#too busy with ghost marriage/dearly departed!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theamazingsakuma-chan · 3 years

Text

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Dances with Ghosts And the Girl Who Believed

Prologue

This is the story of Higurashi Kagome.

Kagome was an ordinary girl, or so she claimed.

She was as normal as a girl born into a long lineage of priests could be, at least.

People had always told her that she would be someone great, someone special, and someone extraordinary...

But she decided that was something—a life, that she did not want for herself.

No. She never wanted that.

She never wanted to hear that.

Ever since she was small, she hated when people told her how special and different she was—how unlike the other children she was.

Perhaps it was because she did not want to believe that she was different.

Perhaps it was because she did not want to be looked at so strangely by the people around her.

Kagome did not believe in the supernatural, demons, spirits, or even the gods who she was supposed to serve.

She liked cute things. She loved shopping. She enjoyed giggling and gossiping with her friends.

And she dreamed of a beautiful marriage to a handsome prince...

At least—that's the person who the girl wants to be, and that's what she wants to believe...

There had always been a small inkling that she felt. There were times that her six sensed picked up on things that others could not perceive.

As she grew older, the inkling became strong vibes that called out to her.

Her friends, her classmates...they thought of her as an oddity.

On her thirteenth birthday, she abandoned her family shrine and fled all of the shadows looming over her shoulder.

From a shrine on the outskirts of Tokyo to a small house in a quiet neighborhood in the inner-city, Kagome moved. Although she was only thirteen years old, she was now living alone. Tomorrow would be a fresh start—the beginning of her new life.

The lone girl focused a stare down at her shopping list. Her blue eyes read over the contents before a small smile graced her lips. She nodded to herself before tucking the paper into her pocket.

She would change her life, starting with her first day at Shinra Private Academy.

As her mother had suggested, the girl spent a week exploring the area and acclimating to her new life alone.

Despite the week that she used to get to know the neighborhood, Tokyo was still a big place for a small person.

So oftentimes when she went out for errands or out of boredom, the girl ended up getting lost for hours on end.

It was today, Sunday, that Kagome decided to do something a bit more exciting—something that her family would not approve of. She was going to go out and do her shopping late in the day. So by the time that she finished, it would be well after dark. As a young teen, being out alone at night was one of the most exciting things to do after all!

The shopping went without a hitch.

But it was navigating the foreign territory under the curtain of nightfall that proved to be a challenge.

Blue eyes blinked as she spotted a tall hill in the distance.

'Maybe I can spot my house from there...' that thought alone urged Kagome forward and into the cemetery.

Unbeknownst to the girl, she would soon be living the life that she tried to escape...

Chapter 1:

The Boy Who Dances with Ghosts

And the Girl Who Believed

The traditional chime of the dismissal school bell was like music to the student body's ears. They were finally relieved of their scholarly studies and free to go home, fool around, and other typical teenage endeavors. Once the tune quieted down, a teacher closed her special teacher's edition textbook and announced to the young faces before her, "That will be all for today, class." The sight of her smile and the sound of her reminder to study hard and get home safely went on blind eyes and deaf ears.

Some students eagerly gathered their belongings and began stuffing them into backpacks that were already bursting at the seams. Others momentarily stopped to stretch their aching limbs before scurrying out of class into the busy hallways. As with most cram schools, night had already fallen after classes had ended. As friends and acquaintances went their separate ways, shouts of "Take care!" and "See you tomorrow!" filled the air.

This particular evening a rather small boy, thirteen years of age, hurried across the street on his way home. It was still difficult to carry a bag that was almost as big as his body but Manta still managed to make it to and from school and tutoring every day. Stopping in front of the entrance to an old cemetery, Manta paused as he glanced up at luminous orb in the sky.

The moon—it seemed so close and within reach.

It was as if he could run up that nearby hill and be close enough to lay his hand on the moon and caress its rocky surface…

He shook those absurd thoughts out of his head.

Something like that was not possible.

He had to focus on reality—. Looking down at his wristwatch, Manta shrieked in panic, "It's this late already?!" Anxiety washed over him when he realized that there was no way that he would be able to make the last train home! He scowled as he looked at the black iron gate of the cemetery next to him.

He had no choice. This was the only shortcut that he could take to make it in time.

Manta entered the quiet land through the gates that eerily creaked open with a reluctant push from his shaky hands. The cemetery was as grassy as any other one. Tombstones of all shapes and sizes protruded from the green-covered earth and gray cement stairs led upward to grassy hills where thousands were buried. There was also a small shrine for any mourners to pray for their dearly departed.

Being the meek and studious type, Manta was not one to normally in a place like this one...or think such nonsensical thoughts.

'When I realized I was just standing there…

Somehow I felt…

That there was someone calling me'

Was he creating make-believe thoughts about some supernatural influence on his detour home? He could not help but laugh at himself as he hurried up the hill. Manta's jog and self-brought laughter were soon interrupted by a content sigh followed by an unfamiliar voice, "The stars are so pretty…" it stated in a tone so calm and content. It was as if the speaker's life had already been fulfilled although the voice sounded young.

"Stars…?" Manta questioned, blinking as he slowly turned his gaze to the dark blue heavens. His brown eyes lit up in wonder. It was if God poured a handful of glitter on the midnight blue sky. The sparkles and twinkles of the stellar lights were breath-taking. This was the moment that the boy had truly noticed the celestial glory for the first time. Never before had Manta appreciated the stars until that moment. "You are SO right!" he agreed absentmindedly before a thought clicked in his head...

...who on Earth was he talking to anyway?

A chill ran up his spine. "Who are you anyway?" The small boy asked as he literally shook in his shoes. He looked across the way and saw the source of the stranger's voice. Someone was sprawled out on the grass beneath a lone tree atop of the hill.

"Did you come to watch the stars too?" A brown-haired boy asked as he slowly stood up. "Come on over," he continued, walking in Manta's direction. Although he appeared friendly enough, anyone who sat alone in a creepy place like this could not be normal, or at least sane for that matter. "We can watch them with everyone." The stranger lifted his head, allowing the light of the moon to illuminate his tanned, smiling face.

"N-Nah…" Manta declined nervously, inching away slowly. "It's getting pretty late." He certainly did not want to offend the stranger, and it was a legitimate excuse. He then scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepily while pointing out, "Besides, you can't say everyone since it's only the two of us here."

"Oh no. I can say everyone." the brown-haired boy insisted, unintentionally sounding eerie.

"Huh?" Was the only word that could escape Manta's mouth. He looked left and right. There was no one else in sight.

"The spirits—" the smiling boy began while aiming a thumb over his shoulder, "—are here too~." On cue, the boy's incorporeal companions made their presences known to Manta. Their wide, friendly grins not only disturbed Manta but also a certain, lost girl who happened to wander onto the scene. Both stood there for a moment, frozen, their feet took root into the ground.

"Eh—," the girl’s voice hitched. 'This boy must be a—.'

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Manta added as he high-tailed it away from the scene. He sped past the shocked girl along the way.

The boy who mingled with the spirits then turned his welcoming grin towards the girl, blinking when she stiffened and ducked behind a tree.

She crawled away on her hands and knees, leaving the other teen scowling at her reaction.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

That night was filled with restless sleep for Kagome.

The shock of earlier followed her into her dreams.

["The spirits...are here too."]

Images of the scene played in her mind as she tossed and turned in her bed.

Kagome panted and gasped for air, clutching at her chest.

'No way... Not now... Not ever... I don't believe...'

The weight of her haunting reality had followed her to Tokyo and into unconsciousness.

The girl shook her head and bit down on her lower lip.

["The spirits...are here too."]

Kagome stopped running and fell to her knees. She squeezed her eyes shut as she slapped her hands over her ears.

