taaboh

[taaboh]

PREBEAT -> non-selective, independent rp blog for charles sun of the brothers sun (2024). OCs and cross-canon beloved.

[taaboh]

it’s been a HOT SECOND but i am consumed with the fact that taabou’s a local of kamurocho like. what good world building... to have a local who loves his home in the rgg series’ most iconic location

[taaboh]

letsgonipples​:

“If they’re anything like Kaito-san, I’m sure I’d get along with them incredibly well,” he comments lightly but sincerely. Kuwana had grown rather fond of the former Tojo family member very quickly, just as he’s fond of Sugiura-kun. Despite their ignorance as to what kind of man he actually is, he’s well aware of the kind of lives they’ve had. 

In truth, it makes him feel almost at ease around them. He’s come to find over the last thirteen years he’s most comfortable with people who tend to turn away from the law. Be it the law failing them just as it did and he did failed Mitsuru or because they never had a place in society, they tended to be his kind of people.

Yagami, on the other hand, he’s unsure of. There are similarities he’s already come to find, and yet, he almost seems to encapsulate all of the grandiose ideals he’s come to resent.

Though, at the mention of RK attempting to recruit Kaito, he pauses.

“Do you think he’ll take them up on the offer? He doesn’t seem the type for disorganized, violent gangs.”

Without an ounce of doubt, Takayuki says, “He isn’t.”

His partner is plenty of things: passionate, strong, a little shy, a lot stupid. But for the things that matter-- things like their home, as far away as they are from it at the moment-- there’s nobody Takayuki could trust more. Nobody he could admire more, even.

“But it doesn’t make them any less annoying to deal with.” Finishing the last of his yakisoba, Takayuki fits his chopsticks inside the container before sealing it closed at every sealing lock. “Not only do they not take ‘no’ for an answer, but they get violent about it, too.

“That’s home for you, though.” And given the way Takayuki smiles as he says it, it’s one he wouldn’t trade for the world.

Getting to his feet, he goes to throw the yakisoba container away. After filling a glass of water for himself, he rethinks it and gets one for Kuwana, too. Then he drinks it once he’s on the sofa again, washing the yakisoba down before he picks his coffee up again.

“Ijincho doesn’t have its own pests?”

[taaboh]

moldcursed​:

ethan is pleased when takayuki doesn’t argue with the suggestion. he knows how much of a STRUGGLE it is for him to relinquish control like this ; he knows that it’ll likely end up with him losing his patience. but, for now, he’s letting ethan take the reins, and for that, he is grateful. after all, sometimes, he needs to be the one spoiled too.

it takes a moment to find a comfortable position between his boyfriend’s legs, but once he has, ethan wastes no time in paying special attention to takayuki’s body. first, he starts at his stomach, fingers and kisses featherlight as he administers them. second, he slowly moves downwards ; his touch is teasing as he slips his fingers beneath the waistband of his sweatpants. ethan’s dragging this out on purpose. he’s having FUN. he wants to see how long it’ll last ; wants to see how long takayuki will let this go for.

ethan’s acutely aware of it, the effect he’s already having on him. it fills him with a sense of PRIDE, even though he knows it doesn’t take much to get takayuki going. he’s horrible like that — and ethan cannot get enough of it. he cannot get enough of him, this man that has been by his side through hell and back.

takayuki’s hips squirm slightly underneath him. perfect. ethan takes his own sweet time teasingly tracing the outline of his cock just because he can. it’s a nice change to be the one doing the teasing. still, even he can only resist for so long, hence why ethan finally pulls the sweatpants down so that he can properly touch him.

he’s not quite fully hard yet, a fact that ethan is determined to change. that simply will not do, after all.

ethan spits in his hand. basic, but effective. hand wraps around the other man’s cock, and it’s with lazy flicks of his wrist that ethan begins stroking him. this isn’t how he wants to do this, after all. no, he wants takayuki in his mouth and down his throat. that is exactly how ethan wants him right now.

after a few more strokes, ethan holds the base of takayuki’s length and lowers his mouth to it. it’s merely the tip at first, just teasing little licks and sucks, but that will change soon enough.

It’s the final battle in his book, but Takayuki has to reread every detail twice because of the heat Ethan leaves in his wake with every little kiss to his body. It feels like he’s burning, almost-- hyperawareness does wonders to one’s temperature-- and as he drags his teeth over his lip, he takes in a deep breath as if he cares more about the bullshit on his pages instead of the heat of Ethan’s hand around his dick.

