Bonus Round 4: Quotes

[referees]

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

An oldie but a goodie—in this round, we draw inspiration from famous words said by other people.

Please read this whole post before commenting to ensure that your team gets the most points possible.

RULES

• Submit prompts by commenting to this post with a quote attributed to a specific person or character, along with any ship/ot3/etc. from one of our nominated fandoms.
  • Example: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." -Friedrich Nietzsche
  • The quote can come from almost anything—famous people, poetry, songs, books, movies, etc.— but please don't quote personal conversations you've had or overheard.
  • Your prompt MUST include some kind of relationship. Platonic relationships are indicated by an "&" between the names (e.g., Natsuo & Yuzuko). Non-platonic relationships use "/" (e.g., Natsuo/Yuzuko). Please don't say "Any pairing," either!
• Fill prompts by replying to the prompt with your quote-inspired fanwork.
• Remember to 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)
• 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. (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.) <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>	FILL: TEAM [YOUR SHIP], [RATING] 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!) <strong>Ship:</strong> <strong>Fandom:</strong> <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; otherwise write "None".) <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>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"/>. Thumbnails only, please; more info @ 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, [RATING] 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!) <strong>Ship:</strong> <strong>Fandom:</strong> <strong>Major Tags:</strong> (https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/1609.html, when applicable; otherwise write "None".) <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>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"/>. Thumbnails only, please; more info @ 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 each (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

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

FILL: TEAM OTABEK ALTIN/YURI PLISETSKY, T

[marks]

Ship: Tanaka Ryuunosuke/Ennoshita Chikara
Fandom: Haikyuu!!
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: alcohol and drinking, wall licking
Word Count: 544

love these two weirdos.

***

Tanaka is Ennoshita’s friend. They’re definitely friends, they’ve been friends since they started at Karasuno. Tanaka still talked to Ennoshita even when he thought he was going to quit the volleyball team, and they almost always get along.

Ennoshita reminds himself of that for the fortieth time today as they head into hour two of what Nishinoya has already branded “The Cactus Juice Incident.” Noya got into Saeko’s stash and mixed everything together into a cup until it turned bright green, and then double-dog dared Tanaka to drink it, saying accepting dares made someone manly. So of course Tanaka did it. Then Noya, that fucker, had laughed and gone home with Narita and Kinoshita, leaving Ennoshita behind to clean up his mess. On Monday, that guy was gonna pay.

“Chikara,” Tanaka says, dragging himself across his bedroom floor so he can rest his head in Ennoshita’s lap, “you have the softest legs in the world. They’re like two muscular pillows. Thank you for lending me your leg pillows.” To punctuate this, he turns his head this way and that, his fuzzy hair rubbing against Ennoshita’s leg. Ennoshita grimaces. “Did you know,” Tanaka continues, petting the inside of Ennoshita’s thigh with his fingertips, “that if you concentrate hard enough you can see colors?”

“When was the last time you had water?”

Tanaka wrinkles his forehead up, and he looks so confused that Ennoshita isn’t sure if he’s trying to remember or if he’s just forgotten what water even is. Ennoshita sighs and pushes Tanaka’s head away, then gets up and goes to the kitchen for a glass of water.

When he gets back, Tanaka is kneeling on his bed, licking one of the pop idol posters hanging on the wall.

“Tanaka!” Ennoshita shouts and nearly drops the water glass. Tanaka turns his head and blinks at him sleepily. “Can we please not lick the walls?”

Tanaka tries to salute, but just manages to fall over. Ennoshita sighs and sits on his bed, helping him drink half of the water. “I just wondered what she tastes like,” Tanaka says a minute later, after Ennoshita’s helped him climb into bed and pull the covers up to his chin. He sticks out his bottom lip. “I have a natural curiosity.”

Ennoshita covers his eyes with one hand and laughs. Tanaka looks cute like this, and that’s not the first time Ennoshita has thought that. It isn’t just altruism that’s making him stick around to take care of his drunk friend. One might say that Ennoshita has a natural curiosity, too, and too much of it centers around Tanaka.

