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Welcome to the Tokyo Debunker Café! ☕

[tkdbcafe]

🍙 Welcome to the Tokyo Debunker Café . . . .ᐟ

🍥 we host gift exchanges & themed challenges as well as facilitate trades!

🍥 blog is run by @roxyrotica and @midoisamis !

🍥 current event: spring exchange (march 21st - june 6th)

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[noctysite]

my contribution to @tkdbcafe spring trade :]

oc x jo for elgiva on discord and elias for @roxyrotica !! was trying new things with the elias and i think it turned out quite well,,

[midoisamis]

IF YOU ONLY DREAM

SUMMARY: As a surprise, Elias takes Seraph out to Yumeyashiki.

PAIRING: Elias Pratt x OC

WORDS: 3,935

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Written for the lovely @noctysite during the exchange I hosted at @tkdbcafe! I delivered it months ago and then just... forgot to post it! So here it is now! I hope you enjoyed it~!

When Elias had insisted that Seraph should get a R&R permit, they hadn’t really known what to expect. In fact, even when they were following him onto the Galaxy Express, they had no idea what the man had in mind for them. When they’d tried to ask, Elias just smiled at them.

“Isn’t the surprise part of the fun?”

That was all the man had offered for an explanation. Honestly, Seraph had grown used to that - Dionysia’s slogan when it came to missions had essentially been ‘trust the process’ when the house had been running. It didn’t come as much of a shock when Elias, the former captain, had the same approach to most of what he did.

Still, they hadn’t expected an amusement park. Standing outside of the gates of Yumeyashiki, Seraph wondered if they’d ever really been to one outside of going to Dionysia’s carnival while it was still around. As if sensing their hesitation, Elias came to their side, offering them a reassuring smile. “I hope that look doesn’t mean you don’t like amusement parks.”

“It’s more that I’m unfamiliar with them,” Seraph responded as they walked through the gates, eyes darting between the variety of rollercoasters and other thrill rides that were available.

Elias hummed, following their gaze, trying to settle on a place to start. “You’re not afraid of going on any of these, are you?” he asked, a somewhat teasing tone lacing his voice. “It’s okay to admit it if you are. I can hold your hand throughout all of them to reassure you.”

Heat rose to Seraph’s face, and they instinctively took a step back, shaking their head. “I’m not afraid,” they rushed to explain. “I’ll be fine going on them.”

“What a shame,” Elias reached into his pocket, pulling out a lollipop and unwrapping it. “I was looking forward to the excuse.”

Seraph tore their eyes away from him, eager to hide any rising flush on their face by looking for where to start. “How about a haunted house?” they asked, glancing shortly back to Elias. Though, after everything we’ve seen at Darkwick, I doubt there’s going to be anything in there that’s going to frighten us.

After sticking the unwrapped lollipop in his mouth, Elias nodded. “Lead the way.”

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

As suspected, the haunted house was underwhelming compared to what the pair was used to on missions - though one surprise scare at the end did nearly have Seraph jumping into Elias’ arms. The man had been amused by it, though had graciously kept himself from teasing the other. 

Now, in line for one of the roller coasters, Seraph watched as the cart quickly moved through skyscrapers, something that had surprised them, causing their jewel-toned eyes to widen at the sight. “It gets really close to the buildings…”

“Nervous?” Elias asked, looking over at them. “You don’t need to worry. In the long history of Yumeyashiki, there’s never been an incident with one of their rides.”

Seraph looked away from the coaster for a moment, turning back to face their companion. “How much do you know about the park’s history?”

Elias hummed in response, taking his lollipop out of his mouth for a moment and twirling it between his fingers as he thought. “Jo had a subscription to a magazine about different kinds of amusement and theme parks. He always said it was good to see what they were doing right so we could draw inspiration,” Elias began to explain, leaning back on the metal railing guiding the line. “None of his subscriptions were cancelled, so we still get his magazines delivered to Dionysia. Yumeyashiki had a spotlight this month - there was a whole spread on Japan’s Oldest Theme Park. It’s what made me think of bringing you.”

He saw it and thought of me? Seraph thought, looking away from him at the answer, unable to maintain eye contact with him after their mind had jumped to that conclusion. Before either one could say something more, the line was moving again, and they were urged into a cart together.

Part of Seraph was glad, at least, that the seats of the train weren’t narrow - in fact, there was a good amount of space left between them as the bar came down, locking them both into place. If they’d been any closer, Seraph could imagine their mind racing too much about the close contact to enjoy anything about the ride itself.

They weren’t really sure when it had happened, but it had felt like any contact with Elias made their heart start racing and a blush rise to their face. Shyness was something they’d always struggled with, but Elias had them flustered for other reasons.

Something about the man had always made Seraph feel like he could see directly into their heart. That, no matter what they said or what they tried to hide, Elias could see through any wall they put up as if it were made of glass.

