#UGH woe is me etc etc | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chorusan · 2 years

Text

chorusan-centric fic recs!!:

(see some notes at the end)

Best-Laid Plans (by eponymous_rose):

summary: Tucker, after the hit-and-run. relationships: (None listed) characters: Lavernius Tucker, Felix, Vanessa Kimball, Dexter Grif, Lieutenant Palomo rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Bullet Proof Logic (by ShyChangling):

summary: "I have three bullets in the chamber." Locus says flatly. Like this is a normal training course. Which to the merc it was. To live this life and truly survive it. You must not flinch at something so common as a gun. relationships: (None listed) characters: Locus, Charles Palomo rating: Mature warnings: Violence, Brainwashing, Conditioning, Torture

Celebrity Sex Hair (by HBossWrites):

summary: “Holy crap, Antoine! What happened to your hair?" Matthews stared at Bitters’ head, mouth agape, like the mouth breathing geek that he was, eyes filled with a level of horror typically saved for Captain Grif’s raid orders that involve sneaking past Agent Carolina, as Bitters felt his own head with a quickly growing sense of horror. Bitters was going to FUCKING kill someone. Probably a Fed someone, but Fed or not, someone was going to die. Bitters wakes up with his hair mutilated, and the Reds and Blues take care of their own. relationships: Antoine Bitters/Matthews, Dexter Grif/Dick Simmons, Lavernius Tucker/Agent Washington characters: Antoine Bitters, Matthews, Dexter Grif, Dick Simmons, Lavernius Tucker, Agent Washington rating: Teen And Up Audiences

drabble me up the butt diddles (Chapter 9: Bitters/Palomo) (by MyBlackCrimsonRose):

summary: Late night kissing turns into late night hand jobs. relationships: Antoine Bitters/Charles Palomo characters: Antoine Bitters, Charles Palomo, Agent Washington rating: Explicit

Family Breakfast (by PeacefulPhoenix):

summary: Tucker's basically given up all hope on waking up after 8am at this point. At least the person waking him up is worth it. Mostly. relationships: Leonard L. Church/Lavernius Tucker characters: Lavernius Tucker, Junior, Leonard L. Church, Charles Palomo rating: General Audiences

Fools in a Spiral (by stygianalpha):

summary: Bitters glances at Palomo, and there’s that goddamn grin again. That stupid grin. It’s wider than ever, brighter, like fuckin’ Palomo has absorbed the entire sun and exudes it in silly grins. relationships: Bitters/Palomo characters: Lieutenant Bitters, Private Palomo, Lieutenant Jensen, Lieutenant Smith rating: General Audiences

General Education (by HBossWrites):

summary: Grif is just trying to take a nap when he is confronted with a situation he doesn't know what to do with. "Hey, Fuckface,get up. I need to ask you something. It’s important and I need you to not make fun of me. I need you to not be an asshole for five fucking minutes, because there is literally no one else, and I don’t know what to do. I wouldn’t be here if I had other options.” "Dude, I reserve the right to make fun of you. What’s up?” "I think I’m bad at sex.” relationships: Antoine Bitters/Matthews, Implied Dexter Grif/Dick Simmons characters: Dexter Grif, Vanessa Kimball, Felix, Antoine Bitters rating: General Audiences

Golden Nights (by supercasey):

summary: Tucker doesn't believe in the Rebels Army, Kimball makes him think differently after showing him a video; AKA, that one night Tucker misjudged four lieutenants who were alot different from the people he'd seen. relationships: (Hinted) Palomo/Bitters, Palomo/Bitters characters: Jensen, Palomo, Smith, Bitters, Lavernius Tucker, Vanessa Kimball rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Green Team- And Cunningham Fell (by ShyChangling):

summary: Tucker never wanted this. Tucker never wanted to be the damn leader of any one. Least of all... when it comes to this. relationships: (None listed) characters: Lavernius Tucker, Charles Palomo, Jason Cunningham, Rogers, Felix rating: Mature

Grieving Process (by projectexfreelancer):

summary: After the death of the Captains, some lieutenants take it harder than others. relationships: (None listed) characters: Private Palomo, Lieutenant Katie Jensen, Lieutenant John Smith, Lieutenant Bitters, Lavernius Tucker, Vanessa Kimball, Felix, Michael J. Caboose, Dexter Grif, Dick Simmons, Matthews rating: General Audiences

hear the sad little sounds as they fall from my mouth (by bizzarebird):

summary: Tenor, alto, bass, and baritone, sing the same chorus, but not in harmony. Felix has left his mark on the New Republic in a million tiny ways, but the lieutenants must find a way to move on. Written for the RvB Angst War relationships: John Elizabeth Andersmith/Antoine Bitters, Katie Jensen & Charles Palomo, Antoine Bitters & Katie Jensen, John Elizabeth Andersmith & Antoine Bitters, John Elizabeth Andersmith & Charles Palomo characters: Charles Palomo, Katie Jensen, Antoine Bitters, John Elizabeth Andersmith rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Hip Flask (by eponymous_rose):

summary: After Armonia's destruction, the lieutenants have no illusions about what might happen next. relationships: (None listed) characters: Antoine Bitters, Katie Jensen, Charles Palomo, John Elizabeth Andersmith rating: Teen And Up Audience

International Dibs Protocol (by foxtrot77):

summary: Bitters decides he needs to cheer Grif up, even if it means enlisting help from Matthews. Or, in an unlikely team up, Bitters and Matthews raid Green Team's kitchen. relationships: (None listed) characters: Antoine Bitters, Matthews, Dexter Grif, Lavernius Tucker, Charles Palomo rating: Teen And Up Audiences

it's hard to miss you when you're always on the tip of my tongue (by bizarrebird):

summary: Bitters knows what kind of person he is. He's lazy and he gives up easy and he never sees the bright side of anything. That's not the kind of person who gets to go home a war hero. He's not the guy who gets a happy ending. That doesn't mean he doesn't want one. relationships: John Elizabeth Andersmith/Antoine Bitters characters: Antoine Bitters, John Elizabeth Andersmith, Charles Palomo, Katie Jensen rating: Teen And Up Audiences

just take my hand and hold it tight (by bizarrebird):

summary: It shouldn't be that weird to hear someone call him dad, but somehow, when he hears the word out of Palomo's mouth, Tucker's thrown for a loop. Written for RvB Fluff Week relationships: Charles Palomo & Lavernius Tucker characters: Lavernius Tucker, Charles Palomo, Agent Washington rating: General Audiences

Kinda like a strobe light (by vintagegore):

summary: Tucker wakes up at 3 am and makes no effort whatsoever to go back to sleep before he has to get up again. relationships: (None listed) characters: Lavernius Tucker, Charles Palomo rating: General Audiences

Kinktober 2018 (Chapter 8: Andersmith - Masturbation) (by PeacefulPhoenix):

summary: Apparently there's no smut at all involving Andersmith? None I could find anyways. Soooo I wrote some. Technically it's a day early but I think that makes up for not doing other days in time. relationships: (None listed for this chapter) characters: John Elizabeth Andersmith rating: Explicit

