#minx!au

[bluebellhairpin]

'The Minxes: Vol.1' - Coloured Cover Art

"We're shattering the silence, we're rising, defiant, shouting in the quiet, "You're not alone".

We listened to the demons, we let them get between us, but none of us are out here on our own."

(sketch vers.)

[pearl-blue-musings]

Listen, you heard me talking about my man Kaji all day - let's keep it going

A thought I had was watching his play crane games, specifically those candy ones!

We can talk about Kaji all day everyday because seeing you talk about him makes me happy aaahhhh

So I’m imagining Hiragi has told him about a new arcade game that has opened up that might spark his interest. Of course, Kaji’s eyes perked up and his immediate thought was to bring you. Flash forward a few hours later and he’s brought dragged you to the arcade. His quick eyes scan the arcade for what could be new. His hand holds yours tightly as he pulls you around the arcade.

You couldn’t hide the small yet adorable smile on your face as he pulls you around. The butterflies in your stomach flutter about as your eyes are glued to your joined hands. It had taken 4 dates for him to show some open affection toward you, so having him hold your hand so openly and unabashed on your fifth date made you happier than you could put into words.

Kaji continues his search for the new game his senpai mentioned. Once he rounds a corner, he sees it. A brand new crane game. But not just any game, a candy crane game. With lollipop in between his lips Kaji briefly releases your hand to place both of his hands against the glass of the crane game. His purple eyes widen at the candy inside, especially the lollipop flavors and peach candies. In your gaze, he looks like a kid in a candy shop; in a proverbial sense he is.

Kaji spins his head toward you in excitement and he’s taken aback. Donning your pink Minx jacket is a content smile as you watch him. With your hands interlocked behind your back you stare at him, head lolled to the side as you admire Kaji being comfortable with himself. A fierce blush comes across his cheeks and he bites the stick of his lollipop. Kaji sticks out his hand toward you and beckons you to him.

“Come here, what do you want?”

His voice is curt to those listening in, but to you? You’re able to hear his sincerity, his eagerness to explore this new game with you. And also to secretly ask you to give him the tokens you have saved.

You stand next to him in front of the controls and hand him the tokens. When he’s not expecting it, you place a kiss on his cheek. “For good luck,” you whisper to him. The tips of his ears go cherry red and you hide a giggle behind your hand. Kaji takes a deep breath before navigating the crane over the candy. In one corner there’s the candy he likes, in another corner are the ones you prefer. And in the middle are random candies that aren’t either of your fancy.

A tough job indeed.

Kaji locks in as he maneuvers the crane. He goes toward the corner of your favorite candy first. His eyes dart toward you and he gives a small grin as he sees the anticipation in your body language. His finger presses the button and some of your candy is in the crane and dropped into receptacle. You clap loudly and hug him tightly. “Yay! You did it! Here,” you hand him another token, “get the ones you want! They’re over there.”

Kaji’s cheeks flush red when you hug him and he shakes a bit to get his resolve. He stares intently at the box, taking a deep breath as he fixes the crane to hover over the lollipops he wants. The crane lowers and dives into the pile of candy. Different candies fall from the crane that he doesn’t want.

However, the one special lollipop flavor he wants falls out.

He bangs his head against the glass and you rub his back. “It’s okay,” you comfort, “just try again!”

And he does. And three more times he misses it. It takes everything in you to not laugh at his frustrating reactions as you know he really wants this. You place a gentle hand on his shoulder before he’s about to grab the box and shake it. “Let me try, okay?”

He looks to you and grunts. “Sure fine, but this is tricky. I’m not sure if you’ll get it that quickly…”

In one try you’re able to get not one, but three of his lollipop flavor. You turn over in giddy excitement, jumping up and down. “I did it! I got it, babe!”

A slight disgruntled frown is etched on his face as he breathes deeply to not lash out. He grumbles he’s going to get a bag and puts all the candy in it. You smile warmly at him, holding his free hand that isn’t holding the candy. You put a piece of candy into your mouth and tug on Kaji’s arm.

“Let’s do this again!”

And who is he to say no to you?

Elle’s Wine Night!

[aceofbooks-creative-anthologies]

rei-dio frequencies "masterlist", feral sunflowers masterlist

Background: Ace Latimer grew up watching how serving a community can change lives for the better. It wasn't until Marquie Hinasaki came along, and built a community alongside her, that Ace Kakari learned that a community can serve her just as well as she serves it.

Notes: Happy Anniversary Minxes X

wc: 1778; written in third person, mostly from an omniscient narrator

It started in the aftermath of the Himari burning and Marquie Hinasaki's kidnapping—in the few weeks before she was rescued.

Ace Kakari's novelty coffee mugs were never empty, and the coffee within was always hot and freshly brewed. Her blanket hoodies were always laundered, five or six of them on rotation so that they didn't reek. Her decompression baths were always scalding hot and her drinking water was ice cold. Food appeared and disappeared without a second thought as she recompiled documents and interrogated suspects. When her meetings with the fire marshal's office started becoming wastes of time, her favorite fruits were prepared and waiting in her makeshift office. When she inevitably dozed off after long periods without sleep, she always awoke laid out on a tatami mat, pillow under her head and blanket over her legs.

