l i f e l i n e

these people's dreams are now also my own

[akiiyamashun]

akiiyamashun: an independent, private & selective blog for Akiyama Shun (秋山 駿) of the Yakuza (龍が如く) franchise penned by Mari (30+, she/her, UTC -3), a very headcanon-based portrayal with verses currently covering events from Yakuza 1 to Yakuza 6 (LAD events / implications to be added and adapted in the near future). Est. in 2022. Personals DNI.

rules . the lifeline of kamurocho . headcanons . available verses . mobile information . art credit . divider credit

[dojimakaichou]

★. ―

Daigo leaned back again as Akiyama spoke, thick arms crossing over his chest. He did not have the same aversion to the comb that his companion did ; rather, the former hunter thought it best to grant the scholar all of the room he needed to study the artifact. As the topic of conversation drifted to much darker material, Daigo felt his lips press into a thin line.

It made sense, he supposed. He didn't know much about banshees ( outside of what Shun and Azumi had taught him ), but he had always been under the impression that they were members of the living dead. Some called them ghosts to make defining the creatures easier, though Daigo was not sure their kind was boxed up quite so simply. So neatly. Much like werewolves, there were a good deal of assumptions disguised as facts in the official texts.

"I had wondered," Daigo said first, softly, "what I could offer about banshees to a man who sleeps next to one every night." The former hunter did his best to smile. However, the expression slipped quickly, and he returned to a thoughtful frown.

"When I first started slaying monsters out there, I was told that banshees were wild," he continued after a pause. "They were either unintelligent killers or murderous tricksters — and the banshee I met before your wife startled me because she was neither. She wanted me dead, I cannot deny that . . . but I was taken aback by her eyes. it was no different than looking into the face of a woman on the street, except there was a hatred there I could never put into words. It wasn't until after I ran off with my prize that it occurred to me that banshees were more than ghosts to scare children with at night ; the depth of feeling I saw before I shot her made me lose a month's worth of sleep."

Daigo looked over at Akiyama, black eye regarding his companion intently. "Your Azumi has it — that ferocity. I do not think any of us will be able to stop her from following you to your grave, Shun ; the question is instead how comfortable can the process be made for her. I certainly don't fault you for inquiring about that."

The former hunter tapped his foot. His arms tightened about himself as he proceeded to get comfortable in his chair. "I must say that I don't know how your wife . . . died, so please forgive my ignorance. Was there any clue when she passed, any artifacts ?? I have seen her tend to her hair often. Is it too bold of me to wonder if another comb is involved ??"

[akiiyamashun]

At the mention of a certain type of ferocity, Akiyama felt his lips pulling up despite the grim content of their conversation. Daigo was not wrong - he could see it too, of course; but he had grown so used to the ways that Azumi existed and communicated that the soft touches of his wife and the tunes hummed while dancing in the woods were more important. To her husband after death, the banshee was beautiful before she was terrifying (even if it played a part to her beauty).

"That is the unfortunate thing - Azumi is technically dead, as you may have noticed in your prior encounters with others of her kind. Bullets will not harm her, silver does nothing to the skin, fire gets her warm but shall not burn the flesh to a crisp. They inhabit in a strange area between our world and the next, anchored by something that was... Profoundly traumatic to them. More than their own deaths, sometimes," Akiyama elaborated, nodding to let the retired hunter know that he had understood the question, but unfortunately lacked a coherent answer.

"I am, simply put, looking for a way to vanquish a banshee when the time comes so Azumi can do it herself if she wants. When you said you had done that, even if by accident, it got me thinking about what could have triggered it - and you are right. She has a comb of her own that is very precious and the only one she will use to tend to her hair if I'm not using my own hands."

Outside of that room, Akiyama would not have voiced those conclusions - it was too dangerous to hand information such as the one capable of ending (for good) the existence of someone so beloved to him. But Daigo was no longer a man keen on defeating and slaying anything that was not human or purely animal - the scars on his face and the absent eye were proof of that. The older male had sacrificed himself for a werewolf, and the scholar had no doubt that he would rather die than disclose a secret that would endanger Melissa or their children (as human and healthy as they were, surely their offspring would be looked at differently if the village knew they had been sired by a she-wolf).

Sighing deeply, Akiyama's brown eyes returned to the broken artifact - and just gazed at it for a long while, in silence while both hands interlinked over his lap. He hardly looked to be bothered by the wet hair or the playful behavior of the resident kelpie - the younger male had a characteristically pensive expression on him, not unlike when he and Daigo had combed through most of his materials together in search of an answer for his predicament when he figured out the identity of the beast haunting the town.

"There is a lot of pain in Azumi that was transformed into many other things - including that rage you speak of. I am hoping that the destroying the comb will be the key to allow her to finally rest one day. I don't think she is certain of that working in her favor either - but it seems to be our best bet."

[dojimakaichou]

@akiiyamashun :

Shun sighed heavily while he toweled his hair dry, grateful that at least the weather was warmer during spring - being pushed into a clear pond wasn't such a horrible fate when summer was on the horizon. His drenched clothes had been traded for clean ones and now his damp chestnut strands were the single evidence of the mischief caused by the newly incorporated family member to their more than odd cluster of magical beings and humans. "I am happy my father once forced me to learn how to swim," the scholar remarked with a small smile, sitting down by the retired hunter. Shun shook his head softly and then carded digits through hair, combing it to the best of his abilities without fetching a mirror and the actual accessories for it, "And I know my wife never speaks without a reason, but I am beginning to doubt that her darling boy means no harm," the younger male shrugged then, grinning, "I guess that means he will stop before wintertime, then. Azumi is never wrong about these things."

