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hrina · 4 years

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In The Ring, Pt. IV - Uppercut

PAIRING: Harry x Reader RATING: M WORD COUNT: 10.6k REQUESTED: yes!

well lads................this is it 🥺🥺🥺 thank u guys so much for all the love you’ve given this series. i would’ve never expected to receive such a positive response, but u guys rly went above and beyond. i adore u all so much

warning: parts of this fic will contain mentions of blood, violence, mild stalking, and sexual content. if any of that makes you uncomfortable, please take care of yourself and keep scrolling <3

as always, my masterlist and my inbox are both linked in my bio! i worked really hard on this last part! i wanted to make sure it was all perfect, so i hope everyone enjoys it. gentle reminder to reblog the fics you like! it’s a great way to show appreciation as well as give authors more exposure. ok that’s all hehe can’t wait to hear your thoughts! take care 💙💙💙

PART I: Jab

PART II: Cross

PART III: Hook

~*~

March 20, 2021

Harry keeps his promise, and Artie brings your car back around to your place the next day. You sit up straight at the table when you hear the familiar honking of a horn sound from outside. Your feet suddenly seem to have a mind of their own, carrying you out of the kitchen quickly with your father’s confused inquiries ringing in your ears. You open the front door before Artie even has the chance to knock.

“Thanks, Jason,” you tell him, breathless.

He hands you your keys and accepts the quick hug that you bestow upon him. “No problem, little girl. Is everything alright?”

Harry didn’t tell him.

“Yeah,” you lie, nodding. “I just—I had a bit too much to drink last night, that’s all.” Your voice drops an octave. “Don’t tell my dad, okay?”

Artie presses two of his fingertips together and drags them over the seam of his mouth, metaphorically sealing his lips. You smile, your heartbeat returning to its regular pace beneath the confines of your ribs.

You step back, extending an arm and gesturing for him to enter.

“Are you hungry? We were in the middle of eating lunch.”

“Sure,” he says, kicking off his shoes and arranging them against the wall. “Thank you.”

He and your father talk about anything and everything during the meal—boxing, the economy, the basketball game that had aired late last night. You just sit there and eat your food, not wanting to attract any unnecessary attention.

They include you in the conversation for a bit—Artie asks how classes are going, and you tell him that you’re waiting for medical school acceptance (or rejection) letters to start rolling in. Other than that, they don’t bat an eye when you rinse your plate in the sink and politely excuse yourself from the table. You hide behind the fact that you have to work on an assignment that’s due in a week—the paper is worth a third of your grade and it’s crucial that you ace it.

But once you hobble back into your room, you’re crawling into bed and pulling the covers up over your head. You reach around blindly for your phone, snatching it up from where it’s charging on your nightstand. You unlock the device, scrolling through all of the grey messages that pop up right away—sent last night, one after the other, each of them unanswered, growing more and more desperate as the hours pass.

Can we please talk about this?

I’m sorry, please let me explain.

Are you ignoring me?

I know you’re seeing these. Please respond.

And then a final one, dejected and crestfallen, laced with palpable weakness even through the pixels of your screen.

Goodnight.

April 6, 2021

Harry’s on a losing streak.

A five-match losing streak, to be precise.

He’s never been bested this many times in a row. Your father is baffled by it, unsure of why he’s been so distracted in the ring. It’s even more confusing, he thinks, considering the fact that he’s at the gym every single day, lifting weights, practicing his technique, throwing himself into the sport. But once the actual fights roll around, things change. You’re not there, and you’re his lucky charm, and because of that, he finds himself meeting the ground far more often than he’d like to admit.

Your father said that the end of the semester was approaching—as a consequence, you were buckling down with school. Harry supposes that the timing is right, so the pretext must be true. But his opponents don’t know that (nor would they care). Your absence doesn’t stop them from knocking him down with snarling faces and heavy fists. The crowds holler loudly, goading him to get back up, but Harry doesn’t. He refuses to give them the satisfaction of watching him get beaten to a bloody pulp.

He stopped trying to reach out to you a week after the night of the kiss. He composed several texts a day, but each message had been met with silence. He remembers staring down at his phone one time, watching as three grey dots wiggled on the screen for a minute or two before disappearing entirely.

That’s when he gave up. If you didn’t want to talk, fine.

It hurt like hell, though.

And it’s still hurting like hell, even a week and a half later.

You told your father about James. He had mentioned it in passing to Harry, having to end practice earlier than usual because he had to set a court date to deal with some bastard who wouldn’t leave you alone. And that’s comforting, Harry thinks, because at least he knows that you’ll be safe, now.

He just wishes that he could’ve been the one to bring you that bit of solace.

That’s why, when your father invites him over for dinner one night after a particularly strenuous evening of training, he jumps at the opportunity. You’re making lasagna, your father says, having taken a break from studying for exams. Harry agrees to come over, because it’s been a while since he’s had a real, curated, love-infused, home-cooked meal.

And because you’ll be there, too, obviously. But he refrains from letting that incentive slip loose.

His heart is racing nervously when he parks his truck in front of your house. Memories flood his brain, reminding him of what had happened the last time he’d been here—the glint of your necklace under his fingers, the alluring twinkle in your eyes. The softness of your lips against his, the sensation of your nails carding through his hair—

Your father taps on the window of the driver’s seat.

“H?” he says, muffled through the glass. “You coming?”

“Yeah,” Harry chokes out, unbuckling his seatbelt and sliding out of the vehicle. “Yeah, sorry.”

He follows your father up the porch steps, waiting anxiously as the other man unlocks the front door. It swings open; they both step inside. Harry’s eyes widen when your father calls out, “Gioia? I’m home!”

“Hi!” comes your reply.

He freezes when the sound reaches his ears, because he hasn’t heard your voice—much less seen you—in over two weeks. He shuts the door discreetly, removing his shoes and trailing after your father as he pads down the hall. The closer he draws to the kitchen, the more he can smell it—meat, spices, cheese. His stomach rumbles in anticipation.

“Hope you made enough for three,” your father says, entering the room.

Harry lingers behind you, leaning against the wide threshold with his arms crossed protectively over his chest. He’s still a bit sweaty, but he hopes that the lasagna in the oven will mask the musky scent of the perspiration gleaming on his skin.

“Three?” you ask. You’re standing at the sink, your back to them. “Hi, Jason.”

A beat of silence passes, and then—

“Er, not exactly,” Harry grunts.

You stiffen immediately before spinning around. He doesn’t miss the quiet little gasp that leaves your mouth.

Your gaze locks with his, lips parted in surprise, and he can’t help but wonder if coming here was the smartest or the most foolish decision he’s ever made.

~*~

He and your father set the table.

After a few minutes, three plates and three collections of cutlery are laid out over a pristine white cloth. Harry eases into his chair as you carry over a hot tray of lasagna, your hands sheathed in a pair of red oven mittens. You put the pasta down in front of your father, who is sat at the head of the table. He inhales deeply, a small smile forming on his face.

“Smells amazing, sweetheart,” he tells you, nodding in approval. “Even better than your mother’s.”

“That’s a lie,” you tease, chuckling quietly and removing the crimson gloves from your fingers. You cut a large piece from the platter and deposit it onto his dish. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” he says.

He waits patiently as you separate another chunk of pasta for Harry, setting it down on his plate without a word.

“Thank you,” Harry tells you, his voice hoarse.

“You’re welcome,” you say. The response is short, painfully clipped—it makes him wince.

As soon as everyone has food in front of them, you sit down in your chair, reaching for the fork and the knife resting a few inches away from your dish. Before you can dig in, however, you pause, lifting your chin and squeezing your eyes shut.

“Shit,” you murmur. “Forgot the drinks.”

“There’s juice in the fridge, I think,” your father says through a mouthful of pasta.

“No.” You wave his suggestion away. “How about some wine? I’ll grab a bottle from the cellar.”

“Alright.” He nods, but then speaks again as you stand. “Wait—I think the treadmill in the basement is blocking the door. Harry—,” Harry’s head snaps up, nostrils flaring at the mention of his name, “—would you mind going with her? She won’t be able to move it by herself.”

“Uh,” he says stupidly. “Yeah, sure.”

He quickly excuses himself from the table, glancing over at you to register your reaction. Your expression is stony, betraying nothing. You swallow heavily, looking away and marching quickly out of the kitchen. He follows you without another word, hot on your heels.

The basement is dimly-lit, stocked with a few shelves of non-perishable foods and household supplies. Harry remains silent as you make your way over to the far wall, approaching the dark grey treadmill pressed against the door of the cellar. You place both hands on the side of the machine, giving it a firm push and grunting when it budges only an inch.

“You going to help me, or what?” you ask, casting an expectant glance at Harry from over your arm.

He blinks. “Right.”

Together, the two of you manage to ease the treadmill a few feet to the left. It’s enough space for you to open the door of the wine cellar and slip inside. Darkness envelopes your bodies, dissolving only when a small click! echoes through the still air. A moment later, the alcove is illuminated in a dull glow, compliments of the scrawny yellow bulb hanging from the ceiling.

You release the thin string attached to the light, turning around and gasping when you find Harry perched directly behind you. Your chests brush together—the contact sends sparks whizzing down his spine. You spin back around quickly, clearing your throat and scanning all of the different bottles balanced on the shelves.

“Thanks for your help,” you say dryly. “You can go back upstairs, now.”

“I’m good,” Harry mutters.

He clasps his hands behind his back as you trail your index finger along dozens of cream-coloured labels. Your hair is gathered in a low ponytail; a few shorter, wispier strands peek out from behind your ears. You’re not wearing makeup, today—and why would you, Harry thinks, when you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen?

“So,” he starts, itching to break the silence, “your dad told me that you’re filing a restraining order against James.”

“Yeah,” you reply curtly. He waits for you to continue, but you say nothing else.

“Feel better now that you’ve come clean?” he questions. Immediately, he knows that it’s the wrong thing to ask. But it’s out there, now, and he can’t exactly take it back.

A hollow laugh tumbles off of your tongue. Behind you, Harry notices the way you shake your head in disdain.

“You’re ridiculous,” you say under your breath.

“What was that?” He cocks an eyebrow challengingly, frowning at your tone.

“I said that you’re ridiculous,” you gripe, whipping around and fixing him with a fiery glare. “Need me to repeat it again?”

“If that means you’ll finally be speaking to me, then yeah, go for it,” he snaps, folding his arms over his chest.

“I—,” you break off, surprised by the bite in his rebuttal. Harry clenches his jaw when you turn back around. Your hand quivers as you reach for a random bottle of red wine. “I’m not doing this with you right now.”

“When, then?” he demands, taking a step closer. His front skims along your shoulder blades, and when you face him once more, your eyes widen in shock at the close proximity of your bodies. The little room suddenly feels much smaller, walls looming forward and closing you in. Your chest swells as you suck in a deep breath.

“When are we finally going to fucking talk about this?” Harry presses, meeting your gaze. Desperation drips from every syllable of his query.

You purse your lips, exhaling raggedly.

“Soon.”

A feeble assent.

An insipid shake of your head.

You angle your torso to the side, easily slipping past him and out of the cellar.

“But not today.”

April 10, 2021

Your nose is buried in a textbook when the message comes through.

Cell biology. So much information to remember, so many reactions to list, so many molecules to name. And weeks of studying, just for a two-hour-long final that’ll take place three days from now. If you weren’t so stressed out, the sheer nonsensicality of the situation would have made you laugh.

So when your phone chimes with the alert, you figure that it’s time for a break. A quick conversation with one of your friends, maybe. Something to take your mind off of the looming exam, even if it is just for a few minutes at a time. After that, you’ll get back to revising.

Sadly, nothing is ever that simple.

We need to talk. Come to the gym.

Your eyes widen when the words sink in. As you rub your clammy palms against the grey material of your sweatpants, another text pops up below the first.

Please.

You shouldn’t. You need to study. But even as you warn yourself against it, your brain is already coming up with a multitude of reasons to meet with him. It’s just one night. Your exam isn’t for another few days. You have time. You deserve to take a break.

Your keys jingle cheerfully as you toss them into your bag.

~*~

Harry is going to town when you walk into the gym.

You’re not quite sure how that poor punching bag has managed to stay balanced on its hook. Harry’s coming at it from every angle, pummeling the leather with hard, heavy fists. He’s wearing a black tank top today; deep armholes cut into the sides of the fabric and expose most of his torso. The dark tattoos on his skin glisten under a thin sheen of sweat; a small, stupid part of you expects the ink to run and smudge before you remember that the designs are permanent.

What’s even worse? Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande is playing on his phone. The soft, feathery croons of her voice mix with the low grunts that escape Harry’s throat—sounds that claw their way out of him with each blow delivered to the bag. Under normal circumstances, the juxtaposition would have made you snort.

Now though, it just reminds you of that night all those months ago, when you’d asked him to teach you how to box. This entire train wreck could have been avoided if you’d simply kept your mouth shut.

Harry still hasn’t noticed you. How could he, when you’re standing behind him?

You clear your throat. He freezes mid-strike.

His grassy eyes are wide when he turns around.

“Hi,” he says, surprised. “I—I didn’t think you would come.”

“I was halfway here when I realised that I didn’t text you back,” you reply, scratching awkwardly at the nape of your neck. “But, like…no handheld devices behind the wheel, and all that jazz.”

His lips twitch. “Yeah. Good.”

You cross your arms over your chest, scanning your surroundings. You don’t know why you do that—nothing in the gym has changed. You’re just trying to avoid Harry’s gaze, which is a lot easier said than done.

“You, um…you wanted to talk?”

“Yeah.” He nods, walking over to the ring and pausing the music streaming from his phone.

He then reaches for two pairs of boxing gloves, nestling one in the crook of his elbow and tossing the other at you. The strap of your purse slides from your shoulder as you catch the leather in your arms. You peer down at the gloves, eyes narrowing in confusion before you train them back on him.

“I don’t get it,” you deadpan.

“Really?” Harry asks. He hoists himself onto the raised platform of the ring and slips through the gaps in the ropes. “Because you’ve been begging to go up against me since January. Are you seriously gonna back out now?”

“Go up against—” The rest of your sentence fizzles out. “I…I thought you wanted to have a conversation, not a competition.”

He shrugs, regarding you evenly as he pulls his gloves on and tightens the straps around his wrists. He then bumps his enclosed fists together, tilting his head to the side.

“Why can’t we do both?”

~*~

You look pretty, Harry thinks.

Standing on the far side of the ring, wearing a black tank top, grey sweatpants, and bright pink sneakers—yeah, you look pretty. You’ve cuffed your bottoms so that they’re rolled up to the spot just below your knees, and your hair has been pulled back into a low bun. There’s no emotion on your face as you stare him down, taking a few steps closer and assuming a fighting stance.

You’ve gotten better—he’ll be the first to admit it. But he’s going to beat you, and you both know it. It’s just a matter of when.

He decides that, for the time being, he’ll go easy on you. The two of you will talk things out, and afterward, he might let you win. Maybe. He’s still on the fence about that.

You both begin to move in a circle. After a long moment of silence, Harry says, “You go first.”

“No, you,” you grit out. He just shrugs.

Fine. Have it your way.

You block the straight, pointed jab that he throws, and pride swells up in his chest. It’s a simple punch to deflect, but nevertheless, it tells him that you’ve learned something over these past few months. And that means that he’s done a good job as your teacher.

As your friend…not so much.

Do friends kiss other friends the same way you’d kissed him in front of your house?

He really doesn’t know.

“Right, then,” Harry starts, nodding. “Let’s talk.”

“About what?” you ask. Your nose wrinkles in concentration as you direct a blow toward his stomach. He blocks it easily. “About how you kissed me back and then told me you didn’t have feelings for me?”

“I—,” he’s stunned, because okay, you’re coming right on out with it. “I’m sorry.”

He’s sorry for lying, but you don’t seem to realise that.

“I was so fucking embarrassed,” you say, lunging forward and throwing a cross at his nose. He bats your fist away like it’s nothing more than a pesky fly. “But I guess that I’m mad at myself, too. Here I am, starting to like you, meanwhile I barely know anything about you.”

“What do you want to know?” he asks, keeping his arms in front of his face.

(Deep down, beneath his stoic exterior, he can’t believe what he’s hearing. You had been ‘starting to like’ him? He’s scared, then, because that means he ruined everything that night in his truck. Do you still feel the same way?)

Harry blinks—shakes his head free of those thoughts and continues. “Ask me, and I’ll tell you.”

“Really,” you reply, though it isn’t exactly a question.

You drop your hands, taken aback by his offer. He’s not usually this open—you should seize the opportunity to probe while it’s still available. You will, he thinks. Over these past few months, he’s learned how you operate. You’re not predictable, by any means, but he knows that you can’t resist inquiring about his personal life when given the chance.

You want to know him. If he thinks about it for too long, his affections become exceedingly difficult to bear.

“Really,” he says.

He steps forward and curves his right arm in a powerful hook. You yelp jarringly when the rough leather of his glove makes contact with your left shoulder. He just shrugs, pulling back.

“Remember: don’t let your guard down.”

You clench your jaw and raise your fists once more.

“Fine, then,” you say, sidestepping another one of his jabs. “Where were you born?”

“Redditch, England,” he answers simply. “Moved to Holmes Chapel when I was a kid, though.”

You nod. The two of you continue to circle each other.

“Got any siblings?” you ask, charging him and attempting to deliver a series of punches to his torso. He deflects each of them with his forearms, never faltering.

“A sister,” he says, unbothered. “She lives back home.”

“And what about your parents?” you press, retreating and watching him with careful eyes.

He swallows roughly, shaking his head. “Dad left when I was seven. Mum died when I was fourteen.”

At that, you pause. You heed his earlier advice and keep your hands in front of your face, but it’s clear that his confession has caught you by surprise. Your gaze softens, and he watches as your lips curl down into a sympathetic frown.

“I’m sorry,” you tell him quietly, your shoulders slouching. “That’s terrible.”

He shrugs. “It’s in the past—can’t change it, now.”

He takes advantage of your pitying nature, springing toward you and aiming a punch for your hip. You barely manage to avoid the blow, jumping back at the last second. His glove scrapes swiftly against your side. The attack seems to snap you out of your emotions, because you scowl deeply and return to your original stance.

“What happened after that?” you ask, breathing erratically.

“They put me in foster care,” Harry says, shaking his head. “It was shit, though. I ran away after a couple of years. Went off on my own—that’s when I met your dad.”

“And he started training you?”

“And he started training me,” he confirms with a curt nod. “Couldn’t actually fight until I turned eighteen, but after that…I was taking up as many matches as I could.” He chuckles warmly at the memory. “Your dad said that he’d never seen anything like it. Told me I had to slow down.”

You smile a bit at his words. Your fondness quickly melts into shock, however, when Harry aims a hit for your face. You block the punch, retaliating quickly and throwing one of your own. Your fist makes contact with the barrier of his chest, and he stumbles backward, his eyes widening in disbelief. You got him.

Only once, but still.

You got him.

“Not bad,” he grunts, squaring his shoulders. “Maybe I should actually start trying, now.”

You grit your teeth, glowering at him. “God, you’re such a dick.”

He flashes you a contemptuous grin before lunging forward. You dodge two of his punches, but the third one catches you right in the stomach, making you double over and cough. Harry retreats, a mischievous smirk on his face.

“Done getting to know me?” he simpers.

You shake your head, straightening back up. “Not yet.”

You make a valiant effort, Harry thinks. Your dedication is commendable. But he’s had a decade of training, whereas you’ve only had a few months. Your technique—though improved—is still sloppy. And that’s what allows him to sidestep all of your strikes and react quickly, enough so that he’s got you pinned to the ground in just under two minutes.

You’re panting heavily; one of his forearms holds your crossed wrists down over your head. His other hand is planted on the floor just above your shoulder, the flat front of his boxing glove providing a stable surface to keep him balanced. His knees are next to your waist as he hovers over your stomach, giving you no room to worm out of his grip. You flail your legs in frustration, but he’s perched too high up on your body for the action to do any real damage.

“I win,” he says simply, arrogance dancing in his eyes. He leans down so that your noses are only inches apart. “Any more questions, baby?”

“Just one,” you bite, panting heavily.

He cocks an eyebrow, waiting for the inquiry to leave your lips. Once it does, however, it knocks every molecule of air from his lungs.

“Have you…,” you inhale deeply, “…ever been in love?”

The expression on your face tells him that you know exactly what you’re doing. Your chest heaves with exertion, and when his gaze flickers down to your breasts for only a fraction of a second, your eyes illumine with realisation.

“You want me,” you tell him, breathless. A thin, reflective layer of perspiration has gathered at your hairline. Your arms twitch from where they’re pinned beneath his. Despite the gloves still covering your hands, you grasp at his slippery skin, hoping that the contact will somehow make his already-weak resolve crack and crumble into nothing.

“No,” he says, his voice hard.

His green irises burn into your face. Who is he trying to convince?

“You’re lying,” you wheeze, shaking your head. “You want me.”

Your skin is hot. He can feel you radiating warmth like a fireplace. Heated, cozy, welcoming—it’s everything he loves about you, everything he’s been craving since he first became conscious of how badly he desired you. And, to top it all off, you’re looking at him like that—with eyes that could persuade him to jump from a skyscraper, if you so much as asked.

Just like that.

“Fuck,” Harry spits. He pulls back sharply and stamps his own eyes shut. His nose screws up in frustration. “Fuck.”

And then he’s kissing you.

The elated moan that slips from your lips has his cock twitching fitfully in his shorts. You arch your back to get closer to him, because with his hand still pinning you down, it’s not like you can throw your arms around his neck and bring him to you. The kiss is messy and frenzied and hot and carnal. Harry licks into your mouth, savouring the squeak that echoes in your throat.

You’re vocal—he’s going to fucking die.

When the two of you pull back, no words are exchanged. Harry stares down at you, taking note of how your pupils have dilated immensely. Your chest is still heaving, but this time, it’s for a completely different reason. He releases your wrists from where they’re pinned beneath his forearm, watching you carefully as he sits up.

He lifts his fist to his face and takes the strap of the glove between his teeth. The sharp riiip! that ensues may as well be a starter gunshot.

You both dive back into a sea of teeth and lips and tongue. Harry throws off his gloves easily. You struggle with yours, but he wastes no time, helping you discard them in a matter of seconds. With your hands finally free, you bury them in his hair, pulling at the soft, damp tendrils as he presses several hard kisses to your mouth.

“Fuck,” he mutters, slanting his body downward so that his crotch is level with yours. “You—you have no idea—”

The rest of his sentence fades into a groan when you suck harshly on his jaw. He shudders at the sensation.

Gradually, you bring your legs out from beneath his own, lifting your knees up to your chest and then wrapping your thighs around his waist. It’s an impressive feat, if he’s being honest. And it gives him more room to lean over you, to grind his cock against your centre through the layers of fabric separating your skin.

“Off—,” you choke, tugging at the bottom of his black shirt. “Get this off!”

He complies, sitting back up on his knees and ridding himself of the fabric. You take advantage of his instability, wrapping one hand around his bicep and giving it a hard shove. He topples to the side and you scramble up to straddle him, a small, smug smile ghosting across your face.

“What are you—?” he starts, but you place one finger against his lips, cutting him off.

You start to roll your hips gently into his—he groans, wishing more than anything that there were no clothes in the way. Goosebumps erupt on his arms when you lightly scrape your nails down his bare chest. You settle at the butterfly inked into his abdomen, tracing the insect’s wings with a wondrous look in your eyes. His palms sweep up your thighs.

“Why did you lie to me?” you murmur, keeping your gaze trained on his torso. “You feel the same, don’t you?”

He nods wordlessly.

“Why, then?” you press, frowning gently. “I—we could’ve avoided this whole thing if you’d just told me the truth.”

“Your dad,” Harry says weakly. “I can’t—you’re his—”

“My dad has no control over who I date or who I fuck,” you say. He’s stunned by the crudeness of your claim. “And if I want to fuck you right here, right now, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

“You—Christ,” he swallows heavily, squeezing his eyes shut. “You can’t just say shit like that.”

“Why not?” you smirk, grinding against him harshly and feeling the stiff outline of his cock in his shorts. “You seem to be enjoying it.”

“Fuck,” he grunts. You shriek when he flips the two of you over so that he’s back on top. His nose brushes against yours as he speaks.

“If we do this,” he warns, hot breath fanning out over your chin, “I won’t be gentle. In every single one of my fantasies, I’ve ruined you—made you drool, made you cry. You name it, I’ve done it. You sure you can handle that?”

“Yes,” you breathe, utterly enthralled. “I’m sure.”

Harry tucks a loose piece of your hair behind your ear, peering down at you tenderly.

“Look so pretty,” he coos, fingers skimming down the side of your throat. “Can’t wait to wreck your cute, little—” He sucks in a deep breath, weakened by the shamelessness of his own thoughts. “Gonna make sure your knees knock together once I’m through with you.”

And maybe it’s not smart to get you naked in the middle of the gym, where anyone walking by could easily peer inside and witness him fucking you into oblivion. But he can’t find it in himself to care—he’s been waiting for this moment for years, and damn him if he doesn’t seize it while you’re like this: open, inviting, presented to him like gourmet food on a silver platter.

And speaking of food…

“I’m gonna stretch you out,” Harry states. “You’ve got to cum first if you wanna take my cock, understand?”

You nod rapidly.

He shakes his head. “Need to hear you say it, baby. You want it, too, right?”

“I want it,” you confirm, breathless. “I want it, I understand.”

He smiles. His fingers ruck up the material of your tank top, and you lift your back from the ground to help him remove it. Your bra is next, pale pink with a simple bow resting between the cups. He swears when you unclip it quickly, letting the straps fall down your shoulders before tossing it away.

“Christ,” he says, blinking. “Can’t believe you’re real.”

He lays you back down onto the floor of the ring, ducking his head and enveloping one of your nipples in his mouth. You moan. The bud hardens between his teeth, sensitive to his touch. He sucks harshly before pulling off, littering kisses along the skin of your breasts. His head swims with lust, transforming him into someone nearly unrecognizable. You seem to like it, though, so how bad could it really be?

“Next time,” Harry murmurs into your flesh, “I’m gonna get a proper taste. Eat you out ’til you go blind. But for now—,” he dips his hand past the waistband of your sweatpants, “—my fingers will just have to do.”

You shimmy your bottoms down, kicking them off unceremoniously and spreading your legs. And fuck, he nearly loses it right there, because this is what he’s been picturing for months, if not years. Having you laid out in front of him, exposed and ready and willing. Your thighs stretched wide, miles of soft skin leading inward and morphing into sticky, wet folds. He closes his eyes for a brief moment and inhales deeply—the scent of your arousal floods his nose, rendering him utterly helpless. Something akin to a man unhinged.

He rubs you over your panties, first. They’re nothing special—simple black cotton covering your mound and your hipbones. But fuck him, he wasn’t expecting the ocean of excitement that seems to have pooled and soaked through the fabric. His fingertips are damp when he pulls them away.

“You’re drenched,” he groans, shaking his head in disbelief. He hooks one digit into the elastic of your underwear, looking up at you with inquisitive eyes. “Can I take these off?”

“Yes, please.”

He tears the material down your legs, and then you’re naked beneath him, save for the rose-gold pendant resting on your sternum. He sits back on his heels as you spread your thighs wider, chewing on the inside of your cheek. His index finger taps the skin just below your navel, tracing a path down to where you need him most. You whine when he bypasses your clit completely, dropping instead to gather some of your wetness before trailing back up. He smears your arousal over the nub—just to get a steady, slippery rhythm going—and then leans down, pressing his forehead against yours.

“Don’t wanna be too far,” he says sheepishly, sweetly kissing the tip of your nose. “Missed you.”

You seal your lips to his.

He makes you cum after a few minutes, slipping one finger into your channel, and then another. The entire time, his thumb stays perched on your clit, drawing expert circles and pulling wanton moans from your mouth. And when you cum—oh.

Oh.

You’re glorious, with lidded eyes and warm cheeks and teeth bared in pleasure. You ride out your high, spasming gently. Harry lays a firm hand on your stomach, feeling the muscles of your abdomen twitch beneath his palm. He continues to stimulate your clit, basking in the little aftershocks that zip up your spine and make your legs tremble.

If you were aroused before…good fucking God. He didn’t know it was possible for a woman to be this wet.

You kiss him as you come down from your orgasm, nipping softly at his bottom lip and sighing in relief. Both of his hands find your face—you seem unbothered by the fact that his fingers are coated in your juices, smearing messily against your cheek. He melts into you like he’s dying of thirst and you’re an oasis, lush and green and good. So, so good.

“Do you—,” he exhales raggedly, “—do you still want to?”

You nod, a soft smile forming on your face. It’s crazy, Harry thinks, how quickly you can oscillate between actual human sunshine and the devil personified. One minute, you’re asking him to fuck you, and the next, you’re giving him those eyes that make him feel as though every cell in his body has been liquefied.

“What were you saying about not being gentle?” you tease.

He chuckles quietly, shaking his head. You gasp when he hooks a finger into the chain around your neck. He takes your pretty pink pendant between two fingers, lifting it up and dragging the cool metal along the seam of your lips. You inhale sharply.

“I don’t have a condom,” he murmurs, sighing mournfully.

“I have an IUD,” you whisper, playing with the curls at the back of his head. “We’re good.”

He groans, dropping his face into the column of your throat. “You’re fuckin’ marvelous.”

You giggle.

He shudders when you begin to push his shorts down. You look up at him with raised brows when his cock slaps against his stomach, completely unrestrained.

“No underwear?”

“Always sticks to my balls when I get sweaty,” he whines, squeezing his eyes shut. “Need to let the boys breathe.”

A loud laugh flops out of your mouth. Harry snickers, too, trailing his nose up over your jawline so that he can catch your lips in a quick kiss. He moans as you wrap your fingers around his length, giving a few experimental pumps. Instinctively, his hips buck into your grip.

“You’re big,” you murmur. “Are you sure that it’s going to fit?”

“It’ll fit,” he promises.

He guides your legs up so that they’re wrapped around his waist, allowing him to slot himself closer to you. You gasp when his hand finds your cunt again, dipping two fingers inside before sweeping his palm over the length of your folds. He then smears your wetness along the shaft of his cock, makeshift lubrication to facilitate the first breach of your channel.

“You ready?” he says, positioning the tip of his dick at your entrance. “Deep breath for me, yeah?”

“Yeah.” You inhale, and he nudges his hips forward. You gasp as he slips into you, inch by thick inch, stretching you out in a way that you’ve never felt before. Harry reaches for your hands, tangling your fingers together and lifting them above your head. You arch your back with the new position, and he’s unsure of whether you’re trying to wiggle away or bring him in closer.

When the heels of your feet press against his ass, guiding him deeper, he assumes that it’s the latter.

“Fuck,” he stammers as your tight heat surrounds his cock. “How—how do you feel this good?”

A wheezing laugh punches its way out of your throat.

“Feel that,” Harry says hoarsely. “So fuckin’ hot and—and wet. Not gonna take any time at all, is it?”

“For me, or for you?” you taunt. He grumbles quietly, and you snicker.

After a brief moment of silence, you squeeze his knuckles reassuringly. “You can move.”

“Thank you,” he moans, capturing your mouth with his. Your breathing hitches as he pulls out before slowly sliding back in. When you sigh in response, he takes it as encouragement to pick up the pace.

Soon, he’s fucking into you quickly, your skin slapping together in a series of brutal thrusts. With each drive of his hips into yours, soft whimpers escape your lips, floating up into the hot air and melting like ice cream under the sun. Harry growls, sinking his teeth into the junction between your neck and your shoulder. The pain makes you writhe—in a good way.

