his zombie-movie fantasies; and Kazuma Kiryu, who is here to rescue Haruka, but will have to grapple with the cause of the infestation in the process.

Read more...

[four-white-trees]

Early Sunday Six since I'll be pretty busy today. More Sugi! I'm finding progress slow but very rewarding on this fic. Spoilers for Judgment in this one.

Tagging: @overdevelopedglasses @jichanxo @passthroughtime @fragilitease @danketsuround and also @mike----wazowski and @skysquid22 for posterity's sake but i know they may not read this :P

Looking at the two of us, the average person would be quick to label Tsukumo as an idle layabout. Even I thought as much when I first met him. If Yagami hadn’t impressed on me how crucial Tsukumo was to his work, I’d have assumed the guy spent his days watching cartoons and stalking auction sites for figurines all day. And while that was a good portion of Tsukumo’s leisure time, he was also a skilled programmer, and he made a good living.

Meanwhile, I’m a criminal. I haven’t even had a steady job since, well…I’ve never had a steady job. Not one that could make a living, anyway. I subsided off stealing and couch surfing for years. Of the two of us, I’m the real loser.

Which was why I had thought up the idea to start a detective agency. A crazy idea for someone like me. I’d seen just the lengths Yagami’s work had taken him, and any sane person would have decided that sort of thing isn’t for them. But in all fairness, it wasn’t like private detectives usually got caught up in conspiracies with the Health Ministry. From what I’d seen, most of Yagami’s work involved boots-on-the-ground hard work helping the people of Kamurocho.

If I could do something like that, if I could be just a little bit like Yagami, then maybe I could make something of my life. Be a bit less of a loser. And maybe I could become someone Emi would be proud of.

My foot catches on the corrugation of an aluminum roof I land on, and my ankle rolls. I follow the momentum, relaxing my body so I don’t sprain my ankle, but I land hard and noisily on the roof. With a groan, I roll onto my back and test my ankle. No pain, no soreness. At least not there. I’ll have a bruise develop on my hip, I think, but then that’s nothing new for me.

Catching my breath, I pull myself into a sitting position. The roof sits low between two taller buildings on my right and left. The street is not far below, maybe twenty feet. I’m sitting on a single unit built over a small parking garage. Hopefully, if the unit is occupied, its owner is not home.

Usually I don’t fall like that, but any time I think of Emi while running I tend to get distracted. Still, it’s hard not to think of her. She’s been my constant companion in my mind since her death. It’s a little easier to bear her loss now, having shared it with others. I want to make her proud. I want to do right by her and Okubo.

That’s why I’m here, in Yokohama

[dragon-business]

Going through Yakuza games completely blind and starting from 0 was the best decision e v e r.

+Because it kept the intrigue on some stuff big and small. 

+The easter eggs became foreshadowing. The fortune teller predicted Kiryu's wild life in a side quest, and the sheer delight we had, when those predictions started to come true? Unreal. Realising that "fighting a viper in Okinawa" was about Rikiya? The whole "nine kids"? We couldn't wait to get to these parts.

+All the context behind the empty lot and the Millennium Towers' construction left such a deep, raw, heart wrenching impact, that it changed how we see that place for the rest of the series. I cannot imagine looking at the Millennium Tower and not feeling the weight of all that happened on that spot and for what it took for this tower to be built. The rest of the tragedies that happen there just add on to the pile of curses the place bears.

What do you think Kiryu felt seeing it for the first time after being released from prison? What does he feel each time passing it, or seeing it loom over the other buildings of Kamurocho? Or he tries to not look up when he's near it at all?

(Also, playing 0 first was the cursed route, because 0 is the best written and structured game of the series, and starting with it, afterwards nothing can compare. Like, there are other very good games in the series. But we are on y6 rn, and so far nothing was as good as 0, and we just have to live with it.)

before / navigation / next

[dirt-str1der]

I KNEW IT saejima hates the cold hes just great at bearing with it thats why hes always in his cell during recreational hour he doesnt fucking like the cold , his regular kamurocho outfit can weather snowy mountains easily , in y7 his type disadvantage is against ice magic like okay maybe it was pretty obvious , sorry.