★. ―

Daigo glanced over at the lord when he reappeared in the spacious study, fingers frozen atop a bundle of cloth in front of him. He raised an eyebrow beneath the brim of his hat as Akiyama moved closer.

Her darling boy. The former hunter chuckled and leaned back in his seat, single eye sparkling with amusement. That Akiyama's wife had fallen so fiercely in love with a kelpie ( of all creatures ) would never not be comedic to him. From Daigo's experience, he knew kelpie to be ill - tempered and wild. They were exotic - looking beasts, like a large horse forever slick with water and scum, that possessed pointed hoofs and sharp teeth. When they were not in their true skin, they resembled unusual humans.

"I do hope he stops soon," Daigo replied, scratching at his beard thoughtfully. He had pocketed his false eye in order to give his deformed socket a break. "For your sake. Look at him, as he is — at best, he is a yearling horse. Give him a few years, and I know he will be as big as Sekitan. I would be more concerned about his ability to crush your chest then if he gets tired of this game." The retired hunter motioned toward Akiyama's wet hair, unable to help the thin smile on his face.

After a moment, Daigo moved back over the table. He unfolded the cloth in front of him and slid it toward the lord. Inside was the item that Daigo had been attempting to deliver when he stumbled on his almost - drowned companion in the woods between their homes. "Here is what you asked for : the trophy I took from killing that banshee. She was the only ghost that I ever vanquished. It was many years ago, but I have always kept this with my things. It was under her body . . . with the damage, I believe I shot through it on her."

The words were bitter on his tongue, but Daigo forced them out. He was not sure why his friend had asked if there was a banshee - related artifact among his stash of gruesome treasures. After all, given Azumi's nature, it was not a score that Daigo spoke of often.

Laying on the rags that were discolored from age were the remnants of a beautiful comb. Its top, which appeared to have held pearls and little flowers, was broken into many pieces. The instrument was old, perhaps a few centuries even.

"I still remember that," he continued softly, nodding toward the damaged comb. "They are supposed to be invincible — you can't really end a ghost, flesh - and - blood ones included. You assured me of that when we first met. She dropped immediately, though, and I thought then I had shot an innocent woman." Daigo cleared his throat and looked over at the lord. "Why did you ask about this, Shun ??"

[akiiyamashun]

Daigo's concerns earned him a wider smile - Akiyama knew how positively absurd it all sounded, even to a younger version of himself. As much as he had studied his entire life about everything that existed between their world and the next, nothing had quite prepared the man for the sudden turns and twists of fate. Azumi would probably have enjoyed that - the idea that their meeting was potentially foretold by some greater power at play, just as how their son (for the lack of a better word) had also crossed their path.

A family of immortal creatures where the scholar was the only human - there were several different ways they could both rip him to shreds, but Akiyama trusted them fully. Well, even if Niran did not share his surrogate mother's opinion of her husband (yet); the mortal man would really prefer to stay dry and warm during winter.

When Daigo moved to uncover the bits that survived his encounter with another banshee, Akiyama found himself sobering up and furrowing eyebrows, head canted to take a closer look at the artifact and scratching his chin in contemplation. He didn't reach for it or longed to touch the object - but a comb was an interesting choice, particularly when he realized just what was Azumi's greatest treasure about herself. His wife was meticulous about hair - no one else but Akiyama was allowed to go near it, and it was the one thing about her ghostly self that shone with life and seemed to glimmer with a hope that wasn't seen elsewhere.

"I see. This seems to be in line with some things I have read, but the details are few and far between..." Akiyama trailed it off, eyes flickering over to the retired hunter before his right hand dropped to the bundle of shards, pulling it closer to him but without ever touching the comb itself, "I do believe is because we find it difficult to... Communicate with banshees. Hardly any evidence points to successful dialogue so much of the writings are purely speculation."

Exhaling the air from his lungs softly, the scholar moved back into his seat and away from the thing. It was strange - the feeling of unease and sadness that mixed with his blood and made him think about his life again; his wife was not an eerie omen to him, but it was just because she happened to be Azumi. Any other banshee was unlikely to take kindly to his actions and Akiyama could sense that touching the destroyed comb would not be wise.

"Thank you for this. Azumi and I have been talking about certain things and she doesn't... Quite know how old she is, or for how long she has been here. I am happy Niran will provide company once I am no longer here, but she doesn't seem to be willing to remain behind without me," a sad smile followed - the scholar was clearly not proud of his success, just heartbroken at the idea his unique soulmate was desperate not to be alone again, "We have been trying to figure out a way to make sure she goes with me, if she wants. I just want Azumi to have a choice now when it was robbed of her when she was alive."

[badbadtz-maru]

[akiiyamashun]

I'm just here to complain about the lack of Akiyama content in the RGG 8 trailer that just dropped. This man was the only one who figured out that Kiryu was alive back in RGG 6 without being told as much by Kiryu himself and while I can understand his absence in RGG 7, I am seriously bummed at everyone else being back but for him. Also this game is called 'Infinite Wealth' in the English release and we still do not get the man with the cartoon-y safe in his office? Seriously, RGG studios? I'm so mad you continue to ignore this man and just shoved Nick Ogata in RGG 7 like some discount replacement with horrible fashion choices.

