shut up & kiss. || @ofluminance ft. @jukenborn

“ — huh? ”

. . .

“ WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT?! WHAT HAPPENED TO NOT BRINGING UP DATING TO EACH OTHER?! ” She doesn't admit to having broken that rule on numerous occasions. “ HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO KISS! ” And well, neither does she.

•⋆⃟   CROSSOVER PROMPT:

Oɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴀɴɴᴇx ғᴀᴄɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ Jᴜᴊᴜᴛsᴜ Aᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ ɪs ᴀ ᴡᴏʀᴋsʜᴏᴘ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴠᴇʜɪᴄʟᴇs - sᴜʙᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɪʀsʜɪᴘs, ɴᴀᴍᴇʟʏ - ᴀʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sᴇɴᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛᴏʀʏ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴs. A ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀɢᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟᴇᴅ ʜɪɢʜ ᴀᴇᴛʜᴇʀɪᴄ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴠᴀsᴛ, ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴛʀᴇɴᴄʜ. Hᴀʀᴀssɪɴɢ Iɴᴠɪᴛɪɴɢ Aᴄᴇʀ Rᴇᴘᴇʀᴛᴜᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴏᴅɪғʏ ᴀ sᴜʙᴍᴇʀsɪʙʟᴇ ᴠᴇʜɪᴄʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ Gᴏᴊᴏ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʙᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇ, Bʟᴜᴇ Sᴘʀɪɴɢ. Uɴғᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ, ᴜɴᴄᴀᴛᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇᴅ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ-sᴇᴀ ғʟᴏʀᴀ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇɴᴄʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ ᴄʀᴀᴄᴋʟᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ɪᴛs ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜs. Wɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄʀᴀғᴛ ʀᴇɪɴғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ʙʏ Aᴄᴇʀ's ʙᴇsᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀɴ ᴏʟᴅ ʙᴇʟɪᴇғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴀɪᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪғ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴛᴛᴏᴍ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ sᴡɪᴍᴍɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ'ᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ-sɪᴅᴇ-ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ. Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴇɴᴅᴏʀsᴇ ᴏʀ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ɪᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ Fᴀɴᴅᴀɴɪᴇʟ Kᴇɴᴊᴀᴋᴜ ʜᴀᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅʀᴏᴘ ᴛʜᴇ Pʀɪsᴏɴ Rᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ Gᴏᴊᴏ ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜs. Rᴇɢᴀʀᴅʟᴇss ᴀs ᴛᴏ ʜᴏᴡ ʜᴇ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴇs ᴏғ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ, ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇʟʟʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇɴᴄʜ, ɴᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʀ ᴇɴᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʙᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇ's ɪɴsᴛʀᴜᴍᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴇʀʀᴀᴛɪᴄ, ᴜɴʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsɪᴠᴇ, ᴏʀ ɪɴᴅɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀʟᴀʀᴍɪɴɢ sᴘɪᴋᴇs ᴏғ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ ғʟᴜᴄᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴs. Iɴ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs, ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇssᴇʟ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ɪɴᴇʀᴛ. Bᴏᴛʜ Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ Gᴏᴊᴏ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ Kᴏᴊɪɴ ʙʟᴇssɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sʜᴇᴇʀ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏ ɪssᴜᴇ ғᴏʀ Gᴏᴊᴏ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴜᴛɪʟɪᴢᴇᴅ Iɴғɪɴɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇɢᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇssᴜʀᴇ - ɴᴏʀ Gᴇᴛᴏᴜ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʙᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴏғ Bɪsᴍᴀʀᴋ - ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇᴛᴀᴄᴇᴀɴ Pʀɪᴍᴀʟ ʜᴇ'ᴅ ᴀʙsᴏʀʙᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ Sᴇᴀ ᴏғ Cʟᴏᴜᴅs. Sᴇᴄᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʙᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴇxɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʀ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʀᴇɴᴄʜ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴀ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇss ʏᴇᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. Bɪsᴍᴀʀᴋ ᴡᴀs ᴅɪsᴍɪssᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴜʀɪᴏsɪᴛʏ ᴡᴀs ʀᴇᴅᴏᴜʙʟᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴇʀɪʟʏ ғᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ sʜᴏʀᴇ. Tʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴠᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴛᴀɴᴇᴏᴜs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴏᴛʜ ʙʏ Gᴏᴊᴏ's ᴛᴇᴄʜɴɪǫᴜᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ Jᴀᴘᴀɴ. Nᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ - ʙᴜᴛ ᴀɴ ᴇᴄʜᴏ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ. Tʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴀʟ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀᴠᴇɪʟʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴇᴄʜɴᴏʟᴏɢʏ ᴏғ Jᴀᴘᴀɴ Aɴᴛɪ-Kᴀɪᴊᴜ Dᴇғᴇɴsᴇ Fᴏʀᴄᴇ - ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴇɴᴛʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇᴍᴀɴᴀᴛɪɴɢ, ᴡᴀs ᴅɪғғɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴀs ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ Kᴀɪᴊᴜ, ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ sᴜғғɪᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ᴠɪsᴜᴀʟ ᴄᴏɴғɪʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. Aɴᴅ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀᴅᴇᴀʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ Kᴀɪᴊᴜ ɴᴏ.9 ᴀɴᴅ Mᴇɪʀᴇᴋɪ ɴᴏ Dᴀɪᴋᴀɪᴊᴜᴜ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏᴏ sᴏᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄᴀʟᴀᴍɪᴛᴏᴜs ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇғᴀʟʟ Jᴀᴘᴀɴ…

