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welcometothejianghu · 3 months

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Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 民国奇探/My Roommate is a Detective.

My Roommate is a Detective is a 2020 drama about the Jazz Age shenanigans of a terrible OT3: a useless noodle boy, a spoiled journalist girl, and a handsome thug-turned-cop, who together solve Agatha Christie mysteries in 1920s Shanghai.

I mean, seriously, have you ever wondered what Hercule Poirot would be like if he were a 6'2" Chinese rubber man? If he had a long-suffering sugar daddy from the wrong side of the tracks and a spunky sugar mommy who owned their shared apartment? The answer is, it would be a laugh-out-loud-funny series about a ridiculous and charming assortment of weirdos solving only slightly believable murder mysteries in charming period clothing.

This is another one of those shows where I'm kind of shocked at how not well-known it is, except I'm not, because I can see exactly the problems that keep fandom from descending on it like horny little vultures. Nonetheless, I think it's a good time that more people would enjoy if they gave it the chance. Here's five reasons why you should:

1. Equal parts smart as heck and dumb as butts

On the one hand, especially given its tone and tenor, this show has many surprisingly clever turns and thoughtful moments, carried along by some talented actors. On the other hand, [.gif of a guinea pig in a rollerskate being pushed merrily down a hallway]

This show is not a complicated intellectual exercise. It's an action comedy about a goofy sleuth, a rich-girl reporter, and the cop who should be the straight man in this trio, except he's as much of a goober as the other two are. If the promotional tableaus are giving you real "cover of a Clue box" vibes, you've understood the kind of pastiche it's pulling off.

The mysteries are preposterous. They're all the kind of thing that exemplify the Doyle line about how, when you've eliminated the impossible, whatever's left has got to be the answer, no matter how ding-dang improbable it may be. You know the type: tons of overly elaborate setups, unbelievably perfect timing, coincidental long-lost relatives, people hallucinating right and left. They're also very short -- most full cases take only 2-3 episodes to introduce, investigate, and resolve, even when interspersed with the larger goings-on in these weirdos' lives. The DramaWiki page for the show lists 23 separate arcs over 36 episodes, so you do the math.

And yet, it's way more thoughtful and clever than its doofy little setup would indicate. Its attention to detail surprised me on more than one occasion. Add to that a bunch of solid performances from an ensemble of real characters, and what you get is definitely more substantive than a junk-food waste of time. You can't turn your brain off while watching it, but you sure can turn it down, and that's great.

It also doesn't hurt that everyone is super attractive and wearing great outfits. The whole show's worth it for the wardrobes.

2. THE GIRL

Fuck the haters, fuck everyone, I am going to climb right up on my little soapbox and tell you all why Bai Youning is awesome.

She is insane. She's a troll. She's a clever little monster. Every other character's response to her is, oh my god, you are literally the worst. And she is! She has been spoiled beyond belief by her incredibly rich Crime Dad, and she has learned to leverage her uwu just a widdle girl status to get her whatever the hell she wants. She simply cannot hear it when someone says the word "no." She will look her future sister-in-law in the eye and point a loaded gun at her own head without blinking. Every ball she has is made of brass.

She's hardly perfect. During the course of the show, there are some times where her entitlement runs face-first into the brick wall of reality. She's not nearly as good at her chosen career path as she's been told (mostly by the people who get paid to tell her she's good). She's rarely prepared to deal with the consequences of her actions, especially when she can't just throw money at the problem.

So she learns, and grows, and changes. She's always going to be a stubborn bitch, but she can become a stubborn bitch with a more accurate conception of her relationship to the world around her.

She's actually a really good romantic foil for Lu Yao, who is equally stubborn and spoiled and obnoxious as hell. It is a pure brat4brat relationship, where each one thrives on comically enraging the other. What this means, though, is that when they actually start showing one another some vulnerability, it's really sweet.

Now: I'm pretty sure that you could not have made a female character in her position that everyone did not hate, no matter how cool you made her, because that is the fate of all girls who theoretically keep the two boys from kissing. (More on that next point.) If she were less outgoing and friendly, she would've been hated for being too cold. If she were less headstrong, she would've been hated for being a pushover. If she weren't as into the boy, she would've been hated for being frigid. I know the "god forbid a woman do anything" meme is a joke, but ... man, god forbid this girl do anything. She gets a level of hate entirely disproportionate to what she's actually like. As I said with Eom Dada, it's not always sexism, but sometimes, yeah, it's sexism.

(Real talk: Her character is also fighting both how she's definitely not written as well as the boys are and how the plot sometimes needs her to be artificially stupid and jealous for Straightness Drama Reasons, so that's a legit problem on a structural level. Also, she's dubbed by someone else and the boys aren't, which gives her voice an annoying not-quite-there quality that's hard to ignore. The deck is stacked against her real hard even before she steps onscreen.)

So here's my advice: Go into this show wanting to like her. Embrace her terribleness as a positive, intentional quality. Don't be mad at her for straightening up an endgame that was never going to be gay, even without her. Welcome her contributions to the chaos. Realize that she is exactly as entertainingly irritating as her boys are.

Truly, this is a story of three terrible people in love. They're all just awful, and you wouldn't want to be in a room with any of them for longer than you had to. Left to right up there, Bai Youning is spoiled and self-absorbed, Lu Yao is arrogant and lazy, and Qiao Chusheng is suuuuuch a fucking cop. If you're into the kind of dynamic that can only be described OT3: You All Deserve One Another, then this one's perfect for you.

3. Do you really miss '00s queerbaiting?

Like, really? Are you just super-nostalgic for being able to see the showrunners go, ha ha, girls, we know you're watching and we know you want these cute boys to kiss, which they never will -- but what if we pretended for just this one scene??? Do you just carnally ache for that with every fiber of your being?

Yep.

Now, why am I calling the occasional really gay moments between these two gentlemen "queerbaiting" and not "bromance"? Because these moments are a) obviously intentional, b) completely sporadic, and c) never spoken of again.

For example: There's a scene (which you can see a gifset of here) where the two of them are at a restaurant frequented by the cop, who brings a lot of ladies there on dates. When the waiter points this out, useless noodle boy says, I'm his date. The waiter looks mildly surprised by this, the cop says not to listen to his bullshit, and that's the end of it. The scene moves on. There is no further discussion of this comment. It does not affect their relationship.

That's the essence of queerbaiting: that little on-purpose nod to the homoerotic tension between the two, in a way that isn't a joke but also isn't not a joke, and either way is never going to happen. (In fact, the show is going to go out of its way to make sure that ship gets sunk, so, uh, get your fanfiction lifeboats ready for that.)

A true queerbaiting move is something that should make a difference in a relationship, but doesn't. It should make a difference that our cop is so comfortable in the noodle boy's personal space that he invades it at will. It doesn't. It should make a difference that noodle boy keeps getting real weird every time the cop has a date with a girl. It doesn't. Those are some real romantic moves the two of them keep pulling, and then nothing comes of them.

I had this show sold to me as being incredibly shippy, to the point of being even more so than its censored-BL contemporaries. And ... well, it is and it isn't. It has textually gayer individual moments, but it is much less pervasively gay. It's clear from the start that it's going to throw all its actual relationship points into its canon het romance. When it comes to these boys, the show is toying with you. It knows you want to see those boys smooch, just as much as it knows (and it knows you know) they're never gonna.

How you feel about this is entirely up to you -- and indeed, it may be a dealbreaker on the whole drama for you. If you are inclined to pitch a fit when your ship does not become canon, you'll be happier somewhere else. If, however, you see this as a delightful opportunity to do whatever the hell you want with the situation as it is presented, all the while enjoying little moments of startlingly blatant homoeroticism between two handsome dudes, well, here you are!

(I mean, if you want my take on it, what needs to happen is that the cop and the girl need to fuck while the useless noodle boy watches with asexual bisexual interest, and then they all need to snuggle with the noodle boy in the middle so they can both annoy him appropriately, but your mileage may vary.)

4. The multicultural extravaganza!

1920s Shanghai had a lot going on in terms of cultures and languages, and this show actually does a fair job of representing that.

By now, I've seen a number of shows set during this era, and they all at least acknowledge the international nature of the city -- usually by mentioning the French Concession and having a handful of evil Japanese characters. However, this is the first time I've seen a show go to such lengths to actually show so many non-Chinese characters onscreen, even to the point of making one a recurring character supporting the main squad.

Salim is the best. Whatever he is being paid, it's not enough. He's Qiao Chusheng's right-hand man, which means he is also the dude who most often has to put up the main trio's bullshit. (The actor himself is also a dude with a pretty cool backstory, which is another great layer.) He's sharp, he's loyal, he's patient, and he looks great with his shirt off. He's got it all!

Other non-Chinese characters include a white Jewish art collector (I'd issue a warning for period-typical antisemitism, except … honestly, it's mostly just confused), a sadistic priest who maybe is supposed to be Italian, a completely different priest who [last episode spoiler], and three whole sinister white dudes behind it all.

It's not just the world coming to China, though! A large number of the Chinese characters are said to have spent significant time outside of China, whether for business or for schooling. Near the end, when some characters are discussing moving away from Shanghai, they consider a number of foreign cities as potential destinations.

Here's a delightful detail: When Lu Yao and his sister speak English, they're dubbed by actors with posh British accents who sound like native (or near-native) English-speakers. This makes perfect sense, because both of the siblings did a lot of their schooling in the UK. When Bai Youning speaks English, she's dubbed by someone who speaks English very well but also has a noticeable Chinese accent, which makes perfect sense for her character's background. And Qiao Chusheng never speaks English at all, because he's a street tough who has no reason to know more than three words.

...This is also kind of weird to say about something literally made in China, but go with me on it: Everything's kind of got that Art Deco Orientalist vibe to it. It looks like China's idea of what Britain's idea of China during that period would have looked like. The result comes across less like what 1920s Shanghai would actually have looked like, and more what an ad for 1920s Shanghai would have looked like. It's a fascinating aesthetic, and more so for how it's mostly pretty subtle. The show isn't some visual extravaganza, but it's always very nice to look at, and I appreciate that in a show.

5. A wonderful horrible protagonist

A lot of mystery-themed prestige television involves an asshole genius detective who gets away with being a dick to everyone because he's sooooo smart, while all his long-suffering friends and colleagues spend a lot of time doing damage control for him because, sigh, he's an asshole but we need him, genius excuses all dickhead behavior, we'll always make exceptions for him because he's just ever so special. (Watch histrionic sage hbomberguy's video on Sherlock if you're unfamiliar with the trope.)

Lu Yao is an asshole genius detective, but one who winds up spending most of his time being an asshole to a) people who deserve it, or b) his horrible friends who will be assholes right back at him. When he is awful to the people who don't deserve it, the show smacks him pretty hard on the nose for it and makes him apologize.

This is a show where you'll figure out pretty quckly if you'll love it or hate it, because if you love Lu Yao, you'll love it, and vice versa. He carries most of the show himself, with his goofy charm and his incredibly bendy slenderman body and his ability to make the one competent person he knows both protect him and give him money.

Like so.

For my own part, I find him intensely charming, and I think a lot of this has to do with Hu Yitian's ability to play him as an affectionately bullyable weenie who needs to get shoved in a locker for his own good. He's the worst, and it's comically endearing instead of offputting because at the end of the day, he really does have a good heart. He's just also lazy as heck and disinclined to do anything that he does not want to be doing, and really, aren't we all?

As I alluded to in point 3, he comes across as real asexual. He's just not that interested in sex, and he is in fact pretty uncomfortable in situations where he finds himself the subject of someone else's sexual desires. He's perfectly capable of romantic feelings! I mean, not only does he get Bai Youning as a love interest, we actually meet one of his ex-girlfriends. He's just not partciularly horny about them -- which is even more noticeable as a sharp contrast to how extremely horny Qiao Chusheng is for just about everyone, but this exasperating little dork in particular.

(Like seriously, 90% of the time, Chusheng is about to explode with sexual frustration at Lu Yao's skinny oblivious ass.)

This isn't to say you couldn't get Lu Yao into bed, because you absolutely could, and he'd probably have a good time. You'd just have to remove all distractions from the room, lest his ADHD ass wind up running off to solve a crime mid-coitus.

Twiggy little nightmare man. Garbage-animal boy. Love him.

sidebar: A word about the ending

I'm going to be vague and talk about general vibes instead of specific events, but you should still skip this section if you want to remain completely unspoiled. Jump to the picture of Chusheng holding the sledgehammer.

Okay, so, a lot of people do not like the ending, and I'm including myself in that number. I honestly don't know if they got rushed and had to wrap everything pretty last-minute, or if they thought they might get a second season out of it and were leaving things open-ended accordingly. Either way, it's incredibly unsatisfying.

I think there's a clue that the show didn't actually want to end this way, and it's not actually in the text of the show itself. Every episode, between the last scene and the start of the credits, you get to see a couple still frames from the episode (usually some of the queerbaity ones). After the very final shot of the series, you get two images: the boys hugging goodbye, and Chusheng's upset face. That's not a resolution! That is at best a "to be continued..." ending!

But no, that's it. That's all, folks.

It's not quite an ending so bad it ruins the rest of the show, mostly because it doesn't feel finished, so it's less like you're watching a car being deliberately driven into a wall because someone thought that was the best route to take, and more like you're watching someone leave a car on the railroad tracks because they figured they'd have time to move it later.

As far as I know, there has been no noise made about a second season. These 36 episodes are the entirety of the narrative. It had the distinct misfortune to start airing in March 2020, which wasn't exactly prime time for planning sequels, and that seems to have been that. (There is a 2022 show called Checkmate that stars the two main guys in extremely similar roles, also adapting Agatha Christie stories, but it's apparently pretty meh? Somebody else who's actually seen it, go ahead and weigh in here.)

I'll say that if you turn off the episode right after Lu Yao gets out the handcuffs, you'll save yourself the worst of it the awkward and unsatisfying moments (though I'm impressed at your willpower to stop watching something five minutes from the end). That's not all of it, though. Structurally, there are several situations rushed to a resolution and loose threads left flapping untied in the breeze. I guess stopping before the last five minutes simply saves you the hope that it'll pull a good ending out of the fire, because it won't.

And let's be real: The more you hate Bai Youning and her romance with Lu Yao, the more you'll hate the ending. (Not that liking those elements will necessarily make you like the ending, of course, because I'm a fan of hers and I still think the ending is butts.) The ending is already like a pair of uncomfortable shoes; if the het romance especially makes you grind your teeth, the ending becomes a pair of uncomfortable shoes that also have a rock in them. A lot of the comments online indicate plenty of people dropped the show when they learned the het romance would be endgame. It's a pretty common dealbreaker.

Oh well. Bring on the fanfic, I say! Those of us who are used to taking a sledgehammer to canon are unafraid.

Smash it, baby.

Still want to see some of these mysteries?

Both iQiyi and Viki have the answer to your sleuthing!

It's not a perfect show -- as evidenced by my digression about the ending -- but it's a lot of fun. If you can handle the occasional foible and some eyebrow-raising moments, you're in for a good time with some attractive people that occasionally tastes very gay.

