After a month worth of work (let's ignore the two months of agonizing over it while not doing anything), the RuiDelaide animatic is finally finished!! Proud to say all of this is drawn by hand 😌✨✨
It might've been made on a whim, but I certainly learned a lot in doing this.
Will I be doing something like this again? Most definitely, but not in the near future. Making this was tiring lol (＠_＠;)
Anyway, please enjoy the product of my blood, sweat, and tears (mostly sweat and tears).
had to finish this quick quick because i cannot have zenji neko without jiro soon after 🥺💜 so mortkranken was the easy next pick! I love their colors~ use OK with credit! 🐱
SUMMARY: As a surprise, Elias takes Seraph out to Yumeyashiki.
PAIRING: Elias Pratt x OC
WORDS: 3,935
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Written for the lovely @noctysite during the exchange I hosted at @tkdbcafe! I delivered it months ago and then just... forgot to post it! So here it is now! I hope you enjoyed it~!
When Elias had insisted that Seraph should get a R&R permit, they hadn’t really known what to expect. In fact, even when they were following him onto the Galaxy Express, they had no idea what the man had in mind for them. When they’d tried to ask, Elias just smiled at them.
“Isn’t the surprise part of the fun?”
That was all the man had offered for an explanation. Honestly, Seraph had grown used to that - Dionysia’s slogan when it came to missions had essentially been ‘trust the process’ when the house had been running. It didn’t come as much of a shock when Elias, the former captain, had the same approach to most of what he did.
Still, they hadn’t expected an amusement park. Standing outside of the gates of Yumeyashiki, Seraph wondered if they’d ever really been to one outside of going to Dionysia’s carnival while it was still around. As if sensing their hesitation, Elias came to their side, offering them a reassuring smile. “I hope that look doesn’t mean you don’t like amusement parks.”
“It’s more that I’m unfamiliar with them,” Seraph responded as they walked through the gates, eyes darting between the variety of rollercoasters and other thrill rides that were available.
Elias hummed, following their gaze, trying to settle on a place to start. “You’re not afraid of going on any of these, are you?” he asked, a somewhat teasing tone lacing his voice. “It’s okay to admit it if you are. I can hold your hand throughout all of them to reassure you.”
Heat rose to Seraph’s face, and they instinctively took a step back, shaking their head. “I’m not afraid,” they rushed to explain. “I’ll be fine going on them.”
“What a shame,” Elias reached into his pocket, pulling out a lollipop and unwrapping it. “I was looking forward to the excuse.”
Seraph tore their eyes away from him, eager to hide any rising flush on their face by looking for where to start. “How about a haunted house?” they asked, glancing shortly back to Elias. Though, after everything we’ve seen at Darkwick, I doubt there’s going to be anything in there that’s going to frighten us.
After sticking the unwrapped lollipop in his mouth, Elias nodded. “Lead the way.”
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
As suspected, the haunted house was underwhelming compared to what the pair was used to on missions - though one surprise scare at the end did nearly have Seraph jumping into Elias’ arms. The man had been amused by it, though had graciously kept himself from teasing the other.
Now, in line for one of the roller coasters, Seraph watched as the cart quickly moved through skyscrapers, something that had surprised them, causing their jewel-toned eyes to widen at the sight. “It gets really close to the buildings…”
“Nervous?” Elias asked, looking over at them. “You don’t need to worry. In the long history of Yumeyashiki, there’s never been an incident with one of their rides.”
Seraph looked away from the coaster for a moment, turning back to face their companion. “How much do you know about the park’s history?”
Elias hummed in response, taking his lollipop out of his mouth for a moment and twirling it between his fingers as he thought. “Jo had a subscription to a magazine about different kinds of amusement and theme parks. He always said it was good to see what they were doing right so we could draw inspiration,” Elias began to explain, leaning back on the metal railing guiding the line. “None of his subscriptions were cancelled, so we still get his magazines delivered to Dionysia. Yumeyashiki had a spotlight this month - there was a whole spread on Japan’s Oldest Theme Park. It’s what made me think of bringing you.”
He saw it and thought of me? Seraph thought, looking away from him at the answer, unable to maintain eye contact with him after their mind had jumped to that conclusion. Before either one could say something more, the line was moving again, and they were urged into a cart together.
Part of Seraph was glad, at least, that the seats of the train weren’t narrow - in fact, there was a good amount of space left between them as the bar came down, locking them both into place. If they’d been any closer, Seraph could imagine their mind racing too much about the close contact to enjoy anything about the ride itself.
They weren’t really sure when it had happened, but it had felt like any contact with Elias made their heart start racing and a blush rise to their face. Shyness was something they’d always struggled with, but Elias had them flustered for other reasons.
Something about the man had always made Seraph feel like he could see directly into their heart. That, no matter what they said or what they tried to hide, Elias could see through any wall they put up as if it were made of glass.
When the ride began with a lurch, Seraph grabbed tight onto the bar as the coaster slowly climbed up the rails. With a higher vantage point on the park, it was easier to see the full bloom of spring - the cherry trees in a beautiful pink blossom, rows of brightly-colored flowers placed around the park in eye-catching arrangements, and the warm breeze that was finally inviting life back into the wilted winter plants.
