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wandawiccan60 · 10 months

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You Deserve More

A Tommy Conlon X Dahlia(OC) One-Shot

A/N: Hey everyone and yes I am back with a quick Tommy Conlon One-Shot for your guys entertainment. I really went all on with the flow with this short story. I wanted to say that that is based on a true story of my sadly recent break up… The text messages you will read is based on the actual messages my now ex-bf and I exchanged and also did talk in person. But it is something I wanted to share with you all and something that I have been dealing with for a while. However I hope you find this shot very cute and i hope you all stay safe and enjoying your day. Thank you everyone for coming by and it’s good to be back!!! 😆👌🏻👍🏻❤️

TOMMY CONLON MASTERLIST

Honestly we need to talk when can you meet up with me?

These were the exact words that Dahlia had to read through that one single message. Only for it to be something that’ll only bring nothing but disappointment and hurt.

Yea sure maybe tomorrow after I’m off from work of if it’s possible maybe tonight babe if your not tired that is 💖✨💗

She remembered those couple of emojis that she sometimes would send every once in a while to Blake. Hoping that he knew that she was very much in love with him… or did he not see that???

That same night m, both Dahlia and Blake did meet up only it wasn’t just a talk about going on another date or trip of whatnot. It was more of a confession of wether or not Blake wanted to continue on with this relationship with her.

“Look I… I have been feeling like I need a break from both of us. Just need some space, I got work to do, and I just need to be my individual self again. And if you like we can do a break or we can just forget about everything. What do you want to do?”

Dahlia didn’t want to believe what she just heard from him.

What is he talking about us wanting to take a break???

Even after everything they had done together it lead to this. It only made her feel like she was being lied to all this time about him and the relationship. So Dahlia did what any other smart girl would do, just walk away. Even if it did feel like a knife was stabbed straight into her heart.

And now it has been over a couple of months later, Dahlia became another person day in day out. She became interested in pursuing a career in being a nurse and a certified therapist. She never would have thought of being able to achieve Teo goals in such a fast pace.

Even after the biggest heartbreak of her life, she knew that there was so much more out there to see. Though there were times when she would be alone, she wished there would be someone there to be encouraging, happy, and feeling grateful to have a girl like Dahlia. Only she tried her best to ignore such wishful thoughts but those dreams would become tears some nights.

Even though she never gave up on hope and in true love for finding someone to share her thoughts, feelings, success and most of all being important to him.

It’s nothing but foolish and untrue thoughts… there is no one out there for me… ever

“Dahlia, you know that patient in room 30 that came in last night?” Said Dahlia’s co-worker Nike, putting down other patient files on top of the front desk receptionist.

“Yes, I know who you’re talking about. Why, does he need to be checked up again, or take his next meal of the day?”

“Yes to his next meal and no to another thing,” said Nike while he gave her a smirk and a quick wink.

“Oh stop it Nike, are you being serious right now. I’m being professional here right now and what you think this guy seems cute? I don’t think so, he just looks like any other guy that you see in the streets. Besides I told you many times, I am not looking for nobody. I’ve been perfectly busy with finishing getting my Masters in therapy. Why would the hell I be wanting more than what I have right now?”

But all of what Dahlia said wasn’t really all entirely true, knowing deep down she did found the patient very attractive. He did had a bad injury on the side of his head, with some blood coming out from the wound and going in and out of consciousness. He seemed lost to where he was at that moment, while Dahlia attended to his wound with as much care as possible. While trying to clean away the blood as much as she could, the man suddenly grabbed her wrist with such strength that it made her yelp in fright.

“That fucking hurts, get away from me,” he said with that Philly accent, looking straight at Dahlia’s frighten and yet wonderful hazel-honey eyes.

“Hold him down,” said one of the male doctors, while two other male nurses tried to calm him down.

Out of his grasp, Dahlia didn’t notice she wasn’t breathing for air. She was to busy focused on him while the doctors finally gave him a dose to make him relax. Once he fell into a deep sleep, Dahlia slowly walked up next to the now relaxed and peaceful looking man. He looked no more than in his 30’s, blue eyes, very muscular from what she could see through his gray long sleeve shirt, short smooth brown hair, and his face. That face looked like a little boys, soft, innocent, and yet very handsome.

“Sure, sure, dear. I saw how you looked at him last night after Mark gave him a dose to make him fall asleep. You got lucky that he didn’t give you a punch in the face or something much worst. Anyways but tell me, do you think he’s cute?”

Dahlia only gave a look of bothersome to his friend, while she gave a small chuckle.

“Fine. Yes he seemed very cute, are you happy now?” Dahlia said hoping that it’ll satisfy his friends silliness.

”That answer sounded so fake, but whatever. Anyways, miss Dahlia, the patient needs to take his meal and must drink his medication afterwards. Would you be so kind in taking it for me please?” Said Nike he placed a tray of food with the medication on the side.

*******

Dahlia walked her way down the hall on the second floor of the hospital, holding the tray of food with both of her hands. Once she reached room 30, she felt nervous to see him again. Not only of what happened last night but she felt this feeling that she couldn’t really explain. But she ignored it and she quietly knocked the door hoping it wont wake him up. But after three knocks and no answer she let herself in seeing that the patient was taking a nap. Closing the door behind her quietly, she slowly made her way towards him. She sat the tray on the right side of the nightstand, setting the fork and knife on each side. Dahlia felt goosebumps with no explanation while hearing the beeping of the heart monitor. Until suddenly she heard a soft grunt coming from he left side.

“Hmm… hmm.”

“Sir? Hey, it’s ok, try not to move too much. You had a bad wound on the side of your head but we fixed you up in no time. On a scale of one to ten how are you feeling from pain?” Said Dahlia while she raised the top part of the bed while he continued to grunt a-little less.

“Pain? Hehe… I have been through more worst than this lady. This, it’s like if I just twisted an ankle or soemthin’. So I don’t care much if I feel like shit or not,” he said trying to sound tough and just trying to shrug it off.

Dahlia only smiled seeing that he tried to be funny, though his wound would leave him a good scar in his head.

“Well you should be thankful that it didn’t open much more than it looked last night. But right now you must eat something first so you can take your next pills. Here now,” Said Dahlia picking up a few piece of food with the fork.

“Hey I can feed myself I ain’t some 3 year old damn kid that needs someone else to feed me. That’s just weird and childish,” he said leaving a bit away from the fork filled with food.

“Oh please don’t sound so difficult, look I’m trying to help you and doing my best here to get your strength back. Or otherwise you’ll be here for quite some time if you want to take things more slower. It’s your choice sweetie. Either take it slow or take it quick?”

He only rolled his eyes in annoyance looking the other way while Dahlia patiently waited for a response.

He’s like a child, only in the body of a grown man… I think that’s cute…

After awhile he gave in, one bit of food after another he cleaned his tray off.

“See that wasn’t so hard now was it?” Dahlia said in a cheeky voice, while he didn’t say a word. “Alright you have to take your painkiller now, here.”

As she gave both the pill and the cup of water to him, he took it like nothing. It surprised Dahlia that he easily took them without sounding foolish. He swallowed the pill in one go as well as the cup of water, giving the now empty plastic cup back to her.

“Right then, you must rest now I’ll see you later to give your last meal for today. The doctor will come and see you,” Dahlia said as she placed the cup on top of the empty tray.

Before she made her way towards the door, he heard him call out to her to wait.

“Hey, I… I want to say I’m sorry for the way I acted last night’. And for graspin’ to hard on your wrist, I just… last night I got into this stupid fight. Lettin’ some steam off like it would be such a helpful thing but it just went south.”

Dahlia was left confused as to why he started to say these things to her. Even though she was taking a masters degree as a therapist this seemed like a nice opportunity to interact with. Dahlia then sat on the chair at the end of the bed hoping to see where this might go. Hoping to try out her first intercession with a lot of high expectations in trying out her skills.

“May I ask why did you decided to fight with someone random? Did you think it would ease whatever it was building inside of you? Or maybe you want to forget about something going on with your family or somebody else in particular?” Dahlia asked on hopefully she was doing this right and not sounding too pressuring.

“Hehe, I always have something building inside of me. Just already got use to havin’ it around all the time. I have family, a brother and I have my dad too but I sometimes try to be with them but I always shut them out. I sometimes like to be left alone and well… there was this someone I use to be with but… she wasn’t it.” He said while biting his lips together his eyes looking down.

Dahlia saw the way his body languages changed, seeing she hit a nerve on him.

“And is that person still in contact with you or you both went separate ways?” She then asked knowing where this talk might be going too.

“I did for a while but she didn’t want nothing else to do with me because well let’s just say she was the reason for why we aren’t together anymore. I loved her so much, gave her my time, energy, gave the whole world to her. Though when she said she wanted to have space and be alone, I didn’t know understand at that moment. Until now looking back at it, she didn’t have that same love back for me. And I asked myself, was that all a lie?” He then said letting out a heavy sigh while he fiddled his fingers.

“I see. You’re going through a lot with this relationship you thought was real. Believe me I was once there, I also thought afterwards if I was taken advantage of. And even thought the whole relationship we had was all a lie,” dahlia said surprised to hear herself be this quickly open to someone she just seen last night.

“I guess we both in the same page. What a small world that we both ended up having bad relationships,” he then said which it made them both smile and chuckle a bit.

“You’re right, you know you feel like you found the right one but they end up being a disappointment? Yes that’s what happens when you be too nice and humble to someone,” said Dahlia thinking about her time with Blake, which she new she did give everything to him.

The patient looked at her way, seeing a sad expression on her face knowing that he too did hit a nerve. He didn’t expect to stumble upon someone else who would feel the same place as him. And being so open to a nurse out of everyone in this world. He then still looked her way and without realizing he had his hand gently placed on top of her right arm.

“Hey let me tell you something. Whatever that asshole did to you or said. You deserve someone better, even if you have to wait for years or whatever the time gives you. It’ll pay off in the end, because you’re a pretty girl, you seem smart, and most of all should be treated like a queen. So you’ll be ok we all will.” He said giving a small smile at her, which Dahlia gave a smile back.

“You know I never got your name, what’s your name? I’m Dahlia and you’re sweet and thank you,” she said feeling her cheeks turn warm from the compliment he gave her.

“Tommy. Tommy Conlon and that’s a cool name I’ve never heard of it before. But hey I’m just honest with others you have been the most pretty nurse so far. I hope that doesn’t sound weird or something,” he said feeling a bit of a dumbass for saying that.

“Hehe no you’re fine it was just unexpected to say the least. I have to get back to work but get some more rest and I’ll be back later tonight. It was a good talk but see you then,” Dahlia said getting up on her feet as she grabbed the gray one more time.

“Yes it was nice talking to you, and believe me I’ve had too much rest already. But yes see you soon Dahlia,” said Tommy giving her one last smile to her which she just nodded her head.

Once outside of the room, she gently rested her back against the wooden door. Mind boggled as to what just happened right now. Not believing that someone like Tommy would open to her that fast. But at the same time she felt comfortable in sharing her story too.

What the hell was all that about??? Have you lost yourself Dahlia…

However deep down, she did feel something warm when they both talked. Like she felt some sort of trust with Tommy, it’s like they were meant to stumble with each other. Thought was it for a good reason or a bad one? Only time would tell and Dahlia hoped that he might be someone that she could call a friend and to be able to talk without feeling judged.

It’s only for me to decide if I want him to come in… we’ll just have to wait and see…

*******

Dahlia woke up early to get herself ready for graduation. It has been over 2 fast years since she started. She wished it didn’t end very suddenly but there was something more special that happened in between those years.

“Baby, hmmm… come back to bed just for a few more minutes?,” groaned Tommy as he laid on his left side of the bed seeing a peak of his big pecks of his chest.

“Awww my baby boy, didn’t you already had enough of making out from me last night?” She cheekily said until Tommy wrapped his arms around her catching her off guard.

Landing on the bed again, they both laugh and hugged each other close together, exchanging another long, sweet kiss. The longer the kiss became, the more Tommy wanted to go another round again. Dahlia felt his right hand going under her white long blouse. Making her lowly moan between her mouth and Tommy’s. She went on top of him, not letting go of those plump, thick lips of his that Dahlia had grown to taste and love every second.

“My babygirl is finally graduating today. You did my Dahlia, you got to where you want to be,” Tommy said gently cupping her face with both of his hands, making her smile in glee.

“We both did, not only is about me here love. You also should be proud of yourself to have your own gym along side with your brother. And not only that but I have confession to make and I’ve been nervous to tell you,” Dahlia said while she gently bit her bottom lip hoping that whatever Tommy says about this big news she only hoped that best for both and a change in their lives.

“What is it you’ve been wantin’ to tell me babe? You already know you can tell me anything, we already talked about this. Just relax and tell me when you’re ready, ok?” Tommy said reassuringly, as they both clasps their hands to together, which Dahlia felt at ease.

“I… well we… we are expecting a little us and I don’t know if you are ok with taking this step further. It sounds crazy believe me but that is why I was scared to te-.”

“Are you kiddin’ me Dahlia?” Tommy cut her off but in a joyous way, making himself sit up a bit more comfortable not believing in such wonderful news he was hearing, “Of course I am good with this, why did you keep this within yourself until now? How long has it been since you knew you were having a baby?”

“Remember when went to that party with your brother Brandon and Tess? Well when I told you that I was going to walked out for some bit of air? I lied to you about it and I instead went to the restroom, and I took a pregnancy test and it came out positive. I didn’t want to believe it was real but it was. That’s why when you told me when I came back if I was fine, I knew it was wrong for me to keep it this long. But now you know, and I really was nervous if you were going to yell at me or something.”

“No, no, baby. This is the best thing that I am really looking forward too, especially now that you and the baby our my priority to take care of you both. No matter what, I want to be here for you and showing our baby girl or boy that his or her dad will promise to always take care of them. I love you so much my Dahlia,” Tommy said looking down at her flat stomach that will sometime later begin to grow a lovely bump.

“You will be there for our baby boy or our little girl. I know deep down that you will be the best dad that the baby will be lucky to have. We got this and we will work hard to give our child the best that we can. And I love you more my Tommy Conlon,” she said as she gave him another tender kiss knowing a bright future is awaiting for them.

Something that was well worth the wait and deserving.

#tommy conlon x reader #tom hardy #tom hardy imagine #fanfic #tom hardy fanfic #tom hardy fanfiction #fluff #tom hardy x reader #warrior tommy conlon #warrior #warrior Tom hardy #Tommy #tommy conlon fanfic #masterlist #Tommy Conlon fluff #tommy conlon images

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oytotheveytho · 2 years

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Okay SO

It might be obvious who I am but I want to post this from a secondary account cause I don’t want any drama. I’m just doing this as a BUYER BEWARE.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING FROM HELLFURBY ON ETSY:

They clearly lie about shipping estimates. If they were honest, I would not have cared about waiting but I messaged several times (and this was weeks after the expected delivery date before I even sent a message)

They claimed the package was in the mail several times and that the tracking just “didn’t update” which I knew wasn’t true but I tried several times to give them the benefit of the doubt

I ordered the thing on July 27 and it’s been literally two months with the only updates being that they “mailed it out today” or “it should show up in a day or two” like girl I knew it never left your house. Creating the shipping label but not shipping it doesn’t count as shipping

They mentioned that the sculpture I was getting had defects that they wanted to fix which is fine. But I wish they would have been HONEST. Like it makes me think that the sculpture I had purchased didn’t actually exist yet. BUT THAT IS WHAT PRESALES ARE FOR.

I don’t want to be too much of a dick because I think this person might be young or have som sort of social anxiety. But I gotta say this: you owe it, as an artist that sells things, to be better to people who are paying you decent money for your art. I sell art too, when I was younger I did fall behind sometimes and had to make it up to clients. But you cannot consistently lie to people. That’s where it becomes less about whatever may be going on in your life and more about bad business. And it hurts other artists too because we humans tend to lump things together.

My advice to Hellfurby: do better or just don’t sell your art. It’s fine to just make stuff for yourself. Not everything has to be commodified. But once you DO start selling stuff, you can’t lie to your customers and think that it won’t eventually upset them. I’ve never honestly opened a case on Etsy before against someone and I feel bad about it but i also am not gonna get jerked around.

Thanks to all who read and remember to read reviews before you buy I guess

#furby fandom #long furby #hellfurby #buyer beware #furby community #odd body Furby

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whisperingintoavoid · 11 days

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Bₗₒg ₄₋₁₃₋₂₀₂₄

I have decided to make my post pretty sometimes, as a treat. I cannot promise that I will always do this, but I'm feelin' pretty alright right now and I feel like doing it, so I'm doing it!

I think I'm not going to hold myself to any standard with this blog aside from my tags to help my future self find past entries. The main thing I want this blog to be is an outlet. I don't want to end up avoiding posting here because I don't feel up to making the post look or sound good, ya know?

Anyway, I don't know if I have much to write about today. At least, what I feel like writing about.

I went to Nashville with my boyfriend a few weeks ago to meet his parents for the first time. I have mixed feelings about it. They're lovely people and I especially like his mom.

But I noticed that during the whole trip, he was masking in front of them. And at the end of the day, when we were alone in our room, he seemed exhausted from having to put up that front of being "normal" all day. And that just really sucks. It honestly hurt. It hurt me to see that because I love him. I love him so much. I love who he is, I love that he's kinda quirky and weird. I love his interests and how he infodumps and the way he paces constantly when he talks. But he felt like he had to hide that from his parents and that makes me so sad.

I wish they loved him the way I love him; unconditionally.

There's a whole other complicated situation regarding him and his parents and I have my own feelings about that, but I don't feel at liberty to write about it here. I feel like it's more his business than mine, so I won't write about it out of respect for his privacy. But suffice to say, I feel for him. My heart hurts for what he's going through.

On a brighter note, I just took my official GED social studies test and passed! I took it on Thursday and found I passed about 10-15 minutes after I finished. This was my first time taking an official GED test!

There are four tests you have to take to get your GED. Social studies, science, math, and reading. So I'm one quarter of the way to getting my GED! This is the closest I've ever been and I'm honestly so proud of myself. I can hardly believe it, to be honest.

High school was extremely hard for me. I was battling extreme academic anxiety, depression, and had undiagnosed ADHD. School was unbearable for me. I dreaded waking up everyday, just the thought of opening my backpack to start homework was enough to send me into an anxiety attack, I openly talked about wanting to kill myself every single day.

My grades were only good enough to scrape me by. In some classes, I even outright failed. Namely, chemistry and algebra in 10th grade. Math was always my hardest subject. It just never clicked with me. I didn't pay attention in most of my classes. I never really did projects or papers. The only class I thrived in was English. I've always been good with reading and writing and I've always been proud of that. I was also pretty okay at Spanish. Lowest grade I ever got in that class was probably a C.

Anyway, I was also attending a dual high school/college program from 9th-10th grade. We took real college classes alongside our high school ones and earned college credits. When we graduated, we also earned an Associate's Degree.

I dropped out after 10th grade; the pressure was too much. The anxiety was too much. I felt like I could never breathe.

After I dropped out, I enrolled in an online school instead. I thought that, if I didn't have to wake up at a certain time and get ready and go to a physical place and interact with people all day, that maybe that would help.

It didn't.

Still, the thought of even opening the laptop and logging into class would hit me with a wave of anxiety that would make me nauseous. I was always avoiding school.

When you're in an online school, you need to log in a minimum amount of hours in the school year to be able to pass and continue to the next grade, regardless of how well you're doing. At some point toward the end of the school year, my mother got a call from my school, telling her that I hadn't logged in enough during the year and that there wasn't enough time left in the school year for me to make up the time - I got expelled.

So I had to repeat my junior year. 11th grade, I tried a new online school.

To be honest with you, I don't think I would've passed that year either. I still barely logged in. Still barely did my work.

But it never got that far because the school I was attending was literally shut down in the middle of the year.

So... I was kind of just left floating. I could either put myself through more personal hell by enrolling in a fourth school, or I could just call it quits and get my GED instead. I was 17 going on 18 at this point.

School was torment for me. I knew what I was going to do.

But, unfortunately for me, I was an anomaly that no one knew what to do with. When I turned 18, I started trying to get my GED. Well, I was aiming to take the HiSet test, but it's basically the same thing. However, in order to be able to get your high school equivalency, the state needs proof that you dropped out of high school. You're not legally allowed to have a high school diploma and a high school equivalency and the state is very strict about this. I don't know why anyone would go through the trouble of getting a GED if they already have a high school diploma (seriously, it's a HASSLE trying to get this fucking thing) and I don't know why it would even matter if someone did. Regardless, they're extremely strict about this rule. However, because my school shut down and literally did not exist anymore, I couldn't contact anyone to get official paperwork saying that I dropped out.

Eventually, I just had to write something myself explaining the situation.

But that wasn't the only hurdle! Of course it wasn't! Because this is my life we're talking about!

Whenever I would go online to try to schedule my test, the website would give me an error and tell me that I wasn't old enough to take the fucking test!!!!!!!!

This was something that could not be bypassed!

I tried. I fucking TRIED to get my GED when I was 18 fucking years old. I wanted to. I tried to. But time after time, I was a victim of circumstance.

Do you understand how it feels to know that the world views you as lazy and unintelligent and aloof when you know that isn't true? It feels like having a labelled stamped on your forehead and no one takes the time to listen to what you have to say to explain yourself after they read what you are. You get shoved in with a group of people that are looked down upon, that are considered less than. It feels like screaming at a brick wall.

So now I'm 23, going on 24, and I passed my first quarter of the GED test.

So much has happened in my life that has taken my attention away from education. And really, I just felt like it wasn't for me. My brain didn't work the right way. I'm not compatible with the way school works.

I think I'm starting to feel differently now that I'm medicated. I'm not certain. I'm still very hesitant about it because of the fact that school was my own personal hell for so long and I wish I were exaggerating. But I've been going to math classes twice a week to study for the math quarter of the test and surprisingly I'm the student in the class that the teacher has to say "Let someone else answer," to. Almost everything just clicks and makes sense? I don't know why math is suddenly kind of easy for me. I fear even saying that out loud because I might jinx it.

Math used to feel like reading a language I'd never seen before. But it doesn't feel like that anymore and I don't know why. It's actually kind of scary? I'm scared I'll lose it.

Anyway, I have two more tests scheduled already. Science and reading. I'm not worried about reading, I could pass that in my sleep. I didn't even bother taking the practice test. Science I was worried about initially, but apparently it's the test with the highest passing rate, and I did really well on the practice test, so I shouldn't have anything to worry about, really.

I'm gonna walk that fuckin' stage in July if it kills me! '24, baby!

#blog #online diary #april 2024

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waddlenut · 3 years

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Masterlist of the masterlist - Marvel

I HAVE WRITTEN NONE OF THESE FANFICS, CREDITS TO THE WRITERS!

