#i made her to be kimura's friend | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dollfaced-erin · 9 months

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imagine if jing yuan eventually got jealous of mimi getting more attention than him

honestly ! THIS IS SO CUTE HELP HEHEHE

i couldnt help but wonder if this could be part of a one shot if someone wants to read it…i mean, i could make a spin off series of one shots and scenarios that stray off the main line story, using the current Vidyadhara reader !

In this scenario, we will be following the current timeline of the story, but i can put a little extra that strays from the original as a treat ! (so dont go telling Blade i made scenarios behind his back hehe !

REMINDER ! THIS IS BASED ON MY FANFICTION SERIES, DRAGON'S CRADLE !

TW : SLIGHTLY SUGGESTIVE THEMES !

Taglist ! : -

@rebeccawinters , @nayukiyukihira , @pix-stuff , @fluffy-koalala , @swivy123 , @starxao , @kaoyamamegami , @kimura-uzuri , @rsvye , @seikouryuu , @just-here-reading , @matsulovesyou, @sincerely-aaronette , @prettyliliy , @chibiduck , @hermosacolibri , @la-diablas-thingz

Though Yanqing was quite the rambunctious kid, during the night when he was left to his own devices, there was nothing else but him, and his papers, the moon, the sound of crickets, and more papers. Yeah…not to mention more papers of endless trivial reports spilled here and there on and under the small table in his room which he would read whenever he couldn't sleep.

Why ? To get sleepy by looking at something completely disinteresting.

Jing Yuan really couldn't help it. Almost everywhere his eyes landed, he would be reminded of his long lost companions. Though people say that wounds heal with time, how can 500 years not be sufficient enough to patch up all the pain he endured…?

Looking at his weapon he had stored in his room, he was reminded of Yingxing. Looking at Yanqing training, he was reminded of his own days with Jingliu. Looking at the Starskiffs in the sky, he was reminded of Baiheng who loved the galaxy, and once a member of the Nameless. Looking at the Alchemy Commission and the Scalegorge Waterscape, he was reminded of Dan Feng.

And at night when he was alone, looking up at the moon, he was reminded of Dan Jia.

But for the following days that (Y/n) resided in his abode for the time being, he felt like that void was slowly being patched up, like he wasn't the only one suffering in all this mess. Sure, he did want her to remember her past, but if it only will bring her suffering…

He would rather see her smile as she leaned against the wooden guardrail, gazing up at the moon. Like she was now, as they stood in silence, the only sound between them being the water splashing and the rushing in the manmade river in his personal gardens.

Jing Yuan relished in the sight of her smiling so peacefully, so carefree, like Dan Jia once did. He was about to call out to her when…

Sounds of heavy feet pressing against the dirt and pushing down the grass blades entered their ears, the sound of purring being the sole trait to the one that had interrupted them.

"Ah, Mimi !" (Y/n) called out, pushing herself off of the railings as she skipped off to the feline. She smiled brightly, a smile that she seldom showed any being, save for the large cat.

She ran her slender fingers through Mimi's mane, chuckling as she rubbed her face against Mimi's. Jing Yuan smiled and sighed, crossing over his arms, leaning against the wood, as he watched his companion put a smile on his dear friend's face.

Jing Yuan knew (Y/n) just needed a little love to give and receive without fear. He didn't regretted introducing Mimi to (Y/n), and he never would.

He takes it back. Oh how he wished he could take it back and say it again, this time with a grain of salt.

Another day he returns, another day full of useless complaints and meaningless reports. And another day of looking at (Y/n) and spending time with her as she ventured through the archives…and another day of…

"Mimi~!! Did you miss me~?" (Y/n) would coo out each time they returned from the Seat of Divine Foresight, after Jing Yuan had finished his work.

(Y/n) would let the feline approach her, as she bent down to embrace and kiss the snow lion. Jing Yuan would smile at her affectionate gesture to his companion…that is with an irk mark on his forehead.

Not to mention the snickering from Yanqing in the side.

"Looks like Lady (Y/n) here cares more for a lion than you, General." the young boy would tease.

"As long as she's happy, Yanqing. Have you not seen how much she smiles nowadays ? Perhaps I should treat Mimi to a little more…rewarding dinner soon." Jing Yuan would say, but he was obviously feeling different on the inside.

Yanqing would whistle, putting his hands behind his head as he looked at one of the seven arbitral generals in amusement. He raised one eyebrow, not even sparing a glance to the general to know what he was thinking. "Jealous, General ?"

"Me ? Jealous ? How amusing, Yanqing." Jing Yuan said with a deep chuckle. He raised a large hand and placed it on the boy's head, ruffling his blonde locks. "I wonder where did you get that idea, hm ?"

He wasn't jealous. Just the sound of it was ridiculous.

He couldn't be jealous. Right ?

Right....?

Wrong.

After Yanqing made that little comment about jealousy, Jing Yuan couldn't help but notice the little things that (Y/n) did around him.

He noticed that the dragon lady really wouldn't pay attention much to him. She would be in her own bubble at times. But whenever it was about Mimi, he had never see someone turn their head any faster than (Y/n) did.

(Y/n) was a quiet person for most of the part, barely talking much or showing too much expression, but she was always so happy to see the lion. She would run her hands through the feline's white mane, placing soft butterfly kisses all over, and praising the lion before hanging out with Mimi.

The worse part of it is that Mimi seems to understand the extra attention (Y/n) was giving her, and Jing Yuan's despair of not receiving any at all. Jing Yuan swears he could see that sly gleam in the lion's eyes. And he bet that if she could smirk, she definitely would be smirking at his despair.

He swears that the lion herself was plotting against him, rubbing her head against (Y/n)'s leg whenever she was home, walking around with a book in her hands. (Y/n) would look over, and pet the lion, that would lean into her hand, and purr loudly, making (Y/n) smile.

She would always be kissing and hugging the lion in front of him with a sweet smile on her lips. Those lips...that were never void with that waxy shine of her balm, those pink muscles pulling to reveal her pearly whites.

And it was beginning to get on his nerves.

Currently they were in his bedroom, since (Y/n) still had nightmares from time to time. His bedroom was literally her room now, where she would sleep. She even had her little mattress on the floor he had prepared for her.

(Y/n) was leaning against Mimi, the feline purring loudly, resting her head on her paws as her eyes were shut as the two sat on the matted floor of his room. (Y/n) had a book in her hand, reading something she was given to entertain herself. Jing Yuan too was on the floor with them, a few feet away, by his small floor table, reading away at some scrolls.

"Hey, (Y/n)..." Jing Yuan would call out, only to be interrupted by loud yawn from Mimi. (Y/n) chuckled and ran her slender fingers through Mimi's mane, scratching her gently which the lion loved.

"You're so cute, Mimi. The cutest in the estate. My absolute favorite." (Y/n) would praise, as she pampered the animal.

And after hearing that too many times, he had grown irritated of hearing that. He didn't want (Y/n) to be telling that to her. He wanted it for HIM. And it was so TEMPTING, with the way she would softly giggle and smile.

He bit his lip, watching (Y/n) talk to Mimi softly, like the lion was some baby. But he loved the view before him, smiling softly.

(Y/n) sat on the ground, with Mimi close to the window. Though she was basked with the warm glow of the golden light in the room, the moonlight bathed her best. The way the pure light would bounce off her (s/c) skin, her cheeks, accentuating the shape of her nose and the slant of her eyes, the shadows of her hair on her face, her beautiful silk robes that shone under the light.

Moonlight really suited her best, with the way it casted the most beautiful shadows under the purest lighting. She just looked so graceful, with the way her hair fell, the shine in her precious (e/c) eyes, the shape of her horns on her head, the gleam on her lovely plump lips accompanied with her soft voice that was lulling him to sleep.

He wondered what it was like to be in Mimi's place, to be smothered in kisses...

"Princess..." Jing Yuan would call out again, only to be hushed by (Y/n) who was still baby-talking to Mimi.

He felt so annoyed. He had never been irked up to this point. Was a lion being prioritized over him now ?! She couldn't be serious, right ?!

He felt something deep inside him burning. Anger. Not really. He couldn't be angry at (Y/n) who was pampering Mimi. And he wasn't angry that Mimi was getting affection. Was he upset ? No.

Was this the jealousy Yanqing was talking about ?

Whatever it was, Jing Yuan had enough. If he was jealous, so be it. He was going to confront this matter head on. So he moved, putting down the scroll in his hands. And with a swift moment, got up and approached (Y/n).

Jing Yuan planted his right hand firmly on the ground next to (Y/n), his knee firmly on the ground next to her thigh. His left foot landed on her other side, as he pulled the book out of (Y/n)'s hands, leaning forward as he trapped her between his muscular figure and Mimi's sleeping figure.

"Jing Yuan--" "Pay attention to me too, (Y/n)."

"H-huh...?" (Y/n) gasped, lips slightly parted, quite confused as her cheeks began to heat up from the close confrontation. (E/c) eyes met hungry and impatient honey gold eyes, as it seems Jing Yuan had enough of this behavior of (Y/n)'s.

"I said pay attention to me, (Y/n). I've had enough of you babying Mimi but you don't listen to a word I say." he sternly said, almost glaring at her from behind his messy white bangs. He snapped her book shut after taking note of the page she was on earlier, setting it aside carefully.

"Jing..." "Yuan. Call me Yuan." Jing Yuan insisted, wanting her to use his first name instead of his last. They were close enough for her to do that, right ?

"Go on, say it." he said, his possessive side taking over him. He waited, waited for her to say his name with those pretty lips of hers.

"Y-Yuan..." (Y/n) said shyly, not used to his sudden dominance. Her cheeks were burning red, even under the dim lighting, her eyes cast down as she cutely said his name.

Oh God...

"Again." he commanded, using his large hand to hold her chin tenderly, tilting her head up so that her eyes would meet his.

The sound of her calling him by his first name was making him feel things...

"Yuan..." she shyly said, again, her eyes meeting his own. Her pink lips moved to say his name, the way they pursed and parted...

He couldn't handle himself anymore.

Jing Yuan closed his eyes smashed his lips against (Y/n)'s own, feeling his lips molding against her soft own. His heart was beating in his ears, as his instincts kicked in, wanting more and more from her.

Her lips were so sweet...so soft. It was even better than what he had ever imagined them to be.

They pulled back for a moment, to catch their breath. Their eyes were still in contact, swirling with emotions full of need and want. (Y/n)'s cheeks were flushed as was his own, their chests close to touching as they heaved, rising and falling rapidly to take in oxygen they lost.

But he was still breathless.

She...was so breathtaking...

Mimi sensed the heat between the two individuals as she woke up and moved. As (Y/n) was about to fall, Jing Yuan caught her with his hand, and slowly laid her down onto the matted floor. He looked at the lion, and as Mimi laid down, to sleep again, he swore he could see her wink at him.

He took that as a sign as he looked back at (Y/n).

"Y-Yuan...?" (Y/n) called out and he felt something inside him snap.

Her hair was disheveled in an enticing way, her eyes quite shocked and...needy, her lips were separated and the way her robe was falling off her shoulder...

(Y/n)'s slender hands went around his neck, as her face got closer to his. Oh...how he wanted this moment to happen...and it was finally taking its course...

Her lips were so close to his. So he shut his eyes to relish in the feeling of pleasure...the distance was less than a single millimeter before their lips would meet again when she whispered,

"Wake up."

Jing Yuan's eyes opened in a flash, as his chest heaved. He sat up, trying to understand his surroundings, when he noticed he was on the bed. He must've fallen asleep after he took a bath, overthinking about Yanqing saying he was jealous earlier when they returned.

He sighed as he laid back down on the bed, putting his forearm over his eyes. It was just a dream. But it was so...real.

Her lips...felt so soft.

Wait, speaking of lips, where was (Y/n) ?

He quickly sat up, eyes scouring around before he saw the woman he was seeking for on the floor, the lion curled up to keep her comfortable. Jing Yuan sighed as he got up from the bed, picking up the sleeping dragon lady in his arms.

(Y/n) stirred in her sleep, (e/c) eyes opening to look at him in a daze. "Jing...?" she sleepily called out.

Jing Yuan smiled as he placed her on the bed, putting a pillow between them as a simple barrier. "You look uncomfortable on the floor, princess. Here, sleep here for the night, okay ?"

"Mhm..." she sleepily nodded. Jing Yuan chuckled as he laid on the bed next to her, reaching a hand over to stroke her hair.

(Y/n) took his hand, clasped softly between her smaller own. Then she closed her eyes, bringing his hand close to her face as she began to doze of again.

Jing Yuan's eyes widened a little, before he smiled, his heart melting at the sight of the pretty woman before him. Sure that she was asleep, he placed a soft kiss on her temple, satisfied with just that after getting quite the scare from his dream.

"Sweet dreams, my princess..."

#honkai star rail #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail x you #hsr x you #hsr jing yuan x reader #hsr jing yuan x you #jing yuan x reader #jing yuan x you #dragon's cradle #Erin's requests

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heyhellohihowareyou · 6 months

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Why “Ball Game Tournament Time” is underrated as hell

BASEBALL EPISODE! BASEBALL EPISODE! Any anime that has a baseball episode in it is bound to get Hailey hooked!

And this one is about her Sugi boy! She’s all for him getting more screentime!

Out of context picture

I’m pretty sure that this was the episode that started the “Jiriki Hongan Revolution” intro (Correct me if I’m wrong) and since it’s tied as my fav AC intro, this episode gets points for starting it!

Baseball fanatic Koro is best Koro!

Anyways, did I mention I love baseball episodes because I love baseball episodes

Found a cute side character with freckles. Appreciate her NOW!

Two very good boys right here!

Kimura gets to do something! We must savor this moment while we still can!

Awww a cute Mimura!

I live for a badass Sugi boy (Even though this one is in Shindo’s head 😅)

Also, start the count for how many times Shindo looks like he’s about the piss himself

Ain’t this such a great episode! 3-E is succeeding and showing the main campus kids what’s what! Boy I sure hope no one ruins-

Bitch. Can you please stay out of my feel good sports episodes and not traumatize people at all? You’re bringing down the vibes man 😕

Well the girlies are back at least! Kind of wish we got to see them play though.

Kayano: “It’s just that the other team had huge jiggly boobs! It made me so made that I couldn’t concentrate!” Kaede sweetie you are not beating the allegations 🩷💜💙

Nothing to say except I like Maehara’s bewildered face

GAKUHOU STOP FUCKING MANIPULATING TEENAGERS FOR FUCK SAKE

I hate the man but those eyes though

Irina: “Aha! I think I get it! So you hit a ball with a stick!” Never change Irina. Never change.

Oh my god EVERYONE SHUT UP RIGHT NOW AND LOOK AT MY BOY!!!

Did I mention that I adore Sugino. Well, I ADORE SUGINO!!!

I swear to god Gakuhou doesn’t have life WHY ARE YOU HERE!?

Also, anyone else felt bad for Shindy this episode? Sure he was sort of a cocky bastard for the first part but man is he put through hell here.

Karmster using his bitch powers to good use (Yes, Karmster is his new name now)

Also this should be a meme template

I saw the glowing red eyes and my first thought was “Baki?”

Nothing to say except that I find Isogai’s little sigh cute

Bewildered Shindy

Gakuhou: “Crack a skull if need be.” Why aren’t you in jail yet?

We love Karmster’s little bitch face

Karmster: “Swing like you’re trying to kill us.” My guy is in distress

Nagisa: “That’s got him pretty shaken up.” Pretty Shaken- MY GUY IS TRAUMATIZED!

Again, poor Shindy. Like seriously get this boy some help.

I’ve caught two bright smiles in one screenshot!

Sugino: “Didn’t mean for things to get so crazy.” Shindy needs to go to therapy

Juuuust Karmster

Hadn’t mention before but I love listening to Sugi’s dubbed voice. For someone who shares a voice actor with the loud mouth that is Katsuki Bakugo his voice is nice to listen to

Sugino: “It was about being proud of my new friends. I wanted to show them off.” Sugino I fucking love you.

Welp that’s it. That was a good ass episode that we as a fandom should talk about more! It’s season 1’s version of leader time to me. In fact it’s part of my top ten favorite episodes of the series (I really need to make a list) I don’t say it that much but Sugino as a character brings me so much serotonin so watching this episode was a joy for me! Combined with the fact that I love baseball this episode was an absolute delight.

I keep forgetting how bad I feel for Shindy boy here. Like, he was just slightly cocky and he ended up getting manipulated left and right. Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up having nightmares about the 3-E students sniping him in his sleep or something.

Anyways, like I said. This is a good episode and we should really discuss it more. We should discuss Sugino more. DISCUSS THE BOY! <—— Barely discusses the boy in question

#This fandom as a habit of adopting obscure characters #So has anyone taken Shindy yet?#If not then I volunteer!#assassination classroom #ansatsu kyoushitsu #assclass #tomohito sugino #gakuhou asano #kazutaka shindo #karma akabane #episode rundown #< That’s what I’ll start calling these things now

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fornshinoyaz · 9 months

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HOW TO: LOSE FEELINGS FOR AN IDIOT

02. HOW TO: NOT GET HIT BY A VOLLEYBALL

series masterlist | previous | next chapter

wc: 4.9 nearly 5k omg

how to lose feelings for a CERTIFIED, government approved idiot. it should be easy right? wrong. you are absolutely, positively, done for. you have no idea why you’re writing the guide book when you can’t even get past the first step! first step, the only important step really: don’t have your best friend be kei tsukishima. then maybe, just maybe, you’d have a chance.

You had a problem. That was unusual. You were usually the one fixing everyone elses shit. That wasn't the case now. Tsukki, this time, decided he was going to fix it.