It did not matter how fast or how far she ran. She could not escape that voice.

["The spirits... are here too."]

All she could do was deny what had happened, again.

If she did not acknowledge it, it did not exist to her, right?

'I didn't see them. I never have and never will.'

["The spirits... are here too."]

'I didn't feel them. I don't feel anything... I never did.'

Kagome would not believe it.

She refused to...

She was a normal girl...Higurashi Kagome.

Higurashi Kagome was a normal girl...

Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"GHOSTS?!" came the collective cry of Manta's middle schoolmates.

"Yeah! I saw them on my way home from cram school!" Manta confirmed. "There was this weird boy at Crow Cemetery. Then suddenly, all these ghosts appeared! The place was loaded with them!" He explained before shivering as his mind replaying the scene," It was so scary…"

"Manta… I think you're going a little dead in the head," one student told him nonchalantly.

"What?!" Manta shouted defensively, "You think I'm crazy?! I saw the ghosts with my very own eyes!"

"Oh, come on, Manta," another classmate cut in with an exasperated sigh. "Stop making up stories."

Manta faltered, hurt that they did not believe him. "I-I'm not making it up!" He insisted with a deep scowl.

"You're seriously not trying to scare us?" A boy asked with raising a suspicious eyebrow.

A bubbly girl who had eavesdropped on the conversation speculated, "Maybe he's been reading too many horror stories." She then giggled him and smiled down at him, "But do continue Manta, I like scary stories!"

"I'm not lying!" Manta shouted with all of his might, finally fed up with them not believing him.

The group of classmates stared at the usually reserved boy with surprised expressions. It was unlike him to have outbursts like this one. After a moment of silence, they all exchanged looks with each other.

"Yup, he's gone nuts," the girl stated nonchalantly.

An angry vein ticked on Manta's forehead as he shouted again, "I'M NOT CRAZY OR LYING! THERE WERE REALLY GHOSTS!"

"You're probably just studying too hard. You need some rest."

"Or maybe…" A playful boy whispered eerily. "He's being haunted," he added with a grin. Manta's other classmates shared a laugh with the jokester.

The boy tightened his tiny hands into balls. His fists began to shake in silent anger. Not only was he angry, but Manta also felt frustrated and humiliated. He was not the type to play pranks. So why did no one believe him?! "But it's the truth!" He insisted once again.

"I want to believe you, Manta," the girl explained. "But there's just no proof that your story is true at all."

"…Proof…?" Manta asked in a low tone as he bowed his head. The word flashed him back to that night… Up to the moment when the ghosts appeared. There had been a girl there too… "That's right!" he exclaimed, remembering the girl who had screamed her head.

"Eh? What is it?"

"I have a witness! Other than the weird kid, there was a girl too!" Manta told them excitedly. His almost defeated spirit had been renewed at the thought.

"A girl, really? What did she do? Did she see the ghosts too?"

"Yeah, she did! I can tell because she screamed and ran away too!" The blond teen explained.

"But still… We don't know this girl… So for all we know, you could be making that part up too."

"None of my story is made up!"

Finally, their teacher entered the room and glared at his students that were behaving so casually in school. "Everyone, get in your seats. Homeroom is starting." Manta cursed silently, feeling agitated that his classmates did not believe him. Still, he was a model student so he resigned himself to his seat...

Manta's eye twitched when he saw the boy from the previous night casually saunter into the room behind the teacher. The shocked boy could not help his reaction. He screamed while jumping out of his seat and pointing an accusing finger at the other boy. Manta's sudden outburst startled the students sitting around him, but did not seem to faze the source of his shock and ire.

The instructor quirked an eyebrow while questioning, "Do you two know each other?"

"Uh…" Manta replied lamely as his cheeks lit up. He did not know the boy's name or anything about him. There was no way to answer the question without embarrassing himself. "Um, no…" Manta stated in a lower voice. His head lowered in shame as a few classmates chuckled at his expense. His entire face was feeling unusually hot. At this point, he could not tell if he was blushing from embarrassment or flushing from anger...

"Then hurry up and sit down."

"Okay…" Manta whispered obediently before complying with the command.

The teacher slowly introduced the new student as Asakura Yoh. Yoh stared almost blankly at the class as the teacher explained a few things about him. All the while, Manta glared at Yoh and thought about everything that had happened. From their encounter last night, to how his classmates did not believe him, a lot of things were on his mind. But on the bright side, now he had proof! Suddenly in the middle of the short introduction, the door slid open and in stepped a girl...

"And it's you TOO!" Manta yelled, jumping up in his seat once again.

The girl blinked before sending him a puzzled expression. It was if she did not recognize him at all.

"Another interruption, Oyamada?" the teacher asked in an annoyed tone.

"Eh?! Err—!" He paused as he was snapped back to his normal self "...I'm very sorry, Sensei," Manta mumbled before sinking into his head.

The girl then bowed deeply before straightening up. "Please pardon me, Sensei, " she stated in a polite tone. "I got lost on my way to school..." She then smiled sheepishly while scratching a slightly pink cheek, " Then I got lost again on my way to class."

The teacher uncharacteristically smiled at the girl, instantly taken in by her charming demeanor. He waved his hand dismissively before announcing to the class, "This young lady is also a new student here. She recently moved from the suburbs. Please welcome: Higurashi Kagome."

Kagome smiled brightly at her new classmates and waved. "Let's get along, okay?" she asked of the class. She looked at her cohorts a smile, which was a stark contrast to Yoh's stoic and apathetic expression.

One transfer student was an amicable girl who seemed ready and willing to make new friends.

While the other was a standoffish boy who did not bother to greet the class at all.

Manta could not believe his luck—or was this some sort of crazy coincidence?

Did situations like this one really happen in real life?

"T-That's the girl too…" He whispered shakily to a classmate sitting directly to his right.

"Is she really? She doesn't seem afraid of the boy like you were," was the response that he received.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

It was their lunch period. Manta had waited for this moment for hours. He could finally have the boy tell the others that he was not crazy, sleep-deprived, or a liar. The ghosts were real! And he could have the girl tell them too! The others would have no choice but to believe him with the two new students corroborating his story!

Manta glanced at Kagome, who was napping at the back of the classroom with her head resting on her folded arms. "I better not bother her," he stated to himself. He would just have to settle on Yoh for now.

With a newfound determination and anticipation, he walked across the classroom to the second row to the front so that he stood on the right side of Yoh's desk. The brunette wore a small, content smile as he listened to the music blasting from his orange headphones. With his closed eyes and peaceful smile, the boy appeared to be in his own world.

"Hey," Manta greeted.

Yoh did not respond. He was too preoccupied with his music.

"Hey!" The blond raised his voice a bit.

But it was for naught. It had been a long, frustrating day so he could not help the growl that rumbled in his throat.

"HEY!" Manta's voice finally reached past the headphones and Yoh opened his eyes.

"Huh?" Yoh blinked and looked down at Manta curiously. On cue, Manta's associates surrounded the two of them. They wanted to find out the truth for themselves so they could just drop the topic.

"We met each other last night at the cemetery, didn't we?" Manta asked of him.

Yoh only stared quietly...

"You were hanging out with those ghosts, weren't you?" The agitated boy pressed on. He knew the truth, but he needed answers to clear his name!

Yoh stared at Manta silently for a few moments before asking, " …who are you…?"

"W-WHAT THE—?!" Manta sputtered in shock and outrage. How could this person do this to him?!

"I knew you were sleep-deprived, Manta," the normally giggly girl stated in a deadpanned tone.

"So that's why you're haunted," another friend teased again.

Cue more laughter and teasing at Manta's expense...

