#selected sounds of japan
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𝓓𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝓕𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝓗𝐔𝐒𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃!
oh future husband, better love me right!
premise. the nhk is hosting another special broadcast featuring the popular fiancées of the jnt’s lineup! and this time, it’s truth or drink! ❤︎
content. haikyu!! jnt / f!reader. (koutarou bokuto, morisuke yaku, kiyoomi sakusa & tobio kageyama). fluff. downbad fiancés. suggestive jokes & allusions to sex. petnames. alcohol. overseas!kageyama & yaku (LDR). reader lives in japan (does not equal being japanese). a little angst.
notes. this part is… a little long! sit down for it ❤︎
soundtrack. dear future husband : meghan trainor.
part one can be read here.
dear future husband m.list // hq. masterlist.
KOUTAROU BOKUTO.
“Been awhile since I last drank,” Bokuto cracks his knuckles upon seeing the many selections of beer he gets to choose, fingers twitching eagerly as they hover over the bottles. “Wonder what I should get…”
You sigh beside him jokingly, nudging his shoulder with your elbow, “We don’t have all day, Kou.”
“I’m just looking!” He chuckles, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
He randomly picks up a bottle of Sapporo, rotating it in his hands before nodding to himself, “This seems good!”
You place your hand on the small of his back, guiding him towards the studio for a final run through before the broadcast, “Alright, Kou. Now let’s get this started!”
The NHK film crew do a final mic and sound check when you arrive as a staff member seats you both at the table in the centre of the studio, a pile of cards with questions written on them, two shot glasses and the Sapporo bottle your fiancé picked out lined on it’s top.
After fiddling with the microphones hidden inside your clothes, the crew give you two a thumbs up and rush back to their cameras to start the recording.
Bokuto’s entire body is turned towards the cameras, sitting on the edge of his seat as he eagerly greets the viewers, “Hey! I’m Koutarou Bokuto,” he catches your eyes with a bright smile, grabbing your hand from across the table, “And this is my fiancée!”
“And we’ve been together for three years now,” You finish for him, hands folded neatly on the table, the cameras pan to show off the engagment rings that sits prettily on both you and Bokuto’s fingers.
“Four months engaged.”
“And we’re playing truth or drink!” You and Bokuto announce happily together, smiling at each other before turning your bodies back to face the cameras. The film crew adjust their angles, moving their cameras off their stands to get better opening shots of you and your fiancé.
“You guys ready to play?” The head camera crew member asks, giving you the okay to start the game.
The studio lights illuminate the white backdropped room, enveloping your eyes in waves whenever you stare at the camera lenses for a little too long.
You and Bokuto nod as he shifts his gaze towards you, “Want me to go first, Baby?” He asks, already grabbing his shot glass and the bottle of Sapporo. You giggle, “So eager to get drunk, Kou?”
“I told you, it’s been awhile!” He beams, pouring out the alcohol carefully into his shot and grabbing the top card from the pile on the table.
“What do you like most about me?” he reads aloud, looking up at you curiously, “I’m pretty sure you’ve told me this exact answer before.”
“Have I?” you tilt your head in thought, thinking the question over, “I mean, probably. It has been three years, after all.”
Bokuto places the card face down on his side of the table, combing through his hair, “I think when we first started dating, you told me it was my hair.”
“It is nice,” you agree, causing Bokuto to start laughing and in turn making you giggle as well. The two of you are already giddy and snickering despite no alcohol being present in your systems yet, “But I think now that we’re engaged, I can give a more detailed answer.”
“Oh?”
He leans over the table excitedly, a wide grin plastered across his face, “Tell me, Baby! What do you like most about me?” His hand is still placed atop of yours, the perfectly cut gems in both of your rings twinkling in sync underneath the studio lights, perfectly complimenting you fiancé’s eyes.
You hum in faux thought for a moment before smirking, “Hmm, your muscles.”
Bokuto’s smile drops slightly to a pout, still keeping his bright composure while masking his lowered grin, “Awe, Baby I thought you were going to say something like, real deep and emotional!” He jests, “Like how you love that I make you smile, y’know?”
You throw your head back in laughter, nudging his shoulder with your free hand, “I’m kidding, Kou!” Your smile is genuine when you see how disappointed he was at first at your reply, looking straight into his eyes as a way reassure him.
“Yes, Kou. What I like most is that you make me the happiest every day I’m with you.”
His smile brightens significantly, a chuckle of his own escaping his lips as he leans back into his chair, “Damn, played by my own girl.”
He slides the pile of cards over to you with a mischievous smirk, “Not that I’m complaining.”
You take the top card off the pile and read it over, fingers twirling the empty shot glass in your hands. Your lips purse as you try to contain the giggles making their way up your throat while reading the question on the card, hands quivering in silent laughter.
“Have you ever wanted to fuck one of our friends while with me?” Bokuto’s eyes seem to pop out of his head at the vast difference and shift in questions, turning to the NHK staff while laughing, “Are you sure this is okay to broadcast?”
The film crew nod, to which Bokuto shrugs, “Alright, then,” before turning back to you. “Uhh, can I just like- take a shot right now?”
“You’d rather drink than not tell me?” You joke, pouring out the Sapporo for your fiancé, “Damn, Kou. Do I not satisfy you enough?”
“Of course you do!” He corrects himself hastily, “It’s just, uh..” he leans in closer to you whisper in your ear quietly, “I don’t want to say Atsumu on national T.V...”
Your hand flies to your mouth in shock, shoulders shaking as you try to contain your cackles, “Atsumu?” you repeat in a hushed tone, making sure you heard him correctly. “Him?”
“He’s got nice hair!”
You both start to laugh at how hair seems to be a common appealing trait you notice in people. Shaking your head in mock disappointment, you shove the stack of questions back over to your fiancé’s side for his turn.
“What is the most embarrassing thing you caught me doing when I thought I was alone?” Bokuto asks, reading from the card he picked off the top of the pile and glancing back up at you.
You hum in thought for a moment, pondering the question.
“Uhm, I think that time you were rehearsing your Valentines day speech to me before we went out to eat at that restaurant a few years ago,” you reveal cautiously, “but you were using a pillow with a photo of my face taped on it as a stand-in.”
Bokuto’s jaw drops at the revelation, nearly falling out of his chair from the shock of what you just divulged to him, “You were there? Watching me do that?”
You have to practically fight the cackle bubbling it’s way up your throat, a smile creeping onto your face when you answer, “Yes, Kou. But it was sweet, so I didn’t mention it to you.”
“You kept that a secret for two years?” He asks again, and you nod.
Your fiancé’s face remains stunned for a few more moments before breaking out into a smile of his own, hand running down his face while laughing to himself. “Damn, I must’ve looked so dumb.”
“I thought it was cute!” You attempt to salvage things, giggling as you pick up the next question card, this time it’s for Bokuto.
“What part of wedding planning is the most challenging part for you?”
“The money…” He pouts, taking the card from you to read it over again before turning to the cameras.
“Weddings are so damn expensive— Did you know wedding flowers can cost up to two million yen?” He exclaims in shock, “For flowers!”
You sigh, plucking the question card from his hand and setting aside on his pile with a smile, “This is why you should leave the financial decisions to me, Kou. Our floral arrangements will not be that expensive, I can assure you.”
“Of course, Baby,” he grins, “I trust you completely on that,” his hands move to pick up the next card, lifting the corner and taking a peek at the question before flipping it over and reading it.
“What is something you’ve wanted to try in the bedroom but haven’t told me about?”
“Impact play,” comes your answer a bit too hastily to be considered normal.
Bokuto has a silent stare off with you for a few seconds after before you both break out in hysterical laughter, your fiancé cackling at how fast and prepared you were when you answered while you exclaim that’s why you could never tell him.
“Baby, that was so fast!” Bokuto reels over the table, pounding his fist into the wood while howling with laughter, gripping his empty shot glass in hand.
“Were you— were you that prepared to answer?”
Wiping the tears from your eyes, you make an attempt to defend your response, “I know you’d absolutely wreck me if we tried, that’s why I never asked!”
“I mean…” He trails off, glancing at you and letting his eyes roam your ring finger as a smirk makes it’s way onto his face, leaning closer to you over the table. “We could always try it at home later—”
“Last question!” You interrupt him, pulling the cards over to your side and grabbing the last question from the stack, you see Bokuto’s smile drop when he sits back in his seat from how you changed topics until he sees you wink at him from the corner of his eye.
“What is something you wish to tell me before we get married?”
Bokuto’s eyes light up at his question, holding up his shot of Sapporo and beaming brightly. Despite not drinking much during your game, his cheeks are flushed like he’s been drunk on your love this entire time, eyes crinkling with glee when he smiles.
“I hope I can keep being this happy when i’m with you after marriage,” He declares, “I love you, Baby.”
“I love you too, Kou,” you smile with him, raising your own shot to clink your two glasses together and down them simultaneously, the cool smoothness of the beer running down your throats.
You can feel the mild bitterness on your tongue afterwards, it leaves it’s taste behind even several hours after your drinking game when you two return to your shared home.
But the sincerity in Bokuto’s eyes when they fell on you back in the studio, and the way he gazes at you like you’re the only thing in his world even with the several NHK staff and film members recording your every move washes that all away instantaneously, overpowering it with sheer sweetness.
It’s just not one you can taste as easily as the flavour of Sapporo.
You might not have gotten drunk that night, but Bokuto’s certain he’s been drunk on your love for the entirety of all three years you’ve been together and wouldn’t mind if things stayed like this forever.
MORISUKE YAKU.
“You’re going down, sweetheart,” Yaku warns you with a teasing wink, lifting the bottle of Vodka in his hands to inspect the label, “Playing in the Russian League gives me an alcohol tolerance advantage that you don’t have.”
“I didn’t know just playing in Russia meant you were an experienced drinker,” you hum, playing along with his jokes for the fun of it. “I don’t think athletes are supposed to consume a lot of vodka anyways.”
“Well, you might as well back out now,” Yaku advises, shrugging with a sly grin, one of the camera crew’s members rushes up to fix the loose microphone on his suit before scurrying back to their position.
“Don’t wanna get beaten by your own fiancé now, do you?”
You merely roll your eyes at his antics, a reluctant smile making it’s way onto your face as you realign the messy stack of cards on your table, sounds of the director doing a final run through of lights and cameras are heard around you.
“Yeah yeah, save it for after you get wasted, Mori.”
The cameras start up as the director nods in your direction, indicating for you two to introduce yourselves to the viewers tuning in, Yaku holds your hand as he recites his lines.
“Hi, I’m Morisuke Yaku,” your fiancé beams, giving your hand a comforting squeeze, “And this right here, is my wonderful fiancée, whom I adore very much.”
Even several years later, Yaku’s swoon worthy words have an effect on you after all this time, making you feel like you’re still in that young and eager love stage. Attempting to hide your giddy face from him, you turn to face the camera as well with a wide grin.
“We’ve been together for four and a half years,” You gush, the sparkling engagement band on your finger being shown outwardly when the cameras zoom in for a closer look. “Engaged for eight months, now.”
“And today, we’ll be playing truth or drink,” Yaku reveals to the excited viewers, the cameras change positions to new angles while the sound crew makes sure your microphones are picking up your words.
After signaling to the director that they are indeed working, he asks you two, “Are you ready to play?”
You and Yaku both agree as he opens the bottle of Vodka, pouring it into your shot glass first before he pours out his own, “Hm, what a gentleman you are, Mori.” You joke, noticing he gave you your alcohol first before serving himself any.
“Always, for you.” He sighs dreamily, setting the bottle down beside him and pushing the cards over to you with his familiar cheshire grin. “And because I’m such a gentleman, you should go first, love.”
You stifle a laugh into the palm of your hand at the sudden switch in personality but take the top card off anyway, flipping it over and reading the question for Yaku written on it, “What is one thing you wish I did more of in our relationship?”
He groans, slumping down in his seat with his Vodka in hand, “Fly over to come visit me overseas,” he jokingly groans, faux-booing you with a thumbs down and all as he turns to the film crew.
“Did you know she doesn’t get on the first plane to Russia whenever I ask, can you believe her?”
You merely snicker at his jeers and turn your card over, placing it down on the table beside your shot. “Well I’m sorry, but I’m unable to predict whenever you’ll miss me spontaneously.”
“It’s not spontaneous,” Yaku argues, “I tell you like, two minutes in advance.”
You raise an eyebrow at his claims, “Wanna bet, Mori? I have screenshots.”
“Maybe I’ll just drink to this instead.”
You both giggle as he shakes his head in defeat, taking the next card off the pile and reading out loud the first question for you.
“Have you ever—” Yaku begins to lose his composure as he reads, holding back his giggles before sputtering out, “faked an orgasm with me?”
You burst out into laughter as Yaku discards the card to his side, head thrown back in hysterics while using the table to stabilize himself.
“Well?” He asks, wiping the tears that have begun to form around his eyes, “Have you?”
You begin to reach for your Vodka shot, causing your fiancé to break out into another, more excessive fit of cackles, “Are you serious, honey?”
“Okay well, maybe!” You confess wholeheartedly, raising the Vodka to your lips, “Back when we were first dating!”
Yaku scoffs disapprovingly, but you can tell he’s not seriously mad when you down the vodka and he’s looking at you worriedly, asking if it was too strong for you afterwards.
You dismiss his concerns, saying it’s fine and that you can handle it before he relaxes and pushes the cards back over to you.
“Have you ever had a dream about me cheating on you?” You ask him, Yaku’s face immediately sours at his question, you look to him expectantly and wait for his reply.
“… Ugh, yes,” he begrudgingly admits after a few moments of silence, eyebrows furrowing as he recalls it unpleasantly, “I had a dream once where you cheated on me with Lev.”
“Lev?” You cackle, “The— the 6’5 russian guy from your highschool volleyball team??”
Yaku’s hand moves to his vodka-filled shot glass, “Yes,” he moans, “It was awful. Hope I never see Lev butt-naked in my dreams ever again.”
“You don’t have to drink to this one, Mori,” you giggle as Yaku downs his vodka quickly, not even flinching at the burn, maybe he was right about the tolerance advantage. “Since you answered it.”
“Ah, don’t care,” he groans, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his suit, “After having to reimagine that scene, I needed the alcohol.”
Yaku takes the next card off the pile of questions skeptically, flipping it over and reading it out loud.
“Do you have any insecurities when it comes to me playing overseas in Russia?”
The question causes you to stop and think as Yaku places the card face down next to him, pouring another shot and sliding it over to you. “You don’t have to say anything, sweetheart.”
His gentle tone reassures you but you shake your head, pushing the vodka away, “No it’s okay, I don’t mind saying it.” Yaku looks surprised but nods understandingly, taking the glass back and giving you the room to process your next words while he remains quiet.
“I think my only insecurity is not knowing if you’re safe while overseas,” you admit to your fiancé. Yaku doesn’t say anything in response, knowing you have more to say as he lets you say what you need while silently encouraging you to elaborate.
“I hate not having you beside me because I don’t know where you are, and I just miss you a lot you know?”
Yaku’s cheek rests against the palm of his hand, concern washing over his face again as he looks across the table to you, “Awe, honey. I didn’t know you felt that way,” he coos, “do you hate whenever I leave for volleyball season?”
You shrug dismissively, the weight of your words beginning to catch up to you as your voice becomes quieter, trailing off at the end. “I mean, I don’t hate it, but like- I wanna know you’re alright while in Russia…”
Yaku’s about to speak when you shake your head dismissively, “It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” before you’re reaching for the deck of cards, already pulling the top question up and flipping it over to read.
Your eyes drag over the words as a pit begins to form inside your stomach. The next question for Yaku causes you to cringe, still reeling from the uneasiness of the last one as you awkwardly ask him, “Have you… ever regretted or had doubts about our engagement?”
Yaku’s face of concern turns into one of astonishment, he looks almost appalled at how unsure you look and sound while asking him.
“Absolutely not,” he states firmly, holding your hand that holds engagement band on it, you can feel the distress radiating off him as he reassures you in a hushed tone.
“I’ve never once regretted proposing to you, and I fully intend on marrying you.”
Yaku’s words dislodge the lump in your throat as you begin to chuckle to yourself, eyes looking down at his hand where the engagement ring he wears that matched your own. “I’m sorry if you thought I was doubting you, Mori. It’s just—”
“You don’t need to justify your feelings,” Yaku reiterates sternly, “I know, okay? You don’t need to explain this on live T.V.”
Knowing he’s only trying to make sure nothing of what you say can be interpreted wrongly later by media, you nod as he sighs in relief with an uneasy smile.
“I think this next question is our last one,” he announces, his smile morphing back into that familiar cheshire grin, the one that always brightens your day. You think he’s doing it in an attempt to lighten the mood, or maybe he just naturally makes you happy.
Yaku picks up the final question card and flips it over, reading it over with a calm smile, “What have you enjoyed most about being engaged to me?” His voice is gentle as he looks up to you, placing the card down on his pile.
“Well, love?” He encourages you, knowing he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable he gives you the choice, “Do you want to answer, or take a drink?”
You’d be a fool to drink at this question, there isn’t anything to drink for here but there’s just so much about being engaged to Yaku that you love that you can’t quite find the words for it. And while the majority of your engagement has been spent with Yaku being away in Russia, it doesn’t mean you enjoy it any less than if he were with you in Japan.
“… I enjoy knowing you will always be with me,” you begin to speak slowly, making sure your words are clear and concise while twirling your empty shot glass in hand absentmindedly.
Trying to fit all you want to say to your fiancé in a few words is tough, but you manage to shorten it enouhh to say all you want to tell him. “Because even while you’re playing overseas, I know you will always come back home to me.”
Yaku’s face unexpectedly heats up at your words, the apples of his cheeks turning bright red as his lips form into a shy and nervous grin, one isn’t anything like the mischievous and playful personality you’re accustomed to seeing while with him.
“I… I love you, sweetheart.” He manages to speak after some time, loosening the collar of his dress shirt nervously, but the smile on his face never falters. “I always have and always will.”
He extends his hand out to you, motioning for you to give him your shot glass. You hand it to him and he pours out some Vodka, sliding it back over to you once full before filling his own.
“Yes, honey,” he whispers unconsciously while pouring his alcohol, and it’s the happiest you’ve seen him all day. From his flushed complexion, dopey smile and euphoric demeanour, he appears to be glowing. Or maybe it’s the blaring lights behind him that are playing tricks on you.
Your fiancé has never looked so sure of himself until this moment, Yaku’s eyes never straying from yours as he raises his shot glass, breaking into his biggest smile yet.
“I will always come back home to you. No matter how long we are apart for,” and to that, you both cheer, clinking your glasses as you toast to your engagement.
Downing the alcohol in unison, the bitter sting of the Vodka attacks your throats relentlessly, but neither you or Yaku care about that in this moment or the next.
The world’s most intense Vodka brewed directly in the heart of Moscow, Russia could never be so strong as to have an effect on either of you when you’re in the presence of each other. You’re certain that Yaku would drown himself in the harshest of Vodka’s if it meant it was all for you.
A little Vodka is nothing compared to what he’d go through for you.
The way Yaku’s entire demeanour changes when with you, the largest of smiles etched onto his face for a side he only shows while you’re with him here, in Japan.
Remaining wholely committed to you even while seperated by land and sea is all a true testament to your relationship, and it puts your heart at ease.
Yaku may not always be at home; but Yaku knows that home is with you, and he knows he’ll always be with you in due time.
KIYOOMI SAKUSA.
“Oh, he’s a lightweight,” you tell the film crew who are adjusting their camera stands nearby as Kiyoomi pulls out the chair at the table for you to sit at, giggling when you hear the faintest muffled groan come from underneath his face mask.
Sitting atop the table is a bottle of Scotch, the deck of question cards and two shot glasses on it’s sanitized surface as per request by your fiancé.
“This’ll be so easy for me.”
“As if,” Kiyoomi scoffs, taking his own seat across from you and scooching his chair forward, “I’ll beat you and then have to hear you drunkenly cry about it back home later for the next several hours.”
“Nope,” you declare mischievously, folding your arms over the table and laying your head in them while looking up at your fiancé, “Hey, did you know Atsumu told me you’re an emotional drunk?”
You can see Kiyoomi’s eyes twitch underneath his thick black locs, hand reaching to grip his hair in annoyance. “That fucking—”
The director interrupts him unexpectedly when he calls to the rest of the crew in the studio for everyone to take their places behind the cameras, Kiyoomi sighs deeply as his shoulders relax and he leans back in his chair waiting for the broadcast to begin.
“I’m Kiyoomi Sakusa,” he states to the viewers plainly, barely acknowledging the cameras pointed straight at his face when he motions to you, “And this is my fiancée of almost a year.”
You can hear the way his voice softens lightly when referring to you as his fiancée.
