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luvdsc · 4 years

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i dare you.

truth: do you like me? dare: prove it.

pairing :: lee donghyuck x reader genre :: angst, fluff / best friend + college au word count :: 3,176 words warnings :: none playlist :: cover up (taeyeon) ⋆ wish you were sober (conan gray) ⋆ fever dream (mxmtoon) ⋆ candy so good (the rose) ⋆ bubble gum (clairo) ⋆ can i call you tonight (dayglow) author’s note :: this is a bff2lovers support blog

The game of truth or dare has been going on for several rounds already, and Donghyuck comfortably lounges on the couch tucked in the corner, leaning against an armrest. He lightly shakes the cup in his hand, swirling the last remnants of jungle juice around, before nimbly tossing back the rest of it. It’s a circle of sixteen or so people, and as he looks around, he can somewhat make out the faces of his closest friends. Except he’s missing one: you, his best friend ever since you handed him your red crayon after he broke his in preschool.

But now, for a little over a year, he’s been wishing that being your BF stands for more than just your designated Best Friend. Maybe, it can also include BoyFriend. But that’s just wishful thinking.

Hazy eyes flitting around the entire expanse, Donghyuck looks for the reason of his heartache and finally finds you standing on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall and accepting a red cup from Hyunjin with a pretty smile. Who invited him? He definitely wasn’t a part of Nu Chi Theta.

The familiar green eyed monster rears its ugly head again when he notices how the distance between you and that pretty boy decreases. Grimacing slightly, he reaches forward and grabs a shot from the table, quickly swallowing all its contents.

Renjun lazily spins the bottle in the center after answering his truth from Tzuyu, and it lands on the unsuspecting Donghyuck. He notices the distracted look in his friend’s eyes, following his gaze until he sees you, and a mischievous glint appears in his eyes.

“Hyuck, it’s your turn,” Renjun announces, and Donghyuck is startled, turning to face his grinning friend. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” he replies confidently, and Renjun’s grin only widens. His friend’s gaze darts towards you and then back at him knowingly, and Donghyuck starts to feel his hands growing clammy. It seems that he was a little too obvious.

“I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in the room.”

The dare that comes out of Renjun’s mouth has Donghyuck tensing up in his spot, sobering him up for a split second. His friend merely raises his eyebrows, challenging him, and he swallows hard before putting on an air of nonchalance. He wipes the sweat on his palms against the fabric of his jeans and grabs another one of the shots from the center of the circle, downing it before standing up. He’s not one to be nervous, especially with the amount of confidence he possesses and the amount of alcohol currently swimming through his veins, yet he is.

Jaemin and Jeno lift their heads up in interest as they watch him make his way towards you: you, who is unsuspecting and laughing at something that Hyunjin just said.

Have you always looked this gorgeous?

You are so damn stunning, throwing your head back and letting the prettiest sound Donghyuck ever heard escape from between your lips. The bright strobe lights don’t do enough justice for you, but he can see the way your eyes glimmer and the flashing of your teeth as your lips upturn into the loveliest of smiles. Yet, the blood in his veins boils because he should be the only one who makes you laugh like that, and not some other pretty boy.

He marches his way over there, swaying slightly from the beers he downed earlier, before looping his arm around your waist and pulling you towards him, placing the most delicate, softest kiss onto your lips.

Startled, you nearly drop your red cup and take a step back as you stare your best friend with wide eyes, your heart now beating faster than ever. And perhaps, it was more because of the boy in question, rather than the unexpected show of affection. “What the heck, Hyuck?”

He tugs you close again and merely nuzzles his face in your neck, wrapping himself around you even more. You turn to face him, and he lifts his head up, clouded eyes and flushed skin in full view now. His face is close, too close, and his lips are painted in the prettiest shade of rosy pink. If you move just a few millimeters forward, your lips would brush his again. Hurriedly, you toss away that silly idea as your cheeks warm up at that thought.

When did these feelings start to show up and skirt around your heart? Was it when you noticed he always added a pack of Haribo sour gummy bears for you to the shopping basket during those late night convenience store runs without you asking? Or was it when you texted him at 3 a.m. about a Pokémon you don’t have that’s nearby outside and he tells you to go to bed, but five minutes later, he’s standing outside of your dorm, knocking on your door with mussed hair and a haphazardly thrown on sweater, telling you to hurry up, so he can go back to sleep? Or maybe it’s when you realized just how happy he makes you when he laughs at your lame jokes that he would’ve made fun of Jeno for saying?

Or perhaps, it’s a culmination of all those things plus all the other tiny moments and endearing, although sometimes infuriating, attributes of his that made you fall in love with your best friend.

“You’re really pretty, y’know?” He mumbles, and your cheeks burn even more before you shake your head, noting bitterly to yourself that your best friend is completely intoxicated. Of course. He doesn’t like you in that way at all, so there’s no use in getting your hopes up. Drunken kisses are sober mistakes.

“Hyuck, you’re drunk.” You let out a sigh before wrapping an arm around his waist and throwing an apologetic glance towards Hyunjin. “Let’s get you home.”

“Let me help you,” Hyunjin offers, reaching out to take some of Donghyuck’s weight off of you. Your best friend swats his hand away from you. “Get your own Y/N. This one is taken.”

“He’s just trying to help,” you scold him, blood rushing to your cheeks at the sound of Donghyuck calling you his. He simply ignores the other boy, clinging onto you even tighter. You say good bye to Hyunjin, who kindly takes your empty cup, before tugging your best friend towards the stairs and to his bedroom upstairs.

On your way there, you catch Renjun’s attention. He smirks at you, eyes twinkling, as he glances towards Donghyuck and then back at you. Face burning, you roll your eyes before giving him the universal middle finger salute, his laughter subsequently echoing behind you.

You’re just best friends. Friends take care of each other. And so what if he kissed you? He’s naturally affectionate. And add on the fact that he’s drunk, so his affection just came out tenfold. It meant nothing.

Right?

Something’s been bothering you for the past few days, and Donghyuck can tell as he sits across from you for lunch. You’re doing that thing where you fiddle with the small Winnie the Pooh charm on your iPhone, wrapping the string part around your finger before letting go and repeating your earlier actions. He reaches over and untangles the charm from your hand before putting your phone in front of you, his hand grazing yours for a millisecond, and your heart nearly stops at the sudden contact.

“Something’s been on your mind. Spill it.” He studies your reaction, and you know you can’t lie to your best friend. He’ll know even before the words are out of your mouth.

“Do you remember the Theta party last Friday?”

“Yeah, I kinda have to,” he snorts, resting his chin on his hand. “I had to help clean up the next day with a raging hangover.”

“Why’d you kiss me?” you ask abruptly, twisting the hair tie around your wrist a bit nervously. It’s better to just rip off the bandaid and let it out in the open after all.

Donghyuck freezes, brain short circuiting. He had hoped that you’d just chalk it up to his drunken state that night, and he could continue to ignore his feelings like he’s done for the past thirteen months, six hours, and twenty seven minutes. But he can’t. He shouldn’t. So maybe he should just say it. Tell you the reason why. After all, drunken actions are sober thoughts.

Yet, although he prides himself for being brave, for being outspoken, when it comes to his feelings, when it comes to you, he feels like a coward. At the thought of rejection, the fickle feelings of love, and all the what if’s, he thinks it’s better to remain your best friend than lose you altogether. So he racks his brain for an excuse, but all he can come up with is the half truth.

“It was a dare.”

Your face falls before you can hide the disappointment, and it yanks at his heartstrings, leaving him to stammer out a poorly executed follow up, back tracking as fast as he can. “It wasn’t a bad dare! Renjun made me do it, and I just...”

“A dare?” you say softly before giving him a half hearted, teasing smile, desperately trying to conceal your true feelings. “Like what? To kiss your best friend? So I beat out Mark, huh?”

Your response has him pausing from blurting out the rest of the truth. You seem so calm and nonchalant about it, like the kiss has no effect on you whatsoever, an unspoken rejection. The mere thought of that almost cracks his heart in two, and he crumples the napkin in front of him, lowering his eyes.

“Uh, well... something like that.”

The two of you lapse into silence after that, a stifled awkwardness plaguing the table, before it becomes unbearable for you, and you stand up, picking up your empty plate to drop off at the cleaning station.

“I gotta go. I have class soon.”

Donghyuck murmurs a quiet good bye to you and helplessly watches as you walk away. He knows you’re lying. He memorized your schedule by heart the second you sent it to him at the beginning of the semester, and you finished all your classes for the day in the morning already.

He flattens out the balled up napkin, staring at the confession he had carefully penned down earlier before you sat down. The black scribbles stare back at him, almost as if they’re mocking him. He rips up the paper into shreds.

He wishes he was braver earlier.

Friday night brings you back into the all too familiar atmosphere of the Nu Chi Theta house. You entered the scene later than usual, caught up earlier with a paper on sustainable technology due at midnight. You were more than content with staying in your dorm for the night, curling up in a blanket for a Brooklyn 99 marathon, but your roommate, Lia, insisted you go out with her.

When you had told her about the conflicting matter regarding a certain dark haired boy swirling around in your mind, she had frowned, calling Donghyuck a complete idiot, and her next words still echo in your head.

“That’s what the idiot said? That wasn’t the dare. Renjun dared him to kiss the prettiest girl in the room.”

So why did he lie?

The butterflies in your stomach refuse to settle, whether it was from knowing you’ll see him tonight or the implications behind that kiss or possibly a combination of both. Renjun easily spots you in the crowd, and refusing to take no for an answer, he pulls you over to sit next to him and to partake in the game that started this all. Lia had simply laughed and waved you good bye before nimbly making her way into the dancing crowd.

Your eyes easily finds Donghyuck’s across from you, and his eyes widen in surprise. You haven’t seen him since the lunch incident, and you should’ve known that you’d see him tonight. He’s a member of this fraternity after all. You give him a small smile, and maybe it’s the alcohol running through his veins, but you could have sworn his cheeks turned a darker shade of red under the harsh neon lights. He looks away, and it stings a lot more than it should. Biting your bottom lip, you focus your gaze on the bottle in the center.

Jaemin reaches for the glass and gives it a twirl. The bottle neck ends up pointing just left of Donghyuck towards Yerim, and you notice Jeno not so subtly kick the table. The bottle rolls slightly before facing your best friend.

“Oh, would you look at that! Hyuck, truth or dare?” Jaemin exclaims, grinning a little too brightly.

“Jeno did that on purpose,” Donghyuck grumbles, throwing a stink eye at the aforementioned boy who merely offers him an innocent smile. “Dare.”

Renjun leans over towards Jaemin, whispering something to him, and he only brightens up even more. There’s that sinking feeling in your stomach, and you know they’re up to no good. Looking around the room, you catch the eyes of Hyunjin, who waves at you happily with a broad smile. Maybe you’ll feel better if you hang out with someone else for a change and take your mind and heart off of the boy in front of you.

Donghyuck’s eyes darken when he notices your attention directed at Hyunjin. He almost scoffs. Again, who invited him? And what’s Hyunjin got that he doesn’t? Okay, so maybe that pretty boy is a few centimeters taller than him, but Donghyuck is still prettier, wittier, funnier, and smarter, right?

Does Hyunjin know the exact number of miniature marshmallows that you like in your hot chocolate? Does he know that you have a tiny star shaped scar on your knee because you fell off your bike in first grade, and Donghyuck was the one who put a dinosaur patterned bandage on it? Does he know that when you’re happy, you like to play Avril Lavigne’s Sk8er Boi on blast and belt out the lyrics? Does he know when you think a joke is really funny, you let out the smallest snort at the end of your laugh which you try to cover up, but Donghyuck thinks it’s the cutest noise ever?

Does Hyunjin know how much he loves you?

“Hyuck,” Jaemin pokes him. “Are you listening?”

“No,” he deadpans, and Jaemin sighs. Your attention is on Donghyuck now, head tilted slightly as you softly smile at him, raising your eyebrow. Your expression is guarded, and for the first time in his life, he doesn’t know why. But Jaemin nudges him again, and he lets out a huff before turning toward his friend, who smiles impishly before saying:

“I dare you to call your crush and confess.”

You and Donghyuck both inhale sharply at that.

Thousands of thoughts rush into your mind, yet the most prominent one is: your best friend has a crush, and he never told you. The two of you have shared your previous crushes in the past, yet he’s never mentioned this one? A shock of betrayal runs through your body as you wrack your brain to think back to any previous hints or mentioning that he liked someone. Never mind the fact that you didn’t tell him about your current crush because that would mean confessing, but if you were in love with someone else, he would definitely be the first to know.

But maybe it’s for the better, you think bitterly to yourself. It would be near impossible for you to hide your feelings any longer. Perhaps, this is the reason why he didn’t tell you about the dare. It would make everything so much more complicated.

But your stomach twists and turns at the thought of him asking someone out, kissing someone else, loving someone who isn’t you, and suddenly, you don’t want to play anymore. You mumble something about getting a drink from the kitchen to Renjun before standing up, easily brushing away his hand when he protests.

Donghyuck watches as you begin to get up, panic rising in his chest, and before he knows it, he’s scrambling to pull out his phone. All it takes is five seconds. Five seconds for you to walk away. Five seconds to lose you. Five seconds to type in that familiar string of numbers and hit send. Five seconds of courage. Five seconds to take that leap from friendship to something more.

It’s now or never, and he’s never been so sure of one thing in his life until this very moment. Heart thudding erratically in his chest, he hurriedly types in the number he’s memorized by heart—the one he secretly saved as My Sunflower 🌻—and finally presses the green button.

You pause when you hear the familiar blaring ringtone and feel the vibration in your back pocket. Immediately, your eyes land on Donghyuck, and he’s already looking at you with the softest, most endearing, most vulnerable expression on his features that wrenches your heart. Eyes glimmering, he smiles at you a little bit uncertainly before speaking up, voice wavering at the end.

“Someone’s calling you, and I think he has something really important to say, so will you please pick it up?”

With shaky hands, you take out your phone, heart nearly leaping out of your chest, as you stare at the screen, lips curving into a delighted smile that you cannot suppress.

Full Sun ☀️💘 is calling.

“Hello?”

Phone pressed to your ear, you slightly tilt your head to the side, shyly smiling, and relief is written all over his face for a split second before Donghyuck positively beams. He continues to gaze at you, pretty little stars dancing in his eyes that crinkle in the corners and the rosiest hue of red blooming on his cheeks.

“Hi. I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date with me. Because I kinda, sorta, maybe am completely in love with you.”

This is the boy who made fun of you for wearing glittery Mary Janes on the first day of kindergarten, but also threw sand at the other boys who decided to poke fun at you. This is the boy who saved all the blue raspberry Jolly Ranchers he got on Halloween to give to you. This is the boy who brought you tubs of New York Super Fudge Chunk when you experienced your first heartbreak and refrained from saying “I told you so” until after you finally got over that douchebag. This is the boy who made you stay up all night before a final to help him put rainbow streaks in his hair, but also helped you ace the exam. This is the boy who has the biggest heart out of everyone you know, and he’s wearing it on his sleeve for you.

This is the boy whom you love.

And he loves you back.

“I’d love that. Because I kinda, sorta, maybe am completely in love with you, too.”

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danineverwenttoazkaban · 3 years

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SE Appreciation Week - Fic 1 (Karol route)

@sweeteliteweek Very late but I just barely ended this not so short fic.

This is Karol’s route imagining some moments like the airport goodbye and days later while they’re at home so Papa Scholar is also featuring. I couldn’t help but add a bit of Tegan too and I tried to put several ideas I had together on the same story. Hopefully the back and forth between present and past is not too confusing. I didn’t know how to name it so I just took a song I was listening to by Wilco that is really sweet if anyone wants to listen to it.

Jesus, Etc.

The familiar vibrant and noisy city was something Scholar hadn’t think she would miss during those months at Arlington’s. Especially not the noises from the neighbor from the floor above as she rowed with her husband for the third time tonight, the people pacing up and down the stairs, the kids playing, the pizza delivery guys and Misses Jones with her 5 dogs. She smirked thinking what Karolina would say if she heard all this noise and reminisced to when they met, smiling at the thought. She would be rich by now if she was given a dollar for each time she thought of Karolina since she got on the plane home.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“That’s my plane, people! Enjoy the journey home!”, announced Tyler as he picked up his heavy luggage. He hadn’t explained what the heck he was carrying on his bags but Scholar assumed it was something artistic.

“Hey Tyler, don’t forget about tomorrow’s match! There will be a 30% buff bonus”, said Tegan.

“Oh man, I told you I have that thing with my parents. I’ll make it up to you later, promise”, replied Tyler.

“… ok”, said Tegan as he gave him a weak smile, clearly disappointed.

“Cheers!”, shouted Tyler as he ran towards gate A27.

Only Scholar, Tegan and Karolina remained in the departure lounge. Neither Tegan or Karolina seemed particularly happy of going home, in fact Tegan was staring at the floor as if he had just been told Christmas had been cancelled this year.

“Hey, maybe I could join? I am not very good at videogames to be honest but you can teach me”, said Scholar putting a hand on Tegan’s shoulder.

Tegan looked up and smiled blushing.

“S-sure, I think you’d make a great cleric”, Scholar had no idea what that meant but she hated the sad aspect Tegan had.

She noticed Karolina was staring at her direction, a curious look on her face. In that moment, she heard her flight being called.

“Well, I guess I have to go now”, she said to both of them.

Tegan nodded.

“I’ll call you tomorrow to set your PC ready for the match”.

“Sounds like a plan!”, she answered before giving him a quick hug.

As she let go of Tegan, she looked at Karolina, unsure on how to approach her. Scholar took a step in her direction, asking for permission, they had barely talked since the night of the basement

“… I-I… goodbye, Karolina. Enjoy the holidays”, she said with slight nervousness, waiting for an answer.

Karolina was biting her lip and seemed uneasy, as if she was making up her mind about something. She leaped forward and put her arms around Scholar. The girl let go of the breath she had unknowingly kept as she felt Karolina’s warm embrace.

“Let me know when you arrive home”, Scholar heard Karolina whisper close to her ear, her breath sending shivers down her spine. She then felt something touching her cheek, she froze when she realized it was Karolina’s lips. The touch was so soft, so slight that it could had just been Scholar’s imagination. They let go of the embrace and Scholar felt her heart sink at the idea of being apart from her so many days.

“I will, you too, please”, she answered. Both Karolina and Tegan nodded and Scholar took her luggage before parting…

The following day, Scholar had to excuse to her father early because Tegan had opened an account for her in the game they were supposed to play, in fact he had even customized her character based on a number of questions he had asked, many of which Scholar wasn’t sure how to answer. As she started her PC and positioned on her seat, she could not help but feel excited, seeing Tegan through the webcam meant also, perhaps, seeing her as well. Tegan’s face as he logged in had a mixture of sadness, exhaustion and defeat, he didn’t have Karolina’s ability of putting on a straight face, Scholar didn’t want to push an answer out so she didn’t ask. They spent a couple of hours playing, Scholar died way too many times in pure noob style but Tegan didn’t mind, in fact he laughed each time as she panicked when the other players surrounded her with attacks.

“Thank you, Scholar. You made my day”, Tegan told her after the match was over.

“I’m glad, I had a great time even though I clearly suck for this…”, she answered giggling. Tegan laughed as well, he covered his mouth whenever he laughed and Scholar thought it was cute but sad at the same time how insecure he could be at times, even among his friends.

“… She’s busy talking to mom and dad, by the way”, Tegan added after a while, “in case you were wondering.”

“Oh… it’s ok. Is everything alright?”, Scholar asked concerned, to be honest their parents didn’t exactly sound like the kind that understood and supported their children.

“They didn’t take well all that happened in FAXION, I almost didn’t login for the game but she wanted me to let her handle it on her own”, answered Tegan, “she didn’t want me blowing up and them… “, he paused, “… doesn’t matter, I will take care of her now.”

“She’s a tough girl, she worries about you too”, said Scholar, “let me know if you need anything”

“Of course, thanks again. I will tell her you say ‘hi’ ”, said Tegan before closing the session.

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Scholar sighed as she wondered how things had gone back at the twins’ house, hoping they were ok. The days that had followed to gaming night not much had happened. Tyler spammed them with funny selfies from the Red Carpet of God knows which movie his parents had taken him to, Tadashi and Alistair sent photos with the Drews, especially the dogs at Axel’s request, and Claire and Neha exchanged recipes for Christmas season. But barely anything from Karolina, still the fact Tegan kept sending memes mocking how bad she was at gaming was oddly comforting.

“Honey, I’m home, can you give me a hand with the bags?”, called Papa Scholar’s voice.

“Sure, dad, coming!”, answered Scholar and she walked towards the kitchen.

The bags were full of materials for her father’s famous pasta recipe but this time with a twist: he had agreed on incorporating one of Claire's many recipes. Both of them prepared everything for their movie night. Afterwards, they settled in the living room as they picked a title. They decided on one of the old movies that Scholar’s father loved “Pride and Prejudice”. Scholar had tried to get his father to watch the newer adaptation of the story but it had been pointless, the 1995 version was the one her mother loved and in a way for him watching the movie again meant reliving the joyful moments they passed together. Scholar had seen it too a handful of times yet this time it felt different, she felt connected not only because it had been her mom’s favorite movie but because the situation was now all too familiar. The pride and prejudice dance.

“You keep looking at your cell phone, expecting someone’s message?”, Papa Scholar asked as he arched an eyebrow.

“N-no, just checking the hour”, Scholar tried to reply, unconvincingly.

“Hmm, don’t forget I was your age once and fell in love at your age too”, the kind man answered giving her a warm smile.

But before Scholar could reply, they heard the alert of a new message coming in. Scholar jumped at the sound and widened her eyes at the name that appeared on the screen: “Karolina”. She quickly unlocked the cell phone, almost dropping it due to the urgency. Not paying attention to her father’s laugh at her clumsy movements, she opened the message:

Karolina: Are you awake?

Scholar: Yes, hi…

Karolina: Can I call you?

Scholar’s heart drop at her message. Almost three days without a message from her and now here she was asking for a call. She really did take that “best way to win someone is to surprise them” to the bone.

“Sorry, dad. Could we drop it here? A friend from Arlington wants to talk to me”

“Don’t worry, girl. Go call your friend”, she really did have the best dad.

Scholar practically ran towards her room and texted her back.

Scholar: Sure.

Immediately her phone was vibrating and ringing. She answered almost as a reflex.

“Karolina?”, started Scholar, trying not to sound too excited.

“… Did I interrupt you?”, asked Karolina. Her voice on the phone was something Scholar couldn’t had foreseen would make her feel weak on the knees.

“No, uhm, I was just finishing watching a movie with my dad”

“Was it one of those cheesy old movies your dad likes?”, Karolina asked on a mocking tone. Wow, she had really paid attention…

“Ha, yeah. Pride and Prejudice… because you know how much I’m into the hate to love trope”, she blurted out surprising herself. Was it too bold to hint at ‘them’ like that? What was it about Karolina that it made her go rogue often.

Silence.

“… yes, I know”, Karolina answered. Scholar wondered, hoped, if Karolina was blushing.

“And what are you doing?”

“Our parents threw a party”

“Wow, sounds like fun.”

“It’s just the usual winter party they throw every year ”

“I’ve never been into a party like that”

“Of course not”, Karolina blurted out, “… I didn’t mean it to sound like that, I-I don’t think you’re missing anything”

“Karolina, not that I mind but why are you talking to me instead of enjoying yourself out there?”

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Karolina was standing in front of the wall mirror of her bedroom. Her new pine green dress matched perfectly the emerald earrings her father had bought her last year as well as the red lipstick. Everything fit together

“Miss, they are waiting for you downstairs”, the maid called after softly knocking the door.

Karolina took her purse and proceeded towards the lobby, across the dining room and into the garden. The surrounding people dressed in etiquette, the tables and the exquisite centerpieces seemed all surreal. She felt disconnected to this usual display of frivolity and superfluous social interactions, greeting people with a fake smile and pretending to care about the chit-chat. These people who if given the chance would rather see them in ruins.