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

'I'll prove that my story is true, for sure,' Manta thought spiritedly while side glaring at Yoh who was staring off into space. 'Even if I have to—Ah…?' His train of thought was cut off when a small folded slip of paper was discreetly passed onto his desk. Manta looked around the room and saw no one staring at him or looking his way to signify that they wrote the note. He unfolded it until it was completely open. It read:

"I believe your story about the ghosts and Asakura from last night

"Meet me after school and we can talk about it (if you want)

See ya later,

-Higurashi”

Manta was tempted to show the note to the classmates that did not believe him. But he refrained from acting impulsively this time. Nothing good would come of it. Higurashi Kagome would most likely hate him for it, and they would both end up embarrassed. He would meet her after school... And maybe they would both expose Asakura! 'Yes...!' Manta grinned at the thought. Things were finally looking up for him!

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"I see," Kagome stated, tapping her chin with the tip of her finger. "So no one believed you?" Manta nodded in response. "But I guess that is kind of normal. Most people don't believe in ghosts, you know." She could not blame them either. She accidentally slept in because of the haunting dream that she had last night...

Manta nodded again and replied as his hands began tight fists, " I know! So that's why we have to work together to prove my story is true!" In his excitement, he did notice how Kagome looked genuinely surprised at his conviction. "So, you're going to help me out, aren't you?" He looked up at his new classmate with hopeful and determined eyes.

'He...wants to pursue a matter like this...?'

The girl looked at her new classmate's face. His eyes were burning with passion.

This was something that he truly cared about...

Kagome then nodded and smiled sweetly," Sure!"

Moments later, her smile transformed into an unsure frown that was almost a pout.

"What's wrong?" asked the short boy.

"Nothing, but…" Kagome slowly peered around a telephone pole and peeked at Yoh, who was standing at bridge watching the serenity of the river. "Don't you think this is a little extreme?" She asked.

Manta peeked around the pole to glance at Yoh too.

Kagome sweatdropped as she looked down at Manta. This was getting weird...but she would settle for weird as long as she made new friends.

"Why are we spying on Asakura anyway?" She questioned in a tone that was half curious, half incredulous.

"Because we want proof!"

"I understand that part, but isn't this considered… Stalking?" Kagome asked skeptically.

"…Eh heh," Manta sweatdropped as well while letting out an embarrassed chuckle. He did not expect to be called out so bluntly. "Let's just call it a private investigation," He proposed.

"If you say so…" Kagome sighed softly as the duo continued to watch Yoh watch the river...

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Three hours later, Yoh was still minding his own business, watching the river with not a care in the world. The brunette seemed lost in thought as he leaned against the guard rail with his propped up elbow supporting his cheek.

From his hiding place behind the telephone pole, Manta gritted his teeth together in frustration. "How long does he plan to just stand there like that?!" He was red-faced and seething.

Kagome sighed for the umpteenth time that day. After the first uneventful half hour, she had already given up on watching Yoh and decided to leave that part to Manta. The girl settled for sitting on the pavement next to him, not caring about dirtying her green, pleated skirt. "I don't know but I'm getting bored with this…" She admitted, almost huffing with her confession. "Maybe he—."

"Ah?" both witnesses blinked as Yoh suddenly stretched and yawned aloud.

"Is he finally doing something?" they asked in unison, both now standing and watching the strange boy.

The brunette sighed in contentment as he offered the river a satisfied smile, "Ahhhh~! It's good to be so in touch with nature!"

Manta angrily jumped out from his hiding place and pointed a shaky finger at Yoh. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Huh?" Yoh turned around, only to see nothing.

Kagome had pulled her comrade back into hiding at the very last second. She held the small boy between her legs as she waited for Yoh to look away again.

The calmer then Manta pulled Kagome's hand from over his mouth and sighed in relief that Kagome bailed him out. He then got up and looked back at Yoh to find that—. "He's gone! We lost him!" The blond cried out.

"Really?" Kagome inquired as she moved from the hiding space and looked around. There truly was no trace of the boy anywhere. "How did Asakura just disappear like that…?" She wondered aloud.

This situation was becoming more and more strange.

"What the hell?!" Manta screamed while tugging at his hair. He was at his wit's end! How could this happen?!

Kagome's eyes suddenly hardened in determination as she balled up her hands. "Oyamada-kun! We can't give up just yet! We can do it if we put to our minds to it, right?" she asked, offering Manta an encouraging smile. The small boy stared up at the girl's face for a moment before nodding in agreement and making a fist of his own.

"Yeah!" Was his simple but energetic response. She was right. They just had to be more diligent!

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Manta smirked as he held a flashlight below his face and turned it on with a click. Kagome laughed and joked, "Your face is scary like that!" The duo shared a short, light-hearted laugh before putting on their serious faces.

"We'll stick around here for a while until we meet up with him," Manta stated. The young sleuths were hiding behind the miniature shrine in the Crow Cemetery. He pulled out a camera and explained his plan to Kagome, "and with this instant camera, I can snap a picture of him when he's with the ghosts!"

'I wonder…' Kagome silently thought as Manta chuckled at his master plan. 'Will a ghost even show up on camera? And more importantly, this little guy is stranger than I thought.' She sweatdropped when her partner began rubbing his hands together like a criminal mastermind.

Suddenly their chatter and chuckles were interrupted by a group of voices approaching them.

"What did you say?" a deep, masculine voice hissed out. The owner of the voice did not sound too happy about some news.

Manta and Kagome stiffened as they peered around the shrine and spotted a tall, older teen with a distantly long pompadour and a white suit. 'Uh, people really still wear pompadours?’ Kagome thought while sweatdropping at the prospect that another weirdo entered the scene.

The young man was surrounded by a crowd of lackeys and was angrily discussing rumors of a boy who hung around in "their territory".

"Crap," Manta whispered. He looked up at Kagome with fearful eyes and informed her," That's Ryu of the Wooden Sword. He and his gang are notorious for beating up anyone who comes onto anything that they consider their territory."

"And it sounds like they're talking about Asakura," Kagome added with a concerned. She knew nothing about the guy, but no one deserved to be hurt over something so petty and trivial. She looked down at Manta but he was too scared and engrossed in the conversation to care.

Ryu huffed and kicked over a tombstone to show his dismay and display his strength. He looked annoyed when gang members did not admire his power, but gasped in fear, staring at the damages with wide eyes and dropped jaws. "T-That was the tombstone of Amidamaru, t-t-t-the demon samurai from six-hundred years ago!" Despite the warnings from his comrades, Ryu was not bothered in the slightest. He was too busy caught up in his machismo. With a single downward swing on his wooden sword, Ryu sliced through the stone and left it in pieces.

Both spies watched and listened to Ryu and his gang's conversation about the curse of Amidamaru. Kagome frowned when Ryu broke the tombstone in half with his wooden sword. "If he can do that to stone with only a wooden sword, think of what he can do to us if we get caught," Kagome said in a grave tone.

Manta shivered and looked at Kagome. "L-let's just go home for tonight." He slowly backed away and froze when his foot knocked over a tin can. The sound of it falling and rolling to the ground seemed as loud as the school bell. It was as if the can wanted them to get caught spying on Ryu and his gang.

"Eh?" Ryu asked as he circled around the mini shrine and spotted the younger teens, "Who the hell are you two?"

Manta smiled nervously and innocently, "We're nobody. We were just passing through." He raised up his hands to show he was unarmed and harmless.

Kagome nodded as she followed Manta's example and put her hands up, "Yeah! We're just innocent passersby!"

"Um, uh… Honestly!" Manta added with a nervous smile.

"Little man, you're the kid, aren't you?!" Ryu asked while looking at Manta, "The kid that trespasses in this area?"

"Of course not! What are you talking about?" asked Manta, still frozen. His legs glued to the ground.