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FOR COMFORTABLE INTIMACY *  adjust as necessary, send 'reverse' for the reversal of the prompt

[ settle ] sender sits on receiver's lap and gets comfortable

[ sling ] sender slings an arm around receiver's shoulder

[ pinch ] sender affectionately pinches receiver's cheek

[ ruffle ] sender ruffles receiver's hair

[ recline ] sender joins receiver on their chair and snuggles against them

[ hand ] sender takes receiver's hand while driving

[ knee ] sender lays a hand on receiver's leg while driving

[ clean ] sender reaches up to wipe something off receiver's face

[ tie ] sender adjusts receiver's tie

[ collar ] sender smooths out receiver's collar

[ tickle ] sender starts tickling receiver

[ piggyback ] sender gives receiver a piggyback ride

[ pick up ] sender scoops receiver up into their arms and holds them as they walk

[ guide ] sender places a hand on receiver's hip and guides them through a crowded room

[ smudge ] sender cleans lipstick off receiver's face

[ gun ] in the midst of a stand-off, sender reaches over and gently guides receiver's gun down, making them lower it

[ behind ] sender comes up to receiver from behind and wraps their arms around their waist

[ nuzzle ] sender leans in and nuzzles their face into receiver's neck

[ relax ] sender rests their head on receiver's shoulder while they talk

[ arms ] sender hooks their arm with receiver's as they walk

[ itch ] sender assists receiver with an itch they can't reach

[ catch ] receiver starts to fall, so sender reaches out and catches them

[ calm down ] sender pets receiver's hair and tries to soothe them after a scary situation

[ check ] sender checks receiver's temperature by placing the back of their hand against receiver's forehead, trying to see if they're sick

[ tuck ] sender tucks receiver into bed

[ feed ] sender offers a forkful of food out to receiver, helping them eat

[ undress ] sender helps receiver undress

[ shoes ] sender helps receiver put on their shoes

[ intent ] sender leans their forehead against receiver's

[ bathe ] sender helps receiver wash themselves in a bath

[ shower ] sender helps receiver wash themselves in a shower

[ assist ] sender finds receiver has fallen down, so they rush to their aid and help them stand again

[ bed ] sender helps receiver into bed

[ greet ] sender greets receiver with quick kisses to each of their cheeks

[ high five ] sender gives receiver a congratulatory high five

[ makeup ] sender helps receiver apply makeup

[ injury ] sender cleans receiver's wound and patches it up

[ seek ] sender reaches for receiver's hand and laces their fingers

[ surprise ] sender sneaks up behind receiver and places their hands over their eyes, wanting them to guess who it is

[ walk ] sender helps receiver walk by staying by their side and holding onto them

[stingslikeabee]

blog roll!

I figured this was time to do a small blog roll since I've been making a lot of mistakes more blogs than I can handle and not doing a superb job at being consistent with everyone, haha. But in any case, you can find Mari aka yours truly at:

@stingslikeabee - Melissa, fandomless OC, main blog

@akiiyamashun - Shun Akiyama, Yakuza/RGG, canon muse, low activity

@queenoftheboard - Eirene Campbell, Path to Nowhere, canon muse, low activity

@aurumcordis - Fiona, Tales from the Borderlands, canon muse, low activity

[akiiyamashun]

“I never thought I’d say this, but it’s good to see you again.“

Star Trek: the Next Generation starters . accepting

Akiyama closed the door to the audience chamber with more determination than required for that gesture; his expression was not one that indicated a peaceful state of mind either, and his entire body language denounced the frustration and irritation coursing through the veins.

It was strange - in many ways, that simple movement of turning the doorknob and placing himself on the other side of that threshold illustrated beautifully his new life. His left hand unconsciously moved to the top of his uniform, undoing a couple more of buttons and leaving some room for his skin to breathe, like the man had been on the verge of suffocating despite all the oxygen around.

Akiyama Shun, Federation commander and 1st officer aboard the Tojo, had just formally cut all relations to his family. Once a proud and dedicated member of the organization and yet another prodigy of his family line, the discussions held within the chamber behind his back had finally put an end to that path. Not that he had been unwilling to stray from that course already - working alongside Daigo and his crew had taught Akiyama much.

But now, after having cleared his captain's name before the selected panel of judges and inhaling the air outside, it was hard not to replay the conversation with his father; the way he addressed a single child with so much contempt and no regard for his life or well-being and pondered only about his slightly unkempt appearance (one button out of place, longer hair now they didn't make port so often to see barbers) as if Akiyama Shun was not a human with feelings, but some sort of trophy to be paraded before his colleagues.

The fact that he was there to defend Dojima Daigo, a Federation-wide pariah, did not help; particularly where there was no way to punish the captain without blatantly disregarding the current regulations in place, which was something Akiyama knew from the beginning. His smug grin and the tone of each 'your honor' delivered to the judges had indicated as much, but there was so much the local arbiters could do in face of sarcasm.

Akiyama finally propelled himself forward - one step after the other, until the movements became automatic and he turned a corner, finding Daigo coming from the opposite way. The captain smiled softly at his first officer, fully aware of the reason for his presence within the building - the two no longer were at odds with one another, but their banter (now playful) remained in their private meetings.

"I never thought I’d say this, but it’s good to see you again," Daigo chuckled, but upon seeing the rather troubled expression on his commander's eyes and the unconvincing grin that followed, the captain placed a hand over Akiyama's shoulder. "Shun - are you alright? Is it the hearing? I hope you know I understand the consequences of my actions and that there is no pressure for you to-"

"Daigo," the younger male said, then laughed a bit while pressuring the other to not jump to the worst conclusions so fast, "Dojima, listen to me. You're fine, you're cleared from the charges - I'm pretty convincing when I need to be and you were not technically wrong. Relax," the first officer explained, and although Daigo's expression indicated some sort of relief, he was still visibly concerned.