While their eyes were on the beautiful vivid colors of spring decorating the park, though, Elias was stealing glances at Seraph. It was easier to admire the baku when they weren’t aware he was looking. In fact, it was one of the only times that he could do so - anytime Seraph met his gaze, they’d look away, as if holding eye contact with him was fatal.
At first, Elias had found the action disheartening. Now that he knew them better, he thought it was somewhat cute.
Once the coaster started rolling down, wind whipped around both of them, and they were each distracted as it looped and dashed between buildings, sometimes close enough to make it seem like they could reach out and touch a skyscraper.
Seraph kept their grip hard on the bar holding them in place until the ride came to a stop, taking a deep breath. Elias looked over at them, a soft laugh escaping him as he saw how the wind had tossed the fluff of Seraph’s mis-matched hair. Without thinking about it, he reached forward as the bars unlocked and lifted, taking it as a chance to move closer and attempt to smooth an unruly portion of their hair.
Instinctively, Seraph pulled back from him, iris eyes widening at him. “What are you doing?”
Elias smiled, pulling back for a moment. “Sorry. The wind blew some of your hair out of place. I was fixing it. Do you mind?”
After a moment, Seraph shook their head. “No… go ahead.”
Now with permission, Elias’ hand went to the side of their head, adjusting a tuft of dark hair back into its usual place. Seraph let themself focus on the feeling of Elias’ fingers carding through their hair, almost closing their eyes to fully focus on the sensation. They still had some sense of embarrassment, though, and the idea of letting Elias see how much they enjoyed the contact would have them riding back to Darkwick on the Galaxy Express as soon as possible.
“There we go,” Elias pulled back. “Back to normal.”
They missed his hand as soon as it was gone.
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
“I didn’t think the merry-go-round would be so popular,” Seraph thought as they stepped forward in the line, a large group being escorted off of the small ride before another one was brought on.
“This is actually a carousel, not a merry-go-round,” Elias corrected in a light tone, a lollipop spinning in one hand as he spoke. “They’re subtly different. I wanted a carousel in Dionysia, but Mio told me I didn’t pay him enough for him to construct one.”
You don’t pay him at all, Seraph thought, a small smile on their face as they imagined the clockwork artisan complaining about Elias’ request. “What’s the difference?”
Before Elias could get into it, a bell rang and a gate opened at the front, signalling that the next group was allowed on. The two moved up and toward the large carousel, and up close, Seraph noted that they’d never seen one like it. There were two stories - one large rotating platform on the bottom and another smaller one up a short flight of stairs. “Let’s go to the top,” he pointed up. “There’s a hot air balloon up there.”
Having no particular opinion on where they sat, Seraph followed an eager Elias up the stairs. Most of the seats on the top were filled quickly, but the hot air balloon had been left empty - and one look at the narrow seat told Seraph exactly why. While it could seat two people, it clearly wasn’t meant to - and the idea of spending the entire ride hip-to-hip with Elias was enough to make them blush. They turned around to see another free seat, but for as far as they could see, each one was full.
As if not noticing Seraph’s darting eyes, Elias took a seat at the hot air balloon, offering a hand for Seraph to take and follow his lead. “You’re going to want to sit before the ride starts,” he urged. “I don’t want you to fall over.”
Below them, Seraph heard the conductor’s echoing voice. “Take your seats, everyone! The ride will begin in just a moment!”
Pushing away the last shred of their hesitation, Seraph reached forward and took Elias’ hand, letting him pull them down beside them. It had been just in time as well, the carousel’s music swelling as the ride began to turn. As Seraph had expected, the seat was barely enough for both of them, their hips pressed close together. Elias was the first one to start adjusting, moving his arm up. “Mind if I put an arm around you?” he asked. “Not much room for us both otherwise.”
He had to have known we’d be this close, Seraph thought. Part of them wanted to point that out to him, but instead they just nodded, granting him permission. It was easier to go along with him than tease him, and if they were being honest with themself, they were glad to see Elias making moves.
It didn’t make it any less flustering, though. As Elias’ arm wrapped around them and the ride began, Elias leaned closer to them. At first, Seraph didn’t know where he was going until he raised his free hand and pointed to one of the beautifully-painted horses. “See how that horse moves up and down in a galloping motion? That’s one of the differences between the two. Merry-go-rounds don’t often have that additional motion, usually only going around in circles.”
At his explanation, Seraph’s mind raced at their own predicament. Thank god this balloon isn’t moving. I think we’d fall over each other more if it was. “Do you prefer carousels, then?”
“I think they have a higher level of craftsmanship,” Elias nodded, looking over at Seraph as he answered. “With the amount of detail paid to them, you can tell that the people who made them crafted each detail with passion and love. That’s the kind of energy I wanted… want for Dionysia.”
