#Joker x Skull

[fallinblossoms]

Phantom Thieves crossover cutscene - Persona 5: The Phantom X

(Source)

[bullworthtownfm]

Live the experience of love with the artist prodigy Yusuke Kitagawa! You can view all of his confidant scenes with the video linked here!

Gay Joker Mod by Alive_Neptuna

[writing-nothing-but-spilled-ink]

To the people calling x men woke ummm sorry to break this to you but umm the x men have always been woke and not only are the x men woke but so isn't captain America because he fights fucking red skull witch is a fucking Nazi and he fights for freedom, dark horse comics Hellboy hes woke because he 1. Doesn't stand for social injustices and 2. Fights Nazis on sight literally on sight the second he sees a Nazi symbol he's brawling,.. literally all your favorite superheroes and villains are woke in some way at one point the Fucking joker beats the shit out of red skull because he finds out he's a Nazi and jokers explanation is a long the lines of nobody likes Nazis and he's canonically bisexual, cross dressing has been in comics for fucking decades to so people being so uncomfortable because Gambit is in a fucking crop top or because what you presume to be a male is in what you think is feminine clothing is actually insane and incredibly stupid...if y'all wanna be mad about gambit where's that energy for when joker crossdresses or for that matter when any male character crossdresses... They're are so many examples of superheroes, anti heroes, and villains alike being woke like come on now be fucking for real..

I have no idea what comic this panel is from I'll try to find out and add it to the post

In case y'all don't believe me about joker heres a panel taken from one of the Batman comics

NOTE: I'LL ADD IN WHAT COMICS BOTH THESE PANELS ARE FROM AS SOON AS I FIND OUT

[1-800-c0sm1c]

Hey!! Sorry if I’m doing this wrong I am new to this kinda stuff but do u mind writing headcanons on how the p5 phantom thief boys would take care of the reader when they’re on their period? If not it’s fine!

꒰baby im yours !꒱

p5 boys when their s/o is on their period headcannons !

character x afab!reader

includes joker, ryuji, yusuke, and akechi !

warnings : mentions of periods, obviously lol

a/n : its shark week for yours truly so i thought now is the best time to write this :D i wasnt sure what gendered reader you wanted, so i just decided to leave it as afab, hope thats alright :))

JOKER // REN AMAMIYA

maybe this is biased, but i feel out of everyone on this list hes the most prepared.

like, hes not overbearing but he knows just enough to spare you both any awkward conversations.

he doesnt have any feminine products in his bathroom since its technically shared with leblanc customers and he doesnt want to embarrass you or anyone else, but you know theres always a few of whatever you need in his school bag or his dresser!

hes a very calm person, which can be very relieving, especially when you accidentally bleed on something.

you both were hanging out one day after school, and when you got up off of his bed to go make some food, you noticed a red spot on the sheets.

you were internally freaking out, trying to figure out what to do knowing how some guys tend to find it gross, while ren literally just comments "dont worry about it, i needed motivation to do laundry anyways." and asks if you need anything.

you feel like youve just been given whiplash, no way thats it, hes so cool with it?

he even gives you a pair of his boxers and sweatpants since you bled through your clothes, and when you come out of the bathroom hes got a steaming hot cup of coffee and some chocolates on the counter all ready for you. <3

SKULL // RYUJI SAKAMOTO

confused, embarrassed, and a little bit (a lot) dramatic. he tries to act like its not a big deal, but in reality he doesnt really know anything about periods, and hes convinced youre secretly in a lot of pain. (which i mean, you could be depending on cramps… but you get what i mean.)

hes horribly uneducated on this topic, and definitely the worst person to be stuck with when you start. 

hes calling ann asking her to explain what to do with the reddest face youve ever seen. 🧍

ryuji definitely thought it was a little gross at first too, but once he understood it was just a normal thing your body did he felt more okay about it.

hes trying super hard to be a good boyfriend, but hes stuttering over his questions. barely able to ask you if he needs to get you anything.

i swear his eyes almost popped out of his head when you said all you wanted was for him to shut up and cuddle with you. 💀💀

he tries to be there for you as much as possible, but if you tend to get more angry, just note that hell try to stay away a bit. 

he has issues keeping his temper under control, even when it comes to you, and he doesnt want to start any unnecessary arguments.

at the end of the day, communication is key when it comes to you guys relationship, he just wants whats best for both of you!

FOX // YUSUKE KITAGAWA

yusuke has probably never felt the touch of another human being before you so hes very… confused to say the least.

what do you mean youre bleeding? and its normal? this happens monthly? his mind is blown.

i dont see him being weird in the way he wants to use your period as inspiration for a painting, but weird in the way that hell track it.

maybe this just a personal thing who finds it weird when a guy wants to track when your on your cycle, but it seems right up yusukes alley 😭.

hes a little strange, and he just wants to help! but he also doesnt really know what hes doing, so his presence can be a bit overwhelming.

gets pouty when you end up snapping at him, but once you explain why hes a lot more aware of how much hes bothering you.

hes also willing to get you whatever you need, as long as youre buying.

one time you had asked him to get you pads/tampons, and he called you 30 minutes later saying that he didnt have any money…

however, unlike someone else on this list, hes not embarrassed about it. more so genuinely curious, as he loves learning about you and he thinks its important to know how your body works!

hell probably draw you something nice as well if it makes you feel better. :)

CROW // GORO AKECHI

oh boy, akechi sure is a character. and i think with him it depends.

usually though hes just a pretty average guy. hes not stupid, but he also isnt the best at understanding your emotions, or his own, for that matter.

youre in public, akechi talking to one of the tv hosts after hes finished appearing on a show, and you gently tug on his jacket to let him know you started your period, and need the restroom. 

hes conflicted, whats supposed to come first, you or his reputation? when it comes to him, he makes any simple situation way more complicated in his head.

he makes an eternal sacrifice to shoo away the people talking to him, and he quickly takes off his jacket to wrap it around your waist. you both find a bathroom nearby and he paitently waits for you outside.

when you walk out, he offers to pick up whatever you may need (including some food) and take you home.

at your front door, he kisses your cheek, but cant help but noticed the nervous expression on your face.

its only then when you mention that akechis jacket is, in fact, a light color, and is most definitely stained now with bright red blood. his face goes blank, and youre worried for a second he might be mad.

he only shrugs at that, same detective prince smile as always, and jokes that youre paying for his dry cleaning.

[kai-strophics]

Those are her PAPAS, BABY!!!!

[marskid11]

after work out meal (affectionate)

[bludgeonthearmorprotector]

Persona Shipping: Ren Amamiya/Joker x Ryuji Sakamoto/Skull | PegoRyu

[battymommastuff]

A Mother's Rage (GRAPHIC)

Batmom x Batfamily

Prompt: You became the one person that the Joker would never forget...

Inspiration

You couldn't remember what happened...

It all felt like a haze of blood...and the sound of metal hitting someone's skull....

The maniacal laughter filling your ears...

The feeling of your husband pulling you away from the man you were going to kill...

What you remember was Batman, your husband bringing in the dead body of your second son. Jason Todd. The little boy that had filled the hole Dick left. The Golden Son was next to you when you saw the body Bruce had been carrying. The scream that left your mouth would haunt Bruce, Alfred, and Dick's mind until the day they died.

You remember walking to the cold metal table that Jason's body was put on. You remember cradling his lifeless face while begging for him to make a sound. Looking into his cold, dead eyes that Bruce hadn't had the strength to close. You removed the mask that protected your identity from the world and rested your forehead against Jason's while sobbing. Dick could only stand next to you and comfort you as you screamed, and pleaded for Jason to come back.

You remember the soul destroying sadness in your heart turning into a murderous rage. Dick looked over to you as your sobs suddenly ceased. He watched as your head slowly lifted from Jason's and a look of darkness was on your face.

