hello!! my name is tara, if you donât want to use raith. iâve been around forever, and this blog is dedicated to my many obsessions. fandoms. same thing. the reblogs here will be chaotic, because i jump between fandoms constantly. feel free to send asks whenever you want. ask about my fics, tell me about your muses, talk about fandoms. letâs be friends!!
ă LINKS ă
ArchiveOfOurOwn ⪠RaithWay
FanFictionNet ⪠RaithWay
Wattpad ⪠QuothTheRaith
Spotify ⪠Quoth The Raith
ă REQUESTS ă
Moodboard requests are for original characters, canon characters, and original works. Can be a single character board, platonic/general, or romantic. When making a request, please include the following:
fandom, character(s), face claim for original character(s), theme, vibe, color(s), quote(s), link to stories (if available), as much information as you want to give
If You Were Wondering: send in an ask if you want to be added or removed
ă SIDE BLOGS ă
@ocs-supporting-ocs
a blog dedicated to stories with original characters
@writer-support-group
a blog dedicated to stories with canon-only characters
#loving all fanfiction
you do not have to ask before tagging either of these blogs. if itâs fandom related, this is me asking for the side blogs to be added to your taglist.
Hello, everyone! My friends, it is almost my birthday once again (September 25th) and in the past few years, I've held b-day exchanges which people seemed to enjoy! So, why not do it again? I hope everyone has fun with this and I thank you all so much for continuing to stick beside me and being such good friends! <3 With that being said, let's get into it!
The rules and regulations are simple, but they exist nonetheless, so here they are:
The exchange, for now, is open until September 30th. I may extend it if people are interested.
You may make 1-2 requests, but I will probably reblog it, saying you can ask for more because I always do (hehe).
Please reblog this post to spread some awareness. You can like for remembrance, but just a like doesn't count (you already know this; I know my 5 regulars who come here every time)!
When it comes to these exchanges, I have become the mama duck and you are my little ducklings and the ducklings in my pond rarely change, so I think you know how these work already.
Fill out the form linked below and find the password in the form!
Please only send me face claims with good quality and plenty of material to use. Also, no cartoon characters. Video game characters may work, depending on the animation style. I'm not trying to discriminate; it can just be really tough for me to find material for cartoons, anime, video games, etc., as I edit by making little video clips first and so on. However, if you slide in my DMs, we might be able to discuss some stuff.
Please, please, please fill out all the columns I need and choose at least two gift options. I just like to have a fallback in case one gift doesnât work out for any reason, though I usually do post two gifts for everyone.
Remember the pleases and thank you's; pleases and thank you's make my heart grow fond.
I don't do Harry Potter or Stranger Things OCs, and while I don't have a specific list of FCs I don't use, I ask that you do not request anything for overtly problematic actors. Thank you!
I accept pretty much any gift in return: GIF edits, mood boards, playlists, story reviews, drawings/artâanything is fine. If it's a story review, please let me know in the form so I know you did, as I don't check my accounts every day. You can find my writing platforms in my pinned post.
I'm fine with gifts for any of my OCs; my master list as well as the link to my Pinterest and Spotify are in my pinned post.
Please remember that in order for me to post my gifts for you, I need to know you have given me a gift first. I donât want to sound greedy in any form; I have just had issues with this before. I do want to make everyone who hands in a form a gift, and it hurts when I canât. If you submitted and canât make gifts for any reason that comes up, itâs totally fine; I will most likely do another exchange in no time.
FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, FEEL FREE TO SEND ME A MESSAGE, AND I WILL TRY TO CLEAR EVERYTHING UP!
HERE IS THE LINK TO MY BIRTHDAY EXCHANGE; THE LINK TO MY BIRTHDAY EXCHANGE IS HERE; THE WAY TO SUBMIT TO MY BIRTHDAY EXCHANGE IS HERE
Yello and welcome to the Easter Eggs-change! I had such a blast doing this last year, and it helped me through a dark time, so I thought, âWhy not do it again?â So here we are. I do hope youâll enjoy another little exchange. I always love interacting with all of you this way; it makes me so happy getting to know OCs I maybe hadnât heard much about. Anyway, I hope youâll like this once again, and thank you for your continued trust in me.
The rules and regulations are simple, but they exist nonetheless, so here they are:
The exchange, for now, is open until April 20th. I may extend it if people are interested.
You may make 1-2 requests, but I will probably reblog it, saying you can ask for more because I always do (hehe).
Please reblog this post to spread some awareness. You can like for remembrance, but just a like doesn't count (you already know this; I know my 5 regulars who come here every time)!
As aforementioned, this is open to my regular drunks and new patrons alike, so please do not be shy. Think of me as I think of birds; I am more scared of you than you are of me.
