#but for one of the first times in his life akira stood up to her about it
Note
hi it’s me again. i also can’t stop thinking about like a rusty knife. what the FUCK do akira’s parents think about their strange child coming back from tokyo even stranger
That evening, tucked up together in their respectable bedroom in their respectable house in the respectable town they live in, Kurusu Hisoka hesitates before turning off the light next to her side of the bed. "Are we going to talk about this?"
Her husband, who has long since taken off his glasses and rolled over on his side, deigns to grunt at her.
"No," she presses. "Kazuo. We have to. That-- that boy."
Kurusu Kazuo, married to his wife for eighteen years and exasperated for each and every one, gusts out a sigh and rolls over onto his back. "Hicchan."
"That's not my son." It tears out of her, this horrible thing that she says, rips its way free from her breast and hovers bloody and menacing between them. The wound it leaves isn't clean; she's already short of breath, heavy and aching. "That's not my Akichan. You have to see it too. You have to."
A pause; Kazuo finally rolls to face her entirely. "Hicchan. We've talked about this."
"No, I've talked about this! You just bury your head in the paper and go 'yes dear', I know you don't listen to me! That boy doesn't move like my son, he doesn't speak like my son, he doesn't act like my son--"
"And what are we to do?" His voice is firm, but hollow. "We were lucky to get him back in one piece in the first place, after that man. He's a teenage boy, and he's back with his family. You'll see. Akira is still your son."
Hisoka takes a breath, another, wet, gulping. "I'll just have to remind him," she says, mostly to herself. "That he's my baby. That he belongs with me, with us, right? Once he gets his legs back under him, he'll realize he can stay here and be safe. No more of this-- escapism."
Her baby, her boy; she almost went mad the year he was gone, but Kazuo had expressly forbidden her from calling more than once a week. And half the time she could tell Akira wasn't even paying attention to her, could hear the low background murmur of voices behind him.
Her poor baby boy, all alone in that terrible city she'd barely escaped from. What a blessing it is to live here in Inaba, quiet and calm and safe.
What a relief it will be for her boy, her calm and placid boy, when he finally calms down and remembers who he is, who he's supposed to be.
#filed under:#ask meme#hey hisoka? hisoka? you're gonna be in for a rude fucking awakening my dude lmao#kurusu hisoka used to have a perfect baby boy she could show around#the type that every housewife would love#and instead what came home was a DELINQUENT#with a CAT#CAT FUR ON HER UPHOLSTERY#the tantrum she threw when akira wouldn't put mona outside was unmatched#but for one of the first times in his life akira stood up to her about it#i always hc his home life as EXTREMELY COMPLICATED with COMPLEX FAMILY DYNAMICS#and this is just one facet of many i enjoy#the tags are longer than the content at this point
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Akira Toriyama (1955-2024)
I wouldn't say I'm feeling better today, but I'm feeling less bad than yesterday. So let's see if I can put some words together.
In case anyone still hasn't heard, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama passed away on March 1, 2024. This news was made public on March 7 or 8. I woke up early on Friday morning and found out while I was checking Twitter. I had a long, busy day at work, and I kept getting on my phone to scroll through fan reactions and tributes.
I think that, more than anything, is what's gotten me so worked up about his death. My Twitter timeline and my tumblr dashboard were just chock full of touching message and images about how Akira Toriyama's work has changed their lives. I wanted to write my own tribute, but I'm not sure what else I can say that hasn't already been expressed by Archie Comics, professional wrestling trio The New Day, and the Republic of El Salvador.
There's this immense, global community of fans, and it's easy to lose sight of just how big it is. It's easy to get bogged down in the infighting and petty squabbles. I saw one tweet responding to the criticism of Dragon Ball not being like this "entry level" franchise compared to other, more high brow anime and manga. It's popular with so many people, that critics will assume it's designed to appeal to the lowest-common-denominator. But the opposite is true! Dragon Ball is accessible, which is how so many people from so many different places and walks of life can get into it. The guy telling the story was such a master storyteller that he could grab an audience's attention and make it look easy. So easy that the haters would start to think that it was a trick, and he must be overrated.
Let me talk about this panel for a minute.
Last night I started going through the original manga, looking for panels to screencap. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I thought maybe a selection of panels that really stood out for me might be worth posting. I'll probably still do that one of these days, but I got to this one, where Gohan tells Chi-Chi about Goku's death, and it hit me like a ton of bricks.
This was a powerful scene in the anime, of course, but in the comic it's even more profound. It's just one panel, no dialogue, because the reader already knows what's happening here. We know Gohan is telling his mother that Goku died in the Cell Games, and that he refuses to be wished back, because he thinks his presence on Earth will attract new enemies. It was hard enough to hear when Goku said it to Gohan and the others, and now Gohan has to relay that message to Goku's wife. All she can do is lie prostate on the floor and weep.
And look at the composition. She's surrounded by all that negative space. Gohan's there for her, but she still feels so alone, surrounded by her husband's absence. Pots of flour for food he'll never eat. An empty chair he might have sat in. Their son, who will have to grow up without him.
I saw this, as though for the first time, and it was so gut-wrenching that I had to post it by itself. I felt like it summed up my feelings better than any words could. We're all Chi-Chi in this panel, reacting to Akira Toriyama's death. And we're all Gohan too, each of us consoling one another with our own thoughts and tributes.
So what did Akira Toriyama mean to us all? Lots of people have answered this in a lot of different ways. Obviously his art, storytelling and cultural impact speak for themselves. I've seen people compare him to other luminaries like Jack Kirby and Osamu Tezuka. I'll try to add my own two cents with this:
I wrote a post about "Dragon Ball Daima" back when it was first announced, and I led off with this image of a note from Akira Toriyama. I guess this was from some big fancy presentation about Daima at a convention. I forget which one. In particular, I was skeptical that the Daima rumors were even true, and if they were, the whole idea seemed half-baked to me. Turning Goku into a kid had been done before, and it wasn't exactly successful the first time.
But this note from Toriyama was very reassuring to me. More than the trailer clips and character designs, this was what got me interested in the show. That's because he took the time to not only hype up the show, but also to explain what's going on behind the premise. He took the time to tell everyone that he's working on this show, and what "Daima" means, and why all the characters get turned into kids. It's "due to a conspiracy", and the good guys will have to "fix things". In short, he established a plot, conflict, and resolution to the story. He didn't just slap this together to sell new merch. I'm sure that was part of the motivation to make Daima, but there's more to it than that.
I think that's the loss I feel with Toriyama's passing. It's not that there won't be new Dragon Ball stories in the future. I'm sure others will continue telling their own versions long after I'm gone. I'm not that worried about the fate of Daima. I'm sure they'll figure something out, whether it's delayed, rewritten, or canceled. But we'll never see another message from Toriyama to promote a new project, and that's what I'll miss. From here on, his credit will just be an acknowledgement of his past contributions.
There's this great credibility with Akira Toriyama's name. Fans will argue about how involved he was in a project as a way of establishing how good or bad it was. Dragon Ball GT has his name on the credits, and he provided some designs and artwork early on, and for some fans that proves the series has his endorsement. For others, the sole problem with the show is that he wasn't directly writing the script. There's similar debates over Dragon Ball Super, where he was involved, but only writing those mysterious "notes". So if a fan doesn't like something in DBS, who do they blame? Did Toriyama lose his touch, or did his co-creators fumble the ball? Dragon Ball Evolution basically ignored all of Toriyama's advice and bombed, while Battle of Gods, Resurrection F, Broly, and Super Hero all put Toriyama's writing credits up at the very beginning, and each film made plenty of money. I read his comments on the Daima confirmation, and immediately thought "Okay, this should be pretty good. Akira Toriyama knows what's up."
That's gone now. I mean, there's still a lot of talent out there, but we'll never again have the little gas mask-wearing robot telling us that this story will be good because he worked on making it good. I don't think I really appreciated how much I trusted that guy until now. I still can't believe he's really gone.
I'll probably have more to say about this in the coming days, but I'll stop here for now. Thanks for letting me ramble a bit on this.
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❝ WITH YOU ❞ + Hawks aka Keigo Takami
⌗ tags —› @chaos-night @decayish @zoraedits
⌗ tap here to view more !
+. CWs—» afab!reader, fluff, milf!reader, soft dom!hakws, OCs, explicit and non-explicit smut, sub/dom dynamics, kissing, angst undertones.
+. SYNOPSIS—» Life wasn't kind, especially after you moved with your daughter to a new place but a certain blonde boy made sure it was entertaining.
+. NOTES—» this is my first time writing on him...and please don't ask me why I chose milf!hawks. Something about young boys being attracted to matured body and mind makes me swoon over. word count — 1.8k
This is new and definitely odd. Keigo exhaled heavily shifting his gaze from the phone screen to the ceiling full of stars and celestials. How long has it been since he felt his cheeks so warm that it could fog his glasses? He licks his lips diving deeper into your thoughts before clicking his tongue weighing his options whether to text you back or give in to his fatigue. He shouldn't be so worried about a simple text; heck, it’s not even worth giving this much thought.
“Thank you for the food. It was delicious.”
The sound of notification woke up Akira. She has become a light sleeper lately since her father wasn’t the hero, she thought he would be. And it escalated after you shifted to this new place with your daughter. You lightly palmed her forehead grazing her golden locks and putting her back to sleep. While you secretly wished that the text would be from your next-door neighbor not some dull notification from any of the socials, a tiny part of you was irritated since you forgot to put the phone on silent. Another call and all this work for putting Akira to sleep would be in vain.
Keigo couldn’t believe that he was tossing from one end of his bed to the other waiting for a reply. Even though he has dated, dumped, and had enough hook-ups to brag about, never before in his life he has waited so eagerly for a reply. He jumped out of the bed, grabbing his phone from the corner table at the sound of the notification.
“Thank you.” Yeah. just that. Only two words. Thank you. Keigo’s lips went flatline like a weeping Holter machine. Putting the phone onto flight mode he covered himself with the quilt pushing himself to sleep.
Seen. A yawn of exhaustion escaped your mouth gaining some stares as you stood in the metro gazing at his chat. It’s silly to expect any kind of response. Moreover, checking won’t bless you with some miracle. Two more stations and you’ll finally be home to relax the first weekend in this new place.
“Well, Hello! Fancy meeting you here”, a male voice perforated your ears having your senses vivid awake. No one talks with you like that unless they’re close. Your head shifted to find the source only to find none other than your next-door neighbor, Keigo Takami. “I could say the same.”, you quipped as he stood beside you even though there was a seat available. With a quick scan over his stature, you understood he doesn’t know how to cook otherwise why would he have a takeout?
You’ve noticed him taking the deliveries on the day you shifted; while that day was an emergency for you, it was a routine for him. The phone call brought you back from drifting off to the far shore of roses and bursts of sunshine, something that might never see the light of day, something that is better to keep buried in your heart.
“Honey, I’m just a station away. I’ll be home soon Aki”, you uttered with a worry in your tone since you could feel her voice breaking. Damn the network!
“Any problem?”, Keigo asked in a feeble tone. “No. yes. It’s my daughter. She’s sick, skipping school and I can’t take leave from the office…
Nothing after that seemed to register in his mind. There was an awful buzz as he tried to regain himself from drowning in guilt. He is everything but not a cheater and neither would be a passive one. “I’m sure you’ll get through all of these soon”, was all he could manage to mumble before rushing out of the metro. Your eyebrows grew closer in shock at his behaviour but you too don't have time to ponder over that.
As soon as you entered the apartment, you noticed Aki sleeping on the couch tightly hugging the plushie that her father gifted on her birthday last year. She’s five now. Even though she witnessed all of it, she missed her father.
You checked her body temperature. Fever was gone but she was sweating buckets. Bad dreams probably. You washed your hands; planned to feed her and then go to bed. But a knock distracted your thoughts.
As soon as you opened the door Hawks began to explain himself without even posing a look at you. “I’m so sorry. I was just tired and not being myself. I shouldn’t have walked away like that.” And then, his eyes fell over you standing in absolute confusion in a camisole with a serape over your chest to cover your modesty.
Still, hawks couldn’t avoid it. His eyes took a notice of your figure and the thought of sucking those matured nipples crossed his mind in a flash. “Yeah, I figured.”
“You did, huh?”, he swallowed running his fingers over his nape eyes darting on the ground as he tries to decompose such thoughts. His eyes scanned your room which made you aware that he was searching for something or someone.
“I’m a divorcee”, you uttered gaining his rapt attention. He almost stiffened. “Divorce looks good on you.”, his eyes shone in a gleam full of want and affection. Hawks hated this, hated how you have bewitched him but was ready to dive in to deep waters since he just can’t go on with more late nights.
“Mom, the food is getting cold. Eat with me”, Akira’s chime startled both of you. She was already tucking behind your figure holding your dress with his soft small palms while the other held her favorite plushie. She looked at hawks and smiled widely probably because she thought that she got a new playmate.
Well, she wasn’t wrong. She was smart enough to understand that mom can’t really play with her. She has job to do, bills to pay, and sing to sleep. And somehow, that became an arrangement.
Hawks reached home earlier than you and it was a blessing that he got along with Akira otherwise that would be another hassle. He even started to pick her up from school, drop her safely at home and wait until you were home.
Sometimes he behaved like a child too. He would buy candies for your girl and it was sweet and heart-warming, especially when Akira gave you your share with a grin on her face exclaiming, “Kei told me you’d like thwese.” Akira was sure a father’s daughter, a rule breaker for sure but how on earth she didn’t take those alcohol-based sweets is still a wonder.
Sometimes he’d come over weekends to keep Aki busy while you did the chores. You’d occasionally catch him staring at you and instantly focusing his attention on to Aki. Even though he was quite intimidating he took all the touches he could get from you, accidental or coincidental;
He never crossed the line or maybe he’s still working on that since he never resisted when you ruffled his hair, rested your hand over his shoulders, or pinched his arms lightly when he was being a baby under Akira’s influence.
A month passed with merriment and laughter until that day you had to come home early since you got a call from Aki’s school. She fainted while playing, probably due to a heat allergy. You texted hawks that he didn’t have to pick her up.
It is agonizing that Keigo can't get you out of his mind. Every night he thinks that he'll finally take the initiative tomorrow yet is not here yet. He thinks, at this rate he'll go mad.
He wants to kiss your knuckles as he tells you how much he likes your cooking. He wants to wrap his arms around your chest resting his chin on your shoulders to absorb all your worries away. He wants to let his lips roam all over your body, until you scream his name, only his. He just wants you.
But right now, watching you taking care of Aki, tending to her, putting her to sleep is just encouraging all these thoughts. His burning desire to feel those soft hands over his skin is nothing but a sinful prayer. “Kei!”, as his eyes settle on you, you continue, “What’s wrong? Bad day at work?” You sit beside him adjusting your legs on the sofa, laying your body against the headrest. Probably, I don't know. “No. Is Aki all right?”
“Yea, she fell asleep quickly.”, you smile at him before extending your hand to ruffle his hair saying, “Thank you for taking her out today.”, but he instantly holds your hand preventing you from touching his hair. Keigo doesn't move, eyes focused on your surprised brows and parted lips.
“Just say that you don't like it. I'll stop.”, you utter with a hint of doubt not sure if it was for this particular moment or for pinning Aki's responsibility on him even though it was just for a few hours. His touch is ice-cold, unlike his presence.
“It’s not that, y/n”, and he takes your palm close to his face placing it against his warm cheeks. You try to read his eyes but he closes them while his lips slip on your wrist. He is nervous. His lips are warm too.
He takes a glance over your body and pulls you closer to him placing a chaste kiss at the bottom of your ear-lobe. At that moment, the inexplicable urge to pull him into your embrace overtook you and as you did you realized his heart was pounding just like yours.
“oh Keii ! ”, your whisper doesn't stop him from slipping his hands under your shirt, feeling the warmth of your skin. The way your voice rolled out his name makes him recoil. His hold loosened. “It’s late. You should go to bed.”, he murmurs against your ears. Lips almost brushing your skin.
“Wait. Just wait. I'm too excited to calm down.”, you admitted earning a short smirk before he does the oddest. “As you wish!”, his lips are now nudging the nook of your shoulders before you react to him. Keigo's lips are already on your neck sucking your pulse point, licking at intervals. You jolt when he bites you making him pull away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't hav-
You grabbed him by his collar pulling him into a kiss. There weren’t any resistance rather low hums blessed your ears. Your grips tightened, sucking his dry lips until you feel his hands against your skin. It's not cold anymore.
He swiftly pulls you towards him before pushing you down onto the sofa. He brushes his knuckles against your cheeks mumbling, “Just tell me if I hurt you.” A smile tugs up along your lips. “I’ll be fine.”, you said. That's right. You'll be fine. He could never hurt you, he never would. “You made me wait so long, so it might hurt.” Keigo still warned with a smirk on his face so that he doesn't have to feel bad about marking you all his.
networks — @tokyometronetwork @downtown-roponggi
#mha smut#bnha smut#hawks smut#hawks x reader#hawks x female reader#mha x reader#mha x y/n#mha x you#bnha x y/n#bnha x you#bnha x reader#bnha x fem!reader#mha x female reader#keigo takami#keigo x y/n#keigo x reader#keigo x you#keigo smut#keigo takami smut#keigo takami x y/n#keigo takami x you#keigo takami x reader#my hero academia x female reader#my hero academia x reader#my hero academia x you#my hero academia#boku no hero smut#hawks mha#wing hero hawks#bnha hawks
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****The following does contain spoilers****
John Wick Chapter 4: Movie re-cap and analysis
Film directed by Chad Stahelski
Hardships of Friendships
The fourth instalment of John Wick is a culturally diverse motion picture, accompanied by a riveting storyline and an array of new characters. The action painted throughout the film is thrilling and necessarily excessive. And Keanu Reeves brings forth a captivating, energetic performance, accompanied by his cool, careful and determined demeanour. The soundtracks compliment and elevate these performances.
Throughout the film, we also delve deeper into John’s life, exploring more of his past connections with old associates and, face new challenges alongside him, especially regarding friendships.
Loyalty is tested with some friends, while loyalty is never questioned with others. Shimazu Koji, the manager of the Osaka Continental Hotel, was one of John’s friends whose loyalty we never question throughout the film. One of the quotes which stood out was actually from Koji. He said, “friendship means little when it’s convenient.” If we inverse this quote, Koji implies, friendship means a lot when it is inconvenient. It is this which is reflected in the film. John is in trouble with the High Table, and has very few loyal friends left. This is why he turns to Koji because he is desperate and knows Koji will be there to provide service and safety. Koji conveys to John that despite the bad blood he brings to Osaka, his loyalty lies with him. Koji is also quick to defend Wick when his daughter warns him of John’s destruction, demanding she respect the long-time connection between her father and his old friend. Here, the audience identifies Koji as a trustworthy character whose only motivation is keeping an old friend alive and helping him in his journey to freedom. We know this because John doesn’t hold a marker up against Koji. Koji’s loyalty to John contrasts to the actions portrayed by some other characters in the film.
On the other hand, loyalty is tested between old friends. The Marquis Vincent de Gramont, who represents the High Table, is responsible for this occurring in the film. The Marquis is a smart, but evil character, who does everything in his power to stop John’s antics and regain order within the underworld. In this case, he employs Caine, an old associate, and friend, of John Wick to make a difficult choice. Vincent discovers a weakness here and takes advantage, encouraging Caine to choose between killing John or, the High Table murdering Caine’s daughter. The audience senses Caine’s hesitancy when he finds out who he needs to kill, but accepts the job. Like John, Caine is also forced back into a world he once also left. Also like John, Caine is a fantastic fighter, even with the added disadvantage of being blind. Despite them being pinned against each other, they ultimately work together to kill the Marquis de Gramont, even if it was unintentional. John didn’t end up shooting his last bullet because Caine shot his bullet first, injuring John quite badly, causing his inevitable death. However, before John dies, Marquis stepped in to shoot John, John still had a bullet, shooting the Marquis and hence Caine was free and his daughter now safe. So, John also played a role in sacrificing his life for Caine when the Marquis decided to step in, ego and all. This interpretation was confirmed by Chad Stahelski himself in an interview, according to Screen Rant: https://screenrant.com/john-wick-chapter-4-director-chad-stahelski-interview/
Perhaps John made this sacrifice because he knows the power of loving another human being, and how that love motivates you to be a better person. Hence why he ultimately didn’t want to rob Caine of experiencing that love, or his daughter losing it. This contrasts to Akira who loses her father, by the hands of Caine, who is seen attempting to seek revenge in the final scene of the film. But this is another can of worms with the potential of further exploration.
The themes friendship, consequences and death go hand-in-hand in this film. Friendship and the loss of that are set up at the beginning of the film when Charon is murdered by the Marquis in front of Winston. Charon always remained on the sideline amongst the chaos in the hitman world. However, was a consistently loyal friend to Winston and John. Charon also brought a sense of calm to the films, whenever John entered the lobby. He looked after John’s dog at one stage and helped fight against the High Table when it was announced as deconsecrated. Throughout the franchise, the audience has grown fond of his respectable and humble manner as well. This is yet another loss John has to endue while he continues to grieve the loss of his wife, Helen. So, this isn’t the first time things have become personal for John, but it is the first time a friend has died for John’s actions. Don’t forget Winston’s beloved Continental Hotel getting bombed down by the Marquis too. It is here where the audience understands that this might be the time John is forced to stop and evaluate; meeting his fate from the High Table. Charon’s death casts a dim light on John’s future, as John and the audience are left hurt when he is sacrificed. So, despite the sheer will John has exhibited throughout the franchise, he may be incapable of going any further.
The ideas of friend and enemy are blurred in this film, and at times conflate to represent the never-ending chaos in the underworld. John and Caine’s friendship has reached an unforeseen tragedy, being pinned against each other but, they have similar motivations because they are fighting for the ones they love, Caine fighting for his daughter’s life, and John fighting to live to remember his wife. Some friendships are less complicated in the film, like the one between John and Koji, while others are tragically taken away from us. The loss of Charon was a shock to us all. RIP Charon… and Lance.
#johnwick#movies#films#keanu reeves#trending#john wick 4#lance reddick#bill skarsgård#laurence fishburne#donnie yen#ian mcshane#rina sawayama#hiroyuki sanada#chad stahelski
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Chapter 15: Coda
TW: Graphic Description of Blood/Gore, Character Death.
A/N: I will say that even while proofreading this for the third time my stomach turned while reading what I had written. If you'd like to skip the goriest details in the paragraph that contains these depictions I have colored the word "You" in red to indicate where the beginning of a particularly nasty part is, and colored the word "You" again in Orange when it is okay to read again. I'll admit there are parts before/after this section that are a little intense but I don't see them as gut-wrenching as the part I sectioned off.