Fuck. He almost says it. Takayuki’s cock fills in the ring of Ethan’s fingers, and then fills further at the first touch of wet heat to his tip. In a few minutes he hasn’t managed to turn to the next page, but he seems to forget every sentence he reads as soon as his eyes reach a punctuation mark.

Ethan takes more of him in, sliding him further down his tongue, and the mere memory of his pretty lips stretched around his cock has Takayuki biting his lip. His toes curl, and he takes a deeper breath as his shoulders tuck a little closer towards himself, his dick twitching on Ethan’s tongue.

The page crinkles as Takayuki turns it. He hasn’t retained a bit of information, but decides he can fake it until he makes it.

More, he urges on silently, humming low in his throat like something particularly epic has happened in his book (he can’t tell). More, more, come on, more.

[taaboh]

letsgonipples​:

Yuu’s eyelids flutter shut as he feels the teeth nibble against the shell of ear and the firm grope of his chest. It’s far too easy for Takayuki to make him melt, especially after such a long time apart, though, Yuu’s accepted it at this point.

“If I said yes, would that mean you’d do it, Taka-kun?” he breathes softly, turning his face just enough to be able to meet Takayuki’s eyes.

Though, they don’t remain long. 

Yuu always folds whenever he maintains eye contact with him, and the gaze flickers to his lips at the thought of them upon his own.

“Almost,” Takayuki says, his fingers moving inward to undo Yuu’s first button. “It’s been a long time since I heard you ask nicely, Yuu-san.”

The second button follows. Yuu’s shirt is tight enough that it provides a nice peek of cleavage, made especially erotic as Takayuki looks down at it from above. So, unable to resist, his hand slips into Yuu’s shirt so the fabric molds around him instead.

“Whoa, so hard already...” The tip of his middle finger rubs at his nipple, then meets his index as he pinches and pulls.

“Let’s hear it.” Takayuki kisses Yuu’s temple, then coos a soft, “‘Please, Taka-kun, kiss me. I need you.’“

[taaboh]

morganed​:

no,  he  doesn’t  really  mean  it.  

as  much  as  he  WANTS  to  mean  it,  WANTS  to  tell  him  to  stop,  arthur  can’t  bring  himself  to.  not  when  takayuki’s  hand  is  working  at  his  length  in  such  a  way,  coaxing  shaky  little  gasps  from  the  outlaw’s  lips.  arthur  morgan  is  a  lot  of  things,  but  even  he’s  not  a  strong  man  when  it  comes  to  this.  maybe  if  he  was  thinking  with  his  brain  instead  of  his  dick,  he  could  tell  him  to  stop,  but  that’s  not  how  it  works  right  now.

it’s  takayuki’s  fault.  he  shouldn’t  have  come  early.  they  were  supposed  to  meet  OUTSIDE,  supposed  to  go  look  at  some  new  tack  for  their  horses,  but  yagami  had  come  EARLY.  he’d  interrupted,  and  being  the  gentleman  that  he  has,  had  felt  the  need  to    ‘  finish  the  job  ’  —  and  arthur  hadn’t  argued.  once  again,  thinking  with  the  wrong  parts.

head  tilts  to  allow  the  other  man  better  access,  teeth  sinking  into  his  bottom  lip  as  kisses  and  nips  are  scattered  across  his  skin.  he  can  already  imagine  the  things  they’ll  say,  the  assumption  they’ll  make  back  at  camp  if  he  doesn’t  keep  the  marks  that  will  inevitably  appear  covered.  

[  WHAT  PRETTY  GIRL  LEFT  THOSE  ON  YOU,  MORGAN?  ]

“  shut  up,  ”    arthur  growls,  rolling  his  eyes.  it’s  bad  enough  there’s  the  chance  of  them  getting  caught  —  isn’t  that  part  of  the  THRILL,  though?  —    he  doesn’t  need  takayuki  running  his  mouth,  too.    “  man  gets  needs,  sometimes.  nothin’  for  you  to  get  smart  about.  ”

still  though,  he  has  to  admit  :  takayuki’s  other  words  about  getting  him  dirty  …  it  sounds  pretty  damn  appealing.  god,  his  mind’s  in  the  gutter  right  now.  

it  happens  without  volition,  but  the  moment  that  the  other  man’s  hand  teasingly  STOPS  its  stroking,  the  cowboy’s  hips  are  rising  slightly  in  the  water  to  chase  after  that  delicious  friction  once  more.  it’s  not  something  arthur  is  proud  of,  responding  to  takayuki’s  baiting  in  such  a  way,  but  it’s  too  late  now.  

