Bonus Round 2: Tic-Tac-Toe

[referees]

SASO 2017 is over, but this round is perpetually open to new fills (no new prompts).

Get three in a row! That's the goal of this bonus round. Inspired by a fanwork event type called kink bingo, this round encourages you to create and fill out themed prompt cards.

Please read this whole post before commenting to ensure that your team gets the most points possible. There's a lot of text here, but if you read carefully and follow the instructions step by step, you will be okay.

RULES

Please refer to the first comment thread of this post for an example of how this round works.

PROMPTING

1. Select a ship to create your prompt card about. Platonic relationships are indicated by an "&" between the names (e.g., Haruki & Kazuma). Non-platonic relationships use "/" (e.g., Haruki/Kazuma). Please don't say "Any pairing," either!


2. Visit this card generator.
   • Here is a visual guide to using it.
   • The large text box is where you can list prompts if you have your own ideas. Please list at least 9 prompts; you can list more if you want. (The generator says you need at least 24, but it's lying.) Single words or short phrases are better than sentences.
   • Otherwise, you can use the dropdown menu found right below it. Note: some of these prompts lists are NSFW. (NSFW prompts are a-ok as long as you tag for it.) If you don't like some of the options that appear in a prompt list, you can delete them.
   • Text prompts only, please. Also, each card square must be unique—don't list the same prompt 9 times.
   • In "Configuration Options," make sure you select 3x3 and (Normal prompt). This is the most important step!
   • Leave the tic-tac-toe card with its default colors, so everyone can read it clearly.
   • Click the "Create a bingo card" button.
   • Scroll down to see the card that was created for you. If you don't like the prompts it picked, you can reroll by clicking "Create a bingo card" again.
   • When you're satisfied, scroll further down the page until you see a textarea box full of HTML.
3. Copy and paste the HTML from the box and into the body of your prompt comment, then post!

FILLING

Fill prompts by selecting an individual square to create fanwork for, then leaving a responding comment to the prompt with your newly-created work. (Optional:) If you can fill three squares from a prompt in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line, you get a tic-tac-toe (and an additional point bonus)! You can also just fill prompts as you please and get standard points.

• Prompt squares are labeled as follows:

  A1	B1	C1
  A2	B2	C2
  A3	B3	C3

• If you're trying for tic-tac-toe, you cannot combine squares into one fill. If your fill can satisfy multiple squares, pick the most relevant square: e.g., one square is sailing and another is pirates and you make a fill about pirates sailing, it's mostly pirates so put down the pirates square.
• Each fill must stand alone as an individual piece, but all your fills can slot into a larger universe if you'd like.
• You cannot fill a prompt square more than once, but you can fill every square on a tic tac toe card if you want to.
• You cannot work with your teammates to get a tic-tac-toe. Only individually achieved tic-tac-toes get the bonus.
• Multiple people can fill the same prompt square. You cannot "block" others from getting tic-tac-toe.
• Remember to also follow the general bonus round rules, outlined here.
• Here is a prompt/fill index for your convenience.

FORMAT

Bonus round shenanigans all happen in the comments below. Brand-new works only, please.

Required Work Minimums:

• 400 words (prose)
• 400px by 400px (art/images)
• 14 lines (poetry)

There is no max work cap.

Format your comment in one of the following ways:

If PROMPTING:	If FILLING:	If FILLING as a TEAM GRANDSTAND participant:
PROMPT: TEAM [YOUR SHIP] Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team you belong to. Any way you format it is fine. Copy/paste/fill out the following form into your comment box. Delete the guidance text that's in parentheses. Make sure you use tags. Here is a BR Template Creator for your convenience if the textarea is confusing. (Please delete all text in parentheses as you go. LEAVE THE HTML ALONE or the bonus round scoring program can't parse your comment. Don't forget a comment subject!) <strong>Ship:</strong> (the ship your prompt is focused on. "&" indicates a platonic relationship, "/" is non-platonic. Format the ship name any way you want, but clarity is more likely to get you fills.) <strong>Fandom:</strong> (what fandom the ship is from) <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; these apply to content *in the prompt itself* and is NOT an implication of what you're looking for in a fill. If your prompt doesn't require tags, write "None" here. More info: http://sportsanimeolympics.tumblr.com/post/161707236774/tagging-and-you) <strong>Other Tags:</strong> (anything else that you feel requires tagging; can include jokey tumblr-style tags here; may also pull from the "Additional Tags" list from the URL above, if applicable; otherwise, write "None" here.) <strong>Prompt:</strong> (copy and paste the HTML of your prompt square here!)	FILL: TEAM [YOUR SHIP], [SQUARE], [RATING] Replace [SQUARE] with the specific square you're filling (e.g., B2). Click here to see a comment thread example of which square is which. Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team you belong to. Any way you format it is fine. Replace RATING with the rating of your fill (G - E) Copy/paste/fill out the following form into your comment box. Delete the guidance text that's in parentheses. Make sure you use tags. Here is a BR Template Creator for your convenience if the textarea is confusing. (Please delete all text in parentheses as you go. LEAVE THE HEADER HTML ALONE or the bonus round scoring program can't parse your comment. Don't forget a comment subject, especially which square you're filling!) <strong>Ship:</strong> <strong>Fandom:</strong> <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; otherwise write "None"; if omitting tags to avoid spoiling, say "tags omitted." More info: http://sportsanimeolympics.tumblr.com/post/161707236774/tagging-and-you) <strong>Other Tags:</strong> (anything else that you feel requires tagging; can include jokey tumblr-style tags here; may also pull from the "Additional Tags" list from the URL above, if applicable; otherwise, write "None" here.) <strong>Square:</strong> (the theme of the square that you are filling, just copy and paste it from the prompt comment) <strong>Word Count:</strong> (if applicable; otherwise write "None") (Place any author/artist's notes BEFORE the asterisks. Leave the asterisks alone or won't get points!) *** (Place your fill here. You can use HTML after the asterisks. FOR NSFW FILLS, please cross-link these fills and use clear tags. Refer to the body of the post above for more information. To place an image in your comment, use this code: <img src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" alt="DESCRIPTION OF YOUR IMAGE"/>. Consider posting only a thumbnail if the image is large. For more info, visit http://referees.dreamwidth.org/5647.html#images ) NSFW FILLS: Please cross-link these fills and tag them clearly. saso_afterhours is open to all NSFW fills. Written/text fills can be hosted on AO3 or saso_afterhours ONLY. Art/visual fills can be hosted anywhere; you may include a small safe-for-work thumbnail of the fill in your comment.	FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, [SQUARE], [RATING] Replace [SQUARE] with the specific square you're filling (e.g., B2). Click here to see a comment thread example of which square is which. Replace RATING with the rating of your fill (G - E) Copy/paste/fill out the following form into your comment box. Delete the guidance text that's in parentheses. Make sure you use tags. Here is a BR Template Creator for your convenience if the textarea is confusing. (Please delete all text in parentheses as you go. LEAVE THE HEADER HTML ALONE or the bonus round scoring program can't parse your comment. Don't forget a comment subject, especially which square you're filling!) <strong>Ship:</strong> <strong>Fandom:</strong> <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; otherwise write "None"; if omitting tags to avoid spoiling, say "tags omitted." More info: http://sportsanimeolympics.tumblr.com/post/161707236774/tagging-and-you) <strong>Other Tags:</strong> (anything else that you feel requires tagging; can include jokey tumblr-style tags here; may also pull from the "Additional Tags" list from the URL above, if applicable; otherwise, write "None" here.) <strong>Square:</strong> (the theme of the square that you are filling, just copy and paste it from the prompt comment) <strong>Word Count:</strong> (if applicable; otherwise write "None") (Place any author/artist's notes BEFORE the asterisks. Leave the asterisks alone or you may not get points!) *** (Place your fill here. You can use HTML. FOR NSFW FILLS, please cross-link these fills and use clear tags. Refer to the body of the post above for more information. To place an image in your comment, use this code: <img src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" alt="DESCRIPTION OF YOUR IMAGE"/>. Consider posting only a thumbnail if the image is large. For more info, visit http://referees.dreamwidth.org/5647.html#images ) NSFW FILLS: Please cross-link these fills and tag them clearly. saso_afterhours is open to all NSFW fills. Written/text fills can be hosted on AO3 or saso_afterhours ONLY. Art/visual fills can be hosted anywhere; you may include a small safe-for-work thumbnail of the fill in your comment.

