#and outside of living arrangements mc would have to teach them to live in this damn world | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cursedcola · 2 years

Text

Prompt: What would they do to celebrate your birthday? Part(s): Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, Scarabia, Octavinelle, Pomefiore, Ignihyde, and Diasmonia You're Here: Pomefiore! A/N: Hey everyone. I know I have requests backed up to the nines but was my birthday and I need some comfort teehee (I am also SO mad that twst doesn’t have a thing for the MCs birthday >:( ). Some are longer than others because the inspiration train hit, but I really don't care. I love me my boys, what can I say? I hope you guys can read this for your birthdays and be happy :)

Vil Shoenheit

The weekend following your birthday is very eventful. Vil's a man of passion and glamour. I hope you are ready to be tossed from place to place, because you will be living quite lavishly for a few days.

Your wardrobe situation has been bothering him since you both became close. What better time to fix it than this special occasion? Vil treats you to a shopping spree, acting as your personal consultant and forcing you to model his hand-picked outfits

Some of which coincidently match his own. He may or may not discover how you matching his tie + cuff-links makes him ‘excited’

Whether he likes the outfit or not, you receive many compliments.Some come out as snarky quips with a sultry smirk, but that is expected from Vil

Did someone say spa treatment? Darling, you have stress wrinkles from being Crowley's lackey. Give him a few hours and you'll feel like liquid gold. The days go by quickly, and you sleep better than ever before. Who wouldn’t in a high-class hotel with sheets more expensive than anything you have ever owned? Vil notices the improvement by the end and his ego somehow heightens further in pride.

On that note...are you camera shy? Because for the grand finale Vil arranges for you to have a birthday photoshoot with his personal photographer.

The first half is only for you. He stands on the sidelines, hyping you up and critiquing the stylist's choice in clothes and makeup. Only the best is allowed, he swears it on the Shoenheit name!

Second half? He's in there posing at your side. The scene is set as a garden birthday and pictures are taken as you both cut through a triple-tier cake . This is when Vil presents you with your gift: a personalized eyeshadow pallet. He crafted each shade himself, and they're named after things that he loves about you.

The photographer perfectly captures your surprise as well as Vil's rare moment of genuine affection. The photoshoot was meant to be private but somehow that picture ends up trending on Magicam.

“I had hoped to selfishly hoard your beauty, yet it seems the media could not resist in taking it's share. Hehe…at least everyone can see that you are mine this way. Forever my little potato,”

Rook Hunt

Rook can be very mischievous when he wants to be. They say not to play with your food, but he’s always lived for the thrill of the hunt rather than the catch itself

Your birthday is made into a game: a hunt. He wants to shower you with presents yet simply handing them over would be too borish. So, what’s he do? Hides them across campus, that’s what. The first can be found in plain sight outside your bedroom door. Attached to the wrapping is a clue as to where you can find the next!

And so begins your scavenger hunt. To the cafeteria, the alchemy lab, the courtyard, training tower, etc. you’re sent around with Rook acting as your shadow the entire time. He ensures your safety while also admiring your reaction to his presents the entire time.

The last note sends you to Pomefiore, and when you reach the gates Rook appears out of thin air at your side. He’ll lead you in, and inside is your final gift.

It’s your very own bow! Since you cannot use magic, he will be taking it upon himself to teach you self defense and archery. There have been so many close calls that Rook does not feel safe letting you remain defenseless anymore.

“Mon amor, it is perfect! Not only will we spend much time together but now I can cease losing hair from worrying over you. It will be difficult at first but rest assured that I will be your guide on this perilous journey,”

Epel Felmier

Long before you became lovers, Epel was a simp. A big heckin’ simp that buried his feelings because falling in love was not very, “manly,” in his eyes. With an appearance so delicate, what would make you want him? Sure, he was not ugly or intolerable…but he had so much to “fix,” before allowing himself anything like romance.

This did nothing for how he craved you. Your attention, presence, great seven even your scent. The moment you would walk in a room his back would go straight and his well-crafted act of decorum would slip. Vil would then chide him for staring and for his vulgar language after being caught.

It was humiliating how quickly you were able to scramble his well-crafted mask. Just the thought of you deflated all his defenses. He was screwed.

In an effort at defiance, Epel swore himself off of whatever spell you cast on him. If you entered the room then he would leave. If you talked to him then he would only reply curtly. If anyone mentioned you then he would dismiss them.

During this phase he was still hopelessly in love. It was a moment of weakness when he found himself carving your face into one of his apples. Staring into it with displeasure, he wanted something more concrete to work with than fruit. So he grabbed some wooden logs from the fire place and got to work

Fast forward time, and many months later there is still a wooden carving of your likeness stashed underneath his bed. He could not bring himself to toss it, especially so now that you are lovers. So it sits there: until today. Your birthday.

Epel isn’t the type to plan an event. He got you a small gift, a sweet, and asked for you to hang out in his room for a time. His upperclassmen decided to join and were being nosy. Long after all celebration had ended, Rook was snooping and noticed something wooden peaking out from underneath the bed. Before Epel could stop him the figurine was pulled out.

You wanted it. Of course you did. Why would he expect anything less? It’s not like he can say no when you’re blushing and staring at his hand-crafted work in awe. He just keeps quiet until his upperclassmen leave, observing as you admire it. Silently letting his embarrassment get the better of him until he bursts.

“Y’know, that don’ mean nothin’!! What’eva weird thought you got goin’ on in that head o’ yours— quit it! You can keep it but don’ go paradin’ it around either. I—I’m warnin’ ya!…you’re lucky I like ya,”

#twst scenarios #twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twst imagines #twisted wonderland scenarios #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland x reader #vil shoenheit #vil shoenheit x reader #rook hunt #rook hunt x reader #epel felmier #epel felmier x reader #pomefiore

436 notes · View notes

nirawrite-holab-if · 11 months

Note

What are Asta, Carmelo, Aedh and MC sibling reaction to a pregnant MC ? And if not too much to ask reaction drabble of MC giving birth to twins.

Here it is 👇🏼

Aedh: He'd be nostalgic...his baby having a baby. Another generation in the family starting and he would still be there to help and guide. This baby would already be greatly loved and cherished by him

Asta: She would be happy for the MC especially to be able to be present and be able to experience this moment. She would offer a lot of advice and tips to the MC about pregnancy and the first few months with a baby

Carmello: That would be the happiest time of his existence, to have one more descendant about to join the family. The guarantee of his lineage... He could even tear up.

Philon: He would be somewhat protective of the MC, he would want to always stay close to the MC and make sure everything was going perfect.

Briallen: She would be excited about the idea of a new baby in the family, especially being the MC's baby. Would the baby be like them? She would be the person most eager to meet the baby

Hagne: She would be happy for the MC and try to help in any way possible. The MC had always taken good care of her, so she would try to return the favor

Theron: He would be content with the idea of no longer being the youngest member of the family and would remind everyone of that. He would also be excited to become an uncle and be able to teach the baby all the fun things he knows

🖤🤍

The MC waited until the entire family was gathered outside to call them to her chamber.

One of the handmaidens barely had time to get out of the front of the door before Aedh, Asta, Carmello, and the MC's siblings entered the room with anxious eyes.

"Where's the baby?" Carmello asked looking at every corner of the room.

"Baby?" The MC asked, feigning confusion as she made her way to a door that led to another room attached to her own. "You mean babies, right?"

"Babies?" Asta's eyes widened. "You mean...?"

"Did you have twins?!" Theron and Hagne exclaimed at the same time.

"See for yourselves"

One by one they followed the MC to the next room.

There, two handmaidens stood next to two cribs arranged in the middle of the room - each with a baby.

"That's awesome, MC," Carmello said. "It's the first time this has happened in our history."

"You must be exhausted" Asta looked worried at the MC, but when she looked towards the cribs and there was a glint of pride in her eyes too.

"We're not going to linger too long here" Aedh stood next to the babies examining them with interest and a barely disguised smile on his lips. "They're perfect MC"

"I can't tell who they look like," Briallen murmured, leaning over the cribs. "When are we going to be able to see if they have fangs?"

"I think that's still going to take a while," the MC replied as she sat in an armchair.

"With you this was a matter of months," Asta recalled. "Do you remember that, Carmello?"

"Oh, yes. I still have your letter." The vampire replied with a laugh. "I thought you'd lose your mind"

"But twins don't always develop at the same rate, keep that in mind MC " Asta ignored Carmello and turned to Hagne and Theron who had not yet spoken. "What do you guys think of that? Two new babies"

"We're going to have a lot to teach them" Theron looked at Hagne. "Right sister? If they're going to succeed us as the cuties of the kingdom, they have to live up to their rank."

"I agree. No one better than us to take care of the babies" Hagne smiled at her brother.

"Take care? That's not quite what I meant..."

"Right," Philon interrupted suddenly as he cleared his throat. "The babies are cute and healthy but the MC needs to rest, let's go"

The only reaction to his words was silence.

"Come on, the MC wants some alone time to rest while the babies sleep"

"Fine...But tomorrow I'll be back" Briallen flashed a smile at the MC before leaving the room followed by the others.

Philon was the last to leave. He looked at the cribs and then at the MC

"I will keep the family in line, and the kingdom in order. Don't worry," he promised. "You've done a good job, your grace"

#answered ask #mc #the parents #the grandfather #the siblings #heir of light and blood

36 notes · View notes

thefools-journey · 3 years

Text

So. Some of you may be wondering why we haven’t written a whole ton about the secondaries or what have you. Here’s the reason: we were waiting for them to end before we really dug into the problems we were noticing. We felt that it was only fair to wait for the routes to finish so that we had an understanding of the writers’ vision. Who knew, we thought, maybe they would see the problems themselves and course correct, maybe they are building to something we can’t quite see yet and these issues will have actual payoff, maybe-

In light of Muriel and Lucio’s endings, and the general mess that has dominated Portia’s route for a year plus now, we are breaking our silence. We are actually going to talk about this shit show.

The fandom at large has talked about a bunch of issues with the secondaries but for me, the cardinal sin, the thing that really all the issues lead back to, is this: the writers lost sight of the tarot themes which so strongly defined and held together the primary routes. Let me explain.

The primary routes each center around three thematic cores:

The Love Interest’s Major Arcana and its Reversed/Upright meanings

The MC’s Fool’s Journey, both how it can go right and how it can go wrong

A question about the MC’s identity and their relationship to said identity

Asra’s route asks: Who was the MC? How does the MC navigate a past they cannot and will not remember? What do they owe a past they cannot remember? How do they handle the revelations of what Asra, Nadia, Julian, etc did? How do you right the past? Can you?

Nadia’s route asks: Who is the MC? The MC has no past. Are they the Fool only? Are they actually the same person they were? How can they tell? Who are they, really? Are they an imposter? No one can answer these questions for them.

Julian’s route asks: Who will the MC become? How does the MC see their future? Is there anything worth fighting for for that future? What will become of them and their loved ones?

Now, if you notice, these themes are expertly woven throughout the primaries. Asra’s past dominates his route, Nadia is also missing memories and trying to construct her identity both with her family and with Vesuvia, and Julian’s fear of the future drives his flailing for control. Asra has to learn to take a broader view of his actions to get his Upright Ending, Nadia has to learn to trust herself and those around her for hers, and Julian has to learn how to let go for his. These lessons are the issues their cards stand for. The primaries are so dang elegant and delicate in their handlings of theme it is honestly awe-inspiring.

Thematically, the secondary routes have completely lost their hearts. First of all, the MC does not have strong, core questions which need to be answered. They just don’t. I suppose the writers did not want to retread old territory (which is weird considering how tightly bound the primaries are; it really tricks you into thinking you’re living the same events but from different angles depending on your route) but they did not replace the old with anything new. Muriel’s route is, on the surface, about discovering and owning his past, the good and the bad. Why not tie MC’s self-discovery to that story? Or they could have taken the angle that Muriel’s route is about convincing him to be present and active in the world while MC builds an identity for themself outside of Asra, the shop, and the memories they cannot retrieve. Why not tie the investigation themes running through Portia’s early route back to MC and their past? Portia has the unique angle of being as in the dark as MC about all of this, why not discover the past together? And for goodness’ sake, Lucio has no future when his route begins, why not tie that to his need for growth, responsibility, and MC’s own future between the Fool, the Devil, or something mortal and in between?

Secondly, the routes lost their tarot backbone. We have a primer on how to get specific endings for each LI and it still holds, but the writers did not follow through on the thematic coherence of each secondary. The Hermit is looking for something, be it perspective, insight, a solution to a problem, whatever. The key here is that the Hermit must find or learn what they are searching for, this thing must change their understanding of the world, and finally, they must bring this lesson back to the world from which they retreated. Can someone please enlighten me as what exactly Muriel learns then teaches the world around him? Nothing Muriel learns from Morga, MC, or even the Hermit ties back into anything. The Devil warns that you are out of control and exerting a lot of manipulative, destructive behavior on the world around you. It asks you to take responsibility for yourself and your actions. So can someone tell me why Lucio’s route actively avoids any interaction or reflection on two of Lucio’s biggest victims: Muriel and Julian? Why does the route only try to make amends with the “easier” of his victims in the cast? The Star is first and foremost the card of clarity, the light at the end of the tunnel. Perseverance, if you will. Yet Portia’s route has been the muddiest of the trio; the writers drop the investigation aspect of her route in favor just handing her and MC information they could have easily found and muddying the waters with Tasya (she blows up the palace but it’s all okay bc she has a secret daughter Julian never thought to bring up or mention) and the complete removal of the Devil as antagonist.

So that leaves just the Fool’s Journey trying to hold this stool up with only one leg. And well...it doesn’t go well. At best, the secondary route books pay the barest surface level homage to the themes of the individual cards. At worst, they ignore the cards completely. Muriel's Moon book has nothing to do with illusions or delusions or lies or even an Alice in the Looking Glass upside down world. Portia's back half is a complete and utter mess, starting with her Temperance book being so badly mangled that Muriel's aftermath book does it better. Lucio's route too bungles the Tower and the Star. There just isn't enough here to carry the routes alone.

Add to the core loss the loss of intertextuality. The primary routes are very good, even great but they too do have their moments and mistakes. What helps strengthen them when the cores stumble is how the trio is woven together. Things you learn in Asra's route can inform the way you play Nadia's, for example. Julian's route informs what is going on in Asra's route and slots some missing puzzle pieces together. Nadia's route tells you of the power struggles she is facing and informs the other two routes' handling of Julian and his trial. On and on, the three routes support each other because they are built out of the same basic plot beats, just tackled in very different ways. Now, the writers are allowed to try and write whatever they want. They apparently wanted to be more experimental and less tied down to an overarching plot with the three secondaries. Okay, fine, they are allowed to do that. The problem is that they sacrificed one of the key strengths of the primary trio and didn't replace said strength with anything else. They also, on some level, harmed the very premise of the game, which is that only the player's choices and route selected change the overall plot. Instead of feeling like legitimate possibilities or offshoots of the same timeline/plot, the secondaries feel almost like Arcana AUs. The secondaries throw out all relations to the primaries and each other as quickly as possible and for what?

It is probably the height of arrogance to suggest fixes for works whose behind the scenes I do not know. At the same time, some small, obvious changes could have salvaged Muriel and maybe Lucio's endings (rip Portia). Instead of having the Hermit appear as a disappointing cameo, why not have him say something cryptic to Muriel, then have MC start trying to seal the Devil. Then let Muriel use his forget me mark to cloak MC and hide them from the Devil's attacks. Protecting MC by hiding them from Lucio, keeping him focused on Muriel, seems to me a simple third solution between Muriel's desire to run and his desire to never fight again. It lets him stand up to Lucio and let him have it while holding onto who Muriel has become. The Reversed End would have MC try to draw Lucio's attention at some point, disrupting the sealing, and eventually leading to Muriel killing the Devil. With Lucio's Upright End, I just have to ask: why doesn't MC fully claim the power of the Fool instead of the Devil? We don't need the other Arcana involved in this fight; we have three routes that demonstrate that. Just have MC pull Scout into the conflict, then have Lucio tell MC he believes in them, then add his power to the mix. You got yourself a full Fool who leaves Scout guarding the realm until they and Lucio's mortal bodies fail and they return to the realm to be together forever. Boom, you're done, you can even add some ambiguous lines so that players can decide how happy their MC is with this arrangement, send me the check.

Here is the bottom line. Our group is full of aroace, and several combinations therein, individuals. We are the last group who should have gotten into a dating sim of all things. But the Arcana did something with the primaries that was special; they wrote a compelling plot with dazzling lore, complex characters, and strong themes wrapped up in a dating sim bow. The writers know better and we know they know better. I do not know what happened with the secondaries, especially around books 10-11, which is where minor issues slowly start spiraling into major ones, but it is clear that Nix Hydra needed some more planning before they released these routes. Hopefully they will learn.

TL;DR: Nix Hydra fired their tarot consultants about eighteen months ago and it has wrecked their secondary routes until they were just embarrassments. They never intended for the secondary routes to even exist and once they had to make them, they scrambled and threw out everything that made the primaries work.

- Mod Telos

#the arcana #The Arcana Game #arcana game #arcana game meta #arcana meta #arcana discourse #the arcana lucio #Lucio route #the arcana muriel #muriel route #the arcana portia #portia route #lucio morgasson #lucio montag #muriel #portia devorak #The Wheel Turns

432 notes · View notes

spiderling-space · 3 years

Text

As I mentioned before, I'm doing a piece for Balkanoid MC. It's something I can %100 relate. This will be a mix of headcanon, scenario and incorrect quote. Also each different scenario/hc/quote is separated with ----

There are a lot of countries in the Balkans. This work will focus on things that everyone living in the Balkans can relate to. I'm avoiding certain stuff because it would be too heavy for [tumblr]

Setting: MC is from the Balkans

——

MC is just thrown into a whole new world, no friends, no family, just all alone. There is nothing that resembles their home and it doesn't seem like Dire is going to do find a way for them to go back so they decide to make Ramshackle a homely place. It took them over 2 weeks to clean the entire Ramshackle with the help of Ace, Deuce, Jack, ghosts and Grim.

After the cleanup, MC wiped the floors clean one last time and then they were done. Now they were just chilling on the couch.

