Nishi-Shinjuku - Tokyo, Japan

“I want to protect everyone” - Yanagi Aiji

Examine! Your reflection in the mirror

→ investigation : start !     ↳ closed !

   AFTER A NEARLY scalding shower, you blink blearily through the fogged daze the steam has produced, blurring the small bathroom and covering the mirror entirely. trying to shake out the excess water that drips from loose strands of your hair, you reach out to grab another hand towel to wipe away at the steamed mirror, leaving you to face your reflection in the mirror. you don’t necessarily gaze at yourself immediately, overturning the towel in your hand to tussle at your head, down the front of your face, around the length of your neck, and across your collarbones. 

   as expected, the heat from your shower was so hot the section you had wiped off had immediately re-steamed back, with a tired sigh you reach over to flip on the exhaust fan, and re-wipe the mirror. refreshing as that shower was, your face would convince anyone else otherwise. you look tired– and there’s nothing that can change that. it’s a collection of pent up stress, of unsolved mysteries and continuous paradigms that adonis winds them, and the rest of shinjuku under. you’re undeterred determination is pushing you forward, but at the roots, you’re still a human who has their limits.

   the whirlwind of recent events had gotten you so preoccupied you didn’t even realize the slightest of stubbles that had started to grow around the length of your jaw. with another suppressed sigh, you reach out to pump an amount of shaving cream into your hands, slathering it on the undersides of your face. the mist of the bathroom is persistent, but gradually fading, enough to see your reflection– enough to realize you almost missed a spot. rinsing your hands, you reach out for your blade, and gently start to shave.

   is your age catching up with you? your thoughts drift briefly to your once superior, morioka, and instead feel a surge of determination. your tiredness cannot be the start of your fall– you must persevere and push forward. you hold respect for him, and little weakness does the other man show. he pushes and drives, and you don’t necessarily wish to follow him as closely, but he proves to be a great motivator. absentmindedly you ponder of the thought of inviting him out to drinks soon–.

   rinsing your blade briefly, you resume with the shaving. the tiredness is not only showing through your eyes, but also with your skin. you never… really were one to meticulously care for your skin, and you’re a sliver too self-conscious to walk into a department store and browse, let alone consult about such issues. one might say the tired of one’s face is a demonstration of their past, what they’ve been through, what they’ve experienced… but what was the point of priding in something like the past?

   with a splash of water and a thorough pat with a towel, you reach over to grab your aftershave and apply it generously to your hands, onto your face. one’s stress could not only stem from past endeavors, it also holds the fear for the uncertainty of tomorrow, if tomorrow will even come. you’re itching for a smoke now, with the roundabout trails of thought you’ve pondered during this time. you take one more glance at your reflection, with a cigarette balancing between your lips, and a hand running through the still rather damp hair.

  indeed, you truly do look exhausted through and through. there’s no time to waste, though, and you guess your appearance might gradually become more disheveled within the next upcoming days. your hands pry for a lighter as overwhelming and intrusive thoughts of the cases at hands interrupt your contemplation–. 

  surely, your image is the last thing that should be on your mind right now. 

YANAGIIIIIIIIII well I sure am glad I’m done with this piece LOL  I really want to draw Shiraishi next actually _(:3

adonischosen:

[...] “On second thought, maybe that shower wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Ifthat’s alright with you. I’m so sorry to trou—achoo!” She sneezes. Once, twice,three times in succession, interrupting her sentence. A palm lightly pressesover her mouth politely. “I’ll make it quick.” She informs, quickly padding to thebathroom.

Once inside she turns onthe shower, warm steam slowly clouds the narrow space and the hotwater pelting against her skin feels divine. She glances at the neatly arranged bottles of shampoo and soap, curious which ones belong to Yanagi and reaches out to open one but she stops herself. (This isn’t the time to indulge in your curiosities Ichika!) And with that thought in mind, she quickly showers and wraps herself in a towel. Feeling human again,instead of like some wild swamp monster she feels brave enough to face herself again.She takes a deep breath of the steamy air, pushes wet locks of hair away fromher face and reaches out for the mirror. A tentative hand moves to wipe away asmall circle, just big enough to frame her face. Thankfully she doesn’t lookthat bad and she smiles at her reflection. Then suddenly she realizes that in her haste, she’s forgotten to takethe dry clothes that Yanagi had offered with her to the bathroom. Now that she thinks about it, did he even have any with him at the time she left for the shower? (God Ichika, why are you like this?) She cracksthe bathroom door open, just a fraction, enough to allow the steam to snake outof the room, enough for her to press her face against it. 