It was nigh on a miracle that Kail Hayashi's gym hadn't burned down alongside the Himari. Only an alley a few feet wide (narrow enough that Ace had genuinely been considering Kail's suggested renovation of a sky bridge between the third floors of both buildings) separated the two, and if the wind had turned once in the hours upon hours that the fire blazed, the gym would have been lost too.

But Kail helped Ace move into the empty, smaller second apartment on the third floor to function as headquarters once the building was deemed safe. The gym was a place for the Minxes to train and exercise; a place for them to gather when the Himari was full or when they needed to keep something secret from Marq (keeping secrets from Ace required more delicate subterfuge); all patrol shifts started and ended with digital check-ins there. And in the fallout of the fire, the unofficial second venue of the Minx gang became the central hub for all gang activity.

Before the Himari burned, Ace rarely delegated. She sent people out to gather intel or blackmail, but it all still made its way across her desk. As the gang grew in number, she found herself responsible for more and more Minxes; even those that exclusively worked for Marq in the hotel knew that the Vice Captain had her eyes literally and figuratively looking over them. There were of course those that took on patrols, and their patrol shift captains, and those that she would turn to when action was needed—Nemo Nanashi was almost always the one she called on first—but everything and everyone still turned their reports in to her according to her strict deadlines. The hotel was Marq's, and the day-to-day gang activity was Ace's—that had been the arrangement that the two friends settled into.

But with Marq gone—missing—there were working women without a place to turn to; Minxes without housing or income; other gangs scrambling across the countryside; community members reeling in the aftermath of the fire that had spread to other buildings further down the street and around the block….. Everything Ace ate after the first six hours was tinged with the familiar metallic tang of blood.

Delegating to Rin Zahana had been easy—Ace, Marq, and Patchy regularly worked in tandem already, planning events and coordinating schedules for maximum gang bonding time. Patchy could take Marq's vision and thread it through Ace's eccentricities for maximum pay-off. So while asking for help did not come naturally to Ace, putting Patchy in charge of patrol shifts and coordinating vendors for housing and food was a natural conclusion to come to.

Turning to Twyla Dere would have been an easy switch—her boyfriend, Akihiko Nirei of Bofurin, had always been a fount of information and now was no different. But sightings of Twyla were few and far between after the fire, even though communication was readily available. Phon, instead, took up the mantle of filtering incoming information without complaint, categorizing it all before passing off the most relevant information to Ace, and saving everything else to be handled after Marq was found.

It wouldn't be until months later that Ace would remember how quiet Nix Yamada had been in those frantic weeks—no complaining, no begging, no arrests, no rescuing, no unauthorized trouble—it was a solace that would have otherwise made Ace suspicious, but in the moment, was a balm on her burdened mind. Finding out, after the fact, that Nix had helped in the search almost sent Ace into cardiac arrest.

Nemo similarly disappeared—radio silent, much to Patchy's scheduling dismay. She would show up at the back door of the gym with a new barely-alive thug every few days, fists and clothes bloodied. With every body that Nemo could bring in, Ace got closer to untangling the threads of Marq's kidnapping. Thankfully, Jessica Umemiya, Ariel, and Mint filled in for Nemo's absence, becoming some of the most reliable fighters in the gang in a matter of days.

Others faded in and out of the miasma of hazy memories—Daisy Matsuzaki, Rei Tsunamura, and Kasey all kept their eyes and ears on the streets surrounding the Minx territory from their respective shops. Sunny continued her courier runs, squirreling into places most others couldn't. Kagura Kanade, Rosie, Leigh, and Monet—all noncombatants—put in the legwork to solidify relationships and networks that Ace normally shouldered on her own. Jude, Minx, Enni, and Ana similarly found their niches, rising to the occasion and filling in gaps left by Ace's single-minded drive to find their leader.

Even Kitten—an enigma that Ace had relegated to her periphery, as she recognized it was probably better for everyone if she didn't ask too many questions—came out of the woodwork, stealing mugshots and lists of names from Ace's office and returning later to clean up (or complicate) Ace's murder kidnap board, red connection threads dwindling and growing in number with each passing hour.

It wasn't until Haruka Sakura came calling that Ace realized that Kail had disappeared like Nemo, like Twyla (like Nix).

"Sorry?" Ace blinks heavily, vision blurry even with her (somehow spotless) glasses perched on her nose.

Sakura stands in the open doorway, fists clutched at his sides. A deep breath manages to lower the volume of his voice. "Kail, she—she's missing. She's not answering my texts and my calls keep going to voicemail." He shakes his head, two-toned hair falling into his mismatched eyes. "I know that you're busy—finding Marquie should absolutely be the priority. But it's been days. Are you really telling me that you haven't noticed that she's gone too?"