Posts not using this format will be understood to be unofficial discussion posts, regardless of what they contain. They, like all comments in this community, are subject to the code of conduct.

If you see anyone breaking the code of conduct (e.g., causing drama, being rude) anywhere (not just DW), please contact the mods immediately.

SCORING

These numbers apply to your team as a whole, not each individual teammate. Make as many prompts/fills as you want!

For prompts: 5 points for each tic-tac-toe card (maximum of 50 prompt points per team per round)

For fills:
First 4 fills by any member of your team: 20 points each
Fills 5-10: 15 points each
Fills 11-20: 5 points each
Fills 21-50: 2 points each
Fills 51+: 1 point each
Tic-tac-toe Bonus: 2 points each for the first 12 achieved by your team

All scored content must be created new for this round.

Etc.

If you're hunting through the prompts looking for what to fill, a good trick is to view top-level comments only (see the line of links below this post).

Have a question? Check The FAQ first. If you still need help, feel free to contact the mods. Happy fanworking!

Comments

PROMPT: TEAM GRANDSTAND

[psiten]

Ship: Inui Sadaharu & or / Takigawa Chris Yuu
Fandom: Prince of Tennis, Daiya no Ace
Major Tags: None.
Other Tags: Statistical biases, dataf**kers!

Prompt:

Recall Bias	Confirmation Bias	Detection Bias
Reporting Bias	Funding Bias	Omitted-Variable Bias
Observer Bias	Attrition Bias	Selection Bias

Re: FILL: TEAM HIMURO TATSUYA/NIJIMURA SHUUZOU, A1, G

[earlgrey_milktea]

oh gosh i love that takao just keeps doing it while midorima finally catches on like what..... what are you doing, my dude.....
but same, takao, same, midorima's eyelashes are to die for? and i love the end where midorima just kind of concededs... very sweet. this was really cute, thank you!!

PROMPT: TEAM KANZAKI MIKI/MIYAHARA

[tsunderekita]

Ship: Miyuki Kazuya/pitchers (including and especially those outside his own canon)
Fandom: Daiya no Ace, Yowapeda, Oofuri, Keijo, Princess Nine, etc
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: None

Prompt:

Date or Die	Katawa Shoujo	Dream Daddy
Mystic Messenger	DRAMAtical Murder	Ladykiller in a Bind
My Girlfriend is the President	Hustle Cat	Hatoful Boyfriend

Re: FILL: Team Kirishima Natsuya/Yamazaki Sousuke, A2, E

[prillalar]

This was too spicy even for Starbucks but I am enjoying it thoroughly at home! So sexy sexy and I love they way you use their height difference. I can't help but think that underneath the overwhelming sex feelings, this is so soothing for JJ emotionally. <3

Re: FILL: TEAM HIMURO TATSUYA/NIJIMURA SHUUZOU, B1, T

[earlgrey_milktea]

aha this one made me grin a lot too!! i love how this time it's midorima's fixation on takao's hands... and takao, the little shit, knows exactly what he's doing to midorima ahahaha midorima being all exasperated but still helpless at takao's hands ajsdklf; good stuff thank u so much

Re: FILL: TEAM HIMURO TATSUYA/NIJIMURA SHUUZOU, C1, T

[earlgrey_milktea]

oh boy i'm so glad you decided to fill this square!! i didn't know how else to phrase it but i know that for the japanese at least, the image of this action between two people is something very, very intimate, and you conveyed that so well here. how comfortable midorima is with takao, in all his quirky takao-ness, the quiet familiarity between them in just this action......
"unwinding Midorima like a loose spool of thread, slowly and carefully until he’s just a mess of trust in Takao’s hands" this line really unwinds me asjdlk; thank u for the wonderful fills!!!!!

FILL: TEAM BOKUTO KOUTAROU/KUROO TETSUROU, B2, T

[notallbees]

Ship: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Fandom: Haikyuu!!
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: A/B/O, O2 (omega/omega), temper tantrums, platonic-but-not
Square: cuddling/nesting
Word Count: 1602

I accidentally hit like five of those in one go but oh well. THANK YOU, RY.

***

"Mom! I'm staying at Iwa-chan's house!"

Tooru's mother stepped out into the hallway and regarded him with a narrow-eyed look. "Have you finished your homework?"

"Of course!" Tooru said with the proper amount of indignation. "Anyway I can finish it at Iwa-chan's house, we're just going to be in his room."

She glanced at the bag slung over his shoulder, and understanding washed over her face. "I see," she said, with an encouraging smile that just annoyed him. "But make sure you invite Hajime over here next month, alright? It's not fair to always expect Mayumi-chan to feed you both."

"I'm not that bad," Tooru protested, ducking out of her reach when she tried to ruffle his hair. "Mom!"

"Oh, my apologies," she said, rolling her eyes at him. "Give my love to Hajime, alright?"

"Alright, alright," Tooru muttered, turning away before she could tell him off for being grumpy. He really couldn't help it; the lead up to his heat just made him restless and cross, and he was exhausted from practice. He couldn't wait to crawl into a nest of Iwaizumi's blankets and take a nice, long nap.

—

Iwaizumi's little brother opened the door for him, and beamed when he recognised Oikawa.

"Tooru-nii!" he yelled, leaping at Tooru, who caught him by sheer luck, though he dropped his bag in the process

"Chiakkun!" came an admonishing voice from the next room.

Laughing, Tooru hoisted Chiaki onto his hip and kicked his bag through the door. "It's okay, Auntie!" he called out, nudging the door closed behind him. "Chiakkun was just excited to see me."

