#come on its not like hes too awfully normal in the source material

[lexia-solve-e]

charm points

[sugarmaplewings-fics]

I'm Yours

Pairing: Kirishima x reader

Warnings: There's kissing. A lot of kissing. Just some teenagers being dumb really. No canon characters were harmed in the making of this fic. I didn't include a cheating aspect since I don't write for that kind of stuff, but there's still some jealous!Kirishima here >:3

Author's Note:

Uhhhh I kinda forgot to make this fluffy . . . .

Thanks to uwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwi from Wattpad for requesting! (that's a really fun username hehe)

Enjoy!

-Sugar

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Swamped.

That was the only way he could describe it. Kirishima didn’t think he’d ever been so busy, and he wasn’t the only one.

Finals had the entirety of the hero course stressed, especially the second-years like himself. Between training, doing homework, and going to class, there wasn’t exactly room for being social. Any time he was able to hang out with his friends, they were studying together. Nothing he'd really describe as 'fun'. And that’s what had him feeling the worst about all this.

He’d started dating you a few weeks ago—going on three months now, actually. Things had been going well between the two of you. You liked him and he really liked you, so to him, there hadn't been any type of problem.

Even so, there was something a little unique about your relationship: no one knew about it. You yourself were never one for letting others get too involved in your business. And besides, you also knew the nature of most high school relationships. Maybe you’d announce yourselves as a couple and make a big fuss only to grow tired of the other and end it all within the first month. But clearly, that hadn’t happened.

There was a strange thrill to keeping your relationship a secret; a novelty your boyfriend hadn't expected. Though he wasn’t much for dishonesty, Kirishima practically lived for the stolen glances across the classroom you’d share, and the way he’d sneak you behind the school for impromptu makeout sessions with no one ever the wiser. You were his little secret, and he was yours.

Until it had all come to a grinding halt with the extra schoolwork.

He still tried to make time to spend with you in one of your dorm rooms, but the both of you finally had to admit to yourselves that neither of you could get any work or studying done when you were alone together. And so it was back to study groups; holding hands under the table as either Bakugou or Yaoyorozu went over the newest batch of hero laws that needed to be memorized.

God, how he wished this could all be over. Kirishima just wanted things to be normal again. When was the last time he’d even seen you? He could remember watching the back of your head duck out of the classroom at the end of the day, but after? . . . Nothing.

He frowned at the physics worksheet laid before him, mind wandering to thoughts of you as one of his sharp teeth sunk into the eraser at the end of his pencil. Kirishima supposed he should go check on you later, once he’d finished up his assignments for the evening.

…

“Did you see (L/N) yesterday?”

Kirishima’s ears unconsciously perked up at the sound of your name. He stood with his tray in the lunch line directly behind some of his female classmates. They were chatting amongst themselves as they slowly stepped forward. Kirishima wasn’t generally one to listen in on conversations he wasn’t a part of, but now they’d captured his interest. Had one of them seen him sneaking into your room?

“No, I didn’t,” Uraraka said in response to Ashido. “Is she alright?”

“Of course she is,” the pink-haired girl said, rolling her abnormal black and amber eyes as she reached for a clementine. “Actually, she may be doing more than alright.”

Kirishima swallowed. Uh-oh.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jirou asked, sounding largely uninterested in gossiping about her fellow classmate.

“Well,” Ashido began, bouncing a little on her toes, “I saw her on the tech floor yesterday and you won’t believe who she was talking to.”

“Who?” Jirou asked dryly, probably hoping to get the discussion over with as quickly as possible.

“Kobayashi Tatsuo. The third year,” Mina announced proudly.

The redhead behind them quietly sighed. Thank goodness. They still didn't know.

“And?” Uraraka questioned.

“They were totally flirting!” Ashido said. “(L/N)’s bagged a cute upperclassman boy! They’ll be dating soon, I just know it! If they aren’t already.” She smugly leveled her shoulders, grinning with an odd look of satisfaction.

What?

“I guess that’s good for her,” Jirou commented, picking up her tray from the lunch bar in order to follow her friends to a table.

“I know, right?” Mina said excitedly as they walked off. “And he’s totally cute too! I wish a hot guy would pay attention to me for once.”

Kirishima watched them leave, almost forgetting to grab lunch for himself after being so absorbed in what they were saying.

The majority of him knew he shouldn’t pay any mind to it. This sort of thing was bound to happen. Of course his peers try to figure out who was involved with who, even if it wasn’t really accurate or from the most credible source. The girls didn’t know that you were already taken by someone else, in fact, the very person behind them in line.

At least now he knew where you’d gone after class yesterday . . . but why? What were you doing on the tech floor? And who was this third year you were talking to?

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Kaminari’s voice. Kirishima returned the greeting, sliding into his seat next to his friend. As he settled into the atmosphere of his usual table, he couldn’t help but scan the cafeteria for your face, just as he had done every day, even before you were dating.

But for the first time, his search came up empty. You were nowhere to be seen.

…

Kobayashi wasn’t exactly the person you wanted to be spending your lunch with.

Really, a part of you wondered why you had to skip going to the cafeteria at all today. But then you remembered the stack of work that sat on your desk. It stubbornly refused to ever shrink, no matter what you did. Recently, it felt like as soon as you got one thing done, two more assignments would find their way right back at the bottom. And this was just another one you had to deal with.

While reviewing your materials for your upcoming finals, you’d begun to take note of other heroes’ costumes and support items. Particularly, you’d taken interest in a hero from Ukraine who’d debuted a few decades ago. Your quirk was wildly similar to his and you couldn’t help but further research his techniques, costume, and gadgets that enhanced his abilities.

You weren’t one to copy. Actually, you quite liked the way your current costume functioned and looked, with its own unique style of your own. Even so, you’d read things about him and his quirk that you honestly hadn’t even thought of for yourself, and you’d begun to make a special section in your notebook for improvements to your hero ensemble. Was it the best use of your time? Perhaps not, but you did have a practical exam coming up, and a part of you couldn’t help but wonder if these improvements you were sketching might make all the difference in your performance . . . .

You decided you could use an upgrade. Which is exactly why you went to the second-year in the support course who was in charge of making adjustments to your costume. Until your hopes were immediately dashed when you found out he was sick. Determined, you went to the next best option: Kobayashi.

He was a nice enough boy. Tall, witty, and a whole year older. You hadn’t expected to be spending so much time with him over the past week, but for whatever reason, he kept calling you back to his workspace in the shop for ‘daily check-ins’. At least he was making good progress.

But now you were spending your lunch hour eating with him. It felt strange, being alone in a different classroom with the guy—not an uncomfortable strange, merely “I’m not used to being here”. You’d let him borrow your notebook full of sketches for your costume, and that’s what he was going over with you now.

He’d ask you for clarification on one of your notes before jotting something down of his own right next to your handwriting. He had also been eager to show you his process, explaining the steps of what he was doing while you ate from your bento.

To be honest, it was kind of nice being in a different setting. Kobayashi was fun to listen to; it was clear he was passionate about what he was doing.

But still, he ran out of things to talk about. That was, when it came to your hero suit. Figuring it was too late to go back to the cafeteria anyway, he ate his own lunch with you, striking up a new conversation.

At first, you didn’t pay any mind to it. But then you began to take notice of how close he sat. Then you realized how eager he was to make you laugh, how smoothly the casual chatter flowed between you. And then it struck you just how much he peppered in compliments to you. Finally, it clicked.

Uh-oh.

You refused to meet his gaze when he waved you off after the bell rang. Dashing away, you wondered how serious he might be. Did he actually like you? No, perhaps you were overthinking the situation.

Then again, he had been being awfully nice to you ever since you’d met. But what if that was just how he was? Kaminari could be like that at times, and you knew he didn’t usually mean anything too serious behind it. Or—well—perhaps Denki the Flirt was a bad example for your case. Still . . . how were you supposed to make it clear to Kobayashi that you weren’t interested?

