#but then the romantic fic would be missing a lot of the random shenanigans from the slice of life fic

[sheepie-self-ships]

I want. to make aqua.bats fic... but the question lies in should i separate the romantic storyline from the platonic shenanigans or do I just throw them into the same fic...

[wintergojo]

sweet like cinnamon (dad!gojo x mom!reader)

Synopsis: you spend the valentine’s away from your husband and son, and they bake you a cake.

Tags: fluff, slice of life, domesticity, married couple, baking, bby gojo is a messy baby, mostly just shenanigans, it also gets kinda emotional at the end lol

Word count: 3.5k

navi

Note: I finally got this done ㅠㅡㅠ i’m sorry for not posting anything for almost oh my god 3 weeks. our health break ended :’) but pls enjoy this late valentine fic 😙😙

valentine's with gojo during the early years of your non-existent relationship consisted mostly of him, dragging you around on random places for so-called “dates” and you, letting yourself be dragged because you have nothing to do aside from watch couples and curse the higher-ups for not giving you any missions on the godforsaken day.

the two of you never went on official dates—namely dates wherein the both of you would really make yourself presentable because you’d be going to a nice, romantic restaurant that does not accept guests without reservations—because your exact relationship with each other never became clear until he asked you if you wanted to get married.

and when you did get married, the old hags started making sure either one of you or both you had missions that would get you occupied for the whole third week of february, making you unable to spend time nor see each other for the 14th.

you feel terrible, honestly. you’re not a big fan of valentine’s, but your husband seems to really enjoy being with you in taking advantage of every pastry shop’s couple promo he comes across.

it's honestly not a big deal, but you tell yourself you’d try to at least return him the favor of initiating your valentine’s date, since never once in your marriage have you had the chance to.

sure, you’ve given him some homemade chocolates along with some overly cheesy letter you cannot believe you yourself managed to easily write (“i didn’t know you were this sappy, babe. you really love me, don’t you?”) but it’s not enough.

that opportunity you never got the chance to have just got farther and farther when you unexpectedly got pregnant and gave birth to a 6.7 lbs. healthy snowball twenty-seven months ago (who—now that you think about it—was made in the same month too).

which is why on this mission, you’re cursing the old farts a lot more than usual—not only is this the fifth time in a row you’ve missed the occasion with your husband, this is also your first time being away from your little boy on the same day.

it’s february 14th, yet you’re only on the second day of the four days five nights grade 1 curse hunt the elders made you play—on kagoshima, nonetheless.

while you’re being miserable on your mission, your husband is in the kitchen standing proudly in front of his son sitting on his high chair. seishiro just finished eating his breakfast, staring questioningly at his father with blue, wide doe eyes and food smeared all over his face.

the older man places his hands on his hips, beaming down at his child as he talks, “it’s valentine’s day, dumpling! do you wanna bake mama a cake?”

the toddler squeals, raising his messy hands up. “cake! cake!”

satoru grins, lifting the boy off his chair before carrying him in one arm.

“okay! what kind of cake should we give mama?”

seishiro stops moving as he puckers his lips in a pout and scrunches his eyebrows. satoru softly smiles at the gesture, proceeding to walk towards the bathroom as he lets his son think.

the walk wasn’t long, what with his long legs, so he arrived in a short time. he puts the boy down and lets him stand on the floor, crouching down as he starts undressing the toddler.

“what a dirty little dumpling you are!” satoru jokingly says as he unbuttons seishiro’s white silk pajamas, now stained with red from the bread and jam he ate. the toddler sheepishly snickers, holding onto his father’s shoulder as he raises his one foot up to help satoru get rid of the pants.

“dada… stwobeyi cake!" he exclaims when the taller man gets on his other leg, making satoru look back at him and grin, ”you wanna bake mama a strawberry cake, dumpling?”

the toddler nods and cheers, “heawt cake!!”

your husband laughs, “strawberry heart cake?”

seishiro, now in his diapers, starts stomping his foot and raising his hands alternatively while slowly turning around, “heawt! cakee! heawt! cakee!”

after the bath, your husband and son are back at the kitchen, the latter now freshly dressed in a long-sleeved pink shirt with cartoony tomato and matching pajama pants. he’s sitting on the tabletop, playing with a whisk and a glass bowl. satoru gave it to him first because he knows his little dumpling’s going to get bored waiting for him to finish gathering the ingredients and equipment.

aside from his personality, gojo satoru is absolutely perfect, so of course he’d know how to bake. he only learned it from you when the two of you started spending more time with each other, then found out he was extremely good at it on the first try—just like at everything else he does.

he smiles as he remembers how he’d always make you cakes when you were pregnant, always making sure he refrains himself from pouring in too much sugar despite your requests to make it extra sweet (and laughs every time he remembers how you developed a sweet tooth during your pregnancy then came back to hating sweets after giving birth).

although he’s extremely good at what he’s about to do, this is the first time he would be doing it with his one and only ball of energy, but he’s pretty sure how this is gonna go (so it makes him all the more excited).

he glances at said son while getting the heart-shaped cake pan from the cupboard, warmth filling his chest as he sees seishiro humming a mysterious song while whisking an imaginary batter in the bowl. your husband smiles as he starts picking his pace up, now teleporting around to get everything he needs. (he didn’t mean to do it, but it made seishiro start giggling as he watched the white-haired shaman change positions in the kitchen).

satoru decided to make you a strawberry mousse cake with chocolate moist cake at the bottom, hence the pack of strawberries sitting beside his son who is now happily munching on the fruit—bowl and whisk disregarded. the father leans in before opening his mouth and lets out a "dumpling, ahhh" while looking at seishiro, whose face is once again smeared with juices (so much for giving him a bath less than 20 minutes ago).

the toddler stops eating and slowly looks at the man, before looking back at the half-eaten strawberry in his chubby little hand.

he thinks for a while, and was about to resume shoving the berry in his mouth but giggled and raised the fruit to satoru’s mouth. “dada, eat!”

your husband smiles, leaning in to eat the strawberry when your son suddenly retracts his hand and places the fruit inside his mouth instead. the toddler’s reaction was instantaneous—face adorably scrunching up, eyes closing, and body shivering from the combined sourness and sweetness of the strawberry. he opens his eyes and gives his father a hehe right after, before resuming his meal.

satoru opens his mouth in an exaggerated manner, before leaning further in and kissing his son’s nose. “dada will let you off because you’re cute! but don’t finish the strawberries, okay?”

seishiro nods guiltily as he acts in a cutesy manner, grabbing one more strawberry before answering, “yees. i wove you, dada!”

“go mix it, dumpling!” your husband cheers, holding the glass bowl steady as your toddler uses his strength to stir all the dry ingredients together. it’s messy, really messy.

it’s probably been only 15 minutes or so since satoru and seishiro started working on the base. yet the child is already covered in flour and egg yellows despite his black 'dada’s little sous chef' apron, while the man’s 'wifey’s force labored sous chef' apron is rigged with small white handprints.

satoru anticipated it wouldn't be peaceful trying to bake with his spawn, but he didn't think it would be that chaotic. he failed to account for his son's short attention span, which ended up in seishiro messing with everything he could touch.

it probably would've been fine if the ingredients were in unsealed bags, but everything was in glass containers which could be opened by either twisting the lid or straight up using force to unlock them.

and your son is strong, not to mention smart. which is why even though he encountered some containers for the first time, he managed to open them with ease whenever his father wasn't looking and started spreading them on his hands and face, exclaiming "seishi's baby powder, dada!" with eyes absolutely gleaming with innocence and lips turned into a wide smile.

as for the eggs, seishiro assumed they were hard-boiled eggs and wanted to eat one so he proceeded to use brute force in smashing them against the counter, probably hoping to create a crack on it.

the baby is strong, but he doesn't know how to control his strength yet, causing the poor eggs to splatter undefended all over the tabletop and his clothes and apron.

even now, with seishiro whisking the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, cocoa, and sugar, the force is not consistent and there are a lot of spills on the edge of the bowl going to the shaman’s hands and to the counter. he’s sure all the powder would go all over the place if he wasn’t holding the glass so he’s gripping onto it tight (he actually wouldn’t normally mind, but he doesn’t want his son’s effort go into waste).

the toddler is sitting in a seiza position on the tabletop (because he’s too short to reach for the bowl if he stands at the floor) and is using his two little hands to hold the handle, almost as if he’s mixing some witch’s concoction.

his father continues cheering him on, but the toddler looks at him with sad eyes and scrunched eyebrows after a while.