[spicyliumang]

Hii! ♥ 8,9, 19 and 24 for the edgy oc ask game? :3

HI TRIXI!! ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝ꕤ*.ﾟ

8. Would your OC ostensibly be able to get away with murder?

Enya on her own? Definitely not 😭 the guilt would eat her alive SDLALSDFS but if she had an accomplice...with a certain experience of that expertise...maybe🤔 😭

9. Do you have a specific lyric or quote that you associate with your OC?

If there's any song that literally screams Enya its

Caitlyn Scarlett - Happy When (Miko Waye Remix)😭 there are a few segments from it that rly suits her 😩

[Verse 1]

Try to keep you, try to wrap you up and set the feelin' For when I really start to need you, you don't belong to anybody So I just wait, try to give you time to want the same things Say you don't believe in soulmates, I know it's real 'cause I feel the hole in me-e-e

[chorus]

I'm just a piece of a two-part puzzle Nothin on my own, only happy when I'm lovin' someone Happy when I'm lovin' someone I'm drinking singles but I see double Lonely but I know I'll be happy when I'm lovin' someone Happy when I'm lovin' someone

19. How does your OC behave when enraged?

Enya normally has really bad outbursts and she tends to have a huge meltdown afterward, the worst was finding out Tendo killed her bio parents 😭💔, In that case, she had to literally be pulled off of him after he got knocked because she was so mad she would have killed him with no hesitation😣 in the past though Sometimes it would consist of throwing small things and screaming in a pillow, but that's when she was much younger and had to live with her stepmom 😭😅 24. What is an alternative life path your OC might have gone down? How different would their life be if they'd made those decisions?

Honestly, I do think about that a lot 😭 In Y7 if her parents lived and time went on as usual, she possibly would have encountered the gang in Kamurocho years later, but chances are she would have had an office job or possibly married to a salaryman or even inherited her family's business.. there's no telling how her encounter with the gang would be or even if she'd really be close to them, but I like to think maybe fate would bring them together 😭 and in terms of her being with Zhao, it would really depend, but I rly love the soulmate theory you have and a huge fan of it too😭💙 so it would really depend on whether or not she's married by the time she encounters Zhao or even the state of it (since let's face it, Enya's has a bad boy streak and knows how to pick em 😭) Not to say the guy would be Shoji 2.0... but Enya likes excitement despite her meek personality, so she would always try to seek out someone spontaneous and full of life, an office worker she'd be complacent at first... not to say she has a wandering eye, but chances are she'd break it off if it would be too mundane, or at least if she doesn't feel that... spark

Ishin!Enya is a different story 😭

IF nothing happened to Todo that day or even if she managed to help him just in time for him to be able to recover, with no question she wouldn't leave his side. She would probably nag him if he did anything too strenuous while his wounds are trying to heal because we know he wouldn't sit still for the life of him 😭 he's probably attempting to brush it off and go back to fulfilling his duty, but Enya would care and tend to him once he's better. Ideally, I like the idea of them getting married, but at the same time, I feel them maybe cohabiting for a while would be great at first. Enya knows better than to beg Todo to settle down so she'd be willing to go anywhere he does, as long as he's safe 🥺 this is the good ending at least

THOUGH

IF she never encountered Todo at all and remained living with Shoji, unfortunately, it would be far worse. She'd still have to live under the same circumstances, but soon would officially be bonded to him legally. So there are no more excuses why she can't sleep with him much less avoid him at all. She would eventually bear his children. Even if she didn't want to be a mother she would still care and treat them well, look after them, and teach them the best she could. She would protect them any way she could and would fight back if need be. Eventually, it does become too much and Enya runs away with her children. Maybe she'd have 2 or 3? And she'd raise them alone. I'd like to think she'd be supportive of those in the city who would allow it since she still has a terrible rep because of her dad and naturally the children have the same fate because of Enya "breaking her sacred marriage" with Shoji or something dumb like that, which she would raise them to have thick skin and encourage them. They'd be raised well and would go very far because of that

