So, the other day, when I was discussing AO3's policy on solicitation, a tumblr user came at me saying that AO3's "no monetization/solicitation" rules were "bullshit" because nexus mods allows fan created mods to get paid.
Look at me.
Look at me right now.
AO3 protects you.
AO3 protects you and your works.
It protects your works from copyright strikes and DCMA takedowns.
It protects your work from advertisers.
It protects your work from overzealous legal challenges.
It protects your right to post adult content.
AO3 is non-profit and AO3 will never try to use you or your work to make a profit for themselves and AO3 will go to bat for you if someone tries to legally challenge you or your works.
Mastercard has no reason to mess with AO3. Visa doesn't. PayPal doesn't. Stripe doesn't. There's no compensation-for-porn exchange happening. By design. BY DESIGN.
AO3's founders knew that AO3 needed to be set up to protect us from any and all avenues of attack on fanworks. They've managed it quite successfully.
All y'all who thought they didn't need to? Sit the fuck down and SHUT THE FUCK UP.
you learn very quickly that naoya zenin is the kind of handsome that feels like a practical joke. like… tragic. pretty face, sharp eyes, cool hair. the kind of man who would be devastating if he just… didn’t talk.
you’re leaning against the engawa, half-listening while he runs his mouth to a group of clan members who nod like bobbleheads because everyone here has the spine of a jellyfish. naoya’s arms are crossed, posture smug, voice smooth with that grating self-assurance of a man who’s never once been meaningfully challenged.
“if i ever took a wife,” he says, like he’s discussing the weather and not some poor hypothetical woman’s lifelong punishment, “she’d have to be low maintenance. quiet. knows her place. no unnecessary opinions.”
you blink.
once.
twice.
your brain short-circuits for exactly half a second, because surely, SURELY, he didn’t just say that out loud, in the 21st century.
you push off the pillar and tilt your head, eyes bright with the kind of curiosity that precedes violence.
“oh,” you say, sweet as sugar, “so you want a man.”
the silence is immediate. violent. like the air itself just tripped and ate concrete.
naoya turns slowly, brows knitting together in confusion. “... what?”
you shrug, casual, hands folding behind your back like you’re about to explain something to a particularly slow child. “i mean, low maintenance, quiet, no opinions, knows their place? sounds like you don’t actually like women.”
a couple of people nearby choke. someone coughs way too hard. another straight-up turns away like they’re witnessing a murder and don’t want to testify.
naoya scoffs, offended. “don’t be ridiculous.”
you hum. “i’m serious. because the moment a woman has thoughts, feelings, or – god forbid – a spine, you guys call her difficult. so it’s not women you want. it’s compliance.”
you step closer, just enough to invade his space, smiling pleasantly. “which is fine. just say that. saves everyone time.”
his jaw tightens. you can practically see the gears grinding in his head, the rage fighting with the horror of being read so cleanly it feels like a violation.
“yer mouthy,” he snaps.
you beam. “and you’re insecure. see? we’re both observant.”
another beat of silence. heavier now. naoya’s ears are red. RED. the man who prides himself on composure looks like he’s about two seconds away from combusting.
“ya think yer so smart,” he mutters.
you lean in just a little, voice dropping, smile razor-sharp. “no, naoya. i KNOW i am. the difference is, i don’t confuse cruelty for confidence.”
you pull back, clapping your hands once, like the conversation’s wrapped. “anyway. good luck finding your ‘low maintenance’ wife. maybe try the men’s section next time.”
and you walk off.
behind you, no one says a word. because naoya zenin – golden boy, heir, ego incarnate – is standing there completely shut up.
A crow perched on a shrine boarder bowed back to me once while I was living in Japan. I was in laughing hysterics and a bit freaked out all the rest of the way home. Crows are fantastic and terrifying.
a/n: thank you all sooo much for reading. i was actually going to post this chapter tomorrow but i just couldn't wait! thank you again!
m.list: prologue, ch.1, ch.2
CHAPTER 3
Holy shit, he’s so handsome. As if you weren’t as nervous already. How did Emiri know him? She’s never mentioned him at all. Has he always been single? There’s no way. He had to have dated in his past. You had to know what was under that buttoned down shirt. Probably a real treat, with those shoulders? A real struck of gold. You shook your head to remove the dirty thoughts, you haven’t even talked to him and you’re already thinking these things. Thank god nobody can read minds. And then he noticed you, like he sensed someone was looking at him. Your shoulders tensed at his soft smile and he stood up waiting for you to get to the table so he can introduce himself. You’re supposed to stand up when you meet someone?
Your legs finally got the courage to walk over to him. They had to anyway. You couldn’t stop staring at that face. Then the string of reality broke when you heard your full name from his mouth.
“I’m Nanami Kento,” he said, reaching out his hand for a shake.
You took his hand slowly to shake back, his grip was…soft, maybe he wasn’t nervous at all. You looked at how his hands practically swallowed yours. You never noticed these things with your past blind dates. And for heaven's sake, you haven’t even said anything back! You were so blanked out.
“Nice to meet you…” You said shyly and sat down in front of him.
“You as well.” He said.
“Are you going to take off your coat?” He asked, pointing at the coat you’re still wearing, buttoned up as well.