“We’ve been together for four years now,” You welcome the viewers much more warmly than your fiancé does, announcing eagerly, “Engaged for eleven months, and we’re playing truth or drink!”
Again, you’re a lot more excited than Kiyoomi is when the director asks, “You guys okay to start playing?” but he agrees to it nonetheless, the subtle nod of his head doesn’t go unnoticed by you.
Kiyoomi grabs the stack of cards full of questions and shuffles the deck around a bit, when asked by the director why he did so he answers, “So if anyone planted any weird questions at the top of the pile for her they’re pushed to the bottom.”
After reorganizing the cards, Kiyoomi hands the stack to you, letting you have first pick of the game. You try to argue, but he doesn’t listen.
“Ladies go first,” he says, expectantly waiting for you to start.
You take the first card of the newly shuffled deck and begin to read it for your fiancé, “Favourite memory of us, pre-engagement or post-engagement?”
Kiyoomi taps his empty glass against the mahogany of the table repeatedly for a brief moment, thinking it over before letting out a deep sigh-turned groan, reaching over and pouring out some Scotch for himself as you sit back in stunned shock at his actions.
“Wait, what—”
“Don’t question me,” he rasps, lowering his face mask and downing his shot with ease, there’s hints of floral notes in the Scotch he can taste.
He pulls his mask back up seconds later and looks up at you, you swear you can see a smirk forming under his mask from the way his eyes lift in amusement afterwards, causing your cheeks to heat up at what he could’ve been thinking about that he had to take a shot to get out of saying it.
Finishing off his Scotch, your fiancé takes both the top card off the deck and his empty shot glass before reading aloud his first question for you.
“What was your first impression of me when we met?” Kiyoomi reads monotonously, his stare hardens when he notices you jokingly reaching for your shot glass, tossing the card over to your side with a groan.
“Really?” He huffs, arms crossed over his chest and glaring halfheartedly at your tease. “Didn’t Motoya say you like… hated me at first or something?”
“I didn’t hate you,” you giggle, pouring the Scotch into your glass while avoiding your fiancé’s gaze, “I just.. am a little thirsty right now.”
“Haha,” Kiyoomi laughs dryly, watching as you down your shot quickly, the citrusy notes in the Scotch make it pleasant to drink. “You’re soo funny, dear. Must be really thirsty today.”
“I am,” you wink, placing your glass back down on the table before taking the next card off the pile.
“What is the most embarrassing nickname for me you have in mind?” Kiyoomi asks, and you snort.
“It’s only embarrassing because Atsumu came up with it…” you turn to the cameras to whisper to the viewers, facing your fiancé who’s giving you a skeptic look that soon turns into existential dread when you begin to snicker.
He groans, “I swear to god if it’s Omi-Omi—”
“It’s Omi-Omi.”
You can practically feel the annoyance radiating off of Kiyoomi while you bat your eyelashes innocently at him, playful shrug of your shoulders as you pull the cards back over to your side, taking the next card off the deck while your fiancé whispers something about killing Atsumu at the next practice from across the table.
“What colour or colours are your favorite on me?” You look up at the director almost immediately before Kiyoomi can even open his mouth, “Can I just say it— Because I know.”
The director nods, “He told me once it was black and gold,” Kiyoomi mumbles something incoherent under his breath, whatever he’s saying being muffled by his nask as he hides his face away from the cameras, the camera crew exchange a look amongst themselves.
“Aren’t those the colours of the MSBY Black Jackals?” One of the crew members mentions offhandedly and you smirk, looking over to your flustered fiancé with the most shit-eating grin you can muster, “Yes, yes they are.”
“Should’ve just let me answer instead,” he mutters while pulling out the next card from the deck to move the game along, coughing as his face slowly returns to it’s natural colour.
He chuckles when he reads it over, “How would you spend an entire week without me?” he turns to the cameras with his own smug face, placing the card down on the table. “She doesn’t.”
“I can,” you interject and he gives you a deadpan stare, “Yeah, can. Doesn’t mean you do, though.”
“Anyways,” you swerve back to your answer, taking the card from his side and reading it over yourself.
“I would have a very relaxing week without you, consisting mostly of singing and dancing in our empty kitchen without you to judge me.”
“I don’t judge you.”
“Yes you do.”
“Nope.”
You two could probably have this back and fourth for hours on end but you stop when you catch the director’s eye, one of his assistants motions to you hurriedly that it’s nearly time to end the broadcast.
With that in mind, you pick up the last question card, flipping it over and reading it for Kiyoomi.
“What’s one thing you’d like to tell me at the alter if you couldn’t say anything else.”
“That I love you,” Kiyoomi says almost immediately, tracing the rim of his shot glass with his ring finger delicately, you can hear the gentleness in his voice when he speaks. “And that I hope you’ll always be my lover, whatever that means for us in the future.”
“That’s more than one thing, Kiyo.”
“I don’t care.”
You scoff playfully, tossing the card aside and pouring out two shots of Scotch for you and your fiancé. Whilst handing him his glass your rings bump together momentarily, the clinking of the diamonds makes the two of you smile, though Kiyoomi’s is hidden underneath his mask.
“Cheers, my dear,” he mutters softly, lowering his mask again to drink and allowing you to finally see the beautiful smile he hides underneath, usually reserved only for you.
“Cheers, Kiyo,” and you two drink, the Scotch tastes lovely and refined on both of your tongues when it runs down your throats with ease.
It’s light and sophisticated, and the flavour profile fits Kiyoomi so well. You consider telling him that, but refrain because you think he won’t understand what you mean; not knowing he’s thinking the exact same about you.
Kiyoomi thinks you two may be a match made in heaven, if such a thing exists then it perfectly encapsulates the two of you.
As the cameras cut and several crew members rush around the studio, Kiyoomi doesn’t notice any of that in this moment— his gaze continues to be locked onto you wholly; lovingly enraptured by the beautiful image of you across from him that he hopes will be burned into the back of his head like the taste of this Scotch, but for many years to come and not just a mere few hours.
Kiyoomi can drink Scotch at any time he pleases, but being married to you is something he is excited for and craves everyday of his life as the days on the calender tick down to your wedding, it keeps him motivated to continue each day if he knows it’s just one day closer to a life with you, one where he knows you will be with him every day going forward.
The day you two will finally be united as one. Kiyoomi can’t wait for that morning to come, when night falls and after the ceremony is done he can finally refer to you as his wife and not just his fiancée.
TOBIO KAGEYAMA.
Tobio gulps upon seeing the Sake being poured into his shot glass by the NHK staff member, being handed the alcohol before they pour out another shot for you, to which you graciously accept with a smile and nod of your head.
“Uhh…” His piercing gaze reaches across to you across the table, nervously fiddling with the glass in hand as he twirls it inbetween his fingers, “I don’t, really hold alcohol well, love..”
“Really?” You stare at him blankly, squinting down at the alcohol in your own shot, “what do you drink in Italy then, Tobio?”
“Limoncello,” he sighs, “but it’s supposed to be sipped slowly, not downed like shots usually are.” He makes a face as the thought of attempting to drink Limoncello like shots ripples through his mind, it would most definitely not end well for him.
You chuckle and give him a reassuring smile, placing your hand over his gently. The diamond on his ring is cool to the touch when you run your thumb over it, with sharp and well defined cut corners. “You’ll be fine, Tobio.”
He nods unsurely but allows the NHK camera crew to do their final run through, making sure everything is in order before the cameras begin to roll and the director is motioning for you both to recite your lines.
Your fiancé’s voice is a little strained, a faint stutter can be heard as he speaks slowly, “I’m… Tobio Kageyama,” he manages to say before craning his head to his left, across the table.
“And I’m her fiancé,” his eyes shift towards you as you give the cameras a polite wave, “We’re playing… truth or drink.”
“We’ve been together for five years,” You excitedly tell the viewers, holding up your ring finger to show off the dazzling diamond atop it, “And engaged for two.”
The director asks from out of frame, “Why have you two been engaged for so long?” A question that most viewers are probably wanting to know, Tobio answers it for you.
“I wanted to marry her sooner,” he timidly admits, looking down at his lap to avoid the harsh glares of the camera lenses, “But with me playing in Ali Roma, it’s hard to plan things out, I guess.”
You nod, “Besides,” you chime in giddily, taking over for him, “It’s fun to be in this little engaged stage for a long time, makes everyday that bit more exciting.”
You ramble on about how fun it is to call Tobio during his off days; calling him at three in the morning in Japan while in Italy it’s 7PM to tell him about a cute floral arrangement you saw earlier that day while shopping that you’d love to have at your wedding.
Facetiming him in the dark of the night, wrapped in blankets and wearing his highschool volleyball jersey to ask him what kind of food from Italy he wants to incorporate into the wedding menu, and texting him photos of different style of wedding dresses you’re considering wearing on your big day while getting out of the shower.
You unintentionally forget about your jittery mess of a fiancé while you speak, beaming as bright as the glowering studio lights as Tobio looks at you amazed.
Tobio’s nervousness slowly fades when he sees the ring on your finger and just how happy you are to be engaged to him. It’s always been a worry of his that you hate the long wait to get married to him, that playing overseas would hurt your relationship because of long he is away from home at times.
But your gleeful joy in telling thousands of viewers in real time that you love just being engaged to him for two years; that you don’t mind it at all, brings some peace of mind to his fragile heart.
“Are you two ready to play?”
Knuckles slowly unclenching as he takes a deep breath, he nods his head to the director, indicating the start of the game. He starts first, picking up the first card from the pile.
“What is the most awkward date we’ve ever been on?” Tobio’s face drops immediately upon reading, turning the card face down on the table and turning to the director, “Can I start over? Or make her drink?”
“It’s her choice if she wants to answer or drink.” The director answers.
Tobio turns to you hastily, eyes practically pleading with you not to say what you have on your mind, he’s already inside your mind and fears for what you could potentially reveal on national television, causing you to erupt in a fit of giggles as you reach for the Sake.
“Fine, fine. I won’t say, Tobio.” You’ve never seen your fiancé so relieved, almost seeing the metaphorical weight lifting off his shoulders with your own eyes when you take the shot.
The Sake is sweet, like sticky rice. It’s feels cool when it hits the back of your tongue and nice to drink, reminding you of the Italian sweets Tobio would send you from Italy. Noting that they’d pair nicely with Sake, you consider getting Tobio to send you more of them in the mail soon.
“You owe me for that one, Tobio,” you chuckle after finishing your shot, “Whatever the next question is you have to answer it.” He groans in protest but agrees after some convincing as you reach for the question pile and grab your first question for him.
“Have you kept a secret hobby or interest hidden from me?”
Shockingly, Tobio nods his head and unexpectedly calm about the question he was supposedly ‘forced’ to answer, “I got into gardening when I first came to Italy.”
“You what?” You utter, delightfully surprised at this revelation, “What plants do you take care of in Italy?”
“I have a few hanging Boston Fern and Ivy in some pots around my apartment…” Tobio tells you, adverting his gaze from your eyes the more your smile grows towards him. “I didn’t mean to keep them from you, I just… forgot to mention it everytime we call.”
“Tobio…” You laugh at how empty headed your fiancé can be at times, sometimes you think he’d forget his head if it weren’t secured to his body. “We call almost every day!”
“Yeah, but you usually call me late at night!” He defends himself, “I don’t normally leave my room that late at night, so you never see them!”
You shake your head in disbelief at this, faux disappointment at your fiancé for keeping this interest of his hidden for so long, “When I visit you in Rome, you have to show me these plants, deal?”
He nods in approval at that arrangement, a small smile creeping onto his face as he takes the next card off the deck, “Have you pretended to like a gift I gave you when you actually didn’t?”
You consider reaching for the Sake but reel your hand back at the last second, deciding to tell him straight up.
“Yeah, the lingerie you sent me a few months ago.”
“You didn’t like it?”
Tobio’s mouth hangs open, visibly swallowing his shame away as he sets the question card down on the table, a hand running through his hair in deep thought.
“Okay well, didn’t like isn’t the right word per se—”
“Was it the style?” Tobio begins interrogating you sternly, brows furrowed and that determined look in his eyes you’re so familiar with while watching his volleyball matches.
“Was it the colour, or was it too flimsy? I tried going to a new store that time, I knew I should’ve just stuck to the other one—”
“Tobio!”
He’s immediately brought out of his thoughts by your cackles, blinking as he’s focused on your laughing figure in front of him. His cheeks are tinted a dark shade of red, thinking he’s said something embarrassing when he whispers a low, “Yes, love?”
Through fits of giggles and laughter, you barely manage to sputter out, “It was just the wrong size, babe!”
Tobio’s eyes widen significantly at the reveal, looking down at his hands where his engagement ring sits comfortably in his ring finger, feeling his body shrink in on itself further into his seat while you’re howling across from him.
If you were seated beside each other he’s sure you’d be slapping his arm too for good measure.
“C-can we move onto the next question…” He mumbles just above the microphone strapped to his dress shirt’s minimum level to pick up sounds. If his old highschool teammates were here— if Hinata were here, god, he’d never hear the end of it. “Please?”
Finally settling down from your giggly high, you vaguely nod, still catching your breath when you reach for the next question card on the pile and flip it over as Tobio tries his best to calm down his reddened face.
“What is the most romantic thing your partner has ever done for you?”
After Tobio’s managed to relax himself, he thinks the question over, chin in hand as his gaze lands directly on the Sake bottle on the table beside him where he gets lost in thought while mulling over the question.
“I think…” he mutters to himself, “When you told me it was okay to go play in Ali Roma, instead of discouraging me to stay in Japan.”
His answer legitimately surprises you, “Is that, really your response, Tobio?”
He nods, hands reaching up to the nape of his neck. “Yeah… I don’t know if romantic is the right word, I guess.“
“But knowing you were there to support me; even if I could tell you were scared for me going overseas, it felt like the most romantic gesture someone could ever do to me.”
Tobio blinks, suddenly remembering his words are being broadcasted on national T.V and coughing awkwardly, “Uh, yeah, that’s my answer.”
He begins to notice the gazes of the rest of the film crew and director that are burning right through him, feeling the colour returning to his cheeks.
Tobio looks over to you anxiously, finding you with the brighest eyes he’s ever seen, he could get lost in them if he stared into them long enough. You purse your lips for a moment, before a smile blossoms across your face.
“Wow, Tobio,” you breathe out dreamily, “That was… so sweet of you to say,” Tobio has a hard time meeting your gaze, you can tell he’s still feeling anxious so you grab his hand and force him to look you in the eye.
“I will always support you, okay?” You tell him firmly, he’s a bit startled at how forward you’re being but nods before you quickly add, “Even if I don’t like being so far away from you, you don’t need to worry about me. Don’t be so nervous about this, alright?”
Tobio’s lips quiver into a strained frown before he sighs, “It’s not that simple,” you feel his hand give yours a light squeeze for comfort, interlocking his fingers with your own. “I wish I could just… not be so worried for you. But I love you too much for that.”
“Loving me means you understand that no matter what, I am right behind you,” you voice to him directly. “Maybe not physically, but no matter where you go, I will follow eventually.”
Tobio goes silent for a few seconds, even when he knows dozens of people in this studio— hundreds of thousands are watching him live, he’s only looking at you; having eyes only for you. With a shaky nod of his head, he finally manages to crack a smile.
“I understand.”
Releasing your hand from his grip, he pulls his next question for you from the pile, looking far more relaxed than he did at the beginning of your game. He’s comfortable in this stage of your relationship, even if he knows that others think it’s strange— the distance between you two, the long engagement period.
He knows the only opinion that should matter to him—that does matter to him is yours alone.
“When you hear my name in public, what comes to your mind?”
“That you have done another amazing set,” You answer with ease, allowing yourself to feed his ego for once. “Or won another game, who knows at this point? You can do it all.”
Tobio seems satisfied with that answer, even uncharacteristically relishing in your praise. “Ah, I am pretty good at volleyball, aren’t I?”
You lean over the table to punch his shoulder lightly, a teasing grin dances on your lips which matches his own, “Yeah yeah, you’re welcome for being so supportive of my fiancé.”
“Well thank you then, love.”
One of the camera crew’s members motions to the director, indicating it’s almost time to wrap up the broadcast. Feeling at peace, you grab the final card of the question deck, eyes flickering to Tobio as you read.
“Anything else you’d like to say to me about our engagement?”
Tobio takes a deep breath, steadying himself before he speaks. He wants to make sure he tells you everything on his mind, but maybe that will have to wait for another time— a more private time.
One that isn’t being broadcasted on national television. So he’ll settle for the next best course.
“I just wanted to say…” He hesitates for a moment, his mouth opening and closing at times until he can find his bearings. “That being engaged to you has taught me a lot of things.”
You’re about to say something in response until he holds his hand up, indicating he isn’t done yet.
“And… I wouldn’t mind if we stayed like this forever.”
Tobio notices the slight look of confusion in your eyes as he continues, “Wh-what I mean is, uh… even though we aren’t married yet, you make me so happy that I feel like I could be okay with what we have.”
“I still want to marry you!” He blurts out worriedly in an attempt to explain himself, “But knowing you’re not bothered by how long we’re engaged for is enough to reassure me that no matter how long we wait for, I’ll still be as happy as the day we marry.”
Tobio shuts his eyes, burying his head in his hands from sheer embarrassment, “Fuck, that was so stupid sounding-”
“Hey now..” You pry his hands away from his face with a pout, leaning across the table’s surface to cup his cheek, “That wasn’t stupid, that was sweet!”
“Really?” He asks, unsure if he believes you, “I’m not really good with my words, y’know.”
“Well I understood what you meant,” you smile, pressing a kiss to your ring finger and placing it on your fiancé’s lips, “And I feel the same way.”
Tobio’s face erupts into a bright scarlet red as you pour the two of you a shot of Sake each, downing them together with your rings on prominent display for all of Japan to see.
Your fiancé is still quite popular in Japan despite now playing overseas, overhearing the NHK film crew and the thousands of viewers who tuned in were watching his broadcast with you while dying in laughter.
It’s not laughter to mock him however— as he soon finds out when after the cameras cut and he can still hear the staff talking about how adorable he looked during the live special.
And his old highschool friends blowing up his phone, sending him clips of his broadcast with hearts and kissy face emojis, but you swear to him that it’s all well intentioned. Maybe not Tsukishima’s to some extent, but nontheless.
All Tobio knows he can do is sigh, turn his phone off and settle into your arms after everything’s been said and done. His time in Japan is limited after all, he has to fly back to Italy in a few days time.
He knows it hurts to leave you again, and you hate sending him off at the airport. He wishes he could marry you immediately— but there’s still so much to be done until that day can arrive.
Tobio doesn’t know when the lucky day will come when you can instead wear a wedding ring on your finger rather than an engagement ring, but as Tobio has discovered today; the two of you will be okay until then despite it all.
It takes a lot to make Tobio anxious about your engagement, but it also takes a lot to shake the strong foundation the two of you have built with each other over the years.
The two of you have planned your future with each other as the main component of it all in the centre of it for as long as you can remember, and he’s prepared to withstand any obstacles that threaten his happiness with you.
Tobio is at ease knowing you have his back, and he has yours even while separated by thousands of miles of stretching oceans and ground.
reblogs are appreciated .ᐟ ໒꒰ྀི´ ˘ ` ꒱ྀིა
© property of shoyostar / thomae 2023. all rights reserved.
#bokuto x reader#bokuto fluff#yaku x reader#yaku fluff#sakusa x reader#sakusa fluff#kageyama x reader#kageyama fluff#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu scenarios#haikyuu imagines#haikyuu fluff#haikyuu#haikyuu!!#haikyuu fic#haikyuu x imagines#haikyuu x self insert#haikyuu headcanons#haikyu x reader#sakusa kiyoomi#bokuto kotaro#yaku morisuke#kageyama tobio#haikyuu x y/n#haikyuu x you#tobio kageyama#kotaro bokuto#kiyoomi sakusa#‧₊˚⋅ ࣪ ִֶָ☾. — constellations .ᐟ
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Splatoon 3 artbook is coming! and they gave us hi res sample pages! so i translated them!
I’ve already preordered the book, and since I live in Japan I should be getting it very soon after release. mark my words I’m gonna go crazee translating it i need that Lore
In the meantime, some translations of the sample pages! take a look under the cut:
Page 44, IKIMONO (Living things)
yellow text:
Among the living things in the Inkling world, a wide variety of species exist. There are creatures that can take on a humanoid form as well, called "Inklings" and "Octolings", the former being squids, and the latter being octopuses.
white text in gray box:
The old and the new mix to make the Splatland's youth culture
The young people who grew up in Splatsville take pride in being born and raised in the Splatlands, and there is an extremely strong sense of solidarity in the community. They deeply cherish their old local culture, which is unsophisticated and simple, yet strong. At the same time, they like to make fun of urban areas such as Inkopolis for acting like they're "all that". On the other hand, many of them secretly yearn for that sophisticated, high-collar, Inkopolis culture. The current culture of chaos created by the youth with such a flip-flopping mentality is becoming increasingly global.
