#ahh. being honest only like half of what I draw is sans

[sunnydayaoe]

I'm not good at ideas either but maybe something involving a non-Sans character since Sans seems to be 99% of what you draw?

have some alphys :)

[bitchloveskcbaseball]

Mad Dash

This is my response to @wackydrabbles​ prompt #44, Why do you keep looking at me?

Pairing: Bryce x Casey

Word Count: 1185 - I know, I’m a rule breaker lol, but I miss baseball sooo much (even though this doesn’t have much actual baseball in it lol) and I just couldn’t bring myself to cut anything out lol

A/N: This is another piece in the universe that I’ve decided to name (since I keep adding to it lol) The Bones, inspired by the Maren Morris song of the same name.

Trigger Warning: Just some cursing - I just can’t help it when there’s baseball involved lmao

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

Bryce let out a chuckle and shook his head. “You know this is a replay, right?”

Casey’s eyes narrowed. “Obviously. I watched literally every minute of it when it was live. What’s that got to do with my question?”

“Well you’re bouncing around over there like you don’t already know the outcome, for one!”

“Again, failing to see your point.”

“Casey, babe. Why are you getting so worked up over a baseball game from almost five years ago?”

“Oh, my god.” Casey didn’t even try to hide her irritation. “You are seriously interrupting this to ask me why I’m enjoying it? Do you not even realize what this is?”

“It’s…a baseball game?”

“Lord, how are we even together? It is so much more than just a baseball game, love! It’s game five of the goddamn 2015 World Series!”

“Ok, and?” The look of pure confusion would have been adorable in literally any other moment to her, but right there, as she was trying to lose herself in the experience of the Kansas City Royals’ last playoff appearance, it did nothing but piss her off royally (pun intended).

“Dammit, Bryce. This is the game! The one where after thirty, long, desolate years, the Royals finally won the championship. And the way that they won it was so perfectly them – dramatic, unexpected, and daring!”

Bryce just stared at her for a moment, but then the game came back from commercial and Casey honestly couldn’t care less about anything he had to say. It was the top of the ninth inning, which meant it was time for the magic to happen. If he thought she’d been losing her shit before, he had no idea just what he was about to experience.

During the next commercial break, after the Royals had tied the game with the play that will forever be known as “Hosmer’s Mad Dash Home,” Casey was practically vibrating with the thrill that still ran through her every time she saw it. Of course, she was over the moon because it was great for her team, but it didn’t hurt that he had been, and honestly still was even though he now played for the San Diego Padres, her absolute favorite baseball player. And she had more than a little bit of a crush on him, if she were being honest.

“So…is there something you need to tell me, Miss Valentine?”

“Um, first off, bucko, it’s Dr. Valentine. Second, what in the hell are you jabbering about now?”

“You went absolutely gaga over that first baseman, Hosemer was it?”

“Hosmer. His name is Eric Hosmer.”

“Kinda proving my point, babe.”

There was something weird about Bryce’s tone that caught Casey’s attention, even though the broadcast was back from commercial to start the bottom of the ninth. She turned her whole body so she was facing him squarely before asking, “What’s going on right now?”

“Nothing. What…what are you talking about?”

“You are being really weird right now, Bryce. Tell me what’s up. What’s bothering you.”

Casey hadn’t seen him look this guarded since the day he told her about his parents’ criminal past. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

After reaching over to turn the TV off, she moved across the couch until she was able to crawl into Bryce’s lap. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she let her head lean forward so it was resting against his. When his hands finally came up to hold on to her hips, she let a small smile play on her lips as she whispered, “Hi.”

Bryce let out a confused chuckle before answering, “Hi.”

“Will you please tell me what’s going on in that gorgeous head of yours?”

“I just… ahh, it’s nothing.”

“It clearly isn’t nothing, love.”

His grip on her hips tightened before he finally muttered, “You never look at me like that.”

Startled, Casey pulled back, a surprised scoff slipping from her lips before she could think better of it, let alone stop it. “What are you talking about?”

“They way you were lighting up when Hosmer was up to bat or on the bases or made a defensive play…”

Fighting back a smile as she realized that Bryce was jealous of a man that she’d never even seen face to face, she leaned back in against him, sliding her arms so that they were wrapped around his neck. She brushed her lips against his in a sweet, teasing kiss before pulling back just far enough to look him in the eye. “Bryce, my love. I look at you like that every fucking day. You are a goddamn literal hero, saving countless lives since I first met you. You are my rock, my inspiration, my escape. You are my everything.”