“dada… arms… huuurt.” he whines while still slowly whisking the bowl.

satoru coos as he tells his son to stop, gently grabbing his two short arms and kissing them all over, making his son giggle.

your husband presses a kiss on your son’s sticky cheeks, before ruffling the toddler’s snow-white hair and staining it brown in the process. he beams, “good job, dumpling! you mixed it well!”

the older man helped seishiro in doing the next steps—namely adding canola oil, brewed coffee, and milk into the bowl his dumpling massacred. the child made sure to dip his fingers in every bowl he pours (spills), before putting it into his mouth.

he gave no reaction when he tasted the oil, but winced and stuck his tongue out when he tasted the coffee, squealing “sour!” (he liked the milk though and pouted when satoru didn’t let him drink it).

when everything was properly blended with the hand mixer and eggs were added, your husband asked his son to give him the heart-shaped baking pan. seishiro complied, but not before tracing the pan's edges with his finger while saying “heawt for mama!” and “want to see mama.”

satoru watches the corner of his son’s mouth turn down, clearly getting sad that you’re not with them in doing this activity. something about seeing seishiro upset always ignites something within the father, especially now since the reason for the boy’s emotion is due to the higher-ups’ meddling. damn those old fools and their sad love lives.

“do you wanna brush the oil into the heart, dumpling?” he asks instead, holding the pastry brush on his right hand and the baking pan on his left.

seishiro immediately lightens up, making grabby motions at the man. your husband sets the pan back into the counter before proceeding to hand his son the brush. the toddler enthusiastically takes it from him with his sticky hand and brushes the pan without dipping it into the small bowl of canola oil. so now he’s just happily smearing air into the cake pan.

satoru laughs as he watches your baby before showing him what to do using his fingers. seishiro ooohs the entire time, then proceeded to do what he saw. he ignores the pastry brush and dips his whole hand into the oil and he wipes it into the pan.

your husband defeatedly lets him, sardonically admitting to himself that it’s his own fault for not using the tool in the first place for the demonstration. the toddler needs another bath anyway.

it’s almost dinnertime, but you’re too tired to go out of the door and eat in one of the hotel’s restaurants or buffet, so you opted for room service. you spent your lunch and afternoon traveling from one cemetery to another, as well as abandoned schools, exorcising curses.

you only got the chance to talk to your boys right after you plopped down to your comfy 4-star hotel bed, when you texted your husband that you’re officially done for the day. he called you immediately with seishiro at his side, who kept shoving his face into the phone and attempting to grab it from his father.

you don’t know why, but when you told satoru you’re about to call for room service he told you to order food for them too, not to order any dessert, and to call him back if your food already arrived.

you’re just assuming all of his demands are because he wants to watch you eat, feel like he’s dining with you, and not be jealous of anything sweet you’d consume. nevertheless, you acquiesce.

when the room service attendant arrived, you made sure to dial satoru as soon as they left (but not without glancing one last time inside your room probably due to the amount of food that is definitely not for one person). your husband answered the call, looked at the screen, and said “oh! the food’s there!” before calling for his dumpling and ending the video chat, leaving you confused (but not surprised) over his behavior.

just when you were about to open the cloche of your food, you felt an alarming surge of cursed energy filling the room that quickly alerted you. you scanned the area. was there a curse in the hotel? how come you never saw nor felt it? you’ve been here for two days, is it a spe—

“surprise!!” a highly familiar voice called out from your behind, followed by a squeal of “suwpwise, mama!!”

you slowly turned around, staring dumbfoundedly at your husband and son on your bed with the former holding... is that a cake? and the latter wobbly standing up as he hands you a bouquet of origami flowers?

you comically accepted the flowers seishiro is handing you, still in shock over their sudden appearance.

“mamaaaaa, carry!” your son whines, raising his arms up at you.

you recover from the shock, instantly scooping the toddler in your arms and smothering his soft face with kisses and some nibbles. you hear his delightful giggles and suddenly every irritation and frustration you felt from your curse hunting earlier disappears. you thank him for the flowers, making sure to praise its appearance.

you then looked at your husband holding the cake, who you see is expectedly gazing at you with a pout. you kneel into the mattress and set the boy in your arms into the bed (who climbed down and started exploring the hotel room) before crawling in front of satoru.

you greet your husband first, pressing a kiss on his lips and whispering “happy valentine’s day, ‘toru,” before inspecting the cake. it’s a whole heart-shaped strawberry cake—you assume from the color—perched on a low, white cake stand you got as a wedding gift. it contains some sort of scribble from the top that you can’t make sense of, and a message written so small at the right upper half saying ‘happy birth’, nothing else follows.

you laughed at the unfinished, seemingly wrong message before beaming over the gesture. you take the cake from your husband’s hands and give him another long kiss on his lips (god you missed him so much).

satoru grins as he teleports (again) beside the trolley and starts removing the cloche, exclaiming “i’m so hungry!” as he sets the plates into the bed. so that’s why the manchild asked you to order more food. you make sure to put the cake in the middle before calling seishiro, who you saw was pressing his whole face and body into the floor to ceiling window at the foot of your bed.

you then proceeded to inspect the bouquet your baby boy gave you. it’s wrapped in a yellow washi, and inside is three origami roses in colors blue, red, and purple. they all have some type of torn and crumple in them, but still absolutely beautiful and you’re pretty sure you’re going to keep it for the rest of your life.

while eating dinner with satoru (seishiro already ate his one and a half hour ago, his bedtime is in 30 minutes), you later find out that the messy cake scribbles were made by your son who wanted to write i love mama in his own way, and the writing on the top was messed up by satoru who meant to write happy valentine’s! but was thinking of ‘happy birthday!’ instead.

you also find out that it was baked by your husband and son, so you made sure to praise and thank seishiro, even more so your husband. it tasted exactly like one of your cake cravings when you were pregnant upon tasting, not to mention your son helped make it, and your husband simply has a sweet tooth, so it was no wonder the cake was gone in less than 10 minutes (you were honestly impressed the two managed not to eat half of it at home, though little did you know they made two whole cakes and ate the other one).

when there was absolutely no food left and the two of you parents felt like your bellies would explode and seishiro is once again a messy baby with strawberry mousse and chocolate crumbs all over his face, you decide it was time for a short bath for the baby (after resting for a few minutes).

when the three of you were settled onto the king-sized hotel bed and your son is asleep on your chest, you turn to your husband who’s lying on his side with his right elbow propped on the mattress and cheek resting against his knuckles.

“your surprise was really sudden and out of the blue, but thank you, ‘toru. i’m really happy.”

he gives you a wide smile. “that’s why it’s called a surprise, baby—” you roll your eyes “—and i’m glad you liked it!”

you smile back as you think how convenient his ability sometimes is. from tokyo to kagoshima, it’s 16 hours by car, 6 hours by train, and 2 hours by plane. but they were done within seconds of teleportation. and not to mention he made the effort to bake a cake and teach a 27-month-old origami in order to make you happy when in japan, valentine’s are supposed to be for males.

“stop thinking about that, honey. you know i would’ve done this even without the occasion.” satoru’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts, and you’re mildly shocked with what he said when you did not tell him anything.

you sigh. oh well, no point in not being honest.