You shook your head to clear it of these thoughts. He hadn’t actually done anything, so what was the point of worrying about it? You were loyal to Eijirou, you knew that. You’d made a commitment to him just as he had to you, and that was all there was to it. No matter what, you’d continue whatever it was you had with him. Kobayashi wasn’t an issue you should be losing sleep over. Besides, you were probably reading too far into things anyway.

Content with the conclusions you’d made, you walked back into your homeroom class for fifth period. Settling into your seat, you faced the chalkboard in front of you, awaiting the return of Aizawa-sensei, unaware of the pair of ruby eyes fixed on your back.

…

Kirishima shot up from his desk the moment he heard a soft knock on his door. As soon as he opened up his room, you came barreling into his arms. “Hey!” he greeted you, reciprocating the hug.

“Study break!” you announced quietly, not wanting to alert his neighbors of your presence.

He tittered happily to himself, leading your bodies back to his desk where he could sit you on his lap in his chair. Settling comfortably on his thighs, you were quick to slot your lips against his. Kirishima melted into your touch.

How many days had it been since he’d last gotten a chance to kiss you? Two? Three? Either way, it had been far too long.

“Shall we take this to the bed?” he joked after a few minutes of kissing.

You chuckled at his harmless allusion. “You know I’m going to fall asleep as soon as I lay down.”

He brushed a stray strand of hair out of your face, concern morphing his features. “Have you been getting enough rest with all this going on?”

“No,” you admitted. “I was up last night with my English flashcards. I swear Present Mic is trying to kill me with this new vocab, it’s like I can’t get it in my head at all.”

“I could help you study it,” your boyfriend offered, his hands resting lightly on your waist.

“That would be productive,” you said sarcastically with a roll of your eyes. “What was it last time? ‘If I get a set right, I’ll get a kiss’ and then next thing I know, we’re making out on your bed for twenty minutes.”

He grinned up at you coyly. “At least I made studying fun.”

“That wasn’t studying!” you protested with a grin. “Speaking of, my timer’s going to go off soon—” you pressed your lips against his for a moment, “—and I want more kisses.”

Kirishima let you have your way with him, threading your fingers through his hair while you savored the taste of his lips. But there was something still nagging at the back of his mind.

“(Y/N)?” he asked when your phone buzzed and you pulled away. “Where were you during lunch today?”

You shrugged, pulling your phone out of your pocket to silence it. “I’m getting improvements on my hero costume. My regular guy got sick so I’m working with this third-year dude.”

“Ohhh.” Kirishima’s worries dissipated almost instantly. “So that’s why you were on the tech floor.”

Confused, you frowned. “Did you see me there or something?”

“Oh, sorry! I just overheard Ashido saying that she saw you down there.” He laughed. “She thought you were flirting with him or something and that you were going to end up dating.”

“Ah, well,” you mumbled, “I wasn’t sure if I should say anything or not but he, um, actually might have been flirting with me.”

Kirishima’s smile dropped, his arms subconsciously squeezing you tighter to him. “What?”

“I only noticed it today—it totally could be nothing—but I think he’s caught feelings? I mean, why else would he ask me to have lunch with him like this? Not to mention how he was smiling at me, and looking at me, and touching my hand—” You bit your tongue, stopping yourself from saying anything else. Maybe this was more serious than you realized.

Your boyfriend was silent, staring at the floor below you with a troubled expression. His ruby eyes traced over the rectangular patterns on his floor, seemingly lost in thought.

“You know that nothing’s going to happen,” you attempted to reassure him, lifting his chin with one of your fingers so he could look into your eyes. “Those feelings aren’t reciprocated and I’m not going anywhere. I’ve already picked you, Eijirou. There’s no one out there like you.” You pressed a kiss to his forehead, sealing your statements, not only to him but to yourself. “We’ll sort this out. If I have to tell Kobayashi I’m taken, then so be it. Maybe keeping our relationship a secret isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.”

When you pulled back, you noticed that there was still a pout on Eijirou’s face.

“Aw, what is it?” you asked, tucking one of his fallen sticky spikes back under his bandana.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, pulling you even closer to him.

“Talk to me, baby.” You ran a hand down his back.

“I don’t like the thought of him being around you,” he confessed into your shoulder. “I . . . don’t want him smiling at you like that, or touching you, or letting people think that you belong with him. You’re . . . mine.” He paused before laughing dryly, hiding his face in the crook of your neck. “I’m sorry. That sounded . . . totally selfish of me and probably not very manly at all—”

“No,” you said simply. “It’s actually kinda hot.”

He pulled back to look at you, perhaps to see if you were joking. Your expression was intrigued, maybe a little flustered. “Really?”

“Yeah.” You swallowed. “I . . . like when you call me yours. It’s cute. And besides, it’s okay that you feel that way. Feelings don’t have to make sense. I'm frustrated about this too.” Pecking his lips a final few times, you regretfully stood from his chair. “I wish there was something more I could do right now, but I should get going. I promised Tsu and Uraraka I’d meet up with them. We can talk about this later.”

“See you, (Y/N),” Kirishima said.

You smiled and waved, turning to the door and checking to see if anyone was in the hall before slipping back out. Kirishima watched you go, wondering what he should do.

Kirishima hadn’t even met the guy and he already hated him. Sure, Kobayashi wasn’t aware you were taken, and he had every right to show interest in you, but that was supposed to be Eijirou. It was Kirishima’s job to flirt with you and be there for you and sweep you off your feet. Your classmates should be shipping you with him, not this random guy from another year.

The redhead sighed. He shouldn’t let himself get so caught up in this. He knew you were capable of sorting this out on your own, and if you really needed him, Kirishima would help you. He couldn’t start getting whiny like some kind of child.

Besides, your friends could think whatever they wanted. It couldn’t affect your relationship. They were just high school kids. They didn’t even know what they were talking about.

Despite the fact he was trying to get back into focusing on his work, Kirishima’s mind couldn’t help but wander. Maybe once exams were over you could finally announce that the two of you were together. Then you wouldn’t have to sneak around so much anymore. He could hug you whenever he wanted, and you could sit on his lap during movie night. He’d be able to kiss you in front of his friends, no problem. Maybe, just to see the look on his face, he’d kiss you in front of—

No, no. Japanese Literature. That was what he was supposed to be thinking about right now. The sooner he finished his work, the sooner he’d be able to see you again.

…

Finally it was Saturday afternoon, and you knew you had an entire day to take things a little easier tomorrow. Maybe you’d even try to take the evening off and spend some time with your boyfriend. But of course, you had to meet with Kobayashi about your hero costume first. Hopefully it would be quick, and perhaps even the last time.

You walked down to the tech floor, heading straight for the workshop. You needed your suit for the practical exam next week, so you hoped he was ready for you.

Peeking into the room, you spotted him putting something into a very familiar case.

“Oh, are you finished?” you asked, walking in.

“Yeah,” he said brightly. “You’re all set, (L/N).”

“Thanks,” you said.

“Here,” he popped the little box open, showing off the finalized improvements he’d done and the changes he’d made that you’d spoken about together. He walked you through everything and you listened politely, asking the occasional question. Even with the newfound bitter taste in your mouth at being around him, you had to admit he'd done a spectacular job.

“That should be everything,” you said, ready to go. “Thanks for working with me.”

“No problem.”

Satisfied, you began to walk away.

“Wait, (L/N).”

Apprehensive, you stopped, turning back to him. “Yeah?”

“I was just wondering,” he began, bashful, “if you’d like to grab lunch with me sometime.”

You frowned, apologetic. “I can’t, Kobayashi senpai.”

“Why not?” He looked hurt.

You winced. “I’m already involved with someone else.”

“You’re just ‘involved’?” he asked dubiously, the expression on his face changing. “Please give me a chance. I can see that you feel something for me too. Whoever you’re with, I could be better.”