“Yanagi?” she callsout, her voice sheepish and soft, “I forgot to take a change of clothes… can you,”an impregnated pause, “Can you bring them over here to me?”

@nyanyagi·

   HE REFRAINS HIMSELF from further commenting, wanting to tell her to genuinely just take her time as she washes off. the worst thing that could happen is that she catches a cold at such a crucial time. yanagi can’t help but heave a sigh in thought, he can already hear sasazuka and shiraishi’s berating voices teasing hoshino for having fallen sick--, as much as he tries, yanagi inevitably will blame himself. he closes his eyes in thought, thinking over what there is in the fridge, perhaps he could cook a hearty stew instead--.. the hot chocolate was far too sweet, as warming as it was-- perhaps something genuinely-- ?? 

  he perks up having heard his name, and approaches the bathroom with tentative steps. hoshino’s voice was rather soft-- straining to hear it, he assumes she’s either calling from inside, or has barely propped the door open. her next words, though, reminds him that he has indeed forgotten to provide his guest with necessities. « oh, sorry. let me get you something real quick, » he calls back to her, never having really approached the washroom in respect of her privacy, and courtesy of a polite gentleman, of course. 

  yanagi doesn’t put much thought into the clothes he chooses, it’s practically that comes first in importance. hoshino needed to dress warmly. aside from the hot shower, she’d need an additional layer. second, was of course comfort. granted that yanagi was indeed a lot... taller and had a larger build than she, any of his shirts would be... fine, he supposes. he haphazardly chooses a t-shirt from his drawer, he’s conscious enough to choose a bottom that doesn’t completely clash with the shirt, and brings a sweater along for good measure. he just hopes most of his clothes don’t reek of his tobacco-- inevitable, it was, due to his addiction. 

  alongside another towel, yanagi folds the clothes neatly into his arms as he returns to the washroom. the air is thicker, humidity remaining in the air from the temporary release from the washroom. lifting his hand, his knuckles rapt against the door gently, before he calls out,« hoshino, i’m here with some clothes. should i leave them out here? »

  she had asked for him to bring them to her directly. « did you need anything else? i brought you a bag for your wet clothes as well so we can bring them to dryer afterwards, » he hadn’t meant to sound so intimate, it was rather factual, really. yanagi resists another sigh at the naivety that his mind is playing. how old was he? there was no need to be so fretful concerning someone who got stuck in the rain. he recomposes himself, and knocks again, « is everything alright? »

「stormswept.」

Coffee

word drabbles ; // + also asked by @nyanyazuka

  there’s so much that needs to be done, every second that passes, the clock ticks. there is no time to waste. dawn barely brushes against the horizon, its orange reddish hues paint the sky in a gentle warmth contrasting against the electric nightlife of shinjuku. it’s serenely quiet, the rustling of a passing train is lulled through the walls, and enomoto’s snores can be heard from the room over. it’s just about time, you think, to start the day. 

  it’s become a daily routine, ever since this makeshift detective agency was put together, that every morning you’re the first one awake, you make coffee. coffee had always been such an abstract thing, you feel. there was so many ways you could make the drink. so many ways that involved such intricate ways of grinding the beans, ways to pour the water, it’s far too complex and you think, way too much effort. 

  you’re a man of necessity– it’s why you’ve picked up cooking and cleaning, it’s because it needs to be done. coffee ended up becoming one of those necessities as well. there was only so much tea offered for energy– black coffee truly was your only option. you reach into the cabinets to retrieve the filters, you’re still half asleep but it has been practically been ingrained in your system, your muscles are moving on their own. methodically you shuffle through the kitchen, taking the already ground coffee and scooping accordingly, just the usual, slamming the lid down and flipping the switch. it’s just about time that the office will be filled with the ever comforting aroma of freshly made coffee. 

  for all the different ways it can be prepared, individually, usually one preferred their drink in such a specific ordinate fashion. you pull out your usual mugs, respectively for enomoto, yourself– and let the others to the side, in case if they swung by a bit earlier. there’s a higher chance you might finish this batch by yourself, though. enomoto liked his coffee in a very specific manner, you have it memorized of how ridiculous picky the other man is, but that went above and beyond just coffee selection. you pop in enomoto’s mug four sugar cubes, a generous amount of creamer, and stir. just the waft of the smell is enough to make your head hurt– how these boys can handle all these sweets is beyond your understanding, the smell is enough to make your teeth hurt. 

  yours, on the other hand, is fresh black coffee, straight from the pot. nothing added, just pure caffeinated poison that pumps through your veins to last the day, to keep you mostly conscious for the length of the day. it also helps with adding patience to dealing with your… fellow coworkers…. 