When a dazed, happy smile finally started pulling at the corners of his mouth, Casey finally let her own smile show. It wasn’t often that Bryce was ever insecure like that but it was honestly adorable as hell when he was. Casey knew that she wouldn’t have been able to stand it if he was a boyfriend that was constantly jealous, but seeing flashes of it every now and then was just a nice, extra reminder of how much he loved and cared about her.

When he opened his mouth to speak, she was fully expecting a typical, cocky, Bryce response, so he melted her into a total pile of mush when he said instead, “You’re my everything, Casey.”

A happy, contented sigh slipped past her lips as he leaned up to capture them in the sweetest kiss she’d ever received. They stayed just like that for heaven knows how long before her mind kicked back into gear and she leaned back so fast she almost fell off his lap onto the floor.

Wrapping his arms around her back to steady her, Bryce laughed, “Easy there. What’s the hurry?”

“I need the TV back on! I have to see the twelfth inning!”

“Wait, what? Wasn’t it over?”

“No! They only tied it. They don’t take the lead until the top of the twelfth. Then I get to see Davis pitch in the bottom half when they finish ‘em off!”

Shaking his head, Bryce leaned forward so he could reach the remote that was laying on the coffee table while keeping Casey planted on his lap. He made sure to draw it out, leaving her dangling over the floor with only an arm around her back to keep her from falling until she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“C’mon, Bryce! Quit messing around! I’ve got baseball to watch!”

“Well, we wouldn’t wanna miss that, would we?”

When he finally straightened up so she wasn’t hanging so precariously anymore, she leaned back in to give him a deeper kiss before murmuring against his lips, “I think you’ll find the post-game party quite enjoyable, love.” She rolled her hips against his a couple times to drive her point home.

Bryce let out a low growl as he quickly turned the TV back on. “Fuck, yeah. Let’s watch some baseball.”

Tag List: @darley1101 @lahellacute @anotherbeingsworld @mrsdrlahela @burnsoslow

[toukenra]

hi lovely mods! so how would the shinsengumi swords be with an easily flustered s/o when they want to be more affectionate with them??? >////

Hey dear~ so even though I can’t relate to this s/o at all because once I’m in a relationship I become like the most cuddly and affectionate koala bear this is still a very cute request and I’m sorry for taking so long. Too much cr*p happened lately so I just haven’t been in the mood for writing and I really don’t want to write something just half-baked but i also feel bad for letting this sit untouched in my drafts for weeks, therefore this got a little short. Well, hopefully you’ll still like this !

Izuminokami

holding back would be especially hard for Captain McFlirty because he’s in love with you, so being the touchy-feely man he is, of course he wants to shower you with affection and cuddles

there’s no such thing as too much PDA for Izuminokami

so after both of you just got together he would often sneak up on you and casually put an arm around your hip or even sweep you up in his arms only to have you squeal and squirm around and nearly faint why are you doing this to my poor heart?

he loves to do this, partly because he likes to show off his strength but mostly because he finds the adorable way you always gasp and become bright red very endearing

that guy just lives for your blushes because they make his life indefinitely better that douche

but when you tell him that even though you love him the way he is, sometimes it can be a little overbearing, he could honestly smack himself for being such an inconsiderate douche towards you

he tries to tone it down at times because by no means does he want to make you feel uncomfortable but it’s really hard for him because let’s be honest: Izuminokami and restraint don’t go well together

he really can’t help himself because you’re just too adorable the way you gasp and turn all red-faced when he kisses you out of the blue, because honestly: would anyone ever really mind Kane-san being all over them?

Horikawa

he would get it pretty quickly since you never initiated physical contact yourself and got bright red every time he only tried to hold hands with you

lol how are you guys going to make it to the second base then? at snail’s pace?.. ahem ok i should keep this SFW

not that he minds, he is SO considerate of your feelings and would be very patient and keep reassuring you that he thinks you’re sweet and perfect the way you are and that he’s fine with waiting until you’re more comfortable with him because he just adores you so much

this sweet boy is the embodiment of chivalry alright?

would press his forehead against yours, and whisper to you in that voice as sweet as cotton candy