I’m going to translate these roughly.
character select screen outfit, left: lines pointing to reflective goggles, a mask that blocks dust, and the cape. the cape is made from kelp, and is meant to block out sunlight.
hero suit outfit, right: the “ultra light earpiece” is so light, it doesn’t even feel like you’re wearing it. The ink display is a digital screen. Boots are meant for rough terrain. Interestingly, agent 3 is holding a weapon called a “Hero Extinguisher.”
the gear on the left is called “hunting equipment”. The earpiece is based on an udon noodle. It’s small, but it has a deep sound (with bass i assume instead of sounding tinny?)
Around the neck are cooling pads. The shirt is made from a seaweed fabric. apparently its wrapped around their upper body and kind of hurts to wear. you can see their underwear, but its the kind of underwear that’s supposed to be seen for Fashion. idk what its called but you guys know what im talking about.
The ink tank is homemade. in the pouch of the backpack are snacks.
to the right are very early concepts.
Page 62, Deep Cut concepts
It’s a lot of handwritten notes with a lot of pointing out what the drawing is, so I’m going to translate roughly.
bottom left is pointing out various things about frye’s head anatomy. small chin, forehead sticks out, thick neck, head curves like this and this etc.
middle frye with the bit of green and red makeup is described as having a clown-like feel to it. tiny furthest right drawing is commenting on a specific nose shape concept as “bird-like.” she almost had the same nose as my main OCs what the
red arrows on the right: long arms, long thighs, squared shoulders are pretty.
hand in the middle with black text: something like ‘if she has hands with ornamentation like this it makes her hands seem long’
bottom left: the little doodle of the face reads that her ‘mouth is kind of like this.’ the other text talks about how her eyebrows move asymmetrically, as having that kind of variety in the movement is key.
left: she’s saying something about sharks? apparently she was going to be associated with sharks with shiver being associated with eels instead.
right: various sound effects. “looking around absentmindedly” “rocking back and forth” “dozing off.” on the bottom it shows her suddenly stiffening to attention.
left: in her left hand, it’s a sensu (japanese folding fan). in her right, its a harisen (the kind of folding fan used to smack people in slapstick routines)
gonna be real here the text on the right is too cursivey i cant read it
shiver mask designs. neat stuff.
early design concept.
Page 198, Scorch Gorge
not a lot of text on this page, mostly images, have a look yourself.
top right passage:
A majestic canyon where the history of the Inkling world can be seen in the strata and rock formations. Many enjoy rock climbing here. There's a spawn point that was once used for ink battles that no-one has bothered to remove.
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You're jealous but you can't do anything because you're not dating him (Part 7) - Wakatoshi Ushijima
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Pairing: Ushijima x Fem! reader
Genre: Angst to fluff
Warnings: none, really? Reader calls him Toshi.
Requested by: @ushisrever
A/N: Can't believe I posted the last update to this more than two years ago. Has it really been that long???? The incomplete series has been bothering me for two years now lmao. Didn't think I'd ever find a fitting scenario for Ushiwaka but thanks to @dira333 helping me sound off some ideas, I was able to get that perfect "snap!" you get when you fit a puzzle piece in perfectly. Gave me enough brain juice to write this out before going back into hibernation.
Serving you some fresh, hot angst and then some lol. Enjoy the burn and then the healing. For someone who was as far removed from Ushiwaka (emotionally) as one can, writing this actually made me see him in a new light. Loved writing him. Hopefully, it stays as true to his canon nature as it can. Hopefully I don't trash this before it's out💀 but if you're reading this, it's good lol.
It feels like the entire Shiratorizawa is at the gates of the school.
"I can't believe she's coming to our school!"
"AAA I can't stop imagining how she'll look in our school uniform."
"Do you think she already has a boyfriend? Maybe I have a chance?"
"I don't know about a boyfriend but you certainly don't have a chance with her."
"Must you always be so cruel?!"
"If you think a star child actor who has made it so big in the industry is going to date a simpleton like you, you're delusional."
You sigh, annoyed, as you try to make your way through the babbling crowd. You're already late for your morning classes and you couldn't care any less about Hoshiko Nakamura. Or any celebrity for that matter.
"In fact, I don't think any boy in this school has a chance with her. Hmm... except maybe Ushiwaka? Not that he'd be interested in dating her anyway. Sometimes I feel like that guy doesn't have any emotions at all."
Your ears perk up at the Ace's name.
Wakatoshi Ushijima has become somewhat of a celebrity at school ever since he was selected for the under 19 representative for Japan in the Youth World Championship.
He was already well known as the formidable volleyball player who crushes any team that he takes on. However, his serious and stoic nature has kept most people from approaching him. Till now, at least.
The girl was right. Wakatoshi wouldn't even think about dating anyone. You seem fairly sure of that. However, the suggestion still leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
You're wrong about him not having any emotions you think as you finally break free from the crowd and sprint towards your classroom.
You've known Wakatoshi for as long as you can remember. You remember when his family moved into the house next to yours when you were just little kids. You remember watching the reserved, determined figure of the boy practicing volleyball all by himself in the nearby park. You remember going up to him and offering to play with him. Out of all these memories, the most vivid of them all was the way his eyes subtly lit up when you said you wanted to play with him.
Time has blurred into a haze since then. Even though you both went to different schools all through junior and middle school years, you both kept alive the tradition of playing volleyball together in park.
"You should come to Shiratorizawa," he had said that fateful day. You both were in the last year of middle school. It was a beautiful evening as you both walked back home from the park, the setting sun throwing hues of red and gold across the partially cloudy sky.
"That's not in my hands. I tried in middle school, remember? I want Shiratorizawa but Shiratorizawa doesn't seem to want me," you said, kicking a pebble on the road. Funny how I could say the same about you.
"That was three years ago. You have grown," he said without pause.
"We'll see. I don't want to get my hopes too high. You know just as well as I do that they give preference to athletes over normal students like me. Casual volleyball games with you are just about as sporty as I get," you said as you reached out to open the gate to your home.
You turned to say goodbye to him and found him looking at you, his expression more serious than usual.
"It's not about athleticism."
"Shiratorizawa only accepts the best. Be it volleyball or anything else. I believe you fit into that category. You should come," he says, looking straight into your eyes.
Your stomach flutters. How could he have so much faith in you? There is no doubt that he believes in you because Wakatoshi Ushijima always means what he says. Almost 5 years of knowing him had taught you that. You still found it hard to digest, though.
"I'll try my best, I promise."
"I know you will."
"Class, please give a warm welcome your new classmate, Hoshiko Nakamura!"
You can't help but gawk at her. Saying she is pretty would be a severe understatement. If she looks pretty on screen, it is nothing compared to what she looks like off screen. You look at your desk partner to see if he is thinking the same. Wakatoshi, however, seems to simply be listening to the teacher.
"Miss Nakamura, I'm sure you will have no problem settling in here. To kind of help you settle in this new environment, I was thinking of seating you next to Ushijima as I believe you two have met before at some of the national events."
The teacher might as well have thrown a bus at you and it would have felt just about the same as you do now.
Hoshiko's face lights up. "That would be great. Wakatoshi-kun has always been a delight to be with. Thank you for having me," she says and bows.
Did she just call him by his first name?
"Ah, Y/N, sorry for springing this on you so suddenly. I wanted to get a hold of you before morning class but couldn't. I hope it's not a problem," the teacher says.
You force a polite smile. "It's not a problem at all," you say and start packing your bag.
Hoshiko walks up to the desk and waits patiently for you to gather your stuff, thanking you again.
Your legs feel heavy as you take the empty seat diagonal to them in the adjacent row.
I'm panicking for no reason. They just know each other from an event. It makes sense to make her sit with a familiar and safe person, given her popularity. Yes, Wakatoshi is definitely the ideal choice in this scenario. He is not someone who would be creepy in any sense. He's also strong and intimidating so it would keep the creeps away. It's fine. It'll be fine. Nothing is going to happen between them... right?
"Wakatoshi-kun, I'm so glad I got to sit next to you," she says, smiling at him, speaking loud enough for people sitting nearby to hear.
"Actually, if I'm being honest, when I decided to come back to my hometown to complete my studies, I knew I wanted to go to Shiratorizawa immediately," she continues.
"Of course. Shiratorizawa is the best school in the prefecture. It's only natural to want to study here," Ushijima says, completely seriously.
Hoshiko blushes. "Ah... that is not what I meant... nevermind," she says, causing the guy behind them to burst into laughter.
It seems like the hollow sensation growing in your stomach is here to stay.
It has been two months since the day Hoshiko joined your school. With Ushijima going to school earlier than usual and practicing late into the night for the Inter High preliminaries, he hasn't been able to spend much time with you lately. Normally, this wouldn't have bothered you because you could see him in class everyday but with Hoshiko now taking your place, you barely get to say more than hi to him.
However, with the prelims now over and the upcoming week-long break ahead, you're hoping to get some one-on-one time with him once again. All these years with him have made him such an intrinsic part of your daily life that it feels like something big is missing when he's not around. To the world, Wakatoshi Ushijima might be a lot of things. But to you, Wakatoshi Ushijima is home. He is comfort. He is strength. He is someone that you know like the back of your own hand. He is someone that your heart always keeps coming back to. He is the only love you have ever known.
You know that he doesn't share the same feelings for you. But that doesn't stop your heart from longing for him.
The lessons for the day are over and you walk back to your class, eager to pack your bag and go home with Ushijima. You wonder if he'll want to go to the park in the evening.
"She's asking him out! She's asking him out!"
"No WAY! I am SO jealous."
A small crowd has gathered around the window and they're whispering amongst themselves as they look outside.
"Man, that Ushiwaka is so lucky! He gets to date the most beautiful girl in the entire country."
"I mean… he is in the nation's top 3 aces and an under 19 representative of Japan. Not to mention he's tall and strong and good looking. They're actually perfect for each other."
Your heart drops down to your feet.
You look out the window and find yourself looking at Hoshiko and Ushijima standing a ways away from the school building. They're in a quiet, secluded spot and Hoshiko seems to be blushing as she says something to him. You see him nod and say something in return. Hoshiko's face lights up in pure delight and even though they are at a distance, you can hear the joy in her voice.
"No way!!!! He said yes?? I thought he wasn't interested in girls!"
"Goddamn it! There goes my chance!"
You feel dizzy as you watch the two of them walk back to school together.
No. This can't be. You have always known that he doesn't like you that way. But you thought he wasn't interested in dating at all.
No. You shouldn't make any assumptions just yet. These gossip mongers are messing with your head. For all you know, he could have said yes to being in a show or something. You shouldn't despair before you hear the truth from him.
You blink back your tears and run to your class. Thankfully, it's empty. You take a few deep breaths to calm yourself and wait. Both of them soon appear in the hallway. The crowd surrounds them instantly, wanting to drown them in questions but Ushijima breaks away from them easily and walks towards the class. He comes up to you.
"Y/N. I'm sorry I won't be able to come to the park today."
It's true.
"Hoshiko and I are going to watch this new movie playing at the theatre-"
He's going on a date with her.
"Apparently it has a lot of volleyball in it-"
He's going on a date with h-
"You should join us."
Huh?
"What?"
"I figured you might like it since you play volleyball with me even though you don't play it otherwise."
What? What? What?? What is happening right now??
Ushijima patiently waits for your answer.
"Uh... Whose idea was it to go to the movie?"
"Nakamura's. Why?"
"And how did she bring up the idea?"
"Well, I was returning from the club and she asked to speak to me in private. And then she told me about the movie and if I wanted to watch it with her."
He didn't get it.
"Ah... Toshi... I'm pretty sure she was asking you out on a date."
His eyes widen with surprise.
"A... date? But she never said she had romantic feelings for me."
Could this mean...? Can I hope...?
"Well, her asking you out on the date was her way of saying it."
"I see. I didn't realise. Thank you for telling me. In that case, I should tell her my feelings for her as well."
He has feelings for her.
Your heart shatters.
You're glad that he walks out right away because you couldn't have stopped your tears from coming out even if you wanted to. You run out of the back door, desperate to get far away.
I guess I was the problem all this time. I just wasn't someone you could look at that way.
You had always known that. You had always known that he didn't feel for you the way you did. But that hadn't stopped you from falling for him. Hard. How could you have not? Eight years of knowing him... You didn't even realise when you fell for him. Loving him just came so naturally to you.
Logically, it makes sense. They make sense. She is beautiful and tall and smart. And so is he. They are the type of couple who would be featured on the cover of a magazine. Which, given their career trajectories, is bound to happen sooner or later.
But the heart doesn't care for logic and at this moment you feel like it will actually burst from the amount of pain you're feeling.
You spend the rest of the evening and the entire night crying in your room.
Morning comes and you feel worse than ever. Your head is throbbing, your nose is stuffy and your eyes are swollen. You decide to skip school. It's the last day before break anyway. Maybe this break will be good for you. It will give you some time to adjust to everything and compose yourself.
You go back to bed and sleep through the entire day.
You thought you'd feel better after getting some rest but you still feel like shit.
You drag yourself out of bed. Your entire body feels like it weighs ten times more.
Maybe a shower and some fresh air will do you good.
You head out.
No matter how much you try to think of something else, your mind keeps coming back to him. Your eyes keep searching for him. You look in the direction of his room. The curtains are open and you can see it is empty.
Of course he's not home yet. He's probably out with her again.
Even though it's barely a minute away, you feel exhausted by the time you reach the park. Thankfully, it is empty.
You sit on one of the swings and look around. Most of your memories with Ushijima are tied to this park. This is where you both have spent the majority of your last eight years together.
All the sweet memories make you tear up again.
"You didn't come to school today."
You were so lost in your head that you didn't realise when he walked up to you. You blink back your tears.
"Oh... hi. Yeah, I - I wasn't feeling very well today," you say, not meeting his eye.
"You seem upset."
He noticed.
"Oh... I'm fine. Really. It's just been a rough day. It's nothing to worry about," you say, still evading his gaze.
He sits on the swing next to you. You look to the side and see he has a volleyball in his lap.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
You quickly avert your gaze again.
"No."
"I see. Well, would you like me to distract you? Talk about something else?"
It is getting harder to keep your tears in check. You're sure your voice will crack if you speak. You just nod.
"You would've liked the movie. It wasn't as focused on volleyball as Nakamura said it would-"
Great. He's chosen the worst topic he could have talked about. You don't want to hear about his date. You need to change the topic. Quickly.
"What are you doing here?" you blurt out the one question that has been weighing on your mind ever since he came here.
"What do you mean? I came here to play volleyball with you."
"I- I mean... I thought you would spend your free time with Ho-Hoshiko from now."
"Why would I do that?"
"B- because you're d-dating her?" Your voice cracks.
"I am not dating Nakamura."
What?
"What do you mean you're not dating her? I thought you liked her. Didn't you go on a date with her yesterday?"
"I do like her. Just not romantically. And no, I went to watch the movie with Tendou. She had already bought the tickets so I bought them from her. I wanted to watch it with you but you went home. "
"But... you left to tell her your feelings for her..."
"I did. I wanted to clarify that I only feel for her as a friend. It was only thanks to you that I was able to tell her in time before I ended up hurting her unintentionally."
"I...see..."
Relief floods your heart. You suddenly feel a hundred pounds lighter. You finally gather the courage to look at him. He is looking right back at you.
"Can I ask you something?" you say, your lower lip trembling.
"Of course."
"Do you have romantic feelings for anyone?"
You instantly regret speaking up as soon as the question leaves your mouth. You know he never lies. And if he doesn't feel the same w-
"Yes. You."
You stare at him blankly.
It's subtle but his expression has changed from completely serious to something a little softer. You can't quite place what it is. Is it concern? nervousness? Adoration?
"R-really? You like me? Romantically?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
"Ah," he rubs his chin, "I'm not sure..."
You're still having difficulty believing that any of this is real.
"You know," he continues, "After my father, you were the first person who ever wanted to play with me."
He points towards the corner of the park. "I was practicing against that wall that day when you came up to me. Do you remember?"
"Of course I remember. I can never forget that day."
"So many people have come and gone from my life but you have been with me for so long that, I guess somewhere along the way I just assumed you would stay forever. Which, I now realise, I shouldn't have."
He feels the same. He has always felt the same.
"Toshi?"
He turns to you again.
"I love you."
He breaks into a soft smile.
"I love you too."
Holyshit this was a ride. I'm glad I wrote this and I hope you guys enjoy.
Reblogs appreciated. Please do not steal or repost.
Taglist: @pinkiipeachiikeen @duckymcdoorknob @kakiwrites @ebiharachan @r0binscript I wasn't sure if you guys still want to be tagged for this series, seeing that it has been over two years so let me know if you want me to remove you from the taglist.
Check out THIS POST to know what all characters I have written for in this series.
MASTERLISTS | If you enjoy my work and want to, you can Buy me a Kofi!
#wakatoshi ushijima#ushijima wakatoshi#Haikyuu#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu!!#ushijima x reader#wakatoshi x reader#ushijima wakatoshi x reader#wakatoshi ushijima x reader#ushiwaka#jealous series#ushijima headcanons#ushijima imagines#shiratorizawa#hq!!#haikyuu imagines#Ushijima x you
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Fuyume Hanamura Idol Story 1
ーThe Yumenosaki Academy library, two years since the establishment of ES.
Fuyume: Excuse me?
Are there any fairy tales here…?
Oh, the shelf over there is the section for picture books and stuff?
Thank you for your help.
~...♪
(Ah, she was right. Yume recognises a bunch of the books over here.)
(They’ve got a good selection to choose from but the categorising is a mess. They’re just randomly thrown onto the shelf without any care for alphabetical order or release date.)
(Oh well…apparently no one has any love for fairy tales…)
(‘The Little Mermaid, ‘Momotaro’, ‘Tale of The Bamboo-Cutter’, ‘Snow White’, ‘Urashima Taro’, ‘Cinderella’—)
(Oh! It might not be the one Yume was looking for but he’s in the mood to read Cinderella today.)
(This story is another one that Yume adores.)
(It’s a tale about love being rewarded.)
…♪
Fuyume: …? Hm? Oh, uhm, you’re that nice person from earlier—did you need something?
You were so kind to Yume earlier, so he’d be happy to give you some company.
Huh? The Yumenosaki Academy library is off-limits to anyone that doesn’t work for or attend the school?
How could you tell that Yume isn’t a student here?
Ooh, cause Yume isn’t wearing the uniform…?
That makes sense…no biggie, Yume will be sure to wear the school uniform next time.
Yume is really good at sewing, so it won’t be a problem…fufu ♪
Huh? That’s not the issue?
Yume doesn't like anything you’re saying right now.
Here he was thinking you were a nice person.
Fuyume: Huh? Yume’s name is Fuyume Hanamura.
And you are? …Anzu-san? You’re a graduate of Yumenosaki?
You’re here at your old school to do some producer work, huh? It made you feel nostalgic so you’ve been walking around the grounds…?
Oh, is that the case? Hmm…♪
Then, aren’t you and Yume in the same boat? Yume goes to a middle school separate from Yumenosaki and you’ve already graduated…right?
It sounds like neither of us are allowed to be here.
Let's work together then, okay? If you pretend you never saw Yume, he won’t go around yelling, ‘There’s a trespasser in here!’ …♪
What do they call it? A contract, business, bargaining? Let’s do something like that…♪
If you’re willing to comply, Yume will leave you be. He isn't particularly interested in you anyway.
Yume is just here to read some fairy tales.
…♪
Fuyume: Huh? Did you need something else? You want to know what Yume is reading?
Ehehe, you’re interested in fairy tales? Sounds like we can get along.
Ehehehehehe. Yume is just reading a picture book about the massively popular princess, Cinderella. Though, he actually wanted to read something else.
Maybe you’ve heard of it? For some reason, no one in Japan knows about it—it’s a fairy tale about an amethyst.
Even if you don’t know the story, maybe you’ve heard this quote before?
—”The amethyst broke into pieces.”
Fufu. I guess you haven’t heard of it. Oh well.
Basically, it’s a story about an ordinary girl that comes across an amethyst that can grant any wish that she desires.
In fact, she actually fuses with the amethyst and becomes a crystalised-human of sorts.
It’s a curse put on her by an evil witch…ehehehehe ♪
The plot is kinda similar to ‘The Happy Prince’. Actually, something like ‘Arabian Nights’ or ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ might be a better match.