This is a masterlist of my reblogs :)

AVENGERS

Fluff -

Being a teenage Avengers who’s bubbly and cheerful, and picking up Thor’s hammer one day

Angst -

Finding hope (Y/N has been having a hard time coping. TW - triggers for self harm, mentions of suicide and depression)

Feeling okay? (fav. Avengers cast. TW - low blood pressure and fainting)

PETER PARKER

Fluff -

Wheezy (Peter is the only one who can tease you about your asthma)

Paranoid (your Criminal Minds obsession gets you paranoid about crime in your neighborhood)

Isn't he lovely (Peter and his s/o go into labor and meet their firstborn)

Excuse me (fav. Peter gets his molar taken out and is high on anaesthesia, and all he wants is to touch Y/N her boobs)

Gummy bears (you’re on your period. And your boyfreind, Peter is cute but he can be dumb sometimes. TW - mentions of sex and language)

Pretty (Peter sees you shirtless for the first time. TW - boobies, making out, mentions of sex and May being a cockblock)

Hand on boob (”why is your hand on my boob”)

Sticky boy (Peter stickers to you at the worst moment possible. TW - suggestive themes, mature language, making out and boobies)

Paradise (there’s a beautiful girl talking to the plants around the bakc of the compound. Peter doesn’t know much about love, but he thinks he’s well on his way towards it)

The spectrum (autistic!reader. You join the Avengers and get off on the wrong foot)

She’s just tired (aunt May finds the reader asleep on Peters chest)

Your mess (Peter is drunk and horney, and you have to take care of him. TW - talks of sex, smutty scenes, underage drinking, kisses get heated and Peter almost mentally scars Tony)

Waterproof (Peter sees a joke tiktok about boobs being able to come off, and you try to see how far the joke can go)

Cool kids (fav. You walk in on some domestic bliss between Peter and your little brother)

Huh!? (Peter finds something he wish he didn’t in your backpack)

Spiderman band-aid (Peter wants a nap. You want a kiss. Things get out of hand and you end up sitting in your bathroom with a Spiderman band-aid taped to your lip)

Sleepover (fav. You stay the night at Peter’s house for the first time since you both started dating. May isn’t home and Peter is nervouw. TW - boobies and peter being cute and horny)

Angst -

Dummy (fav. Peter is the only one of the Avengers who doesn’t tease you for being a little slow)

Breathe (the reader grew up with the Avengers, she doesn’t know how to talk to them about somet things. TW - panic attacks)

See, peter! I’m fine! (the reader has been feeling sick and ends up fainting. TW - vomiting and fainting)

Cuddle (Peter has been bottling up his emotions for a while and has a breakdown)

Smut -

Shower (Peter takes to long in the shower and you are getting late for school. So, you come up with a solution which causes a problem for Peter. TW - light smut, flustered!Peter and nuditiy)

Lay me down (fav. soft smut)

Cupcakes (Peter gets easily flustered and you love teasing him)

BUCKY BARNES

Fluff -

Warm (you accidentally took a freezing shower, how convenient is it that your boyfriend is a super soldier with a hot body)

Doubts (the reader doesn’t tell Bucky about her cybernetic leg because she doubts he won’t want to date her anymore. TW - implied smut)

Nutella (late at night, you turn on the kitchen light to find a stranger bleeding on our floor and eating your Nutella)

Fatigue (Y/N isn’t feeling well and still goes out to train. That wasn’t a good idea)

Drugged (just cuddly Bucky)

Shark week (Bucky gets a crueal awakening to womanhood. TW - mentions of periods)

Acne (TW - self love issues, insecure reader, soft!Bucky and implied smut at the end)

Shining armor (Bucky saves you from attempted assault. TW - language, attempted assault, Bucky saves the day)

You’re a ladies man (Bucky said he didn’t like cats, but was that the truth? TW - language)

Safe in your arms (against a drinking game with Thor, you inevitably lose and find yourself on Bucky’s floor)

Night time wanderer (for months you’ve had struggled sleeping, and one night Bucky can’t help but intervene)

Insecurities (Bucky x chubby reader. TW - swear words, insecurities about weight and fluffy Bucky)

Two of a kind (fav. Bucky becomes enticed by a ballerina who he’s more alike than he may think)

Not admirable (fav. Baby sitting your neightbour’s kid and meeting Bucky in the smithsonian)

You were a no show (you and Bucky have liked each other for quite some time, and when he finally has the guts to ask you out, he stands you up at the last minute bevasue he gets scared. TW - self doub/hate but fluffy ending)

Elements and emotions (Bucky rescues you from a hostage situation, only to find you have the ability to control elements by your emotionsleaving him wanting to know more about you)

Life saver (fav. Bucky saves you from embarrassment by making sure no one sees your period stain)

Inseparable, literally (Peters new webbing is highly effective. Something you learn the hard way as you’re forced to be stuck with Bucky for anentire day with no way out)

There’s always another dance (you and Bucky are supposed to go dancing together, but you get really sick and Bucky looks after you. TW - vomiting, nothing to graphic)

Thunderstorms (it turns out your ex-assassin boyfriend is afraid of thunderstorms. You help to comfort him with fluff, cuddleing and singing)

Bath bombs (fav. you introduce Bucky to bath bombs and things take a pleasant turn)

Your protector (fav. You’re a shy person but the best at your job on Stark’s tech team. A certain soldier joins the team and you stick close to him)

Stealing clothes (you are always borrowing Bucky’s clothes. He pretends he doesn’t like it but that blush on his cheeks gives him away)

A spilled secret (You’ve just had your wisdom teeth out and you are still loopy. He wasn’t expecting you to mistake him from someone else) part 2

Exhausted (you and Bucky live across form each other and have a morning ritual of getting coffee together. One day you aren’t at the place you were supposed to and Bucky freaks out)

Bucky takes care of you when you are drunk (TW - mentions of smut)

Blood stain (asking Bucky to do you an uncomfortable favor. TW - awkwardness)

Pretty dresses (Bucky, you, and the way you love your dresses throughout the seasons. TW - soms angst, mentions of death and major fluff)

Flirt (fav. Bucky always flirts with you. Being shy, you misinterpret his intentions)

Loathing (TW - swearing)

Saving her (TW - swearing, violence and protective!Bucky)

Cookies and cuddles (after your period ruins a date, you rush home upset. Bucky goes to comfort you, and make you feel better about yourself. TW - mentions of periods)

Comfortable (you buy some new lingerie as a suprise for Bucky, but he doesn’t react the way you thought he would. TW - alludes to sex)

Saving the day (on your way back home someone starts following you, when your eyes fall on the most impressive and handsome Avengers, you don’t think twice and find yourself a fake boyfriend. TW - mention of stress harassement)

Soft touch (Bucky slowly but surely learns again that physical contact doesn’t have to be painful. TW - some smuttish parts)

Bucky’s little secret (Bucky has a crush on you)

My sweet girl (40s!Bucky. After WWII, James finds you and resues you from the rest of the world. TW - swearing, violence and a mental illness)

Purr love (fav. Bucky meets your cat and discovers that she has no basic knowledge of personal spance)

Fair play (after a rough mission, you and the team go to Coney Island. Still injured, you can’t go on the rollercoaster with the others so Bucky descides to keep you company)

Shopping misadventures (you go out for shopping and find yourself being harased by a group of guys. Thankfully enough, your knigh in shining armor is never far away. TW - harassment, catcalling and protective!Bucky)

Magic touch (when Bucky’s arm becomes too heavy to carry, he finds help where he didn’t expect it)

That’s my girl! (The team knows you as Bucky’s quiet girlfriend, however that all changes when Sam challenges you to spar. TW - swearing and fighting)

Cotton clouds (plus!size reader gets insecure. TW - body shaming, insecurities, bullying, asshole agents, protective!Bucky and Steve, language, broken noses)

Dating Bucky would include

Wisdom (Bucky goes with you to the dentist when you get your wisdom teeth pulled out)

Bucky dating a short and petite reader would include

Angst -

Envious (a fire forms in Bucky when a recurring nightmare sends him over the edge. TW - major angst, swearing and an angry Bucky)

Please don’t leave me (a one night stand occurs and you get hurt badly during a mission. Maybe it was a bit more than just a one night stand? TW - mentions of sex and wee bit of angst)

Camera view (while triggered into winter soldier mode, Bucky nearly kills the reader. TW - swearing, near death and strangulation)

Within the smoke (firefighter!bucky. After rescuing a girl form a terrible fire, she insists on rescuing her cat from among the flames. Bucky cannot resist her tear-filled eyes)

Not him (training with Bucky, but one day something doesn’t quite go to plan. TW - some swearing)

Memories (Bucky is triggered into winter soldier mode. TW - violence)

You got me (when Bucky comes back after the Blip, it takes you by surpirse. TW - mention of death)

A battle between mentality (you’re struggling iwth PTSD after the events of endgame and Bucky is there to help comfort you. TW - endgame spoilers and mentions of PTSD)

Unsavory situations (Bucky comes home to find reader having a panic attack. TW - panic attack)

Fireworks (Bucky doesn’t do crowds. He certainly doesn’t do fireworks. But he’d follow you just about anywhere. TW - PTSD symptoms, panic attack and a very sweet Bucky)

The safest place in NYC (a stranger comes to your rescua when you find yourself held at knifepoint, alone in an alleyway, by a man demanding your money. TW - mugging, some pshysical violence and Bucky being a badass but also soft)

Soldat (when a HYDRA agent finds a way to hack into FRIDAY’s system to trigger Bucky into the witner soldier, he nearly kills you. TW - wintersoldier!Bucky, self hate, physical fight and lots of comfort)

Obsession (targeted after your complicated relationship with Bucky ends up on every news channel in the city, your stalker takes things into his own hands to ensure that you belong to him. TW - stalking, kidnapping, mild torture/violence and people being assholes to Bucky)

Just focus on me, okay? (TW - drowning and CPR)

Instinct (reader gets badly hurt by HYDRA) part 2

Panic (reader has a panic attack, Bucky is cute)

Trigger (Bucky beats himself up after attacking you when he was triggerd during a mission. Angst w/ fluffy ending)

Wrong side of the bed (fav. Bucky is in a bad mood and snaps at the reader. TW - language, Bucky snaps under pressure)

Comfort (Bucky helps you remember what it’s like to feel again. TW - trauma and mentions of blood and gore)

Cold (the reader falls into really cold water durigna mission, and later at the Avengers tower she gets so sick she faints, but Bucky is there to take care of her)

You’ll get there (Bucky is Y/N’s safe place)

Smut -

Paperwork (after a long mission comees lots of paperwork, what else comes with it? TW - smut, dirty talk, rough sex and fingering)

I’ll always be with you, my love (Y/N and Bucky have both been taking by HYRDA but now you are save with the Avengers. TW - mentions of torture, angst and smut)

The bad days (you and Bucky weren’t supposed to be together, not acording to the cruel voice in the back of your mind. TW - angst, smut, body image insecurities and soft!Bucky)

Cold, cold water (fav. While on a stakeout in the heart of Russia, Bucky learns that touch can bring something more than pain and he will willingly give himself over to the ice if it means keeping you alive. TW - some violence, near drowning, hypothermia)

Dominantion (sub!Bucky x dom!reader. TW - vibrators)

A twice broken man (knowing what will happen if Hydra ever captures him again, Bucky asks the impossible of you. TW - smut, canon level violence, mentions of torture, PTSD symptomes, suicidal thoughts and trauma recovery)

On the inside (Y/N has gained some weight and is afraid that Bucky might not find her attractive anymore, but he does and doesn’t mind showing her. TW - self esteem issues, language, Bucky worshipping your body, immplied smut and semi smut)

Grind on me lke you grinded that pillow (TW - swearing, no penetration, horny!Bucky, half-nakedness, dirty talk and kink af)

Help (TW - swearing, dry humping, sexual themes)

Woods of chaos (TW - panic attack, NSFW gif)

On your knees, little girl - masterlist (TW - daddy kink, ageplay)

Alarm clock

Boxer!Bucky

STEVE ROGERS

Fluff -

Always be my baby (dad!steve. The baby is milk drunk and Steve is in love)

Don’t underestimate a woman, Barnes (TW - some language)

Mission (Steve and Y/N like eachother but won’t tell that they love eachother. Bucky gets fed up about this and sets up a plan to get them together)

Accidents happen (plus size!reader)

Just breathe (you get an asthma attack. TW - asthma attack and swearing)

Disoriented (reader has a seizure and is comforted. TW - seizure/epilepsy)

Angst -

Accidental confession (Y/N gets shot on a mission and passes out from blood loss. TW - bullets, blood loss and near death experience)

Smut -

Nice & tight (Mobster!Steve x virgin!reader. TW - smut and age gap)

BUCKY BARNES + STEVE ROGERS + READER

Fluff -

Shaken up (Bucky and Steve find the reader passed out. TW - passing out and physical illnes)

As long as I have you (Bucky has an nightmare and accidentally attacks the reader so Steve stops him. TW - physical violence, brainwashing, nightmare and mentions of sex)

Angst -

Lavender blue (Bucky still suffers from his nightmares, and tonight was the worst one yet. TW - nightmares, mentions of abandomment, fluff ending)

Breathe in deep (Y/N gets an asthma attack. TW - severe asthma attack and slight panic attack)

I forgive you (reader gets seriously hurt during the cival war battle)

Alive (reader has a traumatic nightmare)

You touch them again and I’ll kill you! (Protective Bucky. TW - physical abuse, near-death experience)

Don’t let me drown (Steve and Bucky both fear the cold but the reader almost drowns (TW - drowning, PTSD and physical violence)

Blame (Bucky is triggerd into being the winter soldier and hurts the reader)

Not so safe haven (someone breaks into Stark tower and uses the reader as a hostage. TW - gun violence, hostage, threatening with a weapon and physical violence)

On the ropes (reader is on the train infiltration with the hwoling commandos and almost falls off. TW - gun violence)

Nothing (reader has an eating disorder and nobody realises until it effects her mid-mission. TW - anorexia nervose, passing out, collapsing, mentions of physical violence and mild arguing)

The 4 times they didn’t notice and the one time they did (the team tease the reader about her height but it becomes too much. TW - mentions of violence, mentions of terrorism, unconsciousness, teasing comments about short heigt and mild bullying about height)

Unseen (reader gets hit mid-mission but nobody realises until after it’s over. TW - physical violence, blood, bullet wound and unconsciousness)

Fucked up (fav. Tony yells at the reader, triggering her PTSD of an abusive past. TW - arguing, mentions of abusive past, physical violence, PTSD and panic attack)

Capable (the reader has a huge fight with Bucky and Steve and they say something they instantly regret. TW - verbal argument with partners, insult, mentions of blood and fighting and mentions of suicide)

Breathing is overrated anyway (fav. Whoever knew that stress could be so dangerous. TW - small injuries)

LOKI LAUFEYSON

Smut -

Interesting dream (when he catches you dreaming about him, Loki gives you something to remember. TW - multipe orgasms, sex dream)

NATASHA ROMANOFF

Fluff -

Heartbreak central (Kinda mum!Natasha. After having your heart broken for the first timme, Natasha recruits the team to lift your spirits)

PIETRO MAXIMOFF

Angst -

Can’t help falling (fav. the reader gets frequent dizzy spells and she falls over only to find herself in Pietro’s arms)

Hanging on (while fighting on top of the Avengers tower you get pushed off the top)

TONY STARK

Fluff -

Beautiful (you want a tummy tuck behind Tony’s back but you don’t have enough money so you use Tony’s card not knowing that he can see what you’re buying)

BRUCE BANNER

Fluff -

“You need to see a doctor”

Smut -

You don’t scare me (Bruce is scared that he will hurt you)

#marvel masterlist #peter parker masterlist #bucky barnes masterlist #steve rogers masterlist #natasha romanoff masterlist

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seas-storyarchive · 3 years

Text

Random thought from my brain because reasons

What if Scrooge adopted Gyro (he's like 30ish right?) after he ran away from Tokyolk? Only Gyro doesn't know. And it all comes to light when Louie finds an old box of stuff because of course he does.

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

"Well, what do we have here?" Louie sees the official looking paper and then begins to read it. "Certificate of Adoption for.." He then rushed back to the living room. [[MORE]]

"What are you looking at, Green Nephew?" Gyro's voice catches just about everyone's attention from the movie.

"Do you know that Uncle Scrooge adopted you?" Louie asks, not angry, genuinely curious. Could this explain some things?

"No, no. Mr. McDuck took me in after I came to Duckburg while I was working on a proposal to prove myself. That isn't adopting." Gyro said, catching Scrooge's attention as the duck walked into the room.

"It says it right there-" Louie shoved the document under Gyro's nose. "See?"

Gyro reads it, mumbling about children having no respect for adults, and then turns to Scrooge with his eyes wide. "I.. you.."

Scrooge sighs, looking at him. "Ah coul' nae let ye be tak'n bac' ta somewhe'e tha' ye did nae feel safe. Tha' wass tha bes' o'tion. Yo' 'ere almos' eightee', so tha' gav' yo' so'e 'ime ta star' fresh an' no 'ave ta wor'y abou' 'aving a 'ome-"

Gyro is on his knees, hugging the duck and sobbing. This duck gave him a chance, after his family had abandoned him and Akita had used him, going so far as to adopt him within a few weeks of staying at his home to give him a safety net should he need it.

"Le' it ou' lad. Ah go' ya." Scrooge hugged the young man, who he had adopted in secret to give him safety from those who would hurt him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gyro asks, still holding Scrooge in fear and not looking up at anyone.

"Ah don' 'now lad.. Ah'm sorrah Ah di'n't." Scrooge honestly wanted to tell Gyro on his birthday, but instead he gave him the old underwater lab that was still functioning to work on his inventions. Under the Money Bin, under his watch to keep him safe.

"Thank you. For everything, Dad." Gyro pulls away to wipe his tears.

Dad? That.. had a nice ring to it. "Your welcome, me boy." He turned to everyone else. "Ferge' tha mov'e, ther' 're som' thin's we need ta talk abou'."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Bentina asked Scrooge, pulling him aside into the hallway.

"Ah'm sorrah love," Scrooge sighed. "Ah wish Ah 'ad. Bu'.. Ah jus'.. 'e 'ad be'n thro'gh so much an' Ah coul' nae st'nd ta see 'im go thro'gh an'more."

Bentina sighed too, knowing that very rarely sometimes Scrooge's heart would call the shots. "Well, it will be an adjustment, but we'll make do."

Scrooge hugged her. "Tha' is why Ah love you."

Bentina hugged Scrooge back, chuckling to herself. He was an idiot, but he was her idiot.

"So, you're our cousin?" Della asked, planning ways on getting him back for years of black licorice Oxychew. But now making it worse.

Gyro nodded. "Yes, it seems so. Mr. McDad- I mean Dad- he adopted me before my eighteenth birthday so in the realms of legality I am."

"New Cousins!" Webby took photos of Boyd and Lil' Bulb and then rushed over to Gyro with her sisters. "Since Grampy adopted you-"

"Are you our uncle?" Ah yes, the yellow one.

"Please say yes! We want an uncle too!" Of course the teal one wanted one.

Gyro was flustered at the attention. "I.. suppose? You don't have to call me Uncle though." He had a feeling the girls would though.

Scrooge and Bentina walked into the room, and Gyro walked over.

"Boyd, Lil' Bulb.." Gyro called his kids over. "Allow me to introduce my father, who is your Grandfather and he will be addressed as such until he says otherwise, Scrooge McDuck."

"Scrooge McDuck. Status: upgraded to Grandfather." Boyd, after commiting the information to his memory, then hugged Scrooge with Lil Bulb. "Hi I'm Boyd! A very real boy!"

They received a hug back. "'ello me lads."

#adopted au #gyro mcduck au #ducktales 2017 #scrooge adopted gyro au #unrelated to my stepping up au #scrooge has *counts on fingers* 5 grandkids #webby may june boyd and lil bulb are his grandkids #bentina is supportive of her idiot #scroogeley #but it's subtle scroogeley #gyro gearloose #scrooge mcduck #unrelated to any of my aus

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strangehorticulturist · 3 years

Text

The Most Familiar Sound (A TanZen Fanfic)

As Tanjirou attempts to manage his trauma, Zenitsu finds the strength to comfort him in all the ways he wishes someone would do for him. When he least expects it, Tanjirou decides to return the favor, and together, they unravel Zenitsu's unsavory view of himself.

"There was no one in the world who would waste their time comforting someone as low as him."

Can also be read over at ao3!

There was nothing particularly special about that day, so Tanjirou’s abrupt silence seemed very out-of-place. While Tanjirou wasn’t speaking, though, Zenitsu could still hear him. His heart rate was faster than normal, even when taking into account their time actively fighting demons. The only times that his heart rate was that quick and that loud were when Nezuko was in immediate danger. So... that was worrying.

And it’s not just that his pulse was loud -- it was unbearable. The inescapable sound seemed to echo within the confines of Zenitsu’s head, trapping him in the assaultive wave of Tanjirou’s adrenaline. He felt his stomach turn, and he listened (with dread) as his own pulse began to join in with Tanjirou’s, discordant, asynchronous, too much.

He sucked in a breath through his teeth. Normally, he wouldn’t be able to catch this crescendo of thrums until it was too late, until his head was aching and even the throbs would join in on the cacophony, leaving Zenitsu trembling, tearful, and often times incapacitated. He slowly let his breath pass back out, again through his teeth. Though he was somewhat (read as: very) used to passing out, he didn’t want to keep being a burden on the people around him. Again and again, he’d lose consciousness, and again and again, his teammates would have to pick up the pieces for him. Without him. But not anymore.

At least, he hoped not. As his heart rate slowed to something more gentle, more manageable, he noted that this situation wasn’t exactly dire. Tanjirou and Zenitsu were sitting side by side on the tatami in Hisa’s house after acquiring a new set of injuries that would need weeks to heal. So, if Zenitsu were to pass out, it’s not as if it would really matter. He took comfort in that thought, and his pulse finally reached normalcy. Things were fine. He was fine.

He turned his attention to Tanjirou, whose heart was still hammering in his chest. What’s his deal? Needless to say, it was unusual for anyone to be as overwhelmingly anxious as Zenitsu, and it was even more unusual that Zenitsu was the (relatively) relaxed one in literally any situation (because how relaxed can you really be when you’re never afforded a moment of silence?). He smiled at the role reversal, and, overcome with a misplaced sense of pride, clapped Tanjirou on the back, exclaiming, “What’s up, Ta • n • ji • ro • u?”

Because of this sudden positive spike in mood, he wrapped his arm around Tanjirou, expecting some reciprocation of affection. Or, much more realistically, some blanching in response to his touch. What he did not -- could not -- expect was Tanjirou’s shuddering breath as he turned toward Zenitsu and sobbed into his sleeve.

He tensed at this before gently, and awkwardly, patting Tanjirou lightly on the back. What the hell am I supposed to do??? What is this situation?? Zenitsu was usually (always) the most socially conscious person of the threesome, though that wasn’t saying much when his competition was (innocent, naïve, adorably oblivious) Tanjirou and (fucking insane) Inosuke. He was reasonably able to read the room, but that did not prepare him for this. He had never needed to console anyone before, and it’s not like he had any experience receiving that care, so he had no example for how to properly handle this. But… it was Tanjirou, and if anyone was deserving of some comforting, it was him. Of course, it was him.

“Hey… um. Are you okay?” Good. Simple. Easy. He could handle this.

He jumped as Tanjirou sobbed in response. Ok. Not good. Not simple. Not easy. He could not handle this. No, he had to. Tanjirou deserved someone who could handle this, and there was no one else here to be that for him.

“Talk to me.” He fully turned to Tanjirou, wrapping his other arm around him firmly. Gently. He hoped.

Tanjirou took another shuddering breath, attempting to gather himself, before giving up and burying his face in Zenitsu’s shoulder. “I’m fine. I’m okay.”

Zenitsu snorted. “Seriously? This is ‘fine?’” He knew that laughing probably was not the right move here, but it was hard to resist. It would be like Zenitsu claiming that he was calm while perpetually being on the brink of an anxiety attack. Who would ever believe that?

Tanjirou sighed and pulled away, arms still clinging to Zenitsu, now able to look him in the eye. Zenitsu wished he hadn’t. He watched the tears fall away only to be replaced by an identical stream of more tears. He watched Tanjirou’s lip twitch, his face crumble, his hiccupping attempts at breathing normally. His stomach churned and nausea perched at the back of his throat. Since when was watching someone cry this painful? He sensed that his own eyes were threatening to gloss over, and he inhaled sharply. Hedid not want his own dam to burst. Not now. Not when Tanjirou needed him to be the rock for once.

He straightened his posture and blinked the tears away. Tanjirou, seeming not to have noticed this moment of weakness, glanced downward (thank god) and decided to chance another attempt at speaking.

