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#anyway. i hope i did an okay job in both that regard + this whole thing looking nice
autistickaitovocaloid · 3 months
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Birthday boy at the bottom of an ancient ocean
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ecargmura · 7 days
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Wind Breaker Episode 4 Review - Shishitoren Picks A Fight
This episode is mainly a buildup to the Bofurin vs Shishitoren confrontation. There better be good animation next week. I’m restless thinking about what sort of fights would transpire between the individual one-on-one matches.
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This episode is mainly showcasing what sort of person the top dog Umemiya is. He appears to be a goofball who is way too relaxed and likes gardening. Even Sakura was in disbelief at first.He doesn’t seem like he’d be good at fighting, but he’s one of those characters who is a lot scarier than he appears to be. In fact, Sakura gets chills when he feels Umemiya’s fighting aura behind him. I honestly like Umemiya a lot! He’s a goofball. I do love the contrast he has when he’s not confronting rival gangs. He’s like everyone’s big brother and I like that about him. He’s especially cheesy towards Kotoha, who is revealed to be his younger sister but they’re not related by blood. Given that he’s the strongest, I do hope his fighting skills will be revealed next episode. Umemiya is voiced by Yuichi Nakamura and I think it’s a great fit! Some of Nakamura’s roles include Kuroo from Haikyuu, Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen and Sein from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. It’s safe to say that Nakamura knows how to voice mentor/big brother figures well.
Shishitoren reveals their whole group. Their leader Choji is a nut job. He’s petite and cute, but don’t let his sweet looks fool you. Those dead fish eyes of his are menacing as heck. I don’t think he has even blinked once during his appearances. He’s like the antithesis of Umemiya in a way. They’re both at the top, but Umemiya likes his position while Choji is bored of it. That’s why he’s so chaotic and bloodthirsty because he needs to find a purpose. That’s why he’s so insistent on beating Umemiya. Choji is voiced by Kikunosuke Toya, who’s known for voicing Denji from Chainsaw Man and Mikoto Yuzuki from The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons. To be honest, I did not expect Toya to have such a cutesy like voice given the previous roles I mentioned.
Shishitoren decides to have a 5:5 match of individual 1:1 matches. The lineup is Umemiya vs Choji, Togame vs Sakura, Sugishita vs half-shave dude, Suo vs dude with bun and Hiiragi vs Sako, a newly introduced character. I forgot half-shave and bun guy’s names, but I will remember them next episode. Regarding Sako, the official website states that he has a history with Hiiragi, so this will be interesting. Also, Sako is voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi and Hiiragi is voiced by Ryota Suzuki. This is a Cherry Magic reunion gone awry (Kobayashi and Suzuki voiced the main leads of Cherry Magic).
It’s okay, Sakura. I thought Kotoha was in her 20’s too. She looks way too mature to be 16. Why isn’t she at school? Why is she working at the cafe? There’s a lot that isn’t told about the town Sakura moved into—do we even know its name? While Kotoha and Umemiya are siblings, they were raised in the same foster house, hence why they consider each other siblings. The fact that Kotoha, who’s normally friendly and chill, is super annoyed by him is peak younger sibling attitude. Also, is Omurice the only thing she can make?
I honestly can’t wait next episode. However, I do wonder why Nirei went to the battlefield when he’s not participating in the match? Will he be a supporting role in the fights? Will he gather information about the enemies? What is his role here? Anyways, what are your thoughts on this episode?
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ginzburgjake · 1 year
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Statement of Jonathan Sims, regarding the events before his alleged disappearance in January of 2016. Statement never given.
Somewhere, in another universe, Jonathan Sims didn’t watch his feet. It’s not that he was always so clumsy, but the current case research was stagnating, driving Jon into sleepless restlessness that, he found, could only be alleviated through hard work.
He’d been working at The Magnus Institute for over a year by that point, which was not a dream job, exactly, but it paid the bills alright. One day, as he was carrying a rather large cup of black tea, looking through the brief notes on his phone, a tall lean guy crossed his path, causing Jon to trip. He regained his balance quickly, sloshing his drink in the process and, to his utter mortification, staining the stranger’s shirt. Jon apologized awkwardly, while the stranger loudly bemoaned the loss of his favorite expensive piece of clothing (personally, Jon thought he’d accidentally done humanity a favor. The shirt was abysmal, with a garnish pattern of pink oranges and blue orchid flowers). Jon, as politely as he could, offered to buy the man a coffee in exchange.
“Nah, probably not a good idea,” the guy said, “I’m on my third espresso already. Let me, hm—” Then he squinted, contemplating, and Jon detected something akin to mischief glinting in the stranger’s eye. “Say, uh — I’ve seen you before in the, er, Research?”
“That is correct,” Jon replied stiffly. Was he going to be sent an official invoice, or something? God, he hoped the shirt didn’t cost more than his weekly rent, otherwise his savings would be in serious trouble. “Jon Sims.”
“Oh! That’s neat, ‘cuz I’m from Research as well! Name’s Tim, Tim Stoker.” The guy —Tim — stretched out his hand eagerly. Jon shook it with no small amount of hesitation. “I was thinking — uh, it’s kinda weird, to be honest — but me and a couple of others were planning to go on a trivia night, yeah? And we need a team of three, actually, but no-one else is available, and, well. You should be real smart, so I thought, why not, y’know?”
Jon decidedly did not know. He hoped his blank expression conveyed this feeling accordingly. “You want me… to go… on a trivia night. With you.”
“That’s right!” Tim grinned, pointing to the brown stain across his chest. “I really liked this shirt, okay? And it hurt. A lot,” he added, almost as an afterthought. The whole pity act wasn’t particularly convincing — although, in all honesty, Jon was often told he simply misunderstood how people conveyed their emotions. Maybe Tim always expressed himself in such an exaggerated, jovial manner. “And if you come to the trivia night, your debt will be forgiven and forgotten.”
Jon made a face. He specifically avoided crowded social gatherings — he had no time for such pointless, nerve-wracking, chaotic engagements. But something told him now that Tim found a way of retribution, Jon wouldn’t be able to escape his grasp easily. And anyway, better get this over with quickly, so that he could continue his existence in peaceful solitude.
“Fine,” he sighed. “But I can’t promise I’ll be of any help.”
“Brilliant! Meet you down by the reception at five. The bar is fifteen minutes away.” Tim clapped his hands excitedly. “And if I don’t see you on time, I will come hunt you down.” He winked, waved his hand and was off, leaving Jon standing there in complete stupor.
Jon bought himself another cup of tea, worked on the case until the appointed hour and, as promised, was packed and ready to head out at five o’clock sharp. Tim and a girl Jon didn’t know were already there, and Tim shot his finger guns at the newest arrival.
“That’s our savior! Jon, welcome aboard. This here is my accomplice, Sasha. Sash, meet Jon.” Both of them nodded at each other, and Sasha smiled. “Now off we go!”
This occurrence was not, in fact, the last time Jon saw this Tim Stoker. Tim, like a pest, started finding him during the lunch breaks and accompanying him to the tube station. It didn’t matter that Jon was curt and blunt with his replies — Tim filled in the gaps for the both of them, ranting about movies, urban legends, pizza flavors, and llamas, for some reason. Sasha was also quick to join the party. She was sharp-minded and curious, and a troublemaker — sometimes even worse than Tim.
Jon had learned fast enough that his stand-offish attitude and general unpleasantness had no effect on those two. He’d gradually grown to tolerate them, contributing to their conversations when he deemed it impossible to stay quiet. Then they started sharing their lunch when Jon, in his obliviousness to his needs, forgot to bring his own. Before he knew it, they were going out for drinks every Friday and spending the weekend evenings at each other’s flats, picking apart scientifically inaccurate television.
And just like that, Jon, surprising everyone, and himself especially, had… friends.
This all, however, happened somewhere else, in a different story, with a different Jon.
In this story, a sleep-deprived Jonathan Sims was carrying a cup of black tea when a tall lean man crossed his path. Jon looked up from his phone just in time to prevent a collision — he nearly avoided ruining the guy’s (frankly, quite ugly) Hawaiian shirt. Jon muttered a sort-of apology and continued on his way to get some bloody work done.
He never met Sasha James or Martin Blackwood.
He never requested assistance with the Archives — he didn’t know anyone well enough for that, and he refused to deal with a bunch of potentially incompetent strangers on top of his usual headache-inducing workload.
He worked alone in the basement for seven months, interacting only with Elias (when he graced the Archives with his presence) and Rosie at the reception.
He had no family or friends to miss him.
He had nowhere else to be.
And then, one day, he was suddenly nowhere to be found at all.
< part 1 part 3 >
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capriciouswriter207 · 2 years
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damn it's been forever again
I really would love to catch up on everything still, and I do have the time now currently,
but I just, don't have the energy to do so, I'm sorry
I'm just, gonna start a small conversation to catch up on how things have been going for me
My summer holidays are now 3 weeks in, 3 weeks left too
Am wanting to meet with some more friends still too
Funny enough two of the 3 times I was outside I met one of these friends on accident xD
Why do I always find myself some friend that has either just gotten out of or is short before getting out of an abusive relationship?????
like damn, last time I was the reason someone got out of it and I could've told this one what's up with her now ex too but didn't want to ruin anything in case they got better over the time they were in longtime therapy xD
I've been drawing again! quite like a lot of the stuff I've been doing, drew a s2!Scott sketch only like 1 hour ago or so. Both my s1 and s2 designs of him have braids in common
Could send some of the art if you're open for it!
I now also have an au idea for a small story of a Jimmy centered Hanahaki disease flower husbands au but Scott is the one with the disease and he got it thanks to some jewel he stole and I need to hold myself back so much the whole time from just writing an entire backstory for that jewel too
Anywaysies, hope you've been doing well too! If you've got anything to tell that happened I would love to hear it!
Star out! (for now)
I’m sorry, this has been in my drafts for so long, real life is a bit of a mess right now! But I’m gonna answer now.
It has indeed been forever, it's good to hear from you again. I'm writing this at a moment where I don't really have the spoons, but I'm gonna try to answer anyway because it's a busy time for me.
I’m glad you seem to be doing okay. I don’t mind fi you only send a message every now and again, just keep doing it at your own pace and when you have some time. About those relationships, that’s some serious stuff. Maybe you’re a good luck charm in that regard? I’d love to see your art (and you can let me know if you want it to stay private or no if you send it via ask)! 
That’s sounds like a nice story. I’ve personally never been too interested in the Hanahaki disease AUs myself, but it sounds like it has an interesting premise. 
Now, about me!
No, it’s not that interesting. At least, I don't tend to think of my life as all that exciting, but some stuff did happen. Went on holiday in July, and immediately after getting back tested positive for the virus. Everyone at home got it. I’m glad we got it now rather than, say, two years ago, but it still sucked. But I'm still here, I'm fine physically, we're all good.
I also did have a bit of an existential crisis, because of course that also happened. I got a degree in translation because languages are fun and I was good at it, but I had no idea if I liked doing it as a job and then I figured out you don't need to have a degree in translation to be hired as a translator. I also figured out I'm not cut out for the freelance stuff and the usual administrative stuff that gets recommended as an office job isn’t at all interesting to me. So, yeah. I applied for a [linguistics] doctorate and if I'm not chosen for that position, I'm going back to college and pursue programming.
Been writing some stuff behind the scenes and, in true me-fashion, haven't been listening to my body as if I didn’t learn anything from that writing burn-out (which, I’m pretty sure I’m still feeling). I decided it's a good idea to start writing a D&D compendium for empires S1 which would be partially worldbuilding stuff (where I'm having to hold back adding my personal headcanons) and campaign ideas stuff. I told myself it'd be finished by the end of August, and it's not going to be finished by the end of August because I wasn't feeling well. About to finish Tabula Rasa, Caesar House still going strong (with occasional one-week breaks because it needs to be perfect or I catch plot-breaking stuff) and I have an idea for a short empires s2 story (short-ish, knowing me it might still be 10 chapters) as well as some one-shots. I try not to work on too many things at once, but it’s a battle and I’m pretty sure I’m losing it by putting too much on my plate. I do promise not to let it take me too far, though, I’m gonna stop right before I crash again. At least, I’ll try to.
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sakura-otome · 18 days
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Okay so I finished Tobari, Awayuki, Yori, and Tsuyukusa routes and am finally playing Yashiro.
SPOILERS FOR YASHIRO AND OTHER ROUTES.
Anyway, we start his route off with Tsuyukusa being framed for the theft of an expensive Gadget. Tsuyukusa works as a tech/Gadget, and on a job at some rich aristocrats house, he was shown some Gadget said to be the key to the Heart of the city Itehari's engine.
He goes home, and few dats later his house is raided by the cops for stealing it. The aristocrat is certain it's Tsuyukusa because he hadn't told anyone else about the item, and showed it to him because he was a skilled tech. The guy doesn't seem to be lying either. Thing is the safe that was protecting it was also a type of Gadget, which was destroyed in the process of the theft.
MC is certain he couldn't have done it because the dude is obsessed with this sort of technology. He really loves and respects the craftsmanship.
Anyways, as we get all of this info, two things stand out to me:
Tsuyukusa says to Yashiro remember when I was batching about that old man bragging about his gadget? This means that Tsuyukusa is not, in fact, the only person who knew about the existence of the gadet — Yashiro also knew about it.
Second, when the MC is explaining why Tsuyukusa couldn't have broken the safe because he likes gadgets, it was as though Yashiro was trying to wrap his head around the concept. It's not that hard to get, but he seemed to have trouble with the idea that "you wouldn't break something you like/love"
We already know from the other routes that Yashiro is lying about being an amnesiac and is actually a spy sent in from the Ginwan, the capital of the country Tōei.
We also know that the guy who tried to kill Hinagiku, the MC at the beginning, was also the assassin that was sent in by the Ginwan to kill the Taiju in Tsuyukusa route.
So both Yashiro and Mr Assassin work for the Ginwan, but it's only in Yori route that we see any indication of them likely coordinating their actions. In the other routes, it seems like they were working under a different set of orders.
Now, back to Tsuyukusa. I'm guessing that Yashiro is the one that framed him. He knew about the Gadget, and was also lead to believe that it was the key to the Heart of Itehari, where the engine is. It may be the case that the Ginwan wants access to this, and he went ahead and stole it.
Now, it may just be happenstance that this implicated only Tsuyukusa, abd that it wasn't his intention to frame him, it was just what ended up happening. But his comments about not breaking things you like seemed like he was reflecting on his mistake - not doing a good enough job to make it really look like Tsuyukusa was the one who did it.
There's also the fact the implication that whoever committed the theft didn't realize that the Gadget was likely worthless with regards to accessing the engine of Itehari, because there's only one key which is being held by the Clan of Wisdom, not some random aristocrats home.
Also, the POV switch to Mr Assassin seems like he's pretty irritated at being ordered to do something. He hopes that whoever ordered him to do this gets "disposed of". I'm putting forth the idea that Yashiro is the one who made Mr Assassin, a fellow spy for the Ginwan, commit the theft. If this is the case, Yashiro must be ina position where he can demand that of Mr Assassin, but still not be the leader.
Also Yashiro seemed really hesitant about helping Tsuyukusa out when they were asked to.
Another thing is that the whole arrest was supposedly the actions of some low-ranking officer who jumped the gun trying to make a name for himself, and that the higher ups are actually really pissed off about this.
This seems to me as if someone like Yashiro, who is unaware of Tsuyukusa's position in the political landscape, managed to coordinate this arrest using other people who also knew nothing, ended up biting off more than he could chew when it became clear that Tsuyukusa getting framed is no laughing matter for many powerful people in Itehari.
But yeah
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THEM PANNING BACK UP TO THE PARTY, AND THEN JUST ENDING IT??? NOT ALLOWED.
Also Jerome looks so jokingly offended that Asher has forsaken him to dance with Jordan lol. Like what happened right before we panned up xD.
Anyway like I'M HAPPY FOR THEM (AHHHHHHHHH!!!) BUT THE TONAL SHIFTS IN THIS EPISODE!!! It's whiplash man xDDD.
And then it just ends- claheosngpabdil. A masterpiece, but ouch xdd.
Anyway, yeah!! That's the last of my liveblog thoughts :)), now it's time for the. . .
REVIEW
Hey! Not that long after the end of the liveblog this time, huh :D? Lol. Sure, that's just because I finished it, but still xD.
Yk, having stopped half way through lol.
Anyway xDD.
Let's start!!!
Okay, so, this'll be short - some on this episode, some on the season, hopefully I won't get too distracted lol.
Jordan!! Love my girl 🥰🥰🥰. Her inventing journey with Lea this season!!! Loved it :DD. It was so nice to see more of that side of her, it's really cool :D. Also, she got her first solo surgery!!! This first of the new residents :DD (though, granted, there's only her and Asher lol). And like, early! UGH, I'm so proud of my girl :D. She was so good in that episode, and this one!! I loved her telling Lea that she (and both of them) deserved a real wedding, and honestly just telling them not to be stupid and get rid of the gifts lol. Mostly that part xD. But, she did help plan the wedding!! I feel like she had a huge part of that lol, or even the main part XD. Anyway, I love her, she's amazing :))).
Glassman!! Glad he came back this season, and didn't end up dipping lol. Honestly, he's been pretty good since he came back :). And this episode, with that "I love you" scene with Shaun?? Amazing 😭😭😭😭. I say "I love you" scene because that was a big part of it, but I could say ring scene lol. Also that takes it sound oddly romantic but uhh PLATONIC lol. Such a great scene, love my guy :)). Honestly he brings such good humor lol. Not my favorite, but ah, I love him :). 🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️.
Morgan and Park!! Putting them together because their storylines intertwine a lot :)).
Now, I did look up what job Morgan was thinking about because I forgot lol, but honestly I'd be sad to see her go :((. I think it would be hard to find another cast member (in the cast of characters sense) where it doesn't just feel like they're replacing her, but so we do still have that ambitious attitude. Jordan has it to an extent, but in a different way. I think it'll definitely be interesting to see what happens next! Also, her and Park this season were cute 🥰🥰. They're not my favorite couple, but they had some really good moments - though sometimes they're fights stress me out lol. Love em <3.
Park's continued passiveness regarding moving up is a little odd, but it's nice! Especially in juxtaposition to Morgan. I don't remember a lot of his storylines form this season, to be honest, and besides his with Morgan and how tha influenced home, I don't think he had much of an overarching storyline this season. Also, when I say "his with Morgan", I mean storyline. Their relationship is cute, though as I said, stressful sometimes xd, but I'm honestly not sure if they'll last. I really hope they do though!! But we'll have to see what happens :)). Also, I love Park being there for some quality humor and just good doctor-ing, lol. It's nice and refreshing from some of the drama <33 🥰.
Lim!! Any scene referencing Melendez this season destroyed me 😭😭. As per always, but still lol. I thought her relationship with Andrews, building that friendship back up after the whole drama, was really nice! I mean, I already loved Potluck lol, but their story their is definitely one of the reasons XD. Also, her storyline with Villanueva! Heartbreaking, but also heartwarming :)). And, as evidenced by the ending, SOMETIMES VERY STRESSFULL!!! XDD. Anyway, lol. Lastly, loved her fighting back against Salen 🥰🥰🥰. I mean, somebody had to do it, and of course it's going to be Lim :))) 😎😎. And this episode, her conversation about moving on with Villanueva? UGH, SO. GOOD. I love her so much ❤️❤️❤️🥰. Both of them!!! But AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH L I I I M M M M M M M!!!!!!!
I mean honestly I think she'll be fine, I am really scared for Villanueva though :((. I mean obviously I am pretty scared for both of them, we know The Good Doctor doesn't shy away from killing people (cough cough Melendez), but I think plot- and importance-wise (yes plot is supposed to be that, it's connecting to the "wise") Villanueva has a better chance of dying 😬😬😬 :(( 😭. Hopefully it'll all work out fine, with some complicated or desperate/like needed immediately lol surgeries and some recoup :)).
