#maxstats

[nissho-ku]

shidou doesn't think he's ever been this nervous before. the excitement that thrums through his veins has been set for a while as he planned this exact scenario for months. secretly purchasing plan tickets, reserving only the best fine dining and a hotel stay for them in one of the only other places rin had wanted to go after his spain trip with sae; paris france. they both knew the language, fluent in french to hold their own while they tour for two weeks. it was hard to keep it a secret, it was harder to get rin to take time off for the surprise trip as well without telling him what he had planned. thankfully he had, and the glee expressed from the other as he surprised him with those tickets made shidou happy enough, but that wasn't all that he had for him.

the flight there was nothing short of amusing. seeing his lover so excited for touch down and the whole ride there provided shidou more entertainment than the on-board provided movie the stewards put on for them. shidou made sure their flight got them there at night so they would have the remainder of their vacation to explore as much of the city and some as possible. their first night spent making lazy love in their room, shidou letting his lover express his gratitude before succumbing to sleep.

today however... today was different. shidou woke up that morning giving the birthday boy his first of many gifts, mouth on his pulse, all over his body. marking him with love and possession only the two of them have for one another. “happy birthday rin,” shidou murmurs with so much love he almost ruins his plans right there, but he can't. he worked too hard to set this all up to make it all moot. after having rin in the shower, they make it to breakfast. he let's rin take pictures of the two of them to upload to social media and send to his brother. they visit art galleries, a baking class shidou flopped at but rin excelled at making croissants, and a boat ride along the canals circling the city.

at every opportunity, shidou only stared and smiled at rin, taking in his expressions and relishing that he would want this forever, he will have this forever. he needs to only ask.

dinner reservations were set for when the sun would be near it's lowest before sinking below the skies and the lights from the eiffel tower were ablaze in all its glory. jules verne. they were lucky in getting a private table near the window, they could overlook the park and all the people going about their night while enjoying a fancy dinner and recounting the days events. shidou's back pocket was feeling a bit heavier than usual this night, his stomach too as it twists itself in knots. his nervousness wouldn't stop him though, wouldn't stop him from reaching out and holding rin's left hand, squeezing it gently. “rin,” shidou calls to him, getting his attention.

it's now or never, and the thought of never was something that terrified shidou more than this. rin was everything to him, and of course he wanted to make that known to his boyfriend after nearly fumbling it. shidou stands up, never letting go of rin's hand, prompting him to sit sideway in his seat. he knows the moment he drops to his knees, he just had to get everything out before completely losing his nerves.

“rin... birthdays weren't really something i cared much about to be honest. i didn't really care or celebrate my own, and i never cared much for the reason why others would celebrate why they were born, but ya came into my life and changed it all for me.” shidou grasped rin's hand a little tighter, “i'm happy that you were born on this day, or else i wouldn't've met someone who changed my whole life. i treasure ya a lot, and you deserve to have that expressed to ya every day.”

shidou reaches into his back pocket, a silver band sat between his index and thumb. he doesn't break eye contact, wanting to see the precise moment rin realizes this is really happening. after the fight, the admittance that he was scared of commitment, asking for time to prepare everything to be perfect for him. rin deserved nothing less than perfect, even if shidou himself isn't. the ring is a perfect fit on his hand, because of course shidou measured it six times just to be absolutely sure it would fit snug on his ring finger. “rin, will ya marry me?”

@maxstats / happy birthday rin

[nissho-ku]

praise kink ( both, all of them )

isagi verdict: there go my pants / both

“ even though i have to beg for it...... ”

shidou verdict: it's okay (receiving) / fuck yes (giving)

“ you squeezin' me nice and good is all the praise i need. ”

kaiser verdict: not really (receiving) / fuck yes (giving)

“ not the biggest fan, but i think it's cute when you blush and i do~ ”

sae verdict: definitely no (giving) / definitely no fuck yes (receiving)

“ go watch those cheap ass adult movies if you want to be praised that bad. ”

[nissho-ku]

“rin~ rin~ rinnie rin~!”

@maxstats / bachira wants to poke

[nissho-ku]

blue eyes slowly open, hazy and unfocused. brain clouded, it took everything in him to breathe, his energy sapped, focused on dealing with the disease ravaging his body. yoichi couldn't help but think to himself that this might be the last time he will ever open his eyes like this. a melancholic feeling blanketed him, death with its cold embrace coaxing him back no matter how hard he tries to fight it. he hears light grunts beside him, taking his attention away from everything to focus on the man beside him.