Bruce remembers that look as he was across from you. You were looking right at him...hoping that he had the same feeling in his heart as you did...but he didn't. Bruce knew something in you was awakening. A side of you that he once had when he was younger...the inner monster in us all...

The Joker remembers that night...all too well. He remembers boasting to Batman about murdering the Robin...the boy wonder was dead. Beaten to death with a crowbar. The same crowbar that he had proudly on display for everyone in Amusement Mile to see.

The Joker's men remember a shadow moving through the darkness. The remember being nervous for second then terrified a second later...then finding themselves nearly beaten to death as Batman's longest sidekick rampaged through Amusement Mile. She was so fast and brutal that they didn't get the chance to apply pressure to the triggers on their guns before their arms were bent backwards and snapped in half.

The Joker remembers watching her walk into his lair. Blood covering her mask, and suit. A batarang clenched tightly in her hand that she tossed to the side. He didn't get a word out before a fist connected with his face. The Joker could only laugh as she delivered blow after blow to his face. On the other side of the city your husband and son were racing to get to you.

The last thing you remember was watching The Joker laugh under you. Clutching his stomach as if you told him the funniest joke ever created. It filled you with an entirely new rage. You were going to kill him. The Joker would die tonight. Your eyes drifted up to the crowbar covering in your son's blood. It was sitting there as if it were a museum piece. That's when you blacked out.

That's when you could hear the sounds of metal hitting someone skull. The sound of blood and coughing starting to cover the sound of laughter. You weren't going to stop...you were going to kill him. He took someone from you...a debt needed to be paid.

Those who remember what happened that night would say that The Joker was lucky. Before You could deliver the fatal blow, Batman pulled you away from him. That's when you came back to reality. At one point, you'd abandoned the crowbar and went back to beating him with your fists. Nightwing was hovering over the Joker's body to see if he was still alive. Apart of him was glad to see the sight before him. The Joker deserved every minute of this.

It was then that he knew the depths his adoptive mother would go for her children. A depth that he wasn't sure Bruce would ever touch. He's seen the brutality that Bruce could get to, but this was different.

This became a night that everyone would remember...

[fallinblossoms]

Phantom Thieves crossover - Persona 5: The Phantom X (characters)

(source)

[morverenmaybewrites]

The Pizza Delivery Girl's Survival Guide to Gotham City Update

Pairing: Jason Todd x Reader

Newest chapter

AO3 Link

Summary:

People who lived outside of Gotham City would most often think of it in terms of its heroes and villains. About Batman and Robin, Joker and Harley Quinn.

People who actually live in Gotham City would only think of one thing: surviving.

Who cares about the people in costumes when your house has been bombed for the fifth time, or your wife has been taken hostage just because she worked in a bank?

Or, in your case, when you have to make regular deliveries to places where even Batman feared to tread?

Because let's face it. In a world full of superheroes and costumed villains, the real heroes are the ones who make sure that people get their pizzas in forty-five minutes or less.

Chapter Preview:

You paused on the bridge that hung high above the Burrow, and for the first time in your life, you felt a terror was so great that it made your throat close.

Gotham City had never looked so beautiful. From such a height, the burning neon lights looked like stars. 

But above your head, the sky looked pitch black. It made you think of the bodies that would sometimes wash up on Gotham Bay’s shores, black and bloated with rot. It made you think of  the shadows of inmates in the asylum, their voices like the skittering of insects, rising and falling as you passed them by.

It made you think of the night Timothy Young died, and you wondered that if, back then, there had been light enough that he saw the shadow of a monster fall over him. 

You wondered if he had time to understand what was happening, before he started against the concrete below. And then decided decided that it didn’t matter: you would understand If Francine Langstrom came for you, you would know. 

You would understand what was happening to you before you hit the ground. 

Your skull splitting open, the pink-grey ropes of your brain scattering on the concrete. And the thousand pictures that follow. Your death turned into a spectacle and a profit.

Just like Tim Young’s.

The thought made you freeze. You were standing in front of one of the many wooden bridges that connected the rooftops of abandoned buildings. The Burrow’s infamous floating night market. Set up by dusk and torn down by dawn, only to rise up again the next night, the floating night market was one of the Burrow’s main attractions. A bustling collection of kiosks made out of cheap plywood and tarpaulin, it was said that you could find anything there, so long as you didn’t ask too many questions: cheap phones, likely stolen from someone off the street, fake licenses, a sample of Bane’s Venom for impatient bodybuilders. It was set high up in the air, amidst the rooftops of many abandoned buildings, connected by a series of rickety wooden bridges.

But now the rooftops were empty. The bridges were falling apart, its wooden planks dangling precariously from their ropes. The empty kiosks had been left to rot in the constant rain. You could even see some of the abandoned merchandise, left behind  in people’s haste to pack up: an old, broken phone, children’s toys hanging forlornly on strings, obviously meant to be prizes in a game, now swelling with rainwater. Mold grew on their cotton bodies like new fur. 

Timothy Young’s death had transformed the Burrows’ floating night market into a ghost town. The thought made you feel a little lonely, picking through the bones of a dead market, looking to find a monster. 

Francine, The voice in your head sounded like Professor Langstrom’s. Her name is Francine Langstrom. 

The buzz of static cut through your thoughts as cleanly as a falling blade. And then Jason’s voice was in your ear.

“Last chance to back out of this.” 

His voice was rough, even taking into account the poor connection and the voice modulators he used. Maybe he was scared, too. The thought eased you somewhat, to know that you were not alone. 

Even through the poor connection, you could hear the strain in his voice. You cast a glance at the direction where he was supposed to be, tried to look for even a hint of him: the faint glow of his helmet, the hulking figure of his silhouette. But you found no sign of him. Still, knowing that he was there made you feel better. 

You raised a hand and hoped that he would not see the way your fingers trembled.  

And waved. 

Read more on AO3

[berberriescorner]

“Under the Mask”

Characters: Simon Riley x Black!Reader.

Summary: Dinner with the boys and some ribbing.

Word Count: 600+.

A/N: I don't own these images. Found them on Pinterest and made a mood board🥰.

"You've really outdone yourself, love," Simon murmured to his wife, his hand gently resting on her lower back. Her presence was a calming balm to his often troubled mind.

"Only the best for you boys," she replied with a smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Dinner was in full swing when Soap, ever the joker, decided to stir things up. He had noticed the way Simon's eyes followed his wife, the way his fingers twitched slightly whenever you were near, protective and adoring all at once. It was an easy target, too tempting to resist.

"So, love," Soap began, his voice loud enough to capture the room's attention, "did Simon ever tell you about the time he saved my arse in Uzbekistan?"

She laughed, a sound that sent a ripple of warmth through Simon's chest. "I don't think I've heard that one."

"Oh, it's a good one," Soap continued, leaning in slightly, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "But what I want to know is, how did he manage to snag someone as beautiful as you?"

The room fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. Simon's eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of amusement in them. He knew Soap's game.

"Careful, Soap," Price warned, though he was chuckling himself. "You don't want to provoke the beast."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Soap said with a grin, turning back to Simon's wife. "If he hasn't killed me by now, I think I'm safe."

You played along, your smile widening. "Well, I have to say, he did have some competition. But there's something about a man in a skull mask that's hard to resist."

Simon groaned inwardly, his hand tightening slightly on his knife. "MacTavish, you're pushing it."

"Am I?" Soap asked innocently, his hand resting lightly on your shoulder. "I'm just saying, if you ever get tired of the mask, you know where to find me."

The room burst into laughter again, but Simon's eyes darkened. He knew it was all in good fun, but there were limits. He stood up, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the table.

