i write depends on my mood or mental state. can be weekly or once in 50 years, especially if my works rarely get interactions as it can discourage me from writing more.
i can't do requests, but i'm open to suggestions and ideas. however, do not get your hopes up for it.
i don't write explicit smut.
i always write the reader as gender neutral, unless it's for specific LGBTQ+ prompts or when i feel like it. (ex.: fics about struggles of gender dysphoria or coming out from the closet)
The night was cold, You just came home from work, walking over to the small space of your apartment when you noticed the light from your bedroom was still on.
"is he waiting for me again?"
Lately, you haven't been returning to an empty home. Or a home with your mom ready to berate you sitting on a couch with that look of evident dissapointment.
Instead, You find yourself torn between the feeling or relief and worry, because you come home to him.
He who had a kind smile, an alluring presence of comfort and a bit like sweet vanilla. Kazuki, your lover of just one month, but the time you spent together had spent your world to a turning point you'd never guess.
Everything became easier, and all the hurdles felt lighter with each step forward jumping over them.
Stuck still processing the change of your world, you didn't even notice the shadows underneath the door moving before it slightly creeked open.
"ah."
He blinked as his eyes lifted up from the ground to yours, He was wearing that stripped purple shirt again. You were starting to wonder if he had a strange attachment to it, but before you could, Kazuki had already smiled with that disarming gentleness.
"okaeri."
He gently reached for both of your hands in his as he keeps his gaze on you.
Renjirou Fukuda
Having to run errands for your boss at work was never easy. He always found a way to nitpick every single thing as if he was paying you yens above minimum wage.
Which he obviously wasnt.
"hah.."
You sigh as you reach for the last item on the list when your hands suddenly brushed against someone else's.
"ah"
You both simultaneously withdrew your hand. Ren blinked as he sees YOU of all people. And you smile a bit.
You'd never think you'd encounter him here with his uniform again. You had been so caught up in work that you forget he also works here.
".. Running errands?"
he asked with a raise of his brow.
"well,.. Its my boss asking me to run his errands again.."
You softly sighed as you put the can of corn in the basket. Ren gave you a silent stare of judgement, before he gently brushed your hair back. You didn't even notice your hair was tousled.
"I'll cook dinner tonight, so you better tell of your boss to back off."
A teasing smile crosses his face before he turned away from embarrassment from his own words.
"anyway.. I'll wait for you later.. don't keep me waiting."
Haruki Saotome
You were just walking back from home, the streetlights flickering, and your eyes glued down to your phone, playing rythm game to calm yourself down after a tiring day at work.
beep beep boop boop betty boop.
Everything was peaceful for a moment except for the quiet click of your shoes on the pavement and the sounds of the game.
But peace never lasts in your life because soon enough, you heard a voice calling out to you, loud, playful, and definitely inching closer, and louder by the second as sounds of rushing steps followed.
You braced yourself before you turned, already half expecting it to be the most brightest sunshine that entered your dull life, only to find yourself taken aback by his charm once more.
"eh?!"
One moment you were on the ground walking depressed from work, next you were back in the arms of your beloved energetic lover who had lifted you up into the air in the middle of the road.
He had such a cheerful smile as always before he leaned your face close to his with a gentle boop against his forehead.
"My emotional other half had finally been free from the shackles of corporate slavery for the day!"
He chirped with that excitement barely concealed from his voice as he squeezed you in a tight hug.
"I've waited for you to come out so long you know? Even Mr. Tubbs got sleepy waiting."
Ryota Nishimiya
You typed into your computer for what feels like an eternity now, you could hardly need to look down to see the letters in the keyboard as the sound of clicking and tapping resonates into the blurring sounds around you.
"Hey.."
You didn't even notice the gentle voice calling out to you from behind before your vision blurred into the darkness, covered by warm hands that slightly trembled in nervousness.
Your hands halt in their typing, shocked from the sudden contact before you finally hear the noise and sounds around you again.
"I was starting to think you were deliberately ignoring me"
His voice was gentle but it carried a hint of sadness before he gently removed his hands from your eyes. Your gaze meeting his gentle but loving eyes.
"It's already just the two of us, Didn't you notice the time?"
He asked softly before he turns your chair around and gently bends down for you, the sheer action sending your heart to a beating race as he holds your hands in his, feeling his warm fingers trace along your palm before he looks back up at you.
"Lets go home together. I don't want to see you stressed any much longer."
EUGHHHHHH BROOO IDK IDK ANYWAYYSYS BONUS PEOPLE FOR THOSE WHO YEARN FOR THEM EUGHHHH gib me a brekkk
Hiroto Shimizu
You had just wanted to flop into your futon after a tiring day at the shrine today. You snuggled your face into the sheets and pillow, exhaustion evident.
"You look as if you did the performance by yourself, Princess"
He sounded so confident that you felt the need to groan into the pillow internally before lifting your face up from the futon, sitting up and looking at him with that exasperated expression that makes a smirk of satisfaction cross his face.
"what?"
"You never say something nice"
And maybe that was true because he looked a bit shocked at that comment. He tilts his head at you, eyeing you before he smiles and walks over, handing out his hand to you with a different air of arrogance, it was almost like he was proud of whatever he was about to do.
And even if your gut told you not to trust him, You reached out.
His hand was a bit cold, both thick yet smooth, from endless shrine practice, and the care he gets.
"There you go."
He pulls you into a chair before he suddenly started to brush your hair, clumsy and a bit painful at first, but then he seems to catch on and lessens the tension and does it carefully.
"You always look lovely, but even more lovelier Under my care."
Kagami Ren
Kagami sighed as he finally pushed open the door after a shift at the archive, he enters the quiet apartment, His footsteps padding gently on the mat before he spots the clock by the kitchen counter, 5:32.
The food he had brought had already gone cold in the container.
He glanced towards his room on the side, and he found himself smiling slightly to himself with a mix of disappointment in finding the lights already off.
He took off his jacket as he put the food in the fridge, drinking a glass of water and washing his face before he walked to the bathroom to change his clothes.
By the time he was done freshening up, it had already been nearing to 6 and soon she'd have to leave.
Ren walked towards the room with a blank headspace, Entering it, he was greeted by the cold air, the scent of food.. and her under the covers already asleep like a log.
"I'm Home."
He gently lifted the covers as he slipped beside her, His gaze, despite weary, and how exhausted, seemed to only want to stay awake to stare at her face.
"goodnight."
He gently brushed a strand of her hair before he turned away to the other side, incase things get awkward when she wakes up earlier.
The feeling of her hands finding its way to wrap around his waist made his eyes immediately open again before he let a small amused breathe out and settled to sleep.
If everyday was like this, then I don't mind working late.
Yoko Nishimiya
A tiring day at work always drain every part of you, It's like getting your soul sucked by a demon that you benefit from. Kinda like a pact.
"Yahoo~"
But there's always angels ready to help poor souls from the grasps of this said demons, and luckily for you, that person seemed to be the older childhood friend you had.
"Your looking down, Need a hug?"
She had always been there for every moment in your life, So kind, so cheerful, always responsible and ready to soothe your worries with that kind smile..
"mhm! mwuah!"
She wrapped her arms around you as she leaned her face close enough for you to notice her wearing the lipgloss you brought her, She smiles as she peppers your cheek with a kiss.
"Feel better?"
She smiles as she pats your head, She was just so affectionate your exhaustion melts at the very sight of her. Oh god how lovesick were you for her.
Another one to pass time because I'm bored, and I should totally finish even gods were once human but i cannot be bothered to.
Or i am working on it but just cant find the heart to post it yet because i think its a bit lost.
Shimizu Kazuki
The room feels much more quieter without him. Without the sounds of him writing down his articles, talking about how its going to be his next big hit..
Now you only gaze outside your window smelling that disappointing scent of sewer water.
You closed the window with a tired sigh before glancing at the house. It's a bit messier now..
Kazuki had always helped around a bit with the cleaning, always there to take care of you when you couldn't.
"Back then..the most important thing I had, what I loved most.. What was most important to me, was definitely you.. Though.. I doubt you'd believe me after all that."
You slumped down to the floor, Holding your knees to your chest as you lowered your head. Sniffing out your eyes.
Despite all of it, some part of you still believes, and knows, if you probably talked to him again, He'd comfort you like he always had.
That had always been what I liked most about you.
Your kindness.
Renjirou Fukuda
Leaning against the wall of your room had lately become a habit. Perhaps because it somehow gave you comfort.
But the real reason was plain as day.
"FUZAKERUNNA!"
It was to hear his voice again. Even if it was just harsh screams to his game. Even when you really shouldn't.
You couldn't really help it, Everything ended so suddenly. One day he was always hanging out in your room playing games after a tiring day at work, and the next, he wouldn't even talk to you.
"tsk!"
And now all you can do is smile to yourself and reminisce the phantom feeling of his soft fluffy hair under your hands. It was surprising you didn't cry from how much you missed that boy.
You used to think you'd never get used to his cranky attitude, but here you are. Smiling to yourself like a fool at the thought of him.
"That's what I really liked about you in the end.. your ability to never back down for anyone.."
Haruki Saotome
The sun setting into the distance had wrapped the sky in a beautiful orange hue. It was so vibrant you could almost assume it was the sunny morning.
Plip. Plip. plip.
The sound of distant splashes of water made you look towards the river and oh how you regret doing so.
Two young students were playing by the side, skipping rocks into the river as they laughed to each other.
"Ah.. To be young.."
But more than the longing feeling of youth, it painfully reminded you of him too. He would always have this bizarre sets of hobbies that always scared you for the love of god but..
