#weekend excursions anyone?

[cursedcola]

Prompt: Couples will evidently begin to mimic their better half after some time. What traits do you steal from him, and vice versa? Fandom: Twisted Wonderland Characters: Everyone - because I want to and I’m amidst fleshing out all my Yuu/Character dynamics + designs Format: Headcannons. Masterlist: LinkedUP Parts: Heartslabyul (Here) | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia | Pomefiore | Ignihyde | Diasomnia A/N: Putting all my brain rot from my notes into something cohesive. Contrary to my love for ripping your hearts out, I've come with some fluff this time around. BTW you may or may not already do things mentioned - I write my works with a specific Yuu in mind for each character so this is based on them. Just a reminder.

Habits you steal:

Plan-Books (Inherited) : Riddle habitually carries a planner with all his tasks. A physical one, not an app in his cell phone like most students choose. You find it easier to manage and swap to paper-and-pen alternatives at his recommendation.

Tidiness (Inherited): Riddle is a nit-pickier when it comes to physical presentation. His habits of pressing his uniform, laying his clothes out every night, and dressing conservatively rub off. He has a point - ironed trousers do make a difference. Every morning he will redo your uniform tie. It's never knotted to his 'standard', and is his preferred excuse to greet you before class.

"Now, isn't that better? Surely you are more comfortable in ironed linens than those rags you'd been wearing as pajamas. You seriously found them lying in Ramshackle? Were you not given an allowance to buy basic needs? Ridiculous! The Headmaster's irresponsibility holds no bounds!" <- Utterly appalled that you've been sleeping in century-old robes. He supplies you with seven sets of pajamas, a spare uniform, and an iron + board for Ramshackle. All after reaming the Headmaster for neglect in the last dorm-head meeting - either Crowley coughed up the marks or Riddle will supply from his own bank. Seven have mercy if he chooses to become a lawyer instead of a doctor.

No Heels (Developed): Riddle has a height complex. He won't make a show of it, but you wearing heels does emasculate him. Especially if you're already taller naturally. For his sake, you choose to slay your outfits in flats.

"Are those new loafers? Oh - no, they're lovely. The embroidery is exquisite and I can see why Pomefiore's Housewarden models for their brand. I merely thought you preferred the heeled saddle-shoes we saw during the past weekend trip. I must have been mistaken. Never mind me. You look wonderful."

Playing Brain Teasers (Inherited): Riddle has this thing with memory - you don't know if he's really into preventing old-age Alzheimer's or what. He carries a book of teaser games like Sudoku, etc. for when he has downtime and you eventually get into them too.

"Oh! My Rose, would you care to join me for lunch? Trey's siblings recently mailed in a large collection of cross-words. You'll find they are both educational and entertaining - hm? I do not seem the 'type' for word-games? I assure you, even I can relax on occasion. There is no need to look so surprised." <- Riddle's been making a grand effort to do things he enjoys and become more personable. Trey's siblings did not send the collection. Riddle went into town and picked it out on his own. He also found a book on organizing excursions since he's big on quality time. He is dead-set on not being a neglectful or 'boring' partner.

Swear Jar (Developed): Tired of Riddle collaring Ace for his vulgar tongue, you suggest a Heartslabyul swear jar. When the jar gets filled, the money can be used to fund things like study materials and renovations for the dorm. Riddle liked this idea, but now implements it on anyone who sets foot in the Heartslabyul. Considering you spend most of your time there, you've had to develop a vast vocabulary beyond swearing. Oh - you also unironically use the word 'fiddlesticks' now.

Habits he steals:

Useless Expenses (Inherited): You are an enabler without a doubt. Riddle has always functioned with the bare bones - with function and efficiency being the number one priority. Ever so slowly - you've spoiled him with aesthetically pleasing stationary. At first all the needless purchases felt redundant - why buy the pillowcases with flowers when plain white is cheaper? You can invest in a higher quality this way. Yet you've ruined him with gifts that he had no choice but to use. Now he needs to buy the pens with little hedgehogs on them because studying doesn't feel the same with a plain ballpoint.

Slang Dictionary (Developed): With each passing day, all the students in Heartslabyul get more creative at bending the rules. That includes you. Riddle takes it upon himself to carry a 'little-black-book' full of all the sang words he is unfamiliar with. He does want to be a bit more 'hip' to understand you more, but at the same time he wants to bust any student being a smart-mouth. It's an ongoing battle *sigh*.

"Apologies, could you repeat that term for me? Surely it must be relevant to my lecture if you and Ace are whispering. 'Let him cook'? Do you think we are in a culinary lecture?! Have you not been listening to - ah. So it's in reference to letting me finish before interrupting...One moment. I need to make a note."

Chewing Gum (Developed): This is an ode to psychology. In short, eating is tied to a person's fight-or-flight. Instincts dictate that our bodies need to be in a calm state to eat comfortably. One day when Riddle was at his wits end, you tossed him a pack of sugarless gum and told him to chew. Disregarding Trey's unholy dental screeching, Riddle develops a gum dependence for when he's stressed out. On the bright side, his jaw has never been so sharp.

“Mimicry? You must be mistaken. Even if my influence has affected their person, surely there are only positive developments” == Riddle denies any changes if confronted. In truth, he’s well aware of how much you’ve helped him grow. It’s the opposite accusation that spikes concern. Riddle does not want others thinking you’re a mini-version of him. Rumors are not kind and neither is his current reputation. Making those amends is his burden to bare. He is flattered to see you paying attention to his mannerisms, and secretly proud that your bond is strong enough to affect the psyche.

Habits you steal:

Whistling (Inherited): Trey whistles while working in the kitchen or doing general chores around the dorm. He's not very loud with it, so not may students are bothered. Since you laze about in his shadow the tunes he goes through do become repetitive. Now you do the same when cleaning up Ramshackle. Grim wants to knock you both out because he can't take it anymore.

"Ah -- How'd you know it was me in here? Just because I bake for the un-birthday parties doesn't mean I live in the kitchen, you know. My whistling? Huh. Never thought that would be my calling card but there are worse things, haha"

Head-Scratching (Inherited): Trey's got a habit of scratching the back of his head when he's uncomfortable or nervous. That, or rubbing at the nape of his neck while adverting eye contact. You start doing this too whenever you're being scolded or put in a tough situation.

Dental Hygiene (Inherited): By far the most obvious shared trait. Trey enforces his dental habits onto everyone- you are no exception. You now own four different kinds of floss, two toothbrushes (one being electric), and have a strict hygiene routine. Your pearly whites have never been so clean. Eventually you become somewhat of a secondary enforcer, policing anyone who sleeps over your dorm to take care of themselves before bed. All of Heartslabyul learns that there is no going back when you scold Riddle for not brushing after his teatime tart, and live to tell the tale.

"Hey - uh, weird question? Were you handing out floss to the Spelldrive Team yesterday? Seriously? I though Grim was pulling my leg - oh, no! It's not weird at all! Those guys should have a better routine for all the meat they eat when bulking. I'm just shocked you got through to them." <- Very proud. Mildly cocky. He's been itching to get those negligent jocks to floss after their banquets his entire tenure, but steered away from that conflict like the plague. Thank you for making his dreams come true. Now if you could maybe get them to stop picking their gums with toothpicks?

Habits he steals:

Overbuying Food (Developed): Being a baker's son, Trey's good with finances and money. He's also meticulous with the ingredients he purchases for his bakes. You are not. You go to Sam's shop, buy whatever is on sale, and then bring it back home to improvise. This ends poorly more often than not, and behold! Trey has two Ramshackle sluggers snooping around his kitchen for eats. This is unpredictable and therefore he now never knows what amount to buy. You've ruined him.

Phone Calls (Developed): Texting is easier. Especially since phone calls can be a commitment that Trey dislikes being wrapped up in. Whenever Cater's name pops up as the caller, Trey knows he's getting an ear full. The thing is that you never. answer. your. phone. Either the text gets lumped in with the hundreds of missed messages you have, or Grim stole your cell to play mobile games. So Trey gives up and only ever calls. Either Grim will answer or you'll pick up thinking it's the snooze of your alarm.

"Hello? Prefect, where are you? It's me, Trey. Just calling to see if you're still coming to the Un-Birthday party? Riddle's getting a bit nervous since the schedule's set for the next hour. Grim's already here with Ace and Deuce - uh, want Cater to send a double to pick you up? I have a sinking feeling that you're asleep...Call me? Please?" <- He was correct. You called back not a moment after, half-asleep and hauling ass not to be late.

Speaking in Propositions (Inherited): Trey's normally good at keeping neutrality in a conversation, but getting a clear answer out of Yuu you is like solving a rubix cube. Either it's easy and instant, or a long game. Eventually your habit of indecisiveness rubs off on him and he asks questions more than answers them. Evidently this gets his younger classmen to stop asking for favors unless they really need to.

“Aha - really? I didn’t notice at all. Okay. Okay, I picked up on a few hints. What’s so wrong with them taking after me? It’s cute, right?” == Trey is the observant sort that picks up on his influence quickly. Not just anyone carries floss in their pocket at all times - and the looks from his dorm-mates when you offer some up is enough for the realization to click. Trey’s used to playing the respectable sort, and finds it endearing that you’re taking his good notes to heart. In truth, most of Trey’s mimicry is intentional. He’s a flexible guy who doesn’t mind altering his habits to fit your needs. Easier this way, y’know?

Habits you steal:

Speaking in Acronyms(Inherited): Now this is scary. The first time it happened, you had to take a pause and just re-evaluate your entire life. You don't use them nearly as often as Cater does, but somewhere along the line your brain must have rewired to speak in internet lingo. O-M-G you're TOTALLY twinning with him right now, period :)

Nicknames (Inherited): Again, frightening. You once swore against ever calling him Cay-Cay. It isn't very slay-slay. Yet you can only hear him use nicknames for so long until you're unconsciously calling people by them too. Especially since he's always dishing gossip. It starts in your head, which is fine. It's not like they know. Then you call Lilia 'Lils' and that old fart is just grinning behind his sleeve because ohoho~ young love <3

"Did you just- AHA! OMG DO IT AGAIN?! Wait, gotta get my camera out for this - wha? Oh, that's totes not fair! C'mon. Call me Cay-Cay. Just once! I won't even post it to Magicam, please? Lils won't believe me without proof! Pleasssssseeeee - " <- He actually doesn't want you to call him Cay-Cay all the time. Cater likes you using his given name, since it's more personal. Although the way it obviously slipped out on accident is just too cute to ignore.

Reality TV (Inherited): At first you don't like the gossip. It's cheesy, a bit annoying, and the shaky camera-work for nearly every show is headache inducing. Cater likes his dose of drama in his free-time, and Ramshackle has a tv that no one is using. It starts with him watching while you do other things around the dorm. Yet each time you pass the living area, you take longer to leave. Lingering around like one of the ghosts. Then he pulls you in with snacks and starts giving the low-down of what's going on, pulling out a bottle of tangerine shimmer polish to paint your nails. It's just one episode, watch it for him? Please? Oh no. No. No. Suddenly you're invested in who's the baby-daddy of little Ricky and what Chantel is going to do because her sister just lost the house to foreclosure.

"#KingdomOfDeadbeats - am I right? Ugh. I'm so glad we met if that's the dating scene back home...What?! I know it isn't real! Don't be a dummy, I was just joking! Ah! Stop! Don't hit me!" <- Half-hearted jokes about going on one of those talk-shows one day. You're an alien, after all - imagine the juicy drama and views his account would get from doing an interview? It's all jokes though. Cater likes spilling the tea, but hates being it. Don't ever abandon him and go out for milk though, kay? He doesn't want to pay Grim's child support. Otherwise he might have no choice smh

Habits he steals:

Phone/Web Games (Inherited): Cater's phone is mainly full of social media. He's not too into the gaming scene, it's not his peeps y'know? Alas, you download a few dress-up games and one MMO on his phone. First off - props on getting his phone. That's Cay-Cay's lifeline and not just anyone gets to play with it. Pray tell - what is this Wonderstar Planet (props if you know what is being ref.) and how can he become the most influential digital streamer on it? Congrats. He's addicted.

"Who's this Muscle Red and why's he bombing our raid - AH! He just tea-bagged me! So not cool...Prefect? STOP LAUGHING WE HAVE BETS ON THIS MATCH! There goes my collab opportunity, big fail" <- Muscle Red continues to make an appearance. Eventually he becomes Cater's official rival on stream, and Lils is all to invested in the tea cater drops during club meets. Side note. You're the one who gave 'muscle red' Cater's domain code. The lore thickens.

Internet Caution (Developed): This goes without saying, but Cater's well-known in the Magicam scene. He's very forward and knows his way around using charisma. Since you're not in the scene as much, he becomes more cautious of where and when he does streams. The change is so subtle that only the most observant people will pick up on it - but Cay-Cay doesn't want any creepos popping in if y'know what I'm saying. His sisters were the ones to instigate this change.

“Awe~ SRSLY?! That’s fresh news to my ears but good, right? Ne, are there any clips or pics? I need my evidence, y’see. Especially if my cutie is off taking notes from their one and only. C’mon, spill the tea!” == Cheeky Cater is well aware of what’s happening. He’d humor anyone out for some light teasing - after all, he isn’t by your side at all hours. His walls are probably the second most difficult in all of campus to bypass, so he’s both sweetened and nerved to see you picking up on his mannerisms. That’s proof of a strong attachment, after all.

Habits you steal:

Knuckle Cracking (Inherited): Deuce still does this from his biker days. It could be because joint pain from past fights, or possibly air retention in his knuckles from studying. Regardless, Deuce cracks his knuckles at least once every few hours and you began to mimic him. Some people groan at the popping sounds but it really does feel good to release the tension. Let's just hope neither of you dislocate any fingers on accident.

"Stop that! G-geez, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Thought you broke a finger...your hands are stiff? That just means you're studying a lot! I think...uh, let's break? I think there's some leftovers in the kitchen." <- Deuce 100% gets needing to pop those air bubbles. His hands get stiff from studying all the time, but don't crack them too much or you might dislocate something. Side note - he shows you how to wrap your fingers with a soothing salve. He used to do it after fights, but now it's a great help after class.

Double Notes (Developed): Deuce tries. He really does. Yet the lad just isn't great when it comes to book smarts. Seeing that he is dedicated to turning over a new leaf, you make a habit of copying all your notes. He isn't allowed to share them with Ace or Grim - else all bets are off. Sometimes you leave little 'good job' stickers on the last page for him. Is he a toddler? No. Does he peel the stickers off and save them? Totally. He is a good noodle. Suck it Ace.

Sewing (Developed): He breaks things. Most of the time it's an accident. You've learned to carry a mini-sewing kit for all the rips in Deuce's uniform. Same for mini remedies for stains and other problems. It's not like he's trying to get grass stains all over his under-shirt or to split the seam in his gloves (nearly every week). It just happens, and every time he comes to you with a kicked-puppy look with a promise of it being the last time. It is never the last time.

"Uhm...hun'? It happened again. I'm so sorry for bothering you but Housewarden is going to kill me if he sees the tear in my blazer! Can you fix it?! I can't handle another collar with my exam tomorrow! I need to breathe to focus! - really!? I owe you one! Snacks are on me tonight."

Habits he steals:

Bottomless Stomach (Developed): Have leftovers from dinner? Bring them over. He'll get the tubba-ware back in 1-2 days. Coupon for buy-one-get-one at Sam's? He'll take the extra and polish it off in less than a minute. Deuce becomes a human garbage disposal and is taking the unwanted condiments off your sandwich to eat. Just pick them off and leave 'em on the corner of his lunch plate. Even if he dislikes it, he'll down it so you don't have to.

"Mm. Oh, thanks hun' - its that all you're eatin'? You don't like the steam bun? It is a bit dry, but wasting food is disrespectful to the cooks! I'll finish it for you so have my fruit instead. You still need to eat" <- 10/10 very thoughtful and not picky at all. He is grateful to eat your cooking and will gobble up all leftovers at Ramshackle, but doesn't think twice to sharing meals in the cafeteria. He will notice though if you do not eat enough. Restocks the snack cabinet if he sees it's empty. Is touched if you routinely share things you know he enjoys, like saving half your frittata on purpose.

Early Riser (Inherited): See - even if you hate the mornings, there is no choice at Night Raven College. As Ramshackle Prefect you need to be up to take care of business before class. Deuce becomes your personal alarm clock because he wants some time with you before everyone else joins in. Mind you that he lives with three other dudes who threaten to end him every morning because his alarm wakes them up too. Eventually he can wake up without it, but the time leading is unpleasant.

"W-what? Seriously? I've been trying to be more like them! They're a good person and responsible so I've been trying to follow their example. To think we've been doing the same thing this entire time...." == Why would you ever imitate him? He's been trying his damn best to become an honor student worth respecting, and has a long way to go. To think you're comfortable enough with him to mimic his mannerisms? It's a pipe dream, one he doesn't grasp until it's put right in front of his face. You don't let anyone else pick off your plate other than Grim. The next time his clothes tear, he's already handing off his tie before realizing just what's happening. When you wrap his knuckles after a six-hour lock in at the library? He can't help but feel proud at how neat the bandages are. Suddenly the dark memories of hiding bruised knuckles from his mom are pacified with healing balm. Deuce views this development as a gift, and is grateful. Very, very grateful.

Habits you steal:

‘I owe you’ cards (Inherited): Ace's favorite social invention - the 'solid'. Nothing spells new-low like getting your friends to do stuff in exchange for a favor in the future. Most of the time Ace counts on people forgetting he owes them one, but you're not so gullible. The only difference between you both is that while Ace never fulfills his solid, you have a conscience. Give it a few more years. He'll get ya.

"I know this is the third ticket this week but - Oh! C'mon, cut a guy some slack, would you? I'm sorry for bein' late to our date. Yeah, it was shitty. I'm not trying to fight it, aright? I'm here now so let's have some fun and you can chalk three strikes on my tab. I'll even buy ya some candy - Ah! Okay! Two candies but that's where my charity ends!" <- Evidently, the 'I-owe-you' tabs cancel each other out from how often you both call in favors. It's just an excuse to do acts of service or express apologies without being too mushy. Ace is definitely keeping a track record of them though. Expect an ongoing log that dates back to the week you met, when he showed up homeless, collared, and looking to couch surf.

Profanity (Inherited): Ace swears like a sailor. Maybe not so much in his dorm because *cough* he's being policed. He holds no such reservations when you're both alone at Ramshackle. Unfortunately his potty mouth has a mind of it's own - it taints you, and you are a sham of a prefect. Ace earned a week-long collar for teaching you some Twisted-Wonderland exclusive curses. Riddle is not pleased.

Leaving the Windows Unlocked (Developed): There are only so many times he can sneak in through your window before the adrenaline-induced charm wears off. You have class in the morning, and can't be bothered to deal with him on nights he can't pass out in his dorm. Thank seven you have all of Ramshackle to yourself - because Heartslabyul sounds like a nightmare with the roommate situation. You can't leave the front door open for obvious reasons, but most nights the guest-bedroom window will be left slightly ajar in case he needs a place to crash.

"Pssst! Oi! Prefect! ...ugh, Grim! Wake them up, man! The latch is stuck. Don't go back to bed you furball! HEY! IT'S FREAKIN COLD OUT HERE SO LET ME IN ALREADY" <- Please let him in. If Ace has to spend one more night in that stinky dorm with three dudes, he'll string one of their dirty gym socks over your bed. No mercy.

Sleeping with Earplugs (Developed): Bitch Ace snores.

Habits he steals:

Notes Memo (Developed): Ace is bad with remembering things. Anniversaries? Dates? Allergies? He admits to not putting in a great amount of effort, but you can't say he doesn't try at all. He has a notes block on his phone dedicated to things like your go-to takeout orders and preferences. He even has a few alarms set days before any important events because even if you say no-gifts or plans...yeah, he's not that stupid.

Excessive Yawning (Inherited): You're always tired - it wasn't Ace's problem before but now he does feel a bit guilty. Dragging you into his messes felt different when you were just the prefect, y'know? Regardless, it's human instinct to mimic each other's demeanor so he'll openly yawn all the time - normally in succession of you.

"Hey...you're dozing off again. Am I seriously that boring to hang around? - Nah. Just messin' with you. I'd suggest taking a nap during next period but I doubt a goody-goody like you is gonna take that advice. Let's just ditch juice at lunch and go back to the dorm. Don't get mad if I forget to wake you up though"

Medications (Developed): Ace is the last person to become a human apothecary, but he's always got a pack of pain-reliever meds in his pocket with a few bandages, etc. He also attached one of those tiny capsule bottles to his keyring with some stomach meds inside. You took a spill running laps? Dang man. That sucks. Here's a band-aid for your knee. Curse you for making him the slightly-more responsible one.

"Eh..what, like it's a shock? You saying I'm a bad influence? Cause yeah, that checks. Nothin' I can do if they want to take a card outta my deck though," == Ace is entirely neutral on the topic. He is definitely smug that you're coming over to the dark side, but he doesn't need anyone to point it out. He was your first after all. Maybe the start could have been a bit better - but hey, you came around. It's not like he's hurting anyone by helping build your backbone. Although Ace will instantly deny going soft for you in any way, shape, or form.

[pomefioredove]

wait wait wait, your requests are open for noble bell for this weekend only? (if i got that right?!) sound perfect gimme 14 of em. anywhos if i did not getting the date wrong i have one! and if i i did please just let me shrivel up and die, thank you.

post college rollo and reader who live together as “roommates.” they’re 100% more than roommates and everyone can see it but them. rollo is probably some senator or something and insisted reader moves in with him cause he insists that since he’s making laws more just for magicless people there’s literally no where safer for them to be. just basically some domestic fluff with two people who act like they’re married and don’t even realize it. i personally think it would be way cuter to read from the perspective of a third party but if you’re willing to write this you can do it anyway anyhow and i’ll still be happy. thank you! <3

(if i got the weekend wrong i will absolutely die so please let me down gently, i am accoustic so i no no understand very basic things such as “this weekend” or “next saturday” if the day of the week is before a saturday)

oooh a bit of a future au... this is cute

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ and they were roommates

type of post: fic characters: rollo additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader is yuu, kinda written from a 3rd perspective

Rollo Flamme's favoritism had never been a secret.