“  if  you  do  that  shit  again,  i  SWEAR  i’ll  shoot  ya.  ”

“Oh yeah?”

It’s like getting high off his father’s product, almost. Despite Arthur’s attempts to sound grumpy, the rock of his hips and the unsteady breaths he takes are the most delicious things he’s heard in ages.

“Get rid of me and who’s gonna be makin’ you come?”

With a feather light touch, the tip of his index brushes the slit of Arthur’s cock before it travels down the rest of his erection. He follows the underside of it, moving over a prominent vein, and with equally light brushes over the swell of his balls, Takayuki’s free arm moves to wrap around Arthur’s shoulders instead.

Takayuki clicks his tongue. There’s another kiss pressed to Arthur’s neck, and as he cups Arthur’s balls in his palm, his thumb rubs leisurely over the base of him. “You oughtta be more quiet for me, Mr. Morgan, sir.”

He can’t remember the last time he’s called Arthur “sir” and meant it as it’s supposed to be used. Years ago, surely. Years and years and years, back when he was a rookie detective without a case to his name and he could use any white man at all on his side.

Back when he never at all thought he’d get to wrap his hand around Arthur’s cock, relishing in the weight and the heat and how it throbs as he starts jerking him off again.

“I know it must be hard...” The palm that’d been resting on Arthur’s shoulder slides lower to his chest to play with the bud there, rolling and rubbing until it’s pebbled. “...but unless you want folks to see how good you look, or how hard you are” -- Takayuki’s lips brush Arthur’s hair -- “best to calm down, yeah?

“Besides,” he whispers, pulling at Arthur’s nipple, “I wanna see how gorgeous y’are when you come so I can touch m’self to it later.”

[taaboh]

letsgonipples​:

It’s not what Jin wants to hear, not even remotely, but he understands where Takayuki is coming from. He couldn’t imagine how he’d respond had the roles been reversed. 

His eyes squeeze shut as he attempts to ground himself to the moment, to Takayuki’s presence, but his mind keeps bringing him back to that moment.

He silently begs his brain to shut down, if nothing else, but the moment he feels the hand that should be nothing short of comforting on his own, his eyes snap open and he frantically withdraws his hand.

Only moments after he’s realized what he’d just done does he look at his partner, glazed eyes wide with guilt and lips parted with an unspoken apology.

“I-I’m-I-” he stammers, panic settling into his gut as the sheer reality that he pushed Takayuki away sinks in. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, he still did it, and he can’t even find the words to apologize.

Jin’s hand had flinched back, so Takayuki had mirrored it without a thought. His wide eyes give way to a gentler expression, though, and he nods to himself in understanding.

Both his hands raise in a form of surrender before pushing themselves into the pockets of his jacket where they won’t hurt anybody.

“Sorry.”

He should’ve known better.

“...would it be better for you if you worked alone?”

[taaboh]

lowerqualityrp​:

The your highness tastes bitter in her mouth as she pulls her legs in tighter to her chest. Afterall, as grateful as she is for the title, it is, in the end, what’s keeping her from the one thing-the one person- she truly desires. Still, as hard it is for her to swallow, she can only imagine what it would be like for Takayuki to go through yet another change.

“No, you likely won’t ever fit in there,” she utters honestly. “Mayhaps if you compete in a tourney and win you’ll gain some respect, even adoration to some degree, but… it’s all empty in the end.

“Though, if it’s any consolation, I would remain an outcast as well.”

Finally, she turns her head to make eye contact. She wants to be selfish and ensure she’s at the very least got him with her, but she can’t bring herself to force him.  As if her younger brother’s aversion and loathing to her betrothal and inevitable leaving weren’t enough, she imagines Takayuki possesses his own distaste for everything transpiring.

“I won’t blame you if you prefer to stay in Dorne. Though, I just ask you watch over Oberyn. He can be a bit… well,” she pauses and laughs softly, “I’m sure you’ve noticed how he is.”

Being alone is one thing. Knowing that Elia would be alone is another entirely.

The memory of his parents face down and bleeding flashes in his head-- so clear, even after all these years. The memories of everything that came after-- his loneliness, all the hunger and cold and violence-- aren’t far behind.

Elia’s life as the future queen wouldn’t be nearly as tumultuous, but what he’s heard of King’s Landing tells him that the evil there wield weapons other than fists or blades.