“Is Y/N here?”

He appears before Kimura Hikari like a ghost. Her grip tightens around the large stack of books she's carrying. She nearly drops every single one of them in her spook.

Hikari stumbles backward, her voice trembling. “Oh! Hi! Uhm, K-Kei, right? Y/N’s friend?”

Tsukishima’s cold eyes sweep down to your struggling friend, “Mhm. Kimura? Y/N’s here, isn’t she?”

From the way you described him, Hikari would’ve expected him to be like a bundle of flowers, but he’s more like a bundle of rocks. Dead, serious, and with not a single care for anyone. His deep frown made shivers run down her spine. His gaze shifts from Hikari to the series of study rooms behind her. He’s sure you have to be in one of those, and if you aren’t, he’s going to have a few words with you. Not only would you have wasted his time (more than you already have), but you would’ve lied to him about putting in the work to pass your exams. He’s not sure which one would piss him off more.

Hikari fidgets nervously, struggling to balance the books as she points to one of the rooms. “Right in that one! #15!”

Tsukishima’s face flashes with annoyance. Really? You had to pick the farthest room? His body is still a little sore from conditioning yesterday. He gives Hikari a small nod of thanks. He isn’t rude, at least not to people he’s just met.

Yamaguchi once told him he’d changed a lot since high school, in more ways than one. Tsukishima figures your influence would’ve gotten to him one day.

Hikari fidgets herself away, mumbling about how he wasn’t what she was expecting. Tsukishima hums, so you talked about him.

You’re neck-deep in your notes when the door to your study room slams open. You know it can’t be Hikari being that rude. She’s sweet and gentle, always whispering for your attention before even blurting out a curse. But Tsukishima? He’s known you too long to bother with the polite stuff.

He kneels against the doorway, his hand open, and before you even realize, he hurls your light blue lunchbox straight at your head. You let out a pained shriek, clutching your aching head, and he responds with an annoying laugh.

Glaring up at him, you rub your temples. “Thanks, dickface.”

Tsukishima rolls his eyes at you and lets out a theatrical sigh, pretending to be affected by you, but the glint in eyes betrays his facade—he’s loving this. What an ass.

“I told you to stop leaving your things in my apartment. Especially ugly things.” He replies, taking a step forward into the quiet room. You spent a lot of your time here, relentlessly preparing for your future. It wasn’t something you were the most fond of—the constant studying, the nonstop day to day grind. You preferred being with your friends or taking pictures in the city, to being bogged down in your books. His interruption only made this more unbearable. You were not gonna be able to focus.

Sunlight filtered through the large glass panes, showcasing your friendly chaos of textbooks, study materials, and stationary tools. The usually neat desks are thrown across the room, in favor of your own sleep-deprived design. Hikari’s bright purple book bag leaned against one of the desks. Her side of the room was much neater, with organized tools and textbooks sitting in a circle. Though you both have different approaches, it didn’t matter much, as both of you equally compete for the spot of top student at Karasuno University.

“And I told you to stop showing up where I am unannounced. You almost gave me a heart attack!” You chide. If there was one thing Tsukishima knew how to do, it was interrupt your day. He knew you would stop everything when he came, and it drove you mad.

“Good.” Tsukishima snorts, making you frown. He takes several steps towards you. He's way too tall, it makes you want to cut his legs off with a pair of scissors. He squints down at the sheet of paper in front of you. You instinctively cover your work, already knowing how he gets. But it’s already too late. He’s seen everything he needs to see. Your nose scrunches up as the next words fall out his lips.

“You’re gonna fail the exam. Your notes are wrong.” Tsukishima says, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

You’re not taken aback by his bluntness; you’ve known him for too long for that. But you are taken aback by the fact that he thinks it’s wrong?! You’ve been working tirelessly for five whole hours! This man, stupid blonde man, can just walk in here, take a split look, and decide the whole thing is wrong?!

Your eyebrows furrow and your grip tightens on the sheet of paper. “What do you mean it’s wrong?” You rumble, shooting up from the desk.

Tsukishima takes this as his sign to be even more of a dickhead. He turns around and slams the door of your study room behind him, without a single word. You hated him sometimes. Most of the time actually.

Inside the room, you let out an annoyed huff, and while outside, Tsukishima shakes his head. You’re always so forgetful and stupid. While he’s going to graduate on time, you’ll be a whole semester late if you keep this up! All because you never pay attention to him when he dumbs-down very simple problems.

On the other hand, you hate how Tsukishima always has to have the last word, and worse, that he’s always right! It was like his own super-power. It’s infuriating. You hate it.

You wind the door open so fast and strong, your fingers nearly fly off, and the door makes a loud bang as it hits the other side of the wall. Tsukki narrows his eyes on the new dent you surely left, then on your hot-and-bothered face.

“Y/N, are you mad?” he asks. Whatever smart remark he was going to make is overturned by a smirk.

Tsukki has a way of triggering the worst out of you, especially in moments like this. It was the condescension that dripped in his voice. Sometimes, it feels like he reserves the worst treatment for you. But, you know what? It’s mutual, because he’s infuriatingly always right. I mean screaming in a library, how low could you get?

“YES! I’M MAD! FIRST YOU CALL MY LUNCHBOX UGLY, WHICH I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON BY THE WAY! AND THEN YOU CALL ME STUPID AND YOU DONT EVEN OFFER TO HELP!”

Tsukishima winces at the sheer volume of your voice. The entire library seems to look up at you both, and the librarian’s frown deepens. She looks like she’s ten seconds from coming over and whacking you both with every single edition of War and Peace.

“You’re screaming. in a library. Y/N. Do you want to get kicked out?” He asks with a hushed tone.

You glance around, offering sheepish apologies to the annoyed students trying to not fail their exams. But it doesn’t matter, because it’s not your fault!

“Come here!” You spit out. Tsukki groans fills the room as you launch him back inside the room and shut the door (softly) right after you.

Now he’s leaned against the table you’re working at, staring at you in disinterest as you explain how you're correct and he’s just wrong. Hikari waltzes back into the room and opens her mouth to say something, but stops in her tracks when she sees you both. He doesn’t spare her a second glance, and really neither do you. You’re both preoccupied.

And this is how you two were. It was why you were forced out of the manager position of the Boys Volleyball Club when you were in high school. Tsukki could never focus up with you there. Neither of you could stand not having the last word.

“When I tell you why you’re wrong, I want you to get on your knees and apologize for being difficult and wasting my time,” Tsukishima says with a huff.

You scoff, disbelief coloring your tone. “Excuse me?” you ask as he walks over to your side of the table.

“You heard me,” he replies. You almost bite out a response, but fuck—your breath catches in your throat. You swear, he does this on purpose.

Tsukishima hunches over you, his fingers meticulously correcting your mistakes. He’s not doing anything wrong, nothing out of the ordinary for you two. But this time it feels different.

Your heart pounds in your ears. It’s too loud. His proximity is unnerving. You can feel the warmth of his body, scalding and burning, as if colliding with your own. It’s hard to concentrate with him so close. His leans into your neck. Your breath hitches. His hands trap you.

Your eyes linger on his forearms, and you can’t help but notice how much he’s grown since high school. He’s stronger, taller, all muscle. Before, a twig could’ve beat him at an arm wrestling match.

You try to focus on anything else. But he makes it so damn difficult. His scent is everywhere you turn - woody and fresh like he just came out of a shower. He’s intoxicating.

For a moment, neither of you knows how to break the silence. You yell at yourself to stop, to not give in.

But you’ve never been one to hold back.

You steal a quick glance at him, taken away by how pretty he looks in the soft light. There’s something about this moment that makes you want to freeze time and stay in it forever. To just forget about the world around you.

The gentle hum of the room and Tsukishima’s soft clearing of his throat finally pulls you back.

“Focus,” he reprimands, his voice breaking the spell.

You give him an annoyed side-eye, trying desperately to hide the way he affects you. He slaps down your pencil, just to be even more annoying, and leans backward, that familiar smirk on his lips.

“Now look,” he continues, “I was right, you were wrong. Save us both the time and admit it now.”

“I’m not admitting anything,” you grumble. He really was right. You had completely forgotten a step, messing up the whole problem. You groan in frustration, but that only seems to amuse him further. Your pain is melody to his ears.

“Admit it,” he says again, stronger this time.

You glare up at him, the weight of defeat settling in. This sucks. His smirk is infuriating, yet somehow you love it at the same time.

“Eat shit,” you say, lacking any real conviction.

Tsukki knows he’s won, even if you don’t say anything, and that’s enough to satisfy him. He gives you a small wave, and you roll your eyes, but can’t help but wave goodbye as the door to the study room clicks shut behind him.

Hikari’s high pitched voice reminds you that she was there all along.

“Woah?! What was that?!” She asks.

“What was what? Spit it out, Hikari.”

“That tension was crazy! Are you serious?” Hikari laughs, as if she can hardly believe it.

You sigh, waving off her comments. “Stop. Let’s just focus on this, okay?”

“Okay, okay, focusing,” Hikari nods, going back into her books. You think for a moment, she had truly dropped the subject.

For five minutes, you're left with peace and quiet. But it’s not in Hikari’s nature to resist asking about a million questions.

“Okay, but did he come all the way here just to drop off your lunchbox?”

“Hikari..?”

“Sorry! Last question!” she squeaks, “but seriously, did he?”

You looked down at the item that been thrown at your FACE and shake your head. You tell Hikari, “It’s nothing, he just doesn’t like clutter,” and you know she’ll believe it.

Step two, of how to: 'lose feelings for a certified, government approved idiot', is DENY DENY DENY. And it'll work. For the first few times.

After all, Hikari didn’t know him like you did. It’s true; he hates clutter and loves organization. He can’t stand a dirty house. But it didn’t make sense for him to spend his own precious time just to return your lunchbox. If it were anyone else, Tsukki would’ve probably thrown it out or eaten whatever was inside and called it a day.

But for you, he went out of his way. Why?

Because he hated seeing you go without meals. He’ll waste his own precious time, something he didn’t have much of, just to make sure you could eat. It was love packaged in his own Tsukki way.

At some point, you were gonna have to stop denying your feelings for him.

But that wouldn’t be any time soon.

As the only girl in a group full of guys, it got hard sometimes, especially when it came to introducing your friends to Hikari.

Kageyama, of course, was surprised, and asked in the most serious voice, “You have other friends?" It made you want to kill him. Nishinoya and Tanaka couldn’t help but flirt with her, acting like they had never spoken to a girl in their lives. But the most annoying part was how nice Tsukishima was to Hikari. It pissed you off more than you’d like to admit.

With your exams done, the yearly volleyball tournament was slowly approaching. The pressure was on, and class rankings were released. You couldn’t help but feel frustrated when you saw your name at the #2 spot. Guess who claimed the top spot? Yeah, no need for an explanation. Of course, it was him—unbelievable as always.

The whole university was decorated with banners flying as you arrived on campus with Hikari. Tons of faces you’d never seen before filled the gym, taking up space in the visitor’s section.

Hikari’s eyes sparkles like stars.

She excitedly looks from stand to stand, “Wow! I’ve never been to a volleyball game before! Where’s Karasuno?”

You chuckle, finding her reaction adorable. “You’re gonna love it. They’ll be out soon. They take forever to get dressed.” Forever was an understatement. There were several instances where Hinata went missing (taking a shit) and no one could figure out where he was.

Just as you say that, the doors to the boys’ locker room opened. The gym filled with cheers as they came out. Some girls drop dead at the sight of them. They were good-looking volleyball players, you give them that. But if only they knew how many of them were huge dorks. Hinata is full of power and energy. He is the first to set his hands on the ball. Kageyama set it to him, per usual, and they freak out the whole gym. Hikari’s jaw drops in amazement.

You chuckle and close her mouth for her, “They call it the Freak Quick Attack.”

“It’s definitely freaky! How is Kageyama so good?” Hikari asks.

You shake your head, “He’s a monster. All of them are crazy talented. Even blondie,” your eyes set on him. His usual stoic look lays on his face as they went through their drills. You could hear whispers from the visitor section about him, ‘does he even wanna be here?’ and others that ask, ‘why is he so tense?’ It’s laughable.

“Are you sure he likes volleyball?” Even Hikari questions as she watches him run (barely) around the court.

You snort, “That kid? Yeah. No doubt in my head. There was a time he didn’t, but now, he’s hooked for life.”

Your eyes glance to the shot-clock. The boys were finishing their drills. There was no better time than now. You tell Hikari you would be right back and then leave the stands, walking down their side of the court. The older boys - Daichi, Suga, and Asahi give you friendly smiles, your presence as always strengthening them on the court. Kageyama and Hinata are wrapped up in their own world, preparing for the game.

Tsukishima is off on the side with Yamaguchi. He glances your way as you approach, raising an eyebrow at your interruption. You ignore his annoyed expression and greet Yamaguchi with a soft smile.

“Hey Yams, good serves today?” You say.

Yamaguchi sets down his water bottle and smiles brightly, “Only the best!”

“They always are,” Tsukishima says with a small nod of acknowledgment to his other best friend, and then his eyes settle on you, “you brought Hikari?” he asks.

You ignore the slight pang in your chest. It’s nothing. Hikari is your friend, and so is Tsukishima. Why should you care that he’s asking about her? You should be happy that he likes your friend. You try to push it out of your mind, but Yamaguchi’s knowing expression serves as a painful reminder that you do care—and it sucks.

Yamaguchi knew everything. He knew from the moment you went to him freaking out about your feelings, and how they weren’t going away. It had been years since that conversation, and nothing had changed.

“Yeah, uh,” you clear your throat uncomfortably, “she’s never seen you guys play. Thought I’d invite her.”

Tsukishima hums, but that seems to be where his interest in her ends.

“I hope Hikari enjoys it! I’ll make sure to do hit double the serves for her!” Yamaguchi says, drilling innocence and light back into the conversation and lifting your mood.

You smile. He always knew how to make you feel better. “I’ll tell her the game plan. Fight well guys I-“

You don’t get to privilege of finishing you sentence because a volleyball comes throttling straight at your face. Huh. For a problem-solver, you often ended up on the wrong side of many problems. Yamaguchi shrieks as the ball takes you out like a bowling pin. You go flailing to the floor. Ow.

Yamaguchi rushes over, eyes full of concern. “Y/N!! Woah!! Are you hurt?”

You manage to give him a thumbs-up, even though your nose feels like it's about to fall off. “Yup! All good! Totally did not get hit by a ball going at 500mph...”

Tsukishima, who witnessed the whole thing, seems more amused than concerned. “You alright down there?” he asks, failing to stifle his laughter.

You groan, wincing as you touch your sore nose, “Tsukishima..please..?”

“Okay, okay,” he says and reaches for you. You gasp as he lifts you up and back onto your feet. You land closer to him than you would like and your face flushes (from your recent accident, of course haha nothing else).

He looks over you for any injuries. “Are you good?”

“Y-Yeah,” you want to cringe at your own stutter, “completely fine.”

Tsukki didn't miss the tremble in your voice. “You sure?”

“Mhm,” you hold each other’s gaze for a second longer than necessary. Yeah, no. You quickly avert your eyes from his and back to the crowd where Hikari is waiting. It’s like he already knows what you’re thinking and nods. It was a freaky thing you guys did from time to time. It was just like you guys shared each others braincells. As you head back up to your seat, worry etches on Hikari’s face.

“That looked nasty, Y/N! Are you okay?” she asks.

You assure her that it was just a minor accident, and you both focus on cheering for your team. The excitement of the game quickly takes over, and you forget about your experience as a professional bowling pin. The match is intense—as usual, Karasuno gives it their all. You expect no less from your friends. Tsukki finds himself in his own little rivalry with another blocker. You can’t help but laugh when Tsukki gets the upper hand and completely dominates. This was the man who they said ‘hated’ volleyball?

In the end, Karasuno wins, taking the whole game by the second set. The gym erupts in applause. The visitors side sighs, sad over their reign being cut so short. Among the boisterous crowd, you swear you’re the loudest, and the way Kageyama and Nishinoya laugh at you only confirms it.

As the team comes over to the stands to greet and thank their supporters, you notice Tsukishima’s eyes searching across the crowd. You wonder for a moment, who is he looking for?

But then, it hits you.

Oh.

Your eyes meet.

He was looking for you.

With a rush of excitement, you cheer even louder. “Yeah, Tsukki!”

A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and he gives you a subtle nod, a gesture meant only for you.

After the game, you all come to together to discuss the following moves after. Of course, your friends are beyond starving (nothing new). Hikari is still buzzing with energy and excitement as you guys move from the gym to a nearby BBQ restaurant. Her first volleyball experience was a good one. Not only had she seen a good game, but now, she was the main attention of several of the players. Nishinoya and Tanaka are annoying as usual, but Tsukishima also seems to be entertaining this? Your eyebrows furrow when he says more than ten words to her.

As the night continues, a pit keeps growing more and more in your stomach.

Hikari’s laughter fills the air the restaurant, you absentmindedly chew on a piece of lettuce before switching to some meat. The rest of the boys are chatty too, but it feels like Tsukki and Hikari’s conversation is ten times louder. They talked the entire way to the restaurant, and she even chose to sit next to him. What were they discussing you ask? Dinosaurs and geology. You almost forgot that was Hikari’s major—she adores subjects like that.

You, on the other hand, did not. You’ve always been drawn to the arts—singing, dancing, writing, and especially photography. You could never have these conversations with Tsukki. Not in the meaningful way that Hikari could.

