✧█ ＳＴＡＲＬＩＧＨＴ ｆｕｒｕｂａ acc. 1

[not a safe space]

❝𝖒𝖞 𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖆 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖑❞

↪ xxx It was times like these that Ira found himself feeling alive. The aches and burns of cuts and bruises lining his body sang with clarity, and the rush of blood that had pounded from his earlier activities kept a dull beat as his body wound down. it was the closest to peaceful that the brunette ever found himself lately. “My head hurts," Those words broke the silence in the air, and without opening the eyes that he had been keeping closed the older man reached up to card his fingers through dark red hair. His brows furrowed as he tried to think if there had been a time when he was too rough. Had he hit the others head at some point? No, he may have been in a frenzy, but he had made sure to keep the other from getting too damaged. It wouldn't have been fun if he had. So why was the other complaining that his head hurt. Cracking one eye open he looked down at the younger male pressed against him, feeling his hair tickle his skin as he pressed said head up under his chin. It felt nice.

↪ xxx Nothing looked out of the ordinary, well besides the bites and the blood but that was normal after one of their little escapades. Closing his eye again the brunette said nothing, choosing instead to try and keep the peacefulness that had washed over him. besides, if it was really that important then Kouyou would do more than just briefly mention it. “The ******** happened to you today anyway?” he should have known that the other wasn't going to keep quiet, though he had somewhat changed the subject....right onto him. He shivered at the light touches tracing one of his more prominent scars. Grunting Ira shifted a bit, letting the sheet that was wrapped around the two of them slip down slowly as he tried to get comfortable. "The usual s**t." and he left it at that, not wanting to bring up the thousands of little things that most normal people could deal with. But he wasn't normal, well maybe a little more so than Kouyou, and he just really did not want to talk about it. So he didn't, turning his head to the side away from the tiger that was still fairly tangled up with him.

↪ xxx "But I'm wasn't the one going around attacking people." Oh wasn't he just the subtle one? Not. The best way to get the topic off of yourself was to get it onto someone else, and since Kouyou was the only one around well...."Something you want to get off your chest?" Not that he hadn't already gotten it off already. The burning sensation at his neck was enough proof of that, but Ira just wasn't one to leave anything left unsaid and knowing Kouyou he would just let whatever it was eat him alive. He wasn't always the physical type, there was more to him than met the eye. So Ira was willing to let him rip into him again if he needed to. He shifted his legs at that, rolling over just a little onto his side so that he could face the tiger more and held onto him just a little tighter than he already was. His other arms slid over so that he could pull the sheet back up to cover the them more. Now that there was less movement the room was cooling off faster and the feeling of it against the skin was not something Ira cared for. The change in position gave him a good view of the room beyond the bed and he spotted the pile of clothes that had been discarded shortly after they had entered the room. He could only groan inwardly as he caught sight of what remained of his suit. There was no way he'd be able to wear that to the festival. not that he cared what anyone would think if he did, but he'd rather not scare Ai or Kisei. Though Ai would probably think he got into a fight or something.

【 I R A xx M I Y A M O T O 】

_ ↓ ↓↓ ↓Take it or 〈 Leave It 〉 cause I'll send you to your grave
__________〖 DON'T x go xGetting any bright ideas 〗 I'm not the hero in this S T O R Y
______________________Oh No // You can't get away from this ☠ T E R R I B L E // C O N F L I C T
___________________________________________________☣ ☣So don't even try to Run ∝╬══→

[Bre-Rabbit]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxW H O ; Naoki W H A T ; "Yay Nao-chan keeping me company~" W H E R E ; Hallway O U T F I T ; Kimono

Feeling Cheiko's cold scales on the back of her hand, Eri couldn't help but feel a little bit skeptical at how well they seemed to be getting along. The snake girl just hoped this sense of familiarity and comfort wouldn't disappear once Cheiko was back in her human form. Hearing footsteps approaching the two, Eri looked up to see blue and red orbs staring down at the girl and the dragon.

"Nao-chan!", Eri exclaimed as the dog greeted them, Eri always had a fondness for Naoki, partly due to the fact that she saw him as the only one in the house as intelligent as her, if not even smarter. She respected him immensely, even most of her books that were by recommendation from Naoki. His presence nearly made her forget about her unpleasant occurrence with Akatsuki, until he asked her what had happened at the sight of Eri's tear-stained face.

"Don't y'know I always cry during special occasions?" Eri said as she gave a weak smile to the dog. It wasn't like she had given him a total lie as Eri recalled always crying during festivities on the estate when she was younger due to not being fully familiar with everyone yet. Just when Eri had thought she could actually maintain control Aka just had to approach her and shake up her fragile world. She had really hated him, and the more she thought about the loathsome God her head started to feel fuzzy like it was telling her not to think about such things anymore.

Eri turned her attention to Cheiko who seemed to be looking very uncomfortable and in need of a room where she would be alone and able to transform back. Eri just gave a nod to the dragon before she proceeded to dash down the hallway to find some privacy.

"Feeling regretful that you couldn't see her transform back?" Eri slyly said to Naoki hinting at the obvious crush he had on Cheiko. Some people probably hadn't noticed, but Eri always paid attention to little details especially when someone looked at another with puppy-dog eyes in Naoki's case. Giggling at his obvious embarrassment Eri looped her arm within his as if he was escorting her.

"Why don't you accompany me for awhile Nao-chan? I've missed you." Eri said as she walked down the hall with her cousin. The teal-haired girl felt like she was probably keeping Naoki from something important, but being alone was the last thing that Eri wanted to be right now. She still had no idea where Yasu was, but being with Nao really calmed her nerves especially with the impending ceremony about to take place.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxO O C ;

[frayedflower]

When Ira shifted both of them so they could better face each other, pulling the sheet further over both their bodies so casually, Kouyou felt it under his gaze. That tiny, almost imperceptible fluttering of heat in his stomach. It wasn’t lust, and it wasn’t embarrassment, even if this and that weren’t mutually exclusive or anything. It was that thing that was a step beyond both of those, and he didn’t want any ******** part of it.

The tiger shut his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as inwardly, he made it a point to shoot every goddamn butterfly in his stomach straight between the eyes. He wasn’t having it. This, as it was, was fine. It was one of the only things left with no strings and no (unwanted) messiness to add to the ******** his life already was. “No, “ he said too quickly, his eyes averted when he opened them again. Then, “Maybe, “ he amended with a low sigh, sliding a hand down Ira’s side beneath the sheet down to settle on his hip. “I don’t know, “ and he felt ashamed, now that he was looking back.

“I think I went a little crazy, “ he admitted - but then seemed to think better of it as he admitted with a low, short, bitter laugh, “More than usual, I mean. I ran into Chouko, and… I don’t know, “ he repeated, struggling with the words and whether or not they were even worth saying. “I thought I had it together by now - I mean, it’s been years since she - I kind of blew up at her, she kind of blew up at me, and then she headbutted me, and -- I totally deserved it -- “ But he looked almost happy about it, even now. No, not happy. Maybe ‘proud’ was the better word? “It was stupid, really. I act like I’m surprised she doesn’t wanna talk to me anymore, but… “ Who could really blame her, those were the words he couldn’t bring himself to say. It wasn’t like Kouyou thought badly of himself. But he knew he was frustrating, and he was more aware than anyone -- bar Chieko and maybe Ira -- how much of a mess he really was.

“I’m still mad though.” He bit his bottom lip, resolute in this. “I know I’m gonna… I’m gonna make it up to her or whatever, ‘cause I know I wasn’t right, and I said a hell of a lot of stupid things -- “ Like about England. Like he’d even gotten anywhere. “-- but… that doesn’t make her right either. That doesn’t make any of this s**t with Aka or anything else right. Even if it is none of my business, but… “ He growled, sighing as he flopped onto his back. He immediately regretted this action, because damn everything from his back back hurt. “She’s the one that said it was to protect us or whatever. Of course that makes it my business!”

[feuillemort]

Akatsuki hadn’t even realized anyone was behind him until he heard her soft voice speaking to him. He didn’t need to turn to know it was Hotaru. Hers was a voice he would never forget. Still, he turned anyway. Just looking at her caused him to sit a little straighter, feel a little calmer. He knew this day wouldn’t be easy for her, just as it wouldn’t be easy for him. He almost smiled, seeing her holding a mug and a pack of cookies.