“I really am okay. Nothing’s… nothing’s wrong. I just got a small cut and... blood -- human blood -- hurts.” He must’ve noticed Zenitsu’s eyebrow raise because he quickly continued on. “It’s, like. It just-- When I smell it, I panic. Sometimes it’s not that bad. Most of the time, I use Total Concentration Breathing and that centers me. But sometimes it doesn’t, and I’m back on the mountain running to my house, seeing the blood, seeing my family--”

His voice cracked, and he couldn’t suppress the onslaught of ensuing sobs. It was bordering on hysterical, which would’ve been more concerning had Tanjirou not reigned it back in as quickly as it had begun. “Seeing my family…”

“I know,” Zenitsu said, when Tanjirou gave no sign of continuing. He pulled him closer, as awkward as that felt, and rubbed his back. This was what he would want to be done for him. This was what he wanted to be done for him. He craved the proximity and warmth of another person, but he wished for it to be accompanied with gentleness instead of the aggression he’d usually receive close contact with. He resisted the impulse to whimper, as Tanjirou’s tears were still tugging at him, painfully close to ripping his heart right out of him. Instead, he rested one hand on Tanjirou’s head and laced his fingers slowly through his hair.

Zenitsu tried to think of other things he’d want done for him, other things he could do for Tanjirou in turn. What did he usually imagine? His grandpa hugging him closely? Check. Running his hands through his hair? Check. Telling him that things would be okay, that he would be okay, that he was okay the way he was (because “perfect” would be a huge stretch), that-

“Thank you,” Tanjirou said, barely above a whisper. Zenitsu could hear the grief clinging onto his words, dragging them down, filling them with a tearfulness that he was all too familiar with. Zenitsu nodded in response, though he wasn’t sure if Tanjirou could even tell.

“Of course… anytime. You’re always there for me, anyway.” He smiled, a private smile meant for no one’s eyes, as he recalled all of the times Tanjirou afforded him a small pat on the back whenever he was panicking. It didn’t always happen -- there wasn’t always time anyway -- so the times that it did occur, Zenitsu tried to soak it up. In those moments, he wanted to lean into Tanjirou, cling to his checkered sleeves, and let the tears fall as he would rest his head in the crook of his neck. Obviously, he could never do that, and he was beyond embarrassed each time the thought, that imagery, flickered behind his eyes. As nice as it was. As much calm as it brought him. As much as something inside of him needed desperately for it to happen.

Tanjirou broke away once again, this time with a relaxed smile on his face. Well that was quick. “Yeah. Yeah! You already know I’d do the same for you.”

He did not anticipate the violent clench of his stomach. He turned away, aware of how conspicuous this sudden change must’ve been. But he had to look away because he did not know how to stop himself from freezing over, how to stop the frost that originated in his ribcage from spreading elsewhere. Spreading everywhere. He was turning to ice inside and out, the muscles of his back (and legs and arms and chest and-) abnormally tensed, and he knew Tanjirou had probably already noticed… But he also did not know how to change that. The most he could manage by way of calming himself was a shallow breath, in and out, before his face was in his hands and tears were spilling over them.

Because he knew Tanjirou wouldn’t do the same for him. No one would. He could laugh at the absurdity of the notion, but the assertion was way too cruel. There was no one in the world who would waste their time comforting someone as low as him.

He tried, once more, to pull himself together but was startled by a nearby sound. What is that? Eyes still closed and still buried in his hands, he tried to locate the sound. It was close. It was loud. Oh, it’s a voice. With a jolt, he realized that it was his voice, and that he was sobbing. Not just sobbing but wailing. He listened as the cries clumsily raised in pitch over and over, cracking at each peak before dropping drastically again. It was chilling that something so ugly could be coming out of him. Horror crept over him as he noted the growing distance between himself and his crying. He was right there. But he was far away. He was sitting next to Tanjirou. But it wasn’t him sitting there, it was just someone who looked like him. What is going on?

Something about this was ironic, probably. This was the first time he’d ever gotten any respite from the din of sound that typically plagued him. He could hear his voice, yes, and he could hear Tanjirou saying something, but it was as if he was hearing everything from behind a thick wall of glass. And wasn’t that a sort of peace? Something he had always wanted, whether he admitted it to himself or not? He waited for relief to crash over him, to feel renewed by this newfound quiet, but part of him knew that he was awaiting something that would never come. Instead, the sense of eeriness that was already present seeped into him, dribbling into the crevices that existed between the plates of ice within him. Maybe this would be nice if it wasn’t so alien.

Then, all at once, it stopped. With Tanjirou’s warmth encasing him, he was forcibly dragged back into his own body, the ice falling away and crashing down at his feet almost instantly. He sat still for a moment while he tried to recover from the suddenness of the moment. It was hard to parse where he had just gone and how long it had been. It felt like he had been alone, locked away in some other dimension, for hours. But he got the sense that it had only been a few seconds or a few minutes at most. He kept his gaze lowered and locked on his hands in an effort to steady himself as he tried to gather the rest of the present situation. Like… why he was so wet (wow, he was drenched in sweat) or why he was shaking so severely (when was the last time he had trembled this much?) or why he-

“Hey, talk to me” He startled at Tanjirou’s voice. Right, Tanjirou was there. And Tanjirou was… at his side with his arms wrapped around his shoulders and his large sleeves blanketing him in an embrace. Huh? He blinked as he tried to process this. Huh? Another second passed, and he still didn’t quite underst-

“HUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH???????????”

Tanjirou jumped at the exclamation, eyes searching wildly for some reason Zenitsu would be screaming (not that he ever needed much of a reason). “What?? What’s wrong?? What happen-”

“YOU’RE HUGGING ME!”

Tanjirou hurriedly released his grip on Zenitsu. “Sorry!! You were just hugging me??? So I-”

“DON’T LET GO, IDIOT! HUG ME AGAIN!!!”

It was clear that Tanjirou probably would’ve preferred to back away slowly at this point, but he resumed his embrace, this time with some trepidation.

“HARDER!!!” With that, he tightened his hold. There was a moment of uncomfortable stillness wherein both held their position without even so much as a twitch. And then Zenitsu shifted in his arms, seemingly uncertain, before slowly returning the hug. He crept closer to gingerly rest his head on Tanjirou’s shoulder. Tanjirou had already pulled away once, and the idea that he would do something to make Tanjirou retract his warmth again was buzzing between his ears as he worked to restrain himself.

What he wanted to do was fling his arms around Tanjirou and just fall apart within the security of his presence because he knew he was always safe there. But that… who would want that from him? Who would even be able to tolerate that from him? He wanted this with too much fervor, and he had no choice but to reel it in because he was Zenitsu and if someone was willing to be there for him, he could not ruin it by being too much. By being himself. That was too much to ask anyone to sit through.

Once his head landed on Tanjirou’s shoulder, though, his resolve broke. Well... he was never under the illusion that he was strong, anyway. He let his body sink into Tanjirou, dig into him, and he briefly wondered how it would feel to melt into Tanjirou. To be part of him. To not be himself for even just a couple of minutes. Then he wouldn’t have to face the wall of sound that seemed to press into his ears, surrounding him on all sides. He imagined somehow extricating himself from this wall (if only it truly was tangible, perhaps he could’ve sliced his way out) and hearing nothing. Or whatever someone with a normal capacity for hearing would hear. Maybe his own breathing, the light breeze licking at their faces from the open door, the creak of the house settling every now and then…

As much as he wanted to immerse himself in this daydream, he felt that something vital was missing from it. He pondered over this, searching for what could possibly be lacking. What more would he need when all he ever wanted was to know what “silence” really meant? As he inhaled, breathing in the scent of Tanjirou’s freshly washed hair (in a totally normal way that wasn’t weird), he realized all at once what it was.

Tanjirou’s sound.

Right. Of course. It was hard to imagine living without Tanjirou’s sound now. He listened closer to the the gentle flow of Tanjirou’s blood in his veins, the rhythmic thump thump thump of his heart, the musicality of his thoughts (how was it possible for Tanjrou’s thoughts to harmonize so pleasantly when his own were so discordant?). Even when Tanjirou had been panicking, the melody of his nerves was almost beautiful in retrospect. It seemed laughable that he had been so overwhelmed by Tanjirou’s sonorous heartbeats earlier when he was now aching for it. He wanted to be consumed by it. Forget his previous fantasy -- his new ideal world was one inwhich Tanjirou’s sound was the only thing he could hear. That would be enough.

“You know how blood ‘hurts’ you? That’s how it is for me with hearing. But, like, with almost everything. It’s not any individual sound usually -- it’s just… There are so many sounds. It hurts.” He felt pathetic admitting this. He knew, he had always known, that he should only feel grateful for his heightened sense. What demon slayer wouldn’t want something that could afford them more awareness? Every possible advantage mattered when your enemies were often much stronger, faster, and more durable than you could ever hope to be. But he was a human before he was a demon slayer, if he could even call himself that, and he didn’t know any human strong enough to handle this without going insane. If there was ever a time before his hearing grew so sharp, too sharp, he didn’t remember it. But, whatever he was like then, his hearing had reduced him to the bundle of nerves that he was now.

“I should be able to handle it, but I can’t. Big surprise.” He chuckled bitterly at this before continuing, “It’s like… I know that no one else would be able to deal with this either, right? I mean, you’re not supposed to be able to hear every strand of hair raise on someone’s arm when they get chills, right? Or hear each individual muscle in someone’s body contract, right? But still, I-”

Tanjirou pulled away in surprise, perhaps to get a better look at Zenitsu’s face, but Zenitsu tugged him forward again. He knew that he must’ve been balling Tanjirou’s clothes in his fists by this point, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He was unraveling in front of Tanjirou’s eyes, and he just didn’t care anymore. He didn’t need to be liked, he just needed to be held.

“Wait, you really hear all that?” Tanjirou had already given up on trying to look at Zenitsu face to face and had settled on patting his head lightly. “You really hear that much? All the time?” That sounded… devastating. Sure, Tanjirou had his sense of smell, but he didn’t necessarily mind its strength. When he was confronted with the familiar copper of blood or when an unpleasant odor clung to the air and every inhale through his nose polluted his mouth and lungs, it… sucked to say the least. But he could run away, theoretically. He could run away and smell something else, something pleasing or at the very least neutral. But could Zenitsu do the same?

“Is that why you’re always so....” Tanjirou paused, wondering how to put this delicately. He had never viewed Zenitsu as cowardly or weak, but it was beyond apparent that Zenitsu did, and he didn’t want to reinforce that. But it was true that Zenitsu was constantly anxious. “...on edge?” He felt the boy nod. “That sounds hard.” He winced at his own understatement but was met with a whimper from Zenitsu.

“It is,” he said, his voice fragile and so so quiet. When Zenitsu cried or worried aloud, it was usually ear-piercing at best, so this was new. Different. And, though it was considerably much easier on the ears, it was hard not to be concerned by the disparity. He wished, ardently, that he could jump into Zenitsu’s mind and see through his eyes. Listen through his ears. Tanjirou had always considered himself empathetic, and others’ emotions would typically be laid out in front of him as plainly as if their feelings had been written on their foreheads. But, if Zenitsu was struggling so much this whole time, and he had no idea, then he could only imagine what emotion could render Zenitsu so frighteningly quiet.

His chest tightened at the thought. He knew grief. He knew pain. He knew fear. While he was occasionally afforded brief reprieves from these things, they normally weighed heavily on him from the moment he woke up to the moment he drifted off to sleep. And sometimes even during sleep, when he’d watch grossly distorted versions of the one event he could never shake away. He wasn’t there when his family was slaughtered, and yet what occurred in his childhood home while he was away was all he could think of. It hurt that he couldn’t have been there with them. It was somewhat of a moot point considering he couldn’t reverse time and, even if he could, he most likely would’ve died among the rest of his family anyway. Except Nezuko. She would’ve been left alone, then, and that was the only thought that could convince him that dying that day wouldn’t have been preferable.

He shook the thought away. This was too dark. The point was… he knew grief and he knew pain and he knew fear. And yet, the thought of Zenitsu carrying similar baggage scared him. He could’ve been carrying something heavier. He could’ve been carrying it for longer. He could’ve even been carrying it alone, with no one there to share the load. He had Nezuko, and he had the comfort of knowing they could always, and would always, grieve together. Who did Zenitsu have?

“I’m so sorry. I wish I could take that away from you.” His lips pressed together, holding back everything he could say but shouldn’t. Like, if he could somehow switch senses with Zenitsu, smell for hearing, he would. Like, if he could go back in time, maybe instead of using that power to die alongside his family, he would instead use it to meet Zenitsu earlier and carry this burden with him. Like, if he could sit here cradling Zenitsu forever, he really would. And it felt so wrong that he could do none of these things. What use was any of his training if he couldn’t do something as simple and as necessary as that?

The two proceeded to say nothing in the coming minutes as Tanjirou found himself lost in thought, the only notable noise being the rustling of their clothes as they adjusted positions to hold each other closer. Zenitsu broke the silence by asking, “Do you know what you sound like?”

Tanjirou’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What he sounds like? “What do I sound like?” He didn’t quite understand what Zenitsu meant by this, but inquired all the same, figuring that Zenitsu’s answer would contextualize the question.

He didn’t expect the affection in Zenitsu’s voice as he said, “You sound like… a sunny day. Blue skies, fluffy white clouds, you know…” Tanjirou’s hearing was no match for Zenitsu’s, but he didn’t need heightened senses to hear the smile in Zenitsu’s voice. He suddenly was very grateful that they couldn’t see each other, as he could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks and creeping along the rims of his ears. Though, he had to wonder if Zenitsu could hear even that?

He opened and shut his mouth a few times as he fished for an adequate reply, but Zenitsu saved him the trouble by continuing on. “That’s why… even though it hurts to hear so much all the time, I guess I’m actually kind of thankful for it too. Like, I knew I could trust you because all I had to do was listen, y’know?” Tanjirou smiled at the admission. He did know. It was the same for him. One sniff was enough to confirm that Zenitsu was kind and strong and intuitive and- But he had already told Zenitsu this months prior, and all he had received in response was, “No, I’m not strong. Don’t give me that,” so he wondered whether it was worth mentioning again or not. He decided that if it could soothe his friend at all, it would be worth it, and he relayed the message again.

He felt Zenitsu’s back stiffen at his words, which hadn’t been entirely unexpected. He recalled the prior experience, wherein Zenitsu’s demeanor had taken a dramatic shift. He hadn’t understood why then, and he couldn’t say he really understood why now either.

“Please. Not right now.” Zenitsu’s posture seemed to slowly relax again, slumping forward into Tanjirou. “Don’t lie. Just-”

Tanjirou ripped Zenitsu away from him, and he realized that it was probably a bit too forceful when he saw Zenitsu wince at the contact. But his heart was speeding up and he felt like he had to do something because how could Zenitsu really think this is a lie? He had always suspected that Zenitsu’s self-esteem was low, but it seemed bizarre that he could genuinely have absolutely no faith in himself. “I would never lie, Zenitsu! Not about this or about anything else! Isn’t that obvious?” He noted that maybe he was being too loud.

He stared intently at Zenitsu as he awaited an answer, though it was clear Zenitsu didn’t have one prepared. His lip quivered, and Tanjirou felt his stomach sink as Zenitsu’s face fell. He marveled at how far down a stomach could fall. There it was, by his feet, There it was, disappearing into the earth below. There it was, steadily making its way to the earth’s core -- all occurring as Zenitsu spoke his next words.

“Stop, seriously… I know already. I know what kind of person I am.” Again, that bitter laugh along with an irritatingly dismissive tone. Something about this was just so wrong. Why was Zenitsu putting on a front all of a sudden? And why did it hurt so much more that Tanjirou could see through it clear as day. There was nothing Zenitsu could do to mask the fragility of his voice except hope that it wouldn’t break, and something about that made Tanjirou’s throat tighten.

“I don’t know why you’re friends with me, or if you even consider me a friend, but I already know what I’m like. And I’m not… any of the things you say that I am. Maybe you’re just being nice? You’re the kindest person I know, so I guess it does kinda make sense that you would say all that. But I don’t get why you’re going out of your way to comfort me. That’s too nice. You don’t have to push yourself.” The dismissal was gone from his tone, replaced with… was it sadness? Shame? Tanjirou sensed some longing too, though that seemed out of place amongst the array of emotional wounds, all of which were raw and greatly needing someone to tend to them.

“It just… Please don’t anymore. All it does is hurt because I know it’s not real.” Zenitsu had scooted backwards, away from him, by this point, so he looked down at his now empty hands. Guilt over the rashness of his initial reaction weighed on him, gluing his legs to the floor beneath him. It had startled him, at first, to be confronted with the possibility that his friend thought so low of him that he’d mistrust his words. But he realized, then, that it wasn’t him Zenitsu thought poorly of. It was Zenitsu himself.

He watched tear drops land on the back of hands, but he didn’t attempt to stop them. How could he have been so blind -- so stupid -- to not see it until now? Zenitsu didn’t just have poor self-esteem. He didn’t just underestimate his abilities. He hated himself. He couldn’t imagine a world wherein someone would truly value him. Every time he rushed to Tanjirou’s side for protection, it was because he could not fathom even the slightest possibility that he might be competent despite how many demons he had proven himself capable of defeating.

Something about this hurt worse than Zenitsu freezing up or crying in his arms. If Zenitsu really believed these things about himself, and likely believed it for much longer than Tanjirou had known him, was there anything he could do? What, really, could be said to change Zenitsu’s mind when he was clearly so resolute and so resigned to this image of himself. There was so much powerlessness there, and it was choking Tanjirou into silence. He thought that he had left this feeling behind, that as long as he worked hard, there wasn’t any situation he couldn’t surmount. It was something he held onto during the most challenging battles, yet it was quietly dissipating between his fingers now. How could life-threatening situations feel so easy when compared to what should’ve been a simple talk with a friend? How?

He had to remind himself that it wasn’t a matter of whether he could or couldn’t -- he had to reach Zenitsu. His friend was shouldering such a dark inner world, and there was no way he was going to leave him in there alone. He grabbed both of Zenitsu’s hands in his, and searched his eyes. Zenitsu’s gaze wouldn’t meet his, though, so he urged, “Look at me,” to which Zenitsu acquiesced. It made something in his chest squeeze to see the fear and the overwhelming shame behind his friend’s eyes. What did the world do to him? And what could he do to make up for it?

“Zenitsu, even if you don’t believe that you’re a admirable person, please at least believe that I would never lie to you. I can’t make you see yourself differently - I know that. I know that’s too much to ask of you right now. I just need you to trust in my honesty. And if you can’t then…” He paused for a moment, racking his brain, before delightedly exclaiming, “Wait! Sometimes, if I hone in on someone’s scent, I can tell if they’re being truthful or not. Can you do that with your hearing?” Zenitsu nodded hesitantly. “Then, listen to me, and you can judge for yourself whether or not I’m lying, okay?” Zenitsu nodded once again, and Tanjirou breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that he wasn’t lying, and soon Zenitsu would know too.

“I’ll start by saying that we are friends. I considered you a friend ever since you protected Nezuko’s box… And I really do believe that you’re strong -- I’ve seen enough to prove that to be true. And… funny! And smart! And really really brave!” He had worked himself into a frenzy, his speech coming much faster and louder, and he was making no effort to stop himself from beaming. Zenitsu’s face, on the other hand, was almost comically downtrodden, practically screaming “Stop messing with me,” though he had enough restraint to let Tanjirou continue without interruption.

“I really mean it! I mean, when you think about it, bravery isn’t about not being afraid. It’s about being afraid and doing what you need to do anyway. You’ve been terrified for so long, right? And yet you’ve trained, and you’ve become a demon slayer, and you’ve done so many missions already. Isn’t that impressive in its own way? When fear is constantly telling you to run and hide instead?” Tanjirou watched Zenitsu react to this and, while he still clearly wasn’t convinced, he did seem to be taking Tanjirou’s words into more careful consideration.

“Okay. But I still don’t get why you’re going so far for me. Why did you hug me… why did you let me hug you?” He could tell Zenitsu was asking this in earnest, and Tanjirou wanted to respond in kind, but he was just so confused. What did he even mean? Why did he hug him? What else would he have had him do? Tanjirou supposed that he could’ve fed him some onigiri like the first -- second -- time they met. Should he have done that? But didn’t Zenitsu tell him to keep hugging him? So then… Huh?

“You wanted a hug, and I wanted to hug you? And before that, when I was upset, I wanted a hug, and I’m guessing you wanted to hug me? Isn’t that normal?” Was he missing something?

“You wanted to hug me?”

“Yes.”

“You swear?”

“Yes.”

“It wasn’t out of obligation?”

“It was not.”

“Pity?”

“No.”

Zenitsu looked about as mind-boggled as Tanjirou felt by this point. “Is that really so hard to believe?”

Zenitsu opened his mouth to answer but hesitated. Tanjirou watched the progression of emotions on his face -- the sadness, the disgust (why disgust?), the attempt to recollect himself, the inevitable return to sadness. Now that he knew there was more to Zenitsu than he had previously known, he was tuned in. It was perplexing to him that his sharp nose and intuition could’ve somehow missed all of this to begin with. But, he considered the very real possibility that it was only so apparent now because Zenitsu was no longer hiding it. Whatever the reason, he was glad to understand more about his friend. Even if that meant feeling his insides contort in commiseration each time he had to confront the fact that Zenitsu was just a tumultuous ball of self-hatred.

“It is hard to believe, yeah. I don’t really know how to explain it. But I know you’re telling the truth -- I don’t have to listen for it. I trust that you’re being honest. I guess it’s just weird, you know? It feels weird to be held like that after not being held for 16 years.”

Tanjirou blinked. Wait. But “Aren’t you 16?”

“Yeah.”

“And you haven’t been held like that in 16 years?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m the first one?”

“From what I can remember at least.”

“HUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH???????????????” Tossing all etiquette aside, he grasped his friend and roughly pulled him into an embrace, all but dragging the boy into his lap. “Why didn’t you say so sooner?? We have to make up for all the lost time!!”

Zenitsu snorted at that. “Do you know how much we’d have to hug to do that?”

“I’ll do it.” He nodded to himself. “No matter how much!”

He sensed his friend tensing up against him once again, huffing a laugh into his neck. With some uncertainty, he asked, “But seriously… Would you- Can I ask you for a hug sometimes? Not a lot! Just sometimes. Occasionally. Every once in a-”

“Of course, Zenitsu. Ask me for a hug anytime. You don’t have to hold back.” He thought better of this before adding, “Well, if we’re fighting a demon, maybe don’t. But, any other time.”

“Then can we just stay like this for a while longer?”

Tanjirou felt a smile emerge. “Yeah. No problem.”

“And umm... can I cry?”

It was Tanjirou’s turn to snort. “Since when do you ask for permission?” He felt Zenitsu giggling at this, at the irony of such a question. He couldn’t stop himself from joining in, at first doing his best to contain it to a chuckle, but almost immediately failing. He threw his head back and laughed openly, Zenitsu’s snickering only egging it on. They sat there, holding each other, shaking against one another with unrestrained mirth, for way too long. Every time it would die down, one of them would inevitably succumb to another fit of giggles, and the other would laugh along.

Once the laughter died down for good, Zenitsu sighed and drooped onto Tanjirou, finally seeming to relax. The hilarity of the moment prior stood in stark contrast to the howling that began then. Much like earlier, Zenitsu’s cries were loud and so pained. He closed his eyes as he listened to his friend and felt the sound reverberate through his body until it felt as if he might be the one hollering instead. He wanted to cry as that familiar desire to take Zenitsu’s pain away returned. When he paused, though, he recalled Zenitsu’s words. That Tanjirou sounded like a sunny day. That he was glad he had his heightened sense of hearing for that reason. The heartfelt sentiment that he didn’t want this to be taken away from him.