Wanted, Seraph clung onto the past-tense. No one’s really sure if Dionysia will come back, but it doesn’t seem likely after what happened. Elias was really passionate about his dorm… he treated his fellow ghouls like family members…
A tap on Seraph’s nose snapped them out of their thoughts, and they looked over to Elias to see an easy smile on his face as he met their gaze. “You were thinking of something sad, weren’t you?” he asked teasingly. “This isn’t the time for that. We’re here for fun. I’d rather see a smile on your face than an expression like that.”
Elias’ warm words mixed with the arm that he had draped over Seraph’s shoulder was making this scenario feel more intimate by the second, and to attempt to cool down, Seraph looked away from him. “The park is beautiful from up here, isn’t it?” Seraph asked, eager to change the subject. “All the flowers are starting to bloom this time of year.”
“I think there’s a small section with a botanical garden,” Elias responded, looking out at the park with Seraph. He moved his hand, slightly pulling them closer to him in the process. “On that side of the park. Do you want to go to it?”
With every move that Elias made, it reminded Seraph how close they were, and when he pulled them closer it nearly rendered them speechless. Funny, they’d missed the physical contact before, and now they felt like this was almost too much. It was hard to think straight when he touched them like this. So, they simply nodded at him, half-aware of what they’d agreed to.
Is it really just this easy for him to get me under his sway?
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
Somehow, the most crowded spot in the entire theme park that day ended up being the botanical garden.
Given the time of year, Seraph supposed it wasn’t that strange for it to be crowded - and the park was gracious enough to have a place for people to set up in the grass and enjoy a variety of food that was offered in small trucks around the large garden area.
They were positioned under one of the only shaded areas in the garden now, taking a moment to rest while Elias had wandered off in search of something to bring back. Traditional food wasn’t really a necessity for the baku, but unlike Edward, they could enjoy it to an extent. It wasn’t filling, but more of a treat.
Still, even if they weren’t planning on eating, the rest was indispensable. Walking around the park had started to become slightly exhausting, and as the afternoon started heading into evening, Seraph needed a break. They were grateful that Elias had asked them to find a place for the pair while he wandered, because the moment Seraph sat down in the grass, it felt as refreshing as a deep breath.
“Everything okay?” Elias’ voice grabbed their attention, and Seraph looked up to meet his eyes as he looked down at them, holding out a bottle of water.
Seraph reached forward, taking the water bottle from him and replying with a short nod. “Fine. Just a bit tired.”
“I thought so,” Elias nodded, taking a seat. Seraph noted that he’d come back empty-handed aside from the water bottle, but before they could ask about it, he pulled out a lollipop from his pocket and unwrapped it. “I hope you’re still having fun, though. You seemed… exhausted lately.”
He’s noticed that? Seraph thought, slowly opening their water bottle. I didn’t think anyone would really tell other than those in Obscuary… and it’s not like all of us go to all of our classes, anyway. “Is that why you asked me to come here with you?” Seraph asked, keeping their eyes away from him. Looking at him now felt too vulnerable.
Elias hummed in response, seeming confused. “I suppose it contributed to it… really, if anything, it only gave me an excuse,” he leaned closer to Seraph, trying to catch their eyes, but he could tell they were deliberately busying themself with the water bottle in their hands. “I’ve wanted to invite you somewhere for a while. Wanting to put a smile on your face when I could tell you were exhausted was just the inspiration for where we went.”
“You’ve wanted to invite me somewhere for a while? Why?” Seraph asked, trying to hide the hopefulness in their tone.
Before the Clash, before Dionysia had to disband, Seraph was somewhat of a regular at the mysterious circus. The acts were interesting, of course, but Elias was always the one that they’d been the most interested in. At first, it was simply pure admiration for his skills and the shows he’d help put on.
They weren’t sure when it had happened, but admiration and amazement had developed into a crush. They started visiting less when they realized that talking to Elias made all the shy parts of their personality push toward the surface, not wanting to make a spectacle of themself in front of their crush because of it.
After all, of course the perceptive ghoul had picked up on them coming to the show multiple times a week, occasionally coming up to them after bows and teasing them about it, even once inviting them backstage to see how it was all done. That offer was the first time they realized it was easy for Elias to convince them to follow his lead.
Then the Clash happened, Dionysia disbanded, and they thought their chance was gone. They didn’t expect Elias to continue to make an effort to talk to them after his house was gone and they weren’t an audience member anymore. Yet, here he was, admitting that he’d wanted to invite them out for a while.
Seraph wanted to be hopeful that his words meant that Elias felt the same way about them that they did about him. It had been something they dreamed about - Elias being the first one to admit his feelings, and then being able to do something with all the affection that they’d built up in their heart.
Instead of answering their question, though, Elias just stood up from the grass and offered them a hand. “There’s one last ride I want to go on before we leave,” he told them, deliberately catching their gaze before smiling. “If you join me one last time, I’ll tell you. Okay?”
One more ride? Seraph thought. The theme park was getting darker, the sky slowly turning orange while the sun set. It made sense that they needed to start heading back to campus soon - the time restrictions on R&R permits were no joke.
Still, as they took Elias’ hand and he pulled them to their feet, Seraph could help but wish that they could stay there with him for much longer. That they didn’t have to go back to Darkwick, back to classes and back to missions.
