nighttime, slight breeze, fireflies, and all that other cliche garbage kaoru loves and souma hates. they're out by the beach hating each other a little less. just a little; souma has their hand on kaoru's chest, pressed into the hollow and indent, swallows down his pride. keeps his gaze level, and kaoru leans forward to put his forehead on souma's. his hand in purple hair, he twirls a few strands and brings them to his cheek. they fall back, brush against souma's jaw. "the night is still young," he says, charming and sweet and warm and souma scowls. his hand creeps over to kaoru's shoulder, it's all bare skin. other hand on the other shoulder. souma always keeps him at arm's length. "you wound me." "you deserve worse." souma digs his feet into the sand and tip toes. kaoru leans back, tilts his head to meet souma's lips.
rv asked me about marine life ot3 and honesty. this is my rock to hold. this is my 42 point ink brush love triad. they are my faves.
ok.
i loved kanata and kaoru from the moment i saw really good fanart of them kissing while in the ocean and im like yasss that's my shit y know and then it was like OH they're in a club together and i know kaoru probably joined the club to be able to surf and pick up girls but kanata keeps trying to make him appreciate ocean life and kaoru kinda sighs like i would be surfing still if i didn't care about it, and they have really long winded and ridiculous conversations about the sea as a metaphor and kaoru is honestly talking out of his ass but he's completely enraptured . this also goes along my headcanon that he's from california and moved back to japan with his dad and that now they're here really far away from home it's the only thing that doesn't change, yknow. the ocean is a constant. the only thing that’s different is the temperature and honestly, he’s had worse. this water is warm, it’s kind. it’s the caress of a bygone mother. it’s nice.
kanata probably knows why kaoru's the biggest flirt in the universe and i feel it steps from not having his mom around and how he's kind of just desperate to show that he won't drive a woman he loves away like his dad did but really his behavior is akin to empty shots in the dark. he loves girls, he appreciates them all and treats them well, but god, he’s so empty and maybe filling up the hollow with lovely words and letters, maybe that’ll make things better.
kaoru likes listening to kanata talk forever and at first he uses his ~weird~ nature to make himself look better but it only lasts a while before he starts knocking heads together anyone who fucks with kanata will get a particularly vicious comment from kaoru. they get each other. it's a quiet kind of love and kanata likes watching kaoru out on the sea sometimes he's jealous because he's at peace with it he's able to join it, he doesn't scream when a wave so much as knocks him off his board he just keeps getting up and running in
and kanata doesn't have that privilege
souma joins the marine life club and he's here for sea turtles but kanata does impart his wisdom on them and souma loves the ocean. it encompasses the way of the sword, it is reckless and it is lively and it is powerful. they're really in love with it and souma just. appreciates kanata's words of wisdom even if they're completely obvious to other people he never loses an opportunity to learn. he never judges kanata for his oddball status and he appreciates him for grounding public enemy no1, kaoru hakaze who he respects very little but starts to appreciate when he sees him surfing not because he looks good (no) but because that's an area that requires so much discipline, a lot like his own kendo. he asks kaoru to fight him and kaoru's like no can do, he can’t blemish not this face, but you're just as pretty as a girl so maybe i'll make an exception, he's got his hand on a piece of souma's hair and souma jabs him with his practice sword. begrudging friendship that turns into a fucking shit can't live with him can't live without him but kaoru likes teasing souma but really wants to be on good terms w him because he's the senpai! he's gotta set an example. he's also very much captivated by souma's appearance and he goes thru his gay crisis because of him lmfao
anyways . kanata's like we're souma's parents and the ocean is my mother so that makes her his grandmother and kaoru's like yeah i guess that makes--wait since when are we married and kanata just smiles :)
kaoru hakaze is a teenage boy who thinks love is something he can collect until he starts feeling better about himself but that doesn't work so he just keeps throwing himself at it and he treats everyone so well why doesn't he feel better about himself lmfao
he loves himself he really does!!! don't u see he's just perfect. obviously!!!!!! and kanata's just like . lmfao. kaoru wants a tragic backstory and a reason he 's so . him but like sometimes...that's just how things are.
there isn't a big reason why u don't wanna wake up in the morning or why u throw urself to ur sports or why idol practice feels like eating nails
it just happens. he doesn’t try as hard because he’s never had to, and when he’s standing next to all of these boys and their lineages and legacies, it’s not easy to be adequate. so he revels in it. he doesn’t have anything holding him back.
going to yumenosaki was probably the best thing to happen to him. if he hadn’t, he would’ve lost himself to girls but not even in the. fulfilling way, being an idol forces him to get out there and make happiness for others and in the meantime, he’s gotta focus on making himself worthy of sharing that stage with the rest of undead . god. i love his dynamic with adonis. adonis brings out the worst and the best in him lmfao kaoru just TRIES so hard to be bad when really he’s just. a fuckboi. that’s really it. he can be sweet and moody but he’s just so focused on being a sex object that it’s really.
“to live, to truly live, we must be willing to risk.’
cecil/syo, syo/natsuki
"you're insufferable."
syo thinks that their first exchange could have gotten better. a lot better. maybe he shouldn't have suplexed cecil across the room after getting too close to haruka, at the time he chalked it up to his own affection for STARISH's composer, but now, maybe it was a prelude to something else.
something else. syo's never liked uncertainty because he's known for carving out his own destiny and flying high, once a week on your favorite TV channel. gambling with fate was something he left for people better suited, he focused on the now, now, now! because the future was terrifying and never for sure. it's a lesson best taught by white coats and IV needles and a brother's promise to make things right.
but. you know. he doesn't think about that as much, no, not anymore.
he thinks about the sky and how blue it is and how it feels to almost touch it. he's jumped across chasms and soared on zip lines but none of that compares to being on a little helicopter, leagues into the atmosphere, knuckles bone white and hands wrapped around the railing. someone far away tells him it's time to go, and the rest of STARISH jumps out, one at a time. they're filming a promo shot for their new music video. otoya and haruka are first, and then tokiya and masato, ren and natsuki follow suit. it's his turn. he can still hear otoya's screams, and he feels the adrenaline rush, there's only wind ringing in his ears and he feels like he's going to float away.
cecil taps his shoulder. he leans in with a grin, syo can't see it, he's fixated on natsuki's parachute. he's almost surprised he didn't get it dyed yellow.
"i'm right behind you. go!"
and then he's falling. down, down, down. he's free falling and he glides, they've practiced this before, sure. once or twice, he doesn't remember what ryuuya told him, or anything and he's glad that he's not wearing a hat. to even be thinking about that right now is ridiculous. cecil is at his right, and he gives him a cheery thumbs up and syo wants to strangle him.
"don't cats hate heights?"
"not if they can land on all four!"
syo's not scared of heights. not of falling, either. he's just apprehensive of how it was going to be when he came back down to earth.
yikes.
they all stick the landing, the cameras stop rolling, and otoya excuses himself so he can properly have an attack in the bathroom. tokiya and haruka follow him out and natsuki voices his concern. everyone's buzzing about the stunt and masato offers to get everyone tea, and ren flicks his hair back and offers to come help, but syo knows they're both going to check up on their resident acrophobe.
might as well, just go. cecil is already gone and he's the only one left and otoya makes a big deal that he's fine even though he's holding a paper bag against his lips breathing in and out and then again and syo snips that it's miraculous he didn't have to go to the hospital. maybe it's too harsh, because he only looks down. and then back up, with a smile that is practiced, executed flawlessly.
"you're right, syo-kun! sorry for worrying everyone."
the procession out is loud, and finally, they celebrate a job well done. there's laughter and there's a grin on everyone's faces and cecil claps everyone on the back and syo slinks over to natsuki's side. he's usually the one making the most noise, usually the life of the party but today he's got something to mull over.
it's been a year since cecil's induction but it feels like longer. he's familiar and comfortable with everyone, calls them all by their first name, while syo gets the word "haruka" stuck in his throat and relegates himself to nanami. it's frustrating. it shouldn't annoy him that much, considering all things, but he finds himself more often than not, wondering how it would be like, being that...brutish? thick headed? confident?
confidence! ha. syo was all about confidence, swagger. he was the cool type, punk rock. right. he shouldn't be off put by cecil, not in the slightest.
if anything, he admires his one track mind. his ability to throw himself into the fire without any thought of the consequences. he's proved himself time and time again.
and maybe syo just feels stagnant in comparison.
.
so he throws himself back into it, whatever it entails, that's up to their agency president and ai mikaze's particular fancy. mikaze is...certainly something, but syo respects him and his work. he's got an incredible track record despite the detached aura and dead gaze.
it's ok.
mikaze decides they're taking a fashion show job, and syo is surprised. that seemed to be more appropriate for ren, or even tokiya, but mikaze clarifies before he can put a word in.
"it's a full agency ordeal, shining says. we meet with designers tonight." and there he goes, looking as pristine as ever. natsuki bounces on his heels and ruffles syo's hair, he's beaming.
"isn't this exciting?" sure.
"we get to work with everyone! how long has it been? when was our last live, haha." yeah, it's been a while.
"we'll get to see everyone in incredible outfits! i wonder what they have prepared for us." something preppy, golf club patron for natsuki, something made out of checkers and vinyl for syo. they're color coded and patented. it's not that difficult.
instead, he tip toes to flick his forehead. natsuki pouts and runs a hand through his thick, blond hair, and then moves to adjust his glasses. he's always moving, every action flows into each other and watching him closely makes syo light headed.
"all right, all right! let's get moving then. we still have an interview about triangle beat and we have--" he prattles on and syo finally gives him his full attention as they walk side by side, out into the window lined hallway.
natsuki was a constant. ever since they were kids, he's always had to stand up for him, fight for him, but now--natsuki is still talking and he's laughing at a joke from the day before, sharing stories and aspirations, maybe it's become the other way around.
no, of course not.
they arrive at the main foyer and haruka stands up, she's surrounded by the remaining members of STARISH, tomochika, and in the back, pressed against a couple of convenient columns, QUARTET NIGHT makes their residence.
"shinomiya-san, kurusu-san!" she's practically sparkling. "we were just going to call you, come in, sit down." otoya makes room on the couch and syo throws himself on it, props his legs up on the table. masato gives him a curt expression and then smooths it out into something more neutral. as if they all weren't already used to this.
"these are for you." syo and natsuki get their folders, with their future appointments for the show, with sketches and photos of the outfits they were to wear.
syo thumbs through the papers and furrows his brow. polished nails tap against his thigh. wait. stop thinking. stop processing, just for a moment and he looks up to haruka.
"oi, nanami. was there a mix up?" he sounds brasher than he likes. "this is--"
haruka blinks, and then clasps her hands together.
"right, sorry, kurusu-san. shining wanted to do something different this time! everyone is paired up, and given a particular theme." she gives the red haired woman with a pleading look. tomochika hands over a tablet. "you're working with cecil-kun!"
that explained the vaguely ethnic repertoire, then.
cecil waves excitedly and syo grins back, despite all things. he was going to make the best of this, that was the promise to himself. no more half-hearted work, he strides over to the ex prince of agnapolis. he's lounging on a chaise that he apparently stole from a very sour looking ren, hands tucked behind his head, green gaze bright against his dark skin.
"syo!!!"
"cecil-san."
he waves his hand and beckons him forward.
"just cecil, you know, you know. come sit down!!" he tucks his legs in and pulls them close to his chest. syo takes the armrest and runs a hand through his dyed hair, fixes his white bobby pins.
"all right, cecil. what are we doing?"
cecil shines brightly, and syo sighs, allowing a small smile to rest on his lips. he'll listen, first. think before jumping in, where did his bravado go. all of it withers and wanes and is replaced by something agitating instead, cecil's mere presence riles him up.
"ah, well. haruka--" there, it is. badly pronounced but so natural all the same. "said that the designers wanted something tropical? something full of light. they went to agnapolis and decided to base their inspiration on designs from the top artists in the city! isn't that cool?"
sure.
"that's cool, but, don't you think it's weird?"
what happened to thinking before speaking.
"this combination?"
cecil tilts his head, and his shitty scarf falls from his neck, drips down his chest and pools on his lap.
"yeah. i mean, you and me. wouldn't camus or tokiya be first picks?" someone more princely. syo wasn't...the first guy he thought of when discussing natural wonders of the world. stuff like that. okay. he stuff his hands into his black cardigan and cecil taps a finger against his chin, one, two, three.
"nah! i think this is fine. you're fun. otoya's fun too, but i liked working with you best when we did that thing with the ninjas!" he claps his hands together. he drops his voice to a stage whisper. "camus is terrible."
speak of the devil. camus, dressed in all white, again, whacks cecil over the head with a rolled up script. he flicks his hair back and keeps walking, back arched and head held high.