“rin....” his own voice sounds so far away he wasn't sure he'd even said anything. oh how he hated to see his beloved in so much pain, even as he was watching him in pain up until a few days ago himself. yoichi turns ,with great effort over, to hold rin's hand in his own. gently, his finger runs over the other's palm in a soothing manner, just like all the times yoichi would sooth rin with his presence. “shhh.... shhh, it's okay. i'm right here...” yoichi coos softly, shuffling closer to him. eventually his noises die down, but the creases in his faces remain albeit not as fierce.

under the light of the moon, yoichi couldn't help but admire the man beside him. it might be the last time he will get to - actually, yoichi knew it would be. there was hardly any fight within him left to go on, all he could do was hold rin's hand, breathe and think. it is said that when one approaches death, life flashes before your eyes. neither tells if it's a possible future or it's past, but yoichi leans towards the latter, as if his brain rewinds through every memory he has stored inside of it possible.

his memories of the estate he's been allowed to live in since he was four, barely taller than his mother's knees, face to face with a set of teal eyes that shine like gem stones. in all of yoichi's memories, rin is there. holding his hand, leading him around the gardens to play, to the rivers and trees where they would attempt to catch wild animals. growing up together, feelings developed although yoichi always knew he'd liked rin more than just a friend. they spent years shyly dancing around each others feelings until yoichi came out and confessed with a kiss.

their first kiss, and many afterwards shared in their room, the garden where they used to play, in love, in comfort, in peace. yoichi never grew tired of rin's kisses, not when he as soft and gentle nor when he grew hungry for yoichi alone. it's only been two years, yoichi loves to remember it like it was yesterday. the day they swore vows and married one another; yoichi proudly taking the itoshi namesake, proud to be rin's only. they swore forever, but could forever only be contained within 2 years? he didn't feel as if it were long enough, they'd just gotten started on their long life together, to die old and happily, not like this...

yoichi barely registers his pitiful small sob.

the thought of himself dying young was one thing, but it ached in his chest for rin to pass so young too. he acutely remembers in the throws of his illness that his brother in law seemed to have passed too... did rin know about it? yoichi hoped not. he shouldn't be crying in the midst of his reminiscing, no; he wouldn't want to pass away like this if this were his last moments with rin. he sniffles, letting stray warm tears pass down his face, gaze focused back on rin.

“rin, i'm sorry,” yoichi whispers, soft and hushed. he looks at their hands entwined, at the ring decorating his finger. “im sorry i brought this disease on us... i know you would scold at me for this again, but...if only i hadn't gone to that village...maybe we wouldn't have gotten sick. we could have lived longer. we could have adopted children like you wanted, grown old and die peacefully together. i'm sorry i couldn't hold on any longer.... i'm so tired...”

yoichi looks to rin's face, squeezes his hand gently. “if... if there was a chance that you would live... i would hope that.... that you could f-find someone else who makes you happy like i did. i hope you would open your heart up to them, and let them take care of you, and i hope they love you just as much as i do.” he shouldn't be selfish, he had no right to be so after death. his love for rin will forever remain in his still heart, he knows rin will never forget him either. moving on was the best for him, for as long as he lived, until the day he dies. yoichi wishes that for him.

his lids grow heavy, breaths shallower as his quiet last words drain whatever energy was left of him. slowly, he blinks wanting the last thing he sees be rin, sleeping peacefully. yoichi brings rin's hand to his lips, kissing the digits softly, an apology, a final goodbye. “i love you. i've always loved you, rin. thank you for always loving me too... thank you for giving me...the best two years of marriage i could ever ask for. thank you.... and goodbye.”

sapped of whatever was left, blue eyes close shut. his breathing slows, heart beat slower. thump..... thump.......... thump................ silence.

—

there is peace, eerie and calm on the face of the young man. his hands lay limply yet wrapped around in a soft embrace around another's hand. he is still, not even a twitch, no rise and fall of his chest indicate any sort of beathing or life held within. and yet on his face rest the remains of tear stains and a smile.

die with a smile / @maxstats

[nissho-ku]

🔮 CRYSTAL BALL — what is a core memory from your childhood that you think defines you today? ( sae )

IN CHARACTER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONS . 🔮 CRYSTAL BALL — what is a core memory from your childhood that you think defines you today?

the first time he held rin, but he's not going to say that outloud. it solidified him into the protective big brother he is to rin today. “i don't know really. maybe when mom and dad died? i guess i would have ended up differently if they hadn't and i didn't inherit everything for us and became the head of the house. the vampire thing though...a close second.”

