#The vibe wasn't like unpleasant I was just a little surprised because it's like a very generic-looking restaurant

[karizard-ao3]

My live reactions to Neon Genesis Evangelion episode 1: Angel Attack

Okay, so I watched this one a few months ago and remember liking it, but not a lot of other details. Also, I am so sorry, I am not doing timestamps. My TV is not readily showing them to me and I am not willing to put in the effort to find them :(

Oh, I don't think I noticed that random pastel haired girl out in the street the first time I watched it. Does the girl on the cover of the boxed set not have pastel colored hair? I know we meet her pretty soon and she's not doing so hot, but is she a psychic?

These air ships look like legless donkeys a little bit.

I like when angels are portrayed as bad.

It's already so clear the Shinji (?) is a neglected child.

The sound quality on this is so crisp. I don't even think I need subtitles.

Also, what was that photo she sent him? Does she not have a professional headshot or something? 😭

I liked the visuals of the scene with the car on its side and them poking their heads out like "Whoa!"

You fools! You absolute dipshits! Why would you think your basic ordnance could take out an angel?

Shinji is so judgmental. I love him. The look on his face is killing me.

Nothing here is pronounced how I would expect it to be pronounce.

Calling his son a spare. What a fucking bastard. My number one takeaway from when I watched the first two episodes before was that I hate that fuck.

Ritsuko and her swimsuit!

Again, this dude is a bastard.

I want you, Shinji. I'll adopt you and make you whatever you want for dinner.

Oh, Shinji. You're so brave :(

In Closing:

Okay, so I'm assuming there's a reason they are using children to operate the Evas and it probably is because they're brains are still developing or whatever, but the disregard the adults, especially Shinji's father, have for the well-being of these human children they're using for their own benefit is already wildly apparent. I get that it's humanity against the Angels, or whatever, but humanity is still hanging in there. They still have cars and cities and an underground military facility, and didn't they say at the beginning of the episode that it had been sixty years since they last had an Angel in Tokyo? It feels like these stakes are far less about saving humanity than they claim.

I also assume these kids have some sort of esp that allows them to operate the Evas. I mean, Shinji wasn't even plugged in when Unit 1 saved him, so they were clearly vibing on a metaphysical level.

I'm sorry, I can't get over how they didn't prepare him at all for the experience of operating the Eva, just shoved him in there and didn't even warn him about the oxygen gel? They just kept flinging very unpleasant and scary things at him (pilot the Eva, Shinji. Breathe the liquid, Shinji. Launch, Shinji) with no warning, and then basically telling him to suck it up when he's surprised/ frightened.

Where did the Angels even come from? Why do I feel like humans are somehow at fault for them, too? Like they were playing God or something and it came back to bite them in the ass. I assume I'll find out more later on, but I'm already predisposed to blame the adults. I also wonder if the kids apparent psychic abilities have anything to do with the Angels. Perhaps the experiments that led to the Angels led to the kids with abilities? (Unless I'm totally off the mark lol)

[superiorllathanvie]

Hair's Breadth From Death

— [WHUMPTOBER, DAY 3] {SEMICANON}

• characters :: hitori, unnamed boss

• genre :: whump, narrative

• warnings :: graphic depictions of violence; firearms; suggestions of a child soldier program (basically comes with emotional child neglect); torture; mass murder/death

synopsis / prompt(s) :: gun to temple, “say goodbye”

a/n :: hi yes hello i hope you like hitori because this is a huge fucking lore dump about her background, some parts were kept vague ofc but yes this is a lot even though it's incoherent in some parts (intentional, have i forgot to mention how hitori used to black out a lot to keep herself from remembering unpleasant things 😍)

also listen to hayloft ii by mother mother it's a vibe & sets the tone quite well for this one 👍

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Each bullet hit the dead center of the shooting target. With how many times she had hit the exact spot over the past three years, it was surprising to her how a hole hadn't been blown straight through the steel silhouette.

In addition to that, it was a wonder how Hitori still managed to keep track of time despite being closed off from the outside world. If her mental math was right, she was.. fourteen or fifteen, at most. Right.

Her age was practically all she had left of her past life; her birthday had long been tossed to the side, deemed insignificant by the people who took her in, as was her name. Even her appearance was slightly different from what she remembered every time she looked into a mirror — her hair was always a little darker and her eyes were always a little brighter.

In color, of course. If referring to the 'light' that shone in most kids' eyes displaying their hope for the future, then Hitori's candle had since died out along with her brother.

Ah, yes. The last time she saw him was when she was twelve, through a glass as he smiled at her right before his sentence was carried out.

She missed him.

Was this torturous life similar to what he had to go through to provide for their simple, merry life?

Hitori's grip on the pistol tightened, jaw clenching as she took a silent breath to compose herself. That was all in the past, so it didn't matter — not that the present and the future had anything to offer.

‎

‎

Bang!

'I'm sorry.'

"Good job, sweetheart," The bad man praised, walking up to Hitori from behind and looking down at the fresh corpse at the teen's feet. He scrunched his nose up at the sight of a bullet-shaped hole right in the middle of the victim's forehead, turned away and gave Hitori a pat on the head. "Not your first rodeo, but you never cease to amaze me. You're a natural-born killer, ain't you? Aw."