಄—Even the tide was the same, somehow. He knew it wasn't the place within his memories, but it was a nostalgic scene, nonetheless. Their transportation was offline, deep beneath the sea, and rather than just abandon the thing entirely for a quick return home, the glimmering skyline of the city beckoned a worthwhile detour. They could locate an engineer, make repairs, and indulge in a little exploration - that was the original purpose of the venture, after all.

Getou scanned their surroundings, trying to place their location. Structures both familiar and beyond memory pierced the otherwise serene sky. As a final call, he indicated towards the pristine ivory bridge sprawling out in front of them. If the similarities lingered accurately, they stood upon the Tokyo Gate Bridge. The technology and architecture looked a little different, a little more streamlined, a little more... recent. Curious, but it could wait.

❝Satoru, up ahead would be Koto City, no? We came up quite close to Tokyo - if there is such a place in the here and now.❞

A Tokyo without Curses? Without sorcerers? Well, it wouldn't do to assume too much just on initial recognition. The sun rose drowsily in the corner of the horizon - the hour must have been quite early, the traffic below them was still sparse. They stood upon the broad scaffolding of the bridge, closer to the heavens above than the earth, below. Satoru liked his observation points up as high as possible, and Getou didn't mind being treated to the view.

If Satoru's gifted eyes picked up on anything interesting, he was sure he'd hear about it sooner or later.

For the time being, a simple incantation kept his appearance in order; robes of a Buddhist sect, and no vulpine ears to cause a commotion in a modern populace.

❝We need information and resources. We should head into the city and let it make an impression. There are signs of recent construction and some fairly heavy damage to the south of the bay. Something must have happened recently which, while potentially unfortunate, does present the possibility that materials and personnel may be far more readily attainable than I initially thought.❞

It looked like some sort of military installation was situated north of them. He made a mental note to avoid such a location if at all possible - organizations made everything worse, and he didn't want to solicit the notice of anyone of note just yet.

Surely, even if it was the two of them, they could manage some discretion.

@jukenborn insisted: 鳴 海 弦__"You gotta have your hands like this when you do it, Ashiro." Proceeds to demonstrate without an ounce of humor, as though this was dire and pivotal information, his wrists limp in the proper neko position. "Now say it."

Exhaling slowly through her nose, she set down her clipboard with careful measure. Narumi's purrfectly executed demonstration had her full attention, unsure how to follow through with this... unique interaction. ❝ Is this really necessary? ❞ His expectant, but humorless expression gave her the answer she had already assumed. ❝ Fine. ❞ muttered gently before raising her hands, wrists to bend with such precision that one would assume she were demonstrating firearm safety instead of feline mimicry.

A FLAWLESS copy of the other Captain's neko pose ( one wonders if practiced ). Even with such a deadpan expression, there's a faint glimmer of humor within her gaze. While holding the pose she echoed back in the most monotone voice ever...

鳴 海 弦__About; baka shishou //to baka deshi

[ 💢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho have they never forgiven and never will ?

Herself. She's wracked her brain for ways that she could improve herself and become what her ideal is, but time and time again she's overestimated herself or held someone else back. She doesn't necessarily harbor any self-resentment, but she is hard on herself because of those experiences. This leads into her drive for more, better, reach farther. Kikoru believes her life is her own path to forge, so she has a pretty narrow scope on how she views responsibility.

[ 🎀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is their main love language ?

As if you couldn't predict this one. She expresses herself with quality time. She responds best to words of affirmation.

[ 🌪️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the one choice they regret (not) making ?

Regret: Asking so much of her mom when Hikari was alive. Not regret: Trusting Kafka, even if deliberated on that decision a lot.

[ 🍃 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they feel like they belong ?

Depends on what. Does she want to belong as 'one in crowd?' Absolutely not. She wants to stand out, and she feels like she does. Does she feel like she belongs in First Division? Yes and no. She feels like she has to prove her worth there, but that's a reassuring and needed challenge. She doesn't quite feel like she meets the standard of her family name though.

She has a good group of friends though. She misses her lady crew at the Third Division.

[ 🪦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat would they want on their gravestone but never admit aloud ?

'Always arrived in time'

[ 🕸️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a favourite lie they like to hear ?