Ace tries to turn the last few days over in her mind, searching for a memory of the last time she saw Kail. They parted ways four (maybe five?) nights ago, Kail headed to bed after a harrowing patrol shift and Ace was getting ready to question Nemo's kidnapped thug (what would end up being the first of many); Ace pulled an all-nighter, the sun rising well past the horizon before she was satisfied with the information she gathered. After that…..

Well now that Sakura had brought it up, Ace could recognize that Kail had disappeared from her sight probably around that time. She runs shaking hands over her tired eyes, pushing her glasses up into her oily hair. A shower is desperately needed; that is clear now that she has been forced to stop thinking about Marq.

Kail, Kail, Kail. "Let's just double-check the other apartment before we start panicking." Sakura's whole body shakes with barely restrained agitation, but he steps back out into the hallway so that Ace can pass by him to the doorway directly opposite hers. The doorknob turns smoothly, and the door itself pushes inward without difficultly. The recently renovated kitchen has its overhead light on, warm yellow glow pouring into the entryway.

Moving into the kitchen, a sheet of pink printer paper greets the pair from the refrigerator, Kail's familiar handwriting scrawled across it.

I'm fine. Just need some space. I'm sure Ace has a way of tracking me down if it's an emergency. XOXO

"See," Ace waves one hand in the air, as if brushing away Sakura's concern, and pulls out her phone with the other. "She's fine. Nothing to worry about." Even as she says the words, Ace knows that it won't assuage Sakura's fears—he needs to be with Kail, to have eyes on her. Which is why she's already scanning through the tracking information for the various cars that she has left around their neighborhood—quick getaways for the Minxes or their allies when needed.

Most of them have moved around since she last checked, but that's to be expected; all of them are still in the neighborhood though, save for one. The blue Honda Civic does not have a pin on her map of the immediate area—and it's not until Ace scrolls out towards the coast that she finds it. She pockets her phone and turns to leave, brushing passed Sakura. "Ask Patchy for the keys to one of the Toyotas. I'll text you Kail's location. Bring our girl back, but only on her terms."

Sakura brings Kail home about a week later—Ace asks no questions and Kail slips seamlessly back into the flurry of activity, supporting Ace and the others to the best of her ability.

The assistance continues even after Marq is found—Ace continues to struggle under the weight of running the gang herself, with the now added pressure of rebuilding the Himari. Marq has to be given the space and time to heal, and Ace will hear no arguments from her partner—Hajime Umemiya hardly lets the Minx leader out of his sight anyway.

But the Minxes continue to carry the weight where Ace lets them—her novelty coffee mugs are still filled with hot coffee; her dietary needs and preferences are always handled with the utmost care; her drinking water is ice cold and rotated in between cups of coffee; and she always wakes up having been carefully carried to bed. No one seeks praise; no one waits for the whispered "thank you" that always follows; no one shirks their other duties—they all just carefully wind themselves around Ace's whims and meets the weight of her expectations over and over again, letting nothing slip through their carefully woven web of shared responsibility.

It gets easier for Ace to delegate, (a contract here, a package there) and as the new Himari takes shape around them, as their community rebuilds itself under her guiding hand, the Minxes collectively wait for the day that Ace lets go—the day that she can breathe without feeling as though she has to carry it all alone.

Minxes Mentioned in No Particular Order: Marquie & plumshine @dynapuff; Patchy @/peachypatchy; Nix + Kail & lilyblossom @katsulock; Twyla & twyrei @weird-dere-writes; Rosie @shigarosie; Kagura @pearl-blue-musings;

Ariel @a-girl-cant-decide-on-a-name; Nemo @bluebellhairpin; Daisy @ltadoriyuujl; Rei @yuzuite; Mint @mintmatcha

Leigh @togame-hoe; Phon @saphhonic; Monet @forest-meadow; Jude @kaisaerie; Enni @kineticsparks;

Sunny @spacedust-alley; Kasey @kingdumkum; Ana @katanaski-main; Jessica @breakdawn-avenue; Minx @pricesprincess

Kitten @katsukikitten (sorry you're by yourself 😭)

Post-Script: I wanted this to be a longer piece—getting more into the shift of labor from Kakari to everyone else—but I ran out of steam 😔 Regardless, this is a love letter to all of you for your friendship and the world-building that we've done over the past two years (yes, even those of you who only recently joined!). And a special thank you to Marq, for starting it in the first place. My blog as a whole wouldn't be the same without your indulgence in my silly thoughts.

song lyric title: swing life away by rise against

[dynapuff]

The Apology

Hajime Umemiya x fem!reader (selfshippy)

WC: 4.7K

Warnings: some cursing, selfshippy, this is included in a shared au called minx!au

a/n: FIRST PLUMSHINE FIC! Hiiii so here's the infamous apology scene that takes place after the scene with my lovely vice captain bahaha.