IF the same fate happens to Todo no matter what and Enya doesn't pass from broken heart syndrome, she'd work at Teredaya as usual. Otose would keep her company and help her with her duties at the inn. On a mundane day though Shoji would reappear and cause a real scene Eventually finding his way to Enya back even against her will because of the arranged marriage. Unfortunately, even poor Otose can't save her. Enya would also find out Shoji was actually in cahoots with Takeda unbeknownst to her and he would not hold back giving every detail of Todo's suffering pretty much tormenting her every way he could. He would make it even harder for her to run off again, letting everyone know to "keep an eye on her" and anyone trying to get too friendly risks their lives in the process, which most people wouldn't do. Enya would still have to bear his children in the end and live under his means. She'd be miserable but would try to put on a brave face for them trying to be a good mom. In order to keep herself grounded, she would plant flowers, much like the ones in her hair and the ones on Todo's kimono. It would be a comfort since her love was snatched away. And it's the only covert way where Shoji won't attempt to destroy or ruin anything of sentimental value, especially if it is something that reminded her of Todo. Since she wasn't able to get Todo's kimono from Teredaya successfully from Otose, she held on to it. hoping one day Enya will be able to break free. That day wouldn't come. For a long time, so it was kept in storage hidden away.

[squishylemonbubbles]

poison mitsuo 💖

you know, this guy? substory character from yakuza kiwami 2, who gets kiryu to model for his photos? i am committed to loving him.

first things first i think he deserves to be a bear, big fat and hairy. not any less strong, just bigger and softer. idk i think his model looks awkward as a chiselled beefcake, lmao

continuing on that, i think he's historically been (sometimes still is) very self conscious. he isn't always so… underdressed, but when he is it's him trying to make a statement about his confidence and pride. i think his taste in fashion is a little tacky, talking like floral print buttoned shirts (that he doesn't button up) and simple shorts. though he also has a soft spot for his kimono and traditional wear :)

concerning his art: he highlights specifically men (as we know) but generally not limited to any one body type. some shoots/themes require certain looks and expertise (like the one kiryu shows up for) but men of all sorts feature in his broader art. occasionally his models prefer to be anonymous; one such is actually his assistant mimura. the limitation of not showing faces is very fun to him; conveniently placed props, creative angles, a bit of editing magic.

as for why? so yeah, he is gay, and that plays a big part in why. though it's not "he wants a personal wank bank" as some people are quick to judge - rather he wants other men to see beauty and pride in themselves, however they look, to see themselves the way he does. so he makes it a point not to edit things that others might try and hide; he'll let his models cover things (though mostly for anonymity) but he won't go in and paint anything over.

i also think he has autism, and he can be socially awkward, not to mention rigid. he's trying lmao, but i think that's why he lashes out when kiryu says not to use his photos in a contest. they do genuinely make up though, and as per my fic, when he opens an online gallery to showcase his photos, kiryu is happy to share it with his friends (ie the gay scene in kamurocho haha)

so uhhhh in conclusion i love him and now you do too… right?? (´･ω･`)

[rggcharacterarchive]

Kiwmai CH01CM13: To Dojima's Office

transcription:

[Camera opens on a Kamurocho street. It begins to rain. KIRYU runs into the street from an alley and stops, looking around to get his bearings, then turns and runs down the sidewalk.]

[Fade to black. Cinematic ends.]

previous cinematic // next cinematic

[cogiita]

❝  are ya hurt ?  did they hurt ya ?  ❞

OVER PROTECTIVE PROMPTS — accepting !

arlen’s men had visited club sanctuary on numerous occasions, and every time they announce their arrival, iggy spice ensured their departures swift and ruthless. granted preserving their no-touch rule. every yakuza body dispenses outside sanctuary’s perimeters.

The sole distinction separating Arlen’s loyal kin from other family members are religious-esque emblems pinned upon their sleek jackets—bedecked in faux gold with emerald insertions on every four points. Depicting an equine figure rearing, centered within a holy ring; spikes protruding in each cardinal direction.

she never informed her newly beloved of these nefarious individuals. these are problems left unburdened on his shoulders, conflict mediated by her hand alone. needing no outside resolution nor assistance. any time Arlen’s men make themselves known amidst her presence, either she or iggy spice divert them away from Majima’s vicinity, however roused his suspicions might be.

however, tonight is one exception. she waited patiently outside club sanctuary’s doors, bidding her hostesses farewell before trekking off herself. they arranged another date during late hours of the night, specifically reuniting at their agreed upon rendezvous point: three blocks further down the street from her club. a small, unassuming restaurant just around the corner. she understood majima disliked fancy, elegant dining. hence her settling for something quaint yet still bearing an air of class to its establishment.

upon reaching said rendezvous point, spotlight shine over cogita from street lamp alight her social bubble. peripheral scouts for her partner whilst intermittently glancing down to her phone screen; deft digits formulating notice of her punctuality.