It always made you happy. No matter how absurd, how dangerous, He never failed to make a smile surface on your face.
"ah.. How could someone not like him when he could make you happy even with just a stick?"
Ryota Nishimiya
The rain was pouring hard today, but you'd never even expect to have forgotten your umbrella at home again.
"great.. just great.."
You mumble to yourself as you felt the drips of rain splatter to your heels. Sticky. Wet. It didn't feel nice at all but all you could do was shrink more to the wall, depending so much on the small coverage the bus stop roof gave.
If.. If you were still together.. He had probably already packed your umbrella for you when he saw this morning's rain check.
You couldn't help the bitter laugh escaping you at the thought of him. Had you relied too much on him?
The thought scared you more than it should have. He had always been with you since childhood that this new distant cold line between you feels so foreign you'd never get used to it.
The rain poured harder as it blurred in the back of your mind until a shadow loomed over you.
It was an Umbrella held out for you by none other than him.
"You can return it to the cafe tomorrow"
"Ah. He really is.. always looking out for me, even when.. I really really like him afterall."
help this is a quick post uwu, i didn't revise much cuz my brain is fried so its a bit short, nonetheless, thanks for reading!
CHAPTER 8: REFLECTION
“Your profile illuminated by the moonlight, I look up and the stars rival your beauty.”
His hands held your sleeve as he looked down at you with that conflicted gaze. His eyes seemed to waver with a flood of emotions but his grip on your kimono didn’t slip.
“You have me by your side. Someone strong, powerful, someone who can give you everything you want, but you chose to find comfort in him. Why?”
Hiroto didn’t like how desperate he sounded for you himself. He doesn’t even want to acknowledge how his attention shifted to someone like you.
It started with the small things, your bold actions, your clumsy works, your attention to him, your worry, your gaze.. your kindness. He had subconsciously grown to you beside him that he started to crave it from the very insides of his being. Like a butterfly trying to crawl out of it’s cocoon ready to fly.
“You can’t even look at me.”
His gaze wavered as he feels a strange need for power and greed.
“What? Can’t handle my weaknesses after all?”
He let out a bitter laugh as his hand slipped from your sleeve, falling to his sides as he looked at you with disappointment.
You won’t even take my hand back? Did I misunderstand what we had all by myself again?
But before he could built back and hide behind the walls he crafted himself for all this years of endless expectations, praise, practice and perfection in his twisted paradise-
You reached out. Your hand enveloping his as your eyes widen in realization.
He was trembling. Trembling so so much his hands feel so cold against yours.
“Hiroto-sama.”
You called out to him as you held his hand just a bit more tighter as if afraid he was going to withdraw—or worse, as if he grounded you into this world.
His eyes went to find yours again at the touch, and you swore he almost looked like he would cry, if you even knew how that would look.
“I.. I did tell you, I told you first out of everyone what was bothering me, but it felt like you weren’t taking me seriously, how was I supposed to keep trying to push it?”
You hesitated. No, that wasn’t what you wanted to say. You wanted to tell him not to worry-.. you wanted.. No, You know the truth . You wanted him to understand you.
“.. And if I said what you’re experiencing is natural? What then? If I told you its bound to happen to someone of high spiritual power to be haunted by evil spirit? What would you say? Would you not get frightened and scared to the point of wanting to run away?”
Hiroto’s voice suddenly grow hoarse as if he was saying something that physically pained him to say. Because in a sense? It did.
“..”
“who knows if you had already ran away if I told you that? You screamed when you saw bugs.. how much more if you know spirits will actively haunt you?. I can’t let you leave. You just can’t. We’re in this together. We both have expectations to meet! If I have to play this role.. then you have to, too!”
The way his grip tightened on your hand, his gaze became frantic and the obvious edge of desperation, a strand of his hair falling elegantly, contrasting his growing frantic tries in keeping you in his grasp.
He was purposely trying to take your mind off the problem to make sure you weren’t scared.
“Hiroto-sama.. Hiroto-sama!”
You squeezed your eye shut as he froze at the sound of his name being called so loudly.
“Please slow down- No one is leaving, and no one has expectations to meet!”
“You don’t have to do it for them! You have to do this for yourself..”
And somehow- you felt yourself wanting to cry. Its like there’s so much in your chest weighing you down.
“I was also scared at first.. when I was dragged here by Shimizu-sama, I was.. So scared, so scared that I was a burden, that I’ll be discarded if I don’t do anything properly.. but you gave me courage.. even when I kept messing up.. you always just make me “try again” no matter how many times it took..”
You gulped as you held his hand to ground yourself.
“So please don’t say I’ll leave you.. Like I said, I will stay by your side.. surely, in this one and the next. No matter how many choices I have to make, I’ll choose you.”
“I promise.”
“…”
The night seemed to settle around the two of you. Even the cicadas that had been singing relentlessly throughout the evening felt distant now, swallowed by the silence that followed your promise. Hiroto could only stare. The words should have sounded naïve. Reckless, even. Anyone else might have dismissed them as empty reassurance spoken in the heat of the moment. Yet somehow, coming from you, they carried a sincerity that made it difficult to breathe.
No matter how many choices I have to make, I'll choose you.
He hated how much he wanted to believe that.
Perhaps that was what frightened him most.
For years he had convinced himself that expectations were easier than affection. Expectations were simple. If he fulfilled them, he would be praised. If he exceeded them, he would be admired. Everything had rules. Everything had structure. Affection, however, was unpredictable. People changed their minds. They left. They found something better and moved on. Yet despite knowing that, despite reminding himself of it countless times, he found himself trusting your words far more than he should have.
“…”
The silence that followed felt almost unbearable.
Hiroto could still feel your hand around his, warm despite the night air. He should have pulled away. He should have laughed it off and hidden behind another sarcastic remark before the conversation dug any deeper than it already had. That would have been easier. Familiar. Safe.
Instead, he remained where he was.
The moonlight spilled across the courtyard, illuminating the edges of your figure as you stood before him with that same earnest expression that always seemed capable of undoing his composure far more effectively than any spirit or curse ever could.
"You really don't think before you speak, do you?"
The words came out softer than intended, lacking the bite he had hoped for.
His gaze drifted away first.
"Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounded?"
You blinked.
"No?"
"Of course you don't."
A tired laugh escaped him as he lifted a hand to his forehead. Somehow, despite everything, you still looked completely sincere. Completely convinced of what you had just promised him.
As though choosing someone was that simple.
As though people didn't leave.
As though circumstances didn't change.
As though the future wasn't constantly threatening to tear apart everything people tried to hold onto.
"You say things like you'll stay by my side forever and expect me to just accept it."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You make promises as if they have no weight."
"They do have weight."
"They should."
You immediately frowned.
"Hiroto-sama."
"No, listen."
For once, there was no arrogance behind the interruption. No superiority. Only exhaustion.
"You keep saying you'll stay, but you don't understand what that means."
His grip around your hand tightened unconsciously before loosening again.
"It means dealing with all of this."
His gaze flickered toward the shrine buildings beyond the courtyard.
"The rituals. The responsibilities. The spirits. My family."
A bitter smile touched his lips.
"Me."
The last word came out quieter.
"You make it sound easy now because you're standing here making a promise, but what about later? What happens when this place becomes suffocating? What happens when you're tired? What happens when you realize being tied to someone like me isn't nearly as pleasant as you imagined?"
The questions spilled out before he could stop them.
Immediately, irritation crossed his expression.
Not at you.
At himself.
Because he hated how desperate they sounded.
He hated how much he wanted your answer.
For someone who prided himself on control, he had become embarrassingly dependent on your reassurance.
The realization alone was enough to make him grimace.
"...Forget it."
He looked away.
"I don't know why I'm even asking."
"You want an answer."
The response came so quickly that he nearly scoffed.
"Confident, aren't you?"
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
The certainty in your voice made something twist inside his chest.
Annoying.
Incredibly annoying.
Because you were right.
Of course you were right.
He wanted an answer.
He wanted to hear you say it again.
He wanted proof.
Something solid.
Something he could keep tucked away during the moments when doubt inevitably returned.
The realization left him feeling strangely embarrassed.
"You've become troublesome."
You gasped.
"That's your response?"
"Yes."
"Hiroto-sama!"
He couldn't stop the faint upward curve of his lips.
Only for a second.
Only a little.
Yet it was enough.
Enough to ease some of the tension that had wrapped itself around his chest all evening.
His gaze found yours again.
For a moment neither of you spoke.
The longer he looked, the more difficult it became to maintain the distance he usually kept between himself and everyone else.
Most people saw what he allowed them to see.
The talented heir.
The dependable exorcist.
The son everyone praised.
The person who always had the answer.
You, however, had somehow wandered past all of that without permission.
You had seen him frustrated.
Seen him jealous.
Seen him angry.
Seen him afraid.
And somehow you were still standing here.
Still holding his hand.
Still choosing him.
The thought should have comforted him.
Instead, it terrified him.
Because now there was something he could lose.
Slowly, Hiroto lowered his gaze toward your joined hands before speaking again.
"...If you change your mind, tell me immediately."
You stared.
"What?"
"If you're unhappy."
"Hiroto-sama—"
"I'm serious."
His expression remained composed, but there was an unusual tension beneath it.
"If you start regretting it, tell me."
His fingers curled slightly around yours.
"Don't keep it to yourself."
The request sounded simple.
Yet both of you knew it wasn't.
Because Hiroto never asked for reassurance.
Never asked people to stay.
Never admitted there was even a possibility he wanted something from them.
Yet here he was.