Maybe he didn’t need to take anything away from Zenitsu. Maybe it was enough to be sitting in each other’s arms. Maybe it was enough that Zenitsu finally believed there was someone on this earth he would hold him like this. Maybe it was enough that they could carry their burdens together.

He let a tear drop onto Zenitsu’s shoulder as a smile spread across his face. Yeah. There was no maybe. This was enough.

#tanjirou kamado #tanjiro kamado #zenitsu agatsuma #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #tanjirou x zenitsu #tanzen #zentan

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haikwritings · 3 years

Text

P.S I Love You

Characters: Kei Tsukishima

“What’s this?” Tsukishima asked annoyed as he took the letter.

“I- I wrote you something.” Y/n answered nervously.

“A letter? What are we in? Third grade?” Tsukishima asked sarcastically.

Tsukishima and his girlfriend had been together for a year—and she wanted to tell him in some way or another how she felt.

“I- I just wanted to make you something special.” Y/n murmured sweetly, which it made him more annoyed.

“You could have made some cupcakes or brownies.” Tuskishima answered annoyed, throwing the letter somewhere around his locker.

“O-Oh, mm, sorry.” Y/n apologized, lowering her head from the embarrassment.

She knew that he wasn’t the most loving person, but she knew that he loved and showed his affection in other ways.

“Whatever.” Tsukishima said as he closed his locker.

But sometimes she wishes he was a little more sweeter.

“I-I was thinking we could do som—” Y/n was saying but was interrupted by him immediately.

“Can’t. I’m busy.” Tuskishima answered coldly.

“B-But is our one year anniversary.” Y/n pouted sadly.

And sometimes she wishes he was more caring.

“So? Is not like is our last.” Tsukishima answered annoyed.

“I- I know. B-But I thought it was going to be s-special.” Y/n answered sadly.

More caring about her feelings.

“You women are so dramatic.” Tsukishima sighed annoyed.

“T-Tsuki.” Y/n stutter sadly.

“I need to go to practice, I will see you tomorrow.” Tsukishima said as he walked away—leaving her with loss of words.

More caring about her as a human being,

“Where’s Kei?” Y/n’s mother asked.

“H-He’s not coming.” Y/n answered sadly.

As his girlfriend.

“B-But honey, what about all those desserts you made yesterday?” Y/n’s mother asked worried.

“I- I will save them for later, mom.” Y/n answered as she locked herself in her room.

She just wishes.

“Honey?” Y/n’s mother asked worried, hearing her daughter cry.

Since that day everything had changed between them.

“Why can’t you go to practice today?” Tsukishima asked concerned.

“I- I just have a lot of...work.” Y/n lied.

“Right. See you tomorrow then?” Tsukishima answered annoyed.

“Y-Yeah.” Y/n answered as she was leaning to kiss him—immediately being rejected by him.

She notice how distant he was being.

“T-Tsuki?” Y/n asked sadly, feeling rejected by her own boyfriend.

“I- I’m just sweaty.” Tsukishima answered annoyed as he left to practice.

How he was being colder than usual.

“I- I made cookies yesterday, thought you wanted some.” Y/n said very sweetly.

“I’m not going to put that crap on my body. I’m a volleyball player, idiot.” Tsukishima answered annoyed.

And even meaner than usual.

“I s-saw this and it made me t-think of you.” Y/n said very sweetly as she handed him a dinosaur keychain.

“You can actually think?” Tsukishima asked jokingly.

“I- f-forget it.” Y/n said as she hid the keychain on her pocket.

And he wasn’t noticing his changes...

“Wanna join us for ramen?” Yamaguchi asked.

“Can’t, I need to walk my girlfriend to her house.” Tsukishima answered annoyed.

“I-Is okay, Kei. M-My friend is walking me home.” Y/n lied.

“What?” Tsukishima asked confused.

“S-She offered to walk me home.” Y/n lied again.

Until that conversation...

“What friend?” Tsukishima asked confused, knowing that his girlfriend didn’t have that many friends.

“S-Someone from class...” Y/n lied.

That’s when he notice her little lies.

“S-See you tomorrow?” Y/n asked as she walked away.

“N-Not even a kiss?” Tsukishima asked weirded out.

“S-Sure.” Y/n said as she gave him a little peck on the lips.

The way she was more shy than usual.

“Hey, are you coming to my practice today?” Tsukishima asked annoyed.

“N-No, I- I don’t want to bother you.” Y/n answered as she tried to hide her face away from him.

“Bother me? Since when, idiot?” Tuskishima asked in disbelief—not noticing his sharp words.

“I- I just don’t want to.” Y/n answered as she left, without giving him the opportunity to talk.

That’s when he knew his words and actions had gone too far.

“Have you seen Y/n?” Tsukishima asked worried.

“Yeah? I just saw her on the hallway.” Yachi answered sweetly.

Way too far.

‘Y/n?’ Tsukishima thought as he saw her in front of a trash can.

And he wished he had notice before.

‘W-Why is she throwing that away?’ Tuskishima thought sadly as he saw her throw away the dinosaur keychain she had bought him.

He wished he had notice how he had hurt her feelings.

‘Y-Y/n.’ Tsukishima thought as he saw her leave sadly, immediately walking towards the trash can.

He wished he had fucking notice before.

“W-What an idiot.” Tsukishima said as he took the dinosaur keychain out of the trash.

Because now he knows he was loosing her.

“I-Idiot.” Tsukishima said sadly as he took the keychain to his pocket.

And he didn’t want that.

“Kei?” Y/n’s mother said as she opened the door.

“Hello, is Y/n home?” Tsukishima asked sweetly.

“N-No, sorry, she left this morning.” Y/n’s mother answered.

“O-Oh, sorry.” Tuskishima apologized.

But how was he supposed to fix it?

“Sorry you couldn’t come to your anniversary.” Y/n’s mother said.

“W-What?” Tsukishima asked confused.

“The celebration? She planned a little evening. But she told me you weren’t able to come.” Y/n’s mother said.

Fix what he broke himself?

“I- I have to go.” Tuskishima said as he walked away embarrassed.

How was he supposed to apologize?

“A-Are you coming to my game?” Tsukishima asked nervously.

“You never want me to go.” Y/n answered sadly.

“I- I know.” Tuskishima answered embarrassedly.

How was he supposed to make up?

“Y-You have been acting...strange.” Tuskishima said.

“I know.” Y/n answered nervously.

How was he supposed to make her stay?

“I- I just need some space.” Y/n murmured painfully.

He didn’t wanted to lose her.

“Sorry.” Y/n apologized painfully as she walked away.

And here he was... losing her in front of his eyes.

“What are you doing?” Yamaguchi asked as he saw him looking desperately on his locker.

“I- I can’t find.” Tsukishima answered painfully.

And he couldn’t let that happen.

“F-Find what?” Yamaguchi asked confused.

“T-The letter—the fucking letter.” Tsukishima answered, suddenly finding it.

She was everything for him.

“H-Here it is.” Tuskishima said as he opened it.

And he was everything for her.

“A-Are you okay?” Yamaguchi asked worried.

“I-I just need a moment.” Tuskishima said.

“I- okay—” Yamaguchi stutter as he left him alone.

And he didn’t knew that...

“W-What is this?” Tsukishima asked to himself as he saw the letter.

Not until he read her special letter.

Dear Kei,

Happy One Year Anniversary, babe! I can’t believe it has already been a year! I guess time really does fly when you’re with the right person.

A letter where she expressed her deep love for him.

Thank you for the countless happy moments we had spent together this past months.

And he wished he had read it soon.

Thank you for showing me what true love really is.

He just wishes...

Because your love is what pushes me to be a better person...

Fuck...he just wishes...

Your love is what makes me more braver, more stronger.

“Y-Y/n.” Tsukishima stutter sadly.

My life is complete when you’re by my side.

He just wishes he hadn’t cause her this pain.

Which it reminds me... that I have a little surprise for you.

“Surprise?” Tsukishima asked himself confused.

I made us a little evening at my house! I cooked your favorite dish and your favorite dessert—strawberry short cake!

“T-The evening.” Tuskishima stutter sadly.

I know that you don’t like to be romantic—so I decided to do everything!

“I-I’m—” Tsukishima stutter sadly.

Just bring your presence here! Don’t be late!

“I- I never came.” Tuskishima stutter sadly— folding the letter when suddenly he notice something on the other side of the letter.

P.S I love you...

I just want you to know that.

“I- I love you too.” Tuskishima answered, suddenly noticing he was sitting alone in the locker room.

He knew he needed to fix things.

And he knew he needed to do it, as soon as possible.

“Hey.” Tsukishima said as he saw her in her locker.

“H-Hey.” Y/n stutter nervously and embarrassed.

He knew he should tell her.

“I- I read your letter.” Tuskishima said, feeling a little awkward about the silence.

He knew he should be honest.

“S-Sorry I never came.” Tuskishima apologized sincerely.

And take her feelings into consideration.

“Is ok.” Y/n answered sadly.

“N-No, is not ok.” Tsukishima said as he caressed her cheek, seeing her painful and sad eyes.

“I- Is not your style, and I- I get it.” Y/n answered painfully.

Because as him, she felt too.

“Hey, hey. Shhh, don’t say that.” Tsukishima said as he hugged her—feeling her sobbed on his chest.

He knew she had a heart too.

“What about dinner tonight? How does that sound mhm?” Tsukishima asked sweetly.

“T-Tonight?” Y/n asked happily.

“Y-Yeah, we could go to that favorite restaurant of yours...” Tsukishima whispered sweetly, taking his thumb to get rid of her tears.

He knew she had a big heart.

“What do you say mhm?” Tsukishima asked as he gave her a little smile.

“O-Okay.” Y/n said as she giggled a little.

“T-That’s it—that’s my happy girl right there.” Tuskishima said sweetly.

And he knew he needed to show her how much he loved her.

“P.S...” Tsukishima said, making her look at him.

“What?” Y/n asked confused.

“I love you too.” Tsukishima said as he kissed her.

Otherwise, how would she know?

“Y-You do?” Y/n asked sweetly.

“Yes, idiot.” Tsukishima answered as he kissed her again.

Because he in fact loves her.

“Don’t ever forget that.” Tsukishima said.

She was his favorite person.

The coolest person he has ever met.

General TagList:

@elianetsantana @pillowpets @boosyboo9206 @chagi-nana @melacholy @kara-grayson04 @sangwoosashyashes @teddybearaone @answer-the-sirens @habi20212 @thelilyflowersworld @kellesvt @yuueisteria @dai-tsukki-desu @saeranoppa @wompwomphq @jupiterbloop @peteunderoos @chestercheeto

#haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x you #haikyuu x y/n #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu angst #haikyuu!!#kei tsukishima #tsukishima kei #tsukishima fluff #tuskishima angst #tuskishima x you #tuskishima x reader #tsukishima x y/n #angst #fluff #haikyuu smut

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the-goddess-of-mischief-writing · 3 years

Text

Buxom beauty

Oneshot summary; You struggle, as an overweight and taller than average woman, to find the beauty in yourself. However, Loki there to make you understood just how worthy and magnificent you truly are.

Pairing: Loki x reader

Rating: Mature

CHAPTER NO/ONESHOT: Oneshot

Word; 2.900

Warnings; will say triggering themes ( e.x serious self-doubt) even if it may not be the case, maybe som angst

Author; @the-goddess-of-mischief-writing

A/N: So a little mid-week surprise everyone! This fic is per request from a user on my AO3 account following their lines of: “Could you possibly do one where reader is tall for a woman but also overweight? She struggles with seeing herself as worthy or beautiful but Loki is tryna make her see herself the way he sees her in his own special way?? Please can you do this?” It started out as a drabble and an hour later it was all of a sudden a whole ass fic. Tbh I’m not even gonna apologise this time.

Your eyes were levelled with the upper edge of the mirror. Although you didn't concentrate on how the top of your head didn't really fit into the reflected image unless you took a few steps back. Instead, your eyes followed the soft curves running along the sharp edges of the mirror.

It was soft. No, you were soft in places which the majority of women perhaps not were. Rather than resemble the figure of the mirror before you, which was slim and narrow. Your body was an even curve all the way from your busts to thighs. Though depending on how you shifted your weight, it could also become uneven. Despite how it looked, some places were more generous than others in exceeding the public image of how you should look.

When you turned to the side, your head stayed twisted towards your figure. Your outline wasn't straight. Nor descending into a slender point of which your feet was the tip. It was like a wave, rising in places and lowering in others. And much like that movement of water, your body didn't have any sharp edges. It was simply soft and natural-looking.

You closed your eyes, turning back to fully face the mirror. However, as you started to walk backwards, you didn't re-open them. Purely because you didn't need to look to know there was no gap between your thighs. Neither how no trained illusion of abs existed as an outline under the shirt you wore. Nor how the fabric covering you followed the curve of your chest rather than fell in drapes.

Not until you had shuffled about a foot and a half backwards, enough so that you knew all of you fit in the length of the mirror, did you open your eyes.

You saw the tiredness in the eyes staring back at you. It was a tiredness of trying to make yourself look another way, tiredness to view yourself as enough. Only if you realised and found yourself in the fact that you wouldn't look any other way and that you didn't always need to be enough, maybe that exhaustion would disappear.

A sigh left you while you closed the dresser door to hide the cursed mirror. It was with the same force as you'd done earlier today when you had shut the locker door in the gym without even putting anything in there, choosing to just head back home instead.

You'd wanted to be there at first. But, discouraged by the little mirror in the changing room and the glances received from the already remarkably trained people working out, you suddenly didn't.

You still contemplated the choice. Because you shouldn't have chickened out so quickly. However, home meant that you only were aware of your own intrusive thought, rather than everyone else's judgement too.

Since this morning, your head had felt heavy with thoughts. Throughout the day, though, it had only gotten worse.

It felt like even though you rested, the little voice telling you you should do something was there. Yet, every time you did something, the other voice, the one telling you to stop trying, also whispered in your ear. This was a day you listened to the second, exemplified by your action of fleeing the gym.

So, ever since returning from the short trip outside, you hadn't done much more than lounge around in the apartment you shared with Loki.

The raven god was, for the moment, on yet another mission with the team. Though he'd told you that he wouldn't be gone for more than three days, you hadn't gotten to know much else of the mission. And despite you felt worried every now or then about the lack of information, it was fine. Because early on in your relationship, Loki said he never would hide anything from you if you asked, but he preferred to keep his work and private life as separate as possible.

You respected and understood that. So most times, you settled with the little pieces of information he willingly gave you. Primarily because you could sense his nerves anyway and know how serious the mission was from that. This time around, however, Loki hadn't been worried about the mission, so neither did you feel like you had a reason you should.

Although now, worried or not, you wished he wasn't away on a mission at all. Instead, at home with you.

You would've made the most out of the day, despite how you felt, if Loki was here. Maybe you would've watched some movies, gone out on a walk, or perhaps cook together. It was mundane activities but still things both of you enjoyed. Now though, the only representation of your mischievous partner was his shirt.

You'd nabbed it from Loki's side of the closet in an attempt to calm yourself down from the scent still lingering in the fabric. Only that it resulted in a critical try.

Because not only did it remind you too much of the warmth and presence of him, which made you miss him even more. It had also become the cause of you suddenly staring in the dresser mirror and becoming ever more conscious about yourself.

You hadn't only thought back on the day while standing there, but also the way his shirt fits you. It didn't hang down to your knees, not even the middle of your thighs. It ended halfway over your bottom, like your own shirt with an inch or two added. Thus, if you hadn't worn any tights, you would've walked around just as exposed as if you had worn one of your own shirts.

Even now, when heading from the living room to the kitchen, you looked down at where the shirt ended. The edge brushed along the very top of your thighs. You tried pulling it down a bit, but the fabric simply inched upwards again, making your brows furrow and lips purse.

That was until you heard something.

Your expression changed so that your eyebrows raised and eyes sought out the front-door from which the sound of a lock opening came from. You hadn't made plans with any friends today. Even if you had, they should've knocked, seeing how none of them had a key to your place.

The second you started to worry that it was a break-in, you saw a silhouette you recognised all too well. It was clad in green and gold. The raven hair that touched the tops of his shoulders, nearly blended in with the darker details of the clothing. You started to move before even registering anything more of Loki.

It was with mere moments to spare you noticed the emerald shimmer surround him and remove the armoured parts of his attire before you crashed into his chest.

A little ouf left the god, as he didn't expect the welcoming he got. But that didn't matter, as your arms encircled his neck instinctively. Unable to do anything else than simply stay put a few steps into the foyer, Loki encircled your waist with his arms, face boring into your neck as yours already had done in his.

"You said you wouldn't be home until tomorrow", you mumbled. Knowing he'd heard what you said from the little kiss he gave the side of your neck.

"Well, you know how my brother is, ever as impatient. Sometimes for the better and other times worse, thankfully this time was not the latter", Loki pulled his head out of the crook in your neck to look at you, consequently making you do the same. "Hopefully, you do not mind?"

"Definitely not", you thought you'd said it casually, but the way the raven-haired god tipped his head inclined you hadn't.

"Something wrong, darling?" You gave him a smile and shook your head as you said 'no' while stepping out of his arms. If you would've guessed, you supposed it was the way you retracted from Loki's touch that gave him more than a feeling that you'd lied.

"If there's something wrong, you can tell me", that he even said this made you understand he was aware that you weren't ok. Nevertheless, you saw the exhaustion in his eyes by being away on a mission with the team. He may have been recruited to the Avengers by his brother, rather unwillingly one may add, on the basis that the god of thunder could keep a watchful eye over his brother that way, though he by now had accepted the fact he wouldn't leave.

Yet simply because of this, or that he was a god, didn't mean Loki didn't get tired from the countless missions he was assigned. And it was because of this, you didn't want to burden him with what had weighed you down this whole day.

"I know, Loki", you turned then, starting to head towards your shared bedroom and the bathroom that connected to it to run a bath. However, you weren't even able to suggest that before a hand shot out and wrapped itself around your wrist.

It was enough to make you glance over your shoulder with a raised brow, but not enough to hurt.

"I can see something isn't right and that you feel like you can't tell me", your lip caught between your teeth at the pleading way the raven-haired god looked at you. Still, you didn't say anything, now concerned he would find your worry silly. "Darling, please".

"I-I... why do you want to know? You must be exhausted, go take a shower, or I can tap up a bath for us", you tried smiling to convince him he should think about himself before considering you. Yet, it seemed Loki was as persistent as you at the moment.

"Not until you tell me what's on your mind", he took a step closer, now tugging lightly at where he held your arm so you would turn to him.

"It's n...".

"Do not tell me it is nothing. If not because I am the god of lies, then because I am your lover", he cut off the half-ass excuse you'd tried to use and continued to look at you with the intent of not letting you escape with anything but the truth said. Despite he didn't know you knew you wouldn't have tried anything again, the last part of his sentence striking a nerve that made you sigh.

"This day has just been bad", you finally said. "I-I... it feels like I just need a break from my thoughts. And I know you probably need one too, regarding how messy those missions can get", the god of mischief's lip tugged upwards slightly at this.

"You, my dear, are a break from everything that ever could weigh me down".

"How can I be that", you snapped, hand tearing away from Loki's grip. You didn't know why you reacted like that all of a sudden, probably because what he said rubbed so wrong against everything you thought about yourself today. But it got even worse when you saw the slightly shocked look painting Loki's features. "There's so many more that could fulfil that", you mumbled under your breath, feeling the burn of embarrassment in your chest as you turned to head down the hall and not face him after your little outburst.

Yet you were stopped, once again, by the god when he spun you around to face him. The previous shock had now turned into a furrow between his brows.

"But I do not want more, darling, I simply want you", on good days, you may have smiled and kissed him for those words. Now you just cringed at them while trying to escape the grasp he still had on your hips.

"How could you?" You finally said when realising he wouldn't let go of you, head falling forwards to look down on the floor. "Just...just look at me compared to every other woman you meet. What do I have that they don't?"

There was a silence then, one that made you shut your eyes. You prepared to feel Loki's hands leave you where they still rested on your body, hot and anchoring, though that was not what happened. He did move, but not to take his hands off of you, nor away from you. Instead, his finger hooked under your chin.

Even though you followed his gentle encouragement to tip your head upwards, you didn't open your eyes despite feeling his gaze on you.

"Please darling, open your eyes", he didn't need to coax you any further. "There those pretty gems are", you hadn't even opened them entirely before Loki said this, instantly making you smile. Nevertheless, as if your thoughts today really didn't want you to feel happy, worthy, of his love, the corners of your mouth tipped downwards when remembering he still hadn't answered your question.

As if sensing, if not plainly seeing, the change, Loki's brows furrowed. You tried holding his gaze but felt you were unable to do so, which in the end, made you avert your eyes.

What you couldn't know was that your display had made Loki realise something did really bother you today and that the topic of the conversation held moments earlier, maybe a reflection of that.

Suddenly you felt how the touch at your left hip disappeared, to be sensed once more when it rested against your cheek. You were unable not turn towards the god of mischief with wide eyes at his gesture. However, as you once more looked at him, you saw nothing of the playfulness that often accompanied him, just a seriousness as he looked at you.

"You asked what you have compared to what others don't", he began, thumb stroking the apple of your cheek. "You have the ability to calm me like no other. You have a beauty incomparable to anyone else. You have my hearth", you felt a flutter in your chest as Loki's hand trailed from your face down to your waist, only to there pull you close to him, simply waiting for your answer.

Yet, for the moment, you were at a loss of words. Not only by what the god of mischief said. But what you realised and was constantly reminded of when being pressed against him. You'd never needed to crane your neck, nor did Loki need to bend down for the matter, to look each other in the eye.

"B-but how can I have all that?" Your voice was small as the question nearly trembled from your lips.

"Midgard is so harsh and stale that it does not care about anything more than looks. One needs to find softness and in order to do that, one needs to look further than the surface. If people simply choose to do that, they would find so many more like you", the flutter travelled further and further from your chest. Slowly like molasses, the doubt dripped off of your bones for butterflies to instead settle on them. But the dark and sticky liquid stubbornly didn't want to withdraw completely.

"Earth may be like that, Loki, but you aren't from here", you began, fingers twitching against the Asgardian attire, his signum, that he still wore. "You've told me how beautiful the eternal world is, so I know your standard of beauty, like so many other things, are so much higher than mine and everyone else's".

"Asgard is filled with beauty", the raven-haired god nodded, a smirk tugging the side of his mouth. For some reason, it made those butterflies feel like they drowned in the molasses. Because what else than far greater memories than what he's created with you could accompany such a gesture? Apparently, something entirely else, you realised as he continued. "Yet you, my darling, wouldn't fit there because your beauty out-shines all of what already exists. And do you know why none can see this? Because no-one can watch the sun for too long before getting burned".

"But you still do you", you stated incredulously. Thus why, if using Loki's own words, would he do something that hurt him. However, being ever the observant person he was, he caught your doubt. Which made him shake his head and chuckle.

"You seem to forget I am a god, no mere human or simple Asgardian", directly after he stated thus, Loki did something that made you squeal, in both surprise and worry.

His arms tightened around your waist and lifted you, high enough your feet dangled off the floor and your face was a few inches above his. You almost panicked, imagining you were too heavy for him, but you didn't find anything that displayed such strain in his face. And then any caution disappeared as he twirled you around.

A giggle fell from your lips as you felt the air around you shift with Loki's action. You felt light when nearly all thoughts from earlier seemingly were flung out of your mind and even stayed away when he gently set you down again. His firm chest still pressed into your soft one.

"Just think about it, darling, you need a god to love you for someone to find your true beauty. Does not that show how worthy of love you are if no other person can stand beside you and call you theirs", your smile didn't die down this time as you gazed at him.