"Alright, that's enough," Simon said, his voice low and calm but carrying an undeniable edge.

Soap raised his hands in mock surrender. "Easy there, mate. Just having a bit of fun."

You stepped in, your hand gently touching Simon's arm. "It's okay, love. They’re just teasing."

He looked down at you, his hard expression softening instantly. "I know. But they should know better."

The crew roared with laughter, enjoying the rare sight of Simon Riley flustered and protective. It was a side of him they seldom saw, and it made the night even more memorable.

As the evening drew to a close, the teasing died down, replaced by genuine camaraderie and the kind of easy conversation that only came with years of trust and friendship. Simon pulled you close, pressing a kiss to your temple.

"Thank you," he whispered. "For everything."

"Anytime," you replied, your eyes full of love. "But next time, you handle the teasing."

Simon chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that seemed to vibrate through your entire being. "Deal."

And as the night wore on, filled with laughter, stories, and the warmth of those they loved, Simon Riley knew he was exactly where he was meant to be.

Comments and reblogs greatly appreciated♥️.

Tagging♥️:

@darqchilddaydreamz @thirtysomethinganduncensored @percosim @astoldbychae @theeblackmedusa @johnnyshoe @thabiddie23 @starrynite7114

[ghostbsuter]

Ghostbsuter's Masterlist!

Every prompt and idea (outside of the multiple parts: section) is free to use! Have fun. Feel free to credit me as well when you do.

Got a prompt yourself? Drop it into my inbox! Chatting is fine too, haha.

・゜-: ✧ :-

Multiple parts:

Batclan and Catband

Selina is Danny's mom, recently got engaged to Bruce, and now they're meeting!

[ part 1 | part 2 | part 3 ]

The house of Nightingale & Constantine | #the house of Constantine and Nightingale have infinite beef

Batman called for help.

Now, with Phantom's help and Constantines, they might have a chance. If only he knew those two were rivals and enemies in terms of dark houses.

[ chapters: 1 | ] [ao3] (soon!)

[ snippets: part 1 | part 2 | part 3 ]

[ chap 1 snap-shot ]

Wonder MOM

Danny is a godling, born from the stars and son of Diana. Batman rescued him from abduction, and that's how the JL finds out about the son of WW.

[ part 1 ]

Twins, minus the Demon

Demon Twins Au, Damian and Danyal are the sons of the bat, demon and cat.

Implied and referenced past/current Bruce/Selina/Talia throuple.

[ part 1 ]

Magicians way

Danny is the son of Zatanna and John, member of the Young Just us and well... sometimes things don't go as planned.

[ part 1 | 1/4 ]

Team effort

Danny is a member of the Teen Titans!

[ part 1 | part 2 soon! ]

.・゜-: ✧ :-

Stand alones:

Birthday present (read the reblogs!) | (Martian appreciation)

High on fear (read the reblogs!) | (ghosts really like emotions)

Joker's Jr. or not? | (danny being the son of joker and harley)

He's Danny | (Joker's Jr. or not? continuation)

Titan missing! | (phantom is teen titans member and amity got kidnapped)

Wingman | (steph x sam)

Dog-napped | (cujo at it again ft. baby assassin)

One way to crush | (Dani crushing on Lian)

Speed running romance | (Dick x Jazz x Babs)

The Fries | (Nora going ghost)

Arson and consequences | (Roy!!)

Babysitting trouble | (baby yeti outside!)

Visitation | (Sam and young justice)

Syn eclipse | (being chased)

Elephant | (beast boy trolling)

Sibling rivalry | (just dan and danny things)

Team Bonding!!! | (JL + Danny get kidnapped)

Halloween skull | (supersons)

Young Justice Dark | (JLD + their own Jr.)

Actor au | (Team Phantom)

Human born | (Zatanna)

Death defying (not the ship) | (undying)

.・゜-: ✧ :-

Bats!!

Prompts and snippets of adventures Danny has with various Bats.

College student shaped stray | (dami befriends teen dad danny)

Mom!cass | (time shenanigans end with conspiracy theories)

Calico (read the reposts!) | (nighttime activities as family bonding)

Paranoia | (bonding activity between Duke and Danny)

Harsh truth | (the plans start the moment Ra's fell)

Meta-child | (dick centric)

Villain magnet | (just danny being danny)

Sweet revenge | (danny and bruce)

Diplomatic immunity | (danny in gotham)

Little Brother | (Danny is a drake)

Another Cain | (Danny Cain)

Buying your own mercenary! | (Danny in his deadpool arc)

Grayson's stray | (one police officer picks up a kid)

Robin manifestation!Danny | (child of gotham)

Governmental shit that is (read the reblogs!) | (dead tired)

1 (+3) new child | (scooby doo but its Danny-Johnny-Kitty-Ember and shadow)

Cell buddies | (Dami and Danny)

Its not a habit | (Tim and danny)

Keeping up with the waynes | (wes theories and denial)

Straying Twins | (demon twins)

Bat plans | (robin needs a new buddy)

Mantles | (cass prepares)

How to spot | (night shift bats)

Apologies | (timetravel is a great plot)

Play along! | (Agnes and Beatrice)

Spoiler alert! | (steph and danny)

Infiltration | (dick and danny)

Doubled | (talia and danny)

Strange animal | (damian)

Left and collected | (everlasting trio + baby tim)

Please leave | (he won't leave)

Annoyance at Patrol | (Red Hood shenanigans)

Catnapped | (Red Hood shenanigans ||)

Time anomaly | (Jason Todd and Danny)

.・゜-: ✧ :-

WONDER W

Prompts and snippets with the one and only! Wonder Woman!

Spiderman meme | (featuring Dani and Diana)

Demigods (read the reblogs!) | (fake it till u make it)

.・゜-: ✧ :-

SUPERS

Prompts and snippets with the local superfam

Metropolis | (hiding)

Twitter beef | (ft. Superman)

Super representative | (confused Clark kent)

New kid dropped | (they're so confused)

Fake it till u make it | (Jon dug his grave)

Civilian life | (danny is just trying to live)

School way | (Jon and Danny meet!)

Clone Club covers | (kon jumps in as elle)

.・゜-: ✧ :-

SPEEDSTERS!!!

Prompts and snippets of adventures Danny has with various Speedsters.

Bart & Danny | timetraveler & immortal (read the reposts!)

Bart & Danny | playdates

Barry & Danny | Found family via Villain

Bart/Danny | Crushing

Bart & Danny | displaced

.・゜-: ✧ :-

Godly shenanigans | #Billy and Danny are brothers in crime and losers in costumes

Prompts and snippets of Billy and Danny trying to survive in the world of adults.

JL's own trouble kids

Double the trouble

Pranksters in disguises

Grounded

Challenge

.・゜-: ✧ :-

Anything with Connie

Prompts and snippets of various ways of Danny interacting with John Constantine.

Troubled and Dad shaped

Imprisoned but not dead?

Breaking in

Hell adventures

Zones

Rush hour

He when (head wanted, not alive)

Haunted menace

Nail polish

[yandere--stuck]

Yandere!Joker x Reader with Chronic Pain Headcanons

💚 After being captured by The Joker, you were terrified. Anyone in your position would be, even if you were, apparently, the object of the clown's affection. You were under the watchful eyes of both The Joker's lackeys and the Clown Prince of Crime himself, and the thought of angering them was horrific. So you tried to keep your mouth shut. Most of the time, the pain was somewhat bearable, but being restrained in such a manner made it agonizing.