At dinner, she sat with a couple of acquaintances, girls she had known since her childhood, the type her parents considered ‘appropriate’ but could never truly be friends. Her mind drifted elsewhere, back to the chalet, the sensation of safety, of being seen for the first time through the façade of her strong petty attitude, the possibility of being just ‘Karol’. She excused herself as the girls looked at her questioningly, stood up and walked behind a couple of bushes seeking some privacy.

“I heard she is going down her mother’s route”, she heard a voice say from behind the bushes.

“Her scandal at FAXION was disastrous, everyone has been talking about it”, followed another voice.

“Honestly, does it surprise anyone? It was a wonder she got this far”, said a third voice.

Karolina felt the anger and hurt built inside her, she was about to turn around and face whoever felt they had the right to talk behind her back in her own house when her cellphone vibrated. She took out her cellphone and noticed Scholar had sent a message to the group thanking Claire for the last recipe attaching also a photo of Scholar and her father cooking. She smiled at how happy they seemed and got lost in the sparkle of her eyes. She bit her lip debating on whether or not to message her… Screw it.

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“… Hmm, Karolina, is everything ok? Can you still hear me”, Scholar asked.

“Yes, I-I just … “, Karolina answered.

“You know you can tell me anything”, Scholar said, “how is everything with your parents?”

She heard Karolina sighed.

“Not good but I’d rather not talk about it”

“I’m sorry about that but it’s fine, what do you want to talk about then?”

“Nothing really, I was just bored, this party is obnoxious”, Scholar’s heart skipped a beat at her words, does she just miss me?

“I see…”, Scholar said. With her heart palpitating like crazy and the excitement of talking to Karolina she couldn’t hold back her emotions and she added, “… I miss you too.”

“I never said… you’re right, I do”, Scholar smirked. Karolina admitting her feelings was so refreshing; Scholar would need one of Neha’s teas to calm down the butterflies in her stomach.

“So dull party, huh? Should I be thankful I didn’t get invited?”, followed Scholar.

“I don’t find this type of parties endearing anymore”

“What? Hanging out with me is harming your social standards”

“Haha, you wished. I’ve never liked these parties but it was a good opportunity to meet important people”

“Oh, did you meet anyone interesting this time?”

“No, I found out that people are still talking about my FAXION fiasco”, Scholar felt her blood boil at that.

“They did? I wished I could beat some sense into that people”,

Karolina chuckled.

“Hey, I don’t mind. It’s better if they talk about me, free publicity. Besides we technically won.”

“That you did, you two were amazing, seriously no one could rival Neha’s designs. Also, you looked so beautiful and classy… even though you weren’t feeling well, you pulled that off despite everything. I can only imagine the big things you’ll do in the near future”

“You’re sweet. But remember I could steal your third place in the Gold Tier if you’re not careful”

“Oh Miss Novakova, we’ll see about that, we could bet to me beating you up in the finals”, were they flirting for real this time?, Scholar thought.

“You’re not taking me to the cafeteria again, are you?”, oh they definitely were.

“Hmm how about taking you to the gardens? Like a picnic?”, oh god, was she asking her on a date?!

“Hmmm… ok, deal”, Scholar heard Karolina answer. She did just ask Karolina on a date and she said yes!

“Deal”, wow. But this time she wouldn’t let Karolina say it wasn’t a date.

She heard Karolina laugh on the other end and it made her grin like an idiot, she wondered if Karolina was blushing furiously like she was.

“Thank you, by the way”, Karolina said after a brief silence.

“For what?”

“Helping my brother stay calm. You didn’t have to do that”

“I’m glad to help, he’s a dear friend and it killed me to see him so sad”

“He has been happier considering…”, Scholar assumed she meant with whatever was going on in their house. She wished she could do more.

“And you? Feeling better?”, Scholar asked.

“Much better”,

“I’m glad. I’m here for you, always”

“I know, I’m here for you too”, her voice sounded soft, to think about how much had happened for them to get to this point.

“I have to hang up now, we’ll talk soon”, Karolina added.

“Oh ok, of course, go back to the party”, she didn’t know what to say, she could had kept talking to her all holidays if she could.

“Good night… Oh, and watch out your door tomorrow”, Karolina said with a curious tone in her voice, almost nervous.

“Tomorrow? What happens tomorrow?”, Scholar asked confused.

“J-just pay attention, ugh. I have to go now.”

“Ok, ok, I will do. Good night, Karolina”, and with that she was left with the usual cellphone tone.

The following day was Christmas’ Eve. To say she had spent the morning ecstatic was an understatement. She kept circling around the call she had with Karolina, the fact she had asked her out on a date and whatever she meant by watching out for her door. Her dad was surprised that out of all the friends she had made at Arlington it was actually Karolina whom she had a crush on (she had to tell him since she couldn’t hide her joy).

“My first guess was that girl Claire who kindly gave us the recipes for Christmas dinner”, Papa Scholar said as he found out about the source of her daughter’s disturbance.

“Funny you guessed Claire, dad”, sighed Scholar remembering the fatal mistletoe incident.

“Why funny?”

“Oh dad, it’s just… a long story”, Scholar said.

“Well, I have to say that Karolina girl is drop dead gorgeous and if you say she is nicer to you, I believe you. When can you invite her here?”

“Dad! We’re not even… I mean, we almost … kissed b-but …”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it”, said Papa Scholar.

“Actually dad, can you let me check who it is?”, jumped Scholar as she headed to the door.

She peaked from the door peephole. On the other side there was a guy looking like a delivery man.

“H-hello? Who is it?”, Scholar asked.

“Good afternoon, I have a delivery for a person named Scholar”, the guy answered from the other side.

Scholar opened the door, the man was carrying a golden plastic bag with a red bow on the outside.

“Hi, I’m Scholar”

“Oh great, I’m supposed to deliver this”, he handed her the bag, “please sign here… and here”

Scholar did as he requested and looked at the bag, it looked very elegant for a plastic bag.

“Thank you, merry Christmas, ma’am”

“Thank you too, merry Christmas!”

Scholar walked towards the living room holding the odd bag on her right hand. She took a seat on the couch and placed the bag on top of the table, slowly opening it. There was a card and a small black box on the inside. She took out the small box and opened it being startled by its content. It was an astonishing silver necklace with a sapphire pendant on the center, tiny diamonds seemed to surround the almost heart-shaped figure of the pendant. Papa Scholar couldn’t believe his eyes either, he got the card out and gasped.

“Honey, you need to read the card, look”, Papa Scholar said as he handed it out for her.

Scholar took the card in her shaky hands and opened it carefully:

“Hopefully this starts your way into the better fashion sense you desperately need… Merry Christmas, Karolina”

Scholar lost no time and rushed to get her cellphone. Please answer, please answer, she thought as she heard the dialing tone.

“Hi”, she heard Karolina’s voice answer.

“I-I-… Oh god, I-I can’t even… It’s so beautiful!”, Scholar tried to say forgetting how to speak.

“I am glad you like it.”

“I just… wow… thank you! How did you know where I live?”

“Uh-oh, guess who, Scholar”, she heard Tegan’s voice say.

“Y-you! From the time we played together… should had figured. “, Scholar said laughing.

“You got me, hehe. I’ll give Karol back her cell phone. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Tegan!”

“I am sorry I had to ask him”

“Don’t be sorry, I love it”, Scholar said, almost as much as I love you, she thought, “I didn’t get you anything for Christmas, I feel awful, you went through all this and I-“

“I don’t need you to get me anything, just everything you’ve done for me and … how much I … I can’t tell you on the phone, ok?”, Karolina said.

“… s-sure. Thank you so much, Karol”, was it the first time she called her Karol out loud?

“Besides I already feel like I have my Christmas gift… Anyway, our father is calling us. Merry Christmas, Scholar”

“Merry Christmas, Karol”, Scholar replied and added, “I… you know I do too, for a while now if I’m honest.”

“I kind of knew but didn’t want to see it… Enjoy your night”

“Y-you too. Bye”.

This was definitely the best Christmas she could had ever imagined, she only wished she could had thanked her in person but soon, very soon they will be able to figure it out.

END

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you guys like it! The ending was rushed because it’s super late here so sorry for that.

#sweet elite #karolina novakova #sweet elite week 2021 #tegan novak #scholar #sweet elite fanfiction #karolina x scholar

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natedogx15 · 2 years

Text

The Forsaken Ladybug Chapter 11: Coverage

Nathanial stared at Tikki for a fair amount of time. He didn't say anything as he did so.

"Is there a reason you're digging this deep, Mrs. Tikki? Our partnership may be coming to an end in a couple of months at most if Hawkmoth keeps up these Akumas." Nathanial calmly states.

"Yes, well, for that time, I'd like to try and get to know and help you. I may not be your Kwami for long, but I'd still like to talk and try to help you during the short time together." Tikki explains to Nathanial.

Though, she wasn't being entirely truthful with that answer.

Nathanial sighs, but before either could continue the conversation, a voice spoke from Nathanial's computer.

"Hello, Paris. I'm Lady Wifi coming in live from the Eiffel Tower."

Both turn their attention to Nathanial's computer.

There they see Alya akumatized. Unlike other Akumas, though, Alya didn't change much from before.

Alya now wore a black jumpsuit with white gloves and boots. She had a pink wifi icon on her chest and three black lines on the top of her gloves and boots. Over her face was a black butterfly-shaped mask. Alya also had a thin white line going around her waist that formed a power button icon.

"Lady Wifi here. And I'm here to expose the truth that you all are keeping from Paris. That truth is the identity of Rouge Duke!" Ladywifi shouts with a maniac look on her face.

"Okay, what is that kid's problem with trying to expose me? All I did was tell her I'm not going to save her so she wouldn't keep coming to my fights." Nathanial said, rubbing his temples.

Nathanial felt stress start to build up. His arm began to shake, but he used his other arm to stop that shaking before Tikki noticed.

"Mrs. Tikki, we'll discuss this more afterwards." Nathanial tells her.

Tikki nods her head.

"Tikki, spots on." Nathanial says, and he turns into Rouge Duke.

Nathanial jumps out the window and heads out to battle.

Hawkmoth, like Lady Wifi, had a maniac grin on his face. Not only was he impressed with this Akuma's power, but he was going through Alya's thoughts.

"If I expose Rouge Duke, then I'll be given plenty of publicity for my blog. That means I can use it as the perfect source for an interview with any news company I want. Why are people so against that? I'm just trying to make sure my future is secure. I'm only trying to be a good reporter. Everyone deserves to know the truth about Rouge Duke's identity. A lot of heroes have revealed themselves in America and other countries."

Now, these weren't the thoughts running through Alya's head right now. Right now, Alya's mind and body were in some form of stasis. These were mere memories of her thinking before the enchantment happened.

These also weren't thoughts of someone with malicious intent. They were that of a child that still doesn't understand that actions have consequences. They believed everything would be okay and work out. So the fact that they got in trouble for it was something that completely blindsided them.

However, it still shows Hawkmoth what he wants to know about Alya.

"Well, Miss. Césaire. You have shown yourself to be the perfect pawn for me in this game. All it will take right now is a little push in the right direction." Hawkmoth told himself.

"Nathalie." Hawkmoth calls out for his assistant.

"Yes, Gabriel?" The assistant dutifully calls as she arrives.

"I think it's time we bring out one of those special presents given to us." Hawkmoth said with a smirk.

"You believe Miss. Césaire should have one of our Fakes?" Nathalie asks.

"Someone like Miss. Césaire shouldn't have their potential wasted. If properly set up, then we will have a useful pawn in this war." Hawkmoth tells her.

"Which of our Miracles will we be choosing from?" Nathalie asks.

Hawkmoth muses on this.

"Let's give this one Pride; she seems to be the headstrong straightforward type." Hawkmoth tells her.

Rouge Duke finally arrives at the Eiffel Tower. There he sees Lady Wifi tapping her foot impatiently.

"Where the heck is he. I sent my announcement a while ago." Lady Wifi mutters to herself in anger.

Next to her were the two police officers that showed up at her house. When Lady Wifi sees Rouge Duke, she snarls.

"You, this is all your fault!" Lady Wifi shouts.

Nathanial raises an eyebrow at her. Before anything, he equips his lance and stares down Lady Wifi.

"What are you talking about?" Nathanial questions.

"What am I talking about? I'm talking about the fact that you had people try and force me to take down my latest video and return the camera!" Lady Wifi shouts at him in anger.

"What video are we talking about here?" Nathanial asks.

He's so confused with what this girl meant.

Lady Wifi shows him her video. When Nathanial sees it, he gains a pissed-off look.

"What the hell were you doing exposing me like that?! Don't you get how dangerous that is!" Nathanial shouts at her.

"You were supposed to be a hero. But you told a civilian you wouldn't save them if they kept coming to your fights to get footage of you. You wouldn't give anyone in Paris any information on you in the month that you and these Akumas appeared. And when someone finally got some information on you, they got in trouble. You aren't a hero. You're someone who has ulterior motives for doing all of this." Lady Wifi exclaims in anger.

Unknown to Nathanial, Hawkmoth has Lady Wifi secretly record this entire conversation.

"Did he actually tell someone that he wouldn't save them?" Irene asks in shock

"Maybe, but it could be Hawkmoth saying that for her." Aiden tells her.

Unfortunately, Nathanial also wasn't in the best state of mind. Tikki's question triggered something in him, and he couldn't think straight.

"You fucking lied to me!"

"This is for your best interest, Nathanial. You'll understand that one day and thank me."

"I'm not supposed to be doing this shit anymore!" Nathanial exclaims, shocking both the villains and the audience.

"Anymore." Hillary thought with narrowed eyes.

And this Akuma isn't one that you should fight with anything less than your best.

"Then give me your Miraculous." Lady Wifi said as she swiped her phone screen.

A purple pause icon went straight towards Nathanial. Nathanial quickly launches a blade of energy to intercept. When the slash does, it is frozen in the air by the pause.

"Don't stop, Lady Wifi. You have the advantage in speed. Just continue to shoot at him, and you'll eventually hit." Hawkmoth orders.

"You've got it, Hawkmoth." Lady Wifi said with a smirk.

She rapidly swiped at her phone and shot more icons at Nathanial. Nathanial tried to slash at them, but for every one slash, there were three icons. To Paris's horror, Rouge Duke was getting sent on the defensive.

Nathanial had to jump around to manage the onslaught coming at him.

"You need to calm down. Forget about the question." Nathanial mutters to himself.

"You just have to get in your stance and use thrusts over slashes." Nathanial thought.

Trauma is not an easy thing to overcome.

A different memory rose to Nathanial's mind.

"Hey, Nathan, why don't you join us?"

That memory made tears rise in Nathanial's eyes. It also leads to another memory coming.

"You can join us; however, you must quit that team, Nathanial. You'll go through too much stress trying to manage to be on two superhero teams. You don't need them anyway. They were only holding you back."

Nathanial managed to get in a fencing stance. He then released rapid energy thrusts at the icons. To Paris's excitement, Rouge Duke managed to regain his footing and fought on even ground with Lady Wifi.

However, the tears started to come out of Nathanial's eyes. and affect his aim.

"Did you ever hold any resentment towards these siblings and the ones that adopted them?"

"I-I hated my siblings so much for the longest time because of the attention they got. I hated having to try to prove myself over them. I tried to hide it as best I could so they could be happy, but every time they didn't leave me alone and treat me like I'm glass." Nathanial thought with angry tears.

Anything is capable of setting it off and causing the person to remember those times.

"You fucking lied to me!"

"This is for your best interest, Nathanial. You'll understand that one day and thank me."

"I hate father so much because of all that he did to me. I spent ten years trying to show him what I was capable of, but he threw away all of my accomplishments because I lacked powers." Nathanial thought

Lady Wifi started to gain ground over Nathanial. But Nathanial didn't care because another memory came to mind. One that didn't involve the Miraculous or being a hero. At least, as far as he knew.

"Then rise above that fear. Everything is scary when you first attempt it. However, you can't always rely on others to help you, no matter your age. So you need to be strong and try to figure out how you can get down."

"Remember, you can't always count on others. So you must become strong on your own as well."

"But most of all, I hate myself for what I did to others just to try and gain some affection from father. I hate that I caused myself to lose everyone around me outside of my family. I hate that I always felt I had to do things alone. Even when I was a hero, just to prove to father that I was capable." Nathanial cried in his mind.

And that person may end up drowning in despair and anxiety because they have trouble overcoming what happened to them in the past.

"Don't worry, my little gift. I'll protect you from the scary monsters."

"I hate myself so much for everything that I've become and done because I know you would be so disappointed in what your Gift has become!" Nathanial cried this one out loud.

He doesn't notice one of Lady Wifi's icons slip past his energy thrusts and head straight towards him.

"Nathanial, look out!" Tikki shouts in Nathanial's head.

Nathanial barely moves his body out of the way. Sadly, the icon still managed to lock the arm that held his lance.

"Hahaha, finally, I've got you!" Lady Wifi shouts in glee.

"Good work, Lady Wifi, now grab his Miraculous!" Hawkmoth shouts.

Lady Wifi starts to walk over to Nathanial.

"Nathanial, take a deep breath and try to regain your thoughts." Tikki soothingly says in Nathanial's head.

"You have been in my head this whole time?" Nathanial questions.

"Yes, we have linked together thanks to the Miraculous. But don't worry, I haven't delved into anything you haven't been thinking about." Tikki tells him.

Nathanial tries to calm down. But he is having trouble doing it.

"I don't know what happened to you in the past, but I have had others go through similar problems. I want you to take a deep breath and count with me, please?" Tikki asks him.

Nathanial takes a deep breath, and then he and Tikki begin to count up to ten.

"One."

Lady Wifi is taking her time heading towards Nathanial.

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

"Five."

"Six."

"Seven."

"Eight."

"Nine."

"Ten."

On the tenth count, Lady Wifi was right in front of him. She then smugly said.

"Not so high and mighty now."

However, Nathanial decided to bring out a card he had hidden from Hawkmoth for the last two Akuma fights.

Nathanial activates Evolution, and the light blinds Lady Wifi. When the light dies down, Nathanial is in a different suit.

This one had his suit's colors flipped. The red areas were now black and black areas red.

Suddenly, Lady Wifi's icon dissolved, and Nathanial got control of his arm back.

"YES!" Irene, Aiden, and Monique shout.

"Alright." Some of the Green Dragon members also watching said.

Tara, who was also watching this stream, smiled upon the sight.

"Not bad." She said with a smirk.

"WHAT, HOW DID YOU DO THAT!" Lady Wifi lets out both an angry and shocked shout.

"Anti-magic, similar to my hammer that took out Stoneheart. Just on the defensive instead." Nathanial tells her.

"That means that Lady Wifi is now useless to me. I should have expected him to hold another power." Hawkmoth sighs to himself.

Lady Wifi bellows in anger and presses something on her phone.

A speed-up icon appears under her, and she begins to fly around Rouge Duke while launching pause icons.

Nathanial didn't bother to move. The icons would dissolve every time they hit him. Nathanial focused more on aiming at her.

With one thrust, Rouge Duke made Lady Wifi crash to the ground. He then walks up and stomps on her phone.

The butterfly is released, and Nathanial absorbs it with his lance.

He then activates Miraculous Ladybug fixing everything.

Alya looks up at him, but Nathanial doesn't bother saying anything. He was far too tired to stick around, and for the first time in the month, he's had the Miraculous. It was beeping. With that, Nathanial left towards his dorm room.

"I guess I'm not worth anything to him." Alya thought in both sadness and slight anger.

The two cops walk up to Alya.

"Listen, Alya. It's dangerous what you post on your blog. You need to be more careful next time. Come on, officer Jill and I will get you home." Officer Jack tells Alya.

Alya only nods and goes with the officers.

Hillary was sitting in her hotel room shaking in rage. It seems she recognizes something.

"I'm not supposed to be doing this shit anymore!"

"I hate myself so much for everything that I've become and done because I know you would be so disappointed in what your gift has become."

"Nathanial said his mom used to call him her Little Gift. Nathanial used to be a hero like the rest of us. It would explain the ability Rouge Duke has shown. Paris hasn't had its own superhero before, so Rouge Duke can't have been a different hero in Paris." Hillary told herself in anger.

She then started to remember her conversation with Nathanial a month ago.

"He had earrings and was looking over Rouge Duke as well." She realized.

However, something seemed to be pushing those thoughts out of her head, and she started to calm down.

"Calm down, Hillary. You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Nathanial isn't the only person that tried to be a hero but quit later on." Hillary tells herself.

Hillary continues to think about one specific line Rouge Duke had said, though, even when it felt like something was trying to force her to forget about the topic.

"I hate myself so much for everything that I've become and done because I know you would be so disappointed in what your gift has become."

"But, if that is Nathanial, does he really feel sorry about everything?" Hillary couldn't help but wonder with some hope in her thoughts.

That thought process finally gets pushed out of her mind, and she lets out a hollow chuckle.

"I doubt it; he made it abundantly clear what we were to him." Hillary laughs.

The thought process gets pushed out of her head, and she falls back onto her bed. However, before it does get pushed out, one last set of memories came to her.

"You're right. It's why I want to give up."

"Why would he say that to us, Hillary? We always had each other's back, so why would he say we were useless?"

"Yeah, he's just an ungrateful, spoiled brat. One that was willing to throw away everything for no reason." Hillary told herself.

Nathanial landed in his room just in time as the transformation timed out. When he does, he crashes onto his bed and takes a few deep breaths. Nathanial was clearly sweating and looked exhausted.

"Do you need anything, Nathanial?" Tikki asks.

Nathanial gives her the side-eye before saying.

"Water would be nice, please, Mrs. Tikki." Nathanial requests.

Instantly a glass of water appeared next to him thanks to Tikki.

Nathanial sits up and takes a large sip of water. As he does, Tikki looks at him before sighing.

"Nathanial, I'm canceling our partnership." Tikki tells him in a sad but accepting tone.

"Oh." Nathanial said in the same tone.

#alya salt #miraculous ladybug #the forsaken ladybug

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misfireanon · 3 years

Text

The next morning, Nihlus gets up early to prepare breakfast. The weather outside is still terrible. The storm had lessened during the night, but by the time he got back in bed, it had picked up again, accompanied by a fresh chorus of ferocious howls. Now, hard clumps of snow are smacking against the window like the wind’s percussive accompaniment. He swirls the leftover tequila and drains it in one gulp, setting the flask on the table with a loud thunk. There.

Right on schedule, Saren peeks out from the bedroom, his unblinking eyes pointing from the empty flask, to the plate of gnawed ribs in front of Nihlus, to the six small dishes (and one soup, all proper and shit) laid out for him. Nihlus doesn’t wait for him to begin an interrogation. He spears a cube of the hitherto untouched blue pudding on his talon and slurps it down, raising a browplate at Saren’s frown. “Why don’t you come sit and eat so my hard work doesn’t go to waste? I had to take all this from the deliverybot and put it in bowls all by myself, you know.”

Saren drops into his seat with a grunt. “You turned up the heating.”

“Yeah, because I was freezing my ass off last night. Don’t make that face, I know you can afford it. Heck, you can probably afford to burn this building down and build a new one, legal fees and all.” He looks out at the storm. “You’d be doing this place a favour. I can’t believe there are people who want to live on Noveria.”

“The volus, as a species, are well-suited for these conditions. Krogan, of course, thrive here as they would almost anywhere else. What remains of their culture drives them to extremes.”

Nihlus flicks a mandible. “I mean you, specifically.”

“Only here for business,” Saren says, carefully peeling off a single layer of the hundred-layer loaf and dipping it in an elaborate concoction of ground spices. Nihlus follows suit, except he grabs a good quarter of the thing and rolls it around in the spice, making sure to give the ends a thick coat. Saren begins to sift out conglomerated chunks from the powder, setting them with the bones. Nihlus shrugs. Hey, at least he’d used a fork this time.

“Business requires you to live in a refrigerator?”

“The cold keeps me awake when the paperwork grows dull.” Saren offers him the soup; Nihlus refuses. “I should have changed the settings after you arrived.”

“Does it help you sleep, too?”

Saren looks at him over the rim of the bowl. A whiff of steam obscures his eye. “At times, yes.”

“How does that work, exactly?”

“It’s a habit. After I finally resolved the Virial’s heat dissipation issues, her HVAC system began to act up. Competent mechanics have eluded me.” Saren takes another long sip. “I know you don’t like satusan leaves, but this was a good choice. Thank you.”