Fill out the form linked below and find the password in the form!
Please only send me face claims with good quality and plenty of material to use. Also, no cartoon characters. Video game characters may work, depending on the animation style. I'm not trying to discriminate; it can just be really tough for me to find material for cartoons, anime, video games, etc., as I edit by making little video clips first and so on. However, if you slide in my DMs, we might be able to discuss some stuff.
Please, please, please fill out all the columns I need and choose at least two gift options. I just like to have a fallback in case one gift doesnât work out for any reason, though I usually do post two gifts for everyone.
Remember the pleases and thank you's; pleases and thank you's make my heart grow fond.
I don't do Harry Potter or Stranger Things OCs, and while I don't have a specific list of FCs I don't use, I ask that you do not request anything for overtly problematic actors. Thank you!
I accept pretty much any gift in return: GIF edits, mood boards, playlists, story reviews, drawings/artâanything is fine. If it's a story review, please let me know in the form so I know you did, as I don't check my accounts every day. You can find my writing platforms in my pinned post.
I'm fine with gifts for any of my OCs; my master list as well as the link to my Pinterest and Spotify are in my pinned post.
Please remember that in order for me to post my gifts for you, I need to know you have given me a gift first. I donât want to sound greedy in any form; I have just had issues with this before. I do want to make everyone who hands in a form a gift, and it hurts when I canât. If you submitted and canât make gifts for any reason that comes up, itâs totally fine; I will most likely do another exchange in no time.
FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, FEEL FREE TO SEND ME A MESSAGE, AND I WILL TRY TO CLEAR EVERYTHING UP!
THROW YOUR NAME IN THE BASKET HERE; THE EASTER BUNNY TAKES REQUEST AT THIS ADRESS; HERE IS WHERE THE EASTER BUNNY PREPARES TO HIDE GIFTS
The time of year where people in love give each other supermarket flowers and single people don't give a damn has come once again: Valentine's Day. Or, as I like to refer to it, Palentine's Day. I did an exchange last year and since people seemed to like it, here we go again. I thank you all for your continued trust in me and your lovely gifts. I hope we can have fun and contribute to each other this holiday once more. Mwah!
The Rules and regulations are simple, but they exist nonetheless, so here they are:
The exchange, for now, is open until February 16th. May extend it if people are interested.
You may make 1-2 requests but I will probably reblog it, saying you can ask for more if I'm still bored.
Please reblog this post to spread some awareness, please. You can like for remembrance but just a like doesn't count (you already know this; I know my 5 regulars who come here every time)!
As aforementioned, this is open to my regular drunks and new patrons alike, so please do not be shy. Think of me as I think of birds; I am more scared of you than you are of me.
Fill out the form linked below and find the password in the form!
Please only send me face claims with good quality and plenty of material to use. Also, no cartoon characters. Video game characters are all right if it's motion capture. I'm not trying to discriminate; it can just be really tough for me to find material for cartoons, anime, video games, etc. as I edit by making little video clips first and so on. However, if you slide in my DMs, we might be able to discuss some stuff.
Please, please, please fill out all the columns I need and choose at least two gift options. It makes it infinitely easier for me to make something for you. Just remember I can't read minds and it's worse when I can't find anything in your blogs.
Remember the pleases and thank you's, pleases and thank you's make my heart grow fond.
I don't do Harry Potter OCs or Stranger Things OCs and while I don't have a specific list of FCs I don't use, I ask that you do not request anything for overtly problematic actors. Thank you!
I accept pretty much any gift in return: gif edits, moodboards, playlists, story reviews, drawings/artâanything is fine. If it's a story review, please let me know in the form so I know you did, as I don't check my accounts every day.
I'm fine with gifts for any of my OCs; my master list as well as the link to my Pinterest and Spotify are in my pinned post.
FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, FEEL FREE TO SEND ME A MESSAGE AND I WILL TRY TO CLEAR EVERYTHING UP!
HERE IS THE LOVE FORM; THE LOVE FORM IS HERE; THE FORM FOR LOVE IS LOCATED IN THIS PLACE
Another? lol Tyler Raith for the 100 oc questions ask!! #2, 12, 31, 48, 85 and 90 ^_^
tyler is my current hyperfixation, or her fic is. i've just written a piece of her backstory to better understand her so thank you for asking about her!! (sorry in advance for the rambling)
2: do you think you would get along with your oc if you could meet them? what things would you talk about?
tyler would be my bestie. she was originally a self-insert, like fifteen years ago, so a lot of me was in her original character. she has since grown into her own person, and she's a very open person. we would be able to talk about everything from our favorite music to past traumas. so yes, we would absolutely get along.
12: how well would your oc handle being placed in a leadership position?
recently, she has been put into a leadership position and the woman is stressed. she's handling it like a champ though. she's a caretaker foremost but she's also very stubborn, so she gets things done.