“i just… i don’t think i’m making enough effort in doing the same for you, ‘toru. i mean, when was the last time i initiated a date between the two of us? i don’t even think i’ve ever done it!” you whisper-shout, making sure not to wake the sleeping snowball on your chest.

your husband flashes you a soft smile, one that you see whenever he’s feeling particularly sentimental or vulnerable. “babyyy, you’re already doing so much for me. you’re taking care of our overly energetic son 24/7, cooking us food, cleaning the house even though i told you i’d hire a housekeeper, while i’m mostly at work and hardly help you with anything.”

you were about to reiterate and say what he’s doing is far more important than helping you with some household chores, but he cuts you off with his index finger on your lips.

“ep ep ep, don’t say what i’m doing is for humanity or some other stuff. i’m saying this as your husband and the father of our child.”

you, once again, sighed. you don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of this. it’s not like satoru ever once told you he finds you lacking or pragmatic. in fact, he teases you about how much you’re such a sap for him in every little gesture you do to and for him.

you then feel his big, warm, strong hand touch your left cheek, gently stroking it and making you lean into that touch. that smile is still on his face, except this time his gorgeous ocean irises hold a certain warmth.

“besides, you love me. that alone is more than enough.”

Ps. I’ve only baked once, and they’re cookies for our home economics class, so i’m really sorry if some processes weren’t accurate. i love watching baking & cooking shows though! :DD

Thank you so much for reading! 🤍 Feedbacks and reblogs are appreciated! And happy valentine's day! <33

[birbleafs]

[fic] A Tragicomedy In Five Acts

Series: Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan || The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Rating: T Genre: Friendship, Humour, Breaking the Fourth Wall Character(s): Akechi Touma, Saiki Kusuo, Saiki Kurumi, Saiki Kuniharu, Saiki Kuusuke Warnings: None, save for the canon-typical shenanigans Summary: Akechi has made a habit of showing up unannounced, uninvited at the Saiki residence. The inevitable "bonding" occurs and Kusuo despairs; the world continues to turn. A/N: A piece I wrote for the Disastrous Life Zine, a charity zine. I wanted to share the uncut version here since I like how it reads more (it's not too different from zine version, though). Leftover sales are currently still live, so here's your last chance to grab some limited items if you had missed the pre-orders earlier! Thanks to the mods & other contributors over at @disastrouslifezine, for all their hard work on this project. Many thanks also to my bro Digi for the awesome beta work and for always being an all-round great pal ❤ Fic can also be read AO3. _______ i. It’s a problem Saiki Kusuo should have—could have—nipped earlier in the bud, when he’d been forced to spend a whole Sunday with Akechi Touma betting on horse-racing. But between Akechi being (begrudgingly) accepted as one of the PK Psychickers to Kusuo having to stop a meteor from slamming into the planet—well, a lot had happened. Akechi had since taken to visiting the Saiki residence at random, with little notice in advance. On his second visit, Mom had invited him in before Kusuo could intervene. If it weren’t for the cupcakes Akechi had brought along—not to mention the terrifying heat of Mom’s demonic glare at the first sign of a protest—Kusuo would have teleported him miles away without hesitation. That’s how Kusuo finds himself now—glowering at Akechi who’s sitting politely in his room and firing a running commentary about nothing and too many things all at once. Resigned, he leans back into his study chair and asks, point-blank: What do you want, Akechi?

