#in the midst of tokyo is more than a little difficult

[iohourtime]

Ryosuke Yamada: SIDE B - Change

anan 2347

(There is some paraphrasing of the original article. Please let me know if there are any errors.)

Note: This is part 2 of a 2 part interview. You can read “Side A - Expression” here.

Yamada Ryosuke has been involved in various forms of expression, but there is one thing that he has cherished above all. That's the job of an actor. When he participated in his first drama “Tantei Gakuen Q” at the age of 13, he discovered the enjoyment and had been passionate [about acting] since then.

“I simply like this genre of work and this feeling of love has never changed since my first drama. With respect to acting, I have to become someone I haven’t seen or know before, and to do that, I have to think hard about who this person is and why he feels this way. However, the time [thinking about these things] is fun. The feeling is like when I just made a new friend and it is really nice to spend time with that person. I’d wonder about the kind of person he is, and the more I find out, the more interested I am. I think [the process of discovering a new character] is close to that. If this character is a historical figure, I can do research into the history and background of the person; if this character is fictional, I can make it up using my imagination.”

What comes to mind is a character in the movie "Moeyo Ken" released two years ago - Okita Souji, a genius swordsman of the Shinsengumi who is said to have died at the young age of 27. While there is a strong impression of him as someone with a tragic fate, but as played by Yamada san, who smiled innocently as he committed brutal murder without hesitation, his innocence was more intense than his fragility and was realistically portrayed.

“That movie was special. I think a big factor was that I was staying in Kyoto during the filming, so I was able to immerse myself in the real thing the whole time. When I went back to Tokyo, I was only doing group activities or recording variety shows, so there was little time to return to reality, and I felt that my sensibilities were gradually sharpened. I got so caught up in the role that it became normal for me not to drink or eat anything during that time, and I got sick... It was something I have never experienced on set before.”

The reason why he was so absorbed in his acting work was because he had tasted moments that shook him just by thinking about them.

“Just like with today’s shoot and when I was on set, there were moments when the actors, the camera operators, the lighting team, the audio team… and everyone involved were completely engaged as they worked together. It was the best feeling when I encountered these [moments] and I feel like I'm desperately trying to relive these moments again."

Because he valued his acting career, I wanted to ask him about his position as an idol. Perhaps because of this title, there are times when his acting is viewed with prejudice.

“I think it's more because I'm a Johnny's rather than being an idol, but I accept that as my destiny. There are hindrances with being a Johnny's, but on the other hand, there are things I can do because I'm a Johnny's and I think that's a huge benefit. If I don't want others to complain about me, I can only silence the discourse with my abilities. In fact, some of my senpais have done exactly that. On the contrary, it is only due to my own lack of ability that I can not do it. The idea is rather simple."

In the midst of such a conversation, he casually said, "Being an idol may be your vocation."

“Since I don’t know much about the world outside of [the entertainment industry], I won't be able to use [my skills] out there (laughs). However, since I've been an idol for a long time, I'm good at presenting what is needed [of me] in an instant. Although I also have a clear idea of what to do. However, what is asked of me is not always the same, so it is important to keep track of [the requests] and that is quite difficult. If I don't study how to present myself properly, I might not be able to do it. I've been conscious of that since I was small, so I'm good at it."

For example, during a live performance, your image is projected on the large screen at the venue.

“Basically, there are about 15 to 20 cameras installed at a live venue and the “switcher” decides when to cut one camera feed and switch to another. The other day, the switcher praised me, saying, "It's amazing that no matter what situation, no matter where the camera is faced, Yamada kun can find and look at it 100% of the time." I haven't been very conscious of this up till then, but if he said so, it must be true. Nowadays, cameras have a light that turns on when it is live, so the moment it lights up, I can find it in about a second no matter how large the venue. I want everyone at the venue to enjoy the show equally, whether they are sitting in the front row in the arena section or at the stands at the back of the dome. When [the camera] happens [to face me], I can interact through it so it can be seen by a lot of people, and I think that will be fair to everyone who has come [to the concert]. So when I think about that (including the technique), I feel that [being an idol] is my vocation."

However, he has been active since his early teens and there were times when he resisted being an idol.

“But it's work. It's amazing to know that there are people who are happy because of our hard work, right? I've thought about quitting several times in the past, but I still haven't quit, so I guess that's what I want to do after all."

He is the type who obsessively pursues things that he likes from the start. Gaming is something that exemplifies this. Among the games he’s enthusiastic about is "Apex Legends" and he reached the highest rank of Predator in February this year. Only the top 750 players in the world can attain the Predator rank. [T/N: Ignoring the 14+ hours of live streaming when he got the predator rank, he also just streamed for 9+ hours in the morning I wrote this part. Obsessive sounds apt.😅]

"Simply speaking, I find gaming fun. Especially when I’m playing with the pros, my motivation shoots up and I feel like I need to get better and I want to get better. After all, I want to do well. I want to be good at acting, I want to be good at dancing, and I want to be good at singing. Once I'm hooked, I want to taste and see the same thing all the time, so I keep doing the same things and that's not a problem. In my mind, rather than hard work, I feel like this is what happens when I pursue what I want to do.”

He started a gaming channel on YouTube called “Leo’s Playground” (Leoの游び場) two years ago, which is now a popular channel with about 860,000 subscribers. [T/N: I just checked and it’s now at 924,000 subscribers.]

“Regarding this, I am just really enjoying myself. I’m not conscious of being watched, it’s like I’m revealing my private life (laughs); it is really just a hobby. There are people who enjoy watching it, new fans are also increasing, and that’s a plus for both myself and the group, so I'm really grateful for this era. For me, I’m glad I can show my kouhai’s that there are other paths like this."

Yamada san said that since last year, there has been a big change in his approach to work. He used to think more about the group than anyone else and take the lead, but he said he's become more focused on himself.

“There was a time last year when I felt a little out of sorts. I cannot say more about that but after going through that, I thought I should take better care of myself.”

And at this time, he is turning 30.

“You may look at me like this (laughs), but isn't 30 years old a proper adult? It's the age when I have to look at myself and think about how to live. Up to now, I have been thinking about how to give back to the group through my solo activities. As a result, I have chosen not to do some jobs or things. But from this point on, I don't think I’ll make it too complicated and simply go “I’ll do it because I want to do it” or “I won’t do it because I don’t want to do it”. I think I should prioritize myself more. Of course I'll continue to do activities for the group and the fans, but it has always been a 70/30 split, where 30 were things I did for myself, so I'll try to reverse the ratio. I don't know if this choice will turn out to be good or bad, but I'm going to give it a try anyway." [T/N: About damn time.]

#yamada ryosuke #translations #anan 2347 #side b #change

[zehl0w]

It’s my comfort character I get to decide the bestie

#they would be such good friends I’m right and I need to say it #+yamaguchi but I didn’t feel like drawing him #this was originally supposed to be part of a comic I was going to draw but. again. broken record here. I don’t know how to do that #I like entertaining the idea that yachi is a big reason as to why asahi got into fashion school/was actually able to. succeed #Bc like. I’m not very knowledgeable on being an adult in the big bad world but one can only assume pursuing your own fashion line #in the midst of tokyo is more than a little difficult #but !!!!!! yachi has connections !!!!!!!!!!! her mom has her own design company !!!!!!! #I like to think that yachi heard in passing that asahi was interested in fashion and was like hey I can introduce you to my mom if u want !! #also the fact that asahi is one of the very few people that calls her yacchan 💞💞💞 #asahi and yachi are literally the biggest instance of gay/lesbian solidarity and also. anxiety #I like thinking that when they get closer he’d call her hitochi or hitochan #also asahi would defo be really protective of the girls like he’d make sure they feel safe walking home alone #Asahi said fuck u my sisters now !!!!!!!! #every time I ramble in the tags I forcibly realized how vulgar I am I apologize for saying the f word every two seconds #I have such a good comic idea for these two but I don’t know how to go about it #it’s asanoya/kiyoyachi and I always feel bad for my kiyoyachis bc they’re always one sided )): #was thinkin of maybe doing a hanahaki kiyoyachi at some point but I probably won’t #mostly bc I don’t like drawing flowers like. at all. which is really funny considering I am a firm believer of plant dad asahi #also nobody ever appreciates the little hearts I draw in asahis hair buns. disappointing

[littlesmolhoneybee]

stargazing on a rooftop w/them

included: chifuyu, mikey, draken

𝔠𝔥𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔶𝔲 𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔰𝔲𝔫𝔬

It was Chifuyu who offered to stargaze. And without another thought you said yes. With Chifuyu being in the Tokyo Manji gang spending quality time with him grew increasingly difficult.

You sneak out of the apartment to the rooftop, where Chifuyu is already there. Blankets, snacks, animal plushies, and pillows catches your attention, Chifuyu in the midst of it all- already somehow a human burrito. You join in and warmly snuggle on his chest.

He embraces you with such warmth, an amber inside of you flickers marshmallows could be roasting in your heart right now.

"The stars are so beautiful tonight, don't you agree [y/n]?" Chifuyu finally speaks in a soft whisper as he looks down his chest.

You nod, matching his gaze, "yes, but so are you."

𝔡𝔯𝔞𝔨𝔢𝔫

He always gives you surprises. Draken planned this from the start. When he brought you over to an abandoned building, you were at first scared, but relaxed once you saw blankets, lots of candy, and pillows.

You point at the constellations and tell him which one is which, and he'll be intently watching you and keenly paying attention to everything you say.

He lets you braid his hair, eventually the two of you sleep on the rooftop and he makes sure your protected by having some people on night watch.

𝔪𝔦𝔨𝔢𝔶

You suggested it, and bribed him with lots of candy, although it was unnecessary you realized that maybe that was your fault because he might be more invested in the candy than in you. But you cherished Mikey's surprised face, like a little kid on christmas day.

But that wasn't the case, he gave you his attention while eating the snacks. Sharing dorayaki with you.

All of a sudden, when you snuggle in his arms and peck his nose, he looks at you surprised before melting into a warm smile, his heart aches viewing your beautiful face.

"You are my sun," he softly says, the tone he spoke in was the kind that you would whisper to a person sleeping

"And you are my moon."

#chifuyu x reader #anime #fanfiction #chifuyu x y/n #tokyo revengers chifuyu #mikey x y/n #sano manjiro #ken ryuuguji #tokyorev #tokyo manji revengers #mikey

[aitarose]

A HUNDRED LIVES (H. IWAIZUMI) pairing: iwaizumi hajime x fem!reader

synopsis: only real relationships stand the test of time, some fair better than others—but in the end, all that truly matters is telling them you love them. all that mattered was how hajime would finally confess.

word count: 2.2k

genre: childhood best friends to lovers, fluff, slight angst, mutual pining

warnings: mentions of death

notes: i hated the way this was and i’ve had it finished for like a week and a half but now it’s in second person because i rewrote the whole thing ok aha enjoy! reblogs are very much appreciated like pls tell me what you think about this i kind of love it?? or do i? idk

↳ DIRECTORY

You knew that congratulations were in order, one for not only you, but the entire third year class of Aoba Johsai. The third year class that you’d grown up with, the people that’d graduated together from their high school duties. The very people that you’d grown up with, known for years on years, were moving on from Miyagi and saying their goodbyes.

It was saddening, knowing that you’d all have to leave your past behind, grow up and move on as an individual. You, yourself, hadn’t yet come to terms with the fact that you’d be moving to Tokyo—the city of stars and big dreams. There was something solemn about the thought—beginning a life on your own, away from the friends and family you’d grown used to seeing every day.

Which was why today was all the more important, why it mattered so much in the hole of your mind. It was one final hurrah, one final farewell to all of the fleeting people you’d come to love. All of the classmates from first period, advisors who’d suggested career paths, family friends and relatives that’d seen you grow up—and him.

Iwaizumi Hajime.

As children, you and Iwa had been as close as you could possibly be—spending nearly every day with one another as you were next-door neighbors, only separated by a thin wooden fence. One that was commonly crossed, as it was impossible to stay away from his energy—he’d been your first friend, first crush, the very first boy you’d ever daydreamed about while the sun was awake. 

Perhaps it’d been his smile, the joy on his face as he’d swing you back and forth on the playground. How he’d try his best to teach you how to set and spike, lecturing Oikawa as he’d complain about how you were never going to be good at the sport, and ignoring his best friend’s claims of a secret little crush on his favorite girl.

And though those times had been fun and all, the moments in which you’d meet each other between the dividing fences of your backyards during the evening hours, Oikawa long gone—and run off to the countryside to play in the old and sturdy tree house that your father had built the two of you, had always been amongst your favorite memories.

They were the memories that were always on the back of your mind, itching to be recalled, reenacted—the longing you had for him never truly going away even as you grew apart as time went on. That part of your brain, the part that might’ve loved him only taunted you—taunted you with the brokenness of the bond you thought would always last.

Your greatest wish was that you would’ve been able to keep in close contact throughout the late middle and high school years—but life had come in the way, life had ruptured your attachment to him—the responsibility of upholding your family after the death of your father had surpassed your need for Iwa, creating an abyss with no bridge to cross.

No bridge except a tiny, frail wooden beam that would only be stepped on in the times where Iwaizumi and his boasting best friend would stop at his house to hang out when after-school practice had ended. While it was rare that his path would cross yours, there were some sparing moments in which you’d miraculously be outside to greet them. 

It wasn’t like you and Iwa weren’t friends anymore, it was just that you’d each let the void amass for so long that there was nothing you really had in common—nothing except the bright pink flush on the both of your faces as Oikawa would poke fun at his ace’s face, causing Iwa to drag him into his house with a stoney and angered expression. 

And that was it. That was the only interaction you’d ever have, the only time you’d speak to the boy you thought you loved.

Which was why you weren’t all that surprised when he hadn’t decided to show up to your graduation party despite the handwritten letter you’d dropped off on his doorstep. His absence was deafening, making it all the more difficult to say your goodbyes as the person you wanted to see most, didn’t care enough to bid a farewell.

So, you’d decided to take matters into your own hands and somehow move on from the lost dreams that you’d once shared with Iwaizumi. The only reasonable way being to let go of that broken connection, the connection that had started with your little hideaway—the hideaway amongst the trees that you’d found yourself climbing up now. 

The calloused wood of the ladder splintered beneath your hands, scratching the taut skin, sanding its softness—no doubt blistering it to oblivion. You winced, curses flowing under your breath as you hesitantly reached the top, not exactly knowing what to expect as the treehouse had seemingly been abandoned for years.

Pushing your nerves aside, you crawled into the tiny space, forgetting how much younger and smaller you’d been the last time you’d sat in the little alcove. Looking up, your eyes grazed over the clean walls of the hideout, free from overgrown plants and cobwebs and dusted to near perfection—there wasn’t a single thing out of place.

It was surprising, the sight of your childhood playhouse having been taken care of after you’d assumed it had been forgotten—after you’d forgotten. Someone had to have been maintaining its structure, keeping it tidy and homey—that someone being the boy sitting directly across from you, scaring you half to death as his irises grew wide in shock.

“What the—” You started, tripping over your own feet as you fell backwards towards the opening of the doorway. A small scream grew on your lips as you began to free fall, nearly out into the open air before Iwaizumi reached out—catching your wrist in his, reminding you of the times when this was a common occurrence—when he’d never fail to keep you on your feet.

“You alright?” He breathed out, large hand gripping your wrist, continuing to hold on even though you were standing between his arms. It was comforting, the feeling of being so close to him, back in the presence of the boy who’d you’d lost oh-so-long ago—the boy you’d been hoping to see at some point before you had to leave for university. “I see you’re still a bit clumsy.”

Rolling your eyes and stepping away from his familiarity, you crossed your arms, one resting over the other, clear confusion in your eyes. “And I see that you’re still attached to this little shack.” There was a hint of humor in your tone, laughter being vocalized, but pain within its context. “It looks amazing, though—for how long it’s been.”

Iwa scoffed, shaking his head as he bit his lip—mouth itching to say something, then refusing to do so. Perhaps it’d been a snarky remark, or maybe one of sadness, whatever it’d been was lost, now a mystery to your ears. Instead, he patted the stray couch cushion next to him, offering you a seat—the seat that had used to be yours.

You sat in silence, together yet apart as the sun was setting over the far away fields. With every second, every sun ray splitting off and being reborn in moonlight, you could feel your adolescence slipping away—the thought of being dependent and a child losing meaning, losing importance, losing validity and need.

Thoughts running wild, chaos in your mind, the only constant being fear and anxiety in retrospect to the unknown that was your future—your future miles and miles away from everything that you’d come to love. Noticing the stress in your stature, Iwaizumi took a deep breath—wanting to hold your hand, but stopping himself before he could try.

“It hasn’t been that long, you know.” He said softly, glancing over at you. A little smile grew on his face at the furrow in your eyebrows, the slight upturn of your lips, and scrunched nose. If there was any beauty in the world, any beauty at all—Iwa believed that you were gifted with all of it. “I used to come here every night.”

“Yeah, Hajime—I know.” You responded, scoffing as you called him by his first name, the only name you’d ever known him by. “We both did, I was here too—” In the midst of your smart-assed response, he shook his head. There was something about his posture, energy, that made you stop in your tracks—it was one of his little ticks, one of the things that you’d never failed to remember. 