"Oi prefect!" Ace opens the main door and just walks in. "Let's go an-"

MC isn't listening to what he is saying. Their focus is on Ace who just walked into their house with shoes on.

"Take your goddamn shoes off and wipe the floor you stepped in."

"Don't be ridiculous, I-"

"So you've chosen death..."

Ace is confused why they are so insistent on not wearing shoes inside. "What are you talking about?"

The closest thing they have is their house slippers. They took it in their hand and hit it on their other hand, making a slapping sound. "I won't hesitate to go over there and teach you manners."

Ace gulps as he sees the look on MC's face. "I'LL DO IT!" He takes off his shoes and leaves them outside, then asks where the mop is.

After MC tells where the cleaning supplies are, there is only one thought in their head "Mama, I'm making you proud!"

———

Random TWST cast: 90s were the best years!

MC, remembers the 90s of Balkans: Lol what?

----

MC and the rest of the first years go on lunch in a restaurant. They eat it and it is time to pay

MC: Waiter, please give me the receipt, I'll pay for everyone

Ace: Niceeee

Sebek: HUMAN! DON'T INSULT ME! I HAVE MONEY TO PAY AS A KNIGHT!

Deuce: I cannot let you pay by yourself

Jack: Thank you MC but it is not necessary

Epel: I can't either, I can pay for my food

MC: So none of you is going to fight for paying for all?

Everyone gives them a strange look: What are you talking about?

MC, taking out their wallet: It is the Balkan way

----

Ramshackle dorm is perfectly clean and everything is well organized but there is something that's missing. MC couldn't point out what it was until they managed to get a second-hand TV in the lounge.

"My grandma's white knit thingy!" Oh boy, Mc is so happy to find the missing piece. For the record, they have never understood why their grandma would knit a square-shaped balloon net but now they just missed that homey feeling. "I'm going to knit myself as I cannot afford to buy."

After a few days and countless tries, MC manages to knit a few balloon nets and they put it everywhere in the living room such as on the coffee table, on top of the couch's backside, over the fireplace and on side tables. As the final touch, they put one on TV.

"Now it feels like grandma came over!"

-----

MC is arranging a bag that has basic needs; bottled waters, crackers, canned food, whistle, blanket, first aid kit, sleeping mat, flashlight with extra batteries, some cash, wet and dry napkins and the medicines they use

Deuce: Are you planning on going camping?

Ace: Deuce, go get us two tents, I'll be in the same one as MC and you can have a tent for yourself

MC: What? No! Where did you get that idea? Also, Ace ewww!

Ace: Hey wait a sec-

Deuce: It's because of your bag...

MC: Oh! This is my bag for an earthquake. Everything in this essential if I get stuck under the rumble

Deuce: Eh?!

Ace: Silly magicless MC, every building is protected with magic here, there has never been any damage on structures or people

MC, cries in Balkan

-----

MC, internally: Hmm, interesting, dorm members resemble their dorm's icons so much. Hmm, Ignihyde is based on Hades who is a Greek God. I heard their dorm leader is from Isle of Lamentation which is from Greek myths so he must be a Greek!

Later

MC: Idia!

Idia, silently: Oh shit

MC: My fellow Balkanoid! *tries to greet him by kissing his cheeks*

Idia, freaks out and retreats: I have no idea what they mean!

MC: Well, you are Greek

Idia: I have no idea what that means either. I'll pay you to stay away

MC: Wait, you have money?

Idia, nods

MC: You know what, I'll just leave... Clearly, you are westernized! Here I thought I met a chad Balkan fellow!

----

MC, learns that Malleus and Leona are royalty

MC: Wait, there are non-corrupted country leaders?!

Leona: Tch, there is absolutely no chance that Ferena is corrupted. You thought I was?

MC: No?

Leona: Tch herbivore...

Malleus, offended: Did you mean my grandmother?

MC: Nope! That’s why I said non corrupt

Malleus: I'm saddened by your statement. What made you think this, child of man?

MC, laughs: Bro, bro... I lived in Balkans

-------

One of the foods that MC would miss dearly is burek/börek.

They would pause and ask for a moment when someone asks about the relationship between MC's country and its neighbours and the history behind it. They only say the good parts and don't get into details much.

MC would slap the watermelon to understand if it would taste good.

MC would be overjoyed when Divus doesn't call them a useless tool for giving him the wrong tool while fixing his car.

They would secretly miss those "good morning" pictures with flowers or babies on the background sent by elderly people around MC.

If MC has to stay more than the academic term, their choice of residence would be Land of Pyroxene as it is likely to resemble Germany.

They would find it weird that countries getting along with their neighbours.

It is a weird feeling to live on their own as they expected to live with their parents until marriage or until they found a job outside the city.

MC would find it basic that people are driving automatic shifted gear.

MC would get weird looks when they tell that their mom also calls them "mom".

MC is used to greeting people by kissing each cheek so it is weird to not do that in Twisted Wonderland.

337 notes · View notes

pen-observing · 3 years

Text

request: baker mc with barbatos. + how you came to know and bicker with the man that looks like love.

MASTERLIST

People find joy in doing the things that they love and, right now, your joy is waking up earlier to see the sun’s rays against the counter of the bakery. They’re so beautiful to bask in and so rewarding once you remember all that it took just to be able to come into such a place. It takes real work.

However, the sun’s rays on this particular morning touch something else. They shine upon a sleek black envelope that was placed right in the middle of your counter.

How did it get here? You’ve always locked your door out of responsibility. Surely nobody managed to break in or something similar? Everything looks in order and nothing is stolen. With this, there is simply no reason for you not to open the little ‘gift’ that was there. Right?

Being a famous baker meant that sometimes you did receive letters but never in such a manner or such a style. They were usually in pastel envelopes; written by little kids with lots of doodles, sprayed with some overwhelming floral scent. And, they were charming indeed but this was allure inside of mystery.

You sit down at the table close to the window and open the envelope carefully. Sometimes you think that anyone who works in your business and actually manages to succeed has to have some childlike innocence. When kids are the only ones writing you such letters it makes sense.

You lay the delicate piece of paper and start to read.

Allow this letter not to alarm you in the slightest. I have come to notice some others on your counter a few days ago and deemed this to be the best way to approach you with an inquiry. Please, read it completely before you make your final judgement. Do you happen to believe in the afterlife? Do you happen to be religious yourself? Even if the answer to these two questions is a resounding no (which I have no way of knowing, I assure you) - please consider this offer. You have been chosen as someone who can help create a bigger order amongst the three realms. We, my young Master in particular, believes in the power that can bring about a more harmonious coexistence. We have already had humans come to our domain but expansions have started because of that previous success. I hope this manages to assuage your initial feelings and any possible fear you might have. We are demons, I must say. I believe there is no use in lying or manipulating you because we are approaching you with a noble idea and goal that you can help come to fruition. We are inviting humans that are experts in their fields to teach us even more and you have been chosen as one of them. If you hold any interest, please proceed to sign your name at the bottom right of this paper. If, however, you are not interested or are afraid – please place it back inside the envelope and it will automatically become ash. Discard it carefully. I urge you not to get hurt.

Now you wish that this letter was full of doodles with a cupcake in the middle of the sun. Who was pulling such a prank? Was this a lousy attempt of the baker 2 streets down to intimidate you for the upcoming cake contest? You have to give him credit for his imagination at least.

Who does he think he is to challenge you? Did he assume you would be afraid? Perhaps, you always were a bit too spiteful for your own good. And with that spite growing – you signed your name at the bottom right.

No need for fire and ash. No need to be scared of anything that this foolish letter stated. Right?

“I would like to extend my outmost thanks for signing the letter.”

What? What was that voice? Fucking hell, how big is the joke the other baker is playing? You will be sure to leave him a 2 star review because only his cookies were decent but all you can do right now is turn around to the direction of the deep voice.

10 steps behind you, and next to your entrance door, stands a man that reminds you of the moon. He has perfect posture and an overwhelming presence. He holds a hand over his chest and looks at you with eyes that cause reminiscence – you always wanted to get lost in such a magical sea.

He is smiling at you but once he notices the shocked expression, he stops and raises one eyebrow. You’re both quiet. Well, this certainly is not that annoying baker. So, maybe, perhaps, possibly, in some way: the letter was not a joke?

“Please don’t tell me you did the same impulsive thing as the human that is a writer. Did you, by any chance, sign this letter thinking it was a joke?”

Obviously, you fucking did. I mean come on?? Three realms?? Demons?? Who would believe such a thing? Really, your spite got the best of you.

“You are not answering and I suppose that much is an answer in itself. Before you express a desire to cancel it out, I have to let you know; that is a legally binding contract and if you try to break it the punishment will be severe. When I say legally binding, I mean by the laws of hell itself. But, do not be alarmed. Please.”

The personification of the moon asks if sitting at the table would be okay and begins to explain to you all of the things in detail. He does it with clear words and you can’t help but believe that this idea seems promising. And this man, while cold and collected, does not seem like a threat.

Truthfully, you have achieved such a big success already. Baking is art and as an artist it was always the main goal. Learn more. Consider yourself a student as long as you live. Be sure to take any opportunity because it means growth. After all, you’ve gotten this far using those ideals. Wouldn’t it be a shame to throw them away now?

“And rest assured. You will be completely safe in the Devildom. I have been personally tasked with assuring your safety.”

You’ve come to learn that his name was Barbatos – meaning philosopher in some old book you’ve read. It is so odd that someone new seems so dependable. Because of this you ask him the question any sane person would.

“Would you like a cupcake?”

Yes, that indeed is the question any sane person would ask in your field. You already know there is no way to back out of this; not unless you wish to endanger your life. So, why not start an adventure if you already must?

You give Barbatos a cupcake and turn the sign to closed before going back behind the counter. The sign won’t change in the following year until you are free from the damned contract. You get overwhelmed with the realization that the sun’s rays will seep in but have nobody to actually greet once you leave. You realize how much you are going to miss this place. How are you supposed to leave it behind just like that?

You touch your pocket and take out your phone. If you must leave and abandon this, then so be it – but you will have some tangible memories of your dedication. You need to have some tangible memories of this glowing morning.

You start to take photos. Of what? The bowl of small chocolates that people can grab on the way out and bring to others that they love. The door decorated with flowers. The very counter you stand behind and the rays of light that are on it. The seating arrangement, the wall with your achievements, clippings from magazines, newspapers and reviews. Yes, you even take a photo of the child’s drawings with a cupcake inside of the sun. How ridiculous. And, oh, how much you’re going to miss this.

The very last photo you take is of Barbatos. He is sitting at the table, looking outside the window. Maybe you shouldn’t but – he looks like he belongs here for whatever reason. And, deep down, you wish to remember him like this. Inside of a peaceful moment. You press the click and he turns around. He doesn’t say anything – he offers a slight smile. In that moment you freeze and realize that in his peaceful moment the smile reminds you of childlike love.

Perhaps the following year will not be so bad after all.

“They call you the best in all of the three realms?” “Indeed.” “You put lemon-honey- syrup in your baklava. I refuse to believe you deserve it.”

Just because he reminds you of the moon and the deep waters; just because he gives you peace – it does not mean that professionally you will allow yourself to be inferior to him. Finding comfort with slight bickering became your idea of heaven and light in this place of darkness and hell-fire.

#obey me #obey me shall we date #barbatos #om! barbatos #barbatos x reader #barbatos x mc #obey me imagines #obey me fic #obey me barbatos #crack #kinda #fluff #also kinda #obey me headcanons #this started out as headcanons but i turned it into a fic cus #ya its barbatos come on #yall i cant cook or bake like i had no other way for this idea #should i write all my fics without caps letters it looks so pretty i know thats a trend #but like im an english major BIG AND SMALL LETTERS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME

182 notes · View notes

cheri-translates · 3 years

Text

[CN] S2 Gavin - The Stories Project

🍒 Warning: Detailed spoilers for content not yet released in EN!🍒

Trigger warning: Mentions of suicide

Features S2 Gavin but contains no spoilers regarding the S2 storyline

This is a continuation of The Broadcast Countdown Project. Do read that first!

[ This was released on 25 August 2021 ]

[ Chapter One ]

Gavin and I are standing outside Door 501 of the 7th block in Pavilion Village.

This is also the home of Zhang Nian, the kidnapper who handed me an anonymous letter in the TV station before eventually committing suicide.

A thorough investigation of the case involving the anonymous kidnapper and his suicide has ended. The STF has also removed the cordoning around the scene.

I liaised with the TV station, planning to showcase the incident from start to end in a special episode of the show which will be aired in the last episode of “Inquiries”.

Gavin: This used to be a crime scene. If you’re afraid, wait for me here. If you need any materials, I can head inside and find them for you.

MC: It’s okay, I don’t avoid such things... Also, I have a feeling that there’s definitely something behind this case worth seeing in person.

The husband and wife who were kidnapped had related the details to me, and mentioned that even though Zhang Nian had kidnapped them, they weren’t treated harshly at all.

It’s just that Zhang Nian was deaf and couldn't speak. He could only communicate with them with hems and haws, which ended up frightening them.

In hindsight, they realised that Zhang Nian never harboured malicious intentions towards them.

MC: What was Zhang Nian’s goal and what did he want to tell us? The answers to these riddles... they might be hidden here.

Gavin pushes the door open, and we step into Zhang Nian’s house.

Gavin: This place was sealed off since the incident, which is why the arrangement of furniture we’re looking at is the same as when he was still alive.

In contrast to the dim and cold space I had imagined, the living room is well lit.

The cream coloured wood flooring, a white cloth sofa, a simple wall painting of the ocean... all of these elements set off one another in the indolent afternoon sunlight, displaying a warm atmosphere.

MC: This place gives me such a strange feeling... the person who lived here must have really loved life...

Gavin: His fiancée decorated this place.

Gavin taps on a magnet on the refrigerator. Tiny colourful slips of paper are stuck underneath zebra, bunny, and elephant magnets.

“Special discount for wax gourds on Tuesday, special discount for pork ribs on Thursday.” - It’s as though the weekly booklet of discounts from the supermarket had been copied down.

“Invitation cards, wedding dress, decide on the hotel.” - The ring which had rolled onto the zebra crossing in the news immediately flashes across my mind.

Aside from that, they have simple recipes on them.

MC: What a pity. If that incident didn’t happen, they would have had a perfect life here.

Gavin: All the furnishings and decor came to a halt when the incident happened to Xu Wen. He did everything he could to retain traces of her existence. As for his own life...

Gavin opens the refrigerator, showing me that it’s more or less empty aside from condiments which had been used a few times.

White cold mist hover in the empty space, out of sync with the warm tones in the living room.

Gavin: This too.

He opens a wall cabinet to reveal a few boxes of ordinary flavoured cup noodles. The incandescent light in the cabinet is chilly, shining on plastic film surrounding the cup noodles.

Imagining the taste of cup noodles submerged in MSG, I once again turn towards the recipes stuck on the refrigerator.

Gavin shuts the cabinet, then points at the bedroom.

Gavin: MC, I want to show you something.

[ Chapter Two ]

Gavin: During the investigation, we found these.

Gavin guides me to the bookcase, then pulls open a drawer at the bottom.

MC: A disability ID, marriage certificate, graduation certificate, guarantee card for a hearing aid and a bank book...

Gavin: We checked his background. He grew up in an orphanage.

Gavin: Back then, the orphanage didn’t have adequate facilities, and didn’t have teachers or special medical setups for guiding people with hearing issues. He was always reclusive in the orphanage, and didn't have friends.

Gavin: When he was ten years old, people from the orphanage and community sent him to school.

While saying this, Gavin retrieves a pile of books from the drawer and shows them to me - they are all sketchbooks, and the pages have long since turned yellow. It’s evident that they were here for a very long time.

MC: He can draw?

Gavin: In these books, there are some sketches of streets and still life. Some are comics modelled after existing works. Although I don’t know much about art, I think he could draw pretty well.

While flipping through the pages, I find myself affected by the exquisite details conveyed in these drawings.

Perhaps because he didn’t go through systematic training, he wasn’t limited to one style in the way he expressed his art.

A distinct and unique style leaving a deep impression seems to break through the sheets of paper, revealing the emotions the artist had hidden in his heart.

MC: ...he must have been a really talented artist.

Gavin points at the wall - there’s a sketch hanging on it. It takes up almost half of the wall, and it’s mounted in a white frame.

MC: The person in the drawing is Xu Wen.

MC: ...it’s drawn really well.

Gavin releases a “mm”, and is unable to hold back a sigh.

Gavin: Extraordinarily well.

It doesn’t matter if it resembles the actual person. It doesn’t matter if it was meticulous or not.

The person in the drawing has her eyes curved upwards with a smile on her face, and she looks like any other young girl you can find in a crowd.

But the limitless gentleness and happiness contained in her eyes - that’s a unique feature belonging only to one person.

Gavin: They seemed to be schoolmates. I read through Xu Wen’s background - she graduated from the same school for deaf students. But there weren't any questionable points in this case, which is why we didn’t probe further. If you want to know the specifics, we'd have to investigate again.

My heart hovers in the air, wanting to figure out everything about this matter.

But from the STF’s perspective, this case is already closed...

Gavin gives me an affirmative gaze.

Gavin: I know what you're going to say. I want to continue listening to this story too. He wasn’t able to speak, but he left behind a voice that he hoped for others to hear.

After a pause, he turns his head, once again glancing at the drawing hanging on the wall.

Gavin: I can feel such emotions.

Gavin says this softly, and the light in his eyes grow deeper.

Floating dust in the surroundings gather on Xu Wen's portrait. We stand in this warm and tranquil space, as though we can sense their story surging forth without a sound.

[ Chapter Three ]

After this, Gavin and I gather information about Zhang Nian and Xu Wen from various sources.

A few days alter, we arrange to meet at a cafe to exchange materials collected from our individual investigations.

MC: I found the teacher from the school for deaf students. He said that when Zhang Nian first arrived at the school, he didn’t even know how to use sign language. He was gloomy and blue.

MC: Only Xu Wen knew how to converse with him, and would teach him sign language after school.

MC: After learning of his interest in drawing, she used her pocket money to buy him colouring pencils and drawing paper in secret without her parents’ knowledge.

MC: They had a pretty happy time in school. Zhang Nian even organised a small exhibition in school, and many teachers and students supported it.