[nissho-ku]

✏️ nagi and rin

rin: nagi, we tried things your way. nagi: no, we didn't. rin: i did it in my head and it didn't work.

nagi: what is the most illegal thing you can do with one gold? rin: exchange it for a hundred copper, put them all in a sock, and then beat someone to death with it.

rin: and if you have any suggestions, please put them in the suggestion box. nagi: that’s a trash can.

incorrect quotes / @maxstats

[nissho-ku]

— yoichi isagi used to be human once.

as human as one could be with the power of mediocre magic. a gift bestowed to scant few people from the deities known to take upon the form of dragons. born into a family of non-sorcerers, yoichi had to keep his talent hidden from others as the village they lived in had outlawed magic and the family had no money to move them somewhere safer for their only child. how yoichi wishes he could go back to that time; before he had accepted traversing with a troop of treasure hunters, promised enough money to move his family and some to hold them steady if he would use his mediocre skills to help them obtain a stone said to have been dropped by the deities themselves.

yoichi remembers the feeling of betrayal well. the scent of his own blood filled his nostrils as the head of the group, kaiser, had laughed at yoichi and his naiveite. all too trusting of a random group of strangers to imagine they would ever let him get a pay cut. he remembers the attempts to wrestle the stone from his grasp, his brain fighting him, imploring him to think of a way to save himself and get as far away as possible. without thinking, he took the stone to his mouth, swallowed it, and everything went dark.

that was the last thing yoichi remembers before a burning inferno was in front of him. horrified at his surroundings, he tried to escape, to recollect his thoughts and emotions, but all he could hear being cried out was ‘monster! you're a monster!!’

and perhaps he is, yoichi thinks to himself; weeks later and huddled in a nicely kept shrine, observing his human skin mottled with gradient scales covering bits of his legs, arms and hands with wounds leaking blood attempting to hide the vibrant blue. from what he could gather, due to swallowing the stone, he'd somehow been able to transform himself into a dragon, it seems. he could not go home like this, unless he wanted to bring trouble to his parents. he hated making them worry as well since he has not been home in a while. however he had bigger things to worry about as of now.

yoichi could hear the murmurings of people outside; he could smell them, a crowd of them gathered and clearly disturbed by his presence. he wouldn't fault them if they were on the verge of grabbing pitchforks and chasing him away, but a new scent catches his attention. it smells strongly of the sea; heavy in salt, pungent enough that it makes isagi want to cover his nose. but the smell gets stronger and stronger, until the closed doors of the shrine open and a tall man enters. yoichi bares his teeth, body tense even though he is in no shape to defend himself. he is too weak to use his magic but he would surely put up an act against these humans.

this one doesn't look scared of him. “get away from me if you know what's good for you,” he hisses. it's weird, he thinks, how calm this sea smelling human is in the face of a monster.

@maxstats / dragon tales starter!

[nissho-ku]

❝ you don’t have to do this, let me do it for you. ❞ ( for sae )

sae's focus turns to rin's in the mirror for a moment, pausing in the middle of looping his tie to really study the other. gently, an eyebrow quirks up as he goes back to going his windsor knot on the tie. “i'm pretty sure i know how to tie a tie, rin. it hasn't been that long.” he says even though he knows that's not what rin means. his face is unnecessarily worried into a frown, while sae is oddly calm. however that's how it's always been; rin is more emotionally expressive than sae has been ever since they were young.

he makes sure it's snug under the collar of his shirt and fit nicely in place before turning to rin fully. it'll be his first time facing the public since that incident. it's taken months of prep work from his lawyers and sae's own personal mental state to gear him for this moment. he looks for his coat on the bed and throws it over his shoulders. “i don't think they would let you speak on my behalf anyways. his team would try to refute you, although they can't say anything about the sort of emotional damages it caused you. i'll be okay to talk on my own.”

still, he could feel the anxiousness exuding from his little brother. sae sighs, walks over to him and pets his head. “hey... you know, the more you worry about it, the worse i feel like i will do out there. i'll be just fine as long as you're with me out there. we've had a lot of meetings with our team, and reo gave us the best lawyers money can buy. have some faith, and let me do my part too. i'm the big brother after all.”