Leadership (by RenaRoo):

summary: Andersmith is the leader of his squad. He thinks. Leadership is hard enough in these difficult times, but he hopes that believing in his squadmates will be enough. [Takes place between Seasons 12 and 13] relationships: (None listed) characters: John Elizabeth Andersmith, Katie Jensen, Charles Palomo, Antoine Bitters, Vanessa Kimball, Lavernius Tucker, Michael J. Caboose rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Never Have I (by ShyChangling):

summary: Another night to camp out in the caves and a good chance to learn things about eachother. Bitters seems to start to see the appeal to camping out. relationships: (None listed) characters: Charles Palomo, Antoine Bitters, John Elizabeth Andersmith, Katie Jensen, Matthews rating: Teen And Up Audiences

One More Time (by ConfessionForAnotherTime/MagpieCrime):

summary: Imagine Palomo trying to joke and loosen Bitters up because while he's so lazy and laid back, he always seems tense about something. Palomo wants to help him relax, not realizing he's the source of the tension. relationships: Antoine Bitters/Charles Palomo characters: Antoine Bitters, Charles Palomo, Dexter Grif rating: General Audiences

Palomo's got two dads now (by Odds_Evens):

summary: Palomo hasn't exactly had an easy life. At 16 he's lost everyone he ever called family. But then again, so has Agent Washington. Too bad Wash is shit at being a normal human being. relationships: Lavernius Tucker/Agent Washington, Charles Palomo & Lavernius Tucker, Charles Palomo & Agent Washington characters: Charles Palomo, Agent Washington, Lavernius Tucker, Emily Grey, Katie Jensen rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Put My Guns In the Ground (by saltsanford):

summary: The thing about finding love in a war zone, Tucker thinks, is that you never know when it’s coming. The thing about finding love in a war zone, Wash thinks, is that you never know where it’s going. The thing about love and sex in a warzone is that there are a million things that can go wrong, but— As it turns out, there are also a million things that can go right. When the Federalist and New Republic armies unite on Chorus in the face of a common enemy, they must first learn how to trust each other. Two former Freelancers, an A.I. fragment, and several Red and Blue soldiers have a thing or two to learn as well, about trust, and loyalty, and love. In war, you make homes out of people despite knowing that they can be ripped away in the blink of an eye and-The thing is, you protect your own with everything you've got. relationships: Lavernius Tucker/Agent Washington, Emily Grey/Sarge characters: Agent Washington, Lavernius Tucker, Michael J. Caboose, AI Program Epsilon, Agent Carolina, Dexter Grif, Dick Simmons, Sarge, Vanessa Kimball, Donald Doyle, Emily Grey, Felix, Locus, The Counselor (Aiden Price) rating: Explicit

Selfish (by rakketyrivertam):

summary: Smith, Bitters decides, is the living human personification of a capybara. relationships: John Elizabeth Andersmith/Antoine Bitters characters: Antoine Bitters, John, Elizabeth Andersmith, Lieutenants rating: General Audiences

Slamming Doors (by orphan_account):

summary: Bitters loves teasing Matthews in every sense of the word. relationships: Antoine Bitters/Matthews characters: Antoine Bitters, Matthews rating: Explicit

The Tucker Bunch (by Blueberryshortcake)

summary: There are days when he has his hands full. relationships: Junior & Lavernius Tucker, Harmony & Lavernius Tucker, Charles Palomo & Lavernius Tucker characters: Lavernius Tucker, Junior, Harmony Tucker, Charles Palomo, Agent Washington rating: General Audiences

to thine ownself be true or something (by bizarrebird):

summary: The course of true love is awkward and prone to tripping over itself, as the great William Shakespeare might have thought before hastily writing something more profound. relationships: Donald Doyle/John Elizabeth Andersmith characters: Donald Doyle, John Elizabeth Andersmith, Agent Washington rating: General Audiences

Trust Fall (by eponymous_rose)/[Podfic] Trust Fall (by GoLBPodfics/GodOfLaundryBaskets)

summary: This entire rescue mission's been nothing but disaster; now all that's left is a last-ditch assault on the Fed base in the Capital City. Casualties could be high. Morale is low. But Lieutenant Smith has absolute faith in his captain's ability to lead them through the worst of it. After all, Captain Caboose is the wisest and most compassionate leader he's ever known. relationships: (None listed) characters: Lieutenant Smith, Michael J. Caboose, Lieutenant Bitters, Lieutenant Jensen, Private Palomo, Dexter Grif, Dick Simmons, Lavernius Tucker, Agent Washington, Franklin Delano Donut, Sarge, Vanessa Kimball rating: Teen And Up Audiences

V is for...(by QueSeraAwesome):

summary: She doesn't even play volleyball. relationships: (None listed) characters: Volleyball, Charles Palomo, John Elizabeth Andersmith, Lavernius Tucker, Agent Carolina rating: Mature

We're the Safe Side (by ShyChangling):

summary: The New Republic has a deep dark secret. relationships: (None listed) characters: Katie Jensen, John Elizabeth Andersmith, Antoine Bitters, Charles Palomo, Vanessa Kimball, Various Characters, Original Male Character(s) rating: Mature warnings: Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse

Yellow and Affections + Yellow and Affections 2 (by ShyChangling):

summary: Palomo had been feeling ill. He's scared of his emotions and he'd rather not die because of stupid urban myth. summary (2): Palomo still doesn't know what to do. Things seem to be better after talking to Bitters about his aromanticism and hanahaki. But Felix says something that shakes Palomo to his core. Set between seasons 12 and 13 relationships: Antoine Bitters/Charles Palomo, Antoine Bitters & Charles Palomo relationships (2): Antoine Bitters & Charles Palomo characters: Charles Palomo, Antoine Bitters, John Elizabeth Andersmith, Katie Jensen characters (2): Charles Palomo, Felix rating: Teen And Up Audiences rating (2): Mature warnings (1): Hanahaki Disease warnings (2:) Hanahaki Disease, Body Horror, Emetophobia

notes from me: 30 fics here, wow!! there's so much talent, passion, and love for the source content it's insane, i'm so proud to call this fandom home. this is my first fic rec list so excuse me if the formatting is odd! i tried to include works from tons of different genres so hopefully everyone can find something to enjoy! a lot of these are my favorite fics from years ago that i love so much and want to share. feel free to send me asks with your favorites or promo your own chorusan-centric fanfics to me, i'd love that! works are presented in alphabetical order, and all titles, summaries, and fic information are copied verbatim (i did remove where it says "red vs blue" at the end of some character tags though to reduce clutter). as always, pls check tags and other fic information before reading anything to make sure you're comfortable with the themes present! if for any reason anyone featured here wants their work removed pls send me an ask and i'll take it down asap!