When the ride began with a lurch, Seraph grabbed tight onto the bar as the coaster slowly climbed up the rails. With a higher vantage point on the park, it was easier to see the full bloom of spring - the cherry trees in a beautiful pink blossom, rows of brightly-colored flowers placed around the park in eye-catching arrangements, and the warm breeze that was finally inviting life back into the wilted winter plants.

While their eyes were on the beautiful vivid colors of spring decorating the park, though, Elias was stealing glances at Seraph. It was easier to admire the baku when they weren’t aware he was looking. In fact, it was one of the only times that he could do so - anytime Seraph met his gaze, they’d look away, as if holding eye contact with him was fatal.

At first, Elias had found the action disheartening. Now that he knew them better, he thought it was somewhat cute.

Once the coaster started rolling down, wind whipped around both of them, and they were each distracted as it looped and dashed between buildings, sometimes close enough to make it seem like they could reach out and touch a skyscraper.

Seraph kept their grip hard on the bar holding them in place until the ride came to a stop, taking a deep breath. Elias looked over at them, a soft laugh escaping him as he saw how the wind had tossed the fluff of Seraph’s mis-matched hair. Without thinking about it, he reached forward as the bars unlocked and lifted, taking it as a chance to move closer and attempt to smooth an unruly portion of their hair.

Instinctively, Seraph pulled back from him, iris eyes widening at him. “What are you doing?”

Elias smiled, pulling back for a moment. “Sorry. The wind blew some of your hair out of place. I was fixing it. Do you mind?”

After a moment, Seraph shook their head. “No… go ahead.”

Now with permission, Elias’ hand went to the side of their head, adjusting a tuft of dark hair back into its usual place. Seraph let themself focus on the feeling of Elias’ fingers carding through their hair, almost closing their eyes to fully focus on the sensation. They still had some sense of embarrassment, though, and the idea of letting Elias see how much they enjoyed the contact would have them riding back to Darkwick on the Galaxy Express as soon as possible.

“There we go,” Elias pulled back. “Back to normal.”

They missed his hand as soon as it was gone.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

“I didn’t think the merry-go-round would be so popular,” Seraph thought as they stepped forward in the line, a large group being escorted off of the small ride before another one was brought on.

“This is actually a carousel, not a merry-go-round,” Elias corrected in a light tone, a lollipop spinning in one hand as he spoke. “They’re subtly different. I wanted a carousel in Dionysia, but Mio told me I didn’t pay him enough for him to construct one.”

You don’t pay him at all, Seraph thought, a small smile on their face as they imagined the clockwork artisan complaining about Elias’ request. “What’s the difference?”

Before Elias could get into it, a bell rang and a gate opened at the front, signalling that the next group was allowed on. The two moved up and toward the large carousel, and up close, Seraph noted that they’d never seen one like it. There were two stories - one large rotating platform on the bottom and another smaller one up a short flight of stairs. “Let’s go to the top,” he pointed up. “There’s a hot air balloon up there.”

Having no particular opinion on where they sat, Seraph followed an eager Elias up the stairs. Most of the seats on the top were filled quickly, but the hot air balloon had been left empty - and one look at the narrow seat told Seraph exactly why. While it could seat two people, it clearly wasn’t meant to - and the idea of spending the entire ride hip-to-hip with Elias was enough to make them blush. They turned around to see another free seat, but for as far as they could see, each one was full.

As if not noticing Seraph’s darting eyes, Elias took a seat at the hot air balloon, offering a hand for Seraph to take and follow his lead. “You’re going to want to sit before the ride starts,” he urged. “I don’t want you to fall over.”

Below them, Seraph heard the conductor’s echoing voice. “Take your seats, everyone! The ride will begin in just a moment!”

Pushing away the last shred of their hesitation, Seraph reached forward and took Elias’ hand, letting him pull them down beside them. It had been just in time as well, the carousel’s music swelling as the ride began to turn. As Seraph had expected, the seat was barely enough for both of them, their hips pressed close together. Elias was the first one to start adjusting, moving his arm up. “Mind if I put an arm around you?” he asked. “Not much room for us both otherwise.”

He had to have known we’d be this close, Seraph thought. Part of them wanted to point that out to him, but instead they just nodded, granting him permission. It was easier to go along with him than tease him, and if they were being honest with themself, they were glad to see Elias making moves.

It didn’t make it any less flustering, though. As Elias’ arm wrapped around them and the ride began, Elias leaned closer to them. At first, Seraph didn’t know where he was going until he raised his free hand and pointed to one of the beautifully-painted horses. “See how that horse moves up and down in a galloping motion? That’s one of the differences between the two. Merry-go-rounds don’t often have that additional motion, usually only going around in circles.”