Although you didn’t see him much, you could feel the absence of Katsuki’s presence the following week at school. His lackeys were unusually off in their typically cocky banter, and a handful of kids scattered throughout different classes held their heads a little higher. It made you feel guilty to be considered a friend of Katsuki’s when there were kids he verbally or physically assaulted walking the halls as if they were stress-free. Since the last term started up he was even leaving Izuku alone, who since the summer time has largely been keeping to himself. Looking back at the mop of green hair, his elbow was propped on the desk with a hand held to his downward-facing head. You couldn’t see his face but you understood a student’s focused demeanor. You focused back on your exam, the last one and we’re out of here.
The last few weeks had been difficult, when it started to spread why Katsuki was suspended you brushed it off as an adult picking a fight. Squashing down any rumors that may be too close to the truth, you didn’t want Hanai to be pulled in if it got out that her older brother was involved. Or yourself for that matter. You scribbled your last answer and set the pencil down, relief flooding your system. The test had been combed through multiple times as you’ve been taught to do but somewhere around the middle, you began to phase out and settle for the answers you had. You sat back with a hand raised for the examiner to take your booklet, as she came to you she bent over and whispered to not disturb the other students.
“You may leave the examination room,” She said, “Please be mindful of your peers testing throughout the building as you leave.”
You hummed and nodded your understanding as a hand slipped through your bag's strap. You hoisted it on your shoulder and pulled the sweater on the chair as you stood. Quietly passing your classmates you approached the front of the classroom and noticed you were the first to finish your exam. I wonder if Katsuki is still working, you thought. You hadn’t seen him much since the incident, the few times you did you told him about your sentence issued by judge and warden Hamamoto Akira.
As you made your way down the stairwell you stopped in between floors to pull out your cell phone, digging deep in the bag. Footsteps approached the stairwell and started to descend, you pulled the phone out as a fist tapped your shoulder lightly. You jumped and faced Katsuki who kept a small tug on the corner of his lips giving the impression of a smile. The tug in your heart matched his own as the two of you met each other's eyes.
“Hey, nerd,” He stood arm's length away, not daring to get closer.
“Hey, Kacchan,” The old nickname worked like a charm on him, a warm feeling only you could illicit in him stoked over his chest. Much like you had avoided Katsuki for a week, he had avoided you to process and heal. He may have been saved from suffocation because of you, but the way you had gone about it scared him. Frightened as he may have been by the implications of your power, he was even more so frightened by the possibility of not having you in his life.
“I thought you wouldn’t have your phone,” Katsuki pointed at the device in your hand.
“I wasn’t supposed to but my mom suggested that it may have broken.” You admitted, knowing he was about to chew you out for something you’ve been dreading talking to him about. Katsuki gave a nod of approval then leaned in closer to whisper. He was almost 20 cm away from your face but the proximity made your skin prickle and heat up.
“Then why didn’t you respond to my texts?” He asked. Embarrassment flushed your cheeks and turned your neck clammy as you stiffly turned your head to him with a fake smile. You opened your mouth to speak but were swiftly interrupted by an older teacher doubling back to see the two of you in the stairwell.
“You two should get going if you’re finished with your exams,” His stern voice stilled the air between you as he pointed a knobby finger between you and Katsuki. “No funny business should occur in these halls so long as I’m here.”
“F-Wha? Funny business?” You stammered, looking into Katsuki’s eyes again with a new thought and fresh blush. His hand is planted on the wall by your head while the other draws you near his body from the small of your back. You felt the need to cross your legs to disrupt the pleasurable tingling below your hips, but Katsuki and the teacher made that a little hard at the moment. The thought had been quick but effective in disturbing what little chance you had at leaving this interaction not embarrassed to the highest extent.
“Run along now,” The teacher let a hand gently guide the two of you in the right direction as you descended, Katsuki sighed and trudged down the steps obediently. The teacher went on with his day after escorting you both to the shoe locker space. You stepped up to your locker across from Katsuki’s own and opened it up.
“You didn’t answer me,” He slipped out of the white shoes and put them in place of his sneakers in the locker.
“Why I didn’t respond?” You set down your loafers and gently slipped them on, he hummed at your query. “In the spirit of being honest and truthful, I guess... I didn’t really know what to say.”
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” He shut his locker and began tightening the laces to his sneakers.
“I do, but I’m not sure how to ask them. You know what I mean?” You gently shut the locker and turned to put your back on them.
“I guess,” Katsuki shrugged and stood to his full height with his back turned to you, “I suppose my only question for you is if you still like him, Haru.”
It was as if poison touched Katsuki’s tongue and was trying to spit it out when he said the other man’s name. You watched as his back tensed to prepare for your answer. It was a question you pondered for weeks following the incident, the Horita boy even tried to contact you. The number went to the blocked list after the 6th call and 10th text, his voicemails and messages just made you more angry and frustrated with his act. In the end, you remembered what you had said before, you wanted to be with someone that understood you and knew who you were deep down. There were brief instances of Haru trying to get you to open up but those same conversations led him to talk about himself much longer than you had talked about yourself. You loved hearing his voice then, but now it dawned on you that maybe he loved hearing his own too.
“No, I don’t,” His shoulders relaxed, it was as if you were singing a melody only he could hear. He turned to face you now, just six feet away from each other as he mirrored your pose.
“So you don’t like anyone,” His question made your heart seize in your chest and your palms clam up. “You know, since we’re being honest and all.”
Katsuki peeled himself off of the lockers and approached slowly, each step swinging in after the other until he was just at your feet. You laid yourself flatter against the lockers prompting him to step closer again. You wanted so badly to tell him how you felt, he may have been cocky, arrogant, and a smart ass but he grew on you in a way you didn’t expect. There was a part of you that was scared though, that he would disappoint you like Haru did. The two young men may have been different personality-wise, but it was just as likely that Katsuki instigated the fight. You didn’t want to be burned again.
“I-” You were cut off by the arrival of your salt-and-peppered-haired savior, the teacher that shooed the two of you out of the stairwell.
“Enough of that on school grounds, get going before we have you stay behind to sharpen every pencil in the school.” The threat felt silly until he recalled a bit of information you thought was simply a rumor. “And Mrs. Yamada loves her #2 pencils.”
With Katsuki distracted, you side-stepped and started making your way toward the doors. Katsuki turned at the sound of your shoes scuffing and followed suit, glancing back at the instructor to give him an annoyed glare.
“I thought that Mrs. Yamada thing was fake,” You said as the two of you started for the gate. “I heard she had a drawer specially installed in her desk to carry all of her pencils. What a weird... hobby?”
“I guess,” Katsuki shrugged, “I got her for my first year, but wasn’t ever called to the office to see her. I’ve only ever heard what other students said.”
“Now look who’s the nerd,” You scoffed, looking over at him in disbelief. Katsuki’s face was colored in shock and confusion.
“I’m not a nerd,” He pointed to himself.
“Oh, I think your grades beg to differ,” You recalled the class ranking at the end of the last two terms. “If I remember correctly, you were top of the class in the spring, we tied for the top in the summer, and now if my math works out and the odds are in my favor; I’ll be top of the class in our last term.”
“So wouldn’t that make you the nerd?” Katsuki’s eyebrows furrowed as he followed along your line of reasoning.
“We’re not talking about me right now,” You rolled your eyes, stopping at the gate with him.
“How about we grab a snack to celebrate the end of exams?” Katsuki glanced in the opposite direction of the bus stop you needed to take. You checked the time and considered his offer, humming as you thought. Katsuki hoped you didn't notice the glance he took as your teeth tugged at the edge of your lip, the skin glowing red from the pressure.
“I shouldn’t, I’m grounded remember?” You rechecked the time and thought for a moment about your timetable, but there will be another bus in 10 minutes. You had to be realistic though. Even if your mother allowed you to skip out on her, you’d still need to be there when your father picked you up. “My parents have me pretty much timed out, they know when I should be getting somewhere.”
“That’s a little extreme,” Katsuki scoffed, “What they got you making your bed military style too?”
“Don’t give my dad any ideas,” You sighed and looked back at the stop just a block away. “I need to go, I’ll see you at the U.A. exams?”
“If my mom doesn’t drag you out to visit,” Katsuki was already planning on ways he could convince his mother that she missed you enough to bring you over without outwardly saying he wanted to see you. You started backing away from him, waving goodbye.
“I’ll see you at the exams then,” A small smile playing on your lips, giving Katsuki’s heart a small squeeze. You jogged to the stop as the bus approached, breaking to allow you entry. Katsuki watched as you boarded and the bus turned to continue out of sight.
As you walked across the hotel plaza to the front doors of the restaurant your mother worked at, Hamamoto Chinami stepped out to greet you. Without a text to notify you arrived she appeared right on time as usual. A soft smile lit her eyes but she kept her composure as you made your way to her.
“How we’re your exams, (y/n)?” She placed a hand on your back, her work equivalent to a hug, as the two of you walked across the foyer and past the hostess's podium.
“Easy at first but difficult towards the end,” You admitted honestly, “I didn’t realize how complicated poets and writers liked to make things. If the writer wants the reader to get an idea shouldn't they just say it?”
“I guess they like to challenge the reader to look between the lines,” Chinami hummed as you crossed the dining room, large round tables pressed into crescent-shaped booths lined with crisp white linens were being set. A few naked mahogany tables were in the middle of the room, yet to be set for dinner service. “Much like how some people are in real life, how we don’t always show our true intentions to others.”
“So I’m supposed to always read beyond what an author is saying?” You said, “But that’s exactly what I don’t like.”
“I think you’re just trying to find something to gripe about,” Your mother gave you a playful smile and nudge you with her elbow. You gave it a thought and knew you didn’t care either way what a writer did, you just liked reading interesting stories.
“Yeah, you’re right about that I guess,” Giving her a small smile.
“Now, I’m glad exams went well but it’s time to get you to work.” She initiated her boss mentality as you pushed past the double swinging doors to the kitchen. A large open space, the only closed-off areas being employee spaces and an office in the back in their own hall. The kitchen itself was lined with stainless steel workbenches, a center table fit 4 chefs finishing their prep for dinner service and the double stove area was occupied by 2 chefs finishing their stews or sauces. To your right was a wooden work bench occupied by the pastry chef you often helped, you waved a gentle hand at her. She gave a finger wave and a smile before returning to airbrush her chocolate flowers.
“What am I doing today?” You asked as she led you to the locker rooms.
“We could use some help with pastry again, Miss Won didn’t get the right colored paint delivered so we lost some time while she went to go get it.” Your mother suggested, “Or you can help the servers straighten up, they lost one today.”
“I think pastry sounds fun,” You had put your bag in the locker as she spoke and pulled out the basic mono-black attire. You weren’t an official employee so the chef jacket was off-limit, no matter how much you begged your mother just to try it on.
“Let’s get you over there once you are cleaned up then.” Chinami left the room and allowed you to get changed into simple black attire. You joined the team quickly after getting ready, joining Miss Won on Pastry. She was a thin tall Korean woman who reminded you very much of Chiyo. Her delicate fingers twisted the flower nail as she lightly coated it in peony pink with the airbrush machine. Miss Won stopped long enough to turn and greet you.
“Long time no see, Miss Hamamoto,” Miss Won bowed her head with a tired smile.
“I told you to just call me (y/n),” You shook your head softly with an amused smile. “Just because my mom is your boss doesn’t mean you need honorifics.”
“I prefer to speak formally at work with my coworkers, it keeps everything compartmentalized for myself,” Miss Won went to tap her chin as she realized something but stopped short before the airbrush machine could touch her face, “Now that I think about it, it kind of helps since my husband works in the kitchen.”
“Well then, call me Miss. Hamamoto,” You tied a black apron around your waist and settled your hands on your hips. “Now, is there anything I can help you with?”
After a few hours of stirring fillings, creams, and prepping piping bags you were dismissed. Dinner time would officially commence in 30 minutes, meaning you needed to be dressed and ready to go before your father arrived for you. You quickly cleaned your work area as your mother packed the dinner you’d take home, complaining about how your father never liked the texture of squash.
“I almost made him three different dishes before remembering how picky that man is,” Chinami sighed and shook her head, the amused smile on her lips let you know that she didn’t mind though. “Just wish he wasn’t picky like you.”
“I think all of your food is delicious regardless of the texture,” You nodded firmly and gave her a reassuring smile.
“Thank you, sweet pea-” Her hands stopped as she replayed what you said in her mind, “What do you mean regardless of texture?”
“I don’t like squash that much either,” You admitted, holding your hands up in defense and she gave you an annoyed look. “But I still like the flavor! Like I said, I love your food regardless of the texture.”
“Hmm...” Chinami studied the sincerity in your body language and continued packing slowly. “I guess that still counts.”
“I’m going to go ahead and get dressed before Dad comes,” You nodded your head toward the locker rooms and break area, where the chefs began making their way back from their breaks.
“Okay sweetie,” Chinami checked her phone and relayed your father’s message, “He’ll be here in 10 minutes.”
You made your way to the locker rooms to grab your things, slinging the bag over your shoulder after changing into the school uniform and carrying the neat bundle of black clothing in your arms. As you began to make your way out of the room a tremor so small at first moved the room around you as it intensified. You could hear the yelps of surprise and fear from the chefs in the other room. You rushed towards the archway and grabbed onto the frame as the shaking intensified and slowed suddenly. The walls around you seemed to have held up just fine and the vibrations had ended, so you stood to your feet and reached the archway between the kitchen and the hall. Still wary of an aftershock you peered around the kitchen to notice everyone huddling closer towards the picturesque windows on the far westward-facing windows.
You couldn’t see from the safe view of your archway so you stepped closer, their chattering stopped suddenly and was replaced by screams as they watched a figure hurtle towards them. A few had turned to run as the large body came down, and a few kept their open mouths silent in disbelief. As the figure crashed into the building they swept out the main support beams, causing a portion of the second floor to crash down. The outer walls and floor crumbled as if they were made of styrofoam, debris littered the kitchen before you. Half of it wasn’t visible because of the concrete, and the other half was hard to see through the dust. The shockwave of someone getting thrown into the building and collapsing the second floor sent you to your hands and knees. You coughed and gagged, breathing becoming harder because of the particles in the air. Your coughs didn’t outmatch the screams ahead of you though, they helped ground you though. Giving you a sense of calm and focus despite the chaos ensuing outside the dust. You picked up your head to see a hand reaching out and struggling between the debris, and someone face down halfway under a large chunk of concrete that fell on his legs. You used the edge of the center workstation to pick yourself up and walk over best you could on shaky legs, reaching for an unconscious Mr. Won first.
The piece of debris was much taller than you are, but you were sure you could lever it against the wall nearby and move it enough to get it off. With just a few inches to move and push it should be easy, or so you thought. You struggled with pushing it off of Mr. Won carefully, he’d woken up at the new sensation of pain that wafted over him. He cursed and griped at what a bad job you were doing in Korean and Japanese, not bothering to hold back on the account of his pain. It was when you were near the edge of giving up when you were finally able to push it off and up. Then you noticed your fathers’ hands pushing up with you. When he heard the crashing and saw the plume of dust coming from the building he rushed in against the crowd of people running out. The two of you shared a silent conversation, to help as many people out as you could. The two of you gently pulled Mr. Won further into the kitchen, his broken and mangled legs leaving streaks of blood in his trail.
“Paramedics will be here soon,” Your father assured Mr. Won. “Just make sure to stay awake.”
It was easier to keep calm with a professional at your side, you always thought the first time you’d see and act in a tragedy you’d be nervous at the sight of the wreckage or carnage. Admittedly you were but the adrenaline coursing through your veins helped you keep calm more than anything, though a nagging voice stirred deep inside. You couldn’t quite hear it so you moved on to moving debris with your father. Despite Akira’s retirement from hero days, he was able to jump back into rescue mode with ease, helping lift Mrs. Won out of the wreckage after removing debris from around her extended hand. She was unconscious but barely breathing, if she was as beaten up as she is, then you wondered what lay beyond the wreckage where concrete was more concentrated. Mrs. Won had to have a few broken bones, there was a spot at the base of her spine that made you feel particularly uneasy about the status of her recovery. Mr. Won reached for her hand gingerly and brushed her dark blood matted hair. It was this act that allowed the little voice in your head to scream louder.
“Mom,” You finally realized the voice in your mind was calling out for her, tears welled in your eyes as the calm facade began to crumble. “Mom has to be deeper in there.”
“We’ll find her okay,” Your fathers' voice was steady despite the circumstances, but he felt his chest seize as he came to a similar conclusion as you did. Beyond the line of debris that was cleared already, most of the people would most likely be crushed dead. He silently prayed he would find Chinami before you did as he began to excavate the center of the wreckage.
You wiped the tears away, leaving dirt and bloody streaks on your cheeks, then started clearing up a portion next to him. Your bloodied hands began to dampen the concrete you tossed aside as the jagged edge of each piece tore through your flesh. You began to notice fresh marks that were not yours, crimson layered the bottom of a chunk you held. You tossed it aside and pulled the next stone to reveal a stomach-turning sight. The concrete in your hands was smothered in blood and a fragment of matter you only assumed was human tissue. Daring to look down you found a skull smashed in near the temples, fragments of bone poked out of what remained of the head and the surrounding area. You gagged, tossing the rock and holding a sleeve to your mouth. Only what remained of the head and shoulders were visible, then you remembered every Chef had their name embroidered to help identify them. You pushed past nausea and removed a few pieces of rock to find the embroidery on the left chest pocket to be C. Hamamoto. This time you were going to be sick. You threw yourself away from your mother's body and heaved, your stomach emptying whatever lunch and bile you had in your system. Your body shook with each contraction, only worsening the dizzying feeling you had.
“Are you okay?” Akira stood to walk over to you but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the body. He only noticed the name on her pocket when he got close, suddenly feeling the need to mimic his daughter. Akira flinched back at the sight of his wife but gingerly began to pull the remainder of the concrete off of her, pulling what remained of her broken body away from the wreckage. Then he did something you hadn’t seen since you were young. Akira’s body shuddered with each breath that escaped him, each one getting heavier before the climax of a great wail that came from deep within his chest. His cries of pain shook you enough to break you out of the shock of seeing your mother’s dead body. Tears began rolling down your cheeks silently, dropping gently into the bile beneath you. You sat back on your ankles with balled hands in your lap, your body shuddering as your teeth seethed with each breath.
Then you cried.
A/N: If you'd like to read more about Hamamoto Chinami's background and her family you should read my short story Tsukishima: Runaway released the same day as this chapter. Take a look at the master list to find this series with its accompanying stories.
#fan fiction#fanfiction#fanfic#fan fic#a03#a03 fic#a03 fan fiction#a03 fan fic#mha#my hero academia#alternate universe#college au#pining#slow burn#love triangle#friends to lovers#friendship#family#heroes#mha au#mha college au#self insert#y/n#bakugou katsuki#katsuki x reader#playing with fire
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@causalitylinked asked: “You should be with someone who respects you.” [ from akira! ]
Oblivious Idiots in Love - Still Accepting!
"And who would that be?"
A question: it had been just a question. No spite, no bitterness, just quiet curiosity with a tinge of embarrassment. Surely Sonia was allowed that: she stood in his apartment in a beautiful gown that took up most of the space in his main living room, clutching her evening bag in her hands. For as refined, princess-like, as she looked, her mood was far from it. Perturbed. Annoyed. Frustrated, and for the first time since she'd gracefully stalked out of the party she'd attended on her father's behalf, stepped into the car with black-tinted glass and bulletproof doors, and turned up unexpected on Akira's doorstep that night, she'd managed to temper her anger.
Ironic, she thought, considering whom she'd chosen to visit. No, the only place she could think of to go. Akira never hesitated to show his displeasure, his anger at the world and those who lived in it. And yet when she crossed the threshold, her dainty heels deposited at the appropriate place near the door, she felt far less enraged at a society and all the traditions in it that she couldn't change.
"Boys...like the ones in my class at Hope's Peak, I don't allow their comments to bother me," She began with a heavy sigh. "The sort who only see a crown and the image of a princess they're used to in movies. It's...the ones who are born to privilege without a care for manners, at least when no one is looking, that I find tiresome. From birth, they've been told what they deserve based entirely on their family line, their power, their money, and that, in some fashion, they are entitled to my attention, my affections, and well, I'd rather not continue that line of entitlements. Because they were born to a family that mine approves of and, with that, I should be grateful, ecstatic even, that they've chosen to spend their time and resources on garnering and keeping my interest. It's one thing to see me as a cartoon with a life easily solved with a lost shoe or a kiss: it's another to see me for only what I am. A means to an end, or a variety of ends."
She'd sunk to her knees at his low table, her skirt billowing around her like a cloud. It didn't matter if the delicate layers of pale blue silk and tulle would wrinkle. Those could be easily remedied: her decreasing faith in the upper classes was less so. It only occurred to her as she sat there that, like most people, Akira might have been in the middle of something far more important. Dinner, or a book, or a venture out into the darkened streets for goodness knew what. It seemed the fewer questions she asked, the better, as she turned to face him with an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, I should have telephoned and told you I was coming," She continued, shaking her head. "It's just...I haven't been spoken to like that in awhile, touched like that, as if I were some sort of gift for the young men I'm supposed to befriend. That a name and a net worth is enough liberty to insist I'd...I'd..."
She fell silent, looking down at the wooden tabletop. She erred on the side of politeness in general and despite the fact she doubted Akira would care if she said something inappropriate, proclaiming that a family line was license enough for her to open up her heart and thighs to someone just didn't sit well with her.
#more-than-a-princess answered#causalitylinked#Non-Despair AU: Hope's Peak Academy verse#(Oblivious Idiots in Love meme)#(I wanted to continue with the quote from the prompt)#(So here it is :D)
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Sincerely, a Rainbow of stories for you:
Please Tell Me the Story of the Rainbow: Part 5
(Location: Exhibition at an Old Castle, Central Kingdom, Day Time)
Cain: I heard from Arthur that there’s a picture book drawn by a wizard author. I'd like to see it too.
Cain said, looking at the venue map in Heathcliff's hand.
Shino: Heath, didn’t you want to see a some trick? Look, it’s on the fourth floor.
Shino said, looking from Cain’s other side.
Heathcliff: It’s hard to walk with the two of you hunched over me.
It was kind of heartwarming to see them walking awkwardly like three people on four legs.
Chloe: Rutile! I asked the guide and it seems the book display is on the second floor. Luca’s picture book should also be there.
Rutile: Mitile and the others already went up to the second floor ahead of us. Let's stop to take a look at it as we make our way up the stairs.
At the end of the gentle spiral staircase, there was an exhibition hall for picture books. Several picture books were displayed on the walls.
We found Mitile and Riquet, who had arrived earlier, but when I was about to call out to them, Rutile stopped suddenly.
Akira: Rutile, is something wrong?
Rutile: Master Sage, that child…
Akira: …Ah.
I saw a familiar figure ahead, where Rutile's finger pointed.