“I’m not interested,” you said firmly, any momentary sympathy you might have felt evaporating. “Goodbye, Kobayashi.”

He let you go, watching as you walked stiffly out of the classroom. As soon as you rounded the doorway, you felt something grab you. Gasping, you startled, but you were quick to register a familiar head of red hair. You saw Kirishima put a finger to his lips, pulling you further down the hall and towards the empty stairwell for some privacy.

He pushed you up against a blue-gray wall, grinning at you with hooded eyes.

“Eiji, what—?”

“I heard the whole thing,” he murmured, leaning in and capturing your lips for a quick kiss. “I thought that guy might make a move on you so I followed you down here. You held your own.” He kissed you again; this one longer, his tongue sneaking its way into your mouth. “You’re really mine, aren’t you?” he murmured against your lips, a stubborn trace of hesitancy still present and quavering in his voice.

“Of course I am, Eiji,” you whispered, touching your forehead to his. “I’m yours.”

He surged against you again, kissing you hungrily and pinning you even harder against the solid surface behind you.

You gasped against his force, eyebrows drawing together as you struggled to keep up. “Ei—” you tried. “Not here, let’s go someplace else.”

“Who cares?” he murmured, uninterested in stopping.

“Me. I don’t want to get caught by a teacher or a random fifteen-year-old. We could get in trouble.”

Kirishima sighed, finally drawing back for a moment to meet your eyes. “Okay, fine. But we’re going straight to my room, right?”

You snorted. “Where else do you think I want to be?”

He smirked, taking your hand again. “Good answer.”

Kirishima briskly walked you back to the dorms, his hand migrating ever lower down your back. It wasn’t long before he was sitting you on his lap in his bed, mouth once again connecting with yours right where it belonged.

You weren’t sure he’d ever kissed you like this before, in all the time you’d been together. His passion blazed before you, unrelenting as your teeth and tongues crashed together. He nipped at your lips until they flushed and swelled, and you knew they’d be noticeably bruised by morning but neither of you stopped. He kept going, trailing more kisses from the corner of your mouth, to your jaw, and all the way down your neck only to return right back to your parted lips whispering his name.

Kirishima’s room had never felt so hot and stuffy, even as he pulled off his uniform jacket and helped you out of yours. His cheeks burned red as his eyes, so caught up in what he was doing, the only thoughts his mind was still capable of having were simply You.

It went by in a haze. He wasn’t sure when exactly he’d lowered you onto his pillow, or how long he’d been hovering over you and caging you in with his arms as he cherished you.

But he knew one thing. His love for you wasn’t something he could hide anymore. No, he’d never let anyone think they stood a chance with you again while he was around.

One day soon, he would kiss you good morning at breakfast. One day, you’d hold hands in the halls on the way to class. One day, he’d pull you in close after school, slinging an arm around your hips just so he always knew you were there at his side.

But he was happy to be here with you now. He was happy to be your secret. He was happy, even as his kisses began to soften and slow, content with the way your body melded against his as he laid himself at your side and hugged you closer. All that mattered was that you were here with him now, and he was yours.

And you were his.

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Taglist: @aahilovetheatre @basicalyrandom @bumbyslair @f0leysgurl @hyunmin-1404 @kqtsukii @nabo39 @pyrofanatic​ @rainy-skys-and-bright-stars @sendhelpimstupid @ure-a-sunflower @xoxopam4​

[fictionstuff]

Fire Force 炎炎ノ消防隊

Plot: Spontaneous Human Combustion: a chaotic phenomenon that has plagued humanity for years, randomly transforming ordinary people into flaming, violent creatures known as Infernals. While Infernals make up the first-generation accounts of Human Combustion, the second and third generations became known as pyrokinetics—people gifted with the ability to manipulate and control their flames while remaining human. To combat the Infernal threat and discover the cause, the Tokyo Armed Forces, Fire Defense Agency, and Holy Church of Sol produced their answer: the Special Fire Force. Young and eager third-generation pyrokinetic Shinra Kusakabe, nicknamed Devil's Footprints for his explosive ability to ignite his feet at will, becomes a member of the lively Special Fire Force Company 8. Upholding the brigade's duty to extinguish the blazing Infernals and lay their souls to rest, Shinra is determined to become a hero who will save the lives of those threatened by the flame terror. However, this is not the hero's game Shinra imagined. The Fire Force is a fractured mess of feuding brigades, abnormal Infernal sightings are increasing all over Tokyo, and a shadowy group is claiming to have answers to the strange fire that caused the death of Shinra's family 12 years ago. Faced with many obstacles within and outside the Fire Force, Shinra fights to uncover the truth behind the burning mysteries that have kept him in the dark [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Episodes: 24

Main Characters: Fire Force Company 8 (way too many)

Points: 8.5/10

The show excited me so much, I picked up the manga after the 20th episode, because I never wanted to miss it, especially if they didn't announce a second season. Gladly they did though, because there is still so much to come, so many great fights and so many more revealing moments, because Fire Force features a world of fear and mystery: humans simply explode and burn away (if they don't become horned demons or monsters). It's indeed a fight against fire for the fire force, although it may be questionable to fight fire with fire, because that's mostly what they do. There are different levels of humans and many can already control their power of fire. The anime very closely adapted the source material. I can attest to that since I watched and read both at the same time.

The first few episodes were okay-ish, but when the pace finally picked up, Fire Force turned out to be super exciting. So once you get through the first 5 episodes, you'll be captured by the charm that is a roller coaster ride of crazy fights and thrilling mysteries. The reveals and explanations come in slowly and even after many more manga chapters, there is still a lot that hasn't been explored, so there are still many questions, especially after that first season. That's why a second season is already in the making, so we should watch out for that.

Fire Force is a very refreshing take of a shounen series, the concept is completely original and promises many golden twists. The animation also gradually improved throughout the series, which is a major plus point, because the first fights weren't exactly flashy and mostly consisted of pictures being chained to one another to look cool (it was statical at best). Within Fire Force you will find many pretty consistent fighting scenes, that look awesome and also portray how nicely those flames can look like.

A minus point for the anime (and manga) can be the fanservice, which happens quite frequently. I got used to it after a few episodes and sometimes I even thought it was quite amusing for the story, but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea.

After reading through the manga I can safely say I prefer the source material, but the anime adapted everything accurately, which is pretty good in my opinion. Canon divergent stories often happen to lose momentum. The manga is from Atsushi Ohkubo who also is the mastermind behind Soul Eater, which I still have to check out, but the man is a god, he knows how to create worlds that fuck everything up, I guess.

I've read up on the criticism for most characters being generic and undeveloped, but you need to keep in mind that this is just the set up for the story; the first season. It probably doesn't even feature half of the story, so it's safe to assume that many characters will show up again and receive proper development within the plot (which is true for the manga). After 24 episodes there's barely anything I can say about the characters, especially for Company 8, which is a bunch of dynamic and weird characters who work together extremely well. We have Shinra, the absolute main character, who lost his family to the fire and thus wants to uncover the secret and save people. He's got a knack of smiling in dangerous situations (or when he's nervous) and for now he is indeed a generic character, but not the type of annoying main hero. He's hard working and smart and clearly out to understand what happened to his family. The rest of the company are too many to mention, but we have a super cool captain, who has absolutely no fire power, a lieutenant who is non-cholant and strict, Maki a super strong girl, Iris (who will play a more important role in the future) a sweet young and innocent girl, Arthur a complete idiot but strong fighter once he's in the knight zone, Tamaki who will also be featured way more in season 2 as she has barely been introduced in the first as someone who can do nothing but get herself undressed, Vulcan a very cool engineer who's had a rough past and Licht, who is a crazy genius with ulterior motives.

None of them are exactly stereotypes or boring, I swear, there will be at least one character that will intrigue you. The criticism is absolutely stupid for the story has barely taken root in the first season. In comparison to my absolute favourite World Trigger, Fire Force has been adapted extremely well. I can't wait for a second season to air!

