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#this one goes out to the person who asked if he had other bug qualities
time-woods · 6 months
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he does in fact chirp
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obeymematches · 23 days
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So I'm not sure if this one counts as a HC, but I was wondering what self-care tips you think the Obey Me! characters would have! Maybe it's a poor prompt so feel free to skip this one, haha. :'D Alternatively, maybe what they would do to cheer up an MC who had a bad day? As a general reminder you are incredibly awesome and your writing is amazing and I always love seeing when you've posted something new!! <3 If you want any character drawings lemme know!
hello bestie if you are reading this, don't stop🩷🩷🩷
it's been years (litetally 😅 you sent me this ask in 2021, sorry for not replying sooner 😅) but i been in the mood lately to write some more again :D ((i'm so rusty though))
i absolutely loved your idea + ngl i've been re-reading your message a lot, makes me feel so nostalgic 😅🩷 I hope life's been treating you well eversince <3 hit me up if you wanna catch up 😃
Okay so first I do the self-care stuff and later i'll do the other prompt 😁
Self-care routine / tips of The Boys!
Lucifer: • His way of self-care is listening to soft piano music in the evening, next to a fireplace. He is glad to invite you! • I feel like he also cares about what he eats, trying to keep it as healthy as can be. I feel like he loves to treat himself with some good quality fish? • Appearance-wise I think he doesn’t really care as much as he wishes he could, he keeps his hair and nails nice and clean but that’s like… very basic hygene stuff.
Mammon: • His self care routine includes ordering packages at 1.24AM. • Just the excitemenet of new stuff arriving soon puts him in a better mood! • He also cares about appearance as his side job is being a model. He is not afraid to use more expensive lotions, shampoo, etc. It has to be expensive but doesn't have to be quality if you get what I mean. • Him and Asmo brush their teeth most often (up to 2 times a day) • I’m 100% sure he would love the feeling of driving aimlessly at night with his favourite music on!
Leviathan: • I feel like he is the one who needs advice on this topic. • Yes he orders stuff sometimes but he is conscious about it, it was a well thought-out decision he made. Him deserving it wasn’t really the intention. • I think sometimes he takes a long bath, by long I mean about 2 hours, and that’s pretty much it for a month.
Satan: • He learned the most from Asmo; he is very well avare of how many lotions, masks, oils, creams there are and he tried a lot of them. • His favourite are hand creams, which he uses every day. • Sometimes he puts on a face mask with Asmo but to be fair it happens like 4 times a year so it doesn’t actually do much to him. • Otherwise I think he also enjoys a rocking chair on the porch, perhaps in the garden (not where all the bugs are though!) with an enjoyable book and some non-sparkling beverage.
Asmodeus: • His list is basically endless, so just a list of some he does every day / often: • Has to wash his hair 3 times a week, uses shampoo, balm, oil and is very strict about how to dry it. • Has a lotion specific to each part of his body, except his face because you can’t have enough variety of face-serums. • Takes long baths but careful! Too long is just as bad as too short!! • Likes to sunbathe in moderation on Dia’s beach • Having his daily beauty sleep no matter what • Goes shopping on the regular
Beelzebub: • Best bet is him making his comfort food and offering you some • Works out a lot of course, a heathy body is a must! • I feel like he is also into reading personal growth books? Like how to be a better person, how to be more in-touch with you emotions, how to heal from this and that • His place of self-care also includes your embarace. Pls just cuddle with him. That’s enough of selfcare itself.
Belphie: • Ah…about self-care… • Well I guess some extra sleep counts as such? • Loves to chill under the stars, very quiet and very peaceful place to be at. It really does calm his mind • Honsetly I think he is even worse than Leviathan • Please make him brush his teeth and comb his hair • Can change a lot if you influence him though!
Diavolo:
His tips are so extravagant you can't really try them alone...
Like ah! Just go on a cruise! Have a wellness weekend by yourself! Try some rare dishes!
Thank you bby i appreciate
He does take care of his skin and body and also his mental state through working out, quality lotions and self-help books, articles.
Barbatos:
Definitely bakes when feeling like he needs self-care right now!
He is more of a spa kind of guy, though obviosly he rarely gets the chance to enjoy such things.
Honestly he functions on the bare minimum, pls help him
Simeon:
Also well-read regarding self-conscious stuff so if you need advice on it please reach out to him! As a teacher he is going to be able to explain it easily.
Not much into appearance somehow?? Like yeeeah nail, hair, teeth always nice and neat but doesn't go the extra mile.
He'd be into coloring books to help him be in a relaxed kind of state! Though that is something only Luke knows about.
Solomon:
This man is a mess regarding self-care to be frank.
I mean he usually does as he wants, that's not the issue here. He just doesn't really treat himself as priority?
Okay he does care about the basics but sometimes he skips a day or two. He genuinely forgets to brush teeth for example.
More into the spiritual kind of self-care, mental state, personality, you get it.
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tlcartist · 1 year
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🏳️‍⚧️👽👗 for crime cousins?
HELL YEAH
a bitch is wordy so you know the drill
Josuke
🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon
I think if you'd ask him he'd say he's a dude but he'd also shrug and say eeeehhhh? Because yeah he's a guy but also what even is gender? Spicy cis.
👽 A weird quirk
I think he's the kind of person who extends the care he puts into his hair into other forms of hygiene. His room is always a bit sloppy but if he doesn't take his two (2) daily showers and do his 8 step skincare routine he feels off. It's not to the point of being actual OCD or anything, mans just likes to feel clean.
👗 A headcanon about their clothes
WHERE DO I BEGIN
If this boy had been a teen in the 2010's he would have absolutely be a Pinterest girlie and would have made boards dedicated to looks and aesthetics. I think all JoJo's have an interest in fashion but Josuke's the one who's the most passionate about it. Has a stash of clippings from fashion magazines with looks he wants to recreate. When he can't afford to buy something he tries to DIY it. He's not necessarily flashy with color in his clothes but he goes wild with accessories. Has the most clothes out of any JoJo.
Giorno
🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon
Genderqueer. Giorno defies labels and concepts like hyper masculinity or machismo are absolutely repulsive to him. Definitely one of the things he really hated about his stepdad for sure. He's very secure in his identity and if other people don't understand it he really doesn't care. He spent his childhood masking and blending in as much as possible, but as soon as he broke away from his family and started doing his own thing he really came into his own.
👽 A weird quirk
Can't cook (at least not beyond very basic things) and will just eat whatever's most accessible. Frequently commits food crimes as a result (as in will put whatever is left in the fridge together and call it a meal), because he can't be bothered to put effort into ACTUALLY making something or orders takeout a lot. He just sees cooking and eating as a chore and there's a million other things he'd rather do than worry about it.
👗 A headcanon about their clothes
Going off of the gender thing Giorno dressed very plainly as a child mostly because his parents just tended to neglect buying him clothes or when they did it was just the most basic stuff possible. But living in Italy he was surrounded by the world of fashion and was fascinated. He'd walk past fancy designer shops and press his nose to the glass until he eventually got told off by security. He told himself that someday he'd be able to make his own decisions. Someday he'd wear clothes that really felt like him.
So when he finally gained his independence he went WILD. He's flashy, he's flamboyant, he has expensive taste and he's not afraid to show it. Believes in quantity over quality and isn't afraid to spend more $$$ on something that was handmade out of the best materials. Doesn't have a large wardrobe but has pieces that will last a lifetime.
Jolyne
🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon
I think Jolyne is cis but really hates being pushed into gender norms. Was 100% a tomboy as a little kid. The "girliest" thing about her was her hair and love of butterflies but she'd frequently come home just covered in dirt from exploring the neighborhood park on the walk home from school much to her mother's dismay. Her clothes never stood clean for long. She was always bringing home little critters like bugs and snails and would try to keep them alive. She never fit society's expectations of what she should have been. She was loud and boisterous didn't take shit. As she got older she got more comfortable with her femininity since she felt it was something she could explore on her own terms instead of having it pushed on her.
👽 A weird quirk
I think Jolyne's restless. She's always got to be doing something with her hands or tapping her feet. Can't stay seated for long and gets bored easily. Stole one of her dad's old Zippo lighter's and uses it as a fidget toy of sorts to help herself focus. If you walked by her room and listened closely you'd frequently hear the faint grinding of a spark wheel and snap of the lighter being closed.
👗 A headcanon about their clothes
The time Jolyne spent in a gang had a huge influence on her fashion sense. She spent time with punks and people from different backgrounds and carried a lot of those lessons with her. SUPER INTO DIY. Makes her own fishnet shirts out of stockings, distresses her own pants, cuts holes into her shirts, hand paints her signature spider web design onto different outfits. She can never quite find what she wants off the rack so she takes matters into her own hands.
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dovahkinniez · 2 years
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Remember to not be a silent reader, like and share your thoughts! I love hearing everyone's feedback. <3
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FARKAS BF HEADCANONS!
— bf farkas. <3
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bf farkas is a whole different person to who he is in everyone else’s eyes. let me explain why…
‘ice brain’ is exceptionally good at reading your emotions, one hint of an offish mood and he’s frowning trying to understand what’s wrong and if he finds out without asking you what’s wrong, he’s pretty good at helping you out.
he focuses a lot on things you like, he usually forgets stuff pretty easily but sometimes he’ll randomly remember you like this certain food or this flower and then soon after he will surprise you with it, just to show he remembers and cares.
great hugger. the best. big strong arms, amazing chest and they’re like the best pillow’s skyrim can offer you. a hard day? cuddles. a good day? cuddles. rainy days? extra cuddles. sunny days? sweaty cuddles.
he likes to pretend it’s you who is the cuddle bug but no, it’s him. he’s a furnace with a pulse so summer times you’re usually trying not to die in the heat between his arms but he doesn’t care. man needs his daily dose of cuddles.
his love language is both quality time and physical touch, since he isn’t too good with his words and expressing verbally he likes to express his love in those ways instead which is evident, physical touch more so when you’re both alone.
he’s likes it when you smell like him, wolfy thing? perhaps. but it makes him feel like people will also know you smell of him which means they’ll leave you alone - because obviously all of skyrim wants you, the big mighty dragonborn, so our beefy wolf likes to ward off the potential threats by letting his scent onto you.
after hard days this boy just wants some TLC. care for him, hum out his childhood lullaby and he’s off to sleep with a wink.
i just hope you’re comfortable because once he’s asleep he moves less than lydia when she’s in front of a door you’re trying to walk into.
he likes to kiss your nose. it’s a little thing he’s always done and will do. when you wake up he does it, before bed, when one of you leaves to work, before you eat. he always does it. and it sets you into a spiral each time because he’s so sweet.
farkas doesn’t understand his strength but with you he does and instead of treating you like an fully able adult he treats you like a porcelain doll - especially near the start of the relationship - gentle hugs, lightly holds your hand, soft kisses. he’s so gentle and it makes you laugh a little because you didn’t think he had that in him.
he has random mood drops. he can go weeks happy one day his entire mood will drop and he becomes this gloomy cloud and if he wasn’t clingy before he definitely is now. sometimes it happens when he’s with his thoughts too much, i see him as a self conscious man when it comes to his smarts and abilities.
vilkas was always the responsible smart one, farkas pinned as the stupid brute so from time to time this will weigh heavy on his conscience. tell him he’s smart, give him the love and reassurance he deserves. </3
he can sing. i don’t care who argues with me. his humming is enough to send you to sleep and when he sings it’s deep and soothing, he doesn’t do it purposely. when he’s doing his own thing he will naturally sing out a small song and each time it shocks you by how he’s good - don’t tell him though, he won’t sing again (until he forgets and does randomly hum or sing).
he’s also a lightweight. too much alcohol to him is the starters for the other companions.
he goes red in the face, mumbles random stuff and either tries to fight someone or tells them how much they mean to him - depends who they are and exactly how much he’s drank. he passes out as soon as his head hits the pillow though.
farkas is the sweetest partner ever and i will die believing that. there’s a juxtaposition between who he is to others and then to you and you love it because you get special attention while with the others its like ‘whatever, i’ll deal with them later. i’m with you right now.’
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toonblabbers · 3 years
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Balls to the Walls Random Headcanons
A/N: Just trying to flex and expand my writing with other characters: Ace Edition - Ushijima, Iwaizumi, Aran, Hoshiumi, Asahi, Yamamoto and Sakusa!
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I didn’t write about my big sexy himbo Bokuto because my blog is like almost 90% him
This contains some mentions to smut so hey: minors DNI! Thanks!
 Ushijima:
Service top with a dash of Dom. Got a big cock but he doesn’t know what to do with it so please help him out.
Had one (1) partner before you and they told him he can be too rough so now he’s the literal definition of Gentle Giant. Again tell him what to do and how you like it
He on the other hand…Well he’s got a hard body from years of strength and endurance training. He has very specific spots where he’s super sensitive, but he’s easily embarrassed about them
One spot is right behind his earlobe. Sit in his lap, pinch his ear and gently rub it between your fingers. The sight of Ushi’s eyes fluttering closed as his breathing picks up is truly a sight to behold
Another spot is his wrist; stare him in the eyes and kiss his wrist before a match to have his knees quake a little and shorts feel a little tighter
Actually loves to discover new kinks with you. He finds it more romantic than having a quiet dinner with you in an expensive restaurant
Can be a big ole needy baby during the off season of volleyball. Tugging on your shirt when you leave the bed, follows you into the bathroom, stands behind you in the kitchen or when you’re doing laundry. He’s not vocal with his words but more with his body
Don’t tease him though; it’s still a very new feeling for him to express
 Iwaizumi
Hates fighting with you but loves to pull you close and soothe you with a hot kiss
Has big Dom Daddy energy, but there are a few ways to make him start to crumble under you touch
If you use any piece of clothing to pull him in closer to you like his collar, his tie when he wears one, or his belt. Lean in like your gonna kiss him, stare at his lips then his eyes and then just walk away like nothing happened. You bet your sweet ass he’s gonna follow you to get that kiss
Another way that he refuses to admit he likes: play with his nipples. He’s got some fairly big and dark nipples compared to his friends and they get hard easily. Brush your fingers over them when you lean in to kiss and he’s got diamonds poking through his polo shirt
One way that he will admit is ass play. Now he’s not ready to full on take a cock in his ass, but things like your fingers, anal beads, or a vibrator? Makes him practically cum on the spot
Loves it when you get rough on him. Not like in a “I’m gonna slap you” kind of way but in the “grab him by the hair and demand he fucks you properly when he’s taking it too slow” kind of way
His cock pulsing hard inside of you and his eyes dilating is a dead giveaway of how much he loves it
 Aran
Admittedly, he doesn’t have a monster dong (sorry not sorry, not all fucking black guys have a big cock so stop fetishing it thanks – from a black woman) but it does have a nice curve to it
He’s a disgusting romantic so full on he will bust out the candles, the rose petals, and the silk robe waiting on the bed for you. He saw it in a movie once as a kid and wanted to try it ever since
He so cute though because since he is a big romantic, he’s always cooking you breakfast and singing a little song in the morning for you. He even does a little dance while carrying the tray off food just to see you smile in the morning
He’s also such a soft Dom dude. Admittedly a little scared to try an bottom for you but man does he make you feel loved when he’s in between your legs
Loves to hold your hands or hold you close when he cums. Wants you to feel how his whole body shudders because of how good you make him feel
Big ole cuddle bug so it’s best to have some towels and water bottles by the bed cause neither of you are moving unless he says so
He’s a man a of quality and not quantity, so yeah you guys only go one round of sex cause he’s bone tired after he cums. That doesn’t mean he can’t make you cum multiple times though
Hoshiumi
 A short King. We stan (I’m 5’9 so he’s short to me)
He is a meeeeessy boi dude like if ya’ll in a hurry to fuck, he’ll quickly slobber all over you and use as much spit as he needs to slide home. Loves how tight you are, but he’s careful enough to make sure it doesn’t hurt you…..too much
Loves. To. Fuck. You. Both. Dumb.
Did you just cum? Well he’s not stopping until he cums. Did he just cum? Well he’s not stopping until you cum. Wants to keep it equal
Please sit on his face. He loves it. And if you play with his balls like rolling them in your hands and squeezing them? He’s whining and panting while eating you out like a mad man
He adores it when you play with his hair when you’re cuddling. Just don’t be surprised if he starts humping against you. It just feels so good
He’s very competitive so god help you if you’re with his friends and they start talking about their sex stories.
If there’s a friend there (Hinata) that talks about the kind of kinks they do with their partner and it’s something you guys haven’t tried before? Guess what’s on the list tonight
 Asahi
God just hold him. He needs it. Another one that's is a great service top for someone who loves to lead from the bottom (me @ me)
Not the biggest set in the world but he's got passion so sex is almost always soft and sweet
He's still hot in his own ways like the way his deep grunts start to turn into softest and sweetest moans
Or the way he stares at you; eyes swirling between lust and loves with tears threatening to spill
Please don't be mean to him unless he asks. It's evident that he holds a lot of insecurities and he's trying his best for you. Love and dote on him because his aftercare is top tier
Even if you guys don't do anything special or crazy. Just some straight vanilla sex, he always makes sure that you're comfortable before you go to bed
Also he helps you establish a nightly routine with him so what's not to love about that?
Yamamoto
SIMP ALERT. Be ready for one of the LOUDEST simps out there. 
I'm talking a bigger simp than all the setters for Hinata or all the captains for Daichi
You can fit so much passion and respecting people juice into this boy right here
I don't see him being a wild boy but if you're into it then so is he. Want him to spank you? He's gonna ask how hard baby.
However if you want to do something that he seems a bit hesitant on, he’s gonna try to be overconfident with everything. Make sure you talk to him and make sure you have a solid agreement with with him. Communication is key with him!
He's a little sloppy and lazy with his aftercare but you know what, it's always fun with him
I don't know much about him but he gives off that vibe of a man that runs on pure fiery passion and motivation. Like if he’s feeling like loving on you tonight? Be ready to not do a damn thing cause youre gonna be his precious pillow gem (idk if there's a gn term for ‘pillow princess’)
Sakusa
Ooof. Where do I begin with this beautiful man. Pretty body with a pretty cock to match for starts
He’s sexy man but he has these cute little moles all over his body. He personally doesn’t like them but please kiss each one even the one on his butt. He may not voice it but he loves it so much
He will gladly do the same for you; kissing you every part of your body that you may not like about yourself.
Doesn’t have a high sex drive, but when he’s in the mood, damn you better clear your plans. He believes in both quantity AND quality so you will be thoroughly fucked out when he’s done with you
I see him as the kind of dom that goes for the kind of pleasure that benefits you both. Not a selfish lover but also not an absolute giver like the others
Yeah there are nights where he wants to treat you but others nights he’s gonna make you work for it
Tagging: @hiddenbluee, @kou-taro, @justcoffeewithoutcaffeine​
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OK, so Bucky meets a nice young lady, old for her age, in NY or Louisiana while he's visiting Sam. You'll have to decide which locale you like better. It might be fun to include Sam, like he could give Bucky crazy dating advice just to bug him. Date goes well, even though Bucky is very awkward and nervous, which she finds adorable. They end up seeing each other more and she spoils him w home made dinners and thoughtful presents, which he happily reciprocates.
You met him in New York. At the time you were working at the 50's style diner around the corner from your apartment. You were an old soul and this restaurant was the perfect place for you. Apparently, your mystery man was an old soul too. He became a regular there. His name was James, but he preferred Bucky.
After some time, you got to know him and his routine. You knew exactly what he ordered when he came in, and even what music he'd buy on the jukebox. You knew him so well that you were able to have everything set up for him before he even walked in the door. You never really spoke, unfortunately, so whatever attraction you had to him was left to remain afar.
Suddenly one day, he disappeared. Never came in again. You'd never found out where he lived but you knew he was close by. According to one of your neighbors who knew a guy who knew Bucky, he'd moved out.
You went on with life, finally moving out of the New York area and down to Louisiana with some family of yours. The news was appalling. The government decided they could just up and replace Steve Rogers with some random blonde-haired, blue-eyed dope? You knew from the moment you saw him that John Walker wasn't the right choice. You could tell something was off about him.
Months went by and your suspicions proved true. You were extremely relieved when you saw Sam Wilson take the title. He was a good man, personally had known Steve, and he deserved it.
You were at your Grandma's house, borrowing some old vinyl from her when she saw the news about the real new Captain America. "Oh! Oh! Honey! That's Darlene's boy! Get me my phone!"
"Who's son?" You ask her, handing her the old landline she still used.
"You know! Sarah's little brother! You all used to play together when you were babies!"
"Maybe that's why I can't remember, Gramma," You chuckle. As you leave, you hear her talking with Sarah Wilson on the phone, planning some big party or whatever.
You chuckled to yourself as you walked to your house around the corner. Before this moment, you would never have guessed you'd know the great Sam Wilson.
"Oh dear! I'm so sorry! I didn't-"
"It's okay," You say, regaining your bearings. You'd not been paying attention to where you walked and accidentally ran into someone, dropping your bag with the records.
"Are you okay?" The man asks. You nod and start gathering the vinyl back together. "You still listen to this stuff?"
"Yes, I do!" You immediately defended "It's quality music. No one sings like they did anymore. Besides, vinyl sounds the best."
"I completely agree!" He exclaims, surprising you. You look up at him and very nearly drop your bag again.
"It's you!" You exclaim. "You used to live in New York didn't you?"
"Um, yes, but how-"
"The diner! I worked at the diner," You smile.
"Oh! Yes! I'm so sorry, doll," He replies, blushing brightly. "I didn't recognize you in clothes." You raise an eyebrow and he pales immediately, eyes widening. "Regular clothes! I mean regular clothes! Not your uniform!" He raises his left hand to his forehead and groans. "I'm so so sorry," He mumbles.
"It's fine, Bucky," You smile. Noticing his hand, you gasp. "Oh my gosh! You're-I hadn't-Oh my gosh!" You exclaim.
"Oh, um, yeah," He says. "I'm, well, I was the Winter Soldier." He starts to turn and leave but you grab his arm and pull him back.
"It's fine!" You assure him. "I'm not scared. If anything, I'm really excited," You admit. "I, um, I've always wanted to meet you." Bucky smiles awkwardly and nods.
