#apathy midnight collection

[negamekos]

Various games Himaruya has worked on: a small compilation

(Warning: 3/4 of them are horror games)

With my newest hyperfixation now being visual novels, I've recently turned my attention to some of the visual novel-style games Hima has made in the past. There's a few super short personal project ones like Noto-sama and Cleaning Prussia which he made in pre-anime adaptation times, but I just want to share the more notable/interesting ones I know about.

Gakuen Hetalia (2011-2012)

You've probably heard of this one. Given that it was released in the early seasons of the anime adaptation, it has that art style, for better or for worse. I honestly thought the existence of this game was a joke when I first heard of it but no it's a real game, developed by the one and only Otomate and released for the DS and PSP. It's an otome game with Seychelles as the protagonist, and is fully voiced. From what I've heard about this game, there's not much romance and has mostly platonic interactions. Also Gakuen AU.

Since this is pretty much a game adaptation of the anime, this is probably the one that Hima least had a hand in making, as compared to the ones I'm about to talk about. Still a neat game in its own right.

The Hetalian Horror Show (2015)

Another one you might have heard of if you browse Hetarchive, which has a partial translation for this game. This one's a fairly short free game set in the Gakuen AU (again) with Bulgaria as the protagonist. It's basically about a couple of the nations gathering to tell 'scary' stories (whether they're actually scary varies). Features highlights such as:

Robul moment

America casually revealing Classified Government Secrets

Bear Grylls

Iggy bullying

Low-key nsfw illustration of Bul butt-naked and tied up

And a twist ending you will not believe! (not clickbait)

Like the other free games he's made, Hetahorror is completely made by Hima (even the background images were taken by him). You can download the game here from his blog. And Hetarchive's partial translation is here.

Now here are the non-Hetalia ones (which I think are a little more interesting)

Apathy Midnight Collection: Volume 1 (2007)

See those characters in the top right? That's Hima's art. Yeah. This game is a horror anthology game released all the way back in 2007, with three different stories and each having different writers and artists. The first two stories are the longest (apparently they have over a hundred different endings combined), and if you look around I think you can find some posts about them, they're quite interesting. The one Hima did the illustrations (and direction) for is the final story, Hashira no Kizu (or Scratches on the Pillar), which is the one that I heard leans the hardest into the horror atmosphere, and is quite different overall from the other two stories.

If you're curious about this game, you can purchase it here on BOOTH, and you can find an English fan translation here.

By the way, this game is a retelling of sorts of a much older game (from the 90s!) called Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi (Scary Stories at School). Which leads me to this game...

Inaka no Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi (2014-2016)

Edit: I have since played this game and boy what a wild ride it was! Full overview here.

This is a full-length visual novel made by Hima's doujin group Shimaoka Kenkou Land, and it's a homage to the aforementioned Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi. It's pretty similar in setting to Hetahorror (in fact that game was probably inspired by that too), with students coming together to share their horror stories. It's very atmospheric, with a lot of ambient noises and background images which really drive home the 'inaka/countryside' part of the story. Hetahorror had shades of this too, so consider this a 'deluxe' version lol. Except unlike the Hetalia one I feel this game is actually pretty scary ngl...there's a lot of comedic moments, but also just as many genuinely gruesome scenes (I'm not kidding, some of the images are quite violent)

I only played the demo (which can be downloaded from the same page as the Hetalia game), and man the stories really range from 'I saw this lady walking her dog and holding a cute plush toy from afar so I asked if I could take a picture of it, but it turned out it wasn't a plush toy, it was a bag for dog droppings' to 'my friend and his entire family were mauled to death and it wasn't an animal that did it'.

The full game apparently has voice acting too, but this was a super-duper limited release (like it was sold in Animate stores for less than a year back in 2016) and I really liked the demo so I'm just considering getting it second-hand at this point. It's so obscure I can't find much info on the game in Japanese, much less English...

Just to show how atmospheric it felt, I have here a recording of part of the game which I can't stop replaying (sorry for no audio)

Anyway looking at the games he made really makes me wish he had the time to make one nowadays....he could probably make an amazing official Hetaoni horror game and I would pay real-life money to play it. This has been a PSA.

[maddyshome]

ok so visual novel fans HELP ME PLEASEEEE

i remember playing a visual novel that had 3 stories. the first story, my favorite, was about a girl who was batshit. this girl was hunted down by a school club full of sadists who wanted to kill her. these losers were useless because this psycho girl was playing them all. one time she brought her friends home and was trying to POISON this dude. she didnt like him. for no reason. it was kinda funny. i remember something about midnight club or shiit. idk please its a old vn but i wanna play it agaiiiin

edit: found it myself. its Apathy - Midnight Collection ~Vol. 1~

[dailysanta]

Do you think the Morphogenetic Fields from ZE could interact well with the Jungian Psychology stuff from Persona? And if so, how do you picture that?

I'm thinking of writing a fic, and I wanna see the different ways people picture those two things co-existing

hmmm. interesting thought. i dont think the morphogenetic field has too many similarities with the actual persona-summoning stuff (which in jungian psychology relates to the self, id ego and superego) but you can definitely draw some comparisons between them with the collective unconscious.

the collective unconscious is pretty prominent in all the persona games (excluding 1. havent played it sorry <3): in p2, its the power of rumor manifesting, in p3 its apathy syndrome (which. hey. kinda like reverie syndrome maybe?), p4 the midnight channel and p5 mementos. iirc in 999, snake describes accessing the field as the process of 'reading' and 'writing to' it, which you could take to mean that people with access to the morphogenetic field have a stronger connection to the collective unconscious. maybe this manifests in being able to predict stuff in the shadow zones ahead of time like morgana and teddie, or the ability to influence it somehow?

either way DEFINITELY drop me a link to that fic when you write it!!! i love throwing mechanics from different universes in a blender and im so curious what youll do with it 👁️👁️

[pinkelotjeart]

The Velvet archives.

a persona magnus archives au where the velvet archives collects statements and now have to deal with a new world ending threat. Meanwhile Ren Amamiya is trying to live a good honest student life.

chapters so far:

prologue

Not Kasumi: Statement of Shinichi Yoshizawa regarding his daughter's odd behavior after going to therapy.

The Fog: Statement of Ryotaro Dojima, Police officer in Inaba, regarding strange fog in his town.

Supply closet: Statement of Natsuki Moriyama, regarding ‘apathy syndrome.'

Midnight channel: Statement of, Yu Narukami about the weird circumstances of my stay in Inaba in 2011.

The Velvet archives - Chapter 1 - Pinkelotje - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

[archzel]

The Demon brothers meet MC's Twin Sibling

—————

Note : Us readers are MC's twin, if you are confused.

———————

"Y/N! Wake up Y/N!"

You groaned and pulled the blanket over your head to block the sound. Your grandmother didn't stop and continue pounding on your door while calling your name. And that's when your door burst open revealing an angry grandma by the doorway. You peeked over the blanket to look over her direction, and then you went back to sleep, ignoring her.

"Y/N, get up! It's already noon!"

You groaned in frustration and sit up, yawning and stretching your arms. Seeing your calm action pissed her, you lean back to lay on the bed again to annoy her.

"Y/N!"

'She's so pissed right now.'

"C-Calm down, Grandma."

You tensed and threw the covers off. There you see in the doorway was MC, your twin sibling.

"What do you want, MC?" You asked, composing yourself properly.