He might have been quiet, reserved, repressed beyond all reason, but there were some things even he couldn't hide behind his star-spotted handkerchief.

The very moment you arrived at Noble Bell College, you were his.

Rollo Flamme beheld you with a sort of reverence that could be called sacrilegious. That is to say, one had never seen idolatry until one had seen the way he looked at you, the way he touched you as if you were made out of porcelain, as if he could break you with an unclean hand and a breath.

His coldness and cordiality towards the others never changed.

For all your kindness, your smiles, your gentle touches upon his cheek that he would never have let anyone else give, you could not change him. And you did not try.

It was a tragedy in two parts.

Not that it mattered, of course. Not to you.

As far as you were concerned, the world began and end with each other. In a room full of people, mages and scholars and royalty, Rollo Flamme would still only look at you.

Nothing was confirmed. Your affection for one another was kept to lingering touches and burning glances across the long, morose hallways of Noble Bell.

If anyone had asked, and they certainly did, Rollo's handkerchief would come to sit over his mouth and he would remind them that gossip is unbecoming.

And to be decent, thank you.

Yet the rumors could never be smothered, and they lingered after Rollo's first graduation, and another, and to his seat on the Fleur City Council.

You lived with him.

You lived with him, in his family home.

And he would continue to deny anything romantic, giving the same excuse that he had since Noble Bell, that you simply had no one else to look after you, and it was his duty as a civil servant to see to your care.

Which was utter bullshit.

But, perhaps, bullshit that you both believed.

Outside of the council, it was rare to see him alone. When he went out, he went out with you. When he attended public events, you walked by his side. When he worked at home, you sat in his study, by the fireplace, as if you had always belonged there. With him.

Rollo would excuse himself from small talk and after-hour business like so:

"It's been lovely talking to you, Senator, but I'll be late for dinner,"

"Please, come by my office first thing tomorrow morning. I'm expected at home,"

"I'll have to be going, now. I have an excursion on the town tonight. With whom? Well, whom else?"

It became widely accepted, amongst his colleagues and the public, that Rollo Flamme was married. One might not have guessed, of course, from his cold demeanor, but rumors of the magicless alumni from Noble Bell that he so adored smoldered.

Rollo did not concern himself with the whispers or the knowing looks his colleagues gave each other, until a warm day in late March where a well-meaning secretary from another branch asked if he had any children.

"Children?" he had scoffed. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

The poor secretary looked like he had seen a ghost. "Well... you're married, aren't you?"

"Absolutely not. What gave you such an idea?"

And he seemed reluctant to answer.

Rollo had gone home that night with much on his mind. When you asked him if anything had happened at the council, he said "Nothing eventful".

To Rollo, who had lived in Fleur City, lonely yet not alone, for so many years without a kindling of friendship and not a thought on romance, he had never once questioned your relationship. You were his companion. His first, and last. That's all that matters.

Isn't it?

He could ask for nothing more than you. Your voice, your smile, your hands and warmth mingling with his. He was happy with you. Your friendship is enough for him.

Isn't it?

Despite what he tells himself, that night, when you sit close to him in front of the fire, reading a book he recommended simply because he recommended it, Rollo finds himself looking at you twice as much as usual.

He puts an arm around your shoulders and pulls you into his side, and you stay there, as if you had always belonged there. With him.

[phantomsies]

no thots, just going on a camping trip with ace :)

wc: 1.8K

fresh air on a warm summer night, the ripple of small insects and discarded rocks across the muggy lake waters, intermittent gusts of wind passing through the thick trees, the crackle of debris underneath rubber soled shoes…it was all of these little things that made Ace love the outdoors. Being one with nature and exploring the beautiful unknown, one hike, fishing expedition or camping trip at a time!

it wasn’t uncommon for the spontaneous traveler to just up and decide on a whim that he was going to pack up his supplies, load up his old beater of a Silverado with enough food and water to feed an army for the weekend and head out to his next destination. Albeit a spring with glistening water or a forest some sixty miles away from home. His cell phone was only left on so that worried loved ones were aware of his location…

“..don’t worry about me, I’ll be back in a few days!” Otherwise, his only connection was to the furry animals that made his acquaintance and the earth itself. It was something about the whole experience that awakened his primal instincts…

but perhaps nothing awoken said urges more than when he decided to invite his beloved (y/n) (l/n) along for a weekend excursion to the infamous Twin Flames Peak. A recreational park that was known for its incredible hiking areas, breathtaking waterfalls and the stunning view of the stars at night over the campsites. Yes, he was thrilled to have the company of another fellow outdoorsman and one with such a pretty face to boot!

Watching intently as you tie your box braids up in a neat bun in the passenger seat of his truck. Clear gloss smearing your luscious lips and not another speck of makeup on that perfect canvas..a feeling of warmth and sheer happiness encompassing him as he watches you glide your nimble hands up and down those smooth, brown legs with coats of lotion; just in awe of how the sunlight captures the essence of your gorgeous dark skin underneath its rays. “Careful, babe. You get out smelling all sweet and looking this good, you might attract some unwanted guests.” “Well that’s what I have my big strong man for. You’ll protect me, right?” Joking as you thought he’d probably be insane enough to try and go toe to toe with a damn bear!

Despite it all, he knows he’s got nothing to worry about. Ace has watched you handle your own throughout the rough and tumble. Yes, this gorgeous woman who can pitch a tent and lug firewood just as well as she can put on a designer dress and shake ass at the club…would be spending three whole days out here in the wilderness with him. Those once primal instincts that activated when he sensed nearby danger or felt hunger and rations were low..

had now shifted towards you. Like a predator lying in wait on its prey to slip up, he glared hungrily as you strutted in front of him in those biker shorts and tank top. That plump, toned ass swaying with each step as the two of you trekked to the campsite. His mouth practically watering for a taste of what lies between those somehow thick thighs…

the ratio of your proportions would be enough to turn anyone into a rabid beast. “You better keep up back there, I might leave you behind.” “Is that right? Maybe I like it back here.” Tossing him a wink as you wave to him with a beckoning finger. It’s in this moment that Ace realizes he can no longer sate his carnal desires..discreetly cupping at the tent in his shorts before instructing you to stop at a nearby tree with some made up lie about needing to fix something on your gear. It’s then that he makes his move..

launching the first attack with his lips practically melded to yours in a haze of passion. His tongue descends deeper between your jaws with deep grunts and whimpers to follow…sweaty palms ravenously groping at your tits as the bottom half is sent upwards to be pinched between your teeth for comfort. Ace knows you’ll need it for his lecherous plans to defile your body right here in the forest! Nightfall is soon to come so others are scarce, meaning that he didn’t need to hold back.

instead, he’d instruct you to wrap your arms around the back of the tree and hold still..with a gentle suck of his teeth and muttered expletives under his breath, he’d run those fingers down the curvature your torso before not so subtly shoving his hand in the seat of your panties. He can feel your warmth..the arousal already forming only seconds in. ”You’re wet, babe. That’s a lil’ surprising..” Chuckling as the sounds of your stirred up slick met the crackle of the leaves.

two digits slowly make place on that budding clit and your reaction is priceless! An adorable yelp before tossing your hand over your mouth to shield those whimpers. However, you don’t resist..you don’t even tell him to stop. You just continue working the pads of his index and middle fingers..rolling those hips as you peer down over your stomach. Meanwhile, those exposed tits gently bounce each time he jolts a finger in and out of you.

Hell, he knew the thought of lewd acts in a public place was a bit shameful but it was called the wild for a reason. You were merely mammals, acting in the way you were intended to..no need to be bashful of that!

he’d smugly reach for that hand and peel it back from your mouth whilst those pumps grew faster.

“Instead of trying to hide those moans, pretty girl..squeeze those nipples f’r me. You’ll feel a lot better.”

“Ace, we’ve gotta stop this. I’m gonna fucking come—“

in that moment, your breath hitched in your throat and you realized those pleas were futile because that was his plan. To make you reach climatic bliss right under the night sky. “Then do it..why hold back? Because you’re embarrassed?..afraid we’ll get caught?” His words seeped into your brain as his teeth and lips met your neck once more. Like a carnivorous beast, he’d scrape along your skin before gently grazing you with bites. “Because I’m not. Hell, I hope they see us..see me fucking you like a little slut.”

The entire prospect had him so aroused, he couldn't help but to shuffle those pants to his waistline and tease the head of his throbbing cock against your slick folds. Which prompted him to suck his teeth. “Listen at that..it’s like your little pussy is just begging to be stuffed.” Without haste, he’d snatch your head towards him and force you to focus on that thick member rubbing on your clit. “So beg me, babe. Beg me to fuck you.” It was such a different side of him than before. The jovial, wide eyed camper turned deviant animal had you in his claws with no plans to release…and you had no complaints! So you’d fulfill his wish and plead to feel him inside of you. To be pinned against this tree and fucked until your eyes trailed to the back of your skull.

“Please..fuck me. I don’t care if anyone hears us. I need you..”

it was all he needed to feel affirmed. For you to be equally as carefree as he was. Your shorts had been residing at your knees so he’d finish removing them before hoisting a leg to his shoulder and keeping his eyes focused on your own. “Good girl. That’s all you had to say.” In a moment's notice, you’d find yourself impaled on him; split open by that tip and a few more inches. Releasing loud wails, the two of you moved like a well oiled machine. His hips snapping without so much as slowing down and you meeting those thrusts. The sounds of your skin smacking colliding with the ruffle of the leaves underneath your shoes and of course, the foul words escaping those lips.

“You’re so fucking tight, sweetheart..I hope you’ve been taking your pill because I can’t wait to breed all these pretty holes. Make you walk back to camp with all my cum in you…that’ll be so fucking sexy. Maybe we should’ve brought your plug too.”

meanwhile, you were honing in on massaging your clit, even lobbing a trail of saliva down your tummy to aid in those strokes. Giggling at how calculated his plan whilst gasping and moaning.

“How long have you been waiting to get me out here like this?”

“Only since forever.”

and he had no plans to squander this opportunity. Only to make it worth both of your time. Cradling a hand to the back of your neck, Ace keeps your faces glued to one another..eventually drawing you closer for some deep, sloppy pecks. Those lips smacking as loud as the wet skin below; hips bucking..snapping with each movement and the next thrust growing harder than the last. Praising you for the way you took him so easily. His pace quickens and he can’t seem to slow down…hell, he’s insatiable and the only cure is to feel that tight hole squeezing him and squirting all over his shaft. The sensation of that warmth continuously wrapping around him..pulling him back in each time he felt as if he was going to slip out.

it was evident by the tears welling in your eyes that you were close and who was he to deny you the sweet surrender of an orgasm?

“Oh my gosh! Fuck..right there, right there—“

“Come f’r me, pretty girl. Let it out…come all over this dick.”

each stroke from then on brought forth spurts of wetness, until that little bladder emptied all over his shoes and the ground beneath. But that wasn’t the end..no, he couldn’t let up until he saw his earlier promise through. So he’d force himself through that overly sensitive flesh..getting only half of those eight or so inches before it’d begin to snap. Even so, he persists..because the only thing he wants is to feel that seed pouring into your womb. And it’s not long before his wish is granted. You’d pull him in close, pleading with him to fill you to the brim. Marking his back previously and now with those deep scratch marks, signifying that he was your territory and now he’d done the same..all but growling as he empties his balls into you and leaves a stream of that hot white load embedded inside of you. Chest heaving and curse words are still spewing from his mouth, along with a laugh.

“Fuck..I swear you bring out the worst in me.”

“Says the one whose idea it was in the first goddamn place.”

but there aren’t any complaints. It was no secret you enjoyed this as much as he did. And those primal urges were only just beginning to be quelled…

“Well I have a better idea..why don’t we go for round two when we get back to the tent?”

after all, you had a long weekend ahead of you!

[mysteria157]

Chapter 2

Pairing: Nanami Kento x Black Fem Reader

Word Count: ~3.6k

CW: More profanity, reader’s best friend being a brash pervert

Summary: Flashback chapter. That first day when you meet him, you’re bright eyed and ready to work alongside him, filled with so many ideas that will benefit the company. Him, Nanami Kento, a highly esteemed director that always made your stomach flip in desire. But it turns out, he’s not what you thought. 

Notes: Hi! Thank you all for sticking through. Reblogs, likes, or comments are always appreciated but not necessary <3 I hope you enjoy reading!

Divider: @cafekitsune

Previous Chapter | Ao3 | Next Chapter

It Had To Be You Masterlist

Everything was always bigger in Tokyo.

With ten times more people than your modest city of Sendai, it was always a wonder when you got the chance to visit. It wasn’t like you didn’t have the means, but it was still too far for a weekend getaway so you couldn’t go as often as you liked.

Marketing agencies from all over Japan had gathered for the weeklong excursion to celebrate accomplishments, announce future ideas, and collaborate with one another to strengthen cross functional bonds. Your marketing agency was currently bringing in the most revenue, with the Tokyo branch sitting at the forefront. Naturally, they were given the opportunity to hold the annual summit of what intended to be the biggest event of the year.

For Ome, it was a chance to get away from her ‘boyfriend’. Normally, that would raise alarm for anyone else. But when she caught her boyfriend balls deep in his secretary after she tried to surprise him for lunch, leaving the city was better than setting his office on fire.

For you, it was another opportunity to network and get your name out there. The Tokyo branch was the headquarters for the marketing agency you worked for. Anyone who held any sort of higher distinction walked the halls of the building.

“You look fucking fantastic, stop fidgeting.”

You glowered at Ome, cheeks heating in embarrassment before smoothing down your ensemble for the 10th time in the elevator. A baby pink long sleeved mock top tucked into white high waisted office pants seemed like a safe option. You had your long spiral curls tucked away into a low bun, small stud diamond earrings and a modest gold necklace to complete the look.

“Did you spend all night trying to put that together?”

You rolled your eyes at her comment.

“No.” Yes.

“Stop making fun of me, I’m fucking nervous.”

She scoffed before walking in front of you, placing her hands on your shoulders. Of course, she looked gorgeous in her airy button up long sleeve shirt. Of course, she could pull off the skirt that stopped right at her knees and hugged every natural curve of her body. Her twist out was flawless and was pinned on top of her head, thick kinky bangs framing her face.

Natural African beauty wasted on a deadbeat boyfriend.

“Listen to me. You’re the smartest woman I have ever bothered to keep in my life, you’ve worked hard to get to where you are, you know who you are, and you know what you do. Be yourself and don’t try to be a hero. It’s annoying.” You snorted, smiling softly at her before wringing out your hands.

“Plus, you’re hot as fuck, if words don’t work just push up your tits.”

You smacked her hands off your shoulders, the action only making her chuckle.

“Don’t worry, your little office crush will definitely see that fat ass of yours.”

“Jesus Christ, Ome!”

Her chuckles ripped through the air as the elevator doors finally opened.

Being on the 48th floor of a 50 story skyrise definitely felt different from your office in Sendai. A simple receptionists desk was the first thing you both saw. Large and decorated with a fresh bouquet of roses, a woman with a name you didn't have time to learn and bright blue hair greeted you both and directed you past her. The small hallways leading away from her desk gave way to the rest of the entire office floor which was bustling with activity. It was so much more spacious than your own; intricately designed to have many cubicles up against the floor to ceiling glass windows and hallways leading to private offices and breakrooms separately. The center of the floor was open and complete with rich brown couches and a coffee table in the center to make for an open relaxing area for coworkers and visitors. The walls were decorated with minimalistic design, plants and flowers adorned corners and climbing vines wrapped around the cubicles. Even though everyone seemed to be so busy, it felt quite cozy for an office.

Jin rose from one of the couches when he spotted us, his pink locks like a beacon.

“You both look beautiful. Let me show you to the conference room before the rest of the team arrives.”

The Tokyo office had rented out a venue for the summit to house all their events for the week, but Jin wanted his team to actually meet with the branch a day before the festivities were set to begin. Today would just be a meet and greet on a more personal level. Even though that personal level would include various directors and the Vice President.

You smoothed your hands down your pants again as the looming anxiety slowly began to pull its way up your legs. No one looked your way as you walked past them, which should have been more than enough to calm you down.

“You’re looking pretty good from back here.”

Ome’s quiet voice mocked, her words curling around a good natured chuckle as her heels clicked on the floor behind you. You whirled around to glare at her, an elegant brow arching back at you in challenge.

“Quit it!” you hissed under your breath.

“Don’t frown, y/n. You don’t want your boo to see you so upset.”

You gaped openly at her before turning back around in silence, your face heating instantly. It’s not that Ome’s words were mean. They were blunt, just like her because you knew she was only acting this way to make you see how stupid you were being. You knew your stuff. You could probably walk into that conference room and take over if you needed to.

You were going to be fucking fine. And as far as the ‘crush’? It was completely illogical.

For all you knew, Nanami Kento had no idea you even existed.

The feelings were miniscule and stupid to entertain. He was serious in almost every interaction when it came to work. Monthly company video calls gave you a glimpse of the man behind the deep but distinctive voice. He was quick and to the point, never beating around the bush, and always one to express his disdain for open ended questions. He didn’t rise to his position out of sheer luck.

Nanami had never spoken a word to you. Never sent an IM to ask about project plan updates. Never called you on the phone to praise you on the last account you brought to the company.

But he had the most detailed reports you had ever read in your life. He wore odd glasses from the chances you could glance at him through the computer camera that always seemed to make your stomach flip. He seemed to be disconnected from the people around him but incredibly steadfast and involved with his work and the quality it brought to the company. Smart, efficient, and handsome as hell.

None of your current emotions made any sense.

Just a stupid teenage rom-com crush that would probably not have the happy ending of the guy finally noticing you and deciding to ask you out on a date.

But that didn’t stop you from putting together an outfit that was modest enough to show how professional you were but form fitting enough to show off your body.

If your words don’t work, show off your tits.

Dammit, Ome.

The cold air from the conference room shocked you out of your thoughts. The adjacent wall was complete floor to ceiling windows, brightening the large room and making it feel less sterile. The small group of people already present stood upon your entry and bowed gently.

“Welcome!” The voice was loud and gruff, the source a tall and well built man with sharp and rough features. Dark brown short hair that was shaved on all sides but spiky at the top, thick dark brown eyebrows and an even thicker mustache and goatee.

Stopping in front of you all, he smiled, the delightful gesture a sharp contrast to his serious exterior.

“Masamichi Yaga. It’s so wonderful that you all could join us today. I hope this week will be as exciting as we made it out to be in the itinerary.”

Jin shook his hand.

“I’m sure we will. The rest of our team should arrive shortly. For now, these are the two I told you about who keep everything smooth and efficient. Omelia Obeje, one of our Data and Analytics Specialists…”

Ome bowed politely, a gentle smile on her usually serious face.

“Pleased to meet you sir. Itadori-san likes to boast us both but,” she tilted her head towards you. “She’s the real brains of the team.”

You widened your eyes minutely, the anxiety that was sliding at up your legs now coming back alive to inch its way up your stomach with the intent to wrap around your throat. You bowed to cover your expression.

“F/n, L/n, sir. Jin and Omelia are incredibly modest, but I’m pleased to meet you.”

Yaga introduced you to everyone in the room. Everyone was polite and offered conversation, even going as far as to ask you about life in Sendai. But the brightest of the group were three interns that Yaga was doing his best to tutor. The most excited of the bunch, Itadori Yuji, was a stark contrast to his father’s calm and gentle demeanor. He bowed a little too sharply, his pink locks such an odd sight to see on someone else besides your boss. His friend, Kugisaki Nobara, took every opportunity to cut him off, speaking over him and lifting her chin with every exclamation as a means to assert dominance in the trio. The tallest was the most quiet, deep blue locks in natural disarray as he bowed politely and introduced himself in an equally quiet voice as Fushiguro Megumi.

You could feel your nerves settling slowly, and whatever body language you were giving off was enough for Ome to slide back next to you after a lull in conversation, quiet and withholding.

“You’re doing well.” She was teasing again but the hint of affection was enough to make you roll your eyes and smile at her. “Have you even thought about what you’re going to say to him?”

You furrowed your eyebrows, the question making your mind stutter as you scrambled for an answer. “You know…besides ‘Hello, my name is y/n. I’m the best at my job, I have a fat ass and I could rock your world if you let me.’”

You rolled your eyes for what felt like the 12th time of the morning, the corners of your lips curling up into a smile before you snorted at her.

“I’m serious, y/n. Any man would be lucky to even ask you out on a date. Be confident in yourself.”

That was the odd thing about Ome. As much as her words were blunt and cold, she could make you also feel like the best person in the room. At least she did with you anyway.

You hadn’t really had luck with relationships in the past. And it was simply because you never had the time. College was just as busy as high school. Your spare time was often spent on small hobbies, hanging out with Ome and other friends, and working part-time to pay your bills and stay ahead in every aspect of your life.

When you did entertain the thought of something with a man, it was always short-lived. You were too rigid with giving into compromise, too work obsessed, too busy thinking ahead and not living in the moment. At least thats what they told you. The one relationship that was long-term had ended so terribly that you didn’t leave your apartment for a month. So by the time you had graduated college, you were resigned to entertain a one night stand a few times a year and the comfort of your vibrator that never failed you.

Whatever words Ome was speaking to you at the time seemed to ebb into the background as a tall man—or probably the tallest man you had ever seen—walked up to you both. His snow white hair hung loose on his head, falling in layers and covering a fresh undercut. His face was soft, but his jaw sharp with full lips and smooth skin. But the most jarring were his eyes. Bright blue orbs that seemed to glow even in the sunlight, thick eyelashes that matched his hair color framed the exotic orbs as they gazed at you and Ome both. He was probably the most beautiful man you had ever seen.