"Okay," He says slowly. Bucky's about to say something else when his phone rings. He apologizes and takes the call, motioning for you to give him a moment. "Could you possibly wait one minute?" He pauses and rolls his eyes at whoever is on the other end. "Sam, I'm-" He says. "I'm busy right now." He looks back at you and smiles tightly, obviously frustrated. You giggle lightly.
"He's so cute!" You tell yourself.
"Don't make me call Sarah! No! We are not setting up a-Sam! I am trying to talk to someone right now!"
Sarah? Sam? You gasped when you realized who he was talking to. Of course, he would know Captain America. Both of them in fact!
“Yes, Sam, I’m talking to a-” He stopped, glancing back at you and chuckling nervously. “Yeah, Sam,” He said quieter. You hear what you could only describe as an excited whoop from Sam. Bucky hung up the phone before Sam could say anything more. “Sorry about that,” He says, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling awkwardly.
“Hey, if you need to go-” You start, not wanting to make him feel worse.
“No! I mean, um, would you like to do on a date with me?” He blurts out. You stare at him for a moment, completely shocked. He takes that as a rejection and starts to apologize.
“Yes!” You exclaim. “Yes, I’ll go out with you!” You interrupt. Bucky stops and smiles, letting out a sigh of relief.
“Okay, how about tonight? Around 7?” You agree and swap numbers with him so you can send him your address. “Okay,” He says again. “I’ll see you tonight!” He hurries off, almost skipping away. You giggle quietly and head back home with your records.
Later that day, you have the records playing while you dig through your closet for what to wear. Suddenly your phone dings with a text.
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I’m not so sure about this. Are you sure this is the best thing to wear for a date nowadays?
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Well, depending on where we’re going, I could wear this dress and match you?
Y/N! I’m so sorry! Sam was texting me and I must have accidentally clicked on you.
No worries, Bucky ☺️ If I may say so, you do look cute
Ah, thanks I guess. Sorry again.
You continue trying to decide, but find yourself at a loss with not knowing where the date is planned for. You text Bucky real quick, asking him where he’s planning on going so you can prepare appropriately. A few minutes later your phone dings again.
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I feel a lot better in this, Sam. Will this be okay for the restaurant?
Ah-ha! A restaurant! Now I at least have some context! And you look quite handsome. 😏
I texted you again didn’t I, Y/N?
A few hours later, Bucky shows up at your door, holding out a bouquet of flowers for you. “Oh thank you, Bucky! I’ve never gotten flowers before,” You admit.
“I’m glad you like them,” He smiles as you go to the kitchen to put them in water. At that moment, Bucky has a chance to really look at you. “Wow,” He says under his breath. “Y/N, you look lovely,” He tells you. You spin back around to face him, skirt flaring.
“Thank you, James,” You reply. You'd picked out the dress especially for him. The old soul you were, most of your clothes had a vintage, retro aspect to them and this dress was perfect for the occasion.
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The two of you head out to the restaurant, talking and laughing the whole way. Bucky was sort of awkward, you noticed, obviously nervous about dating again after so long. Dinner went well, only a couple of people recognized Bucky. When he dropped you off, he kept fidgeting.
"Well, um, I hope you had a good time," He says.
"I had a wonderful time, Bucky," You smile. He smiles back and nods.
"Me too," He says. "So, um, I guess I-"
"Do you want to have dinner again tomorrow?" You ask. He looks up at you embarrassedly.
"Yes," He admits. "But I'm supposed to be the one who asks."
"Well, I may be an old soul like you," You smile. "But I think a little change is okay sometimes." He smiles and takes your hands, kissing the back of them. "How about tomorrow night, at 5? You come over to my place for dinner and we just-"
"Oh," He says, backing away quickly.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, Sam said if a girl invites you over to her house-"
"James Buchanan Barnes," You interrupt, putting your hands on your waist and cocking a hip. "I promise, I will never, ever, ever, trap you into something like that," You state firmly. Looking away, a bit embarrassed yourself now, you add, "I just wanted to make you a home-cooked meal and listen to some records."
"Oh!" He says again, happier this time. "Well, in that case, I accept," He says, taking your hands once more. You smile at each other for a moment before he leans down and kisses you quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow!" He calls out, hurrying back to Sam's to tell him everything.
"Bye, Bucky!" You yell down the street.
The next day, Bucky shows up promptly at 5 pm. He even helps you make dinner. Or at least tries to. "Good thing my hand is metal," He mumbles.
"What's that?" You ask turning around.
"Nothing!" He says, hiding the knife he was chopping with behind him. You stare at each other seriously for a second and then both burst out laughing.
"You are hopeless in the kitchen," You tease.
"That may be true," He laughs.
After dinner, the two of you cuddle on the sofa listening to old records. "Oh! I have something for you!" You say, jumping up and running to the closet to grab something. "Here," you say, handing him a small box. "I thought you'd like it." Bucky excitedly opens the package, completely freezing when he sees its contents. "It's a Bucky Bear," you explain when he doesn't say anything. "If you don't like it, it's fine," you quickly excuse, going to reach for the box.
"No!" He nearly yells, pulling away from you and holding it tightly against his chest. You hold back a laugh and smile at him. "I like it," He says.
"Well good," You reply, hugging him. "I don't really know you well enough to get you something more personal, so, I was hoping you'd like it."
"You sure that's a good idea, doll?" You raise an eyebrow at him in confusion. "Getting to know me more," He explains.
"Bucky," You smile, touching his arm. "You've been here at my house for hours, I just gave you a gift, and you're still wondering if I like you?" He nods sheepishly. "Darling, if I had wanted you gone I would have told you long ago. Now give me some more cuddles, you're soft," You say. He chuckles and pulls you into his arms with the Bucky Bear. Bucky sighs softly, contentedly, relieved to have finally found his home in this modern world.
"Would it be too soon to say I love you?" He asks quietly.
"No, I don't think so," You reply. "Because I love you too."
"Even with my arm?"
"Especially with your arm!" Bucky blushes brightly and you laugh. "Now shut up and kiss me."
"Yes, ma'am," He grins, leaning down to capture your lips against his. "Oh, and one more thing."
"Yes?"
"What's your ring size?"
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felassan · 2 years
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BioWare Blog post: Developer Story - John Epler
Friends! Welcome to the first of many BioWare Developer Stories! In this series, we’ll be talking with our colleagues here at the studio about their histories, what they do at BioWare, what makes this such a special place to work, and all sorts of other topics.
Today’s lucky contestant is John Epler, Creative Director for the Dragon Age franchise. John’s been at BioWare since the late ‘00s, but he actually didn’t get his start on the creative side of things at all. In fact, before BioWare he was in a different field entirely: the audiovisual trade.
THE STORY SO FAR
“I was selling TVs,” John says. “I knew I wanted to get into games, though, and at the time BioWare was hiring term testers, which is a contract position in QA.” (That’s Quality Assurance, the folks who track down bugs and other issues.) “I got lucky enough to run into a couple of BioWare people at the store and mentioned that I’d applied. I got an interview, got the job, and I’ve been working at BioWare ever since.”
After a few years in QA, John started working as a cinematic designer on Dragon Age: Origins, which he describes as working with a huge library of animations to put together cinematic scenes. “It’s largely about knowing the animation library well enough to be able to go, ‘Oh, I need someone to walk backwards for three seconds; here’s the animation that does that,’” he says. “So you round up all the appropriate animations and stitch them into a finished scene.”
John remained a cinematic designer through Dragon Age: Inquisition, graduating to lead cinematic designer for Inquisition’s DLC. From there he moved into the narrative director role for the next game, which is more about the story and characters of a game as a whole. “You’re focused on narrative as more of a holistic experience,” as he puts it. And now, as creative director, he takes an even wider view, “keeping an eye on the game, and the franchise, as a whole,” he says, “and making calls about where to focus resources on the project.”
ON DRAGON AGE  
With all this Dragon Age experience, you might expect John feels a strong connection to the series—and you would be correct: When we ask about some memorable moments from his time with BioWare, he goes right to the closing days of Inquisition’s development. “We were finishing out the Redcliffe scenes,” he says, “and one of our audio guys called me down to listen to what he’d been working on. I remember standing there, hearing the theme kick in, and thinking, ‘Oh, wow. We might have something special on our hands here.’ We’d put so much of ourselves into this thing, and it was finally coming together.”
It’s a scene where the player has to decide what their character believes in. And that kind of moment is one of the hallmarks of the series, John says. “Faith is a big theme throughout the games,” he explains. “Not faith in a religious sense, necessarily, but belief in something—whether that something is a wholly unknowable figure, or another person, or even just yourself. And the games look at what happens when that belief is challenged, or completely broken.”
John’s connection to the franchise extends even outside of the games themselves: He contributed to the 2020 short story anthology Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights. So naturally, we had to ask how writing a short story compares to writing on games. “Honestly, both have their own challenges,” he says. “Writing games has to consider interactivity, budget, branching, technical needs…so the actual writing is only a small part of the job. Fiction is easier in that I can write whatever I want because there’s never going to be someone building any of it. But I think you lose a lot of shortcuts that you get in games. Like, I hate writing fight scenes—but in a game, I can say ‘and there should be a fight here’ and I never, ever have to write another fight scene.”
ON BIOWARE  
There’s a reason Dragon Age makes such an impression even on the people who help make it. “Dragon Age is really about the people,” John says. “The stuff with BioWare games that tends to get referenced the most—the things you hear people bring up time and time again—it’s almost never the big critical-path beats. It’s the character beats, and at their best, those critical-path beats and those character beats become the same thing. It’s about how those characters interact with each other; ‘family is where you find it’ is a pretty core theme for all of our games.”
And John’s introduction to the studio’s own cast of characters was an especially memorable one. “My very first day at BioWare was the day they held the Mass Effect launch party,” he says. “It was at our local science center, and they had the game playable on the planetarium screen! We had the run of the place after hours—it was pretty incredible.” He pauses. “It may have set the bar way too high.”
And what would John be doing if he hadn’t found his way to the studio? “Honestly, I don’t know,” he says. “I nearly ended up working at a paper supply company before I got the job at BioWare, so maybe that? There’s an alternate universe John out there somewhere that’s basically—I want to say Jim from The Office, but I’ll be honest and say Andy—and he’s living that life, and probably making games in his spare time. But it’s hard to imagine, honestly. I’ve been working here for nearly a third of the time I’ve been alive!”
John Epler is the creative director for the Dragon Age franchise. You can find him on Twitter at @eplerjc.
[source]
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thefanficmonster · 3 years
Text
Phone Call Anxiety
Corpse Husband x Reader (Female)
Warnings: None
Genre: FLUFF, RPF (Real Person Fic)
Summary: When wanting to make quality merch, one needs a quality team there to produce and work on quality ideas. Great minds think alike. Great eyes see alike and great hands make alike - the three keys to the formula of creating a clothing line that will be fashionable and up to his brand. Luckily, Corpse knows just who to call.
Requested by Anon. Hi hun! Thank you so much for your wonderful request, I absolutely loved the idea! Sorry you’ve had to wait for it to be turned into a fic for so long, but I still hope you come across it and give it a read in which case I hope you enjoy it! Love, Vy ❤
He’s not a fan of phone calls. Anyone who knows him even remotely is very well informed on Corpse’s distaste for phone calls and upholding a conversation over the phone. He’d even go as far as to say talking to a person face to face is less stressful for him than that previous option.
But still, seeing as how the person he’s trying to reach lives in a different state and is rather busy all the time, arranging an IRL meeting is basically impossible at the moment, and sending her a text results in running the risk of having the text overlooked or completely lost in the sea of notifications she probably gets on the daily.
Therefore, a phone call was his only proper way of reaching her. And it’s what’s got him pacing the room with his nervousness peaking.  He doesn’t know anything about this girl, nothing concrete at least. He was referred to her by Jack who brought her up in their passing conversation when Corpse mentioned how paranoid he was regarding his upcoming merch project. He specifically stated he doesn’t want anything basic and he wants the clothes to be fashionable, suitable for anyone no matter the age or gender and to be endurable. With all the love he has for his fans, he doesn’t want to give them anything less than what they deserve - the best.
“My friend’s the person you’re looking for.“ Jack said enthusiastically and confidently, “She helped me design the latest merch line I put out and I’ve never been more satisfied with my own merch. I’m planning on offering her a position in Cloak for her birthday. Make sure not to let that one slip out if you give her a call though.“ He warned half-jokingly. 
Bottom line, with that kind of intro, Corpse couldn’t help but let his interest be piqued. And so, he asked for this girl - Y/N’s contact info from Jack before he went to surf through her social media where she thankfully posted plenty of pictures of her creations, never failing to mention specifications in the caption of each picture so the viewers would get the perfect and most detailed idea of how high the standard for her work is.
And so he’s finally managed to talk himself into dialing her number that’s been sitting in his phone for weeks now. As he paces his living room, his nerves chewing him out like a dog would with a toy, listening to the ear piercing ring of the dial waiting to get picked up by the girl he’s trying to reach. 
Just then, Corpse’s head turns so that his eyes meet the glowing red numbers on his digital clock on his desk and he damn near hangs up the call right away - it’s half an hour past midnight. Fast as lightning, he removes the phone from his ear, his thumb flying over to press the red ‘end call’ button. Just then, a faint ‘hello’ reaches his ears, coming from the phone’s speaker. She’s answered the call.
He hurries to put the phone back up to his ear.
“Hey, sorry for taking so long to pick up, I ought to clean my desk eventually cause my phone was literally BURIED under a pile of papers.“ A cheerful sing-song voice rattles his stale and sleep deprived consciousness, as if awakening him from a half-dream state. “You’re either a wrong number caller or a last minute client, aren’t you? Need something done urgently?“
Corpse is taken the hell aback by her strong and downright awing first impression. Not to mention her energy at an hour unsuitable for calls. Lord knows he wouldn’t have picked up if her were in her spot. With the intention of not wasting any more of her time than necessary, he hurries to explain his situation. “Y/N, right? Um no, I’m neither actually. I was told about you by a friend, he said you were a real miracle-doer with fashion design.” He trails off for a second, not completely sure of how to hold this conversation, “Uh, sorry for the odd timed call, I lost track of time. I’ve been meaning to call you for hours now but I...I was nervous.” He cringes the second the word leaves his lips, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He doesn’t know why he wants to leave her with a great, better than realistic impression of himself but he does and as of now he deems his attempts as ultimate failures.
He hears her giggle from her end, rifling through what sounds to be papers, “Yeah, I’m her. And boy is it refreshing to get someone who’s calling with an actual purpose.” She sighs as if a weight’s been lifted off her shoulders, “And don’t worry about the phone call anxiety. Makes two of us, to be honest.”
This catches him off-guard. The last thing he’d expect is for this girl to have phone call anxiety. In fact, she appears to be a natural, God-given talent at carrying conversations and upholding chit-chat with people. Maybe he’s a little too quick to judge - probably, considering he’s ‘known’ her for less than five minutes and knows nothing but her occupation, her name and the state she lives in - but that bubbly persona she greeted him with gave off the impression that it’s immune to any and all kinds of social anxiety - or anxiety in general. To hear such an honest and counter-to-assumptions confession on her part rattles him a tiny bit. In a good way though.
“How does that work for you? Isn’t your whole job depending on your phone conversational skills?“ He doesn’t mind that he didn’t phrase that too perfectly or that he straight up blurted it out. He knows he’ll be understood. She’s obviously a person who understands. Not just something specific, but everything. She simply understands. How he drew this conclusion and how accurate it is, he may not know until further notice.
“Well...“ she sighs as if genuinely looking to give him a proper answer, “You see, after doing it for so long and having been caught off guard quite a few times with some absolutely absurd orders, I’ve grown prepared of literally ANYTHING and I have a line prepared for anything the caller has to say. I just no longer let them catch me off guard and it’s fine. Helps avoid any possible awkward silences.“
Corpse’s eyebrows shoot up, her explanation only raising more questions rather than providing answers. But he’s not gonna be the annoying dumbass asking those questions at close to 1AM and bugging her. After all, if she agrees to this partnership, they’ll be hearing and potentially seeing a lot more of each other soon. “Impressive, honestly. You’re gonna need to teach me sometime.“ He’s unaware he’s smiling until he catches his reflection in the window. However, he doesn’t bother hiding it. This conversation is actually making him feel good, serving as a reminder that he’s not the only one who periodically goes through turmoil over small things. 
She giggles again, this time the sound manages to draw a blush out of him, coating his cheeks, “I’d typically stray for revealing my secrets to professional success, but I’m willing to make an exception for you...” she pauses for a second as though she’s just now remembered something, “Oh shoot, I don’t even know your name.”
He wheezes out a nervous laugh, realizing he never introduced him, “Oh yeah, sorry, that’s my bad. My name’s Corpse, nice to meet ya.”
“Nice to meet you too, Corpse.“ Y/N replies, sounding pleased but teasing simultaneously, “Now tell me, you didn’t call me about my phone call secrets, did you? What may be the real purpose of your call?“
Oh shoot, he himself almost forgot what he was calling for. Luckily, the reference designs displayed on his computer screen remind him. “Right, well, I’ve been thinking of launching a new merch line either this month or the next, depending on how long the procedure will take, and I needed someone great on my team to make some merch actually worth the money people are paying for it. And, as I said, I was told you were in that ‘someone great’ category.”
“Told by who, if you don’t mind me asking?“ She briefly cuts him off, her voice now giving away the fact that she’s half-absent-minded in this conversation, added evidence be the ruffling of more papers on her end.
“Jack. I mean, Sean. You know, Jacksepticeye.“ Corpse explains, contemplating whether he should’ve ratted Jack out like that. Hearing the sound of delight Y/N lets out eases his worries ASAP though.
“Oh Gosh, I haven’t seen that cutie in so long! He’s like a brother to me so a friend of Jack’s is a friend of min-“ this time she cuts herself off so abruptly Corpse thought the line was cut or she hung up on him. She doesn’t let him wonder for long though, “Wait, wait, wait....Merch? And you’re friends with Jack?“ She pauses for a second once again, once again not a long enough second for Corpse to speak up. “You’re a famous YouTuber, aren’t you?“
He was completely unaware of the fact Y/N hadn’t realized he was someone famous yet. In fact, he didn’t think of it because he thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to her considering she’s friends with Jack-fucking-septiceye! In his mind, his ranking is far lower than Jack’s - despite that mindset being absurd - so the last thing he expected was for her to have some sort of impressed reaction to have been talking to him on the phone this whole time. Hell, she doesn’t even know his full YouTube name or what kind of content he produces.
“WAIT!“ She shouts urgently, startling him a tiny bit, “You’re Corpse Husband, aren’t you? Oh my God, yes you are, how didn’t I put it together sooner? Ah crap, I really need more coffee for this.“
“No! No, you need more sleep.“ Corpse hurries to correct her but is very clearly ignored or overlapped with the many sounds that are coming from her end, “What are you doing?“
“You’re getting the first rough sketch of a design by tomorrow morning.“ She says, taking a sip of whatever beverage she’s acquired for the purpose of keeping her awake, “You go ahead and get some sleep, I know exactly what I’m doing. Don’t worry about it.“
“I’m not worried about the design.“ He hurries to say before she, God forbid, hangs up on him, “It’s 1AM, woman, you need sleep! I don’t need those designs done by tomorrow. Hell, I don’t even need them this week!“
“You don’t, but I do.“ Y/N says, sounding almost breathless because of what seems to be overwhelming excitement, “You don’t get it - I’m designing merch for Corpse fucking Husband! You have any idea how crazy that is?“
“I personally would say it’s underwhelming. I mean, I’m no Pewdiepie, after all.“ He says, now sat at his desk with his free hand rubbing his temple as he stares at the designs he’s pulled up on his screen, ones he probably won’t need given that he’s now working with a professional.
“Oh, shut it.“ She chuckles, “Shut it and get some sleep, ok? I’ll talk to you in the morning.“
“Noooo...“ He leisurely stretches the word, “Tell me, Y/N, do you have Discord?” She clicks her tongue instantly, giving him a signal that the question he’s asked is bordering into the territory of ridiculous. He playfully rolls his eyes, “Alright then, lemme find you. If we’re partnering up on this, we’re both staying up.”
“You know you can just straight up tell me you don’t fully trust me with this? Like, I won’t be offended, I get it.“ She murmurs in-thought, the sound of clicking evident on her end. 
“You know you can just straight up tell me you don’t want me bothering you and want me to leave you alone?“ He mimics her statement, smirking to himself as he pulls up Discord, knowing he’s already won.
She huffs and tells him her Discord info, quickly adding a small comment, “...but only because great minds think alike. I know we’ll be getting along on this design pretty nicely.”
“Yeah, yeah, right, sure, whatever you say.“ He laughs, “Accept my friend request and let’s drop this phone call.“
“Hey! - um, before we do that, I just wanna say a quick thank you.“ Y/N murmurs quietly, as if half-hoping he doesn’t hear her.
“For what?“ Corpse asks, his brows furrowing, unsure if they’re on the same page about this gratitude.
