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bunmurdock · 1 month

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spotted pigeons and telepathic dog walkers | matt murdock x oralfixation!reader

summary: combined three inbox requests! (1) “sucking matt’s fingers for comfort” + (2) “having a bad day; matt lets you curl up in his lap while he whispers sweet nothings” + (3) “matt x oral fixation!reader; he would love how needy/clingy she is and oblige her with his fingers.” tags: humor, fluff, daddy!matt, use of a pet name (“pup”) word count: 918

“shh, there you go, sweetheart,” matt whispers.

you're curled up in his lap. his thumb nudges its way between your parted lips, a gesture so deeply rooted in your shared moments of comfort. his skin tastes of the day's work, a hint of soap and something uniquely matt, and it grounds you, pulls you back from the edge of your anxieties.

“someone was a little firecracker today, hm? got all worked up, and now look at you, quiet as a mouse.” you suckle on his finger, cheeks puffing adorably.

he laughs softly. “ah, there's that pout. knew it wouldn't be long.”

matt shifts, caressing your cheek with his other fingers. “let's see if we can't find a better use for that pout, hm?” his free arm reaching over to the nearby bluetooth speaker. soft, instrumental music fills the room.

“music to soothe the savage beast,” he quips, the laughter around his eyes crinkling with something more tender. he rocks you gently, the movement subtle but comforting. “or in our case, to soothe the sweetest pup in the world.”

“you know, i was thinking. maybe we should go birdwatching like you suggested. you and me, out in the park at dawn, and you can tell me when you see the rare... spotted pink pigeon.”

the absurdity of the statement, delivered with such faux seriousness, is enough to draw a reluctant smile from you.

“spotted pink pigeon doesn't exist, pup, but if it did, i’m sure it'd be as unique and lovely as you.”

he leans back against the couch, taking you with him. the question he's been pondering dances at the tip of his tongue, a gentle inquiry meant to bridge the silence that has settled between you.

“which, speaking of, we’ve been debating at the office. how would you feel about a little office mascot? foggy and kar—”

before he can continue, he feels your body tense slightly, the shift so subtle only someone as attuned to you as matt could notice. the question hangs in the air, unfinished, as he tunes into your reaction. there's a stillness about you, a hesitation that speaks volumes to him.

“ah,” he whispers, a gentle kiss pressed to the top of your head. “not the time for decisions, huh? that's okay. let's get your mind off of things.”

he shifts slightly, making sure you're nestled comfortably against him.

“so. you’re not going to believe this. today, foggy brought in this client—mr. boetticher. a guy who claims he's developed a 'revolutionary' method to walk dogs telepathically. says he can control up to ten dogs at a time with just his mind.”

“and karen decided we should test this guy's claim. so, there we were, in the middle of central park, with foggy holding onto five leashes, more scared than i've ever seen him, and this guy concentrating so hard i thought he might burst a blood vessel.”

“of course, nothing happened. well, nothing except for the dogs deciding it was the perfect time to chase after a squirrel, taking foggy on a little unexpected adventure.”

matt pauses, feeling the vibrations of your giggles against his chest. “and then later, there's frank castle,” he continues, the smile evident in his voice. “dropped by today. turns out he has a soft spot for old jazz records,” he smirks. “walked in on him and karen having an impromptu dance session in the middle of the office.”

“really?” you murmur around his thumb, eyes wide.

“mhm. when i walked in, never seen someone jump up so fast. tried to act all tough, like he hadn’t just been serenading karen with louis armstrong's greatest hits.”

your giggle fills the room, warm and hearty, as he continues. “but the highlight of the day? the office itself. ever since we moved to the new place, it's been one adventure after another. and today was no exception.”

“we've been dealing with this... let's call it a 'haunted' coffee machine. turns out, foggy was convinced it had a mind of its own. would randomly start brewing in the middle of meetings.”

you let out a soft snort, the image of foggy arguing with a coffee machine too vivid in your imagination.

“so today, karen had enough. she declared war on the coffee machine. it was a scene to behold, pup. karen, armed with the user manual, foggy providing moral support from a safe distance, and me, well, enjoying the show.”

your laughter is muffled against his chest, the silly image of the trio taking on an inanimate object a welcome distraction.

“guess what?” matt's voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper. “took them three days to figure out foggy had been accidentally hitting the delayed start button with his elbow every time he leaned on the counter.”

your laughter bubbles up again, filling the room with warmth, and a look of pure fondness crosses matt’s face, a look reserved only for you.

“but you know, the best part of today?” he continues, “was coming back to you, knowing that no matter how crazy the day gets, i've got a crazier little pup waiting for me—”

you bite down on his finger.

“ouch! alright alright. ah—no teeth.”

“so, how about we plan a day out? just you and me,” he teases gently, tilting your chin up to meet his smile with one of your own—even if he can’t see it, he feels it. “think of it as our little adventure, away from the stress and chaos. what do you say, pup?”

#matt murdock x reader #matt murdock fic #matt murdock fanfic #matt murdock x you #x reader #matt murdock #matt murdock x fem!reader #matt murdock imagine #matt murdock fanfiction #marvel #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #matt murdock fluff #matt murdock angst #bun’s

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ordinaryschmuck · 3 months

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David Zaslav is on the phone as he enters his office.

David: It's nothing personal, it's just business. But don't worry, once another buyer offers eighty million, you'll have your property back. Okay? Okay. Goodbye, Mom. Love you.

He hangs up and notices a package left on his desk.

David: Huh. That's peculiar.

He walks over and sees that it's addressed to him. With a shrug, he opens it up.

*WHACK*!

And gets hits in the face with a springy boxing glove.

***

A burlap sack is ripped off David's head. He looks around and sees he's in a form of a warehouse, with the only light being the shining above him. In the shadows, he hears a crunch of somekind.

???: Eh, *tsk-tsk* What's up, Doc?

Out from the shadows comes Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, and even Foghorn Leghorn. They do NOT look happy.

David: Who...Who ARE you? WHAT are you?

Sam: OOOOOOOOOOOH!

He pulls out his guns.

Sam: Now I KNOW y'all didn't just say that you--

Bugs waves a hand in front of Sam.

Bugs: It's okay, Sammy Boy. Can't blame da poor, dumb, foolish suckah. (To David) Do ya know who Mickey Mouse is, Doc?

David: Is...that who you are?

Daffy: Doeth he look like a MOUTHE, you buffoon?!

Bugs: Daf. (To David) Mickey's the mascot of Disney, YOUR competitor. Fer bettah or woise, he represents da company. And to dis day is the backbone dat made Disney what it is. As for me and my compatriots, dat's who WE are for Warner Brudders.

David: I-I'm the CEO of Warner Brothers DISCOVERY.

Foghorn: Which is, I say, which is the result of merging with WARNER BROTHERS, ya dumb pig! No offense, Pork.

Porky: N-N-No-No-No offense taken.

Bugs: (To David) Ya see, Doc, we're da Looney Tunes. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, and Yosemite Sam. Ya see, while Walter was makin' the mouse dat would rule the world wid a goofy cartoon mouse that entertained the kiddies, we's was making some CLASS. Cartoons dat dee adults AND kids could appreciate, wid witty dialogue and cartoonish slapstick. Me and Daf, here? We made bank off a short where we discussed who got shot by Elmer Fudd, where da joke was ALWAYS Daffy getting hit.

Daffy: Took a lot of shotth to make that comedy gold. LIterally.

Bugs: And it worked. Wid a poifect simple premise dat people always remember, wid people going "Wabbit Season, Duck Season" to dis day. Dat's who we are, Doc...And ya messed it all up.

Sam: Ya messed with the WRONG pardners, Davie!

David: H-How? How did I mess with you?!

Bugs: Hey, don't feel too bad. Warner Brudders' have been messing wid us for years, but we always took it on the chin. Dey want us to do TWO basketball movies? Dey want us to get rid of Pepe Le Pew? Why not. He stunk anyway and we wanted him out for years. Dey want our iconic image for an animated sitcom? We did it. 'Cause we're da Looney Tunes. We can sell ANYTHING.

Porky: I-I-I actually l-l-li-lo-li-lo--Really enjoyed the sitcom.

Bugs: Okay, it can be argued dat da sitcom is criminally underrated, but dat's besides the point. What I'm getting at is dat we're willing ta sell anything just as long as we get some of dat green ourselves. But ya made a mistake, Doc. Ya see, you went after one of our own.

He makes a "come here" gesture, and both Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner come out from the shadows as well, with Road Runner comforting the Coyote.

Bugs: Pepe Le Pew is one thing. We understand that his sense of humor doesn't fit well wid dis day and age. But Wile? Oh brudder, why did ya have to mess wid him?

David: What did I do to him?!

Bugs: Coyote Vs. ACME. Ringin' any bells?

David: That...movie no one wants to buy?