"less familiar, aijima. and keep your poise."
cecil whines and syo rolls his eyes.
"see? he bullies me. all the time!" he rubs his head and then sighs. "he's not so bad, though. terrible, yes, but he's a good motivator."
"mikaze is the same way. he's got an interesting way of teaching us, haha.”
cecil’s pout seems to be a permanent part of him, but, every so often, it’ll curl into something catlike. this was one of those times. he leans back on his seat, puts a hand against his forehead, and sighs very loudly.
“but, at the very least, this is exciting, no?”
if you wanted to put it that way, then—
“yeah, this is new.”
it’s a challenge, and syo’s never been one to back down. he looks through the binder again, and shows cecil pictures of their future embarkment.
.
cecil and syo scrape together six hours every week, six hours that they can practice together, get fitted together, hurl insults in at least three different languages at each other, together. syo’s never hated 1) himself 2) someone else 3) a situation more than he does now, but with cecil alternating from the most determined soul ever to whiny shitface of the century, sometimes in the same sentence fragment, he feels he is completely and one hundred percent justified.
goddddddddddddddd.
so. they’re together for hour number four, and cecil’s getting fitted, again, because apparently, between now and four days ago, he’s grown two centimeters and all of his slacks run short. the hem brushes his ankles. god fucking forbid. a deep breath. syo picks at his fingernails, and realizes he has to redo the black nail polish, and that’s just, one more annoyance in his terribly packed thursday. he still has to go to rehearsal for prince of fighting, and then he has a style spread for one of the many men’s magazines he has a contract with this month, and then—
“syo…”
shut up shut up shut up shut up shut shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut shut up shut
“syo?”
syo doesn't realize he’s got his hands curled into fists and his back bent, he’s curled into himself, and his head is pounding, there’s a jackhammer that goes to town on gray and white matter and it’s leaving him breathless—it’s not a particularly good feeling, he feels bile rising in his throat and cecil’s got an arm around his shoulders and he’s guiding him down somewhere, he’s lying down on a couch now, or something, god, his head hurts so fucking much.
“syo???”
he opens his mouth and he closes it, because he doesn’t want anything to trickle out, cecil leaves the room in a start.
it’s just like—
like what?
last time?
when was the last time he’s been brought down to his knees.
haha, ha.
his head hurts so much. he closes his eyes and he sees white, the blinding kind that leaves one numb and desperate for any color.
“there he is, you gotta help him—“
he fades in and out of consciousness and dreams about a brother who said the same things. why did the people he care about always repeat themselves. he’s fine. he’s doing better. never been better than this, in fact, he’s feeling like he can take on the whole entire world. with his two fists, and his slicked back hair, he’ll take them all one with one hand tied behind his back!
he’s doing just fine. syo kurusu does not need to go to the hospital. he thinks he emphasizes this when someone scoops him up in their arms and takes him out to waiting stretcher. he doesn’t really remember. the ride to the hospital is long. it’s always long. it feels like an eternity this time, though, he doesn’t know when he got in, or when he gets out, just the hum of machines hooked up to his arms, their soft beeping noises and little green lights. it’s almost comforting, and he finds that sickening. his hand goes to his mouth, and a paramedic snaps something to her coworker, and there’s movement, and then a promise that everything was going to be okay.
if things were going to be okay, then he wouldn’t have an IV needle sticking out of his wrist. honestly. he knows this procedure back and forth, front and back.
no one wants to say it.
but he knows.
“you’ve relapsed.”
.
natsuki is there, when he wakes up. his head is at the foot of the bed, his arms make some sort of pillow for him. he looks so lonely. syo wants to lean up and brush his hand through his hair, but he’s hooked up to all sorts of things, and knowing his track record, maybe it was better to let it be. he ends up deciding on wiggling his foot, tapping natsuki’s nose.
he jolts awake. after syo lets himself smile at his expense, and natsuki fixes his glasses, wipes the drool from his face, he gives him the most awful look, something so depressing, something to warm and kind and god, syo wants to fucking cry because he can’t do this to natsuki anymore. how many days has it been. how many times has it been. they’ve been together for years and he’s always the first one there when he wakes up, he’s always the last one to leave, he’s going to be the one who talks at his funeral—
it was better to not think about it.
“syo-chan…”
don’t say it like that, syo wants to snap, because he feels his chest cave in.
“i’m so—i’m so glad.”
he throws his arms around his shoulders, and syo almost calls for a nurse because he’s sore all over, and natsuki’s heavy, but god, he’s so grateful. he pulls away, and holds syo at arm’s length, nods after giving him a look over.
“i meant, to say earlier,” natsuki sounds sheepish now. “cecil-kun’s here too.”
this sends syo into a coughing fit.
the four white walls, lined with medicine cabinets, a sink, off-gray and grey-white objects and machines, this is all standard hospital fare and syo knows it all, they’re like a bad dream he can’t quite shake off. the only thing that makes him look twice, is cecil aijima, curled up like a godforsaken cat at the foot of his bed, how syo didn’t notice him earlier, that was the real mystery. he shifts in his sleep and syo stretches his hand out and pokes him.
“five more…minutes…”
natsuki sighs.
“he’s been here every day, since you were admitted.”
what.
“hasn’t slept, or eaten, haru-chan had to drag him out, pulled him by the ear and everything.”
why.
“why?”
natsuki taps his finger against his chin.
“maybe he wanted to say sorry.”
.
natsuki ends up leaving and cecil finally wakes up after a good twenty minutes, and when he does, he’s embarrassed and flustered, an expression that is foreign for him. he puts his hands out and waves them around, and apologizes, first of all, for being so loud, especially when he needed to rest, and then syo has to stop him before he goes out on another rant about hospital practices in japan and how hard it was for him to stay over, because he wasn’t next of kin, or anything else like that, jeez—
“cecil.”
his eyes go wide, and puts a hand behind his head. cecil sighs and looks down.
“sorry, i just wanted to make sure you were okay. natsuki was here, too, and we…talked. a lot.”
syo’s sure the conversations started up about something else, and ended up with him. maybe they talked about his mortality, and he doesn’t think he likes that.
cecil’s wearing the same shitty scarf he always does and syo wants to pull it off his neck, but when he stretches his fingers out, goes to grab it, his hand loses feeling completely. and he wants to cry. there’s no crying in hospital rooms. not when he’s alone with cecil aijima. there’s no crying at all.
“it’s okay, you know?” cecil keeps his tone light, and that makes syo all the more upset. angry. his emotions are tumultuous and he wants to know exactly why cecil is still here, and why he’s got a dark had over his knuckles, he’s massaging skin and bones. he wants to know why his brown hair is plastered to his forehead, there are wrinkles there that weren’t there a week ago. (he wants to wish, desperately wish, he hasn’t been out for a week, but considering all things, all those ugly possibilities, god, god please not again—) (it’s called a relapse for a reason, lapse in time, lapse in judgement.) he wants to know so many thing about him.
“i’m sorry, for giving you so much stress, you already had so much on your plate, there was already so much you were worrying about, and i was being…”
“fucking awful.”
cecil smiles wryly.
“yes, that is the turn of phrase.”
syo runs a hand through his dirty hair.
“it’s fine, it’s not like you knew.”
he hums a little tune, something from their latest album, and shoves his hands into his jacket pockets. cecil is still for a moment, before looking back at syo.
“you know, i thought you weren’t coming back. when the ambulance came and picked you up. the rest of us, we were waiting for the news, natsuki was right behind you, god, he was terrifying.” he fiddles with his thumbs, and chews on his lower lip, and syo wants him to get on with it.
“and you were right behind him.”
“yes.”
syo and cecil finally look at each other.
they’ve been avoiding each other’s gazes the entirety of the conversation, their entire relationship was give and take, they were bending and then, breaking. syo admires cecil’s dedication, determination—his one track mind, but right now, it was suffocating them both.
he can’t compete.
“if you want, i can go—“
“nah, it’s fine.”
syo lies back on his pillow. his head doesn’t hurt as much. that, he sees as an improvement.
“has my brother come in?”
“yes, he’s out with a doctor.” cecil sits up, and puts a hand against syo’s wrist, careful where the needle met vein. he brushes his thumb down the curves and the ridges and syo doesn’t even tell him to go away. it’s like a cat’s pawing. it’s nice.
comfortable.
when he’s about to fall back asleep, he doesn’t want to, honestly, but the medicine is stronger than he is, and for once he will relent—cecil says something. he can’t quite catch it.
(you said my name, no honorifics at all.)
.
the fashion show gets rescheduled.
they still get to walk, and the six hour work week ritual continues long after they are applauded by thousands, thousands of hundreds of spectators. they are the princes of the sand and sun, and the world accolades them for their efforts. cecil has his hand in his, and he lifts it up towards the sky. they are striking together, in white suits and crisp jackets. they are gods. syo’s grin lights up the entire stadium.
it takes a week of rest for syo to be able to go down the runway. he still gets sent back to the hospital, anyways.
a relapse in what he had, well. that couldn’t be fixed by the power of friendship.
brain tumors were tricky. they were cruel.
STARISH was always by his side. they took turns. they never complained once, and in fact, were more than happy to keep him up to date, because that was what friends did. they didn’t leave. haruka still wrote music for him, she said she would never stop, not as long as she lived. she promised he would get better soon, well enough to sing again, and that was encouraging. it was sweet. he tells her, nanami, thank you, and squeezes her hand.
he pretends he doesn’t see the way her smile flickers, for just a second.
cecil comes in right after, and twirls haruka around, she chastises him for being so noisy, but, syo knows. everyone likes her smile the most. cecil’s only doing what he knows best, he can play the fool if it means their princess is content.
once she leaves, he sprawls out on syo’s bed. he shoots him a scowl, and cecil drops a stack of magazines.
“we made it on the front page of at least seven, i haven’t bought all of them yet!” he’s excited, and they pour over the spreads together. cecil does most of the talking and syo makes comments when appropriate and this doesn’t fly with him.
“you’re quiet today.”
syo hums. cecil rolls over so that he’s on all fours, and he crawls over syo’s legs, he lets out a yelp. cecil sits up, knees bent, and juts his chin.
“what, something wrong?”
“personal space!”
“you’ve never seemed to complain about that before.”
stupid cat.
“that’s because you’ve never been on me, get off.”
cecil lies his head in the crook of syo’s neck, he doesn’t have as many wires today. cecil is warm, he is nice, and syo hates it, because he’s leaning into his touch. rests his head on dark brown hair, and breathes in, slow and sweet.
“you’re the worst.”
“better get used to this, syo-chaaaaaaan.”
syo groans and cecil laughs, and he wonders, he really does—he asks himself why he’s okay with his life turning out like this. maybe in a couple of days, a couple of weeks, he’ll be back out. maybe it’s not a relapse after all. maybe it’s a miracle from god himself, sparing the runt of the litter.
or maybe not.
syo kurusu didn’t gamble with fate, he doesn’t think about the future, but cecil aijima is drenched in the stuff, future sight falls from his lips and into the world below—he is magic where syo is not.
if he had to, if he has to, he would, he will bet on him.
ranmaru kurosaki is the perfect man and the love of my otome life probably and his birthday is today finally on the west coast
so...shary and i have been working on a pirates au for otoya/ranmaru becausE of a LONG STORY. but here we are in its completed glory i will probably fic for it once the song comes out in december but. god. i love them. i love ranran. i lvoe dying every day.
☆Sha☆ Im just I XANT BELIEVE YOU WROTE RANOTO ON A WHIM AND THEN WE GOT THIS
angiè I KASJFDKAJFasdf
angiè I JSU TWANTED TO INDULGE MYSELF AND THEN UTAPRI WAS LIKE
angiè U KN OW ,
angiè ANGIE IS A GOOD PERSO N
angiè LETS REWARD THEIR EFFORTS
☆Sha☆ THEY WERE LIKE, WELL. ANGIE ZOOMED THROUGH THE GAME ROUTES SO WHY NOT
angiè LTES BE NICE TO ANGIE BECAUSE THEYRE THE ONE TRUE BELIEVER OF THIS RANDOM SHI P
angiè I M J UST
angiè HIS TATTOOS HIS PIERCINGS HIS FACE HIS EYEPATCH HIS HAIR HIS EVERYTHING RANMAR KUROSAKI IS THE PERFECT MAn
angiè and OTOYA IS JUST GLORIOUS ANGEL BEAUTYIFUL BROWN AND LOVELY AND JUST HTE RED AND BLUE OHGHHH
angiè THE ROSARY ?!??!?!?!?!?!
angiè !??!?!?!??!!?!??!!
angiè i cant even thought --> words
☆Sha☆ HE PROBABLY KISSES IT EVERG TIME BEFORE SETTING OUT TO SEA
☆Sha☆ jfjfjfjjfbfnkd
angiè JHHHHH
angiè for good luck
angiè i d ie
and thus, the stage is set for. pirates.