Seeing your demeanor changed, they hesitated to move forward while fiddling their fingers. Your brows furrowed when they mumbled something you couldn't hear. "MC, speak loudly. I can hear you mumbling." You said. They flinched at your voice and inches themselves a little closer to your bed.

"I was wondering if...you want to hang out with me tomorrow, a-at the carnival." They said, nervously.

You and MC grew up separately after your parents divorced, being the oldest you were taken under your father's care and MC was raised by your mother and grandmother. You grew up without love and care from your father, all he wants was for you to take after his position once he's gone. And all you ever did in your childhood was helping your father with his paper works and tedious amounts of responsibility as an oldest.

Your life filled with nothing but apathy, solitude, emptiness and surrounded by a world that has lost it's color. Until...

"Y-Y/N...?"

"Y/N! I'll like you even if you don't like me!"

Something inside you is starting to crack, and the wall crumbling slowly. The wall that you built yourself, and waited for someone to approach you is slowly crumbling to pieces. It's all because of...

"Alright." Is your short reply. Their nervous expression was replaced with a beam of joy. "Really?!"

You made a shoo "–ing" motion with your hands then said, "Yes, now leave before I change my mind"

"Thanks Y/N!" They said and giddily left.

———————

A few years passed.

"Where did I put my D.D.D?"

MC nearly turned their room upside down looking for it, they went to their table and open the drawer but it wasn't there. They groan and went outside the room then head to the living room. When they got into the living room, they saw the demon brothers holding their D.D.D. The brothers noticed MC and Asmo raise the D.D.D to show them a picture.

"You look so hot in this outfit, MC!" He said, making a wink at the end.

"... That's not me." MC said earning a confused look from the brothers. "That's Y/N, my twin." They said.

"..."

"..."

"EEHHHHHH?!" All of them were shocked and even Belphie who was sleeping on the couch woke up.

"Why didn't you tell us?!"

"You didn't ask."

"MC you have a twin?" Beel asked, interested. MC chuckled and took their D.D.D from Asmo. "That's right. Y/N is my older twin sibling." They said as they swipe through their D.D.D and showed them another photo.

It was a photo of you 5 years ago when you went to the carnival with MC together along with your grandmother. Your grandmother took lots stolen of shots of you in different angle and moments after she find your fashion clothes cool. And it looks even better with your calm and collected personality!

"You two look so alike!" Mammon commented.

Beel nod in agreement. "Yeah, I can't tell which one of you is in that photo."

MC chuckled and video call you. The tone ring a few times, before it was answered and your face appeared on the screen. The screen zoom out and it appears you were in the backyard, having a midnight tea in the gazebo.

"What took you so long to call me?" You said through the call, there was an annoyance in your tone.

The 6 demon brothers froze in shock, Satan closed the book he was reading, belphie is wide awake, Asmo was in surprised and Mammon was looking at MC and the D.D.D they are holding. He was making sure that it wasn't MC who spoke in the mobile device. And just in time, Lucifer walked in the living room.

"What's going on here? MC?" He asked.

MC sheepishly scratch their cheek and answer their twin first before Lucifer. "Sorry about the delay, my friends took my D.D.D. and I just got it." They explained. You hummed in response, taking a sip of your tea. "B-By the way, Y/N. My friends are with me." MC whispered, taking a brief look of the demons brothers who looked eager to see their twin.

You raise a brow and asked. "Your demon friends?" MC nodded their heads. You sighed and made a hand motion to turn the camera around. MC turn their camera around to let the demon brothers see Y/N.

"Hello, I assume you all are MC's friends? They talk to me about you a lot." You spoke.

"..." The room is filled with silence.

You smirked and took another sip of your tea from the cup. MC was biting their lips, trying not to laugh from the brothers hilarious expressions on their faces. Their eyes were pacing back and forth between Mc and You on the video call. And thats when they started bombarding questions at the twin siblings for 2 and a half hours straight.

———————

After getting their questions answered, they had somehow quiet down much to your relief. You had completely forgotten tea that is now cold after engaging many questions and chat from MC and their demon friends.

"Is it night time in the human realm?" MC asked. You nod your head and shift the camera to the moon then back to you. "How's school? I hope you're not causing troubles in there." You reminded them.

The 6 demon brothers who were listening to the conversation sweatdropped and shifted their gazes to Lucifer. He was quietly taking a cup of coffee while reading a newspaper by the fireplace and noticed his brothers attention were at him.

"What?"

"No! No, of course not!" MC said, waving their hands in dismissive. You raise a brow at them at the same time sipping a tea in your cup. MC sweatdropped nervously.

"MC, I want a full report of your stay in the devildom and expect yourself to be getting a scolding of a lifetime when you return home."

The 6 demon brothers sweatdropped and send them a look of sympathy to MC, especially Mammon. And Lucifer has a look of amusement on his face.

[magnoliamyrrh]

I am what is not

I am what is and what is not.

The spaces in between cuboards...

Loose pennies at the bottom of a trunk,

Jingled knick knacks collecting dust,

Consumed by adoration with no response.

I am the fleeting Grace,

The missed note in God's hyms. I am

The rabbit hole and the thunk of the

Bottomless pit.

An unending that wraps around the mouth.

I am the twelve steps from your door to the car.

The apathy of heartbreak,

A swallowing, candle lit, entropy...

A broken noose and noiseless ears.

The seconds after doorbell rings,

The ghost of a mother cooing

Just out of the periphery.

I am the bump in the night under

Your bed.

The saffron fields, and the onion factory,

And the hollow trench of modern monsters.

The boiled blood of youth locked in

Catacombs entombed.

The forgotten old ways

Of lament and sanctity. I am what is not,

The myth of undying love in a mortal world

The purgatory dance of romance,

And I am the whispered admissions

Of midnights sullen words.

I am the unwanted and the departed, and

The shallow eyes, and the sagging lips,

And the charcoled fire place soot,

And the last of an extinct species,

And the thing which eats the thing that dies.

I am the end. I am the flourish of death...

And I am all that was.

For I am what is not.

[cantillat-moved]

Persona 5 New Confidant: Yu Narukami (Le Fol)

Living in Tokyo since his senior year in high school, Narukami started attending Tokyo University’s Law School to be a prosecutor for many reasons: one that he would assist the police with the investigations, and see it through the end; and it was also a position that he would be able to assist Naoto and Chie if necessary. But also, as Mitsuru Kirijo’s Shadow Ops made him realize, there are other cases involving Persona-users and Shadows and there would be hard to prosecute these cases – so it could be important, if not crucial, to have somebody who knows about these ‘unusual circumstances’ when putting a case together.

At one occasion it dawned him: how some cases of the mental breakdowns on the news were similar to the events during the Love Meets Bonds Festival – the cases of people falling into comas after having their egos dragged away to the Midnight Stage by the Shadows after watching a cursed video on the event’s website. And the cases of people losing all their will to live and needing to be constantly watched were also similar to the Apathy Syndrome that both Naoto and Mitsuru-san told him many years ago. However, despite being a law student there was still many barriers he couldn’t cross and there was only so much information to be collected from witnesses. In fact, in most cases, they were seldom useful.