Hitori only stared at the deceased with a blank look on her face, unfeeling and unbothered lieslies liar. She glanced down at her weapon, which still had all the bullets in it minus one. She spoke not unless told to, not wanting to be punished for it.

She wasn't afraid of it, however. She did not feel fear, for she did not feel anything at all guiltyguiltyguilty. She was but an empty husk, a tool used for assassinations and hits and nothing more.

They made sure to break her down carefully, reduce her to nothing — just so they could build her back up again into their perfect mold murderer.

And so far, the results were stellar. Hitori was only fifteen and she was better than most adult hitmen. She'd never missed a lethal shot, and that was thanks to their.. extensive lessons on vulnerable areas of the average humanoid body.

Hitori's angelus descent made it much easier to teach her about anatomy — her quick regeneration was very helpful, considering they often had to cut her into pieces.

Suppressing a flinch from feeling a hand on her shoulder, Hitori nonchalantly looked up at her employer.

The man smiled sweetly at her, seemingly pulling out candy out of nowhere. Hitori obediently showed him her free palm, where he carefully placed the singular piece. Hitori bowed slightly and murmured a "Thank you," satisfying the higher-up.

"You have another job, downtown. Long-range, client's waiting for you on the roof of the building on this address," He stated, dropping the niceties as he handed a card towards the little Hitori. "Your gun has already been set up in advance."

"Understood." Hitori replied automatically, quickly scanning the text on the card and pocketing it. She gave her boss a nod, before heading towards an open window.

"I would wish you luck, but you don't need it," The man chortled, smirking. "I'll just say... Finish the job." He warned.

Hitori didn't respond, opting to slip out through the window and go on her way. Of course she'd finish the job — what would keep her from doing so?

Herself, maybe.

Bang! Bang!

It took one more shot than normal for the scorner to blow Hitori's arm off, but they succeeded in the end.

Hitori only gritted her teeth to endure the stinging in her left shoulder — this wasn't the first time she'd had to have been dismembered or mutilated or 'broken apart to be put back together'; nothing hurt anymore after having so much time to get used to the pain. Instead of a piercing, unbearable agony, all Hitori felt was a tingling numbness.

Being an assassin, she had to be trained to withstand torture in the scenario that she was captured and interrogated. How did they train her, exactly? By using their own twisted form of Mithridatism — if Hitori were subjected to a regular amount of time being beaten and the like, she'd eventually build up an immunity to it, right?

Their hypothesis was correct. Hitori felt virtually nothing every time they slashed apart her limbs by the joints one by one.

Aside from the mental strain of having to carry so many of her sins, anyway.

How long exactly would she last like this? She couldn't lie to herself forever. She was only human; feeling 'nothing' was an impossible concept. Even for her.

Physically, yes, she was practically unkillable due to her regerative abilities, but she wasn't immune to fatal injuries like a bullet to the head.

A bullet to the head.

Bullet to the head.

The head.

The head of the organization that took her. Wasn't he the same person who turned in her Nii-san to the authorities, even after he showed so much loyalty and contributed so much to this pathetic excuse of a job?

That bastard got him killed, didn't he?

Would he do the same to her, too?

...

She'd been repressing so many of her experiences for long enough. Figured it was about time she did what she wanted with all this power... Hitori had always been stronger than the others in every way, yet she stayed under their foot like a doormat.

Hitori decided that she wasn't going to risk that. She had wanted to be just like her brother, but unlike him, she didn't have anything worth fighting for that still happened to be alive.

Except herself.

Would that make her selfish..?

Maybe. But who cared?

Not Hitori.

A loud crack rang through her ears as she delivered a swift kick to the closest tormentor's ribs. Without further delay, she abruptly bent her knee and harshly sent the kneecap into their face.

They stumbled backwards before fainting, but two others were still in the room. One charged towards Hitori with a blade, yelling something about her traitorous behavior; the other ran out of the room to sound the alarm that blared across the entire underground building not long after they left.

Hitori's sharp senses noticed a loud echo of footsteps and firearms being cocked from down the hall, and judging by the amount of people sent to incapacitate her...

They were all fully aware of how powerful she really was. The fear in their falsely confident shouts were in vain.

Hitori always did want to try out her wings. She did have four pairs of them.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Click. Click.

"Oh," Hitori pouted, disheartened by the sudden lack of ammunition. "That's too bad." She murmured, narrowing her eyes at the pistol in her hand before throwing it over her shoulder.

The metal did not hit the floor. It hit something much softer than concrete — Hitori assumed it was one of the carasses by the doorway, who tried so desperately to defend their leader. Where was he?

Oh, right. Dead. Right in front of her, with sixteen bullet holes in his face. When did that happen?

Well, regardless, at least it was over now. Whew. Hitori felt.. really tired all of a sudden. Wow.

Maybe she should look for another place to sleep tonight. No one was left to manage the air conditioner.

That was her fault, though. She had to take accountability, so she did.

"Sorry."

