#calling it graffiti might be a stretch but honestly what else could it be

[heyheydidjaknow]

I finished it, finally! Yee fucking haw! It’s not perfect, but I’m not feeling terrible about it, and the next one is going to be fun. Unless something happens, the next chapter should come up on Sunday as planned. Knowing me, it won’t, but I wanna hope. As always, the table of contents and the previous chapter is at the bottom, and a full list of the shit I’ve published is at the bottom of the table of contents. I’ll do a proper proofread tomorrow. Right now, Grammarly and Kami are carrying the team, so if there’s a mistake, take it up with them.

Chapter 14

“I trust you won’t be creepy.”

“I’m thankful.” Yoshi runs his thumb along the rim of his cup slowly. “You have little faith in me, as I understand it.”

You try not to be disrespectful. “Well, things in your life could’ve gone better, right?”

He seems to consider this for a moment. “I suppose so.” He takes a slow drink. “Mistakes from my youth have led to many hardships. Still, though the road has been a long and strenuous one, I would not want to change my past.”

Your untouched drink is cradled in your hands. “You don’t regret anything?”

“It is a foolish and maddening thing, longing for a life unobtainable to you.” He closes his eyes, your own scanning the walls for the photograph you know is in some nook or cranny. “Besides, if things hadn’t happened the way they did, I wouldn’t have my sons.”

You can understand, intellectually, he does not mean to be—and likely is not— as arrogant as you perceive him. Still, something about the way he sits, the way he speaks, even how he looks at you now makes you feel painfully inferior, as if you reacting the way you are makes you somehow beneath him in more than a literal sense.

You decide against arguing the point, eyes flickering from the shrine back to the man in front of you. “I guess that’s true.” You know you are not going to drink any of what he has offered until you have to. “And you’ve always thought like that?”

He nods. “It was what I was taught.”

Nodding, you look back down at your cup, a deafening stillness settling between you two. ‘He convinces me to come here,’ you grumble silently, ‘and all I get for it is a lecture and an awkward silence.’ You look back up at him, setting the clay vessel on the ground and pulling your knees to your chest. ‘I could be doing something else, like fixing my shirt or something.’

“Speaking of them,” he continues, “Donatello tells me you have been experiencing night terrors.”

‘Snitch. Did he tell me he told him?’ “You don’t?”

His eyebrows rise. “Sorry?”

“We have the same trauma,” you explain simply. “Both our families died in fires we caused. Think that counts.”

He does not even flinch. “I’ve never thought of it that way.” He smiles softly. You want to punch him in the face. “I suppose so, yes.”

“You seem pretty calm about it.”

He chuckles at your expression. “I’ve had fifteen years to come to terms with my loss,” he takes another drink. “And,” he jokes, “I was often simply too exhausted to have nightmares back when the wound was fresh; caring for four young boys is tiring, you understand.”

“Right.” You crisscross your legs in front of you. “Yeah, the makes sense.”

“Having said that,” he continues, voice lowering, “I can’t imagine going through what I did at your age.” He sighs. “If something like that happened to one of my boys at this age, I can’t honestly say how they would cope.”

‘Poorly. I’d guess they’d cope poorly.’

“I understand that you and I have differences in ideals and morals.”

“You could say that.” Your mouth stretches into a wry smile. “I honestly only started hangin’ with and helpin’ y’all as a way to make up for my manslaughter. With this exception, I live by the adage, ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys.’”

“As I said,” he covers his mouth to hide his amusement, “we differ in that respect. I take it that’s why, when Donatello explained the situation—” you break eye contact—“he was unable to explain in any sort of detail what they were about.”

“Not his circus not his monkeys. ‘Sides,” you shrug, “he was already being really caring and understanding, and I was already sobbing my eyes out, which I’m sure he already told you, so.”

You stare down at your tea. “Are you going to elaborate?”

“Not if I don’t have to, no.” Your face heats up.

“Do you want my help?”

‘I hate this,’ you squirm. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be here if Donnie hadn’t asked me to.”

“For someone who believes in leaving people to their own devices,” he notes, “you seem to value the requests of my son a great deal.”

Your knees are back up to your chest. “He’s important to me. He’s been there for me. It’s the least I can do.”

He takes a beat to gather his thoughts. You brace yourself for a lecture.

“You care for him, then.”

You nod once, treading carefully.

“Romantically?”

You still do not look at him directly, staring instead at the gorgeous screen door. “I dunno.” Your fingernails scratch at the surface. “I’m not exactly in my right mind, you understand.”

“I can’t say I do.” A pause as he takes another drink. “Then again, I’ve only felt for one woman all my life.”

“Look at that,” you try to joke. “Another difference between us.”

“Do you mind letting me in, then?”

“A little,” you admit, “but I will since there isn’t really a point to being here if I don’t.”

“That’s the spirit.” You can hear his smile.

You set the cup down again, glancing up at him before fiddling with the laces on your shoe. “People under stress and without anywhere else to turn tend to latch onto the first people they relate to,” you explain, practicing your knot tying with fumbling fingers; there is no harm in practicing your dexterity. “He was the first guy I met after I died, got kidnapped, and almost got killed by a giant vine creature. I like him,” you clarify quickly, “I really do, but it’s hardly fair to pursue that sort of relationship, especially considering everything going on with the Kraang and Shredder.” Your eyes go out of focus. “We get along great,” you mumble. “He’s sweet, kind, generous, and empathetic. He deserves to make sense of his feeling properly without me muddying things up with my possibly trauma-induced attachment.”

“So,” he clarifies, “it is not that you aren’t in love with him, but, instead, you’re worried for his sake?”

Your face goes scarlet as you choke on your saliva. “T-that’s a bit—uh—extreme, isn’t it?” You rub the back of your burning neck. “I’m not even sixteen, Yoshi. You don’t understand love properly at sixteen!”

“I fell for my wife at thirteen,” he smiles. “It’s certainly not impossible.”

“That’s—look,” you protest, “that is entirely besides the point. The point,” you state, “is that is completely irresponsible for me to pursue a relationship with your son. Frankly, I’m surprised you don’t agree.”

“He cares for you. You know that. Who am I to decide who he does and does not pursue, especially when that person makes him happy?” He reaches for a worn kettle sitting between you two on a table, pouring its contents back into his teacup—you remember Leo telling you that it is technically called a yunomi. “I find love typically does no harm so long as it does not consume you. Moderation is key.”

You look up at him. “So, you don’t have any reservations about it?”

He takes another drink. “I wouldn’t say that. He is my son, after all. In truth,” he admits, “I was more concerned that my sons would never experience what I did than anything. Given the circumstances of our existence, I’m sure you can understand my wish to give them a relatively normal, happy life.”

You sigh. “I guess, yeah.” You adjust your blanket again. ‘Seems counterintuitive, teaching them the art of murder, but I guess that’s his normal.’ “That’s just a generally good parenting thing though, right? I’d hope you’d want that even if you weren’t a giant rat and they weren’t anthropomorphic turtles.”  

A parent. He is talking to you like one might speak to their kid.

“I suppose so,” he nods. “It’s been difficult, but we’ve certainly come a long way over the years.”

The screeching of tires pierces the still air, the chattering of his four sons bouncing off the concrete walls.

You strain to hear what they are saying. “I never noticed that there was an echo in here. It’s less noticeable than in the tunnel.”

“That’s by design,” he explains. “I’ve made something of an effort to dampen it.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” You set the yunomi on the table. You sigh, holding your breath and downing your now gross, cool tea in three quick gulps. “I hate to cut this short,” you lie, wiping your mouth with your sleeve and tottering to your feet, “but I’ve gotta check to make sure everything went smoothly on their mission and adjust my timetable accordingly.”

He nods, deciding not to point your tell out. “I won’t keep you, then. Would you like to borrow my cane?”

This is not the first time he has offered. You, of course, refuse.

“Oh well. I thought I’d offer.” He sets his cup down, staying seated. “It has been pleasant talking with you, Y/N.”

“Likewise, Mr. Hamato.” You nod once in acknowledgment, hopping over to the door and slipping out into the hallway.

Your stomach churns at the stench coming from the lab—you can smell the gasoline. You lean against the wall, making a pointed effort not to eavesdrop and rapping your knuckles against the door. Their voices immediately lower to hisses and someone drags the door open.

“Hey,” Mikey beams. “We were just talking about you. Need somethin’?”

“Just is an over-exaggeration.” There is a considerable amount of protest as Donnie pulls him away from the door with an uncomfortable edge to his voice. “P-please, come in.”

A beaten DIY van sits pathetically on the subway track, looking not dissimilar to a burnt, crushed soda can from where you stand. The once hot pink graffiti has most certainly seen better days, and you squirm at the thought of the sound it must have made if you understand the situation properly. Raphael, who you glance at out of the corner of your eye, looks similarly beat up. Of course, you are not going to say anything because you value your life.

You whistle, smiling incredulously. “So,” you try not to laugh, “I take it you took on the cucaracha.”

“Made it my bitch is what I did,” boasts Raphael. “Shot it with a laser.”

“Cool, cool.” You chuckle at his excitement. “You take care of the egg?”

Is there a better sight than watching the light in someone’s soul die? You would hesitantly say no. “The what?”

“Right outside the building,” you elaborate. “On the side of the road. Looks like a horrifying imitation of an orbee?’

He takes a slow, deep breath, holds it, exhales. “I’ll be right back,” he says calmly, and sprints out of the lair.

Michelangelo laughs. “Were you being serious or are you messing with him?”

“Serious.” You readjust the blanket, trying to subtly figure out how to breathe without being assaulted by the mechanical smell. “I won’t joke about that sort of thing. It’s cruel.”

He hesitates. “… speaking of, are you alright? I didn’t get to ask before.”

The other two are quietly watching the interaction with an odd amount of intensity.

You shrug. “I guess. Probably.”

“Alright,” he nods. “Just lemme know if you need to talk, alright? Donnie’s no—ow!”

“Don’t talk bad about people in front of them,” Leonardo criticizes. “It’s rude.”

���You called him special, like, four hours ago!”

“The word of the day is hypocrisy.” Donatello puts his hand down.

“Hypocrisy’s right” You rub Mikey’s shell reassuringly. “To be fair, though, Leo could honestly probably just dodge it anyway.”

He leans into it. “I guess,” he grumbles, shooting a look at Donatello. “Favoritism.”

“It’s strategic favoritism,” the tallest brother corrects. “It’s to encourage parti pris.”

“Cronyism,” you tease, grinning. “You mean cronyism.”

“Hey, I’m plenty qualified!”.  

You stifle a giggle as his face reddens, looking back over at the battered vehicle, raising an eyebrow.

“That was a team effort.”

“Yeah, okay, Hamato.” You blow a strand out of your face. “How long do you think it’ll take to fix?”

“Half a week? Maybe a bit less.” He looks back at it ruefully. “The spy roach completely jacked it.”

“Clearly.” You remove your hand, Mikey seemingly thoroughly comforted. “Then mind if I borrow a needle and thread so I can fix my jacket? I have school tomorrow.”

“Do you have the dexterity for that?” Leo crosses his arms across his chest absentmindedly.

“If I can hold a pencil,” you reason, “I can do basic stitching. ‘Sides, it’s only gotta hold until I get home.”

“I didn’t know you sewed.”

“I don’t. That’s why I’m asking now.”

Donatello pipes up again. “I really don’t mind—”

“Dude,” you reason, “you have to fix a whole ass van. I’ll manage.”

He pulls his phone from his pocket. “It’s a quarter to twelve. You won’t finish before midnight.”

“Then sucks to be me.” You shrug. “I’ll fix it here and walk home.”

He looks at you with a surprising amount of incredulousness. “It’s New York City.”

“You go out at night all the time,” you protest.

“I can carry you—”

Immediate panic. “Nah, I’m good!” You try to sound confident. “I walk home all the time, remember?”

“Not at midnight.”

“What’s a couple hours difference?” You would rather get attacked or kidnapped than fly over buildings again.

“A hundred-twenty minutes,” he states. “You know that crime is statistically more likely to happen at night, right?”

“That tracks. What’s different?”

“Violent crime peaks at midnight.”

Mikey butts in. “Why can’t she just go in the blanket? It covers enough.”

Donatello rolls his eyes. “Mikey,” he sighs, “she’s a teenage girl walking around with her torso covered by a single conspicuous quilt. Let’s use our heads here.”

It takes him a minute. “So you’re worried about her getting, like, attacked?”

“… were you paying attention to any of the conversation? Or the lesson we just learned?”

“Dude,” he protests, “when do I ever?”

“What, you mean the one where y’all learned to face your fears or the one where talking about people in front of them is rude?”

The bitter edge to your words is not lost on him. “Look,” he reasons with you, “I-I’m not saying you’re incapable of taking care of yourself—”

“You are, but that’s not the point.”

“Shut up, Mikey.” You are surprised he did not punch him, though, admittedly, you can hardly argue the point. “What I mean is that if you put yourself in harm’s way, you’re going to get hurt.” He nods at Leo. “He’s a really experienced fighter and even he gets overwhelmed if he goes out of his way to do something reckless and dangerous like Karai.” He spits out her name like it is poisonous.

“Since when have you had a thing against Karai?”

The eldest brother sighs. “I’m never living that down, am I?”

“Unimportant, and nope. Point is,” he continues, fingers twitching at his sides, “it doesn’t make sense to tempt fate.”

You open your mouth to argue. You close it again. He has an extremely valid point all things considered, especially considering everything that has been happening, and although you are completely certain about your stance on him carrying you home, you would be lying if you said the idea of stumbling home without your walker or shirt sounds very appealing.

“Then what exactly are you suggesting?”

He looks off. “I’m suggesting she stays the night, Leo.”

Mikey blinks. “What, in your room or on the couch?”

“It would be up to her.”

That works for you. “Your home. You pick. Where do you keep your sewing supplies?” You slip out of the circle the four of you have formed.

“On top of the bookshelf,” he points. “Behind the cardboard box.”

You nod, hopping over.

Mikey offers his two cents. “It makes more sense for you two to share a room. It’s kinda cold in the front room, and you guys’ll probably end up going to bed at around the same time anyways. She also has your blanket.”

You stand on your toes, fingertips brushing against a plastic container.

“That’s a fair point.” You catch it before it cracks open on the ground. “Training starts pretty early, so she should have time to grab her things before school.”

“See? Foolproof plan.”

“Would Master Splinter approve?”

“Leo,” you call over your shoulder, “he’s slept over at my house twice already. I really doubt he cares.”

“But we don’t know.”

“Then you can go ask him.” You turn around. “Where’s the jacket?”

“In the cardboard box.” Donnie starts towards the train wreck on the tracks.

You pull it down, taking your shirt and jacket and sitting down, crossing your bad leg under the one you can use, despite the nausea. ‘Exposure therapy.’ “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

You feel a tap on your shoulder. You glance up at Mikey, who crouches down next to you as Leo waves to his brothers and leaves. “You need anything?”

He shakes his head. “Just wanted to hang out with you is all,” he shrugs. “You didn’t go after Donnie.”

“I didn’t,” you nod in agreement.

“Why?”

“Because car.” You unlatch the box, carefully digging around inside for some pins. “That, and the smell is bad enough from over here.”

He crosses his legs in front of him. “That’s fair.” He taps his foot absentmindedly. “You think he knows?”

“I thought I made it pretty damn clear,” you shrug, “but it’s Donnie, so I wouldn’t bet on it.”

He grins at that. “Then do you wanna hang out while you work on that out front? He isn’t exactly talkative when he gets in the zone.”

You shake your head. “If I do, I won’t get much done,” you admit. You unwind a long portion of the thread, snapping it apart. “Besides, the only way to get over a fear is to face it head-on.”

“Alright.” He hops to his feet. “Thought I’d ask. Have fun.”

”Bet,” you mumble through a bit tongue, shaky fingers making threading the needle almost impossible. “You too.”

“See ya.” He waves, running out of the lab.

You let out a breath, picking a piece of loose wire off of a table and creating a poor imitation of a threader. While you genuinely enjoy talking with Michelangelo, you have some things to think over.

Clumsy fingers start on a running stitch. If your timetable still holds true—which, surprisingly enough, it has thus far—the episode after next’s plot will take place in about three weeks. Your cast is coming off in two. You do not know where and when The Kraang are coming through their portal, or if there is any way for you guys to know, but seeing as you are skipping the episode where the turtles get stuck in a labyrinth under the assumption that, without Baxter being bullied by the Shredder and his goons, he has no reason to construct it, you would tentatively estimate the next episode will happen in about a week. You are still fairly sure that Stockman will not get involved with the Shredder without his input until Oroku finally opens his eyes to the dangers and powers of the Kraang, which should happen around the same time as the next episode.

Your eyes glaze over as you get into the groove of it. ‘The next episode is also when the guys get on Karai’s shit list because they betray her, and, if that happens, the episode where the Shredder starts getting involved with the Kraang and comes to appreciate their resources." You prick your finger. ‘It wouldn’t be long after that before Saki gets the idea to create a mutant army, and with Baxter already somewhat on the villainous map, our best chance to make sure he doesn’t end up under his employment is to…’

You wipe the sticky liquid on your jeans, careful of the bandages on your back. ‘It’s not a guarantee that he even knows Baxter exists.’ Your eyebrows furrow in concentration as you try to keep the stitches separated at equal distances. ‘Hell, it’s not a guarantee he’s even alive. Still, it’s better to air on the side of caution and not think about how you’ll have to do it until the time comes.’

You let out a soft sigh. “I’ll buy a gun, when that happens,” you murmur to yourself. “Just want more time where bodily harm is all I have to deal with is all.”

 --

 You slide your poorly stitched jacket over your shoulders under the blanket, pulling your sleeves into place and zipping it up. After folding the blanket up and draping it over your arm, you pull yourself to your feet, hopping over to Donatello and his death trap as he sat down, looking over his work. “How’re the repairs comin’?”

The two of you have not spoken for the three hours it took you to repair the jacket, and significantly more progress has been made on his end than yours. At the very least, the generally rectangular frame was pounded back into submission.

He looks over at you, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand and stifling a yawn. “Fine,” he sighs, looking back at the hulking mass of metal as you lower yourself down next to him. “It won’t blow up or anything if it’s driven, but it still needs another day’s worth of work to get it back to where it was before.” You nod along as he goes into more intimate detail, not understanding half of it, but happy to just listen to him talk resentfully about the whole process that you can tell he genuinely does not mind.

“Sounds like a time.” You rest your head on your good knee. “And you’re not gonna fix the graffiti?”

“It rubs off,” he shrugs. “Besides, it’s not exactly important to the design.”

Your head bends in a subtle nod, cheek numb from the pressure of your knee. “Are you going to sleep today?”

He shrugs. “Maybe? It wouldn’t be a bad idea.” His legs are almost crisscrossed in front of him, and he leans his weight back on his skinny, muscular arms. “I honestly don’t want to leave it alone, though. It would be weird to just leave it unfinished.

“Hardly, but alright.” You sit up for a moment, handing him back his quilt. “Thanks for giving me something to cover myself up with, and for not ditching me on a roof, and patching me up, and—I owe you, is what I’m getting at.”

He smiles tiredly. “Don’t worry about it, really,” he reassures you, his face flushing and muscles relaxing slightly. “You’ve made it up plenty.”

“I disagree. I’ve never saved your life.” You trace the fading lines on your cast his brother had left.

“I don’t think a ton of people would literally kill someone for me and my family,” he argues. “That’s pretty awesome, right?”

‘Not sure how I feel about framing murder as a positive thing.’ You do not say anything, looking back at his work.

He sighs. “You should go to bed,” he advises practically. “It’s getting late.”

“Never stopped you.” You straighten your legs. “I’ll go if you come with.”

“Tempting,” he teases with a sudden burst of confidence, hoping to his feet and outstretching his arm to help you up, “but what’s in it for me?”

Your face lights up as your face goes red at his borderline roguishness, taking his arm pulling yourself up. “For as much shit as you’re going to get for it,” you promise, pecking where his nose would be with an almost kittenish smile, “I’ll get up extra early, make everyone breakfast, and go topside for coffee.”

His face almost turns the shade of a human blush, forwardness gone in an instant. “C-can’t,” he stutters, clearly flustered. “When I was eleven, I got addicted to it and I’m not allowed to have any anymore.”

“Relatable,” you giggle. You blow the hair out of your face, comfortable as he helps you walk towards the door, the air between you two charged with electricity. “Is that for all caffeine or just coffee?”

He opens it for the two of you, ever the gentleman with the quilt over his shoulder. “Tea’s fine. Don’t bring tea down, though,” he quickly clarifies. “Leo’ll have a very inconspicuous fit.”

You blink curiously, looking up at him as he pulls you along. “Why?”

“It’s the one food thing he’s particular about,” he shrugs, not bothering to hide his gooey smile as you use his upper arm for support. “Couldn’t tell you why.”

“Are you particular about any foodstuff?”

“Not really?” He helps you up a few steps. “I’m not Mikey, but I don’t think I’m that picky about that sort of thing.”

“That’s fair.”

You do not let go of his arm to use the wall. You do not even think to if Donnie is reading your body language correctly. His smile widens as he opens the door for you.

You give a nod as thanks, lowering down onto the foot of his relatively narrow bed. “Alright,” you clap your hands together quietly as he sits next to you. “How do you wanna do this?”

You are sitting on his bed, willing, with no pretense other than sleeping getter. He is currently on cloud nine.

You look back at the frame. ”Too narrow for us to lay side by side,” you note. “You sleep on your front, meaning you will likely take up most of the room." You look between him and the bed, trying to imagine a position that would work. “You could lay on top of me, I guess, but then your legs would hang off the end.”

“I can sleep on my side,” he offers hurriedly. “If that makes things easier, I mean.”

“You sure?” Your fingers fumble with your shoelaces.

He nods eagerly. “S-so long as you still don’t mind being close to me, I mean. The bed’s still kinda narrow.”

You roll your eyes, smiling. “We’ve slept together before,” you reason. “If you wanted to pull anything, you would’ve the other two times.”

He glances off, face still red. “Y-yeah,” he rubs the back of his neck bashfully. “That makes sense.”

You gesture to the bed. “Then,” you nod once, “so long as you’re comfortable, you lay down. I’ll work from there.”

He tentatively lays himself down, facing the wall, tensing ever so slightly as you lay behind him, legs curling up under his thighs.

You lay your arm under your head as a pillow, the other pulling the blanket over the two of you. “This work,” you whisper, closing your eyes.

“Mhm,” he hums, covering his face with his hands. “We closed the door, right?”

You look back over. “Yup.”

“Locked it?”

“Seems so.”

He relaxes a bit. “Alright,” he nods, quietly reveling in the way your fingers, again, traced the indentations in his shell like the first night.

‘When I wake up tomorrow,’ he realizes, ‘she’ll be right there. Right behind me, in my bed. By choice.’ He smiles behind his fingers. ‘When we get older, maybe we could have our own place. Or our own room, more accurately, where she just lives with us. Imagine her moving in. If—no, when,’ he corrects himself, ‘we defeat The Shredder, if I ever get the nerve, I’ll ask her.’ He reaches his leg back, entangling it with yours carefully. ‘Would we have to get married first? No, you move in before you get married, right? I should’ve paid more attention during those movie marathons.’ He closes his eyes as you drift off, focusing on this train of thought. ‘How long do you need to be in a relationship before you get married? How would we get married, even? Legally, that would be impossible, right? I can’t go to a courthouse. And if we had a child—practically speaking, of course—would they live with us or go to a public school? We could give them a good education, I’m sure, but—’

You shift in your sleep, absently laying your arm over his side and pulling him closer.

He exhales, allowing himself to relax back into you. ‘Not tonight.’ He rests his hand on top of yours. ‘It’s too late, too soon.’ His thumb runs along the back of your hand, letting himself drift off in your arms.

‘It’ll be okay. We’ll last long enough to take it slow.’

Table of Contents

Chapter 13

Chapter 15

[uwua3]

may I request taichi with friend/crush reader? reader asked taichi to help them dye their hair, and while the hair dye is processing they start to awkwardly flirt/joke with each other to the point that they don't notice how much time passed and the dye became too dark. i'm sorry if this is too specific, but thank you so much in advance if you do write it! take care! c:

hi hi, anon~ ☆ thank you so much for requesting! this made me sososo #Happy because taichi deserves all the love in the world 💗 !! ∪･ω･∪ please give our baby puppy nanao your heart 🥺👉🏻👈🏻 he deserves it! you also deserve love, anon~ ‧⁺◟( ᵒ̴̶̷̥́ ·̫ ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀ ) please accept all my #Love 💖✨ for this prompt! thank you for everything, i love you lots, okay? :D 💕

summary: when your best friend, taichi, texts you there’s an emergency, you come running to a bad hair day

author’s note: please love taichi lots, reader! that’s all~ have a good rest of your day and remember taichi & i will always love you sososo much !! (>◡<♡).:｡

word count: 3,055

music: dream boy – waterparks

bad hair day!

🍁🛹 nanao taichi

“where is he?!”

sakyo stared down at you, opening the door after waking up to repetitive pounding that nearly shook the whole dorm

you were still in your pajamas and out of breath—did you run over here?

before sakyo could angrily swear at you for making no sense just past midnight, you ducked underneath his arm and escaped around the corner

although some dorm lights were on, most of the rooms were pitch black as expected of it being a school day tomorrow. you were about to sprint into the slightly ajar door of room 105 before omi stepped out, an amused smile greeting you

“taichi’s in the bathroom, if you’re looking for him.” omi gestured towards the shared bathrooms at the end of the hallway, to which you gratefully thanked him and ran off again

(omi looked after you, a smile upon his tired expression. “kids these days.” omi yawned, heading back into his dorms and shutting the door softly behind him)

you didn’t take as much consideration into your actions before you slid into the communal bathroom, slamming the door behind you with uncontrollable force. you leaned against it, panting as you finally saw him

nanao taichi was sitting near the sink with three (3) boxes of random hair dye on the counters, very obviously confused and distressed

“taichi, what’s the emergency?!”

“my hair dye isn’t the right shade!”

“... are you serious?”

this was it. it was hair–dye day

except this time, it wouldn’t be just taichi’s hair transformation—you were getting a new look, too!

how did you get yourself into this mess exactly? maybe sleepily reading an urgent message from your best friend late at night declaring he was having an “emergency” wasn’t a good idea after all...

there was something about taichi’s big puppy eyes that couldn’t make you say no despite all your frustration, so here you were, tiredly following an overexcited boy down the aisles of the local convenience store

did i mention it was way too late? on a school day, by the way? i didn’t, well, now you know!

“taichi,” you called out, rubbing the sleepiness from your eyes and tried not to wince at the bright led lights of the display. taichi barely paid attention, humming an incoherent answer as he browsed the rainbow shelf of hair dyes in front of him

“don’t you think... we should wait until tomorrow?” taichi seemed to process your words a moment late, because he turned towards you, bewildered as if you were the crazy one

yeah, you were crazy. taichi definitely wasn’t holding three wildly different boxes of hair dye and debating between all of them. he also definitely didn’t mislead you into thinking something happened when all he had was s bad hair day. you knew you had to intervene or else his usual red would become kazunari’s palette

“tomorrow? what’s wrong with now?”

“it’s almost midnight, we have school in nearly seven hours, and i know for a fact you didn’t do your homework.”

(taichi flinched at that and you were unsatisfied to see you were right, as always)

“i know that, but!—” “it’s midnight.” “hey, new day, new you, right?” “we have school in a few hours.” “think of how cool you’ll be showing up with dyed hair!” “you have homework.”

“i know, i know,” taichi shrugged, holding the boxes up to his line of sight with serious consideration as he glanced at you. with one look at your tiredness, taichi put the red cart down and completely faced you, putting his hands on your shoulders with a pout

“come on, don’t be like that!” taichi whined, nearly stomping his feet when you just huffed and looked away. jumping so he stayed in your view, it was like a pet wanting attention and using its cuteness as its charm

“hey, hey, look at me, please~?” taichi dragged out, moving his hands so they cupped your cheeks. he made you look at him and all you saw was a backwards baseball cap on a head of nearly half black hair and wide cyan eyes. he looked fully awake, you wondered where his infectious energy came from

“turn that frown, upside down!” taichi turned the corners of your lips up with his pointer fingers, making you automatically smile with the way his giggle got louder. “that’s my best friend!” taichi patted your cheeks again and bounced back down to his heels, rocking back and forth on his worn down sneakers

“look at us! we’re two high schoolers about to make an impulsive decision! nothing could go wrong!” taichi laughed and although there were a million things that could’ve gone wrong, you just sighed with a smile on your face

“you’re right.” you said even if he wasn’t. taichi just picked the cart back up and tilted his head towards the dyes, asking for your opinion on what colors you liked

you chose red, too. when taichi questioned why curiously, you patted his head and responded with, “so we can match!”. the boxes of hair dye you both bought were red just like taichi’s face when you answered honestly

sneaking back into the bathroom to avoid the “you have school” lecture from a very pissed off sakyo who still couldn’t go back to sleep, you and taichi failed at hushed whispers. everything felt like a joke and it didn’t exactly help taichi found everything you did hilarious and comical

setting down the boxes like it was second nature, taichi let out a sound of excitement at the colors. even if you were running on little to no sleep, you felt the same with the adrenaline of looking like a new person in just a few hours

“we’re gonna look so cool!” taichi squealed, taking his time mixing the dye color with the bowl and brush quickly

you sat on the sink counter, swinging your legs as taichi leaned onto the surface next to you, rambling away about how popular red was this season and how all the students will fall in love with his trendiness

used to your friend’s lovesick, hopeless romantic antics, you fondly rolled your eyes as you stretched, stifling a yawn

“is that why you decided to dye your hair tonight?”

“... maybe. there was advice that having perfext roots would attract any woman in my favorite love advice column!”

“...” “do you think people will like my hair?” “they might think we’re a couple since we’re matching.”

taichi suddenly stopped mixing, staring at the bowl wide eyed at the red dye. you were about to ask what happened, before taichi nervously laughed and looked towards the ground

“u–us? a couple?! no way...” taichi blurted out, avoiding your eyes as he began mixing even faster

“do you want me to change my color then—?” you cautiously started, about to change your mind before taichi interrupted hastily, almost knocking the other boxes over by waving his gloved hands

“no! i mean, haha... no, no, it’s fine! don’t worry about it!” taichi laughed so you slowly nodded, not buying it but deciding to go with the flow anyways. you were too tired to think about it too hard

you both unanimously agreed that taichi would dye your hair first. after all, he had more experience doing this by himself until you came along

one thing though, you didn’t want to ruin your pajama shirt. after rummaging through his closet quietly, you felt a t–shirt land on your head and heard a victorious laugh from the doorway

lifting the shirt, you recognized the one–eyed monster graphic design on the front, its tongue sticking out with some graffiti text above its head

“are you sure? you always wear this one?” you hesitated to take it before taichi forced it back into your hands, his expression easy and humorous

“take it, it’ll look better on you, anyways.” taichi casually said and you wondered how many smooth pick up lines he’s been reading. but, one look at his light smile and you could tell he genuinely meant it

returning back into the bathroom wearing a black t–shirt, you had changed into his t–shirt as well. while you were making sure all the dyes were separated to avoid any accidents, you barely noticed taichi stop dead in his tracks

(how come you looked so... good, in his t–shirt? maybe, he should give you his clothes more often... taichi gulped, wondering why he was suddenly feeling this way. it must’ve been the lack of sleep, the tiredness of staying up past his usual bedtime, that’s all!)

“are you ready for the best hair day ever?”

unexpectedly, taichi was quiet for the next hour or so. you could tell from the way he carefully applied just the right amount on your roots to how he knew the time on the box without even looking

maybe it was the way neither of you had proper sleep schedules, but you nearly fell asleep when taichi began combing your hair. after letting it develop, taichi began evenly distributing the red color while humming a popular pop song from his playlist in the background

you didn’t know when you dozed off, but you woke up to a flash of a camera and heard taichi’s snickers right in front of you. rubbing your eyes, you sat up straighter to notice a plastic bag was wrapped around your hair with an empty bowl of red dye discarded in the sink

“morning, sleepyhead~!” taichi greeted way too happily at this hour, making you groan as you stood up. “you didn’t sleep, taichi?” you wondered out loud, noticing how he scrolled through his phone aimlessly with a nonchalant sound

“yawn—i mean! i’m not even tired, gotta wait for your timer to go off to rinse your hair!” (it was his rule that he was always the last person to sleep if he was with you) taichi proudly held up his phone and showed you the screen, as if you could see it from there

(maybe if you could, you would’ve prevented the disaster about to occur in the very near future)

“your turn, puppy. come over here.” you stretched and taichi squealed, running over just to nearly knock over the chair from excitement. taichi always liked doing things with you, and you pampering him made him feel a lot happier than he’d like to admit

“can you stay still?” “i’m trying~! geez, so mean first thing in the morning... uuh...” “awww come on, don’t act like a kicked puppy, taichi!” “woof...”

it was the saddest bark you’ve ever heard. you smiled even if taichi was squirming in his seat and pet his dry hair, your best friend automatically leaning into your touch with a content sigh as he closed his eyes. oh, finally! taichi went still, letting you start the dye process quickly

just like you, taichi was on the verge of staying awake and falling asleep. it was nice to have someone taking care of you like a little kid, not to mention how neither of you have slept for more than half a hour at time. as you applied the rest and making sure all the sections were even, taichi stirred in his sleep with a cute yawn again

“i’m cool, right?” taichi mumbled, seemingly getting closer and closer to snoring. you held back a snicker, nodding your head as you kept going with the dye. for your first time, it wasn’t even that bad

“yes, of course. you’re the coolest boy at o high, taichi.” you reassured truthfully, to which taichi pouted like a kid, crossing his arms and leaning his head back. you made sure none of the dye dripped off before you started painting the bright red on again

“that’s not true... juza and tenma go to o high... they’re so popular, everyone loves them.” taichi added on sadly, but you knew he meant it and it wasn’t just fishing for compliments. wondering why a boy as amazing as taichi would have an inferiorty complex, you frowned and tried to focus on applying the dye

“well, i think you’re the coolest to me, then. after all, juza and tenma don’t have this cool red hair!” you almost ruffled his hair but stopped, knowing it’d mess up the part. taichi must’ve sensed you were about to do so, because he let out a loud, sudden laugh with a big smile

“hehe, you’re the coolest to me, too!” taichi trailed off into a low voice, about to fall asleep for good. you wrapped his head to make sure the hair stayed in place, satisfied with your hard work and dedication to your best friend’s appearance

“do you say that to everyone you meet?” you joked, but taichi just shook his head vigirously, entering sleepy puppy mode anyways

“no, just you, you know why~?”

