tomikashii

[tomikashii]

Curses' Break 3

Rui Mizuki x Reader

✦•······································•✦•······································•✦

Chapter 3: Embrace

GN!Reader will use they/them and (Y/N).

CWs for this chapter:

Rui has an anxiety again but it's ok

domesticity

date time!

help they're so cute

oh hey, another familiar character

huh. this chapter ended up longer than anticipated

anomalous creatures

author accidentally learned some things while researching

cheesy, fluffy lines (you know you secretly love them)

Click HERE to start at Chapter 1

✦•······································•✦•······································•✦

Chapter 3: Embrace

You didn't expect to wake up to a panicked yell, twisting and flying blankets, and the loud thump of a body hitting the floor, but maybe you should have. 

  “(Y/N)! Are you okay ohmygod–!” 

  Drowsily, you rubbed the sleep from your eyes and looked up towards the culprit of your unconventional alarm. Rui's face was shocked-pale, sweat breaking out on his brow. You noted the lines the fabric of the pillow had left on his cheek–he must've slept without moving much–and the way the clothes he had worn the day before crumpled off-center on his form; it was quite a difference for someone who usually looked so well-kempt. 

  He was kneeling on the floor on the opposite side of the bed, legs tangled in a blanket he had taken with him in the abrupt fall, eyes wildly darting over where you lay.  

  “It's okay, Rui! It's okay!” you quickly consoled him as you sat up. “I'm okay!” He stilled a bit as he took in your words, his breath slowing. “I'm okay. It's okay.” 

  Seeming to gain a better idea of where he was, of what had happened in the still so fresh interim, he finally regained a more composed look. “...Shit,” he swore quietly, momentarily resting his forehead on the bed before looking back up to you apologetically. “Sorry. Sorry. I thought…” 

  You nodded. “Yeah. I understand.” You offered a small, sleepy smile. “It's… new for you.” 

  He wiped a hand across his face, pushing back blond bangs. “You're not kidding,” he muttered, then sheepishly grinned in your direction. “Sorry for the rude awakening.” 

  You shifted in the bed, bringing your knees to your chest and wrapping your arms around them. “I didn't have the heart to wake you,” you confessed. “And I could only get a sheet over you without touching you. Don't worry, though, I made sure the pillow wall was secure.” You rested your chin atop your knees. “I know you haven't slept in… a while.” 

  Color slowly returned to Rui's cheeks as he uncoiled himself from the sheet and slowly rose to his feet. “Yeah. You might say that.” He twisted around a bit, stretching in the wrinkled, day-old outfit, but seemed to be regaining some of his usual demeanor. He winked in your direction. “Better look out! If I get too much beauty sleep, I'll just be irresistible~” 

  You giggled. “I don't want to resist, though,” you quipped back, stretching some as well. “Plans for the day?”

  The (former?) Reaper effortlessly started to pick up blankets and sheets, moving into a tidying mode with practiced ease, fluffing pillows and even straightening the bedskirt. “Well, I thought I'd check on the rats and let them have some play time while I took a shower,” he explained. “Jiro was saying that as long as the room doesn't have a lot of wires or like… dangerous things for them, they should free roam for at least an hour a day. And there's a small study just off one of the bathrooms that could work well for that.” 

  “Mm-hmm.” You watched him happily as he moved around the room. He probably didn't even realize he had gone into chore mode, but watching him brought a calm to your thoughts. The word domestic came to mind, and not unpleasantly. 

  With a flourish, he spun back around towards you, leaning over and planting his palms on the bedspread as he looked levelly into your eyes. “Oh. And don't think I forgot about our date,” he added, beaming. “That'll be lunchtime for us.” 

  You tilted your head to the side curiously. “You still haven't told me what we're doing. Only to dress in something ‘water resistant, comfortable to walk in, and not a swimsuit.’” 

  He winked at you. “And I'm still not telling. Don't want to ruin the surprise. But I think you'll like it.” 

   “Even if I can't hold your hand yet?” You trailed your fingertips in circles around where Rui's rested on the bed, and he sighed, longingly watching your hands as he stood back upright. 

  He crossed his arms, less for a defensive posture over his chest than to keep himself from reaching for you. “Yeah,” he smiled back, but you could see the sadness simmer in his eyes. “I hadn't expected to be cured just yet when setting everything up.” The corner of his smile perks up just a little more. “Not that I'm not super grateful.” 

