hydrangea for maji, carnation for aki, aster for kir, sage for dai? ♡
This one got long XD the other 3 are under the cut c:
Hydrangea– What’s something about you only s/i understands? What do only you understand about s/i?
Majima is settled on the middle seat of the overstuffed couch, arms stretched across the back. Kimi is flopped to his side, head resting on the arm, and legs across his lap.
He grins, about to answer, before sputtering indignantly as her bare toes press into his cheek, cutting off whatever he was going to say.
"Liar."
"Ya didn' let me say anything!"
She grins at his indignation, "Didn't have to, I know you. Whatever you were gonna say was gonna be complete bull so you could avoid anything resembling real vulnerability."
He glares flatly down at her, but her grin never wavers.
Her face softens as she begins to answer on his behalf, "we both share this sort of… We have what most people would consider odd feelings, about our respective appearances."
He winces, "Do ya have ta go there?"
"Shush. Anyway. Neither of us is exactly… happy. With our appearance. Or at least parts of it. We have things we do like, and are proud of, though that can fluctuate. But there is plenty we don't like as well. To put it gently. And yet, we're both very appearance driven people."
She shifts, turning to settle into his side, "Its kind of hard to explain? Or maybe that's just me? But we both like to put in a lot of effort, even knowing that because of how we feel, we'll probably end up let down. I don't think a lot of people quite get that... That we're not being vain, but trying to mask, to hide, the things we can't stand," she glances up at Majima, "Or put them out on display as a weird sort of act of rebellion."
She glances up at Majima, who is pointedly looking across the room.
Stifling a giggle, she shares in a conspiratorial whisper, “He doesn’t really do vulnerability.”
He gives an indignant “Oi!” and she cackles as he playfully shoves her into the floor.
Carnation– What’s something about s/i that fascinates you?
Akiyama gives a wry grin, "this girl's sleep patterns are absolutely insane. I'm not the best at keeping a regular schedule either, but she puts me to shame. I have no clue how she functions."
(A faint shout of "I don't" can be heard in the distance)
Aster– What would you consider a symbol of your relationship with s/i?
Kiryu blinks, his brow furrowing. His eyes quickly dart down to the simple band on his finger, then back up.
K snorts, leaning over the back of his chair, "Yeah the rings are a literal symbol. I think they want something more well… symbolic? Maybe." She shrugs.
He closes his eyes, that contemplative-concentration look he gets when he tries to remember something settling over his features.
K jolts slightly as Kiryu's eyes suddenly pop back open, and he gives a small self satisfied smile.
It takes him just a moment to dig into a pocket before presenting a battered old key chain, with a single key on it, "It's the key to the house we share," he clarifies, "but-"
"You still have that old thing!?" She cuts him off, then turns sheepish, "ah, sorry."
He snorts lightly, rolling his eyes, "Of course I still have it. You gave it to me. I still don't really get it."
"Oh," a soft flush on her face, "Well is a monkey, like you. Your Chinese zodiac I mean. Earth monkey specifically, so it was too perfect to pass up."
He eyes the dangling gift, a cutesy monkey face, with a little dark green stone dangling from its own loop of the same chain.
"Did you really never…" she trails off.
"No."
"You must have been so confused," the start of a giggle in her voice.
It was his turn to ignore an embarrassed blush, "You gave it to me," he repeated, "It didn't matter what it was supposed to mean."
Sage– If you and s/i could live together, forever as immortals, would you do it? Why or why not?
Daigo tilts his head, gaze distant and thoughtful, "I know this is something she thinks about. It's a nice thought, in theory. Spending eternity together. As a fantasy, But in reality? I'm not sure she likes the idea if it's grounded in reality. All of eternity, here? Even together, we," he sighs, his whole demeanor shifting to something melancholic, "We're both tired. But I look forward to the years we do have."
The younger Kiryu child, and number six in the poly-verses. Was the youngest until the twins oops-ed their way into existence.
Quiet and gentle, both in nature and need. Tamae is rather shy, soft spoken, and often seemingly fragile. Her delicacy belies a fiercely loving, generous nature and surety in her beliefs. She is fierce in her stances and refuses to bend.
