#weight in that they are both one of the biggest names in opposition to the government. they do this in different ways at different levels o

[urmomsstuntdouble]

not to be political but I've seen a lot of people saying that those who call Israel an apartheid don't know what they're talking about and um. As someone who has studied South African apartheid as well as grown up in a Jewish community. This claim has more merit than you think

[dia-souls]

===Yui Komori as an Idol Reverse Harem Headcanons===

Yui is known for her cuteness, she is really famous because of her aegyo as she doesn't look cringe while doing it.

Yui is one of the youngest idol in entertainment industry. She was 14 when she became a trainee and debuted at the age of 17.

Yui has a very shrill and gentle voice. Her vocals are good. She can hit high notes. She can also sing live.

Her dance is average. She is very good at doing gentle and elegant dances rather than fast and hip hop.

Yui has really soft and feminine beauty. Her visuals are compare to angel or doll because of her blonde hair, white skin and big eyes.

She doesn't dye her hair frequently but if she does, it's usually light colours like white, pink or highlights.

Her popularity shooted because of her performances in which she is dressed in a beautiful pink dress that matches her eyes and with a small crown adorning her hair. That performance caused her to get viral as people started comparing her to doll and her cute voice also caught attention of many people.

She has more fanboys (55%) than fangirls (45%).

Idol Yui works under Sakamaki cooperation whose head is Shu.

She has two manager Reiji and Ruki. Yui sometimes cries as both of them are strict and sometimes hard on her.

Ruki is incharge of taking care of her diet and her schedules. He is incharge of taking care of Yui and he makes sure she stays healthy and keeps her on ideal weight.

Reiji is incharge of handling her social sites and is responsible for tours recquirement, Yui's passwords etc are under Reiji. Reiji is usually the one who is keeping her socials update like posting picture, stories, captions, tik tok, etc.

There is unspoken rivalry between them, as they both compete on who is more responsible and who can handle all these things alone. They both secretly like Yui and are aware that opposite party also likes her.

Idol Yui is really famous among male idols and as well as other fans. Some male idols confessed that Yui is their ideal type.

Yui is also known for her kindness. As she always treats her fans kindly even rude and toxic ones whom disrespect her. She smiles at them gently instead of getting angry.

She through out her career never showed anger, she is also known for her calm nature.

She is considered to be wife-material that's why she is famous among Japanese men.

Yuma is Yui's personal body guard. Yums was given to Yui by commapany( by Shu) , her boss actually to make sure she stays safe and her sasaeng don't bother her or hurt her.

Azusa is Yui's hairstylist and makeup artist whom secretly is Yui's biggest stanner. He did this job just because he could be closer to his favourite idol.

He fells in love with her again and again as she always treats him kindly and doesn't judge his slow way of speaking.

Azusa always blushes whenever he sees her getting dress for her performances.

Azusa as yui stanner has his own accounts online where he defend Yui from haters and fights with them he always wins as he knows Yui's secrets and all stuffs. He is famous because of his defending way and was called Yui's no. 1 fanboy by online community no one saw his face neither he will reveal.

He protects Yui from shadows.

Kou is Yui's choreographer whom uses this opportunity to touch her in the name of making her learn faster and better.

Yuma once confronted him and was ready to beat the hell out of him when he noticed his way of touching her then he scolded by Ruki saying that he is only teaching her and nothing else.

Yuma still punched him but that didn't stop Kou. He sometimes manapulate Yui into going out with him.

Shu watches this all from his office through cctv camera and threatened Kou to kick him out if he tried anything funny on Yui again. He makes sure that all male staff stays in line.

Shu also changed the male staff to female staff most of the female staff work around Yui. He makes sure of it only 4-5 males are around Yui but they don't stay around her too much.

Yui is surrounded by female staff so that Shu could be at ease knowing she won't be harrased but he literally rubbed his temples when he found out that a staff girl confessed her love to Yui. She was kicked out.

Yuma was the one who told such things to Shu as Yuma knows he has power over to control them Yuma observes all of the staff the moment he finds them creepy or weird he immediately informs Shu so he could take action.

The staff is kicked out if he/she had ill intention towards Yui. In this way Yuma and Shu protect her.

Shu once installed a camera in Yui's changing room to peep at her only to be caught by Ruki whom than throwed it in dustbin while crushing it.

Reiji and Ruki never found out that Shu was the one behind this vulgar incident.

Yuma upon hearing this, his protectiveness and possessiveness towards Yui shooted up.

Yui is also shipped with Yuma, Reiji and Ruki. Because her moments with them always gets viral.

One time one fanboy made Yui uncomfortable and Yuma immediately rescues her by twisting his arms and he recieved positive comments from fans.

Ruki sometimes covers Yui with his jacket and Reiji sometimes glares at them whenever they make her feel bad or uncomfy.

Yui cracking jokes with them these moments makes fans ship them romantically.

Yuma and Yui were also caught up in the dating scandal. Just to have Shu immediately releasing a statement denying them without Yuma and Yui's approval or consent.

He afterwards made sure that this is actually not true and it was not true in reality.

Yui is also shipped with male idols. Her most famous ship is with kino. (in meantime, I will explain the reason👀)

Yui also works as a MC her male partner is Carla whom grabs every chance to get shipped with her.

Carlayui is second famous ship after Kinoyui between idols.

Yui is also shipped with Shin because of their interactions in variety shows where they both were paired up in games .

Tsukinamis are also idols but under different agency they aren't in same agency as Yui.

They once collabed with Yui which results in countless edits of them being shipped.

Tsukinamis compared to Yui are more famous and their popularity served as a clout for Yui to gain fans.

Subaru is Yui's biggest simp. He is Yui's rich fanboy. He has all of Yui's merches and photocards. His room is filled with Yui's pictures whom he took personally.

Subaru also stalks Yui while wearing black jacket or hood over black pants he always wears caps with his white hair poking through them he also wears black mask.

Subaru was called out once on this because on his Instagram people noticed that his pictures are in the same place as Yui and with exact same pose.

Reiji sued him immediately upon noticing but Subaru being rich easily got out off this and continued.

Subaru also applied for body guard position only to be rejected as he couldn't beat Yuma's strength and physic.

He also goes in same gym as Yuma and tries to get Yui's info from him only to get rejected.

The triplets are her fans who go to every one of her concerts and have not lost any of her concerts. Laito had even made her sign a marriage contract. Yui signed it thinking it was funny.

He later gushed about it to Ayato and Kanato whom then do same as him making Yui sign it and claims her as their wife on twitter and Facebook.

Ruki and Reiji later sue them as Yui then started recieving hate behind that hate train was Subaru whom made a big issue of such small thing by different accounts as a result Yui started bawling on her next live and he felt hella bad.

Shu than announced hiatus for Yui, which broke the triplets and Subaru.

Tsukinamis later defending her on their live saying idol life is hard and she is young which in return made Yui hated more by Tsukinamis fangirls.

Reiji and Ruki rubbed their temples when they saw hate comments by jealous fangirls of Tsukinamis.

Triplets and Subaru started hashtags of #saveyuifromtsukinami #saveyui #boycotttsukinami #saveyuifromphedophiles #tsukinamisstayawayfromyui

Shu then started protecting Yui by going to Tsukinamis agency and making her go to hiatus again and increasing security as people started hated on her he also sued alot of jealous fangirls and releasing statements on taking strict action on their cyber bullying.

Plot twist: It turns later out that Yui is now dating idol Kino who is in same agency as Tsukinami. She hid it from everyone as she isn't allowed to according to contact of her agency, Shu immediately threatens her.

Subaru fainted on spot when he saw Yui and Kino sharing kisses and hugs while stalking her

Triplets being heartbroken and started hashtags (they have a big fan following) #breakupyui #yuidontneedkino #freeyui #freeyuifromtsukinamiandkino #boycottkino.

Yui then under pressure of her two managers breaks up but Kino still has feelings the sad edits of them are made to this day.

Tsukinamis Jaws drop on knowing the truth that the snake is in the same den as them.

Shin during variety shows purposely push Kino or go hard on him while smirking and making him lose games as revenge.

Yui is Carla's MC partner so he try his best to console her and his edits are increasing with Yui.

Shin tries to make sure Kino stay away from Yui by getting in between or blocking their eye contact.

Laito also write dirty fics about Yui on wattpad and tumblr with himself as self insert they are hella dirty and has huge fan following shipping the OC laito with Yui but Subaru came across it and made an issue about it again by sending hate comments and promoting it to be cancelled on his social pages, Ruki upon reading fics sued Laito (lol).

Yui was sexualized once for wearing maid and neko outfit which attracted alot of male fans.

Azusa decided to make sure she gets mostly covered outfits like her dresses are usually long dress and skirt that reaches her kness she is boycotted to wear tight and short shots.

[xcviiq]

could do you huh yunjin x female reader based off of this?? https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYFnfL41/ where the reader folds immediately and yunjin laughs at her and it’s kinda yunjin teasing the reader bc readers shy until yunjin kisses her one day and reader kinda just stands there not processing what happened

"missing piece" - huh yunjin x fem!reader you were exactly the comfort the idol needed. exactly the person the idol yearned for in her entire life.

genre : fluff, maybe suggestive words : 2.7k notes : ty for the req! im so sorry this was delayed, i had exams and completely lost motivation to write... i hope this is good :) enjoy! (i also changed my format... haha)

you and huh yunjin have been best friends ever since elementary.

she was the typical exchange student from america, and you were the typical shy girl who always topped in academics. everyone wanted to be friends with yunjin though, which made sense to your 6 year old self since, well, she's a foreigner.

you wanted nothing to do with the american. you just wanted to be left alone with your small friend group that consists of only two other "outcasted" students.

"hi!!" a cheerful voice called. as you looked up from your lunch, it was yunjin. it scared you a bit since you haven't interacted with each other ever since the grade started. "can i sit next to you? you aren't with anyone right now so."

you gulped, your eyes trailing off to find your two friends. they were supposed to be here any minute now but it seems that they were no where to be found. your gaze turned back to the american, who smiled brightly while carrying her pink, glittery lunchbox.

"...sure."

now, 15 years later, you're waiting awkwardly in the backstage of mama—the biggest award show in korea. your girlfriend, huh yunjin, had just debuted in a monster "rookie" group called le sserafim. the american managed to sneak in a free backstage pass and now you have to face the utter awkwardness.

there were so many idols—most of them you couldn't name. you recognized stray kids and txt, and you almost felt your heart beat out of your chest as you stared at (g)i-dle, who was goofing around on the opposite side of the room.

'when is 'jin coming??' you thought, awkwardly pulling on your fingers to ease the anxiety. so many things were on your mind; 1. "is my outfit alright?" 2. "oh god i might look extremely awkward right now." and 3. "where is yunjin?"

"y/nnnnn!!!"

before your brain could process anything, you felt your whole body stumble and fall as you felt heavy weight on top of you. "yunjin-ah! get back up please...." you heard an angry voice just centimeters away, and a girl with short, part-black part-blonde hair put you and yunjin back up.

the rest of the group bowed down to the many idols and staff in front of them, and you could tell how embarrassed they were at the american's sudden outburst.

"sorry y/n, you guys." yunjin whispered, chuckling nervously as she looked at the members' disappointed eyes. "i was just excited to see y/n again! it's been months!"

that was true, the american could barely save some time for you because of how packed her schedule is. your main form of communication was through texting and facetime—but facetimes only last 1 hour or so.

before you could speak, miyawaki sakura—an idol of 11 years and someone you are well-versed with—cut you off. "we'll give you both some alone time," the rest of the members nodded. "don't make a mess." she continued with a stern tone—you could tell she was the oldest.

the girl beside the oldest giggled like a child, before waving at your girlfriend a goodbye.

"tell the manager i'm doing something important!" yunjin yelled, and smiled in delight as the members nodded, slowly disappearing as they walked further and further away. when they were gone, yunjin turned her attention to you, her eyes soft and full of adoration.

"let's go somewhere else, love." she took your hand a gently lead you to a quiet and secluded room, away from the many idols and dispatch. the american peeped out the area before closing the door and smiling widely.

"i missed you so, so, soooo much y/n. you have no idea!" she whispered as she planted a small kiss on the tip of your nose. "i missed you too, 'jin." you responded, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her palm.

the american smiled softly and gave you another kiss—this time on the forehead—before speaking again. "so much happened in just a few months as an idol, who knew you'd be hearing so much drama from just one building?!"

"i mean, that's to be expected. a lot happens inside the music industry." you replied, looking at your girlfriend's soft features as she continued to gossip about the many things happening inside hybe. turns out, hoshi from seventeen is dating some korean actor you weren't familiar of.

you always loved hearing yunjin talk. her gossips are always so interesting.

"oh, but enough about that," she started while changing her posture to face you. you tilted your head, signaling her to continue. "what happened to you all these months?" she asked, looking at you with curious eyes. you hummed, trying to recall the events that happened.

"well, i couldn't drop out of college, sadly. but there are some stuff that happened...."

and that was when you ranted about a lot of things. yunjin was shocked about how dramatic colleges are, especially in your course. apparently, some teacher failed half of the class including you for no reason at all?! the american certainly didn't like the sound of that.

you ranted and ranted, getting carried away by the many things that you have encountered. life was getting crazy for you. your girlfriend listened attentively, but for some reason, her focus was somewhere else.

your lips. they looked like the same soft lips she kissed a few months back. she could vividly remember it; the way her lips felt like it was made just to kiss yours; the way it felt like new years every time she kissed you. when she debuted as an idol, she didn't notice how much she missed the feeling of your kiss, but after seeing you—it's becoming quite apparent.

yunjin's mind drifted to the thought of kissing you right then and there, your words falling in deaf ears as your girlfriend's thoughts wandered. (in a non-suggestive way, smh.)

you paused as you noticed the lack of reaction coming from the american. 'oh no, did i say too much?' your head turned to look at your girlfriend, who had a very...

"yunjin, are you.. okay?" you felt yourself turning pink as the mentioned idol played with the inside of her mouth. she teasingly smiled, finding you cute. "hm? what's wrong love?" she replied, scooting closer and closer to you. she was very close, to the point that you could feel each other's breath.

"y-yunjin, what are you doing?"

"what? i can't be this close to the love of my life?" the petname rolled off her tongue perfectly, and your heart beat faster and faster. you tried to avoid making eye contact—which was impossible, since yunjin's tall body could quite literally just stretch to find your gaze again.

"you look so cute right now, y/n/n. just one ki-" before she could finish, her phone rang. it was from chaewon, and you assumed it was because their rehearsals are starting. the american sighed frustratingly, clearly annoyed by the fact she couldn't even plant one kiss on you.

"well, i have to go now," she said disappointingly, not bothering to answer her leader's call. "i'll see you in another 2 weeks or so." she continued with a frown. you composed yourself and smiled, reaching to caress your girlfriend's cheeks. "it's okay yunjin. just focus on your career, alright?"

she smiled softly, and then said her farewells.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

it had been over a week since you've seen yunjin in person. you really hoped that their manager would at least give them a break after the award show, but that sadly your wishes were left unheard of. you worried nonstop for your girlfriend, you always did. but seeing the latest video of le sserafim made those worries go away as you see the american's genuine smile.

you were just scrolling on the internet, reading the drama in twitter and occasionally giggling at some posts. that was when a notification popped up.

: "babe!!"

you unconsciously smiled as your girlfriend's message popped up. you quickly disregarded the twitter thread and immediately went to text her back.

: guess who got a whole day to themselves tomorrow?

: omg rlly?

: YEZZZZZZZ : i can finally have a peaceful day with you 😞

you felt joy wash over you as you imagined the day with yunjin. you were even starting to have some date ideas pop up in your head.

: yay!! im so happy for u jinn

: samee omg : i'll be staying at your place btw, is it okay if we just stay inside the house?? i don't want to go anywhere at the momentttt :((

you nodded, as if the girl could see you through the screen.

: ofc jin!! i have nothing to do tomorrow anyway

although you couldn't physically see your girlfriend, you knew that she was smiling widely right now. and so were you.

: 💓 : i'll be arriving at your doorstep

: creepy stalker roleplay

: at exactly 9 am tmr so be awake at that time!! : WHAT 😭

: IM KIDDING : i'll set my alarm, see you jinnie 💞

: see you, y/n/n!! : love youu

: i love you too

you sighed dreamily, placing your phone on your chest. you were just so happy that you could finally have a day with the american after all these months. even if it was just one day, one day out of months, it was special. and yunjin was thinking the same.

it was already 9:45 pm, and you had a huge day tomorrow, so you went to bed. "is 7:30 too early?" you mumbled, looking at your alarm clock and debating whether or not to set your alarm to 7:30 or 8 am. you shrugged, setting it to 7:45 am.

as you lay down on your bed, your mind couldn't stop running laps. you were very giddy to the point that you randomly start giggling and rolling around like you weren't 21 years old. if a ghost was living with you right now, it'd think that you were going crazy.

well, that thought isn't wrong. you could say that you were kind of crazy for yunjin—who wouldn't? but the thing that separated you and the millions of fearnots is that huh yunjin was actually kind of crazy for you as well.