  –anyways… you place enomoto’s mug on the table closest to his side, and contemplate over your itinerary for the day. the sun’s rays are peeking through the skyscrapers in the city, sliding through the cracks of the blinds, much brighter than before. the light and a sip of the coffee from your mug is more than enough, rejuvenating your tired joints. perhaps you should stop by the supermarket later tonight, not only to replenish the emptying fridge, but to re-examine if there can be different variations of coffee that you can consider replacing. with the rising stress and pressures being placed against you, perhaps it has become a necessity.  you need to be alert, at your utmost best– and perhaps that called for a change in a stronger blend, as well. 

  enomoto’s alarm is loud and pierces through the silence, but you’ve grown accustomed to its noise. so has enomoto, apparently, for he doesn’t immediately jolt out of bed and seemingly only shuffles. you breathe a sigh in your mug, before taking another hot swig of the black coffee. it runs down your throat, perhaps scalding to others– but it’s all part of the coffee drinking experience, you think. the hot burn, the strong caffeine taste lingering in your mouth. setting your mug down, and picking up enomoto’s instead, you decide– it’s time to start the day, there are only such few days ahead of them. 

EXAMINE! contact list

→ investigation : start !      ↳ closed !

   THERE WASN’T A time your contact list has… been substantially full. it’s because of your lifestyle, who you are as a person. you’re rather selective of the people you keep in contact with, the people that you choose to contact and save in your phone. considering your history, perhaps it makes sense that your contact list just fits within a single page on your phone. 

   you remember your very first cellphone. during the peak of your rebellious phase, your homecoming each night bloodied and bruised had spawned worry within your parents and they entrusted you with a phone for the sake of in cases. it’s not like it mattered, since most of the root causes of the injuries spawned from reasons worth not to be called for. the list had consisted of your parents, your mother and father, your older brother (again, out of necessity, you don’t recall purposely calling him first), and your home phone number at the time. 

   there were other people that called you, but you judged them not to be worth being logged into your phone (blurred faces within faint memories, images of past fellow rival delinquents, ones that may or may not still be alive, perhaps better forgotten). you always remembered the numbers and associated them with faces instead. it was too much hassle to log them into your phone anyways.

   you also remember when your first cellphone broke. anticlimactic as it was, your phone having slipped out of your pocket onto the concrete below your feet, initially cracking the corner. the delinquent you were against in the moments of shuffling away from your grip, had whirled their momentum into a forceful kick against the phone on the ground, further shattering it into pieces. you felt no attachment, it didn’t matter anyways. 

   your next cellphone wasn’t until your first week recruited within the first investigation unit. it was actually minegishi that insisted you purchase another cellphone to be able to stay in touch with the others from the unit. again, out of necessity you found yourself adopting another phone. the contact list consisted of merely the other members of the first investigation unit, and the occasional other member of the police force. shiraishi had been one of them– and fellow kamui of the first unit, but again, you found the hassle of purposely saving contacts a hassle, and simply associated numbers with faces and names instead. 

   in reality, you realize, perhaps your contacts list would be more abundant if you made the conscious effort. unfortunately, you’ve drilled in the notion of detachment, initially your family and now from others– that it isn’t necessary–. you’re not fond of letting others in, nor expressing much of yourself to begin with. conversations through the phone were always curt– anything classified would always be discussed in person, so frankly, the usage of a phone became strictly a formality. 

   after you left the investigation unit, you had your phone wiped. following regulations, you erased all data and past connections to police force– the very little of it that you did have on your phone, at least. as you gradually recruit others into your new x-day investigation unit, your phone is logged with new contacts. understandable, if you were all going to be continuously working together to crack the case. 

   there aren’t many people saved, but for some odd reason, it feels oddly more full than ever before. granted while at the investigations unit it was literally at it’s most, but– it was different. whether you wanted to consciously accept it or not, but the importance of the saved contacts on your phone this time, were heavier, and held more value to you personally. 

   you can’t help a sigh as you scroll through your recent messages–, rambles from enomoto about tonight’s dinner, sasazuka’s occasional update (but moreso doughnut orders), shiraishi’s ambiguous riddled messages, and– and, hoshino’s recent message that she would be coming later tonight.