“why?”

“‘cause... i like y...”

taichi snored, his head falling lower as he fell asleep for good. you didn’t even process it, deciding to take the seat next to him without checking the time

time to get some shut eye...

you slowly woke up, realizing that you were now laying your head on top of taichi’s. he was almost drooling on your shoulder, even breaths leaving his lips as he continued sleeping. you lifted your head to look around for the reason why you woke up, until you noticed the constant ringing of taichi’s phone on the sink counter

“puppy, wake up, it’s time to rinse our hair.” you pushed taichi off, automatically waking him up as he rapidly blinked, trying to focus his blurry vision as he yawned

“... has the sun always been up?”

you froze, staring at taichi’s casual expression before it morphed into shock, his wide eyes finding yours with urgency. don’t tell me...

you rushed off the chair, nearly hitting it to the ground as you grabbed taichi’s vibrating phone, looking at the screen. instead of a timer for rinsing, it was labeled for starting the school day

“taichi.” you said, slowly turning to see him staring back at you. the realization dawned upon both of you severely. “we have school in less than a hour.”

mankai bathrooms were always chaotic in the morning, especially with twenty (20) plus boys all sharing one space. yet, today might’ve been the worst day to use the bathroom yet

you and taichi immediately began cleaning up and rinsing your hair at the same time, losing your minds over the lack of time as you two knew both your hair could not be saved

“what if i’m not cool anymore?!”

“can we focus on going to school on time?”

(banri and juza were exchanging their usual harsh morning greetings to each other, walking side by side to the bathroom only to hear taichi’s pierching shriek and your immediate scream back. they shared a look before collectively going back to their room, not wanting to know. it was the first thing they agreed upon in a while)

taichi dashed out of the bathroom with half a hour to spare, quickly putting on his uniform on without noticing omi who stood by the door, holding onto taichi’s backpack with an amused glint to his eyes

when taichi finally found his o high dark green blazer and pants (his dress shirt buttons were mismatched, but that wasn’t important), he was about to run right past omi before omi put his arm out, stopping taichi from leaving

“forgetting something?” omi held out taichi’s backpack with a packed lunch, making taichi exhale with relief as he took it gratefully. “omi, you’re the best ever!”

omi instead shook his head and crossed his arms, gesturing towards the bathroom where you were still cleaning up the red mess

“no, they’re the best. make sure you tell them that.” omi scolded gently, ruffling taichi’s hair but suddenly narrowing his eyes, looking the teen up and down with a confused look

“huh...? didn’t you dye your hair, why isn’t it that red?”

“don’t remind me, omi!”

(fun fact: leaving hair dye on for longer than 45 minutes will in fact, make the color much darker than intended)

(also... dry hair...)

you luckily brought your uniform, thinking the big emergency would require a sleepover. you stepped out of the bathroom and apologized to the bewildered and incredulous line that formed outside, rushing off to find taichi shoving a piece of bread in his mouth

“here! catch!” you assumed taichi tried to say, because his words were muffled as he threw you something from the kitchen. you caught it with ease, putting it in your pocket as you and taichi said goodbye to everyone in the dorms

you two didn’t even bother addressing why taichi’s hair was many shades darker and why yours was red as well. you two just left and prayed to whoever was listening you’d make it to school on time... or else

half way through making it out the door, you and taichi finally caught each other’s eyes and burst into laughter, nearly falling onto each other in the middle of the sidewalk like a bunch of weirdos

“yo! look at our hair!” taichi spluttered out, reaching up to touch your now red hair. you wheezed, trying to not cry from the sheer audacity of the strange situation at hand

“dude, look at your hair! it’s even darker!” you laughed and even though his bright red hair was apart of his identity, taichi couldn’t stop laughing just because he went through it with you

“am i still cool?”

“definitely, even cooler now, i think.”

the laughter died down and taichi wrapped his arm around your shoulder, grinning like there was no tomorrow

“you’re the best. i’m so lucky to have you.”

you suddenly remembered something you didn’t respond to just mere hours ago, and figured it was better late than never

“i like you, too.”

when taichi overcame his visible shock and multiple “are you serious?! don’t play with my feelings like that!” and figuring out you were being honest, he slipped his hand into yours with a visible jump to his step as you two walked to school

even if he wore gloves, his hands were still somewhat stained red from the hair dye that started it all

(“did you do the homework this morning?”)

(“... we had homework?”)

(“oh, taichi...”)

[heartofsnark]

Can You Feel The Sun? (Chapter Five): Just To Want It All

Notes: As stated in last chapter notes, i have a decent chunk of chapters done so these are coming out pretty rapid fire. Otherwise, I don’t have much to say other than massive thanks to my friend who reads these over for me and has been cool with me dropping 80+ pages of fic on them in a week. because yeah...I finished another chapter of this. 

Word Count:  7885

Chapter Warnings: mentions of alcohol and cursing, if that counts as a warning in cyberpunk 2077.  

If you haven’t yet, you can read the previous chapter here!~

Lizzie’s Bar stands out brilliantly in the city; out of all the gangs, she thinks she likes The Moxes aesthetic the best. Vivid pink and bright teal. Their colors splashed across the overpass, along with a neon pink skull sign with hair and a bow. At the side of the building is a towering neon skull girl sign, full bodied with an animated kicking leg and axe held above her head, the same hot pink color.

She parks and gets out of her car, doing a quick scan of the area, searching for more Militech drones. None that she sees, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. The credchip burns in her pocket, remembering some of the stuff T-Bug has taught her. How to crack an encrypted shard and see what’s on it, how to transfer its contents. V rifles through her bag, remembering she had a blank credchip somewhere. If Militech did anything dirty, V should be able to transfer the eddies onto a clean chip.

V makes a beeline to the front door, cement blockers and walls covered in graffiti.  More neon signs, the bars name over the door in glowing turquoise letters. Lizzie Jizzie scrawled across an outside wall; two screens on each side of the double stores, all covered in Nicola ads requesting V ‘taste the love’.  Groups of people loiter in the open outside the bar. V’s eyes are drawn to the two bouncers outside the doors.

Two women, one leans against the outside wall as she puff away on a cigarette. Short slicked back hair that starts blue and then fades to green, eyes hidden behind sunglasses and a gold septum piercing in her nose. The other one stands in front of the doors, a yellow spiked bat held over her shoulders. Long hair pulled up into space buns, purple roots and pink ends. Both of her arms are metal; black with pink and teal accents as well as spikes along the forearms.  Both women are skimpily dressed, no shame in that. The one wielding the bat has a white top with cleavage going beyond her breasts,  showing her almost plastic looking skin and the Moxes tattoo across her chest. The other shorter haired bouncer is wearing neon pink pasties beneath a teal bomber jacket.  V’s been here before, has maybe seen them in passing, both really attractive. She’s not sure there’s a Mox member who isn’t.

“Hey there, dollface!~” The bat wielder greets her with a grin, as if she could actually see V’s face.

“Interest you in a preem BD?” The smoker offers.

“What you got?” V asks to be polite, she doesn’t honestly even like brain dances. But the girls are cute, so… no harm in a little small talk.

“What don't we got? Women and men of your dreams, synaptic acting A-listers. No washed-up virtuporn boytoys or blow-up dolls here.”

“Auteur stuff - It'll grip your heart and blow your nerves right outta your body. Pure bit-based ecstasy - that’s why people come here.”

“Sure know how to sell it, don’t you?” V signs, trying not to laugh as the bouncers give her the spiel.

“Not a sales pitch, it's a warning. I'll give you one word - bespoke. Not for everyone's synapses.”

“Think you can handle it?”

“Think I can manage it,” she tells them, knowing damn well she has no intent to get any sort of virtus.

“Mmhm. Couple of things you need to know first,” she affectionately rubs her bat, “Ahem. Severe penalties for any unauthorized recording… “

“No drugs, no groping. Someone catch your eye, you do not grab 'em. You find 'em in the catalog, ask for a BD and get yourself a box.”

“No worries, not even my first time here.”

“Door's open. Have fun, Doll.”

“Welcome to Lizzie’s.”

The double doors open and V walks through a blue beaded curtain. There’s a front room, a stand where a woman with a bright pink mohawk is selling clothes, under another Nicola ad and neon letters saying ‘Fuck To Death’ behind her.

“My what a sweet face you have,” she says, her tone honeyed but its clear she hasn’t looked up from the counter, not even noticing as the masked merc walks past through another beaded curtain and double doors to the main club.

“Here in Night City~”

Music thrums as she steps in; the room is lit with strobing pink and teal lights. Couches with neon glowing lights on the underneath, some people with BD wreaths and others playing on their phones. People dancing  to the club music and  bar tucked away in the corner.  She doubts the client will be right at the start of opening, so V finds an empty stretch of couch, sitting down on black leather with a pink neon light at her feet.  V slides the Militech cred chip into her mask, it takes a moment, but she manages to crack it and get a look at the inside.

Ten thousand eddies and malware; it was meant to send all of Maelstrom’s data to another server and then fry the systems. Meaning, if V handed it over Maelstrom would get their systems fried, with her and Jackie dealing with the aftermath. V slides the blank cred chip into another slot in her mask’s edge, transfering the clean money over to it. Fucking around with tech and daemons isn’t her strong suit, but if she recalls Bug telling her that fairly simple malware like this could be reworked pretty easily. She works through the coding with her thoughts, the data and interface all on her mask. If she can get the coding right, she might be able to have it send something other than data back to the Militech servers…  Shifting and twisting what she thinks will work… if she’s done it right, instead of sending data back to Militech’s server, it should inject the same malware back into their system. If used, it would spike both Maelstrom and Militech.

She’ll call up T-Bug before they hit Maelstrom, double check she did the steps right. If Maelstrom play nice, they can pay and be done, if not...she can fuck over the gangoons, Militech, and walk away with an extra ten thousand in her pocket.  She puts the credchips in her pockets, spiked one in her left and clean one in the right.

Time to have a look around for the client. V making a beeline for the bar, bartenders always have all the info. Lizzie’s Bar in neon over the drink station, a brightly blue lit corner where a man works at making drinks, shelves of booze behind him.  She climbs onto a blue vinyl bar stool, feet no longer on the ground and unable to resist swinging them a bit. The bartender comes to her; a man with slicked back dark hair,  glowing white cybernetic eyes, and silver embellishments run across his cheeks and jaw. His shirt bright blue with a tropical design and if not for a single button above his pants, it’d be completely open. Beaded necklaces bringing even more attention to his exposed chest and stomach.

“Get you something?”

“Looking for Evelyn Parker,” she speaks the woman’s name, not wanting to waste time fingerspelling it even if the sound feels tight in her throat.

“And you are?”

“V, me and her were supposed to meet here.”

“Well, V,  it’s a pleasure. I’m Mateo.”

“Nice to meet you… any idea where she’s hanging around?”

“Club's big. Gonna have to look around. Can't do it for you-”

“It's all right, Mateo,” a feminine voice calls out and V’s eyes are drawn to a woman at the bar, “I was waiting for this one.”

There’s something about her, distinctly Mox and also not. Her hair is a short vivid blue bob with bangs cut straight across her forehead. Heavy makeup, a tight silver sequin dress with a dipping neckline, red thigh high vinyl boots, a black trench coat that pools around her knees with a pink and white feathered collar.  She holds two fingers up to the bartender and moves to the bar stool closer. There’s a clang and tink of glass; Mateo getting out a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses.  

“That won’t be necessary,” V signs before he can fill the second glass, “I don’t drink on the job.”

“Aww, what a good girl,” Evelyn coos, a smile pulling at her painted lips, “Evelyn Parker. I knew it was you as soon as you walked in.”

“And you decided to let me wander around instead of introducing yourself?”

“I wanted to get a good look at you first.”

“And?” V watches as Evelyn takes a swig of her tequila.

“Rest assured, if I didn’t like what I see, you’d know,” she takes another drink, “C'mon. Know a place we can talk where ears won't prick up to listen. We'll be in the lounge, Mateo. Anyone asks we're not here.”

Evelyn takes her black clutch purse and leaves the bar, V puts some money down for Mateo; if nothing else to compensate for his time. V hops down from the stool and follows after Evelyn, through a pair of double doors that goes into a hallway tinted red and pink, booth doors lining the way. The blue haired woman opens up a door, standing to the side as V walks in.

The booth is small, circular with a red vinyl couch around it’s curve, a table in the middle projects a hologram of a stripper who twists and dances. V sinks into the cushions, watching Evelyn stride in and light a cigarette as the door closes behind her. Everyone in the city a smoker it seems.  As Evelyn puffs on a cigarette, V is somehow just noticing the gold nail like finger caps she wears.

“Dex had a load to say about you. Called you professional, effective. And trustworthy. I hope he wasn't overselling…“

“You don’t give a shit what he says,” V retorts, not missing the tinge of disdain Evelyn’s voice. V doesn’t need anyone to blow wind up her ass.

“You have trouble accepting compliments?”

“Flattery’s beneath you.”

“Maybe Dex is beneath you,” Evelyn moves around the table, grabbing an ashtray from the table, then sitting down next to V, crossing her legs, “Have you known each other long?”

“First time working with him.”

“Hmmm, I've heard there are two kinds of fixers. Those with stable crews on long contracts and short leashes. Loyalty and predictability they value above all else. Then there's the other kind- Dex's kind.”

“Meaning?”

“Headhunters. They lay their trust elsewhere, not in people but in a thing- their intuition. They bet on potential. And if they lose that bet…It's the last mistake they ever make. I’m hoping Dex’s intuition served him well in this case.”

“Let's get to the point, why am I here, what’s this about?”

“Your target - I trust you know what it is.”

“Arasaka biochip.”

“Mmmhmm, their Relic, secure your soul technology. Arasaka's poured billions into personality transfer technology. But me - I just want the data on this one. The chip is tucked away inside Konpeki Plaza, the hotel. You ever been?”

“Fancy corp hotels? Yeah, no, way out of my price range.”

“The decor's to die for. As you'll see for yourself.’

So, V and Jackie have to bust into some fancy hotel to get the chip people are arguing about on tv. Understood, so far. But, theres a lot of risks involved in a heist of this scale. Its one thing to rip off a dropped piece of cargo or a convoy from a corp; but this kind of top notch tech?

“You know where the chip is, exactly?”

“In a suite on the top floor. The room's occupied by Yorinobu Arasaka.”

V swallows the lump in her throat, the son of Saburo Arasaka, heir to the entire fucking corp. She’s once again finding herself wondering why Dex thinks her and Jackie can handle a job of this caliber, the Arasaka’s seem downright un-fucking-touchable to a merc like her.

“He’s in NC?”

“Don't you read the screamsheets?”

“Not particularly, no.”

“Well, the media couldn't get enough of Yori coming to Night City, it was all over the headlines. He's heir apparent to the Arasaka empire - Saburo Arasaka's only surviving son.”

“So, he trying to take over while he’s in town?” V asks, trying to understand what exactly is going on.

“Only a handful of people in Night City know what the Arasakas' real plans are.”

“And you included in that?”

A smirk stretches across her face, green eyes devious; “Yorinobu is a puppet. He lost all his cards years ago when he failed to do daddy's bidding. Saburo's had Yori's balls in a vise for years. He might just turn the screw and crush them outright if he learns his son's up to no good again.”

“Someone like him is bound to have an army surrounding him, that hotel is probably a fortress by now.”

“Yorinobu keeps exactly no muscle around. Not one guard. Got rid of them a long time ago.”

“Why?”

“Surely you know what they say about Arasaka intel? Sneeze in Night City and a blossom drops from a cherry tree in Tokyo. Yorinobu was convinced his Arasaka security detail reported directly to his father.”

“If you got a spare ache up your sleeve, I’d love to see it.”

“ Now, this should make your tits perk up,” she says, putting the ashtray aside and leans forward.

“My tits are quite comfortable where they are, I assure you.”

“Cute, but more importantly, Yorinobu recently swiped the chip from an Arasaka laboratory. He's made a deal with NetWatch, aims to sell it to them. Have you spotted my ace yet or do I need to spell things out?”

“Okay, no muscle because he has daddy issues and no security on the device because he stole it from said daddy. Any idea where he’s hiding the thing?”

“Likely in a specialized container, one that mimics an organic neural environment. On the outside, it looks like an ordinary briefcase.”

“Which would be where?”

“You'll see for yourself soon enough,” she stamps out her cigarette and stands up, walking to the door, “Provided we're done gossiping about the Arasakas.”

“You know anything else about him?” V asks, wanting to see if she can mine any more useful information about the heir that could help.

“Quite a bit, actually. He studied finance and biotech in Tokyo. Hm, probably didn't have a choice in the matter, come to think of it. Saburo was grooming him to be his successor. But then Yorinobu vanished to chase his own dreams, cut himself off from the corp for years. Long story short, though the black sheep returned, the bitter taste remained. But that's only one side of him. There's another - an intelligent man who has always walked his own path and so has his own designs on the corp.”

There’s no doubt in V’s mind now that Evelyn knows Yorinobu personally, the way she talks and speaks is clearly colored by experience. Some prodigal son who ran away from his father and then came back with his tail between his legs when he couldn’t cut it alone. An odd lump in V’s throat at the thought; running away from shitty dads, being a black sheep…

“Sounds like any other corpo dick to me,” V signs, not liking the parallels her brain is starting to draw.

“Hm. Ever tried to imagine what life might be like for an emperor's son? You have everything, yet you are no one, nothing. At least as long as you remain in Saburo Arasaka's shadow. I…” she scratches almost sheepishly at her neck, her wannabe femme fatale attitude slipping for just a moment, “...sympathize. It's a vulnerability I understand well.”

V is still finding herself finding uncomfortable similarities between herself and fucking Yorinobu Arasaka. Its stupid, she doesn’t know the man and he has the wealth to destroy her for pretending she does. But, a power hungry leader for a father, leaving home, terrified of being under his thumb. Only difference, well many, but most pressing is she’s managed to make it on her own...so far… at least. Not that she hasn’t had her doubts or worries.

“So, what’s next?” V asks, practically shaking her head to dispel the weirdness swimming in her brain. Black sheep or not; Yorinobu Arasaka has a silver spoon in his mouth. She’s a nomad turned Night City edgerunner; their lives couldn’t be more far removed.

“Now comes the best part,” Evelyn opens the door and turns to leave, “Follow me. Got somethin' for you. Should help you plan. Braindance from Konpeki Plaza.”

V follows Evelyn out into the hallway, “ how’s a braindance going to help?”

“Think BDs are only good for fondling virtual tits, jackin' off to in those boxes?”

“Thought that was the main selling point, yeah,” V teases back as they turn a corner in the hallway, headed towards a door.

“No. They can be a very useful tool. Good for analyzing details human perception, even boosted, doesn't grasp. Exactly what you need,” Evelyn teases as they enters a dressing room, a few Mox at the tables painting their faces with makeup and styling their hair.

“What's on the tape?” Through another door and neon lights fade to harsher, darker lighting.

“Yorinobu's suite. The glorious interior,” the walk down a short metal flight of stairs, “You'll need to locate the Relic yourself. Hope I grabbed enough detail to make that possible.”

The stop at the end of the steps, Evelyn turning to look at V with a hand on her hips. Not that V really had any more doubt about it, but she’s been given more evidence that Evelyn and Yorinobu know each other.

“You recorded it?”

“Mhm. BD rec implant. Why, you object?”

“Not particularly, who you know and what you do with them is none of my business, lets see the braindance.”

“Judy'll help. She's a Mox, too,” down another short flight of stairs, deeper into the basement, “Besides, we go back… years.”

Evelyn stops them again outside a pair of double doors, Lizzie’s is starting to feel like a little maze at this point. But more importantly, Evelyn’s paused again, stumbled over her words and showed something under her facade. V felt something was off, a Mox but somehow not, and she’s starting to think Evelyn is purposely trying to put up a front. That she’s trying, a little too hard, to come across like femme fatale or corpo. Evelyn clears her throat.

“V, this is important. Judy's always been there for me. Always helped out. I trust her. But she's a Mox, not the latest member of your crew. Try not to forget. So you'll be a good girl, tread lightly and keep that tongue on a leash.

“Oh, but it's not my tongue you need to worry about.”

“Hmm, can feel you smirking under that mask, keep it up and I’ll tie those hands down, too,” Evelyn says with a wink as they pass through the double doors into another hallway, then through one more door.

Evelyn leads her through the basement doors, a dark little room with servers, netrunning chairs and screens. In an office chair slouching with one leg on a desk is a woman; late twenties or so with olive skin. One side of her hair is shaved, the other shaggy and down to nearly her shoulder, a deep green color with bright pink ends. The woman is heavily tattooed, bright red roses nestled above her collar bones, a spider web on her right shoulder, a cartoon ghost sitting in a shell, and a large number 13 on her bicep are among the standouts. But V could spend hours describing each artwork.

“Ahem.”

“Hey, there you are…” Judy greets Evelyn, a playful almost flirty tone to her voice.

“This is V. She's here for that BD roll. And V, this is Judy - best braindance editor I know.”

“Enough already, gonna make me barf.” There’s a slight accent to Judy’s voice, not unlike Jackie’s.

“Impressive set up,” V signs, at least, she assumes it’s impressive. Tech is already a bit of a blind spot for her, especially when it comes to brain dances.

“Mhm, Analyzers, sensory sig amps, acoustic and emotive wave monitors, facial expression translators.”

“Ahem, Judy,” Evelyn stops the inked editor before she can tell V more.

“All right, all right… Compiled your BD, Ev.”

“What do you think? Will it do?”

“Still pretty raw… but yeah, oughta do.”

“Mhm. V needs to get deep inside, that's most important.”

“So, let's calibrate, tune it to her,” Judy stands up from the table and moves to the desk closer to the door, sitting down below a neon pink light, “Believe me, I've dealt with worse. Should see the dig-Jig Street porn we gotta contend with sometimes.”

Evelyn has followed behind Judy, standing behind the editor’s chair, “So we drop V inside? Let her look, let her rummage around, right?”

“How 'bout it, V? Raw braindance - ever taken a dip before?” Judy leans forward on the desk, looking at V.

“No, not at all, but I’m a quick learner,” that feels like a lie as soon as she says it, “ and need to know what I’m dealing with. So.”

“Siddown, settle in, and we'll get you goin'.”

V turns around to the chairs, either netrunning or ripperdoc chairs, she’s not sure. But, she climbs into one, settling down into it as Judy comes back out around the desk. Judy is nearby, fiddling with a brain dance wreath.

“Be easier to fit without the mask.”

“Mask has optic tech, linked to my neuroport and biomon, should work just like it does with any set of cybereyes.”

“‘Fraid of ruining the mystery?” Evelyn asks, teasing again.

“Mask is for business, lot harder to track a merc if you got no clue what they look like. You that curious, feel free to try and track me down during my off time.”

“Fine, fine,”  Judy affixes the BD wreath around V’s head, lining it up properly on the merc before walking back to the desk,  “Gotta create your sensory profile first.”

“Go for it.”

“Now, sit still, look at me. Gonna run the analysis soft should feel a slight tingling…”

V’s breath catches as it prickles across her skin, a crackling and warm sensation crawling across every nerve. From the base of her skull, down her spine, across her arms to her fingers, running down her legs to her toes. A vague pulse, a current of something.

“OK now let's set the optics and other sensory sigs. Look smack into these two screens, pretend it's an eye exam.”

The two wreath panels flash and strobe white light, building in urgency and frequency.

“Gimme two more minutes. One more sec, need to get the pain receptor limiters in… OK. All set. Need to test your profile first. Tossing in a sam-”

“We can just use my recording, there’s no point in wasting time,” Evelyn interrupts Judy.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“I’m fine with just jumping to her BD,” V interjects her opinion, “better to get right to it.”

Judy sighs and rolls her eyes; “Fine, fine, what do I know.”

“Great, I’ll just need to patch Bug in.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Who?” Judy jumps up from her desk, crossing her arms and looks at V like she just asked to summon Satan.

“Runner from my crew, security specialist. She'll tell me what to look for while we analyze. No problem, I assume?”

“Actually, it is a problem! You’re already asking me to cut fucking corners and now you want to bring someone else in?! Not what we agreed, Ev!”

“It’s not a big deal,” V signs, not sure what Judy’s sudden problem is.

“No big deal! You don't quite grasp the risks I took by lettin' you in here! What I'm risking pokin' around with this stuff!”

Judy continues to yell and V rolls her eyes, she’s a BD editor, not part of the actual crew, the client, or the fixer. If Arasaka goes after anyone it sure as shit won’t be Judy, so why is she throwing a fit.

“And you don’t seem to grasp the risk I’d be taking if me and my partner went stumbling into that hotel with no fucking clue as to what we or our runner are up against. I miss one hidden turret and I get pumped full of lead, either my runner links in or I’m gone.”

V makes a point to twist her head and look at Evelyn at the last part; Bug is the most highly trained member of their crew and Dex’s go to runner. Without her involvement and eyes on it, the job won’t be going anywhere.

“Bye then!” Judy yells out, “good riddance and don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

“Judy, please…”

“Ev, she wants to bring a 'runner in. What part of that don't you understand?! How do I know she'll only perch in this footage, observe, not fuck with anything?!”

“Because Bug is literally involved with the heist, has a dog in this fight, and wants it to go well too,” V signs, hoping the AI voice is getting her annoyance across, Judy does level a glare at her over Evelyn’s shoulder.

“Me,” Evelyn steals Judy’s attention, “I'm your guarantee.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Help me, this one last time. I promise everything'll work out,  just like we planned.”

And it hits V, between the flirting and the soft drop in Evelyn’s voice here. The reason Judy is so worked up about this; her and Evelyn have something. Friends teetering the line into something else, girlfriends already, or maybe even more than that. V’s not sure. But there’s something distinctly not platonic to the way they interact. Maybe that’s the play on Evelyn’s. Scam Yorinobu Arasaka then run away with her porn editor girlfriend.

“Fine,” Judy shakes her head and sits back down, the anger gone, “call Bug and we’ll dive in.”

That issue taken care of V rings up T-Bug, the netrunner answering after a ring or two.

“What’s up, V?”

“Bug, listen. I got some useful footage from Konpeki Plaza. It's a braindance.”

“Konpeki? Ohhh, thought as much…” Judy looks up at Evelyn.

“Someone there with you?”

“Client and her...friend...is what I’ll settle on; that’s not what matters right now, its going to give us a layout of the room, a chance to find where the chip is, and some idea of security.”

“All right, see if I can walk you through it. Jackin’ into your tech now,” notifications alert across her mask’s interface, “Mh, you've gotta give me access. Opening port 1779… Secure protocol? Good, I'm goin' in. Should be getting my request… …now.”

“Got it. You ready?”

“Millisec. OK, connection confirmed, now some quick temp ICE and… we're clear. Ready to dance.”

“Let’s do this.”

And with that the wreath panels begin to flash and strobe in front of V’s eyes, quicker and quicker until the world goes out in white. And in the next snap of a moment, one reality becomes another. Her body is no longer her own, she’s placed in Evelyn’s mind standing outside an elevator. What feels like her body, moves to adjust a purse strap, gold capped nails.

“All right, V - eyes open. Gotta find out where Yorinobu is keepin’ the Relic. Everything is controlled by thought and intention; you can step into editor mode, access everything her cyberware picked up a signal of, can scan, rewind, fast forward. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

The doors open, exposing the hotel room, and a horror show of a man walking towards her. V can feel the spike in fear, whether from Evelyn in the moment or V’s own instinctual reaction; she isn’t sure. He’s around eight feet tall, complete metal and cyberware from his feet to his upper lip; more machine than human. Wire, hydraulics, steel; all branded with Arasaka. The flesh section of his head is sickly ashen protrusive veins, glowing red where eyes should be. As he draws closer there’s a whirr of machinery, hydraulics pistoning to give him movement. How is he alive? How is he functional?

“You look like a cut of fuckable meat. Are you?” He asks as he walks past, voice edged with something inhuman.

Evelyn reigns her fear back in, the past version of her walking deeper into the room, where a dark haired man sits at a table in front of a large screen where another blonde haired man speaks back to him.

“I said no,” the dark haired man speaks out, his voice colored by a Japanese accent and V knows it’s Yorinobu. Evelyn continues to walk closer, her heels clicking against the floor.

“They'll have my head for this…”

“Then you shall perish for a good cause.”

“But I-”

“Make yourself comfortable. I need a minute to finish,” Yorinobu tells Evelyn, sparing just a glance over his shoulder.

“Listen in on that conversation, V! Could be something important.”

She wants to watch through first, do an initial watch to look for things and then go more in depth. Two watches at least should mean she’s covered everything. Yorinobu switches the conversation to his holophone, pacing around the room. Evelyn meanwhile puts her purse down on the chair, then walks behind him, trying to keep him in range

“My father is a tired, visionless old greybeard who thinks nothing will change and he'll live forever in his tiny, frozen bubble! You will listen to this - Saburo is an addled despot utterly removed from reality, stuck in some fossilized vision of a world that no longer exists! Of a world that may never have existed! We have not seen eye to eye for the last twenty years. I am quite sure we won't now.”

Yorinobu continues to talk as Evelyn pours herself a glass full of champagne and takes a drink, the tech allowing V to taste the sweet bubbles as if they were on her own tongue. Glass in hand she takes a slow look around the room and walks back to the center of it, sitting at the table, the plush of the cushion letting her sink into it.

“Noted,” Yorinobu says into the phone as he starts to walk back to Evelyn, there’s something in his eyes, “enough.”

He hands up, putting the phone down on the table. Evelyn looks up at him and V through her eyes gets her first good look at the Arasaka heir. Dark hair with the sides shaved down close to the scalp, glasses perched on his nose. His cyberware is surprisingly minimal for a man of his wealth, two streaks of silver going up his neck to his jawline.

“Sorry, to make you wait,” he touches Evelyn’s shoulder and the woman rises, “business can be stupid.”

They’re close and V can feel his hands on her, Evelyn’s, hips. Evelyn’s hand on his shoulder.

“Mmh, it wasn't long,” Evelyn hums and it feels wholy unnatural to feel like she’s speaking with someone else's voice, “Not even long enough for me to grow bored.”

His hands start to creep and Evelyn goes to pull away, movements playful, when Yorinobu pulls her back in. Then he starts to dip his mouth.

“Fuck no!” V yells out as she pushes the thought to enter editor mode, separating her senses from Evelyn’s before she has to feel Yorinobu’s lips on Evelyn’s neck. She looks down and sees herself, though slightly digital, her bright blue nail polish and not gold jewelry. The scene around her has paused and a digital filter over them.

“Something wrong?” T-Bug asks with a slight laugh.

“Nearly had corpo droolon me,” V signs, happy to find the tech allows her translator to work in editor mode, “was going do a watch through, then a second go in editor mode, figured two look throughs would be best...then”

“Then you nearly had to lock lips with Yorinobu Arasaka.”

“Gag, rewinding back to scan the call fully.” With a thought she watches as Evelyn and Yorinobu move in reverse, getting back to win the heir was starting the call. Once she gets where she needs to be she scans his phone and restarts it from editor mode, thankful for the sensory disconnect. She hears the man on the other end of Yorinobu’s call speak.

“Please speak with your father. He's taken a particular interest in this project, he can certainly explain the risks invol--”

“My father is a tired, visionless old greybeard who thinks nothing will change and he'll live forever in his tiny, frozen bubble!”

“I should not even be listening to such things.”

“You will listen to this - Saburo is an addled despot utterly removed from reality, stuck in some fossilized vision of a world that no longer exists! Of a world that may never have existed! We have not seen eye to eye for the last twenty years. I am quite sure we won't now.”

“Read the documentation carefully. The Relic requires specific storage conditions. You MUST provide them.”

“Noted,” Yorinobu hangs up again and V pauses the BD.

“Heard that? Relic docs gotta be around here somewhere. Look for them,” Bug confirms.

“Once we find where the chip is stored we’ll do a clean sweep of the security, okay Bug.”

“Smart thinking.”

V watches half-heartedly as Yorinobu and Evelyn interact; her range of vision and senses limited to Evelyn. She fast forwards through the two canoodling, only mildly catching Evelyn mentioning something about ‘candy’ though V assumes it’s of the nose variety. Evelyn separates away from Yorinobu for a moment and walks to a control panel, offering to lend music to the scene.