“But that’s just the thing—you weren’t here.” He mumbled, tapping the top of his knee with a finger as he leant back against the wooden walls, a reminiscent look in his eyes. “I’ve always been here, Y/N—always kept this place perfect for you, on the off chance that you’d come back. On the off chance that we’d keep our promises and not forget about each other.”

There was a sense of solemnness to the words spouting from his mouth, the truth that she had in fact left him behind—all with reason that he undoubtedly understood—but that didn’t make up for the lost years and memories that they could’ve had had she not been so distracted with the troubles of life and reliability.

“This is going to sound ridiculous since you’re leaving soon—” Iwa mumbled under his breath, internally cursing at himself at the horrible placement of his timing. “—but I’m not going to lie, Y/N. I really did think we’d end up together, somehow. When I proposed to you in that corner over there with that grass ring, I meant it. I meant every word.”

“Even if that ring had fallen apart two seconds after I tried to slip it on you.” A laugh bubbled from your throat, recalling the memory from when you were children—how he’d given you a kiss on the cheek along with getting down on one knee. The two of you had had a makeshift wedding after that, gathering all of your stuffed animals and placing plastic chairs beneath the tree—saying your vows with your parents in attendance, watching fondly at the pure sight.

Biting your lip, you turned to face him and his gaze that had already been intent on seeing you. There was a ghost of a grin on his features, wistful wonder in his irises, his hair messy and sticking in every direction due to the static—yet he was still the most handsome boy you’d ever seen. “I’m sorry.” You placed a hand on his, stopping the fidgeting nerves in his lap, and calming the rushing blood in his veins. 

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting for so long.” Wincing at the thought of your carelessness, the complete disregard you’d kept for his feelings along with your own. You’d had no intent on leaving Iwa behind, you’d just been so caught up with your own problems that he’d gotten lost in the mix of it all. “I must be a pretty shitty wife.”

Iwa laughed loudly, head dropping back at your remark. The moment was filled with deja vu, reigniting all of the feelings and love you’d buried under the hauntings of your mind. He always seemed to manage to make that broken part of you feel whole again, with his directed remarks and little jokes. “You’re not wrong, left me all alone after the altar—that doesn’t exactly scream ‘perfect wife’ material.”

Those words seemed to trigger something in him, a feeling that he hadn’t yet overcome as his expression turned stoney. Placing his empty palm above yours, hands stacked atop one another in a tower, Iwa grimaced, choosing his next set of sentences very wisely—knowing full well that they could make or break whatever chances he had with you.

“It’s alright though.” He whispered, his warmth heating the radiating coldness that was you. “Since I’d rather live a hundred lives of loneliness, then see you suffer even a minute of sadness.”

With his emotions bare, confessions out on the table, the things he said were more meaningful than those three little words themselves—you couldn’t help but feel your heart grow. The love you held for him overcompensating for every mistake and pain that you must’ve caused him—the only goal listed in your head being to make the rest of your time count, make the rest of your lives worth something together.

Leaning forward, ignoring the look of surprise on Iwa’s face as your nose touched his, you smiled through the outflowing sentences—outflowing thoughts that were spouting out like raindrops in a thunderstorm. “Sounds like you might be living a pretty lonely life, then.” 

He chuckled, calloused hands cupping your cheeks as he pulled you in, pressing a soft and long-overdue kiss to your awaiting lips. It was euphoria, the absolute bliss that was being with him, the boy of your dreams. It was a kiss that you’d spent countless nights thinking over, countless fleeting wishes of him holding you exactly as he was now. 

While your future had always been uncertain, there was at least one constant—a constant that would hopefully always be right within your grasp, right within your arms to hold on to, listen to, love wholeheartedly. Iwaizumi Hajime was it for you, he was the endgame that you’d always been searching for.

© aitarose.tumblr 2021. do not copy or claim my writing, works, themes, copy and paste my words, or headers as your own

#iwaizumi #hajime iwaizumi #iwa #hajime #iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi x reader #iwaizumi x you #iwaizumi x y/n #iwaizumi oneshot #iwaizumi oneshots #iwaizumi fanfiction #iwaizumi fanfic #iwaizumi fic #iwaizumi fluff #iwaizumi au #iwaizumi imagine #iwaizumi imagines #fluff #oneshot #fanfic #fanfiction #fic #haikyuu #haikyu #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu fic #haikyuu fanfic #haikyuu x reader #x reader #x you

[slightly-nerdy-rambles]

Robstar Week Day 4: Memories (Prompt: Survivors)

This was an interesting fic to write, because the "yearly Titans' anniversary" aspect of it gave me a chance to dip into a rough timeline I recently calculated for when different parts of the series happened relative to one another. Looking back, there's a lot of pretty crazy stuff that went down in the last two seasons... it's no wonder Beast Boy was itching for a vacation by Trouble in Tokyo.

Something else this oneshot brings up is my headcanon for what exactly was going on with Tamaran when Starfire was taken by the Gordanians. I plan on going into more detail in a future story, but enjoy these little tidbits for now.

Memories

For Starfire, the anniversary of the Titans' first meeting would always be complicated.

She was beyond thankful to have met her dearest friends, of course. Thankful for the new home she had found on Earth, too. And it had been a triumphant day, all told: her escape from the Gordanians, meeting these curious and kind new people who were willing to risk everything for a stranger, the final thrashing of Trogaar's gang and release of their other prisoners.

That was why, when the year came around again and Cyborg and Beast Boy inevitably put together some form of Titan-versary party, she was happy to join in the festivities and reminisce on the year past. But there was also a reason why, as soon as the day wound down enough that she was confident she would not be missed, she would steal away to spend time alone in her room or on the Tower rooftop.

That first year, Robin had eventually come looking for her and, perhaps inevitably, asked if something was wrong. They hadn't known much about each other's lives before the Titans then — it was something of an unspoken rule that the team had, that nobody was expected to divulge such information until they were ready — so all she had told him was that she had not been the only target of the Gordanians, and that for her, the date held as many sorrows as it had joys. That had been enough, and for the next few years he had kept the others busy and left her to her moment of solitude.

That changed on the fourth anniversary of the team's founding. Starfire had retreated to her bedroom just as the sun finished its descent below the horizon, and was flipping through an album of photos she'd picked up on her last trip to Tamaran. This part of the night was almost routine to her now, so the sudden gentle knock on the door nearly startled her off of her bed.

"Star? It's me," Robin's voice called softly from the hall. "Is it okay if I come in?"

Strange. With their unspoken understanding, Robin was the last person she would have expected to interrupt her evening.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, she wasted no time in getting up and opening the door. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Robin rubbed his arm. "Not… really?" He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for barging in on you right now, but I just thought… I dunno… maybe you'd like just a little company."

Starfire only considered his offer for a moment before nodding. It wasn't like he didn't understand why it was a complicated anniversary for her. In truth, by now they had come to learn just about all of each other's stories. And she was rarely one to turn down good company.

"I think I would like that, actually," she said, stepping aside to let him enter. Robin gave her a small smile and a nod, but the two of them were silent for a moment as they went in and sat down on the edge of her bed. They remained that way for several moments more — not awkward or unsure, just quietly gathering their thoughts as the weightier parts of the year past settled over them both.

Finally, Robin sighed and flopped back. "So," he said, "looks like we've survived another year."

Starfire hummed in agreement and leaned back on her elbows beside him. "Has it truly been only a year?" she asked. "I do not believe we had even known about Trigon's prophecy at the Titans' last anniversary."

Robin groaned and rubbed his masked eyes. "Yeah, that would have been right around Raven's birthday. And now we have to deal with Slade again…"

"...And we have been called on more space missions..." Starfire supplied.

Robin snorted. "Yeah, some of those went better than others. And they somehow still didn't manage to take up half of all the travelling we had to do…"

Starfire dropped onto her back. "X'hal, there are still some days when I feel out of place just from being home again."

"I know what you mean." Robin didn't offer more commentary than that, and Starfire allowed her eyes to drift closed and rest for a second or two.

They opened again when she felt his fingers curl around hers, and she turned to see him looking at her with a shy little smile on his face.

"But… At least it hasn't all been bad, right?" he asked.

Starfire smiled back, and shifted over to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Indeed it hasn't," she said softly.

With a sigh, she sat up and turned back to her photo album, nearly forgotten with the arrival of her visitor. It was still open to a set of pages showing off her family, back when she'd been what Earth would calculate as about ten years old. Back when everything had been simpler, before the Gordanian attack that had cost her mother’s life and stolen away her brother, before Blackfire had usurped and banished their father and shattered what little sisterly bond they had left.

"I think that is why we are able to continue on, even in the difficult times," she said a little absently as she ran a finger over one of the images. "Because we can still find and create joy in the midst of hardship."

Robin propped himself upright and leaned over to give the album a closer look.

"I'm sure she'd be proud of you," he said softly, brushing a finger over the image of her mother. "I know Galfore is."

Starfire hummed and leaned against him. "I hope so. The best I can do is try to honor her memory with my actions."

The two of them lapsed into another comfortable silence after that, and as they sat there, she realized that she felt… lighter, somehow, than she normally did at this time of year.

Yes, there was a reason why Starfire needed some time away from the usual celebratory atmosphere of the Titans' yearly anniversaries. But, she supposed, that didn't mean she had to spend that time alone.

#Teen Titans #Robin #Starfire #robstar #robstarweek #writing #prompt #fanfiction #Is anyone interested in seeing that timeline I made? #I had to write it twice because I forgot to back it up the first time and then my hard drive died

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Tokyo Love Story (Part 1) Ruri Kazama

Oh boy... I got a lot riding on this one. *sweats*

@rurifangirl by request.

Even after climbing up out of the elevator shaft, your long night wasn’t over. The police raid, the one that prompted Hydra to move all their files in the first place, was about to begin and every able-bodied operative was running around trying to clean up the signs of the battle in the mural hall and the signs of the deadpools’ reign of destruction, including the bodies left behind. 

Exhausted, hiding in an equipment room, you slept, propped up between Caesar and Chu Zihang. You couldn’t lay down. The act of lying down was too painful. Out of the three, you had suffered the greatest injury. You had fought the deadpool in the basement, only to climb from the bottom of the elevator shaft to find another battle. You’d reached the limit of your endurance, so Caesar and Chu Zihang offered their shoulders and kept watch. Your mind relaxes despite still being in the midst of the enemy and you quietly slip into oblivion, feeling safer than you had in a very long time.

But you were forced to lie down eventually. Caesar found an unwatched police car and carefully lifted you into the trunk, then they climbed in themselves and shut it. The police car left the Genji Heavy Industries building. The Hydra may be powerful, but at this time when their headquarters had come under such a devastating attack, they were not inclined to search police cars. That was how you finally escaped.

Every bump in the road sent lightning through your nerves. If it weren’t for your lost voice, you doubt you could have kept quiet. But just in case, you take your hair and bite it between your teeth.

“Your back is already partially healed.” Chu Zihang’s voice is audible, but you can’t see him because your eyes are firmly shut.

“I noticed that, but I wasn’t going to say anything about you in front of that humanoid dragon.” Caesar was saying. “You slept for three days and healed from a grievous gunshot wound that nearly took your life. He healed from a stab through the belly in an hour and now… even with your wounds cauterized, they’re closed up a little more every time I look at them.”

“MC, the Lenin, the strange port, the so-called Hydras and the Devil Clan… they’re all pieces painting a single picture.” Zihang stated. “The way he described the so-called Ghosts, it sounded a lot like you. You’re the same Hybrid Species, but you’re more likely to become deadpool. It was good that we weren’t captured by the Hydras. They would definitely have killed you. As a Ghost.”

Caesar hissed in fury. “The whole Hydra organization will burn before I let them touch you!”

To think that at one time you actually felt like you could fit in more with Hydra than Cassell. You had followed after Chisei in battle, admiring his strength against deadpool. But if Chisei had known anything about you, he would have slain you in that elevator. Realizing how much danger you were in made you sigh.

Your heart sinks. You had been hoping to talk to Chisei about what he might know about you and find out what more similarities you might have with him. But now, that date over sake would be an impossibility. Caesar was right. The world really is bullshit.

Your eyes flutter open again. “Caesar. I almost forgot to tell you something…”

“Save it. It’s too hard for you to speak right now, and I can barely hear you over the sound of the car. Take this time to recover.”

Sneaking out of the police lot wasn’t difficult. It was raining hard and that concealed your silhouettes.  The heavy droplets soaked your clothes and the blood that was caked on them. Chu Zihang is carrying you now, sprinting down the flooded streets of Tokyo. You leave behind a trail of deadpool blood that mixes with the rainwater in black inky streaks and runs into the gutters and down into the storm drains.

The sun was coming up. If you were caught out here, Kaguya might find out where you were hiding, Hydra would rush in to trap you, and you would die.

Caesar slammed open the door to the Takamagahara. It swung on its hinge and banged into the wall. The morning light swept through the city at that moment to illuminate their entrance. Caesar and Chu Zihang held the door, panting, wet shirts clinging to their bodies, drops of water falling from the tips of their hair.

"Yo, everyone is still awake? Good business in the store last night?" Caesar waved his hand in greeting. He looked from the light into the dark interior of the lobby and couldn't see very well, only that the dance floor was full of people. But you had buried your face in Chu Zihang’s chest to hide from cameras and had no trouble with light-blindness.

In a glance, you take in the scene. So much is going on. The women you had helped Caesar take pictures of in the VIP private suite of the Takamagahara are standing in a semicircle. Their arms are over their ample chests or their hands are on their hips. They were all glaring, and the target of their ire was Whale.

Whale, this man that seemed like such a powerful tycoon when you met him, that was bold enough to keep harboring you despite being illegal immigrants, had been reduced to a groveling servant before them, kneeling on the floor, surrounded by scattered paper money. The bills were quite large, but no one moved to touch them.

Fujiwara, the former Sumo star and the man you described as the biggest Seal on the Shore of Baikal, was standing between them and Whale,  but his appearance was not that of someone who was going to try to defend Whale. It was the appearance of the shield bearer who happily takes the sword strike for his King and gives him the chance to escape!

Even though the Takamagahara should be closing, all the performers are crowded into the space, motionless in a bow, eyes downcast. You recognize your official suitors in the MC Romance competition among them.

Armani frowns deeply at you. Now that he was in the light of day, you can see that he’s the classic cold and stern type of handsome male character, someone with high standards of food, drink and clothing. Even now he was wearing a slick suit that was hardly wrinkled from the night’s activity. But despite this current figure, he had been wearing something far more revealing to meet you and you saw his belly button ring.

Chance snorts and tries not to laugh, covering his mouth with one hand before schooling his face into a sorrowful look. He was dressed the same with his chain and his sleeveless open puffy coat. You notice his henna tattoos go all the way up his arm in a twisting serpentine pattern. 

Diamond, the sexy cowboy, just looks at you in astonishment. He was the one who had been the most forward and confident in his win. Now he realized that after you had refused to give him a star-heart ticket, you went out with other boys! This had never happened to him in his entire life!

 But it was Calypso, the one who had handed you the closed rose bud, who spoke, pointing at Chu Zihang and Caesar. “What are you doing with her? You’re not competing!”

Everyone turns to look at you. Caesar’s eyes finally adjusted to the low light of the lobby and you see his face go taut and his eyes widened. “Shit!” He squeaked!

The humpback whale looked horrified and said, "You can't come back and speak that way to the guests!”

Chu Zihang touched Caesar's back with his elbow as he scooted over to hide behind him.

Caesar immediately understood and walked up to the women with an elegant salute, "How did you sleep last night? You look much better!"

"The guests drank too much and fell asleep. We went out for a bite to eat." Chu Zihang stammered. His Japanese was horrible. After all, he could make money with just his face and his sullen attitude so there was little need to work on pronunciation when all he had to do was mumble.

Whale is staring with eyes as big as dinner plates at Chu Zihang who was still carrying the travel bag with his sword inside. The bag was soaking wet and the blood mixed with water pooled on the floor where you stood. It looked like he’d hidden a severed head in there! Chu Zihang’s eyes shifted to his bag and then looked back up. “The Main Character was injured in the Earthquake so we had to take her and others to the hospital.”

It was a stupid story. It would have been better to keep his silence! Who knew Chu Zihang could stammer out a dumb line like that? It was about Lu Mingfei level of dumb. But Chu Zihang owned it, glaring hard with the cold stare of a killer. If he couldn’t make them believe his lie, he could at least stop them from asking any questions.

 Whale’s lips trembled. "I don't believe it! Can’t you make up a more logical lie about finding a dead cat or dog hit by a car in the street. So you brought it back to bury it because you like small animals?”

    "Ah! Right, Ukyou! Are you okay?" A large woman stepped around the sumo wrestler. If Fujiwara was the King of the Seals, this had to be the Queen. Her dress strained at the seams to contain her and she was like a giant egg testing the weight limits of her tiny heels. Her lips were smeared with gaudy red lipstick and she fluttered her gold powdered eyes at Chu Zihang.

But Chu Zihang’s reaction was telling. The way he tensed up, held you tighter and his eyes got wide, shocked you.