💜 You can't hold it together. Who could? Your muscles screamed in pain. Your head pounded and throbbed. Your whole body was alight in agony. Your body heaved as you began to quietly sob. What else could you do but cry? Maybe you'd at least be able to cry yourself to sleep to escape the pain judt for a moment - but a sudden explosion of noise makes you wince and flinch, migraine pounding in your skull. The Clown quickly took notice of your tears and read his goons the riot act. Who did it? Who hurt his darling? Was it him? What about him? Nobody answered, though. He muttered something about cowardice before kneeling in front of you, cupping your face in his gloved hands, asking in a soft voice what was wrong. Disoriented and tired, you told him.

💚 You assumed this aspect of you would make him turn on you. Maybe, hopefully, see you as not worth keeping and send you off if you're really lucky. But if anything, this made The Joker more protective of you. None of his men were allowed to touch you. He didn't trust them not to make anything worse. Only he could help you unless it was an emergency. He kept you locked up in his room almost at all times. The TV was on at all times, you were left with some things to read and games that would strain you, all while laying on the comfiest bed he was able to pilfer in the dead of night. Oh! And the very soft handcuff he attached to the bedpost to keep you from running off, of course. Only the best for you, sweetheart.

💜 He'd make sure to get anything he thinks may help. Ointments, medicines, heating pads and ice packs… Hell, he might just kidnap doctors or physical therapists to begin a care plan if he had even the slightest inkling it may help. He wanted to show you just how deeply he cared for you. There is nothing he wouldn't do for you. No lengths he would not go. All he could hope for is that you'll see how much he truly adores you. That you feeling okay and being without pain was all he could ever hope for, ever dream of.

💚 One night, while you lay together with something playing on the TV, both of you silhouetted by the light of the television, does he tell you. After his impromptu bath in the ACE Chemicals factory, he was left with lifelong burning sensations. They came and went. Sometimes he could hardly see or breathe. Other times, he could hardly feel anything at all, like he'd gone entirely numb. Nobody else really knew, but he wanted you to. To know he understood. To know you weren't alone.

💜 He loves making you laugh! Maybe now even more so than he already did. Laughter is the best medicine, after all! And he's so glad he could take your mind off your pain, even if just for a moment. 

[frickingnerd]

love triangle with ren & ryuji

pairing: ren amamiya / akira kurusu / joker x gn!reader x ryuji sakamoto / skull

tags: friendly rivalry, supportive friends, ryuji is bad at flirting, charming!ren, mentions of food, giving gifts to reader

ren and ryuji have a friendly rivalry over you!

neither of them want to ruin their friendship over their crush on you, but they both don't want to resign and let the other one win

when ren confessed to ryuji that he liked you, the two boys actually talked about it and decided there wouldn't be any hard feelings, no matter who you choose!

they can't force you to love them, but they certainly can try to win you over with gifts, charming words and other things!

ryuji is rather awkward and blunt when it comes to flirting with you. he'll blurt out “you've got a new haircut–!” before actually complimenting you on it

meanwhile ren is pretty smooth and knows just what to say to compliment your looks and personality, without seeming too ingratiating

ren isn't above teaching ryuji some smooth flirt lines either! though occasionally he sneaks in some bad ones, just for his own amusement…

ryuji always has food on him for you! he read once in some magazine that food is the way to a person's heart, so he keeps snacks on him and always invites you to lunch with him!

ren is more the type to buy you pretty things. a necklace, bracelet or anything else that would look good on you!

[beingsuneone]

Part Two!!

Memories & Delusions PART TWO!!

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

SYNOPSIS: You know Jason is alive know, you aren’t sure how just yet and you aren’t how exactly you’re going to keep his cover and also still see him regularly. There’s still too many complications to deal with.

FANDOM: DC

PAIRING(S): Jason Todd x fem!reader

RATING: G

MENTIONED: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Alfred Pennyworth, Barbara Gordon, Joker, Ra’s Al Ghul

GENRE/AU: Uhhh a little bit of fluff I guess. It’s pretty subtle on the romance, mostly plot following I guess. Nothing overly angsty. Mentions of being committed to Arkham (just a joking conversation) and Jason is trying it get over the Lazarus pit.

WORD COUNT: 4.4K

WARNINGS: swearing, slightly graphic descriptions of Jason’s murder from him. Not proof read

A/N: jjjajsjakkskskshdhshjsjsis brain

DEDICATIONS: my dumb hyperfixating brain for coming up with this concept at least three years ago. And putting it into words only recently.

CREDITS:

“Why are you being so dodgy lately?” Dick asks skeptically, eyeing you up.

You shrug, trying to play it cool. Jason doesn’t want them to know yet so they won’t. “What do you mean?”

He narrows his eyes at you. “Last week you were losing your mind and now you’re just… fine.”

You take a deep breath in and sigh. “I guess I realized that I was being delusional. I was just missing Jason.” Dick is about to say something else but you wave him off. “I have to go to meet my friend, so I’m heading out.”

Your ‘friend’ was Jason.

You stop to look at yourself in the mirror by the door, toying with your hair and smoothing out wrinkles on your clothes.

Somewhere behind you, Dick mutters: “See, Bruce, she’s being Dodgy.” And Bruce hums in agreement.

You’re apparently not as convincing as you’d like to be.

…..

“How do you plan on breaking the new to Bruce?” You ask, fidgeting with your fingers while he goes through some stuff on his computer. He shrugs in response. You continue. “Or is it that you don’t want to tell him at all?”

Jason's eye twitches subtly, something that you’re surprised you catch. He shakes his head. “I don’t know, Y/n.” He pauses, chuckling dryly. “It’s not like he’d care much to know.”

You recoil. Is that really how Jason thinks Bruce feels about him?

All you can recall is Bruce kneeling in front of his grave, sobbing like you’d never seen an adult sob; or the way he would walk into Jason’s room and stand in the doorway with a forlorn look mocking his features.

You remember the way he’d stare for several minutes before sighing deeply and walking away; he’d usually proceed to lock himself in the batcave and would snap when anyone disturbed him.

“Jason…” you say reluctantly. “You don’t think that Bruce would care if you were alive?” Jason remains silent, so you continue, missing the way his fists clench. “Bruce was… heartbroken for months after your death— we all were.”

Jason stands abruptly. “And yet, none of you were willing to kill the man who brutally murdered me!” He snaps, his voice raised. You flinch a little but try to retain composure; bite your tongue when you have the urge to remind him about your goals when he first died. He continues with a strange expression on his face. “Do you know what it was like to feel a crowbar splitting my skull open while I was still alive?”

The thought makes you sick. Makes you so utterly devastated for what he’s been through. “No, Jason, I—”

He cuts you off by holding his hand up. “If Bruce was ever going to kill someone, it should’ve been Joker; and if he’d really loved me so much it should have been for me.” His tone is much calmer but there is still a chilling effect in his voice that makes your spine straighten.

The look behind his eyes is flurried with an internal battle you can almost see. “Jason, I shouldn’t have—”

“Just go.” He says, finally sitting back. He doesn’t bother looking up at you.

“What?” You stammer, your eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“Just get out, Y/n.” He snaps once more and that’s all it takes for you to turn on your heels and walk out the door.

…..

You’d been moody and upset for the past three days— you knew you were. You were upset at Jason, upset that he had so much sway or your emotion, and even upset at yourself for bringing something up that obviously triggered him in some way.

Jason was complexities locked inside other complexities, and you were beginning to learn that; what was once simple and easy with him, was now difficult and anxiety-inducing:

You weren’t sure where you laid in his eyes now.

Were you still the same teenage girl in his mind, or, were you the grown version of the girl he liked that had betrayed him.

Did he see you the same way he saw Bruce and Dick? Or even Tim? Was he just holding on the bond you used to have despite his bitter feelings for you now?

And, what made him this way? You know he must have gone through a devastating trauma, but, how far did that really go?

What were the details that Bruce never told you, and just how gruesome were they for him to lock the knowledge away and not let anyone else know the details.

