#yes hinata being short is a huge part of his story in the original but in this its more about his disability affecting not being able t

[gayaest]

Again this AU is super self-indulgent — if you disagree with a headcanon i’ve given them for my AU (that’s obviously fine) but you can make your own au then !

[mihorapendeja]

happier than ever | tsukishima x you

the one shot in which tsukishima basically falls for a female version of everyone's favorite sunny tangerine.

genre: fluff/soft core smut lmao i haven't done this in years i feel silly but here you go

pairing(s): kei tsukishima x you (referred to as "ria kihira" in part 1 bc this was originally going to be an OC thing but nvm a/n's: show this some love and interaction pls.

PART 1: THE PAST

❝Again?❞ Even though Tsukishima complained again, this time he made it easier for her as he even stood completely still. Such a good boy.

❝Let her beat your face!❞ Shoyo exclaimed as she smiled in delight, then moving on to pat the powder puff on his stupid face. Of course she only took a few seconds for him, but all the time in the world for Hinata.

While the two chirped about the new reboot trailer for Dexter, Kuroo's sleazy self slid beside his lanky child with an extra smug look on his face. That man was a menace.

❝Say, don't you think they look related?❞

Tsukishima was a difficult man to catch off guard, but right then and there, a mini existential crisis kicked in. His eyes darted back and forth between Shoyo and Ria Kihira, the makeup artist on set for the commercial filming day.

Kei knew Kuroo was a slut for all the pretty things in life — he constantly had a trope of hot women surrounding him.

But this time, he'd really outdone himself.

Not a stupid man entirely, a huge shit-eating grin formed on Tetsuro's face. He followed Kei's eyes who desperately wandered back and forth their matching hair, skin tone, lack of height... "please let it be a mere coincidence because it's bad enough that—" Kei shut his own intrusive mind from further thinking as he slapped his hand over Kuroo's mouth shut. Tight.

That hyena laugh was not being unleashed today.

THE STORY OF HOW YOU MET:

ca. 2019, on set of a commercial for one of Kuroo's production companies. After Tetsuro had defeated Kei in a game of beer pong, he had to comply with the loser's bet -- be part of the damn commercial along with Shoyo, for a viewership boost. So he said. Ria was the makeup artist on set that day, and it pretty much went from Tsuki acting like a feral cat who didn't want to be touched by any makeup tools, to blissfully passing out in a chair while she gently stroked his face with a soft powder brush.

Near the end of the day when he'd no longer back away from her with animosity, it was Kuroo's stupidly astute observation that left him rattled. The boy was put into a choke hold because he refused to like someone with the same orange hair and milky skin tone as Hinata. Someone equally bright, bubbly, and stupid ... yeah that refusal didn't last long. Ria spoke her mind so freely, being direct but never pleading because she respected herself in that regard. He liked that and before Kei knew it, he found himself admitting to her that he was, "actually quite fond of you." She understood it was his way of saying those pesky 3 words, 8 letters.

PART 2: THE PRESENT, 3 YEARS LATER.

THE ALARM CLOCK rang it’s deathly siren like tone, nearly sending you into cardiac arrest. Although he defensively stretched an arm out over your chest as if ready to protect, Kei did not get up.

Of course he wouldn't.

Like every morning at 4am, it was you who suffered the most when getting out of bed to grab the phone to silence that torture down. As you had deeply sighed and turned to face the bed, Tssuki was now face up with the covers all the way up to his nose.

Even in your groggy state, you could tell he was smirking. That smug bastard stared at you intently, dead still. While Kei typically minded his own business and was at times thought of as quiet, the boy was definitely not shy. You wouldn't call him a total flirt, but he could so hold onto a gaze without so little as batting a long eyelash.

Kei was, extremely competitive. Lightning would have to strike his literal eyes to keep them from staring at you, specifically at your curvy thighs.

The way your soft cotton shorts rode up them was always a very pleasant sight, so he just kept staring, happily.

He loved that little penguin walk you busted into every morning when shutting the alarm off.

It’s like you couldn’t balance properly, and he swore that you were always shorter looking in the early hours of the day. He didn’t know how you could lack more height than you already did at barely 5 feet 2, but it always seemed that way.

It was especially cute, like he could just grab you and keep you in the palm of his hand.

Tired, you sat back down on the bed. You scooted until meeting the headboard, and then just let her head dip back.

It was so incredibly peaceful until you could no longer ignore his obvious glaring. “If you’re awake already, why don’t you get up?”

“It’s barely 4:05,

we don’t go in till 5am.”

He said so factually that you just deeply exhaled. Tssuki was definitely not a morning person, and neither were you.

Even though you were much more energetic, it was a Friday and you could not wait for the end of the workday already.

While Tssuki could be late to practice because let's be honest, few would even confront him, you could not pull off the same irresponsibility.

You cared way too much, and in general, hated the feeling of being late to anything. "Come on." You murmured, nudging Kei as he completely ignored you and kept on sleeping.

You waited for another minute before climbing out of bed, grabbing his attention once again. This time, your black shorts were scrunched further up. So far up that your ample ass cheeks were out in all their glory.

“Arigato, thank you god.”

Nishinoya would say.

“Well I’m not as naturally good looking as you so I’m gonna go shower and start getting ready.”

You huffed, truly riling Kei up inside. Hearing you say that genuinely made something inside of his stomach stir, so he instinctively reached out towards your wrist.

Even in the dark room, he could see your face clearly and tell you weren’t joking. "The fuck is wrong with her?" He thought, not angry, but extremely concerned because you weren't fishing for a compliment.

The two of you had been together for over 3 years now, and so he more than knew that you were not that kind of girl.

Yes, you lacked height at 5’2, but you were physically strong. Literally, you could carry all the grocery bags in one go with no issues. Lifting abilities? Check.

Even though Tssuki cruelly chose the apartment with extra high kitchen shelves, you would never ask for help to reach for stuff. "Help I can't reach" was not a phrase that existed in your world.

