#way of the kensei

[nerdythebard]

#52: Sayaka Miki [Madoka Magica]

(Art Credit: Mangaka Quarter & Studio Shaft) ---

So, my friends... what is your wish?

Mine would be to finally finish my assignments on this blog, but I'm not gonna sold my soul to a marshmallow cat thing. I'll leave that to some Japanese schoolgirls. Like this here Sayaka Miki, our super-speedy indestructible witch hunter, courtesy of @will0whisper. And I'll say this upfront, this will be just Sayaka, I will not make her witch form here.

Next Time: Boy...

Let's start with the terms of our contract:

Fast and Blue... Sonic will sue: In combat, Sayaka reliest on her speed and agility. She can even react to magic that stops time, and at her fastest she looks like a flash of light.

Indestructible and Relentless: Although all magical girls have the ability to heal, Sayaka's is the strongest. To a point that she can regenerate missing limbs.

Sword Specialist: Sayaka uses a single cutlass. She can also summon multiple swords at once, and they always return to her like boomerangs.

---

Now, Sayaka is a human, that much is clear. We are making her a Variant Human to reflect her transformation into a magical girl. We're gonna put a +1 to our Dexterity and Constitution, get proficiency in Acrobatics, and pick up the Mobile feat right away. This increases our speed by 10 feet, our Dash action isn't impaired by difficult terrain, and if we make a melee weapon attack (doesn't matter if we hit or not), we do not provoke opportunity attacks until the end of the turn.

Hunting witches sounds like a good excuse to make Sayaka an Urban Bounty Hunter. We get to choose two proficiencies (here: Insight and Stealth), and choose two tool proficiencies from musical instrument, gaming set, or thieves tools. Finally, thanks to Ear to the Ground feature, we can form a large network of contacts with people ranging from highest and lowest classes. Work with your DM to establish which circles you operate in.

ABILITY SCORES

Dexterity is obviously going to be our highest score, and we're going to work on it pretty early on. For the sake of future multiclassing, we will put the next number in Wisdom and another in Constitution.

Charisma will be on the lower end. We do not parley with witches but we do care about our friends. Strength will be on the lower end, our strikes are quick and many. Finally, we're dumping Intelligence because we need other abilities more.

CLASS

Level 1 - Fighter: We start with big damage early on. Fighters get the d10 as their Hit Dice, [10 + Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, proficiencies with light armour, medium armour, heavy armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. Sayaka doesn't wear any armour, so we have to survive with AC 13 for now, and a cutlass is a shortsword so that's what we're choosing for her. Our saving throws are Strength and Constitution, and we get to pick two class skills from the list (Athletics and Perception).

Fighters get to pick their Fighting Style. For Sayaka, we'll grab the Superior Technique style, which lets us select one manoeuvre from the Battle Master subclass and gives us one d6 Superiority Die to fuel the ability. We're gonna pick Lunging Attack, which lets us spend the Superiority Die to extend our weapon's reach by 5 feet. If our attack hits, we add the SD result to our damage die.

Thanks to Second Wind, we can use our bonus action to regain [1d10 + our Fighter level] Hit Points once per short or long rest.

Level 2 - Fighter: With Action Surge, we can take an additional Action on our turn once per a short or long rest.

Level 3 - Fighter: At this point, we will pick our subclass: our Martial Archetype. To give Sayaka the appearance of a magical girl, we need spells, so it's time for the Eldritch Knight. They use mostly defensive and damage-dealing spells, so we don't need to worry about Sayaka becoming a full caster. Speaking of, we get Spellcasting: Intelligence is our casting ability, and we know catrips and a fixed amount of regular spells. We start with two cantrips (Blade Ward and Sword Burst) and three 1st-level spells (Expeditious Retreat, Shield, and Mage Armour).

We also gain Weapon Bond. Unless we're incapacitated, we cannot be disarmed. As a bonus action, we can summon the weapon to our hand from any distance as long as the weapon and us are both on the same plane of existence. We can bond up to two weapons in this way.

Level 4 - Fighter: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement. We're gonna double down and raise our Dexterity by two points. We can also pick up another spell (Longstrider).

Level 5 - Monk: More agility! More weapons! Multiclassing into Monk doesn't give us proficiencies in anything new, but we do get Unarmoured Defense: when wearing no armour, our AC is [10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Wisdom modifier]. We also learn Martial Arts, which gives us several benefits:

We can use Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls of our unarmed strikes.

We can use a d4 instead of our Strength modifier for damage rolls of our unarmed strikes.

When we use the Attack action on our turn to make an unarmed strike (or a monk weapon attack), we can use our bonus action to make one unarmed strike.

Level 6 - Monk: We learn Unarmoured Movement. When not wearing armour or a shield, our speed increases by 10 feet.

We also unlock the Monk's secret magic - the Ki. We gain a pool of Ki Points (starting with 2), which we can spend to fuel various Monk abilities. We unlock three such abilities at this level:

Flurry of Blows: Spending 1 Ki Point immediately after using the Attack action lets us make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.

Step of the Wind: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us take the Dodge action as a bonus action on our turn.

Patient Defense: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on our turn. Our jumping distance doubles for that turn.

Level 7 - Monk: We are now able to Deflect Missiles. As a reaction, we can reduce the damage taken from a projectile attack by [1d10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Monk level]. If the damage result in 0, we catch the projectile and can use the same reaction to make a ranged attack with that projectile.

We also pick our second subclass, our Monastic Tradition. To become even better at swordplay, we're gonna pick the Kensei tradition. This tradition gives us several benefits in both melee and ranged weapons (as well as proficiency with calligrapher's supplies), but since we're using the former, I'm gonna focus on just one benefit - Agile Parry. After we make an unarmed strike, we can use our weapon to defend ourselves; we gain a +2 to our AC until the start of our next turn.

Level 8 - Monk: Thanks to Slow Fall, we can use our reaction to reduce the falling damage by [our Monk level x5].

It's also time for another ASI. We're gonna raise our Dexterity by one point, but we also gonna need one point in Charisma moving forward, because it's time for...

Level 9 - Warlock: Don't get too excited there, floof butt, we only need one level here. Now, Warlocks also get Spellcasting, but theirs work in a different way: Charisma is their casting ability, and while they also know cantrips and regular spells, their spells always fire at the highest possible level. We start with three cantrips (Friends, Green-Flame Blade, and True Strike), and we get two 1st-level spells: we're gonna grab Protection from Evil and Good, and we'll wait with the second one for our subclass.

Which we're gonna choose right now! Time to choose our Otherworldly Patron. Now, Kyubey grants wishes and that could make a case for the Genie Patron, but his reason for all of this is to prevent the Heat Death of the Universe. In his own twisted way, he protects order. We're making him a Celestial Patron. This gives us access to an Expanded Spell List, from which we'll grab Cure Wounds. We also get some bonus cantrips (Sacred Flame and Light) and we can wield Healing Light: we have a pool of Healing Dice (d6) equal to [1 + our Warlock level]. As a bonus action, we can spend a number of Healing Dice (equal to our Charisma modifier) to restore Hit Points of a creature within 60 feet of us. Our pool replenishes after we finish a long rest. We can finally grant Sayaka's wish and heal Kyousuke's hands.

Alright, back to more slashing!

Level 10 - Fighter: For more slashing we need Extra Attack. During a single Attack action, we can now make two strikes instead of one.

Level 11 - Fighter: Another ASI, and we can finally cap our Dexterity. The remaining point we can put into Charisma for a nice even number.

Level 12 - Fighter: We gain a new subclass feature. With War Magic, whenever we use our Action to cast a cantrip, we can use our Bonus Action to make one weapon attack.

We also unlock 2nd-level spells here. Let's grab Blur to get even more defense.

Level 13 - Fighter: Another ASI. This time, let's actually boost our invulnerability by getting our trusted Tough feat. Our Hit Points increase by [our overall level x2] and at each level-up henceforth we get +2 Hit Points. For this level's spell, let's get Darkvision.

Level 14 - Fighter: We become Indomitable. Once per long rest, when we fail a saving throw, we can re-roll the dice. We have to use the new roll, though, even if it's worse than the original one.