‘This is really new to me as well, so please don’t worry about a thing, we’ll figure it out together’

he’s an angel sent from the heavens ok

he already thought the fact that you fell in love with him was a miracle itself so everytime you give him that gentle dazzling smile of yours he’s already melting, because everything you do draws him in

he knows how you feel about him and as long as your feelings for him don’t change he’s more than willing to follow your pace

as patient as he is, but nightly cuddles are a must and whenever you two fall asleep together he’ll always wrap you in his arms and hold tightly onto you even if you’re embarassed by the close proximity, he’ll be selfish

when this happens, don’t even think of escaping him, even if you need to go the bathroom, if he ain’t getting up then you won’t either

Yasusada

he always thought that you couldn’t get any more adorable but o h b o y was he wrong because when he first kissed you he couldn’t believe how cute you looked after that with your face all flushed and cheeks pink with embarassment

your bashfulness never ceases to amaze him but on the other hand it torments him to no end because help you just got even more adorable how should he handle that??

he’s so madly in love just a smile from you can make him happy as a fool so he won’t rush things and always waits for your permission, your feelings are the most important thing to him after all

but beware, if any of the other swords were to make a move on you hooo –

yandere Yasusada triggered

he’ll simply walk up to you, rest his chin on your head and engulf you in his arms all while shooting the penetrator that dared to look at you a very nasty look

you’re his and only his and he’s not afraid to mark off his territory in front of others

will apologize afterwards and spoil you like the world’s about to end even if you tell him that he didn’t need to feel bad

Kashuu

this insecure baby would be very confused and maybe a little hurt because you never made the first move even though you were a couple by now

wasn’t he good enough for you? Or why were you stiffening and getting bright red every time he tried to hug or kiss you?

he tries to act spirited for your sake and will try to push back his feelings and hesitates to touch you further but at the same time he was wondering if he had done something to upset you

this goes on for a while until you finally catch up on his strange behaviour

when you point it out and ask him why he seemed to be avoiding you poor boy will stay there awkwardly before admitting to his worries

after you explain to him that you actually want to be a lot closer to him but you’re just not used to affection his heart will burst with love

oh thank god

before he even knew what he was doing he had already cupped your cheeks in his hands and pulled you into a ravenous kiss

when he finally pulled away both of you were panting blushing messes, but this time he could finally admire the way your pretty face flushed without a worry

honestly tho, Kashuu is just like a cute but very demanding kitten, you have to shower him with affection or he’ll die just like my poor cactus

but once this issue was cleared up he will be back to being his usual clingy attention hog self and 10/10 will whine that you don’t love him anymore whenever someone else gets you smiling instead of him

-Mod Pancake🥞

A/n: Also, only a few more days until Hanamaru 2 yayyy! Who else is hyped to see our beloved swords on screen again?! Ahh I can’t wait for my babies to finally make their appearance ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)

Things I want to see in Hanamaru 2

my cute and spoiled son Shinano refusing to do fieldwork and touting for the Saniwa’s attention together with Gotou and Atsushi

a whole episode of Higekiri forgetting Hizamaru’s name repeatedly and Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi trying to teach this troll of a lion his brother’s name

Micchan tearing up and pampering Sada-chan to death when he finally arrives and Kara-chan dumping all his chores on him

STRIPPING SENGO AND BONDAGE KIKKOU NEED I SAY MORE

my sun child Monoyoshi blinding everyone with his brightness and bonding with the Toushirous- please

also can I get a genuinely smiling Sayo pretty please?

unlikely, but Azuki having an appearance and secretly giving candies to everyone while Hasebe isn’t looking

speaking of, Hasebe getting into a cockfight with Togoemata over who’s the best attendant which almost cleaves the citadel in two

that’s all i could think of by now but no matter what happens I’m just happy to see them again!

[kyotohub-ktv]

金貨 | The Idol Watch

With a bow hinged at his waist, he gripped Kenta K’s outstretched hand with as much enthusiasm as he could forfeit. They exchanged a brief few pleasantries before he turned his attention to Mitsuri, with her hand delicately dangling forward, the other pressed comically to her cheek. Shino graciously lifted his palm beneath the woman’s to gently lift it in a more romantique fashion. “Oh my! What a gentleman!” Mitsuri teased as she fluttered her oversized lashes. After a sly wink in the female hosts direction, he nearly leapt to his seat out of fear his knees could give at any unwilling second. The rest of the SNOW crew made their ways passed the host greeting checkpoint as he firmly planted himself at the first (much too short) stool on the first row. If it weren’t for his throbbing nerves, he would have remembered how uncomfortable the seats were.