Ahead of us, stood the lost girl from earlier and the young man who came to find her. He seemed to be talking to a well-dressed older gentleman.
Arthur: Master Sage, everyone, so you’ve arrived.
The next person to come up the stairs was Arthur, who had told us that he would head directly to the venue from Granval Castle.
In the back of the room, I spotted the figure of the older gentleman, who had turned his gaze towards us.
Arthur: I was just thinking of saying hello, so it seems I’ve arrived at the right time. The old gentleman over there…
Old Gentleman: Well, well, Prince Arthur!
Before Arthur could finish his sentence, the old gentleman noticed us and rushed over.
After bowing his head deeply, he continued in a passionate voice.
Old Gentleman: Welcome to our rural castle! I thank you for your continued support!
Arthur: There is no need to speak so formally. This time, I’ve accepted your invitation not as the Prince of the Central Country, but as a Sage’s Wizard.
I am grateful to you for extending your invitation to us. This is the Sage, and some of my fellow Sage’s Wizards.
Old Gentleman: Yes, I know very well. What an honor to be able to meet you all like this...!
I will never forget the excitement of that time for the rest of my life! I’ve heard tales of your other exploits as well!
Oh, brave young heroes, thank you so much for saving the central country, and for working hard every day to save the world!
The younger wizards all responded to the handshake extended by the old gentleman.
Chloe: I-it’s an honor to meet you as well!
Mitile: We’re all so happy to have been invited!
Old Gentleman: … You are the Sage, aren’t you? I had the honor of seeing you for the first time at the parade.
Akira: I am honored to hear you say that, but... the ones who worked hard for were the wizards. They were the ones who fought the Umbra Volans and the ones who saved the city and fixed the tower.
Old Gentleman: Your humbleness is charming, but please don’t downplay your own achievements too much.
Without you, the Central Capital would be a city of the dead. I would like to see you take pride in that.
His warm and strong handshake made me feel ticklish.
Akira: Thank you. It would have been nice if we could all have attended, but unfortunately, the timing wasn't convenient…
Old Gentleman: Please do not worry! I hear the Sage’s Wizards are all very busy. I hope this exhibition offers you all a chance to rest.
Then, beckoned by The Old Gentleman, the young man and little girl from earlier approached us. Rutile's gaze naturally focused on the small girl.
Rutile: Ah…
Old Gentleman: Let me introduce you to my son who is helping me with this exhibition. Say hello to the Sage.
The young man’s Amber eyes widened in surprise at the words of the Old Gentleman, as he bowed his head hurriedly.
Aslan: My name is Aslan, I sincerely apologize for my discourtesy earlier! I had no idea that Prince Arthur and the Sage had already…!
Old Gentleman: Oh, have you already exchanged greetings?
Aslan: No, earlier when I was looking for Luca… hey.
That young man, Mr. Aslan, says the same name we heard him call earlier, and looks down at the girl hiding behind him.
"Luca". At the sound of that name, the wizard’s eyes meet.
Aslan: Come on, Luca, introduce yourself.
Prompted by Aslan, the girl took a step forward, her long purple hair swaying gently.
She was a very beautiful girl, however, her ephemeral outline that seemed to almost melt into the light around her seemed somewhat unrealistic.
Luca: ….
The girl called Luka glanced at me with her big eyes and turned away.
Aslan: Luca!
She flashed the hem of her skirt and hid behind Mr. Aslan's back. Large, slightly empty eyes peeked out from behind her bangs.
Akira & Rutile & Arthur: ….
Aslan: I sincerely apologize! She is still a child, or rather... she is still so young. Please excuse her rudeness.
Her name is Luca Caroll, the author of the picture books exhibited here.
At Aslan’s words, the curiosity-filled eyes of the wizards bare into her small body.
Arthur: I see, so you are the rumored…
Shino: I suspected as much when we met earlier, but you are a witch after all.
Riquet: You are also younger than I imagined, you seem even younger than Mitile and I.
Heathcliff: But even if she looks like this, she could still be much older than us.
Cain: You’re right, we do have Lords Snow and White as examples of that.
Aslan: Haha… actually she’s grown a lot. When we first met, she was a lot younger, weren’t you, Luca?
Akira: So…
Aslan: Yes. She is the age she appears to be. I was surprised too at first, but I will never forget the shock I felt when I first saw the world she drew.
Rutile narrowed his eyes fondly and nodded at Mr. Aslan, who scratched his cheek looking a little embarrassed.
Rutile: Me too. At first glance, I fell in love with her picture books.
He turned to meet Luka’s eyes, who was looking down, and smiling softly.
Rutile: It’s nice to meet you, I'm Rutile. I am a fan of your picture books.
Luca: …
Aslan: Oh, she’s turned away again. I apologize for her shyness, I’ll have her respond to you properly…
Arthur: Please don’t worry, it’s more than enough to simply meet such a wonderful artist.
Aslan: Thank you, Prince Arthur.
Heathcliff: Um, I had a chance to see the book as well, It was truly amazing.
When I was young, I dreamed of a fantasy world, and I was able to feel that dream coming to life…
Aslan: If I'm not mistaken, you are Lord Heathcliff of the Eastern Country’s house Blanchett...?
Shino: That’s right.
Heathcliff nodded modestly next to Shino who answered immediately.
Aslan: It's a real honor to have her work recognized by such dignified individuals! Isn’t that right Luca?
Luca: Umhm
Aslan: Her works are displayed on the wall over here. Please feel free to take your time and read carefully.
Akira: Thank you! Come to think of it, I heard that there will be an exhibition of Luca’s new works...
Aslan: Oh… that’s…
Mr.Aslan turned his gaze to the central space of the exhibition hall while muttering his words.
There was a gaping empty space there.
Aslan: We’d planed to hang it there. I apologize… even though you’ve all come all the way to visit us, the exhibition hasn't been completed yet.
Arthur: What do you mean?
Aslan: It is taking a while to prepare. I am currently working on writing the acclaim, hopefully, it will be completed soon.
Luca: ….
Luca, who was looking down slightly , held her mouth tightly shut .
Akira: Is that so? Well, I look forward to the completion.
Aslan: The exhibition will be held for seven days. We will be sure to have it completed by the end of the last one.
Additionally, we are planning to host a party on the last day. I hope you have a chance to enjoy it.
After saying that, Mr.Aslan bowed his head deeply and left with Luca.
Heathcliff spoke in a low voice as we saw their retreating backs.
Heathcliff: Is that child alright? I can't put it into words, but something feels strange.
Shino: I thought so too. Her skin was also so pale, it almost looked fake.
Mitile: I agree… I don't mean this in a bad way, but she almost seemed like a doll.
Riquet: It looked like she was overwhelmed, but…
Cain: She looked like a work of art. Her presence was almost otherworldly.
Chloe: But all artists are a little bit strange, even Rustica is like that.
Arthur: Certainly, I think artists do tend to have a unique atmosphere.
I think it's wonderful to have the personality of a splendid creator at such a young age…
Rutile: ….
Rutile silently stared off into the direction in which the girl left.
#3rd anniversary#akira#arthur#bradley#cain#chloe#faust#figaro#heathcliff#lennox#mahoutsukai no yakusoku#mahoyaku#masterlist#mithra#mitile#murr#nero#owen#oz#promise of wizard#riquet#rustica#rutile#shino#shylock#snow#translations#white#mhyktl#mhyk
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Carnage Circus 🔥 - part 19/20
The wish
With the last hours trickling away Akira makes a decision regarding the crew.
Tag list: @kc-and-co @lifeofkaze @flareshogwarts @cursebreakerfarrier @the-al-chemist @that-scouse-wizard
Finding himself alone once more, Akira closed his eyes listening to the silence surrounding him. Somewhere in the distance he could have sworn he could hear the haunting howls of the winds, however for once they did not dare disturb him in the dead of the night. No whispers followed him, the darkness as if mute all of the sudden.
Usually he could feel it crawling on the surface of his skin, trying to find ways to manipulate him, to distort his vision and perceptions. But right then in that moment it was still, perfectly and simply unmoving.
Letting out a heavy exhale, he finished his drink, hands opening up the drawer containing the makeup. Grabbing a brush, he started applying the paint, recreating the dark skull he usually had on for shows. Walking outside the changing room, he followed the series of corridors leading him to the exist, a cigar being lit up, cloud of smoke leaving his mouth.
Walking outside, he was surprised to find the first rays of sun shining down on the terrain, breaking through the heavy fog.
Eyes casting at the entrance, he recalled having watched Talia set her foot inside the circus for the very first time. The man she was with was far too old for him to be her husband or boyfriend, unless he was actually filthy rich, which was the case for him, but little did Akira know about Talia’s profession back in the day. While she did not shy away from the fact that she was actually a high-end escort, she still did not say it up front either.
But it was none of those things that drew his attention to her. He felt it, something new, as if at the same time an intruder entered his perimeter but when his eyes fell on her he knew without anyone telling him that she actually belonged. And not just that, no, he knew she was the key. His darkness dimmed when he was next to her, heart fluttered which was so uncharacteristic of him, so much so that initially he figured he was coming down with an unknown illness.
But no, he was perfectly fine despite the universe deciding to introduce to him the key to his salvation. The one to break him free of the wretched curse, finally, she was there.
It felt as if there was suddenly light in the darkness, sounds alive, music making sense. A tool so powerful he initially did not wish to even get near her. But when her eyes locked with his, he knew she needed him. How could he say no?
There was no mercy when he took the life of her provider she called him, when really he was only filth, giving her jobs with men who had no business being near her. And when fire became her act, he witnessed magic erupting from every corner of the circus. Just like that, there was life within the chaos, a beating heart, a reminder of their end goal.
Leaving his memories to roam free inside the depths of his mind, Akira ventured to the Haunted House, asking Orion to join him on his morning walk, the fortune teller obliging the director “What is the plan for today?”
“You tell me, you’re the seer, what will I do?” he mocked glancing his way only for Orion to look away. Bruises still painted his skin, fear very much alive every time he stood near Akira as if his very presence and aura demanded such things. Or maybe he exuded it, who even knew by that point?
“I am afraid I require my props in order to attempt a session.” He excused himself politely, blood as if freezing in his veins when he saw where they were heading to. It only meant two things, either Akira was to dispose of him for those who were marked by death and ventured inside never saw the light of day or he wished for him to help dispose of the rest.
“So? Aren’t you even going to venture a guess?” Orion only shaking his head, refusing to speak. He knew better than to force his luck when it came to Akira “Pity to not have anyone even try to entertain me. Then what about Talia?”
Closing his eyes, Orion tried to settle the tirade of thoughts trying to cloud his judgement “She might have or have not been a good fit. A single action can change the path of someone. She was bound to go against the fates even if that was not her choice or desire.”
Turning to look at the teller before walking inside the haunted house, Akira peered closer, brows lifting slightly, the makeup distorting with each movement “Was there anything good in between all that?”
“Yes, of course. But what I can’t say for certain.”
Clicking his tongue, Akira took another drag from his cigar “Well then, shall we see how the rest are doing?”
The mechanisms working behind the puppets and lights were turned off, Akira walking inside the darkness without even flinching while Orion struggled his hardest not to stumble. He heard voices at the far end of the house, the unmistakable hiss of Leila rising above Siobhan hushing all of them.
Clapping his hands, lights came on, everyone closing their eyes shut from the sudden intrusion.
“Talia is alive, resting as she is recovering.” Akira announced “However she will not be rejoining the crew as you might have already guested.” Selene rolled her eyes at those words, Ethel kicking her leg “With only one more day to go” he continued taking out a blade “I need to make a decision. I can’t continue with you lot, that goes without saying.”
Walking towards Siobhan she held her head high, spite evident in her bright eyes “Just get it over with you son of a bitch.”
Chuckling, Akira shook his head, drawing closer to her, blade working on cutting the ropes securing her hands together. Leaning closer to her ear, he whispered as to not let the others hear, Siobhan gasping as tears tumbled down her cheeks. Placing the blade in her hands, she went to free the others, Akira pronouncing each of their names, adding at the end “I hereby free you.”
One by one they quickly exited the haunted house, Siobhan staying behind a moment longer “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, thank her, she wanted this. If it were up to me you would have all perished.”
Nodding, she smiled “Maybe, or maybe there is a heart in there after all.”
Walking outside, he took a seat on the ground, watching them all leave, one by one, until he could no longer see their silhouettes in the distance anymore. Joining him, Orion asked “So now what?”
“Now we wait for the next location to take us.”
“I shall prepare the posters then, let people know we are looking for a crew.”
Glancing at him Akira asked “So this is it?” Orion only nodding, a sad expression in his eyes.
“For now.”
#carnage circus#circus au#akira crane#talia crane#horror mystery#sioban llewellyn#reuben willows#leila hellebore#selene fraser#ethel hexley#talbott winger#hphm talbott winger#orion amari
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So, I know I don’t talk much about my Demon Slayer OC but I’ve been writing her story and I just wanted to share a tid bit
Her blood-stained the tatami mat under her feet as she ran, holding tight to the bandage hastily wrapped around her arm.
“Kanami, RUN! GET O-” her mother's screams were cut short with the sickening squelch of her torso. Kanami bit back a cry as her mother crumpled in front of her, the hole in her chest shining in the moonlight. A large figure stepped over her stilled figure, A menacing grin pulling on their face.
“My, my, little Kanami, was it? You have such strong parents, I must say, your family mutt put up quite a good fight, almost didn’t make it. Too bad your poor father was the one who lost first. Magicians? I’ve heard about the animals” He chuckled, Pulling a hair from his teeth as he closed in on Kanami’s smaller figure. He towered over her, his sharp gaze locked on her. He passed for an ordinary human being, someone lost in the deep winter storm. “But you, so young and full of life, I've been looking for a good offering for the master. A magical offering? I’ll be on the top in no time.” He traced the line of her jaw with a long unmanicured nail, eyes tracing every inch of the young girl’s body. she trembled under his gaze, fear flooding her veins as he stood back up straight. She took his step back as an opening and bolted, turning quickly on her heel as she pushed towards the opening of the house, chest heaving in fear and adrenaline. Where’s Rin? She is supposed to help, she was supposed to be here for her forever. Kanami wasn't dead yet, why wasn’t Rin helping. Was killing a demon anything like killing a bobcat? Did they die the same way as humans? Kanami burst through the front of the house, the carnage of a finished fight tainted the front of the house. The fresh layer of snow crunched under her socks as she ran around the side of the house, heading towards the temple. trying to keep her ears peeled for the demon after her. Kanami screeched to a halt at the sight outside the temple, the once sacred place now painted in the blood of her father. A river of blood led straight to the mangled body of the man. The inhuman way his legs were twisted was enough to make anyone’s stomach spin. The upper part of his body had lacerations running all over it, deep wounds that still bled into the snow. The sight made her sick. Was that it? Was it just her now? Akira and Haruto were nowhere around, seemingly gone along with her parents. Kanami closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm her anxiety. First, she had to find help, then Rin.
Kanami looked back at the temple, the stains of red hiding the once beautiful blue paint that her family had worked so vigorously on.
“Kanami! Come on out pretty girl, let’s finish this off” the demon was getting close, the vile baritone of his voice echoing in the dark forest.
“Kanami! I’m in the temple, I can’t carry your ax anymore!” Rin was screaming from the temple's entrance, her usually white body was drenched from what looked like blood. She darted back into the temple, begging for Kanami to follow.
“Not so fast young Kanami, I’m not done with you” she was thrown off her feet, body cracking against the temple entrance. her vision blurred as she picked herself up, trying to adjust from the knockback. “I’ve never eaten an enchantress before and I have to say. Just by the whiff of you and your parents. I will easily beat everyone. I may not even have to eat again" a low chuckle seemed to vibrate the snow under her body. The crunching of footsteps grew closer as she blinked to clear her vision. "Don't worry your little heart. I won't let it hurt for too long" sharp nails dug into Kanami’s shoulder, shredding through the fabric of her pink kimono. She whimpered in pain, eliciting a chuckle from her assailant. Short legs flailed rapidly, trying to connect with anything as she was lifted into the air. small hands grasped at air, reaching forward for anything to latch onto, anything to save her life. "my, my, sweetheart. You are a fighter" another claw grabbed onto her shoulders, anchoring her further off the ground. Her body was aching, burning from the winter frost and the impact of the temple. her jaw was aching from biting back screams and cries of agony. She could feel herself losing, a fight that barely had begun, already lost.
"Kanami" Rin screamed as she ran from the temple, barreling towards Kanami and her attacker. Rin attached herself to his leg, sinking her teeth into the rotten flesh. He screamed, his grip on Kanami’s shoulder releasing as he turned to Rin. Taking a deep breath Kanami stood up from where she dropped, pushing her weight towards the demon.
“Flame breathing first form: Unknowing Fire”
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Sumo 64
JP release: 28th November 1997
PAL release: N/A
NA release: N/A
Developer: Bottom Up
Publisher: Bottom Up
Original Name: 64 Ōzumō
N64 Magazine Score: 90%
N64 Magazine gave this Japanese-only sumo wrestling a rather impressive 90%. Even so, I was surprised as to how much I actually enjoyed this. Unfortunately, there is no fan patch for this game but thankfully Google Lens did a pretty good job at translating the dialogue – it was a bit odd in places, but I got the general gist of it.
And, surprisingly, there really is a lot of dialogue, as this has a fully fledged story mode – not just pitting you against other fighters like every other fighting game, but a proper story about you joining the professional Sumo wrestling and your life outside of the ring. You’ll encounter good or bad events based on how you perform in the matches.
Each match is extremely short but very fast paced. The game suggests optimal moves, but you can also do your own thing. To be completely honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing most of the time and there was a lot of button mashing, but I did deduce that there was a rhythm to the fighting, and performing moves in time to your opponent’s bar flashing is what triggers your finishing moves. The matches are only on average 30 seconds but extremely frantic and they are surprisingly a lot of fun.
As you defeat higher ranked opponents, you’ll gain stars which let you achieve a higher rank, with your goal being to be the best Sumo wrestler. After each tournament, you can also play a minigame.
There are five minigames: sleeping, eating, training, jumping and fishing. The first four are short, enjoyable distractions while I couldn’t figure out the fishing at all. They’re a nice, relaxing change of pace for a quick breather before the next tournament. Sleeping has you rolling around a little island collecting stars, eating has a judge calling out food you need to grab before your opponent, training is a “simon says” and jumping has you moon jumping high in the air, bouncing off trampolines and clouds as you pop balloons.
Between some individual matches and tournaments, you’ll progress in the story. To begin with, it seems like a bunch of random events as your character interacts with a few different girls (eventually going on dates with all of them), rivals and a few other characters. I am not sure how much your performance in the game affects the outcome, but one girl (Akira) eventually suggests marriage – which was surprising as my main character had stood her up on two dates. On one, he overslept, on another, he forgot and had a date with someone else.
The only direct choice was choosing your response to the marriage, although I suspect that saying you want to concentrate on your Sumo for now has the same end result, as if you say yes, Akira suggests waiting until you’re at the top anyway. However, the encounters and dialogue are charming on their own.
As you approach the high ranks, the story becomes more plot focused as you get attacked and then discover a “Dark Sumo” illegal gambling ring. You shut it down (you still have no input on this, it’s just dialogue) and the leader vows revenge – which he does on his wedding day as he kidnaps your wife.
The ending is both utterly absurd and wonderfully charming at the same time as you have your final fight with this villain and his “ultimate body”.
Sumo 64 is a combination of really enjoyable short fighting mixed with charming dialogue (which would probably be even better if it got a proper translation). If you understand Japanese or are willing to point your phone at your TV a lot, this is a surprisingly great game.
The animations are simple but delightfully accurate with for example, wrestlers sweeping aside their long skirty bits (technical term) as they squat down for the ‘off’ and cheering crowds throwing their cushions in the air when their favoured wrestler wins. Even better, the announcer calls every player’s name, rank and tournament record (wins and losses) and then delivers a running commentary during every bout.
- Max Everingham, N64 Magazine #11
Remake or remaster?
There is another Sumo game in this series on N64, so a compilation of both with a proper translation would be great.
Official ways to get the game.
There is no official way to get Sumo 64
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2/9
Episode one opens with a scene from a zombie movie and transitions to the reality of Akira, who seems more zombie like than the zombies themselves. His eyes have a swirl pattern, whereas the zombies from the movie had pupils like a normal human. This zombie like state was caused by his job, which was exploiting its workers. Akira’s coworkers seemed to be obsessed with working overtime and made it a competition. On Akira’s first day, he was very happy and looked like a sweet person. He went out to dinner with his coworkers and at the end they all stood up and said let's get back to work. The entire mood of the scene changed from cheerful to gloomy, and his coworkers seemed to turn into zombies. After having to work for days before going home, Akira became like a zombie, just like the others. Then the scene plays out in black and out until Akira encounters a zombie. From this point on, the world becomes full of rainbow paint splatters, and Akira is filled with joy. At the beginning of episode one, Akira says that the zombie apocalyptic life was like heaven compared to his. Despite being in the end time, he is just happy to not have to go back to work. However, he is sad to see his work crush meet her end. When Akira was being ordered around by the boss guy, his eyes returned to a swirly state again. This implies that any work like environment makes him feel dead inside. This anime felt like a representation of the idea of Japanese work culture. From prioritizing work over everything to corrupt corporations. Some of Akira’s reasons for not quitting were, someone else would have to pick up his slack, and he felt obligated to work because of the “healthy competition” work environment that his coworkers created. Overall, the main idea given off is that Akira feels most alive when the world is on the verge of death.
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Mule Account
It’s your boy, back on my Isekai bullsh*t again! Seriously, it’s like all of my manga recommendations are based strictly on Isekai at this point. Market saturation is definitely a thing but i tend to skew fantasy over anything and just so many Isekai narratives take place in those Tolkein-esque worlds. That specific aspect of the genre has gotten so dense, there are even more sub-genres therein. My last recommend, A NEET’s Guide to the Parallel World, is an example of a newer trope to get the shine, Revenge Isekai. I have no love for those types of stories, as explained at length in that essay, but i am very fond of one of the earliest to gain traction; Video Game Isekai. This sub-genre was introduced to the Yankee audience with the introduction of Digimon way back in the Nineties. Yes, Digimon is an Isekai set in a video game world, fight me, but it wasn’t until f*cking Sword Art Online did this sub genre really take off. Online was a disappointment, though. So much potential in those first few episodes but that franchise sh*t the bed so fast, you’d think it was Amber Heard throwing a temper tantrum.