“You don’t need to be so formal with me. Not when we’re alone.”

She always had a habit of doing that, even when there was no one else around. He supposed it was just that, a habit, seeing as she didn’t want anyone to know there was anything between them. Sometimes, the thought that they had to hide made him sad, but at the same time, he understood her reasoning for it. He reached out to her where she stood, and pulled her closer to sit with him on the stone bench, before breaking contact. They sat a moment in silence before Akatsuki began to laugh. It was a silent laugh, only the small sounds escaped his lips and the way his shoulders shuddered up and down gave any indication.

“It’s funny, isn’t it? Today? Festivals are supposed to be happy things, with happy people.” Again, he thought for a moment. “I don’t think anyone’s happy about this.” Except the elders of course, but the God never considered them. He had never handled the thought of his arranged marriage as gracefully as Chouko. “I think it would be easier to bear if I actually believed it was for the good of the family.” Of course, that was the excuse they had been given their whole lives, but he knew it was a power play. He realized then that Hotaru didn’t need his own heavy thoughts piled on to what he was sure were her own. “I’m sorry. You don’t need this right now.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He was nervous, and without Chieko, his nerves could really get a hold of him, he just never let anyone see. Glancing at her though, it was then that he noticed her lack of appropriate attire, and for the moment he was glad for it. Her attire’s lack of grandeur and traditional wear made the festival seem less… imminent, less imposing.

On impulse, he leaned down and rested his head against her shoulder. His touch was light, as if he did not want to inconvenience her, though seeking some sort of human contact, from someone he trusted, loved. He wondered how things would change between them once he was truly married to Chouko. The relationship he had with Hotaru was founded on the knowledge that he would, one day, marry someone else, and yet they had decided to love each other anyway.

Akatsuki raised his head, shifting where he sat to face Hotaru, and this time a light smile had made its way to his face. “You,” the God began, turning the subject around, brushing a stray piece of the Cat’s long white hair back into place. “Are nowhere near ready, my lovely Cat.” The elders would have a fit if they saw her in that, and though tempting as it was, it wasn’t worth it. “I know you don’t like crowds, but today is a festival, no matter what for. Think of it only as a celebration for the cherry blossoms. They, after all, are certainly worth celebrating.” It was a dual celebration really, so if she were to at least focus on one reason, rather than the other, she might enjoy herself more. “Try for me at least. I’ll bear it easier knowing you’re enjoying yourself at least a little.”

He stood slowly from the bench, and pulled her up with him. He brought her close for only a moment, and kissed her lightly on the lips before pulling back. “We should go.”

-----

As per their request. Akatsuki was the first to arrive. Chouko and the others would be joining him shortly, where all of the Zodiac would dance together to begin the festival, but now, it was only him, standing alone before the elders. Each of them watched him with hawk-like gazes. There was no love between them, and they knew it.

“I trust everything will go accordingly, Akatsuki-sama. Without incident.” Their monotonous tones raked over Aka’s ears like nails on a chalkboard.

“Without incident.” The young Jade Emperor parroted back, eyes, face and tone blank. “Yes, of course.” It was the same song they had always sung. This was nothing more than a formality, and attempt to prove their superiority. However, today, there was something that itched Akatsuki’s skin to look at them. It was as if they… knew something that he did not. Their eyes glanced all over him, he could see it when they thought he wasn’t looking. They were watching him for something, as if they… expected him to do something or, perhaps for something to happen to him. He didn’t like it. As he turned away from them, he could feel their eyes boring into his back, still watching, still waiting…

[walking distance]

“A slight fall?” Chieko asked incredulously. There was already a bruise beginning to form, or at least a visible lump. Sure, Chouko was physically healthiest of all the Miyamotos, what with her horse zodiac sign and their hardiness, she rarely got sick. But Chieko tended to worry more about Chouko’s mental health. She had such a burden to carry and she carried it silently, all on her own. Whenever Chieko offered to help, she simply got a polite refusal. At least Aka cried it out to her every once in a while. Chouko held everything in and Chieko wondered how much longer it would be before she burst; the Dragon wanted to be there for her friend if anything were to happen.

Chouko was stubborn as always though, and got up to go get the kimono that she and Chieko had selected for her earlier. If she hadn’t been holding the ice pack against her head still, the Dragon would have said something, but instead she let out a sigh. Dressing up had never really been her thing (she honestly didn’t know how Chouko managed to do it every day) but the Horse was right. Chieko excused herself to make a mad dash for her room, carefully holding up the blanket in place so she wouldn’t flash anyone, retrieved and put on some undergarments, and then came back as fast as she could. Luckily Chouko was a kimono master, and the Dragon was quickly dressed. She had picked one of Chouko’s simpler kimonos, white with red scale prints and fish that reminded her of her zodiac form. Chieko wasn’t much a floral, complicated design person at all, but even putting this kimono on made her feel overdressed. The sleeves were long and hung loosely like impractical wings, and the soft silk material dragged onto the floor. The Dragon probably would have opted for a short kimono for practicality reasons (say, if someone decided to pass out during the festival) but Chouko didn’t own any that weren’t full length and Chieko sure as hell wouldn’t have owned something that fancy. As Chouko made the final tucks here and there with the pins that Chieko had brought, the Dragon made it a point to thank her continuously, and to apologize in advance for any damage done to her beautiful kimono by the end of the night. Knowing Chieko, she’d probably trip on it at some point.

Then it was a quick hustle and bustle as Chieko cleaned Chouko’s face (being especially careful around her forehead) and reapplied her makeup—actually, if the Dragon did say so herself, the makeup looked even better than it had before Chouko fell. She also applied a light dusting of powder to make Chouko’s injury look less obvious, and then whisked the Horse off to iron her wrinkled kimono jacket and put on her headpiece. The backup headpiece was considerably smaller, but Chieko was just amazed that Chouko had already prepared it in advance. Clever girl. With Chouko preoccupied, Chieko took her time with her makeup, picking a red lipstick that matched the shade of her kimono and slightly more dramatic nighttime liberties with her eyes. It made her look more intimidating if she opened her eyes wide. Perfect, she grinned. The elders would be at the engagement party, and she wanted to faze them at least a little. They knew of her hate for them (she wasn’t exactly the most subtle about it) and she wanted to rub that in some today. A friendly reminder, if you will. A pair of matching hairpieces was the icing on the cake, and she was done.

Chieko helped Chouko with the final adjustments and securing of her headpiece, and the Dragon looked both of them over in the mirror. Then she looked at the clock. “Wow, we’re damn good!” she exclaimed, surprising herself with how fast they had cleaned up. Looking at Chouko, you wouldn’t have been able to tell she had been crying or hurt just moments before. If they moved quickly, they would still have time to make it there early. After all, she figured it was appropriate for the bride to be there earlier in advance.

And move quickly they did, or at least, Chieko tried to. Chouko made walking in an oversized traditional dress look ridiculously easy, and her movements were fluid and graceful, even with the added weight of the headpiece on her head. The Horse often had to stop for the Dragon who seemed to step on her dress with every other step. “I don’t know how ******** this,” Chieko grumbled after stumbling for the umpteenth time.

By a miracle though, the pair made it to the park on time—early, even. For a moment Chieko didn’t even recognize where they were. Paper lanterns were strung up everywhere, up high on strings like colorful, close-up stairs of all different shapes and sizes. Though it was not night yet, the sky was darkening and they shone brightly against the backdrop. Many lights draped from trees, and candles flickered on tables laden with food. It was beautiful enough to take Chieko’s breath away and she almost told Chouko that it was all for her, but she was reminded that the engagement was not one of free will. Speak of the devil, Chieko thought, picking the elders out clearly from the slow trickle of arriving guests. They were all clustered together, surrounding none other than Aka like a flock of vultures. The Dragon felt her fists clench and she rushed over to the god as if to shield him.

“Aka!” she tripped towards him with open arms—goddamn this kimono—and embraced him, simultaneously pulling him away from the elders as she did so. Chieko made sure to leer at the elders blatantly with her practiced glare from over Aka’s shoulder. Then she pulled away, holding him at arm’s length so she could admire his attire properly (that is, not from the perspective of a tiny dragon). “God, you look so good! You know I have a weakness for guys in suits, don’t you?” she laughed. “Oh, and thanks for before, by the way. You know, opening the door and stuff.” The Dragon did her best to sound as lighthearted as she could, since she could still feel how rigid Aka was underneath that fancy clothing. He hadn’t relaxed from since earlier that day, it seemed. She sighed and squeezed his hand, leaning in to whisper, “Try to relax a bit, okay?” Then she stood on tiptoe and gave him a light, affectionate peck on the cheek.