Anyway, Andrews! Not a huge fan this season of how he supported Salen (and DATED HER 🤮🤮🤮 lol), but he got his head on straight eventually. Also like dang I really wanted to like Salen but nah bro 😭😭😭 xD I- well I won't say I hated her but I did not like her lol. Anyway, help though I'm so confused, what happened with Isabel??? Like y'all hello 😭😭😭. I know they didn't say (trust me, I looked it up lol), but still man I'm so confused xdd. I think they just wanted drama, because last I knew, of their very stretched out and sparse storyline, they were doing fine. But, eh, whatever ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Anyway! Loved that he associated the wedding :))). And called it a privilege too!! Yes, it is 🥰🥰🥰. Also just all the things he said :)). So good <333. And he looked os happy for them, AHH, good for him :). Because we don't usually get to see him happy lol, at least not these days xD. Anyway, love the growth for him this season - I agree with Lim in Potluck, it takes a lot to do what he does, and he does it well :)) ❤️.
Asher (and a bit of Jerome :D)!!!
You know I love my boy :)). I loved his storyline with Jerome this season!! Y'all know I love some good rep, and, while with side characters, it was good 🥰🥰🥰. I mean, Asher is more of a main character than Jerome, but you know, lol. They've both been good characters this season :DD :)).
Also, Asher's talk with that one lady about when he came out! Oough, that was so good. Really just loved that scene in general :'DDD. He's had a lot of great scenes this season!! Especially emotional ones :)).
Now about TODAY. Well, this episode, lol.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Bro I am so emotional from that entire thing 😭😭😭😭. I've watched the last half about 3 times now lol. Anyway, I loved getting more backstory on Asher, meeting his parents, and really seeing their strained relationship. But, it is still a relationship - they all still love each other. It's like a big triangle in all directions lol, just with different kinds of love. And honestly, by far my favorite scenes of the whole storyline: the scene where they're doing the practices/traditions, the scene with Asher and his mom in the church, and the goodbye scene. Ughh, all sooo good 😭😭😭. And by far the most emotional were the last two (though I loved the kind of like- angry empowerment in the first, AND THE KISS AHHH :DDD <33 RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEMMM :))) power move lol). So amazing :'))).
Lastly, in the goodbye scene, with Asher saying I love you in Yiddish and his dad saying it in English, to me it kind of shows their sacrifice for each other. Not white sacrifice, I guess, but their. . . meeting in the middle. Like, their extension of almost olive branches, if that makes sense? I think meeting in the middle works best. And no, I didn't mean they're for that one lol. Anyway, it was jus really amazing <33.
Oh wait also y'all the whiplash 😭😭😭😭😭 XD. Like we go from THAT that horrible (for your emotions, it was amazing) scene of Asher saying goodbye to his dying father, probably for the last time, and then we go straight to another emotional scene, but it's Shaun and Glassman having an INCREDIBLY sweet moment!! My neck practically hurt from that emotional whiplash XDD. And then to the sorry and stuff, and the stabbing, and back to the party - basically for the rest of the episode from then on out!!! I mean honestly, even some before that, to a lesser extent xDD. And related to that, brooo Asher looked so sad in the wedding scene 😭😭😭. Like he was happy for them but man was NOT in the mental state XDD. Ah, I hope he (and the others to a lesser extent) doesn't associate the happy event of their wedding 🥰🥰 with that. But, yeah, amazing all around :'))).
Also Asher and Jerome are so cute 🥰🥰🥰🥰😭😭❤️. So yeah, anyways. Love them :))))) ❤️❤️❤️❤️ <33.
And lastly: Shaun and Lea!!!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
THEY GOT MARRIEDDDDD Y'ALL THEY GOT MARIEDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!
I'm so happy for them 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰😭😭😭❤️😭😭❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰. Y'all I love my children :'DDD <333.
Anyway, they've both been amazing this season! We've seen some real growth form Shaun, especially with the Salen issues, and I'm glad he stood up to her!!! Honestly, those flashbacks we had this episode (AMAZING BY THE WAY) really just showed how much he's grown up, even since then :')). AGHHH I'm so emotional about it 😭😭😭❤️.
And Lea!!! Her inventing storyline this season with Jordan :DD, amazing!! Just like I said earlier :)). I really liked seeing focus on her computer skills again, but in a different capacity than her job :D. It's really interesting, and they're a fun pair to see working - and playing (by that I mean having fun and hanging out lol) - together :))) 🥰🥰. Also, Lea's help in that episode with the steel lung!! Amazing :DD.
I wasn't a huge fan of the whole reality tv storyline, but it was fun while it lasted :)). And it brought out some interesting sorts of their personalities and dynamic that were fun to see - you know, just them in a different situation :)). Also, I'm really glad they didn't get married on the tv show :)). Even if I felt bad for the lady lol, the one filming it xD. And that it was so fancy, and Claire won't be here again. You know, like, she wasn't for the real one xDD.
Oh yeah!!!
CLAIRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEREE!!!!!
I loved seeing my girl again 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰. So sad she couldn't be there before the actual wedding 😭😭😭. Glad she was there for the almost one, though, and it was really nice to see her talking with Lim, and the case, how she's changed, and to hear about the job she was talking about. I miss her so much, but honestly, with everything, good for her <333. I love her so much :'DDDD :)) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.
Anyway! Too and they missed the fancy wedding, but SO GLAD that Jordan stopped them in this episode from returning their wedding gifts xDD. It was funny to see the two of them, the besties 🥰🥰, opening them too :D XDD. Anyway, I am SO. HAPPY. THEY GOT TO HAVE THEIR WEDDING :DDDDD.
As in "so happy that they got to have" btw, lol.
I would've had it if they got married at the courthouse 🥰🥰🥰. Lol, like, of course so still would've been really happy for them and that they were married and all, but like. We deserve it, y'all XDD. After this long of their relationship being ups and downs and bad times and good times, we deserves it lol. A full wedding XD.
Even if it was on top of the hospital lol.
Also yesss!! Shaun recognizing Lea's mixed feelings in this episode :DD. That was so sweet 🥰🥰🥰. Not like it was a choice lol, I just mean as a thing that happened lol. Glassman really was right about his growth :)).
Overall, I really, really loved this episode. The cases were great, Asher's storyline was heartbreaking and even a tiny bit heartwarming, but mostly just sad and loving. I'm nervous about a lot of things, but I am mostly just so happy that Shaun and Lea are married :))). And glad that Asher got a really good, full storyline :D. But, yeah, it was an amazing episode, and an amazing finale :)). Such a great season!!
Well, that's about it! I adored this episode and this season. And I'm really nervous about what'll happen after all of the stuff I just talked about. This has been my review of. . .
The Good Doctor, Season 5, Episode 18: Sons
Such a good episode!! I'm really excited for the next season, and all the cool medical cases and drama that will come with it. See you next time for my review of. . .
The Good Doctor, Season 6
Bye!!!
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assistant ~ roman godfrey;hemlock grove
word count: 1471
request?: no
description: when you start a new job as the assistant of a huge company, the ceo takes an interest in you
pairing: roman godfrey x female!reader
warnings: swearing, harassing remarks
masterlist (one, two)
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“And here is the main floor,” said the lady giving me a tour of Godfrey Industries. “This is where you’ll be doing most of your work, but it’s good to know the building in case Mr. Godfrey ever asks you to get something for him.”
“What’s he like?” I asked her. It was the first time my future employer had been mentioned and I had yet to meet him.
She paused a moment before turning to face me. She was suddenly the most serious she had been all day. “He can be a little short tempered sometimes. He has gone off on some of his employees sometimes. If he ever does to you, do not hesitate to come to me for it, alright?”
That sounded reassuring.
I followed her towards Mr. Godfrey’s office, my heart hammering against my chest.
“Mr. Godfrey?” she said as she knocked at the door. “Your new assistant is here.”
“Bring her in.”
She opened the door and nodded for me to go in first. I hoped neither one of them would see how bad my hands were shaking.
I was shocked to see how young he was. Of course, I knew Mr. Godfrey was no more than 21 years old and took over the family business right out of high school, but I didn’t expect someone so young and handsome to be sat behind that desk.
His blue eyes lifted from whatever he was writing and landed on me. I shuffled under his gaze, wondering what was running through his mind as he looked at me.
“Mr. Godfrey, this is (Y/F/N),” she introduced. “She’ll be working as your new assistant.”
“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Godfrey,” I said, trying to keep my voice as even as possible.
“Please, we’re basically the same age,” he said. “Call me Roman. Is it alright if I address you by your first name, too?”
I was so stunned that I could barley get my words out. “Y-Yes, that’s-that’s okay.”
He smiled at me and I felt like my whole body would melt into the floor.
“It’s nice to meet you (Y/N). I can’t wait to work together.”
~~~~~~
The first few days were nothing exciting, mainly running a few errands for Roman. We were rarely ever alone together, which I was a little disappointed by. I knew it was wrong to have these sort of thoughts about my boss, but I couldn’t help it. He was so handsome and charming.
I was at my desk secretly scrolling through my phone when the intercom chimed, signaling Roman was about to speak.
“(Y/N), can you bring the papers regarding the mill in for me?”
“Right away Roman.”
I grabbed the file labelled Godfrey Industries Mill and brought it down to the conference room where I knew Roman was in a meeting.
The moment I walked in I froze again. There were so many official looking business men sat around the table, now they were all looking at me. I smiled awkwardly before crossing the room to pass the file to Roman.
“Thank you (Y/N),” he said as he took it.
“New assistant, Roman?” one of the men asked.
“Yeah, she just started,” Roman responded, barley regarding the man who spoke.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Roman glared briefly at him before saying, “(Y/N), these are some of my business partners.”
I smiled at them and shuffled uncomfortably when I noticed how they were looking at me. I had heard the jokes about business men and their assistants, but I never believed them. That would be a massive HR issue, right?
But the way these men were looking at me...I wanted to shrink behind Roman for protection.
“I bet you're having a fantastic time with her,” another man commented. “You’ve broken her in already, right Rom?”
“The innocent ones are always the best in the sack,” another added.
I felt tears welling up in my eyes as they all laughed. I was willing myself to move, but I was stuck in place.
The sound of Roman’s hands slamming down on the desk caused me to jump as he stood from his seat. His face was blood red and he looked ready to explode.
“Get the fuck out,” he hissed.
“What?” one of the men questioned.
“I said get the fuck out! All of you!” For good measure, he threw the file at the first man who spoke, narrowly avoiding his face. “Forget the fucking mill deal, forget any fucking deal. I’m not doing business with you disgusting excuse for men anymore!”
They were all shocked, but knew better than to fight against Roman. They all left, grumbling to themselves and calling Roman a handful of names.
We were left alone. Roman sat back down, running his hands through his hair.
“Do..do you want me to...?” I started, gesturing towards the papers that had scattered from the thrown file.
“No,” he responded, his voice softer now. “I’ll take care of it. You take a break, a prolonged one if you need.”
I nodded and quickly left the room, hoping all the business men had left the building entirely as I raced for the nearest bathroom to hide for a while.
~~~~~~
I was on my own in the lobby area when a cup of coffee and a picture perfect sprinkled donut was placed in front of me. I looked up from my computer to see Roman sipping from his own cup, his breathtaking eyes gazing down at me.
“I’m glad you didn’t leave,” he said. “I didn’t check before I got both of those for you.”
“I appreciate it,” I said, taking the cup and the donut. “I still had some stuff I needed to  do, I couldn’t go home early.”
“I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to.”
I took a sip of my coffee, not wanting to respond. Truthfully, I had thrown myself so heavily into my work to keep the disgusting words said by Roman’s business partners out of my head.
I had never been spoken to in such a way before. I knew it wouldn’t be the last time I’d been spoken to in such a way, but it still made me feel dirty and wrong when I thought about it. Like I was nothing more than some eye candy for business men who were old enough to be my father (except for Roman).
Roman continued to lean against the desk, looking down at me as I diverted my attention back to my computer.
“I’m sorry about what happened,” he said. “Those fuckers are a little too...stereotypical.”
I shook my head, trying to downplay my feelings on the situation. “It’s alright. I appreciate you standing up for me, but I’m sorry if it ruins your business relations or whatever.”
Roman rolled his eyes. “I could give less of a fuck. They're all assholes anyways. They only use me for money and power for their bullshit projects. And what they did to you was far from alright. It was wrong, and I hope you know I’m not going to tolerate you being treated like that. Not now, not ever.”
I nodded and took another sip of my coffee, unsure as to what else to say. I was shocked that the situation had made Roman so angry. I mean, I was glad people treating me so poorly made him upset and he wasn’t about to sweep this under the rug, but to cut business ties just for me? I was still trying to figure that part out.
Silence fell over us again and I wondered how long Roman would be stood there watching me. Not that I really minded. This was the first time we had been alone.
“Listen,” he said, “this may be incredibly inappropriate to ask, but I’d love to take you out for dinner some time.”
I looked up at him in shock. “Like...like a date?”
“Or a work dinner, whatever makes you feel more comfortable.”
I didn’t have to think about my answer, but I didn’t want to come off as too eager, so I thought for a moment before responding, “I’d like that.”
Roman smiled back at me. “Okay. You know my schedule, you can pick a time and a date that’s best for you.”
He turned to leave before pausing and turning back to me. “Just to be clear, are you saying you’d like it as a date or as a work dinner.”
I smiled smugly at him and responded, “You’ll have to wait to find out.”
He raised an eyebrow at me, amused, before walking back to his office. When I was sure he was gone, I did a quick dance of excitement in my chair before turning my full attention back to my work.
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nightfall-kachiniko · 3 years
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How about mikasa with a Pregnant s/o? I hope you get better btw!
Ah thank you anon! I hope I do aswell! And I love mother kasa concept! :D
『Mikasa with a pregnant s/o』
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[ MAJOR! AOT SPOILERS UP AHEAD! ]
THIS CONTIANS MAJOR SPOILERS REGARDING TO 139 AND CHAPTER 138
- after you guys left the survey corps,she practically BEGGED you both to be parents. And all thought you wanted to, you wanted to spend some years alone with her.
- Ever since Eren passed away, your girlfriend never smiled the way she used to. But that all changed when you told her you were pregnant with a baby girl. This woman bursted into tears smiling a smile you hadn’t seen in a while. She picked you up and spun you around the room kissing you as you to began to cry tears of joy.
- You told her you were pregnant with a small version of her scarf, hinting at it. And as soon as she got it, she looked at you shocked, making sure you were serious, “d-darling are you serious..?” She said a small smile on her face. She looked at the small scarf and the baby clothes that laid in the box that you gave her as a gift, twirling around the outfit examining it.
-you gave her a soft nodd as you wiped away a tear, “Your going to be a mommy” you said with a smile. She put down the baby clothes and looked at you, still in shock. “Your not joking R-right!?” She said a bit more happier. “No I’m serious!” You said, beaming with a smile.
-she scoffed a bit as tears began falling down her face. Mikasa smiled as she picked you up, twirling you around, while crying tears of pure happily ness and joy. “T-this is all I’ve ever wanted” She said, kissing you while wiping away the both of yours tears.
- Throughout your whole pregnancy, all she would do would show you support in every way possible. She may be a bit over baring at time but this woman just wants to insure that your safe and well token care of. If you try to even pick up something, she’s scolding you, saying its dangerous and what if you fall or trip? All you’ll hear is, “y/n! Be careful dear! Let me take care of that.”
-Oh you best believe she gives you baths. One wrong move and you could get hurt, to her at least. Mommas wants to take care of youuuu ૮₍˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶₎ა! Plus, if you think she’s overprotective then, SHEESH BUDDY YOUR IN FOR A RIDE DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY.
- This woman goes out her way to make sure you and the baby are safe. She doesn’t like you going out into town since a ton of people would crowd there and god for bid if someone knocks into you.. Let’s just say they are gonna get beat to the ground.
- For names, i think she’d like something unique, mystical even. I think she’d like something like a word that means a unique feeling, like the word Heriath; Homesickness for a home you can’t return to, or that never was. That’s my OC’S kid with her’s name anyways lol. Lacuna, Moira, jouska and others i think she’d like! You suggested if it was a boy that you wouldn’t mind naming the baby after Eren. She turned to you and smiled saying that she loved the idea of that, but, she couldn’t call him that without bursting into tears. You understood completely and was accepting of that aswell : D
— AND BOY OH BOY WHEN YOU WERE IN LABOR- Mikasa tried her best to stay calm. You both decided earlier on to have an at home birth with (just in case) a widwife to make sure you were okay. She held your hand and hugged you as you gasped for air, pushing as hard as you could. Mika would tell you things like “It’s okay baby.. your doing such a good job..” hike holding your hand, reassuring that you would be okay.
- When the baby came out, all you both could do was cry. I’d say if its a girl, she’d look more like mikasa with black hair and her Asian eye shape with your eye color. But if it was a boy, they’d look more like you with mikasa’s eye shape and mouth shape.
- She knows how sentimental of a moment you both as parents were experiencing, so she made sure you as the one who gave birth should hold the baby first. She kissed your head as you held the baby, caressing your hair.
- when mikasa held the baby, the first thing she did was wrap the baby in her red scarf. After Eren died, she turned the meaning of the scarf around. Eren showed her how to live, so she made a promise to show you how to live. And now that she has a baby, another piece of family, she vowed over her life to keep the both of you safe and sound.
- Her first words to your both’s baby was “I will always protect you, I promise you, over my life” She was so happy to be a mother. After all the chaos, she was so happy to finally live peacefully with the person who she loves the most.
- She has SO MANY DAMN RULES FOR WHEN ANNIE AND ARMIN COME OVER LMAO- No holding the baby standing up. All sharp objects aren’t allowed on you when touching the baby. No turning into a titan or she’ll cut off your face (these mainly apply to Annie LMAO) But after a while she chilled down. Annie was allowed to hold the baby ofc ofc.... Under MIKASA’S supervision ÙnÚ.
— the day your baby first walked, mikasa Litteraly cried at how big they had gotten and you had to calm her down like “Mika! Chill they aren’t even 1 yet and your already acting like they are going off to join the military!”
- Oh and speaking of military, your baby’s not going into the military- Hell n o. Momma mika would lose her shit even at the thought of her baby going out into gunfire. So if you wanted a military baby, sorry its not happening with her kid.
- The baby’s first words were “Muma” which was when they were referring to you. Everything this child does makes her so emotional. Litteraly even if the baby just picks up a spoon she’s almost in tears. She a proud momma dont let her down >:3
- I think our both’s baby would call her a unique version of mom. Like they would call Mika “Ummie” or “ummuma” But sometimes they’d just call her “mommy” so your momma and she’s ummie and mommy. (Lmao you call mikasa mommy too dont lie ;)
-OMI- YOUR KID AND ANNIE AND ARMINS KID ARE LIKE BEST FRIENDS. Your baby loves when they come over so they can see armin and Annie’s kid :D! AND OML- YOUR BABY LIKE LOVES ANNIE- She calls her “auntie awnnie” and always likes pulling at her bun while mikasa just stands and watches from the kitchen, eyeing annie down making sure she ant gonna touch her bby 😤
- Your child LOVESSSS Annie’s titan roar and everytime she comes over, they beg for annie to turn into a titan and do the roar. All you’ll hear is, “awuntiie awmmie! Titan! Titan!! 🥺” While annie rolls her eye with a small “fine” As she goes outside and transforms into her titan, roaring while your chid giggles. MIKASA HATES IT SO DAMN MUCH- SHE’LL ALWAYS SAY “You better be careful or I’ll kill you”
- of course, over the years Mikasa lightened up to annie and they are now best friends, but she cant help it... Over protective strong momma. but she wont allow armin to do it since his titans to big and dangerous ad trust me armin completely understands.