One of my favorite manga/light novel narratives, Overlord, is a star of this sub-genre and has gained A LOT of shine with it’s excellent anime adaption. Land of Leadale, Death March To The Parallel World Rhapsody, How Not To Summon A Demon Lord, Rising of the Shield Hero kind of, Isekai Mokushiroku Mynoghra, No Game No Life a little bit, and KonoSuba, are all favorites, (specifically Mynoghra) and they’re all Video Game Isekai. Even Skeleton Knight in Another World, a currently airing anime that seems to have grown it’s fandom considerably, is a Video Game Isekai and i love it, too. This sub-genre, one of the first in the Isekai category, itself, has had a lot of time to build up it’s roster so there is a ton of these thing available for consumption. I have consumed just SO many of them... But I'm not here to talk about any of those, as excellent as they may be. No, i am here to cast some light on Shoukan sareta Kenja wa Isekai wo Yuku.
A Sage Is Summoned to Another World, as it’s known in some circles here, in the States, follows Touya as her maneuvers a brand new world which seems to be based on the old MMORPG he played. Pandemic World Online was an incredibly popular Battle MMO where Touya Kisaragi stood as the strongest Berserker in the world. Having conquered so much of the game, Touya was forced to create a second account, a second character, just to store the massive amount of loot he has earned over his career and it is in that form he found himself summoned. Touya was soon cast out after being spirited away as he was not a Hero the Jenerta Kingdom was looking for. Since Touya was summoned on his spare account, he took the form of his Mage character, not the OP Berserker, and started at level one. Because of this, he was cast out and left to die. However, due to that spare account holding all of the loot he collected over the years, Touya had a massive advantage. He soon began to realize this new world functioned just like Pandemic World and set out to reclaim his status as Berserker.
The initial aspect which caught my attention was the art. This book is gorgeous, detailed, and has a very unique style you don’t see much in manga. The market leans heavy into the moe type of design; very cutesy and very exaggerated. I’m not mad about that but i came up on this stuff long before the moe boom of the early Aughts. My bread and butter lies with artists like Akira Toriyama, Masamune Shirow, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Yukito Kishiro, and Katsuhiro Otomo. These art styles informed my tastes as i grew older and i became disillusioned with the Moe boom almost immediately. There are some gems to be found in this means tested, passionless, art wasteland which began with the moe wave so long ago, so, for me, an artist like Tite Kubo was a godsend. I love unique, non-homogeneous, art. If you have a look, there is a very good chance I'll gravitate toward your book. Sage definitely has a look and all credit goes to Ko Kobayashi. His art is amazing and every time a chapter updates, i can’t wait to see how much life he injects into those panels. His art aside, as amazing as it is, would be nothing without a narrative and, let me tell you, this thing has a story to tell.
Yoshu is not new to the Isekai genre. They’re the author of Tensei Kizoku no Isekai Boukenroku ~Jichou wo Shiranai Kamigami no Shito~ so it’s no wonder Sage has such a detailed narrative backing it. Admittedly, the plot is kind of derivative. Guy gets summoned into the game he’s playing and commences to be wildly overpowered but therein lies the rub; Sage ain’t like that. Touya was summoned with an items cheat in the form of his spatial storage being loaded with all of the spoils he received on his overpowered main account, but outside of that, Touya earns his strength. Yoshu made sure to show us the struggle, the plan, and the drive, Touya has to reach the top of his new world, just like he had in the game on which his surroundings are based. In doing so, Yoshu has create one of the richest, liveliest, lived in, wolds available in Isekai manga. I was already impressed by the art, but the world-building and character work are just as detailed. Speaking of character work, that sh*t might be the best thing about this book.
Touya, himself, is an absolute peach. He’s one of the most endearing manga protagonists I've come across in my near four decades on this planet. I just love how earnest this cat is as he maneuvers this new, yet, familiar world. The supporting cast, his main party, is just as lovable. Charlotte and Arturia, a princess and her guard, are just as lovable. They join the party early on and become the catalyst for the first major conflict of the book. Nathalia the Twilight Sage is also fun and easily the most relaxed of the bunch. She’s been with Touya the longest, has a debilitating sweet tooth, and was already a legend before becoming his companion. However, my personal favorite character that has actually been part of the narrative for some time, is the house spirit, Ferris. Watching this character literally grow, has been a joy. She is sweet, kind, prone to fits of adorable jealousy, and probably a yandere. There have been hints of something more sinister just under the surface and i look forward to seeing that develop. Also, you can't forget the heart of this team, the Battle-Horse, Kokuyou. The character work doesn’t just stop there. NPCs, antagonists adventurers; Literally everyone in this world, feels alive. One of these adventurers, Lumina, is probably my second favorite character of the book so far. She’s the strongest adventurer we’ve seen to date and has a surprising amount of depth for someone we only spend a handful of chapters with. I hope she returns because she was absolutely awesome for what we were given.
This one got a way from me, for sure, but i just enjoy A Sage Is Summoned to Another World so much. I could sing this thing's praises for days. It’s a fantastic story being told with a detail rare among the manga offerings of today. That, coupled with the amazing artwork on the page, makes for an absolute masterpiece. Sage is one of my favorite manga being serialized today and i immediately consume whenever chapters update. So far, there are twenty-nine chapters available but, admittedly, this book updates sporadically. If i had one problem with Sage, it’s definitely the fact you can go months between new chapter t read. That’s not the title’s fault in of itself, that’s more an issue with the scanlation houses uploading them. You do, however, usually get a chunk to read at once, so if there’s one, you’ll usually see two or three more relatively soon. That drought in between chunks, though, can last months. Actually months. That aside, A Sage Is Summoned to Another World is definitely worth the read. If you have the patience to weather some pretty egregious downtime between updates, definitely check this story out. It’s a true gem that shine real bright among the Isekai genre.
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→ defender of justice
saeyoung choi x fem! reader
desc: you weren’t the best at relationships. man after man, woman after woman, but you could not find the right one. after getting stood up on a date, a mysterious man with red hair comes to the rescue.
genre: smut
warnings: praise kink, unprotected sex, sex with a stranger, pet names
word count: 3.1K
Not again.
Not like this.
Hot tears pricked your eyes, the salty liquid rolling slowly down your flaming cheeks. How long had it been since you were sitting in that exact spot, waiting and waiting and waiting. You looked around like a lost puppy, mouth agape and eyes wide. Where the hell was he? You scammed the restaurant, your eyes glossing over multiple bodies of men and women. Everyone looked so happy with their spouses or potential mates, smiling in the faces of each other as they shared meals.
That was supposed to be you laughing. That was meant to be you sharing spaghetti with your boyfriend. How could you be so foolish to believe he’d show up this time?
“Ma’am, are you ready to pay for your meal?” The woman asked kindly, eyes shut with a large smile plastered on her features. You frowned, wiping away at the tears forming in your eyes.
“Just a moment, ma’am.”
“Okay! I’ll be back!” She left soon after. Sweat trickled down your eyebrows and your breathing hitched, stomach churning painfully. You were surrounded by couples. Everywhere you looked, there was a couple. Man, women, women, men. You’d given up. He won. Getting ready to pay and leave, you stood up, wiping at the new tears forming in your eyes.
You took one last look around. Multiple people had been paying attention to you now, apologetic looks dancing across their faces. You simply smiled in their directions. You didn’t need pity from anyone. You’ve been stood up before, you’ll be fine. Yeah, you’ll be fine after you eat six tubs of ice cream and cry your eyes out for a week. Maybe you and Akira weren’t meant to be. You had given up now, sighing as you reached for your wallet, standing to your aching feet.
Just then, a pair of shoes stepped into your vision and you looked up, instantly in awe.
“Hey, sorry I’m late. You can sit down now.”
You stared up at him, lips agape as you tried to process his request. This wasn’t Akira. I mean, he was no doubt more attractive than Akira was in every way, but he definitely wasn’t Akira. The last time you’d seen him, Akira had black hair, not red.
“W-Who are you?”
“I’m Seven. Just go with it, okay?” He whispered to you, sitting in the seat across the table from yours. Shocked, you didn’t say anything, only blinking at the man.
“I was standing there,” he looked over and pointed to the small line of people waiting to be seated. “I was there for a bit and I noticed that you’d been stood up.” You winced hearing the words, eyes darting down in embarrassment. You knew he wasn’t coming, but it still ached to hear him put it so matter-of-factly.
“He’s a dick. Or she.”
“A-Are you here with someone?” You tripped over your words, rubbing your exposed arm with your hand. Suddenly the air was cooler, tighter.
“Nah, I came alone. I originally came for pickup, but seeing a pretty little lady all by herself made me change my mind.”
“O-Oh…” you tilted your head up at him. “Please, I don't wish to burden you or anything. You’re incredibly sweet, but you can get your food.”
The mysterious man chuckled, running his hand through his shaggy hair as his eyes looked you up and down. “You’re precious.”
“I’m serious. I don’t want you to pity me. I saw this coming.” You mumbled those last words, pushing your plate of food to the middle of the table, hoping a waitress would swing by soon so that you could leave quickly.
“Hey, I’m sorry. My conscience won’t allow me to leave you alone here.” You frowned, crossing your legs under the table. Your eyes met his and you’d noticed how pretty his were, suddenly melting. This man was adorable. Sure, he was kinda underdressed to be eating there, but you overlooked his apparel. He was hot.
A few minutes passed by of an odd silence before a waitress came by, taking your old food and asking who she assumed to be your date, if he was ready to order.
So he did.
“Seven…” you muttered, hoping he would’ve been gone by now. “You’re too nice. I-I’ll pay for this as a thank you.”
“Pay for it? Oh, hush, I got it. I’ve got enough. Don’t thank me for anything, okay?”
And that was it. He ordered food and even shared a bit with you, even after you explained that you’d already eaten. You didn’t even know how you could both find so much to talk about, being complete strangers and all. But you still found a way. You incorporated jobs, home life, and he even allowed you to talk about your relationship with Akira a bit.
“I was right. He sounds like an ass.”
You giggled, reaching over the table to fork some of his salad before shoving it in your mouth. Seven gazed at you in awe, his focus completely set on you whenever you decided to share something, anything.
“He wasn’t always like that, I promise. We got along really well for a while and it was perfect,” you looked down at the table you were sitting at before a dry chuckle found its way out of you. “We’re a bit off and on, you could say. That’s why this was so important to me. I guess he didn’t care as much.”
Seven frowned, noticing your change in demeanor.
“Don’t let that get you down, okay? Look, you may not know me, but I’m here now. And as far as I’m concerned, I’m having so much fun right now. I’m glad he didn’t show up.”
“Really? Y-You’re having fun?” Your eyes widened and you felt blood rush to your cheeks, self consciously rubbing your arm, which had now produced an insane amount of goosebumps.
“Course I am, sweetie. What? You thought I stayed for my health? You’re cool. He’s missing out.”
And with that, you both changed the subject to forget about Akira. He was irrelevant.
You didn’t end up paying for your bill in the end, Seven did. Of course he did it, throwing in a ‘you really thought I’d let you pay for this alone?’ While he was at it. He escorted you out, hands stuffed in his pocket. You felt the cool air embrace your skin, the new area calming you now, the wind sweeping away every negative thought you experienced that evening. You almost forgot you’d even been stood up in the first place, really. But that’s how fun the ginger was. He was sweet and loud, always making jokes. His humor was a little bit odd. Well, it was extremely odd, but it made him more attractive to you. From his striped glasses to his plain sneakers, he was so down to earth. You wanted to talk to him again. You needed to say thank you.
“I had a great time. Hey, actually, you never told me your name.” He turned to you, both of you still standing in front of the building.
“Oh! You’re right! It’s Y/N.”
“Well, Y/N, I had a good time. I’ll get going now, you take care for me.” The tall man turned away, pressing the button on his keys. Your ears perked up after hearing the car beep, indicating that the car was his.
He was leaving.
C’mon, Y/N. Ask him. It won’t be hard, right? The worst he could say is that he’s probably busy or he’s got work in the morning. Just do it. Do it.
You yelped and that seemed to snatch his attention, the man whipping around to see if you were alright.
“You good?”
“Y-Yeah! Um, I’ve got no idea if you’re like busy tomorrow or something,” you trailed off, staring at your heels as you rocked back and forth on them. “I wanted to know if you wanted to come over! J-Just to like, watch Netflix. Unless you’re busy! Then that’s okay! I’m so sorry for burdening you!” You rambled on, your face entirely flushed, your body swinging sporadically from putting yourself on the spot like that.
“Hey, hey, stop that,” he pushed your chin up, your eyes drifting to his hair, rather than his eyes. “I’d love to come over, okay? Hell, where’s your car? Let’s go right now.”
Your eyes shot down to his, your face lighting up at his kind words.
“Oh! Um, I took a cab here!”
“That’s fine. Just gimme the directions, I’ll take you.”
You could feel your heart swell in your chest. He was so damn cute. His smile stretched across his entire face, eyes closed from his cheeks pushing them upward. He guided you to his vehicle and let's just say you were more than impressed with his ride, eyes widening. Damn, now you really had to know where this man worked to afford such an expensive car. That was a question for another day. You pulled up a GPS and from there, the ride was mostly silent. You aimlessly scrolled through your twitter feed until he pulled up outside your home, first asking if he was at the right place.
“Yeah, this is it!” Seven nodded and parked in your driveway, stepping out of his car awkwardly waiting for you to unlock the door before he did anything else. He locked his car, following after you. You giggled and unlocked your home, your cat rushing to the opening door to greet you.
Seven laughed, pushing his way in as well. “Hey! I love cats!”
You beamed, bending down to pet your feline. “Mmm, that’s a funny coincidence! Her name’s Elle.”
Seven’s goofy demeanor dropped into a much more serious one. “You’re lying! There’s no way! M-My friend, his cat’s name is Elizabeth!”
You threw your hands up, bursting into a fit of laughter. You looked up at the flickering lights, wishing you’d remembered to turn them off before you left the house. That was your worst bad habit. Seven noticed the flickering as well, but ignored it, just standing awkwardly as he awaited your next steps. You turned the main light off and led him to your living room, sitting on your sofa. He plopped down on the furniture and spotted the remote on the coffee table, passing it to you. You thanked him and turned the television on, the bright light illuminating the living space.
“Whatcha wanna watch?” You asked, turning to Netflix.
“Uh, scary movie? Or Anime? I could care less.” You nodded and searched for a horror film that you could both agree on, settling the remote on the coffee table. Not too long had passed before you were both cuddled up together, reclining the sofa so that neither of you would roll off by accident. You didn’t think you’d get so comfortable with a stranger, but there you were watching a horror movie with him while his arms were wrapped around your hips, pulling you into his touch. You’d be a fibber if you said you didn’t like it.
“I hope you know I meant what I said. You’re cool as hell.”
“Could say the same for you, Mr. Seven.”
“Oh,” he teased, his lips close to your ear. “Am I Mister now?”
“Depends. Do you wanna be called that?”
Seven snickered, rubbing circles into your waist. A low groan escaped your lips, a small laugh following. Neither of you even cared about the movie anymore.
“I guess that depends on what type of Mister you’re thinking of.”
Chills ran down your spine and you smiled, slowly grinding yourself onto him. Seven’s breath hitched in his throat, a small chuckle following after.
“That’s how we’re playing?” You didn’t respond, simply moaning while you continued grinding yourself against him. Seven gripped your hips tighter, rocking his hips against your ass. He pushed your hair out of the way, pressing his lips to the back of your neck. You let out a yelp, melting into his touch while his hips continued to move against your ass. You could feel him hardening, his tongue flicking against your skin.
Seven groaned, sucking marks onto your innocent neck while you felt yourself getting lost in his touch.
“Can I fuck you?” He whispered, thumbs rubbing circles into your hips again. You nodded, and before you knew it, he’d instantly had you on your back.
“You know,” he started, grinning down at your defenseless body. “I did not think this was how tonight would play out. But I’m so glad it did.” He unbuckled his pants, pulling his cock free from his underwear. His cock sprung free, precum already bubbling at the tip. You licked your lips at the sight, feeling a surge of wetness rush through your pussy, wetting your white underwear. You shut your eyes tightly, your fingers finding their way to your underwear as something in your forced you to circle your clit through your panties.
Seven spat on his hand, the mixture of saliva and precum slicking his cock enough. “That’s hot. Keep going.” He whispered, stroking himself to the sight in front of him. You whimpered, finger rubbing circles into your clothed clit while he jerked his hard cock, groaning at the your vulnerability.
“Yeah, that’s good. So good. C’mon, take those pretty little panties off.” You weren’t hesitant at all, quickly sliding the panties down your ass. You’d never been fucked on your sofa before, oddly enough. You’d been fucked almost everywhere in your house but the time to do it on your sofa never really came up. You were glad, though, it was so hard to get comfortable on the black leather furniture.
“Let me see that pretty pussy,” he muttered, pulling your dress up to your neck, the pink bra exposed under the fabric. Seven gripped your clothed tit before kneeling between your legs, leaning forward.
“You’re so pretty. Your body’s so damn pretty. Everything about it. I don’t even remember his name, but he’s fuckin’ missing out.”
He circled his wet tip against your clit, gathering some of your slick on his cock. You cried out.
“Please, Seven, hurry.”
“Are you rushing me? Bad girl.” He kissed the side of your lip before pushing against your entrance, sliding into the tight heat. You gasped, tears forming in your eyes from the painful stretch. It was probably helpful to mention how big Seven was. You almost couldn’t see from the constantly fading light of the television, but he was a good size. One you didn’t expect from someone so thin and lanky. Not that you weren’t appreciative or anything.
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah,” you whispered, wrapping your legs around his waist as he bottomed out inside of you, waiting for a moment to move.
“Tight.” He choked out, pulling out halfway before slamming back into you, grunting with each thrust. His thrusts were sloppy and uncoordinated, but you could care less, clenching around his constantly moving length. You cried out his name, tears falling from your eyes.
Seven found a good pace to fuck you at, rocking his hips inside of you slowly while you adjusted to his large cock, pussy fluttering over him.
“Fuck yeah, baby. So good. So, so good. I could cum on the spot feeling you grip me like this.”
You looked into his eyes, slamming your lips against his waiting ones without any thinking. Seven moaned into the exchange, pounding you as hard as he could while his tongue pushed past your opened lips, both of your tongues intertwined. Your velvet walls gripped his cock harder, causing the man to begin moaning, hips stuttering while he fucked into you. You felt like you were already on edge, rocking your hips against his. Your ears perked up and you yelped hearing your phone ring.
Seven’s eyes darted over to the contact name, sweat dripping down his glistening forehead.
‘Akira 💕…’
“Answer it,” he snarled, his pace never haulting. He was quicker, harder, as he fucked his cock into you, head constantly hitting against your special spot. You couldn’t help but moan, tears drying on your cheeks while fire spread inside of you, the overwhelming need to cum urging you on. You didn’t question him, simply reaching over to the coffee table to grab the device, answering it.
“Yeah?” You put him on speaker.
Seven’s eyes were cut, focusing on the conversation while pounding you. He gripped your waist tightly, stifling a moan.
“Sorry I couldn’t make it. I don’t know, I don’t think we should be seeing each other anymore.”
Your heart dropped at his words and your stomach churned.
“Fuck yeah,” Seven moaned loudly, throwing his head back. His hands travelled lower, gripping your ass while his cock hit the hilt of your pussy over and over again. You were so close, almost there.
“Who’s that?” Akira squeaked.
“No one,” you moaned out, forgetting to even hold back by now.
“Tell him. Tell him how good you feel. Go ahead, naughty girl. Tell him.”
You felt more tears well in your eyes, fresh liquid dripping to your damp cheeks.
“I feel so good, Seven. Please fuck me. Harder, please. So close. I’m gonna cum. Please,” you managed to get out, fucking yourself on his cock while holding the phone in your hand. Ever thrust felt like energy being launched into your body, electricity shocking you each time your pussy clenched on his cock, walls constantly being jabbed at. It felt so good. You were almost there. One more thrust.
“I want you to feel good. Want you to feel so fucking good. Do you feel good? You feel good with my cock inside you? Yeah?”
“Yeah. Gonna cum, Seven. Close.”
“Okay. That’s okay. Go ahead, I’m close too, pretty girl.” By now, Akira had hung up, his own heart dropping to his feet as well. As long as he understood how you felt, it was okay. You were fine. You’d be fine like this.
He sped up, sporadically whimpering sweet nothings as he pounded you through your orgasm, pussy fluttering around his length while you came, cum coating his dick. Seven screamed out, burying himself to the hilt inside of you while he came, shooting his load into your gaping heat. He collapsed on top of you, both of your breathing uneven.
“Good. That was good,” you found a way to croak out, releasing your grip on his waist. He didn’t respond, only kissing your sweaty neck.
“Good girl.” He said, cock still buried inside of you. You flushed at the nickname, whimpering. He waited again to speak when you’d both caught your breath, bodies still, simply enjoying the presence of the other. The television was still on, the movie was over now. It had probably been over for a while.
“Maybe it's not the right time for this, but can I take you out next week?
#luciel x reader#luciel x mc#707 x mc#707 x reader#saeyoung x reader#707 smut#saeyoung smut#mystic messenger#mystic messenger smut#mystic messenger x reader#mystic messenger x mc#mystic messenger fanfic#mystic messenger oneshot#saeyoung choi#707mc#mysme luciel#mysme seven#mysme 707#seven x mc#seven x reader
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Secret Life of Gojo Satoru 2
Part 1
Pairings: Gojo Satoru x fem! Reader
Summary: What is the worst thing that could happen if you left the twins with their father?
Word Count: 1000+
~~~~~~~
“I'll be back soon okay? Behave with Dada, understood?” the twins just nodded their head and kissed your cheeks, when you flicked your eyes upwards you met Gojo's blue ones. “You know that I would always find out if you'll be feeding them tons of chocolate. No chocolates, or else you'll be sleeping at your room in Jujutsu High.” Gojo felt like his heart stopped beating, he knew that you're not lying, if there is anything he has learned in this marriage it is the fact that you never spat empty threats.
The first time you threatened him like this, he ignored it and still bribed the kids with sweets and when you found out, he did slept at his room in Jujutsu High, Yaga was laughing his ass off when he found out and he even mocked him of how he was the strongest jujutsu sorcerer in the community but in the house you are the ruler, Gojo didn't mind it, he loves you so dearly and your toughness made him fall for you.
Gojo has a sweet tooth, it is because he has to keep on eating sweets because of his technique and even if you have a sweet tooth as well you wouldn't want your kids to have too much sugar and you have to remind Gojo over and over again that he shouldn't give them too much sweets, they have to learn to eat nutritious food and Gojo being Gojo, he uses the sweets to bribe the kids, that's why you were forced to teach him a lesson by letting him sleep in jujutsu high, much to Yaga's amusement.
With a pale face he picked up the twins and smiled at you sweetly, “No sweets for the kids today, got it Mama.” he told you and you laughed before kissing him on his cheeks, you heard him whine about how you missed his lips but you just stuck your tongue out. “You can have all the kisses later, Satoru but if you feed them sweets you should just kiss the wall.” Gojo dramatically looked at you and shook his head, “Then just give me one kiss right now, I need motivation baby.” the twins looked at their father with disgusted faces and when you were about to lean in to kiss Gojo, Akira cupped your face and kissed you instead.