“You don’t know how many times I’ve imagined this,” he grunts, laving his tongue over the indents on your skin. Your necklaces clink together—silver and rose-gold tangled in a mess of thin, delicate chains. “My—my hand could never—”

“Neither could mine,” you tell him, breathless.

His spine stiffens at your words, brain overcome with the thought of you lying in bed, your fingers buried between your legs and low whines pouring from your mouth. He groans; his next thrust is hard, keen, unforgiving.

He keeps you close, your bodies never separating. Your skin is slick with sweat, chests gliding together. Adrenaline rushes through Harry’s veins—he drives ahead, plunging inside of you with each fierce snap of his hips. You can’t do anything but lie there and take it, take it, take it.

“I want you,” he gasps, warm air washing out onto your collarbones. His hands are clammy, still locked with yours; he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I want you, I want you, I—” He gulps. “I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“Harry,” you murmur, grazing your nose against his temple. “Harry, look at me.”

Reluctantly, he pulls his face away from your throat. Your eyes are soft when they land on his, forehead shining with sweat, lips swollen and raw. The bun holding most of your hair back has come loose (Harry is certain that it’s due to the way your bodies shift along the ground with every thrust.)

You swallow roughly and shake your head, staring past his features and searching for something deeper.

“I’m not going anywhere,” you say, nearly crushing his fingers in your grip. “I’m here.”

Your walls pulsate around him, and his rhythm falters. He swears softly, releasing one of your hands so that he can bring his thumb down to rub haphazard shapes against your clit. You moan, surprised.

“Cum for me,” he orders, nodding rapidly. “Cum for me, and then I’ll do the same. Where do you want it, hm? Tell me.”

“Inside,” you pant, your nose screwing up in pleasure. “Cum inside me.”

“Shit, you’re serious?” he asks, awestruck. His stomach twists hotly at your invitation. “Want me to claim your pretty cunt? Is that it?”

“God,” you say. You squirm beneath him, nodding frantically. “Please!”

“Fuck!” he cries, and when you clamp down on his cock, he’s gone.

The two of you ride out your highs together, quivering and grunting in unison. Harry wraps his arms around your waist, holding you close to his chest. You dig your nails into his back, clinging to him like a piece of wood drifting through the stormy sea. Colourful spots dance in his vision—he tries his best to blink them away. Your thighs tremble around his hips, caught in an endless cycle of vibrations.

“Holy shit,” you whimper, exhaling shakily. “That was…”

Harry braces himself over your face, keeping you shielded from everything outside of your little bubble.

“Yeah,” he agrees.

A low laugh falls from your lips, but it quickly morphs into a moan when he pulls out of you. He pauses for a moment, watching as white liquid trickles from your abused entrance. The erotic sight nearly has him ready to go again.

“Fuck,” he mutters. He scoops his release up with two fingers and plugs them back inside of you. “That’s hot.”

You gasp at the slight overstimulation, wrapping a hand around his wrist reflexively. He just shoots you a wicked grin, which has you giggling girlishly in response.

“I want a kiss,” you say, craning your neck.

Harry hums, crawling up your body to fulfill your request. You smile against his lips, tossing your arms over his shoulders. The two of you exchange soft pecks for the next few minutes, basking in the aftereffects of your orgasms. Warmth unfurls in Harry’s chest, potent and contagious. It spreads through his veins, dousing his senses in a golden glow.

“You’re fucking incredible,” he tells you, nuzzling his nose against your cheek. “And I like you. So much.”

“I like you, too,” you reply, tracing your fingertips over the muscles in his back. “But if you ever lie to me again—” Your expression grows serious. “—let’s just say that you won’t have to worry anymore about your boxers sticking to your balls, okay?”

It’s an earnest threat—he knows that you mean every word—but nevertheless, it makes him laugh. You giggle along with him; he rolls off of you, his spine meeting the floor of the ring, and you cuddle into his side. Your nails tap languidly against his sternum as he wraps an arm around your shoulders. The two of you lie there for a few long moments, enjoying the peaceful silence.

“They’re taking my case against James to trial,” you say at last.

Harry stiffens, lifting his head so that he can look down at you properly.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” he asks.

“Yeah.” You nod, refusing to meet his gaze. “But, um…my lawyer said that it might be a good idea to bring a witness to the stand. Just to seal the deal and stuff.”

You peek up at him shyly, and it clicks.

“Oh,” he says softly. “You want me?”

“Only if you’re comfortable with it,” you say hurriedly, resting your chin on his chest. “Please don’t think that I’m forcing you—”

“Hey, no,” he cuts you off, sweeping his fingers through your hair. The action soothes you, makes your eyelids flutter shut and your lips tremble with a nervous exhale. “’Course I’ll testify. I don’t want that piece of shit coming anywhere near you.”

“Thank you,” you murmur, pressing your mouth to his skin. You litter a few grateful kisses along his pectorals, and he smiles. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“Don’t have to keep saying that,” Harry mumbles, chuckling tenderly. He takes your face between his hands, thumbs trailing idly over your temples. “I wanna keep you safe. Or—or make you feel safe, at least.”

Your eyes glisten.

“I do feel safe around you,” you say. Your lips twitch. “Except for when you’re trying to punch me in the gut.”

He snickers, shaking his head. “If you want to start tussling with me more often, you’re gonna have to get used to that.”

“Duly noted.” You smirk.

Harry sighs, letting his head fall back against the ground.

“Speaking of keeping you safe…,” he mutters, staring up at the ceiling. His fingers resume their previous ministrations, stroking languidly through your hair. “You should go pee, yeah? Heard it’s important for girls to do that after sex.”

You laugh, surprised by his words. “How—how do you know that?”

“Sister,” he reminds you. His cheeks dimple as he grins.

You nod, mouth curling into a fond smile. “Right.”

April 26, 2021

The crowd is deafening, encasing him in a cloud of noise. He refuses to let it distract him, zeroing in on his opponent with the intensity of a thousand suns. An experimental jab comes his way, gauging the distance between them, but Harry sidesteps it easily. He retaliates with a right hook, catching the side of the man’s head. It’s not a powerful blow, but it succeeds in disorienting him for a few milliseconds.

He charges forward, then, sensing an opportunity and seizing it before it can fade away. In a flurry of fists (and the odd kick here and there), he backs his opponent up until the ropes around the ring are digging into the man’s waist. He’s ruthless, giving him no chance to react, delivering blow after blow until his rival can barely stand on his own two feet. At that point, he retreats, stepping back and letting his victory come to him.

He needs this win. He needs this win. He needs this—

His challenger falls into the trap, stumbling forward with double vision and throwing a sloppy hook. Harry bats his hand away effortlessly, lunging forward and curving his arm up. Pride flares in his chest when his fist makes contact with his opponent’s jaw, making the man’s head snap back on his neck. He drops to the floor in an unconscious, muscular heap.

The seconds pass by like molasses, but at last, the referee is climbing into the ring and lifting Harry’s hand high above his head. The crowd roars. He closes his eyes for a moment, basking in the praise. When they flutter open again, they’re trailing upward, searching for one particular face in a sea of strangers.

And there you are.

You’re beaming, clapping frantically and pausing every so often to cup your hands around your mouth and amplify your cheers. Harry smiles, tilting his chin upward and letting his head fall back in relief. He doesn’t tear his gaze away from you, even as the referee releases his wrist and crouches to rouse his opponent from the ground.

He hears someone call his name and turns to the side. He finds your father peeking at him through the ropes circling the ring, a wide grin on his face. He beckons him over, a water bottle clutched tightly in his outstretched hand. Harry complies, breathing out a heavy sigh.

Meanwhile, you’re pushing through the throng of people that have now started moving toward the exit. Going against the current is difficult—you murmur quick apologies as you nudge past countless shoulders and elbows—but finally, you emerge from the crowd, unscathed. You see Harry chatting with a few people approximately thirty feet away, but before you can take another step, a big, burly security guard blocks your path.

“No spectators beyond this point,” he tells you gruffly.

“But, I—,” your mouth opens and closes, though no words come out. Instinctively, you point over the guard’s shoulder, your finger pinned on a very sweaty, very shirtless Harry. “That’s my boyfriend.”

You only have a moment to feel shocked by your claim. Boyfriend?

It’s been weeks since that night at the gym, and yeah, you suppose that the two of you are a thing, now. You’re going out. You’re exclusive. Whatever the hell you want to call it.

But you’ve never referred to him as your boyfriend, and he’s never referred to you as his girlfriend. You haven’t talked about potentially putting a label on your relationship, despite the fact that you’re both clearly interested in seeing each other and no one else.

Is it time to have that conversation?

Harry jumps in surprise when he hears you call his name. He turns toward the sound and then grunts when you barrel into him a moment later, wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist. One of his hands reflexively falls to your bottom before quickly moving away. The feeling of his calloused palm on your ass sends a shiver down your spine.

You bury your face in his shoulder. He’s sweating all over, skin wet and muscles bulging from exertion. You know that you’ve caught him off-guard, because he whispers your name incredulously into your ear and presses a gentle kiss to your jaw. When he finally sets you down, you peer up at him with bright eyes and a large grin.

“That was incredible,” you gush, your hands falling to his biceps. “You obliterated him!”

“Thanks,” he chuckles. His cheeks are pink—you don’t think it’s because of the match.

In the periphery of your vision, you catch sight of your father. He’s standing there with raised brows and parted lips, and you suddenly remember that he hasn’t yet been made aware of your…situation. You gasp, stepping away from Harry quickly and draping your arms around your own torso. He seems to recognize your blunder as well, because his shoulders tense and his eyes nearly pop out of his head.

The two of you speak at the same time.

“Coach—”

“Dad—”

“I don’t want to know,” your father announces, holding up one hand and cutting you both off swiftly. His eyes bounce back and forth between you, features betraying no emotion whatsoever. Finally, his shoulders slump.

“I’m gonna call it a night, gioia,” he tells you. He then looks to the left, directing his next words at Harry. “Congratulations on your win, H. Have her home by midnight.”

“Dad, I’m a grown woman—,” you begin to scoff, but he gives you a pointed glare.

“Midnight,” he repeats.

You shrink away and nod.

~*~

Before leaving, Harry decides to take a quick shower in the men’s locker room. You sit on one of the benches, tapping your foot against the tiles as you watch him get undressed. It doesn’t take him long—he’s only wearing a pair of shorts, after all—but you savour every moment, your eyes raking over his muscular back as he bends down to pick his bottoms up off of the ground. He tosses the fabric into his drawstring bag before peering over his shoulder at you.

“Sure you don’t wanna join me?” he asks, a coy smirk playing on his lips when he catches you staring.

You look away quickly, picking at your nails and feigning indifference. “Where anyone could walk in? I’m good.”

He shrugs, snickering quietly. “Suit yourself.”

You ogle his plump ass as he walks away.

A moment later, one of the showers turns on. You can hear Harry humming softly as he steps under the spray. You sigh, leaning back against the wall and fishing your phone out from your pocket. For the next few minutes, you scroll distractedly through social media, bored out of your mind.

You grunt softly and set your phone down, tiptoeing over to the door of the locker room and fastening it shut. The lock above the handle slides into place with a low click!

“Fuck it,” you mutter.

You flick open the button of your jeans, shoving the material down your thighs. Eventually, you’re naked, goosebumps pebbling on your arms. You set your clothes back down onto the bench and grab a spare towel, fiddling with the necklace hanging from your throat. A thought occurs to you; you unclasp the chain, pulling it off and letting it pool in the palm of your hand.

Harry’s idle singing grows louder as you approach the row of showers. It’s not hard to find his cubicle—it’s the only one with the curtain drawn over the entrance. You pad toward it, hanging your towel next to his and calling out, “Harry?”

“Yeah?” His hums stop.

You grasp the fabric of the curtain, pulling it back and peering inside. Immediately, Harry’s gaze locks with yours. He’s completely bare, standing beneath the water with hooded eyes and shampoo foaming in his hair. You slip into the cubicle, not missing the way he gawks at your naked body.

“I changed my mind,” you murmur, peering up at him shyly.

He presses his lips together to fight back a smile. “Yeah. You sure did.”

“Shut up and let me rinse your hair.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Before you can bury your hands into the wet strands, however, you remember the jewellery clutched between your fingers.

“Actually—,” you say, hesitating. “I, um—I wanted to give this to you.”

You scoop the necklace up from your palm, holding it out nervously. Harry recognizes it immediately, and his eyes widen in surprise.

“What for?” he asks, not unkindly.

“It’s my lucky charm,” you tell him, shrugging your shoulders. “I just figured…maybe it’ll work for you, too.”

He kisses you, then, grabbing your face in his hands and crushing his lips to yours. You whimper into his mouth, finding his wrists and encasing them in a tight grip. The kiss is passionate, bruising, fiery—you’ve never felt so wanted.

Harry pulls back once the two of you run out of air. Even then, he keeps his forehead pressed snugly against yours, staying close. He’s breathing heavily, and you’re starting to sweat, the humidity of the stall seeping into every last pore on your body. Harry shakes his head, gazing into your eyes.

“You’re my lucky charm,” he says.

Your heartbeat stutters in your chest.

“But,” he continues, smiling softly, “I’ll take the necklace. It’ll be good to have for when you’re not there.”

You nod wordlessly, and he steps back. His hands find his throat, fumbling with the chain dangling over his collarbones. He reaches over his shoulders, unclasping his own necklace and presenting it to you.

“Here,” he says. “I’ll take yours, and you take mine.”

You nod again.

You turn around slowly, electricity thrumming through your body as Harry guides the silver chain around your neck. The shiny cross pendant rests against your sternum; the warmth of the metal seeps into your skin. When you face him again, Harry whistles lowly, his lips twitching.

“Looks good on you,” he says, nodding proudly. “My girl.”

“Is that what I am?” you ask, peeking up at him through your lashes. “Your girl?”

He pauses. He really does look ridiculous with the white, frothing shampoo slicked through his hair.

“Is that what you want to be?”

A moment of silence ensues.

“Yeah,” you finally say, biting your bottom lip. “It is.”

Harry smiles. He leans forward and kisses you again, softer this time. You nudge his shoulder with the hand that’s still holding your necklace, prompting him to spin around.

“Come on,” you murmur, delivering one last affectionate peck to his mouth. “Your turn.”

~*~

Harry pulls up to your house fifteen minutes before midnight. You unbuckle your seatbelt, modifying your position in the front seat so that you can look at him properly. Your hair is still slightly damp from your shared shower, and your skin is fresh and clean. You smell like him—like the body wash you had both used to scrub yourselves down in the small cubicle. A silver necklace—his necklace—peeks out from beneath the collar of your denim jacket.

The jewellery suits you. He doesn’t ever want you to take it off.

The two of you stare at each other for a moment until you eventually crack a smile.

“You look like you want to eat me,” you say, laughing.

“C’mere, then,” he chuckles, already leaning forward. “Lemme have a taste.”

“Gross.” You stick your tongue out playfully but obey him nonetheless, your lips meeting over the middle console of the vehicle. Harry cups your face in one hand, keeping you close. You sigh into his mouth, and he swallows the sound down—it’s the prettiest fucking thing he’s ever heard.

You carry on like that for the next few minutes, exchanging soft kisses that don’t go beyond him placing a calloused palm on your thigh. When you finally pull away, a breathless giggle bubbles up in your throat.

“Have I ever told you that you’re a great kisser?” you ask.

“Only a dozen times a day,” he replies, smirking gently.

You laugh, carding your fingers through his hair and tilting your head to the side as you stare at him. Your eyes are far away, getting lost in your own thoughts, it seems.

“What is it?” he whispers, even though there’s no one else in the car aside from you and him.

“I love you,” you murmur absentmindedly.

Harry freezes; your confession knocks the air from his lungs.

“What?” he says, his brows knitting together.

At last, you snap out of your trance. Your admission sinks in, and you recoil, shocked at your own boldness.

“I—,” you start, your eyes growing impossibly wide. “I just meant—we’ve known each other for years, now, but I feel like I really got to know you these past few months. These past few weeks, especially.”

You shrug, playing nervously with the silver cross hanging around your neck. Harry’s heart somersaults at the sight.

“I’m sorry if it’s bad timing,” you continue; you’re rambling, now. “And I understand that it might be weird considering the fact that we just put a label on this, but—,” you break off, taking a deep breath, “—I love you. I do.”

He reaches out, trailing his fingers over the faint curve of your jaw. You gasp softly when his thumb ghosts over your bottom lip.

“Did you just apologise for telling me that you love me?” he says. Crinkles appear at the corners of his eyes.

You squeeze your own eyes shut, cringing at his words and shaking your head.

“Don’t repeat it,” you plead. “I’m already embarrassed enough.”

“Oh, so loving me is embarrassing?” he asks, smirking slyly.

You frown, batting his hand away and shifting your body so that you’re no longer facing him. You place your elbow against the ledge of the passenger door, resting your chin on your fist and staring pointedly out the window.

“Hey,” Harry coos, though he can’t stop the inkling of laughter that seeps into his voice. “Don’t be like that.”

“I take it back,” you say flatly, refusing to turn around. “I hate you, actually.”

“Really,” he says, but it’s not a question. He unbuckles his own seatbelt so that he can lean over the middle console and nuzzle at your cheek.

“My girlfriend hates me?” he asks; he knows that he’s being insufferable, but he can’t help it. Messing with you is so much fun.

“Yes.” Your response is curt. “She does.”

“That’s not nice,” he says, curling his lips down into a dramatic pout. He presses a gentle kiss to the side of your neck—right against a particular spot that makes you melt every single time. He knows it, and so do you.

“That’s not nice at all,” Harry continues, littering sloppy pecks down the column of your throat. “This how you treat the man who loves you?”

You pause when his words register in your brain.

“Stop lying,” you mutter, keeping your gaze glued to the scenery outside your window.

“’M not lying,” he tells you, squeezing your thigh gently. “Said you’d cut my balls off if I did it again, remember?”

And despite your initial sense of humiliation, you laugh. Harry smiles, placing his free hand on your cheek and guiding you to look over at him. You submit to his wishes, gazing at him through pretty, wispy lashes. He tilts forward ever-so-slightly, nudging your noses together and fastening his lips to yours. When he pulls back after a moment, he pinches your chin between two fingers.

“I love you,” he says earnestly.

“I love you, too,” you whisper.

Your eyelids flutter shut as he slides his palm up your leg; he stops only once it’s resting in the crease between your hip and your thigh, dangerously close to your groin.

“We have—,” he cranes his neck, peering over at the digital clock on the truck’s dashboard, “—five minutes until you have to be inside. Think I can make you cum between now and then?”

You scoff, pushing him away and laughing at his crudeness.

“You’re insane,” you giggle, shooting him a faux-stern glare. “Behave.”

“Fine,” he grumbles, frowning childishly. You just grin, slipping your hand around his neck and pulling him in for a doting kiss. You press a series of rapid pecks along the seam of his mouth, nipping playfully at his bottom lip before retreating. Instinctively, he follows you, but you dig your fingers into his shoulder, stopping him before he can get too far.

“Goodnight,” you whisper, reaching for the handle on the door.

Harry watches with wide, awestruck eyes as you exit the car. You clutch your purse closer to your side, looking back at him expectantly and waiting for his response.

He clears his throat, blinking out of his reverie.

“Yeah,” he nods, nostrils flaring slightly. “Goodnight.”

He peels away from your house only once you disappear through the front door. Subconsciously, his hand finds the rose-gold chain hanging around his throat. He fiddles with the necklace, running his thumb over the smooth surface of your shiny pendant. There’s something unreal—almost dreamlike—about having it between his fingers. He’s spent so long watching you fumble and toy with it—watching it bring you comfort when you’re nervous, or bored, or afraid.

Now, it’s his.

And so are you.

Faint music plays from the truck’s stereo; Harry reaches forward, twisting a knob and turning the volume up to its full capacity. Ariana Grande’s familiar vocal riffs pour through the speakers.

He sings along at the top of his lungs, hollering triumphantly the entire ride home.

~*~

Extra: Knockout [READ IT NOW ON PATREON]

if you enjoyed this series, please consider donating to my ko-fi! thank you bunches <3

#harry styles smut #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles one shot #oh my god i can't believe this is the last part aaaaaaaaaa #i really hope u all like it!#boxrry #harry writing

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calaofnoldor · 4 years

Text

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Characters: Sam x Reader (gender neutral), Dean

Words: 3,295

Summary: Dean and his lady of the night are being obnoxiously loud, so you and Sam devise a plan of retaliation.

Warnings: fluff, implied smut, wee bit o’ language, mutual pining and other fun tropes

A/N: thank you for all the love and support on “Dean, Don’t” (there will be a sequel due to positive feedback!) tbh, i’m not sure how i feel about this one, but every single like, comment, and reblog is always super-duper appreciated!

MASTERLIST

Another hunt for the books, another bar tab for your fake credit card. Another leggy blonde for Dean, and another evening spent harboring your secret yet ever-growing crush for Sam Winchester. This was becoming a pattern lately.

You'd decided to join the brothers on their last several hunts after bumping into (and nearly decapitating) Dean in a vamp-infested warehouse in Colorado. That night, you bought him a beer to recompense, but he was rather swiftly distracted by the busty barmaid, and you ended up talking to Sam all night instead.

There was an instant chemistry between the two of you, what with your shared passion for monster lore and college dropout histories, conversation always flowed easily and often without end.

Tonight had been no different, from the moment you walked into the rundown bar in Iowa, and immediately placed a bet on the fate of Dean's evening entertainment.

"Twenty bucks says he goes home with that blonde in the red dress over there," you jerked your head towards the woman in question.

"Oh, you're so on L/N. She's way too classy for him. My money's on that short one over there with the space buns."

"Deal," you shook on it, while struggling to ignore the spark his touch ignited.

Three beers in and you had almost completely forgot about your bet, until Dean swaggered over with one arm draped casually around the shoulders of his blonde conquest. "We're gonna head out for the night, see you guys later."

You waited until the front door closed behind them before turning to Sam with a triumphant grin. "Pay up, Winchester," you held your hand out expectantly.

“How are you so good at that? I’m the one who’s been watching him my whole life.” He shook his head with amiable amusement while digging out a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket.

You shrugged a little, “You learn to read people fairly quickly on the job.”

“Y/N, we have the same job.”

You pretended to ponder this fact for a moment, your brows furrowing, “I guess I’m just a better hunter then?” It was an obvious jest, and you both knew it, as evidenced by the wide, matching smiles that broke out across both your faces.

God, how you loved his smile, especially the genuine ones that brought out his dimples and lit up his eyes, but even more so, you adored any smile behind which you were the cause. Those you stored amidst your most cherished memories and replayed in your mind a hundred times over on nights when the insomnia hit… Oh no, had you been staring for too long?

Abruptly, you turned towards the bartender, waving the newly acquired bill in your hand, and proceeded to order the next round.

Fortunately, the night carried on with its jovial tone, and you were almost able to disregard the desire to touch Sam’s veiny forearms when he rolled up the sleeves of his plaid, or the need to run your hands through his luscious locks whenever a wayward strand fell before his glimmering eyes.

“I guess we should head out soon. Dean’s probably gonna want to leave early tomorrow morning.”

“Right, yeah.” At this point, you were feeling a little woozy from the alcohol, and Sam’s hands were suddenly grasping your biceps as you rose unsteadily from the barstool.

“I’m OK,” you laughed it off, but instantly missed the warmth of his palms that seemed to seep through your clothes and set your skin alight. Sam simply smiled at you, yet something in his eyes was so resplendent you felt goosebumps replace the fire along your arms. You must have been staring again, for Sam looked away somewhat embarrassedly and asked if there was something on his face.

Ugh, why did he have such an effect on you? You’d been around plenty of male hunters in the past, some nearly just as attractive, but you’d always managed to keep your wits about you. Indeed, your unrelenting rationality was usually a subject of pride for you, yet here you were, a blubbering mess after a mere touch on the arm and that stupid smile.

Looking down, you grumbled a quick apology and a senseless explanation that involved blaming the booze before you took off.

Sam followed after you, but not before double checking that you had grabbed all your belongings. There was a strong and instinctive urge to look after and protect that stirred within him whenever you were around, and he couldn’t neglect it if he tried.

It wasn’t that you were weak and needed someone to look out for you. Sam knew you’d been more or less hunting on your own for years now, and could certainly roll with the best of them, himself and Dean included. No, Sam knew you were more than capable of taking care of yourself, yet he still could not brush the nagging need to keep you safe and by his side whenever possible.

At times, he felt as if a spell had overcome him and he was no longer in control of his senses when it came to you. It was annoying, really.

Tonight, for instance, Sam could have sworn he spent the better part of your time at the bar glaring down any man who came within three feet of you, foolishly daring to try their chances with you. He was sure you’d notice his strange behavior at some point, but you simply talked the night away with him, smiling that stupendous smile, the one that made him lose his breath.

Everything about you enchanted him, and Sam often found himself wishing he could just dive in and kiss you, hold you in his arms and never let you go. He was sure you could read it all in his eyes by now.

To his disappointment, however, you never gave any indication of reciprocation, always treating him in a strictly platonic manner, whether intentionally or out of ignorance, Sam didn’t know. But he never dared make a move, and he convinced himself that he felt fortunate enough to have you as a friend.

The walk back to the motel wasn’t long, although Sam took deliberately small steps to prolong your time together. When you reached the brothers’ room, your eyes fell upon a grey sock dangling unceremoniously from the doorknob. So Dean had taken Blondie to his motel room.

“How’s that for classy?” you looked up at Sam with a small smirk.

He let out a huff of a laugh and shook his head while staring at the sock. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time he spent a night in the Impala.

“Hey, why don’t you just come over to my room,” you suggested as you motioned next door, “We can chill in there for a bit, wait it out?”

Sam’s eyes shot up to your face. All he had to hear was “come over to my room,” and his brain immediately began imagining all the potential scenarios those five little words could lead to… if you felt even an inkling of what he felt for you. He gulped and tried to reel his thoughts in, meeting your gaze with a dreamy look.

“Um… yeah, OK, sure, yeah. That sounds good. I mean, you sure you don’t mind?” he stumbled out.

You laughed that brilliant laugh, “No, I should probably sober up a little before I sleep anyway.”

Sam nodded, afraid of what words might escape if he opened his mouth again, and the two of you made your way towards the adjacent motel room. He watched as your delicate hands worked the key and instantly took note of the angry red scrapes and cuts along your palm when you turned your wrist to unlock the door.

Brows knit with concern, Sam silently berated himself for failing to take better care of you. He remembered you took a nasty fall when the ghost had thrown you aside to get to the brothers as they burned the necklace that tethered it to this realm. You must have landed on the concrete and braced yourself with your hands.

As you both stepped into the dim and modest room, Sam was about to ask for your first aid kit when you suddenly brought your arms overhead and stretched out your lithe body with a soft, satisfactory grunt. When the hem of your shirt rode up, Sam had to look away to stop himself from staring at the anti-possession tattoo that peeked out above your hip bone. Just that sliver of skin was so alluring to him; he really was in deep.

When you lowered your arms back down, you sent him a small, apologetic smile, “Sorry, it just always feels good to do that after a hunt and a night out in town.”

Sam nodded again, still finding it difficult to come up with the right words, but then he remembered his previous mission. “Give me your hand.”

“W-what?” you stuttered, dumbfoundedly. It was your turn to wonder if you’d heard right.

“Your hand, let me see it.” He repeated, and this time he simply caught your wrist and took your hand gingerly in his, turning it such that your palm faced up, so he could examine the extent of the damage.

“Oh,” you breathed out, slightly relieved, “It’s fine, it’s just a scratch.” You tried to pull your hand out of his intoxicating grip, but he held on quite firmly.

“Y/N, we need to clean these and bandage them so they don’t get infected.”

He had pulled you rather close to him, to the point where you could feel his body heat emanating towards you, and you hated to admit the proximity was really messing with your mind. All you could think about was the deliciously muscled torso that surely lay beneath those layers of cotton, and what it would feel like to run your hands across it.

Sam took advantage of your lack of response and led you to sit on the edge of the bed. As he went to look for the first aid kit, you couldn’t help but admire his backside, especially when he bent over to rummage through your duffle bag in the corner.

When he returned to your side, you quickly closed your jaw and reached over for the cleaning supplies, but he held it out of your reach and grasped your hand again instead. Your eyes met for moment, and almost as if on cue, a loud, lascivious moan came through the room’s thin walls.

Sam felt his cheeks heat up, and hastily averted his gaze. He mentally cursed his brother’s wanton ways, but when he heard your giggling, all was forgiven.

“I guess someone’s having a good time.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think this’ll be quite as enjoyable for you.” He motioned to the alcohol in his other hand with a sheepish smile, “I probably don’t need to tell you this is gonna hurt.”

You shook your head slightly, but still winced a little when he poured the disinfectant over your wounds.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry.” Sam sounded truly remorseful and you chuckled.

“What are you sorry for? It’s not like you threw me to the ground, and besides, you’re helping me now,” you murmured softly.

“Well you did get in it’s way to protect m- us. And I don’t like to see you in pain.”

He meant ‘people’ of course, you told yourself in vain. He’s obviously a nice guy and he doesn’t like to see anyone in pain. That’s why he’s a hunter. Duh.

You were trying, unsuccessfully, to slow your heart rate when another emphatic cry came from the direction of the older Winchester’s room.

“Oh! Oh my god!” The high pitch had your eyes widening.

“You can call me Dean, sweetheart,” came the muted reply.

You and Sam both rolled your eyes before he continued to treat and bandage your hand. His fingers, though rough, were improbably gentle against your skin and frequently sent shivers down your spine. It was all making you quite jittery and you really weren’t sure you could take it much longer. To exacerbate things, Dean and Blondie managed to vocalize their passions on at least five more occasions by the time Sam completed his work.

It was becoming rather aggravating, particularly because you found it extraordinarily hard to look Sam in the eyes or maintain a normal conversation with him when you were constantly getting bombarded by the sounds of his brother and his lady of the night copulating next door.

You stood as soon as Sam let go of your hand, needing to release some energy. “You know what, we can’t just let them dick us around like this all night!”

Sam laughed at your word choice and looked up at you, a fond curiosity shining through his eyes, “OK, but what could we possibly do to get back at them?”

You paused your pacing for a minute, racking your brain for an answer to their impudence. Sam watched as a gleam appeared in your eyes and a mischievous smile took over your features.

“I’ve got it! My friend and I used to do this back in college when our roommate brought dates home and they got a little too carried away. It’s basically a game of chicken.”

Sam raised his brow in question so you continued, “If they’re gonna be obnoxiously loud with their fornication rituals, then we can go at it too.”

“I-I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s simple. An eye for an eye. We don’t even have to make it sound real, just as long as it’s equally loud and disturbing.”

“Y/N, are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting? That we pretend to have s-sex?” Sam was feeling considerably dubious about your plan, as he couldn’t imagine himself holding back if you were to act in any way sensual around him, even if it was all make believe.

Just then, another resounding squeal of pleasure travelled to your ears and before Sam could stop you, you took the opportunity to show him what you were talking about.

“Oh! Yes!” You exclaimed salaciously in return.

Sam’s eyes grew as he stared at you in disbelief. Your own eyes were closed and your face contorted to an expression of intense pleasure that Sam had only dreamed about. He couldn’t stop fidgeting in his place on the bed, thankful that the first aid kit still sat on his lap as he adjusted his trousers a bit.

“Y/N, I don’t-“

“Come on, Sammy, join me! Trust me, it works every time.”

