26
Feb

Everything’s Easy

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) “Oh, boss, is that you?” Yima sat up at the sound of a familiar voice, and looked up to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar place. Angel had a little spot just on the water with the best dumplings and noodles that Yima had ever tasted, so good that it […]

22
Aug

The Meowtomorphosis

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself no longer a catboy.  No, what? No, that wasn’t his name, Jun thought as he pulled himself up out of those dreams, his name was Jun and there was a soft, warm mouth moving over his neck, kissing down […]

26
Oct

auferetur cordis pulsatio

See this piece’s entry on the Shousetsu Bang*Bang wiki. by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) Tyoma woke like he always did, in the way where it seemed like he could hear the sunlight now streaming through the windows. Never capable of sleeping in, not once even since he was a boy. He kept his eyes closed for […]

28
Oct

The Tunnel

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) See this piece’s entry on the Shousetsu Bang*Bang wiki. Finn’s phone lit up with a call, which was unusual enough, but even stranger still was that it wasn’t immediately identified as his best friend Scam Likely, who called him several times a week. It was an unknown number, still, though. He […]

24
Feb

Day Job

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) illustrated by neomeruru Read this piece’s entry on the Shousetsu Bang*Bang wiki. Louis was sure of two things: one, the new guy was literally, actually a demon. Two, the new guy was fucking hot. He didn’t mention it to anyone, of course. For one thing bringing it up either thing in […]

26
Feb

Premium Content

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) “Before you do this I need you to record a message to your mom absolving me of any guilt if you die,” Ben said as he got the framing right on the video on his phone. “It’s going to be fine,” Jey said, and then grinned at the camera. “Mom, I […]

24
Jul

Home from Abroad

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) “Good god,” I said as I stepped through the door and put my briefcase down. “I never thought it would end up finding being bowed to tedious.” I collapsed heavily onto the sofa, loosening my tie and rolling my neck. “Not that all the bowing in return made it any better. […]

22
Feb

Unification

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) illustrated by engine (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/351057.html) Year 346 AL Bretagh closed the door behind him, shut his eyes, took in a breath of four counts, and let it out just the same. He rubbed his thumbs to his temples; he’d had a headache building for hours, but now that he was somewhere […]

22
Jun

Down On My Knees

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/336526.html) “Buy you a drink?” came the slightly nasal voice from Tom’s left. “Could I, I mean? Buy you a drink.” Tom did not yet look over to see the source of this offer, instead neatly poking at the ice in his vodka cranberry with his straw. “I do seem […]

28
Apr

know your meme, but, like, in the biblical sense

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/335014.html) omg check your email, the IM window from Amy popped up, followed a few seconds later by, omg why aren’t you checking your email!!! buhhhhh busy!! Nicholas typed back, which he actually was, in the very unpleasant spreadsheet sort of way. Usually he was just lazy. so worth it […]

24
Jun

The Hidden Play

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/309898.html) “She’s not even pretty,” Faruk said, and popped another candied nut into his mouth. “Ugh. Yes she is.” He was speaking to no one in particular, of course, save for a tray of little pastries, some cheese-stuffed dates, and the bowl of candied nuts he’d settled himself next to. […]

22
Apr

Universal

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ) (mirrors http://s2b2.livejournal.com/307527.html) I woke up to find the other half of the bed empty and let out a small sigh. I’d made all sorts of attempts to get Augustine to turn into the kind of man who’d linger in bed for a cuddle, from sleeping on top of him to asking […]

25
Jun

How Far You’ve Come

I leaned my arm against the bar, right next to the stool he was perched on, and said, “Well, hey there, slick, how about you tell me what it takes to get bought a drink around here and I’ll tell you what the first two I want are.”

He leaned back a little, unhunching his broad shoulders from where he was sort of curled in towards his drink, and gave me a long up and down. “You prove you can fit two shot glasses in that mouth and I’ll buy you whatever you want, sweetheart,” he said. We both lasted about two straight-faced beats before he turned on his stool and held out an arm. “C’mere and give me a hug, you little fucker.”

23
Apr

Multi-Touch

“You need to get one,” Gillian said to me. “You’re making me sad. You’re making everyone very sad.”

“A little sadness is good for people,” I said back. “It lets you appreciate the full spectrum of human emotion. The highs and lows.” I knew I wasn’t going to win this one, though. She was tenacious, like a little terrier, and dedicated to preserving my well-being, like a little terrier.

“No!” she said, and poked a finger right at my nose. “No spectrums. And no more of you being stubborn and afraid of change.”

I took a deep breath and hunched my shoulders up towards my ears. “I’m not afraid of change,” I said, and then let out the breath. The shoulders stayed right where they were, though. “Okay, I am, but I’m also just lazy. And I’m fine with how things are now!” I reached into my pocket. “Look! Look at this little guy. He’s still doing so great after all these years.”

Gillian took one look at my phone, my very ancient phone that had a cracked face so I couldn’t tell who was calling me and flipped open like an arthritic clam and had a dangly charm of one of those little Japanese waving kittens hanging off of it. She grabbed me by both biceps and said, “Too sad!”

26
Mar

The Frying Pan Into

I shook a ton of hands and smiled all sparkle-white to the boys in their suits when we got out of the restaurant, and kept smiling until every last one of them got into their black cars and drove away. “Motherfuckers,” I said, when I was alone, and stopped smiling. I’d have much better wrinkles if I didn’t have to smile so damn much. If our deals worked out, I’d send them the bill for the Botox.

I stepped out of the middle of the sidewalk, because I wasn’t a goddamn tourist, and dug through my purse looking for a cigarette. “Fuck,” I grumbled when I found nothing. I’d technically quit, but technicalities meant sometimes there were emergencies, like having just spent four hours watching a bunch of douchebags eat steak. Not even a lighter in my purse; one of the girls had probably done a sweep of my condo and thrown out all of emergency supplies the last time she’d visited. Children! Always doing annoying things like caring if you lived to be a grandmother.

I gave up on tobacco and pulled out my phone instead. I could at least try to get some other stress relief, like a stiff drink and a sympathetic ear to bitch directly into.

Working tonight? I texted to Alejandra. I need estrogen. And alcohol.

I glared at my email until I got the buzz of her response. just finishing up. stop by and I can guarantee both.

“Thank Christ,” I said as I texted back that I’d be there soon, and hailed a cab.