Gojo never felt so betrayed in his whole life. He was about to lean in to kiss you but Akihiro pushed his face away before leaning towards you.
“Aww babies, I love you. Come here Hiro, let Mama kiss you.” Hiro giggled and gave you a kiss and you giggled at the two, “Better luck next time, Satoru.” you winked at your husband and went out of your house and you swear you could hear Gojo's whines about the kiss that he didn't get but you just laughed it off.
---
“Dada! We're hungry!” The twins told their father as they got tired of running around the house, so far Gojo is being able to manage to take care of the two and he felt relieved that they're not throwing tantrums as of now.
He pat their heads and stood up, “Alright, Dada will cook for you two. But you guys should behave. I'll turn on the TV, watch some cartoons and let Dada do the work is that okay?” the twins nodded their head in excitement and sat at the carpet on the living room while holding their toys, before Gojo left the living room to went to the kitchen he saw the twins held each other's hand as they watch. He couldn't help but smile at the sight, he decided to silently take a picture so he could show you later.
The twins are fond of fried chicken that's why Gojo decided to fry some but as he waits for the chicken to get cooked he heard a loud crash and he ran to see what happened and he was frozen at what he saw.
“Dada! Hiro broke the vase because he threw the ball!” Gojo's jaw dropped when he saw the vase, Hiro was pouting and glaring at his sister saying that she's not suppose to say what happened. Gojo immediately picked them up and made them sat at the couch as he clean the broken pieces of the vase, after making sure that it was all taken care of he looked at the twins.
Gojo is not that strict as a parent, he believes that his children should be guided in what they do not to be controlled on what to do and if they made a mistake they should learn from their own failures. But that's not the case with three year olds.
“Hiro, look at Dada.” he sat at the front of the two and gave them a smile to reassure them that he's not mad. “That vase is not really important because we can buy another but if something happened to you or to your sister, Mama and I would be upset because you two are our most valuable treasure. You were planning to clean your mess and hide it to Dada weren't you?” Gojo asked his son.
Akihiro looked at his tiny hands and sniffed, “Sorry Dada.” he whispered and Gojo cupped his face gently to make him look up at him, “Just promise you won't keep any secrets from Dada and Mama. Also, don't fight with Akira alright? You two should protect each other do you understand?” Hiro nodded his head and looked at his sister, he hugged her and kissed her cheeks. “Sorry, Kira.” Gojo smiled and ruffled their hair before standing up.
“Don't worry about the vase, I'll be the one to explain to Mama. Watch TV and wait for me to finish cooking.” he kissed their foreheads and went back to kitchen, thank goodness the chicken didn't get burned.
----
When Gojo finished cooking, he called the twins to the kitchen and made them sat on their designated chairs before he placed down their foods. “After eating, we'll take a bath. You two smell bad.” Gojo lied and the twins glared at him. “No! You are smelly Dada! Mama said we smell good!” he laughed as he saw the twins' noses turned red in annoyance, it's a thing that the two inherited from you, the only difference is that your whole face gets red every time you're annoyed.
It was cute and he loves that the twins got that trait from you, “Kira, don't be messy.” Hiro reached for a tissue and wiped his sister's mouth while Gojo watched them with a smile plastered on his lips, he can't believe these kids are his, he's thankful that he found a woman who was strong enough to stay with him and gave him two angels, he couldn't ask for more.
“Kids, look at here. Dada will send Mama a picture.”
The twins smiled at the camera and Gojo chuckled before sending them to you with a caption. “Our 12 rounds that night are worth it babe, look at our angels.” he knows he'll receive a smack for that caption but he'll cross the bridge when he get there.
As he had said, he have to give the twins a bath and they are both excited to take a bath so it wasn't a tough job for Gojo, “Dada you stink! Shower already!” Akira pinched her nose and frowned at Gojo, Hiro laughed and also started teasing his father. “That's why Mama didn't kiss Dada he smells bad!” Hiro splashed water to Gojo and Gojo gasped.
“Young man, you want a fight?”
“Kira help!”
The twins ended up giving their father a bath, Gojo was all wet and the kids are not yet done so he told them to settle down so he could finish and take a bath on his own.
After that, Gojo took them in their room and dressed them, he put some baby powder in their back and when they were all done he took the box of toys from the top of the cabinet so the twins could play in their room. “Stay here while I shower alright? Shout for Dada if you need something.” The twins are too busy playing to give him attention that's why they just gave him a thumbs up, Gojo shook his head with a chuckle before he ran to the bathroom and turn on the shower.
----
Akihiro got bored playing his toys and he poked his sister's arm. “This is not fun, let's play other things.” Akira frowned but agreed to her brother, “What are we gonna play though?” Akihiro looked around the room and his gaze landed at the pillow, he was planning on throwing it to Akira and have a pillow fight but whe he got closer to the pillows, he saw the big bottle of baby powder, Akihiro waste no time and turn the lid befor squeezing it.
Akira's face was so white because of the powder, she wiped away the powder on her face before glaring at her brother, Hiro giggled and run away, Akira looked around to search for the other bottle of baby powder since she knew they have so many of that and when she successfully saw one she climb on the chair and reach for the baby powder placed on the table. She climbed down the chair and removed the seal before squeezing it towards her brother's direction.
The floor became slippery because of the powder, the twins are falling around the room but they didn't mind it, instead they giggled every time they fall and as they keep on going, they ran out of baby powder.
“Mine's empty now, let me get another one.” Hiro told his sister before he climbed at the same chair where his sister climbed and took two bottles of baby powder giving the other one to Kira.
Their war resumed and at the exact moment, Gojo just got out of the shower, he could hear their giggles and he was about to smile but as he sense the trouble, he immediately ran and his knees almost gave in when he saw that the whole room is covered by powder.
“DADA!”
Gojo had to drop his infinity when the twins charged themselves towards him, the next thing he knew his face was now full of powder, the twins' giggles filled his ears and Gojo decided to laugh it off. “We're all so dead.” he wiped his face and looked at his children, being a mischievous dad that he is, he wiped his hands on their faces and the twin ran away from him.
The three of them ran inside the room, slipping from time to time, when Gojo finally caught the twins he carried them and shook them as an attempt to get rid of the powders, “Wow Dada is so strong!” Akihiro giggled while Kira held onto her Dad tightly, “Enough, enough, Dada too high, too high.” Gojo put them down in front of a full length mirror and he sat in between them, “Look at our faces. You think Mama will still love us?” the twins giggled and nodded their heads.
When you got inside the house the first thing you heard were giggles, as you follow the voices you stopped on the room of the twins and when you opened it you saw Gojo and the twins trying to get rid of the evidences of their mess.
Gojo's hair has never been whiter, he's not wearing any shirt and his whole body is full of baby powder. The twins? They're worse than that to the point that you couldn't even describe their apperances in words.
“Gojo Satoru.” you called your husband, your voice stern and your stare was blank.
And at that moment, Gojo knows that he fucked up.
#jujutsu kaisen#jujutsu kaisen fic#jujutsu kaisen fanfic#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen x you#jujutsu kaisen imagines#jjk x reader#jjk x you#jjk x y/n#jjk imagines#jjk fic#jjk fanfic#gojo satoru#gojo satoru x reader#gojo satoru x y/n#gojo satoru x you#satoru gojo x reader#satoru gojo#gojo satoru fluff#satoru gojō x reader#gojo x you#gojo x y/n#gojo x reader#gojo fluff#gojo fanfic#gojo fanfiction#satoru gojo fanfic#gojou satoru x you#jujutsu x reader#jujutsu gojo
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𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Collab hosted by @heartyyjeno and @neojaems
𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐨𝐧
Pairing: Qian Kun x reader
Themes: richkid au-ish, royalty au-ish, slight humour, ANGST, strangers to lovers, betrayal, suspense, drugs, murder, cruises, pride and prejudice
Warnings: angst, mentions of murder, drugs, smoking, betrayal, drugging, making out, messed up stuff honestly
Wc: 17.1k
Taglist: @danishmiilk @channoticedmeuwu @chicksung @1-800-seo @blueprint-han @jenosslut @cupidluvstarrz @kkakkdugi @sweetlyjaem @vera-liscious @leetaeyonglover @kunrengui @unknown5tar @kisshim @the-rooftop-fight @rueyins @kiri-ah @sly-merlin @alicanta77 @rouiyan @jae-dreamin @peachyyjaes @girlwithmightymuses-deactivated @jenoleemonade @radiorenjun
Summary: Many things can happen on a cruise ship, most of them are unexpected. Secrets are exposed, arrangements are brought to light and love can bloom- but when the secrets and arrangements clash, will the love survive? [loosely based on the Opera; Tristan and Isolde]
Playlist: here
Authors note: My first collab fic!!! I honestly really love how this turned out, and I hope you do too! Take this as a thank you for 400 as well, since I have literally nothing else planned rip. Thanks to Mina for letting me scream about this fic to her and feedback would be really appreciated! Without further ado, I present to you: Love Shot!
“Lady Y/n”, the woman greeted you, bowing respectfully. You smiled softly, touching her shoulder to indicate that it was alright. “Winter”, you said fondly, “You know I don’t care for formalities”, you reminded the girl, who nodded eagerly, and took your bags.
Sighing tiredly, you stood at the entrance, waiting for Winter to return and guide you to your room on the cruise ship, where you would be staying for the next three months. The air was crisp, more breathable than it was in the city. Crossing one hand over the other, standing up straight, you exude confidence and an air of authority, something everyone around you acknowledged and respected.
Your family was and would always be one of the most respected families in Japan. You had money, a name, and many many enemies. There was always someone on the prowl, ever ready to steal your family’s worth, to ruin its reputation. Your father had gotten the family estate when the wealth had been divided amongst him and his brothers, and that had only added up to your net worth. As the daughter of one of the richest men in the world, you had big shoes to fill, especially since you had no siblings.
You had had your fair share of bad publicity, and drama. Scandals always lazily floated around, and at this point, you welcomed them like an old friend. Added some spice into your otherwise very structured life.
A year ago, your father had died, leaving all the responsibilities to fall upon you. He had been found dead one morning in his bed, your mother shaking as she sat on the edge, looking on at her dead husband with a crazed look in her eyes. There were rumours and suspicions, but you decided to pay no heed to them.
And with all these new responsibilities, you made the news more times than you cared to count, and the way the media preyed on the tragedy, highlighting it, using it against you. Your mother was at her wit’s end, a broken shell of the commanding woman she was before. You heeded every request of hers, and fulfilled any wish, no matter how idiotic. Your life had changed, but at the same time, it hadn’t. You were still the same filthy rich girl from before.
Winter returned, a rosy hue on her cheeks as she greeted you once more. “This way Ma’am”, you grabbed her arm, glaring mockingly, “Y/n”, you asserted, “You’re never this formal Win, what happened?”
“It’s my job”, she said sheepishly, “And I’m a little out of it, please don’t pay any attention to it”
You wanted to prod her further but decided to respect her privacy, and silently followed her down the halls of the ship, studying your surroundings. It was clear the place was dripping with money, nothing you weren’t used to. With the gold plating and jewel-encrusted chandeliers, you felt more at home than on a vacation.
Well, it wasn’t really a vacation now, was it?
This was business, for your family. A set plan, rules and things you had to do. Even thought it was all arranged, you still had to look pretty and smile and be nice to him.
Stopping in front of a door, she fished out a pair of keys and inserted one of them into the keyhole, opening it and leading you into your room for the stay. It was one of the first-class cabins on the cruise, more spacious than the others. Bowing once again, Winter left you, promising to return to call you for dinner. Sitting down on your bed, you inspected the room, noting its features. It was all the same.
Deciding to get ready for the dinner, you unzipped one of your bags, picking through the garments you had brought along with you. You knew dinners were a big thing, especially if you were of your status, and today would be monumental, especially since you would be meeting someone, and that someone was very important. Finally choosing a silk dress, you slipped it on, retouching your makeup and checking your phone for any updates, you left your room making sure you had your keys with you. The hallways were pretty chilly, so you decided to turn back and get your pullover just in case.
Waiting patiently by your door for Winter, you checked your phone, reading over the message your mother sent you. A list of instructions, a code of conduct for the evening.
You had to impress them.
Once again, Winter showed up, still donning the rosy blush as she regarded you, and began leading you through the winding halls of the ship. She seemed to be very out of it, not completely focusing on the task at hand as she tripped over her own feet. You reached out, grabbing her arm and stabilizing the girl.
“I’m sorry”, she squeaked, “Forgive me”
“Be careful Winter”, you said, “And stop patronizing yourself, you’re never like this”
Flustered, she nodded a little too fast, “I’m sorry Y/n, just following orders”
“Whose orders?”, you asked incredulously. She rested her hand on the gold plated doorknob, turning to you.
“Your mother of course”, she said, before pushing the door open. Hushed whispers traveled across the room at your arrival, the room falling into silence.
Dinner was served.
Kun walked into the dining hall, his eyes dark and alight with amusement. He slipped his hands in his pockets, leisurely making his way to one of the tables. He observed the scene, taking note of the crowd. Jazz music played softly in the background, setting the mood. Clicking his tongue, he pulled out a chair taking a seat at the table he had chosen.
He wasn’t alone, there were two other men sitting there, and a woman. One was his brother, Chenle, who was six years younger than Kun. He looked intimidating for an eighteen-year-old, with a square-ish jaw and large eyes. They were set in a blank stare, as if he was used to this, and was tired of it. He regarded Kun with a nod, before going back to his food.
The other was his uncle, Akira, who was only ten years older than Kun himself, being the youngest brother from his mother’s side. He was dressed in an expensive suit, eyes covered with his dark sunglasses. He didn’t even acknowledge Kun, instead, he had his eyes trained on the door, presumably waiting for someone.
The woman was sitting next to Kun, his sister, Yuxi, younger than him by a year. She didn’t even spare a look at Kun, but he was used to it.
A server walked up to the table, handing Kun a menu, and bowing respectfully. He was wearing a white suit, in pristine condition, hair slicked back, shoes polished to the point of reflection. Kun studied the boy, who seemed a few years younger than him. His tag read ‘Heesung’, and he looked bored out of his mind.
“Heesung”, Kun said, “I’d like a glass of Dom Pérignon please”, he requested, to which Heesung nodded, taking note of it in his notepad. “I’ll come back with your drink and order”, he informed Kun as he left.
The doors opened, two women standing there. One was obviously the help of the other, dressed in a black and white uniform. She opened the door wider, exposing the other women to the crowd. She was obviously of some high status, the air around her seemed to hold some sort of authority. She walked down the stairs, her help close behind as she scanned the room to spot a table for herself.
You soon found the table you had been assigned to by your darling mother and walking towards it. You held your head a little higher, asserting a sort of silent dominance over them. Winter pulled out a seat for you, and you thanked her softly, turning to the man on your right.
“Akira, I suppose”, you said, lifting your hand up and shaking his hand. He smiled, “The lovely Y/n”, he said, “I presume your mother has told you about me”
He was handsome, you supposed, in an oldish way. You nodded, “Yes, she has”
“And I hope you are intrigued”, he suggested. You forced a smile, biting down the initial disgust at the older man. “Very much so”, you assured him, turning to the other two, “And you are”, you asked, desperate to avoid any further interaction with Akira.
“Yuxi”, the lady sitting next to Akira introduced herself, holding up a glass of some sort of drink, looking at the other two men.
“I’m Chenle”, the one on your left greeted, smiling slightly. You returned the gesture, looking at the other one expectantly.
“Kun”, he said, disinterest apparent in his tone. “A pleasure to meet you, Y/n”, he said coyly, leaning back in his chair and observed you. Nodding at his curt response, you waited in silence for the waiter to come and take your order. “So who are you?”, Kun asked, to which you blinked in surprise. “You mean you don’t know?”, you asked, not meaning to sound as vain as it came out. You were genuinely shocked at the fact he didn’t know who you were.
“Kun”, Akira warned, “I told you about the lovely Y/n”, he explained, “You know about the deal”
“Was I expected to know her?”, he asked, “To be fair, she's like every other woman here, just richer”
Your eyes widened at his blatant disrespect, as his lips upturned into a smirk, somewhat enjoying your obvious discomfort.
“Ahem”, Heesung interrupted, “Your order?”
Mildly put off, you asked for the meal you wanted, trying not to sink into your seat from embarrassment. If your mother was here, she would’ve given you an earful if you slouched.
Always hold yourself to a higher standard Y/n, she constantly reminded you, Head a little higher than the rest.
Ignore him darling”, Akira advised you. The nickname set a bitter taste in your mouth.
“Excuse me”, you said, “I’m not feeling well”, getting up, you called for Winter, asking her to get your food to your room.
You walked out gracefully, not missing the sly smile that Kun gave you.
Mornings were something you had always looked forward to. You woke up early on most days, while your mother was still asleep, to be alone with your thoughts. It was hard to think with your mother droning on about responsibilities, and things she wanted you to do for her. You had to mindlessly listen, and accomplish every task she set out for you. You were beyond thankful for Winter, who helped you, and single handedly kept you sane. She was your friend, more than a servant, which was why her sudden formality was confusing you.
While your mother wasn’t with you at the moment, you still decided to leave the confines of your bed, and explore the cruise in peace and quiet, perhaps get an early breakfast alone. You changed into acceptable clothing, casual instead of the finery you were used to and tired of, and headed out to the deck. The cool sea breeze was welcoming, making you feel refreshed. You sipped the tea in your hands, cupping the mug to provide some warmth to your fingers, as you leaned against the railing of the ship.
The floors were made of wood, giving it a rustic feel to it. It contrasted the marble interiors, giving it a simpler look. It was homely, more so than your own home. You smiled wantonly, the silence of the scene comforting.
You mother came to mind, as you remembered the deal, the entire reason why you were on this cruise, it wasn’t a happy vacation, on the contrary, it was a welcoming, an introduction to a new family, one you would soon be thrown into.
“You're alone”, a voice observed. You turned around to face the man from yesterday.
“Qian Kun”, you said politely, “It appears so”
You weren’t particularly angry at him for not knowing who you were, in fact, you would go as far as to say, you were relieved.
“Relax, I know who you are, I’m just teasing you”, he said, which destroyed all hopes of you being an unknown person. You raised an eyebrow in the question of his doings, to which he grinned, “Y/n Osaki”.
You nodded, looking down at your tea, not quite knowing what to say. You didn’t know Kun very well, but from the short encounters you had with him, he confused you. You studied him for a moment, trying to understand him. He seemed to be put together, content with himself, yet he took pleasure in trivial things, like getting a reaction out of you.
“Well, I don’t truly know you, other than the fact you’re this rich girl my uncle is interested in”, he quipped, standing at your side and looking out at the sea, not sparing you another glance.
“Uncle?”, you asked slightly horrified. Kun seemed to be around your age, so the thought of Akira being his uncle sounded very messed up, especially since your mother was also rooting for the older man.
Kun hummed in agreement, “he was ten when I was born”, he continued. You decided to ignore that fact, for now, focusing on the subtle dig he had thrown at you. “You’re rich too, or so it seems. Certainly, you’re wealthy if you can afford this cruise”
You hadn’t meant to sound vain or stuck up, but it was true. This wasn’t a cheap stay, especially since you knew they were staying on the first-class level of the ship just as you were. Your mother had told you almost everything about them.
He seemed amused, his dimples appearing as he smiled, “We’re comfortable”
You scoffed at the statement, deciding to take a sip of your tea instead of retorting. The conversation, if you could even call it that, fell into a silence. You tapped against the porcelain of the cup, looking blankly at the water.
He was attractive, dark hair splayed across his forehead, dark grey eyes, lips that seemed to upturn into a smirk easily. He had an easy going demeanor, with a touch of underlying darkness, you supposed. It piqued your interest, but you made sure not to show it.
“See you around Y/n”, he said, walking away, seemingly bored. You watched him disappear under the deck, and suddenly, you were all alone.
Alone with your thoughts.
“And school? How is that going?’, you asked, switching your phone to your other hand as you flipped the page of your book. Your brother bristled at the other end of the line, clearly not pleased with the turn of the conversation, “It’s fine”, he said, “Same old. Sungchan is still trying to woo that lower class girl”, he said this with a snicker, “It’s pathetic really.”
“Tsk”, you clicked your tongue, “Don’t belittle her, she’s smart”
“And not to our standard”, he replied, “Sungchan should know better”
“Shotaro”, you said in a warning tone, “Leave it alone, he’s probably just messing with her. You know how we do things”
“Of course, but it’s turning into an infatuation of sorts, he only talks of her! I’m tired of it”
“Maybe he’s in love”, you suggested, turning the next page. The line went silent, you didn’t worry too much as this gave you time to read a few paragraphs properly, instead of the skimming you had been doing. “And what is love Y/n, hmm?”
“Am I supposed to know?”, you bit back sarcastically. You could hear Shotaro scoff on the other side of the line, “You’re the one getting married, dear sister, and isn’t the eldest sibling supposed to teach the younger one?”
“I am not in love”, you said, “I do not need to teach you anything, pay attention in school instead”
“Love you too Y/n, goodbye”, he said flatly, deciding that if you were to talk of school, he was not going to have any part of it. You shook your head amusedly, placing your phone down and continuing to read. Shotaro was your brother, you were close to him, even with your constant bantering and seemingly formal conversation. It was just how the two of you had been brought up- in a very classy way. You had a reputation to uphold, and a family name to flaunt.
You shifted in your seat, hearing three knocks on the door. “Come in Winter”, you called out, and the girl walked in, holding a box that was wrapped in ribbon, a pretty bow sitting at the top. You placed your book aside, taking the box from her hands. “What is this for?”
“Sir Akira sent it”, she explained, dusting down her generic uniform, “Hesaid he would like you to wear it tonight”
You raised an eyebrow at this, skeptical, but nodded. Winter made motion to leave, but you held her hand, “Sit”, you said with a smile, “Talk to me”
“Miss-”
“Y/n”, you reiterated, “Please Winter?”, she sighed at your request, taking a seat next to you on the bed. “You’re keeping your guard up, we grew up together, stop”, she sighed, “I know, I hate this too”
“Do you? This is my room, no one is watching here, now”, you moved over, patting your lap and she grinned, laying her head down on it. “Aren’t you going to open that?”
“Mmhh”, you hummed, pulling the ribbon, letting the cover loose as a pretty red fabric peeked through. You pulled out the dress, studying it.
“It’s pretty”, Winter observed, looking up at your skeptical face. “What happened?”
“I hate it”, you muttered, “It’s tasteful, sure, but I don’t want to wear it”, you folded it and placed it to the side. “I have several of these.” You wondered how Akira had gotten your size perfectly, let alone the similarity in your style of clothing so on point.