It came as a set meal, but Nihlus had picked that particular set from a menu of dozens, so he feels justified to beam with pride before setting his mandibles at a more serious angle. “I think you might need medication more than a mechanic. Spirits know there are enough doctors on Noveria, crooked or not.”

“‘Crooked’ is euphemistic, extremely so, in ways I’d rather not discuss over breakfast.”

Or ever, really. But Nihlus shrugs and reaches for the loaf again. It’s mechanically prepared, has to be; they’d never turn a profit otherwise. It’s also the reason he’d picked this set over the others. Saren had cooked it for him once, cutting a small chunk of meat into dozens of paper-thin slices with a wicked silver knife. Not long after, Nihlus had bought the same trio of knives for himself, though it had ended up collecting dust at the bottom of a drawer, only opened on one memorable occasion for some impromptu surgery.

This restaurant’s offering pales in comparison to those he’d sampled on Tenebrae, and is not even in the same star system as what Saren had made. Still, he shortens the stack, five slices at a time.

Saren watches him eat, his expression blank. The soup bowl is empty, but the other dishes are practically untouched. The blue pudding wobbles as Nihlus takes a second cube. Saren seems fascinated by it, though he soon shakes his head and makes to stand. Nihlus pulls him down by the sleeve.

“I have messages at the console,” Saren snaps. “And need to find a matching shirt,” he adds more gently.

Nihlus raises his hands in mock surrender. “Nothing that can’t wait, right? Besides, all your shirts are grey.” Saren pointedly lays his wrist on his thigh to illustrate the difference, and Nihlus sighs. “It’s an expression. All cats are… Oh, never mind. I just want to talk for a bit longer.”

Saren scowls and the little voice inside his head, who can really be a fucking coward sometimes, mutters: this is how the hotshot Spectre’s life ends, with his mouth full of pudding. Nihlus swallows the food, stuffs the voice down the same pipe, and meets Saren’s eyes. The look is venomous, but it bears no fangs.

“Have you heard about Avitus?”

“Avitus Rix?”

Nihlus nods.

“No. What about him?”

“He’s planning to retire. Gonna get out before he hits his limits, or so he says.”

Saren snorts. “He won’t.”

Listen to those undertones, Kryik, and understand precisely why you should shut up and count your blessings. Won’t even consider it for someone else, never mind himself. In fact, when you wrangled him into civvies -- Nihlus frowns, his stomach fluttering. The voice is drowned, though it’s trying to claw its way back up. “Don’t be so sure. Look at you. You’re more of a businessman these days.”

“I have found my limits.”

“You have? And what’re you going to tell me next, that your plan is to become a broker? A venture capitalist, even?” He chuckles. “Or that you really like Noveria’s weather, and that the alpine regions aren’t so bad during the summer. That you want to settle down here, adopt a couple of baby krogan. Don’t lie to me.”

“That’s a vast misinterpretation.”

“Enlighten me, then. What’s the retirement plan?”

Saren looks at him like he’s a modern sculpture, the one in that Thessian gallery that’s just a solid block of granite. Very dense granite. “The Council and related authorities decide when--”

“The Council,” Nihlus interrupts, “spent three days on an agricultural tax bill for some asari colony, added hundreds of amendments, and just left it on the table for next month. Pardon me when I say that they shouldn’t be the arbiters of our lives.”

“I see you’ve acquired an interest in Citadel governance. Recent?”

“Reluctant. Has its own charms, but best appreciated when I’m no longer slogging through Omega on their behalf, I’m sure.”

“Politics won’t suit you. Perhaps you should revisit the works of those elcor poets you praised not long ago. Your voice brings them to life.”

“Are you saying that I should do poetry readings at local dives for a living? Do they even have those on Noveria? I didn’t think so. It’s all so… modern. Clean and corporate. It stinks here, Saren.” Saren hums his assent. “If you’re trying to correct things, if you think they’re better than the slavers in the Traverse -- well, that may be, but the roots of all evil are the same, aren’t they? It seems futile. And besides, every adoption agency’s going to take one look at your face and hide their babies, krogan or no.”

“I’m only here for business,” Saren repeats irritably. “If you want to announce your own retirement, stop avoiding the topic.”

“Like how you’re avoiding yours?”

Saren glares at him then, and he’s pretty sure the delicate display case behind his skull now sports a couple of cracks. The little voice trapped in his gizzard lets out a squeak, which he quashes by helping himself to a generous serving of the bevelled cake. It’s cold now, but meaty enough. As he drops it into his mouth, he glares right back into those cybernetic eyes. Nihlus won’t be the first to look away. “Yeah, I mean it. Call me cocky, but don’t call me wrong. I worry, you know.”

Saren flexes the fingers of his prosthetic, and clenches them into a fist. Shards of ice are beating relentlessly against the windowpanes. “We can put those worries to rest.”

“Gladly, after you finish,” Nihlus makes a sweeping gesture over the remaining food. “Not sparring when you’re hungry.”

Saren impales some cake with vehemence. “Your remarks on the Council can be interpreted as treasonous.” Nihlus opens his mouth to speak, but Saren holds up his hand, the ugly mechanical hand he’d earned in their service. “It’s important to maintain our reputation of loyalty, especially in these times. We must keep other powers in check.”

Nihlus works his jaw. Need to divert that combustible train of thought to safer tracks. “I get it, Noveria is a bad fit. You could settle in the Traverse instead; that’s a better idea. I’m sure they’d be grateful if you just shot down some pirates from time to time, retired or not. And then you can tinker with the Virial all day long, no distractions, no dockworkers. Plenty of unclaimed planets out there. How’s that for personal space?”

“Nihlus,” Saren whispers, and Nihlus suddenly gets the impression that he is speaking from a great distance, from the future, perhaps, where Nihlus’s earnest pleas can find no echo. From the distant past, back when Nihlus had believed himself beneath the notice of that famous Spectre, the youngest turian ever inducted, and now the longest to hold that post. Those ageless eyes are still mesmerising, though they no longer reflect his face.

But then, then -- he realises that he’s tired. He slinks out from that gaze and gently shakes his head.

“I’ve heard it all before,” he says. You believe you were forged, not born. Saren blinks, and Nihlus smiles. Feels like he spent hours getting Saren into that shirt last night. Under the sterile lights of the dining room, its narrow stripes clash horribly with his differently-striped pants. “I know, it’s okay. But it only means you’ll have time to find the perfect LZ with your Spectre privileges. I’m counting on you, because I’m not making hundreds of decision charts to find a place to call home. Tropical climates only, please. And preferably not like Invictus.”

The shared memory is enough to lift Saren’s mandibles by a precious few degrees. “And if the search is fruitless?”

Nihlus looks outside. What were once icy flakes had turned into dice-sized hailstones, and the window’s noise-cancellation function had automatically engaged itself. So much for the Noverian summer. The gravy around the meat, too, had cooled to an unappetising jelly. He shoves it around with his fork, making a little pile atop the last remaining slice.

“This isn’t half bad,” he replies.

#Mass Effect #fanfiction #Nihlus Kryik #Saren Arterius

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lunawings · 4 years

Text

My history with King of Prism and worries for the future

Poor Nikkanen. They made us wait TWO YEARS for the release of the full version of his ONLY song. I don’t think Prism Rush was supposed to end when it did, and the unreleased songs are more or less proof of that. (I mean what were they saving them for? I doubt the “Best Of” collection was what they originally had in mind.) I had always assumed that some time after SSS ended we’d start getting new songs on Prism Rush again and get another Prism Rush compilation CD. But that did not happen.

Did SSS not do well? I mean... having been in a sold-out theater many a time I had assumed that it did quite well. But maybe the TV ratings and/or DVD sales weren’t what they should have been. (Then again, if we’re just talking about Prism Rush, it wouldn’t matter how well SSS did or didn’t do if people didn’t spend enough money on the app to warrant releasing new songs for it.)

But that aside... it is a bit concerning to not only have Prism Rush ending, but over a year after SSS, to have nothing on the horizon in the future except for some “Best Of” discs... Maybe they’ll announce something at the Zoom show? Maybe they won’t.

It may be too early to start mourning the King of Prism series as a whole, but...

But I can’t help but feel myself starting to mourn at least my own future with it. With no new Prism Rush content and without ability to go to in-person cheering shows, I... I just I... I feel like I may find it hard to keep as passionate as I have been in the past. And to make matters worse, I’m not going to be able to work on my translations as much as before either. When I was translating 2-3 events a month on my Prism Rush translation blog, I had no job and then like... half a job. To make a long story short recently that first job not only got upgraded to full time, but I got another job as well. So now I have a job and a half and... a lot less free time.

For a long time my main fandom has been split something like 49%/51% Love Live/King of Prism, but with the constant stream of accessible new Love Live content and lack of much of anything King of Prism I think that percentage will soon change...

And so, while feeling emotional about all this, I started mentally revisiting my favorite moments from my time in the King of Prism fandom. (It’s all stuff I’ve talked about before, but if you’d like me to dig up the post or explain the details, do let me know...)

(In somewhat chronological order-ish)

*Stepping out of Toho Cinemas and into the Bay City Nagoya Mall in early January 2016 not knowing how to process what had just happened. I’d heard people talk about how exiting to the parking lot after seeing Star Wars the first time in the 1970s was a bizarre experience. They didn’t know how to tell people the world was different now. I thought to myself that this was probably the same feeling. How could I tell people the world was sparkling now?

*Three weeks and three showings later, realizing I did not want to trade after I opened up my Shin filmstrip bonus. “I think I like him.”

*Hanging up said filmstrip and my other original theater bonuses on the wall of my apartment. “King of Prism won’t be in theaters much longer”, I thought to myself. “It was fun while it lasted.”

*The radiance exploding from me as I talked to OTHER PEOPLE who had seen King of Prism for the fIRsT tIME (a thing that did not happen for several months).

*Tokyo cheering shows back in the heyday. Looking around a giant, screaming, sold-out theater in Ikebukuro after many months had passed and realizing I was a part of something much bigger than I had realized.

*The first Animate Cafe in Kyoto. Everyone gleefully answering “Naaaani” while listening to the explanation of how the cafe worked. The miracle of getting my first, and still favorite, cafe Shin badge.

*Screaming at the Over the Rainbow event live viewing when they announced Pride the Hero. We did it. We really did it. We were actually getting the sequel I once thought was impossible.

*The midnight showing of Pride the Hero. People crying before it even started and the thunderous applause after it finished that I thought would never end. (People in Japan usually never clap after movies.)

*Music Ready Sparking. (The first concert.) The feeling of seeing SePTENTRION (long before they were called that) rising up to the stage to perform live for the first time.

*The realization that I knew all the words to Dramatic Love, despite having never sang it before. (The instrumental began during the credits at the concert and we all... just... started singing. Japanese fandoms usually never sing at concerts unless directed to.) This is probably still my favorite moment of all time in the King of Prism fandom.

*The announcement of the Prism Rush app and the golden age of the game. Biting my nails with anticipation over what would happen next in the White Day event.

*Screaming in the theater during the Rose Party 2018 event live viewing when they announced SSS. We did it. We REALLY did it this time. We got an actual anime. We reached the mainstream.

*The adventure that was reading Road to SSS for the first time on Prism Rush and trying to predict what all the duos would be only to be blindsided by completely new characters. Going from “the heck are these guys” to “MY SONS” regarding the Amamoto twins over the course of about an hour.

*Listening to everyone (not so) silently laughing, screaming, crying, and otherwise sUfFeRiNg during the non-cheering midnight premiere of SSS Part 1 and realizing I had never felt so emotionally connected to any such other large group of complete strangers before.

*Going from the Nagoya premiere straight to the SSS greeting show in Tokyo where Junta Terashima looked at me... maybe. (I’d like to think he did.)

*When the OP played for the first time during our very first SSS livestream on Rabbit and seeing y’all just typing “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” into the chat.

*In Tokyo, walking out of KFC in the POURING rain and stumbling upon SePTENTRION’s shopping street despite having completely missed it the first time. IT WAS REAL.

*Glancing over at my TV screen during our very last SSS livestream on Rabbit and having the color drain from my face when I saw Shin in his Daisuki Refrain outfit (which was not shown in theaters) for the very first time two minutes before you guys in the chat would see it, and having no idea how to contain this emotion.

*Clicking to another tab after our last SSS livestream to type my commentary post and then clicking back to see you guys collectively making the Wiki page for SePTENTRION on Rabbit.

*Prism dolphin show.

*The CLOUD of real (fake) money flying through the air during Kakeru’s prism show on the during all-night Prism Shower showing of SSS. (Also people offering to pay for young Alexander to go to the Prism King Cup.)

*The miracle moment when I finally got the livestream for the Rose Party 2019 on Stage to work on Kast despite a typhoon and an earthquake. THE PRISM SPARKLE PREVAILED. Dangerously walking back to my hostel in said typhoon and sleeping for about an hour and not even caring because I was convinced more than ever that the prism sparkle is real.

*Seeing Shota Aoi live for the first time, realizing I was looking at a literal angel, and not knowing how to contain this emotion.

*The chills during an orchestral Dramatic Love.

*A very overdue performance by my favorite boy during the Best Ten movie. It was worth the wait. Feeling I may actually be able to leave Japan with no regrets thanks to Daisuki Refrain.

*The Best Ten greeting show in Nagoya where Masashi Igarashi jumped an original Nagoya-themed prism jump.

*Finally telling Junta Terashima and Masashi Igarashi my feelings in the letters I spent days writing to put in their present boxes at the SSS live.

*Dropping all my luggage when I stumbled upon the very place, the very scaffolding under which Minato met Kouji for the first time in Shizuoka. IT WAS REAL.

*Masashi Igarashi waved to me at the end of the 2nd performance of the SSS live... maybe. (I’d like to think he did.)

*Hearing the “Naaaani” response to anything ringing through the Makuhari Messe hall before the SSS live and just thinking about how far we’ve come as a fandom and yet how much has stayed the same.

Like I mentioned earlier, I had a moment in early 2016 when I hung up all the King of Prism stuff I had on my wall and thought “It was fun while it lasted.”

It looked like this:

Nowadays I have two FULL photo albums filled with concert tickets, theater bonuses, post cards, coasters, stickers... (Not to mention an entire drawer filled with my collection of Shin merch.)

Everything inside is a memory of some event I went to, something I ate at a cafe, some kind of experience I had such as the ones I talked about in this post... It’s always been pretty disorganized because I was constantly getting new things all the time.

But now that I have no idea when (...or if) it will be added to, I can finally take it all out and organize it by character or something.

But I’ve been avoiding it.

Because I know when I do, there will probably be a moment where I close the cover and think to myself “It was fun while it lasted.”

#king of prism #kinpri

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justlookatthosesausages · 4 years

Text

“In the eye of the storm” ◊◊◊◊ a post-Frozen 2 fanfic ◊◊◊◊ CHAPTER 9: Love and thunder

"Sorry for the mess." Said the man.

He approached.

"Uhm... My apologies, but I can't see much of your faces behind that blur barrier... Would you please put it down?"

Anna frowned from the other side of the ice shield that her sister had briskly raised to protect her family and Kai from his potential threat.

"This barrier is protecting us, stranger. Who are you and how did you suddenly fall from the sky?" Asked the Queen.

Elsa, her left arm stretched forward to strengthen her shield if needed and her right arm placing the others behind in a protecting gesture, squinted at him. She turned to her younger, whispering.

"He's magical. I can feel it. Mjöllnir may be a magical source, but this man also has magic in him."

Anna nodded at this information, but still stared at the stranger. He hadn't stopped walking forward.

"Stay where you are!" Groaned Anna.

He lifted his bushy blond eyebrows. "I thought you wanted me to introduce myself."

"I don't take any chances." Stated Anna with a regal tone that filled Elsa's heart with pride, but the elder kept focusing on the barrier. "You certainly alarmed everyone in the castle with your abrupt arrival. My guards will be there any moment now."

The man smiled, analyzing her words. "Your guards? Oh, so you're the Queen."

To everyone's surprise, he shook his cape back and bowed slightly, showing his respect. "Your Majesty. Sorry for the intrusion, again."

It was odd to hear coming from the one person in the room who competed with Elsa in terms of radiant aura. Also, the man was fit enough to crush their skulls with his bare hands, and the blonde couldn't help but admire the armor he was wearing, seemingly tailor-made. Elsa stared at it mindfully. She has got an eye for recognizing fabrics and materials since she helped the Northuldra create their own clothes from natural sources, and whatever grey alloy he was wearing, it was not from this world. Was it from divine range?

That's this curiosity which made her flick her hand and slowly melt the ice shield, to get a closer look, also allowing the man to see them completely and show that she trusted him.

Several gasps resounded from her side.

"Elsa, what the heck are you doing?!" Muttered Anna rapidly, her panicked eyes darting to her.

"He won't harm us."

"Excuse me to doubt about that, but he has a magic hammer and the attitude of a warrior." Whispered Kristoff fast as well, bending to his sister-in-law as well.

"Uhm... I can hear you. I am standing right here." Coughed politely the intruder, and he had a soft smile as he stood where he was, which indeed happened to be a few meters in front of them.

The hall wasn't that big, and anything they would say would be heard by him. In that setting, they remained quiet, mouths closed. Anna had her jaw clenched as she held a timid Eydis close to her leg, Kristoff was gulping with an unsafe expression, yet unlike them, Elsa was displaying a large smile.

She walked to the man, and Anna widened her eyes at her sister's move.

"I know you don't have aggressive intentions. I can tell. I can sense it." Smiled Elsa, with an undeniable fascination in her voice.

She was mesmerized by the energy the stranger exhaled, mainly because she had never met another magical being with a human appearance.

The man winked, sharing her smile.

"And you must be the magic sister."

Elsa's eyes widened.

"Veðr and Lo̧gr talked about you. You're exactly as they described!" He jolted.

The Snow Queen's expression changed completely. Her eyes started to prick, even though she was trying to keep a virtuous presence and attitude. Her mouth opened, her bottom lip slightly trembling.

"What did he just say?" Murmured Kristoff to his wife, seeing how it affected Elsa.

"Wind and Water..." Translated Anna from old Norse. "He... He's talking about the Spirits."

"Gale and Nokk?" Said Elsa in a disbelief voice, her breathing speeding up.

She gasped of relief. They were alright. And... They talked to him?

"You're familiar with them?" She asked with a tearful smile, like she had just met someone who would give good news about friends she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Of course I am. We spent the last days... Say... Together. Not in the way I'd have like it to be, but yeah, we definitely know each other." Chuckled the stranger.

Anna saw in his words a strategy to have Elsa by his side. And she wouldn't allow that. If her elder, who also was a powerful asset, started to be in the enemy's camp, then they were doomed.

"Stop talking to her." Hissed the Queen. "Tell us who you are and what is your business here."

He was a bit annoyed by this repetition, but accepted. "I am Thor. Son of Odin. God of thunder."

Kai stared at him like he was a dead man. Fooling around like this? He wouldn't have long to live if he kidded Anna like this. His eyes flicked to his monarch, and saw that indeed, Anna had twitched. This stranger had given a fright to her daughter with his arrival, but was also declaring himself as a threat to Arendelle. She gritted her teeth.

"I have no time playing games. Who. Are. You."

He chuckled at her insistence. And it drove the redhead even more angry.

"STATE YOUR IDENTITY!" Yelled the Queen.

As if on cue, a group of soldiers arrived in the room, on Kai's side. They all quickly caught up with the situation and placed themselves between the intruder and the rest of them with their shields up and swords turned to the man, in a way similar to the soldiers in the Forest 11 years ago, which Elsa noted and wasn't a fan of. She would have told Anna if the latter wasn't busy sending all her rage through her teal blue eyes.

The stranger wondered if he made them all deaf with his impact. He stated once again:

"Folks, I am Thor."

Anna clenched her fists. "Okay, I don't have this kind of patience. Sir, you're trespassing. GUARDS!"

A rattle of armed soldiers spread further in the hall, and circled the stranger.

"No, wait, Anna..." Murmured Elsa, but her younger didn't care.

"Soldiers..." She started to announce, her voice firm.

The blonde realized she had to act very fast. "Stop! Lower your weapons!"

The soldiers obeyed instantly. Elsa may had moved away since 11 years, she still had royal blood, and they put their swords down at her insisting order.

"They will be of no use anyway." Informed the man. "You hardly can stop me."

Elsa frowned, stepping forward between two guards. "I'm willing to take the challenge."

He saw the spark in her eyes, and scoffed. "Don't raise your anger. Trust me, I'm not someone you want to mess with."

Elsa's stare was still determined. "And trust me, I'm not someone you want to mess with either."

Anna grinned, a bit evilly. "Yep, she is. So you better tell us right now who you truly are and what your intentions are, and maybe I'll not put you into jail for that dangerous intrusion."

He sighed discreetly. "When I said that you hardly can stop me, I meant because I am a god and these soldiers are mere humans. It would be better not to try."

"Stop it, stranger." Grunted Kristoff, his usual soft voice switching to the one of a King who now was annoyed. "Tell us the truth. Where the hell do you come from?"

"Not hell, actually. Ásgard." Specified the man.

A silence followed, so he pointed at the ceiling. "A land from above, in... Another dimension, if we can call it that way. It's, uhm... So, see, there's the world of gods and the world of humans... Dang, it will take a long time explaining this. Heimdallr must be dead laughing as we speak."

Anna was utterly done with his nonsense. She pushed a soldier aside and bent to Eydis' toolkit, grabbing her spirit level. It was long, made of metal and heavy enough to be used as a weapon. Would it have an effect on the beefy man or not, she didn't care. She really wanted to hit him, that was for sure.

Her fingers clenched the metal bar. "I'm going to ask you one more time."

"I'm not a menace." He assured, raising his hands, eyeing the way she was ready to get aggressive.

"You just exploded the roof of my castle!" Yelled Anna.

His flicked one of his hands to point. "No, actually, your daughter did. I just descended through it."

Anna's eyes were on fire now. She dashed forward. The Arendelle soldiers and Kristoff ran to stop her, but she was already lifting the spirit level to slap him.

"Wow, wow! Okay! You want a proof? I'll give you one!" He said, widening his eyes, and Elsa wondered in that split second if he actually was scared of Anna.

He gripped the shaft of his hammer before the redhead reached him, and threw it in the sky. An immense lightning bolt jolted between the clouds, shedding a flash on all of them, and a vociferous thunder echoed right after, making the whole place tremble. Kristoff held Eydis close, thinking she would be terrified, but in fact, she was admiring the power of the man.

A silence followed the crack in the sky, and a slight sound of metal resonating came to their ears. Whistling in the air, Mjöllnir went down, seemingly attracted by the man's stretched hand. It perfectly landed in his palm, and he twirled it before putting it back in the leather loop at his waist.

"Odin's name." Muttered Anna after a long stillness.

"That you can say." Winked the stranger.

It was however no stranger. For everyone in the room had been told legends about the person standing in front of them. He was no human. He was a god. The god of thunder was standing in Arendelle's hall.

"Thor." Murmured Elsa, a smile stretching her lips.

=======

"This got to be the weirdest thing that has ever happened to Arendelle in its entire history." Muttered Anna.

She had placed the spirit level back inside the toolkit, asked the guards to lower their weapons, and was now passing a nervous hand in her long red hair, tucking it behind her ear.

Kristoff could see the nervousness of his wife, and smiled with humor.

"Really? Because I quite remember Elsa once turning the whole kingdom to Winter during the month of July."

Thor smiled. "Oh, you have named the frost giants? That's funny. We often to the same with Sif."

"What?"

"'Elsa'. It's an odd name for a being with such a power, though." Judged the god.

"No... That's Elsa." Said Anna, pointing at her elder.

The blonde smiled and waved from where she was standing.

"Ohhh. Yeah, right. The Fifth Spirit. Snow Queen. The others mentioned everything but your name, actually."

Elsa grinned, a bit flustered. Hearing her appellations from the god's mouth felt like she belonged to eternal tales and legends. And indeed, the Spirits actually never called her by her name. They reached to her with a specific emotion.

"And how did you even arrive from the sky?" Questioned Kristoff.

The god turned to him.

"I traveled to your world on a chariot pulled by two goats."

A silence followed. He then suddenly burst of laughter.