  Tossing another wink your way with a blown kiss that you caught from the air and returned in kind, he started for the door. “Love you, (Y/N),” he called softly, his cheeks and even ears dusting pink as he did so. “Thank you for loving me back. And for always…” His hand paused a moment on the door frame. “...waiting for me.” 

  “‘Love is patient,’” you quoted cheesily, drawing a laugh from him. 

  He sighed dreamily. “You must love me a lot, then.” 

  You grinned, tossing a pillow his way that he easily parried. “Go shower, Rui!” 

  “I'm going! I'm going!” 

  -oOo- 

  You were thankful for the advice on comfortable clothes as you followed Rui along in Obscuary's forest, delving deeper than you had before. His brown leather jacket was a thick enough layer that he didn't flinch when you grabbed the back of it for balance when traipsing over a particularly knotty tree root. 

  “Easy there,” he chimed, standing still for a beat so you could right yourself, grinning over his shoulder. “We're almost there.” 

  “How can you tell?” you teased, not wanting to let go of the jacket just yet. “There's no trails or anything this way.” 

  The blond tapped his nose and winked, causing you to close your eyes and sniff at the air. After a moment, you looked back at him questioningly. “Water? We're near a body of water?” 

  “Yup, good call,” he agreed, then laughed when his stomach grumbled audibly. “Oops. Pardon me. Guess it's good I have this.” Slung on his arm was a large basket holding what you could only assume was your lunch. 

  Further confirming your guess, you soon could hear the telltale trickle of gentle waves at a bank. Like a magic trick, Rui grinned as his gloved hand (old habits) pushed back a large fern to reveal a picturesque scene. 

  The anomalous equivalent of weeping willows draped over a small pond. The water was clear enough in the dark of Obscuary's eternal night that you could see a slow fade into blackness that twinkled, creating an illusion of space completed by the moon's reflection. Vegetation flocked eagerly to the water's edge, its bioluminescent light reflected in every color of the rainbow. 

  “Oh, Rui,” you sighed contentedly, heat rising to your cheeks. “It's beautiful.” 

  The ghoul smiled back at you, clutching at his chest a moment. “Not as beautiful as my view,” he replied, eyes softening and focusing on you. Your cheeks reddened a little more, matching the blush that rose in his cheeks, too. 

  “Ah, Ojou-chan! Rui! I hope I'm not interrupting!” 

  You jumped a little at Haru's cheerful and loud voice as he came onto the scene, but Rui didn't. The blond greeted his friend with a wave. “Harurin! You're still here?” Rui looked around curiously as the redhead got to his feet, having been situated in a kneel at the water's edge, behind a large phosphorescent mushroom that had initially blocked him from view. “Everything go okay?” 

  “Yeah, yeah, fine!” Haru chirped back. “Just making sure the family was getting adjusted to their home, that they didn't need anything.” 

  “‘Family?’” You looked askance from one ghoul to the other. 

  Rui chuckled, giving you another knowing wink. “Part of the surprise for our date. You'll see.” 

  Haru squinted more (was that possible for him?) at the two of you for a beat before his own cheeks reddened in a blush. “Ah, yeah. You two lovebirds probably don't need a third wheel, haha!” he laughed. “I'll see you both later! Have a good time!” With a quick Bahnti! the redhead hurriedly disappeared. 

  Rui waved for a prolonged moment, then immediately set to work, gesturing to a spot that was relatively clear near the bank. He opened the basket, revealing some neat meals like you had guessed, along with a blanket and a couple cushions. “A picnic date~” his sing-song voice tilted as he spread the blanket and started unpacking some meals. “With a perfect spot for the show.” 

  One of those lovely fluttering and warm shivers that you were quickly growing accustomed to around this man went down your spine as you took a seat on one of the proffered cushions. “‘Show?’ ‘Family?’” You cocked an eyebrow at him. “You really went all out for me…” 

  “Not at all,” he smiled back, attentively setting a meal between the two of you. “I'd do even more if I could. But it's more the thought that counts, right?” Ruby eyes sparkled in your direction. “And you're always on my thoughts.” 

  “Keep talking like that,” you laughed, “and I will have high blood sugar at my next health check.”

  Rui stumbled dramatically back, feigning shock. “It isn't already? Because you're so sweet?” 

  “Rui!” You squealed a little bit with laughter. and his laughter joined yours. “That's laying it on a little thick, even for you!” 

  “Better get used to it, cutie.” Another wink. “I can't keep myself away from you.”