At his explanation, Seraph’s mind raced at their own predicament. Thank god this balloon isn’t moving. I think we’d fall over each other more if it was. “Do you prefer carousels, then?”

“I think they have a higher level of craftsmanship,” Elias nodded, looking over at Seraph as he answered. “With the amount of detail paid to them, you can tell that the people who made them crafted each detail with passion and love. That’s the kind of energy I wanted… want for Dionysia.”

Wanted, Seraph clung onto the past-tense. No one’s really sure if Dionysia will come back, but it doesn’t seem likely after what happened. Elias was really passionate about his dorm… he treated his fellow ghouls like family members…

A tap on Seraph’s nose snapped them out of their thoughts, and they looked over to Elias to see an easy smile on his face as he met their gaze. “You were thinking of something sad, weren’t you?” he asked teasingly. “This isn’t the time for that. We’re here for fun. I’d rather see a smile on your face than an expression like that.”

Elias’ warm words mixed with the arm that he had draped over Seraph’s shoulder was making this scenario feel more intimate by the second, and to attempt to cool down, Seraph looked away from him. “The park is beautiful from up here, isn’t it?” Seraph asked, eager to change the subject. “All the flowers are starting to bloom this time of year.”

“I think there’s a small section with a botanical garden,” Elias responded, looking out at the park with Seraph. He moved his hand, slightly pulling them closer to him in the process. “On that side of the park. Do you want to go to it?”

With every move that Elias made, it reminded Seraph how close they were, and when he pulled them closer it nearly rendered them speechless. Funny, they’d missed the physical contact before, and now they felt like this was almost too much. It was hard to think straight when he touched them like this. So, they simply nodded at him, half-aware of what they’d agreed to.

Is it really just this easy for him to get me under his sway?

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

Somehow, the most crowded spot in the entire theme park that day ended up being the botanical garden.

Given the time of year, Seraph supposed it wasn’t that strange for it to be crowded - and the park was gracious enough to have a place for people to set up in the grass and enjoy a variety of food that was offered in small trucks around the large garden area.

They were positioned under one of the only shaded areas in the garden now, taking a moment to rest while Elias had wandered off in search of something to bring back. Traditional food wasn’t really a necessity for the baku, but unlike Edward, they could enjoy it to an extent. It wasn’t filling, but more of a treat.

Still, even if they weren’t planning on eating, the rest was indispensable. Walking around the park had started to become slightly exhausting, and as the afternoon started heading into evening, Seraph needed a break. They were grateful that Elias had asked them to find a place for the pair while he wandered, because the moment Seraph sat down in the grass, it felt as refreshing as a deep breath.

“Everything okay?” Elias’ voice grabbed their attention, and Seraph looked up to meet his eyes as he looked down at them, holding out a bottle of water.

Seraph reached forward, taking the water bottle from him and replying with a short nod. “Fine. Just a bit tired.”

“I thought so,” Elias nodded, taking a seat. Seraph noted that he’d come back empty-handed aside from the water bottle, but before they could ask about it, he pulled out a lollipop from his pocket and unwrapped it. “I hope you’re still having fun, though. You seemed… exhausted lately.”

He’s noticed that? Seraph thought, slowly opening their water bottle. I didn’t think anyone would really tell other than those in Obscuary… and it’s not like all of us go to all of our classes, anyway. “Is that why you asked me to come here with you?” Seraph asked, keeping their eyes away from him. Looking at him now felt too vulnerable.

Elias hummed in response, seeming confused. “I suppose it contributed to it… really, if anything, it only gave me an excuse,” he leaned closer to Seraph, trying to catch their eyes, but he could tell they were deliberately busying themself with the water bottle in their hands. “I’ve wanted to invite you somewhere for a while. Wanting to put a smile on your face when I could tell you were exhausted was just the inspiration for where we went.”

“You’ve wanted to invite me somewhere for a while? Why?” Seraph asked, trying to hide the hopefulness in their tone.

Before the Clash, before Dionysia had to disband, Seraph was somewhat of a regular at the mysterious circus. The acts were interesting, of course, but Elias was always the one that they’d been the most interested in. At first, it was simply pure admiration for his skills and the shows he’d help put on.

They weren’t sure when it had happened, but admiration and amazement had developed into a crush. They started visiting less when they realized that talking to Elias made all the shy parts of their personality push toward the surface, not wanting to make a spectacle of themself in front of their crush because of it.

After all, of course the perceptive ghoul had picked up on them coming to the show multiple times a week, occasionally coming up to them after bows and teasing them about it, even once inviting them backstage to see how it was all done. That offer was the first time they realized it was easy for Elias to convince them to follow his lead.