IKKI DOES THIS AND MALRAUX WATCHES HIM FROM BELOW DECK LIKE malraux is usually so cheerful but when hes alone in front of his (timón) he gets all quiet and melancholy and mal is just. casually drying dishes and he’s just. staring at the ceiling.
ikki stands against the horizon
MALRAUX PROBABLY WOULDNT HESITATE TO LIKE. GET ANY LIMB CUT FOR HIS CAPTAINXJFJFBHG
ikki’s in trouble. i will. do anything for him.
captain of his heart
he'll never tell him
but he will fight for him
ikki is just in awe, looking at him fight and then he smiles and joins him
together they're unstoppable
angiè ikki and malraux are out here doing their thing and they're always getting into fights with the white devil but this one was just getting to be too much maybe it was more than ikki and malmal could handle and the white devil has ikki at the end of his sword and he's about to cut his eye out but malraux pushes him out of the way and straight up slashes his eye so the white devil is screaming and then he swings and malraux’s one purple eye gets ruined.
ikki is so shocked, he's yelling about why he did that and there was no reason for him to do that are you stupid? and malraux’s like a first mate will do anything for his captain and he's the one who p much kicks the white devil off the boat and they sail away or whatever but they escape and ikki tends to malraux’s wounds and gets him an eyepatch he's rubbing his back and just . apologizing again and again that should have been me
and malraux’s like well it wasn't you so shut up and stop apologizing. he leans on ikki’s shoulder and tries not to show that he's in pain he doesn't even know why he jumped in
but he saw his captain struggling and the thought of losing him
well
that was too much to even properly think about he wasn't going to let that happen
☆Sha☆ ikki being all too helpful and trying to spoil malraux and ran grumbles and he’s like ugh it's not that big a deal but ikki will have none of it
he's more gentle than usual and ran tries to ignore that fluttery feeling inside HES A PIRATE HE HAS NO TIME FOR THESE THINGS
angiè he finds things like bandages and medication and other resources they probably would not have been able to get other wise so malraux knows he's spending more gold and he's doing more things to take care of him and it's making him sick (that's why his head feels like it is spinning when ikki brushes his hand against his forehead and when he gives him that grin, god, disgusting.) he has no time for this but ikki is taking up every corner of space in his life and he's burning like the sun
and sailors, they only worship two things, the north star and the sun above and maybe it was time malraux opened his eyes and realized that the sun itself had put itself at his feet
malraux giving ikki a tattoo. something small and behind his neck, a little symbol that matches the hundreds that are on his arm. it's a protection. it's a promise. his hand is shaking and ikki winces only a little bit, but he thanks malraux for the services. he feels like a real captain and them, a real crew
IMAGINE THEM WATCHING THE STARS TOGETHER. LOOKING AT MAPS TOgether. ikki falls asleep in the main room over his table and there's ink and his coat is over the chair and he's so exhausted he just collapses over the maps and bags and malraux puts a blanket over his shoulders not because, he wants to make sure he's comfortable or anything but because his captain can't afford to get sick. whatever.
ikki sleepily mumbles
thanks malraux. he leans into his touch and malraux is just like nope he nopes so fast bye
deuces he's out of here lmfaoo
☆Sha☆ he's like
IM GONNA CLEAN THE ENTIRE SHIP BYE
angiè AND COOK A FULL COURSE MEAL
CHANGE THE FLAGS
FIX EVERYTHING
WORK?!!! HE'LL DO IT ALL
☆Sha☆ ikki cant see him like for days and he's?? malraux is everything okay
OF COURSE IT IS. WHY WOULDNT IT BE
angiè EVERYTHING IS FINE
no it's not
ikki's like REALLY??? then what is wrong?? he leans in real close and malraux's already like leaning against the edge of the ship if he leans back he falls overboard LMFAO
he is burning
what's wrong you used to at least whine more when something was up
and it's not like he can say YOURE DISTRACTING ME
he can't even be honest about these feelings in the slightest but he is dying and ikki's hands are on his hands and malraux is thinking this is the worst day of his life he brushes him off and walks away
ITS NOT UNTIL THEIR BIG FIGHTS WITH CAMUS THAT HE REALIZES HE REALLY CANT LIVE WITHOUT HIS CAPTAIN
☆Sha☆ HES SO OUT OF IT WHEN CAMUS APPEARS IKKI DOESNT WANT TO BOTHER HIM HES JUST ILL TAKE HIM MYSELF
and malraux was below deck minding his own business trying not to think of how ikki smiled at him earlier or. every day
and suddenly theres a crash amd hes like what's going on and he rushes upstairs and the white devil has his captain in a corner and he just. doesnt think
he grabs his sword and launches
angiè HE JUST GOES FOR IT THE WHITE DEVIL MAY HAVE HIS NAME BUT MALRAUX IS THE APPLE OF DISCORD HE WONT LET ANYONE LAY A HAND ON HIS CAPTAIN
he launches himself forward and swings his blade in a wide arc and pushes camus back. ikki is wide eyed and bleeding but the cut isn't too bad so he scrambles for his sword so he can help he can help! malraux is back! he's here and he's vicious, an angel of death and he keeps fighting, so much stronger than when they first met.
☆Sha☆ they fight in tandem and overwhelm camus, much to his surprise, he expected to found them divided and yet they seem to be more of one mind
after he leaves, malraux scolds himself. what was he thinking. he needs to be there. what if something happened? his captain just walks over to him, smiling. thank you, he says. it undoes him all over again
☆Sha☆ thank you. he thanks him. of course, he grumbles. his place is at his side
angiè AAAAAAAAAAA
his place is at his side that's his role and that is his purpose but ikki gives him another brilliant smile and offer his hand. i want you by my side not as a sword, but as a companion. that is the meaning behind that outstretched hand and malraux takes it anyway. he huffs. hope you don't regret your choice.
ikki laughs.
never! not when you're here.
they will sail all seven seas and find the end of the world together. this is how they have decreed it.
☆Sha☆ jjgjvggfgghfbnb
☆Sha☆ AND THEN THE LADY HARUKA APPEARS AND THE CAPTAIN IS SMITTEN AND MALRAUX IS LIKE WELL. THAT IS THAT
angiè MALRAUX HAVE U SEEN ANYONE SO STUNNING AS LADY HARUKA
09:24 angiè no
09:25 angiè i saw a cat once and it did about the same
☆Sha☆ HE DOESNT EVEN HATE HER LIKE SHES TOO GOOD AND SHES KIND AND GENTLE AND HE WANTS TO PROTECT HER HE'LL FIGHT FOR HER AND HIS CAPTAIN NONE WILL HARM THEM
☆Sha☆ what did he expect. he expected nothing.
.
☆Sha☆ ANG
☆Sha☆ /IKKI'S FRIEND/
angiè breaks my hand
angiè FRIEND
angiè COOK
angiè AND
angiè BODYGUARD
☆Sha☆ Y E S
☆Sha☆ YES
☆Sha☆ I SCREAM
☆Sha☆ okokok what if tiny ikki and malraux met each other at sea like. marlaux father worked in ikkis father's boat but then one day the ship was attacked and thats how ikki’s mother died and he took her rosary and marlaux was so small back then. he wasnt strong. and ikki was crying so much he missed his parents but then he grabbed his hand and marlaux tried to cheer him up
☆Sha☆ we're together
☆Sha☆ and marlaux stayed at his side and swore he would protect him now and ikki is looking for the white devil for this
☆Sha☆ HE’S HIS FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!
☆Sha☆ ikki has always been too friendly despite havjng suffered so much marlaux glares behind his back at random strangers who try to get close
☆Sha☆ he will be his shield!!! he will guard him
☆Sha☆ he will also feed him since he's kinda hopeless
angiè MY FAV . KIND OF LOYALTY
☆Sha☆ I GOT TOO INTO THIS there's no saving me I love them /)___(\
angiè IM SO GLAD SO SO HAPPY U DONT EVEN KNOW
angiè IM IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN
☆Sha☆ I CANT BELIEVE YOU PAID BROCCOLI TO MAKE AN AU THAF WOULD MAKE OTORAN RUIN ME
angiè I DIDNT EVEN HAHE TO PAY THEM . THEY ALREADY OWNED MY SOUL
angiè malraux and ikki lying on the stand on the beach looking at the stars and ikki always looking so hard at them because he wants to be like them! shining and twinkling and beautiful and GREAT he wants to be starlight
and malraux has always been more at ease with the night the darkness suits him just fine . but they're small and alone, young kids and he doesn't stop himself from taking ikki's hand and squeezing tight because he's got a star here and he doesn't want to let go of it
☆Sha☆ their first night alone after they lost everything, ikki refuses to let go of his hand and malraux is, uncomfortable and sweaty and in am awkward position but he doesnt care he won't ever let go
years after, when they fibally save enough for a ship of their own, ikki is. delighted!! malraux!! finally!! he takes both his hands, almost bounces!!! malraux is. he tries to look nonchalant he's kjnd of self conscious theyre not kids anymore but he cant help it theyd been working so hard for this. ikki had. he deserves this
“you guide us, malraux!” but he throws ikki the hat and he's like
“nah. you're the captain.”
“are you sure?”
“yeah, where you go i shall follow.”
ikki smiles and. puts on the hat and he looks perfect in it. malraux pushes it against his face. ok enough of that, we need to get going.
“aye aye captain!”
“/you're/ the captain, oi!”
angiè malraux thinks about his feelings because he's loyal, unnervingly so, and would be willing to tear apart his heart if it meant protecting his captain. but, they started off as deck boys together, mopping ships and running errands for the navy, and it wasn’t until ikki kept looking at the sea that has forsaken them both, that malraux took initiative and started looking at places selling ships he started gambling and he gets good at gambling to rake up the cash. he was a smart guy, and a member of the royal navy, a man named reiji took him under his wing and ikki too, and taught them how to be proper sailors. he was very disappointed when they both turned tail and ran back to the ocean, black flags in hand. pirates.
he still always watched over them, after all those years. malraux is indebted to him and he hates debts.
but he does everything for ikki, and ikki only smiles and takes his hands, so much bigger than his own now, callused (like his), and inked (unlike his)
ikki doesn’t understand why malraux is so desperate to stay by his side when he can do so much better but malraux only says with a gruff tone of voice, he does what he wants and he wants to stick with him. is that so bad. and ikki says no, becuase, he can't imagine it any other way!
the white devil is their end target, after all, but after that, what's next?
malraux laughs, sarcastically and charmingly, it sounds so guttural.
we'd keep sailing. for someone so smart, you're sure stupid. ikki pouts a little and throws his arm around malraux's shoulders. well, i hope you don't regret it.
some nights are easier than others. other nights are fit for walking the plank. when they're in shoreline taverns they book a room with two beds but ikki always watches malraux's back, watches the way his chest goes up, and down, and listens to the way his breath slows down, deep in sleep. he wonders what it would be like to be kids again and sleep side by side, but to ever bring it up would be taboo and unbelievable. malraux would probably make fun of him for being so childish but he misses the way his hand feels in his and the way his head fits perfectly in the crook of his neck.
instead, he focuses on the ceiling and tries to get some sleep.
in the morning, they practice sword fighting and ikki always wins, and he wonders if its because he's the better swordsman or because malraux always seems distracted by something
sometimes, though, malraux would get the better of him, when ikki's thinking about his tattooed arms or the shape of his thighs, and suddenly he has a foot on his chest and he's face to face with malraux's sword, pressed against the tip of his nose.
“dont get distracted. you'll die.”
and ikki laughs. “you wouldn't let that happen.”
☆Sha☆ the way you added reiji was so. oh my gosh
IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL IT ALL FITS TOGETHER UGH UGH
angiè THANSK. I JUST
REIJI IS SO IMPORTANT. and his role in their lives is so good . like he’s practically otoya’s senior and just. ranreiji i suffer for every day.
at least ikki and malraux run away together
☆Sha☆ ikki probably looked up to him like a big brother but he had a goal to fulfill and he was slightly sad when they had to live, but, they were pirates at heart, he had to say goodbye
UGH OKAY BUT ALSO, WHEN IKKI IS RIDICULOUSLY HAPPY AND SMITTEN WITH THE LADY HARUKA MALRAUX JUST, GOES AND HAS DRINKS WITH REIJI AND. UGHHHH
angiè AUGHHGHGH
they were pirates at heart and the sea beckoned them home and despite all things reiji had to watch them go
when he meets lady haruka, malraux sits shoulder to shoulder with the naval captain assigned to apprehending the white devil, and after him, their crew
he nurses a mug of beer and lays his head on the table and reiji strokes his back, its okay, its okay. ikki's a fickle kid, treat him nicely and he'll come running.
dont feel too bad malmal
malraux growls and reiji smiles blithely
“he'll always come back, you know.”