“For never once triggering my phone call anxiety.“ She admits, “I mean, I know I said I have lines prepared for every conversation scenario possible, but you totally caught me off-guard.“ She giggles a tiny bit, now sounding dangerously close to nervous, “But, not in a bad way, if that makes sense. Sorry if it doesn’t, I need more coffee.“
“No, no, it does!“ He hurries to reassure her, “It really does. And thank you too. Thank you for, you know, tolerating my BS at this hour. God knows I would’ve ignored your call if our roles were reversed.“
He hears her scoff and can’t help but laugh, “Huh ok, I see.“ She says, sounding greatly triggered and mock-pissed at his confession, “I’ll make sure to think of that next time you call me after midnight. Or at all, ever.“
Laughing his butt off, the only thing Corpse can think of in this moment is:
Damn, this girl and I are gonna get along
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syn0vial · 3 years
Note
Hello Wise One! I was actually hoping if you can give me some solid personality pointers on Jango, rather than Boba, Fett?
sure thing! full disclosure that my knowledge of jango is not as extensive as my knowledge of boba, but i’ll do my best with what i have! here are some personality traits of jango’s i’ve observed:
paranoid/protective: this is a big one if you ask me. jango endured a life of betrayal and loss before he became a bounty hunter and it shows. besides boba, he doesn’t trust anyone fully, not even those closest to him and is always ready to cut ties at the drop of a hat—lethally, if necessary. his mistrust of the rest of the galaxy is so potent that when he takes boba on missions to populated areas, he instructs him to hide even from normal foot traffic and becomes anxious when he learns that others may have spotted him. it becomes pretty evident that part of the reason boba was so isolated growing up was that jango didn’t trust the vast majority of the galaxy enough to let them near the kid. and when other bounty hunters find out about him? ho boy. jango actually convinces them that he killed boba using a cloned child’s body, bc he’d rather be known as the worst kind of monster rather than make boba a target. there’s also the fact that, after their apartment on kamino gets found out by obi-wan, jango is packed and ready to leave in minutes. not only is he ready to bug out at the first sign of danger, but he’s well-prepared to do so at a moment’s notice.
a loving father: another big one. for those who look at a man as battle-hardened and stoic as jango fett and wonder whether boba got enough affection as a kid, worry not: in the vast majority of depictions, jango is a very loving father, especially when he’s out of the prying eyes of clients and colleagues. he hugs boba, tells him he loves him, joins him in playing with toy starfighters, and tries to make time for him as much as he can. he even does his dadly duty of going fishing with his son (though he and boba practice spearfishing rather than using a rod and tackle). there’s also a wistful little scene where, trying to help boba feel better after zam’s death, he takes him to kamino’s main spaceport and lets him infodump about all the ships he sees there :,) so overall, he has a lot of good qualities as a dad
controlling: and the other side of the coin! while jango is a genuinely loving father, he’s not at all the type to encourage his son’s independent development. self-sufficiency? sure. interests in anything other than the path jango has laid out for him? not really. he actively discourages boba from learning about “unimportant” topics from books, an apparently very broad category given it includes things such as schools, moms, and other children. he drills into boba’s head that he’s going to be a bounty hunter and that he needs to abide by a code with such healthy guidelines like, “don’t have friends or attachments” and “trust no one but use everyone.” boba, of course, goes with it bc he loves his father and wants to live up to his expectations, but he never really gets a choice in the matter. honestly, i think this side of jango is best summed up by him leaving a post-humous note for boba that says, among other things, “i am more than a parent to you.” it kind of goes along with how, after jango’s death, boba continued to think of his father not just with love and grief, but also an almost religious dread of failing his expectations. jango undoubtedly loved his son but he also seems to have defined a very narrow path for him to walk, without room for deviation.
possesses an actual charisma score: okay, now for a more fun one: jango has a charisma score and he apparently makes a habit of using it, to the point where his old friend rozatta pokes fun at him for it (he compliments her and she’s like “oh, you’re flattering me? must mean you want something!”) he also pulls the same thing on zam, calling her charming to get her to agree to help him break into a target’s stronghold. so yeah, jango fett turning up the charm to get people to help him/give him info? 100% canon, baby
very fun friendship with zam wesell: look, this isn’t a personality trait, but it’s important to me. these two are just so fucking funny together. like, on the surface, it’s just a fun dynamic of zam making flirty banter and jokes while jango pretends to be annoyed and drag her, much to her delight. but then on a professional level, you have these two ammoral assholes bouncing wildly between being one another’s Sexy Rival and being one another’s Unhinged Partner but whoops, jango went and had a kid, so now they’re Unhinged But Mostly Responsible Co-Parents. one of my favorite scenes is when, in an attempt to intimidate a prisoner into talking, zam impersonates a politician and lets jango pretend to “kill” her in front of him. for some reason, even after they’re done, jango continues to bridal carry zam’s “body” into the cockpit of slave I, at which point, she perks up, bats her eyelashes at him, and goes, “you’d never really kill me would you, jango?” jango quite honestly replies, “only if i had to.” there’s a beat and then zam’s like, “....you’re so sweet! 😘” honestly, they’re so stupid, i love them
ascetic: much like his son, jango doesn’t seem to have much interest in luxury or “the finer things.” despite having enough money to live very comfortably, his apartment on kamino is described as “spartan” in design and furnishing. this may have something to do with the first bullet point, given that a simple life is easier to pack up and take with you at a moment’s notice, but i do think there’s some amount of preference in this lifestyle, given it’s what both fetts seem most comfortable with in all circumstances.
traumatized: i mean, he’s a fett, ain’t he? particularly, just like boba after him, jango is traumatized by the loss of his family, especially his own father figure, jaster mereel. much like boba, jango seems haunted by the need to live up to jaster’s name and legacy. for background, jaster was betrayed and killed in an ambush by the leader of deathwatch, after which he passed on the title of mand’alor to jango. however, some time after this, the true mandalorians led by jango were wiped out by a combination of death watch and the jedi, with jango himself being stripped of his armor and sold as a slave. after this point, jango does not seem to see himself as worthy of jaster’s legacy and thus attempts to pass it on to his son, resulting in the high and narrow expectations he sets for boba as mentioned in bullet point #3. boba himself concludes as much as an adult. on top of the trauma of losing his family, jango also seems to have been traumatized by his time as a slave. most notably, when he’s being tortured after being captured by target komari vosa, he at first remains fairly stoic, even as she starts to mutilate his face. it isn’t until she mentions enslaving him that he seems to panic, struggling desperately to get away. vosa even laughs and says that she must have touched a nerve with her comment. basically: fetts be traumatized :(
soft spot for (some) kids: another thing that’s interesting about jango is that he... usually attempts to do right when kids are involved. i say “usually” bc fat lot of good it did all the cloned children he had a hand in creating >:( but, for example, after killing a runaway clonetrooper as part of a bounty, he finds out that the clone had a son. unwilling to let the child live in poverty due to his own actions, he has regular payments sent to the boy’s mother to help support him. in another instance, jango and zam help deliver an artifact to a client who intends to use it to carry out a terrorist attack on coruscant against millions of civilians. when zam finds out about the client’s intentions, she’s horrified and goes to jango demanding they steal the artifact back. jango completely brushes her off at first, telling her it’s not his problem and that he needs to spend more time with his son. zam coldly asks him how many “sons” he thinks live on coruscant. needless to say, her argument convinces him to join her in stopping the terrorist plot :,)
aaand that’s all i got at the moment! i hope it helps to characterize jango a little bit more!
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kpop---writings · 3 years
Text
1 Million Views (M)
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An EXO-SC threesome request!
This is pure filthy smut
Also PLS I know their song is 1 Billion Views but that wasn’t realistic for what I was going for lmao ENJOY!
---
After adding the final touches to your look for the night, you pick up your phone and text the group chat. The group chat containing you and your two best friends, Park Chanyeol and Oh Sehun, titled, unoriginally, The 3 Musketeers!
“Are you boys ready for tonight? I’m starting in 30 minutes and you’re still not here. Don’t try to chicken out on me.”
You’re a cam girl and although you normally do solo videos, you were reading some comments on one of your videos and came across a man who wrote that he would “pay extra to see this girl get fucked by 2 dudes at once!” Naturally you see your favorite words, “pay more,” and immediately start thinking about every guy you know or would even feel comfortable with fucking at the same time. You truly could not think of a more perfect pair than your best friends from high school.
You remember the day you asked them and how you were so nervous you wanted to throw up.
---
“Are you guys available for a 3 way FaceTime call right now?” You sent to the group chat.
Sehun texted back first, “Yep!”
Chanyeol not too long after, “Double yep!”
You take a deep breath as you press the FaceTime icon at the top of the group chat. It only rang 3 times before they both answered.
“Hey!!” Sehun shouts.
“Are we in trouble?” Chanyeol asks in a joking way.
You just let out a short laugh before changing back to your nervous demeanor.
“Oh man. I was joking are we really?” Chanyeol speaks up again.
“No... no you guys aren’t in trouble,” You let out a nervous laugh this time.
“Come on, what’s bugging you I can see the gears in your head spinning,” Sehun asks.
“Okay okay okay. I have a very serious question. I am 100% not joking when I ask this. I need a real, honest answer. Okay?
You watch as both Chanyeol and Sehun just nod their heads, staring at the screen.
“Okay?” You repeat.
“Yes yes okay.”
“Okay, honest answer, got it.”
After they both give you the response you were looking for you finally ask them.
“Would you guys be okay with being in a video with me? Like, on my cam series?”
It’s no secret to them what you do, they are your best friends after all.
You watch as Sehun’s jaws drop and Chanyeol’s eyes grow even more wider than they naturally are.
Chanyeol speaks first. “Like both of us in a video with you at the same time?”
You nod your head unable to look back at the screen. You’re secretly glad you did this through FaceTime and not in person. You don’t think you could’ve handled it. 
You hear Sehun ask a question as well. “What exactly will we be doing?”
You clear your throat as your eyes find focus away from the phone screen and on a plant somewhere in your room.
“Well we would be doing some sexual things of course. Um...you guys would be, you know, doing things to me together.” Why is it suddenly so hard to explain what a threesome is?
“So we’re having a threesome? For your cam girl series?”
“Yes, if you guys are up for it? Someone commented that they would pay extra to see it, so I can of course split the money with you guys no problem. I will be promoting on my channel as something extra premium for my already premium customers, so I will definitely be making a lot more than usual.” You’re rambling now.
“I’m down,” Sehun says with a wicked smile.
“Me too, let’s get this bread!” Chanyeol adds.
You relax with their enthusiastic answers and you three all break into smiles as you begin to plan out all the details for your special video.
---
Chanyeol texts back, “Relax were outside come open the door.”
You smile and squeal getting all giddy because you’d be lying if you said you hadn’t imagined fucking Chanyeol and Sehun at some point during the time you’ve known them. Now you’re about to fuck them both! At the same time!
You open the door and your greeted with both of their toothy smiles, you can't help but give them a toothy smile back.
“Come in, guys!” You say excitedly. 
You’re wearing your robe right now because you want to get their raw reaction to what you’re wearing underneath when you turn on the camera.
You lead them down the hallway to your room. In the corner you’ve got a red sheet on the wall as a back ground, you’ve got your camera set up on the tripod with a big ring light around it. 
“This is a nice set up!” Sehun says, genuinely impressed.
“Sehun, I’m a professional. I have to have the best quality videos out there.” You say with a proud smile.
They both let out a little laugh.
“Oh! I almost forgot.” You pick up the two black ski masks you bought for them. “I wasn’t sure if you guys were comfortable with showing your faces on camera, so I got you these just in case!”
“Oh this is perfect, thanks.” Chanyeol says as he grabs one.
Sehun takes off his shirt before grabbing his and putting it on.
You admire his slender, yet muscular frame. His pale skin making it look even more majestic. The faint outlines of a six pack showing. You’re ready to start touching him already.
You look over and see Chanyeol has done the same. His body is just as attractive as Sehun’s. His skin slightly more tanned, muscles more defined. You want to give him a nice long lick from the hem of his pants to his neck. With their masks on, it’s hard to focus on anything but their bodies.
Your alarm goes off, pulling you out of your trance, letting you know it’s time to start. “Okay are you guys ready? Don’t forget this is LIVE.” You put emphasis on live because you guys talked about it before and had to carefully plan it so it would look as natural as possible. You don’t want your viewers knowing you’ve never had sex with them before. You like for them to think you’re a dirty girl even off camera, it really sells the persona you’ve created.
You physically place them on either side of you and look in the camera’s view finder to make sure it looks good.
You look over to Chanyeol, “Are you ready?” He gives you a wink.
You look over to Sehun and ask him the same. He responds by making a kissy face to you. You smile and press the start button on the computer, starting the live.
You watch as the viewer number climb rapidly. Once it hits 10,000 you start talking.
“Hi lovers.” You start if your most sultry voice you can muster, your cam voice. “I have two special guests with me today,” You run your hand down Sehun’s stomach, trying to ignore the way he tenses. “Over here we have Mr. S.” You move over to Chanyeol and do the same. “And on this side we have Mr. C.”
With your robe still tied, you let it slip off your shoulders just a little bit, using your forearms to keep it up. You notice in the view finder Chanyeol and Sehun both turn their heads to you, watching you.
“I hear my lovers were just dying to see me get fucked by two men. Is this true?” You watch the comments and reactions flow in on your computer. You look back at the camera with a sexy smirk and finally untie and drop the robe completely.
Under the robe your breast are completely bare and your panties are black lace, crotchless thongs. You put on a bit of body glitter on your chest, you notice your viewers love when you’re sparkly. You’ve got some dark lipstick and a dark cat eye to match. 
You are sure to keep eye contact with the camera as your hands find Sehun’s dick through his sweatpants. You start rubbing him through his pants making sure the outline is very evident for the viewers to see. You look over your shoulder at Chanyeol who is rubbing himself through his sweatpants.
“Ohh lovers, I think Mr. C is getting a little jealous watching me give all my attention to Mr. S.” You watch Chanyeol pull his dick out and start jerking off while staring very deeply into your eyes. You movements almost falter on Sehun’s dick. You’re trying your hardest to keep it together, this is live!
You break the eye contact and look back to the camera, “Actually, lovers, I think this is making Mr. C very horny.” You pull Sehun’s pants down to his ankles and he kicks it off the rest of the way. “Let’s give him a little more to watch.”
You turn your full attention to Sehun and wrap your hand around his dick as you jerk him slowly. Then you pull him down for a heated kiss with your other hand. Sehun’s hands grip your waist on either side. Your mouths begin to move in sync and you slip your tongue into his mouth and he gladly sucks on it pulling a moan out of you. As the kiss gets deeper you feel a third hand roughly grab your right breast, the one closer to the camera, and you can feel the head a Chanyeol’s dick against your ass. You start pushing back against him and he lets out a moan. You let go of Sehun’s dick to pull him closer so that his is rubbing against your clit. You have Chanyeol grinding against your ass and Sehun against your clit. You could cum right now. 
The hand that was on your breast is now around your jaw and pulling you away from Sehun’s lips. Chanyeol turns you so that you're now in a heated kiss with him. Sehun’s takes this moment to kiss and lick all over your exposed neck. You feel Sehun continue to go further and further down your body until feel him lick at your clit. Chanyeol lets your jaw go and you can finally take a deep breath. You let a sensual moan as Sehun encases your clit with his mouth giving it a gentle suck. You lean your head back onto Chanyeols chest and he grabs your hand and it puts around his dick. He starts fucking into your hand as you try to meet his pace. 
You turn back to the camera so your viewers can watch your face as you get your pussy ate while jerking off Chanyeol. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the viewfinder and even you have to admit the scene unfolding right now looks so good.
“You like how he’s eating your pussy huh? Are you going to cum on his face? I bet your lovers would love to watch you cum on his face.” Chanyeol suddenly says as his hands knead at your breast. Your eyes screw shut and you feel your hips begin to buck even more into Sehun’s face. That was so unexpected. They said they weren’t comfortable with speaking. You thought they would be silent. 
Chanyeol starts sucking on your neck. “Come on, baby, cum on his face for me, I’m sure he’d love it too.” You look down and Sehun is already looking at you. You watch his tongue swirl around your clit before sucking on it again. The sight mixed with Chanyeol’s hands on your breast and his deep grunting in your ear as he fucks your hand makes your whole body come undone. You feel your orgasm take over you as you cry out that you’re cumming.
Your body starts to shake and Sehun holds your legs to keep you from squeezing his head while he helps you ride out your orgasm with soft, wide tongue licks. Chanyeol is peppering your neck with kisses, also attempting to help you ride this out.
Once you’ve finally come down, you glance over to the computer and see the view number climbing even more and lots of reactions and comments coming in. Aside from the amazing orgasm you just had, you’re also thinking about how much money you’re about to make from this special.
Sehun comes back up and pulls you to his lips, making you taste yourself. You moan into his mouth while Chanyeol finally pulls his sweatpants off. When you and Sehun finally pull away from each other you watch as Chanyeol walks closer to the camera holding his dick. Once he’s close enough, he starts shaking it around for your viewers. Oh, he loves this, you think to yourself.
“Should we fuck your sweet babydoll at the same time...” He looks back at you and Sehun, dick still in his hand, “Or take turns?” He’s incredibly comfortable in front of the camera behind that mask.
All three of your attentions turn over to the computer screen watching the viewers comments come in.
“Together!!”
“Fuck that slut at the same time she’ll fucking love it!”
“Her wet pussy can handle two dicks at the same time”
“We paid to see her fucked by two guys at once”
More and more comments of that nature keep rolling in and Chanyeol looks back to the camera, stroking his dick slowly. “Looks like babydoll’s pussy is about to get stretched out,” he says with a smirk.
There’s a rather large, pink bean bag chair behind you that you normally use for your solo acts. You take a seat on it and spread your legs as far as they’ll go, while Chanyeol adjusts the camera angle.
Once finished with camera he comes over to sit next you and shoves his index in middle finger in your mouth, knowing that he wants you to get them wet for your pussy. Sehun sits on the opposite side and shoves his same two fingers in your mouth too.  Once they’re both moistened to their satisfaction they bring them down to your pussy.
Chanyeol slips them in you doing a scissoring motion to stretch you, Sehun doing the same.
It’s Sehun’s turn to talk, to your surprise. “We have to get baby dolls pussy prepared for us,” He says looking at the camera. “We want to make sure her pussy is stretched so good for the both of us.”
You lean your head back and let out a long moan as they both finger you with their index and middle fingers. You’ve never been this stretched out before and base on the size of their dicks, you’re a little nervous it might still be painful even after the prepping.
You feel someone’s thumb collect some of the wetness around your pussy and then start gently rubbing your clit. Your head snaps back up quickly and you suck your bottom lip in biting it hard. Your eyebrows crease and your eyes are screwed shit again. You feel like you could come again. Chanyeol leans in to kiss you and after not even two seconds of making out you feel Sehuns lips add to the mix. Here you are in a three way kiss with your two best friends and their fingers up your pussy. Never in a million years did you foresee this happening.
They both start moving down at the same time, kissing, licking, and sucking on either side of your neck. You can feel your face contorting again, you’re trying to catch your breath while the moans slips out very breathy. You can feel your pussy trying to clench and your legs start trembling. The warm feeling in your stomach getting warmer and warmer before spreading throughout your whole body. 
“Ahhhh fuck! Ohhh fuck fuck fuck! I’m cumming again oh my fu-” You cut yourself with a loud, breathy moan as you reach the peak of your orgasm. Your face is all warm and sticky with a thin layer of sweat, your lips feel swollen. You’re sure you look fucked out and you haven’t even been fucked yet.
Once you’ve calmed down you open your eyes to see both Chanyeol and Sehun staring at you with wide eyes and their mouths slightly open. Looks like they enjoyed the show. You nod your head signaling that you’re ready for them.
Chanyeol stands first to go fix the camera angle again, this time zooming it in a little bit more to focus on where your pussy’s going to be. To help figure out where exactly you go ahead and move to sit on Sehun’s lap in the center of the bean bag. You align his tip with you glistening and already sensitive pussy and slide down with ease. Sehun scoots into a more laying down position and at an angle so the camera gets a great shot of your stretched out pussy.
Once Chanyeol gets the angle perfect he comes back in the frame, puts a little spit on his hand to rub on the tip of his dick. Then you feel him towards the back of your entrance. He sticks is finger in again trying to prepare you a little more to make this as painful as possible. Once he feels you’re ready, he finally slides in too.
The moan you let out came from deep within you. In no way did the stretch their four fingers did compare to the stretch both of their dicks did. It’s a bit painful and you have to put a hand on Chanyeol’s hip stopping him from going any deeper. You allow your pussy to get accustomed to the stretch before letting them start moving.
Once you’ve taken your hand away from his hip, Chanyeol takes it as a sign and is the first one to move. Sehun watches your face for any sign that you’re in pain and he notices you’re okay and starts moving underneath you as well.
Once they both get their rhythm they get very into it, they’re both moaning, yet they sound so different. You can’t even describe the feeling you have right now. Two dicks moving in you at the same time. It’s not the best feeling, but it’s also not the worst.
They start to speed up you can tell Chanyeol, especially, must be close. He grabs your arms and pulls them behind you, making you sit up in the process. You're a moaning mess along with them. Sehun has his feet firmly planted on the ground, allowing him to thrust up with even more speed. His hands are gripping your hips so hard, you’re sure there will be a bruise. 
You and Sehun are staring into each other’s eyes. You wish you could see his whole face taken over with ecstasy. You so badly want to tear this masks off. Chanyeol lets go of one of your arms and wraps his hand around your neck. You reciprocate by using your free arm to reach back and pull him even closer with your hand tangled in his hair.
“You’re such a slut, babydoll, aren’t you?” Chanyeol says loud enough for your mic to catch.
You simply nod your head, not trusting your voice right now.
He lets go of your neck to slap your titty. “Use your voice, babydoll! I asked you a question!”
His hand goes back to your throat and you scream out “Yes!” before he tightens his hand around it again.
You hear Sehun from under you, “Only sluts can handle two dicks in her this good!”
“Yes!! You both feel so good!! I want you both to cum in me! Let me feel you both cum!!” You don't know what's gotten into you but that wasn’t part of the plan. Caught up in the moment I guess?
Nonetheless, you feel Chanyeol’s grip around your neck falter and he does one last, hard thrust into you before his body tenses and he groans loudly into your neck. He came first. Sehun goes a little bit longer, adding to Chanyeol’s pleasure with the friction, before his hips start jutting sporadically inside of you finally cumming as well with a loud moan, turning his head to the side, eyes shut tight and mouth wide open.
For a moment you three just lay there, completely fucked out and exhausted. Chanyeol pulls out and you let out a moan from feeling your pussy relaxed after being so stretched. He helps you off of Sehun and onto wobbly legs. You make your way to the camera and bend over in front of it, ready to sign off.
“Lovers, how was that?” You ask, still panting. “Was it worth every penny? I sure hope so. I love being your guys’ little slut.” You smile before biting your bottom lip and winking at the camera. “Thank you so much for tuning in, until next time.” You kiss your hand and blow it to the camera, then reaching over to your computer, you end the live.
After the live ended, you see your stats for the video and you’re completely shocked to see that you had 1 million viewers tonight!
“How would you guys like to make a couple more videos with me?” You ask turning around to see that they’ve both taken their masks off. They both looks so good right now, ecstasy still written all over their face.
They look at each other, still breathless, and then back to you, both smiling.
After tonight, you know your guys’ friendship will never be the same. But you’re kind of okay with that, because they really know how to make you feel good and fuck you out!