[ text -> majiboo ❤️ ] — Hello, Majima-san! I'm here. Try not to keep a lady waiting for too long mon cher.

texting engrossed cogita's foremost attention, unable to heed footsteps gradually closing in. ❝ Oi ! 'ey, ya slut ! Y'should stop browsin' on yer phone fer dick pics' n' instead come on over here. Me n' my boys can fulfill your needs better than some amataur porno. ❞ an unfamiliar voice barks out commands that successfully rears her head and cast sight unto whom rudely disturbed the peaceful, serene ambience of busy kamurocho streets. deliberately ignoring their presence, she refuses to humor the three hooligans in front of her, casually sauntering away.

❝ ‘ey, ya bitch ! ❞ one of the trio grasp her wrist, forcefully yanking her back into their clique whilst two other men obstruct her path. prompting stern, disciplined hand smacking across his face--the one who grabbed her. ire-fueled eyes fixed fierce glares unto cogita, soon feeling her wrist freed in exchange for both enlarged hands choke-holding her svelte neck. slowly tightening his grip to savor cogita's physical distress and wildly squirming. eyes eventually screw shut out of reflex, incited by metal bashed against something organic in front of her. curiosity emboldens cogita's sole iris to open, beholding all three thugs groveling to their knees. majima stands, baseball bat equipped; obviously the perpetrator in this scenario.

❝ You are late. ❞ arms fold over her chest, facetiously playing along with his nonchalant air. however, his conveyance is strikingly sincere. it warmed her heart that he concerned himself over her current condition: slight red rings her neck with minimal bruising visible.

❝ . . . yes. a tad frazzled, but I have endured far worse than you could ever imagine. ❞ said with utmost confidence, supported by her undeterred demeanor. unfazed by the incident.

[dcjimadragcn]

❝ kiryu-chan, that's a very weird definition o' the term 'free' ya got there, thought when ya were offerin' me freedom, that meant ya were gonna invite me to okinawa 'long with ya. ❞

he takes a smoke from his cigarette as the both of them stood up at the rooftop under the stars, having just been defeated in combat by the other, he felt he had to do as kiryu asked, but the other's term of freedom needed some work if he thought joining the tojo clan again meant that for majima. sure he was bored, & all, not being able to fully enjoy himself as a civilian but he felt he had outgrew the yakuza lifestyle ; that it was too different now compared to the time when he joined.

/ / unprompted.

Kiryu blinked, large brown eyes shifting from the night view of Kamurocho from what was undoubtedly the highest point within the city to stare over at Majima in complete surprise.

For a moment, Kiryu wasn't sure what to do in his surprise, but when he did gain his bearings, he found himself turning towards the other Yakuza fully.

Inviting Majima-san to Okinawa sounded, well, a little strange initially, but once he was down there, Kiryu would be on his own with only Haruka at his side to help him. Of course, they'd be able to make it work to the best of their abilities--they had to--but if he had another adult to share in the workload... Well... That actually wouldn't be too bad.

Kiryu knew he could do this--knew he could raise the children like Kazama-san had raised him, Nishiki, Yumi, Yuko, and everyone else, but another pair of adult hands would make things easier on everyone.

There was no doubt about that. At all.

"You... you'd go--if I asked to you--to Okinawa to help me, Haruka, and all the rest of the kids, Majima-san?" Kiryu asked, feeling a little crazy, but seeing as Majima had been the one to bring it up, why not ask. "Could you do that--you'd really ... want to?"

He wasn't doubting Majima, but it was a different world with so many mouths to feed and raise.

More than that was the thought of Daigo being on his own without Majima behind him. Could he really ... ? Kiryu trusted him, yes, but putting Majima-san with him wasn't a bad choice.

This, however, this comment--Majima's opposition, really--about his own freedom ... it shook something with Kiryu though.

[stardust-safespace]

Majima and his Boys Moodboard

I love love love the idea of Kiryu and Nishiki Regressing and Majima taking care of Them he would be such a caring and loving CG, he doesnt mind being referred to as Daddy he thinks it's quite sweet (there's a substory in the game where a kiddo calls him daddy and he doesnt mind it , I recommend playing that one it's very cute he gives plushies to a lonely kiddo) . Speaking of plushies he makes sure his boys are spoiled and loved in every way, yummy food, comfy clothes and soft stuffiness, lullabies and stories every night and the best angel milk Kamurocho has ever seen, he's a good Daddy and he loves his boys dearly.