Embarrassing. You were too busy looking at him, you forgot to take off your coat. “Huh? Oh! Yes, sorry.” You replied, what were you even apologizing for? You quickly took off your coat and placed it behind the chair you sat in. He stayed quiet. Then you turned around and stared at him in an awkward silence before he spoke again. “I apologize for looking at the menu already.” He said, eyes glancing down at the menu laid in front of you.
Oh my god, the menu. You forgot it was even there, you looked down and flinched a bit at the remembrance that you’re having dinner with this man and you’re not just there to sit and stare at him. “Uh- that’s okay.” Why did he look at it already? You wondered. Maybe your overthinking was right. He really did just want to get this over with. Maybe your instincts were right, it was going to be the same night.
────﹒♡﹒────
You both said your orders to the polite waiter and he even offered a bottle of red wine for the table. Nanami nodded with a “Sure”. When the waiter left to put in your orders, you both sat in silence. Again. You were too scared to ask him questions because he was so beautiful. Just ask a question!
“So, where do you work?” You asked, even though you already knew that. But it was all you could think of at the moment.
“I’m a financial analyst.” He replied shortly after.
“What is that?”
“In the company I work for, I help recommend investments and business strategies to people and sometimes other companies for growth in their money.”
“Oh, do you like it?”
“It’s doable. Nothing exciting goes around at the office everyday, but it’s doable.”
You nodded and sipped your glass of water.
“And you?” Nanami asked back.
You explained your job to him and how you only started working full-time last month, telling him how it’s not so bad, you didn’t want to rant to him how much you actually do enjoy your profession. Maybe that would scare him away somehow.
Soon, the waiter came back with the bottle of wine and opened it, pouring two glasses for both of you. Nanami took the first sip, you waited for his reaction, but there wasn’t any. Guess the wine tasted fine? Then you took a sip shortly after. Yep. It tasted the same as the last ones. Just like how this date is feeling.
“Have you eaten here before?” He asked.
Your eyes looked up at him and you shook your head “No” you responded.
“I have, the steak is good here, that’s why I picked this place.” He said.
“Mmmm, good thing I didn’t pick the fish then.” You said, trying to crack a joke to lighten the tension in the room. Then you instantly regret it with his late reaction, but at least he smiled at you. Even though it gave you a million butterflies in your stomach.
You managed to tell your side of the story and how your older sister heard of you and managed to set you up for this night. He then shared how his friend Gojo must have known Emiri or her husband to tell Nanami about you.
“Satoru Gojo…it sounds familiar, I’m not good with names.” You said thinking really hard on that name, you feel like you remember him from somewhere.
“White hair, bright blue eyes–”
“Oh yes!” you interrupted Nanami when you immediately thought of Gojo in your head after Nanami described him.
“I remember him from one of my brother-in-law's parties” You said.
“Small world,” you continued with a smile.
Nanami smiled back and nodded with a “Yeah”
“He’s funny” You said smiling and taking another sip of your red wine to calm yourself down.
“You think so?” He asked.
You paused, what do you even answer to that?
“Umm.. yeah I think so.” You responded shyly. “Interesting.” he said back and took a sip of his drink. There it was again, another silence. Was it something you said wrong?
────﹒♡﹒────
The food turned out to be delicious, Nanami has great taste in food. And you liked that in a man. You could only call him a man, not a boy, there was no boy-like motives in him, he was so mature. Not only did he have great taste in food, but clothing as well, you can tell he probably likes his clothes to be legit and not cheap. And when you offered to help him pay, he politely refused, he didn’t even let you look at the bill. You remember one time you went on a blind date and the man made you pay one time because his excuse was he didn’t get paid until the next day. Good riddance to him you say to yourself.
The waiter handed Nanami his card back with the receipt and thanked us both for coming. Nanami put his card back in his wallet and began to stand up, signaling a conclusion to this night.
You weren’t sure about this date, the conversations you had with him ended quickly, but there were times where you thought it went sort of well. Like when he congratulated you on your graduation and first job. Or when he really insisted on paying, but maybe he was just being nice. And your favorite was that he wanted to get dessert, he must really like sweets you thought, but you were too scared to ask. You were too scared to ask a lot of things.
He waited for you to stand up with him and you quickly got up grabbing your bag and coat, struggling to put on since you were trying to hold your purse at the same time. When he noticed this, he slowly took the purse off your hands and waited for you to finish buttoning your coat. “Thank you…” you said quietly. He nodded back with a reassuring “Mhm” and handed you back your purse which you quickly swung over your shoulder and walked out of the restaurant with him.
“Thank you for dinner again, it was really yummy” You complimented. Who says yummy like that?
“You’re welcome.” Was all he said, though you looked at him longer and wanted to assume that he wanted to say more.
You stood there and took a short deep breath, that was it? You felt like you barely got to know him. Blind dates really do suck. But that was really it.
“Well…have a good rest of your night.” you said, leaving no expression. You felt defeated. You really wanted to see him more, and now this was it, you might not see him ever again, some other lucky girl will probably get him and you won’t. You were about to turn your whole body into a 180 when he stopped you with his voice at the way he said your name.
“Your number…?” He said.
“What?” you asked
“If it’s alright with you..can I have your number?” He asked again, struggling to get his phone out from the deep pocket in his coat, looking like he was trying to grab it quickly.