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stitch1830 · 3 years
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CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: KANTO
So this is a character description for the character Kanto that @precious-metal-girl and I created for AUs where he is in a loving and committed relationship with Toph Beifong. Part of this is to help me keep track of all of his features and personality traits, and if others are looking to write about Kanto but aren't sure about how to describe him, feel free to pick and choose characteristics that meet your AU needs! This will (hopefully) be a living document where characteristics are added and changed over time. If you are curious about our AUs or want to know about a particular trait/personality, feel free to ask us questions!
......
Born: ~88/89 AG (summer)
Residence: Republic City
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Green
Element: Earthbending/Metalbending
Occupation: Deputy for the Republic City Police Department, Metalbender Division
Nicknames: Hotshot, Dep (short for Deputy), Slick, Botany Boy, Pretty Boy, Metalbrain, Metalhead, Rockhead, K, My Rock
Relationship: Toph Beifong
Background:
Kanto grew up near one of the Fire Nation colonies close to what is Republic City today (part of the reason why his name has FN influence). His father took many different jobs and tried to avoid fighting in the war as long as possible so he could stay with his family, while his mother was a seamstress for the town. Often, he would help his mother sew clothes, and because of that he was pretty crafty and good with his hands. He lost his parents at age 7; old enough to remember them and his childhood, but all the memories are pretty blurry.
What he does remember is that his family was pretty poor, but they always had something to laugh about.
He loved learning new skills with his dad, and had his mom read the same two books they had every single night. And one thing he always remembers is eating together as a family.
His parents died either in an accident for rebelling against a FN rule (maybe the FN wanted to take Kanto away for being an earthbender), or from protecting Kanto in general.
Kanto was always pretty feisty as a boy, pushing people’s buttons and egging people on. It only got worse when his parents died because he pushed buttons out of anger now.
He also had a lot of friends, but after, he didn’t talk to anyone for a while because he ran away. Most of his fighting skills were learned while on the run, he never got any formal training until he went to the metalbending academy (maybe 17 or 18? Toph managed a different part of the academy so she didn’t know him. That or he went to a different academy branch entirely).
One thing he remembers is that he was happiest with his family, so he cherishes the idea of a happy family unit, and he constantly searched for something that made him feel close to that happiness.
Personality:
The first impression people get of Kanto is that he is a no-good, arrogant, bad boy. He acts as if he’s the coolest person in town and always has something sassy to say in response. More than half of the words that come out of Kanto’s mouth are flirtatious and sarcastic, a combination that initially drives Toph Beifong crazy.
But in reality, Kanto is an extremely loyal man who’s rather selfless, putting himself in harm’s way so no one else has to. His initial personality is a front to protect himself so that he doesn’t befriend anyone too much, because he knows what it’s like to love people and lose them. He hated how he felt when he was orphaned and never wanted to feel that way again.
When his facade finally cracks with Toph and she sees the real him, he’s actually… a dork.
He’s got a very goofy personality, he gets excited about little things, and his passions do not necessarily align with his looks and his first impression. When he loves people, he does so with his full heart, but again, he’s hesitant to do so with many… His family are essentially the only ones that see him this way.
Looks:
Kanto is most certainly a hunk. He’s got a similar skin complexion to Toph, thick and wavy (borderline curly) black hair (Toph loves playing with it), broad chest and shoulders (a fit and toned body overall), a mischievous, slightly crooked grin (left corner turns up higher than the right) that makes all the women of RC swoon, a crooked nose from being punched in the face one too many times, and classic earthbender green eyes. He’s also pretty tall, that’s where Lin gets her height from, well over a head taller than Toph And despite being an earthbender, his hands and fingers are actually rather long and nimble. Some popular fanart interpretations of Kanto can be found here and here and here and here and here.
Interests:
Kanto likes flowers, he often brings new ones home (especially when he’s with Toph) so he can teach her about its qualities and so they have a nice and natural floral scent in their home. He’s obsessed with pro bending like Toph, and often will attend matches with her. Astronomy and biology are also interests of his. Toph and Kanto also have a cool rock collection, both are trying to best each other to find the coolest one. Kanto reads science fiction novels to Toph in their downtime and he’ll play the guitar or pipa.
Fears:
Kanto is afraid of bugs, he doesn’t care for large fires that can get out of control, and big animals make him nervous at first contact. When Lin’s in the picture, he freaks out when there are too many sharp corners in one place. He’s always afraid she’s gonna fall and hit her head. Kanto also doesn’t like those rip tides or currents in oceans/large bodies of water.
Some of his deeper level fears include losing his family. He cannot stand the idea of losing Lin or Toph, especially if the reason they are missing or gone is because of him. He’s lost his family before, and he’ll be damned if he loses them again.
Flaws:
A lot of his flaws stem from his stubbornness and confidence. He’s arrogant, overconfident, prideful, and impatient. He knows he’s good at his job and he’s not afraid to talk about his skills and talents, and unless he’s working specifically with Toph, he assumes he’s the best for the job.
He’s flirty, sarcastic, reckless, and a bit of a slob (just his home, he keeps a clean appearance). Kanto’s constantly ragging on coworkers, has comments for days, and it’s rare for him to speak in a serious tone while on the job. Just doesn’t happen.
He’s protective, reckless, a troublemaker, skeptical, and vengeful. When he actually finds love and has a family, he is extremely protective, to the point where if criminals threaten his family, he’s not afraid to take the law into his own hands to eradicate the problem. One of these would be his fatal flaw, maybe vengeful? His vengeful tendency could be from a need to retaliate to protect his family from a threat, and that ultimately may take him down.
His flaws mainly seem to come from his overconfident front that he gives to the world. He doesn’t let too many in, or, he lets people in, but they don’t see the real him. Kanto doesn’t trust people right away, but it’s easy to get along with everyone if you just have this confident and charismatic face on. But his ‘face’ seeped into his actual personality, so there are times when he shouldn’t blurt out the first stupid comment in his head, but he does.
Gaang First Impressions:
Aang: He’s always extremely happy and excited to meet new partners, so he was thrilled to meet Kanto. They definitely don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but Aang is great at being friends with everyone despite the differences, so there’s no animosity.
Katara: She’s skeptical at first, because Kanto acts like a douche and has a bad boy persona. Katara just doesn’t want to see Toph get hurt, so she interrogates the man a bit (a lot), but even though the things he says concern her, he’s a gentleman to Toph, very attentive to her needs. So, maybe he’s not so bad… Later on, she knows the bad boy look was all a facade and that Kanto is a sweetheart, and she grows to really like Kanto.
Zuko: He gives Kanto a very cold shoulder at first. He’s very protective of Toph because he thinks of her as a little sister. So, he crosses his arms, glares a bit, and Kanto glares back because that’s what he does at first. But then, they start going on double dates, and Zuko and Kanto turn out to have a lot more in common than they realize. They’re buddies now!
Sokka: Sokka’s attitude really depends on ship preference with him, but in most HC’s, he’s Toph’s best friend, so he would also be distant with Kanto. He wouldn’t like how cocky he is, or that he’s super tall and talented at many things… he’s not a fan. However, Toph is always super happy around Kanto, he makes her laugh, and no one is allowed to insult Toph without an ass whooping from both Kanto and Toph, so, he warms up to the guy. He’s been seen buying Kanto a beer after a long day of work as a truce, and he often goes to Kanto if he needs police paper signed and expedited (Kanto does the same with Sokka, it evens out).
Suki: Suki is pretty chill about it all. She’s pretty perceptive about personalities and whatnot, and she can detect a bit of a bad boy mask. So, she treats the introduction casually and is super cordial with Kanto. They never become best friends or anything, but she was one of his first “allies” in the Gaang, and for that he is forever grateful.
Other Facts:
His mannerisms are that he walks with a slow swagger. Often the slowest of the group, he takes his time whenever he walks places. But don’t let that fool you—he can sprint really fast. He leans back in almost all of his chairs, sometimes he leans too far back. Kanto was a notorious manspreader when he would sit down, but since being with Toph, she put a stop to that instantly. When he’s restless, he bounces his leg a lot, and usually only stops if Toph reminds him (usually a hand to his leg to calm him down). Kanto also runs his hand through his hair a ton to either push it off his face, or just on instinct. He fidgets with his hands, too, Toph does as well. Usually, the two will hold hands or play with each other’s fingers to ‘remedy’ their nervous tick. In extremely stressful situations (like an AU where Lin is kidnapped), Kanto usually throws up and doesn’t sleep at all.
Kanto’s voice is a mix of a rural and city accent, once Republic City becomes prominent. He uses slang in his speech often and mainly uses city words (he picked up a lot of city lingo when interacting with criminals and undercover work back in the day). There are a few words and phrases from his childhood that he uses that scream ‘rural kid’ and that is mainly when the distinction in his accent and speech is picked up. His voice is smooth and deep when he casually talks. When he yells, it becomes a bit gravelly and husky sounding. Oddly enough, when he whispers, the same thing happens.
Kanto smells like the earth or something with a forestry scent (cedar comes to mind). He wears cologne, and the scents he usually goes for are ones that smell like earth, wood, or resin. Kanto likes wearing cologne, but he can’t put too much on, otherwise it bothers Toph’s nose, and he typically checks to see which ones Toph likes, and he’ll purchase that cologne again because he knows she likes the smell. He naturally smells a bit like metal and dirt and a bit of smoke (he was a casual smoker before he had Lin). All these scents are not prominent, but by the end of the day, these are the scents that can usually be detected.
Some of his pet peeves include fake apologies, when people kick or shake the chair he is sitting in, any slightly insulting remark toward Toph, close talkers, people that interrupt frequently, and those that correct his grammar.
Kanto canonically only has one daughter, Lin. In this AU, he’s a loving and committed father who emphasizes putting his family first and protecting them. He doted and hovered over Toph while she was pregnant, cried tears of joy when Lin was born, and is very attentive and caring toward Lin. He’s the one that soothes her when she cries out at night, he’ll get up in the morning with her so Toph can sleep in, and when he comes home from work, he smothers her in kisses and gives her raspberries on the belly (affectionate). Even as a baby, Lin was a Daddy’s girl and Kanto spoiled her as much as possible.
In the relatively canon compliant AU, Kanto dies when Lin is about 6 months old. He left for work, had a run-in with a bloodbender (or an accident on the job), and never returned home. On the day of his death, Kanto planned on proposing to Toph, but never got the chance.
Lin knew about her father growing up, but he wasn’t talked about often because it is a touchy subject for Toph (and for most that knew him well). On her 13th birthday, Lin receives the engagement ring on a necklace, along with a handwritten letter from Kanto.
There are many AUs and headcanons related to where he lives, but those are very fluid and change all the time!
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refinedbuffoonery · 3 years
Text
Looking Through A Window (3)
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macriley married undercover au
masterlist.
Fun fact: the final scene of this chapter is part of my original brainstorm for this fic. The rest of the scenes I initially dreamt up won’t come until much later, so I’m thrilled to have at least one of them come early on in the story. 
To Carrie and Anna, the lights of my life: I named the neighbor after you two. She’s annoying as shit and nothing like either of you, but I needed a name and decided if anyone deserves to have their name as an Easter egg, it’s the two of you. 
*****
Despite the storm, Matty has the shipment of borrowed guns delivered to the Port of Houston in the middle of the night. While they eat breakfast, Mac and Riley study Matty’s excruciatingly detailed directions for navigating the port and finding their shipping crate. She certainly didn’t make it easy on them. 
Riley leans back in her chair, looking around until her eyes land on Harley. “Time for you to earn your keep,” she says between mouthfuls of toast. 
Supposedly, this is what Harley specializes in—sniffing out weapons. The dog should be able to confirm which shipping container the guns are stashed in without Mac or Riley having to check themselves. Theoretically. 
Mac finishes his own plate of eggs and toast in a few ravenous bites. “Thanks for making breakfast.” He gets up to clear the plates and start rinsing dishes. After living with her for more than a year, Riley making breakfast is routine, but Mac still thanks her for it every day. 
Living in the apartment together, they fall right back into their old habits. Mac wakes up early and goes for a run. By the time he returns, Riley is awake and making breakfast. After they eat, Mac showers while Riley goes on her own run. And so on and so forth. 
While Mac was out this morning, he wove through the whole neighborhood, making sure it’s safe for Riley to go out alone. She can handle herself, but Mac has no delusions about the overall quality of men on the streets, and even though he can’t fix that, at least he can help minimize her chances of encountering creepy dudes. 
Before they leave for the Port, Mac and Riley scour their car for a bug or any other surveillance equipment the organization might’ve hidden while they were inside the warehouse talking to Conrad yesterday. They find none. Thankfully. 
Once again, they’re going in armed, and the weight of Mac’s gun feels just as foreign and unwelcome as it did yesterday. He tries not to fidget with it while Riley drives, but she notices his discomfort anyway. “You’ve got to relax,” she says. “All your squirming is stressing me out.” 
“Sorry.” Mac stills, even though his whole body screams to put the gun somewhere else. 
Anywhere else. 
Once they arrive at the Port, Mac guides Riley through the maze of cranes and crates and warehouses until they find the one Matty had the guns stashed in—dark green and otherwise nondescript. 
Unfortunately, there are multiple shipping containers that fit that description at the location Matty provided. As they get out of the SUV, Riley glances between the boxes nervously. “Uhh, which one is it?” 
Mac doesn’t have a clue. “I guess that’s for Harley to tell us.” He looks down at the dog standing obediently beside him. “Find it.” 
He releases the leash as Harley takes off like a rocket, sniffing each container and the surrounding area. She inspects more than half of them before sitting and looking back at Mac. He waits for her to bark, but she doesn’t. Whoever trained her clearly did so with stealth in mind. 
“Do we open it to double check?” Riley asks. 
Mac opens his mouth to say yes, but he doesn’t get a chance to answer before a muddy, dark-blue diesel truck parks beside their SUV. Conrad jumps out of the driver’s seat, accompanied by two younger men, wearing matching scowls and Carhartt jackets. He walks with that same entitled swagger, and a cheap smile spreads across his face. 
“Mr. Turner!” Conrad exclaims, shaking Mac’s hand. His grip is too firm to be friendly. Stepping back, he sneers at Riley, acknowledging her just long enough to impatiently say, “Genevieve.” Mac doesn’t miss the way Conrad’s eyes drop to Riley’s chest, nor the way Riley bristles beside him, wrapping her jacket more tightly around her and crossing her arms to hold it in place. Mac clears his throat. “Sorry,” Conrad says, not sounding sorry at all, “but your wife is very attractive.” 
Riley rolls her eyes so hard they nearly fall out of her head. 
“Your order is this way,” Mac says, cutting off Conrad before he could make another gross statement, “Follow me.” Mac puts a hand on Conrad’s shoulder, squeezing hard as he steers the man toward the shipping container. Harley is still sitting beside it, waiting patiently, and Mac scratches her head with his free hand. 
Riley whistles, a single sharp note that sends Harley running back to her side. Mac buries his relief that she’s not alone, although he’d still much rather the hulking bodyguards were closer to him than Riley. 
Focus, Mac reminds himself. Riley can hold her own. Just get this over with. 
Mac opens the container, revealing two nondescript wooden crates. Still sneering—at this point, Mac’s starting to think that’s the only expression Conrad is capable of—Conrad waves over his bodyguards, gesturing for them to open the crates. 
For just a second, Conrad’s sneer edges toward a smile. Inside the crates lie exactly what he ordered: military-grade, semi-automatic rifles and enough ammo to kickstart the apocalypse. Mac’s gut churns. He hates this. He hates everything about this. He hates that he’s arming terrorists. He hates how these men look at Riley like dogs drooling over a steak. He hates that he can’t do anything about any of it, that he has no choice but to play along. 
Mac wishes he could bury his feelings the way Riley does, locking them behind a carefully controlled mask. Instead, his linger just beneath the surface, waiting to make themselves known at the first available opportunity. 
Counting backward from five, he steels himself to finish the game. Just as Conrad brushes a reverent finger down the barrel of a rifle, Mac chides, “We followed through on our end of the bargain. Did you?” 
“Of course.” 
One of the bodyguards pulls out his phone. In a deeper voice than Mac expects, he says, “We can wire the payment to your bank account right now.” 
“Good. My wife will help you set that up.” Mac gestures to Riley, and the bodyguard walks over to her. 
Conrad extends his hand, and Mac takes it, trying not to wince when his arm brushes his concealed gun. “Pleasure doing business with you, James,” Conrad says. 
“I hope this is the beginning of a long and prosperous partnership.” Long and prosper? Who was he, Spock? 
“Indeed. Welcome to the Patriots.” Conrad gestures for his men to start loading the guns into their truck. “Expect another order within the week.” 
Mac doesn’t know how to respond to that. Thankfully he doesn’t have to, because Riley waves him over, apparently having finished her conversation with Conrad’s lackey. “I’ll leave you to it,” Mac says, then turns his back on the terrorists and rejoins Riley. On instinct, he reaches for her arm as he murmurs, “Are you okay?” 
Riley tenses under his touch, but doesn’t pull away. “Yeah, I’m fine.” 
“Good.” He said the same thing to Conrad just a minute ago. Good. But the word is light years different from before—soft and caring, not curt and vaguely challenging. Bozer pointed it out to him once, how he talks to Riley differently than he does anyone else. 
Mac shakes off the thought. He can’t get distracted, no matter how much his mind only wants to think about Riley. Releasing her arm, he says, “Let’s get out of here.”
*****
Back at the apartment, Riley settles in on the couch to dig into the Patriots' bank records. By wire-transferring the money instead of paying them in cash, Conrad practically offered up the organization's entire digital footprint on a silver platter, at least to someone like Riley. She doesn't speak as she works, so Mac listens to the melody of keyboard clicks while he makes them each a grilled cheese. 
Contrary to popular belief, he's not completely incompetent, although Bozer has nearly everyone convinced otherwise. Mac will never be able to cook something fancy, but he does make a mean sandwich. 
He even spreads mayo on the bread, the way Bozer does, because Riley prefers it that way. 
The sizzle of the sandwiches hitting the hot pan joins the keyboard clicks right as Riley announces, "I hacked into their bank records." 
"What've you got?" 
"From the look of it, the shell corp they used to pay us has only been around for four months. Before that, they must've either paid in cash or used personal accounts." 
"That makes sense though, since the Patriots haven't been around all that long." 
"That's what I thought at first, but come look." Mac does, leaning over the back of the couch so his head is right beside hers. Riley points at the screen. "The first three transactions were all big deposits, each one two weeks apart." 
Frowning, Mac squints at the tiny numbers on the screen. "One hundred thousand dollars?" 
"Times three deposits," Riley adds. 
"Where the hell did they get that kind of money?"
"I don't know. The deposits were cash." 
“Damn. Did you at least figure out who their previous arms dealer was?” 
“Yeah.” Riley shifts, causing her hair to tickle Mac’s nose, and he brushes her hair to the opposite side of her neck without another thought. “Turns out their previous dealer has Mexican cartel connections, which explains why the Patriots only paid them twice. I’m guessing they found out about the cartel part and broke it off before they made a long-term deal.” 
“At least they’re not complete idiots,” Mac mumbles. Tired of squinting, he leans closer to better see the screen. 
Except now they’re cheek to cheek, and Mac suddenly can’t focus on the screen at all. 
Riley twists to look at him, and it takes every ounce of Mac’s willpower not to glance at her lips. "Are you burning my grilled cheese?" 
"No." He straightens, simultaneously disappointed and relieved by the space now between them. Mac shakes off the thought. He can’t keep getting distracted like this. 
"Uh huh. Sure." 
Retreating to the kitchen, Mac calls, "That was one time!"
*****
As expected, they don’t hear anything from Conrad or the Patriots the following day. Mac doesn’t know what to do with all the downtime on this op. There are plenty of books in the apartment, but he’s too restless to sit and read. He opens the fridge, more out of boredom than actual hunger. 
They’re on day five of the undercover op, and it’s starting to feel an awful lot like quarantine. With nothing to do but hurry up and wait, hanging out in the apartment and doing nothing is starting to make Mac go a little stir crazy. 
When Riley emerges from the bedroom wearing workout clothes, it’s clear she feels the same way. “I’m going for a run,” she announces. 
“Want company?” He hopes she says yes. Anything to get out of the apartment for a while. 
Riley unplugs her phone from the charger and slides it into her pocket. “No offense, but no.” 
Dammit. Mac shoves down his disappointment. “None taken.” He closes the fridge. Nothing in there looks good. 
“Tell you what,” she says. “After I get back we can go to the space museum, okay?” 
His heart skips a beat at her offer. “Is it that obvious I’m bored?” 
“Yes.” Riley gives him a pitying smile. “So do you want to go?” 
Mac smiles. It feels like she just asked him out on a date. It’s not, but it feels like one anyway. Be cool. “What kind of question is that? Of course I do.” 
“Okay then.” Popping in her earbuds, she walks out the door. 
“Enjoy your run, muffin!” Mac calls, stealing Bozer’s go-to pet name for when he’s undercover with Riley. She reaches back inside to flip him off before slamming the door shut, and Mac chuckles. Riley really hates that nickname.
Now it’s just him, Harley, and this tiny apartment. 
Resuming his search for food he’s not even hungry for, Mac opens the pantry, and Harley comes running into the kitchen. She must’ve learned the sound of the door opening since they keep the dog food in there. Harley looks up at Mac expectantly. 
“Don’t look at me like that.” She whines, and her pleading expression reminds Mac of the wide-eyed look Bozer mastered as a kid while begging his parents for something. Neither are very effective. “You just had breakfast an hour ago,” he insists.  
Harley glances at the open pantry, then back at him. 
Mac doesn’t give in, but he does kneel to pet her instead, scratching Harley’s neck and ending up with a handful of hair. Frowning, Mac digs through every drawer in the kitchen in search of a dog brush. No luck. He checks the bedroom and bathroom, coming up empty once again. Who even organized this house? It makes no sense. His gaze lands on the laundry room door. 
Ah. 
Sure enough, there’s a dog brush on the shelf above the washing machine. 
Leash and brush in-hand, Mac calls out, “Alright, girl. Let’s go de-floof you.” 
Harley takes one look at the brush and sprints in the other direction. 
Well this is going to be harder than Mac anticipated. 