He feels a hand on his leg again, and unshades his eyes. Tanaka is looking at him now and petting his leg again. “What do you taste like, Chikara?” Tanaka asks.

Ennoshita swallows at Tanaka’s suddenly sharp expression, then shakes his head. “If you go to sleep now, you can find out in the morning.”

“I’ll remember that,” Tanaka says and closes his eyes.

As Ennoshita turns off Tanaka’s light and leaves his room to wait for Saeko to get home, he knows that there’s no way Tanaka’s going to remember that in the morning, but for a few minutes, he thinks about what will happen if he does.

FILL: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou, T

[cherrysalmon]

Ship: Akashi Seijuurou/Mayuzumi Chihiro
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: character death, blood (implied), graphic depictions of violence/gore, self harm
Other Tags: medical issues (cancer), supernatural elements, mental health issues, yu yu hakusho au
Word Count: 1038

this kind of ran...far away from the prompt ;; also i think? you watched yyh? bc this is an au and if i remembered wrong and you didnt im sorry omg djhkfs

***

“So, Mayuzumi Chihiro, will you help me?”

Mayuzumi stares at him. There aren’t many humans who could find their way here—Mayuzumi isn’t afraid of being killed by some rogue hunter, but he knows without a doubt that Akashi Seijuurou could and would do it without a second thought, regardless of what he’s said so far.

Still, he leans back, warily. “I’m not interested.”

“Oh?”

“If you want to kill everyone, you could just do it yourself.” Mayuzumi watches his mismatched eyes carefully, trying to decipher his reaction. “Besides, it would not affect me. What incentive do I have to help you?”

The corners of Akashi’s lips curl upward. “You want to bargain?”

“No,” Mayuzumi replies, looking away. “I don’t.”

-

It’s easy, too easy for Akashi to rope the humans into his grand scheme, a wholly different technique from how he used to subjugate demons—Mayuzumi watches him convince, expound, wear them down. For some of them, Mayuzumi thinks, Chapter Black is just an excuse. There is no end to what humans are capable of, cruelties on scales that at times seem to dwarf what demons can do.

(Through the grapevine he knows of another tape, one he has not seen before that could speak otherwise, but: Akashi does not speak of it, and so Mayuzumi does not ask. It is not his role to play a nanny or martyr, after all.)

There is no virtue or sin in this for him, someone who lives on the borders, in the twilight dimensions, so close and yet so far from the happenings of this world. Mayuzumi simply does what he is told.

-

The end result of it all, he thinks, could be interesting.

He comes to this conclusion a few weeks after the fact, when he sees Akashi angry for the first time.

This Akashi, Mayuzumi corrects himself. He doesn’t touch any of the carnage left behind as he walks up to Akashi, standing a few feet away to simply gaze upon him. Akashi is hunched over, holding his own knees, blood dripping from his fingers and the sopped-up remains of his clothing.

Mayuzumi coughs.

“I’m not gonna wait here all day to clean up, you know.”

At this, Akashi turns towards him, and Mayuzumi sees with some interest that both his eyes are now scarlet. “Mayuzumi-san…”

“Come on,” Mayuzumi says. He tugs at Akashi’s sleeve, watching with wonder as Akashi stands up in a most telling imitation of obedience he’s ever shown. If seeing this were worth his salary in light novels—he might have gotten himself into a situation most curious. “You’ll be late to the meeting.”

-

“I still don’t know what you want to gain from this,” Mayuzumi says. He watches the steam from the onsen coalesce, forming a new barrier of moisture on the trails of bare skin left behind by his fingers as he traces them down Akashi’s spine. Akashi does not shudder, nor does he bother to move when Mayuzumi tugs at him to close the space between them. “Akashi.”

“Even after all this time, Chihiro?” Akashi replies, somewhere between woefully bored and unamused. Mayuzumi presses a finger to his lips, listening to his quiet breathing. There are scars all over his body, too many to count, old and new. Even so, Mayuzumi can tell they are self-inflicted.