- Overall, she’s such a good momma. Always caring for you and her baby, making sure you both are safe and okay. She wouldn’t ever wish for a different life when she’s with you, and the sweet little one you two made <3
BRO THIS WAS SO LONG TO WRITE -
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characteroulette · 3 years
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well all rightie then, it’s time to analyse how DGS1 handles grief really well in my opinion
(once again, spoilers for all of DGS1)
(also some spoilers for the original trilogy games) (and a little of DGS2)
okay So my thesis statement here is that Asougi’s character in DGS1 is the vessel through which Ryuunosuke and Susato’s grief is explained. Everything about how they relate to Asougi is their dealing with their grief in a simple message: Loss hits hard, but you have to continue to live and love. Life Goes On, shaping that grief into yourself if you allow it.
We start off with Case 1 as our baseline. The set-up. It’s a routine to show what life is like for Ryuunosuke before tragedy. (Fitting for an AA protagonist to have their baseline of normal being accused of murder.) This case does a really, really good job of setting up Asougi as our friend, our partner, whom we might spend the rest of the game with.
(I mean, the death flag’s kinda obvious if you’re genre-savvy; the mentor must die so that the student may grow into their own. But Asougi’s so likeable! He’s confident, genuine with Ryuunosuke, comfortably teasing, and looks at you with the same eyes as Klavier. What’s not to love? Also that small hint of something deeper is so tantalising that for it to go unresolved is pretty unthinkable.)
It’s important for us to see how much Asougi means to Ryuunosuke, how much the two really are best friends. This set-up is pivotal to what happens next in Case 2: the drop.
The way Ryuunosuke reacts to learning about Asougi’s death is real. He tries to deny it at first, can’t bring himself to believe it. Especially since he’s been accused of the crime! But the moment he sees that photo of Asougi that Sherlock took, that’s where the truth of it hits and he can’t run from it anymore. All he can do is try to push past that biting grief to at least solve his friend’s murder and set things right.
Susato’s own grief is portrayed really well here, too. She’s so angered and clouded by it that she totally ignores the fact that Asougi and Ryuunosuke are best friends and believes Ryuunosuke to be the murderer. Really, she just blames Ryuunosuke because it’s easier that way, since the wound cuts just as deep for her.
What really strikes me, though, is how the whole case isn’t just a one-note misery. Like real life, the two slip into sadness when they remember their dear friend, but they’re still able to joke around. They still get upset or sarcastic or excited. Because, though their grief affects them immensely, the message is that life continues. It can’t just stop for them like it did for their friend; life goes on. Not out of malice, but out of necessity.
Also, the way Sherlock acknowledges their grief is pretty great. That felt hugely validating to me, how he tells them that their mourning is important and how his jovial, joking tone was never properly taking that into account. The way he continues breaking in at the end to lighten the mood, too, is his own genuine way of trying to help, exhausting though he may be. It’s appreciated, at the least, to keep us the players from breaking down into tears as the conclusion rolls with no real satisfaction at the mystery being solved.
That final conversation between Susato and Ryuunosuke, at least, is hugely cathartic to make up for that. It sounds like it should feel rushed, honestly, dealing with the majority of the grieving process in just Case 2, but it doesn’t at all. It seems properly healthy, like the two are doing their best by confiding and taking comfort in one another in order to celebrate Asougi’s goals, to keep going where he can’t. Ryuunosuke and Susato both form their resolve here to continue to live, not just for Asougi, but for themselves as well. For life’s sake.
Because, again, life goes on.
(A brief tangent: Seeing the contrast of this story versus the original trilogy is also a really neat sort of view into Shu Takumi’s growth as a writer. Or the AA series’ growth as a whole. How Edgeworth handled his grief by never really acknowledging it in AA1, how he basically ran away from it by refusing to live as a sort of punishment against himself, is really sad. Then Phoenix handling his grief in JFA by turning to anger and resentment is just as heartbreaking. Phoenix disavows himself from it, trying to spare himself the pain by denying it, which only hurt him more and he had to have everyone around him break him out of that awful mindset. Then in T&T it’s Godot’s grief which drives the plot, as he turns his anger on Phoenix unjustly. He blames Phoenix for Mia’s death and lashes out at everyone instead of allowing himself the time to properly grieve.
And then DGS1 comes along to say that maybe the answer is just that life goes on and we have healthier ways to reconcile with our grief and it’s just real neat to see!)
In Case 3 and 4, we can see through Ryuunosuke’s discussion with Lord Vortex (/Stronghart) the continuation of his handling this grief. It’s a burden, one Ryuunosuke doesn’t fully understand, but he fervently takes upon himself because we want to live for those we’ve lost. (It is the Wright way, the Naruhodou way, to take on the aspirations of the friends you’ve lost. To mimic their mannerisms, their ambitions, in order to keep them close to your heart.)
(That’s a whole other can of worms I could dive into, honestly, how their decision to give Ryuunosuke all of Phoenix’s poses for the whole ancestor vibe while ALSO making it clear that Ryuunosuke took them from Asougi to begin with, it’s just. It’s good, it’s perfect, it’s the same brand of gay the series is known for and I’m love it.)
You also see, as the trial of Case 3 progresses, how Ryuunosuke is basically just living off of ‘what would Asougi do?’ as Susato coaches him along and it’s fun and bittersweet all the way through. Case 4 is where he gains more confidence in himself, but he still defaults to thinking of Asougi’s unwavering trust in him to help him and every time it’s handled with tenderness and shows just how much Ryuunosuke loved his friend.
And, if you’re like me and take every opportunity to examine Asougi’s badge and present it to Susato (/others), you see how they continue to grow with their grief. It starts off with both of them being unable to say much, still weighed down heavily by Asougi’s loss. Though they are continuing and life goes on, it’s still a wound too fresh to approach and hard for them to properly explain.
By Case 5, though, the two of them are more conversational. They’ve found their words, they’ve mended that wound as much as possible so that life won’t leave without them. It still hurts, of course, but it’s easier to think about. It’s easier to reconcile when they’ve been working hard and making friends and continuing to live. It’s small, but the progression is there and I really appreciate it.
Speaking of Case 5, though, everything about this one, in regards to Asougi, is pure catharsis. It really is like they’re looking their grief right in the face and accepting it as a part of themselves. Ryuunosuke looks back on his friend not just with fondness, but with gratefulness that Asougi could make such a big impact on his life.
(This is similar to the whole Phoenix and Mia thing, I feel, since Phoenix often thought of his mentor with the same sort of tone. At least, I think so. Remarkable how Phoenix’s grief can mirror the finalised version of Ryuunosuke’s with the help of spirit channeling! /joke)
Ryuunosuke and Susato have etched Asougi into their hearts and their persons and it’s just really, very good I like it a lot.
(okay time for a few paragraphs on DGS2 and Asougi)
Case 1 one DGS2 is a neat look into Susato’s mind and thought process. You can definitely tell she’s still just a 16-year-old with the mistakes she makes and how she tries to handle her own arguments, which is very cute. We also get to see her actually talking to Asougi’s grave and then see how her own relationship with Asougi has influenced her style (/poses) and aspirations. (Ryuunosuke, too. It’s cute to see how she’s ended up a mixture of both of them.) And it’s a great rug pull moment for the player, since the way that the grief is handled in DGS1 is so good and (almost) final that hearing Asougi might not actually be dead is a bit like digging up old wounds. I mean, we went the entirety of the first game coming to terms with his death, what do you mean his body went missing??
(Case 2 serves as a reminder. Like haha remember how Susato and Ryuunosuke both love Asougi and are sad about his death? Here’s the baseline again, get ready to have it wrecked!)
And Case 3 is phenomenal, too. The way Van Zieks is so understanding in his response to showing him Asougi’s badge is just. It’s perfect, he’s so gentle and empathetic that it shocks Ryuunosuke (even though Ryuunosuke did the same understanding and concern for Van Ziek’s situation Ryuunosuke please). Then the way that Ryuunosuke sees Asougi, disguised in a cloak and mask, and immediately recognises him. To me, that really shows how much he loved his friend. He knew Asougi for about a year and it’s been about nine months since Asougi’s death, yet Ryuunosuke recognises him just by the way he carries himself.
But, to him, Asougi is dead. He’s made peace with that. So, even if it plays on his mind, he can’t allow himself to think that. He puts it out of his mind completely and doesn’t think on it again.
At least, until Susato (who reacted very realistically by shutting down the possibility that Asougi might still be alive because that means Sherlock lied and she couldn’t take having that hope break her worse than before) sees the exact same thing just as immediately and shouts after him. The fact that they both see this disguised man and know it can be no one besides Asougi is insane. It’s love. It makes me cry, I wish they could’ve hugged him during the big reveal (though I know Japanese culture’s just not like that).
Anyway, DGS2 diatribe over. Back to the conclusion.
The whole of DGS1 is just a masterful example of how grief doesn’t have to destroy you, of how life can go on and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and how channeling that grief into motivation to keep their memories alive can be powerful. That it’s okay to still feel grief even as you heal, that it’s okay to have fun and keep living even as you mourn. Life is a mixture of levity and tragedy and, to me, DGS1 nails that mixture with perfection.
Absolutely legendary. Join me next time when I dive into the main theme of DGS2, which is literally ‘the dead will come back to life to haunt you’ thanks for coming to my essay talk
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sithsecrets · 3 years
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rumors | din djarin x reader
A bit of gossip gets under your skin, but Din shows you that it's all a bunch of lies.
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4k words
mentions: VERY EXPLICIT SMUT, fem!reader, a bit of harassment at the beginning, self-doubt, establishing a relationship, discussions about relationship dynamics, din tells reader his name
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You know you’re in for trouble the minute two Guild Members sidle up next to you at the bar, shit-eating grins plastered on both of their faces.
They greet you and the baby with a kind of fake friendliness that makes your skin crawl, and not for the first time do you wonder what’s taking Mando and Greef so fucking long. The two men usually do business in under ten minutes, five if Mando can manage it, but of course today is the one day they decide to shoot the shit and pal around like old friends.
“So you’re Mando’s crew member, huh?” asks one of the bounty hunters, light eyes glinting mischievously as he leans in. “What’s he paying you these days anyway? Because I’d be happy to double his rate if it meant getting to have something as pretty as you around me all the time.”
“Ten percent,” you answer, choosing to ignore that last little comment, “and I’m perfectly okay with that.”
“That’s not bad,” Blue Eyes’ friend answers, brushing back a lock of his greasy hair with a smirk. “But what does that fee cover? You just a nanny for whatever the fuck that is,” he gestures to the Child in your lap, “or do you provide Mando with other services as well?”
On your left, Blue Eyes lets out a snicker, and Stringy Hair seems pleased with himself. You huff and roll your eyes, not at all in the mood for this shit.
“I take care of the baby and the ship, and I pilot the Crest from time to time.”
“You hear that, man? She’s a pilot and a maid!”
“Three guesses as to what she gives a good spit shine every night,” and then the two of them are absolutely cracking up, snickering behind their glasses as they toss back a round. They’re just mocking you now, so desperately trying to get a reaction, and you’re horrified by how it’s almost working. You don’t want to give them the satisfaction, but if they so much as—
“Everything alright over here?”
Mando’s voice is like a bucket of cold water down your back, startling you so badly that you almost fall off your barstool. The baby lets out a shriek of surprise, and you rush to make sure he’s secure in your arms before you turn around.
“Just fine,” you lie, rushing to get up. “We were just talking about your latest bounty.”
Stringy Hair and Blue Eyes don’t move to correct you, much more subdued now that Mando’s arrived on the scene. They greet him with respect, but he hardly gives the two dickheads a passing glance.
“We need to get back,” Mando tells you, and you’ve never been so glad to hear those words.
You nod, and then the three of you are trekking back to the Crest in silence. Mando goes up the cockpit immediately once you arrive, off to punch in the coordinates for his next quarry. Apparently Greef’s given him some kind of special assignment, so they journey to the next planet will be a long one.
The Crest lurches into hyperspace within minutes of takeoff, and you try to settle in for the evening, putting the baby down for the night, getting ready for bed yourself. The Child sleeps like a rock, but you aren’t so fortunate, tossing and turning in your little bed. It’s the conversation with those two assholes from earlier that’s got you so restless, their words playing over and over again in your head on loop. You don’t know why what they said bothers you, but it does. It bothers you a lot, in fact, mostly because they weren’t entirely wrong.
Everything you told Blue Eyes and Stringy Hair is true— Mando cuts you in ten percent on his bounties, and in exchange, you take care of the baby, maintain the ship (its living spaces and its mechanics, thank you very much), and you pilot the Crest from time to time when asked. But… But you’ve also fucked Mando before. Twice. Three times if you count the blowjob you gave him last week, but you’re not entirely sure that fits under the definition of “fucking.” Regardless of the details, you’ve had sexual contact with the Mandalorian— this is a fact. Mando’s never directly offered you money in return for sex, but it’s not like he didn’t just pay you your cut of his bounty less than an hour ago. And if those two pigs from the cantina could peg you at fifty yards, Maker knows what everybody else is thinking. Greef, Cara, even Peli on Tatooine— all of them must think you’re just Mando’s whore, right along with the rest of the Guild.
The idea of this weighs heavy on your mind, two parts of you waging an internal war. Your rational side says that you shouldn’t care what other people think of you— you’re a grown woman approaching thirty, and what you do with your body and your time is no one’s business but your own. The side of you that yearns to be accepted, however, worries that everyone’s secretly laughing at your behind your back, that they all think very little of you because of what you’ve done. And how could you blame them? You’ve let your employer fuck you twice, and all without him showing you an ounce of affection otherwise. Just thinking about it makes you feel remorseful, anxiety twisting in your stomach as you toss and turn in bed. And to make things worse, a third voice emerges in your mind, one that’s small and timid and raw. This little part of you wonders what Mando thinks of all this— it wonders what Mando thinks of you. You feel sick the minute it occurs to you, the notion that Mando could think nothing of you as well. Everyone else can say whatever they want, you suppose, if Mando still respects you at the end of the day. If he still cares for you at the end of the day…
After a whole hour, you decide that you won’t be sleeping until you get all of this sorted out. You’re almost shaking with anxiety as you approach the ladder, but you climb up to the cockpit anyway, calling out Mando’s name with a wavering voice. He says you can come in, and so you do, padding into the little space on socked feet.
“Everything okay?” Mando asks, vaguely distracted as he looks through holoimages on the display before him. You catch snatches of the same alien being in each one— Mando’s next quarry, no doubt.
“Yeah,” you say softly. “The baby’s asleep. He went down well tonight.”
Mando hums. “Good.”
“I, um. I’m having trouble sleeping, though, and I was hoping we could talk.”
Mando doesn’t look away from the holoimages as he speaks to you. “What about?”
You balk for a moment, gathering courage. “Us.”
Finally, it would seem you have Mando’s full attention. He shuts off the display and turns his chair until it faces you, the blue light of hyperspace reflecting off his armor and helmet. You grow shy under Mando’s gaze as you so often do, but you force yourself to be brave anyway. You can’t go on like this— you have to know.
“Us?” Mando echoes, titling his helmet just the slightest bit forward. You nod, and he straightens up again, regarding you. “What about us?”
“The sex,” you say slowly, “or, more specifically, why we had sex in the first place.”
“We had sex because we wanted to,” Mando says at once, and you just want to scream. He won’t make this easy on you, will he?
“Right, of course, but… but what made you want to come at me like that? Do you just like my body and how I look, or is it because you pay me—?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Mando cuts, losing all semblance of cool indifference in one fell swoop, “you don’t— Please don’t tell me that you think having sex with me is part of your job.”
“I don’t, I don’t!” you declare, rushing to prevent a miscommunication before it happens. “I just— I just wasn’t sure why you wanted me of all people, and I met some people today that thought you hired me just so you could fuck me or whatever. They—”
“Was it those two fuckheads from the cantina?” Mando asks, tone absolutely murderous, and all you can do is nod. “What exactly did they say?”
“They asked me about my pay and about what’s ‘included in my fee,’” you reply, face burning at the thought of what Stringy Hair and Blue Eyes said at the bar. “They said you were probably paying me for sex the way you pay me to take care of the ship and the baby. It just… It made me self-conscious because we have had sex, and I wasn’t sure what that meant. I know they’re just assholes, but now I’m afraid everybody thinks that of me, especially Cara and Greef and your other friends.”
Mando lets out a long, heavy sigh. “Come here,” he says, beckoning you over with an outstretched hand. You hesitate to move, shocked by the gesture, and the Mandalorian repeats himself. “Come here, cyar’ika, please.”
The beskar is cold against the back of your thighs, but you settle in Mando’s lap anyway, sure you must be dreaming at this point. He fingers the hem of your long, baggy sleepshirt, one arm holding you securely.
“None of my friends think you’re fucking me for money,” Mando begins, “I promise. Those guys from the Guild you met today, they’re assholes just like you said. They might treat their women that way, but that’s not me. It never will be. Understand?”
You nod shyly, relishing in the way Mando begins drawing little circles at the base of your spine.
“Good. Now to answer your question… I had sex with you because I wanted to, yes, but it wasn’t just to get off. The baby likes you, and you do a good job taking care of the ship. People like you wherever we go… Ilike being around you.”
You’re smart enough to know that that’s a big statement coming from a man like Mando, and you reward him for this display of vulnerability with a soft smile.
“I like being around you too, Mando.”
The helmet tilts just the slightest bit, and you wonder what his expression looks like under the beskar.
“I like being around you,” Mando repeats, speaking slowly, “and… and I’m sorry. For starting like that, I mean.”
Your brows draw together. “What are you talking about?”
Mando readjusts his grip on your, and the way his hand settles over the curve of your thigh is enough to make you shiver. “I should have taken my time with you. Fucking you against the wall, bending you over those crates in the back— that’s fine sometimes, but you deserve more.”
“If that’s how you like it, I don’t—”
He cuts you off then, a gloved thumb brushing against your bottom lip.
“I don’t care about me right now,” Mando says evenly, the tone of his voice picking at something deep in your stomach. “What do you want?”
It dawns on you then that this is foreplay— Mando’s decided he wants to fuck you again— and that makes your face hotter than fire itself. You know he’s waiting for an answer, so you decide to speak freely, the consequences of your words be damned.
“I want you to fuck me in bed,” you say slowly, whispering more than you’re talking. “With your gloves off. That’s not against the rules, right? You took them off the other day in front of me and Cara—”
“It’s not, mesh’la,” Mando affirms, the strange word dripping off his tongue like honey. You wonder what it means, though you don’t have the nerve to ask. “Go down to the hull and make us a space on the floor. I’ll be there in a minute.”
---
The darkness is disorienting, the blackness so black that you couldn’t see your own hand if it was two inches in front of your face. That’s by design, though, because none of this would be okay if you couldsee.
You had exactly two conditions earlier in the cockpit: in bed, no gloves. But it would seem that Mando had so much more in mind when he told you to come down here, and it’s anything beyond what you could have ever dreamed of. You’ve imagined this situation before, thought about what it might be like to know Mando this way, but to have it happen…
The beskar clangs softly as Mando lays it down, the sound letting you know that he’s somewhere off to your right. You’re sure he’s having no trouble seeing in the dark, given how many settings there on in his visor, but you can’t see a fucking thing. Not him, not his discarded armor, not even your own hand in front of you face. Under any other circumstance, you’d be afraid of the dark, but not now. No, now you simply tremble with anxiety, naked skin prickling with chills as you wait for Mando to undress himself. He stripped you first, of course, when the lights were still on, took his time and peeled your clothes off of you almost with reverence. You wish you could do the same to him, but something about that would be wrong you think— it would be crossing a line.
“Are you sure this is allowed?” you ask, almost whispering. The baby’s upstairs in the cockpit, dead to the world and tucked safely in his pram, and yet you still feel like you’re being too loud. Hyperspace is always so quiet, and the silence sets your teeth on edge even after all this time.
“Can you see me?” Mando asks, voice still filtered and staticky.
“I can’t even see myself,” you counter.