Kiryu is a very quiet cosy baby, sometimes he can be a tot but very rarely is he a kiddo, he loves his teddy bears and pacifier and he's got a blanket with his everywhere he goes , he communicates through facial expressions and little noises as he goes nonverbal, thankfully Majima and Nishiki are good at reading him so it's no struggle for them to understand and help him.

Nishiki is a kiddo a very active clumsy creative kiddo, the fridge and walls of the playroom are covered in is artwork, he and kiryu have a rewards chart filled with pretty stickers for being such good boys, he loves chocolate milkies and baking mostly cookies and some cakes. He liked trying to include kiryu in playtime but he forgets that sometimes Kiryu is too tiny for some things so he just giggles and squeals with his little brother and they have a comfy fun time.

At the end of the day these 3 have a sweet bond between eachother and live and support eachother in and out of regression .

I love them so much I'd like to include Tachibana but I have no idea how , maybe he helps occasionally when Majima has his hands full with a hyper Nishiki hehe.

[dojimakaichou]

SENT FROM @akiiyamashun​​​​ ―             ( from here / accepting )

📔

September 03.

I am still trying to keep my notebooks going, but it has been difficult. Every time I sit down to write, I get distracted ; I worry about him to such a degree that I often end up dropping my pen altogether and giving up.  He likes to tease me when I bring him something to eat. That I’m trying to keep the quality of my food up.  ―  it isn’t that, though. It’s that I can see his face thinning as he dwells there. I told him that I would find my meals in another source. Eating from the wrong blood turned me half - feral, but I would rather become an animal than watch him suffer on my behalf. I’ve never seen Shun  .    .    .  angry before. There was something about the look on his face that made me shut me up immediately. I haven’t touched the topic since with him, but I do think of it often. I try to remain with him in the sewers as much as I’m able. I only really come up to ward off gangs of the Triad or rest at home when the other residents of that place start to get suspicious ( like tonight ). Shun is a wanted man ; I’ve heard his name from the grunts multiple times as I scale the walls after them. I hate to kill them. I do. However, I will not let them get too close to him. They must pay for seeking his life with their own. It is impossible for me to put into words how much Shun means to me now. It goes beyond our relationship as predator and prey. Sometimes, it feels like it’s more than normal love, even. Perhaps another vampire would know what I refer to. Shun suggested that we try to find one when Kamurocho stabilizes. Surely, I can’t be the only vampire in the world, but  .    .   .  I told him that I wouldn’t. His reasoning was sound. Unfortunately, I can’t stomach the idea of Shun being near a second creature like me. It would be dangerous, and I cannot bear the thought of sharing him. I don’t understand the notion myself. Then again, there is very little that I do understand since my death. I’m getting frustrated. I need to leave here and check the street where I saw the Triad last week. If there is time prior to the sun, I’ll try to find a container of some odorless food that Shun can hide in his cardboard to drop off.

[maddestdog]

@kitschd​ says... [surprise]

Just as the sun begins to set does the frustrating lack of action and excitement for the day come to a head. There’s never been a dull moment for Majima here in Kamurocho - even when he’s holed himself inside the family office before, he’s found a way to pass the time, entertain himself by sticking his nose into the business of others. But, even a hound that’s always on the prowl, looking for trouble, must take a break every so often; prove that he’s not all play and no work. He has a reputation to uphold.

The itch for adventure is nonetheless too strong for him to resist even just a little scratch. Like clockwork, he decides enough is enough, and it’s not long after that he’s making his way back out into the concrete jungle with the excuse of stretching his legs. Staring at piles and piles of paperwork while stuck in the same damn spot for hours isn’t doing his body much good, anyways. One of his boys can take care of the rest.

Just as he’s outside the door, already reaching for a cigarette to enjoy while he’s on his way to no particular destination, Majima has to count his blessings now for not stumbling and falling over the sad fool who’s lying there at the headquarters' doorstep. Despite his initial surprise, he scoffs at the sight. Some kid he’s never seen before - covered in scrapes and bruises, with seemingly nowhere to hide but here. All he can assume is that he’s just another lost pup who went and ran into the wrong people.    