Standing beneath the moonlight.
Doing exactly that.
His eyes softened, just barely.
"...I dislike being made a fool of."
The excuse was pathetic.
You both knew it.
The embarrassed look that immediately crossed his face only made it worse.
Yet instead of mocking him, your expression gentled.
And somehow that made his chest hurt even more.
Because for the first time in years, Hiroto found himself wanting to believe someone would keep their promise.
It's currently 3:58 AM as I write this, So much in my head i can't erase, so I'll write a short story On my phone to pass some time and quiet down these thoughts. Thanks for reading as always. ♡
A HERO LIES IN YOU
The last talisman burned away in Haruki’s hand.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
It all started with a call, a ring. And a cheeky greet.
"Hello Dear client, This is Haruki Saotome Exorcism And supernatural services~ how may I humbly aid you~?"
His voice was smooth, nearly too giddy for a call.
"I need help. Street XXXX on [REDACTED]"
The small sound, almost identical to a child resonates from the other side of the phone. And Haruki immediately feels his smile turn into a concerned frown.
"I'll be there."
What drives all of us to seek the thrill to delve into the unknown? Is it purely just human curiosity?
Haruki couldn't understand it. Couldn't even seem to place why a kid would even avail his services.
But If someone extends a helping arm to him, he will always reach back. ALWAYS.
And that brought him here. This present fear.
The suffocating pressure that had swallowed the house moments ago finally loosened, leaving behind only the sharp smell of ash and the scattered remains of overturned furniture. Broken charms littered the floor around him like wilted paper flowers.
Haruki exhaled shakily.
“…Ahh, that one was pretty stubborn.”
His voice came out lighter than he felt.
Blood trickled slowly from the corner of his mouth as he straightened himself with a grin, despite the ache screaming through his body. His sleeve hung half-burned from where the demon’s claws had grazed him earlier, and the talismans wrapped around his arm were scorched black around the edges.
Still, he smiled. He always does.
If not him, then who else will burn warmer than the sun?
Because sitting in the corner of the room was a little girl no older than eight, staring at him with wide, horrified eyes.
The chalk circle she had drawn remained faintly visible beneath her trembling knees.
Haruki’s gaze softened immediately.
Ah.
So that’s what happened here.
Something all too human.
Something even adults would do.
The books scattered around the room. The desperate ritual. The grief hanging so heavily in the air it almost felt alive.
She hadn’t meant to summon a demon.
She just wanted someone back.
Haruki crouched carefully despite the protest in his ribs.
“Well,” he sighed dramatically, glancing around at the ruined room, “I think it’s safe to say we are never using mysterious basement rituals ever again missy."
He gently takes the chalk from her hands.
The girl’s lips quivered.
Then suddenly—
A crack. A sob. And a gaze full of guilt.
“I-I’m sorry…”
Tears spilled down her cheeks all at once.
“I just wanted mama back..”
Haruki froze.
The guilt in her voice hurt far more than the exorcism had.
It's always the grief of loss that attracts these evil spirits at work. His expression softened completely.
“Hey, hey… no.” His tone gentled instantly. “You don’t need to apologize, If anything, That was impressive! Who knew a little missy like you had enough talent to make a summoning circle?"
He sat down beside her with a tired huff, ignoring the fresh sting spreading across his injuries.
"we all do reckless things in our lives. But it's harder when there's no one to stop you anymore, is it?"
The girl kept crying into her hands.
“I thought… if I did it right… she’d come home…”
Haruki looked toward the broken remains of the summoning circle.
Then quietly, he reached over and took her tiny hand into both of his.
His palms were warm despite the blood staining them.
“Your mother must’ve loved you very much,” he murmured.
The child looked up at him through blurred eyes.
“And if she did,” Haruki continued softly, “then I don’t think she’d ever want you to carry this sadness all by yourself."
The girl’s breathing hitched.
“She’s still cheering for you, you know.”
Haruki smiled gently, tapping the center of her forehead with one finger.
“Probably fussing over you from above too. Moms are kinda scary like that. Mine kind of kicked me out because she said I always acted out. SUUPER scary I tell you!"
A tiny laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
There we go.
Haruki brightened immediately like he’d won a prize.
“Ah! There’s the smile I was fighting for!”
The girl rubbed at her eyes.
Then Haruki tilted his head suddenly.
“Oh?”
He pointed toward the ribbon tied carefully into her hair.
"has my flair caught your heart, young miss?"
He smiles proudly as he leans away, Looking at the girl with fondness he hasn't mustered.
In an odd way... Haruki thinks of his Baby sister When he sees this girl.
"If she was around.. they'd probably be the same age."
The thought crosses his mind before he Meets the girl's hopeful smile. And he crosses his leg, sitting criss-cross apple sauce.
“That’s a cute ribbon.”
He pointed to the pink ribbon on the side of her hair.
The child blinked in surprise.
Haruki grinned before pulling one loose strip of sealing paper from his wrist.
With exaggerated seriousness, he tied it around himself like a ribbon.
“There,” he declared proudly. “Now we match.”
The girl stared at him. Then she burst into laughter.
"what's with that? That's... Pfft-"
Her hands cover her mouth as she feels lightened by his easygoing presence.
Haruki laughed too, relieved beyond words.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The storm outside had quieted. Moonlight filtered weakly through the broken window beside them.
Then suddenly—
The little girl moved closer and hugged his arm tightly.
The same arm wrapped in worn talismans and layered seals from exorcisms that had nearly killed him.
Haruki blinked.
Most people recoiled from that arm eventually.
From the curses. The scars. The reminders of failure.
But the child only held on tighter, smiling up at him with watery eyes.
“Haruki-Nii-sama is the best,” she said earnestly.
His breath caught softly.
“I wanna be like you when I grow up.”
Her small hands squeezed his sleeve.
“A hero.”
Silence.
For the first time that night, Haruki didn’t know what to say.
His eyes lowered slowly toward the talismans wrapped around his skin.
Old failures. Old prayers.
Things he could never completely erase.
This child looked at him and still saw someone good.
Not a "fraud". Not a "scammer". A hero.
Haruki laughed quietly under his breath, though it sounded smaller now. Softer
“A hero, huh?”
He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before he winked and smiled smugly at the girl.
“That’s a pretty big title for a guy like me but..! I'll wear it like a badge of honor."
The girl giggled.
Haruki looked at her for a long moment before smiling again.
Then he reached up and carefully adjusted the ribbon in her hair.
“…Then make sure you become an even better hero than me someday, okay?”
Hiiii this is another experimental work where i try to write with a different style instead of long word walls, i tried breaking it down a bit and play with the perspective and narration plays. Feedbacks are welcome as usual. Hope you enjoy. A lot of scenes in the second arc was toned down, and I added fillers to soften the blow. So here it is.
TW: Mentions of abuse, domestic violence, and strong portrayals of self harm.
READ AT YOUR OWN SANITY'S RISK.
CHAPTER 5: FRAGMENTS
“what’s closer than light is the shadow, mistaking devotion for salvation."
The summer heat had become gentler lately.
Not enough to escape notice, but enough that the estate no longer felt suffocating beneath the afternoon sun. Cicadas sang endlessly from the trees beyond the shrine grounds, their voices blending with the occasional rustle of leaves whenever a breeze managed to wander through the open corridors.
You sat beneath the shade of the engawa, sorting dried prayer papers into neat stacks.
A simple task.
One of many.
The sort of work nobody thought much about. You liked those jobs.
Nobody expected perfection from them. Nobody watched.
Or at least—
that was what you thought.
The feeling arrived before the realization did.
A familiar weight settling somewhere behind you.
Not threatening. Not unpleasant.
Just...
there. Present.
The hairs at the back of your neck prickled.
You paused. Counted silently to three.
1… 2… 3…
Then glanced over your shoulder.
"..."
There he was. Again.
Hiroto sat several feet away beneath one of the wooden pillars, a folded fan resting lazily against his shoulder.
His attention appeared entirely focused on the garden.
The koi pond. The trees.
Anywhere but you.
Which might have been convincing if not for the fact that there was absolutely no reason for him to be there.
You stared and He stared at the garden.
The silence stretched.
Eventually, you returned to your work.
A few moments passed. Your thoughts already drifting back to that encounter last time.
It had been greatly awkward and silent between you two. But you always noticed how you seem to stumble into him more recently even when he doesn’t personally overlook your training anymore.
Your thoughts chained from each confused question until suddenly—
"You folded that one incorrectly."
You closed your eyes.
Of course.
Slowly, you lifted the paper in question.
"...This one?"
"Hm."
"It looks fine."
"It doesn't."
"It does."
"It doesn't."
Your eye twitched.
When no further explanation came, you finally turned toward him.
"Then what's wrong with it?"
Hiroto lifted his gaze.
The corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly. That smug grin of his spreading on his beautiful face.
A dangerous sign.
"The corners."
You looked.
The corners looked perfectly normal.
"...They're uneven."
"They are not."
"They are."
"Hiroto-sama."
"They are."
You stared at each other.
Then, to your horror, a laugh nearly escaped you. Not because he was funny. He wasn’t.
Because he was impossible. The sound barely left your throat before you caught it.
Too late. Hiroto noticed.
His expression immediately shifted. He raised his eyebrow, sleeve covering his mouth as he peers at you. Almost like a curious cat.
As though he hadn't expected that reaction. As though he wasn't entirely certain what to do with it.
The moment lasted only a second before he clicked his tongue and looked away.
"hmmm.."
He didn't leave, He stared at you intensely like appraising a potato fit for his palate.