Throughout the night, you catch Tsukishima glancing at you more than once. It’s as if he’s silently observing and noting your behavior. That’s just his way—he wouldn’t say anything in front of others, but he seems to sense that something is off. When you only manage to muster half a smile at one of Hikari’s joke, he's convinced.

By the time the night winds down, you all part ways, some opting for taxis while others head out to tame the night. As for Hikari? She had a bit too much to drink.

“I love you so much, Y/N,” Hikari drunkenly slurs, hung over your shoulder as you try to usher her into a taxi.

“I love you too, please get home safe,” you say. On the other side of you, Asahi, follows after her in the taxi. You thank him for being willing to make sure she got home.

As you reach for your phone to call a taxi for yourself, Tsukki unexpectedly takes it from your hand. Your eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“Tsukki..?”

“Do you want ice cream?” he asks, surprisingly casual.

His offer catches you off guard. Your eyebrows furrow even further, “We just spent like $400 in there…”

“I’ll pay,” Tsukki replies, nonchalantly.

“Okay…” you agree, still unsure about the whole situation. As you walk, there’s an unnamed tension between you two. It's unnatural. You find yourself wondering about the ice cream parlor—what kind of place is open at 10 p.m.? Nevertheless, Tsukki’s confidence makes you trust him. And sure enough, the ice cream parlor is open (at 10pm?) with it’s door wide open for customers.

The parlor is cozy, definitely a hidden gem in the large city, dressed with old photos and vintage art pieces, creating a charm that made you wish you had your camera on you.

The elderly woman at the front greets you both with a warm smile, her eyes twinkling with kindness. “What can I get you both?” she asks sweetly, her face full of surprise. It wasn’t often someone stopped into a shop for ice cream at 10 p.m., nonetheless her shop.

“Two vanilla cups, please,” Tsukki pulls out a large bill from his wallet, “keep the change.”

Your mouth waters at the sight of it. Ice cream never got old to you. The woman expertly scoops the creamy vanilla into cups and drizzles a rich caramel sauce on top. You find a cozy corner to sit at.

With each spoonful, you fill with happiness. You can’t help but let out a contented sigh. This was what you needed. Tsukki seems to know that.

“Is this how you bribe me? Through ice cream?” you ask him, as you lick a tiny bit vanilla off your lips.

A chuckle falls off his lips, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a small smile, “It’s working, isn’t it? I might end up stealing your job, Y/N.”

“My job?” You ask through a confused laugh.

“Problem solver extraordinaire? I fixed whatever this…” he points to the distance between the both of you, “was.”

You silently take another spoonful. The power of vanilla.

As the evening further sets in, the ease of being around him washes over you, and for a moment, it feels like nothing has changed between you. But deep down, you know that’s not entirely true.

When you both finish your ice cream, you say goodnight to the elderly store owner, her smile widening with knowingness. “You two are a beautiful couple. I hope you enjoyed.”

Tsukishima rubs the back of his neck, almost shyly, “Thank you, but we’re not dating.”

The elderly woman, seemingly unmoved, gives you a playful wink. “Hmm~, okay dears, if you say so. Here, this is on the house.” She hands you a bag of cookies. Delicious. Tsukishima made a good choice coming here. You two bow deeply before heading back out into the night, the pleasant taste of ice cream still lingering on your tongues.

The roaring air pulls you closer to him. You shiver and without thinking much of it, he yanks his own jacket off and places it over your shoulders. You hated him.

“I’m walking you home." Tsukishima says.

“Do I get a choice in this?” you ask through a mouthful of the cookie the old woman had given you, free of charge.

He whisks crumbs off the corner of your lips. “No. Why do you eat so messy?” you stick your tongue out at him.

The warm glow of the evening street lights lead you back to your apartment. You felt like you deserved a long rest after tonight, and several other nights spent studying. A long yawn left your mouth, and Tsukki yawns shortly after you.

"Copier." you say childishly.

"Shut up." he murmurs.

It feels as if you two are the only souls in the sleeping city. The silence between you both is comfortable, but it didn’t last long.

He glances down at you as you near your apartment. His words and eyes are both careful. This wasn't a question he was making up on the spot.

"You were off tonight. Why?” he asks.

You knew the question was coming. It was just a matter of when.

“I don’t know," you lie.

“You’re lying,” he says, stopping in the middle of the street to make it even more dramatic. A groan escapes your lips, knowing he wouldn’t let it go. You hope a random car wouldn’t fly past and kill you both.

“I am. But can’t you just leave it?” you almost plea.

“I can’t. The same way you never can,” he replies.

You sigh. You were far too alike for your own good. Looks like you had no choice. You knew Tsukki wasn't moving a single foot until you told him what was up. It's embarrassing to say it out loud.

“I guess I just… I felt a bit left out, you know? You and Hikari-” you start, but are quickly cut off.

Tsukishima’s face hardens, “Seriously? That’s what you were worried about? Me and Hikari?”

His words ignited a blaze of emotions within you. He didn't have to say it like that. Your cheeks burn.

“Tsukishima, I know, it was silly, okay-”

Tsukishima comes closer. His hands rest on your shoulders. Something is different.

“It wasn’t silly, it was stupid. Hikari means nothing to me. At all. I tolerated her. I love you. You understand that, right?”

Your eyes widen. Neither of you said it often. It wasn’t in your vocabulary—it wasn’t the way either of you were. You showed your love in different ways, but hearing him say it like this, you wished you both said it more.

“Tsukki…” Your heart skips a beat, but you quickly reminded yourself that the ‘as a friend’ was attached. It always would be.

Tsukki’s eyes..soften (?) on you.

“I love you. Okay? So...” it’s like a switch turns back on in his head and he realizes what he’s saying. He averts his gaze, and for a moment you see a twinge of pink dust his cheeks. It's just the cold (the wind, guys?) making him that way. That's the lie you tell yourself.

He begins walking away, nearly leaving you behind, “Stop being an idiot and come on.”

You were doomed.

Maybe that volleyball should've taken you out when it had the chance?

a/n: ohhhh i had alot of fun with this chapteeerrrr, lmk how you guys felt about it!!!! paramore's still into you, was a huuuge inspiration for this chapter - as well as a bunch of other songs. hopefully will finish the whole fic this month, but i start college rlly soon :(( hope u guys enjoyed!

taglist !!! @kei-tsuki21 @marga-j @xxizuchanxx @horr0rvacu1 @lavenderhotcoco @sami-stable @awkwardaardvarkforever @rorygilmoreclown @rachlubsuu @sixxze @lonelyladyghost @kurenix @nemisimp @doofusthebozo @scarred-keys

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putschki1969 · 29 days

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2024/03/30 Blog post by Wakana ジブリをうたうコンサート〜全私が泣いた日〜

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ ❗Do NOT SHARE on other sites❗ ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

“Ghibli wo Utau” Concert~A Night Of Tears~

“Ghibli wo Utau” Concert ~ Produced by Satoshi Takebe was held on March 27th (*'▽'*) It still feels like a dream to be able to perform at a tribute concert for my all-time favourite Studio Ghibli works. Today I will be sharing plenty of photos from that concert! It was held at Tokyo International Forum Hall A✨ The screen at the back shows famous scenes from each work. When I was singing, I believe they showed San and Moro in the background 😍 (I was facing the audience the whole time so I couldn't see them...)

This time, I chose a dress inspired by San from Princess Mononoke 👗 It was so cute ♡ Here I am together with Mr. Satoshi Takebe who is literally a super-human, he was hosting the whole event, taking charge of the MCs, performed on the piano and he also arranged all the songs for this concert😂😂It's amazing😂 When I was asked to sing ``Princess Mononoke'' for the album, I remember that at first I jumped up and down with joy but then I quickly started to feel anxious, wondering whether I would be able to do a good job... However, when I saw Takebe-san and everyone involved in the production working so incredibly hard to make a good album, I swore to myself that I would give my very best and work as hard as I could. I am grateful to Takebe-san for always believing in me and never giving up on me! ! Takebe-san, thank you very much for your hard work! ! ･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+

This was my first time collaborating with Leo Ieiri! I got to sing “Itsumo Nando Demo” together with her, it was so much fun 😊 She was a very kind and wonderful person...😳✨ We actually have something in common, we are both Sagittariuses from Fukuoka, that made me happy 😊 I hope to see you again✨

And here I am with Shigeru Kishida from “Quruli”! We had our picture taken while I got to hold my personal Totoro😂 During the concert, I watched most of the artists' performances from the stage side wings, Kishida-san's story was particularly funny 😂 It seems like Takebe-san tends to call him "Shige-chan" 😂 So cute 😂 Not only his performance of “My Neighbor Totoro” but also “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” was amazing!

I also had a photo taken together with Kaela Kimura! She is too cute~~🥺💕 I felt the audience get even more excited during Kaela's "Rouge's Message"😊 She is a very powerful and charming performer😍

I brought a lot of my Ghibli mascots with me that day, actually, everything except Tet was a gift from my fans 😂 All of you really know and understand me...😭✨Thank you😭✨ (Totoro and his friends on the right, Acorn and Kurosuke are matryoshka dolls. Ashitaka and Kodama are finger puppets, and Totoro on the left is a pouch!)

The Totoro cream puffs provided by the catering service were super cute! (It doesn't even look out of place when lined up side by side with all of my mascots!)

I really enjoyed reflecting on that special day with lots of photos! I was among the first ones to perform so I actually wanted to tell all of you in advance that you should make sure to arrive in time 😂 And then when I stood on stage, I immediately started looking for familiar faces in the audience😂

It was my first time standing on stage with so many artists since I became a solo artist so I was a little nervous... I sang while thinking of all of you, believing that my botanical friends were definitely there in among the many gathered fans! 😂 Thank you to everyone who came and everyone who supported me...😭✨ I was beyond thrilled to be able to participate in a concert that allowed me to be so involved with Ghibli's music! The concert will be streamed on U-NEXT on May 18th, so please look forward to it ＼＼\\٩( 'ω' )و //／／

Also, the submission deadline for the next "Talk Garden" episode is tomorrow! This time's theme is "Something I Want to Ask Wakana/Something I Want Wakana to Talk About"! 😊 Please send it here ↓↓ https://wakana-fc.jp/answers/botanical_oshaberi_8/new

Finally, here are some fun photos~☆ YAY! ! (I'm floating in the air)

Until next time~☆( *'▽'*)/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

Wakana to Perform at Everyday's Omatsuri

Wakana will appear at "AirTrip Presents Everyday's Omatsuri 2024" featuring a variety of amazing artists, held every day from July 3rd to July 15th! Wakana will be performing as part of a two-man live together with RYTHEM on July 13th, starting at 19:00. Please look forward to it! ! (Source)

《Performance overview》 Title: “AirTrip presents Everyday's Omatsuri 2024” Date and time:July 13, 2024 Open 18:30 / Start 19:00 Venue: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Performers: RYTHEM・Wakana Ticket type: Luxury seats 7,000 yen / Premium seats 6,500 yen / General seats 6,000 yen Official site: http://omatsuridays.jp/ Advanced ticket lottery for FC members of Botanical Land has started! ! 【Application period】4/1～4/8 【Results】4/12～【Payment period】4/12～4/14

#kalafina #wakana #wakana blog #botanical land #fan club exclusive content #Ghibli wo Utau Concert #Everyday's Omatsuri 2024 #Everyday's Omatsuri

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written-in-flowers · 1 year

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Kimura Delivery Service: Pt. 1

Pairing: OC x S.W.O.R.D leaders (yes, you read that right)

Genre: smut, fluff, angst,

Word Count: 9k

Fandom: High & Low: The Story of S.W.O.R.D

Summary: After a life of swinging her fists, Sakyia is hopeful about her easy going job of delivering packages…However, her aunt neglected to mention the “regulars”: The gang leaders of S.W.O.R.D. and the undeniable affection they all grow to have for her.

Overall Warnings: blood and violence, fighting, gang activity, crime, mentions of death, multiple relationships, girlboss being a girlboss, not really ‘poly’ but girl has a string of lovers.

Prologue < | > Part 2

Tagged: @belle643

Chapter 1: S is for Sannoh Hoodlum Squad

The apartment above the store was smaller than her old home, but it looked cozy. Even with the old furniture, chipped wallpaper and musty carpet underneath her feet, she felt a sense of warmth throughout the room. Looking around, they’d certainly have to fix it up to be comfortable. With a separate bedroom on the side, the bathroom remained the only other room. She figured her and her mother would be sharing a room until they could afford a bigger place. She didn’t mind. It was better than having no bed at all. She opened a window to let out the stuffy air, and saw the spectacular view…

A small courtyard and the opposite building behind them.

When her mother and aunt came back up, Sakyia noticed they’d brought two young men with them. One was tall with long black dreadlocks, and his companion was darker and shorter. She guessed these were Junpei’s friends. The boy with the dreadlocks smiled when he saw her, then nudged his friend, who also grinned.

“Sakyia,” Hana said, “I’d like you to meet Tettsu,” the tall one waved, “And Dan,” the short one bowed slightly. “They come and help me from time to time.”

“Because Junpei tells them too.”

“Cobra doesn’t force us to do anything,” Tettsu immediately said, placing down one of their boxes. “We’re always here for our neighborhood. It’s what Sannoh Hoodlum Squad is about: protecting and caring for the town.”

She tried to stifle a laugh, “Sannoh Hoodlum Squad? That’s your gang’s name?” It wasn’t the worst name she’d ever heard.

“Yeah,” he replied. “Cobra is our leader.”

“His nickname is ‘Cobra’?” she snickered, picking up the box of kitchen items. “It would be.”

“Sakyia!” Midori furrowed her brow, “Stop being rude.”

“I’m not being rude,” she put it on the counter, giggling softly, “Just voicing an opinion. You told me Sannoh is a good place to live.”

“It is,” Dan told her reassuringly. “You’ll see once you’re settled in. Sannoh Hoodlum Squad isn’t like the ones you’re probably used to seeing. We take care of our people.”

“You can come to the diner and see for yourself,” Tettsu suggested. “It’s called the Itokan Diner.”

“Ooh! That sounds nice!” Midori said. “Is it a new place? I haven’t been home in such a long time; everything’s changed around here.”

The pair began explaining it to her as Sakyia helped unload the car downstairs. They seemed nice, but most gangsters did. However, looking them both over, and listening to them talk, they did not seem the type to be in gangs. They were friendly and helpful to her aunt, who appreciated them enough to offer rice balls the next time they came. They didn’t brag or flaunt any fancy things they’d bought. Should she have passed them in the street, they’d appear like any normal youths. Sakyia knew more than most that appearances can be deceiving. She decided she’d leave her judgment for more contemplative hours; she had work to do.

Sakyia spent the rest of the day putting things away and trying to make something of a home in the apartment. She made shelf space for her art supplies and books; her mother brought small potted plants to place along the window sill for some life. Family photos went on shelves and walls; they’d put her father’s remains in an ornate wooden box on the bedroom dresser. By the time they’d finished, night fell and the apartment seemed less empty and shabby.

“We need food,” her mother frowned when she saw the empty fridge. “I’ll order take out for tonight. Burgers, Blossom?”

“I guess,” she shrugged.

“Don’t get burgers,” Hana said, unpacking the last kitchen box. “There’s a perfectly good diner down from here that serves way better food.”

“That diner your friends mentioned?” asked Sakyia.

“You’ll love their food,” she insisted. “Naomi is such a great cook, and the prices are reasonable.” Midori looked at Sakyia with raised eyebrows, and Sakyia shrugged again. They turned to Hana who nodded, “I’ll place the order. Sakyia can go pick it up. You can walk there, it’s not too far.”

“Ugh, Auntie,” she groaned, plopping onto the couch. She let her body sink into it as she said, “I’m so tired. Can’t they deliver?”

“They don’t do that,” Hana replied. “Stop being lazy. You’re young. Besides, Junpei might be there.”

“Um okay, so?”

She caught her mother and her aunt looking at one another. She groaned and let her head fall back on the couch. It was inevitable that this would come up: Cobra was a young man. Sakyia was a young woman, new in town. “He’s a man of few words, but he’s very nice-” Hana began, but Sakyia cut her off.

“-I literally just arrived,” she said. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I’m looking to sit down and never get back up again.”

“We weren’t thinking that at all,” her mother said unconvincingly. She grabbed a bottle of wine that Hana brought, and said, “Your aunt was telling us what a nice young man Junpei is, that’s all.”

“Mh-hm, your mom keeps complaining to me about how you’re always at home, you don’t go to school, you don’t have a lot of friends-”

“-Well, I wasn’t really in a place to make any friends.”

No, she hadn’t been. Yes, there’d been fighters she became friendly with in the warehouse, but nobody she saw outside of the place. Twelve years fighting on dirt and sawdust, her hands and wrists wrapped up, forged her into something. A weapon. Jiro took up most of her time, so she never went out with friends or her mother all that much. The one person she'd grown closest to sat in a Rasen prison cell. Sakyia recalled the times she’d tried fitting in with girls at her school: going shopping, wearing makeup and pretty clothes; talking about boys they liked and things they did over the weekend. She wanted that life. She wanted a circle of friends who stuck by her side, and lifted her up. Often, she imagined going shopping with a group of friends, and visiting her mother's salon togethet.

But, Jiro pulled her away from that to fight in the pits. Plus, the bruises kept people at a distance. Thinking of the endless fights night after night already tired her out. She withdrew the small sketchpad from her bag with a pencil, and returned to her drawing.