But V’s interest is piqued when she catches Evelyn rifling through Yorinobu’s messages, a few spam and scam emails. Then she pulls up an email from Clouds, a dollhouse in the city. Evelyn deletes it, V rewinds back and pauses. The email thanks Yorinobu for his patronage; hmm, heir has a taste for doll prostitutes. Something, Evelyn doesn’t want that email to be there… Its all beginning to make more sense and V’s not sure she likes it.

The merc fast forwards further through the BD, moving through to Evelyn playing awful music and going to meet Yorinobu in his bed. Where he sits with a tablet, the second the screen is clear. She pauses and scans it, bingo.

“Manual details a special temp controlled container. Relic needs to be kept real cool,” T-Bug explains through the technobabble.

“Chip’s got to be in a freezer.”

“Yep. Could damage it otherwise. OK, switch on thermal layer detection in the editor. Should be easier to spot where Yorinobu's keeping the chip.”

V switches with a thought, the world turning into temperature signatures as she searches for unnatural cold places and spots. An air conditioner pumps out cold air, but that would be a stupid place to put billion dollar tech. One malfunction and you lost it all.  She rewinds back to get more of a view, a ice bucket for champagne, a fridge?

“That’s just a regular fancy fridge, not cold enough,” Bug tells her when she spends t0o long contemplating it.

V rewinds further and an amass of blue ice cold air from behind a pillar catches her eye, It seems to come up through the floor, unlike the AC, ice bucket, or fridge she has no clear idea where this one is coming from. A secret container in the floor? Seems like a much craftier place to hide expensive stolen tech, V scans it.

“Right, grabbed the heat sig. Matches the spec in the docs,” T-Bug tells her.

“Chip has to be here, we got it.”

“Mmhmm, time to scan security.”

V switches back to the regular mode, looking for what she needs to scan. The camera system first.

“Shit, cameras packed with newtech motion sensors, heat sig activators. IFF.”

“Can you kill it?”

“With access to their subnet, but we need the Flathead bot for that.”

They continue on, with Bug commenting on each security measure they scan. Alarm with fresh firmware, Automated turrets connected to the hotels server. Yorinobu’s pistol, loaded with the safety on. V rewinds and fast forward, searching anything else that might be an issue but comes up empty handed.

“Seems like we got everything. Looks like all their security systems are linked to the hotel subnet. We need the Flathead. No other way to shut down these systems,” T-Bug sumises.

“No way around it ourselves?”

“Nope. Least I'm fresh out of ideas. Think we got everything we need.”

“Okay, but hang on the line with me after we get out of the BD, need you to look over something for me, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem.”

V exists out of the brain dance, a flash of white and the world returns. Judy and Evelyn looking at her from across a desk, T-Bug still in the call panel of her mask. Her eyes hurt, her throat feels dry, and she can feel a migraine pushing at her temples. She fucking hates brain dances.

“Get everything you need?” Judy asks, a dark raised eyebrow.

“From the BD, yeah, got to clear something with Bug while I got her on the horn,” V gets the chip she fucked with out of her pocket and slides it into the proxy reader of her mask, “got a chip I fucked around with; decrypted and tried to rewrite the virus on it, so it will spike the people who gave it to me. But I want to make sure, I didn’t fuck up.”

“Need me to grade your work, V?”

“Kind of…”

“Oh, shit, V. You fucking over Militech?” T-Bug exclaims, a little pride in her voice as she reads over the code, thankfully her voice is only audible to V through her hearing aids.

“Mmhmm.”

“And you don’t want to sign and have your translator read it, because you don’t want to risk the client knowing you’re fucking over Militech while prepping to fuck over Arasaka.”

“Mmhmm, will it work?”

“It will fry the servers of any tech it’s plugged in proper and fry the servers it’s linked to, a Militech van from the looks of it. Won’t be a dent in their bottom line, but will surely piss off some reps. That what you meant for it to do?”

“That was the plan.”

“Preem work then, but I do want to make some...edits,” T-Bug edits the chips code in front of V’s eyes, “there we go.”

“Something wrong with it?” Nerves creep up V’s throat, if she fucked up, she’d rather learn her lesson now.

“Nah, I added a bit of a personal touch for you, nothing wrong with a little style added to your hacking.”

“Appreciate the help.”

“You know I won’t always be here to check your work.”

“I know, I know, but it doesn't mean I won’t take advantage while I can. Thanks again, talk soon.”

“Later, V.” With that V hangs up the call and slots the spiked credchip back into its respective pocket. Judgement, suspicion, and resentment are radiating off of Judy.

“I'll wipe the cache and your data. You were never here.”

Judy stands up from the desk and V tries to decipher a few of the tattoos she sees, noticing more sea themed ones, like a dolphin and sharks. V flinches behind her mask as Judy removes the BD wreath, glad to be free of the contraption, but she could have taken it off herself.

“Thanks…” V signs, despite this, just trying to be polite despite their spat.

“Keep it,” Judy hands her the wreath, V getting a good look at the octopus tattooed on the woman’s hand,  “I'll put it on Ev's tab. Portable device for handling BDs. I already uploaded your calibration settings. Not as sophisticated as what we got here, but should do the trick.”

“And it keeps you outta harm's way. Clever.”

“Speaking of harms way, know what I see looking at you,” Judy pins her hands to her hips and gives V that look again, “walking, talking corpses.”

“We needed this recording, just… relax, will you?”

“Relax! If Arasaka finds out you have it, you're dead. I'm dead! If you fuck this up and Arasaka comes knocking on my door!”

“Judy, relax, that’s… not gonna happen,” Evelyn is the one trying to soothe the editors temper again.

“Evelyn, please… no shortcuts. You go that route, city'll always win. So be careful.”

“'Course I will be. Besides, we'll talk in a bit,” Evelyn looks to V,  “lets walk.”

V stashes the new BD wreath into her bag and climbs from the chair, following Evelyn out of Judy’s basement space. It’s not like V is heartless or doesn’t know anxiety; but of everyone involved, Judy has the least skin in the game. V can’t spend her time coddling someone who doesn’t have a whole hell of a lot to worry about compared to her, Jackie, or Bug.

“Well? What do you think?” Evelyn asks and V can see that hint of nerves coming back.

“You’re not worried about this coming back on you, if they start looking through everyone he’s been dealing with?”

“They'll have a long list, then. Packed full of big names. Much bigger than mine. You tell me who they check first. Corpo hotshots and cutthroats? Or a little bedroom plaything like me?”

“Well, then... “ V tries to find her words, this all seems, too good, “intel on the heir, on the place, know roughly where the chip is, and how we should get to it… Seems like a perfect plan and job.”

“Mm. Thanks. Now the punch line, please.”

“Seems too good to be true, there’s got to be a catch…”

“Cold feet? Are you looking to get out of it?”

“I want to know you’re in control here; that there’s no secrets, no catches, no surprises that turns this heist from a cakewalk into a bloodbath.”

“V. I have zero reasons to haze you. We’re in this together. Really. Trust me that I got this.”

“Okay, if you say so, what next?”

“V….” there’s nothing good in the way Evelyn pauses, words stuck to her tongue for a moment, “Do this job for me. I mean me alone. No splitting the payout with anyone else. No middlemen. No Dex.”

Of course, of fucking course, there had to be something. Evelyn’s trying to play cutthroat corpo, fucking over a fixer because she has dollar signs in her eyes. But, she’s too damn naïve to the game to know that no merc with the lead in their gun would pull that shit. Greedy mercs who screw over their fixers end up broke on the street at best and swimming  with cement shoes at worst. And a high profile one like Dex has the means to destroy her.

“Fucking knew there was a catch, you want to fuck over our fixer.”

“Dex is a middleman. And a useless one at this point.”

“You don't fuck with fixers. That's the one rule every merc in this city knows - and actually follows!”

“But if we're smart…”

“There is no smart to this, a mistake like that will cost me my reputation and without that, a merc is fucking nothing in this city. Are you serious about this?”

“Better ask yourself that question. Do you want to spend the rest of your days blasting scavs? Or become a legend overnight? Your choice.”

“He would put me in the ground, if I pulled some gonk shit like that.”

“I could give you fifty percent, V, . Eddies enough to do whatever the hell you like, without needing Dex for anything. With cred like that, you wouldn’t want for anything, you could retire.”

“It’s not about the money.”

“I thought you were a merc. I thought it was always about the money.”

“No, its not actually. He trusts me, he’s taking a leap with me. And even if he weren’t, I’m not the only person I got to worry about. Bug vouched for me too and Jackie is my partner. I fuck over my fixer, it hurts them too. I’m not going to send them down the river for a bigger cut of the pie.”

“Fine. I never asked. But V?”

“Yeah.”

“I just hope you're as good as you are naive.”

“Pff, you think I’m the naive one, here. Cute.

“If you need me, call. I'll send you my number. Now go. I need a few words with Judy.”

“Later, then.”

And with that V heads back up the stairs, tension draws tight across her shoulders. This whole damn thing with Evelyn throwing her off. The BD and everything seems clear cut, if they get the Flathead, the job might even be easy. But, wanting to fuck over their fixer. Evelyn is not the corpo or femme fatale or whatever she seems to think she is. A doll, V’s sure of that.  Evelyn must have deleted the email from Clouds because its’s connected to her and the Mox offer protection to sex workers; must be where she and Yorinobu met. Clouds even has connections to Arasaka through the Tyger Claws. And she managed to become a powerful rich man’s plaything, so now she thinks she’s smart enough to fuck over not only him but Dex too.

She’s a messy client with good intel. V doesn’t want Evelyn to get hurt. The older woman is in over her head and doesn’t know how the merc world works. She doesn’t deserve to get hurt for that, the last thing V wants is for Dex to lose his cool and hurt the woman. But, V also owes it to him to let him know Evelyn put that deal on the table. If she doesn’t, what’s to say Evelyn won’t pull this on another fixer? Or Dex gets another job aligned with her and the next merc she offers this to isn’t so loyal? She has to tell him.

V fumbles with her holo as she walks back through the club, doing some quick research on Konpeki Plaza. Finding their policy on guns. Given the stealth nature of this mission, she can assume the only way they’re getting in is to find a way to get in like regular patrons. Which means they’d be scanned for guns as soon as they get through the door. If something goes south, she doesn’t want her and Jackie left unarmed with a hoard of Arasaka soldiers on their ass.

But they can’t confiscate cyberware.

Might be time to cash in her savings for something. Her holo buzzes in her hand as Dex calls; her stomach drops. Unsure for a moment what to say to him, if she should go ahead and tell him what Evelyn tried to pull. Would he lose his temper? Drop the entire damn heist? Would he hurt her for it? It weighs on her shoulders as she pushes through a blue beaded curtain, considering her options with a finger hovering over the phone.

[midnight-queery]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28476486

The first time it happened Kara didn’t remember it. She’d had a little too much Aldebaran rum at the alien bar and had flown home, waking up sprawled across her bed and still in her super suit, a foul taste in her mouth and a pounding in her temples. She rolled out of bed with a grimace and went through her morning routine even slower than a human, barely making it to work on time.

Kara walked into Lena’s office at CatCo with a bag of pastries from Noonan’s, two coffees, and a wide grin, and Lena smiled back, a sparkle of amusement in her eyes as she gestured for Kara to take a seat.

“Breakfast is served,” Kara chirped, hangover already gone thanks to her Kryptonian biology and the bright sun climbing high in the sky.

Lena hummed appreciatively and took a delicate bite of the scone Kara had brought her (its appalling lack of sweetness didn’t faze the CEO, apparently) as the blonde bit into her first sticky bun. “Have you seen the news yet, Kara?”

“Huh? Uh, no, not yet. I had kind of a slow start this morning.” Kara finished off her second sticky bun and took a swig of coffee. “Why, something interesting happen?”

“You could say so.” Lena gave Kara a small smile and turned on one of the televisions mounted on the wall, unmuting it so Kara could hear.

“-a distinctly Supergirl-shaped hole. Here to comment is the owner of the small business currently advertising on the billboard.” Kara whipped her head around and stared at the screen with wide eyes. The newscast cut to an older black woman, her hair in thick braids and a wide grin stretching across her face. “Oh no, we definitely don’t wanna get it fixed. My son already called the company we’re renting the space from and got them to promise to leave it alone. Why would we wanna get rid of our Super-stamp of approval? ‘Sides, she managed to fly through a bit of empty space!” The woman waved her hand and gave a throaty laugh as the interview was replaced by some B-roll of the billboard in question. Blocky text across the top of the billboard advertised ‘a homecooked meal- even if your home is another planet!’ and the bottom right corner had different pictures of food, ranging from a bowl of chowder to something neon blue that honestly looked like it might still be alive. The bottom left corner featured a vaguely person-shaped hole.

“Oh Rao,” Kara muttered. She turned back around when Lena started laughing. “Lenaaa!”

“Sorry darling, but you have to admit it is amusing.” Lena gave Kara a bright grin, her green eyes sparkling. “Of all the headlines I was expecting to wake up to this morning, this was never on the list.”

Kara groaned and lowered her head into her hands. “D’you think Alex saw?”

“She already texted me the link to the article,” Lena admitted, biting her lip to try to hide her grin. “I’m not sure how she managed to find the article before me when I own the company, but she said I should just be glad she knows how little sleep I get, else she’d have called me at 4am when it posted.”

Kara looked up and gave Lena a surprised look. “There’s an article too? Who the heck wrote it that early?”

“Me, of course,” a voice chimed in, and Kara turned with wide eyes, her face quickly melting into a pout when she saw a certain young reporter leaning against the door frame, arms crossed smugly and a shit-eating grin on her face.

“Nia,” Kara whined. “How could you? Gosh, I don’t even remember flying through it, how’d you know about it?”

“I dreamed it and woke myself up laughing just in time to get there and see it for myself.” Nia pushed off from the door jamb and sauntered into the room, pulling out her phone. “If you hadn’t been in your civvies I would have been able to post the video of you flying through it.” She held her phone out and showed the video to Kara and Lena, the latter laughing as her companion’s face turned bright red. A small shape with blonde hair and pastel-coloured clothes sped through the air, only coming to a halt when she blasted through something with a bang, a startled look on her face. The billboard never stood a chance.

“But that- but- when I woke up I was in my suit!” Kara exclaimed, looking from Nia to Lena and back, a desperate gleam in her eyes. “So it couldn’t’ve been me! It was probably just some shapeshifter trying to embarrass me!”

“Keep watching,” Lena murmured, gesturing to Nia’s phone with a smirk.

Kara turned back to the phone with a sinking feeling in her stomach. From somewhere off-screen Nia’s voice yelled for Supergirl to put her damn suit on, and a moment later, after squinting dubiously at the camera and wobbling midair, on-screen Kara mumble-yelled something about already having her suit on and looked down, realizing mid ramble that she was wearing a “stupid librarian costume” before ripping her clothes off and flying off in her suit. Kara was just glad she’d had her super suit on under her clothes instead of just her ‘birthday suit’ as the humans called it, else the video would have been even more mortifying.

The video finally (blessedly) ended, and Nia tucked her phone into her pocket with a smirk. “I’m definitely playing this at you guys’s wedding.”

Kara spluttered for several moments before sighing and slouching back in her chair, muttering about backstabbing dreamers and rude girlfriends as Nia and Lena started watching the video again.

///

The second time it happened wasn’t Kara’s fault. She was fighting an alien nearly as strong as her, and one of its punches sent her careening through the air and straight through the flimsy material of the billboard, this time one advertising cat food. Kara thought nothing of it at the time, focused on the fight and not even realizing what had just happened. It wasn’t until she’d flown back to the DEO, alien safely apprehended, that she found out about it.

“You are affecting the billboard industry in very interesting ways,” Brainy commented when Kara trudged out of the infirmary, a small scowl on her face since the fight had interrupted her lunch with Lena.

“I’m- what?”

Brainy turned to her, a thoughtful frown on his face. “Companies have begun hiring analysts to predict which billboards are in areas you might crash through and have even begun trading billboards in an effort to find the ‘sweet spot’.”

“It’s that bad?” Kara asked, horrified. “I only crashed through one!”

“Two, actually,” Brainy corrected, pointing the large screen taking up the back wall. A billboard advertising a tasty cat food with a large hole torn though the place the bowl of food used to be glared back at her tauntingly. “And it is that good. The companies want Supergirl to crash through their billboards. They have come to see it as a badge of honor. A ‘Super-stamp of approval’ as Ms. Thomas put it.”

“I’m just glad they aren’t billing us,” J’onn added, standing off to the side, his arms crossed and a rare, wide grin on his face. “If only National City saw infrastructure damage the same way.”

Kara groaned and flew away as J’onn asked Brainy if they could start charging the billboard companies.

///

The third time wasn’t Kara’s fault either, but she didn’t say anything when Alex lectured her about it. She had been on her way to interview someone for an article when Lena had sent her a very… distracting picture and she’d accidently flown through a billboard advertising lingerie of all things (oh the irony). She was just glad she’d crashed through part of the company’s slogan and not anywhere inappropriate on the picture of the model.

///

“I can’t believe you’re running this story,” Kara grumped, flopping down onto the couch in Lena’s office at L-Corp. She’d flown over from CatCo as soon as Snapper had handed out assignments in the bull pen. “And I really can’t believe you’re making me write it!”

“I thought it might be fun for you.” Lena glanced at Kara over her laptop, but quickly looked back at the screen as she continued typing out an email to R&D, outlining all the reasons a Supergirl-flight-path-predictor was a horrible idea, billboard companies be damned. “You always feel bad when your fights cause property damage, but these people are actually arguing over which bit of damage you caused is best.”

“But it’s so embarrassing,” Kara whined, throwing her hands over her face. “I know they won’t know it’s me, but I have to interview them about the holes I made in their billboards and then write an article outlining which one is ‘the most representative of Supergirl’.” The eyeroll was audible in her voice.

Lena hummed in response but when Kara was quiet she stopped typing again and looked up. “Personally, darling, I’m a fan of the hole in the lingerie advertisement. It’s not as well-placed as the others, but I do appreciate that you were apparently more distracted then than when you were drunk.”

Kara lifted one of her hands enough to give Lena the side-eye. “That was your fault and you know it. Rao, I still can’t believe you texted me a picture of you- of you-”

“More scantily clad than the lingerie model whose billboard spotlight you stole?” Lena quipped, arching her eyebrow.

Kara squeaked an affirmative and fled her girlfriend’s sultry look, figuring she’d best get the interviews over with before she got hot and bothered enough to crash through a fourth billboard and had to add another interview to her list.

///

Supergirl only crashed through a few more billboards in the following months, but apparently graffiti artists found it all quite inspiring because the Superfriends seemed to send Kara a new skillfully painted picture of herself breaking through brick walls and train cars at least once a week. (She’d never admit it to anyone, but she actually liked the one of a chibi Supergirl bursting out of a water tower, spurts water following behind her… she’d liked it so much she’d let the kid who painted it finish before she’d flown her down and lectured her on the dangers of precarious perches for humans.)

[lordgoopy]

“The Saturday Interview: I Am In Eskew Podcast” —Recovered

The podcast is called I Am In Eskew; it’s a horror / weird fiction show delivered as a series of dispatches from a vaguely Central European city.

Eskew is a place that is, both spatially and psychologically, off-kilter. The streets wind too far in on themselves, the stairs climb too high, and both buildings and inhabitants can act in peculiar, obsessive, or frightening ways. And every episode we follow the narrator, David Ward, a kind of semi-unwilling immigrant to the city, as he finds himself stumbling into new aspects of Eskew. As for me, I’m a writer in London, working in digital media for the charity sector; I’m writing and narrating Eskew sort-of-anonymously. Not for any kind of grand scandalous reason, but because I think it adds to the fun and helps to keep the conceit alive a little bit.

Ah...that explains why I couldn’t find your name when I was researching for this interview. I thought my skills were slipping! I think it’s very interesting that Eskew focuses on horror based around spaces and buildings. Is this something of particular interest to you?

Yes, definitely! I think there’s a rich ream of horror, from The Haunting of Hill House to Ghostwatch, that delves into the idea that certain places can simply go wrong - and once these bad environments have been established and ostracised by society, they can’t be exorcised. They simply keep accruing power through the individual stories that play tragically out in their shadow.

I mention a real-life example of that kind of bad architecture in one episode; the Pope Lick Bridge in Kentucky, a place that looks and feels so sinister that it developed its own local folklore about a goat-man who attacks people who stray too close to the edge - and which has ended up resulting in deaths as visitors peer over the side trying to get a peek at the monster.

I find this kind of stuff fascinating, because it plays into my own paranoia about environments, and my dislike of ghost stories with explicably human antagonists. Like David says in the first episode, people aren’t frightening. Places are frightening.

If I’m sitting alone at home on a dark and stormy night, and I glance nervously up towards the bedroom doorway, my fear is not that my house is being haunted by a spirit called Mabel who died in the 19th century at the age of fourteen and is constantly seeking her favourite teddy bear...because all of these details both humanise her and make her ridiculous.

My fear is that there will be something standing in the doorway, because the doorway is where things come to stand.

Because unoccupied spaces, in our imaginations, must find something to fill them.

Could you describe some of your creative influences?

Thomas Ligotti is probably the writer I’m trying to crib from the most. Not so much in terms of his pessimism (or his love of puppets as a horror motif, which I can’t really get behind), but I see him very much as someone who bridges the gap between American horror and European absurdism. Some of my favourite stories of his - The Town Manager, Our Temporary Supervisor, The Red Factory - are hilarious as comedies! They’re very much scathing satires on our inadequate human response to the inexplicable and awful.

Junji Ito is also a big influence, in particular, his masterpiece Uzumaki: a collection of short stories about a town that’s driven mad by the symbol of a spiral. The brilliance is in the inventiveness with which he builds an anthology of horrors, with variety and with mounting awfulness, while playing on that simple motif.

I see Ito’s work as very much in the spirit of some of the most classic horror of all; Ovid’s Metamorphoses, where the threat comes not from an external monster, but from our own bodies and minds, transforming at the whim of cruel, fickle and obsessive gods...which feeds into a lot of what I’m trying to do with Eskew!

I usually try and avoid thinking about Lovecraft as an influence, even though David is clearly an obsessive, neurotic first-person narrator in the Lovecraft/Poe mould. I think there’s a lot of baggage around what constitutes ‘Lovecraftian’ fiction, and I didn’t want to set up false expectations by referencing him (like the idea that there might be some monstrous cosmic intelligence behind it all).

I really enjoy Lovecraft too, especially something like “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.” I think the idea of monsters living in the sea near the town and the strange, inexorable link the townspeople have with them makes it a lot creepier than something like “The Call of Cthulhu.”

Yeah! I think the elements in Lovecraft that have made him so franchise-friendly (these brilliant alien races and gods) have eaten away at the edges of Lovecraftian horror, bringing it closer to something that can be quite kitsch, even a kind of steampunk pastiche at times. With Eskew, I’m trying to keep to something I see in Ito, or in Ligotti, where any antagonists, whether human or otherwise, are only symptoms of something worse, something that’s simply a force of nature.

I see the city of Eskew as being a bit like a literal cancer in that sense - a highly complex structure where some of the cells (or in this case streets, art galleries, citizens...) have started to lose their original sense of self and are obsessively spiralling off in other, destructive directions...

What made you decide to do I Am In Eskew as a podcast, rather than as a graphic novel or book?

Honestly, it’s a lack of talent in the first instance, and a lack of discipline in the second!

Writing it as a podcast was my partner’s idea (she’s also the occasional voice of Riyo, an investigator looking into David’s disappearance, and she copy-edits every episode with me) - I knew I wanted to write a series of horror short stories based around the theme of urban isolation and weird architecture, but I was really struggling to get started.

She suggested that recording it as a podcast would force me to keep to a schedule, and hopefullyit might even give me some audience feedback to keep me excited about the project.

So it was a pragmatic choice, but it’s one I’ve really come to be thankful for! I think the medium is perfect for bare-bones, atmospheric horror storytelling (Knifepoint Horror is probably the best example of that ‘lonely voice whispering in your ear’ kind of fiction), and there’s an incredibly welcoming, friendly, mutually-supporting community of listeners and creators online.

Once the podcast is complete, I think I’d definitely like to look at compiling all of the episodes, editing and improving them, and turning it into a full-length written anthology. I’ve definitely made a few continuity slip-ups along the way that I’d like to correct, apart from anything else.

I’ve enjoyed Riyo’s episodes too, especially now that she’s directly looking into ‘hostile environments’. I feel like the contrast in tone and narrative style help to strengthen the series overall. Do you intend for the story of I Am In Eskew to have a specific ending in the future? If so, have you decided on the arc of the story?

I think David’s story (and Riyo’s) needs to be a finite one, definitely. In my experience, most successful protagonists in serial horror tend to be investigators, or monster-hunters. That choice of profession makes them witnesses to the story, rather than victims - effectively, they’re exempt from the psychological cost of whatever happens.

With David, I very much wanted to avoid that sense of safety; I want the horror to keep taking its toll on the character, episode after episode - which means that eventually he does need to find some kind of resolution!

Otherwise that psychological cost starts to seem fraudulent, and the whole thing turns into a predictable game of ‘David sees something horrible, then miraculously escapes at the last second’ week after week.

So I do know how the finale is going to play out; it’s really just a question of how many more stories I can reasonably invent for the show, without things starting to feel stretched, before we get there.

Mind you, it’s been established that there are recordings from Eskew that have gone missing, so it doesn’t need to end, even if it ends…

Do you have a favourite episode of I Am In Eskew so far?

I really like Episode 3: Excavation. A mysterious digging sickness takes hold in Eskew, with citizens tearing their own hands to pieces just to get into the ground - and in retaliation, a religious cult starts to form, extolling the virtues of the sky and constructing a grand tower.

It’s not necessarily the best-written episode structurally, and definitely one of the crudest in terms of recording quality, but it was the first episode where I felt I was pushing the boat out towards the kind of outrageous, absurdist horror that I really wanted to be writing, where normal human behaviour was just being given a couple of extra screw-turns towards something awful and monstrous.

It was also the first episode where I really saw a few people begin to respond on message boards, so that was really reassuring to me - when it first went out, I was petrified that I’d gone too weird to sustain anyone’s interest.

I tried to pick a favourite episode in preparation for this interview, but I honestly couldn’t narrow it down past five or six. If I really had to pick, I’d probably choose Illumination - the episode about the sinister and compulsive call of an old railway bridge. Are ideas like this based on real examples?

That example definitely is - it’s based on a railway bridge about a minute’s walk from my house! I love that kind of very modern ruin; old brick stacks stood out in the open, arches filled with ivy, graffiti in a place that seems impossible to reach...

There are a few other specific London inspirations (I based the Fish Market on Spitalfields Meat Market, for example), but with Eskew as a whole, I was thinking specifically of hillier cities in Western and Central Europe: Budapest, primarily, but also Lisbon (the trams and cobblestones), maybe a bit of Rome...

I’m used to flat English cities without any kind of panorama, so I find it a ceaselessly astonishing thing to be lost in a city’s streets and suddenly find myself up high, staring down over a sea of winding streets and rooftops...

How do you feel having wrecked people’s appreciation of AA Milne’s poem Disobedience by highlighting how deeply sinister it is?

I’ve actually been driving myself wild trying to decide if that poem is just a nonsense rhyme celebrating bossy children, or if there’s a class-snobbery thing going on (James James Morrison’s mother puts on a golden gown, and goes to the end of the town...does she get robbed there? Is the end of the town so unsafe because that’s where the low-income people live?)

You may have a point there about class. After whatever happens to her happens, the King himself gets involved with a reward. Clearly, she’s a lady with connections! Could you describe your writing process?

My writing process is very much informed by necessity - I commute in and out of London every day and don’t have a lot of free time, so I have to do most of my drafting while standing upright in a crammed train carriage!

Which may not be ideal, but on the other hand, if you’re writing a podcast about the horror of urban life, there’s no better place to find inspiration than a crowded, sweaty, angry Underground train filled with blank faces...

How long does it take you to put an episode together, from first word to the finished product?

I’m very quick; I usually sketch out the episode concept well in advance, then take about a fortnight to draft it and edit. Recording and audio-editing happens very speedily, again out of necessity, on the weekends! I try and devote a day apiece to each.

Turning to the technical side, what do you wish you’d known about creating a podcast at the very beginning?

There’s still an enormous amount that I don’t know! When it comes to even simple audio editing, I’m learning all the time. I very much am still just a schmuck in his living room, talking into a handmade sound booth on his days off - which is the beauty of podcasting, I suppose.

But I’d probably give my earlier self some very common-sense advice like...

...be brave. Stick to a schedule. Know the signs of burn-out. Listen to other people’s work in the medium before you dive in. Stay hydrated so your mouth doesn’t make those disgusting wet sounds when you’re trying to talk. Never forget that this should be fun, above anything else.

What motivates you to keep producing episodes?

Honestly? Seeing that it’s connecting with people. Spooking people. Entertaining people. That means everything.

If people would like to engage with you or support you online, what’s the best way to do that?

If you’d like to support the show...please do just shout about it! Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes. It really makes a huge difference.

If you’d like to chat, we’re also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/eskew_podcast

[hellocupcakeitsme]

An Unexpected Journey

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So for the last almost 7 months I have been walking more and more and finding it rather enjoyable. I've never been one for hiking or anything like that. I've liked the idea of it, but putting that into the physical act of actually doing so has always been something completely different.

Just recently, I walked 13.5 miles (21.73k) from my town to the next. Now according to the trail signs, the distance is only 7.3 miles (11.75k). But Im not sure if that "as the crow flies" (meaning a straight line) or if that is how far it actually is. But 3 different apps that I have on my phone said that it was 13.5 miles.  Which trust me, either way, my feet and back were killing me. It was such an emotional and almost spiritual adventure. I have NO EXCUSE for why I did it. It quite literally just happened. The day that I went walking, I had it in my mind that I was going to walk to the 6 mile marker. Where I park my car and start walking is about 1/4 of a mile (0.042k) from the 7 mile post marker. So I have always done the trail just past the 6.5 trail marker. But that day like I said I wanted to see where Mile 6 post was. And it was on a part of the trail that I had never done before, so if anything, curiosity got the better of me.

So, when I came up on the 6 mile marker, I decided to "go a little further" to see where that part of the trial went. When I came to the bottom of a steep hill and saw a ranch style fence, I thought "ok i'll just walk up to that fence and turn around." Had I done that, my round trip would have been just under 4 miles at that point, because I had walked over 1.5 miles. But when I got to the top of that hill and caught my breath, I noticed that the trail was flat for as far as I could see. So I thought, "ok I wonder where 5.5 miles is." A few weeks prior to all of this, I picked up the trail from a different access point and walked from the 4 mile marker to the 5 mile marker. I called a girlfriend of mine and asked her if she would come pick me up if I kept walking because I knew I probably wouldn't have the strength nor the stamina to make the return trip to my car. And that I was going to keep walking until I couldn't go any further. So she agreed and so I continued my journey.

When I got to the 5.5 mile marker (8.85k) I realized that I had seen it before, and realized where I was from having walked it a few weeks prior. So that gave me a renewed sense of energy "knowing" that the next trail access was only a mile or so up from where I was. This is when things started getting a bit spiritual for me. As I was walking, and there really wasn't anyone else on the trail, save for a biker or someone running by every now and then, but for the majority of the time, I was all by myself. 

So I started talking to god/goddess/spirit/higher power/the universe/etc and asking for the ability to complete my task of walking further than I have. Now mind you, this is when the wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington were really bad. The air quality was 289 (which is really really REALLY bad). And because I didn't plan on doing that large of a walk, I had NO previsions with me. Thankfully this time of year all of the Blackberries are in season and so are the wild apple trees. So every so often I would stop at a blackberry patch and grab a few handfuls and mush it around in my mouth. Not only for the sweet sugary taste, but for the juice to help with my thirst. So about 2 miles from where I started eating the blackberries, I met a wonderful lady who was mucking out her horse stalls. I stopped and spoke with her for a few moments, she offered to go get me some water, but her house was about 8 acres from where she was, and I honestly didn't want to stand around and wait for her. So I thanked her and kept on going. I then came to a green apple tree. I thought that it might be crab apples, which are very tart and kind of "woody" and not very juicy. I knocked one off the tree, because at this point I was starving because I didn't eat anything before going on my walk, because having to use the restroom on the trail isn't that fun, and I didnt have any toilet paper with me, so I didn't want to eat and have to deficate on the trail. But that apple was a wild Granny Smith. It was the most delicious apple I had ever eaten (at least right then while i was a bit dehydrated and hungry) that I actually turned around and got 5 more for the trip ahead. 

By this time I was at the 4.5 mile marker letting me know that I was almost to the trail access that I was going to have my friend pick me up at. But I started thinking "its really not that much further into town." So I kept going. By this time im an emotional wreck, and everything is making me want to cry. I had begun "unpacking" emotions and situations that had happened and just really doing some mental and emotional cleaning and soul searching. My feet were in pain, my lower back was numb from the pain. But I just kept telling myself to keep going. Honestly I have no fixed memory of what I was thinking about at the time. What feelings I was having. Nothing. It would come in waves, I would think about it and play scenarios out in my head and then move on to the next thought. They kept coming like waves, and it seemed like everytime I would come up for a breath I would get hit with another one. 

After I got past the 4 mile marker and saw the 3.5 marker I was completely lost. So everything at that point was new. Which brought on its own set of emotional tidal waves. I started talking to myself and the universe or whatever spirit or god wanted to hear me and listen to the ramblings of a fat man walking in the woods. At one point I came to a large tunnel that ran under a road that I had driven over many times before, but did not realize that there was a trail that went under it. And there was a breeze that was passing through it that made it feel like an air conditioner, which took my breath away because I was really hot. I just stood there for a moment, and cooled down.