"You haven't been here all week," Chiaki whined, wrapping his arms around Tooru's neck. He leaned forward and flopped against Tooru's shoulder. "It's not fair."

"Chiakkun," Tooru said, laughing again. "I was here two days ago."

Chiaki and Iwaizumi's mother appeared in the doorway to the living room, looking harried.

"Tooru-chan, I'm so sorry," she said, reaching to take Chiaki from him, but Chiaki yelled and clung on more tightly to Tooru's neck. "Chiaki! Stop being so rude, Tooru is here to see Hajime, not you."

"Hajime's mean," Chiaki mumbled, burying his face in Tooru's neck."

Mayumi groaned and pinched her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "Honestly," she said, glancing at Tooru with an embarrassed smile. "Don't have children, Tooru-chan," she said, sighing. "Or if you do, just don't have omegas."

"Yes, Auntie," Tooru said, shifting Chiaki in his arms. He was short for his age, but at eight years old he was still a little too heavy to carry comfortably. "Come on, Chiakkun," Tooru urged, bouncing him gently. "Be good for your mom, okay? If you behave, maybe Iwa-chan and I will take you swimming at the weekend."

Chiaki sat up in Tooru's arms, almost slipping free in his hurry. "Really?" he yelled, grinning in Tooru's face.

"Chiakkun, enough," Mayumi said sternly. "Get down now, Tooru is tired."

"It's fine," Tooru said, but he set Chiaki down on his feet and nudged him gently towards his mother. "I have to go and cheer up Iwa-chan," he said, reaching down to ruffle Chiaki's hair, and feeling guilty when he'd gotten annoyed at his own mother for doing exactly the same thing. "But I'm staying over, we can walk you to school tomorrow."

Mayumi sighed again and gave Tooru a weary smile. "Thank you, Tooru-chan. Hajime's in his room." She herded Chiaki into the living room and glanced back over her shoulder. "I hope you really can cheer him up, he's in a wretched mood."

"I'll do my best!" Tooru said, saluting her.

—

Iwaizumi's bedroom door was closed when Tooru reached the top of the stairs, but he could smell Iwaizumi's scent before he was halfway up. His stomach churned pleasantly as he crossed the hallway, and knocked on Iwaizumi's door before sliding it open.

"Iwa-chan!" he said brightly, stepping inside. The moment he opened the door, Iwaizumi's scent engulfed him. His bedroom always smelled strongly of him, but especially so when he was in heat. Tooru gladly filled his lungs with the familiar smell.

"You're late," Iwaizumi said, not glancing up from his computer.

Tooru pouted. "I had to help Mama with the dishes. What's your excuse, grumpy-chan?"

Iwaizumi glared at him. "My excuse for what?"

"Iwa-chan!" Tooru whined. He threw his bag on the bed and gestured at Iwaizumi's room, which was a mess of schoolbooks, volleyball detritus, and Chiaki's toys. "Look at this place! And you call me messy."

"You are messy," Iwaizumi said, but he got up from his desk and kicked a few things aside so that he could cross the room. "I wasn't going to do it all on my own."

Tooru huffed, but in truth he wasn't that put out. He enjoyed the process of nesting down with Iwaizumi, no matter which one of them happened to be in heat at the time. "Are you going to tell me what you did to upset Chiakkun?" he asked, unzipping his jeans and wriggling out of them.

Iwaizumi swore. "He started it."

"How mature, Iwa-chan," Tooru said, turning to pull a pair of sweatpants out of Iwaizumi's laundry. They were too short for him, but he pulled the ankle cuffs up to the crooks of his knees. "Did you know that you're twice his age, or haven't they gotten to addition yet in Class 3?"

"I'll hit you," Iwaizumi growled, shouldering him out of the way and forcing him back against the nearest wall.

Tooru swore under his breath when he stepped on a piece of lego, but he stayed to one side and watched Iwaizumi wrestle the spare futon out from under his bed, and tug the sheets from on top of it.

"Do you want a hand?" he asked after a minute, when Iwaizumi had laid the futon out beside his bed and appeared to be struggling with his duvet.

"Fuck!" Iwaizumi yelled, throwing the duvet down. "Whatever, I don't care, do what you want with it."

"Iwa-chan," Tooru said, reaching out to touch his arm. Iwaizumi flinched away from him, scowling, and Tooru tried again. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Iwaizumi from behind.

Iwaizumi growled and shoved at him, but Tooru wasn't discouraged. He hugged Iwaizumi tightly, pressing his face against the back of Iwaizumi's neck and holding him until he finally started to relax.

"It's been a long week," Tooru murmured, finally releasing his hold somewhat. He ran his hands down Iwaizumi's arms and caught hold of his fingers. "Let's cuddle up and watch something stupid, okay?"

Iwaizumi shrugged. "Fine."

Tooru nuzzled the back of Iwaizumi's neck again before releasing him. "Go get something to eat," he said. "And apologise to Chiakkun. I'll finish up here."

"Don't tell me what to do," Iwaizumi muttered, but did as Tooru suggested, and moments later Tooru heard the thunder of his feet on the staircase.

When he was gone, Tooru pillaged the bed and the closet for every spare blanket and pillow he could find, and set about arranging them into a cosy nest for the two of them to snuggle into. He stacked up the scattered books, and cleared out a few of Chiaki's toys from underneath the futon, and by the time Iwaizumi returned, Tooru had pulled the desk around and arranged it so they could watch a movie from their den.

"Um, thanks," Iwaizumi said, lingering in the doorway. He had half a pastry in his hand, flakes of it clinging to the corner of his mouth, and a bag of crisps tucked under his arm. "Sorry. You were right, I needed to eat something."

"Mm," Tooru hummed, fluffing a few pillows without looking up. "I'm always right, Iwa-chan. You should trust me a little more often."

"Don't push it." Iwaizumi shoved past him and dropped to his knees on the futon. "I brought you a snack too."

Tooru made a happy noise and crawled over to him. "See, I knew you liked me."

"What did I just say," Iwaizumi growled, but there wasn't any bite to his voice. He tugged another flaky pastry out of the pouch of his hoodie and shoved it at Tooru's face.

"You're getting crumbs everywhere," Tooru replied, though the words were fairly indistinguishable with his mouth full.

Iwaizumi didn't seem to care in any case; he pushed and pulled the pillows and blankets around for a minute while Tooru sat and chewed his pastry, and then finally settled down, gesturing impatiently for Tooru to join him. Grinning, Tooru curled against Iwaizumi's side and threw an arm over his waist. Iwaizumi smelled so good when he went into heat; Tooru buried his face in Iwaizumi's neck and breathed in deeply, sighing it out again with a pleased noise.

"You're too heavy," Iwaizumi mumbled, but he clearly didn't mind as he pulled Tooru closer at the same time.

"And you're a disgusting slob when you're in heat," Tooru replied gleefully. He opened one eye, and realised that Iwaizumi still had flakes of pastry around his mouth. Pushing himself up, he leaned over and licked the corner of Iwaizumi's mouth.