MC: But after graduation, his days became a little more difficult.

He didn’t have a place to stay, and he couldn’t find work. While Xu Wen could rely on her parents for financial assistance, he could only rely on himself.

MC: During this time, Xu Wen seemed to have been using her parents’ money to buy him stationery for drawing, and even accompanied him to set up a stall for his paintings...

MC: But they couldn’t earn money at all.

Gavin opens a few files in front of me.

Gavin: Afterwards, he found a job in a finance company. He went around conducting financial transactions for people, and earned commissions based on the number of successful transactions.

Gavin: Not long after, this company was reported for illegal fund-raising. Both he and his boss were jailed for three years.

I recall seeing his ID from before - a crew cut and a white shirt along with a black suit which looked tidy and fitting.

Turns out he wasn’t working at a bank...

Gavin: Even during his time in jail, Xu Wen never gave up on him. She’d visit him every weekend and converse with him via sign language from across the glass.

Gavin: Of course, Zhang Nian behaved very well in jail, and gave his own drawings to many prison guards. After he was out of jail, he found a stable job.

Separated by the scorching 3pm afternoon sunlight, the gaze Gavin gives me is deep with a tranquil light.

Gavin: Do you know why he planned this kidnapping and handed you the video clip anonymously?

I shake my head. This has been my biggest question.

Gavin takes out a few photographs from the file.

Gavin: Before the case was closed, these documents couldn’t be disclosed to the public, which is why I didn’t tell you at the time.

I scrutinise one of the photographs - an A3-sized sheet of paper is stuck on a door, with a few lines written on it.

From the format of the digits, they appear to be bank account numbers.

Gavin: He was behind this door.

MC: Then these bank account numbers...

Gavin: We checked them.

He points at the first line of digits, then speaks calmly.

Gavin: The first account is for an animal treatment centre. It treats stray cats and dogs which meet with accidents.

Gavin: This one is for a 10 year old girl with hearing issues. She lives with a granny who sells fruits, and is currently saving money for surgery.

Gavin: The both of them had a habit of sending money to these accounts.

Gavin: Even though Zhang Nian continued sending money to them after Xu Wen passed away, he could only maintain his own livelihood with his income.

MC: What you’re saying is, if the video camera could capture this... and document them properly so that more people would know about them...

Perhaps he could help these people. Even if it was for the last time.

MC: ...but that was such a complex method. There was no need to do a good deed in such a roundabout manner, and even kidnap people to reach that goal.

Gavin silently picks up one of the photos from the table - it’s a note that Zhang Nian wrote before he committed suicide. A short message is written on it - It’s Wen Wen’s birthday today.

Gavin: Aside from that, he more or less did think of seeking revenge.

Gavin’s finger remains on the photograph.

Gavin: In Zhang Nian’s life, Xu Wen was the only one who gave him warmth. She was his lover.

Gavin: After losing such a person, it isn’t difficult to guess what kind of an attitude he had when facing this world, and facing the people who caused such an ending.

Gavin: When people are in pain, their hatred will involuntarily become amplified.

Gavin: From this perspective, at least he didn't take things even further.

Gavin’s voice is dull, as though he’s mulling over something, or affected by their misfortune.

I can’t help but reach across the table, gently bumping the tip of his finger with mine.

Silence permeates the air. He curls his finger slightly, hooking it around mine.

[ Chapter Four ]

The files, photographs, and a few scattered pages of a notebook are spread on the table randomly, as though illustrating their entire story in front of me.

The car accident was a tragedy, but it wasn’t the only tragedy. I find myself hesitating to speak. When I open my mouth, I sigh.

MC: Xu Wen was such a good person. She tugged onto him from beginning to end, and never gave up on him for a single moment. She actually managed to pull him out of the abyss.

Even though she couldn’t hear nor speak, she used her gentle gaze to heal the person she loved.

Gavin tidies the items on the table one by one, storing them properly.

His composed voice is mixed with ruefulness. He seems to be slightly moved, but has more or less come to terms with his emotions.

Gavin: From the perspective of an observer, there were many dismal and extreme traits in Zhang Nian’s personality. This is a point that can’t be denied.

Gavin: However, he was abandoned from the moment he was born. The path he walked on all these years, and the world that he saw - those are things we’d find difficult to relate with.

Gavin: Perhaps from the time he knew about the world, he realised that living was already something requiring courage.

Probably seeing such stories again and again when handling various cases, Gavin’s attitude is objective and calm.

Gavin: No matter what attitude he had when he made this decision, he shouldn’t have done so.

In contrast to the practised manner in which Gavin handles his emotions, I remain immersed in the regretful ending experienced by the two.

MC: Aside from her, he had nothing else.

The furniture, the recipes underneath the magnets, and the drawing hung on the wall... these images flash past me one by one.

MC: If I were the one who experienced this, and the only important person in my life was gone, I’d lose my connection with this world. Perhaps death would be a form of liberation.

Before I can finish speaking, Gavin raises his voice, cutting off my impending sigh.

Gavin: It wouldn’t.

He looks at me resolutely and decisively.

Gavin: No matter when, death will never be a form of liberation. Pain can always be treated.

Gavin: Whether it’s because someone important is no longer around, or if you were to lose contact with someone, it’s inevitable to carry some pain.

Gavin: Perhaps time is needed, and perhaps meeting a certain someone is needed, to gradually put an end to such pain, and to use various methods to put an end to such pain.

Gavin: But things will always get better.

Gavin seals the brown paper bag which is filled with materials related to Zhang Nian and Xu Wen, then places it at the corner of the table which has been warmed by the sun.

I watch as his palm presses against the paper bag, a moment of hesitation surging past his slightly lowered gaze. Almost at the same time, he looks up at me -

There’s only certainty in his eyes.

Gavin: No matter when, never give up on yourself. Xu Wen was constantly pulling him out of the abyss. He shouldn’t have given up like that.

[ Chapter Five ]

By the time Gavin and I walk out of the cafe, much of the sun’s heat has dispersed. Wind blows over from the river, and it’s refreshing and soothing.

Countless little flowers with names I’m unaware of bloom among the grass along the street, swaying in the evening breeze of midsummer.

MC: The weather is really nice today.

After sitting down for an entire afternoon, I can’t help but stretch, relaxing my shoulders and back.

Before I can take a few steps, I suddenly remember the moment I met Zhang Nian face-to-face, causing me to halt in my footsteps. He had walked towards me in a timid manner, a sincere and apologetic expression on his face.

He had handed me a letter, its edges creased from being pinched. Then, he turned away hurriedly before running away.

Too much time has passed. Even his Evol has lost its effectiveness.

Gavin senses that something is off about me, and draws a few steps closer. I wave my hand at him, signalling that I’m fine.

Having second thoughts, I can’t help but sigh with emotion.

MC: If only Zhang Nian was willing to contact me earlier and tell me about what exactly happened...

MC: If only I could tell him how nice today’s weather is. I wonder if he’d have made such a decision.

Gavin responds decisively from beside me.

Gavin: He wouldn’t.

Gavin: If someone told him that the weather would be nice today, he’d have definitely held on for a while longer.

Gavin: But he couldn’t always wait for someone to pull him along and bring him out of the abyss. He had to muster his courage and walk out by himself.

I nod quietly, gripping the notebook in my hand.

MC: Gavin, aside from the original plan for this episode, I think I’d need to add some new content...

Gavin halts in his footsteps, immediately reading the thoughts in my heart.

Gavin: Are you thinking about how there are many people in the world like Zhang Nian?

MC: Mm.

There are definitely some people who are shouldering pain alone, and are hesitating at the crossroads of life and death.

MC: Although this tragedy can no longer be salvaged, we could prevent even more tragedies from occurring.

I turn towards the direction of the river, looking afar at the boundless sky.

MC: I want to tell them about the beautiful scenery all around the world, and the beauty of the four seasons.

MC: Tell them about the colours of sunset, the sounds of the ocean...

MC: And tell them that as long as they’re willing to wait for a while longer, there are still people on earth who will love them.

MC: I want their eyes to be able to see the world that I see. I want them to believe that this world is always worth it.

Realising how overly idealistic and visionary my words are, I give Gavin a smile.

MC: ...I might have sounded too exaggerated.

Gavin: Nope. It will be a very meaningful show.

He suddenly reaches out, combing my hair which has been blown messy by the wind. His fingers linger on the ends of my hair for a long time.

The corners of his lips curl upwards slightly, and he brings me into his arms.

Gavin: Thank you.

Gavin: This world is always worth it.

His voice is far too soft. For a moment, I wonder if I misheard.

MC: What did you say? I couldn’t hear you clearly.

Gavin chuckles, then raises his volume.

Gavin: Since the weather’s pretty good, want to go for a drive?

MC: Did you drive here today?

Gavin: Mm. It’s rare to have such nice weather, so I took the car out for a drive.

MC: Wow~ That is rare. It’s been such a long time since I sat in Captain Gavin’s car.

Gavin takes my hand, striding with large steps as he leads me forward.

Gavin: Let’s go. The car’s in front.

- End -

Filming for the special episode of “Inquries” came to an end. When the final episode aired, the show became a trending topic. After watching it, many members of the audience provided assistance and support for organisations targeted at disabled individuals. Although Zhang Nian and Xu Wen have already left this world, they’ve enabled people who experience difficulties in life to obtain warmth. Such warmth continues to last. I guess being able to allow more people to believe that the world is worth loving, and to do what little they can to help those in need is what it means to be a person in the media industry.

More S2 content: here

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc gavin

52 notes · View notes

glitter-bullet · 2 years

Text

Light&Night Translation: 爱与陪伴

Thanks to both our efforts, the area that had been empty before, was now decorated in a warm and loving way. Several round cushions were placed in the corner, next to it, toys and little hats for the dogs were neatly arranged on a shelf.

I was sitting on a cushion with a fluffy yellow dog laying next to me, with "Cheese" written on the banana that was tied around his neck.

MC: "Are all the dogs here adopted by Li Yu?" Xiao Yi: "Most of them are." Xiao Yi: "There are a few of them rescued by benefactors and sent here for different reasons."

I noticed that some of the dogs carried scars or other marks of past injuries, like Cheese, whose tail was shorter compared to the other dogs. Noticing my stare, Cheese looked up at me with shining eyes, and wagged its tail. I couldn't refrain from reaching out to pat Cheese's head, but it withdrew from me, seemingly frightened.

MC: "Ah... What happened just now?" Xiao Yi: "It's a stress reaction, it might have feared that you would hit it." MC: "Why? Did something happen in its past?" Xiao Yi: "Well, I don't know for sure what happened, but it seems it had not lived a happy life before." Xiao Yi: "Stray animals may not just starve or get wet outside in the rain, but could also become a target for people to vent their anger."

Xiao Yi's words made my heart feel heavy, and I thought of the animals at Xiao Yi's place. It's a good thing that the dogs here are no longer straying outside, and, like Xiao Xiao Er*, have met good people.

I looked up at Xiao Yi, who looked at me with a smile on his face. Time seemed to stretch as we looked at each other, and everything slowed down until violent barking broke the silence.

MC: "What's going on?"

Following the sound, I found Cheese barking angrily at a big dog named Black.

Xiao Yi: "It's alright, leave it to me."

Xiao Yi walked quickly to the "crime scene" and took Cheese and Black away, and tied them in different corners of the room. Despite the distance between them, Cheese continued to bark at Black, and it took a while until it calmed down again.

MC: “Do they not get along?” Xiao Yi: "No, it's just that Cheese is afraid of Black." MC: “Eh? But it was barking so ferociously, and Black was looking rather intimidated." Xiao Yi: "To put it simply, Cheese was just 'bluffing’." Xiao Yi: "Don't be fooled by the barking, what it's really saying is "Don't come any closer!"

Xiao Yi's imitation made me laugh, but recalling the scene, Cheese was indeed backing away even while barking fiercely.

MC: "So, will they fight when we aren't here?" Xiao Yi: "They might, but with proper training, situations like these can be avoided. MC: "It sounds like you have experience with this." Xiao Yi: "You can say that. Xiao Xiao Er had several bad habits when it just arrived.” Xiao Yi: "It chewed on a lot of my belongings, and often bared its teeth to me." MC: "I haven't noticed any of those bad habits." Xiao Yi: "Li Yu asked me to help him out several times, usually to teach him about dog training." MC: "Of course, it would be bad if the dogs misbehaved around guests." Xiao Yi: "It's also that they want guests to be able to take the dogs home to take care of them." MC: "It's not an easy task, I really admire Li Yu and Qiao Yun.” MC: "If Snowball doesn't get a new owner within a few months, we can take it home, right?" Xiao Yi: "Of course, since having you, the family has been expanding and becoming more lively, and that's not a bad thing at all."

*) One of the dogs Xiao Yu takes care of. Except for the turtle whose name "Xiao Huolong/萧火龙" is a joke on how Charmander is called in China), they are all named Xiao Xiao (萧小), followed by a number. The cat is called Xiao Xiao Yi (1), and three dogs are called Xiao Xiao Er (2), Xiao Xiao San (3), Xiao Xiao Si (4). He nicknamed the heroine Xiao Xiao Wu (5). Translation Index

#光与夜之恋 #Light and Night #光与夜之恋 Translation #Light and Night Translation #Light & Night #犬与好天气 #Osborn #Xiao Yi #Ahh i couldn't get the sentences to flow nicely this time #today was my final working day before my day off #so i've gradually become more tired lately #i keep the scripts of all the translations I put on here #so maybe I'll come back to it and revise it here and there #but even in this current state #it should be good as a translation at least #Hope everyone is enjoying weekend (❁´◡`❁)

7 notes · View notes

themonotonysyndrome · 4 years

Text

Successors to the Future

I like to get lost on Tumblr when work becomes frustrating and I was immediately inspired by the Second Wive AU from @tri3tri!

If you’re a TW’s fan and enjoy reading yandere content, you just gotta check @tri3tri out. They’re one of the best yandere content creator for the TW fandom!

And since I’ve been playing Blazblue Centralfiction a lot lately and love badass girls, this plot bunny won’t leave me alone and so I want to add a little something to their amazing AU.

FD/N = First daughter’s name/Renata Draconia (half-human, half dark Fae Princess. Malleus & MC’s eldest child)

SD/N = Second daughter’s name/Sherrie or Cherry Draconia (half-human, half-dark Fae Princess. Malleus & MC’s middle child)

S/S = Son’s name/Lucien Draconia (half-human, half-dark Fae Prince and the heir to the throne. Malleus & MC’s youngest child).

MC/S = MC’s surname

“Oh. My. God. What did you do!?”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry! I got it all under control!”

“Under control - the pasta is on fire! How the - ”

“I can fix this! ...I think?”

“Move. You’re a human disaster, you know that? I told you to wait for me if you’re planning to cook dinner! Now the kitchen looks like an eldritch god just threw up! Mama is gonna be so sad when she gets home.”

“I tried yelling for you, but you were too busy livestreaming Among Us to hear me! Now help me scrap the pasta off the pot while I clean the counter before Mama gets - .”

“Sweethearts?”

Both teenage girls yelp at the sudden voice and instantly turn around. The pot of burned pasta clattered on the dirtied floor. MC looks around her kitchen in exasperation. She was wondering why none of her children didn’t greet her as soon as she got home from work. When she heard bickering from the kitchen, she saw her daughters were frantically cleaning up the mess that was Renata attempt at cooking dinner.

But instead of being upset over it, MC just shakes her head fondly.

“Did you use your fire magic to cook the pasta, sweetie?”

Renata sheepishly scratch her cheek in embarrassment. “I thought it might boil the pasta a lot faster...”

Her younger sister gape at her admittance. MC just smiles as Sherrie proceed to lecture her older sister about using her magic to cook while Renata slowly inch closer to her so she could hide from her sister’s wrath behind their mother.

MC will never get tired of seeing her children so comfortable and vivacious in their own home. A stark difference when they were all living at that place back then. She could still remember how Renata barely smile, barely interact with anyone that wasn’t her parents and little sister. Her Sherrie weren’t any better. Back then, she was too young to understand why the castle’s servants would whisper that the King’s daughters were imperfect because of their human halves. Why their lingering and judgemental eyes would upset her so.

MC could bear being a pet bird living in a gilded cage, could bear Sebek’s condescending remarks, Lilia’s cruel smiles, Silver’s guilty passiveness and even Malleus’ lack of empathy. What she couldn’t bear was how her daughters were treated at the castle. They expected their Princesses to be as aloof and noble as their father, but refused to acknowledge that they were children first and foremost. Refused to accept their human side.

And when the announcement were made public that Malleus would take a second wife to provide him a male heir at the behest of his council, MC decides that it’s time to leave.

Especially when she saw how the news broke her eldest child. That night, she was frightened at how intense Renata hatred of her father. While she could care less about Malleus taking in another woman into the castle, MC never thought that his second marriage would be an act of betrayal to her daughter.

At that moment, MC knew that if they were to stay in that place any longer, she would’ve lost her daughter to her own hatred. They needed to go, they needed to escape.

And so in the dead of the night while the entire Valley of Thorns were celebrating over their king’s second marriage and superior wife, MC and her children scurried away to the only place she could think of.

Night Raven College.

She didn’t know when Lilia or anyone else in the castle would realise her and their princesses’ disappearance, so she begged a stunned Dire Crowley who thought she had died when no one could find her after Malleus graduated to send her home.

The headmaster finally came through for her and her confused, distraught children. Crowley had quietly explained that he already found a way to send her back to her own world years ago. However, she disappeared before he could tell her. A quick glance at the two little girls alongside her and he couldn’t help but grimace with deep guilt.

As atonement, Crowley hurried to grab a few books and journal that he can find about the fae court (both dark and light) and their magic. He pressed the materials into MC’s arms and explained that after she and her daughters step into the mirror, he will shatter and destroy any remaining fragments so that Malleus and his men could never find them ever again. However, MC must teach her daughters about their Fae side and how to glamour their otherworldly features from humans.

MC tackled the headmaster in a hug with tearful eyes, grateful that he could help them. They were then ushered into the mirror and finally, finally, her nightmare was over.

Years have passed since that night. With each passing seasons and being able to explore the world without Malleus’ oppressive court, the castle servants and his retainers, her daughters flourish into amazing young girls.