Bad idea.

“Dammit,” Chieko hissed. Her lipstick! “I hate makeup,” she grumbled, reaching up to wipe the bright red stain off Aka’s cheek with her hand. She hadn’t anticipated the kimono sleeve getting in the way though, and the lipstick smeared generously on the white silken fabric as well. “********] she snarled.

ooc;; godmodded chouko with abstractr's permission! ^__^

[frayedflower]

Naoki rolled his eyes when the dragon took a jab at his sleeping habits in her usual way... but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. Even if it was inconvenient sometimes, even frustrating, it was hard to be mad when he knew where her little sabotages came from. He didn't want her to worry, but deep down, he couldn't help but be grateful that she cared. It might be misguided, but what lay at the heart of her concern resonated within the dog.

He couldn't help but smile back at Eri, the kind of smile that made students and teachers alike at the school go weak in the knees. Frankly, it was embarrassing at best, troublesome at worst; ever since he'd started taking on more hours for the literature club, Chieko had been getting more and more 'emergency' calls. Naoki didn't get it at all; it wasn't as though he did anything much besides love his job. The only good thing to come out of his new found 'popularity' was that he got to see his favorite little dragon at work now and then.

But the smile was laced with concern as he heard what she had to say... even if it was believable, and it sounded completely like her... something about that smile, "Don't worry; I'll be a wreck by the end of the night, watch, " he said warmly, winking at her; he wasn't about to push her if she wasn't ready or willing to talk about it, especially since it wasn't just the two of them.

Not for long, though. Screaming something about cigarettes at him, Chieko went shooting off like a bat out of hell, and Naoki had to cover his mouth to stifle a laugh. It didn't take much to guess that the dragon form egg-timer must almost be up. She had such a tight grip on her transformations --

"E-Eri-chan, " he breathed out, and with Chieko gone, it was impossible to keep a low, embarrassed laugh from slipping out. "Can you imagine how mortified she'd be? She'd probably avoid me for a week!" Besides, if anything, he'd be the happiest if she let him see her rather than by mistake during some romantic -- nope. Going down a dangerous mental route there, dog boy. He happily took Eri's arm, and just as happily managed to light up his third cigarette of the day one-handed with the kind of skill that spoke to how many times he'd done it before.

"It would be my pleasure, Eri-chan, " he declared, leaning over to kiss her temple as he balanced the cancer stick between his index and middle fingers. "I've missed you too... I think we've both been a little reclusive lately, haven't we?" He sounded genuinely remorseful; there were only so many hours in a day, and it just felt as though there was never enough to go around. Naoki took another drag of his cigarette, exhaling with a low sigh. Even Aka; considering what today was, he really hadn't spent enough time with the god lately. He'd have to apologize to him later. He hadn't even seen Kisei yet today... "How have you been?"

[not a safe space]

❝𝖒𝖞 𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖆 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖑❞

↪ xxx He could feel the discomfort coming from his current bed mate. The other thought he was good at hiding it, but Ira was better at reading it. Besides those closed eyes said a lot more than the red head let on. This wasn't what Kouyou wanted, but damned if Ira was going to move at this point. He was too comfortable, and if that went against Kouyou's interest at the moment oh well. The big deal had already been dealt with anyway, now it was more or less just damage control. Speaking of which, Ira had to hold back the urge to growl as the other shot down his question too quickly for his taste. “No," “Maybe," “I don’t know," Man the kids head was all over the place, and it was enough to drive Ira to drink....not that he probably wouldn't some point later on. This was all just getting on his nerves and he couldn't help but let out one of those sighs that just screamed underpaid. Wait, he wasn't even getting paid for this crap. Just went to show how much he really cared for the person struggling with themselves beside him.

↪ xxx “I think I went a little crazy," Ira snorted at that. "Yah think?" Really, could have fooled him about the crazy part. “More than usual, I mean. I ran into Chouko, and… I don’t know," oh right, Chouko. thinking back on it, Ira was sure that he had come to this conclusion at some point earlier, before all of the extra curricular activities had really kicked off. It was a sore spot or the red head, something that just kept festering inside and Ira wasn't sure if he really could help with this. He wasn't one for all the mental crap, hell he was the last person anyone should ever come to for advice. Really, he just hated everyone equally. All he was really good for was the physical aspect, not that he didn't try. Listening to the way the other sort of babbled on the brunette couldn't help but think that if those god damned idiot elders didn't have such huge sticks shoved up their asses, then none of this would really be happening. His thoughts on just which certain parts wouldn't be happening were pushed far back into the corner of his mind, and he focused mainly on the ones at hand. How normal of a life would Kouyou have had if this whole wedding hadn't been planned? Would he even still be there? Another snort, he already knew the answer to that and it didn't bother him. No, really, it didn't.

↪ xxx “-- but… that doesn’t make her right either. That doesn’t make any of this s**t with Aka or anything else right. Even if it is none of my business, but…" Ira blinked as he realized just how out of tune he had been with Kouyou, and was only brought back to the conversation as the tiger flopped down onto the bed rather dramatically in Ira's opinion, and made the whole bed bounce. “She’s the one that said it was to protect us or whatever. Of course that makes it my business!” Protect? Ha! What a damn joke. There was no such thing as protection in this family. It was too ******** up for that bullshit. Hell, Ira wasn't even a part of the curse, could come and go as he pleased, wanted nothing more than to just rip the ******** walls apart on the whole damn thing.....and even he couldn't come close to that one single word. His mood souring by the second the brunette sat up, putting one elbow on his knee as he brushed through unruly hair with a free hand. The other was used to throw the sheet off of himself so that he could move to his feet unhindered. Now he was just slipping back into the way that he dealt with the world. Kouyou and his problems be damned.

↪ xxx He really didn't know what to say as he made a move for his more or less destroyed wardrobe, slithering into his surprisingly untouched pants, and went for the words that came first to his mind and slipping back into his usual tone. "Kid, seems like you've got to get your priorities straight." And damn, what the hell did that even mean? Ira couldn't even explain it himself and decided to just let the red head on the bed decide. Shrugging his shoulders he bent over, meaning to give a show or not, to snatch up the remains of his tattered suit and took a second to hold everything up one piece at a time. "At least now you've got a cleared head, won't be so easy to ******** up." he muttered, not caring whether the other could hear him which he probably could. Shrugging his shoulders the brunette rolled the destroyed top half of his suit up into a ball and tucked it under his arm. He really needed to get something decent to wear. Something told him that the elders wouldn't take too kindly to him showing up shirtless. That's if he was even still wanted. Scratching the back of his head Ira turned it just so to look over his shoulder. "Still want that company?" he highly doubted it at this point, and if is was just his luck then he'd better just head on home. The parlor could stand to be open for a few hours.

【 I R A xx M I Y A M O T O 】

_ ↓ ↓↓ ↓Take it or 〈 Leave It 〉 cause I'll send you to your grave
__________〖 DON'T x go xGetting any bright ideas 〗 I'm not the hero in this S T O R Y
______________________Oh No // You can't get away from this ☠ T E R R I B L E // C O N F L I C T
___________________________________________________☣ ☣So don't even try to Run ∝╬══→

[frayedflower]

Kouyou felt a knot form in his stomach when he stopped ranting long enough to see the look in Ira's eyes. He'd said something wrong. Hadn't he? He didn't know what it was. But he was always saying something ******** wrong lately, and even if he didn't know what it was, he felt as frustrated as he did guilty. Why had Ira asked if he didn't want to know? - had he said too much? - had he said something to hurt him? Not like he - it wasn't like that. He didn't care about whether he hurt Ira or not, he - no, that was wrong too. Goddamnit.

His head was swimming and the knot was churning as he swung his legs off the side of the bed. Kouyou idly palmed the lump between his eyes, hot to the touch with traces of deep blacks and blues already beginning to blossom. "The hell do you mean by that?" Even if he meant to, the tiger wasn't really yelling. More aggressively questioning; and yes, there was a different.