The mention of Oberyn has him smiling thinly. “I have.” Though he has the youngest Martell to thank for his place here, and he doesn’t necessarily dislike him, sometimes dealing with him is more exhausting than it should be.

“But I think the prince will be better without me here than you would be without me there.” He clears his throat. “If I may say.”

With a sigh, Takayuki sits by Elia’s side. “Being an outcast isn’t so awful if you have another one there with you. I know this personally.”

[taaboh]

dotelldearie​:

Jack absent mindedly clenched his bandaged hand into a fist when running for his life was mentioned. He nodded faintly in response to what he said next. He couldn’t help but grin in response, baring several of his gold teeth.

“You needn’t worry, mate. I do have a plan. Just need to hide out here until nightfall. After that I’ll get out of yer hair.”

He promised him, as he raised his other hand to absent mindedly run his fingers through his long brown hair. He did this carefully so he wouldn’t get caught on the rings on his ring finger, middle finger and his index finger.

“That said, I do appreciate your help.”

Takayuki shakes his head, hand raised as if to dismiss the thanks. “I’ve been where you are.” Maybe more times than he can count. Maybe more times than any sane person should be. “Just paying my own debts forward.

“I gotta ask, though...”

He pushes himself off the couch he’d been sitting on, going to where his hot water’s started boiling so he can set about making some green tea.

“This plan of yours, it’s solid? I don’t want to say goodbye later and then see you in some tabloid article about a murder.”

[taaboh]

liloiwa​:

No matter how much Kuroiwa wanted to push Yagami down and bite a chunk from him, he couldn’t bring himself to get from under the detective. The bite to the corner of his mouth had left him with another cackle of insanity and the press to his collarbone had heat spreading across his entire body. He must’ve really lost his mind if he was willing to sit here and let Taabou murder him. 

Mitsuru slowly brought his hand from his side and reached for the other’s throat, gripping it enough to leave a mark. He could choke him right here and watch the life drain from Takayuki’s eyes but, as tempting the thought was, he thought it extremely boring.

He would much rather keep his entertainment for as long as possible.

Bringing the man closer, Kuroiwa aimed for the jaw and bit down, drawing some blood. (Was it his own? Or did he actually draw blood from Yagami? Either way he didn’t care.) His eyes closed for a second as he licked and sucked at the bite he had left on Yagami, letting out yet another loud moan against his skin. 

He found himself obsessed with the taste of sweat and blood on Taabou’s skin. Parting from the detective’s jaw, he laughed, “I’ll suck it out of you.”

Everything was on fire, a mix of pain and an unfamiliar feeling had him lightheaded. Whatever it was, he felt welcomed by it. “I have the power to do it.” he rasped out, “Fight against it all you want, I will succeed.”

The air is choked out of him, and in his own frenzy Takayuki pushes down harder. Stronger, so Kuroiwa’s throat is soft against the bone in his forearm-- a bruise for a bruise, pain for pain. As he’s brought closer, though, his teeth grit as his toes curl in his sneakers with the lack of oxygen.

Then a hiss passes through them as Kuroiwa digs in.

“You’re so” -- breathless, angry (enthralled), Takayuki pulls his head back once Kuroiwa lets his throat go, his gaze blurred and the pressure on Kuroiwa’s own neck and clavicle rising -- “fucked up.”

Blood drips down the curve of his jaw, landing on Kuroiwa’s cheek. In his swimming vision, the bright red against his pale skin is like a port in a storm.

Coughing, his voice rougher after all that pressure, Takayuki posits: “Is it really that fun?”

He sits on Kuroiwa’s thighs, hands gripping his wrists to pin them to the floor. Then Takayuki’s head bows, blood trickling down his chin and landing in the hollow of Kuroiwa’s throat.

So his lips follow, brushing against warm skin without kissing it.

“Maybe I’ll take a bite out of you, too.”

[taaboh]

HAPPY JUDGMENT IS NOW ON STEAM DAY FOLKS

[taaboh]

thescaledqueen​:

“I would like that too. Something we can plan another time. That way you can ask her about it first.”

She observed with an absent minded smile. One that broadened noticably when she heard what he said next.

“I would love to see those.”

She confessed, letting out a soft laugh of her own when he mentioned what happened to the first batch.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me.”

She told him playfully. She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him at the mention of borrowing an oven.

“Why do I get the feeling there’s more to the story there?”

She wondered out loud, after which she turned her attention to the pouch she was still holding. She carefully placed it on her desk, thinking she would save them for later.