☆Sha☆ he has never wanted to let go but he's so ready to let him go if he's happy like this,
☆Sha☆ ugghghhggh
angiè malraux kissing ikki's rosary. he's asleep, lying in the sand.
“i will let you go.”
because he's always valued ikki's happiness over his own because that's what ikki did for him. he was always taking care of him and now it was time to pay up
☆Sha☆ he tries to ignore the way ikki's face would sadden if he ever knew what he was thinking of doing. tries to not imagine him telling not to leave. reminding him he promised to be there forever. he tries to keep all of that at the back of his mind, of his heart
angiè he cant forget no matter what he does he's so. horribly. disgustingly. god, forbid, he can't even think about the words. he's so in love with ikki it's driving him mad and he'd sooner rather walk directly into the ocean than have to face the music
ikki loved someone else and that was certain. he looked at lady haruka like the sun looked at the moon. his eyes sparkled like every sea. the love lorn sighs were fit better for sirens.
he loves him and he loves her and he's so scared of being left behind.
☆Sha☆ he would never make him choose so he's choosing for him. he knows this is the best. no matter how much his own heart breaks in the process. nothing ten bottles of rum can't solve
angiè bites my entire fist
it’s the day ikki is supposed to go off with lady haruka and malraux is passed out over the bar counter and he feels something over his shoulders. a jacket
thick, gold lined. bright red
“hey, malraux. someone like my first mate doesn't gotta be out here like this, yknow.”
and his voice is warm and kind
and malraux thinks he's died, gone to heaven
ikki tucks his hair behind his ear and grins easily. let's go home. malraux wants to die when ikki takes his hand and he wants to ask, what about her, what about the girl, i chose for you and here you are--choosing me
choosing me, me me
☆Sha☆ ikki won't let him go
he refuses to let him go
doesn't even know how to do that, he's always been with him and wants to keep it that way he's always had him at his side
angiè he wont let go ever
THATS WHEN HE FINALLY THROWS HIS ROSARY AROUND MALRAUX'S NECK BECAUSE, HE’S CHOSEN HIM YOU'VE BEEN WITH ME THIS WHOLE ENTIRE TIME.you’re the one.
you’re the one i need.
ikki tugs on his shirt collar and they bump foreheads. malraux hisses and steals a kiss. finally. after so many years so many nights just yearning for the distance to close between them he tilts his head and goes in for the goddamn kill.
ikki pops his foot lmfao theyre so gross malraux presses him against his chest, his hands on his lower back, and he smells like sea salt and rum and bright open skies
this is so gross
thank you
ikki had waited for so long he's the captain he had to. be proper and. professional!! is what malraux would tell him, when all he wanted to do was just, stay close to him and steal so many kisses, he never thought he had been looking back at him, he just wants to keep him close now. tonight. always. forever
☆Sha☆ ANGIEEEEE before I forget I dunno if you know about dmmd I mean I bet you know by proxy but yesterday I was like. ran's tats made me think abiut him with a. koujaku condition.
angiè I DO JNOW ABOUT DMMD BUT I TOTALLY FORGOT WHAT KOUJACK'S TATTOOS DID TO HIM
☆Sha☆ IT CHANNELED HIS ANGER AND MADE HIM UNSTABLE he kind of killed everybody, his father (who DID THJS TO HJM) his mother, its. a tragedy
☆Sha☆ so his tats are kind of a permanent memento of his sins
angiè SHIT
WHAT IF MALRAUX WAS THE ONE WHO CAUSRD THE ACCIDENT
NNNNNNN
☆Sha☆ yEAH
NNnOOOOOOoooOOOoo
angiè NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
NOO!!!!!!!!!
(yes)
☆Sha☆ NOOO¥!¥¥°[¥▪♤▪
IKKI NEVER ONCE BLAMED FN F HIN
angiè NEVER EVER
HE CANT BRING HIMSELF TO BLAME HIM FOR ANYTHING WHEN THE FIRST THING HE SAW AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS MALRAUX CLAWING AT HIS SKIN BEGGING TO DROWN WITH THEM
☆Sha☆ NOoooooOOOOoooOOO
WHAT IF THE WHITE DEVIL CURSED HIM WITH IT SO THAT IS WHY IKKI IS SEARCHING FOR HIM HE WANTS TO HELP MALRAUX
and malraux is like. he should let go this is his curse but ikki wont. hear of it
angiè ikki won't let him suffer alone
malraux's pain is ikki's. they are bonded and linked forever despite his protests and desperation to make ikki stop because he's so scared of hurting him too
he's pushed away everyone he's ever known and loved because of this curse and for ikki to be at the end of a long cycle of tragedy
that is his worst nightmare
☆Sha☆ he doesn't want him to get close he tries to keep his distance but ikki is too stubborn too naturally giving, they've always been together why should this change
malraux tries to tell him to leave him, move on, look for a brighter horizon. nonsense, ikki tells him. as if I'd ever abandon a friend like that.
- honoka is a knight under princess kotori and she's super excitable and uses a sword and she loves protecting her royal and they've been childhood friends forever and it's only been until recently that she's realized, their difference in station she loves her tho so it's ok!! if she can fight for her, she will be fine out on the battlefield
- umi is a bow knight, uses bows and swords and is a senior knight who goes independent after realizing she wasn't doing what she wanted. her family is the closest to the minamis so she was supposed to be like the prepromo but she was like im sorry hime-sama but i need to go out on a soul searching trip and kotori was like it's ok :') SO SHE GOES
- kotori is the princess of the castle and her mother is a fierce queen but she's kind and firm and she expects kotori to ascend to the throne when she becomes old enough but the birb is secretly terrified of ruling a country and really wants to just focus on being a healer cleric and not be actual royalty especially after umi leaves she's even shakier on her actual presence and ability. her capacity to rule! but honoka is by her side and makes sure she goes to her audience and is able to speak but it gets harder as the time goes on. yikes. she's charged with protecting the fire emblem and everyone sets their sights on taking it for themselves. OK im done driving back at it
- RIN! is a mercenary who uses an axe and she's also a cat laguz i actually don't remember which one i liked better but cat girl rin is too important to let slip by. she's cute and excitable and like follows hanayo around and takes care of her because hanayo is a knight too and she's cute. but rin loves traveling and does more errands than slicing people up so she's met pretty much the entire cast and doesn't have a particular allegiance to anyone because that's too much work :-)
- hanayo! is a knight! honoka is a pegasus knight so hanayo is the one with the big armor LMFAO she's working under kotori as well and she does her best!! she wants to travel with rin but her duties override her own emotions and she's clumsy and still a newbie so she's like...:-( i want to be where the people are. she becomes a fearsome general though because she is wonderful
- MAKI. is a mage with an emphasis on fire spells except she's an ex member of the clergy and was supposed to become a cleric because her parents were also in medicine but maki wanted to find her own place!!! she doesn't want to be tied down!!! by anything so she becomes a nomad and wanders around and meets umi on her journey. umi becomes her bodyguard and asks well what did u do before we met and maki's like, i had a mentor. she was a dark mage and a fortune teller but i wanted to see the stars. maki's favorite magic is kind of useless because she uses it to enchant pianos and make music instead of actual fighting but she's so. good
- nico is a trickster who is a lone wolf idol girl who performs and steals ur money at local bars and taverns despite the fact she gets kicked out all the time bc she looks so young lmfao but she's having a GREAT TIME being the no 1 idol in the universe even the fell dragon would like my music!!! she started off as a thief so she could make ends meet for her family but now they're all living in the lap of luxury and she's on the road doing her own thing. she meets nozomi during the latter's big fortune telling extravaganza and nico was surprised there was someone who was better at swindling than she was so she sticks around :')
- eli is a DANCER for the court and everyone loves her but whispers behind her back that she's losing her touch and that one of these days their lord was going to see that she leave the castle so she tries even harder to make an impression. high key terrified they're going to kick her out so she's outside practicing at midnight until a voice asks if she's okay and she looks up to see nozomi who's got a card in her hand, you know, if u come with me we can change your future entirely. and eli takes that chance because she doesn't want to be alone and scared anymore.
- nozomi used to be maki's mentor until maki threw a fit and left so she does fortunes for other people and makes bank that way. she's a dark mage and she's cute and she's fascinated by the threads of fate! she knows that all nine of them will come together one day and that its her job to oversee that each star aligns perfectly with each other. she finds eli first and they travel together until they meet nico and it's the first time in a very long time that nozomi feels like she belongs somewhere and she's happy to be alive to see it. as long as she can hold eli and nico's hands she can see tomorrow with utmost clarity
me: (doesn't love myself) so how about that ranmaru/otoya? no one? just me? haha. fuck.
ranmaru would probably never go out of his way to talk to reiji's kids mostly because that's not his jurisdiction and he's only seen how all three of them work together a couple of times. he usually gets the lowdown when reiji's whining, head on ranmaru's lap, with the most godawful pout.
tokiya is ignoooooring me, ranran. how can i be a better father! (he adds a fake tear and an over dramatic wiping of said single fake tear and ranmaru almost shoves him off, but he's got his hands in his hair and it's nice and comfortable so he'll get to live for a while longer.)
he doesn't complain about otoya all that much and that prompts ranmaru to ask, how about the kid? and reiji's like, oh, he's fine! a little rough around the edges, still very green, but he's a hard worker and tries his best! unlike someone i know. and reiji boops ranmaru's nose and he scrunches up his face, okay, whatever. honestly he probably thinks he'd work better w/ tokiya because he's professional and brisk and doesn't ask unnecessary questions and if reiji likes otoya it was because he was insufferable just like him lmfao but anyways here he is, ranran dealing with his on and off boyfriend, currently off for the time being considering he was about to launch a solo tour before coming back for their next big shining agency project, the shining theater.
everyone kind of assumes it means actual theater, plays and musicals, nothing too drastic from their previous collabs until saotome gathers them all around an ornate fireplace, ranmaru's leaning up against a pillar and reiji's leaning against him, head perfectly nestled on his shoulder and ai's got his arms folded over his chest and camus is already hoping for the end of the meeting. quartet night isn't awkward, or stunted. they're just trying to get used to posing as a group. starish melts into each other with haruka at the center, she's clutching a thick binder, filled to the brim with loose leaf paper. movie scripts. they're making actual silver screen debuts and ranmaru is more shocked than anything and after the initial wave of disbelief dies down, it is replaced with apprehension. performing and acting were completely different things and his forte lies in head banging and meaningful looks. that...was pretty much it but he's handed an assignment just the same and he allows himself to gruff and puff when he sees who he got paired off with.