#the chorus trilogy #rvb11 #rvb12 #rvb13 #rvb #ok here come my personal tags cuz if i dont take breaks to ramble ill lose my mind ive been making this for 10 hours straight #if you squint reaaaaal hard you can rlly see who my faves used to me /lh #i know pmgitg is primarily a tuckington fic but it does SO MUCH WORLDBUILDING FOR CHORUS thatd itd be an insult to not include it #also shoutout to that one ao3 user in the comments of literally every fic ily yin you carry this fandom #ALSO UGH EDITING ON A PHONE IS SO HARD GRRR >:T #i went in and changed 'pairings' to 'relationships' after some considetation;#again editing on phone is a nightmare but i do what i must woe is me blah blah blah #talktag #chorusan etc

23 notes · View notes

toastsnaffler · 3 months

Text

yet another evening of cooking showering then sitting at my desk and sniffling miserably for 2 hours bc I can't work up the motivation to click open any of the hundreds of videogames or movies or drawing wips or literally any kind of enjoyable activity on my laptop and then going to bed at 9:30 before i throw myself off the roof

#well at least i didnt do anything worse than just cry at my desk today.#cant wait to be up at 6:30 go to work and then repeat this again. every day until the weekend where ill have a full blown breakdown #rinse and repeat ad infinitum #at least i dropped this mental argument thats been eating away at me for days. its just not worth it i dont want to ruin anyone elses day #im just going to keep making myself smaller and smaller and take up less and less space and eventually i wont exist anymore #sad! well its for the best #ugh. i dont really mean all of this itll pass im just feeling fucking shite and bitter abt reverting to bad coping mechanisms again #and nobody caaaares or even believes me. woe is me etc etc etc #oh well. ive ordered a physical copy of the dbt book i used this time last year so maybe thatll help me drag myself out of this again #not that i even dragged myself out of it last year. but i survived at least so thats smth.#okay im gonna go brush my teeth and then sit in bed a bit. sighs. goodnight #.vent

1 note · View note

avourel · 4 months

Text

watching the new TGCF episode, and seriously, once again, (i'm sorry i keep harping on this), Lan Qianqiu ANNOYS ME SO MUCH

seriously, you're crying about how even though the common people were saved, your parents died, to Xie Lian? TO XIE LIAN? even though you know what happened to him? first! at the hands of your ancestors!

...the thoughtlessness is annoying.

#not tagging because i don't want to put hate on the fandom tags #but really this character annoys me like no other #he totally has the right to grieve and complain and hate etc etc #but not to Xie Lian #come on #have some shame #or at the very least some decency #now that you know he wasn't the one who slaughtered everyone i think he deserves at least that #personally i'd be embarrassed to be whining about my woes to someone who went through the same and worse because of someone connected to me #but this guy is not cowed in the least!#no thought of Xie Lian's suffering seems to even cross his mind!#the only thing that seems to matter is Lan Qianqiu's losses and Lan Qianqiu's family and Lan Qianqiu's betrayed trust #oh he'll come back to settle things Imperial Preceptor~~#like they're not already settled?#ugh #ugh ugh ugh #he's supposed to be a righteous god but i only see a self-centered child

0 notes

lunarsapphism · 1 year

Text

eepy.

#ive fr been ready to fall asleep since like 6 pm but i would fuck up my sleep schedule so bad if i did that #i keep waking up at like 8 am too :( went from waking up at 10-10:30 to 8 and my body is having such a hard time adjusting #im so tired #but also i cant sleep till at least like 10 bc ill wake up way too early otherwise #ugh. woe is me etc etc #aiilov-personal

1 note · View note

incarnadinedreams · 5 months

Text

UGH why am I LIKE THIS I got to the end of the available 2HA volumes and just like TGCF I couldn't fucking wait for the officials so finished up the rest of the fan translations and now I'm deep in the mire of the edited MTL of the chapters beyond that and I should have just waited but no, I couldn't wait, and now if I stop and wait I'll have to wait even LONGER since I'm past what will be in the next official volume so at this point I'm going to just. Finish I guess. While mostly following along, ish.

Woe is me and my 100% self-inflicted problems, curiosity killed the cat, etc. At least it's... sort of readable, mostly, and at least I am FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENS.

I KNEW I shouldn't start another unfinished (in official translation) series because my whole "I'll just casually read them as the official translations are released and stretch it out for ages! :)" thing fails 100% of the time why do I keep attempting it

#reading 2ha #I'll still be buying the official translations of course #but I have no self control :(

8 notes · View notes

broodsys · 5 months

Text

venting abt creative woes feel free to ignore <3

it has been really hard for me to post art, both drawing and writing. it's not just about engagement/lack thereof or abt concrit or about anything in particular. i just get so caught up in comparisons and breaking things down and wanting to be objectively "better" at it and idk if i'm even enjoying it anymore.

sometimes i think seriously about stopping? i'd still create but. just for me. idk.

and im having mixed feelings about fandom in general. idk. it's late at night and it's been dark for too many hours and ik that's putting me in A Mood(tm) but it's still been! hard! and i get sad and frustrated and self-conscious all the time

it just feels like im out here putting my ugly shit next to everyone's polished pretty pieces. and ik, ik, two cakes, i've been trying to internalize that, but it's hard right now. i cannot stop thinking about the pretty fics ive read and i cannot stop being so fucking envious of them and it feels gross! like i should just appreciate them? they're lovely, mine doesn't have to and shouldn't be a replica, etc etc, all these things i know intellectually, but... ugh.

and it's extra frustrating bc i know ppl like my stuff, esp my writing. they do! they've said it! ppl who have no cause to lie to me, strangers, etc. but i just can't feel it and im so... envy demon has a fucking hold of me lmao.

might be circling back to the going too fast/pushing myself too hard thing again. but i've just been dealing with the constant undercurrent of severe frustration with everything i attempt. i try to shake it off but idk, if it's this consistent...?

ugh. idk. i've been going back and forth on this for a while. do i push through? do i try to drop my standards? do i just keep all my stuff to myself? unknown.

like, no matter what im finishing my bigfic. for me. but idk. should i even bother posting it? it's not... it's not about engagement. it's about the fact that i feel like the whole thing is just kinda... an embarrassment? like i cannot stop looking at it thru the most critical, least compassionate version of a potential audience and it's fucking with me so bad. when im writing i enjoy it, i think it's cool, i think it's good. but then i post it and after a while im just so embarrassed. i still think it's good! but it's still also embarrassing! i've worked hard for years to learn to trust my audience, to not spoon-feed them every bit of information and then follow it up with a quick confirmation just to make sure they're getting it, but now i feel like i'm being drawn back into that.

i read it. i've reread it a few times, in fact, for pleasure and not for editing. i love it? but im also so embarrassed by it whenever im not like... actively reading it. it's just disheartening.

idk. it's my personal baggage more than anything ig.

anyway im genuinely not asking for my ego to be stroked here or w/e, just- this has been weighing kinda heavily on me for quite a while. it's very frustrating.