Sam didn’t have time to contemplate how much he loved the sound of his childhood nickname rolling off your tongue because a second howl came from the next room, this time lower in pitch, though you were there to answer regardless. “Oh my gosh, yes! Right there!”

If Sam thought the effect that you had on him normally was overwhelming, he was undoubtedly unprepared for the way his body responded to you making ludicrously pornographic sounds not two feet from him. Everything seemed to disappear around him until only you remained and held the entirety of his focus.

“Ooh, faster! Harder, Sam!”

Fuck. You said his name. And you said it with lust in your voice. It was as if all his fantasies had come to life before him in some twisted and desperately maddening form. Something in him snapped, and before he knew it, he was standing across from you, staring fixedly at your face, as you shouted in unison.

“Ungh! Oh god, Y/N!”

“Yes, that’s it! Don’t stop!”

Sam’s deep voice compelled your eyes to snap open. He was already looking straight at you, and you could almost taste the tension.

“Oh, baby! You feel so good!”

You didn’t join him this time. You couldn’t. He had you in a trance, his lips, jaw, neck, shoulders, the way his chest moved towards you when he inhaled, the sheer size of him. It was all too much. So you simply stared, feeling your breath come and go faster than you were used to.

There was a split second, or perhaps it was a lifetime, in which the two of you stood still, eyes locked in a fiery exchange, but in the next instant you both lunged forward, lips and teeth and noses and bodies clashing in a passionate, long-awaited display of carnal thirst.

But the kiss ended far too soon for your liking. “Wait, wait, Y/N. I really want this, but you’re probably still drunk, and I don’t wanna take advantage of you or the situation.” Sam panted hurriedly.

You smiled at his chivalry yet shook your head in disagreement, “Sam, don’t be an idjit. I don’t think I’ve ever been more sober, and I definitely haven’t wanted anything more than this, right now.” Your voice was just as breathy.

Sam moved his hands back to your face and that glorious, dimpled smile returned, “Baby, are you sure?”

The nickname brought a flutter to your heart, “Yes, I swear to heaven and hell, if you don’t kiss me again, Sam Winchester-“

His lips cut yours off in another bruising yet completely satisfying declaration of need. Your back arched and he brought one hand down to pull your waist flush against his solid form.

“Mmph,” you moaned against his mouth.

God, Sam couldn’t handle the sounds you made. A man could only hold back for so long. His enormous moose hands frantically grabbed at your ass, hoisting you into his arms in no time and carrying you back towards the bed.

Let’s just say Dean and Blondie truly had no idea of the spectacular and thunderous show they were in for.

The next morning, Sam awoke with a warm weight on his chest. He looked down to find your slumbering form nuzzled against him, head tucked beneath his chin and legs messily intertwined. A fond smile crossed his face as he subconsciously tightened his hold on you and pressed a loving kiss to your forehead. The feeling of elation didn't fade as he closed his eyes to rest again, but it did recede ever so slightly to the backburner when the door clicked and his brother came barging in. “Alright, rise and shine, lovebirds! That was quite the show you guys put on last night, hope it didn't-“ “Shhh! Dean, shut up!” Sam shushed his brother with a stage whisper whilst scrambling to cover your bare back with the disheveled sheets surrounding you, but Dean had already glimpsed the evidence. “Sammy, you sly dog!” He wiggled his brows, grinning proudly at his little brother, "And here I thought I was the only one who got laid last night." “Dean, get out.” "Yeah ok, I'm gone," he raised his hands in assent. "But tell your sweetheart we're leaving in twenty," Dean added before he finally let the door shut behind him.

His sweetheart. Sam sure liked the sound of that. The corners of his lips struggled not to raise with glee. "Mm, was that Dean?" you mumbled against Sam's chest, fingers tracing the ink of his anti-possession tattoo with half-lidded eyes. "Yeah, just came to tell us we're leaving in twenty." He gave your hip a gentle squeeze "He knows, doesn’t he?" You rubbed your eyes with a yawn. Sam chuckled at your adorably sleepy state. “Yeah, sorry…” he trailed off, unsure of how you would respond to the news.

“Well, don’t be. That just means I get to do this whenever I want.” You lifted your head to kiss him hard, and his hands instinctively cradled your face, pulling you closer until you were straddling his lap and completely awake.

“You know, I think we still have about 15 minutes.”

“I like the way you think, Winchester.”

A/N #2: thank you so much for reading! i’d now like to apologize for this obligatory self plug, but there’s new stuff available at lexicolor.redbubble.com, just fyi :)

#sam winchester x reader #sam x reader #sam winchester imagine #sam winchester fluff #sam winchester x male!reader #sam winchester x female!reader #mutual pining #sammy's got a crush #fake it #supernatural #spn #fanfiction #fanfic #one shot #my writing #text #fanart #redbubble #lexicolor

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4dtk · 3 years

Note

if ur still doing requests.. 24-hugs where the reader is taller than her bf taeyong. and i forgot the number for kisses so just something soft fluffy and comforting<3

ouh so cute anon! thanks for requesting hope u like it! btw i didn't really include a kiss from the list, so i just did a dipping kiss <3

hugs, 24: hugging with height difference

"yes yes! just like that!" taeyong adjusts your arm position just a bit, and when you view yourself in the mirror, you cringe just a little by how awkward you look.

being taeyong's partner had its advantages. of course, there were the sweet things. you fail to count everything on one hand. so far, you've managed to store some of the things he's done along with the things he say he'd do.

all around protection when a fan attacks you? your man has a long paragraph typed out on why we should all respect each other. walked past that one jewellery shop where you couldn't take your eyes off a necklace? hell, he already has one foot in the store.

on another hand, you also get the see his creative side. you get to hear how he comes up with songs and random routines. he takes value in your opinion when it comes to the familiar beats you always hear playing from the speakers.

you get to see the process of choreography as well. you're particularly excited for this round of comebacks, since taeyong took part in choreographing parts of nct 127's latest comeback, sticker.

as taeyong explains why he chose this dance move to be in the routine, you find yourself zoning in and out of a lovestruck daze, eyes following the way he passionately conveys his reason but ears tuning out everything he's saying.

the clock ticking on the wall reminds you of how late it is, having had a free studio since the afternoon with the courtesy of your boyfriend, but taking note of the time until now.

"love, you listenin'?" he calls out, "i said you can rest."

breathing a sigh of relief, you let your hands fall to your side, shaking out the unconventional position you were frozen in for the past minutes.

"did you hear what i was saying at all honey?" taeyong teased, raising an eyebrow before making his way to you, affectionately patting down the sweat that dripped like a fountain.

"no, not really," you admitted sheepishly, closing your eyes as you let the man treat you, staring down at his outstretched arm that never failed to show his way of loving, whether it's by a hand on your cheek or a flick to your forehead (where he needs to be on his tippy toes).

with a tug, taeyong pulls you into him, his head nestled snugly in your chest as his arms wound around your waist. it's something he loves to do, you took note, immediately wrapping yours over his shoulders.

"did you ever have to explain to people you don't play volleyball nor basketball?" he blurts out randomly, earning a laugh from you that shakes your embrace.

"plenty. why?"

"maybe you should be hugging on your repertoire," taeyong mumbles, nuzzling into the hug more that makes your stomach turn. you hope he doesn't hear your heartbeat quicken, but that's almost impossible when his ear is directly over your chest.

"and maybe dancing too-" he adds quickly, pulling away from your comforting embrace.

you throw back your head in laughter, "dancing?! i think i did anything but dancing earlier. probably flailed my arms more..."

"no, but it looked fine! you haven't been dancing for long anyway, there's no expectation for you to know the mechanics right away."

you pout, eyes locked on your lover's big ones when he offers a smile with his compliment.

"you did good," the conversation's fallen into a murmur amongst the two of you, returning his expression with a smile of your own. taeyong interrupts the moment when he leans up to kiss you, and you have to sneak one last glance in the mirror to see how he's craning his neck up to meet you.

with a scrunch of your eyes and a grin, you return the kiss, giddy with sappiness and love and devotion. you taste the jjajjangmyeon sauce on his tongue and the familiar taste of his lemon-infused water.

you taste how your first kiss with taeyong was like: hesitant, gentle, but at the same time needy and decisive, like you'd slip from his grasp. there's a push and pull between both sensations, and you don't know which one you like better.

"yong?" you mumble through the kiss.

he hums, and you take it as a sign for you to continue, "can you keep teaching me these dances? i promise i'll pay attention next time."

taeyong giggles, pairing it with a nod before you've delving into another kiss, comically dipping him down to deepen it. being the dancer that he was, he easily adjusts his centre of gravity, even going as far as lifting a leg up while his hands held on for dear life on your shirt.

"hey, maybe we should take that for our profile pic," he muses in between kisses. he's content staying in that ninety degree dip down position, trusting you wholeheartedly that you wouldn't drop him.

and the next thing you know, the dance studio is filled with your laughter at trying to get the angle of the dip correctly, where your faces were both seen and where your lips didn't accidentally collide on the wrong part of the face.

"maybe we should set a longer timer," you propose, looking over the past photos you've taken with a questionable expression.

"ah, let's just try a few more times," two, five, ten times, with all of them a fail. but it's a win in taeyong's books when he gets to kiss you over and over again, with your sunshine smile on his skin and your arms cradling him in the cheesy pose.

(you catch on much, much later, and you have to shoot him an impressed purse of your lips once he confirms your suspicion.)

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wordsoflittlewisdom · 3 years

Text

Watching bop again

I kinda forgot Cass was at the roller derby game. Love how all the characters are connected

Why does Roman’s voice...sound like that

Boss Bitch is weirdly nostalgic now

I like that the whole roller derby team is wearing like. team jackets. and harleys got her whole fringe sleeves thing going on

YES LOVE WHEN SHE THROWS THE NECKLACE AWAY

The chemical plant blowing up as fireworks was a very Harley choice

“So I’ll start where I fucking want” four minutes ago

huntress huntress huntress huntress huntress

I read somewhere that this huntress and Montoya scene was one take and they just changed the lighting to show the change

romans middle name being beauvais is probably the clearest clue they could have given that he was from a rich family

Love that Renee finds the necklace and knows Harley and the joker broke up. I like this idea that superheroes/villains are kinda like celebrities in this world

The egg sandwich scene is great what more can I say

Love that there’re cars and people just living their lives in this city

It’s a crime that we never see Harley wear this glittery fanny pack

The music is really good in this

It’s neat how the line between her narration and her dialogue is blurred, like how she’ll say the first part of something in narration and the second part in dialogue

Huntress’s little flute theme

And Montoya knows Cass; c o n n e c t i o n s

Montoya’s been going after Roman, too

And now we’re flipping back to the bertinelli massacre and diamond

Even if the whole missing diamond plot isn’t that unique, everything’s woven together so neatly

And now Dinah and Renee are on the phone about Cass and the diamond

It’s all connected

Harleys whole “I’m here to report a terrible crime”—she could have just run in there but she wanted to be Dramatic

I do wish the vocals were a little louder here maybe?

Big fan of this fight choreography

Harley pausing on a frame where she’s making a weird face before rewinding to explain about the diamond—it’s so rare to ever get to see women like. making weird faces in movies. All the women in his this are gorgeous but they don’t always have to be; they look beat up after fights and get dirty and make weird faces and it’s great

Dinah singing? Exceptional

“Loans, liquidity, laundering” ah yes the three L’s of illegal business

I unironically listen to Black Canary’s man’s world.

I like that everyone just calls Dinah “Canary”

“I’m all on my lonesome. It’s great” Harleys even an unreliable narrator when she’s just talking

I’ve really never seen a movie that feel like it’s from the female gaze visually as much as this one—all the rings and earrings, the hair, the makeup, it feels like what women might fantasize about dressing like

Dinah yelling “you motherfucker!” While beating some creeps up is quality

What time of day is it? Dinah would probably be leaving early in the morning, but I Refuse to believe that Roman would be awake particularly early any morning

She either canary is leaving her nightclub singing gig in the late morning/early afternoon or roman is still awake from the night before and is going to go to sleep soon

Cass and Dinah in the same building. (Bernie voice): I am once again talking about the connections

I’ve riffed on this before but i refuse to believe that Roman can drive

This Dinah and Renee scene establishes character, backstories, and moves the plot along all at once

Jesus some of ewan mcgregor’s acting in this is painfully bad

I love that Cass has a big bomber jacket and longer, looser shorts

Jurnee’s abs wow

The lights from behind the hands with the eyes behind Harley, who’s surrounded by people and then Roman and Victor emerge from the back, whispering to each other? Beautiful

One of the grievances roman has against Harley is “constantly interrupting him, like I’m doing right now”

Harleys “you’re really not as complicated as you think” bit is almost satirical of this cult we’ve created of “complicated” white male movie villains who have massive fan followings (cough cough joker)

Interesting that Roman holds the knife to Harleys face but hands it off to Victor to do that actual cutting

Someone handed Roman a bowl of popcorn

Harleys pocket tampon

It’s diamonds are a girls best friend yeah babey!

The male backup dancers are wearing muzzles/masks (Roman has one too for a split second) is an interesting flip on the way women are typically the ones being silenced, as well as Harleys desire to silence the men around her and be the one telling and controlling her own narrative

“Hey! you’re that singer no one listens to!” “Hey! You’re the asshole no one likes!”

Harley with her glitter gun

Harleys reaction when the sprinklers go off is perfect—Margot makes her feel like a living cartoon

This cell block fight scene is a showstopper

I like that cass doesn’t immediately want to stay with Harley. It gives her some agency in a story where she’s mostly just following the curveballs life throws her

Harleys little stare straight into the camera when cass admits to eating the diamond

Harley at the grocery store really emphasizes that she’s a total weirdo

I think I heard somewhere that the pic of child Harley with the nuns is a pic of young Margot??? Not totally sure though

Cass not knowing who the joker is goes with the whole supers are like celebrities thing—cass probably follows a whole different group of them (like how most kids follow different celebrities than their parents)

Huntress huntress huntresssss

“Give me number 32. Mild”

This kid in helenas flashback doesn’t really look like she’s grow up to look like Mary Elizabeth Winstead

This filming in this flashback has so much style

Helena practicing in the bathroom mirror with her drawing and her multiple bottles of travel mouthwash

We’re in the scene where Roman makes the girl dance on the table and oh god it’s so uncomfortable

No no no no no not this hate this

Alright that nightmare’s done

“and that’s why you should never pay federal income taxes”

Harley offering to bring cass to Roman after hearing doc say “business is business is interesting

OH ITS HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT TIME

Dinahs car is yellow because it’s...canary yellow

Roman putting on the mask is cool and all but he’s just gonna have to take it back off to get changed

This Harley vs Renee fight is fun because they keep mirroring each other—they’re fighting each other, but they’re really on the same side

The way the women all kind of circle each other at first and don’t immediately get along

Cass popping up with the gun also gives her some agency—she’s at the end of her rope with the diamond and being betrayed by Harley

“I am nOT THE CROSSBOW KILLER”

The way Huntress sounds so uncertain when she says “...and now I’m done” Mary’s acting really popped off

Roman’s a bitch but I like his outfits

Helenas little smile when Harley says “you just killed his BFF”

I love how excited Harley is when they all agree to work together

Roman’s giving his little speech in the back of a pickup truck?

When all the guys turned around with masks on I got chills

“I love this chick she’s got rage issues.” “I DONT HAVE RAGE ISSUES”

Huntress stabbing the guy while going down the slide is peak cinema

This set lights up as the scene progresses and reveals more

I love love love that Helena is genuinely caring towards Cass and recognizing that children shouldn’t have to go through trauma like her

“When the fuck did she have time to do a shoe change?”

THE HAIR TIE YEAH

Forgot to mention this but it’s a stroke of genius for this place to be called the booby trap

Love me some canary cry

“Told ya she had a killer voice”

Harleys chase was a real group hurrah—the canary cry cleared the way and pushed her forward, Huntress towed her, Renee gave her the gun with one bullet

Cass and Roman are just sitting in the back seat. That must have been an awkward car ride

Cass pulling the gun away from Roman when he tries to shoot up at Harley when Harleys on top of the car is elite

Damn this is one foggy pier

When Harley starts with “your protection is based on the fact that people are scared of you” you expect her to say that it’s wrong or something but she says “I’m the one they should be scared of” this movie messed with tropes so much

That also includes the whole “one bullet” thing—Harley misses with her one bullet, and you don’t really know what’s gonna happen next

“I took your ring”

You can pinpoint exactly when Harley and Roman realize what Cass did

I’d put the entire taco scene here if I could

Renee moving the drink away from cass shows her caring side—she doesn’t want a kid to get into alcohol and make the mistakes she did

“Does she always talk like the cop in a bad eighties movie?”

Harley and Cass stealing the car is a fun way to show that she may be on the side of the good guys sometimes, but that doesn’t necessarily make her one

“Woman” by Kesha

Wow the outfits in this scene are iconic

I mean they are in the whole movie but I especially like these

Cass riding around with Harley and a hyena, wearing cute outfits and learning the ways of chaos

Harley got her sandwich!

The credit art for this movie is cool

Especially how they represent each character

In conclusion this is still my favorite movie

I know I’ve been kinda absent recently, but watching this again has really reminded me how much I love it. I got really busy but I’m going to Make An Effort to be a contributing member of the bop fandom again.

#birds of prey and the fantabulous emancipation of one harley quinn #birds of prey #harley quinn #huntress #black canary #Renee Montoya #Cassandra Cain #Roman sionis #Victor zsasz #words of little wisdom

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undeadsnorlax · 3 years

Text

Alone at Midnight, Inside My Mind

@badthingshappenbingo

Ao3 Link

Bingo Card

using the prompt in a metaphorical sense, as opposed to the medical aid sense

Prompt: Crutches

Fandom: Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku

Warnings: a lot of alcohol related issues, including addiction and withdrawal, some suicidal thoughts and body image issues, hurt/no comfort. set pre-Yakuza 2.

Wordcount: 5511

2pm. He could tell it was because his downstairs neighbour was home, attending to the array of plant pots she kept littered outside her door, and playing music on the radio that bled through the crack of the open window.

Daigo squinted in the afternoon light that managed to make its way through the blinds, groaning loudly.

“Fucking hell…”

Suppose now was as good a time as any to start the day. Especially when he felt his stomach rumble.

It took some effort to get to his feet, but soon he was dragging himself into the kitchen, yawning loudly. He needed something quick and tasty, now.

The fridge had nothing but convenience store sushi and days old leftover curry. The cupboards were also pretty bare, half a bag of rice and a ramen cup.

Daigo sighed heavily, setting his kettle to boil before grabbing the sushi. He stuffed a piece into his mouth, wrinkling his nose at the taste of stale rice but ate another without any complaint.

Head to the store. Get some more food, he thought, holding the ramen cup in place as he lifted up the kettle.

The water splashed on the counter a little, narrowly missing burning his fingers, making him forcefully slam the kettle back down once the cup was filled.

Daigo gripped the sides of the counter, closing his eyes as he felt a pulse of nausea rush through his body. If he forced the tension against the surface hard enough, he could stop his hands shaking for just a moment.

Eat noodles. Have a shower. Go to the store.

Opening his eyes again, he ate another piece of sushi, absolutely no taste on his tongue as he chewed it into mush, before taking his ramen into the living room.

He slumped down on the couch, turning the TV on and forced the food down him. He still felt nauseous, but he knew he wouldn’t actually vomit. He already had last night. Doubled over in a bush outside the train station and puked his guts out, despite not having much solids in him. Even now his throat felt sore from it. Classy.

He wasn’t even hungry, really. He was eating out of obligation, feeling his stomach gurgle happily at finally being filled with some kind of food.

As he ate, he noticed his cell phone on the table in front of him, discarded amongst the empty bottles and candy wrappers. It was flashing.

Daigo frowned, reaching over and flipping it open.

Three new answer machine messages.

Who the hell had tried calling him?

Message one - 9:25am

“Daigo, it’s your mother. Pick up.”

Message two - 9:43am

“Me again. Please answer your phone.”

Message three - 10:08am

“Daigo...it’s Mom-“

Daigo groaned, snapping his phone shut to end the messages. Nope! He was not dealing with this today.

He discarded the empty ramen cup and chopsticks with the rest of the trash on the table, storming towards the bathroom.

Shower on, clothes off. He used the toilet as the water heated up, catching the reflection of his upper half in the mirror as he finished.

“Hrmph.”

He ran a hand down his front, resting it on the middle of his stomach and huffed again.

His weight had been up and down the last ten years, though it had obviously settled during his stint in prison, with its shit food and no alcohol. Now that he was out, with all the freedom to indulge in every last inch of hedonism he could find though, he had developed a bit of a gut. Just a bump, but it was…noticeable, it was there. It stuck out.

No surprise really. How much did he drink last night again?

Enough I puked in a bush.

Daigo shifted on his feet, standing up a bit straighter and sucking his stomach in. It didn’t make much difference. He suddenly wondered how visible it was under his t-shirt, glad he usually wore a thick coat to hide himself in.

“Great,” he growled, stepping into the shower. Another thing to feel insecure about.

He stood there, forehead pressed against the wall as he let the water run down the Fudo Myoo on his back.

His hand started shaking again.

“Give me a break,” he said, clasping it to his chest, “A few hours, a day.”

He dried himself off, going back to his bedroom for a clean shirt and pair of jeans – both black, of course.

He also grabbed a heavy hoodie to wear to the store, a way to feel a little more comfortable in himself in a public place.

Wallet, keys, phone. Go to store. Buy supplies.

Daigo pulled his hood up as he jogged down the stairs, immediately blocked from leaving by the downstairs neighbour still gardening.

“Lovely afternoon, isn’t it Dojima-san?” Ito cried, beaming at him. She was older, always so chipper. How did she manage?

As much as he wanted to ignore her, Daigo had been raised with far too proper manners. He still remained casual, grunting a little and rubbing the back of his head.

“Yeah, suppose.”

“You came back late again last night,” she added, hands lifting a plant to move to another pot, “Ouma-san went off about it before going to work this morning.”

“Oh, did he now?”

Ouma was the guy around his age in the apartment next door. Always miserable, always bringing a new girl home every weekend that Daigo had to endure hearing fake horribly through his thin bedroom walls.

“I’ll try to be a bit quieter next time, Ito-san,” he mumbled. For her sake, not for that asshole Ouma.

“Or maybe you should stay in once in a while, hm?”

Daigo scowled, jerking his head and storming off toward the store. With any luck the old bag would have gone inside by the time he was back.

As he made his way down the street, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He went to answer but paused, clenching his fingers tight into his palm. Nope. He knew who it was, and what she wanted, and he didn’t care.

His supply run was basic. More noodles, packs of chips and cookies, some onigiri and bentos that could last a few days.

Whilst picking up a few bottles of Staminan and Tauriner, he stared blankly at the alcohol.

His hands still shook. There was such a quick fix to settle that.

He grabbed a six pack of beer and a bottle of scotch and vodka, unable to help a crooked little grin.

The cashier looked at him a little oddly as he set his basket down on the counter. And yeah, he’d admit he looked strange. Sweating and shaky from withdrawal, under his eyes dark and his brow pulled into a near permanent scowl, face otherwise obscured by the shadow of the hood.

“Get me some cigarettes too, huh?” he mumbled, taking out his wallet and avoiding eye contact.

He was a mess.

He stared at the glass case of baked goods, unable to resist the pull from his sweet tooth, and asked for two donuts as well.

He arrived back home rather pleased with his haul. He had enough in him to pack away most of it, before he stared down the booze he bought.

He could...not do this, actually. He could not drink. It was easy, in theory.

He wiped his damp brow, licked his dry lips. His head hurt, despite the slight gloom of the kitchen.

They could sit there as an ultimate temptation. He could ignore them. He could do all manner of things.

But he wanted to drink, that was the issue. That was the whole point. Drinking was the only thing he had that stayed consistent.

He grabbed the scotch and slugged back a long mouthful, feeling everything just melt away. He let out a relieved gasp, the taste strong on his tongue and warming his throat. Felt like a part of him was back. His mind became a little clearer, his mood a little more elevated. He took a shorter swig for luck, rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Much better…”

He spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the sofa, playing video games. There wasn’t much else for him to do during the day.

Evening was his time.

When seven rolled around, Daigo got ready. His jeans and t-shirt were fine already, so all he had to do was put on his usual cross necklace to complete the outfit. He spent a while staring down himself in the mirror as he applied a shaky dash of eyeliner around his lid.

Once upon a time he shied away from doing this publicly, but since leaving jail he stopped caring. Wore eyeliner and straightened his hair. Painted his nails black and picked at the polish when he was anxious. Who gave a shit? Anyone dumb enough to say anything soon regretted it.

Keys, wallet, phone. Same routine. He chose his white puffer jacket to wear instead of his hoodie, enjoying the barrier it gave him from the rest of the world.

One quick metro ride later, he was in Kamurocho, just as the town was coming alive in a burst of neon. Daigo lost himself in the crowds, thinking of which bar to hit up first.

He paused for a moment down Tenkaichi Street, staring at the sign for Serena. Place was closed, and had been for a little under a year now.

He knew what happened last year, of course. Heard about Rina through another barkeep. Not that he’d known her well, or spent much time at Serena, but something in his chest ached hearing she was gone in such circumstances.

He soon forgot about it with another glass.

With a weary huff, he decided the Champion District on the other side of town was the best place to start. The bar he chose was quiet, no other customers, and a barman who knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Perfect.

Instead of conversation, Daigo focused on the soft jazz music playing as he nursed his whiskey. He was into heavier tunes, but he needed a bit more of a buzz before going to his favourite rock bar.

He tapped his nails against the glass, tilting his head. Good idea, actually. They did cheap shots and a big array of imports.

He slammed some cash down on the counter before stumbling into the street, glad to feel the slight evening chill on his cheeks.

Down to Pink Street, and into the rock bar he enjoyed. Already feeling at home with the heavy guitar music blasting over the speakers, most of the other patrons dressed in a similar style to him. He’d missed out on a lot of stuff whilst locked away, the slight sways in fashion that happened in such a short amount of time, but he liked knowing he was still on trend within his scene, mostly.

He sat at the counter, giving a half-grin to the girl working there, and ordered himself five shots of vodka.

His earlier drinks had been a warmup, these were the first leg of the race. The second came in the form of a large scotch, some new brand they’d started selling.

Honestly, the start to a perfect night for him, until he heard a small gasp from behind him.

“Hey! Aniki!”

Daigo’s heart sank at the voice, glancing over his shoulder. Five of the guys he usually hung around with were there – or more accurately, they hung around him.

He rolled his eyes and groaned, turning in his seat and glaring them down. He should never had shown them this place.

“What do you want?” he muttered, already knowing the answer.

“We didn’t know you were out today!” Arita cried, leaning up next to him, with that sycophantic look he always had in his eyes. As if Daigo wasn’t out every night.

“Why don’t you join us aniki?” Kubo asked, which actually translated to wanna pay for all our drinks because we’re cheap scrounging bastards?

Daigo groaned again, knocking back his glass and waving the bartender over again.

“If you quit calling me aniki.”

They didn’t, of course. They gleefully accepted the drinks he bought them with more coos of thank you Dojima-aniki. Daigo rubbed the bridge of his nose and ordered himself two double scotches, slugging them back like they were water.

“I was thinkin’ we could go to Dazzle after this,” Arita said, having not left Daigo’s side. He always babbled and talked too much, like he felt he had to fill every silence with his own voice save people be left alone with their own thoughts.

“Why there?” Daigo asked, thinking of all the things he’d rather do more than go to a hostess club, including and not limited to slamming his face into a lit stovetop and drowning in a hot tub.

“I just think the girls there are really underrated, y’know? I like that they have some slightly older gals, I love a mature lady. How about you?”

Daigo shoved a shard of ice from his glass into his mouth and let it melt on his tongue. “Come on then.”

He was paying for two hours and that was that. At least he could get a bottle for himself and work through that, sitting at the edge whilst the others enjoyed the girls’ company.

Dazzle might have specialised in more mature women, but the decor was a nightmare like every other hostess club. Why’d they always insist on so many sparkles, it gave him a headache.

“Um...are you enjoying yourself?”

Daigo lowered his gaze to look at the girl. ‘Mature’ really meant ‘late twenties’, and she was running on the younger side of that.

“What do you think?” he said coldly, swirling his drink in its glass.

She seemed a little dazed at this, glancing back at her fellow hostesses, but kept going.

“M-my name is Nashi. Yours?”

“Daigo Dojima.”

He clicked his tongue, emptied his glass and went to refill it, his shoulders slouching slightly. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be so short, you’re only doing your job.”

“Oh, it’s fine, I’ve had far worse responses.”

Daigo just gritted his teeth. Another reason he hated hostess clubs was he knew how other men treated these girls, saw it himself the times his father brought him along as a teen.

The least he could do was give this lady a nice conversation.

“Well, I’ll try to be a bit better than them,” he said, gesturing with his head towards the others, so loud and obnoxious.

Nashi smiled a little. “They’re not so bad. Your friends are just a bit...out there.”

He scoffed. “They’re not my friends. I don’t really...do friendship anymore.”

“Oh? How come?”

Shit. Of course, when you say something like that, people have questions. Daigo licked his lips in thought, considering how he should phrase this.

“You...don’t recognise my name, do you?”

Nashi blushed a little, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Um, well, you do have a bit of notoriety around town, Dojima-san. I know girls in other clubs, and they always talk about you.”

Daigo did a slight double take at this. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah. You’re a rather…” She gestured at his coat and skinny jeans. “A striking figure, you know. A lot of girls like the edgy emo bad boy look. It’s popular right now.”

“Hm, figures.” A lot of men are also fans…

Daigo sat up a little straighter, gazing Nashi down. “Do you?”

“H-huh?”

“Find me attractive?”

It was a joke, said with a dry smirk, but she flustered, clearly uneasy. Daigo grimaced, sliding up a little closer and putting a hand to her knee.

“Hey, hey. I’m kidding.” He made his smirk a soft smile, broke down the facade for just a moment to put her at ease. “Don’t worry about it.”

Nashi’s eyes went wide, but nodded, brushing down the edges of her dress.

“A-anyway, I...I’ve heard you...were involved with the Tojo Clan. Is that why you don’t ‘do’ friends?”

“Mm. Essentially.”

Daigo gave up on the glass, swigging back from the bottle which got him a funny look from one of the other patrons across the way.

“My only friend murdered my father,” he said, so matter of fact. He hesitated a moment, letting out a short huff. “Well. He went to jail for the crime, at least. He was actually covering for someone else. Either way, I was left without his guidance for ten years, thinking he had betrayed me like that.”

He paused a second, swilling whiskey around his mouth, before continuing.

“I came back to town a few months ago and...he hasn’t bothered trying to find me. Which shows how little he cares.”

“Oh. That sounds...awful, Dojima-san.”

“It sure does, doesn’t it?”

Daigo shrugged, tilting the empty bottle back so he could savour just a few more drops as best he could. “That’s just how my life is now.”

He grumbled a little as he set the bottle down, belching into his cupped hand before draping himself back against the seat.

“Sometimes you gotta deal with the hand you're given,” he added, scratching lazily at his middle, “And unfortunately, I’ve had a poor deck from the start.”

He shut his eyes before letting out a laugh, forced and hollow. “Sorry. I’m not the best at keeping things light.”

How many hostesses had he paid to listen to him whine? Then he thought how they were probably all used to it, which made it even worse.

“Well, given your circumstances…”

Nashi glanced back at her co-workers, the barely hidden looks of disdain towards the rest of the crew and their boorish behaviour.