He told everyone that Jason had died, and he had died by the Joker’s hands; when you or Dick had pressed for more information, Bruce had simply told you it was ‘Brutal’ and ‘Something you should never have to know’

But Jason's little outburst must’ve only told the smallest of details about his horrible, horrible death. If that was just the beginning, you couldn’t even imagine the depths of Joker’s cruelty.

You’re brain won’t stop trying though, even as you sit at the kitchen’s bar with a soggy bowl of cereal. You’ve been sitting there for an hour, pushing the stuff around in the bowl but you haven’t actually taken a bite.

“I think we need to send you to Arkham.” Tim says from the other side of the island, breaking you from your Jason-induced trance. You know he’s joking, but you’re pretty Bruce is genuinely considering committing you for your behavior these past few weeks.

You’re more hot and cold than faulty thermostat. Hysterical, and then Happy, and then violently depressed and introspective.

“I do not need to be locked up with a bunch of criminals, Tim. Rehabilitation is clearly not actually happening at Arkham.” You say back, appreciating his giving you something to banter about.

He’s the only one that didn’t know Jason, and that makes him refreshing to be around.

“They aren’t stupid, Y/n.” Tim says, completely unrelated to your response. “Bruce knows you’re still losing it over Jason, you can act fine all you want but Red Hood clearly got into your head.”

You shrug. “If anyone knew him as intimately as I do— uh, did, they’d lose their mind too.” Your eyes drop to the bowl in front of you and scrunch your nose in disgust. You push it away from yourself.

Gross.

Tim shrugs back, because, what else can he really respond with? “I didn’t know him at all.” He pauses, looking out the kitchen's open door. “Wouldn't Bruce have known him as well as you did?”

You shake your head. “No, Tim, me and Jason were… different, I guess. I had a crush on him when we were teens.” You shift in your seat and instinctively reach for the pendant around your neck. “And Dick was doing his whole Titans thing at the time, so they weren’t as close.”

Your sadness subsides and that familiar warmth runs through you as you imagine yourself and Jason laying on the roof, reading your favorite scenes from the book and enjoying the cool summer air.

In the winter, you would go out with a few blankets and huddle extra close; eventually, when your hands would get to cold to read, it would end in the two of you huddling close for warmth (something that Jason had always produced a lot of) and staying there until Bruce would start calling for you.

Your lips twist into a soft smile.

Tim stares at you. “You need help.”

“Speak for yourself, Mr. Force Batman To Have Another Robin.”

….

A tapping at your bedroom window stirs you from the near-sleep state you had been in; your heart pounds as you shoot up and look towards the window. Your heart slows only a few beats per minute when you see a familiar red helmet through the window.

You stand up and unlock your window, letting Jason climb through one side of the double doors.

He sighs through his helmet as he goes to remove it; you hear the familiar series of click and whirs and then he places the helmet on a chair in your room.

“Nice Pajamas.” He says, in a playful sort of way. There’s a healthy dose of something else though, that you can’t quite place.

You look down at yourself. You’re wearing a very thin tank top and some comfy PJ shorts. Not exactly appropriate in front of other people.

“Uh, thanks?” You say as you grab a hoodie from beside your bed and throw it on.

Once you’ve covered up a bit more, you turn back to Jason. “Why are you here?”

He stares at you, his eyes traveling your body for a few moments before they meet yours. “I just wanted to apologize. For the other day.” He takes a step closer.

You cross your arms. “I want to know why.”

Jason cringes. “I snapped yesterday because I’m just not right in the head yet. I still lose control and say things I shouldn’t. My perception of things is so fucked up sometimes I can’t tell what’s real.”

You nod slowly. “But why, Jason? How are you alive, why is your brain messed up?”

He sighs deeply. “I did die.” He says simply, like that really explains anything. You wait for him continue. “I died, and Ra’s Al Ghul threw me in the Lazarus Pit because he owed a favour to Bruce.” The words are spoken so plainly but you understand the pain behind them. “I’m only alive because of a favour.” His tone is so downtrodden, devastated.

You’ve heard about the Lazarus Pit, how it could drive someone to madness— you guess that must’ve happened with Jason.

It was the theorized reason for Gotham’s problem, after all; or rather, theorized by Barbara Gorden.

You supposed that made sense. “My God, Jason, you’ve been through so much.”

Your heart aches for him, for all the things you should have prevented.

“I’m sorry, Y/n.”

“It’s okay.”

…..

The morning light shines brightly through your window, usually your curtains are drawn but there are quite a few unusual things about this morning.

First and most importantly, you have a suited up Jason, sleeping at your side; his arm is wrapped protectively around you.

He looks so beautiful when he’s sleeping; you’re not sure if he ever has restless sleep, but he seems so peaceful and at ease— relaxed, even. It’s nice to see his face unplagued by any of his troubles.

However, according to your clock, it’s almost the time when Alfred would come to wake you for breakfast, meaning Jason had to leave— and fast.

“Jason.” You say his name softly, nudging him awake. He stirs, and his eyes shoot open.

He looks panicked for a moment before your face processes in his mind, then he visibly calms down.

“I fell asleep.” He states, disentangling from you and laying into his back.

You hum, still looking at him. “Yes, you did.” The air is thick with some sort of easy tension, a fading smile, a far-off laugh— a general sense of mundanity that you want to keep forever. “But you have to leave now, if you don’t want anyone else to know your identity.”

“Right.” Jason gets up from the bed and stretches slowly, causing you to do the same.

He turns to grab his helmet— or rather, you see him stop, stare at it for a moment, and then spin back around.

Before you can process it, he’s caging you on your bed. Your eyes close as he closes the gap between the two of you, a swift movement that leaves you barely anytime to think.

When he pulls back, off the bed, and flashes you an easy smile, you think you very well might swoon like you were right out of a 60s television show.

Jason slips his helmet back on and closes it before unlatching the window and stepping out. “Bye, Y/n.”

“Bye.” You stare at the spot where he was standing for a while longer before laying back down in your bed.

…..

“Hey.” You say nonchalantly, coming up behind Bruce.

He’s working on the Batcomputer right now. “Hello.”

“What’cha Doing?” You scan the contents of the screen, and it just looks like feed from the Manor’s many cameras. You aren’t too worried about Jason being seen on them, because he always hacks the cameras and scrubs himself from the data.

“I’m just doing the weekly camera check, Y/n.” Bruce looks back at you momentarily, and then returns to the feeds.

You screw around behind him for a while before you hear a small hum. You look up at the camera, trying to see what has caught Bruce’s attention. The timestamp says it’s from a few nights ago.

You watch as he replays a specific moment.

He replays it a few more times before you finally see it. A familiar flash of red, and then a motorcycle driving away from the manor.

Worse, the flash of red comes from right outside your window.

Bruce enhances the footage and zooms in on what you’re sure is Jason.

“Red Hood was at the Manor three days ago.” He states, looking back at you. “He appears to be leaving your bedroom, did you know about this?”

You pause for a second but shake your head. “No, of course not, I was sleeping.” You pretend to shudder. “That’s creepy to think that he was in there while I was sleeping.”

Bruce eyes you suspiciously but doesn’t protest or question any further. “We’ll have to heighten security in your room. Red Hood obviously chose it for a reason.”

You freeze. “That’s not necessary, Bruce, he didn’t screw with anything, obviously.”

“Even if he isn’t intending to hurt any of us, Y/n, there are several very bad things that could happen as a result of his being able to get into our house. Not to mention, I’ve noticed several discrepancies in our camera feeds over the past month or so.” He gestures to another frame, showing what looks like normal footage, but it’s the same five minutes replaying, according to the timestamps. “If you watch carefully, every minute, on the dot, a bug flies in front of the camera. It’s the same bug and the same flight pattern. If that’s Red Hood’s patch job, he’s not very good at this.”