“Your mother is lovely as always,” Akechi replies instead, dancing around the question. “I’m grateful she’s gone from remembering me as ‘Pee Boy’ to ‘Kusuo’s Friend Who Only Ever Wets His Pants Occasionally’. Surely that’s a sign we have gotten closer.” It sounds just as terrible as the first—only a simpleton would be okay with that as a defining trait, Kusuo retorts. In any case, we’re hardly more than classmates. So, why are you here again? “I thought you would have realized it by now with your telepathy. But I suppose I can explain it for the sake of the readers!” Akechi beams, holding up a small case in his hand. Don’t just casually break the fourth wall, Kusuo frowns, even as he leans forward for a closer look. Akechi pops the case open and turns towards the game console. “I was recently gifted this game by my cousin, who assured me that, while underrated, it’s still a cult hit among fans. I thought it would be fun to play it together.” Kusuo stares flatly at the title OVERWORKED displayed on the disc as it slides into the console drive, already unimpressed. That is such a blatant rip-off. “Oh, no, it's a completely different game from the one you’re thinking of!” Akechi says. “Here you play as the overworked waiter of a cafe who serves multiple orders at once and takes over the cooking whenever the head chef throws a tantrum and storms right off.” How is that different from OVERC***ED? It is totally OVERC***ED! “Regardless, shall we have a play-off?” Akechi offers the controller to him. “Winner gets this box of cupcakes. I got them from the best pâtisserie in town, which is no easy feat. Why just this morning I left home at the crack of dawn to secure a spot in the queue, and even then, there were already about 30-odd people ahead of me! Who knew it was so popular—A-ah!” Kusuo yanks the controller easily from Akechi’s hand towards him with telekinesis, a glint of determination in his eyes now. Best two out of three levels. Loser also has to leave immediately. Akechi grins knowingly and cracks his knuckles, reaching for the second controller. “You’re quick to assume victory, Kusuo-kun. Very well, then!” Thirty-seven minutes later and Kusuo’s left staring at the final scores, appalled. He would have won if his character hadn’t kept freezing in place and glitching at crucial moments, messing up in the kitchens and sending out wrong orders. How is he always losing to Akechi like this? Clearly the universe is still conspiring against him. “You were so close to beefing my lask score dhoo,” Akechi says shamelessly through a mouthful of strawberry frosting. “And my, deez fupfakes are s’per dhasty!” Are you taunting me now? Kusuo scowls enviously at the cupcake in Akechi’s hand before he huffs, slinking back into his chair. Well, I’ll be staring dejectedly out my window for a bit, so feel free to eat your cupcakes and then leave. But Akechi only laughs then and, to Kusuo’s surprise, moves to place a chocolate cupcake before him. “You’re so melodramatic, Kusuo-kun. I never said the winner can’t share.” ... I guess you didn’t. They spend the rest of the afternoon eating cupcakes. _______ ii. This again? It’s been a month, but Kusuo already feels a sense of gloom settling over him when Akechi steps into the genkan. He would have been fine with leaving Akechi outside blathering away through closed doors for the entire day while he pretended not to be home, but obviously Mom is having none of that. “I’m so glad you’ve been coming over to play with Ku-chan!” she greets cheerfully. “I couldn’t believe it when I first heard, but you and Kusuo are getting along well, huh, Akechi-kun!” Dad says with a sagely nod, looking every bit the part of the morally upright, reliable father. Bold of you to believe such delusional notions of camaraderie, or that you even look the part of an admirable adult, Kusuo comments drily, before turning to leave. “We don’t just get along,” Akechi chimes in reply. “You could even say our friendship is super-califragilisticexpialidocious!” GET OUT. If looks could kill, Kusuo’s current expression is pure genocide. But his parents are already fawning and AH-HYUU-!!-ing at Akechi’s words, tears of joy gushing down their cheeks like an endless waterfall. Kusuo watches in quiet despair as Akechi is readily accepted into their fold with welcomed embraces, a key development in this romantic soap opera. Oi, what’s with the misleading narrative?! We’re not in that kind of fanfic right now! Dad and Akechi hit it off well enough, one thing leads to another, and Kusuo suddenly finds himself roped into playing MECH-O ARENA VR on the WAB station in Dad’s study. Seriously, stop it with the terrible rip-offs of actual games already, Kusuo frowns as he watches Dad’s and Akechi’s characters flitting about on the screen to fight off an incoming attack. “I suppose it’s not very original, is it?” Akechi says, punching the controller buttons in a flurry of movements. “But it’s different enough that we can probably avoid any unwanted copyright lawsuits.” That’s completely beside the point. Dad’s wholly immersed with the game now, so it’s impossible for Kusuo to get rid of Akechi without Dad throwing a childish fuss about losing his new gaming buddy. Not to mention Mom’s uncanny ability to appear with coffee and snacks each time Kusuo had tried to inconspicuously retreat back into his room, all while exuding an ominous aura that effectively dissuaded his need to leave immediately. Good grief—everyone’s being such a pain today, Kusuo sighs, before he finally relents to Mom’s cajoling to team up with her against Dad and Akechi in the final round. He figures it can’t get worse than this anyway. That is, until Kuusuke gets involved. _______ iii. When Kusuo returns home from a quick grocery trip for Mom, he walks into a surprisingly empty living room. He can hear Dad and Kuusuke’s voices from upstairs but for some reason he’s not quite able to perceive the atmosphere within—it’s as if his senses are partially blocked by a cognitive fog with the study engulfed in a dead zone. Must be that prototype “router” Kuusuke had installed in Dad’s study yesterday. Kusuo has zero interest in his brother’s tiresome antics, but is compelled nonetheless to check on them, if only to ensure Kuusuke isn’t playing Mad Scientist and coaxing Dad into yet another deranged human project. He opens the door, nearly lashes out in shock with telekinesis when he sees Akechi staring through the doorway with a creepy, owlish expression. “Oh, were you actually surprised, Kusuo-kun?” Akechi says. “My apologies for frightening you like that.” Kusuo studies the room cautiously, only to realize he’s unable to hear anyone’s thoughts with telepathy. He glares at his brother in suspicion. “Welcome back, little brother!” Kuusuke greets him with a Cheshire grin. “I see you’ve got yourself a new playmate. Hmm? Ah, you must think it strange that I've taken to Akechi-kun so readily.” Strange and highly dubious, Kusuo counters. What are you scheming? “Well, Akechi-kun shows the most potential and capacity for mental growth amongst the lesser primates close to you—” What a disparaging worldview. And stop deflecting! I know you can still understand me. “—So, he may yet make a good test subj—Ah, I mean, a good friend! Interesting specimens tend to gravitate towards you, after all. Though his propensity for peeing sure is troubling, isn’t it? Haha!” You can excuse questionable human experimentations, but you draw the line at incontinence? Kuusuke attempts a nonchalant shrug. “Priorities, amirite?” “But this is amazing, Kuusuke-san,” Akechi says, glancing up in awe at the blinking device on the ceiling. “The telepathy canceller really does block our thoughts efficiently!” “It’s child's play compared to Kusuo’s abilities,” Kuusuke says, seemingly modest, but Kusuo doesn’t miss the devious glint in his eyes when he reaches into his coat pocket to pull out what looks suspiciously like a detonator with a giant red button. “Still, with this, Operation SM☆SH can now finally commence—” Wait, Operation what?? Kuusuke, don’t you dare...! But Kuusuke is already pressing the button, and the study is plunged into darkness as the lights flicker off and the blinds draw shut. Alarmed, Kusuo wrenches the detonator away from Kuusuke’s grip with his telekinesis. What did you just do?! There’s an electronic whirr, a blinding flash, and Kusuo finds himself suddenly staring at a large LCD screen as it emerges from the ceiling. Music blares from overhead speakers as a cinematic opening sequence begins to play. “There you are, Kusuo!” Dad looks up from behind the coffee table where he’d been fiddling with the game console. He adjusts the VR headset over his eyes. “It’s time to finally beat you at SUPER SM☆SH BUDS as payback for last time! HII-YAAAH!!” ... Oh. So it’s just another game. “That’s right!” Kuusuke claps his hands together, blissfully ignoring the heat of Kusuo’s baleful glare. “I heard about your horse-racing bet from Akechi-kun and found this as the best way to even the odds for other types of games.” “The idea came to me while peeing in the shower; to find ways you could play and not get bored easily, Kusuo-kun,” Akechi adds in unnecessary detail. “But I didn’t think Kuusuke-san could actually pull it off.” “Here, Kusuo,” Dad says, waving his controller. “Come choose your character—” But Kusuo’s already teleporting away, fleeing the wretched upheaval within his own home to hide at Cafe Mami for the rest of the day. _______ iv. Akechi corners him after school three weeks later. Kusuo is surprised and unsurprised all at once; he had worn the germanium ring to class, after all, in a bid to avoid spoilers for the direct-to-streaming release movie adaptation of a book he’d been fond of. It’s easy to ignore everyone’s spoilery chatter when it isn’t droning directly into his mind—he’d kept his fingers stuck into  his ears each time class ended, oblivious to the strange looks thrown his way, and had even hidden away in the restroom cubicle during breaks, successfully avoiding any interaction with the usual human nuisances. Until now, that is. “Let’s walk home together, Kusuo-kun!” Akechi calls, jogging after him. I’m suddenly deaf and sound has eluded me, Kusuo deadpans as he breaks into a sprint, determined to leave before Akechi starts blabbing spoilers. “I noticed you weren’t quite yourself today,” Akechi continues, catching up with him.  “And I thought it might have something to do with the ring on your left index finger that you’ve fondled precisely seventeen times throughout the day.” What an awful way to describe it. I didn’t fondle anything. “Perhaps the material of that ring works in the same manner as the telepathy canceller—which would explain why you seemed uncharacteristically skittish today since you’re pretty bad at discerning people’s intentions without your telepathy.” What are you? A psychic? But Akechi only persists. “I realized later that you’d always leave whenever anyone started talking about that new movie on Netfl*x—” Can’t hear now, Kusuo slaps his hands over his ears. Gone horribly deaf. “And I figured it must be that you haven’t watched it yet for some reason, like maybe your home internet is down because your father forgot to pay the bills for three whole months and so it got cut—” How did you even..? Kusuo grimaces. N-nope, not listening! 100% deaf! “I know you don’t have a mobile phone to watch it on either,” Akechi continues. “So, that’s why I wanted to invite you to my house today, to watch it together. Oh, don’t worry, I know absolutely nothing about the movie. In fact, I’d only heard Kaidou-kun screaming out the title just ten minutes ago.” Kusuo pauses then, glancing back at Akechi in hesitance. Akechi only meets his wary gaze with a knowing smirk, and says, “We also have strawberry shortcake in the fridge.” _______ v. I don’t suppose there’s a good reason this time either, Kusuo sighs wearily, closing his book. Still, there’s a glimmer in his eyes; he knows Akechi had come bearing gifts—a selection of coffee jellies topped with cherries and chocolate drizzle. “I’ve made a habit of crashing your place unannounced, haven’t I?” Akechi offers a contrite grin, watching as Kusuo helps himself to a spoonful of jelly. “I do apologize, but whenever I get restless, I find myself wandering here by instinct. Admittedly, I was worried about being a bother, but your mother is always so welcoming at the door despite that dreary, constipated look in your eyes—” You are being a bother. Like a persistent mosquito that thinks it's summer all year round, Kusuo grouses with his Most Annoyed Expression, knowing how ineffectual his Feigning Ignorance Face had become over time. Also, have you graduated from pee references to shitty jokes now? Disgusting. But Akechi takes it all in stride, undeterred by Kusuo’s ugly grimace and acerbic jibes. “—Plus, it’d be considered extremely rude if I didn’t come in after that, and I certainly do not want you to think of me as rude. You’re a friend I hold in high regard, after all. I always have, ever since I found out it was you who saved me from the bullies back then.” The earnestness in Akechi’s words stumps him, if only a little. And though Kusuo is careful to keep his surprise from showing, there’s a part deep down in his not-so-granite heart that feels a touch of warmth at the sentiment. Akechi’s already placing the Scrabble board on the floor, so he misses the ghost of a smile that crosses Kusuo’s lips. Did Akechi honestly think he could beat a psychic at Scrabble too? How naive. “You’re probably thinking how naive I must be, believing I could beat you at a board game with your powers and all,” Akechi notes cheerfully, almost as if he’s a mind-reader himself. Kusuo frowns, slightly disgruntled by the fourth-wall breaking once more and wishes they would give it a rest for once. Overusing a trope gets really tiring, you know? Still, he smiles again as he takes a seat across from Akechi—who is now shuffling the Scrabble chips while nattering away about the history of board games and how the loser would have to give up his share of coffee jelly (as if Kusuo would allow it to come to that again). Two Sunday visits per month only, Kusuo says, lifting several chips into the air with a wave of his hand. If you beat me... I’ll allow it. Akechi’s eyes widen, before he breaks into a playful grin. “Very well, then. May the best man win.” Kusuo only lets out a soft laugh. Perhaps it’s not too late to pick up where they had left off in grade school. —End—

[nockfellblues]

I don't know if you do these kinds of asks but how about reader pulling a hunger games type moment and confronting Larry before he kills himself saying if you go I do too I won't let someone I love die alone type thing.