He doesn’t feel pity; Akashi would not want it from him, in any case. Demons do not wonder about the nightmares humans have, how they sleep at night—there is nothing on Mayuzumi’s conscience that weighs him down. Despite it all he knows very little of humans, and only from the books he’s read in all those years spanning eternity inside his own cocoon.

“I spent many years doing the wrong thing,” Akashi says, as if it’s the simplest thing in the world. “I killed—I eradicated, in the name of good. It was a lie, as you know.”

“Why should humans need this protection when what they do is far worse?”

There is no monstrosity born from nothing, for demons and humans alike. Akashi’s wounds are there for a reason, and he will continue them to himself under Mayuzumi’s watch. A part of him, the Akashi who sometimes looks at Mayuzumi and smiles, who looks a little more sad but no less sure of what he needs to do—Mayuzumi wonders if damning the entire world is what he really wants. And if it is, what will become of him in the end.

(Were he to place his hand around Akashi’s waist he would feel the tumor within, growing, eating at him all the while. Another thing Mayuzumi does not bother telling Akashi, but this time only because both of them know.)

Perhaps that’s why Mayuzumi chooses to stay. He leans forward to kiss Akashi on the neck, savoring the taste that will soon go away. “If that’s what you say.”

-

(“Do you think I’ve done a bad thing?” Akashi asks through the hazy air, so soft that Mayuzumi barely hears him. Mayuzumi cannot tell day from night anymore—opening the dimensional barrier had exhausted him, but not so much that he cannot do this.

Mayuzumi looks at Akashi lying there in the sand, then up at the people surrounding them. None of them say a word; he could see the revulsion in their eyes, and pity, and more. You don’t deserve this, he thinks, a sudden anger welling up inside. They can’t look at you like that.

“I don’t care,” Mayuzumi replies, taking his hand as he pulls Akashi into his arms. The others are already leaving, their backs turned, unwilling to look upon just another soon-to-be closed case file in a million. Mayuzumi could hear him breathing, ragged and shallow against his chest. “You are already dead, aren’t you? It doesn’t matter what you do after you’re gone.”

“So you knew.”

“Like I said—“ Mayuzumi reaches up, the air rippling around them as he pries open the dark, “—It does not affect me. You just did what you had to.”

The ghost of a smile remains on Akashi’s face even after Mayuzumi pulls him inside, into the swirling shadows and borderlands, to remain there long after the world would become ash and dust.)

Re: PROMPT: Team Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu

[miyukitty]

m-my heart

PROMPT: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou

[cherrysalmon]

Ship: Imayoshi Shouichi/Hanamiya Makoto
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: none
Other Tags: spiders, jazz hands

Prompt:



text:

WIFE: COME AND GET RID OF THIS SPIDER
ME to spider: I told you, you'll get your money. Leave my family out of this
SPIDER: you've got 2days

FILL: TEAM OTABEK ALTIN/YURI PLISETSKY, T

[marks]

Ship: Shindou Hikaru/Touya Akira
Fandom: Hikaru no Go
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: vroom vroom
Word Count: 461

it was a low-effort gift

***

Hikaru had his first heart attack when he was nineteen-years-old. You might be saying to yourself, that’s a pretty young age to have a heart attack, especially for someone who’s in relatively good health with no history of heart problems. And you’d be right. But Hikaru was nineteen when Touya Akira got a motorcycle.

Waya burst out laughing the day Touya rolled up on his new bike, and nudged Hikaru’s side, clearly expecting the same reaction out of him. But Hikaru’s heart thumped wildly inside his chest and he started to sweat and he couldn’t even breathe. Touya’s bike wasn’t even one of those slick small ones that Hikaru saw racing through the streets sometimes, it was a huge monster of twisted metal and Touya’s legs were spread out wide as he straddled the seat.