 "Who is the roadside nobody you rescued? Maybe he's a yakuza? Maybe it's some other bad guy or something that could….”

You turn and look at the woman, still carried in Chu Zihang’s arms. The woman’s face went pale and then paler, about as pale as the faces of the deadpool. Her mouth dropped open like a deadpool too only she didn’t have the rows of teeth to display. Her whole body started to shake and her hands went over her mouth.

Then her hands balled into fists, her eyes narrowed and her head dropped as if she were going to charge you. She let out a scream that sent chills up your spine. It wasn’t any words, just a primordial screech. Her face flushed red to her hairline. When she finally found the words, she bellowed, “Who the fuck is that?!”

She lumbered forward, eyes blazing with rage. “Get your hands off my Ukyou! You Bitch! You Bitch!” She swung her purse and missed you by inches, but her aim was good. She missed you because Chu Zihang had turned his body to shield you and the purse cracked hard against his jaw. Unbeknownst to both of you, she had filled her purse with bottles of champagne. Her plan was to take these bottles as a ‘fine’ for the insult of what happened to her last night. But at the sight of you, they became a weapon.

The sound of those bottles smashing against Chu Zihang’s head was audible to all and if there was any doubt as to the sheer force of her anger, her Prada bag turned dark and started to drip and the hall filled with the smell of champagne.

You look at him in disbelief. 

Chu Zihang didn’t move, but his eyes were wild. A small red bead of blood formed at the corner of his mouth and that turned into a thin red line down his chin.  The pressure of his fingertips against your skin told you that this blow really hurt.

She hurt him. That thought rings like a bell that sounds deep in your stomach and turns it.

The woman looks shocked for a moment. She didn't mean to strike him. He was hit because he protected you. "Why are you protecting her? I'm your client! Asshole! Do you know who I am? How dare you! How dare you take what I’ve paid good money for and give it to this hussy! You’re nothing but trash! No different from a dog! We spend good money so you can please us! And when I buy something it’s mine! Do you understand? Do you speak English? MINE!" Her face is inches from his. She reaches out with one hand to try to yank you out of his grip.

The woman suddenly stopped as though frozen in time. Her voice was cut off and she started to tremble. People couldn't see around her, they only saw your stare. It was like the empty and frozen stare of a shark, but you were smiling, a sort of strange disbelieving smile. You tilt your head in a curious gesture.

They couldn’t see that bronze dagger you’d slipped under the folds of her neck. If this woman so much as swallowed, the ripple of her throat would be enough to cut her. 

But the combination of empty eyes and surprised grin was far more frightening. It was the look of someone who snapped. The bronze claw in your hand was enough to pierce the flesh of Rank-A deadpool. With only a little pressure you could sever her head!

You were hungry, exhausted and in pain. But even if you had been perfectly fine, you weren't going to sit by and let this woman abuse him. He had fought all night with you, nearly died for you and then carried you here. This precious person who had rushed into the fire, who had patted your shoulder to comfort you. She treated him like an object, like a slave right in front of you.

Despite the ice of grief breaking around your frigid heart, giving you a glimpse of the possibility of happiness, you were still trained to kill and you’d killed for less… much less… than what she’d just done.

Caesar slowly turned his back, "I hate to see two women fight ...... so I can only turn around."

“My career is finished…” Whale softly moaned.

"Excuse me, is this Takamagahara? Ruri Kazama has taken the liberty of coming to visit for the Romance Contest." Someone knocked gently on the door.

You, along with everyone else in the room, looked over at the door in surprise.

The door was open. A handsome man with a boyish face stood in the mild sunlight, wearing a white shirt and black suit, with fresh straight black hair in a ponytail, holding a bunch of budding tulips.

The man was a little embarrassed by everyone's stares. He bowed deeply and offered his business card with both hands. “Please forgive my tardiness.”

"Master Kazama ...... Ruri?" Someone said in a reverent voice.

Master? You turn and look at where the reverent voice was coming from, but the entire hall was silent and no one spoke again. Chance was standing in mute astonishment. Armani’s sharp black eyes were wide.

Your knife lowers from the fat woman’s neck and you squint at this newcomer, wondering why this man was held in such high regard. He was nothing like the muscle bound flirts who had been jostling for your favor before. His manner was more like a shy school boy. As far as his appearance was concerned, you could be forgiven for mistaking him for a svelte young woman.

Fujiwara sprinted over, took the pure white business card. He held it high above his head as he took it back and placed it in the hands of the Whale.

"It's really Master Kazama at the door." Whale straightened his bow tie and stepped out to welcome him.  "Today is a glorious day for Takamagahara." The Whale bowed deeply.

 "I've heard a lot about you, too, Senior Whale. Yoroshiku Hajimemashite." Ruri Kazama returned the bow.

You reach up and gently wipe the blood from Chu Zihang’s face. “You okay?” Your voice is still gone, but he’s close enough to hear. When he nods, you ask, “Who is that?”

“There is a ranking in the Male Escort Association, and Ruri Kazama is the number one on this ranking for six consecutive years.”

“So what you’re saying is…” You rasp. “He’s like… Time Magazine Hottest guy?”

Chu Zihang shakes his head. “This ranking is not based on beauty nor popularity, but on the principle of art. Those selected are considered Master Ikemen. Ruri Kazama is a legend. They say he exists only for love. If he continues to keep this legend maintained for ten years, then he has the hope to become the god of the male escort world and will have a shrine built for him to receive offerings.”

You snort, disguising it as a sneeze, covering your face with your hand. “I’m almost sorry I asked.”

But Chu Zihang doesn’t seem to share your humor. “The fact that he has joined this contest raises your status as well.”

When you look back, the wind blew the hem of his coat, and Ruri Kazama stood in the sunlight with a slight smile. Although he behaved like the one shy kid from high school, you can’t deny his beauty. It shines like water: light and natural, but at the same time, reflected the sun’s infinite luster.

Ruri Kazama bowed deeply to Caesar, "It's BasaraKing, isn't it? This is a man who is as spontaneous as a Gundam."

He bowed again to Chu Zihang, "This one, if I'm not wrong, is Ukyo Sensei, said to be the image of a swordsman, but acts like a gentleman."

Then he looks at you. At first glance, those eyes looked clear and soft. But the longer you looked, they looked like two deep pools, the water of which was transparent. When you looked into their depths, however, they were pitch black, bottomless, and frigid.

#Dragon Raja

[thefinalcinderella]

Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 4 - The Track Meet (Part 1)

Full list of translations here

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The period from spring to early summer was the season for tournaments; it seemed that every week there was a track meet organized by a university or an athletic meet sponsored by a corporation.

With track meets being their immediate goal, there was also more commitment to practice. Now only Prince and King jogged with Kiyose in the mornings and evenings. Everyone else was now actively completing the training regimen, with Kiyose almost never having to drag them out of bed anymore.

Kiyose casually instructed them according to each of their personalities. For Shindou, who found joy in steadily completing quotas, he created a detailed regimen, and he responded to discussions about training methods until the scholarly Yuki was convinced. Jouta got more motivated when he was praised, so Haiji frequently cheered him on during training, and for Jouji, who ran even if left alone, he purposely didn’t bring up any topic related to running.

Kiyose basically let the residents run however they liked. He thoroughly explained the plan for the training to them and only gave a little advice on what was needed. That way, he skillfully brought out each resident’s motivation. Kakeru felt like he was seeing magic. Without coercion, without setting up penalties, Kiyose waited so patiently to an almost persistent degree until they felt like running. Until now, Kakeru hadn’t known there was such a way of doing things.

If Haiji-san had been my coach when I first started doing track, maybe I could have been a faster runner by now. That was what Kakeru thought. In fact, the residents of Chikusei-sou were slowly but certainly shrinking their times.

On the other hand, Kiyose’s attitude also felt too lenient. The people he was dealing with were impromptu runners; no better than amateurs. He had to have them train even harder or they wouldn’t be good enough for the qualifiers. Kakeru was irritated, wondering if Haiji really was serious about going to the Hakone Ekiden.

“Most of you have now gained the ability to safely run five-thousand meters in under seventeen minutes,” Kiyose said to the gathered residents, who were in the midst of having a drinking party in the twins’ room. No matter how exhausted they got from training, everyone drank together once every ten days—there were no non-drinkers in Chikusei-sou. Since they were a group that liked alcohol, when everyone drank together it was good stress relief in and of itself.

“It’s just that we have many beginners here. You’re probably also worried for your first race. I’ve signed us up for some track meets, so just take it easy and get a time under seventeen minutes at some point.”

Prince, who was reading a manga next to Kakeru, stealthily asked, “Why is Haiji-san so fixated on seventeen minutes?”

“You need an official record of five-thousand meters within seventeen minutes in order to participate in the Hakone Ekiden qualifiers,” Kakeru whispered to Prince, who didn’t seem to have remembered any of the rules at all. “We’re participating in official tournaments and track meets in order to get that official record.”

“Did you forget that even though it was explained before?” The rim of Yuki’s glasses glittered, as though he was saying, But you sure do remember manga titles well. “No matter how you look at it, it seems like Haiji’s strategy is only focused on participating in the qualifiers.”

“It seems like it.” Kakeru nodded at Yuki’s words.

“Well, I also think that’s reasonable, though.” Yuki somberly took off his glasses and wiped his lenses with a handkerchief that didn’t have a single wrinkle. “Kakeru, shouldn’t you be in an intercollegiate?”

Kakeru was silent. Instead, Prince asked, “What’s an intercollegiate?” Yuki immediately went over to the corner of the room where Nico-chan was making wire dolls. Prince was still waiting for an answer, his manga open in his hands.

“It’s a track-and-field championship between universities,” Kakeru said. “The Kanto Intercollegiate is in May, and the All-Japan Intercollegiate is in July.”

“Why don’t we join too?”

“It’s a tournament for top-level student runners, so the base time that’s the standard for participation is stricter than for the Hakone qualifiers.”

“Hmm,” Prince seemed puzzled and returned his gaze to the manga on his lap. “But Kakeru, you can clear that time, right?”

Of course he could. However, Kakeru ended the conversation with only a vague smile.

Kiyose passed around a handout to the residents, who were all sitting wherever they liked. It had the schedule of various track meets organized by universities and Kakeru immediately put the paper down on the tatami mats like it was something awfully heavy. He was hesitant to go to a track meet, much less an intercollegiate; the people who he was with on his high school track team would surely be in places where strong schools gathered, and Kakeru still didn’t want to face his old teammates yet.

Kiyose continued to explain with the paper in hand.

“First is the Tokyo Sport University track meet. The Douchidou University track meet is at the start of May. The Kikui University meet is two weeks later. If those don’t work out, there’s a TSU meet again at the end of June. I want you all to take your time breaking through the seventeen-minute wall, without rushing.”

 “There’s meets during Golden Week?”

“The end of June is rainy season. I don’t wanna run in the rain.”

Jouta and Jouji complained, but it was all talk. Because they were already gaining confidence in training as it was, their eyes were filled with a determination that said “I’ll definitely get a time within seventeen minutes at the earliest stage!”

“But, if you want to take part in the intercollegiate, you’ll need to go full throttle starting from the first TSU meet. The deadline for creating a standard participation record for the intercollegiate is this meet,” Kiyose said. “We won’t get intercollegiate points, but as track athletes, it’s important to join intercollegiate competitions. What do you think, Kakeru?”

Kiyose had called out to him, but Kakeru’s mind was elsewhere. When he was asked another question—“Kakeru, what’s wrong?”—his gaze jumped up from the handout.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Hey, hey, what’s an intercollegiate point?” Because Jouji asked that, Kakeru was able to escape from Kiyose’s probing gaze.

“I’ve been keeping quiet until now, but...” Kiyose straightened his back and raised his voice to convey it to everyone, not just Jouji. “The Hakone Ekiden qualifiers aren’t just a competition based on the pure combined times of ten people running twenty kilometers.”

The residents, who were all chatting as they pleased, shut their mouths. The room fell into silence, and gazes filled with doubt and confusion focused on Kiyose.

“There are ten spots in the main race for teams that advance from the qualifiers, but one of them is actually the ‘selected team’. Even among the universities that don’t advance to the main race, there will be some runners with good times in the qualifiers; that team is a relief measure for them. It’s not a very good choice of words, but it’s basically a mishmash team.”

“So in actuality, there’s only nine schools that can take part in the Hakone Ekiden through the qualifiers?” Shindou said.

“Exactly. Among those schools, the universities that are ranked seventh or lower have their final ranking determined by adding intercollegiate points to their total time in the qualifiers. It’s a huge pain to explain, but to put it simply, how it works is that schools that produce good results in intercollegiates will get points accordingly, and seconds will be deducted from their total time. There have been cases where, thanks to intercollegiate points, the final total time was more than five minutes less than the actual time.”

“So, does that mean that even if you’re in the top rankings just from your results in the qualifiers, it’s possible for you to not be able to compete in the main race because of sudden turn-arounds due to intercollegiate points?” Jouta asked.

“Yeah. The Hakone Ekiden is broadcast on TV in January, so it’s good publicity for universities. So, the schools tend to think that all they need to do is recruit a bunch of good runners and compete efficiently in the Hakone Ekiden. The intercollegiate point system is meant to discourage those schools from doing that. It’s telling them to participate in competitions properly and develop runners who can not only handle a long-distance road relay race but also the track itself, which is the main focus in track and field.”

“Sounds pretty fishy,” Nico-chan smiled wryly.

“I guess money is involved no matter what world you’re in,” Shindou sighed drearily, perhaps thinking about the importance of publicity.

In defiance of the daunted atmosphere in the room, King spoke.

“Alright. Haiji, Kakeru, go out to that intercollegiate and earn those points.”

“They can’t do that,” Yuki cut him down coldly. “We’re a small club. The points are based on the ranking of each university in the intercollegiate and the number of participants. No matter how hard Haiji and Kakeru work in the intercollegiate, it’s hopeless.”

“We are in a difficult situation. We have no money, and apparently we can’t take part in intercollegiates either. What in the world are we going to do?”

“Don’t worry.” Pulling himself together, Shindou encouraged Musa, who had his shoulders slumped. “We just have to get within the top six at the qualifiers. The intercollegiate points won’t matter that way. A weak school should act like a weak school and compete proudly with their total time alone.”

 “Well said, Shindou,” Kiyose nodded, looking pleased.

“I think that total time is the biggest problem we’re currently facing, though,” Yuki pointed out quietly.

“Well, let’s assume that we go to the meets and gradually improve our times,” Nico-chan said while producing wire dolls. “Kakeru and Haiji should go to the intercollegiate and blow away those guys from the other schools.”

“Alright. Kakeru, Haiji. In any case, earn those points,” King said again.

“I told you…it’s impossible for just two people to earn points.”

“King-san isn’t listening to anyone at all.”

Jouta and Jouji reproached King. Kakeru continued to say nothing; he couldn’t afford to mind King, who was encouraging him to take part in the intercollegiate. While looking at the letters “TSU”, he remembered something.

I’m pretty sure Sakaki got into TSU… His high school teammate’s face appeared in his mind. He felt gloomy, like the rainy season had come slightly early.

If he took part in the TSU meet, he would definitely come face to face with Sakaki. I wonder what would happen when that time comes. Can the current me beat Sakaki, who got into a powerhouse track school?

Kakeru, who left the twins’ room pretending to go to the washroom, immediately went down the stairs and opened the sliding door of the entrance. The gravel in the yard glowed under the starlight. It was as though it was inviting him—to a shining white road—to a place deep within Kakeru’s very heart.

Reflexively, he was about to start running, but then noticed that he was in his orthopedic sandals and stopped. He sensed Nira coming out from beneath the veranda. Kakeru breathed a sigh and then slowly walked towards the main house. Nira’s wet nose pushed against his toes, and Kakeru knelt down and stroked his warm fur.

Nira suddenly wagged his tail vigorously. The sound of gravel being stepped on came from behind him. He knew who it was without turning around; it was Kiyose.

Kiyose, who knelt down next to him, tickled Nira between his ears. Nira snorted happily. He waited for a while, but Kiyose kept silent, so Kakeru was the one who broke the ice.

“Are you really going to make me compete in the meets and intercollegiate?”

“Of course. We’re ultimately going to the Hakone Ekiden, after all.”

“It’ll definitely be a bad experience. I’ve been told that a lot.”

“Why?” Kiyose asked with a mild tone, working the meat around Nira’s neck. Kakeru looked at his face from the side.

“Haiji-san, you know, don’t you? You’ve probably heard about my reputation in high school.”

“About how you’re very fast?”

“That’s a good reputation. I’m talking about…”

“Kakeru,” Kiyose interrupted him. “Listen, your past or reputation aren’t the ones running. You yourself right now are the one running. Don’t be fooled. Don’t turn around. Become stronger.”

Kiyose stretched his knees and stood up while saying “ow ow ow”. Kakeru and Nira looked up at him. Above his head, the spring constellations glittered like a noble crown.

“Stronger…?” Kakeru asked.

“I believe in you.” Kiyose smiled. He tread over the gravel again and returned to Chikusei-sou.