  “I wouldn't have it any other way.” Your voice softened as the two of you started to relax into your seats by the waterside. 

  As you both started on your meal, you let your gaze shift out onto the sparkling water. You watched as the wind blew through the willow-like leaves that hung over the pond, sending little ripples where the trees’ stems danced ever-so-lightly across the surface. 

  And then you started to notice the singing. 

  It was almost too quiet to hear at first, and it wasn't in a language you thought you had ever heard before. Gentle, sweet, and almost melancholic, what started as white noise soon seemed to envelope the both of you. You looked back at Rui, and he grinned, held a “shhh!” finger to his lips, and then pointed back out at the water. 

  Your first thought was mermaids, but you had seen a real mermaid before. Your second thought was sirens, but the music, while beautiful, wasn't mesmerizing or drawing you physically in. Then you saw them: 

  There were three, and they were humanoid in shape but little more than two feet tall. Seemingly genderless and ageless, the creatures seemed to literally dance on the water, holding what you assumed were hands in a circle. Their pale gray skin was translucent, almost ghostly, and they seemed to generate their own glow. 

  “They're called Asrais,” Rui whispered, just loud enough to be heard. “They usually come from Scotland. Someone had liked them so much that they tried to take them to Japan, but they were intercepted by one of our missions. They're sort of like a lot of other animals that people try to domesticate: seem like a good idea at the time, but taking care of them is much more difficult.” 

  “How so?” The Asrai didn't seem to notice you, continuing their strange dance. 

  “Well, they need water for one thing,” he explained. “And darkness for another. If they get even a hint of sunlight, they dissolve into a mere puddle.” 

  The Asrai separated, sinking a little lower into the water and flitting around in a way that reminded you of synchronized swimmers; the water didn't seem to interfere with their song. “So Obscuary is perfect for them,” you surmised. 

  “Yup. That's why even though they originally went to Jabberwock, Harurin helped us get them shipped here.” The three twirled and twisted in the water, their song picking up speed. Rui chuckled, allowing his volume to increase a little. “Sounds like they're getting playful now.” 

  He was right; soon what seemed like a ballet shifted, music and dance both taking faster and more cheerful crescendos. One of the Asrai seemed to take notice of you, and it flashed you a very human-like smile before skidding excitedly across the water towards you. It veered away at the last second, sending a spray of water in the air like a car near a puddling curb. 

  Both of you laughed in the sudden shower, and soon the other two Asrai mimicked the first, seeming to find joy in your reactions. 

  “That's why you said ‘water-resistant!’” Your laughter mingled with shrieks and squeals of joy as the beat continued to pick up. The Asrai changed course continuously, in no time spreading the water spray into measured consistency, making it seem like a private rainstorm. 

  Rui got to his feet, giving a little bow and holding out a gloved hand. “May I have this dance?” 

  “Of course!” 

  The ghoul held one hand low and one hand high. You stepped towards him, arms moving up as though for a waltz. Both pairs of hands hovering so as to avoid actual contact, you swayed and stepped with him in circles around your soon-to-be-soaked picnic blanket. At least at first, your little dance was loose but formal. 

  Then, you doubled over with laughter when Rui stepped back, switching to very silly and very exaggerated more modern steps, his hair and clothes clinging to his grinning visage. The Asrai seemed enthralled with the playfulness; even the translucent creatures let out tinkling, song-like laughter. 

  Eventually, everyone seemed to be tiring out, including the “family,” who soon sunk away into the pond. Soaked and red-faced, you and Rui peered at one another as you caught your breath. 

  “So.” His grin, you thought, could not get any bigger. “Not a bad show?” 

  You vigorously shook your head, grinning back. “That was amazing.” 

  An eternity seemed to pass between the two of you, but you couldn't stop smiling, couldn't look away. Your heart hammered against your ribs, and you were certain he must hear it. Of course, his heart was beating so hard, he thought he was going to melt. 

  “Can I hug you?” The request fell from his lips before he could stop it, his cheeks absolutely flaming. “This jacket is thick, and I still have my gloves, so–” 

  You practically threw yourself into his arms. 

  Shaking, he let his arms wrap around you, the pressure of your embrace, the warmth he could feel even through the layers, making his heart soar. 