Particularly when Akiyama's free hand moved to his jacket and all the buttons came undone - the piece hung open, showing the fitting shirt that was worn underneath and a look that most people exhibited only at bars, holodecks or during off-time, never at the Federation headquarters. Chuckling at the captain's raised eyebrow, the commander placed one of his hands over his superior's shoulder, mimicking Daigo's action from earlier.

"I just joined the exclusive club for kids with asshole dads, that's all. I was kind of hoping you had some pointers - maybe over a beer? There used to be a good place a couple of blocks down the street where all cadets went but I never did because I was always studying my ass off. I probably missed out on a lot of fun back then, so if you're willing to indulge your first officer..."

Daigo didn't say anything right then - his lips were pressed into a thin line and he examined Akiyama with a clinical look, but soon enough there was undeniable warmth and understanding flooding from the captain's dark irises. Nodding, he merely tapped the other man's shoulder twice and offered him a youthful grin, taking the lead and undoing a couple of the buttons of his own uniform - work could wait.

Friends were important, too - they both learned it the hard way.

"Remind me when we're back in orbit - I'll give your membership card of our little association," Daigo joked in relation to Akiyama's comment from earlier, "Our support group for kids with less than optimal parents meets every week, over poker. At the rate our ranks are growing, someday the Federation will send some therapist our way."

[rpmemes-galore]

Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 2  {Sentence Starters}

“Something funny?“

“It’s not safe out here!“

“Hmm… sounds important.”

“I think that’s a little harsh.“

“I almost cost you your life!“

“You fought them? And won?“

“A simple ‘yes’ would have sufficed.”

“Sorry, had to make myself beautiful.“

“Well, the unexpected is our normal routine.”

“If you defend yourself, you will be punished.”

“I don’t bite… actually, that’s not true, I do bite.“

“Yes, absolutely I do indeed concur, wholeheartedly!“

“It sits there looking at me and I don’t know what it is.“

“I don’t think that’s a little harsh, I think that’s the truth.“

“The game’s not big enough unless it scares you a little.“

“What could you possibly have learned from that ordeal?“

“You’re asking probably the most difficult of all questions.”

“That action injured you and saved me… I will not forget it.“

“I never thought I’d say this, but it’s good to see you again.“

“I didn’t want there to be any chance of a misunderstanding.“

“No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another.“

“Flair is what marks the difference between artistry and mere competence.“

“If this is going to work, these people will need your strength… your guidance.“

“Judging a being by its physical appearance is the last major human prejudice.”

“You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you’ve encountered so far.”

“If we were not surrounded by all these people, you know what I would like to do?“

“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life.“

“And the next thing I knew, all three of them were on me and I was fighting for my life.“

“If it should become necessary to fight, can you arrange to find me some rocks to throw at them.“

“If you can’t take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed.“

“Scientists believe no experiment is a failure, that even a mistake advances the evolution of understanding.“

[akiiyamashun]

Okamura stepped over the threshold once she was granted entry to Akiyama's cabin. She waited for the door to hiss closed and lock before she cuddled against his front. As she pressed into him, she allowed the Shimmer to fall with a soft sigh. A gentle illumination, which seemed to come from within the Fae herself, pooled out into the space ; the air around the pair started to sparkle with a glitter - like substance that the species also famously spread. It sat on Okamura's pink - tinged skin and rose gold locks lovingly. Harmless, beautiful, perhaps simply a little irritating to clean up after the Fae departed.

She kissed under Akiyama's chin and looked up at him. The markings on her face became wrinkled as she smiled at the feeling of her belly bumping into his middle. Their presence of their growing child had spooked her and raised a number of troubling questions at first. Now, though, with all of the matters concerning children worked out favorably onboard . . . she couldn't help but feel a little excited despite her anxieties. Her standard uniform was starting to get too tight, unfortunately ; soon, she wouldn't be able to keep their sweet secret from the rest of the crew.

"I have something for you," Okamura finally murmured, taking a half - step back from the First Officer. She brought the object in question out of her pocket : a gold ring with several stones that shone almost as brightly as she did. "I found it when we docked at the Federation port yesterday." For a moment, her green gaze flicked to the ground.

"I've been reading more about human families and what they should look like. While doing so, I realized ― I was supposed to give you one of these prior to the pregnancy. Except, we didn't know about the baby, so I neglected to. I am sorry, ichigo." The Fae took his hand and set the bit of jewelry on his palm. ( Ichigo : her favorite fruit translated into the language she was supposed to pretend was her native tongue and gifted as a pet name to her favorite person. )

"I should have learned about the marriage custom for you months ago," Okamura continued apologetically, vibrant eyes wide. "I apologize that everything has been so . . . out of order for humans. Is this the right kind of ring for me to give you ?? If the sentiment is not too late ??" Her fingers moved down to rest on her stomach while she waited for his answer. She was genuinely upset at herself for missing this step ; the documents she found indicated gifting this type of trinket as a gesture of possession was very important for human lovers.

unscripted asks . always accepting

The authorization for whoever was outside to enter was given freely; but upon realizing it was Okamura, the commander immediately placed the ancient book he had in hands on the nearest surface, walking over to his girlfriend (or perhaps fiancée) next. Roles and labels were never properly discussed - not even because relationships within the Tojo had been frowned upon until not too long ago given the vessel's main purpose, but also because the Fae... Well, his beloved was not entirely used to certain notions surrounding ever-lasting relationships when she had been brought up as a possession rather than a person.