Kikoru isn't someone who would appreciate pretty little lies. If it isn't genuine, she doesn't want to hear it. But a simple, you did well, goes a long way with her.

[ 🦇 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a fear they never talk about ?

That in whatever life is next ( i.e., afterlife, reincarnation, whatever ), her father is still distant or her parents don't recognize her.

[ 🫳 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they feel they owe, but never paid back ?

All the people she's failed. Those who got hurt or died because she wasn't enough to protect / save them. Those officers who died in the fight with n.015 was a really big blow. Shinomiya 'When I'm on the battlefield, nobody dies' Kikoru could do absolutely nothing to help them despite how hard she'd worked up to that point. That moment was pretty traumatic for her.

[ 🪞 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen have they looked at their reflection and hated what they saw ?

The sobbing mess that she was after Isao died.

[ 🩸 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there something or someone that, if lost, would break them ?

Bruh, she's lost too much already 😭 Losing any of her Captains ( re: Narumi, Hoshina, Mina, & we'll throw Hasegawa in there too ) would leave her feeling really hollow. But if she lost Kafka, I think that would be earth-shattering.

[ 🌒 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a dream or goal they have given up on ?

Being like Isao or Hikari as individuals. She's come to recognize that she's not like them. She's a combination of their various parts. She has Hikari's heart but Isao's bravado and temperament. She's learning to become her own person with their influences rather than box herself into their molds.

[ 💭 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they believe they’re worthy of being loved ?

Yes, Kikoru believes everyone with a good heart is worthy of being loved 🥺 What that looks like varies in a lot of ways, and she wants to understand and experience those things. The real question is: with what time?

[ 🎱 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of future do they crave, and who’s in it ?

Her long-term goal is Captain of the First Division, but she's not in a rush to reach that point. She's rushing to be at Narumi's level so he can rest easy knowing the Division's handled if he lives long enough to retire or gets promoted. It would take some prodding to get her to admit to it, but she likes where she is. The team, her mentor, etc.

Her biggest issue is with Kafka. She wants to find a way to build his strength so he no longer needs to transform. Kikoru doubts he'll ever want to be cured since his strength is needed as kaiju, but she'd like to find a way for him to have his own normalcy. She wants him there to watch her grow. Maybe one day he'll walk her down the aisle.

She'd like to have the balance her parents did in their ability to fall in love, have a home, etc. But that's why she jumpstarted her way into the Defense Force early. Happily ever after's can come later.

//FOR KIKORU, BETTER??

鳴 海 弦__❛ it’s like we’re too old to trick or treat and too young to die. ❜ //For my dumbass pupil!

Isn't the point of having a livable wage to enable adults to buy their own candy? Although, Kikoru knows his earnings are spent elsewhere — some void? — and she lacks the faith in him to ask about it. However, she won't be offering any favors. Kikoru cants her head to him studiously. Those options are rather opposite, and the connection's not exactly clear. He's old enough to RETIRE though. That aside, she contemplates if this is some weird nostalgia. Maybe she gives him more credit than she should... Or, perhaps her assumptions about him aren't quite right. A dubious look to her eyes, something about the comment is ... odd. Probably the dramatic nature of it.

“ I thought you would be the type who likes to give out candy. ”

Earn kids' favor. Brag about giving out the best sort of candy ( even if preferences might disagree ), see the various costumes, etc. Then again, she doesn't put it past him to boast about how much cand he earns. Would he even be willing to trade?

Oh----  Maybe  he  messed  up  a  little  bit.

Yet,  he  was  the  only  one  out  of  what  felt  like  the  middle  of  nowhere,  and  the  only  one  he  was  able  to  reach  was  the  other.  Funny  how  things  worked  out.  It  wasn't  normal  for  Hoshina  to  get  into  a  fight,  let  alone  get  surprised  and  attacked  by  a  bunch  of  Kuji.  Even  if  he  was  finished,  his  back  was  against  the  wall,  and  his  breathing  was  a  little  heavier  than  normal.  Maybe  a  broken  rib--  a  little  loss  of  blood.  something  he  was  used  to.

Yet,  there  was  a  small  comfort  knowing  the  other  was  on  his  way.  Normally,  he  would  reach  out  to  his  own  Captain,  but  he  was  in  the  middle  of  --  some  type  of  work,  and  he  hated  to  bother  her.

To  think  a  day  off  would  really  turn  out  like  this.  For  once,  he  was  lucky  to  have  his  weapons  on  him;  he  always  did  carry  them.  Yet  still  --to  be  jumped  like  he  did?  First  thing  for  everything.

While  he  held  his  phone  to  his  ear,  a  small  laugh  followed  as  he  heard  the  other's  voice.

         "  I  don't  think  I'm  going  anywhere  right  now.  Please  be  careful.  I'm  not  sure  if  there  are  any  more  of  those  things  out  here.  Even  if  I  know  you  and  handle  them,  hmm.  they  are  tricky..."