#Animal Theme Return Gift Bag | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

writingattemptsxx · 4 months

Text

A Small Gift

To get the brothers to let you go to the human world to do some exchange program work, you promised them gifts.

—

This took way too long to write. I'm just glad it's done. I thought some fluff would be nice.

—

A month-long visit to the human world took you away from the brothers. At first, they didn’t like the idea. Some used the excuse of not wanting you to be somewhere without supervision. Some were honest that they didn’t want to be away from you. Luckily with assurance that you would be fine, as well as a bribe of gifts on your return, they relented. You went out and gathered a gift for each brother, hoping they’d love it. You even bought a few gift bags. You did hope they liked it, but you more hoped they’d be less trouble on future trips.

Lucifer - A snow globe - Lucifer’s gift was the first one you found. You went into a gift shop, saw it, and it screamed ‘Lucifer’. Why? Who knows!

Mammon - A key chain - Mammon is usually one of, if not the first to complain about not being with you. Now he can have this with him at all times. Also, it's shiny.

Leviathan - A pack of pencils - You went into a stationary store realizing you were missing something, and they just happened to have a pack of pencils themed around an anime he likes, so you grabbed those too.

Satan - A bookmark - In the stationary store where you found Levi’s gift, there was another thing that caught your eye. There was a small bookmark with cat faces all over it and a fold-out bit to save your specific line.

Asmo - A makeup brush set - Another gift you were actively searching for, and it was pure pink, his favorite color. What’s not to love? It may not be those expensive ones he always buys, but it definitely wasn't cheap.

Beelzebub - A water bottle - Your first thought for him was food, obviously, but you didn't want something the Avatar of Gluttony would scarf down in two seconds. Plus with a water bottle, he can bring it to the gym and his practices.

Belphegor - A blanket - A perfect gift for Belphie. Knowing him, he'd keep it in good condition for centuries. It may only be a blanket, and on the cheaper side at that, but it was comfy.

While you were on your trip you hoped to relax at home, but you forgot something. Something you remembered the second the door opened. There was no relaxing in the House of Lamentation. Ever.

It was very obvious that they were all ecstatic to see you again, but you could tell at least a part of each of them wanted to know their gifts. What did you get them? Where were they? When do they get them? They were way too easy to read.

You told everyone to buzz off while you at least got unpacked. You needed to relax, not be mobbed. You'd give them their gift later, once you settled back in. As you watched each go on and do their own thing, you couldn't help but hope they liked their gift.

—

Lucifer was doing his typical work. Sitting at his desk behind mountains of paper wasn't new, but it still was not the best experience. He saw the door slowly open and started to wonder which brother wanted to get in the way of his work, but instead, you came through the door. You tried your best to be as quiet as possible when coming in and closing the door, which Lucifer greatly appreciated.

Once the door clicked you turned to him beaming. “Luci, I got this for you!” You held up a decently sized blue gift bag, careful to not shake.

“Your gift for me? I was wondering when I'd finally receive it. I hope it’s something I like, you should know me well enough by now.” A smirk appeared as his words poked at you.

Your face changed into a pout and you stuck your tongue out at Lucifer. A bold move, no matter how close you became. You dramatically sighed and put the back of your hand to your forehead, something you no doubt learned from Asmodeus. “I got you this out of the kindness of my heart. You can't be picky about this.” You walked forward and gently placed the bag on his desk.

“We both know it was a bribe so my brothers would let you out of the house.” He, himself, argued against you leaving but now didn't seem like the time to bring that up. “Also teasing you is too fun to stop.”

Lucifer pulled the bag closer and carefully removed some crumpled paper you stuffed in the bag. He reached in and pulled out… “A snow globe?” It seemed like an odd choice gift for him. Granted, it was very pretty. It was a single, yet very detailed tree sitting in the middle of a white plain with the snow of the snow globe also inside. The base was a vibrant admiral blue.

He looked up to you for answers, but you only shrugged in response. “It’s just something I saw that reminded me of you. Don't ask me why.”

Lucifer was silent for a moment only to change into quiet giggles. “Thank you. I love it.”

—

Mammon was pacing his room. You just came home after so long and he had to leave you alone for even longer. He is happy you get to relax, even in this house, but he just wants to hug you before leaving you be again.

Suddenly he heard the door open and whipped his head around to see you. Not only that, you were holding a very small yellow gift bag. Both his eyes and voice lit up seeing you. “Human!” He cleared his throat. “What took you so long?”

“I had to get your gift ready. That is, unless you don't want it.” You held up the bag and gave it a small shake all the while showing a teasing smirk.

The next thing you knew the bag was missing from your hands and found in Mammon’s. “Nah, Nah. The Great Mammon always deserves gifts.” He dug through the crumpled paper and pulled out a small keychain. It was very small, just a shiny gold keychain with a dangling star. He couldn't tell why, but he felt so light seeing it. He just stared at it for what felt like forever.

Suddenly your voice cut through his thoughts. “So… you like it?”

“This gift is definitely worthy of The Great Mammon.”

—

Levi was shockingly out of his room. He was going to go on an anime binge in a bit, so now he was stocking up on snacks. Chips, snack bars, bag popcorn, and anything he could get his hands on that wouldn’t spoil.

“There you are! I thought you’d be in your room as always.” Your voice was quiet but came very suddenly, and it took everything in him to not jump.

He turned around to see you holding up a pretty small orange gift bag as you looked around. You dropped the bag in his hands. Levi stared at it for a few seconds before looking back up at you. “A gift? Also, what's with the house inspections?” He pointed in the directions you were looking between.

“Yes, I said I'd get you all gifts, didn't I? And because I’m not willing to hear the wining of any brother upset they didn't get theirs first.”

Levi shrugged. He wouldn't put it past any of his brothers to take not getting a gift first as something to get upset over. He wouldn't even put it past himself to do that. “Yeah, they totally would. But the gift was a very obvious bribe. I didn't expect you to mean it. I thought you'd at least forget or something, or at least not give me something.”

“Of course, I'd get you something. Now come on, open it.” You were all but bouncing on your toes while staring at him and the bag. He dug through the crumpled paper in the bag to pull out a pack of pencils. Seemed like an odd choice for him, maybe something closer to something for Satan or Lucifer. It was only until he noticed the pencils were patterned with characters from an anime he loved.

His eyes lit up and just barely held in an excited squee. Any merch is welcome merch. Levi shot up and pulled you into a hug. “Thank you!”

—

Satan was reading in the living room. He was reading a book he’d read many times before. He intended to read the book he bought a few days ago, but after starting it he realized his mind kept drifting to you. He was curious how you were, and he wanted to check up on you, but he knew you needed some time to relax before interacting with him or his brothers again.

He started to hear steps that got louder and louder. Eventually, you appeared as the source looking around corners before you turned them. Satan also noticed an extremely small green gift bag in your hand. You held it to your chest as you quickly walked towards him.

“What with the secrecy?” Satan put down his book to give you an amused stare.

You dropped the gift bag on his lap. “Your brothers. That's what. If any of them, even one, learned that I gave one a present before another, I'd never heard the end of it.”

That was completely true for almost everyone in this house. He just let out a sigh and decided to move on. Carefully rifling through the crumpled paper he pulled out a long bookmark. The bookmark was a dark fern-green and littered with cat faces of all colors. There was also a long plastic connection, and on the packaging, it explained that it was meant to save your specific line.

It was just adorable and all the cats making different smiles made his heart melt. Satan held it to his heart and gave you a big smile. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

—

Asmo was looking his face over in the mirror. He wanted to go out today. But for that, he needed the perfect look that would be perfect in completing his looks. But for that, he needed inspiration. Truth be told, he could go out with no makeup at all, he was already gorgeous, but putting it on was fun.

While he was mulling over his choices, he heard his door slam closed. He turned around, immediately turning into his demon form, ready for a fight.

Instead of seeing an intruder or even one of his brothers, he saw you muttering to yourself about how you didn't mean to be that loud, and that you even scared yourself. He clutched his chest, transformed back, and slumped back down onto his vanity chair.

“Darling, you gave me a heart attack. I thought you were an intruder or similar. My skin will not like this stress.”

You bolted around at his words, as if shocked to see him in his own room. “Sorry! Sorry. I just wanted to close it fast, not slam it. On another note, I got you this.” You held up a small pink gift bag, giving Asmo a big smile.

The gift! He didn't forget about it, how could he forget about a gift for him, but he did push it to the back of his mind to focus on other things. He rushed right up to you, enveloping you in a tight hug. He let go and took you over to his vanity. He gently took the present from your hands. He removed the crumpled paper, dropping it into the trashcan.

At the bottom of the bag was a small set of a few pastel pink makeup brushes and a blender. It was small, but it seemed of good quality. The thought put into the gift melted his heart. Gently setting the brush set down, Asmo pulled you into another tight hug. “Thank you! Also, you just gave me the perfect inspiration for a new makeup look!”

—

Beelzebub was working out in his room. All he had were a few handheld weights. He wanted to go to the gym, but he couldn't find any will to actually go. He wanted more to make sure you settled back in as well as possible.

He was mid-routine when you quickly opened his door, stepped through, and closed it, careful not to slam.

“Hey Beel, got you something.” You quickly walked over to him and placed a pretty big red gift bag in his hands. Inside it was stuffed full of crumpled paper. He dug around for only a second before his hand touched hard plastic and he pulled it up. It was a giant red gallon water bottle. The plastic was translucent, there were measurements on the side, and the side was even carved out to make a handle.

“I thought you could bring it to the gym or practi-” Before you could finish, Beel pulled you into a massive bear hug that lifted you off the ground.

“Thank you! I love it!” He gave you one of the biggest smiles he could.

—

Belphie was sleeping as usual. He was in the observatory. All the stars were calming and the room was usually silent and dark. It was his perfect nap spot. Well, it was until about a minute ago when someone started shaking him awake. “Belphie. Belphie. Wake up I got something for you.”

He let out a groan and grabbed the hand you decided to disturb him with. “Can’t it wait? Just put it down next to me or something. I'll pick it up when I get up.” Belphie rolled onto his back and fell back asleep within seconds, but he only slept just as quickly as a big gift bag was roughly placed on his stomach.

“Rude.” He opened his eyes to see a really big purple gift bag and pulled it down so the top faced him instead of getting up. He slowly dug out all of the crumpled paper, dropping it on the floor to deal with later.

After a few seconds, he pulled out a folded blanket. It was a cow pattern, similar to his favorite pillow, and it was super fluffy and soft. Just touching it made him sleepy.

“Like it?” Belphie just looked at you for a few seconds, contemplating if he should pull you into his nap. Eventually, he decided and tugged you down next to him, covering you both with his new blanket, and drifted back to sleep in another few seconds.

—

Lucifer’s snow globe was kept either on his desk or on a shelf. He found comfort in even just staring at it, but every now and then he shook it to see the snowfall.

Mammon’s keychain was a permanent fixture on his phone. He took it everywhere and showed it off at any chance he could.

Levi kept his pencils in package with his other merch, not wanting to ruin them, but they were always near the front of any display he made.

Satan used his bookmark for any book he could. He adored it and kept it as pristine as possible.

Asmo started using his new brushes almost instantly. Even if they were not the fancy brands he typically uses, they worked just as well. The fact it was from you also helped inspire some looks.

Beel took his water bottle practically wherever he went. When anyone pointed it out or asked questions, he'd happily gush about his new gift.

Belphie’s new blanket became his favorite one. Even just touching the fuzziness made him cozy and tired. He did everything in his power to keep as soft as the day he got it.