Bugs: A movie ya overselled for a quick buck. A movie dat people worked night and day on. A movie written by James Gunn, yer golden boy who you have fixin' yer DC franchise.

Foghorn: Which is, I say, which is a whole DIFFERENT can a worms.

Bugs, ignoring him: A movie dat stars our very own Wile E. Coyote. A character who's toons and silly antics are timeless and, I'll admit, makes bank better than me. Wit no dialogue, just expressions and goofy signs, him and da Road Runner are characters where the possibility is limited by da power of imagination. And a movie where he sues ACME over their failed gadgets? Well, I'd watch that. Wouldn't you, boys?

The others all murmur in agreement.

David: Well, it might not make a profit--

Bug: Space Jam 2 made TWICE of what yer trying ta sell Wile's movie for. Ya would think that a man desperate to make money would release a film featuring their most iconic brand to get him MORE money. But, no, that's what a GOOD business man would do.

David: Please! I-It wasn't anything personal! I didn't even WATCH the movie!

The Tunes all stare at him.

Bugs: ...Ya didn't WATCH it?

David: N-No?

Bugs: You were willing to sell, shelve, and even DELETE a movie from existence because ya don't think it won't make a profit. Except ya nevah THOUGHT ta watch it yerself and make yer judgment?

David: ...Running a business is REALLY hard--

Bugs: You MAROON. You marooniest maroon that's ever marooned. I can't even comprehend how not only did you get yer job but how ya STILL have a job despite all da STOOPID decisions you've made in--How long has he been in charge?

Porky: A-A-A--Nearly t-two years, boss.

Bugs: TWO YEARS. Ya've been in charge for TWO YEARS and managed to cost da studio so much money that ya could compare it to da GREAT DEPRESSION! If Disney loses dat money, dey can make it back wid anothah Marvel movie or a live action remake of Moana! WE ain't Disney, Doc! We need every dime we get and we're losin' it because a YOU!

David: ...

Bugs: Honestly, we was initially thinkin' a beatin' the snot out a yous and leaking da movie to da public. But now? Woof. NOW I know yer as dumb as an animal. And an animal needs to be treated as an animal.

He pulls out a dog whistle and gives it a blow. Within seconds, a small, brown tornado bursts through a wall in the warehouse and zooms over to the group, stopping its spin to reveal The Tasmanian Devil.

Bugs: Have ya heard of the Tasmanian Devil, David? Who am I kidding, of COURSE ya haven't. Well, let's just say that he'd be happy to meet you.

Taz looks at David, licks his lips, and starts jumping for joy as he heads over to him.

David: No. No! NOOOOOOOOOOOO--

***

David stands before a press conference, clothes torn up and his body bandaged.

David: I am now announcing that I'm stepping down as CEO of Warner Brothers Discovery...And as my last act, I will release Coyote Vs. ACME to the public.

Reporter: And are you going to release Batgirl too?

David: Well, no, that movie's unreleasable--

A batarang lands in front of him.

David: ...Batgirl and Coyote Vs. ACME. Both coming soon...to a theater or streaming service near you.

#david zaslav #the looney tunes #looney tunes #bugs bunny #daffy duck #porky pig #yosemite sam #foghorn leghorn #wile e coyote #road runner #coyote vs acme #fuck david zaslav #sorry this is long #i had to get this off my chest

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hauntaku2 · 3 months

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Pokemon: "Our mascot is a cute little electric mouse with adorable red cheeks!"

Digimon: "Our mascot is an orange dinosaur who can talk."

Yu-gi-oh: "Our mascot is a ball of brown hair with green feet who stares into your soul with its cold dead eyes."

#thoughts #funny #memes #Pokemon #Digimon #Yugioh #creatures #monsters #beasts #video games #anime

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aeridanus · 10 months

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I must know who Bino is, that name is adorable :0

Heyhey :) Bino is our corn snake. The animal shelter gave him this name because he's albinistic and, ironically, Bino is the name of a German mascot mouse from the 90s :D

#snezztheferret #chitchat #bino

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medusamagic · 1 year

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It kind of fucks me up how the mascot horror genre doesn’t ever interrogate the actual horror of mascots. Like, there’s something undeniably indisious about friendly animals whose job it is to lure and brainwash children into blind loyalty to brands. Instead of exploring that aspect of mascots, all these games really say is “Wouldn’t it be fucked up if Mickey Mouse had a knife? Anyways, buy our marketable plushies.”

#horror #mascot horror #fnaf #garten of banban #amanda the adventurer #poppy playtime

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incorrectsmashbrosquotes · 1 year

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*the sewers of LA*

Mario: Uh, Sora, why did you call us down here?

Link: Yeah... the sewers of LA don't exactly scream “exciting vacation locale”.

Sora: Look, it’s just... I need your guys’ help.

Samus: Sora, you’re our friend. Whatever it is, you can trust us.

Sora: I know... that’s why I need you to keep your cool.

*They come to a large room within the sewers. Within is what looks like a makeshift hospital room with a TV in the corner. A hooded figure lies on the bed*

*suddenly, a purple lightsaber flashes but Sora blocks it with his Keyblade*

Sora: Revan! It’s okay. They’re- they can be trusted.

*the now revealed Darth Revan nods and sheathes his lightsaber*

Link: Sora... what the Hell is this?!

*the figure on the bed stirs, coughing fiercely.*

???: It’s been too long, Mario.

Mario: That voice... it can’t be!

*the figure on the bed throws back his hood, revealing a sickly looking Mickey Mouse*

Mario: Mickey!

*Mario rushes over, the others swiftly following him*

Mario: Mickey- what is this?! Aren’t you- we’ve been fighting you for decades, trying to keep you from buying the Smash Bros!

Mickey: That... thing up there is not me. It hasn’t been me for years.

Link: What? What do you mean?!

Revan: Mickey became too inconvenient a mascot for Disney. Their greed overrode their loyalty, so they disposed of him down here and replaced him with... this.

*Revan shows the Smashers a picture of the true form of the Mickey they’ve been fighting*

Link: Oh- Oh Goddesses!

Samus: It’s horrible!

Mario: What twisted mind could have created something so horrible!

The Picture:

Mickey: We’ve been... trying to... to stop them for years. But it’s no use. Mario... everyone... we need your help.

Mario: It’s okay buddy. We’ll defeat the imposter and get you back in business in no time!

Link: Yeah, you got our word!

Samus: No problemo, old pal.

Mickey, near tears: Thank you, all of you.

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norcumii · 1 year

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SPOILERS AHEAD FOR D20′S NEVERAFTER

(This was started the weekend after the finale, then my spoons ran away for awhile. -_-; Hopefully this is coherent anyways, even if late.)

I have been...struggling with this season of Dimension 20. As we’ve gone from episode to episode, I keep coming back to the issue of foundational rules – not in the sense of mechanics of world-building, but the thematic underpinnings and models. You’re telling a story about stories. We have these elements of horror and free-will; themes of consumption and corruption; cycles and multi-verses.

And I haven’t been able to tie it all together. My metaphorical wall-chart of photos and string has been an unending tangled mess (and my brain staunchly refuses to stop fixating on Aesop’s Mouse and Lion, aka the mascots of Disney and MGM so obviously that’s been a heel-turn of Capitalism waiting to happen >_>). After the finale I just sat there blinking for a bit, feeling like that certainly was a thing that had happened, but what did it all MEAN?????

There wasn’t anything that felt wrong with what happened, but there wasn’t any narrative logic I could grasp, no themes to tie things together other than “things are better now and what people chose for themselves” which is...nice, but vague enough to be unfulfilling. I couldn’t find anything to the Adventuring Party episode to help, so in growing frustrating I went browsing through the related tags on the tumbls.

This deceptively simple post broke me because it explained matters so well. It’s trauma. The whole season, all the horror and meta themes are about trauma. Suddenly all the oddly shaped puzzle pieces I couldn’t stop pawing at fit.

This is why the dark times began in the first place. People worried so much about trauma that they managed to traumatize themselves. Look how Sleeping Beauty’s vines literally smothered her in an attempt to protect her. All these population centers withdrew from each other, borders closed between the various kingdoms, and thus people pulled away from the potential for community support – everyone was left to struggle and fall on their own.

It wasn’t what I originally thought, some nebulous fear of fear itself inevitably leading to the darkside nonsense, but instead how we isolate ourselves into our little echo chambers – each person caught up in their story and their story alone. How we become mired in those events/trauma until one’s entire life is framed around That Horrible Thing What Happened At One Point In My Life.