Kakeru contemplated for a bit while rubbing Nira’s back with his palm. Until now, most people had told him to be faster. But this was the first time he had been told to be strong. What did it mean to be strong?

He wasn’t sure. But Kiyose said he believed in Kakeru.

In his chest, which had been frozen for a long time, he felt a small fire being lit. It kept back the torrent of violence that was always surging within him and kept away the voice of temptation that pushed him on into dark places. Kiyose’s words were filled with a quiet power; it was as though they blew off the fear and trepidation within him.

“Alright.”

Muttering, Kakeru also stood. He wasn’t very good at thinking about the details anyways. That was why he should just run—just run, without caring about whether he might meet someone unpleasant or have bad experiences. That was the only thing Kakeru could do.

Kakeru told Nira good night.

His fear and hesitation towards taking part in meets faded. On the contrary, he was almost looking forward to seeing how much he could run.

As the TSU meet approached, Kakeru became more and more excited.

It was his first battle in a long while. He was confident that his training until now had been flawless, but even so, every night before he went to bed, various thoughts passed through his mind. If I ran into my old acquaintances, I might get shaken and lose my ability to concentrate on the race. My competition instincts might have gotten dull and I might get the spot where I should make my decisive move wrong. I was able to set a time that grabbed attention in the high school track world, but will that still apply in university?

Bad thoughts came up one after another when he closed his eyes, so he pushed aside his futon and got up. Desperately suppressing the urge to jog right that instant, he steadied his breathing. “Don’t panic, don’t panic.” He stood in the middle of the dark room by himself.

Don’t think about anything. Just imagine. Kakeru told himself. All you have to do is run. While feeling every muscle in your body moving, just keep moving forward.

When he recalled the heat from that time, his anxieties immediately receded, and now he felt unbearably restless and eager, like Nira when he was taken out for a walk.

Alongside the training, Kakeru also diligently attended his classes. Someone who can’t even get their credits can’t get results from running. That was Kiyose’s pet theory. But because he had training, he had to constantly turn down get-togethers and drinking parties. The other residents of Chikusei-sou were also enthusiastic about the meets, so they came home punctually without making side trips and immediately tackled training.

For that reason, it started to become known not only to the shopping district, but also to the people at the university: “Those guys who are living in that rundown apartment seem to be running pretty intently.”

The day before the TSU meet, Kakeru asked a friend from his foreign language class to answer roll call for him in several of his lectures the next day. 

“What’s going on, Kurahara? Are you taking a day off tomorrow?”

“I’m going to a track meet.”

“Oh. That’s right, I heard you’re running a marathon, right?”

“No, it’s not a marathon…”

I’m aiming for the Hakone Ekiden and the track event tomorrow is the five-thousand meter. Kakeru thought, but left out the explanation.

It wasn’t until he entered university that Kakeru discovered this: people who had nothing to do with track didn’t know the difference between marathons and long-distance relay races. When it came to track events, people would laugh like they were shocked, “You’re running five kilometers? Running round and round the track?” Apparently to them, it seemed like a ritual of uncertain origin that they had no idea why anyone would do.

Even though it’s so important to me, track and field is treated surprisingly plainly by the general public. That was his thought when he learned what was to him a shocking truth. At the same time, he felt somewhat amused. So, every day we’re desperately pursuing something most people don’t even care about?

That was why he decided to laugh and be vague this time as well.

“Yeah, well, it’s a meet that’s like a shortened version of a marathon. I’m counting on you.”

“Leave it to me. Good luck,” his friend said with a serious expression. Even though they didn’t understand the situation well, he could tell that they were supporting him wholeheartedly.

That night, Kakeru lay still in a shallow sleep. It was a light, sharp, taut sleep. Good. Kakeru thought in the space between dreaming and waking. This sensation of all the useless and unnecessary things that remained until the end being scraped off, and transforming into a body and mind made for running overnight. 

That was something he had pretended to forget for a long time—the fighting spirit before a competition.

Previous | Next

#Kaze ga tsuyoku fuiteiru #kazetsuyo translations #run with the wind #kazetsuyo

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a K (Part 2)!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Karneval

Genres: action, fantasy, josei, mystery, sci-fi

Synopsis:  While in search of his precious friend, a young boy named Nai falls captive to a beautiful woman, whose looks are matched only by her taste for human flesh. Meanwhile Gareki, a clever thief, is in the midst of robbing her luxurious home. After causing a distraction, Gareki agrees to help Nai escape, but they are discovered upon the woman's return. As she transforms into a ghoulish monster, the boys flee. On the run, Nai and Gareki are found by "Circus," a government defense agency that deals with criminal activity too difficult for the police to handle and protects civilians from "varuga"—terrible monsters that devour humans for sustenance. In the hope that it will lead Nai to his missing friend, he and Gareki decide to join Circus. On their perilous journey, they face dangerous varuga and begin to uncover the secrets behind a shadowy organization known as Kafka. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2013 with a total of 13 episodes. 

My Thoughts: Love the character design and I was interested in the story but the series is far too short. I’d suggest you go read the manga (which is farther along) but it’s rarely updated so I can’t confidently say it’s worth the read. Your choice is read/ watch this and suffer alongside me with the lack of updates or erase its existence from your mind. Your call! 

Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (Run with the Wind)

Genres: comedy, sports, drama

Synopsis:  Former ace runner of Sendai Josei High School, Kakeru Kurahara is chased away from a convenience store for shoplifting. Shaking off his pursuer, he runs into Haiji Kiyose, another student from his university. Haiji is impressed by Kakeru's agility and persuades him to live in Chikusei-sou, the run-down apartment where Haiji resides along with eight other students. Having lost his entire apartment deposit at a mahjong parlor, Kakeru accepts the offer reluctantly. However, Haiji reveals a secret during Kakeru's welcoming party: the apartment is actually the dormitory of the Kansei University Track Club. He unveils his ultimate goal of participating in the Hakone Ekiden—one of the most prominent university marathon relay races in Japan. Unfortunately, all the residents apart from Haiji and Kakeru are complete running novices. Worse still, none of the inhabitants are even remotely interested in being involved with Haiji's ridiculous plan! With only months before the deadline, will the fourth-year student be able to convince them otherwise and realize his elusive dream of running in the Hakone Ekiden? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 10/10

Finished airing in 2019 with a total of 23 episodes. 

My Thoughts: This was a masterpiece in my opinion, an anime I won’t soon forget and one of the best of its season without a doubt! Good stuff right here and not in a high school setting which is a change of pace for a sports anime! A very satisfying anime that I highly recommend. 

Kaze Tachinu (The Wind Rises)

Genres: drama, historical, romance, film

Synopsis: Although Jirou Horikoshi's nearsightedness prevents him from ever becoming a pilot, he leaves his hometown to study aeronautical engineering at Tokyo Imperial University for one simple purpose: to design and build planes just like his hero, Italian aircraft pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. His arrival in the capital coincides with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, during which he saves a maid serving the family of a young girl named Naoko Satomi; this disastrous event marks the beginning of over two decades of social unrest and malaise leading up to Japan's eventual surrender in World War II. For Jirou, the years leading up to the production of his infamous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft will test every fiber of his being. From witnessing firsthand the growing antisemitism in Germany to fatefully reuniting with Naoko at a summer resort, his many travels and life experiences only urge him onward⁠—even as he realizes both the role of his creations in the war and the reality of the waning health of his beloved. As time marches on, he must confront an impossible question: at what cost does he chase his beautiful dream? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8/10

A film released in 2013

My Thoughts: Beautiful and dreamy but not one of my favourite anime films unfortunately. Still very good though!

Kekkai Sensen

Genres: action, comedy, superpower, supernatural, vampire, fantasy, shounen

Synopsis:  Supersonic monkeys, vampires, talking fishmen, and all sorts of different supernatural monsters living alongside humans—this has been part of daily life in Hellsalem's Lot, formerly known as New York City, for some time now. When a gateway between Earth and the Beyond opened three years ago, New Yorkers and creatures from the other dimension alike were trapped in an impenetrable bubble and were forced to live together. Libra is a secret organization composed of eccentrics and superhumans, tasked with keeping order in the city and making sure that chaos doesn't spread to the rest of the world. Pursuing photography as a hobby, Leonardo Watch is living a normal life with his parents and sister. But when he obtains the "All-seeing Eyes of the Gods" at the expense of his sister's eyesight, he goes to Hellsalem's Lot in order to help her by finding answers about the mysterious powers he received. He soon runs into Libra, and when Leo unexpectedly joins their ranks, he gets more than what he bargained for. Kekkai Sensen follows Leo's misadventures in the strangest place on Earth with his equally strange comrades—as the ordinary boy unwittingly sees his life take a turn for the extraordinary. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8/10

Finished airing in 2015 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I recall this terribly sad episode that was an absolute masterpiece but to be honest the rest of the series didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I didn’t even bother watching the second season when it came out. Do what you will with that information.

Kenka Banchou Otome: Girl Beats Boys

Genres: action, martial arts, school, shoujo, TV short

Synopsis:  Kenka Banchou Otome - Girl Beats Boys, Hinako Nakayama has spent all of her life being raised in state-run orphanages, without ever knowing her family. As she's about to enter high school, Hinako is approached by Hikaru, a boy who claims to be her twin brother. According to Hikaru, Hikaru and Hinako are the children of the head of the powerful Onigashima yakuza family, and Hikaru wants Hinako to switches places with him at Shishiku Academy, an all-boys school overrun with the nation's toughest delinquents. Can Hinako save her brother, find romance, and become the new boss of the school? (Source: Crunchyroll)

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2017 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: Reverse harem style, tv short with a tomboy female lead. Not really long enough to leave much of an impression but fun enough if you have some time to waste. Surprisingly great art/ animation.

Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun

Genres: comedy, seinen, sports

Synopsis:  He is charming, cool, athletic, a good cook, but more importantly, he's a clean freak. Aoyama is idolized and respected by everyone, but they can only admire him from afar due to his mysophobia. Despite that, he plays soccer—a rather dirty sport! As the playmaker for Fujimi High School's soccer club, Aoyama avoids physical contact at all cost and cleanly dribbles toward victory. However, the path to Nationals will not be easy for Fujimi's underdog team. But alongside striker Kaoru Zaizen, Aoyama will show everyone that even as a clean freak, there are things he's willing to get dirty for. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2017 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: comical with what I recall to be very little focus on the actual playing of sports which is a bummer if that’s what you’re looking for. It was alright but there are definitely better comedy (and for sure sports) anime's out there! 

Kill la Kill

Genres: action, comedy, superpower, school

Synopsis:  After the murder of her father, Ryuuko Matoi has been wandering the land in search of his killer. Following her only lead—the missing half of his invention, the Scissor Blade—she arrives at the prestigious Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other. The academy is ruled by the imposing and cold-hearted student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin alongside her powerful underlings, the Elite Four. In the school's brutally competitive hierarchy, Satsuki bestows upon those at the top special clothes called "Goku Uniforms," which grant the wearer unique superhuman abilities. Thoroughly beaten in a fight against one of the students in uniform, Ryuuko retreats to her razed home where she stumbles across Senketsu, a rare and sentient "Kamui," or God Clothes. After coming into contact with Ryuuko's blood, Senketsu awakens, latching onto her and providing her with immense power. Now, armed with Senketsu and the Scissor Blade, Ryuuko makes a stand against the Elite Four, hoping to reach Satsuki and uncover the culprit behind her father's murder once and for all. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2014 with a total of 24 episodes. 

My Thoughts: One of my top three favourite anime's of all time despite my not giving it a perfect score and the sole reason i’m such a Trigger fangirl despite the way they continue to disappoint me with each and every new release... Highly recommend! Fair warning there’s plenty of skimpy outfits and fan service which may turn some off but if you can get past it this really is an anime worth checking out. Great story, characters, music and style! A chaotic feast for the eyes and ears! I really should rewatch it... 

#Karneval #kaze ga tsuyoku fuiteiru #kaze tachinu #films #kekkai sensen #kenka bancho otome #keppeki danshi! aoyama-kun #kill la kill

[yoificfinder]

Hiya! could you please recommend victuuri mutual pining fics? thanks!

I received this ask right after I posted this #newreadsrec of a fic set during the summer of mutual pining™ so I'm guessing you want more of that, nonnie? Happy to oblige and I'm also adding other mutual pining in general fics, including AUs:

Summer of Mutual Pining

hold me tender, hold me sweet by @crossroadswrite [M, 10K]

Here are a couple of things to have in consideration about the scenario Victor finds himself in:

1. Yuuri is wearing three different pairs of very soft looking socks because his feet are very cold, a pair of boxers, Victor’s blanket and nothing else

2.Victor’s never actually helped another omega through a heat. He’s barely had enough heats to know what he’s doing, choosing to supress them until his doctor’s lips were a thin line and they started talking about impact on his performance and making the supressants less effective. There wasn’t really anyone around when he had to have his heats, so it’s not like he even has the experience of watching others do

3.Yuuri’s room smells like sex, strawberry candy and energy drinks

4.Victor likes Yuuri very, very much and he has no idea what to do with himself around him most of the time

(OR: what if heats sucked a little bit and you just cuddled a lot and also being touch starved made you physically ill?)

if you can't sleep, don't count sheep by @lazulisong [G, 5K]

It's maddening to find out how much more he has to learn about Yuri -- but at the same time, Victor is glad of it too.

Lay Your Head by @kiaronna [G, 3K]

By the time they end up sharing a bed, they’ve already slept next to each other everywhere else.

reach out and... by @stammiviktor [T, 2K]

"Please, Yuuri."

resting pulse by @cafecliche [G, 1K]

For something all in his head, it can be brutally physical when it wants to be. But he’s an athlete - he knows how to listen to his body, categorize and interpret its signals. It doesn’t really follow that the smallest twinge in his knee could mean a very bad season at the same time full-blown palpitations mean it’s a day that ends in Y. But bodies are weird.

Victor, though. Victor is a stress test brought to life.

(Or: a story in heartbeats.)

The Boyfriend Series by @japansace [T, 5K]

Summary of first fic

For some inexplicable reason, Yuuri speaks Russian.

Now, as everyone knows, there are only two viable reasons why anyone ever learns a foreign language:

1. For school.

2. To impress a foreign love interest.

And Victor can’t quite bring himself to believe that Yuuri would be at all studious enough to hunt down Russian classes in Detroit of all places.

(Or: Victor gets jealous of a boyfriend that doesn’t exist.)

umineko by @shysweetthing [T, 4K]

Victor has never told anyone that he’s a seagull shifter, which is a perfectly natural thing to be and actually really useful for cross-training as a figure skater, thank you. It’s never really come up, but it turns out that seagulls mate for life, and Yuuri is becoming more and more important to him…

Other Mutual Pining Fics

Be my chef, Yuuri by @n3rdlif343va [M, 88K]

When 28-year-old Victor loses his parents and inherits his family's five-star restaurant, he learns that working for a living is much harder than he anticipated. That's when young, talented chef, Yuuri Katsuki unexpectedly arrives, providing hope in the midst of Victor's chaos.

Can these two work together? Bartender Chris, manager Mila, and sous chef Phichit can't wait to laugh at them as they try to navigate their instant attraction in the most awkward of ways.

Black Ink by Anonymous1313 [Not Rated, 60K] *WIP

Being together was what nature had dictated them to be. Alpha and omega. Their families had thought so too, agreeing to marry them to one another once they were old enough. A joyous union between the Nikiforovs and the Katsukis.

But Viktor had decided that they would not be controlled by what their parents had set out for the both of them at a time in the past when neither he nor Yuuri even knew the other existed.

“I was hoping as soon as you turn eighteen, you’d… sign the termination contract.”

Because after all, he and Yuuri were no good for each other.

...Right?

--

"If… if that's what you really want."

 "It is. I'm sorry."

i will go down with this ship by @thishasbeencary [T, 30K] *WIP

Yuuri and Viktor co-star in the fantasy drama History Makers, a show where their characters Mamoru and Dimitry are shipped by all the fans, which of course leads to the fact that fans also ship Yuuri and Viktor. And write fic about it. Yuuri reads RPF by only one author, therealviknik, and leaves a comment on every single one with his account, katsukiforov. Some fans pick up on the conversations and begin to ship therealviknik with katsukiforov as well.

Phichit ships it all.

never tasted rubies by @ebenroot [T, 17K]

Phichit puts up a poll on the radio website. It reads ‘What Do U Think About Yuuri K. from Hasetsu Nights and the Mysterious Caller Victor?’

Seventy-five percent of listeners said ‘lol they should just f*ck already tbh’.

--

in which Yuuri is an unwilling radio host and Victor won't stop calling in to chat with him

On Online and Offline Love by @alexwspark [M, 33K]

Gaming/Streaming AU: In which Yuuri and Victor are gamers, head over heels for each other, and hoping to one day come face-to-face. Of course, when two whipped, adorable fluff-balls are involved, shenanigans ensue...

The Power of Love by @kiaronna [T, 66K]

“The two Japanese singles medalists make a beautiful pair! Here, at the 2009 Tokyo GPF, we have the start of this power couple’s reign!”

Yuuko and Yuuri dominate the singles skating competition as Japan’s power couple—except they aren’t a couple, and when their old skating idol stumbles into their personal life, everything rapidly goes downhill.