[chronomally]

I got takeout from a place in my neighborhood bragging that they have the "best falafel in [town]" (the bar is very low, there are not a lot of falafel options where I live 😔) and I guess Saturday is boys night because when I walked up the outdoor seating area and indoor bar were chock-full of guys

[hikari-writes]

『Haikyuu!!』

Fluff Oneshot

Winter Wonderland Collab

❝ Cure For A Broken Heart ❞

Pairing: Goshiki Tsutomu

Warning: Cheating ex boyfriend, past toxic relationship

Genre: F L O O F

Words: 3.6k

Notes:

-F!Reader

A/N: heres another piece for the winter wonderland collab feat baby boy goshiki :3

Winter Wonderland Masterlist

You stomped your way through the shopping district full of couples making out, anger seeping through you as you tried very hard not to yell at those strangers. 

It was hard to contain your anger towards happy couples, especially since you had just broken up with your cheating boyfriend. 

Definitely not a good way to start your Christmas evening.

You rubbed your eyes to get rid of the tears that were welling up in it. You tried to get your mind off of things as you thought on how Oikawa would react when he finds out about your breakup. 

He'll most likely nag you for hours, saying that he knew that your (now) ex-boyfriend was bad news all along. You couldn't help but to heave another sigh. 

Not that Oikawa hadn't warned you about your ex before. He warned you multiple times, even. But you were too blinded by what you thought was love for your ex to even pay any attention to Oikawa's warnings. 

As you kept walking and walking without any particular direction you were heading into, you finally found yourself in an unfamiliar side of the shopping district. 

The place wasn't bustling with as many people as the center of the shopping district you were in just now. There were fewer shops, and the things that were being sold in them weren’t as eye-catching as the ones in the busy part of the shopping district. 

Just then, your feet stopped at a shop that appears to be a cafe. You looked at the shop sign. There, written in a beautiful font, was the shop’s name.

“...Shiratori Cake House.”

You stared at the picture of a swan on the sign board logo. Fits the cafe’s name to a T, you thought. Seeing as how the place is void of any visitors, you figured that there won’t be so many customers in the cafe and decided to enter the cafe to treat yourself to something sweet and take your mind off the aching pain in your heart. 

Truthfully, you could’ve just gone to the cafe Oikawa worked at, since you’re more familiar with that place and you might even got to ask for a bit of a friend discount from him. But since it was CHRISTMAS, the place will undoubtedly be flooded with customers, who were mostly Oikawa’s fangirls, and you didn’t want to be suffocated with so many people while your mind was in total shambles. You needed peace, quiet and a little bit of a sweet treat to mend your broken heart at the time.

As soon as you stepped in, however, you realized that your previous guess was completely off. 

The cafe wasn’t lacking in customers.

It didn’t have any customers to begin with.

You looked around in confusion. You even thought that maybe the place was actually already closed for the day. But you were definitely sure that the sign read “OPEN” before you entered just now. See, it wouldn’t have been weird if business was running slow if this was any other day. But it was CHRISTMAS. Every cafe, bakery and cake shop in the town was swarmed with customers, especially considering the fact that there weren't as many shops like that in your town to begin with.

Your confusion was cut short when you heard a male voice called out to you.

“Welcome, dear customer. A table for one?”

You turned around to see a guy with a black haired bowl cut wearing what you presumed to be the cafe’s uniform greeting you. You sent him a nod and followed behind him silently as he led the way to one of the tables. Considering the fact that he was serving you, you took it that it was still business hours at the time. 

“Take your time, and just call me whenever you’ve decided on an order.”

He handed you the menu and you took it with a curt nod. You didn’t spare a glance at the menu as you stared at the waiter. He noticed your gaze and looked at you with confusion evident in his eyes. 

“Is there something wrong?”

At his question, you found yourself opening your mouth to say something that even you yourself wasn’t expecting to come out of your own mouth. You guessed you could say you said that on the spur of the moment, but what exactly prompted you to say that was unknown to even yourself. Who knows, maybe the stress and sadness you were feeling after having just broken up with your ex made you lose some of your brain cells.

“Can I get a smile from you?”

You asked with a straight face, as if you didn’t just ask a question that might as well be considered as a pick-up line. After blurting that out, you realized how much you actually sounded like Oikawa. Guess being friends with him had made his habits rub off on you too. You internally cringed at what you just said, and was about to apologize to the waiter when you saw his reaction. 

He looked extremely surprised at your sudden request and he was blushing extremely hard, you could even feel the heat he was radiating. He kept opening and closing his mouth, as if trying to say something to you but the vocabularies in his brain just disappeared. It was apparent that he had never experienced being hit on before. His reaction seemed to be contagious when you found even yourself blushing at his reaction, and you were left with an awkward silence as the both of you continued to hang your head low. You gotta admit though, he was pretty cute so that just became another factor as to why you blushed after what you just said.

Not too long after that, another waiter stepped in and pushed the black haired waiter away. You snapped out of your flustered state and looked up at the waiter who just helped the two of you get out of that awkward situation. He had copper-colored hair with a….unique hairstyle.

He heaved a sigh before meeting your gaze.

“Please excuse him, dear customer. Although, I must say, you did break him after what you just said.”

At his statement, your blush grew darker.