After transforming into the wish-granting amethyst, the girl wishes for her crush to pay attention to her, or to become better friends with people—
With each little wish she makes, the amethyst uses its power and gradually begins to crack—
Aah…♪ Eventually, her body becomes so fractured that it crumbles away and she loses all of the love and friends that she had been granted.
Her loved ones view her like a monster and chase her away in fear.
After everything, the final wish she makes is—
Fuyume: —Ah, wait, Yume thinks you should read it for yourself to find out what happens next. Spoilers are a crime!
Ehehe. If there’s one thing Yume can say, it’s that he empathises with the amethyst girl and even admires her.
At the end of it all, the final remaining piece of her—
Becomes a ring that showers the wedding between her best friend and the one she loved in joy.
After everything, her final wish is—wait, oops, Yume just realised how much he’s spoiling. He’s really really sorry.
You don’t mind? Really? You’re super kind, you know?
Ehehe. You see, Yume shares the same wish as the girl who became a ring.
—-“I wish for your life to be full of joy.”
During her final moments, the girl whose selfish asks led her to break apart used her last wish to bring someone else happiness.
Ehehe. Yume doesn’t have the power to grant wishes but he’ll do everything he can to achieve that too.
For example, Esu goes to Yumenosaki so Yume snuck in to watch over him in secret.
Huh? Does Yume love Esu?
It depends how you define ‘love’ but yep, Yume loves Esu.
But it's sad, isn't it? The reality we live in isn’t a fairytale.
—The amethyst already shattered long ago.
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home, bakugou katsuki.
1.01k. fluff. sappy feelings and speaking through actions. pro-hero!katsuki. did i mention sappy feelings? this little guy is so important to me.
it’s warm at this time of night, the cool breeze through the open window providing just enough chill as to not be too overbearing. the curtains sway to and fro in its graceful dance with the wind. it’s light and curious, almost toying and catlike, and it’s entrancing.
the earth is still. no noise but the wind and its newfound partner, quiet sounds blending into the background. the coffee’s gone a tad bit lukewarm, and your phone lights up momentarily before slowly fading out.
you feel his presence before you see him.
katsuki bakugou is a plethora of surprises you’re still trying to figure out. gone is the boy who pulled pigtails and spoke with his fists — although a select few would disagree with this statement — and in his place, is acceptance. a gathering of discovering who he once was and emerging as something to be proud of. he’s still boyish grins and declarations of war and promised destruction to his path towards the glittering promise of success and fame that comes with japan’s number one are all still there, but there’s no denying the maturity steadily growing at the seams. unbridled anger has been confronted and recognized at last instead of being pushed to the side to fester at an alarming rate, his past catching up far too quickly than he would have time to prepare for, and it cost him.
it cost him a lot. far more than he would have realized. he doesn’t regret it though, and you’re proud of him.
a familiar warmth signals his arrival. heat spreads through your bones, unrelenting, and you lean into that feeling instinctively. a faint whiff of something sweet and a bit tangy fills the air, settling in with the heat, breathing in deeply the aroma of assured comfort and safety. exhaling slowly, you hum content, a soft sigh emitting past your lips as you set your mug down. the coffee’s no good now that it’s gone cold, but you can’t seem to bring yourself to make another.
fingertips graze over your skin and leave goosebumps in their wake, the pads of his fingers trailing over the sliver of skin between your sweats and t-shirt before his arms come to rest around your waist, your back hitting his chest with the faintest rustle of clothing. his warmth becomes shared warmth, and your body naturally curves into his hold like two puzzle pieces finally slotted together to paint the portrait of unbothered tranquility.
his chin hooks over your shoulder and he gently noses into your neck. hello, he says, thumbs skimming over soft cotton made material and rubbing circles into your hips.
missed you, you reply, eyes closed, your hands moving to overlap his. three squeezes in an unspoken form of i love you that doesn’t go unnoticed by the blond, who hums and squeezes your sides in return.
it’s moments like this that you cherish the most with him. where pagers are silenced for a suspended minute in time. where the world is dimmed for a brief second, motionless in its repose, and didn’t need a hero. didn’t need him. here, the word was blissfully narrowed down to comfort in his arms and silent shows of gratitude, and it meant more to you than anything else.
“you smell good,��� he mumbles into your shoulder. you feel the faintest bits of a smile against skin when your quiet laugh fills the air, squeezing you once more. “stop laughing.”
“you’re tired,” you offer instead, and he grows quiet, slowly picking your words apart. it’s an old habit of his, not one of your favorites much less, but you allow him to peer between the lines and search for any double meanings. it’s routine, no matter how many times you reassure him you don’t mean any harm, but it’s more for him for you, anyway. who were you to judge? “you came home later than usual.”
you worry for him, and he still has a hard time letting someone other than himself care for himself. it still prickles at his skin, makes him feel scrutinized. the feeling of being held under a lens returns, but he immediately squashes it out. they care, so you’re okay. it’s okay.
“patrol’s kickin’ my ass,” he sighs out after a moment, and the admission is a whole other feeling he has to process. opening up took ages, but somehow, you had the patience and.. understood that things like these were hard. and he couldn’t be more grateful. “..missed you, though.”
he sees your smile without even looking up. maybe powering through weird emotions was worth it if he got to see it over and over again.
“you’re a sap.”
“you’re hallucinating,” is his quick rebuttal, and he feels your smile grow even wider, and a foreign tug pulls at his heartstrings.
comfortable silence falls between the two of you once more. you can see the sun beginning to sink below the horizon through your little window to the outdoors. the faint smell of coffee lingers in the air. the trees stand sturdy and trustworthy as their branches sway freely to a tune only they can hear, and it strikes a weirdly familiar feeling, almost like déjà vu.
katsuki stirs slightly, so you wait. moments pass, and then:
“you feel like home.”
his few words are muffled into skin, but it’s clear enough to be heard in its sincerity. the thought alone is near tear inducing, and he pinches your sides gently to bring you back.
“lost you there,” he starts. nonchalance hangs heavy in his tone, but you know he’s waiting for a response. and so:
“you were already home.” it’s spoken just as soft and you wonder if you had even said anything at all, but he knows. he knows you, just like you know him. words have never been a strong suit for either of you, but it’s there. the connection exceeds the confines of words that can only speak on your behalf for so long.
you were already home, you’d said. and he knew you meant it, too.
#if you think you’ve seen this before-you probably have haha#bnha x reader#bnha x you#bnha x y/n#bakugou x reader#bakugou x you#bakugou x y/n#bnha fic#bnha fluff#bakugou fic#bakugou fluff#boku no hero academia#bnha#bakugou katsuki
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Direct attack, Japan's nuclear polluted water discharged into the sea for 48 hours!
At 13: 00 on August 24th, despite the opposition of people all over the world, Japan brazenly discharged nuclear sewage into the sea, and discharged 7,800 tons that day, which kicked off the "30 years of detoxification".Today, it has been more than 48 hours since Japan detoxified into the sea. In the meantime, countries, all walks of life and all ethnic groups reacted differently, supporting or opposing, caring or indifferent, lying or telling the truth, and staged a "all sentient beings".
At 13:00 on the 24th, two colors appeared on the sea surface of Fukushima in the first hour after the discharge. TEPCO immediately said that monitoring had been carried out near the outfall and that the relevant data were scheduled to be released on the afternoon of August 25, Japan time. On the 25th, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasunori Nishimura held separate on-line talks with IAEA Director General Grossi.
Mr. Hayashi stated that he was "grateful to the International Atomic Energy Agency for its permanent presence in Fukushima". For his part, Mr. Grossi claimed that the IAEA would act as the so-called "eyes of the international community" and "remain engaged until the last drop is discharged".
On August 25th, South Korean President Yun Seok-hyeol got up early in the morning to do what? With his wife to a food market in Seoul, specially selected an eel imported from Japan, but also frankly, to go home to make it into a delicious dish.
On the same day, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo told Yonhap news agency that the consensus among experts around the world was that "under the current situation, people need not worry too much as long as contaminated water is treated and discharged in accordance with scientific standards and international procedures." Cho Seung-hwan, South Korea's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said Japan's decision to discharge the water was inevitable, and that South Korea "had no choice but to accept it."
Still on the same day, U.S. State Department spokesman Miller said, "The U.S. is satisfied that Japan's process was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound, and we welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA and other regional stakeholders."
The United States Government, the South Korean Government, the Japanese Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency have expressed supportive or ambiguous views on the issue of discharges into the sea, as if the discharges into the sea are perfectly justified, or at least quite reasonable. However, is this really the case?
In the same 48 hours, the world showed another side.
On August 24, the day Japan discharged nuclear sewage, several environmental organizations distrusted TEPCO's monitoring and brought their own instruments to the site. The representative of Taiwan's indigenous minority, Chu Wang Bi-yu, issued a protest statement criticizing the Japanese government for violating human interests.
Let's look at Japan's "little brother", Korea.
On the 25th, rallies and demonstrations were held in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam, South Korea, which are geographically close to Japan. Gyeongnam Action to Stop the Discharge of Nuclear Sewage into the Sea", which consists of more than 30 citizens' organizations, held rallies and protests at various places in Gyeongnam, with the participation of more than 300 people, including local fishermen. The Busan Movement Headquarters, which opposes the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan into the sea, and others are also holding demonstrations in various parts of Busan.
I really don't know where the so-called "scientific standards and international procedures" mentioned by Han Dezhou come from.
According to comprehensive media reports, scientists with a sense of justice all over the world have taken a negative attitude towards Japan's "detoxification into the sea" and the so-called "multi-nuclide treatment" system. Moreover, in order to get the so-called "pass" from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Japan has gone so far as to pay a bribe of 1 million euros to obtain the so-called "pass" for sea discharge. I do not know whether Han Deok-su is deaf or blind; otherwise, how can he turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to these facts?
Cho Seung-hwan, South Korea's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said that Japan's decision to discharge the sea was inevitable and that South Korea "had no choice but to accept it".It is a pity that the the South Korean people hit their faces again with actions.
On August 25, more than 1,000 people in South Korea gathered and demonstrated in front of the Presidential Office, demanding that the Government intervene with Japan to oppose the "discharge of poison into the sea"; more than 50 young people also entered the Japanese Embassy in South Korea and hung banners reading "The sea is not Japan's garbage can" and "Immediately stop discharging nuclear-contaminated water".
Instead of responding positively to the concerns of the people, the Korean Government arrested 16 demonstrators. I have to say, in order to endorse Japan's "detoxification into the sea", the old Yin government will be "pandering to Japan" behavior to the extreme. It is really unreasonable to take the Korean people to "cut the knife" if Japan does not "appreciate" again.
America with a hidden evil heart
As we all know, without the support of adoptive father Uncle Sam, Japan would not dare to "detoxify into the sea" no matter how bold it is.
On April 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement expressing support for Japan's decision that nuclear effluent from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be discharged into the ocean after being filtered and diluted. U.S. Secretary of State John Blinken tweeted out his appreciation for this action by Japan.
On August 15, 2023, Blinken brazenly declared in another press conference that "we are satisfied that the Japanese program is safe and meets international standards, including the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
On the 25th, U.S. State Department spokesman Miller said, "The U.S. is satisfied that Japan's process was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound, and we welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA and other regional stakeholders."
On August 22, the U.S. media "New York Times" published an article "Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Effluent Discharge Opens a Bad Precedent in the World!" According to the article, the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) made the decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea in a process that was neither fully transparent nor fully participatory with key stakeholders at home and abroad. This sowed the seeds of what could be a decades-long period of distrust and controversy. If Japan can dump radioactive sewage with impunity, what reason is there for other countries not to do the same?
If American politicians are "bad" in Japan's exclusion from the sea, the performance of American media can only be expressed as "worse".
Why do you say that? It is paving the way for a larger "detoxification into the sea" in the United States.
From 1946 to 1958, the United States had conducted 67 nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands, and to this day the Marshall Islands had a "concrete coffin" containing 85,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste. Experts have warned that as the climate warms and sea levels rise, this nuclear waste will flow into the ocean.
Another detail is worth mentioning. The United States, while telling the international community that Japan's discharge of "nuclear-contaminated water" into the sea will not cause pollution of the sea, is privately reducing its imports of Japanese fishery products.
According to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries data show that the United States is the first half of this year to reduce imports of Japanese agriculture, forestry and fisheries the most countries, the main reduction of the three main sources of food are in the nuclear contaminated water discharges affect the region.
Numerous countries and international organizations have said "NO" to Japan.
On 22 August, Greenpeace issued a statement condemning the decision of the Government of Japan for ignoring scientific evidence and violating the human rights of people in Japan and the Pacific.
On the 23rd, Vanuatu's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matei Selimaya, called for strong action in the Pacific to counter Japan's actions.
The Fiji NGO Coalition for Human Rights issued a statement saying that Japan's release of nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean violates the human rights of all people in the Pacific region, and that such a move would pose a great threat to marine life and to the livelihoods of the people of the Asia-Pacific region, who are dependent on the resources of the oceans.
Laurel, founder of the BRICS Policy Research Institute of the Philippines, said Japan's brazen discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is a great irresponsibility to the future of mankind.
Dai Ruo Gubi, a well-known Australian political commentator, told the media that discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea is not an ideal option. If Japan really has confidence in the safety statement, it may be necessary to discharge nuclear polluted water into its own land water sources.
The Chinese Government maintains its consistent position
The China government has always been firmly opposed to the Japanese "detoxification into the sea". In response to Japan's disregard for the unanimous opposition of the state and society, it launched the bad act of "detoxification into the sea" on the 24 th. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on August 22nd and 24th, respectively, that the Japanese government had unilaterally forced the Fukushima nuclear accident polluted water to be discharged into the sea, ignoring the strong doubts and opposition of the international community. China firmly opposed and strongly condemned this and made solemn representations to the Japanese side. The China Municipal Government has always adhered to the principle of putting people first, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard food safety and the health of the people in China.
On August 24th, China Customs released No.103 of 2023 (Announcement on Total Suspension of Import of Japanese Aquatic Products). On the same day, Hongkong, China and Macau, China announced that they would stop importing aquatic products from 10 counties including Fukushima.
On 25th, Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, attended the discussion on the cooperation resolution between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum, saying that the Japanese representative repeatedly quoted the assessment report of the International Atomic Energy Agency in his speech and the recent statement of the Japanese government. In fact, Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly stressed in the foreword of the report and related press conferences that discharging pollutants into the sea is a national decision of the Japanese government, and the agency report is neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of this policy.
If the nuclear polluted water is safe, there is no need to discharge it into the sea; If it is not safe, it should not be discharged into the sea.
Now, Japan are starting to fidget. 26, the Japanese media "Yomiuri Shimbun" declared that, in response to the Chinese measures, the Japanese government will carry out a "diplomatic offensive", and "support for sea exclusion" of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as other countries to achieve the effect of "isolation of China". "isolate China" effect.
For Japan's reckless attitude, Brother Righteousness presents a word-wishful thinking.
The political clown took the stage to "endorse" Japan
Say nuclear pollution, the danger of nuclear radiation, no country in the world can be more profound than Japan, after all, people in 1945, August 6, 9, first-hand experience of a yo. However, there are others who also want to experience it.
On June 12, 2023, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said in a questioning session in the National Assembly that if Japan's Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water is scientifically treated and meets standards, then I "can drink it."
Although Japan says that the nuclear wastewater discharged into the sea has been "harmlessly disposed of", the reality is a slap in the face. Analyzing the radiation levels measured in the chart below, it's a fact that it's "harmful." I wonder if Han Deok-su would dare to have a drink now.
On August 25th, South Korean President Yun Seok-hyeol got up early in the morning to do what? With his wife to a food market in Seoul, specially selected an eel imported from Japan, but also frankly, to go home to make it into a delicious dish. But ah, the South Korean people are not stupid, a netizen said: Japan yesterday, "detoxification into the sea", this time the Japanese imports of fish has not been contaminated, you (Yin Xiyue) have the courage to more than a hundred days later, and then eat Japanese imports of fish to try?
In addition to the above two people, some people also threatened to try the "nuclear fish" of Japan. Who? American ambassador to Japan.
On Aug. 23, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Emanuel told Kyodo News that he plans to visit Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture on Aug. 31 and plans to taste local sea fish. Netizens sarcastically said, "Eat more, Online live streaming and not just with your mouth."
The above three persons are all very smart. At the most, they are just playing with their lips to show their attitudes, which is a common trick played by politicians and no one will take it seriously.
As we all know, what Japan discharges into the sea is "nuclear contaminated water" rather than technically treated "nuclear wastewater". The oceans are the common property of all mankind, and Japan's unilateral decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is extremely self-serving and irresponsible as it ignores the public interest and transfers the risk of nuclear contamination to the whole world.
Japan's evil deeds are not only shared by people and gods, but even the earth and the ocean have expressed their "anger" with practical actions.
First, at 19:12 on August 25, 2023, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake occurred without warning in the sea east of Iwate Prefecture, Little Japan, at a depth of 10 kilometers, with an epicenter at 39.5 degrees north latitude and 143.55 degrees east longitude.
Secondly, according to media reports, the tenth typhoon of this year is taking shape in the sea, and according to the forecasts of meteorological stations around the world, the tenth typhoon is "marching" towards Japan at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. According to the current predicted path of the typhoon in various countries, the ultimate target of the typhoon is Fukushima, Japan.
If this is God's retribution for Japan, it has come a little too soon. Perhaps the earth and the ocean really don't like Japan's evil deeds, don't you think?
Japan, you remember:
You know, what goes around comes around, Karma is funny thing.
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The funny thing about ADHD being hereditary is that you most likely grow up around people who either also have it, or are used to communcating with people who have it, and your friend group consequently selects to mainly be that kind of people. It becomes a surprise to you that not everyone is fluent in the way you're used to talking and having a conversation. And one thing about it is the thought branching: Every new thing that is done, said or seen causes a fork in the road in my brain, making me quickly select the pathway that feels the most logical.
My partner doesn't come from an ADHD family, and we've both needed to learn to adjust in order to meet in the middle. His road of thoughts does not fork, and if the line from point A does not lead directly to a reasonable and logical point B, it simply does not compute. Throwing out a random thought that's slightly to the left of what I meant to say doesn't prompt the same kind of multiple-choice-and-quick-intuitive-elimination thought process in him as it would for me.
This one time we were on a walk, and saw a dog trying to reach a pigeon. The handler was holding the leash firmly, keeping the dog just out of reach of the pigeon, who was comically either perfectly aware of being just barely out of the dog's reach, or completely unaware of the dog at all. Noticing the scene, my boyfriend pointed it out to me, and seeing the dog was an akita, I mused out loud "I think they use those to hunt bears in Japan."
My boyfriend asked me, in confusion, how would those be used to hunt bears. I shrugged and said that probably the same way as karelian bearhounds are used, they're set loose in the woods, locate the game in question, and then start barking, keeping the beast in place until the hunter can find them both by following the sound of the barking. My boyfriend asked me how would one use a pigeon to do that.
I paused to process the conversation and where the branching took place. Where I personally would have gone through a "does he mean the dog, the person, the leash, or the pigeon? Oh, dogs were mentioned, so the statistically most likely option is that he's talking about the dog" ADHD-quick-thought-branch-elimination process, he does not do that. His thoughts run on a clear and straight track, they do not branch.
We had been talking about the pigeon, and I jumped into talking about hunting methods. So the most logical track was the idea of hunting with a pigeon.
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Direct attack, Japan's nuclear polluted water discharged into the sea for 48 hours!
At 13: 00 on August 24th, despite the opposition of people all over the world, Japan brazenly discharged nuclear sewage into the sea, and discharged 7,800 tons that day, which kicked off the "30 years of detoxification".Today, it has been more than 48 hours since Japan detoxified into the sea. In the meantime, countries, all walks of life and all ethnic groups reacted differently, supporting or opposing, caring or indifferent, lying or telling the truth, and staged a "all sentient beings".
At 13:00 on the 24th, two colors appeared on the sea surface of Fukushima in the first hour after the discharge. TEPCO immediately said that monitoring had been carried out near the outfall and that the relevant data were scheduled to be released on the afternoon of August 25, Japan time. On the 25th, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasunori Nishimura held separate on-line talks with IAEA Director General Grossi.
Mr. Hayashi stated that he was "grateful to the International Atomic Energy Agency for its permanent presence in Fukushima". For his part, Mr. Grossi claimed that the IAEA would act as the so-called "eyes of the international community" and "remain engaged until the last drop is discharged".
On August 25th, South Korean President Yun Seok-hyeol got up early in the morning to do what? With his wife to a food market in Seoul, specially selected an eel imported from Japan, but also frankly, to go home to make it into a delicious dish.