31: what inspired the creation of your oc? any specific things, a general aesthetic or idea, or something completely random?
the first version of this character was created in 2009. the original inspiration was just a character that could do something the world said she couldn't. (i was a teenager, can you tell?) the current version was inspired by optimism. i started recreating her in 2020, the world was falling apart it seemed and my depression was at an all-time low, and i needed a character that could overcome.
48: what are your ocâs nervous tics? are they aware of them? do they attempt to hide them?
she has a bad habit of biting the insides of her cheeks and her lips. she has, for lack of a better term, a kind of healing factor so she's not always aware that she's doing it. she does know it's a habit of hers though. she also gets energized when she's nervous, so she'll tap things because she can't stay still.
85: what would history remember your oc for? how would they become famous? or are they the sort that would really only be appreciated long after their death?
in tyler's world, the government is ruled by a military council. laws are absolute. so when a law was created to control entertainment, music included, that should have been it. all music is government controlled. (this is a world without streaming or easy access. physical music records are sold for a set amount of time then that's it. no more access.) tyler is the one that gets a tour for musicians that have been legally banned from performing, that gets new records released that should not be legally allowed. she's remembered for creating the tour, but she's also remembered for challenging their world's strict and almost totalitarian government.
90: does your oc have any objects they could never give up? why is it so important to them? do they have any family heirlooms?
her sentry tags, and her father's military tag.
in tyler's world, there are only seven cities and nine towns that are basically the size of some states in america on a continent that's roughly the size of russia. all cities and towns are surrounded by walls, leaving a massive amount of land left open. people do live outside of the walls and outside of government control in these open spaces, and they're termed as "raiders" in the fic. they raid towns, destroy them and take resources, because town walls are not as strong as city walls. so for a person living in a town, becoming a sentry is one of the highest paying and most important jobs. sentries patrol the walls and are the first line of defense against raiders. like with the military, sentries have necklaces with tags. tyler is a sentry in her town. even though she has moved to a city and is not active duty, she will always be a sentry. she would never give up her sentry tags.
her family doesn't really have any heirlooms. her father did serve in the military, he was killed in action, and his military tags were sent to his widow. her mother wears the silver necklace with a single tag, and tyler has the second silver tag on a silver necklace. she rarely wears it, sentry tags are black on a black chain, but her father's tag is precious to her.
Bex Barba for the 100 oc questions ask! #1, 36, 43, 78 annndd 85
my bex! my crazy assassin girl. i don't get to talk about her enough and she's one of my oldest ocs so thank you!!
1: what common traits do you share with your oc? what about them is the least like you?
i think most of my characters have little pieces of me in them, but bex was a challenge because i wanted to create a psychopath. i can't really think of any shared traits because bex is extreme, but she does occasionally have this kind of everything-is-gonna-be-okay attitude even when things obviously aren't at the time. that is something i try to do. least like me would be her murderous gleeful rage.
36: what is your ocâs fight or flight response like? what sorts of things provoke it the most?
bex is all fight. flight does not cross her mind, isn't an option. being touched without permission is the first thing that will set her off, she calls it a pet peeve, and being disrespected. woman is always ready to fight honestly.
43: how important are the rules to your oc? do they follow them to a t, or do they enjoy breaking them?
bex doesn't really believe in rules. she'll sometimes try to set rules for herself, but she's a bit unstable so she'll even break her own rules. if we're talking about laws or rules of society? she has her fun breaking those.
78: how socially skilled is your oc? are they good at understanding social cues? how charismatic are they?
it really depends on her mood, or current mental state. at times, she can be very observant and pick up on social cues easily. she can also be very charming. if a person gets too close, they can usually tell something is a little off about her even when she's in one of her better moods. other times, she can't pick up on social cues and can't understand why people act the way they do.
85: what would history remember your oc for? how would they become famous? or are they the sort that would really only be appreciated long after their death?
i'd say bex is more infamous, within gotham and the assassin underworld. at the beginning of the fic, she's known for taking out an extended mob family. (not just those actively in the mob either. she showed no mercy, to anyone, and didn't care about collateral damage.) among other gotham villains, she's famous for being the other half of the equally insane and terrifying victor zsasz.
(i swear, this fic has fluff and wholesome moments)
Uh. I got bored again and made another ask game! Pick an oc, or Iâll pick randomly. This one has 100 questions so you can nice and neatly use a d100 to choose what numbers to send in, if you want~
And since writeblr is a community, I would truly appreciate it if you sent an ask to whoever youâre reblogging this from! (Even if you donât know them very wellâitâs really the polite thing to do.)