He should be thrilled, engulfed by the swell of applause and the privilege of this moment none of them would forget. If SNOW’s success were to blossom as much as Mr.Inoue had reassured them time and time again, neither would the many...many viewers. Unfortunately, the last thing on Shino’s mind before he entered the stage was the scene he’d witnessed behind the privacy of stage curtains.

‘Deep breath…’

SNOW’s frontman urged to himself, abusing the generic mantra to restore some of his fleeting composure.

‘You’re not smiling...’

Shino’s lungs expanded slowly as he inhaled the humid air beneath the spotlight. His ridged lips loosened enough to restore a pleasant smile as an unsteady breath huffed from his mouth. The singer felt the need to slap himself any time he had to be personally reminded of basic human interaction. He rolled his shoulders as he straighten his posture, trying not to fidget while their rivals filed in after his band-mates. If he were being honest, the only member of WISH aside from Daichi that he’d remembered was Mina.

A jolt of anxiety ricocheted from his knees to his elbows, threatening his persona as it crept it’s way up his legs. The hailing audience begun to hollow out like the curl of ocean waves, tumbling through Shino’s ears like lost sea shells. He couldn’t take his eyes away as Daichi took Mitsuri’s hand within his own, much resembling what he’d witnessed a few moments earlier.

“Wow! A bold move from WISH’s Daichi! Am I sensing a loooove connection?” The outlandish Kenta K teased at the blonde’s predetermined gesture.

Shino swallowed the knot in his throat as he refused the urge to pull at the collar of his shirt, the action probably suited for the faux display. As Mitsuri and Kenta awaited the audience to settle, the stage lights began to alter to set the tone for the procession of the program.

“Now that everyone’s introduced, let’s get to prying! Shall we?”

‘Here we go…’ The vocalist cursed to himself.

“I second that! Let’s start with SNOW. So how are you guys feeling tonight!”

The white spotlights rounded their way to the collection of musicians as the crowd silenced with the anticipation of the interview. Regardless of the numerous times the group had stood before those bright stage lights, he still hadn’t quite gotten used to their blinding quality.

“It’s so exciting to be here!” Nami exclaimed as she clapped her hands together, the crowd erupting once again.

“It seems like everyone’s just as excited!” Kenta responded, wrangling the applause.

“How about you, Okita?” The male host continued down the row.

The blonde guitarist could hardly sit still, clearly fueled by adrenaline. “It’s like a dream come true!” He said with stars in his eyes as he glanced around the stage.

Mitsuri then turned her attention to Shino with her hand cocked at her hip. “Shino-san, you seem pretty quite over there!”

‘Damn it…’

The studio was struck with silence, obviously anticipating the vocalists response. He swallowed passed the knot in this throat and offered a smile before he spoke in a low voice. “I guess you could say I’m a bit shy.” High pitched squeals echoed from beyond the stage. “Wooow~ Who would have thought SNOW’s lead singer was shy!” Kenta extended on Shino’s response.

‘The guys are probably laughing their asses off right now…’

“So being more reserved, how do you prepare yourself to perform on stage?”

“Well…” The singer started as he rubbed at his chin in thought.

----

“Listen, I got you guys a spot opening for Momento Mori at The 86.” The gruff male spoke candidly as he swiftly lit the cigarette between his lips. The quartet gawked at each other before Shino broke the silence. “You w-what?!” The vocalist slammed his hands atop the bar as he nearly fell off his stool. “You guys have only improved, so I think you’re ready for the big crowd.” Mr.Inoue tapped against the ashtray before sucking in another breath. “I’ve also got a few old friends coming in to check you guys out, so don’t fuck it up.” He said lightheartedly. “Oh, great! As if playing before Momento Mori wasn’t enough…” Okita piped up as he ran his fingers through his hair. Shino gestured a hand towards Okita, an attempt to calm the guy down. “So who are these ‘friends’ of yours?”

“Just a couple of colleagues or more fondly known as drinking buddies from my days with K Talent.” He said as he gripped the top of his low-ball glass and gave it a swirl before taking a professional sip. “That’s good, so maybe you can get them hammered so they won’t notice if we bomb this!” Okita responded, only half joking. Mr.Inoue clattered the remaining ice chips in his now empty glass and chuckled. “I can’t make any promises, but I’m confident in the four of you, so don’t sweat it so much.”