Your lips purse, and you chew on the inside of your cheek. “That is weird.” You can’t really say anything else without making yourself look suspicious. You’ll have to let Jason know before he thinks about coming around here again.

He goes back to the previous footage, of Jason at your door, and enhances it even more— your window is clear now, and the floor behind it. Bruce rewinds it to the moment that Jason reaches the window. He presses play again, and lets the video play slowly, analyzing Jason’s every movement.

You cringe when you see Jason knock on the window a few times, and you’re terrified for Bruce to see what you know is coming next.

“Bruce!” You blurt, just before you’re about to come into view. “Tim just texted me and said he needed you to come upstairs right now.”

Bruce turns to you, confused. “Did he say what about?”

You shake your head. “No, he just said it was urgent.”

Bruce nods and leaves you alone in the batcave. You have maybe ten minutes until he comes back, knowing that you lied.

You try to fiddle with footage and delete that part that incriminates you, but without Bruce’s password you can’t do that.

Fuck. You don’t know it.

You panic for a minute and then abandon your mission to delete the footage, instead you race upstairs and into your bedroom, throwing together a bag of clothes and other essentials, as well as some sentimental items.

You’re about to sneak out the window when you see the old worn book. You snatch it quickly, along with your phone and car keys.

Bruce’s voice comes from down the hallway, calling your name; it doesn’t matter, you don’t stop until you’re outside and in your car.

You know he’s watching as you speed off, tears welling as you disable the tracking devices in your phones and car. When Bruce finally watches that footage, he’s going to think you betrayed him and you’re going to lose the one place that you’d ever felt at home in.

You’ve never felt so low before.

…..

Tears fall pitifully from your cheeks; you really shouldn’t be this upset.

Jason watches uncomfortably from his chair in his office; you knew he never liked you crying, and he was never great at dealing with it.

All he ever needed to do was be there, though.

“Please stop crying.” He says gently, as he walks over to you. “What happened?”

You shrug, which makes no sense because you know exactly what happened. “I can’t go back to the manor.”

Jason scrunches in confusion and a hint of anger at the conclusions you know he’s jumping to. “What did he do?”

“Bruce didn’t do anything.” Wiping the tears from your eyes, you pull back from him. “He was going over security camera footage and found a camera you forgot to wipe… he hadn’t watched the full thing when I ran out of there but he’s watched it by now, I’m sure.”

“And that matters…why?” Jason obviously doesn’t understand what you’re implying.

You absentmindedly drum your fingers against your wrist. “I very clearly let you in the window in the footage. You didn’t break in, I let you in. Bruce knows that now too.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Jason looks around the office, like there’s something that would help on the walls. There isn’t. His eyes settle back into you, but you’re not looking at his face. “You can stay with me.”

He says it so easily, like it’s only natural— you suppose it is. Nothing had ever been more natural than being with him.

You also think you’d probably like that. “Do you live in this building or…?”

He laughs and then shakes his head. “No, I hijacked one of Bruce’s warehouses a long time ago and have been living there. We can go now, I’m done for today anyway.”

You step out into the hallway and he takes your hand in his; you think that he feels protective around his lackeys, because he doesn’t really like them. He would rather they all fell off the face of the earth, but he knows that won’t happen so he’d rather control where their product is being pushed.

Or that’s what he told you, anyways,

You go down a different set of corridors than you’re used to, and it leads to a garage.

The unsettlingly beautiful woman is standing at the door, she says nothing when Jason pushes the door open and leads you through.

It’s not her job to ask questions, you suppose.

“Do you want to take your car? You can follow me in mine so you know where we’re going?” He suggests, raising his eyebrows at you. “Or I can drive it over for you later and we can just use my car for now.”

“I don’t really feel like driving right now.”

He nods. “Okay.”

…..

“When you said warehouse, I was not expecting this.” You gape, looking around at his ‘apartment.’ “It looks more like a pent-house.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, well, that's kind of what it is.” Jason runs his finger along the surface of his counter. “I believe it was catalogued as a safe house and a warehouse.”

You shrug. “You wiped it from the system, so I wouldn’t know.”

There’s a sort of awkward reluctance dancing around the two of you, like you aren’t sure what to do with yourselves now that it’s just the two of you alone. You haven’t been truly alone with him in such a long time.

“I guess there’s not a whole lot to do here.” He starts again, looking around. “I’m not here much. I usually just end up passing out on the couch in my office.”

You laugh dryly and look around; the whole apartment looks clean and modernist— you personally can’t stand this type of decorating but you don’t think Jason cared much to change how the place had looked when he found it.

There’s a TV, which you’re pretty sure works but it’s gone unused. There is a short hallway with three doors down it right off the living area. It’s mostly open concept besides that small hallway. You lift your gaze upwards, following the tall in-wall bookshelves; you find that there’s a small loft above the two of you and a ladder that leads there.

“What’s up there?” You ask, walking over to the ladder.

Jason gestures up the ladder. “I’ll show you.”

The two do you climb the ladder and you pull yourself onto the loft, feeling a little unsteady.

You notice immediately that the roof looks a little strange just above the platform.

Jason clears his throat and walks over to one of the walls. He hovers in front of a small silver panel. “You know, there’s a reason I chose this one.” He presses a button on the panel while he looks over at you.

A few creaks sound and then some loud mechanical noises sound before the roof panels recede to reveal the setting sun. The sunset is so beautifully visible from the sunroof.

“Jason.” You breath, dumbfounded.

He picks a book off of the floor of the loft. “I used to try to recreate our moments on the roof, but it just wasn’t the same without you.” He flips the book a few times in hands. “And this wasn’t quite right either.”

“I couldn’t handle the rooftop without you.” You whisper, not sure if he even hears you; you try to speak a little louder. “The first time you showed up at the house was the first time I had done it in years.”

“Huh.” Jason responds, sounding nonchalant but you know it means something to him.

“Wait here.” You rush back down the ladder and grab your book, and then head back up. Jason stares at it for a while. You hold it up, and pass it to him. “For Old Times Sake?”

…..

You had sat there with him for hours that day, you watched as the day melted into night and felt as you slowly fell asleep. You and Jason were tangled together, cuddled so close it was like you had never really been apart in the first place.

At some point, you’re drifting in and out of consciousness. Your hands twitch gently and you adjust yourself a bit but you don’t open your eyes.

You’re pretty sureJason still thinks you're asleep because he presses a kiss to the top of your head and then quietly speaks. “I want to do this with you for the rest of our lives.” He pauses and sighs a loaded sigh. “Not just for Old Times Sake.”

You decide it’s probably better to just try to fall back asleep, despite the way your stomach churns. You wanted to respond, and tell him that you wanted to fall asleep like this every night.

Tell him that you wanted to spend every day with him too.

…..

“I just want to know where she is, Red Hood.” Bruce’s voice comes through a little speaker in Jason’s office— it’s a line that Jason had hacked into and clearly Bruce knew that.

Jason scowls and you can’t help but think about Bruce when he does.

When nobody responds to him, Bruce continues. “I want to talk to her.”

You gnaw your lips, wanting to pick it up and say you’ll talk to him but dreading confirming his suspicions.

Jason slips his helmet on and picks up the microphone. He presses the button and says, cooly, “Where would you want me to bring her, Batman?”

You can hear Bruce’s sigh of relief. “The abandoned warehouse near Arkham. You know which one I mean.”

Jason hums. “The one that Joker blew up last month.”

Bruce confirms and then Jason looks at me. “Anything you want to say?”

You shake your head, and Jason picks up the mic again. “Give us a time and we’ll be there.”

And just like that, you were going to see Bruce again.