She was done with fighting. She did not mind a bit of practice to keep herself in shape, but fighting people? Sakyia refused to do it ever again. She’d wasted her life on pointless fighting. She’d only done it because of Jiro; otherwise she might’ve given up on it entirely and focused on her art. Martial arts used to be something her father and her shared. When he died, it felt meaningless to continue. Sakyia looked forward to helping her mother in the salon, doing simple tasks and meeting people. Maybe she can enroll in a beauty school and become a stylist herself. She could still go, if she wanted; she was only twenty-five. She still had so much ahead, and with Jiro and the warehouse gone, she could be something more than that.

“-Alright, she’ll come by to pick it up,” Hana said over the phone. “Thank you, Naomi. Have a good night.” She turned back to Midori and Sakyia by the television, “Alright you, time to go. Here’s the address,” she scribbled it down on a piece of paper and handed it to Sakyia, “She says it’ll be done in thirty minutes or so.”

“Then, I’ll go in thirty minutes.”

“No, young lady,” said Midori, picking up her glass of wine from the coffee table. “You’ll go now. That way it’ll be hot when you bring it back.”

“You two just want me out of the house so you can have the wine to yourselves,” Sakyia accused, putting her pad and pencil aside.

“That’s right,” she smiled, pouring her sister a glass. “I haven’t drank properly since I married Jiro,” she said to Hana. “He said he thought women drinking was an ugly trait. I can’t believe I actually listened to him.”

“I can’t believe you married him!” said Hana, sitting on the sofa between her and Sakyia.

This was her cue to leave. She slowly stood from the couch, slipped on her jacket and shoes, and headed out the door. Once outside, she entered the address into her phone and began walking. The sky started changing from day into night, and she saw businesses already closing. She did receive curious looks from locals who’d never seen her, but she nodded politely. Walking down the street, Sannoh did not seem like such a rough place. It did appear a bit run down in places, yet she liked that. It felt real. Sakyia saw herself living in this small town. She could inherit the salon or start her own art gallery and sell her drawings, if they were good enough. She smiled softly. This could be a good place for her and her mother.

She found the Itokan Diner wedged in a corner of the street with a small sign bearing its name in bold letters. Sakyia took a deep breath, and then pushed on the door. Her stomach growled at the scent of savory food in the air. She took a look around the small diner: it had bench tables, posters and words plastered on the walls, and chandeliers made from glass bottles. The rustic, comforting look must draw in a good amount of people during the night. She then noticed the room going quiet when she walked in.

“Hey, Sakyia!” Tettsu called to her from one of the tables, “You actually came!”

“Um, yeah,” she said, caught off guard by his grin, “My aunt ordered some food and I’m picking it up.”

Behind the counter, a short slim woman with brown hair stirred a pot over the stove. Sakyia guessed this was Naomi, the woman her aunt mentioned. She turned around when the door opened and smiled at Sayika.

"You must be Sakyia," she said. "Hana said you'd be coming by to pick up the food. It won't be ready for a while, so if you want to sit and have a drink, you're welcome to."

"Thanks," she took a seat at the bar. "They kicked me out so they can have all the wine to themselves. What do you have to drink around here?"

"Beer mostly," she replied.

Beer wasn't her favorite, but she asked for one. She gazed around the diner and noticed a drawing on the wall. It was a crown with two tigers on either side with the gang's name on a banner. She snorted. It was a decent design. She'd still seen worse. She took a swig from the beer Naomi placed in front of her and noted the photos on a shelf nearby. Two men stood together in front of a familiar logo on the wall. Two snakes tangled together in a circle underneath the words "Mugen" was a familiar sight to her.

"This used to be Mugen’s place?" the question came out before she stopped herself.

Naomi finished wiping a glass and said, "Ah, no. My brother, Tatsuya, was in it before he started the diner. The other man was his best friend, Kohaku. Why? Did you know them?"

"Not personally, but guys in the warehouse used to wear their vests and talk about them." She took another drink of beer when Naomi moved closer to her.

"Warehouse?"

She'd said too much. If this woman's brother was part of Mugen, she might not know about their part in the fighting rings. "I used to be a secretary in a warehouse in the bay area. With so many men around, they all try to impress you and say they know guys in Mugen or are a part of it."

"A lot of guys used to do that," said a male voice behind her.

She turned to see a dark haired man sitting not too far away, his own plate of food in front of him. His wide shoulders slimmed down his torso, though hidden behind the green sweater he wore. Judging by his face, he didn't like what Sakyia was saying.

"Doesn't mean Kohaku was involved," he said. "Guys in Mugen used its name to do bad things like deal drugs and women. But we weren't involved in that."

"Never said they did," she replied, a bit taken back by his reaction. "Just things I heard." She noticed another photo with Cobra and the other man with the first two. They also wore Mugen vests. It explained the man's reaction.

"She was only saying, Yamato. She didn't mean anything by it," Naomi defended her.

Men were so sensitive. She wondered what Yamato might say if she told him that Mugen members liked to fight and bet in the warehouse. Drinking her beer, she remembered a boy she'd fought who boasted about being part of Mugen. He made it sound as if she should've been scared of him. Sakyia would admit he dislocated her shoulder, broke her upper lip, bruised up her stomach and nearly choked her, but she'd beat him. He lost when a swift kick to the temple knocked him out. Sakyia smirked to herself. She recalled what she'd said to his manager.

"It appears that Mugen isn't as tough as they say."

"You were a part of Mugen, then?" she asked.

"Cobra and Yamato were," said Tettsu, coming over to her side, "But the rest of us joined them when they started the Sannoh Hoodlum Squad."

"Is there a signup sheet or something? How do you even join a gang?" The idea amused her. Naomi laughed as she turned back to the stove.

"Well, um, you sort of show up to the base and, kind of, join?"

"Why? Are you interested?" a deep voice asked from nearby.

She turned around to see Cobra sitting in a corner booth, a motorcycle magazine in front of him. In the dim lighting of the diner, his hair shone a dark gold color and softened his features. She understood her mother's suggestion at once. Even Sakyia wouldn't deny it: he was handsome. He didn't smile and spoke in a low voice.

"What if I was?" she asked, leaning back on the bar. "Do you accept women?"

The men in the bar laughed, but Cobra gazed at her. She tried not showing her uneasiness at his silent staring. His eyes remained absent the usual flirtatiousness; they observed her closely, as if they could see through her act. He studied her and she didn't like it. It reminded her too much of the men at the warehouse, who examined her like a horse for sale. The men who trained her said she had a slim body good for dodging and speed. She often fought men and women larger than her and her size came in handy. Cobra looked at her the way they did now.

"Depends," he said, "How good of a fighter are you?"

"Fighter?" Dan furrowed his brow.

Yamato turned to him in surprise, "What do you mean by that? She's a girl."

"That doesn't mean she couldn't fight any of you," said Naomi, who continued stirring her noodles. "She's got the body for it. She’s smaller and probably quicker than you, Baldy."

“Hag,” Yamato spat back, though his smile gave away the affection.

"Oh, I can't fight to save my life," Sakyia fibbed, finishing her beer. "I can't do all that fancy, tough guy martial arts stuff that guys do nowadays." It wasn't anyone's business what she could and couldn't do. Her father used to tell her not to show off or boast about her skills; that way she had the element of surprise. "I don't mind watching though. It’s kinda hot when guys fight each other," she added, winking at him. She expected a reaction, but didn't get one. He continued staring, and she stared right back. "What about you guys? What's your gang all about?"

"We protect the town," Cobra said. "There are other gangs around here who like hurting people and stealing. We stop them. We look after each other and make sure everyone is safe."

"How admirable. Most gangs I know deal drugs and fight all the time."

"Don't be fooled," said Naomi, putting rice into a small styrofoam container. "These guys use their fists to solve their problems all the time. You won't believe the amount of times they walk in here all bruised up and bleeding."

"But we win," Yamato quickly added, digging back into a hot plate of food.

"That’s not why we fight though,” said Cobra, going back to his magazine. “We fight hard because this town is worth fighting for. We all came together because of that shared love for our town. If you stick around long enough, you'll see it for yourself."

"Who could possibly want to mess with this little place?" she asked, the smell of the food making her hungry again. "There isn't anything here."

"People who want to step on the weak," he said. "The people who steal from those who already have nothing."

“I suppose my mom and I should be glad we moved into such a well protected area then,” she said, smirking at his righteous statement. She found it funny how serious he sounded. “So, do I call you if I ever need ‘protection’ or do you guys operate like Batman, and you happen to show up at the right time?”

The younger members chuckled at the joke, but stopped once Cobra stood up. All the nerves inside Sakyia lifted her shoulders slightly. She didn’t want to fight. Cobra came a few feet to her, then said, “I don’t think someone like you needs protection in the first place.”

“Meaning?”

“You claim you don’t know how to fight,” he said, “But then explain the scars on your knuckles.”

Sakyia looked at the hand on the bar, where a long scar stood out against her skin amongst smaller ones. “Accident,” she answered quickly. “It’s how I got this too, if you were planning on mentioning it,” she tapped the thin scar where Yoshi busted her nose. It healed well enough, but left a mark. “I was riding on a motorcycle with a friend, and it turned over. I broke my knuckle bone and my nose. Nothing suspicious about that.”

Cobra’s seriousness broke into a shadow of amusement. “I’ve been riding my motorcycle for years. I’ve never seen people get such specific injuries from an accident.”

“Are you some kind of motorcycle accident expert or something?” she spat back, “I got them from an accident, that’s it.”

"Your mom said she was opening up Sungmi's salon," Tettsu said, taking your attention from Cobra and his questions. "Will you be working there too?"

"Yeah," she nodded, peeling her eyes away from Cobra. "I'm not a stylist or anything, but she says I can clean and do reception."

Naomi came to her holding three styrofoam boxes. "Oh, she's opening back up the salon?"

"She'll be helping run it, yeah."

"Thank god!" She sighed in relief, "All the women around here have been going to the barber because the salon’s closed. It'd be nice to get a proper haircut."

"And a manicure or pedicure," Sakyia added. "My mom is hiring some nail artists to bring in more clients. She's going to have it properly running in a week or so. She actually does my hair," she showed off her short wavy bob, the ombre colors of brown and black fading out. "You should stop by when it's open."

"I definitely will," she said, "And I know plenty of other women who will stop by."

"I can come too," Tettsu chimed in eagerly.

"Salons are for women, Tettsu," Yamato rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with a man going to a salon," Sakyia said to him. "Same as a woman going to a barber shop.”

"Then I will come by," Tettsu smiled. "And you can come to my family's onsen."

"Your family's bathhouse is for men," Naomi told him.

"We could make a private space for her."

Sakyia chuckled, "The offer is nice, but no thank you."

"Well, if you change your mind…" he blushed, turning away. “You can just, you know, drop by or whatever.”

"What's with your nickname anyways?" She turned to Cobra again. She hated how he’d seen her scars and deduced their cause. She needed to prod him back. Her mother might scold her, but she didn’t care. "Is it supposed to compensate for something?"

Yamato nearly choked on his food. Dan and Tettsu stifled laughter and Naomi busied herself with putting the food in take out bags. Cobra didn't smile but he didn't glare either. His lack of reactions had begun to annoy her. Also, his stare made her squirm inside.

"In school," he said, smiling somewhat when he saw she wasn't being malicious, "There was this grapple I learned how to do. People said I did it so tight, it was like a cobra squeezing them. Someone said it and the name stuck," he shrugged.

"Maybe you can show me," she suggested, picking up the plastic bags Naomi handed her. "You know, since this town is so dangerous and I'm a defenseless woman wandering the streets at night."

Yamato gawked at her, "Wow, this girl's bold!"

“I doubt you’re defenseless,” Cobra smirked.

She tried not laughing at their reactions. She paid for the food and drink, thanked Naomi and said her farewell. Once outside, she giggled to herself. Men were so easily shocked by bold behavior. They seemed like a decent group. She decided she might stop by the diner more often.

That was how people made friends, right?

When she returned to the shop, she climbed the stairs and heard her mother laughing behind it. Sakyia stood outside the door for a moment to listen. She hadn’t heard her mother’s laugh for a long time. Full of mirth and giddiness, she’s sure the wine is helping it along but Auntie Hana’s presence adds to this. A surge of hope actually swirled in her chest. Maybe things will work out for them in this little town.

“Ma, I’m back,” she called into the apartment as she entered.

“Oh, good! We’re starving!” Hana sighed in relief, coming to the kitchen counter where Sakyia placed the bags. She began opening the bags, deeply inhaling the food, “Perfect. Naomi is a great cook. You’re both going to love her food.”

“Okay, okay, let’s get to eating.”

Her mother grabbed utensils, and passed them around. Sitting at the small dining table next to the kitchen, the women dug into their meals. Sakyia agreed with her aunt about the food: it was delicious. The tender chunks of meat stew melted in her mouth, full of seasonings and spices that complimented the bed of rice underneath. Only her mother’s own cooking surpassed it. Dipping a piece of broccoli in the sauce and eating it, her mother spoke.

“Sakyia,” she began, “Your aunt and I have been talking while you were gone.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hana asked, affronted.

“Because whenever she starts a sentence with ‘your aunt and I have been talking’, it’s about to be something crazy.”

“Ah, hush you,” her mother nudged her with a smile. “I know we talked about you working with me in the salon, but Hana here told me she’s been looking for a delivery person for the store.”

“Okay…” she listened, eating another piece of saucy steamed vegetables.

“I think it’d be a better fit for you,” she stated, eating a bit of her own rice. “You’d be bored in the salon. You used to whine and wail about it when you were little, and you haven’t changed since then. Going around the districts, seeing the different places and meeting new people might be better for you. You’d be occupied and stimulated instead of sweeping floors and listening to gossip.”

“I wanted to sweep floors and listen to gossip,” she said. After the years she spent in the rings, she’d somewhat looked forward to ‘boring mundane work’.

“No, you didn’t,” her mother said. “You only want that because of, you know, your last…job.” She watched her daughter for a moment, seeing the way she avoided her gaze. “It’d be good for you,” she added. “You might make some friends that way and have a normal life.”

It sounded convincing, she wouldn’t lie. Sakyia knew deep down she’d get tired of working in the salon. It’d been the same during her childhood. She looked at Hana, “What would I be doing? Just delivering stuff to people?”

“Yes,” she nodded, drinking some of her wine. “People drop off their packages or send them in through other people; I charge and stamp them, and you’d take them where they need to go. Before you ask, a lot of these people don’t have the means or the time to give the packages and letters themselves. The family service is there to help them out. Besides, it’s good money,” she eyed them both before eating from her bowl. “It’ll help you greatly to have two incomes instead of one.”

“She’s got a point,” her mother agreed, washing down her food with water. “It’ll be good for us to have extra money coming in; then we’ll be able to get our own place quicker.”

Sakyia mulled this over while she ate. Her mother and her left their old home in a hurry, leaving them with little chances to find a proper and affordable place. If they save enough money, they can move into an apartment and leave the dingy flat above the postal shop.

“How would I get around?” Sakyia asked, seeing the flaw right away.

“You can use Koichi’s scooter,” she said. “He left it behind when he moved out of town. It’s in the courtyard between our building and the ones behind it.” She saw Sakyia’s hesitancy. “It’ll be good for you. Trust me. Not to mention,” she smirked to herself, “Some of my regulars are rather handsome.”

“Ooh!” her mother smiled, eyebrows raised at Sakyia.

“I’m not interested in that.”

“Oh please! A heartbreaker like you? I doubt it,” she rapped her arm and Sakyia smirked. “I remember all the little boys your mother used to tell me about; all of them trying to gain the attention of Tanaka Sakyia and being ignored. You don’t have to marry them, but,” she sneered, “It doesn’t hurt to have some fun.”

“My daughter is not that kind of girl, Hana.”

“I never said she was, but come on, Midori. We used to do the same when we were her age. You didn’t have a proper boyfriend until you met Kenji. But, that’s not important,” she said. “The job is easy and simple. The clients tip well for the service, and they’ll tip twice when they see how pretty you are. You won’t be fighting anyone or be in any sort of danger.” When Sakyia did not appear convinced, she continued, “Look, try it out for a week. I have clients around the district here, so you’ll at least get familiar with the area before you make a decision. How about it?”

Sakyia weighed the pros and cons of this job. It’d include a lot of travel and talking to strangers, going into places of the district she’d yet to explore. Yet, she’d be making her own money, and contributing to her home rather than sweep floors and take calls in a salon for free. This new job will give her something to do, since little Sannoh did not appear to offer much. She looked to her mother, who smiled at her encouragingly. Sakyia felt slightly disappointed. Boring work sounded so nice. No bloody fists. No broken bones or bruised skin. No rings. She’d have only a broom and dustpan; a phone and a computer to write down appointments. With this little bike and parcels, she may run into trouble, which she wished to avoid. But, looking around their new home, they needed the money.

“I’ll give it a shot,” she finally said. “How hard can it really be?”

Hana cheered and smiled widely, “Excellent! Oh, you’re gonna love it! It’ll be an easy gig for you, I promise.”

“You’ll do well,” her mother added, gripping her hand gently.

“I hope so.”

The three women finished their dinner, and then Hana left for the night. Sakyia felt too tired to unpack anything else, so she showered in the small bathroom and crashed onto her new bed. The full mattress squeaked, and felt slightly firm underneath her. It was better than nothing. Her mother took the bed on the other side of the room, and both of them fixed their beds for sleep.

“I think this will be good for us,” her mother said, her voice breaking the silence in the dark room. “This is the new beginning we needed. No debt collectors. No punks. No Jiro. Just you and me and this shabby apartment.”

Sakyia smiled to herself, turning her head to look at her mother a few feet away. “We’ll find a way to make this apartment a home, until we find our own. You’ll buy Sungmi’s salon and have your own business again.”

“And maybe you’ll finally make friends.” She then hesitated, “Possibly even boyfriends.”