Level 15 - Monk: Our Martial Arts Die changes to 1d6. At this level, we would've gotten an Extra Attack. Personally, I would've allowed here an upgrade that let's us attack three times during a single Attack action, but discuss it with your DM.

What we do get is Stunning Strike. After making a successful melee weapon attack, we can spend 1 Ki Point to attempt to stun the target. The enemy has to make a Constitution saving throw or be Stunned until the end of our next turn.

Level 16 - Monk: Our Unarmoured Movement bonus increases to a total of +15 feet. We also gain Ki-Empowered Strikes. Our unarmed strikes now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming immunities and resistances.

We also get another subclass upgrade: One with the Blade. Our weapon attacks also count as magical for the purpose of overcoming non-magical resistances and immunities. Additionally, once per turn, when we successfully hit the target with a weapon attack, we can spend 1 Ki Point to add extra damage equal to our Martial Arts Die.

Level 17 - Monk: We gain probably one of the best ability in the game: Evasion. When we're forced to make a Dexterity saving throw that would make us take half damage when successful, we instead take no damage. A failed saving throw results in half damage.

We also gain some mental fortitude with Stillness of Mind. We can use our Action to end one Charmed or Frightened effect.

Level 18 - Monk: This is our final ASI of the build. We're gonna grab some more Constitution and put two points there.

Level 19 - Monk: Our Unarmoured Movement improves significantly. While moving, we can now move across liquid and vertical surfaces without losing the grip.

Level 20 - Monk: Our capstone is Monk 10. This improves our Unarmoured Movement bonus to a total of +20 feet. We also reach Purity of Body, which makes us immune to all poisons and disease. No witch tricks can harm us now.

---

And that's Sayaka Miki. Let's see if we fulfilled the provisions of our contract:

First of all, we're super nimble and speedy. With the ground speed of 60 feet, ability to move across liquids and up the walls, the Mobile feat and Dexterity-based fighting style, we are very difficult to pin down and we can position ourselves pretty much everywhere.

Our base AC is 17 but can reach up to 25. We have a +5 to our Initiative and the average of 195 Hit Points.

Unfortunately, triple multiclassing means we have a lot of resources to keep track of (two different kinds of spellcasting, Ki Points, Healing Dice). We also have a negative Intelligence modifier and a rather paltry Strength score.

---

Phew, this one was interesting. I think we've managed to make a solid Dexterity combatant. Have fun zipping around the battlefield, my loves. I'll see you next time for... well, Sayaka's polar opporite.

-Nerdy out!

[crunchetime]

GOTTA have a goblin girl, there is no debate

Gaz (she/her) is a little freak who one day literally woke up and chose violence. She just likes beating up big bullies and taking their stuff. It’s sort of like a code of honor. Kinda.

Gaz is also a talented artist, and regularly sketches her fellow party members during short rests. Though there are some sketches she REFUSES to show anybody (it’s drawings of them all kissing). Also she has a bit of a gambling problem, and is currently working on paying back nearly a third of the party’s profits that she lost in a game of dice. You’ll get ‘em next time, Gaz.

Also yeah she uses her braid as a weapon.

[amazingspider-z]

Back at it with Bleach!

AKA the: If arrancar get to look kind of like shinigami despite starting off as hollows, Visored should get to look a little bit hollow all the time despite starting off as shinigami. As a (not) treat. post

(Bonus: some more floating heads under the cut)

[hollowfyshunsuikubo]

The Midnight Flame

A/N: More soulmate au i literally love this concept sm Izuru is one of my favourite Bleach characters, and I’ve been playing around with writing this in my spare time. This one is set pre-tybw but post fullbringer arc. I used the soul tug concept for this one, where the first touch between soulmates loosens the tug completely. Though, if your soulmate is having a hard time in any way, it can cause you pain. Only a little angst in this one >:) reader is both depressed and enraged so good luck. Once again, not Beta read

Izuru Kira x gn!reader Word count: 6.4k Warnings: angst, nsfw smut, bad language AU: Soulmates

Morning. The sunlight through the windows, the feel of a blanket covering only his legs. Morning. The arrival of another day, going to waste. Sitting up, Kira looks at his hands. Hardened from years of being a shinigami. He inspected them, turning them over, holding them up to the light that caused him to squint, searching for something that was both never and always there.

A hand reached up to grab one of his, followed by the interlocking of fingers. His heart jumped as he looked to the right, hoping, praying, needing- 

And there was nothing. He was alone in his bed, as always. It got cold at night, but it was warm in the mornings. With a sigh, he got out of bed, and got ready for the day. His captain was… interesting, to say the least. A music man. He was so different from Gin, like fire and water. Gin was unpredictable, he came and went as he pleased, often leaving some form of destruction in his wake. He raged through the Gotei 13, laughing as he did. His betrayal burned, and left its scars. Third degrees ran up over Kira’s arms, his torso, his legs. It felt like the fire of it was behind his eyes. When he thought of Gin, he thought of fire, he thought of how it felt to be burning without any water to douse the flames. Captain Otorobashi was different. He was like water. He filled the spaces he entered with ease, and even when he left, droplets of his kind words or generous music remained. He flowed with what needed to be done, and he left no space untouched. Captain Otorobashi was a calming presence, one that soothed the burns that covered Kira day after day, and finally put out the fires that had enveloped his skin. 

But with water came caution. Fire, at least, was direct with its deadliness. Water lulled you into a false sense of security, then drowned you as soon as you got too comfortable. Water could fill your lungs and take away your ability to scream, to speak. Water filled up any and all spaced, and could very well kill any and all within them. Kira had been burned before, and even if the flames had been cooled with sweet water, there was no telling if he’d drown. 

Morning. Kira walked out of his room and greeted his squadmates. Morning. Morning. Morning. Each day was the same. Morning meetings with his Captain, who would be strumming on a guitar or reading one of those manga he enjoyed. Then training, then requests, then paperwork until sundown, then to bed. Each day is more repetitive than the last, no change in scenery, no chance to unwind at the end of the night with something other than a bottle of sake and his right hand. The same hand he thought they had grabbed, whoever they were. He would love to change his days with the feeling of someone beside him, lounging in his bed when he went back to his room, smiling and waiting for him. He would love to wake up beside someone, kisses turning into wandering hands, wandering hands that turned into being late and disheveled for his morning meeting with Captain Otorobashi. He would love to finally see his soulmate. 

As he approached his Captain's office, he focused in on his heart. He felt the same familiar tug, that ever present feeling of being pulled somewhere. In a moment of hesitation, Kira paused in front of his Captains office. A lump rose in his throat, choking him as he wondered where his other half was.

–

“This could have been an afternoon job,” You groan as Shuhei drops a large stack of files on your desk. He shakes his head and tosses you a pen.

“This could be an afternoon job, but it might take all day, so it’s an all day job for you.” Shuhei was never one to beat around the bush with you. It was like talking to a printer. The same words, over and over again, hell-bent on forcing you to forget the incessant tugging you constantly felt in your heart, and the fact that you often found yourself staring out the window, hoping that your obviously internally tortured soulmate was at least doing okay. It was a painful tug, one that made your heart ache. Some days, it was so bad you couldn’t work, which brought no end of shame to Captain Muguruma and Lieutenant Hisagi. It’s not like you liked it either, as you’ve tried saying so many times. But neither of them are too impressed with you.

Recently, it’s like you’re being punished for things you can't readily control. Cramps had you taken out, despite the fact you were more than willing to throw yourself into whatever training was being offered by Captain Muguruma. Anything was better than missing another day because of some stupid pain. You were denied. You threw a plate in response. 

After that, during a particularly bad day, after an apparently horrendous captains meeting, the tugging on your heart had wrenched so bad it caused you to vomit, while also praying your soulmate wasn’t a captain, least of all your captain, since some of the tugs in your heart seemed to line up with his foul moods. You didn't really think it was though. What kind of soulmate literally throws you into your room and slams the door, leaving you to choke?

Whoever your soulmate was, they were causing no end to the grief you were going through. The paperwork on your desk was looking extremely flammable. Fire seemed to be the only way you were going to calm down, since you burned with rage over just how standoffish, stubborn, and stoic your squadmates were. You were fed up. But you still took the work that you correctly deemed an afternoon job, and first thing in the morning, started your pity paperwork with a scowl.