He introduced himself as Satoru Gojo, Director of Product Management, and like all men who manage to breathe the same air as Ome, was transfixed with her immediately.

“Are you single?”

The question made you chuckle sharply. A high executive blatantly flirting with a colleague was ballsy. But he seemed like the type to do exactly what he wanted and give a shit about it some other time. Or just not give a shit about it at all.

Ome simply raised a brow at him.

“It’s only 8am, how very desperate.”

His bright eyes seemed to flash with mirth. “I’m just surprised there aren’t more people over here trying to talk to you.”

If it was an attempt to flirt, he wouldn’t get far with her.

“I hate vague innuendos and I’m not interested. Do you mind moving out of the way, Beanpole? You’re blocking the sunlight.”

You bit the inside of your cheek, trying desperately to not laugh as you watched Gojo gape at her in shock, confusion, and then outright joy as he smiled pearly whites down at her.

“You think I’m tall—”

“Gojo, bothering our colleagues is not the most logical way to spend your time.”

His voice made your stomach drop instantly, the hairs on the back of your neck rising but not our of fear as his tall frame stopped next to Gojo. He wasn’t as tall as Gojo, but you could hardly tell the difference. His blonde hair was fuller than you thought now that you could see him in the flesh, with locks combed back perfectly and parted along the side. The same odd glasses you remembered from video calls sat perched on his nose and you could just make out brown irises through his dark frames thanks to the sunlight. A hard cut jaw and cheekbones, and full lips pressed into a relaxed line made his expression just as serious as you remembered. A muscular but lean frame sat beneath a rich ensemble of deep tan slacks and a blazer, a navy blue button up with a spotted yellow and black tie.

Jesus��fuck.

Nanami Kento bowed to you both, introducing himself as the Director of Strategic Partners. You knew. Of course, you knew. You had seen his fine print on many reports from recent projects next to Yaga’s name. To be so actively involved with the Vice President had to have been an honor.

After Ome introduced herself, she jerked her head in the direction of Gojo.

“Is he always this thirsty?”

“Unfortunately. Please ignore him.”

He shifted away from Gojo’s protesting form, eyes falling on you. You cleared your throat and bowed softly as you introduced yourself, willing your voice to remain even and smooth as you felt his steady gaze.

Be confident. You got this. Say something.

But before you could even open your mouth to utter another word, Yaga and Jin had called the room to settle.

You managed to avoid Nanami for most of the day. When he was in your vicinity to speak, it was always in observation as he watched others engage with you instead. Ome kept her mouth shut, too busy insulting Gojo at every opportunity that he managed to speak to her. It was intriguing to watch and even funnier to realize he was probably bringing her the most entertainment in a very long time.

Ome was having the time of her life, however your current source of stress lay in front of you in the form of mahogany doors. A gold name plate gazed back at you, K. Nanami.

After an hour of intense work that you were given the ability to draft, Yaga and Jin had practically shoved you out of their office with the documents and the opportunity to work closely with Nanami for the week to learn from his point of view. It was perfect for you. You could gain more experience and try not to have a heart attack in his close proximity.

You made it a point to avoid Ome on the walk down to his office but now you couldn’t deny her words of ‘encouragement’ may have been helpful in this moment.

You clenched the manilla folder in your hands, taking a slow breath before squaring your shoulders and knocking on his door. His deep voice answered from the other side, beckoning you in.

The inside of his office was warmer than you were expecting. The room was clean and crisp, a large bookshelf against the wall filled with texts that you would have to look closely at some other time. A tall and well cared for Monstera Deliciosa was growing in another corner under the bright sunlight, and his walls were filled with plaques, certificates, and artwork that had your mind racing with intrigue. His own desk was large for you but seemed to suit his tall frame. And he sat behind it, his blazer off and hanging on his deep red chair, elbow resting on his desk and his chin resting on his fist, Nanami sat. His stature radiated indifference and you tried not to let that shake you as you closed his door and walked to stand in front of his desk.

“Itadori-san and Masamichi-san thought it would be a great opportunity if we worked closely together this week. I look forward to working with you.”

He didn’t respond immediately, harsh eyes analyzing you to a degree that had your hands gripping the manilla folder a little tighter.

“May I have those?”

The large hand propping up his chin folded out towards you, long fingers crooking back towards him as a means to hurry you along. You gave him the documents, throat dry as you struggled for something else to say. He seemed to really…not want you here. And as excited as you were to be in his presence, the indifference was enough to second guess walking in here.

“While I understand Yaga and Itadori-san's intentions, I’m afraid having someone else working with me this week is not feasible.”

Immediately, you felt your blood run cold, your face falling minutely.

“I don’t under—”

“Having someone else working with me is not feasible. It’s a very easy statement to grasp.”

All hints of anxiety seemed to fizzle out immediately, your crestfallen face slowly shaping into a glower.

“I don’t think I’ve done anything to you to warrant this kind of harshness, Nanami-san.”

You tried to smooth out the expressions on your face. There was no doubt he could clearly see the anger on your face. You had done everything right, had been nothing but polite to him. Even if he was busy with work, this kind of reaction was completely unnecessary.

He pulled in a deep breath, broad shoulders rising with the movement as he looked away from you and instead flipped through the documents you had given him.

“I’ve already allocated the resources that I need for this week. Your assistance isn’t wanted. Perhaps Gojo can show you how things work, because I’m unfortunately quite busy.”

He managed to spew it all out without looking up from his desk, long fingers idly pressing against the paper to help guide his eyes as he read. Your assistance isn’t wanted.

The indifference in the room quickly gave way to tension, making your stomach clench and twist as the anxiety began to make itself known again.

And almost immediately your patience had worn out.

“I know how things work—”

“I mean no disrespect.” He cut you off again, flaring the anger in your veins. “This happens every year when Yaga tries to push someone into my office during the annual summit and I have to walk them through the basics.”

You clenched your fists against the sides of your pants, red beginning to cloud the edges of your vision. Walk you through the basics? As if you were an intern fresh out of college, desperate to learn but lacking any of the skills necessary to succeed.

You suddenly didn’t find him very admirable at all as he opened his mouth to speak again.

“I don’t have the time—”

“Saying it twice doesn’t make you sound smarter.” The harsh tone coming out of your mouth shocked you, but you didn’t let it show as you glared at him. “I can see that you’ve already made up your mind about me even though you’ve hardly said a word to me.” His eyes widened minutely before narrowing. You jutted your chin out toward the papers beneath his hand.

“When you’re done looking at the same word over and over, you’ll find the content schedule, marketing plan, and a partially drafted work agreement.” He gaze didn’t falter, but you could see the slight ruddiness in his cheeks. From what, you didn’t really care to try and figure out. What a stupid mistake this was.

“Don’t look so put out. I put it together and Masamichi-san approved them. That should check a few things off your list. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to see if Gojo-san has ‘something for me to do’”.

You didn’t bother to look at his reaction as you whirled around and walked briskly from his office, slamming the large door on your way out.

Like you said before. Your emotions towards him made no sense at all.

After all, this wasn’t a fucking teenage rom-com.

[austonwithan-o]

Summer Job- Trevor Zegras x Reader

After a certain boy walks into your hair salon. How could you say no to him asking you on a date? I mean customer satisfaction right?

——————————————————————————

No warnings!

You had just recently moved to Bedford, NY to live with your grandparents. They offered for you to live with them during the summers when it was too expensive for you to fly back to Portland where your parents lived. Attending NYU completely on scholarship you didn’t have time for a job during the school year. You did cut hair on the side for some of your friends and they paid you some which covered some weekend excursions but nothing too crazy. Little did you know that side hustle would lead to you meeting the love of your life.

Sitting in your bed you scrolled through job listings, a lot of grocery stores, gas stations, target, fast food places were hiring but nothing really caught your eye. Annoyed you closed your laptop letting out a groan.

“I refuse to work at McDonald’s mom. I’m not coming home smelling like fries and grease and it’s a whole 40 minute drive from here! There’s literally nothing interesting here.” You were annoyed with the sparse selection of employment available and despite your obvious disappointment your mom let out a laugh much to your dismay.

“Honey I know you don’t wanna come home smelling like a fast food place but you’re gonna have to choose something. Plus it’s just for the summer! Just like what, 2 months? You can survive 2 months y/n or here maybe ask grandma and grandpa if they have any friends who have businesses. They know a lot of people around there.” Her voice rang through the speaker phone on your nightstand, it wasn’t a horrible idea, your grandparents did have a great reputation in the town and a lot of friends.

“Hmm you’re not wrong?” You said picking up your phone, “I’m gonna go talk to them it’s dinner time anyways.”

“Alright sweetie I love you! Have a goodnight and keep me updated on the job hunt.”

“Will do momma! Love you too!” Hanging up and making your way downstairs the smell of your grandmas food was heavenly. You loved it here.

“Oh perfect! I was just about to call you down!”

Your grandpa said pulling a chair out for you to sit. You smiled and thanked him as he pushed it in.

“So grandpa I was on the phone with mom, looking for jobs with her and I was wondering if you knew anyone who would be willing to hire me for the summer? I mean there’s fast food and restaurants and stuff but I just thought maybe you’d have more, I guess, connections around here?” Taking a bite of the chicken on your plate. There was a few seconds of silence before your grandma spoke.

“You know I actually do know someone who’s hiring but are you good with hair? My friend Carla has a hair studio 10 minutes into town and she’s looking for another employee.”

Bingo.

“I can cut hair! I have a little side hustle at school cutting hair for like $10. I mean I’m not professional but I’m definitely not bad at it. I can also style and dye hair too!” This was the perfect job you thought plus the tips would be great!

“Her name is Carla! I’m going in tomorrow to get my hair trimmed. I’ll introduce you to her, she’s such a sweet lady!” Your grandma said, “We will leave around 11? My appointment is at 11:15 and I like getting there a bit early.”

You agreed. After dinner you spent a few hours playing cards and chatting with your grandparents eventually heading up to your room.

You woke up around 10:30am a little tired from staying up watching hair tutorials refreshing your memory on how to cut hair but you didn’t need much reminding.

You showered, got dressed and ran downstairs grabbing the keys to your old Jeep.

“Grandma I’ll drive!” You exclaimed rushing out the door.

“Alrighty I’ll be there in a second.”

The drive was peaceful. Driving through the colorful country you couldn’t help but admire how nice and green everything around you was. Your thoughts were interrupted by your grandma.

“I don’t know if you watch hockey at all but Carla has a little bit of a celebrity customer you know.” She smiled, “I’ve met him before his name is Trevor Zegras. He’s a hockey player. I’m not sure which team but he’s a cutie. Maybe you’ll get to cut his hair.” She shot you a wink making you roll your eyes.

“Ah yes grandma I definitely need a hot hockey player boyfriend to distract me all summer.”

“He’s a very charming young man! I bet you two would hit it off!” You laughed at her statement. A relationship was definitely the last thing on your mind for the summer. Making friends? That would be fun but definitely no boyfriend.

“Grandma you know I don’t need a boyfriend. I mean especially since I would just be leaving to school in a few months.”

“You never know y/n! People come into your life for different reasons.”

You smiled at her words but it was true. You didn’t want a summer fling. It wasn’t your style. If you were gonna date someone it was going to be serious and having a hockey boyfriend was definitely not on your list of things you needed.

You arrived at the hair salon. The sign displayed on top read, “Bedford Village Hair Design” it was a cute little shop. You could see a few workers at their stations and a few customers in the chairs. You both walked in hearing the chime of the bells, “Alice! Good to see you! You’re a bit early but I’ll just get you started over here-“ the woman who you assumed to be Carla gave you a wide smile.

“And who might you be?” She asked pulling you into a hug.

“Carla this is my granddaughter y/n! She’s staying with me for the summer and I brought her here to introduce her to you! She’s looking for a summer job and I think she would be perfect for your salon!” She said as she sat down in the seat, you followed close behind the two, standing beside Carla.

“Well I definitely wouldn’t be apposed! Can you cut men’s hair? I have more and more male clients coming in and I need more help around here!” Carla spoke trimming away at your grandmas hair. She was definitely not new to this.

“Yes! I cut my guy friends hair all the time in school. It’s like a little side hustle so I can make some money during the year.” You explained.

“You know what that sounds great! If you want just swing by tomorrow let’s say around 9:30am and you can start if that’s okay with you? I have someone coming in at 9:45am who you can do. He’s very sweet.”

“That sounds awesome! Thank you so much!”

You waited in the corner for your grandma to be done her hair which took about 20 more minutes and with that you both left after.

The next morning you woke up throwing on a flowy floral dress trying to match the vibe of everyone’s outfits yesterday. You wanted to make a good first impression so you took your time with your hair and makeup. Rushing out the door it was 9:15 by the time you left luckily there’s never any traffic in the small town.

Walking inside the small business you were greeted by Carla and another worker Gracie. She was around Carla’s age and very very sweet as well.

“Hi you must be y/n!” She greeted you giving you a hug.

“Yes! It’s good to meet you?”

“Gracie! My name is Gracie! Well I’ll give you the heads up since you’re new I’m gonna let you take my regular client at 9:45 today. His name is Trevor! He’s very nice so don’t be intimidated and he will let you know how he wants his cut.” She said handing you an apron.

For some reason your heart dropped a bit but you didn’t know why. You hadn’t even met the guy let alone seen his face and already freaking out.

“Are you sure? I mean I can take someone else if you want-“

“Lovely don’t be silly! I insist don’t worry he won’t bite you! I’ll still be here I’ll just be organizing in the back and Carla will be in the front or back with me.” She said and with that the sound of the door opening and the bells jingling made you freeze in your place.

“Carla! Gracie! And new girl?” You shyly turned around to face him. His smiled was so bright and his eyes were so pretty. He walked over and gave Carla a hug all while scanning you up and down. He pulled away eventually giving you a firm handshake. His touch sending sparks up your arm, making butterflies form in your stomach.

Oh my God he was gorgeous.

“Trevor this is y/n! Y/n this is Trevor! She’s gonna be cutting your hair today Trevor.” Gracie said grabbing his hand. His eyes hadn’t left yours and you could sense the nervous energy radiating off of his tall figure. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair which fell perfectly back into place framing his chiseled features.

“Oh cool! I’ll get a buzzcut this time.” The two older women let out exaggerated gasps slapping his shoulder making him laugh.

“Hey I’m kidding! You know I’d never do that Carla.” You couldn’t help but laugh as well at their reaction. You were already loving this job and you’d been there for about 10 mins.

“Trevor the day you get a buzzcut is the day I officially quit my job.” She handed you a barbers gown and he followed your lead by sitting down in the chair letting you throw it over him securing it in the back. Your hands were shaking and he could feel it as you tied the back lightly brushing the back of his neck.

“Alright y/n let me know when you’re done, I’m going to help Gracie in the back. Trevor no buzzcuts.” She gave him another light slap on the shoulder and he shot her a wink. The two ladies walked off exchanged glances at the two of you.

“You can lean back and I’ll wash your hair first.” He followed your directions placing his head in the neck rest.

“I’ve been coming here for a long time and I’ve never seen you here or around here for that matter. Where you from?” Trevor asked looking at you. You refused to make eye contact with him because you knew you’d fold under his eye contact.

“I’m from Portland but I live here in the summer times and I go to school at NYU.” You explained as you massaged his scalp with the shampoo.

“Oh that’s sick! Yeah I live here during the summers but I’m in Cali most of the year.” He was very obviously enjoying you running your hands through his hair and you couldn’t deny. You did as well.

“My grandma comes here a lot. She said you play hockey huh? I didn’t know there were hockey teams in California.” You admitted almost feeling a bit stupid letting those words leave your mouth. Trevor grinning at your remark.

“It’s a weird place for ice hockey that’s for sure but yeah the Anaheim Ducks. I’m guessing you don’t watch hockey?”

“Not at all. I’m not huge into sports but I played volleyball in high school.” You rinsed his hair off then wrapped his hair up in a towel and motioned for him to move to the hair cutting seat. His height shocked you a bit more when he stood up letting you really observe him. You caught the smell of his cologne as he walked by sitting down in the chair. You couldn’t get enough of him but you were fighting the feelings.

“I’ll have to get you to watch a few games. It’s important if we’re friends you watch hockey or at least know how the game works.” He stated looking at you through the mirror making it harder to concentrate with his gaze.

“Also, keep the shape but just make it a bit shorter. It’s kind of hard to see now.” Trevor grabbed a front strand of his hair pulling it down his face to see how long it was.

“Oh so we’re friends now?” Teasing him a bit. You snipped away at his hair following his request. You couldn’t help but notice all the tattoos on his arms as well letting your eyes scan his features more.

“I mean I’m trusting you with my hair so of course we’re friends but let’s say I ask you out on a date. Would that make or break the friendship.” The question caught you off guard.

Y/n you just said you weren’t gonna date anyone. Tell him no.

“I mean I don’t see how a date could hurt the friendship. I’m free anytime past 4 when the salon closes.” You couldn’t believe you just said that. It was like you had no control.

“Perfect I’ll pick you up at 4 tonight. What you’re wearing is perfect.” You blushed at his comment. Finishing up his hair and blow drying it. He stood up and you shook the barber cape off. You did a pretty good job you couldn’t lie.

“You know I might have you cut my hair from now on beautiful.” He turned around to face you.

“I mean I charge more so if you’re fine with that I’m fine with that.” Joking obviously you walked over to the wall grabbing a broom to sweep up all the hair you cut off.

“Worth every penny. I’ll pick you up at 4 from here. Leave your car here and we’ll just take mine.” Carla came back to the front soon after.

“Yay no buzzcut! You did really well Y/n.” Carla gave you an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

Trevor made his way up to the front with Carla to pay while you cleaned up the hair on the floor.

“I’ll see you tonight y/n.” Winking at you he left the salon.

“I’m guessing you two hit it off huh?” Carla smirked.

“I mean I wouldn’t deny it.” You blushed at her comment making her laugh.

“He’s a great kid y/n. I wouldn’t let him near you if he wasn’t.” Carla smoothed out her apron retreating to the back again.

This was gonna be a very interesting summer and an even more interesting school year.

——————————————————————————

Tbh idk how I feel about this one but oh well

[hanakou-often]

One day, when Kou was still caught between his crush for Nene and otherwise, he decided to try and bake something for her as a thank you for something idk ... Anyways, he was struggling over what to make, when Hanako appeared to see what he was doing (because he was bored) so, they end up making donuts, and Kou offers him some as a thanks and also they just get up to cute baking shenanigans lol

Sorry if this was like ooc or something lmao

AWWW it's not ooc at all!! I can definitely see this happening behind the scenes :D To add onto this:

I'd like to think the thank you gift is for babysitting Tiara over the weekend!! The Minamoto brothers had an important excursion together and urgently needed a babysitter and Nene steps up to the challenge (something something Kou thinks seeing Nene being so good with kids is absolutely adorable and something something she'll be a great wife and mother of a lucky someone someday)!! Knowing that Tiara can be a lot sometimes, he decides to treat Nene with a baked good when he got back

when Hanako suggests donuts, Kou would look at him stupid asking, "you just want them for yourself, don't you?" And Hanako would just pout, guilty as charged. With a sigh Kou agrees and he can't deny how much he enjoys seeing Hanako light up.

Hanako is horrible at baking but he'll watch over Kou's shoulder, jokingly nitpicking everything he does and it would drive Kou batshit insane sometimes ("Aren't you supposed to wear gloves, kid? You know I'd hate for someone to get sic--" "As if you know anything about cleanliness, you live in a damn bathroom")

Kou burns himself and Hanako kisses it better like in this art (I tried reverse searching for the original artist but nothing turned up 💔 If anyone knows who they are, please let me know!!)

Hanako taste tests the raw dough and Kou panics, worrying he'd get sick and die until he realizes 'oh yeah. He's. A ghost.' For weeks to come Hanako would love to hang it over him, always teasing him for being so forgetful ("aww worried for lil ol' meeee?") <3 He never tells him how endearing he actually finds Kou's useless worries are though lol

When it's all said and done Kou reluctantly hands some to Hanako partly as a thanks for his company and partly as a bribe ("how many donuts does it take for you to leave me alone next time?" “Nice try, kid. You’re stuck with me forever.”)

There’s more to be had in the actual baking process shenanigans but all in all, it’s a pretty cute headcanon!! Thank you for the ask, I’ll be chewing on these ideas for a while LMAO

[artiststarme]

False Alarm

Thanks to @doubleb11 for this idea! It was fun writing this with all of the chaos. I hope you guys like it and please leave your thoughts in the comments! Also, if anyone comes up with a cool title for it, please let me know!

(now on Ao3)

~*~*~*~

Steve sighed as he sat on the edge of the lake up by his parent’s lake house a couple of hours north of Hawkins. It had been months since the events of Spring Break and dealing with the aftermath of it but Steve hadn’t had a chance to get away to decompress. His time, for months, has been spent carting Max back and forth to physical therapy while her mom worked double shifts, playing bodyguard for Eddie against everyone in town, and hosting DnD at his parent’s house so the kids could act like kids. Between the Party and working back to back shifts at Family Video, Steve was at his wit’s end. So, he did what he always did when he was feeling particularly stressed. 

He called off of work, packed his old school backpack, raided the pantry for snacks, and set off towards his parent’s lakehouse. 

Whenever the silence in his house grew too suffocating or the pressures in Hawkins got too great in the past, he’d leave for a weekend or two. He would drive up to his parent’s lakehouse and relax for however long it took to feel like himself again. Steve would wait until the tension in his shoulder lessened to nothing and the heaviness in his chest lightened. When he finally felt normal again, he would drive back and return to reality, or his fucked up version of it anyway.

Sitting at the lakeside with a cold beer in hand, alone with nature after feeling suffocated with responsibilities back home was enough for him to breathe. 