Every roommate crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man

#my roommate is a detective #民国奇探 #rec post #i made this

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afewproblems · 1 year

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Part Two of my Stranger Things Steddie AU, Steve always fall first, falls fastest. You can read part one Here!

Eddie watches as Steve peels out of the driveway, staring straight ahead with a blank vacant expression on his face. He looks at Jeff, who shrugs and takes one last hit from their joint before flicking it onto the concrete and stubbing it out.

Eddie frowns, Steve usually waits until Eddie is ready to leave before they both drive home, saying one last goodnight on the driveway.

The evenings grow longer and longer with each passing day as they crawl their way into summer, but it's dark now. The warmth of the day gives way to a cool breeze that ruffles Eddie's hair, and rustles the grass. He shivers lightly and rolls his shoulders before turning on his heel towards the garage. Light streams out from the door, illuminating Eddie's puzzled face as he walks back inside.

Gareth looks up at him, catching his eyes once before they drop to the bottle in his hands. His fingers play with the paper label, peeling it up at the corners.

Steve would always show up, like clockwork, every Sunday with a six pack of some variety, and sit in on their practices. It's nice, not something he ever would have predicted after surviving being nearly eaten alive by a bunch of bats from another dimension.

But if the new scars and nightmares come as a set with a few new friends that had dragged him out of Hell, who was he to complain?

He likes Robin, likes her dry wit and stubborn attitude, she loves fiercely once you've been chosen but doesn't seem shy about calling you an idiot if you deserve it.

He likes Nancy, likes how smart and unexpectedly tough she is, the woman can shoot a gun like no one's business. She's a bit more prickly than Robin, which is saying something, but she cares a lot.

He likes Steve.

He really likes Steve.

Steve, who had picked him up when he was bleeding out and ragdolling in the Upside Down and carried him through the last open gate.

Steve, who sings along to Tears for Fears and Wham! in his car only to turn around and pull out a Queen cassette from the glove department.

Steve, who bitches and moans about driving the kids around to the arcade or to the Munson trailer for D&D nights, but never says no.

Steve, who stays up with Eddie during movie nights and listens to his wild ramblings without interrupting. He smiles and asks questions that prompt even longer responses, and seems content to simply listen.

Steve, who is definitely straight as an arrow, and would probably panic if he found out about Eddie and his little secret.

"Hey uh," Eddie asks after a beat, reaching for the last unopened beer in the cardboard, "did Steve have to go?"

He twists the cap and flicks it towards the bin, it bounces off the lip and clinks against the floor.

"Woah, I didn't know we knew Larry Bird?" Jeff snorts as he wanders through the door and exaggeratedly ducks with his hands over his head before dropping next to Gareth on the couch. Eddie rolls his eyes as Jeff relaxes against the sagging cushions and drapes his arms along the back.

Gareth's eyes flick once to Jeff before coming back to rest on Eddie's face, "I uh, dunno man, I think Steve just had to go home. He didn't really get into it".

Eddie frowns at the tense line of the bassist's shoulders.

"Who cares man,” Jeff scoffs with a smirk, “now we can actually talk about our set list without having to stop and explain every little thing”.

Gareth winces and closes his eyes with a shake of his head.

"Oh, fuck off," Eddie snarls as he steps towards Jeff who freezes at the sudden proximity, "I didn't say anything when you insisted on bringing Mary O'Donnell around to every other practice two years ago--"

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Jeff growls as he stands up, rising up to Eddie's eye level, "I liked Mary, you told me to go for it?"

"Exactly!" Eddie yells. He breathes in sharply as the words finally register.

Oh shit.

"Oh shit..." Gareth whispers.

Jeff's mouth opens and closes, his expression jumps from incredulity before dropping into shock.

Eddie had done a lot of growing in the last few weeks if he did say so himself, and he did - loudly and to whoever would listen. He could be brave, he had proved that with Dustin and the bats, he had proved that by diving into Lovers Lake to chase after Steve.

Bravery was no longer a first for him, he could stand his ground and hold firm in the face of adversity.

But the Upside Down had nothing on admitting that he had a crush on the former ‘King-Steve’ to his two best friends.

Eddie whirls around and walks out of the garage.

He makes it about twenty feet before rapid footsteps echo behind him, not that he had been moving all that quickly.

The world feels as though he's wading through quicksand, each step dragging him down, he sighs and stops walking.

Gareth catches up, mild surprise etched on his face.

Eddie's eyes trail from Gareth back towards the garage, Jeff stands in silhouette just outside the door.

"Come on man," Gareth says softly, "just come back inside, we didn't know--"

"What am I even doing," Eddie mutters, he scrubs a rough hand against his face, "I know how it sounds dude, you don't have to chase after me, I know I'm being an idiot".

Gareth freezes for a moment and crosses his arms. His eyes scan Eddie's face as though he can read every wild thought traipsing through his mind, it's not a comfortable feeling.

In the distance Jeff cups his hands around his mouth and yells, "Gareth! Did you tell him, we didn't know?"

Gareth rolls his eyes and throws a hand behind him to swat the air, as though he wishes Jeff's head were there instead.

"For what it's worth," Gareth says with a sigh, "I don't think you're being an idiot…" the words come out in stops and starts, as though each one is weighed carefully before being released.

Gareth was always careful when he spoke, more level headed than Eddie and Jeff, that's why they worked well together. Whenever Eddie or Jeff said something that went too far, Gareth was ready to pull them both back down to earth.

"Steve actually seems like a decent guy I guess, kinda surprised about it but whatever," Gareth shakes his head once before breathing out through his nose, "and you're absolutely sure about this?"

Eddie doesn't even think before he nods, "Yeah man, I'm crazy about him".

Gareth hums, his eyes haven't left Eddie's face once the entire time they've been standing on the sidewalk in the dark, they are in between street lights but that doesn’t seem to stop Gareth from reading Eddie like a book.

"Okay, I'm going to tell you something, but if this goes absolutely sideways, I cannot be held responsible in any way," Gareth says once again in that slow, measured pace.

"Jesus, I've never known you to be this cryptic man, I kind of love it," Eddie huffs nervously, his hands dropping to his jeans to wipe the sweat from his palms. A light breeze catches him once again, caressing his hair as it billows down the lane, he shivers.

"Steve likes you, we all know -well maybe not Bozo over there," Gareth gestures back towards the garage where Jeff continues to linger, "but you're not an idiot".

Eddie blinks.

Steve likes him.

Steve likes him?

"What uh…what are you talking about?" Eddie manages, the words stick to his tongue, his mouth suddenly drier than the sahara.

Gareth breathes out heavily and shifts, his hands come back up to cross over his chest.

"Dude, please don't make me explain it, you seriously didn't know?"

"No?!" Eddie hisses, his hands climb to his hair, gripping the wild curls and pulling harshly. Steve liked him? How long had this been going on for? How long had he been completely oblivious?

"I mean, I kinda thought you were waiting him out, trying to let him down easy, you're not the kind of person to string someone along so I hoped it wasn't because you liked the attention," Gareth mumbles with a shrug.

Eddie's heart beats a wild staccato as the information continues to sink in, Steve likes him…

"Oh my God," Eddie whispers, "oh my God I-I have to go," he steps away, his shoes crunching against gravel as he turns on the spot, "I have to talk to him!"

Gareth nods, a small bewildered smile blooms on his face as he shakes his head, "I mean, yeah man, go get him?"

Eddie takes off past Gareth towards his van, still parked on the driveway, he flips off Jeff as the other man hoots and blows a kiss after him.

But it doesn't matter. A giddy euphoria bubbles up from his chest and throws itself from his lips as a wild cackle. He tosses open the door to the van and scrambles inside, Gareth's words echo over and over in his mind, Steve likes him, he has a chance!

The normally twenty-minute drive from Gareth's parents place seems to take forever, he hits all eight lights on the normally sleepy mainstreet and with every stop Eddie feels like he's vibrating out of his pants.

He finally reaches the Harrington House, pulls haphazardly onto the drive and flings himself out of the van, just barely turning off the engine and pulling the Emergency brake on.

Eddie races toward the front steps and raps his knuckles against the door with three successive knocks. The house is dark, no lights, not even the flashes of the sitting room television can be seen from the front window.

For a moment there is nothing, no sound from the other side of the door. Eddie swallows and knocks again.

Then, the porch light flicks on with a metallic click.

The door opens just enough for Eddie to make out the shape of Steve, the hall light remains off, leaving Steve in shadow.

"Eddie?" Steve says, his voice rough, "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, uh, hey Stevie,” Eddie manages, a wry smile threatening to take over his face the longer he stands in the doorway, “can I come in?"

Steve hesitates, his hands remain fixed on the door but a slight tremble runs up his arm to his shoulder.

Eddie falters for a moment, a hint of anxiety slithers through his chest. Was Gareth wrong?

Steve sighs suddenly and pulls open the door, sliding sideways to let him pass.

The giddy feeling in Eddie's chest slowly dissipates as he steps over the threshold into the dark foyer. He reaches over to the light switch on the wall and turns it on as Steve curses and turns away abruptly.

"Stevie?" Eddie says, his voice pitched with alarm, "hey what's going on?"

"Don't, please don't call me that Eds," Steve whispers, his shoulders shake but he remains facing the opposite wall.

Eddie's stomach drops at the wet sound to his voice, the slight hitch, the shake of his shoulders.

"Oh shit Stevie, come here," Eddie says as he reaches for Steve’s shoulder, he grasps it lightly and gently begins to turn the other man towards him. Steve doesn’t move at first, holding firm, staring straight ahead and away from Eddie.

He only has to smooth his ringed hand along Steve’s shoulder and up his neck and suddenly his arms are full as Steve crashes into him.

“Oh sweetheart, its okay,” Eddie whispers. He brings his arms up around Steve, one hand curls into his hair while the other comes up around the small of his back.

Steve’s face is tucked into his shoulder, his hands grip the fabric of Eddie’s shirt and vest harshly. He shudders and breathes, as though trying to stop the tears as they continue to fall, wetting Eddie's shoulder.

“Sorry,” Steve mumbles, the words catch in Eddie's hair but he shakes his head at the sound.

Eddie frowns, “What on earth are you sorry for?”

Steve is quiet for a moment, Eddie takes it as an opportunity to kick the door closed behind them before planting his feet to stabilize the weight of Steve in his arms.

When he looks back, Steve is facing him. His large hazel eyes are red rimmed and shining with tears, his nose and cheeks are flushed and his hair is a wild mess, but he looks beautiful to Eddie.

“I don’t,” Steve whispers eventually, “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable".

It clicks.

Why Gareth was being so careful, so cryptic earlier, why Steve must have left early.

"Did Gareth say something to you?" Eddie murmurs, the words are soft but there's a hint of anger there.

Steve stiffens and shakes his head, a little too quickly. He bites his lip and makes to pull away but Eddie holds him tight.

"Stevie, come on, I can't help if I don't know what's going on inside that pretty little head of yours," Eddie says, his heart beats wildly in his chest as Steve slowly raises his head to catch Eddie's eyes once more.

Steve's eyebrows are furrowed slightly, but the slightest hint of hope lingers in those hazel eyes.

Eddie swallows down his inner voice that screams, run, over and over and over - because isn't that the first tenant of bravery?

Doing something, even though you're scared shit less?

"I'm going to try something here sweetheart," Eddie says slowly, carefully, all the years hanging out with Gareth have paid off in the strangest way.

He slowly leans in and presses his lips, dry and chapped, to Steve's.

It's soft, nothing more than skin to skin, Steve is frozen as though his body doesn't know how to process what's happening and God Dammit that's not what Eddie is hoping for.

But then, Steve's eyes flutter closed and his body melts and his arms slide from the front of Eddie's shirt into his hair and around his neck and he's kissing him.

He's kissing him!

It's a little wet, Steve tastes like tears and his nose is running slightly but it's still perfect.

Eddie smiles and reaches us to cup Steve's cheek with one hand, his thumb caresses along his cheekbone across the constellation of freckles and moles on Steve's face.

Beautiful.

Eddie swipes the barest hint of tongue along the seam of Steve's lips before catching himself, slow and steady.

Eddie pulls back but leaves his hand on Steve's face and smiles widely at the dazed expression on his face.

"You with me sweetheart?" Eddie whispers, grazing his thumb once more across Steve's cheek as he says it.

A deep blush blooms across Steve's face, spanning from the tips of his ears, across his cheeks, and down to his neck. Eddie files that reaction away for later.

"Yeah Eds, I'm with you," Steve says softly with his own small smile.

There's a lot to talk about still, but it's certainly a start as Eddie leads Steve down the familiar hallway and into the sitting room.

And Eddie can't wait.

For everyone that asked to be tagged once part two was up, here you go! (I hope these tags worked, I haven't used Tumblr in FOREVER)

@what-am-i-doing-with-my-non-lifeon-life @henderdads @unclewaynemunson @wearelosersyoudumbfuck @samcoxramblings @stevesbipanic @cicadabeat @xthehatchick @cr0w-culture @moonshadows-13 @tv-mind @classicdinosaurdeathpose

And to @monstrousfemale who wrote such a beautiful second part to my initial post (please go check it out because it is lovely) I hope this holds a candle to yours! Thank you again for going over linking posts!!

#stranger things s4 #stranger things #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #let steve cry #steve x eddie #stranger things fanfic #drabbles #fixed it everyone #thank you everyone #oblivious eddie munson #we love supportive Jeff and Gareth #Somehow Gareth became a pretty cool character to write...#I hope you all enjoy!

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happiest-hotch · 1 year

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Could we get an angsty blurb where BAUreader and Hotch (they're dating) get into a big fight because she feels betrayed that he didn't tell her about Emily being alive? Of course they make up at the end because i can't deal with sad endings🫣

i did this more as a sad fight thing because i feel like it hurts more, i hope that's okay

You don't talk to Aaron during the entire case. There's a lot to do, of course, but you're avoiding him more than you need to, and it's obvious to everyone. The team watching your reaction was secondary to Emily's appearance, but it was clear that while her death was manufactured by Aaron, you did not know.

The last thing time even you looked at him was right after Emily walked into the room, your eyes burning into him. It was a glare worst than he had ever seen, and it's all he can see now that everything's "okay" again. Declan's safe, Emily's safe and alive, but you're not sure anything will ever feel "okay" again.

"Can we talk about this?" Aaron finally breaks the silence once you get home. It was a long, awkward car ride, that's for sure.

You're so tired, and all your remaining energy is being channeled into anger. "What's there to talk about?"

"Why you're upset." He answers in an obvious tone.

You huff, still not looking at him. "I thought that would be kind of obvious, Aaron." You snarl, waving your hands in the air. "One of my best friends is alive, and you didn't have the decency to tell me."

"I couldn't." He tells you, taking the firm line you expected him to. The Unit Chief line.

"No." You shake your head. "You wouldn't."

He puts his bag down, following you through the apartment. You should have just gone to Penelope's. "Come on, Y/n. Be reasonable about this."

His words only fuel the burning rage inside you. "Reasonable? What's unreasonable about valuing trust in a relationship!?"

"What's unreasonable about having to follow government orders?" He sounds like a dick, and he knows it. Lying to you for months was much worse than when he last fucked up by letting his job rule his life.