“Boyfriends?” she scoffed. “As if.”

“Eh, well, you’re a lot more popular with boys than you’ve ever realized. Jiro kept you so close and isolated, you never noticed the boys. Maybe now that you’re older you’ll become the little heartbreaker your father said you’d be,” she snickered at the last point.

She snorted, pulling the covers to her chin. “He never said that.”

“He did,” she insisted. “He kept saying he’d have to train more to fight off the line of boys that’ll be at our door.” She then said, “Just make sure he’s a nice boy? You know, who comes from a good family, has a job, is kind and gentle with you. A real gentleman.”

“Oh, Ma, can we stop the boyfriend talk, please?”

Midori laughed at her daughter’s groaning, remembering briefly how her husband used to do the same. “Alright, fine. Goodnight, Blossom.”

“Night, Ma.”

****

Her mother busy with setting up the salon and acquainting herself with employees, she’d left Sakyia to her own devices. She ate a quick breakfast of leftovers and washed up. Pulling on her father’s bomber jacket, dark navy and worn in the seams, she tied up half of her hair and went downstairs to find stacks of parcels left on the counter. Hana moved around them, smiling at her.

“Ah good, you’re here,” she said, kissing Sakyia’s cheek. “I got some packages that need to be sent as soon as possible. Don’t worry, I picked out local places so you can get familiar with Sannoh first. That way, if you decide you don’t want the job, my regulars won’t be accustomed to you.”

“Sounds good to me,” she nodded. “What do I do with them? Can that little bike hold all these?”

Hana began explaining the job to her. People normally made calls to have packages picked up or dropped off from one place to another. Sakyia only needed to drop it off, have them sign for it, and she went on to the next place. To pick up orders, she’d have to go to the address on the appointment sheet, and make sure to be there on time since the longer she took, the lower her tip is likely to be. The job sounded easy enough, especially with the bike in the back.

“Here it is,” Hana led her to the courtyard behind the shop, each woman carrying stacks of boxes.

Against a wall leant an aquamarine and white motor scooter. The previous owner painted orange and red flames on the back, and plastered bumper stickers that were later scratched off. Sakyia never rode one before, but it could not be much different from a motorcycle, which she knew how to navigate decently. Attached to the back was a wire cart, which she guessed added extra space for parcels.

“It’s not the fanciest thing in the world,” Hana said, putting her stack carefully in the cart. “But it runs well. If you ever have trouble, there’s a little mechanic shop in town where you can go. Yamato is very good at fixing bikes.”

She recalled Yamato from the previous night. “Hm, noted,” she said, adding hers beside them.

“Here are the keys,” she handed her a small set of keys. “The first place on your list is the Dan Convenience store. The owner is a good friend, but he’s too busy with the store to pick them up. Make sure they get there in one piece.”

Sakyia looked at the clipboard her aunt put on top of the parcels. On it were several names, addresses, and times to be delivered. Her aunt must’ve spent the early morning making phone calls to get them. She supposed she should start right away. Putting on the matching helmet hanging off the handle, she guided the bike around the side of the shop and onto the street. She typed the address into her navigation app, and saw a clear path to the little store. She planted herself firmly on the seat, nerves starting to numb her fingers and toes as she turned on the engine. It hummed to life underneath her, and she pressed the pedal to jolt forward. The first few starts startled her, but once she finally turned onto the street, she got the hang of it. Thankfully, years of maintaining balance helped.

The app took her to a small store a few blocks away. It appeared to be the typical convenience store, with the wide windows displaying special deals or sales. She turned off the bike and removed her helmet. She went over what she’d say as she picked up the first of the big boxes. A simple ‘hello, package for you’ might be a good start. It did not need to be a whole conversation. Though, being the newcomer in town, she might have to actually have a conversation. She’d done fine the other night in the diner. This won’t be any different. Keep things easy. Keep things flowing.

“Welcome!” Two voices said in unison.

Twin girls stood up from the register counter, hands behind their backs and formally bowing their heads when she walked in. She noticed they wore pink and black jackets, and long pink aprons. They were also tall. They almost towered over her.

“Um, good morning,” Sakyia said, “I have some packages for the owner…” she looked at the name on her clipboard, “Dan?”

“Dan’s not the owner,” said the twin with long brown hair.

“His dad is,” said her sister, who had shorter hair in two braids.

“He’s not here right now.”

“You can leave the packages with us.”

“Alright…” she said, but then someone else came up.

“Oh, Sakyia, you’re here.”

It was Dan, one of the Sannoh members, she remembered. Tall with black hair parted to the side, he gave her a smile as he wiped his hands on his apron.

“Morning, Dan,” she said, showing she hadn’t forgotten his name. “I take it by the name, this is your family’s store?”

“Yes, it is,” he nodded, taking the box from her carefully. “My dad’s not here, but I can sign for the packages.”

“Okay, good.”

She handed him the clipboard, and stared around the store. She recalled the empty fridge back home, and considered picking up some of the basics. Sakyia knew she had time in between locations to put the things back home. “Do you sell ready-to-eat meals?” she heard herself ask, peeking the fridges along the wall.

“We do,” he nodded, handing her the clipboard. “We sell lots of things here for a lady on the go,” she noticed his friendly smile, “As well as necessities.”

“Hm, good,” she nodded. “My mom and I moved in yesterday, and neither of us has had time to shop.” She checked her phone for the time. She could do a bit of shopping.

“Oh, so you’re the newcomer,” said the long-haired twin. “Naomi mentioned you. I’m Oshiage-”

“-And I’m Shiba,” said the short-haired one. “She said your mother’s a hairstylist-”

“-And that she’s opening up Sungmi’s salon.”

Did they always do that? Sakyia nodded slowly, “Yeah, she’s working there. She’s really good at what she does. Her salon back home was really popular.”

“Where was, um, home?” Dan asked, hands in his back pockets. “Ms. Kimura mentioned you came from another district.”

“Chikuni Bay,” she answered. “We lived near the warehouse district by the water until we had to move.”

“Gosh, it must’ve been nice living by the water,” he smiled, gazing over her face. Why was he doing that? It unnerved her.

“She’s not interested,” said Shiba, irritably.

“Stop being a creep.”

“I’m not being a creep!” he exclaimed, mouth agape and a blush tinging his cheeks. “I’m only being friendly, that’s all. She’s new and as part of the Sannoh Hoodlum Squad, it’s my duty to make people feel welcome here.”

They rolled their eyes together, unconvinced by his argument. “I think I’ll go, um, get the rest of the boxes-” she began to say, backing away to the doors.

“-No, no, I’ll get them,” Dan insisted. “You can take a look around the shop in the meantime.”

“Alright, thanks.”

She left him to get the packages, while she picked up a basket. Scanning the different aisles, she picked out bread and fruits for the home. She’d been looking at the refrigerated area, examining the different types of ready-to-eat meals on the shelves, when she heard another person enter the store.

“Hey Junko,” the twins said together.

“Hey Twin Towers.”

Sakyia did not really pay much mind to the women who walked into the store. She’d been deciding between a curry meal or a bento box when footsteps approached. The chicken curry and rice sounded more to her mother’s taste. She’d be fine with a bento.

“Hey,” a voice caught her attention. She looked to see two girls dressed in black with long pink and white jackets standing a few feet from her. The one with the short black hair seemed to have spoken. “You’re Ms. Kimura’s niece?”

“I am,” she nodded, putting the two items in her basket. “Who are you?”

“I’m Junko,” she said. “This is Asuka,” she nodded to the girl wearing a long ponytail behind her. “We’re part of Ichigo Milku.”

“Strawberry milk?”

“It’s our favorite drink,” said Asuka. “It's our gang name.”

Ah, another Sannoh gang. “That’s…cool,” Sakyia said, “I wasn’t aware Sannoh had a girl gang.”

“We’re the only ones,” Junko said proudly. “We take care of the women in Sannoh, and make sure they’re safe.”

“How admirable,” she checked her time again, and saw she was running out. “It was nice meeting you guys, but I gotta check out and then get back on my route.”

“We heard your mom’s opening up Sungmi’s salon,” Junko said. “Is she any good?”

“She’s amazing,” she told them honestly. “She does my hair all the time.” Like with Naomi, she showed them her hair cut. “It’s faded out, but she retouches it for me when she has the time,” she added, in case they thought the dye job was bad. She walked over to the register, putting down her items. It wasn’t much, but enough to get them until they could shop together. “She’s hired nail artists too, if you all are interested in that,” she said, “and all the old stylists that used to work there before Sungmi left.”

“That sounds great!” Asuka beamed, “I’ve been dying to get my nails done!”

“Us too!” the two twins said.

They began scanning her items when she spotted the cupcake display. Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with different colored frosting and sprinkles lined a small case by the register. They looked good. Sakyia could not remember the last time she ate anything sweet. Jiro often kept her on a strict diet, and prohibited sweets. She knew if he stood next to her, he’d sharply scold her for thinking about it. It made her want one even more.

“-Junko,” Asuka whispered her name and nodded to the door.

Sakyia saw Junko’s hard exterior melt once she looked at the door. She turned to see Cobra walking into the shop, hands in his pockets. Sakyia guessed Junko liked him by how she stared at him with dreamy eyes. It reminded her of the girls she used to know in school. She recalled how they acted around boys they liked, and the stupid things they did to get his attention. Sakyia never had time to care about boys; Jiro took up most of it. Cobra noticed them all in the shop, and his eyes locked with hers for a moment. He was as broody today as he’d been last night. Still such a mystery to her.

“Morning,” she said politely, nodding her head at him.

“Morning, Sakyia.”

He took a spot behind her in line, and she noticed the nervous glances Junko and the other girls gave one another. She turned back to the twins, who finished scanning and bagging her meager selection.

“You’re taking up Koichi’s job then?” Cobra asked her, much to the shock of the other girls.

“I am,” she nodded, fishing for her wallet in her jacket pocket. “It helps out my aunt’s business and gives me a little extra money.”

“I’m glad Hana’s back in business,” he said. “Her service helps a lot of people in Sannoh.”

“And helps me out at the same time,” she said, trying her best to joke. He made her nervous with his stare and his handsome face and his presence. She looked at the dessert display again. “How much are the cupcakes?” she asked the twins.

“216 yen each,” said Shiba.

She sucked her teeth. Her slight against Jiro would have to wait another day. She paid for everything, and stepped aside. Another check of her phone told her she needed to get going before her next appointment. She hated her impulsive decisions. Dan having removed his packages, she had space for her bags.

“I’ll see you all around,” she said. That’s something friendly people say, don’t they?

“See ya, Sakyia!” said Asuka and the twins.

“Bye Sakyia!” Dan popped out from the back with a wide smile. “Come back whenever you want, really!”

“Ugh, you’re so pathetic, Dan,” said one of the twins.

Junko seemed too transfixed on Cobra, who only nodded at Sakyia. She felt his eyes on her still as she left the shop. It bothered her so damn much. Why did he have to stare? It made her hot under the collar, and her cheeks flushed pink. She set her bags down inside securely, then looked to see that she needed to get to her next location soon. She entered the next address on her phone when someone came up beside her.

"Here."

Cobra stood next to her bike, handing her a small bag. Inside, on a plate, sat a vanilla cupcake with baby blue frosting. Sakyia looked between him and the cupcake, a bit confused and stunned.

"Thank you," she said, gingerly taking the bag. "You didn't have to do that. I would've gotten it another time."

"I wanted to," he replied, shrugging.

She straddled her bike and put on her helmet with urgency. The small gesture reminded her of another person she’d known. He liked to give her random gifts as well; he used to brush it off too. Jesse was never one for grandiose gestures of affection even at fourteen. She placed the cupcake bag with the ones in the cart, and looked back at him.

“Why?”

“You looked like you could use it.”

“I could use a lot more things than a cupcake.”

“Still, we can find happiness in the little things too, you know.” Her phone pinged, and he said, “Looks like you have a busy day ahead.”

“Seriously busy,” she said. “My aunt’s orders are super backed up; there’s more waiting at the store. I’m sure it would’ve been worse if your friends hadn’t helped her before.”

“Your family’s business helps a lot of people around here, and Hana’s a good friend of my parents,” he said. “It would’ve been cruel of me to not lend a hand. She also helps keep the balance around here.”

“Balance? What ‘balance’?”

“Between the gangs in SWORD,” he answered. ��There are five gangs in Chikuni, and we all use your aunt’s business when we want to deal with one another. That way, nobody walks into each other’s territories without warning first.”

“SWORD? The city’s Chikuni though.”

“It’s the nickname. I thought your aunt told you?”

“She neglected to mention it to me,” she grumbled. “Five gangs? Are they dangerous?”

“They can be, if you’re not careful. But, I’m sure once you tell them who you work for, they’ll lay off you,” he explained. “I’m sure Hana’s already informed the other leaders about you too.”

“Lovely. She warns them, but not me.”

“She probably didn’t want to scare you off the job,” he suggested. “Besides, perhaps she thinks you’re capable of handling it. Koichi was a pretty good fighter too.”

“Fighting?”

“Like I said, ‘five gangs’.” He stepped forward, “I could, you know, come with you? That way, you’ll have some protection.”

“I don’t need it.” She said this quicker than she meant to. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Her sudden rejection didn’t upset Cobra. He smirked and said, “Yeah, you will be, huh?”

She hated the feeling that smirk gave her. Cobra’s gentle eyes and words made her nervous. Not in the ‘fight-or-flight’ way she’d become so accustomed to either. Her mother used to call it ‘the butterflies’, and she didn’t like them. They made her warm and hopeful, like she’d been as a girl in school.

“See you around,” she said quickly. “Thanks again for the cupcake."

"No problem."

Sakyia started the scooter and went on her way. Chikuni City had five gangs, all controlling different parts of the city, and her aunt’s little delivery business kept them from fighting. Sakyia knew the job sounded a bit too good to be true. She decided she’d ask her aunt about it later, but she’ll keep it from her mother. Her mother worries plenty about everything else; Sakyia won’t pile on any supposed possibilities. She just hoped she did not have to fight. She was done fighting. Sakyia pushed Cobra and the gangs to the back of her mind, then carried on with her day.

She dropped off a few more packages to different locations, meeting her aunt’s customers and people around the town. The gangs aside, the people of Sannoh greeted her with friendly smiles. Mrs. Saito owns an antique shop, and she gave Sakyia a small beckoning cat keychain for good luck. Mr. Ito runs a grocery store, and told her amusing stories about his youth in Sannoh whilst she waited for his signature. People seemed to know all about her parents, and her mother opened the salon. Sakyia did what she could to spread the word herself, hoping it’ll help. She’d gone to the salon for lunch, giving her mother one of the meals she’d bought, and told her about her morning.

“Ah, I remember Mrs. Saito. Your grandmother loved going into her shop. She has a lot of interesting things in there,” she smiled fondly at the memory. She sat across from Sakyia on one of the hair drying chairs, who sat on the barber chair. “I missed this place,” she said, chewing a piece of chicken curry with rice. “I always meant to bring you here one day so you can see where your father and I grew up, but I never got around to it.” She noticed the cupcake Sakyia had sitting with the rest of the groceries. “You bought a sweet treat, huh?” she smiled, “Jiro would’ve scolded you if he was here.”

“It’s why I wanted it, but I didn’t have enough for it.”

“Then how did you get it?”

She slurped some of the chicken broth in her cup, then said, “Junpei.” Her mother hid her grin behind a scoop of rice. “Ugh, it didn’t mean anything. He was only being friendly.”

“There’s a difference between ‘friendly’ and ‘friendly’, she smirked. “Your aunt tells me he’s a very nice boy.”

“Ma…” she said warningly.

“Alright, alright,” she finished off her meal, and dumped it in the trash. “I’ll lay off. But, you can at least try making friends your own age. I know that’s easier said than done, but I…I want you to have a life, Sakyia.”

She knew this. Jiro robbed her of a proper social life and childhood. From thirteen to twenty-five, Sakyia cannot say she had any ‘proper’ friends.

“You know who you should call up one day?” her mother broke into her thoughts. “That boy you used to hang around with when you were younger. What was his name? Skinny boy with black hair? Never wore his shoes the right way?”

“Jesse?”

Sakyia’s stomach rumbled, and she stopped eating her ramen. She remembered Jesse vividly. A lot of teenagers fought in the warehouse pits during her time there. The managers often pitted them against one another to keep things fair, but occasionally she’d fight people bigger than her. Jesse was one of the kids she often fought against. Strong and fast with lots of stamina, it always took several rounds before either of them went down. Jesse never yielded. He either knocked her out or she knocked him out. One night, after a fight, they got to talking in the locker room and clicked. She often met up with him at the warehouse since he lived in Little Asia, and she lived near the bay. He liked her. She didn’t know at the time, but as a woman now, the signs were obvious. He went easy on her in fights; he often tended to her wounds afterwards; he hung around her before and afterwards, and even brought her a flower for her birthday.

“I heard he’s in prison,” she said, remembering the boy who wore his sneakers like sandals. Word spread that he’d been lifted by police and gone to Rasan Prison, where he’s been for a long time. “So, there isn’t any way of ‘calling him’.” Not that she would. It’d been so long ago, she doubted her recalled her at all.

“What a shame,” her mother mused, going back to fixing up the hair station. “He’d liked you a lot.”

Her phone rang in her pocket, and Sakyia sighed. “I have to go, Ma,” she told her, cleaning up her spot and dumping the garbage. “Auntie Hana gave me a long list of drop-offs for today, so I might not be back until later.”

“Be careful, Blossom,” she said, kissing her daughter’s cheek.