He’d been pulling this de-stressing disappearing act for years without any repercussions. Whenever he got a bad grade or a particularly gruesome loss in basketball, he’d drive up here for some alone time to wallow. His ‘friends’ at school certainly didn’t notice his absence and didn’t care if they did. His parents too were unaffected with his weekend trips. They never cared when he left, probably wishing he would stay gone. 

After the Upside Down, his disappearances became more frequent. He’d throw some clothes in a bag and hop in his car when he had a bad nightmare or when his head started to ache. He even set up his bedroom at the lakehouse to be an infirmary of sorts, a place he could go to recover from nasty migraines whenever they sprung up. Steve’s biggest fear was becoming a burden to the people he cared about and ending up alone so he hid his weaknesses, dealing with them himself. After his first three experiences with the Upside Down, no one questioned his weekend excursions. They were too busy trying to recoup themselves to worry about him. Inevitably, he would go back to Hawkins and things would continue as they always had. He would hold the facade of having things together and would be available for the kids when they needed him, without having anyone available for him. 

So just like always, when the itch to disappear for a while had come, Steve packed his things and took off without a word. When his heartbeat stopped fluttering and the tension headache faded, he would go back home to his friends that never noticed him missing anyways. 

But for now he would enjoy the views of the lake without going for a swim, PTSD from Spring Break had ruined that, and would relax in a place that had always felt comforting to him. 

~*~*~*~

Eddie was worried about Steve. For the past week and a half, conversations with him had begun to feel one sided with Steve always staring out into the distance, like he wished he could be anywhere else. He kept catching him rubbing at his temples and stressfully scrubbing his hands down his face. 

When Eddie mentioned it to Robin, she explained that those were some of the signs Steve started to show when a migraine was encroaching on him. After her closing shift at Family Video, he drove them both to the Wheeler’s house to pick up some homemade chicken noodle soup with Nancy in tow. Then they went to Steve’s house. 

The usually inviting home was completely dark which made Eddie and Nancy pause. Eddie had never seen the home look so foreboding. Robin didn’t so much as pause in her ministrations.

“The lights hurt his head when he’s having a migraine. I bet the dingus has just been staying in bed the past few days, not even feeding himself. Let’s bring some sustenance to the self-sacrificing idiot,” she answered their unasked question and proceeded to the house. 

But the front door was locked. Both her and Nancy turned to Eddie who just looked at them blankly. 

“Well? Pick the lock!” Robin said, waggling her hands in front of the door. 

“Why would I pick the lock?” He asked her confused. 

“Because it’s locked and I don’t have a key. Pick it!”

“Why can’t we knock and have him open it? If any of the neighbors see me picking his lock, they’ll call the cops and I’ll get arrested!” 

Nancy sighed in exasperation. “Eddie, who cares if they call the cops? Hopper will be on our side and Powell and Callahan are useless anyway. Pick the lock or I’ll shoot it.”

“Nice try,” he said condescendingly. “You didn’t even bring your gun.”

“Didn’t I?” She asked, raising a brow in challenge.

Eddie swiped a hand down his face and pulled a couple of bobby pins from his bun. He wasn’t going to argue with Nancy “gun-slinging” Wheeler, thank you very much. After a few twists, turns, and pokes, the door opened with a soft groan. 

“Thank you,” Robin muttered sarcastically and slid past him. Nancy glared at him and did the same. Eddie looked around the neighbor’s houses before sighing defeatedly and ducking inside to follow the girls. If he got arrested for breaking and entering, Wayne was going to be pissed. At least he was doing it in an effort to help Steve. 

The problem was, Steve wasn’t there. Robin looked frantically all over the house, the basement, and the backyard but she couldn’t find him anywhere. What she did find though was an empty snack stash, a missing bomber jacket, and a lack of school backpack in his closet. 

“Holy shit guys, I think he left! He felt so miserable that he left! Oh my god, what kind of platonic soulmate am I that I didn’t even notice that Steve was suffering? Oh no, what if he doesn’t know we care? I don’t know how to live without him. Nance, Eddie, what do we do?!” Robin rambled, her voice was teetering on the edge of hysterics. 

Nancy looked just as shocked as she did, her own voice shaky when she spoke. “I-I don’t know. Steve is the one that’s always grounded, always so sure of everything. I don’t know what to do. Maybe we can call a code red, alert the kids?”

“Yeah, yeah, we have to, right?” Eddie muttered. Through all of his paranoid wondering, this is not a scenario he had imagined. 

For the next three days, the entire Party searched for Steve. Eddie helped Nancy and Robin visit all of Steve’s old haunts and current hangouts. The kids tried to reach his walkie on Cerebro and tried to call his parents, although they never answered. Hopper, Joyce, and even Murray called hospitals and morgues all over the state of Indiana but nothing came of it.

It was like Steve had disappeared off the face of the Earth. El and Will were positive that it wasn’t Upside Down related, they were sure that the Upside Down was gone for good. Even if it wasn’t they were 100% certain that they would feel it. Dustin and Lucas assured the group that he must’ve been kidnapped. There was no other alternative, Steve wouldn’t just leave. Mike and Max though were a little more pessimistic in their speculations. They thought that maybe Steve didn’t care about them as much as they thought he did. Why else would he run away?

Robin and Eddie in particular were distraught. Robin because her platonic soulmate was missing, because he didn’t feel that he could come to her. Eddie because the object of his affections, his current best friend, and potentially future boyfriend, was missing. They hadn’t discussed feelings yet but their flirting was escalating rapidly so it was only a matter of time. Unless they couldn’t find him which would leave whatever they had on the cusp of something. 

Nancy was horrified at the prospect of Steve leaving. They weren’t in a great place, they never were after Barb disappeared and she called him bullshit. Things were awkward between them now, as they had been for years. But she liked to think they were friends, friends that could lean on each other when they needed to. To discover that Steve didn’t feel that way was heartbreaking. 

And Hopper? Hopper felt like he failed the kid. He knew the Harrington’s were always out of town and he knew that Steve was in that big house all by himself a majority of the time. He should have checked in more, should’ve made him feel more included in his own little family. And now he was gone for good and he would never get the chance. 

~*~*~*~

Steve was feeling refreshed after a few days away. After a mere few days relaxing without responsibility and worry, his heart felt lighter and his head felt clearer than it had in months. He felt good enough to return to his day-to-day life so he took one last view of the picturesque water, threw his bag into the car, and took off. 

The drive back home was always longer than the one he took to the lake house but he passed the time singing to his mixtapes and having a good time. He was bopping his head and singing along to a Queen song, living his best life as he drove past the Welcome to Hawkins sign when he saw police lights behind him. 

“Son of a bitch,” he muttered while he pulled his car over onto the shoulder. Thirty seconds into this goddamn town and it was already giving him problems. 

He didn’t expect Hopper to be the one that pulled him over but alas, when he rolled his window down, he was met with the full-force anger of Hopper’s glare. Steve didn’t know what he did to deserve that but he tried to placate him regardless. “Hey Hop-” 

“Where the hell were you?” He asked, his tone dry and angry.

“On vacation, why?” Steve’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Had they noticed he left?

“Step out of your vehicle,” Hopper said and stepped back from his car door. 

“What are you going to do, search it for drugs? I don’t have Eddie with me so you’re not going to find any.”

“Steve, get out of the car!” He yelled. 

Steve huffed and rolled his eyes but did step out of the Beemer. “Hop, what are you doing? I’ve been driving for hours, I just want to go home for a nap-”

He was cut off when Hopper pulled him into a bear hug. “Jesus Christ, Harrington. You scared the hell out of me. You can’t just take off like that.”

“O…kay,” Steve returned his hug but mostly just stared at Hopper’s side profile like he’d gone insane. 

Hopper pulled back enough to rest a hand on his neck like a dad would, lovingly. “C’mon kid, hop in the cruiser.”

“Hop, I’m not just going to leave my car here!”

“Get in the cruiser, Harrington! Now!” He yelled again.

With a couple of grumbles, Steve grabbed his backpack and locked his car. He slid into the passenger seat of Hopper’s police SUV and they were off. Any time Steve tried to speak, ask Hopper what the hell was happening, he just received a gruff, “not now.” 

He didn’t know what was going on but it was safe to say, Steve had never been so confused in his life. 

When the car finally stopped, they were sitting in front of the Byers’ house. Hopper stepped out of the car and motioned for Steve to get out as well, which he did confusedly. “Okay, what-”

Hopper quickly circled to his side of the cruiser and slapped some cuffs around his left wrist. He fastened the other side to his own wrist and pulled him via the cuffs up the driveway. 

“Hop, no offense, but have you lost your goddamn mind? What the fuck are you doing? Are you arresting me? I’m so confused!”

The entire Party came rushing out of the house when they heard his enraged shouts of confusion. When he turned to Robin to ask her what the hell was happening, he was assaulted by the ramble of all rambles. 

“Steve! What the hell, Steve. I was so worried! Eddie told me that you were having some migraine symptoms so we were going to bring you some of Mrs. Wheeler’s homemade chicken noodle soup that you really like so we went to your house but all of the lights were off and the door was locked and I didn’t have a key! You’re getting me a key by the way because you pull stuff like this way too often. Then, I told Eddie to pick the lock to the front door but he didn’t want to because he didn’t want to get arrested for breaking and entering, like you would ever press charges. Nancy threatened him with her gun though so he did pick the lock but you weren’t there! And then we called a code red and we were looking for you for days because we didn’t know where you went! We thought you were dead, Steve. Where did you even go? Where were you?”

Steve just looked at her blankly from his position cuffed to Hopper for a moment. He blinked and asked her, “Nancy threatened Eddie with her gun?”

“Yes, Steve! I did, now where were you!?” Nancy yelled at him from her place behind the group of rowdy children. He was apt to ignore her question until Eddie came up beside him and swung an arm over his shoulder. 

“It wasn’t so much a threat as it was a reminder that she had a gun in her purse. I’m really glad you’re back, Stevie. I was worried out of my mind, Big Boy! Where’d you go?” 

Well, he couldn’t ignore Eddie, especially not when he was so close to him studiously ignoring Hopper’s glare. 

“I went up to my parent’s lake house. It’d been a while and it was nice to get away. Why were you so worried?” Steve asked. 

“Because you disappeared without telling anyone!” Hopper flailed his hands in outrage which only succeeded in jerking Steve’s wrist all over as well. He sighed and unlocked the handcuffs when Steve glared at him. “Kid, we thought you’d been killed or sucked back into the Upside Down. You can’t just leave like that.”

“Okay, next time I’ll tell you guys. I’m sorry you thought I was dead, or missing, or whatever. Now, can someone please give me a ride back to my car?”

~*~*~*~

It had been two weeks and Steve was pretty sure he was living a nightmare. He hadn’t gotten any time alone since he got back to Hawkins and he didn’t know why! He was halfway tempted to up and disappear again to prove a point because this was getting ridiculous. 

Steve prided himself on being independent, he had to be since he was left alone for most of his life. So being stalked and accosted constantly was wearing him a bit thin. Hopper keeps showing up at his house to drag him to the station to “talk”. He doesn’t know why he keeps being arrested but he’s over it. Whenever he leaves Family Video after a shift, one of the kids pops up seemingly out of nowhere to ask for a sleepover or pool party. He went grocery shopping on Tuesday and could see the flash of red hair from his peripheral the entire time. And they’re inviting themselves into his house too! He’s moving a bookshelf and suddenly, there’s Eddie lifting the other end. 

He reaches his limit one day when he’s trying to take a dip in his pool and looks up to see Murray’s head peeking over his hedge. The guy has a glass of vodka in one hand, binoculars in the other, wearing an open robe and wife beater like a nosey neighbor. The thing is though, he’s not Steve’s neighbor. He lives in fucking Illinois! 

Steve pulls himself out of the pool, fully glaring at Murray. He leaves the patio door open when he steps into his kitchen so Murray can hear him speaking on the phone. 

“Sheriff's department, what’s your emergency?”

“I’m being stalked. Literally, anywhere I go everyone is watching me. I swear to god, I was just sitting at my pool and I saw goddamn Murray Bauman’s head pop out from behind one of the hedges. He’s standing there right now, acting like I can’t see him,” Steve said with his eyes meeting Murray’s directly. This fucker doesn’t even blink at being called out. He simply drops the binoculars and raises his middle finger up in the air, completely deadpan and off putting. 

“Oh, you-”

“Sir, it’s a crime to place a false police report and we need this line free to take actual emergencies.”

“This is a real emergency! Is Hopper there? I bet he’s the one behind all of this! I need to talk to him.” Steve shouts, his patience waning with every word. 

“Chief Hopper is out on important police business.”

“Is this Callahan? You really are fucking useless, fuck you!” Steve yells and disconnects the call. 

(Callahan just looks at the phone when he hangs up like ‘what the fuck did I do?’)

Eventually, Steve and the rest of the Party would sit down and discuss their fears and things would go back to normal. But for now, Murray would watch Steve Harrington pace around his kitchen with increasing amounts of rage with the utmost amusement. He didn’t know what to expect when Jim told him to keep an eye on the Harrington boy but geez, is he glad he decided to help.

Permanent tag list: @doubleb11 @nburkhardt @zerokrox-blog @newtstabber @i-less-than-three-you @carlyv @pyrohonk @straight4joekeery @trippypancakes @conversesweetheart @estrellami-1 @suddenlyinlove @yikes-a-bee @swimmingbirdrunningrock @perseus-notjackson @anaibis @merricatty @maya-custodios-dionach @grtwdsmwhr @manda-panda-monium @lumoschild @goodolefashionedloverboi @mentallyundone @awkwardgravity1

[the-head-ancho-chilli]

Smoke Signals (Sanegiyu Oneshot)

I’ve hyperfixated on this idea for like three weeks, and I’m so proud of this oneshot! I genuinely believe that this is one of the best things I’ve ever written ;)

Requests and asks are still open!

Warnings: swearing, drug usage (marijuana and alcohol), mention of depression, and poor self care maintenance

Synopsis: Sanemi and Giyu work together late at Kimetsu Academy and everyone's noticing Sanemi's gradual decline. After a particular comment made in the staff room after hours, Giyu formulates a plan to get his hotheaded coworker to finally open up

Word count: 8k~

Sanemi Shinazugawa was never one to open up about anything. He seemed to be on a personal mission to bite back at anyone who tried to approach him with some lovey dovey shit, so no one really know much about him. The entire staff of Kimetsu Academy had tried their own methods to get him to crack a little with no luck. Poor Kyojuro couldn't seem to make any progress with him after months of trying, and not even Obanai would share anything about the white haired man.

Giyu couldn't recall where his curiosity originated from, but it grew with every night he willingly stayed late at the Academy. He often took advantage of the quiet atmosphere of the nearly empty staff room on the second floor, using the time spent to grade assignments and plan his upcoming classes. Giyu doesn't sleep much anyways so he wasn't too worried about exhaustion catching up to him. However, lately when he finds himself evaluating coursework at his desk in the staff room, there would be none other than Sanemi Shinazugawa furiously grading math quizzes at the desk right next to them.

Both of them started teaching at Kimetsu Academy around the same time so they weren't necessarily unfamiliar with each other. At first the two never talked, both men opting to focus on their career than to go out of their way to be chummy with one another. But after getting roped into the weekend excursions that Tengen plans for their little group, Sanemi and Giyu started allowing the company of others in their lives. And now here they are, tackling their own responsibilities side by side in near silence.

Carrying two cups of coffee, Giyu slides back into his swivel chair at his desk and hands Sanemi the lighter coloured liquid. Sanemi sighs in relief and accepts the styrofoam cup and taking an eager sip of the steaming beverage.

"Thanks." Sanemi huffs. Giyu nods, wondering how anyone can drink coffee with three creams and five sugars. Neither of them found the stillness of the room uncomfortable, both men just simply enjoying the other's presence and the very warm coffee. It was maybe seven in the evening, the last remnants of the sun gracing the room. Sanemi seemed to allow himself a five minute break to re-energize, and Giyu couldn't stop himself from peeking over at him. He looked bone-tired, back pushing against the cushion of the chair he was sitting on and the back of Sanemi's wrist rested on his forehead. Dark circles surrounded his eyes and his scarred face looked flushed. Giyu pursed his lips at the sight.

"Something bothering you?" Giyu asked. A pause passed between them despite the small thump of Giyu setting his black coffee on his desk. Sanemi didn't even register the question at first. When he did, Sanemi whipped his head back at Giyu in visible confusion.

"Huh?"

"You look tired." Giyu commented while holding eye contact. "Are you alright?"

Sanemi's eyebrows furrowed, the corners of his lips now turned upwards in anxiousness. The coffee rippled as Sanemi set it on his desk and reached for a pen.

"It's nothing, it'll sort itself out eventually." Not even looking over at Giyu to see his reaction, Sanemi focused his eyes to a spot on his desk. The pen found itself on a typical sticky note, scribbling on the yellow square a mess of knots and tangles. Ripping off the sticky note, he threw it in the recycling bin net to his leg and started scribbling on the next one too. "All things do."

Giyu was prepared for this kind of reaction. With all the anecdotes of other trying to get closer to Sanemi, this was expected. However, it threw Giyu off guard with how severe Sanemi's discomfort was at the question. From someone else's perspective, the frantic scribbling and ripping of sticky notes makes Sanemi look enraged. But Giyu didn't see it like that. Sanemi's eyes were frantic, as if he was trying to blur Giyu from his peripheral vision. There was just something in the way his brows furrowed and his lips pursed that just screamed panic.

Giyu decided to press forward. "Are you sleeping well?"

"I'm sleeping just fine."

"I don't think you are."

Sanemi scoffed and turned to Giyu, a look of disbelief apparent on his face. "Really?"

"You look awful."

A pause broke between the two men. Sanemi was giving Giyu the hardest stare he could muster with his fist clenched. Realizing what he just said, Giyu gulped nervously as he awkwardly held his gaze, solely fixated on Sanemi's wild eyes.

"I mean that nicely?" Sanemi raised a brow at Giyu. "It didn't- that didn't come out how I intended."

Sanemi lowered his gaze at Giyu, almost glaring at him, as he simultaneously placed another quiz in front of him to mark. Finally breaking eye contact, Sanemi downed the last of his coffee and got back to work. Shame bubbled and swirled in Giyu's stomach.

"We still on for Friday?" Sanemi asked, not looking up from his material.

"Uhm- yeah sure." Giyu stuttered. "I'll bring beer, as usual." It was hardly noticeable, but Sanemi nodded in acknowledgement at Giyu's offer.

Silence passed over the two again, occasionally interrupted by Sanemi turning a page or moving onto the next quiz. Giyu sat awkwardly next to him, sipping on his black coffee that has almost gone to room temperature by now. His mind was swirling, trying to come up with something, anything, to say to Sanemi. But he just didn't have the words.

"I'm really sorry-"

"It's fine," Sanemi interrupted. "Don't lose your head, Tomioka."

Giyu was taken aback at Sanemi's abruptness. He wasn't really sure what to make of it. Despite Sanemi's reassurance, Giyu just knew that there's more to this conversation. And more than anything, he was worried. His hands started to shake and jerk as Giyu tried to think of something to say again. But this was a sensitive matter, at least to Giyu, and that he had to be careful about what he said next or else Sanemi's resentment may worsen.

"I just want you to know," Giyu began, fiddling with his twitching fingers. "That if you ever need someone to talk to, you got me."

Sanemi froze, emptily gazing at the quiz he was in the middle of marking with a pen in his right hand. His grasp on the pen fluttered from clenching and letting go, clearly trying to process Giyu's words carefully. By the time he faced Giyu, Sanemi seemed to be conflicted. The inner turmoil was very apparent in his expression, and if Giyu didn't know any better, he would even say that Sanemi looked like he was pleading with him.

"Look, I don't know what you want to get out of me but I'm not budging. Do I look intoxicated to you? Just get back to work."

Sanemi immediately turned back to his stack of math quizzes and marking ledger with a huff. Before Giyu could protest anything, Sanemi had already started furiously scribbling scores and passing paper after paper onto another pile of marked quizzes on the opposite side of his desktop. Giyu frowned and considered Sanemi's last remark, after all, he did already have plans to have dinner at his place on the upcoming Friday. If these were the terms that Sanemi set, then who was he to try and match them?

Giyu Tomioka was fair game.

The rest of the week pretty quickly, much to Giyu's growing anticipation. His plan was already set in motion, with the help of a flamboyant art teacher in the Academy's faculty of course. After consulting the best way to approach this with Kyojuro and Shinobu for the past few days, Giyu felt more confident about his visit with Sanemi on Friday.

However what most worried him was Sanemi's declining state over the week. With ever passing, Sanemi seemed more and more drained. Students started voicing their concerns with other teachers, mainly reporting to Kyojuro and Kanae to see if there's any way they can ask him to take a few days off. Sanemi apparently have gotten more stern on the curriculum, now assigning more pop quizzes and instead of teaching the material at the beginning of class and allowing the remaining time for students to work independently, instead Sanemi will demonstrate more methods and quadratic equations. Student were starting to get overwhelmed with the amount of times Sanemi would stress that what he was teaching was going to be on the test the upcoming Monday.

Unable to find a way to approach this issue professionally, Giyu just put his faith in his coworkers to hopefully alleviate the tension between Sanemi and his students. He saw Kyojuro and Gyomei approach Genya about the issue with no luck. as he also seemed resentful at the situation before him. His worry only seemed to grow with every passing day.

When Friday approached, Giyu buzzed the call button in the lobby of the apartment complex a few after classes had ended for the day. In his other hand was a plastic bag that had some supplied for how he was hoping to spend the night with Sanemi. The call button clicked an a voice spoke through the crunchy sounding speaker.

"Name and business." It ordered.

"...Uh, it's Giyu? I brought some stuff up for tonight." The speaker clicked again.

"Come on up."