Ni no Shou

Plot: After his confrontation in the Nether with his younger brother Shou, Shinra Kusakabe's resolve to become a hero that saves lives from the flame terror strengthens. Finding a way to turn the Infernals back into people, unraveling the mystery of the Evangelist and Adolla Burst, and saving his mother and Shou—these are the goals Shinra has in mind. However, he has come to realize that attaining these goals will not be easy, especially with the imminent danger the Evangelist poses.The Evangelist's plan is clear: to gather the eight pillars—the individuals who possess Adolla Burst—and sacrifice them to recreate the Great Cataclysm from 250 years ago. Having been revealed by the First Pillar that the birth of a new pillar is approaching, Shinra is determined to protect his fellow pillars from the Evangelist. Thus, the fiery battle between the Special Fire Force and the Evangelist ignites. Together with the Special Fire Force, Shinra's fight continues as he uncovers the truth about the Great Cataclysm and the nature of Adolla Bursts, as well as the mysteries behind human combustion. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Episodes: 24

Points: 8.75/10

There is so much unnecessary hate on MAL for this season, even though there might be even more hate across the web, that this anime really doesn't deserve. Surely it has its own faults, but there are much worse series all around. Someone mentioned that this may be due to David Production working on this instead of Jojo (something I'll never ever watch in my life), so it may be due to jealousy but otherwise, I've seen many childish reviews of people who watched season 2, although they didn't like the first one as in it bored them and they never got into it and on the other hand they simply tried to find reasons to make it look bad, when in fact they simply had no idea about plot or characters. This is awfully childish. It's awfully normal that when a normal human is burned, they die, but a second or third generation won't just die as they are firstly used to fire and control it to a certain degree or why so ever aren't Shinra's feet burned? All these things are brought forward simply to make it seem illogical and boring.

The pacing is on the other hand is indeed a point that isn't really good, as it dreadfully drags on and relies to much on flashbacks and pieces and bits of information that has already been handed to us in the last season or even just in the last few episodes. That's in contrast to everything else a small annoyance though. There are many other good points of the show: an interesting premise and plot development, many lovely characters (which will never be completely developed due to the sheer number) which are being introduced to us anew or now shown for the very first time. We get to know a lot of fire companies and we dive much deeper into the world and get more information on the white clad.

The second season consists of quite a few interesting arcs, which are all very much existent in the manga as well, which is a delight, because I really like the manga, although many do prefer the anime.

We get introduced to Inka, another pillar and someone who obviously holds no love for the world or maybe she just likes to wreck havoc. She'll be shown more often in the future and I hope to know more about her, but I am not sure they'll ever focus on her again. Another new character is Juggernaut and a few others from fire companies, who won't receive much spotlight or die in combat which was sometimes quite unexpected. Juggernaut on the other hand is a lovely new character who's timid and shy but shows he can fight just fine, if he gathers his courage and tries his best. We also get the sensational Joker and Benimaru duo as they investigate the Holy Sol Temple and the “fake” religion? Apart from that we also meet the pillar Nataku Son, who has been experimented on and watched over by another company, where we also meet Kurono, a blood thirsty crazy man I'd say, but he isn't exactly a murderer either. There are still more scenes of him in the future which might be quite interesting to those who were intrigued by his character. Another small sub arc consists of the Nether investigation where Maki is being drawn from company 8 to serve in the military area until she decides to show her family, where she truly belongs and man, that was epic. Maki lives and breathes to help humans as a fire fighter, that much is clear and Maki remains one of the best female characters. Whil Ogun in this season was seriously the best. I think he’s truly one of the most interesting characters and a strong one at that and someone who shares quite a deep bond with Arthur and Shinra.

Not much yet has been revealed though, just bits of the cataclysm and that creating a second sun is probably the ultimate goal. Hopefully there will be a season 3 in the future. There is still a lot of material in the manga with many many interesting twists and turns.

The animation is even better than in the first season, thumbs up, David Productions.

[purkinje-effect]

The Anatomy of Melancholy, 1

Table of Contents Go to next.

Updated 2019.01.29. (Minor name tweaking.)

The air shifted from stale to metallic as the gear-shaped hydraulic lift rose to the surface. Carey squinted through the wrong-prescription eyeglasses he’d retrieved off a desk exiting Vault 111. The gradual ascent could not prepare the wretch for the shift in light intensity as he emerged into stark, cloudless day, and he grunted with a flinch. His vision adjusted a bit better as he stood, in his royal blue and gold-edged vault suit, atop the hill Northwest of Sanctuary Hills. Though he fidgeted uselessly with the focal distance of the lenses up and down his nose, they seemed least of a headache at the tip of his nose. Inversely, he gave up seeking satisfaction from his long, dark mess of hair. With a 10mm pistol in hand he stepped nervously off the margin of the lift platform, following the trail back down to the suburb’s remains.

He hated the thinness of the bodysuit’s fabric. The scientists had told him of the benefits woven into the ultralight materials. Dry wicking. Thermal regulation. All manner of things he couldn’t recall because he’d stopped listening early in Vault-Tec’s rambling self-praise of its own products. He’d stopped listening because they’d told him to remove all clothing and effects before donning the suit. Jewelry, eyeglasses, hair accessories including bobby pins... underwear... foundations... The way the thing hugged his bare body... He really hadn’t mentioned such aversions to anyone. Not since he’d stepped foot on US soil, anyway. But, he couldn’t object to the scientists’ demands, with his neighbors all filing in for their own admission into Vault 111.

Especially not mere minutes after the citizens of Sanctuary Hills in horror watched a mushroom cloud consume Boston as they rode the lift down to safety. Not mere minutes since the military personnel had denied his roommate Jacob entry, when not a week before a representative of theirs had promised him there would pose no issue. He shivered, still breathing hard from the persisting, hoary static which clung to him more fiercely than even the suit.

Just like they’d assured him he and Jacob both had reservations in the vault... they’d assured him he’d have his effects returned to him once the group descended to the lower level of the vault via individual decompression chamber pods. And just like there had been only one reservation, and just like he had found no one’s belongings on his way escaping the glorified tomb... the decompression chambers were not, in fact, decompression chambers. Shit, how long had they put him on ice? Everyone was dead now. DiPietro, Russell, the Cofrans, the Whitfields, the Callahans, the Ables, even the Murphys. A shudder jolted through him as he passed a pair of skeletons clutching the remnants of a piece of luggage. His head swam, unable to recall just how many people didn’t make it into the vault in time.

They really ended it, didn’t they? He rounded the culs de sac in horror, disliking tremendously the up close affirmation of the desolation which the bombs had wrought. The detonation had reduced the once idyllic suburb to little more than a dozen mounds of steel and concrete, the cars rusted husks of their former selves. Trees and light poles had toppled every which way. He could tell no one had come here in a very long time. How long had it been? His head hurt. His everything hurt. He could scarce but pray the bombs hadn’t taken out his chem station--or at the very least, the lead lined safe he’d shared with Jacob.

“Sir?”

Carey could recognize the soothing mechanical British intonation as belonging to his Mister Handy. The spherical thruster-hovering legless robot approached him cautiously from around the side of the house. At this point in his day, he’d even believe that his robotic caretaker, bestowed upon him by the DIA’s nationalization program, had survived a nuclear bomb where his house barely could be said to have.

“Oh my stars, it really is you! You look worse for wear.” Its three optical lenses, each mounted at the end of hydraulic stalks with one to the front and the rest to either side, rapidly focused in his face, and its trio of mechanical tendril-like limbs pivoted at what might be called its waist, to produce a variety of different apparatuses at each terminal node. “You require medical attention!”