Companion piece by @aceofbooks-creative-anthologies

"I hate this…"

It's true, you hate everything about this. You hate that you have to walk through this stupid little town with your tail between your legs like an apologetic dog. You hate that you're loyal and will basically do whatever your Vice Captain says. You hate that you have a bad temper. You hate the idea of an alliance. You hate the idea of apologizing. And most of all you hate that you have to apologize to him.

To be honest, you can't really remember what he looks like. At least not any of his facial features. You remember that he's tall and has light colored hair, but other than that, he's just a blurred smudge in your memory. A very annoying blurred smudge in your memory.

The roof access door creaks as you slowly push it open. The sun immediately assaults your vision and before you step out onto the roof you raise a hand to shield your eyes. Despite the sun shining it's cool up here, the wind rustles your hair and you pull your pink jacket tighter around you. As your eyes adjust, they fall on him.

Umemiya.

He has his back to you which is a mistake on his part, and you wonder just how aware of his surroundings he is. He's crouched down in front of a garden bed full of little green sprouts. The sun shines down on him and it makes his white hair twinkle like snow. And—you can't believe it—he's humming to himself. Fully unaware of you standing there.

At least that's what you assume given the lack of a response at the squeaky closing door to the rooftop. Still you can't help the sense of peace in this place. Perhaps the aura of the goody two shoe boys of Bofurin Ace mentioned drapes heavy over the town. It's not a bad thing per se, just annoying to get used to considering you don't trust a single person here.

You clear your throat obnoxiously. Manners go straight out the window for this one.

Umemiya finally stops what he's doing—which you've just noticed is…pulling weeds?—and turns to look over his shoulder at you. You expect a grimace, or maybe an annoyed eye roll from him but through sheer naivety this man beams at you and slowly stands, casually wiping his hands on his pants to address you.

"Hey…I know you…" he says, narrowing his eyes as he watches you.

You roll your eyes at the familiarity in his tone. He's talking like the two of your were friends who haven't seen each other in a while, instead of someone you viciously threatened a few hours ago. As he saunters over you notice how tall and broad he is. He's easily a foot taller than you and that puts you even more on edge. You take a wary step back as he draws closer and he notices and stops in his tracks a few feet away from you.

He blinks with big wide eyes at you and it makes you feel exposed. His eyes are so light the color almost looks absent, like looking into a mirror. You're momentarily taken aback by them, secretly admiring them in your mind.

A few moments pass of the two of you standing there staring at each other like idiots. You know he's sizing you up, but his lips part slightly as his eyes make their way back up to yours. You keep a close eye on his shoulders, watching to see if he'll tense in anyway and come at you but he doesn't.

"You're the girl from yesterday…from that little hotel with the pretty name…" he says hesitantly. He doesn't look nervous though, which inexplicably irritates you.

"Himari…" you mutter sourly and his smile returns.

"Yes! Himari, what a beautiful name for such a warm place. Did you come up with that?" he asks animatedly as he clasps his hands together.

You quirk an eyebrow but curl your lip up in slight annoyance. "Uhh no. My mother did." you explain flatly.

"Ahh she must be a ray of sunshine herself then, huh?" He lets out a relaxed chuckle, but continues to observe you quietly with kind eyes. It makes a lump form in your throat, how casually he speaks about her. As if he knew her? As if she'd trust him.

"Don't talk about my mother…." you hiss at him, taking another step away from him.

He raises his eyebrows, and for the first time since speaking to you he takes a wary step away from you as if he can feel the air around you shift. He tilts his head slightly to the side, his eyes fixed on you and then he breathes out a heavy sigh.

"Right, I might've remembered how feisty you were if I weren't so distracted by how pretty the hotel is. How'd you get up here anyway?" He asks nonchalantly as he stretches.

Your eyes immediately follow his arms stretching up high above him. They're long, quite muscular, and a bit sun-kissed from the late summer sun. You stop yourself from admiring by scoffing an answer to his question.

"I walked."

Umemiya drops his arms to his side and cracks his neck before smirking at you. "So you're cheeky too. I meant how did you know to come up here?"

You raise an eyebrow, clearly wanting to keep your cards close to your chest.

"I did my research," you quip back.

And he doesn't miss a beat.

"Research, huh? I see…and why did you come here looking for me?"

You should say to apologize. You should say to propose an alliance. Instead you say "To check out potential threats."

Umemiya purses his lips at that, though he keeps a wary eye on you. "Gotta say, I don't like the idea of someone who is 'checking out potential threats' knowing exactly how to get up on this roof."

You snort, "That's the smartest thing you've said since I got up here."

He chuckles with you, as if you're old friends. "And how am I holding up at being a potential threat?"

You narrow your eyes at his sarcasm, "Too early to tell."

He shoves his hands in his pockets and smiles politely at you."Right right… well while you're here, do you wanna see what I'm growing up here?"