#writing blog #writing #obey me #finished #fluff #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me belphegor #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub

52 notes · View notes

ichinisankaku · 5 months

Text

Backstage Translation - Sharing Out Cuteness (Part 1)

Sakuya: These chocolates are delicious, Muku!

Muku: Yay, I'm glad! When I heard these yogurt and strawberry chocolates were only being sold this Spring, I figured it'd be nice to bring them to today's tea party.

Homare: Quite right. They've a truly lovely taste. Not being too rich, you find yourself reaching for another one.

Sakuya: And they go perfectly with the tea Homare-san prepared!

Muku: Yeah! Alice-san's tea is really tasty, I love it.

Homare: That's wonderful. I purchased this blend recently from a specialty store, if you two are fond of it I'll endeavour to buy from there again.

Muku: Wow, are you sure?

Sakuya: Thank you so much!

Muku: By the way, you're helping out at that café too, right Alice-san? I definitely want to go and check it out!

Sakuya: I'm excited too. Homare-san's really good at brewing tea, so I'm sure he'll be a big help!

Homare: Thank you. It's a rabbit-themed café, so I'm looking forward to seeing what poems will sprout from it.

Sakuya: Speaking of rabbits, I saw some adorable tea bags the other day. Should be on my phone…

Ah, here!

Homare: What's this now…

Muku: Wow, they're so cute!

Homare: There's a rabbit clinging to the rim of the tea cup, as if soaking in a bathtub.

Sakuya: Looks like there's dogs and cats too, and even unusual animals like otters.

Muku: It seems easy to drink, and would probably make a good gift. Choosing the perfect animal for who you give it to sounds fun as well.

Homare: I see… I myself would never have imagined tea bags such as this exist.

Homare: (When I went to stock up on those tea leaves Sakuya-kun and Muku-kun like, I ended up taking the opportunity to buy a whole variety of things. I'll try to use them at the next tea party.)

Izumi: -Ah, Homare-san!

Homare: Oh my, are you also out to buy something, Director-kun?

Izumi: I'm on my way back from a meeting. Are you buying something?

Homare: Indeed I was. I'm heading home having just finished my business. If you're also returning, shall we go together?

Izumi: I… want to say yes, but I'm thinking maybe I will go shopping.

Homare: Allow me to accompany you, then.

Izumi: You sure? Thanks a lot!

Izumi: Fufu. Having Homare-san push the cart really is refreshing.

Homare: Is that so? You must have seen this many times already.

Izumi: Yeah, but that's not the poi- ah, onions and carrots! And minced meat, too!

Homare: What a fluid way of tossing the ingredients in. Perfect! I feel a poem coming up!

A silver runway for a vegetable and meat harmony, clad in spicy finery!

Izumi: Ahaha. That poem's really put me in the mood for curry. Though, today I was thinking of using eggs for-

Wait, I forgot the ketchup! I'll go get it now, wait here for me please.

Homare: Understood.

*footsteps*

Homare: …I was certain she was going for keema curry, but I suppose it was omurice.

…Oh? Oh me oh my?

Part 2

#a3!#a3! translation #act! addict! actors!#homare arisugawa #muku sakisaka #sakuya sakuma #izumi tachibana

38 notes · View notes

nyotengu · 9 days

Text

Chapter 3: Knowing

At home, I went on social media, my brother had tagged me in a childhood photo of me and said “last time Katie Ledecky lost in the 800m” he also told me he didn’t know how many times they had focused on our mother in the stands at the world swimming championships I just returned from, and stuff like that.

I checked my DM on ig and the new zealand swimmer Erika Fairweather had written to me, who had broken 4:00 in the 400m freestyle, she was grateful for the mention I made, telling me that I always pay attention to the achievements of others, and that surely for me those numbers are a “normal” thing. Another dm was from that ice cream girl who told me “Ledecky being a God in the relay, nothing new”

For a moment I wondered how long she has been in my sports career because looking at DMs, she had never written or sent me anything before the short video I took with her, it was curious but apparently after that she was aware of my stories and sometimes she responded.

—————

End of August 2023

Checking the large drawer of the medal and souvenir rack, on the left side were the two stuffed animals, I took them out, first of all, I didn't really like keeping something next to the medals, even if the souvenirs had to do with it and second, I was already packing my suitcase to go to Colorado Springs.

I wouldn't be there long, I wouldn't have a way to leave them myself, I didn't feel at the moment that I had to do it myself but I would look for someone to take them. Someone outside the TEAM.

———————

I wasn't working the cash register when a delivery guy came with a rather large gift bag, I was serving ice cream in the back. There was a line of about three people and my coworker who was attending told me it was for me.

The delivery guy was standing to the side of the counter, outside the line, he asked me for my name, just my first name without a last name, he made me sign and that was it. It was unexpected. ¿Who is going to send me a gift? I don't know anyone. The package had to wait until there were no customers in line to be able to check it.

The gift bag was white with little ducks on it, childish and beautiful. After checking that there was no trace of who the sender was on the outside, my concern increased.

I took a deep breath, I didn't want to damage the bag, it was so pretty and although it didn't look that fragile, I wanted to be careful. It had a Velcro adhesive on the top.

I opened it and inside there was another paper bag and inside it there were two blue stuffed animals, they were super adorable on their cheeks there were pink circles, on the chest there was a small silver square with letters in another language, I gulped, they had a little label that said made in Japan. Although I didn't pay much attention, it's not uncommon for things to say ”Made in China”, but ¿made in Japan?

I kept looking inside the bag, there were two big heavy cardboard books, they looked expensive, they were children's themed, I opened them, those are to lift the cover, touch and feel, there were simple illustrations, with bright colors and interactive elements, one was about water and fish and the other about animals on the farm, I didn't look page by page.

I looked at the bottom of the bag and I didn't see any note, I panicked. I looked at the books in more detail and in the water themed one there was a blue note.

It said:

I think this book is more appropriate for your baby, “I think” because I wish I had more of an idea.

By the way, thanks for the nice words.

Katie Ledecky

First of all I saw the signature before I read the little note that was shy but direct.

This hit me like a ton of bricks. ¿As if it could be possible? This woman is perfect in every way. She is sweet as a cherry pie, and at the same time so attentive but awkward and so powerful. I can’t get her out of my head, I think of her 24/7 like a spell and although sometimes I reprimand myself for responding to her stories, it’s inevitable.

Everything she is as a world-class swimmer is admirable, ¿but this? To melt.

I had to wait until I got home, although I was dying to thank her once and for all through the DM. I was at work and it was better than her getting home and being with my baby.

That same night, I decided to send her a cute photo of Alexander, who was already holding the stuffed shark with his little hands, sitting on the bed next to the blue bear and the two books. He couldn't stop looking at and touching everything.

I didn't upload the image anywhere, I was discreet. Nor did I tell my coworkers who sent me the gift bag. They did ask because it was really strange, I never received anything from anyone in the past.

I rewrote the thank you like 10 times, it always seemed like too much, I would name so many qualities that I thought about her, but then I would delete it before sending it. The gift was more for my baby Alexander and writing so many things didn't seem right to me. I didn't want to seem like a crazy fan, ¿but what was the right thing to do when talking to someone like Katie Ledecky?

In the end, I wrote her a sincere thank you.

The next morning I saw that around 5:30 AM she wrote to me:

“If you know the ducky gift bag is for LeDucky lol”

I got excited again. She hadn’t written to me since that time she told me she was at the airport in Fukuoka, Japan.

Basically she saw my responses to her stories, sometimes, not all. But there were no words or interactions since that time

I replied that I had realized because I had read about the “Leducky” somewhere. Beyond that, I didn’t know what else to answer without being cringe, I don’t know.

But it occurred to me to ask her:

-¿Do you like giving gifts?

Almost immediately she answered me, it was after 6 AM

-Yes.

-Do you give gifts to your fans… little fans?

-I almost never do, but I would like to do it more and spend more time getting to know them.

-Then Alexander is lucky

-I didn’t know what to give you to read, the book I’m writing won’t come out until next year.

-¿Are you writing a book? You're beyond amazing, you know?

-Yes. I'm on it. Thanks.

-¿Are you here in town? - I typed but immediately regretted it and didn't send it

-I hope you enjoy yourself here in Colorado Springs, Katie. I'd love for you to visit us at the ice cream shop again- I typed instead

She gave her a thumbs up and ended the conversation that day.

————————————————

Of course I had already questioned myself why I gave her a gift and why I was answering that girl's messages. It was something too new for me and disturbing. Having this kind of attention with a stranger. But there was something about that girl and her little baby that always made me open what new message she had written me even if I didn't answer it, I could see it.

I was still just a child at heart. And there was something genuine implicitly, I don't think it was because of the swimming at all, it was something else, and there's her little baby, I must say that her situation makes me think of mothers who go out to work every day and have no one to support them. It must be difficult not to have anyone. I thought from the privileges I've always had thanks to my family.

——————————-

By the way, I didn't go to the ice cream shop, I wasn't in Colorado Springs for that purpose. Although on my second night in the city, my TEAM colleagues suggested going out at night for some relaxation. Vaguely someone suggested the nearest shopping center, where Ainhoa works, but someone joked “Yuck” “I want to have some real fun.” “We have to go further away.”

In the end, no one dared. Me neither. I got up too early and got sleepy too early too. ——————————-

Early October

A few weeks ago my brother has been asking me for advice on what he could give his girlfriend for her anniversary, I'm not the best person to give him that. But I promised him that I would think of something, and in two days I would tell him my idea, after all I am his sister. I know him well. It would be very likely that knowing him so well, in two days when I tell him my idea he will tell me that he had already thought of this very thing. It will be fun.

I searched on the internet first for what it feels like to like someone

The search yielded:

1. You think about the other person many times a day

¿What? No, it is not at all normal to think excessively about someone else. Definitely

Below it continued: spoiler alert: in the next scene, you will be in love and the thoughts about the other person will grow exponentially with the days.

2. You need communication all day long

Science offers data on this, since according to a study carried out by the American psychologist John Gottman in 2017, being in communication all the time through messages and being interested in what the other person does, is an unequivocal sign that you feel something more than attraction or sympathy.

3. You make plans for the future

Another unmistakable symptom that your heart is going into terminal infatuation is visualizing yourself in the future next to that person. For example, when you think about a trip and assume that he or she will be there; or you talk about the coming year and assume that you will be together.

(I only think about Paris 2024)

Keep reading

4. You changed habits to adapt or please the other person

5. You want to have sex all the time

And yes, he meant having sex very constantly, and only with that person.

It continued:

Scientifically, in addition to having developed a sexual compulsion towards that person, you have also become addicted to them chemically speaking. In other words, you have fallen in love and you want to express it physically all the time and in addition, intimacy has no limits as to what to do with that person, which reveals another key factor in falling in love.

I snort, I've definitely never been wrapped in the fog of irrational infatuation, luckily.

The key points that gave me the most shudders would be changing habits because of the life I lead. For years I've been focused on my double swimming training, weights, double naps, a little entertainment and going to bed early, not counting trips and commitments, ¿so needing communication all day? It's nothing I would do. I think.

————————————

Thank you for inviting me Ainhoa…-I paused for a moment, moving the phone away from me a little.

I hated that it was like that… rejecting an invitation to a little baby's birthday. But I explained to Ainhoa that I couldn't go to Colorado Springs for Alexander's second birthday, I had the RoadtoParis photo shoot with the USA team and the 2023 Golden Google awards ceremony, both in California, followed by Thanksgiving dinner with my family and immediately after, the US open in Greensboro.

The last month and a half, our interactions had become more frequent and closer, a friendship. We only talked via DM on ig and Ainhoa even sent me an audio call there, and I answered it.

-Tell that little man that his gift will not be missing, ¿okay? Give him a kiss from me. I'm so sorry, I really wish I could be there but...