"I suppose I must agree with said god", you didn't get more time to witness his smirk turn into a smile before his head tilted forward and his forehead came to rest against yours.

"You never must, but oh how honoured I would be if you did".

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akitokihojo · 3 years

Text

Monster - Chapter 3

chapter index

Miroku woke early the next morning, groggy, uncomfortable, and insanely stiff. His head was hurting, his eyes were still heavy, his mouth was as dry as cotton, and his side leading over to his back was sore as all hell. The air felt weird. Something was off. The sensation was so predominating, it quickly overpowered the physical ailments he’d focused on as soon as he’d come to.

He blinked several times, attempting to push away the sleep that beckoned him back, the pull of the lingering drowsiness due to fatigue and medicinal properties. He wished he could stretch, awaken his muscles, but he knew that wouldn’t have the same effect as it did yesterday morning. He knew it would only hurt like a bitch. Resolving to deal with the tension in his body, Miroku turned his head, taking in his surroundings to see if he could pinpoint anything in his bedroom that may have been out of the norm to create the awkward feel in the atmosphere.

Sota sat on the edge of his bed, a straight and sullen expression on his face, brown eyes holding still on their wooden flooring. His fingers gripped the fitted sheet of his mattress, and Miroku could see the lack of color in his cheeks from across the room.

“What’s up?” He tried, his tone huskier than he’d expected.

Sota glanced up, unsurprised that he was awake, but as his voice came out, it held no conviction. “Nothing.”

“You okay, munchkin?” Miroku tried again, slowly, slowly pushing his elbows beneath him to start sitting up.

Sota didn’t say anything that time, his eyes falling back to the floor.

“You have a nightmare or something. Are you sick?”

His gaze flickered back up to Miroku but avoided his eyes, unable to hold steady on him at all. They faltered away, then wandered back up, faltered, then lifted, finally meeting Miroku’s patient, indigo stare. “Kagome’s gone.”

Miroku’s brows gave a minute twitch together, unable to understand what his younger cousin had meant by that. The corner of his lips curled downward slightly, but when there was no elaboration given, he had to, inevitably, reach for it. “What do you mean, Kagome’s gone?”

“I mean, she’s gone.” Sota stated.

“Where? On an errand?”

“No.”

“Then where did she go?”

There was a moment of hesitation, one where Sota sucked in a suspenseful breath, the hollow of his throat emphasizing before he sighed it all out and gave Miroku the direct answer he was looking for. “To fight Naraku.”

A surge of ice rushed through Miroku’s body. Any expression he was holding fell away, eyes widening, and his body moving of its own accord as he jolted to sit upright. His ribs protested heavily, feeling as if they were stabbed through and bringing him to immediately regret the action, and he groaned, clutching his side and fighting the urge to curl into himself. He shoved the held air in his lungs out, forcing himself into composure, hardly even realizing Sota had rushed across the room to support him if he needed anything. When the boy’s hand, cold and clammy, met Miroku’s bare shoulder, he glared up at him. “Tell me this was a bad dream you had.”

At first, Sota didn’t know how to answer that. There was so much panic in that single moment with Kagome’s disappearance and the inability to help Miroku’s pain, so he couldn’t help but have the words, or lack thereof, catch in his throat from the unbelievable perturbation.

“Sota, you can’t be serious.”

“She’s gone.” He finally confirmed. “Whatever you guys were planning to do together, she’s doing alone.”

“Fuck!” Miroku cursed, swinging his legs over the edge of his mattress. He had to halt, to brace himself there as he caught his bearings, willing the pain to subside in such a dramatic moment. “When did she leave!?”

“I don’t know. Sometime in the night.” The defensiveness in his tone was rising. Although he’d expected Miroku’s justifiable temperament, he admittedly wasn’t very good at keeping a level head, himself, in the face of conflict.

“And, you knew!?”

“Yes.”

“You knew when she left, or you knew she was going to leave?” Miroku interrogated.

“I knew she was going to leave! Miroku, what are you doing!?” He extended his arms out, prepared to catch his cousin if he lost his balance as he rose to a standing, trudging over toward the door.

“Why didn’t you tell us!?”

“She asked me not to! You would have stopped her!”

“Yeah, that’s the point!”

“She really wanted to do this! She said there was no way to talk her out of it!”

“Sota, don’t you understand?” Miroku asked, winded as he braced against the doorframe of the door he’d just opened. “She could be killed on her own! We had a plan to do it together for a reason!”

“Sit down! You’re in pain!”

“She’s so stupid for going alone! We were supposed to help! God, why is your sister such an idiot!?”

“You’re hurt, Miroku! How could you have helped any? You can hardly walk!” Sota argued.

“She should have waited!”

“She should have, but she didn’t! There’s nothing we can do about that now!”

“Sota,” Miroku had barely moved a foot, leaning against the wall as he slowly turned to look at the younger boy. His heart was pounding within his chest, air pumping through his lungs like he’d run a mile, a heat in his eyes he knew his cousin felt. “How long did you know?”

Again, he hesitated with his answer, feeling nervous and strained. His jaw hung agape, but his tongue created no words, hardly breathing as he physically felt the anger coming from Miroku.

“How long, Sota?” He repeated slowly, clearly.

“Since Naraku’s men left; when I took her aside to calm her down. She told me then.” Sota admitted.

“What is going on?” His mother asked, looking shocked and upset and disheveled while she wrapped her arms around her center to keep her body heat in.

The two boys stared at her, their expressions wavering to match the other’s. Shoulders sagged and brows curved sadly, sympathetically, as they knew this was going to be the worst part of all.

Miroku couldn’t bring himself to say anything more, using the wall as assistance while he trudged down the hall to Kagome’s bedroom, Sota sticking very close while his aunt followed behind, small noises escaping her mouth as her confusion became more prominent. He didn’t bother knocking, though he’d almost raised his knuckles to rasp on the door, completely out of reflex. His fingers curled around the knob, twisting it and pushing it open.

The room was empty. Cold. The bed was unmade, the window was open, and the energy of the room felt lifeless. Kagome was long gone. He limped forward, straight to the open window, noticing the undisturbed dew and leftover raindrops on the windowsill, and even some that had made it to the wooden floor inside just below.

“Where’d Kagome go? I didn’t hear her get up this morning.” She said with a small voice. She could tell something was wrong. She was sure she’d heard her daughter’s name come from the boys while they were yelling, but she was barely waking up at the time and wasn’t quite able to process things well yet.

Miroku turned to look at her, noticing Sota had sat on his sister’s bed, his shoulders drooping further while his head had sunken down. As much as he wanted to pin the blame on Sota, he knew this was more so on him. He knew he was responsible for explaining since he’d helped originate the plan that Kagome had chosen to execute on her own. Sota actively failed to prevent the incident, but Miroku actually knew the details behind it.

“What is going on?” His aunt asked again, her tone slightly deeper, more serious.

“Auntie, sit down.”

“Tell me.” She sternly ordered.

He sighed, turning around to close the window. Again, his ribs protested, a sharp pain jabbing at his muscles and bones, so he was careful to move slowly as he locked it shut. He figured if he was able to do all this there was no way they could be broken.

“Kagome left to fight Naraku. On her own.” He said as he faced her once more, having the respect not to beat around the bush. “Kikyo’s messages really meant something to her, and you know how often she got them. What you don’t know is that we’ve kept up the training we were started on. Worse, actually.” He kind of flinched in preparation of his own admittance. “We’ve intentionally sought out demons - harmful ones - to test our strengths. That’s how Kagome really knew how to hide her powers whenever there were inspections. She’s learned how to use them pretty well. She didn’t want to be defenseless, and I agreed that she shouldn’t be. She’s a conjurer and they’re blacklisted, so she should, at the very least, know what she was capable of to potentially see why - if not only to protect herself. The thing was, and I’m sorry, but we all - Kagome, Sango, and I - planned on doing this exact thing together. She’s positive there are other conjurers receiving the very same messages that she is, so there’s probably going to be an army made up to take down Naraku. She wants to join, and Sango and I wanted to be part of the cause. But, apparently, yesterday she decided to do it all on her own. She left in the middle of the night without telling anyone. Except for Sota.”

There was a horrible silence that filled the air when Miroku had stopped talking. He could see that the information was sinking in with his aunt but her gaze stayed locked on him, only leaving to look at Sota when he was mentioned, and then shooting back to Miroku.

“You all had planned to leave together?” She finally asked.

“Yes.” He answered.

“Were you going to say anything when this happened?”

“No.” His blue eyes fell to the floor briefly, the shame evident. It wasn’t like they didn’t think about how it would affect their families; they’d discussed all the details several times over and eventually came to terms with their decisions. It wasn’t something he was prepared to face, though. “We were packed for it. Whenever Kagome felt like it was time to leave - as in Kikyo gave some sort of direct order or something - we were equipped to head out.”

“You - you were packed?” His aunt inquired, appearing somewhat taken aback.

“Yeah.” Miroku confirmed. “We kept our things hidden in the location we trained at, along with our weapons.”

She made a small sound of muddled astonishment, her brows shrugging and then furrowing. “I’d always wondered what had happened to Kagome’s bow and arrows.”

“Um - well, the bow you’re thinking of broke. We had to replace it a year ago, so we went and bought a new one.” He confessed, his jittery nerves showing a bit more.

“You - how - how did you buy a new one? Where?” She questioned speculatively.

“We’ve been doing side jobs outside of town for a while now - you know what, that’s irrelevant. What matters is that we were raising money for the trip so we weren’t empty-handed financially.”

“Good lord, it’s like pandora’s box is opening inside my house.” She groaned, rubbing her forehead. She exhaled heavily, regaining her bearings as she turned to her quiet son. “And, you knew about this?”

“Not all that.” Sota shook his head, his reply hasty while his fear of backlash rode on the surface. “When Kagome and I were in the treehouse yesterday she told me she was leaving, but she made me promise not to tell anybody.”

“And, you kept that promise knowing how dangerous the situation was?”

“It was a pinky promise.” He defended.

His mother opened her mouth like she was ready to quickly retort, but instead all he heard was the sharp inhale from her throat before she sealed her lips, leaving the air locked in her lungs as the hollow of her neck deepened. She closed her eyes, brows pinched together when she finally exhaled, once again rubbing her forehead with her fingertips.

“Anything else?” She asked testily.

Both Sota and Miroku shook their heads in reply.

“Do we know how long ago she left?”

“By the looks of it, hours ago.” Miroku said while Sota, again, shook his head.

“What are the chances of us finding her?”

“Slim.” Miroku answered. “There’s no saying what direction she went off in, and she’s got quite the head start on us. I can’t walk very fast in my condition, let alone chase after her. It’s not like we can gather up the town to get them to help out, because they’ll have questions and it’ll compromise her well-being and secret. Not to mention, even if we did miraculously catch up, it would be a fight on its own to convince her to come home.”

“So -“ There it was. The devastated expression he’d been waiting to appear on his aunt’s face finally emerged, though she valiantly tried to fend it off. “So, she’s gone?”

“We can look. See if she got far.” He breathed defeatedly. “But, yes. I’m pretty sure Kagome’s gone.”

—

“Alright, so I searched the areas we usually went to together, and she’s not there. But, she’s definitely been to the cave. Her weapon’s gone, and she took a few things from the bag we’d packed. I saw footprints in the mud nearby leading off onto the forest path, and thankfully the mud was soft so it left a deep impression. Unfortunately, it seems some horses and men have been on that path not too long ago, making it hard to follow, and where the mud gets firmer, her footprints have washed away. So, there’s no telling where she is, but we do know what direction she’s gone off in.” Sango said, a little breathless as she returned to her boyfriend’s side. She’d been flustered since the moment Sota showed up at her doorstep this morning, pale and rattled, and when she was caught up to speed after following him back to his house, she immediately went searching for clues.

“Okay, that’s something.” Miroku nodded, silently thanking her from his uncomfortable seat on the couch as he placed a hand on the back of her thigh.

“How is that something?” Sota queried.

“Because, we’ll know where to start when we’re able to follow her.” He answered.

“Thank you, Sango.” His aunt said from where she stood next to the kitchen table, sighing out a feeble ounce of stress.

“Wait, you guys are still planning on going?” Sota asked.

“Of course.” Sango confirmed.

“We’re not going to let her do this alone. The plan remains, and we’re going to help her. Unfortunately, I’ve got a handicap, but as soon as I’m good to go, we’ll head out.”

“And, my dad should hopefully be back by the end of the week. In the hopes that he won’t be out on another mission when the time comes, we’ll be able to take Kirara with us so we can hopefully catch up to Kagome faster. If you don’t mind, and I know this is wrong to ask of you, but would you keep this on the down low? We all know he wouldn’t allow this.”

“Rightfully so.” Kagome’s mother remarked. “This is incredibly dangerous, and I’m inclined to make you both stay out of this mess. We all saw a daughter violently torn away from her mother yesterday, my own daughter is now missing, and now my nephew and his girlfriend are ready to follow in her footsteps? Do you understand just what you’re getting yourself into?”

“Yes -“ Miroku barely got out before his aunt interjected.

“No, you don’t. Naraku is the demon of all demons. He’s singlehandedly ostracized beings for reasons unknown, put them on this hit list because he can, and you guys think you’re just going to walk up to him, challenge him to a duel, and leave unscathed? All because some Kikyo lady appeared in Kagome’s dreams and said so? I know you’re all adults and you’re capable of making your own decisions now, but you’re making the wrong ones so I’ll make them for you. Neither of you are going.”

“But, what about Kagome?” Sota argued.

“I can’t protect her, Sota. She’s already gone.” She slighted.

“They can help, though!”

“They’re eighteen, nineteen, and twenty acting like they’re as wise and experienced as the grown demon slayers in the village. Do any of you know exactly what those demon slayers had to go through to gain their knowledge and skills? And, don’t you answer that, Sango. I know your father’s the leader, and you’ve had a bit of experience yourself, but you don’t know the half of it. You think your dad’s told you all the stories? You think your dad’s let you in on every little, gory detail of his trials? It baffles me that you guys think training on your own and exterminating various demons outside of town would make you well-prepared for a journey like this. It’s a death sentence I won’t let you sign up for. You’re not going.”

“I understand where you’re coming from, Auntie, but we are. We’re going. Despite her decisions, I’m not going to let Kagome do this on her own.” Miroku spoke, keeping his tone as level and respectful as possible.

There was a moment of silence, one where his aunt clenched her jaw, dropped her shoulders, and plopped into the seat beside her. “You - all three of you - are too much like your fathers for your own good.”

“I know, I know.” He sighed. “It’s your number one complaint about Kagome and I. But, we’ve gotta see this through with her. At her side. I want to punch her as much as anyone in this room, believe me, but wouldn’t you feel more comfortable knowing she’s not alone? Wait, no, don’t answer that.” Miroku recoiled, holding up his hand to stop his aunt from saying anything the moment she glared his way.

“Thank you.” Sango softly spoke. “For showing how much you care about us. For expressing your concerns and voicing what’s on your mind. Thank you. You’re right, we don’t have nearly as much experience as we should. Truthfully, I don’t think there’s enough experience in the world that could prepare us for what we’re about to do. We’ve gotta try, though. This has been hell for us all, but imagine it from Kagome’s perspective. They’re after her. Her kind, but ultimately, her. We want to protect her just like you, we just show it in a different way. She’s justified in wanting to fight, so our way of demonstrating support and doing what we can to help is by going with her. Besides, you know Kagome. She’s as stubborn as a mule, so when her mind is made up, there’s no fighting it. There’s only going with the flow.”

Sota added his input by dramatically nodding in agreement, knowing all too well his sister's temperament and obstinance.

“She should have waited.” Miroku said again. “But, she can handle her own until we catch up.”

“Kagome can definitely handle her own.” Sango attested. “I don’t know if this matters to you, but she’s folded Miroku in a match before. She’s a tough cookie.” She smiled when her friend’s mother had to hide her conflicted giggle behind her hands, noticing her boyfriend’s slow, shifting, disapproving look from the side.

“It was funny.” She shrugged, not even bothering to hide her amusement.

“I wish I’d seen it!” Sota laughed.

“Are you guys sure?” Miroku’s aunt asked, more to see if there was any apprehension in their expressions. She could tell though, with their direct eye contact, their nods, their steady answers and confident demeanor, that even if she did attempt to forbid them, they would only be resolved to sneak out behind everyone’s backs - like Kagome. At least this way, being in the know, she would be able to help in whatever way she could. Whether that be in moral support, assisting Miroku to help him mend as fast as possible, or even making sure to help them pack for anything they may need.

Her daughter was brave. She was strong. She was like her father. What terrified her was that Kagome was mortal. But, she had to have faith. She had to take Sango and Miroku’s word for it that she could, in fact, take care of herself.

—

Kagome fluttered her brown eyes open, blinking away her sleep as she gathered her surroundings. She was fully and instantly aware that she was in the wilderness, incapable of forgetting that tidbit no matter how exhausted she was, but she needed to focus as best as she could in her sleepy stupor to make sure no demonic energies were nearby.

She was still safe.

The sun wasn’t too high in the sky yet, as far as she could tell from the trees and patchy clouds, so she had probably only dozed off for a few hours at the most, her fire reduced to nothing but flickering embers. She was still tired but she felt better than she had before, and she knew she needed to get moving. Where to? Who knows. She felt in her gut that she was on the right path, though. The only path, really.

Her back felt cramped and tense as she slowly peeled herself off of the tree she’d rested against, strands of her hair pulling while it stuck to the bark, making her groan. When she stood, dusting off her pants and stretching a bit, she felt life begin to flow through her muscles again. Kagome wasted no time in getting herself situated to head out. She adjusted her clothing, her bodice which had climbed up her chest a little, ran her fingers through her wavy hair, got her bag and bow and arrows situated over her shoulders again, and then kicked dirt over the remainder of what used to be called a fire, heading back toward the trail and on her way.

—

“Why’d you run?” Inuyasha asked.

“Why’d you chase me?” Hiten countered, an arrogant smirk on his face. His tan skin was moist with the afternoon warmth and the adrenaline flowing through his body, red eyes meeting Inuyasha’s proud stare. His long, brown braid swayed from side to side as it gradually began to still, heavy but neatly kept from his face.

“I caught wind that you’ve been a bit of an asshole. Apparently, rumors are true.”

“Yeah?”

“You wouldn’t have run if they weren’t.”

“Well,” Hiten shrugged, his smile widening, completely untroubled. “Looks like you just answered your own question.”

“I’ve warned you before, Hiten. I told you to watch your step.” Inuyasha reminded, swallowing the frustration that quickly built up in him whenever he dealt with cocky sons of bitches.

“Awe,” He feigned a pout. “Can’t you be cool and let me off with another warning, Inuyasha?”

“Unfortunately for you, I don’t like you. I don’t even know why I gave you an exception in the first place. This time, though, no chance. You killed a girl. That’s a dramatic escalation from what you did last time.”

“And, she was mighty tasty.” Hiten licked his lips.

Inuyasha cringed, his entire face contorting. “Ew! What? Hiten, what the fuck!?”

“What -“

“You ate her!?”

“Wait, what? You didn’t know that?” He questioned, all confidence fading from his expression as he looked skeptically over at his enemy.

“Does this look like the face of somebody in the know!? No, I didn’t know that! What the fuck!? Why!? You’re a fucking thunder demon, dude! You’re not even based off of a carnivorous animal! I don’t understand!” Inuyasha argued, absolutely and utterly disgusted. He was so appalled, he even took two steps away from the guy, his lips remaining distastefully curled.

“Wow - um - this is a little awkward.” He admitted, scratching his temple sheepishly. “Why are you here then?”

“Because, there’s money over your head!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “They want your head, I want their money, I got the gist of everything - I don’t know, I felt like it was a fair trade! You ate her!?”

“Y-yeah.” He shrugged again.

“Ew!” That time, Inuyasha cringed so bad his entire body convulsed, like a huge, unwelcome shiver ran down his spine. “Why?”

“I was - you’re not gonna like the answer to this.” Hiten said, giving fair warning. When Inuyasha didn’t decline further explanation, he proceeded. “She was - we were - nude, consensually of course, and - um - well, she smelled really good while we were - while I was - you know… So, like, during that I kind of wanted to - um - taste her.”

Inuyasha had deadpanned mid-speech, his mouth hanging agape, golden eyes blinking as he processed the given information. “Good sir, you took cunnilingus to a level it should have never gone to.”

“Yeah.” Hiten grimaced, nodding in agreement.

“When her soul leaves her body, it’s supposed to remain metaphorical.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Another nod, another grimace.

“And, yet…” Inuyasha grumbled.

“I took it there.” Hiten confirmed.

“Are you proud of yourself?”

“I mean…”

“Never mind, don’t answer that.” The hanyou waved off.

“I really wish you didn’t know now.” Hiten said uncomfortably. “Like, the moment’s gone. I don’t really feel like fighting anymore.”

“Hey, I wish I didn’t know either. Believe me, I have a horribly vivid imagination, so this is gonna eat at me for days.”

Hiten chuckled, attempting to hide it behind his fist as he glanced away.

“Hey - oh god. No pun intended, you sick bastard. Moment’s back! Come here, I’m gonna kick your ass!” Inuyasha yelled, grossed out.

“No, thanks! I’m good!” He laughed, jogging backward.

“I don’t even give a fuck about the money anymore! I’m just gonna kill you!”

“Didn’t know you were such a feminist, buddy!”

“Don’t you ‘buddy’ me, you creep! Stop -“ The two demons halted in their tracks, alert, one with a blooming grin and the other with wide, uneasy eyes.

“Let me tell you, Inuyasha.” Hiten spoke gruffly. "Once the taste sits on your tongue, there’s no preventing the addiction. She wasn’t my first. And, it looks like lunch is nearby. Too bad I’m a lot faster than you since I can fly and all.”

Inuyasha tensed as the demon flew off in the direction he’d smelled a girl walking not too far away. Cursing under his breath, he finally sheathed his sword, sprinting to follow Hiten.

Kagome had gone off trail. She’d seen a town in the distance, but if she looked as bad as she felt, the last thing she wanted to do was attract attention to herself. She said it was for the sake of adventure - and privacy - that she’d decided to venture through the trees, her boots crunching the leaves littering the forest floor. The trees weren’t close together by any means, leaving plenty of walking room between, light easily breaking through the treetops. She figured she’d go around the village and continue on the trail from the other side. No harm, no foul.

Until she felt a sudden and alarming spike in demonic energy. It was heading her way and fast. So fast, in fact, that by the time she’d turned around, she was staring at a man at the top of a slope, a dangerous smile curling his lips.

“Hey. You lost?” He spoke, even the click of his tongue proving menacing.

Of course. Of course this would happen right now. Kagome mentally rolled her eyes at her luck, bracing with a dragged inhale. His energy was threatening, and he definitely meant harm. There was no reason for Kagome to entertain his question. She knew what was about to go down. Without response, she ran off. All she needed was to give herself time. Just a little space. Given how fast he’d initially approached, he was going to be on her in a matter of seconds, but that was all she needed.

Kagome rolled her shoulder, allowing her bow to fall off, slide down her arm and into her hand where she tossed it over to her left. She spun back around to face the oncoming demon, her feet sliding - almost stumbling in the dirt - from the speed, an arrow plucked from its quiver and pulled back into the string of her bow, ready to shoot. The demon froze just feet away from her, his shocked expression shifting into one of entertained as he held his hands up in front of him defensively.

“Woah-ho-ho.” He chuckled. “You’re fucking quick.”

Kagome didn’t say anything just yet, eyes locked on the demon as her chest pumped air in and out of her lungs. She had good aim; she could hit him for sure. The trouble was, could she kill him? With her conjurer powers, sure. Maybe. Yes. But if, by chance, she missed, her secret was out and she was dead. Honestly, if she missed either way, she was dead. She was resolved to go ahead and use her powers before she felt the nearing aura of another demon - one not quite as strong, one with an intriguing warmth radiating from it, one she felt a compelling pull to investigate but she forced herself to leave it alone. Two demons in the same vicinity typically meant they came together. But, if she used her abilities and the other sensed or saw it, she was done for.