'okay, stop y/n.' you told yourself, steadying yourself. you wanted to get a good night's sleep so when you wake up in the morning, you were in a good mood. after finally calming down, you felt your eyelids grow heavier and heavier—and before you knew it, you were asleep.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

it was around 8:15 am, and you were already finishing up the remaining dishes you were cooking. you awoke way earlier than you had planned—very excited on the fact yunjin could finally spend a day with you— so you used that time to cook a nice breakfast for when your girlfriend arrives.

the oven dinged, indicating that the food was ready. you quickly tended to it and making sure to turn off the oven—you didn't want your electricity bills to increase. you carefully plated your breakfast to make it look pleasing, and once you were satisfied, you placed it on the table.

"8:20" the clock read, and you sighed of relief. you took off your apron and put it back on its organized spot, and went upstairs to take a shower. after showering, you made sure to pick your best yet casual clothes, since you didn't want to seem like you were in a fancy dinner date when in reality you were just in your old apartment.

after picking out your clothes, you quickly rushed down the stairs and set up the remaining things. you made sure that your netflix had all her favorite movies, made sure that every single part of your house was clean, and also made sure that the food stayed warm. after confirming that everything was ready, you glanced at the clock again.

"8:45" your mouth slightly curved as your heart beat faster. it was almost 9, which meant it was almost time to see yunjin. you washed your hands, and sat down on your couch. you waited patiently for her to arrive, constantly checking your phone and the clock for the time. you took trips to the kitchen often, making sure that the food you prepared was still tasty.

your doorbell rang, and you basically flew to the door and pulled it open. and there she was; yunjin, wearing a black jacket paired with black pants and a cap. her face was covered with a mask, yet you could tell from her eyes that she was smiling.

"hi, love." she said, walking closer to you and giving you a hug. you felt so warm in her arms, so loved. you always worried that you weren't good enough for the idol, but every time yunjin would show even the slightest of affection, you knew that you were so adored by her.

"hey, 'jin." you replied whilst wrapping your arms around her torso. you felt a bit empty when the american pulled away from the hug, but that feeling quickly went away as she held your hand and lead you inside the apartment.

the idol looked around your home, humming in delight as she took off her jacket, mask, and cap. "you've been taking care of this place, y/n." she complimented, turning to look at you with adoration in her eyes. her bare face was beautiful, and you felt your heart skip a beat. "of course i have, i might go crazy if my apartment didn't look organized."

yunjin laughed at your reply before pulling you into a hug again. her head rested on the crook of your neck as both of you bask in each other's scent. even if you two literally saw each other a week ago, it still felt like it's been ages since you've been in each other's embrace.

"i missed you. after our small meetup, i couldn't stop thinking about you." the american whispered, and you felt her hold on you tighten. you chuckled, "i missed you too, 'jin. you did amazing during your mama performance!" you pulled away sightly from the hug, but still kept your arms wrapped around her torso. "i'm so proud of you."

proud. yunjin really liked that word. she was proud of many people, like her younger sister for example, but she couldn't really recall when people were proud of her. many people probably were, but no one exactly verbalized how proud they were of the american. tons of fans in the internet did say how proud they were of yunjin, and she liked it. but for some reason, it felt different when it came from you. was it because you've known each other for 15 years? is it because she was just desperate, and there really were no changes?

no.

yunjin leaned over to you, maintaining eye contact. she was extremely close to you, and soon enough, your lips connected.

it was because yunjin loved you.

the feeling of your lips against hers was so perfect. the american's lips were soft, and yours connected to hers as if your lips were made to kiss her. to cherish her. to love her.

you both lost a sense of time as you continued to give each other romantic and genuine kisses, and you were just glad that you finally got to have this moment with her after months. you were glad that your missing piece was back with you.

as much as you both didn't want to pull away, yunjin couldn't breathe at all. yunjin stared at you with a sly smile, a laugh breaking out of her mouth as she stared at your dumbfounded expression. your cheeks were a bright red—and so were yunjin's—and you stood there stiffly.

"hello? earth to y/n?" the american said, both amused and worried at how quiet and unresponsive you were. you were just trying to process what happened, even if yunjin gave you enough time to do so during the kiss. but your mind was completely blank at that time.

"did you just..?" you mumbled, loud enough to let your girlfriend hear. she sucked her bottom lip to hold in another laugh as she nodded. she couldn't keep it in though, as you slowly nodded and gazed at the floor as you pondered.

"WHY ARE YOU SO FUNNY??" yunjin exclaimed in between laughs, still looking at your serious expression. she couldn't exactly blame you, it's been months since you've kissed each other. but.... the way you were really taking your time in processing what just happened really made her cackle.

[tokkishouse]

heyyy, okay so I read the cute lil Tighnari post and I died a lil (a lot actually, it was so cute pls my heart can't take it) If you have the time could you pls post more abt him 👁👁

I physically need more of that man, it doesn't really matter if it's sfw or nsfw or both. I just need more posts on this man or I will fall over and die 🛐

You 🤝 Me --> Needing more Tighnari content Say no more babes.

(Sfw) Tighnari as a Boyfriend

Characters: Tighnari x GN!Reader

Warnings: Slightly suggestive, subtle yandere themes

WC: 0.8k words

Fennec foxes mate for life. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Tighnari is loyal to a fault. Some of the villagers and even fellow rangers may try to woo him, but his eyes are focused on you and you alone

This also applies in the opposite direction-- if anyone flirts with you, he's by your side and growling at the offender, canines bared and ready to bite. Poor Al-Haitham got a bit of a shock when an off-handed, semi-flirtatious statement earned him a bone-chilling glare from Tighnari and the feeling of claws around his neck. Please give this man all of your attention

Gets very excited if you groom his ears and tails-- he likes to keep them nice and presentable for you and what better way to do that than to have you preen as you see fit?

Speaking of grooming-- if you do a particularly favorable job at it, he'll purr. Idc if foxes cant purr, Tighnari can. It's barely audible, trading sound for power as it's strong enough to be felt all over your body. Once he's purring you've won-- you could ask him anything and he'll probably say yes to it

Always brings you something from his expeditions-- from flowers to unique plants and strange creatures-- as long as he's vetted it to be safe, Tighnari will bring it home for you to keep. His tail curls up in anxiety as he watches you carefully inspect the gifts he brings home, but it always relaxes when he sees your delighted smile and you look at him with such adoration keep your eyes only on him

Speaking of his tail, it's the biggest indicator of his mood. If it's still, he's either in a neutral state or very focused. If it's swaying back and forth, he's calm and perhaps happy-- the faster it sways the happier he is. If it drags behind him on the floor like it has no life, he's upset. And if it curls up very tightly he may be a tad excited.

It also naturally seeks you out. If you stand next to him, it automatically wraps itself around your leg, waist, or just all over your body. You're familiar and safe, and it's a way of staying as close and connected to you as possible. It does make for some unfortunate moments when one of you decides to move abruptly, tugging the poor thing hard and lightly spraining it.

He will lecture you if you get in trouble or hurt yourself, but not out of anger-- only frustration and worry. He loves you very dearly and he doesn't want to think of a world without you. Tighnari's lectures are just another way of him expressing his concern for you and your safety. This also means that before you go anywhere, even if it's down the road to a local merchant, he'll make sure you have an emergency pack fully stocked. He can't have you tripping over a root and injuring yourself, and without anything to self-treat, now can he?

The cooler seasons are the best time to cuddle with him-- the fur on his ears and tail get slightly thicker to adjust to the falling temperatures, which makes sleeping curled up against the tail all the more comforting. Its extra warmth makes cool breezes and nightly chills a thing of the past.

While he does have a nickname or two for you, he doesn't call you by it often. Saying your name is loving as it is-- it's your name. It carries the weight of your history and how far you've come-- who you are. To him, that is the most precious thing and every time he says your name, all that information floods his brain as he conjures up the image of you, his lovely partner. During more sappy and romantic moments though, he will throw in a nickname for you here and there.

He may tease and be sarcastic with you, but if you express your discomfort, he'll stop immediately. However, if you can match his snarkiness and shoot back your own witty retorts, you'll have him completely ensnared. An off-handed comment turns into a full-blown snark fest with neither of you willing to give up until you leave the other completely stumped. It makes those around you either annoyed or amused. After all, anyone that can keep up with Tighnari's wit is sure to make a worthy opponent.

All in all, Tighnari is a very caring boyfriend with his own quirks. If you're lucky enough to be chosen by him, you'll have quite the satisfactory relationship-- one that only inspires joy and free love. Just be mindful not to set off one of his more fox-like instincts. It often can get...messy.

Requests (both sfw and nsfw) are open~! If you want a nsfw version of this lmk

[suhnshinehaos]

treacherous

...a spin-off to crush culture ! synopsis : after a couple of instances of accidental matching clothing, yangyang finds himself in a dating rumor with possibly the most famous person on campus : yn, the bassist of an up and coming band. yangyang doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. unfortunately yn, who has also built up a reputation for being cold as winter, does. pairing : liu yangyang x gn!reader genre/s : university au, student council + band au, fluff, angst, humor

act three, part three : a familiar face

written part wc : 1.4k

previous  ➤  act three, part two next  ➤  act three, part four treacherous  ➤  masterlist 

you take a few deep breaths before opening the doors. one, two, three. inhale, exhale. you can do this, you remind yourself, though you’re not entirely sure if you actually believe it. it doesn’t take a genius to figure out which familiar face your bandmates were referring to. 

when doyoung mentioned an interview with kwangya club magazine, the first emotion that tugged at your system was disappointment. while you never had any problem with cc!yn, you also knew that they were a music writer for the magazine; yangyang wrote for fashion. the next emotion that coursed through your veins was an excited anticipation. you hadn’t seen any other ncit alum outside of your bandmates since graduation. seeing a familiar face would certainly be a refreshing change of pace from working.

the cold air from the air conditioner hits your face as soon as you stepped into the room, but you were nowhere near bothered. instead, your ears picked up on an ever so familiar voice and your eyes immediately move around the room to locate its owner.

you spot him by the windows, with your bandmates and your manager, and just like that your feet begin to move on their own. 

“i actually voted for this guy when he ran for council. truly one of my biggest regrets.”

you hear the teasing tone in mark’s words as you move in closer, but his voice is nowhere near as loud as the beating of your own heart.

“come on, i think i did a great job in the council.” yangyang runs a hand through his hair before looking down at his feet, “i threw great events, didn’t i?”

“it’s good to see you seem to know each other well, i trust that this interview will go well.” doyoung nods towards yangyang, and just before he could respond, doyoung waves you over. “yn! good, you’re here. we can get started.���

you watch as yangyang’s eyes widen at the mention of your name, looking up from his shoes to meet your gaze so quickly that you fear he would have somehow injured his neck. 

“hey, yn.” he breathes out, and the way he says your name was enough to send shivers down your spine. it held so much weight despite its quietness.

you offer him a small smile, so small that you’re not even sure if it classifies as one, “hi, yang.”

“so, um-”

“it’s been-”

you both start your sentences at the same time, and make gestures for the other to proceed with what they were planning to say first. it feels strange, awkward even. when you were both in university, the atmosphere was never awkward between you and yangyang. even when you had first met. he always found a way to fill up the space with his teasing and flirting, and you always responded with a masked annoyance and eventual endearment.

but now, neither of you knew what to say.

hendery lets out a low whistle, trying to look at anything but the two of you. doyoung is doing the opposite, his gaze darting back and forth between you and yangyang, completely intrigued at the change of atmosphere. mark pretends to check on his phone, but you could tell by the brightness of his screen that he was just swiping his thumb back and forth across his home screen. 

dejun, ever the reliable best friend, breaks the silence.

“so, since yn is here, should we begin? we do have a lot of schedules to get through today.”

“yes, of course!” yangyang speaks claps his hands together just a little too loud, before leading you to an area where a couch and a couple of extra chairs had been set up. “right this way.”

“that will be all, thanks for your time.” yangyang politely smiles, closing his notebook and stopped his recording device. he stands and offers to shake each of your bandmates’ hands, which they take. however, when he reaches you he can’t help but grip a little tighter and hold on a little longer. 

you and your bandmates excuse yourselves and make your way to where your manager was waiting by the door. yangyang lets out an exhale of relief, closing his eyes for a brief moment. he did it, he was able to finish the interview in one piece.

then again, that was mostly attributed to yours and your bandmates’ sense of professionalism. especially in the way they made the interview feel like a bunch of old friends catching up. 

still, there was a weight in his back pocket. the texts that johnny had sent just as the interview was about to begin played on a loop in his head. if you can’t do it for yourself, do it for yn.

yangyang’s gaze travels across the room until they land on you. there’s a strange tugging sensation that makes it feel like he’s being pulled towards you, but it’s not like he’s making any effort to stop himself either. 

“hey yang-”

“can i talk to you?” he doesn’t mean to be rude to hendery by cutting him off, but to him everyone else in the room had disappeared. yangyang needed this. he needed you to know. it’s all his fault. if there was any sliver of doubt in your mind, he wanted it gone.

you look towards doyoung, silently asking if you can.

doyoung nods. “sure, but make it quick. i’m taking you guys to another interview in a bit.”

yangyang leads you to the farthest corner of the room, mentally preparing himself every step of the way. how does he even begin? is there a right way to begin? does he just show you his phone and let you piece everything together yourself?

when he finally stops walking and is faced with your waiting expression, his mind draws a blank. he stands, tense and unblinking, as you crossed your arms in front of your chest and chip away at the air of politeness and professionalism you held onto this entire time. what’s left is a faraway look of hurt in your eyes, the kind that made his own heart ache.

“i didn’t want to do it.”

“then why did you?” a sigh moves past your lips, your voice the quietest he’s ever heard it. still, he misses that all too familiar and comforting sound, even if it was tinged with disappointment and undeniable pain.

his hand shakes as he reaches for his phone, even more so when he hands you his phone. in it contained an album of screenshots of texts between himself and your previous manager, himself and renjun, as well as his group chat with renjun and cc!yn as per johnny’s suggestion when he talked with him in his office the day prior. it took a lot of scrolling back, but yangyang always knew he eventually wanted you to know. he just never thought the universe would give him the opportunity to do so, or if he even had the guts to go through with it.

yangyang could only watch with bated breath as your eyes scanned through the texts, your eyebrows furrowing deeper and deeper each passing second. it’s the longest, quietest, and heaviest three minutes of his life.  

“yang, listen-” you hand him his phone back, and for the briefest of seconds your fingertips brush against his. before you could even finish your sentence, a voice calls out to you from across the room, your manager’s.

“YN! WE NEED TO GO, INTERVIEW GOT MOVED UP.!”

“but-” you turn to look at him, and yangyang could tell in your expression that the gears were turning in your head, cycling through every possible emotion and every single word you wanted to say. 

yangyang shakes his head with a sad smile, not wanting another manager mad at him. he gently pushes you towards the direction of where your bandmates and manager are, “it’s okay. i just wanted you to know. for both our peace of mind.”

“YN! YOU CAN CATCH UP SOME OTHER TIME.”

you sigh, turning towards him, “is your number still the same? you didn’t block mine?”

he nods and you respond with a nod back before jogging towards doyoung and your bandmates.

yangyang was having lunch with giselle, jaehyun, chaeyoung, and seungkwan in the office pantry when he received a text.

bonus !!

#dvforkwangyaclub , aka. yangyang's interview : coming soon

sneak peek of part ??

from reese, with love <3

yeah... this one was a lot huh? apologies for the long time between updates, it took me a while to work on this one. thank you for reading, i'd really love to know what you think! hope you're doing well and taking care :)

[moregee]

Task 01.

PART 1: THE BASIC

What is your full name?

Her full name is Morgan Ann Ivy.

Where and when were you born?

Bronx, NY 2/22/98

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)

Nicole Ivy she is direct & candid. She consider herself a stage mom while also being a stay at home mother & wife. She only had one job in her life, where she met Morgan’s father while he was making a play. Joe Ivy is the complete opposite of her mother. He is more calm & secretive. He has his own tech company in New York City which expands over 38 states and 15 other countries.

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?

Morgan has about 8 separate siblings, 5 of which were conceived outside of her parents marriage and she has never met them.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

She currently lives alone in a townhouse located in Bel-Air. She has one cat named Shadow.

What is your occupation?

She is a socialite & works for her boyfriends company.

Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.

Morgan identifies as African-American woman that is 5’6 & weighs 140 pounds. She is currently the heaviest she has been in years. Her hair is in a neck length bob, dyed jet black & occasionally complimented with bundles or clip ins. She has about 10 tattoos, she has matching tattoos with her best friends and her mom. She has 6 piercings all residing on her ears. Her personal style is unique, she considers herself a self-proclaimed fashionista. She enjoys designer items.

To which social class do you belong?

Upper.

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?

Morgan has seasonal allergies which include pollen.

Are you right- or left-handed?

Right-handed.

What does your voice sound like?

Her voice has been described as raspy with a New York accent.

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?

She often uses the words bro, yo and crazy.