Great.

…..

“I just don’t understand, Y/n.” Bruce says immediately when he lays eyes on you, despite the fact that he wraps you in a tight hug. “Why would you work with him?”

You pull back and look back to Jason, who’s all suited up, of course. “I—” you have no idea what to say in your defense. “I wasn’t working with him, Bruce.”

Bruce gives you a sort of ‘disappointed dad’ look. “I saw the footage, I know that you let him into the manor.”

“Well, yes, but—”

“So you were working with him.”

“No! It’s not like that!”

You’re starting to get irritated because you know Bruce has absolutely no reason to believe you.

“First, you lied about Tim needing me, and then you tried to delete the footage and then I saw you wildly speeding away from the manor. Do you understand how suspicious that looks? Obviously, you are working with him, Y/n. You don’t have to lie.” Bruce sounds sure of himself. It makes you want to tear your hair out.

“Fine. I was working with him, since you’re so sure.”

Bruce looks between you and Jason, and you can see realization dawn on his face. “Unless… don’t tell me you fell for him just because he reminds you of— Y/n, please tell me I'm wrong.”

Jason steps in this time. “Don’t worry, you’re wrong. Just not in the way you think you are.” Your head snaps back to look at him as clicks his helmet open and pulls it off.

This was the moment. He was finally showing Bruce.

You look frantically between the two of them, trying to decipher the moment.

Bruce stands frozen for a good long while, just staring at Jason’s face before he suddenly locks his arms around Jason's shoulder/neck and hugs him tighter than you’d ever seen Bruce hug anybody.

Jason looks thoroughly disturbed and taken aback. This wasn’t the reaction he was expecting, and honestly, it wasn’t what you were expecting either.

“I didn’t fall for him because he reminds me of Jason.” You say quietly. “I fell for him because he is Jason.”

Bruce pulls back and nods slowly before turning back to Jason. “I’m so sorry, Jason.”

All content belongs to @beingsuneone , do not repost, copy or post on other platforms without my permission.

[stargirlmaki]

Persona (PROLOGUE: OPERA GHOST)

Phantom!Nanami Kento x fem!Reader (x Gojo Satoru)

masterlist, next chapter: PART ONE- ANGEL OF MUSIC

synopsis: in 1880s Japan, there lived a ghost underneath the Japan opera house who brings terror to the opera company for the benefit of an opera signer who he trains and loves.

cw: Phantom Of The Opera AU (but Phantom gets Christine), minors do not interact, reader is afab and will use she/her pronouns, yandere, ooc nanami, every character is ooc, age gap, eventual smut, gore and violence, use of “YN LN”.

an: this prologue is dedicated for world building purposes, but I do hope that you will still enjoy reading it. If you have read the book by Gaston Leroux, there will certainly be familiarity in this prologue. No posting schedule, I will write at my own pace.

wc: 2.7k

The legend of the opera ghost has long lived within the walls of the Japan opera house; some say since the moment it was built. If you happen to ask any member of the company, the opera ghost’s real identity will certainly distort your imagination, and you might even begin to wonder if there is any truth to its existence at all. The ballet girls whisper that he is able to move through walls, that the naked eye is unable to see him, and that he could change his voice to mimic your loved one’s. The frequent guests of the opera house state that the opera ghost has the face of death himself, the most hideous and frightening, but dresses and moves exactly like any other person, making him able to freely live among us.

But the only time that a person has ever had a close encounter with the ghost, one where there is a close chance of verification of his existence, was through a man named Kiyotaka Ijichi. For twenty years, he worked as the opera house’s chief stagehand, and on one of the rehearsal nights, he claimed that he had seen the opera ghost and, most especially, his face! “As clear as I see you now! ”, quoting the words that came out of his mouth during his conversation with the past manager, Geto Suguru.

“His eyes are so hollow that they appear as just two black holes, like a skull’s. I could see the bones of his face peeking out of his skin; the skin around it had turned a nasty yellow. The black dress coat he wore hangs off him like he is nothing but the skeleton of a dead man. He is extremely skinny but taller than most men. His hair is the color of yellow, as yellow as the sun. And I assume his skin is cold to the touch from the color of it! ”

On the night of the departure gala for managers Shoko Ieiri and Geto Suguru, the body of Kiyotaka Ijichi was found hanging at the fly system of the main stage, a rope around his neck, eyes rolled towards the back of his head, and his skin had turned completely deathly pale.

—

Geto Suguru has earned the reputation of being an excellent practical joker, starting from his school days, and it has (unfortunate for others) increased the moment he became one of the managers at the renowned opera house. Shoko Ieiri has known this fact regarding her co-manager through years of maddening experience and observations. That is why, when Geto Suguru uttered the words, “We will be retiring as the managers of this opera house," Shoko Ieiri was confident that it belonged to one of Geto Suguru’s little jokes that he is extremely fond of doing every single day. Except this time, Geto Suguru clarified that it was indeed not.

Immediately, the woman asked her partner with a hint of disbelief and shock in her voice, “And who will be replacing us?” It was known throughout the opera that manager Shoko Ieiri was not capable of being in a state of anger for too long; she was described as the most gentle on and off stage, but that is currently hanging on by a thread.

Geto Suguru sighed deeply upon hearing his co-manager’s query; the expression on his face contorted like he had just been reminded of something he had been dreading to even think about it at all. “The Zen’in clan had recently purchased the entirety of the house.”

“The Zen’in clan! What do those selfish, money-hungry high-borns even know about opera? Do they even share an ounce of passion for the art that is made here? ”The sudden interruption of Shoko Ieiri’s deafening voice startled Geto Suguru. This wasn’t his first time seeing his partner this way, but this was certainly different from any other time.

“They only care about one thing, the one thing that would help make sense of why they even thought of the opera—and you, I’m sure of it, already know what I am talking about.” Geto Suguru’s voice has increased in volume as well; he hopes that the almost century-old walls are thick enough to make their conversation inaudible to outsiders.

Shoko Ieiri rubs her temple, calming the possible consequences of the overwhelm that threatens to come out of her. The Zen’in clan is well known in Japan to possess the most wealth, and nobody is able to acquire that much wealth with clean, spotless hands. One thing about the clan is that they will never stop until every dime and power is within their ownership, no matter which way they’re going to get it and how many get affected by it. The motivation behind the Zen’in clan’s sudden ownership of the opera house was apparent, maybe not to a regular civilian, but definitely to the managers of the opera, who fear that the essence of the Japanese opera house will be soiled in the hands of the wrong people.

Geto Suguru stands from his chair and adjusts his coat, reaching towards its inner pockets and pulling out an opened letter from one of them. He approaches his co-manager and hands it to her. “That’s the letter sent in this morning; it’s best if you read it yourself.” Shoko Ieiri straightens up and receives the letter in between Geto Suguru’s gloved fingers. She takes note of the residue of the Zen’in clan wax stamp found at the edge of the letter.

Before Shoko Ieiri begins to read the content of the Zen’in letter, Geto Suguru says: “And what will we do about Him?” There is caution laced in his voice, he said in such a low volume that if Shoko Ieiri was even a bit farther away, she wouldn’t have heard him. Geto Suguru knew that Shoko Ieiri understood perfectly what he meant and who he was referring to, and he could tell that his co-manager had been wondering the same thing as well.

—

The gala, celebrated in honor of managers Geto Suguru and Shoko Ieiri as they retire, commenced at six in the evening and was entirely prepared by the Zen’in clan themselves. Each single person who is part of the company was invited and is currently present: the ballet girls occupying the center floor with their dancing, the musicians showing off their talent with the various instruments on stage, and the actors mingling in their own conversations.