"I used to love how dedicated you were to the BAU." You tell him. "I'm not sure I'll ever feel that way again." The heartbroken look in your eyes somehow breaks his heart, too, when you finally bring yourself to look at him. "Aaron, I know you did what you were ordered to. The problem is, if I saw you like how I was, knowing I'd lied, I would have broken, and I thought that's who you were, that your decision would be me over the rules."

You cried over it for so many nights, hot and heavy tears and sobs at the loss of your friend while he did everything to help you feel better. It was the hardest loss you'd faced, and it made you consider being in the BAU.

He knows you're right. He's in a terrible habit of doubling down when he's chosen his side in an argument. Helplessly, he stands there still.

"I don't know where we go from here." You admit, turning away from him to go to the bedroom. You need sleep or to cry or a hot shower. There are still so many feelings in your brain that you know you can't be making big decisions now.

"Would you ever trust me again?" Aaron gets your attention back with his sudden, soft question.

You don't know what to tell him. "That's the one most important non-negotiable for me."

Again. He'd done it again. Lost the most important woman in his life due to his job. At least Haley still trusted him, she just couldn't deal with the hours.

You weren't sure you had more tears left after everything, but you go to bed and break down. You love Aaron more than you've ever loved anyone, and you can't stop that now, no matter what he does.

He knows what he's done, but you don't halt your tears when he comes to bed to prevent him from feeling guilty.

He abandons his nighttime routine to get into bed, laying down next to you. You can feel him itching to touch you. When he finally does, you don't brush his gentle hand off your shoulder. "Baby." He coos. He's not sure what to say, just that he needs to say something, anything to fix this before you're gone.

"I know I can be without you." You say, still not turning over to face him. This is what he was trying to prepare himself for, a breakup speech, but it still knocks the breath out of his lungs. "I just don't want to."

It's his opening, the moment for him to jump in and catch you during your fall. "You don't have to."

You shift on the mattress, your face and body close enough you can feel how warm he is. "I need Honest Aaron." You inform him. "I don't know how we do that because there could be more situations like this in the future."

He nods, and the answer is quickly on his tongue. "I'll break the rules. Every time. You're too important to lose."

"That's a big call to make." You remind him. "If you were to ever tell me something and things got complicated..."

He knows what you mean, and the federal prosecution he could face if your actions reflected you knowing more than you shoulder. "I don't have a good answer for that." He admits, and he's right, there's no good way around it. "Just a long list of regrets from a no-win situation."

"I trust you the make decisions with my best interest in mind." You assure him. The evidence is about one million to one on that.

"That means telling you." He realizes. "Always. Fighting for clearance first, of course." You brush your nose against his, watching a grin take over his face. "I'm sorry, Y/n. So sorry for hurting you and betraying your trust."

You nod. "We can rebuild it. It just might take time."

"I'll do anything you need me to." He assures you.

"Okay, I need you to kiss me." You request.

It's the easiest, and he fulfills your request, leaning forward eagerly to kiss you, letting all the worry he had about being in an unfixable situation.

#aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x reader #criminal minds #aaron hotchner x you #aaron hotchner blurb

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sweetkpopmusings · 1 year

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jeonghan best friend headcanons <3

a/n: posting this for the lovely anon who requested it ! <3 jeonghan is a libra icon and my best friend's contact photo in my phone is a silly photo of jeonghan like i love him sm actually <333

content: fluff | wc: 0.8k | warnings: none! | pairing: bestfriend!jeonghan x gn!reader | requests: open

he is SUCH a caring best friend

he's so observant with the people he is closest to, which means you can't get away with anything when it comes to jeonghan

he probably knows you're getting sick before you do. he can just tell your sneeze is different and he's making you tea and nagging you about how to avoid getting ill

and you're like bro ?? i just sneezed ??

but a few days later you're down with a cold and he's gloating about the fact he knew you were getting sick like he's being so annoying about it because he's so competitive <3

don't worry he's also dropping off a care package so you can get well soon!!

he jokes that he won't come near you because he doesn't want to catch the plague but in reality he'll come inside and make sure you have enough food, water, blankets, etc.

he also knows when you're overworked/stressed/exhausted before most other people see the signs

so he'll check in on you a lil more frequently but he won't push it until you are ready to open up about it

while he wants to give tons of advice to help you, whenever you vent to him, he just listens very intently and comforts you and validates all your feelings and will only offer his insight when you ask/have finished expressing your thoughts

you get to hear ALL of his laughs. i mean ALL of them!!!

sometimes you're just standing in line getting coffee and he starts laughing because you made a funny face at a weird thing a stranger said

now what that stranger said has become an inside joke and you two will say it to each other every once in a while for a good laugh

you have a lot of lil inside jokes/phrases/sounds/hand gestures that you do together

sometimes they're so strange it's concerning to outsiders but everyone who knows you and jeonghan knows that it's just your special little language :,-)

he has a dumb nickname for you that he uses in every way possible. tbh sometimes you wonder if he even remembers your name because you never hear him say it, he always addresses cards to your nickname, etc

but if someone else uses that dumb nickname ??? jeonghan is immediately >:-( because that's HIS nickname for HIS best friend

it's like a prideful thing that he gets to call you that lol

when you give him a dumb nickname, he laughs so hard the first time you use it that you're worried you broke his brain

he giggles at it every time you say it for about 6 months because it's so funny to him and he thinks you're adorable :,-)

i think he's the type of best friend that wants to know all about your family (whether biological or chosen) and friends

like he's always asking you how so-and-so is doing, did your cousin get that job they wanted, and how was your coworker's dog's birthday

sometimes it's shocking that he remembers so much about people in your life that he's never met but he's genuinely interested because they matter to you! and he's a big fan of you spilling the tea lmfao

he also loves sharing that kind of info with you about his family and friends so you just walk around with a wealth of knowledge on jeonghan's sister's friendgroup drama you and jeonghan gossip about it regularly

big fan of self-care nights!

when he wants to hang out, it pretty much means he wants to sit around, eat food, do face masks, and watch funny videos together

depending on his mood it's either a night filled with chitchat or a night filled with comfortable silence but either way it's some of the most fun you've ever had

he also loves playing games with you

and he cheats every time <3 if you win when he cheats he'll be so proud <3 and brag about it to his members <3

he also definitely teaches you how to cheat so whenever you two are playing games with other friends you can team up and unleash absolute chaos

seventeen complains about there being two jeonghans whenever you're around

and jeonghan's always like "yeah and???" and seungkwan's across the room glaring at you ready to give a big speech on integrity he's just mad because y'all pranked him the day before and dino got video of him looking shocked and embarrassed

it's always fun to watch you two together because after becoming so close you share a braincell and it's so endearing to witness two besties being besties

at the core of it, jeonghan is a super solid best friend who values you and all the wonderful things you bring to the friendship and his life

sometimes jeonghan's babying you. most other times he's being a demon. through it all, he's always showing you how much he loves you and cherishes you <3

i would like to put in a request for one jeonghan thank you very much !

#seventeen #seventeen headcanons #bestfriend!seventeen #seventeen imagines #svt #jeonghan #seventeen jeonghan #seventeen fluff #seventeen x reader #jeonghan x reader #jeonghan fluff #svt jeonghan #svt headcanons #seventeen au #svt au #yoon jeonghan #sweetkpopmusings

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yurmomsawh0r · 1 year

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Mᴜᴛᴇ ᴘᴛ. 3 - ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɴᴀʟᴇ// 18+ MDNI!!!!

Warnings: Physical Abuse, violence, murder, P in V intercourse, Oral (m. Receiving), unprotected sex, squirting, cervix kissing, afab! Mute reader! [Reader suffers from ptsd] Mental abuse. Infidelity, exhibition if you squint.

Geto, Gojo, Nanami, Megumi, Daisuke, Iwaizumi, Uzui, Tanjiro, Levi, Muzan, Itachi, Kaneki, Seshomaru, Ban, Hak

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

♡

There you stood in the silk gown that gracefully fell down your body. Diamond earrings dangling from their hooks and a matching necklace to go along. You could feel the stares and whispers about the how you looked or simply about how Lord h/l/n has chosen a lovely wife for him to parade around.

They were jealous or maybe envious. Either way it didn't matter to your husband. It didn't matter to him because you were his. Nobody else's.

He would show you off for the world to see, but tonight was a special night. He was gonna show a certain someone exactly what he was missing!

°•○

You watched the way your husband conversed with his associates and colleagues. He still held his everyday stoic expression, but conversed amongst them.

Sipping your glass if champagne, you walked around the room admiring the decor the servants displayed throughout the ball room. The insignia of your husband's organization was painted in huge bold lettering on the floor.

Three perfectly lined crystal chandeliers hung, lighting up the room. An assortment of food and sweets was lined on the back wall, as well as a bar placed adjacently agaisnt the corner.

Your skin prickled. Someone was watching you - and you could feel all their exasperation, which you couldn't think of why? You hadn't done anything to anyone. Let alone spoken to them.

Only a select few were graced by your soft and seductive voice - or so, your husband liked to say. You took another sip of your drink trying to take the nerves away.

"Well look at you. All prim and proper, dressing the part." An all to familiar voice spoke from behind you. This voice was definitely something you didn't want to hear ever again.

Fear and dread filled you. Reliving the most traumatic experience you've ever had. As you faced him, you got a good look at what was once the love of your life, but now, you realized how wrong you were. His eyes was sullen and held bags under them. He was alot thinner too and his skin was a sickly pale. He was dying.

You once cared for him sure, but it wasn't love. It never got to blossom into that. Instead it turned into fear. You'd never give him the time of day ever again.

Clearing your throat, you did a quick look around. Your husband was no where in sight, leaving you in an even more distressed state.

He'd never left you alone before and him choosing to not be present anywhere in the room made you mad, and scared. "Your little sugar daddy is occupied." Dan spoke out, noticing your distress.

"You know it's all a lie right you'll never be good enough for him. For anyone. He doesn't fucking love you. Your a pet to be displayed on his arm. That's what everyone is saying anyway-"

"Even though you broke my fuckin heart, I would still take you back y/n, you should just, come back to me." In all reality, Dan knew the truth. He let his jealousy and rage take over. Resulting in him losing the best thing his had. You

You tried finding your voice but you felt it quickly fading. All the work that your husband had put in just to even get you to speak, and you were allowing this man to make you go backwards.

He went to speak again, but one of the servants called for your attention. "Lord h/l/n is requesting your audience ma'am."

Flittering away from the past as quickly as you could, you marched towards his office.

When you arrived, you seen your husband having a glass of whisky with his subordinates, but upon your arrival, they all said their goodbyes, and headed back to the party

"Enjoying yourself dear?" He asked. You gave a stiff nod hoping that he wouldn't notice your distress, but that was impossible. This man knew you better than anyone - better than yourself.

"What's wrong?" Again, you just shook your head. The words failing to leave your lips. By now you were sure he noticed something was wrong with you. He took slow calculated steps towards you until he stopped right in front of you. His hands gripped your waist, pulling you flush against him.

His eyes narrow into slits as he examined you, trying to find anything abnormal. "Why won't you speak?" He racks his brain for a probable cause of what could make you so meek.

Just earlier you were fine, and the only time he'd ever seen you like this was when you first started to speak but was still to scared to voice your concerns and opinions.

The other was when . . . "Was is Dan?" He asked you suddenly. "Tch - of course it was. What did he say to you?"

"N-nothing, he-he just - is it true what they say?"

"What are you talking about?"

The tears you had been holding in began to fall from you freely. "Am I just your pet that you parade around. Like your charity case?"

You know you shouldn't have let Dan's words get to you, but your insecurities were stronger than your will. Its not like you haven't questioned whether or not your husband loved you. Truly loved you.

"Have I ever made you feel like a charity case y/n? - have I ever rushed or forced you to be presented in a way you never liked?" Irritation now laced his voice. You shouldn't feel like this. He shouldn't be the reason you were. You trembled a little, but still said no.

"Exactly. So just because Dan decided to show up does that mean everything I've done for you mean it's a lie?"

Again you responded no. He caressed your face, sliding down his hand down until it gripped your neck.

"Must I show you every time?" He pulled you in for a deep penetrating kiss - one that led to many other things in his office once again.

°•○●°•○●°•○●°○●

"Come in" The door clicked open and footsteps thumped the floorboards under their souls.

"What are you doing here?" H/N asked whomever he was speaking to. He was looking over a few papers before he decided he wanted to head back over to the party. "Nice party your having, but it's sad to see the host is not present."

Dan's voice rang out through the room. He was looking around the place. Trying to find anything valuable that he could take. "When business is booming, sometimes you have to-"

He pauses for a moment. Clearing his throat and adjusting himself before continuing. "- To work when it isn't convenient."

Dan analyzed his former partner. A bead trickling down his forehead and a light tint to his cheeks and his fist kept clenching and unclenching.

"What's up with you?" Dan asked him. He had never seen this man so flustered. The only other expression he seemed to hold was neutral and anger.

"Nothing, what do you want." He proceeded to say. What's wrong is the repetitive stroking of your tongue on his cock (ee I hate this word) what's wrong was the fact he had to hold back just mere seconds from fucking your face and having the best climax in the world.

He was trying to keep his cool but once you started to stroke him with sucking on his balls he couldn't help but sweat. His nails digging in his palms.

"Oh nothing. Came to see an old friend."

You could tell your husband was getting fed up and honestly so were you. "I don't have time for games, get on with your constantly procrastination." He was close - you could tell by the way his balls tightened in your hand.

You go to stroke him again but hesitated with his next choice of words. "How is she? Tired of her yet?" You could hear the smugness in his voice. You could even imagine his stupid little smirk.

You were tired of it - you were tired of him and his constantly bullying bullshit! You've had enough.

A snap of fingers and more footsteps fall into the room. Your husband is stunned to see you rising from your spot beneath his desk. You don't know where you got this courage from, but it felt good. Dan and the guards all had shocked expressions on their faces.

It was you who had snapped for them to come in.

"Take him downstairs so I can finish what we started, and then you can ask him if he's tired of me yet."

Dan's face looked completely taken over. He hadn't heard your voice in years and to hear it now did something to him - meanwhile your husband's dick throbbed even harder with need from thr scene before him.

So he decided to add a little to moment. "Well you her my lady. Take him away" and just like that, Dan was dragged away like the trash he is.

"Now where were we my love?"

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redstringraven · 1 month

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Amber & Blood

characters: traximus and nyxram rating: g content warnings: n/a word count: 3061 relevant tags: grief/mourning, post-canon, canon compliant

"Have... you ever done something like this?" When she sends him an inquisitive glance, he continues, "...mourned someone?" Her jaw tightens. He’s seeking companionship. He didn’t want to journey here alone, and he doesn’t want to be alone in grief, either.

---- With the rebellion's success, the New Republic making slow but steady progress toward a better future, Traximus decides it's time to make an important trip. Nyxram accompanies him.

[ read on ao3 ]

She'd always thought the Trebai Archipelago haunting from a distance.