No matter what, the situation was looking grim. If they were together, why wouldn’t she just use her powers? Why wouldn’t she just protect herself the way she’d trained for so long now? Why was a voice in her mind telling her not to do anything she’d regret? You know what she’d actually regret? Dying on her first day, that’s what.

“What do you want?” She asked, her raspy voice adding unintentional, dramatic flare.

“I just want to chat. Come on, put the bow down.”

“Not interested.”

“What do you think you’re actually gonna do with that?” Hiten asked, smiling. “The big, bad archer gonna shoot down a demon? Even if you stuck me, it’d hardly do a thing.”

“Want to bet?” Kagome challenged.

She watched his grin twitch wider, his slimy tongue gliding out but then vanishing altogether as an incredibly powerful, whirlwind of a strike came thundering from her left, dividing the two as it brought them both to jump away.

“Hiten, you five-head, ugly ass bitch!” Came a loud, deep, husky voice. “Your fight’s with me!”

Kagome had tripped in her attempt to escape the blast of power, her butt sore from landing on the protruding root of a tree, and though she took a moment to pity her rump and rub the immediate tenderness away, her attention was still on the scene before her. It was, for lack of a better word, bewildering. Unexpected. A man with a hostile scowl stood at the top of the slope the other demon had appeared on, a large sword encircled in demonic energy held tightly in his grasp. His hair was tied in a high ponytail, light in shade - appearing silver to the eye but almost white where light hit him. Pointed, animalistic ears atop his head told her he was of demonic lineage, but his energy didn’t feel as apparent as the demon’s across from her, still standing but gaze diverted the other’s way. She took that moment to regain herself, standing up to ready her weapon again, this time keeping it aimed low until she understood just what the hell was happening.

“Faster than I gave you credit for. What a fun-sucker.” The demon grumbled.

“Leave her alone!”

If it wasn’t clear before, it was perfectly evident now. The silver-haired demon wasn’t Kagome’s enemy.

“Hiten! Back the fuck up!” He shouted, tone appearing more lethal.

“Or, what?” Hiten chuckled, taking a few steps closer to Kagome while his attention continued to hold on the other demon. Kagome took that opportunity to raise her bow and arrow then, steadying her aim and locking on his chest. His heart. The jerk was, luckily for her, too arrogant to even mind what she was doing. “What are you gonna do? The closer I get to her, the less you’re able to use your fancy sword.”

“Hiten!”

“Oh no, look’s like the pressure’s on. Who’s gonna get her first?” Two more steps forward, his long legs closing the created gap easily.

Kagome pulled her arrow back a smidge, taking a moment to center herself, holding her breath.

“Stop!”

“It’s so easy to rile you up, Inuyasha.” Hiten laughed. “You’re so melodramatic.”

“Hey, wait, that’s kind of rude.” Inuyasha feigned a grimace, dropping his sword a few inches. “I don’t think I deserved that.”

“You called me ugly.” The demon countered with an odd sneer. “And, you said I have a five-head. I’d hardly call that rude in comparison.”

“You know what, that’s fair. Go ahead. She’s all yours.” The hanyou shrugged, resting the tip of Tessaiga to the ground.

Hiten barely thought about it, cocking a brow and turning to the girl before him. There was no time to react, no time to process, his breath caught in his throat so roughly he nearly choked.

The moment he turned to look at her, Kagome released her arrow, the sharp, pointed tip piercing through the left side of his chest. His red eyes widened, crimson staining the front of his dirty, white shirt, stumbling backward two feet from the force of her strike.

“Run, kid!” The order was barked, and Kagome didn’t need to be told twice. She used no spiritual power, so there was no way in hell the demon was dead. He was merely stunned, and she wasn’t about to wait around for him to gather his wits.

She took off like a bat out of hell, racing away, slipping on leaves but keeping her footing well enough to stay balanced and jump over tree roots. She heard, even felt, the strike from the silver-haired demon’s sword, the ground rattling slightly. Hiten’s roar of frustration echoed through her ears as it shifted into a maniacal laugh, haunting, his voice growing louder as he somehow grew nearer.

Kagome was grabbed by her hair, yanked back painfully and stopped in her tracks as she was slammed against a wide, aging tree, dropping her bow in the midsts. Her scream was muted by her own, broken voice, and she fought to push his surprisingly strong body away - despite how scrawny he appeared - while he now pinned her from the front. She didn’t even bother to register whatever taunting statement slipped from his tongue, only paying attention to the torn body of the arrow still in his chest but split apart so it didn’t protrude greatly, and she grabbed the frayed, splintered end, using whatever strength she could muster from her disadvantageous position to shove it further into the crevice of his ribs, even going so far as to twist so the arrowhead hurt him further, his pained shout and agonizing features telling her it was affecting him exactly as she wanted. Demon or not, conjurer powers or not, being stabbed never felt good.

“Let her go.” Came a gruff demand, and everything stopped. The tone was so alerting that even Kagome heeded the venom-laced warning. She could barely see over Hiten’s shoulder, but she knew the silver-haired demon stood right behind him, his sword pointed toward Hiten’s back. With the way Hiten froze entirely, she was willing to bet it was pressed against him. One false move, and he was done. “Now.”

And, he did. Hiten released Kagome, his hands held above his shoulders to show his compliance.

“Behind me.” He instructed, and Kagome knew that was directed towards her. Given they were still standing so close, she had to shimmy her way out from between the tree and the demon, her squished bag sort of sticking to the bark and adding a slight difficulty to the already-awkward glide free.

As soon as she was out, she crossed to the backside of the man with silver hair, picking up her bow along the way to strap over her shoulder. He even went so far as to reach behind, grabbing the loose hem of her green shirt to pull her flush behind his back, completely sheltered by his frame while he held his sword steady with one arm. From the glimpses she’d gotten of it, it seemed huge and heavy. It was impressive to see anyone hold the thing up, let alone with one hand.

There was a rumble in the sky, growing, growing, becoming increasingly louder, surrounding them as the clouds quickly flooded above - dark and ominous. Thunder boomed as if the storm had been brewing for hours, encroaching, but Kagome could have sworn she saw patches of blue just moments ago.

“Stop it.” Inuyasha ordered.

Hiten didn’t say anything, but from the way his shoulders broadened from behind, hands still raised where they were, and head held up high, his body language was radiating obnoxious pride.

“Hiten.” He growled.

The clap of thunder was so loud that time, it startled Kagome, causing her to jump just a little closer to her savior, the fingers of her hands curling into the loose fit of his shirt. It was somehow louder than any storm she’d ever witnessed, last night’s proving incomparable. She stared directly above them, watching as sparks of electricity danced and bounced along the bottom of the dark grey quilt, this result of the friction she’d never before seen. In fact, she was sure that something like this wasn’t even organically possible.

“Um,” She began, merely whispering to the demon she held onto. “We might want to move soon.”

Inuyasha could feel the girl’s anxiety, her nerves, her fingers bunching his shirt tighter. He could feel the demonic energy soaring from Hiten, creating the dangerous scenario above, but her words were what had caught his attention. The hanyou glanced upward, noticing the waltz of the electricity.

“Hiten!”

The opposing demon only laughed, shifting his head to look at Inuyasha as he slowly turned around to face him, modestly pushing his sword aside with the back of his hand.

“Am I supposed to just adhere to you?”

“Knock it off!”

“Or you’ll what?” Hiten challenged.

“You know what!”

“Apparently, your plan is to kill me either way. So, might as well go out with a bang.” He smirked, thunder blaring at that exact moment.

Kagome unintentionally clung to the man, the booming so loud she could feel it in her chest. His large hand grabbed her hip firmly, guiding her as he began to walk backward, and she took the initiative to give him more room, not wanting to make things harder or cause him to trip, so she made her fingers release his shirt.

Lightning struck the ground just to her right, and she hissed the same curse as the man before her. He was quick. Quicker than she’d expected in the moment as he spun around, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her off to run.

“In case you’re wondering,” He began, forcefully keeping her legs moving as fast as they’d go as he sought out shelter. “He’s a thunder demon and - fuck!” He shouted, sliding in the dirt as he came to an immediate stop, lightning falling directly in front of them.

“Where are we supposed to be going!?” Kagome asked as clearly as she could when they ran off in a different direction, never minding the protesting ache in her throat.

“Wherever the fuck we can to get away from this! You want to die!?”

“Not necessarily!”

“Then keep up, kid!”

“Have you ever outrun lightning before?” She questioned. The thunder overhead was nonstop now, electricity falling wherever it could. It was like Hiten held the ability to control it, but also lacked it once the friction built up too much. Nature took over then, and Hiten was merely impervious to her fury.

“Can’t say that I have!”

“Great.” Kagome breathed, her expression falling sarcastically.

Inuyasha found a tree with a decently-sized hollow in the bottom, pulling the girl over and gripping her shoulders to shove her down to her knees and in. “Stay!”

“What?” Her tone was half frantic, half perplexed.

“Stay here, and stay low! If I get hit, I’ll be fine. You? You’re dead.”

“Hey, wait! Lightning can strike trees! Lightning can strike trees!” Kagome protested, trying to crawl out, but the demon casually shoved the sole of his boot against her chest, thrusting her back beneath.

“Stay!” Inuyasha ordered emphatically, his one free hand held up as a sign to stop.

The demon ran off then, leaving Kagome appalled in her hollow, mouth hanging open, and completely taken aback by the sheer audacity of this guy. He did not just use his foot to push her. What was she even supposed to do there? Wait out the storm and hope she got lucky? Sit back and let the boys duke it out? Sure, she’d love to say she had faith in her savior, but she didn’t even know the guy. She didn’t know what he was capable of, how strong he was, or if he was mighty enough to take on the freaking descendant of Thor, himself. Though, saying that made her feel like she was giving him too much credit. Maybe he was a second cousin, twice removed. Sure.

Lightning was more inclined to strike the tall, and while she stood at a solid five feet - two inches, the tree she sat under was significantly larger. While she was certain it held plenty of potential to be safe, it just wasn’t a chance Kagome was comfortable on taking. Plenty of times, she’d seen huge trees charred in half from strikes of lightning. Of course, the thought of being in the open range wasn’t all that desirable either, but it was definitely more exciting; no one could deny that. Sitting back and waiting had never been her thing, anyway.

She could hear them shouting, fighting somewhere behind where she was bunkered, the lightning striking the ground with loud cracks and bright flashes. Carefully, Kagome crawled out of her hole, keeping low to the ground. She peeked behind the tree to see if she could get a visual, but it didn’t look as if they were as close as she’d suspected, bringing her to quickly crawl her way to an adjacent tree, following the sounds of insults, curses, demonic sword attacks, and focused lightning strikes. The thunder roaring didn’t help any, her chest rumbling unsteadily with the noise, muting the pounding of her heart.

Kagome continued her low travels from tree-to-tree, doing her best to remain unseen and not electrocuted. When she finally found them, she realized she had the worst vantage point to help in any way. She could see more of the silver-haired man than that Hiten guy.

Her protector was breathing hard, brows deeply furrowed while he wore a dangerous scowl. The muscles beneath his black, long sleeves were visible and flexed, the veins on the back of his fists that white-knuckled the hilt of his sword prominent even from where she squatted. His fangs were sharp and threatening, and his nose crinkled with severity as he fended off a strike from the opposing demon, retaliating with one of his own that had so much force Kagome had to duck behind the tree entirely to avoid being knocked over.

From the looks of it, he wasn’t getting anywhere. Not fast, at least. Hiten was good at countering, he was quicker than was fair, and apparently packed a punch. It seemed like he needed an opening; one where he could get in his attack and make it count. And, that was where Kagome came in.

She crawled around the trees cautiously, concentrating on staying hidden, and pausing abruptly as lightning struck just a few feet ahead of her. Kagome stared at the burnt spot with wide eyes, her fearful and startled squeak silenced behind her breath as she dragged it out, an oh my god slipping out at the tail end. Kagome couldn’t even begin to help the other melodramatic noises that emitted from her throat as she realized that could have easily been her, and it took a solid moment to talk herself back into crawling forward, literally chanting, “please don’t hit me, please don’t hit me, please don’t hit me,” over and over until she reached a spot where she had a clear visual on the thunder demon.

“This will work.” Kagome whispered, pinning her back to the tree as she prepared herself. She was crouched down, one knee on the ground as she shimmied the bow off her shoulder and pulled an arrow out of its quiver, readying the nock along the string. It didn’t matter if she hit Hiten. It would help, that’s for sure, but all she intended to do was distract him. If he would hesitate, only for a moment, Mr. Silver Hair would have an opportunity to strike. And, if he missed the opportunity, Kagome had justifiable reasoning to call him an idiot.

Would that help any? No. But, justifiable reasoning was justifiable reasoning.

Kagome began to inch her way out from behind the tree, watching the patterns of their movements. It was okay to miss Hiten, but she still needed to hit as close to him as possible in order to grasp his attention. The distraction wouldn’t necessarily work otherwise.

Typically, as with any bad guy that had pride as large as a mountain, he’d stopped for an antagonizing and arrogant speech. He was bleeding from the very same eyebrow he tauntingly cocked, the crimson dripping down the outer corner of his eye, darker than his irises, and gliding slowly toward the center of his cheek. Apparently, her savior deserved a little more credit than what she’d initially given. That didn’t mean she couldn’t hopefully make things a little easier on him.

Kagome stole the opportunity, utilizing the man’s vanity against him, and she positioned herself, quickly pulling back her arrow and firing. The arrowhead whizzed just passed Hiten’s face, the sharp side cutting the edge of his pointed ear, and piercing the tree trunk behind him. Yet again, the man was stunned, his voice dying off mid-word and eyes falling to her.

Inuyasha was almost as surprised by the random arrow shooting through, the damned thing flying right passed his own head before the thunder demon’s. He glanced behind him, noticing the stupid girl staring daringly ahead, crouched down with her bow beginning to inch lower. He didn’t even have a moment to say the insult directed at her on his tongue before his opponent was moving, and fast. Hiten was taking her challenge to heart, running forward, and Inuyasha tossed his sword into his left hand, doing the only thing he could do in such close proximity. Just as the demon came close enough, he pulled back his arm and threw his fist in Hiten’s face, punching him so hard that he completely fell backwards, his head colliding with the hard ground.

“Did you get him?” Kagome shouted, almost unclearly thanks to her broken voice.

“Duh!”

“Is he dead?”

Inuyasha flailed his arms at his side in an annoyed manner. “No, he’s not dead! I punched him, you dipshit!” He yelled, and as if to back up his statement, Hiten push himself from the ground.

“What is with this chick?” Hiten murmured, using the back of his hand to wipe the blood that dripped from his mouth.

“Beats me, but she’s showing you up.” Inuyasha jeered.

“Fuck this.” He growled, his temper spiking. The thunder gave a trembling roar that rattled the ground, the out-of-control lightning strikes ceasing as the clouds seemed to boil with increasing friction.

Inuyasha couldn’t help but avert his attention upward, seeing the disturbing force of inhuman nature bubbling through the break in the treetops. This was bad. This was really fucking bad. This was an attack there was no coming back from if Hiten successfully hit the girl. It was going to be concentrated and lethal, and Inuyasha had no choice but to use his backlash wave. As much as he wanted to avoid the once-unnecessary use of so much power on an annoying fucker like Hiten, it was inevitable now. His amber eyes flew over to the astonished girl, and as if she’d sensed him, her gaze met his a mere second later.

“Run! Go! Take cover, now!” He barked.

His tone was non-negotiable, and given the amount of demonic energy in the atmosphere, Kagome didn’t much feel like arguing that she could help. Honestly, she couldn’t. She had no idea what the thunder demon planned to do, but it felt dangerous and terrifying, and if the silver-haired guy said she didn’t need to stick around for it, then she wasn’t about to.

She didn’t waste time with crawling. Since the sporadic strikes had stopped, she was safe enough to run, and she bolted as quickly as she could, heading back to her sanctuary of a hollow. Kagome skidded around the designated tree, dropping to her hands and knees and making home in the hole. Even through her shirt, she could feel the hair on her arms standing on end from the static, a high-pitched sound budding in the sky, and when a loud crash came, Kagome ducked and covered her ears, protecting herself however she could.

Inuyasha had to wait for the perfect opportunity. With a thunder demon, with the creation of electricity, came scattered energy, like sparks, and he couldn’t use his backlash wave until it all came together. He had one chance, and he was going to get this right. Hiten spared the hanyou a glance with his red eyes, smirking as he raised his right hand into the air. Inuyasha could feel it. He could feel the static, he could feel the threat blossoming, but overall, he could feel Hiten’s demonic energy forming into a saturated mass. It grew larger and larger, figuratively becoming more solid, and as a beam of blinding lightning came shooting down from the sky, Inuyasha stole the moment, raised his sword above his head, his own demonic energy surging to collide with Hiten’s as he whipped the blade to slice it through.

The backlash wave overpowered the thunder demon’s strength, bringing the attack to bounce back at him. Hiten may have been resistant to the direct wrath of the sky, but he wasn’t impervious to Tessaiga’s force deconstructing his own to be used against him. Hiten was arrogant, vulnerable, and in the end, reduced to ashes.

Slowly, as the world outside her little hollow quieted, Kagome began to unfurl. She no longer heard thunder, no longer heard shouting, no longer heard sounds of demonic attacks clashing, no chaos, no fighting, nothing. It was hit and miss as to what had happened. Did her protector win? Did the thunder demon pull through? Was it over?

Inch-by-inch, she crawled out, evaluating the atmosphere. It was calm. Her sights shifted up toward the sky, and once again, the clouds were breaking apart, pieces of blue showing through as if they were never hidden in the first place. The fight definitely had to be over.

Kagome dusted off her knees as she picked herself up off the ground, the bandages on her left hand dirty, and she made a mental note to change them when she could. Strapping her bow over her shoulder where it belonged, she ventured back over to where she’d last seen the two demons, finding herself moving wearily as she neared.

“Hey.” The husky voice startled her more than it should have, and Kagome gasped, spinning around with her fists raised to protect herself.

Inuyasha flinched back out of reaction, his palms shooting up in front of him - half out of his natural instinct to guard and the other half out of surprise. He hadn’t expected her to be so on edge after boldly disobeying him to partake in the battle; he’d figured she was gutsy and idiotic and probably too brave for her own good. That was the first time he’d gotten a good look at the girl’s face, though.

Her cheeks were red - probably from the commotion and the comedown, but her natural shade seemed fair. Maybe a degree or two lighter than his own skin tone. Her eyes were large and brown, but not that muddy-looking brown he more commonly saw in people he didn’t care to look at for more than two seconds. Hers, though deep in color, were finely blended with hues of reds and golds. An artist would have had a field day painting the detail of her irises, finding the golden circle just around her pupils, and freckling the way light caught her colors. The girl’s hair was as dark as raven, faint hints of oceanic blue glimmering in the rays of sun through the breaks in the trees and clouds. It was very faint, but Inuyasha could see it. Barely, but it was there. At the corner of her mouth, on her left cheek, sat a slight scuff of pink that didn’t belong and wouldn’t seem to fade when the heat in her face settled. And, on her neck, most disconcerting of all, housed a thick, red and purple ring that curved over the front portion. The girl, whoever she was, had recently been roughed up. No wonder she was a little skittish.

“Sorry.” Kagome grimaced, uncurling her fingers and lowering her hands. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Inuyasha replied. “Are you okay?” And, he’d emphasized the word intentionally.

“I’m fine.” She said, giving a one-shouldered shrug. There was a moment of awkward silence where the two just stood there, and Kagome’s eyes bounced around, avoiding contact with his own. When they landed on her arrow in the tree, she figured she should just politely wrap things up here, collect it, and be on her merry way. “So, um, thanks. For your help.”

“Don’t mention it.” He muttered.

“Was he a friend of yours? You two seemed to know each other.”

“I knew him because he was a murderer, and he knew me because I’ve been on his ass for a while. It’d be kind of harsh if I just killed my friend without showing an ounce of remorse, don’t you think?” Inuyasha rebutted.

“That’s fair.” Kagome bobbed her head in agreement, regretting her choice of words before his own fully registered with her. “Wait, murderer?”

“Yes?” Inuyasha arched a brow quizzically. “Kid, what did you think he was gonna do with you?”

“I-I don’t know! I didn’t really think that far ahead of time! I only processed the danger!”

“That far ahead… wait, no - what is on the other side of danger?” Inuyasha asked, confused as all hell.

“Is that rhetorical?”

“No.”

“Well, harm, typically.”

The hanyou chuckled, almost defeatedly as his chest deflated. “Yes, and harm comes in all shapes and sizes, doesn’t it?”

“Okay, now that’s rhetorical.” Kagome deadpanned.

“Good job.” He slighted.

“Alright, well it’s been fun. Thanks for not letting me die. You’re a champ. You’re the M.V.P.. You are the man. I’ve gotta get going, so I’ll be sure to watch out for any other crazy murderers in the area.” Kagome presented a sarcastic, closed-lipped grin. “Speaking of which, are they common around here?”

“Don’t get out much, do you, Kid?”

“Hey, what’s with this ‘kid’ thing? Is this a common nickname you give strangers, or what? I’m not a child.”

“No, you’re not. Not at all. It just kind of came out, honestly. Though, now that I’m looking at you, you are puny.” He grinned, enjoying how easy it was to make her cheeks red all over again.

“Ex-excuse me?”

“Small.” Inuyasha clarified.

“I am not.”

“Okay.” He chuckled dismissively.

“Hey! I’m average height!”

“Please don’t yell. You’re voice gets all high pitched and breaks like a baby goat, and I’m sure it irritates your throat as much as it does my ears.”

Kagome stared at the man for a moment, wondering if he was trying to say all the wrongs things, or if he was just that witty and knew what he was doing. “You are really good at talking to people, did you know that?” She stated with satire, sauntering over toward the tree that harbored her arrow.

“So I’ve heard.” Inuyasha carelessly remarked. “Hey, thanks a lot, by the way.”

She spared him a peek over her shoulder, catching his tone, but rightfully not feeding into it. Directly, at least. “You’re welcome.”

He swallowed his huff, his annoyance beginning to grow. “No. Thanks a lot.”

“No need to repeat yourself; I caught your sarcasm the first time. But, I decided to take it as a thank you for using this arrow here to distract Hiten so you had an opening. Therefore, you’re welcome.”

“Oh, is that what you were trying to do?”

Kagome didn’t bother answering, pulling at the arrow that was lodged into the bark while balancing on the protruding roots. It was really stuck in there, so she tried to fidget with it a little to loosen up the grip.

“It’s because of that little stunt that I had to use my backlash wave. Now I know, being the simpleton that you are, you don’t know what that is, but I don’t really think I need to explain it. Go ahead and take a look around. Do you see Hiten?”

“Nope.” Kagome replied after not looking around, her tone a little more strained than usual as she continued to struggle with the arrow.

“Right. That’s because I killed him. More than that, really. I obliterated the mother fucker. He’s gone. No longer exists. Poof.” Inuyasha explained, using his fingers to gesture an explosion. “Thing was, and here’s the kicker, there was a bounty on his head. I may have been told ‘dead or alive,’ but either way, I usually need a body to show them so that I get my money. Again, do you see a body?”

Kagome exhaled heavily, aggravated, momentarily dropping her arms from her objective and turning around to face the man. “No, I do not.”

“You do not.” Inuyasha nodded, confirming.

“I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“Well, problem was, you didn’t listen to me and stay where I’d left you. I was doing just fine without your so-called help. Then you just had to pissed the guy off and he went into final attack mode. Are you putting two-and-two together here?”