The clank of the sozu tipping over echoed as he leans away.
A breeze stirred the hanging wind chimes nearby. And somehow, the two of you remained there.
You sorting papers. Him pretending he wasn't lingering.
Neither acknowledging that this had become strangely normal.
At first, his presence had unsettled you.
Every glance felt like scrutiny. Every comment another hidden criticism waiting to happen.
You had spent weeks wondering what exactly irritated him so much about your existence.
Now, though... Now it was different.
You had begun noticing small things. The way he always appeared shortly before your lessons ended.
The way he slowed his pace whenever your duties happened to take you in the same direction.
The way he always found some excuse to remain nearby.
Correction. Observation. Supervision. The excuses changed often. The result never did.
And little by little, you found yourself growing accustomed to it.
Like the sound of evening bells. Like the scent of incense lingering in shrine halls.
Like the warmth of sunlight resting against wooden floors. Familiar things. Comforting things.
The realization unsettled you more than his presence ever had.
Because one afternoon, while carrying fresh flowers toward the altar, you caught yourself looking around first.
Searching. Not consciously. Not intentionally. Or maybe just a bit.
Just enough to notice when he wasn't there. You wanted to show him the flowers. To see if he liked Amaranth flowers. You even practiced what you learned from the botanist.
“Amaranths symbolize Never ending love, infinity. Times and times again. In this life, the next and so on.”
You thought it was mundane. Infinity meant forever. Other lives mean new beginnings and new ends.
The thought lingered longer than it should have.
Could someone really love another person across countless lives?
Even if their face changed. Their name changed. Their voice. Their habits.
Would they still recognize one another?
Or would they simply fall in love all over again, never realizing they had met before?
The flowers shifted slightly in your grasp. A breeze brushed against the back of your neck.
Warm.
Far warmer than the summer air should have been.
...
Wait.
Warm?
Before the realization could fully settle, a familiar voice suddenly spoke far too close to your ear.
"Lost in thought, Princess?"
!!!
You jolt as you immediately turn around, almost dropping the vase as the water spilled a bit on your byaku-e.
“pfft-“
Hiroto covered his mouth as he looked down at you with that smug smile.
“I think you spilled it, Princess.”
“You think?”
“it’s not my fault you shriek as if I’m some ghost. And even if I was, I’d be a Handsome ghost. A God even.”
“..”
You stared at him. You could hardly believe this was the same man who called you a rodent, someone who said you should have just drowned. But maybe that’s what makes you never be able to leave his side. Because he seems to be more than he lets on.
"What? Captured by my beauty?"
"Yeah."
"Oh."
For perhaps the first time in his life, Hiroto seemed to run out of words.
The smug smile faltered. Only slightly.
Just enough for you to notice.
His gaze shifted away almost immediately.
The sleeve of his hanajuban rose to cover his mouth.
"...You are remarkably strange."
"That's not a denial."
“What are you? A Casanova?”
He clears his throat before he glances at you and finally notices the flowers you were holding.
“Amaranths?”
He asked with a skeptical raise of his brow.
“I asked for amaryllis”
“But these one’s I think are more suitable for the altar!”
“And who cares what you think?”
“.. Amaranths mean infinite love! Never ending love!”
Hiroto blinked. What does that have to do with anything? Is she deaf or something? He scowled as he scoffed.
“You have poor judgement.”
He says but his actions say otherwise, he moves to take the vase from your hands, a bit harshly but still, his eyes stare into the flowers, the white petals fresh and healthy, the tips of one starting to show slight aging.
"It's even flawed."
The petal he pointed at had begun curling at the edge.
Barely noticeable. You frowned.
"...Imperfection doesn't automatically make something bad."
For a moment, Hiroto's fingers stilled. Only for a moment.
Then his expression hardened.
"That's easy for you to say."
The response came quicker than expected. Sharper too.
His gaze lingered on the flower before he scoffed.
"You're equally flawed."
Hiroto brushed past you, carrying the flowers back to the hall to his room.
The moment the door slid shut behind him, Hiroto kicked off his sandals.
A terribly unrefined thing to do. He immediately teetered to fix them on the side.
Fortunately, nobody was there to see it. He couldn’t afford to be seen being improper.
The sleeves of his haori dragged across the floor as he crossed the room, clutching the vase against his chest like some precious treasure.
The sight alone would have earned him a lecture. Future clan heads were not supposed to be happy over flowers that were supposed to be for altar offerings.
Hiroto didn't care. Not here. Not right now.
His room was the only place in the estate where he could breathe.
The only place where nobody watched him.
No servants. No elders. No expectations.
Just him. And the cranes.
Hundreds of them on the table, shelves, floor, swaying gently as the evening breeze wandered through the open veranda.
Purple. White. Gold.
Some neat. Some crooked.
Some old enough that the paper had begun to fade.
Hiroto dropped onto the tatami with far less grace than he would ever allow outside.
The amaranths found a place beside his desk.
Right in the middle of several unfinished cranes.
"..."
His eyes lingered on them. Then narrowed. As if he was trying to decipher the biological formation of the flowers.
"...Infinite love."
Silence.
A crane toppled over the side. Hiroto stared for a moment before he reached out to fix it up.
"Don't look at me like that."
The crane, unfortunately, refused to defend itself.
"Tch."
He leaned his cheek onto his folded arms, staring into the flowers and the cranes behind it.
The crane continued existing. A deeply irritating habit.
"You heard her too."
Nothing.
"Right?"
Nothing. Hiroto frowned.
Then grabbed the nearest crane and held it up.
"She said it with a completely straight face."
His voice lowered. Mocking. Or attempting to. His smile a bit crooked, as if clumsy.
"'Infinite love.'"
The words sounded embarrassingly soft when repeated.
His ears immediately grew warm.
"Ridiculous."
The crane offered no opinion. Hiroto slumped backward dramatically.
"She has terrible taste."
The crane remained neutral.
"Absolutely awful."
A pause.
"...She said I was handsome."
The silence somehow felt louder. His face immediately flushed.
"Not that it matters."
Another pause.
"Because obviously I am."
The crane remained unconvinced. Hiroto groaned.
Actually groaned.
Then covered his face with both hands.
What was wrong with him?
He felt like a teen.
No.
Worse.
A child.
Like some village boy writing poetry beneath a bridge.
The thought alone made him want to launch himself into the nearest river.
Yet despite that—
he couldn't stop smiling.
The memory replayed itself endlessly.
The flowers. Her voice.
The way she had immediately agreed.
“Yeah.”
As if it were obvious. As if being captivated by him wasn't some grand revelation.
As if she genuinely meant it.
His stomach flipped. Horribly.
Wonderfully?
The feeling made no sense.
He hated it?
He wanted more?
The flower in the vase slid to the side as if a testament to his thoughts.
Hiroto stared at it.
"...I think I like her."
The admission escaped before he could stop it.
Silence.
A loud crash followed. The door slammed open.
The cranes trembled violently and toppled over each other.
Hiroto immediately shot upright.
The smile vanished. His pulse froze.
His father stood in the doorway.
No knock. No warning.
No respect for privacy.
As though this room belonged to him too. As though Hiroto himself belonged to him.
The elder Shimizu's eyes swept across the room.
The scattered paper. The unfinished cranes.
The flowers. Then finally—
his son.
And suddenly Hiroto felt ten again.
Not the child from moments ago. The real one.
The frightened one.
The one who learned early that affection could be taken away. That mistakes had consequences.
That being loved and being useful were often the same thing. The room seemed smaller now.
The air heavier.
The cranes toppling over making a gentle sound in the quiet air.
Mocking him. Exposing him.
Every trace of warmth from moments ago disappeared.
And Hiroto hated himself for how quickly it happened.
For how quickly one look from his father could turn him back into a child.
Hiroto closed the door behind him.
Hiroto rose to his feet before he consciously decided to.
His shoulders straightened. His smile disappeared.
Every instinct drilled into him since childhood falling neatly back into place.
The elder Shimizu's gaze swept across the room.
Hiroto hated silence.
Especially when it came from his father.
Because silence meant observation.
Judgment.
Disappointment waiting to take shape.
"You have been distracted."
The statement landed softly. It struck harder than shouting ever could.
Hiroto lowered his gaze.
"...I apologize."
"Do you?"
His father's eyes settled briefly on the amaranths. The flowers suddenly felt foolish.
Childish. Weak.
"You have responsibilities."
"I know."
"You have expectations."
"...Yes."
"And yet recently, your attention appears elsewhere."
Hiroto remained silent. His father stepped closer.
Not enough to threaten. Just enough.
Just enough for Hiroto's heartbeat to quicken. A ridiculous reaction.
He hated it. Hated how his hands wanted to tremble.
Hated how his chest tightened. Hated how, even now, he felt ten years old again.
Small. Powerless. Not enough. Not deserving.
The elder Shimizu's gaze sharpened.
"Emotional attachments create weakness."
The words settled heavily between them.
"You understand that."
"...Yes."
"The future head of this clan cannot afford sentimentality."
Hiroto's jaw tightened. His eyes remained lowered.
Because if he looked up—
if he looked directly at the old man—
“Don’t be like your brother.”
His breath caught. He wanted to look, He wanted to smile. But if he did.. he wasn't entirely sure what expression might appear on his face.
After all. He was taller now.
Much taller.
The realization had begun haunting him recently. His father no longer towered over him.
His shoulders were broader. His spiritual power stronger.
The servants already obeyed him before receiving confirmation from the clan head.
The elders listened when he spoke. The younger disciples admired him.
The future already belonged to him. If he truly wished it—
he could stop this.