“B-broke him, you said...”

You quickly averted your gaze and stared intently at the menu in front of you, trying to distract yourself from the unbearable awkwardness. 

You skimmed through the menu and took a quick glance at the cakes displayed in a window glass. All the desserts looked delicious, sure, but you couldn't buy all of them. Finally, you decided to go with the easiest solution.

“Say, what do you recommend? Do you have any special menu that you specialize in?”

You turned to the two waiters who, oddly enough, were still standing near your table instead of just waiting at the counter until you called over. 

At this question, the black haired waiter perked up, and he seemed like he had finally been snapped out of his embarrassment. 

“If you're asking what we specialize in, I must simply mention our tea! While the tea leaves aren't anything fancy or anything of the sort, the way we *cough* I *cough* brew our tea is enough to bring the full flavour of the tea. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!”

He seemed rather enthusiastic about it,but the other waiter just shot him an unpleasant glare. The black haired waiter quickly shut his mouth up. From the way he said it, you could pretty much deduce that the aforementioned “tea that they specialize in” was brewed by the black haired waiter himself. Nice display of confidence.

The other waiter cleared his throat before speaking. 

“I'm pretty sure she meant what sort of DESSERTS do we specialize in, Tsutomu, not drinks. And to answer your question, we do pride ourselves in our chocolate desserts. I highly recommend you getting the Black Forest cake, but since it IS Christmas, we also have Strawberry Shortcake to offer, if you'd prefer that.”

You contemplated on what to order for a moment. In the end, you decided to go with what he recommended (since he did go out of his way to mention that).

The waiter displayed a small smile that probably meant “Oh thank goodness I didn't waste my time recommending that cake to her,” as he jotted down the order. He didn't say it aloud obviously, but his smile just kinda radiated that vibe, y'know?

You then turned towards the black haired waiter, Tsutomu, you presumed, and gave him a small grin. 

“And I also would like to have this tea that you specialize in.”

His face lit up and he seemed to be blushing a bit. He nodded enthusiastically while the other waiter just gave him a distasteful look. 

The two walked away and you took the opportunity to look around the cafe. It seemed to have a pretty good interior design, and the cakes being displayed also seemed to sparkle brightly. You wondered why there was no customer at all. Probably because of how it's located in a pretty deserted part of the shopping district. 

Meanwhile you were busy looking up and down the shop, the two waiters who were serving you just now whispered to one another. 

“Before you start, let me just make one thing clear. She obviously wasn't actually planning to hit on you from the look on her face, so stop acting like a high school girl who just got herself a boyfriend.”

The copper haired waiter, Shirabu, started. Tsutomu seemed a bit disappointed at this, but he quickly furrowed his brows at him. 

“But still, I was still being hit on by a really PRETTY girl. It's probably a Christmas miracle or something.”

He sighed with a small blush adorning his face, to which Shirabu just replied with a disgusted look. 

“I wonder if she has a lover or not...”

He quietly asked the question out of curiosity. Shirabu looked at him for a moment before glancing at you. 

“Think about it logically, Tsutomu. Today is Christmas. It's basically a holiday for couples to spend their time together. Meanwhile our dear customer right there is, as you can see, alone. Plus, why would she wonder around this part of the shopping district alone if she wasn't preoccupied with her thoughts. She probably either is definitely single from the start and wanted to get away from the busy part of the shopping district which was full of couples, OR she had just broken up with her lover.”

After explaining his guesses (Thanks, Sherlock), Shirabu seemed to realize something and turned to Tsutomu almost immediately. 

“Don't tell me you….you wanted to ask her out or something?? Tsutomu, it was just ONE pick-up line, for God's sake.”

Shirabu frowned at the younger male, expressing his disbelief with a sigh. 

“That's not it!”

He hissed in defense. Tsutomu turned to look at you again who were staring off at the shop's window, silently admiring the falling snow outside. 

“It's just...she seemed sad and I was just wondering if she has a special someone who she can confide in….or something.”

Tsutomu softly explained, his eyes still fixated on you.

“You know what people nowadays call you? A busybody. Why would you care for a stranger anyway?”

Tsutomu gave a silent glare towards Shirabu as he finished brewing your tea.

“Well then, Shirabu-san, if I'm a busybody then you're a jerk. It's called being KIND and maybe you should try it sometimes too.”

“Alright, then, go take this cake to her, if you're SO kind. And DON'T scare her away, you hear me? She's our only customer today and we don't appreciate you blabbing unnecessary stuff at her and making her leave.”

With that warning, Shirabu handed Tsutomu a plate with a slice of Black Forest cake on it. Tsutomu just grumbled as a response and made his way towards you. 

“Here is your order. Please enjoy it.”

Your train of thoughts was interrupted when Tsutomu came back with a tray of your order. You nodded and mumbled a small thank you before picking up the cup of tea. It was freezing cold outside so you figured the hot tea could keep you nice and warm.

As soon as you took a sip from it, you were completely stunned by the flavour of the tea. 

Turned out he wasn't joking or blindly bragging about the tea he made. It was, without a doubt, extremely delicious. The coldness you were feeling was gone in an instant and it felt as if your entire body was filled with the warmth of the tea. 