“Then it’s allowed.”
No more words pass between either of you for a moment, the space filled with the sound of clothes rustling. You hear a belt buckle and a zipper, can trace out the sounds of pants being kicked to the floor… Three short, bare footsteps, and then you aren’t alone on your little pallet anymore, Mando presence warm and undeniable close on the other side of the cushions.
“Cyar’ika.”
You aren’t sure if it’s the circumstances, or the fact that Mando speaks to you with a raw, unfiltered voice, but this one word picks at something inside you, gets you hot and needy where it counts. How many people has he laid down with like this? How many of them have heard Mando’s voice, his real voice, if any at all? You don’t know the answer to either of those questions, but you also don’t care, not right now.
“Can I touch you?” you ask softly, mustering all your strength and bravery. Mando doesn’t response, doesn’t so much as let out a breath, and so you jump when you feel his hand on your own. He guides you across the blankets, pulling you in closer, laying your palm on the warm, solid expanse of his forearm. Your fingers curl around it, squeezing the muscle, admiring the way Mando simply feels under your hands. He’s had so much of you— practically your whole body— and yet all you’ve been blessed with until tonight is the warmth of his hands, the feeling of his cock in you and on you. To feel his bare skin like this is strange, the fact that Mando is really and truly human coming into sharp focus as your fingers run along a scar, the hair on his arms…
“You’re handsome,” you declare, awed by feeling of Mando under your palms. He shudders when you lay your hand on the side of his face, the movement almost flinch-like in nature, but you’re quick to soothe his nerves with a gentle stroke of your thumb. You can’t imagine what this is like for Mando, can’t fathom what it must feel like to be touched when you hide yourself from everyone all the time. It’s in this moment that you realize he knows nothing of the sun or the wind, and your heart breaks for him.
“You wouldn’t say that if the lights were on.”
Mando sounds vaguely nervous now himself, voice more subdued than it was before. You have so much you want to say, want to shout out that you love everything about him and his body and your life together, but you that would be too much. No, doing something like that could ruin all of this in one fell swoop, and so you swallow those words down, replacing them with something else instead.
“If I ever get to see you one day,” you tell him, “I know for a fact that I’ll say the same thing. I promise.”
There’s a strange weight in that, a certain trust and understanding that you can’t put your finger on, but the pressure isn’t uncomfortable as it settles in the atmosphere, pressing you and Mando even closer. He pulls you under him without a word, holding you, twining your arms and legs and hands together until you aren’t sure where yours end and his begin. His kisses are tentative and unpracticed, but you feel the passion regardless, sighing as the press of Mando’s mouth tells you all the things he can’t say out loud. You don’t know how you ever got things twisted, aren’t sure how you could have possibly thought that Mando didn’t care for you because these aren’t the kisses and caresses of a man who sees you as little more than something to fuck. No, this is something else entirely, something better than you ever could have hoped for, and the rush of endorphins as your head swimming.
Your entire body arches when Mando begins to crawl down your body, his lips trailing over your neck and chest, your stomach and even the curve of your hip. “Mesh’la,” he says to you, murmuring into the spaces between your fingers. Mando’s paying particular attention to your hands now, kissing them delicately. “Listen to me, please.”
“Yes?” you say, half moaning as he drops your hand in favor of propping your legs open. The anticipation has you dizzy, brain fogged over completely as you wait, as you feel him line up your bodies—
Mando doesn’t say anything, not for several seconds, too distracted by the feel of you to speak. You’re fine with that, already too far gone to care after what, two, three thrusts? You couldn’t keep count if you wanted to, the haze in your brain too thick for any tedious mental activity to penetrate. Still, you try to listen like he asked, try to understand the words coming out of his mouth.
Mando’s voice is strained and low, but you catch everything regardless. “My name is Din,” he says to you, groaning shortly when you wind your fingers in his hair. “You can’t— You can’t say that in front of anyone, only to me and the baby. But that’s my name. I want you to call me by my name.”
“Anything you want, Din,” you say at once, and Maker does that have him swearing. Din does something with your body— opens your legs or lifts up your hips, something— and you see stars, whining brokenly. Not for the first time do you wish you could see his face or the plane of his back as he fucks you, but you have to admit that you’re glad that Din’s blind in all of this as well. You don’t even want to think about what you look like, how ruined and desperate your face must be. The pace is relentless now, and you find yourself struggling to keep up, keening and moaning and taking it until Din’s talking to you again.
“I’m sorry,” he breathes, and you don’t understand.
“What?” you ask, breathless yourself. He hasn’t let up once since the two of you began, and even though you haven’t cum once, you already feel like you’re on another plane of existence.
“I’m sorry I never—” Din groans, adjusting his grip on your body. “I’m sorry I’m so bad at all of this shit. Talking and letting go and all the other stuff normal people do. I shouldn’t— You deserve more than that. I’m so sorry, cyar’ika.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” you tell him, holding fast to his shoulders, his arms, anything you can get your hands on. You don’t know how to tell him that all this is more than enough to make up for everything, that there’s hardly anything to make up for as it is.
“Yes, there is,” Din presses, and you know he wants to say more, but you cut him off before he can continue.
“Make me cum and kiss me while you do it,” you say to him, “and we’ll call it even.”
And Din seems more than happy to accept the deal, his fingers on your clit not three seconds after you’re done talking. You cum almost too fast, blindsided by your orgasm despite the fact that it’s been building for what feels like years now. Din’s not far behind you, asking whether or not he can cum inside you, and you tell him no, not this time. You have a long-term implant, but you it hasn’t been looked at by a medic in well over a year. It’s probably fine, but you’d rather be safe than sorry. And anyway, it’s not like the feeling of Din’s cum painting your stomach and chest isn’t incredibly hot, so you’re by no means complaining as you lie there and listen to him jerk himself off, your name falling from his lips.
“Stay here,” Din tells you, speaking gently even as he works to catch his breath. You miss him the second he’s gone, your ears straining to track his movements in the dark. Careful footsteps, the shuffling of blankets, the click of the light in the ‘fresher— you can’t see Din, not from this angle, but the idea that he even trusts you enough to cut a light on at a time like this has your heart pounding. He’s completely exposed in there, helmet still sitting next to his armor across the hull, and you almost close your eyes on reflex as you listen to the water run. But it’s all for nothing because Din tells you to do it anyway, turning off the faucet and stepping out into the hull again after you say that you’ve done as he asked.
The washcloth Din cleans you with is warm, a fact that’s not lost on you as you lie there in the semi-darkness. He’s quiet, but the delicate, precise nature of Din’s work speaks volumes. You want to ask him if this is something he does for everyone he sleeps with, but you keep your mouth shut, thinking a question like that might ruin the mood. He goes away from you again once your stomach’s clean, cutting off the light in the ‘fresher and discarding the rag all while you keep your eyes closed. It’s not until Din’s back in bed beside you that you dare to so much as crack them open, afraid you might glimpse too much if you move any sooner.
“Thank you,” you murmur. You’re not sure if you’re thanking Din for the sex or for cleaning you up, but it’s probably a bit of both.
“You’re welcome, cyar’ika,” he replies, pulling you in close. “Are you tired?”
You don’t speak for a moment, thinking of how hard it is to keep your eyes open now, how your thighs ache and your body yearns for rest. “Yeah.”
“Sleep, then,” Din tells you, and you almost feel pathetic for clinging to him like a child. Almost.
“Will you be here when I wake up?”
You aren’t sure why you’re asking— it’s not like Din has anywhere else to go— but his answer is important to you regardless.
“Right here, mesh’la,” he tells you, sounding tired now himself. “I promise.”
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crescentsteel · 3 years
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Keeping a Secret - Part 8
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pairing: Tsukishima x f!manager of Sendai Frogs genre: sexual tension/crack/fluff/slow burn wc: 7.4k [a/n]
Thank you so much guys for being patient. I’m feeling so so much better now, but still recovering. 
Updates will still be slow but doing my best. I want to pay attention to my other hobbies again (dance, sing, games, cosplay). 
AO3 link is in the masterlist page.
Let me know if you want to be part of the taglist. 
Part 7 || Part 9 || masterlist
He wakes up from the slight trickle of light seeping through his room’s window. Did he not close his curtains before sleeping? He always makes sure they’re closed because he hates waking up to the brightness of the sun. Even the slightest rays of light  cause him to wake up. He sits up and rubs one eye as he tries to make sense of why his curtains are open and why his head feels a bit funny that morning. 
His hand stops moving and his whole body goes stiff when last night’s occurrences flash in his head. There’s not one single moment omitted from his memory.  
He remembers drinking in that foul place because he was so upset that he even bothered going there in the first place. He remembers every little foolish thing he did - the immense amount of flirting from his end, his inability to walk straight, talking to his fucking keys, and getting caught drunk by his brother. 
He looks at the space beside him for a while and groans, regretting everything last night.
The only pleasing memory from last night was when you laid down on his bed… and everything that followed after that. Yet that seems to be the only thing he imagined apart from the rest of what he can remember.
He’s been repressing the urge to kiss you ever since you broke the deal. So much so that  his brain probably conjured up a scene that would satisfy that desire. 
It felt so real though. You were so pliant and inviting. Even now, he can still remember how you whimpered his name and how you arched your body closer towards his touch.
He gently shakes his head.
You probably decided to go home after you changed and he was probably asleep by then, dreaming the whole thing. He reaches for his eyewear case and wears his glasses.  He seats himself at the foot of his bed, gathering his thoughts once more before he stands up.
He hears his door open and doesn’t bother looking up. It’s probably Akiteru. He’s very sure he’ll hear from his brother about him being drunk and brought home by you. He doesn’t have any valid explanation as to why he got himself drunk... so he keeps his head down to avoid his brother’s gaze before the taunts come. 
“Please don’t tell me you have a hangover.”
The voice is definitely not Akiteru’s. He slowly lifts his eyes up to see if it’s truly who he thinks it is.
When he does, his eyes land on your figure leaning back on his door with your arms crossed as you regard him with both worry and chagrin. 
You’re wearing his clothes, like you were in his dream. Was it really a dream though when you’re actually in his room right now wearing the exact same clothes?
No, it wasn’t. It really happened. You slept with him, in the most literal sense, with your hands clasped together. He takes in your appearance again. Without his glasses last night, he didn’t notice how big his clothes actually are on you. He really doesn’t pay much attention to your build. Your personality makes you standout and your presence is bigger than most people he has met.
But as he stares at you now, you seem silly acting all high and mighty when you look like a mouse wearing his clothes. He keeps a straight face despite being amused at your appearance.
Unable to read Tsukishima’s expression, you feel your frustration rising. Is he still dazed? After all the effort you put last night, does he have a hangover? He’s staring at you far too long without saying anything. “I will give you the worst earful you’ll ever get in your life if you have a fucking hangover,” you spit out. You did not suffer last night’s horrors only for him to have a hangover this morning.
“I don’t. I’m only trying to recall everything last night,” he says with his voice back to normal, devoid of the previous evening’s teasing and uncharacteristic flirtatiousness.
You two regard one another carefully, traces of what happened clear in each other’s eyes. Yet, no one dares speak of it. 
You decide to break the ice first as you smile your best at him. “I hope you remember how you talked to your keys,” you say with mirth glazing your tone. 
He squints at you while you maintain your cheery grin. He averts his gaze and answers, “I did no such thing,” even though his demeanor clearly says he fully remembers he did. 
You snort before getting your clothes last night from his desk. You place the bottle of water you grabbed from their kitchen to his desk. “Drink up. You’re still probably thirsty,” you tell him with a tone almost similar to Coach’s when someone from the team is acting up. Then you head to their restroom without saying anything else.
When you finish changing back to your clothes from last night, you check your reflection in the mirror. You look a bit tired but still okay, considering what you’ve been through. At least Tsukishima is no longer a flirting menace and you’re no longer a blushing virgin. 
You dump his dirty clothes in their laundry basket and go back to his room to let him know you’re leaving.
“You will attend this afternoon’s training, right?” you ask just to be sure. He stands up and narrows his eyes at you. “Why wouldn’t I?”
You grin at his response. The Tsukishima you know is back and is as nasty as you remember him to be. “Great to know. Anyways, I’ll leave now. I have classes soon and I still need to go back home to change,” you announce before going for his door.
But before you even touch the door knob, you feel him grip your arm. “Hey,” he says sternly. You turn around to face him, curious about what he has to say that he has to touch you to stop you from leaving. “What?” He answers by dipping down to reach your lips. He plants a chaste kiss on them that it makes your heart tumble from how uncharacteristically tender it is. He pulls back, remaining only centimeters away from your face for a while before he completely withdraws away.
You gape at him dumbfounded, uncertain what to make of what he just did.
“I’m confused,” you admit.
He cocks one brow up but the rest of his features are still unreadable.
“I thought you’d be smart enough to get what it means,” he says before a smirk creeps up on his lips, turning his blank expression to a smug one.
You scoff and look away with disbelief, but you quickly recover as you face him again with a smirk of your own. “You really this snarky in the morning, Tsukishima? You could’ve asked nicely if you wanted to be kiss buddies again,” you taunt him for you know he won’t openly admit it.
“I already did. Last night,” he answers, his eyes and tone no longer sneering.
He did?
‘We already broke that deal, Tsukki.’
‘Then let’s bring it back.’
He did. 
You just didn’t think he actually meant it. You were convinced that it was just an alcohol-induced volatility. 
Your confusion turns to something you can’t fully describe, something exasperating yet delightful at the same time.
You chuckle as you roll your eyes. “Indeed, you did,” you say before stepping out of his room, but for the second time, he stops you from leaving.
“You haven’t given me an answer yet.”
With your back facing him, you smile when you hear his persistence. 
You hastily turn around and latch an arm around his neck, pushing yourself against his body. You tip your toes to reach him and press your lips firmly against his.
Before it even sinks in him, you quickly pull back with your arms slowly dropping on his chest. You give it one tap and quietly say, “There’s your answer.”
You swiftly release yourself from him and third time’s a charm, you successfully get out of his room.
He watches you hurriedly close his door, then sighs when you’re no longer in sight.
“How annoying,” he utters.
Yet there’s the tiniest smile on his lips as he starts getting ready for his day.
Even though your secret deal is back, no one speaks of what almost happened that night on his bed. Both of you are aware that it did, but no one dares mention it. 
The secret kisses you share are also back to how it was - passionate but still harmless, nothing like the sensual one you had when he got drunk.
There’s also been no repeat of the hugging disaster you did at the Sendai gymnasium. Things are back to how it’s supposed to be. 
Yet you can’t shake off the feeling that something changed. 
Whatever. Maybe you’re just overthinking it because the project is ending soon. When it does, your little secret will cease to exist and you’ll become nothing more than his manager. Things will be back to how it was before the unfortunate pairing your professor did.
Was it really that unfortunate though? You stare at nothing for a while then take a deep breath to brush off your unnecessary thoughts.
You should be focused on the upcoming game, not on what happens with you and Tsukishima behind closed doors. You better go down to the benches with them than staring at the court when there’s not even a game taking place. 
“Fancy seeing you again, Miss Manager.”
You turn your head to the side to see who’ll be this match’s receiver of your rejectorama streak. You’re a bit surprised when it’s not someone in their jersey, but someone in a business suit regarding you with a professional smile. You know this guy. You’ve met him somewhere for sure. 
Ah, yes. He’s that guy talking with Bokuto when Tsukishima introduced you. 
You return the guy’s smile as you tilt your whole body to face him. “Sir Promoter,” you acknowledge quaintly. “How may I be of any help to you today?” 
“I was wondering if you can tell me more about the Frogs this year,” he says kindly, all too kindly for your taste. You’d brush him off but you might just be reading into it too much. He might be actually only doing his job.
“I’d love to, but we have a game. Maybe another time, Sir Promoter,” you maintain your goody two shoes act to mirror his nice guy demeanor.
“How about tonight then?” 
There it is - the slight tug of his lips and the hint of mischievousness that quickly flashed by his eyes. It was there only briefly but you saw it. He accidentally bared the fangs he’s hiding.
You take a step closer to him and give him a calculated smirk. Something tells you that you can’t pull the same antics you use to drive others away with this guy. You remember how he was studying you when you met the first time. You know he was into you or liked how you look at least.
As quick as he is to slip to his playful demeanor, he’s just as fast to be back to being well-mannered and polished, which you’re not totally sold on.
He’s playing a different game from others who have tried to ask you out. So you decide to change it up a bit and be upfront with him rather than creep him out with your weirdness.
“Are you asking me on a date, Sir Promoter?” you ask with unbridled mischievousness designed to throw him off.
Your plan works as you see him catch off his guard a bit with your direct question. However, he instantly recovers with his civil smile back on his face. 
“Me? Sorry to disappoint but it’s purely for work.” 
Your brow shoots up at his response. 
“It won’t be a date or anything,” he says with the same nice guy facade right before he tears it down as he smirks and leans down to whisper in your ear. 
 “Unless you want it to be.”
A smirk shows itself from your lips before you can suppress it. You have to admit. This guy is good. He knows that part of your job is to provide the information he needs from the team. He’s using that to his benefit and make it seem this invite is completely for professional purposes.
You might have believed it and might have been completely fooled if you haven’t met him yet before.
You laugh a bit as you internally admit your defeat.
“After the match then, Sir Promoter.”
He pulls away and stands straight back up with a grin. “It’s Kuroo, in case you forgot,” he reintroduces himself. “I didn’t.” You wink then pass by him without saying.
Kuroo chuckles to himself when you leave. He doesn’t mix business with pleasure. He really needs to get the updated profile of the Frogs for their database. He also needs to know which players he can include for their collaboration with Molten.
He planned to keep things professional and tried to keep his business pants on. But he failed to keep it for long when you easily noticed how attracted he is to you.
He shakes his head with a smile then heads to the benches where he’ll watch the game himself.
You clap your hands merrily after you tally the last winning point made by Kyoutani. Two  more games and your team will be up against a team from Division 1.
The Frogs have only been successful in achieving a game with Division 2 in your first year as a manager. After that it’s been mostly at the top 3 or 4.
This year, you’re confident that you’ll advance again among other Division 2 teams. 
When the team disperses for some down time after the match, you approach Coach Mira. “Hi Coach, I won’t be on the bus going back. The VBA promoter wants to ask me stuff about the team. I’ll gather everyone when it’s time to leave then meet the guy. Is there anything else you need me to do, Coach?”
She looks at you and smiles gratefully. “Nothing else, y/n. Thanks for your hard work as always.”
You smile back appreciatively before you turn around to get back on your tally sheet. You need to review the statistics of each member who played in the games.
“Hey,” you hear Tsukishima’s voice behind you before you grab your notebook.
“Hmm?” you respond quizzically, wondering what he might want from you after a game. “You’re meeting Kuroo later?” he asks with his usual empty tone and expression.
“Yeah. You know him?” 
You know that Tsukishima knows Bokuto, but you’re not sure if he knows the promoter Bokuto was with at the time. The Kuroo person might have just been there. Tsukishima nods. “He…,” he trails off, sounding unsure of what he’s going to say next. 
“He what?” you ask as you get your tally sheet from the bench.
“I trained with him too, along with Bokuto. He taught me how to block.” You put down the tally sheet and gape at him. “Really? That guy is your mentor?” 
You supposed that Kuroo has the build. He’s tall and even with his suit on, you can tell that he has some muscles going on underneath it. Now that you think about it, he’s actually kinda good looking. It’s just that a lot of athletes are buff, tall, and good-looking too that you’re desensitized to it now. 
“Yeah,” he responds. “I see. He’s asking me about the Frogs, something for his job I guess. I’ll meet with him right after I make sure all you guys are on the bus on the way back.”
You expect him to walk away and go to the restroom like he always does after a game, but he just stands in front of you saying nothing. “What?”
“You should ask to reschedule. It’s already late.”