Iwaizumi stared at him. "Everyone's still up."

"You're covered in crumbs," Tooru said with a slow smile. "Besides, you can be quiet, can't you?"

Iwaizumi finally smiled, his eyes bright with the challenge. "You've got crumbs on your face too, messykawa."

"Oh no," Tooru said, grinning. "You'd better help me get them off."

Rolling his eyes, Iwaizumi grabbed him and rolled him onto his back. "Just keep your voice down," he murmured, as he lowered his mouth to Tooru's.

Fill: team miyuki kazuya/sawamura eijun, A3, G

[whythehandbasket]

Ship: Miyuki Kazuya/Sawamura Eijun
Fandom: Daiya No Ace
Major tags: None
Other tags: Road Trip, Demons riding shotgun, SPN AU, sorta
Square: A3
Word count: 872



***

Kazuya looked over at the man—demon—sitting in the passenger side bucket seat and shook his head in disbelief. He was used to having an angel riding shotgun, but not one of his fallen counterparts and he didn’t quite know how to react. Finding Mochi was the important thing, though, and if Eijun could help with that, he was more than welcome to ride along.

Kazuya wasn’t sure what to expect.

“So what now, Eijun?” he asked, doing his best to seem like things were normal. “You’ve hitched along, where are we going?”

“East,” Eijun said, pointing out the window.

“That’s west,” Kazuya snarked.

“Like you can tell direction in the dark.” Eijun slid his seatbelt on. “Buckle up, Miyuki Kazuya.”

“Hey, you don’t have to call me by my full name, you know.” Kazuya slid on his belt before starting the car.

“Okay, I’ll call you Kazuya.” Eijun grinned. “We’re almost friends already!”

Kazuya drove out of the parking lot, gliding out onto the empty road. “You do realize I don’t trust you at all, right?”

“Why not?”

“Demon. Fallen Angel. Master of Lies. All that kind of thing.”

Eijun harrumphed. “I’m fallen, but that doesn’t mean I’m evil. Or a liar. I haven’t lied to you, and I won’t.”

“There are lots of ways to deceive.”

“True enough. But that’s not my thing. I’ve read what Heaven’s propaganda department has written, and let me tell you, they’re the best liars around, so much of it’s wrong.”

“So, no fiery pit, no torture?”

“Well, there is,” Eijun admitted with a shrug. “But it’s not for those who don’t deserve it. You have to be a pretty bad person to be sent there. Murderer, rapist, Yankee fan…”

“Wait, what?” Kazuya spluttered.

“Just kidding.” Eijun drew up a leg and wrapped his arms around it. “But seriously, it’s not all what they say. They’re not lying, exactly, but angels are experts at shading the truth.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” Kazuya grumbled, remembering some of the things Mochi had told him. “And since you’re all angels, you guys do it too.”

“I guess? Here’s the thing, though.” Eijun sat up straighter. “We don’t care about souls. It’s not like we can really influence anyone, neither side can. People make their own decisions about their behavior, there’s nothing we can do to change that. So, say some guy comes to me and wants to be a billionaire or something. I’m pretty sure he’s coming to us anyway, so there’s no reason to rush it. Instead, we take something that either we want, like your catching, or that would cause them stress or be difficult. In the case of the billionaire, it’s usually 20% of his annual income given to charity.”

“That’s...interesting. Of course, I have no way to confirm that, do I?”

“I could give you a list, you could ask them.”

Kazuya laughed. “Yeah, right. Regardless, where are we going?”

“Haruichi’s. He’s living closer to Inashiro now.”

“What was he doing in Seido?”

“One of his hellhounds ran away.” Eijun ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. “At least you’d call it a hellhound, I suppose. It’s really more like a shapeshifter; they can change form if they want. Furuya wanted to visit me and failed to tell Haruichi he was leaving.”

“How do you know Haruichi?”

“He’s been my friend since long before the fall; we went to Angel school together. Along with Ryou and Mochi-senpai. When the war started, we joined Chris-senpai in the rebellion, even though I wasn’t a soldier. I was only a desk clerk and that was all anyone up there was going to let me be. I wanted adventure, a real job; I didn’t want to sit around passing out pay packets.”

“And did you find adventure in Hell?” Kazuya was finding the story entertaining, even if he didn’t know if he believed a word of it.

“To be honest, at first it was a lot like the stories—kinda chaotic—but after a millennium or so, when the fighting above slowed down, we had time to figure out how to run things. It’s not that we don’t believe in God, he’s still our Father; we just got tired of the crap upstairs. Such bureaucracy, you wouldn’t believe it. Not that there’s none below, the paperwork is sometimes insane, but much less ‘here’s your box, stay in it’. I’ve had a lot of jobs and each one was great in its own way. No more desk for me. I really like the ones where I get to talk to people.”

“Well, it’s clear you like to talk,” Kazuya snarked.

“You asked!” Eijun pouted.

“I did.” Kazuya relented. “I don’t believe you, but it was entertaining.”

“Why would I lie?”

“Again, denizen of Hell.”

“Oh, yeah. That.” Eijun subsided for a bit, watching the road go by.

The sun was peeking over the horizon when Eijun directed Kazuya down a side road to Haruichi’s house. As Kazuya pulled to the driveway, Eijun glanced over at him.

“Well, at least you can trust that I want to find Mochi-senpai, if nothing else.”

Kazuya sighed. “You’re right, I do. I can give you that.”

FILL: TEAM HIMURO TATSUYA/NIJIMURA SHUUZOU, C3, T

[hatchbacks]

Ship: Liu/Himuro
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: TAGS OMITTED
Other Tags: TAGS OMITTED
Square: Rugby/Hockey AU
Word Count: 856

***

It happens so fast, just as Liu’s about to swing his body over the boards on change, already almost to the ice. Murasakibara’s behind the play, behind the refs, jawing with one of their opponents; they’re locked together and hitting at each other’s ankles and then the other guy darts out and slashes Murasakibara straight in the wrists.

Murasakibara drops his stick; the play is still going on and at least they aren't in the Yosen end. The refs haven’t whistled and there’s a battle behind the net for the puck; the guy who’d slashed Murasakibara is headed over and just before he gets there Himuro makes his move. Two sets of gloves are flicked to the ice; Himuro’s got a slight height disadvantage but it’s not enough for the other guy to hold him too far out; he lands the first punch straight in his opponent’s face. A few lefts later and the other guy is kneeling on the ice, Himuro on top of him, still trying to land another hit before the refs pull him off. He skates over; this won’t be good.

“Fuckin’ slashed him—” Himuro starts, and Liu bumps him.

“Look, kid,” says the ref. “We didn’t see it; you don’t hit harder than you have to—”

“He just came back from a wrist injury; I’m pretty sure that’s fuckin’ targeting,” says Himuro.

“Captain,” says Liu, no warning tone (none needed).