“It's really delicious.”

You commented and looked at him with a genuinely warm smile. He tried to hide the smile that was forming on his face but the blush on his cheeks was enough proof to know that he was completely pleased with your compliment. 

All of a sudden, you were washed with feelings of nostalgia. Now that you thought back on it, you also always tried your hardest to brew the best tea for your ex-boyfriend. All of that memory seemed like a blur to you now that you know that he probably didn't mean any of the compliments he gave. Heck, you even caught a glimpse of him pouring the tea you made into the sink but you decided that that was just your mind playing tricks on you.

“Urgh, this SUCKS. I came here to forget about him but he still somehow managed to wriggle his way into my mind...”

You closed your eyes and your brows were knitted together in frustration as you thought that. You inhaled the scent of the tea and thankfully, that managed to calm your nerves down. 

“Are you alright??”

When you heard the panicked voice of Tsutomu, you opened your eyes and only then did you realize something sliding down your cheeks.

“What….?”

You touched your cheeks to inspect what it was. Well, even if you didn't, you already had a pretty good guess as to what it was. 

Tears were running down your cheeks in an uncontrollable manner. It was as if the more you tried to wipe them away, the more they came flooding down your face.

Tsutomu was panicking so hard, he felt as though he just lost ten years of his lifespan. Meanwhile Shirabu was glaring daggers behind his back, thinking that Tsutomu had said something to make you cry. 

“I'm terribly sorry, I….”

At this point, you had buried your whole face in your hands, ashamed at yourself for crying in front of these strangers. Just then, you felt a comforting hand being placed on your back, softly rubbing circles on top of it.

“It's alright if you felt like crying. Just let it all out.”

Those words were all that you needed before streams of tears started to pour out of your eyes and a few sobs to escape your lips. The fact that you suddenly remembered how your ex-boyfriend would always tell you to not cry in front of him because he claimed it’d be “troublesome” made you realize how toxic your relationship was.

After a few minutes had passed and you had calmed down, you pulled your hand away from your face before facing Tsutomu. He noticed this and looked at you with a concerned look. 

“I’m really sorry. That was shameful of me to cry in front of a total stranger. Thank you for giving me the chance to let all that out.”

You smiled at him and he retreated back his hand that was on your back. 

“Uhm...if you don’t mind, you can tell me your problems. I believe that it’s better to have someone you can confide in rather than keep it to yourself.”

You looked at him for a moment. Most people won’t really care about a stranger’s problem, so Tsutomu offering that came as a bit of a surprise to you. But if he had offered that, then it’d be nice to accept it.

“Thank you for the offer...Excuse me for bothering you then.”

So you told him everything from how you were burned out because of your work and were hoping to have a nice, relaxing time alone with your ex….and how you discovered he was cheating on you when you went to his place uninvited. You stormed out of there, and walked and walked and walked...trying to get as far away as possible from his place. Then, before you knew it, you found yourself in front of this cake shop. 

Tsutomu listened so intently, nodding his head every now and then to silently reassure you that he was listening. It warmed your heart when you saw how considerate he was being. For once, you actually felt as if a burden had been lifted off your shoulders. 

Shirabu who was sitting at the counter was silently listening to your story too. He made his way to your table and put down a slice of Strawberry Shortcake, claiming that that one was on the house.

“It’s hard to see the truth when you’re too blinded by what you wanted to believe. I’m sure that’s what happened to you too. Whoever that guy was, he clearly is a jerk that doesn’t have any respect for people. How can he be so disrespectful to someone as beautiful and kind as you?”

Tsutomu huffed out in frustration. You smiled at him for a moment before realizing what he just said at the end of his line.

“What...was that?”

You asked with an awkward smile and a small blush adorning your cheeks.

“Huh? I said he’s such a jerk---”

Before he got to finish the sentence, his eyes widened as a realization dawned upon him about what he just blurted out and before he knew it a deep crimson blush was already dusted upon his cheeks.

An awkward silence came upon the both of you and Shirabu who was watching the whole thing heaved an exasperated sigh as he thought on how hopeless the both of you were.

“A-anyways...thank you for hearing me out. And the food here is delicious too. I’ll definitely come back here again and bring my friends as well.”

After finishing your cakes and tea, you got up from your seat and went to the counter to pay for your orders.

“Ah, it’s already so late so uhh.. I think it’s best if I accompany you until you reach the main part of the shopping district.”

Tsutomu quickly got up from his seat and walked towards you. You honestly didn’t want to trouble him any further, but he simply assured you that he wanted to do it himself. Shirabu also nonchalantly encouraged you to take him up on his offer. At last, you did and walked out of the cake shop side by side with Tsutomu. 

The rapid contrast of the temperature from the heater in the cake shop and outside of it made you involuntarily shiver. As you exhaled, you could see your own breath in front of you. You’re definitely curling up under your kotatsu tonight.

The both of you walked in silence, admiring the colourful decorations being put around the district. When you finally reached the more busy part of the shopping district, the both of you stopped in your tracks.

“Thank you for everything today. You’ve been a great help…..Uh….”

You stopped mid-sentence as you realized that you didn’t know what this stranger’s name who had been so kind to you was.