One day, you’d meet your soulmate and be able to quell the furious tugging on your heart that sometimes left you incapacitated. One day you’d be able to sit down and do pity paperwork so fast, Captain Muguruma would have no choice but to sing your praises.

One day, you'd be appreciated for the fact that you still work hard, despite the challenges you face. 

–

The nights were almost worse than the mornings. Sweat dripped down his face as he hunched over himself, holding his dick in his hand, stroking, squeezing slightly every now and then, his eyes fluttering. So often his heart hurt at night, and so often did he engage in guilty pleasures he should be saving for his soulmate. It brought him no end of guilt. He threw his head back as he began to move faster, his cock bobbing in his hands as he chased his release. He was filled with images he couldn’t even see clearly- hints of skin, another's hand, another's mouth, another's hole-

Kira gasped and groaned as he spilled over his fist, slowing his stroke to nothing. His mind was a mess, and once again, the clarity that came after hit him like a brick. 

What was he doing? He could be making good use of his time, getting sleep, resting his mind, being awake enough to maybe search for his soulmate, and yet. He was awake so late, hand on his cock, a weak and pale imitation of someone who would bring him joy that surpassed an orgasm beyond belief. Face burning in shame- that fire again -he cleaned off his hand before laying down. Fire was what burned him in the first place. That traitor, the man he trusted most, the man who, like a flame, had swept across him and teased him, teased him, about who the other half of his soul was. Who showed him what it was to be strong like the flame and burn so brightly even the sun would be jealous. 

He found a simple answer while reliving such a betrayal. He was afraid of having what he wanted. He was afraid of the fire of whoever matched his soul because of the burns that would follow. It was the reason he only kept Shuhei close, the reason he stayed an arms length away from everyone else, including his captain. His captain, who, like water, would soothe his burns, put out his flame, and carry him to safety if he wished. Yet water killed too, just slower. Kira lay on his back, a hand behind his head, and focused on the tug in his heart. He wondered if everyone had to go searching for that tug. Maybe his soulmate just had a simple life, without much fear or stress. Maybe his soulmate's heart was a closed book, better at hiding its anger and fear than he was. 

The last thought hurt his heart. He had gone through so much- he only wished that his soulmate was alright, and that whenever they searched for their connection, their tug, that they were not angry with what they found.

–

If it were possible to be enraged at a person you’d never met, seen, spoken to, or even knew at all, you decided you were rightfully pissed at your soulmate, whoever the bastard was. Your chest felt like it was being torn open, and you hid in the gardens of your squad. You were on a late night patrol, and things were going fine.

Until.

Until whoever your soulmate was decided to have a miserable time of things. You gagged as you curled up into a ball, hiding behind a large tree. You wouldn’t be seen like this. You hated it. If you could’ve made any wish at that moment, it would be to close off the connection between your souls, if even for two minutes, just so you could at least run to your room to have privacy. With what little strength you had, You attempted to stand. Tears pricked your eyes from the sheer pain, and you felt your dinner threaten to come up.

Then a hand grasped your arm.

“You look like shit,” Shuhei said bluntly. “Why are you still out here? Go home.” With a glaring side eye, you wrenched your arm out of his grasp, stumbling back a little. He must’ve heard the gagging, or just his damned sixth sense that told him where you were at all times. He must truly despise you to keep tabs on you like this. To always know when to send you home just so he can dock your pay, save the division a little more money. It made you want to howl. It made you want to feel blood between your teeth and your zanpakuto clenched so tightly in your hands that the sheer force of your grip left bruises.

“Fuck off. I’m fine.” You spat in response. The aching in your chest only got worse. Shuhei didn’t move.

–

He was at a crossroads. He could pick you up and haul you back to your room in the barracks and force you to stay in, he could stay with you and attempt to help you ride out the waves of this pain that seemed to cause you physical harm, or he could… leave. Shuhei could listen and leave. Listen and leave, easy as that. Something not even Muguruma did. He just grunted and sent you away. Left all the work to him, and let Mashiro annoy the shit out of him while he was working…

He couldn’t leave you. You were his subordinate, and you were in pain. It seemed like you were made of pain. It hurt him, but not as much as it hurt you. You were a diligent person, and you tried so hard. Yet there was always something wrong, things you couldn’t control. Because of the pain, you turned into a being of hate. A cornered, starving dog, snarling at everyone. Sure, you joked sometimes, but your anger was a fire that scorched others. Shuhei wasn’t sure if it burned the Squad or you more. 

Crossroads. He watched as you attempted to stand up straight, a hand grasping the left side of your shihakusho like you were going to rip it off. Your left hand grasping at yourself as if you could tear your soulmate bond out of your chest. In a moment of forgetfulness, Shuehi reached for you, but that flash of anger in your eyes made him stop and lower his hand. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t know how to help. He couldn’t leave you, he couldn’t help you, and he couldn’t even show you that your anger was misplaced but not misunderstood. He couldn’t even be a good Lieutenant. He was grasping at nothing. So he stood tall, and just watched. He swallowed words and swallowed pity, and watched. He watched as you finally were able to stand, using the tree you were hiding behind as your crutch. He watched as you glared at him. And he listened as you spoke.

“Did you not hear me, Lieutenant? I’m fine. Fuck off.” Your voice burned with anger. He couldn’t help you, not without flames rising up his skin. But he’d been burned before. Captain Muguruma was made of fire. He burned away all the residual droplets that Tosen has left behind. Fire was a warm, comforting, protective thing when it needed to be. Just as water was not only calm and welcoming, but also a killer. Everything needed moderation. Shuhei knew that fire and water were both needed. You were burning in flames of pain, anger, and your own misery without any water to douse you in. Shuhei swallowed and finally, he spoke.

“You’re not fine. You’re hurting again and-” How like you to cut him off, riling like a dog about to strike.

“Lieutenant Hisagi,” His heart ached. Gone were the days you’d laugh and joke together, calling each other by first names. Another reminder of what had been washed away as the years had gone by. “I know you may not like me right now, but for the love of God, let me do my job.” It felt like a slap to the face. Not like you? You were his friend. Sure, you may not have been his anchor like Momo or Kira, but he still saw you as a friend. You’d begun pulling away. You’d begun to suffer alone after Tosen betrayed the Gotei, and you’d suffered more as your soulmate had begun to pull so hard your heart couldn’t take it. And you had the audacity to say that he was the one that didn’t like you. You-

“Listen,” His voice is sharp, like glass, hoping to slice your skin to make you bleed out your self-loathing. “Shut up. I am your Lieutenant. I am your superior. I am telling you to go home. I am giving you a goddamn order. Are you insubordinate?” He felt cruel. But he was at his wits end with you. There wasn’t anything he could do, and you refused to accept help, or even let him listen. You had shut yourself off and withdrew to the point where he halfway considered putting you on a watch. Yet you persisted, the pain that haunts your every waking moment, something you are determined to not let define you. It hurts him.

People had to focus to feel that tug. Everyone was a master of emotions. The fact you felt it like someone had tied a raging hollow to your heart and soul meant whoever your soulmate was was hiding a great deal of inner pain. Or they didn’t have a good grasp on their emotions. Either way, Shuhei didn’t know how to help. He could feel his tug, pulsing away, but it never hurt. Not like yours. But seeing you, an old friend, in enough pain that you are sick and weakened because of it made him despise your soulmate. It made him want to grab the offender by the throat and throttle them until they go ahold of themselves. A fire burned in your eyes as you turned his words over in your head. Shuhei kept a stern face on, despite the fact he’d directly threatened you. You wouldn’t know it, but he felt remorse for what he had to do.

–

You wanted to hit Shuhei. He looked every part the asshole as you thought he was. He’s been picking things up from Captain Muguruma, that’s for sure. Both of them are pricks. Cold, reserved, and uncaring. You could scream. You could leap forward and rip Shuhei to shreds. But instead, you glare and turn away, managing your pain for just long enough to walk to your room in the barracks, and slam the door. Someone will complain in the morning about the noise, but you don't care. You burn with fury. You lay in your bed, your anger getting the best of you for some time, until all you can do is think.