Which in turn addresses the Authors – as a storyteller myself, I was mighty uncomfy with the presentation of the Authors as a unified bloc of uncaring eldritch horrors from beyond that only wanted the suffering of their playthings. I couldn’t figure if I was picking up on the wrong vibe, or if this was one of those learning moments where “if you’re uncomfy that might be ‘cause it hits too close to home and you need to sit with that for a bit to chew it over” or whatever. With the trauma context, it makes sense. On the one hand, the Authors are the external force: just like the characters, they’ve been corrupted by the fear of the Dark Times, and thus spreading that to their creations, which spread it back to them, etc. On the other they are very much an internal force: when we are traumatized, we tell ourselves stories to contextualize what happened. That can be done in a healthy way – this is one of the reasons we tell stories to begin with – or one can become mired in that narrative, telling and retelling it while fixating on the worst parts (that fear of the Dark Times thing again) until all that one sees is the worst iteration.

Which is why there was the multiverse aspect, and why each one could/did get worse. For that matter, it addresses the evolution of Pib’s minis, which baffled me when they were revealed. He begins as the dapper rogue, then becomes the hardened stray, then the scared little cat. Trauma wears at people, and oftentimes the immediate reaction is to withdraw, to be emotionally distant and appear tough – Rather like Zac’s choices on how Pib changed between incarnations. From there its so easy to get ground down further, into something so tired and hurting that it’s difficult to expect anything other than to be hurt further. Or look at Rosamund, increasingly isolated by her briars, which are choking her as they “lovingly” work to protect her from the big bad scary world – until she is puppeted by them.

Honestly, a lot of character choices make a lot more sense. Ylfa’s separation, how she believed that “the girl kept holding the wolf back.” The Stepmother’s everything, exemplifying that old saying about how “hurt people hurt people,” and a classic example of how easy it is to repeat generational trauma, especially when you don’t have a model for other ways to approach matters. The princesses’ utter nihilism, the exhausted desperation to just have the suffering stop. The fairies as the well-meaning but misguided faction endorsing placating the/a source of trauma to keep things from getting worse is all too familiar of those caught up in traumatic cycles but want to exercise some, any kind of autonomy. Meanwhile look at how Rapunzel grew able to lash out at literally everyone, and how she was utterly honest without ever needing to be truthful. How so many people just needed to rest in Mother Goose’s book, to get some reprieve from the relentless cycle of trauma (and how it helped them, and in return helped the party).

This explains the horrible Worst Case ending that was mentioned in the Adventuring Party: the Stepford Wives society of terrifying seeming-perfection crystallizing everyone into a semblance of how Everything Is Fine, Nothing Is Wrong, and no lessons are learned, no changes can be made, and the core is often rotting away unseen. All too often, society pressures us to pretend trauma didn’t happen, or that it wasn’t so bad. (How many times have you heard that PTSD is only for military folks, or those who survived massive natural disasters or whathaveyou?) The lesson we internalize is to pretend that all is peachy-keen, no problems whatsoever, and when that happens the trauma is never addressed. One can’t heal if all your energies are devoted to keeping up the facade of an idyllic existence. To be stuck in that cycle is indeed pretty apt for the worst end of a horror season.

Of course, this leads to the big question: what makes the players different? HOW did they manage to break the cycle? By literally crafting a new narrative – by allowing EVERYONE to make their own, new narrative, to shed the weight and burden of generational trauma. Some of them, like Pinocchio, had already internalized their own story – in his case, that meant taking up the terrifying responsibility of autonomy, taking up his own strings and destiny. Pinocchio learned and understood his story, stepping forward to not be ruled by his past experiences – like Gerard, choosing to leave his humanity and stop chasing the old goals that everyone said he should desire. Even though they both grieved the loss of that goal, and all the ramifications of leaving those hopes behind – even as it meant accepting the scars and changes it wrought upon them – it helped them and others in their stories break out of the cycle of trauma.

Stories are doorways to other places – sometimes a temporary haven in someplace better, where no matter how bad things get, there is a ‘happily’ at the end of it. Sometimes they’re models of how things could be horrible, and we can learn how others deal with grief/tragedy/horror – so we in turn can acquire those skills and life lessons. Vicarious experiences can help mitigate/understand trauma, and somehow, without me even noticing it, this season leaned wholeheartedly into it.

I think I need to rewatch it all through that lens, and tbh? I’m looking forward to it.

#dimension 20 #d20 #neverafter #neverafter spoilers #spoilers #meta #analysis #thinky thoughts #stories #story telling #trauma

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sasusakucoded · 7 months

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It's Halloween season. Everyone, especially the girls, in the campus are preparing for the ball. It has been a tradition for them to guess what heartthrob Uchiha Sasuke would wear so they can match it. Anyone who wears the correct costume would get a chance to dance with him.

This year, the special faculties (medicine, dentistry, and veterinary) are joining the general faculties. Even the students from the special faculties know the tradition and are also preparing for the event.

Ino: What are you wearing, Haruno?

Sakura: I'm still thinking about it. What did he wear in the past 3 years?

Tenten: When he was a freshman, he became the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. I think there were 5 girls who got it correctly. They were all Alice.

Ino: Yeah, a very hot White Rabbit.

Sakura: Oh, so multiple girls can win?

Ino: Yeah. The year after that, he wore a cactus costume.

Sakura: A what??

Ino: A cactus! The winner was a bowl. Don't ask me how, because I didn't see it. But people said that the bowl looked like a pot.

Sakura: That's.. An odd costume.

Tenten: Yeah. Apparently, Sasuke was not aware that girls were trying to match his outfit. He thought he danced in the 1st year just because.

Sakura: He's a funny guy.

Ino: Funny and hot, I agree.

Tenten: Last year, he wore a cheese costume. There were 2 winners, Minnie Mouse and Jerry.

Sakura: Hmmm. That didn't help at all. His costumes were so random. He could wear a spoon costume and the winner could be a fork or a donburi.

Ino: Right. I'll wear a Velma costume. Who knows, maybe he'll be Fred Jones this year.

Tenten: I'm guessing he'll wear something out-of-the-box this year. So, I'm thinking of something that can be paired with multiple things. Maybe I'll be a box.

Ino: All of that explanation for a box. Yeah right, Tenten.

Tenten: It's a safe costume!!

Sakura: *sighs* I still don't know what to wear.. He likes tomatoes right? What if I wear a knife costume? Or maybe basil?

Ino: Or maybe a pot. Or a plastic bag from the grocery. *laughs*

Sakura: Why is it so hard?

Tenten: No, the real question is.. Why are we even making efforts?

Ino: Because he's THE Uchiha Sasuke, duh! Heir to the Uchicha Holdings, Incorporated.

Sakura: Well.. I started to like him when we taught their class about first aid. He was the volunteer. His eyes, his smile—

Ino: Hey, hey, stop daydreaming! You haven't won yet, Haruno! *chuckles*

Sakura: *laughs* I bet he doesn't even remember me.

Tenten: Fine. The box costume is worth risking for.

Sakura: I'll probably wear a bottle of ketchup costume. It's matching with a tomato.. And if he decides to wear a bucket of fries or a hotdog sandwich, then that should still win.

Ino: You two are making it complicated!

---

Ino: Waaah! Sakura! Tenten! I saw Sasuke in the hallway when I went to the registrar's office!

Tenten: Calm down, girl!

Ino: He's so fragrant. I should've asked him what he's gonna wear. *laughs*

Tenten: *laughs*

Ino: Why so serious, Haruno?

Sakura: I'm so stressed out.. The costume.. The lab reports..

Ino: Prioritize the costume! It's once a year anyway.

Sakura: I really want to but I don't think I can..

Tenten: We'll help you!

Ino: Yeah. Finish the postlabs then let's go to your house.

Sakura: Are you sure?

Ino: Yes, ketchup girl.

---

The three tries to finish the ketchup bottle costume as fast as they cand. Sakura tries it on and they all share a laugh.

Ino: Imagine dancing with Sasuke in that costume!

Tenten: You look like a mascot, Sakura! How can you even go to the stage?

Sakura: You guys are annoying! At this point I just want this event to be over.

Ino: So, you don't want to win anymore?

Sakura: I didn't say that.

Tenten: Ah, we shouldn't have helped you. We forgot you're our competitor. *laughs*

---

The Halloween Night comes. The hall is decorated mainly with black and orange. Everyone is mingling with each other regardless of their faculty.

Ino: *laughs* See that girl wearing a fork costume? I remember our convo last time.

Tenten: *laughs* Yeah. It's very cute though!

Ino: Hmm. Have you seen the ketchup girl? Where is she?

---

Tsunade: Sorry for making you work longer today, Sakura.

Sakura: N-No.. It's fine, Tsunade-sensei.

Tsunade: You're supposed to go to the Halloween Night, right?

Sakura: Yes.. If I still have time.. But if not, I'll just skip this year.

Tsunade: It's a compulsary event though. You have to go there and sign the attendance.

Sakura: Is it mandatory?

Tsunade: Yes!

Sakura: Oh, I didn't know..

Tsunade: What's your costume by the way?