What do you have in your pockets?

Nothing.

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?

She has a habit of rolling her eyes and kissing her teeth since copying her boyfriend.

PART 2: GROWING UP

How would you describe your childhood in general?

Morgan had a complicated childhood, to her. If you ask her parents she had the perfect childhood that they did not have growing up. She considered her life the picture perfect lifestyle if you were outside looking in. She was the middle child to her parents but the 5th child overall for her father.

What is your earliest memory?

Spending a weekend at her best friends house when she was 7.

How much schooling have you had?

Morgan graduated from UCLA.

Did you enjoy school?

She loved every moment of it.

Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?

In school.

While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.

Her grandmother was her biggest role model. She taught her how to treat people and how to get what she wanted out of life.

While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?

Morgan only got along with her mother and siblings who lived in her household. She was cordial with her father.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A stay at home mom.

As a child, what were your favorite activities?

Playing outside and going to basketball games.

As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?

She was very confrontational and honest.

As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?

Yes, she was popular amongst her peers. She had 2 best friends named Sarah and Mya they were both stubborn and confrontational. Morgan was the only water sign in the friend group. They were both fire signs.

When and with whom was your first kiss?

Jordan. 6th grade at grand central station.

Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?

No, she lost her virginity at 15 to her long term boyfriend Jordan.

PART 3: PAST INFLUENCES

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?

The most important event in her life so far is completing college with two degrees.

Who has had the most influence on you?

Her grandmother.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Graduating college.

What is your greatest regret?

Missing a year of college.

What is the most evil thing you have ever done?

The most evil thing she’s done is set her ex’s boyfriends car on fire along with his mothers.

Do you have a criminal record of any kind?

Yes.

When was the time you were the most frightened?

The time she was most frightened was when her father threaten to cut her off.

What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?

The most embarrassing thing that has happened was when her father found out she was dating someone his age.

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?

She would change the fact she got caught with an older man.

What is your best memory?

Her best memory would have to be when she moved to LA for the last time.

What is your worst memory?

Her worst memory would have to be losing her grandpa and watching her grandpa live with a broken heart.

@la-rp - @la-citizens

[starogeorgina]

Broken bonds

Paring: Ser Harwin Strong/ OC

Warnings: None

1.04

You stand on the opposite side of the painted table from Daemon, while Ser Harwin stands in the corner of the room. Originally, you tried to keep him out of your scheming and planning, but your uncle insisted that he be present. His reasoning was that your sworn protector wouldn’t be able to do his job properly unless he knew what was going on. You and your uncle had been going back and forth on who would be most likely to betray your family’s house and side with the Lannisters if it came to that.

“Jason and Tyland are loyal to House Targaryen. I doubt either of them would listen to Thomas,” you sigh. “The biggest threat we have is the crossbow. If our dragons are taken out, we are left vulnerable without them.”

Your uncle's face twists into one of anger. Only a true dragon rider could understand the special bond between Targaryen and his dragon. “What about the Hightowers?”

“They wouldn’t need the excuse of war to plot against our house. Given the opportunity, Otto would push for Aegon to be king instead of Rhaenyra. I'm surprised he hasn’t already started planting that seed in my father's ear.”

Daemon clicks his tongue while tapping his fingers against the table, growing impatient. He wanted the threat to be dealt with, not caring if it provoked others, just as you wanted to avoid any further conflict. You shift your weight from foot to foot, watching silently as Daemon looks over at the knight, studying him. “Ser Harwin, do tell us your opinion?”

“I don’t consider my words to be of any use in this matter.”

See, Harwin had been holding his tongue all morning, which you were grateful for, but your uncle wasn’t going to let it go. You both valued Harwin’s judgment, but if he disagreed with Daemon, it could be the thing that causes your uncle to snap. The knowledge that your father's sister was in danger had him more riled up than normal.

“Perhaps it’s not—”

“Ser Harwin," your uncle ignores you; he claps his hands behind his back while facing the knight. “Your job is to protect a Targaryen princess; your words are far more useful than you realize.”

“Have you considered informing the king of the plan to usurp his heir?” He asks. “You said he believes in dragon dreamers.”

Daemon looks blankly at the knight before walking back to his original position at the table, giving you a sideways look as he does. “Viserys has always been a father before he’s been a king.”

“The weapons being built are being kept under Ely's house,” you say, changing the subject. “We need to destroy them before they can ever be used.”

“We eliminated Craghas Drahar and his army, and we will eliminate this threat all the same.”

You remain silent as you try to figure out a plan in your head, trying to push away the sound of screaming you hear in your dreams. Eventually, you come up with a possible solution that would hopefully avoid any bloodshed. “My sister will be married soon,” you say, getting their attention. “Rhaenyra is the realm's delight; even those who aren’t invited will stand outside for hours to see a glimpse of her before her wedding.”

Daemon catches on to your trail of thinking, “leaving Ely's house unarmed.”

“We would all be at the wedding so nobody could point the finger at—”

Your conversation is cut short by a knock at the door. You open it to see a nervous-looking servant; she didn’t look older than two and twenty. You knew by the way she directed her gaze at your uncle and the fresh bruise-like marks on her neck that she had most likely had sex with him the night before.

“Princess,” she greets you before leaning in and whispering in your ear.

You smile at her and ask, “Your name?”

“Bethany.”

“Thank you, Bethany; I will see to it right away.” When she is gone, you turn to face Harwin and Daemon and say, “It seems Varos has been picking fights with Caraxes.”

“Again?” Your uncle chuckles. “I thought he would have learned from their last encounter.”

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go and see what injuries he’s obtained.”

You heard your uncle chuckling before offering Ser Harwin a drink. Servants and knights stop and bow when they see you walking down the hallways. Being polite, you always smiled back, but your face dropped just as you were about to step outside. Arthur Weststar. You made a mental note to ask your uncle why an ally of the Lannisters was on Dragonstone.

—-

“Dracarys!”

You laugh loudly as Varos breathes fire into the air one last time before landing on the beach. The moment your feet hit the ground, you were left with an uneasy feeling settling in your stomach. You could sense many eyes on you from afar. “Varos, jikagon.”

At your command, Varos takes flight. You didn’t particularly like parting with him, but your desire to keep him safe was much greater. Compared to Syrax and Caraxes, Varos was just a baby dragon. He likes to fight with the older dragons, often toying with them until they snap, biting back at him, and he’d fly away. You found it ironic in a way, because you and Rhaenyra used to do the same thing. Being carefree children without responsibility, you’d playfight for hours in the garden, only to return covered in mud, cuts, and small bruises. Now, Varos often returns to you with cuts and grazes on his body.

You weren’t overly concerned by the other dragons, knowing Cannibal was the only one that caused a real threat, but the idea of humans harming him terrified you. It was a miracle either of you survived the war for the Stepstones. The crossbows Thomas intended to build wouldn’t do much damage to an older, larger dragon, but to Varos, it would definitely kill him.

—

Daemon pours himself a drink while observing Ser Harwin, who was looking out onto the beach from one of the towers. “Dragons are beautiful creatures, aren't they?”

“Yes, the beauty of Caraxes is not exaggerated.”

Daemon sniggers into his own cup before offering one to the knight. “I was meaning my niece.”

He watches in amusement as Harwin swallows his drink, pretending not to have heard him. They stand in silence for a few moments, watching as two dragons circle each other in the sky above the beach Princess Vaella is on. The bottom half of her dress was soaked as she walked on the shoreline, unbothered by the sand and water blowing onto her from the strong winds. Although Daemon’s relationships with Vaella and Rhaenyra were very different, he loved both of them to the bone.

Perhaps it was because Daemon was an outsider looking in, or because he’d spent most of his life in the shadows observing others, but he recognised the fiercely protective look in Harwin’s eyes whenever the name Thomas Lannister was mentioned. “When the day comes and my dear niece finds herself without a husband, potentially suitable suitors will be lining up to ask for her hand in marriage.” Daemon clicked his tongue, waiting for the knight to reply, “Of course it will only be her dragon womb they seek.”

Harwin’s eyes darkened, his jaw tensing. “Unfortunately, most men wouldn’t think twice about marrying a Targaryen for political purposes.”

Daemon smirked, “But you are not most men, Ser Harwin.”

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

This has probably been asked before, but what’s your favourite RWBY ship and why? I’m curious

You're forcing a bisexual to make a choice! this is a warcrime!

...

In all seriousness, I can't quite say. My favorite waxes and wanes, ebbs and flows. Obviously I have my favourites but no one ship takes the cake for me, but if I had to give to whiteknight, which I can really only explain why I like by comparing and contrasting it to my inarguable second favorite ship, Bumbleby.

Bumbleby is generally well crafted. Yang and Blake are opposites of each other, not reflections of each other.

Yang and Adam using their anger and pain to bring others down, but one of them learned to handle their negative emotions while the other was swallowed by them.

Blake and Raven ran from people that cared for them, to go back to familiar haunts, but one found her way back to her team, while the other stole herself away, forever.

But I have a few issues with it.

Most of Yang and Blake's growth seemed to be more for each other than anyone else. Mostly Blake,but that's because CRWBY handled most of the faunus stuff poorly. So I suppose it's less a problem with either Blake or Yang, but the fact that the biggest problem for blake (Before she learned about Salem) was the rights of faunus.

The confession scene, looking at it in hindsight, kinda feels like it forced them to confess, but it feels good to watchm and listen too.

But whiteknight?

It's two kids with the weight of their family legacies on their back.

Weiss, lonely and self-centered, who is used to having nothing but perfect expectations put on them, and to hold, and both have it met and to meet those expectations, who can't trust others, learns to be kind, let people make mistakes, and to be supportive, and to learn to trust others, and be genuinely trusted in return.

Jaune, with nothing but perseverance and friendliness, who presumably had low expectations put on him, who wanted nothing more than to be a hero and to be celebrated for it (He also really did want to help people. Truly.) was taught how to be that hero, and with that lesson also learned the truth behind being a hero.

Weiss gained the family she never had, and Jaune gained the life he always wanted.

And in the beginning they were horrible for each other. Jaune was annoying and pretty dumb, Weiss was far too stuck up.

But now? Weiss learned to be herself because of and For team RWBY. Jaune learned to be smart and stopped caring about getting recognized.

Weiss has seen Jaune at his lowest and Supported him. Jaune has saved Weiss, and protected her, and She's done her best to protect him in turn.

They're both utility on their teams, they both work best in supportive roles, and they both wield swords.

Plus I headcanon that Jaune's Dad took Mama Arc's name when they got married, because he loved her so much he didn't want her to change for him, which I only just realized as I wrote this, makes for a damn good parallel with Jacques and Willow.

[dragon-in-the-watery-bowl]

Here are more Danganronpa fankids, this time a bunch of Haruhiko x Satsuki kids.

Information under the cut:

Name: Riku Iranami (伊良波 立空). Age: 20. Parents: Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami. Gender: Male. (Possible) Ultimate Title: Ultimate Pilot. Birthdate: June 13 (Gemini). Height: 180 cm. Weight: 73 kg. Chest Size: 83 cm. Blood Type: A. Likes: Planes, the sky. Dislikes: The sea.

The first-born son of Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami in a world where the class 79's killing game ended without any casualties, he's the oldest of the 6 (And counting) Iranami-Kobashikawa kids. Admiring his dad's abilities with piloting planes, he has made his dream to become a world-acclaimed pilot, spending almost all his life training to become one, something that has negatively impacted his social skills, the only friends he ever had being his parents' classmates' kids, and his younger siblings.

Name: Hikari Iranami (伊良波 日叶). Age: 18. Parents: Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami. Gender: Female. (Possible) Ultimate Title: Ultimate Biker. Birthdate: August 3 (Leo). Height: 172 cm. Weight: 68 kg. Chest Size: 79 cm. Blood Type: A. Likes: The color black, punk rock, bikes. Dislikes: Cutesy things.

The oldest of a pair of twins, she's the second child of Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami, and a complete opposite to her twin Miyako. While Miyako prefers pastel colors and cute things, she's interested in dark things and punk aesthetics, to the point that she became a member of a biker gang, fighting against any Despair and/or thugs that gets in her way, as both revenge for having invaded the world thanks to the Tragedy sending the world into chaos, and as a way to help the Kisaragi Foundation in her own way.

Name: Miyako Iranami (伊良波 美夜子). Age: 18. Parents: Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami. Gender: Female. (Possible) Ultimate Title: Unknown. Birthdate: August 3 (Leo). Height: 172 cm. Weight: 68 kg. Chest Size: 79 cm. Blood Type: A. Likes: Pastel colors, the sea. Dislikes: Gloomy atmospheres.

The youngest of a pair of twins, she's the third child of Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami, and a complete opposite to her twin Hikari. While Hikari prefers dark things and punk aesthetics, she's interested in pastel colors and cute things, she prefers to do videos, to the point that she became known through the world thanks to her optimism and hopeful aura, to the point that she's seen as a second Ultimate Hope behind Makoto Naegi to some, and eventually received the honor of becoming one of the first "Hopes of the New Generation", all thanks to the content of her videos.

Name: Kiyo Iranami (伊良波 茉雪). Age: 16. Parents: Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami. Gender: Female. (Possible) Ultimate Title: Ultimate Clown. Birthdate: November 3 (Scorpio). Height: 162 cm. Weight: 54 kg. Chest Size: 83 cm. Blood Type: B. Likes: Juggling, happiness. Dislikes: Sadness, despair.

The fourth child of Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami, she wants to continue her mother's family legacy of being a clown, planing to become the successor, and new ringleader, for the Iranamis' family circus after almost all the family died thanks to the Tragedy. With bringing happiness and hope to a despairful world being her biggest wish, she has worked hard for her entire life to become the greatest clown that has ever existed, and has participated in a lot of her older sister's videos, but this has also caused her to repress a lot of her emotions, something that eventually will boil over and put her desired career in danger.

Name: Yuzuki Iranami (伊良波 柚月). Age: 13. Parents: Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami. Gender: Female. (Possible) Ultimate Title: Unknown. Birthdate: May 24 (Gemini). Height: 152 cm. Weight: 45 kg. Chest Size: 70 cm. Blood Type: A. Likes: Amusement parks. Dislikes: Snakes, studying.

The oldest of a pair of (Fraternal) twins, she's the fifth kid of Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami, and the older sister of Asahi. She can be considered the most "normal" of her family, mainly because she doesn't seem to have a lot of the quirks the rest of the Iranami-Kobashikawa have, but she has shown to have a strong interest on birds, and how they are able to fly with such ease, something that has driven her to do a lot of bird-themed trinkets and drawings, to the point that her, and her brother's, room is covered in bird-shaped stuff.

This love towards birds will eventually drive her to the path of becoming an ornithologist, in a desire to understand them even more.

Name: Asahi Iranami (伊良波 旭). Age: 13. Parents: Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami. Gender: Male. (Possible) Ultimate Title: Unknown. Birthdate: May 25 (Gemini). Height: 150 cm. Weight: 43 kg. Chest Size: 62 cm. Blood Type: A. Likes: His onsie, ice creams. Dislikes: Noise.

The younger of a pair of (Fraternal) twins, he's the sixth, and youngest, kid of Haruhiko Kobashikawa and Satsuki Iranami, and the younger brother of Yuzuki. Unlike his more extroverted family, he's a shy and quiet boy, who likes to spend his time on his room, away from all noises, and read things that he finds interesting, only interacting with people if someone talks to him first.

His interest on books seems to have also awoken some kind of love towards writing, being known for making little stories for his parents, and their classmates/co-workers, to read, paving the way for him to become a great writer in the future.

[silverryu25]

Absolute Randomness Day 5 + Pornstar AU ^^

Dang this was a chalenging combo! XD And not cause I couldn't think of something, it's just that everything that came to mind would need so much worldbuilding I would be writing a multi-chapter fic XD

But no! 500 words or less! I already messed up yesterday so today it's gonna be short!! XP

DAY 5 - Absolute Randomness: Sci-fi (With you i have the whole universe in my hands) + Pornstar AU

------------

Red sat in a chair that could barely fit his bulk. It creaked and bent when he moved, the sound heard despite the loud, almost obnoxiously so, music. But he didn't care, he wasn't here for the comfort or atmosphere.

No, he was here to see a star.

Just as his patience slowly started to falter, frown deepening with every second he had to sit in this horrendously tacky pink room, the lights dimmed. His browbone perked up, attention getting dragged to the curtains on the opposite side of the chair he was seated in.

The music went from the generic elevator sounding crap to something more... intense, yet still calm and deep. It reminded him of the deep space he traveled while on duty. The vastness and mystery of the eternity stretching in all directions, that both terrified and thrilled him.

This time though, there was only the thrill.

Red smirked as he focused on the curtains as they opened, the darkness beyond them obscuring the one he was waiting for. The one he knew he had to have the moment he laid his eyes on them in the main hall. The one that drew his gaze like a lit beacon in a stormy night.

Starlight.

He knew it was a stage name, but it didn't matter. He'd find out their real name eventually, for now all he wanted was to enjoy this opportunity.