All aboard the angst train ♥  written as a mini fic! TW for attempted suicide! Reader is gender neutral.

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and get the help you deserve. Call 1-800-273-8255. If you are like me and are afraid to call, there are also live online chat options as well, located HERE! 

You’d known for awhile something was... off with Larry. Ever since Sal had officially moved in with Todd and Neil, Larry had been stadoff-ish on a good day, and on bad days would seclude himself in the tree house, Sanity’s Fall blasting from that tiny stereo so loud you could hear it from your shared basement apartment. To say you were worried about his behavior was an understatement. Especially after you’d begun to notice the pattern of near constant headaches, the fact that he was always saying it was too loud in the apartment, the occasional mutter of, “shut up,” to an empty room when he though you weren’t close enough to hear, and the quickly worsening whip of anger he’d been developing… You were walking on eggshells at any given moment.

Finally, it all hit a breaking point. 

You had been helping Larry pack up the remainder of his non-essentials, getting them ready to go over to his new room at Todd’s. It had been a process to pack a lot of his stuff up- it was a whole lifetime to sort through; countless weird knick knacks to decide to keep or not, finding old drawings and sketchbooks from his childhood, finding a random little thing that had been lost years ago tucked away in a dusty corner someplace… 

To be honest, it had been more reminiscing about his childhood and the memories about each of the items you both went through than it was actually packing. But it was fun, and the wistful smile he wore as he told you stories of his mother, his missing father and his years of shenanigans with Sal and Todd made every wasted second well worth it. 

When you unearthed a little silver puzzle box, you expected a fun story and for him to add it into the donation box for the local second hand shop for some needy kid to enjoy it later. But the simple question of, “Trash or stash?” quickly devolved into an argument about how much you didn’t care about his sentimentality or that it was an important object to him- and it just got worse from there- until you gave up, tossed up your hands, and stated you were gonna bring the box you’d finished earlier over to Todd’s while he cooled off, and walked out.

When you’d gotten there, the first thing you did was tell Sal what was up, hoping maybe he’d have some kind of wise words or what you could have done to set Larry off in the first place. Sally, ever the sweetheart, pulled you into a gentle hug, reassuring you that Larry was probably just having a rough patch and that he would talk to him and see if Larry might open up about it. 

Taking Todd up on an offer to stay the night, you threw on a movie and made yourself comfortable on the couch, falling into a dreamless sleep. 

Neil woke you the next morning with a killer cup of coffee and a poor mans breakfast of sugar coated pop tarts. Sally had come around not long after, letting you know Larry had texted him, and they’d be headed to the apartments for some, “Ghost hunting.” He seemed kind of tense but reassured you that he’d talk to Larry today, before he met up with Ash. Of course, you’d thanked him, and settled into Larry’s soon-to-be room to start sorting out some of the easier boxes.

—–

You woke up later, sprawled on the couch, to the sound of Todd rummaging in the kitchen. Yawning, you stretched and made your way out to greet him, smoothing out your bead-head. 

“Hey Todd, how as class?” You asked, grabbing a seat at the kitchen table. 

Todd shrugged, idly stirring an instant noodle cup, “No complaints. How’s Larry’s room coming along? Sal said you were unpacking this morning.”

“Well, I made it through the clothes and some oddball boxes… Did Sally mention anything about Larry by chance?”

Todd shook his head, “No, but he left with Ash almost as soon as he was back, so we didn’t have much time to chat. Knowing Sal, things should be smoothed over. He’s always been able to mellow Larry out like that.” 

With that, you decided to head back and see if Larry was feeling any better after some Sally time. It was getting dark, and the thick clouds looming overhead finally opened into a sweeping downpour just after you had left Todd’s. You stopped under a thicket of trees just off the road, hoping the rain would lessen, when your cell phone went off. 

Larry: [Name] im rly sry. i nvr meant that shit i said.

[Name]: Dude its all good i know youre stressed lately. Im heading back now.

Larry: stay at todds. and just dont blame urself ok? its my time to go.

[Name]: Larry wtf are you talking about? youre scaring me?

Without waiting for a reply you took off towards the apartments at a breakneck run. Bypassing the front door, you ran around the backside of the building to use the back entrance, when you noticed a light on in the old tree house- Then your gaze trailed down to the baggy with a neatly folded paper pinned to the lower steps on the tree.

You felt your blood run cold. He wouldn’t- no. 

“Larry!” You scrambled up the rickety planks, ignoring the note, and all but threw yourself onto the tree house floor. “Larry, don’t!” 

Tucked against the wall of the tree house, just under the little window, sat Larry, an old camping lantern lit in the corner beside him. His eyes were puffy and his hair disheveled, evidence that he’d been crying before. Tears welled in your own eyes as you took in his distraught expression and the bottle of whiskey in his hands. 

“[Name]..?” He whispered your name, and the way his voice cracked brought you to instant tears, and you all but launched yourself at him, pulling him into a desperate embrace. 

“Larry Johnson, you fucking asshole! Don’t you dare- don’t you dare take a sip from that bottle-”

“[Name]-” you cut him off, taking his face into your hands and forcing him to look at you. The circles under his eyes were so deep, and the absolute emptiness in them broke your heart.

“No! You listen here, you fucking string bean- you don’t get to do this. You can’t just… just push me away and expect me not to worry. You can’t just text… text me something like that and not expect me to come running to- to fucking keep you from being stupid! What the fuck am I supposed to do without you?!” You were openly sobbing now, practically screaming at the boy who all but held your entire world in his hands. “You’re all I have! You can’t just-just leave me behind and expect me to move on- who am I without my other half, Larry? Who am I?!” 

He scrunched his eyes closed, tears streaming down his cheeks again, as he shook his head.

“If you fucking kill yourself, I’m going with you. And you can’t stop me.” You knew it was a dirty trick to play, guilting him like this when his soul was this ravaged and he was so vulnerable- but you were being honest. What would you do without him in your life? What about Sal? God, what about poor Lisa? He was so dear to you all, so loved, and he was ready and willing just throw it all away-

“[Name], I-I can’t take it anymore- I just- the cult shit, that demon, the ghosts! The fucking whispers-  they’re dri-driving me insane! I‘m not like you or Sal- I can’t handle this shit anymore!” He finally breaks down into heaving sobs at that, burying his face into your shoulder, and dropping the bottle in favor of a bone-crushing embrace that you readily return.

You kick the bottle away from Larry, as far as you can get it, and quietly thank whoever will listen when the cap pops the rest of the way off, spilling the amber liquid and the mostly dissolved remnants of pills onto the tree house floor.

“…Why didn’t you just tell me? Or even Sal. Someone. You know we’d do anything for you, Larry, absolutely anything.” He didn’t reply, just shook his head and pulled you closer. What the fuck was was this place doing to him? You had to get him out- get him away- Larry’s phone vibrated from the other side of the tree house, but you elected to ignore it, praying whoever was calling was also smart enough to find you both before things got any worse.