"Just kidding! I came down using Mjöllnir. I mean, come on, this is the 19th century. One flick of the hammer and it's done."

A new silence followed, and everyone in the room was stunned by the situation.

"I missed this dear one." He smiled, tapping the hammer at his waist. As he did, tiny sparkles of thunder passed between his fingers and the metal.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on it all that time, tiny worthy fella." He added, winking at Eydis.

The princess was still timid at the encounter, and had a small smile.

Anna eyed the man with anger. "Don't talk to her like that. Don't even speak to her directly."

"Anna, it's alright." Whispered Elsa.

"But I am grateful, honestly." Promised the god, looking back at the girl. "It's the lightning bolt you sent that allowed me to get free from the Spirits' barrier. So thanks, lad."

"The Spirits' barrier?" Frowned Elsa.

"Kind of like the one you did." He said, and pointed at the spot where the blonde's ice shield had been erected earlier. "Only, this one was made by two magical beings, and it stood for days."

He insisted on that last word, like he was exhausted from being stopped by it. Or rather...

"Did you fight it?" Understood Elsa, her eyes widened. "Did you try to pass through the Spirits?"

The stranger snorted, like it was obvious, his hands on his hips, the armor on his forearms gleaming. "Naturally. No fight is big enough to retrieve my hammer."

Everything fitted together in Elsa's mind, so perfectly that she could almost hear a strong 'CLICK' in her head.

"The storm. That's why. That's why!"

They all turned to him, confused. She was beaming like someone who solved an old riddle.

"During all those days, the Water and Wind Spirits haven't stopped trying to push you back, is that right?"

"Yes." Simply answered the man.

"And they put all their magical energy in it, undiminished, reckless?" She asked then, remembering all the emotions she had felt from her fellow Spirits when she meditated and tried to call or mentally reach to them.

"Oh, they really were." Scoffed the stranger, for he had both hated their dedication and admired it.

Elsa turned to her family with a victorious smile, but they were still lost.

"The storm didn't happen because Nokk and Gale were furious at each other... But because they were furious at him!"

She pointed at the man, and it was a bit rude, though no offense was taken. Elsa continued on her explanation under their confused blinks, using exaggerated moves of her hands.

"I could feel they were doing all they could... But it was against a common enemy. They acted like a... A horizontal barrier that would reinforce the limit between the world of gods and the world of humans!"

She now had a giant smile. "Guys... They were protecting us all along! The heavy clouds of the storm... They were here to prevent him to get through."

Her breathing calmed down a bit as she lowered her eyes with a captivated smile. "Since the beginning... Nokk and Gale were saving the human world from him."

There was a blank, and Anna approached her.

"Wait, Elsa... This is too much information. I think you're going too far."

The Snow Queen seized her hands, and the redhead yelped of surprise. "No, I'm right! Everything suddenly makes sense!"

"...To you..." Underlined Anna, telling her that she was the only one to understand herself in that moment.

Elsa's hold in her hands went softer, warmer, and she kept her grip. "Listen."

Her voice was calmer too, and the younger could see in her azure blue eyes that she was serious, and not theorizing in a crazy way. It was like she had the answer all that time in her subconscious, and only grasped it then.

"Thor was enraging from the loss of his hammer, and so he was threatening to arrive in our world and run riot. His plan was to fight the Earth Spirit to retrieve it! And as we always – I mean, we Spirits – got the other's backs, Nokk and Gale united to block his way."

The redhead gasped.

"And then when Eydis lifted Mjöllnir and created a bolt, he saw that the hammer was here now." She finished, nodding.

Anna started to believe her sister, slowly but surely. Her eyes were filling with care and love, like every time Elsa explained something about magic that didn't make any sense, but she could tell by instinct that her sister was telling the truth.

"...Okay." Smiled tenderly the younger.

Elsa smiled back, touched by her trust. Something was however missing.

"But..." She murmured, turning to the god. "Why did you lose Mjöllnir? How did it get in Ruckus' possession?"

Thor lifted his eyebrows.

"Oh, you call him Ruckus? I call him Thrym. He goes by many names, though. Big-head-giant works as well."

"He's the tallest of all the Giants composing the Earth Spirit." Stated Elsa. "He's so big that he's the size of a small mountain, and the Northuldra mistook him for one during many years."

All gazes were turned to her, so she kept going.

"Because of his size, they call him 'King of the Giants'. But that's because they don't know his full personality. Which I sense." Grinned Elsa. "He seems peaceful and sleepy on first glance – once again, the Northuldra thought he was a stoic mountain – but he's in fact a real prankster. I'm not surprised that he stole Thor's hammer."

She couldn't believe she actually had said that sentence out loud, and judging by her sister's expression, she couldn't believe her elder had stated that either. Yes, they were seriously and literally talking about Thor's hammer.

"The king of the giants..." Repeated Anna. "Jötunn...?"

She scoffed at the way they now all looked at her. "What? Elsa may know each and every Giant of the Earth Spirit, I happen to read a lot of books."

She then smirked to Thor. "And I remember reading that as he's the tallest of giants, he's often hit by thunder. Knowing his character now, I'd say that he wanted to get his revenge, and that's why he stole your hammer."

The god had a big laughter. "Those bloody giants! It's always fun to have them as enemies."

The others lifted concerned eyebrows. Do gods realize that their fight games reach a scale that can be destructive and mortal to humans?

Nevertheless, Thor seemed to have become reasonable, and he had warmth in his eyes.

"You stated earlier that Water and Wind were there to stop my rage." He said to Elsa, then his eyes turned to Eydis. "Well, now that I know the kindness of this Mjöllnir holder, I'm feeling much better and I know there was no reason for me to get mad in the first place."

"All the better." Muttered Anna.

Eydis lifted her eyes to her. Elsa stared at her sister. Did Anna say that because she was happy to avoid a disaster? Or was it because she would be the origin of said disaster if Thor was planning to hurt her daughter?

"You seem nervous about my presence." Noted the god, whose great age sometimes brought wisdom.

Anna burst. "Of course I am! You are a god! You're not even... Supposed... To be here!"

She jolted nervously, her arms wagging around.

"What?" Scoffed Thor. "Gods can't walk the human realm? Your sister is standing right next to you."

Anna looked at Elsa, also intrigued, and back at Thor. "That... It's... Completely out of the topic! It's... Wait, what? Are you saying that Elsa is a goddess?"

"Why yes. Someone who can master elements certainly is a goddess."

The blonde blabbered, her cheeks flushed. "I'm not a goddess. I barely control ice and snow, it's not that amazing..."

They gave her sarcastic stares, and she blushed even more. "...What?"

Kristoff snorted at her modesty. "Yeah, not that amazing. And Anna barely controls the biggest kingdom of the country. No big deal, you two sisters, really."

They looked at each other, and had a bashful smile. Thor clapped his hands excitedly.

"May I say that I love this? Strong women. Big fan. There should be more powerful humans who are women. Or identify as such."

He smiled, beaming, then raised his fist. "Women! Yaaay!"

They were dumbfounded, and his eyes laid on the Snow Queen. He approached her, now standing close, though Elsa didn't mind. Her personal space didn't feel intruded by someone with such magic and intentions.

"Wind told me that you had recharges, lately?" Smirked Thor, representing her magic boost with a spark of thunder between his hands.

Elsa scoffed. She could easily picture Gale being a real snitch. It was in their nature, after all, and quite literally. Just like the news spread through wind, the Spirit's curiosity often betrayed Elsa in moments when she wanted to surprise Anna.

"They've been watching me all that time, uh?" Smirked the Snow Queen. "Yes, I have."

"I don't know much about human science, but... I guess that it was due to a mix of magic and magnetism from the storm, right?" Tried Thor.

Elsa had a giggle, which she politely masked as a cough. Far be it from her to disrespect the god. "Not exactly. It's Mjöllnir which gave me this energy, jolting every time I felt very happy. It allowed me to have stronger magic, to materialize my dreams... It's truly incredible."

"You're preaching to the choir." Grinned the god.

Suddenly, Elsa remembered an earlier part of the conversation.

"Wait... Told you?" She repeated. "You can talk to the Spirits?"

Thor tilted his head. "Nah, not really. It's more like..."

He searched how to explain it in words.

"...Like you can feel their emotions." Helped Elsa, smiling.

The god snapped his fingers. "Yes! Exactly. And I didn't truly need them to form a full sentence, I could get what they meant."

Elsa was positively beaming. At last, she met someone who could understand her. Not that she thought she was crazy, far from it, for she knew that it's how the Spirits communicate between them, but to know that every person with magic could to the same alleviated her in a way. Maybe it was because she now had the proof that she didn't have the exclusivity to hear them, which she felt a bit guilty of over the years when she had to do translations to Honeymaren and so many other people. It's not that the Spirits always refused to talk with non-magic persons, it's just that they lacked a sixth sense that allowed to feel their language.

The Snow Queen kept smiling, and Anna eyed them from where she was. She couldn't believe the happy relationship that was building in front of her eyes. Was her sister casually talking with the actual god of thunder?

"Papa... Who's the big mister?" Whispered Eydis, finally talking, and taking advantage of him being distracted by Elsa to tug on the pants of her father and ask.

"Uh... That's... That's Thor, sweetie." Gulped Kristoff.

"Thor? But Thor is in books!"

The god snapped his head to her, and she jumped of surprise. She wasn't scared much, but his aura was impressive. He smiled widely.

"Oh, I certainly am in books!" Exclaimed the massive man. "All over the lands, little one! The tales of my mighty quests and epic fights have transcended space and time!" He said with a roaring laughter.

"Woaaaaah." Admired Eydis, stars in her eyes.

Anna coughed. "Elsa, can I talk to you, please? Alone?"

The blonde smiled. "Sure."

They went in a corner behind the guards.

"What do you think?" Asked the Queen.

"What do you mean?"

Anna eyed the god.

"How to know that we're not hallucinating? That it's not a magic trip? A magic trick?"

"Why ask me?" Puffed Elsa.

"You're the only one around who knows about magic!"

"You can ask Kristoff. He was raised by trolls." Grinned the Snow Queen.

"Elsa! I'm serious. Please, give me your advice."

A pause.

"I need my sister's advice."

Elsa's sarcastic expression faded away. Her face got thoughtful.

"I don't feel any magic affecting us. This is not an illusion. This is Thor, Anna, I can tell. As insane as it is, we're not in a dream."

She held her hand, squeezing it to ensure that she was really there. Elsa then noticed that Anna was trembling slightly.

"Anna?" She frowned. "Are you alright?"

The Queen's breathing was hitched, and she only realized it then. Until now, she had been mesmerized by the regal attitude she had, to not appear weak to the soldiers and servants in the room, but Elsa understood that it was all a facade. Anna hadn't stopped being shocked since the explosion.

"I... I..." She blabbered, her voice weak.

The blonde quickly got closer, holding her shoulders. "Hey. It's okay. Deep breaths. Take deep breaths."

The younger did as advised, and she took long respirations, even if they were shaky.

"Shhhh..." Calmed Elsa, seeing the way Anna's eyes darted away to avoid crying.

Elsa made sure that no one was watching. Nobody could, because they were behind tall guards.

"Anna, what is it?"

"What IS IT?" Exclaimed the Queen. "The god of thunder just crashed into our home!"

"I know, Anna, I know. Tell me what is on your mind. I can see that something else is weighing on you."

The redhead sighed. She didn't fully like that Elsa was able to read in her like an open book. "He's a threat, Elsa. He's a threat and you're welcoming him with a big smile. Have you seen the way he landed?!"

"He was a bit extra, I have to admit." Winced Elsa. "But hey, I suppose that it rules among magic people."

"Don't try humor on me."

"And you, don't panic."

Anna pushed her. "I have every right to panic! He almost killed my daughter!"

Elsa got stupefied by her sentence, and calmed her down after making sure no one heard her. "He would never do that. Trust me, he surely checked before he arrived. He means no harm towards Eydis, believe me. Quite the opposite, he keeps congratulating her. He's impressed that she's worthy of lifting Mjöllnir."

A blank passed. Elsa had a soft smile, searching for her younger's eyes to have contact.

"Aren't you proud that she's worthy of lifting the hammer of legends we used to read when we were kids?"

She saw a sparkle in the redhead's eyes. "I am." She muttered with a watery chuckle. "I deeply am. But..."

"But?" Repeated Elsa.

Anna dove her teal blue eyes into hers. "I'm sorry, but you simply can't understand. I was terrified. Eydis could have been crushed, or burned, or electrocuted, and—"

"Of course I understand." Assured Elsa with a sad smile. "I almost lost you in a fire once."

Anna's face stiffened, then her expression softened. "Right."

Her panic calmed down a bit, but she was still stressed, and Elsa could hear how her breathing hadn't stopped being heavy. By the way Anna then opened her mouth, the elder knew that her sister was about to insist and sink into nervousness again.

"But Elsa, when I was in the fire, you were able to save me with your magic! Because of ice versus fire! But would you be able to protect someone from a lightning bolt?! And yet, you were there! What if you're not there? You won't always be there! I couldn't- I couldn't even save Eydis because I don't have magic. And this is bad! Because I'm her mother! And I'm supposed to protect her! What if it happens again and this time it's worse and she's targeted and—"

The redhead instantly interrupted her rambling when two fast and firm hands went to hold her cheeks.

"Shhhh. Anna, calm down. Breathe."

Anna gasped in uneven pants. She was so panicked that tears didn't even come, and her freckled face had gone pale because she had forgotten to inhale for a moment. Elsa's calm and deep eyes stared at her, and she exaggeratedly inhaled and exhaled, so the redhead would imitate her and relax.

The elder inspected her sister's state. She was quivering, the ghost of her fright when Eydis almost got hurt written on her face.

She obviously saw the way Anna had been inspecting her daughter's state earlier. In that moment, Elsa had been struck by the similar image of her mother bending over the body of a young Anna after she accidentally hurt her with her powers.

Elsa's heart was broken by Anna's panic attack, but she forced herself to not show any sadness on her features. She smiled to her little sister, in a soft and warm way, then when Anna blinked and finally had an even breathing, she caressed her cheeks.

The Queen melted in her care, and placed her hands on hers.

"Anna, you're the best mother there is. Eydis is forever safe with you. Never doubt of that."

"But—"

"She's alright. She doesn't have a scratch. Look at her."

Anna's eyes went to her husband and daughter, above Elsa's shoulder and behind the soldiers. They were smiling and talking with Thor, and the redhead let out a shaking sigh.

"And you and Kristoff always be there to keep an eye on her." Continued Elsa, bringing her attention back to her.

Anna gulped. After a moment, she chuckled, and she detached Elsa's hands from her face to hold them firmly. "What did I do to deserve you?"

The blonde grinned. "Trust me, I've asked myself this question way more times than you."

"Prove it." Teased Anna.

They laughed and nudged each other.

"You know, you amaze me." Complimented Elsa.

"Why?"

"I can't believe you opposed him. Anna... You rebelled against a god. You rebelled against the god of thunder."

Anna smirked. "Are you sure you're not actually scared by it?"

"Honestly? Both."

They giggled again.

"Quite feisty, your wife." Commented Thor, observing the Queen from where he was.

Kristoff rubbed the back of his head. "That's the term I use, indeed."

He couldn't tell if he was astonished or aroused by Anna's early behavior towards the god. And he still was speechless at the fact he was standing in front of him.

Thor saw his awkwardness and tapped his shoulder with enough force to uproot a tree. Thankfully, the King was muscular and took the shock with a simple wincing huff.

"She has a strong character! She must be a good warrior, uh?"

Kristoff blinked. "Uhm... She surely is."

He saw Anna being tough multiple times, but Arendelle had the fortune to never been at war in his lifetime, so he couldn't fully tell.

"So you followed the light in volt to get to me?" Suddenly asked Eydis, beaming with her admirative grin.

"Lightning bolt." Corrected Kristoff, looking down at her daughter standing against his waist.

"I did!" Smiled Thor. "It led me directly to you, worthy one."

He booped her on the nose, and she giggled, but Kristoff frowned and slightly pulled his daughter away.

"Hey, don't touch her."

Thor stepped back, understanding that he crossed boundaries by how Kristoff said that through gritted teeth.

"My apologies." He coughed lightly. "You still have troubles putting trust in me, right?"

Kristoff winced. "Well, excuse me, but it's not every day that we meet gods. We don't really know how to act. Though I guess you're not evil. Elsa could have told. Therefore, I'm willing to take the risk. My wife often calls that a leap of faith. It's— What are you doing?"

He was rummaging through Eydis' tools, and the girl chuckled as he did.

"Searching for a saw. I could use it as a proof that I don't bleed as easily as you."

Kristoff blinked. "A saw?!"

"Hmm. There's none. Why doesn't your daughter have a saw?"

"Why would we give her a saw?"

Eydis giggled at her father's tone. His panic led him to high intonations.

"What's wrong with it?" Frowned Thor. "My father used to offer my brother and I all sorts of swords and daggers when I was her age. A little stabbing never killed anyone."

"A little stabbing never killed— Are you insane?" Blinked the King.

He pulled Eydis closer to him and covered her ears.

"Okay, different traditions, I get it."

As the sisters joined the others to the center of the room, Anna looked at her elder with a smile.

"What makes you this happy?"

"Pardon?"

"You're beaming. I know that it's because you're a nerd and we're in the presence of a god, and also because you're a magic nerd and that you're in the presence of a new magical being... But it's not all, am I right?"

Elsa smiled with a slight blush. Thus, they could both read in each other like an open book.

"I can feel them."

Anna started to frown, then smiled. "Gale and Nokk."

"Yes." Stated Elsa, and in that simple word, the emotion she had held until now went in a wave.

"How does it feel?"

Elsa sighed happily.

"Wonderful. I just... Feel so relieved and cheerful at the same time, I can't explain it."

"I easily imagine. They're not only friends, they're your counterparts, and, like, your colleagues, so it's amazing to know they're safe and at your side again."

The Snow Queen smiled. "Exactly. You're better at words than me."

Anna giggled. "You're the visual artist. I'm the novel addict. It's equality."

Her elder looked outside. "When Thor landed, I immediately got seized by the astonishing sensation that Nokk's and Gale's souls were returning to me. I could suddenly feel their energies again, their presences. It was like my ears popped."

"Do they act like an extension of your five senses?" Interpreted the Queen. "Sort of, yes. Now I sense them outside, and I can't wait to join them. But first things first. We need to make sure that, well..."

"That Thor the god of thunder won't unleash his power against us for keeping Mjöllnir in the castle?"

Elsa sighed. "I swear, there was no way that even on game night, we would be able to say such a sentence."

The redhead poked her playfully. When they arrived to the others' level, Anna cleared her throat, and forced herself to smile to the man. "I hope you don't mind that Eydis kind of... Stole your hammer."

Thor laughed powerfully again, and they all startled a bit at how loud it was. "Absolutely not. You know, I have boys of my own, and I plan to bequeath them Mjöllnir. If they're worthy, of course." He added with a wink to Eydis who blushed.

Anna realized that it was the moment or never to ask interesting questions that burned her tongue.

"If she's worthy, am I worthy too? I didn't get the occasion to lift it."

Thor chuckled but kept it polite.

"It doesn't work like that. Worth is not a hereditary thing."

Elsa remembered that the hammer slightly tilted up when she gave it a try, but she withdrew in her usual modesty and didn't say anything. However, it was like Thor could read her face, and he smiled.

"You two maybe have made mistakes in the past that qualify as unworthy. I can't tell how it works, it's honestly different for everyone. Even myself lost the worth to wield it after I took a bad decision."

"And then you could lift it again?" Asked Eydis with a cute child voice.

As an answer, the god took Mjöllnir off its emplacement at his waist, and made it spin in the air. It made the whistling metal sound again. "As you can see."

The sisters looked at each other, feeling guilty of every action they had done in the past which made them unworthy.

"Don't be so sad." Advised Kristoff. "Eydis did it, and it's amazing. We're all proud of you, baby."

The princess smiled with pride.

"Well, I think it's my cue!" Declared Thor, slamming his palm against the metal of the hammer. "It was a pleasure meeting you all."

He placed himself under the whole in the roof, then gently made a push gesture. "If you could just take a step back."

They did as advised, and watched.

Thor twirled the hammer in his hand, winked to Eydis, then made a large circle with his right arm, throwing it behind him and up with faster and faster moves, like he was about to throw Mjöllnir like he did earlier. Only, this time, his grip was firm on the magic hammer. The object started to whistle in the air with its metal sound, and a draft of air formed around him. Instinctively, the guards lifted their shields and protected the royal family, and Thor stared at the sky through the whole in the roof. He squinted in a focused expression, then suddenly stopped the circle of his arm and launched it upwards, still holding the hammer. He swiftly flew up the air as fast as he had come down, and all gasped at his dramatic exit.

Thor reached the clouds, and Anna and Elsa ran under the whole to see him go. He now was a tiny point in the sky, soon covered with a beam that looked like a rainbow tunnel, then he disappeared.

A murmur grew in the room as everyone processed the incredible event that had just occurred. Elsa lowered her eyes, looking at her younger who had the same jaw drop. Bright sun light passed on Anna's face, and that's when Elsa realized what changes Thor's departure had brought.

The storm had completely stopped. It now was replaced by pure, beautiful and warm rays, the sky above them in a deep blue. One could even hear the birds starting to chirp again outside, like everything was normal and a god hadn't just stepped in the castle.

The two sisters let out a sigh mixed with a gasp, then chuckled, and laughed openly together at that experience. They held to each other, and Kristoff smiled at them, holding Eydis against him as she smiled too and circled his waist with her arms.

Gerda entered the room and gasped at the sight of it. Her eyes darted from the state of the hall's destroyed ceiling to the state of every person standing there.

"What on Earth happened?"

Kai turned to her, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Even if we told you, you'd never believe us."

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housemartius · 5 years

Text

i’ve had an hc that dakota is native american for a long time now, and after reading this awesome post i was inspired and like “what if he and piper were cousins??” so let me share some things i’ve imagined about them so far (warning: this is one long ass post):

- they were both born and raised in tahlequah, oklahoma (not in a reservation tho bc there’s no cherokee reservation in oklahoma, rick’s an idiot who doesn’t research anything)

- dakota is two years older than piper and that made him a bit overprotective of her while growing up. even when they were kids, piper got a lot of attention from mostly other boys (which would later make her feel super self conscious of her own looks) and dakota would pick up on her discomfort and shoo away all of them in an instant

- like seriously, he’s a pretty observant kid and piper would always flinch when a boy got too close for comfort. so dakota was always more than ready to help her out

- imagine how overjoyed grandpa tom was when he found out he was going to be a grandpa, twice, in such a short span of time. dakota had barely just turned 1 year old when tristan announces the woman he’s dating is pregnant tom cried so much, bless him

- now grandpa is no fool though. he knew something was up with the ppl his children were dating, he knew they weren’t ordinary folks. and he suspected his future grandchildren wouldn’t be exactly ordinary either. and how right he was

- just a few months after he was born in september 1992, baby dakota was taken on a little trip with his mom and grandfather around tulsa and they came across a huge vineyard

- it’s january and it’s hecking cold (like 50ºF/10ºC) and the vines, as you’d expect, are basically dead. that’s when something remarkable happens: the plants start to reach out towards dakota and the closer he is to them, the livelier they get

- grandpa is shocked to say the least but he plays it cool. he just turns towards his daughter and calmly asks “care to explain please” to which she then proceeds to spill the beans about how she met the roman god of wine whose son is currently being held by grandpa tom

- tom is really surprised that his daughter dated an actual immortal deity from ancient times, or that they even exist at all (he thought greek myths, and therefore roman by extension, were a bunch of bull). yet at the same time he’d been suspecting the dude wasn’t completely human for a while now...

