#sengoku driver

[kubominero]

May 16th - 19 years of existence .... !!!

[mangolon]

...Exactly how much power does a Vision Driver have (connection to Creation Goddess notwithstanding) if it can regress an area’s architecture 500 years in the past?

[happyocelot]

No...there will be absolutely no reasonable choices in this poll. Sorry to everyone who wanted Kagome or whoever else has been in the modern era. 😂

The sister poll for Ranma 1/2 is here! VOTE!

[biomic]

it wasn't overtime that did it, but the non-TVN subbers that did Gaim changed several of the names and overall just make a huge mess of the whole thing, shit changing Gridon to Ornac (Acorn with the syllables switched like donguri -> guridon) and the Sengoku driver to the Wärring driver (and thus also changing Sengoku Ryoma to Ryoma Wärring when it was revealed the driver was named after him)

also the guy behind the terrible onore-tvn blog was part of that subbing group and while Gaim was airing had to spend more time justifying the terrible decisions made on the subs than shit talking tv-n because the shit they were doing was so much worse than tv-n's usual antics

feel like i dodged the biggest bullet by not paying attention to what the gaim fans were going on about when i started watching toku in 2014. just seems like a big mess

[the12thnightproject]

Title: Help Wanted

Event: Mayday Heyday OC Exchange 2024 organized by @lorei-writes and @olivermorningstar

Giftee: @fighting-and-drawing

OC/Fandom: Thai Bulan / Ikemen Sengoku

Genre: Urban Fantasy AU

Warnings: Very Large Spider, some violence (involving said arachnid)

Word Count: 1500

See notes/dedications at end

As the sun sunk, building shadows elongated, creating patches of darkness on narrow, meandering streets. Parts of the city had been planned; every road numbered and set out in a precise grid. This was not one of those parts. If anyone planned out the Echigo district, they had done so by tossing noodles onto a map and putting the streets where they landed.

Thai was following their progress on a phone app, and wondered if his driver actually knew where to go. At least once the Uber doubled back, taking a longer, indirect route. As a precaution, Thai made an obvious show of texting the driver’s information to “a friend” (his own cloud account).

In truth, there were no friends to wonder or worry if he disappeared into a void, never to return.

Too many things had disappeared for him this year, the most pressing being a promised job, the one he had uprooted his life for. He’d travelled over 1000 miles, only to discover the job no longer existed. The entire company no longer existed – it had fallen victim to a takeover by Oda International, then dismantled. All previous employees were fired, all pending job offers rescinded.

Now trapped in a new country, with unpaid moving expenses, a dwindling bank account, and no solution for either, he was desperate for work… any kind. Having burned his bridges back home, in fact, having firebombed those bridges, he –

Screech!

The Uber slammed to a stop in the middle of the street, nearly garroting Thai with his own seatbelt. “Get out.” The driver flicked the automatic locks. “Now.”

He checked his phone. “We’re nowhere near-“

“Get out, or ride back to the city with me, but this car goes no further. Not here. Not after sunset.” The driver pulled a thick cudgel out from under the seat. “Yokai. It’s not worth my life to drive through the district.”

No use arguing with superstition. Grumbling to himself, Thai climbed out, then leaped for the gutter as the car zoomed away. He was surprised it hadn’t taken his leg off with it when it sped into the night.

The lights and press of the city’s humanity were far behind. Here in this strange neighborhood, the sounds were alien. No traffic hum or buzz of neon, just a steady drip drip drip of thick liquid onto pavement. The road was gritty, he could feel tiny grains of gravel and dirt slipping under his feet. A stench of rotting garbage hung in the air, dense, motionless, as if not even the wind would dare come to this place. Even the graffiti was different: its colors sharper, appearing bioluminescent, glowing talismans against evil.

Or warnings.

No… he was being fanciful. The driver’s obvious fear had gotten into his head. He wasn’t a big man, but he moved with strength and purpose. He wasn’t worth attacking, was not, even in his best interview outfit, dressed in a way that would not suggest wealth. Because there was no wealth. Even less now that most of his remaining funds had just sped away with the Uber. He’d have to walk the rest of the way.

At least he was within walking distance, as confirmed by his smartphone’s GPS. The voice of the AI (“Alex,” programmed with a soothing attractive Australian accent) told him to continue along this road another 500 meters.

Good thing I’m still within view of a satellite.

Plonk.

Something wet dripped on him and he squinted up at the tangle of ivy that covered the wall of a warehouse. Ivy? In the middle of the city? No time to investigate, he was already late for the interview. Besides… there was something sinister about that mass of ivy, as if it hid watching eyes.

When, as Alex directed, he turned left at a street so narrow he’d have hesitated to call it a street at all, something skittered past his leg, something furry and malevolent.

Yokai…

It had been a cat. Or… a very large rat (not that that possibility was reassuring).