—————————————

-Thanks Katie, you don't have to apologize for anything. I just asked you to see if you could make some time for yourself, I know you're a very busy person. And yes, I'll kiss him for you. I have to get ready for work- I apologized, it was true but I felt a lump in my throat.

We said goodbye.

Note:

Delete chapter 1 and 2 here, because I posted them on Wattpad

These are the links to both previous chapters

Thanks 💓

#katie ledecky #Katie Ledecky fan fic #fan fiction #fan fic #love #lgbtq #lgbtqia #swimming #giftbox #cuteness

12 notes · View notes

rockmiyabideusexmachina · 9 months

Text

2024 Megaman Valentine’s Day Fanart Contest Rules Thread *CLOSED*

Hiya. Anybody still using social media or drawing and not using AI? OK, cool. Drawing neat Meganman pics contest #17 for Lovey Dovey Day sponsored by me and stuff is go time. After last year was a little different, and went the gift exchange route, it's back to your regularly-scheduled competition this season. The deadline this year will be on Tues., Mar. 12th, 2024. Nearly a month AFTER Valentine's Day? Wh…why? Because I'm tired, and you all are too, that's why. Or, well, read on to find out. XD As is the usual norm, there are two categories this year, one for Talent and one for Humor. You are allowed to submit one entry for each category, if you would like. If you place in one category, you will be automatically disqualified from the other, for reasons of fairness, and to give other people a chance to win a prize.

CATEGORY 1 (Talent): Black and White Day

This year, good ol' Steamboat Willie, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, went into public domain and people got somewhat excited about that. On top of games like Cuphead or Bendy and the Ink Machine, the retro look of 'Rubber Hose' animation has had a bit of a revival over recent years. You might even know a fellow Mega Man artist or two who has experimented with that style, or maybe even own a Mega Man shirt that has the pic above on it, as I do. So, for this year's talent category, your goal will be to create a beautiful monochrome piece in a retro Rubber Hose art style celebrating the pseudo-Valentine's holiday known as White Day. What is White Day? How would you draw something for it? If you've played X DiVE, you certainly know about the White Day outfits for characters such as Alia, Cinnamon or Axl. But here is a basic explanation via Wikipedia: "White Day is relatively new, created by the confectionery industry in Japan. White Day was first celebrated in 1978. It is celebrated one month after Valentine's Day, on March 14th. It started as an "answer day" to Valentine's Day on the grounds that men should pay back the women who gave them chocolate and other gifts on Valentine's Day. Men are expected to return gifts that are at least two or three times more valuable than the gifts received in Valentine's Day. The color white was chosen because it's the color of purity, evoking "pure, sweet teen love", and because it's also the color of sugar. Gift exchanges happen between romantic partners, friends, and coworkers. Traditionally, popular White Day gifts include food like white chocolate, marshmallows, candy, cookies, and other "white" accessories like jewelry, bags, lotions, and lingerie."

Content Requirements: * Mega Man characters of your choice celebrating White Day * Mimicking retro "rubber hose" art style (Eg: Steamboat Willie era Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, Popeye, Cuphead, etc.) * Black and white/monochrome palette. Seeing as this is a Mega Man contest, a retro Game Boy screen-like greenish tint is acceptable. As it is for love, I will also accept a garish Virtual Boy reddish tint, if you are that daring. Otherwise, try to keep your art retro-looking, using black, white and grey. No full-color illustrations for this category. * As this is the talent category, judging will be primarily based on the effort, creativity & overall concept of your piece. How well you pull off the rubber hose style for your characters and how well your picture fits the White Day theme.

CATEGORY 2 (Humor): Showing Some Skins

If you are like me, you have a favorite skin/outfit in X DiVE and you never end up changing it out. It may not be Christmas or Halloween anymore, but you might be that person who always uses Christmas Ferham or Halloween Vile, regardless of the time of year. So, forget the Cupid costumes or giant teddy bear outfits this Valentine's. Create your own holiday skin/outfit you wish would have been implemented in DiVE, but it's being worn at the wrong time of year. For the humor category this year, I would like you to create a funny Valentine's day pic where some character is wearing the wrong holiday outfit/skin that kinda changes the whole mood of a romantic evening together. Then again, it may or may not kill the romance, and might enhance it. Whether it be St. Patrick's Day Toad Man driving Snake Man and Ophiuchus out of a candle-lit restaurant, Tron Bonne picking up her date on her Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Float Gustaff, Tax Day Armor X crunching numbers with Alia in bed while asking her if she plans to file single or jointly this year, or someone risking themselves for President's Day sexy Mr. Lincoln skin Proto Man, the romantic holiday mismatches are endless!

Content Requirements: * A Megaman character of your choice wearing any holiday-themed skin/outfit that does not really belong for Valentine's Day, in a Valentine's Day setting. * As this is the humor category, judging will be based primarily on how funny your piece is. Creativity, concept and execution may get you some bonus points. But the focus of this category is how well you make us laugh, not how technically skilled you are at art!

PRIZES:

The winners for both the Talent and Humor categories will receive the following:

1st Place: $175 USD 2nd Place: $100 USD 3rd Place: $75 USD

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

When you submit, I would prefer you include the following information in this format, along with your entry:

(Your name/preferred alias) – As much as I usually know who you are, there’s always someone new or somebody who has a different preference from what their email name says. A link to your preferred social media account also works.

(Category this entry is for) – You can either say 1/2, or Talent/Humor

Anything else you feel I need to know about your piece is always welcome.

Only submit your own work, as usual. Any character, major or minor, from any series is allowed. Pairing characters from different series is totally allowed. Same-gender pairings are completely fine. OCs are allowed, as long as your art contains at least one canon Megaman character.

As always, participants are allowed to submit from all over the world.

Paypal is still the preferred method for cash prize payouts. Please have a valid account to receive your winnings.

Youngin’s, get your parents permission before entering.

Entries can either be e-mailed to me at rock2125[at]hotmail[dot]com, or you can just DM/note me a link to your pic.

DO NOT post your pics in this thread, your dA galleries, Twitter, tumblr blogs, other sites, etc. until the contest is over. This is the fairest way for competitive reasons. I prefer to keep them all secret until the deadline has passed. I’ll edit a confirmed entry list in this thread when I receive them. So you won’t be in the dark about whether or not I’ve received your entry.

DEADLINE:

The deadline for this contest will be Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, by the global end of the day. This gives you nearly 2 months to finish your entries! And if I'm lucky, results can be posted on or near White Day, which is March 14th. A little different this year, both to give people more time, and to fit in with this year's themes mixing it up.

MISCELLANEOUS INFO:

As usual, If you don’t plan to enter, but would like to help me judge, please let me know through DM or mention so here. Never hurts to have extra opinions on all the entries.

Bug me with questions if you have any. Please join in, and good luck to everyone who enters!

Confirmed Entries:

Cat 1 Talent - HikariLux, @eulogysinger, Kaitlin.EXE, @wennastudio, Komito, @sylviidaee,

Cat 2 Humor - AbilityField, @aurantia-ignis, Miralie

#Rockman #Megaman #Mega Man #Rock Miyabi's 2024 Megaman Valentine's Day Contest #Fanart Contest

24 notes · View notes

starkstruck27 · 1 year

Text

One last little mermay fic because it's the last day and I thought it would be cute (also I may be posting on June 1st technically, but I wrote the bulk of it yesterday so...).

Steve hadn't been working at the aquarium for long, but he loved every second of it. He'd moved out to California a while ago and he'd been down on his luck when Dustin came out one time to visit, all jazzed up about marine life, since it was his latest obsession, and he'd suckered him into a trip to the place before he left again for Hawkins. Steve had never had much interest in undersea life before, but as Dustin dragged him through the exhibits, he found himself in awe of all the beautiful creatures. At the end of their tour, he was buying Dustin a souvenir in the gift shop, when a large "Help Wanted!" sign caught his eye.

"That, uh, that sign," he asked the girl who was scanning the barcode on Dustin's stuffed seahorse and new San Diego Aquarium cap, "Is that just for the gift shop or is it the aquarium in general?"

"No, it's for the whole place. We are looking for a few people to be cashiers in here and the food court, but we're also looking for tour guides and trainers. The trainers have to have some kind of prior experience working with animals though, so just keep that in mind. Would you like an application?" She asked, her smile bright as she handed the younger boy the bag.

"Yes, please," Steve smiled back, and the girl handed him a small packet of papers fill out before smiling and greeting the next customer.

By the time they left, Steve had already returned the packet, completely filled out, to the right box, and two days later, he got a call to come in for an interview. He went, and an hour later, walked out with a job as a tour guide and a date to come in for his first day of training.

By now, nearly two months later, he knew the ins and outs of the entire place, and he could spit facts about sharks or jellyfish or anemone or sea cucumbers like he was listing the days of the week. He was one of the favorites among the tour groups, since he often made stupid dad jokes and gave out aquatic themed stickers to the kids. It was a hands-on aquarium, and a lot of the parents liked the gentle encouragements he would give their kids if they were scared to touch a certain animal, and the kind ways he would explain how to do it properly so as not to hurt the animals so that everything went smoothly. He was often handed tips from appreciative parents, and even though he always tried to refuse them, they always insisted he take them for helping their young kids to have such a positive experience. His fridge in his apartment was running out of room on the front of it from the amount of drawings kids would do for him, and he had made a note to get himself a little scrapbook or binder or something to keep them in so that he didn't have to throw them away to make room for new ones.

So yeah, Steve absolutely loved his job.

And when his boss pulled him aside one day and said that he wanted him to be the one to help launch the newest attraction on May 1st, he was more than happy to do it. He was just supposed to lead the families into the amphitheater that faced the biggest tank in the aquarium and get them pumped up to see some kind of show involving mermaids. He had no idea what it was or how it was going to work, but he was excited to do it, so he did.

Finally, May 1st rolled around and Steve was about to do his first presentation for a packed theater. He scrounged up some of the old confidence he'd had in high school and put on a huge smile as he walked out in front of the tank with his notes, quieting the families and greeting them before asking if they were ready to see some mermaids.

That's what the whole thing was about. It was supposed to be like that one attraction in Weeki Wachee, Florida, where they had the actresses that dressed up like mermaids and entertained families in while swimming under water. It was pretty much the same as that, but while the actors and actresses were swimming around, Steve was supposed to give a presentation on some fun facts about mermaids and then, at the very end, the families would get to pose for pictures with the actors while they were still in the tank. They were going to be going down with air nozzles from oxygen tanks in their hands, so that they could make cool bubble effects, but also so they could still breathe as they were underwater. It was actually really cool, in Steve's opinion, and he was excited to be giving the presentation.

"Okay, so as long as you're ready to meet our merpeople, we have to try and call to them so that they'll come out to see us. Merpeople are king of shy, so we have to be really loud when we call their names, okay? We have a lot of merpeople here at our aquarium, but the ones you're going to see today are named Pearl and Nero, so on the count of three, we're all going to say really loudly 'Hi, Pearl and Nero!', okay?" Steve said as he continued his opening, smiling wide along with a lot of the kids. They all nodded as he counted to three, and they shouted out for the two actors, and they swam over from where they'd dropped into the tank, somewhere off to the side where the audience wouldn't see them going in.

The first 'mermaid', a girl with curly dark hair and tan skin, swam over, wearing a bright red shell bra and a shimmering red tail that caught the light beautifully. She pretended to be shy as she swam over, but she smiled as a manta ray came up to her, and she pet it gently as the kids all oohed and aahed.

"Everybody, this is Pearl," Steve said, gesturing at the tank, and the actress waved back at the audience, flicking her tail as she swam all around and did little tricks. She could hold her breath for an incredible amount of time, only having to use the breathing tube thing once or twice in the past couple of minutes.