She's the sort to give until there is nothing left, and keep giving even then. Unfortunately she inherited her father's self sacrificing streak, and her mother does her best to teach her to temper that, and take care of herself as well.
Gets into more fights than any of her siblings, and rarely loses. If anyone were going to inherit her father's "Dragon of Dojima" title, it would be her. She's a tiny wisp of a girl, but fierce and very technically talented. She isn't afraid to use her environment to her advantage, and her opponents strength and personalities against them.
She has taken classes but still could not cook if her life depended on it. Despite her best efforts the cooking/cleaning aspects of domestic life are beyond her.
December 12th, 11:11am, birthday
An emotional upheaval results in early labor, 32 weeks. In Kiryu-exclusive timelines, this is Kiryu's choices at the end of Y6. In poly timelines, I haven't fully decided on the cause.
Wild curls, and wide eyes. She barely beats out her mother, at five foot flat, and might break 110lbs during the holidays. She's very slight in build, and often compared to a bird.
She goes into nursing with a focus on pediatrics. She has a soft spot for children and enjoys taking care of people.
Trauma for Flavor : Tamae was born a preemie and has had to handle various assorted side effects. She's otherwise been largely untraumatized. In poly timelines her birth is moved forward by several years, making her a 'quarantine baby' which may have some effect on her in the future.
Seemingly inherited his father’s stoicism, but he’s mostly just awkward. He can see cold or distant but his internal dialogue is just. Panic.
He places a lot of responsibility upon himself and is very defensive/protective of “his” people. He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders that isn't his to bear. A bad habit he picked up from his parents. (As much as Kimi would like to blame that on Kiryu, she's just as bad in her own ways)
A healthy dose of caution means that while he isn’t afraid to act, he definitely thinks things through. He's not quite as brash or reactive as either of his parents. Tending towards a more careful, thoughtful approach.
Despite awkwardness and anxiety, he excels in debate. He loves a good argument, and knows how present his side in a way that is very convincing. Probably could have been a politician.
Abysmal with children, he tries, but everything seems to go wrong. He's all but banned from babysitting.
September 2nd, 5:12pm, birthday
A relatively standard pregnancy. Not quite as easy as Kichi but the 'bumps' were minor. Did give Kimi cravings for natto which she deeply resented.
Ultimately goes on to become a lawyer, specifically corporate and property law. He does human rights work pro bono on the side.
Trauma for Flavor : He was kidnapped, at age 8. He was recovered fine, if a bit scuffed and bruised. Honestly Kiryu is probably used to having his kids kidnapped by the time it happens. Kimi is not. It doesn't go over well. In poly-verses this trauma is shared with Mio, who was grabbed at the same time.
The boys are often accused of being jealous. They aren't. They are, however, quite territorial, and don’t share well with outsiders. The difference being they have no fear whatsoever of losing me.
I am, on the other hand, quite jealous, and get pouty about it. I try my best not to let it get out of hand.
(I never doubt their adoration of me, but I'm so full of self loathing, it can be hard to accept that “something better” won’t come along. How quickly they’ll drop most things as soon as I want attention helps)
While Kiryu can seem quite reserved and often stoic depending on location and context, casual PDA is common for both of them. They’re almost always touching in some way when out together.
Got mad playing the UFO game. Came up with a idea for a dumb substory/drabble I'll prolly never write.
Kimi takes Haruka out for a 'girls day' and they end up at the arcade. Things go poorly with the crane game and Kimi, in a fit of stupidity temper, ends up inside the machine.
Haruka, calls Uncle Kaz to inform him Kimi is "trapped" and "needs help" but is unfortunately pretty much that vague.
He of course shows up to save the day only to discover that no one is in any danger, they're just dumb.
Anyway between the three they come up with this elaborate plot to distract the workers so that Kimi can slip back out of the machine without anyone getting banned.
There is probably a "progress bar" and that thing where you have to pay attention to what direction everyone is pointing (what is that mechanic called??).