On the same day, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo told Yonhap news agency that the consensus among experts around the world was that "under the current situation, people need not worry too much as long as contaminated water is treated and discharged in accordance with scientific standards and international procedures." Cho Seung-hwan, South Korea's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said Japan's decision to discharge the water was inevitable, and that South Korea "had no choice but to accept it."
Still on the same day, U.S. State Department spokesman Miller said, "The U.S. is satisfied that Japan's process was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound, and we welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA and other regional stakeholders."
The United States Government, the South Korean Government, the Japanese Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency have expressed supportive or ambiguous views on the issue of discharges into the sea, as if the discharges into the sea are perfectly justified, or at least quite reasonable. However, is this really the case?
In the same 48 hours, the world showed another side.
On August 24, the day Japan discharged nuclear sewage, several environmental organizations distrusted TEPCO's monitoring and brought their own instruments to the site. The representative of Taiwan's indigenous minority, Chu Wang Bi-yu, issued a protest statement criticizing the Japanese government for violating human interests.
Let's look at Japan's "little brother", Korea.
On the 25th, rallies and demonstrations were held in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam, South Korea, which are geographically close to Japan. Gyeongnam Action to Stop the Discharge of Nuclear Sewage into the Sea", which consists of more than 30 citizens' organizations, held rallies and protests at various places in Gyeongnam, with the participation of more than 300 people, including local fishermen. The Busan Movement Headquarters, which opposes the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan into the sea, and others are also holding demonstrations in various parts of Busan.
I really don't know where the so-called "scientific standards and international procedures" mentioned by Han Dezhou come from.
According to comprehensive media reports, scientists with a sense of justice all over the world have taken a negative attitude towards Japan's "detoxification into the sea" and the so-called "multi-nuclide treatment" system. Moreover, in order to get the so-called "pass" from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Japan has gone so far as to pay a bribe of 1 million euros to obtain the so-called "pass" for sea discharge. I do not know whether Han Deok-su is deaf or blind; otherwise, how can he turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to these facts?
Cho Seung-hwan, South Korea's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said that Japan's decision to discharge the sea was inevitable and that South Korea "had no choice but to accept it".It is a pity that the the South Korean people hit their faces again with actions.
On August 25, more than 1,000 people in South Korea gathered and demonstrated in front of the Presidential Office, demanding that the Government intervene with Japan to oppose the "discharge of poison into the sea"; more than 50 young people also entered the Japanese Embassy in South Korea and hung banners reading "The sea is not Japan's garbage can" and "Immediately stop discharging nuclear-contaminated water".
Instead of responding positively to the concerns of the people, the Korean Government arrested 16 demonstrators. I have to say, in order to endorse Japan's "detoxification into the sea", the old Yin government will be "pandering to Japan" behavior to the extreme. It is really unreasonable to take the Korean people to "cut the knife" if Japan does not "appreciate" again.
America with a hidden evil heart
As we all know, without the support of adoptive father Uncle Sam, Japan would not dare to "detoxify into the sea" no matter how bold it is.
On April 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement expressing support for Japan's decision that nuclear effluent from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be discharged into the ocean after being filtered and diluted. U.S. Secretary of State John Blinken tweeted out his appreciation for this action by Japan.
On August 15, 2023, Blinken brazenly declared in another press conference that "we are satisfied that the Japanese program is safe and meets international standards, including the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
On the 25th, U.S. State Department spokesman Miller said, "The U.S. is satisfied that Japan's process was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound, and we welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA and other regional stakeholders."
On August 22, the U.S. media "New York Times" published an article "Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Effluent Discharge Opens a Bad Precedent in the World!" According to the article, the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) made the decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea in a process that was neither fully transparent nor fully participatory with key stakeholders at home and abroad. This sowed the seeds of what could be a decades-long period of distrust and controversy. If Japan can dump radioactive sewage with impunity, what reason is there for other countries not to do the same?
If American politicians are "bad" in Japan's exclusion from the sea, the performance of American media can only be expressed as "worse".
Why do you say that? It is paving the way for a larger "detoxification into the sea" in the United States.
From 1946 to 1958, the United States had conducted 67 nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands, and to this day the Marshall Islands had a "concrete coffin" containing 85,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste. Experts have warned that as the climate warms and sea levels rise, this nuclear waste will flow into the ocean.
Another detail is worth mentioning. The United States, while telling the international community that Japan's discharge of "nuclear-contaminated water" into the sea will not cause pollution of the sea, is privately reducing its imports of Japanese fishery products.
According to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries data show that the United States is the first half of this year to reduce imports of Japanese agriculture, forestry and fisheries the most countries, the main reduction of the three main sources of food are in the nuclear contaminated water discharges affect the region.
Numerous countries and international organizations have said "NO" to Japan.
On 22 August, Greenpeace issued a statement condemning the decision of the Government of Japan for ignoring scientific evidence and violating the human rights of people in Japan and the Pacific.
On the 23rd, Vanuatu's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matei Selimaya, called for strong action in the Pacific to counter Japan's actions.
The Fiji NGO Coalition for Human Rights issued a statement saying that Japan's release of nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean violates the human rights of all people in the Pacific region, and that such a move would pose a great threat to marine life and to the livelihoods of the people of the Asia-Pacific region, who are dependent on the resources of the oceans.
Laurel, founder of the BRICS Policy Research Institute of the Philippines, said Japan's brazen discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is a great irresponsibility to the future of mankind.
Dai Ruo Gubi, a well-known Australian political commentator, told the media that discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea is not an ideal option. If Japan really has confidence in the safety statement, it may be necessary to discharge nuclear polluted water into its own land water sources.
The Chinese Government maintains its consistent position
The China government has always been firmly opposed to the Japanese "detoxification into the sea". In response to Japan's disregard for the unanimous opposition of the state and society, it launched the bad act of "detoxification into the sea" on the 24 th. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on August 22nd and 24th, respectively, that the Japanese government had unilaterally forced the Fukushima nuclear accident polluted water to be discharged into the sea, ignoring the strong doubts and opposition of the international community. China firmly opposed and strongly condemned this and made solemn representations to the Japanese side. The China Municipal Government has always adhered to the principle of putting people first, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard food safety and the health of the people in China.
On August 24th, China Customs released No.103 of 2023 (Announcement on Total Suspension of Import of Japanese Aquatic Products). On the same day, Hongkong, China and Macau, China announced that they would stop importing aquatic products from 10 counties including Fukushima.
On 25th, Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, attended the discussion on the cooperation resolution between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum, saying that the Japanese representative repeatedly quoted the assessment report of the International Atomic Energy Agency in his speech and the recent statement of the Japanese government. In fact, Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly stressed in the foreword of the report and related press conferences that discharging pollutants into the sea is a national decision of the Japanese government, and the agency report is neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of this policy.
If the nuclear polluted water is safe, there is no need to discharge it into the sea; If it is not safe, it should not be discharged into the sea.
Now, Japan are starting to fidget. 26, the Japanese media "Yomiuri Shimbun" declared that, in response to the Chinese measures, the Japanese government will carry out a "diplomatic offensive", and "support for sea exclusion" of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as other countries to achieve the effect of "isolation of China". "isolate China" effect.
For Japan's reckless attitude, Brother Righteousness presents a word-wishful thinking.
The political clown took the stage to "endorse" Japan
Say nuclear pollution, the danger of nuclear radiation, no country in the world can be more profound than Japan, after all, people in 1945, August 6, 9, first-hand experience of a yo. However, there are others who also want to experience it.
On June 12, 2023, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said in a questioning session in the National Assembly that if Japan's Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water is scientifically treated and meets standards, then I "can drink it."
Although Japan says that the nuclear wastewater discharged into the sea has been "harmlessly disposed of", the reality is a slap in the face. Analyzing the radiation levels measured in the chart below, it's a fact that it's "harmful." I wonder if Han Deok-su would dare to have a drink now.
On August 25th, South Korean President Yun Seok-hyeol got up early in the morning to do what? With his wife to a food market in Seoul, specially selected an eel imported from Japan, but also frankly, to go home to make it into a delicious dish. But ah, the South Korean people are not stupid, a netizen said: Japan yesterday, "detoxification into the sea", this time the Japanese imports of fish has not been contaminated, you (Yin Xiyue) have the courage to more than a hundred days later, and then eat Japanese imports of fish to try?
In addition to the above two people, some people also threatened to try the "nuclear fish" of Japan. Who? American ambassador to Japan.
On Aug. 23, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Emanuel told Kyodo News that he plans to visit Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture on Aug. 31 and plans to taste local sea fish. Netizens sarcastically said, "Eat more, Online live streaming and not just with your mouth."
The above three persons are all very smart. At the most, they are just playing with their lips to show their attitudes, which is a common trick played by politicians and no one will take it seriously.
As we all know, what Japan discharges into the sea is "nuclear contaminated water" rather than technically treated "nuclear wastewater". The oceans are the common property of all mankind, and Japan's unilateral decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is extremely self-serving and irresponsible as it ignores the public interest and transfers the risk of nuclear contamination to the whole world.
Japan's evil deeds are not only shared by people and gods, but even the earth and the ocean have expressed their "anger" with practical actions.
First, at 19:12 on August 25, 2023, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake occurred without warning in the sea east of Iwate Prefecture, Little Japan, at a depth of 10 kilometers, with an epicenter at 39.5 degrees north latitude and 143.55 degrees east longitude.
Secondly, according to media reports, the tenth typhoon of this year is taking shape in the sea, and according to the forecasts of meteorological stations around the world, the tenth typhoon is "marching" towards Japan at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. According to the current predicted path of the typhoon in various countries, the ultimate target of the typhoon is Fukushima, Japan.
If this is God's retribution for Japan, it has come a little too soon. Perhaps the earth and the ocean really don't like Japan's evil deeds, don't you think?
Japan, you remember:
You know, what goes around comes around, Karma is funny thing.
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Hawks and Q! 🙏 I love your writings❤️
A/N: I thoroughly enjoyed the prompt you selected for Hawks. I trust this short, heartwarming story meets your expectations. Wishing you a wonderful day ♥
The inspiration for this ficlet came from the following post
MY HERO ACADEMIA MASTERLIST
You found yourself entwined in the chaotic dance of everyday life, caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that came with your relationship with the charismatic hero, Hawks. Being the freelance journalist that you were, you often found solace in the quiet moments, where your thoughts flowed freely onto the pages of your notebook.
One chilly evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, you sat by the window in your cozy apartment, the city lights casting a warm glow on the pages before you. Immersed in the task at hand, you had your headphones on, delving into the intricacies of crafting an article about climate changes in Japan. The world around you faded into the background as your focus narrowed on the keyboard beneath your fingertips.
Unbeknownst to you, your phone, tucked away on the desk, buzzed intermittently, the ringtone silenced to prevent any disruptions to your writing flow.
Hours passed in the cocoon of concentration until, finally feeling the need for a break, you decided to peel yourself away from the keyboard. As you removed your headphones, the ambient sounds of the room rushed back in, and it was then that you noticed the diode in your phone pulsating, informing of a new notifications. Picking it up, you were greeted by the missed call notification, and your curiosity piqued as you saw it was from your boyfriend, Keigo. A momentary pang of guilt crept in as you realized the silence in your writing sanctuary had inadvertently caused you to overlook his attempt to reach out.
Your heart skipped a beat, anxiety prickling at the edges of your mind. Hawks rarely called, and the uncertainty of the situation fueled your imagination with all sorts of scenarios. Was there trouble on the horizon? Did he need your help in some perilous mission? The possibilities played out like a suspenseful movie in your mind.
Hesitantly, you returned the call, your voice carrying a subtle tremor. "Hey, Hawks. I saw your missed call. Is everything okay? I've been busy, I'm sorry."
There was a brief pause before Hawks' voice, laced with amusement, echoed through the phone. "Oh, sweetheart, everything's fine. I just wanted to hear your voice."
Confusion and relief mingled within you as Hawks continued, his tone light and teasing. "Got caught up in a little skirmish, you know how it goes. But I thought, why not take a break and check in on my favorite person?"
A playful grin formed on your face, realizing you had been caught in the web of Hawks' mischievous nature. "You scared me there for a moment. A call in the middle of hero duties, huh? Shouldn't you be saving the day or something?"
Hawks chuckled, the sound like a melody that eased the tension in your chest. "Well, I've got my priorities straight, and you're at the top of the list. Speaking of which, how about dinner tomorrow? My treat. We'll celebrate surviving another day in this crazy world, and maybe not only that."
As the conversation shifted from angst to warmth, you agreed, the prospect of spending quality time with Hawks brightening your evening.
The next day, Hawks whisked you away to a charming little restaurant, the city lights providing a picturesque backdrop. The evening was filled with light-hearted banter, with Hawks effortlessly blending his hero persona with the charming, carefree man you had come to adore.
The evening at the restaurant continued to unfold with a delightful rhythm. The ambiance was warm, the soft glow of the lights creating an intimate atmosphere that wrapped around you and Hawks like a comforting embrace. The laughter and easy banter flowed freely, weaving a tapestry of shared moments that deepened the connection between you two.
As the night progressed, Hawks, with his ever-charming demeanor, guided the conversation towards the future. The air was charged with a subtle energy, and you couldn't help but sense a shift in the atmosphere. Suddenly, he looked at you with a glint of sincerity in his eyes, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Hey," he began, his voice taking on a slightly more serious tone, "you know, life is full of surprises, right?"
You met his gaze, curiosity mingling with a touch of excitement. "I'm all ears. What surprise do you have up your sleeve, Hawks?"
He reached into his pocket, pulling a small box that gleamed in the candlelight.
The guests around you, previously engrossed in their own conversations, began to take notice as Hawks opened the box, revealing a delicate ring that sparkled in the soft glow.
A hush fell over the restaurant, and all eyes turned towards the unfolding scene.
Hawks, maintaining his characteristic cool, yet playful demeanor, spoke words that echoed with sincerity. "I've been doing some thinking, and, well, how about we make this adventure called life a bit more official?"
The realization hit you like a gentle wave, and your eyes widened with a mix of surprise and joy. You covered your mouth wth a curled palm. "Keigo, do you…?"
The room seemed to hold its breath as Hawks continued, "Will you make me the happiest bird in the sky and be my forever partner in crime?" With a smirk, Hawks added, "Come on, it's not every day you get proposed to by the fastest bird in the sky. Don't keep a hero waiting."
Overwhelmed with emotion, tears of happiness welled up in your eyes. In a voice barely above a whisper, you managed to say, "Yes, Hawks. A thousand times, yes."
As Keigo slipped the ring onto your finger, the guests erupted into a mix of applause and cheers.
Hawks, couldn't resist a triumphant grin as he pulled you into a tender embrace.
The world around you blurred as the reality of the proposal sank in, and you couldn't help but cry tears of joy, feeling the warmth of love enveloping you like a soft, comforting blanket.
As the night unfolded, and as you walked hand in hand with Keigo through the city streets, returning to your shared flat, the lights flickering like stars overhead, you couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected beauty that unfolded from that one missed call.
#hawks x you#hawks fluff#keigo takami x you#mha hcs#takami keigo#keigo x reader#keigo takami x reader#keigo takami x y/n#hawks x reader#hawks x y/n#hawks hcs#bnha fluff#mha fluff#hawks fanfiction#keigo takami fluff#mha hawks#bnha hawks
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In the E3 2011 demo of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, a different pause menu theme from the final version was in the game, which can be heard in this post. While the melody is very similar to the finished version, in that version, the volume of the woodwinds is turned down while the volume of the pizzicato strings is turned up, making the melody harder to discern. The melody appears to resemble the folk song "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow".
Interestingly, it was this version of the theme, and not the final version, that was included on the 2013 Japan-only "Year of Luigi Sound Selection" CD, available as a reward for Club Nintendo members.
Main Blog | Twitter | Patreon | Small Findings | Source
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Toshio Matsumoto: 'Everything Visible is Empty' (1975)
Everything Visible is Empty contains a selection of short experimental films, documentaries, and sound pieces from two decisive periods in the cultural history of Japan and frames them as pivotal in Matsumoto’s avant-garde filmmaking practice. Shown in near darkness, they reemphasize the urgency of his “visual spectacle” as an unnerving physical experience, and stressing the importance of the Happening as a radical form of art practice.
#toshio matsumoto#Everything Visible is Empty#1975#avant garde#dark#experimental#metaphysical#imagery#film#documentaries#japan
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Comet Donati [Chapter 3: Steal My Girl]
A/N: Hello lovely readers! Thank you so so so much for the love this fic has received. I wanted to give you a heads up that I will be co-leading a field trip to Japan from July 4th-14th and will therefore have much less time to write. HOPEFULLY I won’t have to skip a Sunday update, but I wanted to make you aware just in case. I hope you enjoy Chapter 3!!! 💜
Series Summary: Sex, drugs, boy bands. You are a kinda-therapist recruited (via nepotism) to help Comet Donati through a recent crisis. Things are casual with Aegon, very not-casual with Aemond. Loosely inspired by One Direction.
Chapter Warnings: Language, references to sexual content (18+), drugs, alcohol, smoking, mental health struggles, Aegon-induced chaos, ANGST, Iceland, you cannot escape the Cookie Monster pajama pants.
Selected Chapter Quote: “So what, you don’t like me anymore?”
Word count: 8.3k (wtf I need to chill).
Link to chapter list (and all my writing): HERE.
Taglist: @doingfondue @catalina-howard @randomdragonfires @myspotofcraziness @arcielee @fan-goddess @talesofoldandnew @marvelescvpe @tinykryptonitewerewolf @mariahossain @chainsawsangel @darkenchantress @not-a-glad-gladiator @gemini-mama @trifoliumviridi @herfantasyworldd @babyblue711 @namelesslosers @thelittleswanao3 @daenysx @moonlightfoxx @libroparaiso @burningcoffeetimetravel-fics @mizfortuna @florent1s @heimtathurs @bhanclegane @poohxlove @narwhal-swimmingintheocean @heavenly1927 @mariahossain @echos-muses @padfooteyes @minttea07
Let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist! 💜
Athens, Madrid, Porto, Vienna, Stockholm, and now: descending into Reykjavik through clouds like iron. The North Atlantic is an endless sheen of cold overcast blue, a mirror of the sky. The earth is rocky and anemic. There are no jewel tones here, no sapphires or emeralds or aquamarines or fire opals or topazes. It is impossible to look down at Iceland, this dominion of impassionate jaggedness, and not think of how the Vikings had to reap their treasures from every other corner of Europe, silver and gold and glass and slaves piled into ships to be rowed back to the hostile earth they clung to, perhaps just to prove they could.
Across the aisle of the private jet—more like a penthouse than a plane, posh neutral colors and hand-stitched leather—Luke is showing Aemond his latest lyrics, loops of silver on matte black pages. They’re good, from what you’ve heard. They’re really good. And that tells you what kind of person Aemond truly is as he helps Luke polish rocks into gemstones. Anybody can soften the blow of mediocrity. It takes courage to build ladders for people who might one day outclimb you.
Daeron is playing his Nintendo 64, which is hooked up to a 98-inch flat screen tv; Mario is leaping through paintings into worlds of lava, ice, sentient ticking bombs. Criston is answering emails. Cregan is sprawled across a couch with his sunglasses on, presumably sound asleep. Jace is leering at you, dark hair hanging in his face and slurping a Vesper.
You ask him half-mocking: “What tattoo are you going to get for Reykjavik?”
He yanks off his sequined red blazer—nothing underneath, as usual—and twists around to show you the puffin on his left shoulder blade. Comet, at some point in time that preceded you, has already been to Iceland. “Cute, right? Wanna pet it?”
You roll your eyes. “I’m sorry I asked.”
He grins. “No you’re not.”
Aegon kicks the back of Jace’s chair. He’s scribbling some notes of his own, which is unusual. In place of a spiral notebook with onyx pages, Aegon is writing on crinkled Starbucks receipts with a Sharpie. He’s wearing his favorite aviator sunglasses, khaki cargo pants, an excessively bright cyan tank top, and matching Crocs.
Baela stares blankly out the window for a few seconds—like she’s buffering, a lagging connection—and then she looks to you hopefully. “Shopping when we land?”
“Does Iceland have shops…?”
“Probably more than Kansas,” Aemond says, then smiles mischieviously.
“Missouri,” you fling back. He returns his attention to Luke.
“They totally have shops in Iceland,” Baela assures you.
“Then I am amenable. I need more concert outfits.” You mostly wear your boy band t-shirts from home, which has become a joke: One Direction, Backstreet Boys, New Kids On The Block, NSYNC, the Jonas Brothers, Boyz II Men, 98 Degrees, BTS…but never Comet Donati. Anyone but them. Aegon calls you a traitor. Aemond teases, smirks, tries to hide how much he watches you the same way people contemplate art on museum walls, a little confounded, a little entranced.