"Now, Pearl is a little bit more brave than our other merman, so we have to call out for him again to get him to come out, okay?" Steve said, and the kids all called out for the guy again. The actress in the water even gestured over to someone with her hand as she swam around and played with the fish and other creatures in the tank with her. Finally, the kids all cheered as another actor swam over, looking more timid as he did.

"Everybody, this is Nero," Steve said, and he gestured at the tank, almost forgetting his next bit in the script when he saw the man. He had blonde hair that flowed around his face in ringlets. He had a tiny hint of a mustache on his top lip and the most striking blue eyes Steve had ever seen. His tail was also blue, probably to match his eyes, and as he waved to the audience and smiled, Steve nearly fainted. He was muscular, but not overly so, and his arms looked strong and sturdy, much like the rest of him. And his smile was bright enough to light up the entire ocean if he wanted to.

Steve made himself refocus on his presentation as the actors played under the water, swimming around and playing with both each other and the creatures in the tank with them. They interacted with the crowd as Steve gave his presentation, doing certain motions to go along with the fun facts Steve was spouting, and just seeming to have fun with it. Steve was too, once he got over the initial shock of that gorgeous man swimming around behind him, and when the presentation was over, he both happy and sad about it. The next show was going to be done by another one of his coworkers, and two other actors would be playing the merpeople, so Steve decided to head back to where he knew the actors would be taking their breaks to see if he could get a chance to talk to the guy.

He found him and the other girl laughing backstage as they ate lunch and gossiped, and he was almost afraid to go in and talk to them. They both had towels wrapped around their heads to keep their long, wet hair out of the way as they ate, and they both still had their tails on, since they had one more show to do before they got to leave for the day.

"Oh, speak of the devil," the girl said to the guy, and she gestured to the door that Steve was standing at, smiling widely. "You're our presenter, right? We were just talking about you. You did a great job hyping up the kids for us. Although, your jokes were absolutely terrible. I'm Heather."

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm Steve," the man said, walking further into the room with them and tucking some hair behind his ears nervously. "Sorry to interrupt, I just figured that I should probably introduce myself to you guys at some point since we'll be doing a lot of shows together. And I wanted to compliment you on your performance, it was really, really cool. I don't know how you can hold your breath for that long and keep your eyes open underwater and still to all those tricks and stuff. It was just really amazing."

"Thanks," Heather replied, taking another bite of her sandwich, "And to tell you the truth, it's really nothing special. Just lots and lots of practice."

"And the oxygen tanks help a lot," the man said, the first time he'd spoken since Steve first entered the room. He didn't seem like he'd be a quiet person, but Steve figured that maybe he just didn't really like new people. He could understand that. Still, he'd hoped that maybe he'd have more to say than just that. Heather seemed to notice this, because she looked between them for a second, rolled her eyes at the man, and then reached down to unzip a part of her tail and stick her feet out so that she could shuffle off into another part of the room, saying something about needing to use the bathroom and leaving the two alone.

"I meant what I said," Steve said, stepping closer to the other man, "Your performance was really good. I've never seen so many happy kids in one room before. And you didn't even seem like an actor half the time there. You actually seemed like you lived in the water for real. And I'll tell you, you got a set of balls on you, too. I'd never have the courage to swim straight up to a hammerhead and just start petting it like you did."

"Thank you," the man finally cracked a smile as a cute little blush rose to his cheeks. "Yeah, I've always loved the ocean and anything having to do with it. And normally, I wouldn't have the balls to swim right up to a shark, but we keep them pretty well fed here, so I had nothing to worry about. But still, thanks for the compliments." The man paused again, setting down his sandwich, wiping his hands on a napkin, and training those striking blue eyes on Steve while he stuck out his hand and said, "I'm Billy."

Steve shook his hand, and he could feel his own face lighting up with a smile.

"Nice to meet you," he said, his heart fluttering when the other man's face finally broke into a full grin.

"Likewise," he said, and they began to slip into a more casual conversation as Heather returned and she and Billy finished their lunches and got ready for the next performance. Steve would have to leave soon to get his microphone and his notes sheet again, but he stayed for as long as he could, quickly becoming friends with the two actors and making a few plans to make their next show an even bigger hit than the last one was. Finally, it was just a few minutes before Steve would have to start welcoming families back into the theater, and Billy went off somewhere to do one last thing before the show.

"Oh, and hey Steve, I have a quick question for you," Heather said, just before he left.

"Yeah?" Steve asked, stopping just short of the doorway.

"Can I get your number?" She asked, thrusting a napkin and pen into his hands. "It's not for me, though, it's for Billy. Y'know, just in case you were wondering. He nearly choked in the tank earlier when he first saw you through the glass, however blurry. And he said you had a nice voice. But he's too much of a wimp to ask you himself, so write a corny little note and leave him your number so that I don't have to hear about how out of his league you are for the next fifty years, because he will complain for that long."

Steve was taken aback at first, but he was flattered, and he liked the other guy, too, so he decided, why the heck not? He scribbled down a note and his phone number quickly, then high-tailed it out of the room to be in the theater for his cue, just as Billy came back over.

"Steve asked me to give this to you," Heather grinned like a shark, handing him the note. Billy took it, puzzled, and almost missed his own cue to get in the water as he read and reread it to make sure it sunk in.

Steve left him his number. And a terrible dad joke, but mostly his number, and said he wanted to go out with him sometime. He'd said he wanted to be 'part of his world', and as much as the pun made Billy roll his eyes, he couldn't help but find it cute. He could definitely arrange that. But first, he had to get back in the water, and hopefully nobody would notice as he stared at Steve's ass through the glass.

And if they did, he could just pass it off as a merman curious about how the humans walked around on their two large fins.

#harringrove #billy hargrove #stranger things #steve harrington #billy hargrove x steve harrington #mermay #ficlet #meet cute #merman!billy

70 notes · View notes

emeraldsworld · 2 years

Text

Buddy Daddies Ep 10 Speculation/ Predictions

the mood for this ep already looks so sombre I’m so unprepared..

I’m assuming from this shot that kyu does end up telling/ hinting to kazuki and rei that they’re in danger and that shigeki has asked for info.. which will obviously make them reflect on whether keeping miri with them is the safest thing for her moving forward

- or they’ve told kyu about misaki coming back and he gives them some advice they don’t want to hear… potentially something that contradicts his previous ‘don’t regret it’ advice now he knows they’re in danger but can’t betray the organisation …

which is obviously something both of them are gonna take really hard (from the looks of the trailer especially kazuki, though he wears his heart on his sleeve)

putting the rest of this under the cut bc its long

we also know that misaki makes a return in this ep. miri looked so happy to see her which really tugged on my heartstrings ahah

we know that she’s come to pick up miri and take her back from the episode synopsis

it seems that misaki is invited over for dinner from miri eating the hamburg steak and kazuki and rei sitting next to each other rather than opposite like they usually do (edit: its confirmed by the episode synopsis that she comes over to discuss)

I think this interaction with misaki, seeing miri happy in the presence of her mom for the first time AND potentially knowing that their family is in danger is gonna make kazurei reflect (spiral) on what the best course of action is… we know misaki is the one to intimate she wants miri back and they can’t really say no to her birth mother ..

I also think the reason misaki wants miri back is because she’s ‘made it big’ in her career and is moving out of japan- hence her posh new clothes and haircut and the ‘specific reason’ mentioned in the synopsis, this is also where the title ‘lost at sea’ could come into play

however I also have a theory that misaki is lying and has been paid off by the organisation to take miri back .. which would explain the fancy look and the sudden turn around in maternal feelings (though if she knows she’s gonna have a better life she may be able to offer miri a better childhood than before, since her life is no longer ‘ruined’ by her)

which brings me to these shots

we can see the family are shopping for miri again, and their bags and items are with them when they arrive at the funfair (you can tell by the rainbow lights and the final shots in the trailer with kazuki and rei)

this seems odd to me as buying miri a bunch of stuff and then having to lug it around the fair doesnt seem productive

which is why I think they might be giving her a final send off with lots of gifts and a fun day out 💔, they may not have a lot of time before the organisation closes in on them and they have to send her back to misaki..

you can tell they’re in the ferris wheel here which also makes me think they might be ambushed and the episode will end of a cliffhanger - thanks to the scenes from the op (though rei is dressed in his assassin wear in that)

(sorry for the low quality screenshot lmao)

I can’t fathom the anime making misaki come back without a genuine reason/ ploy considering the central themes of the show are about found family and how they set up that some people just don’t want to be parents … though I hope that if my organisation theory is true misaki isn’t doing something irredeemable bc they set her up as a victim and I would hate for them to do a 180° on that

and considering how many episodes are left and the focus on them truly being a family last ep, it seems too soon to definitively say that miri should live with her mom that is what’s best for her

edit: I also saw someone say that kyu may have been the one to send misaki as shigeki would just kill miri which I also think is a very likely scenario!

I’m excited for some angst though! lmk what you think this is a whole lot of waffle ngl

#buddy daddies #buddy daddies theory #buddy daddies spoilers #bd 10 #long post #kurusu kazuki #suwa rei #unasaka miri #unasaka misaki #speculation #I’m scared #kyuutaro kugi

131 notes · View notes

yokohamabeans · 2 years

Text

Chapter 5: cowherd and weaver

We know how the story ends: in all versions of it, the crane leaves her lover in tears.

(In which: Kakuchō meets you at his worst. Eight years later, you meet him at yours.)

Pairings: Kakuchō x F!OC/Reader (ft. Haitani Ran x F!OC/Reader)

Series Tags / TW & CW / Notes: Dark/Mature Themes, Bonten!Timeline (or rather, pre-Bonten / Rise of Bonten Era), TR Manga Spoilers, Angst & Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Organized Crime, Blood & Violence, Mentions of Domestic Abuse, Japanese Culture, OC will have a name but this will largely be written in 2nd POV, Character Study, Hostessing & Forced Prostitution, etc.

(WC: ~7.5k)

Series Index | Read on AO3 here!

The summer heat peaks with each passing day. There’s a sheen of sweat on your skin and you worry that even with the air-conditioning turned all the way up, this junky old van will not get any cooler. Discomfort you can bear with, but not the risk of Pierre suffering a heat stroke. His panting is becoming rather noisy and short-nosed dogs like him run hot easily—though perhaps his loud heaving ought to be pinned on the excitement of riding shotgun, watching other cars and buildings and people whiz by. You give his soft, floppy ears a fond rub and ask him to relax.

You never wanted Pierre. But like a seed he’d been blown in by the wind, and you just couldn’t bring the axe down on this sprout that had taken root in your life. He was a gift from a customer: Yamamoto-san had asked to meet at a café and, to your surprise and horror, pulled a puppy by its scruff out from a bag. It was the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen—it had a face that caved into its massive head at the nose and bulbous eyes that were set so far apart it couldn’t even look straight. Girls love cute pets, right? How Yamamoto–san thought he could win your affections by dumping such a burden on you is still a mystery till this day. Clearly, he didn’t think much of an animal’s life. But because he was spending just enough at Murasaki, your only choice was to take the hideous pest off his hands. You excused yourself and headed for the pet shop immediately.

I’d like to make a return, you told the staff at XJ Land, setting the little runt down. I can’t care for it.

Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you got him. The man at the counter barely hid his disdain. Sorry, but this isn’t a place for fickle returns.