Literally, he’d sometimes walk in for some juice and find you on top of a chair reaching for something, if not on the literal counter tops to store items.

Independent? Check.

Resourceful? Check.

On top of all that, you had a voluptuous body he thought was fucking scrumptious. He understood that the norms for women in Japan could be vicious, especially if you weren’t a slender door like he was, but despite your insecurities, you still wore it all so well. You didn’t let it stop you from wearing whatever you wanted (as you should).

At times he did think you were a little bit stupid for fretting over such body image issues, but Tssuki was okay with that.

He didn’t want a know it all like himself, that be beyond insufferable.

Before he knew it, you were teaching him a thing or two as well. So Tssuki then knew you were not a vapid pick me girl, and that was honestly a pretty big turn on for him.

SPEAKING OF TURN ons, Kei found it incredibly hot to have you pinned beneath him, like you currently were.

It wasn’t an ingenue kink, to have you below him so submissively and weak, no. It was the way you fought to assert yourself, and the way you writhed. The way you tried to break free was no half assed attempt either.

Sometimes you'd even throw in a few knees into it, and Tssuki didn't mind it one bit. Two dominate personalities, things were always bound to be feisty in bed.

This time however, he sensed some a defeat in your soul.

Convinced to rekindle your spirits, his brows furrowed as he lowered himself closer to your pretty face.

“Take that back.” Tssuki growled in a low, oh so sexy deepened morning voice.

“I can’t, It’s true.” You protested, sighing as he pulled himself away only to then wrap his arms around your waist and throw you over his shoulders.

Misreading the situation, you first protested before breaking into full on laughter as he stormed into the shower with you still dangling, kicking your short legs in the air.

You had thought this was playful Tssuki, the version no one was too familiar with.

Except you … and Yamaguchi. You and Yams lived to exchange Tssuki-isms.

You were mistaken when trying to approach him as he had stripped entirely. God, you so badly wanted to touch his defined chest and close the space between —and that’s when your favorite salt mine smirked as he instinctively reached back to swivel the shower handle on.

Grabbing the detachable shower heard, Tssuki sprayed you down.

"That son of a bitch." You thought, having jumped back in shock, literally. The water was so fucking cold.

Tssuki raised a brow, testing you. On one hand, he thought you looked like a helpless kitten that was abandoned on some random parking lot on a rainy day.

He was an asshole, but if he ever came across a lonely stray cat, he'd so scoop it up and take home for some warm milk.

On the other hand, he thought you looked even more hot with the way your baggy shirt now clung onto every part of your curvaceous body.

Tssuki had to exhale as he saw your nipples peaking through your smaller but perfect chest. He just wanted to cup your perky tits, squeeze them and hear you moan in delight—your hot breath on his ear as you rested a side of your face on his.

“Can’t touch me till you take that back.”

He warned as you tried to take a step forward.

“Tssu— you whined, sighing as you crossed your arms, cold.

“Admit it, you’re beautiful. Say it.” He insisted as you tossed your head back. "I’m beautiful … kinda, I mean” you trailed off, too distracted by your own cruel thoughts to notice when he raised the shower head again to spray you down.

“Ouch!” You gasped this time, burned by the super hot water. Tssuki turned, realizing that instead of increasing the water’s pressure, he had turned it to the hot side.

Steaming hot.

He rubbed them back of his neck, sheepishly trying to play off. That stupidly cool bathroom is literally what had sold him into choosing that apartment.

After a long day of training, having a large bathtub to soak in, or large walk in shower that doubled as a sauna to rest in was a treat. Not only that, but curative. You swore that this man's epsom salt baths were the reason his long limbs were always good to go, pain free.

Tssuki rushed to place the shower head back on, pushing a few buttons on the digital control panel to get some therapeutic steam going.

On a good morning, he'd already have you pinned to the wall. Your face buried into his neck as Tssuki spread your ass apart, drilling his every inch into you.

But sadly, this wasn't a good morning ... yet. When you waved a hand out in defeat, eyes swelling with tears, Kei grabbed you right before you could step away.

You slammed into his chest with a light thump as he then grabbed your shoulders to keep you balanced. "My clumsy pumpkin." He thought as you raised your head to meet his warm eyes.

Tssuki lowered his face, gently planting a kiss on your forehead. Pulling away, he grabbed your arm & extended it out as he begin to plant a trail of kisses over the burned-pink area. His kisses deepened the closer he got to your neck, stopping only when at your jawline.

Now, the two of you were staring directly at each other, his eyes radiating all the comfort you wanted to see: love, adoration, lust. It was so quiet, but your heartbeat was so damn loud.

His actions were doing all the talking. Now completely soaked, you looked down at the hem of your shirt as Tssuki grabbed both ends and begin to lift the blouse up and away from you.

Left in nothing but shorts, he kept his eyes locked on you as you nodded while he lowered himself to help you out of them.

Now, completely naked, he just stared at you in awe.

You were his goddess, and he was going to happily worship, service, respect, love.

ARIGATO GOD.

“I don’t know why you hesitate” he softly whispered as you took in a deep breath, suddenly feeling overly emotional. Near tears kind of overwhelmed.

To keep yourself from actually sobbing, you cleared your throat to speak up, “I love my job, but I guess sometimes working with so many beautiful models, I can’t help but to compare my—

Tssuki had heard enough about your delusions. His hands flew the sides of your face, pulling you in for a deep kiss. You felt such a thrill surging through your body as he so easily hoisted you up.

It was your favorite thing in the world, to wrap your legs around his long torso, and it was Tssuki’s favorite thing to dig his hands into your firm ass, your soft thighs.

Pulling away, he takes slow steps forward so your back gently meets the wall. With one hand, he caressed your face , thumb gliding over your cheek before connecting his forehead with yours.

“As I was saying, - I don’t know why you hesitate to say it, but I think you’re the most beautiful person in this whole goddamn world.”

A pesky tear escaped onto your cheek, and Tssuki blotted it away with a kiss, burying his face closer to yours. So close your noses are now touching.