“I’d much rather talk to you though,” she said, reaching over to grab another one of the bottles along the table, gesturing toward his glass, “You’re nice.”

Daigo swallowed, nodding in approval as she filled it to the brim. His head pounded, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the music or the cravings.

“If you say so.”

The glass was empty in a flash, and filled just as quick.

“You’re good at this,” he purred.

The bottle was empty by the time the waiter came by. Daigo had just enough mental capacity to dig through his pockets and pay, giving Nashi a shaky smile and a pat on the knee.

“Thank you for tonight. You’re great.”

His friends, on the other hand, all started to whine as the waiter began to urge them into finishing their drinks.

“Aw, c’mon aniki, let’s hang around a bit longer!”

“If you want that, pay yourself, ya cheap fucks.”

Daigo stood up, a bit too quickly as he felt the room spin. He stumbled to the side slightly, wincing as he contained a belch that very much tasted of vomit. Nope! No puking tonight. Keep it all inside.

“I’m outta here,” he mumbled, resting a hand on any available solid surface to keep himself steady as he left.

He blanked out the cries of the others as he did. He’d wasted enough time with them tonight, and he was craving something else.

“Burger,” he mumbled, squinting as he glanced up and down the street, “Pffft...that way.”

This was always the worst part of the night. Trying to sober up enough so he could keep going, or at the very least get home in one piece. Stumbling through the streets and trying not to crack his skull open.

It wasn’t just food he craved though. He felt...itchy. That was the only way to really explain it. The desire to go wild, start a scuffle. Really earn that reputation he supposedly had.

To hell with staying in one piece.

But first, Smile Burger.

The fact that the poor worker even understood what he said through his slurred words was impressive and soon he was curled up against the window, feet pulled up on the chair beside him as he made his way through a burger that tasted like the finest wagyu steak right now.

All the while, he kept his eye out.

Yeah, it felt shitty to target people for a fight like this, but he made sure it was a fair fight. Usually a few guys, who looked like they could take a hit as well as throw one, maybe even have a chance if they weren’t facing someone running on adrenaline and too much booze.

He cocked his head as he focused on a table nearby. Four men, mid-twenties, definitely young yakuza from some family. He couldn’t see any lapel pin from where he was sat, but they were perfect.

Childishly, he picked up one of his fries and threw it in their direction. It hit the back of one guy’s head, and he looked around puzzled. Daigo just threw another, chuckling as it hit him again. A bit too obvious, as he was spotted this time.

“What the hell’s wrong with you dude?” one of the four cried.

“I dunno,” Daigo said, stuffing a bunch of fries in his mouth before flinging another their way, “Target practise.”

This one hit a guy in a striking red sports jacket right between the eyes, and Daigo could barely contain the full-on cackle he let out at the expression he pulled. It was almost too easy.

He grinned when one came over and jabbed him in the chest.

“Outside. Now.”

“My pleasure.”

He followed them into a nearby side street, hands in his pockets and head held high. He liked an audience sometimes, but a private fight was fine enough.

The biggest one of them threw the first punch. He was expecting it, crossing his arms over in front of his face to block it, before kicking out at the guy’s ankles.

The whole fight was messy. The little gang clearly had never been in a proper fight, had no form. They kept punching poorly, wincing with any that managed to hit as they stung their knuckles.

Not that Daigo was any better. He was still far too drunk, but that was half the fun. Stumbling about and getting in a rough hit that frightened these kids who’d never experienced this before. He just wanted the thrill, the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins. Anything to feel something.

Daigo landed a punch on that guy in the sports jacket, right in the middle of his face. It sent him flat on his ass, skidding down the street slightly.

“Come on!” he groaned, “Grab him, idiots! We outnumber him!”

A moment of pause. Daigo tried to catch his breath, but ol’ sports jacket was right. He was outnumbered.

Two of them grabbed his coat and pushed him back against the wall, holding him there. The third punched at his gut, over and over. Daigo gritted his teeth, tensed his stomach for every punch.

He knew he could get out of this, easily. The guys holding him were hardly doing much, weren’t even gripping his actual arms, just the sleeves of his jacket. It wouldn’t take much to duck and slip down, then send them crying home to their mommies.

“Come on!” he hissed, baring his teeth.

But he wanted them to hit him.

“That all you got?”

He wanted them to hurt him.

Sports jacket guy had gotten back on his feet now, face already starting to bruise. His fist met the middle of Daigo’s face hard, harder than they’d been hitting before. It stung, a lot, which is exactly what he wanted.

Not that it solved anything.

It never did.

“Oi!” They all froze, turning toward the entrance of the street. Daigo, semi-dazed, managed to look too, and felt his stomach drop.

Kashiwagi's expression, initially a scowl, changed the moment he saw him, shaking his head and blinking a little. “Daigo?”

He sighed heavily, storming over and waving his hand at the little gang. “Shoo. Don’t let me catch you boys doing shit like this again, you hear?” “Y-yes Patriarch Kashiwagi.”

They scurried off further down the street, leaving Daigo to stand up straighter, rubbing his nose. He groaned a little as he saw the streaks of rusty red on the back of his hand, sniffling heavily. “Great.”

“Daigo…”

Kashiwagi sighed again, rubbing at his temple. “What are you doing?” “I’m just...I’m just out.” Daigo sniffed again, scrunching his nose. “Just finished dinner.”

“You know what I mean…”

Kashiwagi looked around, then grabbed Daigo by the shoulder. “C’mon. Let’s talk in the office.”

Daigo went to argue, but it only took one stern glare, the kind the older man had given him his whole life, for him to clench his jaw and follow.

Kashiwagi led the way toward the Millennium Tower, hand on Daigo’s shoulder the whole way. It felt so patronising, like that time he accidentally broke a window at the Dojima Family offices when he was ten, and Kashiwagi had done the exact same gesture, marching him to his mother.

“Nice upgrade,” he still said, gazing out the wide window of Kashiwagi’s office once they arrived, “From that little place on Tenkaichi.”

“Well, we make do. I’m second in command now.” Kashiwagi set down the plastic convenience store bag he’d been carrying on his desk, letting out a small, bemused exhale of air. “It’s not all bad. Now come on. Why were you fighting?”

Daigo clicked his tongue and shrugged, staring at the blinking lights below them.

“Daigo…” “I just was, okay?”

He gave a dismissive shrug, walking across the floor toward a cabinet, throwing the doors open. Kashiwagi watched him with tired eyes, slumping down in his chair. “I think you’ve had enough to drink tonight.”

“How did you know that’s what I was looking for?”

“Your breath reeks of it, kid. Your whole body does.” He took out a bento and can of coffee from the plastic bag, raising a brow. “And I know what you’re like, especially lately. How’s being a free man by the way? Haven’t seen you since you were released.”

“It sucks ass.”

Daigo slammed the cabinet door shut, opening another and grinning as he saw half a bottle of whiskey there, as well as some crystal glasses. He heard Kashiwagi tut loudly as he slammed both down on top of the cabinet.

“What did you expect?” he scoffed, pouring a very large measure, “Mom told me the news the moment I got out. What Nishikiyama did. That it wasn’t Kiryu. He hasn’t even come to see me, to apologise for it.”

He knocked the glass back, the sensation warm and familiar down his throat. “Hardly feel free. Just not in jail anymore.”

“What happened to the boy I knew?” Kashiwagi asked, walking over and placing a hand on Daigo’s shoulder once more. This time it was gentle, kind, attempting to be comforting. Not Kashiwagi-san, one of his father’s men, but Uncle Osamu, his mother’s best friend.

Daigo scrunched his nose up, taking another slug of whiskey. “You say that like I’ve ever been cheery.”

“Well, okay, you’ve always been a serious young man, but…”

He just shook his head, moving his hand away. He grabbed the whiskey bottle in the process, making Daigo let out a pathetic little whine.

“I’m not going to enable you any more than I have,” he said firmly, before adding, “I mean it though. You don’t need to throw your life away like this.”

Daigo didn’t reply, because he didn’t like the real answer. There wasn’t much of a life to throw away. He was doing everyone a favour with this.

“You bring me up here just to lecture me old man?” he growled, narrowing his eyes.

Still looking for someone to fight. Kashiwagi would wipe the floor with him, he knew that, but he didn’t care. He also knew he wouldn’t get that kind of satisfaction.

Didn’t mean Kashiwagi wasn’t frustrated with his attitude. He closed his eyes, clenching his fists and let out a deep exhale from his nose. “I saw your mother today. She’s been trying to call you all morning.”

“I know.” The empty glass was set down heavily, with a grunt. Daigo dug around for his phone, holding it out so Kashiwagi could see the countless missed calls and texts from her on the home screen. “I know what today is.”

“...and is that why you’re-”

“You know I’m like this anyway.” He stared at the texts, all similar in tone - Daigo, please call me. Daigo, it’s important. Are you okay? He got them most days from his mother. She was trying so hard. He didn’t want her to. He would rather she forget about him. She deserved that much.

Kashiwagi wasn’t looking at him, staring up at the ceiling as he thought of what to say next.

“I understand that...none of us could have predicted the extent of what your father was like.”

Daigo did a double take, noticing Kashiwagi immediately cringe. At least he knew what he said was stupid.

“Sorry, that was-”

“Yeah. It was.” Daigo looked up, head cocked to his shoulder. “Anyone could have guessed, really. We just pretended otherwise, because somehow he seemed to be the only thing keeping the Tojo Clan from completely falling apart.”

He was up in Kashiwagi’s face now, feeling his chest clench tight. He was working himself up over nothing, over that bastard. He hated it, but thinking of what his father did to get himself killed, the kind of man he was, it made his skin crawl.

“He deserves to spend every birthday after what he did having the most miserable time in hell,” he said with a hiss, noticing his voice wobbling, “I know it. You know it. But Mom refuses to let go-”

The slap felt cathartic, for both of them. Daigo shut his eyes and nodded as his cheek stung. He deserved that. He was trying to provoke that kind of reaction and got exactly that.

“I take back what I said. That boy you were is still there. An insolent brat,” Kashiwagi said, walking back to his desk, “Daigo, one day, you’re going to have to grow up. You can’t keep doing this until you die.”

He threw a semi-sympathetic look over his shoulder, but Daigo mostly felt it was piteous. That’s what he was. A pitiful, useless mess.

“Go home, Daigo. Call your mother. And for everyone’s sake, don’t have anything else to drink tonight.”

Daigo sucked in through his teeth and nodded again as he walked toward the door.

“...good night, Kashiwagi-san.”

No response. Yup. I deserve this.

He made his way home in a daze, everything working in automatic. Kashiwagi’s words kept echoing in his head, over and over.

You can’t keep doing this until you die.

Because that’s what he was trying to do, wasn’t it? Die. Suicide by hedonism. He was born already holding the worst hand life could deal, and he was never going to get anything better. After his father was killed, the one tiny scrap of potential good he could have in his life was gone, even if that prospect was a life of crime.

So why not? Why should he grow up when there was nothing to grow up for?

The moment he was inside his apartment, he slid down the door, staring blankly ahead. He’d needed that talking to, he needed a few really, from people who were currently pretending like he didn’t exist. That’s what he really needed. For Kiryu to talk to him, apologise for ruining his life, try and talk some sense into him. He always knew what to do.

But it was like he didn’t exist. Kiryu didn’t care. Kashiwagi tried to care, but knew he was a lost cause. Who did care?

Daigo opened up his phone again, staring at the missed calls and sighed. That’s who cared. Mom.

He should talk to her. He knew he should. He was an awful son who loved his mother very much, which is why he knew she deserved better. She was trying despite knowing she’d made mistakes, but he just couldn’t let that go.

He hovered on her number, ready to press the button to call...but instead he tossed his phone to land on the couch, walked to the kitchen and wrapped his fingers around the neck of the vodka bottle still on the counter.

He licked his lips, swallowed heavily...but let go, pushing it away.

“You win this time old man,” he grumbled, picking up an energy drink and the donuts he’d bought earlier in the day instead. Kashiwagi could never be allowed to know that though.

He knew this self-control wouldn’t last long. Come morning, he’d be shaking again, a hangover banging in his skull, and he’d be dragging himself towards that bottle like it was the source of life.

The same thing every day.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

He couldn’t have it any other way.

#dojima daigo #ryu ga gotoku #trope: crutches #badthingshappenbingo #undeadbthb #highly recommend reading the end notes on ao3 for the buckwild place the inspiration for this came from

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horansqueen · 4 years

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You & Me : chapter 40

A Niall Horan fanfiction ; rated MA

Sequel to AM CONVERSATIONS

CHAPTER 1 || CHAPTER 2 || CHAPTER 3 || CHAPTER 4 || CHAPTER 5 || CHAPTER 6 || CHAPTER 7 || CHAPTER 8 || CHAPTER 9 || CHAPTER 10 || CHAPTER 11 || CHAPTER 12 || CHAPTER 13 || CHAPTER 14 || CHAPTER 15 || CHAPTER 16 || CHAPTER 17 || CHAPTER 18 || CHAPTER 19 || CHAPTER 20 || CHAPTER 21 || CHAPTER 22 || CHAPTER 23 || CHAPTER 24 || CHAPTER 25 || CHAPTER 26 || CHAPTER 27 || CHAPTER 28 || CHAPTER 29 || CHAPTER 30 || CHAPTER 31 || CHAPTER 32 || CHAPTER 33 || CHAPTER 34|| CHAPTER 35 || CHAPTER 36 || CHAPTER 37 || CHAPTER 38 || CHAPTER 39

NOTES:

-one chapter is her pov, the next is his -4.3k -im sorry, i never proofread, i hate it. -there WILL be smut. but not only smut. -this is a romance, comedy, smut story. -for the summary, check my MASTERLIST.

READ AM CONVERSATIONS AGAIN ON WATTPAD HERE

- notes: i hope this isnt too much and that youre still enjoying this story! its almost over tho, so if you have any request please send them asap! I have a few more chapters planned but I could always add a few filler chapters if you guys send me ideas. so yea, thank you!

if you want to be on the list of blogs i notify when this is updated, just message me :)

requests! : here are the requests i used. im sorry about the Julia one, they couldnt have a very big and deep talk because it was Liv’s chapter but I still wanted to add her in because i really like her :) hope its okay!

TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHARACTERS HERE

Chapter 40 : Her chapter

OLIVIA

May 7th, 2018

It was quite late but we were both packing our things in silence. I had waited last minute to do it while Niall had to wait until he was back from his concert, which resulted in us doing it together. I missed going to see him play and sing and the thought made something stir in my stomach. I couldn't believe I stopped myself from going to see him do what he loved the most to do in the entire universe just because I was scared of what some losers could write in an online article. The more I thought about it, the more I found that completely ridiculous. I was about to mention something about it when I heard Niall talk, breaking the silence.

"Oh, I totally forgot to give you that." He leaned closer to me and handed me a small box that was wrapped in pretty pink paper. I frowned but took it in my hand anyway as he shrugged. "A fan told me to give it to you. Apparently, she was really sad when we broke up."

I stared at the small box on y hand and licked my lips. I knew most of it were just rumors, but I also knew that some people believe everything they'd read online. Still, this time, I couldn't blame them since it was the truth. I quickly unwrapped it and grabbed the note first, reading it out loud.

"We thought Niall was the biggest One Direction fan in the world, but we've seen you multiple times with random One Direction merch and we thought you may enjoy this."

I frowned more but when I saw the necklace, I let out a louder laughter. It made Niall frown too and I looked up at him with a smirk, bringing my hand closer to him. Around my fingers was hanging a necklace with his face on it. It seemed to be very old merch, probably from 2011, and I saw him grimace.

"No, Liv!" he whined as I put it around my neck and I chuckled again.

"Hey, it's a gift!" I argued. "Besides, I didn't have this one. I love it."

"You're such a pain." he joked, making me laugh this time.

I didn't see it coming but he literally jumped on me and I fell on the bed with a high scream. He pinned me down and started tickling me, holding both my wrists with one hands as the fingers of the other squeezed my waist, making my body jerk.

"Noooo! Niall stop!"

I squirmed, kicking him and hitting him without really knowing or controlling what I was doing. It took him a few seconds to stop and he stared down at me with a smirk as my lips were parted. I was panting low, not even able to enjoy his body on top of mine.

"Please, let me wear the necklace." I almost begged in a low voice.

His eyes roamed on me for about a minute and finally, the left corner of his lips raised up and he nodded once before moving closer to kiss me.

I had decided to follow him in Spain even if I had no idea when I'd have to fly back to California. We still had a few episodes to film but I was hoping Niall could come with me. He only had a few concerts left before he'd be off for a few weeks and even if he had to fly to the UK at the end of the month, I was thinking he could spend almost two weeks with me. I knew all we did was live in our luggage, going from airports to airports but at the same time, we were together and it's really all that mattered to me.

His lips moving slowly against mine made my heart twist in my chest. I loved him so much, I always would and I knew it. I was starting to trust him again, so much that the tiny ball of fear that seemed to live permanently in my stomach was now gone. I had decided that I wanted to live this plenty, to not hold grudges of fears that came from our past. I wanted to move forward and I knew that we had both changed for the better.

May 8th, 2018

We woke up early to catch our flight and I put my sunglasses on because I knew I looked exhausted. They were heart shaped but were black instead of my usual pink or purple ones for the simple reason I thought it would be less obvious to the people around that I had puffy and tired eyes. I didn't mean travelling if it meant being with Niall, but that didn't mean it was it wasn't sucking up all my juice.

I didn't expect the airport to be crowded but it was, and I moved my head down, trying not to catch anyone's attention. The fans started screaming, the paps started yelling at Niall to look their way, and when one of them moved too close to us, I felt my heart jump in my chest and without thinking, I grabbed Niall's hand. I realized my mistake and quickly let go of it only to feel his fingers tighten around mine. I could swear the flashes became even more intense right after and I glanced at Niall, licking my lips as I heard similar questions being yelled around us.

"Are you two back together?"

"Did you cheat on Dylan and Heidi together?"

"Are all the rumors true?"

We both held each other's hand tighter at the sound of all these questions being thrown at us and we kept walking as they followed us. I could feel my heart beat so hard in my chest that I felt like it was about to escape. I swallowed hard trying to relax a bit as I kept glancing at my boyfriend.

"Does that mean we're official?" Niall asked me, squeezing my fingers even more after he stopped walking, and moved closer to make sure I was the only one who heard.

I turned his way and licked my lips, trying to ignore the flashes and the sounds of the cameras. I was not used to that much attention, or at least, not as intense as it was being at that moment, but even if it was a bit intimidating, I was not scared.

"Do you want us to be?"

His gaze moved on my face as he studied me before sending me a fond smile. "Yes, I do."

I sent him a gentle smile that turned into a very big one. "We're official then."

"Fuck yes." he whispered, making me chuckle.

He pulled on my hand and we started walking again but as we were about to pass the gate, he quickly and roughly moved our hands up to show our intertwined fingers and it surprised me so much I felt my heart skip a few beats.

"FUCK YES!" he repeated in a yell, making me burst into laughter this time.

If I wasn't sure Niall loved me, I definitely was now. The fact that he literally told the world we were together proved much more than anyone could believe. I knew he was private, and so was I. I also knew he didn't like his private life to be in the spotlight, or talked about, or known, and him showing everyone, fans and paps included, that we were an item by throwing our hands up just showed me how committed he was. People would talk about us and the wrong things we did to Dylan and Heidi, people would definitely criticize us as individuals but also as a couple and I knew that for a while, people would stop talking about his music and my tv show only to blab shit about our love, but he thought it was still worth it and even if I was a bit surprised, it touched me more than I thought it would. And just like that, the blinded trust I had for Niall until he broke up with me was back, and I knew that this time, it would be different.

---

We took a nap when we arrived at the hotel and when I woke up, it was the middle of the afternoon and Niall's arm was wrapped around me as he was laying on his stomach. I ran my fingertips on his arm and reached his back, making him groan slightly. He looked so good, his eyes closed, his bottom lip a bit over his upper one in a cute pout and his hair a bit messy. It made something come alive inside me and I realized that we went through so many things to get back pretty much where we used to be. The difference was us and the way we had grown, and I knew that what we lived when we were away from each other was needed to have the relationship we had at that very moment.

I tried not to wake him up and sat up slowly and gently in bed, rubbing my eyes and yawning before grabbing my phone. I knew he didn't want me to but I searched for his name and mine in google and a bunch of pictures from the airport appeared. My lips curled more at the picture of us walking away while Niall held our hands up together. I stared at it for a few minutes and pressed my lips together, feeling suddenly ecstatic and a bit dizzy. It was really happening. I was back with Niall and we were happy together. In all the months we were apart, I had wished for it, but I never thought it would really happen at some point.

"What are you looking at?" he mumbled low, taking me out of my thoughts. "You're smiling."

I turned to him and my excited smile turned into a fond one. His eyes were half-closed and his face was still pressed on the pillow. In fact, I was pretty sure he hadn't moved at all and looking at him made something stir in my stomach. There was nothing I loved more than waking up with him, except maybe falling asleep in his arms.

I tilted my head and let the left corner of my lips raise up before turning the screen his way. It took him a few seconds to let what he was seeing sink in and he smiled too.

"Oh look, that's us telling the world we're back together." he pointed out slowly and in a low tone, an amused smile curling his lips. "I'm sorry, I'm never that impulsive normally. But I've been waiting for that for a while." He paused and I felt his arm hold my waist tighter before he squirmed a bit and put his head on my lap. "It's okay though, because this is meant to last, so everyone may as well know now. What do ya say?"

I brought my hand to his head and ran my fingers in his hair gently, making his eyes flutter. "I agree." I whispered, making him smile more.

"We're gonna get married and have a few kids. And dogs, too. I love dogs."

This time, I chuckled and licked my lips. He had mentioned marriage a few times in the past weeks and I loved it. He used to be so scared of commitment and the future and now he was literally planning it for us.

"You know what we should do now?" he asked, making me shake my head. "Stay in bed all day. Order food, watch tv, and make out. Champagne and you. That sounds perfect."

I smiled widely. "Gotta celebrate the fact that we're official, now."

"Damn right."

After a few hours, we were done eating and the bottle of champagne was empty. We were still laying in bed but I had stopped following the movie and kept staring at the ceiling. What took me out of my thoughts, once again, was Niall's voice. I blinked a few times, trying to get back to my senses, and he raised his eyebrows at me.

"Mm?" I asked, making him laugh.

He stopped the movie quickly before grabbing the sheets of the bed, pulling them over our heads and once again locking us together in our safe place. I smiled at him and turned my body his way as he did the same. It was always a bit stifling to stay under the covers for a while but at the same time, it made me feel secure like nothing else did.

"How hard did that champagne hit?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Mm, i'm tipsy." I admitted, laughing too.

"Me too." he let out, his eyes roaming on my face. "You know I want to marry you for real, right? I want to promise to be yours forever. I want to literally show everyone that no one else will ever mean to me as much as you mean to me."

"I want it too. I want to be your wife. Niall I want it more than anything."

I felt my heart jump in my chest at my confession and we kept looking at each other for a few minutes in silence. He found my left hand and brought it up to his eyes level before running his thumb gently on my ring finger. I bit my bottom lip, trying to imagine what it would feel like to be his wife, and I swallowed hard, almost ashamed that I let my mind wonder so far.

"One day..." he just murmured before looking up in my eyes. "How many kids?"

"Five." I let out, making his eyebrows raise.

"Jesus Christ, do you want to kill me, woman?"

This time, I started laughing and he pulled me closer with a groan, letting his lips press against mine before pulling slightly away. I waited until he spoke again, my lips curling more and more with every passing seconds.

"You're not serious?" he just asked, making me laugh, this time.

"How many do you want?"

"Two, maybe three." he admitted before I kissed him again, sucking gently on his upper lip.

"Then two or three we'll have." I breathed out against his mouth as he held me closer.

"And we'll live in London, and keep a house in Cali, how's that?" he proposed in a murmur. "I'll bring you to Las Vegas to get married. We'll have the best honeymoon because I'll make you cum twenty times a day for a whole week."

I started laughing against his mouth and he smirked. "Where are we going for that?"

"Bali?" he suggested.

"Mm, don't tempt me." I joked as he laughed again, deepening the kiss and making me close my eyes. "What's on your mind, Horan?" I asked lower and more seriously.

"Well, how about we practice making those two-three kids now?" he offered, making me chuckle. "I really want to make love to my official girlfriend and future wife."

"Hey, I didn't say yes just yet." I joked as his lips traveled on my jaw and neck.

"But you will yea? You just accepted to be my official girlfriend so it's a good start. You'll be my wife and marry me?"

"If you want to spend your life with me, how can I say no to that?"

"That's what I thought." he just said, giving himself a swing and making me laugh even more as he got on top of me.

I spread my legs a bit as he nibbled on the skin of my neck and I groaned when I felt his hard dick press on my inner thighs. I was tired and still a bit tipsy but the way he whispered, the sound of his voice, the feeling of his body on top of mine... all of this was too good and I felt like I never had enough of him. Even after all this time, I wanted him as much as I used to, even more, probably, and the way he was all over me made me think he felt the same.

"I want to bury my cock so deep inside you right now." he whispered, bringing his mouth back on mine. "You're so fucking beautiful. I love you so much, Olivia. You made me so happy today."

I reached for his boxers and pulled them down as much as I could, his words making my heart twist and jump in my chest. I didn't think Niall could love me as much as he seemed to, I didn't know he could want to be with me to the point where he would literally hold my hand and show everyone that we were together in a crowded airport. I had no idea he was waiting for this, I didn't know that it would make him react like that to be my official boyfriend. All of this made sense, of course, but it was just hitting me that Niall really loved me as much as I loved him and that he didn't want to lose me again.

"Please Niall, just do it." I begged him in a murmur, reaching between my legs and pulling my panties aside before grabbing his cock and lining it up.

His hip movement was slow and as he pushed himself inside me, I felt my eyes roll back and a moan escaped my lips. I moved my knees up as he lied on top of me, holding himself on his elbows as he started thrusting in and out of me slowly. It felt like torture but at the same time it was so good I moved my chin up, feeling his lips leave kisses on it.

"I love you, can't believe you're my girlfriend again." he whispered, his lips brushing against my skin.

"I was always yours, Niall. I've always been yours. Since I was 6 years old. I knew I belonged to you." I replied just as low and without thinking. "I was just scared you didn't belong to me"

He pushed himself deeper inside me and it felt so good I let out an other whimper. He remained still, waiting for my eyes to open again and meet his, and I felt one of his hands slip in my hair while the other moved a lock out of my eyes.

"I belong to you." he confessed, making a shiver run across my back. "All this soulmate shit? I believe in it now. I have to."

I bit my bottom lip, making him glance at my mouth before looking back in my eyes.

"I love you. I fucking love you." I had barely finished my sentence that he was pressing his mouth against mine again, this time fucking me harder and faster.

My back arched after a few minutes and I moaned in his mouth this time, right before his thrusts became unsteady and a bit sloppy. The orgasm felt amazing and I gripped his arms as I felt his muscles tighten. I pressed my thighs on each sides of him, pushing myself against him in motion with him as he came. Nothing felt better than that post orgasm feeling with Niall on top of me. His lips found mine and he kissed me slowly but deeply for a while until we both got down of our highs and even a little bit after.

"I'm so happy you followed me here." he admitted with a smile as I tilted my head on the pillow.

"Me too." I licked my lips and raised my eyebrows. "Are you gonna follow me back to Cali in a few days?"

"Nothing will stop me from going with you. Nothing."

He rolled off of me and I pushed the covers to breathe fresh air, just realizing that I needed it. Niall grabbed my hand and I focused back on him as he stared at my fingers, making me try to suppress the smile stuck on my lips.

"Please come to my show tomorrow." he just let out, his fingers brushing gently against mine, exactly where a wedding ring would be. "We're officially together now, so we don't care who sees you or what they see."

My heart skipped a beat and I licked my lips nervously. It would be a good start but it stressed me to think that people would start judging us even more, now that we were official. I knew Niall was not going to start kissing me or anything in public but I still felt nervous.

"Okay." I let out low feeling myself tear up. I swallowed my tears but I could see my boyfriend getting emotional too and I sniffed. "I love you Niall. I don't ever want to be away from you anymore."

He brought one of his hands to my cheek and I felt the warmth of his skin against mine as he moved closer to lean his forehead against mine.

"I'm never leaving again. I promise on my life. I'm here to stay. What we have will never die, okay?"

I nodded quickly and bit my bottom lip as I felt a tear run down my cheek. I could swear he was tearing up too and I pressed my parted lips against his. "Okay."

May 9th, 2018

I hadn't realize how much I had missed watching Niall sing and play. He was always the kid who was singing, dancing, or playing guitar when we were younger, and it always brought a bunch of people around him. He seemed so untouchable, even for me, who was his best friend. Now, with the literal crowds and album selling, it was even more obvious, but a lot less scary. The fact that I knew he loved me definitely helped but watching him do what he's always loved but this time, as a living, was just breathtaking. He was breathtaking.

I chuckled when he winked at me subtly and I rolled my eyes with a smile until I felt a hand on my arm. I jumped slightly and turned again to look at Julia who was smiling widely at me. I thought I knew what she was going to say but instead, she pulled me close into a tight hug. It took me a few seconds to answer it but when I did, she jumped a few times, bringing me with her, and finally pulled away.

"I saw the video!" she said happily, her lips curled into a bit grin.

"The video?"

"Of you two at the airport!"

I felt my cheeks turn a soft shade of red as they burned a bit and cleared my throat, looking away. I knew there were pictures but I was not aware someone was filming. Come to think about it, it was not surprising, after all. I felt two strong arms wrap around my neck from behind and I smiled immediately, recognizing the touch and the perfume. It was crazy how he still affected my moods but I could also see that I influenced his, and that made our relationship so much better.

"Niall!" he let go of me to hug Julia and I smiled, taking a step away. "I'm so happy for you! I knew it would happen! I told you you had to keep hope!"

Niall's eyes found mine and his smile faltered as his embrace around his friend loosened.

"I sort of... confided in Julia." he admitted, licking his lips as mine parted. "I know you wanted me to keep the secret, but I didn't know what to do, and I felt like shit... I needed to talk to someone."

He looked at me with fear in his eyes, as if I was going to turn on my heels and leave, but I just tilted my head on the side while staring at him.

"Hey, I understand. She's one of your closest friends." I pointed out with a shrug before sending him a smile. "I talk to Louis about almost everything." I shrugged again. "Besides, I like her."

Julia smiled more and grabbed my arm, pulling me closer to them to hug both of us at the same time. I laughed and after a few seconds, she pulled away and smiled again.

"I'll wait for you guys backstage. We're going to celebrate right?" she asked as Niall and I glanced at each other, a bit unsure. "It's one of my last shows! We have to go grab a drink together!"

"Sure, we'll do that."

She left with a big grin and I turned to Niall who was smiling fondly at me. I frowned, my lips still curled, but I had to admit that the way he was looking at me made something twitch in my stomach.

"Thank you." he whispered, bending down to kiss the top of my head.

"For?"

"For wanting to get to know my friends. I know you get along great with all our childhood friends, and my cousins and all, but I've made great friends while doing this job, and you never really seemed to be interested in befriending them too, well, except for Harry, Louis and Liam.”

I shrugged a shoulder and looked away before looking back at him and raising my nose in a small grimace. "You used to hang out with many celebrities, especially when you were dating Heidi. I don't know, Niall, to me, it's a bit intimidating." I admitted. "I never felt like I fitted with them, or belonged with those famous faces. It's just weird to me."