Then walking through it, I noticed all the graffiti that was on the walls and had thought about my friends from California who are street artists and how they would have loved that tunnel and would have used it as one big canvas for something im sure that would have been worthy of an art gallery.

Just on the other side of this tunnel was a long stretch of forest trail that had the most lush and prehistoric looking Sword Ferns that I have ever seen. These have quickly become one of my favorite forest plants that I have come across. So as I was marveling at the natural beauty around me, and coming to an open field, something walked out onto the road and caught my eye. At first I thought that it was a small dog or a racoon or something like that, but it was an orange tom cat. As I approached it I thought that someone may have abandoned it out there. But as the trees began thinning and I got closer to the clearing, I could see that there were houses on either side of me, and that this little guy had a collar on, and a well worn trail where he had walked many times before. But trust me, I was more than ready to scoop him up and bring him home with me, even though Bella probably would have killed both him and I.

When I had walked about 1500 yards, I could see the highway into town. This of course brought tears to my eyes, realizing how close I was to the end of the trail, and thinking about how many times I had driven that stretch of road and never knew that there was all of this beauty and semi hidden trail. Walking under the freeway and realizing that I had less than 2.5 miles to go before I was at the end of my journey, I began getting really giddy. More street art adorned the overpass. 

When I came to the 2 mile marker of the trail, I almost lost it. Years prior, when I had first moved to Washington, I had walked to the 2 mile marker from the end of the trail, and realized that it was literally all downhill from there, but in the best possible way.  My thoughts and emotions were all over the place. When I came to the 1 mile marker. I started crying uncontrollably. I started talking to my dad, my grandma, and grandpa, telling them how proud they would be of me for making it that far, and for having done something like that in the first place. I could see my end goal in sight. I know that section of the trial all to well, as I walk it several times a month. When I got to the 1/2 mile marker I called my friend and told her where to pick me up. There was a part of me that wanted to keep walking. To keep walking past the trails end, all the way to the end of the road where it met the ocean. But I had kept her waiting by her phone all day, and didn't want to make her wait around for me any longer than what she already had.

As I approached the end of the trail, where it meets a parking lot. It felt like my steps were getting heavier and harder to make. Like subconsciously I didn't want it to end. That even though I was in pain, and numb, that I needed to keep going. But the spark of sanity that I had left told me that it was more of an accomplishment than I was giving myself credit for. Stepping off the trail, and walking to where I told my friend I would meet her, was difficult. Time was off for me. I kept having flashbacks to where I was, what I had seen, and to a smaller degree who i was when I started vs who I was when it ended. Yeah it was only a few hours, and several miles of walking. But it really did have that profound of an effect on me. Especially since the week before I was seriously depressed, and had being toying with the idea of just ending it once and for all. But here I was. I had accomplished a goal that I had set for the following summer, and had accomplished it almost 7 months ahead of schedule. 

When I saw my friends car pull up, I lost all control I had and began crying. She was more than ecstatic for me, and just as shocked as I was that I had done it. I kept my sobbing under control the best that I could, just letting hot tears streak down my face. My back was in spasms, my feet felt like they were broken. My shins hurt, my calves were cramping. But I had done it. I had made a trip that this time last year would have been impossible. 

For days after my walk, I had what I can only describe as PTSD from it. I just kept having flashbacks to parts of the trail. Remembering things that I saw, the scent, the sounds. I have since started watching Trail Vloggers, and watching their journey's. And they all have said the same thing. That when they end a hike, that they get what they call "post trail depression".  I have now downloaded several hiking apps, that show all of the trails in my area, and their ratings. And I have also began stockpiling hiking gear. I've been walking with a school backpack with about 7lbs of stuff in it, just to get used to walking with a pack on. My friends husband, gave me one of his old hunting packs and told me that he has some other items that he was going to give me.

I have already planned my next "big" walk. Its just under 14 miles, and another one that I plan on doing next summer too. I would try to do it now, but its fall/winter here in the PNW now and i'm still not that experienced, and still need to build up the strength and stamina to do so. And plus it will give me some more time to get things together for it. 

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[aleatoryalarmalligator]

Life Story Part 33

Sorry for the delay. I will continue writing this story now.

Earlier that fall, there had been an incident that I have failed to mention. My female friends and I had all been hanging out in the front of my house one night talking and being sort of hyper. What we were doing or saying I do not remember and it was probably a little dumb. In the darkness I heard someone started walking down the path in front of my house. I shrieked because I was shocked. It turned to be this stocky woman with short black hair. She looked pissed and ready to do battle. And because I had shrieked, she was all kind of pissed. She came up to me and started saying she was going to take us all out. We looked at one another to confirm with one another that this adult woman was actually being serious right now. She had her fists balled. I had never been in a fist fight in my life. She especially wanted to fight me, and seemed to have made some strange assumption that I of all people was the mob boss. I think she was kind of crazy, since I was clearly not alpha female, and I got this sense that this is what she thought I was. Eventually, my friends all stepped in and tried to explain to her that we really really had meant no offense, and we would rather leave her alone than fight her. We had to agree to strange things that implied her dominance over us physically. After making fun of my hair and my make up and anything she could think to call me out on, she headed off down the road.

I found out that her name was Angel. She was Kyle's sister. Well, she wasn't really Kyle's sister since Kyle is the eldest and Ronnie had four boys and one baby girl now. Angel had been the daughter of one of Kyle's mother's boyfriends from the eighties, a long long time ago. From what I gathered, Angel didn't like her real father, and was so deplete of a real family, she had stuck on by Ronnie and sometimes had lived with her off and on throughout her life. She was very rough. I was weary of her and had learned to watch out for her.

Somehow, despite being ground up to my eyelids, I had convinced my father that I had to go to an event at the school to maintain my art grade. It was manditory I told him, and if I didn't go I might get even more suspensions. This was untrue, but it worked well in the end. There was a sort of performance art showing at the high school, to be performed in the high school gymnasium, so it wasn't completely false either in the sense that there was a school event. I was even able to get a signature from my art teacher being intentionally vague about the details of my grade relating to this showing just so I could go. Ms. Fiske (my art teacher) hated my father. She didn't know about the abusive stuff. She was mad because years previously, back when I had been a fifth grader and she had just gotten her first divorce, she had come on to my dad one day in front of the house as he was all sweaty and manly and doing housework, offering herself up as a casual sex partner, and he never returned the interest.

This was hardly a reason to dislike him, but she had also gotten word that he was a republican. And she was tribal like that. Ordinarily, I would have saluted her strong attitude for it's political responsibility – not then as I was in a whole sea of vague concerning politics, but if you knew Ms. Fiske, she really didn't know what the hell she was talking about ever be she on the left or the right. She contradicted herself politically everyday. Really, the whole thing was more about picking a side than understanding why. She even would sometimes start making the same arguments that republicans would.

In any case, it worked to my benefit, because I then had one ally with whom I might be able to curry favors from against my father if need be.

Ms. Fiske had somehow convinced Whitney (Zack's sister) to come to this event as someone who took tickets. We got in for free, which was nice. And Zack was there strangely enough, and due to this, I was immediately disinterested in the performers who had come to our small town in any way.  I wish I had been, because what I did see of it near the end was really quite amazing. At the very end of the show, I walked in, and there were these intricate paper mache masked people, some of it was like clay. It was sort of demonic, sort of antique, sort of tribal. One of their heads was so enormous I could barely comprehend they could keep that on their face. There were dancers, and puppets dancing around. It was completely entrancing. I've seen nothing like it since. Our small close minded town wasn't deserving of them. The person I am today, I would have passed on flirting opportunities to watch the performance. Any guy I would truly be interested in today would be way ahead of me. This very well was probably the most lovely thing that had ever come into town. It was just this really obscure group of puppeteers and dancers. I noticed sadly that they all slept in this moderate sized van with their props and everything. I could not believe the amount of struggle they were putting into it, night after night, in rural cold little towns far from civilization, packing up there art and taking it to people who probably wouldn't even remember in it in a year. It seems very lonely, and very rough.

Instead of all that, I had ran outside with Zack. He started talking to me about conformity. He started making vague statements about society. And he claimed that him and I were the anticonformists, able to see through the guise of reality into a deeper one. He really felt very connected with me for this reason because we were the real ones and everyone else was fake according to him. I felt pretty pleased that he regarded me so highly, and a little taken aback. This was not something I was generally used to being any good at – having a conversation about the world at large. What is now a complex fabric that has multiple stretches of possible roads and connections was at that time a blank slate. What Zack told me starting that night completely filled that blank slate. And my affections and loyalty, as well as the flattery of being so highly regarded as to be 'one of the chosen few', kept me from having any doubts about what he ever said.

We then proceeded to walk around the school and break off all the plastic signs and anything else on the school we could find. Deep down, I didn't mean any of it. But Zack and I had to do it for symbolism's sake. This was part of what it meant to be an anticonformist. You have to do your part to tear down the fake society that we had no choice but to exist in. So we did some minor acts of vandalism, and after the vandalism Zack said we were going to go to the prom together that year, and not go in or dance, but instead TP everyone's cars and get silly string and graffiti paint cover the school, just to teach everyone a lesson about their stupidity and conformity. As I stood there thinking about what he said, inspecting our work, he then walked off to smoke and be mysterious, and Ava came outside to find me and coaxed me back into the school telling me that I was missing the great performance of a lifetime that I was indeed missing and was indeed the performance of a lifetime.

I watched the tail end of it. And after the performance, I wanted to go out and see Zack again. When he smoked, I could almost feel the smoke in the cold November air as some kind of life force in and of itself. It was intoxicating and addictive. It was ten at night. The air had already become extremely cold during the nights. We found Zack sitting in his father's red pick up truck. He was smoking a cigarette much to my glee, and listening to Behind Blue Eyes by The Who. It was almost over the top, like some satire of a bad boy almost. There probably was more posing in this than I even realized. Years later I learned that during this time in his life, he used to intentionally get his nice clean clothes that his mother launded and take them outside and intentionally put them on the ground and rub them in dirt, just to get that edgy dirty look.  I was such a musical buffoon back then, I honestly asked who was covering this Limp Bizkit song. I didn't know who The Who was, and I thought Limp Bizkit had written the song.

I thought it kind of strange, but Ava had started to talk over me when Zack was around more often and would position herself as close to Zack as possible when she talked. It seemed rather casual, but it felt a little intentional as well. I didn't know enough about interacting with people to know if this was normal, or if there was a mysterious body language element to it. If there was, I didn't want to believe that Ava would be in on that. I didn't want to suspect anything, but there was this little feeling I got when I saw her looking at Zack that I thought was annoying. I wasn't overturned with rage, just some part of me felt a little tickle in the back of my awareness. I would then think about what it implied, and instantly I would feel wrong about it. I would offhandedly ask her if she was into Zack, and she would smoothly and transparently tell me that she wasn't.. And he didn't say the kinds of things he said to me to her though – he didn't think of her as an anticonformist, and I would remind myself of that when I began to feel jealous. I figured that it was just Ava being Ava. She was a hart person to push away. She was all about getting as much attention as humanly possible, and most of us knew that. She would never do anything of course.

When I got home after all of that, as I walked up to the driveway there was a shocking sight. My father was in the car with a woman and was making out with her. I had to sort of process what I had seen. I tried to pretend I hadn't seen it – I have always been weary of watching my parents show acts of passion like these, but I couldn't help but noticing that the woman in question looked an awful lot like Angel. And it was. They didn't even know one another, and now this? I could barely believe it. It didn't make any sense. It was mad. Nothing made any sense, the world was a crazy place. It seemed like everything I had assumed was a certain way was really another, and this was just the beginning of it. I was beginning to wonder at this time, with Zack prodding me along of course, if I really knew the truth behind anything at all. There was no order to the universe from what I could see. I grew up seeing a hierarchical structure, and I was beginning to learn that nobody was in charge. Rules were arbitrary and worked on everyone differently. For all I knew, my parents could hook up again, sounds totally absurd, but who really knows? I wasn't upset, not at all. Quite to the contrary. I rather enjoyed the lack of order the universe was showing me. I just didn't know what to do with it.

The principal took me in sometime that late fall, and explained to me that due to the amount of absences I had accumulated over the year, he was going to have to take away what few credits I had managed to accumulate, if I missed just one more day. And to show just how much I hadn't been paying attention (perhaps nobody had explained to me), I had no idea that there was a credit system or process involved with graduating high school. I never thought I would be graduating anyway. I was decently certain with myself that by the time I reached sixteen or seventeen, I would in a band with my friends, and we wouldn't need to graduate. Samantha would play drums, Ava would sing, Sarah would play bass and I would play the guitar. Why worry about credits or geometry when music and art were so much better? Of course I just knew my friends were all on board with this. It never crossed my mind that when we all talked about this stuff and the band we would be in when we stayed over at each other's houses, no one else really meant any of it. For me, it wasn't an option.

But, given everything else, just to keep my father off my back, I complied with my principal's demands. I didn't really want to lose what little I had earned, and I only had one more month before there was a new semester. So I made sure not to miss one more day. I even went to school with the stomach flu one day – having just stopped throwing up an hour before school started. My stomach queezy and contracting stomach pains, and as much as I brushed my teeth, vomit on my breath. I meandered to school in a state of agony and died a slow death all day long in the various classrooms that I was hauled too one after one, before finally being able to go home. And what do you know, at the end of the semester, he took my credits away anyway. Goes to show I guess.

My dad had taken Allison and David to the fair that fall, and while they had been there, they had seen Jessie (Jodi's daughter). She really missed us, and so my dad said she could come to our house to say hi sometime. Even though she had been a huge pain to me – I actually found that I missed her too. I haven't spoken much about her, but I had a soft spot for her. We had almost been sisters. She came to visit that November. She had grown a lot in that year. She was more of a preteen now, and wasn't as prone to her former behaviors. She was excitable and very happy to see us, and she came to visit me in my room. It was Thanksgiving break, and she was at this age where she wanted to listen to music and start doing things teenagers do. In her mind, I was considered a cool older kid because I was fourteen years old, had a cd collection and went to high school, and naturally I wasn't about to tell her otherwise. I let her have all the cds I owned that I no longer liked. I gave away my beloved Eminem cds. I let her have my first two Linkin Park albums. I gave her my Pink and Avril Lavigne cds. The Nsync given to me by Judy years previous during the Y2K years. I even gave her my burned copies of Simple Plan – which I had grown out of. For whatever reason I still liked Blink 182. So I kept those, She was happy to have all of this music I no longer liked.

My dad eventually drove her back home. And we never saw her again. Jodi married some cowboy and they moved up north. Her name is too common to look up on facebook with any accuracy. She might even be married now, a lot of people younger than me are married and have children. It's strange. And I don't even know how to spell her name. There are too many variables. So I will never know how her life went. I hope she is doing well. I had opened up to her being my sister during the end of my father's botched engagement. And we had been in the process of hashing the sister thing out which was inevitable and would have been a painful process, but it was cut short, and then she had left. I am at least glad that we left on good terms. It was a much better way to say goodbye.

There was this wart on the side of my pointer finger, and I had to get it removed. I definitely wasn't going to be seeing a doctor. My father would never have taken me to the doctor just for that. And it just kept growing. I would cut a piece of it off, and it would just get bigger. I I became paranoid that Zack would see this wart, and then he would reject me, thinking I looked like a witch. The idea was absurd really, but if I thought about it enough in the dark of my cold bedroom, it seemed plausible. I was getting tired of holding one of my fingers against it at all times to prevent it from showing.

There was still no light in my bedroom, but I had a space heater. So one dark cold night in my bedroom, by the light of a small dangerous space heater, with the help of my teeth and a dull kitchen knife, I dug deep into my finger. I didn't know about the nasty little virus-seeds that are in a wart. But I found them anyway, and though it is so gross I barely can stand to think of it, I bit them out, finding them with my tongue. They were sort of crunchy (gross because I can still feel them in my teeth if I think about it). I would use the knife whenever I needed it to move the flesh around. I was set on cutting into the meat of my finger if I had to. There was blood everywhere and a big deep crater of flesh was simply missing from the side of my finger, which burned like crazy but I found ways to ignore it. I bit those suckers out with my teeth as best I could. Eventually, I could feel nothing but the soft tissue underneath my skin of actual meat, not unlike the raw meat at the grocery store. I had dug out a complete hole through my skin. There was blood everywhere, all around my mouth, and I realized that the whole operation had hurt. But it worked. When my finger healed, there was no more wart, and I no longer had to worry about being seen as a haggish witch.

Ava had taken to wearing a top hat. And, she was obsessed with Jack White from The White Stripes. She was so obsessed with Jack White, that she started to look like him just a little bit, with the white skin, and the same wild dark shoulder length hair. She did what she could to still look feminine and resemble him. She did a great job at that. I had considered The White Stripes to be terrible at first. But Ava like them. Sarah liked them. I started feeling that maybe I had been wrong. I also had to admit that I was pretty fond of The Hardest Button to Button, despite really disliking Seven Nation Army.

I guess what bothered me so much about the White Stripes is that, while they have become a household name now, and have sort of played out and been copied a million times over by lesser bands doing car commercials, at the time, there was no popular bands that really compared to them. Garage rock was dead and gone, having died out in the late sixties as many of the counter culture garage rockers either died out, mellowed out or became so drug induced as to either get themselves locked up like Roky Erickson or become totally crazy and discredited like Sky Saxon of The Seeds, or Question Mark from ? And the Mysterians or even Kim Fowley to a lesser extent. Blues of course died by the hands of many white rock bands in the 60's and 70's who had kind of appropriated it and turned into a gag. And there was an element of Modernism to The White Stripes, a sort of golden ratio architexture to their image and their sound that I didn't see in pop music at all. They weren't trying to sell cheap feelings. And at first I didn't like that. There was no acting or sexual innuendo that I would have ordinarily subconsciously gravitated towards. Meg White didn't look like she belonged on the television at all. Neither one of them were necessarily seemed to adhere to what you would classically think of as gender roles (not that they were exactly pioneering anything either). They would stand out if they went into a grocery store, but it didn't feel like they were trying, like you could clearly see with Good Charlotte. There was less an opportunity for the media to market The White Stripes, and so they often talked about them like they were a gimmick, mostly because it didn't sell obvious sex and romance, obvious alcohol driven anger, or your typical break up. There was an emptiness in their music that made me feel uncomfortable. It was a sort of real kind of emptiness that you can feel within, it is loud and clamorous, but isn't trying to be anything, and yet seemed to encompass the world in a much broader way.

So I made my decision to buy a White Stripes album as soon as I had the money. Besides, Zack liked them, so I had to give them a second try.

I should probably take a step back and explain how Sarah was through all of this. So much of this time period for me is defined by Zack, Jason, my father and Ava that it's easy to forget Sarah's silent world that was of but in many ways not obviously apart of the machinery. Sarah seemed a little lost. She wasn't mean anymore – not at all. She was tired all the time, and overdressed. She seemed sort of phased out by Ava's overall personality, and by my love life which were both loud and dominating each in their own unique way. High school was definitely not what she had expected when we had first jumped into it a few years ago, coaching me on how to act coo and all that. Sarah had blossomed into a very pretty young lady with an hourglass figure and long hair, but nobody seemed to notice her somehow. She was always in the silent center to a certain extent, because her house was the go-to house, and she was the one who seemed to do the most listening of all of us. She was my favorite person to talk to still, but there wasn't much in her life that needed discussing.

She mostly sat at home and ate fudgsicles and drank about ten coca colas per day. Her mom complained about the expense of having to buy yet more 24 packs of coke, but she seemed to comply.  Sarah had her own computer and she would sit there and over and over again, draw angel wings, and practice shading all the individual feathers, really drawing excellent bone structures. She really had gotten this grasp of drawing movement. I was never good at making the human body look like it was jumping or flying. I can get the anatomy correct, but it all feels quite like posing in stillness. And she was getting to be really good at art, leaving me behind in a very big way for these long hours, days, weeks months alone sketching.

I on the other hand was too obsessed with Zack, and often times needed to write my feelings out more than draw so my time was not used like hers. And her obsession with the skateboarder Bam Margera had lead her to listening to this band that his brother was in called CKY. And that became her life. She just listened to CKY albums over and over again, an album called I think like, Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild or something. I grew to know all of the CKY albums myself from hundreds of hours of listening. It was never my favorite, but I in time came to be a fan as well. And then Bam was also obsessed with this other band called HIM a Finnish sort of romancy rock band that's hard to explain – sort of reminds me of the beginnings of anime shows with heavy guitars and such. The singer of that band's name was Ville Valo. He was a very pretty man. And Sarah became crazy obsessed with him. She started to look like him. Everything took on a sort of style that was emulated after HIM. Her room was just almost this HIM CKY room, with a small side for Nirvana and CCR. Sarah had joined this online forum on CKY's website. The forum became her world. She read everything talked to everyone. Almost everyone on that forum were the worst sorts of young men, trollish and mean spirited. They mostly just tore everything apart. They remind me of some of the creeps we have on reddit today.  I imagine she was very lonely. Because honestly, nobody really reached out to her at all.

For the final few weeks of FFA for that semester, Mrs. Gulke had us all bring cooked meat to school. It was part of the grade. I thought it was extremely offensive that I was being made to cook meat that I didn't morally think was right to eat. I would have brought chicken, but she assigned me with bacon. She was ready for a fight from me. She sort of raised her voice at me for not eating meat. It really seemed to agitate her. But I didn't give her any problems. I went along and cooked the bacon and took it to class. Nobody ate the cold bacon either. Jason grabbed the bacon at the end of class and put it all in his hoodie pocket and ate it throughout the day.  

My father was loosening up just a little bit towards me. I wouldn't say he was being nice to me, but by Christmas break, I was no longer eternally grounded, more in part to my father's inconsistent short attention span than to anything I had done. He had maybe given up trying to find dope on me. He had mastered the art of being a merciless prick and it was no longer any fun. So he was onto the next thing. My bedroom light was still not working though, and that didn't ever get fixed for the remainder of time I lived in that bedroom. I eventually bought a small inefficient lamp that gave off a blindingly unpleasant dimmness that was almost worse.

I think having spent some time around me, my dad might have felt like he wanted to contribute to my musical taste rather than snuff it out. Perhaps it reminded him of his own youthful days as a young man, buying The Who's 'Happy Jack' single or how he cherished his Disraeli Gears album by Cream, playing his vinyl till it was inevitably scratched beyond hope. I think upon hearing that Sarah and I liked listening to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin made him feel like he and I could connect on some level, and some rare kind of altruism was had towards me.

There was a Rolling Stones magazine at his work, that actually belonged to one of his coworkers, some fundamentalist Christian man with the hairiest arms my father claimed he had ever seen. Being that my father was entitled, and knowing that I was kind of a weird person who adored lists and music decided to take it home for me anyway, essentially stealing from the guy, but it was totally worth it because I read that magazine for several years. It was Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums, or something of that nature. It was one of those special collector's versions.

It also had an article in it that he wanted me to read about a musician that he had liked when was in his late teens by the name of Iggy Pop. I was skeptical because I thought the name Iggy Pop sounded stupid and my dad explained Iggy Pop like it was similar to Kiss which didn't appeal to me really, but I read it anyway. He sounded about 100X cooler than Good Charlotte, even on paper. I still had this notion that older music, with the exception of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, was no good. But at the same time, I was being sort of persuaded otherwise. Reading through all these albums, I had to admit, made me want to listen to all of them, and actually open my mind up to it a little bit more. I was starting to sort of realize that older music meant just as much to the people who grew up on it as the music I listened to then meant to me now. I could just as easily have been born in another time, and a sixties Renee might have been listening to Pet Sounds. And deep down, I had always liked older music. I just never really did want to admit it to myself.

On one of the last days of school before winter break, Zack came out to me as I was sitting on the bench waiting for him, and he simply and suddenly held my hand and leaned on me and told me he loved me again. I still didn't know how to react. I know this sounds dumb, but there was a legitimate side to this situation that didn't feel right. He didn't ever really explain himself. I didn't understand how he could love me, or in what way or what capacity. Or was this all a joke. If I told him I loved him back would he get freaked out? He also had been someone who had teased me the year before on Melissa's behalf, and then it had turned into this when Melissa had moved up to Moscow. I was afraid to ask questions or to pry into what this all meant. Perhaps I didn't want to find out that the whole thing was a joke. Perhaps I didn't know how to form the thought in a language that would have been direct enough to ask him exactly what he meant, and instead chose to live in this blurry confused sense of blind hope because that was all I seemed to have. Instead I reacted on instinct, which was to run and hope he chased. When to stop running, I had no idea. If I stopped running, I was afraid the game would end. Despite my lack of certainty, I decided not to react this time, and I let him lean on me. My friends were just getting out of lunch, and they all saw. Ava and Sarah had a strange look on their face.

On the last day of that semester, Ava and Sarah kept asking for hugs from Zack. I didn't take this to be much. We all hugged Jason after all. Zack then asked if I could give him a hug. I hesitated and then went for it. I remember being very happy, but I remember little else other than feeling happy, feeling this really strange wonder that this person I was hugging was this living breathing soul that had this profound sense of life, and I was a person too. I know that sounds really naive and silly, but it honestly I still get that feeling when I hug people I love. I was so nervous that the act of hugging itself was as much as I could muster and I was flooded with all kinds of new awareness. He dropped his cd player and headphones, and my friends all said he did it not because of anything awkward. But sort of taken aback from the hug itself.

PART 32 - http://tinyurl.com/ycetanep

PART 31 - http://tinyurl.com/yae3o4rd

PART 30 - http://tinyurl.com/ybht9aul

PART 29 - http://tinyurl.com/ybfcr9j2

PART 28 - http://tinyurl.com/yagdlo47

PART 27 - http://tinyurl.com/ydcj5fgf

PART 26 - http://tinyurl.com/y73nvl73

PART 25 -  http://tinyurl.com/y6v6pgoj

PART 24 - http://tinyurl.com/ycak5d8r

PART 23 - http://tinyurl.com/yac6sk3g

PART 22 -  http://tinyurl.com/yat6cfnw

PART 21 -  http://tinyurl.com/y783egno

PART 20 - http://tinyurl.com/y8jskymt

PART 19 - http://tinyurl.com/rfhbms8

PART 18 - http://tinyurl.com/ycrznrwk

PART 17 - http://tinyurl.com/y77unlng

PART 16 - http://tinyurl.com/yadpsv8c

PART 15 - http://tinyurl.com/yb3lt6k5

PART 14 - http://tinyurl.com/yb4cfedq

PART 13 - http://tinyurl.com/yalanq9s

PART 12 - http://tinyurl.com/yc79mw94

PART 11 - http://tinyurl.com/yc9qhj84

PART 10 - http://tinyurl.com/yb734w24

PART 9 - http://tinyurl.com/yc2t6vfw  

PART 8 - http://tinyurl.com/ybl37utq

PART 7 - http://tinyurl.com/ybvo283g

PART 6 - http://tinyurl.com/kbc9dwu

PART 5 - http://tinyurl.com/msnz4am

PART 4 - http://tinyurl.com/k9x8esg

PART 3 - http://tinyurl.com/mwp9atx

PART 2 - http://tinyurl.com/lbt6xq2

PART 1 - http://tinyurl.com/l8xbvg8

[vomitingreblogs]

Okay um Dean going into a haunted house on a date that is haunted by three vampires who will not leave the house unless they are killed, but as Dean didn't believe in that rumour he went in anyway with a stake and silver.

Okay. I’m gonna get real and say it’s hard writing a four way couple. So, I’m gonna drop that. Also, I have an idea formed in my head, so sorry if this isn’t what you wanted but … oh, the fuck, well! On with the show.

Dean nervously followed his boyfriends instructions. His baby traveled up a narrow dirt road. The moon was full - making everything even more eerie - but the light was blocked by tall tree’s looming over. Dean had to drive slowly, worried of any wild life or surprise ahead. It was midnight, October the 15, a chilly fall making the scenery even worse. Dean would’ve preferred to come at day and in the summer when other smart kids came, but oh no, Alastair wasn’t a fucking pussy.

This whole thing was supposed to be a date. Dean didn’t want to sound like a girl but he honestly thought this would be the worse date ever, and that’s stiff competition with the whole not gay date.

When the mansion came in view, Dean was having second thoughts. Now, don’t get him wrong. Dean has done plenty of things he shouldn’t do. Graffiti, trespassing, shop lifting, even stolen a few cars. But Dean knew a bad idea when he saw one, and seeing that giant ass place more then a good warning.

It was elegant, if he was honest, and gloomy. He understood why goth teens came to hang out.

Parking along the front, Alastair jumped out with excitement before Dean could turn off the engine. Dean popped open the truck for Alastair and stepped out of the comfort of his baby. But stepping out of the car gave him a better view of the place.

Stoned stairs lead up to a grand door that could probably let an elephant through. Just … everything about the lace fitted with the legend that caught Alastair’s attention.

Alastair was a dare devil of sorts, he did things he wasn’t supposed to and looked forward to making his name grander. Basically, Alastair had dragged Dean down to a stoner’s pit - and why Alastair trusted a word spewed out their mouth was beyond Dean - when someone was rambling on and on about an uptight mansion that had a real life vampire.

Dean laughed. Alastair was amused too, but in a different way.

“Earth to Dean!” speak of the devil waved his hand in front of Dean’s face, snapping his fingers in his ear for exaggeration. “Anybody in here?”

Despite them dating, Alastair wasn’t the nicest partner but he was a hell lot of fun. So different from the life he used to lead. Of course he never abandoned Sammy, he just made sure John Winchester wasn’t part of their life any more. And god, the ass believed there was such things as monsters, Dean thought he belonged in a nut house.

“Nothing but my clever wits, baby,” Dean retorted.

Alastair snickered, then looked up to the house. “Ready to become vampire hunters?”

Dean faced palmed himself. “Your sounding like my dad.”

“Whatever. Come on! I want to see how dramatic people are about his place.”

“How the fuck did I end up here?” Dean muttered, following close behind.

He whipped out his phone and quickly texted Sam a pic of the outside. Not like he really cares, a sad ping in Dean’s heart hit when the thought of Sam came up. Goodie two shoes hated being with the likes of him, even though it was the only way to get food in his stomach, and the minute he graduated Sam ran off with a blond named Jess to Stanford on a full ride.

Shaking his head, Dean pushed those thoughts down, tonight he was here for shits and giggles. And Alastair was one thing, he was a huge adrenaline rush. Yes, it was sad, that the relationship was nothing more then amusement. But Dean thought Alastair has the same feelings. So, no harm, no foul.

Alastair passed Dean a flash light, but not before flickering it in his eyes. Spots covered his vision as Alastair snickered again. Dean called him an ass.

The place was pretty boring. Dust and cobwebs. After a solid hour of exploring old moldy furniture, Dean told Alastair that he was bored and wanted to leave. Too bad that Alastair didn’t want to leave, at least not yet.

“How about I make this more fun with an unscheduled program?” Alastair offered. Even in the dark, Dean could see the cocky smile that he knew well.

Dean returned the smile with a smirk of his own. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“A little game of hide and seek? Without flash lights?” The last part was added quickly.

In the pitch dark? A strange place? And an urban legend that it was haunted by a vampire? Dean would be crazy to say yes, good thing he hanged out with Alastair.

“Who’s counting?” Dean asked, turning off his flashlight.

“Me,” Alastair answered, turning of his too. “Now run before I start counting.”

And Dean just that. He sprinted down where they were, heading in any direction. Never admitting to it, Dean did run into a couple of walls. In hindsight, Dean should’ve seen that it was just a rouse so Alastair could keep exploring or maybe he should’ve asked which number they were counting up to. It didn’t matter, Dean didn’t care.

Running free around a huge house didn’t seem that bad. And after all his running, Dean found himself in a bed room. It was huge. But something was off about this. No dust. No cobwebs. Dean shrugged it off, probably a couple of smokers choose this room.

Not that it was surprising. Even though he was playing hide and seek, Dean explored the room. In the dark he could see faint out lines of things. Pictures hanging on the wall, dressers with endless junk, a couple of bookshelves, and what Dean guessed to be a closet. Then in the middle of the room sat dead in the middle was huge ass bed.

Dean stumbled through the dark until his hand felt the bed.

Damn, Dean thought, those crack heads sure like their comfort. Grinning, Dean feel back, might as well enjoy something from this.

Now, there were red flags raised in Dean’s head, but after spending time with Alastair, the red flags in Dean’s head were simply ignored. So, that’s why it was so easy for him to fall asleep. And it was amazing until he felt someone straddle his hips and hold down his arms.

He groaned but grinned when felt Alastair’s breath on his neck. Dean smirked when he felt a tongue licked across his skin.

“Missed me?” Dean teased. He opened his mouth for another shitty comment but got a mouth full.

(I AM FIFTHTEEN. I AM NOT WRITING THAT KIND OF STUFF)

Dean woke up tangled in sheets. He smiled as last nights activities came to him. Trying to stretch, Dean found he was sore in more places then Alastair usually made him. Last night seemed to never stop, round after round. Alastair sure did have his stamina. The reason why they stopped was when Dean passed out. Something that he was sure to tease about later.

Not like he cared, he was too satisfied with himself. And how thankful he was for carrying lube in his pocket, it would’ve hurt a lot more.