When he wanted to, Tssuki could be so completely soft.

“You don’t know every single person in this world.”

You laughed, still touched by his bold declaration.

“I mean it. Waking up to you every morning I think wow, I’m so lucky.”

He admits as you then break into another chuckle. “You’re so full of shit, that’s not the first thing you think of.”

Tssuki pulls on your lower lip down with his thumb, chuckling back. “You idiot sandwich I didn’t say it was the first thing, but it’s a close second.”

You find yourself laughing out loud, his frisky smile fully plastered on his face as your nose scrunches in that way he finds so fucking adorable.

“Begone negativity.” He both teases and shudders at the thought of how Suga burned that in the back of his mind.

“Do I have to sing that stupid One Direction song to you?” Tssuki then jokingly added as your eyes widened.

“You wouldn’t!”

“You’re right that’s disgusting.” He scoffed, hoisting you further up as he took your breath away with another kiss, this time, his hands running through your hair.

It was always a mystery with him, never knowing if he was going to pull on your hair, or caress it.

This time however, as his tongue slipped into your mouth, eager, you couldn’t help but to squeal. You had to give it to him, the man was great at multitasking. While he deepened the kiss, Tssuki tapped the melody of that dumb song on your thighs as if drumming.

"You're insecure, don't know what for, you're turning heads when you walk through the door / don't need makeup to cover up, being the way that you are is enough --

Everyone else in the room can see it

Everyone else but you

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else

The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed

But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell

You don't know, oh, oh, you don't know you're beautiful."

Tssuki had really taken SMACK MY ASS LIKE A DRUM to a whole other level, and you couldn't even be mad about it.

"Having fun, ya happy doing that?" You teased as he now gave himself a quick rub, fully erect. Your man was so well endowed and that was both exciting and terrifying at times. While you loved dominant Tssuki, today he was a bit more mellow and less gimp man.

"Fuck, Kei-" You moaned as he slowly entered you, rubbing your clit with his thumb, the pressure just right. "I'm definitely having fun, in fact" he smirked as you moved down to slam yourself further into him, begging for more, "I'm happier than ever."

[lys-lilac]

Washed over by Jealousy

A/N: The original work and the characters concept belong to Voltage Inc. The fanfiction and the character Hinata Arata is a work by me. Story taken is Romance MD: Always on Call. 

Part(1/2)

[my lines will be like this in between]

Intro: Just when you think you are getting over the fact that Dr. Kasumi belongs only to you, and when everything is going well, the uneasy feelings of yours now seem to be reciprocated. It’s now the turn of Dr. Kasumi to get jealous for you. How will you feel when you come to know that the country’s top cardiovascular surgeon is so much head over heels for you that he is infatuated? 

[Present night: Kasumi’s house]

MC: Let me make some coffee.

Kasumi: Sure.

Kyogoku: Make sure it’s of proper quality. And don’t blow the kitchen.

MC: Even after I serve coffee every other day...

It has become a norm for me, Kasumi and Kyogoku to discuss new medical papers or any other research paper related to new diseases every week. If it’s held at my home, then we must have arrived direct from the hospital. So the other two leave after the discussion to ensure that I am getting enough rest. This week’s discussion was in Kasumi’s house, since we all left early from the hospital. After having the delicious dinner prepared by Kyogoku, I suggest coffee to make ourselves more alert during the talk. 

*ring-ring*

As I was making coffee, my phone starts to ring. Both the boys become concerned, looking at me, thinking it was an emergency call. Since it’s an unknown number and thinking the same as both of them, I answer without delay. 

MC: Yes, this is Dr. MC. What can I help wi-

Unknown: I am having a problem of inability to reach a journal junkie’s head for a while now...

MC: This voice... Hinata?!

Unknown: What took you so long to recognize, of course it’s me.

MC: You didn’t even say anything before calling, how could I have heard your voice?

Shaking my head to both of them in disapproval to nothing serious, I continue talking to Hinata. He and I have been in touch via messages, but I never thought he would call me. 

MC: So, why did you call today so suddenly? Don’t say me you became so engrossed in music that you can’t move yourself now, and have turned into a musical statue...

Hinata: Oh, shut up. 

Hinata: I wanted to give you a surprise, so called you.

MC: I am hanging up-

Hinata: Hey wait! I have not even started yet! 

MC: Go on.

Hinata: Do you have some free time this Sunday?

MC: Hmm, if I exclude the only operation that’s in the morning, then yes.

Hinata: Perfect! Check your mailbox now.

MC: I am not at home now. But, I will do when I get home. 

Hinata: You, always taking the mood down. Anyway, let me reveal it to you. You are coming to my concert this Sunday!

MC: What?!!

Hinata and I both studied in high school together and were the best of friends. Whenever I felt stressed, he always heard me out, and played his guitar to soothe me. 

[Flashback]

MC: Hinata, you play the guitar so well, and even have a soothing voice. What do you want to become when you grow up?

Hinata: Take a guess.

MC: Hmm, if you are going to become a job-person someday, you might lose your talent.... Ah, then how will I hear your voice?

Hinata: You dummy. I want to become... no, I will become a singer someday.

MC: Wow, that’s really cool! Then, can I come see your concert?

Hinata: Of course, you will always be invited first, as you are my best friend!

MC: Yay!!!

[Flashback ends]

When Hinata debuted, I went to see his concert. And, he was amazing. Till the present day, he has garnered a huge audience and a lot of fans. Since his debut was 2 years ago, I never visited him or met him once till that day, due to my busy schedule.

Hinata: Hello hello?

MC: Ah, yes! I will be happy to!

Hinata: I have sent you a couple of tickets, so make sure to bring all your handsome surgeons with you! I also want to give them a good time relaxing.

MC: Sure, I will try to, but liste-

Hinata: Alright, so Hinata, over and out!

MC: Hey wait, you!