Towards the end of the room, there’s a round table fairly decorated in the colors white and gold. A number of people have huddled around it, surrounding and entertaining those that sat in the chairs. Towards the right side of the table, there sat the old managers, Shoko Ieiri and Geto Suguru, each dressed in their best clothing, their hair neatly combed and styled. On the other side sat the new manager, who introduced himself earlier to the entire house as Naoya Zen’in, son of Naobito Zen’in, the current clan head of the Zen’in clan.

Naoya Zen’in is 27 years old and looks like it as well. His complexion embodied the perfect adonis that the people of the opera had fallen for fleetly the minute he waltzed in the opera house. Though his arrogance made an unpleasant first impression on previous manager Geto Suguru, the Zen’in had reportedly refused to shake his hand during their first meeting. Shoko Ieiri took note of Naoya Zen’in’s condescending behavior as she managed to overhear one of his conversations with the woman he had brought with him; they had been shaming everything their eyes landed on. All of this drew the conclusion for the old managers that Naoya Zen’in would change the Japan opera house—in the most horrific way.

“He won’t take it seriously.”

It is eight in the evening. For two hours, the two had contemplated whether to spew the information they had been keeping or continue to hold their tongue about it. Geto Suguru urges Shoko Ieiri that they relay this message to the new beloved manager of the opera; Shoko Ieiri thinks otherwise; she says Naoya Zen’in will treat it as a joke.

“Well, that’s better than not telling him at all! ”Geto Suguru expressed himself, keeping his voice at a minimal volume, though it seems that the people around them are too focused on the new manager to take note of their conversation. Despite Geto Suguru’s apparent desperation, Shoko Ieiri does not succumb to it.

So, Geto Suguru continues: “Listen, we already know that the opera will decline with him as the manager, but if we fail to let him know of the real danger below there, the opera house will suffer even greater consequences! ”While he speaks, his head turns to look around him, fearing that someone may be eavesdropping on their conversation.

Geto Suguru suddenly remembered that he had something incredibly important to divulge to Shoko Ieiri. He remembers that he had placed the folded letter in his pocket before heading to the gala. He reached for it and handed it to the woman sitting beside him. “I have forgotten to give this to you. That may be his final letter to us. It arrived an hour after we'd gotten the Zen’in news.”

“You went to him? ”Shoko Ieiri asked. Raising her eyebrows in curiosity.

Geto Suguru shrugged. “It would be rude not to offer my farewells to the reason why the opera house is still standing.”. Shoko Ieiri breathes in and opens the folded letter. She is greeted by the familiarity of his handwriting. She reads:

My dearest managers:

Your departure upsets me. I will be expecting that the new manager is well informed of my conditions and will be equally acquiescent as you both have been for twenty years—if you wish for peace to continue, that is. I wish you good luck in your future endeavors.

Farewell,

O.G.

Shoko Ieiri huffs and falls into silence, perhaps entering once more in a state of contemplation, and then, after a moment, she finally speaks, “And if we do tell Zen’in, but he refuses to believe us? There is a high possibility of that, judging on how despicable he is.”

“He will know that he has made a mistake.”

Many of those who attended the gala that night recalled how there was a period of the night where the two previous managers requested to speak with Naoya Zen’in alone. The three entered one of the dance rooms outside of the event hall and had a discussion that lasted about ten minutes. Many have said that when Naoya Zen’in returned to his seat, he was laughing like he had been told a joke so hilarious. The two other managers, however, had an expression on their faces that looked like they pitied or were scared for the man that they had spoken to.

“A… ghost?” A grin began to show on Zen’in’s face like he had just been told of a good joke; the two other people in the room could tell from his expression that he was about to burst into laughter.

Candidly, if you were told that a dangerous ghost resides in the opera house that you recently purchased, it is normal to let out a laugh. Particularly if you were someone like Naoya Zen'in, who had been drowning himself in every alcoholic drink at the gala since the start of the night. His flushed cheeks and tipsy movements showed Geto Suguru and Shoko Ieiri that the new manager is nowhere near sober.

Naoya Zen’in’s laughter dies down, but his grin remains on his grotesque (according to Shoko Ieiri) face. “Are you both so enraged about the sudden replacement that you result in this pitiful act?”He ridicules the two predecessor managers in front of him.

“Oh, Jesus...” Shoko Ieiri rolls her eyes immediately upon hearing the man. Geto Suguru stiffens and says, ”This is not about that! This is real, Mr. Zen’in! You have to believe us.”

Shoko Ieiri instantly adds, ”This is for your own good.” said in such a stern manner, she didn’t mean to glare at the high-born in front of her, but she couldn’t help it at all.

Naoya Zen’in scoffs, “A ghost who demands a monthly salary and the box five reserved for him only? This is insanity! If you wanted me gone, you should’ve come up with a better act or whatever you actor freaks get on... Not this, made up—” he giggles in the middle of his sentence, “—ghost in the opera house.”

“He is not made up, sir. He is real, and denying his existence will have dire consequences for you and the Japan opera house.” Shoko Ieiri emphasized each word to him, trying to maintain her composure as she knows her anger won’t result in anything good.

“Oh! Now, the ghost is a man? ”There is a fake intriguement in Naoya Zen’in’s tone, his smile growing larger.

As Geto Suguru walks towards him, a sense of great urgency is evidently evident in his voice when he says, “We speak nothing but the truth; you can ask the rest of the opera, Mr. Zen’in, and they will tell you all about the opera ghost.”

”That is enough!” Naoya Zen’in shouts, filling Geto Suguru and Shoko Ieiri with despair.

Shoko Ieiri leans against the wall, near the wooden double doors, and Geto Suguru stands beside her as the both of them observe Naoya Zen’in, who had now sat at his table—still laughing at the conversation that had occurred just minutes before. They had not successfully convinced the new manager. At this point, Shoko Ieiri refuses to waste any more energy on being frustrated over the Zen’in. She looks over to Geto Suguru, and she can tell that he shares the same sentiments.

—

A month had passed since the gala; Geto Suguru and Shoko Ieiri’s offices are now empty, and Naoya Zen’in had taken over Geto Suguru’s old space. New manager: Naoya Zen’in still refuses the existence of the opera ghost despite numerous warnings that have already been sent his way, and on the night of his seventh day as manager, a letter is seen placed on top of his desk with a symbol on the wax seal that he has never seen before.

Naoya Zen’in slices the envelope open with a knife and pulls out the letter inside of it. Even with the handwriting, no familiarity reaches him; who is this from? He thought. Upon finishing the contents of the letter, he bursts into laughter, harder than he ever did today. Those two just never stop with this joke, do they? Do they really think I will succumb to this? So, I will be so frightened that I’ll hand back the opera to them? Naoya Zen’in chuckled as he downed his whiskey.

The letter reads:

Dear Mr. Manager

I apologize for bothering you at a time when you must be very busy with your tasks. I am very fond of the house’s annual production of ‘Faust’. It delights me that you have chosen it as your first opera during your first month as the new manager—a bold move. I know what you have done for Mei Mei, Ui Ui, and many others, whose talents and genius you have most definitely observed.

When I say “talents and genius,” I do not mean to apply them to Ms. Mei Mei, who has proven in every rehearsal that a dying cow ought to sound better than her. Nor to her brother, Ui Ui, who dances like a flopping fish fished out of water. If it is your dream to turn ‘Faust’ into a clangorous farm house production, this would make more sense.

Your jealousy has prevented the ballet girl, YN LN, from creating any impact on the production. She has proven her genius; you heard of it during the auditions, and I know that you and every person in this opera house were enthralled by her completely. Ever since her triumph in the auditions, all the main roles have been restricted for her.

Mr. Manager, I detest scandals, so I expect that this will be the last time you will treat me with such outrageous disdain.

Your most obedient servant,

O.G.