Akiyama kissed the top of her head first, a gentle smile blossoming when his paramour shed the disguise that was used around the ship. It wasn't as if she was any less beautiful - Okamura would never be anything less then sun and stars in any room, even if they happened to be panoramic and with an actual galaxy behind them, but there was something special about seeing her for who she was. Despite the fact that commander had taken a different path to get there himself, it felt fitting that the pair had fought against their families (or certain traditions) to find an anchor in each another.

"What is the occasion?" the First Officer asked with genuine curiosity when Okamura stepped back, enough to retrieve whatever she wished to hand him. Akiyama couldn't think of any relevant milestones that they had missed - birthdays, their first date, any significant religious or cultural traditions that either humans or the Fae honored. But when his gaze fell on the ring on her hand, it all suddenly dawned on the officer.

Was Okamura proposing to him? Asking for Akiyama's hand in marriage?

Chocolated-colored eyes blinked, moving from the beautiful ring (it looked like an antique - how much had she paid for it?) to the woman who had just started to explain her reasoning for the present. Oh. The Fae was trying - evidently, she felt that keeping up with the custom of Akiyama's home world was important, particularly with how little she cared for her own and the bitter memories that sometimes followed; but Akiyama didn't have the heart to tell the woman that she had it a little backwards - generally the man asked for the lady's hand, offered her a beautiful piece of jewelry, married and...

It didn't matter, Akiyama realized. The confused look melted into one of sincere affection, the first mate closing his hand around the ring and bringing the Fae back into a hug, evidently used to the way he would be covered in glitter later. A kiss was pressed to her hair again, then next to her forehead and eventually Okamura's nose, the trail of soft and tender caresses ending upon the Fae's lips and followed by a sigh. He had dreamed about having a perfect family of his own, particularly as a young boy and keen on mirroring the success of his father within the Federation.

Now, the chance was being given to him despite how most people back on Earth thought his life and career ruined. Akiyama was just incredibly happy - if offered a chance to pursue a different path, he would just have asked for the opportunity to ask his own fiancée in marriage, too. But it was not too late, and the First Officer was now convinced that he would need to re-enact the entire thing on a different occasion to make it up to Okamura, even if the Fae had no idea of all these thoughts rushing through his mind.

"There is nothing to apologize - I love it, my star. I will use and cherish it forever," Akiyama said once the kisses were temporarily suspended, and tried the ring on the proper hand and digit - surprisingly enough, it fit; a remarkable feat for a possible blind choice that his fiancée had executed, unless she somehow knew his size and had managed to procure one that matched it perfectly. But, seeing how things were around the Tojo, Akiyama had come to be a fierce believer of the (seemingly) impossible and the improbable alike.

"There is just one thing missing - the part where I do the same for you and ask for your hand in marriage. I will find the perfect gift next time we dock so I can return this gesture and we'll be both linked through the jewelry as my ancestors did. Would you like that?" he asked gently, hands running along the side of her face before one of them dropped to join Okamura's palm over her belly, the softest pressure applied there to show he cared for both - soon-to-be-wife and unborn son.

"There is also a party," the officer grinned next, "A big one, when people marry. Do you think you can enlist your friends to help? I'll handle bribing Daigo for some free time for everyone, ship-wide... Including that stubborn ass of his."

[akiiyamashun]

Okamura stopped in the doorway of their room, robe open in order to reveal the pale gold colored lingerie set she wore. "I went to one of the shops that stocks Western clothing specifically," she explained, smiling with child - like pride. Her fingers cupped beneath her breasts to accent her next point. "I haven't bought a bra off of the rack in . . . since I got these enlarged, I suppose. Normally there's nothing shaped for my size ; luckily, there's a good stock online these days."

The heiress squeezed her chest, laughed softly, and then moved to their bed. She climbed into it gracefully, happy to claim her favorite seat on top of the moneylender. Even when he was laying down, she still considered his lower torso and lap area hers to use as a chair. Okamura studied her nails : pink, basic, just a touch too long. This artist would learn her preferences in time, she was sure.

"There was a little girl today who stopped me and asked if I wanted to buy flowers," Okamura continued. "She could be Midori-chan's twin, ichigo. Evidently, her mother owns the business. It's only the two of them. I hate flowers in the house . . . so depressing. Of course I didn't purchase anything, but I did give her all of the yen in my purse. They found me after they closed up, when I was drinking coffee at that cafe I texted you about. Apparently, we're all going to lunch tomorrow. My new small friend insisted."

The heiress stopped fussing and met Akiyama's gaze. "It's almost like home," she said quietly with a slight smile.

After a moment, Okamura brushed her waves back over her shoulders. She leaned forward, hands planted on either side of her lover, and sighed. "Listen to me, ichigo. I haven't stopped talking since you came home. Tell me about you. What was this handsome face up to all day, hm?"

unscripted asks . always accepting

The moneylender had a book in his hands - an old paperback edition and which clearly had belonged to other people first, but was nonetheless successful in holding his interest. Akiyama had always enjoyed reading in bed before sleeping when he was younger, and that habit had been picked up again in the hopes of helping him achieve a more regulated sleep schedule (if only for the benefit of their new life in Yokohama).

However, the very strangely disturbing and yet compelling read of that tome by Mishima Yukio was doing a superb job at keeping him wide awake; Akiyama was repelled by several incidents in the book, but couldn't put it down. Perhaps it was similar to the feeling of watching a trainwreck, but in print - however, all it took was his wife's voice for the spell of the book to be broken without any effort.