They said their farewells, and Sakyia went back on her route. Sannoh didn't seem like a bad place. People were friendly in a way that threw her off at times. She blamed it on the places where she received nothing but grimaces of pain or dirty glares. She briefly remembered Jesse, who'd always smiled at her approach. He did it when he fought her too, teasing and goading her into charging at him. Sannoh might've been different after all.

The sky turned dark by the time she finished delivering packages around the area. She’d driven back towards home when she noticed the gas tank dial. The tiny yellow hand pointed dangerously close to the ‘empty’ symbol. She’ll admit she’d put off getting gas since she wanted to get to her drop offs and pickups on time. Yet, cruising through the streets, she worried she may not make it home on a near empty tank. She remembered passing a gas station on her way southwards, so she searched on her phone for the station and drove in its direction.

‘Hina Gas’ went across the top in bold letters. It appeared a bit run down, but nothing that threw her guard off. Sakyia parked the scooter by a pump, then went inside. ‘The butterflies’ made their return. Cobra sat behind the register, magazine in his lap and his feet propped on a counter. His head poked up when the doorbell jingled throughout the small store.

“Hey,” she heard herself say out loud.

“Hey,” he said. “It’s late. Shouldn’t you be home?”

“Shouldn’t you?”

“I live nearby.”

“So do I.” Why is everything an inquest with this man? “I just needed gas,” she nodded to the pumps outside, “Otherwise I’d get stranded.”

She walked up to the counter, and he stood from his chair. The air remained tense and quiet. They didn’t have to talk. It’s not needed. Yet, the butterflies continued fluttering in her stomach. Cobra put in the gas charge, and she fished through her bag for the cash.

“How was it?” he asked, processing her payment.

“Huh?”

“Your day,” he specified. “How’d it go?”

“Oh, um, it went well. My aunt kept most of the addresses in Sannoh, so at least I can see the rest of the place,” she said, fiddling with the strap of her bag. Her fingernails picked into the polyester strap, dragging over the prints nervously. “It’s actually a nice place. The people I’ve met are nice, at least. Mrs. Saito from the antique store gave me this little cat charm,” she showed it to him, the golden cat hanging from her keychain. “For good luck,” she continued. “Overall, not a bad day. How was yours?” it only felt right to ask, since he did first.

The corner of his mouth twitched at the cat. He handed her back the bills, and said, “It’s been a quiet one, that’s for sure, but not unpleasant.” He hesitated, about to add on to it before stopping himself. “It is, um, you know, getting late though. Sannoh isn’t always as pleasant at night. You really shouldn’t go on your own.”

“I have my scooter. No worries,” she insisted, putting her money away. “I can just ride away if danger comes near me.”

“Still,” he said, looking over her face, “Be careful.”

“I will, thanks. Night.”

“Night.”

She moved to leave when someone else entered the shop. Seeing his black hair hanging over his eyes, dressed in a hoodie and jeans, Noboru leaned on a walking stick as he walked in. He looked different from the young man who’d come to her old house a month and a half ago. His eyes met hers, and he gave a friendly grin.

“Oh, hello, Sakyia,” he said, giving a bow of his head. “I heard you and your mom moved into the neighborhood.” He went over to the counter, giving Cobra a fist pump. “I hope you settled in okay.”

“We did, thanks,” she said. “What happened to your leg? You weren’t injured when we met.”

“You’ve met before?” Cobra asked, looking between them.

“An accident,” he answered Sakyia. “It’s a bit of a complicated story, but I no longer work for the Iemura family.”

Sakyia did not need him to tell her more. He must’ve upset them somehow, and they’d punished him for it. She pitied him. “I’m sorry that happened to you,” she told him. “You and Kawata helped my mother and I a lot. She told me later you’d been the one who suggested the exchange.”

“I thought it’d benefit everyone involved,” he shrugged. “You and your mother could have a new life somewhere else, and Iemura would get their money.”

“And Jiro?” she asked cautiously.

“I don’t know,” he shook his head. “They’re still looking for him, from what I heard.”

Jiro escaped them. She figured he would. He’s too cowardly to own up to his mistakes. It was why he forced Sakyia to do it. “I know this might sound harsh to say, but I hope they do find him,” she said. Knowing Jiro, he’ll crop up somewhere eventually. “He deserves whatever they give him.”

“That is a bit harsh-”

“-I’m sorry, but how do you two know each other?” Cobra asked a second time, a bit louder.

“Sakyia’s mother sold her salon in Chikuni Bay to Kuryu,” he told him before Sakyia could intervene. “I heard she’s managing Sungmi’s salon though,” he looked at Sakyia. “I was just talking to Naomi, and she told me.”

“She is.”

“Why did she sell her salon?” asked Cobra.

“Because we were moving,” Sakyia lied. “She couldn’t manage it from somewhere else, so she sold it to start over.”

Cobra did not believe her. She could tell in the way he slightly raised his eyebrows. “I gotta go,” she said hurriedly. “It’s getting late, and my mom’s waiting. I’ll see you guys around.”

“Night,” Noboru said innocently.

“Night.”

She left the gas station before any more questions came up. Her mother waited for her at home, and she’d been out too long already. She didn't have time for anyone’s prying questions.

Especially not Cobra’s.

#high & low #high and low #H&L #High and low the story of SWORD #cobra x reader #high and low fanfiction #high and low fanfic #hina junpei #junpei hina #iwata takanori

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p-perkeys · 18 days

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I've been out of the loop with X-men comics for more than fifteen years, and actually I was in the loop for a year, maybe year and a half - I'm not from US, so they've been hard to come by. My love for mutants came mostly from cartoons.

BUT. Your fixation on Laura reminded me of my fixation on Laura from the times I discovered that she exists, so I thought you're the best person to ask this: If I wanted to read something recent and good about her, where should I start?

Actually, doesn't have to be recent, just good :D

Hiiii!!! First of all, thank you so much for this ask!! I'm so flattered that you consider me to be a good resource!! I am unhealthily obsessed with Laura haha I could talk about her for daayyyysss!!!!! It's always so fun to connect with other people with the same interests and passions!! <3 <3 <3 I love it!!

Laura's been in so much!! But here's my personal favorites, and they're all things that I feel like are important to her characterization as a whole :)

LOVED NYX (2003) - her intro into comics!! So much angst and trauma and allllll the insight into who she is!

Uncanny X-Men (I'm pretty sure 456 is the first appearance for her here!)

New X-Men (she's not there until the 20s!)was really important - a lot of big moments as she tries to navigate her first time at a semi normal life.

x-23 Target X - SOO important, we see more of her backstory and transition from the facility!

X-Force (2008) MORE TRAUMA AND ANGST. I hate what happens to her here but love the angst from a story telling perspective. You can really feel her slipping throughout this arc!

X-23 solo (2010) It is a beautiful story!! So many amazing things! and SO IMPORTANT to Laura's character development!! Love her and Remy here, love her becoming friends with Jubilee, and LOVE her reallymeeting Akihiro - the start of an amazing story of chosen family!

I like her in Avenger's Academy - to be honest I mostly skimmed. I do like the angst of the brief friendship she had with Finesse though! To me it offers another look at how Laura is growing as a person!

Avenger's Arena was okay - I personally didn't feel like there was a ton of development for her, but it's good if you like angst and it just shows another layer of her slipping through the cracks again. The same with circle of four! I think they're good to read to get into her headspace for when she's introduced in all new xmen.

All New Xmen... I didn't love until it was over. I didn't understand all the things going on, but it made sense after the fact. You do see Laura's first official romantic relationship, and she has quite a bit of development, some set backs, some leaps forward... over all good and I would recommend reading for her overall story!

Wolverines was really good!! It shows the transition of tolerating each other to deciding to be family for her and Akihiro! I personally am OBSESSED with this story and I've read it countless times!!

Her All New Wolverine solo was AMAZING!! Loved this!! There was just so much that happened for her! Gabby, Akihiro, Sarah, Kimura... you get a dose of EVERYTHING and I think it ties the loose strings nicely!!

XMen (2019) isn't a favorite of mine but I do think it's important to read just because a lot happens for her here! It continues into the reboot in 2021 with an older version of her that comes back after she's presumed dead from a mission!

XTerminators is a resounding YESSS!!! Super fun, super cute! She's a little more relaxed and we get to see her reconnect with Jubilee!!

X23 Deadly Regensis was a nice bridge between her leaving the XMen and leaving with Remy in her early days. We get to see more of Kimura and more of what Laura went through!

X-Force (2019) was alright - it was a set up for her current appearance in Sabertooth War, which is also kinda meh lol but it's where she is now!

There are a lot of other things she's been in but I feel like it can get REALLY overwhelming, so these are just, in my opinion, most of her major stories that really showcase who she is :)

As a bonus - I loved her in Trial of Magneto and Deaths of Wolverine strictly for her interactions with her siblings. And there have been a lot of little crossovers between major events too where she just has shown up everywhere haha but I hope I answered your question!!

Please feel free to ask me anything else - I LOVE interactions like this!!!

#laura kinney #wolverine #laura x23 #marvel comics #personal recommendations #ask me anything!

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monamourbladie · 8 months

Text

The Man of My Dreams - Blade x Reader (chapter 6)

Who said that the man of your dreams couldn’t be real? After having dreams of the same mystery man for 2 weeks straight, the reader sets off on a journey to find the mystery man known as “Blade” that had been occupying her mind every single night. After realizing that he might actually be a real person, and not just a man she made up, she will finally discover parts of her past that had been long forgotten and locked away. (Originally posted on AO3, which can be read here. Also posted on Wattpad, which is here.)

Chapters Masterlist

warnings: slow burn, slight enemies to lovers themes, fluff, HEAVY angst throughout the entire story (not kidding.), soulmates, memory loss, mutual pining, eventual smut, pwp, renheng themes

Tag List: (@ me to be added) @kimura-uzuri

Fu Xuan knew she had time to speak with the General before Kafka's interrogation was to take place. She quickly moved to a secluded location outside of the hotel and made a holograph call to the General. Quickly, he answered the call, looking concerned. "Is there something wrong, Diviner?" Fu Xuan let out a soft sigh, glancing at her hands. "You were right, General. About Y/n? It is her. The same one that was banished from the Luofu all that time ago." Jing Yuan simply hummed in response, his hand moving towards his chin in thought. "I see. I was afraid of that. I can't say it's not nice to see an old friend, however - even if we weren't that close at the time." Jing Yuan recalled the painful memory of the day everything went wrong. The day Yingxing died, and a grave sin was committed in an attempt to save his life. Jing Yuan tried his best to not think of it.

"How much does Y/n know?" he then asked. "I told her I must speak to you first before I tell her anything. She knows I know something grave. She doesn't remember she's a Vidyadhara... or that she was even married." Jing Yuan looked at Fu Xuan with a slight smirk, "Meaning, she has no idea the man she's been dreaming of was her husband in a past incarnation? How amusing." Fu Xuan shifted uncomfortably, "What should I tell her, General? She remembers nothing of her previous life. She has no idea of her sin, what she did to Yingxing, or even who she really is. Is it even safe to unlock those memories? And how did she even forget?"

Jing Yuan looked at her with a solemn expression. "Her reincarnation process was interrupted. The same happened to the Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Feng. Because neither of the two could complete a full reincarnation cycle, everything in their previous life was locked away - essentially making them believe they were an entirely new person. It would take nothing short of a miracle for their full memories to return, and for them to physically appear as a Vidyadhara once more. I don't think this is the time for that. Especially since, if Y/n were to fully return knowing everything she did - she'd still be banished. I don't feel like sending her to prison when she's already helped us so much with the Stellaron Hunters."

"So... what should I tell her, then?" Fu Xuan asked. "Tell her nothing. Tell her that once this all passes, I will set her aside and answer all of her questions. But for now - we can not risk her finding out about her previous incarnation. Especially if my hunch is correct, and that Blade is truly Yingxing, it could be disastrous." Fu Xuan nodded, bowing her head, "Yes, General. I will go catch up with our guests and begin the interrogation of Kafka momentarily." Jing Yuan nodded to her, "Good. Report to me once it is complete. And good luck - dealing with Kafka needs it," he chuckled. His hologram faded away, and Fu Xuan left to find the Trailblazers.

Fu Xuan remained at the center of the Commission where the Divination was to take place, waiting for the Trailblazers to return. Soon, Stelle, Welt, March, and Y/n walked up. Y/n walked straight up to Fu Xuan as the Cloud Knights guided Kafka to the center. "Well? Did you speak with the General?" she asked. Fu Xuan nodded, raising her hand to silence her, "Yes. And I'm afraid this will have to wait until after the Divination." Y/n glared at her, "No. You're going to tell me the truth right now. I have a right to know." FU Xuan grumbled, shaking her head, "I don't have time for this. You can talk with the General afterward like he requested! Now stand back with your friends and let me do my job," she snapped at Y/n. Y/n rolled her eyes and walked towards March and Stelle, "Whatever. I'll figure it out myself."

March immediately took notice of her frustrated demeanor and frowned. "Woah... what's got you all fired up?" March commented. Y/n crossed her arms as she stood beside her bubbly friend, "Fu Xuan knows the truth about what's going on with my dreams and refuses to tell me. She's claiming I have to speak with the General to learn the truth. As if it's so important I have to talk to the damn General of the freaking Luofu. Like, what is she even on?!" Y/n started ranting to March. "Oh! And one other thing that's freaking perfect is apparently, the man in my dreams? Blade? She's claiming he's my husband! How ridiculous is that!" March immediately busted out laughing. "Oh, that's so funny! And so obviously wrong! You've never even met him, how could you be married? If you ask me, little missy up there is just spitballing everything she says! I doubt she'll even be able to fully do... whatever it is she's doing to Kafka," March muttered, looking over at Fu Xuan who was beginning the Divination process.

Brilliant shapes made of vibrant pink lights were swarming around Kafka, causing her to levitate. Fu Xuan's hands were raised in front of her, her eyes closed in focus as she Divined the truth of Kafka. As frustrated as Y/n was, she couldn't deny how beautiful this process was shaping out to look. The shapes swirled around Kafka as her smirk grew until Fu Xuan pulled back gasping for air - the same reaction she had after seeing through Y/n's memories. "That's... that's why you're here...?" she asked, her voice shaky. "All for that?"

"What? Not what you were expecting?" Kafka smiled innocently down at her. "I... I can't believe it. But the Matrix of Prescience cannot be wrong," Fu Xuan muttered, looking down at her hands. The Trailblazers and Tingyun stepped closer to Fu Xuan to make sure everything was alright. "What did you see?" Y/n asked. "Kafka has nothing to do with the Stellaron, but... it's you." Fu Xuan pointed to Stelle. She let out a bitter laugh, "Absurd. I'd never thought it. "Me?" Stelle asked simply. "Ask her yourself. Speak to her as long as you'd wish." Fu Xuan stepped aside to allow Stelle to walk up to Kafka.

Y/n quickly moved forward and rest her hand on Stelle's shoulder, "Are you sure you want to speak with her?" she asked Stelle cautiously. Stelle glanced at her hand then back at her, slowly nodding. Y/n then removed her hand and watched as Stelle walked up to Kafka, whose smile only widened at the sight of her. Her obsession with Stelle was creepy at this point.

Y/n crossed her arms as she began to think over her dreams again. March hopped over and leaned on her shoulder, smiling. "Hey, miss pouty. Try and cheer up, okay? As I said, I doubt whatever Fu Xuan is trying to talk you into believing is a load of lies. Just live in the moment! Look around at the Luofu and how pretty it is! And that tree that we saw earlier? It was so pretty, I took so many photos of it!" March exclaimed. Y/n couldn't help but smile at her excited younger friend. She never failed to bring a smile to her face, even in times of feeling stressed out like right now. "Thanks, March. Can I see?" March nodded as she went to grab her camera, when a huge earthquake shook the planet. March immediately grabbed onto Y/n's arm, looking around frantically, "What's happening?!"

"It's the tree!" Welt exclaimed, pointing at it. The ground shook intensely as the tree grew at an alarmingly fast rate, the top of the tree protruding past the clouds from its height. From the branches dropped glowing words in the Luofu's native language, beautiful yellow sparks falling from it slowly. It was so large that it completely obstructed most of the view of the Luofu now.

"Kafka's escaping!" Fu Xuan yelled. Everyone turned to look at Stelle, who was currently trying to chase after Kafka. Her shackles had been magically broken and she immediately started to back up. As Stelle sprinted forward, a man dropped in front of her, holding his sword dangerously close to her - forcing her to keep her distance. Y/n looked over and immediately recognized him. It was Blade. He was here, so close to her...

"Let's go, Bladie~" Kafka called to him. "We've got two more places to visit." Blade twirled his sword behind his back as he kept a strong glare at Stelle. Y/n felt her heart pound out of her chest. She wanted to follow him. Y/n broke free of March's grasp and she gasped, yelling back at her as she ran, "Y/n, what are you doing?!"

"BLADE!" She yelled, catching up to Stelle quickly. Blade began to turn to follow Kafka when he froze, recognizing the voice. The voice... from his dreams...? He turned back around fully and saw Y/n running up to him. He quickly drew his sword again, holding it taught, "Who are you?" He snapped. "Leave her, we don't have time for this!" Kafka yelled at him. "It's me! It's Y/n! You're the one from my dreams... you're... you're real," Y/n said, her gaze completely fixated on his. His glare softened, examining her face as he took in her words. Then it clicked in his mind...

Blade let his sword fall to his side. He felt so conflicted. The woman he had been longing to finally meet was right in front of him, but he had to run with Kafka... Kafka rolled her eyes and twirled her fingers, "Just take her with us, damn it!" Blade heard her voice in his head and he growled, closing his eyes. He let out a heavy sigh and immediately grabbed Y/n's wrist tightly, pulling her against his body as he leaned in to whisper, "Don't make me regret this."