You look at your phone to check the time and it really is late than the usual time the games end. The slot the team got was the last match for the day and the earlier games were delayed so the team finished at already 9.30 pm. “It’s fine. I don’t think it will take long anyways.”
He takes a few seconds before he answers. “Right,” then he walks away. You finish summarizing your tally sheet then gather the members of the frogs. You make sure everyone is on the bus before you take your leave and go back inside the gymnasium where you agreed to meet Kuroo.
You see him against the railing where you were watching from earlier. His elbows are leaning on the banister with his hands on his pockets as he grins at you who’s walking towards him.
“Shall we commence this professional get-together?”
“Yes, we shall. Would you prefer going somewhere else?” he smiles as he asks.
“I’m all set here if it’s purely Frogs’ information you’re after,” you answer craftily, attempting to make him admit that there’s another kind of business he’s going for. 
“Here it is then,” he responds with a grin, resolute in his stance that he’s not going to ask you out tonight. He clears his throat and stands up straight, his deviousness gone as he starts asking questions.
Damn, you were mistaken about this guy. He was just toying around with you earlier but really had no plans to ask you out. He must be like you who just likes to mess with people every once in a while. You probably came off cocky to him this morning.
More than being embarrassed, you’re amused. He’s actually interesting. 
“That’s that, y/n. Thanks for your cooperation on this one,” he says politely. 
“No worries. It’s part of my job.”
“Do you have a card so I can get back to you if I need anything again?” 
You get your cardholder from the pockets of your pants, but you don’t feel anything even as you reach even the deepest parts of them. You check the pockets of your jacket as well but it’s not there either.
You most likely left it at home.
“Uhhh. I don’t have it with me right now. You can just take my number,” you suggest.
He raises one brow quaintly but brushes it off immediately as he hands you his phone. You take his phone and as you’re about to enter your contact details, you suddenly feel uncanny with giving him your number this way.
You look at him and ask. “It’s the same thing, right?”
He frowns. “What is?”
“Putting my number like this on your phone and giving you my business card,” you answer.
He chuckles lowly and glances at you with a very amused grin. “For you sake, I’d say yes, they’re the same.”
You enter your contact number and hand it to him with a smile. When he gets it, he raises his brow and looks back at you. “Manager of Sendai Kermits?”
You nod. “That way we keep it professional.”
His grin spreads wider as he pockets his phone. No one would put that kind of name in their contact details and genuinely think it’s professional. 
“I have to be honest, y/n. You’re making it really hard for me to keep it strictly that way.”
You feign innocence as you put a gentle hand on your chest. “Me? But I’m not doing anything.”
Right, and Volleyball is a sport played by monkeys in pink dresses. “Sure,” he agrees and lets it go before he does something out of line like asking you to have late dinner with him since the game ended late already. “We done?” you ask.
“Yeah. Sorry, I took longer than I expected,” he apologizes. At times, he’d get drawn in with how you speak and how entertaining you look while doing so that he got distracted. “How are you going to get home by the way? It’s late already.” If you’d ask him, he can take you home. Though he highly doubts you’d ask that of someone who’s practically a stranger. 
“I think I can still catch the bus,” you casually respond. 
“I can walk you to the bus stop if you don’t mind,” he discreetly offers, making sure that you’re comfortable with the idea. 
“Hmm,” you ponder. Unlike the girls who he has gone out with, he can tell you’re not playing hard to get by delaying your answer. You’re really deciding on whether you’d let him extend what little time more there is to enjoy your company.
You grin at him genuinely, none of your pretentious facade whatsoever. “Alright!” you stand up and don't wait for him as you start walking already. 
He shakes his head then easily catches up and walks beside you.
“How long have you been a manager?” It wasn’t a question to start a small talk. He’s seriously curious how long you have been doing this. He only got the promotion recently so he does not know most people aside from his friends and acquaintances from his Volleyball time in high school. Previously, he only had to work at the office. He’s establishing his own connections only now.
“Three years and counting,” you respond with your eyes straight ahead. 
You’re a year ahead of him in this industry then. He got his job at the VBA two years ago. “Three years, huh? Isn’t that when Tsukishima joined the team as well?”
“You’re really that close with him, huh?” You remark with intrigue as you two continue walking towards the exit.
“Taught the boy everything he knows about blocking,” he comments with a grin even though you’re not looking. 
Your rich laughter fills the empty hallway as you finally glance his way. “Why do you sound like a 40-year old man?”
“What can I say? I’m full of wisdom,” he counters immediately, causing you to raise an eyebrow to go with your amused smile.
“Forgive me, Mr. Promoter, but I have to say you're full of shit.”
He cackles uninhibitedly from your sharp-witted retort. He knows you have one hell of a personality based on the little interaction you had when he first met you, but you’re proving yourself to be a whole lot more than what he anticipated. 
“Am I that easy to read?” He asks with traces of his laughter still in his voice. You scrunch your nose quickly before smiling prettily at him. “I’m afraid so.”
As you two are about to reach the exit, he decides to just go for it. You’re getting more interesting and more interesting as he talks with you and there’s not really a rule that he’s not allowed to date people from the professional teams. 
Since the meeting is done, this right now is technically not part of his job anymore. He’s doing it to spend more time with you. 
“Actually, y/n. I have my car parked outside. If you don’t mind, I can drive you home instead,” he offers more at ease this time. 
He seems like a legitimately good person who can grasp your sense of humor and hold a fun conversation. Most importantly, you somehow feel comfortable around him. Besides, it would be nice if you don’t have to take the bus or hail a cab to go home. 
So you don’t take too long to decide. “Su-”
“Hey.” Someone cuts you off as you reach the outside of the Sendai Gymnasium. You look at your left where the familiar voice came from and see your favorite middle blocker. He’s still wearing the Sendai Frogs’ jacket, but now has pants on instead of their official shorts.
“Hey,” you respond with a puzzled look as to why he’s still there when you clearly remember he was seated at the back of the bus before you stepped out of it. 
“Tsukishima,” Kuroo acknowledges his presence cordially with a grin. 
Tsukki bows a bit to the promoter with an impassive expression, then looks at you again but doesn’t really say anything..
“What are you doing here?” you ask since he doesn’t look like he’s going to explain on his own. 
He doesn’t answer and remains silent with his eyes glued on you. Your brows furrow a bit as you ask again. “I said what are you-”
“Coach asked me to wait for you.”
You blink at him several times while holding his gaze. You look down for one quick second then turn to Kuroo with a huge, dumb smile on your face. “I’d have to pass tonight, Kuroo. Coach might worry if I don’t go with him,” you point to Tsukishima as you say it. 
Kuroo notices how you smile differently, more earnestly, with Tsukishima’s presence. He turns his attention to Tsukishima whose eyes are still on you despite the blank expression on the blonde’s face. 
Tsukishima said he’s there because their Coach said so but Kuroo doesn’t buy it one bit. He can’t imagine Tsukishima willingly abiding the Coach’s orders to play nanny for you. Unless Tsukishima himself wants to do so. 
Kuroo knows that you and Tsukishima are not dating. If you were, you wouldn’t be so surprised that he’s here waiting for you. But that gives Kuroo confirmation that something is going on with you two. 
He looks back at you and returns the smile. “No worries. Maybe next time?” He asks casually albeit the meaning behind that laid-back question. 
“Maybe,” you giggle softly as you answer. “I’ll see you around, Kuroo.” You give him a brief wave then head to Tsukishima’s side. The blonde, on the other hand, gives him a quick nod and bids him, “Good evening, Kuroo-san.” 
You turn to him as well, “Good night!” Then pour your whole attention to the other guy beside you as you two walk away from him. 
He remains where he is and watches your animated expression from afar. He really likes you. It’s too bad you like someone else though. 
When you two are out of his sight, he walks to where he parked his car. 
--
“So, Tsukki,” you grin at him. “Coach really is that concerned about me that she asked you to.. wait for me?” you ask with your tone dripping with amusement because you know that Coach will never ask that of someone, especially him. Coach Mira thinks he despises you and even if he doesn’t, she still wouldn’t. Coach Mira knows you can take care of yourself. 
“Shut up,” he says lowly, but nothing more. You’re expecting a snide response but it doesn’t come. 
“As thanks for last time, I’ll take you to your dorm,” he says with his eyes straight ahead.
You keep your gaze on him for a few more seconds then turn to the same direction he’s looking at. He never did thank you for it, but it’s not like you were expecting him to. You helped him get home out of concern both as his manager and his partner in class. 
You didn’t expect that he’d still be thinking about it even after a week. Although, it makes sense that he does. Obviously, he’s never been in that state wherein he needed help getting home. He probably feels like he’s indebted or something. 
Tsukishima glances briefly at how you’re still smiling even when you’re not talking. Earlier, he was battling himself on why he got off the bus and chose to wait for you. Sure, it’s pretty late, but it’s not like you can’t go home on your own. If he’d be honest, until now, he still doesn’t know why he chose to get left behind and stand outside for who knows how long. 
But seeing you as you are now, he knows he made the right decision to stay.
---
The timetable you planned for you and Tsukishima has long been messed up. You were supposed to finish this project a month ago. But a lot of things happened during your private meetings that you lost track of how you’re progressing along. 
It isn’t only until that afternoon where you receive the last write up you need from Tsukishima for the project that you’re made aware that today is your last day together. 
After you get the notification in your email, he glanced your way. 
“What else do you need?” he asks.
You try to think of what else he can contribute, but you come up with nothing. Everything is set. You’re just restructuring your output as a whole so it’s coherent. 
“Um. Nothing. We’re all good now,” you announce blandly instead of rejoicing that it will finally be over today. 
You look at Tsukishima and find him looking at your screen. “Let me look at it,” he says to verify if it is as good as you say it is. 
You slide a bit to your right so he can check the document himself. He skids in front of your laptop and scans the draft of the document you put up, checking for any possible room for improvement. 
But you really are exceptional in organizing reports. It’s as cohesive as it can be, which ultimately is good news for you and for him. The project will be done by tonight. “It is all good now,” he confirms. 
When he glances back at you, you two share the same look - dismal. He knows that the project will end, even the semester is coming to a close soon. But he did not anticipate that your last meeting is today. 
“Alright,” you break the uneasy air as you swat your hand to shoo him away. “Let me work this through so we can completely finish it.” 
He’s not certain whether you’re asking him to leave already since he’s done his part or you’re just making him go back to his own laptop. Not wanting to embarrass himself, he asks, “Should I pack up and leave now?”
You narrow your eyes with displeasure. “Of course not. You’ll stay here until I finish the damn thing, Tsukishima. Don’t think I’ll let you off the hook that easily.”
He doesn’t complain and remains impassive as you watch him return to his seat. He fights off the grin that was threatening to surface on his lips while he starts doing his requirements for another class.
When you see him comply, you return your attention to wrapping up the project. The truth is you can send him home already. You don’t need his presence to finish the report. You just want to keep him longer, one or two more hours will do. 
Then you longer have any reason to meet with him outside training hours. You’ll finally stop your private meetings along with your clandestine kisses. 
You’ll be back to being solely his manager.
Even though you still have a lot of things to do for another subject, you take your sweet time with what you’re doing. You start typing like an old man whose reading glasses no longer work. Then after you’re done, you conduct a spell check which you normally don’t do because you correct typos as you go along, not after the output is done. 
After an hour of dilly dallying around trying to clean the already clean word file, you reckon it’s time to let it go. 
You look at Tsukishima and softly call his name, “Tsukki.”
He stops typing and faces you. “Done?”
You nod with a faint smile. “Yeah, we’re done.” Done with the project and done with whatever you two had. 
“I already sent it to our professor as well,” you add. 
“I see.” He packs up quietly then stands up to leave. You stand up as well and open the door for him. You stopped opening the door for him when he leaves, but since this is the last, you thought it was fitting that you send him out. 
“Tsukishima.”
He pauses as you say his name, turning his head to face you and waits for what you’re going to say. You don’t really have anything to say though. You just stare at him. And he stares right back, his gaze studying your face carefully until it lands on your mouth. That’s when you figure out why you stopped him from leaving. 
You want a last kiss. 
When you started your agreement, you’ve never been afraid or shy to go for a kiss. Only now. 
“What is it, y/n?” he asks calmly even though his eyes are on your lips. You know he wants the same despite the apathetic demeanor. If not, he wouldn’t be looking at you as he is right now. 
Yet you don’t want to initiate. 
Obviously, neither does he.
It’s kind of stupid. After the countless kisses, none of you moves to instigate the last one. 
You don’t know how long you stare into each other, but since this seems to be going nowhere, you decided to just leave it as is. 
“Good night. I’ll see you in training,” you say instead. 
He seems to have recovered from his own daze as well when he responds with a dry, “Right,” before stepping out of your room.
You close the door behind him with a certain gloom you can’t make sense of. Months ago, you two wanted nothing more than to finish this project. Now that you’re finally free of each other, you feel... sad?
Ridiculous. 
You shake it off and get back to what you’re supposed to be doing. You and Tsukishima had good teamwork. Although he has some rude comments here and there, they usually have no bite to them. Other than that, he was easy to work and hang around with. The liplocking was just a fun perk. Nothing more, nothing less. 
--
You enter the gym and find that not much of the team is there yet. It’s Kogane, Tsukishima, Eiji, and Coach who’s only there.
You put your bag in one of the benches and get your report on the previous match of the team. You walk towards Coach Mira and hand it to her. “Thanks, y/n,” she says with a pleasant smile she doesn’t show to anyone else from the team. “Can you set up the other net?” She asks while going over the report you gave her.
“Yes, Coach,” you answer agreeably then head to the other side of the court. You pull up a stool chair and stand on it as you tie the net to the pole.
“Y/n.”
You’re startled by Tsukishima’s voice behind you that the chair along with your ankles shake when you flinch. You try to grab the pole to steady yourself but you can’t reach it anymore. 
“Shit!” You curse beneath your breath and just accept you’ll flat on your butt. But instead of falling, you feel a pair of huge hands on your waist that thwarts your ass kissing the floor. 
“What are you doing?” You hear Tsukishima ask impertinently as he gently eases you back on the chair. “Do you need help getting down?” he follows up with his hands still on your waist. 
You turn around carefully and place your hands on his shoulders to support yourself as you jump down on your own. You grin at him which is probably why he takes his hands off you. You turn around to tighten the bottom part of the net. 
“Did you need something?” You ask as you continue tying the knot. You finish what you’re supposed to do and he still hasn’t answered so you face him again. 
“What’s up, Tsukki?” You’re a bit confused why he’s silent when he’s the one who came up to you. 
“Can you tape my fingers?” 
The situation reverses and now, you’re the one who’s not responding. Three years as their manager and he’s never asked for help taping his finger. 
“Uhh. Sure. Do you have your bandage with you?”
He gets it from the right pocket of his jacket and gives it to you. You get it and take his right hand to tape it first. Even though this is the first time he’s asked you to do it, you’ve done it before with Coach’s orders. Every single time you do, he has a disgruntled look on his face as he does his best for his eyes not to land on any part of your face. 
But now, you can feel him staring at you while you work on his fingers.
“Something on my face, Tsukishima?” You ask teasingly. 
“Yeah. You still have coffee on your chin,” he answers seriously. 
You stop abruptly and shove the bandage on his palm to hastily wipe your chin. “Is it still there?” You look up to him as you ask.
He presses his lips together before he looks to the side. However, you catch the sligh tug in the corner of his mouth prior to turning away. 
“What? Did I not get it?” You ask a bit worriedly as you try to remember the people you greeted on your way here. You beamed cheerfully at them and all this time, you had a smidge of coffee on your chin.
 His shoulders start shaking and you can hear his suppressed laughter as he’s turned away from you. 
You narrow your eyes at him and cross your arms. “You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?”
He returns his gaze at you with an entertained smirk. “If you stopped drinking coffee like it’s water then maybe you wouldn’t fall for such a simple ploy.”
You give him a sarcastic smile as you yank his hand to continue taping him. “Real mature, Tsukishima,” you remark dryly.
“You’re one to talk,” he instantly counters. 
You snort and shake your head amusedly. In the past, you’d think it’s an insult, but at present, you can tell that it’s just benign banter.
While you tape his hands, there’s comfortable silence between you two that you only feel when you’re seated beside each other when you’re doing the project. You didn’t expect you’d feel it again even when you’re in the gym with other people around.
You’re almost done with his left hand when you hear Coach Mira call you. “Coming, Coach!” you yell from where you are and finish the tape on his middle finger. 
“And it’s done,” you grin briefly at him then turn to where Coach is.
Before you go, you hear him utter a low, “Thanks.”
A faint smile forms on your face as you saunter back to Coach. When you reach her, she frowns a bit at you. 
Your smile disappears, thinking that you made some error that Coach caught after you submitted it to her. “What’s wrong, Coach? Is something off with the report?” You ask a bit troubled. 
“No. It’s perfect as usual,” she remarks commendably. 
You ease up knowing that your write up is still quintessential. “What else can I do to help?” Since there’s nothing wrong with the report, she must need help for another task. 
“Actually, I wanted to ask if you’re dating Tsukishima.”
Now you wish there’s something wrong with the file you submitted instead. You’d prefer that than having Coach suspect there’s something like that between you and Tsukishima. 
Nothing’s going on with you two except for the project you had together. Usually, you don’t give a shit what other people think of you. But not Coach.  You don’t feel comfortable that she is dubious of your relationship with the blonde middle blocker. 
“What made you ask, Coach?” you ask, wondering where she got the idea.
“You two seem more.. I don’t know,” she struggles for the next words while you wait anxiously for it. “more at ease with each other now,” she continues.
You feign a laugh and respond casually. “I’m just messing with him as usual,” you lie because it’s the other way around. 
Coach glances back at Tsukishima then at you. “He looks like he’s enjoying it this time though. He’s even staring at you when I called you here.”
You turn your head his way and see him practicing his serve already. You face Coach again and smile bemusedly. “I wonder why.” You really have no idea why he was staring. 
Coach studies your face for a few seconds then shrugs. “Alright. I’ll let you get back to work instead of being a nosy middle-aged woman,” she smiles at you then returns to the report you gave her.
You nod politely then turn around to go to the stockroom. When you’re almost there, you glance discreetly to Tsukishima and reflect on Coach Mira’s suspicion.
Does it really seem like you have that relationship with him?
--
You thought of doing your uni requirements in the library today for a new work setting. As you’re approaching the entrance of the library, you open your bag to get your ID. 
Several minutes of rummaging your bag and you still can’t find it. 
Shit! Did you lose it?
The last time you actually saw it when you used it to enter the bar. Did you drop it from your pocket? But you put it in your back pocket so you won’t accidentally lose it when you get your phone.
You close your bag and try to remember the whole night. Who were the people you talked to? 
A lot. You talked to a lot of people but you really had no reason to take your ID out. 
You can only think of two possible ways you lost it. First was in the cab with Tsukishima. You shifted too much on your seat that it may have slid out of your back pocket. Second would be in their restroom where you changed clothes. 
You get your phone and text Tsukishima. 
‘Tsukki! By any chance, did I leave my id there or sumthin? >_<’
Tsukishima hears his message tone as he descends their stairs. He waits until he reaches their couch and then opens his phone to read the message. 
ID? Did you lose it?
Even if you did, you shouldn’t be too worried since it’s almost graduation. You won’t need it anymore. 
He types in his reply. 
‘Why bother finding it? You won’t need it soon.’
“Kei.” 
He lifts his gaze from his phone before sending it when he hears his brother’s voice. “What is it?” he asks. 
Akiteru sits on the other couch adjacent to the one he’s sitting on. “Any plans after graduation?”
He’d feel pressured and irritated from the question if it was asked by someone else. “I have an interview at the Sendai Museum next week,” he answers blankly despite feeling a bit certain of applying for the post. 
“I didn’t know you were already looking for a job. That’s great though!” Akiteru comments brightly.
“Yeah,” he answers lowly then looks down on his phone again. “Alright, then. I was just curious.” His brother smiles caringly then stands up. 