The thing was closed and placed on the bedside table - from that moment onward, he had eyes only for the figure of his beloved heiress in a lingerie set that was decidedly new (he knew; these were the things that his brain really paid attention to). Akiyama moved no muscle as the blonde approached, an easy grin taking up residence on his face as Okamura placed herself over his half-naked torso and his hands went to her legs by default, holding the blonde there and appreciating the softness of the skin underneath his palms.

(Impeccably scented, too; there was never a second that he didn't think he would be happy to die with his senses overloaded by everything that made Okamura Azumi so fundamentally her.)

The news about the way she had so freely given all the money on her person to a street vendor caused his grin to earn a softer, tender side; the relationship of his wife with money had always been a complicated one, but their own entanglement had caused the heiress to re-examine a few things. Not without a great deal of pain and guilt sometimes (just like Akiyama had experienced, however under more drastic circumstances), but the loan shark was always thrilled to hear about it. Little by little, the woman of his dreams was turning into the one for many common people around, too.

For entirely different reasons, of course - but to see the woman who believed herself to be nothing much beyond her appearance and material possessions realizing just how good and kind she could be was a lovely development. Okamura Azumi was much more inside, and Akiyama was glad that the precious side of his wife was now getting confident to shine more frequently.

"Uh, me? Nothing much, really. I didn't make friends like you did, my star," Akiyama chuckled when the topic of conversation shifted to him, a soft and airy chuckle getting out as he adjusted under Okamura's comfortable body weight and clearly at peace with the rather predatorial position she opted to take - a queen on her throne, a lioness pouncing on defenseless prey, a goddess bestowing favors to a loyal worshipper... All these were proper descriptions of how the moneylender felt where his abilities to resist the blonde were concerned.

"I was out doing some detective work today - there is something weird going with Yokohama real estate prices and apparently that is not a good hobby to have; I ran into the occasional thug here and there," the loan shark grinned up at Okamura - it was his way to reassure her that all was well, despite the asses kicked and the bones fractured earlier; really, Akiyama did not enjoy fighting, but sometimes there was so much he could do with words and charisma alone.

"I found this nice senbei shop, though. Apparently it's been with the same family for years... Best one I've ever had in a while, I feel like going back and taking you with me next time," he asked, a hand moving to touch the silky and lovely tresses of golden hair of his wife, finding Okamura's neck and resting his palm against the back of it just so he could guide her forward gently, a kiss following when they were close enough.

"But you're right, my love. It does feel like home, doesn't it?" the moneylender laughed softly, "At this point, I'm half-expecting to walk into Kiryu-san one of these days."

[akiiyamashun]

Daigo woke up earlier than normal. He turned off the alarm on his phone ; there was no hope of him getting back to sleep. Fitful dreams had long ago doomed him . . . and there was also the problem of the unwelcome visitor between his legs. The ex - yakuza scrubbed at his face, muffling a light groan. It certainly didn't help that his husband was asleep beside him, chest bare save for that tantalizing bit of gold around his neck. Daigo almost woke the moneylender up ― but then he remembered two - year - old Kisuke, resting only a room over. There was no guarantee Akiyama would be quiet if Daigo roused him with some kind of sexual activity ( unless the former Chairman kept his hand over the loan shark's mouth, which wasn't appealing to him right now ).

Quietly, Daigo maneuvered himself up. He flipped aside the covers enough to frown at his traitorous almost erection. The ex - yakuza bit his lip and glanced at Akiyama. Maybe, if he . . . Daigo's fist closed around his mostly - hard cock, and he swallowed back a whine. Masturbating certainly wasn't new to him. Perhaps, it could be his way out. Provided he was silent, no one else would ever know about this embarrassing and rather messy situation he found himself in.

Daigo leaned back on his right arm, favoring the whimsical fantasy of Akiyama being able to see everything, and bent one of his legs for added support. Blindly, he began to stroke his own shaft, grateful for the coarseness of his fingers. He became fully hard very easily thinking about the man so close to him. Soon, Daigo was panting, struggling to cope with the imagery of Akiyama taking him, pinning him. Precum leaked onto his hand and dribbled down his belly.

Feverishly, the ex - yakuza dared to look toward the moneylender . . . and realized he may not have been as quiet as he thought. He was not the only awake individual on the bed. Daigo's face turned scarlet in the dark. Of course, when he was almost fucking done.

"D - Damn, Shun, I ― " Those first hoarse words were hard to get out. "I didn't ― want to wake you or the baby, I . . . " Daigo moaned deeply, aware of how near the metaphorical edge he was. "I couldn't stop dreaming about you."

unscripted asks . always accepting

The infamous ability of sleeping anywhere, anytime was a lingering echo of Akiyama's homeless experience. It wasn't as if he didn't enjoy a bed, like most human beings (he did, once his own issues around material comforts were settled), but he had become more sensitive to things that were insignificant once. In fact, it hadn't been the noise that woke him up - but rather the movement.

Trying to rest while having no roof over your head or hiding in the sewers came at great cost - particularly in a busy city like Tokyo. One learned how to tune out most of the white noise and to focus only on what could be a real threat to survival; however, a moving location triggered the loan shark's senses, even more so because Daigo was not a lightweight. The ex-chairman's own gestures carried a certain cadence and strength to it, even if he had attempted to be quiet.

Or so Akiyama imagined after he opened his eyes, realized what was happening and decided to watch for a bit - Daigo was such a stubborn man, really.

"Seriously? We've been over this, I thought you liked the real me more than the dream me," the moneylender said with a voice that was decidedly not as sleepy as it could be at such hours (Daigo knew how moody his other half could be when there was no sunshine outside), which was definitely a novelty. Besides, as both men grew used to the darkness, one could dispute whether or not Akiyama Shun was pouting.