- in the end he happily accepts both his daughter’s love for bacchus (if that’s even who he really is) and the son they had, and never loves dakota any less even now that he knows he’s a demigod

- except they don’t tell tristan bc 1. bacchus told dakota’s mom to keep it a secret (whoops), 2. tristan’s a skeptic who doesn’t believe in any kind of myths so what’s the point and 3. tristan’s sweetheart is pretty high guard about her own identity and grandpa’s noticed this and he thinks she’s hiding the truth from his son for a good reason (again, he is such a skeptical man, he’d probably think they were all insane)

- april 1994. piper is born and an almost 2 y/o dakota is finally introduced to the cousin he’d been hearing so much about

- both love their grandfather and listening to stories about their culture. and grandpa loves that his grand-kids are so keen on learning

- they live a pretty happy childhood overall. apart from dakota’s innate abilities to making vines grow whenever he walks by (though he remains oblivious to this bc his mom goes to great efforts to ensure he doesn’t find out so soon, he’s still a little kid after all), none of his other powers manifest all that much when he’s a toddler. and neither do piper’s

- ofc, being demigods they’re constantly exposed to the danger of being discovered by monsters but they luck out and continue living in ignorant bliss of their godly parentage

- they love being outside. playing, napping, talking, whatever it is, they don’t like being indoors. they’re always running around everywhere, climbing trees, rolling around in the grass, etc it’s a very rare occurrence when they manage to return home with clean clothes

- they just have a looot of energy and they like using it. getting them to calm down is a challenge in itself, they’re always goofing around. whether they’re having a nice family dinner (food fights tend to occur more often than not), or watching cartoons before bedtime (reenacting cool fight scenes is a must!)

- but then one day, just a few weeks after his 8th birthday, dakota shows up at tristan’s house with his mom and she says she needs to talk with his uncle and grandfather

- the kids are told to go play for a little while in the backyard to let the grown ups have some privacy

- dakota is uncharacteristically quiet. piper notices it right away, how her cousin’s shoulders are slacked and his eyebrows furrowed in distress. she asks what’s wrong, what happened to make him so sad

- “i have to move away” he says. piper is shocked, starts asking why. why, where to, and can’t the whole family go with him?

- “no. just me. somewhere far away”. “but why?!”. “because it’ll be bad if i don’t”

- the rest of the day goes by in a blur. piper can’t understand what’s happening. why does dakota have to go all alone? why can’t her aunt go too? why don’t her dad or her grandfather try to stop them?

(- later, when piper demands her dad for explanations, tristan only says what his sister told him: that dakota needs to go somewhere that’ll be better for him, that piper’s aunt can’t take care of him by herself. grandpa tom tells her the same thing whenever piper turns to him but he knows. his daughter told him the truth)

- saying goodbye is the only moment that seems to last an eternity though. piper is full on crying and sobbing, holding on to dakota with all her strength and begging her cousin to stay, stay and everything will be okay bc he’ll be with her and all the people who love him

- dakota cries too, though not as hard. he’s barely keeping it together but he’s the older cousin and he needs to be strong for piper

- inside though he’s terrified of what’s happening to him. to him and to his mom and now his dear little cousin and his uncle and grandpa. he wants to stay but bacchus was clear during his sudden unexpected visit: he needs to go to the wolf house right away

- his mom takes him there. this goodbye is even more terrible than the previous one. in the midst of all the crying he promises that he’ll be okay, that he loves her and will visit as soon as he can

- dakota hadn’t had the fortune (or permission) of visiting his mom and granddad back in tahlequah often. and the few times he had managed, piper had been away with her dad on his trips looking for a job as an actor in los angeles

- one day, now 13 y/o, he was at his mom’s place with his grandfather too, just sitting and talking and enjoying each other’s company when they decided it was time to tell him the horrible news: his grandpa had been diagnosed with lung cancer

- tom reassured him all throughout his grandson’s hysterics that he felt fine and that he was at peace with the situation

- and then dakota asked the dreaded question

- “... how long?”

- “... soon”

- when dakota made it back to camp he started asking around for possible cures, talking with praetors and centurions and just about anyone who might help him

- though in the end he didn’t find any medicine that could possibly save his grandfather

- and it’s not like the romans really cared for helping outsiders either

- the day he got the news grandpa tom had passed away, just a little over 2 months later, he refused to leave his bunk bed for the remainder of it and it took his two centurions to force him out of it the next morning

(- dakota swears that, out of all the days he’d felt the most lonely and in need of the warm comfort of his family, that had been the most painful one he’d endured in his whole life)

(- he also wondered if piper had known about their grandfather’s condition, and for one moment he actually hoped she didn’t just so she could be spared of going through the same despair he and the rest of their family had)

(- he’d also wished, more ardently than ever before, to be able to hug his beloved little cousin again just like he had so many times years before)

- fast forward to 2010. dakota is standing with the rest of the romans at cj, staring at a greek ship that quickly approaches camp

- his long time friend jason is said to be on board and dakota is just dying to give the dude the longest and most bone crushing hug ever

- plot twist: it’s piper who gets the pleasure of receiving the longest and most bone crushing hug ever. but she returns it tenfold rip dakota’s back

- their reunion was a hazard mix of tears, laughter and wrestling. he and jason happily gave piper a tour of the camp, though tbh she didn’t really pay attention to much, catching up with her fave cousin was obviously the priority

- during her quest to save the world, she iris messages dakota as regularly as she can and they talk for hours on end, sharing stories from their past, their family, their beloved grandpa tom whom they missed terribly every single day, everything really

- piper confides in him how much her dad’s lack of interest and pride for cherokee culture has rocked her own, how growing up with him so absent from her life and so worried with rejecting everything cherokee/native american related had made her feel so uncomfortable in her own skin

- dakota takes all this in silence and just lets her get it all out. he hears her every complaint and insecurity and fear. then he starts telling her the stories their grandfather had told them

- he tells at least 2 different ones every night they talk, always with a smile on his face, always trying to replicate the exact same tone and pace their granddad used

- and it eventually gets piper to smile too

- one night it’s dakota who confesses how much he regrets not visiting tahlequah more often, how he wishes he’d spent more time with thomas before he’d passed away, how he wished he’d been with him during those last few days if not to just hear him going on and on about cherokee myths like he loved to

- that gets piper crying in no time. dakota cries too. they just spend a good 10 minutes sobbing together through their reflections in the watery rainbow, neither saying much

- “i’m glad he told us. the stories i mean”, dakota says when they’ve calmed down. “feels like he gave us little pieces of himself bit by bit that’ll never go away”

- “yeah... it really does”

- when the war’s finally over, piper and dakota visit each other often, though piper’s the one who goes to cj more often since dakota’s a centurion and has his plate full most of the time

- they’re still as goofy and energetic around each other as ever, like the time they spent away from each other was like clicking pause on a movie and now they’ve hit play and continued on from there

- still hate being trapped indoors. when there’s camp meetings they both need to attend they just can’t help but joke around. everyone else dreads going to those now thanks to these idiots

- dakota isn’t as chaotic as piper so he somewhat helps to keep that side of her in check

- when leo accompanies her during her visits though... no point in even trying to hold back this Mess, dakota’s tried before and it was the most stressful and tiring day of his fucking life

- piper constantly teases dakota about his crush on her half-brother michael. he very much regrets the day she ever saw how he acted around the son of venus (a blushy neck scratching mess)

- wow this is getting long fhdkds anyway!! they’re amazing kids who love each other to death and constantly support each other through good and bad times, and they’re proud af to be cherokee and they’ll treasure their beloved grandpa tom and his teachings till the end of their lives, and if anyone ever wants to hear a story, they’re the right kids to go to!

#piper mclean #dakota #pjo #pjo.txt #my headcanons #i spent a lot of time on this and it made me very emotional fdsfjdsk #also if any of the bits regarding cherokee culture seem off or odd or bad then pls let me know and i'll fix wtv needs fixing #i tried to keep it as minimal and vague as possible bc i'm white and an ignorant to the topic

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aurilis · 4 years

Text

Known you before, chap 4 Thightening a bond part 5

Last part of this chapter. Chase had to heal from his traumatizing mission.

There. Safe. Chase was relieved. Here, no one was judging him. He leaned on the door, head lifted. He felt Carmen hugging him again. His hand went to caress her head, while a harm surrounded her. The teenager decided to order pizza. For several days Chase didn’t dare to get out, letting Carmen handling shopping. He in revenge spent hours cleaning his apartment from ceiling to floor. And washing his hands a lot too.

“ Chase. Isabelle on the phone.” announced Carmen.

The man startled. Someone from his job. He gulped. Was she calling to lecture him ? Carmen said he was here, he couldn’t say otherwise.

“ I’m … I’m busy.”

“ I know you’re here Devineaux ! So take that phone or I’ll come in person !” exclaimed Isabelle.

Carmen found this rude. If he wasn’t feeling like talking to her it was his right. She was tempted to hang up, but had a hunch she would come here. Chase approached slowly.

Come on don’t be a coward.

“ Yes.”

“ Hi there. I wanted to have news from you. How are you feelings ?” said Isabelle gently.

“ I’m … good.”

“ Hm hm. Listen. There’s a psychological cell going on for cases like yours. You should pay a visit.”

“ I assure you I’m not feeling that down.” he said with a little voice.

“ Bon sang Chase ! Who do you think you’re fooling ? Is it such a shame to feel bad and need help ? It’s already a bad idea when you’re alone, but now you have someone who is counting on you. So I want you to look at her … and tell me you’ll do nothing. Saying you’ll let her down because of your fucking man pride. Do it. Look at Carmen.” lectured Isabelle.

Chase turned eyes to the teenager. He swallowed. His colleague was right. Carmen needed him to take care of her. He had no right to let her down.

“ You got it now ?” resumed Isabelle.

“ Fine. I’ll do it.”

“ I sure hope so, if you don’t want me to drag you there by force.”

She hung up. Chase was still staring at Carmen, who was wondering what the heck was going on. He smiled and tapped her shoulder when passing near her. He went to consult the next day. And the following one, and the next after … Carmen was here to complete this therapy. After a while, Devineaux dared to reveal her what happened : a mission went bad, some of colleagues were injured or dead. He had to kill. Carmen was glad he confided in her. She was still watching over his sleep, something he was grateful to. Chase was finally able to go out. Like the doc said, what would he say to a comrade if he himself was dead, and could talk to the living ? Just live. Continue to enjoy it. Do it for them.

He and Carmen went to picnic on a park one day. They laid on the grass after the meal. Chase was enjoying the caress of the sun, the slight wind. He was feeling better after two months, thanks to constant support. Carmen stretched beside him.

“ That was great, don’t you think ?” she said.

“ Yeah … I must thank you for your help, Carmenita.”

“ Ah, that was natural. Consider this as a repayment for your cares toward me.”

They exchanged a smile.

“ I’m really glad you’re feeling better.” she resumed.

“ Me too.”

They remained here a while, before getting back. A few days later, Chase went back to work. It wasn’t easy, he took his time to accustom to it. He learnt that others teammates from this mission were back too. Life was going on.

“ Carmen !” called Chase one evening, when entering home.

“ ? ”

“ I have a surprise for you.”

“ Oh ?”

“ Yup. There was a contest at my job with a stay to Disneyland to win. Aaaaand look who won !” he exclaimed, exhibit two tickets.

“ You … you did ?” said Carmen.

“ Hm hm. A stay for two persons for a week. I was wondering … if you’d like to come ?” continued Devineaux.

“ Wha … you would … bring me there ?” she made, surprised.

“ Of course ! Who else could I ask about it ? So would you like to go there with me ?”

“ Absolutely ! Thank you so much Chase !” exclaimed joyfully Carmen.

She hugged him, a hug he gave back with a chuckle. The stay was planned in a month, in other words September. Carmen was touched he thought of solely her. She would have thought he would have rather asked Isabelle for example. But he chose her. They spoke about it during dinner, then looked on the internet what attraction they could try, the hotel, prices and all. This done, they had still some time to watch TV. Carmen sat near Chase and curled against him. The man smiled.

#chase devineaux #carmen sandiego #Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego #carmen sandeigo netflix #chasexcarmen #carchase #carmeneaux #fanfic

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moonlightwinterdxxix · 4 years

Note

Your first Bits of my Brothers (acronym BomB?) anon here again! Could I request a pretending to be each other Zaimoku at Sutabaa or something? There's just not enough canon Zaimoku and sextuplets identity thief shenanigans in the anime! Maybe Totty is trying to get work there again but gotten sick or something and Karamatsu decided his beloved brother can't miss out on his chance to return~✨. Whether or not it'll end in brotherly fluff or Totty & Karamatsu butt monkey angst is your choice! xD

Hello again! I hope you like this one! It’s at 7K words and I didn’t want it to be longer than it already was 😅😅. Zaimoku is one of my favorite combinations (as I’ve kinda made clear in TVV), and I hope you enjoy this little drabble I’ve made of them. 💙💖😎😘

~~~

Whenever Todomatsu Matsuno was sick, he was more than just manipulative. He was manipulative enough to be entitled as the king of manipulation, besting Ichimatsu’s cruel authority might he be the only one in a safe spot outside feverish sensations and phlegm wanting release. No, Todomatsu treated all of them like butlers and castle servants, taking advantage of his vulnerable position to get them to do his bidding and bless him with their feeble-but-ultimately-needed-to-succeed attempts.

The common instance always left the rest of his brothers with a single prayer in mind: that Todomatsu never got sick. They vowed, each and every one of them, to move mountains for hell if it meant they were to be released from the shackles of Todomatsu’s superiority. But no matter the prayers sometimes getting sick was inevitable, and each time at least one of them would be willing to gamble his life off in the Pachinko parlor if it meant escaping Todomatsu’s ruthless jurisdiction.

And Todomatsu was always proud of it.

But today, he wasn’t. He was far from happy, very distant from it in fact. For when Karamatsu had returned from the shop with a can of warm soup, he had opened their shared bedroom door to find Todomatsu curled up and bawling on the futon. The call of ‘I am back with refreshments for your unwell soul, my star of hope!’ was transformed differently in a mighty scale as Karamatsu dropped the soup bag and raced to his brother’s side with a skipping, worrisome heart.

“Totty! What’s wrong, my brother?” Karamatsu asked, placing his hands on Todomatsu’s shoulder with all the gentleness his muscles could allow. “Are you feeling cold? Or warm? Oh, please speak with me through your unfortunate misery, my dear littlest brother!”

“Shut up! I...Cod, why does it have to be you? Cod, why does it have to be you?!” Todomatsu crumbled entirely, giving in to the cries that racked his body as he tucked his face off in the crook of his arms. “Where are the others?” he asked hopefully, his sore voice muffled with the fortress of cloth acting as transparent muteness.

“Ah, yes, about that.” The thing was, the rest of their brothers had surrendered. They’ve yielded into irresponsibility, wanting no relevance whatsoever with Todomatsu’s cruel behavior for this specific occasion.

Osomatsu had decided to spend his entire day at the races, regardless of a win or a lose. Choromatsu had resorted to paying a visit to the all-week international book fair at the end of the city, hoping to find something new out of his pathetic excuse in being alive. Jyushimatsu chose to spend all of his allowance on the zoo, specifically on dolphin shows to satisfy his mammal cravings. And Ichimatsu...Er...Well...

“I’m gonna jump off a cliff,” Ichimatsu deadpanned.

“Nooo~ Please contain your dark tendencies, my dear Ichimatsu!” Karamatsu wailed.

Then Ichimatsu had strangled him for a bit before leaving the house.

“Forget I asked. It’s hopeless anyway.” Todomatsu smacked his face into his pillow and sobbed openly, gripping his pillow with the force of a hundred rakes on the dirt.

Karamatsu let an apologetic breath leave his lungs, before blinking in confusion at the phone propped face-first next to his brother’s space. As Todomatsu resumed his dramatic storm, Karamatsu picked it up and swiped the screen with his two fingers, the password an easy input, before his pupils scanned through the message and his eyes went spherical.

“Todomatsu! You were supposed to have a Sutabaa job interview this afternoon?!”

“Don’t rub it in! Shut up!” Todomatsu yelled, carrying his body’s weight with his elbows and sending Karamatsu a glare that would’ve been knife-sharp piercing might it not be for his scarily flushed face and red-rimmed, teary eyes. “And yes, I was, if you really wanted to know. It was supposed to be a short one, maybe five minutes at most, but as if I can do that with this stupid fever crap, obviously.” His face crumpled, and he toppled back onto the futon. “Just leave me alone in my own problems, niisan. You’re gonna make it a thousand times worse.”

Karamatsu continued to stare at the text on the screen, scrolling upwards and back-reading. “Oh, my Todomatsu,” he sympathized. “I should’ve known that there was more information you had refused to share. And this has been...two months in the ready?”

“Karamatsu-niisan! Quit it!” Todomatsu pleaded. “I didn’t ask to get sick today, okay?! But how am I supposed to tell Aida that I wouldn’t be able to attend?! Cod, I can’t just say it to her face like that! It’s a huge blow to my pride and I...!” He whimpered, dropping to the futon with watery defeat. “Please, just...I can’t tell her. It’s too embarrassing. Can you call her up for me and tell her that I...? Bullhooey! No, I can’t have you of all people talk to her either!”

Todomatsu continued to break down on the futon, and Karamatsu tried his best to shush his brother to the best of his extent. But it made itself clear to him that there was no way to calm him down at this point, or at least calm him down enough that he was going to stop feeling so sad.

After all, the status of Todomatsu wasn’t difficult for Karamatsu to understand, along with the personality and character that came with it. He had made actual friends at Sutabaa, both being of the opposite gender—two pretty girls with kind personalities and proper standards—a miracle remaining unaccomplished by the five other roaches of their household. And for that alone, Todomatsu was in a position in life maybe more heavenly than heaven itself.

Yet of course, naturally...

Nothing lasts forever, is what Todomatsu had to learn next. Well, it would’ve, but when you had five older brothers who were careless, unreliable pieces of crap, then any ounce of happiness might as well be a disregarded atom of dust from a distant dream. For a few months, even lasting until effing Christmas, Todomatsu had lost communication with the girls because of his brothers’ lack of sensitivity. They had publicly made him strip naked in the mixer, dressed him with a pair of banana earrings and stained underwear, and made him strike a pose at the head of the table in front of a set of pretty girls who deserved better after a dance.

So Todomatsu’s hatred towards them was justifiable.

On the other hand, he shouldn’t have lied as well. To be a person once acquainted in one of Japan’s best schools wasn’t something that would up his ratings with females if it were far from the truth. Heck, he was a literal baby during their third year of high school, crying over spilt milk and reporting himself to the police as a lost child when Choromatsu had to take a trip to throw something in the closest garbage bin.

Truth hurt, yes. But it was unstoppable.

But...Todomatsu was right about one thing. Lying did make himself gain more respect, and saved him from a closed spot that would’ve dropped his person into oblivion. It didn’t last long, but...

Sometimes it didn’t have to.

“Aha! Todomatsu, an idea has been brought forth!” Karamatsu announced, straightening his posture with a finger raised theatrically towards their ceiling.

Todomatsu squinted at him. “Nope. I don’t wanna hear it,” he decided.

Karamatsu’s broad facade faltered. “Eh?”

“That’s a recipe for disaster,” Todomatsu explained, a normal tone bringing forward how awful his voice was. It was scratchy and wiped-out, more huffs in it than actual syllables forming his words. “Every time one of my brothers says something, all that happens after that is me wishing I crashed and burned on the spot. It never changes. And with you specifically trying to subside my torture, I think I’d rather let myself die on the spot than let my ear-drums break at your first sentence.”

Ouch. Karamatsu said, “Oh, you are too early to judge, my Todomatsu!” He laughed, emphasizing his breaths in order to mask his apparent hurt. “Please. Allow access first to the plan concocted in my mind. I assure you, you might eat your words once it is laid out for you. Your misery would at once be hurled into the distance, to become nothing more than a star that glinted before joining with its fallen brethren. Heh.” He tapped a finger-gun to his chin smugly.

Expression contorted in absolute disgust, Todomatsu recoiled. “If you tell me what it is, would you please stop talking in that stupid as hell fanfaronade?”

“It would be my pleasure.” He fluttered his dazzling, anime eyes.

Todomatsu made a hurling noise, slamming his fist against his chest before he deadpanned, “Just say it.”

“Hm. Todomatsu.” Karamatsu began twirling around in swooshing motions, swaying his arms in a slow, whipping circle before posing in a fabulous, dazzling stance. “I shall impersonate you and attend the job interview in your shoes!” he declared.

Todomatsu’s sanity dropped. “EEEHHH??!!”

Without warning, Todomatsu snapped up and grabbed Karamatsu by the neckline of his hoodie, shaking him without a pixel of mercy. “Are you effing kidding me, you piece of crap?! There’s no way in heaven nor hell I’m letting you do that! Are you literally waiting for me to die?! Heck, you’re even stupider than I’ve ever imagined—I’ve been too kind to misjudge you, Karamatsu-niisan! Because you’re so much worse and that idea is absolute garbage!”

“A-Ah! Totty, don’t yell too much with your sore throat!” Karamatsu stuttered out, smiling nervously. “Totty, it’s gonna work. I’m sure of it.”

“As if!” Todomatsu retorted, ignoring Karamatsu’s previous suggestion completely. “You’re gonna go out there making me look like an idiot! I’ve lost friends because of you and the others, and when I might be bouncing back you have to idle up to me all, ‘I’m gonna impersonate you and ruin your life more’—BULL!” He shoved Karamatsu down onto the futon. “What do you think of me—a fool?! You may be an actor during elementary but you’re out of your gosh-darn mind if you think you’re going to do good playing me!”

“How hard could it be?” Karamatsu asked, crawling a few spaces backwards with slight terror. “You have a simple personality, my brother! You have a phone, you can converse rather easily, and you have a light voice that makes you all nice and cute!”

Changing the rules of flavoring, Todomatsu’s grin was incredibly bitter. “You really have the guts to compliment me like that, don’t you? Forget it. Not gonna happen.”

“C’mon, Totty, give me a shot!” Karamatsu argued. “You said it yourself! I’m an actor, and with the hundreds of times we’ve spent together since childhood it won’t be hard to capture your essence! Give me a chance.”

“I don’t believe it,” Todomatsu said, rolling his eyes. “The childhood thing is a good excuse, but it won’t make the cut. Literally everyone in Sutabaa knows who I am, and like hell I’m letting someone like you of all people try to use some gosh-darn trickery on them. I’m not going to let you go out there pretending to be me, niisan. And that’s final.”

“But if you don’t get the job then you won’t be happy!” Karamatsu shouted, placing his hands on his hips. “Todomatsu, I want to be able to assist you as well. It’s what we do when we’re sick, isn’t it? We take care of each other? This is part of the treatment—it’s even better because we’re all identical brothers! Give me a chance. I promise I won’t humiliate you, or do something stupid. I’ll imitate you to the best of my abilities, change nothing from your usual self and keep your relationships as stagnant as you want them.”

“That doesn’t sound reassuring,” Todomatsu said, but he was contemplating.

“It doesn’t sound it, okay,” Karamatsu stated, “but I mean it. I really do want to lessen your stress over the matter. I’ll work to my skeleton if it means doing well in that job interview, Todomatsu. I swear, and Akatsuka-Sensei knows I do. Just...trust me, brother.”

Todomatsu narrowed his eyes, but his eyebrows didn’t follow. They shaped his expression over to consideration other than irritation, his body relaxing from its sitting position on their shared bed.

Finally, he said, “How about we make a deal? Since you’re the only one who stayed to help me with my fever—and I have to say that I appreciate that—how about if you do a good job getting me my old job back, I could be your servant the next time you get sick? I’ll suck up to all those painful demeanors of yours and stand it until you get better.”

“I...It’s fair, I suppose,” Karamatsu assessed.

Todomatsu’s grin was not reassuring. “Yeah? Think so? Sure, it could work out, won’t it? But if you make an absolute fool of me...!”

He stood up from the futon and marched over to their closet, pulling out his huge flamethrower and aiming its front at Karamatsu’s terrified face. “I’ll incinerate all your sequined pants and personalized tank tops until they’re nothing but ashes,” he completed viciously, grin worth jealousy from a sadist.

Karamatsu gulped, feeling uneasy with the top he was currently wearing underneath his hoodie. But he supposed it was a fair trade, with both of them receiving equal shares at each side of the bargain. And both their downs...It wasn’t worth a complain. Losing friends was just as bad as losing all of his wonderful, designed Karamatsu fashion.

Tilting his head down, Karamatsu decided. And it wasn’t even a minute before he reached out a hand and gave Todomatsu a worried smile. “I digress. I accept the terms of our deal, my dear brother Todomatsu. Turn all my clothes into smithereens might I annihilate your persona, Todomatsu. I accept thy conditions.”

“Good.” Todomatsu grabbed his hand and shook it, the resolution of their bargain firm. “This is my lifeline in your hands, Shittymatsu. Your clothes, and my lifeline. Don’t mess this up, or else.”

He wouldn’t. He hoped not.