They wanted to dream that they could stay in the garden under the setting sun with Elias for forever.
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
As the sky above Yumeyashiki was painted into a soft gradient of blue and burnt orange, Elias led Seraph by the hand to the ride he’d wanted to go on from the beginning - the ferris wheel.
There was a sparkle in Elias’ eyes when they got in line, and despite themself, Seraph couldn’t stop sneaking glances at the smile on his face. He caught them as they both climbed into a colorful gondola, tilting his head at them. “Is there something on my face?”
Seraph swiftly averted their gaze, a wave of heat rising to their cheeks. “No! It’s just, well, you looked more excited to ride this than anything else.”
Elias sighed softly when Seraph looked away. He wished that they’d keep looking at him, that they’d keep their own eyes locked with his instead of looking away every time they got flustered. It was a selfish wish, but he couldn’t help it anyway - he wanted to be the center of their attention. He hid his disappointment, though, and looked forward as the ride started up again now that they were seated. “You know, the ferris wheel was always one of my favorite parts of Dionysia.”
“Really?” Seraph asked, tilting their head inquisitively as they glanced back over at him. The golden hour evening light suited him, bathing him in a soft light that made him glow.
He hummed, keeping his eyes ahead, aware that Seraph was looking at him now and wanting to keep it that way for as long as he could help it. “I would ride it alone all the time, sometimes just to clear my head. Even though Dionysia is closed, I sometimes go back just to sit in the gondolas. It doesn’t really work at the moment, though - without Mio, it’s unsafe to operate. If it breaks with me on it, I’d have to call someone over to rescue me.”
“I’d come to your rescue,” Seraph responded without thinking, the words leaving their mouth before they had a moment to second-guess themself. “I mean - if you called me, if you wanted me to.”
Unable to fight the urge any longer, Elias looked over, meeting their iris eyes and smiling. “I hope you would. You’re the first person I’d call.”
I doubt it… Haru is still around, and they were much closer, Seraph thought, gaze averting. This time, Elias outwardly sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t look away from me all the time,” he whispered, just barely loud enough for Seraph to hear. “You never used to look away from me when I was performing for you. Why is it different here?”
Seraph was surprised by the subject, turning back to Elias with a look of disbelief. “Of course it’s different. You were on a stage, tens of feet away from me, a spotlight in your eyes. I didn’t have any reason to think you could see me. It’s… different when you’re this close.”
“I suppose it’s different,” he hummed. “Still, I always loved the way you looked at me on stage. Knife throwing isn’t all that impressive compared to some of our other acts, but you always looked at me like it was the first time you’d seen me perform.”
It was slightly embarrassing to Seraph that Elias could not only see their face from the stage, but that he remembered how they looked while he performed. “Knife throwing is impressive,” was the only thing they managed to say, too flustered to address the rest of his statement.
“It’s even more so with an assistant,” Elias scooted as close to Seraph as he could without rocking the gondola, a playful glint in his mis-matched eyes. “Interested in volunteering? You can trust me. I won’t hurt you.”
At a loss for words under the weight of Elias’ charm, Seraph shook their head, prompting a short, light laugh from him. “You asked me earlier why I’ve wanted to invite you somewhere, and the answer is simple. Ever since you started coming to our shows… I liked having your attention on me. I loved performing in front of you - how your eyes followed me, how you’d come to multiple shows… You were a constant in my life. One I missed from the moment Dionysia became defunct with me.”
“You… missed me?” Seraph asked softly. I didn’t think he thought of me outside of those moments in the circus, they thought. I figured I wasn’t anything more than a face in the crowd.
Elias raised one hand, stroking a thumb across Seraph’s cheek before cupping it. “I missed seeing you all the time. I don’t want to start missing you again. So, if it’s not too much trouble… Please, keep coming out with me like this.”
This was a scene Seraph had dreamed about. Them and Elias together, facing a future together. They almost weren’t sure what to do.
If I only ever dream, though, there’s never a time for them to come true.
Seraph raised their hand, putting it over his and returning the smile.
SUMMARY: subaru brings the bus anomaly some lunch.
COMMENTS: @midoisamis this is for u LMAAOAOAOAOA thank you tkdb exchange server for being just wacky enough to birth this idea so i could write it
The toasted bread was still warm in the wrapper as Subaru makes his way to the parking lot. His eyes cast over the rows and rows of anomalous transportation, appraising each one as he goes by. Each one of them is special in their own right, and has their own classification. He's memorized them all.
The scent of barbecue wafts through the air, stirring awake some of the winged bicycles, their bells twitching and dinging with interest. It takes four seconds for him to be swarmed by rouge bicycles, their handlebars tilting curiously.
“Ah...I’m so sorry,” Subaru bows, apologizing, “I’ll bring you some next time too, alright?”
The bicycles seem placated, their rapid dinging fading into a soft symphony of chimes as they return to their spots.
They're so kind.
Smiling softly to himself, cheeks pink, Subaru continues down the rows. The transportation gets bigger and bigger as he goes on— from bicycles to motorbikes to cars to vans—and he finally reaches the bus.