You fucked up, yet again. Every single time the burning pain from the tug in your heart gets too much, you lash out. It’s becoming the thing that is ruining your life, but only because you keep letting it. If only you could make it stop, but with what time? Finding one's soulmate took time, and time was something you didn’t have the luxury of. There were articles to edit, training to be done, rounds and commissions to complete. You couldn’t follow the tug of your heart without negativity following you as you returned. It was a cruel thing. Just like you and Shuhei have been to each other for some time now. It felt like another betrayal each time you and Shuhei butted heads. He seemed insistent on you not overworking yourself, while also sending you home whenever you showed a wince of pain. But you wanted to work. You wanted to keep doing what you loved in vain hopes the tug in your heart would lessen and finally be something you had to search for.

The night was long. Nights were always worse than the days. But you closed your eyes and ignored how the tugging in your heart, the tugging in your very soul, clogged your throat and made you choke on your own misery. Hatred pooled in your heart, but not for you soulmate. It made you sick.

–

“Someone’s in pain?” Kira blinked as Shuhei lamented. His close friend wasn’t doing well. Bags under his eyes, slouched shoulders, messier hair. It was like he’d been working overtime again. 

“And they won’t listen. All I do is tell them ‘take care of yourself. Go home and rest. Take your time’ and all they do is get angry!” Shuhei ranted. He took another swig of sake and glared at nothing. Kira was getting concerned. “If I ever meet their soulmate, I’m gonna use Kazeshini and slice ‘em up.” 

Kira was very uncomfortable with that notion, mainly because he’d be an accessory to murder if it happened, and whoever this person in pain was would have to live without the other half of their soul permanently. He had another sip of sake for himself, feeling sullen. He glanced at his friend again.

“How bad is it? Surely it can’t be that bad-”

“Now you even sound like them! Fucks sakes… throwing up because your tug is hurting that bad and still saying you can fight a hollow isn’t a good thing. I’m going to put them on leave just so they can find their stupid soulmate and so I can get a piece of ‘em and give them a piece of my mind… ugh.”

Kira ignored how Shuhei had interrupted him. He listened quietly, and thought about this person. They sounded strong, but tortured by pain they didn’t ask to have. He felt his own heart ache in solidarity. He wished his soulmate wasn’t in pain. Selfishly, Kira wished he could abandon everything just for a day so he could find his soulmate. Maybe then his hand would stop being his only comfort in the night hours. To finally hold them in his arms and be able to feel their skin against his as he kissed their forehead and apologized for taking so long. Shuhei had another long drink, and Kira saw this as an opportunity. He’d been feeling so restless lately, maybe a change of scenery would be a good thing.

“Why don’t I come in and help for a bit? I’m sure Captain Muguruma would understand, what with how chaotic Mashiro is, and all the work you’re putting in for the Communication…” He trailed off, anxious to hear what his friend would say. Shuhei was about to take another drink, then paused halfway. He lowered the bottle and stared at it, his expression forlorn.

“...maybe I’ll take ‘em to the printing room. That’ll raise their spirits. I’m just worried about ‘em… they’re still my friend, you know? Seeing them in pain, and hearing them accuse me of not liking them… it’s hard.” 

Kira had no idea what Shuhei was on about, but concluded it must be about the person he was ranting about before. Overall, he took it as an agreement. Kira had another sip of his own sake as Shuhei starts to bawl, the bartender looking at them oddly. Shuhei started saying a name, which seemed odd to Kira, but he concluded it as the person's name. Placing a hand over his heart as he begins to drink all of his sake, Kira hopes his soulmate is alright, and not suffering in pain like Shuhei’s other friend is. He shook his head as Shuhei howled in misery, and Lieutenant Iba had to restrain him.

–

You stared at the printing press. Your mind churned, trying to find the reason behind Shuhei's current niceness. It felt like a trap. You inspected every inch of it, making sure nothing was faulty. It had been a long time since Shuhei had let you in here, mainly because of your work not being up to standard because of your pain, but today was special it seemed. One of his Lieutenant friends had come in to save the day and help out, much to Captain Muguruma’s mixed chagrin and relief. A blonde boy, who reminded you a lot of water. Smooth, quiet, seemingly weightless. Something different to the fire that had burned in your blood. 

You caught Shuhei staring again and you frowned. Standing up straight, you walk over to him.

“You’re looking good, mostly. The text blocks need a little upgrading, though. The wood down the far end is looking a little shabby too. It might be time for a more modern upgrade, but other than that, everything is good. I’m surprised the platen is still going too…” You speak normally for the first time in weeks. It isn’t a complaint. It isn’t filled with suppressed rage. It isn’t said sarcastically. It’s a normal conversation. Shuhei nods and rubs the back of his neck.

“...It might be time for an upgrade, yeah…” He mutters. You can see the thoughts running through his head. For the first time in a while, you see Shuhei, and not Lieutenant Hisagi. You pause for a moment, just watching him.

You know what he’s thinking. You can see the flash of Tosen behind his eyes, thoughts of the man who was a good captain, but in reality a traitor to everything you loved. It was painful. You recalled a time when you sat with Tosen in the garden. You were new to the Soul Society then, a recently graduated Soul Reaper. You’d had a terrible day, and were sitting in the garden, trying to make sense of things. Tosen had come up to you and invited you to join him on a walk. You honestly thought he was going to berate you.

But the man had talked about nonsense for a solid hour. The weather. Ink cartridges. What wood felt best when you had to take a nap on a desk. The feeling of different winds depending on what direction they came from. Never did you think a blind man would be able to talk for so long about the things you either thought weren’t worthy of talking about, or the things you’d never thought of before. For a solid hour, he spoke, you sometimes asking questions. Before you knew it, your mood had improved. Tosen had somehow managed to make you feel better by utterly confusing you. 

It was something you didn’t forget. It’s the reason why you had lashed out so aggressively when he left, your soulmate's tug becoming the source of all your pain once you’d killed as many hollows as possible. A man who had stepped out of his comfort zone to comfort a young shinigami, became almost like a father to you, one of the three greatest traitors in history. It made you scream. It was like he’d thrown you into water to drown, and when you coughed up your lungs, you set things on fire, just to feel the warmth Tosen has once provided to you.

You and Shuhei stood in silence for so long, the air became thick. When he finally looked back at you, a flash of guilt crossed his face. He cleared his throat.

“A new printing press. It’s a good idea. We’d have more time to do other things and we’d be able to…” He trailed off. So you finished his sentence for him, a flicker of your flame reigniting in your chest, hot and furious.

“Move on from the past.”

You two locked eyes. His jaw set and your eyes blazed. For a moment, it seemed like you were both going to draw your zanpakuto and fight, just to feel something other than the rage that followed a betrayal of a man you both admired and respected. A man you both knew as your calm ocean.

Then the door burst open and that blond friend of his walked in. Your tug jumped, but you ignored it. You and Shuhei snapped out of it and turned to the blonde man, who walked in. “Apologies. I’m Lieutenant Kira.” He said to you. You nodded your head in response. He was just being polite. You introduced yourself as well, making sure to be polite. You dodn’t miss how his eyes widened slightly. You frowned a little. Shuhei must’ve ran his mouth again… speaking of Shuhei, he butted in.

“Kira, what’s happening? Is everything alright?” The black haired man asked, concerned. Kira shook his head.

“Captain Muguruma is about to dissect Lieutenant Mashiro. Half the Squad is holding him back.” 

You held back a laugh, putting a hand over your mouth. Kira looked at you, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion for a moment before Shuhei started running out of the room.

“Stay here! That little-”

His voice faded as he ran, leaving you and Kira alone. The room was silent again, until you burst out into laughter.

The sound was beautiful to Kira. To him, it was like water falling over stones, so merry and carefree. To you, your laugh felt like a warm flame, not angry or harmful, but merry and calming. It felt like freedom. You kept on smiling even after you were done.

“One of these days, Captain Muguruma is going to kill Mashiro.” You said dryly, chuckling a little more at your own thought. “But only if Shuhei doesn’t get to her first.” Kira chuckled to himself.

“They’re like oil and water…” He said in a tone of false sorrow. He shook his head and then glanced at you. His heart was racing, and his tug felt painful for the first time. It was like time froze as Kira realized his tug was hurting. It felt like someone was ripping his heart out of his chest whenever he looked at you. He stepped away a little, not knowing what to do. 