✦•······································•✦•······································•✦

Chapters... Prev....Next

[tomikashii]

he does now

[tomikashii]

Some yappings about ep19 ahead cause what just happened

How I LOVE seeing other ghouls look out for MC.. she deserves the world

Sho to the rescue when the two girls got jealous hehe. I knew we'd have a scene like that the moment I saw the looks they were giving her lmao

Baby Alan... BABY ALAN AAAAA... And his whole backstory. And we finally get to know how he ended up becoming a ghoul. I just want to hug him (⁠ ⁠･ั⁠﹏⁠･ั⁠) Leo being Leo but I have to say he delivered a LOT of truth in this episode. He's blunt as fuck but yeah..

EVERYTHING WAS BASICALLY FAKE??? I swear this episode messed with my head so much. I'm not good with handling any time, space and memories warps...

Leo being Leo again but.. I found this oddly comforting. Him just encouraging MC to fight and scream and just let it all out.. somehow it hit me a little

Also not Ed foreshadowing something?? (⁠･⁠o⁠･⁠;⁠) This game is taking me for a wild ride with each episode so I can't wait to see where this takes us

[tomikashii]

did...did LEO of all people just made ME feel better?

[tomikashii]

Sho crumbs...

[tomikashii]

just had a thought of how all us tkdb fans are wondering if the game is ending soon—

and a lot of us interact virtually—

and a lot of us might be leaving groups/chats/etc as things end—

AND OK BUT WHAT IF A BUNCHA PEOPLE LEAVE A GROUP AND THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON LEFT AND THEN WE NOTICE OH HEY WE'RE BOTH ON THE SAME TRAIN LEMME COME MEET UP WITH YOU—

[tomikashii]

tomi ..... tomi ........... im crawling into your inbox like a dehydrated slug .......................... tomiiiiii TT0TT ok anyway I HOPE YOURE DOING WELL :3 did anything good happen today ? !!!! any projects youre excited about ? !!!!! i would love to hear about them (∩^o^)⊃━☆

i got . an ask earlier today. talking about how we dont have Any of the special ritsu cards yet, he only has his chapter release cards and the birthday card + his standard one. nd while i was throwing myself a pity party i REMEMBERED that i have FRIENDS who can DRAW SUPER WELL and who have their INBOXES OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS so here i am TT0TT

if you would like to . and its not that big of an ask . i would fall down a flight of stairs and dump an ice bucket on my head if u wanted to doodle some ritsu art for the cards we havent seen yet. whichever is the most fun for u !!! i know im most excited about the wedding one but ive been eyeing the pajamas series for a hot second too. his pajamas have GOT to be so fucking dorky omg. hes so cute. i love him. hey did u know ritsu shinjo is the cutest paralegal ever. hey . Hey did you

i am going to stop myself right there i wrote enough TT0TT THANK U SM FOR ALL THE FUN STUFF U WRITE FOR THE FANDOM I LOVE UR WRITING ND UR MC ALICE INW ONDERLAND ART SO MUCH u are ... a gift .... 〒▽〒

tokyo debunker sketch : ritsu shinjo in pjs !

to @cloudcountry 💗 : YOUR ASKS NEVER FAILS TO MAKE ME LAUGH YOU ARE SO FUNNY 😭💗 *pours water on you to hydrate you*

OMG IM HONORED TO BE PART OF THE FRIENDS OF YOURS WHO CAN DRAW REALLY WELL 😭 i actually had an idea to draw ritsu in his pyjamas and i agree, HE WOULD HAVE DORKY PYJAMAS PSKSHAKAJ (& yes, i know ritsu shinjo is the cutest paralegal in the whole wide world) THANK YOU FOR LOVING MY MC! IN ALICE IN THE WONDERLAND ART 💗💗💗

i hope you like the sketch idea for ritsu <3 & plus plus, i added on something for you too hehe ! thank you for being patient with your request *mwa mwa kiss kiss* ❤️🥰

ritsu in pyjamas sketch !

ignore the background but this is what i roughly would imagine him doing before sleeping (reading because he is sucha nerd but he is OUR favourite nerd) !! & also, i made him a lil flirty because the ren pyjamas card made him flirty too 🤭🤭🤭

BONUS ART : AUBRITSU ?!?!

context : you fell asleep during the lecture because you were up all night reading japanese law ethics !

[tomikashii]

i dont have much to say about tokyo debunker this month except that the relationship between alan, his dad, and dante, is going to make me jump off a cliff. im so tired. Icant take it anymore boss im tired i cant handle another "single father living with his son and his bestfriendworkpartner comes over and doesnt have a family of his own but somehow maintains enough of a sense of distance but both the kid and his dad want him to Be Part of the family" IVE HAD ENOUGH

[tomikashii]

oohh frostheim next but like WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING WHAT DO YOU MEAN IM GONNA HAVE TO WAIT TILL NEXT MONTG

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 yap ! (last part)

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers !

BRUHHHHHHHHHHH

okay suddenly everything made so much sense

WE WERE ALL BRAINWASHED

YES INCLUDING US

the gaslighting and manipulation was INSANE

BRO WHAT THE HELL

so there was no highschool 😭

WE WERE ALL JUST BEING GASLIGHTED BY A GHOUL WITH THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP ???

i never thought i would say this but like... i actually agree with leo for once. and am actually proud that he was telling mc to fucking get angry, something that all of us were hoping to tell her.

im glad he is somewhat (?) opening his emotions for her (still bratty but tolerable than the previous vagastrom episodes)

thank you devs for this slight character development in this boy

okay something major is going to happen towards the end of the main story of the game, i just know it.

its good that the chancellor is seeking advice from ed, who is known to roam the earth for a very long time

“this world will soon meet its demise.” WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT EDWARD 😭

small add ons !

this episode was a mindfucking episode

like brain was altered in so many ways and it was as if i was experiencing it along with them, which i really enjoyed.

because i was genuinely questioning why they did not recognise each other in the first few chapters of the episodes

i knew that institute agent was suspicious 😭 (cant trust anymore agents after this)

no but the anomalies being released unintentionally because we were being hypnotised was so crazy. maybe the reason why i didnt figure it out because i scanned through the part where dante was giving his lecture

so i didn't piece everything together until i replayed it one more time and everything made sense to me.

i think this episode was more informative (?) because we wanted alan's backstory on how he became a ghoul and how he was linked to dante. (after like 7-8 episodes, we finally GOT OUR ANSWERS)

their flashback really made me feel sad because alan was really REALLY close to his dad 💔

onwards, the constant reminders that mc only has 2 months to live EATS ME ALIVE

and not only that, luca defending mc is my forever favourite thing

AND SHO 😭 it was like this episode was made for the sho girlies 😭

and for the alan angst writers

and for the leo defenders 😭😭😭

OKAY NEXT EPISODE IS A FROSTHEIM (?) EPISODE ???? 😀

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 (part 6)

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers !

(last part here)

okay this few dialogues are already clicking in my brain that this anomaly can somewhat wrap realities or sumn

but my dumbass brain was too hooked on sho that i couldn't think

on the other hand, alan is so sweet. wanting to help leo find his phone 😭

yup the anomaly is really fucking with all of them and myself included.

MY BRAIN WAS IN SHAMBLES

OMG SHO

SHO IS PROTECTING US

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

“where is my home ?” MC STOP U ARE MAKING ME CRY

THIS JUST

MINDFUCKED WITH ME HARDER

SUDDENLY EVERYTHING JUST WENT BLANK IN MY HEAD

I WAS LIKE HOLD THE FUCK UP

WHAT ?????

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 yap ! (part 5)

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers !

(part 6 here)

MY BABY

YOUNG ALAN 😭😭😭😭😭😭

STOP HE IS SO CUTEEEEE

YOUNG DANTE ????

HE LOOKS SO FINEEEEEEE

i still am salty because he caused the death of alan's hot ass dad

but im sure it was a misunderstanding because we know how darkwick can be

SHUT UP

STOP

IM SO EMOTIONAL

ALAN LOVES HIS DAD SO MUCH

SHUT UP STOP

ALAN KILLING DANTE IS SUDDENLY VALID

oh my god im actually so sad

ALAN FATHER PLEASE COME BACK

OH MY GOD

this panels are so

EMOTIONAL

because knowing how alan is actually like, and he probably want to make his dad proud

alan's dad loves him so much 😭

imagine alan's dad watching alan beat himself up over everything 😭 (someone sedate me)

SHO PICKING MC UP ???

RAWRRAWRRAWR

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

sedate me again

okay when i read this part, i was immediately alarmed because WDYM THERE ARE ANAMOLIES EVERYHWERE

WHY IS DARKWICK ACADEMY SECURITY SO SHIT ????

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 yap ! (part 4)

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers !

(part 5 here)

NO MY SHAYLA MY MC IS GETTING BULLIED

because of a man ? cmon girls

LEAVE MC ALONE 😭😭😭😭😭😭 MS GIRL DOESNT WANNA BE HERE IF POSSIBLE

give her A BREAK

AND NOT THEM THINKING THE CURSE TATTOO WAS HENNA ?????