Sitting up, Dean winced a little but still had his smile. He picked up and put on each article of his clothing on the ground, and that’s when he something hit him. Where was Alastair?

The man was usually there in the morning to gloat or at least leaves a note.

Putting on his jacket, Dean noticed something else. There wasn’t light. Dean walked to the window and pulled back the drapes. Only … wooden planks were boarded up.

“What the fuck.”

Dean exited the bed room. If this was a sick joke by Alastair …

He doubted it. How the hell could Alastair hammer up that up without waking him up? Alastair was good, but not that good.

Venturing around, Dean expected the guy to jump out from some where. But he just kept walking around blind. To top this off, it still looked like freaking night.

“Alastair?!” Dean cupped his mouth. “If this is another game, you win. Where are you?!”

“Here,” a voice yelled.

Dean needed to blink. He wasn’t sure if that was Alastair’s voice. A certain panic filled him up, who the hell was that. It was probably better if Dean stayed quiet. His footsteps traded carefully.

Chest raising and lowering, Dean felt a certain panic. Thoughts spun and weaved in his head. Was that even Alastair last night? Then who the hell was he screaming for more last night? Heat raised at the thought. Damn, if it wasn’t Alastair, then he should’ve known. Or did he not care about Alastair that much?

“Marco!” Dean humored himself.

Silence ensued the place. Dean stopped, waiting for some voice or noise to guide him.

“Here,” the same voice called out but it was laced with confusion.

Dean swallowed his nerves and continued. It was dark, too dark for him now, it was fun last night. Too much fun last night, Dean thought as he felt his sore ass.

The blond found himself in some old styled kitchen. And standing in the kitchen was another blond.

The man looked to be around the same height as Dean. He was wearing Alastair’s jeans and t-shirt which chilled Dean to the bone. What happened to Alastair and why was this guy wearing his clothes? Too many questions for Dean’s liking.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Dean’s eyes were fixed on the guy as he turned around. He looked normal enough. Blue eyes, unshaven face. Dean’s eyes darted around for a second to see a breakfast being made, usually food made Dean happy but if it was coming from this guy, Dean’s stomach could really wait.

The man smiled brightly. “Come on, I don’t bite. Well, not you. For now.”

That was good enough for Dean to not trust the guy.

BAM BAM BAM! I hope you guys liked that. Took me a few hours to write but I loved every period. If you want a part two please just ask and wait.

[signbrake9-blog]

Coffee. Curated. Roaster Roundups: City of Saints Coffee Roasters

“Their roasters pull flavors that I’ve never tasted anywhere else in the coffee world, and yet, they’re always tied closely to childhood memory.” – Geoff Rickly, coffee. curated.

In the next town over from the one I grew up in, there was a Roller Rink that held hip-hop shows when I was a kid. It had a circular hardwood floor, that stretched in a circle around the central dance platform, which seemed both remote and comforting, like an island of carpet stranded out in the middle of a frozen lake. The decor was mostly leftover from the disco era: neon stars flashed above the dance floor; the outlines of skates raced forward on the sign in purple, pink and blue, silhouetting one another, like a mirage; the letters lit up on the front of the building, chasing one another through the night: R-I-N-K. But instead of the sweet roller-skate rhythms of disco, the sound system crackled and boomed with the voices of legends in the making: the Kool Moe Dees and Queen Latifahs, the LL Cool Js. DJs cut up the kicks and snares of an earlier era and made something new. Instead of couples streaking around the track, the floor was packed with people who came to party.

Geoff Rickly, coffee. curated.

Twenty years later, when I first walked into the new City of Saints Coffee Roasters in Bushwick, I had a powerful sense-memory of The Rink, in Bergenfield. The imagery inside the shop(along with the artwork on all the bags), features a collision of 70’s dayglo green on one side and street-styled graffiti on the other. But that’s not all, the names of the blends often evoke a sense of urban excitement, while they’re tasting notes suggest a kind of suburban innocence. Take for example, the Block Party Blend. Its name calls to mind open windows, loud music, shouting, drinking, fighting in the streets… but the only flavor listed in the tasting notes is Fruit Punch, every third grader’s fantasy beverage. The 1320 blend borrows its name from the address of the Hoboken location of City of Saints and it rings with the casual sophistication of a party in a warehouse or an empty lot: if you know, you know. Still, even here, one of the most prominent flavors in the cup is Roasted Marshmallow, transportive to summer nights at the lake, sleepovers and bonfires.

City of Saints plays these dichotomies to maximum effect, creating coffees that are both accessible and thoughtful. The spirit is playful and irreverent, even while the coffees are meticulously sourced. Their roasters pull flavors that I’ve never tasted anywhere else in the coffee world, and yet, they’re always tied closely to childhood memories.

Coffee. Curated. Roaster Roundup: City of Saints Coffee Roasters

BLENDS

Citizen

The flagship blend from City of Saints is best as an espresso. The name Citizen is a good hint at what the coffee is meant to be: common, for everyone. But it gives the common its due consideration. After all, every citizen of this world is deserving of respect. As an espresso, it ticks all the boxes: sweet, deeply roasted enough to activate the sugars(in this case a medium dark brown sugar, with a malty cocoa powder aftertaste), but not so deep that it burns the more delicate flavors of orange zest(as a straight espresso shot) and orange blossom (when lengthened to an americano). It plays especially well with milk, the natural lactic sugars bring out the chocolate ovaltine flavor of the drink. As a filter coffee, it was rather ordinary in my preparations, something even the common citizen should avoid.

Denizen

The Denizen blend brings a further complication to the idea of a flagship blend. A denizen is someone who lives in a place, whereas a citizen has certain rights and privileges. In a way, both of the coffees are flagship blends in the City of Saints, but Citizen has a more solid future. In this case, let’s hope the City of Saints treats their denizens well and keep them around for a long time. As the flagship batch brew coffee, City of Saints have done well to blend a coffee that doesn’t seem to have one single fault: it balances a nice acidity against some sweet and rich flavors (date, raisin, tobacco), while giving a hint of something darker, lets call it a chocolate mirage, though that something-else never fully materializes. This is probably the flavor that the roaster calls Tootsie Roll, although I had several friends in high school that did shifts at a Tootsie-Roll-style-candy factory and have had a strong aversion ever since. My partner Liza enjoyed this as a morning latte, although she very much likes espresso that doesn’t intrude too heavily upon the steamed vanilla almond milk of her preference. I didn’t have the same love of it in espresso form. I would also recommend that it should not be prepared as a pour over. However, as an Aeropress, or quite honestly in a french press, the coffee is practically idiot proof. There’s almost no grind size or extraction time(within reason) that can turn this coffee into something unpleasant. I realize it sounds like I’m damning it with faint praise but this is a lovely, simple coffee that anyone can get right at home. If you serve it to friends, they will almost certainly compliment you. That’s nothing to sneeze at.

Block Party

This Block Party blend was the biggest surprise of all the nine coffees that I have tried from City of Saints. When Jim Osborne, their head coffee buyer told me to make a pour over with it, I didn’t know what to think. He had already given me some beautiful Ethiopians and an exquisite Colombian. What could this blend have to offer? After all, one of the great joys of a V60 preparation is dialing in the grind size and extraction time, until you find the one or two flavors that are wholly unique to an isolated, single origin coffee. So blending coffees already seems anathema to a pour over to begin with. Add to that that the advertised tasting note is just Fruit Punch and you might understand why I don’t immediately think of the delicate and refined V60. But I will admit: I was dead wrong. Every single cup that I made from this blend was vibrant and alive: blueberry and strawberry and grape and peach and even a hint of hibiscus. Incredibly, when prepared as cold brew, this coffee mellowed down into a mildly fruity, coffee-forward/chocolate-forward beverage with pleasing peachy undertones, like a sweet floral iced tea that’s been steeped for just long enough.

SINGLE-ORIGIN

Nivaldo Soares

Brazilian coffees often disappoint me, because of their one-dimensional nutty profiles: almond, cashew or brazil nut being the most common flavors that I pick up. Often I find them incredibly basic, though quite uniformly delicious(although more savory and less sweet than I prefer, especially if they’ve been roasted dark enough to become smoky). This coffee remained underwhelming, to me, as a basic batch brew, with lots of smoky cashew, peanut brittle flavors on top. But as an espresso, I was transported to an entirely different corner of my childhood: sitting on barstools with “uncle” types in pubs that always seemed on the verge of breaking off the dock and floating down the River Liffey, as I pounded pint after pint of Guinness, trying to keep up with the old guys and prove myself a real man. “It’s good for you,” they used to tell me in the morning, as I pushed a pudding of dried blood around my plate with a pounding headache and a bruised tailbone from where I fell off the barstool, the previous night. Ok, that last part doesn’t sound great but the truth is, the first sip of this shot of espresso is like the first sip of a Guinness when the sun is getting all dusty and the footy is on the tv and everyone is happy; the stories haven’t turned maudlin yet and the future goes on forever in front of you. It’s good for you.

Nuevo Amanecer

Two years ago, Guatemalan coffees were easily my favorite. Their deep, rich flavors of chocolate sweetness balanced the aggressive bright colors of their top notes so well that they were one of the few coffees that made equally interesting drip coffees and espressos. But this season, they haven’t had the same effect on me. This coffee, in particular, fulfilled all the chocolate creamsicle flavors of orange, cream and cocoa that I would ever want in a coffee and yet I never felt surprised or thrilled when I made french press(the best of the batch methods for this coffee). However, as a beverage combining espresso and milk, I found this to be my favorite of the bunch. When paired with steamed milk, it was like drinking the last sip from a bowl of orange sherbet, running down the street, chasing the ice cream truck. The flavors were so intense, so pronounced, that I actually picked up the ultraviolet-mint City of Saints bag and said, I get you, as if it were my new best friend.

Arturo Volveras

I’m going to talk about this Colombian coffee by talking about Kenyans for a second. I’ve grown to love a good Kenyan coffee but I used to hate them. When I first explored Kenyan coffees, roasters were obsessed with getting maximum acidity from every last drop and it made me feel a little sick to drink them like that. But once people calmed down and started exploring them with a steadier hand, I started to understand the hype. There are flavors that you can pull from a Kenyan, flavors of coconut, mango, pineapple and the like, that you won’t find in any other coffee. Or so I thought. This coffee, however, pulls these flavors vividly and reliably. So much so, that City of Saints used to call this their Piña Colada, internally. This description seemed so on-brand for City of Saints, to me, that I couldn’t believe they didn’t use it for the tasting notes. But maybe they were afraid that coffee connoisseurs would dismiss the coffee, out of kitsch, and this is a coffee that deserves to be taken very seriously indeed. As a pour over, it is stunning and fresh. Surprisingly, many of the beautiful tropical notes come out, even in a french press.

Carmen Abad

Carmen is the coffee I first tried from City of Saints and the one that sparked my interest in the brand. When Liza handed me the bag and I saw Watermelon and Cherry Coke listed as flavors, I smiled and said, yeah right. But when I perfected my V60(two notches down in grind size from my usual starting spot), I was happily surprised. It did taste like watermelon and Coca-Cola. A little bit Vanilla Coke, a little bit Cherry Coke(hey, I’m not complaining). This coffee is the best distillation of what City of Saints has to offer. Peruvian coffees are increasingly lost in the war between dark commercial roasters like Starbucks and light 3rd Wave Roasters, like SEY or Small Batch. City of Saints reimagines the Peruvian coffee region as an 80’s arcade, full of electricity and sparkling refreshment. Because this is what they do best: they remind our adult palettes of the flavors we loved as kids.

Misty Valley

City of Saints is responsible for the most refreshing cold brew in the city, this summer. Hands down. No one else is making a vibrant, fruit-forward coffee that hits all the pleasure centers of an Arnold Palmer in deep summer, like this. This coffee is made to be enjoyed black, although I would never describe a drink that bubbles over with strawberry reds, purple hibiscus and blueberry as simply black. It makes a lovely Aeropress and pourover as well but WHO CARES. Buy this and make cold brew with it all summer long. A season of good mornings, 100% guaranteed.

Biftu Gudina

I love Ethiopians. I love them when they’re fruity. I love them when they’re floral. I love them when they’re lemongrass in black tea. Still, I had never tried an Ethiopian quite like this one. As an Aeropress it had a strong top note of blackberry, followed quickly by what the bag lists as lavender — I tasted Choward’s Violet Mints and found myself lost in an old pharmacy in Ocean City, NJ. The most interesting flavors linger in the mid-palette of the first sips: cardamom, coconut and baking spice, with a buttery, batter-like mouthfeel. As an Aeropress, red grapes come into play and all the berries and violets intensify, making for a rather purple profile.

City of Saints, Bushwick, coffee. curated.

Conclusions

At first exposure, I wondered if City of Saints might not be doomed to stand forever in the middle distance: playing on nostalgia and hedging their bets in the market, somewhere between the highly refined coffee curators of Denmark and the average, overtly commercial chains like Starbucks. After all, they’re rapidly expanding. But where other ambitious roasters offer something for everyone and thereby please no one, City of Saints plays out their singular vision across the spectrum of roasts and regions, bringing a new flavor to the coffee landscape in New York and New Jersey.

City of Saints Coffee Roasters doesn’t rely on nostalgia, they distill memory in order to synthesize something new.

–Geoff Rickly, musician/writer/coffee enthusiast, coffee. curated.

#eatmorestories

Source: http://foodcurated.com/coffee-curated-roaster-roundups-city-of-saints-coffee-roasters/