Someone gave it to me—I didn’t ask for this. You didn’t appreciate his tone but you understood the sentiments behind it. You matched his face to some pictures on the shelves behind and concluded that he owned the shop. C’mon, Matsuno-san, you read from his name-tag, cocking your head in the way that guaranteed you another round of drinks from your clients. I’m just thinking about what’s best for this dog. He’ll be better off back in those arms of yours… Won’t you take him in? Can’t you consider it a favour?

The young man sighed, muttering something extreme under his breath about how humans deserve nothing good, but picked the puppy up with blushing cheeks nonetheless. Do you have the certificate of ownership? Or the receipt?

Well, no, you replied rather sheepishly, I was simply told this is the shop he’s from.

He shook his head and inspected the tiny dog in an attempt to identify it. You couldn't help but notice that even though he was being perfectly gentle and careful, the animal was frightened to its bones from being handled by yet another stranger. It bore its sad, pathetic eyes into yours, as if trying to worm its way into your heart. Too bad, you almost sneered, but that old trick won't work on me.

And yet, you couldn't look away.

Sorry, lady, but he isn’t from my shop, Matsuno finally said. You’ll need to check with whoever bought him again. Or better yet, why don’t you give him a chance?

I can’t take care of a pet in my life now. But neither could you risk offending Yamamoto-san, though your respect for him had all but vanished. Are you sure he isn’t from here?

I know every single one of my pets, and I only have pedigrees so far. He tried to calm the puppy down with a hug. This little guy looks like a Jatzu.

It was still shivering. What’s a Jatzu?

A cross between a Japanese Chin and Shih Tzu, he answered, then sized you up and ventured: It’s a ‘designer’ dog, if you care about that sorta thing. You couldn’t blame him for his assumption because you knew how you appeared with your dress and make-up.

This dog doesn’t look anything like a Shih Tzu, you retorted. Your mother used to talk about keeping one in her village a long, long time ago, so you were aware of the breed. Looks like pure Chin to me. How can you tell?

Your question lifted the frown off Matsuno, who fortunately took it as a sign of interest rather than an accusation. He proceeded to demonstrate by pointing out the length of its body and shortness of its legs. Something about the texture of its coat too. The more he spoke, the brighter his blue eyes shone, and soon it became too late for you to stop him from sharing everything he knew about the dog. By the time he remembered to breathe, he’d delivered a full pitch about why you should bring it home. Even you had to admire how hard he was trying to sell a product that wasn’t even his in the first place.

Did you know? Both the Chin and Shih Tzu were once treated as royal pets in East Asia, he added excitedly. The Shih Tzu were especially precious to the Chinese for bringing good luck and fortune. See this white patch between his eyes? That’s where the Buddha kissed him. That makes him a blessed dog who’ll protect you from evil!

What a load of bull. If that were true, your mother never would’ve met your father. Your aunt, who presumably shared the same dog in their village, would've won more than she lost at every casino she went to. Your life could've turned out entirely different—maybe you wouldn't even exist! This misfortune is intergenerational. You’ve got a pretty useless cousin somewhere, huh? you thought wryly at the mutt, catching its pitiful gaze again. Trust me, pal, you don’t want in on my life. There’s nothing good for you here.

It gave a small whine, which you'd liked to think was mere coincidence, and Matsuno ran a soothing palm over its massively deformed head. It really was an ugly dog. You simply couldn’t find anything adorable about it. In fact, it was a painful sight, looking like it was bred to suffer. Its marbly eyes were always watery, likely from the discomfort of sticking so far out its skull, and it was hard to fathom how it could eat or drink from its flat face without choking. Even breathing must've been a chore with how squashed its nose was! And this was a designer dog, wasn’t it? So, this anatomical tragedy was by design, by fancy!

You could empathise now: this poor creature was born to live out a nightmare. All because a couple of humans wanted something to love. An existence so wantonly bestowed!

Sucks, doesn’t it? you felt like saying. Before you knew it, your heart had gone out to it completely.

Tell you what, onē-san. A man sidled up to Matsuno and slung an arm over his shoulder. A tattoo peeked out from his turtleneck. We’ll let you leave him here if you also leave us your LINE. How about that?

Dude! Matsuno hissed. You’re at work!

What? Don’t we need someone to call if anything goes wrong? The other young man smirked deviously, the mole below his right eye bending. Man, you have no sense for business. Here you are, getting a fancy new dog to sell at zero cost, and you're turning it away.

Seriously, if you don't shut the hell up—

Matsuno never got to finish his threat. Without thinking, you had taken the puppy off his hands. Strange. It didn’t feel so warm and soft when you were holding it before. It stilled upon your touch, wagged its skinny tail and seemed to grin victoriously while it panted. I’ve got you now! it’d probably like to say. Don’t you think we can make each others’ lives better? And just like that, you caved in like rotting wood.

A blessing, huh? you said, giving a small tap on its wet, sputtering nose. I guess I’ll take your word for it, Matsuno-san—

The red flash of a traffic light hits your eyes and your van groans to a halt.

“Say, Pierre-kun, you're running out of food. Why don't we make a stop by XJ Land after this?" you offer, to which the dog barks happily in agreement. It's amusing how much of a personality he's grown since you both left the pet shop that day. "If you and I really go at it, we can make Matsuno-san give us a discount."

While pedestrians are still gliding across your windscreen, you turn to the back of your van to check the boxes left in it: only a couple more to drop off at—you quickly consult your phone—Chiyoda Ward. You succumb to a groan.

Chiyoda is a little out of your way, so there will be less time you can spend at the store before you must head for Murasaki. The bigger problem at hand, though, is that the packages are due at Marunouchi district in Chiyoda, where most of your clients from the club work at. Things will get sticky if any one of them is to spot you unloading boxes from your van. It won't take them long to figure out the kind of day job you hold. You’re supposed to deliver fantasies and dreams, Mama will seethe, not online purchases or some hikikomori’s second lunch! She may even throw in a slap for good measure. Murasaki does not forbid its girls to moonlight—god knows that some of you need to—but Mama has driven her contempt for it into everybody’s heads. Men climb mountains to see the tennyō who live in heaven, you once heard her telling a girl who no longer works at the club. Do you think they’ll still do so if they can just find one at a fucking Seven-Eleven, cashing in their change? Do you think they’ll even want to anymore?

Well, that much you must agree with Mama. Utsu and Yū and the women of Murasaki aren’t supposed to exist in the real world. But with the lion’s share of your salary going to her and the Mara-kai, you needed a second job, and a girl clutching only a high-school diploma didn’t have many options. Service jobs like store-keeping or waitressing were out of the question—you will never have the strength to deal with human beings all day and all night.

You were drawing crosses on job listings when a delivery man rang your door to hand you some toys you’d bought Pierre, and you noticed he wasn't wearing a uniform. Yes, m’am, anyone can do freelance delivery, the young man answered with a blush, demonstrating on his phone how you can start. Shortly after, you bought a minivan for cheap at a second-hand dealer and ever since, you’ve been driving around the city and ringing doorbells on your afternoons. The payout is just enough to cover your meals and utilities, but there isn’t much to complain about: you get to work on your own hours (or not), and with the company of your dog. Really, the only fly in the ointment is the worry of someone asking if you also work at Murasaki—but you figure you can slip under the radar with drab clothes and a bare face.

As you turn into the grove of steel towers and skyscrapers, your glove box buzzes with a ring. Your stomach drops when you remember that it's where you kept your work phone—the one you use for Murasaki. Shit. Were you somehow already seen? Did some passer-by catch a glance while crossing before your van? Fuck! You'll never hear the end of it from Mama. The old shrew may even take a bigger cut off your earnings as punishment! Suddenly, you are stricken with regret. You should have cancelled those bloody requests when you had the chance!

"What a coincidence, Yamamoto-san," you answered, disguising your nervous voice as a coy one. Yamamoto-san is a director at a financial firm, so you know his office is in the area. “I was just thinking about you.”

“Oh, hey, Utsu.” He sounds a little curt, like he's still figuring out the best way to confront you. “Really? What are you doing now?”

The red light turns green, and you find an alley to pull over at. “I’m just at the pet store with Pierre-chan, which was why you crossed my mind.”

“Right. Anyway, listen. What’s going on at Murasaki?”

“What do you mean?”

“Mama-san just told me she’s cancelling our appointment on Tanabata. My friend—Sawada, you’ve met him—got the same call too for his date with Aoi. What’s this about?”

Your delivery job is still in the bag! But what Yamamoto-san has said is too puzzling for you to enjoy the relief. It's come out of the blue entirely. "I wasn't informed. Is there a mistake? As far as I know, you're still my eight o'clock on the seventh."

"No, we even got a message about it in black and white. Don’t you women communicate?”

"You must be really important to Murasaki if Mama's told you this before me." That utter cow! Leaving a mess like this to clear! You're curious about the reason behind these sudden cancellations. Concerned. But still you decide not to ask to avoid stoking Yamamoto-san's fire. "I apologise for this. I'll check with her. I trust that she's also offered you some sort of compensation?"

"Yeah… Store credit for a half-hour session."

"I'll throw in some Yamazaki too, how about that?"

"Fine. Make it an 18-year bottle at least."

You roll your eyes at Pierre. This old fogey must be out of his depth if he thinks he's worth that much. Still, you agree just so you can hang up quickly. The bartenders at Murasaki will know how to swap it with something cheap.

"Utsu, the free whiskey is nice and all, but what I really wanted was to spend Tanabata with you, you know?" he added in a cottony tone. "It's a night for lovers, after all."

"That makes the both of us, Yamamoto-san," you say, instead of suggesting that he spends it with his goddamn wife. "I'm so sorry, but Pierre-chan's getting frisky with another dog. I'll contact you again to reschedule, alright? Goodbye!"

Pierre lets out an indignant huff, and you pet his head in apology for using his name so unjustly.

You remember to breathe again. It’s not too much of a mystery when you think about it: Aoi pulls in the most sales for Murasaki and you come up second—some fat cat must’ve insisted on booking out the club’s top girls. It’s happened before, and Mama was also brusque in informing everyone then. Which zaibatsu scion is it this time? Or could it be a celebrity? Well, whoever walks through the door that night better bring some new faces and wallets with them. It’s proving to be hard for you to fish three-million yen from your current roster of clients.

As if to thwart the ease that’s settled, your phone rings once more. But instead of a call, it is now exploding with messages. A cold, unpleasant hunch tells you that the Tanabata thing is bigger than you thought, and you raise the screen up to your eyes to prove it true: customers are complaining left and right about the abrupt cancellation of their appointments. They’re not the only ones either. Your colleagues are also voicing their bewilderment in the group chat, assuming some kind of grievous error on the club’s website. Even second-tier hostesses like Atsuko have all their meetings struck off, and they worry about their fickle clients turning to another club for the night.

This is unprecedented. Murasaki has never once been booked out in its entirety. Mama will never give her customers a reason to visit other establishments, and there is simply more to earn from multiple parties than just one. Her heels are dug firmly in the ground when it comes to business. You feel sick, guts wringing bile up your throat. Like an eclipse upon light, it dawns slowly: the name for which Mama has bent her own iron rules for.

Bonten.

Is there something to be made of this glowering sky? Kakuchō is not a superstitious man and yet he cannot perceive these dark clouds as anything but ominous. It'd been sunny all day with no sign of precipitation, but as soon as he entered the car, thunder began to roll. Normally, this jarring turn of weather wouldn't throw him off, but as it's happened right before Bonten's meeting with the Mara-kai, Kakuchō cannot help but wonder if it might be an indication of sorts. In the end, he supposes with a bit of humility that even he is not immune to the dread of meeting the most dangerous man in Japan—especially when they are soon to take one of his most important assets: the hostess club Murasaki.

"Lighten up, will you?" drawls Ran from the seat beside. His lazy smile is bright in contrast to the brewing storm. "It's sacrilege to walk into a club with a glum face."