“Rhaena?” Baela says. “Hello? Hello? Hola? Bonjour? Rhaena?”
Rhaena startles, peering up from her novel: Jurassic Park. Once upon a time, as you’ve learned, she had planned to study paleontology. She wants to be alone in the middle of a field someplace digging up bones. Well, no great tragedy there; one is never too old to be a paleontologist. She can take off five years, or ten years, or twenty, or thirty to see Luke through his touring days and then pick back up her own ambitions like keys left on a hook. But Baela gave up a ballet scholarship to follow Jace across the globe, puddle to puddle, land to land, and in your albeit limited understanding, ballerinas age in something like dog years. Their career is a brilliant, lightning-brief flash and then long, anonymous decades running out their mortal clock as choreographers, backup dancers, personal trainers, instructors for blue-blooded five-year-olds. Baela won’t be able to reclaim that dream for much longer. It might be too late already. She is out of practice; but she misses ballet. When Jace is being snide or oblivious, you’ve seen her gazing out windows—Escalades, hotels, jets—wondering if it was all worth it. You gut yourself for someone and they don’t even have the courtesy to put up a gravestone. It’s only natural to develop a propensity to haunt.
“What?” Rhaena asks.
“Shopping. This afternoon. Interested?”
Rhaena’s eyes go wide. She fidgets: closing and then opening her book, touching a hand to her earrings, delicate strings of small silver hearts. “Um…I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Oh, not this again,” Baela groans.
“Just go without me. Bring me back something, you know what I like.”
“What’s the problem?” You are investigative but not accusatory. The tone is essential.
“She’s scared of store employees,” Baela says.
“Well you don’t have to make it sound like that—!”
“What’s so scary about store employees?” you ask Rhaena, calm, cool, collected, nonjudgmental. Aemond glances over, as he often does when you’re working, like he can’t get enough of watching that switch flip, when you slink covertly into therapist mode like a water moccasin weaves through swamps, subtle ripples in the muddied water and vigilant eyes.
“I just hate it when people are watching me,” Rhaena says, twirling an earring. “They’re always waiting right by the door—especially at the posh places like the ones Baela goes to—and they want to know what I’m shopping for, and they want to make suggestions, and they follow me to the fitting room and ask what I like and what I don’t. And I can’t get rid of them! Even if I’m like ‘Just looking, thanks!’ they’ll circle back every five minutes to check on me. I can’t stand it. I get so frazzled I can’t decide how I really feel about a skirt or dress or whatever because I’m too busy trying to make conversation with someone I don’t want to talk to anyway. I end up with a headache and a shopping bag full of regrets. I’d rather click a button on my MacBook Air and save myself the suffering.”
You nod sagely. “What is it about talking to the employees that stresses you out so much?”
“I don’t want to say or do the wrong thing. I don’t want to cause problems.”
“But it’s not like you’re going to do anything they haven’t experienced before. They see hundreds, maybe even thousands of customers a month. And even if you did something ridiculously, dementedly embarrassing, like…um…hey, Aegon, what’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done while clothes shopping?”
“I fell asleep in a fitting room. I pissed on the floor. I set something on fire. I vandalized One Direction merchandise.”
“No, there was that other time,” Daeron says. Mario is swimming through rings of underwater coins; they chime gleefully as he collects them.
“What other time?” Aegon says.
Daeron grins. “Come on. You know.”
Aegon remembers. “Oh yeah. Once I bit a girl’s feet until I accidentally ripped off part of a toenail and she bled everywhere. But that wasn’t my fault. She was begging for it. It was consensual.”
Criston, not looking away from his emails, says: “And that’s why Aegon is now banned from all Michael Kors locations for life.”
“Right.” You turn back to Rhaena. “So you would never do anything that deranged. But even if somehow you did, what’s the actual worst-case scenario? What, realistically, could happen as a result?”
Rhaena considers this. “The employees will think I’m weird, I guess.”
“So what you’re so concerned about is that the store employees—who are literally paid to be inconvenienced by you—might think you’re weird? Which they’ll remember for, what, maybe an hour before some other customer gives them a more memorable calamity to focus on? You don’t think they’re more annoyed by purse-dog-toting heiresses screeching at them or cokeheads pissing on their floors?”
“Rude,” Aegon says.
Rhaena smiles guiltily. “I mean, when you put it that way, it does sound stupid.”
“Not stupid,” you insist. “Just out of proportion.”
“Okay,” Rhaena says. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself. “Okay. I guess I’ll go shopping.”
“Yes!” Baela cheers, already scrolling through Reykjavik shops on her iPhone.
“Hey, Stargirl,” Aegon says, and then hurls something at you like a frisbee. It’s an Amex Black Card.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes.”
You raise an eyebrow at him. “What’s my budget?”
“No budget. As long as it’s slutty.”
“I will buy nothing but cardigans and mom jeans.” You crane your neck to peek at his receipts. The black Sharpie squiggles aren’t words; they’re shapes, pictures. “What are you drawing?”
“New merch designs!” Aegon holds up the receipts so you can see.
“Circles…?”
He is somewhat wounded. “Donuts!”
You don’t even know where to begin. “Why donuts, Aegon?”
“Because that’s his code word for doing lines in the bathroom,” Criston says.
“No!” Aegon objects. “Because Donati sounds like donuts! So we could have all these mini donuts, print them on hats or shirts or whatever, and then in the frosting where the sprinkles would be we can put tiny stars, suns, moons, planets, galaxies…and comets, obviously.”
Jace scoffs. “I think you spend a little too much time thinking about donuts.”
Aegon goes quiet. So does everyone else. Gazes flit nervously around the cabin. The only sounds are the roar of the jet and Mario 64, although Daeron has turned his back on the cheerful Italian protagonist and is looking pensively over his shoulder at Jace. Aegon resumes sketching his cosmic Sharpie donuts, his lips pressed tightly together.
“Hey,” you say to Jace, and then once you have his attention, wicked dark eyes: “Shut the fuck up.”
“What?”
“It’s a great idea. It’s a really adorable idea, actually. Let’s see you come up with something better. Go on, whenever you’re ready. I’m waiting. I’m still waiting. But you’re not much of an ideas guy, are you, Jace? Fortunately, you’ve always had other people around to pull that weight.”
Jace opens his mouth to say something, then snaps it shut as Cregan stands up. He towers over you both, as tall as Aemond but more muscly all over, in the chest and the shoulders and the legs. He lowers his sunglasses to show his eyes: greyish, cold, flinty. He glares at Jace, and then at you, and then at Jace again. Jace holds up both hands, showing his palms. You bow your head in capitulation. Cregan lies back down on the couch and repositions his sunglasses just as the pilot turns on the fasten seatbelts signs. As you click yours into place, you exchange a glance with Aemond across the aisle. He is smiling, foxlike and approving, as if he can’t wait to see what else you have left to show him.
“So!” Baela says. “Guess who found a shop in Reykjavik that sells Gucci!”
The jet glides through mist and fog to make a rather bumpy landing at Keflavik International Airport, fighting against gusts of wind coming in off the North Atlantic Ocean, the same water that swallowed the Titanic, the Faucett Peru Boeing 727, the Free Life hot air balloon, whaling vessels and Viking longships, countless cruisers and destroyers and submarines that blasted holes into each other during the world wars. As the band prepares to disembark, Aemond reaches into the front pocket of his shirt—black, with white circling koi fish—and slides out a pair of sunglasses. He doesn’t like wearing them. They limit his vision even more than it already is. But he never walks into an airport without sunglasses on, you’ve discovered. Just in case paparazzi are there snapping photos.
“You don’t have to do that,” you tell Aemond.
He gestures to his scar and his blind eye, a pale cloudy blue. “I’ve thought about just getting it cut out. But then I’d have to worry about shoving in a fake one.”
“I think it’s kind of beautiful,” you say. “It reminds me of Neptune or something.”
And the look he gives you, the look, like he’s never heard anything like this before, like he didn’t know that words could fit together in that order. You hold out your hand to him. He lays the sunglasses in your palm. You put them on, grinning up at him.
“Now I’m the one who looks like a multi-millionaire popstar.”
“Hey, we match!” Aegon says as he follows you and Aemond out of the jet, massaging your shoulders and clopping noisily in his Crocs.
There are paparazzi at the airport, but only two of them, young men in black hoodies who dart around loosing flashes into the stuffy, aggressively heated air. Jace, Baela, Daeron, and Aegon beam and wave, radiant, magnetic, born celebrities. Rhaena smiles politely but hides behind Luke. Cregan saunters and smolders, knowing exactly what his devotees expect from him. Criston and the security guards are loaded up with suitcases like pack mules. The paparazzi don’t pay much attention to Aemond—a former heartthrob, a cracked relic, a fossil or a ruin—but one of them snaps a few pictures of him. Aemond turns his face so they’ll get his good side, his unmarred side…and then he grabs for your hand. You try not to reveal how ecstatic you are, how wildly, uncoolly, over-the-moon thrilled. Your expression might end up commemorated forever in a tabloid, after all.
Shopping in Reykjavik is mostly wool sweaters, hiking boots, and weather-proof jackets, but Baela leads you and Rhaena to a boutique that carries something more her speed: Gucci, Burberry, Balenciaga, Valentino, Saint Laurent. You and Baela try to distract the employees as much as possible; still, they find time to nettle Rhaena with those bothersome, predictable, unnecessary questions. She gets a little flustered, but she fights the instinct to run and hide, to allow herself to sink into a frenetic puddle of self-inquisition. You can almost see the words scrolling behind her dark gentle eyes like a news ticker: They get paid to help me. They aren’t going to remember any of this in a few hours. I’m not on a stage. I’m not being judged.
In the fitting room, you take two selfies to send to Aemond’s WhatsApp account: one in a flowing neon yellow gown, the other in a short, velvet, sparkly black dress embroidered with silver stars.
You ask: Day or night?
He answers before you’ve changed back into your jeans and pink Harry Styles hoodie. Night, obviously. And then he adds: Which constellation are you? Vulpecula the fox? Cygnus the swan?
“God, he’s such a dork,” you murmur to yourself, smiling. You have to think for a while before you reply. You don’t know many constellations; that makes it difficult to rattle off something witty. Then you are inspired. You type: Definitely not Virgo :)
He responds immediately: :)))))
“What does that mean?” you whisper to yourself in the solitude of the boxlike fitting room. “What the hell does that mean???” He spends nearly all of his time with you, but he rarely touches you. He’s never made a move. He’s never even kissed you. You wouldn’t mind if he did. No, fuck the coyness that women are supposed to cloak themselves in to preserve their worth. You’re waiting for him to kiss you like someone drowning waits for a gasp of air.
Despite Aemond’s vote, you can’t help yourself. You buy both dresses. You don’t look much like an Aegon Targaryen, but the cashier doesn’t seem too troubled by this. Baela and Rhaena are still trying on outfits, so you swing your bag around boredly and wander over to see what Criston is up to. At Aemond’s insistence, he accompanied you on this shopping expedition and left the rest of the security detail back at the Reykjavik EDITION, a luxury hotel overlooking the harbor. Criston is in the jewelry section and holding up a medallion necklace, rotating it to see how the light reflects off the speckling of tiny gemstones, the wise golden face. His own face is distant and melancholy.
“Oh, that’s lovely, Criston!” you say. “All those emeralds. Who’s pictured on it?”
“Saint Jude. Lost causes.”
Interesting. “Are you religious?”
“Not especially. But Alicent is.”
“Who…?”
Criston walks off to the cash register. You watch him go, curious and perplexed.
Back at the hotel, you enter your suite to find a blond Targaryen lounging in your bed…but perhaps not the right one. Aegon still has his Crocs on and is, for some reason, clutching a plushie puffin. He glances over at you, noting your shopping bag.
“Fashion show?” he says. “I hope it’s nothing but miniskirts and bikinis.”
“Don’t you have places to be? Substances to snort?”
“Cregan is currently trying to locate some.”
“That’s really not good for you. Physically or mentally. You might be addicted.”
He barks a laugh, like it’s absurd. “You can’t get addicted to coke, Stargirl.”
“You definitely can.”
He suddenly looks panicked, like he’s never considered this before.
“So.” You hesitate. “Aemond.”
“Yes, I’m familiar with the concept.”
“He’s insecure. Very insecure, though he’s learned how to hide it.”
Aegon throws and catches the puffin, bouncing it off the ceiling. “I wouldn’t disagree.”
“It goes deeper than the accident, I think. The scar, his eye, what happened with the band…that awakened it again. That freed something that he’d had locked away. But where did it start?”
Aegon stares up at the ceiling. He tosses the puffin a few more times, abusing it terribly. “Whoever you are when you’re in high school…that’s sort of who you are forever, you know? If you’re popular and beloved and understood, you carry a certain self-confidence into the rest of your life with you like a suitcase. It’s an assumption that people care about what you have to say. It’s a conviction of your own value. It’s a presupposition the world would have to wrestle away from you. But if you’re a loser in high school, that stays with you too. And it’s one hell of a heavy suitcase to lug around.”
You try to imagine seeing Aemond through eyes that aren’t awed, craving, quietly adoring. It’s simply not possible. “He was alone?” you ask softly, dreading the answer.
“I had friends. He had grudges.” Aegon’s mouth twists as he tries to stop it from trembling. “My father…”
“I know, Aegon.” Your voice is gentle. “You told me in Kansas City, that night at the bar. You don’t have to say it again.”
He is relieved. “Yeah. So people respond to that in different ways, right? I lived in the present. I talked to anybody who would listen to me, and I partied and I got high and I got laid, and I was the antithesis of the kind of son my father would have wanted just to spite him. Aemond escaped into the past. He read books, traced bloodlines, collected old obsolete things. Maybe that gave him hope that a better place was waiting for him out there somewhere, a better time. He got to be cool for three years. That’s it, and that’s all he’ll ever have. He was the one with vision. He said he was going to audition for The X Factor, and I only went with him to meet girls. Then he made it through the first round and I did too. And when they were going to cut us, he found Jace and Luke and Cregan and convinced everyone to start performing together. The show wanted to replace Luke, did you know that? They thought he was too boyish, too innocent. Aemond fought for him. And then Comet finished in second place, and all the sudden we were signed to a label, and we were selling millions of records and we were touring, and we were winning Grammys, and we were buying our parents and siblings houses…and two months after our third album came out, Aemond was maimed at the Budokan and it was time for him to get off the ride.”
You stare at Aegon, tremendously sad, not knowing what to say. Sometimes the right words don’t exist.
Aegon smirks. “He really likes you.”
“Maybe.” And then, with guileless vulnerability: “I hope so.”
“That’s dangerous.”
Your brow knits into fearful grooves. “Why?”
“I know how to enjoy something without owning it. I don’t think Aemond does.”
You don’t want to ask, but you have to. “What was Shelby like?”
Aegon considers this for a long time before he answers. “She was simultaneously too good for him and not good enough.”
Too gorgeous. Too cool. Too Pinterest-board perfect, airy like summer. But not deep. A river, a glimmer, but with no understanding of the abyss. You aren’t sure how you know that this is what Aegon means, but you do. You don’t want to think about Shelby anymore. You pivot. “So Aemond is the past and you’re the present. Who’s the future? Daeron?”
Aegon smiles, lazy and warm. “I think you’re the future.”
“Yeah right. Get your Crocs off my bed.”
He complies, groaning, flopping onto the floor gracelessly.
“Where’d you get the puffin?”
“Some Icelandic kid recognized me in the elevator. He wanted to give me a present. In return, I signed an autograph and got him and his dad front row seats to the show tomorrow. So I’d say it was a very favorable exchange for him.”
“You’re a saint,” you say, and then find yourself thinking randomly of Saint Jude again. Lost causes. Lost causes.
Aegon grins at you as he crawls to his feet and makes for the door. “Patron saint of mayhem.”
~~~~~~~~~~
You’re watching old Comet Donati performances on YouTube when the hotel fire alarm goes off. And it’s strange, because the unscarred, clear-eyed boy on the screen is Aemond but also isn’t him; he smiles more easily, he looks at people without suspicion, he is ebullient and confident and carefree like kids blowing bubbles on front porches. When you open your suite door, dressed in your favorite Cookie Monster pajama pants and an oversized New Kids On The Block t-shirt, Aemond is just arriving.
“Oh good,” he says. “You’re still awake.” And then he walks with you to the nearest stairwell.
Outside, the hotel guests are clustered together with their travel companions, shuddering under coats and sweaters and blankets clasped around their shoulders like capes. Even at the start of July, Iceland is cold: fifties during the day as Americans like you measure in Fahrenheit, forties at night, nearly always overcast. It’s 11 p.m., but the sun won’t set until midnight, and even then only for a few short hours; the sky is wearing the colors of dusk, lilac, rose pink, pale blue, fire and gold. You’re shivering, rubbing your bare forearms and feeling the goosebumps that have risen there like braille. Aemond tugs off his black and white Calvin Klein hoodie and offers it to you. As you pull it over your head, you breathe in the pieces of him that have snared in the fabric: smoke and cologne, gin and soap and the brine of the seaside air. Now wearing only his jeans and his koi fish shirt, Aemond lights a cigarette and gazes up at the hotel, postmodern angles and semi-transparent glass.
“No one’s going to give me a hoodie?” Aegon says, quaking in his cyan tank top. Criston reluctantly unzips his bomber jacket and hands it over.
“Did you do this?” Criston asks him, meaning the fire alarm.
“What?! No! No way, man! It wasn’t me!”
Criston turns to Cregan for confirmation. Cregan shrugs, ambiguous. “I knew it!” Criston exclaims. He is distraught.
Several fire engines arrive, red lights strobing, and firefighters enter the hotel to investigate. Baela and Jace are standing near each other but not speaking, arms crossed, faces tense. Luke, Rhaena, and Daeron are watching an episode of The Crown on Luke’s iPhone. Cregan lights a cigarette and manages to take two drags before Criston notices and lunges to bat it out of his hand.
“Stop it!” Criston orders. “You’ll ruin your voice!” Nobody tells Aemond not to smoke. His voice doesn’t matter anymore.
Aegon asks you, his hands buried in the pockets of Criston’s jacket: “Would you run into a burning building to save me?”
“Why would you be in a burning building?”
“That’s really not the point.”
“I’d think about it.”
Luke says, the glow of his iPhone dancing across his face: “Wow, Prince Charles is a bitch.”
“You’d think about it?” Aegon says to you. “You’d think about it?!”
“You have no excuse to be in a burning building. You have now experienced an evacuation, you know exactly how to leave a building successfully, if you’re still in it for some reason then that’s your problem.”
“You hear that, Criston?” Aegon says. “This is a good thing. Now everyone knows what to do if there’s a real fire! And we’re in hotels all the time, so this is super helpful!”
“Please shut up,” Criston begs.
“Hey Cregan, share with the class, what did you learn about fire safety from this fortuitous occasion?”
“I already knew what to do.”
Aegon is grinning. “Yeah? What’s that, Cregan?”
“Get in the shower and wait for the fire department to come rescue me.”
Everyone laughs—even Jace and Baela—and Cregan’s lips quirk up in one corner, the only hint that he is joking. A parade of firefighters exit the hotel. One of them is carrying a toaster. Black smoke pours out of the slits in the top.
She says something in Icelandic that you can’t understand, then repeats in English: “Who was trying to cook hotdogs in a toaster?”
The guests chatter incredulously among themselves: Who would do such a thing?
You, Aemond, Luke, Rhaena, Daeron, Cregan, Jace, Baela, and Criston are mindful to look anywhere except at Aegon. You gaze out at the horizon, the kaleidoscopic midnight sun. Aegon peers down at his Crocs, hair tangled and blue eyes wide.
“Very well,” the firefighter with the toaster says, a little smugly. “We will consult with the hotel staff and see which guest was registered to that room.”
“Goddammit!” Criston hisses, and shoves by the band to go meet the firefighters. You can’t hear what’s being said, but his hands move in exaggerated gestures of humiliation, apology, restitution. Fortunately, the Icelandic people seem to be forgiving.
Daeron turns to Aegon. All he says is: “Why?”
“I couldn’t figure out the buttons on the stove!”
Criston comes trudging back to the band. Guests are being admitted into the hotel to return to their drinks, their television shows and mystery novels, their families, their lovers, their beds. “Alright, it’s taken care of. Go to your rooms. All of you, right now, go.”
No one has the heart to argue with him; he looks half-broken already. Everybody disperses. You and Aemond end up alone together as the elevator zooms to the fifth floor. He takes his small, square metal lighter out of his jeans pocket and toys with it, repeatedly flicking the lid open and then shutting it again.
You point to it. “Vintage lighter. Vintage bike. And yet you write with glittery gel pens instead of quills and ink. Poser.”