Still, with Alex giving him updated directions he felt almost comforted. As if the AI was his friend, a non-judgmental friend who would help him navigate the worst of life’s bumps. If only Alex had told him, “Stay in college. Don’t move to a foreign country, don’t break up with -.”

Crash! Thud. Ooof!

“You have arrived, mate.” The AI went silent.

Arrived where?

The noises were coming from the bar on his left. With late summer humidity streaking the window, he’d missed the sign. Kasugayama. Through the fogged glass, he could see two shapes locked in battle.

Anyone might have been forgiven if they’d performed a 500 meter sprint back to relative safety. But acting on instinct, an instinct that he cursed a moment later, Thai ran into the bar. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting. Expectations and instincts did not generally go together. Still, one might have expected a simple bar fight, or a less simple robbery. And not… a spider the size of a pony.

Yokai…

There was probably a more proper name for a spider demon, but Thai’s language skills temporarily deserted him.

Of all the gin joints…

Spiders… why did it have to be spiders?

Why am I thinking in movie quotations?

Fighting the spider was a man who wielded a pool cue as expertly as a spear. But the spider had a six arm advantage and…

Sproing!!!

Holy fuck… it can jump!

That damn instinct took over again and Thai grabbed a chair and threw it at the spider. This had the stunning effect of breaking the chair and getting the thing’s attention. It charged toward him, then screeched when the other man drove the pool cue into its butt.

Now it’s just pissed off.

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Thai flipped himself over the bar top, grabbed a bottle from the speed rail, and smashed it on the edge of the sink. The scent of fermented rice mixed with the aromas of spider goo and blood. The blood belonged to a rather nasty looking slash on the man’s leg. The spider goo was … well, obvious.

At the sound of the breaking glass, the spider scuttled toward him again, a glare of uncanny intelligence in its red eyes. Thai slashed furiously with his improvised weapon, drawing more goo from the spider, and dammit, there was a paring knife right there on the garnish station.

The spider jumped to the bar top, stretching out a spindly leg (arm?) toward him. Thai switched the bottle to his other hand, grabbed the knife, and slammed it down on the arm/leg, severing it at a joint. The limb snapped off with a sickening crunch and slid halfway across the room. The spider emitted a high-pitched shriek, then the other man drove the pool cue through its head.

It twitched three times, then went still.

In the sudden silence, Thai could hear himself and the other man breathing.

Later, he might think back and take in details – the man’s warm brown eyes, the feel of the sticky floor under his feet and the flicker and hum of fluorescent lights. But the instinct that drove him into this place took over again. While the other man retrieved a well-used first aid kit and treated the slash on his leg, Thai soothed his jangled, spider-hating nerves with the ritual of cleaning. Wipe down the bar top. Sterilize the knife. Sweep up the glass…

Noticing the pool cue samurai was eyeing a bottle of iichiko Shochu, Thai poured him a glass, adding blood orange juice, tonic water and ice when prompted.

Finally the other guy spoke. “No idea why you came crashing in like a wild boar, but… thanks.” The blunt speech was softened with a wry smile.

“Job interview? Advertisement for a barback?” Thai unearthed his phone, getting ready to pull up the confirmation email. “I’m Thai Bulan.”

“Oh, shit.” The other man raked his hands through a mop of sweat-soaked brown hair. “It completely went out of my head. Sanada Yukimura.” He bowed. “Any chance you still want the job?”

It had been listed as minimum salary, but it did come with the mention of a studio apartment above the bar. “Um.” Thai indicated the spider. “Is that what happened to the previous barback?”

“No. This… was new. Never seen one those in here before.” Yukimura took a deep breath. “The last guy quit. Kasugayama’s owner is a bit… unique.”

Then, with what might have been called perfect timing, the front door opened and a man with heterochromatic eyes entered and surveyed the scene. He eyed the dead spider. “Good. I was in the mood for takeout.”

He pulled a sword out of the scabbard on his waist and cleanly sliced off a limb. Then, gnawing on it like it was a turkey leg and he was some medieval king, he disappeared into a back office.

Thai took the job.

Thank you @lorei-writes and @olivermorningstar for organizing this event (and it was super organized with check ins and google docs and everything I could ask for. If they ever do another event, jump at the chance to join).

To @fighting-and-drawing , I really hope I have done Thai justice. Heart of The Warrior has been one of my favorite Ikemen Sengoku fanfics (I've read it more than once), and I was thrilled when I learned you were the giftee. I'm not nearly as confident writing fight scenes though, so I hope it made sense. And yes, I was the anon who asked you what Yukimura might order in a modern bar (and then had to figure out whether he would still drink a sweet cocktail after killing a giant spider).

To anyone else reading this, I encourage anyone interested in reading a fantastically well written, well researched Ikesen longfic to read Heart of The Warrior either here or here

[sapphicmutt77]

Off topic as all hell but: Vocal Synthesizers and the Kamen Rider Drivers I think they would use.