"We're walking into business," Kakuchō retorts, narrowing his eyes at the glass of whiskey in Ran's hand. "You can be a little less relaxed about this."

Ran responds pointedly with a sip of alcohol. When they were all younger, it grated on Kakuchō how unfazed Ran could bring himself to be about the world. No matter what kind of pinch he was in, Ran’s air of nonchalance was unwavering. He’d always figure out a way to make light of his situation and smile. Did he truly not care? Was he just that confident about himself? Or could it really be what Izana said, that he was an idiot and had once again let his head drift off to the clouds? In any case, it annoyed Kakuchō, who often took things seriously. These days however, as it becomes harder and harder to sleep without a gun by his bed, Kakuchō finds this quality of Ran somewhat enviable.

"Rindō and Mocchi just got to the club,” Ran breaks the silence again, reading off his phone. He taps on the headrest of their chauffeur, who immediately apologises for his slow driving. “Rindō already has playlists for Murasaki. Have you heard them?”

“Yes. And you should stop him from playing them if you want the club to profit.”

“Well, I happen to like some of his tracks…” Ran appears to mull. ��But I must say it’s not the vibe for Murasaki. It’ll be your first time there tonight, won’t it?”

Kakuchō refuses to answer, which satisfies Ran all the same.

“You’ll have your pick of girls, or you can leave it to the mama," he explains, finishing his last swig of whiskey as their car turns into the Azabu-Jūban district. “She’s got an eye for choosing the right one.”

“I know how a hostess club works.”

“I never said that you didn’t. Oh, I’ll let you meet my girl too.”

“Didn’t ask to.”

“You know, I can’t wait to tell her who her new bosses are." A sinister sort of smile spreads across Ran’s lips. “She’s going to lose it.”

Kakuchō rolls his eyes, hoping that his colleague will remember where their priorities are at the moment. “Will the mama be working for us as well?”

“Presumably, because she works for Murasaki. Just like a CEO working for a new board. But her loyalties seem to lie with Tanida…" Ran trails off, gazing out of the window now. The Mori Tower passes his view—they're getting close to their destination. “Murasaki will be ours, for sure, but it won’t be worth as much if Mama-san doesn't have our interests at heart. We'll talk to the Mara-kai about this later."

Kakuchō feels urged to mention that something like that should've already been discussed. It is common sense that a club is only as valuable as the mama who runs it, and from what he’s heard, there lives no mama who’s made as much money as the one in Murasaki. But he also sees no point in starting the conversation when they're about to alight, so he decides against his comment. It's not like he's in the right position to speak, anyway; it'll be like telling a fish how it should swim. The Haitani Brothers were practically put on earth to run Tokyo’s nightlife—there was never any question about who was to lead Bonten’s foray into the trade. Even though he outranks Ran, Kakuchō knows to hold his tongue when it comes to that business.

After a series of turns, their driver finally pulls into a quiet street. It appears that night has since crept up, unnoticed amidst the dark rain clouds.

Takeomi’s mentioned that Murasaki was once a dingy snack bar in the basement of an old wooden shophouse. It’s not something anyone will guess of the sleek, steel-reinforced building that stands before Kakuchō now. In fact, it hardly resembles any establishment of that sort. Blinding neon signs, fast-talking touts and even garish menus of the ladies on shift—hostess and cabaret clubs are rarely shy about what they are. Even modest ones will sneak in the word 'girls' somewhere on their storefronts to let the men of the world know just what they are really selling.

But Murasaki is none of those. Its glass and concrete façade blends well with the other buildings in Roppongi-itchōme, where major offices and foreign embassies are close, almost as if to present itself as one of them. Any indication of its true order of business is contained in a small sign at its porch, which only spells the romaji of its name in backlit brass letters. Still, it can easily pass off as a restaurant’s plaque to passers-by who don’t know any better.

So—this is Murasaki. It is as unassuming as a club can be, but Kakuchō supposes the inconspicuousness is appreciated by most clients.

“Sanzu-sama’s car will be arriving in fifteen minutes, and the boss will take another ten,” notifies a subordinate as he shelters Kakuchō with an umbrella. Hardly a necessary gesture when they can reach the club’s entrance in just a few steps, but Kakuchō’s been told to accustom himself to the executive treatment. Noone’s gonna look up to you if you don’t put yourself higher than them, said Takeomi when he caught Kakuchō telling a lackey he can open his own doors. The advice still doesn’t sit well—partly because it came from a man once ruined by hubris—but Kakuchō understands the need to be commanding. He enters the foyer, where Ran is already waiting.

“Party’s on the fourth floor for us,” he informs. Ran is, of course, referring to themselves and the other Bonten executives. “All our other guys will be having fun in the atrium. Mama-san’s cleared the whole place out for us. Isn’t she nice?”

“Or she could be laying a trap,” frowns Kakuchō, prompting the other man to sigh. “Pretty convenient to have us all in the same place at once, don’t you think?”

“We’ve been through this… Have a little faith,” Ran pats him on the shoulder, the mild exasperation in his tone warning him not to continue. He turns to the concierge, who greets them with obsequious familiarity. “Good evening, Koremitsu-san. Big night, huh?”

“We humbly look forward to your guidance, Haitani-sama. I’d toast to you, but I am on the job.” Koremitsu, if that is his real name at all, bows deeply. In bronze letters, the wall behind him boldly reads: there are as many sorts of women as there are women. “Mama-san is at the VIP lounges with your brother and Mochizuki-sama.”

“And Utsu?"

"Still getting ready, the last I heard…" He dials a telephone on his desk and whispers into it, vaguely annoyed. "I apologise. You know how she likes to take her time for you."

"And you know how I'd gladly wait for her."

Ran has always held the passing of seasons and women in the same regard—Kakuchō knows this of his friend, but in seeing the grin he's flashed, wonders if the man is now capable of real attachment.

“Well, instead of waiting, why don’t you sample our new shipment of Dom Peris?” Koremitsu offers, rubbing his hands together. “Mama-san would also like you to pick the champagne for tonight.”

“Now that is a job for me,” Ran gleefully agrees, wasting no time in following the concierge to a door on their right. Clearly, he has no qualms about leaving Kakuchō at all. “Elevator’s down that hallway,” he points out, waving over his shoulder as he disappears just like that. “See you at the fourth floor in a bit, brawler!”

It is now Kakuchō’s turn to sigh, which is the most he can do about that rascal, anyway. The Aigner on his wrist tells him that Mikey and Takeomi are due to arrive, Sanzu and Kokonoi even sooner, so he settles to make his way up as Ran instructed. Once inside, Murasaki reveals itself as a different world entirely. Kakuchō is not a man of culture and neither does he pretend to be one, but even he can recognise a couple of the western paintings hung around the walls. It becomes apparent from every piece of furniture and artwork that the club was designed to flaunt Tanida’s wealth. A little too extravagant for his own tastes, but definitely something right up the Haitanis' alley.

The passage Kakuchō's been sent to is washed in black, which makes the walk seem longer than it should. By the time he reaches the metal doors at the end of it, he feels as though he’s walked into a different plane altogether. Kakuchō, unrelentingly cautious, beckons for three of his subordinates to follow him into the elevator. He quickly regrets it when the space turns out to be too tight of a squeeze for four built men—a sly trick, apparently: according to Rindō, it gives the hostesses an excuse to cosy up. How Mikey will take to being packed in this tin can later is a problem he cannot help but worry about. The boss has always needed his space from others.

The ride is soon interrupted at the second floor. Someone else is on their way up too, though Kakuchō doubts they’ll have much luck getting in with how his guards have walled themselves around him. The doors slide open and they see a young woman waiting on the other side: while her dress and make-up are more subtle than the other girls he's been brought to, she is unmistakably a hostess.

"Oh, please excuse me…" she mumbles in surprise, the crowd catching her off guard. Her expression suggests that she wouldn’t have entered even if the space allowed her to anyway. "I'll take the next one."

One of the guards grunts an apology while the other two release the guns by their waists. They are disciplined enough to keep their faces steely, but Kakuchō can sense their disappointment about her leaving—even he has noticed how lovely the woman is. Kakuchō has always been somewhat proud of being level-headed, so this compulsion to stare at her is becoming quite the bother. Under the soft glow of the elevator light: her eyes, her nose, her cheeks, her lips—Ah, shit… By the time the doors have closed, he is cursing himself for learning the full map of her face. At some point his heart has also quickened, beating as though it is on the verge of an answer to some great question, and he is left to dwell on its betrayal as the elevator ascends.

The fourth floor introduces itself with a blast of amber light and a pungent mix of cigarette smoke and perfume. Though he still has a corridor to pass, Kakuchō can well imagine from the raucous laughter that Rindō, Mocchi and their trusted men have already succumbed to the club’s hospitalities. Those idiots… Just save Tanida the trouble and roll over, why don't they? Has it ever occurred to anyone else that the Mara-kai can still be a threat? Apparently, age does not represent wisdom, and therein lies the reason why Bonten is led by its three youngest members. He presses on with his journey into the private lounge.

“So, this is Bonten’s Number Three… Where've you been hiding all this while?" It doesn't take long for the shark to circle in. An older woman—the mama, he presumes—purrs, teeth gleaming at the scent of fresh blood. She turns to Rindō, who’s joined them to make the introduction. "Why haven't you brought this stud to my club before?"

"Hey, aniki and I tried our best, but Kakuchō here is not that sorta guy," he explains with air quotes, smirking. It's obvious from his loose speech that he's already drunk more than he should. "Seriously, it's like he's sworn a vow at a monastery or something."

Are the Haitani Brothers genetically predisposed to get on his nerves? Kakuchō wishes that Rindō would at least have the sense to keep his mind clear before an important meeting, but he supposes that even sense in general is too much to ask from a fool. Seeing that his best course of action is to simply ignore Rindō, he gives the mama a curt nod. "Our business is in your care."

"Ah, I know the stoic type well," she remarks, eyeing him up and down as she sips on her long pipe. "I have just the girl you need, but I'd rather give my customers a choice. So, anyone you like? What's your eye for beauty?"

If it was truly up to him, Kakuchō would very much like to be in the company of his guards only. But as the saying about Rome goes… He seeks the expanse of the lounge for someone to pick, only to realise that he is already bound to a choice. At once, the young woman from the elevator comes to mind. The dim lights then have left an unreliable rendering of her hair and he wasn't very observant about what she wore, but everything else about her is burning starkly behind his eyes. It seems that her face has filled his head entirely and spared no space for anything else. But how does one begin to describe a face? It is perhaps as hard, if not harder, to put into words as a feeling.

“So?” Rindō slings a probing arm over his shoulders, teeming with anticipation not unlike a paparazzi in wait for a scoop. He must’ve guessed from Kakuchō’s hesitation that there is a genuine answer at stake. So smug is his shit-eating grin that, despite himself, Kakuchō is resolved to deny him any further satisfaction instead. “Anyone will do,” he grunts to the mama, the decision leaving a rather bitter taste on his tongue.

"Hmm, thought as much… There's no need to be shy, you know?" Smoke swells from her nose, and she motions for a hostess waiting by the bar to come over. "This is Rokujō, and she'll lead you out of your shell by the hand."

"Call me Jō," the hostess insists, bowing slowly so that both men will not miss how full her breasts are. He immediately detects a difference in age between them, and it strikes Kakuchō that Jō is one of the more mature women of the lot. Is that what the mama thought of him? He cannot find it in himself to protest, so he greets his companion politely and lets her fill the space by his arm. What does it matter, anyway, when he isn’t here to enjoy himself in the first place? Still, he cannot suppress his growing dismay for how the night is turning out.