“Was Mr.Inoue being nice just now? How how many drinks has he had?” Nami mused with laughter between her words.

“Irrelevant!” Mr.Inoue spoke, his voice rising in volume. “Drunk or not, I am putting all my faith in SNOW. You guys are going to be huge.”

A Month Later…

Shino’s statuesque silhouette stood plastered in front of The 86 for a solid hour before anyone could drag him away from below the matinee. The letters were smaller than the headliners, but that’s all his starstruck eyes could see.

Momento Mori

Featuring

SNOW

It was their first big show in front of a crowd that was more than just 50 drunken fools in Tozai. Evidently, those small monthly gigs lead their current manager Kenji Inoue, who moonlit as the owner of Tozai, to take notice. Back in his day, Mr.Inoue had represented some of the biggest groups and solo artists to come out of Kyoto. Long story short, Mr.Inoue had put his managing days behind until he witnessed SNOW’s raw potential and decided to take them under his wing.

The 86 was the House of Blues equivalent in the dirty little nook of Kyoto, Yoba. Shino recalled the many times he and Okita had snuck in to see some legendary shows. The pair of delinquents would dote all the way home how they’d be up on that stage some day. But to kids like Shino, a daydream typically remained just that. Perhaps that’s why anxiety was crippling the vocalist to his core as he gripped the tarnished porcelain sink of The 86’s bathroom.

‘Don’t fuck this up.’ Mr.Inoue’s meant-to-be teasing words had been stabbing at his confidence for the last 24 hours. He knew the guy was only kidding, but the phrase had gained in weight as he relentlessly continued to dwell.

‘Deep breath…’

Shino bore into his reflection in the mirror as if to search within himself to rip out the strength he needed. His fists clenched against the sink to stabilize the shaking in his limbs. The trembling singer watched as his shoulders lifted and his chest swelled to draw in a long inhale.

3….

He recalled each and every moment he’d practiced this little breathing ritual, which was often enough to have faith in its ability. As the oxygen filled his lungs, a voice from his past echoed in the empty spaces that began to make room in his head. “Shino, carefully exhale through the mouth, and count to two.”

2…

“Then slowly open your eyes as you take another inhale through the nose. Suddenly, the nostalgic words were the only thing on his mind as he calmly took another in another breath.

“As the air fills your diaphragm, that is your moment.”

1.

As he opened his lids, his hands had loosened to a relaxed position at his sides and his shoulders had probably dropped about two inches. Without a second to waste, Shino turned from his reflection and gripped the door handle with enough confidence to take the stage.

“We got this…”

---

“Sometimes I do still get quite nervous…” Shino spoke honestly. “When I started taking music lessons, my instructor really helped me through my nerves.”

“Ahh! They must have been quite the teacher if you’ve come this far!” Kenta K said enthusiastically into his microphone.

Shino smiled in response as he spoke. “Yes, I’m very grateful to them…”

“Hopefully they’re watching tonight!” Mitsuri said before she began to transition through the rest of the Q&A session and turned her attention to WISH.

“So, WISH! How are you feeling about tonight’s show?”

Another eruption of applause flooded the studio as each opposing band member perked up in their chairs. As their leader, Ryuu, had begun his intro, Shino faded back behind the spotlight and into his own train of thoughts.

With hindsight to all of the internal stress he’d been put under, (which was no one’s fault but his own) he’d totally fucking forgotten about the live performances that they’d be doing after the interviews. He suddenly felt like the focal point of the eruption of laughter that bellowed from the audience as he spiraled into a brand new dose of self consciousness.

Not only was it their first ever television debut of their latest hit song- but he’d surely be under the microscope by their controversially dubbed “rivals”… and most importantly Daichi. Shino felt a dryness in his throat, a sensation extremely troublesome for a lead vocalist.

Having to play the piano, or even speak in front of the guy was already stressful enough, he mulled over as sweat began to build along his brow. And now he had to sing?

Another trait he’d noticed about this Daichi was that he was absolutely impossible to read, even to his band-mate Mina.

“What does he really think about me?” The questioned burned as he slyly stole a glance at the blonde on the opposite side of the stage.

“And the next question goes to Shino!” The sound of his name pulled at his attention like a choke chain as he snapped his gaze to Kenta K.

“Where did this ‘rivalry’ title between SNOW and WISH begin?”