(I only had energy to photoshop some of them sorry)

Hatsune Miku: Nadeshiko Driver

Kagamine Rin: Sengoku Driver, Orange Lockseed

Megurine Luka: Blay Buckle

Kasane Teto: Faiz Driver

Kagamine Len: Sengoku Driver, Banana Lockseed Gackpoid: Riderman Helmet (or Diendriver) Kaito: Gatack Zecter Meiko: Lost Driver Gumi: Gamer Driver VFlower: Ziku Driver

And that's it no more go home. (Art by teffish: rin, miku/luka and 2ToU9)

[elhnrt]

Actually to your point about feudal era japanese movies 👀 I started watching Rurouni Kenshin. It's not feudal but I love that period of transition. I did try to actually was Shogun but I was too busy to quite sink my teeth into it so it went back on the watchlist. Have you seen it and would you recommend it? The other films I know that are famous in the states are Kurosawa movies but I always feel a bit apprehensive since there's too many braindead filmbro takes on those... I want to watch them but I'm scared lol. A lot of my references actually come from Chinese period dramas because that is what is most easily accessible and familiar to me but I know it's not the same.

-no comment on rurouni kenshin. haven't read or watched it but i do know about the author's felonies. -i watched 4eps of shogun and it was fine. really liked the scene where the girl choked out the guy fucking her. could have used better lighting, but would recommend. -i'm going to put on MY filmbro hat (because sorry. i am a filmbro (sigma). comes with the territory) and say it's a bit of a reductive take to call the widespread enjoying of renowned director akira kurosawa's, inspiration to ingmar bergman and werner herzog and andrei tarkovsky, works as 'braindead filmbro takes' because 1. i guarantee you they are only talking about seven samurai, which isn't even his best film imo and 2. there is a reason why he is so highly regarded not only in the west but worldwide. it's the same kind of thing about people who call scorsese and kubrick enjoyers 'filmbros'. they are prolific because these directors are objectively good. the issue arises when people can't disseminate between what makes these movies good versus just flexing their film 'knowledge'. important to note. taxi driver is my favorite english language film. but not because travis bickle is my idol about rising up against the quote unquote scum of society. -but i am having a laugh to myself imagining average film guy going "EPIC SAMURAI MOVIE" and not being able to talk about the other two and a half hours of the runtime let alone any other kurosawa work -therefore: why be scared of these wieners -cn period dramas are great fun, not something i can comment on in particular since it's mostly a passing fancy to me, and most of my cn period stuff is just kung fu movies but these all, like you said, are not the same at all as the tokugawa shogunate or sengoku period. probably different fighting styles too. now i'm in a wiki rabbit hole about this. dog bless

[chromatic-lamina]

Writing Patterns

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

What way to waste a bit of time on an otherwise busy day! Tagged by @purplehairedwonder

Tagging @afterdeck-ace , @gendervapor14 , @gali-la @ensignsenna @cal-cium-the-nerd @escapaldi and anyone (I mean it) else who'd like to play/try! If you haven't got 10 posted fics, then aim for 4 or 5 or however many you do have posted.

tadpoles in a clawfoot tub

One Piece | G | Gen | 1.9 K | Pre-Marineford, Garp and Roger and then Garp and Ace parallels

Rayleigh didn't know why he bothered.

valuta

One Piece | G | Gen |2 K | Cora & Doffy, Cora & Sengoku, Cora & Law, Law & Sengoku | the story behind Law's coin collection (or one of them)

"Your grandmother's and hers before that."

Riding Along on my Pushbike, Honey (You Look so Pretty)

One Piece | T | Gen | 3.3 K | Aokiji and Law | post Luffy Pirate King AU, Aokiji, Law and Bleat the goat go for a cycle along a frozen river

The mountain streams were filled with smooth basalt like the one Law carried in his pocket. 

Taxi

One Piece | M | AceLaw but not all chapters | 17.6K | AU Law's a taxi driver and picks up a myriad of customers*

Older fic which I reuploaded the 3rd chapter to. I'll open with that, cos the first chapter opening's a bit confronting

Solid advice applied wrongly. Law was good at it.

Forty-Two Superior Teeth

One Piece | T | Law and core hearts | 2.6K | Law and the core Hearts dream on Swallow Island

One thing Bepo had was a super thick skin, and just as well, 'cos those boots were steel-capped. 

Bioluminescent Hearts*

(spoilers chapter 1081)

One Piece | T | Law, Hearts, Blackbeard, Saul | 5.7K | Law and the Hearts all manage to escape well from BB.

Last on first off, the helmsman was a position usually held by the lowest rank, the newest recruit. 

Heart Pirates Week 2023: Jean Bart: Scars

One Piece | T | Law, Hearts, fiiclets | 1.8K total| title says it all

The wooden deck of the Polar Tang wasn't that practical.