Is he serious? Does he think this is some kind of garden party or something? Isn't he supposed to be the leader of Bofurin? Ace definitely said he's well known, pretty powerful and an intimidating reputation.

Maybe it's drugs?

"What like you're growing drugs or something?"

Umemiya laughs; loud, boisterous, boyish and obnoxious. Somehow though, it doesn't grate on your nerves as you'd expect, rather it surprises you with how joyous it sounds.

"No no! No drugs, I mean vegetables and a few fruit trees we planted some years ago," he explains.

You blink up at him in confusion. This is the strangest man you've ever met, and you like to believe you've seen a bunch of weirdos.

"You're asking me…to tour your rooftop garden?" you ask with a hint of judgemental confusion.

He turns to look at you over his shoulder and you swear it feels like the sun gets brighter and hotter despite slowly setting when he beams at you. "Well yeah!"

"You are…infuriatingly honest," you scoff.

He beams, "Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Oh I know, but I'm going to take it like it is."

You roll your eyes and he chuckles gently to himself.

What the hell is this guys deal?

"No thanks…I'm not here to see your garden."

His expression drops into the most disappointed pout you've ever seen and you won't admit it aloud but you feel guilty when you turn him down. He's your enemy yes, but all he did was ask if you wanted to see his plants.

"Whaatt? You don't even wanna take a quick look at the cherry trees? I'm super proud of those…" he whines.

Except…what if that's exactly what he wants you to think?

It feels like he's trying to pull one over on you, like he keeps trying to knock you off balance or try some reverse psychology crap to trick you. He's supposed to be dangerous, he's supposed to be strong and intimidating. Maybe he's hiding it all behind this fake golden retriever persona. Or maybe he thinks he needs to act this way because you're a woman.

Either way he's not taking you seriously and it pisses you off.

I can't do this. You think to yourself. I'm sorry Ace but there's no way I'll be able to agree to an alliance with this guy.

"You know what, nevermind. This was a bad idea on my part. I shouldn't have come here. I'm gonna go."

A hint of concern flashes across his face as he takes a step forward, his hand reaching out to lightly touch your arm in a bid to stop you.

"Wait."

It's the quickest you've seen him move and it immediately sets you on edge. His touch on your skin feels hot, almost forbidden and you yank away from him as if in pain.

"Don't touch me..."

Umemiya freezes at your sharp and stern rebuttal, his hand stopping in mid-air and immediately retracting back to his side. A flicker of surprise crosses his face, but he retains his composure.

He nods slightly, acknowledging the strong boundary you've just set. "Alright, I won't."

Slowly, he shoves his hands in his pockets to ease any other temptation of reaching out to you. But he takes another small step toward you, hoping you don't move away from him. He keeps his eyes trained on yours as he watches for what you will do next. He seems intrigued, that same look he had back at the hotel when he first saw you. He had looked perplexed, but more than that he'd looked…captivated.

"You know, the day I met you was the first time I'd ever been chewed out that hard by someone other than my sister," he says looking out over his town wistfully.

"What a lucky gal.." you quip back.

He chuckles. "You're funny, I like that."

Ugh I shouldn't be funny to you I should be fucking terrifying!

"Ugh stop that!" you screech, stomping over to stand in front of him threateningly.

You glare up a him and he stares down at you with surrendered hands and a confused expression. You watch his nostrils flare a bit and his pupils dilate.

"Uhh stop what, exactly?" he asks innocently.

"Speaking to me like you're pandering to me or something!" you hiss.

He pauses, his eyes raking over your face and taking in your features before his eyes soften. As you watch his expression soften, you feel as if he's hit you in the gut.

"I'm speaking to you like you're a person," he says simply.

You hate the way he's looking at you right now. His gaze is too exposing, it makes you want to cover up, to pull your jacket tighter around you and hide. But you're on the defense already, so you snap more at him to show your vicious you can be.

"I know that," you snap back at him.

Despite your sharp retort, he doesn't flinch and it makes you almost regret saying it. Instead, he calmly responds,

"You say that, but it seems like you're waiting for some other shoe to drop. There aren't any shoes dropping. You came here to find me."

You raise a surprised eyebrow at his words and remember Ace telling you he has respect not only throughout his gang but several other gangs around the immediate area. You know damn well Hajime Umemiya isn't stupid, but it'll be a cold day in hell before you admit that aloud so you shrug nonchalantly, "Fine then."

Your words come out in a rush,"Look…I came here to apologize for chewing you out and threatening to kill you yesterday when all you were doing was being kind and helping with the deliveries. Men who visit our side of town aren't usually as...helpful...as you …at least not without the expectation os something in return.I thought you would do something to hurt my girls. Clearly I know now that you won't... or at least you don't have any intentions to....yet."

Umemiya walks over to where a table and two chairs are set up not far from the two of you. He takes a seat and gestures for you to take the seat across from him. "Yet, you say. Does that mean you still don't quite trust me?"He asks in a light, teasing manner.