Ryu and his gang shared deviously grins with each other before taking deliberately slow steps forward.

"Leave him alone, you creeps!" Kagome then stepped between the gang and her new classmate. She knew where this was going and she would not tolerate it! The girl glared them down while spreading her arms out wide protectively. "If you want to hurt my friend, then you'll have to get through me!" Manta's eyes widened at her choice of words.

"And what's this?" Ryu squinted, "A girl?"

A cloud that covered the moon drifted away in that instant, allowing the light to shine down on the scene. Ryu felt his heart his accelerate when he finally could make out the girl's features: a sweet with big blue eyes, long dark hair, and a rather generous body for someone her age! "Eh—" Kagome's eye twitched. "What's with this guy?" She deadpanned while looking to the rest of his gang for questions as their leader's eyes began pulsing, pink eyes.

They merely looked shocked or embarrassed as Ryu dropped his sword and dashed over to Kagome. He collected the girl's hands into his own while staring down at her, completely lovestruck, "Miss, you're absolutely gorgeous! You should run away with me, and together, we can find our best place!"

Kagome sweatdropped and forced a twitching smile at the proposal, "I have no clue what you're talking about." She then looked over her shoulder at Manta and tried to communicate a message of 'Run away while he's distracted!' with her eyes. The blond blinked but quickly caught on. He nodded and began inching away slowly and quietly...

Only for one of Ryu's gang to point out, "The little man, he's trying to escape!"

Ryu snapped back into reality and narrowed his eyes, "I see... So you used your feminine wiles in order for your friend to escape."

Kagome then yanked her hands away from the older teen and shouted back indignantly, "I did nothing like that!" A moment later, she found herself restrained by two of the gang members as Ryu and the others crowded around Manta. "Oh crap..."

Later that night, the boy who Kagome and Manta had been searching for arrived at the cemetery. He looked down at the crumbled pieces of Amidamaru's tombstone and scowled deeply. Only someone distasteful was capable of desecrating someone's eternal resting place. Something had to be done...

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The following day, collective gasps filled the classroom as Manta and Kagome entered together. Manta had a black eye, a cast on his left arm, and his head had been bandaged up. And Kagome entered the room with an ordinary bandaid on her cheek. "What happened to you?" someone asked surprised.

"I got beaten up by Ryu of the Wooden Sword," Manta replied glumly, with his head lowered in shame and defeat.

"Ryu of the Wooden Sword?!" Came another student's shocked reaction. "How did you end up fighting with gangsters?"

"Higurashi and I were trying to snap pictures of the ghosts," he admitted honestly but pitifully.

All he wanted to do was validate his claims and earn back everyone's trust and respect...

"You're still talking about that ghost thing?!"

"And why are you getting Higurashi mixed up in all of this? Why she is not… banged up like you?"

"Last night they beat up Oyamada-kun. Then at the end, Ryu gave me a warning by scratching my cheek…" Kagome stood beside Manta as she explained. She looked down at Manta's broken expression and felt guilt. All of the passion and excitement that he showed her yesterday had been beaten out of him. The poor guy did not deserve any of this... "And besides..." As much as she wanted to start her life anew as a normal girl, there was no way that she could turn her back on this person. He looked so deflated and he was being humiliated. "I was there when Asakura-kun was with the ghosts that night..." She confessed. Yes. Here she was, admitting something like that. "I saw them too."

The other classmates looked at each other before one of them asked, " Higurashi-chan, how much did Manta pay you…?"

Kagome blinked, " …pay me…?"

"Yeah, to lie about being the so-called girl from the ghost night. Is he blackmailing you?"

"WHAT?" Manta bellowed while glaring at his classmates. Hearing those accusations rekindled the anger that he felt since yesterday. "Why would I do something so horrible to Higurashi?!"

"It's nothing like that!" Kagome shot back at them. "Oyamada-kun and I aren't lying, seriously! We both saw them! There's no reason to lie about that!"

"Then what were YOU doing at Crow Cemetery that night…?"

Kagome stiffened.

"Aha! I knew you were lying!"

"That's not it…" Kagome muttered. "We're not lying… It's just that…" she bowed her head in shame. "I got lost on my way home from the grocery store! I had been wandering around town for hours!"

"I see… That is pretty embarrassing."

"Oh, whatever! It's because you're so determined to be weird that you got beat up by Ryu of the Wooden Sword!"

Kagome looked down at Manta with nothing but sympathy. No one believed him, even when she vouched for his claims. What else could she do...?

"NOTHING WE SAID WERE LIES!" The bruised and battered boy bellowed.

The class froze and stared at their classmate who had a surprising amount of wind in him. Then came the fateful statement from Asakura Yoh himself, "yeah, it's not a lie." The brunette said it so straightforwardly and casually.

Tears flew from Manta's eyes as he looked up at Yoh, who had just entered the classroom. The blond's eyes were full of anger, relief, and surprise.

Yoh looked back down at Manta then at Kagome and smiled. "There are spirits," he confirmed.

The classroom filled with silence...

And no one spoke to Manta, Yoh, or Kagome for the rest of the day...

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The three middle school students, who were now permanently labeled weirdoes were now taking off their school shoes at their lockers and putting on their regular shoes. Kagome watched as Manta silently slipped on his walking shoes. "I heard about what happened from my friends at the cemetery," Yoh told them solemnly.

"What are you talking about?" Manta snipped in response. "I'm a person busy with studies. I can't waste my time the way you do." He could not help but feel spiteful and stung about the entire ordeal. He had gone out of his way to prove that he was not a liar. He ended up getting beat up. And now that Yoh told everyone the truth, both he and Kagome were labeled as weird and ignored. He ended dragging a girl who probably would have been popular down with him...

"Oyamada-kun…" Kagome whispered, her eyes softening. She wanted to comfort him. He was the closest thing that she had to a friend after all of this time... But what could she say? She failed him, and herself. She tried being a good person by helping Manta out, but she ended up being an outcast again. And it was all because she not as normal as everyone else...

Not as normal as she wanted—No, pretended to be.

"You're Oyamada Manta…" Yoh asked curiously. Then he turned to Kagome and asked, "And Higurashi Kagome, right?" Kagome blinked and watched silently as Yoh grabbed Manta's wrist and began leading him away, out the front doors. "Well, come on. Let's go."

"Wai—Wait a second," Manta yelled. "Where are we going?!" He questioned as this stranger dragged him away from school.

"We're going to see Ryu."

"Ehhhh?!" Manta's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Yoh looked down at Manta as he continued to dragging the shorter teen, "My grandfather once said evil cannot see spirits. So you must be a good person. I can't stand by and let a good person like you get bullied like that."

Without uttering a word, Kagome looked to the ground. Suddenly she felt forgotten.

She was alone already... And this was only her second day of school, and the beginning of her second week in Tokyo.

The girl silently watched them walk away.

She was uninvited.

She was unwanted.

Unneeded.

Unwelcome.

Again.

"What are you saying?" Manta asked, yanking his arm away. "Ryu is a total bad guy with many scary goons and you're just a scrawny kid! What can someone like you do?!" He protested.

Yoh agreed with a mutter of, "No doubt, I am pretty weak."

"Then why are you—?!"

Yoh grinned over his shoulder, "it's alright. I'm sure things will work out somehow…" Yoh grabbed Manta's wrist again and stated. "So let's go." Before proceeding on his trek to see Ryu, Yoh looked back at Kagome who stood idly watching the entire scene as if she was not even there. That was odd. Her eyes seemed duller, emptier as she stared at them with a hollow expression.

That look on her face... He recognized that look.

Suddenly, Kagome's eyes widened when she realized that his eyes were on her.

Finally, their eyes met. Yoh's warm chocolate pools found the depths of her blue oceans.