"I'd love to present them to you. I promise they're great."

I stared at him and after a while, my lips curled again. "Sure, I'd love to meet them." I just gave in and by seeing the smile on his face, I knew it made him happy. "Let's start with Julia. I already know I love her."

Niall laughed and cupped my face, tilting my chin up before reaching for my mouth with his. "And I know I love you."

#niall horan #niall horan smut #niall horan fluff #niall horan story #niall horan fanfic #niall horan fan fic #niall horan fanfiction #niall horan fan fiction #niall horan writing #my fanfics #yam

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cherrylining · 4 years

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Kakuriyo Light Novel Volume 6, Chapter 1: The perfect taste for the autumn harvest of new rice

This work was translated from this website. All credits go to 友麻碧 and 深夜读书会. I do not own anything.

Whoo, here you go. Volume 6 baby!

This takes place after the anime, so it’s all uncharted territory basically.

Previous Chapter

“Aoi-san, we’re already at our limit!”

“Um! Do we have to stop here for today……”

This is Moonflower, and the time is late September.

I- Tsubaki Aoi, am frowning due to inner regret, leaning in close to stare at the refrigerator with few ingredients left.

The situation before me is like being cut off by the enemy forces, facing the desperate situation of trying to do everything. Today’s business should be able to do only this much, and we won’t be able to accept any more customers.

As usual, Moonflower’s operations are understaffed, often becoming too busy to deal with. On days where there are particularly many guests, the ingredients may be exhausted halfway, forcing Moonflower to close early; yet if the sufficient amount is prepared in advance, the day’s business might be particularly deserted. It is really difficult to catch a balance.

Furthermore, I’m alone in managing the affairs of the store and I feel like I can’t keep doing so anymore. It’s really a problem.

“Although the previous incident at Orio-ya, including the ceremony details, was quietly covered up, it still caused enthusiastic debate among the citizens of the Hidden World. In all aspects, Aoi-san has managed to become the topic here, receiving even more interest from the ayakashi, leading the name of Moonflower to be passed along to great distance……”

After closing up shop, Ginji-san and I sat on the bar counter for a short break. We bit into the dried persimmons that we got from a customer while sipping our tea.

“Ginji-san, while your tone is full of emotion, I did not voluntarily make a name in the Hidden World.”

“Mmm, I understand. It is the ayakashi who are actively focusing on you…… But thanks to that, Moonflower’s business is flourishing!”

Originally tired, Ginji-san’s expression suddenly changed and showed a face full of joy, but my heart was full of uneasiness at the same time.

From a debt-owing standpoint, of course I would like to see a prosperous business. However, if the operating methods in the store are not adjusted or improved, I have a feeling that it will affect the standard of the meals sooner or later, leading me to feel sorry for the customers that specially come to the door.

Ah…...let’s change the topic for a moment, this persimmon is really delicious. The sweetness exuded from the soft part inside and the slight remain of the bitter flavor is what I particularly like.

Although there are many people who hate persimmons, this is a snack that grandpa used to eat. It has a familiar taste to me.

“It seems…...that it’s almost time for Moonflower to hire a new employee.”

“New employee? But you’re right, relying on just Ginji-san and I, is really a bit tough…...”

I agree with Ginji-san’s proposal. Ever since the opening of Moonflower, it has just been the two of us working hard together along the way.

But Ginji-san also has other departments that he has to manage.

I think the store should just straight up hire new people for help.

“In order to let Aoi-san focus on her cooking, first of all, we should increase the number of waiters in the field. I will try to post a sign on the bulletin board of Tenjin-ya before I start.”

“I wonder what kind of people will come to apply……”

Why am I saying it like I have decided to hire a new person……

“Mistress Aoi is too much!”

A ghost fire suddenly appeared from my necklace. It was Ai.

She puffed her cheeks angrily with the same appearance as me.

“You already have me as a follower, and still want to hire new employees! You should just let me work then!”

“Huh? Do you want to work so much, Ai?”

“Haven’t I always strongly asked?”

Was this the case? I tried to think about it.

Ai showing up from the necklace has basically only been during dinner time, or to find Chibi to play with.

I’ve always thought of her as an ayakashi that has yet to grow up, so I’ve never thought of accepting her as an employee.

“But Ai, you always become tired after coming out for a while, and then run back into the necklace, don’t you? Furthermore, if you have the same appearance as me, it feels like there are two mes in Moonflower, which is very weird.”

“......would it be weird?”

Ai and I both looked at Ginji-san.

Our expressions seem to be asking for his opinion: “Hey, what do you think?”

“Uh, well…...since Ai knows best what Aoi-san is thinking, I would of course like to have you help. But if you maintain the same appearance as Aoi-san, I think it is a bit inappropriate.”

“Why, why do you say so? Young master, I also want to try my best……”

Ai pleaded tearfully with Ginji-san. Saying that with my face seemed to have confused and panicked Ginji-san. His eyes shifted, and he stuttered a reply: “But…… this……”

“This feels like it will confuse the customers. Mistakenly thinking that it’s me, but it turning out to be Ai; or in reverse, mistaking me for Ai.”

“This is indeed one of the problems…… But, disregarding the operations of the store first, having a follower that can change their appearance to match the master’s is actually extremely precious. This may be better to not share with the world.”

“Is it?”

“Mmm. Having a look-alike avatar can serve as your last life saving trump card. But on the other hand, it may also be used unscrupulously by people. So if possible, I hope you will try your best to not highlight Ai’s existence……”

Ginji-san glanced at Ai to see her biting her lower lip with tears like a child, and then scratched his head in distress.

“If you want Ai to work in this store, you may need two conditions- one is that she can’t doze during work hours, and two, she has to transform into a new appearance.”

“......New appearance.”

Ai and I tilted our heads in uncomprehension.

Not being able to doze during work hours is understandable. This was obvious.

“Does this mean that you want her to change into someone other than me?”

“No, it means that I’m asking her to learn to change into a new appearance of her own- also her own original look.”

“Ori, original look?”

These words seem to make Ai confused.

“Let me think of how to explain…...For example, Tokihiko-san from Orio-ya. He used to be a small demon fire, and now has his own appearance instead of copying others. There’s a big difference in imitating others and creating your own appearance, so I’m not sure if Ai-san, who is still so young, has such a capability……”

However, Ai raised one hand up high and vowed: “I want to give it a try!”

“I, I will work hard to create my own appearance!”

“Oh……” (T/N: this is said in agreement)

Looking at Ai’s energetic appearance, Ginji-san and I applauded softly to show admiration.

“However, it’s almost time for me to sleep, so I’m going back into the necklace first.”

“......”

Ai immediately became a ghost fire, and returned back into the necklace.

The necklace gleamed with gently pulsing light, like the breaths of Ai as she slept peacefully.

“Compared to the appearance problem, this seems to be a bigger one.”

“The reason that she would need to sleep so often may be because she’s still growing. When she grows up, she should be able to stay up like a normal ayakashi, since ayakashi have no need for sleep in the first place.”

“Listening to you say that, the sleep time of the employees in Tenjin-ya is indeed very short. I originally thought it was an illegal business or the like, but it turns out that this is not the case……”

“Uh, no no no! How could it be an illegal business, Tenjin-ya’s treatment can be considered quite superior in the Hidden World. It’s just that the business is busy.”

“Huh? Why does this answer seem to be a bit of a walk through a gray area.”

Forget it, anyway, I get enough sleep every day and have a holiday tomorrow, so I don’t have any comments.

But no matter how, every business day is still very busy. If Ai could help, I couldn’t be more happy.

“Aoi, I want to eat.”

“Ah, that guy is here.”

“That guy” that I referred to was a certain snow woman.

That is, the former young proprietress, now waitress, Oryo. She arrived at Moonflower as usual after getting off work.

“Sorry, Oryo, there is nothing left today.”

“Huuuuuuuuuuhhhh! Again? What about rice? You don’t even have rice?”

“If it’s white rice, I can just cook it again, but we don’t have any dishes. And tomorrow, Moonflower is taking a break. There aren’t any ingredients left.”

“Then just cook white rice for me. Anyway, I like rice the most, and just the new rice will taste delicious.”

“......”

If you want to eat just white rice, you can go wherever you want…...Ginji-san and I lowly exchanged whispers.

However, seeing that Oryo had already been lazily sitting on the bar seat, I helplessly spit out a “Really, what should I do with you” and stood up to prepare the white rice.

As Oryo said, it is now the most delicious season for new rice.

Especially in the land of the Ogre Gate, where the high-end brand rice ‘Ogre Sui Xiang’ is produced, the rice is harvested between late August and early September and immediately polished, launching in the market at this time.

Moonflower also uses this kind of fragrant Ogre rice, its specialty being that every grain of rice is saturated with water.Therefore, the rice can be cooked with lesser water, and will be more delicious. Although I want to let the rice soak for half an hour, I wonder if Oryo has the patience to wait……

“Hey, Oryo-san!”

Following closely behind was a young girl with chestnut-brown hair, striking raccoon dog ears and a ball of furry round tail.

She is one of the waitresses from Tenjin-ya, Kasuga.

“You forgot your corkscrew in the banquet hall. Oryo-san, you rushed to Moonflower immediately after work, and the new waiters can’t find you anywhere. But I kept it first, and said that I would help hand it over to you.”

“Ah, really? Kasuga, you’re an errand girl in front of even your juniors?”

“The main reason also lies with you, Oryo-san. Everyone is very serious about their work attitudes.”

“Ah, yes yes yes, Kasuga you work very hard too.”

I don’t know whether it was because Oryo was tired after just finishing work or what, but she responded causally without any real interest and patted Kasuga’s hair.

Then she took the corkscrew that had an ice bell hanging from its head, and stuffed it directly into her kimono belt.

‘Dingling~~’ The clear sound of the bell rang out.

“That ice bell is so beautiful.”

“Well, I would never gift it to you, Kasuga.”

“I don’t want it either okay…...I’m just asking you to take better care of it in the future.”

Kasuga replied in frustration and sighed. It was hard to tell who was the senior from this response.

“Ah, that’s right. Young master, the Odanna is looking for you.”

“Eh! Really? Kasuga-san. Right, it could be about the autumn festival…...Aoi-san, I’ll say goodbye for now and head to the main inn.”

“Mmm, you’ve worked hard, Ginji-san.”

Ginji-san quickly nodded to me, and left Moonflower in a hurry.

“Kasuga ah, you’re still the same as before, being entrusted with so many tasks.”

“Yeah, everyone uses me as an errand girl, but I’m used to it, so it doesn’t matter.”

Kasuga lightly sits on the seat next to Oryo. It seems like she also decided on eating plain white rice from the new rice here.

“Aoi, is it not done yet? I’m hungry. I thought using the Hidden World rice cooker would have it done in a matter of minutes?”

“Aiyo, Oryo, wait patiently for a while. It’s rare to use such good new rice, so it should soak in the water for a while.”

“Huh? You don’t have to work so hard. Hurry up, start cooking. I’m so hungry.”

If it was the usual me, I would start cooking because I can’t convince her. But in order to taste the deliciousness of the new rice, I want to do my best and choose the most exquisite cooking method.

However, Oryo’s patience seemed to have reached a limit. She began to smack the counter table.

“Aoi, Aoi~~ rice, let me eat rice~~”

“Hey hey hey, that baby over there! Stop smacking, this table is already an old antique.”

I can’t stand it, Oryo is so capricious.

“Hey, is there anything to eat?”

It was no surprise that Akatsuki would show up now.

Oryo, Kasuga and Akatsuki- the three of them always come here and become food-scrounging ayakashi.

“Akatsuki, I need to apologise first, we don’t have a single ingredient left today. Oryo said she’s okay with just eating white rice, so I’m about to cook it now.”

“Then I’ll have white rice too, do you have any pickled vegetables?”

Akatsuki chose to sit two spaces beside Kasuga, which was the same as usual.

“There are many ingredients for bibimbap. I’ll put it on the table later. There’s no other way to say it, ayakashi really love rice.”

I finally moved the rice cooker onto the stove, and cooked it on the fire. The Hidden World’s rice cooker can cook fragrant rice in less than 5 minutes, which is really convenient.

“Akatsuki, I heard you didn’t use any of your special leaves this year? Do you not even have a girlfriend, and have only work as an interest? Is there really such a man.”

I don’t know if Oryo was bored to craziness or hungered to craziness. She bypassed Kasuga to find fault with Akatsuki. She has such a bad habit, always messing with the younger ayakashi just for the fun of it.

But Akatsuki, who had finished working for the day, was exhausted and returned her comment with an impatient expression.

“You should learn more about how to have some fun. A guy like you, who looks like he has a bad temper and doesn’t know how to relax and have some fun, won’t be welcomed among girls no matter how hard working you are.”

“Oryo, stop nagging me.”

“Wow! You have no respect! I’m older than you in terms of qualifications, and I’m older than you in terms of age!”

“That means nothing. Now that you don’t have the title of young proprietress, you’re just another waitress. Comparing the front desk manager and waitress, obviously I’m greater.”

“Hmph! What a displeasing man!”

“Oryo-san, you’re so noisy.”

Oryo’s high pitched voice was too ear damaging, leading Akatsuki and Kasuga to cover their ears.

However I just listened to their conversation silently, and opened the kitchen refrigerator in the store.

Although there are not enough ingredients to make a decent dish, there are a few frequently prepared side dishes. After taking out these side dishes, I quietly laughed to myself. Ha ha ha, ha ha ha……

“Aoi let out a very strange laugh.”

“......Anyway, she must be thinking about something related to cooking.”

“Don’t even talk about us, she’s an ayakashi who cooks all the time.”

The three who were still quarreling a second ago now began to lowly exchange bad words about me.

But I didn’t pay them any attention.

The long-awaited new rice was finally done. I let the white rice stay in the pot for a while and then opened it. The rising heat was accompanied by the fragrance, which made my stomach grunt involuntarily.

Mix the freshly cooked rice in a cutting motion, then put it into the wooden rice bucket.

I pinched the rice that was sticking on the back of the rice spoon and tasted it. The chewiness and sweetness of the new rice were a real treat.

“If it’s white rice, there are so many shops around for that. Here, eat to your heart’s content.”

I placed the rice bucket on the bar counter and helped Akatsuki and Kasuga to fill up normal rice bowls, while filling Oryo’s in the large bowl that she usually used.

Each grain of rice that was overflowing from the bowl was full and shiny. It really was a tastiness that only new rice had.

“Yeah, I’m going to start!”

Oryo picked up the chopsticks and the big bowl, and without another word, started eating the white rice in big mouthfuls.

Huh…...I can finally close her mouth.

“Kasuga, Akatsuki, both of you are hungry right? Please, eat.”

“Yeah. But to eat it plainly just like Oryo, is a little bit hard to swallow……”

“Do you not have any side dishes or the like, Aoi?”

“Hoho, how about using this for bibimbap?”

I placed a jar in between Kasuga and Akatsuki.

They were stunned at first, then carefully looked at the contents of the jar.

Kasuga seemed to immediately get it.

“Ah! I know. This is boiled mushrooms, right?”

“That’s right. Using the large amounts of mushrooms that were harvested in the fall to make this homemade side dish, it is a perfect match with the white rice. Recently, the autumn orders in the store would order for a match like this.”

I opened the bottle cap, used the wooden spoon to pick up a full scoop of boiled mushroom sauce, and placed them in both of their rice bowls. The cooked mushrooms were the colour of coffee, and slowly flowed down the top of the white rice hills……

This side dish used enoki, beech and shiitake mushrooms, seasoned with the favourite sweet soy sauce of the ayakashi.

In addition to the sugar, mirin and cooking wine, which are necessary ingredients in general practice, I also added red pepper and vinegar to give the sweetness a slightly spicy taste, accompanied by a slightly sour taste.

For frequently prepared side dishes, this is a very good dish that matches everything. Excluding matching it with rice, it is also very tasty to have with cold tofu or boiled vegetables.

Kasuga and Akatsuki half mixed the boiled mushrooms with rice and half swept it into their mouths in big bites.

“Well, eating is especially delicious when you are hungry.”

“......This is really delicious.”

The chewing sounds of enoki mushrooms from the both of them made a crisp and sweet sound.

Oryo was possibly sick of eating just white rice, and felt curious about the boiled mushrooms that Kasuga and Akatsuki were enjoying. She had been secretly eyeing the jar from the beginning……

“Oryo, take it if you want to eat it-”

But Oryo didn’t even listen to me finish, and had already snatched the jar away.

“Ahh! My rice buddy!”

“Oryo, you really took it for yourself! This is too low!”

“Kasuga, Akatsuki, don’t be worried. I still have some here.”

I couldn’t bear it, and found several side dishes that went well with rice to bring to them.

There are plum meat hijiki fragrant pine, miso puree with lotus root added, and vinegared kombu white radish……

The daily set meal in the eatery will always have side dishes that pair well with rice, so I usually make several kinds of preserved spares.

“This is personally my highly recommended side dish. Dried hijiki boiled in water and crispy dried plum meat chopped randomly are fried together with bonito broth until it is dry. It is very good with white rice.”

Bearing the painful loss of the boiled mushroom sauce, Akatsuki then tried to use the plum meat lamb lettuce fragrant pine to pair with the white rice.

The crispy taste and sourness of the plum meat together with the rich and fresh sweetness of the hijiki, covering each grain of rice, was another delightful taste. This fragrant pine alone could give people a type of satisfaction without need of any other side dishes. In addition, it is also recommended to mix it with white rice and knead it into a rice ball to enjoy. The taste will also be very good.

One after another, Akatsuki also tried some minced-miso meat and pickled kelp white radish. Seeing that these side dishes were being eyed by Oryo again, I took a small dish and separated a little for her.

With an increase in the varieties of side dishes, it painted a colourful vision that could be enjoyed fully by the viewers. There was also a hesitation of deciding what to eat next, which made me jump for joy.

It’s nice to occasionally enjoy the pure taste of new rice like this.

I decided to also have dinner like this, so I walked back to the kitchen to get my usual rice bowl. At this moment……

“Ahhh! I remember!”

Right, there were still two pieces of autumn salmon fish freezing in the refrigerator, usually used in the cooking of the employees’ breakfasts.

It just needed to be taken out and thawed, and I could make one more side dish!

“Hehehe, when it comes to the classic ways of accompanying rice, of course it has to be the salmon floss……”

Without saying anything else, I put the salmon pieces on a demon-fire powered defrosting disc to thaw, removed the skin and dry fried its surface, adding salt, broth, mirin, wine and other seasonings before turning it down to low heat. I then used the wooden spatula to loosely separate the salmon pieces and stir fried it, easily serving it. Hehe, hehehe…….

“Weird, Aoi is laughing in the kitchen again.”

“I can smell fried fish.”

“Hey, Aoi! Why are you secretly frying salmon in the kitchen alone! Don’t think you can fool my nose!”

“......Don’t worry, Kasuga, Oryo, Akatsuki, I made enough for everyone to eat together.”

Coming to the final step before starting the pan- after the salmon meat has dried and become loose, pour the white sesame and sesame oil into the pan, and stir-fry it slightly.

And the homemade salmon floss is completed. It’s just that simple to make it.

“I’m ready to start! This is the invincible rice buddy- the dry-fried salmon bits loved by men, women and children. You would better understand it by straight-up calling it fragrant salmon, right?”

“Oh oh oh……”

“It smells so fragrant.”

Bringing the fragrant salmon bits before them, Oryo and Akatsuki immediately exclaimed.

Their rice bowls were already empty, and they were trying to get another bowl. Really, these two. This time, they started to quarrel over grabbing the rice spoon in front of the rice bucket, so Kasuga automatically ran to get another. At the end of the day, she really is the most mature person here…...

“Ah, it’s finally my turn to sit down and eat a meal!”

After a lot of work, I finally picked up my rice bowl and added some white rice, and deeply savoured supper.

First of all, let’s taste the fluffy and delicate, fresh fragrant salmon bits.

Whether it is used for making rice balls or as a side dish of a bento, it is a very popular bibimbap ingredient.

Generally, bottled salmon floss is also available on the market. Although the ready made ones are also really good, I will still try to make them myself so that I can adjust the taste and texture to my liking.

Use a spoon to scoop up a spoonful of bright pink-orange salmon floss, put it on the freshly cooked white rice, and sweep it into the mouth while mixing.

Ah ah…… this autumn salmon that brings with it delicious fat, really is the taste of autumn. Although I chose to mash the whole piece of salmon into minced meat to make fragrant loose bits, the deliciousness and saltiness match the sweetness of the white rice really well. In addition, the added white sesame and sesame oil also work, releasing a compelling aroma in the mouth along with the taste of salmon.

“Ah, this is really delicious, I feel like I can have another big bowl of rice……”

“Oryo-san will get fat if you continue to eat, but I also want to have another bowl……”

“Sure enough, eating salmon in the autumn is a must. It really goes well with rice.”

Everyone seems to be very satisfied with the fragrant salmon floss.

Ah! Damn. Mouthful after mouthful of white rice, I couldn’t stop myself…… I’ll end up consuming too much carbohydrates like this……

Adding the miso minced meat with lotus root was also great. The rich miso-flavored ground meat was paired with crispy lotus roots, altogether with rice. If you want to eat something refreshing to change up the taste, come try pickled kelp white radish and enjoy the crispy taste……

“Aoi-dono……”

At this moment, Sasuke, the gardener of Tenjin-ya, came to Moonflower.

Sasuke was still clad in his ninja uniform, but carried a big bamboo basket with him.

What was inside turned out to be fresh red-shelled eggs.

“This is a batch of eggs laid by the cassowary in the evening. The Odanna told the young master that it was unbearable to see that the lot of you have only rice to eat, so he ordered me to send the eggs here. That way, you can mix it with your rice.”

“......”

We felt an electric shock like a flint was struck.

Raw eggs. This is the best product among all others in accompanying rice, crowned.

Not good. Suddenly there’s TKG (Note: TKG is the abbreviation of ‘raw egg bibimbap’ in Japanese, taken from the first letter of its Roman pinyin.). I didn’t expect to be able to make raw egg bibimbap with new rice…...

“Ah, I want another bowl.”

“Ah! Oryo, you’re too deceitful, I want one too.”

“I want one too, since there are now eggs.”

These lot of ayakashi continued to eat bowl after bowl of rice in the dead of night. Forget it, I don’t intend to stop them.

“I would also like to fill my stomach with rice to my heart’s content.”

“Yeah, Sasuke, come and sit down too.”

Everyone at the scene couldn’t hide their expectations for the raw egg bibimbap.

Make a hole in the middle of the hot white rice and beat the egg in, so that the moving raw egg fills the gap perfectly.

The yolk of the cassowary eggs is bright yellow. The plump and shiny outer membrane is full of irresistible charm.

Ahh, just by looking at it, I already knew this was going to taste absolutely delicious!

“Raw egg bibimbap is definitely best matched with sweet sauce from the Hidden World.”

I chose the most classic combination.

“Soy sauce is also not bad, but a few drops of sesame oil is also great.”

Oryo really took the rich route.

“Is eating it with tsukemen sauce and green wasabi a minority route……”

Akatsuki glanced aside and muttered, but it sounded good.

“I always eat it with citrus vinegar and soy sauce. If there are bonito flakes and fried noodle balls, I will also add them.”

Kasuga’s preferred taste always brings a feel of Tanuki color. (Note: ‘Tanuki-color’ - In Japanese, the pronunciation of “Tanuki” also refers to “oolong or soba noodles with fried noodle balls”.) (T/N: I have NO idea what this means, but I��m pretty sure it’s a pun?)

“I always eat the original flavor.”

Sasuke’s preferred taste is very simple and neat.

“Yeah, good. Let’s all enjoy it the way we like.”

In response to the needs of everyone present, I prepared various seasonings and placed them in the center of the table.

I still pursued the classic, dripping a few drops of soy sauce on the egg yolk, and mixed it with my rice after piercing it with my chopsticks. What is it with the moment of happiness that emerges at this?

First of all, to taste the unmixed mixture, I first dig up a mouthful of the egg yolk that has not completely dissipated.

“Ah ah…… the texture of the first bite of the raw bibimbap really is different.”

This is the moment when you can most enjoy the rich flavor of the egg yolk. Eat this first bite first, then fully stir the egg white and rice well, and enjoy the authentic raw egg bibimbap.

“Hey, listen to me, this lotus root miso meat mash is super good with raw egg bibimbap!”

Kausga’s new discovery brought everyone’s focus to the miso mash.

Oh oh, the two really match, what an amazing discovery!

Raw egg bibimbap is really a great invention. Just the egg with rice is so delicious, and a little bit of thought on the seasoning can create a variety of different flavors and become even more amazing.

“It seems that you are all eating with gusto.”

“Ah, Odanna-sama.”

The Odanna and Ginji-san came to Moonflower together.

Oryo, Kasuga, Akatsuki and Sasuke, who in the previous second had forgotten me and had been greatly gulping down their food, now stopped their movements to stand up and bow deeply to the Odanna.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, you should all continue eating, it’s rare to get so many eggs after all.”

They seemed to have been waiting for this sentence of permission from the Odanna, and immediately returned to their positions and continued to eat.

“Hey, what’s the matter with you, Odanna-sama? It’s been a while since you showed up here. Do the both of you want to eat raw egg bibimbap too? There are still a lot of eggs and white rice.”

“No thanks, I just had a meal at the banquet party just now.”

“I also had a few drinks. The alcohol is a bit strong, so…… well, please let me start later.”

Both Ginji-san and the Odanna do seem to be a little bit drunk.

The need for socialising at work is necessary, of course, but everything seemed fine, so why was the Odanna here?

Taking advantage of this conversation, the Odanna suddenly offered me an invitation.

“Aoi, Moonflower will rest tomorrow, right? If you have time, why not go out on a date with me.”

“......what?”

The four who had been eating before now momentarily stopped their chopsticks.

But the Odanna, who had voiced out the sentence and seemed to be in a good mood, just continued on with a smile:

“After the incident at Orio-ya, I haven’t been able to reward you well, and even continued to let you keep busy with the business in the store. And I myself wasn’t able to spare you any time, so I feel sorry for you. Personally, I hope to create a happy time for you, Aoi, my newlywed……”

“But I’m happy every day.”

“Right! Let’s go enjoy ourselves at the orchard. Pick some grapes or apples or something, and we can even use them as ingredients- what do you think!”

The Odanna held my shoulders tightly. I’ve always felt that his expressions were always too strong.

Asking me how I feel, I also……

“Apples and grapes huh……”

I pressed my index finger to my chin, and began to imagine it in my mind. These two fruits are indeed the seasonal specialties that are particularly delicious in autumn.

“Yeah, let’s go then, Odanna-sama- I’m really interested in the orchard!”

“Aoi, I’m so glad you agreed.”

The Odanna breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The lot that were eating their raw egg bibimbap behind me also resumed moving their chopsticks.

“Aoi-san, the orchard is located in the mountainous area at the junction of our northeastern land and the neighboring northern land. The maple season arrives earlier on that mountain. I heard that it has all turned red already. Please be sure to enjoy the beautiful scenery tomorrow.”

“Ginji-san, you’re not going?”

“Me? I……”

“Ginji, you have also been too busy to take a vacation because of what happened at Orio-ya last time, right? Do you want to come together tomorrow?”

The Odanna also offered him an invitation. Ginji-san looked at the two of us however, then smiled slightly and shook his head.

“No thanks, I…… I want to stay in the inn, and help guard Tenjin-ya for the both of you, who will be out.”

Ginji-san’s response was just like his usual style.

But as he was rejecting the invitation, he did not look at me at all.

#mytranslations #kakuriyo light novel translations #kakuriyo light novel vol 6 #kakuriyo bed and breakfast for spirits #kakuriyo light novels #kakuriyo no yadomeshi #translating this was like: rice this rice that #like yea i get it rice is freakin gr8 but ALSO #I AM HUNGRY

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hellohellohellobingmetropcs · 4 years

Text

Zion huffed as he rolled over out of bed, getting ready to start his day. Without even a kiss or a 'goodbye' he made his exit from your shared home out into the world for his daily adventures.

"Lexi I'm pregnant" you whispered to your friend over FaceTime on your MacBook.

"What?!"

"I went to the doctors yesterday and got the results. I don't even know what to do"

"What did Zion say?"

"He doesn't know"

"You have to tell him. This is huge! Omg I'm so excited to be an auntie"

With an hours worth of convincing your best friend Alexis had you anticipating Zion's arrival to let him know the big news.

You had gotten up to do your daily morning routines. Before showering you pried the now squeezing wedding ring from your left ring finger that'll always remind you of the vows you and Zion stated in front of family and friends two years ago.

You settled for a bowl of cereal and Netflix for breakfast, eventually falling asleep with the time passing.

Between then and now Zion had made his way back home. Stopping in the bathroom to pee he noticed your ring on the sink. 'How careless of you? It could've fallen down the drain' he thought to himself.'

You woke up to Zion rambling at the door of the bed. Yawning and stretching yourself back to reality you soon realized what the fuss was all about when your eyes landed on the ring in his hand.

"Why the hell would you take it off? You know what I don't really care" he scoffed, dropping it on the tv stand.

"If you don't care why'd you ask?"

"What's your problem lately?"

"Me? Zion you pick fights with me over little shit. Yesterday I was too exhausted to make dinner so I was gonna order our food and you got all pissy"

"Ok that's one thing. (Y/N) you've been secretive lately. I feel like it's something you're keeping from me?"

"Mind your business"

"Your business became mine when you said I do"

"Sometimes I wish I hadn't said it" you chuckled bitterly, going for your car keys and cellphone.

"Where are you going? Stop running everytime shit gets bad"

You paid him no mind knowing that if you'd stay you'd say some things you'd regret.

Zion plopped down on the bed, trying to collect his thoughts on maybe why you'd taken the ring off. Your anniversary was coming up in less than a month but here you were arguing about a piece of jewelry.

The ringing of your MacBook caught him off guard before opening it to your best friend Alexis on the other side of the screen.

"Oh hey Zion"

"Hey Lexi"

"Where's (y/n)?"

"I don't know" he shrugged. "She left after we got into an argument but it's her fault"

"Fuck you mean you don't know? Stop acting like you don't care before it's too late"

"If she doesn't care why should I?"

"Zion stop treating my bestie like shit .. She's fucking pregnant and stressing her isn't helping. I swear if you don't find her tonight I'll—"

"(Y/N)'s pregnant?", his heart fell to his ass repeating that to himself. Never thought the day would come that he'd be saying he's a dad or even have a wife. Before meeting you the whole concept of marriage was overrated in his mind. In no way did you try to change his opinion but see how much he loves you he wanted to give you that fairytale ending you'd always dreamed of.

"Yes she's pregnant and you didn't hear this from me. I'm serious"

"Who else knows?"

"I think only me. Well you now too. Act surprised when she tells you!"

He shut the laptop, heading out to his car to find you. Luckily for him you had shared your location last night and forgot to turn it off. The current pin showed you were at a hotel just a few miles down the road.

"Did you see a woman about this tall, hair this long, cute face? I-I'm just trying to find my wife" he stammered over his word to the concierge.

"Cute face, huh? Seen one of those check into room 334"

He nodded, taking the elevator up to the third floor. "Open up baby I'm so sorry. It's me, Zion"

"I leave home to get away from you and follow me? How much more toxic could you get?" You rolled your eyes, walking away from the now opened door.

"Baby, you right and I know it. When you left I just had to step back for a moment for analyze myself as your husband. I haven't been treating as I should've. My mind has been racing lately and I just need you to hold me and all of my broken fuckups until I can get it right"

Hearing you were right for once was like a breath of fresh air. It was usual of Zion to smother you in 'I told you so's after proving his point.