Rindō grumbles in disappointment at how boring Kakuchō is determined to be and leaves with the mama for a livelier corner of the room, where Mocchi has made himself at home with an armful of girls. Kakuchō is instead steered away to a quieter corner by Jō, who must've either sensed his preference for it or is planning to keep him all to herself. Both reasons may also be at play together. Her courtship proceeds formulaically: she praises how hard his biceps are, twice, refills his drink, and attempts to learn all there is to know about him. He entertains her sparingly.

Jō is undeniably beautiful but not beautiful in a way that frustrates him, and that is why she cannot stop him from glancing at the lounge’s doors every so often. He doesn’t mean to be rude, but duty has to come first: Mikey is to appear any time now. Tanida too, if everyone is keeping to the plan. However, as the minutes tick by, it becomes harder and harder to pretend that the unease spreading between his lungs is caused by anything but the possibility of never meeting the woman from the elevator again. Could it be that she was heading for the third floor instead of the fourth? Was she assigned somewhere else at the last minute? Will he see her again? With all these pointless questions clouding his mind, Kakuchō can feel himself slipping into a pathetic state. The last time he felt so reduced was when he'd been seventeen and still a boy. Because the girl in question was something special, he can accept the torment he was put through then, but, now, for a woman he's barely met...? Beauty alone has never been enough to sway Kakuchō of Bonten—why should that change?

"Utsu, you little tart. You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago!"

"Sorry, Mama. I was getting ready."

The mama's distinct tenor voice breaks his reverie but it is the softer one after it that holds his attention. Helpless to the familiar call of the sound, he looks up and his eyes land on her immediately despite the flock of bodies in the room: the woman, by the door! She is bent in a slight bow—presumably one of apology to the mama—and so her face is still partially concealed, but Kakuchō has no doubt about who she is. He's even developed a strange confidence that he’d be able to recognise her anywhere, like he's known her for a long time.

The woman straightens herself, bringing her features into the light, and something between his lungs moves. Stirring, fluttering, thrashing, writhing—Kakuchō cannot tell how it is moving exactly, only that it cannot be stopped. It takes him to a realisation he should've arrived at a long time before, and by the time he's caught a clear view of her face, Kakuchō knows deep in his bones what he must do.

He must not let her slip away again, not the way he did eight years ago.

Embarrassing: you still wring your fingers into knots when you are nervous. Didn’t you leave this bad habit behind in your girlhood with the rest of it? Or have you simply not been nervous enough for it to surface? Whatever the case is, this shameful display is unbecoming of you, so you summon Mama’s advice to mind and cross your arms to keep your hands from moving.

“How about this?”

You look up and the only thing you see in the mirror is the searing glare of your hairdresser. Chū Reika has been giving blowouts to the girls of Murasaki for nine years and is only ever thanked for it. Therefore, you can see where her temper is coming from when you request that she changes your hairstyle, again, for the fifth time.

“You know you look fine!” she seethes, obviously harbouring a desire to scalp you then and there. “Are you messing with me?!”

“I think I want an up-do after all…” you pretend to mull, fingering the loose waves falling on your shoulder. Chū throws her hands up in defeat and moves to pack her brushes, so you dig around your wallet for something to win her back with. “C’mon, Chū-jie. It’s a special night. I just want to look my best.”

The other hostesses refer to her by Chū-nē out of affection, but you prefer to use the Mandarin equivalent that is ‘jie’. Chū Reika landed on the shores of Japan a decade ago to escape the poverty of her village in China—a rather common story you’ve heard. Her Japanese has since grown to be impeccable but she has yet to find a way to mask her unusual intonation. Most other girls cannot tell where it’s coming from, but because your mother had given you an ear for the Chinese accent, you could ask where her provincial hometown is right off the bat of your first meeting—in the language she is most natural with. To tell the truth, you didn’t really care for the information, but you reckoned it'd be helpful to endear yourself to the hairdresser.

“Stop lying, I know you’re just dragging time.” Chū sighs, considerately switching to Mandarin when calling your intentions out even though there is no one else around. She pinches the five-thousand-yen note from your hand and gets to work again. “Your hair will fry, you know.”

Chū has hit the nail on the head but you don't praise her for it. A week ago, some time after your call with Yamamoto-san, Mama made the executive order for every hostess to punch in on the night of Tanabata. "We're reserving the club for some very important guests” was all she indulged, but word had somehow gotten out that Murasaki is changing hands and the event is meant to welcome the new owners. You are capable of simple arithmetic so it didn’t take long for you to conclude that the Mara-kai had sold to Bonten, and from the moment you summed that up, you’ve been afflicted with a sinking feeling in the pits of your stomach. What will happen to you? What will Tanida do with you? Now that it is Tanabata, the gutting ache is at its height. You'd woken up at mid-day wishing you could hide the night out under your quilt, but because Mama has ruled that out as an option, you were left with the next best thing to do: delay it.

The phone in the dressing room rings just as Chū is about to pin your last clump of loose hair, and she leaves to answer it only when the noise has grown too annoying to bear. You don't need to hear the angry hissing of the receiver to know what the call is about. It's half an hour past the time you were ordered to be on the fourth floor—Koremitsu must've been tasked with summoning you there, probably by Mama or Ran. That utter tool. You've never liked his snivelling, grovelling ways.

“Well, this is the best I can do,” Chū tells you as she finishes her job. The previous hairstyle suits you better, but in your best interests you keep that to yourself and give your thanks instead. Besides, there is something strangely gratifying about not looking your best for the night. To hell with Mama. To hell with Ran! With any luck, the last-minute styling may even dampen your appeal to that greasebag. When he was a customer, you could at the very least count on the good old excuse of club etiquette to keep him at arm's length. But now that Ran's the fucking boss, he is free to step over all the rules and become as much of a pain as he wants. Can’t you be allowed even a single respite in life? Can’t the gods show you mercy for once?

So indignant you are at the perversity of it all that you don’t even realise you’ve called for an elevator. The sudden beeping startles you into awareness, and you’re glad that it did before you can walk into the wall of meat that is practically spilling out the doors. Ah, right. Mama did warn that Murasaki will be welcoming more testosterone and muscle tonight, but even then it did nothing to prepare you for the shock of having three large men scowl down at you.

“Oh, please excuse me…” you take a step back to appease them, who you’ve identified as bodyguards from their plain dressing and defensive stance. “I’ll take the next one."

These men must be from Bonten, but unlike Ran’s guards who always seemed to care more about your tits than their boss’s safety, these three golems appear to be actually competent at their job. You attribute their discipline to the man brooding quietly behind them. He is a little smaller in stature, but the authority exuding from his stern gaze is definitely one of a leader. The closing doors have stolen your chance to catch a proper look, but the hasty glimpse you’ve snuck of him shows dark hair and what resembles a large scar across his left eye. The sight comes accompanied by a sense of familiarity, but you dismiss it easily because there’s no way you’d forget a Bonten member like that.

The next elevator comes soon enough—too soon, in fact—and you brace yourself for the night of torture. It shortly begins with fierce shrieking from Mama.

"Utsu, you little tart,” she rounds in as you enter the lounge, spitting smoke all over your face. “You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago!"

“Sorry, Mama,” you bow, not minding that there isn't a shred of the sentiment carried in your tone. “I was getting ready.”

“Oh, were you?” You can tell from her constipated expression that she’s torn between yelling at you more or letting you go. Mama hates to flog at dead horses so she settles on the latter with a sigh, making sure to clip you in the shoulder as she leaves. “Ran is coming up soon. Prepare yourself.”

You don’t suppose she's left a sympathetic sort of meaning to her instruction, but the idea amuses you nonetheless. That, and Ran’s absence itself, lift your spirits enough for you to power through with your job. You walk over to the bartender to place an order for Ran’s favourite drink, going by a roundabout way to avoid Rindō, who is presently egging on a blonde, goateed man in his endeavour to chug a full bottle of whiskey straight. Another Bonten executive, you presume from his flashy, moss-green suit and the throng of your colleagues he's gathered. How many of them are there, again? Four, seven executives? Well, you don't care enough to recall. You'll find out soon, anyway.

The bartender nods and smiles in greeting as you approach the counter, but his eyes are distant—the courtesy is meant for someone behind. You turn around to face the tall, imposing figure looming over your back.

Dark hair and a scarred eye: it's that man from the elevator.

Though the intensity of his gaze suggests that he's been staring at you for a while, he looks to be even more surprised than you are about the meeting, like it never occurred to him that he'd see you again. Normally, you'd instantly peg him as some kind of creep for displaying such an odd demeanour and set the bouncers on him, but for some strange, inexplicable reason, you empathise with his shock instead. It doesn't take you long to connect it to that sense of familiarity you felt when you first saw his face, which has now returned in an overwhelming wave.

“Nikaidō.” Breath escapes him and he looks relieved, as though your name is something he’s lost and found. The confidence he declared it with, however, falters by the time of his next question. He points to the streak across his eye. “Do you remember me?”

Upon his bid, the world gives way to this man before you. The haze of eight years starts to thin, and slowly he takes on the shape of that boy outside your door, the one who so earnestly asked if he’d see you again. He’s been made unfamiliar by a taut face, longer hair and a sleek, dark suit—but because this is someone you once learned by touch, you have no doubt about who he is. A name gathers at the tip of your tongue, like a song once beloved.

“Kakuchō.” You’re smiling before you know it. “I’d remember you even without that scar.”

Never have you spoken truer words in your time at Club Murasaki.

Glossary of Terms / References Used | Next Chapter TBC

A/N: It's been a hot minute and I apologise for that! Several things going on here in this primarily MC-centric chapter, I hope you enjoyed the little reveals about her life! I promise, her background is plot-relevant. Oh, and I guess her reunion with Kakucho is in this too, huh! :P As always comments and reblogs and tag-coments will be loved till the end of time!

#tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers fanfiction #kakucho #haitani ran #haitani rindou #matsuno chifuyu #hanemiya kazutora #kakucho x oc #kakucho x reader #haitani ran x reader #haitani ran x oc #ran haitani x reader #ran haitani x oc #bonten #mochizuki kanji #akashi takeomi #requital of a crane

56 notes · View notes

alonglistofbirds · 1 year

Note

What are some cool facts/websites/videos/podcasts about albatrosses that you’ve found because I’ve found some stuff but not as much as I’d like and I love them so much but they are like very underrated, also if you’ve found any like albatross themed gifts or stuff then that would be amazing. Also sorry if this is alot/nothing you but I love albatrosses so much and they are probably my favorite animal because they are all so cool and amazing but also kinda derpy and they are so amazing. (Once again sorry for the rambling nature of this but for about the third time on this post: I love albatrosses so so so sooo much and would love to learn/find more about them) :)

my main source of albatross content is the Royal Cam, a nest cam in the Taiaroa Head northern royal albatross (or toroa) colony in New Zealand. so here are some facts about them specifically,

the breeding season lasts almost a year, from October to the following September. because of this each couple breeds once every two years

fledglings fly over 10,000 km from their nest site to the chilean coast to feed, and remain at sea until they return to the colony at 4-8 years old to find a mate.

it takes another 3 years for a juvenile to find a mate - year 1 is for socialising, year 2 is for serious mate-seeking, year 3 is for strengthening bonds with their chosen one <3

the juveniles are a little mean to the chicks, they're only being curious but the chicks don't appreciate being poked and prodded and occasionally bitten. their defence mechanism is projectile vomiting stomach oil over their "attacker". here is a video. they look a little messy afterwards

male albatross chicks are apparently more prone to projectile vomiting than female chicks. idk why.

chicks make play nests! once a chick is old enough to explore they start piling up grass into temporary nests to sit in nearby, though they tend to return to their original nest at night

every week each chick in the Taiaroa Head colony is weighed. they start off in a little bird sized bag, then a little basket, up to a laundry basket.