Finally, mercifully, the curtains opened and the object of Red's newfound obsession glided in. Their gait was light, almost airy, as of they weighted nothing. Red could almost believe it as his his eyelights focused on the delicate, almost brittle, looking bones. The flashy blue clothes (if you could call them that) barely covered the skeleton monsters bones. They were pristine, no marks or cracks on them, but Red could feel his magic bristle at how thin they looked.

He knew workers in the porn industry did better when they kept their bodies in trend to the latest fashion fads, but he was already promising he would make sure this gorgeous monster got some meat on his bones... figuratively speaking. But their body, as captivating as it was, wasn't what drew him here.

No. It were their eyelights.

Two white pearls, burning as brightly as the brightest stars Red saw during his travels. He could feel himself being dragged into the shine of those stars, feeling as if they could see right through him and directly into his soul. He could feel his own eyelights flare with his magic in response, and he could see the other's whites flash back with a soft blue glow, too soft to be completely certain in this dimmed room, but somehow he was certain it was there.

For now, he was just going to enjoy the show as he waits for an opportunity to make his move and slip Starlight a little something that would ultimately bring him into Red's arms. Red was determined to make this star his own because he knew they would complete his biggest wish.

Because with them by his side he would have the whole universe in his hands.

------------

525 words... so close! DX

Welp... this was supposed to be smut only but somehow the plot wormed its way in there... again... *shakes angry fist at the plot bunny* >:/

For anyone confused, Starlight is Sans' stripper stage name. Red saw him pole dancing in the main area of the club and fell for him hard. So he paid to have Sans do a private show for him. He isn't really supposed to touch or talk to the dancer (why you ask? plot reasons UwU) but he is planning on using a high-tech tracker on Sans so he can find him later... now you'd think that's creepy, but Sans isn't doing this 100% voluntarily and Red knows it (they are on this planet for a reason~)... but that plot is waaaaaaay too long for a drabble so.... just use your imagination >;P

[4awny]

Kyman Week Day 6 - First Trip

As Eric Cartman.

June 12th. Aged 42. A Thursday. This was the day of my release. 

Let's just address the elephant in the room first. It was second degree murder and I got 20 years. Due to good behaviour, I was out in 15. Coming off my medication was my biggest downfall and none of it would have happened if I just listened to people and got the help I needed.

I still think the guy deserved it, that's something I'll never submit to. I did it for Kyle, but I was also a danger to him too. Prison was inevitable.

He often came to visit. We talked everyday and he was this beacon of hope that got me through the first few years.

Prison wasn't so bad for me. I was terrified at first, but as time went on, I felt a sense of belonging there. I met people who were just like me, people who thought the same way I did. People void of emotions, people that were selfish, people that used others for their own gain. Psychopaths, narcissists. You name it, they were there. I kept clear from them.

It made me realize that I wasn't there to serve my time and be done with it. I was there to be rehabilitated.

After my second year, I cut ties with Kyle. 

He was completely devastated. I refused visits, made zero calls and couldn't bring myself to read his letters. After the fourth year, he stopped sending them. I think it probably broke him.

It wasn't fair holding him back anymore. I couldn't expect him to wait for me and I just wanted him to move on. It was the right thing to do and I have no regrets making that decision.

I befriended a few weirdos. Found a new faith. Lost weight, gained it back. Made connections. I still thought about him. Everyday I thought about him. 

As I approached my tenth year, I got the news that an old friend passed away. I was heartbroken. They buried him in South Park cemetery, where mom is. I still miss them both.

The later years were tough. Things started to change in there and I was struggling to cope. I came close to calling Kyle on so many occasions, but I always ended up disconnecting the call when I heard an answer. I only wanted to hear his voice. He has no idea how much it helped me.

Then one day, after around the year twelve mark, I heard a different voice. I hung up quickly, distraught. Desperation kicked in, like an old habit. I spent the next few months calling frequently and I didn't stop until I heard Kyle's voice again. Relief, because it became an obsession and I was doing so well up until that point. I broke the chip and tossed the phone for my own sanity. I promised myself that I wouldn't contact him again.

I got an early release, which I wasn't expecting. I said goodbye to home and before I knew it, I'm walking through the doors to freedom.

I'll cut the boring details. Two years go by and I got a car, an apartment and a job. I had a girlfriend too at one point, but it didn't work out. I broke it off, but she was also pregnant, so we remained friends.

The anniversary of Kenny's death came around, so I went to the cemetery to pay my respects. Just when I started to pray, I heard my name being called.

I turned around immediately and there he was, standing opposite me with flowers in his hand. He was just as stunned as I was and neither of us said anything for a few moments. I didn't have my glasses on, but his face was as clear as day.

His hair was shorter, he had a beard and the color was less vibrant than what I remember - more faded. My knees almost buckled over. He ran over to me and we crashed into each other. I silently sobbed into his shoulder and I couldn't let go.

"You'll be fine, everything's gonna be okay." He told me. He always knew what to say.

He took me to a diner and we stayed in there for hours, talking. I told him I had a daughter on the way. He didn't attempt to hide the surprised look on his face, but then he blurted out that he was divorced and I laughed hysterically.

It was so fucking typical of him.

He was curious to see where I lived, so he came home with me. We went the long way back, whatever that meant because it was only a ten minute drive. I think he just wanted to remind me of all the memories we shared together. Reminiscing, like old men.

I consider this our first trip together. Call it a trip down memory lane. My next and final story is where it ends.

6 / 7

Prev / Next

You'll be fine - ao3 for notes and shit

dayum im 5 mins late today 😭 whoops

[emmersreads]

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong | 2.5/5

The best stories feel effortless, and overburdened narratives are the opposite of that. They make you keenly aware of just how much they’re not pulling it off.

It would be wrong to say that These Violent Delights is patient zero for this phenomenon, because its not like overburdened stories were invented in 2020, but it is a definitive case study. There is a good book in here somewhere, maybe even more than one, but they’re crushed in with so many bad ones that it makes the whole thing worse.

I’m going to pull out a bunch of specific details from this book and you may think that some (or even many) of them kinda slap, but don’t get it twisted, These Violent Delights is far less than the sum of its parts.

These Violent Delights is a very thinly veiled adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, starring the scions of two opposing gangs in 1920s Shanghai whose past romance draws them together even as the blood feud between their gangs pull them apart. In addition to the plot of Romeo and Juliet, there is a second main plot in which protagonists Roma and Juliette must put their allegiances aside and work together to avert a supernatural plague of madness ravaging the city of Shanghai. That’s already one plotline too many but the book has one more, growing off of the original play’s plot like some kind of horrible fungus. This one is a meta-mystery about why Roma and Juliette were broken up the first time and the events that led to the current tensions between their two gangs. It’s a meta-mystery because there is really no reason for the third person limited narration to hide it from us — the characters should realistically be thinking about it literally every time they interact — and it ends up as a super underwhelming reveal. That’s a lot of plots, and we haven’t even got to the side characters, who also have two side arcs that have nothing to do with the overall throughline. Each of these is enough for their own book, but as more and more get introduced they crowd each other out. The narrative is pulled in more and more directions.

There are two consequences to overburdened plots: first, basically none of them get the time they need, so at best they’re not as good as they could be and at worst they feel like demeaning token inclusions; second, while all of these plots are basically fine on their own, they don’t all play well together and end up robbing each other of thematic weight. As a result the book is a mismatched jumble of plots and characters that constantly undercuts its own continuity stakes, and thematic resonance.

Lets deal with the artificially crushed pacing first. The biggest victims of this are the side characters. There are way too many and they don’t have enough to do. Part of the premise of Romeo and Juliet as a play is that its really only about those two characters. They're not the most socially significant characters in their world, or the most self aware, but their relative insignificance in the grand scheme of things serves to highlight the meaninglessness of the violent grudge that leads to their deaths. The supporting cast is mostly there to flesh out that feud. They fight and die and that's about it.

In the grand tradition of YA fanfiction everywhere These Violent Delights desperately wants to expand these roles to give them their own hopes and fears and stories, and, in the grand tradition of YA zeitgeist, add some diversity to one of the English language’s most famous heterosexual romances. This book’s version of Benvolio and Mercutio, Benedict and Marshall (and we’ll get to the fucking names), are two bros in a bromoerotic friendship. It also adds Kathleen, a Capulet faction member, Rosalind’s sister, and a trans woman.

This will be an unpopular opinion — I’ve seen fans praise Gong’s novels for the diversity and confess disappointment in its absence in more recent novels — but I kinda hated it. Both of these are good ideas — representation is a noble goal, especially of a trans woman — but I can’t overemphasize just how little time these subplots get and just how irrelevant they are to the overall plot. Benedict and Marshall get a couple of cutaways that the audience can interpolate with their prior knowledge of m/m fanfiction. Kathleen gets a little meta-mystery around her backstory reveal conveyed over about two chapters. This backstory is interesting enough to be its own novel. A Shanghainese woman transes her gender while being educated in Paris and must impersonate her tragically dead sister in order to return home, in the 1920s? Don’t mind if I do! Why is it playing fourth or fifth fiddle to the heterosexual activities of literally Romeo and Juliet. None of this has anything to do with the actual plots, which are about teen melodrama and colonialism monsters. This means that even though they’re great ideas in isolation, they end up feeling like distractions. I was tempted to skip these chapters because they just weren’t important. Put uncharitably, representation in the form of side characters who exist to be diverse rather than to influence the plot in any way isn’t good representation at all. These Violent Delights would be a better story if these side plots were cut entirely, and these characters deserve a better book.

The side characters are the most egregious victims of the limited narrative space, but far from the only ones. Juliette and Roma get one internal character problem each — after four years in New York, Juliette feels like a foreigner in her own city, and Roma’s relationship to his violent father is on the precipice of total breakdown — which look like the beginning of a character arc, but vanish from the second half of the story. They are replaced by the feud meta-mystery stuff, which is much more predictable and much less interesting than the threads it replaced. The succession drama within the gangs is supposed to be important, but has so little relation to the actual plot that it only succeeds in establishing that Tyler (our Tybalt) sure is a character. Each gang has a loose affiliation with China’s two major political factions, the communists and the RoC nationalists, but this too is dismissed because there is not enough room for this book to be about both internal Chinese politics, the western foreigners slowly taking over the city, the animosity between the gangs, and a teen love story. Roma also has a sister! I guess!

The biggest space hogs are the Romeo and Juliet interpretation and the colonialism mystery, which are uneasy bedfellows. Romeo and Juliet is a play about the tragic deaths of two teens as a result of their uncompromisingly feuding families; part of the whole tragedy is how little external pressure is on the two groups. There’s no reason for them to hold this grudge and there’s no resources that they’re competing over. The fact that neither Capulet nor Montague really understand why they’re making such bad decisions is a major part of what makes the story so hopeless and tragic. There is no room in there for ‘also they unite to solve a supernatural mystery.’ Similarly, ‘a Shanghainese returnee discovers that the supernatural plague destroying her city is a hostile takeover by an English merchant’ is its own plot. ‘She also has this on-again off-again thing with a historical gang rival’ feels like a distraction. The high stakes of the supernatural plague and the systematic wrong of colonialism makes the comparatively lower stakes of teen melodrama seem meaningless and absurd. The two plots meet catastrophically in the climax. In one scene Juliette confronts Paul, the Englishman responsible for the disease and Roma is also there, standing awkwardly in the background. Paul sometimes makes a half-hearted cutting remark at Roma, but he might as well not be there, because Paul is Juliette’s antagonist, not Roma’s. Roma’s antagonist is his father, and that plotline never gets resolved. The two plots have so little to do with each other that at best all they do is take time away from each other. At worst, they deeply undermine each other, which brings us to the second problem with all these plots: they ruin each other’s thematic impact.

To put it succinctly: teenage romance and the violence of colonialism cannot be the same importance at the same time.

Romeo and Juliet is a very personal tragedy that is essentially a melodrama. It’s about the purity of young love. It’s about the overwhelming emotion of young love. It is fundamentally unimportant in the face of a systemic violence like colonialism.[[ It has become super trendy these days, especially in YA, to juxtapose a systemic injustice with an intimate emotional story, often but not always romantic. It is easy to see the motivation behind this: any particular experience of oppression is also extremely personal, and on the other hand an intimate emotional plot line may be used to add levity or hope to a situation that the protagonist is otherwise individually incapable of changing. However, a reasonable motivation doesn’t make this technique effective. At the end of the day systemic problems are structural by nature and are a fundamentally different scale from individual level conflicts.]] It is ludicrously naive to imagine colonialism defeated by the power of young love and in the face of the higher stakes of the slow takeover of Shanghai by westeners rich enough to buy it out from under the locals, the woes of two nineteen-year-olds who can’t be together are a distraction. The idea that there would be anything more important than either this relationship of the fuel ruins the context of the original play; the whole point of Romeo and Juliet is that there is no greater crisis going on and that the families have backed themselves into this corner. In These Violent Delights the plot is precipitated by events outside of the gangs’ control and with only one exception (Tyler’s attempt to kill Roma’s sister Alisa post-climax) all the major plot events happen because of someone outside of the gangs. I found myself often wondering, ‘why the heck is this a Romeo and Juliet adaptation at all?’

Unfortunately, the alternative isn’t necessarily better. The book’s version of Paris is Paul, son of an English merchant trying to set up drug deals with Juliette’s gang. As the story progresses, we discover that the plague of madness was brought to Shanghai in order to bend the city to his will. He has been intentionally it to his enemies and to the native Shanghainese this whole time. Also, the plague is spread via the vector of a shapeshifting fish-man who shoots infectious bugs out of his back as he swims through the river. It’s fine for the bad guy to have been colonialism the whole time, but saying that colonialism is a supernatural fish monster is, dare I say it, losing the thread of the metaphor a bit. Actually, I do dare say it. The subgenre of YA that deals with social justice plots like this one is at its best when it is at its most serious. These Violent Delights sucks because it is so fucking goofy. It is so reductive for colonialism to be a fish monster that I used it as a joke earlier in this paragraph. These two things are fine on their own but when they are thrown together they absolutely suck the soul out of each other.

The novel follows the details of Romeo and Juliet very closely despite having dropped the overall thematic message in favour of the colonialism thing, so there are a bunch of characters that have no reason to be there other than the fact that they appear in the play. Why is Rosalind here? Why would a 1920s Shanghai gang have an experimental physician on the payroll? Well, friar Lawrence needs to be here somehow and for whatever reason he can’t just be cooking drugs. It is too much like Romeo and Juliet to not be a straight up retelling and it is not a retelling.

As you may have noticed, all the characters have been named the kidzbop version of their names from the play. I can’t even begin to guess why. A lot of hay is made out of how many different places all the characters are from and how that affects their sense of belonging. Roma is Russian, technically a foreigner, but he has lived in Shanghai his whole life, unlike Juliette, whose western education makes her an outsider — but they’re all named like a Say Yes to the Dress wedding party. Marshall is unusual in that he’s the only central character who is both poor and Shanghainese. If any character ought to represent the people Roma and Juliette are ostensibly trying to protect, its this one, but you’d never know it because his name is fucking Marshall. Juliette directly addresses that she is ambivalent about using an English version of her name and feels like an outsider compared to her cousin, so why does he also have an English name? Names are a hugely meaningful place to express personal identity and narrative worldbuilding. As an example, in Babel protagonist Robin chooses that name when he is required by his English patron to choose a name befitting of his new country; we never learn his original Chinese name. Babel uses this to represent the colonization of the individual mind via language. It is a familiar topic for These Violent Delights, where the characters are the globe-trotting new generation of the 1920s, but that detail is fundamentally superfluous because the simplest opportunity to show rather than tell is dismissed in favour of naming them more like Romeo and Juliet.

There’s a lot more stuff in here that simply needs removing. Either a cause or a symptom of the overburdened narrative is that the book feels poorly edited. It badly needed a second pass. The turning point of the ending is that Juliette diffuses an encounter between White Flowers and Scarlets by pretending to betray Roma and faking Marshall’s death by shooting him with an empty handgun. It does not take a firearms expert to know that an empty gun clicks. It is extremely obvious that it is empty. It’s a whole trope! The foreboding click as the protagonist hasn’t counted their shots. Or perhaps the moment of tension diffuses as the villain realizes they’ve run out of firepower. Blanks are rounds that include gunpowder but no bullet, but that combustion is where the noise comes from. I’m complaining this much because this is a pivotal scene. The way the gun works is crucial to the relationship between all the major characters and the social premise of the sequel. This is not a small detail you can fudge for everyone except the true obsessives. It needed to be corrected. (Also, by the way, even a blank round can seriously injure a person at close range as the still combusting gunpowder exits the barrel). There’s a bunch more of these. A friend of mine who knows more (read: anything) about Chinese history pointed out that it is ahistorical for the qipaos to be described as ‘tight-fitting’ especially as tighter-fitting than a western flapper dress. In reality, both garments were much looser than our preconceived notions suggest. Why is Juliette the heir of the Scarlet gang when her male cousin really ought to be due to male-precedence primogeniture. It wouldn’t even change anything material about the plot for Juliette to be trying to seize the heir role from Tyler rather than to be defending it from him.