The survivor welcomed such fawning attention, comforted by the familiar sweet-gas smell of Handy Fuel, and entered the ramshackle skeleton of a building which had once been his house. As he sat on the dilapidated leather couch of now uncertain coloration, the flame-floating robot followed him inside with a faint and gentle rhythmic sibilance. With a slouching sigh, he removed his ill-gotten eyeglasses to put them on the arm of the couch, and he lifted his chin to unbuckle the collar of the vault suit so Angel could get at him.

The Handy pressed a pneumatic syringe to its owner’s neck, and as its contents hissed into his veins, a second arm provided an inhaler against his lips, which he put around the mouthpiece. It counted down aloud from three, then depressed the trigger of the inhaler while putting away the syringe node in the first arm in favor of its default tong-like pincer. Once Carey had taken in the vapor mix in a deep inhalation, the heaviness in his head felt far more pleasant than the prickling heat of the injection hitting him. The third arm of the Handy provided him a liquid to drink, a dark claret colored substance, which he took gladly, not unlike a child to a bottle. He didn’t care how much like cough syrup it tasted like.

“This is the first normal thing that’s happened all day, Angel.”

His eyelids fluttered, head so heavy that he couldn’t manage investigating the state of his bed, in the likelihood it had not survived the fallout. He laid down on the couch, comfortably drowsy from the opiates in the cocktail. Cold metal nudged him to raise his head up off his arms a moment, and when he did, Angel tucked a stuffy pillow under his head. The exhaustion stifled any inspection of stains, let alone any complaints.

“...Spasibo.”

“But of course, Mister Carey--but remember to say it in English! Ha-ha! I’ve administered Melancholia and a Stimpak, and tended to any illnesses you might have contracted since I last saw you. Do you require anything else before I let you rest?”

“I feel like I’ve been asleep a hundred years,” he whined quietly. He tried uselessly to kick off his boots. The pistol fell to the floor. “There isn’t a blanket, is there. I’m not cold. I just feel. Exposed.”

Before Angel could reply, he was out cold.

Laser fire awakened Carey, and he scrambled to locate the gun to arm himself, his frantic scan of the room yielding no source to the sound, or the burnt smell.

“I’m sorry, Sir, I think I’ve lost them.”

A smoldering pile of ash now existed in the house, which Carey assumed had been another of those awfully huge mutated cockroaches. The irony amused him, that his robotic assistant thought it had failed at exterminating the pest, since the physical proof no longer resembled it.

“Thank you, Angel. Those roaches are terrifying.”

“My records indicate they aren’t the worst thing I’ve encountered since we last met. Did you rest well, Mister Carey? Forgive me that I couldn’t locate any bedding for you.”

Chastising Angel, nor complaining, would do neither of them good.

“I, yes. I did. And it’s fine. I didn’t expect you to. Entertain me, though: How long has it been since we last met?”

“According to my calculations...” Angel’s ocular lens dulled out of focus a moment. “Approximately two hundred years.”

Impossible, he mouthed to himself in Russian. Everything he’d read in Vault 111′s terminal entries within the vault itself indicated the scientists had implemented cryogenics as part of the unannounced regimen of the vault program, but it was so unreal. From what he knew of military progress, cryogenics was still a pipe dream before the nuclear exchange, and two centuries? He couldn’t believe science, in the state he’d last known it, could have achieved what it had, if true. “That’s... remarkable.”

“Remarkable is one word for your vanishing act, Sir. I am grateful to sill be here for your return. I apologize that I’ve falling into disrepair since we last met. After several decades, it would have simply been keeping up appearances for myself. Truthfully, I feared you had died like Mister Hawthorne.”

Carey’s heart sank, and he tried his best to focus on watching as the robot did its best to sweep away the pile of insect ashes out the unhinged front door.

“They wouldn’t let him in the gates,” he commented unevenly, a sharp pain throttling his left arm. “That bastard! Told me when I opted into the Vault Protection Program that they’d allow him in--with or without me, if something happened while I was back at the base. I fought like hell with the military personnel. He yelled at me to keep running! Don’t know why I did. Now I’m the last man alive.”

“Not true! And you did what you had to do. You’re here with me now, if that pleases you.”

Carey smiled crookedly, absently touching the long scar that ran from his lower lip all the way down his chin. Even if Jacob had made it into the vault, there’d have been no guarantee that the equipment wouldn’t have asphyxiated or frozen him to death like his neighbors, too. The survivor still didn’t understand why the vault had spared him the same fate as the rest.

“It pleases me that you’re still here. Of course it does.” He blinked dryly a few times, wondering if any of the skeletal remains he passed on his way down the hill had been Jacob. “How far away are the nearest survivors you know of?”

“I ventured to Concord in the past decade or so, in the chance I might encounter you on your way to work. There were people there frightfully interested in dismantling me for scrap. I dismantled the eye of one of them before making an exit. They were... quite rude to me. But you, they might better welcome you.”

Carey got up and walked slowly over to his bedroom, again noting the blown-out walls now little more than their support beams. A glance into his room confirmed his suspicion that the bed had rotted down to its frame. Opening the drawers of the vanity, with its shattered mirror, produced threadbare tatters. He did find his bobby pin box, though, and his silver hairbrush--and his spare glasses, which, like the mirror, the detonation wave had cracked. He took the first two of these and walked across the hall to Jacob’s bedroom with a mixed resignation, and sat with them at the desk.

The wall between the bathroom and Jacob’s room had blown out. Although impressed that the chair, desk, and safe beside it had remained in tact, the capacity to retrieve anything of value from the computer terminal entranced him when he realized it too survived. Cautiously, he booted it up, and while it ran its loading sequence, he tried to brush out his hair. The repetitive motion wore on his joints, and he wheezed in an arthritic ache after mere minutes, having to set down the hairbrush.

Perhaps he simply hadn’t yet completely defrosted.

Easily recalling the password, he skimmed through the menu of the computer. Entries of all their customers, both repeat and potential, formed a sort of invoice of Carey and Jacob’s history together. Nostalgia skimmed his fingers over the names. Rosa... Isaacs... Duchesne. Man, he always wanted to know the story on Duchesne. Now, he might never. Before the bombs, Carey had an issue of the model’s lingerie catalog, and his imagination went sideways trying to figure out what she’d wanted with a dozen Stimpaks a week. He melted whenever he spoke business with her over the phone. She was smooth, brilliant, crazy. Jacob considered it the funniest shit in the world, to watch Carey try to talk to her. (He also often borrowed the catalog.)

Once he’d gotten his fix rereading his partner’s invoice narratives, he returned to the main menu and entered the password to the safe. Incorrect. Exhaling, he tried another it might be. Incorrect. Rather than lock himself out of the terminal, he dismantled the tension trigger to a bomb failsafe. At least he had the faculty to recall the presence of that. Then, he produced a bobby pin from the sliding-lid aluminum case and bent it open, and using the screwdriver he’d picked up on his way out of the vault, he proceeded to pick the lock instead. Like riding a bike.

Once the door opened, Carey shoved the contents around looking for something specific, but when he did not find it, his face screwed up and he laid down for some time in the floor between the safe and the rotted-out bed frame. A fistful of cash, a few boxes of 10mm ammunition, two Stimpaks, and an ampuole of Jet. Collecting himself, he scooped up the various things and put them on the desk together. Then, he rummaged in Jacob’s closet in the hopes of better luck with clothing survivors. A dress shirt, suspenders, and slacks would have to do. Trying them on reminded him that although his roommate hadn’t been overweight, he’d certainly been heavier than the scrawny miscreant Carey was. He praised the suspenders for keeping the pants up.

“Angel, in your time around Sanctuary, do you remember if anyone’s sewing machine survived?”

The Handy had busied itself in the living area, but with the walls lacking substance, conversation came easily from one room to the next.”

“I believe so, Sir. Just the one, though, I’m afraid.”

“Could you... show me where?”

“I can show you where any equipment’s survived, if that pleases you.”

“That would please me so tremendously, Angel. Thank you.”

In that moment he felt a twinge of positivity and excitement for the first time since he’d awoken from his bicentennial stasis.