Their little brother equally so.

As Renata try to persuade Sherrie to allow her to use her magic to clean the kitchen up, MC asks, “By the way, where’s your brother? I’ll just order some takeaway for dinner. They should arrive soon.” As she said this, she already whips out her phone to order their food.

“He was napping in his room.” Sherrie reply her as she wipes the stove clean. Renata grumbled under her breath as she was made to mop the floor manually.

Mc thanked her and left the kitchen to wake her son up. Her son was the unexpected gift that they were blessed with after they crossed to her world. She didn’t expect to be pregnant, but consider how feverishly Malleus made love to her as his way to console her that the other woman and his second marriage would mean nothing to him and that she would still be the only woman he truly loves, MC really should have known.

It was so difficult to hide her joy that with the presence of a second wife, it would mean that Malleus would focus more on the other woman. Which meant Lilia would also need to make sure that she would learn all the proper court etiquette and Silver and Sebek would need to arrange the proper security for her as Malleus’ concubine.

The arrival of her son was unexpected, but dearly welcome by her and his older sisters. Although MC was not able to give her daughters the childhood that they should have, she made sure that her son - Lucien - was raised in an environment that allowed him to be a normal child.

Well, as normal as a half human and half fae could be.

Shaking the lump underneath the thick duvet, she receives a tired groan.

“Wake up, dear. Go freshen up. We’re having dinner in a little while.”

Worming his way out of the duvet, Lucien poke his head out and smile blearily at her. “Welcome home, Mama...”

MC pressed a quick peck on his forehead before ruffling his dishevelled hair. Her son looks so much like Malleus except he inherited her eyes and soft heart. While her oldest daughter is a carbon copy of Malleus and her second daughter looks exactly like her but with Malleus’ green eyes.

She’s so happy that she can provide her children that life that they deserve.

Dinner that night was as lively as usual. Renata was still riding high from her sweet sixteen birthday party that they just had last two days ago. It was quite a celebration and it ended with the revelation of her Unique Magic. Since it was a warm Summer evening, the small family enjoy their meal at the garden outside.

“ - we should totally play Among Us together! Including you, Mama! I think you’d love it!” Sherrie gushes after she pushes her glass of water away.

Renata gasped as if affronted. “Are you trying to tear this family apart!? The moment we suspect someone is the imposter, it’s anarchy unleash!”

Sherrie rolled her eyes at her oldest sister need for the dramatics. “Oh please, you live for the anarchy. You’re the one who started the fire when we played last time.”

Lucien winced as he recalled their last gameplay. “It was a mess. Everyone couldn’t stop accusing one another. My classmates even swore they wouldn’t dare to play with you ever again.”

MC smiles to herself as her children chatted with one another. It always warms her heart to see how close the siblings are to one another. From the stoic and hateful little girl, Renata had grown to be a playful and brilliant young woman. Brilliant in terms of magic. Even from a young age, Renata could control her elemental magic well. MC still remembered how wide she would smile whenever Malleus praises her during their training. After coming to this world, she continued to mastered her magic with the helps of the materials that Crowley provided them. By the age of 14 years old, MC realised that her creativity had led her to combine her elemental magic into an arsenals of powerful spells.

They decide to celebrate her newfound skills out to dinner.

And with the recent discovery of her Unique Magic - Observer - their family is aware that Renata has been experimenting with it almost every day.

“Oh yeah, uh, Mama?” Renata suddenly broke MC from her train of thought. Beside her, Sherrie and Lucien are comparing their two favourite games.

“Yes, dear?”

“Umm... Last night I Observed myself and something came up.” Renata began to explain and she started to fidget in her seat.

MC grows concern over her daughter’s hesitant expression.

“What is it dear? Is something wrong with your Unique Magic?”

“No, no, everything’s fine! It’s just that, well, so you know my Unique Magic give me the ability to observe my possibilities, right? Well, 99% of my possibilities shows that I’m going to participate in Night Raven College’s entrance ceremony soon.” Renata explains.

“Say what?” Sherrie suddenly intervene, eyes wide in surprise. Their own conversation paused.

MC could feel her blood froze at her daughter’s words. Suddenly, she no longer has any appetite for dinner.

“Night Raven College?” Lucien asked, confused at the sudden tension in the air. “I remember Mama said she studied at a place call Night Raven College.”

MC wanted to spare her son what she and her daughters had been through in Twisted Wonderland. But at the same time, she didn’t want to hide their past from him. So he told her all about Twisted Wonderland and Night Raven College. Of the good friends she made during her time at the school. About all sorts of shenanigans they got themselves into.

About a dark fae that she could see herself falling in love with at the beginning of their friendship, but that became a distant dream when Malleus let his fear of her mortality and his selfish, draconic desire to hoard her all to himself overwhelmed him.

No matter how much she tried to pleaded with him, reasoned with him, Malleus refused to yield. He threatened to harm her friends should she ever think of anyone other than him and gave her all the luxury in a world while locking her up in castle full with creatures who believe they’re superior to humans.

Lucien was stricken when she told him everything. In the end, all MC could do was smile sadly and told him that while Malleus might have love her and his children, in the end, it doesn’t mean anything when he allow his own council to dictate that Renata was not suitable to become his heiress just because she’s a girl.

In the dead of the night when Renata couldn’t sleep after they settled down in this world, she went to MC and with tearful eyes yet resolute face, her daughter informed her that she never wanted to be Malleus’ heiress. Having a taste of freedom, everything that this world has to offer to her and the loving support of her family, Renata knew she could be so, so much more than a mere Queen to a backwater country and its people.

And so the thought of her going back to Twisted Wonderland - where Malleus would no doubt still be searching for them - scares MC.

“Is there a way to prevent it?” MC quietly asks, though in her heart, she knows the answer to her own question.

Renata regretfully shake her head. “I can’t make the 1% where I don’t go back to Twisted Wonderland into a reality.”

“And why not?” Sherrie demanded.

“Because in that possibility, I’ll die here from Overblotting.” Renata dryly reply.

That’s the drawback of her daughter’s Unique Magic. While she could observe her every possibilities and acknowledge one and turn it into a reality, Renata can only see hers and not other people’s. Not only that, she cannot changed the many paths that had been laid in front of her. She can only observe and choose. Not altered.

Both Sherrie and Lucien flinch. MC shove the image of her daughter dying as a monster into the back of her mind. Renata lowered her head slightly.

“I... I don’t want to go back there.” Renata whispers. “I want to stay here. All my friends are here.” She raises her head when MC hold her hand and squeeze it comfortingly.

She needs to be strong for her children. Being a single mother wasn’t easy. They used to live with her parents and they were pillars of endless support to MC and her children. They didn’t turned her away when she appeared out of nowhere after months of disappearance with two horned children in tow. Instead, they helped raised and care for her children when she’s out working under long corporate hours.

The kids adore their grandparents and were heartbroken when they passed away.

But by that time, MC was financially secure to move her family into a new house and support her little family all on her own. She understood what it meant to be strong for her children and she will continue to be just as strong.

So with a sigh, MC narrowed her eyes and said, “If we can’t change the outcome, then we will do out best to prepare for everything that will stand in your way, Renata.” All three of her precious children jerk their heads towards her. She press on, “Each one of you posses your own strength; and I don’t mean magical capabilities. Your oldest sister’s greatest strength is her creativity when it comes to magic, Sherrie possess an intelligent mind for planning and strategising and you, my son, I’ve seen how big your heart is. You understands that compassion isn’t a weakness and that’s something the faes from the Valley of Thorns can never understand.”

Sherrie interrupt her speech with an abashed expression. “Uh, I don’t think me playing Total War: Rome II counts as a mastermind, Mama.” She sheepishly said.

Her attempt at the joke lessen the heavy mood a little when Lucien giggle and Renata crack a smile. It’s amazing to see how much her children have grown.

MC playfully roll her eyes. “Be that as it may, what I’m trying to say was that we can help Renata survive in Twisted Wonderland by doing our damn best to prepare her.”

Renata nodded eagerly while Sherrie and Lucien cheer.

And so MC clap her hands once and her children sat straight. “Let’s turn this into a family project. Now, sweetheart, do you know when the Ebony Carriage will pick you up?”

“Hang on, lemme check again...” Renata’s scleras suddenly tinted black and her green eyes glow brightly as she activates her Unique Magic. While she Observe all her possibilities, SD/N left the table to fetch her tablet while MC explains a bit more what being a student of Night Raven College would mean for Renata. After Sherrie sat back down at the table, Renata blink and her eyes return to normal. “I’ll be at the entrance ceremony two weeks from today. The headmaster is going to be so shocked when he sees me.”

MC hums. “Two weeks... we can work with two weeks. We need to prepare a countermeasure when it comes to your father. Words will surely spread that someone that looks like him is attending Night Raven College.”

“I can Observe further ahead what he will do once he realised that I’m there.” Renata said and furrowed her eyebrows, contemplating. “I need to test my magic against other people so I can see if I’m able to fight him or not.”

“Actually, I think I might have an idea on how to handle that.” Sherrie intervene. She’s holding a stylus pen and is scribbling something furiously on her tablet. Lucien crane his neck to see what his sister is writing, only to tilt his head in confusion.

As the family continue to brainstorm into late in the evening, MC silently swore to herself that she won’t leave her daughter all alone to defend herself in Twisted Wonderland. She doesn’t know how, but she will be there with her and still keep her children safe.

And then, the fateful day arrives.

“Next student, please come forth!”

“State thy name.”

“Renata MC/S...”

She said nothing when she heard Headmaster Crowley gasped beside her. “You - how!?

The Mirror of Darkness ignores him. “You were born with a different name, but live proudly under your mother’s legacy.”

“Damn right.” Renata smirks. “I’m my mother’s daughter first and foremost. I’ll continue to live as free as her.”

“Such conviction. You possess a deep desire to protect your loved ones which is both admirable and ambitious with the power that you were gifted with. Becaue of that, the shape of thy soul is a blazing green fire and towers of thorns that serve as your shield. You belong in Diasomnia.” The Mirror of Darkness declare.

The headmaster mutter something about fate playing a cruel joke on his once poor prefect.

And when the current Dorm Leader of Diasomia greeted her, he took a step back when he sees her face and horns. His eyes wide with shocked and words failed him. For every Diasomnia member had seen the tapestries of their previous Dorm Leader and especially one as great and terribly powerful as Malleus Draconia.

“Nice to meet you, senpai. My name is Renata MC/S.” She said as politely as possible. “I’ll do my best not to cause any trouble to this dorm.”

Renata tilt her head and pretend to look confused when her Dorm Leader continue to gape at the sight of her. Whispers of her true heritage and family began to circulate among the crowd.

At that moment, she recalled the advice given to her by her family:

“Don’t show off your spells. Ever. Lay low as much as you can. We can’t really control the rumour mill so let it travel on its own. While you’re there, gather all the intel you can about father and the current affairs in the Valley of Thorns. Anything that can be used against them. Also, you need to watch Bungou Stray Dogs with me. You can learn a thing or two from some of the characters in that anime.” Sherrie had said while showing her tablet and a messy flowchat of her plan. She tapped her stylus pen on the ‘Phase 1’ section with great importance.

“You need to keep your cool, big sis. You like to set the things that irritate you on fire. Like that girl’s handphone after she copied your test paper.” Lucien reminded her. Renata stucked her tongue out while Sherrie laughs.

“You need to make good friends, sweetie. Friends that can help you from the sideline. I have a list of people that might be able to help you against your father. I think it’s safe to assumed that their kids would also be attending Night Raven College too. Though some of them need to be offered a reward or be persuaded to help you first. Don’t worry, I’ll write down on how you can win them over.” MC assured her.

With her family supporting her even from another world, confidence in her magical abilities and a plan already in motion, Renata would not let her other so-called family trapped them ever again.

“It’s showtime...”

Did I really based Renata off Nine the Phantom? Hell yeah! I love her fighting style in the game. I HC that Renata is as badass as her.

I like to continue part 2 to this oneshot next week if my workload isn’t so crazy. I’m having so much fun writing for this wonderful AU!

#twisted wonderland #fanfic #twst mc #malleus draconia x mc #twst kids #Malleus and MC kids #yandere malleus draconia #Draconia Family series #Second Wive AU

274 notes · View notes

link4eva · 3 years

Text

Kiro’s Satisfaction Date Translation (完满之约) [CN] Part 1/2

Hey, everyone! I have a couple of short but important notes to give before reading.

I don’t actually know any Chinese so this translation was done through the power of Google Translate.

This translation contains spoilers for Kiro’s 2021 Birthday Date in the CN server. So if you wish to not be spoiled, please don’t look below the cut. There is a R&S to go along with this date which has been translated by the lovely @keliosyfan . I’ll put the link to it here! I definitely recommend reading that first before reading this date.

I tried posting this date earlier but Tumblr doesn’t seem like it can handle all the Kiro goodness in one go. So, this date is split into two parts to try and manage that. You can find the second part here! The call that comes with this date can be found here!

Hope you enjoy!~

*Spoliers for future content below!*

The melodious violin sound filled the lecture hall.

Kiro closed his eyes and the tip of his left finger pulsed gently on the strings of the violin, pulling out beautiful notes.

I stood behind the cameras in the last row of the lecture hall. As I was looking at him through the camera, I couldn’t pull my gaze away.

Kiro’s birthday was finally here, but this year, it is a bit more special.

He was invited by his high school alma mater to come to California for a special performance on his birthday.

And this also happened to be the site of Kiro’s special live birthday broadcast.

Kiro: I am very happy to be back today. I know that you must be very sleepy listening to the song just now, so….

Kiro raised the corners of his mouth, turned his head back and nodded slightly to the pianist on the side, and then lightly plucked the strings with his right hand; a crisp echo coming through.

Kiro: Let’s be happy.

The brisk piano sounded, and “Canon” flew in through everyone’s ears between Kiro’s fingertips and the plucked strings.

The students sitting in the lecture hall opened their eyes wide; it was almost as if the notes were like tiny birds flying around in the soft sunlight. *Took some liberty here.*

But this was just the beginning.

Whether it is “Caprice 24”, “Carmen Fantasia”, and other classical pieces, or adaptations of popular songs--

They were all under the influence of Kiro’s fingertips, full of vitality.

It seems that the light of the entire world is focused on him at this very moment, bright and dazzling.

The last piece performed seemed to be a little different from the ones previously. Kiro looked a little cautious. He looked at me from a distance and a smile slowly appeared on his face.

Kiro: The last piece is one that is special to me. It’s a bit rusty as I haven’t played it for many years.

Kiro: I hope you don’t mind.

He raised the bow, quietly stood still for a few seconds, and then began to play the first few notes.

The tune of this piece is very slow. It seems a bit lonely without the piano accompaniment.

Perhaps no one knows the meaning of this song except for Kiro. We are all his sharers, listening to him tell a story with only a melody.

Listening to this piece, I quietly looked at Kiro’s face and thought of the gift I had prepared for him. I fell into deep thought.

Soon, the piece was over.

Kiro bowed very formally and finally sat on the edge of the stage amidst the applause with his legs swinging in the air, holding the violin and looking at the audience in front.

Kiro: In fact, your principal invited me to come, hoping that I would tell you about my experience and give some advice.

Kiro: But I think you guys don’t want to listen to all that! After all, when I was a kid, I didn’t really like listening to other people’s suggestions.

In the end, his mumbling was infinitely amplified by the microphone, and the students sitting below laughed together.

Kiro: It’s everyone’s first time coming to this world. Just be happy and be yourself.

Kiro: I never felt that I was such a special person. Although, everyone would laugh at me when I said this.

Kiro: But I always think, I just have the most love and precious things in my life for me.

He lowered his head and looked at the violin in his arms then hummed a song and looked up in the direction where I was.

Kiro’s whole body seemed to be bathed in the sun, and his smiling eyes met mine.

Kiro: I don’t know if you have encountered it.

Kiro: For me, it has always been with me in countless moments of silence.

Kiro: It illuminates me and gives me the courage to keep going forward. *Took some liberty here.*

Kiro sat there quietly, peacefully, and sincerely.

Kiro: Today is my birthday. Thank you for your blessings. I also want to share this blessing with you.

Kiro: I wish you all find what you love the most, and stay true to yourselves.

Kiro: I wish that you will always be yourself.

[Second Part]

Kiro: MC, how did I do just now!

After making sure that the students had left, Kiro jumped off the stage and rushed to me.

The bangs on his forehead were drenched with sweat and they stuck together, revealing those bright and beautiful blue eyes.

MC: It can only be said that it is better than the best. As expected of Kiro!

After hearing my compliment, his eyes curved with a smile like a bear eating honey. He wiped the corners of his mouth with satisfaction.

Savin contacted the school club week, filming and other activities that Kiro participated in during this California trip.

I calculated Kiro’s limited time and pulled him into a corner.

MC: Happy birthday, Kiro!

Kiro: You wished me so early this year. And it also seems that you have something secret to show me.

MC: Actually, I did prepare some special birthday arrangements ahead of time.

MC: But after seeing your performance just now, I suddenly changed my mind.

Kiro was taken aback when he heard me and blinked in confusion.

MC: Last year, you used the treasure map to let us relive all the precious times together. (MC’s referencing Treasure Hunt Date which will be released April 6 on the ENG server)

MC: So now, I really want to ask what Kiro wants to do on his birthday today.

MC: This time I’ve come back to visit the school where you studied. Here are four years’ worth of your past and memories.

MC: Is there anything that Kiro did not realize at that time, or what Kiro wants to do here?

MC: I can help satisfy you.

Kiro stood firmly in front of me with the bright light hooked onto his face, quietly showing the heedfulness and expectation in his eyes.

Kiro: ….Really?

MC: Of course! Today is your birthday, so naturally, you are the most important on your birthday!

MC: So, I will accompany you in whatever you want.

Kiro smiled.

He tiptoed backstage and took out his violin bag. After exchanging glances, we looked towards Savin and retreated towards the door.

As soon as he stepped out the door, Kiro took my hand and staggered out of the lecture hall.

(Cut to outside)

I didn’t know where Kiro was taking me. But as long as he is holding my hand, I am willing to accompany him wherever he goes.

Kiro ran ahead of me, turning his head back with a smile.