The Secret Lives of Catholic School Boys series by violetlolitapop / @curls-and-cats [T, 72K]

Summary of first fic:

“I’m plenty happy, I know what I am. I’m a godless heathen who is in love with another boy and can’t stop thinking about his ass.”

“Victor!”

“It’s a great ass. Now I’m not Chris, I don’t know much about asses, but he has a great ass. His legs are great too. His whole lower body is great, and I would give a lot to be able to get down on my knees and–“

“Victor!”

“-tie his shoe laces.”

-.-.-

In which Victor confesses to being in love with another boy and makes it difficult for everyone involved.

Other suggestions are welcome but I won't include fics previously recommended under different themes since they're already in the masterlist.

#yuri on ice #yoi #yoi fic rec #yoi fanfic #victuuri #mutual pining #summer of mutual pining

[knybits]

hi!!! how about a soulmate au with tanjirou where the indicator is related to their hands (red string, marking on the palms, etc... anything is ok, so whatever works best for u! im just a sucker for these aus lol 😭 ty!

yES MY BOY!! MY BABY BOY!! SUNSHINE!!! im so happy you requested this my hands havent flown faster since SEVENTH GRADE LMAOOOOO ugh this was too blissful for me to write :,) my crops are THRIVING youve saved my grades THANK YOUUUUU!! i too am a sucker for these aus and i cant believe youve hit the jackpot. wow. incredible. anyway i hope you enjoy this bc it was so fun to write!! ily!!!!!

SOULMATE!AU TANJIROU X READER

Everyone’s soulmate indicator is different. Nezuko has a timer on the back of her neck, and Tanjirou’s mother had his father’s first thoughts of her written on the bottom of her foot. 

Lucky for Tanjirou, his own mark is on the palm of his right hand. 

It’s a compass, always seeming to point east from his tiny village at the bottom of the mountains. 

Despite being a charcoal seller with dirty hands, Tanjirou always tried his best to keep his hands as clean as possible, although it was always extremely difficult. His clothes were especially dirty due to the countless times he would rub his hands all over them, but as long as he could see his compass, he’s more than happy. 

Nezuko always teased him for constantly thinking about his soulmate. She’d weave tall tales for him, claiming his soulmate lived across the ocean and that he’d probably spend a good portion of his life searching for them with how obsessed he seemed to be when it came to keeping his hands clean. 

But Tanjirou would laugh, wave Nezuko off, and claim that he’s more than happy living with his big family in the mountains, and that he doesn’t need his soulmate to be the happiest person in the world. 

But Nezuko would be unsatisfied with his answer, and wish that he would pursue a different happiness from his constant familial one. 

Tanjirou completely forgot about his soulmate the day Nezuko turned into a demon. 

He’d spend his days at Urokodaki’s house, training and training until his hands split open, only to repeat the next day.

The day he arrived at Urokodaki’s house and began his 2 years of training, it pointed south, but he hadn’t noticed. 

At the final selection test, it pointed south-east, and he still didn’t notice. 

In Tokyo? West, but he was too focused on staying alive to notice then either. 

When he met Zenitsu and Inosuke, it continued to point west. 

Nezuko was the only one to have continued to pay attention to his mark despite Tanjirou forgetting completely. Either that or he’s far too focused on Nezuko to care about his future. 

Nezuko’s heart would drop at the sight of his broken hands, the hands he always worked so hard to maintain to make sure that he could see his compass. It’s buried under calluses and cuts, scratches and dirt littering every line. They’re no longer soft like they used to be, instead thicker and worked to the bone.

In the midst of battle, she saw it waver from north to east before the two were captured and sent straight to the Butterfly estate. 

And now in comes you. 

Another pillar that basically lives at the Butterfly estate.

You were drinking tea out in the backyard patio when the three males (along with Nezuko) were heaved into the estate. 

At the sight of Tanjirou, your hand hurt enough for you to drop your teacup, and Aoi yelled at you for hours on end after, but for once you weren’t bothered by her screams. 

Your compass needle spun wildly the closer you walk up to Tanjirou, and when you flipped his right hand over, palm up, your eyes watered at the sight of how broken it looked. 

You could faintly make out the compass, and too pained to hope and be let down, you turned his hand over once again. 

But now, you can’t seem to erase his kind face from your mind, and your thoughts are littered of the injured demon slayer that resides in the medical ward next to your room. 

The day he finally wakes up, you decide to visit him. 

Upon knocking on the door to the room, you step in, a tentative, “Kamado… Tanjirou, is it?” 

Said male perks up at the sound of your voice, tightly gripping his right hand once seeing you. His nose twitches and his eyes widen; all movements easily seen by you. 

“Good, you seem well now. Care for a walk?” 

He mindlessly nods his head, lost in your eyes while the pain in his hand seems to grow. Nevertheless, he crawls out of bed and follows right behind you, where you lead him to an empty room with optimal privacy. 

“Tea?” You gesture to the pot, and he thanks you. 

You smile, looking down as your fluid motions captivate the male, and your voice snaps him back to reality. 

“You know, I think we’re soulmates. Do you?” 

Tanjirou’s face flushes a deep red, your honesty reminding him of himself. 

“May I see your hand?” 

He’s quick to obey your orders, laying his open palm into yours before grimacing at the sight of his hand. 

It’s recovered a little since his rest, but the sight is still nasty. You continue to smile anyway, tracing the faint compass that seems to be spiraling out of control. Your’s does the same, so you can easily confirm that he is in fact your soulmate. 

Your fingers trace over every bump on his hand, memorizing lines and rubbing circles with your thumb over specific spots. Your eyes are half lidded, focused without a hint of unwavering, but Tanjirou can’t seem to place love in your eyes.

“Sorry my hand is like this… I swear I didn’t mean to show any disrespect towards my soulma-” 

You silence him by bringing his hand to your lips, and he stiffens, face as red as Haganezuka’s mask. 

“You’ve worked so hard to find me… These hands are proof of your sacrifice, and I highly doubt it was the compass that led you to me in the end, Tanjirou.” He can’t help but shiver when his name passes through his lips once more, and his insides are in a violent turmoil. 

Just how much damage can your words do to him?? 

“Believe me when I say this, my love,” he can feel himself melt in your hands (literally). 

“But I’m so extremely happy to have you as my soulmate.” 

He can see the love in your eyes now. 

#kamado tanjirou #tanjirou #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba imagines #kny #kamado tanjirou x reader #tanjirou x reader #demon slayer #soulmate!au #this....is my pride and JOY

[inanthesis]

In this post I’ll delve into my headcanons I have about Daisuke’s past and upbringing using the loose information canon and the production team have given us about him. This won’t be super structured it’s more just me throwing all of my ideas here so they’re posted in once place so it might be a lot of rambling.

WARNING: This post will contain major plot spoilers for fkbu as well as mentions of death and mature themes in the form of self-destructive coping mechanisms. Proceed with caution.

EARLY CHILDHOOD.

From infancy to the age of 8 is the only time in his life where Daisuke can say he was truly happy.

His days, when not filled with studies from his elite private schooling, were filled with laughter and smiles as he chased his mother through the house and garden or curled up with the cat she gifted him to keep him company. His favorite thing to do, however, was play music. It is not uncommon to have found him sat at the piano preening under his mother’s praise of his growing talent. Sometimes she’d sing to accompany his playing and other times they’d sing together, but these are some of his most cherished memories.

THE INCIDENT + ADOLESCENCE.

After witnessing the grisly murder of his mother that awful, stormy night everything changed. At only 8 years old it was difficult for him to process and the situation was only made more complicated by the fact that it appeared his mother’s murderer was his father who he was told then fled to evade arrest. He knew his parents were starting to have some kind of problems as his mother had moved out of the mansion and he’d caught them fighting before but his grandmother was no help in trying to help him process his grief or confusion. Her loyalty to her son and care for the family’s image was greater than her care for her grandson’s mental health so just like that a rift formed between them that grew wider with every passing day. There was no closure to be found for him either as not long after his mother’s death it was reported that his father had died in a car crash so no justice was going to be found.

Daisuke started to act out from then, his confusion paving the way for frustration and anger at his family and his situation that he couldn’t control. If nobody was going to put him first then he was going to put himself first, beginning to shut out all outside parties and not showing a care in the world for how his words or actions may hurt them any time he was denied something he wanted. His grandmother would call him selfish, would tell him that he wasn’t acting properly as the scion of the Kanbe family, but Daisuke had already made up his mind that nothing else mattered in life outside of himself.

Eventually his grandmother enrolled him in a strict boarding school in Europe, shipping him off in hopes her misbehaving grandson would learn some propriety and become the proper heir he’s meant to be but it backfired. While abroad he realized just how much he enjoyed being away from Japan and hated the idea of taking on his family’s mantle, he was also prone to getting into trouble and getting caught drinking underage or possessing illegal substances which he used to try and feel something when everything about him had felt so empty and false.

EARLY ADULTHOOD + INDULGENCE.

Upon reaching the age of 18 he’d tried to live a normal young adult life enrolling in Cambridge University and getting into boxing but nothing really scratched the itch he’s had for a while now. Plus, the thing about having access to a literal endless amount of money is that there are no doors closed to him and instead of bothering to return to Japan he chose instead to indulge in all of the less-than-savory pleasures money can buy.

Designer drugs and absurdly pricey booze at high end parties, casinos, and clubs became his norm, as did falling into bed with any pretty man he desired because nobody ever told him no when knowing he was willing to pay literally any price to entertain them.

It was exciting for him being the center of attention even if all of the attention was superficial, people only being drawn to him for his wealth or looks or status or by the hesitant curiosity some would get when Daisuke would take up the seat at a piano in the midst of a club and belt out a melancholic, mysterious tune. None of them actually knew him or cared to know him but that was fine because Daisuke would say he didn’t know himself either. He was an empty shell of a man hoping to fill the void in his chest with every frivolous indulgence there was even if the reprieve these things gave him was only temporary.

But everything would change for him again upon receiving a mysterious package from Suzue containing information about what his parents had been up to all those years ago.

PICKING UP THE PIECES.

After living 6 years in a stupor, 24-year-old Daisuke, with his newfound determination to solve his mother’s murder, decided he would train in any way he had to in order to become a detective.

Finding a mentor was not easy when nobody would take him seriously. At every turn he was considered little more than a rich boy playing detective games but eventually he found help from an eccentric detective in England who taught him everything he needed to know. He had not entirely given up his vices, at times still falling into his bad habits when his training became too difficult or his path seemed like little more than a fruitless endeavor, but in spite of it all he succeeded and was finally prepared to take that flight back to Tokyo to face the memories he’d been avoiding for years.

And that’s how Daisuke got to where he is now. 27, resentful toward his position as scion of the Kanbe family, and an inspector at the MCPTF.

#DAISUKE || hc #fkbu team said daisuke indulged in sinful pleasures or whatever while abroad one time and it lead to this

[electricea-a]

@more-than-a-princess​​ continued from here.

Returning customers were hardly a new occurrence - there had always been the same few regulars who had always come for the same few things, like one particular man who tended to stop in every night around 7pm for exactly two packs of cigarettes and a bottle of cola.  Another particular customer tended to drop by quite frequently around noon and although their choices often varied, these were just some examples of the many familiar faces he’d become accustomed seeing as a cashier working here.

He had never quite conversed with any of those customers as most of them just went about their day minding their own business, perfectly fine by him.  So, when he looked up and saw Sonia approaching, it had been difficult for him to mask the surprise and pleasure in his face and in his tone.  Sonia had been a friendly customer and one of the few who had actually conversed with him.  Sure, she looked maybe a little overdressed but in a way, that almost made him admire her even more - in the midst of a crowd of Tokyo sheep, she stood out - and definitely in a good way.

“I can’t say I’ve ever tried the karage chicken here but it most be good if you like it,” He smiled, idly watching her wander around the store.  “I’ve always been more of a cup noodles sort of guy myself but maybe I should try to branch out.  Been working here for so long anyway,” He joked, now leaning in carefully so that he could listen to her story.  “A party without any satisfying food? Man, that sounds like a nightmare.  I wonder why they wouldn’t get more food with everybody - food is one of the best part of a party,”

Taking each of her objects one at a time, he rang them up carefully before calculating the total on the cash register.  “I like the night shifts because I try to remain active during the day - it’s not good to just sleep all day, y’know? You must be pretty good at staying up if you can work at midnight, that’s some willpower,” He noted, the cash register ringing as her total came up.

“That all comes up to about twelve, total.” 

#more-than-a-princess #( v; unspecified. )

[somar78]

A Brief History of the Mazda Cosmo – Everything You Need To Know

The Mazda Cosmo – An Introduction

The Mazda Cosmo was born in the midst of the maelstrom of the 1960’s, the era of the Space Race between the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, and the other democratic allies. In a sense the two rival political, economic and social systems were in direct and not particularly friendly competition with each other, and one of the areas in which that competition could be indulged in without actually getting into a nuclear war was the “Race for Space”.

It was in this environment of a hunger for technological advancement and prestige being given to those who made great strides in science and technology that a small Japanese car maker named Mazda were looking for a way to raise their company image and to thus raise their market share. Japan’s motorcycle and car makers, like Honda, were at that time making dramatic advances into the western world so Mazda’s leadership could see that if Soichiro Honda could do it then so could they.

Just as Honda had redefined what a motorcycle could be with their CB750, Mazda wanted to achieve a similar result with a motor car and realized that a good way to do that would be to pioneer newer technologies that other car makers hadn’t embraced. What technology could that be? It needed to be technology that would get people excited and interested, but it would need to be technology that would work with the existing fuel and maintenance infrastructure that mainstream conventional cars used.

The technology that jumped out as an obvious choice was the new Wankel rotary engine.

The Decision to use the Wankel Rotary Engine

The Wankel rotary engine had been first conceived in the years prior to 1951 by Felix Heinrich Wankel and he had made his first running prototype and tested it on February 1st, 1957. A number of companies purchased licenses to develop and use Wankel’s design, among them German car maker NSU and Japan’s Mazda.

Both NSU and Mazda would present cars powered by Wankel engines in 1967 but not before significant development work had been undertaken. The Wankel engine was new technology and had some major bugs that needed to be worked out before the engine could be used in a mass-produced production car. Mazda were more successful in achieving this than the Comotor joint venture between NSU and French car maker Citroën.

The major technical problem that needed to be solved in getting the Wankel engine into a usable state was the problem of “chatter marks” in the rotary engine’s housing caused by the rotor’s apex seals vibrating and impacting on the housing. It was Mazda’s engineers who came up with a decent solution to this problem initially by using hollow cast iron apex shields.

The prototype engine based on that solution was the 798cc (48.7 cu. in.) twin rotor L8A and it was used in two Mazda Cosmo prototypes in 1963. This solution was then further improved on by the use of aluminum/carbon apex seals. Legend has it that an engineer was inspired to try this when one day he was looking at the tip of his pencil and the thought struck him that carbon could be effectively used in the seals. This was then used in the next generation engine, the 982cc (60 cu. in.) twin rotor L10A, which was fitted in the car that was first shown to the public.

Mazda Cosmo Series I (1967-1968)

With work progressing on refining and debugging the radical Wankel rotary engine Mazda’s design staff got to work on the creation of a suitable vehicle with which to generate public interest both in the company and in their new rotary engine. In order to get the full attention of the automotive press one of the safest strategies is to create an exciting sports car.

British car maker Jaguar had demonstrated this both with their post-war Jaguar XK120, a car whose success came as a surprise for the company with orders flooding in to the extent that they had to actually put it into production – something that they had not originally intended to do.

Jaguar had repeated that success in 1961 when they showed their new E-Type which was so admired that even Enzo Ferrari described it as the “most beautiful car ever made”. Likewise American car maker Chevrolet had gained much admiration for their Corvette sports car and rival Ford had done likewise with their Mustang. So Mazda’s leadership could see that a sports car would be a relatively safe concept to roll the dice on.

The next question was how should the car look? Appearance and aesthetics are a make or break item when presenting a new car to a buying public. What was wanted was a car that would be beautiful like the E-Type, attractive to Americans like the Thunderbird, and reminiscent of a spaceship. The resulting car that emerged from the Mazda design studio featured a front end styling inspired by the E-Type, a rear end inspired by the Thunderbird, it was painted white just like a spaceship, and it was named “Cosmo” to capture the public imagination in the midst of the Space Race.

The Mazda Cosmo concept car was first shown at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show and it garnered plenty of interest, no doubt there were eager people with check books in hand looking to make a Mazda Cosmo sized hole in their bank balances.

Mazda knew that although they had a working engine they still had development and extensive testing to do before they could risk releasing the car for public sale. The check books would need to go back into their pockets and the Cosmo money would have to remain in their bank accounts earning boring interest.

Mazda began thorough testing of the Mazda Cosmo pre-production cars in January 1965. There were 80 of these cars made and they were fitted with the 0810 version of the L10A engine. The engine rotor housing was made of sand cast aluminum which was chromed. Then the sides of the rotor housing were sprayed with molten carbon steel for added strength.