“Are you okay?” Waya muttered to him, but Hikaru waved his arms, slapping Waya away, and just watched, entranced, as Touya gripped the handlebars and slowly dismounted, his long legs smoothly reaching solid ground again. Which was when Hikaru also noticed the leather pants – black, tight, and clinging to an ass Hikaru hadn’t even realized Touya had before – and the motorcycle boots.

Hikaru gulped.

“Dude, stop acting so weird,” Waya said. Hikaru ignored him and staggered forward two steps, watching as Touya pulled off his helmet and shook out his hair, then stripped off his leather gloves and threw them onto the seat. Hikaru took a moment, clutching the front of his t-shirt and trying to catch his breath.

“Oh,” Touya said, shaking his hair out one more time. “Hi, Shindou. I didn’t notice you there.”

“Nice bike,” Hikaru said, aiming for cool and instead landing on voice-cracking like he was going through a second puberty. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, same as he did before an important match. “When did you get that?”

“It was a birthday present from my parents,” Touya said. “I used to watch a lot of American movies when I was little and learning English. The motorcycle ones were my favorites, and I guess my mom thought that was funny.” Touya ducked his head and his cheeks went a little pink, and suddenly he was just the same old Touya.

Touya in leather pants and with an ass that wouldn’t quit, sure, but still just Touya.

“Did you want to play a match?” Hikaru asked, because if this was same old Touya, then that was always the right question.

“Of course,” Touya said. Then he raised his chin and got a wicked glint in his eyes, and Hikaru nearly asked Waya to run inside to get the AED. “But do you want to go for a ride first?”

“Yes,” Hikaru shouted, and didn’t even care which kind of ride Touya meant.

Prompt: Team Daiya no Ace

[greenowl]

Ship: Miyuki Kazuya/Yui Kaoru or Miyuki Kazuya/Sawamura Eijun or Harada Masatoshi/Narumiya Mei
Fandom: Daiya no Ace
Major Tags: none
Other Tags: ☆

Prompt:
"A hero is someone who smashes through every obstacle life puts in his way!"
-- all might (bnha)

Re: FILL: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou, T

[hibari1_chan]

OMG !!!! I loved it T^T

Kise and Haizaki, try as you might, you could never be discreet XD And seriously stalking for two days ?? What you wouldn't do for your best friend...

The fact that Nijimura's friends also tried to set them up was so funny XD
Aww thank you so much <3

Re: FILL: TEAM KAGEYAMA TOBIO/OIKAWA TOORU, G

[hibari1_chan]

Ooh !! That was so good, so sad for my poor Haizaki T^T He acts tough but he's so sensitive this tsundere...

Thank you so much for filling this I love it<3

Re: FILL: TEAM KAGEYAMA TOBIO/OIKAWA TOORU, G

[hibari1_chan]

I'M SCREAMING

Thank you so much for this T^T I love how you portrayed their relationship :3
This is so great<3

Re: FILL: TEAM KAGEYAMA TOBIO/OIKAWA TOORU, G

[hibari1_chan]

"Shintarou doesn't even know how to express the fact that he's relieved to see Seijuurou with matching red eyes once again." I'M CRYING BECAUSE THE FEELS T^T

"He keeps Shintarou by his side, a hand casually resting on his arm" That's so bold of you, Akashi. I'd expect nothing less from you. (Ok maybe not that bold but it's Midorima we're talking about.

Aww that was so sweet, everything I wanted thank you so much for filling this T^T

Re: FILL: TEAM KAGEYAMA TOBIO/OIKAWA TOORU, G

[hibari1_chan]

I'M CRYING MY BABIES T^T Aww that was really sweet and soft thank you so much for this<3 My babies deserve to be happy this is great :D

Re: FILL: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou, T

[plume_sombre]

I'm glad you liked it!! Kise and Haizaki as best friends are a Team™ and I love writing them that way.
Niji squad is also a squad I like to write, because Kubota and Sekiguchi usually make Niji's life hell lol