"Are you coming, Higurashi?" Yoh inquired curiously. His question was accompanied by a friendly smile.

That acknowledgment...

Kagome was surprised to find that the heavy grip on her heart had been released.

She could breathe.

She didn't even realize that she had been holding her breath.

The girl returned Yoh's smile with a watery one before she nodded enthusiastically.

She did not ponder about how her sorrow suddenly disappeared when she saw Yoh's smile and the warmth in it. There was no time for that. She just had to enjoy this brief happiness while it lasted. "You bet!" she chirped.

"Good, now we'll go see Ryu together," Yoh replied as he allowed Kagome to catch up with them. Kagome smiled fondly at Yoh and Manta as Yoh apologized to Manta about pretending to not know him.

It was truly a heart-warming moment.

Despite walking behind the two boys, Kagome could sense that Manta was finally smiling too...

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The night seemed peaceful enough. The moon was almost staring Manta in the face as he and his new classmates waited for Ryu and his gang to arrive. The tiny schoolboy stared at Kagome and Yoh's backs. The black-haired girl was nearly cuddling with Yoh in order to hear the music from his headphones. "Um…" Manta began nervously. Yoh did not seem to hear him and Manta guessed Kagome was too sleepy to care at the moment.

"Hell-o!" Manta called over to them.

Yoh looked at Manta from over his shoulder, bumping the back of his head against the side of Kagome's face. "Watch it!" she exclaimed, pouting slightly.

The brunette lifted one side of his headphones and asked curiously, "Did you say something?"

"Well…" Manta began with a twitching smile. "Why am I the only one tied to a tree?"

"If I untie you, you'll run away," Yoh replied.

Manta looked at Kagome and asked, "And what about her, huh?"

Kagome answered the question this time, "Well, I came here willingly so there would be no need to tie me to a tree, Oyamada-kun."

Manta sobbed, "But why do I have to be here? Isn't Higurashi being here good enough?"

Yoh laughed then promised, "When all of this is over, I'll untie you. But for now, I just want you to watch."

"Watch what, Asakura-kun?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Watch you get beaten to a pulp by Ryu of the Wooden Sword?" Manta asked with doubtful, teary eyes.

Yoh smiled again, just a bit awkwardly this time. His desire—He did not know how to explain it that well. "That is, I mean…" He scratched his cheek as he tried to find the words," I want you to watch…me."

Just then a familiar deep voice hit Kagome and Manta's ears.

"It's…" Kagome stated as they all looked up.

"Ryu." Manta's courage and calmness level plummeted from 10 all the way down to -100 as they watched Ryu and his gang approach.

"Huh?" Ryu asked as he looked up at the three younger teenagers. "Who goes there…?"

Kagome watched as Yoh slowly stood up and brushing imaginary dirt off his pants. 'I hope you know what you're doing Asakura-kun…' she nervously thought.

Yoh grinned as he introduced the three of them to Ryu. "Yo. My name is Asakura Yoh," he pointed at Manta then at Kagome, "and these two are my friends, Oyamada Manta and Higurashi Kagome." Kagome sweatdropped at Yoh's casual politeness in this situation.

"H-How do you do…?" Manta asked half-heartedly. He was more scared than anything.

Kagome only waved a little and added, "Yeeeeeah...hi."

One of Ryu's minions whispered something to Ryu and he replied something in a low tone.

"It seems to me that my friends paid you some debt, now I'm here to return the favor," Yoh announced confidently.

"Favor?" Ryu inquired before chuckling and placing a hand on his hip. "Are you saying you are going to avenge them? You've got a lot of guts. You must want to see the other world so soon."

"Even the people of the other world say that you're a nuisance," Yoh replied with an agitation that seemed unbecoming of him.

Kagome stood up then took a place beside Yoh and asked softly, " What are you planning to do?"

"Apologize! Kneel down and just apologize!" Manta pleaded from his place on the tree.

"Ryu-san! We'll take care of them!" One of his minions said. Another cracked his knuckles and added,

"There is no need for Ryu-san to get his hands dirty playing around with kids like these."

Ryu nodded and instructed, "As you wish. But leave my angel out of it." He then shot her a dreamy look, "So your name is Kagome-chan, is it?"

Kagome's jaw dropped at his inquiry, "How dare you address me so casually!?" She pointed at him and glared, "Don't treat me differently just because I'm a girl!"

"But I'm treating you differently because you're cute, not because you are a girl," Ryu admitted with a shameless shrug and easygoing smile.

Yoh gently used one arm and push Kagome back behind him. "I would appreciate it if you left Higurashi alone," Yoh told Ryu. "She's not interested in whatever you're thinking."

"A-Asakura-kun…?" Kagome whispered, blushing a bit. Sure, she was brave enough in her own right. But there was something about someone else wanting to protect you...

Ryu's growled at Yoh's fearlessness and interference, "I'll do whatever I want, you little—!"

"It's fine, Ryu-san, like we said." a minion stated. "We'll take care of them, of course, we won't harm the girl."

"See?!" Manta asked looking at Yoh while kicking his legs. "Now they're interested in Higurashi and want to kill us!"

"I already told you, it'll be alright," said Yoh reassuringly. Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded.

Manta's jaw dropped, he could not believe that Kagome had so much faith in Yoh already. This was their first time meeting, right? The blond boy tried to snap some sense into the girl, "He can't do anything on his own!"

"I am not alone!" Yoh yelled.

Kagome gasped and took a step back when a large spirit appeared behind Yoh and beside her.

"I shall grant thee an opportunity to redeem your mistakes, so you should be thankful!"

This spirit was unlike the carefree ones from the night of their encounter. This one was a silver-haired man dressed like a samurai.

There was no doubt about it...

'Mistakes…?' Kagome thought.

Manta was thinking the same thing, 'Could… Could it be…?'

"Kick his ass!" Ryu commanded his sidekicks.

"Manta…" Yoh whispered solemnly. "Watch me closely."

Kagome gasped when she realized what was going on.

"Shall we do it then? All right! …Amidamaru!" Yoh called, raising his arm. Kagome and Manta watched awestruck as Amidamaru went into Ghost-ball mode. But the minions who charged at them did not seem to notice the spirit.

"I am a shaman," Yoh stated calmly. "The one who links this world and the next…"

'Asakura-kun is a…'

"Sha… Shaman?!" Manta asked stunned.

"Let's go!" Yoh called out before pushing the Ghost-ball into his chest. "Over-Soul Merge!"

"The spirit went into his body?!" Manta's eyes were bulging from what he was seeing. Seeing ghosts was one thing, but watching a human put one inside of himself was another!

Meanwhile, The edge of Kagome's mouth slowly began to twitch then curve upward.

The two men, who did not notice Amidamaru merge into Yoh, foolishly charged at him. Manta gasped when Yoh drew his wooden sword and easily defeated the two with a single swing.

"T-That was awesome, Asakura-kun!" Kagome cheered from behind Yoh. A big smile was plastered on her face as she watched Yoh and Amidamaru with excitement. Adrenaline rush through her veins as the shaman made quick work of more goons.

"What the hell just happened?!" asked one of the shocked gangsters.

"It was too fast to see anything!" one of his comrades replied.

Yoh pointed the wooden sword at Ryu and told him, "You're next."

Kagome gasped, though the smile did not disappear. She could see him. She could see Amidamaru's spirit inside of Yoh…

"Are you prepared for it?" Amidamaru asked from within his host.

'Who is this bastard…? He's completely different from a moment ago,' Ryu thought as he began sweating nervously. 'What the hell just happened?'

Kagome balled up her fists and yelled passionately, "Waste that gangster Asakura-kun!" 'And you too… Amidamaru-sama…!' she added mentally.