The thought arrived suddenly.
Ugly.
Sharp.
A flash of violence.
The ends of his lips threatened to quirk into a smirk. His lashes over his eyes blurring the figure of his father. He wanted to end it. To look up at that man and show him just how “un-attached” he is to weakness. How he can wield strength as he taught him. His fingers twitch at the sides on the fabric of his clothes.
One push.
One command.
One act.
That was all it would take.
His stomach twisted. The thought horrified him.
Because somewhere deep inside—
he had wanted to.
Just for a moment.
Just long enough to imagine what freedom might feel like.
"..."
His nails dug into his palms. The thought disappeared as quickly as it came.
Ashamed. Disgusted. Terrified of himself.
His father continued speaking. Unaware. Or perhaps fully aware.
"The girl."
Hiroto immediately stiffened. The elder Shimizu noticed.
Of course he noticed. Nothing escaped him. He shaped this tool. This key.
"The arrangement exists for the prosperity of this clan."
His voice remained calm. Measured. Cruel in its certainty.
"You are to marry her purely for the sake of her strong spiritual prowess but If she begins interfering with your duties..."
A pause. The silence felt deliberate. As if his father was counting how many breaths it took to make his son snap.
"If she becomes a distraction."
His father’s hand gently reached to his shoulder. Holding, gripping.
The same hand that had guided his posture. Corrected his stance. Taught him how to hold a blade.
"Then she can be removed."
The room went still. Something cold settled in Hiroto's chest.
Not fear for himself. Something worse.
His father mistook the silence for understanding.
"Do not force my hand."
Then, without another word, the elder Shimizu turned and left.
The door slid shut. The room became quiet once more.
Yet somehow—
it no longer felt safe.
Hiroto remained standing exactly where he was. The amaranths still resting in the vase behind him.
A few petals bent beneath his grip. His breathing had become uneven.
His pulse loud. The warmth from earlier felt impossibly distant.
Gone. (A/n: Like my will to live!”)
Slowly, he looked down at the flowers. Then toward the closed door.
Then toward the evening sky beyond the veranda.
"..."
For the first time in a very long while, Hiroto pulled himself into the corner of the room.
His knees drew tightly against his chest. The evening breeze slipped through the open veranda.
Yet none of it felt comforting anymore. He lowered his head. Breathing slowly.
Carefully.
As though even that might break. The amaranths remained where he had left them.
Resting quietly beside the desk. A few white petals catching the last traces of sunlight.
Infinite love. Never-ending love.
What a foolish flower. What a foolish meaning.
And yet his gaze lingered on them. Long after the room had fallen silent.
Long after his father's footsteps disappeared.
As though somewhere between the petals and the promises they carried—
he could still remember what warmth had felt like.
Hiroto hated how quiet the room had become like the silence left too much space for thought.
Too much space for memory as his father's words lingered in the corners of the room long after he had left.
Like shadows, Like stains. Like bruises nobody could see.
Somewhere beyond the walls of his room, the estate continued on without him.
Servants carried lanterns. Disciples finished their lessons. Life moved forward.
It reaches it's hands all over the board as others move faster than the rest.
Your shift has ended. Your work is done, and you're still breathing. You have survived the day.
After stepping out of the tall building, you rub your face in frustration.
You're supposed to be relieved that you're finally (temporarily) free and get to take a break, but your boss makes it hard for you to feel so.
He's always rude, harsh and gives ridiculous tasks, but he's extra dick-ish today. When you arrived at the office this morning, your boss immediately yelled your name and looked around for you, like a predator looking for its prey. Once he found you, he berated you and pointed out every small mistake you make on your reports in front of everyone, purposely embarrassing you.
He kept piling up new tasks on your desk as the day went on, throwing unnecessary insults loudly so everyone in the whole building could hear before leaving your cubicle temporarily. You were lucky that he didn't make you stay overtime, you bolted right away once your shift ended before he could find you again.
It takes every strength in your body to not punch the man in the face and spit on him every time he opens mouth.
You wish you did, but you can't. Not now. Not until you're able to find a new, better job. But you have been hunting for a year, the idea of a better job than this almost sounds like a distant dream by now…
You let out a deep sigh.
There's nothing you can do. Better to forget about it and move on.
It's already late, but it seems strangely crowded near your area. It's best to get to the train quickly before it's packed.
As you're about to enter the mass of people, someone casually walks past you and you freeze on your tracks.
That person wears a fluffy jacket, and his silhouette looks very familiar to you.
You blinked, and slowly turned towards the direction the figure walked into.
“Kazuki…?”
The tall man stands away from the hustle and bustle but also not too far from you. He perks up at the mention of his name. The street lights illuminate his pale cheeks that are flushed in pink from the chilly air as the night wind gently blows through his white hair beautifully. You wonder why nobody else married him before you.
He makes his way to you with his hands in his pockets. His eyes glisten brighter in happiness as he gets closer to you. The gesture suddenly makes you feel shy.
“You found me.”
You stare at him with wide eyes, the shock of bumping into Kazuki shakes off your exhaustion. When you don't respond, Kazuki takes it as a sign to explain himself.
“Sorry, I was wondering if you would recognize me,” he smiles sheepishly as he tucks away some strands of hair that block his view behind his ears. “And I'm glad you did.”
You blink, finally remembering that you should respond. It's impolite to not to do so and you probably would look like a weirdo.
“What are you doing here?” You blurt out your question, very curious about his sudden presence. Realizing that you might sound rude and don't want him to take it the wrong way, you quickly add, “Not that I mind! It's just… I rarely see you around here.”
He laughs at your flustered reaction. “I was just here to gather some materials for my journalism. I already got them and thought we could go home together because I know your office is nearby.”
That makes sense.
“O-Oh… That's a good idea.” You nod, unable to say anything more. It's nice of him to still think of you.
“Actually, before that…” He places his index finger on his chin thoughtfully. “I want to grab something first. Do you mind going along with me for a while?”
“Of course! Did you forget something, Kazuki?”
Kazuki replies with a mysterious smile, “You'll see.”
Before you can quiz him again, he gently grabs your hand and walks through the busy crowd.
Surprised by the sudden action, your body goes stiff. Kazuki never held your hands before. He takes your hand as if he has done it countless times before. His palm feels cold, yet comforting and secure. You watch him bump against some people, trying to survive through the mass of bodies walking past you.
Noticing that something feels wrong, Kazuki looks at you in confusion. Seeing your dumbfounded expression, he finally realizes what he's doing. It's his turn to widen his eyes in surprise.
“Ah– I'm sorry, I should’ve asked!” He exclaims in panic and immediately releases your hand from his clutch.
“I know we're only married for one month, but it's crowded and I thought–” He cuts himself off and looks away from you bashfully. His cheeks turn deep red.
You never saw Kazuki this embarrassed before, it's amusing. Meanwhile the people around you don't pay any mind to the little scene unfolding before them, as if you two are nothing but a chilly wind blowing past them.
“N-nevermind, it's my fault. I know we're not a traditional couple. I'm sorry–” He continues blabbering his apology until you capture his hand again, the same hand that held yours before.
“It's okay,” you told him. You squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I like holding your hands. It makes me feel safe.”
Kazuki looks at you in shock. You're also shocked by your own response. You don't know what prompted your boldness in front of your husband.
Wow. You're impressed that you didn't stumble on your words. Good job, you.
He gazes at you as he processes what you said. The silence from him feels awkward. You're about to apologize until you see his lips curve into a fond smile.
“Alright,” he responds quietly, but loud enough for you to hear it.
This time, his fingers securely intertwined with yours, as if he's afraid of losing you easily, then he turns around to guide you through the bustling crowd again.
It doesn't take long for you and Kazuki to get out from the swarm of people. You find yourself in front of a small stall with Kazuki already talking with the owner. You have never seen or even heard of this stall being here before.
Before you can ponder more, Kazuki hands you a drink with a straw already poked into the plastic cup.
“I heard a stall is selling your favorite drinks around here, I thought you might like it,” he explained. His smile is warm, unlike his hands in your hold.
“Kazuki…” You shakily exhale, carefully accepting his gift with your free hand. “You didn't have to…”
You don't know if he realizes it, but Kazuki is like magic in your life. He knows how to ease your worries like no other. His presence alone can make you forget about all the problems you faced earlier, just like right now.
“I know, but I want to,” he responds, his usual smile hasn't faded from his handsome face. You smiled back at him in gratefulness.
Your husband watches intently as you take a sip. His brows furrow together in anticipation, waiting for your review.
“Hmm… It tastes…” You dramatically paused. You took another sip to make sure, Kazuki unconsciously leaned closer towards you in expectation. This is very serious to him.
“...good! It tastes so good!” You beam and take more sips from your favorite drink. Realizing that he has gotten a little too close to you, he leans back and lets out a sigh in relief.
“I'm happy to hear that,” he breathes out a chuckle. He tugs you closer to him to lead you back towards the crowd alongside him. “Okay, we can go home now.”
He goes all this way to buy your favorite drink because he knows it will make you happy. It's like he knows you're going to have a bad day today. He shouldn't have, he could just ignore it and go home straight away. But he didn't.
“Kazuki…” You softly call out your friend.
Hearing his name, he stops right before the busy crowd and turns around to face you. You can see his gentle expression clearly in your view. “Yes…? What's wrong?”
You take a deep breath. You want to ask him something. For some reason, you hesitate. It's a simple question, but there's an odd weight behind it, but you push through.
“Why are you here, Kazuki?”
His familiar smile that always brings you warmth disappears from his features.