MarcoLaw OP Rare Pair Month Drabbles and Ficlets

One Piece | T | MarLaw, Marco and Law Ficlets | 1.8K total| there was only one bed

Law couldn't contain himself to one bed.

Something Old, Something New

One Piece | T | Zoro, | about 500 words| Zoro reflects on rainy days

One eye closed still had depth.

Bepo’s Drabble and One Shot Collection

One Piece | T | Hearts, Ikkaku, Hakugan, Law, Bepo| about 800 words| , chapter 15. Slice of life aboard the Tang

The thing about the huge, huge, huge beanbag that Hakugan had lugged on board when he'd joined them (packed to the softly- moulding-brim with snow geese feathers collected from friends and family), was that it was very white, and so was Bepo.

Sun Path Ozoni

One Piece | T | Hearts and Law| 1275 words| The Hearts debate whose New Year tradition is best, and enjoy a summer celebration.

"Nah man, you gotta use the soy broth."

Patterns: I am writing a lot of Hearts stuff (some due to zines), and also am not writing as much as I used to (busy, and have only got so much to say!). Anyhoo: my openings are relatively short, bar the last one. I don't open with dialogue as much as I thought I did. A touch of description is common, or an internal observation. General observations seem to be popular too.

[fortitude-nine-point-eight]

funniest part of gaim is when a 40 year old ex-military man got a hold of a sengoku driver and started beating up a bunch of kids playing innocent kid games

[grantgfan]

To Marina Cassidy, what if you try Sengoku Driver from Kamen Rider Gaim?

marina: it will be cool

[radroller]

Remember when Ryoma was Takatora's like number one guy until the MINUTE he found out Takatora wanted to use the Sengoku Drivers to save humanity instead of whatever gay evil shit he was on.

[mangolon]

The Vision Driver is just this decade’s Genesis Driver, isn’t it?

[ikeromantic]

Entwined Ch 3

Trying out some cover art for this story ^_^ Images from Pexels!

Part 3 of a multipart series. Mai has been reborn in the modern age after a full life in the Sengoku. The warlords as spirit animals find her again after 500 years of searching for her soul. Approx. 3700 words.

Part 1

Previous: Entwined Ch 2

Mai sighed at the inventory spread out on her design tables. This was her least favorite part of sewing. There were a ton of odds and ends she needed to find a use for. Buttons and beads and trim that didn’t amount to enough for a real commission. Maybe she could do something crafty with them. Mai sketched out a few quick ideas. A lampshade, an apron. Maybe a decorative pillow? 

None sounded very appealing. The apron idea was the best, but did people even wear those anymore? She rubbed her temple, hoping for a burst of inspiration. Just then, her office door swung open almost like an answer to her unspoken plea. Mai leapt to her feet, ready to greet a new customer, but it was Mitsuhide on the step. 

“Good morning, little mouse.” He came in and the door shut behind him.

“Good morning?” She felt incredibly pleased to see him there, followed by embarrassment for being so eager. Keep it professional, she told herself. “I must have misunderstood your email. I thought we were meeting at the address you sent in about two hours?”

His smile widened as if he could see past her words and straight into her racing heart. “We were. You did not misunderstand. But my errands this morning brought me through your neighborhood, so I thought I would offer to pick you up. But if you prefer . . .” He gestured to the door.

Mai shook her head. “Oh! No, that’s really nice of you.” She took a breath, reminding herself to calm down and speak like a human. “Just give me a moment to wrap up here.”

“Sure.” Mitsuhide sat on one of the lobby couches, lounging like an indolent cat. He looked so sure of himself, so comfortable everywhere he was, she thought. 

She tried not to glance at him as she shut down her laptop. He drew her eye though. It was more than his looks, she decided, though that was plenty to like. It was the way he carried himself. As if he knew things, secrets and hidden stories, as if he carried the weight and mystery of that knowledge.

“Do I have something on my face?” Mitsuhide’s smile turned wicked. 

Mai felt her cheeks heat. “Umm. Yes. A bit of fluff.” A lie, and a bad one at that but better than admitting to her thoughts.

“Oh? Could you brush it off for me? Since I can’t see it.”

“I . . .” She swallowed. “Sure.” It was just his cheek. Just his cheek. Just his - her fingertips grazed his skin and with that touch came an image, unbidden. In her mind’s eye, she was cupping his cheek in her palm, reaching through some sort of wooden cage. His face was bruised and swollen, but his eyes were the same. Mai jerked her hand back.

Mitsuhide raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Did you get it or did it get you?”

Mai gave a half-hearted laugh. What a weird thing to think of. “I got it. Sorry.”

He stood. “So are we ready to go?”

“Ready.” She grabbed her bag and shoved her notepad into it. “Will I need to take photographs of the site or anything?”

“If you want to.” Mitsuhide opened the door for her and then waited as she locked it behind them. 

“Ok. So what is this place? Is it involved in your script?”

He nodded. “In a way, yes.” Mitsuhide helped her into his car. 