Then the Clash happened, Dionysia disbanded, and they thought their chance was gone. They didn’t expect Elias to continue to make an effort to talk to them after his house was gone and they weren’t an audience member anymore. Yet, here he was, admitting that he’d wanted to invite them out for a while.

Seraph wanted to be hopeful that his words meant that Elias felt the same way about them that they did about him. It had been something they dreamed about - Elias being the first one to admit his feelings, and then being able to do something with all the affection that they’d built up in their heart.

 Instead of answering their question, though, Elias just stood up from the grass and offered them a hand. “There’s one last ride I want to go on before we leave,” he told them, deliberately catching their gaze before smiling. “If you join me one last time, I’ll tell you. Okay?”

One more ride? Seraph thought. The theme park was getting darker, the sky slowly turning orange while the sun set. It made sense that they needed to start heading back to campus soon - the time restrictions on R&R permits were no joke.

Still, as they took Elias’ hand and he pulled them to their feet, Seraph could help but wish that they could stay there with him for much longer. That they didn’t have to go back to Darkwick, back to classes and back to missions.

They wanted to dream that they could stay in the garden under the setting sun with Elias for forever.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

As the sky above Yumeyashiki was painted into a soft gradient of blue and burnt orange, Elias led Seraph by the hand to the ride he’d wanted to go on from the beginning - the ferris wheel.

There was a sparkle in Elias’ eyes when they got in line, and despite themself, Seraph couldn’t stop sneaking glances at the smile on his face. He caught them as they both climbed into a colorful gondola, tilting his head at them. “Is there something on my face?”

Seraph swiftly averted their gaze, a wave of heat rising to their cheeks. “No! It’s just, well, you looked more excited to ride this than anything else.”

Elias sighed softly when Seraph looked away. He wished that they’d keep looking at him, that they’d keep their own eyes locked with his instead of looking away every time they got flustered. It was a selfish wish, but he couldn’t help it anyway - he wanted to be the center of their attention. He hid his disappointment, though, and looked forward as the ride started up again now that they were seated. “You know, the ferris wheel was always one of my favorite parts of Dionysia.”

“Really?” Seraph asked, tilting their head inquisitively as they glanced back over at him. The golden hour evening light suited him, bathing him in a soft light that made him glow.

He hummed, keeping his eyes ahead, aware that Seraph was looking at him now and wanting to keep it that way for as long as he could help it. “I would ride it alone all the time, sometimes just to clear my head. Even though Dionysia is closed, I sometimes go back just to sit in the gondolas. It doesn’t really work at the moment, though - without Mio, it’s unsafe to operate. If it breaks with me on it, I’d have to call someone over to rescue me.”

“I’d come to your rescue,” Seraph responded without thinking, the words leaving their mouth before they had a moment to second-guess themself. “I mean - if you called me, if you wanted me to.”

Unable to fight the urge any longer, Elias looked over, meeting their iris eyes and smiling. “I hope you would. You’re the first person I’d call.”

I doubt it… Haru is still around, and they were much closer, Seraph thought, gaze averting. This time, Elias outwardly sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t look away from me all the time,” he whispered, just barely loud enough for Seraph to hear. “You never used to look away from me when I was performing for you. Why is it different here?”

Seraph was surprised by the subject, turning back to Elias with a look of disbelief. “Of course it’s different. You were on a stage, tens of feet away from me, a spotlight in your eyes. I didn’t have any reason to think you could see me. It’s… different when you’re this close.”

“I suppose it’s different,” he hummed. “Still, I always loved the way you looked at me on stage. Knife throwing isn’t all that impressive compared to some of our other acts, but you always looked at me like it was the first time you’d seen me perform.”

It was slightly embarrassing to Seraph that Elias could not only see their face from the stage, but that he remembered how they looked while he performed. “Knife throwing is impressive,” was the only thing they managed to say, too flustered to address the rest of his statement.

“It’s even more so with an assistant,” Elias scooted as close to Seraph as he could without rocking the gondola, a playful glint in his mis-matched eyes. “Interested in volunteering? You can trust me. I won’t hurt you.” 

At a loss for words under the weight of Elias’ charm, Seraph shook their head, prompting a short, light laugh from him. “You asked me earlier why I’ve wanted to invite you somewhere, and the answer is simple. Ever since you started coming to our shows… I liked having your attention on me. I loved performing in front of you - how your eyes followed me, how you’d come to multiple shows… You were a constant in my life. One I missed from the moment Dionysia became defunct with me.”

“You… missed me?” Seraph asked softly. I didn’t think he thought of me outside of those moments in the circus, they thought. I figured I wasn’t anything more than a face in the crowd.

Elias raised one hand, stroking a thumb across Seraph’s cheek before cupping it. “I missed seeing you all the time. I don’t want to start missing you again. So, if it’s not too much trouble… Please, keep coming out with me like this.”