All he had was circumstantial evidence and gut feeling that these cases might be somehow related to Shadows, but he lacked the means to continue investigating as he couldn’t find the entrance point to the Shadow World, or whatever was called. Midnight Channel, Midnight Stage, Dark Hour…All different names for similar phenomena, and each with different characteristics and means to get in. If only he could figure out a way in…

Posted originally back on my Narukami blog steelbanchou

Yu would either see the Velvet Room and, as he couldn’t get in himself (Yu would assume that it’s because his original contract reached a conclusion, and he is no longer a guest) he would just wait for the new Wild Card to come in to approach and talk to him; or just overhear the Phantom Thieves talking (especially when they start to gather in the public overpass) and tails them, and at some point either end up dragged into the Metaverse by accident or approach them. A third way to approach the Phantom Thieves would be through Mishima, either by using the Phan-site or talking to him if they are acquainted in real life. Narukami could mention that he might have useful information and would like contacting the Phantom Thieves. Mishima did arrange a few meetings for the group in the game, so it could be yet one more encounter that would turn more than the Phantom Thieves’ leader could have bargained for. 

Either way, Narukami would offer his assistance but not directly interfere. He would keep on investigating the mental breakouts, and share whatever information he may gather. Yu would also offer advice and different points of view to the Phantom Thieves’ leader, in exchange in being able to access the Metaverse (which the game suggests that after being dragged once the person with potential will get an app on their mobile). After a certain point, he would also offer to keep an eye on Sae Nijima and Goro Akechi — who would suspect an intern?

Gameplay-wise…Maybe he’d unlock new personas for the new confident, and a few new abilities as well. And having an extra team member that would support the group in critical moments.

As the Arcana… Persona 5 tarot is based on the Tarot of Marseilles, in which the fool is labeled both as “Le Mat” (literally ‘the madman’) or “Le Fol”, depending on the edition. As Igor is ‘Le Mat’, Narukami would be ‘Le Fol’. But he’d be numbered XXII or not given a number, unlike the others.

[greetings-inferiors]

So I’ve had the “sun in the sky represents good fortune, moon in the sky represents bad fortune” concept in my head basically since Persona: green was a concept in my head. Even in my first concept of the sea of souls, each person would have a different interpretation of whether the sun is in the sky or how far along it is or whatever depending on where they are in the story. If someone close to you died, for example, the sea of souls would appear to be during dusk, but as you moved along the stages of grief it would slowly become dawn. But I’ve never really been able to nail down the concept, and having to map each individual person’s experiences to inform their perception of what time of day it is, while a really cool idea, is a lot of work.

But now I’m thinking of using it as the collective unconsciousness’ average fortune. And having that be a thing that the general public notices and start to be able to accurately measure. See, each person game has society react to something. In persona 3 it’s apathy syndrome. In persona 4 it’s the weather and midnight hour. In persona 5 it’s the mental shutdowns and the phantom thieves as a whole. HELL EVEN PERSONA 2 HAS THIS WITH RUMOURS. But persona green had… what, people going into comas? And growing plants off the corpses? Maybe?

But having the public notice that there’s an ebb and flow to good and bad fortune, and then having scientists be able to actually measure the average fortune, and having that be the thing the public reacts to, while for our protagonists, the time of day in the sea of souls is linked to the people trapped in there, because the “dungeons” only appear during the day, and at night the entire field is a lot more dangerous as shadows become active and start hunting. It establishes a time limit to save people, and the “scientists being able to measure” thing means that they can have an app to portray it. AND THEN (hold on with me here) AT NIGHT THE MOON GETS MORE AND MORE FULL EACH “cycle”, AS PENDRAGON GETS MORE AND MORE PROACTIVE IN THE STORY. AND THEN DURING THE FINAL ARC IT’S ONLY EVER SUNNY, AND THAT CORRELATES WITH EVERYONE HAVING GOOD FORTUNE

UGH IT JUST WORKS

That really solves all of the details I hadn’t figured out like the time limit thing, how shadows work outside of dungeons, incorporates the sun and moon motif, the public have something to react to, it ties into the story beats, etc.

Nice.

[sab3rto0thed]

a collection of emails i cannot send;

recipient one. you made me feel so redeemable. i think you know that. my character arc soared. i am fruitless and faithless, or i was, or i am. i learned that you can’t just amputate a limb or two and call it okay. call it good. i am still faithless. i am still fruitless. i am still angry. i am always angry. i don’t know if you know that one. i think you do. i think you know everything about me. you love me. you know that one, too. i love you. i don’t know if you know that one. i love you. i love you. i love you. i love you. i think of you with only affection. i am a faithless glutton, and i am a faithless glutton that loves you. you are like the comfort my therapist told me to draw when i was fourteen, and i love you. i couldn’t draw you. i think you know that, too. you know everything. i love you. there is a recurring theme here. i’m sure you already know it. thank you. i love you. tell me everything. i love you. i am the glass you glue together. i love you. thank you for knowing you were my favorite people before i told you. thank you for staying in my corner without me having to beg for it. thank you for existing as you are. i love you. i love you. i never know how to say goodbye without cowering. you know that, too.

recipient two. i will start off strongly: i hate you. i am twelve. it is midnight. you have scissors. i don’t know how to sew. you taught me how to beg before i knew what begging was. you kept me begging for five years. maybe six. i think i am still begging. maybe not. i learned how to sew. i bet you didn’t know that one. but oh, i did. one piercing. my lips are made up of scar tissue. it made my job easy. two piercings. three. four. five. i patchworked my mouth with your own scissors. i had stop begging. six piercings. when you left me, or i left you, or whatever that essence was, you knew what you were doing. seven piercings. and you succeeded. eight piercings. and now you know nothing. nine piercings. and i hate you for it. ten piercings. because i thought we were going to last forever. eleven piercings. but i think you always knew that wasn’t the case. i hate you. i hope you’re miserable. twelve piercings. this is the first time i’ve begged in months. thirteen piercings. begged aloud. it’s hard to stop begging. fourteen piercings. in your own head. stay down this time. fifteen piercings, throw away the key, leave us both plunging and spitting bubbles. see who wins then. did you ever stop begging? did you ever do anything with those scissors? no? get to work, then. we have all night, don’t we?

recipient three. i hate you more. it’s hard to hate someone when you have apathy. the line between hate and love is thick, but the fact that it has to be there at all is a statement. two sides of the same spectrum. i hate you at walmart. i hate you for coffee. i hate your hands. i hate your ex-boyfriends, all of them. every time they try to give me power they just spit in my face with it. they drop it at my feet. i hate you. i hate your boots. i hate your hair. and i want you to want me so much that i ache with it, so maybe i hate you less. i hate that you held me. i hate that you lied, probably. i hate your vague nonsense. i hate the fact that you never told me. i hate that you left me alone. i hate that you froze me out. i hate that you cupped the stars in your palm and burned them where i could see. i hate you. i want you to come back. i want you to notice that i hate you. i hate you. i hate the taste of cigarettes. i hate you more. i want you to give me answers. i want you to give me a temporary fix like you always did. i hate you. i hate you. i hate you. in an ironic twist of fate, i hate you the most. but we always knew how i was, didn’t we? you did. you always knew what game you were playing. you always do. i hate you for that, too. 

recipient four. you like cranberry sprite. i made fun of you for it. it’s your favorite. you gave me a cup. it was the first time i have ever tried cranberry sprite. i haven’t had the guts to drink it since. you lied to your mom that you were hanging out with your girlfriend so you could make sure i wouldn’t end up dead in my room. you want to help everyone. i want you to help me. i want you to let me help you. we can’t help each other. i bleed all over you. you get in trouble. you hold me for a clasp of seconds in a dimly lit kitchen. i wander the streets. you pick me up. you start to grow up. i hate that, too. you wear california like an old suit. your laughter felt real. it was fake. you love by giving. you stop loving, and you stop giving. i blame everyone else. i can’t blame you. i love you. i have loved you since i was fifteen. i hate that, too. you love for convenience when you get older, and i am not convenient. i call you high out of my mind and two hours away from home. you answer. i shake so hard i cry at the grocery store. you don’t answer. you lie. i am not convenient. i don’t think you would recognize me when i’m not bleeding. i don’t think i would recognize you, either. once, and only once, i told the moon about you. i haven’t had the heart to talk to her since. this is my last email. you won’t read it, because i won’t send it, because you and i, we don’t care. that’s our thing. the only thing. so it be, the powers at rest. lose your fucking mind in that shitty crackpot of a town.