It was, Mai noted, a very nice car. New enough to have all the bells and whistles, anyway. She wondered what he did besides theater work to afford this kind of thing, but it wasn’t polite to ask. 

“It’s more a mood. Inspiration.” He shrugged and offered her a smile from his driver’s seat. “I am hoping you’ll feel it too.” 

There was some unexpected earnestness in his gaze, a momentary vulnerability gone as soon as noticed. Mai wished she could have it back, just a little longer. Which was silly, of course.

He parked at a garage a few blocks from their destination. On the walk there, he was mostly quiet. Only stopping to point out a handful of historical markers. Mai tried to pay attention, making notes in her journal. She didn’t think this information would apply to costuming decisions, but you never knew what might spark inspiration.

It turned out the historical site they were heading to was barely a ruin. It sat, preserved, in a small patch of green at the edge of a lake. Just a few large stones and the bare remnant of a rock wall. 

“So, what is this place? Or what was it?”

Mitsuhide pulled himself up onto one of the large stones and sat down, his legs dangling off the side. “A place with a good view.” He patted the spot next to him.

“I don’t think I can get up there.”

“I’ll help.” He gave her a playful grin at odds with the weight of his gaze. “Come on.”

Mai tucked her bag behind her and tried to clamber up beside him. There wasn’t much to get hold of, but thankfully Mitsuhide was true to his offer. He reached down and grabbed her hands, pulling her up. “Thanks.”

“All the thanks I need is you sitting here beside me.” He winked.

“You know, some people might get the wrong idea with the way you talk to me.” Mai gave him a critical look. “I’m just your costume designer. We’re like . . . co-workers at best.”

Mitsuhide put a hand to his chest. “How cruel. Merely co-workers? What if I told you that you mean more to me than that?”

His melodramatic expression made her giggle. “I would tell you that you’re an excellent actor.” He continued to make a stricken expression. “Oh come on,” Mai chided, “we barely know each other. You can’t act offended by me wanting to set this straight. I’m just your costumiere, right?”

“You aren’t just anything, Mai.” He dropped his over the top reaction and looked out at the lake. It looked like gold in the afternoon sunlight. “What if I’d like to know you better? We could be so much more to each other than co-workers.”

“I would tell you what I’ve told the guys that hit on me before you. I don’t date my customers. I’m sorry.” She felt her chest constrict as she turned him down. Some part of her screaming that this was not what she wanted. But she ignored it. 

Mitsuhide chuckled. “Then it’s a good thing I’m only teasing. Come on, costumiere.” He pointed to the lake. “Feeling any design inspiration? I was hoping you could incorporate the color and look of water. That dramatic fluidity. And the sense of something being old and grounded, like the remains of this castle.”

Mai felt deflated by his admission. Only teasing. It wasn’t disappointment she felt, or so she told herself. No! This was irritation at being taunted. Taken in by his silly act. She promised herself she wouldn’t let him get the better of her again. Mai took out her little notepad and jotted down a few ideas, focusing on the project.

They sat together in an awkward silence for a few moments. Mitsuhide watching her write, and she doing her best to ignore him. She wanted to stay annoyed but the cool breeze and the gentle sound of water and birdsong smoothed over her wounded pride. 

“There’s that smile.” Mitsuhide chuckled. “I was beginning to think I broke your heart.”

“In your wildest dreams. I always get serious when it’s about design.” Mai snapped her notepad shut and tucked it away. “So is this all you needed from me today?”

He leapt down from the rock and held out a hand to her. “Yes, though I’ll need you to bring the mockups for Act One to the theater next week. Will they be ready by then?”

Mai nodded. “I should be able to manage that. And it will be a good opportunity to check the fit for your cast.” She took his hand, ignoring the warmth that sent prickles up her arm from where their palms touched. 

Mitsuhide squeezed her fingers gently then helped her down. He only smiled when she snatched her hand back. “You know, there is one more thing I need from you today . . .”

A short while later, Mai found herself seated comfortably at a fine restaurant. It was the kind of place people dressed up and made reservations for, but this time of day it was mostly empty. “Are you sure this is ok, Mitsuhide? I don’t need you to buy me-”

“It’s a thank you for putting up with my whims.” Mitsuhide smiled. “Besides, I know the owner here and he’s been after me to come try his new menu.”

“If you say so.” She glanced around the dining room noting the expensive decor. Even the wait staff was dressed better than she was today. “So what kind of food do they have here? I didn’t see any menu.”

Mitsuhide shrugged. “Whatever the chef is in the mood to make. But I’m told it’s always good.”

“You don’t know if it’s good or not?”

Before he could answer, a man in a chef’s apron caught their attention. He was making a beeline for their table. He had a broad, cheerful smile that lit his single blue eye. His other eye was covered by an old-fashioned eye patch, embroidered in the center with a tiny crescent moon. 

Mai didn’t have much time to observe him before he was right there, pulling her into a hug.