You look from him to the seat a few times before you sigh and oblige, smoothing down your skirt before sitting in the chair opposite him and crossing your legs. "Oh I don't trust you at all...", you reply, folding your hands under your chin.

He lets out a short laugh, apparently not offended by your blunt response. Must be getting used to it. "At least you're honest."

"I tend to be, yes."

His gaze remains fixed on you, studying your expression and body language. There's a spark of challenge in his eyes, as if he finds your lack of trust intriguing. Like you're a mystery he's eager to figure out. He leans forward a bit as he speaks.

"And here I thought we were making progress."

You roll your eyes but continue speaking. You have to get the bit about the alliance out before you chicken out and clam up. "Anyway, that isn't the only reason I came. My Vice Captain thinks your team will be a beneficial ally. I personally think we don't need any allies but, that's why she's my vice captain. Either way, I'm here to propose an alliance."

He nods, listening to your proposition with a serious and focused expression. It shocks him, he wasn't aware you were even part of a gang. "An alliance, huh? So Ms…wait…I don't even know your name. But you know mine?"

You quirk an eyebrow as if it's an obvious fact. "Yes. You have shit intel which is where an alliance with us would be beneficial."

If he's offended by the statement he doesn't show it. "And this alliance... What would it entail?" he asks.

"Back up. We will help keep an eye on your territory if you keep an eye on ours. We'll handle issues separately but information and surveillance will always be flowing freely through our groups. Your boys will be allowed in our territory without conflict but they will be expected to behave. And a call to battle policy, stating if one of us calls for the other for back up we will show up."

He listens carefully to your proposal, his eyes never leaving your face as you lay out the terms of your alliance. He seems to be processing each point meticulously, his expression betraying a hint of interest and consideration.

Once you finish speaking, he nods slowly, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest."I see. A joint surveillance and defense agreement, with open communication channels and a battle call-to-action policy... Seems like you've given this some thought."

"I'm good at my job," you reply simply with a shrug.

"You certainly don't lack confidence, do you?"His gaze remains locked on you as he processes your words. He considers your proposal, his mind working quickly to assess the potential benefits and risks.

"And why are you personally opposed to the idea of allies, exactly?" he asks calmly though his voice betrays a hint of genuine interest in your disdain for allies.

"That's not any of your concern,"you reply shaking your head.

He chuckles softly at your abrupt response, not surprised that you're still being difficult."You really can't just give a straight answer, can you?"

"That was a straight answer."

Despite your curtness, there's a hint of amusement in his tone. "Alright, fair enough. It's none of my business."

He smiles at you again, leaning in on the table to mimic your pose by placing his hands under his chin and staring at you. There's a glimmer of something mischievous in his grin though and you find out why when he explains, "I'll have to speak to my team captains before I accept your proposal. But I have one condition to add."

You roll your eyes but huff out,"Name it..."

His smirk remains on his face, enjoying the challenge you present as he states his term.

"If we're going to enter an alliance, then I want both of our organizations to have access to one another's headquarters. Not just to build trust, but also to ensure easier communication and collaboration."

"No."

He blinks. Surely he should've expected that. "Oh?"

His smirk turns into a playful half-smile as he watches you. Something about how quickly you rejected his condition has him thoroughly intrigued.

"Don't want me or my boys visiting your secret hangout spot?"He asks with teasing tone, his eyes filled with a challenge, daring you to explain your reasoning.

You chose to ignore his stupid little teasing tone and lift your china s you speak. When you're speaking about the hotel, there is always an air of the highest respect. "Our HQ is not for men. It's a safe haven for my girls. I wont have a bunch of boys tromping through my hotel and making my girls uncomfortable so No."

Umemiya blinks slightly at your reason, not expecting such a protective response. His fingers drum against the little wooden table as he thinks. "Ah, I see. So it's a safe place for your girls, huh? And you don't think my boys are capable of being respectful towards them?"

"I don't know what your boys are capable of. Hence not being allowed in my hotel,"you reply matter of factly.

He laughs softly at your blunt honesty, "Fair enough. You don't know what my guys are capable of." He raises his hands up in mock surrender, acknowledging the validity of your concerns.

"Alright, maybe having my boys enter your hotel is a no-go. But how about this then..."

Alright you'll admit it, you're a little shocked he's still negotiating. You thought for sure he'd tell you he wasn't interested in an alliance. Especially considering how much bigger his gang is compared to yours. Perhaps he's trying to play chicken with you. Whoever is the first to back down is the loser. if that's the case… it sure as hell won't be you.

You quirk an eyebrow as you listen to his proposal.

With a slight hint of mischief in his eyes, Umemiya leans a bit forward on the table and says, "What if, instead of allowing my boys in, I enter personally? I give you my word that I'll be on my best behavior and I'll ensure I don't disturb your girls... or make them uncomfortable in any way."

Hmm… it's not a bad deal. One guy over however many guys he has in this place. You scrutinize him for a while before you ask "Do you have a second in command?"