"What's wrong?" asked the smirking brown-haired boy. "Are you afraid to fight me… Rookie?" He taunted.

Manta could tell that hit one of Ryu's nerves, but for once he was not screaming for Yoh to apologize. He was amazed and awestruck… All of this was too cool to be real. But it was real.

"This kid…" Ryu stated as he gripped his sword and charged full speed at Yoh, "Is a real bastard! Don't underestimate me!"

Kagome gasped and moved from behind Yoh to a safer place beside the tree with Manta attached to its trunk.

Just as Ryu was about to strike, Yoh grinned and seemingly disappeared. He reappeared behind Ryu, ready to strike with his wooden sword in his hands.

"Ryu-san! Watch out!"

Everything happened in slow motion…

Yoh and Amidamaru swung.

"Hmph, I won't kill you. I don't want someone like you to become one of us," Yoh mumbled, though Kagome and Manta knew it was really Amidamaru speaking through Yoh's body.

"Way to go!" Kagome cheered when she saw Ryu fall flat on his back. A second later, half of his pompadour fell flat on the ground.

"Ahhhhh! Ryu-san has been defeated! Run!" Came the scream of one of Ryu's lackeys. The remaining members scooped up Ryu and their other fallen comrades before making a hasty retreat.

Manta quietly replayed what happened in his head. 'Shaman… To unite with a spirit… the spirit's movement, skills, everything… Reappears using his body…'

A single bead of sweat ran down Yoh's face.

"Amazing!" Manta finally cheered. He would have pumped his fist if he were not still restrained.

'I guess… It's over now…' thought Kagome as she breathed a sigh of relief. The adrenaline was finally leaving her body as her shoulders slumped a bit. This was a lot more excitement than she had expected.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Yoh stuck Amidamaru's wooden sword into the soil. He and Kagome closed their eyes and recited a small prayer.

"Alright! It's perfect!" Yoh announced while admiring his handiwork with a satisfied grin.

"What do you mean?" asked Manta as he looked at the tombstone that had been glued back together. "It has cracks all over the place."

"Well, don't mind such petty things," the brown-haired boy said with an easy-going smile.

"That's right," Kagome stated after finishing her prayer. She ran her hand over the stone and smiled, before winking at Manta. "Besides, the cracks give it character."

"That's the ticket!" Yoh chimed in as he placed a hand on her shoulder and grinned even wider.

All three laughed at what seemed to be nothing at all.

"You two don't seem afraid," Yoh suddenly pointed out. His face calmer and warmer than what it was in the classroom.

Kagome blinked, "Afraid? Of what Asakura-kun?"

"Well, you saw me unite with the ghost," Yoh stated simply, unwilling to expand on what he was thinking...not yet.

"Well, the first time we saw you was with the spirits after all," Manta explained.

"Hm, oh yeah?" Yoh smiled.

"Yeah!" nodded Manta.

Kagome smiled and suddenly slapped Yoh on the back, laughing merrily, "You did a good job with Amidamaru-sama, Asakura-kun!" She blinked when Yoh's shoulders trembled. "Eh—What's the matter?"

Yoh grinned at her over his shoulder and said, "That kinda hurt."

"Oh, you…"

Yoh sat down on the hill. Manta and Kagome exchanged looks before following his lead. The shaman looked up at the night sky and marveled in its beauty, "Ah! Today's stars are really pretty too!"

"You're right again," Manta agreed, looking up too.

Kagome smiled softly and admitted, closing her eyes, "I'm happy."

Manta and Yoh blinked.

That statement seemed out of the blue. "Because Yoh-kun beat Ryu of the Wooden Sword?" Manta asked curiously.

The girl shook her head while laughing lightly, "I moved here from the outskirts of Tokyo, you know. When I first arrived, I have to admit, I was pretty lonely... But I had to go on because I made the decision to come here in the first place."

Kagome did not know why she was telling this to these two boys—these two people who she had just met yesterday. All that she knew was that it felt good to talk about it, and talking about it came easy with them.

"I came here to start a new life, and I thought you two screwed it up already," Kagome looked down from the sky and smiled at Manta and Yoh. "But now, I'm glad I met you."

Yoh placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and grinned, "Then you're real lucky, Kagome-chan."

"Ka…gome-chan…?" Kagome asked slowly. "What happened to just Higurashi?"

Manta told her smiling "Well, we're friends now, so you can call me Manta-kun."

"Same with me. You can call me by my first name too," Yoh added.

Kagome nodded and smiled happily. "I'll do that!" she told them.

From that moment on, the three classmates watched the stars contently with Amidamaru quietly leaning against a tree behind them.

It truly was the beginning of a new life, together...

#kagomecrossover #inuyasha crossover #kagome crossover #inuyashacrossover #shamankingcrossover #anime crossover #higurashi kagome #asakura yoh #oyamada manta #fanfiction #anime crossover fanfiction #fanfiction.net #canon divergence #kagome higurashi #yoh asakura #manta oyamada #the amazing sakumachan #yoh/kagome #yoh asakura/kagome higurashi

5 notes · View notes

dramatisperscnae · 6 years

Text

HEADCANON -- SIR THOMAS SHARPE

Edith

So much of Thomas’s life - its vast majority, in fact - was spent doing anything and everything his sister asked that the idea, let alone the possibility, of him acting on his own personal desires was almost unthinkable. Until he met Edith Cushing. Thomas had arrived in Buffalo for two reasons: to attempt to find some capital to help fund his continued work on his mining machine, and to court and ultimately marry Eunice McMichael to ensure he would eventually have said capital thanks to her dowry. Eunice fit Lucille’s specifications perfectly; a flighty, easily-charmed girl whose family would likely not think it strange when they ceased to hear from her. Edith was anything but.

Had it not been for his glimpse of her novel, it’s doubtful Thomas would have taken more notice of Edith than he did. She was lovely, to be sure, but by the time he met her he was far too deep into his sister’s machinations and only subconsciously beginning to realize it despite his best efforts to ignore it. Edith’s story, with its air of the macabre and its ghosts, fascinated him. To learn that she was the author fascinated him further. Here was a woman of wit and clear education and creativity, bold enough to sass a complete stranger - and a strange man, at that - and yet still with a certain feminine softness that was so different from the woman he knew best.

His arrival at her residence to escort her to the McMichael party was the first time Thomas had ever acted on impulse. He didn’t want Eunice - truthfully he didn’t want to continue the cycle he and Lucille had begun at all, but he saw no other way - but this woman was different in a way he couldn’t describe. That was why he’d told Lucille to go on ahead, that he had some last-minute business to attend to, and took a cab to Maston Park where he stood out of sight in the rain trying to work up the courage to approach the door. When he saw her father depart without her, that made things easier; his previous encounter with Carter Cushing had left him more than a bit intimidated, even though he’d managed to stand his ground.

Thomas knew exactly the statement his arrival to the party with Edith would make. Given that he was the guest of honor and it was already generally known he was planning on courting Eunice, his arrival with another woman - and one who had already informed the hostess she would not be attending, no less - was an incredible breach of etiquette and a slight to the young lady he was meant to be paying his attentions to. When asked to demonstrate the waltz, again he knew exactly what his actions would suggest. It was a chance for him to save face and continue with the plan as his sister wished, to make up for his earlier slight of Eunice, but he very deliberately - and very publicly - passed over Eunice in favor of asking Edith. This marked the first time he’d ever outright gone against his sister’s wishes, as it had been Lucille who suggested the waltz to begin with.