Kiro: Actually, when I first came to California, I was not used to many different things.

Kiro: So for my first birthday here, I was very impressed with all the choices. At that time, I had a lot of things I wanted to do. But in the end, I didn’t do them for various reasons.

Kiro took my hand and pulled me around the corner across from the playground on the campus. He pushed away a tree branch that was casting a shadow and came to stand under a high wall at the edge of the school.

Kiro: First, I wanted to do this--

In my confused state, Kiro stretched out his right hand pretentiously and raised his palm in the air.

Kiro: Skip class.

The air seemed to stand still for a few seconds. I looked at the high wall, then turned my gaze back to Kiro who was eager to try and couldn’t help laughing.

Kiro: Okay, I know it’s a little immature.

Kiro: When I was in class, the school was super strict. When I made a wish on my birthday, I had one wish in mind--

Kiro: “Ah! I really want to skip class.”

MC: Have all the big stars ever had this idea?

Kiro: Kiro was not a big star back then, and that big star was also an ordinary person.

Kiro looked at the high wall with excitement, the scattered sunlight fell on him through the lush green leaves.

I seem to be able to see Kiro, who was 14-years-old, laying his head on the desk, looking at the sky.

The sky is so wide; it seems like you can go anywhere.

MC: It seems a bit difficult to climb but we can try.

I was about to try. Kiro had already stepped on the small holes of the wall, stretched out his arms methodically, and climbed onto the wall in the blink of an eye.

MC: ….?!

Kiro: Sure enough, it’s not as difficult as I had imagined. I will teach you!

While talking, he jumped back down silently and came back to me.

He pointed to the hole in the wall and demonstrated it again in front of me.

Following his direction, I stepped swiftly on the wall like a clumsy gecko.

Kiro: Miss Chips, give me your hand.

I raised my head and habitually stretched out my hand in response. In the next second, I felt that I was being strongly pulled and I fell into a warm embrace.

MC: Why were you so scared of skipping class?

Kiro: This is just the beginning.

The distant school building faced Kiro’s back. He raised the corners of his mouth and winked his left eye at me.

I suddenly thought of myself; 14-year-old me and 14-year-old Kiro.

I’m in Loveland City and he is abroad in California.

I dozed off at my desk in the warm afternoon, and he was probably humming a gentle tune among the stars.

At that time, we hadn’t become adults and we were separated by a distant time; like two parallel lines that would never meet at all.

But these two lines seem to overlap at this moment.

Kiro: I’m ready to climb.

He whispered in my ear, and before I could react, he gently pulled me towards him and hugged me.

MC: Kiro! Kiro, you….!

Kiro: In fact, I have imagined skipping class many times.

Kiro lowered his face and the sun was behind him. A golden outline was drawn on his body.

Kiro: But none of this is what it is today.

As he lightly pushed his foot, I couldn’t help but hug his neck tightly.

At that moment of flight, the whole world was silent, leaving only two intertwined heartbeats with similar rhythms to be heard.

Kiro: Sure enough, MC’s existence can revive my imagination.

[Third Part]

Kiro: The next thing is--

In an empty fast food restaurant, Kiro bought two “actually real” meal sets and sat with me in front of the window facing the street.

Kiro: Eat junk food!

MC: Pff, why are all the things you wanted to do so cute?

Kiro: It’s okay, just laugh if you want, hmph.

Kiro: Since I debuted, I hadn’t touched any junk food. Potato chips were the first things I had finally eaten when I first met you many years later.

MC: Well, what did you do when you were craving junk food?

Kiro: Restrain, hold back, pretend there was a gun to my head. *Translation came out a little weird here so I hope this is right.*

He muttered, opened his mouth and took a bite of the burger, and sighed particularly contentedly.

MC: Why don’t you restrain yourself now then?

Kiro: It’s different now.

He answered without hesitation and quickly finished the burger.

Kiro: Because you are here.

MC: Are you trying to say that I seduce you into committing food crimes?

Kiro: That’s right!

MC: You!

Kiro: But of course it is more than that.

Kiro: Because you are here, it’s okay to indulge a bit.

He propped his head with his right hand and looked at me sideways. A spot of light fell on his defined eyelashes like he had a secret full of mischief.

With a straw in his mouth, the soda gurgled. As it gurgled, it seemed to have filled my heart at the same time.

MC: Then I will help you sneak some more snacks in next time?

Kiro: Although that sounds very exciting, I still want to have more opportunities to be handsome in front of you.

Kiro: Compared with “snack-loving Kiro”, I’d rather you have “handsome Kiro” in your heart.

He snapped his fingers, his eyes gleaming.

Looking at him like this, I subconsciously followed along and laughed.

MC: Of course you are the most handsome Kiro in the world!

We were sitting in front of the shop window; I was eating a burger and Kiro was telling me about his time in California.

Some difficult lectures to sit through, baseball games he had to participate in, exquisite violin decorations, yellow balloons from children….

He traced the past for me, like an old movie that spans over a long period of time.

Under the immersion of time, with some nostalgia mixed in, the pictures in the memories appear more vivid and beautiful.

After leaving the restaurant, Kiro rented a car and waited on the side of the road.

(Cut to the highway)

We are cruising along the highways of California and the endless highways spread to the distant sky; it was almost as if we could reach the edge of the sky.

I suddenly thought of a memory from when I first came to California a long time ago and Kiro seemed to think of the same memory as me.

Kiro: I have checked the car, again and again, this time. It will definitely not break down! (He’s referencing his Los Angeles Date which is a sweet and funny one. Definitely recommend. It’s been released on the ENG server already.)

MC: Are we going to Santa Monica this time?

He shook his head mysteriously at me and jingled some special keys in his hand.

Kiro: This time, I want to take my dazzling pearl to another dazzling place in my heart.

The scenery along the highway was quickly left behind by us. It also seemed that the time that was always moving forward quickly and impossible to stop was left out of the scenery.

The tides rolled on the coast and the seabirds used their wings to draw a neat arc in the air, in the sea and the sky.

There is a boat anchored quietly by a small port beside a bay.

(Cut to beach)

After getting out of the car, Kiro took the girl by the hand and moved towards the coast. The sea breeze blew her hair gently. He had never felt that his heart had been so at ease.

Here, the excitement is like a flood. And with it is more peace of mind. *Translation came out wonky here.*

The girl stood in front of him, watching him quietly.

At that moment, he seemed to see the blossoming of his dreams.

Many years ago, he had seen himself on a stage amongst the stars.

And now, it is once again full of his entire world.

The third thing is--

He said softly in his heart.

Bring my favourite person in the world to my home in California.

I watched Kiro raise the corners of his mouth, the brilliant light fell into his smiling eyes, but he didn’t speak.

MC: Is coming here the third thing you wanted to do?

Kiro: Bingo! The third thing is--

Kiro: Come to this bay with you.

MC: Liar, you didn’t know me at the time, how could you think of coming with me?

Kiro: Of course it is because I reserved a place for you very early on.

MC: Then I am really honoured! Let me guess, this was your secret base in high school, right?

I looked at this “secret base expert” confidently, but he shook his head unexpectedly.

Kiro: This is my home.

Here is Part 2!

#mlqc #mlqc kiro #mr love queen's choice #mr love kiro #mlqc spoilers #mr love game #date translation #mr love dream date #thanks so much for your patience!

43 notes · View notes

estellaelysian · 3 years

Text

Open Heart (Ethan x Alishka)

OH fics, ficlets, moodboards, and edits.

MC MONDAY - all mc monday posts

•POV - Ethan's POV after the vending machine.

•Ocean kiss - They find themselves in conflict after their kiss on the balcony.

•Black coffee - Sometimes a coffee is not just coffee

•Knots - Getting ready for a gala event together is a complicated affair

•Cold inside out - When its cold returning from the said gala event. Follow up to Knots

•28 hours - Alishka goes to visit him in Amazon. What has he got to say?

•Unsent letter - The letter Ethan wrote Alishka when at Amazon but did not send.

•Questions - Their talk at Donahue's after he returns from Amazon + added scenes.

•Can I still love you? - What would've happened if Ethan followed her outside at Donahue's? Set in 2.1

•I'll be here: Part 1/Part 2 - Alishka comes to find Ethan, very drunk, at Donahue's after his mom returns.

•Them changes - Ethan promises Alishka that no amount of changes around them can affect his feelings for her. Set in 3.1

•Keep forever - Ethan's innermost thoughts on her. Set in 3.11

•Reflections - It's their first day in their new positions

•Commitment - E&A have a commitment ceremony

•Red - featuring jealous Alishka

•It burns - Their exchange at a bar after facing an argument

•Their song - Ethan decides not to cancel their plans for tye night due to work

•Cross my heart - E&A celebrate Valentine's together

•In my head - Ethan has a fear which plagues him at night

•Things left unsaid - Alishka finds the letter Ethan wrote to her while in Amazon. (Part II of Unsent letter)

•Birthday - Ethan has a few plans for her birthday

•In the quiet - They silently enjoy each others company under the night sky.

•Daydream - What Ethan truly thinks of her meaning to him

•Green - (Part of 100 followers appreciation)

•Slip of the tongue - Ethan's confession doesn't come the way he thought it would.

•Midnight - The last letter Ethan wrote to Alishka on their thirty-seventh anniversary

•Traditions - Through the years, Ethan and Alishka celebrate their evolving Christmas traditions

•First photo - Ethan takes the first photo of Alishka (based off this mc monday post)

•Silence - They don't have to say anything to understand each other.

•Nothing - When Alishka doesnt hate the word 'nothing' as much

•Heavenly - E&A watch a sunset together.

•Rest - Ethan has doctors orders for her. And a chocolate bar too.

•Wink - Ethan will do anything to win a game against her.

•Sign me up - (Moodboard + ficlet) He will teach her how to bake.

•My hair - Inspired from "My hair" - Ariana Grande

•All nighters - Pulling off an all nighter is the only option they have when their flight schedule messes up

•Mémoir - (Edit + ficlet) A Polaroid they have taken together.

•P. S. I love you - Alishka pranks Ethan.

(Prompt list) / (Prompt list no. 2)

(From list no. 1)

•Problem child - Prompts - 53 (Why are there five people in my living room?) and 60 (This is the third time this week)

•Arrangement - Prompts - 22 (Can we cuddle?) and 51 (Can I stay here tonight?)

•Night talk - Prompts - 28 (I wanted you to fight for me and you didn't), 30 (letting you go was...), 34 & 35

•Away - Prompt - 17 (Is it okay if I borrow your sweater? It smells like you)

•Cassata - Prompt - 23 (Why haven't you kissed me yet?

•Phoney business - Prompt - 20 (You're lucky you're cute)

•Make up - Prompt - 29 (Don't you see that I am trying?)

•Games - Prompt - 11 (I am not playing truth or dare)

•Hiking - Prompt - 53 (Why are there five people in my living room?)

•Nights with her - Prompt 4 (This is the opposite...), 6 (Oh, you've started...) & 61

•Balcony - Prompt - 36 (You are my person)

(From list no. 2)

•Sweet Hoax - An unexpected situation leads them in faking their relationship

***

Some beautiful questions for Alishka

With Every Heartbeat (Dakota x Amber)

WEH fics and ficlets

All that you left me (series)(wip)

Amber navigates her life after his passing with all the memories that he left behind.

#1. Shooting stars and chocolate pudding

#2. Gummy bears, with lots of love

#3. Just in photos now

#4. Every time

#5. Nights at the vista

#6. Plead the fifth

#7. The brightest star

#8. The red dress

#9. The note

•Let me be in your life like that - Dakota celebrates valentine's day with his fav person in a quirky, different manner

(Prompt list)

•Goodwill - Prompt no 5 (Wait no, dont take kissing you away from me)

•Photograph - Prompt no 16 (Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer that way)

•Goodnight n go - Prompt no 6 (Oh, you've started stealing my socks now?)

•Weird, but no so - Prompt no 40 (I'm just saying that if we had kids, they would be beautiful)

•Your eyes - Prompt no 10 (Did I ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?)

•Comfort - Prompt no 3 (Aw, you're so cute)

•Bet - Prompt no 8 (You owe me a kiss)

Desire and Decorum One shots (Ernest x Gaia)

•Be still, for I've got you - Ernest follows Gaia into a garden

Art

•Piper

•Ethan Ramsey sketch

#masterlist #my writing

21 notes · View notes

rimalupin · 3 years

Text

Sasuke x MC: Our First Christmas Tree

A/N: Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Seasons Greetings/Wonderful Winter to you all! I hope everyone’s been doing alright this winter. :) I just wanted to hop on here and repost this story I originally published last year for an IkeSeries-themed Secret Santa. While I was making my masterlist, I couldn’t find this fic for the longest time, so I just assumed it was sucked into the Tumblr void asdfghjkl. Anyway, I hope y’all enjoy some cutesy Christmas time with our or at least my favorite ninja astrophysicist. Take care! <3

(fic below the cut)

*Also quick definition time! In a nutshell (b/c my sources are a few Japanese cultural websites that came up when I Googled the term lol), furoshiki refers to the art of Japanese gift wrapping by using fabric, which is also known by the same name. Traditionally, furoshiki was used to wrap packages and supplies for transportation, and over the years it has transformed into an element of gift-giving.

*****

Kasugayama Castle, 500 years ago, Christmas Week

“Sasuke, could you hand me some more fabric?”

“Ah, of course.” Sasuke nods before handing you a freshly cut square of light blue-dyed fabric.

“Thanks! This color will be perfect for Kenshin’s present.” You take fabric from him and proceed to snugly wrap the warlord’s gift.

Sasuke watches you observantly as you expertly fold and tie the cloth. “It was smart of you to color-code everyone’s presents. I wouldn’t have thought of using *furoshiki until you brought it up.”

“Well, it was thanks to your idea of giving everyone presents.” After giving the knot on top a final tug, you place Kenshin’s present alongside the other gifts you and Sasuke had finished wrapping. You proudly smile at the pile of gifts crowding along the wall: you knew that the hours that you and Sasuke spent shopping and preparing the presents were going to pay off on Christmas day. “I still can’t believe you managed to get yours and Nobunaga’s teams to meet up.” Let’s just hope they don’t fight the moment they see each other, you think to yourself.

“I suppose that means I am an expert in Sengoku-era party planning.” He winks - or rather blinks - at you, indicating that it was a joke. “Plus, I thought it’d be interesting to teach some of the greatest men in history about Christmas.” He places the gift he had finished wrapping in the pile as well. “We might as well give them a heads-up about the most wonderful time of the year.”

You giggle at how seriously he made that adorably silly statement. "I wonder how they’ll react to the idea of receiving their presents from ‘Santa Claus.’”

Sasuke lowers his gaze, thinking for a moment. “My guess is that they’ll believe in Santa Claus more than reindeer that can fly.”

“Ieyasu will definitely be the most skeptical about that one.” You let out a laugh as you imagine the grumpy warlord protectively holding his dear deer Wasabi. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting any of you test out that ridiculous theory,” he’d probably say.

As your giggles die down, you turn to the window to gaze at the dark winter sky. "I'm still amazed at how bright the stars are here. They remind me of the Christmas lights from back home."

Sasuke turns to look with you. “You’re right. Though, it’s rather difficult to see the different colors of the stars from down here. Spectroanalysis could definitely help us to see them more clearly, but Christmas lights are more widely available in stores.”

“No need for any expensive telescopes: just some outlets and a whole bunch of cords.” A wave of nostalgia begins to hit you: you think of the winter holidays you had spent with your friends and family in the future. There was always something magical about Christmas that gave you something special to look forward to in the winter. “You know, every year my family and I would decorate the Christmas tree in our living room. We’d use everything: string lights, ribbons, ornaments that we made together…” Your heart starts to ache a little when you realize that this year is your first Christmas away from your family.

Noticing your expression, Sasuke moves to sit closer to you. “That sounds like a wonderful tradition.”

“It is.” You turn to look up at him and smile. “And I can’t wait to share that tradition with everyone here.”

The smile on your face eases his concern, and he takes your hands in his. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to show you something.”

You raise your eyebrows in surprise. “Oh? Of course. What is it?”