"I'm so sorry how I've been treating you. I'm just stressed from the constant work schedule. I was so wrong for taking that out on you baby"

You plopped down on the king size bed trying not to burst into tears. Everything from the simplest apology, your news, the recent fights all have been building up into this moment.

"you mean the world to me— when I seen your ring on the sink I thought you took it off because you were done with me or something so I snapped"

"Next time talk to me instead of accusing me" you said hastily, "Zion it's been fight after fight and I'm tired"

Truth be told the new pregnancy has been making you sleep heavier, draining your energy, even had you gaining weight and it's only been 8 weeks. The ring feels way tighter than before so the thought of putting it on a necklace until you dropped the weight became a priority in your head.

You reached for the mini bottle of red wine provided by room service, “How did you find me?"

"Are you about to drink that?" His voice shook as he took closer steps to you.

Everyone knew you and Zion to be that lit couple that always sparked a little something or drank a little more than the rest so to see him question you about a $6 travel size bottle of red wine flicked a switch in your mind.

There's no way he couldn't not know of the pregnancy by now. Why else would he worry if you consume liquor that was only gonna get you a little buzzed?

"You know ?.." you whispered, putting the bottle back on the nightstand in its original ice bucket. "Lexi told you. I wanted to tell you myself"

"Don't be mad at her baby. You left your laptop and she kept calling so I answered it and she cursed me out and then it accidentally slipped out"

"Well" you shrugged, avoiding eye contact with Zion to prepare yourself for the worst. "Zion I'm sorry. You have a lot going on and we’re not in the best spot and now this"

As a wife your main focus was being his peace. When he felt sad or stressed you wanted to be the first person he came to. Thinking the pregnancy was just added stress you decided to keep it from him until you made up your mind.

"Hey hey hey don't be sorry" he reached out cupping your cheek, wiping away a tear rolling down. "We're gonna have a beautiful baby that we're gonna love so much and you're gonna be the best mommy"

"You wanna keep it?", Zion never struck you, or anyone else for that matter, as a person that cared for kids. Of course you'd always wanted a family but you were willing to wait for him.

"Of course. I mean it's your decision but—"

"Our decision. That'd be selfish of me to not include your feelings. If a baby is what you want then that's it. We're gonna be parents Z"

Maybe a baby was the missing piece to your relationship.

You extended your arms happily embracing his torso into your face.

"I love you (y/n)"

"I love you too Z"

Masterlist

#zion kuwonu x reader #zion kuwonu imagines #prettymuch imagines

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antiquecompass · 4 years

Text

Untamed Winter Fest Day 17: Bells

The Jiang Holiday Extravaganza was an entire fortnight of excess that even after four years still shocked Xichen in the five minutes of peace, quiet, and reflection, he got to himself at Lotus Pier. At least he’d learned how to avoid all those damn demon elves on their shelves, especially since Jiang Cheng always exorcised their room of them when they arrived. He also knew which bathrooms to avoid (near the library and off the living room with their Santa and Mrs. Claus toilet seat covers respectively), and how to kindly suggest a theme to Madame Yu for the Christmas tree in their bedroom. The first year had been a tree full of teddy bears, and while not offensive in any way, half of those ornaments sung in voices eerily reminiscent of The Chipmunks. Many were motion activated. He’d come out of a sound sleep his first night here, terrified, as Nutmeg tried to climb the tree and a freakish high-pitched voice sang ‘Up on the Rooftop.’ This year Madame Yu had apparently found some mercy and picked deer. Glittery deer, but just deer. None of them sang or played music, though the large light-up display on their fireplace mantle did. It was a compromise Xichen embraced. Mostly because he’d easily found the off-switch on the musical Santa train.

The sheer amount of food and all its richness? That was still a struggle. He had consumed far too many desserts at the Christmas Eve party and now regretted it as he laid on their bed, waiting for Jiang Cheng to return with Sugar. Honey, their new puppy, was already in her bed in the corner, fast asleep. Cinnamon and Nutmeg had claimed the library as their territory, but Pepper was on the bed beside Xichen, stretched out over all the pillows.

He truly wanted nothing more than to roll over and sleep with her soft purrs lulling him into dreams, but there was one Christmas tradition he had come to fully embrace and he was going to stay awake for it, even if the sugar crash in his system was demanding sleep.

This was why Uncle had always forbid food excess, especially sweets.

He smiled as their bedroom door opened, Jiang Cheng carrying the crisp, cold scent of the outdoors on his skin and in his hair. He carefully placed Sugar on the bed, then sat down between her and Xichen, stroking Xichen’s hair.

“The great Lan Xichen. Defeated by fudge,” he teased. His fingers moved to his belly and rubbed it in warm circles. “How far you have fallen.”

“It was very good fudge,” Xichen said. “I know you still have your problems with him, but Jin Zixuan is a talented baker.”

“It’s one of his few good traits,” Jiang Cheng agreed.

When he leaned down to kiss Xichen, he could taste the remnants of peppermint and chocolate. Xichen wasn’t the only one who had an excess of sweets tonight.

“I’m going to grab a shower while I can,” he said. He ran a thumb over Xichen’s lips, a soft smile on his face when Xichen caught it and gave it a sharp bite. “I’d ask you to join me, but I don’t think you’re capable of moving.”

“Probably not,” Xichen admitted. “The spirit is willing, the body refuses.”

Jiang Cheng sighed and patted Xichen’s belly again. “This is what I get for hitching myself to your old, broken down, wagon.”

“I am four years older than you,” Xichen said.

“And yet one of the oldest people in this house,” Jiang Cheng said as he slipped off the bed.

“We can’t all be sat at the kid’s table,” Xichen said.

Both Jiang Cheng and his brother had been placed there to watch over the younger cousins and their nieces and nephews. That was the story at least. Xichen had experienced enough Jiang family dinners to know it was more to do with Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng, two grown men, always being on the verge of a food fight.

“Can you honestly say you enjoyed your time at the main table?” Jiang Cheng asked as he pulled out his pajamas. “Enlightening conversation with Uncle Yi about different wood grains?”

“Each day brings a chance to learn something new,” Xichen said.

“Baby, you are so full of shit,” Jiang Cheng said with a laugh as he walked out into the hallway.

**********

Xichen had fallen asleep despite his best intentions, but when he woke up from his dessert-induced nap, Jiang Cheng was beside him, hair down and loose, reading glasses on, with his Kindle in his hands.

Xichen still couldn’t believe he had the good fortune to fall asleep and wake-up and live beside such a man.

“Sorry,” he said.

Jiang Cheng startled, but set his Kindle to the side.

“You were fighting a losing battle,” he said. He slid down to press up against him. “I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did.”

“Did I miss it?” Xichen asked.

This was their tradition. On Christmas Eve, late at night, when the house was quiet and nothing could be heard but the sound of the bells and windchimes on the porch, they exchanged their gifts to each other. The private ones. The sentimental ones. The ones they wanted to keep just between them without the eyes of the entire family on them and without any running commentary from certain vocal parties.

Wei Ying and Madame Yu both had very pointed opinions on gifts.

“It’s 11:50,” Jiang Cheng said. “You woke up just in time.”

He reached under his pillow and pulled out a slim box.

“Merry Christmas,” he said.

Xichen reached under his own and pulled out the slim wooden chest he’d commissioned to hold the small glass figurines inside.

“Merry Christmas,” he said.

It was Jiang Cheng’s year to open his present first. Xichen eagerly waited to see his face.

“These are--” Jiang Cheng’s voice went soft. “These are our pets.” He looked at Xichen, fingers carefully trailing over the glass figurines inside the box. “How?”

“I ran into a few old friends from college when I had to chaperone that school trip to the Renaissance Festival. One of them is a glassblower, the other a woodworker. I know they’re not like the tiny crystal ones you collect but--”

“They’re perfect,” Jiang Cheng said. He pulled Xichen in a deep kiss. Then another. And another, before finally turning back to the box, the softest smile on his face. “You even got Honey in here.”

“A last minute addition,” Xichen said. The little glass Honey had arrived days before their departure.

“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng said. “I love them.”

His fingers danced over the tops of the five glass figures again before carefully closing the box and setting it on his nightstand.

“Your turn,” he said.

Xichen picked up the slim box and heard a slight rattling inside.

“Not a necklace,” Xichen said.

“No, you don’t wear those,” Jiang Cheng said, fingers unconsciously wrapped around the jade lotus pendant hanging from his own neck.

“A bracelet?” he asked. “A fountain pen? A letter opener?”

“Stop guessing and just open it,” Jiang Cheng said.

“The guessing is the fun part,” Xichen said. He carefully started to unwrap the paper.

“Just open the damn thing,” Jiang Cheng said.

Xichen deliberately opened the present even slower, just to see that frustrated furrow between his boyfriend’s brows.

When he finally opened the box, he forgot how to breathe.

He’d resigned himself to the fact that there would never be a wedding for them, even though he knew they’d be together for life. Jiang Cheng was very vocal about his hatred for weddings and a general apathy towards the institute of marriage when legal ties and an agreed life-long commitment was just as valid in his eyes. So Xichen knew he wouldn’t have an engagement or a wedding or a marriage in the legal sense.

But this--this was--this was the Jiang Bell.

A silver bell engraved with the design of a nine-petal lotus hung on a royal purple tassel. It was sacred to the Jiangs. Similar to the Lans and their forehead ribbon. And was meant only for family members.

“Legend has it,” Jiang Cheng said in the wake of Xichen’s silence, “that the bell can calm the mind and clear the spirit. I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a family tradition. I’ve been lobbying to get you one for years now and my Great Aunt finally gave up the goods.”

Xichen was still at a loss for words. His fingers shook as he removed the bell from its box. A soft ringing filled the room.

“You’re my family. We’re our own little family, cats and dogs included,” Jiang Cheng said. “And it was time you had your own.”

“You,” Xichen said, laughing even as happy tears filled his eyes. “I got you little glass animals and you give me--”

“What is rightfully yours,” Jiang Cheng said.

He kissed the tears on Xichen’s cheeks, his fingers wrapping around Xichen’s own where they held the bell.

“I love you,” Xichen said. All he could say when words truly failed to express what he was feeling and the depths of the emotions running through him.

An excess of love, of devotion, of trust, of dreams fulfilled and even more hope for the years ahead of them.

“Of course, I’ve now fucked myself over,” Jiang Cheng said. “No present is ever going to top this one.”

“No,” Xichen agreed. “But I somehow think you’ll still beat me, again, like you have, every year.”

“We’re going to disagree on this one,” Jiang Cheng said. “You gave me the menagerie in tiny glass form that I can have forever.”

And Jiang Cheng had given him his family, completely, fully, now.

“A draw then,” Xichen said, even if they both knew who had won this year.

“A draw,” Jiang Cheng agreed.

#long post #untamed winter fest #xicheng #day 17 #verse: lahl #fic: hold me like you want me #fandom: the untamed #my ridic writing

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realfuurikuuri · 4 years

Link

MissingArm!AU Chapter 4: I Would Give You Until The Count of Ten, but I Can Only Count To Five

Side note: I’m bad at basic math and it turns out the last chapter was mislabeled for Tumblr. Whoops. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Alright, back with a new chapter. A little later than before, but hey what the heck can you do. Regardless, I think this one is pretty fun. I’ve figured out how to put that banner at the top of things (turns out you hit share on Ao3, who woulda thought) which makes these post look way smoother than before. The song rec this time is A Left Foot Trapped in A Sensual Seduction (which the weebs among us will remember being Alucard’s theme from Hellsing). As always check out @spookylovesboba she’s great, and enjoy the chapter.

Direct Link to chapter 4 on AO3: XXXX

Chapter below the cut

Badgerclops ran through town tired and short of breath, wondering where that feral cat bastard went. Sweetipies turned their heads when they saw Badgerclops him.

“Does Mao Mao have the hose again,” one asked.

“Is Muffin giving out free samples, again,” asked another.

Assholes.

Badgerclops stood on top of a park bench, turning his hand into a megaphone. “Mao Mao,” he called out. “Mao Mao! Mao Mao!”

God, he felt like a green plumber looking for his brother in a haunted mansion. Badgerclops chuckled a bit at his own joke. Maybe he should have said hotel instead of a mansion to make it more current. Badgerclops stopped examining the intricacies of his own comedy when he noticed Pinky waking up to the table with a suspicious jar of mayo in his hands.

“Goss,” Badgerclops said.

“Me or the mayo?”

“Both. Get out of here, Pinky.”

“What are you doin?”

“None of your business.”.

“Are you looking for Mao Mao?”

“Have you seen him?”

“No.”

Badgerclops shot the jar of mayo with his arm cannon. Seeing Pinky mourn did brighten his day a little. Not enough. He still needed to find Mao Mao.

“Hey! Get off of me!”

The noise snapped Badgerclops out of his thoughts. He panicked. Was it too late? Had Mao Mao already done something he’d regret? Badgerclops hurried in the voice's direction, already making plans for a quick exit. He'd already made their packs. Even a third one for Adorabat in case she was brought along, although he doubted they’d keep her. Maybe they’d ditch her at the castle? Badgerclops slapped his face and shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to be stressing about that. Now was the time to find Mao Mao.

Badgerclops rounded the corner and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t Mao Mao. It was just Rufus getting harassed by some dog. Why was Rufus still here? He should’ve skipped town ages ago.

“Hey!” he called out nearly making Rufus jump out of his own skin.

Rufus pushed the dog away from the bouquet and snacks that the dog was after. “What do you want,” he sneered.

“Okay, one: rude. Two: don’t be so rude to the guy who can throw you in jail, Three: you don’t ask me what I’m doing; I ask you what you’re so what are you doing?”

Rufus pushed Badgerclops' finger away. “I’m visiting my friend that the blasted sheriff put in the hospital!”

Oh right, the raccoon. Kind of cute that he was still waiting for his friend.

Not cute enough to keep Badgerclops from picking the fox up and shaking him like a can of soda.

“I don’t care about your friend! I’m looking for Mao Mao! Have you seen him?”

“Mao Mao? You mean the black cat?”

“Yes!”

“The one wearing the red cape?”

“Yes!”

“Carrying the golden sword?”

“Yes! Yes! For the love of God, yes! Just tell me where he is!”

“Alas, I haven’t seen him anywhere,” Rufus said with the smarmiest of smiles.

“Okay, you know what,” Badgerclops said, setting the fox back down. "I’m trying to keep someone from being murdered and ya'll are being, like, super ungrateful.”

The dog barked in protest.

“Yeah, that includes you.”

Badgerclops picked the dog up to pet it while he thought. The dog was a milky brown Shiba-Inu. Nothing notable aside from the fact that it had a sword on its back and a necklace. No. It was an amulet around its neck. Badgerclops didn’t pick the dog up just to look at it, he wanted to know who it belonged to. Where in the hell would a sweetipie get a dog and why hadn’t he seen it before? To Badgerclops’ dismay, there wasn’t any address stamped on the collar, but there was a name: Bao Bao .

Badgerclops rubbed his eyes and read the collar again. It still said Bao Bao.

He grabbed Rufus by the collar and used his jacket to wipe at the collar until it shined. Surely enough, it still read Bao Bao.

What? What? This dog was Bao Bao! A dog! A fucking dog! What the shit? Mao Mao described him as an evil barbarian with enough guile to pose as a hero and the psychopathy to abandon a kid whose arm was crushed by a rock! Not a dog! Not a fucking dog!

Badgerclops rubbed his temples, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He should have expected this. He was the most overdramatic motherfucker to ever motherfuck, but damn dude. Whatever he resolved to accept that Mao Mao’s worst enemy was literally an animal. He just needed to kick the dog out of the valley and wait for Mao Mao to calm his tits. No, that wouldn’t do. If no one caught Mao Mao he’d definitely kill someone.

Badgerclops pushed the dog into Rufus’ hands. “Take this dog and get him out of the valley. I don’t care how it gets done. Just do it,” he ordered.

“What? I’m going to visit my friend and besides I don’t have to do anything you say.”

Badgerclops pointed his arm at Rufus, letting it shift into the high powered cannon. “C’mon just take the dog away, you know, before someone gets hurt.”

“Alright just don’t shoot me! I don’t wanna be shot!”

“There we go. Now get out of here before someone -and by someone I mean you- gets messed up.”

Badgerclops watched Rufus turn away to finish his task.

Thump!

Badgerclops stopped.

He turned around just in time to see a black blur with a streak of gold.

It was Mao Mao!

Badgerclops swung around brandishing his arm, opening his eye, taking careful aim. The window was more narrow than a pinhole. He watched and waited. He watched Rufus see the sword and scream in terror. He waited for Mao Mao to swing his sword with all his might.

Now!

Badgerclops let loose a net. The wound-up ball slowly spread out, snagging Mao Mao out of the air, pinning him against the wall. Badgerclops ignored Mao Mao to put his fingers to Rufus’ neck. The fox's eyes had rolled back, and foam had gathered in the corners of his mouth;The look made Badgerclops’ fur stand on end. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow when he finally felt a pulse. The fox was definitely not fine, but he wouldn't die anytime soon. Although, the scare shaved years off his life.

Once was done with Rufus; he had to deal with Mao Mao.

Mao Mao strained against the net fruitlessly. Bao Bao looked up at his old friend, shivering, ears folded back with tail between its legs. Mao Mao probably couldn’t even hear the dog’s whimpers. He screamed at the top of his lungs. It was had no expletives. It had no threats. It only had a long, grueling explanation of his pain.

Badgerclops reached over, petting Mao Mao behind the ears. “Alright dude, let’s just chill and- “

Mao Mao quickly snapped at Badgerclops’ hand. His teeth clanging against the steel. “C’mon dude, don’t do that. I don’t want to schedule a trip to the dentist.”

He let go of Badgerclops’ hand with a huff, but he still had that dark flame burning in his eyes.

“Badgerclops,” Tanya said, dropping down from the rooftops,” Is everything alright?”

“I’ve got things all tied up,” he said pointing to Mao Mao who didn’t find his joke amusing.

Tanya faced Mao Mao with a sullen look in her eyes. She reached out her paw to wipe a tear from his eye. Mao Mao shook her comfort away with an angry grunt. “Oh, Mittens,” she quietly cried. Tears began to fall down the Tanuki’s face, but Mao Mao didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“You should probably take Bao Bao and go before-”

Badgerclops was interrupted by a screeching roar echoed throughout the kingdom. Badgerclops facepalmed his own stupidity. He was so focused on the Bao Bao part of the message that they completely forgot about the monster. He could see the smoke, hear the screams as it rampaged.

“Tanya." He gave a slight nod of his head," where's Adorabat?"

“I left her at the house.”

Damn the fact that she was a responsible adult. She shouldn’t have to see this, but he did wish she was here. He and Tanya were the only ones who could fight; the dog was a maybe, and Mao Mao was still in the net.

“You think we can take it?”

“I… don’t know. Maybe?”

Fantastic. The moment he thought he had things under control they go right back to shit.

Badgerclops didn’t know how he knew to turn around. It was instinct. He saw the wall behind Mao Mao began to crack and crumble as the monster charged through. The beast was large, green and scaly, like a snake with four legs. It moved like one too. Delicately turning on a dime, clinging to the side of a building while it stared them down.

His small hope that the beast would leave them alone was squashed when the monster saw the amulet around Bao Bao’s neck.

It lunged forward. Mouth open to show a wide maw. In a narrow alley like this, there was nowhere to run. It could probably get them all in one quick gulp. Badgerclops supposed such a terrible end fit such a terrible day.

A naïve thought.

Mao Mao stepped in front of the beast, sword on his back to block the teeth, heels digging into the ground as he forced the charging beast to a slow stop. Tanya, Bao Bao, Badgerclops, and the Mao Mao stopped in sheer confusion and awe. The monster didn’t hesitate. Its tail lashed at Mao Mao from the left, ripping at his skin like a whip. The tail lashed Mao Mao from the right, forcing him to stagger.

The third strike whistled through the air, barely blocked by Mao Mao’s sword. The next lash came with enough force to knock Mao Mao of balance despite blocking it. He parried the next strike, yet it still sent him cartwheeling through the air.

The second his feet touched the ground he was off. A black blur with a streak of gold. The gold cut the tip of the beast tail causing the monster to howl in pain before being silenced with a plunging attack through its skull. Badgerclops hates to admit it, but the bastard cat carried the sheriff's department.

He pulled his sword out of the monster and hopped down off the corpse. He dragged his sword on the ground behind him as he walked forward. His movements were smooth, flowing like a steady stream. Despite wearing an inviting smile, the dark flames in his eyes were raging like a wildfire.

Tanya stepped in front of him before he could get any closer. “Stop. Just… for the love of god stop, and let the dog go.”

“You’re right. I just want to... apologize to Bao Bao. Wish him well,” Mao Mao said with an almost cartoonishly large and toothy smile.

“Do I look some fucking clown to you? I know you’re lying! Just put the sword down and let the dog go.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just want to say apologize to my childhood friend-”

SMACK!

Tanya interrupted Mao Mao with a strong slap across the face.

When he turned back the smile was gone; the dark flames still burning.

“Move,” he commanded.

“Why do you have to be like this,” she asked, her voice rising in pitch. “Can’t you just let things go? Whatever Bao Bao -this dog- did to you is in the past. It already happened and you can’t change it!”

“I know nothing can change it. I don’t expect it to. I’m not trying to change anything. I’m just trying to do some justice,” he said with a voice as cold as stone, “so, I’ll tell you once again: move.”

“No!”

Mao Mao didn’t hesitate to push past her, knocking her to the ground while he brought his sword down. Bao Bao quickly hopped out the way. Mao Mao followed the dog close behind, stabbing down over and over again, the calm facade splitting at the seams as his frustration grew.

“I’ll kill you,” he screamed, finally cornering the dog. He raised his sword up as Bao Bao looked up in terror.

Badgerclops grabbed his arm before he could finish. “Calm down! He’s just a dog-”

Mao Mao spun around, dropping the sword, tears welling in his eyes. “That dog ruined my life !”

“He did this! ” He pulled back the cape to reveal the stub of his left arm.

He picked the sword back up, raising it high over his head. “And I’m going to do it to him!”

Tanya was quick.

In a puff of smoke one, Bao Bao turned into thirty. In the second that Mao Mao stopped in confusion, she dashed forward, snatching the real one away before Mao Mao cut the horde into bits.

“Bao Bao,” he screamed,” get back here!”

Badgerclops tackled him to the ground before he could give chase. “Bao Bao! Bao Bao!” he screamed and screamed until his voice went hoarse.

* * *

Mao Mao lay in bed at HQ with his blanket tucked over his head. He felt like shit. Stopping the monster’s charge wore down the flesh on his feet to the bone, despite the monster's teeth stabbed seven holes into his back, one dangerously close to his spine, but the physical pain didn’t matter much. It was his feeling that were tearing him apart. It was one part burning rage; another part nauseating shame.

He heard footsteps approach. It couldn’t have been Adorabat cause she liked to fly (where did she go); they were too heavy to be Tanya’s (not like she wanted to speak to him anyway), so it had to be Badgerclops.

“How ya feeling,” he asked.

Mao Mao let out a small grunt.

“Camille said you should be fine. Just take it easy. Don’t try to jump around or anything.”

He made another small grunt.

“You feeling okay?”

Mao Mao nodded from under the blankets.

“Good to hear. Just get some rest, man.”

“What about Bao Bao,” he grumbled out. His throat was still raw and sore from all the shouting.

“Tanya took him with her.”

Mao Mao let out a shuddering sigh.

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

Mao Mao nodded more forcefully this time.

Badgerclops scooped Mao Mao up into his arms. Cradling the bundle of blankets and clutching him close. “Listen, I know we all have our issues and hangups, and I know this day has been hard for you-”

“You don’t.”

“Hm?”

“You don’t know how hard it's been for me! I hate- hate - that dog. He’s everything wrong with me! I wanna wring his stupid little head from his silly little body!” Mao Mao choked on his words,” I wanna- I wanna…”

Badgerclops pet him behind the ears,” what do you want?”

“...I want to be alone for a bit.”

“How about this,” Badgerclops said,” I can take Adorabat camping for the weekend? We’d be back Sunday. You’d have the house to yourself. How does that sound?”

“Yeah,” Mao Mao slowly nodded,” Yeah, that sounds nice.”

#fanfic #mmhoph #Mao Mao #Badgerclops #Adorabat #Tanya Keys #Pinky #Rufus #Ho boy this is long #I'm hammering this poit in but I mean it #check out Spookylovesboba #She's funny #She does fanart #makes funny videos #she's great #MissingArm!AU

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feel199x · 5 years

Text

boyfriend!chan

❣ summary: chan is working super hard for his next comeback, and he’s very clingy once he comes back. he’s also very adamant on being the best boyfriend you’ll ever have

❣ warnings: none, i think!

❣ request: yes!

❣ a/n: i kinda,,, went overboard anon im sorry :( i hope u like it ʕ´• ᴥ•̥`ʔ masterlist

Your boyfriend was super hard-working, and although you admired him for it, it was both his greatest personality aspect and his worst. Chan was an angel, he really was, but this comeback was absolutely tiring him out. He did his best to keep up with you and give you attention, but as the comeback approached, the messages got scarcer and scarcer. You weren’t upset with him because you knew that he was in an incredibly demanding field of work, and thus, couldn’t always give you his undivided attention. Chan still felt bad though and always spoiled you when he had free time. You scolded him every time, but he could never take you seriously with how flustered you always ended up. Chan was the kind of guy who went all out in everything he did, and this included gifts. For your year and half anniversary (was that even a thing people celebrated?) he had written you a song and given you a matching set of necklaces. Chris was just everything you could’ve asked for and more, he always listened and did his best to make the relationship run smoothly. Even when you had gotten insecure about dating him, thinking that he would fall for another idol or suddenly come to a realization that you weren’t good enough, he always reassured you. It had been nearly two years now, and coincidentally your anniversary was only a couple days after their first comeback stage.

You weren’t too worried about it, Chan always took this sort of thing very seriously. Even if he didn’t do anything too special, you wouldn’t get upset with him. He was a busy guy, and you were aware of this when you started to date him. It was actually Chris who was nervous about dating you, not because of the fans or media but because he feared not giving you the love, care, and attention that you deserved. Even with how understanding you were, you still missed him. It was a good thing exams were coming up because otherwise you would be getting nostalgic rereading the text messages between you and him. And you tried not to do that, you really did but studying was so boring and stressful, all you wanted to do was fall asleep with Chan. You were almost successful with your studying session, but you swore that you had heard your phone buzz. You nearly lept onto your bed, and no there weren’t any messages but, a break couldn’t hurt right?

that rapper from hot sauce i love or smthn: hey babe im sorry for not giving you attention

that rapper from hot sauce i love or smthn: ive just been swamped with work

that rapper from hot sauce i love or smthn: i miss u and im three secs away from abandoning my kids. i am so tired. i love you baby

that rapper from hot sauce i love or smthn: by the way did you change my contact name?

you: its okay chris! dont worry about it, work is a priority. I love you too :(

you: and yes!

you: sent an image

the nice guy whojust has a lot of money: im divorcing u and leaving you with the kids

you: no please im not ready to be a single parent

you: channie please i love u

the nice guy who just has a lot of money: okay for love i guess

the nice guy who has just has a lot of money: i guess...i really am a nice guy who just has a lot of money

the nice guy who just has a lot of money: i have to go, i’ll try calling later but no promises. i miss and love you lots baby

you: oh mYGOD

you: please remember to rest babe, i love and miss u too

You sighed, shutting off your phone and holding it against your chest. He hadn’t called that day, nor since. You understood that he had responsibilities, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, you guess. Their comeback stage was tomorrow, and they were driving over to a city who’s name you forgot. You would’ve gone, if you hadn’t had finals all day and it was hours away. You felt terrible for not being able to go out and support him but Chan insisted that you stayed and rested instead of taking a bus up to their stage. You loved that man, you really did. You glared at the textbook on your desk, hoping that it would suddenly set combust into flames. But alas, you were but a mortal. Before resuming your studying, you pulled at your desk drawer to reread the motivational sticky notes that Chan would always leave around your place. You sighed, looking over the sticky notes that have since lost their sticks but made your face warm just staring at it.

Like mate, stop procrastinating!

If you get better than a passing grade i’ll let you yell at me about sleeping

Do you know how smart you are? You’re like Einstein, if he was hot

I love you but i’ll love you a little less if you fail

You smiled to yourself, your cheeks hurting and flustered from the notes. You must’ve been a patron saint in your past life because he was just, amazing. You really hoped there was a future in store for the two of you, because he made you feel like it was your first time falling in love all over again. He made you weak in the knees, and always made you feel like you were the only one for him. Maybe it was a little silly how those sticky notes motivated you, but whatever worked, right? You continued to review the notes, Chan’s voice nagging you about the formulas you hadn’t quite memorized yet in your head. But eventually, your eyes grew weary and you shut off your desk lamp, collapsing onto your bed.

Exams were, in short, not fun. You were fairly sure you had passed, but only by the hair on your head. Maybe it was the anxiety speaking- you had yet to completely flunk an exam, but it could always happen. You’d worry about that in a couple weeks, it was future you’s problem. Right now, all you wanted was to eat take-out and watch Stray Kid’s comeback. It was fairly late when you got back home, the light outside already dimming and fading to a night gradient. You watched the clock anxiously, waiting for their stage to air on TV.

You were never one to overreact, but something about seeing your boyfriend doing what he loved on stage, seeing all his hard work pay off- it made you yell at the screen. It made you yell in the same way a sports fan yells at the players and refs, and only Chris could do this to you. As soon as his stage ended, you texted him, hyping him up. You knew he’d be doing a live shortly after, but at least he’d see it soon enough. Unfortunately, you collapsed in the middle of his live, exhaustion finally catching up with you. You thought your phone buzzed again but being half-asleep you brushed it off.

“___! ___, get up!”

“Love of mine, light of my life, shh…”

You groaned but laughed as he pulled at your arms. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders as he pulled you closer. “I missed you,” he murmured against your lips, pressing a kiss on them, “I’m sorry about being gone so much.” You tilted your head, smiling at him. “Hey,” you said softly, cupping your face, “Don’t worry about it, let’s get some sleep. Actually, what time is it?”

“Three am.”

“Chris!”

“Look,” he whined, “You can’t yell at me I drove six hours to be with you.” He threw you over his shoulder, “Plus, we’re going to sleep, like right now. I’ll even sleep in.” He flopped you on your bed and you crossed your arms as he took off his shirt, wiggling your eyebrows. “Wow,” you teased, “He’s hot.”

“You’re so gross,” he murmured, laying his head on your chest but not before leaving butterfly kisses up your collarbone, “How did the test go?” You sighed, playing wth his head of curly hair. “It went okay, I think. But this isn’t about me. Your stage was amazing, you did great. Phenomenal, spectacular, fantastic, ground-breaking-”

“Alright!” he sighed, “I don’t deserve you.” He tightened his arms around your waist, kissing your shoulder again. “Oh, Chris don’t start,” you scolded softly, “You’re the greatest boyfriend ever, and you work really hard. Now, shut up and go to sleep.”

“You have such a way with words, I’m swooning.”

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most.”

“Impossible-”

“Hm? What? I can’t hear you over the enormous amount of sleep I’m getting.”

You groaned, moving to rub your eyes but finding Chan’s arms tightly wound around you. “Don’t even think about it,” his voice was raspy and low, “I got it.”

“Chan,” you whined, “You have to eat, just stay in-”

“Later.”