This was a scene Seraph had dreamed about. Them and Elias together, facing a future together. They almost weren’t sure what to do.

If I only ever dream, though, there’s never a time for them to come true.

Seraph raised their hand, putting it over his and returning the smile.

“I’d like nothing more.”

[cookiesandbiscuits]

GUYS DROP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!!

This was the gift I received from the lovely Meru for the TKDB Spring Exchange! (idk if they're on Tumblr so I can't tag them unfortunately)

I am honestly floored at how beautiful this is. They even managed to incorporate butterflies in Alice's design, which took me by surprise because I don't remember saying the fact that Alice is associated with butterflies yet.

And don't get me started on Rui. The way he looks at her so softly??? OH MY GOD JUST KILL ME ALREADY. FUCK THE REAPER CURSE I AM GONNA KISS HIM BY THE MOUTH.

I just

[mcdonaldsnumberone]

ARE YOU ALIVE?

❤︎‬ jin doesn't do well without you. ❤︎‬ jin kamurai x gn! mc! reader ❤︎‬ wc: 2k ❤︎‬ content warning(s): depression/depressive behavior, mentions of death, angst with happy ending ❤︎‬ author's note: this was my submission for @tkdbcafe's spring trade! thank you so much for having me!

Jin Kamurai is cold.

Both literally and figuratively, the bone-chilling sensation of plummeting temperatures and the unsettlingly all-too-familiar prickle of goosebumps across his skin has become second-nature to him. 

The cold stalks him everywhere. As if destined for it, his own family name engraves him with the touch of ice. His dorm is kissed by frost in its name. His hair and eyes are smudged with glacial colors, polar white and wintry blue respectively.

He should be used to it by now. The cold is what he’s known since he was born, and the cold serves as the frigid airs he puts on to cast the illusion of distance. The cold has remained as the undercurrent of his childhood and adolescence, taking root as if it’s spreading frostbite over his conscience as he lurches past the threshold of adulthood. The cold is his father turning away from a heartwarming hug. The cold is the temperature of his mother’s hands in her coffin. 

“It’ll be a difficult mission. Surely, you understand, Mr. Kamurai.”

His bed is chilly when he wakes and when he slips into it at night. His hands are empty, tips numbed with nothing to hold onto. The air, whether stepping out onto his balcony for a quick smoke or a stray gust that creeps into his bedroom when Tohma opens the door, swirls around him in a mockery of an embrace.

It’s a painful reminder of your absence, that you aren’t by his side to snuggle together to share heat, to fill his large palms with your own, to banish away the empty cold that lingers by his side with your warm presence. Jin has never been social or outwardly altruistic to begin with, but at the very least, when you were here, your encouragement was enough to get him to show his face around. 

“While I acknowledge that you are particularly fond of the honor student and she appears to return that sentiment, her enrollment at Darkwick Academy is dictated by certain responsibilities. Therefore, it is imperative to the success of the other dorms’ missions that she is present when required.”

Now, it’s as if he’s lost all incentive to even try. The way he feels about how others view him is complicated. It’s not that he doesn’t care, but it’s more like he cares just enough for it to hurt but not enough for him to find the drive to do anything about it on his own. He doesn’t expect you or Tohma or even the chaotic second-year duo to fix anything on his behalf, but the moral support of simply knowing he had you to fall back on must have been more monumental than he gave it any credit for.

“Like all missions are, this one will be kept top-secret from anyone not directly involved. This means you will lose all communications with the honor student until the mission is either completed or called off. This will be a difficult mission, so you may expect to be unable to hear from her or speak to her for a long duration of time.”

The first few days were more transitory than anything else. It was learning to live without you at his beck and call, and like an addict coming down from a high, the withdrawal of it all didn’t hit immediately. It was as if he had lost a limb, the familiar comfort and utility of your being simply vanished. The immediate loss was what he had to grapple with first, but that did little to keep the inevitable dread at bay. It crept in, tiptoeing and breathing down his back, until it no longer kept up the pretense of being gradual in any measure and plunged him headfirst back in the abysmal mire of his own thoughts.

The next weeks dragged by, and Jin crawled back to his bad habits. He swapped the occasional visit to his classes for long hours hiding under the fraudulent security of his covers, his normally sharp eyes turning dull and sunken with dark half-moons underneath. He only dragged himself out of his bed when necessary, unable to bear the roaring silence that engulfed him without your chatter or footsteps or even your clutter in his room to keep his own loneliness at bay.

“Let me repeat myself. Mr. Kamurai, do you understand?”

You’re not a ghoul. You’re a helpless little thing at best, plucked off of the streets and thrust into a world where demons and inhuman beings run amok all the same, all lurking underneath the surface for a chance to pounce. His body shivers unconsciously at the gruesome scenes his imagination keeps conjuring up, one after another, no end in sight. You’re hurt. You’re scared. You’re calling out for help. You need him, and he isn’t able to do anything about it.