“Just call me Tsutomu.”

He replied as if he knew what was on your mind. You smiled and nodded.

“....Tsutomu, thank you again for today. You can call me Y/N.”

You didn’t know whether it was because of the cold or because he was blushing, but you noticed his cheeks being dusted with pink hues. The same could be applied to you as well as you felt the rising heat in your cheeks. 

You bowed one last time and was about to continue walking when he called out to you.

“Uhm! Y/N...now that I think about it...I uh... I don’t think I caught what your phone number was….”

The both of you stood there in silence, your blush only grew deeper as moments passed by and you quickly responded to him by taking out a piece of paper from your bag and scribbling down your number.

“Here!”

You handed him the piece of paper and hung your head low, too embarrassed to face him. He took the paper and held it close to his chest.

“....I’ll be sure to contact you.”

He whispered under his breath, barely audible to your ears. You nodded and the both of you shared a small, content smile before making your separate ways to your house and back to the cake shop respectively.

That Christmas had been very hectic and you were drained out, but spending your time at the cake shop was an experience you’ll never forget. After all, the cute, black haired waiter there did help mend your broken heart at the time. 

Bonus~

Oikawa totally wasn’t having it when he knew you gave out your phone number to a total stranger. In the end, he nagged you for hours about the danger of strangers and also how he was going to kick your ex-boyfriend’s ass after that. (He, Iwaizumi, Matsukawa and Hanamaki brought you cakes and some games to cheer you up so you weren’t all that bothered by his continuous nagging.)

The End

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[heyitsbugette]

Todobug: Fallen lover.

The spotted heroine was out with her team for a regular round of patrol, finding herself just a few meters from the girls to plan the rute alongside Chat Noir. She constantly ignored his attentions, but when he took her hand trying to kiss the back, with her opposite she invoked a lucky charm out of curiosity, winning a small spray bottle with which she sprayed on his feline friend.

──── Bad Kitty! Behave! Behave!

She exclaimed, spraying her partner, watching him contract through the water as if he were a small cat taking a bath, making her laugh mockingly next to the turtle hero who stayed next to them contracting against his stomach to laugh at the blonde’s childish reactions. Lately the heroes have gotten much closer as the meetings get more and more enjoyable, sometimes taking a few breaks to chat or joke with each other.

This was one of those days, being a fairly quiet time to afford that luxury that on rare occasions they could joke around. For today the only ones who were absent were Viperion, Roi Singe, and Pegase, but soon it would be their turn on the night patrol. And while both boys were organizing to cover ground next to Ladybug, it was that both Rena Rouge and Queen Bee looked puzzled at the initial duo of heroes at the same time while Ryuko sitting on a pile of bricks next to them sharpened her sword patiently without much interest.

It wasn't until the beautiful-looking blonde snorted as she touched up her lipstick that when she uttered a word, she broke the ice, paying attention to her reflection in the portable mirror that she carried with her even in battle. And at once her lips took on a little more color, she looked out of the corner of her eye at the heroine in a fox costume, ready to start conversation.

──── And ... Are you sure these two are just friends? Huh, I'm suspecting that the Ladybug's alleged boyfriend scandal is actually fake news of that infamous Alec Cataldi guy.

The blonde wasn't exactly discreet when she looked away from her mirror to turn and look skeptically at the dynamic duo fighting childishly as they calmed down to begin their part of the patrol, both walking away with Carapace jumping from roof to roof.

Instead, the young Japanese woman who calmly held her sword, settled into her seat crossing her legs with a quick movement. For a few thoughtful moments, she rested her gaze indifferently on her mate, while resting both hands on the handle of her sword, glancing sideways at the direction in which her superiors were leaving.

──── Believe it or not, she is in a relationship with Todoroki-san, and we must respect that, Queen Bee. It is not very honorable that you speak of him like this when he is not present to defend himself.

It was her answer said with a little bit of hostility, since clearly the foreigner hated gossip and to people talking cowardly behind them back. She did not know the guy in question well enough to consider him a friend, but he had been cordial in those events in which their parents had coincided.

Of course, it was a shock to learn that he was the mysterious boy Chat Noir was constantly complaining about standing between him and “his lady”. However, she couldn't blame them for their relationship being now seen in the public eye, after how an annoying low morality TV presenter had exposed the couple without their consent, robbing them of the opportunity to reveal their relationship when they were ready. It was so unpleasant, but she remembered with satisfaction how the Ladyblogger reported such an invasion of privacy on her blog, causing so much backlash to the man.

Some karma was dealt after that.

And although her words were almost interrupted by a fox lady in a bright orange suit, far from being annoyed, she continued her own business by returning her attention to the weapon even as she paid attention to the girl who questioned her words.

──── As much as I hate the shit Cataldi pull on them, the guy don't give me good vibes... I mean he's stupidly cold even with her. It seems he doesn't even care that Ladybug is in love with him!

The fox's heroine commented annoyed, while the blonde bee buzzed with excitement, agreeing with the words of her comrade. Neither of them seemed to believe Endeavor's son as the one for Ladybug, the national angel of France.