1. What common traits do you share with your oc? What about them is the least like you?
2. Do you think you would get along with your oc if you could meet them? What things would you talk about?
3. How competent would your oc be in a survival situation? Would they be better off on their own or in a group?
4. Is your oc a daredevil, or more of a scaredy cat? What is the most daring thing theyâve done in their life?
5. What is your ocâs patience like? When waiting for something, are they able to sit still or do they fidget? How do they fidget?
6. How much thought does your oc put into what they wear/look like? Any reason why?
7. Does your oc collect anything? What about of knowledge or facts? How big is their collection?
8. What kind of flavours does your oc like? How much spice can they handle?
9. How easily does your oc trust others? Any particular reason why? How trustworthy are they themselves?
10. What are some of your ocâs pet peeves? How do they handle it when the annoyance doesnât stop?
11. Does your oc have a good sense of direction? Do they get lost easily?
12. How well would your oc handle being placed in a leadership position?
13. What is your ocâs confidence like? Are they self-confident to the point of being arrogant? Are they terribly self-deprecating?
14. What is your ocâs speech like? How loud are they usually? Do they have an accent or a stutter?
15. What is your ocâs memory like? Do they remember certain things better than others? Do they have any strategies to better remember things?
16. How affectionate is your oc? How do they convey their affection? By being touchy, or through more subtle ways?
17. How polite is your oc? Do they know how to act in a formal situation? How would they *actually* act in a formal situation?
18. How physically strong is your oc? Is their agility or endurance better?
19. What is your ocâs creative skillset? Music, drawing, writing, dancing, etc.? Or are they lacking creativity entirely?
20. Does your oc have any favourite games to pass the time? What other hobbies do they have?
21. Is your oc expressive, or would they rather conceal their emotions? What are their typical expressions like?
22. How easily does your oc fare in the sun? Do they tan or burn easily? Are they completely unaffected?
23. How graceful is your oc? Are they elegant in their movements, or more clumsy?
24. Is your oc a romantic, or are they grossed out by the simple mention of anything romantic?
25. How stubborn is your oc? Are they open to considering different options or opinions, or are they more closed off?
26. How does your oc sleep? Do they move around a lot? What position does your oc normally sleep in? What are their typical bedding arrangements like?
27. What is your ocâs sleep schedule like? Are they a night owl, an early morning riser, or do they get any sleep at all?
28. How organized is your oc? How important is organization to your oc?
29. If a perfume was to be made to represent your oc, what sorts of smells would be included in it?
30. How caring/empathetic is your oc? Are they the type to immediately adopt and protect others, or are they a true sadist?
31. What inspired the creation of your oc? Any specific things, a general aesthetic or idea, or something completely random?
32. How judgemental is your oc? Do they keep an open mind about people, or are they the type to judge a book by its cover?
33. What five objects or things could be expected to be found on your ocâs person at any time? Why?
34. Does your oc have a pet? If they could have another one or if they were to get one, what would it be? How well could they care for it?
35. Does your oc have any distinguishing markings? Scars, tattoos, birthmarks, freckles, etc?
36. What is your ocâs fight or flight response like? What sorts of things provoke it the most?
37. How does your oc handle heavy stress? Do they have any specific coping mechanisms? Are they healthy or not?
38. What does your oc do to relax? Any specific activities? Why?
39. Does your oc have any nicknames? What are the origins of them? If they donât, can you come up with some possible ones?
40. What languages does your oc know? Are there any they want to learn but havenât had the chance to? How good are they at picking up new ones?
41. What was the worst injury your oc ever suffered? Has it had any long lasting impact on them?
42. Is your oc an optimist or a pessimist? Any particular reason why?
43. How important are the rules to your oc? Do they follow them to a t, or do they enjoy breaking them?
44. How violent is your oc? Or are they more a pacifist? To what lengths will they go to start/avoid a conflict?
45. How is your oc around animals? What about children?
46. Does your oc lie a lot, or is the truth very important to them? What is their reaction to other people lying to them?
47. How much of a prankster is your oc? Are their pranks truly evil, or more harmless, positive ones?
48. What are your ocâs nervous tics? Are they aware of them? Do they attempt to hide them?
49. What would be the perfect gift for your oc? What would be their reaction to receiving it?
50. How attentive is your oc? How perceptive are they? How easily do they get distracted?
51. If your oc was to receive an award for something, what would it most likely be for? Have they received any awards in the past?
52. In what ways does your oc cope with anger? How easily angered are they? Do they lash out?
53. If your oc was to host a podcast or TV show, what would it be about? Would your oc actually be good at it? What sorts of guests would appear?
54. How would you describe your ocâs voice to sound like? Do you have any voice claims for them?
55. How sensitive to loud sound is your oc? Do they prefer constant high background noise, low background noise, or complete silence?