Sakura: Um. A Ketchup bottle. I heard Sasuke— Do you happen to know him? He's like the star of the night..

Tsunade: I heard about the matchy-matchy costume thing.. Um, Sakura, could you help me transfer that? *points to a container*

Sakura: Sure, Tsunade-sensei!

They carry the glass jar together. As much as they try to do it carefully, they still drop the container.

Sakura: /thinks/ I'm doomed. Now I have to clean this up.

Tsunade: I'm sorry, Sakura! The jar slipped from my hands.. Oh no, it spilled on your lab coat and uniform.

Sakura: It's okay.. Don't worry about it. I— I'll clean it up now.. *gets the mop; phone starts ringing* Hello?

Ino: Where are you?? Don't tell me you're still in the lab.

Sakura: I am..

Ino: Come on now, Haruno. No one's supposed to work at this hour.

Sakura: I just need to clean this up and finalize some papers then I'll go.

Ino: Where's your costume?

Sakura: It's home.. I'll go home quickly—

Ino: Gosh! Fine! I won't hold you any longer. Just finish that and come here! No signs of Sasuke yet so you're still good.

Sakura: Okay.. Thanks for updating me. Bye.

Tsunade: Sakura, don't mind the mess. Just do the paperwork then you're good to go.

Sakura: Really? Thanks, Tsunade-sensei.

Sakura quickly reviews and writes the lab reports. It still takes her another hour to finish though.

Tsunade: I really feel bad.. Now you'll be late.

Sakura: It's okay, Tsunade-sensei. My house is near.. Just need to go and get my costume—

Tsunade: I'm afraid you don't have enough time.

Sakura: *checks her watch* Yeah.. But I really need to get the costume. Bye, Tsunade-sensei!

Tsunade: Thanks again, Sakura!

---

Ino: S-Sakura?

Sakura: Hey.

Tenten: Girl..

Sakura: I know.. I'm just here for the attendance.

Tenten: What attendance—

Host: *lights were focused to the stage* Are you excited to see our Halloween King? I bet everyone wants to see his costume already. What could he be this year? Ladies and gents, let's all welcome.. Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke: *spotlight on him; walks to the center*

Everyone: *gasps*

Ino: H-He's a..

Sasuke: Hello everyone! Please allow me to take my Halloween Queen. *starts going down from the stage*

Everyone: *cheers for him*

Ino: Oh my..

Tenten: Gosh, he's near..

Sasuke: My queen.. Please come with me. *takes Sakura's hand and kisses it*

Sakura: /thinks/ Is this even real?? *walks with him*

Host: Everyone, please cheer for our Halloween King and Queen! Our bloody doctors!!

The romantic music starts playing and the two start to dance on the stage. Everyone watches them at first then follows suit.

Sasuke: Are you okay?

Sakura: Yes.. I— I'm just nervous.. Sorry, I look messy and sweaty..

Sasuke: You look perfect. The blood on your costume looks real.

Sakura: /thinks/ Because it is. Ah, yes.. Actually, I was from the lab before going here—

Sasuke: Ah, enough of the schoolwork. Let's enjoy the night, Sakura.

Sakura: Yeah.. *giggles; realizes he knows her* Y-You know my name?

Sasuke: We've met before, right?

Sakura: *remembers the first aid session* Oh yes.. Um, Sasuke.. Sorry, but do you know where's the attendance sheet it? I haven't signed it yet.

Sasuke: *laughs* There's no such thing, Sakura. It's not a mandatory event. *pulls her closer*

Sakura: Oh.. *rests her face on his chest*

---

Sasuke: Don't you think you overdid it?

Tsunade: If I didn't say that attendance is a must, she won't go there!

Sasuke: And the blood?

Tsunade: It's just food coloring. I won't ever use real blood for that, that's hazardous.

Sasuke: Everything went well, so thank you, Aunt Tsunade.

Tsunade: Does my sister know about this?

Sasuke: *laughs* No, of course. She'll find it silly—

Sakura: Tsunade-sensei, I'm here! *sees Sasuke* S-Sasuke?

Sasuke: *waves at her*

Sakura: You're here?

Tsunade: My nephew just came here to give his payment for a job well done.

Sakura: Nephew?

Sasuke: Yeah. She's my aunt, Sakura.

Sakura: *sees the gifts on the table* The job must be hard for you to get gifts that many.

Tsunade: Well, he asked me to make sure he gets his Halloween Queen.

Sakura: ...What?

Sasuke: Sorry, Sakura. That's my only way to get close with you. I'm only known for my family and this Halloween thing.. I'm not interesting—

Sakura: What are you saying? You're the coolest student of this university..

Sasuke: I don't think so.. So I thought of asking my aunt to make sure that you'd wear your uniform to the event. Because I planned to wear a bloody doctor outfit.

Tsunade: And to spill some fake blood to make your uniform look like a halloween costume. *laughs*

Sakura: Th-That's fake? I threw my uniform away because it looked disgusting..

Sasuke: Sorry for that.. I'll get you a new one—

Sakura: N-No, it's fine.. Wait, so is that also the reason why you said that attendance is compulsary?

Tsunade: I couldn't think of anything that could make you go even if you didn't want to anymore.

Sasuke: I hope you're not mad, Sakura.. I really just—

Sakura: *laughs* I actually find it cute.. My only regret though is the ketchup bottle costume that my friends and I made.

Sasuke: I'll be your mustard anytime, Sakura.

Sakura: *blushes*

Tsunade: Ah, enough of the flirting. Just tell me you're dating now then leave.

Sasuke: We are. Thanks again, Aunt Tsunade. Bye! *places his arm over Sakura's shoulder*

#sasusaku #sasusaku au #sasusaku fanfic #sasusaku fanfiction #sscoded no 246 #sasusaku halloween

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mythosartsstuff · 6 days

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📞 Dial ☎️

Our TADC oc! While thinking of toys that we enjoyed growing up, our brain instantly thought “old Mickey Mouse telephone” which…isn’t even a toy but it works 😂 So meet Dial! Inspired by old telephones as well as mascots. He’s besties with Kinger and trying to befriend Pomni. He and Jax have a weird type of relationship where you can never tell if they’re fighting or flirting.

#oc #original character #the amazing digital circus #the amazing digital circus oc #tadc #tadc oc #gooseworx #glitch productions

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thefinalcinderella · 8 months

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Tsurune Book 3 Chapter 4 - Old Friend (Part 1)

this chapter broke into my house and robbed me. this chapter punched me in my stomach and proceeded to kick me as i was down

anyways we meet Seiya's brother Gaku. Gaku seems to be a gnc person but is still referred to as Seiya's brother so i will be using he/him pronouns for him

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1-18. The explanations of the puns were so long that i decided to make a separate post for them. tbh you can just skip the puns and go all the way to the end of this section

Previous | Next

It was a certain day off.

The five boys of the Kazemai High School kyudo club gathered at Minato’s house. It was a study session to prepare for a regular exam, and since Minato’s father wasn’t at home because of work, they occupied the living room.

Seiya smiled.

“Ryouhei, if there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me. I can help you with most of the liberal arts subjects.”

“Woo! I’m so glad that I have you, who’s at the top of our class, as my childhood friend.”

“I’m happy to be helpful to everyone.”

Nanao, hearing that, waved his mechanical pencil with a frog on it. There was also a pencil case with frogs in traditional Japanese design on the table.

“As expected of President Mustache. You really give off the composure of someone worthy of a mustache. Maybe I should have chosen science classes too, though it’s a bit late for that now.”

“Apparently, nowadays there are some universities where they don’t divide the courses into the sciences and liberal arts, but allow students to take both.”

“This is what they call the age of diversity. Our future is shining brightly. Exciting, sparkling!” Ryouhei also chimed in.

“Sparkling! This humble one is also excited!”

Next to them, Kaito put down his pen.

“You two! Those Yotubers’ ways of talking are rubbing off on you. Nanao, stop playing with frogs and focus on your problem set.”

“Yeah, yeah, Kacchan. Follow your own path.”

After checking on everyone, Minato went to the kitchen. He returned to the living room with a drink in hand.

Minato’s cup was purchased on the return trip from last year’s regional tournament, and it had the illustration of a dormouse on it. In his left hand, he held the dormouse mascot that Masa-san gave him. The dormouse was a small mouse that was a natural monument and also called the spirit of the forest and the guardian deity of the mountains. Masa-san gave him, who was suffering from target panic, the dormouse mascot in place of a talisman, but Minato had no way of knowing the prayer it contained.

When the five’s cups were emptied, the intercom sounded. When Minato looked through the camera, he saw a young woman standing there. “Hello?” he answered.

“Mii-chan, it’s me. It’s been a while.”

“Oh! I’m opening the door now.”

When Minato opened the door, the woman suddenly hugged him.

She was in her twenties. She was gorgeous and bewitching, but also cute—she was a superb beauty who made one feel that gap. She was dressed in a stylish outfit, and her straggling hairs fell gently.