“Kitten! It’s so good to see you!”

Normally, being hugged by strange men was not on Mai’s list of acceptable things. But there was something warm and familiar about this man. Still, she didn’t want him to get the wrong  idea. She pushed back gently and he let go.

“This,” Mitsuhide sighed, “is my friend, Masamune. Masamune, this is Mai. Please don’t call her kitten.”

“It’s, uhm, it’s nice to meet you?” Mai felt her cheeks heating as he stared at her. The look in his sapphire eye was so intense. As if they were long lost lovers or friends separated a long time ago and now, unexpectedly, reunited. 

At her words though, his smile faded a bit and he stepped back. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you too.” He looked at Mitsuhide. “I should have figured you would only stop in for her. You never eat properly on your own.”

“My nutrition is adequate,” he replied, sounding mildly annoyed. “I am just taking my co-worker out for a thank you lunch and since I can’t cook . . .”

Masamune laughed. “Fine, fine. I’ll whip up something special for the two of you. A take on my seasonal menu.” He reached for Mai’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “Thank you for coming in today.”

When he left, Mai let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Is he . . . is he always like that?”

“More or less.” Mitsuhide sat back in his seat, looking more relaxed than usual. 

“You two must be very good friends. How long have you known him?”

“A long time.” He had that pensive look again, though his lips were still lifted in his familiar grin.

Mai didn’t want to pry, but when he looked like that, it made her heart feel bruised. “Are you alright, Mitsuhide? I mean, I know you’re ok, but if there’s something you want to talk about, I can listen. I don’t mind.” 

He studied her expression, his fingers tapping a delicate rhythm on the tabletop. “It’s not the right time. And besides,” he smirked, “we’re just co-workers. I don’t want to cross a line.”

She could tell by his tone that he was teasing her. But he was right. She’d reinforced that boundary today and now, here she was, acting as if there were more between them. It felt like there was more between them. “Ah yeah,” she gave a half-hearted laugh. “Sorry. I just meant-”

“I know what you meant.” He reached across the table and patted her hand. “You are too kind. You really should be careful who you let see your soft heart.” 

His touch was brief, light, but it still sent her heart galloping away. Mai took a deep breath, trying to settle. Her attraction to him was ridiculous. Childish. She needed to get herself under control. It was really lucky for her that despite being such a tease, he was a gentleman. Here he was again, warning her. “Thanks,” she managed. 

Thankfully, Masamune appeared with their food just then, or she might have had to think of what else to say. He was carrying a tray covered in little dishes. The food was gorgeous and smelled good. 

“Are those radishes shaped like bunnies? And you made little snakes out of the cucumber!” Mai’s eyes darted excitedly from dish to dish. A variety of pickled vegetables, noodles in sauce, fruit, and fusion dishes, all made to look like little woodland creatures. There was even a pepper cut to look like a hawk. It reminded her of her visitor the day before. 

Masamune chuckled. “I thought you might appreciate that touch.”

“You are so talented! Ooh and look! A little kitty!” She pointed at a carrot.

“That’s a tiger, lass. See the stripes?” Masamune lifted it with her chopsticks and held it out to her. 

Mai peered at it. The shape still looked more like a cute kitty to her but she nodded agreement anyway. “He is pretty stripey. You did such a good job with him!”

“And he tastes good too.” He held it to her lips. “Try it.”

Mitsuhide frowned. “You don’t need to feed her.”

“I don’t need to, but she doesn’t mind, right lass?”

 Mai blushed. She didn’t want to make the chef feel bad. He seemed like such a sweet guy and he’d made all this especially for them. But it was weird being fed by someone else. She decided to get it over with quickly. The tiger-carrot was delicious. Lightly sweet and a little spicy. “Oh. My. God. Masamune . . . this is so so good.”

“I’m glad you like it. With that kind of reaction, I’d be happy to cook for you anytime.”

“You’re going to make him insufferable,” Mitsuhide sighed. He speared the rabbit-radish and stuck it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “Tastes like . . . food.”

Masamune set the chopsticks down and gave Mitsuhide a withering look. “You never appreciate my cooking. But one day - one day I’m going to make something even you have to admit is tasty.”

Mai could not help but laugh at the two of them. “You guys are like an old married couple. Arguing over dinner.”

“It’s lunch. And for that comment I ought to take the whole thing back to the kitchen and let my staff eat it.” Masamune’s lips pursed in a pout.

If he looked sour, it wasn’t a patch on the face Mitsuhide made. “You should take that back. Or there will be consequences.”

“Consequences?” Mai giggled. “You are too much.”

Her laugh seemed to soothe the chef. His smile returned. “Well, I can’t stay mad at you, Mai. And hey, my offer stands. You can stop by anytime. Hell, if you come by after hours, I’ll even give you a cooking lesson, gratis.” Masamune bustled back to the kitchen to finish prep for the dinner rush.