BIG.

LESBIAN ALBATROSSES 🌈🌈🌈 female-female pairs are relatively common in many albatross species. they will often mate with a male albatross and lay an egg each, meaning they can raise a chick together. love wins. (one egg does get kicked out the nest though).

the oldest known northern royal albatross, known as Grandma, lived to at least 62 years old. The oldest known wild bird of any species is Wisdom, a Laysan albatross who is over 70 years old.

I can't think of any other online sources rn and i dont have any albie themed things BUT if you happen to be from/ever visit the UK i would recommend the procellariiformes exhibit in the london natural history museum. the storm petrels are so littol and the albatrosses are SO BIG. I cry every time i see it *weeps a little at the beauty of the world*

woah that got long. sorry.

#i am unlikely to ever see real albatrosses so some taxidermy specimens in a museum is very amazing to me #thank you for letting me infodump sorry if you already knew all that #i read a lot about albatrosses but i am very bad at retaining information unless it is repeatedly hammered in #ask

19 notes · View notes

69misato69 · 2 years

Text

Madder (Ningguang x Beidou) ✦ 2k, fluff and angst

archive of our own ✦ twitter

masterlist pinned on my profile !

true love conquers all, almost.

cw: blood, injury, death

mature themes, view at your own risk

Beidou adores everything about Ningguang, and it certainly isn’t breaking news to anyone in Liyue. It’s written on the way she looks at Ningguang, on how she blushes with her every touch even though they’ve been married for nearly a decade.

But what makes Beidou fall in love with Ningguang over and over again every single day is the aspects of her that she never reveals to anyone else.

A fit example is her fondness of animals. After the city settles into a quiet night, Ningguang always takes Beidou with her to the streets with a giant bag of cat food, gathering the tiny residents around them and feeding each and every one with utmost care.

She separates the kittens that aren't strong enough to fetch their own food from the crowd and feeds them with her own hand.

Beidou always watches in awe how the cats lick at her fingers, gratefully swallowing the food and grinding against her legs to be pet, it isn't only sustenance that they long for, after all.

They need love. Even when they are starving, they never pass on an opportunity to get headpats and belly rubs from Ningguang.

And during the day, none of them even look in her direction. This alliance is a secret, and the cats are as discreet as the Lady of the Jade Chamber.

Beidou sits with her on the pavement, surrounded by an army of secret fluffy comrades. Ningguang is no different from them with the way she leans on Beidou's shoulder under the moonlight as tails wrap around their arms and colorful fur tickles their noses.

They take their time naming every new member and welcoming them to the family.

Oftentimes visitors of the Jade Chamber, colleagues, business associates, anyone that has formal ties to the Qixing deem it appropriate to bring flowers as a gift.

Though Ningguang accepts them gracefully, she spends the evenings ranting at Beidou about how cruel it is to just rip them off from life itself.

“Don’t you think they look prettier where they belong?”

She finds nature mesmerizing, spending a considerable amount of her time gazing out the window or going hiking with Beidou to admire it close-up.

Whenever Beidou wants to make fancy plans for her birthday she always refuses, they end up going for a picnic almost year and plant sunsettia seeds in the woods together.

"Even after we're gone, our children will reap the fruits of these trees."

Ningguang lays on Beidou's lap as they feast on delicious dishes made by the talented Chef Mao and a fruit basket, courtesy of Keqing and Ganyu.

The skirt of her white dress gets stained with the grass and the soil as she pushes Beidou off the blanket as well.

"Does my lady wish to be rolled off the hill on her birthday?"

"Not if I roll you off first."

"Bring it on!"

They run around barefoot in the grass until the sun sets, getting soaked by the leaves dampened by the heat and humidity of the summer, until every item of clothing they have on turns viridescent and their legs give out.

When they return, Ningguang is usually sound asleep inside Beidou's arms, exhausted yet blissful. Beidou changes herself and her wife into comfortable clothes and slips into bed next to her.

"Happy birthday, my love." she whispers before they drift off to sleep together on every night of Ningguang's new year.

Beidou stops by the Jade Chamber whenever she has the chance, and Ningguang, the ever so busy Tianquan of the Qixing always makes time to sit down with her among the crushing amount of work that needs to be overseen.

After a rather formal greeting they enter a private chamber, and Ningguang hugs her so tightly every time that Beidou feels her ribs bend a bit.

"I missed you."

She wraps herself around Ningguang's waist as they stay in a loving embrace, communicating without sparing any words.

During the summer, whenever Ningguang gets a day off, they head for Luhua Pool and wind down at the beach. Ningguang is always the one to rush into the cooling waves first.

She kicks off her shoes and swiftly slides off the dress she wears over her bathing suit.

"Beidou!" she yells and waves from meters away, "Come on! The water's great!"

And how can Captain Beidou refuse such a sweet invite? She catches up to Ningguang as she floats on her back on the surface of the water, calm and serene.

But the second Beidou joins, Ningguang turns into an absolute rascal. They race to the nearest boat and back, returning to shallow waters in exhaustion as Ningguang splashes hand-made waves on her face.

"Hey!" Beidou retaliates, sending a bubbling froth towards Ningguang as they battle fiercely and burst into laughter every five seconds.

Beidou fights fair and square, but Ningguang loves to play dirty. She often tricks Beidou into thinking the water stings her eyes, taking advantage of her sympathy to get in another blow.

Beidou doesn’t fall for it anymore, but she still comes close anyway. What if she ignores it the one day when Ningguang is truly hurt?

Captain Beidou, Queen of the Crux Fleet, she rules the seas but drifting along the water with Ningguang is much different than the time she spends on her ship fighting tooth and nail.

It's peaceful and tender.

Ningguang cups her cheeks and pulls her close, wrapping her legs around the Captain so easily when they are weightless in the water.

Beidou licks the salt off her puffy, reddened lips as they kiss over the setting sun.

Summer nights in Liyue are not so far off from the days in terms of heat, so even when night falls, it's easy to stay warm.

Before the darkness engulfs the beach, Beidou catches some fish for dinner as Ningguang builds a small campfire.

She always comes back with the same proud expression on her face, grinning with her eyes closed, holding the fish by its tail with one hand and giving a thumbs up with her other hand.

"That's enough for ya, milady?"

It amazes Ningguang how she hunts them with her bare hands, quite literally swimming after water creatures and winning.

It's at times like that when Ningguang realizes how Beidou only ever lets her win their swimming races.

After carefully cleaning and seasoning the fish, they set it over the fire and cuddle close to the flames to dry themselves off.

Though it’s tempting to sleep when the exhaustion of the day washes over them, they usually chat until the first rays of sunlight. They leave the matters of Liyue and the Crux outside of their bubble of comfort and instead reminisce about the old days, cracking jokes and tearing up, cuddling and kissing over a bed of sand.

Ningguang’s loud snorting resonates over the empty space. The unhinged, joyful sound of laughter that only Beidou is blessed with.

Among all the other things that Beidou feels truly favored by the archons to have the pleasure of witnessing are Ningguang’s abominable drunk singing, her yell of victory after heated chess matches with Beidou compared to how she extends her hand gracefully against all opponents other than her wife, her incoherent mumbling at night, how she curls up on the couch in her office when she’s too tired to go up to their room.

The way she speaks eloquently and moves elegantly, how she gets the ingredients everywhere when they bake heart-shaped cookies to celebrate Valentine’s Day, how she writes for hours and switches to her supposedly "non-dominant" hand.

Remembering all of this hurts more than the fatal wounds painted across her body as Beidou struggles to breathe in Ningguang's arms.

She feels tears wet her cheeks from above. Ningguang's sadness dribbling down to her face and streaming off her cheeks, as if she cries for both of them.

Beidou winces in pain while she reaches up to wipe her tears.

"Hey, hey… Nothing to cry about." she coos to put her at ease the best she can.

A loud sob escapes Ningguang as she shakes her head to the side, "I don't know—how to... Beidou..." she brushes the strands of hair away from Beidou's face, "I need to get you to safety, now."

A bitter smile forms on Beidou's lips, she feels her end fast approaching, and though Ningguang chooses to delude herself, she is as aware as Beidou that this is the last time they are in each other's arms.

"Leave me, save yourself, okay? I don't have—much time left..."

Ningguang shakes her head in disbelief. This is the first time a battle throws her off, the first time she loses composure, not her first loss but the one that will always burden her heart with sadness and yearning.

Beidou hisses, no matter how much it hurts, she raises her hand again to cup Ningguang's cheek, "Don't rush to where I'll end up, okay? I'll wait for you."

Ningguang holds her close, sobbing quietly as both of their clothes get soaked in the blood that surges from Beidou’s wounds. "Don't you dare rush to come see me." Beidou smiles, "I'll wait, even if it takes forever."

"Beidou—"

"Do you—hngh—remember the night of our wedding, Ningguang?"

Of course she does. The day they had snuck out of their own wedding because it was loud, filled with obnoxious people that were just there to fulfil a formal obligation, and taken off to the mountains.

They had walked on the grass barefoot under the moonlight with their high-heels in their hands. When they had sat down to watch the moon dip into the sea beautifully, Beidou had turned to her and asked—

"Did we forget our vows?"

Ningguang had frozen in shock, of course not Beidou, how could we forget our vows, she had wanted to answer. But, Beidou was right.

The "most important" part of the ceremony had been skipped.

So, Beidou had taken her hands in her palms and gazed into her eyes affectionately.

"Well then, Ningguang. I vow to be as accepting and protective for you as the moon is over the sea. I vow to dedicate my life to illuminating our path together, and to act as a beacon of hope for you in desperate moments. I'll be the keeper of your secrets and the concealer of all that you deem a flaw, even though you’re perfect to me. And well, you can't see me up there all the time, the sun has to get some spotlight too, right? Hah… But my vow is to make you feel my presence in your heart, always and forever."

It was the first time words had truly failed Ningguang. Beidou had spoken like the people she had always mocked in romance novels, yet it felt genuine, from the depths of her loving heart.

Even though Beidou was an open book, there was still a hidden side of her, reserved only for Ningguang, the love of her life, the shining sun and the illuminating moon, the soil that nurtured and the wind that swept all her worries away.

The sea, with its merciless waves and calming ripples, to Beidou, all of it was her. The place that healed her heart and put her at ease, safe from the chaos of the outside world. The world that Beidou loved conquering, but not more than returning to Ningguang’s arms.

"I—promised you." Beidou grows too weak to keep her eyes open, she fights with the last ounce of her strength so she can still look up at Ningguang.

"I'll keep it." her chest heaves with the strain of speaking through her pierced lungs. No matter how much it pains her, she speaks up over the roaring of their approaching opponent.

"I love you, Ningguang."

Rain washes away the blood and tears and Ningguang's lips find their way onto Beidou's.

A kiss so tender yet powerful that it could almost forestall mortality.

But, it can't.

So Ningguang does the only thing she is capable of, she stands before the beast, unyielding and unwavering as thunder rumbles loud enough to silence the shattering of her heart.

Beidou lays her eyes on the final glimpse of the woman she will always love.

A weak smile dampens with the last tear she sheds as Ningguang summons a million daggers of gleaming jade, suspended in the air and eager to surge forward with the strength of all her rage and grief.

Her ferocious eyes light up the darkness, a loving gaze now tainted by bloodlust.

#genshin impact #genshin fanfic #beiguang #beigguang #genshin ningguang #genshin beidou #ningguang x beidou #beidou x ningguang #genshin wlw #wlw #wlw fluff #wlw angst

17 notes · View notes