He raises an eyebrow at your question and nods, a smirk playing on his lips."Yes, I do have a second-in-command. Why do you ask?"

I clear my throat, "You can bring him and him only and you both will hold each other accountable for your actions."

He nods slowly, understanding the ground rules you're setting. He can see that you're being cautious and protective, and he doesn't blame you for it.

"That's fair. I have no problem with holding myself and my second-in-command accountable. We'll both maintain respectable behavior and ensure that your girls remain comfortable and undisturbed."

You stare at him again, debating on if you should say the rest of what you're thinking and decide you should. "Your second won't just be there to hold you accountable. You'll need someone to watch your back also. Our territory is...much more crime filled than yours."

His expression changes subtly when you mention the higher levels of crime in your territory. He looks thoughtful for a moment, considering your point.

"Ah, I see. So it's not just about respectful behavior. You're concerned about my safety in your territory, huh?" He gives you a slight smile, appreciating the added dimension to the conditions you've set. It seems he's finally taking you seriously.

Your cheeks heat but you play it off by rolling your eyes and scoffing "If something happens to you the alliance is over so yeah I'm gonna give you a heads up. I shouldn't have to considering your second should be accompanying you when you visit any new territory BUT this isn't my gang and I'm not your parent so..."

Umemiya chuckles softly, finding your eye-roll somewhat endearing. He can see you're not going to sugarcoat things, and he respects that. His response is lighthearted, though his tone remains sincere.

"Don't worry, I understand. You're right. It's standard protocol to have my second-in-command alongside me. And I appreciate the heads-up. Safety first, after all."

He studies you for a moment, then adds, "You know, it's okay to drop the hostile act with me."

"It's not an act."

He regards you with a steady gaze, his expression calm and observing. He can tell that your hostility is not some act you're putting on for show. And it only makes him want to know more about you. His eyes fall on the scar over your nose, and across your eyebrow, they linger ever so slightly on your lips before moving back up to your eyes.

"I believe you." he says with sincerity, acknowledging the authenticity in your demeanor. But his response is followed by a slight tilt of his head, a sign that he's still slightly curious about your attitude and why you keep responding so aggressively.

"Can I ask you something?"

"No."

He lets out a soft laugh at your quick, curt response. "Shoulda seen that one coming…. Come on. Just one? If we're supposed to be future allies?"

In the back of your head you can hear Ace telling you to calm the hell down and secure the stupid alliance with Bofurin so you sigh and say "Fine. One question."

He grins upon hearing your concession, seemingly pleased that you've relented. His eyes gleam with slight satisfaction, and he straightens himself up a bit.

"Why do you dislike me so much?"

Your lips part slightly at his question. You didn't expect it, which is odd for you. Or perhaps it's that you didn't expect your dislike of him to bother him enough to ask about it. Either way though you square your shoulders and tell him the truth.

"I don't dislike you. I hardly know you enough to like or dislike you. I have no opinions about you other than the fact that you are a threat to me," you explain.

He tilts his head slightly, his expression remaining unruffled. He listens to your response silently, his gaze fixed on you with a thoughtful look. After a moment of contemplation, he responds with a soft chuckle.

"You think I'm a threat?" he asks, genuinely perplexed.

"No. I know you are a threat. There's a difference," you explain with a curt but polite response.

He lifts an eyebrow, acknowledging your correction. His smirk returns, and he lets out a soft laugh, finding this little exchange to be quite entertaining.

"Ah, you know I'm a threat, then. And why's that?"His voice is still calm and even, carrying no hint of mockery or arrogance. He seems to genuinely want to understand your perspective.

You tilt your head as you speak but stay focused on him, "Because everyone is a threat."

He lets out another amused huff at your reply. He understands the sentiment, knowing well that in your world, trust and vulnerability are luxuries one can't afford. He responds quietly, his tone a mix of understanding and concern."That's a harsh way to see the world, you know."

"The world is a harsh place. I see it as it is."

He nods slowly, conceding to your point. He can't deny the truth in your words; this world is harsh and often cruel. But he still can't shake off the nagging feeling that your view is tinted by a bit of pessimism. He responds calmly, still holding that same patient and understanding expression on his face. "Maybe. But there are still some good people and good things in this world."

When you respond, the atmosphere slightly shifts. "I know that."

Umemiya stops and stares at you, but you don't break eye contact with him, hoping he can see how serious you are. His eyes drop away from yours first as he chuckles.

"Yeah, I'm sure you do. You've got your own people to look after then, huh?"

"Yeah I do, which is why I'm here….speaking to you."

He notes the subtle change in your demeanor, seeing that you're slowly calming down but still maintaining your guard. He continues to look at you with a keen, observing gaze, sensing that you have something more to say.

You shake your head, trying to rid yourself of any other distractions before reaching a hand out across the table to him."So is that enough of a proposal and apology for you or what?"