12 notes · View notes

dufrau · 10 months

Note

I'll try not to go off in a rant here just 'cause there are sooo many things I absolutely love about your writing (but I'll probably fail and make a mess, excuse me pls). Ok, so first of all, I think you nail the characters' "voice" (thoughts, phrases etc) in a way that is almost unfair, and especially with Robin. Don't even get me started, just how you get her wit and humor, but also her more vulnerable/insecure side... Just like, the way her brain works, yk? Ugh. Perfect. (You do a wonderful job with Nancy as well, obviously, but it's just your Robin always feel like she's stepping right out of the screen to me lmao it's hard to explain).

Which reminds me of the other thing I really appreciate which is just the dialog and the way you balance the humor with all the other stuff going on (trauma! teenage angst! the woes of being alive!). Like, it's never overdone and it doesn't fall flat, it just hits that perfect balanced level (!!!). Obsessed with this tbh.

Also yes, all the sad&horny vibes and the bantering&fun vibes, you alternate between them in a flawless way imo, depending on what the story (or the scene) requires. These aren't the only aspects worth mentioning imo, just the ones that call out to me more, I guess.

Ok, that's it for now. This wasn't very eloquent (if at all! lmao) sorry!! but yeah, big fan of your writing, in case it wasn't clear yet LOL

Ahhhh this is all so nice thank you 😭

I do find Robin a lot easier to write than Nancy! I don't know why I just feel like I get her, whereas with Nancy I am obsessed with figuring her out but I never feel like I've quite gotten there lol.

I think sad stories need humor! It makes the sad stuff hurt more when you remember the funny bits! This is a trick! You heard it here first!

I am writing sad and NOT horny right now but maybe i'll write silly and horny next time to make up for it??? It honestly really helps to keep me motivated to kind of switch tones and also POVs back and forth piece to piece so I dont get bored or feel like im repeating myself TOO much.

This was such a nice message thank you so much 😭💜

#annieofvibes #asks #writing asks

10 notes · View notes

menzoberranyr · 3 months

Note

tavstarion? (bonus hellestarion)

hi jiub thank you jiub ♥️

Tav/Astarion

I’m not gonna commit to ship/don’t ship for this because it’s really dependent on the Tav in question! generally I think people write pretty compelling Tavstarion dynamics—especially the people in our server, hehe—but in my heart I cannot ignore the droves of people who badly misinterpret his character and play really awful storylines as a result HAHAH. everyone can do what they like, but it’s not always for me!

Helle/Astarion

1. Why do you ship it?

believe it or not, I did not create Helle as an Astarionmancer initially. but the second I got to thinking about those juicy dhampir/spawn dynamics… it was over for me.

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

an outsider looking in would think they fucking hate each other when they are in fact obsessed with one another

biting killing etc. couples who eat people together stay together ♥️

they have so much fun together. I don’t talk enough about how much they just genuinely make one another laugh and have a good time together. sometimes this is at the expense of others LMAO, but it’s also innocuous stuff like going to a festival or a tavern together, doing each other’s hair and nails, reading the same books and arguing about their interpretations…

the woes as well of course. Helle threatening to kill Astarion if he ascends. Astarion trying to use Helle as a weapon against Cazador early on. when their joke arguments turn into real arguments and they get genuinely mad at one another and have to grow up and talk about their feelings instead of just resolving it with sex. the tension of Helle being a daywalker while Astarion is resigned to a life in the shadows. the very fraught enthrallment powers subplot.

but also the tenderness. UGH. don’t let me think about the sickening earnestness and gentleness and love

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on the ship?

wouldn’t it be funny if there was? an opinion that’s unpopular with the 2-3 other people who actually care about this ship, but it doesn’t even matter because I make the rules. I suppose I have some Astarion opinions tied up in this that might be unpopular with the broader fanbase… but that’s a whole other can of worms

#thank you again!#any excuse to talk at length about my beloveds…#asks #hellestarion #meta #mine

2 notes · View notes

faneposting-my-beloved · 11 months

Text

You ever think...how little of Fane is really Fane? His origin, (most likely rewritten/changed and) shoe-horned into the shrunken game after the development curb.

His race, a mix of repurposed Raanaar assets & a lazy simplification (@ you Godwoken novel) - which, don't get me wrong, the little differenciation Eternals DID get from the Raanaar were great! Just never elaborated upon later on. Yeah, the novel again.

The clothes he is wearing in the arts etc? Just a generic 'wizard' armor that wasn't designed just for him contrary to clothes of other origins (even though Ifan/trp don't have their clothes in game)

What is really his is the key art armour, which I speculate is the Eternal Armour you can make...that doesn't look remotely close to the concept in game and only warrants ONE line of banter dialogue (which is generic, i.e every character speaks it) And the whole key art is...so foreign and seemingly random. I just don't get the bones around his neck. Maybe it's meant to represent Fane as the Divine? Exclusively? (since no other origin got such treatment) idk, this is a topic for its own 5000+ words post. His mask at the very least gets better treatment, but the inability to use it with a helm makes it inefficient in the late game. Which is a gameplay woe that could be adressed with what, one additional activate/deactivate toggle?

ugh

This was faneposter speaking her second dos2 rant this week from the deepest depths of hell she confined herself to. Madwoman out.

#fane dos2 #faneposting #what a good day for a lore rant #dos2 #divinity original sin 2 #fane #fane the eternal

10 notes · View notes

aching-tummies · 2 years

Text

What are your favorite tummy-related lines?

I got an ask a while back (that disappeared before I could answer) asking me what my favorite tummy-lines are. It made me realize I've never really compiled a list of stuff like that. I'm not usually interested in the actual lines too much--for me, it's like 95% what's going on in or on the tummy. Hands or other objects being used on the stomach and the effect of those actions within. But there are a few verbal cues that get me going.

In no particular order, these are some of the lines just off the top of my head. Granted, this is not a comprehensive list and like any person I go through moods so it's hard to say "these always work"...but these work a good chunk of the time.

"Please...don't push...it hurts!" Most variations of "don't" or "stop" or something...the one with the tummy-issues clearly being in pain and having to verbalize it to the partner.

"Ugh...my tummy..."

"Ouch...unngh...f-feels like I'm gonna explode...nnngh...*whimpers/moans/gurgles*"

"Whoa! What's going on in there?"

"Aww...is your poor little tummy hurting/upset?"

"Well...that doesn't sound very good." Describing the sounds as "sick(ly)-sounding" or "icky" or just in general commenting how the noises from the tummy don’t sound good.

"Wow...no wonder you can't sleep--I can literally feel your stomach struggling."

"Your tummy's been hurting/hungry/sickly that long?! Why didn't you say anything? Poor thing...poor tummy." (LOL, a partner that's got more concern for the tummy than for the person as a whole)

"Wow! *firm pats on the tum* You really do feel like you're gonna burst." (possibly a scenario where the one with the tummy's been mentioning how they're too full but the partner's sorta refused to hear it...and it took literally grabbing partner's hand and forcing it onto the tummy for partner to realize 'damn--they weren't exaggerating'.