*beep*

Hinata cuts the call just after listening to my conversation. I haven’t yet revealed to him that Kasumi and I both are dating. Oh well, I guess I will do that when I see him at the concert. Thinking it, I return to my seat with the tray of 3 cups of coffee.

Kyogoku: You sure do know how to waste our time.

MC: It’s not like that! I just got connected to an old friend, so talk got longer.

Kyogoku: Hinata Arata, a singer who just debuted two years ago, and has won the interests of many companies worldwide. What exactly were you talking to the superstar, being your friend and all?

Kasumi: ...

Somehow, Kasumi seems completely silent. Maybe he is interested to listen to full talk rather than interrupting?

MC: Actually, Hinata and I were high school friends. And since it has been two years since he debuted and my visit to his performance, he wants all of us to visit his concert this Sunday. Are you all free?

Kyogoku: What?

MC: Please!

Kyogoku: Even though I wanted to go to ensure that you act as a repellant for Kasumi, but I have an operation scheduled that day. So, you two should go.

MC: Alright, but what about others? 

Kyogoku: Do you think they will want to interfere in a date? Have you really left your brain somewhere?

MC: Da-date... You mean only me and Kasumi, and none of you?

Kyogoku: Huh... I am leaving. I can’t concentrate further. 

MC: Ok, wishing you good night.

Kyogoku: Night.

As I see off Kyogoku, I realize that I haven’t got confirmation from the main person till now. I return back to study and see Kasumi reading a journal from his tablet.

MC: Kasumi...

Kasumi: Hm?

MC: Are you ok, if we go to Hinata’s concert? I really want to go, but if only you accompany me. 

Kasumi: MC.

MC: Yes?

Kasumi sets his tablet down, and takes a seat beside me. He cups my face with his hands with a smile on his face.

Kasumi: As long as you are happy, I will go with you.

MC: Thank you so much!!

I say to him as I bury myself in his chest. Sometimes, I can’t even believe myself that I got an angel like him as my boyfriend. It makes me so happy to stay by his side. I can listen his clear heartbeats and can smell his sweet scent. Stopping our studies there, we both decide to sleep.

[Afternoon: Concert dome]

[Random picture]

MC: Woah, it’s so close to the stage!

Kasumi: Yeah.

The seats that Hinata booked for us are VIP ones. View of the stage from the place is perfect. Since all the guys turned us down as Kyogoku said, both of us end up in the hall at last.

MC: Oh, come to think of it, I never asked you about which types of songs you like. 

Kasumi: I prefer classics, like soft piano, or anything like that.

MC: Yeah! I noticed the other day when a patient asked to put some piano music for his surgery, that you were humming.

MC: Apparently, he got attracted to your voice. And of course, why not, that voice of yours is literally a tranquilizer! Ah, even those lectures of yours-

As I trail off, a shadow comes close to me. Kasumi comes close to me and whispers in my ear-

Kasumi: That is only reserved for you.

MC: !

Oh. God. That voice, a little raspy and baritone, lingers in my mind. It’s so appealing that I can literally melt. As I was thinking this, a soft kiss lands on my cheek, and he intertwines his hands with mine. Thanks to the dim light, my reddened ears and cheeks are not visible to him.

But, for some reason, I feel eyes on us. Not ‘us’, but probably on ‘Kasumi’. Girls seated just beside me start to ask one by one.

Girl 1: Hey hey, is he your friend? 

Girl 2: Mind introducing him to us?

Girl 3: He is literally a god! How is he so beautiful?

MC: Uhh, he is my-

My words are cut short as they ignore me and approach Kasumi. What?! Even here, can’t they recognize this national treasure? Of course, he is always in formal wear whenever he appears on TV and magazines, but only his casual style of dressing here can’t hide his beauty! Maybe the lighting?

Girl 1: The seats beside you are empty, so can we sit there?

Girl 2: You are so handsome~

Girl 3: We are alone in the concert, so we will be happy if you hang out with-

Ah stooopppp!!!!

MC: HE IS MY BOYFRIEND!!! Who do you think you are hitting on?!

Kasumi: She is right.

I glare at them while I grasp the arms of Kasumi and lean my cheeks on his shoulders. 

Girl 2: Wait, this voice... 

Girl 3: Dr. Kasumi Toshiki??!!

MC: You realize it now?

Girl 1: And you are, Dr. MC?

Kasumi: Mind if we enjoy our date by ourselves?

MC: Girls, keep your voice down. You will disturb ever- wait wha?

I am surprised that Kasumi is handling the situation so calmly and even is direct with them to such an extent. He is as cool as a cucumber, no doubt, but declaring this with a straight face makes me a little bit shy. Just then, Kasumi shakes our intertwined hands in front of them. Without any further word, they return to their seat.

MC: Yes! Now I can proudly say to Dr. Kyogoku that I protected you! That guy always takes advantage of me by saying this... I will beat him this time!

Kasumi: Pfft...

MC: Hey, why are you laughing? My heart was literally going a mile per beat! 

Kasumi: I am just amazed that my MC is becoming bolder day by day.

MC: Now stop there...

As I speak, the announcement of starting of the concert goes, bringing our conversation to stop there.

The spotlights fall on the center of the stage. Amidst a huge ocean of cheers, the star takes the spot. Holding a guitar and headset mic on his face, Hinata smiles at the crowd. Suddenly, he looks at me and gives a little wave with his hands. That makes me a little surprised.

Hinata: Thank you everyone for making time out of their busy schedule and for coming to my concert! I will make sure to make you all re-energized! Shall we start?

All: Yeah!!!!

The power that Hinata has with his singing and handling the audience is the main reason why he attracts many people. He never lets any fan feel bored. 

He starts with a familiar song. That’s... that’s the song he always played for me in school! Unknown to me, tears well up in my eyes. Following the song, he sings many songs, sometimes stopping in between and talking between the audience. The concert is so enthralling that without realizing, 3 hours pass so fast. All the time, with a light stick, I cheer him or wave my light stick and sing along with him.