The lobby door opened automatically, allowing Giyu to pass the receptionist and reach the elevator. He was already used to this route, so Giyu already knew to ignore the elevator's worrying clunk when it passed the fifth floor, that the eighth floor that the Shinazugawa's resided in usually smelled of lavender scented detergent. as well as to be weary of the tuxedo cat that had a habit of wandering into the elevator during it's escapades. Giyu crouched to pet the little guy, Joji from 912. Continuing down the hall, Giyu could feel his mouth salivating at the smell of several families cooking dinner. Sanemi usually made simple yet well balanced meals, and for a moment Giyu started to wonder what he made.

Arriving at Sanemi's flat, Giyu knocked on the door just below the steel plated numbers that read 923. The sound of shuffling and faint music could be heard from inside the apartment, but the door didn't open. Giyu's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he knocked again, but then a high pitched beep rang from the other side of the door.

"Ah shit- Just open the door! Kinda busy here-" Sanemi shouted.

The beeping stopped and was replaced with rustling metal. Giyu felt awkward about opening the door to someone else's place on his own, but then again, Sanemi seemed to be too preoccupied to open the door. Hesitating, Giyu slowly rotated the doorknob and peeked his head in. The scent of whatever Sanemi was cooking immediately wafted towards the draft from the door, making the rumbling of Giyu's stomach embarrassingly audible. His mouth filled with saliva again as shoes were hastily torn off and left on the genkan. Giyu slid on some slippers that he found near the front door, and stepped up onto the hardwood of the apartment.

In the kitchen, Sanemi was swiftly chopping some kind of vegetable with efficiency and ease, immediately dumping it in the small pot that sat on the gas stove. Moving onto the next burner, a shallow pan had two pieces of salmon softly sizzling in a sauce. Sanemi took a spoon and gently basted them in the glaze. Setting the plastic bag he held onto the kitchen island, Giyu pulled out one of the barstools that hid underneath it and sat down.

Amongst the various sounds of dinner being prepared, a record player was playing 80's rock softly through the apartment. The tune was catchy and the electric guitar solo seemed to escalate and drive the song without it baring out the drums or the base. Sanemi's place was decorated with a mature yet angsty feel that might not have worked for most people, but seemed to suit Sanemi quite well. What caught Giyu's attention the most was an electric guitar with a black angular body hung up on the wall near the living area. What was strange about it is that there was no amp to be seen, and the fretboard of the guitar had a noticeable layer of dust atop the black acrylic. Seems like it hadn't been used in a while.

A door slammed open, rocking some of the other objects hung on the wall a little. Giyu jumped in his seat in surprise, as he turned his head to find the source of the noise. Genya was bent over to pick over a rugged backpack that was unceremoniously shoven next to a side table in the living room, and stomped back to his room to fill it with some folded clothes that sat on the edge of his bed.

"Good evening, Genya."

Genya only grunted in response, too busy packing his backpack to properly greet Giyu. The air was thick with tension, causing Giyu to squirm in the barstool as Sanemi watched Genya sternly. This kind of atmosphere was unusual for the Shinazugawa brothers, serving the impression that something was clearly amiss. Genya was normally apprehensively friendly with Giyu, usually because of how awkward he was around new people. And sure they were both hotheaded, but Sanemi normally found a way to work around that for the both of them for Genya's sake.

"I'm going out." Genya slung his bag over his shoulder and walked to the front door swiftly to but on some shoes. Sanemi gawked at him.

"I told you that you're not going anywhere until you take your studies seriously." Sanemi argued.

"It's a study group." Genya hopped on one foot as he struggled to put his combat boots on. "Tanjiro arranged it."

"Until I see your quiz on Monday, you're staying here until you get your shit sorted."

"Seriously? If anyone needs to get a hold of themselves, it's you." Genya groaned, grabbing a coat and opening the door. "I'll be back in the morning."

The front door slammed shut and shook the walls once again. Giyu's jaw was dropped at the interaction he just witnessed before him, chest still tightened in discomfort. Sanemi's back was still turned from Giyu but it was obvious he was pissed. He had stopped stirring for a few moments, his hand making claws as he shook them in anger. When he stopped, Sanemi turned towards Giyu and gestured at the door as if that explained anything.

"Do you see what I have to deal with? He's just so-" Sanemi waved his hand in the air. "You know? Ughhhh!"

Giyu nodded frantically, trying to show his best that he understood. He didn't have the heart to tell him that he, in fact, had no idea what just happened between Sanemi and Genya. Utterly lost at this point, Giyu felt a bit helpless. He wanted to reach out to Sanemi, but it was too soon to execute the plan right now. Standing up wordlessly from the barstool, Giyu started to set the table neatly for the two of them.

When the table was set, Giyu checked in on Sanemi. He was still hovering over the stovetop, but now he was fiercely muttering under his breath. Giyu stood next to him, leaning over the granite countertop and watching Sanemi cook dinner. Sanemi didn't even change out of his work clothes, still wearing a white collared shirt and black slacks. His blazer was nowhere to be seen, but his shirt was unbuttoned to his stomach like when he joins in on Tengen's plans on the weekends.

"Rough week?" Giyu asked.

Sanemi snorted. "You have no idea."

Giyu patted Sanemi's shoulder lightly in reassurance. He could almost see the struggle on Sanemi's own worries and stresses were his own. The cotton felt rough and stiff under his hand that lingered a little longer on Sanemi than he originally intended. Silence overtook them again, standing side by side by the stove.

Dinner went a bit more smoothly once both men started digging in. Sanemi had cooked a glazed salmon, rice, a light salad and a small pot of stew on the side. The cold beers that Giyu had brought from the convenience store paired well with the meal, following the recommendation from the green haired teen who worked there. The two chatted between bites, mainly about work related topics and their students. Giyu was tempted to ask about Genya or Sanemi's sleep schedule, but he he held off knowing that he still had a plan to approach this, sitting at his feet in the plastic bag.

"What about you?" Sanemi inquired, taking another sip of his beer. "Are you still eating well?"

Giyu cringed internally, trying not to show it.

"Tanjiro told me that he only sees you buy bread at his bakery. Dude, you're a fitness teacher. You know you need to get some nutrition to wrangle all those damn kids."

Giyu glanced down at his feet, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. "It's not all bad, I'm supporting a local business."

"Bullshit!" Sanemi interjected with an appalled smirk on his face. "If you don't start taking better care of yourself, I'm going to start making lunches for you if it means you eat properly."

"You don't have to, Sanemi you have enough on your plate already."

"People are worried Giyu- hell, I am too! If you just let me-"

"I'm worried about you too."

Giyu stared at Sanemi in concern, his fidgeting coming to a halt as he focused on the hotheaded man in front of him. Sanemi once again put on the spot, seemed to be at a loss for excuses. Defeated, he just slumped in his chair and stared at the empty plate as Giyu downed the rest of his beer. He sat up and placed his folded hands in front of him on the table, trying to find Sanemi's gaze. Sanemi refused to look at him.

"I thought about what you said a few days ago, Sanemi."

Giyu leaned over to the side and reached into the plastic bag next to him on the floor. Sanemi's eyes followed his movements and watched him pull a small tin container out of the bag and placed it on the table, right in the middle. Giyu carefully glanced at Sanemi, confusion apparent on his face as he stared at the box. Sanemi looked up at Giyu again.

"I have a proposition for you." Giyu leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. Sanemi sat up straight and finished the rest of his beer, gesturing for him to continue.

"Everyone knows that you're not really one to talk about your feelings, which is fair! You don't have to open up to us if you don't feel comfortable. But you're clearly struggling, Sanemi. And I want to help."

Sanemi's eyes furrowed at Giyu's confession, jaw clenched as he nodded slightly. "Actually, I got this idea when you asked me if you look intoxicated when I started to question your sleep." Giyu finished.

Sanemi was taken aback, at first not really understanding what Giyu was implying by that statement. Giyu leaned back to the side, the plastic bag rustling again. But then it hit Sanemi.

There was no fucking way.

Sanemi reached for the tin box on his dining table and grabbed it swiftly. The metal was cool to the touch and the container was decorated with two large stickers that covered the top and bottom of it. Flipping open the creaky lid, inside the metal box were four joints. Looking back at Giyu, there were now two stacks of index cards atop the dining table in front of him.

"If you don't want to do this, that's fine." Giyu reassured. "I won't be mad or anything. but since it was something you mentioned, I thought that if we-"

"Sure." Sanemi agreed.

Giyu tilted his head. "What?"

"I'm down." Sanemi reiterated, closing the lid of the box with a smile on his face. "Whatever you have planned here, I say we do it."

Giyu couldn't believe it. He had a whole speech prepared on how everyone knew Sanemi was having problems, and how they all cared about him. He wanted to tell Sanemi how many people were willing to do anything to pitch in to cheer him up, to reignite and rejuvenate the hardass attitude and his motivation that he lost in the last week. Giyu was genuinely shocked that he didn't need to say any of that, Sanemi had just accepted that he was worried. And that he was willing to take a chance on him, because that was enough. Barely able to hold it back at this realization, Giyu beamed at Sanemi.

It didn't take long for the two men to clean up the leftover clutter from dinner, Sanemi quickly washed dishes and left them on the drying rack as Giyu wiped down the table, dried the dishes on the rack and put them away. This had become so routine to them both that Giyu already knew where everything was meant to be placed. The two worked together silently, still processing the previous discussion. Giyu felt hopeful. Once they were done, Sanemi led Giyu to the balcony through the sliding door by the dining table. The lock clicked as Sanemi opened it smoothly and stepped through and toward the evening sky. The balcony was made of concrete with a clothesline connecting from Sanemi's building to the one across the street from them. Some plants in terracotta pots decorated the corners of the balcony. All of them held fresh herbs except for one large pot, with scorch marks along the inner walls and a pile of ash sitting at the bottom. The small balcony also held a small loveseat sofa with a tiny table sat in front of it. The balcony was crowded, but lived in and welcoming.

Giyu took a seat on the sofa, which was made of a firm plastic except for the cushions. Sanemi took a seat beside him and crossed his ankle over his knee. They were shoulder to shoulder with barely an inch of space between them. Giyu handled Sanemi the blue stack of index card while he held onto the yellow stack. Sanemi took the tin out of his pocket and examined the stickers carefully.

"Why did you bring four? I don't even think we can get to two, dumbass." Sanemi chuckled.

"I got them from Tengen, actually."

"Of course." Sanemi took out a joint and gave it to Giyu to hold for the time being. "Guessing from the club named on the box, I'm assuming that's his too."

Giyu nodded, agreeding that he wouldn't be one to hold onto stickers that featured the logos of the local clubs and bars around the area, especially with how high end the names were.

"He insisted I hold onto some extra, so I thought I might as well for next time."

Sanemi placed the tin box on the table in front of them. "Next time?"

"Well, yeah." Giyu mumbled. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to finish all these cards tonight, in case you wanted a break or feel the need to stop." His hands twitched again, prompting Giyu to look down and fiddle with them. "I want this to be a good experience, not one where you feel pressured."

Sanemi nodded again, his lips slightly upturned at Giyu's thoughtfulness. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a zippo lighter with a wind spinner engraved on the side.

"Do you smoke?" Sanemi asked, flipping the cap of the lighter easily.

Giyu shrugged, pulling his knees to his chest. "Once or twice."

Sanemi lit the joint and Giyu watched the end of it flutter with heat before glowing in the dark lightly. Bringing it to his lips, Sanemi took a long drag of the joint before handing it to Giyu. A bit out of his territory, Giyu took a small take of the joint so he wouldn't be forced to cough a little. Sanemi finally let out a sigh after holding in the smoke, immediately laughing under his breath.

"Fuckkkk, I haven't done this in years." Sanemi looked pleased, taking back the joint and flipping through the blue index cards sat on his thigh. "How do you want to go about this?"

"You ask a question from a yellow card, I answer first and then you answer. Then I ask a question from the blue cards, you answer and then I do too."

"What if we don't want to answer that question?"

"You don't have to." Giyu shrugged. I won't insist it."

Sanemi took another drag of the joint, pulled out a card, and exhaled deeply. "How would you introduce yourself if you two were strangers?"

"Hi, I'm Giyu Tomioka." He began. "I'm the Phys-Ed teacher of Kimetsu Academy."

Sanemi grimaced, finding it awkward to play along with him. "Sanemi Shinazugawa. Math teacher of Kimetsu Academy."

"I guess we're not stranger anymore." Giyu joked.

Sanemi handed back the joint, bouncing one of his legs as he waited for Giyu's turn. As he took a hit of the marijuana, Sanemi started to feel anxious about the questions they had in their hands. Sure Giyu was more quiet and careful with his words, but Sanemi found it intimidating how natural it seems to Giyu. Sanemi started to second guess agreeing to this game of his.

"What's your favourite colour, Sanemi?"

"Who came up with these questions?" Sanemi snorted. "Uh, green. A light green."

Giyu returned the joint. "Blue."

Sanemi held the roll between his lips as he pulled out another card. He took another drag and red out the question. "What are you currently feeling?"

"Scared. Excited, but scared." He started drawing circles on his knees as he relaxed.

"You're scared?" Sanemi repeated in disbelief. "This seems so easy for you."

Giyu shook his head. "It's not really, I don't really talk to anyone like this. But I'm glad that we are, talking like this." Giyu tucked his hair behind his ears. "I'm just focused on hearing you out."

Sanemi leaned back a bit. "I'm fucking terrified, you have no idea. It's one thing being afraid to hear what someone might tell you, but it's another thing willing yourself to say it."

The environment seemed eerily tense, both men watching the dark sky roll with clouds as the weed fogged the air a little. The pungent smell seemed to thicken with the anticipation for the next question. Giyu took another drag of the joint, but inhaled a little bit too much than he could handle. Sputtering into a couch, Sanemi grinned wildly and patted Giyu excitedly on the back.

"There we go!" Sanemi cheered. "Atta boy, you alright?"

Giyu blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah. Next question, ummm..." He flipped to the next card. "When was the last time you cried by yourself? In front of someone else?"

Sanemi's hesitance didn't go unnoticed by Giyu. "You don't have to if you don't want-"

"No no, I got this." Sanemi reassured, probably more to himself rather than Giyu. "The last time I cried by myself was when I got shanked last May after a rough day." He pulled down the pit of his sleeve to show the small scar on his shoulder along the myriad of the other several scars. "It wasn't that painful, it just was my last straw that day."

"And in front of someone?" Giyu asked as he leaned closer to Sanemi's shoulder to take a closer look.

"About a year ago. Bad breakup, and Obanai happened to find me." Sanemi pulled the shirt back up, but kept it unbuttoned as usual. He stuck his hand out and Giyu passed the joint back to him.

"Last time I cried in front of someone was when someone close to me had died." The whisper was barely audible, but Sanemi heard it clear enough for a pang of guilt to strike him in the chest. Just how much did they not know about each other?

"And by myself, last night."

Sanemi turned to Giyu in concern. "Why were you crying?"

"I don't know." Giyu gestured vaguely around, a bit more sluggish than usual. "I just do sometimes."

Sanemi placed the joint down on an ashtray on the table, but Giyu immediately reached for it and took another drag. He looked more comfortable in his hits now.

"Next question." Sanemi pulled out a card. "What's your favourite quality about yourself?"

Giyu stared at the balcony above them, trying to find an answer. "Ugh I don't know- my eyes? I don't really like much about myself."

"You do have really pretty eyes." Sanemi agreed. "I would say my muscles." Sanemi tilted his head towards Giyu with a stupidly sly smirk on his face. "I show them off for a reason, you know?"

"I don't blame you." Giyu turned in his seat so his shoulder pressed into the back of the sofa more so his body was turned to Sanemi, now able to see him more clearly. His knees touched Sanemi's shoulder from the way that they were pressed into his chest. "Any specific area that you're particularly proud of?"

Sanemi's grin widened. "My six pack. Do you have any idea how badly core workouts burn after-"

"It's an eight pack." Giyu corrected.

The two men froze in place, staring at each other in disbelief. Sanemi's jaw was dropped at what Giyu just said, he leaned in closer to reach his reaction a bit better. Giyu was no better himself, the apples of his cheeks were glowing bright red in the dim lighting. Sanemi's shock turned into a smile and a small chuckle which turned to a fit a giggles until he was finally roaring with laughter. Giyu had part of his face covered with his hand to show that he too was laughing under his breath. The two laughed until their sides hurt and calmed down from the sudden outburst. Once they were able to speak without giggling, Giyu pulled out another card.

"If a crystal ball could tell you any truth about yourself, your life, or the world, what would you want to know?"

"If I'm raising Genya right." Sanemi heaved. "He's a hot headed troublemaker like me, but he has good friends. He's a good kid at heart." Sanemi sighed worryingly and shifted on the couch until him and Giyu were finally shoulder to shoulder. "I'm just scared that the world is too harsh to give that kid a chance."

Giyu took another hit of the joint. "I think you're doing a great job, you two are just too similar. It's why you don't see eye to eye."

"No it's more than that, I fucked up this week. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on him and now he probably hates me." Sanemi took a deep breath of the evening air around him. "What about you?"

"I would want to know... what waits for us on the other side?" Giyu took another drag of the roll in his fingertips. "Life is hard, Sanemi, especially when you can't trust anyone to be there for you when things get ugly. Living like that, it brings loneliness..."

Sanemi wrapped his arms around Giyu, bringing him closer in an effort to comfort him. "It gets better, Giyu. You just need to stick around long enough to see it."

Giyu didn't want to say it, not right now, but he really appreciated Sanemi's affirmations. He was overwhelmed with many emotions, as it had been more than a decade since he was able to talk to another person so openly. He just hoped that Sanemi didn't see how he brought the edge of his sleeve to his eyes, wiping away a few tears of gratitude.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Giyu sniffed. "Next question?"

Sanemi pulled out a card. "What's something you and your partner appear to have in common?" He stated quizzically at the index card. "Are either of us even in a relationship?"

"No it's-" Giyu had to pause in order to gather his thoughts, starting to feel them swirl around in the air with the smoke. I think it means us, we're partners in this game."

Nodding in agreement, Sanemi looked at Giyu and patiently awaited his answer.

"I think we both expect more from the future than we're ever gonna get. Given our track record so far I mean."

There was a light pause between the two men, letting Giyu stew in his emotions until he felt the need to lighten up a bit. "No offense, Sanemi."

"None taken." He shrugged. "Can I pass this one? My answer is some fucking sappy shit, you probably don't want to hear that."

"I want to hear it." Giyu pressed. "If you want to pass you can, but I want to hear it."

Sanemi rolled his eyes in anxiety, he grabbed Giyu's wrist lightly and brought his hand to his face, taking a hit of the joint deeply. He felt the marijuana immediately calm his nerves as he exhaled. He met Giyu's ocean blue eyes again, now a bit more bloodshot than he expected. Gently, het let go of Giyu's wrist and sat up straight. For a moment Sanemi considered finishing off the joint for the both of them.

"I think..." Sanemi started, rubbing his knees a little to ease his nerves. "I think we're both more content solving someone else's problem than to deal with our issues ourselves."

Giyu watched Sanemi's face intently as he said this. The white haired man really tried to hide it, but Giyu managed to catch a view of a tear sliding down his cheek slowly. Giyu moved his feet down from the sofa, and reached forward. He pulled Sanemi in for a hug by his shoulder, though he wasn't sure how welcome it was because Giyu was really stiff. Sanemi accepted the gesture, instinctively holding onto him tightly with shaky arms.

"Thank you." Giyu whispered lightly, almost inaudible over the traffic below them. Sanemi only hummed in response. The embrace was incredibly awkward for Giyu, unsure if he was doing this properly. He can't remember the last time he had someone in his arms that wasn't a fling. Giyu felt out of practice.

Sanemi pulled away after a few still minutes, much to Giyu's disappointment. Pulling out another card exasperatedly, Sanemi read the neatly printed text aloud. "What's something that you've been meaning to do for a while, and why haven't you done it?"

Pausing thoughtfully, Giyu took a few minutes to think of an appropriate answer. He had one, but he wasn't sure if it

was something he would want to breathe out into the world. Sanemi's reason for being afraid to play this game started to make sense now that he found himself in the same position. Sanemi gave Giyu a reassuring smile, and placed his hand on his shoulder. Giyu took his hand into his own and held them gently in his lap.

"To get to know you." Giyu confessed. "I couldn't find a good way to approach it."

"Really?" Sanemi sighed, a joking grin stretched across his lips. "I think you did a great job with this though."

"You think so?"

"Do you really think I would've done this with anyone, dumbass?"

Giyu beamed again, satisfaction present in his eyes. Sanemi squeezed his hand, and Giyu shifted again so that his legs draped Sanemi's arm of the couch. The joint was long forgotten, the butt of it tossed onto an ashtray. Sanemi didn't object to either.

"I've been meaning to go through my records." He sighed, mentally adding that to his endless list of things to do. He wasn't sure if that list ever dwindled in the first place. "I feel like some of them don't fit me anymore."

Giyu tilted his head in confusion. "I thought you would've said have Genya teach you the guitar. I saw it on the wall."

"Hah! No, that old thing is mine." Sanemi laughed hearily at the assumption Giyu made. "I used to be in a band back in teacher's collage, but it didn't work out. Now it just collects dust."

"I would like to hear you play sometime."

"I doubt it, I'm rusty as hell." Sanemi shook his head, memories flooding back of how much he loved the sleek black guitar when he was younger. "Honestly, I'm not even sure if I remember how."

Giyu shrugged. "You'd figure it out, you always do."

Leaning forward, Giyu rested his head on Sanemi's shoulder as gently as he could. The added support allowed him to regain himself as a wave of dizziness came over him. Sanemi rested his cheek atop hi head, relaxing into his touch. Sanemi continued to watch the night sky as an airplane soared above them, while Giyu still stared at his lap. Sanemi's hands were the same size as his, but scarred and rough. He traced over the white lines.

"Sanemi?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

Giyu interlocked his hands into Sanemi's. a silent plead of encouragement that he was listening. Sanemi rubbed his thumbs on the back of Giyu's palms.

"No." He breathed, the scent of Giyu's conditioner filling his lungs. "I haven't been sleeping, you were right on that."