It was really too bad about that suit, the tiger spared a fleeting moment to lament as he watched Ira pick through the shreds. He'd looked pretty damn hot in it; no lying or downplaying that one. Although what wasn't too bad was that view Ira gave him as he bent over. He felt his blood boil again and sorely wished Ira wasn't getting dressed because, "There are about fifteen things I'd like to do with you about now."

Wait. Wait a second. He didn't - he hadn't just said that out loud, right? His head felt so foggy, he - but so what if he did? Something like that wasn't anything. He got up quickly, licking his lips in that determindly predatory way. Maybe he could get Ira back in the mood? Since everyone knew anyway, no one was going to come bother him for some stupid dance while he and Ira messed around. (Or he hoped. Ugh. He really didn't want those elders looking at him, much less Yasu. Gross.)

His stomach twisted. His head throbbed, but it felt distant. Negligible. Ira was at the other end of the room, and maybe that would just make the way Kouyou cocked his hips a little more tantalizing. He was still fairly maimed from his last encounter with Ira; showing off like this, if it didn't get him worked up, he didn't know what would. "I am getting hungr..." He was trying to say how hungry he was for something that Ira would usually be more than happy to provide. But abruptly, his voice gave out. He was vaguely aware of his legs going to jelly. Then a puff of smoke and a lurching sensation somewhere - oh, great. He was a vomiting tiger. Yeah. Because that was sexy.

[Gaymer Glitch]

xxx Hotaru Miyamoto :: The Cursed Cat
▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ ❣ ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋ :: ▋
xxx Like a picture with a cracked frame.
xxxxxxx Fragile, but never tame.

❥ xxx She knew that he didn't like it when she was so formal with him. Especially when they were alone, but she couldn't help it. It was a habit that had been so ingrained into her that she highly doubted that it would ever go away. All she could do was smile softly at that. "Sorry." A soft apology at best. Blue eyes blinked in surprise as a hand reached out to her, and for a moment she was caught off guard until she realized what the other meant to do. She let herself be pulled closer, bending down so that she could sit next to the god, shivering a little as the small part of her thighs touched the cold stone bench. She sat there for a moment after he broke contact, balancing her cup and her cookies in her lap. It was peaceful, and she couldn't hide the smile that was slowly becoming a permanent fixture on her face. Though the quiet was slowly broken by Akatsuki, as soft noises escaped his lips as he shook lightly and for a moment Hotaru thought that he was crying. Only, he was laughing instead. Tilting her head to the side she wondered just what was going through his head.

... .•:´¨•☆ •.¸¸.•´´¯`•´❤



✖ xxx ✖ xxx ✖


❥ xxx “It’s funny, isn’t it? Today? Festivals are supposed to be happy things, with happy people.” A pang of pain shot through her at those words, reminding her just what was going to be happening later on that evening. Her stomach sank suddenly, and all she wanted to do was curl in on herself. “I don’t think anyone’s happy about this.” No, it was obvious in everyone's body language how much all of this wasn't wanted. Well, almost everyone. "I don't find it the least bit funny, sorry." she said not to be mean but to be truthful, voice barely above a whisper. This was a day that she had been dreading from the moment she'd learned about it. Why wouldn't she? The man that she cared so deeply about was going to marry another woman. Even if there was no love between him and his fiancee, it still hurt and that pain in her chest was only getting bigger with each passing minute. “I’m sorry. You don’t need this right now.” and she realized that she had missed the last part of what Akatsuki had said, but right now she didn't care. She didn't care for any of this. All she wanted to do now was run, but she was rooted to the spot when her god leaned down and laid his head on her shoulder. It was a comforting feeling, but she would swear that the pounding of her heart could be felt by the other. A shaky sigh escaped her lips, a way of trying to calm herself down...but it only made her feel like there was more of a burden hanging around.

... .•:´¨•☆ •.¸¸.•´´¯`•´❤



✖ xxx ✖ xxx ✖


❥ xxx Hotaru didn't know when she had closed her eyes, but the blue orbs opened once again when she felt the weight of the man beside her shift. “You,” At this she felt her heart skip a beat as the god tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Are nowhere near ready, my lovely Cat.” And the blushed that danced across her cheeks at that could have put a candy apple to shame. It was still so strange to be called lovely, but hearing it from Akatsuki made her day. “I know you don’t like crowds, but today is a festival, no matter what for. Think of it only as a celebration for the cherry blossoms. They, after all, are certainly worth celebrating.” She frowned lightly, wrinkling her nose at the words spoken by the other. it only made her think once more about the events about to occur and she suddenly wished that people would just stop talking about it. Even Akatsuki. It would be so much easier to ignore it if they did. "It's not that I don't like crowds..." she started, looking down and to the left as she tightened her grip on the chocolate that had been forgotten and was probably cold now. It was a lie really. "...It's that most crowds just don't like me." she went on to finish, trying to lighten the mood just a little with such a horrible joke. Really though, it was sort of mutual on both ends. It was hard to like a crowd, when most of the people in it hated you. She was about to say something else, but Akatsuki's next words stopped her in her tracks. “Try for me at least. I’ll bear it easier knowing you’re enjoying yourself at least a little.” She'd do anything for him if he asked it of her, and he knew it. So she bit her tongue and put on a small smile. Of course she would do it for Akatsuki, why else would she be going. She nodded lightly, just to get her point across. "Of course." Just one last confirmation before she was pulled to her feet by the man who held the most of her heart. The remains of her cookies scattered to the floor, losing themselves among the cracks and crevices of the ground. A light kiss was their last act, and Hotaru never wanted to leave that spot...that moment. If only everything in her life could be as wonderful as this. “We should go.” Fighting back the moisture forming at the corners of her eyes, the cat nodded silently. "Yes, we should." and just like that, the moment was over.