When he was gone, Mitsuhide sighed. “I apologize for him. I forgot how he is around y- around women. I should have taken you someplace else.”

“No, no, he’s fine. A little . . . handsy? I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged and hand-fed by someone at first meeting. But he seems very nice.” She smiled. “I can tell you two have been friends awhile.”

“Yes.” Mitsuhide grew quiet, his eyes turning toward his food.

Mai didn’t want to pry. So much about him was a mystery, questions he would not answer, feelings she couldn’t square herself with, and images like memories that flitted through her mind but didn’t stick long enough for her to analyze them. It was probably just her loneliness and overactive imagination. Mitsuhide was a normal guy who just didn’t like to talk about his private life with a - a coworker. 

She picked up her chopsticks and began sampling a selection of bowls. Some were so spicy it almost hurt. Some were sweet. Others had a smoky flavor, or a delicate mix of savory flavors. Masamune’s cooking made lunch an experience rather than just a meal. Mai looked up between bites to see if Mitsuhide was enjoying it as much as she was. 

To her horror, he’d taken several of the bowls and dumped them into one, eating the resulting mix without any expression. He glanced up and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Did you just . . . throw everything together?” 

“Yes. It’s more efficient that way. And I have vegetables, fruit, protein, and carbohydrates. A little of everything.”

Mai frowned. “But then you’re not really tasting any of it. Every dish is a little different. Like, those noodles you threw in. They have a subtle lemon flavor you won’t taste at all, mixing it with that spicy fish.”

Mitsuhide shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what it tastes like. It’s all going to get mixed together in the end, right?”

“Are you serious? But, but you’re friend is an amazing chef. Why would you eat here if - if you’re just going to do that?”

“One, because I thought you would enjoy it. And two, because Masamune likes to feed me.” He smiled. “Am I wrong about the first one?” His golden eyes lit up as he looked at her. The expression felt almost intimate, as if he’d peeled back the layers of her social mask and saw right into her mind.

She took a drink to hide her discomfort. “No. Of course not. I think I’m pretty obviously enjoying the meal.”

“Then don’t complain about how I eat it, little mouse. I am enjoying this meal in my own way.” He reached over and wiped a little smudge of sauce from her cheek, then stuck his finger in his mouth. “I think I do like that one. Which dish was it from?”

The gesture wasn’t drawn out or exaggerated, but it came across as sensual to Mai. She couldn’t even answer for a moment. It felt like her breath was stuck in her chest and her cheek, where he’d touched it, was on fire. 

“This one?” He pointed with his chopstick to a sticky-sweet rice and fruit dish.

“Ummm. Ahh. Th-this-” She pointed to another one with tart cherries and bits of sweet melon.

“Thank you.” He took the bowl and added a bit of it to his food-slush. Then he took a bite. “Mmmm. Yes. Though I think the sauce on its own was sweeter.” He smiled at Mai and then frowned. “Are you alright? You’re looking a bit flushed.”

She could absolutely tell from his tone that he was teasing. Or. She was pretty sure he was. He had to know what he’d done was - was very flirtatious. How was a girl supposed to take that? Mai swallowed. “Yep. Yeah. Just fine.” He had to be teasing her again and she was not going to give him the satisfaction.

“Good. I would hate to think our outing today left you feeling badly.” His grin widened ever so slightly. 

Mai tucked her flustered heart away and tried to secure her mask of professionalism. For whatever reason, Mitsuhide had a way of getting under her skin but she was going to beat him at this game. She was going to be the most competent, absolutely not interested in dating, costumiere he’d ever worked with. 

She held onto that thought as she smiled back. “No, not at all. And now I have some great ideas for the lead designs and palace costumes. So thank you.”

He nodded. “I see. Then we should head back and let you get started. I don’t want to take up your whole day.”

Mai did not tell him she’d cleared her calendar for him today. That would be akin to admitting how much she enjoyed his company. No, she just agreed. 

Of course, Masamune wouldn’t accept their money when it came time to leave. He pressed a dessert on her, all packed up in a gorgeous little decorative container, and ‘leftovers’ too, tied shut with pretty bows and carefully layered into a colorful bag. She promised she would be back, and she planned to do it too. Her friends Asami and Kaiya would love this place. 

Mitsuhide drove her back to the office. On the way, they chatted about all sorts of inconsequential things. The songs on the radio, weather, new films coming out this month. It felt like words used to fill the silence between them. A quiet that was more honest and more frightening. 

She felt it every time his gaze landed on her. She thought he only looked at her that way when he thought she was distracted, but she caught him. A weight heavier than gold in his eyes, each moment created a pressure that built in the space between them and squeezed out all the air. It made her light headed. 

When the car pulled up to the curb, she almost didn’t get out. Mai wanted to ask him why - why he looked at her with so much gravity. They’d agreed today. Co-workers. Client and costumiere. Was it only her that felt there was something more beneath that? And if he felt it too, then why these teasing games? But she couldn’t find the words to ask him these questions. 