You looked at Kira again, and for the first time in a long time, you felt light. Like all your burdens had been burned away until only the embers remained. Something you usually only felt in the dead of night, an emotion of calmness and serenity you’d dubbed the ‘midnight flame’. A soft, burning sensation that soothed rather than harmed. You saw something turning behind Kira’s eyes, and the tenseness of his neck.

You recalled how Shuhei had said Kira was a bit antisocial. You’d heard of him before Tosen and the others had betrayed the Soul Society. You hadn’t met, though, due to your own schedule and the fact that Shuhei needed to be babysat while drinking, which wasn’t your favourite thing to do. Out of respect for him, you collected yourself and stepped away a little as well, looking away. Your chest felt so light. For the first time in a long time, it’s like you’re able to breathe without feeling the heavy burden of your soulmates tug. You went to speak again, maybe to break the silence, when Kira fell to his knees.

You paused for a minute, wondering if you should laugh or not. You opted to crouch down where you are and looked at Kira.

“...are you alright?” He glanced at you, his eyes filled with tears. He quickly looked away, clenching his fists over his knees as he tried to focus on anything but the pain. The tug in his chest was too much, this blistering hurt that burns him. You reached out to him, but he exhaled sharply before you could touch him. Your brow creased, and your own tug began to hurt again. An endless cycle for you, one that you couldn’t escape. Your face hardened. ‘I’ll get Lieutenant Hisagi.” A simple decision. You stood quickly and walked out of the room, searching for Shuhei.

You followed the sounds of commotion to see Shuhei and Mashiro having an argument. You were about to step in to ask when he’ll be done, when an errant hand grabed you by the neck and marched you back inside.

“Stay out of it.”

If you had to describe Captain Muguruma, you would call him a blaze. He was a wild-looking man, with the strength of a hundred regular shinigami, and an outrageous sense of style that had inspired Shuhei to get tattoos on his face, of all places. He set you down inside and checked over his shoulder to see if Mashiro was dead yet. Finding the little green girl still alive, he looked back at you.

“Whatever it is, you come to me. I’m your Captain now, not Hisagi.” Muguruma spoke with an annoyed tone in his voice, as if this was the last thing he wanted to be dealing with. You recalled every time he barked at you to speed up, or told you to go home and get over it. He was perhaps the worst person who could’ve caught you when you needed help. You swallowed and put on a smile.

“I was just looking to see if it had ended yet.”

“Well, it hasn’t, so get back inside. I heard he left you at the… printing thing.”

“...the printing press?”

“That. Whatever it is, just stay there.”

“We need a more modern one.” “Lieutenant Hisagi is in charge of that. He’ll come to me when he wants one and I’ll give him the funds.” “Well I want to talk to him about what options we have.”

“From what I hear, you’ve been banned from the Communication work until your pain isn’t such a hindrance.”

You fell silent. Muguruma stared down at you with his arms crossed, radiating pure annoyance. You weren’t going to be getting any help from anyone, it looked like. Without another word, you turned away, walking back to the printing room, and a distressed Kira. Your body burned with anger at Muguruma. He only became captain because there was nobody else to take the spot, and because the Soul Society had been desperate for experienced captains. Otherwise, he’d still be rotting in the mortal realm, living his pathetic life, probably getting more piercings. 

Muguruma watched you. He didn’t understand what he was doing wrong. He was being truthful, wasn’t he? He knew you were hindered by something that could be sorted. Why didn’t you take your numerous enforced days off to find the cause of your issue and stop it? Why didn’t you thank him for at least noticing you weren’t doing okay? He looked down at the ground as he scowled. You’re probably just emotional and in pain again. He’d have to give you more space, leave you alone. Your anger was helping nobody. At least when he got angry he had time for it… 

You entered the printing room again, your eyes trained on Kira. He looked a little better. He met your gaze for a moment, and you sighed.

“Lieutenant Kira is busy with Lieutenant Mashiro.” You announced. You walked forward and held out your hand, a gesture that seemed fine for time being. “Let’s get you somewhere that doesn’t house a machine.”

When he took your hand, his face pale and his palm slightly sweaty, it was like a thousand midnight doves erupt from the touch alone.

Such a feeling of fullness filled you. A flurry of soft wings enveloping your entire being, a eruption of a waterfall inside your soul that quenched all anger and pain that led you to salvation. No longer did you crave, no longer did your tug pull at your very being. Water rushed into every part of your soul, filling it with such a lightness you could've sworn at the moment it felt like you were suspended in a great sea, but no risk of drowning was present. 

For Izuru, he felt warmth after the loss of such a crippling pain. Such a hearth bloomed inside him he knew that he would never feel cold during his lonely midnight again. A flame so enveloping inside his being, something so warm and right to fight for, he likened it to a Phoenix. Reborn from the ashes, no longer suffering under cool water. The water in his lung was burned away, and with it, his passion ignited. Such a small thing he felt, something he'd never felt before. Passion. What was it? The kindle burned in his chest, a fire that would never go out. He felt free.

The two of you stared at each other, before Izuru slowly stood, your hands still clasped together, your souls both finally free of searching, of tugging. He was mesmerised by you. You thought of everything you'd been through. 

Fire and water were opposites, and yet no matter which element your soul reflected now, you had to make your peace. 

“...I was in insurmountable pain for a very long time.” You said. A boldness ripped through you. Yet your next words- ”You should make it up to me.” -were stolen from your throat at Izuru, not quite understanding what he was doing in his new passionate delirium, pulled you forward and swept you into a tight hug. On instinct, you responded in kind.

All was silent for a few moments, before Izuru spoke again. His voice was shaky from his nervousness, but his newfound passion simmer underneath it all. He damned himself for being so shy, but this time, he was going to push himself to show you comfort. 

“Never again.” His throat was hoarse. Hands once used for worry and work found their new purpose grasping you close to him. “No more pain.”

No more pain. How you'd longed for that for so long. How you'd longed for midnight under the moon where you didn't feel as if you'd lose your soul to such agony within it. How you'd longed to take it out on him, to scream and yell for the pain he'd unwittingly caused. And yet. Such a cool flow of water filled you, such a rush of comfort from his words washed over you, so much so you couldn't be mad anymore. How could you? How could you be so angry at the person whose first words to you was “never again”?

Izuru finally felt a flash of discomfort from the sudden hug he initiated. He stepped back but slid his hands to your ribs. You suppressed the urge to jump. You had ticklish ribs. He looked into your eyes before looking away, so red in the face he could barely talk anymore. 

For a moment, all was still. Then, in a moment of weakness you'd never felt, a tender kind you wished to explore during softer, quieter midnights, you began to speak.

“...you're-”

With a bang, the door to the printing press room slammed open. 

“I'm sick and tired of leaving you be, and ignoring the pain of someone who's one of my best seated officers-” Muguruma was yelling, but stopped. You turned your head and scowled.

That insufferable prick. 

Your souls, two lost souls now joined in what would blossom into such a pure love ordained by the universe itself, were still fire and water. You two balanced each other. As Izuru found out less than ten seconds later, after you gently pulled away from him, you would need plenty of water to cool down after you had a shouting match with Captain Muguruma. It was such a sight to see that even Shuhei and Mashiro stopped fighting to come and investigate the source of your yelling. To be fair, nobody had ever seen you explode like this. Shuhei and Izuru locked eyes, and as Izuru dissolved into embarrassment, wishing he could hide away, Shuhei felt himself grinning for his friend. 

It did nag in the back of Shuhei's mind on how on earth shy, quiet, water-like Kira was soulmates with the embodiment of sheer rage and hellfire. 

“Opposites attract,” He murmured to himself. Mashiro giggled.

“Maybe Captain Muguruma is soulmates with me if that's the case.” 

“...you're out of you goddamn mind if you think-”

Two fights broke out in the printing press room, both of which Izuru wanted to run and hide from. Yet he couldn't take his eyes off of your form, how you gestured as you and Muguruma argued loudly. He wondered if he should get you a glass of water for your throat. You were certainly yelling loud enough…

Then you drew your sword just as Muguruma did and he decided to leave it be for now. 