The rotors of these engines were cast iron while the eccentric shafts were chrome-molybdenum steel. This engine was fitted with a conventional Hitachi four barrel carburetor with a slightly unconventional twin ignition distributors and dual spark plugs in the combustion chambers.

The bodywork and suspension of the Mazda Cosmo was kept conventional with the body being a steel unibody, front suspension being fully independent with the tried and proven double “A” arms with coils springs, tubular shock absorbers, and an anti-roll bar.

Rear suspension featured leaf springs and a De Dion tube. Brakes were 10″ (284mm) discs at the front and 7.9″ (201mm) drums at the back, wheels were 14″. Brakes were not servo assisted, which was a common arrangement at that time and many sports car drivers preferred it because it gave a better feel than the power brakes commonly available at the time. The gearbox was an all synchromesh four speed manual and these Mazda gearboxes were very positive and smooth to use.

With its 982cc twin rotor engine producing 109hp @ 7,000rpm and 96lb/ft of torque the Series I Cosmo could do a standing to 60mph in 8.2 seconds, standing quarter mile in 16.4 seconds, and had a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/hr).

The car had a wheelbase of 86.6″ (2,200mm), an overall length of 163″ (4,140mm), and width of 62.8″ (1,595mm). Kerb weight was 2072lb (940kg).

With testing satisfactorily completed the Mazda Cosmo went into regular production on May 30th, 1967, so after an almost three year wait those who had waited were at last able to buy their car and Mazda was able to welcome all those nice crisp banknotes into company coffers.

The year following the car’s going on sale Mazda were confident enough in the car’s reliability to put it to the test in a very public way. Although the 24 Hours Le Mans is one of the most challenging motorsport events on earth Mazda decided to go one better and enter the 84 hour Marathon de la Route at Germany’s difficult Nürburgring circuit. Mazda entered two modestly modified cars in a field of fifty eight. The engines of the two competition cars were tuned up to 128hp, which was a modest increase over the road going model’s standard, to help ensure their reliability, and they were fitted with a side and peripheral port switching intake system, which featured a butterfly valve which would switch from the side to the peripheral port as the engine’s rpm increased.

The cars both performed well holding on to fourth and fifth places throughout most of the race. When one car did fail it was not the engine, but the axle that failed in the 82nd hour. The other car went on to take fourth place. This was a most satisfactory result and proved that the efforts invested into the research and development, and the extensive testing, had all paid off. Mazda were content with that single excursion into motor sport competition and did not attempt a full program.

Production of the Series I cars was just 343 and ended in June 1968.

Mazda Cosmo Series II (1968-1972)

The Series II Cosmo took over from the Series I in July 1968. This model was fitted with an updated engine, the L10B 0813, which produced 128hp and torque of 103lb/ft. With the more powerful engine the standing quarter mile time went down to 15.8 seconds and the top speed was a little north of 120 mph (193 km/hr).

The Series II was fitted with servo assisted brakes and a five speed manual gearbox. The wheelbase of the Series II was increased by 15″ bringing it up to 101.6″  both to provide additional room and also to improve the car’s ride qualities. These Series II cars had a very comfortable ride quality, not harsh as many sports cars tend to be but very much inclined towards long distance comfort.

The Series I and Series II cars were all hand assembled as a limited production model so build quality was kept high: these were “halo” cars intended to gain positive publicity for Mazda and so great effort went into them. They were in direct competition with Toyota’s 2000GT and they needed to meet at least the same quality standards.

Production of the Series II cars was 1,176 and ended in 1972.

The Series I and II Mazda Cosmo achieved everything Mazda had hoped for. The company’s cars became famous in part because of the halo effect of the Mazda Cosmo and the company were able to become a world leader in Wankel engine technology.

Sensibly Mazda marketed both Wankel engined cars and conventional engined cars in the same body styles so customers could choose either Wankel rotary performance or conventional car performance. The Mazda 929 of the 1970’s was an example. One disadvantage of the Wankel engine was that it gave poorer fuel consumption than a conventional engine.

In some markets this was made up for because a Wankel is significantly lower in its engine capacity for a given power and torque levels than a conventional four stroke engine. This placed the rotary engine car in a less expensive licensing category in markets such as Japan, which was a significant cost offset.

Mazda Cosmo AP/CD (1975-1981)

With the phasing out of the hand-built original Mazda Cosmo Series I and II Mazda decided to shed the space age image and build a Wankel engined car that looked more American in style. By 1975 the Space Race was pretty much over and cars like the Jaguar E-Type and 1960’s Ford Thunderbird were starting to look dated in the eyes of some.

The new car to wear the Cosmo name was not in any way derived from the original but instead was a new production car with a Wankel engine. The model was called the “AP” (Anti-Pollution) model in Japan and was the first car to pass Japan’s new 1976 exhaust emissions regulations. The AP received strong advertising and sold more than 20,000 units in the first 6 months of production.

Within three months of going on sale the car won Motor Fan Magazine’s “Car of the Year” award. In 1977 a model with a vinyl covered landau roof was also introduced: this was called the Cosmo L. In export markets this car was designated the Cosmo CD.

The export version of this model was marketed as the Mazda RX-5 and often sold in parallel with a piston engined identical model the Mazda 121. (Note: that model name would later be re-used for a sub-compact Mazda car).

The Mazda AP was made with two different Wankel engines; the AP/CD22 was fitted with an 1,146cc twin rotor type 12A engine, and the AP/CD23 was fitted with the 1,308cc 13B twin rotor engine. Two piston engine models were sold in parallel with the Wankel engine models; the Cosmo 1800 was fitted with a 1,769 cc inline four cylinder SOHC gasoline engine and the Cosmo 2000 was fitted with 1,970 cc SOHC four cylinder.

This model was built in two series just like the original Cosmo: the AP/CD Series I were made from 1975-1978 and the Series II from 1979-1981. The CD Series I cars were exported to the US and other markets but sales were poor so the Series II cars were made for Japan’s domestic market only where they remained popular.

The car was equipped with front independent suspension and a five link suspension at the rear. Brakes were servo assisted discs all around.

Mazda Series HB (1981-1989)

When the Cosmo AP was phased out it was replaced by the Series HB which was also sold in export markets as the Mazda 929 (Note: This would be the second export model to bear this name as a previous 1970’s car had also been called the “Mazda 929″).

The HB Cosmo was sold in both sedan and two door coupé versions and was offered with Wankel engine options, gasoline piston engine options, and a diesel piston engine option. By this stage Mazda had invested a great deal of research and development into the Wankel engine such that the engine had become quite sophisticated.

There were three rotary engine options; The 1.1 liter 12A-6PI (6PI=”six-port induction”), the turbocharged 12A Turbo, and the interesting 1.3 liter 13B-RESI. The 13B-RESI used “Rotary Engine Super Injection” in which the engine used Helmholtz Resonance created by the opening and closing of the intake ports in a two-level intake box to effectively provide positive intake port pressure in synchronization with the intake cycle. The 13B-RESI engine used Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection and was only available with an automatic transmission.

The Mazda Cosmo fitted with the Wankel 12A Turbo was the fastest production car in Japan until it lost that crown to the Nissan R30 Skyline RS. Not only had the turbocharged rotary engine contributed to this but also the car’s aerodynamics: it boasted a drag coefficient of just 0.32.

The piston engine’s used for the HB Cosmo were a 1.8 liter SOHC four cylinder, two different 2.0 liter SOHC four cylinder, and a 2.2 liter four cylinder diesel.

Eunos Cosmo: Series JC (1990-1996)

The last car to wear the “Cosmo” name was Mazda’s Eunos Cosmo of the Series JC. Eunos was Mazda’s luxury brand name similar to Toyota’s Lexus. The Eunos Cosmo was a superb successor to the original Mazda Cosmo and outstripped even the Cosmo Rotary Turbo which was itself a fabulously exciting car.

The Eunos Cosmo was made with two engine options: The smaller engine was the twin turbocharged 13B-RE which featured twin 654cc rotors giving total capacity of 1,308cc. This engine was fitted with a Hitachi HT-15 primary turbocharger and a smaller HT-10 secondary. Engine power was 235hp.

The larger engine was the triple rotor 20B-REW. This was the first triple rotor production car engine in the world, and the first to be fitted with twin sequential turbochargers. The rotors of this engine were the same capacity as the 13B-RE; i.e. 654cc, and with three of these rotors the engine capacity became 1,962cc. This engine was mated to an electronically controlled four speed automatic transmission and produced 300hp. Torque was 280lb/ft torque @ 1,800rpm: suffice to say its performance was nicely adequate.

The Eunos Cosmo was made as a 1990’s cutting edge technology luxury vehicle and boasted a built in GPS navigation system, and the Palmnet serial data communication system for ECU-to-ECAT operation. Not content with that the car was fitted with what we would nowadays regard as an “old school” CRT touch screen for control of the climate control system, mobile phone, GPS, TV, radio and CD player.

The Eunos Cosmo marked a return by Mazda to an expensive limited production sports coupé and it was never exported but only made for the Japanese market. In Japan it was speed limited to 180km/hr 118.8mph) but if that speed limiter was disabled it could reach 255km/hr (158.4mph).

Mazda sold just 8,875 Eunos Cosmos with about 60% of those cars being fitted with the twin rotor 13B-RE engine and 40% being fitted with the triple rotor 20B-REW. It was an expensive automobile and after production ended in September 1995 Mazda did not make another vehicle in the same price bracket again.

Conclusion

The Mazda Cosmo Series I and II were the ice-breaker vehicles that not only looked space age, back when a space age looking car was a fashionable thing, but they broke completely new technological ground.

The Mazda Cosmo was the car that helped make Mazda a household name and so it was the foundation on which the company built their public identity. Mazda not only made a success of the Cosmo but they also developed and made a success of the Wankel rotary engine technology: something that looked impossibly difficult back in the 1960’s and indeed something that the NSU and Citroën Comotor joint venture had much less success with.

Thanks to Mazda and that first Cosmo, and then its Cosmo named successors and others such as the RX-8, Wankel engine had its time in the sun. It did not replace piston engines as perhaps Mazda had hoped that it would, but it became a viable alternative until emissions restrictions killed it off. Rumours now abound that new apex seal technology is going to bring the Wankel back into production, and it’s believed that Mazda is still developing rotaries in secret.

Photo Credits: Mazda, Bonhams, RM Sotheby’s

The post A Brief History of the Mazda Cosmo – Everything You Need To Know appeared first on Silodrome.

source https://silodrome.com/history-mazda-cosmo/

#cars

[docholligay]

Talismans: Secrets--Part One, Rei and Usagi

Another Talismans rewrite installment is coming out on the Patreon today, so I decided to release this installment on the blog! Let me know if you enjoy! Everything I’ve written in this AU/rewrite is here. 

“Rei!” Usagi jumped in front of her excitedly, like a small puppy who is just reminded her owner exists, “I got us tickets for the dumpling festival this Saturday! It begins at 11--”

“I’ll have to meet you later.,” Rei did not mean to be so short, truth be told, but Usagi pressed the point a bit too often these days, “I have a meeting.”

If Rei were kinder, she often thought, she would have cut off her friendship with Usagi long ago. It was difficult to have casual friendships, to say nothing of the close ones, when you were a senshi, protecting something you barely understood with a band of comrades that were not quite friends and not quite family but somehow both of those at the same time. She could not explain it to Usagi, even if she wanted to, and she so desperately did, longed to tell anyone outside of the situation about the fear and the loneliness and the pain, the wondering what her grandfather would say if she didn’t come home one night, the difficult dance of working with 6 other girls she did not truly understand.

But she was Rei, and she was Mars, and she was a pillar of strength, and most importantly, that the transformation ring glowed hot against her finger was a secret she could not reveal. A secret that would hurt Usagi.

And so she said as little about these things as possible.

“What kind of meeting?” Usagi drew near her, clutching the two tickets to her chest.

“Just...for school.” Rei started walking out of the park, toward the noise and color of the city.

“Okay!” Usagi popped, “I’ll come with, and just have some cake or something, and we can go right after.”

Rei shook her head, but did not look at Usagi, afraid she would find herself unable to lie. “You can’t, Usagi. It’s a group project. We don’t even go to the same school.”

“No Rei!” Usagi, as always, had a quick answer, “I’ll be really quiet, or I could even sit at a different table until you finish! Then we don’t have to worry about meeting up!”

Rei bit her tongue, but wheeled on her hell and turned to Usagi, scolding her. “No, Usagi, you can’t come.”

You can’t follow me here, where things are so dangerous, where the future is so uncertain.

Usagi stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and began to cry, quietly at first, and then culminating in a loud wail.

“Wh-hy-hy are you EMBARRASSED by me-he-he?!” She pulled the front of her dress up to blow her nose, and Rei pulled it back down before her rainbow pug underwear showed to the street.

“Usagi,” her voice softened, and she touched her shoulder gently, “I’m not embarrassed by you.”

“You never-never want to be around me anymo-ho-hore.” She buried herself into Rei’s shoulder, hugging her tightly.

Usagi, if you knew how bad I wish we could just sit and eat pizza in my room, talking about nothing...but that isn’t my life now, and it won’t ever be again.

It had been easier at the beginning, Rei was sure. The creatures they found were fewer and further between, but as their powers had consolidated, so had the darkness that permeated, Pluto had said once they discovered the Talismans  the princess would be revealed. Nothing would ever be the same again.

It would be better if she left Usagi behind, if she never let her get in the way of the danger of being so near a Senshi. If anyone found her identity...Rei didn’t like to think about it. Usagi could hardly defend herself from a rainstorm, to say nothing of the dangers they’d faced. If the creatures they’d killed.

The last thought filled her with a chill. She had killed her first last week. It was Michiru or Mina, more often than not, for unspoken reasons that often boiled to the quiet knowledge that they had done it before, that this was the thing Mina and Michiru shared, as sun and moon though they were, they both gave a light.

But not this time. This time, it had been her. Mina had been too far, Michiru had been too surrounded, and Rei had been face to face with the thing herself, and her hand hesitated, as much as she knew it was not a human, not like some of the creatures the others had killed, whose bodies turned back when they crumpled and died.

“The same will happen to us,” Michiru said, the cool ocean of her eyes meeting the deep fire of Rei’s, “when we perish. We become ourselves, again.”

When and not if, Rei noted.

“How do you know?”

“I have Seen it. The power lives. We die.”

But she had pulled her bow and taken the lethal shot, and a cool shock went through her, knowing she had passed over a threshold from which she could never return, just as the threshold she had stepped over when she had taken the rod from Pluto’s hand.

Every one she stepped over made her feel a little less human. A little further from Usagi.

She felt that new, fresh, cold within her even more as Usagi held her tight, nearly threatening her with the warmth and kindness of her body, a person who could not know what it was to take the shot. Who would never have to know.

“Usagi,” she finally said, warmer than she felt, “I do want to be around you.”

Usagi pulled away and sniffled. “But--but--”

“I know,” Rei pulled her in an hugged her, “I’m busy. I have so much going on with the shrine, and school, and...everything. And those other girls are really focused. And,” she leaned in and nodded, “They’re jerks anyway.”

It sounded insincere, even to her ear, but Rei was not sure how to act her own part, how to be a Rei that was telling the truth without having to do so. Her voice was too soft, wasn’t it? Her hug too gentle. There were a million tiny tells that Rei all noted, and yet could not bring herself to act more convincingly.

She could only hope that Usagi’s lack of attention extended to even her.

Usagi nodded, tucking the stray bit of hair behind her ear, worn low today with pink ribbon run through it that perfectly matched the roses embroidered on her blue dress.

If Rei were kinder, she often thought, she would have cut off her friendship with Usagi long ago. But no, she couldn’t leave Usagi, no matter if it was the only right thing to do. There was a certain quality of her moments with Usagi, something drawing her in, something that Rei thought must be true friendship, unfettered by the duty that she shared in common with her other comrades at arms. Something that was truly hers.

Usagi smiled brightly, comforted by the rare joy of having received a hug from Rei without her having to press the point too severely, and looked over at the stores and cafes to her right.

“You know, I think they’d like me more, if they knew me! Haruka seemed to need a friend, and--”

“Haruka needs something, all right,” Rei gave a low chuckle, thinking of how insufferably moody she had been since she and Michiru had parted ways, “I’m happy to give it to her.”

But it wasn’t in Usagi’s nature to see someone being dramatic, annoying everyone. It was in her nature to see someone in pain, who needed a hand. And that was what made her lovely to Rei, wasn’t it? That they were so different?

As if responding to Rei’s thoughts, Usagi put her hands on her hips and scowled at Rei, forgetting her sadness in the midst of her annoyance on Haruka’s behalf.

“Rei, you’re so mean!” Usagi scolded, and Rei tried not to smile at the familiarity of it, of it’s ease and comfort, “Sometimes people just need someone to be nice to them!”

“Usagi,” she rolled her eyes, but put her arm around Usagi’s shoulder, “you can’t fix people just by loving them.”

“Maybe you just don’t try.” Usagi responded, crossing her arms and waving her nose in the air, although the effect was a bit marred by the smile breaking on her face.

“Well, maybe I would for people who were WORTH it.” Rei parried, in their easy banter, where Rei was too hard, and Usagi too soft, and the bickered over the way to see the world.