It’s the not-knowing that hurts him the worst. If he could just see your face for a little while, feel the circulation of your blood thrumming underneath your skin at the tips of his chilled fingers, let your heartbeat revive him back to a semblance of life, Jin thinks he might have been able to cope with the distance. If he could hear your voice, let your touch linger, the lingering nips and bites of his own insecurity might not have run as rampant as they are right now.

Jin tells himself that he’s used to it. Because in a way, he isn’t wrong. The cold is who he is, waiting for a perpetual winter to come to a close, the boy curled up in the shadows all alone as the cruel realization dawns on him that no one will be there to usher in the first temperate exhales of spring to thaw out the tender heart buried away deep. Closing himself off keeps the hurt away for just a little bit longer, numbs him to the pain before it swallows him whole mercilessly and leaves him as no more than a mummified shell.

Jin Kamurai is cold.

…

…

…

“I’m sorry! I-I came as soon as I could… Which was basically as soon as I got back to school—”

The world threatens to spin on its axis. Jin wraps a hand around the chilled, firm material of his doorway. Normally he’d admonish himself for such a blatant display of weakness, but in his complete defense, nothing about his life or the situation at hand could ever be described using the word “normal.”

“—So I probably stink and look gross and- and- all the stuff you really don’t like—”

He thinks he might be hallucinating. None of his dreams are pleasant enough for him to misconstrue this as some kind of merciful play from his mind. This has to be a vision created specifically to torture him. Perhaps he’s used up enough of the patience and goodwill of those around him, and this is the universe’s unique way of punishing him: a glimpse of what he yearns for most as he wastes away, huddled and shivering under a thin blanket in a solitary corner in something more akin to a prisoner’s room than a wealthy heir’s dorm.

“—But I couldn’t bear being away for any longer. I missed you! I had to come see you as soon as I could.”

Incoherent, messy rambling fills his ears. It’s not that he purposefully intends on tuning so much of it out, it’s just that his scrambled and dulled senses are struggling to play catch up after weeks of murky isolation. Jin takes the hand that isn’t supporting him against the mouth of his room, and like a moth drawn to a flame, he reaches forward.

His fingertips brush against your soft face. He almost jerks away. He half-expected his hand to phase through, that you were a ghost that he made up after his inability to cope with your absence, and instead, his frozen knuckles wrap tenderly around the warm skin of your cheeks. He stays still for a split second, brain still whirring to process the feeling of him actually touching another person for the first time in forever, and then all the emotions hit him like an avalanche closing its mammoth maw in around him.

It’s you.

You, in the flesh. You’re so radiant, so vibrant, undoubtedly a mess with your uniform torn and askew, a visible layer of grime and whatever else you had to wallow through to complete your mission, and yet Jin thinks this is the most beautiful way he’s ever seen you in his entire life. His thumb brushes over the apple of your cheek, and when your voice hitches into a nervous laugh, it’s like some of the frost coating his heart has started to crack. 

Nothing has gotten him to feel like this before. No level of money, honor, prestige, title, the whole nine yards that he was born into has made him feel as if he’s been scrubbed down and left out to warm up in the balmy sunshine. A lifetime of closing off his emotions and constantly hiding his true motives goes flying out the window as he leans forward and more or less collapses into your arms, wrapping himself around you so tightly as if you’ll disappear if his grip on you loosens in the slightest. 

“Woah!” You let out a light-hearted gasp, adjusting to bear his added weight the best you can. Your arms grasp him tightly, returning his vice-like grip with an affectionate squeeze of your own. “Careful now… If I go down while you’re holding me, we’ll both fall!”

“I don’t mind.” His answer is so immediate, you almost don’t realize that he had started speaking to you. As long as he’s entangled with you, limb with limb, heart to heart, it doesn’t matter where he is or what he’s doing. “...It’s been so cold without you.”

A sticky silence settles between the two of you, and your heart clenches like a breath held for too long in between your ribs. You’re more than aware of how lonely each passing night was. Unable to speak to him, unable to feel him, only your distant memories to keep you company without the guarantee of another day to your name, simply labeling the emptiness as torture would be too neat. There’s no real way to describe the bruising in your psyche, the yawning chasm in your everyday life where you had grown accustomed to another person’s presence. 

You slide one of your hands into his white hair, loose strands cascading over your knuckles. You want to press your hands and mouth all over his pallid body, rub life back into his listless arms and legs, breathe in and out to the same rhythm of his heart beating shallow inside his broad chest. You sigh out, “I know. I’ve been gone for too long. But… I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“Make it up to me now.” His grip on you tightens for a split second. It’s like he’s affirming the flesh in between his palms is really yours. You don’t need to read too far in between the lines to understand what he’s trying to say. He’s not the kind of person to wear his misery this openly, but you’re someone who he knows he can show his true heart to. He knows you’ll treat him gently, the sweet puffs of your exhales enough to dispel the shards of ice sinking their claws into the corners of his eyes.