Scattered pieces of what may have once been a small moon drifted just beyond a significantly larger silver planet, its orbit slow and almost lazy. Long, tangled tendrils of grayed plant root and organic matter kept the dozen 'islands' linked in a cluster. The archipelago's origins predated their history; no one quite had answers for how the system had remained 'one' for so long, and even less answers for how its flora continued to thrive even in vacuum. Spots of vibrant gold, red and teal leaves, flowering white plants--even a 'river' that flowed through and between the islands in twisting figure-eights, unbound to soil.

They’d chosen one of the outer islands to land the shuttle, so it’d be a walk to the piece at the center. Ranzar had fussed--insisted he could easily pilot them further in--but Traximus held firm this was the safer decision. Nyxram knows it’s more than that. She hardly minds. The two of them will make the trek while the crew minds the ship.

She casts a final nod over her shoulder to Grax, who salutes her from the shuttle's ramp, before she walks to Traximus's side. They make their way across the rock toward the first of the thick, winding roots that stretches to the next island across. The gravity should be weaker. Even for their large size, they should float, drift, need to watch their surroundings for stray debris. But the gravity here is strange, too. They walk as though they were on a homeworld vessel.

"You've been here before?" Traximus asks, suddenly, as they step onto the root. His voice is clear over her helmet's receiver; clear enough to catch a stiffness in his tone and exhaustion he’d long been trying to hide. It wasn't the focused, but warm, cadence she'd come to know.

"No," Nyxram answers. "But I've seen it."

Traximus grunts, shifting the satchel over his shoulder--the spear in his hand. "It's beautiful."

"Mn."

They continue across the root and step onto the next island.

Nyxram frowns to herself. He's trying to make idle conversation; distract himself. You're not giving him much to work with. "...why here?"

"What?"

"Why this place?" She clarifies. "What made you choose it?"

"Oh." He shrugs, clearing his throat. "He’d mention it when... when we'd discuss fond memories. --during meals. Suppose it's... as good a place as any. He never brought up family."

"But he had memories of the archipelago?"

"--yes. Traveling. Said he came here to think."

Nyxram's brows rose. "Traveling, then. What did he travel for?"

"...I don't know."

"No?"

"--no." There’s frustration in his voice. Then, something more akin to sorrow. "...No, I. I don't know, he... I guess I never asked." A pause. She saw his head turn to her from the corner of her eye. "Have... you ever done something like this?"

When she sends him an inquisitive glance, he continues, "...mourned someone?"

Her jaw tightens. He’s seeking companionship. He didn’t want to journey here alone, and he doesn’t want to be alone in grief, either.

Nyxram turns ahead, allowing her stride to widen. "Watch your step on the next line up,” she says, “these 'roots' are older than some galaxies. Best not to test them."

Behind her, Traximus sighs. They keep forward.

Somewhere above, a meteor flashes by. A wash of white and silver light blooms over the brownstone, sharpening their shadows and striping the ground in liquid patterns cast from the river. There’s no wind here. No sound. It's something ethereal, like walking through a dream. Their only clues of passing time came from subtle changes in the light or the water’s slow, steady flow.

Traximus doesn’t try to initiate conversation again. Neither does she.

They reach the center island. Roots emerge from various cracks in the stone, curling and tangling across its surface until they join to form the tendrils of material that hold the archipelago together. The water stream curves above and down, arcing the length of the island in a translucent halo that dapples it with flecks of light. Most of the archipelago’s plant-life resides here. She wonders if it houses a larger organism at its center. If all the flora binding the archipelago--blanketing its surface--are merely smaller extensions of one.

Nyxram slows her steps, allowing Traximus to move ahead. She follows him to the base of a mass of roots and flowering stems, just beneath the river’s center. Some of the plants stretch up toward it, as though reaching for a chance that stray droplets might land on their petals and leaves. For a moment they stand, silent.

Traximus steps to the mound. He kneels at its foot, setting the spear to his side and sliding the satchel from his shoulder. There's a painstaking care to his movements as he opens it, as though he feared he may cause a large disturbance by just unpacking. It was… odd. Watching him like this.

In their time together, building and operating the rebellion, she'd seen his usual forms of physical expression. Collected, but never afraid to be loud, assertive, or slam a fist to emphasize a point. He held the attention of a room as easily as he breathed, the trust and respect of those who listened even more so. A commander he was, in near every sense of the word. But here he knelt, moved, with great effort to make himself as small and unremarkable as possible. It felt like something she shouldn't be seeing. Nyxram folds her hands at the small of her back, and she turns her eyes elsewhere.

She watches the slow shift of debris beyond the silver planet’s gravitational reach. On the first island, she can see Zuron has wandered out of their shuttle. His smaller form stands beside Grax, and they seem to be talking. She allows herself to wonder what about.

Maybe the make of the archipelago--the driving force keeping the flora alive and the river on its path; that would interest Zuron. Or plans once they’d returned to homeworld; Grax had made passing remarks--mulling over meals he might make for Xi the next time they'd have dinner together. A long overdue night to themselves. She must be eager to have him for more than the time they spent asleep. The rebellion may have succeeded, but the demands of a new beginning were unending, the work never done. Traximus had barely managed to carve out what time he wanted, needed, for this.

“We didn’t have much.” Traximus’s voice comes through her receiver (the silence, perhaps, has become overwhelming). His tone is cautious, measured, and almost… timid? She didn’t quite have the word to describe it. “After… the arena was cleared out, I tried to search our old cells. His cell. ...I don’t know why; I guess I thought… I thought he may have stored something. --left… something I could find and bring here. But there wasn’t much about that life you’d want to hold onto. Nothing… worth the risk of hiding away.”

“Nothing material,” Nyxram said.

Traximus exhales. “...no.” A small pause. “No. …--but. He preferred the spear. It will do.”

Nyxram frowns, and she turns her head to him.

Traximus stood, the spear now in hand, facing the mound. The hand clenching the spear held it well. A trained, even grip. He’d wrapped a vibrant red cloth around the head of the spear just below where metal and wood connected, secured with a thick golden-threaded rope. Hanging from the center tassel was a single ‘drop’ of amber. Even in the limited light, it shone brilliantly.

“Why the spear?” Nyxram asked.

“Distance,” Traximus answered, “resourcefulness, or a make-shift shield. Sometimes a walking aid if something went wrong. …he preferred to out-last than he did to fight.”

Her brow wrinkled. “How is it that he found himself there, then?”

Traximus remains still, not looking at her. There’s anger in his low tone, searing the words when he speaks, “...sometimes, you just need fodder.”

She remains still and quiet as his open hand curls shut. Watches as it shivers by his side, claws biting through the gloves of his suit, and as his shoulders rise with on held breath. He steadies himself and steps forward.

Traximus places the blunt end of the spear against a fracture in the rock. He takes care to wedge it into place without disturbing surrounding roots, the cloth--without jostling the amber drop. Despite his efforts, his movements are stiff. His hands grip the spear tighter than they need to, and he growls--irritated--when the spear's end slips from its place. But he pauses, seems to steady himself a second time, and tries again. It's a delicate line between too gentle and too rough, and he's struggling to find the balance. Again, the blunt end slips. And again he stills before giving it another try.

The spear takes to the rock this time. Once certain it would stand on its own, he steps back and releases one hand. She waits, patient, but he doesn't release the other.

"Do," he breathes, suddenly (and there’s brittleness in his voice; like the slightest misstep in word choice will break it), "do you... know what it's like? Looking up. And realizing the room is... is cheering because you... because someone you..."

"...Traximus--"

"--do you?"

Sharper. But the veil of anger is gone. There's only pain.

"...no." It's a half-truth. Her room had been two. Not a stadium of hundreds. "I don't."

There's a long pause. She hears him exhale, slow and ragged through the receiver. His fingers adjust around the spear's staff. "You... were there that day. Weren't you?"

She's quiet.

"Up there," he continues, "with him."

She remembers.

"...was it a good show?"

She doesn't answer. She doesn't know how.

Traximus swallows, a strained sound that their comms shouldn't pick up. "He should have won that day."

Something inside her hardens to steel. Whether he's speaking of Tilus or Zanramon, she can't tell. It worries her.

A silence stretches on. Then, only once his hand pries from the spear and drifts back to his side, does he speak again.

“Is it… daft of me to think we owe so much to him? To the turtles, even--to… --that I would never have…”

Nyxram frowns. “You feel their aid lessens what you’ve accomplished?”

“I let myself become a husk of everything I stood for," he said. "I didn't manage to find my way alone. Not like you.”

“You think I found my way alone?” She's surprised when her voice reveals how much his statement offends her. “Traximus. Just as you didn't emerge from your darkness until you met the turtles, I did not emerge from mine until I saw you throw your sword at Michelangelo's feet. --Should I be ashamed of this?”

Traximus pauses. He sighs, a heavy rush of air against the receiver. “I suppose not.”

He lifts the satchel back over his shoulder and adjusts the strap. Nyxram watches as he turns and starts back the way they came. There’s a new weight in his steps. A wilt in his posture that hadn’t been there before. An impulse strikes her--drives her to do--what? …something.

He's just passed her when she turns the word over on her tongue. It’s almost bitter.

“No.”

“Hm?” Traximus stops, turns his head.

Nyxram flexes her fingers. “The answer to your earlier question: …no. I’ve never mourned anyone.” Then, slowly. “...I was never made to think of it that way. …as ‘mourning’. So, I didn’t.”

He blinks, thrown off, and faces her in full. “How were you made to think?”

“A victory. I got to live.”

“...So did I.”

The words are unaccusatory and soft, not meant to be cruel. But they still sting. Nyxram looks away.

“Do you want to?” He asks.

She turns back, almost startled. Traximus opens one arm toward the mound. There’s a carefulness in his expression; a gentleness that bleeds through harsh lines brought by exhaustion and stress. It makes something deep within her ache.

“...it’s,” she hesitates, “…it’s been dozens of cycles, Traximus. Hundreds.”

“You’re suggesting this sort of thing has a time limit?”

“--no,” she says, perhaps quicker than she’d meant. She felt. …she felt disarmed, suddenly. It wasn’t a feeling she liked. “I mean to say I’ve had my chance.”

“...A time limit,” he repeats.

She growls, turning away again. Traximus huffed. For a moment, she thought the topic dropped. Then he asks again, “...do you want to?”

Nyxram tightens her jaw. She looks to him.

Her hand moves on its own, lifting to the knife strapped between her collar and shoulder. A flick of her thumb, and it comes loose from its sheath and slides like liquid into her palm. She pulls it free in a sweep of her arm (a gesture that would surely cause anyone who recognized her name to hold their breath; Traximus remains at ease). She steps forward to stand before the spear and mound.

The knife rotates in her palm. It catches the light, a glint that had been the last so many had seen. But it’s not the fine edges nor expertly crafted metals that hold her attention. It’s a detail no one would think or know to look for.

Her hands had been shaking that morning. The knife was something she’d grow into, and she hadn’t held it right--not like she’d been trained. Her misplaced fingers left room for blood to fall where it shouldn’t--where her future skin would catch it instead. A small section of handle had been exposed. There was one single, thin, strip of blood that she’d been careful to never wash away after all this time.

It wasn’t amber. Quite the opposite, actually.

Where amber could hold once-living things, a once-living thing had held this.

Again, Nyxram rotates the knife. It takes her a moment, but she finds a place between the roots and rock that will cause the least amount of damage. The knife slides into the coils until she feels them thicken, slowing the blade to a stop. Carefully, she lets it go and steps back.

Traximus moves to stand by her side.

“...what was their name?” When Traximus asks, his tone is just as soft as it had been before.

Nyxram shakes her head. “He never received one.” A pause. “Names are for things able to last, and he wasn't. --their. Words, not… not mine.”

She’s not sure why she felt the need to emphasize that.

Traximus hums. “It seems he has.”

Nyxram glances at him before she can think not to.

“Lasted, I mean,” he clarifies. He clears his throat. “You remember him. You… want to mourn him. That's lasting, isn't it?”

She looks back to the knife.

“...could you give him a name?” Again, the question is careful. He’s unsure if he’s treading where he shouldn’t. “You don’t have to.”

Nyxram can only breathe. It feels as though something in her chest is becoming undone. There’s an old emotion, one she’s never had a name for, clawing its way through her every fiber and bringing with it a sense of vulnerability that should be unforgivable. In standing here, in giving up the knife, in admitting she has someone to mourn at all, she is left bare and exposed. She's confused. Panicked?, even. What so many would give to capture her in even the smallest moment of weakness. But Traximus doesn’t strike.

“Thank you,” he says instead, “for coming out here today. Listening to me, even though... even... when I...”

He trails off, rounds to her other side and returns to the spear. “I’ll… --you know how our schedules are. When there's an opportunity to revisit, I will. You’re welcome to join, but there's no need. It's your decision.”

She watches as he reaches out, smoothing down the cloth’s folds, straightening the amber with a tender pinch of his fingers. He rests his palm on the spear’s head, and he goes still. She waits, half-expecting him to say something else, but he doesn't. He turns with a sigh and starts for the shuttle. Nyxram remains where she stands.

She waits until he’s reached the nearest coil of roots before turning her head to the spear. Her hand lifts as she takes a cautious step forward, and a finger taps the button on her helmet that disables her microphone. She refolds her hands at the small of her back.

She remembers that day. Zanramon summoned her back to the arena (remembers thinking it troublesome, annoying, a waste of her time--what twisted views of those soon to die). She remembers seeing the platform lift the two of them to the surface; Traximus, still large and imposing despite limited nutrition, and how much smaller Tilus had appeared by his side, his head only just reaching Traximus's collar. They'd all thought the only opponents that day would be a pack of starved leapers. She should have known by the creeping smirk on Zanramon's lips that they were wrong.

Was it a good show?

No. And made worse in that it was necessary for her. That only in seeing the knife fall--watching Traximus's face grow ghastly, hearing Zanramon laugh--did her eyes finally open and a cold awareness seep into her marrow. It hadn't just been wrong, it'd been monstrous. Abhorrent. She'd retreated to her quarters that night, shaken, disturbed, and ashamed. For cycles, Traximus had voiced his disagreements and concerns with Zanramon's direction, choices, priorities--only to be brushed aside and belittled, and finally enslaved. It shouldn't have taken that to realize that they'd long crossed a line. To realize, for certain, she wanted nothing to do with the old regime.

“...thank you, Tilus.” The softness in her voice surprises her. “You saw him first. Believed in him before the rest of us thought to listen. That was our mistake... one you should not have paid for.”

She extends a hand but stops just short of the spear’s metal. Her fingers close. She lowers her hand to her side and sighs. “...Rest now.”

“Nyxram?” Traximus’s voice comes through her receiver.

She taps the button for her microphone. “Yes, I’m coming.”

She walks to the roots, eyes focused ahead, and falls into step behind him.

He slows until she walks at his side.