“Nii-san,” he calls before Akiteru leaves the room. 
“Yes?” His brother looks at him still smiling.
“Did you see an ID that’s not mine around?” he asks ambiguously because he doesn’t want to mention your name on the high chance that Akiteru hadn’t seen it. His older brother has bugged him about it non-stop after you took him home last week. He doesn’t want to remind Akiteru about it unnecessarily.  
“Silly me! I forgot to tell you. The other day, mom saw y/n’s university ID in the washing machine when she was hanging clothes. She gave it to me because you were still not home then. I’ll give it to you in your room later,” Akiteru grins widely then waves at him before heading up the stairs.
He’s relieved that he heard no more than that. He was honestly expecting more teasing, but fortunately, his brother seems to have toned it down now.
He gets to his phone again and types instead. 
‘Yeah. It’s here.’
Not more than a minute later, he receives your response already. 
‘Can u bring it in class or training? :D’
He easily types ‘Okay’ since it’s just a small favor. Then when he’s about to send it, his thumb hovers above the send button. 
He deletes it and sends a different reply.
‘No.’
You frown when you read his response. You thought he’s somehow warmed up at you already but seems like he’s back to being a salty ass. It’s just an ID. It weighs like nothing and can fit in his pocket. What’s the deal?
You’re drafting your reply when he sends another text message.
You quickly tap the notification that briefly flashed on top of your screen and raise your brows when you completely read it. 
‘Get it yourself. It’s in my room.’
After a few seconds, you shake your head and chuckle at what he meant with his superficially rude message. 
Tsukishima, you smooth tsundere bastard.
Part 7 || Part 9 || masterlist
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tundrainafrica · 3 years
Text
Title: First Day
Summary:  
“You usually don’t take time off,” Levi commented.
“I know."
“So why are you taking time off?”
“It’s our kid’s first day at school,” Hange responded in the most anticlimactic of manners. Yet, the knowing grin in her face didn’t fade.
Hange and Levi deal with their child's first day of school in different ways. Written for Levihan Week 2021, Day 1: School.
Link: AO3
Notes: 
Levihan Week Day 1 Prompt: School, organized by @levihanweek.
This is kinda late because the past few weeks have been hectic but I've been trying to get back into writing regularly again since the long break I took after completing Lovebug. 
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Most mornings, Hange was out the door at six in the morning. Sometimes ten minutes after, sometimes five minutes after but never anything more than that. It was always a loud grand exit accompanied with footsteps, a clipped ‘see you later’ and a loud slam of the door.
So routine that Levi would never look back. That day was a little different. Ten minutes past six and it was utterly silent. The absence of such a loud and chaotic goodbye seemed to leave a more deafening echo.
Deafening silence, or the absence of what had been usually there, wasn’t the type of deafening that rang in his ears. It was the type of absence that seemed to tickle at the back of his ears, awakening a fighting instinct that had been long asleep. “You’re still here?” Levi asked.
She was quick to reply. “I asked for a half day at work today.” Quick and very casual.
“Oh really?” Levi responded.
Hange had always told him the day before if she were taking a leave. That day, such a small detail sent some alarm bells ringing inside him. He looked back to see Hange deftly flipping through a newspaper with just one hand, taking bites of bread with the other. “Yep.” She didn’t seem at all in any hurry to look up at him.
Levi narrowed his eyes at her, wondering if that was enough to make her feel any obligation to meet his eyes. It wasn’t. The newspaper must have been a very interesting subject. “You usually don’t take time off,” Levi commented.
“I know,” Hange said, her tone unchanging.
“So why are you taking time off?” Levi felt slightly ticked at having to articulate the question. It just wasn’t the natural flow of their conversations.
Hange chose that moment to look up, a wide grin on her face, a knowing grin. She put the newspaper down, took another bite of bread and her chews were larger, seemingly more exaggerated. She had a special talent. If she actually tried, she could hide what she was thinking even from someone who had known her more than half their life. “It’s our kid’s first day at school,” Hange answered in the most anticlimactic of manners. Yet, the knowing grin in her face didn’t fade.
Levi raised one eyebrow at her. He set aside the cutlery he had been organizing and settled in front of her. He took a slice of bread from the plate in front of him, bit into it and flashed his partner an expectant look.
It wasn’t every day Hange was there at half past six on a weekday and she looked like she was completely aware of it. “How do you feel about Luke’s first day?” she asked.
“All kids go to school. This isn’t really a big change,” Levi said in between bites of bread.
“Really? Not a big change?”
Levi paused for a second. It wasn’t a big change. That is, if he didn’t count the past few days spent looking through rows of school bags at the shop, if he didn’t count the daunting process of organizing stationary while just relishing the unnatural feeling of expensive school supplies to the touch. The underground city didn’t really have a lot of schools and consequently, Levi never had to worry about such a luxury growing up. “Luke will be in school so more peace and quiet.”
The conversation was surprisingly slow. The air between them seemed louder and seemed to be circulating a little faster than usual. It was a loud silence only broken when Luke came barging into the kitchen, big bag precariously propped on his back.
Levi was suddenly aware that he was taking his sweet time speaking and Hange was letting him.
The young boy gave him more than enough of an excuse to avoid that awkward silent interrogation. “Luke, what the hell is in your bag?”
“First day!” Luke said, in some attempt at protest maybe.
No, it was a protest definitely as Levi had made it his mini mission for the day to untangle the straps from under the young boys arms.
There was no way in hell he was letting his child go to school with such a disorganized death trap. The bag was comically round, stuffed to the point that pencils and markers were sticking out in weird places.
A chaotic mess. A death trap waiting to bite or more specifically, crush him.
There was still some attempt by the young boy to inject some organization into it. The stationary was organized in clusters. The crayons bunched on one side of the bag and pencils on the other. There were folded papers stuffed in the middle of the paper, and some snacks were stuffed towards the bottom of the bag.
“Luke, I told you, you can bundle your crayons like this.” He had gotten a rubber band and twisted it around the crayons and pencils, once then twice.
Levi was bringing out the items in bunches, lining them out on the table then stuffing them into the bag again, that time with a little more regard for aesthetic and functionality. Levi was creating shapes, very convenient shapes and he had made a puzzle out of the whole process of organizing a three year old’s school bag.
When he was done, all the supplies only occupied half the bag. He gestured at the organized bag in the same way he did every other time Luke would watch him clean. And the latter nodded understandingly, the same way he did every other time before. Enough for Levi to know, the boy had at least taken note of half the cleaning process.
That exchange between father and son was very much routine. Since the child was old enough to talk, Levi had taken great pains to teach the young boy organization. Sometimes though, there were hiccups in the whole process of teaching. And during those hiccups, Levi was reminded, Luke was Hange’s child too.
Suddenly curious about her reaction, Levi turned to his Hange. The latter was still sipping coffee as she watched. An amused look was etched on her face. “If you ask me, I think he did a pretty good job fixing his bag.”
***
Levi didn’t know he had been waiting for a climax until he found himself very disappointed at the denouement.
It just seemed too easy and Hange just seemed too happy and too laidback. By the school gates, they separated with hugs, some pieces of advice dumbed down for a three year old. Hange was usually the more talkative one but Levi found he was the one asking more questions, saying more than necessary.
“He’ll be fine, you know,” Hange said, her voice firm, her look almost admonishing.
Levi froze. He had only become more hyper aware of his uncharacteristic chattiness when Hange pointed it out herself.
I packed you a sandwich… I’ll pick you up at two… If you wanna go home early, just tell the teacher okay?
Were those words unnecessary for a kid? But Luke had to know right? Or at least his teacher? “Maybe we should talk to the teacher,” Levi suggested. "Just so they know us and they won't hesitate to contact us if—"
Hange shook her head. “He’ll be fine,” she said. “Look, he’s ready to go in already.”
Luke wasn’t crying. He wasn’t begging them to leave him alone. In fact, he had only turned back at them, waved one hand and shouted ‘bye!’ when he was already a good few feet away.
“Okay, I guess he’s fine then,” Levi said. If Luke and Hange both think it’s fine… He spun around, his back towards the school and he let out a stifled breath, some release for that disappointment and tension that had been raring to ooze out since that morning.
“I said, he’ll be fine,” Hange repeated. It was starting to get annoying.
“I knew that,” Levi retorted.
“Doesn’t look like it.”
Levi shot her a venomous glare. “Okay, if you knew he’d be fine, then why bother taking a half day off from work to see him off?”
“Cause I was guessing… someone else wouldn’t be so fine,” Hange responded.
They had turned the corner from the school gates, to a narrow road a little emptier. Again, there was that knowing grin on her face and her face was only inches away from him. Consoling? Mocking?
No, it was definitely mocking. “Oh, who are you talking about?”
Hange didn’t respond. She looked away, just making it more apparent that she had been staring right at him.
“Who are you talking about Hange?” Levi pressed. He wasn’t stupid. The answer was right in front of him. But was it an answer he wanted to accept?
“I called a half day off from work. But I’m planning on going to the office today and working for an hour or so. Why don’t you come along? You should say hi to Armin and Mikasa, it’s been a while since you talked to them,” Hange said.
“I have to pick up Luke—”
“At two right?” Hange asked. “We won’t be in the office that long.”
“I need to prepa--”
“Prepare what?” Hange challenged. Her voice was firmer. She was walking ahead with longer strides, towards the path to her office, only a convenient few minutes away from the school. “You’re gonna be alone in the house you know.”
Alone in the house. Being alone wasn’t too big of a deal. Levi had lived alone a few times when he was in between roommates at the barracks. As captain, he conveniently got his own room. That felt like a lifetime away though.
The past few years were easier to look back at. When Hange was at work, it was usually just him and Luke at home. Then and there, just the thought of being home alone had sent some strange feeling through him.
A very strange sadness. A very strange loneliness.
A sudden need to turn to Hange and maybe confide for a little longer. Besides, it isn’t everyday Hange is giving you this much attention. Levi reminded himself.
“He’ll be fine,” Hange said again. “Going to school’s just part of growing up.”
“It is.” Levi admitted. “I think I just need to be a little sad about it.” He deliberately softened his voice then to something just loud enough for Hange to hear.
Annoyingly, her smile got wider, her eyes were larger, as if she was looking at a specimen and he was her specimen. “I knew taking a half day off would be a good idea.”
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seijorhi · 4 years
Note
Hi, I saw ur post about requests closing soon so I figured I’d give ya another, but it’s okay if ya don’t get to it anytime soon since you have so many!! Can I request Yandere Suga and Daichi with a fem! darling who’s oblivious to them, and they both maintain the image of friends in front of others but they’re actually fighting each other for your love, but then you start dating someone else and they both team up? I 💕 your writing so much, I’m excited to see what you do 😌
Yes of course bby! Hope you like it 💕
Daichi Sawamura x female reader, Sugawara Koushi x female reader
TW implied non-con, slight nsfw, manipulation, abuse of power (kinda), minor violence, mentions of grief
Tug O’ War
You meet Daichi first, on the outskirts of Miyagi thanks to a blown tyre and a dead phone battery. It’s just after nine pm and you’re ready to resign yourself to abandoning your car and hiking the rest of the way when the police cruiser pulls up, and sitting behind the wheel is Officer Daichi. 
Sawamura, he tells you on the drive into town.
“So I take it you’re not from around here?” he asks, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye.
There’s a small smile adorning his face, but you know he’s just being polite, trying to break the somewhat awkward silence between the two of you. Truth be told you don’t mind the quiet. With his radio playing quietly in the background, you’re still trying to sort through your thoughts, prepare yourself for what’s waiting for you when you arrive. 
But that’s not his problem, and you don’t want to be rude, so you shake your head with a faint smile of your own. “I am actually… or I was, I guess. I moved away after high school.”
A lone eyebrow quirks, “Oh yeah? So what brings you back to Miyagi then? Family?”
Fingers twist in your lap.
“… Something like that.” 
Maybe it’s because of the nerves eating away at your stomach, or maybe it’s just been a while since you’ve been back, but the drive to your sister’s house feels like it takes longer than it should. Daichi makes easy conversation the whole drive, and by the time you pull up out front of your old childhood home you find yourself glad of the temporary reprieve. 
“Thank you. For the lift, I mean,” you tell him, standing awkwardly off to the side as he lifts your suitcase out of the trunk and passes it over to you. “I would have been up for one hell of a walk if you hadn’t come along.” 
He grins down at you, laughing not unkindly, “It is kind of my job, but you’re welcome. I could hardly leave you stranded, now could I?”
You open your mouth to reply, but before you can speak a word the front door of the house is thrown open and a tiny figure barrels out onto the front lawn. You have a split second to brace yourself before impact, tiny arms wrapping around your middle, “Auntie!!!” 
A bewildered Daichi watches as you smile (genuinely, perhaps for the first time that night), ruffling the boy’s hair. “Hey buddy, how’s my favourite little man?” 
Glancing up, you spy your sister standing in the open doorway and your smile fades a touch. Your nephew’s already excitedly chattering, blissfully oblivious to the situation - a minor miracle in and of itself - as he eagerly tugs you back up towards the house. 
It’s only when you’re halfway up the driveway that you remember Daichi.
A glance back over your shoulder confirms your suspicion - he’s still standing there, watching the odd display with a slightly confused expression, though to his credit he manages to quickly school his features back into something a touch more befitting an officer of the law when he realises he’s been caught.
“Thank you again, really. I appreciate it. You’re kinda my hero tonight.”
He nods, and it might be a trick of the dim light, but you swear you see his cheeks flush pink, “Anytime.”
Just as he promised, your car is picked up by a local towing company the very next morning before you’re even out of bed. The tyre is replaced without too much fuss, but when you go to pay, the mechanic simply shakes his head and tells you it’s all been taken care of.
You make a mental note to swing by the station and thank Daichi (again) in person.
***
It’s only fitting, you suppose, that you meet Suga a few days later. 
Thursday’s your sister works late, which leaves you to pick your nephew up from school. You’re thankful that they’re already aware of the situation, nobody questions why a veritable stranger is passing through the gates - at least, not after your nephew perks up at the sight of you, shouting your name as he hastily tries to shove his arms through his backpack. In his excitement he almost trips - would have tripped - if not for the silver haired man who catches him before he can stumble, setting him right with a shake of his head.
“Please slow down, Daisuke. You’ll hurt yourself,” he chastises gently. 
Your nephew pouts, and you can’t help but chuckle a little as he ducks his head in shame as you approach. “Hey bud, did you have a good day?”
Hazel eyes regard you curiously as your nephew clings to your legs, nodding before burying his face into your side. 
“You must be Y/N,” the man - Daisuke’s teacher you can only assume - says as he straightens up. 
Considering your nephew had all but screamed it across the courtyard, there’s not really a need to confirm it, but you nod anyway, accepting his hand when he offers it. 
He’s tall and handsome - though maybe handsome’s the wrong word. Pretty, maybe - his features are soft and delicate, with long eyelashes and eyes you could quite easily lose yourself in, truth be told.
“His mother told us you’d be coming by every now and then to pick him up. It’s nice to finally meet you, I’m Sugawara, Daisuke’s teacher.” He pauses, biting his lip for a moment before exhaling quietly. “I’m sorry, by the way, about…”
You’re quick to wave him off, ignoring the painful tug in your chest, “Please, it’s- I-I’m not… It’s fine.” 
It’s very much not. 
Even as you say the words your hand finds its way to Daisuke’s hair, stroking it gently as his grip tightens. You’ve never been good at dealing with grief, your own or anybody else’s, but you can’t stand the platitudes - even those with the best of intentions. 
Sugawara frowns faintly but he doesn’t push you and desperate to change the subject you force a smile on your face, “So, you’re the famous Suga I’ve heard so much about! He absolutely adores you, you know? You’re almost all he talks about at home.”
He laughs, and just like that you feel the tension in the air dissipate. “Oh, is that so? I guess I could say the same about you. I’ve heard nothing but ‘auntie Y/N’ all week.”
Your cheeks heat, and you gaze fondly down at the boy still clinging to your side. “He’s a good kid.”
Daisuke chooses that moment to pipe up, launching into a detailed recount of his day, much to your and Suga’s mutual amusement. 
And neither you nor Daisuke notice that while you’re engrossed in his retelling, Sugawara’s pretty hazel eyes are focused on you, a soft smile playing across his lips. 
Thursday afternoon pick ups quickly morph into Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon pick ups as well as Monday morning drop offs, and you don’t mind one bit. For one, you know that your sister appreciates it more than she lets on and you would do anything to make this even the slightest bit easier for her, and it gives you a bit more time to spend with Daisuke, which you’ve missed more than you care to admit. 
Also because whenever you do stop by to pick him up, Suga - Koushi, as he keeps insisting you call him - makes it his personal mission to strike up a conversation, whether he’s out there supervising the kids or not.
He’s friendly and warm and has a surprising habit of making you laugh at the most unexpected things, and you can’t help but find yourself being reeled in by the silver haired man. It doesn’t hurt that Daisuke thinks he hangs the moon in the sky, but there’s just something about Suga that’s… easy.
He doesn’t push. Doesn’t poke or pry. You still have a few friends in Miyagi, but the conversations inevitably end up circling back to what happened and how you’re holding up. You don’t blame them, you know they’re only worried about you, but it’s exhausting. Suga’s a breath of fresh air, and you hadn’t realised how desperate you were for a friend who didn’t know all the grizzly details.
Though being Daisuke’s teacher, he undoubtedly does.
But Suga seems content to pretend, until the day you arrive sniffling, eyes rimmed in red and unable to muster your usual smile.
That’s when the facade breaks, and he takes you back inside the classroom away from all the prying eyes of the other parents and lets you fall apart on his shoulder. You should be mortified, but you suppose that Suga’s probably uniquely equipped at dealing with emotional outbursts, considering he spends his days surrounded by six year olds.
“He was like my big brother,” you whisper after a while, your voice shattered and raw. “I miss him so much.”
He doesn’t say a word but his grip tightens and he hums quietly, and that’s enough.
***
A week after you get settled, you swing by the local police station with two coffees in hand and timidly ask the uniformed officer sitting at the front desk if Daichi’s around. The man looks at you, looks at the two drinks in your hands and grins a little too widely. 
“Good ol’ Daichi, eh?” he winks, “Yeah, he won’t be back for a while. Can I help you with anything, ma’am?”
Your cheeks burn. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise considering he’s a police officer and all, but it does and you feel like an absolute idiot. Of course you should have checked before coming, but even if you’d had the foresight to do that, it wasn’t like you had his number.
Thankfully the other officer takes pity on you after you explain why you’re actually there, promising to let Daichi know you stopped by, diligently taking down your number to pass along as well. 
True to his word, it’s hours later - well into the afternoon - when your phone lights up with a notification. Several, in fact.
Hey Y/N.
It’s Daichi.
Sawamura.
Srgt. Mokoto said you came to see me today?
Is everything okay??
The corner of your lips quirked up, and you get the sense that Mokoto had likely neglected to tell Daichi the real reason you’d dropped in, probably to make him sweat. 
Hey :)
Yeah everything’s fine.
I brought you coffee as a thank you for the other day! Which I maaay have drank myself when you weren’t there…
But let me make it up to you! I can drop by the station if you’re around on wednesday at all?
The reply comes quickly. 
Absolutely. 10:30 work?
You shoot back a quick reply confirming and toss your phone on the couch with a sigh. 
It buzzes again a moment later, but the text message waiting for you isn’t from Daichi.
So a little birdie tells me you’re back in town. 
***
“You know, you really didn’t have to bring me coffee. I meant what I said, it’s part of my job. My boss would have had my ass if I’d just left you stranded there like that.”
You glance over at him with a wry smile. “Yeah? And paying for my new tyre and the towing, is that part of your job too?”
Daichi’s cheeks flush pink and he almost chokes on his sip of coffee. “Ah.”