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 52

crushes, babies, and rats

Vulcan: "You didn't know? Or see the resemblance?" shinra: ....to be honest no....from pictures i've seen, nozomi looks a lot more like her dad. Vulcan: "Well, I knew it already..." *sips* ("THE DOC AND HER ARE RELATED?! WTF?!!! WHY DON'T I REMEMBER THAT?!") shinra: i've never seen a picture of nozomi's mom before....wonder what she looks like... Vulcan: *shrug* "Probably like Nozomi..." *empties the can--then crushes it against his forehead* "...Can I ask you something?" shinra: yeah? Vulcan: "...I still don't know everyone's name at the 8th." shinra: i'll introduce you then. *smiles* Vulcan: "...'Kay." -elsewhere- Chuuya: *waves as he exits the shop* -footsteps can be heard behind him- Chuuya: "???" *turns* -no one there- Chuuya: "..." *shrugs, keeps walking* -by the time he gets to his apartment- rain?: welcome home, chuuya. Chuuya: "?!!! Wh-What?! Rain..." -no one there but mito- mito: O^O~? Chuuya: "..." *sets down his bag, picks up Mito* "...What was that...?" mito: *purrs* Chuuya: "..." *pets Mito* "I'm fine...I'm okay...I just miss her." mito: *nuzzles against his hand* Chuuya: "..." *hugs Mito* "I'm sorry, Mito..." mito: =w= Chuuya: "..." *tears up, carries Mito to the couch* mito: *purrs* Chuuya: *takes the remote, turns on the TV* weather report: -patches of sunlight, with rain later in the week- Chuuya: "!!!" *changes the channel* -some romance movie- Chuuya: 0_0 *changes the channel* home and shopping lady: -and aren’t these sandals just the cutest for your child? Chuuya: *smashing the remote to change the channel* Q~Q -phone call- Chuuya: *picks up* "WHAT?!" miura: yeah, there's an exec meeting this weekend, so mark that on your calendar, m'kay? Chuuya: "WHO THE FUCK IS THIS?!" miura: Miura? mori's new secretary? it was in the briefing? Chuuya: "...Oh. Right. Sorry...What time's the meeting?" miura: around 9:35 this saturday. Chuuya: "...Okay. Give me a wakeup call that day." miura: noted. Chuuya: "...Okay. Is that everything?" -elsewhere- Mephisto: *tapping hamster cage* maid: please dont tap the cage, it disturbs him. Amaimon: Q~Q *distressed hamster sounds* Mephisto: "Oh, dear. Maybe take him to the vet?" -elsewhere- Rin: "I can help with the food!" torako: why thank you. ^^ Rin: "So, Mrs. Suguro, what did Bon like to eat as a kid?" *chopping vegetables* torako: well, i remember when he was younger, he used to eat leaves from off the ground. Bon: o\\\\\o Rin: "Ha ha ha! Yeah, kids do weird stuff like that. My bro and I used to try making mud pies--not tasty at all." izumo: *snickers* Bon: "SHUT UP, IZUMO!" torako: *ear tug* ryuji, be nice! Bon: "Ow! Moooooom!" -elsewhere- Shotaro: *sitting in the corner* mana: what have you learned? Shotaro: "When Emine tells me to do something, do the opposite?" mana: right. dont do the thing. and emine? what have _you_ learned? Emine: "Do the thing, because I have to do bad deeds or else I will die." mana:.....*sweatdrop* -elsewhere- FD: *listening to an opera* "..." yana: *working on stitching up some dead rodents* *looking at the incubator* <it's coming along nicely> FD: "???" <How much longer do you think?> yana: *shrugs* <not sure. just wanted to see if this thing worked or not.> FD: <About how many months is this fetus, if this fetus was in a woman?> yana: *shrugs* <i honestly cant tell. im a taxidermist, not a doctor.> FD: <Well, I can only give a best guess...and I'd say it's a bit more to go...> yana: <seems about right. did you plan on using this thing for any reason or can i just drop it off some yutz' doorstep?> FD: <I have plans...> *smirks* -elsewhere- Belkia: *knock knock* ayami: yes? *smiles* Belkia: *takes off his hat, and pulls out a card, which he hands to her* ayami: hehe~ ^^ *Inside the card, confetti shoots up* ayami: ^///^ Card: " 'Miss Ayami, will you join me for a private dinner at the elegant Lapin Blanc?'" ayami: i would be delighted~ ^^ Belkia: ^^ "Excellent! Please dress for the restaurant--something important will happen..." -elsewhere- Poe: *panting* "It...is finished..." *holds up papers* karl: ?? Poe: "My latest mystery...Ho ho ho...This will deceive Ranpo..." Jacqueline: "...Is this the best you can do at work? We have people who need your help..." *thumbs at person at help desk* medea: .....*reading some novel on the occult* Poe: "???" *approaches* "How m-may I help you, ma'am?" medea: i'll...take this out...for now. Poe: owo "You like...the occult?" medea:...i've grown up with it from a young age.... Poe: "I have long had an interest in the occult...I write about it." *holds up his pages* medea: i see....i also like....communing with the souls of the departed. Poe: OWO "You are a necromancer?" Jacqueline: ._.; medea: ....a medium....may be more accurate a term... Poe: "...Can you show me?" Jacqueline: ("Aren't you supposed to help her with getting her book...?") -elsewhere- Kid: *splattered with paintballs of different colors* "..." kirika: get mcrekt. Kid: "...Why?" kirika: cause i can. Kid: "..." *turns, marches back through the house and up the stairs* kirika:....*casually sips her slushie* sore loser. Kid: *closes the door behind him...then...* *rips the clothes off symmetrical* "...The paint is still on my face and hands." stocking: need me to help you? Kid: TT_TT *nod nod* -elsewhere- Kepuri: "I swear, something has to be done about Emine...You see what he did to my room?!" -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: "Just a few more days of summer..." reimi: yeah... Mr. Tsubaki: "...I wonder what to do going forward into the autumn." reimi: who knows... Mr. Tsubaki: "...I promise. I will find a way to deal with C3." -elsewhere- Akitaru: "How's Vulcan fitting in, Doc?" karin: room for improvement, but he's doing good. Akitaru: "Well, I finished setting up his room. Hope that helps him...Any idea what he likes?" karin: he likes animals. a lot. Akitaru: "...So, stuffed animals?" -elsewhere- Mori: "Elise, did you finish your dinner?" elise: yep! Q: *nom* Mori: "Good! Then I'll bring out dessert..." miura: mr mori? after you're done there, you have a phone call from miss higuchi. Mori: *sets out the dessert* "Very well. I'll take it in my office..." *takes the call* "Yes, Higuchi." higuchi: we found some things you might be interested in regarding the underground passageways. Mori: "Okay. What did you discover?" *looking over mail that has arrived...* higuchi: i sent you a pic on your phone. Mori: *sets down a letter and looks at the phone* "What am I seeing?" -there seems to be a gated entrance with graffiti with a familiar logo...- Mori: "...Is that symbol...what I think it is?" higuchi: yes. seems we're getting close to the rat's den. Mori: "Organize a team to infiltrate. Will need surveillance, defense, offense..." *opens letter from hospital* higuchi: understood. Mori: "See any traps there?" *reading* ("Weight...height...blood type..Yes. She will work.") higuchi: not to the naked eye, no. Mori: Maybe Chuuya can spot them, and Black Lizards can disable them." ("Thank you, Doctor...") higuchi: a good plan. Mori: *smiles* "Good. Call them to your location. I want a successful report." higuchi: understood... Mori: "Well, I have dessert to finish, so I am going now.” higuchi: right... *hangs up* Mori: *puts the letter into a file folder labeled "Higuchi"* *smiles* *returns to the dinner table* "How is dessert? Did you save a piece for me, Elise?" -elsewhere- Konro: TT_TT kabuki: something wrong? Konro: "The Commander is sending me in his place to the 8th's meeting...I was supposed to have the day off." kabuki: that's unfortunate. Konro: "...Are you busy? I could use assistance with the meeting." kabuki: unfortunately no. fang-hua: i can go with you if it helps. Konro: *nod nod* "That would help, thank you." -elsewhere- Hibana: "Gabriella, have you read the files for the meeting at the 8th?" gabriella: *nods* i have indeed. at least 3 times now. ^^ Hibana: "Because you're so thorough." ^^ "Did their report match mine?" -elsewhere- Karim: *hiding photocopies of documents in his bookbag* pearl: *nervous* Karim: "Thanks for these...but don't tell the Commander." pearl: i wont. ^^ Karim: *head pat* "Thanks. I told the Commander I'm taking a sick day..." pearl: o-of course. .///. Karim: "So, cover for me, alright?" pearl: a-anytime! Karim: "Well, back to work. Later." -elsewhere- Giovanni: "...What is the next step? Do I return to my brigade?" -elsewhere- FD: *stretches* "I think that's all for today..." -elsewhere- Kid: =\\\\= "I feel clean..." stocking: glad to hear~ Kid: *lies down in bed* *sigh* stocking: *running her fingers through his hair and humming* Kid: ^\\\\^ "Thank you..." *cuddles* stocking: hehe~ Kid: "Your fingers feel so nice..." stocking: U///w///U Kid: *kisses her cheek* -elsewhere- Vulcan: "Okay...Done. That should be a good set up for my room." *he has candles and cow skulls on the walls* Arthur: o__________o Relan: "...Are you the devil?" iris: ._.; tamaki: hey, im not gonna judge... Vulcan: -_-; "Gee, you guys know how to make someone feel welcomed." shinra: ^^; Vulcan: "..." *awkward cough* "So...Yuu's room coming along?" shinra: yep. Vulcan: "Good...Th-Thanks..." Takehisa: "Time for dinner." -elsewhere- Montgomery: "What's your order?" naho: iced coffee please! Sakuya: "Same." Montgomery: ("I hope they tip well...") "Anything else?" -elsewhere- Hyde: "Hey, kid? Want my extra jello?" yu: u-o-ok... *nom* Hyde: "So, was that guy your dad who visited?" yu: n-no, just my mentor. Hyde: "...Glad you got someone visiting you, kid." *nom* "My, um...'mentor' just kicks me in the head." yu: yeah, same here, haha! Hyde: "Ha ha ha! Man...That's painful. You must got a hard head." yu: i guess i do! Hyde: "You know what they say about hard heads: they got persistence!" *playful jam at Yuu's shoulder* "Keep it up, kid!" -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "Gin..." gin: hmm? what is it, ryu? Akutagawa: "Did you get the message about the upcoming mission?" gin: yes... Akutagawa: *nods* "Watch your back out there." gin: i always do. Akutagawa: *small smile* "Right..." *sighs* gin:....is there something on your mind? Akutagawa: "...I feel...anxious." gin:....*hand on his shoulder* i'll be ok. i promise. Akutagawa: "I just...I don't focus. My stomach feels funny." gin: did you go speak with the medic? Akutagawa: *nod nod* "The stomach medicine still doesn't help...and I keep thinking about..." gin: ?? Akutagawa: "About...that Man Tiger." gin: oh? Akutagawa: "I dream of defeating him...pinning him down." gin: of course you do. Akutagawa: "And I stare down at him...into his eyes..." gin:.... Akutagawa: "Then...something weird happens." gin: what do you mean? Akutagawa: "The Man Tiger wraps his arms around me...and doesn't let go." gin: oh? Akutagawa: "And we wrestle, as I try to get out of his grip...he slashes at me, tearing off my shirt..." higuchi: *listens from the corner out of sight* O///-///o;;;; Akutagawa: "He bites into my neck...and down my body..." higuchi: !!!!???? Akutagawa: "I try to push him away, or bite back at him, my mouth colliding with his neck...my nails digging into his body as we slide along each other." higuchi: *NOSEBLEED* *KO* X/////X gin: oh...oh my... Akutagawa: *turns around* "...Oh. Higuchi? You're bleeding." gin: i think i know what's going on here. Akutagawa: *patting a tissue to Higuchi's face to clean away the blood* "And that is?" gin: i think you're developing something most people refer to as 'a crush'. Akutagawa: "...Well, yes, I do desire to crush the Man Tiger--press my hands down along his chest..." higuchi: *KO* @////////@ awawawawawawawawa..... -elsewhere- atsushi: *frozen on spot* there's that chill again.... Kyoka: *puts a blanket over his shoulders* "There, there...Maybe see the Doctor about that?" -elsewhere- Benimaru: "I decided to stay at the village while Konro will go to the meeting." -elsewhere- Giriko: *smooch* arachne: mmmm~ Giriko: *hug* "Feeling alright?" arachne: yes. anna: zzzz Giriko: *smiles* "Our little babe...She's so quiet." -elsewhere- Chuuya: "Zzz..." rain?: mmmm... Chuuya: *small smile, muttering in his sleep* "Rain..." -elsewhere- FD: "Hee hee hee..." yana: (thinking: do i even want to know?) FD: <All according to plan...> yana: <how so?> FD: <This beauty...> *pats Rain's corpse on the shoulder* <...will cause the Mafia's strongest to snap--giving me the distraction I need to speak with their leader.> yana: ....*smirks* <some of my best work. hell frickin yes.> FD: *thumbs up* <Excellent work, my friend. Keep it up, as I may have needs of a secondary project...should we get the 'raw material' we need.> -elsewhere- Montgomery: "..." ("It's too quiet here...") ???: and so then i hit it dead center! of course, given my ability, it's just normal~ eh? well well wellity well, small world, eh steinbeck? Montgomery: "!!!" ("Steinbeck?!") *hides behind the dumpster* twain: *peek* hey there luce! Montgomery: o___O *leaps up* "EEEK!" twain: easy there. say, if you arent doing anything right now, did you want to get some coffees together? Steinbeck: *nod nod* "Lots to catch up on...How about this place?" *points to--* Montgomery: -\\\\- "I...kinda...work there now." twain: sweet! employee discount! Montgomery: "YOU'RE PAYING FULL PRICE! WITH TIP!" twain: jeez. -elsewhere- Shamrock: *passed out on the couch* himawari: *worried* lavender: it was only one shot of booze....goddamn. Higan: "Lightweight?" Shamrock: *murmuring* "Hi-Himawari..." himawari: ?? Shamrock: *holds out his hand* himawari: *holding his hand* .... Shamrock: X\\\\= "...Thank you...I'm sorry..." himawari: ?? Shamrock: "I...embarrass myself..." himawari:...sham... Shamrock: *his hand moves to her face* himawari: ah.... *slight blush* Shamrock: "You are truly wonderful..." *his hand rubs lightly along her face* Higan: "..." *whispers* "He has no idea we're still here..." lavender: *snickers* himawari:....*small kiss on the forehead* Shamrock: X\\\\\\= "I...l...l...lo..." himawari: ?? Shamrock: "...lost my sense of balance." *tumbles off the couch* himawari: ^^; Higan: "Nuts." lavender: ouch. Shamrock: "Zzz..." *snoring* -elsewhere- FD: "...Do you get jealous when I speak in Russian and you can't understand what I'm saying?" zoey: as long as i can hear your voice, i'll be happy. yana: *gagging* FD: *nuzzle* "Good answer, my sweet." yana: *cringe* FD: "Because I have big plans for you...I want you to meet some new friends." zoey: oh? FD: *pulls out a switchblade* "Better go in ready~" zoey: for you, anything~<3 FD: "Good..." *traces the tip of the knife along her shoulder-strap* zoey: ah~ *SLICE* zoey: oh~! FD: *slices off one strap, pulling down her dress there* -elsewhere- Vulcan: *tossing in bed* -morning- Akutagawa: *snore* -in the underground where the graffiti was- Tachihara: "Man, these tags look stupid." hirotsu: .....*touches the bars, sending them flying back...or ahead rather* Tachihara: "??!!! The shit?!" hirotsu: -_-; Tachihara: "Don't do that! It almost gives me a heart attack..." hirotsu: do you want me to give you a warning next time? Tachihara: *nod nod* "Like, do a hand signal. And make it cool looking!" gin: *already heading in* Tachihara: "!!" *follows* -at the end there is a box- Tachihara: "...What you think's inside?" gin:....could be a trap. Tachihara: "...Yo, Old Man? Can you, like, push the box onto itself? Or explode it out? Or throw it away from us?" -music comes from the box- hirotsu: ?! -a taxidermized dead mouse pops out with a note that says 'fooled you'.......and a Taser then gets tachihara in the junk- Tachihara: "GAAAA-A-A-A-A-A-AAHAHA-AH-AH!!! ..." *collapses* gin: !!! hirotsu: *winces and covers his junk* Tachihara: *high-pitched squeak* "Gin...get me ice..." -elsewhere- Dazai: *lifts his head up, looks around* -still in his apartment- Dazai: "..." *cups his junk* "Oh, pfew! I felt an odd sensation of pain...Glad that wasn't me." -elsewhere- Montgomery: *muttering* "Stupid Twain and Steinbeck, skipping on the bill..." -elsewhere- Kyoka: "Hello, Doctor." yosano: morning. Kyoka: "How is work treating you?" -elsewhere- Mori: "...What happened on the mission?" hirotsu: seems it was a red herring. Tachihara: *ice on his junk* Q~Q "Some 'red herring.' Big Michizo is screaming..." gin:..... -_-; Mori: "Gin, make it feel better..." Tachihara: .w. gin: *drags him to the medic* -____-; Tachihara: "That's not what he meant!" Mori: *shrug* miura: -_-; -elsewhere- Arthur: *has hung donkey head on the wall* tamaki:......no comment. Arthur: "I wanted a memento from our mission. You would agree it suits the room nicely, yes?" tamaki:...sure. Takehisa: "A jackass for a jackass: suitable." *he's wearing a horned baseball hat* shinra: this feels familiar somehow. Takehisa: "...Vulcan designed it, per my request. He left one for you as well, Shinra." shinra: oh, cool. *The hat has moose antlers* tamaki: *snerk* Arthur: "Ha ha ha! Moose!" -elsewhere- Rino: "Yo. Newbies. Princess Bitch told me ask whether you need your sheets washed or anything." mikami: m-miss rino, that's not very nice! also our sheets are fine for the moment. Rino: *annoyed twitch* "You try dealing with her royal pain the ass, then you can come at me with criticism..." mikami: ..... ryuuko: giovanni was much worse than that... Rino: "...No argument there. Doesn't change her behavior...She treats me like something she wiped off her over-priced shoes." mikami: i-im sure she's a really nice person, deep down. Rino: "Yeah, underneath the expensive clothes and those two fat blobs on her chest." Hibana: ^^;;;; ryuuko: ....*ahem* gabriella: is that right? tamiya? ^^# *cracks knuckles* Rino: o______o;;;;; *runs--and crashes into a wall* X____X -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "With you and the Captain going to the 8th, what am I supposed to do to pass time?" -elsewhere- Hyde: "Okay! Day the cast comes off!" romina: congrats! Hyde: "And see? My buddy Yuu signed the cast, too!" julian: how nice. Hyde: "Now, someone get a buzzsaw and slice this thing off!" -elsewhere- Yumi: "Hello, Christa!" christa: hi yummy! lord death: ^^ marie: ^^ Yumi: *laughs* "And who's this?" *holds up Shiori* shiori: ah! christa: shiowi! shiori: ^o^ Yumi: *sets Shiori down* "Now, be careful around Shiori, Christa--you are older..." -elsewhere- Mephisto: "I'm happy you could meet with us, Stocking." ^^ stocking: it's not a problem. so what's the situation? felisia: 7w7 well~ *rubbing her stomach* stocking:.......................................mom.....mom please no. Mephisto: ^W^ stocking:............*KO* felisia: ^^; Mephisto: owo "Oh dear...Maybe we should have had dessert first?" -elsewhere- Poe: owo "H-H-H-H-Hel-el-el-elloooooooo..." naomi: *SCREAMING* Ranpo: "??? Oh, hi, Poe!" Poe: *hiding from Naomi, covering his ears* "Don't hurt me!" -elsewhere- ???: "Stocking?! Stocking, wake up!" stocking: mmmn? huh? am i...dead? Kid: "I most certainly hope not!" stocking: oh hey kid.....*yaaawn* i had...the craziest nightmare....mom was...*yawn* pregnant again... Kid: ._.;;;;;;;;; Kid: "Would that be...so bad?" stocking: well n-no but...it'd be a lot to take in. Kid: "...Maybe you should stay lying down." stocking:........oh no. Kid: owo "...You're getting a sibling. Yay?" stocking:.......TTuTT *KO x2* Kid: D: "Stocking, no!" Mephisto: "I said, 'Give her dessert first,' but noooooo, no one ever listens to me..." *dines on parfait* -elsewhere- Tachihara: *pouts* "Stupid prank...Stupid mouse thing..." medic: ^^; Tachihara: "Hey, nurse? Am I still going to have kids?" medic: yes, sir. Tachihara: "Pfew! That's good to know..." *pats Little Michizo* "--and I can get to work after we find out WHERE THAT DAMN MOUSE GUY WENT TO!" -elsewhere- Dr. John: o_o;;;; "Um...I'm not used to being the OB-GYN to...an angel?" felisia: ^^; stocking: *COUGH* >->; Dr. John: "...You got to be kidding me...Um, well, I-I guess the concepts are the same...and I guess I have the experience, then." ^^;; "S-Sure, I'll be your doctor..." -elsewhere- Sakuya: *looking at a guitar at the pawn shop* "???" naho: shiny. Sakuya: "Yeah...I wonder how it sounds." -elsewhere- Kepuri: *lying down in the garden, butterflies in the flowers* =w= akaderu:... .////. Kepuri: "Hey, babe." *pats a hand on the blanket next to her* akaderu: ....*sitting next to her, head rested on her lap* Kepuri: .\\\\. "..." *strokes her hand along his head* "Comfortable~?" akaderu: =////= *purrs* Kepuri: "Hee hee...Akederu...You're amazing..." -elsewhere- FD: "A world without sin...without crime..." zoey: *listening* FD: "That is my goal. These ability users...They are a bloat on a perfect world. They must be eliminated." zoey: yes... FD: "And that is where this comes in..." *holds up a USB* zoey: what is it? FD: "Information on ability users. And a hint how to take down the Mafia and the Agency simultaneously." -elsewhere- torako: happy birthday, son! Bon: "Aw, thanks!" torako: ^^ shiemi: happy birthday, suguro. ^^ Bon: "Yeah, um, thanks..." Shima: "We got you some gifts, man!" Rin: *holds up a cupcake* Bon: "..." *takes the cupcake* "F-Fine..." izumo: i bought you some CDs. Bon: "Oh, awesome. Thanks, Izumo." -elsewhere- Patty: *hug* liz: hey there. Patty: "Hee hee! Doing okay, Sis?" -elsewhere- Chuuya: "It sounds like the mission was a failure." kouyou: seems these rats are smarter than we thought... Chuuya: "Indeed...And a cornered rat is dangerous. How do we trap them?" mafioso: mousetraps? Chuuya: "...And what is the bait to put on the 'mousetrap'?" -elsewhere- Dazai: "...Atsushi? I think someone is here to see you?" atsushi: ok. hi what did you nee- Montgomery: *holds up bar tab* "Pay. Up." -after that incident- Kunikida: "There will be no advances on pay." atsushi: Q.Q Dazai: "Ah, don't worry! I can lend you a few bucks..." *holds up $200* atsushi: O-O where did you- Dazai: "Shhh...Don't tell the IRS." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *slicing at training dummies* higuchi: *BANG BANG* boom. headshot. Akutagawa: "Behind you!" higuchi: ?! *Attack robot swinging a sword* higuchi: *ducks and shoots* Robot: X___X *falls down* Akutagawa: "Good work." higuchi: phew... Akutagawa: *taps hand along wall, opening a panel and pulls out cold drinks* "Here. Rehydrate." higuchi: *downs one bottle* ha... Akutagawa: "You had a hard work out. Your reflex time has improved." *sips* higuchi: *small smile* thanks. Akutagawa: "Have you been keeping up with your practice sessions?" higuchi: yeah. Akutagawa: *nods* "Good. I am pleased to see how more fluid your attacks are. You move swiftly and efficiently." higuchi:... 7///7 t-thank you, ryunosuke. Akutagawa: "No need to thank: I speak only the truth." *sips, a bit passing down his cheek* higuchi: .... 7////7 y-you...um...have a little....*scratches her cheek* Akutagawa: "...A little what?" higuchi: water on your face.... .///.; Akutagawa: "Ah." *takes his towel, pats it down on his face, then along his neck* higuchi:....*sweats* Akutagawa: "While we are on the subject of battle strategies, I wanted to discuss a maneuver to try..." *starts unbuttoning his jacket* higuchi: um....ok....*knees weak* Akutagawa: "I have been practicing a technique to hide my presence, using Rashamon to make people think they are merely walking on shadows..." *lies down* -elsewhere- Belkia: *trying on a new coat* naho: hot date? Belkia: "Best date! The hotness comes later..." *holds his fist to his mouth--then blows fire out of it* naho: wow...say, if you arent busy right now, can you help me with my hair? i wanted to do a braid ponytail... Belkia: "??? Oh, sure!" *sits behind her* "Is this for something special, too?" naho: nah, just because. Belkia: ^^ "That's cool." *starts braiding* "...You okay with who I'm dating?" naho: well, if they make you happy, then im totally ok. Belkia: "Thanks, buddy..." *continues braiding* "...You happy with Sakuya?" naho: of course. ^^ being with him...it make me feel all fuzzy inside >///w///< Belkia: >///w///< "I know that feeling. It's super-kawaii-cool, right?" naho: yep~ ^^ Belkia: "Well, you keep that boy on a tight leash, okay?" *almost done braiding* naho: ok. ^^ Belkia: "There--all finished!" *small hug* "You look great." naho: wow! thanks belbel! *hug* *SNAP* Higan: "What a cute photo." naho: WHAT THE HECK OLD MAN?! WE'RE HAVING A MOMENT! >n< Belkia: "...Can you text it?" Higan: "Just recording memories..." -elsewhere- Poe: *finishes his tea* "Th-Thanks..." lana: no problem. *smiles* Poe: "...Wh-What brings you around?" lana: just heard you were a bit sick, so i decided to see how you were doing. *smiles* Poe: .\\\\. "W-Won't your boss want to know why you aren't at work?" lana: i did just get off work an hour ago. *chuckles* seems your new place is on the route i take home. Poe: "Th-That's convenient...You live around here?" lana: just in one of the apartment buildings a few blocks down. Poe: "...Heh. Neighbors, huh? Ha ha ha..." ("OH GOD MY HEART IS DYING INSIDE.") lana: i suppose. ^^ Poe: .\\\w\\\. "...Do you like scary stories?" lana: well...i guess? Poe: "I-I could always share some of my stories with you! I collect many! Read many!" lana: sounds nice. maybe later? Poe: *nod nod nod nod nod* "Okay! ...More tea?" -elsewhere- Akutawaga: "Well, enough for today. I will see you tomorrow?" higuchi: you always do, right? Akutagawa: *smiles* "And you always have my back. Good day, Higuchi." higuchi:....y-you too.... .////. Akutagawa: *waves, then sees--* "Oh. Hello, Gin." gin: *nods* Akutagawa: "Ready to leave?" gin: *nods* -elsewhere- Hibana: *hugs Gabriella* gabriella: u////u~<3 Hibana: "We're done with work hours...Our little one is asleep." *hug, sway* "And I am so happy..." -elsewhere- Vulcan: *staring at a photo of him and Yuu...and Lisa* shinra:....hey vul, there's a zoo not far from here, want to check it out? Vulcan: "..." *sets down the photo* "Sure...What they got?" -elsewhere- Jacqueline: *reading* -elsewhere- Kid: "Feel better?" stocking: yeah....*chuckles* Kid: *smiles* "That's good." *smooch* "I was worried." stocking: it's....a lot to take in....i guess it was like what you went through when you found out about shiori, huh? Kid: *nods* "Only, you didn't get slapped, like Yumi did to me." stocking: ........*hug* Kid: *hug* "Your mother will be fine...And so will you." *forehead kiss* stocking: right. ^^ Kid: "And you'll have a perfect sibling to love..." stocking: and shiori will have a new playmate. Kid: *smiles* "Siblings-in-law." stocking: hehe~<3 Kid: "Hee hee..." *pats her hand* "You'll be the perfect big sister..." -elsewhere- Kyoka: "You look exhausted." atsushi: *face down on the floor* long day... Kyoka: "...Yes. I will make you dinner." atsushi:... -elsewhere- Dazai: *looking out over the canal* "..." tsuyu: *casually swimming along* Dazai: *waves* "Hello, hero frog person." tsuyu: hmm? oh, im just a hero in training. but im just chilling right now. Dazai: "Cool. I'm staring at water and thinking about the past...and future." tsuyu: ah. Dazai: "You know other superheroes? Go to superhero school and stuff?" tsuyu: i attend the UA. thought there's other hero schools that exist. Dazai: "Yeah, we're sending some of my coworkers and mentees to the DWMA." *waves* "I'm Dazai." tsuyu: tsuyu. just call me tsu. Dazai: "Cool, Tsu." *looks again at the canal* "You know, I almost drowned in there." tsuyu: really? sounds pretty scary. Dazai: "I was trying to kill myself." ^^ tsuyu: ...... *no comment* Dazai: "Just...looking for someone to end it all with me. Someone around my age. Beautiful." tsuyu: i have to go home now. *swimming away* Dazai: "...I DIDN'T MEAN YOU! YOU'RE A LITTLE TOO YOUNG!" -elsewhere- Chuuya: *asleep on the couch* mito: zzzzz Chuuya: *small noise* "Hmmm..." -a warm feeling on his chest...- Chuuya: *smiles* -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "What do you think of Higuchi?" gin: well, she's dedicated, have to give her that. Akutagawa: *nods* "Hardworking. Focused. But..." gin: ?? Akutagawa: "Something seems to distract her." gin: oh? Akutagawa: "I think she needs some leisure activity to occupy her mind outside of work. Perhaps an evening with her female friends?" gin:....perhaps. Akutagawa: "...Could you do that for me? Please?" gin: alright. -elsewhere- Yohei: "Zzz..." chie: zzzzz *nuzzle* Tool: *in his bed, shivering* io: *crawling in* uu! Tool: "Hmph..." *instinctively picks up Io, holds them before pulling up sheet* "Okay, Io..." io: ....zzzz Tool: *has stopped shivering, sleeps...* -elsewhere- Arthur: *sips on milk, then dunks a cookie into his glass* -elsewhere- Montgomery: *buttons up her pajama top, looking at the clock* "Super late..." -underground- zoey: ah....~ *blindfolded, wrists bound* FD: "Are you ready?" *Something cold and metal touches her nipple* zoey: *shudders* yes~! FD: "Good..." *clamps it down on her nipple, as something wet is rubbed down her stomach, causing her skin to go electric...along with other parts of herself* zoey: a-ahhH! FD: "Does it hurt?" *his wet hand rubs the substance down to her sex, as he rubs his fingers along her lips...and something vibrating is heard* zoey: f-feels good! FD: "Aw, I was hoping to make you hurt just a bit..." *the vibration moves up her thigh* "That rub is practically orgasmic..." zoey: a-ah! >////< FD: "Given how badly you want this, I find it hard to believe you're as inexperienced as you claim..." *he holds the vibration over her clitoris, his tongue licking up her neck to her ear* zoey: *moaning* FD: "Were you a virgin when I met you?" *slaps her bottom, holding the vibrator to her sex* zoey: y-yes! i-it feels s-so good when you t-take me! FD: "You like when I dominate you, <my sweetheart>?" *slides the vibrator into her--and bites on her other nipple* zoey: ah-ah! o-oh god i love it! FD: "Then you'll love feeling this..." *something long, hard, and warm slides up into her, his hands along her hips, one of them vibrating a bit* zoey: o-oh! m-master! FD: *smile bites at her neck* "Say it again..." *he thrusts up into her, pinching her sides* zoey: a-ah! m-master fyodor~<3 FD: <”I've wanted you so long...”> *slams his mouth against hers* zoey: *muffled moans* FD: *he scratches at her sides, thrusting up into her, his tongue along hers* zoey: mmn~ m-master~ mn~ f-fyodor~ FD: *panting, as he increases his speed* "A-Almost there...Talk dirty, now." zoey: i-i love you master! i-i'm s-such a dirty whore for you! FD: "Dirty!" *thrust thrust* "What do you want me to do with my hard cock in you?" zoey: i-i want your c-cum! i-i need it! FD: "Then take it! Ah-ah!" *cums in her* zoey: AH-AHHHHHHHHH~<3<3 FD: *panting, as he pulls out, dripping...he removes her blindfold, staring into her eyes* zoey: ma...m-master~ *pant pant* *cum dripping down her thighs* FD: *unstraps her* "I now free you...What do you do now, my sweet?" zoey: p-please...i-i want...ah...wanna lick the cum off you... FD: *smiles, kissing her cheek* "Then proceed~" zoey: *blushes and pants, going down on him, lightly shaking her rear as she does so* FD: *sighs* "Ah...Y-You have a pert little ass..." *holds her head* -elsewhere- Rin: *on his phone* "..." madoka: *on her phone* hey rin. *smiles* Rin: *smiles* "Hey...I miss you." madoka: i miss you too....so how's kyoto? Rin: "Well, summer-y. And a little tense?" madoka: how so? Rin: "...You know what it's like when people learn your Satan's son? Yeah...they don't respond well to that..." TTWTT madoka: rin....i wish i was there with you...i really do... Rin: *nod nod* "Same...When I get home...will you be there waiting for me?" madoka: of course i will. Rin: *smiles, wipes a tear* "Th-Thanks...Love you." madoka: i love you too rin. ^^ Rin: *nod nod* "...Did I tell you about Bon's birthday?" -elsewhere- -morning- shinra:....hey tamaki? tamaki: what is it? shinra: was that.....always there? -a skull is above the door- tamaki: ?! VULCAN WHAT THE SHIT?! Vulcan: "You like it? Real metal, right?" iris: ...... Akitaru: "...That's..._a_ description." maki: pretty punk rock. shinra: *sweatdrop* (thinking: just what kind of vibe are we even going for?) Vulcan: "See? Muscles gets me! Besides, I finished all the repairs you wanted me to do..." ???: *ahem* shinra: hmm? oh! Vulcan: *climbs down the roof...* Akitaru: "You've arrived!" Karim: *waves* "Yo." pearl: g-good morning! fang-hua: hey guys. gabriella: *adjusting glasses* tamaki:...*awkwardly coughs* father fulham...pearl....good to see you...i guess. pearl: i understand if you're still upset with us, miss kotatsu. Karim: "...At least you look cheerful, Tamaki." tamaki: w-whatever, lets just go already. *begins walking...but suddenly falls into a sinkhole* ACK! shinra:...h-how- tamaki: NOT A WORD KUSAKABE! Rino: *holding a heavy set of file folders* "What a pain..." -inside- Rino: *dragging in the papers* Vulcan: "Here, let me get that..." *takes off his shirt, helps Rino* Rino: .\\\\. Hibana: *sits down on the sofa* "...You. No-Name. I do not like someone from the 1st sitting at my same level." Karim: "What, you want me to sit on the floor?" Hibana: "Yes, thank you." Karim: "...WTF?" gabriella: ^^; Konro: "Fang-Hua, you have all the files?" fang-hua: right here, sir. pearl: i-i have our files too! iris: sister, how are mikami and ryuuko doing so far? Hibana: "Precious little flowers blooming in the garden we tend to~" gabriella: p-princess. >///< fang-hua: *sweatdrops* could we just get to the point of this meeting now? Akitaru: "I'm sure you have seen the headline." *passes the newspaper to Fang-Hua* fang-hua: *examines the paper* pearl: 'commander of the 3rd arrested'? Hibana: "Ha ha ha! Oh, that's the best news I've heard all day!" Vulcan: *staring at the photo* "Wait a minute..." fang-hua: hmm? something up? Vulcan: "'t's not him." Hibana: "?!!" Vulcan: "Check the eyes. I've seen Giovanni without that dumb mask. Those aren't his eyes." pearl: ..... Karim: "..." *looks Gabriella* "Who did they arrest, then?" gabriella: im not sure. but it seems ryuuko, mikami, and relan arent the only ones who left the 3rd... Hibana: "Perhaps an actor? An impersonator? Some contingency plan?" gabriella: more than likely... pearl: maybe we could examine their base? find something there? gabriella: that may be difficult. according to what ryuuko told me, the base she, mikami, and relan stayed at wasnt the 3rds official base. Konro: "Really? That's frustrating." maki: relan said the same thing, so we had victor go and search for their base. Hibana: *stares at Maki* "You trust that creep?" -in a wooded area- ivy: why are we even in this stupid place? Victor: "Ooooo! Look at the metal bits jammed into this tree!" *snaps pictures* ivy: tch-, this is so stupid. why are we even helping those bastards? scarlet: did you only come here to complain? Joker: "What we need is to figure out how Sho was able to move so fast...His ability seemed familiar..." scarlet: ?? Victor: "What we need to stop Sho is Shinra--and he still hasn't gotten that internal flame of his hot enough yet..." scarlet:......(thinking: mikami...) -back at the 8th- fang-hua: so what do we do now? Hibana: "Obi, you in the 8th have the power of gorillas--can't you do something?" Akitaru: "...For real?" fang-hua: i may have an idea. Konro: "Oh?" fang-hua: maybe a combat training course at the 7th might help you? shinra: again?! Konro: *smiles* "Excellent idea!" Arthur: "...We will die." shinra: not to mention the rabbit demon and the terrible twosome. Akitaru: "I like it!" Konro: "And that kind of experience will toughen you up!" Akitaru: *nods* Hibana: "I am in favor of this plan." shinra: ....ok then. ^^; Karim: "I'll bring flowers to your funeral." shinra: HAVE _SOME_ FAITH IN US! Karim: "I do. I have faith you will get your ass broken." tamaki: D8< pearl: father fulham... ^^;; Hibana: *smacks Karim with a fan* "LIE ON THE FLOOR, WORM!" pearl: princess! please be a little nicer! Vulcan: o_o ("...Dad...Grandpa...Save me from these weirdos.") Karim: X__X Akitaru: "Huh. Thought the fisticuffs would've started five minutes ago. We did better than I expected!" Konro: "In the 7th, you show your power through fighting--so we're already making improvements!" tamaki:... (thinking: seems pearl's becoming a lot more assertive since last i saw her....) -elsewhere- Giovanni: "--and that is how I got a community theater actor arrested." guruna: *clapping* 8D -elsewhere- Benimaru: *on the phone* "...Well, yes, I know, but-- ... " *sighs* "Fine." *hangs up* kirei: did something happen, beni? Benimaru: "Konro signed me up to train those weaklings from the 8th." kirei: i see. *smiles* im sure you'll be an excellent teacher. Benimaru: "...Konro is better." kirei: *small kiss on the nose* i have faith in you, beni. Benimaru: .\\\\. "...Then I guess that will have to get me through this." -elsewhere- Burns: "Karim _and_ Pearl took a sick day?" ruby: yep. they both caught a cold! dia: ...... Burns: "...Must be spreading. Ruby, I suggest you have some Vitamin C before you catch their cold." ruby: understood! *nomming on orange slices* dia:....commander, may i speak with you? Burns: "Of course. What is it?" dia: do you suppose....there is fraternization involved here? Burns: "...The concern has crossed my mind." dia: should i investigate the matter? Burns: *nods* -elsewhere- Honda: Q~Q "No one invites me to meetings..." hito: perhaps making an alliance with the 8th might be on our agenda, sir? -elsewhere- Tachihara: *folding laundry* -elsewhere- Emine: "Tah-dah." chie: D8< Emine: "...You don't like it? I used something from each of you in this collage..." Yohei: "...Is that the motherboard from my laptop?" Tool: "My sickle..." Shotaro: "My boxers?" mono: D8< MY UNDIES?! -elsewhere- Poe: *writing writing writing* karl: zzzzz.... Poe: *pats Karl in his lap, as he dots an 'i'* "This...This crime drama should do the trick..." -the footnote attached....isnt exactly related to the project.....but appears to be a series of thoughts on a certain someone- Poe: *reading his footnote...* " 'Beautiful smile,' 'pools of life in her eyes,' 'a name that rolls off the tongue with such an appealing rhyme--'" .\\\\. karl: zzzz.... Poe: *his heart is pounding* "I-I just wanted to find a title to this story..." -elsewhere- Ranpo: *asleep at desk* -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *sets down his drink* bartender: ?? Akutagawa: "One more, please." bartender: you've already had at least 7 of them... Akutagawa: "I can handle it. Besides, eight is my lucky number." -elsewhere- Steinbeck: *reviewing papers* "...Jeez, Fitzgerald threw his money around..." -elsewhere- Medusa: *scream* shaula: SHADDAP! neian: ?? Medusa: "Your fucking scorpion bit me! Why is it on the floor?!" shaula: relax, this one isnt poisonous! ......or at least, it wont kill you. Medusa: "Two can play at that game..." *CHOMP* shaula: OW! FUCK! Medusa: "Ha! That's a pain in the backside, is it not?" shaula: hehe...you better put your kid to bed and pack your bags sister of mine, cause you're going on a triiiiip. Medusa: "?!!!" -the room is dark, and crying can be heard from neian's crib- Medusa: "Oh no..." *summons light snake to illuminate* -a tall gaunt figure is holding a sword above the child- Medusa: "!!!!" *sends a snake at the figure's throat* ???: even after all this time....you still hate me....dont you mother? Medusa: *tenses, stops* "What...?" chrona?: *stares.....with a sorrowful but blank expression* Medusa: "...Crona...Put down the sword for mommy..." chrona?: do you really believe you have a right to be a mother to me?! after all you've done?! Medusa: "Just stop! Stop...I don't want to hurt you..." chrona?: please........*twisted smile* as if that stopped you before.... *charges at her* Medusa: *holds snake sword, ready to block* ???: medusa? Medusa: *turns around, swinging the sword* arachne?: ........*emotionless expression as the sword impales her* Medusa: o_o "...The hell?" arachne?: you havent....changed at all...have you? *something can be felt crawling up her legs* Medusa: "Arachne...Wh-Why are you...?" noah?: have you forgotten me so easily? Medusa: "..." *sneers* "No...I can't forget you..." *turns and shoves her sword* -elsewhere- Giriko: "Wh-What is it?" arachne: *shocked expression as she sees a program on TV on blVck wid0w* is...is it really....? Giriko: *stares at the television...it's becoming clearer* "Have we seen...that girl?" arachne: ...eva? Giriko: "..." *falls back on couch, staring* "...What." arachne: *tears falling* s-she's really alive....after all this time... Giriko: "..." *holds her* "Where is that band?" -elsewhere- Hyde: *looking at a statue* tsugumi: hey guys! licht: oh, the spring bird. tsugumi: ^^; you can just call me tsugumi. Anya: .\\\. *meek wave* Hyde: .\\\\. *looks back and forth between the statue and Anya* licht: hey. ao: so i take it you're going to be attending classes with us again? Hyde: "Now that my leg is out of the cast--" Anya: "Your leg?" D8> licht: long story. Hyde: "But I'm all healed, thanks to Licht's blood--...Licht's bloody good hospice care!" mio: i...see...*sweatdrop* Meme: "Weird statue..." tsugumi: we were just about to visit maki at her brigade. licht: salmon? Hyde: "???" tsugumi: no, my cousin, maki! Anya: "Yes, she works at the 8th--" Hyde: "THE EIGHTH?!" .w. tsugumi: the 8th brigade. did you want to meet her? Hyde: *nod nod* "I think I know a friend of a friend there..." -and so- maki: hey tsugumi- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! LICHT TODOROKI IS HERE?! *SQUEALS* Hyde: -_-; licht: the skull.....there are demons afoot. Vulcan: ("WTF is everyone hating on the skulls?") Relan: "Actually, they aren't demons. Just--" *stares at Licht* .\\\\\\\. licht: bring out your demon warlord. i shall pacify them...*poses* because i am an archangel sent from heaven. shinra: .....*hugs relan* Relan: o\\\\o *steam off of his head* Hyde: *whispers to Licht* "I think the one with the sharp teeth is kinda demony? Or a vampire?" shinra: im not a demon! i'm a hero, dammit! >n< Hyde: "Are you a hero vampire?" shinra: i'm not a vampire either! Hyde: "Nothing wrong about vampires. They're strong, powerful, sexy..." iris: should i get some tea for everyone? -elsewhere- Hugh: *reviewing logbook* "Fewer guests during the summer..." uzuki: on the bright side, it makes it easier to keep things clean around here. Hugh: "True. The work will increase come winter." *sweeps away cobweb* kaori: ....? oh, hello there. did you want a room? Tachihara: "Yes, ma'am! What you got?" -elsewhere- Kunikida: *writing notes* atsushi: *looking at a map of the school* Kyoka: *looking over his shoulder* Kunikida: "Have you figured out where everything is?" atsushi: i think so. any update who our homeroom teacher is going to be? Dazai: "Maybe Marie...?" atsushi: *shrugs* Dazai: "Could be worse--could be the guy with the screw in his head, the priest who has killed people since he was 13, the scary lady with the glasses--" atsushi: O-O;;; Kyoka: "Are they nice glasses?" Dazai: *wavers his hand* "Kinda?" -elsewhere- Arthur: "More time training at the 7th..." *pouts* tamaki: oh joy. Arthur: "...Where did Obi assign you? To stay here?" tamaki: i'm going with you. oubi said i 'need to work on cooperation'. Arthur: "...Um...That may be helpful?" *nervous smile* -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: owo "Guests are coming?!" fang-hua: seems so. Tsukiyo: *claps her hands* "Yay! What are they here for? End of summer party?" fang-hua: training, actually. Tsukiyo: "...Oh, poo. Well, guess they'll be working hard, so party hard, too." -elsewhere- Eijiro: *dancing in the kitchen* -elsewhere- Akutagawa: =_= *deep inhale* gin: how're you doing? Akutagawa: "A little congested..." *sniff* gin: did you need to see the doctor again? Akutagawa: "..." *nods* -elsewhere- Hyde: "Good to meet all of you!" -elsewhere- *Soap suds pouring out from under a door* kirika: the fuck? *The door smashes open, soap suds pouring into the room* kirika: WHAT THE SHIT?! Patty: "Incoming!" *sailing along the soap suds in a bathing suit* -elsewhere- Karim: *looking around* ("Okay...Coast is clear...") ???: feeling better yet, father fulham? Karim: "???" *turns around* dia: ..... Karim: "...I feel a bit better, yes. The day off was productive." dia: i see....and sister fiamma? Karim: "Sister Fiamma what?" dia: she was sick today as well, correct? Karim: "Was she? That's too bad..." dia: .....just know i have an eye on both of you...need i remind you about fraternization rules in the 1st... Karim: "Okay, stop. Are you suggesting the Sister and I are sleeping together?" dia: are you? Karim: "No." dia: .....*gives him a glare then walks away* foien: yikes. Karim: "How long were you listening, Foien?" foien: long enough it seems... sister volkov is pretty strict, eh? kinda scary. Karim: "Unnecessarily strict: she misconstrues why the Sister and I were out on the same day." foien: ah...maybe she's jealous? but i doubt that. Karim: "??? Why you doubt that?" foien: she seems to focus a lot more on her job than in a relationship.... and given her- *ahem* difficult personality... Karim: "She is rather serious...That hasn't stopped someone from having a relationship." foien: perhaps....you're probably wondering where i was? Karim: "You gonna tell me?" foien: serina and i had a date ^^ Karim: "For real? How did it go?" -elsewhere- Kid: *curled up in bed* stocking: *smooch* mmm~<3 Kid: *small kiss back* "Sweetie..." stocking: hehe~<3 Kid: *pulls the sheets over them, looks into her eyes* stocking:....*warm smile* Kid: *takes her hand, kissing it lightly* "My wife..." stocking: mmm~<3 im so blessed to have such a precious hubby~<3 Kid: ^\\\^ "You make me blush when you say those sweet things." stocking: fitting for you then, huh~? Kid: "Maybe..." *smooch* -elsewhere- Hibana: "Hello, flowers!" mikami: welcome back, princess. ^^ ryuuko: how was the meeting? Hibana: "Well, a bit confusing..." *sits down* "The 3rd with a second base, and some actor playing Giovanni." ryuuko: damn... Hibana: "So, he's still out there--and we need to find his location." -elsewhere- Chuuya: "Fiasco." bartender: sir? Chuuya: "Do you ever just think, how if you had done the one thing you could have...that your life could've been so different?" bartender: oh, like the butterfly effect? Chuuya: *sip* "Yeah. Or like that 'Sliding Doors' movie..." bartender: what brought this up? Chuuya: "...What else? Lost love." bartender: ah. Chuuya: "..." *sigh* "You folks must make a lot of money on lovelorn sad sacks like me sitting down to drown sorrows in booze, huh?" bartender: more often than not. Chuuya: "Figured." *pulls out his credit card* "I think I'm done..." -later- Chuuya: *walking home...slight stumble* -a young lady with glasses is sitting by the window of a cafe, reading- Chuuya: *looks at her* "..." glasses: ?? *nod* Chuuya: "..." *nods back* "..." -later- Chuuya: "Um..." mito: *nuzzles chuuya's leg, purring* Chuuya: "..." *pets Mito* mito: =w= Chuuya: "At least you're here..." *picks up Mito, sets her on his lap, keeps petting* mito:....zzzzz.... Chuuya: "..." *tear falls* *small whimper* {rain: did you need anything at all, mr nakahara?} {Chuuya: "No, thank you." *sips his wine*} {rain: i see, well... i-if you need anything at all, i'll be more than happy to help sir!} {Chuuya: "???" *small smile* "Thanks...Are you busy right now?"} {rain: e-eh? .////. w-well, um....uh....i-is there a reason?} {Chuuya: "I can't finish this bottle on my own. If you need a break, feel free to have a glass."} {rain: are you sure? i-i wouldnt want to impose at all...] {Chuuya: "Not at all--I'm about done with work for the day. Have a seat."} mito: zzzzz.... Chuuya: *yawns, leaning back on the couch* -elsewhere- Mori: *reviewing documents...and books* -elsewhere- hojo girl: *sitting near a lake, staring out at the water* ...... ???: "I'm telling you, Konekomaru, the water is going to be shimmering!" hojo girl: ??.... !!!! konekomaru: but in the middle of the night? Shima: "Heck yeah! May even take a dip. Great to feel cool water in hot summer weather." hojo girl: !!!! *hides behind a tree* Shima: *pulls off his shoes and socks, dipping a toe in* "Oh, yeah--perfect!" hojo girl:..... *slight blush* (thinking: that boy.....he has hexed me....) Shima: "You in, Komekomaru?" *pulling down his pants, showing his boxers* konekomaru: *sweatdrop* ill just... stand guard... Shima: "Cool! You can guard my clothes." *takes off his shirt* konekomaru: ._.; Shima: "And now, to cool off!" *grabs his boxers...* konekomaru: *covering eyes* hojo girl: !!! Shima: *tosses them back at Konekomaru and leaps into the water* hojo girl: !!! (thinking: i need to go to the shrine! have to be purified of these thoughts...) *runs* Shima: =w= "So peaceful..." -elsewhere- Relan: *shivers* shinra: *snuggles* zzzz love you rel.... Relan: =\\\\= "I-I love you, too..." *hug* -morning- Bon: "Where's Shima gone off to?" konekomaru: medics....a leech attached itself to his heel. Shima: X____X -elsewhere- Chuuya: *yawn, walking into the office* kouyou: rough night? Chuuya: *nod nod* "Bad drink, bad dream..." -elsewhere- Anya: *stretches* "Ah..." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *sneezes* medic: still sick it seems... Akutagawa: *sniff* "Allergies, I hope..." -elsewhere- Kid: *smooch* stocking: mmmn~<3 Kid: *hug* "Sleep well?" stocking: yeah. Kid: *nods* "Likewise...What's on your agenda?" -elsewhere- Shotaro: "Few more days 'til school..." mana: yeah. did you get your uniform yet? Shotaro: "Yeah, Emine helped me!" *holds up a bright red and green outfit* mono: what are you, a christmas present?! Shotaro: -3- "I thought it looked cool..." Emine: "Hee hee hee..." -elsewhere- Benimaru: *setting up practice dummies* -elsewhere- Dazai: *dribbling a basketball* atsushi: im open! Dazai: *tosses to Atsushi* atsushi: ah! *catch* Dazai: "Shoot!" Kunikida: *trying to block* atsushi: u-a-ah right! *throws* Kunikida: *tries to leap up to block...and misses* -elsewhere- Higan: "Ouch..." lavender: easy there... *putting aloe on* Higan: *groans* "What a pain..." lavender: *nods* Higan: *small pant* "How are you?" lavender: well im surviving arent i? *small smile* Higan: *small smile, through the pain* "A-All we can do." *holds her hand* lavender: ^^ Higan: *buries his face in his pillow* *muffled* "Still aches." -elsewhere- Arthur: *practicing sword fighting* -elsewhere- Jacqueline: *sorting papers* ("Not sure why Poe isn't doing this...") karl: O^O~? Jacqueline: "..." *looking at Karl* -^- "What are you looking at?" Poe: *collapsed on the floor, writing notes...