Go to Next »»»

[exoticarmy127]

More than Perfect (Jungkook, OC) Scenario

After All au, takes place a few years after “No Question” :) Yes this is the much awaited “peek” into Jungkook and Sera’s married lives as parents. :P

Sera grunted as she lifted the silver luggage from the conveyor belt, sighing in relief at finally having found it after standing there for a full ten minutes.

To say her trip was terrible would be an understatement. It was in fact one of the most difficult and hectic ones yet. Sera had been working in the art industry for years now and if people thought being an art consultant was an easy enough job, they were absolutely mistaken.  

It was more than just having a knack for interpreting art pieces and affirming the right one’s that would suit her client’s interest. It also took a lot of persuading and explaining, as not everyone was familiar in the business of art. Sera was given a project by a huge international corporation who was setting up a new office in Prague, and she had been working nonstop contacting both clients and artists to fill the office space with decorative art that would be brand-appropriate.

She had her schedules filled for two weeks, going to and fro places in Europe to meet artists in search for art pieces. Whether they were renowned or rookies, it didn’t matter. Sera always believed great art could come from anyone.

It was only a matter of finding the right piece for the right person.

Sera sighed and rubbed her forehead. The plane had landed half past 9 A.M. here in Seoul and Sera could feel the jet lag seeping though her bones, considering her body has yet to adjust to the time difference. It would be around 2:30 A.M. in Prague and her body was simply craving for sleep.

Katalk!

Sera blinked and got her phone from her pocket and opened a new message. A smile immediately made its way to her mouth when she read it:

Yeobo~ we miss you. Hurry up!

Sera rolled her eyes at that before placing her luggage on the cart and pushing it towards the exit, suddenly feeling rejuvenated despite the awfully long flight and overall exhausting trip.

At the arrival gate, her eyes searched for a familiar form in the group of people huddled against the barricade. She frowned slightly when she couldn’t see them and was about to take our her phone to call when,

”Eomma!!!“

Sera jumped slightly at the familiar voice, head snapping up and eyes searching wildly for the source. Turning around, her eyes settled on one—two familiar forms standing a few feet away from her, wearing identical smiles.

Sera felt her exhaustion melting away at the sight of the two most important people in her life.

Jungkook stood there with Jino, their little Jino, on his shoulders; grins plastered on their faces while waving frantically. It was almost surreal how much they looked alike. Jino definitely looked like a mini version of her husband—from his doe-shaped eyes to that cute little overbite grin.

Sera felt herself smiling as widely as she watched Jino tap his father’s head lightly, asking to be put down. Once his little feet were on the floor, the 4-year-old made a run for it—barrelling right into her open arms.

"Oh I’ve missed you, baby!” Sera said as she hugged her son tight. Two weeks was definitely too long and she made a mental note not to take any more projects that would take her away that long. She kissed the side of his head tenderly before glancing up, eyes immediately locking with her “other” baby.

Jungkook stood there in a navy blue dress shirt and black slacks, his head covered by a brown bonnet. He smiled at her—and it was the smile Sera knew he only saved for her. It was that smile that crinkled his nose and the corner of his eyes so cutely.

“Hey kiddo, can daddy have a turn with mommy?” He asked jokingly, and Jino’s grip around Sera loosened, and he looked at her with a toothy grin.

“Appa missed you a lot eomma.” He said a matter of fact before pulling at her hands so she could stand. Once she and Jungkook were at eye level, the latter just stared at her as if he was seeing her for the very first time. Sera wasn’t sure how he does it: how Jungkook could make her feel shy under his gaze like a high school girl despite having been married for more than six years now.

Some magic… sparks… just never die down, she supposed as she smiled at him.

“Come on appa, you said you wanted to hug eomma when you see her!” Jino prompted which made the two young parents chuckle.  For a four year old, Jino was definitely a smart talker.

Just like his dad, Sera thought in amusement just as Jungkook slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her in for a hug.

“Is that true?” She asked teasingly and Jungkook replied with a sigh.

“So much. I’ve missed you so much.” He whispered against her neck and Sera melted into his embrace, missing his familiar scent and the way he fitted against her body so effortlessly.

“I’ve missed you more.” She said, voice cracking slightly at how much she meant it. Jungkook’s embrace tightened at that.

“Hey kiddo, I’m gonna ask you to close your eyes for a sec.”

Sera blinked at the weird request but before she could ask, Jungkook had let go and cupped her cheeks, and then pulled her in for a passionate kiss. She willed herself not to moan right there in front of her son—and then reminded herself to scold her husband for that surprise attack right in the middle of the airport.

Nonetheless, she loved it.  If there was one thing she loved most about Seoul other than seeing her son’s smile, it was coming home to Jungkook’s kisses.

When they finally parted, they were both smiling and slightly breathless. It was almost embarrassing how much her heart pounded in her chest after that.

“Two weeks was definitely too long.” He whispered as he leant his forehead against hers. “Let’s not do that again.”

Sera chuckled before leaning in to peck his lips once more. “Agreed.”

“Eomma, did you get me toys?”

They looked down at Jino who still had his hands covered against his eyes and Jungkook chuckled at his cuteness before ruffling his hair affectionately.

“It’s okay to look now, kiddo.”

Jino removed his hands from his eyes and smiled brightly. Sera turned and retrieved a paper bag from the cart and the little boy’s face lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight of it.

“I wouldn’t forget, of course.” She said as she handed him the bag, which he took excitedly.

“Hey, baby don’t open it now. Let’s do it the car okay?” Jungkook told Jino as he held Sera’s luggage.

“Okay appa.” Jino said as he led the way towards the exit. Sera smiled as he watched him walk, practically oozing with excitement as he held the paper bag filled with toys. She felt Jungkook’s hand slipping onto hers as they started to walk.

“Tired?” He asked and Sera hummed in response as she leaned against his arm.

“Yeah… but I’ve missed you two more.” She yawned and Jungkook chuckled before kissing the crown of her head.

“Jino’s couldn’t wait to see you,” He said a matter of fact. “I could barely get him to bed last night.”

“You got him to sleep on time for the past two weeks? I’m impressed, baby.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes and scoffed at that. “F.Y.I., my father skills are superb.”

Sera grinned and turned her head slightly to the right so she could kiss his arm. “I know they are, Jungkook.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, I married you didn’t I?”

There was a slight pause and Jungkook’s smile softened, her words making his heart beat a tad faster than usual.

“So you married me because I was ‘husband material’?” He asked teasingly just as Sera took Jino’s hand before they crossed the street.

“That… and because you were totally hot.” She winked at him, which made Jungkook laugh.

And maybe blush just a little bit.

Sera was surprised when she woke up to the other side of the bed empty and her bedside clock blinking 10: 08 A.M. The last thing she remembered was passing out in the afternoon the day before for a nap. She had told herself she’d wake later that night to send over some final rationales to her client, but she didn’t anticipate that she would be waking the next morning.

Oh well, I can just email them later, she thought. Sera sat up and blinked blearily at her surroundings, realizing that she was in her bed—in her very own bedroom at home. The fact made her sigh in relief as for once her back didn’t ache from sleeping on an unfamiliar bed.

Her hand suddenly touched the other side of the mattress, which was already cold, and she frowned slightly.

What day is it today? She asked herself, wondering if Jungkook had work at the studio. Once she got her bearings straight, she swung herself out of bed and put on her robe before making her way downstairs; knowing she had hungry boys to feed breakfast.

But she didn’t expect the sight that welcomed her upon entering the kitchen, rendering her immobile with an endeared smile on her face.

Jino was busily putting whipped cream on what looked like pancakes stacked on a plate. Behind him was Jungkook by the stove, cooking up some friend eggs.

Sera wished she had her phone with her so she could snap a photo of this wonderful scene in front of her.