He sniffled, hiccuping into you shoulder, “I’m so sorry, [name]. I didn’t mean anything that I said the other day- or anything I said in those other arguments. I just- This- this place is.. I think I’m going crazy-”

You shushed him, smoothing a hand down his hair and he devolved into body-wracking sobs that shook you both with the sheer force of them. Your soul ached for the boy you had known almost all your life- the boy you grew up with, shared secrets with, made countless memories with, and loved with all your heart. 

Why didn’t you see this coming sooner? “I know, Larry, I know. This place- there’s something still wrong with Addison apartments and we’re gonna get you out of here, forever. I promise.” 

“I-I’m so, so sorry, [name]. Please... Please don’t leave me.”

The rain continued to pour in violent sheets outside, but you distinctly heard the frantic voice of Sal, calling Larry’s name, as he ran towards the tree house. You had never felt such absolute relief in your life, even with Larry clinging to you like a lifeline, and the stain of his near-death slowly seeping into the floor of the tree house just behind you.

 “I’m not going anywhere, Larry. I’m with you, always, no matter what happens.”

—fin—

WHEW. I tried to make it so you could read their relationship as either romantic or platonic, and tried to stay as neutral as possible in gender as well! I hope this is alright, and I hope you like it! I’ve actually never seen the Hunger Games so I kinda went my own way ♥

I’d also like to use this space as a PSA:I’ve struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts and tendencies my whole life- don’t let your depression convince you that you are trapped or alone or unloveable. I know its hard, and there’s no easy fix for it, but there are things in life that make it worth sticking around. Even if its something as silly as looking forward to a new game or story or waiting for a flower you planted to bloom, there are reasons to keep living. Please be kind to yourself and remember, even if we’ve never spoken or interacted or existed in the same space, I know that you are worthy of being loved and cared for and you are not alone. 

If ever you feel like you are truly alone in this world, please reach out- there will always be people out here willing to lend a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, and a friend to those who feel lost ♥ I know i will always be open to anyone out there in need of a friend so, please, never be afraid to reach out!

[noretreatnancy]

January Reading Wrap-Up

Okay so I want to start typing up a little summary/review for each of the books I read this year, so that maybe some of my followers can find some new titles! This month I read 5 romances, 2 fantasies, 2 non-fiction (a memoir and a recounting of some supposedly true paranormal events), and 1 mystery/thriller. If you’re interested in any of those genres, maybe check out the reviews under the cut :)

Mystery/Thriller

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Rating: 2.5/5

This book was a mega disappointment for me. The concept was really intriguing. Jules has just recently been through some life turmoil, losing her job, boyfriend, and home in the same day. She takes a job apartment sitting in a very prestigious historical building with a dark history. Weird occurrences ensue, including strict rules and missing apartment sitters. If you don’t read/watch a lot of mystery/thriller/(even true crime) content and are interested in dabbling, this could be a good choice for you. Unfortunately, I found the hints started dropping a little too early, and the answers were a little too obvious for me to be properly intrigued. I wanted a really slow burn mystery, and this just felt overly rushed for me. 

Non-Fic

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (memoir)

Rating: 5/5

I don’t usually rate non-fiction, especially memoirs, because it’s hard for me to but a grade on someone’s account of their own life. But holy shit this book blew me out of the water. This is the story of Carmen Maria Machado’s abusive same-sex relationship, and the unique struggles faced by victims of f/f relationship violence. First of all, Machado’s writing is unparralled. Absolutely gorgeous. The way she structures this, all the history and pop culture she ties in keeps it feeling fresh and engaging. The content is of course very heavy, dealing with themes of abuse in many different forms. However, imo these issues are handled with honesty and grace, in a way that never felt gratuitous. 

The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel (paranormal account)

Rating: N/A

Uhm... I hated every second of reading this. I love Mothman. I love reading/watching/listening to content around weird/spooky/paranormal occurrences. I did not love this book. It was so boring. Total slog to read. There was no narrative structure/order of events. I assumed the story would track the beginning of weird reports in Point Pleasant, then follow Keel’s own arrival and investigation of these reports, with his own experiences and background being used to create a coherent story. That’s not what this is. This is a random arrangement of ufo/men in black/strange encounter stories that all fit a similar theme. Not to say no one would enjoy this, or that it doesn’t present interesting theories (it certainly does), just didn’t work for me. If you want a more easily digestible (and by FAR more enjoyable) version of this, check out the Astonishing Legends podcast and their episodes covering this book. 

Fantasy

Black Sun (Book 1, Between Earth and Sky) by Rebecca Roanhorse

Ratung: 4/5

Finally some good fucking food. if you’re looking for some adult fantasy with a new and interesting world, have I got a book for you. This is a multiple POV story following four main characters and two main plotlines. Xiala, a Teek (siren-esque) ship captain hired to transport Serapio (who may or may not be the vessel of an apocalypse god) to the city of Tova, where Naranpa (the Sun Priestess) is trying to navigate a city on the brink of political upheaval. The world is inspired by Pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas, and the lore/magic/politics are all totally unlike any other fantasy I’ve read. 

Come Tumbling Down (Book 5, Wayward Children) by Seanan McGuire

Rating: 3

This was definitely a solid addition to this series, if not my favorite. The Wayward Children series follows the adventures of children who were able to enter magical worlds, but for a variety of reasons had to leave those worlds. This book most closely aligns with books one and two, almost feeling like a direct sequel to book two with the addition of characters from book three. It didn’t have the emotional impact for me that earlier books did, but there was nothing glaringly bad or wrong here. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoyed portal/doorway/wardrobe to a magical world stories as a kid. 

Romance

The Bride Test (Book 2, The Kiss Quotient) by Helen Hoang

Rating: 5/5

I love this series. I love these characters. As far as I’m concerned, Helen Hoang cannot fucking miss. This is an excellent sequel to The Kiss Quotient, but can be read on it’s own no problem. This story follows Esme, a Vietnamese woman who is enlisted to travel to the US to woo and marry Khai, an autistic man who isn’t interested in dating (much to the concern of his mother). They’re both dealing with their own issues in this book. Khai is convinced that he can’t feel love, because he’s spent his entire life being told he’s demonstrating it in the wrong way. Esme is dealing with the struggles of a new immigrant, who wants to be able to support her family back in Vietnam (including her young daughter), while also dealing with the pressure to seduce Khai. Shenanigans ensue. These books have the perfect balance of sweetness/sexy appeal/angst. There is a good deal of miscommunication/misunderstanding/secret keeping in here, but it’d ultimately a minor issue in an overall really supportive relationship full of mutual admiration. I will absolutely be reading the third book, and I highly recommend the series overall. 

She Tempts the Duke (Book 1, Lost Lords of Pembrook) by Lorraine Heath

Rating: 3/5

This was fine. I’ve read better historical romance, but I have certainly read worse. This book follows Mary and Sebastian, childhood friends separated by a tragedy. When they were children, Sebastian and his brothers were forced to flee for their lives based on the actions of their power hungry uncle. Now, as adults, they have returned to reclaim their father’s title. Mary, who helped them escape, has just been allowed back into society after a childhood in a convent, and she must work extra hard to maintain her reputation in order to maintain her engagement. I’m sure you can imagine where it goes from there. The story itself is very simple, there were no twists or unexpected turns. The childhood friends aspect could’ve been played up more imo, but I did enjoy the care between the two leads. They really want what’s best for each other. The most interesting aspect for me was the relationship between the brothers, and how they’ve all been changed and hardened by their pasts.