You sighed again, and Chris pulled you closer pressing lazy kisses up your neck and jaw. His eyes were still closed, and you looked at him dreamily. His hair was messy, and he looked so much more relaxed, muscles less tight and tense. He was under so much stress, and it was good to see him finally take a break, even if it was only for a couple of hours. You fell asleep against his chest, feeling each heartbeat against the side of your face. And maybe you should’ve felt a little bad for waiting until he fell into a deep sleep to wriggle out of his arms (which was weirdly difficult, the guy had a strong grip) to make him breakfast. You weren’t sure what diet he was on, but you were sure that no one would mind if he cheated just a little bit.

“____! Are you doing what I think you’re doing?”

You exhaled, biting the inside of your cheek as you heard him step into the kitchen, trying your best to ignore. He hugged you from the back, letting his head rest on your shoulder, kissing the nape of your neck. “I told you we could do it later.”

“Well, it is later, Chan.”

“But we could’ve just ordered something,” he whined, “Come back to bed, please.”

“After I make you breakfast.”

“I really hoped it wouldn’t have to come to this.”

“Come to wh-?”

He picked you up, throwing you over his shoulder. “Chris put me down or I swear-”

“No,” he sat on top of you, “We’re ordering in, and we’re going to eat in bed and stay here until we become one with the bed.”

“You’re crushing me,” you groaned, “Get off you bum.”

“It’s the diet they’ve got me on, I’ve got hella gains, man.”

“Yeah I saw your thrist trap on insta, you hoe.”

“It’s not a thirst trap!”

“Well, I don’t know about that. Have you read the comments?”

“Now, listen-”

“Shut up,” you propped yourself up and kissed him, and as he leaned into it, you pushed him off.

“You play so, so dirty,” he whined, “Come here and make it up to me.” You snorted but rolled into his arms anyway. “I love you,” you said and stared at him, “A lot. Even with your hella gains, man.” He cupped your face, thumbs stroking your cheeks. “But I love you most.” You opened your mouth so protest, but he shushed you with a kiss. “Don’t start,” he said in between gasps of deep kisses, “Just let me spoil you.”

It had been a couple days since their first stage, and later that day Chris needed to go back to the dorms to tend to his children. He insisted on staying longer, but Woojin was blowing up his phone. You guessed that the group got themselves in another mess. Your anniversary was coming up, and this was the first time you were scared that he forgot. He was usually much better about this than you, and always went a bit too far with his gifts. You had already got his present, an expensive chain necklace you took extra shifts to pay for, but it was worth it when the jeweler handed you the chain. You loved the idea of people getting their boyfriends flowers, so you got an arrangement made. You even had a photo album made of your favorite moments together, and songs that were attached to those moments. Okay, maybe it was a little corny, but you worked hard on it. Chan hadn’t messaged you since then, and you assumed it was because he was busy, but you were getting antsy.

And just like you had before, you nearly jumped to your phone when you heard your phone buzz.

iron man in the streets but better than tony: check under your bed

you: ?? okay

You crouched on the floor, pulling out a simple box, and inside of it was silk clothing with a card with an address and time stamp on it.

you: chris

you: what have you done

you: CHRISTOPHER

you: IM GOING TO END YOU

you: YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T GOING OVERBOARD

you: YOU IDIOT YOU HAVE READ RECEIPTS ON

You’d be lying if there wasn’t a stupid grin on your face as you put on your attire. It took you a while to get ready, work and school hadn’t exactly given you room for self-care but you tried your best to look nice. You looked up the address, and much to your dismay, it was an overpriced fine dining restaurant. The cab driver gushed over your date, complimenting you and wishing you the best of luck on your future endeavours, even blessing your marriage. It was a little weird, but endearing. You hadn’t even called a cab, but instead you got a message saying your ride was there.

You expected Chan to be outside waiting for you outside, but instead, you were greeted by a very nice waiter who’s name you didn’t catch. He beckoned you to follow him. The restaurant was pantheon themed, very airy and light colors decorating the entire place. It was definetly the nicest restaurant you’ve ever been to, but you thought the same thing for your year and half anniversary too. You clutched onto your gifts awkwardly, and the waiter helped you carry the bouquet of flowers.

“Any chance you can tell me what else he has planned?” “Afraid not, he warned me about this.”

“Smart man.”

You were sat at a table in the center, the stained glass letting a pool of warm colors illuminate the room and everyone’s faces. The flowers sat delicately on your lap, and the jewelry box laid on tope of the table, your fingers dancing across it’s edges. That’s when you heard the violins start playing, crowding around your table and playing a dainty tune. You felt a blush creep on your cheeks as you rubbed them, trying to smile less. And there he was, on top of the small stage meant for the classical instrument players to sit on. You wanted to glare at him, but all you could do was smile at his gestures. He winked at you, beginning to sing a song. You were about to cry, rubbing your eyes as the song ended.

“Was I that bad?”

“No, god, no,” you pulled out the flowers and handed it to him, “I know that can’t be the end of it, so let me give these to you.” He looked through the photo album, pursing his lips as tears brimmed at the brink of his eyes. He opened the jewelry box, pulling out the fancy chain necklace you had gotten him. “Oh, baby,” he murmured, “Did you pick up extra shifts for these? You shouldn’t have…”

“Chan, literally look at everything you planned, and say that to my face again.” He smiled, pulling the chain over his head so he could wear it with his suit. You decided that he looks best while wearing fancy suits like this. Perfectly tailored to him, even if bits of chest was visible through his half-buttoned shirt. “You’re right though,” he said, “I’m not done.” He pulled out a little box out of a pocket from inside his jacket. “It’s a promise ring,” he said as he slid it across the table, “You are the love of my life, ____, and I think it’s a bit too early to full-on propose to you, but I want to make the promise that I will one day.”

You opened the box, the expensive ring nearly blinding you as the warm light hit it. “God, I hate you so much, Chris,” tears were streaming at your face, a smile glued to your face.

“Do you like it?”

“No.”

“No? We could change it- or replace it? Or-”

“I love it, and you so much.”

“I love you most.”

“No-”

“Shh,” he kissed you, “Don’t start.”

#bang chan #stray kids #chan fic #skz chan

97 notes · View notes

natsuhikoshidou · 6 years

Text

Life Cheating Game - Chapter 2: At Optimum Temperature(Part 2)

Chapter 2: Part 1 | Chapter 3: Part 1

DATING... START!!!

I felt like Sora was about to say something in the school infirmary, there was that.

But, the days leading up to Sunday felt dreadfully long, the cause probably was simply something like enjoying the date with Sora.

'Is it ok if our meeting place is Hachiougi Station?'

"Yeah. What time?"

'9 am would be good. If it's too early the shops won’t be open, if we're late we can't enjoy our time.’

"Ok. Hachiougi station, 9 o'clock then."

The night before. Sora and I were deciding on the meeting place and time over the phone.

'This is a long-awaited date. Don't be late, Natsuhiko.'

"I know."

'Ok then. Well, see you tomorrow. Goodnight'

"Yeah, goodnight."

For several seconds, after being flooded by the reverberation of Sora's voice, I ended the call.

After that, I turned over the card on my desk.

‘Tomorrow, the lunch in the appropriate restaurant will taste bad, and the mood will worsen. For safety, go to a family restaurant.’

(* A family restaurant is a common type of restaurant in Japan which tends to serve a large variety of food, especially Western food. The name ‘family restaurant’ comes from the focus on family dining, so that children can always find something they like. Denny’s is a considered a family restaurant)

For some reason, this seemed like date advice.

However, it helped. I investigated the location of a family restaurant on my mobile phone, made a memo of it and put it in my bag for tomorrow.

Coincidentally I checked the contents of my bag.

"...Ok. The preparations are complete, as they say."

The clothes I'm wearing tomorrow are already prepared. When I confirmed them too I slipped into my futon.

That night, for a reason different to when before I had the card, I really couldn't fall asleep.

◊

I looked at the clock while I fidgeted.

The time is 8:50am. A little earlier than the time we had promised.

It's Sunday. I'm at Hachiougi Station. Looking around the outside of the bus rotary, there’s a plaza, there were street performers there too. There seemed to be lots of people meeting up apart from me.

Previously, the concourse inside the station was a popular meeting spot for people, a short while ago there was an explosion, so recently most people that use this station plaza instead.

Before Sora arrives, I lightly check my clothes. My clothes, which I planned to be as stylish as I could in my own way, probably ended up leaving the impression that I tried too hard. Aware of Akito’s clothes that I saw before, my coat with the strange design is the same as the one he wore.

"These ear cuffs are probably showing off too much…”

Also wearing some other rings and necklaces and stuff, though I tried to imitate what I saw Akito wearing, I confess, they’re actually all things I bought from a 100 yen store. Because what Akito wore has definitely got to be from a brand, it makes a considerable difference.

I raised my head and looked around the square. Sora still wasn't there.

I looked at the clock once more. The minute hand moved very slowly.

".....Hey, wait"

Why am I fidgeting like this? Sora calling it a date was just like a joke, today I was simply just going into town with my childhood friend.

Trying to persuade myself that, I couldn't stop my lips from smiling.

While breathing deeply over and over again, five minutes of waiting

"Morning, Natsuhiko"

"Aah, Sora. Morni...ng?"

When I tried to return the greeting to Sora, who had finally arrived, I froze up.

On her white blouse lined with lace on the sleeves and collar, she wore a pale pink cardigan, below that, she wore a slightly wide flared mini skirt, her long thin legs that extended from its hem were also covered with white lace stockings.

Her pale coloured clothes perfectly matched her beautiful black hair, the charm of the girl Sora Fushimi, was fully active.

"You're pretty early. I tried to hurry, did I keep you waiting?"

Sora smiling bashfully, to me, she looked like she was glittering.

It seems like she put on light makeup, I was captivated by her glossy pink lips.

"........."

"Hmm? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost"

"Eh? A, eh?"

Speaking to Sora, with upturned eyes, I finally returned back to earth.

My heart, which felt like it stopped for a moment, strung with a furious heartbeat like a backlash.

"U, um. Sora's , uh, you’re wearing, unusual clothes..."

Full of agitation, my head and tongue weren’t working well, and I ended up blurting out something weird.

What's more, I said ‘unusual clothes’. I wanted to say something nicer. They suit you very well, they look really cute, I could...no...it's useless....

"Ooh, that. I only really wear skirts and stuff with our uniform. This frilly stuff is too unlike me I guess… It’s weird, isn’t it?”

While she looked down at her own clothes, Sora spun around once on the spot.

When she did, her already short skirt fluttered, my heart beat so furiously I was worried it could break out of my ribs and fly out.

"I-It's not that. They’re not weird. Not at all"

"Hm. You think? Saying that makes me feel happy."

"Y,yeah. They’re… far from strange...uh… they really, suit, you."

Building up the courage, I added with a very thin voice.

"R, right. They suit me. Right..."

Sora muttered while letting her gaze swim away.

Her cheeks looked kind of red, probably because of her makeup.

".........."

For a short while, a moment of silence flowed by.

I couldn't say anything in this tension, Sora also looked down in silence.

"…A, Aaah. This, uhh.. I actually, got some advice from Momiji."

Before long, after it seemed like she did vocal exercises, Sora spoke and raised her head.

"About this long awaited date, I dressed up a little for it."

"R-Right. But why Momiji?"

"I only have a few friends who are girls of the same age, you probably know that. But those girls don't know what your taste is."

"My taste?"

"The date you and I are going on together. Or should I say I chose these clothes with something apart from your tastes in mind? They're completely in reference to Momiji's advice"

My heart which began to calm down, pounded strongly again. If there was any more of a burden on it my heart might start to break.

But the word 'date' is merely an "outing" today with my fellow childhood friend, I thought.

However, Sora’s even wearing a skirt that she doesn't usually wear, even said she’s dressing fashionably from taking advice from a pre-schooler. Also, meeting my tastes, she said.

With these, it seems like, this really is a date.

Honestly, like date between a girl and boy that like each other, doesn’t it---.

"Well then, we should head off soon."

As she said that Sora walked off towards the station.

The stupid me followed after her, confused, and she said,

"Oh. I forgot to say something."

While her black hair fluttered, she turned around.

"I think your clothes suit you too. Yes. I'm falling in love again."

With a smile more dazzling than the sun, she said.

Me too, but I didn't say that, maybe out of cowardice.

◊

Leaving from Hachiougi to the city center took roughly an hour.

When reached the terminal that boasts of the world's highest number of users, the time was around 10am.

"...Well, where should we go?"

Sora said with a large voice, after we descended the platform crowded with people.

"I really haven't thought about it."

"Well then. I received a lecture from Momiji about the usual, general standard for dates. According to that, it seems like the routine is window shopping, isn’t it."

"Yeah, I've heard that before."

Though I don't definitely know what kind of shopping to do.

"Ok. First, we could try and browse some of the clothing stores in the station."

"Ok but... which one?"

"What do you mean, which one?"

"In this station? There's a lot of stations."

There are several similarly named stations and stores, and also down the maze-like subterranean tunnels, there are connecting tunnels underneath the buildings. If those are included in the definition of the station, then an unbelievable amount of buildings could be called stations.

To tell the truth, I've come to the city centre several times, but Sora and I haven't hung out in the outskirts of the station too much. Mostly, we use it to transfer transportation and pass through it.

Just to be sure, on the internet yesterday, I went to investigate places to hang out and the location of the family restaurant written on the card, I didn't think of window shopping.

"Hmm...In that case, let's just go wherever."

"Not like we have a choice."

As we agreed on that, we went towards the east ticket gates and left towards the train station.

"They literally only have clothing stores..."

When we saw the information board, it looked like most of the stores were fashion related shops.

"But it looks like upstairs is pretty much restaurants."

"It's too early for lunch though. We could try and look around a little, couldn’t we."

Inside the building, though it was Sunday, it was teeming with visitors.

Moreover, they were mostly young girls, the shops were also full of brands for girls. I would never come in here if I wasn’t with Sora, I thought.

".........."

And there was silence.

The visitors apart from us were chatting and having fun while looking at clothes, I didn't know anything about women's fashion, Sora was probably the same. Staying together, we had nothing to talk about while we looked at the clothes.

Unable to bear the atmosphere of simply staring at the mannequins in silence, I spoke.

"H, hey, Sora. Are there any clothes that catch your attention?."

"No."

"You don't have to declare it like that-"

"I can't help it, ok? Nothing really interests me. I usually only wear the clothes my mom buys me, and the clothes I'm wearing now are all things Momiji chose. To me, I don’t have a clue if something’s good or bad.”

Sora made a face like a scholar challenging a theory from a difficult-to-understand philosophy when she saw a shirt with an illustration from an anime printed on it.

"It looks like you put on makeup today, did you?"

"I let my mom do it. She taught me how to fix it when it gets ruined, but who knows if I can actually do it.”

She returned the shirt to the rack while scowling, Sora unintentionally forced a smile at me.

It wasn’t womanly, however, above anything it was Sora-ly.

"Fuu... It's no use. Let's go to another shop."

Like an anguished researcher at a stalemate, Sora shook her head.

"If we walk a little there’s a big bookstore, let's go there."

Sora nodded strongly at my proposal, we left the flashy fashion building.

Leaving the station crowded by a huge amount of people, the large bookstore we finally arrived at after a few minutes of walking had much less people than the train station as you’d expect, there was an extensive range of customers of all ages and genders.

"...Ah, this book."

The paperback book lined up on the storefront came to view, my feet stopped.

"This is the book Momiji asked for the other day."

"Oh ho. Let’s see.”

Sora took the single copy on the flat display, and flipped through the pages.

The pile of books decorated and written with pop art saying "A Long Awaited Paperback Publishment", was considerably big. In the bookstore near Hachiougi station there was a corner where new books were placed, surprisingly it was treated differently than there.

"Hmm. It's a mystery novel after all. It seems pretty interesting."

"Sora, you read mystery novels, don’t you?"

"I don't fuss over genre. ...Though, novels that tend to catch my interest are usually mystery or sci-fi. It seems Momiji is completely devoted to mystery novels."

Sora said while returning the book to the pile.

"If it interests you will you buy it?"

"No, it's fine. I can borrow it from Momiji now."

Entering the store, a corner for much-discussed work was prepared near the entrance. The lined up books were mostly manuals, I saw lots of books written about hygiene and diet.

"There’s so many diet books. Sora, are you interesting in dieti-"

"No."

"Right.”

At a glance, she didn't look like she needed to diet, now she wasn't in a state of paying attention to her body weight and figure.

"But this one's interesting."

While she said that the book in Sora's hands was... A book on breast enlargements.

Just now, without thinking, reflexively, my eyes went towards Sora's chest, who was standing next to me.

"As you can see, it's hopeless."

"Sure. ...Wait, ah, no, it's not!"

Sora expressed a wry smile to me, who hid my nodding in a panic.

"Don't worry. It's the truth. It's really not that complex."

"R, right. But, well, why is that interesting to you?"

"There isn’t really a reason “why”… Natsuhiko, do you like large chested girls?"

While tilting her head and staring at me, for a moment, I lost my voice.

"...Do you not?"

"Ah, no... it's, not that. I mean, I haven't really thought about whether I like large chested girls in the first place..."

"Is that right? So you don't mind if it’s a cliff face like this?"

Sora spoke while brushing down her own chest.

"A, a cliff face. I don't care. Being large chested..."

I stressed at being unable to read the intention of Sora’s statement, I tried to say my true feelings.

Though my male classmates always get excited over things like "Someone in the other class has huge boobs", I didn't participate in that, I wasn’t aware until just now that comparing Sora’s chest to the average, hers was smaller.

"Right... ok. Right right."

While expressing a relieved smile for some reason, Sora returned the breast enlargement book to the shelf. I became increasingly confused about the state of that girl.

Sora is different than usual today. She seems like she’s behaving like my girlfriend, not my childhood friend, or maybe that’s just my hubris…

"It seems like the second story is the paperback floor. …Ok, I should try and buy some sort of souvenir for Momiji, shouldn’t I."

Following Sora, who’s suddenly in a good mood, we went up to the second floor.

From the new work corner, prepared on the place that stood out most on the floor, a single copy of a mystery novel which seemed to meet Momiji's preferences was chosen, and bought.

After that, we went around the shop while chatting.

"Look at the price of this book, Natsuhiko"

Sora took the A6 book in her hand, and said with a serious expression.

"630 yen, do you think that’s a normal price?" (*~ $5.60)

"It is, right? But in the station we stopped by earlier, one shirt was being sold at 6,000 yen. Can you believe that? Isn't that 10 times this book?" (~ $53.45)

"Hmm, I don't know about the market for girl's clothes though..."

"Oh my god, looking at this, you get a sense of how people's values are different. For me, I would rather choose to buy 10 books so I don’t end up in a situation where that’s all I have to wear, but there are people that would choose to buy a 6,000 yen shirt like it’s normal in this world…”

With that immense culture shock, Sora groaned with a glum face, uuhm.

Looking around one more time, when we left the shop, it was getting close to midday.

"It’s already this late... should we eat lunch soon?"

"No, before that, let’s go over there."

Where Sora was pointing, there was a brand new building with white outer walls.

Things that looked like posters stuck in picture frames were lined up in a row on the wall.

"Is that a movie theatre?"

"Mhm. A movie is said to be a routine for dates. ....That’s the advice I got from Momiji."

"Haah..."

Momiji again. If she tells Sora weird things that's fine, but....

First of all, we went into the movie theatre.

The expansive lobby was filled with a diversity of people, groups of students, groups of old people, and huge amounts of families. Lining up in the queue to the ticket desk, we looked up at the screen showing the performance timetable.

"What should we watch?"

"To be honest, I've already decided."

As she said that, the title Sora brought up was a long-run screening of a western film.

It's a work that's brought up on the internet and television a lot, so I already knew most of the contents. Because of that, I asked Sora.

"Are you really sure? Is this your type?"

"Uh huh. Momiji recommended it. Because we're on a date you should watch this one, she said."

The seating arrangement was almost a full house.

Since the time of release approximately half a year ago has passed, the film has been hugely popular.

Soon the film started, it was a love story with a touch of comedy.

While it had moderate comedy, in the carefully created work where the man and women earnestly fell in love, I was gradually sucked into the story.

And then, the film came to a touching end. It was such I good work I thought I should have watched it earlier. I agreed with its high popularity.

".....?"

When the credits began flowing, something soft and warm touched my hand.

Sitting next to me, Sora put her hand on top of mine.

In a moment, my heart thumped, and I looked at Sora's face. Though it was in the darkness, I knew she was smiling while looking at my face.

Thump, thump... my heart rang out. It wasn't a violent throbbing.

I couldn't think.

I simply gazed at Sora like I was entranced, and entwined my fingers, with her fingers.

As soon as I did, heartache overflowed.

--- More. I still want more.

I want to connect even deeper, I squeezed Sora's hand.

Sora's hand squeezed me back too.

The joy of recieving that gentleness made me want to cry.

Soon the credits finished while our fingers and gazes were intertwined.

--- I just can't take my fingers or my eyes away.

That's what I thought.

But reality is cruel.

When the movie was over the audience had to leave outside

In the hustle and bustle of visitors leaving their seats, Sora and I came to our senses.

We untied our intertwined gazes, which had both become red.

Our entangled hands also had to unwrap with hesitancy.

That being the case, gradually I regained my composure, living in the space to look back on me from earlier, in the short space while we left the movie theatre, I couldn't properly look at Sora's face.

--- Why did I do something so embarrassing!

That was by mere chance, that’s the only thing I could think. I was swallowed up in the atmosphere of the movie. That act was clearly too much for the childhood friend territory.

But... I thought.

Sora accepted it. The act stepped over the childhood friend distance, she allowed it.

While I thought about the meaning of that in my still feverish head, I glanced over at Sora and...

".....!?"

Sure enough our eyes met, I looked away with a bounce, and hung my head.

"W...Well then! Would you look at the time! If it isn't time for lunch!"

Like she was trying to hide something, Sora spoke in a large voice.

"Are you pretty hungry now, Natsuhiko?"

"Y, yeah."

Sora returned to her usual tone and volume, I replied to her in a small voice. Though I still couldn't look at Sora, I knew that on her body her ears were still pretty red.

"Seems like there's a lot of restaurants around here, we should go to the most fitting one."

"Ah, wait a second."

Sora, who proposed while walking, stopped.

"Should we have lunch at a family restaurant?"

"Family restaurant?"

"It's difficult going into a shop you don't know, because, well... they might have crappy stuff."

Sora put her finger on her chin, and after thinking for a short while she nodded, "You have a point"

"So let's look for a nearby family restaurant"

"That's fine. I already investigated."

"...You already prepared. Did you plan on going to a family restaurant from the very beginning?"

Not really, as i answered, I pulled out the memo with the location of the family restaurant written on it from my bag.

This is to avoid the misfortune the card showed me last night. Today too, no more misfortune will happen. I didn't seem to show the relief on my face.

"Now you mention it, did you understand that from that card?"

"...Eh!?"

I almost dropped the memo.

"Before, the card wrote for you to be careful of the rain that afternoon. Or was it just a prank by Momiji?"

"A,aah....yeah… I… I wonder if it was a prank? Uh.....still, that.....I guess I really don't know.......well......Ah, right! I didn't really worry about it in the end!"

That was too shaky, if I say so myself.

"Huum...Well, I'm not sure if that's right"

Apart from that, Sora didn't ask any more. Even though she probably had doubt.

But when I thought about it, I realised there was no need to hide it. I felt I wanted to hear Sora's opinion on future prediction and Maki-chan appearing in my weird dream.

Well, let's just keep hiding it for today.

The family restaurant written on the memo was full at almost 2pm, but after waiting 5 minutes some seats emptied and we were able to get a late lunch.

We talked while eating lunch, the strange mood after we left the movie theatre had disappeared, I realized at last Sora and I had returned to being childhood friends as usual. Mutually, we seemed to absolutely not touch on the incident that happened in the movie theatre.

"What should we do after this? It’ll start getting dark soon."

We finished lunch and left the family restaurant, the time was around 3pm.

"Lastly, there's a place I kind of want to go to. Is that ok?"

I nodded at Sora's proposal. She was making a strangely serious expression.

We returned to the station and got on the electric train. The route was in the direction of Hachiougi.

Sora wasn't very talkative on the train, when I asked her where we were going, she answered ambiguously and vaguely.

"We get off here."

This was Kitahiragawa station, the 3rd stop after Hachiougi station.

Above the station, there was an unbroken view of Kitahiragawa's townscape of resident housing.

Getting off on the platfrom, Sora pointed at a speck in the town that started to become dyed by the sunset.

"It's been a while, I want to ride that."

Beyond what her thin fingers pointed at, darkened in the backlight, there was a large Ferris wheel.

◊

Kitahiragawa Children's Amusement Park.

A little amount of courage was needed to call this an 'amusement park' when it was a small-scale establishment.

There were merry-go-rounds and spinning teacups, they had the standard selection of play equipment, it small enough for any child, the proportioned site area was small.

However, when I was in elementary school it was a sufficiently fun place, I often burdened my parents with asking and begging them to go. Sora and her parents, and the grandparents I'm now living with have come here too.

For me, this is a place with incredibly important memories.

The inside is special, it's become a landmark for Kitahiragawa city because of its inappropriately big Ferris wheel.

"This somehow feels incredibly narrow. I guess that means we’ve grown."

Getting in the carriage fading with color, Sora and I sat facing eachother.

“The scenery’s changed too.”

I glanced outside the plastic window full of scratches.

In particular the station's surroundings were developing into a bedroom town, compared to my vague memories as a child, the number of large apartments behind me had increased.

"It's been around 7 years. It's strange that we and the town haven't changed a lot. This Ferris wheel seems like is starting to wear out though."

Rust began to fall off the window frame that Sora's finger's disciplined.

Though I know this carriage was once painted with images of rainbows and their seven colours, now the colours had faded and I was unable to distinguish between bitter orange and amber yellow.

Without replying, I felt the time pass by.

"Do you remember?"

A look dwelled in Sora's eyes like a child who thought of an amusing prank.

"The first time we rode this Ferris wheel, you got scared of heights and cried."

"Guh.... D,did that really happen?"

I averted my gaze to hide my embarrassment, but I vividly remember it.

It's a story from when I was in kindergarten. Sora and I and also my mother rode it together, even though I said I wanted to ride it, once it rotated halfway, I cried to my mother asking if we could get off quickly.

"Natsuhiko, back then you were so cute. Are you ok around high places now?"

Sora said grinning with a malicious smile, to say something back, I remembered when we were younger, and searched for something I remembered to counter-attack.

"S,Sora, you cried too. When we went in the haunted house."

"Mu..... I was just scared of unexplained phenomenon"

Sora puffed and turned her face away, but she couldn't hide the redness of her ears.

"Anyway, that was back when I was a kid.”

"I was just a kid back then."

Our faces became serious as we quarreled, and then we blurted something out at the same time.

Our bright laughing voices were trapped inside the narrow carriage.

"We both were kids, weren’t we. There were lot's of things we were scared of."

"Of course. Even still, it's rare that I cry..."

Sora wiped away the tears that had collected in her eyes from laughing too hard.

"You're crying right now."

"This doesn't count. The tears haven't come out so it's not crying."

Fuu, she said with a bold smile, Sora's gaze went outside the window.

"...Isn't it hard?"

That was a question aimed at me, I knew because her voice was gentle.

"I don't know."

While I answered honestly, I gazed at the scenery outside the window too.

"I guess I feel something. I feel bitterness in my chest."

In this ferris wheel, there was a place where Sora and my memories were cut off. It was kind of embarrassing, but it's hidden in my heart, that memory.

It was a similar memory of me and my parents in there.

"My dad let me ride on his shoulders."

What I saw that time was the same scenery I saw in the amusement park at a higher place.

"When I was lost, my mom called out for me."

The joy I felt at that time, the warmth of my mother who held me.

Though I remembered all of it, in these 7 years, I had come to confine those memories.

Today they were released, I felt something.

"I'm a little lonely....I think. But it feels different than bitterness. ...Yeah, after all, I really don't know."

"...I see."

Sora looked at me and smiled.

I looked at her and smiled too. Though I don't know if I smiled successfully.

I didn't feel lonely before I remembered my parents, but that’s because my world is so peaceful now. My quietly calm days with the future predicting ability bestowed upon me have given me the chance to smile.

Maki-chan's figure floated through my mind. Maybe Maki-chan isn't a resident of the dream world, but she is a God instead, she is the one that also gave me that card.

No, I don't care if it's Maki-chan or anyone else.

I feel grateful for whoever gave me that card.

The carriage we were in was close to reaching the highest point on the Ferris wheel.

"...Natsuhiko"

Sora met eyes with me, she expressed a serious facial expression, she spoke.

"I love you."

Not saying anything, at first I didn't understand the meaning.

Therefore, as if almost reflexively,

"Yeah."

I said, with a nod.

My head was in an inactive state, but it started to move,

"Is this how you respond to a so-called confession."

Sora said while smiling bitterly, and after that

Confession. I remembered the meaning of those words, I remembered the meaning of that act, I,

"~~~~~~~~!?"

I held my mouth. It wasn’t that riding the Ferris wheel was making me nauseous, what it actually was, was that being full of surprise made me emit a strange noise.

The palm that held my mouth was hot, the part of my face that was being touched was hot.

My whole body was hot like it was on fire, in my boiling head, surprise and questions jumped around like a pachinko ball.

"Co, coco, confe..... confe,ssion?"

"Right. Confession. Because I love you."

She declared it again, I thought my heart would stop.

After all, I couldn't bear it. In this surprise and this tension, and also, this joy.

"Let me spell it out for you."

Sora's face seemed to change into the same red as the colour of my face.

"I'm not saying I just love you as a childhood friend, y'know? It's not that I love you like family either. I love you, Natsuhiko Shidou, as a boy."

Again. She said 'love' again. There was a glimmering deep in her eyes.

I took the hand covering my mouth out of the way. It seems I hadn't been breathing for a little while.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at Sora's serious expression, she spoke.

"Natsuhiko.... well, I, I... I want you to be my boyfriend."

Her expression was inarticulate, it was un-Sora-esque.

Sora made both hands into fists and placed them on her lap, and waited intently for my words.

If I express my true feelings, I'll immediately want to run away.

Crowded with this feeling of tension, being soaked under this pressure made me want to jump out of the carriage... That's what I thought.

But I can't do that.

In Sora's eyes, packed full of thought, she reassured me that “You don’t have to answer.”

-If I said I didn't notice Sora's good will, it would be a lie.

The person who came to support me when I sunk down after losing my parents was without a doubt Sora. Without being comforted or encouraged, Sora simply stayed by me in silence. After I was taken in by my grandparents, when she found the spare time to she would meet up with me.

I don't know how much she's helped me with those things.

I was under the impression that Sora's dedication to supporting me was simply out of kindness, she surely must have felt betrayal.

-But what about your own feelings.

With Sora near me right now, the tranquility, warmth, and happiness I feel are all on the foundation of feelings of gratitude.

-No, they're not.

But before Sora was together with me and healed the wounds from losing my parents, I loved her. Because she was a special existence to me, when I thought I could lose everything again, I found out my reason for living.

And then today, I didn't realise.

When she turned up to our meeting place dressed the best she could.

When she murmured and worried about whether I liked large chested girls.

When she seemed to kindly wrap my hand up and squeeze back.

It was for me. I didn't notice it was for that.

-I love Sora.

For a long time, and right now too,

".....Sora"

She raised her face and immediately met my eyes.

"I love you too, Sora."