At the very least, Izuru could provide you with water during the midnights you would steal in the future, soft kisses that were stolen in the dark, and gentle sighs turned into moans when he finally felt such a flame burn away his gentle water in his soul. Seeing you spent and satisfied brought him more satisfaction and joy than anything else. Afterwards, he always brought you a big glass.

[mxguruma]

@icybreaths replied to your post “(remember when I said I'd take that nap?? That...”:

grampa needed his nap-- //shot

​

"You got somethin' to say?"

[pliablehead]

Super self-indulgent little piece of writing I did laying out the guys from EE as a dungeons & dragons-style adventuring party, which I have just mailed to @heyjudelaw but figured I’d also share here if anyone cared hehehe

Central among them stands a dark-clad man who draws the eye almost instantly with his towering, statuesque height, and then keeps it, quite striking in appearance and countenance. His dark hair rakes back from a noble brow in an elegant widow’s peak, and with it, two smooth, sweeping devil’s horns, darker still–a tiefling, then, from some high elven stock but some of something else, deeper, infernal. The rake of his horns only serves to make him look even taller. He wears a long, crisp travellers’ coat, its shining buttons left undone along his front; it is perhaps black, perhaps only nearly black, effecting something more subtle and expensive than a stark blotch of pure pitch might in the dappled soft-focus light of the wood. Beneath it he sports no armor, merely a simple knit sweater with a high turtleneck, obscuring nearly all of his tanned skin. It is clear he does not need it: here in what should be at least three days’ rough travel from the edge of the wood, his clothes and slim boots show not a speck of dirt nor wear, and not a single strand of his smoothly coiffed hair falls out of place. Some sort of power beyond the material realm of the forest auras him–the only thing about him that is difficult to look at. Though his eyes are also dark, theirs is a warm, liquid darkness, speaking of more brightness and kindness than the rest of his striking presence might command.

At his side, another—perhaps maybe even tall as the tiefling man, but comporting himself such that he appears smaller, somehow stooped without stooping, his shoulders in an altogether different set. He is unmistakably elvish, though in a rare way of no clear high elf or wood elf bearing, his fine features and complexion betraying neither, his eyes clear but hooded and narrow, as though constantly peering into spaces deeper and further than the planes around him. The singular visage of an arcanist. This elven man is clad in soft cloaks of greys and tans, much more of a place in the wood than his tiefling companion seems to be; and belted around his waist and shoulders are a number of small, esoteric devices that he seems to touch and catalogue with a practiced, almost uncanny ease, finding one and implementing it immediately in almost the same deft, fluid motion. The casual movement of his dexterous hands belies the deep arcane complexity of the challenges they perform, mastered only after years or even decades of study—despite his unassuming appearance, his reputation has come to precede him. Surely this is the wizard Kaines.

Smallest among their number, but by no means slight, stands a man of a much more human bearing, though there lingers just enough in his bone structure and the cool piercing blue of his eyes to indicate some elven heritage within him as well, perhaps several generations back. Compared to his companions he seems almost nondescript by choice, with dark, close-cropped hair and a matching stubbled jaw flecked through with grey, and a posture of almost deliberate, calculated looseness, an alert mind and a keen gaze. He wears light and almost airy raiments, a diffuse shade of blue, as though of a white fabric dyed by hand to perfectly match his eyes, and their monotone palette seems—symbolic, representative of something, perhaps some order he has sworn himself to, or some other alliance beyond his traveling party. Despite the shaded cool of the forest, the shirtsleeves of this raiment are short, as though to give him the broadest and easiest range of motion. Mounted at his waist are a few small instruments of combat, blades and cudgels clearly designed for nimble swiftness rather than overpowering might, though his bared arms are corded with lithe muscle, that same loose but wary carriage.

At the front of the party—stepping forward—

Not the first of them to stand out and command attention, but the one who does so now with the greatest strength and tenacity, good gods, impossible to look away. Like his companion in blue, he appears mostly of human heritage, but whatever other ancestry lies in his blood is not that of his half-elven cohorts, but some more fey or bestial nature, some kobold or gnoll of some deep underforest, gleaming feral about his wild blue eyes, the unsettling too-clean sharpness of his teeth. His brows and the shadow of his jaw are dark, but his head of hair is bleached to blond by some caustic process or by some other clime’s blazing sun, a strange clash, at home in his strange whole. His broad body is clad in textured, dark black underleathers, a wicked pitch-black breastplate and greaves, all underneath some sweeping sleeveless cloak or priory tabard—mist-grey and somber, at its surface, but seeming to ripple with a frisson of hellfire orange and magenta when the woodland breeze catches it, there one moment and vanished the next, preternatural and alarming as the rest of the man himself. Whatever vestments these are that he wears, nothing of the divine realms has lain touch to them. His power, compelling and captivating as has ever graced this wood, stems from something oppressive, ancient, and fathomlessly dark, till it nearly clouds the air around him. Against its weight he seems almost illumined by compare.

And so bidden, you approach the crossroad…

[kayo-min]

Kaien x Kensei

- Requested from Bleach Doodle Requests kayomin

[hey-cringelord]

bringing my whining over here: if tybw ends and we don’t see hisagi’s bankai animated i might cry real tears on kubo’s doorstep

it’s the one thing i ask for, and going off a twitter post icba to find, it seems likely that the pacing of tybw anime/how quickly we’re currently moving through volumes, it’s basically guaranteed that (with the help of kubo sensei) tybw anime will have more fights than the manga

we see this with shinji, obviously, and his sickass bankai that, before animated, was only seen in the can’t fear your own world novels (and maybe bbs, i don’t play it so i can’t confirm this)

anyway, my point: i hope the extra fights kubo sensei mentioned when discussing the tybw anime includes hisagi’s bankai partly for the sake of anime-only’s seeing a well thought out character come full circle with his power and abilities. selfishly: i just want to fucking see it animated. please 😭😭😭

additionally: something from my twitter of me deluding myself into thinking the dialogue is hinting at something

[blue-dream-rhapsody]

I had too much mental free time at work today, and I’m not gonna be able to craft even a passable case to fully execute the concept but

100% entertained the idea of a joke chapter in Pleasant Dreams that’s a Cacao Society Ace Attorney trial, where Shuhei is the defense with Mashiro as his counsel (I wasn’t able to decide on a prosecutor), and for comedic effect Komamura is the judge.

Kugo sees a dog-man walk in and call the court into session to determine if he’s guilty of magic crimes and by this point he is just like “yeah this might as well happen”

[jcniper-backup]

Might just be me but I wish monks and rogues had different subclasses in bg3

[amicitiadallion]

Champion of the Nation

Character: Maya of the Black Claw, Tabaxi. Class: Monk, Way of Kensei. PC in my DnD campaign "Darkness upon Bephirea".

[dvarapala]

what dnd class are you?

— monk.

You’re a reflective and ambitious person who likes to push yourself to see how far you can go, always seeking self-improvement. You’ve cultivated some impressive skills over the years through practice, study, and hard work, though others might just call you naturally talented without recognizing the effort you put in to get there. You know that there’s a time for thoughtful analysis and a time for purposeful application of brute force, and you’re equally skilled at both.

what is your monastic tradition?

— either the way of mercy or the way of the open hand.

Monks of the Way of Mercy learn to manipulate the life force of others to bring aid to those in need. They are wandering physicians to the poor and hurt. However, to those beyond their help, they bring a swift end as an act of mercy. You’re a pragmatic and deeply caring person who finds meaning in helping others. You’re compassionate and you generally want the best for people, but you also recognize that some people are just not worth your time and effort. You’re careful about where you decide to invest your energy and you’re not afraid to walk away from things or people that are not worth it. You may seem nice and friendly (and you are, much of the time), but you can also make a dangerous enemy to those who make the mistake of getting on your bad side.

Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm. You’re a grounded person who is tuned into your body. You’re naturally independent and you care about improving yourself and honing your skills. You’re also very insightful and you have a knack for understanding what makes other people tick. You understand yourself very well, you know what works best for you, and your self-awareness means that you’re able to get things done with surprising efficiency.

tagged  by :    @sayitan ♡♡♡♡ tagging :    you

[kazeshinigami]

❝ As long as I’m here, you’re safe. ❞ 

over-protective sentence starters

Shuuhei knows he should take that statement as reassurance. He tries to. He nuzzles closer to Kensei, if that’s even possible, and tries to will into his bones the belief that Kensei will protect him for as long as he is here.