* karl: ..... *sticking a dollar into the vending machine and getting a canned coffee* Poe: TwT "Thank you, Karl..." Jacqueline: "H-How?" librarian head: well, raccoons are rather intelligent. Jacqueline: "I knew they could remember locks...but jeez." Poe: *sip sip* "Ah..." *pet pet* -elsewhere- Medic: "Miss Moriyama, the tea, please." shiemi: *nods and hands it to them* Medic: *nods* "Thank you. Please bring more hot water to Miss Kamiki." izumo: ...so shima got discharged then from his leech incident? Medic: "Yeah, it was just a tiny leech." -in another area- Shima: *struggling to sit* "So...Excited for your meeting today?" ^^; konekomaru: ...... Shima: "...Bon will be there. I won't. Guess being fifth son gives me some time off." konekomaru: ...... hojo girl: .... *watching from behind a tree* Shima: "!!!" *turns around* -no one there- Shima: "...You feel something?" -and so, at the meeting- Bon: "..." ("Where _is_ he?") -the door opens- Bon: *looks up* "..." ("He's still not there?") konekomaru: .... uwabami hojo: yaozo... Yaozo: *cough* "Suguro...could not make it...I will lead this meeting." Bon: "?!!" juzo: take it easy, father... Yaozo: *seats himself* "First...tell me what happened at the theft in Deep Keep..." juzo: of course. -elsewhere- izumo: and it turns out that girl shima tried to hit on was a cousin to the 3 hojo sisters... shiemi: oh wow......it must be nice....having siblings. izumo:......yeah... (thinking: tsukumo....) -back at the meeting- uwabami hojo: so then, those closest to the eye at the time were all myoda sect. yaozo, juzo, my 3 daughters, and- Yaozo: "And why were you reaching for the eye?" ao hojo: mamushi was only trying to protect it! uwabami hojo:.....-and tatsuma....however he is absent. konekomaru: but what about the person who took the left eye? uwabami hojo: sabutora todo, yes.... juzo, mamushi, he was your instructor at the cram school, correct? Yaozo: *writing a note* Bon: *shaking with anger* juzo: what? nishiki: you really thing mamushi did it?! Yaozo: "We have no idea who did anything. And accusing each other without more evidence will--will--" *coughs* uwabami hojo: it pains me, but no one else has direct ties to todo. juzo: father, take it easy! Yaozo: *sips water* "...Without Suguro here, let us table this meeting until he arrives." nishiki: mamushi, arent you going to say anything? Mamushi: *slams her hands on the table* Bon: "?!" Mamushi: "I saw Suguro...as if he was controlling those flames...I wanted to protect the eye! And I get stabbed for my troubles?!" ao hojo: yeah, he was chanting a mantra we didnt know... Bon: *listening* Mamushi: "So, curious _he_ would not be here." myoda sect member: well- konekomaru: why would you suggest such a thing?! Mamushi: *cold stare* Bon: "Konekomaru..." uwabami hojo: *sigh* this is getting us nowhere. yaozo and i will discuss this. but for now, the meeting is adjourned... -later- konekomaru:....bon, are you sure you're ok? Bon: "...Why did he...?" -on the roof- shura: jeez, its like i said, think of a 'poof' not a 'boom', ok? Rin: "...'Poof'? Like, tiny flame?" shura: if it helps, then yeah. Rin: "Okay...tiny 'poof'...tiny 'poof'...AH, THIS ISN'T WORKING!" shura: maybe go cool off for a moment? Rin: "...'Kay." *hops off the roof* "Poof poof poof..." -the two candles on the end ignite, but the center is untouched- shura: 0.0 ..... huh...and he doesnt even....wow. -on the ground- ???: mother, father, what do i do? i feel so helpless...does someone like me even deserve the title of head of the miwa family? Rin: "???" *peaks around the corner* -konekomaru is in front of a grave- Rin: "Oh...Um, hey, Konekomaru..." konekomaru: !!! *trying to run* Rin: "D-Dude! Hey, it's cool...I just...wanted to see...I mean, I can go..." konekomaru: ...s-stay away from bon. h-he's going through a lot right now... Rin: "What?! You can't just tell me to stay away from people! We're supposed to work together--" konekomaru:....i...i dont have anything...no parents, no relatives....the myoda took me in, and i want to repay them, no matter what....enemies of the myoda, are enemies of me as well! Rin: "..." *starts laughing* konekomaru: ??!! w-whats so funny?! Rin: "You say you have nothing, but you're so quick to defend the Myoda. I mean, if you want to repay them, then you're not alone, right?" konekomaru: ah... Rin: "...Oh. But you see me as a threat..." *looks at his hands* "I can't blame you...I'm not in control of these flames...So, yeah, you should avoid me 'til I control these flames--because I'm gonna!" konekomaru: .... -that evening- nishiki: i cant believe that shima would accuse mamushi like that! ao hojo: i bet he's the culprit! Mamushi: "Then we will be on guard to see what proof to back up that suspicion." hojo girl: ..... nishiki: ?? unagi? you're out more than usual lately... unagi:....<the pink haired devil....has cursed me...> ao hojo: eh? <what do you mean?> unagi: <ever since that night....he has plagued my thoughts....when i have these thoughts, i feel hot...as if my chest is going to burst...> nishiki: O_O Mamushi: <"...Go pray."> unagi: <understood.> nishiki: that...little...shit! Mamushi: "Easy...Just have to deal with his family first." -elsewhere- Tachihira: *has a black eye, missing a shoe, pants ripped* gin: ... hirotsu: -_-; Tachihara: "I still don't know where my wallet and phone are. And my foot is cold." higuchi: i think i found your wallet and phone. Tachihara: "Oh, sweet!" *checks to see whether money and cards still in there--a photo falls out* -its a photo of him and some random prostitute in a photo booth- Tachihara: "Oh, good, still got my cards...???" *picks up the photo* "...Who's she?" gin:...*shrugs* hirotsu: *looks at the back of the photo* 'thanks 4 the $20, sugar'.... -_-; Tachihara: "...Goddamn it! I lost $20?!" -elsewhere- Kenji: "I think I like the blue more." *modeling a dress* -elsewhere- *15 stray cats are occupying Takehisa's office* Takehisa: "..." tamaki: *overjoyed* Vulcan: "They looked so cold and hungry outside." Takehisa: "..." *picks a cat up off his stack of papers* "I have work to do." -elsewhere- Wes: *marking music sheets* julie: *watching* Wes: "??? Jules--you see this?" *points to the music sheet* julie: what is it? Wes: "I'm marking here to tell the flutes to get louder..." *picks up a flute--plays softly on it* "Then they'll go--" *plays a bit louder* julie: ah... Wes: "And when everything comes together, it should be magical..." *smiles* "Want to hear a song?" -elsewhere- Jeje: *paper bag is colored with crayons* "..." metsu: ...*small smile* let me guess, mikuni? Jeje: "Likely. Johannes is not as good at drawing flowers." *points to a giant sunflower on one bag* metsu: still, its kind of cute. Jeje: "...Really?" .\\\\. metsu: ^^ Jeje: "...Um, okay. I can wear them...a bit longer." -elsewhere- Johannes: "GIVE ME THOSE BEAKERS!!!" -elsewhere- Chuuya: "...Higuchi?" higuchi: yeah? Chuuya: "Did you...go through Rain's...Mito's locker?" higuchi: not yet... Chuuya: "..." *nods* "Okay." *pulls out a flask* higuchi: did you want to do that now? Chuuya: "I-I don't feel comfortable seeing it.." higuchi: hmm.... Chuuya: "I'll wait here..." *sips on his flask, scrunches his face* "Yuck." higuchi: *clearing the locker out; inside are notes, some notebooks, photos* ..... Chuuya: "..." *leans against wall...closes his eyes* higuchi:.....*sigh* *examining photos* *One of Rain and Higuchi at the bar, another of Rain at her first day of work* higuchi: ....*looks at a photo of rain and chuuya during a party* *Chuuya has a hand on her shoulder, holding up glass of wine* higuchi: .....(thinking: she looks happy....) Chuuya: "..." *steps into locker room* "Is it...okay?" higuchi: yeah... Chuuya: *approaches...spots the pics* TT\\\\TT higuchi: .... Chuuya: *sniff* "R-Rain..." higuchi:...did you...want to visit her? Chuuya: *nod nod* -and so, at the mafia gravesite- Chuuya: "...I thought it would get easier..." *kneels at the grave* higuchi:.... Chuuya: "..." *looks at the grave...* "...What?" higuchi: nothing...i did get flowers though... *has a small vase with aster flowers* Chuuya: "R-Right." ("Why does the grass here look...different?") higuchi: .... Chuuya: "I didn't know what to bring..." higuchi: well, at least you're here...i think she'd be happy with that alone... Chuuya: "...She never asked for as much as she deserved..." higuchi:...*nods, gripping her fist*...chuuya....you know how mori treated her...right? Chuuya: "...Treated her how?" higuchi: you know he abused her, right? Chuuya: "...Yes." higuchi: and you know what she was put through because of him, right? Chuuya: *realizing but pretending not to...* "...What do you mean?" higuchi:....when we cleared her apartment out....i found something in her garbage... Chuuya: "???" higuchi:...there was a positive pregnancy test. Chuuya: "..." *falls to his hands* higuchi: *bites her lip* i wont forgive mori for this... Chuuya: "...Kill..." higuchi: ?? Chuuya: "K-Kill...him..." higuchi: .... Chuuya: "...and take over this Mafia." higuchi: ..... Chuuya: "Am I wrong?" -a crow is sitting in a tree....with a glint in its eye- yana: well, this sure is interesting... FD: *smiles* "A new tool to use." yana: by the way, i found out some info on mr mori's new secretary... FD: "Oh?" yana: i got the file right here. FD: "???" *opens it* "..." *smiles* "Interesting." -elsewhere- Tanizaki: *thumbing through papers* yosano: oh, burning the candle from both ends, eh? Tanizaki: *yawn* "Just confused by some papers..." yosano: need any help there? Tanizaki: "Yeah...Which case is this one?" *holds up a baggie holding a notepad page* -elsewhere- Anya: *sighs* mio: you ok? Anya: "Yeah, sure." *covers a paper that has names and columns listed "Pro" and "Con"* mio: what's that? Anya: "!!! J-Just taking notes." .\\\. -elsewhere- Relan: "Y-You want me to go?!" maki: yeah. it'll help to build some physical strength up. Relan: "O-Okay? But isn't Commander Benimaru a little strict?" maki: i guess, but i have the feeling you'll do great. Relan: .\\\. "I-I'm not that confident." maki: did you want to do some sparring? Relan: *nods* "J-Just...Can we start slow?" maki: alright. -elsewhere- Kishiri: "How're the newbies doin'?" ryuuko: hyah! *punching a training dummy* mikami: eep! *x-guards against an attack* Kishiri: .____.; "...Well, then?" gabriella: coming along pretty well. Kishiri: "No kidding...They're pretty strong." gabriella: seems their combat training at the 3rd paid off. though i notice mikami focuses primarily on defense, while ryuuko is more in offence. -ryuuko flame bullets a target down- Kishiri: "Is that because of their abilities, or personalities?" gabriella: seems a combination of both factors. Kishiri: "Man...I'm gonna have to get my combat game up..." -elsewhere- Giriko: "...I got the tickets." arachne: ....*nods* *nervous* Giriko: "...You up for this?" arachne:...yes...i kind of have to be. Giriko: "..." *holds her hand* "I'm with you." -elsewhere- Tool: "And then we tie it back here..." *showing how to tie shoes* io: uu! Tool: "Uh-huh. Then you loop back--" *pauses* "...Oh. The shoelaces get a little cranky if I don't tie them snuggly. Got to do that so your shoes don't slip off." -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "I'm home." kim: hey. ^^ Jacqueline: *stretches* "You know, I thought your job at the zoo would have you dealing with animals. And I get the job with a raccoon..." -elsewhere- Mori: "Coffee, please." miura: right away sir. Mori: "And for you, Elise~?" elise: hot cocoa! with extra marshmallows! Mori: ^^ "You heard her~" miura: understood, sir. -elsewhere- Chuuya: *passed out in bed* mito: *nuzzle* Chuuya: *groans, looks up...his face is awful* mito: *worried* Chuuya: "..." *sobbing* mito:...*snuggles* Chuuya: "..." *soft hug around Mito* "I'm sorry..." mito: *soft purring* Chuuya: "If-If you had told me...An abortion...Adoption...I-I would have...I would have helped you...Wouldn't I?" mito: mreow? Chuuya: *cries* "Mito..." mito: *nuzzles* Chuuya: *hugs Mito...closes his eyes* "I'll make it right." mito: *softly purrs* Chuuya: *yawns* "Stop...him..." -elsewhere- Sakuya: *sets out cereal bowls* naho: moooorning! Sakuya: ^^ "Hey." *forehead smooch* naho: ^///^ Sakuya: "Sleep well?" -elsewhere- Akutagawa: *inhales, sighs* "Better." gin: glad to hear that... Akutagawa: *nod* "Would you like to join my sparring practice today?' -elsewhere- Mifune: *meditating* angela: *mimicking him* Mifune: *smiles* "You would like to meditate as well?" angela: *nod* yuma: *nod* Mifune: "There are no wrong ways...It's just about being aware of what you think." *lays out three stones* "If it helps...you can look at the pebbles." yuma: *focusing intently* Mifune: "It's not about trying to not think...It's about being aware of your thinking. Just be aware of your thoughts." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: "A training exercise? Here? ...Is it safe for me to stay?" reimi: it's all up to you, i guess... Mr. Tsubaki: "Well...I could stay indoors, avoid people...If I were to leave...I don't think it is safe for me to leave unless I have a safe place lined up." reimi: good call... Mr. Tsubaki: "I can't even go to my family..." *sad face* "If only there was a place C3 couldn't find me and my family." -elsewhere- Shotaro: *half awake* -elsewhere- Poe: .\\\\. ("I can do this...but...") ???: oi, dude, you just gonna stand there? Poe: "Wh-What?" random person: you need anything? Poe: "Um...Wh-What fl-flowers would you recommend?" clerk: oh, for what occasion? Poe: "I-I-I don't know! I was just thinking of l-leaving them at her apartment?" clerk: oh? do you like this person? Poe: ._______. "...???" clerk: or is this a friend or a relative? Poe: "...Friend? I don't know." -elsewhere- Dr. John: "Feeling alright?" felisia: yeah, this isnt my first pregnancy, haha. Dr. John: "Well, can you tell me a bit about your previous experience? Any odd cravings?" felisia: can i have some cinnamon rolls? Dr. John: ^^ "We got some in the office." *offers one* "Here you go." felisia: ^w^ *nom* -elsewhere- FD: "Update?" -elsewhere- Kid: *covers Stocking's eyes* stocking: ah... Kid: *kisses her cheek* stocking: hehe~ kiddo~ Kid: "Stocking~" *pulls back his hands, hugs her* "I love you..." stocking: hehe~ *smooch* Kid: *smooch on her lips, then on the corner of her lips, before his hand pats her bottom* stocking: oh~ Kid: *kisses behind her ear* "What do you have on today?" stocking: *smirks* remember that kitty underwear set i bought~? Kid: *bites his lip* "Do I..." stocking: well there's your answer~ Kid: "True...but I want to see with my own eyes..." *lifts her skirt a bit* stocking: *smirks and steps away* ah-ah-ah~ you'll just have to wait until tonight~<3 Kid: *playful pout* "Then can I get a little something to hold me over..." *holds her chin lightly in his hand* stocking: maybe~ Kid: *soft kiss on her lips* -elsewhere- Dazai: "SODAS!" atsushi: oh, cool. naomi: thaanks~! Kyoka: "...Sour." -elsewhere- Black Star: *lifts the couch to clean under it* -elsewhere- Assi: *drenched* mono: =///n///= Yohei: "...What happened?" mono: i dont wanna talk about it! im taking a shower! *DOOR SLAM* Assi: "...But I was going to take a shower..." -elsewhere- Chuuya: *unshaven, walking through town* "..." ("Get cat food...Get coffee...Go home...") atsushi: sir? are...are you ok? Chuuya: *turns, stares* "...The Tiger?" atsushi: i have a name -_-; Dazai: "Jeez, shorty--you bathe in scotch or something?" Chuuya: "I WILL PULL OUT YOUR BONES AND PICK MY TEETH WITH THEM!" atsushi: O-O;; Dazai: "...Okay. The 'tooth picking' remark usually only happens after three insults. Something is wrong with you--" *Chuuya swings at Dazai, missing* Chuuya: "G-Get back here!" atsushi: O-O;;;; Dazai: "..." *easily dodges again* "Atsushi...I'll be right back to get him coffee. Deal with this guy." *Dazai turns* Chuuya: "H-Hey! Get back here! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to--" *stumbles* atsushi: dazai wa- !!!! easy there...are you ok? Chuuya: "..." *falls to his knees, crying* atsushi: um...uhhhh.... ._.;;;; Chuuya: "I-I got to make it up to-to-to h-h-her!!!" atsushi: uh...um... *looks over at dazai* dazai, what's he talking about? Dazai: "..." *hands Atsushi the coffee* "Come on. We're taking him home." *drags Chuuya by his collar* -and so- atsushi: ._.;;; *nervous* Chuuya: *blub blub blub* Dazai: *holding Chuuya's head under the shower* "Come on, sober up..." atsushi: o-o;;; mito: O^O~? atsushi: ??...*head pets* hey there... mito: ^w^ Dazai: "Atsushi, see what's in his cupboards. Make some chicken soup. Also, feed his cat." Chuuya: *head submerged in the bath* Dazai: "I'll clean him up..." -and so- Chuuya: *in pajamas* -\\\^\\\- "I don't need to be tended to like a baby." Dazai: "No one is doing that." *holding spoon* "Now open up for the airplane! Vroom!" atsushi: *sweatdrop* Chuuya: "..." *nom* -3- "...Yo, Tiger. Is Dazai still a dick?" atsushi: um...well... ^^; maybe ask someone else? Dazai: "He's just jelly because my new student is super!" Chuuya: *pout* atsushi:...*ahem* so, um.... *cough* so you knew dazai when he was still....y-y'know...with the... Chuuya: "Mafia. Yes." atsushi: ah. i see. Chuuya: "He tell you all he did?" Dazai: *tenses* atsushi: um....i...didnt ask.... ._.;;;; Chuuya: *smirks* "You missed a show...All that blood--" Dazai: *glares* atsushi: *cough* um... Chuuya: "Ever wonder why he is walking out on the streets, after the sins he committed?" atsushi: *sweats a bit* (thinking: and suddenly those scary moments of his make perfect sense) Dazai: "Chuuya, stop." Chuuya: "Or what? You'll do what you did to Lin in the 9th Street Gang?" Dazai: "Hardly." *smiles, as he pulls out his wallet* "I can show off photos from our last party!" *the photos show Chuuya on a table in his boxers* atsushi: oh...um.... ._.; who wants lunch?! Chuuya: "Y-You said you burned the negatives!" *lunges at Dazai* Dazai: *holding photos out of reach* "Too short! Too short!" *bumps into Atsushi* atsushi: ack! *stumbles to the door, which opens* !!!! oof! higuchi: ack! Dazai: "???" atsushi: ..... ._.;; Chuuya: "!!! Higuchi!" atsushi: *gets up* *cough* ._.;;; higuchi: *looks at chuuya* why? are they here?! Chuuya: .\\\\. "...I--" Dazai: "Higuchi! Glad to see you!" *walks over, holds her hand* "Your beauty only increases with each passing day." higuchi:...*twitching* Dazai: "Shall we initiate our joint suicide?" atsushi: *sweatdrop* ....*whispers to chuuya* was he always like this too? higuchi: i never agreed to that! so no! Chuuya: *whispers* "The double suicide side is a bit new..." Dazai: "...How about now?" higuchi: no. -_-; Dazai: "...Want to see photos of Chuuya dancing in his boxers at the bar?" Chuuya: "NO!" atsushi:...*sitting on the couch, like the awkward 4th wheel he is at the moment* Dazai: "I also got this..." *holds up another photo* atsushi: ?? *It's Chuuya And Akutagawa, in just boxers* atsushi:..... higuchi: O///////////////O Chuuya: D:< Dazai: "We got free drinks for just giving up our clothes!" atsushi: um.... ._.; Dazai: *smiles* "Want it, Higuchi~?" higuchi: oh do i ever... *staring at akutagawa in the pic* Chuuya: .\\\. Dazai: "Then I need a favor~" higuchi: what is it? Dazai: "I need some eyes and ears on Mori." higuchi: *grips fist* already way ahead of you... Dazai: *smiles, holds out a hand* "Shake on it?" higuchi:....*looks at chuuya* Chuuya: *grunts...puts out a hand* Dazai: *crosses his arms and shakes their hands, slipping photo into Higuchi's hand* atsushi: ^^ (thinking: what just went down i have no idea...) Dazai: "Let us know when he goes too far off the rails..." higuchi: *nods* Chuuya: "..." ("Way past that point...") -elsewhere- Mori: *looking through a file: "Rain"* miura: ...... Mori: "Miura, what do you do in your off-time?" miura: .....not much. 7.7 Mori: "You go out to dinner much?" miura: not really. Mori: "Hmm..." *pulls out $100* "Go to Ram's on the corner, ask the waiter for my usual and bring it here. Let Ram keep the change." miura: understood... -at ram's- girl: *pats miura on the back* um excuse me? miura: hmm? girl: oh, sorry, thought you were someone else. carry on. *walking away, smirking* Waiter: *spots Miura* "May I help you?" -elsewhere- yana: ....*over earpiece* i got it in place.... FD: "Excellent." -elsewhere- Bakugo: .\\\\. itsuka: *kung-fu'ing the training mannequins* Bakugo: *holding a jewelry box* "...Th-That's incredible, Itsuka..." itsuka: thanks. ^^ Bakugo: "H-H-How are you?" itsuka: you ok katsuki? you look nervous... Bakugo: *holds out a box* "I AM GIVING THIS TO YOU NOW OR LATER, SO FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU WANT IT!" itsuka: oh um...thanks. *takes it* ....!! aw, katsuki. that's so sweet. *smiles* Bakugo: *scratching the back of his neck* "I-I thought it went with your eyes..." itsuka:...*chuckles* it's nice. *small kiss on the cheek* thanks katsuki. Bakugo: .\\\\. "Y-Yeah...Welcome?" -elsewhere- Shotaro: *head stuck in the wall* -elsewhere- Hugh: *wearing an afro* -elsewhere- Relan: *holding tissues to his nose* "Ow..." shinra: you ok? Relan: TT~TT *muffled voice* "Sparring went badly..." maki: im so sorry! D8> Relan: ^^; "It-It's not your fault...I didn't duck." -late that night, mori's room- Chuuya: "..." *listening* elise: *yaaaawn* nighty night.....zzzzzz Mori: "Night-night." -about two hours pass, after mori had fallen asleep- Chuuya: "?!" ("The heck? He has a room for Elise next to his?") Mori: "Zzz..." Chuuya: "..." *has his silencer on his gun--* miura: good evening, mr nakahara. Chuuya: *hides the gun* "Miura. Hello." miura: did you have buisness with mr mori? at this hour? Chuuya: "I was debating...whether it was best to wait until morning or not." miura: i see....but is the weapon needed? Chuuya: *smiles* "I have to be armed at all times." miura:....i see. say....did mori ever tell you how he became head of the port mafia? Chuuya: "...The death of our predecessor." miura: correct....and do you know how he died? Chuuya: "..." miura: do you? Chuuya: "Heart attack. Before he died, he had installed Mori as his successor." miura: ....well, you are an exec, so i feel you should know the truth. but dont tell mori i told you this, or anyone else for that matter.... Chuuya: "..." *nods* miura:....you know mori was the doctor attending to the former boss......lets just say.....he finished the job. Chuuya: "!!!" miura: the deed was done in the very bed mori now occupies...in the dead of night......funny how similar it is to this situation.....the boss's underling, entering his room, armed....now...what did you want to speak with the boss about? Chuuya: "...It can wait. I should tend to other tasks." miura: *grabs his shoulder* i have strict orders. keep the boss safe. even if someone has to be killed. Chuuya: *gravity blasts Miura back into the wall* miura: !!! urk-... -underground- FD: *smirks* yana: *checking cameras* did you want to have some fun with your new plaything yet? FD: *nods* yana: wonder if that woke the boss up... -she looks at the file; Mafia Issued Ultra Realistic Android.....or alternatively....- Mori: *shuffles in bed* "Mmm...Lower..." Chuuya: "I am done here." *turns* -something charges at him- miura: see, now you just made me mad. *her arm now has a small gun attached to it- Chuuya: "?!" *grips her arm, trying to push it up* -a leg kicks under him- Chuuya: "?!" *tries to cushion his fall with gravity* miura: *arm blade and slashes* Chuuya: *his hand is sliced* "AH!" *kicks her abdomen* miura: tch-, how annoying. Chuuya: "Was saving this for Mori, but..." *holds up his hands, and crushes the gravity along her "spine"* miura: !!! like..that's going to- Chuuya: *tosses her into the wall and keeps applying the gravity...into the wall leading to Mori's bedroom* -CRASH- Mori: *turns in bed* "No, Mom, I didn't take the candy..." Chuuya: *panting* miura: *still getting up* Chuuya: "Wh-What the hell are you?" Mori: =w= "Yes, like that..." miura: my name's miura, but the full title is, according to motojiro, 'mafia issued ultra-realistic android'. Chuuya: "..." *light bulb* "WHAT?!!!" Mori: *sits up in bed* "BLOOMERS!" miura: ?! yana: time to start the show? FD: "Proceed." Mori: *looks back and forth* "The hell?" Chuuya: "?!" ("I can't do it now! What do I do? Why is this an android?") yana: assuming direct control. *button press* miura:........*eyes wide, turning a purple color* *arm blade and charges at mori* Mori: "Why are you in my room? Miura, if you wanted in my bed--!!! Oh shit!" Chuuya: "?!!!" ("...Okay. This works.") -CLANG- miura: ?! elise: *bare handed blade block* RINTAROOOOU! MIURA'S INTERUPTING MY BEAUTY SLEEP! Chuuya: ?!?!?! Mori: Q~Q "Elise! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" miura: using your ability to protect yourself, mori? Mori: *internally smirking, as he plays afraid* "Elise! Don't hurt Miura--too badly..." elise: SHE'S TRYING TO KILL YOU! Mori: "But she's been an excellent receptionist!" miura: move it brat. *attempts to punch her, but has her arm ripped off* !!! Chuuya: "?!!!" Mori: *smiles...licks lip a bit* "Oh, Elise...Her poor arm." miura: !?!? elise: domo arigato, ms roboto. *d-d-d-decapitation! miura: a-a-a-a-a-h.....f-fy-odor...i...im afr-afraid.....wi-wi-will i dream? daaaaaaisssyyyyy daaaaaaaiiiiissssyyyyy.... elise: hmph!......chuuya, what're you gawkin at?! Chuuya: ("This can't end well--") *pushes back Miura with his gravity powers, looks at Elise* "...What the hell are you?" Mori: ("Fyodor?") elise: you seriously dont know your own boss's ability? Chuuya: "I-I know...Just...What the hell are you?" elise: a product of said ability! ^u^ Chuuya: ._. *turns to Mori* Mori: "My little Elise saved me~" *glares at Chuuya* "And you didn't." elise: what the heck chuuya?! Chuuya: .____. "...It wasn't my fault! Suddenly an android shows up! I was distracted! I was late! There was a bus full of nuns! Locusts! Bees! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" elise: *SLAP* PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! ???: now what is going on here? -it's kouyou......in her night clothes....very.....small...night clothes- Chuuya: *mortified* Mori: "...Oh. Kouyou. You're up. Hi. An android tried to kill me." kouyou: oh? *looks at miura* how unfortunate. Chuuya: *covering his eyes* "Why why why why why--" Mori: "???" ("Why an android...? Fyodor...") elise: hmm? hey whats this thingy? *points to a microchip attached to miura's back, with a familiar logo* looks like a demented mickey mouse. Mori: "...The same on the Whale..." Chuuya: *cowering, covering his head* kouyou: so then, Dostoevsky hacked this one as well. poor motojiro wont be happy... Chuuya: "...'This one'? There are more?" *uncovers his eyes--* "!!!" *covers them again* kouyou: oh please chuuya, dont act as though you havent seen a woman naked before... Chuuya: "COVER UP, DAMN IT!" Mori: *staring up and down Kouyou's body--then shrugs* elise: yeah, we can see your granny panties! kouyou: ^^# elise: O-O;;; Chuuya: *banging his head on the floor* Mori: "I prefer younger panties." kouyou: quiet you, or i'll sew your lips shut. ^^# Mori: :x Chuuya: TT~TT higuchi: we heard a noise whats-.......... gin: !!! hirotsu: oh goodness. Akutagawa: "...Why is there a robot in this room?" Tachihara: *yawns* "Yo, Kouyou." *looks* "...Another robot fight?" elise: someone hacked the robot and tried to kill mori. Akutagawa: "..." kouyou: *hugs chuuya* and you protected him? im so proud of you. Chuuya: D: "LET GO OF ME!" Tachihara: "...Don't complain about that, dude." gin:... -BAM- gin: -_-# Tachihara: X___X Mori: *smiles* "Thank goodness Chuuya was here, or Elise and him may not have saved me." Chuuya: *glaring at Mori, then looks at Higuchi* higuchi:.....*gives chuuya a look of concern* elise: oh look, lemon bomb man is here. Motojiro: *shaking* "...Mori...Elise...Chuuya...You destroyed...perfection..." kouyou: oh get over yourself. you can build another one. Motojiro: "DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET THE PARTS?!" -elsewhere- FD: *pouts* "So much for that..." yana: well that's a bummer. FD: "Can we get our hands on another?" yana: maybe? have you made contact with that person yet? FD: " 'That' person? You mean..." yana: *nods* FD: "Delivery comes tomorrow. Just got to pick the time now." -elsewhere- higuchi: so then, this 'Dostoevsky'.... Mori: "Been tracking information about him. Many dead ends." higuchi: damn. kouyou: quite the dangerous foe we're dealing with here... Mori: *nods* "We'd have better luck. But as I'm without an assistant--" *holds up Miura's head* "I need assistance." higuchi: *cringe* gin: .... Mori: "Hirotsu, find leads on Dostoevsky's contacts." hirotsu: understood. Mori: "Higuchi, I'm afraid Elise and I will depend on your help with a few matters." higuchi:....such as? Mori: "Review files on Dostoevsky and coordinate missions with Hirotsu. You will need to be in close contact with me--and provide security for me." higuchi:........very well. Mori: *smiles, nods* "And Chuuya will provide additional security." ^^ Chuuya: "..." kouyou: i'll pay a visit to the 1st. since i know there is someone there who might have some information. it's a long shot, but given the info provided, it's worth looking into. Mori: "Excellent! Thank you all for being so cooperative. I know together we can solve this problem." *smiles at Higuchi and Chuuya* higuchi:..... -morning- Dazai: *snoring* -phone rings- Dazai: *face-down in pillow, moves his hand around until grabbing his phone* "Huh?" kirako: morning dazai. normally kunikida gives you your wake up calls, but seems he's under the weather today... Dazai: *yawn* "That's too bad...Want me to visit him to cheer him up?" kirako: if it helps, but wear a mask so you dont get sick. Dazai: "Way ahead of you!" *puts on a scary monster mask* -and so- Dazai: *growling voice* "I've come to eat your liver..." atsushi: O_O; Kunikida: "...Brat. Stab Dazai in the back." atsushi: *chop* bad dazai, bad. Dazai: "How did you know it was me?" atsushi: you're still in your normal clothes....aside from the mask. Dazai: *sighs* "Fine..." *pulls off the mask--and skin is missing from his face...and his eyeball falls out* atsushi: *SCREAMS! and faints* Kunikida: -_-; "We get it. You're a pro at make u-u-up--AHCHOO!" Dazai: *picks up the eyeball and tosses it into Kunikida's bed* "Just keeping up practice!" Dazai: *picks up Atsushi* "Wakey-wakey, Atsushi!" atsushi: ororororororo......huh? wha? Dazai: -w- "See? You're fine, I'm fine--Kunikida is still sick because he over exerts his body--" Kunikida: *throws empty bowl at Dazai's head* atsushi: *sweatdrop* Dazai: "...I'm fine." *collapses* -elsewhere- Motojiro: TT~TT "I will repair you..." *reassembling the android* Q: *peeeek* whatcha doooooin? Motojiro: "EEEK! Don't sneak up on me!" Q: OuO~? Motojiro: "I'm trying to repair my girlf--...Robot. Robot." Q: oh? Motojiro: "...Here, play with this." *hands him a toy robot* Q: .... -elsewhere- Kid: "Your tea~" stocking: thank you~ Kid: *smiles* "You're welcome." *sets down muffins* "...Stocking...I..." stocking: hmm? yes? Kid: "...I want you to know, that...I...well, that is...it is..." stocking: hmm? Kid: "...Your mother's pregnancy had me thinking..." stocking: ah...i see. Kid: *nods* "I don't know when we would be ready..." stocking: *holds his hand* Kid: "..." *smiles* -elsewhere- Chuuya: "...I should have..." higuchi: ..... Chuuya: "...No one would have suspected...that damn...What is Dostoevsky? Just...how?" higuchi: not sure. lets just hope kouyou's visit to the 1st produces some results. -at the 1st- kouyou: you're dia volkov, correct? dia: yes. Karim: *watching from afar* kouyou: how did you come into service of the 1st? dia: ...commander burns found me, at a young age. kouyou: i see. and before that, you were kept in a research facility due to your abilities, correct? dia: yes. kouyou: how did you get out? Karim: ("Who is that woman...?") dia: i remember there was a riot. several people had been killed, and many used it as their chance to escape....i remember seeing a boy....around my age, or maybe older..... i didnt know his name, but his eyes.....he had the eyes of a devil. Karim: *watching Kouyou* "..." ("Look up who that woman is...Find out who she is, why she's here to see Dia.") kouyou: i see....*shows her a photo* does this face look familiar? dia:.....!!!....yes....the same boy.... kouyou: i see. what do you know about him? dia:....we didnt....speak much.....all i know is that he was called fyodor. but that's all i can recall. kouyou:...i see....i'll just be going now. thank you for your time. dia:..... Karim: "..." Karim: "You had a visitor?" dia:.....i dont know who she was, or why she was here.....or what interest she had in my past..... Karim: "What did you ask about?" dia:....its nothing important now.....*walking away* Karim: "...Hmm." -elsewhere- FD: *staring up at the ceiling* zoey: *head rested on his lap* ah.... FD: *strokes her hair* "...That day..." zoey: *blushes and looks up at him* FD: "Do you regret it?" zoey: when i met you? i'd never regret it~ FD: *sad smile* "Even when I...took your virginity?" zoey: if its with you, then i'm more than happy~<3 FD: *guides her chin to look up at him* "Your first kill?" zoey: if it pleased you~ *smiles* FD: "Tell me all you are willing to do for me, Zoey..." zoey: anything you desire, master. i'd kill for you, i'd become your slave, i'd even carry your child if that's what you wanted! FD: *lays a hand over her stomach* "Oh? Have you ever thought of being a mother?" yana: *cringe* FD: "Because I think you would look quite nice~" *gropes one of her breasts* zoey: ah~ -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "How's this one?" *wearing a two-piece* -elsewhere- Medusa: *shaking* milia: feeling better yet? Medusa: "I-I don't know..." neian: o^o~? Medusa: "..." *smiles weakly at Neian* "I'll be fine..." neian: *nuzzle* Medusa: *holds her* -elsewhere- Izuku: "The wind up...and the pitch!" *throws the ball* ochako: *SHA-WING* *HIT* eijiro: woah! ochako: *running towards first base* Iida: "!!!" *running back, trying to catch the ball...but...* "...Is it not coming down?" ochako: *heading to second* Iida: *grunts, leaps, and..." ochako: *made it to 2nd base!* *Ball bounces off the ground into Iida's hand--he tosses the ball to second base* jirou: safe! ochako: woot! Aizawa: "Yay. Next batter, you're up." yuuji: *picking up the bat and examining it* Aizawa: "...Never played baseball?" yuuji: not really. never really got the chance to, y'know? Aizawa: "Well, you saw them. Just keep your eye where the ball is, swing, hit the ball, and run to the base on your right." yuuji: ok. Mineta: *the baseball catcher* *makes hand gesture to Izuku to tell him which kind of pitch to throw* Izuku: *nods...gets ready...and...throws the ball to Yuuji* yuuji: *he ends up throwing the bat, and the ball hits him in the forehead* ....ow. Izuku: D: "Oh no!" yuuji: im fine, im not dead. -he's bleeding slightly- Aizawa: "...Get to the nurse." yuuji: yes sir. -_-; -elsewhere- Vulcan: "So, how do you think you're training with the 7th will go?" shinra: hopefully it goes well. -elsewhere- Patty: *aims NES Zapper at the TV* "Come out, you stupid duck..." -elsewhere- fang: zzzzz himiko: *huuug* ^w^ Kurogiri: "Adorable..." *takes a photo* Dabi: o____o himiko: ^^ Kurogiri: "How were doctor's appointments?" -elsewhere- Rin: *pulling melted wax off the roof* "Darn stupid melting wax..." -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "How would one even know whether they are dealing with a human or a robot?" -elsewhere- Sakuya: *wearing cat ears* -\\\- naho: ^w^ Sakuya: "Okay, I lost...How long I got to wear these?" -elsewhere- Hyde: *in the park* "Now, where is that crepe stand..." -elsewhere- Poe: *holding a vase of flowers* neighbor: you need something there, dude? Poe: "!!! Is-Is-Is this where live Lanas? I mean, is this where Lana lives?" neighbor: the shephard family? Poe: *nod nod* neighbor: then yep, that's the right room. Poe: "O-Okay..." *knock* man: *yaawn* yeah? Poe: "H-Hello, sir...Is Lana in?" man: she's at work right now...why do you want to know? Poe: owo;;; "...THESE ARE FOR YOU!" *holds up flowers* man: ....um....ok? *confused blink* Poe: "...I will now dig a grave and lie down in it. Good day." *turns* man:.... ???? alright then....that...that just happened... -elsewhere- Kunikida: *rings a bell* "Atsushi. My pillow needs fluffing." atsushi: *doing so* Kunikida: "And I need another blanket. And more pizza bagels." -elsewhere- Konro: "Will you be helping with the 8th's training?" fang-hua: yes sir. Konro: *nods* "Your assistance will be important. And Kabuki?" kabuki: indeed. Konro: ^^ "Thanks...I think Benimaru is about done--" Benimaru: *holding two long swords* "I am ready." -elsewhere- Hyde: *stare* licht: what? Hyde: "There is a full moon coming..." licht: is there a point to this? Hyde: "Yes...I know that you are actually A SEXY WEREWOLF!" licht:....*KICKS HIM ACROSS THE ROOM* that's ridiculous. that cant be true because....*pose* i am an angel. Hyde: *sits up--a framed photo stuck on the back of his head* "You could be an angel werewolf! Like, with fur, wings, feathers--" -elsewhere- Jun: "Any other supplies you need, Tinker?" tinker: i am gonna need some new oil cans. Jun: *adds it to the inventory list* "Okay..." *looks at the workstation* "What're you building?" -elsewhere- ibara: ....... Monoma: "And then they were talking--talking!" tetsutetsu: no offence dude but, maybe you're blowing this waaay out of proportion? Monoma: "No, I am not! That is why I need help to break them up." tetsutetsu: real man talk here; if she's not interested, then just let go man. Monoma: o_o "...What do you mean 'she's not interested'?" tetsutetsu: if im remembering correctly, she dumped you. and clearly she had a reason, because, and i say this as a friend, you're a dick. Monoma: ._. "...How am I a 'dick'?" class 1-B student: well, this whole stalking thing is one thing, you're petty, you treat itsuka like she's property rather than a person, you hold too many grudges, you lie about owning a Rolex watch- Monoma: "IT IS A ROLEX!" *holds it up to Student's face* -elsewhere- Johannes: *working at Deathbucks* owo sayaka: O-O;;;;; Johannes: "Guess where I'm working today!" *happy wave* "May I take your order?" -elsewhere- Arthur: *in full suit of armor* "I am ready to train." -elsewhere- atsushi: X-X i didnt think....he was that high maintenance.... Dazai: *shrug* "He gets needy when he feels sick." *sipping on a slushie* atsushi: yikes... Dazai: "Just make sure you don't catch his cold, flu, or sour disposition." Kunikida: "Zzz..." atsushi: noted. Dazai: "At least there's one benefit to being in Kunikida's place..." *opens his underwear drawer* atsushi: D8 Dazai: "I KNEW IT!" *pulls out a baggie of oregano* atsushi: that's oregano.... -something starts buzzing- atsushi:......... O________O Dazai: "..." *opens, sniffs* "...How bad was his flu that he put oregano in the underwear drawer..." Dazai: "??? What's that buzzing?" atsushi: oh no... oh nononononono..... -it's coming from a lower drawer- Dazai: "???" :3 "Oh-ho-ho..." *reaches for lower drawer* atsushi: D8> *uncomfortable atsushi noises* Dazai: *opens* -yep, its just what you think it is......- atsushi: *covering eyes* Dazai: :3 "Oh, Kunikida--I never knew! And the batteries must have long shelf life..." atsushi: >///~///< Kunikida: *stirs in bed* "H-Huh..." *yawn* atsushi: D8> !!! Dazai: *shuts the drawers, smiling* *hums a lullaby...* Kunikida: *yawns* "Zzz..." atsushi: *phew* Dazai: "Two words, buddy: blackmail!" atsushi: .__.;; (thinking: and kunikida is now on my list of people i cant look in the eye without sweating. dammit.) Dazai: "Now, let's find some pot and laugh for a bit." -elsewhere- Chuuya: *holding a newspaper over his head* ("Damn it...I didn't remember to bring my umbrella before this storm...") {rain: nooo! *her umbrella broke* TT-TT} {Chuuya: "...Rain?"} {rain: EEP! m-mr nakahara! i didnt see you there!} {Chuuya: "Oh, no--your umbrella..." *hands her his*} {rain: ah....a-are you sure?} {Chuuya: *nods* "Can't have you getting sick..."} {rain:..*small smile* thank you... ^^} Chuuya: *soaked* TT~TT ???: sir? Chuuya: *sniff* "???" mahiru: *holding an umbrella out* Chuuya: "...Wh-What?" mahiru: there's a lot of rain today, and you dont have an umbrella, so thinking simply, we should help you out. Chuuya: "...'We'?" *sneeze* mahiru: me and kuro. ^^ Kuro: *peeks out from Mahiru's shirt* "Meow." Chuuya: Q~Q "..." *sobbing* mahiru: O-O;; um.. Kuro: *whispers to Mahiru* "...Maybe we should leave him? He seems freaky--" Chuuya: "I lost her...Why am I not over this...?" mahiru: um... are you...alright sir? Chuuya: *sniff* "I'm sorry...I lost someone." mahiru:...did you want to talk about it? Chuuya: *shivering* "...Can we get someplace warm?" mahiru: oh right. *looking around* how about there? Chuuya: "..." *nods* "Can get a hot drink, too..." mahiru: by all means. *they enter the building* Chuuya: "..." *takes off his soaking wet jacket, sits at chair...* *shivers* mahiru: *looks at the waiter* Montgomery: "...What you want?" mahiru: i'll have a hot cocoa please. Chuuya: "H-Hot cider..." Kuro: *pawing at Mahiru* Montgomery: o\\\\o "...You have a cat?" mahiru: yeah, this is kuro. ???: *SQUEEE* -kirako rushes over- kirako: SO CUTE! Kuro: ._.; Montgomery: "I know, right?!" Chuuya: "...Um...Does this happen to you [Mahiru] often?" mahiru: yes. yes it does. Montgomery: "I'll get the kitten some milk." *pets Kuro* -ding- Kuro: ^\\\\\\^ atsushi: o-o;;;; Chuuya: "???" atsushi: *AWKWARD COUGH* Montgomery: "...Oh. You." Chuuya: "..." *looks down* atsushi: hi....lucy. ._.;; Montgomery: -_-; "Hello, man who abandoned me." mahiru: oh, is this your um....significant other? Chuuya: .\\\\. atsushi: im sorry about that! Montgomery: "You should be! You left me without ever checking on me! I waited for you!" Kuro: .___. mahiru: *suddenly feeling awkward as hell* atsushi: i know i messed up, but i can make it up to you, honest! Montgomery: "H-How?! How will you make up for it?! When you weren't there, I felt so alone! I never want to feel like that again! You lied to me!" Chuuya: ._.; "...We just wanted our order..." atsushi: *sitting down* one coffee please. ._.;; Dazai: "Hi, everyone! Hi, Chuuya--see you're still short." Chuuya: "SONOFA--" Dazai: "Hi, Atsushi! Oh, hello, girl who was left hanging by Atsushi!" atsushi: *making an 'X' with his arms as if to say 'DAZAI STOP' * Montgomery: "!!! You want to go, you bandaged Detective pain in the butt?!" *glares at Atsushi* "You're gonna make up for this..." clerk: if you're gonna start a fight, please take it out to the alley. Montgomery: "Fine by me--I'm on break anyway!" Dazai: ^^ *claps* "Yay! Chuuya, I can put you on my shoulders so you can watch the brawl--" Chuuya: *growling* atsushi: h-hey now, lets just talk about this- Montgomery: *grabs Atsushi by the collar and drags him* atsushi: have mercyyyyyy! Q_Q mahiru:.....*awkwardly sips hot cocoa* o-o; kirako: *on the phone* yep, im fine.....no mother, im still single. Kuro: *licking up milk* Dazai: "Woo woo!" *follows Atsushi* Montgomery: "I am going to toss you into a nightmare..." -after that fiasco- atsushi: X-X owowowowowowowo...... Montgomery: >\\\\< "And it all serves you right! What kind of a tiger doesn't even fight back?!" atsushi: TT_TT curse my pacifistic nature... Dazai: "How did the lovers' spat go, you two?" atsushi: that-that's not-....i mean...i-.....it's....um.... ._.;;; Dazai: "You two just like getting handy with each other~" atsushi: WOAH NOW! lets back the bus up a little there! Montgomery: "MY FIST WILL GET HANDY WITH BOTH OF YOUR FACES IF YOU DON'T DROP IT!" atsushi: ._. yes ma'am Dazai: :3 *whispers* "Shipping it..." atsushi: -_- (thinking: i didnt expect to live out my young adult years like this...but ok.) Montgomery: "Just pay me my tip and leave..." *holds out her hand* Dazai: *whispers* "Tip her..." atsushi: ok! *hands her a 20* Montgomery: *stares, takes the $20* "It's a start..." Dazai: *nudges Atsushi's side* atsushi: *cough* kirako: ^^; Montgomery: "...You people are weird. So just make sure you pay up." *looks at Kirako* "You with them?" kirako: yeah. Montgomery: "Are they all idiots?" atsushi: !!! .///.;;;;; (thinking: nononononono) kirako:....define idiots. Montgomery: "Loud, obnoxious, no personal boundaries, fail to keep promises, make stupid faces--" Dazai: *behind Kirako, making a stupid face at Montgomery* kirako: dazai, please keep your tongue in your mouth. Dazai: "!!!" *does so...* ("...That's what she said...") Montgomery: "Like, is anyone at your agency responsible?" kirako: kunikida, fukuzawa, yosano, margie in accounting... Montgomery: "The supervisor, the boss, the doctor, and the accountant, right?" Dazai: D: ("Why didn't she say me?") kirako: yes. Montgomery: "At least that is less disconcerting." *points at Atsushi* "Don't you dare disrupt work at your Agency!" atsushi: understood! *salutes* Montgomery: "...Oh. Well...G-Good." Dazai: "I guess we're done here." *pats Atsushi* -elsewhere- Chuuya: "This is me. Thanks for the cafe stop." mahiru: no problem. you take care now sir! Chuuya: *nods* "Good day..." Kuro: *whispers* "He seemed irritable." mahiru: i guess..... Kuro: "...Probably lost someone." mahiru: i think so.... -inside- Chuuya: *opens his door* "..." mito: *nuzzles* Chuuya: *small smile, pets Mito* "Hey, Mito..." kouyou: welcome home, chuuya. Chuuya: "?!!! Kouyou?!" kouyou: what? a woman cant visit her adoptive son? Chuuya: "J-Just surprised at the visit..." kouyou: did you want something to drink? Chuuya: "...Water." kouyou:....by the way. i've noticed higuchi comes here often. Chuuya: "...Yes, I suppose she does." kouyou: .....chuuya.....im asking you this not as a fellow executive, but as a mother........are you and higuchi....*inches from his face* having an affair? Chuuya: "..." *brain snaps* "Wh-What?!! No! And how would that be an 'affair'?! Higuchi isn't dating anyone! ...Wait, is she dating anyone?" kouyou: i dont know. is she? *raises a brow* Chuuya: .\\\\\. "N-No? I wouldn't know! Because I'm not having anything sexual or anything to do with her or anyone!" -elsewhere- higuchi: !!! i dont know why, but i think im going to slap chuuya next time i see him. Mafioso: *thumbs up* -elsewhere- Akutagawa: "IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, I SWEAR!" gin: i didnt say it looked like anything! Akutagawa: "The way your eyes look say it all!" T_T gin: *looking away*.....*cough*....care to explain then? Akutagawa: "...I was...trying to sleep?" *he has a pillow over him* gin:.....ok then. *walking away* Akutagawa: Q~Q ("What is wrong with me?!") -morning- Kid: *small whimper* stocking: *holding him close, humming* Kid: *holds onto her* "N-Not a good start th-this morning..." stocking: couldnt sleep? Kid: *shakes his head* "I was so worried..." stocking: ......*kisses his forehead* Kid: "Wh-What happens next...? I know you'll be here...I'm just worried..." stocking: i'm here kid....i always will be...*kiss* Kid: *nod nod* "I-I know...I love you." stocking: i love you too. u///u Kid: *lays his head next to her, holds her hand with a soft squeeze* stocking: hehe... *small kiss on his hands* Kid: ^\\\\^ "...Symmetrical." stocking: only the best for you, dear~ Kid: *small giggle, as he hugs her* -elsewhere- atsushi: a-CHOO! *sniffle* TT~TT Kyoka: "This is why you should have worn a mask." *wearing a mask...and gloves...and holding out glass of orange juice to him with a pair of tongs* atsushi: TT~TT *mumbling* darn you lucy, dragging me out in the rain and wrecking me.... Kyoka: "...She did what to you?" *flash of angry eyes* atsushi: o.o;;;; Kyoka: "I will teach her a lesson..." *Demon Snow pops up* atsushi: woah now, there's no need for tha-ACHOO! *sniffle* geh... Kyoka: "But she made you sick--that cannot be forgiven." atsushi: i-it's fine really...i kinda did deserve it... Kyoka: "...How so?" atsushi: i did make a promise to get her out from that place....and i screwed up. Kyoka: "...But she isn't there any longer." atsushi:.....*sigh* maybe i should talk to her. Kyoka: "Yes." *holds up a knife* "Be armed." -and so- atsushi: *knocks on the door* Montgomery: *from inside* "Hang on..." *looks through peephole* "...Oh. You." atsushi: hi lucy. i brought flowers. OuO;;; Montgomery: o\\\\o ("FLOWERS?!") *calms herself...opens the door* -\\\- "...What, this a date or something?" atsushi: *hands her the flowers* CONSIDER IT AN APOLOGY GIFT! >///<;;; Montgomery: "?!" *looks at the flowers...frowns* "This makes up for leaving me alone? ...I waited for you...and you never came back...and I...I..." atsushi: *COUGHING* ugh... s-sorry...sick.... Montgomery: "...You look hot. You must be running a temperature." atsushi: y-yeah.... =///=; Montgomery: "...Because of the rain..." *grabs his hand* atsushi: *his hand is getting a bit sweaty* um...y-yeah.... .//////.;;;; Montgomery: "Get in here. I'll make you feel all better." *pulls him inside and shuts the door* Kyoka: *pops up out of potted plant outside Montgomery's apartment* "...That witch." -elsewhere- Black Star: *pouting, on his hands and knees pleading* "Please? I'll be your best friend..." kyouko: cute, but rules are rules. soul: *light chuckle* kilik: *sweatdrop* Black Star: "But rules are meant to be broken! Come on, what do I have to do?" -elsewhere- Benimaru: *wearing glasses and fake nose* kirei:... *chuckling* hinata + hikage: X'D Benimaru: "I was trying to lighten up before the training gets underway. Did it work?" -elsewhere- Burns: *sets down two coffees* "Drink." dia:.....*sips* ..... Burns: "What can you tell me about the visitor? Did she have a name?" dia:....she called herself 'ozaki'...