“Come with me. And please stay close: it’s rather chilly outside, and I don’t think the snow is forecasted to stop tonight.” He begins to slowly stand up and you follow him outside, the two of you still holding hands.

~~~

As Sasuke had predicted, the snow continues to fall in a delicate descent. You feel the fresh snow lightly crunch under your feet as you and Sasuke walk out of the town and into the forest. The cold winter breeze makes you shiver, and - staying true to your promise - you move closer to Sasuke for warmth. He keeps an arm wrapped around you and checks in with you every-now-and-then to make sure that you are warm.

Fortunately, the walk isn’t long: soon enough, the two of you are standing among several rows of flowering cherry blossom trees. You widen your eyes in awe at the beautiful sight: the pink flowers that decorate the branches are lightly brushed with the snow that had fallen throughout the day. The white snow lying below the trees and the stars glistening from above made the trees’ colors look more vibrant. “Wow,” you sigh, “I haven’t seen cherry blossoms at this time of the year.”

A small smile crosses Sasuke’s face as he admires your adorably enchanted expression. “Some cherry blossom trees do bloom outside of springtime. The ‘autumnalis rosea’, or the ‘winter-flowering cherry,’ has a long blooming season through the fall and winter.”

You continue to stare at the trees with childlike wonder. “They look so beautiful in the snow. Almost like the Christmas trees at home...”

“I agree. And although it’s not the usual evergreen conifer…” Sasuke steps closer to you and gazes at you earnestly. “Would you like to decorate a Christmas tree with me?”

“Wha-?” Just then, he reaches into his bag and pulls out a small box wrapped in cloth. You blink in surprise. “Sasuke, what is this...?”

“I was going to give it to you later, but I think that now is a more appropriate time to do so.” He places the box in your hand and gestures for you to open it. You take a breath before carefully unwrapping the cloth and opening the box. Inside is a small glass sphere painted to look like the starry night sky.

“Sasuke, this is beautiful,” you say while gently picking up the sphere by the string attached to it. As it slowly spins around, you notice that the silver spots and swirls that sparkle on the dark blue surface of the glass are lightly tinted with different colors of the stars. You also notice that the “stars” are carefully arranged and clustered in specific patterns as if to mimic constellations or a map of a galaxy. “Where did you get this...?”

“It was actually a DIY project of sorts: Yuki received some new shipments this week, and I asked if I could use some of the materials to make you a present.”

“You made this...?” Sasuke nods, a faint blush crossing his cheeks. You feel your heartbeat quicken for your loving boyfriend who never ceases to amaze you. “Sasuke, this is so thoughtful of you.” You make a mental note to give Sasuke his Christmas present early as well.

“I’m glad you like it. So,” he gestures at the tree standing in front of you both, “Will you do the honors?”

You nod enthusiastically. “I’d love to!” After handing the box back to Sasuke, you hold the ornament close to you and walk toward the tree. The nearest branch is slightly taller than you, and your fingers barely touch the lower end of the bough when you're on your tiptoes. You giggle a little, remembering the moments in your childhood when you would try to place an ornament on a branch much taller than you. Your little hands would reach as high as they could go until a loved one lifted you in their arms to help you reach the exact branch you wanted to hang your ornament from.

Noticing your struggle to reach the branch, Sasuke moves to stand beside you and grabs the branch easily, gently lowering it a bit more. You gaze up at him, your reliable and more-than-moderately awesome ninja who never fails to put a smile on your face, and you can’t help but press a light kiss on his cheek. “I like how we’re doing this together.”

He blinks in surprise before giving you a heartwarming smile. “So do I.” His hand moves to cup your cheek, gently turning you to face him so that he can press his forehead against yours. “I hope we get to do more things like this in the future.”

His cheeks grow redder when you guide his free hand to hold the ornament with you. “I know we will,” you say as you hang the ornament together.

#merry christmas and happy holidays!!#i hope y'all are taking care!#<3 #ikemen sengoku #ikesen #ikesen sasuke #sasuke sarutobi #sasuke x mc #ikesen fanfic #fanfic by me #rima writes #wow i can't believe i wrote this a year ago :o #and now i'm too lazy to write/too shy to share my stories ASDFGHJKL RIP #welp anyway ty to those of you who are still following me and reading my content LOL i appreciate y'all <3

20 notes · View notes

xiaomoxu · 3 years

Text

Xu Mo - Painting Gallery Date (Translation) Part 3 and 4

SPOILER ALERT!!

This date from CN server which hasn't been released on EN server yet. Might contains some spoiler.

Brace yourself for angst moment from Lucien (as usual)☹

I'm doing this translation for personal reason, so I'm sorry if there's some mistranslation. Kindly tell me if you found some :) feel free to read it~ ^^

I used Lucien CN name on it, Xu Mo.

Read previous part here

PART 3

Xu Mo and I went to an oil painting experience hall called "Film Oil Painting Gallery".

The aroma of coffee and milk tea is floating in the air, and the hydrogen and hydrogen echoes in the mellow jazz music. The drawing boards are placed in an orderly manner, and people are immersed in their own small universe.

There are dream catchers and many small creative ornaments on the wall. But what attracts me most is the works painted by people who came here before.

The fluorescent beach under the stars, the idling ballet dancers in the night, and the whales rolling up in the deep sea. Some paintings also have a text written on them.

I scanned these paintings curiously, Xu Mo silently followed behind me, looking at me with a smile.

Suddenly, I stopped in front of a painting.

The paintings show Paris at different times. Sunny, rainy, day, and night. From cafes to the banks of the Seine, famous and unknown streetscapes are covered with painted paper.

In the lower left corner of the painting, there is a small poem written.

MC: "I want to live with you, sharing endless dusk and endless bells in a small town."

MC: What a beautiful poem, I always feel where I have read it..

Xu Mo: It is a poem by Russian poetess Tsvetayeva.

Xu Mo walked to my side and turned his eyes on the painting to me, with a trace of inquiry in his drooping eyes.

Xu Mo: You like it a lot?

MC: I....

Store Manager: Hello, are you here to paint?

The voice of a middle-aged man interrupted my conversation with Xu Mo.

Xu Mo nodded to the store manager.

Xu Mo: Yes. This painting is very special, we want to know the background of its creation.

Store Manager: Of course! When I first saw this painting, I was just as curious as you guys. Then I asked its author and he generously shared with me the story behind it.

Store Manager: He said that he once met a girl in Paris, and the two chatted from day to night. This painting records the place they passed.

MC: It seems like the plot in the movie...

Store Manager: Yes. Unfortunately, the ending is not as perfect as in the movie.

Store Manager: The girls already have a marriage contract, and they agreed that if they decide to start the relationship, they will meet in front of Notre Dame in Paris at dusk the next day.

MC: But they didn't meet in the end, did they?*

(* this is the edited translation)

Store Manager: Oh, what a pity

Just as I was feeling sad about this story, Xu Mo, who had been silent, raised his hand and rubbed my hair lightly.

Xu Mo: Don't be sad.

Xu Mo: Painting is a tool for memory, but it also has the power of forgetting.

Xu Mo: At the moment he painted, perhaps, he was ready to say goodbye.

Store Manager: Yes, miss, don't have to be so sad, you should be happy to draw with your boyfriend today!

Store Manager: We have special boxes for couples here, let me take you there!

MC: I....

Xu Mo: Alright, then I will trouble you.

Before I could finish my words, Xu Mo interrupted me.

Following the manager, we came to a closed box. He poured two cups of tea for us, said that he could come to him anytime if there was a problem, and then closed the door and left.

MC: This person is really not sloppy.

Xu Mo: Okay, let's sit down first.

Sitting on the sofa and looking at the neatly arranged painting tools, I couldn't help asking my questions.

MC: Why are you taking me here?

Xu Mo: Remember our agreement?

My mind started to rewind quickly, but I couldn't remember what Xu Mo's agreement was.

Xu Mo: Forgot about it so quickly? But I keep it in my heart.

這麼快就忘了? 我可是一直好好的放在心上。

Xu Mo pointed to the paintbrush.

It suddenly dawned on me that I remembered the previous agreement.

There's 2 options for this:

A. Does it mean to teach me the convention of drawing?

B. Is it a promise to draw together?

Option A

MC: Does it mean to teach me the convention of drawing?

Xu Mo smiled and nodded.

Xu Mo: I have seen all your paintings.

Xu Mo: It seems that you don't need me as a teacher, you also have enough talent to understand it yourself.

The thought that all the "ghost-like" paintings in the sketchbook fell into his eyes, I couldn't help but put my face in a shy manner.

Xu Mo took my hand away and wrapped it in his warm palm.

Option B

MC: Is it a promise to draw together?

Xu Mo: Yes.

MC: I thought that when we draw on the sketchbook, we have already fulfilled the agreement

Xu Mo: I will do what I have agreed with you.

He looked at me with a smile, his eyes soft and firm, which made ripples in my heart.

Xu Mo: What does that puzzle look like? We can draw another one

It turned out that this is why he brought me to the oil painting studio?

He has not forgotten the agreement between us, and he has always remembered that I lost the puzzle.

MC: It is a puzzle of a forest, well, it may be more difficult to draw...

I suddenly remembered that Xu Mo once said that he can only copy, not create.

MC: Or forget it, we can draw something...

Xu Mo: I have a way, but I don't know if you will like it.

I immediately nodded like a chick.

MC: Well, I will love it!

Xu Mo rubbed my hair indifferently, then picked up a pencil and drew on the paper intently and earnestly. The nib rubbed against the surface of the paper and made a rustle.

I couldn't help looking at his soft and clear side face. In the narrow space, I could only hear our amplified breathing. After a while, the outline of the painting became clear.

MC: Horse? No, it has a sharp horn on its forehead...

MC: It's a Unicorn!

A mirror-like lake, thorny roads, and unicorns in the forest. Behind it, among the dense trees, a dark shadow could be vaguely glimpsed.

Xu Mo: According to legend, the unicorn lives in the forest. It is a noble and beautiful creature. Few people have seen it.

MC: So it appears in the picture, representing the depths in the forest...

Xu Mo smiled and acquiesced to what I said.

MC: I heard that the horns of unicorns have unique healing powers.

Xu Mo: Yes. So despite the fear of its power, there are countless hunters who dream of falling into their trap one day.

I picked up the pen and added a bright moon to the upper left corner.

The bright moonlight leaked from the branches, casting a dim and soft amount of light, illuminating the road in front of the unicorn.

MC: It won't feel lonely now!

With the moon as its company, even if it is faced with greedy hunters and unknown road ahead, it will not be so scared.

Xu Mo turned his head and stared at me. There seemed to be a sea of clouds rolling in his eyes. In an instant, the clouds dispersed, revealing a light.

Xu Mo: Hm, not lonely anymore.

I blushed a little by his burning eyes, so I hurriedly shifted my sights.

MC: Leー let's color it!

Xu Mo on the side laughed lightly.

Xu Mo: Then I'll trouble Miss MC.

MC: Huh? Don't you paint?

I have been painting just now, but someone does not look at the painting, but instead looks elsewhere.

MC: I....

Xu Mo: Now it's my turn.

MC: You...

Xu Mo squinted his eyes slightly, with a smile on the corners of his lips.

MC: Alright..

I confessed my fate and compromised, after all, I was "losing''

For the rest of the time, I am seriously coloring the painting. It's just that whenever I bring up a color and want Xu Mo to give some advice, he will nod and say that's it.

Am I a painting genius?

I quietly dropped the color of my own on the paper, putting aside all worries, as if all the rhythm would slow down with the pen tip.

MC: It's done!!!

Xu Mo: Be carefulー

I was happy for only two seconds. I knocked the paint to the ground because of the excessive movement. There are yellow spots splashing on the finished painting.

MC: Why is it like this...

The bright yellow is particularly conspicuous. I felt regretful for a while, and it was already at the last moment, but because of my clumsiness, I gave up all my work.

I can't help but think of today's experience. It always seems to be a little bit short of it, and it seems that it is almost complete.

Xu Mo: MC, raise your head.

A warm chest pressed against me behind me, and a familiar breath brushed my ears.

I don't know when he have stood behind me.

He leaned down and wrapped my hand holding the brush with a warm, dry palm. The other hand went around my arm and stayed at the waist.

The breath of green grass surrounds me after the rain. Such an intimate action made my body stiff, heat climbed up to my cheeks, and my hands shook unconsciously.

Xu Mo: Don't move.

He took my hand with the brush, and dipped in yellow paint flying on the paper.

The yellow dots that were an eyesore just now have turned into warm fireflies surrounding the unicorn under our pen.

Xu Mo: No matter what the outside world is, hope it will be guided by fireflies.

PART 4

The store manager was amazed after seeing our painting, and hoped to keep it, like the paintings we saw on the wall before, for more people to appreciate.

Xu Mo left the decision to me. After a fierce inner struggle, I decided to keep the painting.

MC: We will come again next time for a better picture!

Xu Mo: Alright.

Xu Mo's tone and smile were very soft. Affected by him, the corners of my mouth curled up unconsciously.

Just as we were about to leave, we saw the clerk taking care of the oil painting.

MC: Speaking of which, the light here is so dark, it is also to better preserve the oil paintings.

Xu Mo: Well, long-term exposure to direct sunlight will cause oil painting to fade.

Xu Mo's voice suddenly lowered, and his tone became colder.

Xu Mo: Beautiful things are very fragile, so be protect carefully.

Looking at the picture of a street scene in Paris, I couldn't help but ask.

MC: You said, how long has Notre Dame de Paris existed?

Xu Mo did not answer immediately, but just looked at me and waited for me to continue.

MC: For such a long time, it has been silently guarding Paris and watching all the living beings.

MC: Remember the story told by the hero in the movie we watched together?

MC: The German soldier holding the detonator admired the beauty of Notre Dame de Paris, which prevented him from pressing the button...

MC: Beautiful things are not just objects to be protected, they also have the power to influence others.

I raised my head and looked directly at Xu Mo's eyes. The atmosphere that was light and pleasant just now suddenly became tense.

I can't even tell myself why I should be so serious on this question. I just vaguely feel that his answer is very important to us.

MC: Just like these paintings in the oil painting gallery, although they are not made by masters, they have a unique charm because of the touching stories behind them.

MC: Although Paris is beautiful, people who love each other are what makes it more beautiful.

Xu Mo stared at me quietly, without speaking, but the temperature in his pupils gradually became infected.

After a while, he raised his hand and pinned my scattered hair behind his ears. Then said in a soft toneー

Xu Mo: What's beautiful is, that reflects the world...your eyes

Leaving the oil painting studio, we returned to the noisy street. The dazzling sunlight made me squint, but in just a few hours, it felt like a world away.

Xu Mo couldn't help but pick up my hanging hand. He didn't use any force, but he couldn't resist it.

Xu Mo: This time, don't refuse me anymore.

Feeling the temperature from the palm of my hand, my heartbeat speeded up unconsciously, and the redness quickly stained my cheeks.

Whether it’s shy or sweaty palms, even though it’s always a little short of perfection, as long as I hold this person’s hand, I have the courage to face everything.

Just like a jigsaw puzzle, we will fill in those vacancies little by little.

MC: Xu Moー

I took out a glass bottle with a puzzle in it.

MC: Sorry I lied.

MC: In fact, after talking with you on the phone, I found the puzzle. But because I wanted to meet you, I didn't tell you...

After hearing what I said, a hint of surprise flashed on Xu Mo's face, but it was quickly replaced by a clear smile.

Xu Mo: It seems that I was too careless and trusted a little liar.

MC: This is a gift from Lisianthus! Of course, you can also regard it as my apologetic

Xu Mo took the glass bottle in my hand, with a smile in his mouth and eyes. (CG Karma also included)

He raised the vial to his eyes. The glass bottle in the sun showed a colorful light, and a yellow gleam was reflected in his eyes.

Xu Mo's pupils widened in an instant.

MC: It's Firefly.

MC: When I saw this puzzle in the store before, I thought it was very similar to the jungle we had visited before, so I bought it...

Xu Mo's eyes were overflowing with tenderness, and the smile on his lips was warmer than the spring sun.

Xu Mo: Very beautiful.

Maybe the light at that time was very soft, maybe the breeze raised his broken hair and rippled in my heart for a month.

I uttered the words that were hidden in my heart

MC: The oil painting may fade, but memory will not.

MC: I would like to put together a jigsaw puzzle, turning our memories into color.

I looked at Xu Mo and said firmly.

MC: No matter how far you go, Firefly will guide you.

Suddenly, everything was silent, and we all reflected each other in our eyes.

Then, I remembered something.

MC: Ah! I forgot to write on our painting just now

Xu Mo raised his eyebrows, and then chuckled out as if not holding back.

He came closer and scratched my nose with his fingers.

Xu Mo: You.

Xu Mo: Do you have anything to write?

MC: No, it’s just that it’s more like ceremony. After all, it’s a work we finished together

MC: Moreover, I am also very curious about what you will write on the painting.

Under the dazzling sunlight, Xu Mo smiled softly.

It was a smile he had never shown before. A bit childish, but unstoppable determination

He held the glass bottle in his hand tightly.

Secretly rejoicing that earlier today, looking at the sunlight outside the window, thinking of the girl who couldn't let go, he finally made the decision to go to the appointment as scheduled.

Is it more painful for those who wait, or is it more painful for those who make people wait?

Fortunately, it did not live up to this rare good weather.

Xu Mo grabbed the document bag in his hand. Let her see these next time.

Xu Mo: I can tell you now.

He looked deeply at the girl before him.

It is like turning her appearance together with this intoxicating spring scene into a beautiful fixation of time and space, a moving stop, imprinting in my heart forever.

Xu Mo: "I want from all the times, from all the nights."

Xu Mo: "Retake you from all the golden banners, from all the swordsー"

Xu Mo: "You have to hold your breath."

-END-

#mlqc spoilers #mlqc translation #mr love spoilers #mr love translation #mlqc lucien #mlqc xu mo #mr love lucien #mr love xu mo #mr love date #mldd date #mldd lucien #mldd translation

11 notes · View notes

rokutouxei · 3 years

Text

the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

ikemen vampire: temptation through the dark theo van gogh / mc | T | [ ao3 link in bio ]

The challenge seemed pretty simple: to try to befriend the university bookshop’s most sour employee, Theo van Gogh. As a literature major with a boatload of book recommendations on her back, it ought to be a simple task indeed. But as she uncovers what lies between Theo’s pages, the more she finds it harder to become closer to him without having to put the feeling directly into words. What can she learn from Theo about what it means to stay—and how can she teach Theo about what it means to let go? | written for ikevamp big bang 2020!

[ masterpost for all chapters ]

CHAPTER 14 OF 22

... I choked on such longing I couldn’t spit out. Yes, desire is so different when God bore you hungry. I could have devoured anything and still have been starving. In one version of our story the fruit is in your chest. David, I eat it anyway. O, I know nothing but to take & keep taking.

- Belovéd, Yves Olade

Something in their world shifts.

She hadn’t exactly formally talked it out with Vincent, but it’s somehow settled that she would be there for him to talk to whenever he had something about his exhibit that he wanted to discuss. It was different to have someone on “neutral ground”—someone who wasn’t Theo, who wasn’t carrying the weight of having to bear everything else for the exhibit to happen. And Theo doesn’t mind sharing the space with Vincent with her, either. ‘