~~~

With Sutabaa towering over him, it looked like the gateway to judgement. It was a taunting, expectant thing, half a thumbs up as it was a middle finger, and Karamatsu’s nervousness and anxiety sloshed in his stomach and burned his skin. His complexion was moist with his sweat, his hair that he had combed to perfection beginning to paste himself on his forehead, and Karamatsu rubbed it with the back of his shaky hand.

For his clothes, but more for Todomatsu’s reputation.

Shoving Todomatsu’s phone into his pocket and arranging his tie, Karamatsu let himself sigh unsteadily as he let his feet take him towards the doorway. He felt like he was dragging ten-thousand anvils behind him. But it was worth it, he decided, as long as he could finish the interview with a proper attitude and a selfless intention. This was for Todomatsu’s job, Todomatsu’s friendships, and Todomatsu’s reputation.

And his clothes.

But Cod, he hoped he would do well. He wished to say exactly what Todomatsu would say in his position, move with the accuracy of his little brother, and speak with a timbre close enough to the original that the term ‘identical’ made more sense than it had the past few years. But perhaps, he thought, as long as nobody who knew Todomatsu approached him, he would be absolutely, absolutely, without a feather of a doubt, fine.

“Totty? Is that you?”

Ah, shoot.

Karamatsu pulled up a kitty-shaped Todomatsu smile. He brightened his eyes and raised his brows from their thick, constant furrow. And as he spun his heel to face the source of the familiar voice, he tried to recap every single piece of information he knew about Aida as she came to him in her recognizable Sutabaa work uniform, her brown curls bouncing on her shoulders.

Aside from seeing Aida then while humiliating Todomatsu at work, and seeing Aida and Sachiko participate unsuccessfully at the baseball space tournament, the last thing Karamatsu remembered about her was she and Sachiko giving him dark, murderous death-stares on the bridge. That..didn’t seem like it was a good thing. Not then, and certainly not now.

He was so dead.

“Totty, there you are!” Aida said, stopping next to him. Cod, she was so pretty, no wonder Todomatsu was so upset to lose someone like her. “Are you ready for your interview? I hope you can get the job again—it was a shame you had to lose it last time. I have a hunch you’ll be able to do it now.”

“Ah-ha! Hopefully, yes! Thank you so much!” Karamatsu said, forcing his voice up from the low baritone that came with his genes. “Hello, Aida! I didn’t think you’d come from that direction!” He pointed. “I could’ve sworn you were in there.” He jabbed his thumb towards the Sutabaa entrance.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.” She giggled apologetically, and Karamatsu felt his cheeks grow warm. “I wasn’t skipping work, I promise. I just got distracted a little, but it was only for a few seconds before I saw you. I was worried! I thought you weren’t gonna come anymore! It would’ve been so embarrassing to cancel last-minute on the manager.”

His gut plummeting, Karamatsu’s laugh came out less of a laugh and more of the sound of a dying hyena. “Well, I’m here! So you don’t have to worry about that anymore! I made it, so no humiliation whatsoever!” He was tempted to pose, but held back at the right second before he could crack.

Aida eyed him dubiously. “Are you alright? Your voice sounds very...breathy.”

“It does?” It did, and it was because Karamatsu’s voice wasn’t at its quality to accommodate a pitch and speaking pattern similar to Todomatsu’s. When he tried, the result came out very breathy, or if not, very screechy and...wrong. It would’ve given away his true identity so quickly might she be an expert in discerning him and Todomatsu from their brothers. So speaking with his normal, light pitch with added cheerfulness was the only way to match closely to the original source. He thought that perhaps it would be enough.

But apparently, it wasn’t enough.

“Ah, it does!” he corrected, rubbing the back of his head with a laugh. “Sorry about that! My throat really hurt this morning and I guess this is the aftermath of that!”

Except Todomatsu’s throat really did hurt that morning, and it continued so until this point. Hence, Karamatsu being here, in his shoes.

He was almost starting to regret doing this. But keeping his brother’s sad, weeping face in mind was plentiful to glue back Karamatsu’s determination. This was for Todomatsu. He had to remember: this was for Todomatsu.

And his clothes.

“It did? Oh, I feel so bad for you,” Aida said, sounding like she meant it, but Karamatsu’s anxiety told him otherwise. Drawing the line between reality and fiction was difficult when he was living in fiction, that fiction meaning, a world where he wasn’t himself. And he wasn’t, because he was Todomatsu. And ‘Todomatsu’ was talking to Aida...

He had to gather up his Todomatsu-ness.

“Would you be able to complete your job interview with that?” Aida asked.

“Oh, I’ll be fine, don’t worry about it,” Karamatsu reassured, flipping a palm. “As long as my brain works fine, I could accomplish what needs to be accomplished. And since I have experience, I don’t think I’ll do so bad, right?” He pulled up two peace signs and waved them energetically. “It’ll all be a matter of time though before we truly see. Heh-heh! So for the time being—” he put the peace signs towards his eyes “—all it takes is a little more determination! Yeah!” He posed, but it was overly cutesy.

Her smile was somewhere between amused and petrified. “Are you sure you’re okay, Todomatsu?” she asked.

“Never been better! Why would you question it?”

“I, well...” She reached to one of her elbows, rubbing it. Dang, she was so cute. “If you had a sore throat this morning, then I wouldn’t think you’d be okay so fast. And your...Oh, I hope I’m not offending you or anything, and I hope I could say this more politely, but have your eyebrows always been that thick?”

I knew I should’ve taken Totty’s word and shaved them a little. Karamatsu laughed again, but inside, he was screaming about his soul and how it could get ripped out of his body. “I suppose—I never really mind them! I hope it doesn’t bother you or anything!”

“It’s fine, I swear.” She tilted her head, her hair hopping a little. “Are you really Totty? He’s got five lookalike brothers, and I honestly won’t be surprised if you’re one of them. Not saying you are, but your behavior is a little strange. Or is that just nervousness for the interview talking?”

“I’m just nervous! That’s all it is!” Karamatsu lied, clasping his hands not out of the hopes to make himself mimic one of his brother’s cute gestures, but so that he could grab something before he combusted from her accuracy. Shoot, how did she find out?! Keep calm, Karamatsu. You’ve got this! This is for Todomatsu’s reputation!

And his clothes.

“But I’m so touched to know you’re so concerned,” he continued lightly, waving his peace sign again. Was he overdoing it with the peace signs? The last time he impersonated someone, he had made paw gestures and moved them with a tenderness like he were an actual feline, and that wasn’t something Ichimatsu would normally do. Or, maybe it wasn’t something he would to at all. “I really wish to get the job again, so we can hang out more often! I miss the regular days before me and my brothers messed things up.”

Because, duh. Todomatsu did have to take a little blame for the incident none of them asked for.

“Uh, yeah...I miss those days too.” Aida gave him a toothy grin laced with the same uncertainty. “Anyway, we’d better get going. You have that interview and I have my work, so we’ll see each other again later after, alright?”

“Yes, sure! That would be spectacular!” He’d actually hope he didn’t see her again later, not if it meant pretending to be Todomatsu for another round of cringe-worthy torture. But if that made Aida happy, he might. As long as he got a better hang of his little masquerade, then maybe he might offer her the opportunity.

It just needed to be at the extent that he would receive no beating once the day was over.

“Great. See you later...Todomatsu.”

Crap, what was with that hesitation? No, it couldn’t be. But the way she was so casually leaving, preparing to get inside...

He had to make up for it now, or else he was to expect an entire army against him and his feeble-sighted efforts! He shouldn’t let her leave with whatever impression crept beneath that hesitant farewell! No, he wouldn’t allow that! If anyone was ever to question any person involved in this mess, then it would be Karamatsu! So no, Aida-chan! You would not walk away with a remark hanging on your lips that left judgement over Karamatsu’s hapless impersonation of their darling star of hope!

“Aida-chan!” Karamatsu called out, grabbing her wrist before she could enter completely, and bringing Todomatsu’s phone out of his pocket. “Sorry for startling you, but, would it be alright if I got a picture with you? You know, before perquisite or calamity?”

Aida shot him a look, and Karamatsu winced internally, wanting to slap himself with the force of a Titan to a mosquito. Shoot, watch your choice of words, you stupid, second eldest! Todomatsu would never speak like that—he calls it out for how painful it was! You will ruin everything if you try that again, you crap!

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Aida said, settling herself by Karamatsu’s chest, her spinal cord parallel to where his heart reverberated in his chest in a wild, twister of patterns. He had a girl leaning against his body. A girl. Was this what it felt whenever Todomatsu hung out with them? This closeness, this wonderful emotion that made him want to laugh and cry at once? It had to be. It just had to be.

Suffering from his unbridled, unexplainable joy, Karamatsu lifted the phone above their heads, his thumb sliding against the selfie option of their camera. And when the camera flipped, he saw Aida and himself on the screen, the girl raising her peace sign with a smile, waiting for Karamatsu to do the same. But he stared at himself in his reflection, reading through the curves of his features and where he was going wrong. And it saddened him, when he looked at himself with the acumen of exposure.

He looked nothing like Todomatsu.

Because unlike Todomatsu, who wore a smile because it was part of him, Karamatsu wore his so he could be him.

But he had to remember: this smile wasn’t for nothing. It was for Todomatsu too. It wasn’t a selfish desire that had brought him into this spot, this tight corner, this unpredicted catastrophe of self-humiliation. He was doing this so that Todomatsu had a better life, one he deserved, after he and the other four cowards elsewhere had ruined it.

So he smiled at the camera, and as that smile illuminated his features, a small sense of the Totty he loved as his little brother and once best friend filled his face. His spirits left their corpse-like slump on the ground. “Say cheese, Aida,” he coaxed, his voice not leaving its lightness.

“Cheese!” Aida said, getting her peace sign into a good position, and as Karamatsu did the same, he snapped their picture.

The output was cute, he had to admit. Though the way his hands were positioned had added exaggeration than what Todomatsu would normally have in a casual photo with one of Sutabaa’s infamous baristas, this was still an image convincing enough to fool an outsider who knew nothing about their miracle of six same faces. Or Iyami.

“Alright! See you later, Todomatsu. Good luck with your interview. Just take a turn to that door at the left, and I believe the manager will be waiting for you.”

“Okay, thanks, Aida! I’ll see you as well!”

With that, Aida and Karamatsu exchanged a few waves, and Aida was out of his view as she let herself in before him, vanishing with her grace behind the employees door of the shop, her figure still leaving an imprint in his retinas.

But he shook it off. Entering himself, Karamatsu followed her direction and went towards the meeting door she indicated, stopping in front of it and taking a deep breath. This was for his brother, for Todomatsu who was sick in bed and unable to come. He needed to make this right, and beyond everything else, natural. So without further stalling he was knocking twice before pushing it open hesitantly.

When it was open, he let himself in, and bowing down, he announced, “Good afternoon! My name is Todomatsu Matsuno, and I am applying for a job here!”

Who must’ve been the manager sat up, eyebrows shooting upwards under his glasses. “Ah, Matsuno-kun! You’re here! Welcome! Please, take a seat.”

He indicated to the one in front of him, and Karamatsu followed his order and sat. Inhaling, the scent of coffee saturated his lungs, and the hunger he had that didn’t even know existed let itself be known as a tremor sounded under his blue suit. But praise the gods, it was silent enough for a pass. He had to do this. Todomatsu, his lifeline depended on what Karamatsu said in this one-one-one speech. He had to approach this correctly without error. He had this. Or didn’t he?

“So, I guess we already know each other, since you’ve been here before,” the manager said, arranging a set of papers by clicking their edges against the wooden surface of the table. “But it has been long enough, so how have you been? What have you been up to?”

Okay, so he wasn’t pissed. That was good. Luckily being absent from the mixer’s horrific presentation was enough to keep his perception on the youngest Matsuno well enough that anger wasn’t a visible option for him. Case in point: visible. Any anger or rage was easy to hide behind a mask of a smile, a knife easy to assume as close by and prepared for its session of stabbing. When it came to Akatsuka Ward, knives weren’t for chopping tasty or delicious portions for any lovely course. It was for chopping distasteful NEETs like them.

Thanks, Ichimatsu.

“Ah, I’ve been very well, thank you,” Karamatsu replied, stretching the muscles that wanted to pull up a whimper into a broad, toothy smile. “It has been quite some time. How have you been?”

“Great, really. Thanks for asking.” Interlocking his fingers, the manager rested his chin on them as he straightened his gaze collateral to Karamatsu’s. “I remember that article you once mentioned about the firefighter and the maiden. Thought I forgot about that? Nah, it was too iconic for the mind to sweep away so easily, Matsuno-kun. That was how funny it was! You do still laugh about that experience, don’t you?”

Karamatsu laughed out loud, and the manager flinched at the unpredicted. “Of course! I’m laughing right now! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!”

You’re messing this up, Karamatsu, you idiot! Don’t laugh like the lunatic you are! You will massacre all of the chances granted for your brother’s probable forthcoming! Quit breaking Todomatsu’s person and show the decency he would when faced with the challenge of real-time communication!

Crap, Todomatsu! You stupid lovable little pice of garbage, why oh why do you need to be the type to camouflage so many secrets from your dear older brothers?! You bring tears to this gullible fool, wanting out of your social status but resumes the struggle just for you! You are loved, little star of hope! And in love comes the infamous, one-lettered word called trust! And by hiding your soul away, you—

“Heh, a bit excessive there, Matsuno-kun,” the manager observed, the waver in his grin a strong symptom to Karamatsu’s fiasco.

“Sorry, sorry! I’m just very thrilled to be here again!” Karamatsu amended. “Please go on. I won’t interrupt you if it means the interview gets postponed.”

The manager dipped his chin, not commenting any further.

Nice. Do more of that and do less of you, Shittymatsu.

“Alright then.” The manager cleared his throat, picking up a pen from the table and clinking it against the papers. “So, I just want to tell you that there are things I would no longer ask, since information regarding your background and education was already accounted for during your first interview under the Sutabaa name. This won’t be a long interview, Matsuno-kun. Just enough for us to decide over your return or permanent departure.”

Karamatsu sweat-dropped. “Oh, sure. That’ll be fine.”

It was now or never.

“Okay then. We’ll begin now.” The manager pressed the pen’s black tip to the paper, marking it with an inky dot. “I bet you recall crystal clear how you lost your job in the first place, Matsuno-kun. How about you remind me of the situation, and follow it with what you might be able to do to repent for the trouble.”

“Eh-heh, of course, sir.” Karamatsu cleared his own throat, summoning up the memory of the situation and picturing it with Todomatsu’s young, victimized eyes.

(But with his undeniable lack of backbone to keep all senses straight and alert, he had lost control over his own, painful words. And he was so naive, so stupid, to have missed it. Darn Shittymatsu, that’s what he was)

“It all began because of the mixer. I made the mistake of abandoning my brothers because of it when Sutabaa’s special glowing girls had gifted me with their invitation. Therefore I made myself look my best in front of them, that was until your doors were opened and my kin of older brothers summoned themselves in our divine territory. They were rather disgruntled with my behavior, and all my efforts to rid them from your wonderful establishment resulted in the turning of tables. Almost literally, as I might say so myself, since we were all so caught up in Matsuno shenanigans that resulted in spilt drinks and traumatized patrons. Sad to say, the mixer was almost as unfortunate, as humiliation had produced scowls and dusted trust. Aida-san and Sachiko-san were quick to strip me of my job the day following.”

The manager nodded, a cringe in his posture at Karamatsu’s theatrical choice of words. “I see you recall the experience as if you had taken it to heart. You sounded like you were out of a stage play, Matsuno-kun.”

Karamatsu blanched, his own blunder dawning on him. “Ah, yeah! It’s an experience that makes a mark on my person!” he alibied gaily.

“And for the repenting?” the manager asked, clicking the end of his pen as he prepared a paper. “What are your plans specifically, and how could you say that those contributions of yours would better the ratings of our business?”

Karamatsu gave himself a few seconds to think. Digging deep in the vault of his memories, Karamatsu pressed on imagining anything that Todomatsu might’ve done that related closely with coffee or anything that could better the antes of the Sutabaa chain. But each option that sprouted to mind gave Karamatsu difficulty, because why won’t it, really. How was tapping on a phone screen nor running some lame puns with Osomatsu going to help in any way?

Shoot, when was the last time Todomatsu even made them coffee? The only person who had come close to trying that had been Jyushimatsu, and Ichimatsu had been confined for three days straight out of food poisoning. So really, what contribution whatsoever would Todomatsu have? Basically nothing, as Karamatsu recalled. But for this interview to work, he had to use what he knew and warp around it.

“I’m skilled in promoting, if that’s what you need,” Karamatsu improvised, Todomatsu’s smartphone in mind. “Since I was gone I had a lot of friends on social media, and I’ve discovered a lot of new ways that could help with marketing. Promotional posters, digital editing, and brochures! I can make the products of Sutabaa stand out more than they normally would!”

“Hmm, I see.” The manager wrote down, and Karamatsu’s anxieties tingled. “Are you describing this as a part-time thing to working as a cashier? Because last time, that was your main job, wasn’t it? And to be a cashier was what Aida had mentioned when she stated that you wanted to reclaim your job here. Am I right?”

“Yes, sir. One-hundred percent.” Heh, if he was wrong about that, then Todomatsu’s career was over. He wished he was right.

“But what of your cashier skills, Matsuno-kun? How much in terms of skills would you say your improvement is? When you still had the job, you were a solid employee with proper manners and the right choice of speech, making our customers feel welcome. Would you say that you graduated into someone better than then? Or are you the same, and want to focus more on marketing than counting money and taking orders this time? Because it would contradict the information on my papers.”

“Uhh...” Karamatsu tugged lightly on his collar, gulping. Save Todomatsu. Save Todomatsu. “Naturally, I’d wish to continue my status working as a cashier. But your question revolved around what more my contributions would offer when it came to the establishment. That’s why I mentioned the marketing. It was merely a suggestion around my part. But if I was to resume as a cashier entirely, then I won’t fight against it. I would be happy with whatever job you offered me.”

The manager eyed him for a bit, the tension killing Karamatsu that it made his nape sweat. The manager then nodded, sold, writing the information down. “Alright. That’s good confirmation.”

Bingo. Nice save.

“So correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like over time you have turned more adaptable than before. Would you think that’s the case for you?”

Was Todomatsu flexible? No, he was far from it. Todomatsu would never bother waiting for the shampoo at the bathhouse and snag a bottle none of them knew he ever brought with him. He was impatient when it came to his brothers, and very short-tempered when things didn’t flow like the rivers he dwelled in. So no, Todomatsu wasn’t adaptable. He was obdurate, and it was annoying.

But he was making Todomatsu look good here.

“Yes, I am,” Karamatsu lied, smile saccharine. “So if I needed my job here doubled in terms of stress or hard work, then I would be happy to oblige. Being an employee in Sutabaa really was something that I loved dearly, and to be able to comply with any requirement would make me very much grateful. That is, if you brought me back. Then I would go straight to business and work myself to my very core. That’s how much I love it here!”

Which was in fact, the truth. Todomatsu’s love for being in the Sutabaa was stronger, and could surpass any of Karamatsu’s lies by millions and billions of kilometers.

“Hmm, alright. I’ll keep that in mind.” The manager jotted down. “How about your pay? Are there any expectations for you when it comes to the income you will receive from working here?”

Karamatsu went rigid. “Pardon?”

“How much do you aspire to earn?” the manager clarified. “From your salary last time, do you expect to earn twice as much if you did multiple jobs, or are you going to be satisfied with the same amount as before? Or less? And no matter what answer, how much would it be, and what would justify it?”

Oh Cod, why. Why, why, why. Todomatsu never mentioned how much he ever earned working in this dumb establishment ever! And without experience whatsoever with this kind of stuff, how on earth was Karamatsu supposed to know?! He’d be making numbers that didn’t even exist at all on the number line! What was supposed to be the answer to this gosh-darn question if he had never even heard of these kinds of questions since the day his baby form came into reality?!

This was it. He was dead. Deader than a decayed corpse or an animal rolled over on desert roads. He was so, so dead.

“Since I was here before, I was surely satisfied enough with the pay I earned,” Karamatsu replied cautiously, “so I wouldn’t be surprised if you decided to give me the same amount. Most especially since I would—without a doubt—be receiving extra monitoring due to the impression I last left, even if the job was doubled. With that, it shouldn’t be a startle if a few of the workers were weary of me, and I’d accept that. So the money would easily follow the flow of that behavior.”

“Hm. Continue.” He was writing again.

“Not that I would get two jobs when it came to Sutabaa at all, it’s not a priority to extend the marketing. For me now, it’s just to get to work at the cashier again, to reclaim my old position. But when it comes to money—because of the establishment and name that Sutabaa has made for itself, one of the most important things I’d hope from it is honesty and a fair game when it comes to distributing my salary. No bias, but judgement based on my efforts and the way I had attracted patrons into the department. Plenty of agencies in the present are culprits of fraudulent funding, and I believe that Sutabaa follows none of that outlandish conduct. Therefore when it comes to my pay, I wish it to be the amount equivalent to what I have produced for you.”

“Which is?”

“Ah-Ah...” Dang, he was doing so well, he thought. He had no specifics in mind—what was he to say? He blubbered out, “T-The one...before...?”

The manager stared at him. Karamatsu stared back. The terrifying staring contest was getting unbearable, with a smile and the connection of eyes making Karamatsu want to just break away and crumble from insanity. He couldn’t take it anymore. He just couldn’t, he wanted to go home, to crash onto the roof and sing a soliloquy of his own pain and sorrow for the world to hear! He could bear no more of the coffee drifting in the air like a stab to the gut, a spear to the heart, a sword through the spi—

“Have you had any other jobs following the first one here, Matsuno-kun?” the manager asked, already glanced down over his papers again.

“Oh, I haven’t, sir.” There was under the Flag Corporation that one time, and that other thing when he switched with his brothers. But would those really be called jobs? Karamatsu didn’t think so.

“Okay. One more question, Matsuno-kun. What are your opinions on simplicity? Simplicity in a sense that you start small before evolving? Like, a chrysalis before it becomes a butterfly? That kind of evolution on simplicity.”

He couldn’t help it this time.

(Now, here’s the deal: Karamatsu was just plain dumb. Because any smart person would ask why a question like that was necessary at all, especially when it came to working at a cashier for a coffee shop, but this lunatic of a man went straight to standing and posing his arms like he were Romeo might he have broken his back while hunting for Juliet in a poor man’s excuse of a garage)

“The butterfly effect! Oh, how a concept like that just warms my heart!” Karamatsu extolled. “I do believe that simplicity goes in many ways! Plenty of opportunities might blossom like a rose, the sun strike it at the right moment, sending the rose into a mainstream for attention as a result of its beauty! But woe is the past, dreadful and sorrowful for what it contains, when it tears the heart and ruins the soul of its hopes and dreams! The rose, that poor rose, so bundled in its misery, to sit until its last few seconds, ready to fall into despair!

“Then the sun, that glorious sun! Oh, it was the rose’s guardian angel, sending it a spirit for life and the will to fight forward! Oh, and it would now attract all the butterflies that followed a path so similar to it’s! Yes, the simplicity of life’s evolution is a concept to be shared to all ages for the will to fight when life’s chains wish to drag you down! Yes, simplicity is a concept that as it mentions, is simple. And yes, simplicity is a perfect, perfect thing that—!”

“Alright, thank you for your time, Matsuno-kun.” The manager stood up and walked to the other side of the table, standing next to Karamatsu. His smile was anything but sweet, but an amalgamation of horrified, baffled, surprised, and furious. “We’ll send you a call if you get the job or not. Let me lead you out.”

He did, and when Karamatsu was at the other side of the door, he said, “See you then, Matsuno-kun! Have a nice day!” And he slammed the door shut.

Karamatsu stood there.

“Totty?”

Oops, that was Aida from somewhere in the shop he didn’t want to turn towards as his anxiety flopped and flipped and cartwheeled inside him. Nope, he didn’t hear her. And because he didn’t, he dashed out of the shop with speed faster than lightning and ran until the coffee establishment was nothing but a diorama behind him.