56. What is your ocâs favourite colour? If you had to choose one colour to represent your oc, what would it be and why?
57. How good is your ocâs sight? Do they wear glasses? Do they need glasses? Do they have some form of night vision?
58. How would you describe your ocâs appearance to someone whoâs looking for them? What features would be most identifiable?
59. How good at cooking is your oc? What can they cook/what is their favourite thing to cook?
60. How good is your oc at keeping track of time? Are they always late, always early, or always right on time?
61. Is your oc more quick-thinking, or do they take longer to figure things out?
62. How quick is your oc? Do they have faster or slower reflexes? What things are they quickest at?
63. How self-disciplined is your oc? Do they often think before they act, or the other way around?
64. Which of the seven deadly sins does your oc fall under most? What about the seven heavenly virtues?
65. If you were to give your oc a new superpower, what would you choose and why? If *they* were to be able to choose, what would it be and why?
66. What sort of advice would people go to your oc for? What sort of advice is your oc actually good at giving?
67. How many people does your oc prefer to be around? A crowd, a few friends, or all on their own?
68. What sorts of things would cheer your oc up when theyâre down? Is your oc sad often, or is it more rare?
69. How energetic is your oc? Are they constantly tired, or constantly bouncing off the walls?
70. What about your ocâs lifestyle would they change if they had the ability? Why?
71. What is your ocâs go-to for offense? What weapon, what style of fighting? Or are words more their weapon of choice?
72. What is your ocâs ideal environment like? Urban or natural? Fancy or rustic? Whatâs the weather like?
73. If your oc were to be arrested, what would it most likely be for? Is it justified? Have they actually been arrested before?
74. How would your oc act when drunk? What about when really, really tired?
75. What would your ocâs dream home be like? How big would it be? What sorts of rooms would be in it? Where would it be located?
76. What is/was your ocâs relationship with their family like? Was it happy, tense, or abusive? What living family does your oc currently have, if any?
77. Does your oc like to wear any particular accessories? Hats, jewelry, scarves, etc.?
78. How socially skilled is your oc? Are they good at understanding social cues? How charismatic are they?
79. For what reason would your oc turn into a villain? And if theyâre already a villain, vice-versa?
80. What is your ocâs handwriting like? How easy to read is it? Can they write/read cursive?
81. How good is your oc at drawing? What is their preferred art medium, and what is their artstyle like?
82. What would be your ocâs ultimate dream vacation? Where would they go? Who would they take with them? What would they do?
83. What is your ocâs favourite trait about themselves? What about their least liked? What would others like and dislike the most about your oc?
84. Is your oc more masculine, feminine, androgynous, or something else entirely?
85. What would history remember your oc for? How would they become famous? Or are they the sort that would really only be appreciated long after their death?
86. What would someone assume about your oc based on their appearance? Would those assumptions be correct?
87. What are some of your ocâs physical weak spots? What about emotional/moral ones?
88. Does your oc hold grudges? For how long? Does your oc have any rivals?
89. What does your ocâs laugh sound like? How often do they laugh? Are they easily amused?
90. Does your oc have any objects they could never give up? Why is it so important to them? Do they have any family heirlooms?
91. What is your ocâs typical posture like? Do they slouch, or stand straight? How much space do they usually take up, both physically and figuratively?
92. What trait does your oc appreciate or admire the most in others? Why?
93. What is your ocâs preferred learning style? Observation, hands-on, instruction? Do they take notes or memorize?
94. Does your oc rely more on a logical or emotional mindset? What situations would this be the opposite?
95. How is your oc about keeping someone elseâs secret? Are they the gossiping type, are do they hold true on their promise to keep things quiet?
96. Describe your oc in three words. What three words would they use to describe themselves?
97. How old is your oc physically? How old are they in mental maturity? When are they most mature, and when are they the least?
98. Is your oc the type to have a lot of fairly good friends, have a small group of close friends, have one or two best friends, or have no friends at all? Who are they closest to?
99. What is your ocâs morning routine usually like? What do they eat for breakfast (if they have breakfast)? What time do they usually get up in the morning?
100. Does your character ever swear? How often? How vulgar is their swearing?
Summary: The past year has been going well for Amelia Fletcher. Her family is blossoming, and Rebel Columbia is becoming part of a new team of heroes. But then strange things start to occur that has Mia questioning everything. Are the threats real, or just in her head? Old friends and enemies alike will come together in the only way they can. Explosively. (Sequel to Bitter Protocol.)