Just then, her eyes widened when Jino suddenly stood from the stool to reach for the chocolate syrup on the other side of the counter. Sera already knew what would happen if he did that but before she could come to the rescue, Jungkook was already behind him, one hand on the pan while the other wrapped around his son’s waist, pulling him back down to his seat.

Sera was quite impressed.

“Careful kiddo. Ask appa to get things, okay? We don’t want to make a mess or your eomma will get mad.”

“Okay, appa.” Jino answered obediently as Jungkook placed the syrup in front of him and kissed the top of his head, before placing the eggs on a plate.

Sera’s heart melted into a puddle right there and then. They were too adorable. And Jungkook was sporting that apron a little too well than any normal person should.

Nobody should look that good, Sera thought, as she not so subtly checked her husband out.

Jungkook was in the middle of wiping his hands on a towel when he glanced up and saw Sera by the doorway. She blushed slightly for having been caught staring but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Hey.” He said, lips turning up in a smile. “Morning.”

“Eomma!”

“Good morning.” Sera chuckled as she sat herself on the stool beside Jino and kissed the side of his head. “What are you making, sweetheart?”

“Chocolate pancakes,” he answered. “We can share eomma. Appa lets me eat all the chocolates for breakfast!”

Sera looked at Jungkook sharply at that, whose eyes went wide like a deer caught in the headlights. She raised an eyebrow, displeased by that info.  

“We had lots of vegetables too, honey.” He defended before looking at his son expectantly. “Right, Jino?”

To his dismay, Jino made a face at the mention of it.

“We had chocolate cake yesterday and mmm—!” Jino looked up at his dad in confusion, who had covered his mouth to stop him from talking. Sera eyed Jungkook suspiciously who gave her an apologetic smile.

“You boys had way too much fun without me.” She said after a pause, before dipping a finger on the plate with chocolate sauce and tasting it.

The two boys sighed in relief, glad that she didn’t reprimand them.

Jungkook went over to Sera’s side and placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of her, with an added bonus of a kiss on the cheek. “How’d you sleep?”

“Well.” She hummed back as her lips chased after him but she only ended up kissing his jaw. Jungkook looked down at her in amusement as he untied his apron (to Sera’s disappointment) before leaning down to peck her lips. He tasted like chocolate.

“This is the first time I actually slept through the night,” She added as she took a bite of her toast. Jino looked up at her, munching on his pancakes. She smiled and wiped the corner of his mouth where a chocolate stain was.

"The whole afternoon too.” Jungkook chuckled before taking his seat beside her and sipping from his coffee mug. “I was going to wake you since you mentioned you were going to send some emails?” He asked as he took a bite of the toast. “But you looked really tired babe, so I didn’t.”

Sera sighed. “It’s fine. I can just send them tonight. I needed those extra hours of sleep.”

”Eomma is working more today?“ Jino asked, looking slightly disheartened. Sera chuckled with a shake of her head and leaned over to kiss his nose.

"Of course not! I’m going to spend time with you guys today 'cause I miiiiised youuu.” She cooed as she pinched his cheeks playfully.

“Yay!!!” Jino cheered as he hugged her tight, making Sera smile. “I’ll go get my new toys!”

As Jino left the kitchen, Sera felt a weight on her shoulder and when she turned, Jungkook’s face was merely inches from her face with a silly grin on his lips.

“Hi.”

Sera snickered and poked his nose. “Hello.”

“I have work today.” He pouted and Sera tried not to look too disappointed at that.

“Long shoot?” She asked as he ran her hands through his hair. Jungkook sighed as he leant against her touch and nodded. “It’s fine, babe. Jino and I can handle it here.”

A sharp ringing pierced through the room and Jungkook groaned as he moved to answer it. “Yeah, but I wanted to spend the day with you two.”

“Missed me that much huh?”

“No I wanted to play with Jino’s new toys.” He said then laughed when Sera threw breadcrumbs at him before answering the phone. “Hello? Yes, speaking. Oh! Kang-ssi. Yes, the studio is just around the corner of that street. The sign’s pretty hard to miss—”

Sera smiled fondly at her husband as he stood up to take the call in the other room, amazed at how he can go from playful to business-like in mere seconds. She poked at the eggs on her plate and smiled when Jino returned, bounding into the kitchen carrying loads of toys in his arms.

She came over to help him and ended up sitting on the floor as they sorted through it.

When Jungkook ended the call, he went back into the kitchen only to find the counter empty. He blinked in confusion just as a voice said, “No sweetie, I think this goes here…”

“Okay, eomma.”

Jungkook followed the source of the voice and was surprised to see Sera and Jino on the dining room floor with a bunch of toys surrounding them. He smiled fondly at the two before taking out his phone and opening his camera app. Just as he took the picture, Sera looked up, catching him in the act.

Sera used to complain a lot whenever he took candid pictures of her but recently, the complaints have dwindled until she no longer did, and lets Jungkook take all the photos he wanted.

Sera reached out her hand and Jungkook took it with a sigh. He had to get ready to leave, but he let her pull him down to the floor beside her still—without a fight.

He could never really say no when she smiled up at him like that.

That day, Jungkook was half an hour late for his shoot because he got too invested forming the tracks for Jino’s new train toy.

And maybe because Sera was just there—within his reach—and he was making up for the time they spent apart.

“Hey Sera, you’re back!”

Sera smiled as Jimin welcomed her at the door. She came in, hand in hand with Jino who was already getting a little impatient. They had planned on going to the amusement part this afternoon but Jungkook had some things to take care of at the studio and so here they were, practically fetching him so he could hurry up.

“Hey Jimin,” She greeted as she handed him a paper bag. “Got something for you.”

“Aww, you shouldn’t have.” He grinned then reached out his fist towards Jino. “What’s up, my little man?”

“I am not little!” Jino harrumphed, making Jimin and Sera laugh.

“Spoken like a true Jeon.” He ruffled his hair before looking back at Sera. “Hope the trip went well?”

Sera nodded. “It did. Big project—heavy—glad I got it over with.” She huffed with a chuckle.  Her eyes suddenly looked over his shoulder, searching. “Is Jungkook—?”

“Oh! Yeah, he’s wrapping up now. He’s actually talking to the client in his office. Should be done in a few.”

“Ok, we’ll head over—“

“Appa!”

“Jino—appa is still working wait—“ Sera sighed as Jino sprinted to Jungkook’s office. She looked at Jimin apologetically before running after him.

“Jino—“ She called again just as she made a turn to the next hallway where Jungkook’s office was located. The door was open and Jungkook was talking to a middle-aged couple when Jino barrelled into the room.

Sera watched as Jungkook’s expression morphed from surprise to happy as the biggest grin made its way to his lips. He opened his arms and carried his son, making Sera smile.

“Hey, where did you come from sport?”

Jungkook chuckled just as he looked at the doorway to find Sera there; smile softening at the sight of her. “Hey babe.”

“Sorry about that.” She said as she entered the room, bowing to Jungkook’s clients. “He’s pretty excited.”

“Oh is this your lovely family?” The woman said as Jungkook wrapped his free arm around Sera’s waist. The action was natural—like his hand knew where it ought to be.

“Yes, this is my wife Sera and my son Jino.” He turned to Sera. “This is Mr. & Mrs. Lee. I’m handling their photo shoot for their wedding anniversary.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Sera smiled as she shook each of their hands. “And congratulations!”

“Thank you. And oh yes, I’ve seen your photos over there.” The woman pointed at the picture frame by Jungkook’s desk, which was a family portrait they took from their trip to Jeju last summer. “Beautiful family. Aren’t they, honey?” She asked the man beside her, which Sera assumed was her husband.

The man nodded with a smile. “Well it seemed that you have a big day planned. We’ll get going.” He reached out his hand towards Jungkook. “The photos look great, Jungkook-ssi. Thank you again for that.”

“Thank you, it was my pleasure. I’m really glad you liked it.”