His free arm slid around her waist, holding her flush against his body. After making sure he had a firm grip on her, he started to run. Y/n squealed in surprise, "Hey! Let go of - what do you think you're doing!?" she tried fighting it, but good God that man was so strong, she could barely move an inch in his hold. The Trailblazers started yelling after them, chasing after Kafka and Blade as they got away with Y/n.

She wanted to resist, but something was stopping her from it... Maybe she was secretly okay with this? She was at least, until she saw them get closer to the ledge... "You better not fucking jump that!" she yelled. Kafka let out a laugh, "That's the fun part, Trailblazer." She raised her arms and fell backward off the platform, disappearing. Y/n grabbed Blade tighter as she hid her face in his chest, his grip on her tightening, "Better hold on..." he muttered, jumping head first after Kafka. Y/n screamed as they fell, fully convinced this was how she'd die.

To her utter surprise, she, Blade, and Kafka had landed feet first on a Starskiff deck that was docked below the platform, perfectly hidden from view. Kafka brushed off the dirt from her clothes as she regained her stature, looking at Blade with a pissed off gaze, "What the hell is wrong with you, Blade?" She snapped at him. Blade set Y/n down, rolling his eyes, "Don't you start." Y/n's knees immediately buckled, most likely from the fear of dropping that far so fast as she scrambled to find a place to sit down. Her breathing was jagged as she tried to process everything that had just happened.

"Don't I start? Don't I start?? Blade, you brought a fugitive with us! This was not a part of the script!" she snapped at him. "And out of everyone, it was an Astral Express member! Are you fucking insane?" she yelled. Blade waved his hand in irritants, "I'll get back to you in a damn minute, so shut up!" he snapped back at her. He turned from Kafka to Y/n, walking directly up to her. "Get up," he snapped at her. His voice was much colder in person than how it was in her dreams. She gulped as she stood up slowly. Blade gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, keeping it at his side, "Y/n, isn't it?" he asked coldly. She nodded quickly, "Y-yes... please tell me you've been having those dreams too so I don't feel like an absolute idiot," she asked nervously. She was greatly intimidated by him. His stature was much more intense in person, and he was way taller than she thought he'd be. She gulped as she looked up at him when he moved closer, clearly examining her.

Blade was silent for a few moments, "...Yes, I have been," he finally answered. "You've been in all of them. How are you here?" he asked her. Kafka scoffed, "This is her?" she muttered, rolling her eyes as she started piloting the Starskiff to the next destination. "I'm with the Astral Express. Kafka... she told us to come here. Said she needed help to get you out of prison..." Y/n replied. She couldn't help but blush from how close he was to her. Either he had no concept of personal space, or he was that close to her to get a reaction out of her. Either way, it was intimidating in the best ways.

"She managed just fine without you. What's the real reason why you're here?" Blade replied, his tone growing colder again. Y/n bit her lip, "That's why we came. But... when I realized I might have a chance of actually meeting you, I made sure to come with them. Even if I had a friend tell me to stay away from you," she answered truthfully. She hadn't thought about Dan Heng in a while, and now she was beginning to feel guilty that here she was doing the exact opposite of what she promised him. But now that she saw him in person... she didn't feel so bad about it.

"Good to know that friend of yours is afraid of me," Blade said with a smirk. "But, I must say I'm curious as to how you realized it was me." he set his sword down, crossing his arms. It was amusing to him just how short she was in comparison to him. But, he couldn't lie to himself - she was just as gorgeous as he secretly hope she'd be in person.

"Fu Xuan and General Jing Yuan all but confirmed it," she replied to him. She brushed some of the hair from her face as she let out a shaky sigh, "L-Listen... I don't want to cause any trouble. I really don't. I just... I felt compelled to talk to you. This was what I came on the Luofu for anyway, hoping I'd be able to find you if you truly did exist." Blade was amused by this. He slowly started to walk forward toward her, and she instinctively backed up. "How sentimental of you. How about you tell me what Jing Yuan told you, then?" She hit her back against the wall of the Starskiff, and she blushed brightly as his hand lay against her head. He had her practically pinned between her and the wall. She bit her lip, staying silent as she looked up at him flustered, "I..." Blade waited for a moment for her to answer, and when she didn't, he reached down for his sword slowly, "Don't make me use this on you, sweetheart. Just tell me what he told you," he said in a taunting tone. Her eyes widened at the nickname, and it served to make her all the more flustered by the situation she was in. Blade looked down at her with an amused sly smile. He was enjoying taunting her like this...

Before Y/n could fully answer, Kafka spoke up for them. "You're married, Blade. To her. Is that what it is?" Kafka said. Y/n looked over at Kafka, her mouth hanging open in surprise, "How... how did you know?" Blade looked back at Kafka in shock, then back at Y/n even more surprised. He immediately dropped his sword and removed his hand from beside her head, taking a large step back from her. "Excuse me?" He said in an angry tone, as if the mere thought offended him deeply. Kafka pulled out Y/n's jade pendant necklace, smirking. "You dropped this when we landed on the Starskiff. It's identical to Bladie's." Blade immediately moved forward and snatched it from Kafka's hand, examining it. Y/n felt nervous as he held it, "Hey! Be careful with that, it's a family heirloom!" she exclaimed.

"No... it can't be," he murmured. He looked down at his belt where he kept his jade pendant. His brows furrowed as he moved his hand to unhook it from his belt, holding it up to her pendant. He noticed that the two could be pieced together... so he connected the pendants.

And it was a perfect fit. Blade remained in complete silence as he and Y/n looked at their pendants that slotted perfectly into each other. It was obvious they were a one-of-a-kind pair. "What do you know of the Jade Pendant, Kafka?" Blade asked. His voice was calm and quiet now. Kafka crossed her arms and sat down on a chair behind the couple. "On the Luofu, those pendants are used in place of a traditional wedding ring. Although a ring could be bought for looks, the Pendant is the true symbol of marriage. According to legend, Vidyadharians specifically would place their pendant in their mouth before their reincarnation process in hopes of being reunited with their lover in their next life." Kafka began to smirk, "Cute, is it not?"

Y/n's heart began to race. Everything was slotting almost too perfectly into place. But it still felt like she was missing a huge chunk of information. "I don't mean to be rude, but I don't remember getting married to you," Y/n spoke up, looking up at Blade. He looked down at her for a moment, nodding in response, "Nor do I."

"Curious," Kafka said, standing up. She stepped between the pair and held the connected pendant in her hand, "Well, then if neither of you remembers, then I guess it's not true?" Kafka suggested. "It's just by pure coincidence that you two have been dreaming of each other for weeks on end, and have matching jade pendants that eludes to you two being married. No biggie, I suppose," Kafka said with a fake disappointed sigh. Blade rolled his eyes at her dramatization. "I have had memories for the longest time with a woman I could not recognize. I'm beginning to think that perhaps you are the woman in those memories, Y/n," Blade finally spoke up, turning to her. Y/n glanced up at him. She shrugged lightly, "Maybe. I've had the same kinds of memories, but I always thought they were dreams, since I had no idea what was happening in them." Y/n took a moment to recall a few of them. "But... now that I'm thinking about it, maybe you're right? In mine, there was always one man that I couldn't identify his voice, or what he looked like. But eventually, I started to see you appear in my dreams..."

Y/n and Blade both looked at each other. They felt a certain warmth and familiarity as they did, which caused Y/n to smile up at him. "What if... somehow... we really are married?" Y/n asked. "Then what?" Blade remained completely silent. He looked down at her, averting his eyes from her to the sky. "I don't know," he said simply. He then walked to the opposite side of the Starskiff, leaving Y/n and Kafka alone.

She felt her heart sink... he seemed irritated at the idea that they were married. Maybe she was stupid to come here and confront him in person. She understood that everything she was explaining seemed farfetched and completely unreal - she even thought that. But what she hoped was not the case was that Blade was angry at this development.

What else was she forgetting? Maybe if she managed to remember whatever it was, she'd find out the truth as to what she and Blade truly are.

#honkai star rail #hsr #blade #blade x reader #blade hsr #blade x reader hsr #yingxing #yingxing x reader #hsr x reader #honkai star rail x reader

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eemcintyre · 19 days

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People Will Say We're in Love

TW- none

Summary- The first news story about Valerie and Terry is released, and Valerie must cope with heightened scrutiny from her family, friends, and strangers. She also learns that Terry will be hosting a cocktail party to welcome the investment group and that she needs to be there.

This part introduces one of the details in this story that I was most excited to write about 👀 (see picture below for reference)

Sunday morning. Valerie rolled out of bed, donned a quick, casual dress and sunglasses, and ventured out for a newspaper.

Before she could even make the short walk back to her apartment, she couldn’t resist flipping through and skimming the pages. She didn’t have to look too closely- as expected, the day’s Society and Entertainment section of First Look’s newspaper was a splashy collage of color photographs from the café and blocks of accompanying copy. A shot of Valerie and Terry’s kiss took the main spot but were supplemented by photos of him pressing his lips to her hand and her swiping him across the nose with tea foam.

The headline: “Silver gets steamy over coffee with mystery woman.” The article: filled with questions and theories as to Silver’s unusual display of softness and the mystery woman’s identity.

In any other circumstances, it would be amusing to see herself in the newspaper. Valerie was pleased that, at the very least, she and Terry did photograph as a lovely couple, but she couldn’t help the prickle of dread that overshadowed this satisfaction, wondering what it might mean for her if Amanda Shotwell were to turn her keen journalistic attentions toward investigating her.

But this concern quickly became remote when Valerie arrived to work on Monday. She felt eyes boring into her everywhere she turned, accompanied by whispers.

“She’s not the type he usually goes for.”

“So that’s how she made it to the top floor so fast...”

Many coworkers, some she barely even knew, took it upon themselves to come up to her desk and pepper her with questions about the length and depth of her and Mr. Silver’s relationship and their unsolicited opinions about dipping one's pen into the company ink. A number of women that Valerie had hardly or never spoken to before gave her dirty looks and/or made snide comments to her in passing down the hallways. Blonde and model-built ex-paramours of Terry Silver who found it unbearable that they proved insignificant in comparison to the plain, comparatively classless creature before them.

Her friends tried their best to be supportive, but even those who thought the news was great were slightly confused due to how clear Valerie had made it in the past that she wasn’t fond of him. A couple of them just wanted to know how he was in bed, which was arguably worse than the insults of his exes. A deep red swept across Valerie’s cheeks and she recoiled at the mental image, as well as the idea that the people around her were picturing it.

“No- oh God, no!” she exclaimed instinctually, before realizing that her reaction didn’t fit the narrative. “I mean…” She tried to roll it back. “You know I don’t kiss and tell. I like to keep it classy. You’ll just have to use your imagination.” Her friend smirked. “Or don’t!”

Valerie nearly ran away, clutching the pile of binders and folders she was carrying to her chest and adjusting her glasses sliding down the sweaty bridge of her nose.

Proceedings at Dynatox had taken on a frenetic pace, as the top members of Kimura Investment Group were less than two weeks away from arrival. Final touches needed to be put on the business plan and the proposal, and hundreds of other pages of miscellaneous paperwork had to be put in order. Plus, Valerie and her fellow PR members had been working overtime trying to manage and tamp down negative news stories about the company.

And aside from the workload aspect of the upcoming arrival, the activity of the bustling employees nearly quivered with the anxious anticipation of it all, knowing how beneficial for the company it would be if they were successful- as well as how serious the consequences would be if it all fell through. Not only would Mr. Silver likely become frightful to be around for the foreseeable future, but he would certainly take out his anger on any and every one of the people he perceived as contributing to the failure. Any small mistake wouldn’t do. Basically, Valerie had much higher priorities that needed to be dealt with and she wished she could focus on, rather than having to spend time worrying about people questioning her judgment and imagining her sex life.

Then, the next morning, before Valerie could even get used to the atmosphere at work, these worries were compounded when she was awoken by a barrage of messages and phone calls that beat her alarm to the punch in terms of how early they came. Calls from various family members and friends back home that ran the gamut of emotions but could ultimately be boiled down to “what the hell is going on?”

Her sister was thrilled and unashamedly jealous; praising what she believed to be Valerie’s dedication to getting ahead: “Well, look at you living my dream. We all wish we could snag a sugar daddy like that- good for you!” Valerie’s jaw dropped. Her cousin was just morbidly curious, wanting every little detail so that he could brag to and joke with his friends. Her mother, as Valerie feared, was nearly turning herself inside out with concern- “Just how long have you been going out with him, dear? Why didn’t you tell any of us about it? What are his intentions? Your father wants to know.”

Valerie bit back a harsh laugh at her parents speaking about Silver as if he were one of the local high school athletes who was known for getting all the girls in the back of his car; like he wasn’t the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and she hadn’t also proven herself highly capable over her time in California and they were both children.

And of course, his true intentions were far more complex and rather concerning than anyone knew or needed to know.

“How did you even hear about this so fast?” Valerie inquired, ignoring her mother’s million questions for her own, realizing how suspiciously quickly the news had traveled from one end of the country to the other.

“This reporter called us asking about you and what we knew about the relationship,” her mother replied before quickly devolving into hysteria once more. “Which, of course, was nothing. Were you ever planning on telling us?”

“A reporter called you? Mom, what reporter?” Valerie’s heart began to pound, pumping blood that had gone cold with dread as she white-knuckled the phone.

“She was a very nice lady. She works for one of the big publications over there…”

“What was her name? Do you remember?”

“I think it was Miranda, maybe, or Amanda.”

Valerie dropped into the living area armchair, feeling dizzy. “Mom, what did you tell her?”

“She just wanted some basic information about us and how we felt about you two going out- oh, and to send some old pictures of you. Of course, since we had no idea any of this was going on, there wasn’t much to say. We probably sounded like idiots not knowing anything that’s going on with our own daughter…”

Valerie sought a way to end the call after that, slamming the receiver down after her mother hanged up and collapsing fully into the armchair with her head in her hands, letting out a piercing groan. Amanda already seemed disconcertingly close to uncovering some sort of unaccounted-for detail that would reveal her and Terry’s ruse, nullifying their deal and wasting all the time and energy Valerie had put into it, as well as publicly embarrassing her. Let alone what the unpredictable Silver might do to her.

Well, at her mother’s own insistence, her family didn’t really know anything of importance to give Amanda as ammunition. Valerie worked to slow her breathing once she realized she’d started to hyper-ventilate. Everything was probably fine. Sighing into her hands, she had to cut her doomed thought spiral short if she was to be on time for another gloriously invasive day of work.

Within a couple of hours at Dynatox, when Valerie was knee-deep in media release drafts and phone calls trying to tame the continuing, tense situation with the Midwest protesters, she received a call from Terry summoning her to his office.

“Ter- Mr. Silver,” she corrected herself in the interest of maintaining some façade of professionalism, glancing nervously at her coworkers, who thankfully seemed to either not notice or not care. “Can’t it wait? Now’s not a good time…”

Managing the predicament and keeping it from escalating was all the more important with Kimura’s impending arrival. And it served as a decent distraction from her host of other rapidly developing problems.

“I wasn’t asking,” he replied flatly. “I know you have a lot on your plate; I wouldn’t interrupt you if it wasn’t important.” His tone softened as he tried to pacify her.

Valerie glared in the direction of his door and rolled her eyes before sighing “I’ll be right there.”

“Thank you,” he replied, in a manner that implied she was the one being difficult.

After taking a few moments to note where she was at in each of her tasks for when she returned, Valerie made her way to his office, feeling eyes on her every step of the way. The second she shut the door behind her, she began her mentally rehearsed statement:

“Terry, if we don’t want those environmentalists in the Midwest to become a PR disaster, I really need to get back to-”

“Don’t worry about that. I just-” Terry attempted to interject and was swiftly steamrolled. Suddenly, everything that was going wrong began flooding out and Valerie couldn’t stop it.

“-Oh, and apparently over the weekend Amanda has been calling all of my relatives trying to get dirt on me! My family has been asking me a million questions and they told the press God knows what and tomorrow First Look is probably going to have a section about my high school photos from when I had braces-”

“-Valerie!” Terry strode around his desk to grab her by the shoulders. “Get ahold of yourself. It’s all being taken care of. I gave that assignment and almost everything else to Peter and his team; now all you have to worry about is Kimura and us.”

Of course, while Terry wanted to ensure that Valerie had enough time and energy to give a good girlfriend performance and focus on what had become the organization’s most important task- wooing the investors- this scheduling adjustment would also play perfectly into his larger covert op. If Valerie’s schedule was freed up to allow her more time with him, he would be able to draw her all the closer and get her more attached, more quickly.

Valerie’s face turned faintly pink, and she was obviously about to protest before the feeling of that weight being lifted off of her fully registered.

“Um... T-thank you,” she stammered, eyebrows furrowed as she was caught off-guard by his seeming generosity. “But won’t people think you’re playing favorites if you push a bunch of my work onto other people?”

“Who gives a fuck? They work for me. And after all, as far as they’re concerned, you are my favorite.” He shrugged, and Valerie wished for even an atom of his unruffled confidence. “And I wouldn’t worry about your family because they can’t tell what they don’t know, right?”

When Valerie didn’t immediately respond, his eyes narrowed. “Right?”

“I haven’t said anything to them. I wouldn’t even know what to say or where to begin,” she shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Terry was content with her answer, reminding himself that he also was keeping tabs of his own on her family and everything they were saying to the press in case he needed to step in. His entire plan wasn’t going to fall apart just because some senile or fame-seeking relative couldn’t keep their big mouth shut. He had the situation covered from all angles.