[innocentfever]

[hauntedadagium]

Stargazer

Ardyn x Reader. You're a sweet little forest nymph and Ardyn is just fascinated with you, quietly observing from a distance until one day, you thrum up the courage to intervene. CW: none. Words: 2.5k

You felt the ghost of someone watching you. No, not a ghost. A shadow.

Where the darkness frightened others, you found solace in the umbra of the night. Tranquil though it was, something, someone had been watching you lately, arriving in the latest hours when the sky was veiled by clouds. As the darkness furled around the moon, it swamped the forest in darkness, leaving you with nought but the midnight ambience... and the feeling of someone watching.

They never strayed from their hiding place, and despite your noticing of their presence the first time, you thought to leave them be, ascertaining that if they meant to be a threat, they simply would have acted sooner. Instead, you chose to allow them to continue. Much like the creatures of the night, they became nothing but part of the ambience as you went about your business, collecting water from the brook and maintaining your forest home.

Unlike humans, who wasted the beauty of the night steeped in dreams, you were entirely noctural, retreating to your hidden abode when the sun broke past the horizon each morning. You'd yawn, comfort of the night dwindling, resting your head on a bed of moss, surrounded by sheltering fauna.

Tonight was no different. The sun set, and you awoke, gentle hooves of a white stag padding outside. It would come at dusk and nestle by your feet, resting after a day of foraging and avoiding the danger of hunters. You ran your hand over its twisted antlers, preening away debris from fallen branches, listening to its slow breaths as it fell asleep beside you. You wondered if the forest dwellers dreamt in the same way humans did, but expected not; you had never dreamt at all.

Rising, you brushed down your tattered clothes, taking a deep inhale of the fresh night air. Raindrops dripped and patted gently on the damp ground, noctural creatures rearing their heads from hidden holes and burrows. It was a place of peace and purity, a place to breathe life into weary souls, a marvel of floral architecture to best even the most opulent of manmade structures.

You had long since retired from the world of man, though it was but a short distance away, you felt separated. Safe.

Your eyes adjusted, even without the moonlight, seeing vague enough outlines to navigate yourself through the labyrinthian thicket. Sometimes you heard the distant calls of lost wanderers and though you wished to go to their aid, you had once learned a valuable lesson.

Mythical creatures were things of history books and fairytales, not of reality, and such deemed your existence impossible. Humans were greedy. They would go to great lengths to wrap their hands around the impossible. One close call was all it took for you to vow to never approach a human again.

But there was something strange about the one who watched you. Their aura was strong, yet not foreboding. You wondered if they came to this hallowed place to seek their own peace, and found you by mistake. Even in the most hidden part, they made their way back to you most nights without fail. It had become quite normal for you to detect their presence, and so, you became used to it. As the nights crept by, you grew curious as to their intention; a foreign feeling that had not been ignited within you in some time. Curiosity; you thought you ought to thank them for it. It was not often you felt such interest.

You padded quietly from your hiding place, stretching up toward the sky, willing the clouds to part so that you may observe the stars. Oh, how you loved to watch the stars. Their distant radiance, like a sea of a thousand candles lit by the Gods.

Without them to quell your apathy, you instead took the opportunity to finally satisfy your curiosity.

Turning your head from side to side, you noticed the darkness shift. A subtle movement, like a wraith passing from one realm to another, and you were certain it was your onlooker.

"I have noticed you watching me," you said cautiously, eyes steadied in their direction. "You needn't continue to hide."

Silence.

Perhaps you'd scared them off.

"No matter," you said, the wind blowing a gentle breeze past your shoulders. "I will allow you to stay, if you show yourself."

It was an empty threat; In truth, you weren't sure how you would rid them from your home, even if you sought to. They would simply continue to observe you if they so wished.

Still, the silence remained. Forest creatures stirred and the wind whistle through the trees, birds ruffling water from their feathers. The light rain had stopped, dark clouds shifting past the moon in the sky.

Enough moonlight pooled in the distance for you to make out the figure of a man, facing your direction. He took no cover as you noticed him, vague light casting dark shadows across his features. He was still, silently continuing his observation of you. But this time, in plain sight.

Your heart began to thrum, twisting an uncomfortable knot in your stomach. Perhaps that lesson from long ago had reared it's ugly head, and you were about to be reminded of it.

You thought to turn and run, but as the idea crossed your mind, he vanished.

Into a swift black mist his form disappeared and you felt yourself draw in a frigid breath, looking over to the stag resting quietly in your home. Had he come for your creatures? Or had he come for you?

"Curious little thing you are," the dark timbre of a man's voice cooed in your ear and your spun to face it, immediately taking several steps away from him.

He was tall, dressed in a long overcoat, hands clasped behind his back.

The clouds above parted and the moon bathed you both in its soft grey light, allowing you to see each other completely.

He seemed an ordinary man upon first glance. The same broad shoulders of hunters you'd seen long since passed. His hair fell in soft waves to his shoulders, an unusual colour. Expressionless he stood there, like he was waiting for something.

"Who are you?" You ground your feet into the dirt, readying yourself to turn on a heel and run.

The question seemed to give him pause, as if he was considering his answer. His aura flared with a dark energy, black tendrils swirling behind his back. It wasn't something the naked eye could observe; not for any normal person.

"Who I am is not important," he finally answered, remaining guarded. "Please," he withdrew his hands from his back and extended one to you, "I am not here to hurt you."

You flinced when his hand drew near, but remained rooted to the spot. He was fast, but you were faster. And you knew the night creatures would protect you, if needs be.

"Why have you been watching me?" The questions burned in your chest, now moreso than ever. What did it matter if you knew his identity? Why didn't he just lie? What is he really doing out here?

Even in the face of his crass approach, you didn't feel threatened.

"You're like me, aren't you?" He asked, ignoring your question.

"Like you?" You hadn't meant to respond out loud, but the words flowed out of your mouth inadvertently.

He smiled at your brash response. "Lonely." Withdrawing his hand, he let it rest at his side.

What an odd thing to say; yet it only grew your intrigue.

"I am alone," you began, locking eyes. "But I am not lonely."

"Peculiar." He folded his arms, maintaining his composure. "I saw you here one night and I daresay you piqued my interest."

Despite his dark aura, there was a mysterious calm to him. You thought back to a moment ago; lonely, he said. His words stirred a certain sadness in you, something you hadn't felt for an age.

That was the reason he was here. If he was telling the truth in that he meant you no harm, he was here for no other reason other than he was lonely.

He wasn't like other humans. Normal humans couldn't vanish into thin air.

"What are you?" You asked, filling the silence.

"Ah," a smile crept onto his lips. "There is a better question."

Still, he provided you no answers. Perhaps he wished to elicit the same curiosity about him as he had with you. And it was working.