Another party describing the tummy noises or the sensations from the stomach as "angry".

The partner being mildly surprised at the state of the tummy. Whether that results in them being a caring, non-overbearing caretaker or awakening a sadistic side that suddenly wants to experiment in making things worse...could go either way.

"Full?" In the context of a partner patting the tummy and inquiring about the state of it. Same actions but with, "You done?" or "Hmm...I think you're feeling just about empty." or something if it's in a sickness or vomit-aftermath scenario.

"Aww...cute. Does someone have a tummy ache?" Rare...but sometimes the idea of a sadistic lover saying this while knowing fully that the other has a tummy ache can be nice.

"You're...empty/hungry?" A partner feeling up the stomach and is surprised to feel just how hungry the other really is. Like...partner not expecting them to have gone quite that long without eating anything etc. A bit of a stretch, but could also work as an "on the mend after a nasty bout of sickness" scenario. Anything with the partner being surprised by what they can feel under their palms.

"It could be the [insert what was ingested] that's upsetting your tummy so."

Using "poor (little) tummy in certain contexts is almost always a win.

"Nnngh...hungry..." or something. Slurring of the speech. Specific context though: after a nasty sickness...the one with the tummy-woes sort of having a "fukin' finally!" moment--they've been desperately waiting for their appetite to come back and all that. Like...sure, they completely emptied their guts on day 1, but days 2 and 3 were literally spent in bed, feeling too crappy to move. They were empty and their body was starving but they had absolutely zero will to actually swallow anything 'cuz being achingly empty was better than another round of getting violently ill. Them admitting they are hungry or otherwise acknowledging the needs of their stomach as a sign that they're on the mend/are up for eating. Throw in a concerned partner that's relieved to see them actually have an appetite and helping them with the task of acquiring food and monitoring them while they eat, possibly with some casual stomach rubs during and after to stave off an upset in case the stomach and the sickness decide it was too soon.

"Nnngh...too much..." or some variations of "I ate too much" coming out as a sort of painful whine as they palm at their hurting tummy.

"Is dinner hurting your tummy?" Rephrased works too, like, "Is all that dairy hurting your tummy?" or "That was a lot of food. Does your tummy hurt?" or in general just the partner asking about the state of the tummy, knowing it's due for an ache-session.

"Don't fight it...here...let me..." Scenarios where the partner acts as caretaker and has to squeeze and push into the tummy to get whatever needs to happen (vomit, burp, whatever) to happen...'cuz the other is too exhausted from enduring for too long to have their body do it naturally.

Describing in vivid detail what's going on inside. Either by the one with the tummy-woes describing their symptoms or trying to make the partner understand...or the partner describing what they imagine is going on (which may make the other feel worse as their guts emulate the story)...or the partner describing what they feel beneath their hand vividly, adding to the experience of the one suffering. Anything that invokes the mental image of the internal view--particularly if life then imitates the art (of the story telling).

"You really aren't feeling good, are you?" When partner is concerned. Could be used in a general sickness context but definitely love it when it's said in response to the stomach betraying it's state with a sickly rumble or something.

#tummy kink #RP-Lite

47 notes · View notes

wovenstarlight · 2 years

Note

Thinking about your cached AU and I cannot /imagine/ the dissonance SHJ must feel everytime he sees Yoojin. Like going from the instinctive "Haha little F rank" to "oh shit what the /fuck/" in 0.5 seconds. *NOVEL SPOILERS* And that scene where SHJ's memories completely regress of a few chapters? Like, he sends down his chains to drag Yoojin to him and Yoojin is just like. No. And yanks the chains, unceremoniously dragging Sung Hyunjae down the stairs instead.

Oh! And that's not even mentioning the hilarity of the dungeon glitches!

"Oh No!!! A SS rank monster just appeared in this low rank dungeon what are we going to d-

Oh. Oh okay nevermind Yoojin swatted it like a bug and now it's dead. False alarm."

Everything you've written for it is so angsty but I can't stop laughing there's so much potential for comedy

LMFAO YEAH. I think early on I said hyj claims to be F-rank but realistically that's way too obvious a lie so in the yerim chapter I marked him down as claiming A-rank. S-rank would be even easier to pull off but ssm and hyh said "okay so as an s-rank here's the bare minimum amount of public appearances you'd have to make—" and he was like I'd Rather Die Than Face The Media (Again). and they were like oh. um. okay. well. A-ranks aren't nearly as popular even though they still are. would that work. and he was like ugh whatever. and they were all like [EXTREMELY RELIEVED SIGH]

so he has to keep up appearances as an A-rank... that combined with the subconscious awareness that he IS stronger than them, ALONG with the fact that he doesn't even pretend to be scared, honestly makes his relationship with the canon S-ranks. well. okay for those who are under his care it's like You're my dad! boogie woogie woogie just as in canon. but for, like, shj and mha and stw and the rest. he's very. I don't wanna say uncanny valley but they're all on edge around him a bit. of course shj is still like this guy is so fucked up (positive) (intrigued). but because hyj is """A""" rank instead of F-rank... you know how in canon they're all like hehe little F-rank we can push around for jokes and comedy. shj knows better than to try any jokes and comedy on hyj here.

it probably makes it worse than hyjs trying so half-heartedly to be like oh woe I'm a A rank who can't help but be weaker than you guys.... because during shj amnesia pool incident he tries to chain up and drag hyj over and hyj is like. [completely deadpan] oh noooo whatever will I do. these chaaaains have appeaaareeed to drag me awayyyyyy. noooo. he follows them and finds shj and immediately gives him an earful and gets a dunking anyway but he's about twice as pissy about it. prereg shj is having an absolute moment up there on the surface because he's all WHAT THE FUCK? WASNT THIS GUY F-RANK? WHAT? [←not scared per se but unused to this new status quo]

the thing is. even if hyj knows he's SS-rank and everyone knows he's SS-rank and he knows everyone knows etc etc etc. he just stonewalls them when they try to ask (Too Much Trouble). and he still puts up the bare minimum facade of being lower-ranked. so if an ss-rank monster shows up, then like... like okay, with the Babar he contributes about as much as in canon because solo he can't actually do anything, it IS a pretty formidable monster. maybe he takes over for yoohyun and orders him to stay back from the fight, or something, idk. with that dragon humanoid diarma sent, which he fought with shj and riette and noah, though. that he just lays into singlehandedly and then when the others are like ?????? he's like Ohhhh I uhhh forgot to say but Myeongwoo was testing out.... some sorta... extra special buffing equipment. yeah that's definitely it. [glowering] Do Not Tell Anyone Else. and like obviously no one believes him but like. lol. what are they gonna do, fight him? so SS rank han yoojin is just.... the sclass world's most badly kept secret

#answered #licilou22 #cached au #my sranks

41 notes · View notes

yokohamabeans · 2 years

Text

Chapter 3: lady of the locust shell (上)

We know how the story ends: in all versions of it, the crane leaves her lover in tears.