... .•:´¨•☆ •.¸¸.•´´¯`•´❤



✖ xxx ✖ xxx ✖


~~~~~~~~~~

❥ xxx "Now don't you look so hideous." She hated this. She hated everything about this. Blue eyes glared at the woman behind hers reflection in the mirror, taking in the sneer and the look of hate flashing behind her hazel eyes. Having had no one to help her on such short notice, Hotaru had had to suffice with catching one of the staff to help her. Of course it had been a bad idea from the start, as the woman had no kind words for her the entire time she assisted the young cat. The poor girl had to endure some very well placed and hurtful remarks, but she had kept it all back with bitten lips and by digging her nails into her palms. Luckily the paint on her lips hid the swelling, and if her palms ached just a little then she wasn't about to say anything. "Thank you for your hard work." the white haired woman said quietly, trying not to hiss at the woman. It would be the last thing she needed if she snapped at her and she ran off to the elders. Sneering and glaring at the same time the woman nodded, and with one more jab at how 'hideous' she looked she slammed the door behind her. Hotaru wanted to claw her eyes out. Instead she turned to look at her own reflection that now stood alone in the mirror. It had taken her the last of her time to don her Kimono, something that she hoped could even give Chouko a run for her money. She doubted it though, as that woman was just far too beautiful, and some of the ones she just wore on a daily basis were gorgeous.

... .•:´¨•☆ •.¸¸.•´´¯`•´❤



✖ xxx ✖ xxx ✖


❥ xxx Hotaru frowned at that thought, reaching up to touch the bobbles holding up her white hair. Maybe that woman was right? Maybe she was hideous? No. She may not be as pretty as Chouko, but she wasn't hideous. Shaking her head the young cat let out a sigh, dropping her hand back down to fiddle once more with the obi around her middle. The kimono itself was something that she herself was very proud of. The cat did not own a lot of nice things, and what she did own was mostly provided for her by the family. She had not been allowed outside much when she was younger, straight to school and back followed by an escort if she didn't play by the rules. After graduating she had been sucked back into this place that felt so close to hell and hadn't been allowed out since. She was so cut off from the outside world that it was almost funny. And that had left her to find ways of entertaining herself, and sewing had been one of them. She had to thank Ira for gathering the materials for her, since the rest of the household would have most likely have laughed at her if she'd ask them to get them for her. The older man had been nice enough to only chuckle, but at least he had come through for her even if they still interacted so strangely. The design itself was something that she had seen in a magazine that one of the maids had left lying around. It had been the cover for some fantasy ad, but Hotaru had loved it. It had taken her almost an entire year, and three attempts, but she had finally made a decent copy and she was happy with her results. Smiling lightly at her reflection, she felt proud for just a moment...and then the alarm that she had set to remind her of the time decided to go off and that feeling of dread sank in once more. Looking over to the clock she realized that she could no longer hold this off, and after shutting off the alarm she made her way out of the room and towards the one place that she would rather not be.

... .•:´¨•☆ •.¸¸.•´´¯`•´❤


❥ xxx The gardens were decorated beautifully, a testament to the creative minds of the Miyamoto family. It was the perfect setting for the Cherry Blossom festival. In the back of her mind Hotaru couldn't help but think that this was the perfect scene for an engagement announcement. The white haired girl made her way along the shadows of the party, avoiding eye contact with most of the people trickling in. Blue eyes spotted Akatsuki on the other side of the affair, seemingly chatting with some of the elders. Though the way that Cheiko butted into the conversation as Akatsuki turned away, made Hotaru believe that it was anything nice at all. It was just how the elders were. Coming to a stop the young cat sighed and looked down, not wanting to be here in the slightest and ignoring those around her, when a pair of sandal clad feet stepped into view. Bringing her gaze up swiftly, she noticed that one of the elders had sidled off from the others and had come to make her a target. "I see that you decided to finally show your face." the older man said, fingering the obi tied around his fat belly and smirking as though he had won a prize. "Though I don't see why we invited such a disgusting animal in the first place." the man went on to say, looking Hotaru over as though he wanted nothing more than to stop her under his boot. Hotaru could only clench her fingers into the palms of her hand and bow lightly to him as he put her down. "Yes. it's a pleasure to be here. Sir." She had to tred lightly here, with so many witnesses. The man was an elder and anything against him was against the family. The poor girl could feel the bile trying to rise into her throat as she swallowed the lie.

... .•:´¨•☆ •.¸¸.•´´¯`•´❤

[shinigamijuni]

ａｎｄ ｙｏｕ ｗｅｒｅ ａ ｈｏｕｓｅ ｏｎ ｆｉｒｅ, ａｎｄ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄｎ'ｔ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ ｗｈｙ
burn me all down to the ground, you said, the fire is on the inside, flames dancing like ghosts, behind the windows
pain jumping from the walls, you want to keep this private, i can see that, but you can't ask that of me, we've only just met, i said
we need hope now more than ever before, do you believe it? the answer was silence .................................................................. i'll take it as a no

✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢

YASU MIYAMOTO
ᴛʜᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ


✢ ✢ ✢ ✢ ✢



ᙡe all want to be ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ anyways
ᙡe all want to be sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ than where we live
ᙖut that's not ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ, it's just point of view



The bleary-eyed Yasu was too busy fumbling his tie to notice the shifting of weight on his bed. It had been so long since he had spent this much time close to someone. There were times when Ai would attempt to snuggle up in bed with her brother, but he'd only allow such a thing to happen with a pillow barricade between them, which Ai would defy by sneaking her hand over to hold Yasu's. Same went for Eri when the two of them ever spent the night together. But a relationship? It was a bit ironic how Yasu, though not a zodiac himself, almost had the idea engrained in his mind not to touch others. The only people he really spent time with were the zodiac, so by default, Yasu adapted the same sort of principles out of ease. So, when a warm torso pressed against his, Yasu almost flinched as he waited for a poof of smoke to fill the room. But there was nothing as the warmth continued to engulf his body. As arms wrapped around his waist, Yasu allowed himself to melt back into Cas. This whole morning had been unexpected, but just what the exhausted Keeper needed. Sleep was one of his favorite pastimes. And also the fact that he got to spend a lazy morning with someone he cared so much about.

“Do not think ze elders would be very happy should I have come wiz a hangover." That accent was going to get Cas far in life, or at least, far with Yasu. "No, probably not," Yasu laughed as he closed his eyes and leaned back into Cas, placing hands over his arms. However, his eyes flew open and color flooded his cheeks as he felt two soft kisses on his neck and cheek, the same feeling he experienced on his lips moments before waking up. Leaning over to hide his blush, Yasu quickly went back to tying his tie as Cas stood up and started gathering his clothes from the night before. Slipping on his jacket while Cas tended to Jacques, the still slightly drunk bird splayed out on his bed. Yasu was able to catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror, and everything looked to be in order, minus his usual unruly snow-white locks. However, he didn't even have a chance to consider running a comb through them as Cas grabbed his hand, interlacing his fingers with Yasu's and dragging the man out of his bedroom door. Before too long, Yasu found himself being pushed into the kitchen. "Eat!" he was instructed as Cas continued along the way. It was getting late into the evening already and Yasu was sure the festival would be starting soon. As he stood, now alone, at the entrance of the kitchen, however, his stomach let out a fierce growl and Yasu almost doubled over in hunger. Cas was right. Had he seriously gone the whole day without eating. Peering into the pantry and grabbing a slightly stale muffin that Ai had made for him, Yasu pulled out a chair and slumped into it, not before clicking on the power to the coffee machine.

For a moment, while the sounds of human life crawled into the kitchen from a distance, Yasu reveled in the stunning silence of it all. Very rarely was Yasu able to catch a moment to himself outside of his bedroom. Even then... But this quick flash of calm before the storm was god-sent. Yasu would be needing all the energy he could muster for this festival. The coffee machine beeped and Yasu pulled his lanky body up, pouring himself a mug before sitting back down and staring into the black liquid. There were way to many things he was responsible for keeping in tack today - far too many people. The muffin regained some of it's deliciousness when dunked into the coffee, but Yasu still opted for shoving the whole thing in his mouth. His stomach had no mind to wait for trivial things like dunking and chewing. As he struggled to swallow the lump of pure wonderfulness, the figure of a man dashed by the kitchen in a hurry. Yasu would have been able to ignore the body, except that the figured seemed to complete a full one-eighty spin and take long strides back, stopping short in front of the white-haired male.