“You still have to wear it tonight”, she reminded you, prospering herself up on her elbows, “How’s your brother?” You glanced at her, picking your book up again, “He’s fine”
“Oh what are you reading?”, she asked, “Will you read to me?”
You nodded with a smile playing on your lips, opening the cover of Pride and Prejudice, leaning back and searching for the line you had finished on. The musty pages welcomed you back like an old friend as you indulged in the love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. You read about the part, those five chapters where her feelings matured and her opinions changed over time for the man, who she had positively despised before.
You wondered if you’d ever fall for Akira, who you despised too, and was forced into marriage with. Maybe you were a lot like Lizzy Bennet, except you didn’t have a father to back you up.
Duty.
The Osaki Family was very familiar with this term, it was like every second day you heard it. With your family name came responsibilities, expectations and a warped sense of reality. Warped because your reality was very different from most people.
Duty came in different forms. For Shotaro, it was completing his extensive education and taking over the business side of the family, succeeding your father’s work. Your mother’s was to sit there and look pretty, the face of the family as of now, a sympathetic heroine of sorts ever since your father deceased. Yours was to extend family relations, and keep the prestige. You were going to take your mothers place, not something you were particularly looking forward to, but it had to be done.
It was your duty, after all.
The cruise was a way to get away from these duties, by keeping them at the forefront of your mind, replaying like a broken cassette tape.
“Y/n Osaki”, someone called out, and you looked up from your seat. You were sitting on the deck of the ship, reading in peace with your phone by your side in case of emergency. You recognized the woman as Kun’s sister.
“Yuxi, If I’m not mistaken?”, you asked, moving aside on the bench to give her room to sit. She crossed her legs, propping one hand on the backrest of the bench and smiling, “Tis I!”, her voice was cheerful, “I’m terribly bored of being surrounded by my brothers, so I thought I’d find you and talk to one of the female specimens”, she joked, causing your lips to upturn into a smile.
“Talking seems wonderful”, you assured her, “What would you like to talk about?”
“Anything honestly, something that isn’t about ‘who’s the man’”, she drawled, an unamused look on her face as she supposedly referenced her brother's banterring. Her eyes cast down to your book, “Jane Austen hmm? My brother loves that book”
“Which one?”
“Kun”, she answered, shifting in her seat, “He can argue for hours about whos the better character,” she smirked, stretching out her legs, “I love my family, but I’m tired of them”
“I understand that far better than you think”, you said, “I sometimes wish we weren’t related”
“You’re one to talk”, she snorted, “You have just about everything you’d ever need and more.”
“I’ll be losing it all in a little, I assume you know this”, you smiled sadly. She nodded, “Alright”, she said, “Perhaps you have everything except freedom”
Kun was tired.
In the event of having to deal with his brother and uncle’s ‘nonsense’ as he called it, he left the table at dinner to search for some quiet. He walked down the hallways of the ship, the soft rumbling of something he couldn’t quite make out reached his ears.
He passed his own room, and several others, before coming to the room he was looking for. It had a red door, washed out and dark so it didn’t really stand out. He pushed it open, entering a sort of mini hallway, with another door at the end.
He walked to that one too, entering a small, dark room. There were boxes and suitcases in there, all from his family.
But they weren’t all luggage.
He scanned the room, trying to remember something, it was like there had been an itch ever since he saw you. Like you had opened a door to a memory, but the memory was hazy, he couldn’t quite catch it. It was like a connection had been established, and he couldn’t quite shake it off.
He sighed in defeat, leaving the room and walking into the hallway once again, only to be met with you, donning a red dress, hair done up in curls. You startled, blinking on seeing him emerge from the side, “Oh”, you said, looking him up and down, “Hello, Kun.”
He took in your pretty features, wondering how you got roped into this.
“Shouldn't you be at dinner?”, Kun asked you, lips turning into a sly smile. You looked at him, seemingly unfazed, “Shouldn’t you?”
“Dinner is nothing special I can assure you that”, he muttered bitterly, “I take you're procrastinating getting there?”
You nodded, “As much as I enjoy your family's company, I am not entertained by your Uncle, no offense”, you rubbed the side of your arms, “This dress was given by him.”
“So that’s why he was talking to your servant”, Kun said, “Alright, let’s skip dinner then.”
“Skip it? My mother would-”
“We won't tell her”, he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “We’ll make up a convincing story.”
You studied him, deeming him sincere and nodding, “Lead the way then”, you gestured, and he took your hand, smirking and leading you down the hallways, “There’s a lounge somewhere here”, he mused, “Ah here.”
The two of you entered a fancy looking lounge that definitely matched the entirety of the cruise ship. There was a bar at the end, and couches in the center. You took a seat, leaning back as he went straight for the drinks
. “Want anything?”, he called, taking a bottle down.
“French 75”, you requested, “You sister told me you liked Jane Austen?”
He raised an eyebrow at you, “I do”, he agreed. “Why?” There was that odd feeling again, as if you held some sort of importance, but he couldn’t pinpoint why.
“I mean”, you looked over at the bar, “dinner isn’t going to get over anytime soon and we’re stuck with each other, friendly banter might help pass the time since I don’t have my phone or book with me.”
He hummed in agreement, “Which book are you reading?” “Pride and Prejudice.”
“High class families and their literature”, he hummed. “Alright, what about it?”
“You don’t seem very intrigued by the story”, you observed, taking the cocktail he handed you. “What do you think of Lizzy Bennet’s and Mr. Darcy’s relationship?”
“Lizzy Bennet, in crude terms would be considered a high class bitch.”
“Excuse you?”, you asked, slightly outraged in a playful manner. “She is smart and funny and has some brains, unlike the rest of the sisters.”
“She judged Darcy all too fast don't you think?” He raised his own glass to his lips, keeping his eyes on you as he spoke. “She blatantly disregarded his affections.”
You felt heat rush to your face, mostly in indignant anger, an urge to defend one of your all time favorite heroines of any sort of story. You had always stood by her. Seeing someone ridicule her, though you had invited him to do so, was irking. “She did not! He bitched about her family and confessed, expecting her to be okay with his idiocy?”
You asked him hotly, leaning forward in anticipation for his answer. He seemed amused by your irritation, “He’s a man of class, he’s going to judge a not so upper class family. I mean, you would know of this right?”
“Not if my family was belittled”, you said with a frown, “I see Darcy as the prick who refused to back down because of his goddamn pride.”
“I always thought Elizabeth was the one with pride, and Darcy held the Prejudice against her family.” His argument was strong.
You nodded. “I suppose you’re right, but Lizzy Bennet-”
“Can’t do any wrong?”
You muttered some not so ladylike things under your breath that your mother would’ve had your head for, glaring at the man who sat across you. While you were all up for playful arguing, being interrupted was something you weren't used to—nor did you appreciate it.
“Would you let me speak?”
He smirked, “I suppose you’re defending her because”, he looked at his glass, studying the clear liquid inside it, “you think of yourself as her.”
“I’m done here”, you said quietly, placing your drink down and getting up, refusing to look at him, knowing his smug expression would just irk you more. His accusation, while probably lighthearted, did not sit well with you.
“Goodbye.”
The sun was out the next afternoon, casting its golden rays on the deck of the ship, giving it a lovely, summery feel. Guests bustled and walked about, chatting in groups. A small band played their merriment off to the side, setting the mood with their joyful tunes.
Winter stood off to the side with the rest of the servants, a pensive expression on her pretty face.
You stood with the rest of the crowd, next to Akira’s family, returning the warm smile Yuxi sent you. Apparently, there was supposed to be some sort of performers on the ship to entertain the folk.
You sighed, watching the scene with a polite, yet bored gaze. You would rather be in your room reading, instead of out here. But of course, this was all done from obligation, you had to be there.
Akira shuffled to stand next to you, “I missed you yesterday”, he said, “I was looking forward to seeing you in the dress I got you.”
“I wasn’t feeling too well last night”, you fibbed, eyes meeting Kun’s for a fleeting second, “I appreciate the dress.”
You could feel Kuns smirk, even if you weren’t looking at him. Shifting on your feet, you leaned towards Winter, requesting her to get you a glass of water.
You were still so uncomfortable around Akira, with his easy smile and underlying words. You knew he was being nice because he had to. You were already his, whether you liked it or not. Shivering at the thought, you took the glass from your friend, taking a sip and trying to focus on the band that played a jazz rendition of ‘Seven Nation Army’.
You wondered for a moment, how it would be if you weren’t from the Osaki family. If you were just another girl, instead of leverage for your family. Once Shotaro was of age and finished his schooling, he would take your fathers place, your mother would remain a shell of herself, useless and forgotten.
You would be like her soon.
Yuxi called Akira for something, giving you room to breathe.
“I hope you’re not still angry at me”, Kun’s voice came from behind, an amused lilt to his voice, “About our little miff yesterday.”
You turned to face him, shaking your head, “I’ll admit, my storming off was a tad immature.”
He frowned, studying you. “Why are you so formal all the time?”
The question took you aback, “Sounds like you have a stick up your ass, reminds me of my friend, Ten.”
“You literally just apologized to me, only to insult me once again?”, you asked, wondering how his mind worked. He was so confusing, one moment all proper the next he acted like a regular kid with a crass sense of humour.
A smile stretched out on his lips, “I never apologized Y/n”, he reminded you, “I only asked you if you were still mad.”
“Touche”
“Loosen up a bit”, he said, “Don’t be so high strung all the time.”
You raised an eyebrow at this, “Oh do tell me how”
He grinned, taking your hand in his, intertwining your fingers, “Let’s go then, I have an idea.”
“Oh hell no”
“Oh hell yes”, Kun smirked, “Are you telling me you’ve never had a water balloon fight?”
“You’re telling me this is a regular occurrence for you?”, you asked incredulously. He shook his head, “No, but it's fun, so lets start”, he handed you a bunch of balloons in a bag.
“How the fuck do you even have these? We’re on a cruise?”, your confusion was comical.
The two of you stood in an empty hall in the cruise, and Kun had locked the door so no one would barge inside. Somehow he had accumulated a bizarre amount of balloons all filled with water. You could foresee the mess that was about to befall you.
You silently wondered why the fuck you agreed to this madness. Maybe it had something to do with Kun;s pretty smile.
He shrugged, “Don’t question it. Yuxi me and Chenle fight this way when we want to get away from our Uncle”, he swatted you away, “Now go! Unless you want me to destroy you from the start.”
A challenge.
You never backed down from a challenge.
You thanked yourself for deciding not to wear that summer dress Winter had initially laid out for you, opting for some pants and a shirt instead.
Grabbing the bag, you hurried to the other end of the hall, hiding behind one of the heavy curtains and picking up one of the balloons, getting used to the weight in your palms. All you had to do was hit him right? Seemed simple right?
Wrong. So wrong.
As soon as you felt as ready and slipped out of your hiding place, you were hit on your leg, a cold wet feeling creeping up on your leg. The impact of the balloon made you stumble a little bit as you regained your footing, shooting Kun a dirty look. He smirked in response, “Pay attention L/n”
You felt another hit on your arm, realizing he had taken advantage of the fact you had been distracted. Narrowing your eyes, you flung your own balloon and gracefully missed him, the balloon ending up rolling on the ground sadly.
Embarrassed, you retreated back behind the curtains, grabbing two of your weapons, and scurrying to the other curtain before you could be hit again. Your left pant leg was soaked through, still smarting from the hit and your arm was damp, but your focus was on hitting your opponent.
He chuckled, “Hiding just prolongs this, you know that right?”, he was taunting you, and you scowled, coming out from behind the curtain and throwing your balloon, hitting his calf and making him grunt.
It was your turn to smirk, pleased at your successful attempt.
Your triumphant feeling lasted about for five seconds, until you were hit again.
Damn Qian Kun and his quick thinking.You staggered back and he walked closer, “Gonna stay behind those curtains?”, he asked coyly, “Okay, fine you need incentive.”, He threw another at you, making you whine at your own slowness. “Lizzy Bennet needs to be more forgiving”
He had brought up your argument. He knew it would tick you off, making you want to justify your own point of view.
“Mr. Darcy needs to stop being such a prick!”, you exclaimed, flinging your own balloon at him, hitting his side, making him wince, “And you need to stop being so stubborn.”
“I’m the stubborn one?”, he said, almost whined. Another water missile landed next to your foot, bursting and spraying you with water.
After a few minutes, the two of you were soaked to the bone, your clothes stuck to your skin uncomfortably, but a tired smile stretched out on your lips. His expression mirrored yours as he tried grabbing your arm. The two of you had finished all the water balloons and had been chasing each other around the hall like kids.
For the first time you actually felt like a kid.
You squealed as his fingers wrapped around your wrist, pulling you down with him as he tripped. Falling into him, his arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you close to him and entrapping you in his embrace.
Laughter bubbled from your lips as you struggled against him, “Leave me!”
He laughed into your hair, “Truce. Lizzy and Darcy are both idiots.”
“That's established!”, you said, “Let me go idiot”
He did, a wide smile on his face, “You’re more comfortable around me now”, he observed.
You realized he was right, you were more comfortable. You liked the smile on his face, the lilt of relief in his voice. The hall was wet in some places. One of you hiding places, the curtains had a big splotch of water on it, you silently wondered how the staff would react to the state at which it was in.
“I am”, you stated, “Not so strung up now?”
He snorted, “I destroyed you in the water balloon fight, I practically knocked you down from your high horse.”
He looked at the smile on your face, liking it. Even though your hair was wet and messed up, he thought you were beautiful, now that your face wasn’t set in a semi permanent haughty expression.
You hit him playfully, not finding it in you to glare at him. His dark hair was wet, and it fell in front of his eyes as he looked at you, feigning a look of hurt. “You wound me.”
“My mission in life”, you snickered. A silence fell upon the two of you, as you rubbed your arms, the cold biting into your skin. You would have to leave soon, take a shower and show up and dinner, all prim and proper again. The thought made your stomach sink, because you had had fun for the first time in a long time.
You met Kun’s eyes, which were sparkling with a mischievous glint. Raising an eyebrow at him, you crossed your arms, “What?”
“We both have to agree”, he started, “That Mr. Bennet is the best character.”
Winter scurried along the hallways, clutching an envelope, hiding it under her apron lest she ran into you. Her nails dug into the paper, guilt welling up in the pit of her stomach. She stopped outside the door she had been summoned to
Knocking on the throat thrice, she took a step back, waiting for it to be opened.
A man opened it, narrowing his eyes at her, “Yes?”
“A letter for you sir”, Winter squeaked, “Sir Akira. From Mrs Osaki.”
Akira grabbed the envelope from Winter, swatting her away. The girl bowed and scurried off, not wanting to have anything to do with the contents of the letter. She had already been swayed by your mother enough.
Akira shut the door and locked it, tearing open the letter, desperate to get to it. He pulled it out, fumbling with the paper and reading it hastily.
Dear Akira,
I would first like to thank you, this wasn’t easy to do without you. Don’t worry, everything will fall into place, and no one will be the wiser. Y/n, my darling daughter, doesn’t know the whole story, only about the wedding, and we shall keep it that way. When our families unite, it shall all be sweeped under the rug.
I shall forever be grateful to you for helping me get rid of him. My debt is free I suppose now, as you read this letter our plan has been put into effect. In return for helping me you shall have protection and a new reputation.
Thanking you,
Mrs. Osaki
Akira sighed in relief, knowing his fate was sealed. He had been skeptical at first, when he saw how distant you were. You didn’t even give him an inch, and he suspected you knew what he-his family did and had done.
But supposedly you didn’t.
When your mother had asked him for his help, he was surprised. The Osaka family? Not happy? How could it be?
How could a wife have murderous intent as much as your mother did?
Folding the letter, he stuffed it into the pockets of his pants, pulling out his lighter and setting fire to the envelope. He watched the tongues of fire snatch onto the paper, bright yellows and blues emerging from nothing. Throwing it in the bin, he crushed it under his heel and pulled out a cigarette.
Kun walked into the room, rubbing his hair with a towel. His and Chenles rooms were connected to Akira’s on the cruise, so that he could check up on them. A frown appeared on the older man's face as he studied Kun’s bedraggled appearance.
Kun’s parents weren’t like Akira, they were respectable and wealthy nonetheless, but still dabbled in the darker aspect of things from time to time, not that many people knew of it.
“Why do you look like a wet rat?”
Kun scowled at this, “I went for a shower”, he said, “You look like a rat more than I do”
It was no secret that Kun, Chenle and Yuxi despised their uncle for his dealings and amoral nature. But of course, Kun didn’t know the whole story, he didn’t know everything, all the letters, the truth about you and your family.
Even you didn’t know.
The only reason they were there was because if the plan didn’t go through exactly as it had been planned, their family’s reputation would be ruined for possibly forever. It was risky business, one that was going to be fixed, no matter how vile and wrong it was.
“Get ready for dinner, and for goodness sake, clean up”, Akira instructed, ignoring the dig and gesturing towards the door that connected his room to Kun’s, “Be on time.”
His nephew obliged and left, leaving Akira alone. He took a deep breath and walked out into the hallway, travelling along it quietly so as to not attract any attention. He stopped outside a red door, opening it and travelling along the dark little hallway it led into. Opening the final door, he found himself in another room, one that was dark.
There were several boxes there, and a few suitcases. Akira’s, Kun’s, Chenle and Yuxi’s extra luggage. The boxes were not luggage though, they were Akira’s job. The dark side of things. He fished the letter out of his pocket and put it on the top of one of the boxes, next to the rest of the letters.
Leaving the darkness with the dark.
“You’re quite fun actually”, Yuxi said, chattering away to you during dinner. You smiled, returning the compliment.
You were grateful for her talk, which distracted you from the burning stare that Akira held on you, and Kun’s occasional glances. Not that you were against the latter, but it was slightly unnerving. Of course the two of you were much more comfortable with one another, but another feeling had settled in, a prickling on that settled in the bottom of your stomach.
Did you like it? You didn’t know.
Chenle indulged in conversation as well, you learned that he went to the same school your brother went to: Culture Academy. Apparently Kun had graduated from there just before he left for the cruise. Yuxi went to a finishing school, but you expected that, their family seemed the type to send their children to finishing schools.
You had graduated a few months ago as well, but from another high class school, while your brother attended Culture Academy.
“She’s terrible at water balloon fights”, Kun quipped, a smirk on his face as you glared, “Excuse me-”
“You guys had a water balloon fight without us?”, Yuxi asked, in mock offense, “And to think I actually trusted you for a moment”, she said, turning away from you and jutting her bottom lip out. “The betrayal.”
You laughed, “He dragged me, I had no say in it.”
They weren’t as cold as they had been when you had initially met them. It almost felt as if they were your friends. Taking a bite of whatever Winter had gotten you, you met Kun’s eyes, taking in the amused look in them.
Akira cleared his throat, “I assume you’ll be there for the dance next week?”
You raised an eyebrow, “What dance?”
“Instead of a regular dinner there is going to be a sort of dance”, he explained, “I expect to see you there.”
It was a command, not a request.
There was that constricting feeling again, you gave him a tight lipped, curt nod, looking away again. You hated being around Akira, he made you so uncomfortable, and even though you couldn’t avoid him forever, you would try.
He made you sick.
You took a sip of your drink, letting the burning taste trickle down your throat. You were barely past your first glass, not being a heavy drinker. Your mother had told you it was not respectable to drink too much, so you stuck to her rules. You always stuck to her rules, but god, you would’ve loved to drown the entire glass and ask for another at that moment.
Or throw it at Akira. But that probably wouldn’t have been very respectable either.
Winter walked up to you, tapping your shoulder timidly to get your attention, “Miss”, she said, leaning down to your ear to speak in secrecy, “Your mother has called.”
Pressing your lips together to avoid making a displeased face, you excused yourself from the table and followed your helper into the hallway, taking your phone from her. She gave you an encouraging smile as you began speaking.
“Mother?”
Her harsh voice brought you back down, “Y/n”, she said sternly, “Why did you not go to that dinner?”
You fisted your hand, clenching your jaw. Of course she found out, “I wasn’t feeling well.”
“So you tell no one?
“I wasn’t aware of the fact that everyone was supposed to know about my health”, you couldn’t help the bitter undertone in your voice. She didn’t care whether you were sick or not, she cared about why you skipped.
“Not everyone, just the Qian family”, she hissed, “Y/n focus. Duty.”
You knew there was no point in arguing with your mother, she was as stubborn as an ox. You could never be right against her.
“Yes mother, I’m sorry”, you said through gritted teeth. You could hear the smile on her face at your surrender, “Remember darling, you need to impress them”, she reiterated, “It’s for-”
“The good of our family, yes I know”, you sighed, “I’ll follow the rules.”
“Don’t just follow the rules Y/n, behave”, he tone of voice made you feel like a little girl. “You may not know it, but our family name depends on it.”
This took you aback, leaving you mildly confused. What did this stupid vile plan have to do with anything? Sure your family didn’t have the cleanest record (those scandals tainted it a little bit), but otherwise it was extremely respected all through Japan and other parts of the world.
The question sat at the tip of your tongue, but you knew better than to press your mother for answers. If she wanted to be vague, she would. Ending the call politely, you walked back into the dining hall, sitting next to Yuxi. Whatever momentary joy you had gotten from talking with them vanished, instead it was a reminder of your cruel fate, the bitter reality you had to face whether you liked it or not.
Why?
“You’re insufferable”, you declared, leaning against the railing, “Poor girl, you guys really made her jump into a pool?”
He laughed, “Yeah, you should have seen the look of anger on her face. And in full clothing too?”
You frowned, “You monster!”
“Hey, she signed up for it, she wouldn’t have gotten in if she refused”, he reminded you. Kun was currently telling you stories of his schooling at Culture Academy, particularly about a club he was in. You listened intently, enjoying yourself more than you would like to admit. He was definitely entertaining.
Maybe it was because you never experienced half the things he did.
You looked at the ocean, the sun shining down on it and sparkling. “I suppose she did”, you whispered, letting the words float about in the air as a silence settled upon the two of you. It was comfortable, you didn;t feel the need to fill it in. He took out a lighter and a cigarette, lighting it and taking a long slow drag.
“You smoke?”, you asked, unable to keep the surprise from your voice. You had never seen him do it before. The revelation was something you hadn’t expected.
Another thing your mother drilled into you: never smoke. It’s unladylike and very unbecoming of a person, and also because the news would latch onto it and create a scandal that was not needed. In general you had never seen the appeal of smoking.
He raised an eyebrow at you, nodding as if he expected you to know this. Almost as if he was bewildered with your surprised response. And he was, Kun was confused as to why you were so shocked with the fact. It was just a cigarette, nothing that terrible. Didn’t you know what Akira did-
Oh.
Oh no.
“Yeah, occasionally”, he said, brushing it off quickly, dropping the cigarette and crushing it under his heel, “Want to head back in?”
You nodded with a shrug, “Okay.”