(In which: Kakuchō meets you at his worst. Eight years later, you meet him at yours.)

Pairings: Kakuchō x F!OC/Reader (ft. Haitani Ran x F!OC/Reader)

Series Tags / TW & CW / Notes: Dark/Mature Themes, Bonten!Timeline (or rather, pre-Bonten / Rise of Bonten Era), TR Manga Spoilers, Angst & Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Organized Crime, Blood & Violence, Mentions of Domestic Abuse, Japanese Culture, OC will have a name but this will largely be written in 2nd POV, Character Study, Hostessing & Forced Prostitution, etc.

(WC: ~4k)

Series Index | Read on AO3 here!

2015

Atsuko is crying in the dressing room.

To your utter dismay, you’ve been sent to calm her down. To comfort her. Scold her. Threaten her. Whatever it takes to get her to stop, Mama said. The dressing room is too close to the restrooms and Atsuko’s break is about to end! Customers will know that she’s been crying, and they won’t like that she’s been crying. Mama only cares about what the customers like. She cares not for you nor Atsuko, nor any of the other girls for that matter, so that is why you are going to spend your break mopping up someone else’s tears.

You push on the door with half a mind to disobey Mama and turn around, but it is too late: the clicks of your stilettos have already alerted Atsuko of your presence. Any hope of returning to peaceful solitude at the rooftop is further drowned by the fresh wave of tears that Atsuko sends your way. So, like an adult caving to a wailing baby, you agree to stay with her, though you make your disdain obvious by choosing the seat at the vanity furthest away from her and her garden of soggy tissues. She doesn’t seem to notice—too busy emptying her nose of snot to not look like a complete mess. You muster a quick smile as if to say: don’t worry, even with mucus and mascara streaking disgustingly down your face, you’re still a vision! But in truth, you don’t see her as anything more than a spilled bucket of water you have to clear. Not anything more than a chore.

“I shouldn’t have c-come to work today,” she hiccups, sounding low and nasal. Wow, she must really be in a slump, because she is usually tuning her voice to the highest pitch possible. “Do you think M-Mama will give me the rest of my night off?”

“I won’t recommend that you ask. It’s a busy night,” you tell her plainly, glancing at the clock. Only ten minutes till her break ends and, more importantly, twenty till yours. “Get a grip and clean yourself up. You’ll forget him by next week.”

“You know about Shō-kun?!” Atsuko gasps, and it surprises you too: did she really think she has been secretive about her relationship with that young salaryman? He walks her to the club on Saturdays, for crying out loud. Even though there are only the two of you around, she leans in with a hushed whisper. “Does Mama know?”

Oh, Mama most certainly does. But if you tell that to Atsuko, she will no doubt take the next five minutes to panic about it and you’ll never get to rest. Luckily, you are skilled in the art of deflection. That is why you are doing well as a hostess. “There’s nothing for her to know about now, is there? Because it’s over?”

Atsuko leaks with tears again and you realise you were too callous with your words. So, perhaps rather compassionately, you decide to add: “You were stupid to date a client, but I suppose there wasn’t much to lose with someone like your Shō-kun. With his salary, he will never spend much in our club. At least you aren’t losing a big customer with this break-up. Some of the other girls here have had it way worse than you.”

She turns away with an indignant pout, clearly still convinced that hers is a woe beyond compare. But you can also tell she relished your degradation of her ex-lover, because her eyes are now dry enough to fix the makeup staining them.

“Ugh, this sucks,” Atsuko groans, picking a wet wipe out of its packet. She looks at you through the mirror while ridding her cheeks of ruined eyeliner. “Have you had your heart broken before?”

You stare straight back. “No.”

“I believe that of you, somehow,” she mutters under her breath, which you ignore. “No man can ever budge you, huh? Oh, if only I can be more like you, onē-san!”

Atsuko’s exclamation sounds suspiciously like sarcasm, but you know she doesn’t have the wit nor guts to be snide. She proceeds to prattle on about the highs and lows of her affair with her Shō-kun, and her excitement shows that she’s been wanting to for some time. You aren’t in the mood to be annoyed or exhausted so you tune her out. It’s the same old story anyway—the names may change but it is always a formulaic love triangle. In the case of Atsuko, it was between her, Shō-kun and Yū, the woman Atsuko turns into every night inside the lounges of the club Murasaki. Shō-kun has realised too late that Atsuko, who loves him, is not Yū, who he loves, and so Atsuko must suffer for this difference. Every hostess in Tōkyō dreams of a fairytale romance but this is the story that happens instead.

Well, are you speaking from experience? Are you musing in bitter reminiscence? No, not at all. Never. As if you’d ever let yourself become that sorry. Your life is pathetic enough as it is, you don’t need a man to dig that ditch any deeper. But that’s not to say you’ve never had your heart moved. Atsuko and some other colleagues seem to think you are made of ice, but you don’t blame them for having such an impression. You drop your smiles the moment your clients turn their backs, and you’ve never once gushed nor spoken fondly about any of them in the dressing room—not even that young, charming tech CEO who took you on a helicopter ride. Mama even once asked if you didn’t like men. You replied that you simply didn’t like anyone. She raised a brow. Not a single one? You nodded. You speak of love to my customers without a muse? You cursed her silently next because a boy then came to mind. A boy you’d met when you were seventeen.

To preface: you have never been in love. It must’ve been the magic of the firsts that made you think of him—he was the first boy you brought home, the first boy you touched. The first boy to make you feel, for a lack of a better word, things. And, mind you, he wasn’t a boyfriend. Neither was he a friend. He wasn’t even a schoolmate. In fact, in the most literal sense he was a random loser: you had found him in a station alley, all battered from what must’ve been a fight. So what made him so special?

It is far from romantic but the story starts with your mother. Your beat-up, long-dead mother. Unpleasant, right? But you suppose you cannot think about life without thinking of her. Do you have the time now, though? You see that Atsuko is still completely absorbed in her unceasing drivel about Shō-kun, so you guess you do.

You see, just the year before you met that boy, you’d taken a first-aid course. You had enough of the clumsy bandaging you did for your mother—it would unravel the moment your father struck her next and you’d have to dress her wounds all over again. So you kept your lunch allowance and let your stomach writhe at school, and when your jar was full enough you enrolled at the local Red Cross. But what a waste everything turned out to be, for your mother died the week after you received the certificate! It seemed that, in the end, her one life could only take so many beatings.

What a waste! What a pity!—this was a thought you could not let go. Your twenty-thousand-yen first-aid skills: what are you supposed to do with them now? How you wished for your mother to come back to life so you could use them. How you wished to smash her urn and mould the ashes inside into her shape. Even if she were to crumble back to earth forever, you’d be at peace if you could just stem her blood or hold her bones in place again. Just—once more. Perhaps, with the skills you’ve learned, you could keep her by your side a little longer. For a year, the regret weighed heavily on your brain and on your hands and on your fingers, neurotically, like the itch for a once-favoured pastime.