The beautiful woman exclaimed in joy.

“Mii-chan, you smell as good as ever! Is it rosemary? It’s different from a vegetarian’s scent. The fact that you smell like this and don’t use antiperspirants or perfume is nothing short of a miracle.”

“Can’t you do something about that quirk of yours?”

“I feel so refreshed when I smell your scent, Mii-chan. ‘Mina-huffing’ is way better than cat huffing!”

Minato grimaced, looking fed up. Since he knew that the other person only looked slender in clothing and was actually a Jeet Kune Do master, Minato didn’t disobey her and stayed still. It was a martial art where the opponent was defeated within six seconds. He wouldn’t be able to stand a chance if he was hit in a vital spot.

“I’m studying right now.”

“Oh, that’s right. I came here for something else. Let me just come in for a minute.”

The woman left Minato and went into the living room without hesitation. She opened the door with a bang.

“Who’s that?” Just when Kaito muttered in his mind, Seiya shouted, “Onii-chan!”

Kaito let out a splutter.

Rather than the fact that the person who he thought was a woman was actually Seiya’s brother, he was more shocked by the fact that Seiya calling him “Onii-chan.” Seiya’s brother completely ignored the dumbfounded Kazemai High School kyudo club members and made a beeline for Seiya.

“Seiya, you completely ignored your phone even when I called you. I came back home after all this time, so keep me company for a little bit at least.”

“Why are you coming in all the way here, Onii-chan? You’re as restless as ever.”

“Can’t you be a little more affectionate towards your beloved brother? Something like, it’s been so long, I missed you, Nii-san!”

Seiya made no comment. His eyes were glassy.

“Ugh, you’re such a prickly kid. Everyone, sorry for interrupting your studying. Nice to meet you, I’m Seiya’s older brother, Takehaya Gaku. I do the branding for ‘Hanayoi,’ which promotes Japanese style merchandise. You over there, that frog pencil was also one of the things I had a hand in.”

“Whoa!” Nanao said. “I know Hanayoi. You did a collab with Yumihiki Douji recently.”

“You watched it? I’m so happy to hear that.”

Gaku sat down in front of the table.

“I’d feel bad about staying here for too long, so I’ll just tell you why I’m here. Everyone here should also listen. I chose the path I liked, so Dad wants Seiya to inherit the hospital. He says he wants Seiya to start preparing for that soon.”

“You’re talking about that again? And this isn’t something you talk about in front of everyone, you know? Onii-chan, you do what you want, and yet you expect to me to obey you.”

“Mom and Dad always respect our wishes. But in their hearts, they think that you’re suited to becoming a doctor. This is the countryside, so doctors are absolutely needed. They want you to contribute your service to the community. They won’t back down until you say yes.”

“There’s no point in using martial arts on me. I know your weak spots. It’ll be no trouble for me to defeat you.”

“Ugh, Seiya, how invincible are you? Well, it doesn’t matter. I plan on staying here for two or three days longer anyway.”

Gaku stood up, then stared at Nanao, who had been listening with his chin in his hands.

“…Magnificent. You’ve caught my eye since the moment I entered this room, but you’re so beautiful. How would you like to become our new brand image character?”

Gaku’s eyes roamed over Nanao’s figure, then he raised his hand and inhaled the scent deeply. Gaku’s sense of smell was unusually developed, and he was an eccentric who judged people based on their body odor. It was said that only one in five people could sniff out asparagus smell, which was the smell of urine after eating asparagus. He was one of them, and he was also a perfumer.

“Mm, mm, what a pleasant scent. It’s sweet, heartrending, and strong—. You fit the image perfectly. You’re the very picture of the crowned Frog Prince.”

“Hold on a minute, I can’t see what you’re talking about.”

“There is no one better suited for this role than you. This is a big project that will be expanded overseas. Don’t you think it’s a great opportunity?”

“No, no, no, the more skillfully someone speaks, the more I’m on guard.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. Please give me a reply in three days.”

After only saying what he wanted to say, Gaku left. In the calm after the storm, the five boys remained silent.

Ryouhei moved to break the silence.

“I was so surprised to see Seiya’s brother. He got even prettier than I remember. What will happen if Nanao takes on that job?”

“I’ll be okay, but it might be tough for Nanao to balance his thing with kyudo,” Seiya said.

“Huh!? Can’t you wait for a moment? Then I’m against it. You agree with me, right, Minato?”

“…I will respect the two’s wishes.”

“Huuuh!? Kaito-kun, you of course are also against it, right?”

“I dunno. It’s up to Seiya and Nanao.”

“What? Why aren’t you stopping them? Don’t you all want to stand on the same stage together again? We can only be high school second-years once! Well, you can be held back a year, though!”

Seiya opened the reference book on the table.

“Sorry, guys. My brother’s always like that. He throws everyone around him into confusion and immediately leaves. Nanao, you should think about it carefully before responding to him.”

With complicated feelings, the five boys faced the table again.

After the study session finished and everyone left, Nanao went to Kaito’s house.

He took two teacups in the kitchen and poured black tea, milk, and sugar into them. His brain needed sugar to work. He put the cups on a tray and went to Kaito’s room on the second floor.

“Hi, Kacchan. Today, I’m specially making this tea for you. Be thankful.”

“Yeah, yeah, Frog Prince.”

Nanao put the teacup on his desk and sat down on the bed. He flicked the frog-shaped clock by his side with his finger. The second hand was moving as usual.

“Kacchan, what do you really think about what Gaku-san talked about earlier?”

“I already said that I don’t know.”

“You didn’t put a stop to it this time.”

“Hah? Did something like that happen? If I say anything, your judgment might be affected, so I kept quiet.”

“You could have at least given your cousin some advice. What a useless man.”

“Shut up. Neither you or Seiya are little kids anymore. It’s the truth that by the summer vacation of your second year in high school, you have to decide on your career path to some extent.”

“That’s so early. I feel I only just entered high school.”

Seiya was also faced with the dilemma of choosing his career. Kaito was probably feeling nervous on the inside. Even Minato should be wondering whether he should encourage or discourage him.

Kaito got his phone out and started playing a game. Lately, he had been absorbed in a city building game. He had built a kyudojo, a library, and a concert venue just for Japanese rock. Once, he had cried tears of gratitude when the avatars of the bands he liked in the real world performed there.

Lucy the cat rubbed against Kaito’s back and showed her belly. Kaito petted Lucy without looking away from his game, and Lucy kicked him as though to tell him to look at her.

Nanao remembered when he and Kaito visited Tokyo together in middle school.

Kaito had let out a big yawn.

“Ah, this is such a pain. I only care about kyudojos and kyudo stores. Are there any nearby?”

“Don’t say that, Kacchan. Let’s take the classic course first.”

He stuffed his mouth with crepes and peered into a store where everyone was lined up. At the storefront where accessories were arranged next to each other, he could see a man giving out rings as a gift.

It was fun to walk around the city. The place where they lived was surrounded by mountains, but this place was full of man-made object and people. It was a stimulating and lively space.

A little further away, there was a man running through the crowd.

“Why is that guy running?”

“Who knows, maybe he forgot something.”

As they were talking, the man quickly approached them and handed him his business card. The name of an agency was printed on the front, and the names of the talents affiliated with the agency were printed on the back.

Talent scouts really did exist. He thought it was an urban legend.

Kaito’s eyes flashed in their usual way. From his point of view, the person approaching Nanao was nothing but a suspicious person who deserved to be guarded against.

“Sorry, we’re in a hurry,” they declined and started walking away.

As they continued on their way, eating snacks, someone called out to them again. Nanao didn’t know if it was a scout or someone trying to pick him up, but he completely ignored them. However, some people were persistent and would stubbornly keep talking to him. Thanks to that, they walked faster and faster.

“Hey, hey, you over there. You’re a shining diamond in the rough. Could please just listen to what I have to say?”

“If you put it like that, I might be a little interested.”

“Tell the kid next to you to consider it too. I really think he’s got what it takes. Getting famous with videos is fine and all, but I recommend that you join an agency that can manage you properly.”

“No, thank you,” Kaito answered.

“Why don’t you join with him, then? I think a combination of two different types is also a good idea.”

“…”

“You might have to pay for the lessons, but we also have plans that are better than other agencies.”

“Shut up! This guy won’t leave our hometown!” Kaito shouted and grabbed Nanao’s hand, then started running.

Masquerade.

This was a city where you could meet a different version of yourself.

A doll-like girl spinning on a music box and a man holding a fake sword studded with sequins. Were the woodwind instruments being played foreign? Many boats floated on the meandering river, and the two went against the current. Was this really reality? His feet felt unsteady.

“Let’s leave this place quickly. There’s too many people and we’ll keep getting bothered.”

“You’re right.”