Himuro glares up at him; he looks even more pissed off (they’re probably trying to hand him out an instigator penalty, which all of this can't be helping with; the last thing they need is Himuro getting another misconduct). Liu looks back down, the wild mess of Himuro’s sweaty hair, gloves tucked under his arm, fury radiating like light from a star. He needs five minutes, at least (and like this he’s still so terribly pretty, the anger and the blood on his knuckles only accentuating that and God, Liu wants to kiss him because the sight of his fist moving so fast was even more beautiful, but Himuro absolutely does not need a reward right now).

The instigator minor is easy to kill. It would be easier with Himuro, the way special teams always are; there’s no one Liu would rather have taking faceoffs in the defensive zone and no one Liu would rather have aggressively chipping the puck past the blue line and out. He trusts the rest of the well-oiled Yosen machine, the interchangeable parts of a whole, the trap game ingrained into their muscles. But he trusts Himuro more.

His first shift out of the box Himuro skates while he’s on fire, ignoring the chirps directed his way, designed to get him all riled up. This time he’s got focus; this time there’s no teammate to duck in and defend (Liu still feels a little victorious when he pounds their little pest into the boards and his bloody nose hits the glass; Murasakibara’s fine but he might not have been and even aside from that this is for getting Himuro in the box for five). Himuro grabs the puck in the neutral zone, off where it skips over an opponent’s stick, and this time he’s not playing. He skates like the fire from the fight is in his veins again, blasting through his skates and cutting the surface of ice before he even gets to it; he stick-handles pretty past the flat-footed left defenseman and his shot is open. He doesn’t wait for the perfect one; he lifts the puck blocker-side and it’s damn near perfect enough.

Liu’s the first one in, crushing him in a hug; their lead’s up to three with four and a half to play and Himuro hugs him back, squeezing him around the waist, face buried in Liu’s chest, Liu’s heart thumping from watching that goal, the way it had carried, the bright red light, Himuro’s face.

They hold the lead; their opponents crumple pretty easily after that. They try to go after Murasakibara again but the refs halt it, go harsher, and they end the game with five powerplay shots in the last minute (none go in, but if there’s ever a time to even out the averages this would be it; Coach will probably be mad but she’ll always find another reason to make them work harder).

Himuro’s the good kind of tired after the game, the kind where he doesn’t really seem to feel the bruises splattered across his body and doesn’t push Liu away, physically or otherwise. The goal was pretty fucking good; he doesn’t need Liu to tell him that but Liu does anyway, whispering the words quietly in his ears under the late October wind that blows leftover rain at them, unsticking it from browning leaves. It’s getting dark out earlier, but it’s still not too dark to see Himuro’s face. He’s not satisfied or complacent (he wouldn’t be Himuro if he was really capable of that, would he?) but he looks good. Happy, even, as he slips his hand into Liu’s, the scraped skin of his knuckles brushing under Liu’s fingers.

PROMPT: TEAM EYESHIELD 21

[crescenttwins]

Ship: Nakiri Erina &/ Tadokoro Megumi
Fandom: Shokugeki no Soma
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: Disability (mute character, temporary/potential), Supernatural elements (poltergeist), Injury

Prompt:

Poltergeist	Burns	Speech-Deprived
Remedy / Cure	Water	Tradition
Change	Vulnerability	Holding hands

Re: FILL: TEAM BOKUTO KOUTAROU/KUROO TETSUROU, B2, T

[ryekamasaki]

bees, you're an angel, truly. you're very welcome, im glad you had fun! also this is absolutely amazing and i need like 10k more :P

<3

FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, A1, G

[themorninglark]

Ship: Akashi Seijurou/Kuroko Tetsuya
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: post-canon
Square: breathe light
Word Count: 511

This is set immediately after Extra Game/Last Game, and might not make sense if you haven't read/watched it.
Your prompts are all so lovely :') I have a secret weakness for these two.

***

“Is he gone?”

Akashi’s hand is already on the half-open car door. The radio’s on in the front, playing the stately strains of a violin concerto. Mozart. Rainy afternoons. The thick scent of tea and lemon. Beneath his feet, stubborn daisies push their way up through the cracks in the concrete.

He does not turn around. He had heard Kuroko coming, which means Kuroko wanted it that way; and his quiet question tells Akashi everything he needs to know about his expression right now. It’s no small thing, for Kuroko to make his presence felt. If Akashi turned now, he might break something again.

So he looks up instead. The setting sun is ablaze in the sky. It would taste like wildfire in his mouth, and the burn would be a purifying release. Slowly, he lets go of his white-knuckled grip on the door handle, arm falling to his side.

“I think so,” he says. It is lonelier than he cares to admit.

Aloud, the words don’t sound real. They reverberate with a finality that he cannot take back. It’s not like he’s feeling hollow inside, or anything so dramatic as that. It’s not like he has really lost anything. It’s just that he doesn’t know how to be a whole person. It is a discomforting sensation, not to know something.

Conversations inside his head are easy enough to sweep aside, to compartmentalise, and he’s good at that; keeping things neat, when they’re within his control. But as Kuroko speaks again, Akashi is reminded that with him, control was always a delusion. A distraction. Perhaps Kuroko even encouraged it.

They are past that time, now. It is possible that they are past many things. There are limitations even to the Emperor Eye, especially off the court, and there is much on the horizon that is new to Akashi.

“Akashi-kun,” Kuroko’s saying, calling him back to himself.

He steps closer, reaches out to lay a hand on Akashi’s arm, and Akashi tries not to shudder, tries not to shrink into his solitary grandeur. He can’t help tensing anyway. Old habits aren’t unlearned in one moment of surrender.

He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes. In his mind, Mozart starts up again. He can feel his fingers move on their own, a well-worn vibrato he has practised a thousand times. There is solace in the familiarity of it.

I’m all right, he wants to say. I’m me. The me you know. The me you believed in all along.

He leans, infinitesimal, into Kuroko’s touch, his cool shadow. No. No longer a shadow.

“It’s strange,” he admits. “I don’t miss him. But I hope he’s okay.”

“Mmm. I think he will be.”

In Kuroko’s voice, he can hear—

Not light, no, that’s not Kuroko’s style; but a soft embracing, something that rests against his sharp edges, the places where they’ve cut each other up and still breathe.

“Because you’ve always been a kind person, Akashi-kun.”

(No sentimental affection, only sincerity, and when Akashi turns at last, Kuroko’s smiling.)