Thank you for your kind words!! :D

PROMPT: TEAM GRANDSTAND

[hibari1_chan]

Ship: Tadokoro Jin&Aoyagi Hajime&Teshima Junta(&Naruko Shôkichi)
Fandom: Yowamushi Pedal
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: The real context for this quote is not a happy one but tbh I want something fluffier with Fatherly Tadokoro plz

Prompt:

Bobby : Kids ain't supposed to be grateful. They're supposed to eat your food and break your heart.
― Supernatural

PROMPT: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou

[plume_sombre]

Ship: Bokuto Koutarou &/ Kuroo Tetsurou &/ Oikawa Tooru
Fandom: Haikyuu!!
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: None

Prompt:
“It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Re: FILL: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou, T

[mondegreened]

oh. no, no you remembered right, i- let me just...... collect myself, this made me cry

-so hey fun fact chapter black is one of my favorite arcs in ANY SHOUNEN, OF ALL TIME, and i rewatched yyh recently and realized how bad i needed itsuki!mayu and sensui!akashi AND THEN YOU JUST??? REACHED INTO MY BRAIN, PSYCHICALLY, AND WROTE ME THAT

-There is no virtue or sin in this for him, someone who lives on the borders, in the twilight dimensions, so close and yet so far from the happenings of this world. <- this is making me honestly emotional both about mayuzumi and about itsuki ksjdkflsd. my favorites...

-AHHH GOD. akashi with sensui's scars, fuck me uppppppp

-You don’t deserve this, he thinks, a sudden anger welling up inside. They can’t look at you like that. <- THIS KILLS THE MAN

eliska i'm dying ;_; this K.O.'d me completely. thank you so so much.

Re: PROMPT: TEAM AOYAGI HAJIME/KOGA KIMITAKA/TESHIMA JUNTA

[babster]

hggggg i love this

Re: FILL: TEAM PRINCE OF TENNIS, G

[putsch]

i love this but the more i read this the more im like "did manami fucking kill his boyfriend"

Re: PROMPT: TEAM AOYAGI HAJIME/KOGA KIMITAKA/TESHIMA JUNTA

[besania]

👀 i had a feeling you'd like it!!! #success

Re: FILL: TEAM PRINCE OF TENNIS, G

[winterstuck]

oh my goddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this is super super super cute *______________* your style is wonderful and i love everything about this picture, this is so beautiful i can't even put it into words seriously this look like official art i'm in so much awe <3 <3 <3

yanagi and an abra!!! and inui's smile while yanagi looks skeptical, this scene hits so many of my likes. i also love the details, the pokedex and backpack with a map and that absolutely amazing background ahhhhh seriously i wish i was better with words b/c this deserves all the praise

thank you so much for this amazing fill!!! i can't stop staring at it alsdkjfasid;faj;k; *______*

FILL: Team Grandstand, T

[babster]

Ship: Bokuto Koutarou/Kuroo Tetsurou
Fandom: Haikyuu
Major Tags: body horror; incisions; a human heart
Other Tags: just a whole bunch of sappiness, the t rating is due to the major warnings
Word Count: 955

I haven't read Hero in 9 million years, when it was first started, but now I'm going to go read it and catch up. In the meantime, here you go!

***
Kuroo stopped in the doorway of the bathroom. Fragments of past conversations flew, unbidden, to the forefront of his mind.

--
“It's weird, right?” Bokuto said, squinting at the heart-shaped box of chocolates. “Valentine's Day is all about love and hearts and stuff, right? And chocolate. But this doesn't even look like a real heart.”

“It's just a symbol, isn't it?” Kuroo shrugged. “They don't always make sense. And why do we have this conversation every year?”

“Because it's weird,” Bokuto insisted, putting the chocolate box down. “Real hearts look much cooler.”

Kuroo wrinkled his nose, as much for the statement as for the fact that this is the biological fact Bokuto cares about, rather than “practicing with an injury will only make things worse” or “eating too much will give you a stomach ache.”