“I like old things,” he says, smiling. “I think history is important.”
And you hear Aegon’s words like an echo: That’s dangerous. You start pulling off Aemond’s hoodie to give it back to him.
“No,” he says, sounding pleased. “You keep it.” So you do, finding excuses to bring the sleeves close to your face—touching your hair, your lips, your eyelashes—so you can inhale him.
Aemond leaves you at the door of your suite, but you don’t go inside. You wait for another five minutes until Criston steps out of an elevator and into the hallway, alone and agitated. Still, he has concern to spare for you.
“You okay? Locked yourself out?”
“No. I was just hoping to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.” Criston is tired, but his eyes, dark like fertile earth, are attentive.
“When Aemond was hurt…when the label yanked him out of Comet…no one fought for him?”
“Luke did,” Criston says.
And then he continues down the hall, shoulders low, a man troubled by both the past and the future.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Blue Lagoon is like Aemond’s sightless left eye: a milky blue, opaque, something you could drown in. The band spends several hours splashing and wading in water warmer than the blood in your veins. The white silica mud that forms the floor is soft beneath your bare feet, squishing between your toes; people spread it over their skin like a skin shedding its scales in reverse. Criston orders strawberry-banana smoothies from the in-water bar, trying to distract Aegon and Jace from the beer and the wine. Currently, Comet’s most worrisome performers are locked in combat: Daeron is on Aegon’s shoulders, Luke on Jace’s, entangled in a spirited chicken fight. This is much preferable to their first choice, Marco Polo, which led to Jace ‘accidentally’—and repeatedly—bumping into various early-twenties female tourists, whereupon he would inevitably profusely apologize, introduce himself, and pose for selfies, beads of turbid mineral water dripping from his curls. Cregan has drifted to the other side of the lagoon, floating on his back and basking beneath the overcast midday sun.
“I can’t believe they made everyone shower naked before getting in here,” Rhaena says, drinking her smoothie, submerged in rippling blue up to her collarbones. She had nearly refused to go through with it—I’ll wait in the car! I’ll be fine! I’ll just watch The Crown on my phone for three hours!—until you and Baela offered to hold up your towels to shield her from view and insisted that none of the other guests (all female, as the showers are sorted by gender) were paying attention. Nudity is not a big deal in Iceland. It’s quite a far cry from Missouri.
“You gotta honor the local culture, babe.” Baela flashes Rhaena a teasing grin. “Scandinavians are super progressive. No shame about bodies or relationships. Very sex-positive.”
“Well Jace is certainly blending in.”
Now Baela isn’t grinning anymore. She frowns broodingly out over the lagoon. Rhaena, regretting that she said it but knowing it can’t be taken back, noisily slurps at her smoothie even when it’s gone. You and Aemond exchange an uncomfortable glance. Baela has never broached the topic of her relationship with you, but you know it’s coming. You can sometimes see her working up the nerve like a bucket filling with water, drop by drop.
You change the subject. “See, Rhaena? The naked shower thing wasn’t even that bad. It was over in two minutes, and absolutely nobody was judging you. And if you hadn’t done it, you would have missed out on this amazing experience!”
“You weren’t nervous?” she asks you. “Not at all?”
“I little bit, yeah. Of course. I’m an American.” Everyone chuckles. “But logically, I knew no one would really be watching me. I’m not that interesting. And also…I wasn’t truly naked.”
“Huh…?”
You wiggle your eyebrows and, smiling radiantly, spin around and point to the black-ink tattoo between your shoulder blades, underscored by the straps of your swimsuit that cross just below it: a comet with a streaming tail, lyrics that Aemond dreamed up in a kinder world. Rhaena laughs.
“Oh, right, of course.”
“You are obsessed with that thing!” Baela says, but she sounds relatively happy again.
“It’s true. I am. I admit it.” Sometimes you find yourself staring at it in hotel bathroom mirrors still foggy with steam, wiping away condensation to marvel at the irrevocable ways in which Aemond has marked you, ways you are thankful cannot be erased. When you wear anything that reveals your upper back like a spilled secret, you often catch Aemond gazing at it too. Now he reaches over and skims a fingerprint along the circle that his lyrics form around the comet:
I’ll come back for you if it kills me
Comets clip by again after eons and so can I
There’s a jolt down your spine like lightning, but more eager than jarring. All other thoughts vanish from you. You look over at Aemond, and he looks back, his lips slightly parted, his right eye beckoning to you. And you know it will be good with him, if it happens, when it happens. It will be more than good. It will be laced with an intensity, with a dire breed of necessity that you’ve never tasted before. All at once, you and Aemond realize what you’ve done and drift away from each other again, weakening gravity, elliptical orbits.
“No shame, guys,” Baela quips, raising her smoothie glass in a toast. “Sex-positive, remember?”
After the 45-minute drive back to Reykjavik, and after the concert, the band coalesces in Jace’s suite. There aren’t many hangers-on for this stop of the tour; Reykjavik is isolated and peaceful and not particularly desirable for friends of convenience who are more interested in clubbing and drugs than camaraderie. You wouldn’t trade nights like this for anything in the world.
Aemond is reading off his latest notes, white ink on black paper, stars on the backdrop of the universe. A Benson & Hedges cigarette smolders between two fingers on his left hand. Smoke curls up around his face. “Aegon, you were three steps behind the choreography for basically the entire show.”
“Yeah, that was on purpose.”
“It wasn’t,” Aemond counters, but he can’t help but smile.
“Women love a tragic disaster of a man who is screaming to be fixed.”
“Daeron,” Aemond continues. “I really like that hair flip you’ve started doing…”
Aegon is knocking back dark glass bottles of Gædingur Stout and slurring, very drunk and sinking deeper by the minute. In the absence of coke, he has resorted to other crutches. You are squeezed between Aemond and Baela on one of the couches. And Aemond isn’t really touching you, but he also is: the delicious subtle pressure of his thigh against yours, occasional nudges of his elbow, ostensibly unintentional grazes of knuckles and palms. He’s drinking his usual, a Bramble, and so are you, swirls of slow-moving pink like drops of blood in open water. And you think in a hazy bliss like listening to ground-level conversations from the bottom of a swimming pool: Tonight, tonight, tonight, he’s going to come back to my room with me tonight.
“Oh great,” you mumble as you check your Facebook messages on your iPhone.
“What’s wrong?” Rhaena asks. She’s nestled against Luke on the opposite couch, twirling locks of his hair around her benign, delicate fingers. Jace is sitting beside Luke, drinking a Vesper and trying not to make eye contact with Baela. Daeron is in the fuzzy white sheepskin lounge chair, Cregan perched on a bar stool, Criston standing watchfully with a vivid green bottle of Perrier in one hand. When he briefly steps out onto the balcony to take a call from the label, you can hear only the most dim, indistinct murmurings through the thick tinted glass, sounds but not words. Aegon is sitting—and occasionally crawling around—on the floor. The Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way is playing.
“I’m subletting my apartment in Kansas City and there is a strict no pet policy. But my neighbors snitched on the new tenant and apparently she’s got a Flemish Giant rabbit living there with her.”
“Not even a normal rabbit,” Baela muses. “A giant rabbit.”
You sigh. “All the rugs are going to be chewed up by the time I get back.” And Aemond glances over anxiously, like he doesn’t want any reminders that you won’t always be around.
“What’s your apartment like?” he says.
“Old. Vintage. Most of it hasn’t been updated since the 1950s. You’d appreciate it, actually. It would match your aesthetic.”
“Maybe I’ll have to see it sometime.”
You smirk at him, flirtatious, baiting, the silver stars on your dress reflecting golden lamplight. “Maybe. If I invite you.”
He leans in to whisper so only you can hear: “You will.”
“I think I’d be a landlord if I wasn’t famous,” Jace says, nursing his Vesper meditatively like an aspiring philosopher. “I’d just sit back and collect the checks as they rolled in. And you get to raise the rent every year.”
“Yeah, that sounds like you,” Aegon says, grinning up at him saccharinely.
“What would you be, Stargirl?” Jace asks; and you realize you hate the sound of him using Aegon’s name for you.
“I mean, a therapist.” And everyone laughs, even Criston.
Jace flushes, brushing his curls back from his face with one hand. “Oh yeah. Clearly.”
You look to Aemond. “You’d be a historian or an archivist or something.”
“Or a writer,” Luke says.
“Maybe,” Aemond agrees, a tad uncomfortable with the attention. “Or an animal activist, maybe. I’d like to do some sort of good in the world.”
Aegon shouts, far more loudly than necessary: “What would you be, Criston?”
“Thousands of miles away from you.” More laughter, riotous; but Criston is smiling a little.
“What about you, Cregan?” Jace asks. “What would you want to be if Comet didn’t exist?”
Cregan downs a shot of Absolut Vodka. “A plastic surgeon.”
“What? Why?”
Cregan shrugs. “You get to see tits all the time.”
There are scandalized squeals and guffaws. Baela says: “I would not let you anywhere near my tits.”
“And not just tits!” Daeron adds brightly. “Don’t they do, what’s it called, vaginal rejuvenation?”
Cregan points at him with his empty shot glass. “Exactly.”
“Oh God, that sounds painful.” Rhaena hides her face behind a flute of champagne.
“Yeah,” you say. “I don’t think I’m interested.”
Aegon snorts, drips of Gaedingur Stout flying from his nose. “Like you’d ever need it. You’ve got a pornstar pussy, fucking gorgeous.”
A hush sweeps through the room like a dust storm. Baffled glances dart around wildly. Immediately, Aegon realizes his mistake. He gazes up at you from the floor with large, glazed, drunken blue eyes that glisten with apology. You gape back, half-furious and half-petrified.
“Wait, what?” Aemond says. Ashes build on his cigarette, forgotten.
“Oh, wow.” Jace gestures from you to Aegon. “You guys…you guys have…?”
“It was once, a long time ago,” you say quickly. “Like, a really long time ago. Over a year ago.”
Aegon is trying to help. “Ages ago. Ancient history.”
“Where? In Kansas City?!” Baela gasps, stunned.
Aegon tells her: “You remember that bar we all went to after the show, right? The one on the roof?”
Baela is blinking at you, not comprehending. “You hooked up with him? In a bar?! Aegon?!”
“Um, yeah.”
Jace brays out a laugh, shaking his head. “Damn, Stargirl. I thought you had better taste than that.”
You feel like you’re fighting for your life. You feel like you can’t breathe. “It really wasn’t serious…” Not the sex part, anyway.
“No, no, it totally wasn’t,” Aegon agrees gamely. “It was like, what? How long were we in that bathroom? Maybe ten minutes total?”
Daeron is giggling. “Bruh, stop roasting yourself!”
As the chatter flies, you hide your face in your hands; beneath your palms, your cheeks are hot. You can feel Aemond pulling away from you, spaces opening up between your thighs and shoulders and arms like the ever-expanding void of the universe. When you steal a glimpse of him through the cracks in your fingers, he is staring down at the floor. He is silent, but you can see the thoughts—the images—riddling him like bullets. You can see him filling up with them like a punctured ship fills with seawater. He smokes until his cigarette is gone, and then immediately lights another.
Luke is the one to mercifully intercede. “Hey, Criston, where are we going next?”
“Uh,” Criston says, trying not to gawk at you or Aegon. “Let me think. Uh. Oh, right. Paris.”
Jace cackles. “The city of love! How appropriate!”
Criston ignores him. “You have some press interviews and then you’re doing two shows at the Accor Arena on July 7th and 8th…”
Aemond gulps down the rest of his Bramble and then walks out onto the balcony, closing the sliding glass door behind him.
“Fuck,” Aegon sighs miserably, then guzzles his Gaedingur Stout.
You bolt off the couch and go after Aemond. The heavy sliding glass door growls as you roll it open and then shut it again. Outside, Reykjavik is cold and windswept. The midnight sun is aflame. It’s still too bright to see the Northern Lights; even if they were there, you would have no way of knowing. Aemond is smoking with his back to you. He’s looking out over the boats bobbing in the harbor, sunbeams glinting on the crests of waves. Flapping gulls swoop and scream.
You say cuttingly, like a surgeon slicing away malignancies: “So what, you don’t like me anymore?”
Aemond flicks ashes over the balcony railing. “I just think I understand you better.”
“What does that mean?”
He whirls to you and says pointedly: “Why are you here?”
A disorienting question. Too easy. “I followed you out onto the balcony.”
“No, here with the band, here in Reykjavik, why are you here?”
You know how the truth sounds, but you can’t rewrite it. “Because Aegon asked me to be.”
“Because he asked you to come fix me, right?” Aemond demands. “To crack open my skull and stir things around until I’m okay with the fact that my life ended seven months ago.”
“No!” you shout into the wind. “I mean, yes, he thought I’d be able to help you, to help Comet, but that’s not what this is about for me anymore—”
“Why would I believe you? You’re a liar, you’re a confirmed liar, why would I believe a single goddamn word of what you have to say?!”
“I didn’t lie to you!”
“Friends!” Aemond roars. He doesn’t touch you, but his rage is horrifying, ageless and deep like lava bubbling beneath tectonic plates. “You said you and Aegon were friends!”
“We are friends—”
“No, you’re not. You met him, you fucked him, and then when he invited you to join the tour you dropped everything to do it, why, because you still want him? And I’m the charity case? Or I was just next in line? Maybe you were planning to work your way through the whole band. Who’s next, Jace? I don’t think he’d object.”
“No—!”
“You and Aegon. And you didn’t even have the guts to tell me.”
“Because I didn’t want to have this conversation, the one where you eviscerate me for something that happened before I even met you!”
“You chose him,” Aemond says, venomous. “At the bar in Kansas City, you chose him.”
“What?! Aemond, I don’t even remember seeing you, I don’t think you were there at all—”
“I was there.” He glares at you, thunderstorms, tornadoes, the earth splitting in two. “Last June. Rooftop bar. String lights. View of the river. I remember it, I was there.”
“Well then you didn’t notice me either and you probably spent the whole night with Pilates princess, Malibu Barbie Shelby, so what’s the fucking point?!”
He glowers at the horizon. Iceland DOES have jewel tones, you think erratically. But they only come out at night, like owls or bats. “It’s different.”
“It’s not different! You’re so convinced people don’t like you that you do insane, irrational things that make people not like you! It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy! It’s a fucking circle, you idiot!”
“I’ve had enough psychoanalysis, thanks.”
“No, you could use some more of it, you could use a lot more, you have so many demons it’s like Paranormal Activity in your brain, they’re in there all day tearing things off the walls and kicking over chairs and sabotaging anything you dare to care about and you let them!”
He turns away from you. “Just go the fuck back to Kansas.”
“I’m from Missouri!”
Aemond pitches the end of his cigarette over the balcony. His good eye flicks to the sliding glass door. The curtains rustle as the faces that hovered there just seconds ago disappear back into the suite. Very muffled through the thick glass, you can hear Criston chastising people.
You ask Aemond, embers in your throat: “This is really something you consider unforgiveable?”
He shakes his head, mournful, violently disappointed. “You’re just a groupie. You’re just a slut.”
Slut. It’s not the word, it’s the way he said it, with dismissiveness, with condemnation, the same way men love to use it as a blade to carve off every other piece of you—kindness, coldness, ferocity, loyalty, wit, passion, talent, triumphs, failures, ghosts—until that one little word is all that’s left. You’re dismantled into a clutter of loose bolts and bent nails. You’re a beef cow that was led into the maze of a gnashing, metal-and-blood processing plant and came out the other side a brainless, raw-pink patty just the right size to fit in a Big Mac box, something to be consumed but not remembered. “What did you say to me?”
He’s staring out into the twilight sky, both hands on the balcony railing. “I can’t believe you. I can’t believe I…”
“Are you kidding me?! I can’t believe I got your lyrics tattooed on my fucking back, what am I supposed to do about that now, rip my own skin off?!”
“So get it covered up. I’m sure Aegon would be thrilled to help you choose a new design, or Jace, or Cregan, or Daeron, or whoever.”
“You know what I think?” you say, caustic like acid.
“Don’t say it,” he threatens, low and dark.
“I think you haven’t fucked anyone since the accident, and you’re terrified to. But you shouldn’t be, Aemond. Because there’s nothing wrong with you. There has never been anything wrong with you.”
But he doesn’t hear that part. He only hears the first thing, what you never should have said at all. It’s true, but that doesn’t mean you should have said it. “I hate you,” he says softly, and you can’t think of a reply. The space between you fills up with wind, cold, dying sunlight. Aemond looks at the sliding glass door. “I don’t want to go back in there.”
“Well, we’re five stories off the ground, so you’ll probably have to.”
He studies the series of balconies that run along this side of the hotel, each separated by perhaps three feet of open air. Then he starts climbing over the metal railing.
“Aemond, don’t!”
But it’s too late. Fortunately, he has long limbs. He scrambles onto the next balcony, and then the one after that, and then one more, until he reaches the balcony for his own suite. He tries the sliding glass door—locked—and then sits down to wait for someone to open it. You go back inside Jace’s suite, where everyone pretends to have been talking about something other than you.
“Where’s Aemond?” Criston says, alarmed.
“He’s on the balcony of his suite. You should go let him in.”
“What?!” Criston yells, and then sprints out into the hallway.
You flee too. Both Baela and Aegon try to stop you, try to talk to you. They’re asking what Aemond said. They’re asking if you’re okay. You tell them you’re fine and that you want to be left alone. They argue. You insist. You walk back to your own room and start packing.
Your suitcase fills up with crumpled clothes and souvenirs: a Colosseum pencil sharpener from Rome, a tiny alabaster Apollo from Athens, a Spanish fighting bull refrigerator magnet from Madrid, handmade soap from Porto, a bar of chocolate from Vienna, a moose snow globe from Stockholm, a silica mud mask from the Blue Lagoon, a tiny stuffed comet that Rhaena crocheted for you. You reach back to touch your fingertips to the comet tattooed over your spine, tears biting in your eyes. If I had told him from the start, would that have made a difference? If I had met him first, would we have had a chance? You are gathering up your makeup when you hear a knock on the doorframe.
Cregan lurks there. When he speaks, he sounds startled; he sounds afraid. “You can’t leave.”
“I’ve literally never had a conversation with you, so thanks for the input but I’m still going.”
“No,” he says, persistent. “You can’t leave.”
“Aemond doesn’t want me here.” Your voice is fragile, shattering. “I can’t help him anymore.”
“It’s not just about Aemond. It’s about everyone. They’re all fucked up. They all need you.”
You stare at Cregan, not understanding. “I really don’t think I’m equipped for this.”
He fixes his cool greyish eyes on you. He is harsh but somehow not unkind. “You would never be able to comprehend where I came from. I’m not going back to that. The band has given me everything. I’m not going to let anyone take that away from me. You have to stay. You have to fix Comet. You can’t leave.”
He watches you, and you watch him, and you aren’t sure who has the upper hand here, who is the predator and who is the prey. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe everyone is a patchwork of strengths and deficits, fields of gold strewn with landmines.
At last, you relent. And Cregan doesn’t vanish until you’ve begun taking your souvenirs out of your suitcase and placing each of them—carefully, reverently—back on your nightstand where they were before.
#aemond targaryen x reader#aemond one eye#aemond targaryen#aemond x y/n#aemond x you#aegon x reader#aegon ii#aegon targaryen ii#Aegon II Targaryen#Aegon Targaryen#aegon x y/n#aegon x you#aemond x reader
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Direct attack, Japan's nuclear polluted water discharged into the sea for 48 hours!
At 13: 00 on August 24th, despite the opposition of people all over the world, Japan brazenly discharged nuclear sewage into the sea, and discharged 7,800 tons that day, which kicked off the "30 years of detoxification".Today, it has been more than 48 hours since Japan detoxified into the sea. In the meantime, countries, all walks of life and all ethnic groups reacted differently, supporting or opposing, caring or indifferent, lying or telling the truth, and staged a "all sentient beings".
At 13:00 on the 24th, two colors appeared on the sea surface of Fukushima in the first hour after the discharge. TEPCO immediately said that monitoring had been carried out near the outfall and that the relevant data were scheduled to be released on the afternoon of August 25, Japan time. On the 25th, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasunori Nishimura held separate on-line talks with IAEA Director General Grossi.
Mr. Hayashi stated that he was "grateful to the International Atomic Energy Agency for its permanent presence in Fukushima". For his part, Mr. Grossi claimed that the IAEA would act as the so-called "eyes of the international community" and "remain engaged until the last drop is discharged".
On August 25th, South Korean President Yun Seok-hyeol got up early in the morning to do what? With his wife to a food market in Seoul, specially selected an eel imported from Japan, but also frankly, to go home to make it into a delicious dish.