Rating: Explicit
Pairing: Mikey x OC, Hanma x OC, Ran x OC, Mikey x OC x Draken
Fandom: Tokyo Revengers
Warnings: swearing, violence, threats of violence, murder, smoking, sex, consensual sex between teenagers, alcohol, recreational drug use, mention of trafficking, torture, family neglect, mentions of sexual violence. isekai OC. memory loss. unbetaâd **warnings are not exhaustive**
Summary: No one seems to realize she doesnât belong until she finally runs into her ânewâ brother, Hanagaki Takemichi. Now, hearing his story, Takara makes the choice to help him and hopefully find her way home, but faking it til you make it only lasts so long when you start losing the memories of the life you had before. As Takemichi becomes the only family sheâs ever known, how far will she go to protect him?
notes: Well, we've made it past the halfway point of this fic. That means it's all downhill from here...or is it? I hope you've been enjoying it so far. I have. I love reading your comments and theories. Please keep sharing them. Thank you.
As always, expect spoilers for the manga from here on out.
also on ao3
fic masterlist - prev chapter
Mikey doesnât tell her why he wants to meet. He just tells her to get ready and meet him outside. Heâs alone when she comes out, motioning for her to get on his bike and offering her his helmet. She accepts it, buckling it on before she wraps her arms around him. He takes off.
Takara turns her head, actually watching the way the world blurs around them as he speeds. It feels so simple on the back of a bike. Thereâs nothing more pressing than trusting the driver to take her where she needs to go, to make the right decisions. Takara can close her eyes if she wants to and let go. Itâs better than smoking.
Mikey finally stops and Takara recognizes the area as one heâs taken her to before. The small taiyaki shop is open and she can smell the pastry and sweet sugar mixing with the scent of the ocean. Mikey gets off first before helping her down and he leads her to the wall that borders the water. He lifts her up without asking, setting her down to sit on the top of it before joining her. Thereâs no taiyaki this time, just the two of them and the sound of the waves.
Takara pulls her knees up to her chest and watches the water. Did she ever see the ocean before she came here? She canât remember anymore.
âTakemichi told me everything,â Mikey says, drawing her out of her thoughts.
âAbout the future?â
âAbout you.â
âOh, right.â Takara sighs and looks over at him, resting her cheek against her knee. âHe mentioned he let it out by accident.â
âHm,â Mikey nods. âWhy do you protect him?â
âWhat?â she frowns and sits up, crossing her legs to face him better. âWhat do you mean?â
âHe said you woke up one day as his sister. If you know youâre not actually his sister, why do you protect him? Why hunt down anyone who stood in your way to save him?â
âWhy not?â Takara snaps, insulted by the question. âEven if we didnât start as siblings, we are. Blood doesnât mean shit if you donât want it to. BesidesâŚâ she looks back at the water. âItâs not that simple.â
âExplain.â
Sheâs tempted to pull out a cigarette again, anything to ease the nervousness that burns in her. âTakemichi doesnât know this,â she says softly. âYou canât tell him.â She looks at Mikey, trying to stress the necessity of it. âI havenâtâŚwhen I first arrived here, I had memories of this life, of growing up here with Takemichi, but it was faded. Like an old movie that you barely remember when you saw as a kid. I couldnât make everything out, but I knew that it was there, that I had seen it. That I had lived itâŚeven if I havenât. But nowâŚitâs switched. The life I led before I woke up here, before I was Takara, isâŚmissing. There are things I donât remember.â She takes a deep breath, trying to shove down the emotions rising up. âIâm losing who I was. The life of being Takemichiâs sister is becoming clearer and I canâtâŚI canât even remember my brothersâ names or what my parents looked like...I justâŚI only have Takemichi now.â
âYou have us.â
She snorts. âItâs not the same. Heâs the only one who remembers what it was like before I showed up, when he was an only child. I donât belong here, Mikey, but I canâtâI know I canât return. So Iâm stuck. Iâm stuck living a life I didnât ask for, with a brother whoâs going toâŚto leave me here with a version of himself who isnât him and all I can do is try to make sure he makes it to the future, that I protect who heâs going to be. I owe him that.â
âYou donât owe him anything,â Mikey says. âYou didnât ask for this, did you?â He waits until she shakes her head. âYouâre not alone and youâre not stuck. I told you before, Kara-chan, youâre ours.â
âItâs not that simple.â
âIt is. Besides, Takemitchy isnât the only one who knows now.â
She inhales sharply because that was true. âYou disbanded Toman.â
âYes.â
âWhy?â
âBecause I wonât be the cause of their deaths. I made a promise to protect my friends. I will.â
Itâs only because itâs Mikey that she says this because she knows that someone who has played the game long enough knows how the system works. âAnother gangâs going to take Tomanâs place.â
Heâs silent for a long moment. âYes.â
Takara nods, more to herself than anything. âHow are you going to protect them from that? Whoâs going to stop them from going after the former Toman members? Youâre the reigning champions. Someoneâs going to want a shot at defeating you, even if youâre not playing.â
âI will be.â
It takes her a second to realize what heâs saying. â...you disbanded Toman.â She watches him nod. âBut youâre still playing?â
Mikey looks away from her. âIf I want to protect them, to make sure they all get the future that they deserveâŚthen I have to control it.â
It makes sense. It makes perfect sense but itâs such an act of fucking sacrifice that Takara wants to shove him into the ocean for. Even if sheâs planning on doing the same thing. âYou think theyâll let you?â
âThey wonât have a choice.â He says it with conviction and sheâs not sure if either of them means his friends or the potential opponents that await in his future.