(reiji whispers in his ear, ahh, otoyan! it'll be like i never left.) it leaves him feeling disjointed.
otoya practically bounces over to him, shakes his hand. pleasure working with you, please take care of me, blahblahblah ranmaru wants to snap, that they're professionals on the same stage, there's no need for that kind of formality but it's really not that big of deal. he just kind of wants him to calm down a little. a lot. otoya is sparkling and ranmaru needs a pair of dark sunglasses.
their script is also godawful. he reads it over while otoya rattles about how he can play out of character, thanks to a musical he did, but that this one was going to be his toughest challenge yet! he welcomes it like a brand new holiday and ranmaru only feels dread. no matter how u slice it the story is a love story and they both have some unnamed girls they're supposed to be madly in love with. university setting, garage band, four am practices and falling asleep side by side, the realization that they're not in love with them, but with each other. the foretold goodbye, and the never see you again hello, yeah. it's terrible.
ranmaru hasn't worn a varsity jacket in his entire life but he's supposed to be the bookish type to otoya's charmer. it's ridiculous. the first practices go terribly. ranmaru can't deliver his lines in a not-monotone and otoya can't say over the top flirtations without burning bright red and they're both sent to actor boot camp in the city, stuck in a stuffy apartment together, a situation reminiscent of the college kids' own. they sleep back to back on separate, terrible futons, and for once ranmaru is almost desperate for his pig sty back home.
otoya doesn't whine, even when ranmaru lets out the occasional snip. instead, he focuses on the positive, look at it this way, kurosaki-senpai! it's an awfully cool place. do you think our characters would decorate it? and that's how he drags ranmaru down to the shopping district and they take four bare walls and absolutely defile them with band merch and knick knacks and a motley of foreign posters. broken records line windowsills and otoya adopts a potted cactus. (its name is ranmaru.)
they read over lines and eat breakfast together and otoya spots ranmaru's weight lifting and ranmaru critiques otoya's guitar techniques and they end up having more conversations through the strings of their respective instruments. ranmaru has a favorite corner and he holds his bass possessively and plucks out the beginning of a melody--otoya picks it up with a riff and it's a back forth that ends with both of them standing up desperate to get the upper hand even when they both know that their instruments work best in harmony.
when they go to work, they take the train together, ranmaru always stands because he's tall and he likes looking out the window. one hand in his jacket pocket, fiddling with an MP3 player and the other hand holding on to the railing thing. otoya wants to stand too, but he always ends up getting tossed around every time the train brakes and otoya ends up getting shoved into ranmaru's chest and the guy just. he just sighs and grabs otoya's arm and makes sure he doesn't fly out a window or something. all while wearing his ridiculously huge DJ headphones.
the director likes their newfound spark. demands they kick it up a notch. there are late night jam sessions and a night where ranmaru brings home two bottles of vodka and states they will get through at least one of them and both of them end up puking their guts out. there are days where they both get aggravated enough to scream across the hall and for otoya to run out the door, slamming it shut behind him. he runs back to apologize for any damage sustained and to not wait up for him and then he's gone again.
ranmaru calls up reiji, he's shooting on location in france, or something, and his voice is guttural. your stupid kid is fucking shit up and reiji laughs airily, he's your coworker, ranran! you gotta power through this. his voice is a croon and ranmaru misses him but his absence doesn't hurt him like it used to. and that's. surprising. he hangs up after an exchange of good nights and good mornings and ranmaru goes out for a run (at eleven PM) and stops by lawson's and finds otoya sulking on a bench. it's the most uncharacteristic scene ranmaru has ever laid his eyes on and he thinks he might've left a contact off or something.
otoya's drinking a jug of chocolate milk dejectedly and ranmaru takes his convenience store purchases and sits down next to him. hey. otoya reacts in a way that is all his own. he jumps a little, surprised, and then tries to play it cool. (ranmaru wonders if he got that cue from ichinose.) he rushes through an apology, scratching his head and sighing a bit, that this morning was his fault and got out of hand and that he shouldn't have just left, and ranmaru shrugs, leans back against the bench until his head hits the store wall. it was his fault too, he shouldn't have gotten upset over something so trivial. shit happens. otoya's face smooths out into a smile and ranmaru looks away. ugh. eugh. ughajhhhhhhh he short circuits, otoya is genuine where reiji is not and it's so obvious how glad he is that they're not upset with each other anymore. it's childish and ranmaru flicks his hood back on, adjusts the plastic bag on his elbow, and then challenges otoya to a race back home and they're off, zipping up and down hills and sliding down streets.
it finally comes the time for the almost kiss and by then, it's winter and the sky is gray and the air is frigid and otoya wears at least twenty scarves and ranmaru can't be bothered to leave the apartment with a jacket. otoya nags him every day and ranmaru scoffs and brushes him off but otoya throws one of his scarves over his neck and pulls him down to his level. you're going to catch a cold and then the director's gonna be pissed and ranmaru is having issues breathing and it's not because he's feeling ill.
otoya is so close to his face and ranmaru has to look away, fine, i'll wear it, and otoya grins like he's won a grand prize. everytime they get to the moment where their characters get too close, ranmaru has to leave. the atmosphere is too much, and the lights are too low, and their guitars are littered on the floor like it's no big deal, otoya's hands are on his thighs and his lips are millimeters from his own and all ranmaru has to do, as scripted, is close his eyes and lean in. otoya does the rest, it's his job to leave him hanging. and he doesn't and that's become problematic. it's a long night at the studio and they don't get home until after midnight and they call in for delivery and otoya lies down on the floor, eyes to the ceiling, hand raised and reaching for something. ranmaru sits next to him and eats his kebobs and sighs.
he just sighs. we need to get this right. and otoya mumbles something he can't quite catch and ranmaru turns his head to the side to look at him and otoya looks back. then this will be over. ranmaru doesn't have an answer for that and instead decides to turn back and shove his headphones back over his ears and think about their previous conversations about home life and aspirations and all the bullshit that no one else has been able to get out of his mouth and this stupid snot nosed kid waltzes into his life and plucks away at his heartstrings like a ramones song and it is fucking disgusting.
otoya.
he sits back up and comes up to ranmaru's shoulder. ranmaru slides his headphones off and maybe it's the drinks at the hotel bar, or the atmosphere, or the 8track playing on otoya's speakers but he's irritated and situates himself so that he's got his legs bent at the knee and he's leaning forward, one hand on otoya's shirt collar, pulling him forward.
what do you want from me. and otoya smiles, and it's not like anything else he's seen. he smiles like a stupid kid and they get to the stand still almost where he breathes in and ranmaru breathes out and it's definitely gross but someone has to do something or they'll never get past this, whatever this is.
can i kiss you.
otoya sounds sheepish and all ranmaru can say is "you've gotten familiar." and then he realizes the ball is in his court and that he can say no and pretend none of this ever happened but it is happening and the stars are bright but there's nothing more heart wrenching than a boy at your feet and he decides to nod because his voice will betray him like it always does.
so. otoya wraps his arms around his neck and leans in, and ranmaru lets go of his shirt collar, and his hands slide down his chest, hold on to his rosary. he gulps before they finally kiss.
what starts off as a kiss ends up with tangled limbs and a forgotten take out dinner and the strokes serenading their godawful plight. otoya is a lot less bright eyed and innocent than he looks and he leaves the worst bite marks on his shoulder and it's just, like, what the fuck. kid. and he hisses stop calling me that and ranmaru is petty, make me. it's childish, they're childish but then otoya does something with his hands that makes ranmaru pin him down to the floor, and hiss.
does ichinose treat you like this too.
does reirei have you whipped.
that only prompts them both to go from making out to trying to strangle each other. good grief. they leave each other looking like crime scenes and when they're supposed to go in for the last scene the next morning, they're both very, very glad their characters are covered head to toe and that ranmaru gets to wear otoya's varsity jacket on the train ride there because he left his arms looking like a blood bath. no more just sleeveless shirts days. not until the red lines healed.
otoya was very, very apologetic over breakfast, kissing every injury like he was magic and ranmaru wanted nothing more than to forget how it happened but he caves in anyway because he is a goddamn sucker for these stupid, sparkly people. the kind of artificial sunshine that lights up every part of his sad and hot topic inspired life. god.
he's wearing otoya's tacky pink varsity jacket. how did his life become this way. reiji was going to have a fit when he came back. otoya slips his hand into ranmaru's and he almost coughs out a lung. my hands are cold, shut up.
they wrap up filming and have to move out of the apartment that's become their home for the last year. no more fake deep conversations about the integrity of show business. no more staying up to watch otoya's variety show. no more take out dinner and jam sessions that made the other tenants very unhappy. no more. of whatever they were. thanks for working with me, thank you for your hard work, it's been real now we won't get to see each other except for when we get an oscar for our performance and it'll be fine and dandy on stage in our nicest tux. yeah. yes. okay. god.
ranmaru watches otoya pack away his guitar and find picks underneath ranmaru's futon and he laughs and hands it over to him. this, you can keep. it's yours now. and it feels like they're breaking up but they were never actually together, what kind of existence would allow for two perfectly parallel lines to intersect. bad home lives, sad family matters, parents who were better satellites than anchors, and a desperation for something bigger than the life dealt to them.
they go back to the shining agency like nothing happened and finally, ranmaru understands why his character leaves town after their band fails. why he takes the train out of the city and into some new providence because he can't bear to see the person he loves with someone else. and that's the real shit show right there.
there's a private screening, everyone from the agency goes and haruka is absolutely excited to present the film, her score was used for it and it's a huge next step. ranmaru and otoya flank her sides and otoya leans against her shoulder and holds her hand and ranmaru looks straight ahead, feigning boredom and ignorance. it was better that way.
it wasn't a big deal and he'll be over it in a month or two. reiji was back from paris, alongside his unit, and they were probably back on. if not now, then after a couple of drinks at the bar and a slurred let's pick up where we left off. it's fine. haruka smiles at ranmaru, and he closes his eyes.
he's still thinking about otoya's rosary and how he's never been a religious man but if he was, his house of worship would be his skin.
scarletsunshine and i just. it was tokiya's birthday a couple of days ago so here's what went down LMFAO
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOKIYAAAAAAAAA baby is gonna get smooches from everyone first from otoya his 4ever roommate who practically lets everyone in so when tokiya wakes up the first thing he sees is a huge ass sign that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOKIYA and there are balloons and confetti and the whole shabam and he's like -_________________- AND OTOYA'S LIKE ^_______________^ everyone sings happy birthday and otoya grabs his shoulders and plants one on him LMFAO he tastes like cake frosting and batter and it's so sweet and tokiya's like were you eating my cake or what and otoya's like you'll find out soon enough haha NATSUKI BODY SLAMS HIM he's just nuzzle nuzzle happy birthday tokiyaaa and tokiya has 2 of the boys on him and he's dying lmfao ren has flowers and birds and the whole thing the hallelujah chorus plays in the background and tokiya is blinded by how bright he is. ren wants 2 French kiss and tokiya back flips outta bed SO FAST cecil gives him cheek kisses and syo almost punches him in the face but that's their love lmfao masato presents himself while tokiya is getting ready and it's quiet and kind and he kisses his hand and tokiya finally breathes in and out thank you for stabilizing me. they finish breakfast together and the days goes on until the party when they're all on the dance floor and syo's like here's the guest of honor, tokiya ichinose!! and he's just like U GUYS DONT HAVE TO and then haruka arrives on the scene in a cute dress and a tiara and tokiya is like JDJDJDKAKEBFBDJDJD but like he's also like hey. hi. and she's like happy birthday tokiya-san :') and tip toes to give him a peck on the cheek he puts his hand around her waist and pulls her close to kiss her properly I LOVE EVERYTHING natsuki and otoya crushing tokiya OF COURSE ren being terribly ren as usual syo and tough love (he loves him hes just ~manly~)CESHI PROBANLY NUZZLING LIKE A CAT and masa the breath of fresh air AND HARUKA HIS LOVE HIS QUEEN HIS REASON TO GO ON what did he do to have all this happiness WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS and she's just like YOU DONT GOTTA DO ANYTHING YOU DESERVE THIS FOR LIVING HERE FOR BEING ALIVE he looks at her and he just. melts. hes so happy he never thought he could be but he's existing in time with everyone else and they're all looking at him with all this love and adoration and it just he starts tearing up lmfao there's so much here and he's caving in she gives him her brightest smile and its all he can do he kisses her again and again and she laughs against his lips and they dance and everyone looks at them with such love he's not much of a cryer,or wasnt. hes so used to keep it in,mostly because there was no one else there but moments like this he just. gives in. he loves her so much. he loves them so much. hes so happy he's so happy and it's the only way he can respond to this overwhelming surge of emotion and it's okay because everyone cuts in to steal a dance or three from haruka but before she goes she kisses his cheeks and the tears away and laughs lightly when she does go and everyone's having a wonderful time under neath the bright lights it's one of the happiest birthdays he's had, full of love and joy and laughter and he can't remember the last time he's looked forward to the next, and the one after im not cryung tokiya is crying otoya is also probably crying the senpai come later and reiji gives him the biggest hug. otoya jumps in immediately and they dont let go for a while otoya is crying lmfao and he's getting tears all over tokiya's nice suit and tokiya's like otoya what happened to acting more professionally it's a murmur against his ear and otoya's like sometimes you looked so bad so terrible. i didn't know if you were going to come back the next morning, or even wake up the next day. i'm just. glad you're here with us (with me) and i'll do anything to make it stay that way. haha, was that too much? and tokiya kisses him like in the movies. the senpai r SO GOOD otoya and reiji and tokiya are all hugging and it's the most wonderful display and then reiji knocks their heads together i expect great things from you guys!!! (he's making fun of camus) but he's still all grins and excitement ready to party!!!!! haruka comes over a bit after and she holds one of tokiyas hands one of otoyas and otoya nuzzles against her cheek and tokiya kisses her forehead and she beams at them, theyve come so far, all together. its hard to believe they were ever apart natsuki syo cecil and ren crush the private moment a bit after they judt jump around them laughing and masa calmly comes over kike sigh these children but hes also smiling so much and tokiya smiles at him and they all gather round tokiya and ren winks at them and they lift him up and reiji is yelling enciuraging and tokiya is freaking iut but laughing wevw got you they say and haruka is applauding and ai is taking photos (for the record) and ran is chuckling at these children and camus is. raiding the cake THEYRE CHANTING HIS NAME!!! they're all applauding and laughing and ai is SMILING it's so sweet and mellow and he's taking pictures and reiji's like WAIT!!! group selfie!!! ai go grab camus and ai bodily drags him out of the cake area and he has frosting all over his face and the picture is an actual mess but tokiya's up on ren's shoulders and he looks like he just won the FIFA world cup LMFAO BUT AAAAA how could they ever be apart now when they know how they work so good together!!!! tokiya gets let down and haruka holds both of their hands and they end up going home together lmfao they crash on tokiya's couch all tangled up and it's the best way to end the best day of his life camus later chases reiji around for taking such an unruly picture of him. he will destroy all evidence, ran is devouring all the buffet. the kids are dancing and laughing together. ryuuya and ringo (and shining) make a formal appearance and congratulate tokiya and he feels so humbled and ryuuya is so proud of this biy who once didnt have a heart, now shares the biggest one of them they all retire super late, the senpai go together, reiji squishing and ruffling tokiyas hair once more and then they all go together and crash and theres nearly not enough space and tokiya will probably complain about the mess in the morrow but right now. right now its perfect AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE BIG LEAGUES AND HE IS SO HUMBLED IN ANOTHER LIFE HE WOULDVE BEEN HAUGHTY BUT NOW ITS SUCH A TOUCHING MOMENT AND JUST. EMPHASIZES HIS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE MAN HE IS TODAY BOY I WANT TO YELL HE IS THE MAN HE IS TODAY BECAUSE OF ALL OF THEM AND HE'S FOREVER THANKFUL
miyaios 4 miyaio.....happy birthday anise! . . . "wanna hear a story!" hibiki shakes his head. his arms are crossed over his chest and he gives daichi a look that would've sent most running. "absolutely not."