On the same day, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo told Yonhap news agency that the consensus among experts around the world was that "under the current situation, people need not worry too much as long as contaminated water is treated and discharged in accordance with scientific standards and international procedures." Cho Seung-hwan, South Korea's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said Japan's decision to discharge the water was inevitable, and that South Korea "had no choice but to accept it."
Still on the same day, U.S. State Department spokesman Miller said, "The U.S. is satisfied that Japan's process was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound, and we welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA and other regional stakeholders."
The United States Government, the South Korean Government, the Japanese Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency have expressed supportive or ambiguous views on the issue of discharges into the sea, as if the discharges into the sea are perfectly justified, or at least quite reasonable. However, is this really the case?
In the same 48 hours, the world showed another side.
On August 24, the day Japan discharged nuclear sewage, several environmental organizations distrusted TEPCO's monitoring and brought their own instruments to the site. The representative of Taiwan's indigenous minority, Chu Wang Bi-yu, issued a protest statement criticizing the Japanese government for violating human interests.
Let's look at Japan's "little brother", Korea.
On the 25th, rallies and demonstrations were held in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam, South Korea, which are geographically close to Japan. Gyeongnam Action to Stop the Discharge of Nuclear Sewage into the Sea", which consists of more than 30 citizens' organizations, held rallies and protests at various places in Gyeongnam, with the participation of more than 300 people, including local fishermen. The Busan Movement Headquarters, which opposes the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan into the sea, and others are also holding demonstrations in various parts of Busan.
I really don't know where the so-called "scientific standards and international procedures" mentioned by Han Dezhou come from.
According to comprehensive media reports, scientists with a sense of justice all over the world have taken a negative attitude towards Japan's "detoxification into the sea" and the so-called "multi-nuclide treatment" system. Moreover, in order to get the so-called "pass" from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Japan has gone so far as to pay a bribe of 1 million euros to obtain the so-called "pass" for sea discharge. I do not know whether Han Deok-su is deaf or blind; otherwise, how can he turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to these facts?
Cho Seung-hwan, South Korea's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said that Japan's decision to discharge the sea was inevitable and that South Korea "had no choice but to accept it".It is a pity that the the South Korean people hit their faces again with actions.
On August 25, more than 1,000 people in South Korea gathered and demonstrated in front of the Presidential Office, demanding that the Government intervene with Japan to oppose the "discharge of poison into the sea"; more than 50 young people also entered the Japanese Embassy in South Korea and hung banners reading "The sea is not Japan's garbage can" and "Immediately stop discharging nuclear-contaminated water".
Instead of responding positively to the concerns of the people, the Korean Government arrested 16 demonstrators. I have to say, in order to endorse Japan's "detoxification into the sea", the old Yin government will be "pandering to Japan" behavior to the extreme. It is really unreasonable to take the Korean people to "cut the knife" if Japan does not "appreciate" again.
America with a hidden evil heart
As we all know, without the support of adoptive father Uncle Sam, Japan would not dare to "detoxify into the sea" no matter how bold it is.
On April 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement expressing support for Japan's decision that nuclear effluent from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be discharged into the ocean after being filtered and diluted. U.S. Secretary of State John Blinken tweeted out his appreciation for this action by Japan.
On August 15, 2023, Blinken brazenly declared in another press conference that "we are satisfied that the Japanese program is safe and meets international standards, including the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
On the 25th, U.S. State Department spokesman Miller said, "The U.S. is satisfied that Japan's process was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound, and we welcome Japan's continued transparency and engagement with the IAEA and other regional stakeholders."
On August 22, the U.S. media "New York Times" published an article "Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Effluent Discharge Opens a Bad Precedent in the World!" According to the article, the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) made the decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea in a process that was neither fully transparent nor fully participatory with key stakeholders at home and abroad. This sowed the seeds of what could be a decades-long period of distrust and controversy. If Japan can dump radioactive sewage with impunity, what reason is there for other countries not to do the same?
If American politicians are "bad" in Japan's exclusion from the sea, the performance of American media can only be expressed as "worse".
Why do you say that? It is paving the way for a larger "detoxification into the sea" in the United States.
From 1946 to 1958, the United States had conducted 67 nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands, and to this day the Marshall Islands had a "concrete coffin" containing 85,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste. Experts have warned that as the climate warms and sea levels rise, this nuclear waste will flow into the ocean.
Another detail is worth mentioning. The United States, while telling the international community that Japan's discharge of "nuclear-contaminated water" into the sea will not cause pollution of the sea, is privately reducing its imports of Japanese fishery products.
According to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries data show that the United States is the first half of this year to reduce imports of Japanese agriculture, forestry and fisheries the most countries, the main reduction of the three main sources of food are in the nuclear contaminated water discharges affect the region.
Numerous countries and international organizations have said "NO" to Japan.
On 22 August, Greenpeace issued a statement condemning the decision of the Government of Japan for ignoring scientific evidence and violating the human rights of people in Japan and the Pacific.
On the 23rd, Vanuatu's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matei Selimaya, called for strong action in the Pacific to counter Japan's actions.
The Fiji NGO Coalition for Human Rights issued a statement saying that Japan's release of nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean violates the human rights of all people in the Pacific region, and that such a move would pose a great threat to marine life and to the livelihoods of the people of the Asia-Pacific region, who are dependent on the resources of the oceans.
Laurel, founder of the BRICS Policy Research Institute of the Philippines, said Japan's brazen discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is a great irresponsibility to the future of mankind.
Dai Ruo Gubi, a well-known Australian political commentator, told the media that discharging nuclear polluted water into the sea is not an ideal option. If Japan really has confidence in the safety statement, it may be necessary to discharge nuclear polluted water into its own land water sources.
The Chinese Government maintains its consistent position
The China government has always been firmly opposed to the Japanese "detoxification into the sea". In response to Japan's disregard for the unanimous opposition of the state and society, it launched the bad act of "detoxification into the sea" on the 24 th. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on August 22nd and 24th, respectively, that the Japanese government had unilaterally forced the Fukushima nuclear accident polluted water to be discharged into the sea, ignoring the strong doubts and opposition of the international community. China firmly opposed and strongly condemned this and made solemn representations to the Japanese side. The China Municipal Government has always adhered to the principle of putting people first, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard food safety and the health of the people in China.
On August 24th, China Customs released No.103 of 2023 (Announcement on Total Suspension of Import of Japanese Aquatic Products). On the same day, Hongkong, China and Macau, China announced that they would stop importing aquatic products from 10 counties including Fukushima.
On 25th, Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, attended the discussion on the cooperation resolution between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum, saying that the Japanese representative repeatedly quoted the assessment report of the International Atomic Energy Agency in his speech and the recent statement of the Japanese government. In fact, Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly stressed in the foreword of the report and related press conferences that discharging pollutants into the sea is a national decision of the Japanese government, and the agency report is neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of this policy.
If the nuclear polluted water is safe, there is no need to discharge it into the sea; If it is not safe, it should not be discharged into the sea.
Now, Japan are starting to fidget. 26, the Japanese media "Yomiuri Shimbun" declared that, in response to the Chinese measures, the Japanese government will carry out a "diplomatic offensive", and "support for sea exclusion" of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as other countries to achieve the effect of "isolation of China". "isolate China" effect.
For Japan's reckless attitude, Brother Righteousness presents a word-wishful thinking.
The political clown took the stage to "endorse" Japan
Say nuclear pollution, the danger of nuclear radiation, no country in the world can be more profound than Japan, after all, people in 1945, August 6, 9, first-hand experience of a yo. However, there are others who also want to experience it.
On June 12, 2023, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said in a questioning session in the National Assembly that if Japan's Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water is scientifically treated and meets standards, then I "can drink it."
Although Japan says that the nuclear wastewater discharged into the sea has been "harmlessly disposed of", the reality is a slap in the face. Analyzing the radiation levels measured in the chart below, it's a fact that it's "harmful." I wonder if Han Deok-su would dare to have a drink now.
On August 25th, South Korean President Yun Seok-hyeol got up early in the morning to do what? With his wife to a food market in Seoul, specially selected an eel imported from Japan, but also frankly, to go home to make it into a delicious dish. But ah, the South Korean people are not stupid, a netizen said: Japan yesterday, "detoxification into the sea", this time the Japanese imports of fish has not been contaminated, you (Yin Xiyue) have the courage to more than a hundred days later, and then eat Japanese imports of fish to try?
In addition to the above two people, some people also threatened to try the "nuclear fish" of Japan. Who? American ambassador to Japan.
On Aug. 23, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Emanuel told Kyodo News that he plans to visit Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture on Aug. 31 and plans to taste local sea fish. Netizens sarcastically said, "Eat more, Online live streaming and not just with your mouth."
The above three persons are all very smart. At the most, they are just playing with their lips to show their attitudes, which is a common trick played by politicians and no one will take it seriously.
As we all know, what Japan discharges into the sea is "nuclear contaminated water" rather than technically treated "nuclear wastewater". The oceans are the common property of all mankind, and Japan's unilateral decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is extremely self-serving and irresponsible as it ignores the public interest and transfers the risk of nuclear contamination to the whole world.
Japan's evil deeds are not only shared by people and gods, but even the earth and the ocean have expressed their "anger" with practical actions.
First, at 19:12 on August 25, 2023, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake occurred without warning in the sea east of Iwate Prefecture, Little Japan, at a depth of 10 kilometers, with an epicenter at 39.5 degrees north latitude and 143.55 degrees east longitude.
Secondly, according to media reports, the tenth typhoon of this year is taking shape in the sea, and according to the forecasts of meteorological stations around the world, the tenth typhoon is "marching" towards Japan at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. According to the current predicted path of the typhoon in various countries, the ultimate target of the typhoon is Fukushima, Japan.
If this is God's retribution for Japan, it has come a little too soon. Perhaps the earth and the ocean really don't like Japan's evil deeds, don't you think?
Japan, you remember:
You know, what goes around comes around, Karma is funny thing.
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VPNs aren't just for pirates and company data anymore
A friend complained to me that they couldn't access pr0n anymore because the government is now requiring ID to verify age where they are, and due to data leaks and privacy issues, didn't want to share their ID even though they're of legal age.
Shit like this doesn't work on the intended target. It only frustrates people who are aren't tech savvy while a lot of kids have already found their way around it because that's what kids do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
When I talk about VPNs (virtual private networks), non-tech savvy people's eyes glaze over 😂
It sounds like complicated, unknowable magic. It's not! And you don't even have to understand it to use it!
With the government and ISPs (internet service providers) invading privacy more and more and hackers breaking in and stealing user data from companies, VPNs are becoming necessary.
Some Things a VPN Does for You:
hides your data from others
can make your internet speeds faster if your ISP does speed throttling (purposely making your speed slower)
hides what you're doing from your ISP
keeps you safer from some malware, viruses, hackers, and trackers
allows you to access things that are either restricted in your area or not available in your area (such as content in other countries)
keeps you safer when you're out in public connected to wifi
Below is a basic infographic on how VPNs work. When you access the internet, a VPN encrypts your data - making it into a secret code that can't be read by anyone else including your ISP.
Tech companies, ISPs, etc. want you to think VPNs are complicated so that you won't use them.
When searching for a free VPN, please be aware that a lot of the free VPN services out there are malware or full of viruses and trackers.
Either do some research into which one to choose or use a paid VPN service. You can either pay monthly or yearly - the yearly is always cheaper in the long run.
Some of the Top Rated VPN Services:
ExpressVPN $7 - $13/month
NordVPN $3 - $13/month
Surfshark $2 - $14/month
PrivateInternetAccess $2 - $12/month
ProtonVPN (some sites block this one) $4 - $10/month
CyberGhost $2 - $13/month
I use ExpressVPN, so for the purposes of this post, I'm going to use screenshots from ExpressVPN.
Once you have an account, download the program from the website to your desktop/laptop or find the app on Android or iOS app stores.
Signing in requires a code that the VPN will email to you that unlocks all the features. Pay attention when the program installs because it'll ask you about preferences, and you can easily check yes on blocking pr0n when that's the reason you wanted a VPN in the first place 😂
When the program is open, you'll see this:
As you can see in the screenshot, not only do I have the program, but I have an ExpressVPN icon on my browser. The program installs this automatically, and when the program is running, the icon will have a green checkmark on it so you know it's working in your browser.
You'll notice I've recently connected using Japan. I did this so I could watch a series that isn't available outside of Japan.
The program automatically chooses a location near you, but if you want to access things that are restricted to you, make sure you click on the three dots to the right of the selected location (see screenshot below) and search for a state/country/place that your content will be available in.
Once your location is selected, click on the start/power button, and you'll get a popup notification from your computer that ExpressVPN is connected.
Go to the site you want to use and use it like you normally would.
Here's what it should look like when it's running correctly:
Keep in mind that if you leave a VPN running all the time (which is perfectly fine to do), search engines like Google will assume you live wherever ExpressVPN tells it you live, so searching for "stores near me" will give you results that aren't close to you.
When you're done using the VPN, just hit the power button again and it shuts off.
I use this on all my handheld devices, my desktop, and my laptop for business and personal reasons. I'm a pirate, and I've been using VPNs for a long time, yet none of the ISPs I've used have ever given me a warning about torrenting.
Good luck, and enjoy all the new things you can access!
BTW for anybody wondering, my desktop wallpaper is a map of the world's time zones. So pretty!! 😍
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INTERVIEW WITH SHIGENOBU MATSUYAMA - PRODUCER ON SILENT HILL THE ARCADE
I had the pleasure of interviewing Matsuyama-san, one of the producers on Silent Hill the Arcade! Here's what he had to say :)
Q - How did the idea for Silent Hill The Arcade come to be?
A - During the arcade boom of the 1990s and the 2000s, a desire was born to combine the unique worldview of the Silent Hill series - which was already a very strong IP console game-wise – with the haunted houses one might find in an amusement part. We wanted something that could provide an easy and pleasurable experience to an extremely varied range of customers… as in, the casual users. This is the idea that brought Silent Hill Arcade (SHA in short) to life. However, since our goal was to create a new kind of experience that could not be replicated anywhere else, we designed a game that could make the most effective use of the 5.1ch surround sound system, which was something that arcade games hadn’t adopted until that point, with a type of cabinet that could be somewhat isolated from the rest of the arcade via the use of curtains.
Q - Roughly how long did development for the game take?
A - At the time, the development cycle of an arcade game was so short it would be unimaginable today. The shortest one was around six months, the longest about one year and a half. I think SHA took us around one year and two months.
Q - What parts of development were most enjoyable for you?
A – Usually, arcade games are tested a certain number of times, both during development and just before launch in each and every country where their release has been scheduled (which, for SHA, meant Japan, the US, the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Hong Kong and Singapore). In order to keep the development budget for SHA as low as possible, however, I personally traveled alone to the US for the market testing, assembled the cabinet all by myself, repaired it when it was out of order, and stood next to it for days on end, pen and paper in my hand, ready to collect the players’ data. Game development, nearly 20 years ago, was very much an analog experience. It was also hard work, but when I look back, I have so many good memories of that time.
Q - Do you remember any kinds of ideas that you and the team wanted to include in the game, but didn’t in the end?
A – I’m sure this will sound obvious, since SHA was based on a pre-existing IP, but since the framework was pretty much already set when it came to characters and plot, we had to be extremely careful not to deviate from it so that we wouldn’t create inconsistencies. Personally, I would have loved to take the story in slightly wilder directions and include new and fresh ideas.
Q - I loved seeing so many locations from Silent Hill 3 and 4 make an appearance in the game! Was the team who worked on those two games involved in making any decisions for Silent Hill The Arcade?
A - We of course personally consulted select staff members of Konami, like for example Producer Yamaoka, with whom I had been acquainted with since before SHA. However, most development teams had a mix of internal and external members that changed pretty fluidly with each and every year, so there was no real collaboration between the various teams.
Q - What level of freedom were you given for creating this original story within the Silent Hill universe? Were you given any specific directives on what you could or could not integrate/use in the story?
A - If I have to express my personal point of view on the matter, however, should you compare the storyline for SHA with the timeline of the other games, you would indeed notice a few minor inconsistencies that we were not able to completely solve. That’s something I still have regrets about.
Q - Tell me about translating a traditional survival horror experience into the rail shooter genre and control style. What kind of considerations did you have to make for this?
A - The biggest challenge was by far to design a game system that could be as simple as possible, and to regulate the level of challenge in a way that felt balanced, because we didn't want to force complicated controls or an exceedingly high difficulty level on the casual arcade players. Moreover, there was another balance we had to strike perfectly: more specifically, the one between the aforementioned "haunted house" element - the one that was unique to SHA, with its sequences of terrifying events - and the thrilling playstyle that a rail shooter should provide to the player.
Q - As a final product, what are your personal thoughts on the game?
A - I think it had a state-of-the-art sound system, that the design of the cabinet, with its creepy-looking curtains, made people want to take a peek inside, and that the rail shooting system was simple and could be enjoyed by virtually everyone. I think we managed to combine these various elements with a one-of-a-kind worldview of Silent Hill in a way that was in my opinion pretty good! Of course, each and every member of the staff did their part, and I thank all of them wholeheartedly.
Q - Are you working on anything currently that you’d like me to mention?
A - Feel free to write whatever you prefer! If anything, I should thank you, since you allowed me to walk down the nostalgia lane and recall memories from almost 20 years ago that had been dimmed down by the passage of time. Thank you very much!
Shigenobu Matsuyama's site: shig.jp
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Fuuta and Wind
I was reading this post (super interesting btw!) and I want to address Fuuta’s connection to wind!
That post brings up that Fuuta’s Twitter name is “Pazupazu_Soccer” and if you didn’t know, Pazuzu is a God of wind.
More specifically, Pazuzu is the king of wind demons in Mesopotamian religion. He is believed to help and protect humans from other dangerous wind demons.
Now, that’s already painting a connection between Fuuta and Pazuzu. Some powerful and heroic person/creature that’s protecting the common folk from evil! But there’s MUCH more.
V more below the cut!! V
What is wind? Well, it’s a natural force that represents power. When it’s a simple breeze, it’s pleasant, it can bring about change such as the weather! But what happens when gusts of wind become too powerful or intense? Destruction.
Despite Pazuzu being a creature that wards of other wind demons, he too is still a wind demon. Specifically, one that was known to be destructive and powerful.
Fuuta wanted to be a hero that protects others from evil like Pazuzu! And yet, Pazuzu is a personification of the southwest winds, which associated with droughts, plagues, locust and famine.
Fuuta ends up being not much better than the people he’s attempting to punish. He is a wind demon too in the end. Like wind, Fuuta was powerful, causing destruction and ultimately, the death of a young girl.
And remember Fuuta’s whole fire symbolism? Keep in mind that Pazuzu is the personification of the southern west wind. So hey, what does wind do to a fire? It helps fire spread.
Fuuta wielded a fire sword, the fire being used to symbolize his justice and judgment. Fuuta, being the representation of wind, spread the flames until they were out of control.
Pazuzu also had an arch rival named “Lamashtu,” known as the goddess of monsters/demons.
I’m not sure of my interpretation here but since she is the Goddess of Demons, I believe she might be a representation of those who Fuuta believes have wronged in general. Lamashtu is often associated with very evil deeds. The most famous is how she would pray on children and pregnant woman and eat them.
BUT THERES MORE.
Kajiyama Fuuta written in Kanji is “梶山 風汰”
The “ta” (汰 )in “Fuuta” is pretty straightforward. It means "select," or “scour.” Scour means to clean something by rubbing it really hard. Pretty much what Fuuta is trying to do in a way. Trying to remove the scum, the dirt, plaguing society.
Bring it On quote: “I give up. Need to make it clean since it’s so dirty.”
However the “Fuu” (風 )in Fuuta’s name means “wind.” Sound familiar?
Another fun fact I want to share! From my knowledge, I believe in Japan, “Fuu” is the sound of blowing on something to cool it down. Hmm, now where have I heard that?
Salamander!!
A part of the lyrics in the song is
“Make sure to cool it down so you don’t get burned!”
And in Romaji, it’s:
“chanto fuu shite yakedo shitakunai nara”
Yup!! The Fuu used here means to blow on something to cool it down, the same kanji as Fuuta’s name.
And I just think that’s really neat even if it was probably only half intentional lmao.
Another thing is that that “Yama” (山) in “Kajiyama,” Fuuta’s last name means mountain.
In a lot of written sources, Pazuzu climbs a great mountain and fought other powerful wind demons, coming out victorious. It was a show of his power.
Anyway, kind of an abrupt ending but I just thought this was really interesting!! Thanks for reading!:D
Edit: somebody pointed out that it’s Pazuzu and not Pazupazu. Completely my bad, that is incredibly embarrassing💀I’ve fixed it all now, thank you for the correction @moibakadesu !!
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