He doesn't respond for a while. His eyes watch you silently, studying your expression. His hand grips tightly around yours, but not too strong to hurt you.
“You're exhausted. Have you even eaten anything since that day?” He begins to speak slowly, carefully choosing his words, as if he doesn't want to alarm you or freak you out. Why? You're not sure. “I can't watch you shoulder all these problems and punish yourself while I stand on the sidelines doing nothing.”
You frown at him, “That's not true... You always did so much for me, you have no idea.”
Kazuki shakes his head with a pained expression. “No, not enough. But I still want to help you, even if it's not much and you'll forget about all of this when you wake up.”
Your face contorted into confusion at your lover's enigma. “What do you mean when I wake up…?”
“I know you have questions. I wish I could answer them, but I can't,” he looks at you in the eyes with conviction. “It's hard and people will look down on you, but that doesn't mean you're in the wrong.”
He brings his other hand to hold yours. With both of his hands on your own, he lifts it to press it against his chest.
“Don't blame yourself, don't stop moving forward. Whatever your goal is, I want you to keep fighting for your happiness. Keep on living, for my sake.”
All of the sudden, he lets go of your hand. You attempt to reach back to him, but he distances himself away from you. His eyes never leave your worried figure as he walks backward.
“I'm glad that I made you happy back then, so I want you to remember these moments as happy memories,” he flashes you his warm smile for the last time. “I love you.”
He says your name lovingly before disappearing between the tall figures from the crowd in front of you. You widen your eyes frantically when you lose sight of his face.
“Wait!”
The forgotten drink slips from your hand and drops to the ground as you run into the crowd without a care. You head the direction you assume he went to, but all you could see are faceless people minding their own problems.
Some are on their phones, calling their bosses from work or spouses at home, and some just stare ahead with tired looks, just wanting the day to get over with. All of them are unaware of the situation you're in.
You call out your husband's name again, hoping he can hear you despite the noises of other people's conversations that might drown your voice. However, you don't hear his voice, or even catch a glimpse of his face.
You keep looking.
You keep calling out his name.
You walk around aimlessly between hordes of people, searching for his familiar, soft smile and kind eyes that he always gives you amidst the crowd.
Except you never find him again.
Your feet fixed in place, unable to move further.
You can't keep going. You're tired.
As you look down in sorrow, you say his name for the last time.
…
You open your eyes, slightly squinting as you adjust your surroundings. You kick your blanket away and groan tiredly, sleep is still clouding your mind.
“Kazuki.”
His name escapes from your lips before you can fully register your awareness. Feeling confused before, you finally realize where you're currently at.
You're in your bedroom, at the apartment that you once shared with your husband.
Your husband…
Kazuki is gone. He's not here anymore.
Yet, last night feels real, as if his spirit visits you in your sleep. You try to recall your dream, but it all looks blurry and muddled in your memory. Your mind fails to recollect most of the details, but you’re certain Kazuki was there.
The feeling of his icy hands still linger on your palm.
Pressing your hands against your chest, you're trying to feel him as close to you as possible, even if it's just a chill sensation that reminds you of him.
“Kazuki…” You say his name again in distress.
A buzz from your phone interrupts your melancholy, pulling you away from your thoughts and back to reality.
You're sure it's a text message from your boss, demanding you to come to work 3 hours early, even if it's 5 AM. Ugh, this guy…
With tightly clenched fists, you lift your head up in determination.
“Don't worry, I'll find your killer and bring justice to light.”
I’m just here to say that whenever I read your our life writings, I imagine it in the literal format of the game (with the text boxes and everything) /pos (I hope this makes sense at all, I mostly mean that your writing feels really accurate character wise)
ANON I LOVE YOU i'm really happy that you think so, thank you. i like GB's writing style and i did kinda study on how she writes to improve my own haha.
off topic but it's funny that i find myself easier to write vianca and serenity than the main love interests themselves. probably because their personalities and characters are consistent unlike qiu and tama's, where they change and depend on players' prefences.
i really wanna replay our life so i can remember the characters are like again (golden grove kids have a special place in my heart) but i'm currently hyperfixated on other visual novels right now lmao
A date with Atlas [ 0204 ], would be veeeryy interesting.
Hear me out for a bit yeah? We know only little amount of him for now, just a carefree and absolute flirtatious dork that he is.
Now sit down and grab some snacks and drinks.
Atlas would be a very clingy lover.
First thing he'll do the moment he woke up with you beside him is, simply hovering himself over and just drape himself over you. Playing with your hair be it long or short.
Smiling oh so cheekily, completely a sucker for you. The thought of you being his is just, something.
And so when you stir awake with him resting his chin on your chest, smiling up at you with a innocent and a bit of a mischievous glint. You just know you'll be stuck there for a good while, bet you wouldn't even complain about it. You wouldn't, why would you?
"Good, whatever the fuck time it is right now." He chuckled as he nuzzled impossibly closer to you, "Did you rest well? ...Me? I definitely do with you beside me—" He only laughed when you pushed his face away in embarrassment.
Atlas would be veeeryy pouty if you ignore him.
When you ignore him, be it as a prank or punishment, he would wrap his arms around your middle and rest his chin on your shoulder, nuzzling to your face and neck. Whispering questions of why are you ignoring him, sometimes whispering a little demand, telling you to look at him once.
But if any of his coaxing doesn't work, he'll be pouty for the rest of the day even after you given him your attention, it'll last for at least like 3 days before he just throw himself to you and trap you underneath him.
"Don't ignore me like that next time, you know I can't handle all that." He tuts, though he isn't really mad at you, he couldn't stay mad. Getting mad at you feels absolutely illegal, or at least that's what he thought.
Atlas would be a small spoon in bed.
He prefers to be held, though sometimes he doesn't mind to be the big spoon. But most of the time, he rather bury his face under your chin, finding comfort in your arms.
He held onto you quite, tightly. As if he was afraid, or maybe it was just your imagination.
He would love it if you play with his hair when you two are cuddling on the bed, he would literally melt into your hold.
"Mmm.. yes, more please." He sighed contently as he nuzzle his face on your chest.
The idea of Atlas turning into a penguin when he's embarrassed is so cute.
Like, what if he accidentally walked in on you? He would stood there, frozen. Eyes up, slowly going down and then within a blink he was no longer tall and poofed into something smaller.
A penguin.
His small fins covering his own eyes as he stutters in embarrassment, yelling at you for not locking the door of HIS OWN apartment.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LOCK THE DOOR?!—" He scrambled as he stood by the door, it's closed already don't worry. "It's my— oh right.."
So cute.
So, all this concludes he is a golden retriever boyfriend. For now at least.
You ask them to help you in opening a jar, but you secretly applied superglue on the lid as a prank. How will they handle it?
Grim
He'll smirk at you and make a comment about how mortals can be too delicate. You glare at him in annoyance as a response and tell him to just open it.
“Impatient as always,” he says in a teasing tone. “Fine. I'll open it for you. You're welcome, Sunshine.”
He twists the lid, yet it doesn't budge. He blinks, and tries again. But the jar remains unopened.
“That's weird…” He quietly comments, and twists the lid harder. He's too focused on the task in hand that he won't notice your attempt in suppressing your giggles.
He adds more force each time he fails to twist the lid open. His brows furrow together in frustration, “What in the nine hells…” He mutters in disbelief.
It's a funny sight at first. You never thought in your life that you'd ever see a Grim Reaper struggling to open a jar. But you start to worry when you notice his face turns red and grits his teeth in irritation. He's taking this way too seriously. You try to tell him the truth, but he only shakes his head stubbornly, not giving you a chance to speak.
“No, Sunshine. I said I'll help, and I intend to keep my promise,” he glares down at the tightly shut jar sitting on his palm. His expression is intense and deathly. “To think of a measly little jar able to challenge my strength… I am the best of the best. Mark my words. One day, I will open you.”
Welp. You tried.
0204
He winks at you and cheerfully accepts your request. “Anything for my favorite Grim Reaper! Your knight in shining armors is at your service~ ;)”
He begins to twist the lid. When it doesn't even move an inch, he tries again. His face contorts into confusion. He puts more force on his third attempt.
“Hnngh… Where the hell did you get this jar…” He grunts while putting all his might into twisting the jar's lid. “It's… Tight as hell… Holy shit… Uh, not in a sexual, fun way.”
You raise an eyebrow in amusement at his words. He groans as he continues his effort. When the jar remains stubborn and unopened, he slumps his shoulders in defeat.
“Sorry, 0213. I don't think you'll be getting any of that [Favorite Jam] anytime soon,” he scratches his head sheepishly as he hands you the jar back. “What's that jar even made of? Sheesh… You think 5012 would hand us that if we fail a mission as punishment?”
He blinks at you when you explain that you glued it shut as a prank. Your friend pouts at you and crosses his arm in fake irritation. “How could you be so cruel! Pranking me like that… I thought we're friends– No, partners in crime!” He exclaims gloomily.
As if a lightbulb appears on top of his head, the corners of his lips curve upwards into a mischievous grin at the same time.
“Hey, maybe 5012 can open it for us…?”
5012
5012 is a very busy man. He's so busy with sorting and reading some important papers and documents you don't understand about on his desk that he doesn't bother to scold you from entering his office uninvited. It seems he has grown used to your antics by now.
When you voice your struggle in opening the jar and hope that your boss can aid you, 5012 lifts up his head and stares at you with a deadpan look. You feel his eyes searching for something in your expression, it makes you feel nervous and start to doubt if this is a good idea afterall.