“The hell d`ya think yer doin`, kid?” His voice is stern, his brow furrowed in a perfect expression of pure annoyance. Part of him is glad to find that the action and excitement he was about to go looking for has come to him so easily... The other part of him is hesitant to get involved with the affairs of another good for nothing punk. 

Sure beats having to twiddle his thumbs all day, whatever the case.

“Pick yer sorry ass off the ground already,” Majima nudges his foot against the boy in an attempt to rouse him, further encouraging him to stand up and gather his bearings.

 “C`mon!! I don`t got all day, y`know! Upsy daisy!”

[daigodojima-chan]

I've been a fool

(Daigo/Reader fic I wrote because there's not enough content for this absolute dumbass)

Summary: Reader rightfully ghosts Daigo and he comes to a realization.

Or, alternatively, Daigo says "I love you" twice.

Please answer my calls.

It’s shorter than the other emails he’s been sending you the past few days, and you wonder if his patience is finally running thin. Then again, it’s not like his frustrations matter since he’s made it very clear he doesn’t care about yours.

You don’t care that he’s affiliated with the yakuza. You don’t care that he’s definitely involved in some shady business dealings, although he insists on keeping you out of the loop. As long as you get to see him at least once a week and talk on the phone every night, you don’t mind that Daigo is constantly out and about, away at work.

You do mind, however, him entertaining several women at one of the more upscale cabaret clubs in Kamurocho. The image of your Daigo, hands thrown across the back of the couch while two beautiful, sparkly-eyed hostesses cuddled up to him and gazed admiringly at his relaxed face, dusted red from the many drinks clearly had, was permanently burned into the back of your mind. You couldn’t even bring yourself to blame the girls for being taken with the man because hell, you felt the same.

Or at least, you used to.

Now, all you feel is betrayal when you think of his face. Your gut twists sharply, and the hole that’s been growing in the pit of your stomach only continues to eat you up from the inside.

Your phone pings again. Another email.

Please, love?

Daigo, despite his mysterious nature, has always been surprisingly excellent at communication when it comes to more personal matters. You remember him saying something about things unsaid ruining relationships, so he makes sure to express his affections for you as often as possible. He never fails to makes you blush, and despite being with him for several months now, you still find yourself caught off-guard whenever he calls you loving pet names.

Tears prick the corner of your eyes as you angrily snap your phone shut. You scrub your face with your sleeve and toss the phone over to your nightstand. Each day, you convince yourself you’re over him. Sometimes, you believe it.

Tonight, you can’t even entertain the idea.

Your phone begins to buzz. Sighing, you head to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

---

When he shows up at your doorstep two nights later, you’re flabbergasted to say the least.

You’ve never given him your address. He’s always insisted on you sleeping over at his fancy apartment, so you haven’t had the opportunity to bring him back to your place before. He’s dropped you off in the general vicinity, but you don’t recall actually telling him which apartment is yours.

Then again, this is Daigo Dojima you’re talking about. Of course he knows how to get the information he needs without hassle.

He says your name suddenly, snapping you back to reality.

It’s only then you realize he’s holding a large bouquet of red roses in one hand and clutching a small bear from one of the UFO Catchers in the other. He’s wearing a puffy white jacket over his dark-gray dress shirt, which you recall telling him is your favorite.

His face is unreadable as he holds out the presents for you to take.

Wordlessly, you accept them. You’re not rude and, more importantly, the bear is too cute to resist.

“Can I come in?” he finally speaks, his voice calm and steady as if everything’s just peachy between the two of you.

No, you want to say, but the dumber part of you—the one that misses him terribly and is admittedly overjoyed to see him so suddenly—overrides your common sense. You push the door open wider and Daigo eagerly lets himself in. Already halfway to the kitchen, you hear him lock the door. While you find something to place the flowers in, Daigo toes off his shoes and places them near yours by the entrance.

You end up depositing the flowers into an empty plastic container that normally holds cereal, and just as you convince yourself to turn around and face him, Daigo grabs you and tugs. Gasping, you find yourself maneuvered onto the tatami-covered floor and the next thing you know, a very handsome face is hovering over yours.

“What, are you going to kill me?” is out of your mouth before you can stop yourself. The corners of his mouth twitch upward but he doesn’t let himself smile.