LMFAO PLS

underground place ? more like an imaginary station in tokyo

imagine if mc just turns into kyklos in pure rage, that be fun to watch

SOEMONE FUCKUNG SEDATE ME RN

OH MY GOD

IM COMBUSTING

IM YODELLING

IM SCREAMING WHILE TEARING MY SHIRT OPEN FOR THIS SCENE

SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 😭😭😭😭

OUR SAVIOUR

NO CAUSE I GENUINELY GOT SCARED AT THE FIRST PART OF THIS CONVERSATION

i thought sho had a rough upbringing

then i remembered that hyde is alive and is literally working with darkwick academy

so i dont think he was super poor 😭

PROTECTIVE SHO PROTECTIVE SHO PROTECTIVE SHO

IM BEING FED WELL IN THIS CHAPTER

SHO IS INTO NATURAL GIRLS ??????

DAMN 😭 (i expected it tbh)

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 yap ! (part 3)

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers !

(part 4 here)

what is a vagastrom episode without sho getting into random fights 😭

and the girls.... are jealous of mc

because she bagged the two handsome men in the class 😭

CUTIEEEEEEES

SHO HAIZONO IS A GENTLEMAN

he just looks like a delinquent

“really proud of that one, aren't you ?” YOU SHOULD BE ????

LMAO I CAN IMAGINE

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAH

leo doesn't look amused

LMFAO

sho does not want anything to do with leo if possible 😭

IM CRYING

HOLY SHIT ????

TOHMA AND YURI ??????

THATS SO UNEXPECTED ????

I NEVER SEEN TOHMA IN SO LONG 😭

YURI TOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭

their conversation is so sassy

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 (part 2)

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers below !

(part 3 here)

their realisation is so funny

ESPECIALLY ALAN HELP 😭😭😭

LUCAAAAAAAAAA

MY SON

WE ARE GETTING FED WITH LUCA CRUMBS

MY SHAYLAAAA NO 😭😭

MC MY SHAYLAAAAAAA 😭😭😭

omg luca defending mc is my new favourite thing hehehehe

the fact that lucas actually genuinely cares about mc makes my heart warm

damn okay dante 💔

IMMEDIATELY SHO IS INSIDE A FIGHT

give this guy a break please 😭

NAUR WHY ARE THE TWO GIRLS LIKE THAT

ITS ON SIGHT

[tomikashii]

tokyo debunker : episode 19 yap

⚠️ : episode 19 spoilers below !

(part 2 here)

my first reaction was what the fuck am i reading

WHY IS MC SUDDENLY A TYPICAL SHOJO PROTAGONIST

“not an otome” game MY ASS

no cause the first part of the episode, i was confused as fuck

like ? why are they acting like they don't know each other......

the girls are pretty cute though but i lowkey did NOT like them at first

from this point onwards, i knew something was up

because despite me not liking leo, i feel that he is about to solve something

YOU SEE

THEY WERE MINDFUCKED

WE WERE MINDFUCKED TOO

oh but the flashbacks of the previous episodes actually got me emotional because our beloved mc went through ALOT

[tomikashii]

Curses' Break 1

Rui Mizuki x Reader

✦•······································•✦•······································•✦

Chapter 1: Schrödinger's Curse

(YES! THIS WILL BE A MULTI-CHAPTER FIC!)

Did you break Rui's curse? What about yours?

GN!Reader will use they/them and (Y/N). Eventual smut, I will change ratings when I get to that point, and I will separate that section out so it can be skipped if reader so wishes.

Companion/apology fic for my work "Curses' End." (there was so much angst aaaah) Separate timeline but I intend this one to be a happy one.

I also intended just one chapter but it keeps growing in my brain--!

CWs for this chapter:

Bunches of characters show up! I love these heckin' ghouls

Rui has anxieties

There are some moths and a rat and mentions of death (the rat is a cute one, though)

Some ooey-gooey established relationship stuff

QUANTUM PHYSICS???

Some medical talk

at least one anomaly gets destroyed

✦•······································•✦•······································•✦

Chapter 1: Schrödinger's Curse

The concept of Schrödinger's Cat was a thought experiment that Rui had never wanted to relate to. If years ago you told Rui that one day, he would be puzzling over LITERAL QUANTUM MECHANICS he would have laughed, tilted his head, and suggested this conversation might be better suited to a third or fourth date. 