‘Ah’ indeed. “So considering I doubt you’re going to let me pay you back-”
He lifts a hand to stop you, shaking his head adamantly, “Not a chance. I know the guy who runs the garage, he owes me a favour. It was nothing, really-”
“Then coffee is the least I can do,” you say with an easy shrug. “But I know you’re busy, and I don’t want to keep you too long-”
Daichi’s hand - warm and rough - reaches out to close around your wrist, stopping you before you can stand.
“Stay,” he says, dark eyes glimmering.
***
You’ve forgotten, having spent the last few years living in the heart of Tokyo, just how small a town this really is. 
You’re standing out by the school gates watching Daisuke run around with his friends when Suga decides to broach the subject. 
“What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“Hmm?” You glance up to find him watching you with that same fond if not mildly exasperated expression on his face. It’s not his fault, not really - you’ve just been a little out of it the past few days. 
Thankfully, Suga doesn’t hold it against you, chuckling. “Tomorrow night - are you free?” he repeats.
Your eyes widen a little, cheeks warming. “Um… well I kinda have a… thing earlier, but I should be free by then. Why?”
A silver eyebrow lifts. “A thing?” he prods.
“Just a thing. Why are you being so nosy all of a sudden?”
Suga laughs again, “Well if you’re not still tied up with your thing, I’m having some friends over for drinks for my birthday. You should come.”
Which is how you find yourself standing nervously out the front of Suga’s apartment, a bottle of wine in hand. 
When you knock, however, the person who opens the door is not the one you’re expecting. Tall, broad shouldered and handsome, out of uniform for the first time since you’d met him-
“D-Daichi?”
The brunette stares, eyes wide, mouth slightly agape.
“I, uh… I’m- is Suga… Is Sugawara here?” you manage to stutter out, fighting the urge to fidget under his gaze.
His brows furrow, an odd look passing over his eyes, and for one awful moment you think you’ve somehow managed to screw up the address. But before you can embarrass yourself further, a familiar head of silver hair appears behind his shoulder, slapping him on the back.
Relief washes over you. “Suga! Happy birthday!” 
Pushing a still somewhat bewildered Daichi out of the way, Suga’s quick to wrap you up in a warm embrace - which takes you by surprise - with a grin. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Your eyes flicker back to Daichi for a split second, and Suga’s follow. He’s more observant than most give him credit for, but even the most oblivious would have a hard time not noticing the blank expression on the brunette’s face - or the way he was still staring at you. “You two… know each other?” he asks, ignoring the teasing and impatient shouts coming from inside the apartment.
Finally, Daichi snaps out of his stupor. “Yeah. We met the night she moved back into town.”
“Which is a polite way of saying that my car basically imploded and he saved me from having to hike all the way back to my sister’s,” you correct, and Daichi huffs in amusement, though he doesn’t disagree. “Suga teaches my nephew,” you tell him, answering the unspoken question written across his face. “I didn’t realise the two of you were friends, though!”
The two share a glance over your shoulder.
“Yep.”
“Small world, I guess.”
You laugh, passing Suga the bottle of wine, allowing Daichi to lead you inside with an innocent hand on your lower back.
There’s a decent few people squashed into Suga’s modest apartment, but somehow you manage to find yourself sitting around his coffee table, Daichi’s arm slung over the back of your seat, Suga sitting opposite you both, discussing - of all things - high school sports.
“Volleyball, huh?”
You can kind of see it. They’re both tall and in great shape - you’re pretty damn certain the muscles Daichi sports aren’t just for show - but it’s more than that. You tilt your head, chewing on your bottom lip. “What school did you say you played for?”
“Karasuno,” Suga says.
It takes a moment for it to click - though you blame that on the drink in your hand that Suga’s dutifully kept topped up - Karasuno… the flightless crows. Ah yes. 
A slow smile creeps across your face. 
“I saw you play once.”
Both men’s eyes widen, “You did?” Suga asks.
“Yep. The guy I was dating at the time, he played too.” You almost laugh when you glance up to find Daichi frowning at your side, an unexpected tightness in Suga’s usually easy going smile, “It’s okay,” you reassure them, ignoring the traitorous flutter in your stomach, “you guys won. It damn near broke his poor heart.” Not that he’d ever admitted as much out loud.
There’s a short silence, then-
“What team?” 
You do laugh at that, “Don’t you think you guys are a little past high school rivalries?”
The ex-captain and setter meet each other’s eyes. Neither speak a word, but something utterly indecipherable passes between them, and when Daichi finally breaks it to glance back at you, there’s a sharp grin plastered across his face.
“Nope.”
You shake your head, feeling like you’ve missed something. 
***
Hours later, fresh from a steamy shower, you stumble into bed and grab your phone from the nightstand. Sure enough, two unread messages are waiting for you.
You looked so damned pretty today. 
Are you gonna let me take you out to dinner now or am I gonna have to get on my hands and knees and beg?
You smile into your pillow, quickly typing out a reply.
I don’t know, you used to be pretty good on your knees.
Your phone lights up a moment later, a familiar ringtone playing out.
***
Life gets busy after that. 
Suga mentions that Daisuke is struggling in class, so you decide to join some of the other parents and volunteer as a ‘class helper’ one afternoon a week. Dai beams whenever you show up, and Suga seems eternally grateful for the extra set of hands - even if it’s just for craft time. 
And just when you think you’ve managed to patch one hole, another appears. Miyagi might be a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, it’s not immune to the low life creeps that used to hang around your old apartment block in the city - you’re mugged walking back from the store, a bag of groceries for dinner in arm. The guy only hits you once, a blow to the cheek that sends you sprawling to the ground, grabs your bag - the one with your phone and wallet - and runs. 
Your sister almost bursts into tears when she sees the cut on your lip, and it’s guilt more than anything else that swells through you when she spends the next twenty minutes berating you for not being careful enough.
You know she doesn’t mean it, you know she’s just scared. The promise falls from your lips before you can stop it, but it’s worth it you think, when her face relaxes and she pulls you into a tight hug.
But when you drop by the station the next morning, Daichi takes one look at you, and you watch in perfect slow motion as that warm smile freezes and falls. You expect the police report he makes you file, though you don’t really hold that much hope that they’re going to get your phone or wallet back, but not the words that come out of his mouth next.
“Self defence classes? Daichi, I...” you exhale with a huff, “don’t you think that’s a little excessive?”
The dark look in Daichi’s eyes as they flicker across your face tells you otherwise. “What if they had a knife, or a gun?” 
You would have just thrown your bag and run, you weren’t stupid - your purse wasn’t worth your life, but Daichi doesn’t want to hear a word of it. 
“What if your wallet wasn’t all he wanted?” he presses, and you stiffen at the implication. Gentle hands reach across the table to grab yours, the rough pad of his thumb brushing against the back of your palm, “Just you and me, two hours a week, that’s all I’m asking.”
… What now?
“You’re going to teach me?”
“You got somebody better in mind, sweetheart?” he asks with a cocked eyebrow and a wry grin.
It makes sense, you suppose - what with him being a police officer and all. 
And between your one on one sessions with him, volunteering at the school with Suga, making sure that Daisuke got to school on time, that the house was cleaned, there was food in the pantry and your sister wasn’t falling apart, you were running on fumes.
Yet when you come home exhausted and aching from Daichi’s place and catch sight of him, casually leaning against your doorway with a bag of takeout and that damned smirk you’d fallen head over heels in love with all those years ago, you can’t help but grin.
“Hey, baby. You hungry?”
Thank goodness for small mercies.
***
They’re more observant than you give them credit for.
Suga notices the way you gingerly stretch to put away the paint supplies one afternoon.
Daichi catches an eyeful of a bruise on your neck as he hovers over you - the makeup you’d used to hide it having rubbed off with the last manoeuvre.
Suga catches you checking your phone more often, smiling softly to yourself.
Where Daichi used to be able to coax you into staying back for a drink, you were quick to finish up and head home, claiming to be tired and hungry. You don’t take him up on his offer for dinner either. 
But the final nail in the coffin came in the form of a drawing.
“Dai, who’s that?” 
Suga’s crouched by his desk, gazing oddly at the picture your nephew had drawn. The task was simple - draw your family. Daisuke had dutifully done just that; him, his mom, you, and-
“Auntie’s new boyfriend.”
Suga’s eyes snap to yours and you curse your heart for skipping a beat. “I didn’t know you were dating anybody.”
***
Daichi’s fingers tap restlessly on the leather of the steering wheel. 
He was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago but when the call came in, he didn’t really have a choice but to answer it. She’d asked specifically for him after all, and even if she hadn’t, the Sergeant would have tossed the case his way regardless.
Mokoto knew how he felt about you.
Spending an hour and a half sitting in your living room while your sister sobbed wasn’t exactly how he’d planned on spending his afternoon, but he supposed it came with the territory. He knows how to do his job properly, though. Listening, asking the right questions, offering sympathy without promising results - it’s nothing he hasn’t had to do before. 
“Please Daichi, she- she’s all we have left, I… I can’t-”
It didn’t mean he wasn’t aching to leave with every second that passed. 
Of course, it wasn’t a complete waste of time. Through her tears, your sister did manage to give up the name of the guy you were fucking. 
A name he certainly recognised from way back in high school. He knows he’s going to enjoy pursuing that particular lead, but as he pulls his car into the driveway and switches the motor off, Daichi shoves the thought aside.
He has other, far more pressing matters to deal with.
His heart thrums like hummingbird’s as he walks up the pathway, nodding politely at his elderly neighbour as he passes. 
The sight that greets him inside his living room makes the wait worthwhile.
You, on your knees, stripped down to your pretty, lace underwear, arms cuffed behind your back and your plush lips wrapped around his best friend’s cock.
With his long fingers carefully carding through your hair, Suga coos at you between breathless moans, praising you for being such a good girl for him with every roll of his hips. You’re shaking, trembling as silvery tears spill down your cheeks and when he drops his wallet, phone and keys on the bench and kicks off his shoes, your wide, pleading eyes turn to greet him.
Daichi’s cock stirs in his pants, a rush of excitement and something much, much darker and more primal flooding his veins. 
Noticing that he no longer has your full attention, Suga’s eyes follow yours. “You’re late,” he says with a lazy smirk.
Loosening his tie, Daichi huffs out a laugh, “And I see you didn’t bother waiting.”
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gins-potter · 3 years
Text
Casting Thoughts
Yes, I did a long post when the rumours first dropped but hey now it’s confirmed plus we have characters descriptions, and I’m bored so let’s do this all over again people.  Under the cut because it got long
Sisi Stringer as Rose Hathaway
I said this in my other post but I’m pretty happy with Sisi as Rose.
Visually I think she’s a great fit, I love that they casted a WoC in the main role, and I think if she can bring Rose’s humour and sarcasm to the role, she’s going to do great.
The character description mentions Rose being “fiery and outspoken”, happy to jump into the action, and the strongest fighter in her class but struggling to toe the line, which is all very Rose-esque, especially in the first book.  It sounds to me like they have a good grasp on her character.
I’m a little disappointed we didn’t hear more about Rose as a character since she is the lead - it felt like the descriptions for Lissa and Dimitri both gave us a little more to go on - but it is only a very preliminary description so I’m happy to wait for more.
Daniela Nieves as Lissa Dragomir
Daniele is another one who I was happy with straight away.
She’s probably not what I imagined for Lissa visually but that’s not a bad thing either; I will be interested to see if they dye her hair a lighter colour (like a caramel-blonde) but personally that’s not something I need to see for her to be a great fit for Lissa.
I think she has a very sweet face which works well for a character like Lissa but I think she’s also going to be able to stand up in Lissa’s more fiercer moments which is nice to see as well.
The character descriptions mentions her as being “carefree and kind-hearted” who “coasts” through life until a death in the family thrusts her into a new role.  That sounds a lot like pre-series Lissa so I wonder if we’re going to see a bit of that in the show before Andre (and her parents??) die and see that change.  
It’s curious though that she’s described as the younger sister of the heir apparent - which would be Andre - so it sounds like they’ve changed it so Andre was supposed to be King.  Obviously a deviation from the books but I don’t hate it?  I don’t think it would change Lissa’s arc all that much because obviously she was always going to grow up to be an influential royal figure, this just slightly changes the dynamics of it.
The description also specifically mentions that she’s uninterested in “political machinations” and the “hypocrisy of the moroi royal society” which sounds very accurate to book!lissa as well.
All in all I’m very happy with what they’re doing with Lissa.
Keiron Moore as Dimitri Belikov
This is one who’s really grown on me since the rumoured cast list started circulating.  At first I was kind of eh about him but I can really see him as Dimitri now.
I will be curious to see if he grows out his hair or not though.
As far as I know Keiron is not Russian, there’s not a lot about him online, but there’s some instagram activity on his account linking him to UK based companies so that would be my guess as to where he’s from.  They’ve kept Dimitri’s incredibly Russian name so I guess we’re to assume Keiron might be doing an accent and they’re keeping Dimitri’s backstory relatively the same?  I’m not gonna be super mad if they change it just because I think it’s doable for him not to be Russian (I know, I know a whole book is set in Russia but lbr here they could make him from anywhere and just send Rose there in that book).
The biggest thing for me will be his chemistry with Sisi, Danila and Zoey had great chemistry (imo anyway) which saved the move a little for me, so it’ll be important that Sisi and Keiron do as well.  They’ve interacted a few times online which is cute so I’m hoping they were able to do some chemistry reads and that will translate on screen.
The character description mentions Dimitri as being “lethal, disciplined, discreet, and totally committed” as well as living by “a deep moral code” but with more going on “beneath his stoic, watchful surface” which sounds exactly like book!Dimitri to me.
They don’t really specify what his role at St Vlad’s is going to be but they do mention that he is a guardian so I’m assuming they’re keeping some sort of age gap between him and Rose.  They also don’t mention anything about their relationship in the description, be it student/teacher, platonic, romantic, whatever, but they do say he has “an expansive spirit that could threaten to expose the underlying tension between his sense of what’s right and his formal duty to the Moroi.” which seems like a nod to their relationship.
Andre Dae-Kim as Christian Ozera
This was one of my favourite casting choices from the original rumoured cast list and I still love it.
The idea of a non-white Christian makes a lot of sense to me and I think Andre could do a great job of Christian’s aloofness (in the first book) as well as his sarcasm and growing confidence across the other books.
His character description confuses me a bit though: “Intelligent and thoughtful, Christian is the pariah of the school and royal court, due to his parents’ unforgivable societal sins.” sounds accurate enough to the book (although idk if thoughtful is quite the word I’d use for Christian - maybe they mean it in the sense that he’s quiet and keeps to himself?).
Even “Well-read and hungry for knowledge” doesn’t sound that far off, idk if he was *that* particularly studious in the books, but it doesn’t necessarily not make sense either you know?
But “he searches for faith-based answers and discovers a kindred spirit who is also looking for the truth” ??? My cynical, irreverent asshole Christian is now a man of faith? I’m assuming Lissa is the “kindred spirit” (again weird word choice but maybe they mean she’s feeling lost because of the death of her family?) but I just cannot see Christian as being particularly religious.
I’m trying to keep an open mind about these changes because you never know they might play out totally different on screen, but I really hope they didn’t make these changes, particularly that Christian is studious and religious, just because they cast an Asian actor as him (because they feel a little like Asian stereotypes).
J August Richards as Victor Dashkov
This is one that didn’t appear on the original rumoured cast list (as far as I saw) and it’s so different to his description in the books that I kind of don’t have an opinion about it as a casting choice.
I’ve never seen him in anything before so purely on a visual level I think he could be a great fit for Victor, I just think it’ll really come down to how he plays it.
As for this character description: “Victor is a Moroi noble vampire with a heart of gold who’s highly regarded for his role as advisor and political strategist to Moroi dignitaries.” as well as mentioning that he has intelligence and influence, sounds pretty accurate to the book.  Obviously if Andre was the heir to the throne, Victor had to be shifted out of that role, but I think his book 1 arc could still work if they wanted it to.
The “heart of gold” bit obviously made me chuckle and I really hope they threw it in there as a kind of decoy to throw non-book-readers off the fact that he’s actually the villain in book 1/s1.
As for giving him a husband and two daughters, my thoughts are: why the fuck not? He didn’t have a love interest in the original books and I’m always down for more lgbtq+ rep.  My only concern is it maybe playing into the trope of evil/villain characters being queer-coded.  And as for having two daughters, well as long as one of them is Natalie I don’t mind.
Anita-Joy Uwajeh as Tatiana Vogel
Okay this is the most bizarre one imo, not because of the casting, but just the character description.
I mean “Tatiana is a Moroi vampire and political underdog who slowly takes the royal court by storm. Motivated by love and a sense of justice, Tatiana has a unique skill of making herself seem of no consequence until we realize much too late that she was always the one to watch.” sounds extremely Tasha Ozera to me, so like why not just make this character Tasha?  Nothing about this sounds like Tatiana, and Tatiana wasn’t even a Vogel anyway (well Vogel wasn’t even one of the 12 royal families), she was an Ivashkov.
In terms of Anita-Joy herself, well I mean we don’t really have a character to compare her to, is she supposed to be more like Tasha or Tatiana?  She looks fairly young, so my guess is actually on Tasha, but we’ll have to wait to see I guess.
Mia McKenna-Bruce as Mia Karp
This is another one that I was instantly a fan of.
I was so not a fan of Mia’s casting in the movie (I can’t even remember who played her tbh but I really didn’t like it) so this Mia is a lot closer to how I imagine her.
I think she’ll be able to carry Mia’s transformation from bratty social-climber to badass fighter really well.
The character description is interesting though.  “Witty, cutting, and just the right kind of ruthless when necessary, non-Royal Mia has a long-term plan to social climb her way into the ranks of royalty, with all the privilege and freedom that entails.” sound pretty bang on to Mia in the first book.
“A plan complicated by her instant chemistry with Meredith, a Guardian-in-training, as Mia struggles to reconcile her attraction to Meredith with her lowly status.” is an obvious deviation though, and one I kind of love???  Give me all the queer rep, and if we get to see Mia confront the issue of comp-het I’m so here for it.  
It’s kind of funny though because I’ve seen theories that Meredith is a replacement for Eddie and Mia/Eddie has always been my sort of rarepair ship.
The last name Karp is weird af though.  Is she supposed to be Sonya’s daughter?  And if that’s the case I wonder if we’re going to actually see Sonya turn Strigoi in the show’s first season or something and that triggers the change in Mia?  Interesting concept but I’m not sure how the timeline will work.
Rhian Blundell as Meredith
So this is another new one, and tbh I hadn’t given Meredith *that* much though in the past but she’s probably close to how I would have pictured her which is cool.
The elephant in the room with this casting is that Meredith’s role in the books was relatively minor - she was just kind of that character that got brought up whenever R.M needed a dhampir who wasn’t Rose/Dimitri/Mason/Eddie.  So clearly she’s going to have a bigger role in the tv show which I don’t mind but I do wonder if we’re going to lose a character - probably Eddie lbr - in order to have her.  They haven’t casted an Eddie yet as far as we know, but I have seen it pointed out that Eddie’s role in book 1 was pretty small so maybe they just aren’t announcing it.  But there’s also the possibility that maybe Meredith will sort of replace Eddie and be the third part of Rose and Mason’s friendship.
I’m very interested by this part of her character description though, “She has little patience for Rose’s volatility or Mia’s elitism, and regularly calls both of them out.”
Jonetta Kaiser as Sonya Karp
I don’t necessarily dislike Jonetta as Sonya but I am confused by this choice.  She looks fairly young, which tbf Sonya was young-ish I guess, but if Mia is supposed to be her daughter she doesn’t look old enough to have a teenaged daughter.  So maybe Sonya and Mia are sisters? Cousins? Just have each other’s last names for no reason? I really don’t know.  They also look nothing alike.
Other than that, I don’t really have an opinion about Jonetta as Sonya.  Obviously looks nothing like how Sonya was described but that’s not new nor a massive concern for me.  