Taking a deep breath, you stepped forward. His large frame towered over you, close enough to look up into his golden eyes. His face was weathered, tarnished not by age, but by grief. You could feel it as his aura surrounded you, twisting, screaming. It was painful.

Tentatively, you lifted your hand, letting it hang in the air between you. If he wouldn't speak his answers, perhaps you could search for them yourself. It was a power you had not sought to use in a long time, but drawing in a deep breath, you continued.

He didn't stop you as you hesitantly rested your hand on him, pressing your palm into his chest.

As your fingers touched him, you were swamped by darkness, descending into a place unknown, surrounded by the chaos that dwelled within this stranger. He was frought with pain, ambition, turmoil; a concoction that swelled like a raging sea.

You flinched as you reached inside him and found something unexpected. Rage.

On the outside he was perfectly calm; but like the eye of the storm something violent swelled within. Visions of chaos. A lust for violence. Madness.

Suddenly your hand was forced back, though not by his own. You staggered feebly, managing to maintain your balance, catching your breath as he stood perfectly still.

One overwhelming feeling remained. Pain. He was in pain.

Had he come here to induce chaos upon the forest? Or to placate his longing?

"Tell me—"

"Ardyn," he interrupted. "My name is Ardyn."

What an odd name. A beautiful name. You had long since forgotten your own.

"Ardyn," you repeated. "What is it you truly desire?"

Only then did he move, lifting his chin to gaze into the sky.

"Revenge."

Perhaps he was telling the truth. He was lonely. Outcast. Discarded by the Gods, much like you had been. A man that simply sought company after years of agonizing lonliness; and he wanted to exact penance against those that had wronged him.

You're like me, aren't you? He'd asked. You pondered the question, starting to believe you were more similar than you first imagined. Forgotten by those who once revered you as a saint. Suddenly the question had a new, deeper meaning.

The feeling of sadness returned, washing over you much like his darkness did. What kind of life was it to live with such ambition? To be plagued with this torment, and what's more, to traverse it alone.

It was in your nature to heal. To aid those in pain. You almost couldn't help yourself as his pain tore through your soul like a knife through flesh.

"Ardyn," you said, not pausing to give a second thought to your next question. "Would you like to watch the stars with me?"

At the request, he lowered his chin, joining your gaze.

"With pleasure."

An unexpected response, though you welcomed it all the same.

You nodded slowly, cautiously stepping past him, listening to his quiet footsteps as you guided him through the maze of the forest. You trudged through the thicket until arriving at a circular clearing; a place where you would come alone to watch the stars.

Padding quietly into the centre, you took a seat, waiting for him to join by your side before laying on your back, looking up at the stars. He mirrored your actions, now lying down side by side. The fallen debris prickled your back, a familiar, comforting sensation.

"The forest grows patiently, and so I will too. One day, I'll grow old and wise like the trees, and I'll have seen everything." You lifted your hand and reached up, twisting the stars through your fingers. "I am not sure what is meant for me now."

Your purpose was to protect the forest in which you dwelled. However, like the roots of great trees, your memories rotted and withered with time. You could not recall much of your past.

The life of the forest would continue without you, eventually.

For some time you shared the silence, returning your hands to your chest, lacing your fingers together. There was a strange solace at sharing this moment with someone, watching stray clouds sweep past the stars, listening to the forest animals scurry by. The stars shone more brightly tonight, though you were sure it was by some trick of the eye.

You didn't desire much at all. But his desire, revenge, played on your mind. Such an existence it must be, to desire but one thing; a violent thing, a destructive thing.

At least in that moment, you hoped he shared your peace. Perhaps if he was to return to the forest you might be able to influence, or even quell, said desire. Though the strength of his fury seemed to weigh heavily on his soul.

"What is your purpose?" He asked, the question taking you by surprise.

Purpose. Your purpose was waning. The forest could, for the most part, take care of itself now. Your creatures remained hidden, inaccessible to wanderers and travellers now that your power had drained and grown the trees and ivy to an impassable point. It was a wonder how he'd found you to begin with.

"I am afraid that is something I have begun to lack," you said, dejected. Maybe he was a sign. A sign from the Gods; a new purpose. A purpose you could seek together.

Somehow every vague question his ask prompted deeper thought.

"I, too, find myself lacking." He said, his deep voice rumbling beside you. He sounded exhausted.

Though you desired to ask what exactly he meant, you doubted he would give you a straight answer. Instead you turned your head, and found him staring back at you.

His golden eyes pierced the night. They were a captivating shade, face bathed in the soft moolight, such in contrast to the darkness.

As you stared at one another, the shadowy tendrils of his aura shrunk away, and instead of being surrounded by black haze, he instead emitted a dull, yet vaguely present, white light.

"Curious," he whispered, placid expression unreadable.

You were sure it was a statement directed at you, perhaps even a compliment. You weren't sure whether you should thank him or not.

Hesitantly, you reached your delicate hand for his which lay by his side, feeling his cold fingers brush against yours. You never felt the cold much, but you were certain he did. He didn't seem to care, if so.

When you touched him, he didn't flinch. Slowly, his fingers curled around yours, clutching your hand softly, returning his gaze to the stars.

"I should like to come back here someday," he said, a vague smile painting his features.

"I'd like that," you joined him in looking into the night sky, bright moon shining upon you both.

[stargaze-sunflower]

✨Triplet bonding!!✨

Summary: Louie is worried that he's being left behind.

Ao3 Link     Word Count: 1913

Somewhere in another room in the mansion – somewhere far enough away so as not to startle him but still close enough to hear – a clock chimed midnight.

Louie was sitting huddled on the ground against the wall near the front door, his hood over his head and his phone in his lightly shaking hands, staring don at the lit screen displaying countless unanswered texts. He’d been trying to contact Huey and Dewey for hours; casually at first, but then growing more and more restless.

Sometime around noon, Huey, Dewey, and Webby had left the house, going somewhere to do something. They hadn’t told him where they were going, and they certainly hadn’t invited him, so it was safe to say that it was meant to be an adventurous outing.

And while Louie didn’t want to go, he also didn’t want to be left behind. He didn’t want to be in danger, but he didn’t want his family to be in danger either, so there was really no way to win. There was no angle out.

His siblings used to ask him if he wanted to go, of course, and sometimes he could get up the nerve to shrug and agree, but other times he’d feign apathy and decline. Somewhere along the way, ‘no’ became the only answer he could give, and he supposed that it only made sense that they’d eventually stop asking. He’d known that it would happen, he’d known for a while, but it still stung to watch them leave and not know why.

Huey or Dewey or Webby used to tell him all about their plans – which would surely go south, at some point – and then they’d invite him to come along. Louie would be frozen for several seconds, fighting with himself and trying not to let it show on his face. If he said yes, he’d spend the day choking on terror and wishing he’d said no; if he said no, he’d spend the day tense and worried and distracted, wishing he’d said yes.

The more he said yes, the more frequently bad things happened to him, and the more he wanted to say no. It was a vicious cycle and a dangerous game, one that he never seemed to win. He dreaded the question being asked, but he equally dreaded the day they’d stop asking – the day they finally gave up on him.

And that day had finally come, the realization dawning on him as he watched his siblings leave the house together with no indication of where they were going. His heart had plummeted to an all-time low, and it hurt even though he’d seen it coming.