He smiled brightly, and a fuzzy feeling made its way into your stomach. You returned the smile, pushing away the feeling away to the back of your mind, far away in a dark corner of your mind, simply because it wouldn’t be right. You couldn’t even afford to think that way.
Not with the arrangement that had been set up, that was for sure.
You followed him inside, another thought blooming in the same dark corner of your mind, no matter how much you tried to push it away.
God it was wrong on so many levels though.
“She got in”, Kun said, continuing his story from before, “It surprised everyone.”
You smiled, “I’m glad, poor girl, I hope she didn’t get hypothermia or something.”
Kun smiled, “She took my place as I left, you know, graduation and all”, he said, reaching his hand out and grabbing your own, leading you down.
“Your friends sound like fun”, you said fondly, even though you didn’t know them, “Especially that Hendery guy. Did he actually do that?”
Kun laughed, nodding, “He’s mad. I miss them”, his voice turned wistful, but only for a moment, before that pretty smile stretched across his face once again, “I have to tell you about the time Dejun…”
As you went back under the deck and the warmth of the hallways hit you, you decided you would deal with the feeling later. You decided to listen to him instead, liking the way his eyes lit up talking about his friends. You were starting to realize that you were now one of them, one of his friends.
That though stayed in the forefront of your mind, refusing to be pushed back.
And somehow, you didn’t mind.
Kun stepped into Akira’s room, eyes narrowed at his uncle. The tension in the air immediately raised tenfold.
“She doesn’t know, does she?”
Akira sent his nephew a questionable look, “What do you mean?”
Kun sighed, running a hand through his hair, “Y/n”, he said, your name rolling off his tongue easily, yet there was a sort of anger that settled into it. Why didn’t you know? You should’ve known.
Why did he care this much?
Akira sighed, “What about her?”
“She doesn’t know who you are, not the entire truth.”
Akira let the statement hang in the air, his silence answering. He leaned back in his chair, humming an idle tune. “You’re right, but what prompted this?”
“She saw me smoking”, Kun said, “And was confused, she definitely didn’t look pleased. Tell me, how would she react when she realizes the man she has to marry is a fucking drug lord?”
His uncle winced at Kun’s words, “I know, but she won’t ever know.”
This was madness.
Kun knew of course, of the plan, but he didn’t know the whole story. He knew you were to be married to Akira, an arranged marriage that had been, well, arranged by your mother. And Yuxi had confirmed you knew of it as well. You had never seemed too keen on it, and this worsened everything.
“Sit”, Akira ordered, “And I’ll tell you.”
Holding back a grimace, he complied, sitting opposite Akira. He waited for the older man to go on, wondering for a moment how it would be like to be in your shoes. You were around his age, and had to marry his uncle? The thought itself was mortifying.
“The Osaki family”, Akira started, “Well known, you’ve heard of them”, he didn’t wait for Kun to respond in any way, “They’re practically perfect, are they not? You’ve seen Y/n, you’re closer to her than I am. With her airs and graces, you’d think she’s perfect too, wouldn’t you?”
Of course Kun though you were perfect, but that's besides the point. He didn;t see how this made any sense.
“It’s all a lie Kun”, Akira said, “They’re unhappy, so unhappy. Her mother was a miserable, poor lady, forced to sit on the sidelines while her bastard of a husband ignored her.”
Wasn’t your father dead?
Akira cleared his throat, “They’re perfect on the outside, a dollhouse, but through the curtains, it's all a mess. She asked me for help.”
Kun frowned, “Y/n-?”
“No”, he said with a smile, “Her mother.”
It was slowly coming together, a puzzle so horrifying Kun didn’t want to believe it. His uncle had done many horrible things, many illegal things, but fuck, he prayed this one wasn’t real.
This was murder.
“So I helped”, Akira’s voice went hoarse, “I helped the way I could. I slipped a drug into a package and sent it to her, one so strong that could kill.”
Horror. This was madness.
“The next day, Mr Osaki was found dead”, a slow sadistic smile stretched out on Akira’s lips, “And Mrs Osaka was overjoyed! She thanked me profusely for helping with her plan. She promised to repay me somehow for my kindness.”
Kindness. Crime. When had the line between the two grown so blurry? Kun was frozen in his seat, frozen in fear. In fear for himself and his siblings, in fear for his family for being related to such a monster. He feared for you, the unsuspecting girl who had walked into his life and brought out things from the shadows he wished he left there. The girl, who’s own mother had been the reason behind her fathers death.
Fuck it was so wrong.
He knew the world he lived in, the wealth and the riches always brought trouble, but never in his life had he ever foreseen this much trouble. The clock on the wall of Akira’s room ticked slowly, every second seeming like an hour. Kun wanted to leave, but he was frozen in his seat, glued there.
His curiosity had gotten the better of him. He needed to know more. What was the ending to this tragic tale?
“And this is my repayment”, Akira said, “I marry Y/n, and everything gets sweeped under the rug. I can start a new Kun, I don’t have to be this person. I know you hate me, but listen, this could change everything.”
Kun felt sick.
“No”, he muttered, “This changed nothing you…”, he studied his uncle's tired expression. Akira’s eyes held a triumphant glare, and that made everything worse.
“You sick man”, he whispered, getting up, “She doesn’t deserve this. You don’t deserve a fresh start Akira, you have blood on your hands.”
Akira groaned, “I don’t expect you to under-”
‘Good”, Kun said, “I’m leaving and I want nothing to do with you for the rest of this trip.”
“Don’t tell your little friend”, Akira sneered, “If you tell her I won;t be the only one affected. Her mother will be brought into the light as well, and you really think no one will suspect Y/n?”
It was a losing situation from all sides.
“She doesn’t know who I am”, Akira said, agreeing with Kun’s earlier statement, “let's keep it that way, shall we?”
Dearest Akira,
Thank you for sending me the drug, I’ve slipped it into his drink. He shall be gone soon, and I shall be free. My son will take his palace when he finishes school and Y/n will be yours. A lovely full circle. I won’t have to deal with a man I hate anymore, a man that pushed me aside for everything.
Once upon a time I truly loved him you know? I trusted him and I gave him my heart. He trampled on it and now all I’m left with is a shell.
He forgot I existed, I am but a placeholder.
Not for long.
Thanking you,
Mrs. Osaki
You sat on your bed, reading yet another chapter of your beloved Pride and Prejudice in silence, as Kun sat on the other side, looking at his phone and occasionally stealing glances at you.
The friendship the two of you shared was….odd to say the least. You didn’t have to talk, even the silence was enough. You enjoyed his company a lot more than you cared to admit. Turning the page, you decided to stop for the day, placing your bookmark in the middle and shutting the book, turning your attention to Kun.
He couldn’t help the guilt that bubbled inside him, even though he had done nothing wrong. It was the heaviness he carried around for possessing the truth, and was hit with the consequences everytime he looked at you.
“Yes?”, you asked.
He blinked, “What?”
“You’ve been staring at me oddly”, you clarified, “I’m wondering if I did anything to offend you.
“No, no!”, he said a little hurriedly, “I apologize, I’m a little out of it today.”
“Do tell”, you said, propping your chin up on your hand, eyes meeting his with an expectant gaze. He gave you his easy smile, “It’s nothing I promise.”
“I don’t believe you for a second, you’re terrible at lying”, you declared, “Oh come on, I thought we trusted each other?” You tried guilt tripping him into telling you, but he was surprisingly stubborn.
“Do we now?”
“You wound me”, you muttered dryly, “Alright I won’t press you for answers.”
“Thank you for this kindness, oh Lady Y/n”, he said, making a show of pretending to curtsy, which was comical since he was sitting. You couldn’t help the amused smile that made its way to your face at that.
You stood up, placing your book on one of the side tables, brushing down your pants, “We need to be at the deck in five minutes, so I suppose we should make a move.”
He followed suit as the two of you made your way up to the deck. The dinner was out there tonight, so it was bound to be a little bit more casual than the usual dinners in the dining room. This also meant that you didn’t need to sit with the Qian family, which was a mix of relief and disappointment. You liked Kun and his siblings, but at the same time…
Yeah.
The night was a little chilly, so you had pulled on a sweater, finding a table and taking a seat, watching as Kun walked over to his own family, looking stiff. You took the menu from Winter, eyes scanning over the food.
“Ahem.”
You looked up from the menu, only to be met with Akira’s disapproving gaze. “Y/n”, he greeted, “How are you feeling today?”
You swallowed your contempt, forcing a tight pained smile, “Very well, thank you Akira.”
“I’m glad, then why don’t you sit with us?”
Your lips twitched as you tried to think of a way to get yourself out of this. “I’m quite fine here, thank you for the offer.”
He smiled widely, leaning down to your eye level, resting his elbow on the table and effectively capturing your attention. “It wasn’t an offer, sweetheart.”
The nickname made your skin crawl, as you reeled back, “Akir-”
“You will sit with us”, he said firmly, “What would your mother say if you refused?”
Your eyes widened as you realized he knew, fingers gripping the menu. He knew how your mother was and fuck, him knowung that scared you even more. Clearing your throat, you pushed all your confidence into your voice, “I’m quite comfortable here Mr. Qian.”
You didn’t use his first name, you used the family name, hoping to settle the argument, to show that you were not moving.
He took the menu from you, “Come along Y/n, its for the be-”
“Let her be.”
Akira turned around, facing his nephew, “Kun”, he said, voice falling into a tone that screamed it was a warning, “I am not talking to you.”
“But I’m talking to you”, Kun narrowed his eyes at Akira, “She wants to sit there, let her sit there. She is not obliged to follow your every instruction.”
Akira sighed, glancing back at you and smiling sickeningly sweet, inclining his head and walking away, going under the deck. You let out a sigh of relief, looking at Kun who looked oddly guilty.
“Thank you”, you said, “I could’ve handled it, though.”
“I know you could’ve”, he acknowledged, “I just felt like stepping in and helping.” His explanation was curt as he pulled out the chair opposite you, “Do you mind if I sit here?”
“Not at all. I suppose you’re wondering why I let you sit and wanted nothing more to do with your uncle?”
“I’m not”, he said, “I know what's happening there. And the position you’re in, better than you do.” A sad smile stretched out on his lips(not that you were observing them or anything), leaving you slightly bewildered. What did he mean by that?
You studied Kun, his attractive features and dark eyes. They looked like they held a secret, one you couldn’t figure out.
“Why did you help me?”, you asked again, meeting his eyes. He held your gaze for a few minutes, before they dropped to your lips for a split second. You held your breath, waiting for his answer, and mildly overwhelmed.
Did he feel the same way you had been feeling lately? Why did the prospect of that make you feel elevated? Fuck, you couldn’t think like that, it would ruin everything-
“I can’t tell”, he muttered, “I just care.”
The truth chases a lie with fervor, no matter how small. Like a lover in the night, chasing its partner with passion even in the darkest times.
You observed yourself in the mirror, studying the black dress you were wearing. It had a gold trim at the edges, and lace at the back, giving it the perfect combination of classy and scandalous.
Winter took a step back, curling iron in hand as she marvelled at her own handiwork, a smile adorning her pretty face, “You look lovely Y/n!”, she praised. You really did look lovely, the picture of what you were always supposed to portray: perfection.
“Thank you Win”, you smiled at her, “why don’t you wear one of my dresses tonight?”
Her eyes lit up in surprise and confusion as she placed the iron down, shaking her head, “Oh I couldn’t Miss, I’m a part of the staff, I will be helping out for the evening.”
“You don’t want to pretend you’re not just for a few minutes? You can change after fifteen minutes and go back to your work”, you enticed her, wanting your friend to have some fun.
She hesitated, “No miss, I could get in trouble.”
“Alright”, you relented, standing up from your seat and turning to the door, “Thank you Winter”
“Your very welcome miss, now go, the Qian family is awaiting you.”
You nodded, walking into the hallways and following the few people who were already going to the dance.People of repute, people who would look at you and incline their heads respectfully, as you did for them. They were from your world, after all, everyone was rich and important.
Standing outside the doors, you took in a deep breath and walked in. The hall had been decorated, changed drastically. The tables had been pushed to the sides, for the seating, and the center was left as the actual dance floor.
You walked over to the tables at the side, greeting a few people you knew. You spotted Winter standing at the sidelines with the staff. On reaching the refreshments table, you took one of the glasses of champagne and brought it to your lips.
Jazz music played as couples took the floor, swaying to it. You watched the Qian family, noting that Akira was looking for someone, probably you. Turning your back towards them, you took another sip of your drink. You looked at the starters that had been placed out for the guests, wondering what your mother would think if you took a plateful and sat alone in a dark corner eating. The picture of her horrified expression was enough to tickle you.
Distracted within your own thoughts, you failed to notice Kun standing next to you, an amused expression on his face as he watched you. To him, you looked absolutely breathtaking in your dress, even more so than usual.
“Y/n”
You jumped slightly at the sudden intrusion of your thoughts, facing the man. He was dressed in a suit, hair done slightly messy, but on purpose. His dark eyes met yours, amused as he smirked, “Hey.”
“Hey”, you breathed out, snapping out of checking him out. He looked extremely attractive tonight, a thought you couldn’t shake off. “Kun.”
He nodded, inclining his head towards the table, “I’m sure the refreshments are extremely interesting but”, a slow grin stretched out on his lips, “Would you like to dance?”
You suppressed your own smile, nodding and taking his hand he had offered you. Kun led you to the dance floor, a little off the centre so you wouldn’t be seen easily. Resting one hand on your waist, the other grasped your own, bringing it up mid air. He took the first step behind with you following him as the two of you danced.
“I’m not great at dancing”, he confessed, “So I have to warn you, I’m running off ballroom dancing class from school when we had our Formal Dance.”
You smirked, “Do you want me to lead or something?”
“Only if you twirl me”
You laughed at this, “Alright, brace yourself.”
He gave you a horrified look, “NO, nevermind, I’ll twirl you instead”, he muttered, retrieving his hand from your waist and raising the other so you could turn gracefully. You didn’t make any attempt to bite your giggled away at this, turning and facing him again, back into your former position.
“That was actually quite fun, wanna try?”
He gave you a look that screamed ‘really?’, shaking his head, “I thought we established that I was fine without twirling.”
“But-”
“No”
“Fine”, you made a show of being upset over it, saying something about he was missing out on his youth and that twirling during ballroom dancing was one of the few fineries of life he would never experience if he didn’t do it right now.
That, for some reason, still didn’t entice him.
Oh well, his loss.
You bantered lightly, as you swayed to the music together. You melted together almost, in the midst of your laughter and smiles. You felt so comfortable with him, but every moment you felt like that seemed like a curse, reminding you he wasn’t what you were there for. Whatever you felt towards Qian Kun was wrong, so wrong.
He led the two of you off to the side, away from the dance floor, still in each other's arms for some reason, even though you had finished dancing. He lifted your hand, twirling you once again just for the effect and grinning.
Once you faced him, you realized how close the two of you were. His hands were on your waist anyways, one of your hands was around his neck. Your other hand was intertwined with his, making the contact seem even more intimate.
The smile melted off your face as his eyes flickered to your lips. It was as if he had read your mind, and you wished he'd do it again. You wished he woul-
He leaned forward hesitantly, and in that dark corner of the dining hall, while the others danced around, while Akira looked for you somewhere, behind the tables and everyone, Qian Kun kissed you.
It was a timid kiss, his lips barely brushed against yours, before he pulled away, blinking at you. You stared back at him, equally as surprised, but not in a bad way. He dropped the hold he had on you, but kept holding your hand, as if he was figuring out what to think.
You grew slightly impatient with this, leaving his grip and cupping his face, bringing him back into a kiss. This one was much less innocent, it didn’t feel like he was exploring something for the first time. It felt real, and it felt right.
“Not here”, he muttered softly against your lips, pulling you along with him, out into the hallways. You followed him, giddy from the kiss, giddy from the fact that you had even kissed him. How did that happen? When had that happened? The incident that had taken place mere seconds ago seemed days old, almost as if it had happened several times before.
You wanted to kiss him again.
Resisting the urge to stop him right there and there, you let him lead you to wherever. He stopped outside a red door, almost rust in colour, hesitating for a moment, before he seemingly decided to fuck it all and opened it, pulling you into the little corridor it opened into.
He kissed you again, once, twice, thrice, until you lost count. Pushed up against the wall, your senses seemed to heighten. The low buzz of the cruise ran through you as your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. All the banter, the teasing, the way he would trap you with his words had built up to this.
You wouldn’t have it any other way.
The only way you could describe the kisses was breathtaking. You felt as if you were struggling for air, yet you didn’t want to pull away. Your lungs screamed for air, but you didn’t want to heed. You didn’t want to break the spell he had put you under. You liked the burning feeling, the way his lips felt against yours, the way his body felt against yours. Drowning, you were drowning but fuck, you wanted no one to save you.
You wanted to drown.
He pulled away finally, letting you suck in a breath.
“This is wrong”, you whispered, and he nodded, agreeing, “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to do it again.”
He took a step away from you, studying your features. You leaned against the wall, letting the silence overtake the two of you. You breathed heavily, making up for the air you had lost, albeit willingly.
Footsteps.
Soft footsteps made their way down the hallways, you could hear it. Kun looked alarmed, glancing at the door, “Wait here.”
You frowned, but nodded as he left, closing the door after him and supposedly speaking to someone in hushed tones, further muffled by the barrier between the two of you. You sighed, looking along the corridor you were in at the moment, walking to the end and opening the other door, lest the person he was speaking to burst in and found themselves in a very awkward situation.
You found yourself in another room, one that was dark. Using your sense of touch, you managed to navigate around it, noting that there were suitcases and boxes. You stumbled into one, wincing slightly as a sharp pain travelled through your shin. Using the box to steady yourself, your eyes were drawn to the little labels on the sides of them.
Squinting, you brushed over the names, trying to make out what they were.
Qian Akira, cocaine.
Reeling back, you blinked. Were those drugs? Looking at a few other boxes, you had forgotten about the pain in your leg as horror filled your senses, reading the names of drug after drug, all with the Qian’s names on it. The man you were being forced to marry was a criminal.
You had been thrown into a trance of some sort, a trance of absolute dread. For some reason you couldn’t look away as you kept reading, realizing that whatever was happening was much more serious than you had thought.
The next box had a few papers on the top of it, kept haphazardly one on top of the other. Letters of some sort, envelopes and receipts. You picked one up, eyes scanning over its content, or whatever you could make out in the darkness.
Dear Akira
It’s set in stone! He’s gone, thank you so much. I promise you that this time next year you will be with my Y/n and everything will be solved.
Thanking you,
Mrs Osaki
The sight of your mothers handwriting and her name at the end of the letter made you sick. The other letters were much like the first, each one releasing more and more information, letting you piece together its words to form a cohesive thought.
Fuck.
You dropped the letters, breathing going heavy as you heard more footsteps. Someone was entering the room, they were coming inside and they would find you. You weren’t supposed to be here, you could tell by the way you had been written in the letters.
You should have listened to Kun when he told you to stay where you were-
Kun.
Oh god.
The room seemed to close in on itself, the stacks towering above you. You felt trapped, claustrophobic and disgusted. Disgusted by the fact would ever put you in such a repulsive situation. You ran your fingers over the dust covered boxes, reeling back at the names and information that was on them. Bile rose to your throat as you choked back sobs.
He was responsible for it all, all the misery that had been thrown upon you, the odd requests all made sense. This wasn’t an innocent union, it was an elaborate cover up, and you were the leverage.
Tears sprung to your eyes as you staggered back, leaning on the wall behind you for support. Shouts echoed from the other end of the dark room, and your breath hitched in your throat in fear of being caught.
Shutting your eyes and clamping your hand over your mouth, you counted to ten in your mind, praying that whoever it was wouldn;t find you. The voices resided, the footsteps growing farther and farther. You opened your eyes, only for them to widen in a mixture of relief and fear.
“What are you doing here?”
Fuck.
Kun had made a big mistake, he had led you to the worst possible place he could have taken you in his daze. He had gotten distracted by you, and now he had to deal with the consequences.
If he could fucking find you.
After thwarting Akira’s attention by telling him you had gone on the deck for some fresh air, he returned into the corridor, before realizing it was the one place he wasn’t supposed to take you.
And you were nowhere in sight.
He looked around in alarm, before Akira’s voice called out again, “What are you doing Kun?”
He turned around, “Nothing, just checking, I want something from my suitcase,” he said quickly. His uncle narrowed his eyes at him, “And what is that something?”
“I left my book inside the suitcase, and I’m not interested in the dance so I thought I’d go read.”
“Y/n is not on the deck.”
“Am I supposed to keep tabs on her?”, Kun bit back, “She’s probably back at the hall Akira.”
Akira raised an eyebrow at Kun, “I don’t know what you’re playing at, young man, but I don’t like it”, he said, raising his voice. Kun felt like a little kid again, even if his uncle was just ten years older. Clenching his jaw he stood his ground, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, old man.”
Akira left Kun alone, deciding that he wasn’t worth it.
Kun walked into the room, looking around for you, praying you weren't there. He walked to his suitcase, and narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the outlines in the room.
He heard something shift, and turned on his heels, squinting. He could just about make out your figure standing in the corner, hand over your mouth, eyes squeezed shut. You trembled slightly as you stood there.
He walked over just as you opened your eyes, to meet his own in horror. You were definitely shaking, lower lip trembling in what looked like fear as you tried backing away from him, even though you were already against the wall.
“What are you doing here?”
He took a step forward, reaching out to hold your hand, eyes shrouded in concern at your state, but you shrinked away. “Don’t.”
“Y/n-”
“No”, your voice was shaky, “Stay away from me.”
Your mind was a mess, thoughts racing. You felt used and exposed, so vulnerable. Everything you knew had been a lie, you had been betrayed. Just a few moments ago you were happy, now everything you knew had been shattered, including your own heart.
“You knew didn’t you”, your voice broke in the middle, “You knew.”
Kun’s fake smile melted off his face as he realized what had happened, taking a step away from you. The tears in your eyes made their way down your face as you sucked in a breath, crouching down with your hands over your ears.
All you wanted to do was block all of it out, block reality out and not think of it, but that was hard when reality was staring back at you with a guilty expression.
Suddenly everything clicked into place, why he had been so nice, why he kept helping you. I was all out of guilt, everything was a fucking lie. Half truths and twisted words, secrets and scandals.
It was sick and twisted and you had fallen into the trap unwillingly, and didn’t know how to get out.
You rocked yourself slowly, trying to compose yourself amongst the madness. You wanted to scream, to cry and tell Kun that you hated him, that you wanted him to leave and never talk to you again. Maybe that’s what hurt worse, the fact that you were attached.
You had trusted Kun, you had fallen for him like the idiot you were, only for it all to come back for you, slapping you in the face. You felt so stupid for letting yourself believe anything good would come out of this. You should have listened to your conscience when it told you this was wrong.
But this...this was worse than wrong. This was murder. The betrayal of it all hit you hard, and it took all of your willpower not to fall over and give up.