"Do you get nightmares?" Giyu mumbled groggily.

"No it's not that." Sanemi shook his head gently, still holding onto Giyu's hands tightly. "I've just been thinking a lot lately. I've been trying to drown it out by working more, but I don't think that's fair to my students." His palms started to sweat, but Giyu didn't pull away. "And then Genya failed one of my quizzes, so we've been fighting all week."

The glare of the city lights blinded Sanemi from watching the peaceful liveliness of the evening that surrounded him and his balcony. He thought about how everyone lived their own little lives apart from his, and he wondered how much of it he impacted. How much stress he might've caused to everyone around him.

"I just thought," Sanemi whimpered defeatedly. "That if I buried myself in work, that I wouldn't have time to think. or feel, and I would just claw my way through each day. I would just get through it anyways." Tears clouded his vision, the glares of light growing brighter. "Look where it fucking got me."

Giyu was nearly crying alongside him, sniffling quietly and figuring with both of their hands. Sanemi's head brought a good weight to his, comfortable with how much he was relying on him in the moment.

"The anger is just a front, you know. There's no denial in the anger and the fighting, but I try to hold it onto it at work. For my own sake." Sanemi chuckled dryly at himself. "You know, I really fucking hated you."

Giyu's bottom lip quivered. "Seriously?"

"Hated your fucking guts." Sanemi affirmed, taking his hands from Giyu and resting his arms down Giyu's back. "You're actually content with yourself. Or at least you're content enough to actually allow yourself to think about your life." Giyu's back was warm, but he still felt him shiver. "I'm still jealous that you don't feel the need to drown everything out every damn second of your day. You can think, and you can say what you're thinking."

"You're wrong." Giyu argued. "I don't talk about it. I constantly feel like I'm drowning, but I don't want to say anything because I don't want more people drowning with me. Have you seen me at work? I don't even talk much, not even when we're at the club."

Sanemi recoiled back, lifting his cheek off his head and looking Giyu in the eyes. "Since when have you- why?"

"Huh?" Giyu was trying to concentrate with how fuzzy he was feeling, trying to focus on Sanemi's wild eyes.

"Why don't you talk more? You're talking plenty with me right now."

"Because it's you." Giyu cursed under his breath, his gaze exploring every swirl of Sanemi's plum coloured irises. "Because I want to talk to you more."

Sanemi could barely grasp Giyu's expression, his mind hazed with weed and the serenity of the moment. His spine tingled in the cold evening air as he tried his best to stay present and not drift off into another swarm of thoughts.

"You said that you couldn't do this with anyone." Giyu huffed as if he'd been holding in his breath for the past minute. His gaze still fixed on Sanemi. "Why me?"

Sanemi pressed his forehead to Giyu's, grounding himself to create a response. But he had none, his mind was blanking out on him. The effects of the marijuana bubbled in his throat and he couldn't stop himself from spouting some shit he'd probably regret when he's sober. And yet he found himself with the same answer as Giyu.

"Because it's you." Sanemi whispered as if he had just reached that conclusion just now. "I wouldn't want anyone else. Just you."

Finally looking into Giyu's eyes, Sanemi saw a world of life that he hadn't seen in Giyu for ages, maybe ever. The blue of his irises rose and crashed like the waved of an ocean, but it wasn't chaotic. It was alive, and raw, and so full of emotion that he swore that he could feel seasick just looking at it. Giyu's pupils were dilated so much that Sanemi could see the reflection of an airplane he'd spotted earlier in the night, making him wonder why he hadn't felt the need to escape where he was. For all he cared the rest of the world around him didn't faze him. All that mattered right now was himself, Giyu, and his little balcony.

"Damn, your eyes are pretty."

"What-"

Sanemi interrupted him by pressing his lips to Giyu's, hasty but gentle. He was bracing himself for Giyu to take him by the shoulders an push him away in disgust. But it never came. Instead, Giyu lightly took a hold of Sanemi's waist and tilted his head. Sanemi's ribs tingled at Giyu's touch as the seasickness returned to the pit of his stomach. Fingers threading through his long hair, Sanemi took a hold of Giyu's roots and pulled him impossibly closer. Giyu tried to regain control by slowing down, kissing him back so lazily that it forced Sanemi to follow his lead. Warmth flooded through their veins, a tender but fleeting moment that they both enjoyed with no remorse or regret. Giyu pulled away for air and pressed his forehead to Sanemi. Both tried to catch their breath as the world around them continued to move and sway with the beat of their hearts loud in their ears.

"I'm tired." Sanemi's stated, still holding onto the back of Giyu's shirt.

A pleased grin stretched across Giyu's face. "Let's get you to bed."

Letting the index cards fall and scatter across the concrete floor of the balcony, Giyu helped Sanemi stand up, leading him by one arm on his shoulder and his other hand on the sliding door and leading him inside. The walk to Sanemi's bedroom was short, but Giyu had to take a second to remember the way you need to jostle the door in order to open it. Inside was Sanemi's bed, a flatscreen TV, a nightstand that stored several books on quantum physics and a small closet in the corner of the room. Giyu laid Sanemi down on the left side of the bed and returned from the kitchen to bring him a glass of water. Sanemi appeared to be very mellow, and had changed into sweatpants and left his chest bare in the warm apartment. Obviously fighting off sleep.

This wasn't the first time that Giyu stayed overnight at the Shinazugawa's, and this wouldn't be the last either. But it's happened often enough that Giyu knew that Sanemi kept the extra blankets in a spare cabinet in the living room. Giyu made sure that Sanemi was comfortable before turning to retreat to the couch to also catch up on some sleep. A rough hand on his wrist prevented him from leaving.

"Stay." Sanemi exhaustedly begged Giyu, a pleading look in his tired eyes. "Please stay."

Giyu contemplated for a moment if he wanted to respect Sanemi's personal space, as he's never been this close to him before. His heart pounding even harder in his eardrums was drowning out the voice of reason that still persisted despite his intoxicated state. And on any other occasion, he would've listened to it. But after Sanemi lifted the duvet for the right side of his bed, inviting him without a word uttered, Giyu gave in. He wandered to the opposite side of the room and crawled in the shockingly cold bed. Sanemi was laid on his back, watching Giyu settle onto his stomach and draped an arm over Sanemi's waist. His head was resting on Sanemi's shoulder and their legs intertwined together at the foot of the bed.

Giyu pressed a kiss to Sanemi's cheekbone and bid him a restful sleep. Settling back into Sanemi's neck, Giyu rested his head on Sanemi's shoulder and closed his eyes.

Sanemi's eyes were fixated on the flat ceiling above them as he relished in the company of the man laying beside him. He could blame all this on the weed in the morning. He could chalk up the sappy conversations, the tears shed between the two of them, and the gentle kiss on the marijuana they shared on the balcony. The smell of which might get him in trouble later. But he didn't want to deny it after tonight. Not when it was Giyu. Sanemi's eyes drooped in the quiet apartment, the night still bustling outside but he paid no mind to it. And though he would never say it out loud, Sanemi thanked Giyu. For the first time in over a week, Sanemi had drifted off to a dreamless sleep in the dead of the night.

꒷꒦˚︶︶꒦꒷︶꒷꒦˚ ꒷꒦˚︶︶꒦꒷︶꒷꒦˚ ꒷꒦˚︶︶꒦꒷︶꒷꒦˚

I know this one was super long but if you made it this far, THANK YOU! Writing this oneshot has been an absolute pleasure and I’m so happy I’ve got it done after MONTHS of thinking about it T_T

In other announcements, I have two requests being filled out! One of them is about a quarter done while the other is just over halfway and I’m hoping to post one of them before my finals ;)

Also thank you for 150 followers! I really appreciate anyone who visits this blog and reads my work ^^

Requests and asks are still open, please read the rules before submitting anything ^^

[sideprince]

Speaking of James, what do you think of him in the prequel + Lily’s letter? She mentioned him not having the chance to go on excursions without the cloak, despite them being in hiding.

I've been thinking about this question and funnily enough it came up in another post where I had a fun back and forth with @seriousbrat! I should probably preface my answer by saying that I haven't put that much thought into James or Lily in general, and I don't really spend time in the parts of the fandom that discuss them at length, so my thoughts are based on a cursory revisiting of the text. Some of what I say may be basic stuff for the Jily/Marauders/¯\_(ツ)_/¯ parts of the fandom, some of it may be stuff that has already been counter argued with points I haven't thought of, etc. This isn't my area of interest, but your question is interesting! Tl;dr proceed with caution I guess lol.

The first thing that comes to mind about the letter from Lily to Sirius is why she wrote it in the first place. My own reading of it is that it's meant to be exposition more than something that has to do with a thought out relationship between these characters. Like many others, I'm frustrated with the minimal and flat way Lily is written. We get very few insights into who she was, most of them through descriptions from other characters like Slughorn. To me it's clear that Rowling held back on her for the sake of the big reveal at the end of DH, and I think a lot of Lily's character development got thrown under the bus as a result. But it could also just be that Lily is writing a thank you to Sirius for Harry's birthday present and it was the only time she ever sent him anything, but in the process she's giving him an update since they know each other as well as anyone knows their spouse's best friend.

In her letter she writes:

James is getting a bit frustrated shut up here, he tries not to show it but I can tell - also, Dumbledore’s still got his Invisibility Cloak, so no chance of little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much.

Deathly Hallows Ch. 10

Lily is showing a lot of sympathy for James here, while also acknowledging that if he had his Invisibility Cloak he would probably be sneaking out under it. I know that this implication is contentious across fandoms, and my own thoughts on it are: it falls within James' character to do something like that and be reckless, but while I think it's irresponsible and shitty, I also don't think he's satan incarnate for it, by any means. To me it - and how young James tends to be written - shows that he's an immature guy in a war where he spends most of his time shut up in a comfortable house instead of fighting (ie. his ideals aren't tested or challenged by trauma), and the first chance he gets to do something brave he forgets his wand on the couch and is immediately killed. I think James had very good intentions but kind of bad follow through.

In her letter, Lily is also asking Sirius to come visit to cheer James up, which I find strange, given the two men are such close friends. Why should Lily have to ask Sirius to visit? Are he and James not in touch? Or is Lily being thoughtful and identifying James needs and trying to meet them when he hasn't done so himself? Again, I think this letter is more about exposition, so I don't think there's any significant meaning here, just that the author was a bit careless. Lily then goes on to say:

Wormy was here last weekend, I thought he seemed down, but that was probably the news about the McKinnons; I cried all evening when I heard.

For me there's a conspicuous absence of any note referring to what a comfort James was. I talked about this in my other ask, but I think a lot of James, and as an extension his relationship with Lily, is the author's projection of her own experience in an abusive relationship and what she wishes it had been. That isn't to say I think James abused Lily, but rather that Rowling transferred some of her abusive husband's qualities onto James, while also projecting a fantasy of what she wished he had been onto the character too, ie. a devoted, loving father onto him who would - and did - die for his family. A lot of James' actions, mannerisms, and words - his arrogance, dismissiveness, and enjoyment of cruelty towards select people he has dehumanized - raises my own red flags as an abuse survivor. While I think he was a bully at school - and bullying is a form of abuse - I don't think he was abusive to his wife or child. I could draw a parallel with the phenomenon of the prison guard who enacts cruelty on his charges freely and then goes home and is a loving, doting husband and father who wouldn't hurt a fly, because he only abuses those he dehumanizes. Instead, though, what I think is going on is that Rowling is projecting a lot of her first husband onto James, and unconsciously and unintentionally leaving a trail of abuser red flags written into his character.

It hits hard for me that Lily is concerned enough about James, and empathetic enough of him, that she shares her worry about his frustration and cabin fever with his best friend, and asks him to come visit, because she wants to cheer James up - yet she makes no mention of James being a comfort to her when she spends all night crying about her friend being murdered. In short, Lily is identifying and attending to James' needs but we see no indication that this is reciprocated. It doesn't feel out of line for an abuse victim to describe a relationship like this, especially since it would be so simple to have added something like, "as difficult as it is being shut up in this cottage, it was a great comfort to have James that night."

It's odd to me that someone thoughtful enough to attend to their spouse's emotional needs would forgo expression appreciation for them doing the same, so my reading of this is that James doesn't provide Lily with the same kind of comfort. More importantly, it doesn't seem to be on Rowling's radar to mention how James reacted to his wife outright crying for a whole evening, which tracks with how a lot of abuse victims understand relationships, ie. it often doesn't occur to them that they should be reciprocal. And so, Rowling forgets to add in the bit where James offers Lily comfort, perhaps because it was something she lacked experience of and therefore didn't think to write. And while I feel the need to include the requisite statement of "fuck JKR and her transphobic, bigoted views" I also feel that despite that, I won't sink to her level and dehumanize others, and therefore feel it's still important to balance that view with sympathy for her experiences as an abuse victim.

As for the prequel, the implication seems to be that two muggle cops got in the middle of James and Sirius escaping from some Death Eaters. It's a fun little piece but also reveals that Rowling really benefits from having an editor, because the prose is overwrought and a bit clumsy. In terms of what it says about James' and Sirius' character, they don't seem at all concerned with violating the Statute of Secrecy in front of muggles, or with protecting those muggles from the three wizards who are presumably Death Eaters. James and Sirius were described by Rowling as "bad boys" and she talked about how this was something sexy that all women loved in men (which I find problematic for a number of reasons), however she doesn't seem to differentiate between youthful rebelliousness and selfish destructiveness. It's something Lupin talks about in PoA when he reflects on their youthful adventures. In any case, James and Sirius weren't rebellious - not in their bullying at school, not in their animagi nights, and not in the prequel. They weren't challenging an unfair authority or status quo, but instead were pursuing their own fun for fun's sake, and other people often get hurt, or come dangerously close to it.

In the prequel they leave the cops vulnerable and without defense with the three DEs who are knocked out and might be back on their feet any minute. Given that Death Eaters torture muggles for sport in canon, this seems like a careless and callous move. I also feel like the Phoenix shirts are a bit cheesy... Dumbledore would never? Is the idea that James and Sirius made the shirts themselves? Or is this just another clumsy literary device that exists for the sake of exposition but doesn't fit the characters all that well? I feel like if the Order did have some kind of gear with their emblem on it, it would be more subtle and also a bit more refined than a t-shirt. The idea of these besties wearing matching shirts is cute, it just feels out of character.

I'm not sure if this was the parallel you meant to draw or were asking about, but as to whether the prequel story takes place while James and Lily are in hiding, I don't think it does. James and Sirius are described as looking like they're in their "late teens" and this seems to be a pretty clear indication from the author that this is the age they're at. James and Lily are killed when they're 21, and they'd been in hiding for about a year according to @said-snape-softly's calcutations in this amazing post (though I need to adjust the timeline a bit because @saintsenara had some great thoughts too in this other post). So even if it was just a year or six months in between, I think the prequel story is set before James and Lily go into hiding.

[inchidentally]

(sorry for editing to keep things out of tags) (also preface that I ship pretty much anyone with anyone but that car lando, land oscar and char los are by far my favorites)

ok first and foremost I have to laugh so hard at them choosing Lando and Oscar?? as "pure PR" when

car|ando is quite LITERALLY used as Formula 1 PR ?? the official accounts of Ferr/ari, Mc|aren, Carlos' personal socials, Quad|rant,LN 4, F1, TV networks, Netflix and DTS,the whole of the Vegas race and every. single. sponsor. use car|ando to boost visibility. that's not a commentary on the validity of their friendship at all but it is quite literally a PR bromance that rakes in views and engagement

let's all be honest here the Mc|aren media folks are still hardcore car|ando people and can only bring themselves to remember the land|oscar ship name once in a blue moon (I have mixed feelings about that but I'm also not a fan of containment breaches so ig I'm relieved one of my ships isn't used as social media corporate currency??)

people's biggest complaint/compliment (depending on who's speaking) for Oscar is that he doesn't play up for cameras the way Carlos and Daniel do and struggles at PR !! literally he was only a little bit better at this in Prema and only because he'd known most of those boys for 5+ years already and their audience was tiny!

every single comment from a non fandom F1 fan on land|oscar content is how unusually shy Lando is around Oscar or how Oscar needs to "come out of his shell" and "not make Lando work so hard"

and Daniel "Mr. F1 PR Department" Ricc|ardo????? are they seriously saying Lando and Oscar (who are still trying to figure out how much they can even casually touch each other) are PR when Daniel and dan|do ticks every single bromance box????

like who the hell but a twitter user who ships rpf like it's a government conspiracy would pick land|oscar out of all Lando ships for a fake or publicity friendship when they literally don't do any of the pretend gay stuff or the horseplay or the memes etc. that is literally the wildest take I've heard in yeARS

anyway as usual I thought creepily deeply into this and decided to spend my time unable to sleep typing an essay weeeeeeeeee

see I was mostly lurking part time during the dando era so I wasn't sure but fr why isn't there this "competition" between dando and carlando like there is with carlando landoscar?? dando was MAJOR gay fandom service by comparison and they've consistently spent more time together outside of racing weekends and hobbies than Lando and Carlos since Carlos has always spent most of his travel and downtime during the season with Isa and now Rebecca. Daniel and Lando go on little excursions together even now and he was with Lando much longer as a teammate than Carlos.

so for people who've left reality to the point of thinking these men are in a genuine secret gay romance competition for Lando… surely Daniel/dando should be the ultimate enemy number one?? especially when evidence immediately surfaced that Carlos' thirst posts on Lando's bday were his side of the thirst posts Rebecca did the same day from their holiday right after the Brazilian GP, whereas Daniel took Lando with him in a small group of close friends to the desert after Vegas. if I were someone who thought that all F1 girlfriends are "PR escorts" - or whatever bullshit is the latest sexist woman-hating theory of choice - then I'd be so mad at Carlos for "ditching" Lando for Rebecca and then Daniel posting not one but two beautiful, moody pics of traveling with him. forget that Lando only reposted Oscar's birthday post, surely Daniel posting on the account he only made because of Lando with a camera he only bought because of Lando pictures OF LANDO is the biggest source of betrayal !!

I just. cannot imagine wanting rpf to be this exhausting and enraging when you can just ship all of them and also not create conspiracy theories about girlfriends that keep getting disproved at every turn.

but yeah as anon #2 said it's not even like carlando are super close friends outside of F1 (as Lando himself said) the way George and Alex are but I don't see anyone in rages about galex or their irl relationships or saying they can't be shipped with any other driver?? maybe I just don't see it on my feeds but it's definitely not as big a deal as the carlando exclusivity stuff that's been bubbling up everywhere.

and exactly! as sweet as it is that Lando and Carlos pair up in the few moments the drivers are all doing media duties etc together it's also what every. other. driver. is doing with their buddies. sometimes they stand in larger groups but those moments are when they get to catch up with guys outside their own team. Oscar and Logan find each other every single time and a lot of that time they spend away from the other drivers. Max and Charles, Yuki and Pierre, Esteban and Lance etc etc. much as I would love it if this implied that all of these driver friends are suckin and fuckin their bros on the DL it's tragically not the case.

I feel like maybe?? carlando as a ship developed into part of the fans going larries level of problematic is because the Lando they watched with Carlos was so young and literally formed a lot of his F1 persona around Carlos. that version of Lando is basically a handy self-insert for fans worshiping Carlos.

as we know Carlos does NOT view himself as the number 2 driver even when he in every technical sense is. so it speaks to just how much of a little uncooked chicken nugget Lando was during their season together that Carlos has never once viewed Lando as competition and even now sees him as a lil cub kind of like Max V does with Lando. they're happy Lando succeeds but he's not classed in with the guys they really get pissed off with or perceive as threatening.

Lando talked here about how he spent a lot of that first season in F1 anxious about his performance compared to Carlos and his own future in F1 and that he largely had to work to put on a smiley face for the cameras. I actually think that entire first half of the clip is a great example of how the carlando chemistry came from Carlos being someone who loves being silly and laughing a lot in his time off the track and how convenient that was for Lando to help hide how much he was going through privately. when the media decided that Lando is meant to be adorable and silly all the time, someone as easy to get along with as Carlos was perfect timing. did nothing for Lando's actual personal struggle behind the scenes but it kept up a solid boundary between Lando and the media. I can't find it now but there's that old interview of Carlos being dismayed at Lando one day being sullen and quiet even when Carlos tried to joke with him - he was half kidding but Lando looked a bit uncomfortable and said "yeah I don't know why I'm like that sometimes". then it just got joked off as Lando being a moody teenager (which Lando visibly didn't really like).

so like, this is what their relationship has always been! Carlos represents a place Lando can go to and not have his demons or his problems follow him. and for someone who has always been used to physical affection, Carlos' lack of boundaries has always been extremely welcome as an endorphins boost.

but let's be honest here that's exactly the same super physically comfortable chemistry Carlos had even with Max and now has with Charles. I know the charlos of it all is probably a whole other hornets nest but fact is that to Carlos, Charles is equally a grown man to him and they can do the whole european buddies jokey flirting thing without it being weird. not the same as with Lando…

I've got to point out that when you look at comments not from fangirls, carlando as a "ship" is seen by F1 fans as big brother and baby brother or even dad and son relationship. this video was recently posted again from the stream where Carlos very firmly shut down people asking him to kiss Lando. whereas he'll jokingly ask Charles for a kiss and call him "darling" while being pretend domestic together. it's pretty damn clear that Carlos will joke about the bromance with Lando to an extent but Lando is The Baby and a little brother. Carlos wants to take care of Lando and he does not view him as a contemporary the way he does with Charles.

and considering Lando still suffers from the same anxieties and getting stuck in his own head, I've said before how I love that hanging with Carlos can still clear those cobwebs away. they can golf or just chat about any old bullshit and Lando can escape whatever is hanging over him for a while.