DW00-42 sits at the very end of the row, its legs tucked underneath it. Subaru quickens his pace, eyes brighter than they’ve been in a long time.
“AaaAaAaAa?” the bus perks up at the smell, just like the other anomalies before it.
“Ah...Hello! I’m so sorry to disturb you...” he shifts in place, a little ways away from the bus, “I wanted to thank you for the transportation to Camp Darkwick. I’m so sorry if I intruded!”
The bus opens its mouth, tongue hanging free past its lips. Subaru looks on in wonder, captivated by its mannerisms. The tongue flicks once, twice, and it stands up on all four legs instantaneously.
“You smell with your tongue...?” he murmurs to himself, gaze full of wonder.
“AAaAaAaaAAa!!!” the bus demands, closing the distance between it and Subaru in three quick strides.
“Here! It’s one of the barbeque sandwiches I was planning on feeding Bonnie, but Sho came back earlier than we thought he would...I had extra,” Subaru explains, extending the sandwich towards its waiting mouth, “I’m sorry if it doesn’t taste good...”
The Anomalous bus’s mouth closes around his hand, the tongue sweeping the entire sandwich and wrapper into its mouth. Subaru gasps at the rough feeling on its tongue, similar to a cat’s tongue.
The bus pulls away and Subaru’s right hand is gloveless.
For once, he doesn’t really care.
He laughs softly, cheeks pink as the bus bends its knees once, twice, flashing its lights at him three times before lumbering back to its parking spot.
“Y...You’re welcome!” Subaru calls, gloved and ungloved hand clasped in front of him, “I hope you’ll allow me to visit you again!”
Hello! With summer now upon us, we are hosting another gift exchange within within the Tokyo Debunker fandom for artists, editors and writers who are interested in giving and receiving some Tokyo Debunker themed gifts!
These gifts are purely intellectual in nature, not physical! The options include fanart, fanedits and fanfic.
There are rules for participation, all of which are included on the sign-up form here! However, I will highlight the most important ones...
RULE ONE: No AI generation will be tolerated. I cannot vet every entry, but please do not enter this with the intention of giving your Valentine something that has been AI generated. If, once you receive your gift, you suspect AI generation was involved, please reach out to me to remedy the situation.
RULE TWO: This form is open to ages 16+, so please keep it clean. The creator of this exchange is 21+, but I am opening this to participation for anyone sixteen and older. As such, please do not request anything that may be sensitive in nature to minors.
RULE THREE: I must be able to reach you. I (or my equally-capable event runner Roxx) will be handing out your assignments on July 5th. All assignments will be handed out through discord, so please be sure you have me (melodiousember) added as a friend or are already in our server!
Sign-ups are going to close on July 3rd! The deadline for this gift exchange is August 31st. There are more rules included on the form, so be sure to read through all of them here!
In Addition . . .
We host a Discord server that's geared toward TKDB fan artists, editors and writers! It is not required to join if you want to participate in the exchange, but it will make it easier to find you and stay updated! It is meant to be a place for creatives of all types to come together, share their fics or art, and to even participate in trades! It's also a place to look at the amazing creations from the past events!
We also have custom emojis! Honestly, it's our biggest appeal!
If you're interested in joining us, click here to be led to the Discord server!
SUMMARY: On a night where the honor student feels like running away from it all, Haku finds them.
WORDS: 908
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I think this was the very first Haku fic I ever wrote... probably over a year and a half ago now? But I'm still happy with it! Read it on ao3 here!
“There you are.”
The last voice that the honor student had expected to hear after sneaking out of the Cathédrale Terminale that night was Haku’s. Truthfully, they hadn’t expected anyone to find them. It was late, and it wasn’t as if they had any roommates to notice when they stepped out to get fresh air.
“What are you doing out here?” the honor student asked softly, glancing over their shoulder to watch the man coming toward them. It’s late, they thought. The only reason I’m even out here is because I couldn’t sleep.
“Isn’t it obvious? Looking for you,” Haku took a seat next to them in the grass, leaning on his arm as he kept his gaze locked on the inspector. He’d found them in one of the few places on campus that rarely any students ever passed - a grassy hill between dorms where the night sky was particularly visible.
Yes, but how did you know I even needed to be found? The honor student pushed that question down, though, deciding to try and not look too deep as to the ghoul’s reason for seeking them out. “I wanted to see the stars,” they looked back up at the night sky. “It’s a new moon tonight, so you can see more than usual.”
Haku hummed. “You’re right,” he noted as he looked up. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”
“They are,” the honor student nodded and laid carefully back on the grass, their gaze locked on the sky above. It was almost a conscious decision not to look over at Haku, because they knew they’d give in and gently pry about what brought him out here.
Haku had always flirted, but it seemed every time they tried to get closer… he pulled away. Not in a rude way. Not to ice them out. Almost as if… he couldn’t trust them, or anyone for that matter, enough to let them come close.
Haku laid out next to them, looking over at them and letting his gaze fall onto their neck, where they now knew the curse mark lied. Is their curse progressing? Is that why they can’t sleep?