“It was all fake”, you muttered, “all of it”
“Y/n I-”
“You were pitying me”, you spat, “You knew and yet”, sucking in a breath, you swallowed the lump in your throat, ignoring the heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach, the hole that seemed to have been ripped out from your chest. “You still played me.”
Kun pressed his lips together in a tight line, regret eating away at him. Of course it wasn’t all for his uncle, but you wouldn’t listen even if he tried. You were much too distraught, too far gone for that. Instead he composed himself, leaning down and resting a hand on your shoulder.
“We need to get out of here.”
The harshness of the statement made it worse. You looked up at his serious face through your hazy eyesight, wanting to push him away, but neither did you want to be alone. He sighed, helping you up to your feet, “We have to go or they’ll find you here and it won’t be pretty.”
Taking your hand in his, Kun pulled out of the room, raising a hand to his lips, silently telling you to keep quiet. “If you don’t want Akira to find you here, go straight to your room, say you were sick.”
He was pity helping you again.
You nodded, sniffling slightly and pulling yourself together again, rubbing your arms. You hated it, fuck, and that moment you hated your own mother. You hated the fact that you had to depend on the boy who betrayed you. The boy who you kissed, and was willing to forget that it was wrong, until the world crashed down upon you.
Walking with you, he decided to part ways where the two hallways met, repeating his instructions from before, refusing to meet your eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, before walking away in the direction opposite where you were supposed to go.
How had so much gone so wrong so fast?
Locked.
You were locked away in your room, refusing to get out of it. The only person you let in was Winter, who came in with meals and other information. You ignored every one of Akira’s presents, declined your mother’s calls and avoided the rest of the Qian family like the plague.
It was like you had spiralled, down into this hole you couldn’t climb out of. Your father was dead, it wasn’t natural. He had been killed and you were amongst the murderers. Your mother had worked with them.
Your brother was back home, going about his life as usual. The world revolved as it always did, but yours has stopped.The little bubble that you had lived in for most of your sheltered life had finally burst. You had been thrown into real life before you could even say anything about it.
Knock!
“Come in”, you said, watching as Winter entered with a plate and her own phone, “Y/n”, she greeted you, with that same funny formal tone, “It’s your brother”
She handed you her own phone, and you frowned. Why hadn’t Shotaro just called you? Why had he called Winter?
Brushing those thoughts aside, you held the phone to your ears, “Taro?”
“Hey”, he said, “hold for a second, would you?”
You didn’t reply, patiently waiting for him, but instead you were greeted with another voice, a voice you definitely didn;t want to hear.
“Darling.”
Your throat seemed to close up, mouth going dry as you gripped the phone even tighter, looking at Winter in alarm. She looked away, and began setting your things straight on the little table next to your bed.
“Mother.”
“What has happened to you?”, she asked, voice cutting through any thoughts, “I thought you understood the gravity of the situation. I have told you countless times-”
“I understood what you told me before I found out I was a pawn,” your voice was remarkably steady, almost scarily calm as you leaned back, “I don’t care anymore.”
“Y/n”, your mother warned, “I told you, our family name depends of it, even if you don’t how how or why-”
“I do know”, you interrupted her smoothly, “I know that my mother is an amoral bitch and the fact that you killed father, without thinking of the feelings of her children, and went on to throw her daughter into a dangerous position.”
You were met with the static from the other line. Had you finally won? Your mother stayed silent at your sudden outburst.
“How did you find out.” It was a question, but it came out as a statement. That helplessness returned, your level headedness disappearing all of a sudden. How could she be so insensitive? She didn’t care at all.
“Doesn’t matter”, he continued, “Now you know it's imperative you marry Akira, or our secrets will be exposed and the family name will be tainted. This also saves the Qians.”
You fisted your hand, spite coursing through your veins. Fuck, you were so angry, angry at your mother for never doing your job, for expecting you to comply with her twisted plans. You were tired of playing along, you were fed up of being perfect, or at least, fed up of portraying that image.
“I hate Akira”, you said for the first time out loud, making them real. You despised him and everything he was, and the new information you had gathered about him had just made you hate him more. You wished you had never met the Qian family, Akira, or Chenle, or Yuxi, or Kun-
That was a lie. You didn’t regret meeting Kun, you regretted trusting him. You regretted not listening and going into that room. You regretted so much, but you regretted knowing the truth the most.
You wanted to live the lie again.
“And I don’t care if you get in trouble mother, you deserve it.”
“It’s not just me Y/n”, she said, “It’s the Qian family as well, and it’s you and your brother.”
Shotaro.
“He still doesn’t know?”
“We’ll keep it that way. He’s still in school.”
Pursing your lips, you sighed, “I don’t want this”
It was as if she knew she had hit a weak spot, she could feel your resolve wavering. “Do it for Shotaro, if no one else. He hasn’t met life yet.”
You couldn’t understand how she was so cool about it, how she didn’t seem to care that there was blood on her hands, blood of her husband and no less. You supposed crying and screaming wouldn’t accomplish or change anything. This was your reality, and you just had to accept it.
Clicking off the call, you handed Winter’s phone back to her, burying your head in your hands. Decisions, decisions.
Winter stood there with a pensive look, biting her lower lip, before sitting down next to you, “I’m sorry Y/n, but what is troubling you?” Her soft voice mixed with the concerned look on her face was enough to make you break, leaning into her as tears built up in your eyes. She wrapped an arm around you, keeping you steady and holding you up.
She figured she owed you as much.
“Everyone I know has destroyed me”, you whispered hoarsely, choking back a sob, “They’ve either betrayed me or destroyed me and I’m so tired.”
“Who has done so?” She asked, rubbing your back comfortingly, prompting you to go on without actually asking you. You took in a shaky breath, thinking of everyone that was to blame for your misery.
“My mother”, you spat, “Akira, Kun-”
“Kun?”
Sucking in a breath, you nodded, “Kun. He-he knew. He knew and he still led me on, fuck I feel so stupid”, you laughed at the bitter irony, wiping away your tears, “And the thing is, the fact he did it hurts much more than anything else.”
“And why is that?”, Winter whispered.
“I trusted him”, you said, squeezing your eyes shut as if that would help somehow, “I liked him, I gave him my trust, even when it went past my duty.”
Duty, you were starting to realize, was slowly destroying you and everything you held dear.
Yuxi raised her hand so that the light fell on it, the pretty red nail paint glowing as she inspected it. Her right hand was a little messier than her left, she decided she would fix that later. Her hair was perfectly straightened, not a strand out of place, she looked perfect. Her appearance paired with her pretty airs and manners made her slightly intimidating, a little better than the rest.
Finishing school had been fruitful afterall.
Clicking her tongue, she dropped the act, sitting on her bed, hunched over her phone as she scrolled through her messages, catching up on whatever she was missing back home.
Truth was, she didn’t want to get on this cruise, none of the Qian siblings did. Spending time with their uncle? They hated the few dinners they had to tolerate anyways, but a whole three months? That sounded like torture, a torture they were enduring at the moment.
Akira had insisted, saying it would be a good experience for them now that they were adults, well, except Chenle. The boy was still sixteen, but was very much on their level. Their parents had unfortunately agreed, and so they found themselves where they were.
Kun walked through her door and into her room, pacing around, before taking a seat next to Yuxi and looking at her expectantly.
“What?”
“I fucked up”, he confessed. His sister wondered if he was waiting for her to ask the question just to dump that on her.
“Thank you for that eloquent explanation”, she said, “Mind telling me exactly how you did the fucking up?”
He sighed, running a hair through his hair as he leaned against the headrest and told his sister the whole story, from the arranged marriage (though she knew this), Akira’s plan and what he had done, to the kiss and you finding out. Yuxi listened intently, placing her phone aside as he went on.
Once he reached the end of all the events, Yuxi looked pensive, confused almost. “I’m not sure there’s anything you can do to fix this,” she said truthfully, “It’s royally fucked up and I don;t want to have anything to do with our uncle dear ever again.”
“You’re telling me”, Kun groaned, “I feel terrible, and I didn’t even do anything.”
“You did do something”, his sister said, walking to the little table and picking up her little bottle of nail paint, “You stayed silent.”
Winter burst into the kitchen, walking over to the drink area. She inspected them, figuring out which one was yours, and which one was Kun’s. Producing a small vial of some sort of liquid, she took the two drinks and placed them on the counter opposite, opening up the vial.
Guilt had been eating away at her for weeks now, especially when she realized that there might be more to the story than she thought. She had complied with your mothers orders, but now she didn’t care.
Heesung walked into the room, “Idiot, what are you doing?”
Winter ignored him, putting a few drops in each glass and mixing them in. Heesung took the vial from her when she kept it down, inspecting it, “What is this?”
“Took it from the luggages”
“You stole? You could get fired!”
“I know that!” She snapped before sighing, “But I stole it from a criminal, so it’s even.”
Heesung raised an eyebrow, lowering his voice, “The Qians?”
Winter nodded, “A drug.”
The boy wondered if he should ask, if it was worth it to do so. Winter took the glasses and placed them back on the tray, turning back to Heesung, pointing to them. “Kun and Y/n. These two glasses are for them.”
“Right. Why should I listen to you again when you’ve spiked their drinks?”
“Because”, she said, “What you’re holding is an infatuation drug.”
Heesung snorted, “So it’s a love potion? I knew you were a romantic Win, but you do know she’s marrying Mr. Akira right?”
“Not if I can help it”, the girl muttered, “She doesn’t deserve it, and is in love with someone else. And it’s not a love potion, it’s a drug.”
Rolling his eyes, the waiter picked up the tray of drinks, “So it’s a love shot then”, he asked, proud of his pun, “And I suppose you think it’s Mr Akira’s nephew?” Still, he pushed the two glasses a little away from each other so he remembered what he was instructed to do. He still thought it was ridiculous though.
“It is, she told me herself, well not that bluntly, but I know it.”
Heesung pinched the bridge of his nose, “And what if your meddling backfires?”
“Wouldn't change a thing., everything is fucked anyways”, she said, “I just want her to have one thing going right for her.”
Winter took the vial back, stuffing it into the pockets of her uniform and straightening out her apron. The smell of whatever was cooking wafted through the air as she composed herself again, “See you later Heesung, don’t mess up the drinks.”
Winter hoped her meddling would pay off
You walked into the dining hall, head held high as you made eye contact with the Qians. Akira gave you his sickly smile, Yuxi with her worried gaze and Chenle still oblivious. Kun looked confused as he watched you approach the table, taking the seat you usually did, before the entire truth came out.
Sitting down, your eyes flitted to Kun’s before you looked down at your lap, plastering on a fake smile and looking at Akira, greeting him.
“I take it you're better?” He asked this, leaning forward, “You must have been really sick, staying away for so many days. It's been a little over a week?”
You nodded, “Yes, I apologize for my absence.” You realized someone, probably Kun had covered for you. The waiter approached, handing everyone their respective drinks, before bowing and leaving.
You raised the glass to your lips, inspecting the table, eyes meeting Yuxi’s who averted her gaze immediately.
She knew too.
Suppressing a scoff, you decided to address the elephant in the room and announce what decision you had come to. You still weren;t completely happy, but it was better than nothing, and you had stood your ground against your mother, who finally agreed, albeit begrudgingly.
“I revoke our little arrangement Mr. Qian”, you said after clearing your throat. He raised an eyebrow at this, a sliver of panic visible in his eyes, “And why is that?”
“I know”
Those two words had held so much, his eyes widened as he stared at you dumbfounded. That dumbfounded expression morphed into one of misplaced anger. “You are not the one to say that.”
“Yes I am”, you said cooly, “I am the one getting married, well not anymore. My mother has agreed and I want nothing more to do with you.”
He clenched his jaw, visibly trying to control his anger. “A deal is a de-”
“Alright, I’ll tell you why you should agree”, you said with a mocking smile. Somewhere in the back of your mind you began to feel slightly drowsy, but you pushed it away, looking at Kun once more.
You didn’t want to look away.
The two of your eyes locked and it felt like you were falling. You could almost feel his lips on yours, his hands on your wait, the way he kissed you-
You snapped back to reality, looking away.
“I have a message on the top of my fingers ready to be sent right now”, you said, “To the police about your little dealings and the fact that you killed my father”, the words rolled off your tongue easily, almost as if you were talking about something as mundane as the weather, “And then you’ll be ruined.”
Akira paled, and it was clear who held the ropes over the conversation now. You decided to give him proof, raising your hand that held your phone, finger hovering over a number.
“But this can be avoided! You see, just call off the deal”, you took another sip of whatever the waiter had given you, mind going ever so slightly fuzzy once again. “And I’ll keep silent. No one will ever know.”
He clicked his tongue, “You were my repayment.”
“I know, I was a prop hmm?”, you said, “Not anymore, call this off right now Akira.”
He sighed, as if he knew he had lost. There was no point in fighting anymore. “We’re done”, he said finally, and you smirked in triumph, taking another sip of your drink, “Thank you.”
Winter came around with the food, looking suspiciously at you and Kun, before walking away. You sighed, that feeling of blankness returning. You still had to deal with Kun, of course you did, but you didn’t want to do so now. That would make everything messy, but fuck, for some reason all you could think about was the way he kissed you.
This was bad. You had to stop.
You looked at your food, pushing it away and getting up, sighing, the adrenaline from confronting Akira. Did you expect to win? No, but now that you had, your head swam as you got to your feet, glancing at Winter, nodding your head slightly.
“Goodbye”, you said, “I have no business with you anymore.”
Leaving your dinner and the table, you walked into the hallways and sighed in relief. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off your shoulders and you could finally breathe again. You made your way to your room, before stopping outside a door, freezing in your place.
That door led to the hall where you and Kun had that water balloon fight. You took a step towards it, placing your hand on the knob, but not opening it. You didn’t want to open it, just wanted to reminisce.
“Trying to run away from us? Or me? Because you’re still slow.”
You whipped your head around, meeting Kun’s gaze, “something like that.” Your voice was cautious as if you were walking on nails. As if you weren’t trying to not stare at his lips.
He leaned against the wall, staring at you as if he was trying to crack a code. His mind went fuzzy as well, the drug taking effect as it had for you. But both of you were fighting against it, desperate to win.
When did winning come at the cost of losing everything you loved?
Loved?
You bit your lower lip, averting your gaze. The tension in the room had risen tenfold, the way the two of you tried to navigate the gray area you had fallen into.You wondered why the world couldn’t be simple, black and white. Why couldn’t it be bad and good? Why did it have to be so complicated?
“I’m sorry”, he whispered, just loud enough for you to hear. You snapped back to attention, forcing yourself to get out of your little headspace. Looking up, you met his eyes, and by god, you had never regretted doing anything more than that.
His eyes, they were dark, voids of nothingness. They didn’t sparkle like they usually did, shining in the light. Instead they were like pools of ink, no light let in. Gone was the smirk you were so used to.
“I know”, you said simply, realizing it was true. You acknowledged the fact that he was sorry.
A bitter chuckle fell from his lips, “I hate myself for not telling you the moment I found out, but everything was so-”
“Messed up?” You finished his sentence, giving him a crooked smile, “Yeah, I get it. It’s all over now though”
“Over”, he repeated, “Right.”
Silence.
“I don’t want it to be over”
You looked at him, a sigh escaping you, “Kun-”
“You’re you, and I don’t want to lose you”, he said bluntly, “You can hate me-I hate myself, but I don't want it to be over.” You began to feel drowsy again, all you wanted to do was walk away and forget the past two months, because now you were attached. Emotionally.
“But I understand if you want nothing to do with us, with me-”
You took a step forward, leaning towards him and pressed your lips to his, mind going completely blank now. You wanted to melt into him, as he kissed you back in surprise, to forget.
You couldn’t do that.
He cupped your face, kissing you again. There it was that feeling, that feeling of drowning. Make it stop, stop, I want to breathe, you thought, before giving up. You liked the breathlessness, even if you tried not to.
Pulling away, you looked at him one last time, before pushing yourself off of him, away from the door that led into the hall, away from him. Kun watched you walk away, down the hallway, before you turned the corner.
And then you were gone.
You leaned against the railing of the deck, watching the water below you. The ripples were somewhat soothing, as you hummed an idle tune.
“Y/n Osaki”, you turned around to face the owner of the voice, Kun himself. He smiled taking position next to you, “Remember when I said I didn’t know who you were?”
You chuckled nodding, “Yeah.”
It had bewildered you at the time, the way he pretended he didn’t know who you were. Now you wished he really didn’t. That seemed so long ago.
It had been a week since the confrontation, a week since the last kiss. The effects of the infatuation drug had long worn off, but what was real was left behind. All the drug had done was amplify it. You didn’t see the Qian family much after it, making a point to avoid them. You didn’t have a reason to see them anyways, you were done.
Yet you still had unfinished business.
The cruise was coming to an end anyways, so what was even the point? Your life would go back to normal like nothing had happened, even though your world had been ripped apart and was holding itself together by threads.
Kun cleared his throat, “We need to talk.”
“We’re talking right now”, you said, avoiding the heavy meaning in his words.
He sighed, letting it drop for a second before speaking up again, “I didn’t know myself until I asked Akira”, he said, not specifying what exactly he was talking about, but you already knew. “I asked him if you knew who he was and he told me the whole story, and I was….”, he trailed off, searching for the correct word, “horrified.”
“I believe you”, you said softly, “I’ve forgiven you.”
You haven’t forgotten though, you doubt you could ever forget something like this.
Kun didn’t know if that made him feel any better, but he knew he had to get it off his chest. He wondered how he could get you back. You seemed cold again, like the day he met you, closed off and wary of everything. You had a right to be, but he wanted the Y/n he had grown accustomed to, back.
“So”, he said, “Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth Bennet?”
“I thought we agreed on a truce?” You let a smile slip, amused. He grinned, “We did, but I have to know.”
You thought for a second, before inclining your head with a sheepish smile, “I’ll eat my words Qian Kun, Mr. Darcy has grown on me.”
“I’m glad. I won after all”, he said childishly, and you couldn’t help but scoff. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“Why don’t I tell you something? Infact, I’ll say it in the words of Mr. Darcy himself”, he declared, “I found myself in this mess before I could do anything about it Y/n, and I can’t take what has happened. I cannot fix on the hour or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It was too long ago, I was in the middle before I knew it had begun.”
Your eyes softened as you shifted closer to him, meeting his own. Yours sparkled with mild amusement as you slipped your hand through his, “You do know that’s how Mr. Darcy tells Lizzy he loves her, right?”
“Is it?”, his eyes held the same mischievous glint yours did as he raised your held hands, pressing a kiss to your knuckles, “I suppose it’s fitting then.”
And then he kissed you properly, fingers intertwined, wind in your hair.
Were you happy? Not entirely, not yet. You still had duty, you still had to bear the weight of your family name. You had to live with knowing your mother was responsible for your fathers demise, you had to keep it a secret for Shotaro. You had to be perfect.
No, you weren’t happy, but you were getting there.
fin.
#neoculturecafe#kpopscape#nctcreations#nct-writers#czennet#kun x you#qian kun x reader#nct kun x reader#wayv kun x reader#kun#qian kun#nct kun#wayv kun#wayv fanfiction#nct fanfiction#wayv#nct#qian kun fanfiction#love shot
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When We Were Young [Playing With Fire Short Story]
Chinami Tsukishima started her day in the ramen shop like any other day, she'd clock in early, help prepare the stock for tomorrow, and begin on prep in the main restaurant. It was just like any other day. Little did she know she was going to meet the love of her life that night.
As Chinami finished preparing a bowl for a customer she looked up over the steam of the kitchen to the main dining room. There he sat, a strong broad-shouldered young man, stubble strapped his strong jawline. His grey eyes glistened in the dim lights, and his shoulder-length curly hair looked as black as night.
Akira Hamamoto felt her gaze fall on him, he looked over to the kitchen to lock eyes with the thin young woman staring at him. She was jostled by a coworker nudging her to get back to work. Their eye contact broke momentarily, but she looked over to him once more before diving back into work.
As Chinami continued working she couldn't help but glance over to the handsome man sitting at the counter. He was looking down at his watch. She looked at hers, it was flipped over on her wrist so the face was always down, she wouldn't be off of work for another hour or so. Should I ask him to wait? Chinami thought, No, that's ridiculous, I don't know this man. He doesn't know me, why would he wait? Chinami looked over to Akira once more before shaking her head and getting back to work.
Akira checked his watch, the shop wouldn't be closing for another hour, maybe he'll come back to visit her another day. No, that's ridiculous, Akira said to himself, Don't be a chicken, just wait for her after work.
Chinami waved and said goodbye to her coworkers as she stepped out the door. As she rounded the corner to the main road just in front of the shop, she noticed a tall muscular figure standing right under the light of the nearby bus stop. She recognized the man's face, standing now he was much taller than he seemed inside.
Chinami and Akira both made their way to each other, Chinami could feel the heat rise to her chest as they got closer. They met halfway, not saying anything at first, the two of them were too nervous for their own good. Chinami shook off her nerves and stood a little taller.
"Good evening," Chinami said, bowing, "My name is Tsukishima Chinami, you dined with us earlier today, right?"
"I-Uhm, yes, I did," Akira stumbled over his words. This is ridiculous, this was a bad idea. It’s creepy, right? He cleared his throat and bowed, "G-Good evening, my name is Akira Hamamoto."
"Did you enjoy your food, Mr.Hamamoto?" Chinami asked him.
"Please, just Akira is fine," He blushed and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Only my employees call me that sometimes."
"Well, Akira," Chinami rubbed her arm nervously, "If you enjoyed your meal, maybe I could make you something else sometime?"
"Like dinner?" Akira's face turned beet red as his eyes widened in surprise.
"Yeah, silly!" She said a little more confidently now.
Akira gained his composure back and straightened himself out, "Yes, I'd like that very much."
"Wednesday at 6 pm," She said as she grabbed her purse, searching for a piece of paper and pen. She wrote down her address, phone number, and the time of their date. "My place, don't be late."
Akira took the paper as she began to walk towards the train station, Chinami shouted at him while walking backward, "I better go, I'm going to miss my ride! I'll talk to you later!"
Akira stood there, the scent of pork broth and cinnamon lingering behind. I wonder if she recognized me at all, He thought to himself, She doesn't look the type to keep up on the world of heroes though.
Akira Hamamoto, Japan's #5 Hero, stood there with a smile on his face as he thought about the confident young woman who he just met making ramen in a small shop. He decided then that he would make her his wife one day, and make her happy until the end of their days. Akira folded the paper into his wallet and headed back home.
#fan fiction#fan fic#a03 fan fic#a03 fan fiction#a03#my hero academia#mha#mha au#mha college au#slow burn#friends to lovers#self insert#y/n#bakugou katsuki#izuku midoriya#katsuki x reader#shoto x reader#shoto todoroki#short story#short fiction
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