  But that was before he had been cursed. 

  Schrödinger's experiment, at least as far as he could interpret it, started by putting a cat in a box. You have a poison in the box, too, and a little piece of radioactive something or other. Outside the box is a gadget that tries to detect how much radioactivity is in the box. And since radioactive stuff fluctuates in some way that goes over Rui's head, that amount could change. If it got to a certain level, the gadget would break the poison bottle and kill the cat. 

  Awfully cruel experiment, right? 

  The part that people were supposed to focus on was that from outside the box, you couldn't tell if the cat was dead or alive, so at any given point, it was both, in a way. Until you opened the box and found either a very cranky or very dead cat. 

  (Rui also thought you might be able to hear the cat from outside the box, and this could influence the whole quantum-ness of the situation, but eh, maybe the box was soundproof. Or the cat was mute?) 

  How did everyone's favorite blond Reaper and bartender relate to this? Well, the similarities actually came about around the time everyone thought Rui’s curse might be broken. 

  The ghouls of Hotarubi (Two, by Rui's count, and one floating doll), Rui, and of course, one cute Inspector had an interhouse mission that sent them after a Hinnagami. This anomalous and ancient spirit had possessed a doll (separate from the floating one) and had been hounding a wealthy family—who had used its magic to gain that wealth–with requests for wish after wish after wish. The family in question was struggling to keep up with the Hinnagami's demands. 

  The spirit acted as a warning to punish greed, and so despite the appeal of free wishes, the mission party had decided it would be better to not use the doll to cure your curse. 

  You had a different idea, though. 

  You and Rui had been dating for some time now, in the only way that you could without any safe way to touch: words, time spent together, secret confessions and glances that made both of you blush publicly on more than one occasion. If you thought nobody else noticed, you were absolutely incorrect, but the two of you were too lovesick to know better. 

  So, when the idea presented itself, you used your wish… for Rui. 

  Everyone had panicked; don't take a wish from the Hinnagami! It will just switch its attention to hounding you! Rui was absolutely moved that you would attempt this for him, but also appalled at the idea that you were taking on what amounted to another curse! 

  The Kyklos nesting within you, however, had other plans. You could hardly explain to the others how, when holding the Hinnagami, you had felt vines tendril out from you like whips, how your mind momentarily filled with the only thought of poison it poison it poison it POISON POISONPOISON– 

  And the anomaly was destroyed.

  And now, in the aftermath, Rui was Schrödinger's Cat in the box: both cursed and un-cursed. And if things went poorly, death could be involved.

  How do you even test something like this? 

  Haku, Subaru, and you were all staring at him, and Rui nervously tried to laugh it off, scratching the back of his head. “I know I'm beautiful, but staring's kinda rude, isn't it?” he joked. 

  “Your… your curse might be broken,” Subaru said softly, his eyes flitting over to the Inspector for just a moment. 

  Overcome with emotion, you took a step towards Rui, your hand outstretched for his cheek. The blond instinctively stepped back, and ever-vigilant Haku put a hand on your shoulder to stop you. “Subaru said ‘might,’” Haku cautioned. 

  Rui's red eyes were wide; though he smiled back at you, you could see the panic as he stared. “We don't want to jump the gun,” he stammered, his heart thudding a mile a minute in his chest. “This isn't something we can fix if we’re wrong.” He clutched his chest, trying to play some of the nervousness he was feeling off as less serious than it was. “Oh, this is bad for my heart.” 

  So now here he was, sitting across from you at a table in Mortkranken–Yuri would be furious if he wasn't privy to study this matter!–thinking about cats and poison and radioactivity and trying not to let his hands shake too strongly. 

  Yuri was observing, a thoughtful hand to his own chin, and Jiro was looking over some medical readings transmitted to a computer screen by little diodes stuck to the blond's skin (which Rui had placed on himself, naturally). You looked back at Rui lovingly, trying to give him a smile that eased some of his jitters. “It's gonna be okay,” you softly said, resisting the urge to reach across the table and pat his currently ungloved hand. 

  Rui swallowed the dry lump in his throat and nodded back. “Right. Sure. If nothing has changed, we'll figure that out. Before we do anything… irreversible.” 

  “We'll start with the small potted plant,” Yuri stated evenly, gesturing to the first of a series of items on the table. Rui had spent enough time gardening to recognize a cast-iron plant; it made sense to him that they were trying something sturdy first. 