After the concert, both Kasumi and I prepare to drop by the hospital to check the post-OP conditions of some patients. 

[Evening: In the car]

As Kasumi drives us to the hospital, the silence between us makes me feel awkward. So, I decide to start up a conversation.

MC: So, how was the concert, Kasumi?

Kasumi: ...

MC: Kasumi?

Kasumi: Hm? Oh, it was good.

Dr. Kasumi, of all people is giving a late response? What is it that he is thinking about? I have never seen him like that.

MC: Right, I should give you something as a thank-you gift for accepting my request. Anything in my limit, you can ask.

Kasumi: Oh?

As he steps on the breaks at the red light, he takes off his seatbelt, leans over and presses his lips onto mine. 

MC: ---!

Those tender lips, I can never get enough of them. His silky hair brushes against my cheek, making it feel warm. Savoring the moment, I close my eyes. After who knows how long, he reluctantly separates and put his forehead over mine. 

Kasumi: This is more than enough. But-

MC: But?

A teasing look forms on his face.

Kasumi: I want more, later.

MC: Wha?

Kasumi: What, are you disagreeing?

MC: No, I mean, yeah... err..

Kasumi: Let’s go.

The signal turns green at the same time, and we both leave for the hospital.

~

Ah, this is making me feel so awkward!! I mean, I have never worked on a super tease and jealous Kasumi before. Let me know what you think, and stay tuned for the next part. Warning, brace yourselves, cause that is going to be even more exciting!

Continue to Part 2

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day One Hundred: Culture Shock ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi ] [ SasuHina, death ] [ Verse: Divine Light ] [ AO3 Link ]

“May I ask you something?”

Looking up from his blank-minded stare into the campfire, Sasuke blinks before giving a nod.

“Do you…” A pause as Hinata tries to think of how to phrase her query. “...did you ever live anywhere with other el’ven people?”

“Yeah...why?”

“...I think I did when I was very young, but...I can’t quite remember. Most of what I do recall is our home in the countryside. Where we met. So, before you...beyond my family, I can’t remember meeting any other el’ven. I do remember fleeing...and when my m-mother died. But I can’t remember why, beyond the reasons my father tells me.”

“Which was?”

“Fighting broke out. Things have always been...tense between those who wield ven and those who don’t, o-of course. But for some reason, things had reached a peak that day, and...we ran. I can’t remember anything of the city we’d lived in. Someday...I think I’d like to go back.”

“Your story isn’t uncommon,” Sasuke assures her, using a bit of magic to stoke the fire. “Ever since the Rift - when the el’ven and the el’kor finally broke into war - most of our kinds have gone into hiding or seclusion. In some places, it got so bad, entire cities were left abandoned.”

Sasuke gives a nod to the sleeping mage of light. “...the place we’re going, the Luxerian capital, is one such city. Rumor has it, the Elemental themself put a dome of magic over the city to keep it untouched by any el’kor seeking to loot it. It’s stood empty since the day of the coup at the Elemental Summit.”

“...if that’s true, then...how will we get in?”

“She seems to think if she goes, something will happen. For a while now, everyone’s believed her kind extinct. So there haven’t been any other lux’el’ven to try it. But maybe with her ven, she can bring down the barrier...or at least let us pass through it. And there...she thinks we’ll find a way to fully cure my brother of his illness. Which,” Sasuke adds, shifting position atop his log, “is the only reason I agreed to this hare-brained adventure.”

Hinata hums, lost in thought. “...so, why did you leave...where you were before?”

“Same as you. Fighting broke out, and it wasn’t safe to stay. My whole clan lived in that city...and we were scattered to the four winds. My father was clan head. A huge influence in our city. And now? He lives in hiding with his family in the woods.”

“...was it...d-did anyone die?”

“Plenty. Ironically enough, it was the night we were putting one of our own to rest. A friend of the two who raised the light mage. He’d been there when they found her. Died trying to save her mother. We were just lighting the funeral pyre when -”

“W-what?!”

Sasuke startles, not expecting to be interrupted. “...what?”

“You burn your dead…?”

His brow furrows. “Well, yeah...we’re disciples of Ignitrios. The Elemental of fire. What better way to return to the earth than as ashes?”

Hinata’s face is full of horror. “But…”

“Well, what do your people do?”

“We...we return to the place of our birth, which - i-if done properly - is near a body of water. The ocean, a lake, a river...anything like that. And we’re returned to the water.”

“So, fish food?”

It’s Hinata’s turn to frown. “...our people are connected to the water. Of course we go back to it.”

“Yeah. Just like we go back in fire.”

“But that’s so...gruesome!”

“So is being a soggy corpse! You’d rather be waterlogged and wrinkly than -?”

“All right you two...that’s enough.”

They both look over, quieting as they see they’ve woken Itachi. “...brother, you should be sleeping -”

“I was,” Itachi replies good-naturedly, carefully taking a seat beside his brother. “But it’s a bit noisy tonight.”

Both young elves look aside, sheepish.

“Not to worry. A little missed sleep isn’t going to kill me.”

Sasuke flinches. “You shouldn’t talk of your health so lightly -”

“I’m fine, Sasuke. I do a little better every day, thanks to my new treatment. Admittedly, I’m still weak...but not to a degree that a short night’s rest will ruin me. Worry not.”

Still, Sasuke and Hinata both look thoroughly chastised.

“So, discussing the differences in our culture, are we? It must be quite a shock...especially given how isolated you’ve both been since you were young. I imagine that - before the Rift, when we were all far more connected (as we should be) - such differences were more openly discussed, and therefore a bit easier to swallow. The ven in our veins means a different calling when death finds us. Though we all relinquish our two forms - the spirit granted to us by Luxeria, and the body by Tenebreos - when we die, our methods for how each are treated vary, as dictated by our beliefs stemming from our patron Elementals.”

“...I suppose that makes sense,” Hinata admits quietly. “It’s just so…”

“Each element treats it differently. Therian disciples, for example, are the most direct: they bury their dead into the earth to be taken back into the dirt.”