He ends up chasing Harley throughout the apartment, zig-zagging from one room to the next. Every time Mac gets close, Harley slips by, just out of reach. After the fourth time she sends Mac stumbling into the furniture after lunging for her and missing, he realizes what she’s doing. 
Harley is playing him. This is a game to her. And, so far, she’s winning. 
Mac stares the dog down, and she seems to narrow her eyes in response. “Challenge accepted,” he tells her. 
This time, he knows exactly where to find what he’s looking for—peanut butter. He smears an unnecessarily large glob into Harley’s dog bowl, making sure she sees exactly what he’s doing. Harley’s stubborn, and does a good job of appearing not to care, but Mac has a hard time believing any dog would turn down peanut butter. 
Harley, it turns out, is no exception. 
She follows him to the door, and Mac rewards her with a few licks of peanut butter while he clips on the leash, careful not to let her eat so much that there’s not enough to last while brushing her. Despite Harley’s obvious enjoyment of the peanut butter, Mac is no fool. She let him win this round, no doubt about it. 
He leads Harley down the stairs to the small lawn in front of the apartment building, where it wouldn’t matter if he left dog hair everywhere. The brush pulls away thick chunks of her undercoat with each pass, and it doesn’t take long for the lawn to look like something died there. 
The peanut butter, unfortunately, doesn’t last nearly as long as Mac hopes. 
Mac figures out pretty quickly that Harley does not like her tail being brushed; she turns away and tucks her tail and generally makes it impossible for Mac to reach it. He sits back on his heels, formulating a new strategy. “If I don’t brush your tail,” he says, “you’re going to look like a squirrel, and neither of us wants that.” 
Harley’s ears prick at the word squirrel. 
Mac tries again, and this time Harley lets him…sort of. It’s not perfect, but at least she won’t be leaving hair all over the apartment anymore—hair that he needs to vacuum, because Riley asked him to last night and he’d completely forgotten until now. Tucking the brush into his back pocket, Mac scratches Harley’s ears the way he learned she likes, and when she leans into his touch, Mac’s heart swells. 
“Good girl.” He kisses her head, and Harley licks his chin in return. “See? We’re not so bad.” Mac sighs. “I know we’re not who you wanted, but we’re going to take good care of you.” 
Riley made the same promise in the war room. Even if she doesn’t stay with them after the op, Mac will make sure Harley ends up with people who will love her for the rest of her life. 
“I promise,” he murmurs into her fur, kissing her head again.
Mac startles when a feminine voice calls, “You could make a whole other dog from all that hair.” A middle-aged woman stands in the walkway, oversized blue purse on her shoulder and car keys in hand. She smiles at Mac. “I haven’t seen you before. Did you just move in?” 
“Yeah,” Mac says, standing up. “My wife and I moved in this week.” 
“Well, welcome. My name is Carrie Ann, and my husband and I live in apartment 317. Feel free to stop by anytime. I think you’ll like living here, though I must warn you that it gets pretty loud during football season.” 
Mac nods. “Nice to meet you. I’m James.” He expects Carrie Ann to keep walking—presumably to her car—but she doesn’t, and Mac suddenly gets the feeling this conversation is about to be much longer than he wants. 
“And who is this cutie?” she asks, directing her attention to the dog. 
“This is Harley.” 
Carrie Ann sounds like a squeaker toy, greeting Harley in a voice so high-pitched it’s almost inhuman and petting her without bothering to ask for permission. Harley eyes the woman warily but surprisingly sits still. “I love dogs,” she says at a mercifully normal decibel. “Sadly my husband is allergic.” 
“That is unfortunate.” Mac shifts from foot to foot, eager to escape the small talk. He’s never really had the patience for it. 
Carrie Ann, it seems, is completely oblivious to his discomfort. She prattles on, asking asinine questions about what he does for work, if he’s been to the coffee place down the street, and when she can meet his wife. 
Mac doesn’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse when Riley appears in his peripheral vision, as if on cue. “Actually,” he says to Carrie Ann, “you can meet her right now.” Mac flashes Riley a wide, bright smile that she returns half-heartedly, chest still heaving after her run. Sweat glistens on her body, and a few wispy curls that escaped her ponytail are now plastered to her face. “This is my wife, Genevieve.” 
Giving Harley a quick scratch, Riley stands beside him, close enough that Mac can feel the heat radiating off her body. Instinctively, he starts to put a hand on her back, but he quickly pulls away. She’s not wearing a shirt—only a sports bra and those stupidly tight leggings—and the intimacy of putting his hand on her bare skin is too much to handle. “Hi,” she says, completely oblivious to Mac’s internal panic. 
Carrie Ann introduces herself again, and Mac is only half-listening while she and Riley chat. Riley’s so much better at small talk anyway. 
He’s much too focused on how Riley grabs his shoulder to use him for balance while she stretches. She’s so casual about it, like she’s done it a million times before. His skin burns under her touch. 
Mac wants to feel more of her, wants his whole body to feel like that. 
Stop it, he chastises himself. Stop thinking about her like that. 
He can’t. 
Even after Riley lets go, the feeling lingers, and Mac can’t stop thinking about that too. She’s standing slightly in front of him now, almost as if she’s protecting him from their nosey neighbor.
“When are you having kids?” Carrie Ann coos. “An attractive couple such as yourselves would make such beautiful children.” 
Shit. He and Riley never talked about that. 
Before Mac can come up with an answer, Riley pulls his arms around her, a smile blooming on her face. She guides his hands to rest low on her abdomen. “We’re actually trying right now.” 
Mac’s brain short-circuits. 
He blushes, both at the casual intimacy of Riley wrapping herself in him and at the implications of what she just said. Pressing her body fully into Mac’s, Riley looks up at him, smiling like he’s her whole world, and Mac’s heart stops. He’s not breathing. 
His whole body burns, and the feeling is so much more intense than he imagined just seconds ago. 
Alight with mischief, Riley’s dark brown eyes draw him in, and suddenly Mac is picturing Riley with that exact same expression while wearing far less clothing. 
Mac thinks he might die from spontaneous combustion. 
You are so beautiful, he barely stops himself from saying. His blush deepens as he’s snared in the mental image of him and Riley doing said “trying.” 
Their neighbor has the audacity to laugh. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it, Genevieve. Your husband looks like he’s ready for another round.” 
That makes it worse. So much worse. If he doesn’t spontaneously combust, then he’ll definitely die of embarrassment. It’s not how he wants to die, but it’s better than explaining his reaction to Riley. Because she’s going to ask him about it. Mac knows this—knows this like he knows grass is green and gravity is what keeps his feet on the ground.
As soon as Carrie Ann leaves, Riley does exactly that. She extricates herself from his grasp, putting her hands on her hips and furrowing her brow the way she always does when she knows something’s up. “Are you okay?” she asks. 
Mac’s voice is strained as he replies, “Yeah. I’m good.” 
He is not good. He is definitely not good. 
And Riley knows it. 
This op feels like all Mac’s worst nightmares coming to fruition. Simultaneously. 
Riley can’t know. Her knowing would ruin everything—their friendship, their work, their trust. Mac can hardly look her in the eye. How is Riley supposed to trust him when he’s secretly thinking about her like that? He’s her friend; he’s supposed to protect her from guys who want her like that, not become one of them. 
But god does Mac want to be one of them. Not one of them, he corrects himself. The only one. 
He’s screwed.
.
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50 notes · View notes
berryberryrad · 3 years
Text
𝙨𝙛𝙬 𝙖𝙡𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙩⚡️
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shino aburame, sfw alphabet prompt
if this comes across as ooc, literally hit me pls. I’m usually kiba biased, but something about shino has just been hitting different recently.
warnings: blatant abuse of grammar and punctuation. cursing. i’m no writer, i just tell it like i see it. I wrote this on mobile and am not a tech guru so I wish I could do the fancy little, “keep reading,” bit but I’m
word count, 3983
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A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)
we’ve all come to the generalized conclusion that the aburame clan aren’t handsy. shino falls in line with this, and pda or even private interactions that involve skin to skin contact aren’t going to be his forte. I can see him holding hands, or the aspect of interlocking pinkies with this boy while you’re both reading or walking throughout the woods just has me weak in my knees. a more common way shino would express himself by ways of affection would be listening; absorbing every word you have to give and then offering up the information he’s collected later to show that he does hang onto your every word. he does so subtly, remembering things that you mentioned favoring seemingly offhandedly but in reality he wants you to feel as seen as you make him feel. someone give him a kind smile right now
B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)
shino’s so quick to throw around the, “I’m not sure I have any friends,” card when kiba inuzuka literally exists— the audacity of this man. team 8? the bond the three of them have outdoes friendship. the loyalty. the camaraderie. the attitude. i get whiplash from their personalities interacting, and i love every minute of it. the bluntness of shino can come across as rude disposition, however it all comes a place of well intent. he speaks his mind, and he speaks the truth. all of it. having shino aburame as a friend would mean you could easily find calm grounds to stand upon. he’d offer words of harsh wisdom, whether you ask for them or not. he sees the best in people even behind his quiet demeanor, and has loyalty oozing out of him. good boy, 10/10 wanna be his best friend.
C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)
can i be self-indulgent for .6 seconds: imagine how w a r m shino is. it had to be said.
anyways, aburame clan: not particularly touchy. we talked about this. however there would come times where shino would hold your hand. it was a practice you initiated, and he quickly caught onto. when you walk through the forest together, he’ll send his bugs out to take a quick peek around before interlocking your fingers silently. he’ll be nervous the first time, but eventually is confident enough to make the move without any plaguing hesitation.
I could go on and on about hand holding because I’m a simple girl, but we gotta get to the goods.
cuddling? with shino aburame? a prize that I want to win. you. bug boy. sitting side by side, chatting about slice of life oddities— you put your head on his shoulder. okay little baddie, we see you: he very carefully presses his head onto the top of yours. shoulder to shoulder, his cheek resting in your hair. you never stop talking about your day, and he never stops you. it feels so natural and easy. c o z y. I’m soft.
you don’t spoon, you want to see his face when he lights up with facts about entomology. when you reach that state in your relationship, you lay side by side and play with his fingers, or he draws lazy patterns on your wrist.
D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)
he’d love to settle down wtf. he’d want to keep a romantic partner close, but even platonically— shino’s in it for the long haul.
he may be bug boy, but he’s also a clean boy. right? like okay his hair may be a bit unkept, and his room is definitely littered with sketches of insects and books here and there. but they’re organized in a way that makes sense to him. he can immediately find whatever he needs whenever he needs it, and that doesn’t make him unclean. when it comes to his insects, he keeps them tucked away with precision. each is labeled and jarred away probably alphabetically, idk, that just feels right to me.
cooking is something that can be accomplished in theory. a recipe can be read and executed, but that’s as far as it goes with shino. don’t expect much creative flare, the aburames are known bug enthusiasts, not ramen curators. the most spontaneity you can hope for is perhaps a pinch of salt on your eggs in the morning. if it’s not in the recipe, it’s not happening. he’s a boy of many talents, cooking is barely one of them.
E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)
i don’t even wanna entertain shino breaking my heart—
good thing he’s breaking yours
shino wouldn’t let a platonic relationship go far enough into a romantic status unless he was without a doubt that you were someone he could trust and hold close to his person. honestly I’d say you’d have to be the one to break up with him if you managed to get far enough in. but if he had to break up with you? he’d have the briefest moment of hurt before setting it out all on the table. once his mind is made up, it’s over. he’s not one to dance around the point. you probably won’t even have to ask why. he’ll tell you without prompting.
F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)
oh shino has no problem committing his life to you, after you’ve been together for a very long time that is. marriage isn’t the forthcoming thought pressing into his conscious. it’d be something you had to mention in passing to him to let him know you were interested. to shino, he recognizes your relationship as it is: a relationship. your partners for better or worse, he doesn’t think a marriage certificate has any true significance in the way you share feelings for one another.
but you’d like a wedding? okay, no qualms. he’d want to wait a few years, and the atmosphere of the village would to have to fair calm, but he wouldn’t mind a small ceremony. when he tilts your head back and kisses you to seal the deal, kiba faints.
G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)
sorry I was just checking the time, seems to me like it’s, “soft boy hours.”
I want you to know right now that shino aburame hangs onto every word you say with such fervor, it’s just darling okay? emotionally, when you’ve established that you plan on playing an active role in his life, he’s so doting. asks you short and simple questions about your day. offers advice on your woes. let’s you interact with his bugs— because he trusts you. and you better offer him the same love and respect back. I have this whole thing about him receiving cheek kisses. he eats that shit up okay, but silently with a blush crawling up his neck and wrapping around his ears. pinky holding— hullo. that’s the gentlest thing homies can do.
H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)
maybe he hugs you first. that’s wild, but it keeps you on your toes. you held his hand first, yes, but that night when he accompanies you home you stand nearly toe to toe. you haven’t released hands yet, and he’s overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude to someone who has lent an ear to him with no ulterior motives other than quality time. it’s strangely second nature to him as he wraps a fast arm around your waist, crushing your held hands between your bodies. you’re taken aback, obviously, but before you can even share a proper moment in the same space he’s retreating back into his stoic persona and wishing you a good night.
shino hugs with his whole body, and my favorite version of this would be him wrapping his arms around your shoulders as your crushed into his shoulder. love it. he doesn’t hug often, cherish the ones he shares with you.
I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)
shino, ever the one to speak his mind, let’s you know he loves you immediately when it occurs to him. I’m not quite sure when this is, but you’ve been apart of his life for a long time without a doubt. you make him feel safe, seen, and he is sure he can trust you. you probably ask him a question about like the process through which butterflies migrate or whatever, I’m not clever enough to think of insect related questions, but after he gets done explaining and you’ve got this thoughtful expression on your face he just blatantly says it. it’s so matter of fact and without any doubt that you have to blink for a moment before sharing the sentiment. it’s not awkward. there’s not any fanfare or roses involved. it’s the truth, and you’re both quietly over the moon about it.
J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)
shino and jealousy don’t necessarily exist in the same realm. he’s not going to entertain someone he can’t trust, that’s just a given. and if he did have any doubt in his mind you were pursuing something romantic from another, he’d simply send one of his bugs to investigate the situation. if it proved to be true, he’d confront you on it. if he’s misunderstood the circumstances then he can admit it, but if he hasn’t then he’ll make it apparent to you very quickly he doesn’t appreciate what you’ve been doing.
K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)
soft, goodnight.
okay so like forehead kisses, right? forehead kisses by shino>>>>
i will die on this hill, don’t test me.
shino kisses softly and with purpose, there is nothing he does without meaning. it’s a press of his lips to your forehead before leaving for a mission, it’s brushing your lips together in the moonlight, it’s pushing the pads of your fingers against his mouth when you’re upset. I’m a hopeless romantic and there’s only so many euphemism for kissing, so take what you’re given. shino isn’t experienced in tonsil surfing, so you’ll have to bear with him. it’s something that relies less on textbook skill and moreover on feeling and primal intuition, something he does have so he’s not completely clueless. like i said, forehead kisses are a go to and idk if I’ve mentioned you giving shino cheek kisses but for the love of god, please opt to. he eats that shit up, you gotta.
L = Little ones (How are they around children?)
kurenai herself made note of how well shino interacts with kids, and I have never known kurenai to be wrong so it’s been decided. shino? amazing with kids. the scene between him and mirai? shino giving a piggy back ride? goodnight y’all, imma clock out.
and he eventually becomes sensei badass okay, like he can handle himself amongst a child or two. as far as having his own children I think he’d do well with one. shibi and shino share the classic aburame relationship: mutual understanding and appreciation of one another’s existence, and i can see him sharing that with his own child and then some. he spent the better part of his own childhood in solitude. it was in tandem sought out and forced upon him. big boy perks. he’d want his child to not only embrace their aburame side, bugs and all— but also to feel confident and extroverted enough to branch out and make interpersonal relationships
M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)
imagine being a morning person. I mean shino doesn’t have to, but it couldn’t be me. shino’s up before dawn breaks, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and pressing his glasses into his nose before he even opens his eyes. rise and shine. if you’ve been sleeping beside him, he’ll cast a long look you’re way, admiring your still figure before standing and beginning his day quietly so as not to wake you. he lets you sleep as long as you wish unless you instruct otherwise. sometimes you ask him to wake you when he wakes himself. you always regret it because why the fuck is he awake, the crickets are still outside doing god knows what. he thinks the ambiance of an early morning is peaceful, and it sets his person in ease.
N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)
can we all just take a moment to appreciate the grand outdoors and how precious it would be to have shino watching you fondly ogle at fireflies in the middle of a field. like arms crossed with a gentle smile behind his collar as you open mouth grin and point because he absolutely asks them to do something impressive just to see you in awe.
nights are spent outside staring up at the sky. in a tree? on the ground? in the park? in the middle of the woods? who cares, time with shino is time well spent.
if it’s raining then that’s tough, I guess y’all will just have to have a night in. sometimes you play shogi, and you don’t complain when he lets you win despite you showing no true skill for the game. he doesn’t mind.
O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)
oh shino won’t reveal anything haha. well not on purpose. see I know I’ve gone on and on about shino being so attuned to you and what you have to say, but you have to show him equal attention and devotion to get a good read of him. anything personal that can be taken from him is conveyed so subtly you’ll miss it if you’re not paying attention. he’ll answer any question you ask, however if you get too personal too fast he’ll slyly avoid the question
P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)
not easily angered, moreover easily annoyed. while shino may not be on shikamaru’s level of strategical advances, he does have a pretty good sense of how things should be completed. it’s usually the way that benefits the most people and accomplishes the goal with as little room for error as possible. when things stray off from the how he envisioned them, I see him getting a little irritated. I think the time he’s spent with kiba has aided in this conclusion, and he isn’t as easily moved to a pissy nature as he once was, but I think the sullen nature still translates across if things fail to go his way because in his mind, it’s the most logical path.
Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)
broken record alert: he’s a good listener. it’s both a strategic move to manipulate situations because he’s become so good at reading people, and his own unique love language. it’s the juxtaposition of words of affirmation; he shows he cares by ways of empathy and action. it’s stoic empathy, but empathy nonetheless. he remembers everything you tell him, and everything you don’t. on missions when you two are parted, his thoughts are sometimes clouded with images of the way your mouth arches when you laugh, or the soft smell of you lingering on his coat after you hugged him goodbye.
R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)
when you let him go on and on about his insects and you seem genuinely interested. so often do people put up with shino’s knack for bugs out of politeness or to just let him fill the silence— but you ask questions. you seem intrigued with any word that falls from his lips and you’re quick to quip back with facts you’ve dug up on your own. you’re curious about what shino is so attuned with, and he is so excited to have someone to educate who wants to learn. you’ll go on small adventures to locate bugs to breed or to simply watch, and it’s at these moments when you’re both silent and poised over a poisonous beetle with a respective jar and net that he remembers fondly when you’re both parted.
S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)
well he’s already sworn to protect the village, so initially it’s on that basis. his duty is to do whatever he can to keep the residents of the hidden leaf secure, but with you he keeps a bit more of a watchful eye available. he isn’t paranoid or overly protective, however on days his mind is uneasy, shino has no qualms sending a beatle to hover your person. it’s just a security measure, nothing to write home about.
you keep shino protected from his inner turmoils. hinata and kiba can only reassure him so much, but shino has developed the habit of writing them off. they’re just his teammates, they have to put up with him. however you have no personal ties to him really. you stick around on your own accord, and this boosts his self esteem immensely. you put his mind at ease and make note to remind him daily that the members of team eight are an excellent unit and that he needs to give kiba and hinata more credit because they both care about him as well. akamaru too, woof woof dummy. accept the love.
T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)
shino’s not a man of many words, and when he does spit fire, it’s calculated and can come across as blunt assertion. you’ll come to put up with it, but he can come to understand he can be a bit overbearing in this aspect. so as I’ve expressed, words of affirmation aren’t his love language (though don’t put it past him to whisper sweetness into your ear when you’re both alone: that would be lovely.)
he expresses himself through gifts, awe. shino won’t present you with precious jewels or money as means of affection. no, the gifts are moreover practical. a book you had been pining after, a scarf to keep you warm in the upcoming months, things of that nature. he also collects rocks, we can collectively agree on that as a community right? he’ll share them with you, encouraging you to begin your own arsenal of rocks that entertain no one but are a sweet gesture— thanks shino.
dates are long walks when he as spare time. he doesn’t mind if they’re silent or if you fill the space with your own daily narrative. you’ll both trade useless dialogue and he likes it. it’s a sense of normalcy for him.
he doesn’t try particularly hard in any sense, but he doesn’t need to. time spent with shino is delightfully casual in both of your lives, please don’t mind it.
U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)
what if shino picks his nails, awe.
he’s a wonderful, brilliant little creature: but he has a habit of writing off people who clearly care about him. you’ve gotta take a little energy into reassuring him from time to time. he won’t outwardly mope in this mentality, but sometimes he seems a little off and it will fall on your shoulders to assist him
V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)
mans only lets like 3% of his face be shown for the better part of the series and then decided that a visor and top knot were gonna be his debut look in boruto, he is n o t the one to look to for fashion advice, and this is coming from someone who simps so hard for shino aburame like he’s lowkey giving kiba a run for his money at this point but like come on
as far as his s/o goes i know the prompt didn’t ask but he doesn’t mind what his s/o particularly looks like. it’s a personality game baby, let’s go
W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)
shino’s written as a loner, and he doesn’t particularly mind that status but a friend every now and then is never unwelcome. he deserves to be appreciated, and while he may not outwardly show that he receives the appreciation in good spirits, you can rest assured he does. having a partner would be pleasant, no doubt, and he would love having someone by his side to call a best friend (and eventual partner) however shino’s existence isn’t completely codependent on another half. he can exist on his own with just the company of his bugs with no true remorse. he does feel lonely at times, but he’s got the squad of the hidden leaf backing him up. he’ll make it through
X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)
blush bug boy shino = a happy bee (‘s me, I’m bee)
the headcannons where stoic blunt hardass shino is an inexperienced nervous boy eat me alive. man’s is a shinobi who has faced peril and nearly suffocates when you hold his hand for the first time? imma head out, i love it
he’s also always early to things? yes please? early is on time, on time is late, and late means call an ambulance, something super not cool has gone down
Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)
if you don’t like bugs, you have to evacuate the dancefloor. I’m not saying you have to be the president of the, “insects are the superior race,” committee. to enjoy something and appreciate something from a distance both can weigh evenly on a scale in this instance. if you’re a bug enthusiast, kudos. he’ll love spending time showing off his collection to you with a slightest hint of pride coloring his tone. if you’re the type of person to be afraid of insects, he can deal with that as well. most people are, and he recognizes it comes from misunderstanding. if you are willing to give the bugs a chance and overcome your phobia, you’ve won him over.
wouldn’t like an over the top ditzy person. he needs you to have some sense of self preservation and common sense. shino does not put up with tom foolery and he would make that apparent to you very quickly.
Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)
can I head cannon that he just becomes unhinged in his sleep? can we get behind that? like shino may begin the night tucked in with his hands clasped over his abdomen, but that is n o t how he finds himself in the morning. as a shinobi, he’s a light sleeper. fair play. but light sleepers toss and turn too, and I like to imagine him waking up discombobulated. face down, open pressed into his pillow, arms doing what they will, hair in disarray. magnificent. a pen drops and he wakes immediately, and is up before you can truly assess what you’ve just seen of the normally so put together aburame.
he knows he’s an active sleeper, ‘s why he gets up at 4am. that’s his business
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hops-hunny · 3 years
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Distance Makes the Heart Grow
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CHAPTER 8.5
Series Masterlist
Pairing: Mafia Boss!Neville Longbottom x Reader
Pronouns: She/Her
Word Count: 2k
Summary: (Y/n) lives a normal life. But that’s the issue, it’s normal, it’s plain, and it’s growing boring. Everyday she wishes for something, anything to spice up her life. But, when her old school friend (and crush) shows up at her bakery with a new look (and what looks like a new life), what will it bring for her? Will their puppy love grow? Will his big secret lead to the end of them or will it spark a new beginning?
Warnings: none!
A/N: It took me a while but here’s chapter 8 but from Twyla and Seamus’s POV.
“Where are you going, Finnigan?” Harry asked, quirking a brow at him. Seamus smiled, winking some.
“Launching operation ‘make sure the date goes well’. You didn’t think I was gonna miss out on this did you?” Draco eyed him suspiciously as the vein in his forehead began to throb.
“Twyla set you up to this, didn’t she?” Seamus turned once he got to the doorway, flashing him a smile.
“ ‘Course she did!” Before anyone could protest he slammed the door behind him, instantly being greeted with Twyla standing in front of him. She had an unusually large purse attached to her shoulder, bouncing excitedly as he approached her. Her outfit was fully pink camo aside from her shirt which was a white. He eyed her curiously, snickering some. “So much for blending in.”
“Hey if I’m gonna blend in, I at least want it to be cute! Plus I don’t know how your Prada suit is going to help you blend in Finnigan.” she huffed, patting the side of her bag. “But that’s what these are for.” he looked at her in confusion, beginning the walk to the front of the villa.
“What’s in there?” he asked, attempting to peer into the bag. She clenched it closed, glaring at him.
“I’ll show you in the car. We just have to wait for them to pull off.” Twyla replied, pulling Seamus behind the large pillar on the porch. They both watched as Neville helped (Y/n) into the car before climbing in after her. Once the car was far enough out of view they both clammered to the other car in the driveway. The chauffeur eyed them quizzically.
“Mr.Longbottom didn’t mention his second car being taken out. Left over business Master Finnigan?” he questioned, opening the car door for the two of them. Seamus hummed to his question, closing the door after Twyla climbed in.
“Yeah, yeah something like that. Listen, I need you to follow them to their destination. No questions, got it?” the older man nodded, climbing into the driver’s seat before beginning to drive. After a short while they caught up to the car, watching as the two talked, laughing with each other. Seamus and Twyla both looked at the two intensely, squinting their eyes as if that would make the conversation magically easier for them to hear.
“This is pointless! We should’ve bugged the car.” Twyla exclaimed, flopping back into her seat. She was beyond frustrated. She knew the conversation was going well but she just wished she knew what they were saying. The part of her that felt like the girl’s older sister felt slightly protective of her, especially due to her reserved nature.
“It’s best not to worry about things we can’t change. Anyways, what’s in that bag of yours? You seemed pretty excited about it earlier.” Seamus asked, taking a swig from his flask. Twyla perked up at his words, placing the bag on the seat in between them. Unclasping the button, the contents were revealed.
“Ok, ok so! First off, we’ve got disguises. We definitely are going to need those.” he examined the wigs and mustaches that she placed in his lap. They were clearly great quality and in good condition despite their chaotic encapture in the confines of her purse. He nodded, waiting to see what she’d pull out next. “Then I’ve got these IDs in case, ya know, some legal trouble arises. We have plenty of identities to use.” he gasped at the IDs, eyeing them. They were really believable, not a detail out of place!
“Wow, these are extremely realistic, they look like the real thing! Where’d you get them?” he asked her. She laughed some, stuffing the wigs back into her purse.
“Who said they were fake?” he gawked at the girl as she continued to speak. “What? I found them on the ground in different places we’ve been. Besides, using a few stolen IDs is the least of your concerns! You’ve done far worse your entire time here.” she had a point, so he’d give that to her.
“Signor Finnegan, Singora Dundee, we’ve arrived. Would you like me to wait outside for you two?” he asked, as he opened the door for the two. Seamus slid a large noted bill into the pocket of the man’s suit jacket.
“Just wait around the area. Go explore, Giovani! I’ll call you when I need you.” he said smiling at the man as he pat his shoulder. The man’s eyes widened, smiling brightly as he bowed, tipping his hat at his superior.
“Grazie, Signor!” he thanked him before hopping back into the car. Twyla thanked the man as well as they made their way up the stairs of the restaurant. They watched as Neville had a melt down at the person behind the desk.
“Boss must be feeling nice today. I’ve seen him do far worse to people who question him.” he shrugged, opening the door as the couple began to walk off. “I wonder what the commotion was?”
“Name of Reservation?” that. How could they have forgotten reservations? Of course restaurants this high class were sure to have some sort of reservation system. Seamus wiped his hands on his pants, clearing his throat.
“Uh, Johnson?” he panicked, causing Twyla to hit his side. The girl behind the desk scanned the book before her eyes lit up. “Ah, Signor Johnson! Right this way sir.” 
“Nice save.” Twyla whispered to him. However as their waiter lead them one way, Neville’s began to go another. “A-actually can we have a change of tables? We’d like one angled from the one with the view. Signor Johnson here loves to admire the scenery, isn’t that right?” Twyla inquired, watching as Seamus nodded along giving the waiter a hopeful smile. The waiter sighed before smiling back. She giggled some, eyeing Seamus up.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
--------------------------
“Man, this bread is amazing! And can you believe this wine is free too?!” Twyla asked, crumbs falling from her mouth as she washed down her bread with another drink of wine. Their table had been positioned perfectly, giving them a dead-on view of the two. They had been observing carefully, awing at the cute kisses they’d share and turning away when silence would grow over them. A few times the two had to stop each other from waltzing over there and doing something about it.
“Who said the wine is free?” he asked, laughing at the girl’s shocked expression.
“Dray will cover it, I’m sure he won’t mind.” she said, shrugging as she poured herself another glass.
“Yeah, he really likes you, ya know? I overheard him gushing about you to Blaise and..” Seamus’s voice began to grow muted as a feeling overcame Twyla. It was one she knew all too well. Ever since she could remember, Twyla had always had a sixth sense for knowing when things were about to happen. It was like intuition times ten. Most of the time the things she’d feel were so specific that she knew instantly but now? She didn’t know what but she knew something was coming.
“Seamus, something’s about to happen right now. I can just sense it.” Seamus tensed at her words, reaching for the holster hidden on him.
“Something like what? Like danger?” he asked, sitting up straight as he began to grow alert, looking carefully around the restaurant.
“No, more like drama….in really cheap perfume.” she said. He went to ask what but was cut off from a scoff to their side.
“It sounds like you may be smelling yourself, no?” a thick, high pitch french voice sounded off. They both groaned in unison. The man reached for his glass, downing the rest of his wine before he stared at Gisele intensely.
“Why are you here, Gisele?” he said, annunciating each of his words. It was clear from his tone and disposition that the last person he wanted to see tonight was her. Especially after the warning he had given her in the museum. Her smile grew wider, resembling one of a horse.
“I was just having a bit of a meal, you know, before my big show tomorrow. Celebrating my success early.” she noticed the empty chairs at their table, a light bulb going off in her head. “Say...Neville wouldn’t happen to be here with you would he? Well what a dumb question that is! Wherever you are he’s sure to be leading in some way.” 
“He’s not here with us.” Twyla said, standing up in attempts to intimidate the woman. However she just continued to smile with the same stupid smile on her face.
“I see...so he’s here with someone else?” Twyla froze, mouth agape as she looked at the woman. “Ohh I know what’s going on. He’s here with that decoy and doesn’t even know that the two of you are here.” she looked between Twyla and Seamus, satisfied that she had them figured out. “Well if you wanna keep it that way, I suggest you stay here.” and with that she began to walk towards Neville and (Y/n).
“I say we just go after her.” Seamus blurted, beginning to stand up as Gisele began to converse with them. Twyla’s eyes widened, wrapping her hand around his wrist as she dragged him back down.
“We can’t just go over there! Do you know how upset they’d be if they knew we followed them?” she hissed, causing him to sigh, giving her an annoyed look. “Listen, I know you’re worried. So am I! But we’ve gotta watch how it plays out first! Who knows they may surprise us!” Seamus nodded, sitting back in his chair fully. However, she could tell he still wasn’t satisfied. Looking down at her purse, her eyes lit up.
“Hey! Why don’t we put our disguises on that way if it escalates, we’ll be ready! Besides, I wonder what you’ll look like with ginger hair.” she said, wiggling the ginger wig towards him, poking him in the shoulder with her free hand. He looked between her and the wig before grabbing it, putting it on. After it was situated on his head, she handed him the matching mustache and mutton chops to go along with it. Once he was situated, he turned to ask Twyla a question but was caught off guard. She had on a short black wig, a set of bushy brows and a mustache to match. They sat in silence as they looked at each other before they began to howl with laughter, cutting each other off with wheezing and swear words.
“My dress! Look what you did to me!” they heard a loud annoying voice yell, causing the restaurant to grow quiet, including them. They looked at each other before nodding, beginning to walk over to the table. Twyla waved her hand, a set of matching restaurant uniforms appearing on top of them.
“Is there a problem ma’am? Sir?” Seamus asked, causing the three to turn towards them. He had to stop himself from laughing at the way the vein on his boss’s forehead began to twitch. (Y/n) went to say something but Twyla stopped her, holding a finger up to her on mustached lip.
“Yeah we got a complaint from the head chef. You’re to be escorted out of here immediately. Come along now.” Twyla said, gripping Gisele’s arm. As they began to drag her away, she leaned close to the woman’s ear. “Checkmate.” she whispered, watching as the woman’s eyes grew in size. She began to stutter as the two dragged her out, tossing her to the curb roughly. 
“You idiots! You blew your cover, now what are you going to do?” she asked in a gotchaesque tone. Seamus scoffed, beginning to walk to the car. Giovani had returned, a smile on his face and a new pair of sunglasses along with it. He turned once more to look at her.
“We’re done, our job is complete.” he responded, hopping in the car as he waited for Twyla.
“Yeah? And what’s that?” she asked, still on the side of the curb. Giovani moved the car a bit, a stray puddle “accidentally soaking Gisele head to toe. The pair looked at each other smirking before turning their attention back to the model.
“Taking out the trash.”
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yanderecandystore · 4 years
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Rip Tumblr D-do you have any dragon ocs that might kidnap their s/o? Also I know that this is a stupid question but can I call myself Cold anon? ;-;
Hello 🍨 Cold ❄️!! I'm really glad you sent me this request!
 The current app that I use for writing is bugging out a lot, so I'm sorry if there are many grammar errors and mistakes here and there.
 And uh... Cold? I think I fucked up your ask? I think I got a little too excited and went in a different direction?? If you don't like it I understand, I could always do another one 😳😋
 TW/Tags: Guess who is being an emotional ball once again?? Me! Yey! Send help! // look, I'm sorry but, low-key? This is edginess overload lol (medieval bitch times, which by that I mean: dark times with terrible people in it) // deaths // abuse of power // Reader said: eat the rich // non-binary reader just because // cursing // slight plot twist? But, like, bad plot twist // soft dragon boi 
🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭
You curious little thing - [Yandere!Dragon x Reader - Short Fanfiction]:
" Deep in the forest, up in the mountains, legend says that a dragon sleeps deep within the caves. And as the old story goes, gold awaits inside his domain, but only those courageous enough to enter the deep cave and defeat the dragon, would be able to take the creature's treasure.
Many have persuaded the quest of defeating said dragon, yet no one ever came back to tell the story.
And while you sit at the comfort of your small cottage reading about the old tales of the dragon's cave, you can't help but consider the story to be just that, a story. A piece of fiction made to scare the local children away from the mountains, or to enchant those that were easily invested into these types of stories.
It seems like you're one of those that were fascinated by the old tales. Regardless of if you find it true or not. The old tales still hold a mysterious charm that manages to keep you intrigued no matter what age you re-read them.
Tales of the forest spirits protecting their land with mischievous wit, tales of monsters that crawled out of your bed to cause nightmares on the simple minded, tales of mighty dragons who could easily rule the world if they so pleased to.
Yet they didn't. Either because they didn't want to, or maybe they really didn't exist. Who knows, right [Y/N]? Not that you, a simple commoner, would know any better.
Although, from the tales you read, isn't always the common folk the ones to first encounter these things?
It always ends bad, but still.
A commoner would be the first one to be affected by the wrath of such supernatural creatures.
However, as stated before, there is no way of knowing if such a thing is real or not, right? It's been eons since the last time someone even mentioned a dragon's presence in your kingdom, and it's been centuries that the concepts of dragons had fallen into the mythological category.
There hasn't been a single person to mention the beast's names in years. There was no visible way of them being remotely real, right? That sounded absurd.
But of course, like all tales are written, your's seem to have reached the beginning of your own personal adventure when the king mentioned the need of soldiers willing to face the beast inside the cave, who was presumably hibernating throughout this whole time.
And of course, the public had only laughed at this sort of news. You see, your king's authority over the entire land has been dangling by a thin thread. The taxes, the frauds, the imminent wars threatening to occur at any second now, has helped a small portion of people to start questioning if not downright rebelling against him and his reign of terror.
The revolution was rising slowly, yet something needed to push it forward, the straw that broke the camel's back.
"What could it be?" You might be wondering.
How about kidnapping and force recruitment with the help of blackmailing? Specifically targeting the poorest people in the kingdom and taking their family members hostage if they don't comply?
Sounds so evil that you may think it's bullshit right? So inhumane, that the villain of this story might as well be your crazy king, right?
Oh, [Y/N]. You're absolutely right, yet a little bit wrong considering that even if such an evil act sounds absurd, it's absolutely real. It's part of your reality now.
And even if your king is a vile creature of pure hatred and deserves to be fed to the rats, by being a terrible ruler, husband, and father- You were soon about to learn that there are worse, more powerful forces that can easily overpower the insanity of that sad, pathetic evil man.
To your dismay, your family was one of the chosen ones to suffer from this. Because of poverty, you and your father lived in the outskirts of the kingdom. It was perfect for the king and his soldiers, as you and your father lived distant from the main town, if any of you two ever die on the process of going into the beast's cave, or disobey the king's orders, no one would notice if you two were suddenly wiped from the face of the Earth.
And of course, holding hostage just one person was easier than multiple family members. Although your king was absolutely insane if not completely psychotic, you could at least understand how he moved his pieces in this massive game of chess.
I mean, yes, you understand his reasoning. Still doesn't mean he is right.
Soldiers didn't wait too long to show up and try to force your father to go with them. But you didn't take none of that, you wouldn't let your dying father be taken by them.
You screamed, you shout, you let venom spill out of your mouth by each profanity you threw at the soldiers and the king they claimed to serve. It didn't take long before the general noticed that you were one of the rascals forming a rebellion. Well, you didn't really need to be officially part of the revolution, just disagreeing was enough to make the general decide to take you instead of your old father.
You can still remember how he was trying to scream his lungs out, to stop the soldiers somehow.
This was it, right? The day, for you and possibly all these other commoners to die in the name of an asshole. How honoring.
Among you and other miserably unlucky individuals, there were all kinds of different people. From innocent, to criminals. From young to old, from poor to… Well, mildly not as poor. Nobles would never be subjected to this, you know that. All of these individuals were carried away by a carriage. All crammed into one little vehicle, away from the public sight.
After being far enough from the town and now deep within the forest, the soldiers commanded all of you to get out of the carriage as now you'll begin to walk straight to the mountain while carrying… Gold?
"- It's a gift from the king. Survive long enough, and you'll be able to take it with you." The general said, his tone being condescending as ever.
You could…. Technically run away, right now. They haven't really put any restrains in any of you-
"- Over there!" A soldier alerted the general, who looked little surprised by seeing two of your group running away with the gold in hands.
Without hesitation, or even a slight hint of empathy, the general shot both with his crossbow. Their bodies fall flat in the forest ground, with all that gold and jewelry accompanying them. All that gold being wasted and left behind, just like the bodies of the people carrying them.
You felt sick, the need to vomit was surfacing through your stomach. This- This is terrible!? This is so cruel! How can they continue to walk like nothing happened??
God, how did a once prospering kingdom has now fallen in such a low pit?
As you can imagine, the walk was torturous and it felt like it was going forever. Of course, a lot of questions were emerging about the strange situation.
One: how did the king know and was certain that the myth of the dragon was real and that the dragon was awake?
Two: why didn't he call his own army to attend to such issues instead of the common folk being forced to go with his wishes?
Actually, now that you think about it, why are there so few skilled, trained soldiers taking a bunch of people to a cave unprepared?
Carrying a bunch of gold for fucks sake, this stuff is heavy!
If it was truly a gift from the king to your group, then why were you obligated to carry it all the way to the cave? Sounds unreasonable and if anything, absolutely ridiculous. It would only slow your group down, and for what?!
Sounds like a trap to be…. Honest. Wait a minute-
"- Shit!" You whisper to yourself at the sudden realization that you're fucked, which unfortunately, caused a soldier that was near you to hear it.
"- Nothing sir, I just stabbed my foot in a rock." You weren't lying though. This whole walk bullshit your doing has destroyed your low quality sandals, and now you could basically feel the ground stabbing you every time you stept.
The soldier just grunted at you, and as much as you wished to take his sword and shove it up his bum, you couldn't help but go back to your original train of thought before you got interrupted.
You were going straight to death right? You're not supposed to fight a dragon, but rather serve as an offering?? What?!
You can't even speak or alert your fellow companions in any way. The last three people that have spoken without being directed to, were shot in the head.
The realization has sadly come in too late for you to make any plans now, as you forward as your group walk upwards, following the mountain's trail, you find yourself facing not only the entrance to a presumably dangerous cave infested with predators, but also the gates to your inevitable death.
You would now have to think of how to escape the soldiers and their arrows, or how to possibly make your death less painful. Being eaten by a dragon doesn't sound really fun.
When entering the cave you're met with more-
"- Are you fucking kidding me?!" Someone screamed, while easily accepting their death.
You couldn't help but agree with the person. While entering the cave, you're met with a great ravine, going in a spiral fashion deeper into the cave.
In other words, you have not only walked all the way up to a fucking mountain, but you would now need to get down into a creepy cave.
You almost considered asking for some eternal peace before remembering that your father's life was still in line. You just… Don't want to go away like this, you don't want your father to go like this.
And once again your group, that was now a lot shorter due to the amount of deaths along the way, was now following the general once again. Only this time, the soldiers were behind all of you, probably to guarantee no one ran away. Too late for that now anyway, so why even bother?
You didn't realize how you were on the very front of everyone, side by side with the man that was leading you to your doom.
You felt his eyes fall into your form a couple of times, but he never really turned his face to look at you. After a long silence of just a bunch of miserable people stepping closer to a terrible plan that was not well thought-out, he said:
"- You know it already. Right?" His voice was rough and still held the nonchalant tone that was written all over his face. You doubt this man could have ever smiled once in his life.
You almost choked with your own breathing, the nerve of this man! You couldn't help but let out the only thing you have wanted to say this whole time:
"- I hate you." You say as your eyes start to become a little watery. The feeling of desperation was eating you up ever since you entered the carriage, but only now you felt how bad the teeth of despair hurt.
"- I know kid. Me too." He responded, his tone never changed, even while saying that.
You guess he didn't really appreciate his job as much as you thought he did. Yet, you couldn't find in your heart to pity the man, as he was complicit in all of this mess. But I guess, you do hope for this man to find some sort of redemption, either presently or in his after life.
You still think he did a lot of bad things of course, his crimes are probably never gonna be forgiven. But just because of that, it didn't mean he couldn't start to do some good actions now, not for the sake of finding inner forgiveness, but for the sake of others. For the sake of the innocent people being not only met with unfair treatment, but also being ruled by a psychotic tyrant who is a complete imbecile. No wonder the queen and his son were missing for so long, you would probably have run away if you were them too.
When finally coming down, with your feet now hurting like a bitch, you can find some time for yourself to appreciate the beauty of this place.
You know, before you lose your head? To a freaking dragon??
Honestly, you at least hope that the stories you read were true, because holy fuck- Imagine how exhausted your body is from walking for what it feels like an eternity, holding jewelry made with gold, only to find an empty cave?
Then you would be able to go feral kill one or two soldiers before getting your ass beaten. As you don't have enough reason to just do that right now, right?
You expected to be met with disappointment, but what you truly saw while finally getting into the dragon's territory, you were able to not only feel enchanted by the magnitude of these treasure places, but also forget the danger of the situation, as you look around and remember the tales you read.
This is so much better than what you have imagined it to be like. It's… Mesmerising! It 's beautiful! The underground pond, the glowing crystals, the pile of gold, the stolen statues of the great warriors of your kingdom, golden weapons all scattered across the floor, the white feathered looking dragon staring down at you from his nest, that little tea set that is really cute and fragile yet it probably cost way more than your house, your clothes, and all of your furniture all together.