──── I know damn right the guy is hot, I'm not blind. But he's so... Uninteresting that he loses his charm. I think we all agree that our little bug can easily get someone better, my Adrikins is dying for her and I don't blame him, I don't even know who to be jealous of.

The blonde commented in a playful tone while she fixed some strands of hair ruffled by the wind, and putting on the final touches of the lipstick with her hand mirror, she closed the end at once to cross her arms later. It was obvious that her words were anything but kind, because even when Rena agreed that her heroine should seek someone else, it was equally clear that she did not approve of being so cruel when speaking of the aspiring hero. Chloe, on the other hand, was still taking small steps to be friendlier, but the change was gradual and she didn't avoid releasing hurtful comments on rare occasions.

No one refuted anything, it was not worth it and among the three they ended up leaving finally once their rest ended, ready to resume their patrol, perhaps hopefully catching up with the rest of their teammates.

Todoroki Shoto was just leaving the Le Grand Paris, where he was staying with his family, his father apparently had work pending in Paris and they would be spending the summer outside of Japan.

He keeping silent and walking beside his older brother for as long as their paths coincided, after all he did not plan to follow him any longer; he had his own plans going. He had reserved a table in a restaurant that was close to her girlfriend's home, clearly paying with his old man's credit card with the bonus of bothering him, and of course thanks to his action he ended up earning a tremendous shout from the older one, but that did not matter, he just wanted to pamper his beloved.

──── So.. Have any plans, kid?

Asked the curious albino while chilling at the side of his brother. He and his penpal Luka Couffaine would hang out at the mall and then go to the disco store, it was clear that he wanted to see if the youngest of the family was free to accompany them.

──── I'm going out with my girlfriend once she comes back from patrolling with her team.

He answered calmly, taking out his phone when he felt it vibrate for a few seconds, surely his sister had called him to scold him for what he did with the credit card, but from seeing the angry expression on the older man's face he could say that it was worth it worth the scolding.

──── Ah? So, are you're really dating? I thought you were joking when you told us.

The college student spoke with a little laugh, noticing how his sibling looked at him confused. Suddenly the punk looking teenager gave him a discreet push with his shoulder to shut him up, an action that made him finally react.

And it was not for less, he had really been surprised to hear the albino's words, which shows with his changing facial expression. And while the double quirked teen questioned his words with his typical seriousness, it was remarkable for the man, for his slipt he keeps laughing nervously and even uncomfortably at the heterochromatic stare.

──── And… why did you think that?

──── Hey, chill... I didn't mean it like that, but you guys don't really seem like a couple. You know, you don't show it much. B-But I know you must love her a lot, of course!

Realizing how insensitive his words were, as well as how prejudiced he sounded when saying them, Natsuo ended up hiding behind a certain guitarist who shook his head gently and placed his arm between the two boys in a crude attempt at protection in what they both looked like. Instead of getting angry, the half redhead hung his head in surprise, grimacing seconds later, looking at them this time with a frown, clearly offended and annoyed.

──── Don't take it the wrong way, Shoto. You know that Natsuo can be somewhat naive and reckless, it was not his intention to offend you.

──── See you tomorrow, Couffaine…

Without saying anything else, he turns away into the flower shop, leaving behind the guys with whom he had had a bitter revelation. It was the only thing he said, annoyingly walking away in the opposite direction. Didn't they really seem like a real couple? The young man knew that he was not very expressive with his feelings, but he never thought it would be so bad. He continued his walking now without much encouragement, looking even more serious than usual if that was possible, but he was still determined to prove to himself that Natsuo was wrong. Perhaps if he made an effort to make his night with her girlfriend perfect, he could show his love for her, although it was difficult for him to show his feelings. But that did not mean that he wouldn't do his best to try.

So, he continued walking until he reached the picturesque place, entering and buying a bouquet of flowers, cheering up little by little. He left the place much calmer, even motivated, eager to meet his dear ladybug; but it was not until he heard three female voices talking about him and his lovely girfriend without any hesitation, that without being able to avoid it with strangeness he raised his face to watch the heroines speak from the roof of the building animatedly, being the blonde the loudest among the three.

Little by little he felt worse and worse with each word. Was he such a bad boyfriend? Marinette thought the same as her friends?

Once the heroines left the Japanese boy sat on one of the benches, leaving his bouquet of flowers beside him, running his hands over his hair. Maybe they were right, maybe he was giving less to the relationship than his girlfriend deserved, maybe he was throwing her into the arms of another guy with his attitude. Suddenly he felt an upset stomach just thinking about it, it wasn't a nice feeling.

At the same time his discomfort was escalating and frustrated, he bent down looking at the bouquet of roses with an unsatisfied gaze, remembering how the cat hero used to give her a flower every day during the time that his relationship with her was a secret to the public. He remembered the jealousy he repressed every time Chat Noir tried to seduce his heroine, every flirtatious and cheesy nickname said in the midst of battles, as even when she rejected him, he was still motivated to win her love.

He recalled the mistrust he had for Luka when he mentioned his feelings for a certain baker's daughter, but he quickly dispelled his insecurities when he knew that Couffaine would never try anything with her. In his words he remembered how the eldest simply said that “her melody had found her own rhapsody,” whatever that meant. It was much worse when he find out about the past feelings his Maribug used to have towards Adrien Agreste, but detesting him made him feel guilty, the boy was also too kind for his own good.