‘Shit.’ He got possibly the most controversial question of all of them!

“Well-..” The singer started as he clasped his hands together, lowly clearing his throat before he answered the loaded question.

“I think that certain people enjoy that kind of thing, but as musicians that just want to bring people together, we would like to become allies.” He knew it was pretty daring to speak for the nine of them, but nobody could complain if he kept it positive, right?

His assumption appeared to be right as he peered at his fellow musicians for confirmation as they nodded with approval with his statement. Another round of applause praised the stage as their rumored rivalry continued to simmer down.

‘Phew, glad that was a good response…’ Pleased with himself, Shino sighed while host’s attention continued down the line.

The more answers his ears were a tuned to, the more he actually began to warm up to the quintet behind them. They were passionate, funny, and respected a lot of the same principals and values as he did. Perhaps the media had a bigger influence in their first impressions than he realized.

Then the spotlight landed on Daichi.

“In light of the perceived rivalry between your two bands and in order to quell some of those rumors (if you can), what is one thing you admire about SNOW?”

The question he’d asked himself earlier came crawling back with another god forsaken jolt in his chest.

“What does he really think about me…”

Shino kept his eyes forward as he subconsciously began to fiddle his thumbs with anticipation.

“I think that SNOW’s lyrical prowess is something to be admired. They always find unexpected ways to word something or make an ordinary phrase musical.”

Was that an indirect compliment!?

He prayed to whatever gods were out there that the small flush that arose on his pale cheeks wouldn’t be obvious as Daichi’s statement hit him way harder than it should have.

He admires my lyrics?!

Shino nearly bit his lip open trying to conceal the smile that fought against his cool persona. Just about everything that followed fell on deaf ears as the guy was about to crack.

He was just so damn happy.

---

As the show proceeded, it was obvious the collection of musicians had loosened up considerably compared to the stress of being in the hot seat. They’d made it through the Q&A without a hitch, something Mr.Inoue would probably already be celebrating with a toast to himself. The little ice breaking games and activities (albeit embarrassing at times) just added to a successful debut.

Before he knew it, the blinding spotlights had dimmed to a now acceptable level as a beaming Kenta K and Mitsuri headed over to congratulate them.

“Awesome show, you guys. I think this’ll be one of our highest rated yet.”

“Yeah! For sure,” Mitsuri added, placing a hand on her sharply hip. “We can’t wait to hear you guys perform. That’ll set the ratings off for sure.”

Finally, Shino could allow himself to smile a toothy grin under the guise of receiving their appraisal.

“That went way better than I expected!” Okita blurted out as everyone stretched their legs and exchanged a few pleasant words to each other before their chatter was interrupted by what he’d assumed was one of the producers.

“Alright, we’re back on in seven minutes. SNOW, you’re up first. WISH, we’ll be moving you to the gallery area there-...”

The mans words came out a little too fast for Shino to process, leading him to really take in their meaning in a delayed few seconds.

“Everyone clear?”

His could hardly respond as the four of them were quickly whisked off to the separate stage in which they’d be performing their song “Butterfly”. Shino couldn’t allow his thoughts to stray from his focus, he hadn’t spoken a word since the interview had ended, even when Satsu had wished him luck as he applied a few last second touch ups to his appearance.

Shino was the last person to reach his mark as the other SNOW members were contently preparing their instruments with a breeziness that never failed to impress him.

“You guys look like you’ve done this a thousand times.” He joked at the confidence he envied of his band-mates.

“We probably have if you included all the times we imagined it.” Wataru called out to their front-man as he gave him an encouraging smile. Shino gently slid a finder up the base of the stand in front of him before caressing a sturdy palm around the microphone. With literally seconds to spare, Nami, Okita, and Wataru collected to the front of the stage for a last little good luck ritual. The group bumped their fists together as Shino whispered a low “We got this.”

As they retreated back to their marks, Shino turned to face the direction of the overwhelming cries of anticipation which chanted their names.

3….

The deafening calls of the audience sent a shiver down his spine in a way that ignited his soul on fire. Shino inhaled the air as he used each of his senses to engulf every second.

2…

Gradually, the stage lights returned to their former glow, releasing that inner flame that began to burn in his chest.

1.

Nothing beyond the microphone seemed to matter as the piano chords began to swallow the silence. His heart beat at a steady pace with a nostalgic thrum as the vocalist briefly shut his eyes and released an even breath through his parted lips.