These Violent Delights is a poor love story, and a worse thriller, and a deeply unoriginal comment on colonialism. It is trying to do too many things to do any of them well. The most depressing part of this is that the book is so messy and its use of the play so diluted by all the other crap going on, that the use of Romeo and Juliet comes across as little more than a cynical feature of a popular play to get classics girlie dollars. A vicious end indeed.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Pomegranate Ink: X

Series Synopsis: Unable to heal but willing to fight, with a fiancé in Kyoto and a last name that looms over everything you do, you accept an offer to study at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech. What you did not know was that your salvation and your ruination alike would soon join you at the school, neatly wrapped in the form of a boy followed by death.

Chapter Synopsis: The worst curse user, Suguru Geto, moves against jujutsu society, with devastating consequences.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Yuta Okkotsu × Female Reader

Chapter Word Count: 9.9k

Content Warnings: angst, misogyny, naoya zenin, forbidden relationships, canon-typical violence, character death, original characters included

A/N: the end of jjk vol 0 except it’s pomegranate ink

“Wow,” Maki said, sounding impressed, “Seems like you did exactly the opposite thing you planned to.”

“Yeah,” Tullia chirped, “I mean, you were all ‘I’m going to avoid Yuta and not talk to him until my feelings go away’ before you left, and now you’re telling us you’ve made out with him?”

“And you told Noritoshi? Why didn’t you just lie when he asked you?” Maki said.

“To be honest, it didn’t really occur to me. Anyways, he would’ve seen through anything like a lie. He’s perceptive,” you said.

“At least he’s okay with it. That’s a good thing,” Tullia said. You nodded.

“Yes, it feels like a weight off of my chest in a sense. As long as the higher ups don’t figure it out, we’ll be alright,” you said.

“That’s good. So, are you two, like, dating now or something?” Tullia said, grinning evilly.

“Uh, I’m not really sure. We haven’t really talked about that night yet, and nothing has happened since, so I don’t know. Do you think he doesn’t want to date me?” you said in worry. Tullia cleared her throat dramatically.

“Oh, Y/N, you are my biggest weakness and I’ll kill anyone that looks at you the wrong way. Also, I kissed you, and the super scary curse attached to me wants us to get married,” she said, lowering her voice as if to imitate Yuta. You gave her a dull look. Maki snorted but tried to hide it with a cough.

“That’s not what he sounds like,” you said.

“You’re right, I made my voice too deep,” she said, “No matter. Seriously, all of that is basically what you just described to us, and you’re questioning whether he wants to date you? The answer is yes, he does. Probably very much.”

“I’m not the greatest with all of this romantic stuff, but even I can tell that Yuta cares about you a lot. He’s probably more scared about how you feel and the state of your engagement and whatnot than anything,” Maki said.

“He’s already been slated for execution once before, I doubt he wants to go through it again. You’ll just have to talk to him and make sure he knows the full story. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that the word ‘assume’ is spelled as such because it makes an ‘ass’ out of ‘you’ and ‘me!’” Tullia said.

“That was the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Maki said.

“It was pretty bad, Tullia,” you said.

“The sentiment is fair, though,” Maki acquiesced.

“The point is that you can’t jump to conclusions about what he wants without communicating! Otherwise, you’ll just end up looking like a fool — an ass, if you will,” Tullia explained.

“We can speculate all we want, but the only person that can tell you how Yuta feels for certain is, well, Yuta,” Maki said.

“You’re both right,” you said. “Enough about all of this, though. Do either of you have feelings for anyone? I mean, we only ever talk about my problems. I’d like to be the one giving advice for a change!”

“You’re out of luck on my part,” Maki said quickly. “No feelings from me.”

“Aw, shame,” you said. “Tullia?”

“Hm, I don’t know. I think that I want to have a crush on someone, but I’m not sure who,” she said.

“What do you look for in a potential partner?” Maki said. Tullia considered this, biting her lip in thought.

“I think it’d have to be someone patient,” she said.

“Definitely,” you said.

“Anyone dating you needs to have the patience of a saint,” Maki said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tullia said with a frown.

“Just keep thinking of ideal qualities,” you said.

“Kindness is important to me. And they don’t have to be a special grade sorcerer or anything, but certainly someone that can hold their own in combat. A sense of humor would be a plus, but not in an obnoxious way. I’d like it if they were on the calmer side, too. But this is all super-specific, I doubt anyone with this exact mix of qualities exists in real life,” she said.

You exchanged looks with Maki, who seemed similarly amused at the fact that Tullia had almost perfectly described your classmate, Toge Inumaki. You arched a brow, and she shook her head. You both would let Tullia come to this conclusion by herself, even if playing matchmaker would be entertaining. Well, maybe a tiny shove wouldn’t be so bad, if only because Toge would never make a move and Tullia was too oblivious to realize she basically already had a crush on him.

“Have you ever dated anyone before?” you said.

“Yeah,” Tullia said, scoffing. “This guy back in America. He was obsessed with swimming and rarely texted or called me back, said it was his fatal flaw or something. It was annoying and made me feel like shit, so I dumped him.”

“Good for you,” Maki said with a nod.

“Sorry you had to go through that. He sounds like a terrible person,” you said.

“Oh, he was. He ended up following me home one day. I was going through a crisis because I had recently drank an entire carton of expired milk that tasted like vanilla ice cream for some reason, but thankfully I noticed him and broke his jaw before telling him to screw off. Who knows what he would’ve done if I hadn’t realized he was there? But no use dwelling on it, I guess,” she said.

“That must’ve been your cursed technique manifesting,” you said.

“Does expired milk count as poison?” Maki said.

“I don’t see why not. I doubt it would do her much good when fighting an actual curse, but against a teenage boy, sure,” you said.

“That’s about when my parents began to discuss sending me to stay with Kaito, so you’re probably right,” she said.

“What a horrible first boyfriend, though,” you said, shaking your head. “I’m sure if you date anyone over here, they’ll be much better.”

“If you have someone in mind, let me know,” she said.

“There’s always Toge,” you said innocently.

“Nah. He’s way out of my league,” she said with a dismissive wave. “Thanks, though.”

“You think Toge’s out of your league?” Maki said.

“He’s a strong and proper sorcerer. I…knocked him out with a frying pan the first time we met. The difference between us is like an ocean,” Tullia said, smiling brightly. “It’s alright, I’m sure I’ll find someone someday. Someone actually attainable.”

“I’m sure you will,” you said, once again glancing at Maki, who seemed incredulous at the turn of events. All of you had caught on to Toge’s crush on Tullia, bar Tullia herself, and Panda was certain they’d date at least once before graduation. The way things were going, though, you weren’t sure how likely it was to happen.

“Anyways, do you have any idea where the others are? Gojo gave us the day off, and I was hoping we could go do something together, especially if Y/N can convince Ijichi to drive us somewhere,” Tullia said.

“That’s a good idea. We haven’t hung out as an entire group in a long time,” Maki said.

“I’m sure Ijichi will be fine with it,” you said, nodding. “It’ll be fun! We should go shopping.”

“Do you really think anyone but you and I will enjoy shopping?” Tullia said dryly. True to form, Maki was already making a face at the prospect. You flicked her on the forehead.

“Come on, just for a little, and then we can get food! We can make Yuta and Panda carry all of our bags, too,” you said.

“I do love making them do stuff for me,” Maki mused.

“I think they’re outside. We should find them and let them know our plans. Well, maybe not the ‘making them carry our bags’ part, but the rest of it,” you said.

“It’s kinda chilly out today, isn’t it?” Tullia said with a shiver as you stepped outside into the courtyard. It was true — the wind had a bite to it, and you shoved your hands into your pockets, attempting to warm some feeling back into them. It was marginally successful, although your face and ears were still cold. Maki, who had on a bright magenta scarf, seemed rather smug in her coziness, adjusting it around her neck with a smirk.

“You guys should’ve been better prepared,” she said.

“I mean, it’s not like I’m cold. It was regularly far below freezing where I used to live; this is nothing compared to that. Just an observation. I feel like it’s been pretty warm recently, so I was taken aback, that’s all,” Tullia said.

“I’m miserable,” you offered.

“Sucks,” Maki commented. You scowled at her, elbowing her in the side, to which she shot you a dirty look but did not retaliate further.

“Oh, there they are! Hey, guys, wait up!” Tullia shouted as you rounded the corner and were met with Yuta, Toge, and Panda. Panda wore a bright green scarf with a pattern of little panda faces — you believed it to be an ironic choice on his part. Toge had on his signature teal collar, and Yuta had tied a blue scarf around his neck, though he frowned when he saw you.

“You look cold, Y/N,” he said, and before you could protest, he had taken his scarf off and draped it around your neck. “There you go!”

“Thanks, Yuta,” you said shyly, pulling the fabric up to mirror Maki’s style. She stuck her tongue out at you when she noticed; you reciprocated in kind, far too childish to take the mature route of ignoring her antics.

Yuta went to respond before pausing, pursing his lips and looking into the distance. You cocked your head in confusion, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.

“Yuta, what’s wrong?” Panda said.

“I don’t know. Something just feels…off. I’m getting this weirdly bad feeling,” he said.

“Your cursed energy perception still isn’t the best because of Rika. It’s probably nothing,” Maki said.

“Salmon,” Toge said with a nod before turning to you, “Mustard leaf?”

You hummed, placing a hand on Yuta’s shoulder to balance yourself and closing your eyes. The others were silent, waiting for you to confirm or deny Yuta’s claims. It was something of an unspoken rule — you were the final authority when it came to cursed signature detection.

You sucked in a breath when blinding energy crept into the edges of your vision, a pit forming in your stomach.

“It’s someone powerful,” you said. “I don’t recognize their signature, but they’re nearly as strong as Gojo. They’re getting close to the school.”

“So I was right?” Yuta said.

“Seems like it. But if they were so powerful, shouldn’t the rest of us have picked up on them by now?” Tullia said.

“We’re too close to Rika and Gojo. They can both be overwhelming if you’re not used to them; together, it’s almost impossible to pick out anyone else’s signatures without practice,” you said, opening your eyes and furrowing your brow. “We had best get back to the school before —”

There was a crashing thud as an enormous curse shaped like a pelican with four wings landed in front of you. An elegantly dressed man with long, dark hair half tied up landed daintily on the ground, and you knew without a doubt he was the one that you had detected earlier.

“I’m pretty sure he’s not supposed to be here,” Maki said, brandishing her polearm and narrowing her eyes.

“What a cool curse! It’s huge,” Panda said.

“It reminds me of this one movie I used to like as a kid,” Tullia said, toying with the cap of the bottle of bleach she carried around with her. “Though this isn’t exactly the dentist’s office…”

A whole crew of others followed after the man, arguing amongst themselves as you all watched, bemused. One of them squealed in delight at Panda, who did not visibly show his uncertainty, but they did nothing more. And even though they had shown no signs of violence, there was a sense you got that they were dangerous.

“Yuta, we really need to get out of here,” you murmured. “They’re all bad news. I don’t like it.”

“Hey!” Panda shouted. “You all better scram if you’re up to some funny business! Y/N and Mr. Yuta won’t tolerate troublemakers!”

“What?” you said.

“Yeah! Leave this place before they knock you out for good!” Maki agreed.

“What?” Yuta said.

“Yeah, Yuta’s a special-grade sorcerer! And Y/N’s a feminist!” Tullia said.

“Salmon,” Toge said with a firm nod.

“What?” you said. In the blink of an eye, the man was in front of Yuta, shaking his hand eagerly. You flinched back in surprise, darting to Maki’s side and eyeing the interaction warily.

“Nice to meet you, Okkotsu! My name’s Suguru Geto,” he said. Although he stopped shaking Yuta’s hand, he did not let go, instead beaming at him expectantly.

“Nice to meet you, too?” Yuta said, voice high-pitched and questioning with nerves.

“As that girl said, you’re a special-grade sorcerer, correct? What a wonderful power! I think you could do truly special things with it!” Geto said. Yuta looked uncomfortable, eyes trained on the ground instead of at Geto, who did not seem offended. “There’s just so much wrong with this world, wouldn’t you agree? We jujutsu sorcerers are forced to protect society from the shadows — in a way, we are subservient to those weaker than us. Isn’t it just deplorable?”

“That’s not really how I’d phrase it, but yeah, I guess so,” Yuta said, staring at you with pleading eyes. You winced in apology. His shoulders sagged, resigned to his fate.

“Humans are willingly holding themselves back. It’s just…it’s just nonsense! In order for the human race to flourish, we must earnestly reflect on the state of our species, and that’s where I need your help!” Geto said.

“With what?” Yuta said.

“Killing all non-sorcerers and creating a new society, one where only jujutsu sorcerers exist, of course!” Geto said. Yuta went pale, his eyes wide at the proposal. Disgust formed in the deepest parts of you — what Geto spoke of was truly nothing more than genocide, a mass murder on a scale you could not even imagine. And he was so relaxed about it, too, as if all but wiping out the human race was a casual afternoon topic to be discussed over tea with friends!

“That’s enough. There’s no need for you to fill my impressionable students’ heads with your ridiculous ideas,” Gojo said. He and Principal Yaga, along with more sorcerers than you could count, stood a little ways away from you, expressions dark and ready to fight.

“Satoru! It’s been so long, how have you been?” Geto said cheerfully. Gojo’s face and tone were flat when he responded.

“Step away from them, Suguru.”

“You can hardly blame me. I’ve heard so much about the talent of the first-years, I had to come meet them myself! It’s no wonder they’re under your tutelage; they’re truly exceptional. A special-grade cursed human, an abrupt-mutation cursed corpse, the first fighter from the L/N line in all of recorded history, an American with the harshest cursed signature I’ve ever encountered, and a cursed speech user descendant. The only thing I can’t understand is her,” Geto said, pointing at Maki with a sneer. “The Zenin family failure.”

You snarled, a retort on the tip of your tongue, but Maki beat you to it, her shock melting into fury at Geto’s words.

“You little —”

“Careful,” Geto said, cutting her off imperiously, “I don’t need someone like you in my world, monkey.”

At this, Yuta smacked his hand away. Geto’s eyes widened in surprise at his sudden disdain, but Yuta glared at him, suddenly emboldened.

“Look, I’m really sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about quite yet. What I do know is that I’m not going to help someone who talks like that about my friends,” Yuta said. Geto softened, halfheartedly smiling at him.

“My sincerest apologies. I had no intention of upsetting you,” he said. It was not an apology to Maki; he did not care about her. It was only a ploy to get back in Yuta’s good graces, one which you doubted would work. Yuta was far too loyal for that — he would never look upon Suguru Geto fondly, not after what he had said to Maki.

“Why are you here, Suguru?” Gojo said, lips pressed into a thin line.

“To declare war, it seems. All of you gathered here, I hope that you are listening! On December 24th, at sundown, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons will commence. I will release a thousand curses at two locations — Shinjuku, in Tokyo, and the sacred land for jujutsu, Kyoto! These curses will have one objective, and that will be to kill everyone in their paths. Should you wish to avoid the hell they will bring about, give up everything and risk your lives to fight!” Geto said.

“What is he talking about?” Tullia said.

“Let’s curse each other to our heart’s content!” he said with a malicious grin.

“Master Geto! The store is going to close soon, we have to go now!” a girl said, interrupting the menacing aura that had settled down on the surrounding area like a blanket. Geto sighed affectionately.

“Ah, duty calls. Sorry, Satoru, but I have plans with the girls, so we’ll be on our way now,” he said.

“I don’t think so. You’re not going anywhere,” Gojo said. Geto arched a brow, and an enormous curse appeared in front of you students, while several smaller ones manifested in every other direction. You were surrounded, and despite the fact that there was six of you, you doubted you could take them out. Even the small ones were powerful, despite their size, and that was not to mention the large one in front of you.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t. Your beloved students are in my range, so unless you don’t value their lives at all…” Geto threatened. Gojo froze, though you could tell he was clenching his jaw in frustration. Geto grabbed the leg of the pelican, waving gaily. “See you all on the battlefield!”

The curses vanished once Geto was a distance away, and only then did the six of you relax. Gojo strode over to you briskly, arms folded across his chest.

“Are you all alright?” he said.

“We’re fine,” you said, answering for all of you, “Just a bit shaken, is all.”

“Who was that?” Tullia said nervously, thrumming with anxious energy. Toge put his hand on her shoulder, which served to calm her down, if only a little.

“Suguru Geto. He’s notorious as the worst curse user to exist in recent times,” Gojo said. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.”

“Why is he so interested in Yuta?” you said. You longed to reach over and hold Yuta’s hand tightly, but you were all too aware of your audience, so you settled for gazing at him in worry.

“Doubtless he wants to use Yuta’s, or, more importantly, Rika’s strength, in order to accomplish his goals,” Gojo said.

“He can’t!” you said in alarm.