#tmnt 2003 #tmnt 2k3 #tmnt oc #traximus #tmnt traximus #;hannah writes #;tmnt #;traximus #;tmnt oc: nyxram #[ became utterly possessed on thursday afternoon and wrote this in a cold sweat ]#[ i just have a lot of thoughts and feelings and needed to get them out of my system ]#[ even tho i have like a dozen other things i should be doing lmfao ]

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antimony-medusa · 3 months

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starting off this reply by saying you're way more coherent than I'll ever be and you've managed to sum up all the main points my silly anon vent post made and more.

my hatred of dadza assignments is less going after people minding their own business but more the people making their theories everyone's business through character critique threads. i was tired of people attacking cPhil not being an all-seeing all-knowing paternal therapist for far too many people on the old server who were going through their sad cubito arcs (when at most he was an acquaintance), and I'm slightly horrified watching qPhil being attacked/ mischaracterised to fit the same narrative in the exact same way right now on a completely separate server. i could copy and paste arguments used against innitwt fans who went too far then and apply it to qsmptwt fans who are going too far now, qPhil hasn't been assigned the abusive/absent side character in many qsmp fanfics just yet but time and flat circle etc etc

honestly it sucks because during purgatory the BOLAS cult/family fan reaction was fun! and maybe it was because it was in it's early stages or creators weren't focusing on their angst-filled individual lore at the time but people were (mostly) making dark cannibalistic AUs and art and just exploring potential dynamics, instead of assuming fanon=canon and delving into the very familiar 3 stages you mentioned (wiki writers being a notable exception as per usual)

point C is just describing how twitter works, most stans think that if they make enough noise their chosen creator or entire fandom will bend to their will. as Tubbo said it's not that deep

Yeah! Yeah I am in full agreement here. I ended up deleting my response to that post cause I felt like I'd gotten too far off track for the question, but I think it escaped containment first, so, hello. Continued conversation. :D To be clear, I didn't think you were out of line at all, you just hit me in a moment where I'd been doing some reflections about what I post, and I'm personally trying to remind myself to not go out here posting stuff like "shipping is the only moral way to do fandom, family dynamic is BAD", because if I think about it for more than a second that's an absurd thing to say, and it's not helpful. We're all being kind of weird here, family dynamic is not too far out of line when we're talking about Things To Headcanon With Cubitos.

However, I DO think there's an issue in the fandom with people telling themselves that shipping = bad but family dynamic = good, and then doing everything that shipping wars lead into, including demonizing other characters for the sake of their ship family dynamic, and throwing characterization and canon out the window for the sake of their ship family dynamic. And then they put it on the wiki. Seeing people take non-canon family dynamics and then write character crit analysis moments about how people are reacting badly within it is aughghghghghghghhghghghghgh <I am become that person falling down a minecraft chimney again. But then again, I am never a fan of character crit moments in the first place, I am more a person who sits at my screen like "ooo, more war crimes? is it my birthday?" I am a fan of the murder war crimes guy, why are you writing serious posts on my dash about how he's a bad person because he's not emotionally available to his daughter (editor's note: they don't mean his real daughter, they mean a grown woman doing a bit). I see character crit posts and immediately start taking -1hp poison damage per round.

Yeah as someone who DID enjoy BOLAS in purgatory, most of the bolas tag on Ao3 is not written in such a way that I'd enjoy it, I like those guys as a found family slash cult, not as a bio family, heaven's sake. These are guys making up rituals in a death game, the way I see it, not a fluffy OR angsty family. However there are still a FEW people writing bolas in a fun way that's fun to me (check out response to danger by insomniawillow if you are open to some more e-rated concepts and writing), so I'm not entirely ready to go full blocked tags on it.

Mostly after so long in the dadza mines in the DSMP I'm just tearfully going "please, please, can we talk about the real guy as an adult and a peer, not as a dad, look he has his own kids you can talk about now, can he be a peer to the other streamers, please" and then I break down weeping piteously. It's fun times seeing what twitter is doing, I'll tell you.

#anon #ask

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sgtbradfords · 1 year

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"It's nice that your voice was the first thing I heard today"

The cotton sheet covering Tim's body fell to his waist as he twisted to the right, propping his upper body onto one elbow. Inquisitively, he arched a brow as he spoke. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"No." He bit back his smirk as he watched Lucy's gaze wracked over his bare chest. The tip of her tongue darted out to wet her lips, before her grin grew into one that spanned from ear to ear.

Lucy stood at the foot of the bed, her hair cascading down her back in soft waves, clearly ready to head into work. She had chosen one of her newer tops that had become a favorite of his. It was black, polyester he thinks, and covered sporadically in sunflowers that highlights her curves. She had paired the blouse with one of her darker pairs of jeans, a pair that Tim wouldn't oppose in seeing on the bedroom floor again.

As always, she looked stunning.

"You know it's been proven that starting off the day with a compliment, can go along way."

"Are you implying that I'm not a friendly person?" He questioned as he brought his body forward, resting his elbows onto either of his knees.

Lucy's smile wavered ever so slightly as she rolled her eyes. But Tim knew better than to think it was because of his line of questioning. "No, I'm just saying that you've grown baby. We both have." She moved to sit down on the corner of the bed, her hand raising to take his jaw into her hand. It was impossible not to melt into her palm. "And that's a good thing, a great thing."

Tim isn’t obtuse. He knows he’s changed over the last few years. It’s not something he thinks about a lot; he doesn’t like to think about the man he used to be, even if that past will always be a part of him.

The woman in front of him calls it 'growth', which he thinks is putting it nicely. What he doesn’t think she realizes, though, is where, exactly, that change began. Somewhere in between then and now, the woman who once got under his skin, had started to make that same skin burn.

Turning his head, Tim's gaze held her own as he placed a soft kiss to the fluttering pulse of her wrist.

"We're going to be late." The reminder was soft, but it was one that he didn't need. There would always be something standing in the way; their jobs, an outing, a problem, the metaphorical clock handing over their heads.

But somethings mattered more.

She mattered more.

"I don't care."

Leaning forward, their lips came together in a long embrace, tongues sliding against each other in a slow tangle as his hands glided up and down her back before settling on her hips. Slowly, he eased his body backwards, Lucy following him every step of the way as his back fell against the mattress.

They arrived at the station only a few minutes late, but Tim didn't care, not when her voice was the first thing he heard in the mornings.

#i don't even know #but i couldn't get it out of my head #thanks for the ask!#em answers #mtnofgrace #chenford fanfic #chenford fic #fanfic #the rookie fic #chenford

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useless-bi-otch · 11 months

Text

Cookies'n Cream - Chapter 27

Last chapter / MasterList / art by @aneenasevla

Chapter 27 - Queens and Clowns

Note: This chapter contains scenes only suitable for 18+ audiences (A.K.A. smut). You’ve been warned

Now that he and Tomori were together and knew each other a lot better, Okubo wondered how he hadn't noticed the signs before.

They've always been there, right under his nose. She had warned him about them herself, and he had chosen to ignore it long enough to be vulnerable. And now, he was in that situation, trapped between a rock and a hard place because of a promise.

All because she, in addition to being cute and sweet, was calculating, slightly manipulative and fully aware of the effects she had on him. If he had noticed these signs sooner, he would have set boundaries from the start. But now it was too late, and he was...

"... Wrapped around her little finger."

"Being held by the balls."

“Lassoed and ridden like the bald bull you are."

"You're good at thinking of synonyms, but not at helping me think of a way out, aren't you, you bastards?!," Okubo grunts, taking an angry bite of his pizza slice while watching Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda being complete assholes to each other during the most violent Mario Kart competition he had ever watched in his entire life. "I'm serious , that girl put me behind the eight ball!"

"Sorry to say that, Okubo, but you're the one who got yourself into this," Kaneda comments, ignoring the curse Rihito shouted in his ear when he throw him off the track with a red shell. "You shouldn’t have agreed to go out with her when you had a bruise too obvious to go unnoticed."

"Or you should've lied and said that it was one of us who did that to you during a sparring session- Rihito, you son of a bitch!," Himuro yells when Rihito throws a banana peel in front of him on the track and makes him spin. Rihito laughs out loud.

"Suck on that banana, you man-whore! And yeah, man, you should've said that. It was a lie, but it was for the greater good, right?"

"I thought about doing that, but I couldn't!," He gestures frustrated. "I don't know what's with her eyes, but I'm totally incapable of lying when I look into them! It's a mix between Puss in Boots from Shrek and a human version of Hello Kitty with the softest, most good smelling boobs in the world! It was a lost battle from the start..."

"You couldn't even put your foot down? Like, saying you won't take her to see a Kengan match and that's it, no more whining?," Himuro asks, grinding his teeth while trying to pass by Rihito without being hit by the green shells that surrounded him. Okubo shakes his head, shoving the rest of the pizza into his mouth at once.

“I wanted to do that, but I just couldn't. She was naked at the time, just out of the shower, all wet and smelling good," He can't hold back, smiling when he remembers, still chewing. "With her asking like that, there's no grown man who can resist."

"Holy shit, dude… now I understand why you took so long to fuck her."

"What do you mean?"

"You knew that your brain cells were all stored in your balls and that she would empty them without thinking twice."

"Fuck you, Rihito!"

"Too late, I'm doing just fine! Yes!," Rihito raises the joy-con in the air in celebration as he manages to pass Kaneda on the last corner and cross the finish line first. Kaneda moans, throwing his head back, while Himuro throws a small tantrum and throws the other joy-con onto a cushion. Good thing, because Okubo would beat his ass if he broke even one piece of his Nintendo Switch. "Gentlemen, I'm fuckin' unbeatable!"

"No way, this is just the first championship you've won tonight," Himuro snorts with a frown. "You were ahead of Kaneda by a measly four points."

"Which I intend to keep in the future. Now, go eat a pizza slice with Egghead, I have a lil' fucker to beat," Rihito dismisses him with hand gestures, to which Himuro gives him the middle finger before leaving the joy-con aside and walking away, sulking.

"Asshole... get his ass for me, Kaneda."

"Haha, I'll do my best. Anyway, Okubo...," Kaneda turned to Okubo while Rihito adjusted the game's settings. "Now that you promised her, there's no going back. Breaking the promise could be worse for you."

"I know…," Okubo scratches the back of his head, tired. "I wouldn't do that to her anyway. She's been honest with me, the least I can do is reciprocate."

"Yeah, but at what cost?," Himuro says while grabbing a pizza slice inside the box on the kitchen counter. "We already talked about the risks, remember?"

"I do...

"And you're still going to go ahead with that idea?"

"It's not because I want to, Himuro," He retorts angrily. "Don't you guys understand? She didn't give me a choice. It almost looks like an ultimatum," He sighs. "If I keep more things from her, she'll think I'm not being honest enough and conclude that it's not worth investing in our relationship. It's that thing about giving too much and getting too little in return... and I want to give as much as I get."

"Holy shit, that came out so wrong, hahaha!"

"Shut up, Rihito, I'm serious!"

"Okay, okay, you want to be serious, right? So let's be serious," Rihito forces himself to stop laughing, looking seriously at him while Kaneda chooses a cup. "You don't want her to know about the Kengan Association because it might be risky for her or is there more to it?"

Okubo immediately gets uncomfortable. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know, you're focusing too much on something that can be easily solved," Rihito shrugs. "If your concern is with her safety, that's fine. She'll have you and us, if you're the one fighting, to protect her."

"Wow... would y'all really do that?"

"Of course. We like her too," Kaneda guarantees with a nod. "Not just because she's your girlfriend who isn't quite your girlfriend."

"Yeah. She's just a nice girl," Himuro shrugs.

"Yep! She's crazy and a little sarcastic and judgemental, but still cute," Rihito agrees. Okubo sniffs a little.

“Gee, guys… you really-”

"Not to mention that if I play bodyguard, she'll owe me one! Then I can ask for her friend's number as a payment without feeling guilty about it."

"Holy shit, you're the most self-serving jerks I've ever met in my entire fucking life," Okubo runs a hand over his face, grunting. "Okay, I'm glad you guys want to do this for her too. But continue your reasoning, Rihito."

"Alright," Rihito and Kaneda turned their attention to the match again, but the former kept talking. "If that was your only concern, you'd already know that it is very easy to solve. But there's more to it, right? Because when you mix Miss Uta and you, there's always something more. I've got your number..."

"Unf. Aren't you an observant motherfucker..."

"You're just that obvious, bro."

"Indeed," Kaneda and Himuro nod together, and Okubo glares at them indignantly.

"And you still agree with him! Ugh... okay, it's not just that," He finally admits. "It also has to do with moral issues."

"Moral issues?"

"Yeah, like... you're aware of how she's an avid martial arts fan, right? She's always watching the fights in the major leagues, even the lesser known ones," He takes another pizza slice from the box, eating it with a frown. "Only all those leagues are public, safe and full of rules. I don't know what she'd think of an underground league, let alone one like the one the Kengan Association maintains..."

"Look, I think she already guessed that you're involved with underground fighting, considering how you kept hammering this 'backstage league' thing," Himuro forms quotation marks with his fingers, to which Okubo shakes his head.

“But she doesn't know the full extent of the whole thing. It's something much more serious than a bunch of alley jesters getting together to beat each other to a pulp without much safety involved," He finishes chewing and swallowing, burping afterwards and continuing, "Rock bottom always has a basement. And I... I don't know, I'm worried that she might think this is wrong."

"But that's the thing, man… from a legal point of view, it's wrong ," Himuro arches an eyebrow, to which he snorts.

"Wrong to the point that she thinks our relationship isn't worth the effort! That she doesn't want anything to do with a guy who gets involved with that stuff. And the whole thing is very violent, much more than what she's used to seeing on television..."

"Oh... you're thinking she's one of those purist fans then... Damn it!," Rihito curses when a blue shell hits him, allowing Kaneda to pass him. "There'll be payback, mark my words!"

"I'm going to leave my change purse ready, haha ," Kaneda jokes.

“Either that or she became more adept at the concepts of right and wrong after she got over her delinquent phase,” Okubo muses, and Himuro frowns at him.

"Delinquent phase? What, just because of that tattoo?"

"No, she was absolutely deranged during her teens, according to herself. She almost got expelled from school once," He says, eyes wide; the fact still amazed him a little. Rihito lets out a mocking laugh.

"Give me a break! The tattoo thing I can believe in, but this?"

"If you're doubting it, ask her the next time you see each other. Anyway...," Okubo shakes his head. "She doesn't deny her past, but today she tries to distance herself from it. And if she concludes that I'm not following the same path, that the Kengan Association goes against the kind of life she's been trying to maintain... ugh, I don't know," He scratches his whole face with his hands, eyes squeezed shut. "I just don't want her to give up on us because of this!"

"Does that make you rethink your participation in the Kengan matches as a whole?," Kaneda asks, and Okubo needs to think a bit before answering.

"No… I mean, I'm just like you guys, I enjoy fighting without all the rules of the public leagues. Ultimate Fight has hardly offered me more challenges, I'm already at a much higher level-"

"If your ego inflates more, it'll replace your car's airbags."

"And the Kengan Association provides me with that," He continues, ignoring Rihito's comment. "I don't care about the businessmen's shenanigans, as long as I can fight strong guys. It's the same with you. I'm just worried that she won't accept it..."

There is a brief moment of silence while Himuro thinks and Kaneda and Rihito slaughter each other on screen. Himuro then asks the question he honestly didn't want any of them to ask.

"If she doesn't accept it, will you consider this a thing that's doomed to fail? If neither you nor she are willing to compromise..."

Okubo sighs heavily.

"I don't know, man. I don't want it at all. But if things get to that point..."