It starts simple. A little group chat with Theo (although he rarely responds to the messages) and Vincent to toss ideas, throw little inspirational things. On Friday afternoons, when her schedule is a little more open, she sometimes visits the van Gogh house to check on Vincent and what he’s done so far. She helps him with the expressions on his models, gives him insight into what a viewer would think of the painting. Having been born and raised in this place, she gives the best advice on what places would have the best views to paint, where it would be possible to go outside and sketch and draw.

The exhibit slowly comes into shape.

Theo helps Vincent with the technicals: looking for a place to set it up, preparing the documents for the panel, buying the art materials, providing some comments for half-finished works. She helps Vincent with the storyline: drawing out his story of the little boy with paint seeping out of her hands, leaving a trail of art wherever he goes. How the world changes with every bit of it he touches.

But most importantly, they make sure they are there for Vincent, constantly nudging him in the direction he wants to go but is sometimes too hesitant to.

The final exams roll in with the same kind of raucousness as the midterms did, but there is a quiet kind of understanding between her and Theo that is different from the last time. The gang—she, Theo, Arthur, and Dazai—gathers to study together that pre-finals week, but it’s as if it’s only her and Theo around.

She peers up from what she’s writing on her notebook and when she finds Theo staring, she smiles up at him and he turns away with a grumble at being caught even if he knew he would. When he has his glasses on and is busy reviewing something on his computer, his eyes running left and right over pages of notes, she observes the way the feeble sun shines weak gold over his deep honey-colored hair, soft and likely gentle to the touch—and he lets her.

Arthur, of course, has something he wants to say, but this time he’s smart enough to hold it in, Dazai nudging him gently with his elbow, knowing it would be the worst shame to interrupt the little world she and Theo are in.

It is only once final exams have finished that the preparation for the exhibit rolls into full force for the brothers. Both Theo’s hours at the bookshop and Vincent’s hours at the café lessens as the university rolls into holiday mode, and now more than ever is Vincent working non-stop at his paintings, like they’re burning to get out of him.

Vincent now has time to get out his art.

And Theo—Theo has time to dream about the future.

And dreaming about the future.

Just in time for Christmas.

“Hey Arthur, what should I get Theo?”

She and Arthur are sitting at the Little Owl, waiting for Dazai to arrive. The two lovebirds were having their Christmas date early, because this year, Arthur is coming home to his family, likely to mooch for money. She intended to say no at first—after all, this is their date, regardless of whatever label they had for whatever was going on between the two of them—but upon the realization that Dazai was not only picky with food (and also had great taste) but also footing the bill, ‘yes’ was the only possible option.

Besides, Arthur wasn’t taking no for an answer, and she had to wrestle herself out of his original condition that she could only come if she was bringing Theo along, like a double date.

Arthur looks up from the little crossword puzzle he was solving on the café’s shared newspaper. “A kiss,” he answers without missing a beat. “Twenty, maybe. That might soften him.”

“Arthur.”

“Oh, he uses that exact tone on me too, little miss. Very uncanny.”

“I’m not giving him a kiss,” she sighs, turning her head back to her notebook, with the scribbled list of people and items next to their names. “You’re the worst person to ask.”

Arthur puts on a faux-offended face. “I’m only telling you what he’d appreciate the most.”

“Okay, smarty,” she rolls her eyes. “I’m just trying to get everyone Christmas presents.”

“You’re getting him something for Christmas?” Arthur’s eyes are wide in genuine surprise.

“I’m getting you something too!”

He hums. “Is that so. Entirely normal, platonic gifts.”

“Arthur!” she pouts. “I swear, there’s no bigger meaning to it. I like giving gifts for Christmas. It’s kind of routine at this point.”

“So you’re getting Vincent a gift too.”

“Of course.”

“And I, Dazai, and Isaac.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “What, I have to give you a full list of who I’m giving gifts to for Christmas?”

“Yes,” Arthur says, tapping her nose with a pen. She scrunches up her nose in response. “Checking for fairness.”

“Fairness?!” she looks at him pointedly. “Look, you’re just fishing for clues that I’ll get Theo something—” she raises her fingers to make air quotes, “—‘more meaningful’ and ‘more valuable’ than the rest of you guys as a clue to whatever the hell your theory is.”

“It’s not a theory, little bird, it’s an observation,” Arthur says, with a laugh. “The fact that you still refuse to say what my theory is out loud is really telling, you know?”

“No, it’s because it’s not true.”

“What is not true?”

“Your theory.”

“Which is?”

Which is that I’ve entirely fallen in love with Theo and I don’t want to admit it because I’m afraid of what happens after that and if I own up to it. It’s not true at all. Not even the littlest bit.

Why would she be afraid of something she loves?

Not her, no. She’s the kind of person who runs toward what she wants.

This doesn’t make any sense.

She sighs. “Why did I even ask you. This is pointless. I’ll ask Vincent instead.”

“Oh, but he wouldn’t know what our dearest Theo would want,” Arthur hums. “He’s hard to give gifts to.”

“Wait, ‘our’?” she begins to argue, but then shakes her head. “Never mind. How are you claiming more knowledge than Vincent? Theo hates your guts.”

“Because he knows I know him.”

“That means he hates my guts too.”

“He does.”

She sighs. There’s not much point arguing with Arthur oftentimes—the best way is to surrender and then just try and figure out a way out of the mess one had walked into afterward. “Okay, fine. What is it that he’d appreciate getting for Christmas?”

Arthur grins. “You owe me one?”

She groans. She knows she will regret this deeply like she did the last time, but—“I do! Now ‘fess up!”

The holiday season in their university town is quiet. Much quieter, at least, than on regular school season. Most of the students go back to their hometowns after the exams, and the streets get quieter and quieter the closer it is to Christmas. Stores that used to be open most of the day open later and close earlier; cafés and libraries and emptier; the streets are less crowded. The hustle and bustle become muted and more peaceful.

Theo likes being on campus around this time of year because it’s different from the usual. Before Theo attended the university, when Vincent was the only one out here, his brother used to come home for the holidays. But ever since Theo came here, and the entire incident with Vincent’s graduation and his project came into light, they hadn’t gone home—mostly to save the money, but also because it doesn’t… feel right to go home back yet.

That’s alright. It’s not as if it’s lonely out here in late December.

Not all students go home. Arthur goes home—he says it’s for a sweetheart who has “long been missing him”, but they all know better. Dazai and Isaac stay a little longer than the other students do, but they go home as well. But Vincent and Theo stay.

And so does she.

It’s a beautiful city to spend the winter in, after all.

Like most places, there’s a little holiday culture of its own in the town as well. A student representative council gathers early in December to arrange a gigantic potluck-slash-party at around noon on the 24th, where students who have stayed get to hang out with everyone else who is still there to share some Christmas cheer. The event is usually held at the Grove, which means there’s also space to ice skate. Some vendors are invited to sell their wares of Christmas food as well—and of course, alcohol is included. Speakers are installed and Christmas music, both lively and more romantic, play throughout the course of the party. Those who sign in earlier get to join in an exchange gift affair at the latter part of it too. There’s also a raffle for little gifts and prizes. And of course, there’s the snowball fight. It’s a small, homey event, and many students actually decide to stay on campus for this particular party.

Every year, Theo is pretty neutral about the potluck.

Every year, Vincent wants to go. So Theo always comes with him.

And this year… Vincent is inviting her too.

He considers getting her a pack of highlighters.

He doesn’t know much about the world of stationery and fancy studying materials, but there’s a certain brand of fancy highlighters he sees a lot around campus. They’re not the easiest brand to get, according to his research, but if he orders it soon it might just make it on time.

Or maybe a fountain pen?

Fountain pens are classy. And thoughts have been given on them, so he knows it’s not a bad shot. He isn’t quite sure what kind, though, what brand, and maybe he could get one that’s the exact same model and brand as his, but isn’t that a little too obvious? He doesn’t want to be too obvious. He doesn’t want it to be obvious at all, or even known.

A book, perhaps, might be the best option, then.

Books have been an integral part of their… relationship, anyway. No other meaning to that. If there is anything to be read about that, then that’s not on him, is it? That makes this entire process simpler. He’ll just need to drop by the bookstore, check the stocks, pick up the most mundane and boring poetry book—the lamest, the worst, why would he give something meaningful—and then get a gift bag, maybe some wrapping paper—

Theo is so deep in his thoughts he doesn’t catch Vincent entering the room, even as the door behind his older brother closes with a click. The look on Theo’s face—furrowed brows, tense shoulders, the light in his eyes—makes Vincent smile just the tiniest bit.

The sound of his voice shakes Theo out of his reverie.

“Have you chosen what to get her?” Vincent asks, providing no context. He doesn’t need to. He knows his brother well, and he even turns away from Theo to lessen the blow, pretending to look for something in his bedside drawer.

“I’m not getting her anything,” Theo scoffs weakly, his frown deepening as the tips of his ears turn bright red.

Sometime around noon of the 24th, the three of them meet at the plaza to join the potluck. The brothers bring cupcakes—“I didn’t know you baked, Vincent!” “It wasn’t me, it was Theo.” “Oh?”—and she brings some spaghetti, and the rest of the table is overflowing with food to eat. Everyone is dressed in shades of gold, red, green, and white. Music plays through the speakers attached to the streetlights.

Her face kind of hurts with how big she’s smiling.

She doesn’t hate life on the campus, no, but it’s become monotone, a little too uninteresting that leaves her on edge. It’s exactly why she was so eager to get on with Arthur’s dare and get to know Theo in the first place—she had that sense that maybe it would bring her somewhere new, somewhere fascinating. The only exception to the otherwise boring campus life is on big events like this holiday party, and the feeling is something she can’t get enough of.

The party goes just about as one would expect—her, pulling Vincent around by the elbow getting him to try all the different kinds of food laid out (“No, no, I couldn’t possibly eat anymore—” “Just one more bite! Just one!”); her, pulling Theo by the wrist to join her and Vincent in ice-skating (“I’m not interested.” “You have no say in the matter!”); and then, of course, Theo, pelting her right in the face with a snowball (the most annoyed pout she can muster, together with “Oh you want war, then you’re getting it!”)

It is already four in the afternoon when the three of them make it out of the hubbub. Theo is walking with his hands in his pockets, humming along to one of the Christmas songs now aggressively stuck in his head after having heard it at least 60 times in the past four hours. She teases him about it and he frowns about it, but he’s still humming.

“I ate too much!” she whines, clutching her stomach pitifully as they walked. “Absolutely no regrets though. I love Christmas potluck, but this year was just crazy.”

Vincent laughs. “You really shouldn’t have gotten that last pretzel,” he chides.

“But it was so good! I don’t know where they sourced that cinnamon, but it made me cry.”

Theo snorts. “You cried?”

“I did, I don’t understand how one wouldn’t,” she sighs. “Theo, you were just too into your chocolate-topped-with-caramel-topped-with-strawberries-topped-with—” she takes a breath, “—diabetes cake thing. Why was that even allowed to exist.”

“You just have no taste,” Theo says, but it has no venom in it.

She grins. “Neither do you.”

“That makes us even.”

She should be going home by now—the sun will be setting soon, and she’d rather not be walking home in the dark in the snow—but her little apartment building is rather empty for the holidays, and it can get quite lonely when the rest of the campus is still celebrating. It’s a good thing she doesn’t need to tell the brothers for them to understand, and they let her walk with them all the way back to their little house, the one she’s been in so often in the past few months, it kind of feels like a second home too.

“Hot chocolates?” Vincent asks once they’ve made it through the threshold with matched sighs, hanging his coat by the rack. She whoops and cheers.

“Yes please!” she says, “I’ll choose a movie!”

Christmas has never really been a special holiday to her in the past. Sure, it’s enjoyable, and involves a lot of food and gifts, the questionable-if-enjoyable company of a lot of family members, sometimes even distantly extended ones, and most of the sense of the holiday is about its commercialized form instead of the actual religious holiday, giving it an alienating feeling, but—

This year it’s a little different.

Feels a little different.

Not quite like the usual.

Not when she’s snuggled under a blanket, Theo in between her and Vincent, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, Klaus on the TV. Not when it’s been a long semester of burning the midnight oil studying and working so hard, and then suddenly it feels like it’s okay to rest.

Rest in this place that lets her curl up warmly in its softness.

And sure, maybe some things feel the same, familiar, like Theo’s nose, scrunched up because he’s taking the movie a little too seriously, or Vincent’s sunny smile, or Arthur’s text message in her phone of [ no mistletoe? 🎄 ]—but it’s different.

The longing tearing at her heart, she begins to be sure that she’ll miss this.

It’s not home but she’s sure if one day she will ever find it, it will probably feel like this.

They sit around the living room talking to each other even after the movie ends, and by the time it truly feels like the day has settled down around them, the sun is long out of the sky. Slowly, the sinking feeling that she had overstayed her welcome begins to crawl over her, once Vincent brings their now-empty mugs onto the kitchen sink. She straightens up at her seat, nervously fidgeting next to the mountain of blankets separating her and Theo on the couch.

And then suddenly, she remembers.

“Oh, but before the night ends—”

She digs into her bag and pulls out a small gift, wrapped with a yellow ribbon. Vincent returns to the living area just at the right moment, so she hands the present to Vincent. “Merry Christmas, Vincent! It’s not much, but I hope it proves helpful for your current project.”

He doesn’t know it yet, but it’s a box of fresh paints, the brand he uses. Not in as wide an array of colors of what he does have, but still a good number. She made sure to check which ones he used the most.

“You didn’t have to!” he says, summer sun in his smile. “Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome, Vincent, of course,” she says. And then, she pulls out another thing—turning towards Theo as she hands him a box, neatly held together with starry wrapping paper and a sheer white ribbon. “Merry Christmas, Theo. Thanks for everything this year.”

Vincent chuckles at the look of surprise on Theo’s face. Theo looks back at his brother, betrayed.

But he doesn’t have much time for that, because the gift is hovering in between him and her awkwardly. He takes it and mumbles a soft, “Um, thanks.”

She blinks. “Do you not want it?”

“I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“Surprises are good this time of year,” she says. Grins when she catches the tips of Theo’s ears already pink. Vincent spots it too and laughs, as he reaches out from underneath their little Christmas tree to hand them some gifts as well.

By the heft of it, she guesses what’s inside her wrapped present is a small painting; she beams at Vincent and throws him an embrace in thanks. Vincent gifts Theo a gray sweater with a reindeer on it, the kind of gift one would receive from their grandmother instead of their brother, but Theo quickly puts it over his shirt excitedly anyway.

She wonders why Theo hasn’t opened her gift to him yet.

Vincent manages to say up to half of “And what about you, Theo?” when Theo quickly gets up on his feet, saying, “I should walk you home,” pointing at the clock on the wall. Solidly eight at night. Not that late, really, but—there’s no good overstaying. Her heart drops a little but she nods anyway.

“Yeah, I should,” she agrees. “Thank you for today, Vincent.”

He beams. “Of course. Come join us anytime.”

Theo holds the gift box she had given him under his arm and turns to her. “Ready in 5?”

“Yup, I just need to go to the restroom,” she says. “I’ll be back.”

She clears her head quickly in the bathroom. She doesn’t know when she started to get so riled up whenever Theo walked her home—late evenings at the van Goghs on Fridays spent talking about the exhibit has made it a common affair—but tonight, her heart is hammering in her chest somehow. It’s been a normal day. Nothing’s different, she convinces herself, so there’s no need for all these theatrics and heart acrobatics.

When she gets out to the foyer, she catches Theo leaning against the wall, his hands in the pockets of his coat, and—

The deep blue scarf around his neck.

The one she chose for him.

Arthur said the best gift to give Theo is one he will be able to use, but—

She hadn’t imagined seeing it in use would leave her dry of words, too.

“Let’s go?”

She pretends the flush in her face is due to the sudden cold. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The walk home isn’t entirely quiet. She checks her phone and shows him the photos of Christmas eve the rest of their friends have sent them, in the group chat Theo never checks because he’s just not that kind of guy. Then they talk about the party, her profusely accusing Theo of attempted murder for having hit her right on target at the face pretty hard with that snowball. And then, they turn toward talking about the exhibit, and Vincent, and the upcoming year and—

Talk like this, about the little things, like they usually do.

The comforting usuals of their friendship.

Nothing different. Nothing new.

Just the usual.

Finally, after 20 minutes she wanted to last forever, they make it to her apartment complex. They bid goodbye at the entrance. She’s just about turned around to leave when she feels the warmth of his fingers around her wrist, pulling her back.

“Theo?” “Hondje," they call to each other at the same time.

He hands a small, wrapped box he’s kept underneath his coat towards her.

“For you.”

She blinks. Oh, if Arthur could have seen their mirrored expressions from their exchange of gifts, he would have laughed so loudly. “What is this?”

He narrows her eyes at her, as if she said something stupid. “A gift.”

“I mean—” she begins, but then just chuckles. “I mean thanks. This means a lot.”

“Don’t think about it too hard. Rest well,” he says, the following syllables of her name just light on his lips. The sound of it makes her nerves flutter. She holds onto the gift box in her hand tightly instead, as if making sure it’s there. That this is real. Theo gives her a look like she’s transparent. “You’re always welcome at the house. No matter how long you stay. Merry Christmas.”

A smile creeps up on her face uncontrollably. “Merry Christmas too, Theo.”

She waves goodbye to him and watches him disappear off the corner before she runs upstairs to go to her room—to shut the door behind her and take a deep breath. She shrugs her coat off, tucks the mittens inside the pockets.

Puts the little box she’d been holding so carefully, still warm from Theo’s coat, along with her little wrapped painting from Vincent, underneath the small makeshift Christmas tree sitting on her kitchen counter.

Earlier that day, Theo had slipped a note in between the pages of a poetry book—on an old receipt he’d scribbled on at the back, which said: thanks for helping my brother out. thought our little miss ‘love is the answer to all of the world’s problems’ would enjoy a bit of e.e. cummings.

And tomorrow, first thing on Christmas morning, sipping on hot chocolate with sugar marshmallows on top, she will open the box and find the note and grin widely. And, in a reversal of her usual, she will make herself comfortable on the couch, overlooking the window, the falling snow, and read the book slowly, investing her heart in each syllable. Listening to every sound in her head. Carrying each word gently, taking her time.

Dipping her feet lightly into the book. Relishing in the curve of the words on her lips as she reads—words Theo chose and wrapped into a gift, then given to her.

#the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart #ikemen vampire #ikevamp theo

6 notes · View notes

paodequeijofeliz-blog · 4 years

Text

I would do it all again

Ride or Die Fanfiction (characters and main story belongs to Pixelberry Studios).

Pairing: Mona and MC (Annie)

Information: this takes place after the first book.