Anyway, moral of the story is, I suck at crane/UFO games XD
Forget-me-not for Kiryu? 👀 (Lol I couldn’t help but notice one of ur f/os shares a given name with mine)
I noticed that too! Kaz solidarity? Lol (I wonder if it's the same kanji too, I'll have to look sometime)
(update note, while working on this, I got distracted and looked it up, they do not. They share the “一/kazu” character meaning “ lone” but Kiryu’s second character is “馬/ma” for horse while Asougi’s is “真/ma” for truth. Neat!)
Forget-me-not– Share a cherished memory you have about s/i
Looking at him, one might think Kiryu didn't particularly like the question. His expression was on the severe side of stoic, and his brow furrowed.
"His face is just like that", she chimes in from the background, "don't worry too much about it."
His eyes narrow further, but his lips twitch just slightly, refusing to commit to smiling at her teasing.
With a deep (long suffering) sigh, the planes of his face relax and his shoulders drop.
"Once, she said to me 'is it terrible a part of me hopes none of these kids ever get adopted? I mean I do, of course! But I don't' and I didn't really understand what she meant. I guess at the time, assumed she was worried about them getting bad parents or something. I know I didn't say much and just let it go."
He shifts, leaning forward to grab his drink off the table before resettling. He swirled the glass before taking a sip, then tilted his head back. Something almost nostalgic passing over his face.
"About a week later, I think I understood what she was getting at. I'd had to go out to handle something, and she'd stayed with the kids. It was late and the lights were still on. I thought maybe she'd had trouble with them, and honestly, I didn't really want to deal with it. I was tired. But I couldn't just leave her to deal with it alone."
He smiles gently, lost to the memory.
"It was quiet. The TV was on but it was faint. I get to the sitting room, and there they all were. Blankets and pillows strewn around the room, and just," a barely there laugh, "this pile of kids. And her, smack in the middle of it, half buried under them."
"I think I got it then. She was attached. She wanted the kids to find happy families, but she also didn't want to lose any of them."
Glancing over the back of the chair, looking at the woman fussing about the other room, he smiles just a bit more.
"My love would never fret none, bout what my hands and my body done"
My Fair Lady - Kaleo
"Oh, won't you bring me whiskey, and run your fingers through my hair? Oh, won't you whisper sweet words"
1950 - King Princess
"I hope that you're happy with me in your life, I hope that you won't slip away"
Stand and Deliver - Patrick Droney
"We'll hold onto each other in the darkness and the light, won't drown in the river, I'll swim out to you"
One for the Angels - Transviolet
"You've always been an angel, haven't you my love? You're on the road less taken, but it don't gotta be a lonely one"
Do You Really Wanna Know - Sea Girls
“All of my emotions, ain’t technically right, but I don't wanna go there and fuck up your night, open your arms, so I've got somewhere to hide, the world is ending, so take me for a ride”
The Last of the Real Ones - Fall Out Boy
"You were too good to be true, gold plated, but what's inside you, but what's inside you, I know this whole damn city thinks it needs you, but not as much as I do, as much as I do, yeah"
Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas
"And I don't know what I'm supposed to do, but if she feels bad, then I do too"
Higher - Lemaitre, Maty Noyes
"If you say you'll be my love, don't be a liar, cause I've been taken low, you take me higher, I can't stop the love we make"
Holding Out For a Hero - Bonnie Tyler
"Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Next to Me - Emeli Sande
“You won't find him drinking at the table, rollin' dice and staying out 'til three, you won't ever find him being unfaithful, you will find him, you'll find him next to me”
Sorry - Nothing But Thieves
"You might kill me with desire, wind me tighter than a wire, it's something that you do to me, I run away like mercury"
Coming Down - Halsey
"I found a savior, I don't think he remembers, 'cause he's off to pay his crimes, and he's got no time for mine"
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
"Closed off from love, I didn't need the pain, once or twice was enough and it was all in vain, time starts to pass, before you know it, you're frozen, but something happened for the very first time with you"
LOVE ME HARD - Elley Duhe
"Will you love me hard? I've heard three words too soon before, say you love me when you know you're sure, 'cause it won't always be this way"