Both Hinata and Sasuke startle “What?”

“But that’s so...so…!”

“Strange, yes? To us both, it is. But for them, it’s how they feel the most connected to Thera when they die. Just as Ignitrian disciples burn their dead, and Auquianan disciples return theirs to the water. Our elements are part of us...and so we are part of them, when the time comes.”

The group goes quiet, lost in their thoughts, until Hinata speaks up. “...what about Luxerians? What do they do?”

“That, I will admit, I do not know. And given her upbringing by those outside her bloodline, I doubt our companion knows, either. Perhaps such knowledge isn’t completely lost, however - it may yet be found in the old Luxerian capital. There may be a great number of things we may find there thought lost to the ages. Luxeria’s protections, I hope, have kept such things safe...awaiting the return of their line.”

“Well...hopefully funeral rites for a lux mage aren’t something we’ll need any time soon,” Sasuke mutters. “We need her alive to keep you alive.”

“Indeed we do...but she has far greater tasks to attend to than the life of one igni mage, my dear brother. For that reason and many more, we must endeavor to keep her safe.” With that, Itachi claps Sasuke atop the shoulder. “Now...I think I’ll try to get some sleep before it’s my turn to keep watch. Wake me when it’s time to trade.”

“...all right.” Watching him go, Sasuke sighs.

“So,” Hinata asks, smiling teasingly. “If I die on this journey of ours...will you take my body to the ocean?”

“No.”

She sharply frowns. “...why not?”

All this talk of death...it bothers him. Not with his brother’s health still on the line. And Hinata, she…

“...because I’m not going to let you die,” Sasuke retorts, getting to his feet. “...I’m going to patrol the area. We’ll wake them when I return.”

Looking a bit taken aback, it takes Hinata a moment to nod, watching him go. Gaze then dropping to the campfire, she mulls over his words in silence.

...neither will I, Sasuke.

     So I know this crossover (technically with my own original lore) isn't the most popular, BUT...I thought it'd make sense for the prompt! I could have done AtLA, but...I wasn't sure I knew enough to make it work. My own lore, of course, I know inside and out. So I hope you'll indulge me =P      Each of the twelve elements in DLDS handles death differently. Even the atmosphere of funerals can vary widely: some are somber, serious occasions, while some are more akin to celebrations. So to say that the differences can be shocking - especially in the time period this crossover takes place in, being that when the el'ven people are still mostly in hiding - is a bit of an understatement.      Anywho, that'll do it for today! Thanks so much for reading n_n

[lethesomething]

Haikyuu High Noon

Consider the following AU: the Haikyuu boys in a classic western cowboy type setting.

Karasuno is a small frontier town out in the boonies. While it had a good reputation some years ago as a nice place for hopeful, hard working folks to start a life, the last few years it's fallen. It's been overrun by bandits and several of the stores have been abandoned.

Tsukishima Kei is the highly respected, if not exactly loved, sheriff of Karasuno. He was elected a year ago, on the recommendation of people like Daichi, to clean the place up. He's determined to make the town as safe and stable as possible. He’s cool headed and smart, with a good shot, but his social skills need work. The one who spends most time with him is his deputy, Yamaguchi Tadashi. They sort of came as a package deal, and this is probably a good thing. Because while Sheriff Tsukishima is an excellent shot, deputy Yamaguchi is the one that ruffled kids hair and gets cats out of trees. He's a one-man pr team for the sheriff's office.

The local saloon is run by Sawamura Daichi, who has a shotgun underneath his bar and isn’t afraid to tell everyone about this. He's a second generation citizen of the town and has seen its good days. He'd like to return to them. His friend Sugawara Koushi has an undisclosed occupation, but mostly resides at the saloon. He sometimes works there when the other is busy, but mostly he spends his days playing cards and liberating any travellers from their money. Asahi Azumane is their mild-mannered and slightly panicky pianist. But he’s tall and broad enough to stop most bar fights just by getting up off his little stool. This mostly happens when Suga has won another game and is shit talking his opponent. If Asahi's presence isn't enough of a deterrent, there's always Daichi's shotgun.

The bank is run by Ennoshita Chikara, who made his fortune in the big city. He managed to get the business at bottom price, because the previous owner just wanted to live out his days in a place where he wouldn't get robbed at gunpoint every other week. The local populace considered this a bad business deal for Ennoshita, but when he took over the establishment, he brought his associates Kinoshita and Narita with him. The lot of them installed some ‘security measures’ and not a single outlaw has managed to get even one cent out of him since he came to Karasuno.

Miss Shimizu is the teacher at the small school, who is known to be a bit of a quiet beauty. She's another long term resident of Karasuno and she pretty much single handedly made the whole school project happen. She recently acquired an assistant, a very bright young woman with a rather nervous disposition named Miss Yachi. She comes from more genteel surroundings and she's very twitchy about guns, but she's excellent with the smaller children.

Tanaka Ryu and Nishinoya Yuu are grave diggers. Or they used to be. Nowadays, they’re a bit of everything, really. They make a living doing odd jobs for anyone, from helping the smith with shooing horses to moving barrels of beer for the saloon. In August, they help take in the harvest for the farms. They’re loud, but they’re fast and do good work. Sheriff Tsukishima basically made their previous job of full time grave digger dry up, but they don't seem to mind too much.

Ukai Keishin runs the grocery. He’s a grumpy sort of man, but stories talk about his history in the army, and how he used to be a real scary dude. Took the store over from his grandpappy, who had a tenure as one of the most successful sheriffs the town ever experienced. Back in the 'good' old days. In a small room above the grocery lives Takeda Itetsu, who is a writer. He’s a very polite and entirely too soft sort, and he came from the big city to experience first hand what life on the frontier was like. The idea was to make a series of articles, but he’s taken a liking to the town. Makes his money with a biweekly column he sends to the paper in the city. Gets very excited about the most random things and he’s known to help miss Shimizu out at the school.