   reasoning for why it felt different doesn’t come easily. was it because of the gravity of their situation– they were in a tight serious situation that required a intensity– but from the recent messages from your colleagues, it could be interpreted otherwise. …you close your phone, sliding it back into your pocket, as your hand reaches to tug a cigarette nimbly instead.

   it was as simple as that. there was no need for deep analysis, despite the seriousness laced around their group, it came with, familiarity and an odd sense of belonging. a feeling you purposely drove away from, had unwillingly found you again. it isn’t something you’re used to, spurring a… strange sensation within your chest. 

   you’re used to your contact list being bland, but as your phone chimes a new message, you find that– you don’t necessarily dread opening to read the text. is it something you want to get used to? probably not. it’s better to shun it away, but–, reasoning with yourself–, work must get done.

   …work, you say, despite it weighing heavily in your mind. 

nyageyuki:

daddy’s back

daddy’s back and he’s here to stay

have you kids been eating your veggies

[ → hoshino !  ]

@nyanyagi

Hoshino Ichika, has absolutely no idea how herself and Yanagi got into this situation. Everything processed so quickly and next thing the duo knew, they were facing each other off in a kitchen, each with an apron on. Apparently it was something called Iron Chef, a food network show that appears on America that challenges top chefs to have a cook off with another, as Sasazuka explained. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Ichika closed her eyes and tried to recall back what happened minutes ago. 

The brunette remember saying that she felt like she was losing to Yanagi in terms of their cooking abilities and it made her feel pathetic, while in reality she just feels pathetic admitting that! But it was true, compare to her average self, Yanagi’s cooking was something of a five star hotel. Handsome, popular, and mature, there was no flaws in Yanagi as Ichika sees it. 

Laughing nervously, Ichika looked away and stared intensely at the corner of the room. She was a little happy about this whole….showdown. Ichika admires Yanagi for many reasons and because of that, she wanted to prove herself and get acknowledge. Naturally he already acknowledged Ichika for a lot of things during the X-Day incidents but this and that are two completely different things. 

“Haha…I look forward to this, Yanagi-san.”

Her cooking pride won’t let this go, she will win and come out on top. 

   YANAGI WASN’T SURE how matters lead to the current situation at hand. from what initially started as a meager break from x-day investigations-- yanagi had wanted to take a cigarette outside but instead found himself being pushed around by sasazuka and enomoto, lacing him and hoshino with aprons and shoving them towards supposed cooking stations in the ever tiny kitchen of the office. what was he to make of this? eyeing hoshino across from him, who seems to be equally as distressed at the turnabout of events. 

  he couldn’t help but mirror her actions, letting out a deep sigh as he shifts to unbutton his sleeves to roll them up by his elbows. there was no point of throwing an argument to this supposed ordeal, yanagi was sure sasazuka and enomoto came to the rare agreement that they would be well fed and had organized this... whatever this was. hoshino was a great cook considering her family roots--, he didn’t really understand why he had to be roped in as well. 

   sure he cooked himself, enough to get by and also feed the others in the office. what initially came from just picking up recipes online stemmed into the occasional cook book. the regularity lead to being able to stir up his own twists and creativity to dishes. it was... alright. but he wouldn’t go as far to consider he necessarily enjoyed it. like cleaning and housework, it was something he just did out of necessity. 

   « you seem fired up, hoshino » he recalls a time he had cooked for hoshino and her incessant compliments. flattering albeit a bit embarrassing, yanagi only hopes hoshino didn’t fabricate some ridiculous expectation of him. she seemed enthusiastic about the match up, and as perturbed he was-- a part of him didn’t want to disappoint her. yanagi can’t help but heave another sigh, there goes the idea of just getting it over with--. 

   « how did you want to do this? are we making the same dish ? » yanagi hadn’t been apart of the earlier discussions (since he hadn’t been listening to begin with, having not realized he was going to be participating...) « a single dish, or an entire japanese style meal set... » his eyes trail to the other side of the office, considering the people who are going to be the supposed judges...

« i would propose a single dish for simplicity sake, but what do you suggest, hoshino? » 

Collar×Malice -Unlimited- Regular Edition Package Illustration!!

Whispers, "Hey vanilla papi."