You think he's going to scold you and kick you out of his work space, until he plucks the object out of your hands wordlessly. He looks back down at his work, his eyes not leaving the printed words on the papers as his hands work around the jar.
He twists the lid. After his first failure, he tries again, and again, and again, and again…
The Reaper finally looks away from the documents to confirm if what he's holding is a simple jar. His face twists into confusion for a moment, then puts the jar on his desk and faces you with a stern, disapproving look, like a disappointed father about to scold his child. His hand doesn't leave the jar as he glares at you.
“What did you do, 0213?”
Your mouth hangs open in disbelief. He found out already?
You stammer out explanations and excuses to cover up your prank. 5012 nods and hums at your every word. Once you finish defending yourself, he pauses for a few seconds thoughtfully before asking you again, “So what are you scheming this time?”
Gah!
No matter how many times you explain yourself, your boss still sees through your lies. It seems your prank has failed… This time.
Can i suggest a fanfic abt either qiu, tammy or even both! With a reader who is an incredible shy person.
I HOPPEE YIUU HAVEE A GREATTT DAYYY!! And i hope ur doing great right now!
Qiu and Tamarack with an Incredibly Shy Neighbor
Gender-Neutral! Reader
Take place in Step 2
Platonic or Romantic
Oh hello, it's lovely to see you in my notifications again! Thank you for liking my stuff, I'm happy to hear it.
There isn't much to discuss because you can be shy in the game and see their reactions yourself. But we still don't know much for Step 2 in the demo. Our neighbors are different from their Step 1-selves, but also not that different when compared with each other. They love to help and, if you tweak their personality setting to doting, caring for their favorite neighbor. <3
Anyway, here are some of my takes:
Tamarack
Tamarack understands your struggles, she's happy to help as much as she can. If she's crushing on you, she thinks it's adorable but she will take that secret to her grave.
Although she struggles with socializing herself, Tamarack can talk on your behalf with less problems. It's easier to help others than herself, especially when it's you.
She's observant and sharp like an eagle. They also remember a lot of your discomforts. Before you realize that you're struggling and internally panicking, she's already lending a hand for you. (“We can go to the teachers’ lounge together to submit our projects,” she said reassuringly, like the angel she is.)
Immediately defends you with no hesitation if anyone makes fun of your shyness or being rude about it. She's stern and her words hold authority in them, unlike her usual awkward self, she doesn't play about her neighbor. For people who aren't close with her, the sight is quite a shock to see and stuns them in silence temporarily.
Having you on her side helps in building her confidence too, even if you don't do anything but idling around. With you, she feels like she can handle anything just fine.
When you're in situations that you have to face head on and can't avoid, she'll encourage you to be more brave and give you comforting words. If you're still scared, she'll promise you treats as small rewards for being brave. For a moment, you can imagine your mom with you.
“It's okay, you can do it! I'll be waiting here until you're done. After that, we can grab some snacks on the way home and have some tea at my place!” Tamarack smiled at you brightly. Watch out, sun, you have a competition.
Qiu
You know the meme that goes like: “Oh noo.. people…!” Shy person vs. “Eww… People…” Introverted person? That's you and Qiu.
Qiu doesn't mind your shyness. They don't like people, so they can kind of understand.
They also don't mind doing the talking for you. Unlike Tamarack, they can handle the conversation with ease. However, when it's with their peers, they'll be blunt and cut it short, so you don't have to deal with it any longer. (“My friend doesn't want to talk to you, so shoo. Got it?” Qiu doesn't exactly say that, but they want to so badly.)
Your neighbor is attentive when it comes to you. No matter how well you hide it, they can see it when you're feeling uncomfortable. They'll ask you what's up before helping you with a grin, showing you that it's not a big of a deal if you're worried about troubling them. They want to help you, so let them!
When someone is making you feel bad about your shyness, Qiu will give them a death glare and it's enough for them to back off. No one dares to piss off the Star of Golden Grove. If the bully still doesn't get the memo, they'll shut them up coldly with a clever comeback.
If you don't mind, Qiu likes to tease you. If they're crushing on you, they find your reactions cute. But they heavily dislike it if others do the same to you, whether it's harmless or not. Only Qiu can tease you, okay? Leave that job to them.
When you're facing situations that you can't avoid and Qiu won't be able to help you, they will give you an encouraging look and make lighthearted jokes to ease your worries.
“You only need to talk to him. It's just Mr. Murray, the worst thing he can do is telling his puns,” Qiu winked and chuckled nervously at your discomfort. “It's alright, I'm sure you'll be fine.”
HIIIII !!! I really like your writing i think that your probably busy? So how are you!! Can i suggest for a qiu lin x a reader who wears silly clothes? Like a t-shirt that has a stupid cute cat on it?
Thank you for reading my suggestion :DD have a good day!
Okay. so. I'm assuming you mean silly like the meme-y type of silly ???? Not really a cute type of silly, but the 'alpha male themed shirts with cringey quotes printed largely on the front' type of silly?
In either steps, they LOVE it so much. They adore you, it was a nice sight to have especially when they're having a stressful day.
In Step 1, they were surprised by your choice of fashion, thought you're peculiar and find it amusing. After getting used to it, they find it endearing because it's a you thing, like your trademark. Because they love YOU.
Qiu always look forward to what kind of clothes would you wear for the day, and you never fail to surprise them. Sometimes they play a guessing game about it with themself. Will it be a stupid cute cat or silly puppy t-shirt kind of day?
They like to exaggerate with their compliments, but mean it. "The school needs to hold a fashion competition daily. Your house would be drowning in golden medals, but you deserve them."
It's not Qiu's type of fashion, but if you make them wear your clothes, they would be enjoying the hell out of it. As long as it's not too embarrassing, they wouldn't mind wearing it in public especially to match with you. They'll wear it proudly.
i wrote this at like 1 am so i forgot to respond on the nice message part and i dont wanna sound like i'm ignoring it on purpose so ummmm
thank you for liking my silly writings. yes i've been busy. i'm doing as good as i can be and i'm trying to get back to writing a little more stuff before i get more busy again. this ask is pretty old but if you're reading this, i hope you have a good day as well. <3
HIIIII !!! I really like your writing i think that your probably busy? So how are you!! Can i suggest for a qiu lin x a reader who wears silly clothes? Like a t-shirt that has a stupid cute cat on it?
Thank you for reading my suggestion :DD have a good day!
Okay. so. I'm assuming you mean silly like the meme-y type of silly ???? Not really a cute type of silly, but the 'alpha male themed shirts with cringey quotes printed largely on the front' type of silly?
In either steps, they LOVE it so much. They adore you, it was a nice sight to have especially when they're having a stressful day.
In Step 1, they were surprised by your choice of fashion, thought you're peculiar and find it amusing. After getting used to it, they find it endearing because it's a you thing, like your trademark. Because they love YOU.
Qiu always look forward to what kind of clothes would you wear for the day, and you never fail to surprise them. Sometimes they play a guessing game about it with themself. Will it be a stupid cute cat or silly puppy t-shirt kind of day?
They like to exaggerate with their compliments, but mean it. "The school needs to hold a fashion competition daily. Your house would be drowning in golden medals, but you deserve them."
It's not Qiu's type of fashion, but if you make them wear your clothes, they would be enjoying the hell out of it. As long as it's not too embarrassing, they wouldn't mind wearing it in public especially to match with you. They'll wear it proudly.
hii feel free to share anything about ur oc if u wanna... c:
aww i didn't expect anyone to take interest for my ocs. thank you! i'll introduce you to one of my creatures, elita "eli" lestari, an MC for qiu! he's still a WIP so some info here might change later.
i'm also planning to make another one for tamarack in the future.
you're so sweet for asking me about them, now i have an excuse to yap about him! everyone else can also talk about their ocs / mcs in my inbox if they want to. i want our characters to be friends, or maybe have more dramas instead lol
anyway i explained about the relationships further under the cut, along with step 2's. it's very long.
(big thanks for @marzopan-art for the template!!! <3)
i wrote fics for elita that take place before the prologue and during the prologue of the game!
basically, eli moved from indonesia to america when he's 6 years old with opal so opal can find a job with better incomes for her family and to find a new fresh start because she grew up in a pretty toxic family, and doesn't want eli to be affected by it.
eli used to call opal as "mama", but changed it to "mother" because he was bullied for it when they first moved to america. (i would make them use "mom" instead but i have a personal discomfort with it...)
STEP 1 (she/her)
She was outgoing and cheerful, liked to seek new friends whenever she got the chance but struggled to make one since she was always moving and other kids thought she's too noisy. She was completely oblivious of what people truly think of her, so it led to her being used for others' benefits or cruel amusement often.
Because of this, she was clingy to her mother, the only consistent person who stays in her life, until she moved to Golden Grove...
RELATIONSHIPS:
Tamarack:
Eli admired Tamarack's boldness and bravery, wanting to be like her. She was overjoyed when Tamarack said she wanted to be friends, as it never really happened to her before. She clinged to Tamarack a lot afterwards and quick to jump in to help her with whatever she wants, even if Tamarack didn't ask. She was her idol.
Tamarack is happy that she finds a friend that's exactly the same as her, especially if she struggled to make friends with others. She listened to Eli with genuine interest whenever she was yapping, and happy that she wants to be around her, so she doesn't mind much about her clinginess.
Qiu:
She wanted to be his friend, but Qiu was too popular. He spend most of his time with others, making it hard to get closer to him and she was too shy to ask him to hang out herself, so she admired him from afar and cherished every moments she was included in his outings. She was drawn by his natural charm so she developed a small crush on him, but completely oblivious of how he felt towards her.