I can’t really tell just from looking at her, and I haven’t seen her in anything, if she would play a good Sonya.  I think with a lot of the characters it’s going to come down to the personality they bring to the part and the writing.
I looooooove her character description though:  “Quiet, careful and decidedly odd, Sonya is not of royal bloodline and sits out on the fringe of Moroi society, preferring to spend her time in the library or her gardens. Not a person who likes a scene, nonetheless she has a quiet but profound power of her own. She is taken by surprise when a Dhampir Guardian named Mikhail shows interest in her, a relationship that will expose both the brightest and darkest parts of her heart.”  It’s everything I would probably want from a description of Sonya and I’m more and more convinced that we’re going to see Sonya’s descent into madness and transformation into a Strigoi play out in maybe the first season which I am so curious how they’re going to work into the timeline.
Andrew Liner as Mason Ashford
Our last one and another one who doesn’t look remotely like his description but again? Not a surprise and not a problem for me.  He looks like he could play Mason’s goofiness really well as well as be a solid contender for a love interest for Rose.
“Charming, loyal and popular, Mason is Rose’s main competition in the quest to become the No. 1 Guardian-in-training. Though their relationship is casual on her side, he is hopeful she will finally look at him and see him as something more.” His character description makes a lot of sense, maybe him being Rose’s main competition is a bit of a deviation? But I think that’s more an indication that he’s supposed to be a strong fighter which isn’t inaccurate to the books.  The rest sounds great.
Other Thoughts
Descriptions of the show specifically mention friendship and classism as major themes which I am very happy to hear about because those are the two parts of VA that I love the most.
Am a little more worried about it being described as “sexy” though, if they shove a whole bunch of meaningless sex scenes in it just because it’s a YA show I’m not gonna be happy.
Seen the show compared to “Game of Thrones” and “Bridgerton” which at first had me like oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck not good not good not good.  But thinking about it more and trying to understand where Plec’s coming from with that description I wonder if means similar to GoT as in the cut-throat nature of the Moroi/Dhampir society cause I can kind of see that.  And as for Bridgerton I wonder if she’s referring to the kind of social-climbing aspects of it, because again that makes sense and it seems like a theme she really wants to concentrate on.  I hope that’s what she means by those comparisons, or that she just wants to compare it to popular shows to get people to watch it.  The worst would be if she tries to throw in a lot of unnecessary sex scenes to make it like those shows, because I hate when they do that, especially when the characters are teenagers.
Interesting to hear that Plec has known about the series since before Twilight or TVD - not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Seems like it’s actually mostly (or all??) written by Marguerite MacIntyre which is interesting because I know people were worried about Julie Plec - I’ve never watched anything by either of them so I’m neutral at this point.
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Note
Helloooo! How are you? I really like your fics! <3 Can i request some headcanons for young!Sirius? Or maybe kid!Sirius? How do you think he was like? What if he and Y/n were best friends? Would he go to her for comfort when his parents are nasty with him? Sorry for my horrible English🤡 still struggling with it.. (maybe that's why i read so many fics😂) Best wishes!
“I'm starting to think that we deserve each other”
Summary: Headcanons of Sirius and eventually confessing feelings
Pairing: Sirius x Muggleborn!reader (it’s literally mentioned like one time)
Warnings: swearing, angst, parent/family issues (?)
A/N: Ahh hi anon! Thanks so much for sending this in, I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it :)))) Ahhh but this was also a little different style of writing than I usually do so let me know how you guys feel about it! I’m also just like, obviously in love with Sirius Black so um, they get into a little bit at the end and confess some things :=) Ooo, as always, send me an ask if you’d like to be added to my taglist! I also should let you know that I wrote this very late at night so the logistics and grammar might be shit
Word Count: 2054
Masterlist + Characters and ships I write for
Requests are always open <3
I have more time since it’s now summer so please send them in!! :)
Reminder that I do not support jkr. Do not interact if you do.
It was well known throughout your first years at Hogwarts that you and Sirius did not get along. He honestly annoyed the shit out of you everyday. He came from a rich pureblood family and you were a muggleborn, so anyone could see how the two of you clashed there.
All of the professors were completely done with you and Sirius’s antics. It started off with Sirius somehow managing to turn your hair green during the first flying lesson that the Gryffindors had. “Hey y/n, your hair is amazing! Didn’t think you could pull off the green!” a peer had spoken to you just before mounting your broom.
Sirius broke out into a nearly uncontrollable laughter and got a detention for it. But of course, none of that stopped you from getting back at him. Even just the simplest of pranks had gotten the job done.
There was one prank at the start of second year that earned you and Sirius a month’s worth of detention with Slughorn. He basically had the two of you as his personal assistants. It was honestly torture. But there were moments when he would step away from his classroom to talk to another professor, or slip away into his office to plan the next day’s lesson, and it would leave you and Sirius alone.
The two of you gave in and finally had a conversation with each other. It wasn’t much and it was very awkward, but seeing as this was your first day out of a month’s long sentence of detention, someone to talk with didn’t sound too bad.
And that was what blossomed a very chaotic friendship between the two of you. Having to suffer together was what drew the connection. You two eventually planned your own little pranks against other people.
Despite everything in your younger years of being at Hogwarts, Sirius was your closest friend. You could maybe go as far as to call him your best friend, but you’d never say that to his face, it’d add to his already huge ego.
You ate nearly every meal with him. You’d practically drag him into the library to study. He mentioned something about doing well in school for his parents, so that’s what you’d help him with.
Though the two of you quickly learned that it’s very hard to focus in each other’s presence.
You taught him how to braid hair. He practiced using yours. “Would you stay still, y/n?”
“I’m trying! You’re the one yanking me back and forth, Sirius.”
From that point after, you’d sit in between his legs on the floor as he sat on the couch.
He got you sucked into quidditch and nearly got you to try out for the team. “I think it’d be fun having you on the team!”
“I think that’s your way of saying you want to spend more time with me.”
“Of course,” SIrius shook his head no.
One day he saw someone in the hall walk by with eyeliner and he demanded that the two of you try putting it on yourselves.
This ultimately got you in trouble for staying up way too late, laughing at how silly you both looked in the prefect bathrooms. Lily would allow you in saying “This is going to get my badge taken from me, I swear.”
You two eventually got back to studying after Sirius received some notes from his parents.
You caught on quickly that he didn’t have the best relationship regarding his family.
It was actually a little difficult being friends with Sirius at first. It was very hard for him to just be vulnerable and talk, but by fourth year, you understood where he came from and didn’t push for anything. You listened to him the very few times when he would make small little notes of his family, or talked about his brother while passing him in the hall.
Your conversations were more so filled with random things that only really made sense to the two of you. Any outsider would’ve thought you two were completely crazy.
By fifth year, you were looking at Sirius in a whole different light and you hated it. You wanted to be way more than friends and didn’t know what to do with yourself. You started to avoid him. This was the worst and best decision ever. It’s still debatable.
While the rest of your friends were taking a little day to Hogsmeade, and while you were still on a streak of pretty much avoiding Sirius, you slipped off from the courtyard, taking a less used corridor towards the library.
Here, you found Sirius with his shoulders shaking, head in his hands, and your heart shattered. If you were feeling this, you couldn’t even begin to imagine what he must feel like. He didn’t pay any mind to his surroundings until you slid down the wall next to him, placing your hand on his shoulder.
He didn’t even have to look to know that it was you. He leaned into your shoulder while you brought your arm around him, quiet sobs escaping from his body.
He always kept parts of him, especially these emotions so closed off, that it honestly was a little surprising to see him like this. “Sere, tell me what’s wrong,” you whispered.
“I- um, it’s nothing. I just got a letter from home and it’s-” he broke down again.
At this point you let your legs stretch in front of you. He was still under your arms until he just let himself go. He let himself feel. And relax. And he understood that it’s okay to cry. And be vulnerable. And that you were safe to talk to about anything. He hugged you full on. He clung on tight as he cried. And man, you were fucked. This wasn’t helping any sort of feelings you were trying to suppress by being here in his presence. It honestly nearly broke you. You wanted to cry for him. Scream for him. Go off on his parents for him. You wanted to protect him from all that could ever hurt him this way.
He talked about everything that has happened up until the letter and stammered off his explanation with one final point. “A-and I’ve missed spending time with you. It’s like you’ve been avoiding me,” he mumbled into the thick air. He was laying down against you with your fingers in his hair. “It’s like I- I’m missing a part of me. Like we’re so close I couldn’t possibly imagine my life without you.”
You stumbled over your words, trying to find out what to say. ‘If only he knew’ you wanted to groan out into the air. “I’m sorry,” was all you could say, tears stinging your eyes while you blinked them back, hugging him tightly.
From that moment, the two of you had bought bracelets at Hogsmeade and spelled them to change a certain color for when the other wanted to talk, or simply just needed to be with the other. They were simple fabric ones, something you both liked and wore everyday.
Most of the time Sirius came to talk to you about his parents. Which was new considering he was a little closed off before.
You were there if he needed to cry. You would hold him if he needed a hug. You would laugh with him when he didn’t want to be the only one. You were there for him for everything.
There was one night that was really bad. His parents basically sent a letter saying not to come home in the future. You were supposed to meet him in the library yet he wasn’t there.
After asking around, you found him in the Gryffindor common room when it was far too late for you to even be out. His face was tear stained and his eyes were an irritated pink. Though he didn’t seek you in the first place, he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around you, burying himself in your comfort.
By sixth year it was supposedly “Painfully obvious you two were basically in love with each other” Remus would say every time you gave up a library visit to be with Sirius. Or James would very blatantly leave you both to carry out specific parts of a prank together. Lily would just leave you and Sirius alone together whenever she got the chance, really.
One particular Gryffindor win for Sirius was crashed by some Slytherins who came without any good intentions. It was soon discovered that there was veritaserum in the drinks that, of course, you and your friends had already enjoyed.
All of this prompted you to leave the party. You left with a big group of people, Remus, James, Peter, Lily, Mary, Marlene, all off to the grounds, trying to avoid any trouble. You stayed back with Remus and Sirius while the rest walked ahead, talking about the most random of things, like how Remus wants to ride a unicorn. He eventually sped up with the rest of the group, claiming he was going to ride a unicorn, properly drunk. “Mhm, yeah. You go have fun with that Remus,” Sirius called to him as he stumbled ahead.
You and Sirius couldn’t go as far as to say you were drunk, but definitely tispy. You walked over to a small tree and sat yourself under it, laying back against it. Sirius did the same thing except he leaned his head on your shoulder and you leaned yours on top of his. It was a sweet moment as he mindlessly played with a thread hanging from your robes.
The veritaserum didn’t bother the two of you much, you were honest with each other most of the time anyways. Well, it didn’t bother you much until Regulus and a few of his friends stood over you, making fun of how close you and Sirius were. You kept your mouths shut for as long as you could. “What it’s not like you like each other. Do you, Sirius?” Regulus pushed.
“I actually like y/n a lot. She’s always there for me and—” Sirius slapped his hand over his mouth, eyes wide.
“Hmm, and I don't suppose you feel the same way, y/n?”“
“I have feelings for Sirius,” you blurted out right as Regulus and his friends walked away.
Sirius looked over to you, smiling like an idiot. You leaned your head back against the tree, covering your face with your hands just before he pulled them away. He squeezed them in a comforting manner and asked why you hadn’t said anything before. “Because you’re such a great person, like you deserve the world and I don’t think I’d be enough a-and I hate that people keep asking questions because I’m on this stupid veritaserum that’s making me look like an idiot
He cut you off with a kiss, effectively shutting you up. The kiss was rushed at first before turning into something exploding with passion that you didn’t even know you needed until now.
“Well, you’re a beautiful idiot. Because, as said before,” he mumbled the last part, returning to his normal tone of voice. “I like you too. A-and I guess that you could tell me that I’m an idiot because—”
“Why didn’t you tell me you liked me, Sirius?”
“My entire life is a mess and I have too many problems and you’re always there for me to begin with, I’d take up too much of your time if we actually ended up dating. And you’re perfect and I look like absolute shit all the time. Just as you said you deserve the world but as I’m saying all this, I’m starting to think,” he trailed off searching your eyes for words. “I'm starting to think that we deserve each other,” he finished in a soft voice.
“I think we deserve each other too,” you grabbed his face gently, kissing him.
That night is now the day you and Sirius started dating, one of the most memorable days of your lives.
You never left breakfast in the Great Hall without stealing a kiss.
Or a piece of bacon from his plate.
There’d be some nights where you could sneak away and fall asleep with him peacefully and everything seemed alright.
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iknewyoudunderstand · 3 years
Text
Aaron woke up to a clattering in the kitchen. His brain caught up with his body when he was crouched at the gun safe tucked away next to his bureau, his sleep-addled fingers somehow maneuvering the combination lock—ten, oh-seven, thirty-four. Spencer had complimented him on it when figuring it out had taken him longer than ten seconds, because while using his son’s birthday was expected, what wasn’t was the division of his favorite album’s release date, and that would prevent potential attackers from— 
Spencer. Where was Spencer?
Glock in hand, finally, Aaron spun around but the bed was empty and the bathroom dark. Spencer’s revolver was still in the safe, and try as he might but Aaron just couldn’t remember if he had fallen asleep before Spencer had come upstairs or not. Spencer was a much heavier sleeper than he was, and if there was someone in the house and Spencer was downstairs…
On silent feet, Aaron crept through the upstairs, clearing each room. He didn’t have a flashlight on him, so he was forced to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, to keep his back to the wall, and to keep his finger on the trigger just in case someone jumped out at him from behind a door or a chest of drawers. His room, Jack’s unoccupied room, the upstairs bathroom… as he came down the stairs he noticed that there was a light coming from the kitchen.
He lifted his gun again and turned the corner to see Spencer, leaning against the counter with a jar of baby food in his hand and a spoon in his mouth.
“What the fuck?” Aaron asked. Spencer jumped at the sight of the gun, and Aaron clicked the safety back on. “What are you doing?”
“An experiment,” he said around the spoon.
Aaron suddenly felt very tired. He glanced at the digital clock on the oven. 3:23 AM. “Why?”
“Um.” Spencer set the jar of baby food down on the counter, and then the spoon. “Necessity?”
“Spencer.”
“I was hungry,” Spencer said. “And it was too late to make something.”
“Spencer.”
“So I had to go looking in the cabinets.”
“Not in the pantry?”
“As a result, I found the baby food.”
“It’s been there for at least a year. Did you check if it was expired?”
“My hypothesis was in regards to whether or not expired baby food was still going to be good.”
Aaron sighed. “And?”
“My conclusion is that it is palatable, but probably not something I should incorporate into my regular diet.”
“You mean you won’t be replacing your diet of coffee and saltine crackers with pureed peas and carrots?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Spencer cracked a grin and the sight of it dissolved all of his building exasperation. “I’m sorry I woke you up.”
“It’s fine,” Aaron said. He moved closer to Spencer and set his gun on the counter. “But you could’ve just told me you were going to make something. You know I don’t mind.”
“Do I?”
“Don’t you?” Spencer shrugged. “Spencer, you live here. I told you when you moved in that I wasn’t going to try and change your habits; they’re not disruptive.”
“They’re decidedly disruptive, Aaron. They’re the definition of disruptive,” Spencer said.
“Don’t be stubborn.”
“I’m sorry I woke you up,” he repeated. “It won’t happen again.”
“It will probably happen again.” Aaron reached out and grabbed one of Spencer’s hands so he’d stop wringing them. Gently, because he knew Spencer was still getting used to casual displays of affection, he lifted his knuckles to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss across them. Spencer lit up red. “But it’s okay. We’re FBI agents. At least one of us has to be the light sleeper.”
He snorted. “It doesn’t help that I’m an insomniac.”
“Life goes on.” Aaron fought a yawn. “I’m going back to bed, okay? Just make something if you’re hungry; you can throw away all that baby food when you’re done with your ‘experiment.’” He made air quotes around the word.
“It’s science, Aaron,” Spencer said. “I know you don’t understand it because you don’t have a doctorate in chemistry—“
“You are so lucky I love you,” Aaron said with a scoff. He looked down to grab his gun, and when he looked back up, Spencer was frozen completely, his eyes wide and his bottom lip trembling a bit. He looked like someone had just told him his dog died.
Or, his brain that was still heavy with sleep supplied, like someone had told him they loved him for the first time.
“Sorry,” Aaron said quickly. “I didn’t mean… well, yes, I meant it, but I didn’t mean to say it now… honestly, I was hoping for a situation that was more romantic—“
“I’m sorry, this isn’t the romantic occasion you were looking for?” Spencer joked, a little bit of color coming back to his face. Spencer away from work was a smart-mouthed son of a bitch, and Aaron recognized it as a sort of defense mechanism—a sense of normalcy.
“Not really.” He returned Spencer’s wry smile with a dimple-bearing grin and received a light shove on the shoulder for his troubles, and a muttered ‘jerk.’
Aaron knew they weren’t going to talk about it. There wasn’t going to be a conversation about the logistics of a romantic connection between a superior and a subordinate, because they were already in too deep for a 3 AM feelings powwow to make any difference. They lived in the same house, they slept in the same bed. The only thing missing was the verbal affirmation, the thing that would tell the other, yes, I am in it for the long run.
He supposed neither of them had been looking for a promise because promises eventually got broken. Aaron learned that with Haley, and he didn’t want Spencer to have to learn it first hand—but he knew anyway because no matter how they got into this job, into this field, there was always trauma in the background. Neither of them wanted to get hurt or hurt the other, so the nonverbal agreement had been formed. Maybe if they didn’t say it out loud, the eventual dissolution wouldn’t hurt as much.
And Aaron had just ruined all that because he was caught off guard. It was uncharacteristic as it got—he was Aaron Hotchner, he was never caught off guard—but the easiest way to ruin something was by sticking your own foot in it.
“It’s not a big deal,” Spencer said, looking like he’d just heard Aaron’s entire thought process out loud. Or he had probably had the same one. “I mean… you mean it, right?”
“Yeah,” Aaron said. “I do.”
Spencer stepped in close and caught his lips in a kiss, and it was relatively romantic for all of five seconds, especially in the way that his long fingers caught the skin in between his boxer briefs and his worn academy t-shirt that had become his pajamas, but then the taste made Aaron recoil.
“How did you palate that?” he asked, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. “All that sugar in your coffee is ruining your taste buds.”
“Maybe.” But Spencer was laughing, even as he stuck the spoon in the sink and dropped the baby food in the trash—thank God, Aaron didn’t know if he wanted that disgusting stuff in his house anymore. He’d call Jack in the morning and apologize for making him eat that liquid garbage. “You should go back to bed.”
“You should come with me.”
“I need to finish what I was doing,” he said with a sigh. “This professor is killing me with these papers.”
“He most likely knows that you’re smarter than him and feels intimidated, so he’s lashing out at you,” Aaron said, feigning wiseness. “Probably had some sort of complex when he was a kid.”
“Oedipus,” Spencer said. “You’re lucky you don’t have to sit through his lectures. I thought I was done with Freud when I finished my BA…”
“And that’s my cue to go to bed before I have to listen to another rant.”
“They’re well deserved.”
“Good night, Spencer.”
“Good night, Aaron,” Spencer said, and Aaron turned to leave the kitchen.
He couldn’t tell if it was his imagination when he heard a soft, “I love you, too,” but he didn’t want to check. Life with Spencer Reid was wonderful, and incredible, and all the other adjectives this crazy relationship between them deserved, but it was fragile. They both were.
Besides, he didn’t need to hear those words, because they only encouraged him—and he didn’t need to be thinking about a recreation of this scene in a world where life was more stable, and society was more accepting, and there was another child in his life and Spencer had another opportunity to eat baby food, even though the whole thought made his heart slam against his ribcage and a grin break out across his face.
They had work in the morning, and he didn’t need to be up all night dreaming about the future, because he was perfectly content to just let it come.
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