"Good morning, Yasu-sama," The voice was haughty sounding, almost too polite. Yasu recognized it immediately. He bowed his head towards the lead butler of the Miyamoto household. The mousey man, though small in stature, had a knack of knowing far too much than he ever should. Giving Yasu an eye, the man continued, "I am assured that you slept well last night?" There was no doubt in Yasu's mind that the butler had sent a maid in to check on him when he hadn't gotten up earlier, finding Yasu's arm wrapped around Cas. Pressing his lips together, he ignored the snide remark. "Cut the crap, old man. Status report." he mumbled the words into his cup of coffee, but the butler seemed to hear every word, as he stepped fully into the kitchen with his head held high and his hands behind his back. "Do you want me to leave out the usual sir?" By this, he meant the variety of "normal behavior" his cousins displayed to the poor, tortured staff whether it be a festival day or not. Pressing his fingers to his temples, Yasu rubbed in small circles, "Unfortunately, no. Not today. Give me the full. How's Ai?"

"Oh she's perfectly fine, sir. Keeping an eye on Kisei from last I heard. One of my maids had to clean up his blood again." Yasu's ears perked up at Kisei's name and the word blood combined. He knew Ai had the knowledge and compassion to care for the fragile boy, but he couldn't help but worry. He would find her sooner or later. Besides, he was excited to see his baby sister in her traditional wear. The butler continued on with a hushed voice as he leaned in close, "And the maids, my good sir, were abuzz with the news of fighting in the corridors. First it was the Miss and Kouyou. And then that troublemaker Ira came along. Now let me tell you, the hooligans caused quite the mess, but I heard from one the little ones that she saw Kouyou and Ira retire to one of the guest quarters in a sort of... erotic fashion!" Eyebrows furrowed as Yasu stared back at the excited man, "Jesus! Calm yourself down, you horny b*****d." Yasu hissed quietly as he pushed the man away a few feet. He obviously meant Chouko when he had said "the Miss", but a fight with Kouyou? That couldn't have been good for her. Especially on a day like today. And when his mind chewed over the image of Ira and Kouyou tearing into it in one of the Miyamoto's pristine guestrooms, well, Yasu just wished his coffee was about fifty times stronger. At least it was the two of them. Honestly, Yasu knew the hot-headed tiger too well, and he'd much rather have an equal match, such as Ira, come in between Kouyou and total destruction than someone like himself or perhaps one of his helpless cousins.

Silence came between the two of them as Yasu sipped on his coffee and the butler stood, still giggling to himself. "Did you give it to him today?" Yasu spoke with a deep and low growl. The butler stood dumbstruck for a second, "Oh, you mean the water hemlock?" Yasu quickly delivered a glare that only meant the butler needed to shut the hell up or else. Floods of memories came to Yasu's mind as the butler sealed his lips and simply nodded yes. It had been three days since the elders started their little experiment on their problem child, the Jade Emperor, and they were using Yasu as their usual facilitator. Aka, unlike the Gods of past generations, had no illnesses or general defects. The elders believed this to be part of the reason why he was so rebellious and why he was such a burden on them. Then, they told Yasu that the only way to keep Aka content and to keep all the zodiac close was to try poisoning the healthy boy. Yasu had full control over what poison was to be used, how much dosage, and other details of the matter. However, if he killed the God, that would mean his own life as well. They just wanted their wild God tamed, and they were willing to do whatever it took. Yasu, in turn, was willing to do whatever they told him to. So, after some research, the Keeper imported three tiny vials of cicuta oil, measured out a fraction of a milliliter and intrusted the head butler with the task of adding the small dosage to Aka's breakfast or lunch every day. In time, Aka would feel the effects, and as long as Yasu did his job right, it would never even come close to killing the young, healthy man. All it would do is... slow him down a bit. "Yes or no. Did you give him just the dosage I gave you?" Yasu kept the vials safely hidden at all times, but who knows what the snoopy butler would do for a little drama. The man nodded yes. "Good. Because you know, sir, I'd ******** kill you,"

More mumbles into the coffee cup as Yasu took a sip. "Any other news?" The man nodded and took a deep breath, "Chieko was flouncing around transformed this afternoon, Hotaru and Miyamoto-sama were spotted together in the garden... oh! And that friend of Ai's is back here again," And with that, the butler sped away again, leaving Yasu to stare in his direction. The Keeper knew it was going to be a long day, but the festival hadn't even started and there was already a completely crammed-full backlog of s**t he would have to deal with either now or later. Plus, there was the whole part of the festival that he would be spending socializing with the elders and appealing to them. And he hadn't even heard from Eri or Naoki or Ai. Getting up and placing the mug in the kitchen sink, Yasu sighed. Why weren't there more hours in the day? “Vell!” Oh right, he had spent them sleeping with this beloved French Rooster. “Now zat I am all pretty, we shall be off?”

Perhaps the festival wouldn't be all that bad. The butler had a bad habit of stretching the truth a little bit for the added effect of drama. Maybe his cousins would be civil enough to realize the dignity that came with this most importance of days. Maybe they'd get enough booze in them to simmer down for once. As he turned to look at Cas, the hardened expression on his face softened and he cocked his head to the side. "Beautiful." Straightening his jacket, Yasu moved to Cas's side, offering his arm to the well-dressed and handsome man.




ooc: Morty, sweetie, you can move Yasu to where ever and Cas can totally leave Yasu if he wants once they get to the festival. I just didn't know where to put Yasu and Cas once they got to the festival, so I gave up on that. x3 My post was long enough already. Haha. New layout! Because I was tired of hot pink. ; u ; coding is terrible lol

ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: вє∂яσσм - кιт¢нєи || ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: ςคร || ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ: ѕυιт υρ || ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ: тнιик σf мє ℓιкє α ѕωαям σf вєєѕ



you're burning alive with sᴛʀᴇss and ʟɪғᴇ
both hands in flames trying to ʜᴏʟᴅ the fire inside
drop and roll, repeat line for ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪs.
i'll ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ it and ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ it until you believe it
you're gonna be ᴏᴋᴀʏ, say it to me
the answer is still silence ... i'll take it as a ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ

[Welan]

CHOUKOCHOUKOCH███████ ████████ ██ ﹝ ♥ ﹞ ██ ████████ █████ ███ █████
•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko•••chouko

█ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ ↘↘ ♞♘ • BRAVE STALLION ⋙⊹ 〖r i d e〗 . . . //
choukochoukochoukochoukochoukochouk▇▇ ❖〉 i am not the p ♙w n • i am the q ♚ e e n • i am not the p ♙w n • i am the q ♚ e e n •
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ don't forget me, im here
choukoch
chouko
choI • •→ can't ; * ˟ ▇▇ EVEN s e e . . ✿ & ♥ & ☀ . . . her . : : ▫❀❀❀❀✖ ╲╲ ANYmore ₀₀
chchSHE WEREN'T EVEN HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE chchochoSHE WEREN'T EVEN HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE chchochSHE WEREN'T EVEN HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE ch
choukoch❖❖❖ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
choukochoukochouko█ " ;;「 That I was doing ► . . ஐ ; ; At the festival
choukochoukochouko█ " ;;「 That person with me ► . . ஐ ; ; Akatsuki, elders, Chieko
choukochoukochouko█ " ;;「 That which I'm wearing ► . . ஐ ; ; Kimono with headdress
choukochoukochouko█ " ;;「 That what I'm feeling ► . . ஐ ; ; In pain, hateful
choukochoukochoukochouko❝IRON ON THE INSIDE, PORCELAIN ON THE OUTSIDE ❞ she said ¤ ¤ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
choukochoukochoukochouko▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄
choukochouko
chou： ♥ ▒▒▒ ' ─［ I dreampt I was a butterfly and I flew away .
chou： ♥ ▒▒▒ ' ─［ I dreampt I was a horse and i ran away .
choukoch██ but ██ they ██ were ██ just ██ dreams ██ ♘
███ ↗ ↗ CHOUKOMIYAMOTOchoukocho ★
choukochoukochoukochoukochouko▂▃▅ ♥ please find me ♥chouko

choukochoukochouko ♥ ♥

Chouko was silent most of the time Chieko was running around the room, watching in awe as the dragon was trying her best to get herself done as well as help Chouko fix herself up. Perhaps it was because she was used to working under a stressful environment but the dragon was surprisingly able to multitask like Chouko never seen before. Even without the help of attendants, Chieko had single-handily got herself ready as well as save Chouko from looking like a mess. Chouko could only do her best from blushing as she watched the good doctor presented her final self. The kimono that was picked was a beautiful long one that was decorated with fish and scales, the colors only brought out the fierceness the dragon commanded in the family. It was one of Chouko's more unworn kimonos, simply put she bought the kimono on a whim. It was a shame that she had never gotten the courage to wear the beautiful kimono more but now, Chouko was happy to know that someone else was able to wear it so well even if the wearer was unhappy about the whole thing. Chouko herself had joked that Chieko should just keep the kimono, it was a perfect fit after all. The dragon was a woman of strength and fire, the way the kimono flowed made it looked like she had a tail gliding behind her. The print was beautiful but it never matched Chouko. Not her, such a strong kimono would never fit her.

They were finally done and made their way to the main event. 'Like water' she would remind herself with every step, her kimono jacket flowed behind her, following behind her like a waterfall. This would be no different than every other event she had attended, Chouko had trained herself to the point where she was able to perfect balance. So the fact that her friend was having a hard time moving was not a surprise. The art of walking in clothes that dragged itself on the ground was not an easy feat, but Chouko was patient, she continually tried to guide Chieko to the best of her ability. “It's not about trying to beat the dress Chieko-san,” Chouko joked as Chieko herself swore at the dress being caught “It's easier to not walk normally. Your feet should just barely be raising to take the step, that way no dress can get caught inside” With Chouko's help, the two had made their way to the event.