Eli is his neighbor, so he believed they're already friends, unaware about the distance between them caused by his popularity. Although they didn't hang out as much as he was with the Boy's Club and his classmates, he finds Eli's presence comforting that sometimes it lured him to open up about his struggles a little. Eli seems to know the right words to ease his worry, although Eli herself wasn't aware about this lol.
Ren:
Eli was eager to please anyone so they can be her friend or for her to be included in their groups. She's willing to do anything to gain approvals. Anything. So when Ren shown discomforts because of her gender, she felt hurt because it's not like she could change her gender in a snap of a finger, so she grown scared of upsetting him further.
Ren was aware that she's uncomfortable with him. He felt bad but still struggled to talk to her normally and didn't know what to do, so he put distance between them on purpose.
Baxter:
Eli wanted to be his friend really badly, but obviously that didn't work because Baxter was being Baxter. Baxter thought she was alright, but because of her eager to please personality, he found her uncomfortable sometimes...
STEP 2 (he/they)
he's an edgy loser.
they realized that no one truly fucks with him so they became closed off about his true thoughts and interests, including those who were close with them, and changed the way they talk depended on who they're talking with. they based his personality on how he assumed the others like it and willing to make up lies about himself.
he's like a cheap imitation of shiloh but terrible at doing it. everyone found their behavior weird or off-puting, sometimes they know when he's lying but can't prove it unless you're close with him. but they're weirdly good at comforting people and choosing the right words that they want to hear.
his ridiculous act led him to identity crisis a lot of times. whenever someone called their name, it didn't feel like it was his. and he didn't feel like a girl anymore. or a boy. or anything. he tried to not think about it.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Tamarack:
Both had changed. Whenever they try to talk as friends, it didn't feel the same anymore. Their conversations lead to awkward stops a lot, not knowing how to continue, and the rift grew larger between them as time went on. This was partly caused by Eli's refusal in opening up and being truthful about themself, but they were too blind to realize that. He thought it was too good to believe that their friendship to last forever, so they accepted it and they rarely talk anymore.
Tamarack felt like she was talking to a stranger whenever she was with Eli. After knowing them for a long time, she knows whenever they're not being honest about themself, but Eli would stubbornly deny it without proper explanations out of embarrassment. She thought they didn't like her anymore, especially after they gave up on her. But sometimes she noticed her old friend would secretly help from behind the scene when she was silently struggling, even when she didn't ask for it. Eli still refused to acknowledge what they did if he was called out though. A small part of her hoped that she could still get her neighbor to open up again.
Qiu:
He's confused on why the most popular kid in school chose to be around them when a lot of others thought they were a weirdo, but they didn't question it and gladly accepted them with open arms. If Qiu wanted to be friends, sure, they'll be whatever they want him to be if that made them happy. He felt his existence is worthy for being part of someone's happiness. They thought their fake act was working and it made Qiu happy *cough*
Qiu felt comfortable to be themself around Eli. They believed they were friends, but just like with Tamarack, he was very distant from them. It felt one-sided. They would happily listen to whatever Qiu talk about, but refused to talk about themself. It made them question about how true their friendship was, but Eli always reassure that they were being genuine when he said they were friends. Qiu hoped they're able to coax them to open up so they can help him like how they helped them.
Ren:
(honestly i don't know much about ren for this but i believe they're good friends even though they don't hang out a lot in step 2. they enjoyed each other's company and elita has a thing for people who are mature or older than him, so he developed a small crush on her.)
Baxter:
Elita wanted to be like him, sounding cool and mature despite still being a teenager, so they developed a big fat crush on him lol. They're aware of his bad reputations so it made them felt ashamed of their own feelings.
Baxter rarely talk to Eli but seeing Qiu enjoyed to be around them, he assumed they're good friends and happy that Qiu still had someone close to them.
Serenity:
They didn't hang out in real life much because they're busy with their own things, but they would chat online a lot. It didn't matter how much Eli lied to themself, he's always a big nerd who likes playing video games and watching anime at heart. Many people thought it was cringe so he hid it from everyone. Because Serenity was chronically online as he was, and sincerely liked the same things as them, they felt comfortable enough to chat about their favorite video games and animes, and happily listened to Serenity about hers. He even let Serenity follows their secret tumblr blog. But that's where their friendship ends, they're willing to talk about their hobby but not himself.
Serenity had fun talking with Eli, so they wished they could get closer with him as well. Because they were also Tamarack's friend, she noticed the uncomfortable tension between her and Eli. She would tell Tamarack about what Eli likes so she can talk about the next time they bumped into each other. They hoped it could help at least a little.
Vianca:
Before Eli transitioned, they get along well. They didn't talk a lot, but when they do, they would chat comfortably as if they're already friends from the beginning. After the transition though, he was sad that their identity made Vianca uncomfortable, but willing to back away from her. He was scared of being near her because they're sensitive over not being accepted lol.
Hellooo!! Sorry for sending you so much asks for Tamarack x reader, XD, well, I would like a fanfic about Tamarack x reader, where the reader struggles with vulnerability, like they used to be the strong one of the group besides that they take care of the rest, but when something bad happen, they blame themselves, and with Tamarack, they are trying to be more relaxed and more emotional even if they sucks on it. (The reader has a crush on her and they don't know how to handle it x'd)
Tamarack with a Vulnerable Neighbor
Tamarack Baumann/Gender-Neutral! Reader
Romantic Headcanons
i say you should request more tamarack. BRING THEM ALL IN. if you dont mind me writing them months later.
this was sent in oct last year. jfc im so sorry anon
STEP 1
Although Tamarack is competitive, if you insist on standing on your ground to shoulder the group's problems, she'll just do her own thing in her own way alongside you. She'll pout a little because she wants to take care of you.
She's confused on why you feel strongly about being the strong one of the group, but never questioned it. She does get worried when she sees you start blaming yourself for the first time, and seeing it again for the second time, third time…
After that, when something bad happens, she'll interject and defend you before you can say anything. Sometimes she takes the blame, depending on what kind of problem you guys are facing.
“It's not [Name]’s fault! They didn't even kick or even touch the ball and break your window.”
“I did it! I accidentally dropped the egg when I tried to hand it to [Name]. I'm sorry.”
If you feel bad whenever she handles the problems for you, she'll grin brightly to reassure you that she's okay. This issue is nothing for Tamarack!
Whenever you get injured, she's always ready and happy to comfort and take care of you. She won't take no for an answer!
If you open up about your insecurities, she'll comfort you by exclaiming that you're perfect no matter what in her eyes, she'll giggle if you blush out of embarrassment as a reaction. She'll remember your words so when you're about to face your vulnerabilities again in the future, this time she will be ready to comfort you, or fight anyone who causes it with her tiny but strong fists.
I think she will notice fast that you behave differently whenever you're with her instead of the Boy's Club. Well, everyone does. Tamarack will point it out to you bluntly, and might do it where people can hear you clearly, depending on the situation. She doesn't mean to embarrass you or anything bad, she's worried that she did something wrong and made you uncomfortable because of your rigid posture whenever you're trying to relax.
About your crush on Tamarack, Qiu will be your wingperson (?) by hyping you up and encouraging you to be closer with your other neighbor. Ren will silently support you shyly, Baxter does the same while enjoying the scene out of amusement. Tamarack, whether she realizes your feelings for her or not, is excited over her friends’ support and able to spend more time with you.
STEP 2
Not much differences from Step 1 honestly, besides having less energy and more anxiety. But she will sharply glare at anyone and shut them down if she notices they used your insecurities against you.
If you weren't close to Tamarack and she wasn't aware of your vulnerabilities in Step 1, she notices faster than her younger self on how you like to act tough for the group, and how you react when things don't go the way you hoped to.
Not wanting to spook you and worsen your self-deprecation, she'll silently watch over you so you don't go overboard and hurt yourself in the process. She keeps things dedicated to you (medkit, your comfort snacks, etc.) in her bag, just in case you need it, but she won't directly tell you about it out of shyness.
She will immediately jump in to help you when you go overboard, and you can't stop her. She'll scold you lightly before reminding you that you're not alone, you don't have to carry the burdens all by yourself, etc.
Afterwards, she'll carefully ask the reason why you keep pushing yourself like this, because it's painful to watch you punishing yourself and she wants to understand so she can give you the reassurances you need.
Tamarack notices how tense or emotional you are around her. Most of the time, it makes her blush and smile to herself. She feels special for being the only one that can make you behave differently. On the bad days, her anxiety will make her think that you're uncomfortable and don't want to be seen with her, making her frown, fidgety and avoiding your gaze.
Even when it's obvious for everyone else that you have a big crush on Tamarack and they pointed it out, she will refuse to believe it or stay quiet, not wanting to acknowledge out of embarrassment, unless you prove her wrong yourself by confessing your feelings directly. eye emoji. Also Serenity loves teasing the both of you. She'll groan about being the third wheel whenever they hang out with just the two of you while (not so) secretly trying to nudge you guys closer.
“Heyyy [Name], did you hear that Tamarack saved a kitten yesterday? It was in a building, on the twentieth floor, and there was a fire! The whole thing was about to collapse. But Tamarack swooped in, did a backflip, grabbed the kitten, did a somersault, and exited the building like it's nothing!” Serenity explains while waving their hands around excitedly. “Isn't Tamarack so cool!?”
Tamarack glares at her friend with an annoyed look when you aren't looking. Her lips are shut tight, but Serenity can hear her silently saying ‘seriously?’
Serenity only lightly bumped her fist on their head as she winked and stuck their tongue out innocently.
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