“The only ‘more to the story’ is my landlady grilling me about when I plan on settling down,” Takayuki says, laughing sheepishly as his hand lifts to ruffle the hair at the back of his head. “She seriously thought Miho-chan was my daughter, as if I could keep a secret like that for that long...”

But if Takayuki thinks about it, a daughter just like his goddaughter wouldn’t be bad at all. And as her parents’ situation at home has gotten more and more complex, she’s been sleeping over at his place more and more often.

He doesn’t bring any of that up, though.

When Takayuki’s hand drops, he comes forward, leaning down so he can sit at the edge of Shireen’s desk and pull his phone out of his front pocket.

“Here are some pictures,” he says, unlocking the thing and opening his gallery. Just from the thumbnails alone Shireen’ll see all sorts of things: cats around the area, photos of Miho, a screen from the arcade with his high score plastered on it...

The first photo he opens is a selfie of him and Miho wearing matching aprons and grinning at the camera in a clean little kitchen. With a gesture, Takayuki gives Shireen permission to flick through the rest of them: she’ll see a whole story of Miho measuring ingredients and doing her best to mix them, all the way until the cookies are put in the oven (and the little girl sits in front of the door with wide eyes).

Following a picture of the finished batch of cookies on a tray and then a plate is Takayuki and Miho sitting at a table with the cookies and glasses of milk, smiling with their pinkies up.

“My landlady was nice enough to take that one,” Takayuki comments cheerfully.

[taaboh]

moldcursed​:

“  of  course.  you  are  not  capable  of  making  such  important  decisions,  ”    ethan  teases  as  they  walk,  scoffing  at  the  fact  that  takayuki  even  feels  the  need  to  ask.  if  he  left  him  to  his  own  devices,  he  might  end  up  right  back  in  his  usual  clothes  —  not  that  that’s  a  bad  thing!  ethan  is  just  determined  to  get  him  into  one  of  these,  now  that  they’ve  mentioned  it.  and,  well,  maybe  he  DOES  like  the  idea  of  seeing  his  man  in  one  of  his  shirts  ;  he’s  only  human,  after  all.

ethan  is  scanning  through  the  shirts,  an  expression  of  the  utmost  concentration  on  his  face.  what?  this  is  important  work!  however,  takayuki’s  next  comment  actually  makes  him  start  laughing.  the  image  of  takayuki  in  one  of  those  is  HIGHLY  entertaining,  and  ethan’s  making  a  mental  note  to  buy  him  one  for  some  special  occasion.  the  most  romantic  of  gifts,  truly.

once  he’s  quit  laughing,  he  says,    “  yeah,  i  don’t  think  that’d  suit  me.  you,  on  the  other  hand?  perfect  for  you.  ”

attention  turns  back  towards  the  wardrobe,  and  then  ethan  pulls  out  one  of  his  black  button  downs.  simple,  but  it  works.  holding  the  shirt  up  in  front  of  takayuki,  ethan  nods  to  himself  before  turning  back  towards  the  selection  of  clothes  and  pulling  out  a  dark  red  one  instead.  it’s  essentially  the  same  shirt,  just  a  different  color,  but  both  are  good  options.

holding  one  shirt  in  each  hand,  ethan  steps  back  so  that  his  partner  can  properly  see  both.    “  choose  between  one  of  these.  i  think  you’d  look  nice  in  either  one,  but  maybe  i’m  biased.  ”

Oh, the things Takayuki will do (the things he has done) to hear Ethan laugh. His chest fills on an inhale as his heart swells with emotion, and while he resists the urge to kiss his boyfriend, he fails to resist the urge to put his hands on him as he stands behind him to kiss the nape of his neck.

To Takayuki’s credit, though, at least his touch is light enough that it doesn’t take much effort for Ethan to step away and hold a shirt up in front of him. Or pull out a second shirt, as it stands.

He blinks as he’s offered both choices. “Black or red, huh?”

They both know he’s a sucker for black-- Takayuki’s wardrobe is simple enough in it’s mostly neutral colours, and living with Ethan more or less means Ethan’s more than aware of it. It’s precisely that, though, that makes him think borrowing Ethan’s stuff ought to warrant a difference from the norm. So he reaches out to take the hanger with the red shirt on it so he can give it a look and a feel himself.

The fabric is nice, soft to the touch. As expected of Ethan Winters. “You think I could pull something so bold off?”

Granted, Takayuki’s got a good mix of red neckties for the rare, rare occasions he’ll have to wear a suit. But they don’t quite stand out the way a pretty red shirt would at a semi-fancy place.