but daichi, no, he takes it in stride because when he says "wanna" he doesn't actually wait for a response. it's not a question. it's an exclamation. io smiles politely and twirls a strand of hair between her fingers and waits for him to compose himself and hibiki sinks into his muffler. they're all hanging around his desk, anyway, and daichi takes this moment of undivided attention to slam his hand against hibiki's desk. "there's this rumor--" hibiki is suddenly all ears. io isn't surprised. conspiracy theories were his favorite thing, he leans forward ever so slightly and daichi grins. ah. well. io clasps her hands over her lap and takes a seat on the desk in front of them. daichi's center stage now. "about a haunted house! a couple train rides away, deep in osaka! this kid, keita, posted some pictures online the other day, said there was ghosts!" "as opposed to?" daichi ignores hibiki and presses on. io hides a smile with a practiced flourish. "apparently, a pair of siblings were trapped in a big fire, something catastrophic." daichi waves his hands around and hibiki pushes his chair back lest he gets smacked in the face. "and their ghosts roam the premises, giving any and all unsuspecting visitors the fright of their lives!" he's glittering. hibiki gets up to pinch his nose. "ah, ow! hibiki! bro!" he flails his hands and io finally laughs, giggles behind an open hand and then gently tugs the boys apart. daichi makes a big deal out of rubbing his nose and hibiki's got the beginnings of a smirk on his face and io sighs a little, but very quickly opts for another smile. she hopes it looks fine. "well, in any case..." she wants to be convincing and the boys immediately turn their attention over. "what if we went to go visit it?" daichi's jaw drops and hibiki gives her a peculiar glance, an arched brow and tilted head. the lighter haired boy fiddles with his yellow scarf. "i mean! it's only a couple of trains down, and it sounds like fun!" io flails for an explanation, she's actually very curious about this house but considering the look on daichi's face (he looks like he's half way down to the floor, faint and wide eyed) maybe she made the wrong move. "i would be down." hibiki shrugs a little, his bunny ear hood slides off of his unruly head. his dark hair is a mess of thick tangles and curls and io tries not to beam. "ah, well, you see--" . they're on the last train and daichi is sulking. of course he is. io thinks it's kind of endearing. kind of annoying. if he didn't want to go, then why bother bringing it up? for someone so intrigued by the spooky and supernatural, he was always so terrified. well, they were definitely past the point of return. she pats down her skirt and pulls up her knee highs and pinches her pantyhose until it's smooth against her thighs. spring was the worst. it was sticky, and humid, and the chafing was absolutely unbearable. io sighs and rolls up the sleeves of her blazer while daichi calls for the next stop, and hibiki becomes one with the atmosphere, or something. he's been on his phone the entire train ride and io reconsiders her bravery the day before. it's only a reevaluation, though. it's too late to really do anything. "hey, we're here." daichi sounds miserable but they all get off the train anyway, walk quite a way, and end up in the sketchiest part of the district, in front of an ancient and decrepit two story home. it's not even that big, io wants to say, but considering the big sign that said DO NOT ENTER and the caution tape, well, maybe it was next to stay quiet and lead the way. "oh come on, daichi. do you need me to hold your hand?" hibiki is teasing but io knows that daichi, despite his very flustered refusal, will end up latching onto hibiki's hand at some point in time, and that they'll probably kiss in some weird corridor of the house, and that's something she really doesn't want to think about. instead, she decides to focus on the flashlight she fished out of her book bag. she clicks it on and they walk past the chain link gate and into the house, after pushing the door open with her foot. the three of them yell when there's nothing behind the door except some musty foyer. they take a second to collect themselves, and daichi mumbles something under his breath that io will probably hear again in full volume when he gets his bearings. hibiki sniffs loudly that his hoodie will get all dirty and daichi is praying to at least twelve different gods and io tries her best to stay positive. they venture forth. . well, sort of. daichi insists that they don't split up but they end up doing so, and io's in the attic, looking a collection of expensive vinyls and a vintage record player. she drags an index finger down the dusty surface and scrunches up her nose a little bit. ew. she's flicking off the dirt particles and about to exit the room when she hears a scratch. and then, a transition. the opening notes of a song she hasn't heard since she was a child. io nitta grits her teeth and tries to smile. that's always the appropriate response to unwelcome situations, she lifts her hands up and wills herself to keep walking, she will not look back at where the record player was, she will not look back-- "it's been a while since someone's shown interest in my father's heirloom piece. usually, they find themselves entranced with my mother's sword." io whirls around and drops her flashlight with a loud thwunk. a girl. maybe her age. maybe older. she had something timeless about her face that made it hard to place, but god, if you're out there, know that this girl is stardust. she's covered in it, silver hair neat and pulled back. everything about her ebbs and flows. but she's got the most lonely look. "well, um, i didn't actually, see the rapier. and if i had, i would've left it alone, probably." io nitta finds herself face to face with an actual ghost god come down to smite her and she's trying to justify her choice of item. the girl laughs. it doesn't sound quite like a laugh, but she goes through the motion just the same. the dress she's wearing slides off her shoulders just so, it's the color of dark matter and a tokyo night sky, and io is not only going to die, she's going to die knowing she's so very gay. aughhhhh. she puts her hands over her mouth and the girl tip toes closer, a curious expression on her face, but nothing she puts on quite reaches her gaze. "it's interesting. you are very interesting." the girl takes io's shaking hands. io does the next best thing when the ghost's gloved hands do not phase through her skin. "HIIIIIIBIIIIIIIIIIIIIKIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" she runs. . she doesn't run very far and the girl looks almost hurt, an upturned lip and a furrowed brow. "did you think i was a ghost? those aren't real, you know." ah, right, of course. she says this so matter of factly that io nods like, totally, ghosts don't-- "OF COURSE I DID." she slaps her hands over her mouth and the girl blinks. "sorry, sorry." sorry, she says again and the girl awkwardly pats her shoulder and io shies away. "it's fine." "not really..." the girl gives io a steady look. "you reacted in what seemed to be the most appropriate way at the time. i don't see anything wrong with it." "i do! i'm having a conversation with a ghost who doesn't go through walls!" the girl sighs. "spirits and apparitions do not exist, i'm as human as anybody else." "then what's your name?" io looks at her and waits. "miyako. my name is miyako hotsuin." "i'm io!" let's try this again. "io nitta. i'm sorry for calling you a ghost." she offers her hand and the ghost girl miyako hotsuin looks at it with a confused expression. io takes her hand this time and oh, i see, miyako threads their fingers together and that's not quite a hand shake but her hand is comfortable and familiar and io's cheeks flush red. "so...if you're not a ghost..." io takes her hand back and clasps them over her lap. "what are you doing here?" "i live here." so forward. so plain. "oh?" "with my brother. you came here with two others, right? maybe he's entertaining them now." miyako tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear. io pales at the thought of daichi meeting a not-ghost. he's probably passed out in a corner somewhere, leaving hibiki to deal with whoever the other hotsuin sibling was. ah, that wasn't good at all. "well...in that case...maybe it's better if we figure out where they are." io gets up and miyako follows, only to take the lead afterwords. they go down the stairs and into the main floor, where daichi is holding a lamp shade over his head and hibiki is chatting amicably with a gangly kid with stringy white hair. they're sipping tea without a care in the world. io is about to open her mouth and say something, anything, when miyako steps forward briskly and knocks her brother over. "that's no way to treat a guest." "he set up camp there, who am i to trample on the will of our lovely guests." "be more considerate, yamato." he shrugs. "i made tea." io stares blankly at the scene unfolding before her. and then she helps daichi out. . jeez. they're all sitting in a cozy alcove, with an aging fireplace and five sets of tea cups and saucers. "so." daichi starts. hibiki is practically lying on yamato's lap. miyako is doing her best to remain composed but her presence is overwhelming, to be quite honest. io can feel her emotional range, and lacking expressions associated with such, and it makes her nervous. "want to explain why the hell two kids are living in this dingy house?" after being relegated to lampshade duty after passing out upon seeing yamato for the first time, daichi has a lot of reasons to be upset. it makes sense. "it's kind of a long story." "it'll take years, maybe." miyako and yamato stare at them with those silver eyes and io gulps. "we have time." hibiki pulls on yamato's hair. . they're on the train back to tokyo, and none of them want to really talk about their day trip. io doesn't know where her flash light ended up and she's going to need another blazer because the one she previously owned was draped over the shoulders of a very particular girl. they said they would stop by their side of town one day, but. "never again. don't you ever let me do this again." daichi's got his legs crossed at the knee and his hands shoved into his jacket pockets and hibiki's got his head on his shoulder now and io scoots over so she can put her hand on his thigh. they're dumb kids. spring was awful. they met a pair of ghosts with pretty hair and bad attitudes and she's got a date next week. it could be worse. . it could be better. miyako hotsuin pulls off the high school uniform better than anyone else and gently presses her borrowed jacket back into io's hands and thanks her earnestly for the item, and that if necessary, she would be willing to share her jacket at any moment's time. io wants to fall over and never be seen again but miyako is brighter than the stars, and takes her hand. "lead the way, nitta."
it is dark and vicious and feeds on the emotions of the more vibrant, it begins as the extension of the wielder’s will and ends with consumption, vessel and tome one and the same. leo knows this. his mother before him knew of this, the sorcerers in his family owed their lives to the book splayed across his lap, each well worn page stained with nohran blood.
he drags his fingers over the wicked text and lifts up his hand for his loyal retainer to see. there is only magic now, electric and visceral, it drips from his fingertips and back onto the parchment.
odin keeps his stare level. they’re seated at the foot of the prince’s bed, his golden cloak layers long discarded in a lonely corner. leo tilts his head, and leans forward, close enough to maim, close enough to kiss, their noses brush for only a second.
“lift up your hands.”
he whispers against odin’s ear, it is harsh and it is commanding. odin’s lips twitch into something unfitting for the situation, a smile that cuts leo to the core.
“of course, my prince.” his right hand is first, pressed against the open book. then, his left.
“take off your gloves.”
“there isn’t much to take off.”
leo raises a brow and odin waves him away, peeling away the layers of sheer fabric until his hand is bare.
“how exquisite.”
odin’s smile thins. “is it really necessary to do this again, my prince?” he eyes the boy’s hands, and smooths out his brow before returning his gaze to his hollow eyes.
“absolutely.”
leo takes odin’s hands, every touch burns his skin, finger pads glide over calluses and scars, his retainer’s hands are too rough, unfitting for a mage of his station. he is unflinching, doesn’t waver as the prince makes a mess out of his beautiful hands.
“i can burn everything away. all your ties to the world before.” leo’s voice goes quiet. he hovers over the brand that plagues him, mocks him. the brand of naga. a dragon from a different timeline, a different universe, the reminder that the man staring him down did not truly belong to him.