“I won’t let him. We’ll take care of this Night Parade and stomp it out before it can create any problems, and then we’ll deal with Geto before he can get anywhere near achieving his ideals,” Gojo said, patting you on the head. It was hard to disbelieve him — he was the strongest. If anyone was capable of following through with such a promise, it was him, so you took a deep breath.

“Alright,” you said.

“I still don’t like any of this,” Tullia said, biting her lip, “This whole Night Parade thing feels off. I can’t put my finger on it, but I don’t think that two thousand curses are the only things we’ll have to worry about on December 24th.”

You tugged the fabric of Yuta’s scarf up to cover the lower half of your face, disguising the fear spiking through you and protecting you from the cold.

“I think you may be right about that, Tullia,” you murmured, and as the other sorcerers dispersed, called to Principal Yaga’s office for a meeting, you gave into temptation and gripped Yuta’s hand tightly. He squeezed so hard that you thought your fingers might break, but you made no move to rip away. In fact, you squeezed back just as hard; it felt like the second you’d let go, he’d vanish, taken away by Suguru Geto.

“It’ll be alright,” Yuta said bravely, “Gojo won’t let anything go wrong.”

“I know,” you said. “I don’t doubt him, not at all. It’s just that Gojo can’t fix a problem he doesn’t know exists. If something unexpected goes wrong during the Night Parade…he’s only one man. How much can we realistically ask of him?”

“It’s Gojo,” Maki said flippantly, “‘Realistic’ doesn’t really apply.”

“Salmon,” Toge said, nodding his head.

“I guess so,” you said. Despite their reassurances, you and Tullia still looked at one another with apprehension. Maybe it was because of your different upbringings, but you knew the two of you were the only ones that didn’t trust anything Geto had to say.

Later that night, there was a knock on your door. You opened it and were met with Tullia, dressed in her pajamas and using her phone as a flashlight. You switched on your lamps and motioned her in.

“He’s full of shit,” she said.

“Agreed. I don’t know why the others think he’s being genuine, but he has something else up his ridiculously flowy sleeve,” you said.

“It’s a common tactic. I’m willing to bet that the Night Parade is something like a diversion, though what the real attack is going to be, I can’t tell,” she said.

“We’ll have to stay on our guard more than ever,” you said, “Looks like our shopping trip will have to wait until after the 24th.”

“I guess it’s an exercise in delayed gratification,” she said.

“I didn’t realize you knew such big words!” you said in mock-surprise, pretending to clap for her. She gave you a dull look.

“I didn’t realize you had the guts to kiss Yuta while in the same building as your future husband, but I guess everyone’s full of surprises,” she said.

“That…is fair, actually,” you allowed. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Just didn’t feel like being alone,” she said, sitting on the floor and hugging her knees to her chest. “I don’t know. I mean, I just feel like in the time I’ve been going to school here, I’ve finally found something like a family. You, Maki, Yuta, Panda, Toge…it feels too good to be true for that many people to really care about me. Would you do me a favor? If it’s possible, at least give me something like an advance warning before you leave, too.”

“I’m not going to leave you,” you said instantly. “None of us will.”

“Why not? I’m not strong like Maki and Yuta. I’m not smart and experienced like Toge and Panda. I’m not talented like you. I’m just Tullia, a girl from America with a stupid flashy cursed signature that has no power behind it and a taste for bleach. We all know that I’ll be left behind even as you all continue to improve, and what use will you have for me then? When will I just be annoying instead of endearing? When will you grow tired of me?” she said.

“I’ll never grow tired of you. How could you say such a thing? You’re my friend. You give me advice when I’m confused and support me when I’m scared. And you’re not stupid or weak, by the way. You’re more observant than you let on, and your instincts are sharper than we really give you credit for. As for weakness, well, the reason your signature is so flashy is because of the nature of your technique,” you said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she said.

“The more poison you drink, the stronger you are. Sure, at a base level, you probably couldn’t compete with any of us, but who says you have to fight without any help? Work with your cursed technique, not against it. If you drink enough poison, I’m almost certain that you’ll have as much cursed energy as I do, probably more. It won’t be permanent, but who needs it to be permanent, anyways? It’s not like I use my cursed energy to brush my teeth or anything. You only need it in a fight,” you said.

“I guess you’re right about that,” she said.

“I’m not really all too strong, either. I just think outside of the box and try to work within the limitations of what I’ve been given. Some people — like Gojo, for example — have everything handed to them, in a sense. They’re born with a powerful technique and huge reserves of energy and everything is just fine and dandy. But you and me, we’re not like that. Drinking poison, seeing weak spots, neither of those in and of themselves really sound particularly special. But I earnestly believe that if you embrace who you are and the skills you possess instead of wishing you were different, you’ll be a lot stronger than most sorcerers you’ll ever encounter,” you said.

“You know, I should talk to you about my worries more,” Tullia said. “You’re good at giving advice.”

“It comes with the territory. I have so many problems constantly that I’ve gotten good at solving them. Well, at least for other people. As for myself, well…that’s what I have you and Maki for, right?” you said.

“Right,” she said. “I won’t leave you, either. We’ll be friends until — until —”

“Until the sun sets in the east and the moon rises in the west,” you said.

“You’re so poetic,” she said, shaking her head in amusement, “I was just going to say until we die, but I like your version more.”

“Both can be true,” you said. “I like both.”

“Me, too,” she said. “Yeah. Both…both are good.”

Shinjuku was beautiful, but you could not marvel at the sights of the city, not when any second now, a quantity of curses so large the thought made your head spin would appear. You stood with Tullia, Toge, and Panda; the four of you would be fighting together, while Maki and Yuta had remained back at the school for their safety. Tullia had already consumed at least two bottles of laundry detergent, and now she was inspecting a vial that she held in her hands. Toge nudged her curiously, snapping her out of her daze.

“Oh, it’s tetrodotoxin, the toxin that’s in pufferfish and such. Gojo got me some for the occasion. We’ll see how much it boosts me, though it’s such a small amount that I won’t take it until absolutely necessary,” she said, carefully tucking it into her breast pocket, securing the button and then smiling at you.

Toge furrowed his brow, inching away from her — which made sense. Tetrodotoxin was nothing to play with; it was genuinely lethal, one of the worst toxins in existence, and Tullia would have to be careful that nobody else got their hands on the liquid. Unlike her, they would not survive ingesting its contents.

Almost like clockwork, hundreds upon hundreds of curses manifested out of thin air, the atmosphere so heavy with negative energy that you almost fainted due to your sensitivity. The gathered sorcerers all exchanged grim looks, and you knew without a doubt that you were all ready.

“So,” you said conversationally, “Do we want to stick together as a group, go solo, or pair up?”

“I’m fine with whatever,” Panda said.

“I vote that we pair up. There’s simply too many curses around — we’ll all need someone else to watch our backs, but a group of four is going to be difficult to coordinate in such a high-stakes situation, when literally every second is the difference between living and dying,” Tullia said.

“She’s got a point. How do we split up?” you said as the rest of the sorcerers began to get into battle stances, the curses rapidly approaching, ignoring the buildings in favor of drifting towards all of you.

“Toge and I have a lot of practice together,” Panda said.

“Yeah, and we worked well with each other last time, Y/N,” Tullia said.

“Right, then that sounds like a plan. Let’s have a party once all of this is over, yeah?” you said.

“Toge and I can handle the cake,” Panda said.

“Salmon,” Toge said, saluting at you before the two ran off to deal with an approaching Grade 2 curse.

“Let’s get this over with, then, Tullia,” you said, cracking your knuckles and then taking out a few needles, silently activating your technique and carefully aiming them, hitting the weak spots of a few lower-level curses that were getting dangerously close.

“I’m all for that plan,” she said, taking out the water bottle she had filled with cyanide and taking a swig. “Ugh, I’m going to have to go to the bathroom so bad after this.”

“Then we had best not take too long,” you said. “Up above!”

There was a curse slithering through the air as if it were water, high in the sky, making a strange chattering sound as it went. Because of its height, nobody else had noticed it yet, but as things were going, it would take out a large majority of your ranks due to the advantage of surprise alone, not to mention that it was certainly a Grade 1 based on its signature.

“Can you throw that far?” she said, tilting her head back and squinting.

“I don’t think so,” you said. She bit her lip and then opened her bottle, downing the entire thing in one gulp. Her spine stiffened, and you saw her body begin to almost vibrate from the adrenaline undoubtedly flowing through her veins. She wiped away some excess from the corner of her mouth and grinned at you.

“No problem,” she said.

“Uh, what are you going to do? Why’d you just waste all of your cyanide?” you said.

“We’ve gotta get rid of that thing, but the only way we can is if one of us can get closer,” she said.

“Right, but neither of us can,” you said, suddenly getting a bad feeling about the turn of events.

“Not true. You can,” she said, cupping her hands.

“Tullia, you don’t mean —” you said.

“If you have to fly to beat that curse, then you will fly. Jump into my hands; I have enough cursed energy stored up that I should be able to get you up pretty high,” she said.

Against your better judgement, you backed up a suitable distance before taking off into a sprint directly at Tullia. At the last second before impact, you lifted your leg, stepping into her cupped hands and using them to push off. She thrust you up, and it was her momentum more than yours that had you soaring through the air as if you were a bird.

“Dissection!” you gasped out, too terrified to focus and use your technique silently. The curse’s underbelly glowed green, and you stabbed a needle into the white scales, hanging there for a second and catching your breath before screaming as the curse burst into nothingness, sending you into a freefall.

You were caught by somebody before you could hit the ground, and you opened your eyes to see who your mysterious savior was, only to be met with Kento Nanami’s regal face and exasperated expression.

“Why did you just fall from the sky?” he said.

“N-Nanami, sir!” you said, feeling yourself go starry-eyed at the fact that you were currently being held by Kento Nanami. “I am so sorry for inconveniencing you. My sincerest apologies, truly! I just exorcised a flying curse in the sky, but then it vanished, so I fell, but then you caught me, so I’m okay. Obviously.”

“I see,” he said, setting you down on your feet and patting you on the head, “Good job, kid, we all owe you one. Try to stay on the ground until you can grow wings, though.”

“Understood!” you said, watching in awe as he rejoined the fray, leaving you to swoon before throwing a needle at a wayward curse that tried to swipe at you in your distraction.

Right when you were about to go after another Grade 2 curse, a hand grabbed the back of your shirt, dragging you along beside Toge, who seemed similarly confused at the turn of events. The two of you were tossed beside Tullia and Panda, and you face-palmed when you realized the identity of your kidnapper was none other than Gojo himself, though he was far more serious than normal as he began to draw a circle around you with his fingers.

“What’s going on?” you said.

“Suguru’s at the school. He’s going after Yuta; I need the four of you to hold him off until I can come help,” he said.

“Shit, I knew something like this would happen!” Tullia said.

“Do you really believe we can do anything meaningful against Geto?” you said.

“You’re going to have to, because to be honest, we can’t spare anyone else at the moment,” Gojo said, completing the circle and then nodding sharply. “Good luck.”

You were shot into the air, the force of his power all but teleporting you. You were above the school suddenly, where a veil had been formed. Once again, you found yourself plummeting to the ground, directly in opposition to what you had just promised Nanami. This time, however, as you broke through the veil, you were more prepared, rolling to disperse the shock to your joints and then springing to your feet as soon as you could.

“I’ll go through the walls and take him on first,” Panda said, not even waiting for a response before charging through the stone walls of the school, clearing a path for you, Toge, and Tullia to race after him.

“If there was ever a time for your tetrodotoxin, it’d be now!” you said to Tullia.

“Not quite yet,” she said as the two of you began to fall behind. Toge, though he was certainly no Maki, was incredibly athletic, and Panda was on a bit of a rampage, leaving you and Tullia in the dust. You crossed your fingers for luck, hoping that the two of them would be enough, that you wouldn’t be met with something terrible when you caught up to them.

Blood. You almost slipped on the sticky substance, and then you almost vomited when you realized that the source of it was Maki, her skin white like snow and her body sprawled out on the stones of the courtyard, blood seeping out from her torso and her head. A little ways away, Panda lay, surrounded by debris, and Toge was facedown, though at the sound of your footsteps, he raised his head slightly, making direct eye contact with Tullia.

“Tullia…Y/N…you have to…save Yuta,” he said before collapsing, and though it was technically a cursed speech command, he was so weak that it did nothing but cause blood to drip from the corners of his mouth, his eyes fluttering shut from the effort. Blood, blood, there was so much of it. Everyone was bleeding, everyone was dying. Was Maki dead? Would Toge soon follow her if she was?

“More of you? How stellar!” Geto said, appearing from behind Tullia and striking at her. She ducked, barely dodging and giving you a panicked look.

“Now! You have to drink it now!” you said, throwing a fistful of needles at Geto. A few pierced his cheeks, his clothes, but they were nothing more than annoyances. He tugged them out with a scowl.

“Is that all you’ve got, L/N girl?” he said.

“It’s all I need,” you said. The moment of distraction had been enough for Tullia to unscrew the lid of her tetrodotoxin, pouring the contents of the vial down her throat and then shuddering at the influx of cursed energy.

“I see how it is. Your strange signature is harsh because it’s like an unfilled glass,” Geto mused, observing Tullia. “And now the glass has been filled!”

“So it seems,” she said before moving faster than you could even process, coating her limbs in cursed energy and sending a flurry of punches and kicks at Geto, so quick that she was nothing more than a blur. Despite this, he still managed to avoid most of them, conjuring up curses for you to deal with and setting some on Tullia as well.

There were too many. You were strong, and with the tetrodotoxin, Tullia’s cursed energy reserves were momentarily equal to Yuta’s at least, but Geto’s curses were insistent, beating down on you until you were out of needles and Tullia’s temporary boost had faded. With the loss of the poison that had been coursing through her circulatory system and keeping her on her feet, she fell to the ground, an easy target for a cursed to rake its claws across her face and then smash its tail into her head, leaving her unconscious.

Defenseless, you turned to hand-to-hand combat, but you had never been a master at it. A curse picked you up and tossed you to Geto’s feet. He looked down at you in disdain, a frown evident on his face.

“You all are a talented lot. If only you weren’t so blinded by your ideals,” he said, sighing dramatically.

“Go to hell,” you said.

“Looks like we’re already there, don’t you think?” he said, delicately toeing you away from him, towards a curse that blasted you with enough cursed energy to leave you unconscious for weeks. You could only widen your eyes and then succumb to the darkness, too exhausted to dodge and finding no use to it, either. What was the point? You weren’t strong enough to face Geto. You weren’t strong enough to save Yuta. You weren’t strong enough to do anything.

“There’s a story I’d like you to hear,” your mother said. You were about seven or eight; this was the first of many times that you’d hear this same story, over and over and over until you had memorized it. But for now, you were happy to listen to your mother talk, so you only nodded.

“Alright, mother. But can we have cookies with the story?” you said. She looked around furtively before holding a finger to her lips.

“Promise not to tell your father?” she said.

“I pinky swear!” you said, holding out your pinky. She laughed and interlocked it with her own.

“Well, then. Go ahead, but not too many. You don’t want to run out of space for dinner,” she said.

“I have a special spot in my stomach that’s just for cookies, so I won’t run out of space for dinner,” you said.

“Is that so?” your mother said in amusement.

“Mhm! But tell me the story now, please!” you said.

“Oh, yes, of course. I’m certain you know how your father is a wonderful healer, and about how your great-grandfather healed an entire army in minutes, but have you ever heard the story of your ancestor from the Heian period?” she said.

“What’s the Heian period?” you said.

“Don’t chew with your mouth open,” your mother chided. You obliged immediately, shutting your mouth, swallowing, and then staring up at her in confusion, waiting for an explanation. “It was the golden age of sorcery. The most powerful sorcerers to ever exist lived back then; in fact, they were the ones to seal Ryomen Sukuna.”

“Sukuna was real?” you said, jaw dropping. You had always believed that the King of Curses was nothing more than a story told to children in order to make them behave.

“He was. He was a terrible, terrible being, and it took every last bit of strength those sorcerers had to defeat them. Your ancestor’s wife — who I suppose would also be your ancestor, but it is not her name you bear — was a part of the battle against Sukuna, and indeed was instrumental in defeating him. But the defeat came at a price: Sukuna stabbed her through the heart, leaving her for dead,” she said.

“I hate Sukuna,” you said.

“Who doesn’t?” your mother said, gently, rhetorically. “Anyways. There was no point to doing anything but planning her funeral — her heart had all but stopped. And then your ancestor arrived, and he fell into such great despair that he ripped the knife out of his wife’s chest and nearly turned it upon himself.”

“Huh?” you said.

“He almost killed himself. He could not bear it, the thought of living without his wife, who he loved more than anything, than anyone. And then he remembered — he had a Reverse Cursed Technique, did he not? So he ignored all rationality and used it on his wife. It meant nothing, but he refused to give up until he had healed her,” she said.

“Did he?” you said.

“He did. By some miracle, he managed to bring her back from death, managed to close her wounds and force her heart to beat again, cementing the L/N clan’s position in society — not that your ancestor really ever cared about such a thing. All that was important to him was his wife’s wellbeing. And do you want to know the most wonderful thing of all?” she said.