He’d held out for about an hour before he gave in and texted to check on them. Webby didn’t have a phone, so he’d been left attempting to text his brothers on and off for the rest of the day, to no avail. His messages became increasingly frantic, in a lowkey ‘Louie’ kind of way. Eventually, he found Dewey’s phone in their shared room, because he’d apparently forgotten it in his rush to leave the house on an adventure that Louie hadn’t been—

Anyway. He focused his efforts on Huey, who continued to not answer. And that wasn’t normal, because Huey always answered, especially when it was family. Around the time the sun went down, Louie’s messages stopped sending altogether, and his panic had overwhelmed him so much that he’d sat on Huey’s bed for an hour just trying to calm down.

Then he’d paced in their room for an unknown amount of time before finally giving in and going downstairs to stand watch by the front door. He continued his pacing for a while, but eventually his knees became too shaky and his breaths were coming too fast and shallow, so he’d pulled his hood over his head and hunched down against the wall in an attempt to make himself as small as he felt, which in reality would be physically impossible without Gyro’s shrinking ray.

The clock chimed midnight, and Louie’s resolve to not completely break down crumbled. Walls only held for so long, after all, and his had been flimsy to begin with.

Tears collected in his eyes and dripped down his face, not at all deterred by him closing them. The ball of nerves that had been strangling his lungs expanded and squeezed tighter, writhing like a living thing, and he brought his hands up over his heart as if that would help, as if his hands could ever do anything but hurt.

His phone clattered to the floor, the screen going dark and leaving Louie alone in the shadows. He gasped at the sound of it hitting the ground, irrationally startled by it and it put him even more on edge. He buried his head in his knees, crying like he was five years old and Huey and Dewey had gone to play a game without him.

He missed them. He missed Huey, he missed Dewey, he missed Webby. He—

“Louie?”

He’d missed the sound of the door opening.

Louie stiffened at the voice, even though he’d been wanting to hear it for hours now. He stayed still for a moment, staring at his legs at he listened to the hesitant shuffling of the people who’d just come inside. He felt cold and too warm at the same time.

A gentle hand landed on his shoulder suddenly, and he jumped a bit, finally lifting his head to make hesitant eye contact with Huey, who was kneeling in front of him with a terribly concerned look in his eyes, which were not-so-subtly checking him for any kind of injury. Dewey was standing behind him, fidgeting from side to side. Louie looked away and sniffed, hugging his knees tighter to his chest.

“What’s wrong?” Huey asked, worry making his voice higher pitched than it usually was. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

Louie shook his head, certain that his voice would break if he tried to talk, and he wiped at his face with the sleeve of his hoodie, making an effort to pull himself back together. Now that he didn’t have to worry about his brother’s safety, he could start worrying about how on earth he was going to explain what they’d walked in on.

“No, I— I’m not hurt. Nothing happened,” Louie said, and he cleared his voice when it came out weak hoarse. He tried for a wry smile, but was certain that it fell flat. “Welcome home?”

Huey’s brow furrowed, and he fully plopped down in front of him, sitting cross legged and moving his hand from his shoulder to hold Louie’s own, because Huey probably remembered that that helped, when Louie was overwhelmed.

“This doesn’t seem like nothing,” Dewey said, speaking up for the first time as he came closer. “It seems like a lot of something.”

Louie glanced at his brother as he dropped down to sit next to him against the wall, and without really thinking about it, Louie drifted a little closer.

“It wasn’t a lot of something,” Louie said quietly, when it seemed like no one else was going to talk. “It was more like— like too much of nothing.”

No siblings, no information, no texts. Nothing.

“Where did you go?” Louie changed course, trying to ask the question without making it sound like an accusation.

He couldn’t see it, but he could tell that Huey and Dewey had shared a look. Louie hunched a little further in on himself, already feeling like he shouldn’t have asked, even though chances were that his brothers didn’t mind.

“Okay, so, it’s kind of a long story,” Dewey began, a little awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “You’ve seemed a little down lately, so we wanted to surprise you with, like, a cupcake or something, but then Webby saw a thrift store or antique shop or whatever it was, and she thought she could find you some shiny stuff you might like—”

“Long story short, we stumbled across a cursed object and dealt with the consequences for ten hours straight,” Huey interrupted, and Louie finally noticed that his brother was missing his hat. “The thing kept teleporting us to random parts of the world, and teleporting back to us if we tried to throw it away, and it was really just a whole mess. My phone was fried.”

“Oh,” Louie said weakly, unsure of which emotion to feel. There was warmth that his siblings cared enough to want to do something nice, and there was worry that even a simple outing turned dangerous so quickly, and there was sheepishness at how much he felt he’d overreacted. “I guess that’s why you didn’t answer the phone, huh?”

“You were trying to call me?” Huey asked, and Louie shrugged tiredly. “Why?”

“I was worried,” Louie said, which didn’t cover even half of what he’d been feeling, but he was too exhausted to really get into it. It explained enough anyway; Huey and Dewey would know what he meant.

“Oh,” Huey said, sounding a little guilty, and Louie squeezed his hand.

“It’s fine,” said Louie, heading off any apology at the pass. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Dewey grabbed his other hand, and Louie found himself leaning into him, smiling a little when Dewey switched to hugging instead. Huey was remarkably good at comforting Louie with words, but Dewey gave the best hugs. Not that he would ever tell him that.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Huey asked, and Louie opened eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed.

“…Not tonight,” Louie answered, blinking slowly and yawning, offering Huey a tired smile. “Sleep would be better.”

Huey met Dewey’s eyes above his head, a twinkle in his eye, and Louie didn’t have time to protest before Dewey was picking him up and slinging him over his shoulder.

“Wha— Dewey!” Louie hissed, as quietly as he could. ”Put me down!”

“Nerp!” Dewey shot back enthusiastically, shifting Louie so that he was getting more of a piggyback ride than a fireman’s carry. “We’re gonna hang blankets from my bunk and sleep in yours.”

Louie sighed and went limp except for his arms, which he linked around Dewey’s neck as they started to their room. Huey walked past them with an amused smirk on his face and fond eyes, and Louie glared playfully.

“Are we inviting Webby to this sleepover?” Louie asked sarcastically.

“Of course!” Huey said, smiling back at them. “She would’ve come in with us, but she wanted to climb through the second floor window.”

Louie chuckled a little, feeling his breathing finally return to a healthy speed.

“I was wondering about that,” Louie said, grinning a little. “I guess you didn’t lose her in some faraway place, then.”

“’Course not,” Dewey said lightly, completely unaware that he was about to say something very important. “No one gets left behind in this family! That’s like, the number one rule.”

Louie blinked, the last of the tension melting out of his frame. No one gets left behind. They weren’t ever going to leave him on purpose, and if one day they didn’t have a choice, then chances were that they’d come back. It wasn’t complete certainty, but it never would be, with his family. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.

Louie fell asleep before they made it to their room, and he woke up surrounded by his siblings.

It was more than enough.

[vi0let-0]

Helloo! I hope you are doing fine <3.I would like to ask for a creepypasta match-up (romantic relationship) please! I am A Campaigner (ENFP) and The Adorner (EFVL) and 7w6 (The Pathfinder) I am 159 cm. Female amd straight! Some things about me: I like to study until at one point I would just stay up until 3 am, im such an idiot ahaha. I also would even drink coffee after 12 am. I have a RBF and i might act like I have apathy. I am very over-protective of those who i care about . And I will fight, with words ahahha. I am usually very independent to the point i don’t realize i need help :P My phobias are trypophobia and atychiphobia. I am very afraid of wasps and bees. I have Generalized Anxiety and Body Dysmorphia (more to my face actually). So basically, i get anxious a lot about some things and my looks.