« … » 

at a loss for words, in disbelief that she would even call him that– he doesn’t manage a reply, simply dismissing the hushed words. fucking okazaki is rubbing off on everyone. he can’t trust anyone anymore.

he really.... had gotten carried away... when was the last time he even had a birthday for someone precious to him to celebrate? sure, they celebrated others’, but celebrating hoshino ichika’s birthday held so much more to it, there was more meaning, more drive behind his moral-- that had led him to this position. in the detective agency’s humble kitchen, the counters are abounding with several dishes, ranging from not only japanese style food-- to some appetizing looking pasta and he had even tried to experiment with some other cuisines with a cook book he had been gifted for his own birthday last month. yes he was feeding probably six to eight people tonight... but wasn’t this... a bit too much? 

yanagi dips a spoon in the sauce of one of the stew’s he’s prepared, bringing it to his lips to taste-- but the flavour is the last thing on his mind. what else was there for him to prepare...? was this really everything? the other boys are out running last minute errands to prepare for hoshino’s birthday party. of course, he had been nominated for cooking-- not like he would’ve entrusted any of them to do so-- the only other person he trusted with cooking was hoshino herself, and he wouldn’t dare let worry about cooking on her own birthday. his eyes wander over the expanse of dishes, and he lets out a repressed sigh. this really was too much... 

he had worried that some of them might not be to her liking. of course when he initially picked out the dishes, it was her palette that he had taken into consideration. but as he was shopping for groceries earlier, he realized-- he probably should cook other dishes for the other ridiculously picky eaters that were attending the party. usually he wouldn’t have cared and told them to suck it up, but he also didn’t want to stir up any unnecessary banters later tonight, so might as well resolve any future problems while he still could. 

a timer chimes, promptly turning it off, yanagi retrieves a cooling tray where several layers of cake are primly cut, and have cooled down enough to start forming the actual cake itself. he can’t help but heave another weary sigh-- is this really okay? maybe it would’ve been better if he just catered everything so he wouldn’t have to worry-- but at the same time, hoshino seemed like the person to enjoy home cooked meals-- that’s how she was raised, right? aaaaaaaghhh stop worrying yanagi, and ice this goddamn cake already.

with the whipped and strawberries already prepared, he slathers the bottom later with a thin layer of cream, worries still storming through his mind. he had... initially been a bit confident with his doings earlier, but oh how turbulent his thoughts have become. all this dwelling had triggered the thought-- he... he really ought to get to know hoshino more intimately... he didn’t want to have these second thoughts, didn’t want to have these empty holes of unknowing. he wanted to be able to confidently do things in her favour, as much as he wanted to support her career, he wanted to become that within her personal life, within her romantic life-- ah, ah,

how embarrassing for someone his age to have!!! admitted something like that!!! aghast with himself, he occupies his mind (that happens to be overflowing with more and more intimate thoughts of hoshino, with hoshino) with finishing this cake-- because oh had time really gone by that fast? he had only finished the first layer of strawberries, but when he’s placing the next cake layer on top, he hears a rustling by the front door and someone’s shoes clattering against the tiled floor of the genkan. his eyes check the clock, the others weren’t supposed to be here for another twenty minutes-- who had come so early ? 

and to his amazement, it had been the birthday girl herself. yanagi is more than surprised by her appearance, especially as she comes around the corner and peers into the kitchen, where he, in his most utmost grace is still trying to form her cake-- oh great. but! yanagi is quite skilled at improvisation on spot, and he spares hoshino a small laugh, and a nod of his head, beckoning her to come closer.  « i didn’t expect the first person to arrive to be you, hoshino. »

« it isn’t a surprise now, is it ? » they had tried to give her a surprise party before, it was.... successful to some extent, but hoshino coming early was a whole other thing-- she probably expected it.  « everyone hasn’t come back yet, and i’m still trying to get the cake ready... » yanagi does a small side step, as if asking ichika to fill in beside him with his action, and offers her another laugh,  « i know it’s your birthday, but how about you help me do the last preparation steps ? »

as hoshino resumes the cake building, yanagi pauses, and simply stares at her. there are so many things that rush through his mind, that he wants to say, that he wants to tell her, but as their time is running short, for the others are bound to be here soon-- he decides to keep it brief (for now). he bends down to press a firm kiss on her temple, 

« happy birthday, hoshino. » there was so much more he wanted to share with her, but for now, this will suffice. 

Shinjuku , Japan photo took by canon 5D3 , 35mm original pixel  34,560 pixel

*lights a cigarette* i need to stop smoking

Comission of my Collar x Malice OT3: Kei, Ichika & Yanagi 

Art by: @dysah

Thank you so much. I can’t express how much I love this!

Please do not repost