Oh no wait-
"- We came with what you asked for, Artemio." Said the general fast walking his way to be in between you and the beast.
To say you were freaking out would be an understatement. You knew dragons were huge, but you didn't expect it to be so… Huge! You know??
Oh my God, you're dead-
You looked around to see only you, your group of commoners ready to be probably eaten, and the general. And while looking for the soldiers, you noticed them trying to close the opening with a man built gate, created to keep the beast.
But obviously, that gate looks absolutely ridiculous, there is no way this guy couldn't destroy it by simply slapping it. It's quite laughable, yet…
You feel this is not just a coincidence or a bad made joke. You have a feeling they know the gate is essentially useless. It was really old, so, clearly this has been going on from quite some time.
Has… Has your kingdom been doing this for centuries?? Bringing offerings to please the dragon and beg it to sleep for more centuries to come?
"- This is absolute bullshit!" You screamed, not noticing how your heart was racing and your breathing had started to become frantic. You were panicking while coming to terms with the fact that your whole world was collapsing in front of your eyes. Your scream clearly surprised your fellow companions, yet it didn't surprise the dragon or the general.
The dragon had, well, a dragon face, so you have no idea what it was thinking, and the general was still with the same non-expressive face since the beginning of this stupid trip!
"- What?! You have nothing to say?? You brought us here to die, at least say something, you coward!" You were fuming with rage. How can a person like this be so annoying even when he is not saying anything.
He looks at you with an understanding expression, yet you don't think about what it could mean as you reach to one of the many golden weapons spread around across the floor. They were heavy and quite frankly completely useless, yet you still hold into that golden sword like your life depended on it.
And it did, actually.
Have you gone insane or just completely blind with rage and the instinct of survival? You're not sure just yet, but you'll lose your last bit of sanity to stand your ground.
You aren't going down without a fight.
"- Come at me, you big bird!" You yelled, looking kinda epic and kinda goofy at the same time. You probably shouldn't insult a dragon who hasn't decided who he'll first, it may change his appetite.
Before the general could interfere with your foolish behavior, the one and only had spoken:
"- Where exactly is what we had agreed on?" Like in true entitled brat fashion, Artemio asked the general while putting his head in his pawn.
"- We had to eliminate a couple of the troublemakers. In the end some of the gold was left behind in the progress-"
"- No, I mean, where truly is what I asked for? The jewelry is quite frankly ugly, the gold coins don't matter as I already have plenty, and none of these humans look really edible. Or well… Appetising." You could swear a pouty face was appearing in Artemio's face, yet only one thing had taken your attention. That's the reason why they needed so many disposable people? Oh… Wait a minute, did the dragon just call everyone here too ugly to eat?
"- If you can't compromise with your promises, then I think we'll have to change the deal-" Artemio started getting up from his nest, stretching out like a cat.
"- Oh, please no, can't you just-" The general panicked, thinking that the dragon would destroy the village.
"- I want that one." Artemio said. Pointing at you.
"- What?" You looked behind you just in case you were in the way of someone else. No, you weren't.
"- Uhn… What?" Oh look, even the general was confused as you, and well, the entire cast of people that were thrown in this hell hole.
"- Yes, that one holding the spear."
"- Just… That one, or-"
"- Just that one. And I won't get out of the cave for at least a century, I promise!" He sounds and acts like both a child and a cat, preparing himself to pounce on its prey any moment now.
"- ….. Okay then, fair enough. It's your problem now kid." He said, making a motion for all the other captives to follow him. Which they gladly did, because, you know, they aren't the protagonist of the story.
"- What?! You can't leave me here, you bastard!!" You screamed, although subconsciously you already knew his answer.
"- I think I'm just doing that!" He screamed from the other side of the cave, fuckz they really didn't waste no time at all, did they?
Sigh, who are you kidding? If you were one of them, you would have ran away as fast as you could. At least some gave you sympathetic looks before going back to their "freedom".
You heard the heavy gate closing. Well, shit. It's you and him now.
You tried going back into your original threatening stance, but before you could, you saw a glimpse of Artemio coming in at full speed, taking no time to jump at you. This is it [Y/N], send your last prayers to your father and your old life before-
Before he starts licking you... like a dog? What?
He pauses and you tense up, looking up and seeing a dragon powerful enough to destroy villages, looking at you like a precious little gift.
Artemio picks you up and hugs you in an almost bone breaking hug. Confused and frustrated with how the situation was going, you asked:
"- A-Aren't you going to kill me?" Yes, it was a pathetic question, if a dragon isn't killing you, then why ask it to do it??
"- I have been so lonely since the last human that I chose! I usually prefer to have many friends around but all of the other options seemed so boring, you know?" His voice is oddly cheerful and sweet to someone that sees humans as pets, or "friends". So… What is really going on here?
"- I thought you ate people." You said, still frustrated that you were betrayed and lied to through this entire day.
"- Well, I guess I can eat humans-" Says the giant bird-lizard acting like a child trying to lie about doing something wrong- "- But I really don't like doing it, I promise!"
"- I just wanted someone to play with, you know? All the dragons that I know are just so boring and take everything seriously." He huffed in annoyance.
"- Well… Do you-" You started questioning if you really want to to know the answer, but curiosity sure is killing this cat!- "- What happened to the other humans that were here?"
"- Oh, they… Uhn, they died, because of your shirt lifespan and all ya know." He responded.
"- Oh… Then why did the soldiers bring us here saying you were going to eat us?" Why not go full balls in and ask everything, right?
"- It's- Sigh, it's really embarrassing, but I didn't know any other way of how to ask for company down here." He said shyly, which only confirmed your suspicion of this being complete bullshit.
"- And you threaten to burn a whole kingdom just because of that?" You asked.
"- Yes!" He answered with no shame whatsoever. This guy was a dog wearing a dragon costume, you couldn't believe what you were hearing.
"- Sigh, oh my God…"
"- Hey, uhn, what's your name?" Artemio spoke, he thought that he should also ask questions as he wants to be able to enjoy every second with his new pet.
"- It is [Y/N]. And you're Artemio, right?" You can't believe any of this, really. You went from an absolutely terrible life or death situation, to a… Well, you can't even tell what the hell is going on anymore!
"- [Y/N].... [Y/N]! [Y/N], that's such a good name!" The excited dragon repeated your name multiple times before interrupting your peace once again. You can't be mad at him, but-
Come on, you needed some time to accept everything that just went down. You didn't even notice you were on the floor until Artemio was in front of your view again.
"- [Y/N]!" He was so easy to please, that just saying your name was fun to him.
"- Sigh… Hey Artemio." You sighed as there was no way in hell this dragon would leave you to deal with this weird feeling of emptiness arising in your chest.
"- What do you want to do now?" He asked cheerfully, but not completely oblivious to your feelings of being abandoned underground with him by force.
You stayed silent for a second, again, trying to come with terms with this new lifestyle that you were subjected to. You technically could ask Artemio to open the gate, he doesn't seem to have any intention of hurting you. But who knows? He has a different point of view in this whole thing than you do.
Silence was taking over the cave, but not exactly an awkward silence, just… A comforting one.
The water dripped from the ceiling. You felt the ground underneath you shake a little as Artemio followed your "guidance". He decided to lay on his back near you.
He wasn't really doing any self reflection at all, he just wanted to join in with you, yet all he could think is how happy he is to have someone else to spend time with.
You may only see him slightly from the corner of your eyes, yet you still feel a little, strange, by seeing a dragon mimic your ways.
You don't feel nessecerally homesick, but you do miss your father. You absolutely hate the idea of coming back to the kingdom, but… If you could see your father one last time, and probably help him with the gold that is in this place….
Maybe you could even-!.....
"- Artemio."
"- Yes, [Y/N]!*
"- AAH!" He turned himself to meet your face so fast that you whimpered because of his sudden motion.
He was going to check if you were okay, but you stopped him showing that you were fine, just a little spooked.
"- Hey, Artemio-" You said again, as you were still reformulating your question in your head-
"- Do you know how to burn an entire castle?"
🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭
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kareofbears · 3 years
Text
plainly in truth, chapter 3/5
"Without you around, it's sorta like stuff is just kinda...bleh."
Or: hiding, confiding, and misguiding.
read on ao3 or below the cut :)
Ryuji grips the letter like it was silver and he was a werewolf in the full moon.
He picks it up, skims over the first line before putting it down beside him, feeling worse every time he does it, only able to read the fine-printed lettering from the flickering lamp post above him. The constant change in light would normally bug him, but he doesn’t really care about it now; it’s not like the words would change in his hand, and he’s long since needed to actually read it to know what it reads.
His feet dangle over the canal, enjoying the way a rush of adrenaline would go through him when he looks down into the deep waters. It’s late enough in the night that even with the city lights around him, he can’t gauge how deep it goes.
Soseikawa Park was only a five minute walk from Odori Park, but with the narrow river and steeped hills, Ryuji found it secluded enough to let himself sit. Breathe. Not exist, even for just a few minutes. It’s like having his own bedroom, except it smells faintly like a sewer and there’s an intersection about ten meters above where he sat underneath the overpass. If he can ignore the never-ending rumble of cars and trucks driving above him, it can almost be considered peaceful.
He lets himself fall back, the grass tickling the back of his neck and his spine screaming in relief. They’re heading out again in two days, which means more days of being in an inescapable RV surrounded by his best friends who are keeping an eye on him because they’re good people who don’t know how to mind their own fucking business.
Idly, he lets his hands pull and brings it to his face—blades of grass. He lets it get taken by the wind. After brief consideration, he shoves the letter back into his pocket before he can do the same thing to it.
He is so tired.
Blindly, he hits the vague area of where his pocket is and fishes out his phone, hitting the first speed dial before he can talk himself out of it. As two rings go by, he stupidly hopes that she doesn’t pick up, as if she hasn’t ever missed a phone call from him even when she’s at work.
The third ring gets cut off halfway through. “Ryu!”
Despite himself, he grins. “Hey, ma. Checking in for the weekly call.”
“I was just thinking about you,” she says, and he can hear the laundry machine run in the background. “I was wondering if you had eaten today.”
“Ma, you ain’t gotta worry about that kinda thing anymore. I’m a big boy now.”
“You’re breaking my heart!” He can almost see her, phone tucked in the crook of her neck, work-worn hands folding her laundry as fast as she can so as to not hold up the next person in line. “It doesn’t matter how big you are, you’re my boy. How can I not think about whether my boy is eating or not?”
“All I’ve done on this trip is eat, ma.”
“Oh, and Akira! How’s that handsome boy doing? Still taking the world by storm?”
That pulls a genuine laugh from him—he never needs to hold back when it comes to talking about Akira, at least. “You know it. He’s the only guy in the world who can stand toe-to-toe with me in chowing down. I swear, he’s slipping some of it under the table ‘cause he’s so damn fast. Forty seconds! Forty seconds to inhale an extra large beef bowl! Blows my mind, seriously.”
“Could never do anything in halves, can he?” she chuckles, before the quality of her voice shifts. “And are you enjoying yourself?”
He hesitates. “Yeah, of course. It’s a roadtrip across Japan, how can I not?”
“Good.” There’s some crackling over the receiver, and he guesses she’s probably adjusting the basket full of clothes on her hip. “That’s all I want to hear. As long as you’re happy, Ryu, I’m a happy old woman.”
Ryuji opens his mouth, ready to console her.
I’m always happy!
You worry too much, ma.
There’s nothing to worry about.
“Sorry, but,” he swallows thickly. “I think they’re calling for me? So—”
“Alright,” she says, and he might be imagining the disappointed tinge to it. “Call back when you can, okay sweetheart? I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” he clears his throat. “I love you, ma.”
“I love you too, Ryu.”
He hangs up, letting the phone slip out of his fingers. It lands hard on the flat grass
For a long moment, he just lays there, listening to the gentle lapping waves and cars honking with impatience of people who have somewhere to be. He tries to meditate for half a minute, with all the information he had learned from a couple of YouTube videos, and gives up, because of course he does. Squeezing his eyes shut, he can’t do anything about the creeping dread that’s in his stomach getting stronger, squeezing and squeezing until he feels sick. It’s like his insecurities are having this huge fight against each other, feeding off of one another until it gets too big for him to handle and all he can do is breathe and try to do something about it.
And he’s fucking sick of it—breathing. He’s sick of the stupid breathing techniques, sick of counting down from ten and waiting for his own heart to chill out because his brain won’t stop reminding him of everything he did wrong, of shit he’s still doing wrong because at least this way, nobody knows what he did was wrong. It’s just him that can point and laugh at himself, and that’s way better than having the world do it for him.
He doesn’t cry, because he’s not a crier. He’s the type of guy to throw a fist through drywood before shedding a tear, and he hates that about himself. Rather than do something that will actually help, Ryuji lays there, perfectly still. Listening. Waiting for a meteor to fall on him, or for the overpass to crash its entire weight on top of him.
Instead, he hears footsteps.
His heart rate slows by a fraction, and opens his eyes to meet gray ones. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Akira says, a smile in his voice. “How did you know it was me?”
Ryuji almost feels offended. He would know Akira by sound alone, the way his heels would click in the Metaverse. The way the balls of his feet would strike the earth, hardly muffled by grass or cheap sneakers or anything else as trivial. Ryuji would know he was there; no matter how blind he was with hatred for himself, his love for Akira would always guide him back to where he needs to be.
“Lucky guess.”
“One hell of a guess.” He plops down onto the grass and Ryuji lifts his head, allowing Akira to wiggle until he could use his lap as a pillow. “Your turn,” Akira says.
“My turn to what?”
“To ask me how I knew where you were.”
“Oh.” He lets his eyes slide shut again. “I kinda just assumed you could do that.”
“You assume too much of me sometimes.”
“I assume the right amount.” Ryuji refuses to shiver when he feels long fingers start to card through his hair. “You’re giving me goosebumps,” he sighs.
“That’s a good thing, I think.” The fingers pull away and he’s about to complain when he feels something gets thrown over his torso. “Here. You always end up forgetting to wear an extra layer when you go out like this.”
Ryuji rearranges Akira’s jacket over himself. “Sap.”
“You know it.” He resumes combing through his hair, and Ryuji lets himself relax, just a little. It’s strange—it’s hard as hell being around other people nowadays, and even though Akira can make him feel that sometimes, mostly it helps the eternal twisting of his stomach to settle.
“You’re good at that,” Ryuji mutters.
“Thank you. I’ve had plenty of practice with Morgana.” And just to make it worse, he uses a little bit of nail on his nape, sending electricity running down all the way to his fingertips.
His mouth twists unhappily. “Don’t do shit like that while talking about the cat, for the love of god.”
Akira does it again, like the little shit he is. “You still have that weird thing with your neck?”
“Quit it!” Ryuji slaps his thigh and he can’t muster much anger when he can feel Akira’s shoulders shake from silent laughter. “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”
“You’re right.” Gently, softly, like the world’s lightest feather, he feels lips brush his temple. “I’m funnier.”
His eyes open, and his entire vision is obscured by curly black hair and tender eyes. “You’re right,” he breathes. “You’re funnier.”
Akira bends down again, and Ryuji catches his lips, overflowing with something soft but unafraid, and it’s so good that Ryuji reaches for his cheek just to make it last a little bit longer.
When they break off, Akira kisses his temple again, this time on the left side. “Do you know what day it is?”
“Uh,” he scratches his head, brain a little fuzzy. “Tuesday?”
“It’s Wednesday, and I meant the date. It’s August tenth.”
“Okay?”
Akira thumbs at his collarbone. “I know this might be a little lame that I know it by heart, but I left Tokyo on March 19th. That would mean it’s been—”
“One hundred forty-four days since you moved away,” he finishes. “I know.”
Akira blinks, and then laughs, and Ryuji knows it’s an especially good one because sound actually comes out this time. “Yes,” he says, elated. “Exactly what I was thinking.”
“I told you dude, we’re really on that telepathy shit.”
“We really are.” A pause. “I miss you.”
He’s about to joke—I’m right here, you big dummy—but find that he just can’t. “I miss you too.”
They can’t say what they mean: I will miss you. Summer vacation doesn’t last forever, and two months will always be a hell of a lot shorter than the rest of the ten months that they’ll be apart. Somehow, he dreads seeing Akira gone, and he’ll dread seeing Akira back in Tokyo because it would mean that he’d actually have to see what Ryuji’s really like. Actively pushing away his best friend just so he doesn’t have to see his failures; doesn’t that just make him the worst piece of shit in the world?
There’s a gap, though. A little loophole. A crack in the timeline. A place where maybe he’s allowed to be a hollowed out version of happy; the now.
“Tomorrow’s our last day in Sapporo?”
“Yeah?” Akira replies, surprised at the change in tone.
“Which means Jail stuff is done, right? All your grocery shopping and Sophia Prime’s been ordered and packed up?”
“Yes,” he says, a lilt in his voice. “It’s all done.”
Ryuji sits up and faces him, reaching for his wrists, relishing in the heartbeat thumping against his palms. “Let’s do something. I don’t care what, but let’s do something. Eat at a diner, go to a museum, rob a bank, whatever.” He runs his thumb along the veins there, long since those bumps have been ingrained in his brain. “Let’s do something, just you and me.”
“Are you asking me out on a date, Sakamoto?” He has a cocky look in his eye, and Ryuji’s half-tempted to kiss him again just to wipe it clean off his face. “You know I’d follow you anywhere.”
He knows. That’s the scary part. Would Akira still follow someone he doesn’t know as well as he thinks he does? “I’ll get us lost,” he jokes.
Akira doesn’t laugh. “I’d rather be lost with you than learn to lose you.”
It’s been ages since he’s been flustered at anything Akira does, but he feels a rush of heat crawl up his neck. “I’ll—” Ryuji shakes his head, willing his embarrassment to go away. “Shit, uh—”
“I’ll pick where to go,” he interrupts, a little too smug for his liking. “I’d say I’ll pick you up at your place, but…”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re a comedian,” Ryuji rolls his eyes. “I’ll be ready whenever.”
“Fantastic.” Akira checks his phone, wincing. “It’s late.”
He grips his wrist tightly. “I know.”
Thankfully, he’s never needed to explain much to Akira. “Okay,” he says softly. “Ten more minutes?”
“Yeah.” He lets his eyes slide shut once more, letting out a breath. The world will keep spinning. His stomach will keep twisting. Time will keep marching on, but at least he has this. “Ten minutes sounds good.”
The first words that Futaba says as she enters the RV was: “Oh, hell.”
“Hello Futaba-chan, Yusuke-kun,” Haru greets cheerfully from the booth. “How was your shopping trip?”
“...Fine,” she replies, stepping aside to let him in, lugging a four-foot tall canvas in his arms that accidentally hits the ceiling. “Got a new Featherman action figure.”
“I got a canvas,” Yusuke answers from behind the wall of white. “Though I assume you can see that.”
“I can.” Her smile doesn’t falter, and it’s making the hair on Futaba’s nape rise like a nervous animal. “Quick question, since you both are here…”
Haru pulls a tote bag from underneath the table, and it’s so heavy that when she throws it on the table, her teacup nearly topples over. “Would you like to take a guess of what’s in this bag?”
A billion jokes pop into Futaba’s head, but both of them stay silent, terrified and confused. They both knew this was coming, but they didn’t expect her to be so forward about it.
“I suppose that’s a pretty strange question, I’m sorry. Let me try again.” She reaches in and pulls out thick, heavy textbooks, all brightly coloured and consist of beaming, diverse students on the front cover. “Care to tell me why you were both looking at cram books while we’re on our fun roadtrip?”
Yusuke pushes Futaba aside, eyes on the books and wide with shock. “You bought them?!” he exclaims.
“Wait—” Futaba hops repeatedly, trying to catch a glimpse from over his shoulder. “You bought all of them?”
“Of course.”
“But why?”
She thinks about it for a moment. “Hmm, think about it this way. If Akira’s in charge of the group as a whole, and Makoto’s in charge of the more analytical aspect of things, think of me as a somewhat stern yet loving parent who doesn’t quite know how to mind their own business.”
“I thought that was Ann’s job,” Futaba mutters, heart hammering in her chest.
“Now,” Haru leans forward, and as if to prove her role, speaks in a gentle tone. “I’m not mad at you. That would be ridiculous. But I saw you two looking at these books, and I know how expensive they can be, so I’ll give them to you.”
She blinks. “You would?”
“Absolutely!” Haru smiles wide. “On the condition that you tell me why you need them.”
Futaba and Yusuke exchange a glance, before Futaba makes a T with her hands. “Timeout!” she yells, dragging Yusuke by the collar out of the RV.
“What do we do?” he whispers once the door is shut. “It’s not as if we can tell her.”
“I don’t know, maybe we should?” she pushes up her glasses. “Damn, the things money can buy you. Our vow of silence is getting thrown out the window for two handfuls of yen.”
He looks her dead in the eyes. “I would tell the world my deepest secrets if it meant having lifetime access to a grocery store.”
“Don’t say that, you sellout!”
“I’m not selling out. My art already reveals the deepest portion of my soul, it’s not my fault that the common observers cannot pick up what I’m putting down.” He squints against the setting sun. “She’s waiting. What do we do?”
“Okay, okay, okay, just let me—” her mind whirrs rapidly, and for a second she really feels like Sophia. “Give me a second.”
“I have a suggestion,” he points at her. “If we’re not averse to lying, let’s tell them that you need them for school. You’re struggling with academics, you need a bit of outside help, so we took a look at the textbooks.”
“Good idea! Wait.” She frowns. “They’ll never buy it. Let’s say that you need them.”
“I’m at the top of my class!”
“But they don’t know that!” She balls her fists together, determined. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“I didn’t say yes to this.”
Futaba kicks the door open, making Haru pause wiping her spilt drink mid-stroke. “Inari’s struggling with his classes!”
“I—“ Yusuke stammers. “Yes,” he confirms. “I’m struggling with my classes. They’re mighty indeed, and even I find them difficult. I am...struggling.”
Haru looks at them doubtfully. “Yusuke is?”
“I am,” he answers as Futaba says, “He is.”
“Yusuke,” she repeats, gesturing to the neatly-stacked pile of textbooks on the table. “Is struggling with precalculus?”
They stare at her. “Yes,” Yusuke says, slowly. “I am struggling with previous calculus.”