Re: FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, A2, G

[crescenttwins]

I always love how fun you make their t-shirts! Iwaizumi ohmygosh alskdjsal;dj and Daichi must be so tired to wear that t-shirt /pats

also look at their shoulders and arms!! ahhhhhhh

their expressions are also so great-- there are so many distinct expressions and you can so clearly tell what they're feeling (even in the tiny little bubble in the end!)

thank you friend <3 <3

PROMPT: TEAM KANZAKI MIKI/MIYAHARA

[tsunderekita]

Ship: Miyuki Kazuya/pitchers OR Miyuki Kazuya/Arakita Yasutomo OR Miyuki Kazuya/Kawai Hanabi OR Harada Masatoshi/Narumiya Mei OR Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei OR Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou OR Akaashi/Bokuto/Kuroo/Tsukki OR Miyata Sayaka/Fujisaki Kotone OR Kinjou Shingo/Arakita Yasutomo OR Arakita Yasutomo/Kuroda Yukinari
Fandom: Daiya/Yowapeda/Haikyuu/Keijo
Major Tags: Sexual Content, Graphic Depiction of (Robot) Violence
Other Tags: A/B/O, animal characteristics, wearing clothing associated with another gender, fate, socialism

Prompt:

roboguro / extreme survivability	in heat / knotting	fully automated gay space communism
dollification / immobilization	brides / wedding dresses	true love / soul mates
catboy tail-pulling	'trapped forever' bad ends	size difference

FILL: TEAM HIMURO TATSUYA/NIJIMURA SHUUZOU, B1, G

[wino]

Ship: iwaizumi/himuro
Fandom: kuroko no basuke, haikyuu
Major Tags: none
Other Tags: reincarnation au
Square: the time when i saw that / face is so far away / it is not here or now
Word Count: 419

***

It's been so long since he'd seen Hajime, Tatsuya has almost forgotten what he looks like.

Lie one: it's only been a year, which is nothing compared to how long others wait for their lovers to come home from battle, but it feels endless to Tatsuya, which he supposes is the only thing that matters.

Lie two: Hajime is tattooed into his mind, the slope of his nose and the cut of his jaw and the curve of his lips and the breadth of his shoulders and the unwavering tenacity in his eyes all inked into Tatsuya's veins, more lasting than a painting, but less tangible than actually having Hajime with him.

Lie three: he's certain, more certain of the sun rising in the sky at dawn, that he will never forget Hajime for as long as he lives, and maybe even far longer than that.

But none of those lies changes the fact that he misses Hajime like he'd miss his own heart were it torn out of his chest. It must sound terribly dramatic to onlookers, especially those who don't know Hajime or how he and Tatsuya had spent the better part of each other's lives beside each other, never farther than an arm's reach.

Hajime isn't with him now, and while Tatsuya has had seasons upon seasons to get used to the fact, his absence only becomes more prominent as they go by. Where is he to pull close when winter chills Tatsuya to the bone? Where is he in the summer to curse the sun with while tangling their bodies together anyway? Where is he in the spring to pick petals out of Tatsuya's hair? Where is he in the fall to hold Tatsuya's hand as they watch leaves float to the ground?

Where is he, to kiss and touch and look at, because even without the first two Tatsuya would be happy with the last, staring at Hajime until Hajime notices and frowns, then either hitting him in the arm or looking away, both done with his cheeks endearingly flushed.

He knows, were Hajime able to read his thoughts this very moment, that he'd definitely be nursing a bruise.

Focus on your training, Hajime's letters had read, sentimental as always. Don't slack off, he'd add, his handwriting stern. And then, almost crossed out, smaller than the rest, I wish you were here.

It's been so long since Tatsuya had seen him; he'd rather not wait to make that wish come true.

FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, A1, G

[saccharinescorpion]

Ship: Kanzaki Miki / Miyahara
Fandom: Yowamushi Pedal
Major Tags: none
Other Tags: none
Square: "I won't admit I'm in love"
Word Count: none


"i won't admit i'm in love" versus "i'm far too ready to admit i'm in love (with bikes)"

***

FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, B2, M

[moetushie]

Ship: Akashi/Aomine
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: TAGS OMITTED
Other Tags: i wanted to try my hand at emperor akashi, i'm sorry for this, but not that sorry, TEIKOU IS A MAGICAL BOARDING SCHOOL, shhh just go with it, also i've been thinking of that kuroko&kagami king author prompt, that leched in, um
Square: B2, abuse of authority
Word Count: 1173

Read on AO3.


(Place any author/artist's notes BEFORE the asterisks. Leave the asterisks alone or you may not get points!)

***

As with everything, Aomine bloomed first. Akashi watched him as his power grew and grew and soon outstripped the confines of their lessons, blue lightning streaked through the halls, setting fire to some of the girls’ hair. Aomine’s wild magic was dangerous and barely controlled. But he was so powerful that the rumors of his abilities reached even Akashi’s father, who immediately fired off a missive to his son.

How is it, Akashi’s father asked, that a nobody, with no blood and no family, can outstrip a boy with both? Are you not my son, after all? Have you no magic within you to which you can fight such a monster?

Akashi read his father’s letter again and again. He felt such fury that he thought that if his father was standing in front of him, he would strike him down, damn the consequences.

But instead, he took a day to compose himself.

My dear father, he wrote, surely you must know power is only as good as those who would wield it. Aomine is my friend. I do not envy him. I only seek to guide him.

Weak, would be his father’s reply.

But then again, his father had always lacked imagination.

*

There was another incident -- someone was badly hurt, this time -- and Aomine was confined to his rooms. He sulked there, anger coalescing around him like a storm cloud. Those who had classes in that wing of the school complained of low pressure, of their ears popping as if they were rushing down a side of a steep hill.

Akashi bid his time and finally, on the night of the fourth day, he crept into Aomine’s room. The doors unlocked for him -- all doors did -- and he strode in. Aomine was curled up in bed, surrounded trays filled with half-eaten meals.

He looked up when he saw Akashi approach, but his eyes were empty of any kind of recognition. There was only lightening there, barely held in.

“Daiki,” Akashi said softly. “Look at me. Have you been lonely?”

“Why are you here,” Aomine ground out. Akashi smiled.

“You are right to resent them. They’re afraid of your power, of what you can do. Because they are weak and you are strong.” He leaned against Aomine’s desk, aping at carelessness, the heel of his leather shoes balancing on the crack in the floorboards.

Aomine sneered at him for a moment before he looked away, disinterested. “I don’t care what they think.”

“If only that was true, you wouldn’t still be here,” Akashi said gently. “You care if you hurt them.”

“What do you suggest,” Aomine said, “o prince.”

Akashi laughed. “I think this school has taught us enough. We are ready to be revealed to the world as the miracles that we are.”

“You want me to help overthrow your father.”

Akashi tisked in disapproval. “You should not be so blunt.”

Aomine raised his brow skeptically.

Akashi leaned down and brushed his lips against Aomine’s forehead, a benediction.

*

Akashi approached the others in much the same way -- Kise, who wore a thousand faces and kept none, Midorima, with whom the fates confided, Murasakibara, who could move mountains -- and Kuroko, who worked best in the shadows.

And of course, there was Akashi himself, who had strong leadership skills.

(Or so he modestly disclaimed.)
*
They won.

They won and they kept winning. A hundred battles resulted in a hundred victories. Akashi’s father’s forces crumbled against their continued assault on the city. He fled, rather than confront his son. A month later, he was dead.

Perhaps Akashi had been a bad son after all, he reflected, for he did not mourn his father’s passing at all.