My personality: (uhhh mostly people find me complicated) But to me, I am independent, neutral chaotic, smart, stubborn, dense on some topics, very curious, brutally honest (only if I have to be) and I have a bit of an anger issue but I am chill tho. I can be serious, only when I want too ahah. Interests: I like to debate, study, draw, listen to music, watch Youtube, Twitch also I like anime and a fan of BTS. I go to boarding school and i can speak Japanese and Malay. I also play archery. I really love to read literature. Especially books by Murakami! Books like Pride and Prejudice are also my favs! What do I where?? At home i would just where a T-shirt and a blue jacket and some cozy pants. If I feel ‘fancy’, I would where a short sleeved dressed with said jacket :D My favourite colors are black, midnight blue and gold. Stuff that i like: + tall people + food (homemade at shop-made lmao) + drinks (favs are coffe and colaa) + people who like to spend time with me in any sort if way + art + M U S I C (any) + The victorian and Edwardian Era

Stuff that i dont like:

+ slow people + annoying people that waste my time (if they are annoying in a fun way then thats fine) + bugs What do I look for in someone to love? How do i act with someone I love? Love language? I would look for someone who is both intellegent yet challenging. Someone who looks hard on the outside, soft in the inside! I have this very uh dominant energy, so basically, I’m finding someone who could compete with it. Someone who’s more collected or calm .When I love someone, my dedication and patience seems infinite. As well as affection, care, attention. My love language is quality time and physical touch? Appearance? + dark brown eyes + dark brown hair (it looks like brunette-ish under sun). My hair is short and it looks like this:

Zodiac: Aries, moon is Taurus, Rising is Aquarius. Aesthetic? Dark academia, Grunge (modern and 90s- ish, E-Girl) RIGHT, thats all from meee. Thank you for your Time <3 TAKE YOUR TIMEE i dont mind :D

After rereading this multiple times I feel like I made the right decision, so therefore I match you with. . . . . . .

|Hoodie/Brian!!|

Brian would 100% study with you and help you understand things, even if you didn’t need help with, he’s a pretty smart man.

Man runs off of coffee, you two would be a couple of caffeine addicts but in a cute way. Would pour you cute shit like hearts or swirls in your coffee with the creamer or powder.

He would try to get you to overcome your fears and phobias, he wants to make sure you know he’s there for you and wants to help you. step-by-step he’s there to guide you down your path of success.

Constantly reassuring you about how beautiful you are, he understands body dysmorphia because he himself has it. Hates his face, that’s why he usually keeps the ski mask on. Overtime as he opened up to you though he felt comfortable enough to take it off.

Brian himself is an honest man, he usually keeps to himself though. You two balance each other out, he isn’t very stubborn but he is pretty smart. Is very laid back until you piss him off, even then he’s pretty calm.

He would sit there with you and teach you how to play guitar, he picked up some stuff from Tim so he knows how to play a bit.

Would beg you to teach him some japanese, has always wanted to learn another language (he knows some spanish)

You said you like tall people? I hc Brian to be around 5’11-6’0. Hes way taller then you and constantly teased you about it, telling you to, “grow some inches, darling.”

He cooks for you all the damn time, wears a cute apron with something that says, “hottest chef” or something dumb like that, has multiple aprons.

His show of affection is spending quality time, so it all works out. At first he isn’t super touchy but overtime he grows to love your touch and affection.

He looks like a hardass but in reality he just wants someone to love him and open up to, he has hella trust issues so it does take a bit but you did say you like challenging so.

There ya go!! I hope your satisfied with this and if not i’m sorry!! It’s my first matchup so im hoping i did a decent job. Have a nice night/day!! <3

[briarmoon]

Peacelighter

This starlight radiates like dust Clinging to any heart it finds; My luminescence turns to rust From the apathy of mankind.   This starlight collects on a shelf Until suddenly swept away From disdain of your heartless self, Photon galaxies now astray.   Peacelighter, glint a flicker slight, A tender flame to light the way; Ignite a spark with all your might To glimmer hope for one more day.   This starlight in your refraction Cannot twist in this ghostly mist; Lost in the law of distraction Brilliance bends if we resist.   This starlight people have squandered Like Prometheus, a stolen fire; In these darkest hours, I wandered, Until you saved my heart’s desire.   O’ Peacelighter, ignite the way                                    For these monochrome stagnations To shimmer hope for one more day, And revive these rainbow nations!   This starlight mass of empathy Burned up all of its energy, Never knowing intimacy The way I wanted it to be.   This starlight supernova dreams Brighter days for humanity, And midnight moons full of golden beams Riding your train of harmony.   Peacelighter, show us faith’s warm flame To glimmer hope for one more day; Goodwill and grace we must reclaim And melt this winter dread away.   To shimmer hope for one more day, O’ Peacelighter, come light the way.

© Copyright 2022 by Briar Moon

[jubans]

title: 505 pairing: furuichi sakyo/fem!reader rating: m (mature) premise: maybe someday, the two of you could go beyond the four corners of that dreary hotel room. 

There's hesitation in your posture when you raised your hand to knock on the room Sakyo had texted you about earlier—sinking deep into your bones as your better judgement screamed at you to turn back, go home, and never speak to him again. 

Any other woman of marriageable age would think that maybe meeting up with a yakuza at a run-down hotel on a regular basis might be a bad idea. But you've known Sakyo for so long, that you've committed the fact that he's not a bad person into mind long before you even started doubting these midnight trysts. 

So, you knocked. Three times, like you always did. Loud enough to announce your presence but soft enough not to disturb the silence that enveloped the dingy hallway. 

You shoved your clammy hands into the front pocket of your hoodie, nervously bouncing on the balls of your feet when you heard him shuffling from the inside. Why you made such an effort to cover up—hoodie, long sleeves, sweats and all—when it was the height of summer and the heat of the day still carried into the night was beyond you. Maybe it was because you wanted to seem unassuming. Maybe it was to fool yourself (and hopefully him) that you didn't long for his touch in ways that you shouldn't even begin to think about.

But when Sakyo cracked the door open once he's taken off the locks, your legs moved before you could even think—arms going around his lithe frame as you moulded your lips into his. 

He was stunned in place for a moment, unable to reciprocate. But you practically felt his armor of civility fall apart when Sakyo tangled his fingers in your hair, angling your face just so before you felt his tongue licking into the crevices of your mouth. Your mind was so engulfed in the haze of his rich, expensive cologne that you barely registered it when Sakyo began moving. He manhandled you into the room without breaking the union of your lips, slamming you against the door when he locked it shut. The soft whimper that escaped your chest was muffled but you could feel Sakyo's mouth twitching slightly against yours when he heard it.

"This wasn't part of our agenda," he breathed, momentarily breaking apart from you only to dip down for another heated kiss.His light hair was soft in your fingers as you used each tuft as a means to tug his face impossibly closer to yours. You felt the frame of his glasses digging into the bridge of your nose, but you couldn't comment on it because his hands were hiking underneath your hoodie. A growl rumbled somewhere low in his chest when he discovered how many layers you wrapped yourself in, pulling away to cast you a disconcerted glare.

You cracked him a toothy grin. "I went here under the pretense that you wouldn't respond like you did just now if I jumped you like that."