“Oh well we didn’t expect anything less from Korea’s top photographer.” Mrs. Lee chuckled and turned to Sera. “I bet your husband takes tons of pictures of you!“

“More than I like, to be honest.” Sera joked, making everyone in the room laugh. Once they said their goodbyes, Jino poked at his father’s cheeks.

”Appa can we go now?“

"You bet, let me just wrap up alright, kiddo?”

“Okay.”

“Knock knock, you guys want some cake?” Jimin asked, peeking from the office doorway. “It’s Hana’s birthday and the staff brought some to celebrate.”

“Caaaake!!” Jino cheered as he wiggled out of Jungkook’s arms and went over to Jimin who took his hand and went over to the next-door studio room, leaving the couple alone.

“They seem nice. The Lee’s, I mean.” Sera remarked as she made her way to the window. Jungkook was over at his desk, fixing his things as she looked down at the line of picture frames by the window frame. She smiled as she saw memory after memory from their honeymoon in Europe to the very first family photo they took when Jino was born. There was even one she took of the two of them, during that trip to Daegu for Taehyung’s twins’ birthday.

“They’ve been married for twenty five years.” Sera heard Jungkook say and she smiled while touching a familiar photo…

It was taken on their wedding day and Jungkook was in a classic black suit while she wore a beautiful white gown. She was smiling into the photo—almost laughing as Jungkook leaned over and kissed her cheek, his arms wrapped around her waist.

Sera jumped when she felt hands on her waist all of a sudden, then arms sliding around her torso. Jungkook hooked his chin on her shoulder, hugging her from behind as he looked down at the photo as well.

“You looked beautiful that day.”

“Only that day?” She snorted and Jungkook nuzzled against her neck.

“I retract my statement. You look beautiful everyday, yeobo.”

“Nice save.”

They stayed like that for a moment, just basking in each other’s presence. Sera looked down as she placed her hands over his; smiling when she saw the identical silver bands on their ring fingers.

“Promise me something?” Jungkook suddenly asked.

“Hmm?”

“Promise me…that we’ll make it to twenty-five.” He said and Sera smiled as she leant against his chest.

“Hmm. I can’t.”

Jungkook scrunched his eyebrows in confusion at her answer while Sera turned in his arms so she was facing him. She let her hand cup his face, thumb caressing that little scar on his cheek, which he got from a small accident back when they were young. Sera could remember that day: how Jungkook had taken the fall and caught her, leaving her unscathed. It was perhaps the first time that he made her heart beat weird… and things were just never the same after that.

“Because I want to promise you longer than that.” She finally said and Jungkook’s gaze softened at her words, his heart swelling it made it almost hard for him to breathe.

“God, I love you.” He whispered in a daze before capturing her lips in a kiss, muffling Sera’s reply.

Sera and Jungkook’s marriage was nothing out of the ordinary.

Sure they were a little more “gross” than most couples, as quoted by Jino a few times. They were the type of couple that didn’t care if they kissed in front of many eyes, and held hands because that’s just were their hands were meant to be: in each other’s. They were the type of couple who kissed each other before going to work and exchanged “I love you’s” right before bed.

Basically, they were that young married couple that never really got over the honeymoon phase, and hopefully never will.

But it wasn’t all rainbows and happily ever after’s. There were big fights too, one that caused a loud silence to cloud over their lovely home.

They would make up a facade whenever they were around Jino, because they were adults—parents –and they knew how fighting could affect their child, especially Jino who was just four years old. So they would still have dinner together, smile and the works, but after that the silence would prevail once more.

But Sera remembered how wonderful making up was. Just like that one time when they had one of their big arguments that made them ignore each other for a few days. They were alone in the kitchen one night after dinner and Jungkook suddenly muttered an “I’m sorry. You were right.” while she was washing the dishes, before going on a monologue about how stupid he was and how much he missed her.

At that Sera smiled, already forgiving him before washing off her hands and going up to him for a hug. She succumbed into his embrace so easily, after being deprived of his touch for days and Jungkook seemed to feel the same way as he hugged her tight—so tight it felt like he was breathing her in.

It was simply that easy to forgive… when you love someone so much.

It was an ordinary marriage but to Sera and Jungkook, it was special. It was special because not everyone had a second chance at true love the way they did. It was special because they both worked their dream jobs and were surrounded by wonderful people.  It was special because they had Jino… and they had each other.

Right then, in their current state, it was more than what any of them could ever ask for. It was indeed… a more than perfect life.

“I have a shoot in Busan tomorrow.” Jungkook said as he lifted the comforter from the bed and slid under the covers.

“Oh? Is Jimin coming along?” Sera asked as she typed on her laptop, finalizing an email for a new client in Chicago.

“Uh, huh.” He answered before leaning over to kiss her shoulder. “Come on babe, bed time.” He tugged at the hem of her shirt. “Close that thing.”

“Yes, daddy.”

Jungkook paused at the term then smirked. “Why Sera… Are you seducing me?” He asked then burst into laughter when Sera threw a pillow at his face before turning off her laptop and sliding under the covers herself.

The rain was pouring outside and Sera shivered at the cold. But it was only for a moment for she warmed up instantly upon snuggling against Jungkook’s side, who was quite frankly a human heater.

“Wish I could take you two.” Jungkook murmured against her hair as he wrapped an arm around her. “The beach there is amazing in this season.”

“Hmm. But Jino has school, love.”

“Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “And you have work.”

“Why don’t we go next summer?”

“Sounds perfect.” Jungkook smiled and then kissed her good night.

~~~

Later that night…

Sera stirred when she felt something poking at her hip. It was gentle at first and thought perhaps it was just Jungkook. That is until she heard a voice…

“Eomma?”

Sera’s eyes opened immediately and turned her head to the side. Jino stood there, looking up with frightened eyes.

“Hey, sweetheart.” She said groggily as she pried Jungkook’s arm from her torso gently. Her husband didn’t even flinch, deep in sleep. “What’s the matter?”

“The sky makes loud sound, eomma. I’m scared.”

Sera peered through the window and saw that the rain hasn’t stopped, lightning washing the room in bursts of white light.

“It’s just thunder baby.” She comforted as she ran her hand through her son’s hair.

“Mmm? Sera? What—” Jungkook groaned when he no longer felt her by his side and Sera felt his arm reaching out for her. “Babe? Come back to bed—”

“Jino’s here, Kookie.”

“W—what?” He asked groggily.

“Your son is scared of thunder.” She answered as she lifted Jino onto her lap. The little boy immediately snuggled into her arms and Sera rocked him back and forth slightly to comfort him.

Jungkook blinked a few times before lifting himself up. He sighed when he saw that Jino was indeed in their room right now.

“There’s nothing to be…” he yawned, pausing midway. “—afraid of kiddo.”

Jino hid his face on Sera’s chest and whimpered when another thunder struck. Sera locked eyes with Jungkook who eventually sighed in defeat.

“Okay.” He said. “Get in here.”

Soon enough Jino was wedged between Sera and Jungkook and knocked out almost instantly the moment their arms wrapped around him protectively.

“Night love.” Sera said as she kissed her son good night.

“Do I get one too?” Jungkook mumbled which surprised Sera since she thought he was already asleep.

“Come here and get it.” She teased and Jungkook whined like a child but lifted himself up anyway, reaching over Jino so he could give Sera a sweet peck on the lips. He was too adorable that Sera couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Love you. Good night.” He yawned before sinking back into his side of the mattress and falling asleep almost instantly.

“Love you.” Sera murmured back into the darkness as she found Jungkook’s hands on top of Jino’s torso. She smiled when she felt him move, intertwining their fingers easily.

Sera slept soundly through the night, with her loved ones wrapped safely in her arms.

END

I’m crying I missed them. And look it’s Jino:

Cutie <3

Let me know what you guys think!

PS: After All is being edited into a full-length novel as of the moment. Just giving you guys a heads up as I will be taking down the fanfic version temporarily later this year. Thanks!

- Kaye Allen