Victorian etiquette dictated that a lady could not outright refuse a gentleman’s request to dance, especially when it was given so publicly, which meant that Thomas would have to rescind the offer in order for Edith to avoid joining in the insult. He did not. Instead he insisted, even after she did refuse him and reminded him that Eunice was meant to be the object of his attention. For the first time Thomas acted on his own desires, ignoring the plan Lucille had so carefully arranged, and held steady in his course. It caused a minor scandal, of course, for Eunice to be snubbed so overtly and at her own party, but Thomas didn’t care.

In the days that followed, as he payed court to Edith Cushing, Thomas’s fascination with her grew. She truly was different, genuine in a way no one had ever really been with him before. Bright and intelligent, warm and quick-witted, and with an inventive and creative mind of her own, speaking with Edith was speaking with a kindred spirit. In truth, Thomas was so taken with her that he’d quite forgotten the fate that awaited any woman he took to wife.

Carter Cushing’s discovery of his marriage to Pamela brought it all crashing down. Thomas could not bear to have Edith learn of his history, especially not in so terrible a fashion, and especially not on the night he’d intended to propose. So he accepted Mr. Cushing’s money and would have left Buffalo entirely, had Lucille not insisted he follow through. She would depart for the port, and he would remain behind to finish the job and convince Edith to come with him. He had changed the target, after all, but the ultimate goal remained the same. It wasn’t until Ferguson brought the news and he went with Edith to see the body that Thomas realized what must have happened. He knew, or at least guessed, Carter Cushing’s true fate, though still he couldn’t bring himself to speak against his sister. Especially not now, when he would be hanged for murder just as surely as Lucille would be thrown back into a sanitarium for all they had done. He couldn’t speak. Not anymore.

The brief honeymoon he had with Edith following their hastened wedding brought some of the earlier light and life back into his relationship with her. To be with someone who saw him, and not simply a pretty, charming face, was wholly new. Edith even liked hearing about his work and his designs; as much as Lucille adored him she had never shown much interest in his work beyond idle fascination. When the inevitable poisoning began, Thomas felt himself trapped between the woman he had come to truly love and the only woman who had - as far as he believed - ever loved him.

There were several points at which he considered telling Lucille to stop, to let Edith live, but he could never bring himself to do so. If he did, then she would learn he’d broken yet another promise to her, that he’d fallen in love with his newest wife, and he couldn’t bear to confess that particular sin to her. He could barely even show the affection he wished to where Edith was concerned, though she was the only woman he’d ever desired of his own accord. The chance storm that stranded them in the village ended up being the perfect - and only - chance for Thomas to act on his feelings towards her.

It was a chance he would pay dearly for later; seeing the hurt and panicked despair in his sister’s eyes on their return had Thomas’s heart nearly breaking with guilt. His slip in wishing for Edith’s presence as his clay harvester finally came to life only made things worse, though he tried to fix them as best he could, to ease Lucille’s pain as he had always done, to assure her that nothing had changed. But it had. Something about Edith Cushing had finally drawn Thomas’s eyes out of the shadow he’d kept them in for so long and pushed him into the light.

He made his decision to get Edith out of Allerdale when he found her unconscious in the entry hall. She was dying, he knew, a slow and torturous death that he had condemned her to, and her only hope of survival was to get away from both the house and him. His plan had been to use the excuse of a ride in the fresh air to get Edith out of the house and take her to town. From there he could get her a train ticket to London, and from there she could find a steam-ship to take her back to America. The marriage he could have annulled, leaving her free without any ties to Allerdale or to him. Free to live her life.

And free to tell the world the truth she had learned about Thomas and Lucille, about the women they had killed. That dashed his plan like a storm-tossed ship against rocks. If the truth were to get out, he would be hanged - he would accept full blame, after all, regardless of the fact that women were rarely put to death - and Lucille would be left alone, likely to endure again the tortures of a sanitarium. Trapped with no escape in sight, Thomas felt truly lost, his new-found free will warring with his devotion to his sister.

The arrival of Dr. Alan McMichael would prove to be the miracle both Thomas and Edith needed. Had the man not arrived precisely when he did, it was highly likely Lucille would have finished the task the poison and shoving Edith over the railing had begun. As it was, Thomas knew from the moment McMichael entered the house that things were finally coming to an end for them, one way or another. A very large part of him was petrified, frozen in fear and still caught in his sister’s spell, but a small and slowly growing part was relieved that it would soon be over.

With McMichael being, as Thomas saw it, the key to Edith’s salvation, he had no choice but to ensure the man’s survival as best he could. That was why, though he truly had no wish to harm anyone, he took the insults from his sister and turned the knife on McMichael. Lucille would not stop, he knew, until both McMichael and Edith were dead; their only hope was now in Thomas’s hands, and his hope lay with the doctor himself to show him where to stab so as not to prove fatal.

Ultimately it worked, though Edith’s scream of anguish as McMichael fell tore through Thomas like rending claws. That was the final catalyst that drove him to action. This was the final act of their macabre tale, and Thomas was not going to see it end with Edith or McMichael’s deaths. For the first time in his life he felt fully free, as if he could stand straighter, as if there was no key in his back or strings guiding his movements. He would get them both out and then...well. And then fate would take over as it must.

#outofinspiration #sirthomascanon #[...yeah gonna end this one here #because these are turning into fucking novels by themselves #and i still have to deal with the climax of the damn movie and all the thought processes and emotions that go into that #not to mention the divergence i have that lets him live #someone send help >>; i have emotions and no one to play thomas off of to let them out]

2 notes · View notes

10thingsihateaboutyourfic · 7 years

Text

Sterek Fic Recs

The Accidental Hale Brood by Julibean19 [Sterek, M, 42k] Kidfic, adoption, fake/pretend relationship, fluff, cuteness, police officers

Author’s summary: Stiles and Derek have been BCPD partners for years when they are assigned Halloween duty and run into a couple of kids from the orphanage. One fake marriage and two real adoptions later, they somehow become a family.

This is lovely. Fake relationship is one of my favorite tropes, and I love kidfic with well written, realistic kids. This is long enough to be satisfying too, with lots of characterisation and context. A good read.

Lunches, Knitting and Definitely Not Dating by Noxlunate [Sterek, T, 10k] Mpreg, aboverse, past Stiles/OMC, acquaintances to lovers, deputy Derek

Author’s summary: Just a weird mpreg fic with Derek and Stiles totally kinda dating without realizing it, and Stiles figuring out this whole having a baby thing.

It’s not weird, the author’s being way too harsh on themself. I love a good mpreg fic. There’s not enough mpreg in my opinion. I could read mpreg fic all day every day and still want more. So I enjoyed this very much. It’s got great characterisation, especially for Stiles being terribly practical about it from the moment he finds out he’s pregnant, and yet oblivious about how he and Derek find each other without quite realising. Cute.

When You’re Gone by illusemywords [Sterek, T, 27k] Mystery, unreliable narrator, illness, memory loss due to trauma, angst, character death (the Hale fire)

Author’s summary: Stiles Stilinski suffers memory loss and terrible headaches after an accident he had the summer he was fifteen. He doesn't remember what happened that summer or why the Hales left town, and no one seems to want to talk about it. Now he's just turned seventeen and he decides that if he ever wants to know what happened to him that summer he'll have to figure it out himself. Eventually, memories start coming back to him, and he starts piecing them together.

I love fic that’s a bit different, and this is definitely different. It’s got a very unusual narrative structure, but it’s perfect for the fic, which has a creepy, unsettled vibe, due to the nature of the story its telling. It’s angsty and sad and beautiful. I really liked it.

Scowls and Sarcasm by dr_girlfriend [Sterek, T, 26k] Pride and Prejudice Au

Author’s summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single alpha in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a mate.

This is a Pride and Prejudice AU. A good one. I don’t know what more information you could possibly need. It veers off radically towards the end for the sake of drama, which I’m not completely convinced was necessary if I’m being brutally honest, because P&P is epic and perfect just as it is, but Peter Hale as Lady Catherine De Bourgh honestly makes up for anything. Heh.