Todomatsu was going to kill him.

~~~

One week later...

“Okay, thank you.” Todomatsu lowered the receiver and returned to the main living room, expressionless, mouth a tiny line of nothing on his face.

“Hm? Who might that be, my brother?” Karamatsu asked, glancing up from his mirror.

“Sutabaa.”

Karamatsu immediately sat up with tension freezing his body to its very core. “Y-Yes? What did they say?”

“I have a job.”

Karamatsu’s heart fluttered, and he broke into a wide smile as his eyes shined with starlight. “Oh, my brother! I am so glad you managed to score a position in Sutabaa once more! Thank goodness of your good fortune, your luck be blessed by Akatsuka-Sensei himself! To return as the cashier was what you have wan—!”

“I have a job as a janitor.”

Karamatsu’s smile melted. “Ah, you...Eh?”

Todomatsu’s blank gaze swept over to him. “You turned me into a janitor.”

“I, uh...” Clearing his throat, Karamatsu put down his mirror. A thousand words wanted out for the sake of explanation, but none left him as he tried deciding if he should be apologetic or terrified. Maybe the right answer to this was that he be both. He had been the one to decide the fate of his brother after all, so if it meant feeling both of those things at once, then so be it.

Karamatsu laughed nervously. “You...You still have a job though?” he pointed out hesitantly.

Todomatsu stared down at him without anything in his eyes. “I’ll burn one of your clothes combinations,” he decided.

“A-Ah...! Oh...But would you still care for me if I was sick?” Karamatsu asked.

At first, Todomatsu didn’t say anything at all. Then putting his fingers to his mouth, Todomatsu made a dog whistle.

At first Karamatsu had no idea what that was for, when suddenly Ichimatsu leapt out of nowhere with a feral cat screech, grabbed Karamatsu’s mirror, and slammed it across Karamatsu’s face. Luckily it wasn’t strong enough for the glass to break, but it was enough to leave a burned mark on Karamatsu’s face as he reeled back onto the floor from the force of Ichimatsu’s slam.

Crashing onto the floor and clutching his cheek, Karamatsu doubled over with a yelp and a whimper, a sound of suffocation faintly stuck in his throat. Putting a hand to his cheek, there might’ve been a small wound that bled, now that he touched his face, and it hurt like...It hurt. It really, really hurt.

Karamatsu whimpered.

“I’ll fix that wound up for you, I’ll burn one of your clothes combinations. Can we be even then?” Todomatsu deadpanned, grabbing the mirror from the ‘claw’ of Ichimatsu’s hissing form, and tossed the mirror back onto the table.

“Yeah, that’ll be fine,” Karamatsu rasped.

So Todomatsu’s reputation was secured. As were his clothes.

Partly. Only partly.

#osomatsu-san #osomatsu san #bits of my brothers #karamatsu matsuno #todomatsu matsuno #karamatsu #todomatsu #zaimoku #aida (osomatsu)#aida and sachiko #aida #i hope you like it #anonymous #fanic #fan-fic

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a-crimson-lion · 5 years

Text

Katsuki Bakugo: Lightning Round

[Bakugo bashing ahead. Avoid if you don't like that sort of thing. Potiential spoilers. Viewer's discretion is advised.]

Sometimes you just gotta review every nook and cranny for why you hate a character.

Just my opinions, btw. Maybe they're acurate, maybe not. In any case, I do hope Katsuki improves in a more meaningful way than he has been so far.

Now then, let's begin...

The only things legitimately going for Katsuki are his looks and his quirk. That's it. His attitude has gone from megalomaniacal asshole to slightly above average asshole, but everyone treats it like a gigantic improvement. It's only a noticable improvement. You want to see gigantic improvement? Look at Izuku. Look at Tenya. Look at Shoto Todoroki. THAT'S gigantic improvement.

It does not matter that Katsuki told Izuku to kill himself once. It does not matter that Izuku dismisses the idea and it has never been brought up again in the story thus far. Katsuki still told Izuku to kill himself on top of all the other physical and mental abuse. Izuku doesn't jump off of a roof because he wants to live; he doesn't do it because it would tarnish Katsuki's reputation. This kid has no sense of self-esteem, self worth, or self-preservation because Katsuki beated and berated it out of him over the past decade.

Look, I'm glad U.A. isn't taking Katsuki's crap as lightly as his middle school did, but they're still taking his crap. For one of the best hero schools in Japan, they didn't do background checks? (Granted his middle school probably gave him a flawless record because of his "potential.") Katsuki charging at Izuku shoulf have at least sent Eraserhead some red flags. No one gonna talk to him about nearly NUKING another student during the Battle Trial? Good Lord...

Eijiro, sweetie, you're a good character, so why do you follow Katsuki around? I get it, you're helping him improve as time goes on, but what has he done aside from impress you with several admittably awe-inspiring feats of strength? You didn't approve of him much during the Battle Trial. You some how started turning tail during the USJ. Katsuki is not being "manly" during the Sports Festival, he's being an egotist. He probably only took you on his team aside from your quirk because you brought up beating Izuku. Why aren't you more friendly with Tetsutetsu!? You both have better chemistry than... whatever it is you have with Katsuki. For Pete's sake, didn't you deal with bullies in your past? Why can't you see that, even toned down, that's how Katsuki is treating Izuku!? It's not him being excessively angry, that's him being his normal and rational self. He thinks telling people to die is normal; it's not some sort of charming characteristic. Why is it treated as such!?

Katsuki, you got third place in the Obstacle Course. I get that you're upset you didn't get first, but you don't have to look like you're about to commit murder.

You got second place in the Cavalry Battle. You get to move on to the tournament. Why are you whining like you just lost the whole thing?

Katsuki would throw down with anyone he came across in the tournament. Going all out against Ochako is nothing special. He would have gone out against anybody else all the same.

Also, Katsuki's sudden power buff has no logical explanation other than Horikoshi not wanting to give one of his favorites actual consequences. It would have made more sense from a logical and character developing standpoint if Ochako actually won that match. She could have lost at any other point (or heck, maybe even pull a full blown win), and she would still come to the conclusion that she needed to get stronger, and thus apply for Gunhead. Katsuki would get a better reality check than if he beat Shoto. Just saying.

Katsuki didn't even think Ochako was a threat just because she was. He naturally had to come to the conclusion that Izuku was the one responsible. And then Izuku goes and puts his sorry ass in check by giving him the facts. He's not gonna have somebody diss his friends and get away with it.

"Izuku didn't have faith in Ochako." ...Izuku has had to endure the burden of knowing Katsuki Bakugo since childhood. He's only known Ochako for a few months. He's experienced firsthand the kind of firepower Katsuki's wielding. Ochako had the decency to keep Izuku from falling, save Izuku from dying, changing Izuku's insult into something empowering, help Izuku win the Battle Trial, and help Izuku and his team advance to the Tournament. Naturally, he wants to pay back Ochako for all the times she helped him, and what better way to do it than give her a strategy? But she refuses. And Izuku doesn't push it. Ochako says she's got this, so even if Izuku is worried, he'll put that aside and trust Ochako. He'll root for her regardless of circumstance. "Didn't have faith?" What a load of crap. And then people will point to Katsuki's "What part of her was fragile?" even though he wasn't even taking her as a threat. He was taking her association with Izuku as a threat, forgoing the possibility that she came up with that strategy by herself until Izuku set the record straight. *Exhale* That rant felt good...

Katsuki. You won the Sports Festival. You should at least have the decency to keep yourself composed. I don't care if Shoto didn't give it his all; YOU of all people overheard his backstory! Your ego be damned, Shoto doesn't have to go all out if he doesn't feel like it. Emotions are complicated, Katsuki, and you know that, too. But by all means, please act like an unreasonable animal just because you think you're above us mere mortals.

...Katsuki isn't directly responsible for Izuku's Full Cowl. Stop framing it like he is. If anything, that's all Gran Torino with a bit of Tsuyu and maybe some of Katsuki's fundamentals, but it isn't directly Katsuki. It never was, and it never will be.

How does Katsuki pass the exam again? He hit Izuku just for trying to talk to him. He kept trying to attack All Might and refused to cooperate with Izuku at the start. He had to get his sorry butt dragged out by Izuku because Izuku is selfless and the only one there acting out of reason. Are we watching the same footage? As far as circumstances go, Izuku passed with flying colors. Katsuki should have been lumped into remedial lessons at camp with the rest of the Bakusquad and Rikido.

Katsuki, for the love of God, you were ordered multiple times to get back to camp. Stop acting like you're hot shit and trying to take out the villains. Maybe if you listened to Mandalay, you could have avoided capture altogether. But no, you have to go and act like an asshole trying to take down Moonfish, and because you were out in the open for so damn long, give Mr. Compress the opportunity to capture you and make Izuku and the rest of U.A. suffer for your actions. Wow...

I've had it up to here with Katsuki's "I didn't need help" routine. You just got saved by All Might when you didn't even have a plan for breaking out of the hideout yourself. Your classmates found a way to get you away from the battlefield and from the villains without being followed, so stop acting like you weren't rescued. Accept the fact that you needed help, full stop. Nobody likes to admit it, but it makes you a better person for it.

Why are you so surprised that you failed the Provisional License Exam? You did well enough in the first half, but you clearly forgot that interacting and actually helping citizens was a part of hero work? Jeez...

Katsuki. Talk to All Might if you feel bad about ending his career. Using your usual method of beating up Izuku does nothing, even if he inherited All Might's power. Why the hell does that matter to you anyway? How does knowing about One for All help you in any way, shape, or form? Why does Izuku have to be the one to take your shit? Why can't you be remotely reasonable and just TALK to All Might instead of tracking down Izuku just because of some weakly related correlation?

Haven't gotten that far in the series aside from the Shie Hassaikai arc, but I did see some stuff about the Joint Training Arc. Katsuki announces he's gonna get a 4-0 victory. Katsuki saves Kyoka. This isn't Katsuki taking All Might's words to heart in spite of what the narrative is trying to tell us. This is Katsuki's ego at work. His pride just happens to be tied to his teammates in this regard. Also, "This team is too perfect?" Where was Hanta, or Rikido? Kyoka barely did anything... This is just Horikoshi trying to play up Katsuki's development, and it's getting annoying.

Again, what does knowing about One for All actually do for Katsuki? He acts like Izuku and All Might forced the secret on him, even though Izuku willingly told him after the Battle Trail and Katsuki threw a tantrum after figuring it out. And then he decides the best way to unlock Black Whip is by combat, even though we know and Izuku knows (to some extent) that black whip was psychologically triggered.

I don't know where it is in the manga, but Katsuki says something along the lines of "Did something happen with One for All?" in regards to Izuku. Not "Did something happen with your quirk?" All Might has accepted that it's Izuku's quirk, Izuku is starting to accept that he's making One for All his own, but Katsuki saying OFA's full name makes it seem like there's a distinction. Katsuki calls it OFA because he still sees it as All Might's power. He accepts that Izuku wields that power, but he doesn't accept that Izuku owns it. He thinks it's a borrowed sword, not a sword Izuku owns. That's why he bothers keeping OFA a secret: it was All Might's secret. Izuku just happens to be a side effect of said secret, nothing more. He thinks that Izuku is capable now solely because he has a quirk. That's only partially true, considering the amount of work Izuku put into recieving OFA, and the additional amount of work and strife he endured in order to properly control it. Honestly, Izuku deserves better than Katsuki.

Looks like I'm done for the day. Whew, this was cathartic.

-Crimson Lion (14 August 2019)

#bnha #boku no hero academia #mha #my hero academia #katsuki bakugou #katsuki bakugo #anti bakugo #anti bakugou #izuku midoriya #character analysis #rant #long rant #vent #meta

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manuelmueller · 4 years

Note

pls... do ALL OF IT FOR NUELE

oof fam ooof (jk i LOVE THEM) (i crossed out a few that i had no idea how to answer or wasn’t bothered but OTHER THAN THAT) (yes all those 300 word questions kinda became a short fic you can read on ao3 here)

–––––– I tried to put this under a cut but it kept fucking up so HERE I GUESS

1. What are things they both find funny?

Little things. Weird tweets from their teammates. Leon stumbling over his shoelaces. The way Sven gets exasperated with them so quickly. A leaf blowing straight into someone’s face. Everything can make them giggle, pretty much, cause they make each other gleeful, giggly, bubbling AHHHHHH

2. If they could each describe each other in one sentence, what would it be? “Nikki is … he’s my person.” – “Alex made me realize that love can be wonderful, and kind, and fulfilling, and everything, and I love him.”

3. If they complimented each other, what would they say? Alex would talk about Nikki’s wide smile, his enthusiasm and his unbroken optimism despite going through some shit, his kinda heart and his sunshine personality. Nikki would mention Alex’ resilience, the way how he rises above the shit people talk about him and how he came out being a great person still. Also, the way his chuckles sound in the morning and the way his hair looks like spun copper in sunlight and the freckles on his cheeks and shoulders.

4. What would be their ship name? NÜLE we did a great job pairing up two of the very few dudes who have an ü in their last name huh

5. What activities do they enjoy together? Football (duh), watching dumb TV shows they can laugh at together. Cuddling on the couch. Cooking. Accompanying the other on his respective hobby and whining about how silly it is (Alex goes fishing, Nikki plays golf) but yet loving every second they get to spend with their s/o doing what they love. Also actually another couple they’re friends with kinda drags them hiking sometimes and they actually kinda like it, too.

6. What is/are their love language(s)? Actually probably it’s Quality Time for them both tbh (you could change my mind, tho)

7. Write a ~300 word love scene for them.

READ HERE

8. What were their first impressions of each other? ‘Yeah he’s a talented goalie, I wouldn’t mind to play in his defense .... oh shit is he smiling? He’s smiling. Oh fuck he’s so cute, I’m so gay, help. heLP’ – ‘Süle? Oh yeah, I’ve heard a lot about him. I mean, how could I have not? It’s in my job description to know about the best defenders. Can’t believe it took us so long to meet in person, tho. Nikki it is, okay. Wow, I’m .... is that a spark that I’m feeling? Sure, great idea, develop a crush on your first day on a new team, well done. Is it a crush? (a month later) yep, definitely a crush’

9. Have they made each other cry? with HAPPINESS, yeah

10. Write a ~300 word argument scene for them.

READ HERE

11. What causes them to fight? Genuinely can’t picture them fighting, but probably more like jokingly arguing about chores like who should take out the trash. Also football can cause a strain too, I mean, sometimes they lose games and either of them or both are partially to blame and while they’d never blame each other even if it’s true, the unspoken dissatisfaction hovering in the air between them can cause things to be quite awkward for a few hours and one night.

12. Do they have differing political opinions?

13. Name something they would never do for the other person. Lose any kind of game – as athletes they’re quite competitive, even when it comes to board games and the like. Tho they’re not above conceding when it’s obvious they loose.

14. What would be a dealbreaker? Sharing the other’s secrets to someone the other doesn’t trust enough, and also not liking pets (luckily they do)

15. What are traits they dislike in one another? Nikki gets a bit reckless sometimes. Drinking too much, doing vaguely dangerous things cause he’s excited and hyped with his friends (why the heck would you climb on that shed when it’s too high to jump down and you don’t have a ladder?? you already have bad knees, Nikki!) and Alex Worries, ok? Alex on the other hand can get quite broody and taciturn when he’s not okay, not sharing what bothers him even when Nikki asks. Nikki just wants to help, but being stubborn is a goalkeeper thing

16. If they broke up, what would be their opinions of each other?

17. What senses (sights, smells, feelings, etc). remind them of each other? Nikki thinks of Alex on windy but bright spring days, and whenever he smells his shower gel. Alex’ rumbling laugh causes the butterflies on his stomach to flutter their wings, and his bare hands when he just pulls his glove on seem to be made to be settled on Nikki’s arms, his shoulder, his waist. Nikki to Alex is a freshly cut pitch, petrichor raising from the streets in summer, warm coca cola from a bottle left outside and forgotten. He’s a sunrise, a smile flashed over the shoulder, a laugh shared with Leon, Jo, Serge, Thomas …

18. What would be their love motto?

19. If they could each write a single line in their marriage vows, what would they be? “Alex, you taught me everything I know about love. You taught to forgive, to move on and I found a forever home in you.” – “I feel the sun rise every time I hear your laugh, bean, I feel born anew every time I reach for your hand and you take it. I would still be adrift without it.”

20. What is a promise they have made to each other? That they will never let get football between them. No jealousy if one is called up for the NT and one isn’t. If they ever played for rival clubs, they wouldn’t let it get between them. If something happens during a game, it in the end won’t be a factor in their private life. It’s hard sometimes, cause they’re only human, but a vow to try and to resolve things is the best they can do, and they always do

21. How have they changed each other for the better/for the worse? They’re each other’s first boyfriend – Nikki especially has been disappointed/rejected when confessing his feelings before, so he’s really a bit reluctant when opening up to Alex, and Alex does everything he can to make him open up more again on that level and succeeds at it too. Nikki is just a constant sunshine in Alex’ life, who after announcing his transfer didn’t have the easiest time, so it’s really great to have someone who makes him remember the light-heartedness life can have when you spend it with the right people. And well, they both grow quite chatty around each other, and have been shushed by quite a few people who just want to sleep on the bus ride … (from here)

22. If their lives were what was originally intended at birth, would they have still fallen in love? Who can even tell? Who knows if they were both supposed to end up at Bayern. Who knows if they wouldn’t have had someone else from the beginning. When they were born, neither of their families probably expected to have a son-in-law instead of a daughter in law. But they’re happy with the life they got. Happy they got each other. Cause they won’t have it any other way anymore

23. Write a ~300 scene between them with no dialogue, only body language.

READ HERE

24. What is something they have each had to forgive the other for? Again, football, when either of them fucks up during a get. pride is a difficult thing to best, sometimes, but they’re learning

25. What moves do they know work on the other? Alex knows exactly how to let his voice dip, knows how to touch Nikki’s waist to make him know, knows what to say and when only uses his voice with deliberation. Nikki is a bit more thoughtless in his approach, often just communicating his appeal unbeknownst to him, because Alex loves him most in those moments when he’s just free, simply himself, laughing and smiling and so beautiful. He doesn’t need to do anything, really, tho if he does, a look is enough.

26. What are their favorite parts about physical affection/sex? Literally just being close and warm and at home and ofc the thrill of sharing that all not with a stranger you barely know but with someone who knows you inside and out :3 (pun fully intended, in this case)

27. Do they have any kinks/fetishes that they share? Nikki is really into Alex’ voice. Like really into it. That deep yet soft voice always makes his spine tingle and his stomach hop and other …. areas interested, as well :3c He also likes Alex’ back especially when it arches so delicately Alex really like Nikki’s tattoos, he’s absolutely fascinated by them and sometimes maybe even wishes Nikki had a few more – tho that’s not a kink really, is it. But they just complete the perfect package that is his boyfriend :’3 But no, in general they keep it pretty vanilla for now, just getting comfortable with each other, learning each other, studying with eyes, hands, lips

28. Write a ~300 fantasy one of them has about the other.

READ HERE

29. What are each of their signature foreplay moves? Alex whispers hushed words into Nikki’s neck, kisses his jawline, lets his hands ran up and down Nikki’s side, skilled, gentle yet insistent and talking of what’s yet to come, teasing and nipping before finally reaching down, creating the contact that Nikki wanted for so long. Nikki lets his hands simply rest on Alex’ hips, his shoulders, his heck, warm and familiar and hot and hotter with every second as he steals kiss after kiss before sliding down, sitting before him, leaning in …

30. Write a short exchange of dirty talk between them. “Alex?” “Bean?” “You look so good. Do you have any idea how good you look?” laughs “Bean, you’re drunk” frowns “Ok, maybe a little. But I love you, you know? I wanna lick you all over.” blushes a bit “Nikki, everyone’s looking.” “Nah, they’re all busy drinking. Dancing. Probably fucking in the storage closet, in some cases” he giggles. they both know who he’s talking about. he puts his chin on Alex’ shoulder “Wanna get out of here?” “Now?” “Hmm.” he kisses his neck, licks gently behind his ear “no one will care. please. let me.” “Yeah? Well, bean, then who am I to deny you” THIS SUCKS!!!

31. What do they love to do after sex? They often just lay there face to face, noses almost touching, eyes almost falling close as they exchange light, playful pecks, hands entwined, legs a tangled mess. It’s all really cute and mushy but they wouldn’t have it any other way – also! laughing!! There’s a lot of cheerful, content giggling especially in the afterglow as they are still entangled in the sleepiness and the amazing feeling of just being together. (from here)

32. Do they enjoy morning or night sex? They both quickly wake up in the morning, ready to face the day, but yet … there’s nothing better than half-sleepy morning sex, smiling and tasting the fresh air and each other’s morning breath because of the familiarity, the comfort of gazing upon each other drenched in the first sunlight, not hidden away by shadows. This is real. This is them.

#long post #nüle #my writing #ENJOY :3 #answered

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bakugou-jpg · 6 years

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‘Promise’ Kirishima x reader x Dead!Bakugou

The news had hit everyone like a truck.

The number 2 hero Ground Zero ,also known as Katsuki Bakugou;; Husband of his loving wife (Y/n) Bakugou and father of their 3 year old son Tatsuki Bakugou, died during a fight against a few villains while protecting a hand full of school children.

It was a fight where his fatherly instincts had taken control of him where he wanted nothing more than to protect those young souls and later return home to be engulfed into the arms of his wife and kiss her lips passionately only to be interrupted like usual with his bundle of joy running into the kitchen and jumping into his arms, smothering his pride and joy with kisses and play hero and villain with him later that night.

He had managed to save those young souls, but the one thing he looked out to the most, The one thing he loved the most in the whole entire world;; His family, was something he was never able to do because before he had the chance he was knocked against a building by a powerful blast that was followed by another one against his skull that was fatal to him.

Bakugou never had the chance to say goodbye, to tell them how much he loved them and how much he cared for them and never had realized the kiss he gave his wife before leaving would and the ruffle on his son hair would be the last.

Because if he did he would've hugged and kissed his son like there was no tomorrow, telling him how much he loved him and how badass and proud he was of that little brat. How he would stand by what ever decision he would make, even though he probably wouldn't understand at such a young age and especially that he would always be watching his son and that he would have to look after his mother when he was gone.

And to his wife..To his wife he would kiss her, so damn passionately and lovingly like he did when he did when she announced she was pregnant and when he married her. Bakugou would thank her and hold her close, comfort her since she would obviously be crying, thank her for showing him love. Thank her for showing what it means to look forward coming home and not want to leave someone's side for the rest of his life and grow old with them. He would tell her how much he loved her, because oh did Bakugou love his beautiful and kind souled wife. One who had more kindness in her pinky than people did in their whole entire body.

Bakugou would've made love to her the night before, Nothing rough and nothing quick, no;; Bakugou would make it last long and Passionate. He really only wanted to make love to her and just show her how damn much he loved this woman.

But he didn't know, so he never was able to those things and he never regretted something more when he was sent flying off into the building right before he got killed and left behind a hysterically crying wife on the floor of their home who watched it happen on live television.

Bakugou also would've taken the time to sit down with Kirishima and thank him. Even though bakugou hated him for it in high school, Kirishima was the one who teased him on (Y/n) and did anything to set his two best friends up together. Even though he was never truly kind to Kirishima, he would set aside his usual angry self and thank him for being by his side.

But Kirishima made Bakugou a promise, one Bakugou asked him himself.

So when Kirishima had broke down crying in his small apartment upon seeing his best friend die on live television, he didn't hesitate to immediately run out of his house and rush to the house Bakugou and (Y/n) lived and enter it without knocking.

He didn't hesitate to quickly make his way to the living room, tears still staining his face, and fall down next to the broken woman, engulfing her into the biggest hug ever while staying strong as she screamed out of agony.

Words couldn't even describe how much it hurt Kirishima to see her cry like that, to see her so broken and the fact that he realized Tatsuki didn't know his father was gone and didn't understand he wouldn't be coming back for dinner or to play Hero and Villain with him made him tear up more and break down.

Kirishima watched the newlyweds talk to each other, Bakugou having his usual shit eating grin on his face and (Y/n) smiling gracefully like always.

It made the man smile a bit himself, because HE was the reason they 'got it on' and to see his best friends so happy made himself feel very happy.

Apparently Kirishima had dreamed off a little too long, because Bakugou had made his way to him without the red haired boy noticing with his hands dug into his pockets.

"Shitty hair" Bakugou said, snapping Kirishima out of his daze with a confused look.

Before the red head could even ask something, Bakugou grabbed his tie and dragged him out of the room to the empty balcony that wasn't too far away from the reception.

"W-wha did i do?! Did i stare too much?? Sorry for that i was just dozing o-"

"Eijirou i need you to make a promise to me, a promise that is very important to me" Bakugou said while leaning on the balcony and looking over the forest that was next to the mansion.