You’ll spend eternity next to him. As many days and nights as it takes to bring him back to life, you’ll wait for him. If there’s any power left within your capabilities, you’ll use every ounce of it so that you aren’t ripped from his side again. The road ahead of you may be slick and unpredictable, but that just means you have to believe that the end will be that much brighter—doubly so, especially if it’s for Jin’s sake. 

With you nestled in his arms, feeling long overdue, Jin Kamurai melts.

x

[tkdbcafe]

Hi, Im interested in joining your event as an artist! The requirements in the sign ups were a little vague. Could you clarify what level of done our art has to be? So like do you want a fully rendered and colored drawing? Do we stop at a sketch? Etc

Also, is there a canvas size requirement?

Hihi! I saw your follow-up ask about the requirements, so this will only be about canvas size!

There is no minimum or maximum canvas size requirement or limit!

Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with~!

[cookiesandbiscuits]

Taste of Home

Behind cheerful smiles and playful banters lies a heart longing for her homeland. But unbeknownst to you, it didn't go unnoticed by him.

Pairing: Shohei Haizono x Filipino F!Reader

Genre: Comfort/Fluff

A/N: This is my gift for the TKDB Spring Exchange hosted by @tkdbcafe! I've been procrastinating on finishing this but thankfully I got to finish it just in time. Enjoy!! :3

Other notes: Reader is MC; Filipino!MC because I am a proud Pipino; not proofread

» MASTERLIST

A sunny smile.

That is the first thing that comes to mind whenever Sho hears your name.

You were quite the unfortunate one, really. You were only going about your day and then all of a sudden, you got cursed to turn into a monster in a year.

He wouldn't be surprised if you already broke down after being taken away from your life just like that. You were just human, after all.

And yet here you are, still finding the strength to carry on with your new normal while smiling, despite the harrowing fate looming over your head.

And honestly? He respected that.

You once joked that maybe the reason you're like this was because you grew up in a place where experiencing the onslaughts of powerful typhoons several times a year was normal, but he knew it's not only because of that.

It was just in your nature to have a positive outlook on life.

"Hi, Sho!"

"Hey, Senpai. Back again, are we?"

"Of course! You know I can't resist the taste of your cooking."

"You know flattery will get you nowhere, right?" he says, raising a brow at you playfully.

"It's not flattery if it's true!"

"Sure, sure. So, what will it be? Your usual?"

You grinned. "You know me so well."

The banter between you continued on as he prepared your food.

It's always like this whenever you're around. Conversations just flow so easily with you, it's almost a wonder.

"Oh, right..." he spoke as he handed your order to you. "Senpai, are you free later this afternoon?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm planning on trying a new recipe, and I want you to taste test it for me."

"Well... I am supposedly free this afternoon, but I can't really be sure. You know how they like to make me run around the campus."

"Ah..."

Right. He almost forgot the fact you were Darkwick's unpaid errand girl—always running around doing task after task at the school's behest. If he didn't knew you, he would have believed you were a part of the faculty.

"I'll let you know if I'll be able to make it."

"Thanks. Enjoy your lunch."

"Will do!"

You gave him a wave and he watched your retreating form disappear as you turned around the corner.

I didn't miss anything, right?

Sho looked through the bag he was holding, then nodded to himself when he made sure all the ingredients he needed was in it.

You texted him earlier to confirm you were absolutely free now and will be waiting for him at the Vagastrom garage.

He spotted you easily. You were standing near the entrance, on a video call with someone.

As he made his way towards your direction, he gradually heard your conversation.

"Tita!"

A child's voice emanated from your phone.

"Hi, bebe! Happy birthday! 'Musta? Happy ba ang cute na pamangkin ko?"

"Yes po, tita!" the child responded excitedly. "Nagpunta kami nina mama at papa sa Jollibee kanina with my friends tapos nakita namin si Jollibee!"

"Wow!" you exclaimed, matching the child's excitement. "Nakita mo si Jollibee?"

"Opo!"

There was a pause before the child spoke again.

"Sana andito ka rin tita para nakita mo rin siya."

You smiled apologetically. "Sorry, bebe. Medyo busy pa kasi si tita mo..."

"Okay lang po, tita. May next time pa naman po eh."

You paused, looking a little unsure what to say. There was a short silence before you replied.

"Yeah... May next time pa."

"Sige po, tita, tinatawag na po ako nina papa. Bye, tita!"

"Babye!"

You let out a sigh once the call ended. Only then did you notice him standing there.

"Oh, Sho. Sorry, did I make you wait too long?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You were talking with someone back home?"