“Oh, please. Such a macho man mentality. Face it, me shooting my arrow shut him up and stopped him from focusing on you. I hurried things along.”

“I wasn’t worried about getting things done quickly! I wanted them done right! Besides, if you weren’t waltzing around where you didn’t belong in the first place, things probably would have never escalated this way!”

“Key word: probably.” Kagome sneered, shrugging heedlessly. “That means, it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with your skills. Or, lack thereof.” She finished, turning back around to return to freeing her arrow.

Inuyasha stood there, astonished, blinking his golden eyes in befuddlement. “Oh, okay.” The hanyou said gruffly, fighting back his surprised laughter as he walked over to where she stood. He grabbed the body of the arrow, preventing her from succeeding at anything as he gave an arrogant grin.

“Careful! Don’t break it!”

“Aren’t you a little too - um - banged up to be so sassy?” Inuyasha asked, gesturing to her marks.

“First of all, I don’t think the two go hand-in-hand. Second, no. I’d say, if anything, that’s the perfect reason to be sassy.”

“Why? A little sore?” He asked patronizingly, the cocky smirk still prominent on his face.

Without missing a beat, Kagome looked him dead in the eyes and said, “Yeah. Much like your ego. And, it only took one comment. You men are so fragile.”

Ignoring his large hand, Kagome gave a few more good pulls to the arrow, genuinely impressed by how stuck it was. She hadn’t realized she’d used so much force in how quickly she’d had to move. From the corner of her eye, she could see his expression holding amusement, shock, his tongue gliding over his teeth as he silenced his laughter and swatted her fingers to stop her from tugging. In quick retaliation, Kagome slapped his hand even harder.

He pulled back, rubbing away the sting. “Crap! With reflexes like yours, I’m surprised you’re -“

“Stop talking about my bruises!” She snapped.

Inuyasha forfeited, pursing his lips and holding his hands up to concede.

With one last jerk, she finally got her arrow free, but she didn’t make any move to walk away, her mind stuck on what she may or may not look like to him. She suddenly felt self-conscious. “Does it look bad?” Kagome innocently asked.

Inuyasha’s face twisted incredulously at her one-eighty, his mouth remaining sealed as he dramatically shrugged in question.

She groaned a response, knowing exactly what he was criticizing her for, and turned away, hopping down from the large tree roots.

“You know, you’re a…” His voice trailed off as he pondered, letting her take the lead as he casually followed. “What’s the term I’d use for you?”

Oh, this was gonna be good. Kagome did an about face, her heel gliding in the dirt from her smooth shift, eyes half-lidded in annoyance, and fingers wriggling her arrow at her side. “I don’t know. What is the term you’d use for me?”

“Gutsy, that’s for sure.” Inuyasha commented. It wasn’t where he was initially going, but it would have been impossible to miss the girl’s gesture to warn him. “What? Do you think you’re tough because you’ve got a pointy stick?”

“I could take you.” She stated.

“Hah! Okay!”

Kagome merely smiled. She knew, and she knew well, that she only stood a chance if she was able to use her powers. Otherwise, no way in hell. She wasn’t the strongest brawler, and the guy was definitely cut. She was merely looking to antagonize his pride a bit. He liked to dish out some teasing, so she’d do it right back.

“You aren’t actually serious?” It seemed more of a question than a statement.

“I am.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you’ve seen what I’m working with.” He mentioned, gesturing to the sheathed sword on his hip. “Tell me, truthfully, do you still think your flimsy arrow can compare?”

“Yes.” Again, if she could use her abilities, it was the truth.

“You’re kidding.” Inuyasha said wryly.

“Not at the moment.”

“Then, if I may be so bold to ask, why didn’t you handle Hiten on your own back there? When I showed up, you were already locked and loaded. Hell, you even shot him in the chest. What was stopping you from finishing him off on your own? Why’d I have to be the one to seal the deal?”

Kagome shrugged arrogantly, matching his energy and maybe even upping it a smidge. “Why break my nails when you’re right there to break yours playing hero?”

All humor faded from Inuyasha’s face, his eyebrows furrowing with a hint of indignation as he studied the girl before him. He saved her ass, and she was challenging his ego. He let go of his bounty to rescue her, and she had the impertinence to say something as bitchy as that. If that was the game she wanted to play, then fine. But, he’d come out the winner.

Kagome knew the moment the words had come out of her mouth that she’d gone too far. And, when his expression shifted precariously, a chill legitimately raced down her spine and she lost the gall to hold eye contact. Foot in mouth. Foot in mouth.

“So, you want to be an ingrate, huh?” Inuyasha asked, his voice low.

“No, that’s not it. I said thank you, and I meant it. That just came out so wrong.” She weakly defended.

“How was that supposed to come out?”

“Not -“ She bit her tongue in hesitation, knowing there was no way her statement could have been perceived playfully. “Rude?”

“How so?” He interrogated. He enjoyed seeing her discomfort expand.

“Look, I see I’ve upset you, and that’s fair -“

“Yup.”

“But, I have a feeling that no matter how I explain it or how many apologies I give you, there’s no take-backs and you’re still gonna be mad. Am I right?”

“You are.”

“Alright, so I’m just gonna get going. Thanks, again.” Kagome found herself talking faster, nervous. She reached over her shoulder and dropped her arrow into its quiver, her hands having nothing to play with thereafter and only fidgeting with one another. “Um - okay, bye.”

“Hold it!” Inuyasha ordered. The girl halted stiffly. This thought had been on his mind since he'd analyzed her bruises. Where’d she get them? Why’d she get her ass handed to her? What’d she do to deserve it? There’s no way a girl like her would get stuck in an abusive relationship - not that he could imagine. It could be a possibility, but for some reason, he could only picture her dishing the beating right back. It could be a rocky household situation, but there were no visible signs of old bruises fading to back that up. Which meant, as far as he could presume, this was a recent and infrequent occurrence. Which brought him back full circle: what did she do? “Given how messed up you look, I’m guessing you did something bad and you’re on the run.”

Kagome’s brows furrowed uneasily, a frown pushing at her lips as she turned back around to him. “No.” It took effort not to let that come out as a question, her bemusement pronounced.

“I’m willing to bet there’s money hanging over your head.” He added.

“Then you’d be out some, because you’re wrong.”

“And, I’m supposed to believe you?”

“You should. Better than wasting your time, don’t you think?”

“I think I can determine that on my own.”

“Look, I got myself into some trouble, but it’s not as deep as you’re thinking.” She tried explaining.

“You got yourself into some trouble, you’re on the run, and even if there isn’t a bounty yet, I’m sure there will be one soon enough.”

“No! Really!” She could tell whatever she was saying was in one ear and out the other. How did she get here? Sure, she insulted him, but how did things escalate so dramatically in the span of just minutes? One moment he’s saving her, the next they’re bantering, and now he’s threatening her and she wasn’t sure what to do. “Demon’s came to my village and I stepped out -“

“Shut up.” He drawled, rolling his eyes. “I tried being nice, but you dug your own grave. If you didn’t talk shit, I’d have let you stroll right on out of here without a second thought. But, something tells me I shouldn’t do that.”

And, it was true. Even if she was telling the truth, which may be slim - it was hard to tell since her body language was wonky at the moment - his gut was telling him not to let her go.

“Seriously! Listen to me, I’m trying to tell you -“

“Are you going to give in, or am I going to have to get rough?”

“Neither!” She shouted brokenly, her frustration at its peak.

“Those were your only options, kid.” Inuyasha shook his head, the fingers of his right hand curling over the hilt of the sword on his left hip. Obviously a blade was unnecessary here; he wasn’t going to maim the girl. He was trying to scare her into submission. Nine times out of ten, it worked like a charm. Slowly, he pulled Tessaiga out of it’s sheath, the sharp sound like music to his ears, but to his dismay, as he presented the weapon in a power stance, the sword was thin, dull, aged, and untransformed.

Kagome would have been lying if she said she hadn’t become the least bit horrified when the man went to pull out his sword. There was no cause for things to be this way. There was no reason for her life to be on the line right now. She’d sucked in a bated breath, the muscles in her neck tensing as she frantically thought up her next move. The demonic energy she’d expected had never emerged, though. And, the sword she once remembered looking unreasonably large and heavy was now small, frail, worn, and didn’t even seem like it was sharp enough to cut paper.

She stared at the weapon confused, holding her breath as she glanced up to the silver-haired man’s face. His golden eyes were glued to the untransformed blade, his look of disturbed bewilderment telling her that she was right. This wasn’t normal nor predicted. And, Kagome wasn’t about to wait around to find out what was wrong.

“Bye.” She said fleetingly, absolutely booking it away from him.

Her feet moved as quickly as they could, arms pumping along her sides as she simultaneously balanced herself while she maneuvered around trees and entangling roots, and willed her body to go faster. Kagome heard him shouting for her, demanding her to stop, his voice not as far behind her as she’d have liked. He was pursuing, and she didn’t even bother wondering if she was capable of outrunning someone with demon blood. She pushed herself even harder, heading over a little slope and sliding half the way down as she lost her foundation, her voice cracking from the unintentional yelp she let out from the incidental shock. Hasty to regain her footing, Kagome continued to run, her lungs burning, heart pounding, and adrenaline racing even faster than she was.

No matter how badly her body protested, she wasn’t slowing. She wasn’t safe yet. Fight or flight was in full control, and a red, neon sign was blaring flight to her brain. It was the sound of oncoming stomps that terrified her further. It was the growls he emitted, the heavy breathing, his deep voice grunting as he caught up to her that had her mind racking wildly to try and come up with a last second escape plan.

Inuyasha reached for the girl, grabbing her by the arm and yanking them both to a stop, turning her entire body to slam against the rough bark of a tree. He used his own to pin her there, grabbing both of her wrists and securing them behind the small of her back. He held them with only one hand, using his other to grip her thick hair as she continued to struggle and try to wrestle her way free. The hanyou growled a warning, pressing his torso firmly against her, one of his knees pushed between her legs to prevent her from thrashing her hips back into his groin. She was breathing heavily, frantic, but was finally settling into submission, and he shoved her cheek a little further against the tree to really solidify that he was in control.

Why was it when she whimpered the smallest “ow,” he pulled back? Why was it, when she showed an ounce of pain, he didn’t like it? Especially being the bearer of it. Felt apologetic, even. Inuyasha found himself relaxing the grip he had on her hair, allowing her cheek to simply rest along the bark as her chest pumped air so heatedly that he felt the wheeze vibrating through even her bag.

“Hey, calm down. Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” He promised. He’d admit his tone wasn’t the gentlest, but it was impossible to present that after chasing the chick. She was stupidly nimble.

“Please. Please.” Kagome whispered between breaths, scared, frenzied. “Th-there’s no money. I - I swear.”

She was telling the truth.

“Why’d you run then?”

“You - please.” Kagome begged, her voice dying mid-word.

“Breathe. Come on, kid, breathe. Calm down.” He was substantially softer that time, easing a little more off of her so her chest could afford the deeper, slower expansion, while still maintaining control so she wouldn’t buck her hips back. Inuyasha was patient as he waited for her body to relax, her breathing coming more evenly, minutes passing but he didn’t mind. The last thing he needed was her passing out on him. She still shook in his hold, her bottom lip quivering, and he even noticed a tear fall from her eye, the salt displeasing his nose. She was legitimately panicked. While that was what he was initially going for, and this was unavoidable after she took off, he didn’t like it. Why? Why the fuck did it matter to him? Why was his stomach in knots and why was his chest unsteady? Inuyasha swallowed harshly, willing the unnatural symptoms to subside.

“There’s no money. I don’t have a bounty. You have it wrong.” Kagome tried again, more stable, though her abdomen rocked with a shudder from her still-prevalent anxiety.

“Why did you run?” He repeated.

“You threatened me.” She replied shakily. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

That was fair, and as soon as she’d said it, he realized the answer was painfully obvious. He didn’t give her much other choice. Still, his gut was telling him not to release her. He couldn’t pinpoint the reason, but he felt it deep. He continued on with the thought that even if there wasn’t any money yet, there may eventually be some.

“Are you on the run?”

“No.”

“Alright, look at me.” He said, spinning her around. She gasped at his speed, grunting as he pushed her back up against the tree, easily pinning her wrists above her head. Again, he only used one hand to keep them there, curling the fingers of his free hand to tilt her chin up to look at him. “What are you doing out here?”

Kagome found herself holding her breath, despite her lungs protests - having just gotten back their oxygen supply. She wasn’t expecting their close proximity, and she wasn’t expecting to be at a loss for words - which almost never happened. His amber eyes pinned her as adamantly as his body, observing her, seemingly glowing even though no light hit them from his position. Kagome willed herself to relax as much as possible in his grasp, allowing herself to breathe again as her lips parted to speak.

“I’m looking for someone.”

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#inuyasha #inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha fanfic #Inuyasha fic #inukag #inukag fanfiction #inukag fanfic #inukag fic #kagome #kagome higurashi #miroku #sango #sota #mama higurashi #monster #akitokihojo

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barbarianprncess · 3 years

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percabeth as songs bc they own me

in no particular order along with era i associate it with and three lyrics that made me choose it.

waves by dean lewis : so i picture this in the post-btol/pre-tlo yearning™ era. this would definetly be more percy centric but theres still some angsty percabeth content.

A feeling I thought was set in stone; It slips through my fingers: percy's reckoning with the fact that one of the only steady thing in his demigod life is changing, and for the first time he doesnt know how to act around his best friend. (and annabeth reckoning with the only steady thing in her life in general changing) its! about! the! yearning!

Down to the place we used to lay when we were kids: best friends percabeth stargazing. thats it.

I watched my wild youth; Disappear in front of my eyes; Moments of magic and wonder; It seems so hard to find; Is it ever coming back again? Take me back to the feeling when; Everything was left to find: ok whew. i think this is when percy really starts to realize how powerful he is and it frightens him. its no longer just oooh i can breathe underwater and oh cool i can will myself dry. he claimed the prophecy at the end of ttc, but the weight of it is heavier now. he misses when being a demigod was bright and shiny and new. he misses being a kid. and he misses being a kid with annabeth. he misses her calling him seaweed brain and ruffling his hair and explaining this world of gods and demigods and monsters to him.

bedroom ceiling by sody: also post-btol/pre-tlo era BUT annabeths perspective.

How am I supposed to know you're not the one? : ok so this may just be me but i have this hc that annabeth is terrified that loosing a love worse than death wasn't luke turning into kronos, but her and percy never going back to how they were. its worse than death because hes right there and can't look her in the eye. i think the not knowing whether it was him or luke kills her far after the quest is over.

I wonder if you're moving on; If you are, what's your secret? 'Cause I can't work out where to start: annabeth was definetley hit hardest by lukes betrayal/giving himself over to kronos, and i think one of the things that unsettles her so much about percy and rachel isnt just plain jealousy. she cant comprehend how percy can think about anything else but saving luke stopping kronos. but she wants to. she wants so desperately to hate luke and to stop caring about him like percy does so they can go back to what they were. but she cant.

Is your bedroom ceiling bored like mine? Of you staring at it all the time; 'Cause it's seen so many nights where I cry and I yell at the sky for not telling you how I feel : i mean. self explanatory.

i'll keep you safe by sleeping at last. i picture this as percy's silent vow to keep annabeth alive during tlo. he never expressly makes the promise but the sheer number of 'don't touch her'- especially after the incident on the bridge- says it all. (now you could most certainly place this in tartarus and it would fit just as well)

Hold out your hand, can you feel the weight of it? The whole world at your fingertips: THIS IS THE ACHILLES SPOT TERRACE SCENE YOU CANNOT CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. (side note that scene makes me go absolutely FERAL) also i just think that hands>>. on a more serious not the “can you feel the weight of the world at your fingertips” how percy holds the weight of the world on his shoulders and in sharing his weak spot he is sharing the burden.

You'll be an architect, so pull up your sleeves; and build a new silhouette in the skylines up ahead: c’mon man. yk what this means.

Our mistakes, they were bound to be made. But i promise you i'll keep you safe: when it comes down to it the angst, the fights, the jealousy, the confusing feelings dont matter. and as soon as they start fighting (and as soon as annabeth gets hurt and the prospect of losing her gets real, all that matters is seeing his best friend alive.

fine line by harry styles: this song encompasses percy and annabeths growth over the pjo series. im probably gonna do a percabeth edit once all five seasons come out bc of how perfectly it fits. so era is pjo in general but pre-hoo

You’ve got my devotion, but man I can hate you sometimes: this is tlt - som annabeth to percy. need i say more?

we’ll be the fine line: fine line is a great phrase for there entire relationship. until tlo they're always toeing against a line between something. the lines between reluctant allies to actual friends. pretty good friends to best friends. best friends to something more.

we’ll be alright: this is repeated in the song like a mantra growing louder and desperate. i like to think this is both a wish and a promise. even if they're life never slows down they’ll have each other and they'll make it alright.

if youre still here thanks for listening to me rant and attempt analysis. im a mess about them lmao. i have a ton more so if yall like it ill do a part two :)

#yeah<3 #they invented love dont @ me #percy jackson #annabeth chase #pjo series #the lightning thief #sea of monsters #the titans curse #the battle of the labyrinth #the last olympian #percabeth #character analysis #(sort of)#the house of hades #hoo series #rachel elizabeth dare #grover underwood #hoo

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angelsswirl · 3 years

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Icarus

Summary: You were never supposed to fall in love with your best friend.

If you should fall

From your pink sky

Just know you'll fall into my arms, every single night

Icarus babe

Requested: Yes

Word Count: idk, a decent amount?

Title Song: Icarus by Max Lawrence

Rating: Mature, but the smut wont be graphic because I don't think that fits what I've written here. It's more implied than anything

Notes: I hope you enjoy it!

...................

You were never supposed to fall in love with your best friend. You weren't. You knew this as fact.

And that isn't to say, it never happened for other people. That it never worked out. No. You just knew that it wouldn't work out for you. Things like that rarely did.

You had prayed, and wished, and hoped that this would all work out. But all of your pleas had fallen on deaf ears. And you couldn't say you were surprised.

Park Chaeyoung was your best friend.

She knew that. You didn't have to tell her.

She was the person you told everything to. The person you did everything with. The person you lived for.

Park Chaeyoung was the love of your life.

She did not know that. You weren't going to tell her.

She was the person you dreamed about at night. She was the person you fantasized about in the day. She was the person you breathed for.

But.

She would never know. Because you would never tell her. Living in your truth by yourself seemed a much better option then speaking your truth and being denied of it.

You're not afraid to admit you're not very strong when it comes to love. But you are afraid to admit that for her, you would try to be.

~•~

"Watching you two together makes me sad." Jennie said out of nowhere.

You frowned at her. Rosé had run off to God knows where minutes prior, leaving just you and Jennie standing in the corner of someone else's livingroom during a house party.

It gross and sticky and hot and most definitely not your scene, but Rosé had practically begged you to come along, and return you had practically begged Jennie to be your buffer. And maybe even your sober coach as well.

You didn't trust yourself, alone with Rosé and alcohol in your system.

"What are you talking about?" You and Jennie are standing close enough to each other that you don't have to shout of the pumping bass of som Top 40 song, but you definitely can't whisper either.

Jennie rolled her eyes. She was bored. She really only tagged along to be a good friend. This wasn't her scene either. That was one of the reasons you two got along so well. You both hated and loved the same things.

Sometimes, you think if maybe Jennie wasn't straighter than a steel beam, then maybe she'd be the best friend that you'd have fallen in love with.

But that wasn't what the cards said for you.

"You and Chae. It's like watching those 'arms of the angels' or whatever commercials. You know with the hurt, homeless puppies?"

It was your turn to roll your eyes, "Well, I'm sorry I can't serve to be your entertainment 24/7."

"Oh, I didn't say this wasn't entertaining. It's just also sad. Like, what's the hold up, just grab her face and kiss her."

"I'm sure to her it would be like if I just grabbed your face and kissed you."

"No, that would imply she's straight and not head over ass in love with you. Both of which, I know not to he true for her in the slightest."

"She's not in love with me, Jennie."

"And I'm not sweating through my clothes right now." She replied sarcastically.

You only shook your head and took another sip of your lukewarm beer.

"Riddle me this, Y/N. If Chaeyoung isn't in love with you then why does she look at you like she would stop breathing if you were ever out of her sight? If Chaeyoung isn't in love with you then why does she treat you like you'll melt away? If Chaeyoung isn't love with you then why are you the only thing she talks about when you're not around?"

You shook your head profusely, "Chaeyoung is like that with everyone. She's sweet and nice and flirty with everyone. And that's exactly why it's time for me to finally get over her."

Jennie nodded along silently. You got the feeling she was only pretending to agree with you.

"Ok, well then, you know what the first step to getting over someone is. Get under someone else. How about the girl over there? She's been staring at you since we got here." Jennie pointed to a tall, admittedly beautiful woman across the room from you. She wasn't looking at you at the moment, but you had noticed her staring earlier as well.

Despite all of what you just said, you'd sooner rather die than get over Rosé but you were stubborn and needed to prove a point to Jennie.

"Hold my beer." Jennie did so with a curious smirk on her face.

You walked your way over to the woman, dodging elbows and sloshing drinks. She saw you coming, a soft smile engulfing her lips.

"Hi." She said some what softly.

"Hey."

"Not to be creepy or anything, but I noticed you when you walked in, and I sort of couldn't help myself but to stare at you all night. You're beautiful, "She paused, "My name is Lisa, by the way."

"I-it's not creepy. I'm Y/N....want to dance?"

"I loved to."

You grabbed Lisa's hand and all but dragged her onto the dancefloor. This must have been where the drunkenness set in. You turn around on your own accord, pressing your back into Lisa's front. Swaying your hips to the pounding in your ears, because you definitely cannot hear the music anymore.

~•~

"Where's, Y/N?" Rosé asked Jennie as she met her. She handed her the water she had picked up for the three of them.

Jennie pointed in your direction with a hum.

Rosè watched silently as you grinded on the stranger.

"I was gone for 5 minutes..."

"You snooze, you lose, I guess." Jennie felt bad for acting so cavalier, but at this point, the only way to get you what you wanted was to be completely honest.

Rosé didn't exactly know what to think of that. Or rather it was hard for her to think anything when you were dancing seductively with someone pointedly not her.

The emotions that come with it are hard to pick through as well. Hurt, anger, jealousy, and maybe she's even a bit turned on because she finds you immensely sexy.

Whatever the case may be, she decided that she can't sit around and just watch. No that would hurt too much. She's gotta stop this. She's gotta fix this.

~•~

Chaeyoung was never supposed to fall in love with her best friend. At least she doesn't think she was supposed to. There's no real way to be sure.

And that isn't to say that she's not sure if she loves you. She's 100% sure about that. It's to say that, how is she supposed to know if you love her back.

She had prayed and wished and hoped that you would see the signs that absolutely poured out of her whenever you were near. But, all of her pleas had fallen on deaf ears. And she couldn't say she was surprised.

You were her best friend.

You knew that. She didn't have to tell you.

You were the person she confided in. The person who knew her deepest, darkest secrets. The person she breathed every breath for.

You were the love of her life.

You didn't know that. She had been trying to tell you.

You were the person she gave herself pep talks in the mirror for. The person she put on her most expensive outfits for. The person she would live a thousand lives for.

But.

You were oblivious. Sometimes, it seemed like you didn't even want to know. Chaeyoung didn't want to live in her truth by herself. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops. But keeping that to herself seemed a much better option than making you uncomfortable and losing you as a friend.

She's not afraid to admit she's in love with the very fiber of your being. But she is afraid to admit that, even if she wasn't, you'd still have her wrapped around your finger.

~•~

"Get away from her." It's harsher than she intended and it definitely startled you, but it got the point across.

"Chae?" You questioned as you were practically yanked to Rosé's side.