--
“This is going to sound really stupid and sappy,” Bokuto said, tipping his head back to rest on Kuroo's shoulder, “but I kind of want what my parents have. You know. Romantically. To love someone and know that my heart is their heart and their heart is mine.”

Normally, this was the kind of comment Kuroo would jump on to make a joke about, but there was a tender wistfulness to Bokuto's voice that made him bite back anything inappropriate. And Bokuto's parents did love each other a lot, to a degree that was almost unnerving. It made sense that Bokuto would want something like that, too.

A pang went through Kuroo's chest. Did Bokuto not feel like that about him?

“It is a little sappy,” he replied, voice cheery. He kissed Bokuto's ear. “But it sounds nice, too.”

--
A month ago, the two of them running to the train station in a surprise rain shower. Kuroo was faster, and he looked back at Bokuto and laughed, and Bokuto laughed back and suddenly brought a hand to his chest. He'd stopped, standing in the rain and soaking wet, clutching at his shirt above his heart.

“You ok?” Kuroo asked. Bokuto looked at him, and he looked as happy as he looked when his team won a game, even though it was just the two of them.

“Yeah,” Bokuto replied. His smile turned dopey; he sounded like he was going to burst out into laughter again, any second. “Never better.”

--
Just little moments, nothing really worth commenting on in the grand scheme of things, but standing in the doorway to their bathroom, seeing Bokuto, shirtless, red incision in his chest and a human heart in his hand, looking caught-out and guilty, Kuroo began to put some of the pieces together.

The picture those pieces made was an impossible one, but given what Kuroo was seeing and the fact that Bokuto frequently seemed to defy the realms of possibility, Kuroo accepted it. Still.

“Uh, dude, don't you kind of need your heart?” Kuroo asked, trying to sound casual. “To live, I mean?”

“Um, not really?” Bokuto scratched at his neck sheepishly. His heart looked bright and vital, and he cradled it gently. Kuroo couldn't see any blood, but the heart kept beating anyway. Strange. “I mean, most people do, and I probably shouldn't like, drop it or anything, but I only was able to take it out last month and I just...I keep having to see if it's real, you know?”

“Your parents can do it too, right?” Kuroo hazarded. Bokuto nodded.

“Yeah! It's like...for some people, they fall in love, real love, I mean, like...forever-love, and then they can take their heart out so they can give it to the one they love.” Bokuto frowned. “It sounds weird when I say it.”

“And you feel that way about someone now?” Kuroo felt a rising giddiness, so strong he almost felt sick.

“Uh huh! This isn't how I wanted you to find out, you know. I wanted to do something big and romantic. But I guess this is ok, too.” Bokuto thrust his hand at Kuroo. “Here, it's yours.”

Kuroo blinked at the sudden appearance of a nervously beating human heart under his nose. Bokuto was looking at him though, eyes wide and vulnerable, and so he resisted the urge to step back and instead took Bokuto's heart carefully in his own hands. It felt too light to be something this important.

“Thank you,” he said. It sounded stupid and inadequate. He looked from the heart back to Bokuto. “I can't do the same, I don't think. My parents never told me about anything like this. I'm sorry.”

“It's all right,” Bokuto shrugged. “I mean, it would have been nice, but I know you'll keep my heart safe.”

Kuroo nodded. He could feel a freak-out coming on at the enormity of what was happening, but this wasn't the time for it. This was an important moment, one that meant the world to Bokuto, and to him, and he needed to make sure this went well.

“I will,” he promised. He stepped into the bathroom. “I'll put it in my favorite place in the world.” He made sure Bokuto's heart was secure in one hand and reached out with the other to open the incision on Bokuto's chest. Carefully, aware of Bokuto (his eyes, his breath, the wound in his chest that didn't bother him, the weight of his heart), he slid Bokuto's heart back where it came from. He vainly tried to smooth the cut closed, only stopping when Bokuto's hand came up to rest over his.

“I love you,” Bokuto murmured, his eyes bright and wet.