[taaboh]

notthevocaloid​:

Masaharu realizes he’s never felt fear as deeply as he does in this moment. The terror of Takayuki admitting that maybe he only ever saw it someone else like Mafuyu churns his gut back and forth until it’s nothing but a tangled mess.

But then he answers and Kaito can’t help but feel utterly confused.

“You have?” he repeats dumbfoundedly as he looks up at his partner with wide eyes.

Several moments pass before Masaharu realizes that yes, of course he has. He wouldn’t say so otherwise. And it causes the widest smile to break out over his face as he all but tackles Takayuki with a hug.

Takayuki doesn’t expect the hug, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t joyous when he gets it. Masaharu’s weight on him isn’t anything new, and he laughs as his own arms wrap around the other man’s middle to hold him close.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” he asks, tilting his head back to allow Masaharu to tuck his head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. One hand moves up, ruffling lightly through Masaharu’s short cropped hair.

Teasing, Takayuki’s lips brush against his temple as he whispers, “I should tell you I love you more if you didn’t see that coming a mile way.”

[taaboh]

gonna be on ryuujin for the week!! taabou has stuff in his queue that’ll post everyday though :) see u guys on taaboh dot tumbler next week

[taaboh]

thescaledqueen​:

Shireen met him halfway and handed him the envelope. She couldn’t help but smile in response to his reaction.

“You’re very welcome.”

She told him sincerely, thinking how sweet it was that he didn’t want anything to ruin the drawing Miho had made of the two of them. She nodded faintly in response to what he said enxt.

“I can help with that. Captain Baratheon still has to make an appearance, after all.. Now where is my hat..”

She wondered out loud, walking away from him in search of the one thing that added to her role as a pirate. She found it on the top shelf of a cupboard filled with school supplies. Along with a bright red bandana. She felt a little silly, wrapping it around the top of her head, after which she put the pirate hat on her head. A look similar to that of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Carribean movies.

“Shall we?”

She stated with a mischievous grin as she was getting into character. Though she would save the pirate speech for her students.

The sight of Ms. Baratheon in full pirate wear has him grinning before he can stop himself. That said, he’s relieved the smile she offers him in turn is even brighter-- rather than looking off-put in any way, the Captain Baratheon looks more like she was made for this sort of thing.

“Yeah, I’m ready if you are.”

The moment they exit the building and re-enter the playground, Takayuki walks behind Ms. Baratheon on the way. He keeps his wrists held together as if he’s imprisoned, his head ducking like he’s been scolded, and true enough a dramatic gasp is heard from the group of children, along with a She has my godfather hostage! that sounds suspiciously like Miho. The rest of the kids, spurred on by Miho’s incredible acting, start chattering about plans to take the captain down.

“Miho-chan!” he cries out. “Help me!”

[taaboh]

alexeatis​:

“Uh huh,” Shiona says, crossing her arms over her chest and regarding Yagami with a look of pure skepticism. “Somehow that answer doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence.” But she’s content to let the subject drop, partially because she’s already making a mental note to stop by the Yagami Detective Agency to drop off a home-cooked meal later and partially because she knows what it’s like to be so focused on work that you forget to tend to your basic needs. Thankfully, she has her coworkers to remind her.

There’s a half-formed protest on her tongue when Yagami pays for both of their drinks, but it quickly fizzles out. “Yeah, let’s go,” she replies. Shiona offers Yagami a quiet thank you before she exits the bar. Once she’s out on the street, she looks at him over her shoulder. She offers him a warm smile, her face illuminated by the vivid, artificial light of Kamurocho.

“Just so you know, I’m paying for whatever we buy at the Poppo. And I will not take no for an answer.”

“Oh, are you?” Takayuki asks, his thumbs hooking into the pockets of his jeans. “Is it too late to say we’re going to Donki instead? I’d love some free gold champagne.”

But with a quirk of the mouth, he makes his way to Shichifuku Street anyway, where Don Quijote most certainly is not.

“What’re you in the mood for?” he asks, careful to stay closer to the darker sides of the street than the ones bathed in light. Takayuki’s not ignorant to his own reputation; even when he’s just come from the most exhausting work of his life, the idiots he’s fought before tend to come visit him, anyway.

He’s been told once he has a punchable face, too. Regardless, having Shiona around makes him less enthusiastic about kicking anyone in the face.

“They say protein’s your best bet after drinking the way we did.”