Summary: After what happened at the parking lot, each member of the crew tries to build a new life, following the “every man for himself” motto. But Annie doesn’t agree with that and tries to pull them back together, especially Mona, who she has been waiting for too many years.

Warnings: none. For now.

Part 2

I would do it all again - Part 1

Six years. It had been six years.

Don’t call me. Don’t write me. Don’t wait for me.

Mona’s voice was still very much alive in Annie’s head, even though she hadn’t listened to it in six fucking years.

Not for lack of trying, of course. She was too damn stubborn to follow Mona’s orders, no matter how hard the convict tried to force her into it. During the trial, Annie would always sit as close as possible, whispering comforting things such as “I’m with you”, “I’m still here, you know” or “Damn you’re lookin’ hot today”. The last one caught a smile from Mona, but the woman was still not answering or even glancing at her… Girlfriend? Annie didn’t know if they got to be that. It didn’t matter, though. It looked like the Lebanese was sticking to her ground. The last thing she said to Annie, after the sentence was decided, was “now you have to forget me”.

Of course, that wasn’t going to happen.

It took a while, but Annie finally found out where they moved Mona to. Muncy – she sighed, hands on the wheel for that very long drive. – Philly, really? Could it be any further?

That was the decision that altered her entire life. She was a smart girl, so smart, in fact, that managed to get into three different universities. Luckily, the University of Pennsylvania was one of them, so moving to Philadelphia wasn’t such a crazy plan anyway. Annie had to figure some things out: where to stay, where to work, how to do things… Eventually, it all settled and there she was, living on campus with four crazy roommates and a pretty good job tutoring high school kids.

Ever since day one, the girl tried really hard to break Mona’s resistance. She visited, called, wrote, sent gifts… But no answer came back. Every time Annie would go on visitation’s day, she had to sit and wait for nothing. Mona never came through the door. Never picked up the phone either, no matter how insistent her trying was. People there soon got familiar with Annie’s face, the naïve young woman the new inmate was ignoring. Guards didn’t like her, but she got to be friends with someone else from the inside: Dominick Ferreira, an Argentine art teacher who had a small project teaching painting and sculping to the inmates. Guards didn’t like him either. They soon became friends, talking about TV Shows while Annie waited for long hours in the empty room.

Six years. Mona never gave up on her attitude.

But the girl knew, nonetheless, that the feeling was still there. She knew the letters were being read, at least. The first four years flew by, and Annie graduated in History and started to work as a teacher at a school nearby the campus.

Until she received terrible news.

“I’m really sorry, Ann…” Dominick put a hand on her shoulder, both alone in the prison’s waiting room. After four years confiding on each other, she felt comfortable enough to hug and sob on his arms. He was around the same age of her father. Well… past father. “Is there anything I can do to help? Do you want me to arrange things for the funeral?”

“No, I need to do that on my own. Thanks. I just…” - she sniffed, cleaning her face for the tenth time that day. – “I just… God, she’s so stubborn! Toby accepts my calls, Ximena writes me every month, but Mona… I just really wanted to talk to her. Once.”

“I can try asking one of the guards to help with that.”

“No, no. She would hate me then. I can’t force it.” – another sniff. – “Did she receive the magazine? And the letter?”

“Yeah, I made sure of it. Like always.” – Dom pinched Annie’s nose. She reminded his niece so much. “And I definitely saw her reading them.”

That’s the system Annie found. If Mona wasn’t going to see or talk to her, then she needed another entrance. Every week, the girl would bring a new edition of Motor Trend magazine and a letter for Dom to deliver, then patiently waited outside, hoping this time Mona would finally accept the visitation. The second part never happened, but the first one seemed to be working. After losing her father, she got even closer to the art teacher. He was the only one nice around there.

“I’ve got good news.” Dominick whispered one day, waiting for the other two officers to leave for coffee before saying anything else. “The FBI stepped in. Apparently, the material you guys gave them helped to bring down another big fish. Jason had a partner in NYPD doing the same thing. So, they had a hearing today and reconsidered Mona’s sentence. If she keeps the good behaviour, it’ll be reduced from fifteen to only eight years, which means she can be out on parole soon enough.”

“Tell me how it works.” Annie answered with a seriously committed look.

That’s how now, after six years apart from each other, she was sitting on the car hood, waiting for them to open the gates. Dominick explained every single rule of parole so many times, Annie probably knew it even better than the parole officer himself. She had a year to prepare things for the release, making sure every single detail was reviewed. But now, looking at that gorgeous tall woman carrying a bag and a scowl on her face, Annie felt like maybe the details wouldn’t matter.

What if she just doesn’t want anything to do with me?

There was only one way to find out.

“Hi, you.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Picking you up, duh. You needed a ride.” Annie arched an eyebrow, capturing something in Mona’s face. A shadow of relief? Maybe.

The convict glanced at the car, a criticizing tone on her voice.

“What happened to your car? Does that thing even work?”

“I had to sell it. This one is old, but reliable. And his name’s Harold. Be nice.” She took the bag without waiting for permission, tossing it in the trunk before climbing into the driver’s seat. A grumpy Mona sat beside her, mumbling about how “Harold” was a stupid name for a car.

“Where are you going? Drop me at the station. It’s good enough.”

“You can’t leave the state.” She glanced briefly at Mona with the corner of her eyes, hands holding the wheel a little bit stronger.

Even though Annie was trying to focus on the road, she could feel the woman’s dark eyes studying her intensely. After a couple minutes in silence, the driver risked talking again. “We need to solve some stuff first.”

Mona didn’t answer. Her face was unreadable while watching Annie pull over in the parking lot of an old dinner in the middle of nowhere. The girl’s hands still holding the wheel so strongly, it seemed she was about to go on a race.

“Do you still like me?”

Not a single word. Not even a movement.

“Well?” Annie finally let her hands slide to her lap, frustrated by the silence. “It’s a yes or no question, Mon. It’s not that hard.”

“Yes.”

She searched for more hints on Mona’s face, but that was it. One word. No expression. Nothing else.

“Ok.” Annie bit her lower lip, insecure. “Ok then.”

The engine creaked at the turn of the key. The car had barely moved, crossing the road only to park again at an empty and dusty mechanic shop, with no living soul around. “Welcome to your new home, I guess”.

Mona finally had an expression on her face. A mix of confusion and shock, so startled that she only understood what was going on when saw Annie unlock and pull the gates up with a crowbar picked up from the corner. “Drive in!” she asked, signing to the convict with a shy smile.

“What the hell did you do…” Mona jumped on the driver’s seat, driving that old stubborn piece of trash into the shop.

Annie was still trying to lower the gate when heard Mona snap from the car.

“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR GODDAMN MIND? WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?”

“What?” she jumped again, still not catching the hoop with the crowbar.

“Oh, for god’s sake, gi’me that.” Mona took the crowbar and pulled the gate down with a single movement. When it hit the floor, both of her hands held Annie against it, one of each sider of the girl. That would’ve turned her on, if it wasn’t for the deadly dangerous look on the convict’s face. “Answers. Now.”

“I…” she lost track of it, the proximity making the knees tremble a little. “No one… I don’t… It’s not…”.

“Who’s the boss here?”

“Me?” Annie shook her head, confuse. “Mon, I don’t work for anyone. I mean, for the principal, maybe? I’m a teacher. You know that. You read my letters.”

“Who’s auto shop is this, then? Is it Colt’s? Did he drag you into this?”

The plug finally fell. Suddenly realizing what the snap was about, Annie chuckled. “You idiot, you do care about me, don’t you?”

That took Mona off guarded, but she didn’t retreat, arms still blocking the girl against the gate.

“There’s no boss, Mon. And I haven’t seen Colt ever since what happened that night. This is my auto shop. I bought it last year. We’ll… Ours if you decide to get on board.” Annie risked pulling her closer by the waist, so tempted to kiss that angry face. “There’s no danger here, I promise. We’re safe.”

Oh crap, thought Mona, seconds before throwing the crowbar away so she could dive her hands in Annie’s hair. The kiss that followed was so hungry and careless like it would never stop again. Their hands couldn’t stay still, both eager to remember each other’s curves and sensitive spots. Mona was doing the exact thing she promised herself not to. For six long years, she tried to ignore the visitations, calls, letters, everything that had Annie tagged along. It took all her strength to do it. Eventually, Mona gave in and started to read those damn letters, since it looked like they weren’t gonna stop coming anyway. That made waiting even worse, especially when the convict had decided to leave Annie’s life for good. She was convinced the girl deserved better…

“Look what you do to me.” Mona growled, holding Annie so close they could barely breath. She couldn’t leave. Now that Ann was finally trapped in her arms, there was no backing down. “I was gonna flee, you know?”

“Hate to spoil your plans, babe. But there’s an apartment upstairs waiting for you to settle in.”

Foreheads together, breathing slowly, both started to cool off bit by bit, but Mona’s grip was still tight around the girl’s waist. “I told you to forget me. To live your life. Damn it, Ann. I ignored you for six years, how could you still stick around?”

“Cause’ you were just being stubborn. I knew you were reading my letters.” Her smile was fragile while she was putting on a fight against tears. “And I did live my life. I graduated. Published my monography. Then finished the master’s degree and published the dissertation too. Got a good job. Made friends. Bought a place to live. I did all of it. Waiting for you didn’t stop me from living.”

“You wouldn’t be stuck in Philly if it wasn’t for me. Maybe by now you’d be married to a badass Harvard lawyer, living in Boston and adopting a bird.”

“I’m a cat and dog person.” She twitched her nose, laughing. “I hate lawyers too.”

Mona roller her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Annie got serious suddenly. They needed to talk things through at some point.

“Okay. Listen. I did some changes in my life, yes. For you. But that was MY choice. So, you don’t get to be mad at me, alright? Or feel guilty. Any of it. And if you prefer to leave…” she hesitated, heart pounding at the idea of losing Mona again. “… you can always leave. I only wish you to stay if that’s what you really wanna do. Don’t fool me. Don’t lie. I deserve the truth, at least. We’re clear?”

“Yes.” Mona was serious too. There was a big struggle going on inside her, problems and emotions she lived in prison and that Annie wouldn’t understand. Couldn’t. “I won’t fool you. That much I can promise.”

“Good.” She slid away the embrace, pulling the woman by one of the wrists. “Let me show where you might live if you want to. And then you can decide what to do from here.”

“We.” Mona tangled their fingers together, a long sigh of relief escaping her lungs. “What we do from here.”

#mona x mc #ride or die #choices: stories you play #choices: ride or die #sorry I'm too soft to write ANGST #but there will be trouble eventually #with Toby and Ximena because they deserve the spotlight

30 notes · View notes

ohmrlove · 4 years

Note

Hello! I’ve been asking a bunch of people to do this request because I want to see everyone’s different headcanons. How would the MLQC boys react to MC being a single mother? She never told them she has a 7yr son because they never thought to ask and we’ll call him Liam instead of “her son”. So they found out when Liam ran to her. MC is still young since Liam was born from unfortunate events like rape (she loves her son to death). How would the guys try to bond with Liam?

Trigger warning: ask centers around rape

🍷 Victor 🍷

He never would have imagined you were a single mother, let alone to a seven-year old. You were really good at hiding it!

It’s likely he overheard a snippet of a phone call when trying to approach you about work. A tiny little ‘love you mommy!’ on the phone during a break he didn’t know you were taking

Is kind of blown away you can strike the work-life balance and avoid being so consumed. Victor, himself, is bad at balancing intimate relationships outside of work so you mystify him

Gets super curious about this kid and slyly devises some work event that it’d be okay to bring them to

Realizes it’s a bad idea when he’s overwhelmed with the sheer amount of people--and kids--he has to greet, but likes that your kid was pretty quiet (shy) and sat at a table with you

He was playing with the big, fancy cloth napkins and Victor decided to fold one up in a semi-complicated design next to his

You introduce the two and it starts as Victor showing him how to fold napkins and teaching him about food

Casually drops Souvenir having a ‘Little Chefs day’ and encourages you to bring him

Victor can’t be the one running the class (obviously) so Mr. Mills does it and he helps grab all the stuff to make mac n’ cheese

Your son follows along, gets messy, and corrects Victor on how much cheese mac n’ cheese ACTUALLY needs. (“You want it to be really good! The best, like angels singing in your mouth, and that means lots of cheese!”)

Victor’s stomach hurts from all the cheese, but the whole thing was amusing

He’s suddenly ‘in the neighborhood’ a lot, and comes to sit with you and your son

When you have to collaborate with him on work, Victor insists you bring him so you don’t waste money on a babysitter. (”There’s two of us and one of him, it can’t be that hard.”)

Eventually learns the truth after the two of you have grown much closer and takes a deep, personal interest in making sure Liam never has that awful person for a father figure

“Just because” trips to places the three of you would like

Is basically your boyfriend/the dad figure but won’t own up to it unless super pissed off or being challenged in public. Will admit to it more when you’re married.

📢 Gavin 📢

Kind of dense about it. Had suspicions but no proof, and when he saw you two side by side, you picking him up to hug him, the similarities were PRETTY OBVIOUS

Birdcop felt kinda dumb

Becomes hyperfocused after that. When did this happen? A SEVEN YEAR OLD?! He never would’ve guessed!

Is worried the kid will be the total opposite of him--not super active, hates loud noises, etc--but is glad he can break the ice by showing him a cop car or his motorcycle

Answers all the typically excited job questions as best he can

Conveniently shows up at a school fitness day as a supervisor or some safety tie-in with the police department

Is happy to see him being nice to the other students and participates a little but mostly watches with you on the sidelines

Doesn’t ask you some of his questions since there’s other people nearby, but invites you two to ‘a little place’ he was going to afterwards

One dinner date turns into a few more, and Gavin is grasping at straws trying to invite you to stuff just to hang out. He’s got a soft spot for the kid and he sees his eyes light up and Gavin just can’t.

They turn into weekend buddies--fun at the park, movies, the whole nine yards!

He realizes this dynamic is getting pretty serious when your kid invites him to an award night at school. It’s just you two and Gavin is embarrassed but soooo proud! His heart is fluttering!

You tell him the truth about Liam’s conception and Gavin can only HOPE the guy is already dead. Boy is MAD. The news reported some wind issues for the next few hours, even into the next day.

Probably has a dark circle of people and MAKES SURE the guy doesn’t cause you any problems and stays FAR AWAY.

Focuses on being a good figure in Liam’s life.

The type to go ‘I know that kid’ and cheer him on at school functions. He’s got a distant older brother/aloof but warm personality so the transition to dad is going to be natural and hard to see.

🔬 Lucien 🔬

Probably figured it out before you ever told him. Considered that he’s a cousin/nephew or the kid happens to look somewhat like you (features can be common, etc.) but his gut says otherwise

Now that he thinks about it, he’s seen the kid off in the background when he dropped by your house sometimes. He just assumed you were babysitting a neighbor child.

When the two of you come to see him, holding hands, he knows. You’d run back to Lucien’s house and picked something up for him while he was stuck in a lecture.

Is too nosy for his own good--no matter how subtle--and offers to treat you for the errand. Whatever your kid wanted, he picked.

Lucien’s a people-watcher and found your kid’s table manners pretty interesting and he was pleased to note he wasn’t overly loud.

Their interests didn’t perfectly line up but Lucien’s absolutely voracious when it comes to learning and reading, so he had SOMETHING to say about Liam’s likes. Didn’t mind learning more from your excited, scatterbrained kid. It’s always funny to see people so passionate.

If he likes to sketch, Lucien could probably turn a sketch into a tiny robot or something. That puts him high on Liam’s list!

If he’s a more active/outdoor child, Lucien will invite the two of you along on a less-serious version of field research

Lucien can somehow always find the most interesting but less public city events, so it makes it fun and mysterious to tag along

Volunteers to babysit him when you’re super busy

They swap books and Lucien seems to have extra movie tickets lately

You guys drive to the Research Center to check on him one night when his experiment runs late and Lucien knows that this is a thing. You guys are a thing now. You’ve shown him that dedication and he’ll give it back two-fold (at least).

When he realizes no father figure’s coming in to make a fuss, Lucien has several theories. Finally inquires over a cup of tea, late at night when Liam’s asleep.

“Although certainly not ideal, Liam’s proof that good things can come out of a bad situation.”

He’s pretty vigilant about renewing any court-based paperwork that involves keeping the father away. Would probably kill him to really get him out of the picture, but has too many ideas and would rather not bother. The ultimate victory would be yours and Liam’s success, and he’ll invest in that instead.

🎤 Kiro 🎤

You and Liam were out buying groceries and running errands on your day off. Kiro was out (in disguise) trying to follow the diet his nutritionist set up...plus a few bag of chips

The two of you ran into each other at a booth giving away free samples. Kiro ABSOLUTELY can never turn down samples because they’re too small to matter and they’re usually junk food.

He says hello vaguely, as always, but when the kid says ‘Mommy, who’s that?’ Kiro absolutely loses it with disbelief and excitement

You rush him back to your house before he can blow his cover and the media gets the wrong idea

Kiro’s naturally a big kid at heart, and with his charming Evol, it won’t be hard for him to connect. Not that he’d use it.

If he gets too excited, it’ll happen accidentally.

He’s used to kids being excited to meet him so it’s a pretty easy introduction.

They talk superheroes, food, and all kinds of things!

If your kid’s not a big singer or dancer, Kiro’s more than happy to show him how to play the guitar or drums the next time you hang out. Kind of regrets that last one. But hey, he’s happy! That counts for something!

These two TOTALLY have a system where Liam brings him ‘contraband’ food when you visit and he HAS to take it because it would be rude to refuse a fan’s gift. Savin is not pleased.

Liam starts to understand that Kiro’s really busy or can’t go outside a lot/has to be private, so when the three of you hang out you usually bingewatch stuff or play video games. There’s always waaay too much takeout, but it’s delicious!

If you go to Kiro’s place, he probably installs a little fake sports hoop so they can play indoor games

Sometimes drops little coded messages in live vids (”And a special hello to my main man L!”) he loves it because it drives the internet absolutely nuts with trying to figure out who it is

He’ll casually arrange phone calls/voice messages from any of your son’s favorite TV characters/actors and make it seem like a ‘no biggie’ kind of thing. Kid super loves him then!

Not 100% what Kiro was aiming for--just trying to do something nice--but he’ll take it!

When he bothers to share any good news with Kiro, that’s when he knows he’s in the circle. You guys are close now.

When Kiro’s out supporting bands of designing a new stage line up, he likes your son’s input and will probably add a few of his favorite bands just so he has a reason to come.

It’s an unlikely family, but it’s a happy one. A happy one that is guarded to the teeth and Kiro has no qualms about bulldozing that disgusting excuse of a human in court.

May or may not put out a hit as Key. He’s a master hacker and could get rid of traces pretty easily

118 notes · View notes