So, when your eyes fell on the boy for the first time at Kokudō Station, all your senses urged you towards him. Another victim of a heavy fist, body violet and glistening vermillion, limp with defeat—there was no way you could’ve left him there. Perhaps with those swollen bumps on his skin, he could be of shape to fill the hole your mother left between your hands. A selfish idea, was it not? But he could use your hands too. You saw him turn his pockets out before a vending machine; it was unlikely he would’ve gone to a clinic. You’d be helping him as much as you’d be helping yourself. Were you still selfish then?

You offered him a drink and aid. Fortunately, he was agreeable. You were not warm to him and you neither gave nor asked for any explanation, but still he followed you without question. You were quite intrigued; even a stray dog would’ve barked or bitten in fear for its life if someone had tried to carry it home. It seemed that the boy had nothing left to lose, so it was easy for him to abandon himself to your hands. You suppose you were the same, letting a complete stranger into your house. A stranger who was a—what did people call a person like him again?—a delinquent. A ‘dangerous person’. You could practically hear your nosey neighbour shrieking: there’s no knowing what a guy like him would do to a girl like you! And to that, with all that’s already happened, you would have said: I don’t care.

But: oh, the things he did to you.

When the boy stepped out of your shower with his shirt off and cheeks red, you were suddenly very aware of the difference between the two of you, that he was Boy and you were Girl. Your heart tripped and you thought of the girls in your class, the ones who froze upon seeing Takahashi, your school’s handsome basketball star: ah, is this what they felt? Even without the bruises and swelling, the boy did not have Takahashi’s wholesome good looks. He had a massive scar running across his face, a lame eye, and if you looked very carefully you’d see that his nose had been thrown crooked by punches.

And yet, unlike him, Takahashi had never made you skip a beat. With a man like your father in your life, you hadn’t given much thought about boys. (Not with the nasty pranks and rumours that followed you at school.) So, surely you could be forgiven for having such girlish thrills for the first time? And, about these new thrills: it was when you got on your knees to study his face, to read the braille of his scar—the moment you caught him gripping his own thigh at your touch—that you realised no one else could’ve given them to you but him.

You remember his eyes when you held his face—wide and strained for what you might do next. (Even you were in fear of what you might’ve done.) They swallowed you in like gravity, consumed you whole and made you wonder: what if, in that instance, you were to let yourself fall? To crash on his lips like an asteroid upon Earth, and obliterate the world around you? Would it be so disastrous?

(It would, kā-san, wouldn’t it?)

Your lips never met, but as far as you cared you’d lost your first kiss then. You managed to wrench yourself out of gravity’s pull with a rather impolite joke. He responded in kind, and it occurred to you that at some point the both of you had stopped being strangers. You thought of a story your mother once knew: the Chinese legend of guqin player Bo Ya and woodcutter Zhong Ziqi. Both men had nothing in common and yet Zhong was the only one who perfectly understood the sentiments behind Bo Ya’s music, so much so that upon Zhong’s death, Bo Ya broke his instrument in grief and vowed to never play again. You didn’t know a thing about the boy, not even his name, but you had a feeling that if you were to only hum a single note, he’d know the whole song.

The boy then told you of his parents: they’re dead.

(“When Bo Ya’s will was towards high mountains in his playing, Zhong would say, how towering like Mount Tai!”)

Oh, I see, he replied when you said the same of yours.

(“Amazing, Bo Ya exclaimed. Your heart and mine are the same!”)

Certainly, the two of you weren’t the only fucking orphans in the world, but you had felt so singular in your experience that you thought of him as godsent. For the first time in a while, everything about you was light. Your organs, your hands, the edges of your lips; every part of you floated, and you understood then that the longing that bound you was not just for your mother. He shared a smile with you, the kind that only two people could have, and your chest swelled with gratitude and you thought—

“Isn’t Shō-kun just the best?”

You blink.

All of a sudden, Atsuko is beaming at you expectantly. You finally notice that her makeup is flawless again, though the redness in her eyes remains unconcealable. “Can you believe he really spent all his rent money on me just because I said Mama might fire me? What an idiot! He’s the best!” You realise you have not heard a single word she’s said.

Ah, so you’ve digressed. Lost yourself to the past, have you? You suppose it happens with fond memories. Now that your head is out of the clouds, let’s be clear once more: you were not in love with that boy. Teenagers are prone to confusing affection for love, and even you were once a pubescent girl. Of course. The memory certainly is dreamy but now that you are lucid and sensible again, you see it for what it was: a mere neurochemical reaction, from the potent mix of hormonal thrills and a lonely existence. A false affinity. Yes, yes, yes. That’s all there is to it. Your life was void of meaningful connections and so you clutched at straws with the first person who’d been nice to you. Dove right into a fantasy about a complete stranger you’ve only met once and knew next to nothing of, just because you liked the idea that even someone like you could have a soulmate. Oh, you really were a sad little thing, huh?

Still, you cannot help but wonder how that boy is doing now, passingly with amity, like one would about a lost friend.

“Oi! Onē-san!” Atsuko shrills. “Have you been listening to me?!”

She may as well have stabbed needles into your ears. The door opens in the nick of time to save you from giving her an answer. Mama pushes herself into the room, clapping her hands like a shepherd at his dogs. Atsuko’s spine shoots straight up while you let yours remain slack against your chair.

“Alright, breaktime is over. Get back out there,” Mama announces. You stiffen as her gaze meets yours. “You too.”

You check the clock. “I still have ten minutes.”

“No, you don’t.” Her ruby fingernails clink against the metal of the doorknob. “A customer’s calling for you now.”

“Well, tough luck,” you scoff, unmoving in your seat. “He should’ve made an appointment.”

“It’s Haitani Ran.”

At this, you cuss, not bothering to do so under your breath. Grudgingly, you get to your feet. Hostesses are allowed to be selective with their customers, and customers must make reservations if they wish to spend time with specific girls—these are the rules at Murasaki. But unfortunately for you, ever since they met Mama has decided that rules do not apply to Haitani Ran.

“I don’t know why you’re complaining,” she rolls her eyes, rapping her nails harder on the doorknob. “He’s rich and generous, the perfect combination for any man.”

You glare at her from the vanity. She knows exactly why you’re complaining. “I am not short of rich and generous men.”

Atsuko, looking asphyxiated, attempts to leave unnoticed from the crossfire between you and Mama. Tragically, a Louboutin plants itself in her way at the door. “Wait, we need two girls. His brother is here too.” Mama takes her chin to scrutinise the veins in her eyes, prompting Atsuko to squeak an apology and promise to get eye drops at once. “No, just leave it,” Mama waves her hand dismissively. “It seems like something he’ll get off to. Let’s go.”