I truly do not know why people find that very real relationship insufficiently sweet and amazing and think that imagining them to be secret boyfriends is so much better ?? I mean absolutely rpf it the way I do for fun! but how bad does someone's gaydar have to be to think Carlos would have a single clue what to do with a penis that's not his own lfhajhfsa. American fans need to spend some time watching European friend groups and realize the insecure nohomo thing does NOT exist outside the US.

idk how many girlfriends have to get harassed or how far the media will push it before Lando or Carlos actually get sick of the whole ship thing but I think I speak for all rational carlando fans when I say that it's well past time to throw this whole conspiracy theory away. folks need to enjoy their friendship and ship them how you want for fun but don't push this thing to the point of even more discomfort. or worse make them change their behavior to get the focus off of them.

especially when you come to the landoscar of it all and deciding that it's a battle of the rpf ships. we've all seen those delusions in other fandoms result in baffling amount of hate that cross over into real life and how ugly it gets. carlando comments are already pretty out of control on Lando content that doesn't even remotely involve Carlos and it's bleeding onto McLaren content that involves Oscar.

I guess if I really make a few leaps in lofic then I can maaaaybe kind of see ? where that insecurity is coming from with those shippers. I do not understand it but if I had to guess it's possibly that we're seeing a totally different side of Lando than usual since he's been teammates with Oscar. and that for once, Lando's growth isn't dictated or based on his teammate being a big PR personality.

professionally he has said many times he's been pushed by Oscar into his own best F1 season yet. he's also matured a huge amount when it comes to his own failures and we've never heard him be so grown up and balanced as when he talks about how happy he is for Oscar and McLaren that Oscar got the sprint win before he did. that the "hurt" he feels over it is entirely because he is angry at himself for making mistakes. him doing the season farewell video and being able to ruefully joke but be genuinely proud of Oscar is so different from little Lando slumped and barely clapping during Carlos' departing speech or Lando looking out of it and a bit annoyed when Daniel would still try to do jokes after a particularly brutal result. Lando is behaving on his own terms in his own team now. he's The Guy.

Lando's grown UP. we're seeing a very finished article in him. and it's not because he's reacting to who Oscar is it's because Oscar's just letting him be. he's seen Oscar choose not to fake it or play up for the media and realized 'oh! I can be upset or depressed if I feel like it and not dance like a puppet when people want me to be fun and silly!'. he saw Oscar's urgency to prove himself after finally getting a seat and Lando realized that Oscar was just assuming that Lando would default be the superior! he saw Oscar backing away or leaving room for Lando to be the fan favorite and Lando's natural instinct was actually to let himself be quieter and take up only as much space as he wanted to! he's spent the whole season being asked to be an F1 global representative all on his own with no bromance attached and Oscar is there back at the garage or the McLaren motor home smiling and congratulating him like always!

in short, Lando suddenly has room and space to be whatever he chooses and Oscar has been open to any and all of it. they became immediate competition for each other without needing to hastily construct a friendship or bromance to negotiate it. Oscar shrugs off his own disappointments and doesn't gloat or overdo his achievements and oh! isn't it nice that he isn't expecting anything from Lando except respect! Lando doesn't have to navigate anyone else!

that's why I refer to them as sort of I guess a plantonic crush? I did this equally huge and weird post about this here. Oscar has admired Lando for a long time and Lando has absolutely loved having a teammate who doesn't view him as a baby or a kid brother. Lando is so intrigued by how calm and solid and strong Oscar is and Oscar still cannot quite believe Lando is right there in his life and as his teammate. the little cautious dance they're doing is absolutely precious but also because it's so intensely earnest. they both have such big long term plans for themselves and they are so happy to be working on those together that they aren't doing the whole let's find a schtick or do a bromance thing. if it takes them a long time to settle what their relationship is then so what!

and I guess for people who want to think that Carlos and Lando's friendship is 'superior' to every other relationship in their lives (as if Max F will ever be dethroned in Lando's life) it's got to take the already unstable mindset and upset it even more to see Lando personally growing into someone they don't really recognize and at least in some part because of Oscar.

because the carlando shipping that I see from these more extreme people (and I fully acknowledge they're a loud minority) basically eradicates Lando's agency and identity outside of finding Carlos hilarious or hot. they misinterpret Carlos being the authoritative role into Carlos being fully in control of carlando and Lando basically dancing to his tune and reacting to him. they never post the serious, slightly darker side of Lando because it's typically not associated with Carlos. unless it's Lando missing Carlos or upset that Carlos isn't around lol.

so I can only imagine that Oscar's arrival coinciding with a more mature and focused Lando who allows himself to want to be taken seriously and no longer spends all of his on-camera time screeching with laughter or flailing around is ummm not to the taste of those people. Lando still has screeching fits sometimes but he's overall a much calmer person and it's nice to know that when he laughs with Oscar it's always genuine since Oscar has no idea how to play up for laughs. it's probably why Those Fans are now aggressively posting Lando and Carlos doing the driver's parade together (again, among all the other paired off drivers lol) with "ALWAYS TOGETHER" AND "ALWAYS COMING BACK TO EACH OTHER" as if fate is trying to stop carlando from being the only thing that matters. because I guess in their minds, Lando can't just be believed when he says that Carlos is an F1 buddy the way other guys have F1 buddies and Lando can't grow up and have a personal best year without Singapore being solely about carlando and how Carlos took care of him (fuck off???? Lando would've gotten P2 or P3 anyway bc he had an excellent race??) and Lando won't be heard when he says actually Silverstone was his favorite race not Singapore because Carlos Carlos Carlos.

of course Lando can't have found a new kind of friend and teammate in a guy like Oscar who is wholly unlike Carlos in every single way imaginable because that would mean there are parts of Lando that don't suit Carlos and carlando. it would also imply that Oscar is a better teammate for Lando than Carlos was (which is true) and that oh no if Lando is no longer pining for Carlos to be his teammate again (he isn't and he said so) then that means Lando exists outside of carlando and that means they're gonna have to pile extra hard onto proving every single instance where carlando is still one of the most important things in Lando's life (it isn't and that wouldn't be healthy). it would also imply that purely platonic friendship between Carlos and Lando is basically pointless no no they've got to be fucking and in romantic love that's what makes them special not just the fact that they love being in each other's company and have full and happy lives outside each other.

I just.

reaalllly hope it all calms down soon and they leave Oscar out of this mess.

and thank FUCK Oscar's gf Lily has been fully accepted by landoscar fans from the start because the amount of vile hate and petty exclusion Rebecca is receiving makes it honestly a little bit hard for me to be ra ra carlando even just for fun right now.

will it stop me being carlando trash in the tags? no. but my conscience is cringing a bit.

[landinrris]

TAYLORRRRRR! I just read chapter 2 and I am OBSESSED! I was just wondering, are the necklaces (the pearls and the Bahrain one) canon? And if so, do you have pictures of Lando wearing them?

I love everything you write and I can’t wait for the next chapters!

Ahhh I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I can't wait to keep sharing more. The two necklaces definitely exist, one more "canon" than the other in its origin.

The Bahrain one I referred to is the one Lando's been wearing noticeably since pre-season testing this year. It's the little charm/wheel-looking thing he puts on different chains (you'll have to open the photos and probably zoom in a bit). Someone in the discord once said it looked like it showed up after the big Sainz + Lando golf excursion around that time. We don't actually have any proof that they bought it together/if anyone bought it for him, but I adopted it as my own that Carlos bought him.

As for the pearl necklace, technically we don't know if he bought it in New York either, but he showed up in Canada after being with Martin and co. with it. I don't think we've seen it past that weekend sadly, but I did have an aneurysm seeing it for the first time while at that race.

[flaringfoxsoul03]

Obey Me Headcanons!

Note: Personal hcs that I’ve thought about! All about the brothers!

Trigger warnings: Mentions of alcohol, drugs, emotional abuse, bodily harm, suicidal thoughts, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, murder

———————————————————————

Lucifer

Contrary to belief, Lucifer definitely drinks more than just Demonus. Despite it being his favorite go to in general and usually available alcohol, there’s more kinds of demonic alcohol that exists. Having being with the Demon Prince almost always, this demon with literally no ability to stop needs a stout drink and Demonus isn’t always on hand

I also personally believe that he has a little flasks that magically bigger on the inside. One for coffee and one for alcohol. And yes, he’s accidentally mixed them up once before and let’s just say he definitely struggled that day. Diavolo, Barbatos, Satan, and Belphie were they only ones to realize this and ultimately decided that Lucifer may need the weekend to recover. Satan and Belphie together decided to run and do their eldest brother’s work for the weekend with a couple of instructions from Barbatos while Diavolo pampered Lucifer. Lucifer found it hard to accept until after dinner at the palace when Diavolo sat him down and explained what he hoped to do for him. Albeit embarrassed, Diavolo was allowed and Lucifer actually had a pleasant weekend, no punishments needed to be dished out when he came home on the next school day and even gave rewards to Satan and Belphie for doing the unexpected (this turned into allowing Belphie and Satan to do two pranks that he purposely fell for, each one led by the other as it was agreed upon and couldn’t be deadly or destroy work for Lord Diavolo)

Lucifer often sneaks (as in actually taking a break) off to take care of Cerberus more often than not when he can’t handle the stress anymore. It’s not like the Avatar of Pride can really hire anyone to take care of his massive demonic dog, it’s kinda of got a reputation for turning demons and most other things into chew toys before they see Lucifer again

Secretly wears sweatshirts with hoodies when he’s having a rough go at it. Only ever wears it in his room with the door locked magically and physically. He can’t stand the idea of looking unkempt in front of anyone, but also suffers severely from his own heavy loads of stress that having some comfort while working is better than none

Mammon

Mammon definitely smokes weed. The poor demon allows himself to be a punching bag day in and out without a thanks, he’s also gonna need his own personal stress reliever

Unlike Lucifer, Mammon isn’t addicted to it as he limits how often he indulges and what he’ll go through. Definitely helps take off the edge of his brothers and haters spiteful words on those especially rough days

Some days are too much and he’ll self harm himself, he’s a masochist, he’ll reason to no one in particular. He’s never let it slip to the others because he’s not too fond of dredging up bad memories of him and Michael before he went to Lucifer. He, again, doesn’t indulge very often and usually takes place after smoking weed if it doesn’t stop the absolute mind numbing pain that attacks him almost daily

Gets high with Satan and Belphie when he caught them with a ridiculously large amount of weed and helps them cover up their tracks in exchange of dipping into the weed stash with consent of course. Still occasionally gets high with one or both of them, Satan more often as his little brother is an anxious smoker

Leviathan

Despite downplaying himself, Levi is incredibly strong. He works as the Admiral Captain for the Devildom’s Navy scene, he’s dealing with waves not many come back from. Worst that came of it is that he was soaking wet with a few bruises here and there after an excursion from a tropical storm on a sea voyage home. The ship he was on was the only one to return from the trip relatively unharmed despite starting with 5 sea vessels…

He doesn’t realize it yet, but he totally is able to control water similar to waterbenders, but it’s more of mental image of it and the water following that image guideline. He definitely could fly in the sense he uses water bending techniques in the air to propel himself any direction he gets

Has a heat lamp he’ll lay under when the weather is suboptimal for sea demons, he has a hard time regulating his own temperature. Though he is prone to inadvertently sunburning or catching himself on fire due to him passing out comfortably, so more often than not Beel will watch him in favor of snack bribes from Lucifer and Levi putting on one of Beel’s favorite TV shows in Levi’s room with the promise of cleaning up after himself

Levi has been considering getting some piercings or a couple of tattoos in honor of his favorite animes, but he’s too terrified of the pain and the people he’d have to deal with. More so the people, can’t stand normies. Also, hasn’t told anyone about these ideas because he’s not quite sure how to put it into words when Asmo and Mammon talk about more suggestive piercings at the dinner table the one time Lucifer was staying at the castle for the weekend…

Satan

As stated before, Satan also smokes weed, but he prefers to do it in the company of someone he trusts. Specifically Belphie or the rare occasion Mammon. He gets far too anxious by himself and he worries that Lucifer will come in at any moment when he is high

Satan, despite being very academically gifted, does actually participate in sports. More specifically, the demon version of cross country. No one really knows about this since it’s not as highly celebrated as Fangol, but his team is very much supportive regardless and gets to go to many cat cafes as after their demonic cross country meets. This is how he keeps in shape during the shenanigans his family gets into when he is unable to exercise on his own time

This demon has said a word or two of influence to humans before teleportation out of the Devildom was forbidden that may have resulted to the nation wide phenomenon of cat cafes in Japan and other parts of the world are starting to catch onto this popular trend with other varieties than just cats. No one knows but himself, which he is very proud of himself which manages to baffle Lucifer once in a blue moon when he feels his little brothers random swells of pride

Has considered starting a professional writing career, but I think he’s stuck on the idea that he has to choose a singular group to focus his stories on instead of writing for all groups with different styles. Let him figure it out, he’s going to realize at some point when his brothers are fighting over a similar topic and that’s when he’ll get started on it. It’ll probably turn into a giant project he’ll love so much

Asmodeus

Has been the victim of rape only once before. Asmo was just completely shocked and out of it for weeks when it happened to him and it took him awhile to process it. The only ones who knew initially was Lucifer, Solomon, and Barbatos. Simple enough to say, they took care of Asmo and the moron who thought it was a good idea to mess with the government of the Devildom. Asmo eventually told his other brothers everything which turned into a massive movie night sleepover in a common room while in a new group chat without Asmo dug around for details to see if they could still get involved with dealing out the deck of cards the idiot who touch Asmo would have to work with. Luckily, Barbatos figured this would happen and left the moron alive for the rest of the brothers to take a shot at

Definitely a supporter of the LGBTQ community, doesn’t need to say much after the hashtag “Princess Asmo” made scenes everywhere with Asmo all done up in a princess dress for a photo shoot for Majolish with a spoiler picture on Devilgram with him saying in the description, “Not all princesses start off as princesses,” with the hashtags supporting the LGBTQ community. This was also mistaken as an engagement announcement to Diavolo due to him also being in the photo spoiler in similar regalia. There was a post about it by the RAD newspaper and and RAD newsletter online explaining by the official sources (aka Lucifer and Barbatos) that it was not the case, just Diavolo wanting to experience the hardships of how much work the fashion industry puts into their work. The full reveal of the photo shoot showed it was not just a royal version as they showed off many different styles of clothing

More often than not, Asmo often gets hired as a interior decorator, exterior decorator, or the rare occasion both as he is famous for working with themes and turning them into fabulous fashionable places. Pictures, rumors have it, do it no justice. And they’re always right

At one point, Asmo did think about getting a long term pet. But he couldn’t choose which one he wanted to be associated with for the rest of their lifespan, so he’s still trying to weigh out pros and cons and to see which one Lucifer would allow him to keep

Beelzebub

Has a severe case of a eating disorder due to immense amounts of guilt he feels almost constantly. I see him more as a bulimic kind of a guy, he can not not eat, but he also feels like he doesn’t deserve it. Only Belphie has picked up on this and more often than not trying to stop Beel from harming himself. It hasn’t gotten to the point where he needs to make Beel or the others aware of his condition, but is definitely a stressor for the twins for different reasons at the moment

Doesn’t really get it, but he records his workout sessions and posts it to Deviltube. He had to get pointers from Asmo and has gotten help with editing by Levi and usually has Belphie record them if they’re together, which is usually the case. Surprisingly (yet unsurprisingly), to Beel, his Deviltube has gained lots of attraction due to what many call “insane workouts”

Usually has lollipops in his mouth while he’s working if he can’t get a full snack in before homework time, but that’s assuming he doesn’t just straight up chomp them away or his saliva isn’t so potent that it basically dissolves in his mouth within about a minute. His favorite brand at the moment come from Madam Screams, known to make real screamers for the mouth-bursting flavor as time passes

Is very much a local and very popular food critic, but more often than not, Lucifer, Satan, and Belphie have to translate Beel speak for the rest of the population in the food industry so they don’t accidentally make an entire business die just because Beel said it was good as his only response

Belphegor

Definitely has self harming tendencies, but refrains from actually doing something on purpose due to his twin connections. He’s not too keen on the idea to how he could explain to Beel why he could feel Belphie actively harming himself

As stated before, Belphie smokes weed. Not only as a stress reliever, it also allows himself to really think to himself about issues he was just sleeping away. He’s definitely a quiet smoker, not as talkative which can occasionally freak Satan out if they’re smoking together. Other than the rare occasion of Mammon joining in for a few hits here and there, he usually prefers to smoke by himself

Unlike Mammon and Satan, Belphie is very much addicted to weed. Once he starts, he can’t get himself to stop until it’s all gone. In an attempt to regulate himself, he lets Mammon and Satan keep track where the supplies are and always asks them to set an amount for him. They unknowingly keep Belphie from overdoing it and frequently, which is nice when you don’t have enough self control yourself to manage it. However, withdrawal symptoms kick his ass hard and ends up sleeping a lot more to recover

Absolutely is an assassin. Only Barbatos knows as Belphie is often given missions from him to complete which help regulate the pathetic crime rings that still exist in the Devildom. His alias is known and feared as the Nightmare Crusher, often leaving an example of demons who thought they were above the government in grotesque fashion. None of his brothers are any wiser than what Barbatos tells them or bothered to put it together

——————————————————————-

That’s it! Hope you liked what I’ve tried to come up as what I thought was near original!

~Fox

[gurokichi]

Guess who's happy because finally something good happens in her pathetic and boring life? :D

Yeah it's me, Unnamed anon, did you miss me Bon? :P (a part of me thinks that you don't, but the other part hopes that you do)

I'm REALLY sorry for not send an ask this recent days, but so many things happen last week that I didn't have the time to send you an ask.

And I know what you would say "why didn't you just message me?", well I know that I could do that but I decided to not do that.

Because I really wanted to tell you everything, and if I message you there would be a good possibility that you wouldn't answer me so, I decided to send an ask instead! :D

And to be honest, I miss you Bon, even if we don't talk that much (for the hour difference, you know that), I still miss talking to you, or sending you an ask.

Buuut leaving that aside, be prepared because I wouldn't stop typing until I finished to say everything that happens to me these days >:D (I know myself very well and I know that I would feel embarrassed after a few hours later so, I'm going to take advantage that I don't feel embarrassed or nervous right now, if you don't want to read all of this is fine Bon, I just really wanted to say this to someone, specifically you :3)

So to start all of this rambling I want to say that I don't go to class today, it was raining so much in my home so my father decided to not send me to school :D (is still raining at the moment that I write this though) and because of that, I have the time of the word to do everything I didn't do in the weekend :D

Ok so, Friday was the day where a lot of things happened, But first I have to clarify something, remember when I told you that the tour that we were going to do on my birthday was canceled and moved to another day?, Well, as it turns out, that day ended up being last Friday, and basically all week we were trying to get ready for the trip.

Basically we went to the ninth department of my country, to see the things that were there, because we were on an excursion dah (so we were going to see a fucking soccer game xd).

First I have to mention that we had to arrive early, like 5 am, the point is that it had to be before 6 am because at that time we were going to leave, And since I hardly sleep at all, it was easy for me to wake up early... I woke up at 3 am... Yeah, my sleep schedule sucks, I know, but well, leaving that aside I waited an hour or so and then at 4:47 I decided to wake my dad up, and then the typical thing for every day, I ate my breakfast, brush my teeth, bathe, get dressed, you know the typical thing to do when you go out somewhere.

And when I got to school it was really cold, it was even drizzling a little, luckily I wore my hoodie that day so I wasn't cold, and when I arrived there was hardly anyone, really, there were so few people that it was even strange.

But after a certain time, during which time my dad (Yup my dad came with me, he is some... Overprotective I could say) talk to the Coordinator, telling her to take care of me with her life because he didn't want something bad to happen to me, I ate an empanada, and my dad bought me some strawberry cookies, and then finally the others arrived but more importantly, the Bus arrived, one of the two groups at least (because not only those in my class were going to go, otherwise two more classes were going to go, so they were going to be two groups, because obviously there would be no room for three classes in one together).

And after I got on the first bus, I talked a little with my dad, I drew (because I had brought a notebook to write down everything I would learn on the trip, spoiler: I hardly ever used it xd) and after another time in which the second bus arrived, we finally went on the long-awaited excursion.

I'm not going to stop every time we go down for certain needs, such as going to the bathroom (which happens almost all the time, wtf rhyme xd, although only in Spanish is it understood but still xd), or going to eat something, but I want to highlight two things, the first: I didn't go to the bathroom, literally throughout the tour I didn't go to the bathroom even once, and the second: at one point I changed of bus to go to the second one, because there was one of my friends (it almost seems like the only one I have xd) and his mom, who go with him on the tour, and well I stayed in the second one bus for the rest of the tour.

The first place we visited was a museum, which was special because there were the remains of what was once the iron factory “la rosada”, this factory was responsible for creating a barrel made entirely of iron, iron which was melted to be able to use metal, although the barrel that was in the Museum was a replica, the real one is in the hands of Brazilians, because they took the barrel as one of the trophies for the Triple Alliance war, and I better stop here because I don't want to bore you with a history class Bon xd.

The second place we visited was a park, which was connected to a huge stream, and there I realized that not only we were there, there were children from other schools as well, the park was also where we had lunch, and for the first time in a long time, I ordered a second course, which I never do, you could tell that I was very hungry huh? Xd.

That's also where I got the dirtiest xd, if in itself I got a little dirty in the Museum, there in the park I not only got dirty but I also got wet xd, it's just that the stream was too tempting, how could I not get wet? (Ok this is sounds really bad ;-;), but I still had a lot of fun in the stream, since I didn't go to one a long time ago :D.

And the third place we visited was a hill, and God the climb was TOO exhausting, and on top of that I'm not the person with the best physical condition in the world, so you can imagine what I suffered climbing there, there wasn't much, but it was still fun to be there (even though the climb was insufferable), I had the opportunity to throw stones from above :D (“but unnamed anon, you're afraid of heights-” shh, shut up).