“Oh,  you don’t ever give anyone a break!” She grinned up at Rei, “It’s like you just…”

Her smile faded, and she stopped, looking at Rei, facing her as the wind blew hot down the streets of Tokyo, carrying faded summer flowers, limp from heat and time, into the streets of the city, crushed under the heels of the people walking by.

“What?” Rei made it sound hard, and furrowed her brow, trying to continue the script they had written for themselves over and over, to dissolve whatever thoughts Usagi was having about the life that Rei led, when she was not at Usagi’s hand.

“Rei,” Usagi looked at her, her eyes filled with tears, “you know you can tell me anything? You can trust me.”

“I trust you, Usagi.” She said it more earnestly than she meant to, more sweetly and more softly, all the while her mind running with the thousand reasons she could never tell Usagi about her destiny, about the things Rei had to face and do.

“Then,” She held onto Rei’s arm, “why won’t you tell me where you go? Or why you have bruises?”

“Usagi, I can--”

“Is someone hurting you, Rei?! Because, I’ll--I’ll--” She burst into sobs, leaning against Rei’s shoulder again, and for all the times they’d tried to walk forward, Rei noticed they had simply stayed in this same spot.

“You’ll cry all over them?” Rei chuckled, and then steeled her voice, “Usagi, nobody’s hurting me but it’s none of your business, honestly. I’m fine,” she pulled Usagi away, but smiled, “I promise. It’s just a hobby I want to keep to myself.”

If Rei were kinder, she often thought, she would have cut off her friendship with Usagi long ago.

[itsthejuggernautbitch]

25 with Colossus. Do we have to specify smut or fluff? Even so I whole heartedly trust you from here. Thanks!!

I hadn’t thought about it, but yeah, specifying smut or fluff would be nice! Smut will probably take me longer (because I’m primarily a smut writer, so the smut is more intense); fluff will be short, sweet, and to the point.  I’m going to go with fluff here, though. I seem to be in that kind of mood right now? Probably because I’m writing the OC stuff while working on smut prompts… ;)

Anyway, #25 - the smell of baking cookies.

Ice crunches underneath your boots as you climb the steps up to the door of Xavier’s mansion. The snow had been coming down hard all day; it floats down from the overcast sky, cold and wet and just a little bit sticky. Your nose is raw and pink from the wind, your hair damp from the snowflakes caught in the tangles.

You open the door, and you’re greeted by what could possibly the perfume of angels. The house smells warm, like cinnamon and toasted butter. Beyond that is the scent of apples in the fall, and you hope more than anything that it’s apple cider.

You follow your nose into the kitchen and Colossus at the stove. He’s wearing an apron over his clothes (it’s pink and frilly) and wielding a spatula like a sword. There’s a sheet of cookies laying out on a pair of matching pink hotpads and a huge pot on the stove (it’s definitely apple cider). You might just die because there’s cookies and apple cider, which is exactly what you need after the day you’ve had.

Colossus is a good man, the best man. You’re gonna blow him so hard tonight.

He hasn’t heard you come in, so you sneak up behind him and wrap your arms around his waist. He shifts so that your arms aren’t close to the stove and continues scraping cookies off the baking sheet despite the fact that your face is pressed right up against his back.

“What’s all this?” you ask, even though you know the answer. He’s just a huge, sweet dork who likes to bake you cookies (when he’s not being healthy and all that).

“You’re late coming home, so I assumed you’ve had a long day.”

Well, he was right about that. “Yeah, that’s true.”

“We also have house to ourselves tonight. Everyone is out on mission.”

“Even Negasonic?”

“Gone to Tokyo for the weekend.”

“Excellent!” you say, pulling out a chair at the table. Colossus stirs the pot on the stove slowly, and you can smell the nutmeg melting into the juice. “So, date night on the couch tonight?”

Colossus nods, smiling. “Date night on the couch.”

You help him plate up the cookies and measure out a healthy portion of cider into tall glasses before heading into the playroom. You’re quite surprised when he slips a shot of rum into each cider glass.

He shrugs when you ask. “No children around. A nightcap seems appropriate.”

You take a slow sip and let the cider warm you down to your bones. “Agreed.”

Colossus picks up the plate of cookies and heads into the playroom. You follow him, making sure all the lights are turned off behind you. You close the door behind you, grab a blanket and a couple of pillows, and plop yourself down next to him on the couch. He wraps his arm around your shoulders as you curl into his side.

“Are we sleeping on the couch tonight?” you ask before biting into a cookie. It’s warm and gooey, full of melty chocolate hunks. Colossus makes the best cookies.

“I am fine with that, if that’s what you want, love.”

Sleeping on the couch with Colossus usually meant him sleeping on the couch and you sleeping on top of him. It sounds uncomfortable, but there’s no better way sleep. Especially since it’s Friday night and there’s no one else in the mansion. It means you can sleep late and no one will bother you. He’s huge, soft, and warm, so he makes a great sleeping buddy.

You pull your blanket up around your chin, draping the edge in his lap. “You are the best thing to come home to.”

You don’t look up, but you’d be willing to bet your life savings that he’s blushing. “I just thought you could use a quiet night.”

“It’s much appreciated.” You pause. “Hey, can I blow you on the couch?”

He coughs, choking on a sip of cider. “You don’t have to do anything.”

“When do I ever do anything because I have to?”

He’s silent for a moment, probably in the midst of contemplating this difficult decision. Bed or couch? Either way, you’re gonna suck his dick. “The bed would be more comfortable. For you, I mean.”

“The bed it is, then.”

#colossus #colossus x reader #colossus headcanons #colossus imagines #mcu!colossus #deadpool #deadpool headcanons #deadpool imagines #mcu!deadpool #ptite-shit

[lunar-lattice]

Solaris Caelum (9)

It’s time for a party the recipient didn’t ask for...but isn’t that all surprise parties?

Mirrors in reblogs.

< Previous x Next >

9. A Major Party

15 years ago, on September 13th 2000...

Just like that, the world had exploded into an orange cacophony of harsh light and sound. The wind and world and something else screamed. Across the destroyed Antarctic base, a man carried his daughter, weathering his own wounds and the collapsing world for her. There, he saw it; the last and only remaining emergency capsule. He propped his daughter against his shoulder and reached out, ignoring the pain that jolted through his nearly flayed arm to open it.

Behind him, the monster they awoke still wailed, its brilliant form illuminating the world through the gloom. Not much time left. He set his daughter into the capsule as gently as he could. Blood from his head wound dropped onto her cheek and she shuddered. She looked up at him, confusion on her face. "Father..." she whispered.

The shutting of the capsule prevented any more conversation. His mission done, the man collapsed onto the capsule and awaited the end.

Inside the capsule, his daughter didn't dare make a sound. The capsule rumbled then flipped over and over. She cried in surprise, "Father!"

The capsule eventually came to a stop, slowly bobbing. She sat up as much as she could, pressing the button to open the capsule. She flinched and held her side as she sat up.

The world was much darker than it had been but an orange gloom still settled over it. Before her, where the facility had been, twin pillars of light extended from the ocean and into the atmosphere. Whatever they belonged to still wailed. She clenched her side.

Now, Misato was getting dressed, the memories of that day swirling in her mind. Her fingers ghosted over her scar. It was best to move on...but difficult with the lasting reminder across her chest.

Outside, Tokyo-3 was in the midst of a thunderstorm. Inside Misato's apartment however, it was warm. Shinji rushed out of the hallway, passing a pair of towels to his friends, Toji and Kensuke. Toji took his, "Man, thanks Shinji! You really saved us from the rain!"

Shinji laughed nervously, "It's really nothing."

Kensuke looked around, "Where's Miss Misato?"

"Probably sleeping still. She's been working all night recently."

"Oh, right," Toji sat down, toweling his hair dry, "She has a really tough job."

"So let's keep it quiet so we won't wake her up," Kensuke put his finger in front of his mouth in a 'shh' gesture.

"What are you guys doing here?" Asuka poked her head into the kitchen.

"Shh!" Toji and Kensuke gestured to keep her quiet.

Shinji explained, ignoring them, "Taking shelter from the rain."

"Hmmm," she narrowed her eyes, "Alright" and disappeared back into the hallway.

"Hope Miss Misato didn't wake up," Toji said.

The door to Misato's room opened and she stepped out. "You're real good at jinxing us," Kensuke said.

He looked at Misato, "Sorry for disturbing you!"

She waved him off, "I was up already so it's alright. Welcome!"

She nodded to Shinji, "Remember, harmonics test tonight."

"Right."

"Asuka?"

"Got it!" she called from her room.

Misato looked back at them, "Rei and Kaworu probably know already but if you guys can pick them up before you leave if they're still home, that would be great."

Shinji nodded, "We can do that."

Misato smiled, "Thank you, you're such a dependable boy."

Shinji returned the smile. Beside him, Kensuke leaned forward, squinted and adjusted his glasses. He gasped and went straight, "Congratulations on your promotion!"

Toji looked confused but went straight too, "Yeah, congratulations!"

Shinji blinked, "What are you two talking about?"

Kensuke sighed, "On her jacket! Her pin is different! Misato's a major now!"

Misato chuckled, blushing slightly, "That's right. Thank you."

Kensuke beamed and bowed, "You're most welcome!" Toji followed suit, much deeper with his face fixed into a stoic respectful expression.

Misato laughed softly and nervously, "Well, see you guys later," and she beat a hasty retreat out the door.

"See you!" Toji and Kensuke called after her.

Shinji sighed, "I think she was a little embarrassed..."

"I don't see why!" Kensuke grinned, "It's quite the honor!"

"What going on out here?" Asuka asked, dressed in a large t-shirt and shorts, toweling off her hair.

"Misato's collar tab has two lines now instead of one. So she's been promoted from a captain to a major!" Kensuke said, gesturing to his own collar.

"Really? I wouldn't have noticed that,"

"Huh...I wonder when she was promoted," Shinji said.

"Must have been recently," Asuka said thoughtfully as she stopped beside him.

"Are you serious! You guys are pathetic!" Toji cried.

"You wouldn't have noticed either if not for Kensuke!" Asuka shot back.

Toji opened his mouth to refute her then closed it. "You may be right," he conceded.

"She's right," Kensuke said.

"Awww, shut it!" Toji punched him in the arm.

Kensuke winced and rubbed his arm. He turned back to the pilots and asked, "But you know what this means?"

"What?" they asked.

He grinned, "A party is in order!"

"You think Misato will like that?" Shinji asked.

"Oooh, can I invite Hikari?" Asuka asked, showing no attention to Shinji.

"Sure! We'll invite everyone! Us, Rei, Kaworu..."

"We could see if Ritsuko could come," Asuka paused, "Maybe even Kaji!"

The three continued to plan and Shinji sighed, his question forgotten by the trio. He hoped a party wouldn't be any issue. He didn't exactly want one himself...but he supposed spending time with his friends was never a bad thing. He'd deal with it.

As they left the apartment to gather the other two pilots, Kensuke asked, "Say, is Misato coming with you home?"

Shinji raised an eyebrow but answered anyways, "Probably not tonight. She finally got all the paperwork done from the last Angel. She's gonna drive us home though."

Kensuke sighed, "Alright...party tomorrow!" he cheered, his demeanor changing on a dime.

"Tomorrow!" Shinji cried, "That's a little early, huh?"

"And there's no chance of anyone spilling the secret!"

Shinji frowned. Toji sighed, "You can't get him off a subject once he's on it so don't even try," he turned to Kensuke, "And I suppose you will want me to help?"

"Of course!"

A little over an hour later, the group was in the middle of their sync test. Asuka sighed softly, fidgeting slightly in the plug. Her sync ratio was just above where it was last time, for good reason. Any sudden change in her ratio would set off suspicion. At first, she had done it deliberately but now it came easier than she expected. Perhaps her mother was in cahoots with her. She smiled at the thought.

"Asuka's ratio just shot up another two points," Ritsuko observed.

"But her and Rei are at the edge of the contamination zone. They might have reached their limit," Maya said.

Ritsuko looked over her shoulder, "Shinji can, however. Lower the graph depth another 0.3."

"Alright. What about Kaworu?"

Ritsuko looked over his graph. Their current setup with him was little more than shadow of what it would be when they had his Eva. It was a test plug loaded with the current data from his Unit. It did the job well enough but no doubt his score would change drastically when he got the real deal. "Keep him as he is," she said.

Kaworu felt weird inside the test plug. It was quiet and empty in a way Unit Two wasn't. Data was no substitute for a true Eva. As such, his general scores were low. What purpose it served to test him in his own plug anyways was unknown to him. Perhaps as a baseline? They usually followed up these tests with putting him in Unit Two and letting the others go home but not tonight. He didn't mind that too much.

Shinji felt conflicting feelings toward the entry plug. It was a place of pain and comfort. Pain such as white hot tentacles through his torso or the agonizing pain of a beam to his whole front. But comfort such as the quiet warm environment of the plug itself. The feeling was familiar in a way he couldn't pinpoint, like a memory from a time he couldn't consciously remember.

"He's almost nearly reached the contamination zone," Maya reported.

"And he's still getting these readings? Incredible," Ritsuko whistled softly at it, "Truly incredible."

Maya glanced up at her, "And his harmonics and sync rate are also catching up with Asuka's."

"It's almost as if he has a gift for piloting Eva," Ritsuko said, "And I'm not usually one to believe in that sort of thing."

"I doubt he'd be happy to hear that, since he doesn't like to do it…," Misato murmured.

She said it so no one would hear her but Ritsuko did, a frown flickering across her expression. She turned to the screen and pressed the comm button, "Good work you three. Shinji, you did well."

It didn't take long to unload the pilots. They each had a quick rinse from the adjoining room to where they exited then were lead back up to the monitoring room to see their results.

"All of you are always improving. Shinji here though, has gone up eight points since last test," Ritsuko explained.

"Really?"

Ritsuko nodded, "Data doesn't lie. You're improving the quickest behind Asuka who had a four point increase this time."

"Nice!" Asuka pumped her arm in the air, "I'm still in the lead though?"

"For the time being."

Asuka muffled the last dying cries of her past life that insisted that even this was a failure. "Good job," she patted Shinji's shoulder. The cries died in her mind.

"As for you two," Ritsuko turned to Rei and Kaworu, "Both of you are steadily improving and that is good as well. I'm hoping we see a nice increase when you have a chance in your actual Eva, Kaworu."

He nodded, "Am I to stay behind to test in Unit Two too?"

"Not tonight. I have a lot of data to get through."

Asuka tilted her head slightly, "You sound really busy, Doctor Akagi. Maybe you could take a break sometime?"

"That's very sweet of you to suggest but I always have so much work..." Ritsuko trailed off.

"She's right," Misato pointed out.

Ritsuko shrugged, "We'll have to see."

The pilots went to the locker room, the girls in theirs and the boys in theirs. Asuka dressed quickly and walked to Rei, who was just trying the knot on her dress. "Rei, we're having a party of Misato tomorrow. Wanna come? You've gotta keep it a secret thought!"

"A party?" she echoed.

"Mhm! Misato's promoted so we're having a surprise party tomorrow for her!"

Rei was quiet then nodded, "I'd like that and I am not busy. So I shall come."

"Sweet!" Asuka cheered, "Get there by eight since Misato should be home thirty minutes after."

"Now," she looked into the hallway, "We just gotta get Ritsuko and Kaji."

"I can inform Dr. Akagi as I have to go see her before I leave."

Asuka smiled, "Alright! See you then!" she left with a wave.

Rei slowly waved back and watched her leave. She was glad her upload was tonight rather than the next day. She could go to the Major's party as well as Dr. Akagi. The Doctor should be happy when Rei came to deliver the invitation. A small smile flickered upon her lips as she left the locker room. She felt...excited at the prospect of the doctor's reaction.

The trip to Terminal Dogma was ingrained in Rei's bones by now. She believed she could even do it in her sleep. She watched the elevator tick down as she rode it, nothing but the quiet hum of the machinery as her company. Down here, it was colder. Whether it was because the depth or the contents of it, she didn't know. Nor did she ask. All she was needed for down here was to perform her role.

She exited the elevator, following the dim hallway into a side room where she shed her clothes. Dr. Akagi appeared in the doorway, "Good, Rei. You're here on time."

Rei nodded and walked up to her, following her through the hallway until they reached a large circular room. Twisted machinery made up the ceiling and in the center was a tube. Off to the side was an archaic computer terminal. "Wait a moment," Dr. Akagi instructed her as she went over to it. She tapped a few keys, humming to herself.

"Dr Akagi," Rei said quietly.

"What is it, Rei?" she asked, not looking up.

"Asuka wanted me to inform you you've been invited to a party for Major Katsuragi's promotion."

Ritsuko looked at her, a perplexed expression on her face, "She wanted you to invite me?"

"She told me you and Mr. Kaji should come. I said I'd pass the message to you."

"Huh," her expression softened, "That's…kind of you."

She went back to her terminal, "Tell her I'll see if I can make it. No promises."

"I see."

"Anyway, I'm ready for you," she gestured to the tube.

Rei had been acting different, Ritsuko noted as Rei walked into the tube. The tube sealed itself and LCL flooded it, causing Rei to float off the floor. She inhaled and closed her eyes, letting herself float.