"Yeah. That was my niece. It's her birthday today."

"Seems like you two were close."

You hummed. "We are. I used to babysit her a lot since her parents were both working until late in the evening. I'm basically her second mother at that point."

He stared at your wistful expression, and before he knew it, the question had already tumbled from his lips.

"Do you miss them? Your family, I mean."

You look at him for a while, and for the first time, he saw a smile devoid of your usual cheer.

"More than you ever know."

A few weeks passed.

The two of you never brought up that conversation again, but frankly, it never left his mind.

And ever since that evening, he began to notice the cracks in your mask.

You still had a bright smile on your face as you did your duties, but there was a growing exhaustion in your eyes, especially after coming back to a mission that proved fruitless in your search to break your curse.

And that was understandable. Despite your incredible resilience, you are, in the end, still a normal human being who has her limits.

But if there is something he could do to ease your burdens even for just a little, he would do it with no hesitation, just like how you would for them. And luckily for him, he might be able to do something.

"Hi, Sho! I'm here!"

"Oh, Senpai. Good timing, I just finished cooking this."

He gestured to the empty chair. "Take a seat. I'll just plate this real quick."

"Thanks. It's been a while since I had your cooking, it's almost making me excited for this."

"Wouldn't it be because you're cheating on me with the school store's bento sets these days?"

"Hey!" you pouted. "It's not like I have a choice, you know? As much as I'd like to line up for your food truck, I unfortunately do not have that much free time during lunch. If I spent it all by waiting in line, I wouldn't have time to actually eat!"

"Excuses, excuses."

He glanced at you and couldn't help but chuckle at your indignant look.

"Well, just consider this as your payback for your lack of loyalty."

"Like I said, I don't have a—"

You froze, eyes widening at the sight of the dish in front of you.

"Sho..."

"You look like you needed a pick-me-up," he says, scratching the back of his neck. "I know you can't leave, and there's no place I could take you that would rid you of your homesickness, but this would at least ease some of it. It's not enough, but consider it a small well done gift for all the things you've done to survive this hellish place."

Your eyes met his, then drifted back to the bowl of pork sinigang.

"I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything."

You took a bite of the food. Then another.

"This is probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."

A warm sensation filled his chest seeing you so happy.

"The soup's too thin though."

"...What?"

"Sorry, it's just..."

You stared at your bowl. "I prefer some of the taro crushed so the soup will be thicker."

"Oh. Then I'll do it like that the next time I make this."

The two of you exchanged a look and smiled, letting the warmth of his promise envelop you both.

Tags: @cloudcountry @sweetlikevanilaaa @jellomomo @stinkyturd @sh0jun @towasdaffodil @kyohachiyo

[tkdbcafe]

Now Opening: TKDB Summer Gift Exchange!

Hello! With summer now upon us, we are hosting another gift exchange within within the Tokyo Debunker fandom for artists, editors and writers who are interested in giving and receiving some Tokyo Debunker themed gifts!

These gifts are purely intellectual in nature, not physical! The options include fanart, fanedits and fanfic.

There are rules for participation, all of which are included on the sign-up form here! However, I will highlight the most important ones...

RULE ONE: No AI generation will be tolerated. I cannot vet every entry, but please do not enter this with the intention of giving your Valentine something that has been AI generated. If, once you receive your gift, you suspect AI generation was involved, please reach out to me to remedy the situation.

RULE TWO: This form is open to ages 16+, so please keep it clean. The creator of this exchange is 21+, but I am opening this to participation for anyone sixteen and older. As such, please do not request anything that may be sensitive in nature to minors.

RULE THREE: I must be able to reach you. I (or my equally-capable event runner Roxx) will be handing out your assignments on July 5th. All assignments will be handed out through discord, so please be sure you have me (melodiousember) added as a friend or are already in our server!

Sign-ups are going to close on July 3rd! The deadline for this gift exchange is August 31st. There are more rules included on the form, so be sure to read through all of them here!

In Addition . . .

We host a Discord server that's geared toward TKDB fan artists, editors and writers! It is not required to join if you want to participate in the exchange, but it will make it easier to find you and stay updated! It is meant to be a place for creatives of all types to come together, share their fics or art, and to even participate in trades! It's also a place to look at the amazing creations from the past events!

We also have custom emojis! Honestly, it's our biggest appeal!

If you're interested in joining us, click here to be led to the Discord server!

[sleepysexper]

Second gift exchange thing :)

Same thing for @tkdbcafe ‘s gift exchange, this time it’s Sinostra’s legal defense team with Ritsu and @cloudcountry ‘s OC

[sleepysexper]

Did this wee little thing for @tkdbcafe’s gift exchange. Got Elias with @noctysite’s cool little oc :) genuinely really love their character’s design so much