(Probably an illusion caused by the lack of light. Probably.)

"I think I'm offended," the younger male contemplated, moving onto the bed and crawling over to Daigo - unlike his husband, Akiyama's movements were definitely lighter and smoother, a benefit of his body type. The loan shark ran a hand over his head, getting most of the longer bits of hair out of his eyes, and pushed the rest of the covers off the duo - while the former yakuza slept nude most of the times, the loan shark still favored sweatpants or at least boxers when it was too hot. Old habits, Akiyama said.

Daigo did not move for a while despite his state - perhaps because of the embarrassment of being caught (by his own husband in their own private apartment - sometimes it was hard following Daigo logic, Akiyama would complain), or maybe due to the fact he was trying to gauge how annoyed the moneylender truly was. But when the younger male settled between his legs once they were parted gently, the ex-yakuza had a good indication that all was well.

In fact - the mere movement of seeking refuge there had the former chairman groaning, and Akiyama just grinned at that.

"I meant it, Shun - I didn't..."

"... Want to wake up the baby, yeah. You were rocking the bed, Daigo - Kisuke would have sensed the vibrations soon enough," the moneylender joked, but he nonetheless swatted his husband's hands away, Akiyama's own digits cleaning him from whatever had spilled from his hard cock and taking it directly to his mouth, humming appreciatively. "Can't have dream me getting away with this again - let me do it and we don't even need to wash the bed sheets later. Win-win situation, Dojima."

With one last grin for his husband, Akiyama actually got to work - ordinarily, he would have enjoyed teasing his other half and drawing it for as long as he could, admiring the soft blush that crept on Daigo's cheeks and the adorable sounds he made while coming into his mouth, but it was not the time (rather literally) for that game. Instead, the loan shark dutifully took over the relieving duties, hands holding most of his husband in place while his head bobbed to bring the ex-yakuza over with the minimal amount of disturbances and evidence.

Once upon a time, Daigo felt the need to warn his very new lover to everything that was happening, or even offer encouragement. Now, however, Akiyama did everything with gusto, hands feeling the telltale contractions of muscle that announced the last drop of control going away and dissipating in a sea of pleasure. The older man indeed achieved his own climax rather fast - no surprise given how ready, needy and almost there he had been - but Akiyama was in no rush to be done; he sucked, swallowed and then licked his husband clean, removing himself from the other male's (now softer) cock when he was sure that Daigo was utterly spent.

"It's okay to wake me up if you're horny, you know. I like winning against my imaginary version," Akiyama said casually, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand to press a quick kiss to his husband's face, "I don't care for the final scores of whatever game your phone was tracking from the MLB, but next time you're hard... Poke me," a chuckle followed, the accidental joke sounding funnier in these earlier hours than it should, "You can repay me later by feeding Kisuke-kun."

[akiiyamashun]

a muse's list of likes.

favorite fruit(s): citric ones like yuzu, lemons and mandarin oranges.

favorite activity(ies): singing, reading, watching comedy routines, gambling, people-watching.

favorite flower(s): bird of paradise; unironically, he would also appreciate tiger lilies, even if Yasuko had not been a part of his life. 

favorite season(s): late spring/early autumn.

favorite insect(s): grasshoppers, crickets and fireflies.

favorite animal(s): foxes (and if we’re including mythical ones, the phoenix - it’s his greatest motif).

favorite gem(s): as far as precious materials go, Akiyama is more of a metal guy over gemstones (the more symbolic one to him being gold). But if gems need to be chosen, then those would be with burgundy/orange colors like rubies, garnets and orange opals.

favorite time of day: sunrise and sunset.

tagged by: @zankokukami​ (thank you!) tagging: you!

[dojimakaichou]

CLOSED STARTER for @akiiyamashun.

★. ―

Daigo materialized in the corner of Akiyama's shelter, entirely silent. He made sure to appear in the darkest part of the flimsy, tarp - covered structure. It was obvious the human inside was asleep, and the last thing the vampire wanted to do was spook him out of his restful state with shifting shadows.

For a moment, Daigo stared, glittering eyes studying the lines of Akiyama's face . . . seeking out those places where it was thinner due to this lifestyle and simultaneously noting how drawn it looked. As always when he visited, the vampire was tempted to spirit the younger man away ― even just stuffing him in a closet somewhere would be healthier than this. Daigo smiled quietly at the image, tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear, and leaned over from his seated position. Unfortunately for his nerves, he respected Akiyama too much to resort to kidnapping.

The vampire used his free hand to gently shake the loan shark's shoulder first. After, his palm moved to the side of Akiyama's neck. Daigo's thumb idly stroked the human's cheek, which was as much a fond gesture as it was an assurance that it was only him. This frigid flesh could belong to no other.

"Here." As the moneylender stirred, Daigo set the two items from his lap in front of him. They were simple : a small bottle of water and a pre - made, packaged convenience store sandwich. The latter didn't have a strong smell, was easy to eat, and wouldn't leave a noticeable mess ― all criteria that Daigo had learned to abide by when bringing Akiyama any sort of sustenance. Though the moneylender insisted he possessed plenty of ways to obtain what he needed ( and a community in this dark, odorous labyrinth to back that ), Daigo couldn't help but fuss over him. It wasn't just that Akiyama was the creature's source of food. There was more to it, as the softness in Daigo's expression attested to ; the vampire needed Akiyama to be alright. He hadn't been able to find words for the sentiment yet ( frankly, he doubted he ever would ). To say he loved Akiyama was merely . . . adequate. Something else drove the creature. Though defining it continued to allude his grasp, the strange depth of feeling Daigo associated with Akiyama was written into every movement ; every word ; every night he spent down here.