And well, after all that we finally went back to school, I have to say that during the excursion I slept like three times, and that on the bus two weons kept singing whatever stupid thing they could think of or were asked to do, it was very funny, and after several hours, we finally arrived at school around 7 pm, we arrived late, but well, after that I arrived at my house, changed, and after telling my dad what happened on the trip (skipping certain things too) I went to my room and started watching YouTube.

And well, that's what happened on Friday (skipping several things, such as the fact that the pen I took with me on the tour exploded without me realizing it, and Yup, it was a disaster inside the bag I was carrying that day), Not much happened on the weekend, just me seeing things from vocaloid and utau, learning about 3d modeling (don't ask me why, because I don't even know xd) and well, things like that, but I'm still happy (which is strange that it lasts so long xd).

Wow, I think this is the first time I rambling in so long, but I can't think of anything else to say, so for now that's all! :D

I'm sorry if I write to much, I know that I could just message you instead of send you an ask but, it's just that I wanted to tell you everything! (And I couldn't help but think that i'm being annoying, which knowing you, you wouldn't think that way, I think that I say this already,did i?), so that's why I write this much today, that and the fact that I miss you! :D

But I think I'm done for now, so bye Bon! :D

-Unnamed anon (it feels so good saying that again :"D)

Wahhh, your life isn't pathetic and boring. Don't say that!! And welcome back; I did miss you!! It's okay; you don't have to apologize for not sending an ask. Truth be told, I've been pretty exhausted and haven't really had the energy for answering asks until recently. I totally understand not having the time to send something in, but it's always appreciated when you do! Giggling, if you wanted to message me, you could've. I would've tried my best to respond... I am just forgetful and space it sometimes. And aw, thank you. That makes me happy to hear you've missed me <3

You typed A LOT!! Wowowow. You really meant it when you said you wouldn't stop typing. And no need to be nervous or embarrassed about sending me anything; I'd never judge ^^ Aah, I love rain. I'm so jealous! I'm gonna steal your weather, ehehe. I hope that you got everything you wanted to do done. It seems like you had a very fun trip... I don't have much to say right now because you explained most of the questions I thought of, and I'm pretty tired. I didn't wanna leave you waiting for too long. I enjoyed reading this, though! I don't mind you sending long asks; I just may not have the longest responses, like now. I promise you that you aren't annoying, and if anyone says otherwise, I'll beat them up for you. Bye bye! (^^)/

[guerrerense]

Now arriving.... por Kevin Madore Por Flickr: After a roughly 30 minute trip on the park's 3-mile, narrow gauge loop, the former WP&YR Locomotive #190 brings the Tweetsie Railroad's excursion train back to the platform, where the current passengers will disembark, and the train will take on a fresh group of patrons. This crossing, near the locomotive shop, is one of the few places in the park where you can potentially get an unobstructed, 3/4 angle photo of the locomotive, but it requires some persistence, some luck, and a little help. Normally, this location is swarming with patrons, and a train time, several railroad personnel will stand in the crossing to physically obstruct anyone who might wander too close to the tracks. On this particular day, the railroad was holding its annual "Rail Heritage Weekend" and a group of photographers literally formed a solid photo line, which pretty much kept the area clear, at least for a few seconds at the critical moment. That left only the young trainman, who had arrived to protect the crossing, and who kindly stepped aside as the locomotive arrived.

[halfeaten-mantou]

🧁 old-fashioned YanShen cupcake | Chapter 1/10 | ao3

Yan Wushi is having a bad hair day. Three reasons:

1. He's cranky.

2. He's hungry.

3. He's out of hairgel.

(Continue reading here or under the cut!)

It isn't the first time Yan Wushi has been feeling a little blue lately. He's been feeling a little blue a little too often lately, to the extent that a few days back Yu Shengyan had even suggested (in genuine good intention) to Google if ‘menopause was a thing for middle-aged men, too’, before suffering a kick to his derriere (the poor boy, he'd really only meant to help).

It isn't like anything in his life has changed—not that it has for the past fifteen years of his fifty years. One would rarely be able to tell from his devilish demeanour that he's used to living life in this sort of circadian rhythm—a predictable, humdrum routine. He's always been quite the wild child, after all, with quite the appearance to match it: passers-by have wondered if he may in fact be a veteran actor from the action-movie industry. Tall. Muscular and sculpted. Dashingly chaotic countenance. Always dressed in some upscale and well-fitted bespoke suit. Medium-length hair tied into a ponytail at the back and swept into a stylish fringe at the front, set in place with cedarwood-scented hairgel. Suave.

Speaking of the suave, cedarwood-scented hair…it may in fact be the MVP for most annoying thing of the day, and not because he's out of hairgel. The truly concerning issue is that apart from the stylish lock of white hair across the front of his fringe—a physical quirk that had come free-of-charge with puberty—the white hairs have exponentially increased all over his head lately, skewing the ratio of black to white hairs too low for his liking.

Truth be told, it wasn't at all something to get upset about for someone who’s almost fifty. To some degree, having accumulated this many years of life experience has gradually settled him into some sort of cozy comfort zone. Waking up at 6 a.m. Cracking three eggs into the frypan as breakfast. Setting pre-ground dark roasted coffee beans into the DeLonghi. Making two cuppas, one for the eggs and one for the road. Administrative work, meetings, and more administrative work before he hits the road at 8 p.m. and the bed at 10 p.m.

It's as if he's been living life on repeat. On the weekdays, he sleeps, wakes, works. On the weekends, he sleeps in, wakes late, and works out, and sometimes visits the lesser-trodden districts when night falls, because successful CEOs need to destress, too; the fact remains that he’s got no fixed partner he can rely on for such purposes.  That last bit isn’t even much of a secret—rumours have always flown that big boss Yan Wushi has always been quite the seasoned bachelor, and everyone has presumed that it was his personal choice to not settle down with anyone. But such excursions are few and far between, never lasting long enough to interrupt the consistency of his days in the slightest: love that lives as long as the night; temporary ties which he cuts off the very next day, before returning swiftly to his unchanging daily schedule.

It's as if he's been living life as an old MP3 player put on loop. Not that it's a bad thing exactly—after all, he's making a lot of money, and as much as others might like to protest, he's been making the money legitimately. And who doesn't want to make a lot of money on repeat? But nothing particularly exciting happens, until perhaps one day in the unforeseeable future when someone decides to wage some corporate battle against his company, and at the moment he's still way too powerful and too careful for that to actually happen.

To some degree, he does miss the raucous old days when he'd just started out, barely twenty, pocket empty of cash but heart full of conviction and courage, waging war with the world. Before he’d known it, he'd conquered the pharmaceutical world in fifteen years. And before he’d known it, fifteen more years pass, rendering him a little less rough around the edges, and a little more...bored. Jaded. Tired.

Well...cranky as he is, he's also hungry. So he cracks three eggs into the frypan. Sets pre-ground dark roasted coffee beans into the DeLonghi. Makes two cuppas, one for the eggs and one for the road. On the television, some shrill human voices can be heard—it's a bunch of schoolgirls and a middle-aged female news presenter doing a morning news special on the latest pancake café that has just opened in town.

The camera zooms in onto the pancakes and surprisingly, he catches himself thinking that they actually look sort of delicious. Well…he does realise most things look delicious if he's been having chicken eggs everyday for breakfast for the past fifteen years. He continues watching the programme, and two things are obvious: firstly, there are very few men, especially of the middle aged sort. Secondly, no one's alone—everyone's there either with friends, family, or their date.

A third thing is obvious—everyone there, mostly schoolgirls, are giggling, looking extremely silly happy and well-fed, and evidently having a lot of fun. It's been forever since Yan Wushi's felt that life was even a bit fun—for the most part, it's now just boring. And maybe a tad lonely.

Before the programme ends, the presenter announces that the store will be opening a second branch within the central business district, and it turns out that the location is near enough to his office that he's technically able to pop in at the opening time for breakfast and then head straight to work, but…

…he reckons an old guy four months shy of turning 50 has zero business being in that kind of kitschy, fashionable shop targeted at young and pure schoolgirls under 18.

____________________________________________________

"Good morning, Mr Yan," the workers bow in unison as he makes his entry into the office building. Yu Shengyan bows as he accosts his boss at the lobby.

"Mr Yan, the shortlisted prospective employees have all arrived for the 9 a.m. interview slot. I have checked your schedules and you are free for the morning, so I trust you will be interviewing them personally this time as well?"

"Of course.” Lackadaisical as he may seem, Yan Wushi is one of few CEOs in this city who handpick their subordinates personally, be they prospective executive directors or prospective cleaning staff. Call it interpersonal proximity, mock affection, or even contamination phobia, but if there's one thing Wushi insists, it's that only trustworthy folk can even come close to laying a finger on Huanyue—only fools let their company crumble from the inside out.

It's no secret that this company is one of the most sought-after workplaces, and one of the hardest to get into—hardly surprising, given the potency of Yan Wushi's skillset. His methods are unorthodox, and sometimes frightening, but rarely has anyone ever produced evidence showing that they're unclean, in the ethical sense. It is well-known information that Huanyue Pharmaceuticals' health products has always never failed a single public safety check, even after the recent tightening of national medical policies. The same cannot be said for the rest of their competitors out there, given the rising trend of pharmaceutical company misdeeds—counterfeit products, false reports of ingredient lists, unchecked chemicals, you name it—only Huanyue Pharmaceuticals has always had the competence to make it big in the healthcare product industry without cheap dirty tricks…

Well, only Huanyue and one other company. Which incidentally probably doesn't even rely on any tricks whatsoever, unlike Huanyue, which does rely on, well, a few clean tricks.

The interview room is on the third floor, so Shengyan presses '3' before 'CLOSE', but right before the two ends of the lift door make contact, something jams itself in between them.

It's a human arm.

As the lift door reopens, the owner of the arm chokes as he pants for air, probably having just run for the lift. A pale and slender man in smart but slightly unkempt office attire, a light green collared dress shirt and black pants. Jet black chin-length hair, neat but slightly in need of trimming. "I'm really sorry. I heard there was an interview today and that it starts at 9 a.m., but I was in another city so I had to rush to get here on the bullet train. I hope I've made it on time."

"…yes, there's an interview, but…" Shengyan frowns. "All of today's interviewees are already sitting in the waiting room right now, and as far as I've checked, no one's missing. Are you sure you're actually supposed to be here today?"

The man’s expression is unchanging despite the manager’s cold and straightforward query. "I don't think I am. But I wonder if I may be given the privilege of joining the rest of the interviewees today?" He bows deeply at Shengyan and Wushi. "I really need to attend this interview as soon as possible."

Shengyan opens his mouth to say something about following the protocol, only for Wushi to put one firm hand on his shoulder. "Let him take the interview." The corners of Wushi's lips are turned upwards, his eyes transfixed on the stranger. "After all, he's even gone to the extent of rushing here from another city since the morning."

"Thank you," he bows politely, stepping into the lift. As the lift door closes, he stands centimetres in front of them, facing away towards the lift door. His back is straight and his composure unshaken—amidst the apparent fatigue and humility in his figure, he exudes an unusual sense of competence and intensity, as if he knows that he hasn't given the best first impression, yet does not know fear.

From the situation that he'd described earlier, though, he definitely does seem to know desperation.

Shengyan, being the goody protocol-follower he is, throws a questioning glance at his boss, only for said boss to lean close towards his ear and whisper something.

"I know him. I've seen him somewhere before."

Shengyan's questioning glance grows into one of shock. Wushi, on the other hand, is smiling, and it's not exactly the same fake and nonchalant smirk he always wears. Rather, it's a somewhat enigmatic smile, brimming with intense but restrained exhilaration. Shengyan stares at his boss with equal parts fear and wonder— the gaze in his eyes is so alive that it makes him almost look five years younger, and Shengyan thinks it must have been fifteen years since he’s looked this excited.

Many unexpected things are happening this morning.

____________________________________________________

"Come in," Shengyan calls, beckoning their final interviewee for the day.

The man from the incident at the lift walks into the interview room, visibly less unkempt, and facial expression equally serious.

"Good morning, Mr Yan, Mr Yu." He bows, placing his documents onto the table. "Sorry for the incident earlier. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you today. My name is-"

"Shen Qiao," Yan Wushi cuts him off, voice singsong in a way more overbearing way than the usual tone he adopts when he’s speaking to employees, prospective or not. "Good to meet you, Shen Qiao."

Shen Qiao glances at Yan Wushi, surprised at the unexpected interruption. Shengyan gulps, feeling a strange tension emanate from his superior—the first of such scary moods in a while, as if to remind him that his much-feared senior, who’d given him nightmares when he was an intern himself, has not in fact lost his touch.

"…good to meet you too, Mr Yan."

"Mr Shen," Shengyan starts the interview process quickly, strange ominous feeling brewing in the deep of his gut. "Please explain your motivations for wishing to join us—"

"Let me handle the interview this time, Shengyan." Yan Wushi throws an unreadable smile at Shen Qiao, who visibly staggers a little, as if in reflex of a potential blow to his face landing soon.

"Shen Qiao," Yan Wushi starts. "First disciple of world-renowned pharmaceutical scientist Qi Fengge, and CEO, or should I say, ex-CEO of Xuandu Pharmaceuticals. Also known as…my competitor." Wushi's still smiling, but his tone of voice is not—it is lilting but cold; extraverted but protective. "Please explain your motives for wishing to join us."

Shen Qiao is silent for nearly half a minute before he speaks up. In the few moments of silence, Yan Wushi does nothing but stare him down, and the process, he realises that his corporate competitor's appearances are…strangely ethereal, not in the way reminiscent of your everyday TV-superstar or idol-type handsome guy, but with features that give him an air of having walked straight out of an ancient Chinese ink brush painting. It is only when he speaks again that Yan Wushi’s attention returns to their present situation.

"…I need your help, Mr Yan."

…that wasn’t a response Yan Wushi had expected.

"My help?" Yan Wushi leans forward slightly onto the table as he stares at the interviewee harder. "To what do I owe the pleasure of being asked for help by the biggest boss of the biggest pharmaceutical company in the country?"

Shen Qiao is visibly uncomfortable, shifting a little in his seat—but he doesn't show any sign of backing down. Poker face and posture completely intact, he looks straight at the eyes of the domineering man in front of him.

"I will cut to the chase. Two weeks ago, I traveled to America to attend a series of scientific conferences. Right after I landed, I was assaulted and fell into a coma for more than a week. When I awoke, I was informed that my deputy and junior, Yu Ai, had taken over my position in that time.”

Yan Wushi is silent in thought for a moment—he’d already known about Xuandu’s recent change in leadership, but he had no clue that this was the story behind it. A slightly wicked expression emerges on his countenance.

Seems like today is turning out to be the most unexpected day.

"I see. Basically, you got overthrown by your own deputy."

Ex-CEO Shen coughs at Wushi’s brash rephrasing of the situation. "Yes, in a way. I will now get to my point. My point is not that I was removed from the position, but that my successor has completely changed the company’s entire system.”

“System?” Yu Shengyan queries, confused. “What kind of system?”

“Decision-making system. In essence, the company’s products will undergo a huge change due to changes in decisions regarding the ingredient and dosage inclusion criteria. Specifically, the changes made were in favour of profit, and away from health and safety.” Shen Qiao sighs, looking remorse. “I was told that even amidst the protests of a few more ethically-minded employees, no one was able to overrule the new leader's decisions. Now Xuandu is looking like a company I can no longer recognise. I left them because I am helpless against the changes, and there's nothing I can do to straighten the company back into following the ground rules and principles set by our founder."

A moment of silence; Shen Qiao breathes, as if to brace himself for what is about to escape his mouth. "But there might be something you can do. Huanyue isn't only a pharmaceutical firm wielding immense power. It has also had a reputation for being spotlessly ethical. And this is why I have come to you."

Yan Wushi smiles, feeling excitement brew in his gut.

"You said you’d get to your point. I’ve been waiting for a while now—what is your point exactly? What do you want me to do?"

"Please help me bring Xuandu Pharmaceuticals down." Shen Qiao's voice is calm, but seething. "Destroy the company; leave them bankrupt if you must. Human lives are at stake."

The look on Shen Qiao's face is one of conviction, and Yan Wushi realises that today has, indeed, been the most unexpected day.

Never thought the day would come when Yan Wushi, the well-preserved and most-hated supervillain of China’s pharmaceutical Jianghu, would actually be tasked with being a superhero.

____________________________________________________

The door clicks with a shut as the interviewee leaves the meeting room. After making sure he's gone, Yu Shengyan speaks up.

"Mr Yan," Shengyan's voice is respectful, but anxious and wary. "Are you sure it was a good idea to agree to help him?"

Yan Wushi only laughs. Shengyan frowns.

"Boss. Have you ever thought that he might be lying to us, and that he might in fact be some sort of…spy? To bring our company down, instead of the other way round?"

"Of course, you dummy. Who do you think your boss is? A dummy?"

"…Then why did you just agree to helping him…?"

"Listen to yourself, because you just got something right." Wushi's smiling, but his voice is cold. "I just agreed to helping him."

Because after all, if there's one thing Wushi knows, it's that only fools let their company crumble from the inside out. In a twisted way, he’s already lying in anticipation to watch his true motives fall from his sleeves.  After all, from experience, the most innocent-looking ones are often the most beguiling. His mind has already built for himself a fortress of expectations that Shen Qiao will betray him anytime.

His gut, however, is telling him that Shen Qiao may, in fact, betray his expectations instead. Maybe it’s his clean and honest demeanour, or maybe it’s the soft but straightforward way in which he asserts his principles. (Who even has principles anymore?)

Maybe it’s the way he sticks out like a sore thumb in this cruel corporate universe in cruel 22nd century China, perhaps the last of his kind—pure and clean, untainted. Humane.

He’s going to have to watch this one closely for a bit.

>>>>> Continue to Chapter 2: tumblr | ao3 >>>>>>>

[starchanged]

angry ... ANGRY...!

Lawless primeapes in his den..! AGAIN! He hasn't rested in peace since he was FORCED here by HEEDLESS WARM BLOODS thinking him a novelty!! Dragging him away from the times of primal paradise, warm jungles and simple pleasures!!

FORCED INTO STRANGE EON...IMPRISONED IN A TINY ORB CAGE...FREEDOM FROM CAPTORS ONLY WHEN HE BROKE FREE AFTER A BATTLE OF CLAWS AND TEETH AGAINST HUMAN PETS SOFT FROM EONS AND EONS OF DOMESTICATION...

But not him; prowling cover with silent tenacity only the primitive knew. Reptilian eyes dialated and adrenalin made a savage heart beat fast; locking on familiar query.

Something shook up his crater home again! Somethings been in his territory, making things shake, disrupting the little peace he had and leaving a mess! THEY DID IT. THEY WERE THE ONES TO DO IT. THEY DID IT BEFORE, THEY PROBABLY DID IT AGAIN. NO MORE. END IT HERE. TEACH THEM THEIR FINAL LESSON!!!

Tracked her scent down ... could never forget the heinous pack of hairless apes down in his den...the four of them and his two legged captor who reeked of oil and alloys beneath it's fake skin. The metal one is gone and the other three will come later.

This one....NOW!!!

But he was too eager on approach. It wasn't quiet or unheard. His claws made too much noise on his leap forward; snapping wood and knocking over objects. Talons missed her head with just a scratch before slamming onto the opposite wall with a battering thud.

But Apex shakes himself off with a guttural hiss.

The Guardian of Paradise has a grudge to see through. Better do something fast--

Returning to the crater was idiotic, Penny knew it was. Doing so alone was even more foolish. If any of their friends had suggested Penny would've called them mad and tried desperately to talk them out of it or at least volunteer to go with. Perhaps that's why they didn't mention this little excursion to their friends or anyone else for that matter. They knew at best their friends would try to talk them out of it and at worst would try to come with. Their goals for returning were purely selfish, if not even a little suicidal. There was so much technology left down there, so much data that could be put to such better use then just rusting or rotting away into nothing. If Penny could retrieve even a sliver of that data imagine what they could offer their Porygon...

So they snuck from their dorm late one Friday night giving an excuse to all they knew for their sudden absence over the weekend and ventured forth. The only companions at their side were their loyal team of Eeveelutions, safely sheltered away in their pokeballs. While they faced the possibilities of the crater alone. Acting far braver then they'd ever imagined they had in them.

They went from outpost to outpost trying to save as much information as they could onto zip drives, their laptop, external drives, anything they could fit into their backpack to carry with them. The moments in between the outposts kept their heart racing, eyes locking onto everything that dared make any noise and finger quivering over the button of their beloved Sylveon's Pokeball. They didn't dare keep her out of the ball for fear of her being randomly attacked or of being randomly attacked herself. But she kept it by her side, waiting in fear.

Just as they left the third outpost they heard it. The sound of wood breaking like the base of a tree being snapped by lightning and metal poles falling from their secure place by the movement of something large. They turned to look just in time to see claws larger then their head aimed directly at them. There's enough time to either scream or move and luckily Penny's body moves before their vocal chords can catch up.

They lunge to the ground as a claw manages to tear the flesh of their skull right above their left eye. The sound of metal crushing against itself rings out mixing with the rushing of blood in their ears. Drives, USB's and computer parts fall out of their bag scattering to the jungle floor. But more importantly the Pokeball from their hand rolls from their hand with a flash of red.

Sylveon stands before the Apex predator as though he were not more then twice her size and eons her elder. Fur stands on end with ribbon like tendrils extended out to make her seem bigger and sharpened teeth, that might be threatening to something of it's own caliber, bared. There is no fear in the blue eyes that glare at the Apex only the look of a Pokemon determined to protect it's home.

Before she has any time to act however Penny is back on their feet grabbing their beloved Fairy in their arms and gunning for the Outpost. This is not a fight they wish to see, not one they even wish to test. They'd rather take their chances waiting in an enclosed space for however long Koraidon lingered then dare take this fight. With a leap into the open doors they scramble to slam the button to shut the doors, eyes momentarily catching Koraidon's and silently praying the metal will hold the beast at bay.