But, his unhelpful mind puts forth, how long will that be? Not forever. Far shorter than forever. It’s true, Kensei does keep Shuuhei safe — particularly from himself — but that also means the reverse holds true. Once Kensei leaves, which Shuuhei has not yet been able to convince himself has left the realm of possibility, Shuuhei will be alone. No one to press their hands to the bleeding hole in his heart left by grief. He’s sure he will wither away into nothing.

Still, he chides himself, that time hasn’t come. If this — his relationship with Kensei — is going to be the last time he feels happiness in his woebegone little life, then he doesn’t want to fritter it away with his worries. Perhaps there is a tiny glimmer of desperate hope which believes that if he just clings to Kensei tightly enough, he won’t lose him after all.

“Mm,” he agrees in the end. “You’ve been saving me even from the beginning. My hero.”

[mxguruma]

Smacks blog a bit, "Come on, wake up!" Looks like his writer had been leaving this place go.

[dreadsuitsamus]

Bleach Men Taking Your Baby to the Grocery Store Headcanons

author's note: yes the premise is random but it's also very cute and perfectly in line with my recent onslaught of baby fever. also, the banners in this post were created by the always amazing @actuallysaiyan!! thank you for the gorgeous banners, babe! 🩷🩷🩷

pairings: kensei muguruma x reader, byakuya kuchiki x reader, grimmjow jaegerjaquez x reader, renji abarai x reader, ichigo kurosaki x reader

warnings: children ages 5 and younger and grimmjow's parenting lmao this is mostly fluff and some mischief mixed in from the babies

Kensei is definitely the tough parent of the two of you, and he relishes in that fact

But goddammit do those baby eyes make him waver

As he carries little Mila into the store, he tells her they're only there for necessities

No candy, no sugary cereals, only what you've tasked him to buy for dinner

Despite being only three and a half, however, Mila has a pretty good idea of how to get her way with Kensei

It's gotten slightly less effective since the pacifiers have been removed from her arsenal, but anything that cracks her dad's tough exterior is remarkable as is

It starts off innocently enough, though soon the way she sings her little song and bops her head around becomes rife with intent

"Daddy, can has hug?" She blinks up at him, holding her arms up

Either he's willfully choosing to fall into the trap, or Kensei is merely blind in the face of his precious girl

"Of course, baby." Kensei picks her up from the cart and kisses her wonderfully chubby cheek, leading the cart behind him as he continues through the store with Mila hooked on his hip

Mila curls up, humming as her eyes scan the shelves for something she wants

"Hold Momma's list for Daddy, okay?"

Mila's little fingers hold the list carefully, and soon Kensei is at a crossroad

"Broth. What kind of broth?" He mutters, fishing his cell phone from his pocket to call you

As usual, it turns into a bit of a squabbling match. He thinks remembering every little detail is silly, and you think you've made this dish so many times he should know you need chicken broth

Kensei is sufficiently annoyed by the time the phone call ends, and Mila strikes then

"Daddy, can has kiss?"

"Yes, baby." She gets a kiss on either cheek, and the kiss she gives his cheek right back is just about the final nail in the coffin

With Kensei holding her, she's able to reach the shelf and snag a little box of animal crackers

"Daddy, can has this?"

Played by the fucking toddler again!! That's three times this week!

"... Don't tell your brothers." Kensei sighs, hanging his head in shame

It's not all bad though; he does get another sweet kiss from his princess

Byakuya is a strict but ultimately fair father

Little Jasmine has grown up under his watchful eye, though through that she's certainly learned just how many of his limits she can press and how to get around them

Going to the grocery store is rare, and even more so if you're not present for the journey

But it's vacation time, and you're busy setting up the cabin for your family's stay, so Byakuya has been tasked with gathering enough groceries to make it through dinner and the morning's breakfast

Byakuya holds Jasmine’s hand and they walk inside together, Byakuya using a tissue to pick up one of the small hand baskets. There's no telling the last time this thing has been sanitized!

“What would you like for dinner tonight?” Byakuya asks the five year old, and Jasmine hums thoughtfully

How can she end the first day of this vacation with a delicious banana split?

Appealing to her father's tastes will increase the likelihood of success, and her father is quite fond of spicy foods…

“Can we have curry?”

The light in his eyes isn't missed by the girl, and she can practically taste an ice cream sundae with a waffle bowl already

“You're becoming more accustomed to spices, I see.” Byakuya hums and begins to survey the store's offerings, whereas Jasmine is mentally preparing her list for dessert

“Daddy?” Jasmine dials up the sweetness in her tone while Byakuya examines the various cuts of chicken on display

“Yes?” He hums

“Can we have a treat tonight?”

“What sort of treat?”

“A surprise treat. Please, Daddy?”

Byakuya pauses. He's no fan of sweets, and in general sugar is limited in the Kuchiki household

But she did say please

“Mm… I suppose.”

Byakuya doesn't meet your eyes when he and Jasmine return from the store with more ingredients for ice cream sundaes than dinner and breakfast combined

He is such a sucker, but he's happy to be played when he receives his banana split with a chocolate syrup drawing of his beloved Wakame Taishi from his darling daughter

Renji tries his best to be a strict father, but his determination wavers frequently. He wanted for many things as a child, and as a parent he doesn't wish to push that same feeling on his child as long as he's capable of providing a warm, loving home

Not to mention, that damn two year is old is just so cute it makes his heart melt at the mere sight of the toddler

“C’mon, honey, gotta get some soup for Mommy.” Renji murmurs as he carefully takes little Rin from his car seat, carrying him into the store on his hip

“Why?” is Rin’s favorite question right now, and Renji’s eye twitches a bit

“Because her tummy is upset.”

“Why?”

“... I don't know.”

“Why?”

“I don't know!”

“Why?”

Renji gently pinches his son's lips between his fingers. “Shhh… Quiet time.”

But of course, the moment he lets go, Rin is back at it again

“Why?”

“Because now Daddy has a headache.”

Rin, as gently as he can while simultaneously not managing much grace in the act, pats his father's sunglasses that sit atop his head

“All bedder?”

Renji's lip practically wobbles at the sweetness. “Yes, Daddy's all better. Thank you, sweetie.”

Rin rests his head against his father, playing with the Renji’s chain while he surveys all of the varieties of soup, Renji occasionally pulling the chain away from the baby's open mouth

Rin whines after his third attempt to eat the necklace, so Renji quickly grabs the first can of chicken noodle soup he sees and makes a dash for the checkout. No baby meltdowns in public, for the love of God

Renji gently bounces the baby, pleading softly with him to calm down. It's not working very well, however, and these damn checkout lines aren't moving at all!

Desperation wins and Renji's grabbing a lollipop before he knows it, tearing the wrapping off and popping the sucker into Rin’s teeny mouth

His plan to calm the baby works, and by the time he's actually able to check out and purchase the soup, the small pop is already gone and the tantrum is starting to blossom again

And just as Renji gets the baby strapped back into his carseat, he checks his phone to see a text you sent twenty minutes ago that practically sends his eyes popping out of his skull

Can you pick up a pregnancy test too?

He glances over at the toddler, and can practically see the boy as a big brother already

Even with a fussy baby in round two of the long lines, Renji's smile doesn't waver and he just kisses and coos at the hopefully soon-to-be big brother

Grimmjow is an interesting parent. Much like how every day with a four year old is a mystery, every day with Grimmjow is a deep dive into the unknown

So when sending the man and his mini-me to the grocery store, you're not quite sure what they're going to come home with. Hopefully it at least includes the items on the list, otherwise dinner is going to be very different from what you've planned

“Oi, keep up!” Grimm looks over his shoulder, the four year old having been distracted by a vending machine

“Want snack.”

“Too bad. Let's go.”

The toddler’s stare is a little too lead paint-y for Grimmjow's liking

“Zen.” Grimmjow looks on, unimpressed as he fishes a coin from his pocket. “Fine, brat. You win, you get a snack. I win, I get a snack.”

That gets the boy to smile, clapping his hands as he jumps in excitement

Grimmjow smirks. “Heads I win, tails you lose.”

The coin is flipped off of Grimmjow's thumb and he catches it easily, Zen waiting with bated breath for the results. Does Daddy win or does he lose??