When Zenji had first told him that he’d seen the honor student wandering off on their own, Haku was struck with worry. It wasn’t unusual for them to overexert themself, to keep the burdens and anxieties about their curse quiet, and each time Haku’s heart sank at the prospect.
He worried for them more than he could admit. There was always a sinking feeling in him that there was nothing he could do other than be there for them, and even then, he felt as though fell short. All he did was fall short in his eyes, barely able to offer anything to the honor student other than reassuring words and his presence.
If he could promise them that everything would be okay, he would. If he could tell the honor student that Darkwick was doing everything in their power to break the Kyklos’ curse, he would. Lying to them, though, was worse than letting the truth hang between them in silence.
Tonight, when they appeared to be just as sleepless as he found himself, Haku could only hope that he’d be enough for them.
Carefully, Haku reached down to put his hand on top of the student’s as he turned back to face the night sky. “One day, I want to take you to my koi pond,” Haku suddenly whispered. “It’s my family’s, really, but I took care of it by myself for a long time. Supposedly Darkwick is taking care of it now.”
The honor student looked over at him, trying to find meaning in his calm expression, in the hand he placed over theirs. “Why all of a sudden…?” they asked softly. “I mean - it’s not that I don’t want to see your koi, but… what made you bring it up?”
“There’s a gazebo on the pond. At night, when you stand on it, you can see the stars all reflecting off the surface of the water. When you see the koi swimming… it almost looks like they’re swimming in the night sky,” Haku looked over at them and offered a gentle smile. “You’d like it. There’s a lot of water lilies and other plants, too. A lot of them could probably use your gentle touch, though. I was a lousy gardener.”
The inspector almost swore that they could see stars reflecting in Haku’s light eyes. “I don’t know if I’m much of a gardener either, but… I’d like that. Maybe you will be able to take me one day,” they suggested softly.
If I ever break this curse, they thought nervously, fighting the urge to reach back and run their fingers over the mark. If I live long enough to see you graduate so we can both go without having to worry about Darkwick pulling us back.
Haku saw a flash of sadness cross their face and shook his head, bringing one free hand up to toss their hair. “Don’t look so melancholy. I’ll find a way to get us there, okay? I promise you. Until then… the stars are still just as pretty when you’re by my side.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” the honor student whispered before they could second-guess their words.
Haku drew in a deep breath, looking up at the sky. “I intend to keep this one,” he muttered softly, just barely loud enough for them to hear. “Because if I can help it, we will find a way to break your curse. It’s just a matter of time.”
Time, they thought. The one thing I wish I could give more of to you. I don’t have much, though. Do I just have to hope that when you’re ready, the time will come?
“I’ll wait for you, then. And we’ll go to your pond together.”
❤︎ what could alan want with you, summoning you at midnight on your birthday?
❤︎ alan mido x gn! reader
❤︎ wc: 2.2k
❤︎ author's note: written as a birthday present for the lovely @midoisamis!
“Took you long enough to pick up.”
Huh?
Leo?
You press your phone to your ear. A bunch of questions fly through your head: it’s almost midnight, and you can’t think of a reason as to why Leo would be calling you at this hour. Your gut instinct tells you that he’s up to no good like he always is, but that begs the question as to why he’s contacting you instead of literally anyone else he has stuck under his thumb.
“Hey, Leo…,” you murmur into the phone screen, unable to hide the clear confusion in your voice, “Um… Did you need something?”
“Yeah, obviously,” his sarcastic words still bite even if he isn’t here in person to snark at you. You can imagine him rolling his eyes and flopping around on his bed while on the phone with you. He exaggerates the cadence of his syllables, drawing each one out into a lazy purr, “Cap wants you at Vagastrom A-S-A-P.”
“Huh?” You blink as if Leo could see your face. “Wait, right now? Did something happen? Is it an emergency?”
“Would it make you head over faster if I said it was?” Amusement drips off of his voice. “Just make yourself useful, and be there like I told you to. Otherwise Cap’s gonna make me go fetch you myself, and ugh… That’ll be the worst.”
You bite the urge to roll your eyes at his unnecessary complaining. “There’s no need to worry about that. I’ll be there.”
“Sweet. See yaaaaaaaaa-”
The line goes dead, and you stare down at your phone with equal parts disdain and intrigue. You’re not sure what lies in wait for you, but you want to have faith that the lack of urgency in Leo’s voice means that it’s not a massive emergency at the very least. It has to involve Alan in some way based on what Leo’s told you, but you’re really not sure what to make of it. You brush yourself off and make sure your appearance is presentable before heading out. Anyone else in your shoes would be annoyed at having to go out this late at night, but you don’t mind—having another excuse to go see the Vagastrom ghouls and their dependable captain makes your heart swell with affection and anticipation.
There’s an undeniable skip in your step as you head out. The night hangs like a light blanket over your shoulders, the skies dipped in deep and evocative shades of indigo. The moon illuminates your path, the stones of the campus firm underneath your steps as you half-jog-half-walk to Vagastrom.