His friends, he rewarded according to their tastes: Murasakibara set up his fiefdom in the castle kitchens, while Kise held court among the most beautiful in the land. Midorima had the ear of all the soothsayers and they bowed to his predictions.

Kuroko melted away into the library with a muttered thanks.

Aomine was given the army and a mission to win glory for Akashi.

Find the strongest and defeat them, if he could.

*
And it was Aomine who turned first.

“You promised me strong opponents, people who could defeat me, but there is none who can,” he said unhappily, his muscles bunched around his shoulders. There was such strength in those shoulders.

Why did Aomine desire defeat so much? Did he not know how unacceptable that was?

“If you want so badly to be on your knees, I will not stop you,” Akashi said, aware of the cruelty in his voice. He took a hold of Aomine’s chin and lifted it up, forcing him to look. “Will I have to fuck it out of you?”

Aomine looked at him. His eyes were wild, lightning barely contained. “You are a fool, o king.”

Akashi laughed and kissed him. The kiss tasted like blood, but it was so sweet.
He had waited so long.

*

Aomine clasped his hands around Akashi’s neck, strong and pitiless. How undignified would it be, Akashi thought, as thoughts were fleeing from his head, if it should end like this, being murdered in bed by one of his lovers. He had trusted Aomine, had cherished him as much as he had the rest. More, perhaps. Had he not given Aomine the gift of his body?

And this was how he repaid him? Love with betrayal? Favor with death?

Aomine’s breathing was harsh, his hair was ragged and covered his face. He had not liked his time in the dungeons, it seemed. How had he gotten out when his cell had been designed specially to hold him? Perhaps Kuroko had helped him. Yes, Kuroko, whose loyalties were not to be trusted.

Aomine squeezed harder and Akashi sighed, having had enough. “Let go,” he said, with a note of command in his voice. Aomine, looking bewildered, did so. Akashi sat up and dusted himself off. “Walk towards the door.”

Stiffly, as if he wanted to resist every step, Aomine did what he was bid.

“Now turn and get on your knees,” Akashi said. “Crawl towards me.”

There was such a look of horror in Aomine’s eyes when he reached him that Akashi had to laugh.

“Stupid Daiki, darling Daiki, didn’t you know? I could always defeat you. The one you longed for was me.” He bent down and kissed him. This kiss tasted like salt, but Akashi was satisfied.

*

It was only fate, Midorima would say, that the evil emperor was defeated and that a pure-hearted youth would replace him. But still, Akashi laughed at the overgrown foreign boy Kuroko had found somewhere who had done it, driving a spear into his gut.

“Beware those who work in the background,” he said, though no one understood him. The boy looked at him curiously, lumps of wax still in his ears. Akashi ignored him and looked to Kuroko. “What about him? Does he still live?”

Kuroko looked at him with pity in his eyes. “Rest, my king.”

“How can I rest…”

Re: PROMPT: TEAM GRANDSTAND

[multilinear]

you are doing god's work

PROMPT: TEAM KUROO TETSUROU/SAWAMURA DAICHI

[putsch]

Ship: Eiji/Oishi OR Nishinoya/Yaku OR Izumi/Hamada OR Kuroko/Kagami OR Shinkai/Arakita
Fandom: Prince of Tennis, Haikyuu, Oofuri, Kuroko no Basuke, and Yowapeda
Major Tags: death mentions
Other Tags: injury mention, blood mention, loud noises/potential jump scares, bugs

Prompt:

My Boyfriend is the PRESIDENT	The Story of North America	Mr. Ando of the Woods
Insane Clown Posse's Advert for Glade Plug-ins	Saying Goodbye to my House	Resident Evil 4: Deepercutt Edition
Animal Soccer World	GASTON GETS CHUTLEY DISEASE AND THE HOIP WHILE HE WINS A BRONZE MEDAL IN WRESTLING	Deviantart.wmv

Re: PROMPT: TEAM KUROO TETSUROU/SAWAMURA DAICHI

[multilinear]

UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE

FILL: Team Prince of Tennis, B1, T

[blueminuet]

Ship: Takigawa Chris Yuu/ Zaizen Naoyuki
Fandom: Daiya no Ace
Major Tags: Sexual content (suggestive)
Other Tags: Transformers AU
Square: "Buff THIS. "
Word Count: 436

Based on a true stroy.

***

“I just don’t understand the point of this.”

“Don’t you bathe on your planet?”

Zaizen’s engine whined slightly, in a huffy, irritated sort of way. Chris smirked a little, shaking his head at how easily he could now discern emotion from something so non-human.

Despite his apparent objections, Zaizen never made a move to transform back into his bot mode, or try anything else to try to dissuade Chris. “Of course we clean ourselves, but not like this.”

Chris was still clutching the jar of wax in his hands. He twisted the top thoughtfully, not entirely unscrewing it, more just using it as something for his fingers to play with while the corners of his mouth twisted up at his car’s objections. “How is this different?”

“Well, first of all, when I said we bathe ourselves, I meant we typically do it by ourselves.” Another grumble came from his engine. “As in, alone.”

“Didn’t Cybertron have spas?” Chris asked, raising an eyebrow. He was almost as interested in the answer as he was in the exasperation it would provoke in Zaizen. Almost.

Zaizen sighed again. “Maybe for the prissy upperclass frag-offs, sure.”

Chris smiled. “But let me guess: You’re much too rough and tumble for all of that?”

“Listen,” Zaizen said, engine revving angrily. “You can rinse off all the dirt and buff out all the scratches, but what’s the point when I’m always gonna earn more scratches? I’m a—”

“Wrecker,” Chris said, at the exact same time that Zaizen did. “Whatever that means,” he muttered.

Zaizen huffed.

“I believe, however, you’re missing the point,” Chris said.

“And I suppose you’re going to lecture me to death about your little squishy Earth culture stuff.”

Chris leaned over, pressing the weight of his legs against Zaizen’s side. “Why tell when I can show?” He twisted the lid of the wax jar again,and after the first long swipe over Zaizen’s hood, his engine swiftly fell silent.

---

If Zaizen had felt like he was holding himself in check while Chris applied the wax (and he had), it was nothing compared to the wax coming off. Chris seemed to comb over every last groove and detail on Zaizen’s body, with only the thin cloth separating his small, soft fingers from Zaizen’s finish. Chris was nothing if not thorough, lavishing every crease with attention.

Finally, Zaizen gave in, shuddering over Chris’s fingers pressed deep into a crevice.

Zaizen didn’t need to look to see Chris’s smug smirk. “Enjoying yourself?” Chris asked, his voice dipping lower, quiet yet not timid.

“Shut up,” Zaizen growled.

Chris kept buffing.

Re: FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, A1, G

[chameleonskin]

THEY ARE ADORABLE, plus your style and colors are so beautiful, good work✧

Re: FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, A1, G

[saccharinescorpion]

thank you!!