"If it gets to that point and you see that you are at an impasse, it means that she's not the right girl for you. It's that simple," Kaneda says. "And there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes people just don't work together and it's no one's fault but circumstances'."

"I know. But it's been a while since I wanted something to work so much in my life," Okubo admits, a little embarrassed, but unable to contain himself. "You can say I sound like a sappy fagot and shit, but I don't think I'll find anyone like her anytime soon. And I don't want to. I just didn't want to have to give up one thing to have the other. It's so fucking unfair"!

"Maybe you don't have to!," Rihito says, leaning to the side when making a sharp turn. "If she really was that deranged like you're saying, maybe she won't think it's that wrong. Who knows, maybe she even likes it," He suddenly gives a mischievous laugh. "Maybe she'll get all excited with your performance in a match and wants to try some moves with you on the mattress, hehehe..."

"Rihito, what are you saying..."

“No, Iron Fingers might be right. This is an outright muscle eater we're talking about," Himuro says to Kaneda. "Like, I don't think she would like to see Okubo killing someone in the middle of a match-"

"I don't even intend to! I almost killed my first opponent in Ultimate Fight and I'm traumatized to this day...," Okubo shivers. Himuro nods.

"See? She wouldn't like it, but a fair, violent, bloody fight is something else. Some girls really get turned on with this stuff. If that's Miss Uta's case..."

Okubo blinks. And then he opens a huge stupid smile, even blushing a little.

"Jeez, gigolo, you really think so? Because man, if I win a Kengan match and it gets my Tomoh all horny for me, I'll be more than happy to crush other people's faces!"

"Fucking simp!"

"Fuck off, Rihito," He snorts while Himuro and Kaneda laugh. "The day you feel the softness of the right titties, I'm the one who's going to be laughing."

"Look, I don't know if they were the right ones, but I sure felt the softness of several titties a few days ago," Rihito opens the very same stupid smile. "There's no best way to celebrate Komada's first victory in months, dammit. .."

"Oh yeah, you went to celebrate at Ms. Rino's club on the same day as Okubo's Kengan match," Kaneda comments, and Rihito nods, his chest puffed out.

"We sure as hell did! The girls were so sweet with us. First time I went to celebrate with Komada and Ivan too, since my official brothel bro gave up on that life," He mutters in a sullen tone, to which Okubo smiles in the corner.

“Sorry for that, man. I liked the Golden Pleasure Club as much as you, but I wouldn't trade what I have now for anything."

"I know, bro. 'We're happy for you, you know that," Rihito nods. "And it's because we know how important this is to you that we're telling you not to expect the worst. Your chick is a martial arts lover. She's the type who knows that, sometimes, men only understand each other through violence," He laughs. "Just tell it like it is. If she knows you like she says she does, she won't be on your case."

Okubo smiles wider, his chest lightening considerably. He scratches the back of his head.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks..."

"Yeah, you're so right I'm almost wondering if you're really Rihito," Himuro arches an eyebrow, to which Kaneda chuckles.

"Don't they say that even a broken clock is right twice a day? Well…"

"Why don't you go screw yourselves? Fuckin' bastards," Rihito grumbles, ignoring the laughter of the others. "You shouldn't even be surprised, I've been on a winning streak like no other lately. It's one win after the other!"

"You say that, but you're still behind me on that last lap..."

"Not for long. Go boomerang!," He screams, and laughs loudly when said boomerang hits Yoshi right in front of him. Kaneda lets out an indignant exclamation.

"Aaah! I could accept it if it was a shell, but a boomerang? It's too humiliating!"

"People do what they can with what they have, man! Hell yeah!," He celebrates when he crosses the finish line in first place, even getting up from the mat to do a little victory dance. "Another glorious victory for me, dammit! The other pizza is all mine!"

"Shit…," Himuro grunts, rolling his eyes while Kaneda scratches his headr tiredly. "Now we're going to have to put up with this bullshit… can I go smoke on your balcony, Okubo? I'll close the glass door so the smoke doesn't get in, I just need to put nicotine into my system to withstand this..."

“Sure, man, go kill your heartache with some cancerogenous smoke,” Okubo jokes as Rihito does a victory dance in the middle of the room. Kaneda sighs and puts down the joy-con as Himuro marches to the apartment's balcony, looking pissed, ignoring Rihito's mocking laughter as best he can.

"Who said Superman's winning streak would be short-lived, huh? I'm kicking some major ass!"

"Yeah, just be careful not to fuck it up to the point of fucking your business," Okubo hands him another pizza box, still unopened. "Yamashita is sending you messages about your employees’ licenses issues. Better get that outta the way before it comes back to bite you in the ass, man."

Rihito moans loudly, throwing his head back.

"Damn, I hate these bureaucracies."

"It's annoying, but necessary, since you're a CEO as well as a fighter," Kaneda comments while turning off the Switch. "The sooner you deal with this, the better."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop by his office on Friday and sort this thing out, I promise," Rihito nods before turning to Okubo. "And you! You better solve this mess with Miss Uta sooner than later too. We can't wait for this soap opera to end and for us to reap the fruits of it."

"Bro, I swear to God, if you talk about her friend's phone number one more time...!"

"Nah, this time I'll be quiet. Unless, of course, you mention to her that we were the ones who pushed you in the right direction, and if she wants to thank us by being generous..."

Kaneda ends up laughing, and even Himuro, from the balcony, lets out a low, husky chuckle. Okubo just rolls his eyes, but he does so while trying to hold a smile back.

He was already kind of indebted to his friends for everything they had done to help him sort things out with Tomori, Rihito in particular. If everything worked out between them and she accepted this unconventional aspect of his life, why not bring the subject up? At least Rihito would stop pestering them like that. And he would pay off his debt.

"I hope your friend likes inconvenient idiots as much as you do, Tomoh..."

* * *

"So, what do you think?," Okubo asks while closing the door behind him, his tone a bit playful to disguise his shyness. "Is it as you imagined or did the typical masculine carelessness exceed your expectations?"

"What exceeded my expectations was the size. Holy crap...," Tomori comments, sounding impressed, as she walks around the living room of his apartment, even walking backwards so she can contemplate the place as a whole. "So this is how the luxury apartments in Tokyo's upscale area are from the inside!

"Eh, there are much more luxurious buildings around here, to be honest. For a guy who lives alone, this is enough," He decrees, hands on hips, to which she smiles a little mockingly at him.

"A guy who lives alone and has lotta cash in the bank, right?"

"Hey, I'm no saudi prince, but I deserve to have some luxuries with the money I earn working, right?," He shrugs, taking it in stride. "You could also have some if you let me spend a little on you..."

"Nah-ah-ah! You can stop right there," She raises the palm of her right hand to him like a traffic cop. "I'm getting enough luxuries just to be able to spend one night here with you. You sure there's no problem?"

"None! I cleaned the whole place to be worthy of your presence," He jokes, going to her and hugging her around the waist. "I even went to the market and stocked the fridge, all with your teachings in mind. We'll be able to watch Seki's fight in style!"

"Really? Such consideration!," She returns the hug, smiling at him. "Unless, of course, this is a very well thought out scheme to make me cook."

"Would you rather eat food made by me then? The guy who couldn't even get the shape of rice balls right before you showed him how?"

"I would help you! It would be a nice thing for us to do together."

"I'm up for it, but right now I'm thinking of something else for us to do together...," He bends down to reach her, exchanging a peck with her before going to kiss and nibble her neck, to which she laughs and shivers with the tickling.

"Wow, I really spoiled you, didn't I? Leave it for tonight, after Mr. Seki's match," She murmurs against his mouth, after giving him a longer kiss. "Then the gratuitous violence on television will have put me in the perfect mood."

"You're such a weirdo, Tomoh."

"Pot, meet kettle. I've got your number, mr. 'I-Get-Sad-And-Pouty-When-The-Woman-I-Like-Doesn't-Let-Me-Spend-Stacks-Of-Money-On-Her'."

"That just makes you even weirder," He smiles more, lifting her off the ground and making her scream. "And it makes me like you more and more..."

He kisses her again, and even though she starts slapping his shoulders, she doesn't protest in the slightest. On the contrary, she manages to encircle his waist with her legs, and Okubo concludes that it would be very easy to take her to the bedroom (or to the sofa, in case they concluded that the distance between the bedroom and the living room was too great) and get busy with her. The could leave the tour on the whole apartment for after they've satisfied themselves. They would have all day, after all.

It was so good to have fallen in love with a woman who seemed to have the same sex drive as him, or at least enough that neither of them ended up frustrated. Another of the many things they had in common, and he couldn't get enough of discovering more and more of them every time they were together.

It was what made him not want to believe what Kaneda had said a few days ago. That speech about her not being the right girl for him, in case their opinions regarding his participation in an association that promoted underground fights were very discordant. Where else would he find someone as amazing as her? Someone he was so in tune with? Where else would he find that warmth, that joy, that feeling that everything in the world was in the right place when he was with her?

He didn't want to give that up if he could help it. He wanted to get those doubts out of the way so he could commit to her, and not hide anything else. The opportunity had arisen when Sekibayashi Jun's next performance had been announced to be broadcast on a pay-per-view channel, and Okubo had offered his own television, with the combat channels already included in its premium subscription package, to Tomori, so that she herself would not have to pay.

"Is everything all right for you, Naoh?," She had asked, surprised and a little hesitant, after he had made the offer during their date a few days before. He had nodded with a laidback smile. "It won't be any trouble?"

"Of course not! Why would having you at my place would be trouble?"

"No, that's not it. It's just that... now I know that you get a little jealous of seeing me kissing up to other fighters, so I don't want to push your goodwill..."

She had looked embarrassed, and Okubo had felt bad for making her think he was the kind of possessive idiot who was jealous of even the celebrities his girlfriend admired. He reached across the table where they were both eating, in a small pub.

"You won't, I promise. I'd never ask you to put aside your love for martial arts because of my insecurities, Tomori. It's that dedication that makes you who you are, and I'll never want to change that."

She had smiled when he had touched her face, lifting her fingers to touch his hand as well.

"Great. Thank you..."

"And there's no reason for me to be jealous of that old man Sekibayashi, who's more like a grandpa on a national scale than anything else, haha!"

"He's not even ten years older than you, so your national grandpa status shouldn't be more than a decade away either."

"Hey, hey, how long are you going to make fun of my age? That says more about you than me, you old man lover!"

She had laughed out loud, holding his hand up to her face and turning her head to the side to plant a kiss in the palm.

"I'm not an old man lover! I only like one in particular..."

He would have kissed her right there if the place had been more suitable. And now that they were there, in his apartment, away from judgmental eyes and safe behind all those walls, he just couldn't and didn't want to stop.

If being completely honest with her had been easier and potentially less painful, he already would have been. He would have taken her to watch a Kengan match live, even. But the fear of losing all that was still too much, so he preferred to test the waters before being more open. A good start would be to give her a fun day, back at his apartment, which she's been wanting to visit for a while. Combining business with pleasure, that's what they called it.

“And if I can tame the beast with some sexy times, even better!”

The thought makes him deepen the kiss, whereupon she moans softly against his mouth and grips his shoulders through the top of his shirt.

"Hnnn... man, you really don't waste time..."

"I'm no broken clock to waste time. I like to get straight to the point, you know..."

"I know that well now. But I still want to see the rest of your apartment, you know."

"Oh, we can take a tour right now," He suggests, pulling his lips away from hers just enough to be able to speak. "Starting with my room…"

"Oooh, that's right. Your room," Her eyes suddenly narrow. "It's the place I'm most curious to see, to be honest."

He smiles, all mischievous. "Heh, I can imagine why. I assure you, my bed is almost as big as the one in that love hotel's room-"

“I still haven't got even for that day."

Okubo's smile dies a little, giving way to bewilderment.

"Even...?"

"Yup. Put me down, please," She asks, and he, even more confused, obliges. She marches into the hallway, as Okubo follows. What the hell was she...?

His question is answered when she reaches a door at the end of the hall. She turns to him, arching an eyebrow.

"Is this your room?"

"Uh… yes, it is," He nods, his brow furrowed. "Why? What are you...?"

And instead of answering, she simply reaches out and grabs the doorknob, turning it and opening the door. Okubo can only stare, speechless, as she looks over her shoulder at him, gives him a petulant look as if daring him to protest, and enters the room without even asking permission.

Shit, he didn't know whether to be indignant or have a fit of laughter. He opts for a middle ground, chuckling softly as he rolls his eyes.

"Okay, I deserved that."

And he enters the room right behind her.

He watches her, from the doorway, walk around the room while inspecting everything with interest. He chuckles again when she places a hand over her chin, frowning.

"Disappointed?"

"Not at all. Your bed is really big, wow...," She comments, sitting on the huge mattress, and he smiles more.

"Now you can see why I want to get you there so badly. Just imagine how comfortable it is...," He pats one of the pillows, very pleased to demonstrate its softness. In general, his room was a bit plain, with the king size bed custom-made for him, the dressers flanking it, the closet and the bathroom with a huge bathtub that completed the suite. More personal things that denoted more of his personality and tastes were in his game and reading rooms, but banging her in those places wouldn't be nearly as comfortable as here. "And there's even a view of the city lights at night!"

He indicates the large window in the wall beside the bed, which gave them a view of the surrounding apartment complexes. Tomori smiles, lying on her side on the bed.

"Yeah, it must be very romantic..."

"That's because you haven't seen my lighting system yet! Check it out..."

He rushes to draw the curtains around the window, plunging the room into a soft gloom. And then he claps his hands twice, while throwing a mysterious smile at her.

"Open Sesame!"

Tomori lets out a sound that was a mix of laughter and excited gasp as soft lights come on behind the headboard and at strategic points on the ceiling, around the main source of light, giving the room a cozy atmosphere. She claps her hands as well as she sits back on the mattress.

"Beautiful! I'm going to love sleeping here tonight."

"Thank you, thank you very much," He gives a playful bow. "But you sure won't love it as much as I will!"

"We'll see about that... but look, Naoh, the correct phrase would be 'let there be light', right? ‘Open Sesame’ is for opening things, not turning on lights, haha.

"… If I say that what I wanted was to 'open your legs', will I be able to get away with being made fun of without sounding like a complete asshole?"

She laughs out loud, opening her arms to him.

"No, you won't. Now come here and kiss me before I change my mind and hit you."

And he goes, flushed but still as happy as he can be, climbing onto the bed and holding her close as he complies with her request with an excitement that has her giggling against his mouth. Soon they were lying on the bed, he propping himself up on his elbows so he wouldn't put too much weight on her, her hands touching his back over his shirt as her legs lifted, her feet brushing the sides of his hips.

“Hnnn… I kinda made a miscalculation,” she murmurs after they've both pulled back just enough to catch their breath. Okubo blinks.

"Miscalculation...?"

"Yeah. I should've explored the other rooms in your apartment before I decided to be petty and go into your room. I can see that we won't be able to get out of here anytime soon, haha..."

"And you think you won't have another opportunity to see everything?," He looks at her with a malicious smile. "Or to spend the night here more often?"

She smiles back, practically melting under him at those words.

"Now that I've heard it, I don't think so anymore."