It’s not a long commute, but you take the time to daydream about the friends you’ll see in a bit. It’s not unusual for Leo to be up at this hour, but you don’t think he’s ever actually contacted you in this manner before. It makes you wonder if Sho’s already asleep, and that’s why Leo’s decided to bother you instead of his usual sidekick.
You pause in front of the entrance to the Vagastrom dorm. The garage is deceptively imposing even during the day, but the long shadows and the darkness now that you see it at night makes it look like a new place altogether. You don’t hold any real fear in your heart, and when you flash your phone screen to take a peek at the time, you see that it’s still a few minutes shy of midnight. You’re not sure if that knowledge gives you any courage, per se, but you’re still pleasantly surprised to find the front door unlocked when you give it a tentative push.
As quietly as you can, you sneak inside. The interior of the dorm is also dimly lit, and your eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness. There’s no visible sign of life stirring about, which makes you wonder if everyone has somehow magically decided to call it an early night or if there’s an event downstairs in the Pit that you somehow missed the memo for. You swallow past the shallow waves of trepidation that start to rise in your throat, and you take a tentative step forward.
Alan needed you, and his room shouldn’t be too far. You feel your way through the dark fruitlessly for a few seconds before deciding you aren’t getting anywhere. You fumble for your phone, wincing when the brightness of the screen catches you off guard for a little bit. The time glares up at you, and while you tap blindly at the screen to try and turn your flashlight on, a minute ticks onward.
Midnight.
The room explodes with sound and light. You almost scream, unconsciously taking a few steps back and nearly falling down onto the ground in fright. You grip your poor phone as your eyes struggle to take in the sudden influx of light, and squinting through it, you gasp as you notice all of the Vagastrom students standing around the perimeter of the dorm’s common area.
“Happy birthday!”
You stand there, shock scrawled all over your face. Your jaw drops, and for a split second, all of your decorum has flown out the window. You scan the many faces surrounding you until you land on a familiar trio at the center.
Leo waves and winks teasingly at you when you meet his eyes. Sho greets you with a nod, beckoning for you to come forward. In between the mischievous two, Alan holds up what looks like a homemade cake he decorated himself, looking uncharacteristically shy. You shuffle forward, still unable to process the sudden surprise. You’re convinced that if you rub your eyes really hard, you’ll wake up and find the whole thing was a dream.
“Ha!” Leo laughs as he skips up to you. He slings a heavy arm over your shoulders, and he sticks his phone screen in your face. “I got the whole thing on camera! You looked sooooo ridiculous when the lights turned on. Can’t wait to post this later for some quick views!”
“Hey, hey, quit messing with them.” Sho gently shoves Leo’s arm off of you. A casual smile works its way onto his face, and he stuffs his hands into his pockets before facing you. “Sorry ‘bout him. You know how he is. Happy birthday. Cap thought it’d be a nice gesture to throw a little surprise party for you.”
“Oh!” You finally turn your attention fully to Alan, and you think you can make out the beginnings of a blush when your eyes meet his. “I can’t believe I almost forgot my own birthday… I got caught up when Leo gave me a call, and I thought… Well, I don’t know what I was thinking! You really didn’t have to go through all this trouble…”
Alan cocks his head. “Trouble? How would this be any trouble? I did this for you because I wanted to. And… I also selfishly wanted to be the first person to wish you a happy birthday.”
“You should have seen how much he was fussing over everything,” Sho laughs, “I caught him trying to bake a cake by himself. He kept going on and on about how a surprise party wouldn’t be complete without a cake, so I figured I’d lend him a hand. Not that the Captain’s a bad cook or anything, but… Consider it my gift to you.”
“Oh!” You turn to admire the cake, eyes widening as you observe the tiny handiwork. It’s clearly been made with a lot of effort and love, frosting shaped into dreamy whirls and decorated with what is unmistakably all three of the ghouls’ careful hands. It looks too good to eat, practically the spitting image of a treat pulled straight out of a children’s fairy tale book, the kind of cake you’d see baked for a hero’s celebration.
“Don’t forget me!” Leo whines, pouting. “I helped decorate and pull everything together. You all soooo owe me one. I thought my phone was actually going to explode while trying to corral everyone together to pull this off.”
“You guys…,” you breathe, overtaken by all the emotions that start to swell up inside your chest. Staying at Darkwick has been everything but easy, but as much as you’ve cherished your friendships, it’s still incredibly touching to see how much they cherish you in return. “I don’t know what to say! You did this all for me… How can I thank you all?”
“Think nothing of it,” Sho shrugs. Leo hums, and then he breaks out into a cat-like grin.
“Well, I can think of something. Oh, don’t give me that look, Cap! I promise it’s nothing that bad,” the grey-haired student hums. He sidles up to you again, glancing between you and Alan. “Since this was Cap’s big idea… How about you reward your hardworking beefcake with a kiss?”
Alan’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to protest. “There’s no need to go to that far-”
“-I can do it!” You blurt. You flush, heat prickling at your face when everyone’s gazes turn to you. You repeat a bit softer, “I can do it. I don’t mind!”