"Don't grab her like that." Lisa said with a frown.

Rosé's resolve slipped for a second. Maybe she shouldn't have grabbed you but that was besides the point now.

"I said stay away from her."

Lisa put her hands up in mock surrender, "Look. Sorry. Didn't know she had a girlfriend."

"She's no-" Lisa walked deeper into the throng of people before you could finish your sentence.

You turned back to Chaeyoung with a frown.

"What the hell was that, Chae?"

That was a good question. One that she didn't exactly have an answer to. She glanced down to where her hand was still gripping your forearm. She let go silently.

"I-um...."

With a roll of your eyes you pulled Rosé through the crowd. You searched for an empty room, quickly finding an unoccupied bedroom.

You close the door behind you two. Finally, some peace and quiet.

You crossed your arms and looked on expectantly.

"Well?"

Chaeyoung's face scrunched up, like she was losing a hard fought battle with herself, "You don't get it do you?

"Get what? Why you pulled me away from Lisa? No. I don't."

Rosé wiped her hands over her face roughly, "I did that be-because....your mine. Or at least, I want you to be."

Your arms fell to your sides, and your face softened into confusion.

"Huh?"

"God. I thought I was being obvious. I thought I was being so obvious." Chaeyoung shook her hand before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"But, you're flirty with everyone?"

"There's a difference between being nice to someone and being irrevocably in love with you."

You scrambled for any words, any explanation that could help you describe your confusion, and quite frankly you're embarrassment. It seemed as though you had put her in the same position you had thought she put you in.

"I-"

"It's okay if you don't feel the same way. As long as we can still be friends. I just had to finally tell you with words. We can still be friends right?" She doesn't look at you as she speaks. Her eyes casted down onto her wringing hands in her lap.

You move slowly towards her, grabbing her hands in her lap, "I love you too. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before-I thought...I thought...well it doesn't matter what I thought. I just-I love you too. A lot."

Chaeyoung looked up at you, a stray tear falling from her eye, "You do?"

You nod, "I do." You leaned in towards her, taking her bottom lip softly between yours. And she kisses you back, it isn't hungry, but it passionate, and somehow that serves to turn you on more.

You pushed her back slightly and straddled her lap.

Chaeyoung seemed to not know what to do with this turn of events, so you helped her along. Grabbing her hands and placing them on your ass.

"Oh."

You breathed out a chuckle into her mouth, "Yeah. Oh."

Chaeyoung let herself be pushed backwards onto the bed. She grabbed at the zipper to your dress. Fumbling with it until it finally did what she had been willing it today.

She pulled the dress delicately over your head, pushing it onto the floor beneath your feet, "You're beautiful." She whispered into your neck.

You tried to hide your blush by turning your head as much as you could away from her.

"Don't hide from me. Not anymore."

You turned back to her. Your blush covering your face in full force. Chaeyoung leaned in and kissed you again.

You fumbled with her clothing just as she did with yours. A sense of urgency encompassing the both of you. Like you only had so little time to make up for the time you lost.

You're not even sure how you ended up on your back and further up the bed, but you are sure that Rosé touching you, on the outside and inside feels like being thrown head first into a volcano. And you finally come undone it's just like an eruption that you can't (nor want) to stop.

The same goes for Rosé. Having you taste her feels like she's drowning in the world's shallowest pool. It's like swimming in a puddle. Impossible, yet satisfying beyond belief. And when she finally comes undone it's just being evaporated into the summer sun.

When it's all over and you're laying on top, amd underneath, and through each other, Rosé speaks up, "I love you."

"I know." And you did.

Because,

You and Chaeyoung were best friends, and you were always meant to fall in love.

You knew that, like you knew the back of Chaeyoung's hand.

#jesssica's fanfic #blackpink fanfic #blackpink #rosé x reader #rosé fanfic #request

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lost-my-plot · 4 years

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“Pomegranate Once So Sweet, Now It's Bitter"

This hurts me to write ( ；∀；) and it'll probably hurt you to read sorry. Also I just need to say Disney really did mess up Hades poor man (╯︵╰,) so sad, and this runs with the headcanons of Idia being a son of Hades and Persephone (fun fact they had two daughters goddess of a blessed death and goddess of nightmares, there is a son but it's unclear if his father is Hades or Zeus but that son is the god of mysteries, hunting and rebirth (that kinda links him to Dionysus with rebirth) I'm going on a rant here oops) well let's get going and watch your step.

-creamy

TW: grief, Mentions of death, depression

He finally found them someone other then Ortho, someone who often convinced him to leave his room to hold gently they didn't feel cold or hard they were soft so real. Idia would be seen around town more with a smile over his lips and those gold eyes focused in on every movement of his lover. Days where they couldn't get him to leave it was ok they never got angry or sad at him sometimes it would end with them cuddling or working on something else together, maybe ____ would go out around with Ortho somewhere; speaking of Ortho oh how he loved his big brother's partner robotic boy would spend all his time with them if he could (sometimes he does).

It was clear to everyone around that the love was true between these two. It was the kind of love that would battle Orpheus and Eurydice's; with the mountains they would move for eachother.

The night sky sparkles as the moon help light the Gazebos a small number of people stand about the shelter enjoying the fruits and line the sides. Most of the guest around where friends of ______ while only one guest had Idia invited, his mother a beautiful woman who's blonde hair filled with flowers and skin glowed a gentle purple.

As the night continued it had to come to a close. the soft music lowered and the chater hush as everyone started to leave only the closest of friends or family would be about for the end (mostly to avoid making Idia even more nervous) and as the couple stood together hand in hand a pomegranate was presented from his mother. The gift that allowed her to stay by Hades, atleast for half the year; the gift Idia would now share with ____ it intertwined them together. for them it was their rings, more symbolic with deeper roots and greater seeds.

Perhaps they had known what magic was stuck to their soul, they might have known the words the wretch had spoken upon their birth.

" The rings of true love will bind their soul to a bitter slow"

The sentence rang the whole relationship knowing that perhaps those rings will come; however there wasn't rings, no physical binding simply a sweet Fruit.

Biting the sweet Seeds together juice drips down to the floor the couple smile at eachother as the small group claps and cheers for the newlyweds; Ortho being the loudest happy to now 'officially' have ____ in the family.

It happened quickly the knees buckled first as their vision fogs and then, they were gone. The now unconscious body tipped forward onto Idia the fruit rolling away as he desperately tries to catch them; falling himself holding their face to his chest while he tried to process what was happening and why. While possessing the other bodies that were just celebrating now stood in panic or fear, to some who knew of the curse it seemed near clear what had came over the bride/groom, many however had no knowledge of the magic.

It took quite a while until Idia had claimed down from his first wave of emotions by the time it was done many had left to home so they could moron along; the only ones who remain where Persephone and Ortho, the later of which sat by the couple holding onto ____ now slightly cold hand while trying to comfort the crying groom. Persephone was having a word with a friend of the fallen to understand so perhaps it could be corrected or bring som closer for her weeping son.

Nothing would stop his pain.

Once she finally could Persephone convinced Idia to let ____ go so together they could move the dreaming somewhere safer; hide them in the underworld while they work something out, perhaps Hypnos or Thanatos could help maybe it would just be safer for them all.

They rest in a grand hall. their body covered in a glass while fruits surround them. Unfortunately their was no help for their soul left to rest the same as Endymion did however his was seen as a gift , this was suffering and the effect on the brothers was painful to see.

Idia returns it he old ways hiding in his room barely leaving even to eat; he can't bring himself to see their body to see what he's lost what won't come back to his arms. And poor Ortho even if he's robotic he feels the lost and the loneliness he spends his free time (most of the time) in the hall: playing around dancing, wishing that ____ was there with their laugh and that bright smile, yet they just sleep with weak breaths.

"おはよう!愛しい人!今日の準備はできてる?" [good morning love! Are you ready for today?] The voice reaches he's ears through his headset. His heart fills with a burning as he quickly turns, all he's meet with is a hologram he made it resembled them in every way it almost seemed real yet he knew it would never really be them. How could it he knew that his lovers body slept just down the hall.

#twisted wonderland #fanfic #x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #creamy writes #twisted wonderland angst #twisted wonderland idia #twst idia #idia shroud #idia x reader #twst angst #tw depression #angst

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dualswordskings · 3 years

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Ulrich handles very well being in love with Odd. (spoiler : it's not true)

aaaaah i’m finally done with this rbfkdjw i hope you guys will enjoy it !! i’m not english so sorry if some things don’t make sense. (i’d love to see what you thought about this so don’t be shy to comment or leave tags if you reblog 👉👈) a big thanks to @vexfulfun for motivating me to write this djsjd that being said... enjoy !

• Yumi comes out to Ulrich as aromantic a few months before they finally beat Xana, and now that they're on the clear about the nature of their relationship, it's easier to move on from the massive crush he had on her since Day One. Considering how pretty chaotic their relationship was sometimes, he thinks that the next time he gets a crush on someone it will be easier (spoiler : it's not. it's really not.)

• He figures out his crush on Odd a few months after putting an end to Lyoko, during the summer break. They got closer a few weeks before the end of school, and they've been texting or calling each other almost non-stop since the holidays started. Now Ulrich is lying on his bed, looking at the blank walls of his bedroom, wishing Odd was here to fill the silence like he did in their shared bedroom at the school, when it hits him and he's like. oh. Oh. OH NO.

• At first he thinks it's going to go away if he doesn't think about it, so he tries, but now that he knows, he sees it everywhere. And it doesn't help that Odd keeps texting him things like "hey it sucks without you, Kiwi and i miss you". (Granted, Odd does says the first part to every of their friends, but the Kiwi part ? that's just for him, and Ulrich loathes how proud and happy it makes him feel)

• So, yeah, the "i do not see it, i can not see" method doesn't work at all, but it's okay ! Ulrich is Smart, he can find a solution to that ! Maybe if he represses it hard enough, it will go away !

• Surprise : it doesn't work too.

• So whatever. Ulrich has a crush on Odd. It's fine, it's totally fine. (It's not.) He can handle this. (He can't.)

• Ulrich ends up being in a constant crisis about it during the whole summer, until the last week before school starts and he texts Yumi to tell her everything because, and he hates to admit it, he can't handle it and he might need help.

• Yumi instantly makes fun of him BUT she does help and at the end of the day Ulrich is much calmer about it because he finally got it off his chest and can now think a bit more clearly.

• So, he has a crush on Odd. And it... might be not that bad. Actually, it's okay. Yes, he has a crush on his best friend, and so what ? It's just a crush, and it will all be over soon, when they get back to seeing each other everyday and Ulrich is going to remember the little things he dislikes about Odd and why they would never work together anyway.

• ...It’s a month and a half in the school year when Ulrich thinks he should start taking circus classes, because he's becoming a clown.

• His crush does not go away. His crush gets WORSE. because of course he dislikes things about Odd, like how coward he can be sometimes, or how bad his feet smells, but it's not important compared to how many things he -loves- likes about him. and the worst thing is, they do work well together !

• Ulrich hates it ! He is tired of feelings, he doesn't want them ! Why did it have to be Odd ! Why does he keeps getting crushes on people he shouldn't !

• Eventually, after a long time.. He learns to live with it. He ends up accepting (for real, this time) the fact that he has a crush on Odd, and that it's not going away any time soon. And he's fine with that ! If he's destined to pine over Odd forever, then so be it. Ulrich finds that it's not a terrible way to live, anyway.

• He does try to date some people there and there during high school, but he always ends up cancelling plans after the second date because it's clear it's not going to work and people deserve better than being a last resort to a guy who has a crush on his best friend.

• He takes a gap year after high school, because he doesn't really know what he wants to do with his life. Odd goes to an art school in a close town, and ends up being roommate with Sissi, of all people ! (She moved out of their city before starting high school, and she changed a lot during that time).

• They don't see each other as much as they used to, since they're not in the same town anymore and they both have different things to do. They were both scared of drifting apart or not finding the time to hang out with each other (or with the rest of the group), but in the end they make it work.

• But still, a lot of things change. They spend week-ends together, whether it's Odd going to Ulrich's place or the opposite, and sometimes they go out, or they stay inside when they can.

• Ulrich barely sees Sissi because she's not here a lot during week-ends, and he still believes that Odd has been lying to everyone when he says she's nice now and they're getting along really well, because there's no way that's true.

• Anyway, the point is. They spend a lot of time together, and Ulrich ends up having dog food for Kiwi for when Odd comes over with him, and Odd ends up having Ulrich's clothes in his closet (and yes, sometimes he wears them but you can't blame him ! it's not his fault Ulrich keeps forgetting to take them back !) (what really happened is that Ulrich only forgot his clothes one time, and then he noticed Odd wore them, and look, he's enough of a disaster already, let him at least have this, he's been pining for *years* now). It's totally not gay, purely platonic, of course.

• And then comes The Competition. They don't remember when it started, but one day they noticed that every time they hung out outside, people mistook them as a couple and... well. They started playing along, calling each other ridiculous pet names, and of course it turned into a competion, to see who could come up with the worst pet name and who could be the most mushy.

• They're insufferable. Jeremie, Aelita and Yumi are planning their deaths because they're so tired of their stupidity.

• There’s no “rule” for this, but they never call each other pet names that are used a lot, like "babe" or "darling" etc. It always has to be ridiculous. Why, you ask ?

• Because one day Ulrich called Odd "babe" and they just. stared blankly at each other, both desesperatly trying to hide the fact that they were screaming inside, and both went "uh. that was weird. let's never mention that again." and that was it.

• So voila, everything is fine in their lives. They flirt (but as a joke), and they sleep in the same bed when they see each other during the week-end (because the couch is uncomfortable, and it would be rude to make someone sleep on it) and Odd wears Ulrich's clothes sometimes, and Ulrich keeps dog food in his apartment for Odd's dog (but there's nothing domestic about that). Everything is fine.

• Yumi, Aelita and Jeremie aren't as stupid as them though, and they kind of notice that... there's no way this is going to end well for Ulrich. (Ulrich hadn't planned on telling Aelita and Jeremie about his crush, but they figured it out themselves after a few years, because Ulrich is sometimes pretty obvious) (yes, Yumi, Aelita and Jeremie are keeping bets on who's going to confess first)

• So Yumi tries to talk to Ulrich, like 'hey maybe you should confess because you're kinda acting like a couple but you're not and we don't want you to see heartbroken the day Odd starts dating someone else'.

• And Ulrich wishes he could pretend everything is fine and there's no way this could go wrong, but he's a Responsible Adult now, or at least he's an old teenager, and maybe it's time to.. stop waiting. Maybe he could tell Odd, and it would make their friendship change, but maybe that's for the best. Maybe. So he promises to think about it, and he does.

• There's comfort in the way things are now, but at the same time, Ulrich has to move on someday, because as much as he loves loving Odd, it doesn’t stop it from hurting. and he doesn't want to wait until forever to confess either. the only reason he hasn't done it by now is because he's never sure about how Odd really feels about him, but then again, if he waits to be sure, then he'll never say anything.

• So it's decided. Ulrich is going to confess, and then life will move on, with or without Odd in it.

• He hopes it will be with Odd in it. He really, really hopes it will. He doesn't know what he would do if he had to live without him. Because before being his crush, Odd is his best friend since middle school, he's family, and Ulrich can't find the appeal of a life without Odd, no matter how hard he tries.

• (Fuck, Odd was right when he told him he wouldn't be able to live without him, the first day when they met.)

• It's a good thing to know you're going to confess. But the important question is, how are you going to do it ?

• Ulrich doesn't know. UnFortunately, he doesn't get the chance to think about it for too long.

• One week-end, while they're watching Pacific Rim again in Odd's apartment, with Odd buried in Ulrich's big hoodie, his legs resting on Ulrich's lap, Sissi comes home early.

• It's a little bit awkward between her and Ulrich, in the way that they're only acquaintances now, so they don't know each other really well. But that doesn't mean they don't get along, which is why it's not much of a problem when Sissi decides to watch the end of the movie with them.

• But she keeps glancing at them, especially Ulrich, until it's time for him to leave. And it's weird, because Ulrich doesn't understand why she would do that. It might be stupid, because it's not a big deal, but Ulrich got a sinking feeling in his stomach during the whole ride home and it doesn't leave him even after.

• Odd texts him a few hours later, and for the first time Ulrich doesn't want to know what he said. But still, he opens his phone and reads the text, because he's a weak man who can't refuse anything to Odd.

• It's something along the line "Sissi thought we were a couple hahahaha, that's so weird."

• It shouldn't be a big deal. It shouldn't. It's not the first time someone tells them they look like a couple anyway. Heck, they often pretends they are with the pet names competition. But there's something about that makes Ulrich sick in his stomach.

• Technically, nothing is wrong, because Odd still texted him, and he's laughing about it, like he always does, but. But Odd never uses capital letters, and he never types "hahaha" and he never puts punctuation in his texts, and sure, it's just some details, but Ulrich knows Odd and he knows that something is wrong and that somehow, now, everything is going to change. For the better or for the worst.

• He types back a simple "yeah, weird." and Odd never replies.

• It's... strange, for about a month. Odd starts avoiding him, answering his texts really late (if he answers them at all), never calling, coming up with shitty excuses to not spend time with him. They don't see each other once. Ulrich doesn't know how to feel about this situation.

• He's frustrated, because what the hell ? What happened ? Did he do or say something wrong ? He keeps replaying the last time they saw each other in his head, but he can't find anything out of the ordinary, except, well. their last texts.

• It angry, too. Because he doesn't understand. Odd had never been bothered when people mistook them for a couple, so why did he now ? And even if this was the reason, his behaviour still didn't make any sense. Odd would never stop talking to someone just for that, or at least he never did before.

• Did he discover Ulrich's crush on him and decided to put some distance between them because he thought it would be awkward to acknowleged it ? Odd had never acted like that when learning someone loved him, but maybe because they were best friends, this was different ?

• It hurts to think about it. It's not like Ulrich wasn't prepared to be rejected if he were to confess, but losing Odd like this ? It sucks. Odd is his best friend first and foremost, so of course Ulrich doesn't want him out of his life. He just always thought Odd would want him to stay in his, too.

• He's angry, and he's sad, and he's hurt and he's tired of this. It makes him mad that Odd was right when he said Ulrich wouldn't be able to live without him, and he’d like to believe that maybe he's got it all wrong and something else happened to make Odd stop talking to him, but he knows it can't be anything else after spending time with Yumi, Aelita and Jeremy. They all acted a little awkward, and Ulrich knows Odd still talks to them on the regular, and it's enough proof to know that the problem is indeed with him.

• He talks to Yumi about it, and she just tells him that Odd is an idiot and that maybe he should still confess so he can move on.

• Ulrich actually starts thinking about it, after the third week. Moving on that is- not confessing, because that is way too scary.

• And of course it's not going to be easy and it sucks but if Odd wants to act like a dumbass then fine, Ulrich isn't going to wait and cry about it forever. He deserves better than this bullshit anyway.

• (It doesn’t make it any less hurting. Ulrich is not really sure he wants to fully admit that he lost his best friend.)

• He tries to talk to Odd a few times during those three weeks of course, but it never ends anywhere. He either leaves him on read or answers vaguely and doesn't participate in the conversations. Ulrich tries to confront him one time, and they end up fighting. It's not a big fight, but it's still shitty, and Ulrich stops trying after that, and Odd doesn't say anything.

• Then out of nowhere, on the fourth week, Odd calls him. Ulrich stares in shock and considers for a brief moment not answering and ignoring him, because that would only be fair, but he ends up answering, because maybe this their chance to make it right again and fuck, he missed his best friend, okay ?

• It's... it's awkward. At first, Odd tries to act like nothing happened, and Ulrich pretends that they don't need to talk about it, but they both know ignoring the elephant in the room won't resolves anything.

• And surprise ! After a few awkward silences, they do end up talking about it. Or at least a little.

• Odd apologies, but doesn't offer any explanations, and Ulrich decides that it's enough, at least for now.

• They start catching up on what they missed during the month, though not a lot happened on both sides, and they joke around and that's pretty much it.

• Ulrich is sure life is going to go back to normal (until he confesses), and he's happy with that, but then it's the end of the call, and Odd tells him about this movie that's going to come out soon and how they should go watch it together, and Ulrich agrees, and Odd says "cool, so it's a date then ?" which is. what. WHAT.

• Ulrich takes five whole minutes to answer because his brain decided to shut down. He's not sure if it's a joke, like their pet names competition, or if it's a dream, but it can't be real. Except Odd is silent at the end of the line, so he must be serious, and oh, Ulrich is a weak, weak man.

• "Uh. Yeah, ok." "Cool, see you on the week-end for our date then !"

• And that's it. That's how the call ends and Ulrich doesn't know for how long he stares at his phone like it holds the secrets of the universe, but when he finally registers what happened, a lot of time has passed.

• Ulrich has a date. With Odd.

• He wakes up Yumi by calling them. (They're mad because they lost the bet on who will ask the other out on a date first, but she doesn't tell him that.)

• And so the week-end comes, and Ulrich gets ready. to go on his date. with Odd.

• He's expecting this to be a bad prank but still, he takes his time to dress well and make sure he looks good. And then he goes pick up Odd on his motorcycle and tries his best not to have a gay panic when Odd comes out of his apartment wearing his best date outfit with the jean jacket Ulrich bought him for one of his birthday.

• They go to the cinema, and it's awkward at first, because how are you supposed to act on a first date with your crush who's also your best friend who you also haven't talked to since a month ? It's.. a little bit weird, doing romantic coded things together for real and not as a joke, but it's nice. It's something they could get used to, something they /want/ to get used to.

• And so it doesn't take long for them to be comfortable around the other again, and everything falls back to normal, and they have an amazing time.

• None of them confess that day, because they want to take the time to enjoy this new thing, and they go on a lot of other dates and Ulrich feels weird because he's not used to have luck on his side when it's about romance, but he's definitely not complaining about it.

• A few months later, when they're coming home to Ulrich's apartment after a midnight walk with Kiwi, Odd tells him about the month when they stopped talking to each other. It slowly becomes a confession, because it turns out Odd realized he was in love with Ulrich after Sissi's comment and didn't know how to process it, but Ulrich cuts him in the middle of it to confess how he feels because 1) he hasn't been suffering all these years only to not confess first and 2) Yumi would kill him if he didn't.

• So that's how they start dating.

• Yumi, Aelita and Jeremy are like "finally ! we can have peace now. no more them being fools." and also very happy because they've been waiting for this for so long and their best friends deserves to be happy together.

• jokes on them though, because now that they're dating, they're worse than before. the pda, the jokes, the love confessions at any given time, they're everywhere. the awful pet names ? even worse now because they call each other regular pet names too.

• But hey, for their friends happiness, they can endure it. a little. they do deserve to be happy after all of this.

• Bonus :

Later, after a few years of being together, someone looks at them and goes "wow, you're such good friends ! i would love to have a bro like that", and it's the pet name competition nightmare all over again, except it’s reversed. Yumi, Sissi, Aelita and Jeremie have to deal with them calling each other "bro" or "dude" constantly and they regret being friends with them.

#voila !!!#hope you guys enjoyed whatever this is shfjskx #i will never shut up about odd and sissi friendship sorry #also yes yumi uses she/they pronouns !#this was actually fun to write #and the most words i wrote about a story in the last 3 years wtf #thank you for reading this if you made it this far !#here comes the general tags #code lyoko #code lyoko ulrich #code lyoko odd #code lyoko fanfics #not that this counts as a fanfic but yea #code lyoko headcanons #odd della robbia #ulrich stern #odd x ulrich #do they have a shipname ?#idk #ulrich x odd #i love their friendship too #but this is my childhood show i get to choose what is platonic or not #i probably will write a thread about odd's perspective ? it might be shorter tho #and i plan to write one about yumi coming out as nb to her brother #and one about things in general #alright that's it #bye bye #oddrich

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