He returns your look with a small smile, noticing your measured gaze. He can sense the weight of the decision you've made. When you extend your hand for a handshake, he takes it firmly, sealing the deal. His grip is strong and confident, his voice steady as he confirms, "I'll gather my Captains ASAP to talk about it and then I'll send word to you."

He holds your hand for a few moments, maintaining eye contact, his gaze unwavering. His hand is big and warm wrapped around yours. His palms are calloused, and you can feel the remnants of scarred knuckles. Your hand feels tiny in his and once you've shook, you quickly pull your hand from his to stop comparing the sizes.

"Good," you say before standing and turning to walk toward the door.

As you turn to leave, Umemiya smirks slightly, and then remembers something. He calls out after you, "Wait! You never told me your name."

You turn back to look at him and for the first time, you give him a sly grin, "Your first lesson in gathering intel will be figuring it out then."

Umemiya snorts, clearly caught off guard by your humor. "And how am I suppose to let you know this alliance is accepted if I don't know your name?"

"That sounds exclusively like a Bofurin problem."

He chuckles again as you turn to walk away. "You know, you could at least pretend to be a little less enthusiastic about me not knowing your name. It would really boost my ego."

You put a sassy hand on your hip as you cock it to the side, "If you want someone to be an ego booster, get a wife. That isn't me."

He snorts and chokes at your sharp response. You can tell he hadn't expected such a snarky comment and it's mirrored in the way he blushes; but he clears his throat and leans against the railing, trying to maintain the playful tension of the moment.

You could almost call it flirting. Almost

"A wife? You make it sound so simple. They say it could take a lifetime to find the right one,"he replies, running his hand over his forehead to swipe the stray strands of hair back into place. He's clearly enjoying the banter now which means it's definitely time to leave now.

“Well I’m sure you’ll survive.” you say lazily, not looking over your shoulder at him.

You hear him scoff behind you as he watches you walk away.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" He calls out after you one final time, like he wants his voice to linger in your mind long after the conversation is done.

"So I've been told...see you around."

He laughs slightly at your response, shaking his head in amused disbelief. He finds your attitude fascinating, even if it drives him a little crazy. It's official. Hajime Umemiya has never met anyone like you.

"See you around, little minx."

--

[katsulock]

Click! "uaahh!! sound off! sound off!!!" i'm not the tech genius!! why am eye taking this selfie again?? "because i have shorter arms!! now look cool or something for the pic." ...... Click! "SAKURAAA!!" "ITSNOTMYFAUULTADSKH"

..."aaand done!" "Oooh, lemme see lemme seeeee! PERFECT!! This is going in the Kail blackmail folder For. Sure." "great!! can you make sure you send it to my phone, Love?" "Already done, Aki!! ^u^" <3

HUGE HUGE HUUUUUUUUGE shoutout and thank you to the wonderful, super kind and amazing Zen (@saexy) for completing these set of comms for me and my Twyla Love (@weird-dere-writes) for Twy's birthday!!! here's part two with me n Sakura crashing in the back for the final leg of the road trip. (note the lilyblossom trying and failing to keep our volume down in the front seat meanwhile twyrei can talk at a normal volume and me and Sakura are dead to the world when we're asleep lmao).

all graphic dividers by @/cursed-carmine

[breakdawn-avenue]

Windbreaker Gangsona

in regards to this question I sent to @aceofbooks-creative-anthologies, bA!minx is now a thing thanks to @dynapuff's insistence :>

Name: Jessica Umemiya Affiliation: honorary Furin, later on member of the Himari Hotel / Minx gang because Hanasaki-san adopted me :> Position: ??? Birthday: late December full(er) profile to be added because it's hella late again lmao :>

so yeah... hi 🦉

Picrews used: this one, this and this (someone take me out of Hajime's garden, or else I'll sneeze my ass off lol)

[mintmatcha]

Soooooo are you gonna tell me who the special someone is? 👀

on my deathbed

[shigarosie]

Girl Gang Rosie!!!

Some outfit inspo + general vibes

- She won't fight if she can avoid it, but trust she can hold her own

- She much prefers to patch the other girls up after any fights and has a variety of colorful and fun bandaids for everyone to choose from

- Girl Gang Rosie likes to leave her mark in fun colorful ways- leaving stickers she designed herself all over the place, sprinkling flower seeds in cracks in the sidewalk, leaving chalk drawings everywhere. It's always something happy and meaningful

- She's a bit of a weirdo. She's got nothing in her bag except snacks, friendship bracelets and silly bands, and a thick ass CD organizer for all her very specific playlists. The CD player STAYS clipped to the belt loop

- She also has a big old crush on Hiragi. She gets really shy whenever he's around but also overcompensates for her nervousness and insecurities by being kinda loud and trying to be funny and then locks herself in her room and screams in her pillow afterwards <3

- She keeps some tummy medicine in her bag with him in mind, but she's afraid to offer it to him because what if she looks like a weird stalker

Okay that's all I have for now hehehe

@kweenkatsuki-fics