Leo’s grin widens, and he pats your shoulders. He shoots Alan a vindicated look, eyes more or less singing ‘I told you so~’ at the Vagastrom captain, who stands there, the blush on his cheeks widening with each passing second.
Sho sighs audibly, and he takes the cake from Alan’s hands before nudging him forward. “Go get your reward, captain.”
Alan shuffles forward, and he looks less like the self-assured and confident dorm captain than he does your lovable but awkward boyfriend. Shy and not wanting to press you into doing anything you don’t want to, the boyish tint to his face is nothing but charming. Your heart flutters at the sight of him all flustered at the thought of getting a kiss from you, and you grin up at him with sparkling eyes. There’s no one else you’d like to kick off your birthday with more, and witnessing all the effort he’s put into celebrating you makes you feel all the more lucky to have the honor of being loved by him.
“You really don’t have to. I don’t want you to feel obligated-,” he starts. You reach up to gently press a finger to his lips, and you shake your head.
You parrot his words from earlier back at him. The Vagastrom students around you hoot and holler, their cheers echoing across the vast dorm. You drop your voice so that he’s the only one who can hear your words, your truest declarations of your affection. “I’m doing this because I want to. This is… better than anything I could ask for, really. Thank you, Alan.”
You watch as he finally melts into a small smile of his own, and he leans down so you can press your mouth to his. It’s sweet and soft, your lips melting against his, the world dissolving away like grains of fine sugar until it’s just you and him, his warmth making you feel like you’re on top of the world. Everything just feels so right when you’re with him, and you know he’s someone who’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re happy and well-cared for so long as he’s around. You truly couldn’t ask for a better lover, not when you have someone this sincere and loving, and you hope that he can feel just how appreciative you are and just how much you want to repay his love with your own, one that’s as devoted as his.
His firm hands wrap around you, holding you close. When you pull away from him, you think you can see stars in his eyes. For a few seconds, it really does feel like it’s just you and him in this world, but then you hear Leo give a loud whoop and a wolf whistle, and reality comes sneaking back in like a thief through the back door.
You and Alan both flush, though his hold on you doesn’t loosen at all. You’re happy to stay right by his side, clinging to him.
“Not bad, Cap!” Leo, looking all too pleased with his handiwork, goads enthusiastically. “You still have it in you.”
“Oh, quit it. We’re here for a birthday bash, not for your perverted shit,” Sho mumbles. He holds the cake up. “C’mon, let’s get to the good stuff! We gotta light candles and make some birthday wishes come true.”
Leo gasps. “I call dibs on the first slice!”
“That’s not how it works!” Sho yells, twisting himself to avoid Leo’s frantic swipes to get to the cake. The rest of the dorm explodes once more into chaos and noise, everyone clambering to get settled down and claim their rightful slice of the cake.
Taking advantage of having everyone’s attention turned away from you, you glance at Alan. You grin from ear-to-ear. Alan squeezes you affectionately, and he ducks his head down to press a chaste kiss to the side of your face, then another to each of your cheeks.
“Happy birthday,” he whispers, the vibrations of his low voice dancing across your skin. “I don’t know what you’ll wish for, but whatever it is… I hope it’ll come true.”
“Oh, Alan,” you sigh, resting your head against his frame. You can hear the steady beat of his heart against your ears, and you want nothing more than to melt away again until the reassuring th-thump of his heart is the only thing in the world. This whole thing is like a dream to you, better than any fantasy or figment of your imagination, and you know that right now, surrounded by all this love and friendship, your birthday wish has already come true.
Hello! With spring around the corner, I wanted to host another gift exchange within within the Tokyo Debunker fandom for artists and writers who are interested in giving and receiving some Tokyo Debunker themed gifts!
These gifts are purely intellectual in nature, not physical! The options include fanart and writing.
There are rules for participation, all of which are included on the sign-up form! However, I will highlight the most important ones here...
RULE ONE: No AI generation will be tolerated. I cannot vet every entry, but please do not enter this with the intention of giving your Valentine something that has been AI generated. If, once you receive your gift, you suspect AI generation was involved, please reach out to me to remedy the situation.
RULE TWO: This form is open to ages 16+, so please keep it clean. The creator of this exchange is 21+, but I am opening this to participation for anyone sixteen and older. As such, please do not request anything that may be sensitive in nature to minors.
RULE THREE: I must be able to reach you. I (or my equally-capable event runner Roxy) will be handing out your assignments on March 21st. All assignments will be handed out through discord, so please be sure you have me (melodiousember) added as a friend!
Sign-ups are going to close on March 19th! The deadline for this gift exchange is June 6th. There are more rules included on the form, so be sure to read through all of them here!
In Addition . . .
I'm now hosting a Discord server that's geared toward TKDB fan artists and writers! It is not required to join if you want to participate in the exchange, but it will make it easier to find you and stay updated! It is meant to be a place for artists, writers and even editors to come together, share their fics or art, and to even participate in trades! It's also a place to look at the amazing creations from the past events!
If you're interested in joining us, click here to be led to the Discord server!
Beautiful header banner made by the lovely @roxyrotica ❤︎