He needed advice, it was not a good sign to be so insecure or jealous. But he was just a confused teenager in his first relationship, they couldn't blame him for his inexperience.

Todoroki Shoto, Memories. A couple days ago.

During finals a certain pigtail lady had sneaked to Japan with the equine kwami’s help, of course, she missed her long-distance boyfriend as much as she knows he missed her too, and surprising her lover from behind she didn’t hesitate into hugging him sideways, laughing and playing with their noses in an soft Eskimo kiss. A couple minutes later, he took her by the waist just to give his girlfriend room to sit on his lap, while both kwamis hovered curiously around the room towards one of the hero magazines.

──── Not that it bothers me for you to come see me, actually I enjoy it, but what are you doing here?

──── I needed a break ... If I hear Lila say how she introduced you to Ladybug again, I will lose my patience, mon trésor.

With a snort the young woman let herself lean on her lover's shoulder, listening to him laugh vaguely with that unmistakable grimace on his lips, without a doubt the double quirk teen was just as entertained of the situation than he should be.

──── She's still into her fantasies? Should I be scared?

──── Not worth it.

In a mocking tone the eldest played with his beloveds’ lips, approaching to touch them tenderly just to move away when his muse deigned to reciprocate. From one moment to the next, he earned her frown, and it was when he saw her pout that he finally let himself be caught, feeling the plump and pink lips against his, sharing the cherry flavor of her usual chapstick.

When closing his eyes in duo with his sun sunshine girl, one of his hands fixed on her cheek tenderly as he passed his thumb over the blush, while in an ephemeral separation to discharge his heavy breath in a second, they again kissed again. Much more shy tan before.

──── Please come tomorrow… If not, who's going to kick my ass in Ultimate Mecha Strike?

Little could he know that his scattered thoughts made Gabriel Agreste smile with discretion, as he, after sending one of his models to their wardrobe test in the care of their star designers, was that he hung up the call by video-chat once he delegated the activities of the day to Nathalie and went calmly towards the portrait of his beloved Emilie, caressing gracefully the illustration on her lips, in a silent conversation with himself.

He would have another chance to save her.

──── Oh, disappointment and jealousy ~ Powerful feelings from the hand of the lover that will bring my victory ... Simply poetic. Get ready, Ladybug! It will be the person who has your very own heart who will bring your defeat to me. So, fly my little Akuma, and possess Endeavor's son!

Ignorant of what was happening, were his racing heartbeats and his concern about losing the girl he had fallen in love with, without notice he caught the attention of a certain villain who triumphantly prepare one of his akumas to leave outside of his lair as he walked in the direction of his butterfly window ready for send his tiny henchman in search of the tormented teenager boy whose peace was disturbed. Humming, Hawkmoth smiled poisonously, capturing in his hands the tiny being whom he filled with negative energy, and in the end commanding them with his stick for catch his target.

Earlier when news of the heroine's romance leaked, he simply didn't rush into acting. He wasn't an idiot, he knew how dangerous it was to villainize the wrong people at the wrong time, he learned it the hard way with certain failed villains. But now, it was the perfect timing for him.

The akuma fluttered from the sky until found the source of such intense negative feelings, it could feel them for miles, and when the time came it was easier to be able to catch him without being noticed. Without missing the opportunity to melt into the bouquet of roses that the brokean hearted boy held so sadly, linking without opportunity to fight in a forced communication with the most feared villain in Paris at the moment when the butterfly communicator managed to get a surprised sigh out of him.

──── Greetings, Heartstroke. I am your friend, Hawkmoth. I have felt your fear of losing the love of your heroine, as everyone sees you as an obstacle. I promise to give you the power to punish whoever dares to take her away from you, and prove them wrong... But there is something you must do for me in return.

His words were poisonous, said with false concern and artificial charisma, selling to his victim the idea that would solve their problems once and for all, but the minor's doubt internally annoyed the criminal, he hated when his victims became resistant.

──── No, I won't give you her miraculous…

──── Don't be naive, son. Every Ladybug is destined for her Black Cat. Creation and destruction cannot live without the other. I offer you the opportunity to free her from her destiny. And what do you say? Do you accept my offer?

The half albino quickly covered his ears, while biting his trembling lip closed at the same time, he closed his eyes, unable to resist the intense connection with Hawkmoth any longer. But with each spoken word he felt increasingly furious, helpless, more insecure. To Paris, he was just a busybody, someone who kept Ladybug away from her one true love, the one who truly cared about her; as with every threatening mail they insinuated that he should get away and look for someone else, that he should stop confusing Lady luck's feelings. He couldn't handle it anymore, he was only human after all, and naturally he was selfish.

Selfish for wanting a future with her.

──── It will be a pleasure, Hawkmoth.

With a simple scaling flash of light, the bicolor eyed boy’s body was enveloped until it disappeared into a new metamorphosis, a different appearance drifted away from his usual looks.

Goodbye Todoroki Shoto, let's meet Heartstroke.