“Out of curiosity, Yusuke,” Haru scratches her cheek. “Do you know what a parabola is?”
“Of course I do,” he replies with the wisdom of a thousand monks. “It’s a self-contradictory statement.”
“That’s a paradox,” Makoto corrects from the steering wheel.
“What the heck?” Futaba jumps a foot in the air. “Why are you here? Why were you hiding?”
“I like to sit here a few hours before we start another road trip,” she says, before glaring at them. “You two. Does this have to do with Ryuji?”
“T-timeout!”
Futaba makes a beeline to the door again, but Haru’s faster. She slips past them, standing in their way, perfect smile still in place. Sometimes Futaba forgets how strong she is in negotiations; her and Yusuke were probably tutorial levels compared to the upper management of Okumura Foods. “Answer her question, please.”
Yusuke sighs, tired. “You know what you’re asking for, don’t you? If we tell you what’s happening here, it would be breaking the trust of one of our teammates.”
“Yusuke!” Futaba hisses. “Are you really thinking about telling them? It’s not even our secret to tell.”
“No, it isn’t.” He makes eye contact with Makoto. “But she made a point. What would make us better friends: if we kept a secret to the grave while letting him suffer, or tell someone who can help even if it means being some sort of tattletale?”
“But…” she trails off, resolve crumbling. “Dude. It’s going to suck so much.”
“I know.” He pats her head, before moving to Ryuji’s backpack once more. “Don’t worry, I’m willing to take his anger if need be.” Yusuke gestures to the booth. “Everyone, take a seat. It’s about time this finally gets cleared up.”
Smoothing out the envelope in his hand, even more crumpled than when they had it last, he clears his throat, takes one last glance at Futaba to make sure. At her tentative nod, he begins to read its contents in a loud, clear voice.
When he finishes, they sit there, staring at the thick paper in silence.
“Oh my god,” Makoto breathes. “I knew it was bad, but—”
Haru shakes her head. “Not this bad. And he talked about it so much, but we didn’t even…” she glances down at the textbooks, idly rubbing its spine. “I didn’t think much of it.”
“None of us did,” Yusuke says. “But does that make it any better?”
They fall in silence again, but Futaba can hear the answer loud and clear. Hell no.
The door opens forcefully, pulling them out of their stupor.
“What’s up, my beloved friends!” Ann calls, shopping bags in tow. “God, I’m gonna miss Sapporo. Things here are so cheap compared to Tokyo, sheesh!” She sets them down, laughing when nobody says anything. “Jeez, what’s going on? Did I miss something?”
“Ann-chan,” Haru says carefully, all sense of cheer, for intimidation or otherwise, gone. “Take a seat. There’s something you should know.”
The Ferris wheel looms over them, blocking out most of the sunset behind it. “Nice,” Ryuji grins appreciatively. “I should’ve seen this one coming.”
“You should’ve,” Akira agrees, tugging him into the open carriage. He goes in willingly. “It was staring at you the whole time we’re in Sapporo. And besides, every romantic movie has a Ferris wheel scene, doesn’t it?”
“Oh yeah? Name one.”
“Death note.”
Ryuji makes a face, and Akira laughs. “Yeah, I know. Bad example.”
It’s a tight squeeze but they sit next to each other, ignoring the bench in front of them. The seats are hot, and even though it’s nearly evening, the heat barely eases up on them. Still, he finds himself pressing himself against Akira. He runs cold, much colder than Ryuji; narrow wrists are ice, prominent collarbones frost.
The two of them lean over the window, pointing out random scenery as if it were the first time they were seeing them. Restaurants, statues. Weird looking cars and flower beds. Decorated high rises and insects that fly by. It’s like they were tourists, or a retired couple who just want to travel the world. He’s never wanted to be old before, but Akira always has a way of making him change his mind.
Like clockwork—Ryuji makes a joke. Akira laughs. His heart feels lighter.
When he finds himself leaning against him, feet up on the bench, Akira wraps his arms around his shoulders unhesitatingly. Ryuji wonders if he can hear the way his heart thuds inside his bones. He wonders if he knows it's for him. The Ferris wheel stops, right at the very top, gently swaying like it were a giant cradle. They’re not very high up, but it’s far enough that he feels like he’s left the entire world behind.
Ryuji presses his lips against those wrists, relishing in the way he can feel the heartbeat increase. “You nervous?”
He can feel his head shake behind him. “I’m happy, I think,” Akira says in a hushed voice, like it was a secret, like it was a sin.
A breeze flows through, and Ryuji closes his eyes when lips press against just below his ear.
Would it be worth it to have a Palace? A Jail? Would it be worth it to lose himself, just to be in this moment for the rest of time?
Carefully, he flips himself sideways, just so he can press more of himself against Akira. The carriage rocks gently, and the metal bench underneath them is sharp and uncomfortable. Arms tighten around him. Chest to back, knee to knee, they couldn’t be closer, but Ryuji leans back, wanting nothing more than to bottle the rhythm of his breathing and the smell of his soap.
I’m happy, too, I think, he wants to say. If we stayed like this for the rest of our lives, until our skin is permanently tattooed into the hot steel and our bones are the only thing they take out of this bench because the rest of us had already rotted, then I’d be pretty damn happy.
Craning his neck backwards, Akira is already staring.
Then he’s kissing him—once, twice, again and again, and Ryuji realizes that something’s different. This wasn’t the kind of kiss he was used to. There was a desperate air to it, an urgent edge from both of them that neither was ready for. Stealing each other’s breath and giving it back; the cycle continues, the clock keeps ticking.
Ryuji pulls himself up, not breaking the kiss, cupping his cheek and soaking him in like a flower to the sun; an endless yearning, like he’d shrivel up and suffocate if it vanished. The sun framed Akira, and for a split second, he feels like he understands what Yusuke sees on a canvas.
When they part, foreheads leaning against each other, Ryuji lifts a trembling hand to wipe the tear that rolled down Akira’s cheek.
“What’s up?” he asks softly. “Is something wrong?”
“I feel like you’re a miracle, Ryuji.”
How do you respond to that? When the person who said it feels like they’re the one who’s magic, who’s too good to be true?
“Fuck miracles,” he says, pulling Akira in again.
The circuit felt like it ended too soon, but it’s night when they finally stepped off, holding hands and faces flushed. He hopes the ride operator doesn’t hate them, but he’s in too good of a mood to really complain.
Ryuji stops in his tracks when he sees who’s in front of them.
“Ann?” Akira questions, taken aback. Eyes dark and brows pulled close together, clutching her purse like a weapon of war—she looks like she’d just seen someone set an orphanage on fire.
Her voice is shockingly deep, gaze fixed on Ryuji. “I’m borrowing him for a second.”
Before either of them can say anything, Ann takes him by the bicep, and he can only glance at Akira before he’s dragged back into the Ferris wheel.
“Did you even pay—?”
“Don’t start,” she hisses, pushing him on the bench, hard. “Don’t you dare start, you damn liar.”
His blood runs cold. “What?”
No. That’s impossible.
“Don’t play dumb with me.” She shoves her hand in her bag and throws something rubber at him. “Do you know how long it took me to find a good one here? I spent my entire day in the shopping district—not looking for clothes, or shoes, or whatever the hell I thought would be fun. No, I spent our last day in Sapporo looking for that.”
Ryuji looks down at the hot compress in his hands, a lump in his throat.
“Because you weren’t doing anything to your knee,” she continues, jaw tight. “Despite me trying my best to help you get better. I thought that you must’ve been really fan-freaking-tastic at hiding the pain that you told me about. That I trusted was the truth because you’re one of my best friends and I trust you. I trust you with my life, my secrets—” Ann grits her teeth. “What the hell?”
“How did you find out?” he asks hoarsely.
She knows. If she knows, they could know. If they could know—
“Damn you, it doesn’t matter how I found out!” she throws her hands in the air, voice so hurt that it twists his insides impossibly tighter. “You think I would care? You think that this is important enough to lie to me about? Dammit, I don’t care that you—”
“Don’t say it,” he begs. “Please.”
“I don’t give a single shit that you failed second-year, Sakamoto!”
Her words ring against the steel walls, deafening.
Bile crawls up his esophagus, and he readies himself for another attack. But for some strange reason, his vision doesn’t blur. Instead, anger kicks in like it always does.
“You don’t care?” he asks, incredulous. “This doesn’t even have anything to do with you!”
“It does when you lie to me about it!” she yells back. “Do you not care about me? About your friends who would go to hell and back for you?”
“How dare you—!”
“You lied to me, you hid it from everyone else, you ignored our advice because it doesn’t mean shit to you.” She points a finger at him. “And look where that got you.”
“Shut up.”
“We all noticed, you know! Each and every one of us noticed that something was up, even the literal robot—”
“Shut the hell up, Ann.”
“And for what? All you accomplished was hurt our feelings, hold in yours, and keep it from the love of your life—”
Ryuji stands up, rocking the carriage and nearly toppling Ann off her feet.
“It’s because I fucking hate myself!”
She grips the barred window, eyes wide. They stare each other down for a few long moments, before the ride comes to an abrupt end. The door swings open, allowing a cheery greeting from the oblivious employee.
And then Ann sighs, shoulders deflating. “Come on,” she jerks her head to the door, before stepping out herself. “Let’s go.”
“What?” he asks, puzzled. “Where?”
“If we’re going to delve into the psyche of Sakamoto Ryuji, we might as well do it with some food in front of us.”
The cafe Ann takes him to is bright, filled with pastries and crowded with people—stools are pastel blue, baristas are wearing cute bowties, and each cup of coffee comes with an alarming amount of whipped cream on top. Sojiro would have a heart attack if he walked three kilometers of this place, but Ryuji’s glad that the resemblance is far and away than that of Leblanc.
The booth is pressed into the corner of it all; up against the window and far enough from the main bustle that they’d have to really put their all into it if they wanted to take their order. On one side sat Futaba, nervously tracing shapes on the window while Haru sits beside her. The opposite end has Yusuke and Makoto.
They all look up when they hear the bell chime, and Ryuji almost laughs. “It’s been a long ass time since I’ve seen you guys look so serious,” he remarks, sliding next to Makoto while Ann sits next to Haru. “Where’s the food at? Come on guys, food’s good for you.”
He raises a hand. “Excuse me! We’re ready!”
“Ryuji,” Futaba’s voice is brittle. “I—”
“Hold on shorty,” he reaches to pat her head, voice coming out soft. “We’ll get to that. I promise.”
A waiter comes, takes their drink order, and leaves. When he does, Yusuke places a heavy hand on the table. “I was the one who told everyone.”
“That’s not true!” Futaba cries out, and everyone jerks back in shock. “That’s bull! I’m the one who told him to go through your stuff ‘cause he was worried about you, but I’m the one who actually—”
“No, I’m the one at fault here,” Haru casts her gaze downwards. “It was really none of my business, but I forced these two to tell everyone here. I’m so sorry—”
Ryuji sighs. “Guys, it’s fine.” He’s met with an incredulous look. “Okay, it isn’t, but none of this is your fault, you know? I’m not mad.” His gaze shifts to Ann. “But you’re allowed to be mad at me. I know I shouldn’t have hidden it.”
She gives him a weighted look. “Then why did you do it?”
“Ann,” Makoto warns.
“No, I’m not budging on this.” She leans forward. “He lied to me. Lying doesn’t get you anywhere good. That was really stupid of you.”
“Ann!” Futaba cuts in, horrified.
“You’ve seen what happened with Shiho.” Ryuji flinches back like he’s been hit. He knows. Ann knows he knows. But she keeps going anyway. “She lied to me about what was happening, and I lied to her back. It kept going and going, and—” she snaps her fingers. “She’s gone from my life. For how long? I don’t know, maybe until we graduate. Maybe until her rehab ends. Maybe longer. Who knows? All I know is if we had just—talked, or—” Ann shakes her head, frustrated. “From the start. Tell us what happened. And afterwards, let us help you, or I swear to god I’m going to cry, and I know you can’t stand it when people cry.”
The silence is deafening, even with the clamor of people and voices around them.
Ryuji lets out a breath. “Yeah, alright.”
She raises an eyebrow. “You will?”
“I will,” he repeats, idly checking his pulse. Heart rate is a little quick, but in no danger of having another breakdown. “I’ll tell you everything.”
The waiter chooses that time to drop off their drinks; all cold except Haru, nursing a hot cup of tea. They definitely didn’t buy enough to justify the god-knows-how-long they’re going to spend here, but they’re just gonna have to suck it up.
“Alright,” he starts when they’re alone again. “We going from the start?”
“The very beginning,” Ann confirms.
With one last glance at his friends, he sighs, sits up straight, and flashes them the biggest grin he can muster:
“Hi,” he greets. “I’m Sakamoto Ryuji, and I failed my second-year of high school.”
No one’s expression shifts, not even an inch. He can’t help but be a little impressed. “You guys know that I’ve never been the greatest with books. Shit, screw greatest—I’ve ranked bottom five ever since I started middle school. Didn’t help that my leg got fucked to high heaven and everyone started hating me. Nearly dropped out a couple times. Had no one, really. Worst time in my life, hands down.
“So imagine this dumb little kid, middle of April, running into this guy.” Without meaning to, the grin shifts into something more genuine. “Good-looking dude, super smart, real charmer but you wouldn’t be able to tell just by lookin’ at him. And that guy saved my life. Ten, twenty, thirty times over. He was so great that the dumb kid obviously fell in love with him. But what’s even crazier is that the guy fell in love with the dumb little kid, too.
“Crazy, right? Sounds made up, but I promise it’s true.” He catches Futaba’s expression shift to exasperation. “I know, I can’t believe it either.”
“That’s not what I meant, you sap,” she says.
“Yeah, but that dumb little kid,” he explains. “Couldn’t believe it. Literally couldn’t believe it. Thinks that he struck the lottery, struck by damn lightning. I mean—” Ryuji laughs a little. “How can someone so amazing and cool be in love with such a moron? What made it worse…”
He gestures at all of them. “Was that the guy had so many people in his life who was also amazing. His social circle was made up of, and correct me if I’m wrong: a successful journalist, a politician, some dude from the mob, a random child who breaks gaming records on the daily, and I’m not even counting people from this goddamn table. So dumb little kid knows, he fucking knows that somehow, someway, he tricked the cool guy into falling in love with him. The kid sucked, no, sucks,” he corrects. “At everything. Can’t do anything worthwhile.”
“Ryuji…” Haru whispers.
“Almost done, I know it’s running on kinda long,” he promises. “So the dumb little kid became kinda obsessed with the group’s ‘activities’, and it’s obvious why he would, right? If he knows he’s not good enough for the guy he’s in love with, then he can at least try to be. But since he already sucked at school to begin with, dummy over here completely bailed on school and ended up flunking so bad that he failed an entire year.”
An entire year. An entire year.
It’s becoming harder and harder to breathe, but he’d rather get hit by a truck than lose it in front of so many people. Gritting his teeth, he does what he knows is bad, what every google search and YouTube video says you should not do—he pushes his feelings, far and hard away from himself, so far that it’s like it doesn’t even exist.
It works surprisingly well.
“And, uh—” Ryuji clears his throat. “He hid it. Because you know the one, single thing that’s worse than realizing you’re not good enough for the other person?”
No one answers. “Waiting for the day that they realize that you’re not good enough for them.”
“And that’s pretty much the bulk of it.” Reaching for his mug, he takes a sip of his lukewarm lemonade. Damn, he really did talk for a while. “I didn’t want to tell the rest of you because one, it’s really fucking embarrassing that I failed, and two—”
“Akira can’t know,” they all say in unison.
“Exactly, you guys get the point by now.” He drums his fingers against the table, trying to ignore the blatant gloom cast on all of their faces. “Question time starts now, if anyone wants to ask anything.”
Makoto opens her mouth, but he beats her to it. “If anyone even thinks about feeling pity, or be all ‘no, you’re smart actually!’, I am walking out of this cafe and I am not looking back.”
“What about summer school?” Makoto asks immediately. “If you didn’t want us to know, then you could’ve taken that without even telling us.”
“Summer school was never an option.”
“And why not?” she slaps her hand against the table. “It would’ve solved this entire situation!”
“Because Akira was coming home for the summer,” he says simply. “And I wanted to enjoy my time with him without this hanging over my head.”
Her jaw drops open. “But...that’s…”
“Stupid?” he offers. “Idiotic? Really dumb? Potentially throwing away my entire future? Yeah, I gotcha. Another part of it was that the thought of staying at Shujin for another minute makes me want to jump into traffic, if that helps make me look a little better in your mind, miss prez.”
Makoto’s expression of confusion freezes, taken aback by the harshness of his words. Ryuji cringes at himself. “Sorry.”
“No,” she says finally. “The fault is mine. I have no right to judge your actions, or to pretend I know what kind of stress is burdening you.” Hesitating, she asks, “May I request another question?”
“Shoot.”
“What were you going to do when we eventually go back to Tokyo?”
As expected of someone who went head-to-head against the ace detective in front of the entire school; her questions are brutal. “I don’t know, honestly. I was planning on ignoring the problem for now and just sort of,” he gestures vaguely. “Enjoy the summertime sun?”
“A moment,” Haru goes through her bag. “It’s a long story, but I have these—”
The second the books peek out of her tote, he recognizes the cover immediately. “Cram books? You bought some?”
“Yes!” she answers, mistaking his reaction for eagerness. “It’s a very small gesture, but I’d love for you to have them.”
“I—” he leans away from them, breath catching in his throat. “No.”
“No?” she blinks.
“Not now, senpai.” Trying out his new trick again, he forces his heart to slow down, forces his breathing to regulate again without any of the techniques, and forces himself not to feel any of the fear that he’d normally have to go through. It works, but barely. “I’m not—I don’t think I’m ready to deal with that yet.”
“That’s fine.” Haru puts them away, and as hard as he tries, he can still see how dejected she was. “I’ll hold on to them for you.”
“Thank you.” He glances around. “Any last takers? Q&A is almost up.”
“I have one,” Yusuke pipes up.
“Go for it.”
“How are you?” he asks genuinely.
Ryuji can’t help it—a laugh gets pulled out of him. “How am I?” he repeats.
“Yes. How are you?”
“Uh,” he laughs again. “Not good, man. Not good.”
Everyone startles when Ryuji stands abruptly. He slams down the rest of his lemonade, relieved at how it helps his parched throat. “Alrighty, that took a lot out of me! Let’s get out of here, I’m sick of being surrounded by fake coffee and poser cafe fanatics.”
“I’ll take care of the bill,” Haru says, following his lead and scooting out from the booth.
“What? No, come on. I don’t care how rich you are, at least let me pay half.”
“Ryuji.” She looks him dead in the eye. “I’ll take care of the bill.”
“...Yes ma’am.”
Slowly, they all start filing out, some exiting the cafe while Makoto goes to the till with Haru. Ryuji reaches for Ann’s elbow before she can leave. “Hey.”
Turning her head, it’s as if her lips were permanently stitched downwards. “Yeah?”
“I’m really sorry I lied to you,” he says, somber. “That was shitty, and it doesn’t matter what I’m going through—you can’t deal with lies. I get that. I won’t put you through that again.”
Ann kisses her palm before slapping it against his forehead. “You better not,” her voice drips in affection. “You said not to console you—”
“I did, and I meant it.”
“But I’m here for you,” she rubs his skin harder, and he winces at the chafing. “You know that, right? No matter how crazy the shit inside your head gets, I want you to talk to me.”
“I know it,” he says, not just because he wants the friction to ease up. “I know it now, for sure.”
“Good.” Ann releases him, and goes to join Haru and Makoto up front. “You might want to head out. Someone’s starting to make a fuss.”
“What?” he turns around, making direct eye contact with Futaba, nursing a blank expression on her face. “I see.”
The bell chimes once more when he steps out, relieved at the cool summer air that hits him. “Shorty,” he says in lieu of a greeting. “What’s good?”
“Here.” Ryuji glances down at her, who’s holding a familiar, now very-crumpled envelope between her fingers. It’s weird seeing her hold the letter announcing his failure like a bomb, but he understands the sentiment. “I had to show Ann because she wouldn’t believe me until I got some proof.”
“Thank you,” he says, shoving it in his pocket. “I’m not mad at you, you know.”
“I know you’re not.” She swallows and stares down at her shoes. Her laces were covered in little beads and stars, something he had bought for her during a weekend hangout once. “This isn’t me pitying you, or showering you with some kind of boohoo potion.”
She swallows again. “I failed my first year of high school. It was for a completely different reason—guilt for who I thought I killed rather than wanting to be something else. But I know. I know so much about what you’re going through.”
Futaba looks up, and his heart wrenches when he sees the tears in her eyes. “I’m so, so sorry if I made you sad, or that I kept calling you stupid back then,” she sobs. “I don’t mean it, and I’m so mean to you all of the time but I don’t mean any of it. I told everyone your secret because I wanted to—” she hiccups, and she pushes her glasses to the top of her head. “I wanted to give you your own version of what the Phantom Thieves did for me, but I reached out to you guys back then. No one forced me to do anything, but I took that choice away from you.”
He pulls her in his arms, and her tears are hot even through his shirt. “I know, Futaba,” he says, patting her head. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
She hits his chest weakly. “Me taking care of you?” she sniffs. “I’m literally the one crying right now.”
“Just for now though,” he shrugs. “Next time I cry, you’ll be the one handing me tissues, I swear.”
They stand there, the two of them standing in the middle of Sapporo while people give them weird looks—Futaba, unable to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks, and Ryuji, refusing to ever let his emotions make things worse for everyone else again.
When they get back to the RV, each of them emotionally exhausted, Ryuji goes to kiss the top of Akira’s head. “Hi.”
“Hey,” Akira looks up from his card game with Morgana and Sophia. “You look like you had a wild night. Ann take you all somewhere fun?”
“Totally,” he says, sliding the letter back in his backpack. “Best night ever.”
“Take me next time. Sophia’s kicking our ass.”
“She is not!” Morgana denies, tail swishing. “Just a little,” he relents.
“I’m gonna get ready for bed,” Ryuji announces, hiking his backpack on his shoulders and heading out, before running into Ann outside.
“Oh my god,” she says, disturbed. “He really, really doesn’t know.”
“Yup,” he moves past her. “And we’re keeping it that way.”
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