“What?” you said, enthralled by the story, by the way your mother’s eyes sparkled as she told it.

“Your ancestor’s name has been lost to time, despite the miracle he accomplished — in fact, most people put his story off as nothing more than a romantic fairytale, a truth embellished into fiction. But his wife’s name lives on as a true hero, one of the sealers of Ryomen Sukuna. Would you like to know what it was?” she said.

“Yes!” you said.

“Y/N,” she said, smiling at the way you gasped, “Her name…was Y/N.”

You moaned as something insistently shook you. Your head was pounding, and as you were abruptly awakened, you sat up. It was eerily silent; there was no trace of Geto anywhere. Tullia, Toge, Panda, and Maki lay beside you, all of them sleeping, all of them looking perfectly healthy and safe.

‘Hurry up! Hurry up!’

Rika was the one who had shaken you awake, and now she was screeching at you. You blinked at her, reaching out blindly for something to help you stand. She yanked you up impatiently, baring her teeth at you.

“What’s the matter?” you said in confusion, completely disoriented. “What’s going on? Where’s Geto?”

‘I got rid of the bad man, but not before he got Yuta. Hurry up, you have to save Yuta! Save Yuta!’

“What do you mean? He got Yuta?” you said, alertness washing over you like cold water at this.

‘Hurry up!’

“Where is he?” you demanded.

‘Follow me.’

The courtyard that you had been walking in only the other day. Invisible hands choked you, the air leaving your lungs as you were met with the sight of Yuta’s body. He was still, so horribly still, that you knew without a doubt what had happened. He was dead, or at least close to it, and a strangled cry left your throat.

“No, no, please, this isn’t real, you’re not gone, this is made up, you’re just pretending. Stop pretending, Yuta, this isn’t funny,” you said, gathering his limp form into your lap, digging your fingers into the side of his neck and waiting to feel his pulse. But there was nothing; your breaths were quick and short as you pressed your ear to his chest, waiting to hear his heartbeat. Tears filled your eyes as you waited and waited and waited for nothing. There was nothing but silence, silence and silence and then a single, shallow pump. He was struggling to hold on, but you began to sob when you realized that nobody, not your father, not Shoko, not anyone, could save him now.

‘Fix him!’

“I can’t! No one can, not anymore. He’s going to — he’s going to die!” you said, holding Yuta’s body tightly. Please, please, please, please come back.

‘Do something, or I’ll kill you.’

“Don’t you dare put this on me,” you hissed. “Why didn’t you protect him better? Why did you let Geto kill him? This is your fault, Rika!”

Rika was silent, and even in your grief, you knew that you had gone too far. It was nobody’s fault, nobody’s fault but Geto’s. So you swallowed your pride and ducked your head.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It was cruel of me. It wasn’t your fault. You know that, right?” you said.

‘Is Yuta…really going to die?’

“Yeah,” you said. “Stupid idiot. Gave up his own life for the rest of us, it seems. I never even — I never even —”

“But that’s my name!” you said. Your mother nodded, taking one of your cookies and biting into it, chewing carefully and methodically.

“It is. Do you know why I named you after her?” she said.

“Why?” you said, thrilled at the newfound connection between you and your ancestor.

“I’m certain that the rest of the clan believes it’s because I want you to be a great sorcerer like her, and that is true, of course. But — and this is another secret, okay? — the real reason is love,” she said.

“Love?” you said.

“Love,” she affirmed, “Your ancestor loved his Y/N so much that he was willing to reach into the darkest depths of his soul to save her. I know it is foolish and maybe unrealistic of me to wish for, but I hope that one day, you will find someone that loves you that much. And if you do, promise me that you won’t let anything happen to them, alright? You must do your best to protect them as much as they will undoubtedly protect you.”

“Alright, mother,” you said, even though you both knew that you were likely to marry whoever your father decided you would. Love had no place in the equation. “I promise.”

This was the truth of the matter, you realized with startling clarity. Yuta was that person, he was the person that loved you so much that he would’ve died because of it. He had died because of it, had died because he loved you.

You knew your teacher believed love to be a curse — the greatest one of them all. Whether that was true or not, you did not know. You did not care, either. Would you sully Yuta’s sacrifice by calling it a curse? You would not. You could not.

‘I don’t want him to die.’

“I know,” you said, setting him down on his back, arranging his limbs so that he was spread eagle. “I don’t, either.”

‘What are you doing?’

“I love Yuta,” you said. “I love him more than I can really understand. I will not let him die.”

Activating the Dissection half of your technique, you winced at the way his entire body glowed red. But the glow was concentrated on his heart, so you focused on that, knowing it was the area of most concern.

His pain became your own, and you reached deep into your soul, into the darkest sorts of pain, trying to coerce it into taking a shape it was stubbornly against taking. Sweat poured off your brow, and blood began to flow from your nose, droplets staining the white of Yuta’s shirt, but you ignored it.

The familiar blade began to drive into your heart, the same way it had when you had tried to heal Kaito, but it was worse this time — because Yuta had reached that point of irreversible fatality already. You bit back a scream and rested your hands on Yuta’s chest.

“Composition,” you murmured. There was nothing, no heartbeat. The imaginary knife twisted deeper; the blood from your nose was like a river now, trickling down your chin steadily. Still, you ignored it. “Composition. Composition. Composition.”

You repeated the word like a mantra, embracing your pain, stealing Yuta’s pain, owning them both and making them yours alone. Rika watched without saying a word as you fought a losing battle, but you would not back down, not if it killed you. You could not let Yuta go.

There was a thump. You inhaled sharply at the sensation.

“Composition,” you said again, one final time. Another thump, and then another. The pain that had become a part of your very essence slowly faded away into nothingness, multiplied with the cursed energy of your Reverse Cursed Technique as it was. You could breathe again, and your nosebleed stemmed.

Another thump. His heart was beating, albeit slowly, but it was beating. You had done it. You — the failure of the L/N clan, the girl who could not heal — had brought Yuta Okkotsu back to life.

“...Y/N?”

His voice was hoarse, but his eyes were open, and he was gazing up at you in concern, eyelashes brushing against his cheeks as he blinked slowly.

“Yuta,” you said.

“You’re bleeding,” he said, and though by all rights he should’ve barely been able to lift his arm, he raised it up anyways, using his sleeve to wipe away the physical proof of the toll that healing him had taken on your body.

“You just died, and you’re worried about my nosebleed?” you said incredulously.

“I died?” he said. “But I seem pretty alive.”

“I brought you back,” you said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he said.

“It means I finally figured out how to use my Reverse Cursed Technique, and I used it on you to compel your stupid, sacrificial heart into beating again,” you said, and now you were crying again, but it wasn’t sadness that fueled your tears. Rather, you were relieved, so relieved that it stung. He was alive, Yuta was alive. He had almost died, but you had saved him. You had saved him. You had done it, you were the one that had brought him back to life.

“I’m sorry that you had to do that,” he said. “It seems like a waste.”

“What?” you said, watching dumbfounded as he pushed himself to a sitting position. “What do you mean?”

He held your face so softly, as if you were made of porcelain, liable to break at the slightest of touches. You tried to discern what he was talking about, but he gave no indication, only smiling slightly, sadly.

“Thank you for everything, Y/N,” he said, leaning his forehead against yours. “You made me realize that it’s okay to live, that there is a place in this world for even someone like me. But I promised Rika that if she lent me her power one last time, I’d be with her forever. You know what that means, right?”

“No,” you said, gripping his wrists with a strength you did not realize you still possessed. “That’s not fair. You can’t do that. I won’t let you.”

“I won’t go back on a promise,” he said, closing his eyes. “I’m really sorry. You’ll find someone else to care about. Someone, anyone, be it Maki or Noritoshi or Toge or Tullia or a person you haven’t even met yet — Gojo seems sure that that Megumi boy, whoever he is, will take good care of you. You probably won’t even remember me soon enough.”

“That’s not true!” you said, fishing in your pocket and pulling out the pair of rings that your mother had given to you. “I won’t. I won’t forget you, Yuta, I won’t. Can’t you see that I love you?”

You put one of the rings onto his finger with hands that were weak from exertion and placed the other in his palm.

“I can’t even say it back,” he said mournfully, even as he slid the ring onto your ring finger, “I curse the people I love, and I can’t do that to you. You deserve better. Please, Y/N, just forget about me. I won’t do to you what I’ve done to Rika.”

“I would rather be cursed than forced to watch you leave! Do it, then, curse me. If that is the price I must pay for you to stay with me, than I shall pay it gladly. Curse me as much as you’d like, Yuta, I’ll still love you all the same. Just don’t go,” you begged.

“Y/N, I…” he trailed off helplessly.

“Yuta.” It was a musical, feminine voice, and you both shifted to look at its source. The spot where Rika’s curse had once been was now occupied by a young girl with brown hair and shimmering eyes.

“Rika?” Yuta said.

“Congratulations,” Gojo said. He was missing his bandages, and his smile seemed more forced than usual, but he was in one piece, which was almost more than Yuta could say. “You broke the curse.”

“How long have you been there?” you said.

“Long enough. What a way to start your journey with the Reverse Cursed Technique, Y/N! Bringing someone back to life? Ambitious, but I’d expect nothing less from one of my students!” he said, giving you a thumbs up.

“Why’d you have to stick around and watch the rest of it like a creep, though?” you muttered under your breath, mortified that he had probably heard your emotionally-charged pleading.

“Anyways, Yuta, our background reports came in. It turns out that you’re a descendant of Michizane Sugawara, one of Japan’s Big Three Vengeful Spirits and an incredibly powerful sorcerer. That actually makes us distant relatives! So, given this lineage, it only makes sense that when you rejected Rika’s death, you caused her to manifest as such a powerful cursed spirit,” Gojo said.

“So it was my fault,” Yuta whispered, beginning to cry, burying his face in his hands. “I’m sorry, Rika, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault that you were stuck like that. All of those people that got hurt, this whole Night Parade that only happened because Geto wanted me, it’s all my fault.”

Rika reached out and wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his head, which served to halt his crying only slightly.

“Yuta,” she said again. “Don’t be upset. The past few years that I got to spend with you made me happy, even more than when I was truly alive. I’m glad we got to be together for a little longer.”

He sniffed. “Really?”

She hummed in agreement before turning to you, tilting her head as if to see you from a better angle.

“Y/N L/N,” she said. “Thank you for making Yuta happy. Thank you for bringing him back to life. I feel a little better, knowing that you’ll protect him. Even though I wish that things were different…at least he has you.” And then, to your surprise, she smiled.

“You have a pretty smile,” you said, unsure of what else to say. She blushed slightly, face pink.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that,” she said.

“I’m glad I could be the first,” you said, mustering up the strength to smile back at her. She considered this before nodding firmly.

“You…are very beautiful, Y/N L/N,” she said. “I thought that you were lucky to have earned Yuta’s love, but maybe it’s he who is the lucky one after all.”

“Thank you,” you said, taken aback at the casual way she spoke of such things. But she was no longer paying attention to you and your flusteredness, instead placing her small hand on Yuta’s cheek.

“Bye, Yuta. Be well. Don’t come over too soon, okay?” she said as her form began to dissipate into nothingness.

“Okay,” he said, lifting his head to watch as she vanished. You sat beside him with your hand on his shoulder in a silent gesture of support as Rika’s spirit finally went to rest, truly rest.

Later, once things had settled down after the Night Parade, word came that you were to appear before the higher-ups at their headquarters. Ijichi drove you and promised to wait for you until the meeting was finished.

Had they discovered your relationship with Yuta and your subsequent infidelity? Were you to be ostracized from jujutsu society? All sorts of worst-case scenarios ran through your mind, and you walked as quickly as possible to avoid getting sick from the suspense.

When you entered, you were surprised to see Kaito and Nanami there, along with the rest of the higher ups. And, for some reason, he was there. That strange man, your newfound rival of sorts, it was none other than —

“There she is! The ideal woman herself has arrived!” Todo shouted, lifting you into his arms and hugging you tightly.

“Hi, Todo,” you wheezed out.

“Put her down, you meat-headed oaf, or else I’ll withdraw my recommendation,” Nanami snapped. Todo took this to heart, and in the blink of an eye, you were once again on the ground.

“What are you talking about?” you said.

“Although all sorcerers performed exceptionally well during the Night Parade, we believe that the two of you deserve special recognition for your contributions, as well as your overall skills in the daily routines of sorcery,” Nanami said.

“I’m still confused,” you said. Kaito grinned.

“The story goes, little L/N, that Todo here beat five grade 1 curses without a cursed technique, as well as exorcising a special-grade curse all by himself!” he said.

“No way,” you said. Todo smirked.

“Cry about it. You may be the perfect woman, but there’s no way you could have done anything nearly as impressive,” he said.

“On the other hand, Y/N, not only did you save the Shinjuku forces from being wiped out by that grade 1 curse, you also unlocked your Reverse Cursed Technique and brought Yuta Okkotsu back from the dead,” Nanami said.

“What?” Todo said.

“I’d wager that’s pretty impressive,” Kaito said. “Sorry, man, looks like you’re out of luck. She’s keeping up with you, if not outright surpassing you — because she’s the first jujutsu sorcerer in recorded history that has equal aptitude for fighting and healing.”

“I’ll be better next time,” Todo said. “I will beat you one day, Y/N!”

“In your dreams, maybe,” you said with a good-natured scoff.

“Given this knowledge, both Kaito and I were inspired to take it to the higher-ups,” Nanami said.

“Wait, is this what I think it is?” you said, and suddenly the suspense was replaced with eager anticipation.

“I think it is what you think it is!” Todo said cheerfully. Nanami nodded at you before straightening his tie and clearing his throat.

“Y/N L/N,” he said.

“And Aoi Todo,” Kaito said.

“These are the two that I, by my name as Kento Nanami —”

“And I, by my name as Kaito Hinode —”

“Recommend for Grade 1 sorcerer status.”

[dragon-fics]

(DnD) Fire Power (Inferno & Female Dragonblood Sorcerer/Reader)

Chapter summary: No one in Faerûn has the knowledge you need about Fire Magic. So you go to the greatest Fire Magic user there is

Requested on wattpad and written with the help of my gf

Reblogs and likes appreciated 💖

R/O/C = Race of choice (elf, human, [whatever else DnD has])

I don’t think I’ve ever done such exhausting work to learn more about magic, but I’d exhausted all other research. No one, no living sorcerer, knew what I needed, knew the whole extent of Fire Magic. No one was that well-trained. No scroll nor book had it either. Only one being was known to have the knowledge of how powerful Fire Magic could be.

And I had to find him. In this mighty mountain range.

The problem came with how to find him. No one had seen him in the area. And the rumour of his “cave full of treasure” was completely fake—it was bare, minus the countless booby traps and dead bodies.

But there was hope—maybe. A traveller I’d met, dirty and exhausted, in a tavern in Calling Horns, told a tale of a portal that led into open fields, full of herds with no man to hunt them. Though I wondered if he had been a hallucinating, even he wondered it, I imagined it looked so out of place among the Star Mounts.

“It reminded me of my home,” he said. “On the opposite side of the continent. So maybe I dreamt it. I was cold and exhausted, very homesick. I was on my way to Karse, so maybe it was the old gates? But… it might’ve been in a cave either. Everything was dark… Truly I don’t know what I saw, for I’d not seen those plains up close. The oxen were almost touchable…”

After that I stopped listening. He rambled and drank; I had all the information I needed. Even if it was near to nothing to go on.

The worst part was trying to reserve strength for the climb. The mountains were nearly vertical; a cyclone with a huge tree-rocking radius surrounded the peaks. I collapsed when I entered the eye of the storm. It was so peaceful within its windy walls, I almost fell asleep… maybe I did.

The mountain range was hard to traverse, for both its upright climbs and its lack of mapping. Not many adventures had made it past the cyclone; even fewer left it alive. And with such a stressful journey between mountain and forest, no one had enough time and energy to detail its trails, slopes or where the portal was located.

I made my way to, and stood at, the tallest peak, Mount Angoroth, in the entrance to the lair of a dragon Inferno had defeated—whose name is completely unknown. He’d never used the cave, instead letting adventurers risk it all in the booby traps for naught.

I peered off into the distance, watching the killer cyclone and calm trees. My soul felt serene, my body loose and my mind free of all cares. Except that’s why I was not here, I was here for my biggest care in the world. I had to put this dragon blood use, to make my grandmother proud for choosing a ballsy (R/O/C) over a dragon. I sat in the cave entrance, feet dangling over the edge of the huge mountain.

All it would take is one push—one leaning forward, one mis-shift of my weight—and I’d be a crumbled heap panned out on the rocky ground far below. It made my heart tingle and my lips smirk. How exciting!

Then I descended onto the next mountain, and the next, and so on until I reached the one farthest east—the closest one to the ruins of Karse. It seemed like the best place to start searching. As I made my way, I glimpsed a number of caves with a sparkle of gold and rubies. Inferno was very practical with his placement of treasure; no one would ever find it all. Very impressive.