Married at First Glance by Wonderwolf [Sterek, E, 63k] Reality TV AU, fake/pretend relationship, one-sided Paige/Derek

Author’s summary: Married at First Glance gives its participants seven weeks. Seven weeks, starting when they meet and marry their “perfect match”, to decide if they want to stay married or divorce. For Stiles and Derek though, the challenge lies within trying to pretend that they don’t absolutely hate each other’s guts. When you’re married to a werewolf who dislikes humans, however, this can get a little tricky. But the sweet, sweet cash reward at the end will be worth it. Right?

I’ve never watched these reality shows, they’re not my thing tbh, but they’re undeniably and awesome premise for a fic, and this one really does the concept justice by putting meat on the bones and taking enough time over it to make it feel like a proper story, not just a precursor to Sterek getting together. I followed this as a WIP and read each part as soon as it came in because I was enjoying it so much. Good stuff.

Written Can’t Be Denied by lookslikenico and winglesswarrior [Sterek, T, 55k] Actor Stiles, Photographer Derek, soulmates au, soulmarks, single parent derek

Author’s summary: The story goes that, the first time you meet your ‘soulmate’, the universe will give you a sign in what should be the most obvious way - somewhere in your immediate vicinity the word ‘soulmate’ will appear. ... A fact that causes havoc the day that up and coming actor, Stiles Stilinski holds up a bottle emblazoned with the word 'soulmate' in the middle of a press conference where Derek Hale is working as a photographer, in the middle of the worst day of his life.

The trend for soulmate/soulmark AUs has cooled off a bit recently, I think, which is fine. It’s just the natural rhythm of fandom, tropes come and go. There have been some really intriguing explorations of the concept, and some that have just used the concept to tell beautiful stories, and this fic falls into the second of those categories. It’s depthful and interesting and well characterised and I was rooting so hard for those crazy kids.

Seat Belts & Gravity by calrissian18 [Sterek, E, 22k] Friends with benefits, mostly canon compliant

Author’s summary: People leave in Beacon Hills, give up on the town, the people, on life itself. And he and Derek are still here, six years later, still able to drink a beer and share space. It’s kind of remarkable in a really understated way.

I love the way this author writes. I love their style, and I love their characterisation. They have an absolute gift for writing Stiles especially in this quirky way that feels more canon than canon, like it’s what Stiles should be if the show wasn’t so hampered and trapped by stupid bullshit like being written by a bunch of apes at typewriters under instructions from network executives who think viewers just want more love triangles. To be honest, if I were you I’d just run straight to AO3 and read everything this author’s ever written, and then find their Tumblr and read the stuff there too. You will not regret it.

Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of by Lissadiane [Sterek, T-ish, 15k] Character death (not Sterek), coffee shop au / college au, ghosts, ghost animals

Author’s summary: In which Stiles Stilinski sees the ghosts of animals with unfinished business, and Derek Hale is unaware that his dearly departed sister left a few things unfinished.

Fair warning, this made me cry. When I read the summary, I went “phhh that sounds dumb”, but it’s actually beautiful. Just go and read it. But have a box of tissues handy.

The White Hart of Winter by DarkAthena [Sterek, E, 65k] Historic AU, aboverse, mpreg, evil Kate Argent, period typical violence, pre-verbal / animalistic Derek

Author’s summary: Sent to marry the Hale Beast Stiles finds himself alone in a castle left to ruin and watched over by Kate Argent, who he thinks is sleeping with his new husband and seems determined to destroy him.

Oh lord. Where to start. Look, this is not the best written fic in the world, not least (I think) because the author wrote it during NaNoWriMo, so it’s perhaps not been beta read or edited as well as it could’ve been. But it had me absolutely gripped from start to finish. I loved the storyline (it’s historical abo mpreg, I was in heaven), and the historical stuff, you can really tell the author knows what they’re talking about. It’s dark and bloody at times, but Stiles is pretty awesome throughout and Derek as “the Beast” is explained and developed very well. If, like me, you love a bit of abo mpreg and historical high drama, and you can overlook a few typos, this is fantastic stuff.

I’ve Been Everywhere With You by Leslie_Knope [Sterek, E, 61k] College Au, escaping from Beacon Hills, everyone gets therapy, life goes on, friends to lovers

Author’s summary: “Dude, you should totally come with me.” “What? Like on the road trip?" “No, come with me. To Austin. Get out of Beacon Hills.” Derek paused. “What?” he asked again.

This is one of those domestic type fics where there’s no angst or high drama, just people living their lives and finding ways to be happy. I love this author’s style, and this fic is no exception. Lovely, happy, satisfying.

Millstone by eleanor_lavish [Sterek, E, 31k] Sex worker Derek, client to boyfriend stiles, college au

Author’s summary: Derek waits until the door is shut behind him before he turns around. He holds out his hand, plants his ‘if you’re not weird about it, I won’t be’ smile on his face and says, “Nice to meet you, Stiles. I’m Michael. What kind of a good time are you looking for tonight?”

This is a particularly good example of the sex worker trope because it’s not really about Derek being a sex worker, it doesn’t glorify or condemn, it just examines it the same as it examines the other ways Derek responds and reacts to what he’s been through. And it’s told through Derek’s POV, which I liked. Plus Stiles is adorable and supportive in a completely non-pressuring way, which I like to think he would be. Charming.

i have always been the storm by stilinskisparkles [Sterek, E, 25k] Stormchaser Stiles, photographer Derek, break up make up

Author’s summary: that twister au i've been trying to write for three years and finally used a "pining exes" prompt to do so with.

Stilinskisparkles. What can I say that hasn’t been said before. Do you need anything more than to see their name to convince you this is worth reading? Perhaps you do, perhaps you’re new to Sterek. If so, you’re in for a treat. This, like all their fics, has wonderful characterisation, dialogue, emotion, depth, and universe building. It was just so atmospheric. They have a particular gift for showing everyone’s thoughts and motivations while staying within one POV, Derek’s in this case. It sounds easy but it’s really really hard to do subtly, and this author absolutely nails it. And everything else. Go. Read. Now.

The Hollow Moon by thepsychicclam [Sterek, E, 180k] Post s4 fix it, memory loss/alteration, slow burn, mystery

Author’s summary: It's the summer after Stiles' first year of college, and he's working a crappy job and dealing with nightmares and anxiety - but he's okay, he swears. He makes it through most days without too much trouble. Then, a certain werewolf comes back into town. Which Stiles doesn't care about, nope, not at all.

After two and a half years, Derek returns to Beacon Hills with his small Pack. Though he tried to move on, something just kept drawing him back to Beacon Hills, he's just not sure what. Now, he figures he can start building something like a life - but he keeps getting distracted by Stiles Stilinski of all people.

As you’d expect from something that’s 180k long, this is plotty and deep and takes its time taking you on a journey. It’s quintessentially a fix it fic, fixing all the things the author (any many others) didn’t like about canon at and after season 4 of the show. Which means, spoiler alert, a lot of people who are dead in canon are not dead here. But the way everything is explained and how it all fits together works so well, I didn’t mind in the slightest. It’s a bit like everything you wished canon could be, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. I almost wish I’d waited and read it all in one rather than as a WIP, because as much as I usually don’t mind reading things as WIPs, I feel like this should be read the way a novel is read - all in one. So if you can do it that way, I’d recommend it. If you can’t, read it anyway. It’s the canon we all deserve, and if Jeff won’t give it to us, we’ll damn well make it ourselves.

#sterek #eternalsterek #fic recs #fic #recs #fic rec #fanfic #fanfiction #10thingsIhateaboutyourfic

751 notes · View notes