The sounds of people bustling about was comfortable.

Kacchan said that there were too many people here, but everyone was nose-deep in their phones and no one’s looking around. No one’s paying attention to us. No one knows who we are.

I will protect Kacchan. In this city, he’s the only who knows me, and I’m the only one who knows him.

I will never forget Kacchan gripping my hand.

It seems like he forgot about it, though.

That’s fine. This is a memory that only I remember.

“Kacchan, I wanna eat chips. Go and buy some.”

“What, go buy it yourself. I think we have some downstairs.”

“Can I eat them?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks, Kacchan.”

When Nanao got up, Lucy let out a small meow.

After the study session, Seiya and Minato watched Ryouhei leave until they could no longer see him.

“Minato, I’m going to go shampoo Kuma. Wanna come?” Seiya said.

“Of course!”

Minato went to Seiya’s house. He rolled up his sleeves, took off his socks, and Kuma, who realized what was going to happen, ran around excitedly. When Kuma was still a puppy, just getting him to soak his paws in the bathtub full of hot water was a difficult task, but now it was one of his favorite times. They wetted his fur in the shower and lathered up the dog shampoo.

“Kuma, doesn’t that feel good? Do you feel itchy anywhere?”

Kuma tilted his head left as though to say, “Here,” so they focused on that area. As they were rinsing off the later with the shower, Kuma shook his whole body.

“Kuma, don’t shake!”

“Kuma seems to be in high spirits,” Seiya said.

While they were shampooing Kuma, they saw a gecko on the windowpane of the bath. It had a light pink belly and the base of its tail was heart-shaped. The edges of its five tiny fingers were transparent and beautiful. It didn’t so much as twitch even when Minato touched it through the glass. He once saw one in his own house, and he had captured it and let it go outside. The gecko was still clinging to the window even after they finished shampooing Kuma.

Seiya’s brows lowered when he saw Kuma leaning against Minato as he wiped his wet body.

“Kuma, you sure are making a nice face. Even though I’m your master.”

“Kuma likes people.”

The two and Kuma went out for a walk. As they walked toward the red sun, the indigo sunset approached from behind. The first star of the evening shined in the evening sky, and it matched the speed of the two boys and dog. When they stopped, the star also stopped. The large yellow moon shined on the horizon.

On the roadside, bees gathered by the fleabanes, and butterflies gathered by the milk thistles. A loud chorus of frogs could be heard from the rice fields that had just been filled with water. There were also baby praying mantises in the purple thistles, shortawn foxtails, and ixeris flowers. Though their bodies were only one centimeter long, they were vibrating them like adults. They seemed to be imitating the appearance of swaying leaves, but it was said that only two percent of two hundred eggs could grow into adults. Minato sent thoughts of encouragement for everyone to survive safely.

Minato patted Kuma on the head.

“It seems that there is a family of wild rabbits living in Shuu’s garden. At first, when we saw each other, they would run away like rabbits do, but lately, they are the ones who have been approaching me.”

“With that house, I’m not surprised about anything that lives there.”

“To tell you the truth, I once asked your dad a question. I asked him, aren’t you worried about Seiya quitting Kirisaki? Is there anything I can do?”

“…No way, really?”

“He told me, ‘There’s nothing to worry about. Worrying would mean that I don’t believe in Seiya’s strength. Both Seiya and his brother are people who don’t see hardships as hardships and can blaze a trail forward.’”

“Dad said something like that? I didn’t know.”

“You have a great dad. He’s really cool.”

“Yeah, he is, thanks. My brother’s a weirdo, though.”

“Kuma’s cute too.”

“My brother isn’t cute, and I don’t listen to what he says.”

“Brothers, huh. I’m a bit jealous.”

Minato looked up at the sky. The full moon was changing from yellow to silver.

“The moon is beautiful tonight.”

“…Yeah, it really is. Minato, do you know the anecdote about Soseki Natsume?”

“The one where he had a habit of pulling out his nose hairs when he got writer’s block and line them up on his manuscript paper?”

“That’s what came to your mind? It’s the one where he said that when Japanese people convey their love, they don’t say ‘I love you,’ but use another way to express it.”

“Sorry, I don’t know that one.”

“You and Kaito really don’t waver, huh.”

“What will Nanao do? Kaito was clearly shaken.”

“The two of them are probably discussing things right now. It might be something that’s hard to talk about in front of us.”

“You’re right. Oh, I saw two dormice in that tree hollow ahead. You wanna go see them?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

The two boys and dog went to the woods. When they went into the woods, Kuma took the vanguard position, probably with the determination to protect his masters.

When the wind shook the leaves, white-tailed skimmers spread their wings.

The wind blew through the blue yamichi of Kazemai High School’s kyudojo.

After the prefectural tournament qualifiers, the club members headed toward the targets as they pleased. Not thinking about unnecessary things and simply releasing arrows with all your strength was also a pleasant feeling. They surrendered themselves and rode the updraft.

When they generally finished shooting their arrows, the signal to gather was given.

“Today, we’ll be having a special class today. Let’s warm up before inviting our speaker. First question, what day is September tenth?”

Ryouhei immediately raised his hand.

“It’s Kyudo Day!”

“Correct. Now, the second question. Does anyone what day is August tenth, a month before that?”

“Yep, yep, it’s Masa-san’s birthday!”

Kaito turned to Minato and grinned triumphantly. Masa-san smiled in embarrassment.

Tommy-sensei continued. “Third question. What day is September first?”

“The questions suddenly got harder. Seiya, do you know?” Minato said.

“Hmm, is it famous?”

“Oh? Takehaya-kun not knowing something is surprising. Let’s get into the main topic. Self-possession is necessary for kyudo. Learn the best techniques to stay calm in any situation. That’s right, it’s all about words, it’s about how you perceive events positively through words. Here comes the specialists. Come on, everybody!”

The ones who appeared at Tommy-sensei’s signal were two elderly men. Question marks popped up over everyone’s heads.

“These two are acquaintances of mine. They are alumni of the ‘Kazemai High School Bad Puns Association.’”

Seiya’s glasses flashed. Kaito had a bad feeling.

The class began.

“Bad puns are things that have ‘creativity and impact,’ and enriches communication between people. We take advantage of the infinite ‘attraction’ of puns, and our wish that bad puns will bring color and richness to life and delivers salvation to the world is embedded in September first.”*

“…I can already sense that this is going to be a disaster.”

Kaito was in agony, but Seiya straightened up even more and listened attentively.

“A barrage of dad jokes that follow up on each other. This is indeed ‘jab-jab’ humor, Kacchan.”*

“Na-na-o, not you too!”

As the cousins’ comedy routine unfolded, practical training began. First, they were asked to tell the bad puns they already knew.

Keyaki went first. “The principal’s in good form!”*

Kanbayashi went second. “The dog’s so nervous that it’s wetting itself.”*

Himuro went third. “Suki kuu mushi mo tadetade.”*

Everyone’s eyes widened at the fact that Himuro spoke, but only Seiya sighed by himself.

“It’s no good, first-years. You can’t just say such excellent bad puns.”

Keyaki shrank back.

“What exactly is an excellent bad pun…? It’s too difficult for amateurs. I feel like successfully pulling off a bad pun is more difficult than the path of the bow for me.”

“First, we must learn the classics. I’ll give you some examples. ‘6:30 is the best time on a clock, hands down.’ ‘Thanks for being so grape!’ ‘Camping: like many of the best things in life, it’s tree.’”*

The two teachers applauded.

“Wonderful! As expected of the club president, you have a very good understanding of this. Oh, you over there, you say a pun too.”

“Me too?” Masa-san said.

“Of course. To us, you’re also a Kazemai kid, Coach Takigawa.”

“Then if I may be so presumptuous, I will contribute one pun. ‘My back is kaino at kai.’”*

Seiya inadvertently laughed, but then made his face serious in an effort to hide that he laughed.

“Recreation is a form of communication and relaxation that’s also used in free schools, and it is also a way to train people to think in a way that softens their stiffened heads. Now, we pros will show you how it’s done.”

“What kind of sport is kyudo? The kind of sport that makes your chest squeeze tightly and impresses the people around.” “If you draw a bow in Yamagata, your arrows will bend.” “Ah, I hit the inside of the curtain.” “Hakama wa hakanma.” “What are yuu going to the kyudojo for?” “I get angry when I don’t do the uchiokoshi well.” “When I do uchiokoshi, you go to the front.” “Let’s have a third party look at our daisan.” “Ya o hanatsu to yugaeru kero.” “Zan, shin!!”*

Kaito quickly stood up.

“They’re cold, they’re too cold! Are we in Siberia or Alaska or something!?”

Unable to endure it any longer, he left.

Tommy-sensei chuckled. “…Good reaction, Onogi-kun.”

Before they went home, they received a large amount of broad beans from the teachers, who had grown them in their home gardens.