Atsuko’s face blanches.

The both of you follow Mama out to the elevator. Most cabaret clubs are the size of family restaurants. If they are popular enough and their customers adequately rich, they may sometimes rent a second floor as well. Murasaki occupies all five levels of a building in Roppongi. You expect Mama to reach for the button to the fourth floor, where the private rooms are, but her finger travels down instead. “The basement?” You frown, crossing your arms. “They won’t be drinking much then. What a waste of time for me—and Atsuko, of course.”

“They have business later and can’t get too drunk,” Mama sighs tiredly at your open griping. “Though, I am certain Ran will open any bottle of your choosing anyway, if you ask him sweetly.”

You narrow your eyes. “Why come to the club now, then?”

“Koko-kun is here to see me. They tagged along.”

“And how long will that take?” You don’t bother to mask your grating tone. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my night just hanging around, kissing cards and blowing on dice.”

“I believe it’s mahjong they’re in the mood for tonight.”

“So two hours or more.”

“Don’t look at me like that,” Mama warns, reminding you of the fact that she is your boss. Her eyes flit between you and Atsuko, whose peace at being forgotten has ended. “Tell you what, the both of you will play too, and you get to keep your winnings. Happy?”

Atsuko nods with glee, baselessly confident that she’ll have winnings. You miss the chance to ask about losses as the elevator doors split open. Mama strides out into rows of ageing liquor, pausing only to adjust a bottle of Cabernet, and waves briskly to the attendant hovering around the other end of the room. At first glance, there is nothing suspicious about Murasaki’s basement: it is, for all intents and purposes, a lavishly-stocked wine cellar. Someone who is sharp, however, will notice that its size is much smaller than what the floors above suggest, and that its attendant looks far too brutish to be guarding a mere storeroom.

The attendant (bouncer) acknowledges Mama with a curt bow and mutters into his earpiece. You recognise him as one of the Mara-kai’s younger, more disposable members. One of the fall guys. He bows to Mama again before stepping aside, and the three of you watch as the shelf behind him folds into the wall like a door. The excited, cacophonous din of the room inside washes over you immediately like a flood, as do the flashy lights of slot machine screens and the earthy aroma of cigars. A headache starts to brew; the casino has always been too much for your liking.

Mama bends her natural scowl into a grin before strutting towards the bar, where Haitani Ran is lounging with his brother and Kokonoi Hajime. She presents her arms like a showman. “Sorry, boys. You know what they say about those who wait!”

The three men turn to acknowledge her, though only Ran is smiling. You sense some discomfort from Atsuko, and from the way her brows are knitted you realise she’s been rather bothered by Mama’s comment at the dressing room. Naturally. Her clients have only been men of sparkling clean professions, white-collared and respectable. Nice and trouble-free men. Men she may refuse without worrying about her safety. You can see her bottom lip tremble as she nears the bar, and it sends a bizarre surge of responsibility through you.

“Don’t listen to Mama. Rindō is harmless,” you sigh, putting yourself a step ahead of her. “Well, mostly. Just follow my lead.” I’ll make sure nothing happens, you don’t push yourself to say.

“Kokonoi-san,” you approach the bar, performing soft bows in greeting, “Haitani-san.”

“Ah, the incomparable Utsu-san,” Ran’s smile stretches in your presence. You pretend not to notice. “I was worried it might’ve been your night off.”

“She was having her break when I told her of your arrival, and she rushed down immediately,” Mama tells him, and you cannot fault her for fibbing because it is, technically, true. “As did Yū-chan over here. You boys have not met her before, so some introductions are in order…”

Mama ushers Atsuko towards Rindō, who watches her with such boredom that she must surely be relieved—and offended. Kokonoi, on the other hand, eyes her closely from head to toe, though you suspect his interest is only in her value as a product. (He’d given you the same once-over when you first met him, and he did it so blatantly you nearly asked if he’d like a monocle to grade you better with.) Ran is the only one friendly enough to ask about her, and because Atsuko is incapable of perceiving depth, she relaxes at his seemingly polite demeanour. Once again, you are overcome with the ridiculous instinct to place yourself between the girl and these wolves.

“I have the Peony Room ready for the four of you,” Mama announces, having enough of the pleasantries. She shifts herself to be near Kokonoi. “Shall we head up, Koko-kun?”

“That we shall, Mama-san.” Kokonoi’s silver hair shines with colour under the neon ceiling lights. “I’ll catch you again later, Utsu, Yū.” He shoots a knowing look at the brothers in his walk past them, as if to say ‘behave’. At the same time, Mama orders you to ‘be nice’. You don’t need to see them off at the elevator to know they are making for the fifth floor, where Mama’s office and personal abode are.

Mama is a woman well into her fifties, but still she turns heads as quickly as she did in her youth. Her jowls are loose and her figure is not lithe without shapewear, but the kind of regal beauty she has is one that’s impervious to time. Gold does not tarnish, after all. You do not doubt that she can bed any man she so wishes, but you do not think that is what’s happening with Kokonoi. No, their relationship is of the business sort—there is too much respect in their regard for each other. You’d rather not concern yourself with Mama’s dealings but there are ominous clouds looming over this one. Kokonoi, Ran and Rindō are no run-of-the-mill gangsters. They reek of danger and ambition, and the Haitani name has been notorious in these parts of town for some time. You’re already dreading the changes to come.

Atsuko dutifully latches herself onto Rindō’s arm and steers him towards the private rooms, blathering his ears off along the way. Shō-kun appears to be far from her mind. You have no choice but to meet Ran’s expectant gaze and slip into the space beside him. Ran is as uncannily put-together as always; there is never a crease in his suit nor a hair out of place. Every time you look at him, you think of a mannequin, or a marble statue.

“I hear you are often lucky in mahjong,” he says, smiling down at you. “Unfortunately, I myself have a terribly lousy hand. If I happen to feed you a particularly rare and expensive ron tonight, will you let me take you out for dinner in recompense?”

“You shouldn’t worry, Haitani-san. Mahjong is also a game of skill, and you’re a smart man.” You coil your hand around his arm. “You need not take me to dinner.”

The silk of his sleeve is cold and your cheeks are beginning to ache.

Glossary of Terms / References Used | Next Chapter

A/N: Enter the MC! I suppose this chapter's kinda boring because it's really MC-centric; I initially wanted to add a couple more scenes to this chapter (which had Ran / Kakucho) but that would make it like 10k words long and I don't think I can publish 10k-word chapters on the reg... (Plus, this update has been WAY overdue.) Anyway, next chap's gonna have more of the Bonten Boys so stay tuned!

Reblogs & comments will be greatly appreciated! :)

#Tokyo Revengers #Tokyo Revengers Fanfic #Kakucho x OC #Kakucho x Reader #Haitani Ran x OC #Haitani Ran x Reader #Ran Haitani x Reader #Ran Haitani x OC #Kakucho #Haitani Ran #Requital of a Crane

35 notes · View notes