Hinata Shouyou is, to all intents and purposes, a stable boy. He's also an unlikely dead hand with a pistol. He works for the horse trader, feeding the animals and generally taking care of them and their stables. One day one of the older farm hands was playing around shooting bottles in the field, and he got to try, and it turns out he’s a natural. He’s currently being tutored, reluctantly, by Kageyama Tobio. This strange man came riding in one day wearing a black suit and a scowl. That same day a deeply misguided band of outlaws tried to ransack the town and it turned out that Kageyama is one of the fastest guns in the West. He and the sheriff immediately came to the agreement that they didn’t like each other at All. But he's started up a friendship of sorts with several other residents and seems to have made one of the rooms above the saloon his home.

Nekoma's Pony Express is one of the best delivery services on the frontier. Since there’s no railroad to Karasuno, they’re also the main line to the big city. There’s the driver, Kenma, and the leader/mailman Kuroo, whose main skill seems to be talking himself out of whatever hostage situation they find themselves in. Because let’s be clear, the lands around Karasuno are not exactly safe. In case Kuroo fails, the Nekoma Express employs a sharpshooter called Kai and even an explosives expert, in the form of a very grumpy man called Yaku, who is said to have quite the military history. They recently hired an extra hand in the form of a weird Russian cowboy named Lev, who is talented, but also a bit of a liability.

Fort Shiratorizawa is the army barracks closest to the town of Karasuno (though obviously not close enough to provide actual safety). It is run by Captain Ushijima, who is known to be strict, quiet, and badass. Most of the day to day organising is done by his right hand man, First Lieutenant Semi, while a lot of the defensive organisation lies in the hands of second lieutenants Kawanishi and Yamagata. There’s a few strange figures running around in the barracks, most notably private Tendou, who some claim to just be an outlaw in disguise. There’s also Goshiki, a new hire with too much energy.

The Datekou Ranch lies just over the hills from Karasuno and is mostly run by Moniwa Kaname, a man who really is too mild mannered to lead a bunch of rowdy cowboys. Most notably two of his most experienced cowboys are usually at each other's throats. There's Futakuchi, who is a little shit, and Yamazaki, who has a short fuse. The only reason no one got killed so far, is because of the ranch’s gardener, Aone. The man is huge and does not appear to speak much, but he can break up any fight. Moniwa has offered to promote him to leader of the cattle team, but he prefers the quiet solitude of the ranches kitchen garden.

The wildlands around Karasuno are dangerous, and one of the main reasons for this is the Seijoh Gang. These outlaws employ a ‘robin hood’like way of operating, where they mostly let people go if they’re willing to part with their valuables. They’ve clashed repeatedly with the Datekou ranch and have ransacked the town of Karasuno at least once. Leader of this band is Oikawa, whose wanted posters never stay up long, since teenage girls (and some boys) steal them to hang in their bedrooms. He was tried for a crime he claims he didn’t commit, and was saved from the gallows by his current right hand man, Iwaizumi, in one of those spectacular ways that the papers have still not stopped writing about (yes, he shot the rope, yes that worked, no, nobody knows how). Together they have assembled a band of misfits to form one of the most successful gangs of criminals out there. Hanamaki and Matsukawa were originally gamblers, but were persuaded to lend their gun skills, Kyoutani was sprung from a jail they ransacked, where he was spending the night over a bar brawl. He just joined up. The band is even said to have a doctor, Watari, who ducked the draft in the army and ended up an outlaw

[oumakokichi]

I'm not sure if this was asked before but I'll do it anyway. So, what's your opinion about Danganronpa V3 having three protagonists: Kaede Akamatsu, Shuichi Saihara, and Kibo? Do you think this strategy effective in terms of plot, gameplay, and people's reactions? And which protagonist gave you their most significant contribution throughout the game?

I feel like the multi-protagonist plot twist was very, very effectiveoverall! Ndrv3 is a game about fully subverting and playing on people’sexpectations, and they managed to keep doing this the whole way through. Byputting the game on such a meta scale and very intentionally dealing withthings like audience perception and the expectations people, even in-game, hadfrom each protagonist and each character in the cast, having those expectationsflipped upside down was all part of the fun.

I’ve talked about the fact that I’m not happy with the Kaedebait-and-switch protagonist role in particular, because of how shitty it is topromise a female protagonist and then snatch her away after getting people’shopes up. But I do like protagonist switches in general, when they’re welldone, and thematically, ndrv3 really does well with this kind of thing.

Not only the Kaede switch, but also the switch with Kiibo,and later even with Himiko and Maki, was exceptionally well done. It was meantto catch players unaware, and truly highlight the fact that contrary to “advertisement”or “audience expectations,” every single character in ndrv3 is meant to be theprotagonist of their own story. It’s one reason it was so hard for people topinpoint who the “intended protagonist” was from promotional materials alone:most people’s first guess was Kiibo, but there was also Maki as a close second,and then the “confirmation” about Kaede came. And there were so many characterswith ahoges this time around, further teasing at and playing on the assumptionmost people had that a protagonist would be marked just because of theirhairstyle or a certain physical quality about them.

Momota in particular really highlighted the theme of “anyonecan be the protagonist” super well. Momota is, technically speaking, adeuteragonist, not a  protagonist. But hecalls himself the protagonist thewhole way through the game, and many things about his design allude to this aswell. His shirt, which most people took to be a throwback to either Leon’s orKomaeda’s, actually features a design meant to resemble kabuki face paintings. Thecolor red is often used to symbolize characters who are very passionate,heroic, and active: a protagonist figure, in other words.

The fact that Momota is clearly not the protagonist or even aprotagonist, both because of circumstances (his illness) and the fact that therole is clearly already Saihara’s, makes it all the more interesting that herefuses to stop calling himself one. Momota really doesn’t care if people don’twant him to take charge or be the protagonist. He’s going to do it anyway,because that’s what a protagonist is supposedto do, and because he loathes the idea of sitting back passively and justletting things happen when he should be taking a much more active role in hisown story.