“Hey, hey, what are you going to do about Seiya’s brother, Gaku-san’s offer?” Ryouhei asked Nanao.

“Oh, I think I’m going to turn him down on that day.”

Kaito’s face relaxed.

“You’re giving your answer too early. You might regret it later that you should have accepted it.”

“I won’t regret it, and even if I do in the future, so be it. I’ll consider it again at that time. The current me has decided not to do it. My dream has already been fulfilled. I wanted to become a normal high school student.”

“A normal high school student?”

“Don’t you think it’s amazing? Frogs and birds risk their lives to get food every day, but we normally eat our lunches in our classrooms, normally make side trips on our way home from school, and normally groan about bad test scores.”

“Is Nanao really a high school boy? You have a pretty philosophical view of things,” Seiya murmured.*

The second-year girl, Hanazawa, writhed in agony. “Takehaya-kun, don’t just smoothly insert an old man joke here.”

“The only old man we need is Takigawa=san,” Shiragiku said.

“Putting aside the fact that our club has a high concentration of old men, I don’t know how a guy with a fan club could be called normal,” Seo continued.

“That isn’t something I wanted, but I’ll properly fulfill the role given to me. I don’t want to disappoint the girls who love me.”

“Wow, you’re like a real prince.”

When Ryouhei looked at him with eyes full of respect, Nanao gently lowered his eyes. If the fan club girls were here, they might have fainted on the spot.

When he opened his eyes, a strong gaze appeared there.

“I want to become a carpenter. I want to start with design. Kacchan, let me build your house.”

Kaito’s eyes widened.

“This is the first time I’m hearing of it.”

“Of course it is. Because it’s the first time I told someone. Before I came here, I asked the teacher to let me switch from the humanities to the sciences.”

“That was fast! I didn’t know you could change it.”

“First, I want to build a round wooden frog house in a green forest. The eyes will be the windows, where you can see the starry sky through them at night. The Summer Triangle of summer and Orion of winter. It’ll be amazing to gaze at them while lying down on the floor with everyone. Right now, I’m researching the costs.”

“You’re really moving too fast. Where are us students gonna get that money from?”

“It’s not about whether you can or can’t do it, it’s about envisioning it first. I don’t think it’s that difficult.”

The first-years applauded.

“As expected of Kisaragi-senpai’s super positive thinking. He has a dream!” Kanbayashi said.

“I will try thinking about what I really want to do,” Keyaki said.

“I want to continue doing kyudo even after I graduate. Have you decided on what you’re going to do, Narumiya-senpai? Are you going to go to a university with a strong kyudo club?”

Minato looked indifferent.

“All I thought was that I should probably go to university. On the career preference questionnaire, I thought about my family finances and wrote down the names of several universities I was interested in, including a local public university, a department where I could study Japanese culture, a university with a Shinto course, and an agriculture department.”

Seiya pinched the corner of his eyes. “Our teacher is probably very confused, thinking that Narumiya-kun is supposed to be in the sciences.”

“I’m interested in what Shinto priests do, but I don’t know if I want to do it as a job… To be honest, I’m at a loss.”

Tommy-sensei, who had been silently listening to them, laughed out loud. Masa-san was also next to him.

“Ah, the worries of vibrant youth. Try talking to yourself, not others. It might be a good idea to try drawing a mandala chart. By the way, the goals I set when I was fifty were to walk eight-thousand steps every day, learn the names of flowers and plants, and take pictures of clouds. Please look at my work.”

Tommy-sensei showed them pictures of clouds in the shape of soft-served ice cream, candy, and dried squid. He told them that they weren’t edited images, but actually floating in the sky.

Ryouhei’s eyes sparkled.

“What’s that, it looks tasty!”

“Ho ho, there’s Pucky here too. And even a Koala’s Dash.”*

“Whoa, I wanna try searching too! Nee-chan, Shuu-kun, and Sae-chan would definitely love it if I show this to them.”

It seemed that Tommy-sensei taught them a simple game once again. Minato thought that the people who could laugh at bad puns and were curious no matter how old they were might be the masters of life.

When Seiya returned home, he told his parents this.

“I’m going to be a doctor. But right now, kyudo is my top priority, so I might become a ronin.* Mom, Dad, will you still support me?”

“Yes, of course we will.”

“Do your best, Seiya-kun.”

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#tsurune #tsurune translation

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pinkjellyfishgirl-blog · 1 year

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Always Read The Papers Before You Sign (Jack in the box mascot X Reade) chapter 2

Summary:

(y/n) gets settled in her new house with Jack. It doesn't go as smoothly as planned.

Jack had in his hand, a small box which was holding a 14-carat diamond ring. (y/n) stumbled back into the wall, she couldn’t believe what just happened. Jack got off the ground and walked towards her with the ring. He took her hand and proceeded to try and put the ring on her finger.

(y/n) jumped and ran away from him. She went behind the desk, trying to build a distance between herself and Jack. Her face was filled with panic. Jack looked at her disappointed.

“What’s wrong? Is the diamond not to your liking?”, he said sadly looking down at the box.

(y/n) couldn’t process what was going on. ‘Did he just ask if the ring was the issue? Not the fact he just proposed to a complete stranger in the backroom of a fast-food chain?!’ she thought to herself. Her ideal proposal really didn’t include her wearing her old unwashed fast-food uniform. She put her hand on her head and tried to calm herself down. She looked back up at Jack, who was watching her every move.

“Sir the ring is not the problem, it’s beautiful in fact!” (y/n) replied hastily.

Jack looked back at her; his smile had returned.

“Please, call me Jack,” he said.

“Well, ‘Jack’ it’s not the ring, it’s the fact that you don’t even know me and I don’t know you. I am truly flattered by your offer but I must decline”, she replied in a soft voice. She didn’t want to piss him off, especially after confessing his love for her.

Jack started to laugh and (y/n) just looked confusedly at him. ‘I guess he has finally gone insane’, she thought frightfully. Probably would have been better if she wasn’t caught in the cross fire of it all. Jack finally started to calm down from his laughing fit. He wiped a fake tear from his eye.

“You really crack me up, you know that little mouse. I guess I should be the one to tell you that there is no way for you to get out of this. That contract you signed gives me the option to financially destroy you in court if you don’t agree to marry me and go through with it”, he told her smugly. “And if that isn’t enough proof”, Jack said than snapped his fingers together.

An army of lawyers came filing into the room. They were all dressed in expensive suits, hungry for a new case. Jack pointed towards the group.

“The best lawyers you can get in the state. So, what do you say? Do you really want to make this harder for yourself,” Jack said as he slowly walked over to her.

(y/n) sank into the seat behind her. There was no possible way she could get out of this arrangement without destroying her life. Even if she did fight him, she could never win against someone like him in court. She let out a long sigh and put out her left hand.

“I would be happy to marry you Jack”, she said looking up at him.

(y/n) didn’t mean it, but what other choice did she have. Her plan so far is just to bide herself sometime until she can make a break for it. Jack takes her hand in his and slips the ring on her finger. His hand was so much bigger than hers, it felt comforting in a way to her.

Jack turns to the group behind them. “She said yes, everyone assemble and roll out”, Jack said sending everyone in a scramble to leave the building.

Jack begins to walk towards the door holding (y/n) hand. He led her out of the office only for them to come to a line of people standing outside. As they walked past, everyone congratulated the new couple. This was all too much for (y/n), she looked up to Jack, he was waving and thanking everyone. ‘Has everyone gone insane,’ she thought to herself worriedly. She was miserable while walking past everyone including her co-workers. They just looked in shock and horror at her. She couldn’t hold eye contact with them.

“What about finishing my shift? I can’t just leave”, (y/n) told Jack as he dragged her out of the restaurant.

“You don’t have to work anymore. I’ll provide everything for you,” he replied cheerfully.

A black car was pulled up a front the entrance of the restaurant. A man exited the car and opened the car door for Jack. Jack pushed (y/n) forward towards the car, putting his hand on her lower back. She didn’t expect his hands on her already. She entered the car and Jack followed soon after. (y/n) looked out of the tinted car window, watching as her old life slowly left her forever. It was all too much for her and tears started to run down her cheeks. She looked over to Jack only to notice he was on the phone. She quickly wiped her tears away.

“No, you don’t understand. I said I wanted the walls to painted blush pink, not baby pink… Can you believe this guy,” Jack said and then hung up the phone. He turned to looked at (y/n).

“Must have a lot of questions, ask away,” he said with a smile.

(y/n) head was full of so many questions, she didn’t know where to start. She was just thinking to herself, ‘Why, why did he pick me? Did he offer this contract to others? Was she just the unlucky one who signed it’. She looked down at her feet.

“Why did you do this? Why did you pick me to marry? I thought you were married already!” She felt her heart strings pull as she spoke. (y/n) had seen Jack’s wife in many commercials, just none of recent. Even if he was single, he probably could have anyone he wants. Why bother tricking a poor woman into marriage.