"You're impossible," Sakyo muttered before peeling himself away from you, leaving you flushed and disheveled by the door to Room 505.

The blond man walked over to the queen-sized mattress in the middle of the room, seating himself on the edge. As Sakyo laced his hands together on his legs, you couldn't help but notice the way his face contorted into something serious so quickly, as if he didn't just have you pressed up against a door a few moments ago. 

You gulped, straightening yourself out before sitting at a short distance away from him on the bed. 

Sakyo heaved a sigh that sounded like broken promises and dreams that slipped away too early. He promptly plucked his glasses from his face, fingers going up to massage the bridge of his nose. You could feel your lips stretch into a frown at the sight of him. He was the type that broods every time he gets, but you've never seen him look this...agitated.

"Sakyo?" you called out, hoping he would humor you with a response. But when all you're met with was white noise and scratchy music playing from the next room over, you scooted a little closer to him, reaching out to enclose his cold, cold hands in yours. 

"You mind telling me what's wrong?" you murmured, nudging your nose in the crook of his neck. You felt him shiver once your breath fanned his skin, but Sakyo would let himself get shot first before admitting to vulnerability. 

"It's just the usual hiccups I get at work," he said, and your grimace only deepened. Why was he still being so infuriatingly vague with you?

But you knew that there was no helping it. Sakyo had a mind that you haven't quite mapped out yet even after years of playing house with him like this. You knew better than to dip your toes into the realm of the yakuza, but that wouldn't stop you from hoping that maybe, just maybe, this time he'll let you in. That he'll let himself be a little more human and less of the demon people made the debt-collecting yakuza out to be. 

"I called you here for a different purpose," he told you, voice just barely above a whisper. 

You pressed your lips into a thin line, pulling away as you felt him tug his hands back from your grasp. The urgency in his actions pricked your heart like tiny needles, but you decided against making a show of disappointment. He didn't need anything else to drag him downward.

"One of the groups we've previously had a scuffle with in the past has been doing some background research of their own with my life," Sakyo spoke in his typically condescending Sakyo fashion. But there was a strain in his voice that you only noticed with how long you've spent listening to the low baritone of his words as he lied next to you in bed. The dread only pools in your gut, but you let him continue without interruption. 

"Apparently, they thought it would gravely affect me if something were to happen to a certain woman I always meet in this very hotel." He threw his head back, gazing at the ceiling with a lopsided smirk curling his lips. "Pathetic of them to think so, really. Were they so desperate to get dirt on me that they thought targeting my evening partner would be enough of a leverage?"

Evening partner. You didn't like the sound of that. 

He sighed again, and this time you take the time to let your eyes wander across the rest of the room. His suitcase was lying on top of a desk tucked away in the corner; his coat folded neatly on top of the surface. Other than that, the interior seemed untouched, like Sakyo just went inside to sit on the bed and nothing else. 

You began to feel the sting of betrayal slowly rooting itself in the recesses of your heart. Of course you had an...inkling that this physical relationship with him would never blossom into something more since the beginning. He was a man that had his needs, and what else could a man like Sakyo want other than a woman who was a decent fuck and never asked too many questions?

"I have a property somewhere in Sapporo," he suddenly spoke again, shattering the self-loathing that you were starting to enclose yourself in.

You blinked at Sakyo, confusion dancing in your eyes, but he gave you reprieve by adding, "It's an old Western-style manor sitting on the edge of a cliff that gave me one of the best oceanic views I've seen in my life." There's a pause in his words, like he couldn't quite figure out where he's going with this narrative, much like you. But when he looked back at you, his lavender eyes were glazed over with a melancholy you never even thought Sakyo was capable of.

But the look was gone just as quickly as it came. Sakyo assumed his mask of neutrality once more, chuckling airily. "I've been looking for suitable caretakers for it, but all the maids I kept sending would steal one of the precious artifacts I've been keeping there. If you won't let me pitch in with your monthly rent, then at least let me give you somewhere better to live."

Your mouth hung agape at his words once you've finally had a few moments to absorb them. "Are you telling me to move halfway across the country to take care of a damn house?"

Sakyo shrugged. "You'll even have a secure source of income once you arrive. That is more ideal than working three minimum wage jobs, barely being able to make ends meet here in this dump of a city, now is it?" 

A biting retort rested on the tip of your tongue, but you held it back because he was right. Because you refused every single one of Sakyo's offers for a loan (he even offered to just give you money with nothing in return), you had no one but yourself to rely on as you struggled to make a living. 

But he had no right to point that out as he did. As someone who used to be dirt poor, he should know better than to—

Oh. 

Everything clicked into place just before your frustration could boil over. When the haze of irritation had cleared in your head, you dared to look at Sakyo straight in the eye. The low light from the lamp on the nightstand was the only source of illumination in the room, yet you were still able to see the way he was struggling to maintain his façade of apathy. Your mouth twitched into a sly smile. You got him all figured out.

"Who knew you cared so much about your evening partner, Sakyo?" you chuckled, kicking off your shoes so that you could crawl closer to him. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," he argued weakly when you latched your lips onto the column of his throat. The groan that resounded in his chest did nothing but stoke the flames of the desire you thought had already smouldered. Sakyo shuddered under your touch, and you giggled, tugging on the delicate fabric of his turtleneck before whispering:

"Thank you."   

When daylight broke through the cracks in the curtains, you found yourself squinting at the way the sunlight razed your vision. The bed was devoid of body heat other than your own, and you almost wanted to laugh at yourself for still not getting used to Sakyo's urgency to leave the moment the sun peeked from the horizon. 

But this time, you didn't just wake up to a hotel room with nothing but your clothes littered on the floor. At the desk in the corner, Sakyo's coat was gone, but his suitcase still lay untouched. 

You frowned, wrapping a towel around your bare frame as you padded over to check it out. He wasn't the kind of man that would forget his belongings anywhere.

As you took a closer look, you noticed that a note was stuck to the surface with a series of numbers scribbled in haste. Was this, perhaps, the combination needed to open it? Shrugging, you tried unlocking the suitcase, following the exact way Sakyo had written the numbers. It opened with a soft click once you managed to punch in the last one, and you wasted no time sifting through its contents.

Inside was a passport, a plane ticket, various documents, and fat wads of cash that had you gasping once you've totalled in how much Sakyo had left inside. 

This can't be right, you thought to yourself. Why would he just leave these behind?

But as you rifled through the suitcase further, you found a sealed, white envelope. You tore it open without a second thought, only to find a small key with a torn out page lying inside. With trembling hands, you unfolded the piece of paper, feeling your shoulders relax at the sight of Sakyo's hurried and terrible handwriting.  

(Name), 

If you're reading this, that just means you've taken up my offer, yes? Well, I'll waste no time. Inside are all the necessities you'll be needing once you head north. The key inside the envelope opens the front door to the manor. The address is written in one of the travel documents I've fabricated, along with the fake passport. Don't worry, you won't get held up at the airport for it. 

It's unlike me to impose something so sudden, I know. But as long as I have enemies, it isn't safe for anyone to be around me. My well-being would further be appeased at the knowledge of you sitting pretty in a mansion, away from the clutches of whoever might make the mistake of coming for you, as well.

I know I am not the most...expressive of lovers. But take this as your pass to see me as I am. Not as a yakuza. Not as your evening partner. But as Furuichi Sakyo. Hoping for this might be a shot in the dark,  but maybe someday, the two of us could go beyond the four corners of that dreary hotel room.

Yours, Sakyo