And she then brings him for another kiss, already starting to try to take his shirt off by the hem. She loved to joke about how he was in a hurry, but he sure as hell wasn't the only one there who wasted no time...

He loved it when she didn't stall and showed ho much she wanted him. Promptly, Okubo removed the shirt she held by the hem, letting her help him, and promptly letting her caress his ego with her eyes. And her brown eyes, practically devouring him, made him feel like he was on fire.

"I really don't know how you can think you're ugly," She purrs, those avid eyes seeming to burn. "I think you're really hot, I always have…"

"I don't think men are hot, that must be why," he jokes back. "But you…," he kisses her neck, lifting her blouse.

She raises her arms to make his job easier, and soon, her breasts supported by her pale blue bra are visible to him in all their glory.

"I never get tired of hearing that, you know?," She murmurs, her tone desirous. "I used to get frustrated, thinking that you only thought I was cute. But now that I know you think I'm hot too... wow, that drives me crazy...," And she lifts her hips a little to rub herself between his legs, through the fabric of her skirt.

“Always and always,"” He pulls her bra over it this time, so as not to confuse where the clasp is, and he immediately buries his face between her breasts, purring contentedly with her softness, warmth, and scent. She giggled as she shivered at his breath on her skin.

"Your favorite pillow, right? Oooh...," She gasps softly with his kisses there in the middle. "Naoh..."

"More than that…," he laughs softly. "It’s closer to the heart of the one I love…"

The smile fades as her mouth opens in an O of astonishment, her brown eyes widening. He could see a very distinctive glow forming at the bottom of them, her cheeks staining with that shade of pink he loved.

"... Huh? Naoya, you...," She swallows hard, and when she speaks again; her voice seems almost choked. "It's- It's the first time you say that..."

He looks at her, big gray eyes peeking out between her breasts. "Hmm? Say what?"

"... You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?," She closes her mouth when her lower lip trembles a little. "It's the first time that you say you love me."

... Oh, fuck. Loudmouth was the perfect nickname for him, wasn't it?

He feels his face burning, his eyes widening, his stomach doing somersaults worthy of an acrobat. Holy shit, he had planned so much, rehearsed so many times in front of the mirror, had fantasized so much about the best ways to confess to her! But he had to blurt it out like that, on the spur of the moment!

“Well, there's nothing you can do about that now, dumbass! Just go with the flow and clear your doubts while you’re at it!"

"Oh..." he babbles, his face red. "Yeah… I said that. Do you like it?"

"… I do," She nods after hesitating, looking at him with an affection so intense it takes his breath away. "Because I feel the same way. I... I love you too, mountain. Uugh, you…!," She hides her face in her hands, as red as he is. "Making me act all sappy when I want to be naughty…!"

He blinks in astonishment, suddenly feeling all warm inside, smiling like an idiot, but not in a perverted way. It was almost as if his eyes had doubled in size, his breath hitching for a minute.

“Damn it, she loves me too!,” was all that ran through his head, like a wonderful movie that he would never get tired of replaying, over and over, until the idea sank in. He looks deep into her eyes, and in her flushed face, he sees no reason to doubt her words.

“She loves me too...”

Then his smile turns into something naughty. "And can't we be both? Here, I'll show you," he kisses her on the neck. "My beautiful, gorgeous, delicious brunette who fills me with hunger…!," and grunts against her skin between kisses. "Raaaawn!"

She squeals and laughs out loud, bucking all over beneath him, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. He couldn't tell if they were from laughter, from happiness or both. All he knew was that she looked even more beautiful that way, damn it!

"Hahahaha! That's a low blohohohow...! My god...," She goes completely limp, throwing her head back, the smile seeming about to tear her face. "I'm so happy, I want you so much..."

"I want you too...," He lifts her skirt, kissing down to arouse her, and massaging her legs in the process, even kissing the inside of one of them to make her shiver with the proximity. And he succeeds, making her shudder all over as she bites her bottom lip.

"Hnnn… you really like kissing me there, don't you? Ever since that time at the love hotel..."

"A fruit like that is something I'll always want to eat," he surprises her by going straight to the middle of her legs, over her panties, biting the fabric. She arches her back into the bed, letting out a loud sound of astonishment and pleasure as she wraps her legs around his head automatically, making his face practically rub against it. Holy shit, that was a leg lock capable of knocking any motherfucker down, no matter how big he was!

"Aaaah...! Yeah, right there...," She support her hands on his head, her nails passing through his scalp, scratching lightly. He only gets a little space to run a finger and push aside her panties and kiss her, right there in the middle. And he opens her lips with his tongue to reach a very important part.

Her moan echoes in the room, her legs opening wider and letting him breathe as well as giving him more room to work. He sees her lift her head, staring at him from between her breasts rising and falling with her breath, her eyes almost black.

"Yes, I love your tongue, I love you, I- oooh, yes, yes...!," She closes her teary eyes tightly with his licks. If he wanted romance amongst the naughtiness, that's what he was going to get. He smiles and kisses her more languidly, loving the sounds she was making, squeezing her buttocks in his hands, lifting her a little higher to explore new areas.

Her toes twitch as she bites her mouth, hands cupping her breasts, her fingers playing with her own nipples. She thanked every deity that might exist that he learned so quickly, that tongue was devilish in every sense of the word. But the damn panties getting in the way were so annoying... she reaches out to cup his face, making him stop.

"Naoh, I wanna try something…"

He stops, looking at her and licking his lips. "What?"

She pulls away just enough so that she can take off her panties, dropping them on the bedroom floor. And then she pats the mattress with her hand, right beside her.

"Lie down for me, please…"

Okubo complies, smirking, curious as to what she's going to do. She notices that he was already quite excited under his pants. If he was like this with just tasting her… She really hoped he was only going to get even more excited about what she was going to do from then on. She smiles, climbing on top of him and kissing him, tasting herself on his tongue before stopping. And then she climbs higher, lifting her hips, until she's right on top of his face, her legs straddled and braced on either side of his head, her breathing faster with the urge.

“Wow, I've always wanted to try this… wanna try it too?"

He smiles. "Wow, if you always wanted to, then it's my dream," he pulls her to literally sit on his face, and sighs. "Nnnnh, thanks, ahahhah," and he laughs before kissing her again.

She can barely laugh along, already moaning with satisfaction and bracing her hands on the headboard for support, moving her hips back and forth slowly, following the path of his tongue.

"Hnnnn, you're- you're welcome... ooh, yeah, you're doing so great... I taught you well, didn't I? Hnnnn...!"

"Being hot is your natural talent…," he says while savoring, supporting her buttocks with his arms so that she can move more comfortably. And she gladly does, squirming in his face and loving it, shivering and throwing her head back every time his tongue goes over her clit, moaning loudly because she knew how much he loved to hear it.

"Oooh...! Naoh, this feels so good... I-I'm almost there, don't stop...!"

And he wouldn't be crazy to do that. He even sucked at her noisily, massaging her legs even more, taking a lick to catch her honey, and punishing her clit with his tongue.

The "punishment" proves too much for her, and soon he's tasting her, pure and concentrated, on his tongue, accompanied by those familiar pulsations and her moan that was almost a scream, filling his ears like erotic music.

"AaaAAAAH! Naoooh...," She bends forward, her legs shaking on either side of his head. "My- My god, you're too good for me, hnnnn..."

This softened his ego so much that if someone made a roast beef out of him right now, it would be the juiciest of dishes. He gave her one last kiss before making her come down and sit on his lap so he could appreciate her face, her messy hair, her rosy cheeks, her shuddering breath. She finds his semi-smug face.

"I'm just what you deserve me to be, Tomoh..."

She even shudders at the husky tone of his voice, as well as the place where she was sitting. The bulge brushing between her sensitive parts…she shivers all over as she bends down to kiss him, not caring that his mouth was all sticky.

"Hnnn... oh yeah? So you deserve me to be very good to you too..."

And she bends down to kiss and lick his broad chest, as he had done to her. He laughs a little, feeling a little ticklish, but still lets her kiss him, holding onto her waist, biting his lip as he feels her sway on top of him. He wanted to remove the rest of her clothes, but he let her play with him a little more. Things shouldn't be rushed, not when he wanted to enjoy every second.

Soon her hands were on the waistband of his pants, and apparently she didn't have much patience for teasing that day, because she was soon opening the button and unzipping his pants, licking her lips as she did so.

“Hnnn… you got that way just from licking me?," She asks hoarsely, getting rid of his pants and holding his cock by the base.

"And seeing you, smelling you… I have to control myself, you know? Hnm," he sighs when she holds him and starts massaging him. "And now, with you touching me, there's no other way I can be…"

"I can see that... what if I do this?," She looks at him as she licks the tip, circling it with her tongue before closing her lips around it and sucking. "Hnnn…"

He trembles, biting his lip and hissing. "I think… oh… I don’t think I need to answer, right…? Ooh…," he holds her hair, in a ponytail on top of her head, so as not to disturb either her job or the view. She responds by lowering her mouth further, circling it with her tongue and then moving up while applying pressure. And from there she said nothing more, letting her actions speak for herself, eyes closed as she moved her head up and down, her mouth making smacking sounds. Her enjoying doing it so much was something he was never going to get tired of, holy shit.

"Tomori... hmmmm…," he murmurs. "Ooh… and you still talk about me… oohh… I'm loving this… hmmm… yeah, babe, just like that, oohm…"

She looks at him, not stopping what she was doing, but changing tactics a little by releasing him and closing her mouth around his cock, goingo up and down while holding him with one hand, the other resting on his thigh. That mischievous face, those eyes staring shamelessly into his... how could he ever think she was the epitome of innocence?

He had never been so happy to be wrong. Wolf in sheep's clothing, indeed. And what a wolf!

"Hnnn… I really do," She murmurs after releasing him to breathe. "Because I know you're as naughty as I am," And she keeps going back and forth with her tongue, from base to tip. He doesn't deny it, because it was the purest truth, and because that hot pressure rising prevented him from being very coherent.

"Uuhh… hnmmm… Tomoh… oh," he trembles. "I'm… hmm… I'm almost…"

She retraces all the way to the tip at that, closing her mouth around him again and sucking hard, massaging what she couldn't quite swallow with her fingers, her tongue punishing the slit, as he had done to her. He loved it when she got vindictive like that, damn it!

"Hmmm! Oohh… Tomo-ohhh!," he arches his back at his climax, trembling at the base, and upon feeling that he's locked, she quickly feels him spurt into her mouth, hot and plentiful. She sucked some more to clean it all up, enjoying his dazed face. She then lets go of him, taking a deep breath and licking her lips before going up, kissing his body all the way until she reaches his mouth, which she kisses even harder.

"Hnnn, I love the way you taste..."

He doesn't respond right away this time, just reciprocating, hugging her tightly, massaging her back, hips and buttocks happily, and then letting go of her mouth.

"Hnn... I can't find anything I don't love about you, Tomori."

She smiles, and this time, it was a tender, cheerful, adorable smile like only the ones she knew how to give. She gives him a peck and hugs him back, her head snuggled into his shoulder.

"If you think about it a little bit, you should find something, but I won't ask you to do that. Right now I can't think of anything I don't love about you too..."

He smiles, stroking her hair. It was so soft… he even closed his eyes in satisfaction, stretching out on the bed. He could feel himself light-headed, carefree…

"Naoh...," She calls out suddenly, her voice low, hesitant. "Did you… did you mean it when you said that earlier? It... wasn't it on the spur of the moment?"

"Hm?," he looks at her. "I decided to be honest with you, didn't I? So, yeah, I'm serious...," He didn't want to say how much he wasn't willing to let go of her at any moment; he still feared that it could be used against him, somehow. He loved her and that was undeniable, but holy shit, if that story about true love not making you blind wasn't true. She curls up in his arms, sighing.

“It's just that sometimes it feels too good to be true, you know. I don't know if you feel the same or if it's just me..."

"I have no idea how to compare it, Tomoh…," he sighs. "But I just know that I really care and I'm willing to prove it."

"… Then say it again," She asks, swallowing a little. "Please. Now that our heads are a little clearer..."

She sounded fragile, for some reason. As if she was afraid of something and wanted to be reassured, comforted…he didn't know what had caused it, or if for some reason she had trouble believing it. But if that was a trap...

“Is that what you expect from the woman you swear you love? Maybe you don't love her that much then. And you keeps accusing her of always jumping to the worst conclusions.”

Guilt makes him cringe too. And it's the desire to prove to his conscience how wrong it was that impels him to say what she wanted to hear, and honestly, what he's wanted to say for so long.

"I love you, Tomori," he smiles, and speaks a little louder. "I love you, Shortie."

She lets out a loud, pig-like snort and quickly covers her mouth to stifle her ridiculous laughter. He, on the other hand, laughs out loud without trying to hide it.

"What the fuck was that noise?!

"Shut- Shut up, leave me alone! You're the one who started with this 'shortie' thing..."

"Which is what you are!"

“Anyone is short next to you, you freakin' Ent..."

"If you knew half of my social circle, you wouldn't say that. Now it's your turn!"

"Me? Oooh, now I don't want to..."

"No, now I want to hear it from you too, Piglet!"

She slaps his chest, trying to look angry and failing. There's a brief moment of silence before she looks up at him, her cheeks flushed, a smile lifting the corners of her lips.

"I love you too, Naoya."

He kisses her, as if to reward her, but also tickles her just as a joke, trapping her. It works, considering how she giggles against his lips and squirms, trying to escape his arms but soon giving up.

"Uugh, you take advantage of me just because I'm a 'shortie'…," She whimpers after returning the kiss. "I'm glad I found ways to knock you down, haha."

"I want you to knock me down, that's why I tease you," He smiles mischievously. "How are you going to do it now?"

Her lids droop, her brown eyes darkening again. She lifts her head enough to brush her lips against his neck, tracing his Adam's apple with her tongue and slowly sucking the skin there as she wraps her legs around his waist.

"I'll do it with words," She murmurs in a hoarse tone. "Let me ride you like a bull, c'mon."

"Ooohh," he smiles at her, after shivering with her words. "So you want me to be your bull… hehe, I like that…," he holds her breasts. "But only if you let me move like one and give you trouble."

"Even better. I'm going to love to tame this bull," She bites her lower lip with his hands on her breasts, giving him a quick peck "Do you have a condom? I brought one in my purse, but it's in the living room and I'm too lazy to get out of bed and go get it, hahaha."

"Yeah, I do," he reaches out to get his pants, and from there he removes his wallet, handing it to her. "Right here!"

"Thank you very much. Now if you excuse me...," She kisses him, and with her hands on his shoulders, she encourages him to lie down again. She goes back to holding his cock by the base, stroking it with her hand in that up and down movement that made him a little dizzy. She even went back to licking and kissing the tip to make it easier, dammit... he couldn't stay put in bed after that. Or, just that specific part. The rest lay flat, while another grew larger.

"Ohh… I really can't get enough of this, Tomoh."

"I know, that's why I can't either," She gives him a wink before covering him up and getting up, positioning herself on top of him and biting her bottom lip as she made him brush against her, threatening to fit and not doing so, just to tease him. "Are you enjoying the view?"