Jack crossed his legs and thought about her questions for a second. (y/n) looked up from the ground and made eye contact with him.

“Why? Because I know you wouldn’t have said yes any other way. Why you in particular? I have been watching you for some time from a distance, though you never noticed me clearly.” He sounded hurt as he spoke.

“As for my ex-wife, we have been divorced for some time now. We do share custody over our son we had together”, Jack said in a regular chipper manor.

(y/n) let what Jack just told her sink in. He had been actively stalking her was all she could get from those comments. ‘No wonder his wife left him’, she thought to herself. She was a lot luckier than (y/n), stuck in a car with this insane man next to her. Jack had some personality traits and actions which some would call ‘extreme’ but he just likes to think of them as quirks. Everyone has to have some to make it in the world of business.

“I don’t really understand… were you following me around or did I serve you at work and not notice”, she asked nervously. Though anyone would of noticed a man with an ice cream for a head. “Oh don’t worry about all that now… oh look we are driving past your old apartment. Must feel nice to be moving out of there”, he replied, changing the subject.

(y/n) eyes widened. She couldn’t believe it.

“Wait, what!? Why are you taking all my stuff? Where are you taking me?” She yelled at him.

Jack just smiled back at her, seemly unbothered by her upset state. He reached his hand out towards her. She flinched not knowing what to expect but Jack just patted her on the head. (y/n) felt he was more treating her like a child than an adult.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head. I am having all your items moved into our house together. I think you like it a lot more, your own room and space too”, he said proudly.

Everything in (y/n) world was changing. She couldn’t even be in her own place thanks to the contract. At least she would have her own room and not have to share with Jack. She turned to glance at Jack, his body was muscular which showed even through his suit. “Sharing a room might not of been so bad… what I’m I thinking, he literally kidnapped me!’ She thought hating herself.

Jack noticed her looks towards him. It wouldn’t be long till she is comfortable around him, he just had to be patient.

The car started to slow down as they turned into the driveway of (y/n) new home. It was gigantic compared to anything she has ever lived in. It was a multi-floor house, with a wide front garden and many windows all along the front of the building. It was the American dream home many wanted but will never get.

The car stopped and Jack moved to open the door. He stepped out and offered his hand to (y/n) to take. She slowly took his hand and he led her out the vehicle. She walked around her new surroundings taking everything in. The movers were already taking her things into the house when they arrived.

“It’s a wonderful house you have here Jack”, (y/n) stated trying to make small talk with him.

“Why thank you, it will soon be yours too”, Jack replied back sweetly.

He moved closer to her and put his hand on her lower back. (y/n) felt warm from the touch and didn’t move away from him. Sadly, the moment came to an end when the sound of little feet came running towards them.

“Dad, I have missed you!” A young boy yelled as he ran over to Jack.

“I missed you too Jr!” Jack said as he crouched down to pick up his son.

He looked a lot like Jack, even down to having the same pointed nose as him. He couldn’t have been much older than 10 years old. Jack was talking to his son and (y/n) watched them. He was a lot sweeter here than at the restaurant, it almost made (y/n) forget about it for a moment. She was snapped out of her of thoughts by Jr.

“Who is this lady, Dad?” He said while point at (y/n).

Jack got a bit nervous, something she didn’t ever expect to see.

“Well, she is Dad’s new girlfriend. I told you about her before she was coming to stay with us, kind of like another mommy,” Jack explained to the child.

Jr stared at (y/n) for a moment, he crossed his eyebrows. She started to feel nervous now, she was not informed that she was going to be a step-mom.

“I don’t like you; you will never be like my mom!” He yelled at her.

He jumped from his dad’s arms and ran over to her. (y/n) didn’t expect the next thing, which was a small child leg being rammed into her own knee. The pain was intense, she didn’t expect him to kick her so hard. She had fallen over on the floor, cradling her leg. Jr ran off back into the house and Jack went over to (y/n).

“I am so sorry, I only thought he would slap you at most. Can you walk?” He asked in a worried tone.

(y/n) let out a groan and tried to stand up. It was too sore to walk on.

“I think I’ll live; I just need to rest it for a minute before walking. It’s okay, I used to babysit children all the time, they were crazy”, she replied back in a joking tone.

Jack’s face was filled with worried.

“Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him after I take you in”, Jack softly told her.

Before she could protest Jack picked her up bridesmaid style. He carried her like she weighted nothing. He took her up into the house and up the stairs. It gave (y/n) a chance to see into the house. It was impossibly clean and has a homely interior design aesthetic. She noted the different family photographs on the wall. Jack stopped outside a door which she expected to be her room.

Jack opened the door and placed her down on the plush double bed. (y/n) lied down on the soft mattress, trying to get comfy.

“I’ll let you get settled in. I need to talk to my son, but if you are up later on, we should talk more,” Jack said in a caring tone.

He waited a minute before leaving, as if he wanted to say something else but didn’t. He soon left, leaving her alone in the bedroom. The room was filled with her items from home neatly place in the room. There wasn’t much for her to do as she couldn’t walk, so she stripped down her work uniform off and went under the covers. So much had happened to (y/n) in only one day, so she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The next morning she was awoke by running footsteps up and down the stairs. She slowly stretched her leg to find it had healed significantly over the night. She got up from her bed and went researching for some clothes. Her pajamas were all placed neatly in a draw and she took a pair.

(y/n) got dressed and left her room to see what was going on. Walking down stairs she found Jack and Jr talking to each other. Jack turned to look at her and walked over to give her a big hug. (y/n) blush from the contact, he felt so much taller than she was.

“Good morning little mouse, how is your leg doing?” He asked concerned for her.

Jr had gone back to watching cartoons on the TV instead of speaking to her.

“Morning, I’m doing a lot better today actually,” she replied sheepishly.

She scratched the back of her neck nervously. Why couldn’t she concentrate around him?

“I know this is ridiculous to ask but can you watch Jr for a bit. A work meeting came up and I have to attend it”, he asked her kindly.

(y/n) know the kid didn’t like her so probably better to get someone else to watch him. But as this was a last-minute resort, she understood the situation he was in. It would give her well needed bonding time with Jr and gives her something to do.

“Okay, I’ll watch him. I am sure we will be best friends by the time you get back.” (Y/n) said in a chipper voice.

“Great, then it’s all sorted… Also, if you think of running away while I am away, I will track you. There are security cameras all over the property and body guards to watch you,” Jack said seriously. She was sweating now. There was the scary Jack he was known for being coming out like always. She let out a sigh.

“Well, I’m off, have fun,” Jack said as he bounced out of the front door.

It was just (y/n) and Jr. She decided to join him on the coach and see what he was watching. He was fixated on it.

“Hey Jr, do you want me to fix you anything for breakfast?” She asked smiling at him.

She was trying to put the whole attacking her yesterday behind them. She really didn’t want to end up a pulp by the time the day was over. Jr looked back at her annoyed. “No, I don’t want anything from you.” He said and then stuck out his tongue at her.

Well, that didn’t work at all.

“Come on, I just want to get to know you. Your dad said we had to spend some time together inside,” She said now was a fake smile on to cover up her annoyance. “You know what we can do, lets go outside and play!” He said with a happy smirk.

Jr knew that if you both left the house without security (y/n) would be in a lot of trouble. He jumped out from his seat and ran off. (y/n) ran after him, she didn’t want to be killed by Jack for losing his only son.

“Why don’t we just play inside, we can do whatever you want!” She yelled behind him.

She was trying to plead with him. They were going to already break the first rule Jack had set up and it was not even 10 minutes since he had left.

Jr unlocked the back door before (y/n) could stop him and he was sprinting off into the woods behind their house. She ran after him, trying not to lose him. ‘God, I really think I am a bad babysitter. He could get hurt in there,” she thought in a panic. She entered the woods trying to keep up with Jr but she couldn’t. She stopped to catch her breath. She panicked and started to call out his name. “Jr! Jr! This isn’t funny anymore where are you?!” (y/n) said in a worried voice.

There was a commotion heard up ahead, so she ran towards the sound. Her feet were sore from running bare foot on the ground. She cursed through the pain and kept going. When she arrived at the noise, she saw Jr being held by a big strange man. (y/n) ran over to start fighting the man when she got hit on the head hit on the head with a piece of metal. She fell to the floor like a bag of bricks. She started to get up but she couldn’t. She tried her best to stay conscious. The sound of Jr cries filled the air. The last thing she saw was a pair of large red shoes walking in front of her before she passed out.

If you enjoyed this chapter please leave a like, thank you! ❤️

#jack in the box #jack in the box mascot #x reader #jack box #jack in the box x reader #fanfic #ao3fic #fanfiction #ao3 link #ao3 #reader insert #Jack box X reader

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