  The blond took a deep breath and let it out slowly through pursed lips. “Okay. Let's do this.” 

  He touched the plant. 

  Nothing happened. 

  A nervous laugh escaped his lips, but Rui kept his hand against the broad leaf. ��It's okay! It's not dead!” Ruby-colored eyes looked up at you, sparkling with hope. 

  “Your heartrate is elevated,” Jiro commented monotonously, taking a few notes, “though that may simply be a reflection of stress.” 

  “Any other reactions?” Yuri prodded, and Rui shook his head. 

  “I don't think so. Usually I would feel a sort of… awakeness?” He shrugged. “The life force of whatever I had touched.” That was another thing that would take getting used to, if the Curse really was broken: Rui may get tired more easily and be able to sleep. 

  He found himself rubbing the leaf between two fingers, marveling at the glossy, pliant texture: the texture of something living. 

  “Next we'll try the moths.” Yuri's eyes had narrowed slightly, but he didn't let his gaze leave the table. 

  Another nod from Rui as he let his gaze travel to the small enclosure where a handful of moths flitted and fluttered; the stakes were steadily increasing. “Had a butterfly land on me once,” he spoke grimly, feeling a small shiver run down his back at the memory. “...Didn't like that.” 

  “They're a type of pantry moth,” Jiro stated. “They have a very short lifespan, if it's any consolation.” 

  Rui took another slow breath. “It is. Thanks.” The opening on the side of the enclosure made a soft click as he opened it, eyes closing and palm opening as he pushed his hand into the midst of the flying insects. 

  After a couple moments, he laughed quietly and allowed his eyes to open, staring intently at the bugs. 

  “Everything alright?” You were trying not to hold your breath, but you kept feeling it catch, feeling your own heartbeat gather speed. 

  Rui looked up at you, and you could see his eyes were shimmering with nearly-shed tears. “They…they tickle.” You let your own breath out in a shuddering laugh, watching happily as Rui rotated his hand every which way in the little container, elated to have the moths’ tiny feet and powdery wings grazing his skin. 

  “Excellent!” Yuri exclaimed, clapping his hands together. He looked over to Jiro. “All of the vitals are showing stable?” 

  Jiro nodded back. “Endocrine levels all within normal range for a ghoul. No evidence of increased adenosine triphosphate, proteins, or complex carbohydrate activity.” 

  Rui flashed you a careful grin. “I think that's a good thing.” 

  “It is,” the tallest ghoul confirmed. He took a few more notes, adjusted a few buttons on the computer readout. “We can probably move on to the mammalian subject.” 

  Rui's grin faded as he looked towards the small cage that so far remained untouched. The rat moving around within was mostly white, though its eyes were black and surrounded by a peppering of gray fur. 

  Rui thought its pink nose was awfully cute. 

  “The rat is used to being handled,” Yuri explained as he folded his arms, perhaps growing impatient. “It won't bite.” 

  “That's not what I'm worried about…” Rui's voice was quiet, barely a whisper as he shook his hand and removed it from the moths. He reclosed the container, watching them–Still!–flying around. He brought both of his hands to sit on his lap, seemingly in a daze. 

  Yuri opened his mouth, but you preemptively raised a hand to quiet the young doctor. “Give him time,” you chided. “He's been cursed for years. You can handle another minute.” The blond looked up at you thankfully, and you smiled back to him. “It's okay, Rui. When you're ready.” 

  He clutched at his chest again, gulping slow gasps of air, trying to stay steady. “It's. It's been so long, I don't… I don't want to get my hopes up,” he admitted. His eyes traveled back to yours, and his brow wrinkled with emotion. “Still gonna wanna go on that date tomorrow if I can't hold your hand?” 

  “Absolutely.” 

  Trembling, he opens the latch on the door. The rat's cute pink nose goes immediately to investigate, and Rui actually does hold his breath. 

  After a few short sniffs, the small rodent crawls eagerly into the ghoul's shaking palm. 

  Rui exhales with a small sort of sob, taking the rat into both hands now, lifting it up and letting it study his face. He's crying now as the small creature sticks out a pink tongue to taste the tears. Weeping and shaking, Rui crumbles, holding the rat up, brushing its soft fur against his cheek, even giving a few small kisses to the top of its head. 

  “Oh, you're so warm, little guy,” he sobs. “You're so warm.” 

✦•······································•✦•······································•✦

Chapter: Next

Ao3 vers