“If you keep ignoring me, I might.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have to ignore you if you kept your hands to yourself,” you spit back, and Daigo at least has the decency to look ashamed. He glances off to the side for a few seconds, clearly struggling to find the words to say. You don’t know this, but he spent the past week rehearsing what he wanted to tell you, what he wanted to apologize for. Unfortunately, he forgot everything he practiced the second you opened the door and he caught sight of your perfect face.

He eventually manages to mutter, “Sorry.”

Well. There goes that speech.

You look like you’re about to give him hell for that half-assed response, so he quickly backpedals. “I know, I know. I’m a fucking dumbass and I don’t deserve you.”

Tell me about it, you think, mentally rolling your eyes. You don’t say anything though, and he takes this as a sign to continue.

“I wasn’t thinking. There was a time not too long ago when I just… did that. Every night. It didn’t feel good but I didn’t know what else to do. The other night was…” he trails off, his eyebrows furrowing as he recalls the events of that fateful evening. He remembers how you walked up to him with that heartbroken expression on your face that almost made him drop the bottle he was in the middle of pouring. He remembers suddenly feeling trapped, hyperaware of the women on either side of him rubbing his shoulders and back. He remembers you quickly grabbing one of the full champagne glasses and dumping the contents over his head. Even now, he can still hear Majima’s howls of laughter, can recall the sensation of cold, fizzy alcohol soaking his hair and drenching his expensive suit. He vividly remembers barking at his men to leave you alone while you made your hasty escape.

Then Daigo thinks about how the pain that followed your sudden absence caught him off-guard. How he’d been startled by the emptiness he felt when you wouldn’t answer his calls or respond to his emails. He hated the disappointment that flooded his system whenever he checked his phone between clan meetings and found nothing from you. He didn’t realize how much he needed those cheerful messages until you stopped sending them.

It hit him last night, and that was why he wanted to see you now even though you clearly wanted nothing to do with him.

“I love you.”

The words hang in the air between you for a few minutes. Daigo’s eyes never leave yours, which have grown wide in shock at the abrupt declaration. A blush begins to form on his face as the seconds tick by without your response.

Finally, you reach up to lightly smack the side of his head.

“Shut up. That’s not funny,” you scoff, furious that he would stoop so low to get you to forgive him. You never pegged Daigo as someone to manipulate you like this, but you never thought he’d be the type of guy to openly flirt with strangers while your back was turned either. Maybe you don’t actually know him as well as you do, and the thought makes your heart clench.

Daigo growls and, without warning, drops his head and crushes his lips against yours.

You gasp in shock and he takes that opportunity to capture your bottom lip between his teeth and lightly pull. Kissing him back just as fiercely, you let your hands come up to clutch at his back, but the material of his puffy jacket makes it difficult to do so. Instead, one of your hands slide up to grasp the back of his head and you lightly tug on his hair. Daigo groans lowly, pulling away to catch his breath.

“D-Daigo,” you mutter, eyes closed as the man begins to trail open-mouth kisses along your neck.

“I’m here,” he whispers against your warm skin. You swallow and you wonder if he feels it.

His earlier words haven’t left your mind since he said them. You let out a shuddering breath. “Did—do you mean it?”

Daigo doesn’t verbally respond. Instead, he lifts his head and stares you down with those warm eyes of his that drew you to him in the first place. You can’t bring yourself to look at him and focus on a spot on the ceiling instead.

He calls your name and you warily shift your gaze to his now-smiling face.

“What?” you mumble, your cheeks flushed as you took in the infatuated expression on his very handsome features.

But you already know.

“I love you.”

[taaboh]

@easterntojo sent: 3)  our muses take a shower together to wash blood off each other. 👀👀👀 ► from here.

“I can’t believe you came to Ijincho.”

But here Tohru is, sitting with him in the shower and delicately running his fingers through his hair. Takayuki stares at his collarbones through blurry eyes, tired beyond all reason, and when the light of the bathroom becomes too much for him to bear he shuts them instead.

“Saori-san told me you were the one who told Kaito-san something was wrong,” he says. On touch and muscle memory alone his hands drift, catching Tohru’s sides without really gripping them. If there’s any hitch in breath, he’ll feel it, but after being so close to death, after having so much control ripped from him... in a way, it’s good to have things he can expect again.

“You’re a worrier even all the way in Kamurocho, huh?”