“I love you, too,” Kuroo smiled, a little wobbly, and leaned in to kiss him. “Forever and ever.”

Re: PROMPT: TEAM AOYAGI HAJIME/KOGA KIMITAKA/TESHIMA JUNTA

[babster]

MY BRAND yes! now i just have to write it...

PROMPT: TEAM GRANDSTAND

[antler_action]

Ship: Takekura "Musashi" Gen/Kurita Ryoukan
Fandom: Eyeshield 21
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: they added so much shit in the anime i don't even remember when this was, i think they're trying to have a party but they don't know where anyone else is

Prompt:

PROMPT: TEAM GRANDSTAND

[antler_action]

Ship: Juumonji Kazuki/Kuroki Kouji/Toganou Shouzo
Fandom: Eyeshield 21
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: Content warning: anime filler scenes

Prompt:

FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, T

[hibari1_chan]

Ship: Nijimura Shuuzou/Haizaki Shougo
Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke
Major Tags: None
Other Tags: Mention of homophobia, angst, threats
Word Count: 557 works

So, it's kind of in the spirit of you're quote even if I don't really follow it that well in the end u.u" Hope you'll still enjoy it.

***

Nijimura knew he had to leave soon but he couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t tear his eyes off of Haizaki sleeping peacefully next to him. He scanned him lovingly, his messy grey hair that looked almost silver in the sun, his perpetual frown that never left him even in his sleep, his cute straight nose that occasionally twitched, and his slightly parted lips that let out light snores and a thin trail of drool. He wanted to laugh at the overly cute display. It was not like the noise would make him flinch in the slightest, after all he had already slept through cars’ alarms going off just below his open window in the summer. But this night, Nijimura wanted to preserve a somewhat sacred nature and so, he kept quiet. He glanced at his phone on the bedside table. His taxi would soon be arriving. He briefly wondered if he couldn’t leave later but he instantly dismissed the idea. He had planned it all this way so that it would be easier. He knew that Haizaki wouldn’t have approved of his plan, that he would’ve kicked, punched and maybe even cried if he had told him that he was moving to America. He stopped himself just in time to prevent a dry laugh from coming out of his mouth. He couldn’t believe he was actually indulging the thugs that ran the downtown neighbourhood the Haizaki lived in. They had somehow found out about their relationship. The threats alone, he could’ve dealt with but it wasn’t him or his family they had threatened. Haizaki just couldn’t know. The third-year knew perfectly well that the two brothers could stand their ground, but not their sweet and honest mother, and Nijimura couldn’t risk that.

“Flee the country. You’re rich, no ?”

He gritted his teeth. He didn’t like that. But they were too many factors in play. He had at least gotten from them to leave the family alone. He wasn’t sure whether they were trustworthy or not. Unfortunately, he wasn’t left with many options there. His phone buzzed to notify him that his driver had arrived and he got up from the bed. He picked up his bag, put his phone inside, walked to the door and threw one last glance at the still sleeping form. He wished things were different. That he didn’t have to sacrifice what they had to protect Haizaki, and maybe, why not, to ensure his chance at happiness. If he could hear his thoughts he’d yell at him that he didn’t need anyone, that he created his own path, and while Nijimura agreed with him, he also thought that someone couldn’t always accomplish anything on their own. He had tried to instill that in him through the basketball club and their relationship ; he really hoped that they’ll be something left of his lessons and that he’d try to turn to someone else after he’s gone. He’d need it. He considered leaving him a note but he also dismissed that idea. He shouldn’t try to excuse his actions, it would just complicate everything. The best thing left for Haizaki to do was to hate him for what he was about to do. If that prevented him from feeling miserable, Nijimura will take being hated. He could work with that. He wasn’t to return after all.

Re: PROMPT: Team Himuro Tatsuya/Nijimura Shuuzou

[moetushie]

Man, now I'm wondering what kind of pretzel it was. If it was one of those small, hard ones, in which case they belong on the ground or those big, soft ones in which case that's a shame.