“forgive me for being forward, my prince.” odin leans in, lips pressed against leo’s bare neck, uncovered by the collar customary to his class. he works his way down, attending to his blond hair, pulled and tugging with his teeth, leaving marks down his jawline. he nips at skin and leaves purple blue behind. “but the moment you sever brand from vessel, odin jet black will be no more.”
leo’s fingers twitch over the brand, tiny spasms that take his arm.
“and maybe he’ll be someone you don’t like.” his breath is hot and sends shivers down his spine. “weak willed and cowardly.” he leaves airy kisses and leo feels himself go dizzy. “vengeful and–”
“godlike?” leo hisses and odin scowls, it never lasts long, this particular expression but when he manages to elicit it, it makes leo’s chest ache.
“at least let me finish my gripping speech. do my words leave you uninspired, master?”
there’s something sardonic there, and leo calls away the spell that would have left charred skin and onyx memories of a time before.
“i would prefer you work your magic somewhere else, odin.”
they shift, and leo lies back and odin pins him down. he traces the lines of his chest and abdomen and leans up to kiss the hollow.
“as you wish.”
.
.
.
leo makes a mess out of odin’s skin, there’s blood on his lips and they lie together in various states of undress. leo wants to thread their fingers together and rub his brand raw, but there’s something there he can’t decipher, so instead. he takes odin’s hand, who lazily turns to his side to accommodate to the prince’s course of action.
i had a mall AU and then ash went and made me make it sad smh
feau where owain noire and cynthia go to the pink print tour and inigo is at home eating jicama with pico de gallo in front of the tv and realizes all his friends are having fun without him and tries to call laurent up to hang out. laurent says yes out of pity and the fact that gerome "accidentally" bought two tickets to a FOB show and asked lucina to go with him so he's not doing anything on this saturday night either. kellam is very excited to see his son out with other people aside his usual clique and miriel asks if inigo is desperate. (totally is.) inigo keeps talking about what he and owain do at the mall and all of their hijinks and escapades (see this mall carousel? owain usually rides the bear and i ride seahorse! laurent goes on a spiel about how sea horses can't carry people because they are too small and inigo cuts him off like, chill it's a ride.) and they go to all of their favorite stores and inigo is unconsciously trying to replace owain with laurent and it's not until they're in the middle of gamestop playing mario party. inigo tells laurent to play link when he is a strict shy guy user and laurent just slams his hands on the board like why did you ask me to hang out with you. i did not accompany you on this excursion so you could try to replace me with owain--i thought you wished to connect on some sort of level but it seems like my hypothesis was incorrect. inigo fucked up a little and laurent drives home all upset because he really wants to try to make friends. he's a lot more put together and puts up with more shit than his mother would ever and that's because he's scared of falling into obscurity and a lack of social graces when he prides himself on his empathy. inigo runs after him and until he gets to his house and he's about to cough out a lung when he knocks on his door. laurent opens it and he just pushes his glasses up on his nose and arches a brow. "to what do i owe the pleasure of your visit?" "i wanted to apologize. for trying to make you owain 2, which is already in itself a futile thing, mind you. you're your own person and it was unfair of me to subject you to that sort of treatment." laurent's lips twitch. "now you're sounding like me." they try again. as themselves. owain posts pictures of noire meeting nicki and gerome gets the courage to hold lucina's hand through "america's suite hearts". it is kind of a mess.
you can breathe, you can breathe now.
tsubaki, jin.
.
“you’re my friend, right?”
“i already don’t like where this conversation is going.”
jin pushes his silver frames up his nose with a practiced flourished and tsubaki bats her lashes just so, it’s a mocking gesture, really, both of them know she would never beg for his attention, or lack thereof, because from where she’s at, his back looks just great.
he’s packing up their work station at the tutoring place they call their home away from home, or hell, on particularly bad days. he looks out of place and out of touch, to be quite honest, holding a bag of colored pencils and an abacus, while wearing a designer jacket that is probably worth more than their student’s trust fund.
“fine, fine. you’re right. it’s an elaborate plot–”
“if you’re asking me to fill in next week, absolutely not.”
tsubaki sighs, and jin kisaragi, bane of her continued existence, childhood friend and precocious love interest, and the one man who stood in between her and a day away from the gremlin that was carl clover, he only gives her a level stare.
“i don’t know why i thought i would get a different answer.” she picks up what he leaves behind, a step behind and ahead, when she swipes the remaining bag from his ready hand, and deposits them into a cubicle. she tucks a strand of red hair behind her ear and adjusts her beret, before turning on her heel and putting her hands on her hips. jin stops mid stride out of the tutoring center and that’s when she knows she’s got his attention. his head tilts ever so slowly in her direction.
a pause.
“i may be willing to hear you out. don’t expect a change of heart, however.”
she gets him to switch with her just the same.
.
tsubaki yayoi has wanted to be a teacher since as long as she remembers. maybe it’s something she didn’t want to do to begin with, an age old ideal and tradition instilled within her by a family who believed in hierarchy over free will regardless of context. it doesn’t really matter how she came up with the idea, anyway. what matters is that she was good with kids, better with handing out responsibilities, and best at handling problem cases.
cases a lot like jin. he’s helping carl with long division and he does it like he’s dying, with this completely expressionless face and a monotone that cuts. she’s preparing the next lesson plan for the day, and puts a cup of coffee on the desk.
“black, two sweetener packets. do you want a scone?”
he waves the small blond away to his fractions and takes a sip.
“no. thank you, tsubaki.”
his lips twitch into something that resembles a smile and tsubaki does her best not to beam back.
“all right, i’ll give this to noel.” she’s in the back room, probably, napping on makoto’s lap. she’s the only one still in school, everyone else graduated the year prior. her senior thesis wasn’t being too kind. jin gives her a nod and she drifts to the employee only area. she pats down her dark blue skirt and fixes her wine red blouse, before turning the handle and pushing the door in.
well.
she was certainly right about makoto and noel being together.
“s-sorry!” tsubaki drops the scone onto the nearest table and noel gives her a look akin to a deer in the headlights. she’s got black lipstick all over her face and makoto gives her an easy grin, and a wave.
“heyyyy, tsubaki! thanks for taking my shift tomorrow. you’re the best!!” she talks like she didn’t have noel vermillion straddling her hips.
“no…worries.”
tsubaki turns on her heel before anything else can transpire.
makoto was always so forward. she always has been. tsubaki’s kind of jealous, to be honest. to be so open with one’s feelings and emotions without fearing the repercussion. ah, well. it could be worse. she walks with her head held high and nearly bumps into jin on her way back to the desk, he catches her arm before she can fall forward and over him.
“watch it.”
of course.
she clears her throat when he adjusts their positions, she doesn’t have her face in the crook of his neck, he smells like home, like summer days in sprawling estate backyards, and the spice of expensive cologne.
everything about him is so out of place; she tries not to laugh at his expense.
“sorry, jin.” she rolls her eyes a little and his ears are red. she knows he’s about to say something about how much she’s inconveniencing him but instead he strides past her without saying anything else.
little victories.
.
they start hanging out after closing up, and shooing carl and his, to be frank, terrifying older sister out of the office. it’s usually just coffee or an exchange of notes at the local park, sitting on the benches too far away to touch but too close to call it unfriendly. she’s trying to figure them out, whatever they are. he’s not wearing his glasses today, and looks rather…nice, in his favorite blue coat and dark jeans. winter is a good season, for them both. she finally got to wear her favorite white hat.
it’s not serious. she doesn’t think so. she doesn’t want to think about it, even though the distance between their hands is short enough for her to lean over and just, take it.
they’ve known each other for years, conversations under starlit skies and towering trees illustrate their childhood in the countryside but all of that went out the window when they left to school. the city ate them up and spit them out and they adjusted.
“jin, why did you take this job.”
it comes out more like a statement, she wants to clarify her query when he shrugs and stuffs his hands into
his coat.
“someone needs to do the family proud.”
right.
“ragna’s not back yet?”
“no.”
the ever missing, the ever lost. the grim reaper. the blight in jin’s life.
“i’m sure he’ll be fine. he’s probably bumming it out with taokaka, or celica. for a ruthless biker gang leader–”
“tsubaki, i didn’t ask you out to talk about my disappointment of a brother.”
tsubaki gapes. her mouth opens but words don’t come out. they’re adults. grown, in their twenties. this is not the right time to act like a mess about the phrase “ask out”. god. it’s not like it was a date, jin would never–
“don’t over think it.”
she’s still thinking about the way he says her name.
“all right.” she pauses and leans forward, digs her elbows into her thighs and gives him a conspirator’s smile. “jinny the kisaragi.”
his ears go scarlet.
she likes that, a lot.
after another hour, he asks her if she needs a ride home, she points to her cherry red hybrid cruiser bike, and he snorts. whatever, see you tomorrow, and she waves him off. before she gets home, she stops by the flower shop and picks up a bouquet for her apartment.
it’s blue and red and green, forget me nots and tulips and chrysanthemums.
.
it’s pouring. the rain is absolutely brutal and makoto has to drive tsubaki to the tutoring place because she can’t ride her bike in this weather. noel’s already in the backseat, and it makes tsubaki laughs because this was their routine in high school. they sing along to the pop songs on the radio and chat about upcoming weekend plans, and noel teases tsubaki over this, and that, and she huffs, it’s not like that at all.
even though it was definitely like that, but some things were better left unsaid.
when they get to the parking lot, they rush out and race to the safety of the awning and tsubaki opens the door for them. it’s an early day, and their usual clients all pushed back their appointments. the gremlin wasn’t due for a while. they set up work areas and grade homework from the day before, and sit around doing a whole lot of nothing.
tsubaki gets a text message.
JIN
running late. rain is a pain in the ass.
TSUBAKI
stay safe.
she hopes it’s not too bad.
it’s almost noon when the door chime rings and a string of curses follows.
“fucking, shit.”
tsubaki looks up from her desk and lo and behold. jin kisaragi–oh god, jin kisaragi, soaked to the bone in a t shirt and riding jacket, she didn’t even know half of the muscles protruding against the fabric existed before now. was it hot. oh my god. she’s forcing herself to breathe. in. out. then again. he’s got the most foul look and shakes his head out, water drops flying everywhere. he slicks his hair back and looks at tsubaki, as if for the first time.
“i had to take the motorcycle today.”
the infamous, rumored bike! the yukianesa! counterpart to the grim reaper’s blood-scythe. she’s only heard him talk about it in passing, but, to actually think about him riding was laughable–
“yayoi!”
she flinches and he’s already in front of her, looking at her with a peculiar expression. she doesn’t even register he used her last name. was she really that out of it. focus. focus.
“yes?”
“i asked if i could leave this stuff in the back room. I know you get irritated when we leave our things in there.” he looks cross. hell, she can’t figure anything out, his emotions are too plain when his fringe doesn’t cover half of his face.
“go ahead.”
success. she tries to teach carl algebra but all she can think about is the way his shirt rides up his abs.
disgusting.
.
she’s embarrassed, honestly. she takes her time in the bathroom, refreshes her makeup and blots her lipstick and tells herself to calm down. this was ridiculous. it’s ridiculous and he’ll be back to driving the sleek black car and the rain will clear and god will have mercy on her soul.
it’s closing time and the rain’s still going. she puts on her white coat over her black dress, knee length, coupled with red tights and boots, and is about to call for makoto when jin comes over to her work station.
“tsubaki.”
“jin.”
he scratches the back of his head, and he’s wearing his jacket and for once, she thinks, he doesn’t look so inaccessible. he fits in.
“i’ll give you a ride home. let’s go.”
didn’t even ask; but she likes the way he says home. tsubaki tells noel and makoto to go on without her and jin leads the way, to his beautiful motorcycle. vintage, white as snow. the color of the beginning and the end.
and she’s going to be riding it. with jin kisaragi. he gives her a helmet and watches her put it on, and turns around when she does. he gets on first, and she follows after, she doesn’t know where to put her hands, and jin takes them and wraps her arms around his waist.
“hold tight.”
he’s so close the words burn her skin. she’s never thought he would be able to do something like that, when he’s made of ice and cold.
“let’s go.”
he’s warm to the touch and she buries her face in his back and they hit the streets.
.
the world looks different from a bike. they’re zipping through the streets, weaving through traffic, she doesn’t know where they’re going anymore. what she knows, though, is how hard her heart is beating against her chest and the feel of her hands against his jacket and how if she pressed her fingers down she could feel his muscles.
her hair is flying behind her, and she thinks they look like a comet, a streak of white hot fire, a star’s end. the city is dark and cold, lights reflect off the asphalt and it looks like the sky never stops. there’s only the twinkling little lights and the noise, the whir of an engine and the city capsized into a single moment–breathe in, breathe out. the thirteenth hierarchical city of kagutsuchi is their kingdom come and the universe shakes underneath them.
they stop at an overpass and tsubaki takes off the helmet and tucks it under her arm. she gives jin a breathless grin, something that steals hers and his and he laughs. an honest to goodness laugh that makes her want to cry because, she hasn’t heard that since they were kids and he offers her his hand.