[heyheydidjaknow]

Alright, so I'm not actually finished with this, but I'm half asleep and that makes it difficult to write or edit properly. I owe you a chapter, though, so until I can write coherently, here ya go. Not even gonna tag this yet.

Chapter 14

“I trust you won’t be creepy.”

“I’m thankful.” Yoshi runs his thumb along the rim of his cup slowly. “You have little faith in me, as I understand it.”

You try not to be disrespectful. “Well, things in your life could’ve gone better, right?”

He seems to consider this for a moment. “I suppose so.” He takes a slow drink. “Mistakes from my youth have led to many hardships. Still, though the road has been a long and strenuous one, I would not want to change my past.”

Your untouched drink is cradled in your hands. “You don’t regret anything?”

“It is a foolish and maddening thing, longing for a life unobtainable to you.” He closes his eyes, your own scanning the walls for the photograph you know is in some nook or cranny. “Besides, if things hadn’t happened the way they did, I wouldn’t have my sons.”

You can understand, intellectually, he does not mean to be—and likely is not— as arrogant as you perceive him. Still, something about the way he sits, the way he speaks, even how he looks at you now makes you feel painfully inferior, as if you reacting the way you are makes you somehow beneath him in more than a literal sense.

You decide against arguing the point, eyes flickering from the shrine back to the man in front of you. “I guess that’s true.” You know you are not going to drink any of what he has offered until you have to. “And you’ve always thought like that?”

He nods. “It was what I was taught.”

Nodding, you look back down at your cup, a deafening stillness settling between you two. ‘He convinces me to come here,’ you grumble silently, ‘and all I get for it is a lecture and an awkward silence.’ You look back up at him, setting the clay vessel on the ground and pulling your knees to your chest. ‘I could be doing something else, like fixing my shirt or something.’

“Speaking of them,” he continues, “Donatello tells me you have been experiencing night terrors.”

‘Snitch. Did he tell me he told him?’ “You don’t?”

His eyebrows rise. “Sorry?”

“We have the same trauma,” you explain simply. “Both our families died in fires we caused. Think that counts.”

He does not even flinch. “I’ve never thought of it that way.” He smiles softly. You want to punch him in the face. “I suppose so, yes.”

“You seem pretty calm about it.”

He chuckles at your expression. “I’ve had fifteen years to come to terms with my loss,” he takes another drink. “And,” he jokes, “I was often simply too exhausted to have nightmares back when the wound was fresh; caring for four young boys is tiring, you understand.”

“Right.” You crisscross your legs in front of you. “Yeah, the makes sense.”

“Having said that,” he continues, voice lowering, “I can’t imagine going through what I did at your age.” He sighs. “If something like that happened to one of my boys at this age, I can’t honestly say how they would cope.”

‘Poorly. I’d guess they’d cope poorly.’

“I understand that you and I have differences in ideals and morals.”

“You could say that.” Your mouth stretches into a wry smile. “I honestly only started hangin’ with and helpin’ y’all as a way to make up for my manslaughter. With this exception, I live by the adage, ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys.’”

“As I said,” he covers his mouth to hide his amusement, “we differ in that respect. I take it that’s why, when Donatello explained the situation—” you break eye contact—“he was unable to explain in any sort of detail what they were about.”

“Not his circus not his monkeys. ‘Sides,” you shrug, “he was already being really caring and understanding, and I was already sobbing my eyes out, which I’m sure he already told you, so.”

You stare down at your tea. “Are you going to elaborate?”

“Not if I don’t have to, no.” Your face heats up.

“Do you want my help?”

‘I hate this,’ you squirm. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be here if Donnie hadn’t asked me to.”

“For someone who believes in leaving people to their own devices,” he notes, “you seem to value the requests of my son a great deal.”

Your knees are back up to your chest. “He’s important to me. He’s been there for me. It’s the least I can do.”

He takes a beat to gather his thoughts. You brace yourself for a lecture.

“You care for him, then.”

You nod once, treading carefully.

“Romantically?”

You still do not look at him directly, staring instead at the gorgeous screen door. “I dunno.” Your fingernails scratch at the surface. “I’m not exactly in my right mind, you understand.”

“I can’t say I do.” A pause as he takes another drink. “Then again, I’ve only felt for one woman all my life.”

“Look at that,” you try to joke. “Another difference between us.”

“Do you mind letting me in, then?”

“A little,” you admit, “but I will since there isn’t really a point to being here if I don’t.”

“That’s the spirit.” You can hear his smile.

You set the cup down again, glancing up at him before fiddling with the laces on your shoe. “People under stress and without anywhere else to turn tend to latch onto the first people they relate to,” you explain, practicing your knot tying with fumbling fingers; there is no harm in practicing your dexterity. “He was the first guy I met after I died, got kidnapped, and almost got killed by a giant vine creature. I like him,” you clarify quickly, “I really do, but it’s hardly fair to pursue that sort of relationship, especially considering everything going on with the Kraang and Shredder.” Your eyes go out of focus. “We get along great,” you mumble. “He’s sweet, kind, generous, and empathetic. He deserves to make sense of his feelings properly without me muddying things up with my possibly trauma-induced attachment.”

“So,” he clarifies, “it is not that you aren’t in love with him, but, instead, you’re worried for his sake?”

Your face goes scarlet as you choke on your saliva. “T-that’s a bit—uh—extreme, isn’t it?” You rub the back of your burning neck. “I’m not even sixteen, Yoshi. You don’t understand love properly at sixteen!”

“I fell for my wife at thirteen,” he smiles. “It’s certainly not impossible.”

“That’s—look,” you protest, “that is entirely besides the point. The point,” you state, “is that is completely irresponsible for me to pursue a relationship with your son. Frankly, I’m surprised you don’t agree.”

“He cares for you. You know that. Who am I to decide who he does and does not pursue, especially when that person makes him happy?” He reaches for a worn kettle sitting between you two on a table, pouring its contents back into his teacup—you remember Leo telling you that it is technically called a yunomi. “I find love typically does no harm so long as it does not consume you. Moderation is key.”

You look up at him. “So, you don’t have any reservations about it?”

He takes another drink. “I wouldn’t say that. He is my son, after all. In truth,” he admits, “I was more concerned that my sons would never experience what I did than anything. Given the circumstances of our existence, I’m sure you can understand my wish to give them a relatively normal, happy life.”

You sigh. “I guess, yeah.” You adjust your blanket again. ‘Seems counterintuitive, teaching them the art of murder, but I guess that’s his normal.’ “That’s just a general good parenting thing though, right? I’d hope you’d want that even if you weren’t a giant rat and they weren’t anthropomorphic turtles.”

A parent. He is talking to you like one might speak to their kid.

“I suppose so,” he nods. “It’s been difficult, but we’ve certainly come a long way over the years.”

The screeching of tires pierces the still air, the chattering of his four sons bouncing off the concrete walls.

You strain to hear what they are saying. “I never noticed that there was an echo in here. It’s less noticeable than in the tunnel.”

“That’s by design,” he explains. “I’ve made something of an effort to dampen it.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” You set the yunomi on the table. You sigh, holding your breath and downing your now gross, cool tea in three quick gulps. “I hate to cut this short,” you lie, wiping your mouth with your sleeve and tottering to your feet, “but I’ve gotta check to make sure everything went smoothly on their mission and adjust my timetable accordingly.”

He nods, deciding not to point your tell out. “I won’t keep you, then. Would you like to borrow my cane?”

This is not the first time he has offered. You, of course, refuse.

“Oh well. I thought I’d offer.” He sets his cup down, staying seated. “It has been pleasant talking with you, Y/N.”

“Likewise, Mr. Hamato.” You nod once in acknowledgment, hopping over to the door and slipping out into the hallway.

Your stomach churns at the stench coming from the lab—you can smell a suffocating amount of oil. You lean against the wall, making a pointed effort not to eavesdrop and rapping your knuckles against the door. Their voices immediately lower to hisses and someone drags the door open.

“Hey,” Mikey beams. “We were just talking about you. Need somethin’?”

“Just is an over-exaggeration.” There is a considerable amount of protest as Donnie pulls him away from the door with an uncomfortable edge to his voice. “P-please, come in.”

A beaten DIY van sits pathetically on the subway track, not looking dissimilar to a burnt, crushed soda can from where you are standing. The once hot pink graffiti has most certainly seen better days, and you squirm at the thought of the sound it must have made if you understd the situation properly. Raphael, who you glance at out of the corner of your eye, looks similarly beat up. Of course, you are not going to say anything because you value your life.

You whistle, smiling incredulously. “So,” you try not to laugh, “I take it you took on the cucaracha.”

“Made it my bitch is what I did,” boasts Raphael. “Shot it with a laser.”

“Cool, cool.” You chuckle at his excitement. “You take care of the egg?”

Is there a better sight than watching the light in someone’s soul die? You would hesitantly say no. “The what?”

“Right outside the building,” you elaborate. “On the side of the road. Looks like a horrifying imitation of an orbee?’

He takes a slow, deep breath, holds it, exhales. “I’ll be right back,” he says calmly, and sprints out of the lair.

Michelangelo laughs. “Were you being serious or are you messing with him?”

“Serious.” You readjust the blanket, trying to subtly figure out how to breathe without being assaulted by the mechanical smell. “I won’t joke about that sort of thing. It’s cruel.”

He hesitates. “… speaking of, are you alright? I didn’t get to ask before.”

The other two are quietly watching the interaction with an odd amount of intensity.

You shrug. “I guess. Probably.”

“Alright,” he nods. “Just lemme know if you need to talk, alright? Donnie’s no—ow!”

“Don’t talk bad about people in front of them,” Leonardo criticizes. “It’s rude.”

“You called him special, like, four hours ago!”

“The word of the day is hypocrisy.” Donatello puts his hand down.

“Hypocrisy’s right” You rub Mikey’s shell reassuringly. “To be fair, though, Leo could honestly probably just dodge it anyway.”

He leans into it. “I guess,” he grumbles, shooting a look at Donatello. “Favoritism.”

“It’s strategic favoritism,” the tallest brother corrects. “It’s to encourage parti pris.”

“Cronyism,” you tease, grinning. “You mean cronyism.”

“Hey, I’m plenty qualified!”.

You stifle a giggle as his face reddens, looking back over at the battered vehicle, raising an eyebrow.

“That was a team effort.”

“Yeah, okay, Hamato.” You blow a strand out of your face. “How long do you think it’ll take to fix?”

“A week? Maybe a bit less.” He looks back at it ruefully. “The spy roach completely jacked it.”

“Clearly.” You remove your hand, Mikey seemingly thoroughly comforted. “Then mind if I borrow a needle and thread so I can fix my jacket? I have school tomorrow.”

“Do you have the dexterity for that?” Leo crosses his arms across his chest absentmindedly.

“If I can hold a pencil,” you reason, “I can do basic stitching. ‘Sides, it’s only gotta hold until I get home.”

“I didn’t know you sewed.”

“I don’t. That’s why I’m asking now.”

Donatello pipes up again. “I really don’t mind—”

“Dude,” you reason, “you have to fix a whole ass van. I’ll manage.”

He pulls his phone from his pocket. “It’s a quarter to twelve. You won’t finish before midnight.”

“Then sucks to be me.” You shrug. “I’ll fix it here and walk home.”

He looks at you with a surprising amount of incredulousness. “It’s New York City.”

“You go out at night all the time,” you protest.

“I can carry you—”

Immediate panic. “Nah, I’m good!” You try to sound confident. “I walk home all the time, remember?”

“Not at midnight.”

“What’s a couple hours difference?” You would rather get attacked or kidnapped than fly over buildings again.

“A hundred-twenty minutes,” he states. “You know that crime is statistically more likely to happen at night, right?”

“That tracks. What’s different?”

“Violent crime peaks at midnight.”

Mikey butts in. “Why can’t she just go in the blanket? It covers enough.”

Donatello rolls his eyes. “Mikey,” he sighs, “she’s a teenage girl walking around with her torso covered by a single conspicuous quilt. Let’s use our heads here.”

It takes him a minute. “So you’re worried about her getting, like, attacked?”

It is at moments like these where you resent his honesty.

“… were you paying attention to any of the conversation? Or the lesson we just learned?”

“Dude,” he protests, “when do I ever?”

“What, you mean the one where y’all learned to face your fears or the one where talking about people in front of said person is rude?”

The bitter edge to your words is not lost on him. “Look,” he reasons with you, “I-I’m not saying you’re incapable of taking care of yourself—”

“You are, but that’s not the point.”

“Shut up, Mikey.” You are surprised he does not punch him, though, admittedly, you can hardly argue the point. “What I mean is that if you put yourself in harm’s way, you’re going to get hurt.” He nods at Leo. “He’s a really experienced fighter and even he gets overwhelmed if he goes out of his way to do something reckless and dangerous like Karai.” He spits out her name like it is poisonous.

“Since when have you had a thing against Karai?”

The eldest brother sighs. “I’m never living that down, am I?”

“Unimportant, and nope. Point is,” he continues, fingers twitching at his sides, “it doesn’t make sense to tempt fate.”

You open your mouth to argue. You close it again. He has an extremely valid point, all things considered, especially considering everything that has been happening, and although you are completely certain about your stance on him carrying you home, you would be lying if you said the idea of stumbling home without your walker or shirt sounds very appealing.

“Then what exactly are you suggesting?”

He looks off. “I’m suggesting she stays the night, Leo.”

Mikey blinks. “What, in your room or on the couch?”

“It would be up to her.”

That works for you. “Your home. You pick. Where do you keep your sewing supplies?” You slip out of the circle the four of you have formed.

“On top of the bookshelf,” he points. “Behind the cardboard box.”

You nod, hopping over.

Mikey offers his two cents. “It makes more sense for you two to share a room. It’s kinda cold in the front room, and you guys’ll probably end up going to bed at around the same time anyways. She also has your blanket.”

You stand on your toes, fingertips brushing against a plastic container.

“That’s a fair point.” You catch it before it cracks open on the ground. “Training starts pretty early, so she should have time to grab her things before school.”

“See? Foolproof plan.”

“Would Master Splinter approve?”

“Leo,” you call over your shoulder, “he’s slept over at my house twice already. I really doubt he cares.”

“But we don’t know.”

“Then you can go ask him.” You turn around. “Where’s the jacket?”

“In the cardboard box.”

You pull it down, taking your shirt and jacket and sitting down, crossing your bad leg under the one you can use, despite the nausea. ‘Exposure therapy.’

[misspepita]

guys im in the car right now i s2g i just saw graffiti of silver the hedgehog wearing orange overalls