“Damn smart dragon…” I leaned on the wall of the cave at the base, heaving softly. After travelling for three days around these mountains, I was frustrated and exhausted.

“Smart?” A voice echoed, smooth and powerful. “Why thank you.”

I snapped my head up and gripped my staff. It was then I saw it, something so out of place, an unnaturally sculpted stone doorway in the middle of the cave. It opened wide into a field rippling with long grass. Stars twinkled above, and the lowing of oxen accompanied the soft sound of the breeze. I couldn’t really comprehend it; it looked so out of place. Was I hallucinating?

To make everything even more confusing, glowing red eyes and the silhouette of an angular head and spike-lined neck extended from behind the portal. Claws dug into the sides of the portal. Wings slowly opened and a forked tongue flicked out between sharp teeth.

“You,” he started, walking over the portal. “I’ve been watching you.” He stalked towards me, red-scaled head and neck coming into the moonlight.

I took a few steps back as the smell of sulphur assaulted me. “Mighty Imvaernarho,” I coughed. “I’ve been searching for you.”

A smirk appeared on his face. “I know. I’ve been watching you, you cunning little sorcerer.”

I stared into his eyes, trying to figure out how much he knew. “Do you know why I’m here, o mighty dragon?” I figured guessing or presuming would be rude, or reveal too much that would get me in trouble.

A low hum came from Inferno, resonating in my eardrums. I tried not to wince. “I know you have dragon blood in you. You carry lovely hot fire magic, and you long to be elite, hence your particular route to get here.” He flashed his teeth at me. “And you’re far smarter than the rest; you’re not here for gems and gold; but something far greater.”

I looked at him, holding a calm and unchanging face. “That’s right. And I appreciate the compliment.”

“Just stating facts.” He lay down and placed his elbows on the ground, head on his paws, amusement sitting on his face. “Now tell me, why come in search of me?”

“I need to know more about Fire Magic; and you’re the best in the land. I need you to teach me.”

Inferno considered me, pupils narrowing as the words left my mouth. I watched his nostrils flare and relax as he thought and I waited. I clenched my teeth, to not snap at him in impatience. My body ached and my mind was tired; pissing him off would end up with me in a worse condition.

Finally, he hummed again, my bones vibrating. “Very well.”

I blinked, confused. “What?”

“Change your mind, little miss?” He stood up and tilted his head.

I frowned. “Of course not! I’d expected a test or something.”

“Learning is the test.” He grinned, so smug it made me want to punch him in the face. “Come along.” He left the cave and flapped his wings.

“Oh, fuck you!” I hissed, running after him. I saw him ascend and disappear into the mountain. Grumbling, I considered things for a moment. He was known to be playful and cunning, and so I had to be.

I went into the cave again and walked around the portal, my spine chilling at its supernatural energy. Behind it, I saw a helix staircase. I grinned. I wouldn’t waste my energy climbing up more stone when I could just walk some stairs. I put my staff in its scabbard and climbed them. The column was quiet, with only a single flickering golden light coming from an opening at the top.

The steps were steep, but nowhere near as exhausting as gripping cold stone with blistered hands and a sore back. When I reached the top, the warm glow of fire-lit lanterns embraced me. A small bed of gold and rubies lay before me, surrounded by piles of books in various languages.

“I knew you were smart. Well played.” Inferno came from the wide entrance opposite the staircase, leading out to the Star Mounts and the High Forest beyond. “You’ve passed your first test.”

I hummed, unamused. “I wasn’t wasting energy climbing another fucking mountain.” I walked towards him. I glanced at the books as I passed them, I could read half of their titles.

He lay on his bed of treasure. “That’s taking initiative, not laziness. Keep that up.”

Crossing my arm, I looked at him. “I plan to.” I dodged his tail as he swung it around to curl it around his front claw. “What’s next? I know a fair bit, but I want to hone my Fire Magic like you did. No accessories, no enchantments, just pure unaided power.”

Inferno grinned. “Oh, I like you!” His scales shivered in excitement, shining sharp red lights into my eyes. “I’ll try teach you. I won’t force you, but know that this will take plenty of patience and hard work.”

I bit my lip, picking my words carefully. “Considering what I’ve been through to get here, I’ll be well able to commit.”

He stared at me again, with those large red eyes. I was nowhere near as fazed by it this time, it was his little game and I had to learn how to play. He opened his maw after a while. “We start at dawn. Rest.”

*~*~*~*

I stayed with Inferno for a month and then visited weekly. I had a home built for me in the High Forest, not too far from the cyclone, but far enough where the foundations would be stable. For a few years, I stayed under his tutelage; the days, weeks and months bled together; I don’t know how long I lived there exactly. The knowledge and abilities I’d learned were wonderful, but I didn’t feel powerful enough yet.

It was like a constant itching. A wanting—needing—to be more powerful again. But as a sorcerer, there was only so much I could do, even with dragon blood in my veins.

But what if there was something else I could do?

I had Red Dragon blood in my veins, had the arcane power of my grandmother within me. Surely there was more I could do.

“You should be satisfied with yourself. There’s not much else a mortal can do. You’re so small and fragile.” Inferno looked down at me, I couldn’t tell if he was bored or irritated with my eagerness.

I sighed. “That’s the problem! What if I could be bigger, stronger? Not just a sorcerer but more!” I paced the floor, arms flailing.

His brow furrowed as he stared at me, concerned or enraged; I think he liked to confuse me.

“I need to be more, Inferno. I need to be…” I looked at him, stopping all movement, “like you. I need to have more than the blood of a dragon in me. I need the body of a dragon.”

[ssshhhiiiiii]

Insecurity vs Fat and Happy Roommate

Ethan had always been a trim, fit guy. He did occasionally bulk, but rarely gained more than 10lbs, and would shed it all, sometimes more, when he would cut.

His roommate, Caleb, though...quite the opposite. Caleb had always been fairly chubby, even as a kid. Even at 23 years old, that hadn't changed. He was fairly short, 5'6", and weighed around 250lbs. That being said, he was never ashamed of his weight. He was taught to always love his body for what it is, and don't worry about changing it unless he wants to for himself. He never really had a problem with his body, so he didn't mind saying fat, or even getting fatter. Especially considering the fairly minimal health problems he's actually experienced from being obese.

Ethan and Caleb have been friends most of their lives. By the time they went to college, they decided it would be cheaper to simply share an apartment. So, they have. They found an apartment a good distance from their 2 colleges. Both had obtained bachelor's degrees by the time they were 22, and decided to keep living together, to lower costs, since the living situation seemed to work out.

That being said, Ethan was annoyed by one thing. The sheer amount of desserts, and unhealthy food in the apartment. Caleb ate big, and that more than reflected in the amount of fatty, sugary, greasy foods he would buy. Cakes, frozen pizzas, frozen burgers, and more. You name an unhealthy food, it was probably in there.

Ethan would always get annoyed by the sight of them as he was trying to cut. He'd make himself miserable staring at them, wanting to let loose a bit and eat them, but forcing himself not to. The reason he didn't bulk more often is because he was always conscious of his weight, and he knew if he ate anything like what Caleb did, he would put on a few pounds.

Unfortunately, this soon turned into Ethan lashing out at Caleb, and blaming him for the issues he was facing.

"Damn it! If it wasn't for your fat fucking ass buying all this slop, it'd be so much fucking easier for me to cut! But no, you just have to stuff your face all day, like a fucking lardass!"

Caleb took a deep breath, and said something that he hoped would stick with Ethan. "Listen. Don't yell at me for how I like to eat, and live. I like the way I am, and that's that. If you like the way you are so much, it would be a hell of a lot easier to keep yourself that way. So, let me ask you this, do you actually have any confidence in your body? If you did, you wouldn't be yelling at me like this over something as stupid as the foods I buy. I suggest you figure it out real fucking quick, because if you turn this into a pattern, I'm not gonna be sticking around to be shamed for what I love."

Ethan just stood there a moment. Was Caleb right? Did he really have that little confidence in himself? He wasn't sure. He just walked away from the situation.

For the next couple days, Ethan hid away in his room. He came out for necessities, and that's it. He thought a lot about what Caleb had said. He stared at himself in the mirror for hours, thinking about the different stages his body had gone through. He thought back to his most recent bulk, how he actually smiled a bit when he looked in the mirror, at his biggest weight yet. He had gained 20lbs, more than ever before. He then thought about why his smile dropped...and it was out of fear of judgement for his body. His insecurity really had gotten that bad. He was denying himself many things he enjoyed simply because he was afraid of being judged for it. In fact, he was jealous of Caleb, as he was so proud to do whatever, eat whatever, and look however he wants.

After that self reflection, he came out of his room, and decided to apologize to Caleb.

"Hey, man...you were right. I'm sorry. I'm insecure, and I let it get the best of me. I shouldn't have yelled at you, or insulted you like that."

Caleb smiled, "It's alright, I forgive you. I'm just glad you came to your senses about it. And dude, if you're having so many issues with it's you can talk to me. I'm your friend, I wanna support you."

Ethan chuckled a bit, "Of course you'd say some sappy shit like that."

Thus, Ethan began to work on himself, and work on lessening and maintaining his insecurities better. After a few months of this, he decided to try and do a big, long bulk, and see how he liked it. He decided that if he liked it's and thought he could handle it, he would try dirty bulking, and just not cutting.

Over the course of 4 months, Ethan had put on 35lbs. He stared at himself in the mirror for about a half hour, exploring his own body, trying to figure out how he felt. It was scary, seeing himself with a good-sized little belly...but he enjoyed it. He enjoyed the feeling, and he enjoyed not restricting himself as much. Overall, he was happy with this change, even if his insecurity made it scary.

Not to mention, Caleb was a big help in getting this far. Caleb would always encourage him, and tell him that he looks great. He always made an effort to make Ethan feel good. Not just about his weight, but about his body as a whole.

Ethan came out of his room, and smiled as he looked at Caleb. "I'm gonna try dirty bulking."

-----------------------------------------------

If this gets enough positive attention, I'll make a continuation where Ethan's dirty bulk becomes less of a bulk and more just getting fat.

[gymsinmulund]

Gyms in Mulund

I have been an active and consistent gym freak for almost two years at this point. After researching online about the different gyms in my locality (Mulund ) and calling around 80 numbers ( a lot of them were closed or had their businesses shut down probably because of COVID) I made a list of the gyms in both east and west Mulund. I didn’t bother checking out the gyms without steam facilities since it was one of the criteria I was looking for to be included in my gym membership. I have compared and made a list of all the gyms according to specific criteria such as the gym’s equipment, location, steam availability, parking space( 4-wheeler), crowd, etc. All the comparisons will be done in accordance with Gold’s gym since I went there initially. The numbers of the gym can be found on Google but I have also mentioned it below along with their address and my personal review of the gym. I even segregated the gyms in the east/west respectively. Guys, take trials at the gym and choose the one who loves you! Happy gym hunting!

Mulund west :

Gold’s gym :

This gym tops the list whether doesn’t matter whether it’s east or west. The best gym in Mulund hands down. The biggest gym with new and a variety of equipment. The gym is located on a not-so-busy road making it the best place to get some parking. The gym has Wi-Fi access. The owners of the gym seem to continuously upgrade the gym with new equipment as and when possible. Steam is available for 6 days a week. The crowd is excellent. The gym includes a number of classes like MMA, power yoga, and Zumba.

Membership cost : 18-20k (without trainer)

2.

9th Gear

The second biggest gym in Mulund after Gold’s gym. The gym has new-age machines and equipment. The problem with the gym is the location, since it is located right opposite the station driving and finding parking is nearly impossible. Steam service is available twice a week. It has a good reception area and the changing room is also quite big. The lighting of the gym is not that good and makes you feel dull in the evening.

Membership fee : 14 k

Power junction :

This is a mid-size and honestly quite compact but has a plethora of equipment. The gym has a huge CrossFit area. Here, 4-wheeler parking is not available. One thing I severely disliked is that it has an extremely small changing room. The gym doesn’t have a lot of crowds, so machines are more easily available compared to other gyms.

Membership fee : 11k

3 months fitness

A small-sized gym near Veena Nagar. It has plenty of parking available. The changing room is extremely small and has no attached rest room just a common one in the main lifting area honestly I thought this was just bizarre. The weights and machines are quite average just the common ones. Some machines are old and the names of the weights are also missing so it would be difficult to progressively overload. The gym has good red interiors and lighting. Steam facility is available twice a week.

Membership fee : 13k ( Negotiate )

Fitness Factory

A good mid-sized gym.  The equipment and weights here are new. The gym has ample weights. Here, parking is a little difficult to find but manageable. The gym has steam access which is available twice a week. This gym has a big locker/changing room compared to most gyms in the area. The gym tends to get crowded. The trainers are very good. The locker facility and steam need to be paid for separately.

Membership fee: 9k

The Fitness yard

A small-sized gym in Mulund West. The weights here are old and rusty. Steam facility is available twice a week. A four-wheeler parking here is difficult to find. The bathroom was not maintained at all. The gym feels too congested to work out.

Membership fee: Rs 9k

Evolution fitness

This is a mid-sized gym but extremely crowded during peak hours. The equipment is old but has a variety of them. There is no issue with parking it’s easily available. The locker room was not maintained that well. The gym has a steam facility. One con about the gym was it closes early on Sunday but this is the case with most gyms.

Membership fee: 9.5-10.5 k

World fitness

This is a small-sized gym. It is difficult to find parking here. The gym tends to get crowded. The cardio section is good. The gym has a good variety of strength training equipment but the weights are old. Steam facility is available.

Membership fee : 7-9k.

Mulund east : (Ranking wise)

Magnum gym :

The best and the biggest gym in Mulund East. Parking is easily available since it’s located in a not-so-busy lane. The gym itself is new so all the equipment is new. The gym tends to get a little crowded during peak hours. The gym has access to Wi-Fi also. One thing to keep in mind is that the changing room is a little small and has barely any seating space. Steam is included in the membership and can be used at any time during the week. This is a superior pro of the gym compared to the other gyms which have just a 2-day steam facility access during the week. Sunday the gym is open for a longer time duration compared to other gyms.

Membership fee : Actual 15.3k but they will come down till 14k so Negotiate!

Number : 9930776682

One life

This gym is huge with new equipment. A lot of parking is available since it’s a not-so-busy street. The gym has a steam and shower facility. The gym is a little crowded. The membership includes four free PT sessions and twelve body assessments in a year. I can’t give an in-depth review since due to some maintenance work going on in the gym some sections of the gym were not accessible but saying that you should take a trial and decide for yourself.

Membership cost : Bargain till 12.5k.

Fitness intelligence

This is a small-sized gym. Since the gym is new the equipment and machines are new. Parking is easily available. It has a good ambiance.

Membership fee: Negotiate below Rs 12,600.

Matoshri Prime physique

This is an old-school mid-sized gym located in Mulund East. The problem here is parking and it is not easily available. The machines are old and rusty with labels missing. The gym is not crowded which is good. The variety of machines is also comparatively lesser compared to most gyms along with the number of trainers. The best thing about the gym is the cardio section which has a number of machines. The weird part about the membership is that the cardio section and steam are charged separately. The gym doesn’t really have a dedicated changing room and the restroom is also not maintained well.

Membership fee : Rs 7500

M5 gym :

A small-sized gym but long in length. Here, parking can be easily found. The equipment and machines here are new. The sad part about the gym is no steam. The gym has a good crowd. The changing room is well maintained but small. The weights in the gym are in pounds and not kgs (Just thought of mentioning this). I thought the gym needed a few more benches and was missing certain equipment.

Fitness 45

A small-sized gym in Mulund East. The interiors are done really well. Here, parking is not easily found. The changing room is extremely small and not maintained at all. The gym lacks a steam facility. The gym has fans and no AC so feels extremely warm to workout. The gym has missing weights and certain machines have missing weight labels too. The gym is small and feels congested. The cardio area is also small. Sundays the gym is open till 1pm.

Membership fee: Rs 7500 ,Couple : 14000

Fitness Palace: The smallest gym in Mulund East or if you plan to gym on a budget this is for you. Here, access to Steam is not available. Parking can’t be found since it’s a busy road. The weights are new since the gym itself is new. The changing room was extremely small with no couch. The gym had only fans no AC. The trainer is very good.

Membership Fee : Rs 8500

The gym’s I didn’t try

JMK :

The last time I went for a trial here, half the gym was allocated for people who opt for trainers which I didn’t feel was fair honestly speaking. That being said the gym is big and comparable to Gold’s in size and equipment. It has new equipment and weights. The gym has ample parking available along with valet service.

Ur care

I tried your care a long time ago. Urcare is located in a shady building next to the station. It is an extremely small-sized gym. Parking is not available since it’s near the station.

Rewind:

 The gym has ample parking available. It is of decent size and is a good mid-sized gym. The changing rooms are big and well-maintained. I was a part of the gym a long time before so can’t review it at this moment but feel free to go and take a trial and decide for yourself.

Pro Safe Academy ( No steam ): I didn’t bother to check the gym since it had no steam facility available. If steam is not a criterion for you guys when investing in a gym go check it out.