âAnd if they want to join you?â
Mikey doesnât answer.
Takara thinks about what sheâd do. If anyone tried to stop her from winning something this serious, sheâd cut them downâŚor out of her life. âLet me help.â
âNo.â
Takara turns her entire body to face him. âI am going to be involved. Unless you kill me, I will find my way into whatever gang you lead because I need to know Takemichi will be safe. It wonât be enough to just trust you, Mikey. I will dig my way in one way or another.â
âKara-â
She cuts him off. âNo. You told me that youâd kill anyone who hurts me, Mikey. You said you would have helped me track down every member of Toman who betrayed you and kept me from helping my brother. That still stands. So let me fucking help you. If you help me protect Takemichi and keep him alive and safe, Iâll stand at your side. We can protect everyone better together.â
His eyes feel like theyâre burning into her. âYouâll stay?â
âGod himself couldnât keep me from leavingâŚas long as Takemichi is safe.â She holds out her hand to shake. âI can be your vice-captain or the ace up your sleeve as everyone underestimates me. I swear, Mikey. In return for my brotherâs life and happiness, Iâll stay with you.â She gives a small sardonic smile as she huffs. âBesides, where else am I gonna go?â
âWeâll have to cut them all out. You wonât be able to have the relationships you have now.â
âI know,â she nods. âI donât care. Iâll give you everything in return. Just let me help you protect him. I need to know heâs safe. That heâll be safe. Nothing else matters. Not even being alone.â
Mikey takes her hand. His grip is firm and warm. âYouâre not alone.â
âNeither are you,â she says softly. She tightens her grip and nods. Takara waits for him to let go first, but he doesnât. Mikey adjusts them so that theyâre more holding hands instead of shaking them. âSo,â Takara asks. âWhatâs the plan?â
đź
Mikey doesnât plan on starting to distance himself from his friends until after Takemichi goes back to the future. So he canât stop him. The letter heâs planning on leaving in the time capsule is something hopeful for his friends because if the plan works, then neither of them will really be in contact with the others in twelve years.
The Takemichi of the future is only the way he is because he lived without her. He never had an older sister. Her alienation wonât have a big impact. Not until he comes back from this past and expects to see her. That gives her twelve years to work with.
Since it is their last week with his friends and with the Takemichi she knows is her brother, Takara is going to make it a good one. Everyone is surprised when she reaches out, but when she gives the excuse of promising to teach Mitsuyaâs sisters and celebrate the end of a school year, they agree.
They donât rent out an entire rink, but they do take over one. Takara has to teach most of them how to tie their skates properly and she holds Luna and Manaâs hands to help them stand while the others work themselves out.
Takara takes the time to kneel to be on the girlsâ level. âAlright, itâs going to be a little scary, but itâs okay. Youâre wearing padding to protect you and weâll start slow.â The others she leaves to fend for themselves. Some, like Hina, listen to the lessons she gives the young girls. Takemichi can barely stand and watching him struggle and whine about it as he clings to the sideboard is enough to make Takara bend over laughing hysterically.
Mikey and Yuzuha donât need any help. The two of them take to skating easily and Takara is pretty sure it's a translation of their skill in fighting. Though that didnât explain the others. Mitsuya is steady but not confident. Hakkai seems to think he is going to fall and he does. Multiple times. It does not help when Yuzuha pushes him, just because she can.
Takara pulls Luna and Mana, skating backwards so she can keep an eye on them as she teaches them how to move and catch their balance. They should be in gymnastics with how young they are to help them because being able to move with fluidity can only serve them well, but Takara is well aware that not everyone can be able to afford things like that. So sheâll help as she can.
When the girls need a break, racing on their own to get back to their brother who praises them for their hard work and skill, Takara finally moves like she was born on wheels. Itâs not the same as ice, but itâs pretty close. She speeds around people before showing the others different skating turns and spins that can be done. She leans back, trailing her fingers against the floor as she balances herself carefully backwards. She pulls herself up by her core and thigh muscles before making the choice to really stun them. She does a back handspring, landing on her wheels. She can hear the shocked exclamations of her friends before she skates forward and does a makeshift running front flip. Itâs years of practice that keep her on her feet even as her skates skid out a bit on the landing. It gets her a round of applause from anyone who saw. She laughs and waves it off, thanking them.