Grimm sucks his teeth, shaking his head and tucking the quarter back into his pocket. “Heads I win. Tough luck, kid. Maybe next time.”

Zen pouts, watching his father slip a dollar into the vending machine and press the buttons for a honey bun. “Aw man…”

“C’mon.” Grimmjow opens up the snack, taking a big bite and grabbing the front of Zen’s coat, carrying him inside of the store like a handbag

The boy can't help but giggle as he looks up at his father; he loves air jail!

“You're in jail. Stop laughing, fuckin’ psycho.” Grimm shakes his son a bit, hiding his own laughter into the next bite of his honey bun. He's a hardass, but that baby's laugh is precious and melts him like ice cream on a sunny day

Heads turn at the way Grimmjow carries Zen, but Grimm is highly unbothered by such judgment. His kid is happy and healthy, and anyone that thinks otherwise can kiss his ass, for all he cares

“You got the list?” Grimm looks down at Zen, the boy fishing out the neatly-folded post-it note you lovingly tucked into his jacket pocket

Grimmjow perks a brow as he reads off the ingredients you've listed. “Say, kid—” he looks down at his son. “Whaddya say we ditch the list and get some pizza instead?”

Zen claps happily at the idea and Grimm grins menacingly, crushing up the grocery list and tossing it on the floor as he hoists his boy over his shoulder, stuffing the last bite of the honey bun in his baby's mouth whilst flipping off a scandalized woman at the checkouts

Growing up with two younger sisters was good for something after all, Ichigo thinks as he wrangles his twin girls through the parking lot with relative ease

The three year olds are stubborn and independent, having insisted they walk instead of having daddy carry them! But they still want to hold his hands, of course

why no he is not melting like a lava cake, why do you ask?

The girls gasp at the sight of a shopping cart with a racecar on the end that's the perfect size for two little ones!

“We don't even need a cart.” Ichigo deadpans, though it's in one ear and out the other as the babies pile into the little racecar, turning the steering wheels and beeping the (thankfully noiseless) horns

He feels like an idiot but as the dutiful father he is, Ichigo complies with his girls’ wishes and pushes the cart into the store

Chubby fingers point as little voices call out for candies and trinkets, and Ichigo's quick with each of his responses

“No.”

“I said no.”

“No ma'am!”

He's definitely cleaning their ears out when they get home, because clearly they can't hear him! Why else would they ask for things a million times over, hm?

“Daddy always say no.” Indigo pouts, her sister nodding in agreement. All they want is some candy!! Why is Daddy so mean?

Ichigo sighs in frustration as the aisle he needs to go down is absolutely packed, and he's stuck with this behemoth of a shopping cart. Settling it at the end of the aisle, he kneels down to make eye contact with the girls

“Stay put; I’ll be right back.”

Ichigo quickly rushes down the aisle, weaving between people to get to the pasta section

Now… If only he could remember what shape of pasta you told him to buy

Indigo and Imani look at each other, covering their mouths to hide their mischievous giggles

Those Push Pops they were eyeing are still nearby, and Daddy isn't!

As the tag team they are, Indigo and Imani spring into action, Indigo rushing to get the candy while Imani (who turns up the cuteness to a ten!) rushes down the aisle to her father

Ichigo frowns and picks up Imani, scolding her for leaving the cart

It isn't exactly effective, however, as the baby eyes and the cooing let her off the hook easily

When they get back to the cart after Ichigo remembers which pasta you've requested, he sets Imani back into the racecar

Indigo slips a blue Push Pop into her twin's hand, the two of them sharing a conspiratorial smile

They almost get away with it too, though when Ichigo's strapping them into their car seats he notices the lollipops

“Stop stealing!!!!”

These girls will surely be the reason he takes medication for his blood pressure, and he dreads the day when they become teenagers!

[enretrogue]

𝗙𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗙𝗜𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗦

༝༚༝༚ = Black/POC Works ⎢ 24’ Fic Rec M.List

ATTACK ON TITAN:

Multi-Character 

Window Shopping (Connie Springer +. Ryomen Sukuna) — @chrollohearttags ༝༚༝༚

Threesome (Connie Springer + Onyankopon) — @merakidoll ༝༚༝༚

Tryna Threeway With His Roomie (Jean Kirstein + Connie Springer) — @honeybleed

On Valentine’s Day (Jean Kirstein +Porco Galliard) — @shepnicolo

Double Penetration (Reiner Braun + Zeke Jaeger) — @nekomacheercaptain

Double the Fun (Eren Jaeger + Reiner Braun) — @daisynik7

Drift King (Eren Jaeger + Ryomen Sukuna) — @s-sugustar ༝༚༝༚

Connie Springer

“Make It Fit”!Connie — @nysrage ༝༚༝༚

Midnight Snack — ^ ༝༚༝༚

Messages w/ Bestfriend!Connie — @morgluvsconnie ༝༚༝༚

When Connie First Saw You, He Knew You Were The One — ^ ༝༚༝༚

24/7 — @ayeyolooo ༝༚༝༚

He Fucks the Attitude Out of You — @kyunzin ༝༚༝༚

Let Me Get A Taste — ^ ༝༚༝༚

Connie Meets Y/N’s Doggy — @cindol ༝༚༝༚

Ears Pierced — @rissouu ༝༚༝༚

Some Help — @nininikki ༝༚༝༚

Soft Thug ⎢ Part 2 — @klipkillakai ༝༚༝༚

Forgotten — @spliffymae

Nobody Else, Nothing Else — @rrenzwrld ༝༚༝༚

Eren Jaeger (Yeager)

Happy Valentine’s Day, Daddy! — @merakidoll ༝༚༝༚

Jean Kirstein (Kirschtein)

Plug!Jean — @rissouu ༝༚༝༚

Texts w/ Plug!Jean — ^ ༝༚༝༚

I’m Thinkin’ Bout Wifin’ You — ^ ༝༚༝༚

Late Night Drives — @jeanboyjean

All Mine — @planeteroticaaa

The Way Things Go — @plutoccult

Someday — @kingkonoha

Jean Covering His Ears — @shunsuis

DILF!Jean — @jeankirsteinsgrlfrnd

Stupid Gifts and a New Milestone — @sleepingpillscosmos

Now Playing At The Video Store — @mochimooon

Onyankopon

4 Your Eyes Only — @nysrage ༝༚༝༚

The House Party — ^ ༝༚༝༚

Rollin’ To Love — ^ ༝༚༝༚

Just Me Loving You — @s-sugustar ༝༚༝༚

Mutuals — @anucalor ༝༚༝༚

Smutty Blurb — @katsukis-lilbunnywhore ༝༚༝༚

Reiner Braun

Tutoring Jock!Reiner — @mommypieck

Reiner Fucking Your Wrist — ^

Headpats, please? — @erwinsmithsmissingleftarm

NSFW Alphabet — ^

Eye Contact — @love-fictional-ppl

Gingerbread Sweet — @amywritesthings

Sugar Daddy Reiner — @agusrkive

BLEACH:

Multi-Character:

Bleach Men Taking Your Baby to the Grocery Store HCs (Kensei, Renji, Byakuya, Grimmjow, Ichigo) — @dreadsuitsamus

Byakuya Kuchiki

Bella Notte — @sashi-ya

Valentine’s Event — @actuallysaiyan

“Unwanted” Matrimony” — @tojiscumdumpster ༝༚༝༚

Renji Abarai

Knockout — @tojiscumdumpster ༝༚༝༚

THE GRAY MAN:

Court Gentry/Sierra Six

He a Creature — @ryanclutched

Alone Together — @ken-dom

NARUTO:

Multi-Character

“Thank you for the flowers” Prank (Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Kakashi) — @kingkonoha

Out of My Mind ⎢ Ch. 2 ⎢ Ch. 3 ⎢ Ch. 4 (Neji Hyuga + Shikamaru Nara) — @hyuganejiswife

Shikamaru Nara

One Night — @kingkonoha

Boy’s Night — @galaxychaos78

Kinktober Day 21: Squirting — @actuallysaiyan

Shikamaru w/ a Busty Reader HCs — @chocolatetheoristcloud

Night In — @jodrawssmut

Alone — @nanamimizz