Both Kaede’s bait-and-switch, as well as Momota’s veryactive stance as a “sidekick character” who nonetheless calls himself aprotagonist frequently, should tip players off to the fact that “theprotagonist” is a much more subjective role than they might have previouslythought. Saihara, who steps into the role rather unwillingly, was not meant tobe a character who either the players or the ndrv3 audience wanted to become their new protagonist.

It makes sense, then, that Kiibo would be Tsumugi and theaudience’s “ideal protagonist” figure. He was essentially designed as such fromthe start, which is why everything about him is meant to intentionally mimicand yet subvert on Naegi. He’s the same height as Naegi, his robot “talent” issomething beyond his control just like Naegi’s “good luck” was, and he’sultimately destined to be a force of optimism and hope within the group—whetherhe likes it or not.

Kaede’s take-charge attitude, her energy, and herwillingness to get things done was precisely what made her so likable right offthe bat, but Kiibo’s rather innocent behavior, his willingness to believe thebest in people, and his sense of fair play is what appeals to the ndrv3audience and even the players themselves in Kaede’s absence. And what’s more,he’s someone the audience gets to “participate” with. They can considerthemselves a part of Danganronpa as long as Kiibo’s around, and by contributingas his “inner voice” they get to feel as if they themselves are “the hope” ofSaishuu Academy.

This is why the baton gets passed to Kiibo in the Chapter 6trial. Saihara was never meant to be a Hope’s Peak-type protagonist, and whenthings seem utterly pointless, depressing, and crushing, he doesn’t want to goon. He’s tired, moreso as he slowly realizes that any option he could pickwould only be playing further into Tsumugi and the audience’s hands. But Kiibotakes over due to his inner voice, and his own innate desire to do what’sright.

Kiibo might contribute to a very “Hope’s Peak” type of hopemost of the time, since he’s only listening to what his inner voice says, butit’s true that he is a force of hope in his own right. While he starts outrepresenting “the hope of the outside world” by relying on his inner voiceexclusively, Kiibo truly steps into his own role the moment he discards thatvoice in the Chapter 6 trial. By being able to consciously evaluate thesituation, and by relying on his sense of fair play and objectivity which issomething inherent to him, and notsomething that was particularly part of Tsumugi’s or the audience’s plans, heembraces a very different kind of hope.

And that hope is something very simple, and admirable: hewants the rest of the group to live on. Even if Saihara and the others decidethat they’ll “use their lives” as sacrifices once and for all to stop thekilling game, Kiibo wants them to have futures, and wants them to live. This verysimple “hope” is something so deeply ingrained in him and something he wants sodesperately that even after the audience has, for all intents and purposes, “killed”most of Kiibo’s original personality before deciding to blow up the school andend the killing game at the end of the trial, Kiibo retains enough of his freewill and personality to intentionally avoid killing Saihara, Maki, and Himiko,and instead blasts the dome of the school open.

He provides them an option to attain that future with theirown free hands. Even if they’re all only fictional characters, even ifeverything they remember or everything they’ve done was a “lie” or “illusion”in one way or another, Kiibo’s “hope” is ultimately a wish that they’ll live onin spite of everything. They don’t have to give up completely in order toarrive at an outcome that’s neither hope nor despair. They can still end thekilling game without having to end their lives as well.

And this realization that his “inner voice” and that thedesires of the audience who wanted so badly to see a “hope vs. despair”showdown that imitated the Hope’s Peak killing games were wrong is why Kiibohands the baton back to Saihara. If Ihad to pick which protagonist contributed most significantly to the overallgame, I would have to say that it’s Saihara, without a doubt.

Kaede, unfortunately, we only had around for a very shorttime, and while she left a lasting impression on the whole group long after herdeath, it’s impossible to say that she really had a huge amount of autonomy.Kiibo’s contributions are significantdespite only really getting to shine as a protagonist in the last chapter(though there are certainly hints of his protagonist nature even earlier on,and in Chapter 5 particularly), but his largest pitfall was in unwittinglybeing a puppet for both Tsumugi and the audience for most of the game.

Saihara is a protagonist whose entire nature as someone whowas neither wanted nor expected by the players or the audience is the mostimportant point about him. His conflicts, his development, and the answer thathe reaches at the end, are all vastly different from previous protagonists likeNaegi or Hinata. As a detective, there are very different things expected fromSaihara than would be expected for a normal person. And as someone who,according to Tsumugi’s own words, “was supposed to be weaker than anyone” according to the personality sheplanned for him during the killing game, Saihara’s ability to step into theprotagonist role and constantly change himself despite anyone else’sexpectations is hugely important, not only to his character but to the themesof the game itself.

Without other characters there, and without the very reallessons and experiences he lived through alongside people like Kaede, Momota,Ouma, and the others, Saihara would never have been able to come as far as hedid. But it’s precisely because of the others’ contributions that Saihara isable to reach a truth no one else wants to reach, and seek a result thatTsumugi and the audience never once foresaw.

His conviction by the end that they can form “their owntruths,” and that lies and illusions can have a real, lasting impact onreality, gets through to Himiko and Maki to the point where even they become protagonists very briefly inthe Chapter 6 trial. They reach a point of deciding for themselves what tobelieve, no matter what “facts” or “truths” they are presented with, and it’san incredibly rewarding moment to see them all band together and arrive at theconclusion that yes, their lives do have real meaning, and yes, they can followSaihara’s example and do something entirely unexpected from what might havebeen planned or intended for them as fictional characters.

The theme of protagonists, and of what makes a story, andwhose perspective the story is being told from, is so incredibly interestingwithin ndrv3. There certainly are elements I wish had been handled better, butoverall, the protagonist switches were handled very well, because you couldtell it was an extremely important theme of the game which Kodaka had intendedfrom the start. I hope I managed to share my thoughts on it well, because Ihonestly feel like the ndrv3 cast shines so much specifically because so manyof the characters have this potential to shine on their own as protagonists oftheir own story.