“See you later,” she squeaked, embarrassed by the break in her voice as she spoke. 

“Not too much later, I hope.” He took her hand and turned it palm up in his. His fingers traced the lines of her palm. 

Mai snatched it away as if scalded. “Of course not. I’ll bring the mock-ups over on Monday.”

His thin, sharp smile lit up with amusement. “Absence shall make my heart grow fonder.” He looked away. “See you Monday then, at the theater.”

Next: Chapter 4

[ka-go-me]

A VERY DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE. Repost with the information of your muse, including headcanons, etc. if you fail to achieve some of the facts, add some other of your own!

NAME: Minamoto (formally Higurashi) Kagome 源 (日暮)かごめ NICKNAME: Kags, Miko, Koishii, Neko Miko TITLE(S): Miko, Hime AGE: 15 - 47 (verse dependent) SPECIES: Human SEX: cis female NATIONALITY: Japanese INTERESTS: Sewing, cooking, playing the flute, working as a kind of taijiya, hanging out with her friends, cuddling with her mate, learning new things, learning how to control her powers. PROFESSION: She works as a healer, wife, mother, and part-time taijiya. BODY TYPE: She's small in stature, slim but not thin, muscular arms due to her use of the bow and arrow, medium-sized bust, EYES: Mahogany Brown HAIR: Her hair is obsidian in color with natural blue highlights, marking it as a blue-black--It looks cobalt when it gets wet. It's long and usually down. She rarely puts it up, but like everyone with long hair, she does occasionally. SKIN: It was fair--almost alabaster when she was little, but ever since she came to the Sengoku it has darkened slightly in tone. So, now it's a very light tannish color. FACE: Heart/oval shaped, small bubble gum pink lips, large eyes, small nose POSTURE: She has to have good posture to be able to use a compound bow with any accuracy. However, when she's relaxing she'll often slouch. HEIGHT: 5'1" ( 154.94cm ). VOICE: speaking: Listen Here | singing Listen Here SIGNATURE OUTFIT: Her most known outfit is the green seifuku (school uniform), and her second is the miko kosode no hakama, that's what I generally have her in, the kosode no hakama, however, I also love having her in furisode kimono, and leather when she's in the modern era. SIGNIFICANT OTHER: Inuyasha, typically, played by: @loneinuyasha and Kikyou COMPANIONS: Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kirara, Kouga, Ginta, Hakkaku, Kikyou-canonically, Hua Mulan @adversitybloomed, Anna of Arendelle @sparesovereign, Princess Yona @akarxuu, and a few others outside of canon~ ANTAGONISTS: Naraku, Houjou, Shichinintai, STRENGTHS: Kindhearted, loyal, empathetic, understanding, healing power, WEAKNESSES: Opinionated, short-tempered, possessive. FRUITS: Strawberries, bananas, apples, grapes, kiwis, oranges, lemons. DRINKS: fruit teas, water, milk ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: sake---rarely SMOKES: she doesn't smoke. DRUGS: she doesn't do drugs. DRIVER'S LICENSE: N/A.

tagged by: @adversitybloomed ( Thank Yu luvy ! ) tagging: @holified, @akarxuu, @peculiarbeauty (Hello~! xD), @prettymoonmuses (your choice!), And you.

[the12thnightproject]

Woo! Congrats! Would you mind... Doing Sasuke? He's very flash ✨

Hi Anon...

I would not mind "doing" Sasuke at all... another freeform... ok, let me think here.

Here is a random listing of Sasuke headcanons:

In the modern world, he drinks coffee. Not just any coffee, but high octane espresso, that comes out of super tech machine that he has recalibrated to automatically start making the coffee five minutes before his alarm goes off. So that when he finally shuffles into the kitchen, the cup is ready for him. Don't talk to him before he drinks this coffee. His one regret about going to the Sengoku era was that he neglected to factor in the effects of caffeine withdrawal.

He has a back-up espresso machine just in case.

He is a terrible driver.

He memorizes episodes of MST3K and can quote them at random.

Ditto Monty Python and the Holy Grail

He designs Rube Goldberg machines for fun, but fails at operationalizing them because he's not good with power tools.

But he's the best boyfriend because he never ever forgets an important date: fist date, first kiss, first *ahem* .... you'll get a card and a gift on every single occasion.

And... he might even share his coffee with you.

[thefrogwhobarks]

So does the Sengoku driver lets you consume the Helheim fruit safely? Well, no not really. It is possible you'll turn into an inves. You're putting roughly the same stuff inside your body and it's also very possible that you'll end up with addictive craving. It might be safer, probably, who knows. And the target demographic are... young people so you brand it as the coolest thing ever to have? and you load it up with... a variety of fruit flavors?

THEN THATS NOT A DRIVER THATS A FUCKING CROTCH VAPE, FUCKING JUUL DRIVER ASS