FILL: TEAM PRINCE OF TENNIS, A1, M

[multilinear]

Ship: bokuaka
Fandom: haikyuu
Major Tags: description of violence, gore, bodily mutilation, murder, sexual themes, blood, fire
Other Tags: :'D
Square: "second name is hydrochloric acid"
Word Count: 474


***

keiji wears double layers of gloves on special nights. when they go out, clothed in black and borrowing the night, keiji makes sure they're careful.

koutarou is still dismembering the body. keiji knows the strength in those bare hands, but tonight it had been a clean one. there was no blood: just koutarou and a slow, strangling death. "i don't like the way he looked at you," koutarou had said, and keiji had nodded back. they'd gone out dancing, and found a third, unwanted partner.

if he had his way, koutarou would have killed him then and there. he's always quick about it, but keiji would rather keep things private; he's not a showy guy. and after all these years, keiji knew koutarou, his aggressions and distractions; in the neon-dark of the club, keiji kisses koutarou full on, lets koutarou wrap his arms around his waist and pull him in. koutarou's always been a bit possessive. keiji likes it.

they have a handful of different places: the old waterfront, an abandoned warehouse, an empty field--all outside of the city limits. keiji had driven them them out to the warehouse this time, where koutarou could work in peace. not like anyone could hear someone screaming, where they were going.

koutarou had carried the body over his shoulder. they keep camping lamps in the car, keiji lighting them one by one inside the dark warehouse while koutarou finishes his work. the limbs dangle, reflexless kneecaps tap-tapping as keiji fills the steel tub halfway with acid.

the chainsaw rips through the quiet night. koutarou's always been hands-on, and keiji waits until the body is in pieces, chainsaw subsiding into a rumbling silence. "bokuto-san," he says softly, hand on his shoulder. koutarou turns, lamplight catching his golden eyes, colored in mania. keiji wipes away a streak of blood with his gloved thumb and offers him a smile. "i'll help," he offers.

the torso goes in first. koutarou dunks in the head with enthusiasm, keiji dropping in the legs, watching the acid froth. he fetches more acid, pouring it into the tub while koutarou adds the arms.

they burn the clothes outside the warehouse. koutarou loops his arms around keiji's shoulders; the fire warms keiji's face, and koutarou's chest warms his back. keiji takes in a deep breath, inhaling in the scent of death: blood, acid, gasoline, and koutarou, who keeps pressing kisses against keiji's neck. "hey, you know what," he hears koutarou whisper, and keiji feels a little light-headed, a little dazed, as if he's been dancing for hours.

the fire burns while keiji turns around, moves koutarou's hands to his waist. "what," he replies, voice low. keiji tilts his head, anticipates the move, and koutarou swoops in to kiss him.

keiji kisses back, smiling when koutarou pulls him down to the ground. after all, there's nobody watching.

Re: FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, B2, M

[fickle]

takes a deep deep breath instead of screaming because HOLY SHIT THIS FILL

I LOVE THE WAY THAT AOMINE’S POWER IS DESCRIBED. That it’s not just lightning sparking but low pressure and the feeling of gathering doom. Also I laughed at some of the girls having their hair set on fire, even if I shouldn’t. XD

Akashi’s father is so full of ow. As is Akashi rereading the letter, even knowing it will make him angry and his father doesn’t understand. His reply and Akashi’s condemnation of him, Akashi’s strength and faith in his own choices even then, is so very good.

Also ouch poor Aomine. The mental image of his eyes ‘drained of recognition’ is such a powerful and terrifying one. What happens when Aomine’s gone and only the power remains? And Akashi waiting for four days, waiting for the full boredom of imprisonment to soak in and the isolation that comes with it, is perfectly scheming and perfectly Akashi ahhhhhh. ALSO ALL DOORS ALWAYS UNLOCKING FOR HIM. FUCK. That is such a powerful line with all its implications!

“Aping at carelessness” is delicious. Not enough people use ape as a verb.

The o prince/o king is lovely. It has a real sense of atmosphere, of courtly intrigue, but just the faintest hint of mockery too.

The way everyone else’s powers are described is GORGEOUS and so fucking epic. This could easily be a legend being told. And their rewards are just so fitting. It’s so nice to see Akashi being a good friend/leader, I wouldn’t have actually complained if you’d ended it there.

BUT IT’S SO MUCH BETTER THAT YOU DIDN’T. BECAUSE HOT DAMN THE AOMINE/AKASHI INTERACTIONS.

The way that Akashi thinks about Aomine, the word ‘unacceptable’ being used for Aomine’s desires but no reflection on Akashi’s desires being acceptable or not - it’s such a painfully perfect double standards. And the question about “Will I have to fuck it out of you?” made my stomach flip because oh, Akashi, baby, no. AND THE LIGHTNING BACK IN AOMINE’S EYES AND HIM ACTUALLY CALLING AKASHI A FOOL! And then Akashi kisses him and laughs! And it tastes like blood but it’s sweet!!!!! wild flailing gestures That is such a fucked up first kiss and because of that, it’s exactly as it should be. There’s such a sense of impending doom right from this scene, the idea that Akashi’s been waiting for this all along, the patience and scheming it takes - and the sense that he’s starting to lose control of his friends, of his leashed monsters.

This next scene, though. THIS SCENE. Fucking hell. Akashi’s wandering thoughts while he’s being strangled and Akashi actually indulging Aomine in it a little bit contrasts so perfectly with how blunt and relentless Akashi is when he actually shows his power. I love that even dying, Akashi can figure out how Aomine escaped but I love even more the cruelty he shows here. He tells Aomine to stop strangling him, to walk away - and then tells him to crawl back when he could’ve just told Aomine to kneel as soon as the strangulation was stopped. But he drew it out! He MADE Aomine’s humiliation last. The calculated coldness of it is flawless and so very Akashi. ALSO FINALLY AOMINE’S EYES HOLD SOMETHING OTHER THAN LIGHTNING.

“Stupid Daiki, darling Daiki, didn’t you know? I could always defeat you. The one you longed for was me.”

Stupid and darling and the use of the first name. And Akashi setting himself up as the one that Aomine wanted. That little speech is such a mindtrip and the contrast of the two kisses is gorgeous.

ALSO THE ENDING. THE CALLBACK TO MIDORIMA THE SOOTHSAYER. AKASHI LAUGHING EVEN AS HE DIES. And the trick of lumps of wax in Kagami’s ears, linking Akashi’s powers to being able to hear commands rather than crushing eyesight. Such a clever take on it.

“What about him? Does he still live?”

Kuroko looked at him with pity in his eyes. “Rest, my king.”

“How can I rest…”

That exchange gutted me. At the last, at the end of all things, Akashi still cares about Aomine (OR DOES HE JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE TRAITOR IS DEAD, WHO KNOWS, IT’S SO AMBIGUOUS AND WONDERFUL). But seriously, the emotional punch of that exchange and Kuroko saying ‘my king’ instead of ‘o king’ like Daiki does.

Argh. This was such an amazingly complex piece, taking you from sympathy for Akashi to horror, and then back again into sympathy as he dies. The characters were beautifully handled and the plotline was SUPBER. Thank you for such a fantastic fill!