Arriving to the garden, Chouko herself was stunned at the beauty that was prepared. Everything was so decorated in such a grand way, the paper lanterns gave off a colorful and warm light in the slowly coming darkness. Ribbons and streamers were all over the trees, giving them a festive look. She was amazed at how fast that the workers got everything done, just yesterday the garden was a normal looking garden with ponds but today, it was definitely transformed to a festival. Scanning around the area, she noticed an abnormal amount of people crowding around an individual. Even from where she stood, it was obvious who was the man that attracted so much attention. Akatsuki was in the middle, all dressed up in a pressed suit. Uncomfortable was an understatement for the expression on her fiancee's face. It was expected, they always had so much to say but their words would always fall on deaf ears. Chouko watched as Chieko rushed herself to Akatsuki's side, with no hesitation she went to protect her friend. How did she do it? Chouko would ask herself of Chieko, where did the dragon find the strength to act the way she wanted without any thinking? It was not meant to be an insult at all, but only admiration. Even among all the elders, she still had a genuine smile as she hugged Akatsuki. Could Chouko one day smile like that to Akatsuki? Could she force herself to love him as his wife? That thought made her queasy.

Chouko followed suit, after all they had already seen her arrive to the party, it would be shameful if she didn't went to go acknowledge her soon-to-be husband. With every step she took, the pain in her stomach came back. The pain that came back whenever she thought back to far was the most extreme today. She can not, no, she would not show them her pain. Her pain was hers, no one was allowed to know this especially not them. She hid the pain through the mask that she always wore. Calm and quiet, her face was of ice. Her eyes were resolute and her form was elegant, yet the fear inside her stewed. As she came closer to Akatsuki and the elders, she could make out all the elders that confronted her on that day. How long has it been since then? Their eyes were still cold and unfeeling like that day, only watching her with judgment.

Just like a thousand times before, Chouko placed her hands on top of another right below her breasts and gracefully gave a ninety degree bow to those in front of her. It looked almost like her headpiece defied gravity as she dropped her head. A few seconds after, she raised her head first and then her body. The most formal bow a person of lesser power can give was what she had to present to them and from the looks of it, they were content. She met their eyes and saw smiles all around, all pleased with what they saw in front of them. “Good afternoon and welcome,” she started off, her posture straight “It is a great joy to meet again, your time is extremely valuable and I thank you with the bottom of my heart for coming today.” That would do for them, all they wanted was a complacent wife for Akatsuki, and Chouko was the perfect example as the dutiful and elegant female for a wife. She walked forward and stopped in front of Akatsuki, enacting the same bow as before but this time, with the respect for a husband and master. “Good afternoon, Akatsuki-san,” she walked forward and stood besides him “A pleasure to see you today, a great day for a festival, no? The cherry blossoms were so beautiful today, the gods must be blessing us,” She gave a slight warm smile to her husband-to-be, a look of fake love and comfort. She would force herself to stay just a bit before excusing herself on the pretense to go and welcome the others to the festival. Chouko counted down the seconds before the appropriate amount of time passed to leave this goddamned group.

[Welan]

It was all so boring. Since the very morning, his parents were all up and arms about him attending. He tried to play it off as that he had too much homework and volunteering to do but no, the celebration between Akatsuki and Chouko was much more important. They told him as elders themselves they had to present themselves at the festival and Kouji must show up with them, a sign of their good faith. His parents were old and traditional but they were unique in that they were kind and welcoming. Most of the other elders were always scheming something but his parents were those that seemed to actually give a s**t about the family, a weak trait in Kouji's eyes. They had so much power in their hands, yet they refused to participate in anything significant, only dabbling in the affairs of the individual zodiac and mostly focusing on the external affairs. They became part of the elders for him but what were they good for, they refused to tell Kouji anything and kept silent most of the time. They had even shown kindness to that goddamned monster of a being, Hotaru, whenever they saw her, Kouji forced to play along for the sake of his parents. They were too nice and that would be their downfall.

“Kouji, be ready in thirty minutes, your father and I mustn't be late,” his mother reminded him as she left him to be alone in his room. He silently nodded and looked at the pressed suit that hung on his dresser. Thankfully, his parents let him wear what he wanted, not that they would have had the final say over his clothes anyway. It was a navy colored suit that was simple yet very form fitting to his stature. He let out a sigh and cursed the entire thing. Who cared about Akatsuki and Chouko's engagement anyway? It was clear, they shared no love for each other, as much as outsiders were deceived by their play, the zodiac all knew the truth. That wasn't the worst of it all, it was the fact that the elders were going to be there. Everytime they saw him they would always tug on his cheeks and try to hand him pocket money, complimenting his height and telling him how big he's grown. They were doting on him, much more than the other zodiac, perhaps because he had grown up in their homes and were next to them most of his life, they feel more connected through him. The word pathetic came to his mind everytime he would think of the elders, his parents included.

He looked down at his phone and decided to send a text message to his darling. Because of his parents, he was unable to have any free time all day and couldn't meet up with Chi per-festival but at the festival, they would see each other for sure, the perfect time for chaos.

To: My darling 4EVAH <3
Hey Chi, I'll meet you at the festival, you'll probably see me around my parents being bored....let's have competition at the festival, I'll explain the rules when I see you ;D
Love you

And sent. Knowing the pair involved, this whole party would be a huge bore, and Kouji hated being bored, so why not try to throw a little fun into the mix? A competition to see who could cause the most trouble without getting caught, now didn't this sound like fun. He smirked to himself at his own brilliance and got himself pumped to go to festival. He took off his own clothes and started getting himself ready.


Even less than the amount his parents gave him, Kouji was finished with getting ready. His mom scolded him for trying to get out of it but was nonetheless was happy to see Kouji complying. His parents were dressed in the traditional kimonos like all the other elders that were to be there. “Come now Kouji, they probably have all arrived by now,” his mother hurried him as they walked down the path to the gardens. His dad just silently followed but with a smile on his face, directed as his mother. It was just starting to become darker and the festival was more and more becoming real with the decorations all around them. Getting closer and closer, the paper lanterns multiplied and the candles and ribbons were everywhere, even Kouji couldn't help but be amazed at the beautiful colors everywhere. His parents were not as amazed though, they had been planning this for months and were focused more on getting to the party. Eventually the trio made themselves to the main gardens where there were tables bundled with food and dressed up people. Kouji would stick with his parents until they go to Akatsuki, all they wanted from Kouji was a quick meet and greet with the elders for respect and they would let him on his merry way.

That was then when the trio were faced with Hotaru and an another elder. He was someone Kouji recognized immediately and it was clear that he was talking to Hotaru, after all he wasn't being exactly quiet. Kouji quietly giggled to himself, at least this old man had sense. The cat didn't belong here, she didn't belong anywhere. He walked past her, wondering how her face looked like when his parents suddenly stopped at Hotaru and the other elder. “Jin-san, this is a festival for a joyous event and everyone regardless was invited, Hotaru-san included,” his mother calmed spoke out “Come now, today is not the day for these sorts of things. Akatsuki-sama is probably waiting.” Kouji turned around to see his mother and father both standing together in defense of Hotaru. Why? Why were they always so quick to defend the cat? The one who didn't belong in the zodiac? If they pitied her, it would be easier to ignore her. Disgusting, she was disgusting. Just like the banquet from before, the cat shouldn't have been invited in the first place.

The man looked angry but was immediately appeased when he met eyes with Kouji who stepped behind his parents. He ignored Hotaru and his parents and walked closer to him, mumbling about Kouji and school and his position as council president. He talked about being proud and the usual, almost boasting Kouji like he was his own. Perhaps that was his wish all along. Pity, this man was pitiful. His parents luckily stepped in and his father this time led the elder away. His mother before leaving walked up to Hotaru and said “Enjoy the festival dear, it's supposed to be a happy day for Akatsuki-sama anyway..,” she gave a warm smile and turned to Kouji “You stay here and hang with Hotaru for a bit, Kouji. Try to come around later to greet Akatsuki-sama though,” she parted with saying those words, leaving Hotaru alone with Kouji.

He stood there, quickly looking over the girl. She looked decent enough, surprisingly for a party. There were too much people around to cause a scene. Of course, people would take his side in whatever he said against the girl but his parents had a point from before. The mood was too nice to let it be ruined by Hotaru, she should be grateful about that. He would be civil, there were people passing by too close to the pair. "Ah Hotaru-chan, haven't seen you in a while," he greeted her with warm smile "You should lighten up and try to have some fun. The food looks really good, no?" He tugged down at his suit, straightening it out. He just couldn't do it, she was just an eyesore to him "You know, what that man was saying before, it's true you know," he said while still carrying a smile on his face, quietly enough that no one else but Hotaru could hear his words. Even if someone heard, no one would be able to tell what Kouji was referring to. In passing, without the context what Kouji said meant nothing. Only she would know, and that was all that mattered to him.