"Yeah... it's the best view," he smiles, keeping his hands away from her, but placing them under the torso, his eyes narrowing with the near-contact. "I love when you tease me, I can't get enough…"

She lifts her hips just enough to position herself, and then she moans softly as she sits back down, shuddering at the warm, luscious feel of him slowly entering her. "Ooh, I can't get enough of that either…!"

He hisses low at the contact, but doesn't hold her legs this time. He starts to move his hips with her on top of him. "Now… hmm… it's your turn to ride the bull, he's moving..."

She gasps when he thrusts deeper into her like that, hitting a spot that made her nearly lose her balance. She leans her hands on the headboard again, moaning and trying to keep up with the movements of his hips as she lowers and raises hers, squeezing herself in the process so it feels even better for him.

"Oooh... Let's- Let's see about that... hnnn, Naoh...!"

"Hnmmm… Tomoo ohh…," he groans, moving his hips with her. "Hmm… I can feel you taking me all the way in, oohhh…," He looked at her, his eyes seeming to devour her, while he hissed and gasped with her grips and thrusts.

“And you're going so deep, I love it so much…” She gasps, her expression a little dazed, and he watches her breasts bounce as she rides him hard, sweat trickling down her skin, her full and wavy hair disheveled, wild. Hell, what had he done to deserve such a wonderful view? He didn't know but he was loving it and he wanted her wild like that whenever she wanted to ride him.

"Ohhh… Tomori…," he bites his lip, moving his hips harder. "Hnmmmm… that's so fuckin' good… but… I want to see you…," and he takes a hand to the middle of her legs, rubbing her clit with his thumb. "I wanna see you coming for me…"

"Aaaah! I- I will, I'm almost there, almost...! Na- NaooOOH!," And she collapses on top of him, shivering all over as she squeezed him hard in those rhythmic pulses, and it was so good that she was so much smaller than him, because it felt even better that way, holy shit...!

"Ooohhh… me- me too- hhnnNNNn!," he trembles as he collapses onto the mattress with her on top of him, instinctively holding her hips as he reaches his climax, panting heavily, even rolling his eyes back in delight. He hears, from somewhere in the distance, her breathless giggle. He feels her soft, warm, sweaty body lie over his, and soon, her lips are attacking his in a hungry kiss, her chest rising and falling quickly with his.

"Hnnn... there- there we go... a duly tamed bull..."

"Moooow!," he bellows playfully, laughing out loud along with her afterwards. She gives him one more kiss before lifting her hips, pulling him out of her, and pulling out the condom for him. And she even gives one more lick and a suck on the tip to emphasize, that miniature devil. He shudders and gasps, and she smirks at him.

"You clown... lucky for you that was so good..."

"You're invited to do it more often with me," he smiles, rolling over on the bed to face down. "Come on, let's see the bathroom and then we'll take a shower so we can watch Seki's match."

“If we fit in your bathtub together, I'm up for it. Carry me?," She asks, reaching her arms to him. "My legs are still wobbly, riding you demands a lot from me."

"Don't even ask twice," he picks her up and carries her, taking her to the bathroom. "hohoho, I'm carrying you like a princess! I love it."

"I'm the King of Combat's princess then?" I love it too," She giggles, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes, smiling satisfied. "I accept the title with all the honors that come with it. Being carried is one of them."

"No, no, princesses are too cute for what you really are," He laughs. "If I'm the King, then you have to be the Queen."

She flushed with happiness, even swinging her legs as she hugged him back.

“Okay, a Queen, then. Your queen…”

He had to stop himself from bouncing with happiness as he carried her into the bathroom. He still wanted to retain a shred of goddamn dignity!

* * *

"Damn, Naoh… your bathtub is a dream come true!," Tomori sighs while she and Okubo leave the bathroom, steam following them through the door left open. He smiles as he closes it behind him.

"Did you like it?"

"I loved it! It was like walking into a private bath house where no one makes a fuss about my tattoo,” She smiles at him over her shoulder, finishing wrapping herself in the fluffy towel. His expression becomes insinuating.

"And where we won't be kicked out if we decide to play in there a little. All pros and no cons," He approaches and bends down, moving her wet hair away to smell the nape of her neck, making her shiver. "You can bathe in it whenever you want."

"Hnnn… and what is the fee?"

"Your cookies, your kisses... and whatever else you want to give me," And he takes a bite on her warm and fragrant skin, making her shudder and laugh, moving away from him by slapping his hand.

"You're very easy to please, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's how lucky you are! Almost as much as I am..."

"Stop it, you...," She laughs and gasps when he grabs her by the hips, pulling her to smell and kiss her neck. "That way we'll end up in an endless sex-bath cycle, again and again..".

“You say it like it's a bad thing."

"It's not, but I really don't want to lose Mr. Seki's match. C'mon, don't make that face," She asks when he frowns. "I already told you that you have no reason to be jealous..."

"What? ... Oh no, that's not it," He shakes his head after a few seconds of confusion. "I was just remembering something and I got thoughtful..."

"Can I know what it is or is this another one of your secrets?"

"No…," He scratches the back of his head, looking to the side in sudden embarrassment. "I can talk about it, but it's just… it's kinda ridiculous, to be honest."

"Look, I think we've already reached the intimacy stage where ridiculous situations are part of the package," She argues. "We've moved on from there. I promise I won't make fun of it... too much."

He rolls his eyes, trying not to smile too much when she laughs.

"I would be worried about you if you didn't make fun of it. Anyway...," He shakes his head. "Remember that time when I was trying to win you back after my fuck-up? With the gifts and everything..."

She raises her eyebrows a little, nodding slowly.

"Kinda hard to forget. First the chocolate box, then half a flower shop's stock..."

"And you liked it, you can stop with the exasperated tone," He snorts. "But anyway, the chocolate and the flowers… they weren't the first gifts I bought for you. There's another one... and you can use one of them if you like. They're comfortable..."

"Huh?," She blinks, momentarily confused. And then her eyes widen a little when she understands. "Wait, you – you bought me clothes?"

“Uh… yes?," It was supposed to come out as a statement, but it came out more like a question, given the slight nervousness.

"In plural?"

"Yeaaaah...?"

"Aah… oh, Naoh…," She blushes a bit, scratching an arm. "I… oh, damn, I don't want to sound ungrateful, I swear I'm happy about it, but… how much did they cost?"

He frowns, a little sullen.

“Hey, hey, you don't ask the price of a gift given from the heart."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, I...," She ends up sighing. "Anyway, why didn't you give them to me before, in that case?"

"Well… I was going to, but the guys warned me that it might be… inappropriate," He gestures uncertainly. "Under the circumstances, at least."

She blinks again. And then her eyes widened even more, her checks blushing even harder, and this time it wasn't hard for Okubo to read her expression.

"It's not lingerie or anything like that!," he exclaims, alarmed, and she immediately relaxes, taking a deep breath in relief.

"Oooh, good… but what else would be considered inappropriate, in that case?," She asks, and it's his turn to blush. He wets his lips and turns to his closet.

"Yeah, I think you'd better see for yourself..."

He opens the door, allowing her a brief glimpse of the various shelves drawers, the hangers and the items of clothing they hold, the shoes, the baseball caps and various boxes containing sporting equipment before he closes the door behind him. He leaves about half a minute later, carrying a pile of T-shirts, looking a little mortified.

"Okay... first of all, promise you won't get mad at me?"

“I… I don't know if I can promise something like that, so I'll just promise I'll try,” She says after hesitating, to which he sighs.

"Fair enough... here, they're all the same size, so if they don't fit... oh no, the refund deadline has already expired, so it doesn't even matter," He sighs again, more dramatically, and Tomori just can't contain herself.

"Damn, now I'm more curious than worried! Let me see this..."

She picks up the top T-shirt from the pile and unfolds it. She is expressionless for about a second. Then her jaw drops.

"Oh, God..."

"Yeah…," he pouted. "I bought some shirts printed with my face from the store, because well, you're my fan, and I thought if I gave you some… but the guys said…," and he stopped, looking at her. "What's with that face, Tomoh?"

“… It's- It's just that I…,” She starts to say, not seeming to know how to continue. She turns the T-shirt over, checking the back of it and showing him his own face, in profile and smiling, stamped there in a scale of white and gray. She clenches her mouth, holding back a farting sound. "I… I kinda already have one of these, hahaha!"

"... Oh," he sighs. "Okay, I didn't see that coming. So does that mean you like it?"

"Of course!," She exclaims, clearly more relaxed, and that was a tremendous relief. "I mean, if you'd given me that back then, I would've found you very audacious," She admits, but without stopping smiling. "But now… damn, why I wouldn't like it? You gave me the entire collection!," She leaves the shirt aside and goes to inspect the others, excited. "Do you want me to wear one of them, then?"

"Well, they are kind of tailored for you, I think," he says, without much idea in his head. "I hope I got the size right and it's not too tight."

"Let me see…," She removes the towel, allowing him to have his favorite view for a few seconds before putting on one of the shirts. She opens her arms, smiling, showing his own face on her chest. "Yeah, it fits! How do I look?"

"Just like Donald Duck," he laughs. "Wearing a shirt and nothing else."

“Uh… aaah, you jerk!," She hides the middle of her legs with her hands, turning red again, while he bursts out laughing. "If I knew how to make a Donald Duck impression, I'd tell you everything you deserve to hear in his voice!"

"Hahahah, and who said I didn't like it?," Okubo smiles. "You look great in it. If it was up to me, you'd watch the match like this. It would make my job easier later..."

She puffs out her cheeks, still flushed.

"Pervert... I'll wear at least one pair of pajama shorts. Can you imagine me jumping up and down and screaming while my lady bits are ventilated? No, thanks!," She lets him have one more fit of laughter before continuing, smiling knowingly. "But you sure don't play around, huh. Wanting me to watch another one of my idols fight while wearing your face on my chest... they call it 'marking territory', right?"

"Oh, come on," he laughs again. "It's not like you're making a fool of yourself for wearing my face on your clothes… except if it was in front of an audience."

"I know I'm not. But I'd only wear it in front of an audience if you were also wearing something like that, so we can even it out," She jokes.

"Hmmm…," He has an idea. "I think I know exactly what I can do! Wait a minute," he walks into the closet and closes the door. About a minute later, he speaks from inside. "Ready, Tomoh?"

“I have no idea what for, but sure,” She nods, looking curiously at the door.

"Okay, there you go!," he walks out the door, and there he is, dressed from head to toe as a clown. "Ta-daaaa," he waves his gloved hands, smiling, joking around.

"Uh- Ooooh, my God!," She scratches like a crow, laughing and then pointing. "It's a Kuidaore Taro costume! I can't believe you have something like this, hahahaha!"

"Well, this is a new version, but yes, I do," he scratches the back of his neck. "I wore it in the last tournament I participated in, the guys even encouraged me… but nobody recognized me and that sucked," He sighs. "But it's fine, at least my number one fan recognized it and that's enough for me."

"How could I not recognize it? I baked a whole batch of cookies with his face the second time you visited the bakery, remember? Oh, my Gohohohod...," She bends over herself, still laughing. "All that's missing is the little drum and the drumsticks! Oooh man, I have to take a picture, wait!," And she runs out of the room, with her ass still out.

"Okay, now I'm feeling kinda weird watching you run with your ass out like a nutcase. I want to see more, but I'm dressed as a clown and it's distracting me from my cosplay! My God, that's so fucking perverted, ahahhahaha," He stifles a laugh.

"Dude, control yourself, you have to maintain the character! Come here, the lighting in the living room is better," She calls, and when he goes, she's wearing tiny silk shorts, her phone already in her hand. "Okay, can you concentrate better now?"

"Awwww…," he pouted, and in that costume, it looked like someone had hurt the clown's feelings. "Now I'm bummed, I wanted to keep this mental image of you being cute and sexy in my living room…"

"Naoya, look at the size of these pajama shorts! Only the complete set can be sexier than that," She slaps her own ass, laughing. "You'll see for yourself later. Come on, you don't want to appear in the photo with your 'circus tarp' all set up, do you? Hehehahaha!"

"Damn, that'd be one hell of a weird porn… but I'm not going to do that. Okay, if you're taking a pic, what pose should I do?"

"The classic 'playing drums' pose would be perfect, but I don't think you have the drum or the sticks... Oooh, I know, do a super sentai pose, it'll look funny!," She puts the phone horizontally. And relax, I won't" show it to anyone, it'll just be for me to keep as a souvenir. You look so cute, my God...!," she coos, and it didn't sound mocking. Hell, what had he done to deserve that woman?

He smiles. "Okay then, how about Ultraman's pose, like this?," he raises one arm and flexes the other, leaving his legs apart. "Then I'll open my best Kuidaore smile, just like this…," he smiles.

She laughs out loud and snaps the photo. And then another one hits. And other. And yet another, all of it non stop laughing, varying angles, herself seeming to strike poses in her excitement.

"That's perfect! Now flex your muscles... yes, just like that!," She was approving, and then she runs to him, hugging him from the side. "Wow, I can even see 'em through the costume! Lookin' gooood..."

"And it's all yours," He smiles. "Well, how about if I do this…?," He flexes his arms downwards, making them appear under the costume, and still looking smiling like an idiot, to Tomori's delight. "Yeah, now how about a-," He cuts himself off when he hears the doorbell ring "Oh".

She stops laughing, looking a little startled at the door.

"Oh, are- are you expecting someone? Who is that-"

"HEEEY, IS ANYBODY HOME?!," A thundering voice is heard from the other side of the door. "Is this where someone ordered a half margherita, half Florentine pizza, to match the owner's egg head?"

Tomori's eyes widen. "Rihito?"

"What the…!," he blinks. "I didn't invite him over…," He goes to the door and answers it. "Hey, Rihito, you could've told me you were coming, man!," He stops halfway to open the door when he sees Himuro and Kaneda. "Oh, you guys came too…," and he opens his mouth in astonishment when he notices the seven feet tall man right behind them. "Agito?!"

"Huh?," Tomori frowns, approaching to try to see behind Okubo's body. She could see Rihito, Himuro, Kaneda and... holy crap, who was that giant man right behind them?!

"Can you believe it, dude? Rihito ran into him when he was leaving Yamashita's office and…," Himuro was about to say, but he was interrupted as he looked him up and down, making a slightly perplexed expression. "What's with the costume?"

"And… Miss Uta? You're here?!," Kaneda widens his eyes when he notices Tomori, right behind Okubo. Rihito widens his eyes too, looking from her to the bald man, stopping to analyze the situation... and then making a face that was a mixture of horror and disgust.

"Holy shit, what the hell were you two doing in here?!"

The couple turns extremely red. An awkward silence falls over the group for a few moments. And that's when the huge man right behind the other three idiots, with slicked back dark hair, sunken eyes without eyebrows and wearing biker attire, finally speaks.

"Hnnn… is this what Narushima Koga calls 'bad timing'?"

NEXT CHAPTER

#Kengan Ashura #Kengan Omega #kenganverse #fanfiction #Okubo Naoya #Naoya Okubo #okubo x oc #kengan oc #Rihito #Himuro Ryo #Kaneda Suekichi #Kanoh Agito #cookies'n cream #the heavy bakery series

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