She heads back to her friends, but before they can ask questions about how she learned it all, she does something that she knows might help part of the first stage of their plan. She smacks Mikey on the shoulder and says, âTag! Catch me if you can!â and takes off.
He knows what sheâs doing. She knows he does. That doesnât stop him from chasing though. The game between them devolves quickly. Takara is laughing. Mikey is faster than her simply because of the force he can use in his legs to push him forward, but Takara has more experience and skill. When Mikey moves behind one of the bars set to help people who need it, she slides under it to tag him. As he chases after her, she yanks Takemichi in front where heâs clutching the sideboard and throws him in Mikeyâs way.
Their friends cheer them on and the game finally ends in a draw as the two of them get kicked out. Takara laughs as she drags Mikey back to the group. The others have already relinquished and returned their skates and argue over where theyâre going to eat. As the two of them catch up, Mikey squeezes her hand as she leads him to the bench to take off the skates. Itâs a silent thanks. Takara just nods. She knows what he means. This is a memory that going to be burned into them, a reminder of why theyâre going to take over the shadows to keep their friends in the light.
đź
The time capsule happens without her. Sheâs not a part of that and doesnât plan to be. Instead, Takara takes the time to strategize. She doesnât actually know that much about gangs or territory or the route of power, but sheâs good at thinking on her feet and she knows people. The more information she has, the more she can plan. Sheâs better at strategizing against other teams and utilizing the skills of her own to their best ability. Mikeyâs skill is strength and charisma. Takaraâs skill is being still underestimated and her speed and mind.
If she had woken up as Kisakiâs sister instead of Takemichiâs, the world would have trembled.
With the gaps in her knowledge and the free time she has with it being a makeshift summer vacation, Takara does the only thing she can. She researches. She doesnât ask any of Takemichiâs friends for information, though sheâs tempted at the very least to ask Yamagishi for his information because she knows heâs good for it from what sheâs heard from her brother. She canât let anything get back to Takemichi though, so she focuses on reading the newsâŚand asking Yuzuha.
âYouâre going to do something stupid again, arenât you?â
âMaybe,â Takara agrees. âI donât think so though. I think if I get this right, itâs going to pay off exponentially.â
âTomanâs disbanded. You still going with your plan to sleep your way up?â
She laughs and grins at her friend. Itâs not meant in insult. Takara leans forward, resting her chin on her hand as she braces her elbow on the table. âI think that with Toman gone, thereâs a power vacuum. I need to know whoâs going to fill it.â
âAnd dig your way to the top?â Yuzuha asks. She doesnât sound judgemental. It sounds completely honest and questioning. Takara loves that about her.
âIf I had my way, Iâd be at the top. That way I could keep Takemichi safe completely.â
âNot if someone used him against you.â
âIâll kill anyone who tries.â
Yuzuha stares at her for a long minute. âOkay,â she finally nods. âI used to be a runner for Taiju and the Black Dragons. I would collect the money they made off of their security gigs. I have a lot of contacts with people who buy shit from people like him. Iâll ask around and if I hear anything, Iâll let you know.â
âYou donât have to-â
âI know,â Yuzuha cuts her off. âBut I have a feeling that you wonât just be keeping Takemichi safe. Youâll be protecting everyone in Toman who gets out. That means Hakkai too. If you help me keep him out of this shit and safe, Iâll help you.â
âQuid pro quo,â Takara muses. âAlright.â Takara nods and holds out her hand. âYou can be my ace in the hole and I promise to the best of my abilities, Iâll keep our brothers safe.â
Yuzuha takes her hand and shakes it. âDeal. Now, thereâs a lot you need to knowâŚâ
đź
tag list: @raith-way @zeleniafic @veetlegeuse @chickensarentcheap @residentdormouse
Rules: Post the last line you wrote and tag someone for every word in the line.
Tagged by: @raith-way and @darknightfrombeyond (thank you)
Tagging: Anyone who wants to share some of their work. (I'm late responding and I'm actually posting the last two lines since I was tagged twice).
Lines from Imperfectly Bound Part 2:
Needing more light, Gwen focused on the light bulb above them and magically increased its brightness. Now able to make out more than shadows, the three gasped as they took in the sight of two large cuts slashed across Elenaâs back.Â
You: If we're gonna date, you may have to defeat my seven fictional exes.
Them: ...seven fictional exes?
You: Yeah
Them: ...fictional. Is that seriously a thing?
You: you can say no.
Them: What do I have to do? Tear up a book? *laughs* Okay!
You: Don't say I didn't warn you...
so the question is...who are your seven fictional exes?