Kirishima's eyes had widened when he heard his name being called out by BAKUGOU. The one that always referred to him by shitty hair and on VERY rare occasions by Kirishima..But he had never heard his first name being called out by Bakugou of all people.

"Y-yes, of course. Are you o-okay??" He asked nervously, making Bakugou scoff.

"Of course i am you dumb fuck!" The ash blonde hissed, sighing afterwards and looking down at the forest again.

He tugged at the sleeve of his suit and fiddled around with the buttons. "Look, so like I'm now all married and shit and of course I'll always stay by her side and be there for her protect her with my life..But, i wanna be real here"

Kirishima listened, completely interested in his story since serious Bakugou wasn't a Bakugou he saw a lot. He stood next to his friend and also leaned on the railing but only with one arm, his eyes still on the pro hero.

"I'm a pro hero, a famous one. I've been through some pretty rough stuff, stuff that's kinda dangerous you know..We both know there might be a chance I'm not gonna be around anymore at some point." Bakugou said with a small grin, even though his eyes hinted to the fact he was hurt by the thought of it.

Kirishima's eyes widened and he jumped up. "Don't say that bro! You shouldn't think so negatively, I'm sure that'll never hap-"

"I'm not saying it will happen, but there's a chance it might and if it will happen i wanna make sure that i can go while being sure you're there for (Y/n) and take over my bloody damn fucking job as her partner!" Bakugou hissed while clenching his fist and pushing himself off of the railing, starring daggers into Kirishima's eyes.

"W-what..?" Kirishima muttered as his eyes widened in shock.

Bakugou groaned and unclenched his fists, rubbing his neck while starring off at the forest. "She's gonna be all by herself then..No one to be by her side, No one to comfort her, No one to protect her and make her happy!" He said, surprisingly calm. A small grin made it's way onto his face as he sighed.

"And i know my damn wife, my damn soft, kind but stubborn wife..She'd say she's gonna be all fine and all, keep on living her life while in reality she'd be breaking on the inside and crying every time she'd come home to an empty house knowing it's gonna stay empty for the rest of the day..It would eat (Y/n) from the inside and she wouldn't share it with anyone" He said, finishing it off with a scoff and a small snicker.

Kirishima grew extremely quiet as he felt the cold night breeze blew through his hair, even though it didn't move due to all the gel that had been put in there.

Bakugou looked up at Kirishima and dug his hands into his pockets. "I want you to take care of her for me, Eijirou Kirishima" He said, his face calm as the wind blew through his hair.

Kirishima blinked his eyes a few times before quickly shaking his head, his eyes tearing up at the thought of Bakugou dying. "N-no, Katsuki come on you can't say such thing-"

"The moment you hear I'm dead i want you to immediately be there for her, heck fucking run to our house or some shit. Comfort her and don't you fucking dare leave her side for those couple of weeks, even months. Of course it'll take time for the wound to heal and turn into a scar, but please, take care of her, be there for her, protect her, make her happy.." Bakugou said while gritting his teeth.

"..Greet her every time you get back home, If she's sick take care of her, If she's sad be there for her and hold her in your fucking hard ass arms. If i have kids, Take care of them too and hang every damn drawing they draw up on the fridge. Tell them how much of a badass their father was and tell them all the cool stories I couldn't tell."

Kirishima put up his hands as tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. "K-katsuki stop it, god you're almost gonna make me lose my shit"

"Play with them, go to their plays games whatever their hobby's are, go to their graduation and be their fucking #1 fan with whatever they do..If i have a daughter, walk her down the fucking aisle when She get's married and make sure She get's a good guy and to make the boys fear you when they first meet you" Bakugou said, his hands starting to tremble from all the emotions that were currently rushing through his veins.

"..Don't forget to make my kids feel accepted no matter what, because any kid of mine no matter what is gonna be the fucking best" He said with a big smirk plastered in his face.

Kirishima's bottom lip started trembling as 'manly' tears started to spill out of his eyes.

"And most of all, you better fucking love her like there's no tomorrow. Because you're lying if you say you don't love her, i see the way your eyes soften every time you look at her and how your cheeks turn a soft pink color every time she laughs at your jokes and touches you" Bakugou said with a deep sigh, surprisingly not seeing furious about it what Kirishima had expected.

Kirishima blushed and scratched the back of his neck, not denying any of it whatsoever. He focused his attention back to Bakugou, again with holding in his loud sobs.

Bakugou held out his hand. "So if you can promise me to do that for me-"

"I promise, Katsuki!" Kirishima shouted while launching himself forward and wrapping his arms around Bakugou's neck, staining his suit with tears.

Bakugou sighed and smirked, patting Kirishima's back. "Good"

Tears streamed down Kirishima's face as he broke down and hugged (Y/n) closer to him, rubbing his hand up and down her back soothingly.

Words didn't get spoken, after all what was there to say?

'It's okay?' No, because it wasn't okay. Bakugou got killed, their best friend and they both saw it happen.

'Don't worry, I'm here?' That was just something cheesy to say which didn't fit the situation and Kirishima knew much better than that.

'You're gonna be okay' She was gonna be broken for a long amount of time, her heart having to heal for atleast two years.

'No need to cry' was already obvious why that shouldn't be said.

Kirishima sniffled and inhaled, looking down at her. "I'm here, and i promise you that I'll never leave your side..I can't replace Katsuki and that's definitely not what i want to do, but I'll help you get through this and i want you to know that you're not alone, (Y/n)" He whispered as his tears fell on top of (Y/n)'s hair.

The woman didn't respond with words but she gripped Kirishima's shirt and buried her face into his chest, continuing to cry and sob her eyes out.

Kirishima pulled her closer and buried his nose on top of her head.

He wasn't sure what was going to come, what things would happen after this and how this would affect everything..But he was sure of one thing,

And that was that he was going to held onto that promise he made 6 years ago.

#boku no hero academia #bnha #my hero academia #mha #katsuki bakugou #bakugou x reader #kirishima eijirou #kirishima #kirishima x reader #drabble

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gaycey-sketchit · 2 years

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(Gary anon) Journeys as a premise felt too big, period. So unfortunately that was going to mean some things get sacrificed or rushed. (I'm sure they'll handle Chloe okay, but she definitely could have did more. Maybe a bit more non-Eevee stuff in between or with poor, neglected Yamper) Plus, it doesn't sound like the type of Pokemon most people could handle, which he likely would gravitate to. At least to find out why.

(Part 2) (Heh, funnily enough, I had been wondering if they'd give Gary some wildcard to offset what he's usually seen with. Be it in Project Mew or battling Ash. Regardless of it being a legend, Regidrago still looks like it'd fit next to Blastoise and Tyranitar. I just hope Hatty doesn't suffer the same fate as the rest of team here except Electivire. IF he has it)

(Part 3) They also mention that Tokio was always planned to come back after his debut episode, but they didn't know how initially. So Project Mew might not have been the original concept for both ends. (Not gonna lie, it does makes me worried for that possible Ash vs Gary rematch; granted some of this sounds like stuff that was tossed around during the planning stages of Journeys. At least predating his announced comeback via the 3rd OP. Him having T-tar is still suspicious to me)

(Part 4) (I can buy giving him Hatterene to get through more of the Galar Pokedex) So Scarlet/Violet is November 18th, 20-23 episodes left it is! (It seems the time themes were true. Love how Lechonk is the new Wooloo. The legends looking like giant lizard bikes. The new professors and rival has certainly 'resonated' well with the fans. xD We might be in a school theme, and apparently there's no linear story. We can go about things at our pace how we want.)

Yeah, true.

Yeah, things should be fine there, though it's a real shame Chloe (and Yamper) got shafted for so long.

Yeah! That natural scientific curiosity (and also pride in being able to handle what many cannot).

Hatterene sure does fit the bill for being a wildcard, if the reactions I saw on Twitter are any indication of how unexpected it was for him. Hopefully it gets done justice (if it's true that's the Pokemon he has; guess we'll find out tomorrow).

Interesting! I do wonder about the process for the Pokeani writers, to what extent they might have an outline for a season's plot and what's like... come up with as they go.

I will hold out hope, if only because it'd be such a missed opportunity if it didn't happen, bringing things full circle.

Heck yeah! That should give Journeys a decent amount of time to wrap up.

So much great stuff! The legendaries are cool, Lechonk is a delight, the professors are gorgeous (Pokemon said bi rights revealing them on the first day of Pride Month) and it's interesting that after all these years we've finally diverged from the tree/plant theme for professors' names (apparently their names are derived from pasada and futuro, Spanish words for past and future, which fits their respective vibes). And open exploration! I never minded Pokemon's linearity but I'm sure that'll be really fun too.

#Andrew answers #Gary anon

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aj-draws · 6 years

Text

Hey so this is dedicated to a dear friend of mine

yEAH @confinesofpersonalknowledge I’M TALKING ABOUT YOU, YOU COOL HUMAN!

So I know you’re going through a tough time, and that post about you being catcalled reminded me a story/memory that I felt I needed to share. This story is very personal to me and I’m vv nervous to be sharing it with you guys bc I’ve never rlly done anything personal or deep BUT by doing this I hope to offer you at least some kind of positivity...?

Thana, I just want you to know that you’re not alone...Because I have dealt with a similar problem.

[[Btw in this story there isn’t anything gruesome or scary, just an experience of catcalling on a very small level (that perhaps not be as serious as whatever happened to you) that still ended on a positive note. If catcalling is an uncomfortable topic for you, feel free to scroll past this, but if you’re up to hear a story about body positivity and how I conquered rude ppl then this story is for you :)]]

It was that time of year. Everyone’s blasting music from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, ppl are making as many skeletons memes as possible, adults are scared and kids are reveling.

Heck yeah, it was Halloween.

Halloween’s awesome, and I’m fortunately still around that age where if I went trick-or-treating I wouldn’t be judged so badly. But this story began in the beginning of October, when I decided that I was going to be Wonder Woman for Halloween.

The movie had just come out and I was still being a huge fangirl and Gal Gadot is a gorgeous queen so I thought why not?? The costume took me an entire month to make but I managed to get it done! And I was super proud. I was really, really excited because it was my first Halloween where I wasn’t lazy and just bought a costume. So I wore my costume to school...and well...

Ok, so you’re probably like ‘this is where the catcalling happened right??’ well you’re correct! But there wasn’t a specific moment that I was catcalled. In general, I just experienced a lot of nasty students just being a little...weird.

It started with the stares. The ones I remember, the ones that really stuck out in my mind...they were not from amazement. I think...I think it was like they were checking me out?? And yeah, I suppose I do have some redeeming physical features, it’s in my genes, and my gay friends love to point it out and joke around with me, but I still found it endearing.

But this...was different. It was almost like an invasion of my body, an invasion of my privacy-like I was doing something wrong by wearing a flipping costume.

And something I truly remembered that stuck out in my memory was that noise. I was walking through the hallway and I hear some voices, and a group of boys (that I believe were from my grade I don’t remember) walk past me. Then it came.

A whistle, loud and sharp.

I hung my head. U g h

What was worse were the comments, when people actually came and talked to me. There were students that I didn’t even know, students in one grade below mine, coming up to me and asking that one question,

‘Don’t you think that’s a little...um y’know...too revealing?’

Like holy heck. Y’all have no idea how much I hated that question. I believe I was asked that twice throughout the day?? But it was just so disrespectful. Like wooow haha *claps hands sarcastically* my knees and shoulders/collarbone are just too scandalous for you, huh?

And it felt bad...really bad. But things got better. So much better, I promise you. Though that negativity is still buried deep in my head, it’s the prominent, positive memories that made that Halloween unforgettable-in a good way.

Mostly, it would have to my friends irl. They are really hecking gay and I love them with all my heart. When I first walked into my homeroom class, the students there (it was French class and I’ve been taking the language for 3 years so ik the ppl well there) immediately complimented me. My two friends there were dying and repeated called me thiccc 👌👌👌 which was really hilarious XD When my other friend saw me, she told me she was speechless at first before she started to praise the heck out of me ahh I love her

And there were two moments that I also couldn’t forget. One, was when I won the costume contest.

Yep! One of my favorite part of that day. It took place during lunch and I was anxious about taking part in the costume, and when I asked my friends, they just looked me in the eye and yelled, ‘YES’ so I did 😆

And during art class, it was announced that I had won ‘Best Homemade Costume’ which was simply incredible! The pride that swelled in me when I stood up and the students in my class started to congratulate me was great. It was even better because all the students in that class were girls and it kinda made me feel like I did Wonder Woman some justice y’know? It was just nice

But another memory that I can’t forget was in the back of my bus. My friends on the bus congratulated me and complimented my costume and I couldn’t stop smiling. And all the way in the last seat...was a pair of eyes. I tensed up, thinking back to all the stares but I instantly relaxed when I really saw them. They were sparkling, shining. It wasn’t greed or lust, but awe. It was this quiet boy that sat all the way in the back of my bus, and he seemed shy so I hadn’t thought to approach him.

On that day, I gave him a polite smile and waved. He apologies for staring at me, and stammers as he compliments my costume. I nod and give him another grin, saying thank you and asking him if he liked Wonder Woman. And he flashes this bright, geeky grin and then proceeds to announce that, ‘UM YEAH OF COURSE’ and we both continue to have a nice conversation about DC comics and Marvel and he was so kind about it and wowie that was just really great.

So, yeah! Don’t be afraid to be yourself, and wear whatever the flipping heck you want to because you’re a queen/king/or literally just royalty and you deserve praise and compliments once in a while ❤ Be strong, you will get through this.

And ummm lesson is: there’s nothing wrong with geeking out over superheroes 😂😋

I love you all, and I hope you have a lovely day!! 💙💛💖💜

#personal #random #storytime with AJ :D #body positivity #catcalling #basically a message for those that have been catcalled #I promise that you'll be alright

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angeltriestoblog · 4 years

Text

I went from reluctant leader to ACTM officer!

Kind of a late update but after what seemed like an endless discernment period and an unforgivably rigorous application process (on my part), I’m officially the Ateneo Association for Communications Technology Management’s Associate Vice President for Documentations! And yes, I’m aware that’s a mouthful so from this point on, I am referring to myself as ACTM’s AVP for Docs.

I honestly did not see this coming though: Freshman Angel stuck out like a sore thumb in her home org. In addition to finding all upperclassmen intimidating as I do with anyone born at least a day before me, I felt like I was just… not feeling it most of the time. All I lacked was a button that read “I really wish I weren’t here right now!” pinned to my shirt. It was only when I was a sophomore, familiar with the organization’s events and able to see them up close that I realized that I didn’t remember going through most of them myself. Although I’m pretty sure I was present because it was mandatory for all new members, I don’t recall going to a general assembly, being briefed on the different departments within the org, and especially being taught what our core competency was. I was very content with doing the bare minimum as a Docs Head: going to meetings to take minutes and do registration, nagging at the project heads and point people to submit the necessary requirements for post-documentations, and smiling shyly and saying “I’m ok!” when people asked me how I was.

Although I was much more active in my second year, I never realized I wanted to increase my level of involvement until I went to LEAP, the three-day leadership training seminar in Zambales I raved about in my first semester recap blog post. It was there when I noticed the home aspect that ACTM prides itself on: everybody—regardless of batch and predetermined social circle—bonding in more ways than one, both with and without the influence of alcohol, just having a great time and joking around like they’ve been friends forever. I saw just how much ACTM was investing in me to help me realize that maybe I could be an officer too. Maybe I could contribute to the great culture that makes us so much of a family. But of course, that thought quickly found its way to the backburner the minute we boarded the bus back to Manila.

I never really saw myself as leader material after several failed stints in my old school: I was the secretary who forgot to ask the teacher to sign the attendance sheet, or the vice president that ran out of the classroom first during earthquake drills when I was supposed to be last in line to check if all appliances were off. (In my defense, it was an act of self-preservation.) I didn’t realize it then while I was busy wreaking havoc in every homeroom class I found myself in but when I finally grew up, for the lack of a better term, I came to the conclusion that being put in charge of a group of people would only bring disastrous consequences and I didn’t want anyone involved in that.

Fast forward to several months later: I had an individual consultation with my boss Chelsea, the previous holder of my current position, to help with her plans in running for vice president of our department. Somewhere along the way, she tapped me to fill her shoes—a request that was met with a high-pitched “WEH?” that probably shocked everyone on the third floor of MVP that day. I had been diligently doing my work for two years, she said, just as long as she has so I knew enough about the processes. Back then, I was very preoccupied with two other extracurricular commitments and had plans of joining three more the next school year. My goals and ambitions were all over the place and I guess it reflected in the way I skirted around the topic because she just patted my knee (throwback to the time when physical contact was still acceptable) and told me to think about it. Real hard.

I guess this lockdown period also served as the time for discernment I needed: I weighed the pros and cons, made the necessary trade-offs, and got the insights of those I trusted, mostly by pestering them with uppercase keyboard smashes. I’d think I had a final decision one day then wake up the next, completely changing my stance. It’s not like I didn’t want to serve—I guess I just wasn’t giving myself permission to believe I could. I can’t really pinpoint when it happened but one day, my brain went: “What the heck. What could possibly go wrong?”

—

After making the decision to run, I felt at peace, no longer overthinking about every single thinking that could possibly go wrong, just eager for the day application season would formally start. Well, that is until I received the actual notification from the Ateneo ACTM page that said a Facebook group for all AVP aspirants had been made. I tossed my laptop aside and started yelling, much to the dismay of my mother who was on the receiving end of all this panic. Over the next few days, I would watch the electoral talk that followed, a webinar of sorts that basically gave a rundown of the process we would have to go through should we want to take on the challenge.

One of my requirements was a long-ass form complete with questions about myself, my leadership skills, the department, and the organization. I remember looking through the platforms of the Executive Board applicants during the first wave of elections and saying to myself, “Wow, I hope I don’t have to fill up something that long. I would cry my ass off!” only to find out that I would have to submit almost an exact replica of that and truly enough, cry my ass off. While Noelle, our EVP, was glossing over everything, I took these pictures on my laptop’s photo booth to express my frustration and sent them to my friend Julia, who was also watching via Zoom. I was actually very paranoid that I had my video on during the call and would end up exposing my contorted facial expressions to all 70 people watching the livestream. Thankfully, the universe was merciful enough to be on my side at the time.

Believe me, I wanted to get started with the work the minute the virtual meeting ended: I felt like I needed to so everything wouldn’t pile up and paralyze me on the day of the deadline. But even early on, I was already pretty overwhelmed and I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. So I lay down on my bed for the rest of the night and played Ribs by Lorde on repeat. It was an effective coping mechanism then but I instantly regret it the next day once I realized just how much time I had wasted doing nothing when there was so much to be accomplished.

I answered the introspective questions pretty quickly: thanks to my sense of self-awareness, I was able to identify my strengths and weaknesses well. What I really struggled with was the platform. I couldn’t generate any original ideas that I felt could solve the problems I spotted—I had wondered if I could just copy paste Chelsea’s platform and add comments such as “Same” or “RT” on the side and call it a day. Thankfully, this is what individual consultations were for. I contacted Elise, a co-Docs Head from the previous school year, and Gella, my boss back in freshman year and both were kind enough to bounce ideas off me and give me reassurance that the working drafts I had in my mind were actually worth executing. With their insight (and a lot of ice cream), I was able to finish my application form days before I expected to.

I also wrapped up shooting my platform presentation ahead of schedule. I couldn’t find any decent background at home besides this one cabinet but I failed to notice that part of its door was actually faded until I was already done filming. In an attempt to hide it in a way that still appeared on-brand, I slapped some star and cloud stickers on the video and claimed that it matched my own name. The only obstacle I had to overcome was practicing for my panels.

The fact that my question and answer session with the Executive Board was to held be online instead of in-person given our circumstances was supposed to comfort me somehow. But either way, not knowing which answers were going to be expected of me gave me a great deal of anxiety. To stave off this irrational fear, I prepared a Quizlet with 27 potential questions or points for clarification on one side, and my response on the other, which I rehearsed with just the right amount of uh’s and um’s interspersed to make it look as spontaneous as possible. Maybe my greatest sacrifice though was boycotting any TV shows or movies until I was done presenting because even the most mindless programming could take away precious brain cells needed to retain more important information.

On the day of my actual interview, I was feeling pretty confident. I had gone the extra mile by preparing an hour early and recording videos of myself answering my imaginary questions on my laptop camera. This way, I felt like I was simulating the actual experience. But not even this form of planning could have prepared me for the real deal. I wish I could tell you more about how it went but I was so nervous that I blacked out. I vaguely remember puckering my lips and flashing a peace sign every time I didn’t know the answer to something and had to respond with, “I will look into that if I ever get the position.” I also remember that not a single one out of the 27 questions I had committed to memory was asked.

As expected, I was the most relieved when it was over, I didn’t even feel embarrassed until much later on. I got out of my smart casual attire, slipped into some pajamas, watched a movie, and finished the tub of Coffee Crumble waiting in the freezer as a reward. Two days later, I had received a message from Chelsea asking if she could call me. My friend Iverson had said that results are announced to all applicants via phone call before being released to the public at night. It’s not a clear indicator that I was the one they chose, which was horrifying because who wants to be rejected over the phone? My younger self hated Joe Jonas and what he did to Taylor Swift for precisely this reason!

Thankfully, I was only met with good news. Chelsea had told me that I had been chosen by the Executive Board and I was ACTM’s new AVP for Docs. I hadn’t eaten breakfast at the time despite the fact that it was 10 minutes to noon at the time so it took a while for my nutrient-deprived brain to generate the appropriate reaction. The joy kicked in eventually: I jumped up and down and yelled I’M SO HAPPY so many times once the call ended that the words have started to lose meaning.

Since then, I’ve spent my time familiarizing myself with my roles and responsibilities while getting to know everyone else on the team. I’ve had a video call via Google Meets with the people in my department where we leveled off, got to know one another better, and set our goals for the year as we watched Chelsea eat pasta. Very wholesome! EC Wars was also pretty fun: all eight departments of the organization were head-to-head in different challenges. It kinda reminded me of high school intramurals but with less broken friendships. We had to auction one another a la Unsubtle Syota Searching, make a Tiktok introducing our department, its relevance and the roles of each member (which officially launched my career as the org’s official Kris Aquino impersonator), and had a chaotic game of Bring Me through Facebook Messenger. Yes, it’s possible but not if you’re a PLDT subscriber! I also got put in a group with other members of the EC for an activity where we had to make an IMC campaign for a chosen advocacy. As the Mind Readers (named as such because of the multiple instances we sent the exact same message at the same time), we were assigned to tackle sustainable fashion and I have to say that our finished product was, as Dani Rosales herself would call it, “hot”.

This week, we’re on to the more serious stuff: revising internal procedures, refining platform points, etc etc. The fear caused by my self-doubt is further compounded by our current situation, which is keeping us from performing our tasks the way we envisioned we would. But I am a hundred percent confident that since I’m with the right people and we’re all doing the very best we can, it’s going to be one crazy fulfilling year ahead for all of us. I’m endlessly grateful to ACTM for taking a chance on me! Shoutout, of course, to: (1) Chelsea for serving as the final push I needed to decide that serving this organization is what I wanted to do; (2) all my friends who told me I had nothing to worry about while I was being neurotic and who were the first to congratulate me and say that they told me so; and (3) my parents who listened to my rants even if they were 90% org-related jargon.

Wishing you all love and light,

Angel

#quarantingz #personal?? actually ewan #angeltriestoblog #life dump #angel tries to be a leader #hopefully angel succeeds

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