Ritsuko smiled softly. It wasn't a bad different. Perhaps Commander Ikari would find it a bad different but Rei still acted the part. Still, her behavior warmed the doctor to her.

"Thank you, Misato," Kaworu said from the back seat of Misato's car.

"It's no problem, Kaworu! I would have took Rei home too if she didn't have to stay behind," Misato replied as they drove home.

"I also heard you were promoted so congratulations!"

"I bet Shinji told you, huh?"

Shinji and Kaworu exchanged glances. "Yes," Shinji admitted.

Misato chuckled, "You guys are more excited about my promotion than I am…"

"Why aren't you?" Asuka asked.

Misato shrugged, "I mean, not much changes. I guess I do get paid more but that's about it. I still rank as one of the highest in NERV. So it doesn't seem as big a deal to me."

"It's a big honor though," Asuka said.

Misato sighed, "I don't know really how to explain it. Maybe it's different because I'm an adult."

Asuka shot a worried glance at the two in the back. Shinji piped up, "I think I understand. Being praised is nice but there's a lot of pressure."

Asuka shook her head, "You should just take the praise and be happy! They say, don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

Shinji frowned but said nothing. Kaworu cut in, "I suppose there's a healthy balance. Be happy for it but don't let it get to your head. But also don't let people's criticisms go to your head. Just do what makes you happy!"

"Sounds right. Try to not put too much stock in what people think of you," Misato finished.

The three went silent, mulling this over. Misato smiled, "You kids are more thoughtful than when I was your age...granted, this time when I was your age, I wasn't doing a lot of talking at all."

"Are you really sure Misato'll be happy?" Shinji asked the next day, in the afternoon as he watched her flit around, setting up her game console in the living room.

Asuka had roused him from bed and told him Toji and Kensuke were coming by early so they can set things up. And of course, Shinji was on cooking duty. He didn't mind that part, he minded the fact he was put on it without being asked. It seemed everyone was more excited for it than him, but he supposed at this point it was more an excuse to throw a party. He smiled softly. And for Misato, an excuse to drink.

Asuka shrugged, "Whatever her weird stance on being congratulated, everyone likes a party!"

"I guess you're right. Though, she'll probably take it as an excuse to drink," he said.

"There you go!" she beamed.

The door bell rang, "Oh that'll be them!" she said, going to the door.

She opened the door to reveal Kensuke and Toji accompanied by a man with glasses. She blinked, "Hello guys and...?"

Shinji appeared behind her, "Oh that's Goichi, Kensuke's brother!"

Goichi chuckled, "I had the day off and Kensuke insisted I must meet the Major...you must be Asuka."

Asuka gasped and put a hand to her chest, "Not another nerd!"

Goichi blinked and deadpanned, "I've heard things about you too but it wouldn't be polite for me to repeat them."

The two stared at each other, neither willing to give the other an inch. Kensuke broke the silence, "We haven't said anything bad about you. Goichi is just messing with you."

Goichi laughed, "Actually, all I've heard is pretty favorable. Might have seen you in action," he winked and gestured to Kensuke's camera, "Or maybe not. After all, having such footage would not be allowed."

Asuka grinned back, "You are right but it would be rather cool if you did see it."

She led the trio inside, gesturing for them to set their cargo on the table. "Isn't Misato not home for some time?" Shinji asked.

"Obviously! We want to be utterly prepared!" she said as she rooted through the bags, setting the groceries on the table.

"This didn't cost too much, did it?" Shinji asked Kensuke.

"Nah," he waved Shinji off, "I can already see you pulling out your NERV card to reimburse us so don't bother."

"Just leave some for me to take to Sakura," Toji commented, sitting at the table and cracking a can of soda, "She wanted to come but she still can't leave the hospital."

Shinji sat beside him, "Is she getting better though?"

Toji nodded, "They actually started her on physical therapy last week. Progress is slow but it's better than nothing," he smiled softly.

Shinji nodded, "I'll have to visit her again sometime with you…"

"I'd say bring everyone else but I wouldn't want her getting hurt with how excited she'd be," Toji joked.

"Shinji!" came Asuka's call from the kitchen.

He sighed and sat up, "Guess that's my cue."

The next person to arrive was Kaworu, a cake in hand. "A cake is customary for celebrations, is it not?" he asked sheepishly as Asuka ushered him in.

"I think it's more of a western thing but hey! You won't find me complaining!" Asuka eyed the cake. It was a simple white cake with 'Congratulations on your promotion!' written in purple icing.

"Did you make it yourself?" she asked.

Kaworu shook his head, "I wanted to try...but last time I tried to bake, I burnt it," he laughed softly.

A grin stole onto Asuka's face, "Hey, I bet Shinji knows how! He can teach you!"

He shot her an exasperated glance and went into the kitchen to set the cake down. Shinji was tending to a pan of pork. Kaworu set the cake on the table and walked over, "What are you making?"

Shinji jumped, "Oh! Kaworu! I'm making ramen er, actual ramen. Not the instant stuff."

Kaworu chuckled, "You think Misato will appreciate it?"

"Well," he trailed off, "I hope she finds it funny. And if she doesn't, I'll say it was Asuka's plan."

"Bold of you," he smiled, "How can I help?"

"Oh, you wanna help?" Shinji seemed surprised.

He nodded. "Oh, well you can cut the scallions," he gestured to the cutting board where a knife and a scallion, along with a bulb of garlic and a ginger root.

He began to cut it into small diagonal slices and asked, "Want me to cut these too?"

"I'd like that! But just crush the garlic."

Kaworu hummed as he worked. Shinji turned down the heat for the pork and set a lid onto it. Before he knew it, he was humming too. He asked, "What is that you're humming?"

Kaworu smiled at him, "Beethoven's 9th, Ode to Joy. Do you like it?"

"Oh! Yeah, I do like classical!" Shinji returned the smile.

"It's actually my favorite piece of music. Do you have a favorite?"

Shinji shook his head, "Not really, I've never thought about it. But I like a lot."

Kaworu nodded in agreement, "Good. Music is good. I'd say it's the pinnacle of your culture."

Shinji raised an eyebrow, "Japanese…?"

Kaworu chuckled, "Of all culture."

"I think you're right," he smiled before turning and beginning to make the sauce for the ramen.

Back in the living room, Asuka was ushering Rei and Hikari inside. She smiled, "Glad you two could come!"

Rei nodded, "I am glad. I also told Dr. Akagi."

Hikari smiled, "Of course, I'd come."

"Sweet, I told Kaji on my way out of NERV!"

Rei raised an eyebrow, "I thought Misato disliked Mr. Kaji?"

"Oh, Rei. Misato is just saying that. I think she still likes him!"

"What if you're wrong?"

Asuka winked, "I'm not wrong."

Hikari laughed softly, "I'd dare say you're turning into a right matchmaker, Asuka."

Asuka simply smiled and hushed her.

Time passed quickly and before anyone knew, it was nearly time for Misato to get home. Asuka had ushered everyone to be on alert. Shinji himself was jittery with nervous energy. The door opened and everyone tensed. Misato entered, yawning and taking off her hat. She didn't notice anything was wrong.

Kensuke lead the cry of, "Congratulations, Misato!"

Misato jumped, her hand flying for her gun. Then she froze and blinked. Then she blushed bright, "What are you—"

"It's a party! For you!" Asuka cried.

Misato blinked then fled for her room. Silence dominated the room. Goichi asked, "Did that go well?"

"Er," Kensuke mumbled.

Misato exited shortly after, having shed her work clothes for her casual clothes. "You guys...you did this?" she asked, stopping before the group.

Asuka pointed to Toji and Kensuke, "It was their idea!"

"Actually, it was mainly Kensuke's," Toji cut in.

Misato looked over them then stopped on Goichi, "You are?"

He bolted up, sticking his hand out, "Goichi Aida! Kensuke's brother! Er, Major!"

Misato took his hand, gingerly shaking it, "Nice to meet you…just call me Misato…"

He saluted her and sat back down. Shinji stood, "I'll go get the food put together."

"I'll come with," Misato followed him and groaned, "I need a drink..."

She took a beer out of the fridge, cracked it and drained half of it in one swallow. She glanced over at Shinji who was dutifully starting the noodles. "Do you need help?" she asked.

"Oh no!" he shook his head.

He paused, "Well, I do but I don't want to ask you. It is your party."

A mischievous look crossed Misato's face, "I'll go gather Kaworu. He's a reliable boy."

She stayed just long enough to savor the blush on Shinji's cheeks before she left for the living room. "Kaworu!" she cried, "I think Shinji needs some help so would you help him!"

She chuckled internally seeing Kaworu jump to attention, "Sure thing!" and walked past her into the kitchen.

She did, however, smile smugly as she sat at the table and sipped at her beer. She said, "Thank you all...this is really nice, if a surprise."

"I mean, it is supposed to be a surprise," Asuka pointed out.

Misato rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean."

"Anyway," Toji pointed to Kensuke, "Ken planned it all. We just helped."

"Exactly!" Kensuke bolted to his feet, "It was I! Kensuke Aida, the mastermind!"

Goichi chuckled softly at his antics. Misato dipped her head at Kensuke, "Then thank you, Aida."

"Awww, nah," Kensuke waved her off, "I was doing what anyone would have done!"

Misato nearly rolled her eyes again but let the boy have his fun. Kaworu came in, two bowls in hand and set one in front of Misato and the other to her right, where Shinji was sitting. "Ramen?" Misato asked.

"Homemade," Shinji commented, bringing more bowls and dishing them out, "I thought you'd like it better this way."

"When did our Shinji get so cheeky?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shinji used the excuse to get the rest of the bowls to retreat. Misato chuckled and pulled a bundle of noodles and pork from the bowl, bringing it to her mouth. It tasted...just as good as from a ramen stand. No...even better! Kaworu, having returned to give Kensuke and Toji a bowl grinned, "I think Misato likes it, Shinji."

"Judging by how she'd putting it away, I think that's an understatement," Asuka chuckled, digging into her own bowl which Shinji had just brought her.

"It's so good, Shinji!" Misato grinned between bites, "You've got an eye for this sort of thing!"

"You think?" he asked while he sat beside her.

Misato shook her head, "No. I know you do."

Shinji blushed furiously and instead found more of an interest in eating than continuing the conversation. Goichi chuckled, "She's right. Might have to have Kensuke invite you for dinner sometime so we can have this again."

"Don't do that," Kensuke warned, "He won't say no."

"Oh, Toji," Shinji looked up, "I made a container for Sakura too...if she can have it."

"Wow, man!" Toji grinned, "That's awfully kind of you! You should come visit her with me so you can give it to her yourself!"

"Uh...if you want..." Shinji trailed off.

They continued eating, everyone making conversation between themselves...that is, except for Shinji. Misato glanced over at him and said softly, "How are you doing?"

Shinji looked up at her, surprise in his face, "Oh..I'm alright. I guess. It's just a lot of people."

Asuka had just launched into an argument over how Toji and Kensuke should take Kaji's example and how they should be more like gentleman. Toji pointed out Kaji wasn't even there yet so what kind of gentleman was that? Asuka didn't seem to want to argue that. Hikari seemed exasperated, Goichi was watching it with a hint of bemusement and Kaworu was protesting that they shouldn't argue at Misato's party. Rei was quietly eating but keeping an eye on it. Shinji murmured to Misato, "Why must they be so noisy?"

"The noise is bothering you?" Misato asked softly.

Shinji nodded. Misato stood, "Here, let's take the bowls back and cut into that cake."

In the kitchen, Shinji asked her as he rinsed the bowls, "A promotion. So, that means that people have acknowledged your work?"

Misato nodded, busy opening the cake container and cutting it into equal slices, "Yeah, I suppose."

"That's why they're happy," he jerked his head in the direction of the living room, "But it doesn't make you happy."

"I mean, I am a little happy. And the celebration is nice...but that's not why I work at NERV."

Shinji tilted his head, "Then why do you work there?"

Misato glanced at him, seeing him regard her with genuine curiosity. The instinct to tell him a lie died on her tongue. She looked away, "It's long and complicated. I'll tell you someday."

Shinji frowned but nodded, "I think I understand. I think I'm ready to go back."

He sat back down by Kaworu when he returned, Asuka and the boys having migrated to the TV to play a fighting game. Asuka was trying to coax Rei into playing with them, "C'mon! It's more fun with more players! And Hikari won't play!"

Rei said softly, "I don't know anything of it though."

"We can teach you," Asuka said, offering her a controller.

Rei regarded it then took it with a cheer from Toji and Kensuke. "Why don't you want to play?" Shinji asked, "You had fun that one time."

Kaworu smiled, "I was waiting for you to return."

Shinji returned the smile with a faint blush on his cheeks. "What were you and Misato talking about, if I may ask?" Kaworu asked.

"Oh, just Misato didn't seem too happy with this. But she must be happy enough to let us have fun," he glanced at Misato sitting on the couch, watching the truly great task of the boys and Asuka teaching Rei the art of video games. Goichi seemed fidgety, with the Operations Director of NERV so close.

Kaworu chuckled, "I will admit this seems more like Kensuke just wanted an excuse for a party..." he paused and said thoughtfully, "But I suppose fun is important for us."

"Important?" Shinji raised an eyebrow.

"In a way, we're almost in a war," Kaworu explained, "Constant fighting and no fun would run us down."

Shinji nodded, "I see. That's why Misato sends us to school."

Kaworu smiled, "Same principle though I'd argue school isn't fun."

They sat back and watched as it seemed Rei was getting a hang of it, applying the same attitude towards real battle to play battle. Kensuke cried, "I can't believe it!" as Rei knocked him out.

"Say Kaworu," Shinji said, "You have an admirer at school, right?"

Kaworu raised an eyebrow but internally he tensed, "Mhm. I'm about due to respond back. The last letter was him telling me about himself. Not much."

"Do you know who it is?"

Kaworu tilted his head, considering Shinji's motivations for asking that. Did he want him to know or did he fear he already knew? Shinji was tense too and wouldn't meet his eye. "I suppose you're curious too?" he asked carefully.

Shinji jumped up, "Wh-who isn't?!"

Kaworu nodded, "I suppose you're right. And no. If I did, I'd like to think I'd go ask them myself."

Shinji relaxed, "Maybe they just need time before they do."

"That's what I think is the case."

The doorbell rang and Asuka jumped up, "That must be Kaji and Ritsuko!"

She went to the door and Rei mercilessly knocked her player character out. "Harsh," Kensuke commented.

Rei blinked at him, "She didn't pause."

Asuka opened the door to reveal Kaji and Ritsuko in casual wear. Kaji waved, "I came directly from HQ and me and Ritsuko just met on the way."

Misato eyed them with suspicion, "A likely story."

Ritsuko sighed, "You act like you're jealous."

"I am not!"

"Anyway!" Kaji stood up straight, "I'd like to offer my congratulations, Major Katsuragi. I guess I cant gripe at you anymore."

A faint blush spread across her face and behind her, the kids exchanged glances. Misato snapped, "And just what are you trying to say, you jerk?!"

Kaji grinned, hands on his hips, "You know how unprecedented it is for both the Commander and Vice Commander to be out of Japan together. That just shows how much trust they hold in you to hold down the fort while they're gone."

Shinji piped up, "Wait...my father's not here?"

Ritsuko shook her head, "Commander Ikari is at the South Pole right now."

If one saw the South Pole as it was right now, one might argue it wasn't even of this world anymore. The seas were a purple-red, the color of a bruise. Pillars of salt dotted the landscape where glaciers once were. Above, auroras danced, beautifully eerie. A fleet of ships cut through it, the largest having a long object tarped over and tied to it. From the deck, Commander Ikari and Fuyutski surveyed the land. It was silent, not even the wind existed here it seemed. It wasn't even as cold as it had once been, just the tiniest chill in the air. Fuyutski said, "The South Pole...a world of death where no life is permitted to exist. One may say it's no longer of this world. So should I simply call it Hell?"

"Nevertheless, we, mankind are here. We're living things and we're alive," Gendo replied.

The words were so familiar but if Fuyutski thought of who they reminded him of, his heart would hurt. "It's because we're under the protection of science," he pointed out.

"Science is the power of man."

Fuyutski gave the alien landscape another long glance, "That arrogance is what caused the tragedy of fifteen years ago, Second Impact. And this is the end result. This is a greater punishment than we deserved. It is truly the Dead Sea."

"Yet this is a world that has been purified, purged of its original sin," Gendo kept his flat facade but Fuyutski could hear the smile behind his words. The uncomfortable idea of Second Impact being merely a test trial lodged itself in his brain.

"I'd prefer a world where people live, no matter how stained with sin," he murmured.

Gendo did not respond so Fuyutski didn't even know if he had heard or not. Not that it would matter if he did.

Author's Note:

Here's another chapter that got cut in half because length, because together it was nearing ten thousand words! The first bit here with the party took up a lot of work so it gets its own chapter, a choice I'm happy with. Breaks up the action a bit. Also its fun sometimes to put a lot of characters in a room and play with 'em.

#nge #neon genesis evangelion #evangelion #fanfic #fanfiction #wildcat writes #solaris caelum