(take my hand, tsubaki.)
(and if i never let go?)
(then it is yours to keep.)
his hand is callused, rough, she’ll memorize every groove and dip. the city skyline is immense, incredible even, but it pales in comparison to the red of their cheeks and the puffs of air they blow out. one thousand little lights with people’s lives, they shine so bright, maybe even more.
they stay like that for a long time.
.
makoto and noel are ruthless in their interrogation. tsubaki doesn’t know what to say, because in reality, nothing. really happened. he drove her home and he was reluctant to let go of her hand when they got to her door. she didn’t expect anything else from him. they said goodnight and he disappeared. that’s it.
she shrugs and they jump to the worst case scenario.
“he’s not that into you.”
she doesn’t put up much of a fight. jin is. well. he’s jin.
and she doesn’t think she’d want it any other way.
.
on the day of carl clover’s graduation from their tutoring office, tsubaki is dressed in all white and she’s got her hair in a pretty up do, some strands fall down and frame her face and she doesn’t move to tuck them behind her ear like she would usually do. she gives carl a handshake, and hands him his diploma, and he thanks her for her services. always so formal, more so in his dark blue suit. it’s kind of silly, how much everyone dressed up for this day but tsubaki thinks it’s really because everyone in the office is glad to see him go.
jin meets her outside the office, outside the big glass doors and windows and tsubaki gives him a smile. he’s in a pressed white shirt, with rolled up sleeves and a blazer and dark slacks. despite his refusal to partake in the ceremony he ended up dressing up the best and being the most attuned to the event.
he’s the one who tucks the strand of hair back, his hand hovers over her temple, as if unsure whether to proceed. she puts her hand over his and pushes him forward. someone has to lead him. someone has to stop her. this is them.
“i was thinking.”
“i’m listening.”
“maybe we can see a movie?”
he asks this time.
tsubaki hides a smile with her gloved hand.
“i’ll think about it.”
his ears go red; she loves it.
she’ll let him hang in suspense for another second or two, she watches him rearrange his expression to something more neutral and she bursts into laughter.
“of course. of course.”
his little tells, his little expressions– he offers her his hand against and she does not hesitate.
he drags his index down his chest, presses down on the scarred skin, it’s burnt and charred. red painted over with the color of night. saruhiko gives him a queasy smile, something meant to be easy going, natural, but nothing that has come out of his mouth has ever been organic.
“i say a lot of things.”
“you’re a filthy liar.”
“that, too.”
misaki, mi-sa-ki yata, digs his stubby fingernails into his fucked up skin. saruhiko hopes he draws blood. misaki doesn’t. saruhiko pushes himself off of the twin sized mattress and off of the single pillow and the messed up sheets, until he’s sitting up. he looks for his glasses, lazily, there’s a fluidity and a lack thereof to his movements that makes misaki get up, lean over him, and yank the glasses off of the nightstand.
saruhiko’s lips curl into a pout.
“you annoy me. if you’re in that much of a rush to go, just go.” he shoves the glasses onto his face, nearly gouges his eye out, and then shoves him off the tiny bed. he takes the sheets with him, tied around his bony waist.
“fine, fine.”
saruhiko waves a hand and misaki snarls. this was their love between layers of discordant animosity.
“same time next week?”
he slips on his jeans and sloppily buttons up his shirt.
chrom, robin. death parade AU. "we shouldn't even try to understand each other. it's impossible."
robin blinks and chrom gives them a smile that doesn't look like any they have ever seen. it's muted. sad. twitching at the edges, trying to compensate for something else. they tuck a long strand of silver hair behind their ear and tilt their head. "elaborate." . he tells her about his life before the accident that took his arm. a picturesque older sister guardian who died when she was twenty six, a promotion to parenthood he didn't want, a younger sister's bright eyes and desperation for stability. he was a kendo star in the making, climbing through the ranks, started training under a woman with a ferocious laugh and a tremendous back hand, whenever she knocked him down to his feet she would shout, up, up with you! the battle isn't over yet. and he always got up. it was what he was supposed to do. be strong. right, well, his sister already had all the moral compass stuff under control, if chrom fucked up a little, it was fine because it was expected. he went through elementary, middle, high school picking up championship titles and trophies, they littered the shelves of their elegant home, and emmeryn, emmeryn would always ruffle his hair, congratulate him on a job well done before going out to do business with the politicians, the cruel and the hulking masters of the city. lissa would come to his matches, every single time. she was always so excited, shouting obscenities at chrom when he missed a point, banging her feet against the bamboo mats, starting chants when he had a particularly good rally. this was her love, strewn out over an audience. and then emmeryn died. and he lost his arm. and lissa watched her kingdom fall to dust, again, this is mom and dad all over again, this is emmeryn again--you were supposed to be strong enough. his arm is useless, he sits in a regulation white hospital bed and tries to move his fingers and screams when he can't. he kicks in holes into walls and breaks equipment because time and time again he has failed. he has failed. the nurse sedates him, and he doesn't remember how he got there when he wakes up. they didn't know what do with him afterwords, told him he was a problem case and would never be able to lift a sword again. and he has to be fine with it. he had to smile. and bear it. he doesn't remember the last time he's hated himself so much. . "and then what?" robin crosses their leg at the knee, they pat down their apron over their black pencil skirt. they lean forward and chrom sighs, fiddling with one sleeve of his blue yukata, tucked into a pair of silver hakama. "and then lissa left. moved into the big city with a girl she knew, said it was just for the winter." chrom looks up at robin, with their brown arbiter eyes and curious expression, their long hair and spidery fingers. "maybe i wasn't strong enough to make her stay." he's quiet and contemplative, he runs a hand through blue hair. "maybe i wasn't strong enough to live." "that's the catch, you know." robin sports what chrom thinks is supposed to be a knowing expression. "concepts like being strong enough to live, strong enough to support others, they are nothing but circumstantial." "but they have very real consequences." "yes, that is true." they sit in the silence. chrom looks at his left hand, it is bone and plastic. a prosthetic, kept together with a fake arm, all of it is composed of pieces of robin's mannequins. "i killed myself." "i know." robin gets up, rolls down their shirt sleeves and flicks their hair back. chrom thinks their hair is stardust, against dark skin and dark clothes and they turn around towards him and offer a hand. "what done is done. and my final duty to you, as your arbiter, is to pass judgment." their expression softens. "will you come with me?" chrom has never been asked to do something. a shame that the first time will be his last. he takes their hand, cradles it in his callused right. "i will follow you."
fairy tail ot4 for jackie lmfao this is so messy sorry dear
she likes being addressed as such.
when natsu calls her princess, lucy knows he’s irritated.
joking, he’s light as a feather, hotter than flame, and he’s about ready to throttle her, it comes out in a terse, prin-cess. she pulls on his ear and he growls, jabbing a finger at her chest, right underneath her collarbone, digs it in until he’s made a sufficient point, and she knees him in the stomach.
“we could’ve taken a better job, is all i’m saying!!”
“we, you mean you! as in, this is your fault!”
they’re at it again, and lucy and natsu are famous for their notice board arguments, they stop the crowd with their over the top antics and the threat of the bar’s imminent destruction, all of fairy tail knows natsu is a ticking time bomb, kissed by fire, tempered like steel, but lucy—lucy is different. she’s pretty smiles and a god awful temper, the shortest fuse out of the strongest team. she pinches natsu’s cheeks and pulls until he’s yielding, and they’re off on their quest, one she’s chosen.
“princess lucy, i’m so soooooorry.” natsu’s still sulking when they set off, on foot, and she flicks his forehead. stop whining, you big baby.
it won’t stop him from whining a little more, but he means well, they both do, this is how they do them. they’ll fight side by side, the moment the monster bounty makes an appearance, and eat like kings when their reward money comes in.
.
erza calls her princess, and lucy almost falls over the balcony she’s leaning on, elbows digging into the cedar wood, chin in open palms, she’s got a good look here, and for erza to move over, and say so casually, princess, of the castle. did the last quest go well? she’s standing there, waiting for an answer, with her perfect hair, and polished armor, like she’s asked about the weather, or something trivial, so basic.
it’s second nature, for someone like erza, lucy decides. it must be, the fairy queen titania does not bow to villains or offer pleasantries to naysayers, but to the members of her court, maybe she will offer a sense of hospitality.
she’s still waiting for an answer, and lucy blinks, hard. right. right, the last quest, the one she went with natsu on, right, right—
jeez, with erza looking like a ruler from the storybooks she used to read as a kid, there was no way anything coherent was coming out of her. absolutely nothing. her throat is dry and she opens her mouth to speak, and erza laughs, that light little thing, bell-like, and covers her lips with a gloved hand.
“my apologies, i seem to have caught you had a bad time.”
she dips her head, ever so gracious. lucy feels her heart stop.
“no, no, i’m sorry, i was spacing out, and you came along, and then you, did the thing, and oh god, i’m blabbering—“
erza tilts her head. “the thing?” a pause. “oh, the princess bit. i remember you saying you liked that, so, i thought that it would be fine to address you as such.” the familiar tone is replaced by something lucy’s heard directed at officers, a serious tone. “is it not okay?”
lucy’s cheeks go red.
“no, no, it’s not, bad, or anything—“
erza smiles. “good!” and then proceeds to slap lucy’s back. she will bruise. it happens.
she only hopes she doesn’t wince too much.
.
but—
she’s got grey sitting down on the bar stool, his legs spread open, and she’s straddling his hips, arms wrapped around his neck, she’s whispering something fierce down his jaw, trailing down bubblegum kisses that leave him glittery and pink, it’s a cute look, for someone so surly, she says with a laugh.
his hands are at the small of her back, and he’s pressing down on her rib cage, exploring every little gap and crevice, his chin is on her shoulder, and his lips ghost something against her collarbone, and she’s straining to hear, she wants to hear what he’s got to say about her, come on, come on, say it louder, they’re always whispering on the sidelines but now it’s just them, just him and her, there’s no reason to be quiet.
“somethin’ the matter, princess?”
the way he says it, it vibrates through her skin and leaves her breathless, it shakes her down completely. she pulls herself apart from their tangle of limbs, only for a second, to tilt her head down and bump their foreheads together, stupid grey. her blonde hair cascades forward, and he looks funny, with all her hair on his face. she really, tries not to snort, because this is a moment of intimacy she’s not going to give up, but grey cracks a smile, and then a derisive snort, an arched brow.
“what’re ya staring at me for?”
lucy bites down on her lip, pouts.
“no reason. you aren’t that much to look at.”
she grins then, and she thinks about the last time he’s seen her with a blush, something red and scarlet and bright, and can’t—he thinks he’s gone red in the face more than she has in recent history, and that’s.
that’s interesting.
she’s interesting, always has been, but she’s looking at him with an expression he can’t quite get, and there are a lot of things about lucy heartfilia he doesn’t understand, but her legs are still wrapped around his waist and she puts her hand on his cheek.
a furrowed brow meets her expression, and she sighs, but it’s not a bad sigh. he knows.
“well?”
“i kind of like it.”
it takes a moment of analysis. then a roll of eyes. of course.
“whatever you say, princess lucy. i’m at your mercy.”
he’s joking, and she fights the urge to headbutt him.
she rolls over, with an elegant groan, to lie on her side and be able to see rin, bright eyed and grinning. maki yawns, and blinks, once, twice, bleary eyed and exhausted. she doesn’t want to think about what time it is, so she leans her head forward and rin kisses her forehead and threads her fingers in strawberry red hair. hey, maki-chan, hey.
hello, rin.
her smile is infectious and maki can’t help but mirror it, despite the early time. rin moves the blankets around a little bit, the comforter covers them
both and she’s still wearing that catlike smile.
it’s morning, nya. morning! up and at them, cmon.
no.
she slurs a bit and rin pouts, and maki thinks, distractedly, it looks like the one she wears all the time.
rin is undeterred.
cmonnnn, sleepy face. she’s stopped messing with maki’s hair for the time being, and instead, decides to boops her nose.
maki makes a noise that rin likes, an exasperated sigh, sweet and sour all the same, and she knows she’s won.
five more minutes. let me live. maki drapes herself over rin and dozes off almost immediately.
okay, maybe not. a couple minutes wouldn’t hurt but, jeez. only maki nishikino would forget her own birthday.