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Rating: 3.5/5

This was cute! The book follows Marcus (a major actor in a GOT-esque blockbuster fantasy TV show on the rocks) and April (fan of the show). April and Marcus both write fanfiction for the same ship (half of which is Marcus’s own character), and have developed a strong online friendship, both keeping their identities secret. If anyone were to find out that Marcus writes show critical fanfic, he would be in serious legal trouble, not to mention what it would do to his reputation. April has been keeping her fandom life separate from her real life, in order to maintain credibility in her career. However, a new work environment gives her the confidence to be more open about her passions. April posts a cosplay of herself as one of the characters from the show (the other half of their ship). April is plus-size, and her cosplay gets a lot of attention, some of which being internet typical negativity. Marcus sees this hate online, and is so upset by it that he publicly praises her and asks her on a date (not knowing April is his fanfic buddy). Shenanigans ensue. I liked this book a lot, I thought the concept was cute and I loved how sweet Marcus was at all times. The relationship felt really grounded in the friendship/common interests of the characters. There is a lot of misunderstanding/miscommunication in this book, to the point where I did become frustrated, even if it is understandable based on the insecurities of the characters. 

Take A Hint, Dani Brown (Book 2, The Brown Sisters) by Talia Hibbert

Rating: 4/5

Zaf I am in love with you. This is the second book in the series but you can totally read it on its own without the context of the first book. This is the story of Dani (a bi phd student with a no relationship rule) and Zaf (an ex-pro rugby player turned security guard who loves romance novels and deals with extreme anxiety). Zaf and Dani work in the same building on a college campus, and have developed a casual friendship. During a fire drill gone wrong, a video of Zaf rescuing Dani goes viral, with everyone thinking they are a couple. Zaf wants to use the publicity to help his charity organization (helping teen boys learn emotional maturity), Dani wants a no-strings sex arrangement with Zaf, fake-dating ensues. This series is the blueprint for healthy relationships built on mutual respect and admiration, with two characters learning to deal with their own issues with the help and support of their potential romantic partner. If you don’t usually read romance bc of the genre-typical problematic content, consider checking this series out. 

One Foot in the Grave (Book 2, Night Huntress) by Jeaniene Frost

Rating: 3/5

This series follows Cat, a half human/half vampire hybrid who hunts vampires. In this book, set four years after the first, she is the leader of a vampire hunting secret government kill squad. Her ex-lover, the vampire Bones, who trained her and is basically the love of her life, reappears after four years of separation. They are very, very obviously Buffy and Spike (if Spike was a good guy). It was better than the first one. More/better humor, Cat is much less annoying. I liked the relationship dynamics, particularly with Cat and her team. It really kind of negates the big conflict set up at the end of the first book, so that all the relationship drama there feels very pointless. There is a TON of woman/woman hate in this series and it’s so cringey. I try to be lenient bc the books are old and I know that kind of attitude was common back then, but oh my god is it gross and weird. There is literally ONE female character Cat views in a positive lights, and she literally disappears into thin air 1/4 of the through the book. I wish the romance wasn’t so rushed (a complaint I had in the first book as well). If you like paranormal romance and don’t mind a pretty dated read, this series could be fun for you. 

Other

Rooms by Lauren Oliver

Rating: 3/5

I have no idea what genre to call this (literary fiction?? kind of??). It’s a ghost story and the story of a pretty messed up family dealing with their issues. The writing is really pretty, but the story feels kind of without substance. Like there are multiple POVs (the two ghosts haunting the house, the mother of the family, the sister and the brother, the niece), but none of them really struck any cords with me. I never felt emotionally connected to anyone. It was a really easy read, I enjoyed the writing. The concept was interesting. It just felt a little hollow and pointless to me, which sounds really harsh considering I by no means hated it. 

[syrupwit]

Letter for Chocolate Box 2019

-

Hello, and welcome to my letter for Chocolate Box 2019! I hope this letter will give you a better picture of my likes and dislikes, and maybe a bit of inspiration. Thank you very much for considering writing for me!

For this exchange, I've requested fic only for the following fandoms:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV) Dishonored Outlast Pyre Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena

GENERAL

Likes: Humor; slice of life; character studies; fridge horror; normal horror; hijinks and shenanigans; action/adventure; angst; pining; missing moments; identity porn; porn with feelings; "Crouching Fool, Hidden Badass" trope; stuff where a character who is socially awkward or disrespected in one context is defended by their friends or team from another; canon-divergent AUs; fun/weird alternate setting AUs (superheroes, supernatural circus performers, cyborg werewolf biker gang, etc.); intense relationships between women, romantic or platonic.

DNW: Major character death, bestiality, or gratuitous gore/violence. Onscreen rape/non-con, suicide, cannibalism, or harm to animals (offscreen is fine). Unrequested identity headcanons.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (TV)

Buffy was one of my first fandoms and still holds a special place in my heart. I love the mix of comedy, action, and occasional darkness, as well as the intersection of real life and supernatural obstacles. I also enjoy the glimpses we got of alternate universes like the Wishverse.

Note: No comics canon, please.

Faith Lehane/Tara Maclay

I feel like Faith and Tara would have fiery, potentially explosive chemistry in a relationship context. I also just think they’re hot and would be hot together. Tara is dependable, nurturing, and stable, but not super interested in taking anyone’s bullshit; Faith is uniquely charismatic and vulnerable and attractive, but her lies and bravado are easy to see through if you have the right set of goggles on. They could have a lot of interesting tension and also a lot of fun.

Please feel free to AU it up for these two, canon-divergent or otherwise.

Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg

When first I viewed the series, I wasn’t sold on this pairing. Now, revisiting, I am. The darker aspects of the ship intrigue me, but so do the sweet and fluffy parts. Their love for each other can be destructive and obsessive, but also solid, life-affirming, and redemptive.

Prompt: AU -- Wishverse.

Prompt: Tara is resurrected post-Chosen -- now what?

Prompt: Tara moves away instead of dying, and she and Willow reunite at the crux of a crisis.

Prompt: Someone’s a werewolf. Maybe they all are.

DISHONORED

I’m super into Dishonored’s complex, vivid setting and characters, and the way it feels like anything could happen in Dunwall.

Billie Lurk | Meagan Foster & Vera Moray | Granny Rags

These two come from very different backgrounds, but both are drawn to the Void and live an underground life. I feel like Granny Rags could offer Billie a certain amount of knowledge and also serve as a warning. Or maybe just creep her out a bit.

Billie is familiar with Granny Rags, at least by reputation. Have they met at any point? Was there a strange encounter years ago in the slums? Does Billie run into Granny Rags while gathering information on a target? There’s a gap between the end of The Knife of Dunwall and Granny’s showdown with Slackjaw in the sewers -- provided Daud chooses to spare her, does Billie meet Granny on her way out?

Prompt: AU -- Granny Rags, not Daud, is the Marked person who takes Billie as her apprentice.

Billie Lurk | Meagan Foster/Jessamine Kaldwin

Okay, so, yeah -- this is a total crackship. I maintain that anything can happen in Dunwall. Fugue Feast? AU where Jessamine is kidnapped instead of assassinated? Random supernatural resurrection? Meeting in the Void as ghosts? I’d just like to see how these two interact.

Delilah Copperspoon/Lizzy Stride

This is sort of a crackship too, but not so much maybe, since they could potentially have met in canon several times.

Both characters are ambitious, independent, and charismatic or at least fairly charming; both lead formidable criminal enterprises. They both had shitty fathers. Lizzy seems to rely on bravado and zeal more than actual power sometimes, while Delilah is the real deal. I can see them getting pretty snarky with each other even if they’re working on a common goal.

Prompt: AU -- Delilah, not Daud, breaks Lizzy out of Coldridge Prison.

Prompt: AU -- Delilah captures and interrogates Lizzy before she attempts the painting ritual. Lizzy whump and eventual rescue are encouraged.

Prompt: Delilah is a prisoner aboard Lizzy’s boat.

Prompt: Post-resurrection but pre-DH2, Delilah pays Lizzy a visit.