[Bre-Rabbit]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxW H O ; Naoki W H A T ; "Fml" W H E R E ; Garden O U T F I T ; Kimono

Even after Cheiko left, Naoki still didn't pry the snake into telling him why she had been crying. Eri really appreciated that about the sincere dog, He never pressured you just silently waited for you to open up to him. Thats probably what made Naoki such a great teacher. It was a shame that Cheiko wasn't aware of his feelings, the two worry-warts would really be perfect for each other.

Eri let out a playful giggle as Naoki's unruly hair tickled her forehead as he kissed her. Boy, was this dog a charmer. Eri probably would have fallen for him already if it wasn't for Yasu who had always preoccupied her thoughts. The cigarette smoke started to fill the air between them and Eri could feel her nose tickle with agitation as he casually inhaled the fumes.

"Ive been..okay I guess" The snake girl really didn't know how to answer that question, she was ether a swirl of emotions or pretty indifferent towards everything. The girl had hidden behind so many faces she didn't even know who she truly was sometimes. Even now she was playing the good little cousin in front of Naoki. "What about you Nao-chan? From the looks of it, it seems that your awfully stressed out" Eri said, pointing at the cigarette between his fingers. Smoking was almost always a result of stress, her mother was proof of that since Eri had caught her with a pack or two.

"Knowing our family, thats probably not going to be your last one of the night" Eri had no idea how the night would unfold, thats what seemed to scare her the most. Somebody was bound to cause an uproar over Aka and Chouko's fake marriage if there probably wasn't one already. It was clear as day that neither of them really wished to be wed to each other, but Eri could care less for Chouko and even lesser for the God.

"Erika-sama Naoki-sama, Its almost time for the festival please gather in the garden" The snake just made a pout as the maid hurriedly relayed the message before running off to take care of preparations. Eri had wished more than anything that by some gift of the heavens that the festival would be cancelled. Her prayers were made in vain as the celebration seemed to be in full boom.

Erika started to clutch on to Naoki's arm tightly as they started to approach the back door to the garden. She really didn't want to see Akatsuki's smug face again or anybody else's for that matter. As they stepped out the house the lights from the hung lanterns greeted them as it illuminated the whole garden perfectly. Eri really wanted to admire the splendid job the staff did with the decorations, but she started to feel uneasy once she saw how many guests had already accumulated in the garden. She abruptly stopped in her tracks as she practically hid behind Naoki's arm not wanting to go any further. The Miyamoto family was certainly a big one as Eri scanned the garden looking at the familiar and also unfamiliar faces.

"I'm sorry, Nao-chan you can go converse with people if you want". Despite her words Eri still tightly hung on to him without even realizing it. She felt like such a child.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxO O C ;

[not a safe space]

❝𝖒𝖞 𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖆 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖑❞

↪ xxx "The hell do you mean by that?" Ira ground his teeth, not sure what it was that was annoying him at the moment. he tried not to turn and look back at the boy now sitting on the bed, ignoring the purple marks starting to tinge the pale skin right above his eyes. "You're smart, figure it out." Because he sure as hell didn't know what he meant by it either. This whole thing was just getting more and more awkward by the minute. At least it felt that way to Ira anyway. Maybe he really should just get the hell out of there. No one would miss him. Hell Kouyou was the only one who really knew he was even there, well besides Umeki and.....oh ********! Resisting the urge to give himself the biggest face palm in the history of face palms, Ira closed his eyes and prayed to whoever was out there that he hadn't just tainted what was left of some poor girls childhood. Cursing under his breath the brunette clenched his free hand into a fist as he remembered the girl in the hall and just how cold he had been to her. Great, now he'd have to do some damage control.

↪ xxx "There are about fifteen things I'd like to do with you about now." He blinked. What? Turning around slowly, possibly wanting to strangle the red head, he couldn't help but freeze at the predatory look in the others eye as he stood up and licked his ******** lips. Now that was enough to make Ira's blood boil again, in that oh so good way. Maybe all that damage control could wait forever. Ira wasn't a hard man to understand, and he never did back down from a challenge. And that was a challenge if he ever did see one. He smirked as the other cocked his hips, showing off all the marks and bruises that Ira had previously laid claim on his body. The tall brunette could feel all of the blood in his body warming up as it flowed down once more, god did the kid know how to get him riled up. It was enough to drive a normal person insane, but being in this family made you anything but normal so Ira digressed. "I am getting hungr..." He knew where this was going, but fate seemed to be having different ideas today, as suddenly Kouyou looked like all of the blood was drained from his body and not in a good way. Then the others legs seemed to give out and then there was that famous loud poof and suddenly there was a tiger being sick all over the floor in front of him.

↪ xxx For a minute the usually 'I can take anything' male just stood there, staring at the scene before him and blinking once, twice, three times. The silence was eerie after all the noise that had been going on in that room, and then suddenly Ira just burst out into his hardiest laugh and the room and the surrounding halls boomed with it. "Well ain't that just ******** perfect." he managed to growl out, previous mood ruined by the tiger in front of him. Just his luck really, to get all worked up only to have something like this happen. But he couldn't be too mad, after all other than getting hugged by a girl the only other way to transform was to get sick. Which was exactly what the other was doing, and Ira's let me help mode kicked into full gear. Taking long strides the brunette made his way over to the tiger, tossing his ruined jackets down onto the floor beside himself as he knelt down to lightly stroke the tigers back. He made sure to keep well away from the mess pooling on the ground in front of them.

↪ xxx "Oi, you alright?" Which was the dumbest ******** question ever as it was obvious that the tiger was anything but alright. Really, ira should get the here's your sign award. Shaking his head at that thought he lightly stroked the fur of Kouyou's back, trying to soothe the other long enough that he could calm down. Frowning, ira thought back to some of the things that the other had said, about his head hurting and how Chouko had head butted him. s**t. Something was definitely wrong, and Ira had been too stupid to realize it. On top of that he'd gone and done all that strenuous activity with the other, and now look at him. [********, you're messed up." How helpful, like he really needed a commentary right now. But really, what else could he do? He wasn't a damn doctor....wait.....Cheiko was. Yeah, they should probably go find her. She was probably still in her room, if they were lucky, so that was the best option. Looking down at the tiger in front of him, Ira sighed and stopped the movement of his hand. "Hey, think you can walk?" he asked, just a little bit softly and you could hear the difference in his voice. "We need to go find Cheiko." The worry was clear in his tone as he waited for Kouyou to calm down enough to reply. Ira may be rough and tough most of the time, but when it came to his family he was really a big softie at heart. Cutting that thought off right at the end, he picked up his ruined shirt and used it to dab at some less than fun fluid that had somehow gotten onto the tigers cheek.

【 I R A xx M I Y A M O T O 】

_ ↓ ↓↓ ↓Take it or 〈 Leave It 〉 cause I'll send you to your grave
__________〖 DON'T x go xGetting any bright ideas 〗 I'm not the hero in this S T O R Y
______________________Oh No // You can't get away from this ☠ T E R R I B L E // C O N F L I C T
___________________________________________________☣ ☣So don't even try to Run ∝╬══→

[Neptoonn]

where: garden tab with who: no one - random people nearby tab feeling: content tab wearing: outfit


Umeki smiled at Tamiko. "It's a pleasure to meet you, too." Umeki folded her hands on front of her, the sleeves of her kimono covering them up. "And you're not a bother at all." Umeki was about to tell Tamiko the way to Ai's room as it seemed she didn't know her way back, by lack of answer, but Ai had shown up on her own, with Kisei in tow. Umeki let the two talk for a moment, until Tamiko had addressed her, calling her beautiful and asking where Aka was.

"Thank you." Umeki smiled once again after the surprised face by the compliment had disappeared. "Akatsuki should be outside in the gardens by now. You may have time to thank him before everything begins." Speaking of which, there was someone that Umeki had wanted to speak to before everything began. She could do it at any time, but it was eating at her and the sooner the better. "Sorry, I have something I need to do. I'll see you three out in the garden." And with a small smile and bow, Umeki was off and leaving for the garden. She didn't really want to leave the three so abruptly, but it was what she did anyhow.

- - - - - - - - -

A couple of minutes later and Umeki was walking out of the house and into the garden. All of the family members, zodiac and non-zodiac looked wonderful. The decorations made the garden come alive, and so did the lit lanterns. Everyone seemed to be speaking, so Umeki decided to stick by herself for a moment. Looking around, Umeki spotted a wooden bench under one of the garden trees. Umeki walked over to the bench and sat down, her hands folded in her lap; people watching, admiring the lanterns, and waiting for the event to begin and to speak to a certain someone.