The loan shark was Daigo's everything, in truth. A boyfriend, certainly, but also . . . fucking hell. There it went : the mysterious word Daigo knew would better explain their relationship but that he wasn't aware of personally. With a thin smile, the vampire squeezed Akiyama's arm and settled into his usual spot. He wore a black collared shirt with the sleeves folded up to his elbows and dark trousers.

"You know," Daigo said leisurely, crossing his arms across his broad chest. "I lingered a while as a cloud of smoke by that barrel fire the others keep going. Eavesdropping there is normally fruitful. Half of the time, I swear your friends sniff out new routes the Triads are taking before I do." The vampire chuckled darkly.

"I heard a different bit of interesting talk tonight, however. It would seem ― Harada, I believe ?? who has the blue hoodie ?? got close to your home recently while you and I were indulging ourselves." Daigo's lips curved into a jagged grin that exposed many of his intimidating, gleaming teeth. Oh, if he were alive, he would be blushing scarlet. Luckily for the creature, he was incapable of such a reaction without willing his blood to run. Pure amusement was all that showed in his features. "Your . . . noises, we'll say, left quite the impression on her, Shun. Since they're guarding you from external company so fiercely and everyone else was accounted for that night ― well, to be honest, they're all very impressed with your evident skill at pleasuring yourself."

[akiiyamashun]

Comparing to the first time that Akiyama had been in the streets, sleeping in that makeshift tent came easily to him. Unlike his original fall from grace, now he was able to drift off to surprisingly relaxing naps, and even required some form of assistance to be brought back to the land of the living when deeply unconscious.

Daigo's touch worked wonderfully in that regard - both because of the physical contact and the temperature of the flesh that produced it; it was a combination no one else could provide, and even his friends among the other homeless souls refused to outright get so personal unless it was an emergency. This way, the soft (but chilling) touches to his skin were inevitably translated as 'Daigo', and it was easy to stir and blink into a more wakeful state when he was sure no threats were around.

Akiyama grinned slowly at the view of his lover getting into focus - it was a lazy gesture, forming at the same pace his brain processed that the vampire was back, and the moneylender moved to sit up and properly look at the other male (as well as the things he had brought). The loan shark perused the items quickly and smiled fondly at the sandwich - he liked the egg ones; they were moister than a few others, without the danger of the smell dissipating through the other tents. Not for the first time - Akiyama wondered how Daigo did it; did he walk in the stores and purchased these despite his looks? Was the former chairman of the Tojo stealing?

But as the younger one entertained himself with the wrapping of the food (as much as he didn't want Daigo to get concerned over something that could out him to the masses... He was hungry; unlike sleeping, it seemed that getting adjusted to a different diet took more time than being reintroduced to fucked-up hours for naps), Daigo's casual conversation sequestered Akiyama's attention flawlessly. Now almost fully awake, the moneylender had been occupied with the packing of the sandwich, peeling it open with the help of his teeth distractedly, nodding to offer some of the confirmations Daigo required.

...Until he got to the ending and the sandwich fell to the ground (still wrapped, thankfully), making the capped water bottle tumble and the moneylender move as if he had been suddenly burned by the offered food. Akiyama did not blush - but his jaw was open in a way that was uncharacteristically wide, chocolate-colored eyes blinking non-stop and a furious scratch of his locks following in a gesture of disbelief.

"I..." his voice, usually a melodic one, was a bit strained; Akiyama swallowed hard, then chuckled and shook his head, picking the food that had threatened to roll away given his surprise and looking at Daigo as if he had intended to cause that chaotic reaction out of him. "Okay, that... Didn't really go where I was expecting. Kinda threw me off a bit there, Daigo-kun," the moneylender snorted, but it was clear that even hunger had taken a back seat now in the face of such... Surprising news, really.

Well, out of all the weird reputations he had built over the last few years, being really good while playing solo wasn't the worst one. Hell, maybe it ranked among his preferred ones. That was a good talent to have, even if it was a fake one (as much as Akiyama was no stranger to taking things into his own hands - pun intended - it was hard to compete with the feeling of the venom seeping in and spreading over the body, igniting everything like a fire nothing could extinguish except for Daigo's touch and biting).

"Hell of a world to live in, huh. To think I'll need to lie and pretend I'm a right-hand magician or something," he brought up the referred limb then, wriggling his digits with genuine amusement, "So I don't spill the beans and say the truth about having a horny, vampire boyfriend. That would be... Weirder, I think."

[stingslikeabee]

Hi everyone!

I am now back at my Dutch home and I somehow managed to clean everything and get some basic groceries with classes resuming as of next week. I’ll try to resume writing across my blogs as the week goes, however until I know how this period (and my thesis) will go, I can make no promises re. consistency.

Take care! Mari.

[stingslikeabee]

Hi everyone! It’s moving time (again) and I’m going back to the Netherlands as of tomorrow since my classes resume next Monday. So due to flight times, timezones and overall exhaustion, I am likely not going to be around on either of my blogs until the weekend - and we’ll see how my activity will be with (technically) 3 blogs and the clock ticking for my thesis, haha.

See you all very shortly from the other side of the puddle! :) Mari.

[theoptia]

Leonard Cohen, from The Spice-Box of Earth; "Beneath My Hands"

Text ID: When you call me close / to tell me / your body is not beautiful / I want to summon / the eyes and hidden mouths / of stone and light and water / to testify against you.

[akiiyamashun]

@dojimakaichou​​