Corvo Attano/Samuel Beechworth

Two words: loyalty kink. Even when Samuel believes Corvo’s a monster, he can’t bring himself to let him die.

I’d love a missing moment from canon or a future reunion for these two. Post-canon, Samuel might expect that low-chaos!Corvo is done with him and the Hound Pits and everything else, but he’s happily proven wrong. Or perhaps high-chaos!Corvo shows up bedraggled and horribly wounded and Samuel reluctantly takes care of him.

I’m also interested into exploring Samuel’s reaction to finding out that Corvo is Marked. He’s seen plenty of strange things at sea; how phased is he? How soon does he figure it out?

Something sweet and fluffy with an Emily cameo sounds lovely as well.

OUTLAST

This is likely my favorite horror game and in my top five games of all time. The atmosphere, the characters, the music... I love it. Please consider the DNW for gratuitous gore / violence lifted for this canon, as it kind of wouldn’t be what it is without that.

Father Martin Archimbaud & Richard Trager

Father Martin refers to Trager as “that secular lunatic”; Trager calls Father Martin “the bullshit priest.” What’s their history? They can’t have pulled this debate out of thin air in the twelve or so hours following Billy Hope’s lateral ascension when they were both alive.

Father Martin Archimbaud & The Twins

For a pair of knife-wielding naked cannibals, the Twins appear to hold Father Martin in unusually high esteem. What was their past in the asylum?

Miles Upshur/The Walrider

He’s an intrepid freelance reporter having the worst night of his life. It’s a swarm of nanobots that wants to turn his body into a factory. Does their relationship move from the initial shock of nonconsensual possession towards something lighter (a la Eddie Brock and Venom), or is it dark the whole way through?

Richard Trager/Miles Upshur

Trager canonically cuts off two of Miles’ fingers. Miles canonically finds Trager’s death hilarious. I shipped it last year, and I ship it still.

Please feel free to go as AU as you’d like for this.

PYRE

This game is fantastic. I enjoy pretty much everything about it, but what won my heart were the character interactions. Well, and the lore. And the music. And the thing where you can bump into other teams’ flying wagons -- I digress.

Big Bertrude & Volfred Sandalwood

I appreciate the warm friendship between these two. I love Bertrude’s kindness beneath her gruff exterior, her tricky sense of humor, and the fact that she seems unperturbed by life in the Downside or might even prefer it. (I also just love witches. The game had me at “bog-crone.”) Volfred has done much to deserve not only the loyalty of his allies, but their devotion. I’d like to know more about this pair’s shared past and potential future, and just to see them interacting more as well.

Rukey Greentail & Hedwyn & Jodariel

The original trio! Tell me more about how they teamed up, how they got along at first, adjusting to life on the Downside together or dealing with unusual problems, discussing their pasts, stargazing, their reactions to finding out about the Rites, future adventures above or below the surface... I like the idea of them all meeting up in a pub in the newly formed Union to share stories and rib each other about the old days.

Jodariel & Pamitha Theyn | Jodariel/Pamitha Theyn

So. Much. Tension. And for good reason! These two are near polar opposites so I’m always interested in seeing them find common ground, whether as friends or more. 

What exactly did Pamitha say to Jodariel to get her to agree to work with her?

In a playthrough where Jodariel ascended before they had their big conciliation, how does their relationship change when Pamitha ascends and joins the revolution?

Prompt: Slowly developing camaraderie in the Downside.

Prompt: Jodariel and Pamitha run into one of the harps Jodariel spared all those years ago.

I’d absolutely love something tropey for these two -- undercover as a couple,  Jodariel having to pretend that Pamitha seduced her over to another side for some scheme or whatever, undercover as guard and prisoner, huddling for warmth / wilderness survival.

The Nightwings & The Reader

The Reader’s temperament can be as variable as that of the player.

What do the Nightwings think of the Reader? How do they remember them? If the Reader makes the big spoilery choice at the end of the game and reaches a certain goal, how do their teammates think of them?

Prompt: The former Nightwings gather to swap memories of the Reader.

The Nightwings & Vagabond Girl

_ae is one of my favorite characters, and her backstory is heartbreaking. In contrast, her acceptance by the Nightwings and the flowering of her relationships with them, particularly Jodariel and Ti’Zo, is heartwarming. I’d love to see some domestic scenes of them just getting along, but something slightly darker or even fraught with peril is great too.

Prompt: The Vagabond Girl returns to her former home or is recognized by someone she used to know. They’re rude to her. The Nightwings spring to her defense.

Prompt: Ti’Zo and the Vagabond Girl rescue someone or several someones from behind enemy lines... by themselves!! 

Prompt: Jodariel teaches the Vagabond Girl how to braid her hair, or do laundry, or fix a broken wheel, or overpower somebody who’s got her in a chokehold, or sing old songs Jodariel knew as a child.

Prompt: Bertrude enlists the Vagabond Girl in her latest effort to thwart Udmildhe.

Prompt: Pamitha, Rukey, and the Vagabond Girl get tipsy and decide to steal another blackwagon’s lantern.

SHOUJO KAKUMEI UTENA | REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA

I love this anime dearly -- boxing kangaroos, Dorito faces, and all. As fanfiction goes, I’m fonder of works that adopt a surreal or fantastic tone.

Arisugawa Juri & Kaoru Miki & Kiryuu Nanami

I’m quite fond of the unlikely friendship between these three and the quiet but nonetheless symbolism-laden moments they share together. They all have a metric shit-ton of issues, but I don’t think any of them exacerbate those issues in each other. A missing moment from canon would be lovely to read about, but so would an exploration of something a bit less canon -- banding together against a zombie apocalypse, for example, or piloting a spacecraft, or playing a battle of the bands. Maybe the Student Council is required by contract to take some sort of retreat or perform a weird bureaucratic ritual. Maybe there is a fad for self-propelling bicycles on campus and it gets out of hand and they have to deal with that. Maybe they just have a nice picnic and enjoy themselves. There are many options.

Kiryuu Nanami & Kiryuu Touga

Hoooo boy, now this is a messed up sibling relationship! I’d enjoy seeing them reconcile or undergo some kind of trial together. Alternately, an exploration of their dynamic before or during canon would not go amiss. Post-canon, though, how do Nanami and Touga understand each other? I’d prefer that neither character takes the path of villainy.

Funny and tropey stuff is highly encouraged, as is Touga finding a real way to apologize to Nanami for the Akiomobile stuff.

Himemiya Anthy/Ohtori Kanae 

Now this is a messed up non-sibling relationship. How did Kanae fall into Anthy and Akio’s orbit? Why and how much does Anthy hate her? What is their relationship before and after canon?

Two years ago, I received an absolutely gorgeous piece of fanart based on this post. The image seems to have been deleted from AO3, but trust me, it was lovely. I would definitely be interested in more regarding this headcanon of Kanae having been a previous dueling champion who chose Akio over Anthy.

Himemiya Anthy/Tenjou Utena

My OTP!!! Aiii, I’d be happy with almost anything for these two, provided that they actually see each other in person if it’s post-canon.

Prompt: Anthy arranges for Utena to fight a dragon.

Prompt: Utena or Anthy is briefly turned into a bear. The other is the only one who recognizes her. Everyone else is on high alert for bear attacks. At some point a honeycomb trap is rigged?

Prompt: Wedding day jitters, last-minute problems, and ultimately joy.

Prompt: Utena tries to make Anthy’s birthday special. Keyword: tries.

Prompt: AU -- Utena is an enthusiastic but inept barista; Anthy is her favorite customer.

Prompt: AU -- SUPERHEROES. I’ve seen this suggested before, I believe by dreamwidth / ao3 user panny, and I LOVE IT. 

Prompt: AU -- Utena is sent to rescue a maiden from a terrible serpent, but when she arrives she finds Medusa!Anthy.

Prompt: Their first Christmas together.