Slowly, politely, I put all of my feelings into words.

I wonder if they reached. Sora sighed deeply and held her chest.

After that, she spoke.

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

We asked, mutually. Mutually, we laughed. While tears began to fill up my eyes.

That smile is the answer to the question.

In this moment, surely, Sora and my relationship went from childhood friends to partners.

"You're crying again, Sora."

"I am crying. I don't know why, but that was really tense. While you say that, Natsuhiko, you're crying too."

"I’m not crying. I just have tears in my eyes."

"Kuh, you're mean."

While we both wiped what collected in the corners of our eyes, we laughed together.

It looked like nothing had changed, between us two. But obviously something had changed.

Sora's smile that I saw looked completely different than when we were childhood friends before.

"Natsuhiko. Can I sit next to you?"

Sora stood up without getting an answer, while taking care not to make the carriage shake, she sat down in the empty seat.

Then whether I liked it or not she quickly took my hand in silence, and entwined our fingers like we did in the movie theatre.

When she did that, I became dizzy from my heart beating-

"Wai, So, Sora?"

"Humph. For some reason, when we do this, it feels really nice."

Sora lay her head on my shoulder, and leaned into me. The distance between us had disappeared.

"Isn't this the way partners treat one another?"

when she said that, Sora demonstrated to the window behind us with her empty hand. Through the window, in a lower carriage, I saw a man and woman snuggling together closely. They had a really similar form to us right now.

"It pains me, but I felt like I had to use a reference."

"S, saying that is....a little embarrassing...."

"It's fine, right? I was kind of hesitant. We've become partners. So we can flirt all we like."

"Yeah...that seems right, but I could be mistaken..."

But the warmth Sora's body is giving off is certainly pleasant, I don't want to separate.

In our space, the evening sun thrust through the scratched window.

"To tell the truth, my clothes today have been kind of chilly. I thought it was necessary to endure it for the style Momiji suggested... But, doing this is making me warm."

It wasn't just the body warmth mutually given off, but surely I feel like this is warmth overflowing from inside my heart, Sora probably felt so too.

"Did we come to the amusement park so you could confess?"

"Kind of. In the first place, the date itself was so I could confess."

"Right. .....It was kind of unexpected."

"What was?"

"I thought you weren't interested in something like confessing. That or love."

"I'm not interested. I'm not now. I just, really....for some reason, if I asked if I should confess, it would be like asking for permission."

Sora spoke like she was carefully choosing her words.

"Permission? What do you mean?"

"It's simple. Permission to satisfy my desire. My desire for wanting you."

Sora, who raised her head looked at me, and expressed a smile as she spoke fascinatedly.

"Impulse. I'm a person at the limits of my patience. I can't bear wanting you."

"What do you mean, 'want'?"

"To be together with you. I want to touch your skin. I want to.... connect with you. I want to feel the existence known as Natushiko Shidou's whole body, I want to try and keep it to myself. When we moved up to high school and seemed to share more time together, that desire grew bigger in one go."

A person whose words are too direct. I felt the core of my head become numb.

It's because of what Sora said.

"But, that desire collided with you, and I didn't want to be stubborn. I didn't want to see you troubled. That’s why I confessed. So that you would accept my desire."

I know the name of that desire.

The desire is called 'affection'. It's absolutely inside of me too.

"Do you think I'm shameful? If you think so there's nothing I can do though."

"Me too."

Sora spoke with a heartfelt expression, she stopped to look at me.

Up until now, it's only her who has been expressing her love, because I'm too pathetic.

"I also want you, Sora. I always want to be together with you. I'm not sure if I can be patient, just like you....."

"In that case.... is it ok, if I want you, Natsuhiko?"

"Yeah. If it's ok for me to want you too, Sora."

"Yeah. Of course"

She smiled while her beautiful eyes dampened, Sora leaned into me again.

"I'm happy.... Happiness. This is happiness."

She murmured as if she was reflecting, I nodded too.

Happiness, my peaceful life I completely lost 7 years ago.

Now it was so close, it had always been next to me.

Soon, the carriage we rode approached the ground.

The door opened, this happy moment seemed to end, the clerk in charged watched us.

"What a rude guy. He could have shut up and let us go around one more time."

"It can't be helped. Let’s come here again sometime."

"Yeah. Next time, let's get a ticket to go around twice in advance."

We stuck together as long as we could, and got off the carriage.

While holding hands. While cuddling close. While there was zero distance between us.

We're not just childhood friends anymore. This is the distance of partners.

��x

After we left the memorable amusement park, we went on our way home.

We coincided with the home-time rush, Kitaharagawa station platform was overflowing with people.

Since the high speed train that stops at Hachiougi in one stop was probably full, we waited on the platform for the next train, to take the slow train home.

As we did,

"....Ah"

Pushed in the crowd of people, it looked like Sora was about to slip off the platform.

In a hurry, I pulled our entangled hands.

The train passed by immediately behind Sora, who I managed to pull into me to protect her.

"Sora, are you ok?"

"Yeah, Thank you. I'm fine."

My heart rang out like an alarm bell.

"Really... I'm glad I was holding your hand."

"Yeah. Really."

What if I wasn't holding her hand. If we were still childhood friends, that would be dangerous.

We gripped each other's hands even more strongly.

Interlude: Our Retribution Policy

"What a nice sight."

He said while watching the TV.

Transmitted on the screen was news reporting on a fire breaking out in the city.

In one room of the burning apartment complex, they discovered the burnt corpse of an unemployed man.

That man was the offender of a series of arson incidents that disturbed society.

Then, about a week ago, the man that he demanded I “bestow a reward” upon.

"An arsonist burning to death in a fire. There's nothing more appropriate than this."

Without any especially deep emotion, he was uninterested.

The incident which should have happened naturally, happened naturally. He probably recognised that.

I stood in the corner of the living room, and simply listened to his voice.

In order to grant his wish, I became his tool.

The one who establishes the target of retaliation, is him. The one who performs it, is me.

I say ‘perform’, but it isn’t necessary for me to do it first-hand. By manipulating the probability that fills this world, I am able to bestow a reward in the form of misfortunate accidents and events even to far, far away targets of retribution.

From the moment I decided to grant his wish, I began to understand that it was unnecessary for me to think about what kind of reward would be appropriate. An existence like me, a thing that grants peoples wishes, accommodates the wishes that I should grant.

He understood my power, but he was, nonetheless, cautious.

He first chose offenders of villainous incidents occurring in Japan as targets of retribution. That was probably in order try out my power.

For example, if it’s a case where the police cannot identify the suspect, if I learn the appearance and name of the offender, their whereabouts and the events in their past. Performing retribution, confirming what to establish retribution on, it’s not difficult.

The appropriate reward, for the whole world.

Unlike the creator, I am imperfect, and am not able to change the world one by one.

Nevertheless, if we do something like this we’ll get closer the world I wish for little by little, he said.

"After tomorrow, include the people close to me as retribution targets."

People close to him. Such as relatives and family?

"Not my family. They're too close. We'll go outside, give the people walking around their appropriate rewards.”

Are you planned to ascertain the efficiency of my abilities?

"Yes. ...Besides, when we go outside, wear this. That weird appearance stands out too much. Then I won't mind walking with you."

He held out the paper bag placed on the table to me.

I took it and looked inside, the uniform for girls for the school he attended was inside.

"I put a hair tie in there too. Tie up that pointlessly long hair."

He spoke tiresomely, and returned to his room.

He's a strange man, I thought again.

This isn't the first time he's given me things.

The first thing he gave me, was a place to stay. One room in the apartment his parents seemed to have bought him as a gift, in there he allocated one room to me. Originally, there were many rooms as he was living away from home, it seemed to be left over.

Now in the room that was once vacant, a simple bed and dressing table had been placed, the closet really wasn't needed when he lived alone, it was stored full of clothes for girls.

I've met many humans until now, but I haven't once been treated like this.

I'm worshipped like a God, though I'm creepy like a monster, to him it's like I'm just a person, and he treats me like I'm just a girl. Though he avoids obviously behaving like he looks down on me, he is exceedingly polite towards me.

I felt like something else was strange.

That is his personality.

I've seen him when he talks to friends over the phone. His tone and expression then truly look like a different person. He's bright, friendly, exchanging things like jokes when he talks, it doesn't bare the slightest resemblance from the usual him that I know.

Perhaps he suffers from a split personality disorder?

"That's stupid. I'm just acting."

I asked, and didn't feel any friendliness in the slightest, a cold voice answered.

"When I’m talking to inferior people, it’s better to get on their good sides rather than make enemies. I’m putting on a personality that they prefer. It’s a little freebie for them.”

It looked like very jokey personality.

"Hmph. Usually it’s pretty jokey, but deep down it’s more serious, it makes sure people won’t tell lies. That personality’s the most popular. I can’t joke around too much, but I also can’t be too serious. But no matter what, it always holds the position of being inferior to others.”

Do people prefer others who are inferior to them?

"Naturally. People suffer from inferiority complexes. They can’t hold the feeling that people better than them enjoy being around them. Having no self-confidence is encouraging to them, because it makes them suffer.”

But, the feeling of honour exists in humans too. Would you not call honour the feeling of when people better than yourself enjoy being around you?

"What a sweet thought. Humans envy things. While you call it honour, on the flip side, jealousy lurks. Besides, since I’m the only person who realises that, that’s the biggest trouble.”

Although he asserted that, I didn't see that there was any portion of the popular student that was inferior.

I didn’t think anybody would pretend to be inferior just so they could have people that enjoy being around them.

"I don’t actually have to be inferior at everything. Inferior people don’t try and see the true nature of things, they live in a fantasy. Even interpersonal relationships are complemented with fantasies. Muttering some complaints instead of greeting them, that alone makes people relieved. Those guys are probably imperfect the same way that I am, they see the version of me that they create in their head, not the real me, and that makes them feel better.”

He spoke just like he could read other people's minds.

"Of course you think I can read them. What the masses are thinking is easier to read than children's literature, it's easy to understand. Well, to me it is."

Then why would you keep company with such inferior people?

"Well, I hate losing. It doesn’t matter how trivial it is, I always want to continue on as the winner. My abilities aren't enough, the quality and number of my friends, the value of my surroundings, and also, how many people would die for me are. I want to continue to win at all those things.”

In order to do that, you dominate in understanding people's minds?

"I enjoy winning. At least, more than losing."

Was wishing for retribution so you could win?

"I'm talking about the person sitting at the winning position. Giving people rewards, judging sin, they're both the job of a superior person. Rating everyone's actions and thoughts and bestowing an appropriate price on those... don’t you think that's the appropriate privilege for the person who sits at the top?"

I didn't answer his question.

To him it also probably wasn't necessary that I replied.

Me, who was not a person, had to admire his way of thinking, I didn’t think to criticise him.

I simply became a tool to him, who wished strongly, just to accomplish my goal.

I am a thing that grants people's wishes.

A thing, simply just for that.

Chapter 3 --->

#ikasama life game #life cheating game #kemu voxx #kemu #pandora voxx #イカサマライフゲイム #our retribution policy #ぼくらの報復政策

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meshugana1 · 6 years

Text

My part of a story trade with @bigredyche, that fellow is pretty nifty. Go check him out instead of wasting time here.

Edith walked into the tall office building and felt her old joints rattle and shake, seventy-two years will do that to you. Aside from the joints she had all the other accompanying junk, a head full of white hair, wrinkled old skin dotted with liver spots, boney fingers and bad circulation that made her feel cold all the time. Her office was on the sixty-eighth floor of eighty-three, making the trek to work a long one even with elevators to assist. Her simple grey business suit offered little warmth in the winter weather even with her heavy mink coat.

As she rode the elevator up she had plenty of time to think about the past few days. She had learned quite a few things suddenly, like how her employees thought of her. How the CEO’s daughter was trying to force her out and steal her position. How the board was going along with it. And how little she seemed to matter to people she gave the best years of her life to. She learned all of this in about three hours two days ago. It devastated the poor old woman, so much so that she took a day off, the first she’d had in over twenty years.

That afternoon she’d found herself walking about the town in a listlessly. It’s a little cliche to admit but one thing that made her feel better was shopping, especially for antiques. It made her feel good to have things that were as old as her around, in a way they made her feel less useless. The company had treated her well, up until now that is, and she nearly cleared out two small antique shops in the market district. Then she happened upon a new shop. It was normal enough looking, but Edith could swear that there wasn’t anything where this building now stood. It was a curio shop though so Edith entered to have a look.

The attendant at the counter was an older woman. Not as old as Edith but looked around middle aged, her eyes and lips had just a few of the telltale wrinkles. Her dark hair and olive skin seemed to compliment her so well that Edith couldn’t imagine one without the other. She wore red bandana in her hair and a modest blue dress that did little to hide the curve of her breasts. Edith thought of her own wrinkled and sagging breasts and felt the familiar pangs of jealousy. The shop itself looked quite promising, it looked like it had a long history to it. It had an indentation in the floor from foot traffic and all the shelves and displays were made of real wood and the entire place had that feeling of experience and nostalgia.

The shops attendant hadn’t yet noticed that she’d had a customer until finally the rusty old bell chimed. The woman snapped her head up in surprise, quickly composed herself and smiled a smile that was full of vibrant youthfulness. Edith admired the woman’s face, with its minimalist make up and the cutie mark that accented her lips. The olive skinned woman then spoke in a excited voice. “Hello ma’am. Welcome to Saveta’s Curio Shop. Odds and oddities from around the world! I’m Saveta Hitchcock, can I help you find that special something you’ve been looking for today?”

“No, Ms. I just came in to look.” Edith said politely. There was plenty to look at too, this shop seemed far too large from what she saw outside. Saveta looked a little deflated but maintained her smile. “That’s perfectly fine madam. Please let me know if there’s anything you need.” “Maybe a way to turn back time.” Edith said with a chuckle. “Turn back time ma’am?” “Yeah, so I can go back and not waste fifty years working for a bunch of selfish people who can fire me just like that.” Edith didn’t normally talk about her feelings or problems but something about this woman made her so approachable. “Well…” Saveta knew she probably shouldn’t get involved but this poor old lady seemed so down she just couldn’t not help. “I might actually be able to help you there.”

Edith appreciated the woman’s humor. “If only right?” “I mean it ma’am, I think I have just the item for you. Wait right here.” Saveta said walking into a backroom. Edith was extremely skeptical that this woman could actually have an item that could help her but she had the whole afternoon to kill so she entertained the idea. The storekeeper returned holding a small necklace. “Here you go ma’am. I think this item will suit you perfectly.” Edith eyed the necklace and was impressed with the craftsmanship. It was a small amber sphere that contained a small statue of a seated figure.

“It looks lovely.” Edith said. “Thank you, but there’s more to this piece that meets the eye. This is a totem of the goddess Laverna.” Saveta said. “I’m sorry, who’s that?” “She is a goddess ma’am. A goddess of thieves, and this necklace has been imbued with some of her power.” “Ms. this is starting to get a little silly. That necklace has the power of a goddess?” “It does indeed ma’am. I will demonstrate if you’re still skeptical.” Saveta then donned the necklace and it rested in her cleavage. She pointed outside and said “Do you see that woman out there?” Edith turned and spied a woman who looked a bit like a high class prostitute. She had blonde hair and wore a skimpy dress that did little to cover her sizable breasts.

“Now watch this.” Saveta said, a look of concentration appearing on her face. Edith was watching Saveta and was astonished to see that the woman’s already large breasts were growing! She turned her head and saw the woman outside was pawing at her chest, Edith squinted to see why and her breasts were shrinking as much as Saveta’s were growing. This woman was right, this necklace was magic! Saveta’s chest continued to expand and the other woman’s continued to shrink until there was nothing left. Edith had no idea how Saveta’s dress hadn’t given way but the buttons looked to be holding.

“How was that ma’am?” Saveta said, her chest beginning to deflate and the woman’s beginning to regrow. “That necklace can steal breasts?” Edith said. “Not just breasts ma’am. It can steal anything, including youth.” That peaked Edith’s interest. If she had that necklace she could get her youth back and persuade her bosses to keep her on. Or, better yet, she could get some revenge on those selfish brats who work for her. “How much?” “Well this item is valuable but I only charge what people can pay.” Edith took out her purse and gave the woman a black check. “I will pay anything to have that necklace.” Edith accepted the first number that Saveta wrote down, it was about enough to clean the old woman out. But Edith didn’t care, this would be worth it. “Here you go ma’am.” Saveta said handing her the necklace. Edith turned immediately and headed out the door, lost in thoughts of the revenge this necklace would let her have. “Have a good evening ma’am, and come back anytime.” Saveta said. The door closed when Saveta suddenly remembered “Wait a minute ma’am!” she said trying to catch the woman. It was too late though, all she saw of the woman’s cab was the taillights. “Damn, I forgot to tell her about the necklaces backlash. Oh well, she seemed smart. I’m sure she’ll figure it out.”

Edith was shaking with excitement when she entered the office and saw her young employees, they had no idea what was about to hit them. She shut the door to her personal office but a moment later her executive assistant popped in. She was Cherish, the CEO’s nineteen year old daughter, assistant to her for two years. “Morning Ms. Edith, I was so sorry to hear that you were going to retire. We’re all going to miss you around here.” Cherish said, lying through her teeth. Edith knew this girl was conspiring to take her job. She didn’t even know if she could stop her from taking it, but Edith was going to take something from her first.

It was no easy task to pick what she was going to take. She had promised that she wouldn’t turn anyone into an old crone like her. There were plenty of people in the office to take youth from, but she’d start with Cherish. She touched the necklace and could feel a snappy energy from it. She focused on what she wanted, ten years sounded like a good start. It was working, it was actually working! Her joints stopped hurting, the lines on her face softened, and some of the grey returned to her hair. It was only ten years but it felt like twenty for her, she looked at her victim through her blinds and couldn’t help but laugh. Cherish was still young, but the signs of age could be seen forming on the now twenty-nine year old woman face. She filled out her tight suit a little bit tighter now as some fat seemed to be added to her hips and tummy. The girls face was priceless as she looked so confused about why she felt tired and bloated all of a sudden.

Edith would have started dancing if she weren’t still sixty-two years old. She was so excited by her success that she just had to take something else from the little bitch, the humiliation she would feel would be more than worth it. She wracked her brain trying to think of something, then it came to her. She saw the young woman’s breasts were still full and perky, but not for much longer. She focused again but this time kept her eyes squared on her target as she walked into the ladies room.

Cherish was felling terrible all of a sudden. She was shocked to see the face in the mirror looked way older, like she’d forgotten to put on makeup that morning or like she’d stay’d up all night partying. She would’ve focused more on her face but her boobies felt really strange. They felt almost heavier. She was alone in the bathroom so she undid her blouse and almost fainted at the sight of her boobs. She’d spent enough time with her mom to know what saggy tits looked like and somehow she had them! She threw off her bra and watched her nipples point straight to the floor. She was a nineteen year old hottie but now she looked like her mom with tits that were sagging, and getting worse! She actually watched in shock horror as her tits slowly crept toward the floor, but stopped finally just passed her belt. She reached down with a shaking hand and grabbed one of her drooping breasts. It felt like a sack of cottage cheese and she could almost close her fist around her cartoonishly saggy boob.

One of the most curious things that was in the back of her mind, was that ordinarily this sort of thing turned her on. She loved reading stories and looking a pics of humiliation and downgrade transformation stuff. But right now she felt nothing but panic and revulsion. She was so shaken by her tits transformation that she screamed and ran out of the bathroom, totally forgetting her state of dress. She ran through the office bare chested and with her sagging breasts flailing around her body wildly. She was quite the sight for the rest of the office. She stopped at the door, her breasts swinging like a pendulum as she tried to open it. She finally succeeded and in her panic ran out the door.

Edith was laughing uncontrollably now. She couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome from stealing the perkiness of the woman’s breast. Looking down she admired her own newly firm breasts, looking like they had when she was twenty. She also felt a little feeling in her like butterflies in her tummy. If she wasn’t so old she’d call it being turned on, but she wasn’t a pervert or anything. She was just excited to get her revenge, speaking of which she spied her next target. Tessa was the shy, but nosy receptionist of the office. It was her that started spreading the rumors about her, that she was getting to old to work and she was going senile. She just wanted to belong, but she shouldn’t have done it like that. Tessa was in her thirties so she only took ten years from her.

She watched her but she must’ve had good genes because one could hardly tell. Tessa could feel her forties however as arthritis set in, she rubbed her hands trying to ease the discomfort. Edith felt even better than she did before, the color was returning to her, wrinkles disappeared and she now had some more of her brown hair back. She so happy that she couldn’t wait any longer, there were nine other employees in the office so she concentrated and took thirty-four years combined from everybody. The changes in the employees were slight, only about 5 years were taken from each give or take but Edith changed dramatically. The fifty-two year old woman felt more alive than she had in decades, her wrinkles receded until they vanished completely and her skin became tight and smooth. Her liver spots disappeared and not a single strand of white hair remained on her head. Her suit, which clung to her old bony frame, now hugged her eighteen year old body tightly as her curves returned to her after leaving so long ago.

She bit her full lip and ran her smooth hands all over her hips and over her large, firm breasts. The butterfly feeling in her tummy now became full on arousal and she plunged a finger into her wet cunt. She was so happy, she hadn’t been wet in years and turning Cherish into that saggy titted woman was turning her on so much. The humiliated face she made was so hot! She didn’t even know she liked that but she was glad to have found out. Her other hand was focused solely on her new slightly bigger tits. She remembered that they were sensitive before but now they made her pussy throb just from the knowledge that she made them bigger. Edith was now experiencing the backlash that Saveta had failed to warn her about. The talisman of Laverna the patron of thieves had unintended consequences for its user, greed was a powerful force, and the more one used the amulet the more one unintentionally stole from their victims.

Along with the ten years Edith had taken the desire to humiliate from Cherish, and from Tessa she had inadvertently taken a love for expanding flesh. Edith was too lost in her erotic fugue to realize what was happening, she only wanted more. With a finger still knuckle deep in her snatch she focused on her next target, the formerly twenty year old intern Carly. Carly was a hot young Latina and the years that Edith took only seemed to improve her beautiful curves, Edith was a little sad to take from this girl, but only a little. Edith couldn’t take her eyes off Carly’s fat latino ass and just had to have it. She concentrated for a moment and watched the magic happen.

Carly was always kind of unlucky. She never got to experience anything fun, she got told that some crazy lady ran out of the bathroom half naked and with boobs that sagged to her waist. Carly was too busy listening to her music and waiting for someone to need a cup of coffee and missed it. Nobody was thirsty yet so she just continued on doing the same, but it gave her an opportunity to check her tumblr account. It was a dirty little secret she had but she loved looking at all the drawings of animal on human sex. She knew it made her a total perv but the idea of a dog, or pig, or horse, or any kind of animal fucking her was just the best thing ever. She was scrolling through the pics for today but while she did the pics stopped having the same effect as before.

They stopped revving her engine and mostly just peaked her interest, then a second later they did nothing for her at all. She was weirded out, she loved it five seconds ago, what happened? Another second later she felt herself lowing several inches in her chair. The intern usually got the broken crap so, assuming the seat adjuster had broken, she reached down to fix it. Only she found that it was in exactly the same position as before. She stood up to look at it but her skirt and panties had slipped right off her hips and fell to the floor, she blushed profusely and grabbed her clothes off the floor and thanked god no one saw her.

She moved to dress herself again but stopped when she got a look at her hips. They were gone, completely gone! Her beautiful ass had vanished and in its place was a thin boney butt. The kind of ass an anorexic white girl would have. Before she could scream she felt her blouse go slack in the chest, she was afraid to look down but had to. She wish she didn’t when she saw a chest that was flat as a board, she confirmed that with her hands. There wasn’t an ounce of tit flesh left. She had no idea how this happened, she was scared, confused, overwhelmed, and it was too much for her as she slumped back into her chair, naked below the waist and fainted.

Edith had to remove her finger from her snatch to fondle her fantastic new ass. This thing would cause car accidents! She was already big in the chest but now she was huge, lucky for her she was aware enough to unbutton the top five buttons of her blouse. These jugs were well past the double D range and felt amazing on her, she’d already cum several times and wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. Her hand dove back to her cunt, but this time different thoughts were coming into her mind. She tended to just enjoy the moment when pleasuring herself but now she imagined having partners, and not the normal kind. First she thought about getting fucked in her fat ass by a big great dane, then she wanted to suck off a donkey, then she wondered if her cunt was stretchy enough to take a horsecock. She couldn’t hold the thoughts back and reveled in her new fantasies as she focused in on the next victim.

Caitlyn was the mail carrier for the building and was making her rounds. This office was a buzz with talk, apparently some crazy woman ran out of here topless. That would’ve been funny to see, she wouldn’t have missed it either. Being six foot eight inches tall she didn’t miss much of anything, it was hard being this tall. She had to duck under doorways and it was hard to find clothes that fit. Sometimes she prayed that she’d get shorter but that was silly, at least thats what she thought before it actually started to happen. She was handing off a package to one of the sales people, she was about two feet shorter than her, when she had a sudden feeling of vertigo. It passed, but Caitlyn’s clothes felt a little off. They hung on her frame loosely, but she mostly noticed that the floor seemed closer.

The vertigo hit her again and when it passed Caitlyn was eye level with the woman. Her clothes hung off her more, she was floored. Her prayers had actually been answered, she was shrinking! She wouldn’t be a freak anymore, she felt all around herself, she noticed her breast where a lot smaller, like an A-cup but that was ok. As long as she was a normal height she didn’t care about her boobs. She was about to leap for joy in her oversized getup but the vertigo overcame her again and when it stopped she had to look up at the shocked face of the woman. Caitlyn was now about four feet tall, that was really pushing the normal height range. Did Caitlyn pay too hard? The vertigo came again and she was now squarely three foot tall. She was really getting worried, she was practically swimming in her uniform now and the vertigo returned again!

Now she was two feet tall! That’s barely bigger than a baby! Her mail cart was taller than she was now, she stood in a pile of clothes totally denuded. She frantically searched her clothing pile for something to wear when another wave of vertigo hit. When it dissipated she stood at a whooping one foot tall, she’d have to wear clothes for a barbie doll now. Which was convenient because she had a large collection of them, it really helped her infantilization fetish to play with dolls while she was dressed up and diapered. It was one of the few times she could genuinely feel small and cute, but that wasn’t going to be a problem for her anymore. She finally found a handkerchief she carried and tied it around her like a towel, but it appeared more like a dress. She continued to frantically search for her cellphone to call her sister to come and get her. The saleslady just stood there, frozen with confusion.

Edith was blown away by this new change. The previous ones taxed her clothing to the limit but this one just bulldozed through every seam. Stitches popped and buttons flew away as she grew inside her clothing. She started the day at five foot four inches, her age regression restored her to five foot seven inches, but now she sailed past that ash her shoes exploded on her feet, her clothing fell away in taters and her head bonked into the ceiling. She was a giant now at over eleven feet tall! Her frame had filled out as well, her breasts were now the size of beachballs, big ones. They hung on her frame but were still firm and perky, they were so large that they totally covered her torso and nearly blocked the view to her wet crotch. Edith lost her balance momentarily and her literally gigantic ass fell onto her desk and it shattered in half.

She could hear the floor creak under her new weight but she hardly cared as she drove both her hands into her wet, needy cunt. New thoughts entered her mind, thoughts of wearing diapers and having tea parties in pretty pink dresses. She used her giant hand to jill herself more and more producing a loud, low moaning orgasm. She was so absorbed in her orgasm that she didn’t notice as the CEO and the CFO walked into her office.

Mary Cramswell was gobsmacked to see this…this…giant woman fucking herself in the office of one of the most respected and seasoned VP’s in her company. “What the hell is this?!” Mary yelled. This managed to snap Edith out of her erotic haze and she looked down at the middle aged woman who was standing before her. “Well, hello Mary. How’s the husband? Still giving it to him on the regular?” “How dare you! I’ll ask you again, who are you and where’s Edith?!” “HAHA! What’s the matter pipsqueak? Don’t recognize your old mentor?” “E…Edith? What the hell happened?” “Something wonderful happened. I can do anything now, and I’m making sure you traitors get what you deserve.” “Edith, listen. You need help, why don’t we call an ambulance and we can get you sorted out?” “No, Mary. That’s not going to happen, did you spot your little brat on the way up here?” Edith said leaning down to look her boss in the eyes. “You might need to change her nome to floppsy now though.” “What did you do to my little girl!?” Mary demanded of the giant woman. Edith smiled at her former friend. “The same thing I’m going to do to you.”

She touched the necklace around her neck, the chain was stretched uncomfortably but she wasn’t going to stop this for anything. She pondered for but a moment on what to do then it came to her like a flash. Mary was a little bit frightened of her old mentor, she didn’t know what was going on or what had happened to her employee, but she learned from many years of negotiation that you never showed weakness. Holding her ground though was becoming more and more difficult though. Her concentration was wavering and she found herself distracted by the most inane thoughts. She broke eye contact with the giant lady and looked around her, trying to remember where she was. It was getting so hard to think, she turned to the man behind her and asked “Um…what are we doing here mister? I can’t remember.”

“You don’t remember Mary? You’re the company Mascot. It’s your job to make everyone happy by being a stupid silly idiot who can’t even do basic math. It makes everyone laugh when you fail at adding two plus two. Do you know what that one is sweetie?” Edith said in a mocking tone. Mary focused as hard as she could, it was her job or something to do good at stuff. She wracked her brain for five minutes trying to figure it out. She even tried using her fingers but she lost count after two, did numbers even go higher than that? She looked at the lady and confidently said “It’s a trick! Numbers don’t go that high!” Mary folded her arms across her head and gave the woman a smug smile. She was smart, she figured it out quick.

Edith burst out with laughter and said “Oh yes, sweetie. You got it. Now why don’y you go and show everyone how smart you are by doing math and reading for them?” “Yes Miss Giant Lady!” Mary said running off to do just that. Edith couldn’t believe it, the CEO, a cunning and calculating woman who was fiercely intelligent has just been reduced to a drooling nincompoop who made Forrest Gump look like a genius. What Edith didn’t know though, even with the boost to her intelligence, was that Mary was perhaps the kinkiest person in the entire building.

A week later Edith was no longer with the company, by her own choice mind you. She didn’t want to continue crunching numbers and managing total morons. She had a new plan, her financials were nearly all gone thanks to buying the necklace. But with her new body she could easily get more and satisfy several of her new fantasies. At first she traded all kinds of sex to get money for food and other things, morons. She would’ve fucked them for free. She loved being used like a total whore, ever since she turned Mary into an idiot. It just made so much sense, she always wanted to walk the streets and have strangers pay huge sums of money for the use of her magnificent body. But then she hit upon the internet web cam game and it was perfect for her. She could get a bunch of guys to pay to watch her satisfy desires she’d already had!

She loved it when guys watched her have her tea parties and mess her custom diapers in her crib. And she really loved it when guys paid to watch her dripping cunt get fucked by donkeys and horses. She even made so much money that she bought her own personal donkey to fuck her all the time, even when the cameras weren’t rolling! She never got to indulge in her expansion fetish again though. One night, after her donkey fucked her asshole for hours, she couldn’t find the necklace anymore. It was like it just vanished. But that wasn’t important, she had everything she needed right here. The body of a fertility goddess, plenty of men to pay her to fuck her and a beautiful donkey to keep her filled with delicious cum. What more could a girl want?

The End. Damn that was long. Hope y’all like it!

#intelligence loss #Breast theft #Breast expansion #ass expansion #height theft #giantess #kink theft

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