“As for Ms. Shotwell, try to take it as the sick sort of compliment it is. She knows you’ll get people reading. People are buying what we’re selling. Just keep playing it cool and remember that, at the end of the day, her livelihood relies on us. We’re the ones in control here. Now, will you please sit down?”

Valerie descended gingerly into the chair across from him at his desk, temporarily placated.

“I did say that I had something important to discuss with you. As you know, Kimura’s people arrive in less than two weeks, and we want to show ‘em that we’re the people to be in business with, but also nothing too crazy. Upscale, but minimalist. Remind them of home; really schmooze them. Show them a good time but that we’ll use their money wisely."

Valerie nodded and he continued. “I imagine you’ve heard that we’re planning a little cocktail party and dinner for the weekend they get here?”

“Yes,” she replied, thinking to herself that the gathering would be anything but ‘little,’ or ‘nothing too crazy,’ as it was to be about 40 people plus service aboard a yacht with a grand view of the coast.

“You’ll be there to help charm them as the CEO’s gorgeous and refined beloved.”

Gorgeous. Valerie shifted her jaw thoughtfully.

“Of course, we’ll need to downplay the fact that you’re with the company, let alone on the top floor- gotta appeal to their values. And we don’t want to show too much affection, but I don’t imagine you’ll mind that,” he joked. “Devoted but stable; practical. And don’t wear anything too sexy or over-the-top.” This last rule was as much for Terry as it was for the sake of appealing to Kimura. The idea of anyone but him looking at or thinking of Valerie in a desirous way made his blood pressure spike.

“Should I be writing this down?” Valerie asked sarcastically, crossing her arms and legs.

“I can write a checklist if you don’t think you can handle it…” She scowled at him. “You just make it so easy to tease you,” he explained, feigning innocence. “But that’s all for now. I’d like us to meet for lunch next Wednesday to nail down any final details.”

“Works for me.”

“See you around the office,” he said playfully as she got up to leave, and she bade him farewell with a wince and a faux-enthusiastic wave of her fingers. He responded with a wave and a smile in full force that she would have loved to smack off.

The rest of the week quickly came and went, and before Valerie knew it, she was standing in front of her mirror again, pondering another high-end outfit while she waited for Milos to buzz the apartment door.

The tea-length, strappy black dress, accompanied by a matching headband and the confidence she’d started to build after the successful café outing, helped Valerie to feel sophisticated and assured for what otherwise was the “couple’s” first truly high-stakes event.

A lot hinged on the Kimura businessmen’s impressions of Dynatox, particularly their impressions of its CEO. And even though she didn’t love feeling like a mere accessory to Terry and his carefully crafted image, as police sirens blared nearby, her eventual reward and the possibility of being able to move out of her tiny, slightly sketchy apartment helped. Plus, a free drink or two was never a turn-off.

The now-familiar sound of the door buzzer brought Valerie back to attention. “I’ll be right down,” she called over the speaker, surprised when Terry’s voice sounded on the line instead of Milos’.

“Hold on, I’m coming up.”

Valerie glanced at the wall clock, wondering what possibly couldn’t be discussed in the car, but shrugged it off, unchaining the door. It was his party, if he wanted to be fashionably late to meet a clientele that typically valued being on time. Nothing in she and Terry’s agreement said the deal with Kimura had to be successful.

The echo of Terry’s heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the hall and she turned to face the doorway. He had already begun speaking as soon as he crossed the threshold, before even looking to see if she was there.

“This won’t take long…” Once his gaze locked in on her outfit, he froze, seeming momentarily lost for words, which was a first in Valerie’s experience. Of course, it didn’t last longer than about a second. All the same, her confidence faltered under his ever-critical eye.

“Well, don’t you look…”

“-Save it, Terry! I don’t need this right now…” Valerie snapped, bracing for another thinly veiled insult or backhanded compliment. He shot her a wilting look.

“…I was going to say that you look nice.”

“Oh.” Valerie glanced down at the floor and shuffled her feet, guilt twinging in her stomach. The range of emotions that this man could exhibit himself and elicit in her within a matter of minutes could make her head spin.

“I’m going to have to send Joan a very extravagant Christmas gift.”

“You look nice too,” she chirped, taking note of his double-breasted blazer, loafers, and crisp dress shirt. Although she immediately regretted her awkward response, not quite sure how to respond to a sincere compliment from him, he visibly preened at her praise, smoothing a hand over his slicked-back hair.

“So, what do you need before we go?” She clasped her hands together expectantly.

“Ah, yes. Well, every outfit needs a finishing touch, right?” Terry rummaged inside his blazer pockets, removing a pair of small, flat red boxes.

Valerie gasped upon reading the word “Cartier” that was embossed on the center of each lid in elegantly rounded gold lettering. He opened one of the boxes and held it up at her eye level.

“Matching Cartier love bracelets. People will eat it up,” he grinned, studying her reaction. “Well, go on, take it. This one’s yours.” She wordlessly, slowly reached into the box to handle the bracelet with delicate fingers, observing the way the gold band glinted in the setting sun that sliced into the room.

“How does it go on?” she spoke finally, puzzled when she could find no clasp or latch. Terry removed a small velvet pouch from the box, revealing a tiny gold screwdriver within. “It screws on and off. It’s meant to be worn all the time.”

Valerie wrinkled her nose, her wonder quickly turning to disgust. “Why don’t you just handcuff us together?” she said dryly.

“Tempting. I like the way you think.”

“I just don’t like feeling like an object; like you’re marking your territory or something.”

“I was thinking more ‘touching gesture of commitment and devotion,’ but I can work with that, too,” he shrugged, biting back a laugh when she was clearly unamused by him returning the sarcasm.

They sat next to each other at the kitchen counter, starting the putting-on process with Valerie’s already unboxed bracelet.

“Alright, give me your hand,” Terry requested gently, pulling Valerie’s arm toward him and to the counter’s surface. He noted that her wrist was so thin his grip could more than reach around it, and once he got her bracelet unscrewed and slipped it on, how accurately he’d guessed the size.

“It’s a perfect fit,” he breathed, chuckling faintly as she watched him. He swore he almost saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes, like she’d discovered his obsessive game and true, cruel intentions, but it swiftly vanished as she tried to get used to the feeling of the cool metal bobbing against her skin.

“My turn,” he sighed, shifting in his chair as he extended his wrist and the tool to Valerie. Always wary of other people touching him, his attention was completely honed in on her work. Her hands shook as she attempted to twist the tiny screws in the band around his thick, surprisingly soft and warm wrist.

Valerie interrupted her handiwork with a glare up at him, snapping “Stop staring at me! You’re making me nervous!” But it only made him laugh. And to her annoyance, she was unable to stop herself from laughing too. Eventually, though not without some impatient remarks from Terry, she was able to secure the bracelet around his wrist.

“Now we’re ready to go,” he said, toying with her hand in his, allowing the both of them to studying the sight of their matching accessories before he abruptly rose from his chair, pocketing the screwdriver and heading for the door, leaving Valerie scrambling for her purse.

#thomas ian griffith #terry silver #cobra kai #the karate kid #creative writing #enemies to lovers #fake dating #karate kid fanfiction

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fumiko-matsubara · 2 years

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The Evil Enabler and the Hazards to Mankind Relationship Chart

So I made another thingy :)

Some Headcanons~~

Chiba does things when provoked, Nakamura does things unprovoked, and Karma does things to fuel the fun. Hence, the only time you'll see the three of them working together to ruin someone's life is when it's personal for Chiba.

And it's terrifying.

Here's how the cycle goes: Nakamura does her thing unprovoked -> amused, Chiba makes remarks that serve as good ideas for Karma -> Karma adds fuel to the fire, making things more chaotic than they already were. Rinse and repeat.

Chiba always end up having something to argue about with either of the two, but the topic varies. With Karma, it involves anything objective (eg. Math solving methods, gambling etiquette, etc.) With Nakamura, it's with anything subjective (eg. Music tastes, fashion tastes, interpretation of media, etc.)

Nakamura keeps up with western celebrity news. When something especially juicy comes up on her twitter homepage, she brings up the topic to Karma and Chiba. While this is a common occurrence between her and Karma, Chiba soon joined into the discussion regularly since his openminded-ness and lack of filter when it comes to anything taboo and controversial (which was a pleasant discovery) gives them a whole new perspective.

Chiba successfully got them to stop trying to find out what his eyes look like. All he said was "Sugaya went through several crisis figuring out what they look like and I find that hilarious so I'm gonna keep at it," and they left him alone after he told them that they're gonna find out anyways once they graduate.

But when Sugaya made yet another attempt to guess what Chiba's eyes look like, Karma and Nakamura went to join him and purposely prompted him to draw the wackiest shit. Chiba wasn't sure if he should laugh or feel bad for Sugaya who looked visibly stressed the whole time.

Karma says the most unhinged things unimaginable and Nakamura is the most vulgar, but surprisingly (or not), Chiba swears the most.

He sometimes also swears when it's unnecessary, and both Karma and Nakamura find it hilarious, especially seeing how the others react.

Maehara: Kimura sure seems to be in a hurry...

Chiba: He probably needs to take a shit.

Maehara: ?!?!?

The three of them don't hang out that often, as they have their own separate friend groups within the class. But when they do hang out, you just know they're up to no good.

You cannot even trust Chiba to stop them because this guy either let things happen for his own amusement, or he's the mastermind.

And funnily enough, no matter how many times it happened, people still tend to forget that Chiba can be as horrible as the two class devils because he's so subtle when he does evil shit. He's definitely the type to get away with doing things scot free even after getting caught.

God forbid the three of them having a common enemy because that person won't be having a good time for sure.

#this is a trio that I absolutely love because of how terrifying they are together #chiba is incredibly subtle about it #but he had CANONICALLY done enough damage to other people out of spite to put him in 3rd place after the two devils #the fact that it took Korosuu for me to notice this subtle but prominent trait of his says enough at how good he is at hiding his demons ��#assassination classroom #ansatsu kyoushitsu #assclass #chiba ryuunosuke #ryuunosuke chiba #akabane karma #karma akabane #nakamura rio #rio nakamura #my headcanons #assclass headcanons

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turbobyakuren · 11 months

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I acshully want to know more about Akira (pretend to be surprised) regarding who is her funniest rival… Not necessarily in the realm of overarching danger or competence, rather, in terms of being a passive aggressive office threat. The pranks, the subterfuge… I wish to learn.

WOW WHAT A SURPRISE... Akira wants to know more about Akira... Huh!

I will give you three characters who have the "funniest rival" dynamic with Akira.

I talk a LOT about Junko being Akira's actual rival, but I believe it's mostly on Junko's side. Akira dislikes her greatly, but she views her just as a nuisance and thinks it's an absolute delight to mess with because she will literally buy into any of her tricks. Akira paints a hole on a wall and tells Junko "hey Junko there's a beautiful woman with big boobs on the other side of that hole AND SHE DOES NOT WANT YOU" and Junko smokes her cigarette in the most aggressive way possible and screams "FUCK YOU AKIRA ALL THE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN WITH BIG BOOBS WANT ME!!!!!" and rushes into the hole and gets her skull crushed by the impact. Of course, because of this, Junko's hatred for Akira reaches beyond comical level. The main difference between Akira hating Junko and Junko hating Akira is that Junko will NEVER even attempt to pull subtle tricks on Akira. The best she can do is call her names and attempt to stab her (it always fails). Or try to call her BrightLady Boss to prove that YES she is friends with people who are not losers (she never answers her calls). So to sum it up: Akira merely dislikes Junko but will go to great lengths to commit Lethal Tomfoolery on her ass while Junko hates Akira so much the only thing she can comes up with is trying to kill her or prove that the beautiful women with big boobs love her for real.

While i would not qualify their relationship as a "rivals", I want to talk about how The Boss is the single most lethal threat that Akira ever faces on the daily. The Boss is the oyabun/Family Boss of the Youkai Yakuza (NAME SUBJECT TO CHANGE. I THINK.) and feared by pretty much everyone in the Youkai sphere. Being even close to her is both an extreme privilege and curse. Gashadokuro, Kana and Junko all work for her as Enforcers (the highest rank of Youkai Yakuza Goons and pretty much her Bodyguards) because they have no choice: The Boss both has Peak Blackmailing on them and/or has tortured them into doing her bidding. Meanwhile, Akira just showed up to the Youkai Yakuza on her own volition, with her own motivation, and The Boss took great interest and said "you're hired", despite having zero information on Akira's identity nor motives. This is what Akira fears the most. She's someone with an absolute net zero of information concerning her identity. Half of the information you can find on her are either misleading red herring or blatantly wrong on purpose. However, having conversed with the other members about The Boss' actions, she came to realize and fear The Boss as she knows she could have the potential to Actually Find Information About Her and thus threaten her life. For now? Akira is just the silly little girl who can get away with shit talking The Boss because The Boss just has zero blackmailing material. For now. Akira does have a goal in working for the Youkai Yakuza and she's willing to take the constant risk of The Boss finding out about her and shackling her to the Youkai Yakuza for good.

And finally i want to present you the SECOND FUNNIEST rivalry, the funniest BEEF Akira has with.

Moriko Kimura. Tanuki MagiMonster and ACTUAL MAIN CHARACTER OF MAGIMONSTERS AS A WHOLE (very first OC made for the setting, actually). Through being a genuinely kind girl, Moriko counters most if not all of Akira attempts at Hating On Her. Akira will comes up with a plan to make her day go from bad to worse, set everything up, get her into the bait and introduce herself as THE FEARSOME KITSUNE MAGIMONSTER WHO WILL STEAL SOUL FOR HER OWN AMUSEMENT and Moriko will just go "omg hi!!! hi bestie!!!! kitsune magimon?! that's SOOO pog girl!!!! you look SO cool!!! i love your kimono it's AWESOME. Oh!! Look at the time, i have to go back with my team! They probably wonder where i am right now. Good luck Kitsune MagiMon!!!! See ya buh bye!!!" and leaves while Akira is just dumbfounded upon experiencing this tanuki girl's mental version of the Evo Moment #37. And everytime it's the same thing happening. Moriko is genuinely clueless Akira doesn't like her (because she's a tanuki so naturally) and thinks of her as a good woman and hopes she can "beat her anxiety and become friends with her".

Now i said the SECOND funniest rivalry. Who's the first?

Yasue Ishikawa. Kawauso MagiMonster. 14 years old girl. Active menace on Akira. Akira actively fears this girl. Yasue can read through her illusions. Yasue knows her deep dark fears and how to roast her to oblivion. Yasue is always there when Akira does something cool, which causes Akira to notice and immediately fail. Yasue. Always. Watches.

Akira wishes she was dead. But she cannot kill her. Not because murdering kids is illegal. But because Yasue manages to hurt her ego enough to render her unable to move or speak for a full hour.

#cerastes #long post #asks #my ocs #magimonsters #akira #whew wow sorry for the long post #and probably derailing the question

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dollfaced-erin · 7 months

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𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟'𝕤 ℂ𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕝𝕖 (Blade x F!Reader x Jing Yuan)

PART 12

PART 1 , PART 2 , PART 3 , PART 4 , PART 5 , PART 6 , PART 7 , PART 8 , PART 9 , PART 10 , PART 11

A/n : -

This is where the story begins to differ from canon. But i have a way to solve this no worries ! hahah (oh lord...) Yes, as usual, i'll have to add my own elements to make sure the story makes sense, but I've put in alot of thought about it ! (do tell me later how i've done, im really not sure because of this story started before much lore was revealed...)

Taglist : -

THE FIRST PART IS JUST A LITTLE THING I ADDED IT DOESNT CARRY ON TO THE MAIN STORY OKAY ? I JUST MADE IT FOR FUN SO TAKE IT AS YOU WILL HAJSDHKHHEHEHEHE

Those years of hard work in front of the furnace had really maintained his shape despite his growing age for a fragile short-life species. As he had been training not only how to create weapons, he had also mastered how to brandish them, as a test before he gave them to their rightful owners.

Relentlessly, the swordsmith brandished his sword, panting as he abolished one after another abomination. He wiped the sweat off of his brow, feeling the heat creeping up his aging form. As he panted and sweated, he couldn't help but think of his beloved.

What was she doing ?

How is she faring ?

How many had fallen and was brought into her care ?

For he wished it was him beneath her as she concentrated on healing him. Her flustered state as she worked, the redness dusting the apples of her cheeks, the pants her lips gave out as she grew exhausted over hours of healing.

But that was nothing to her. For she had the will to keep going, the strength to keep providing, the heart to keep helping.

He imagined the sweat that dripped from her brow, the tears that bubbled in the corners of her eyes as she shouted to whomever she was healing to hold on.

She was a soul that could never bare to see suffering of others.

Though he was in a heated battle, he was reminded of his moon. How she would dance so gracefully in amidst battle, swinging her fan he created specifically for her by his own hands, made by his love for her.

He danced like she would. Moved like she would. Breathed like she would. Performance after performance he recited, as he watched every single show she would put on.

He sweat to the core of his clothes, he was feeling as if he would just like to strip, but that wouldn't be safe to him at all.

But then he thought, would his princess sweat like him after her dances ?

Would her petite figure be covered in a sheen layer of sweat, with only the moon as her witness ? Would she pant, breaths coming from her pretty lips as if she stripped off her drenched clothing ? Would her delicate back and sharp shoulders reflect the light of the moon as she basked in the darkness of her room in private...?

Just like...he imagined her to be as she lay panting and crying beneath him...? The soft whimpers, breaking the silence of the room other than their heavy breaths, the way her eyes were half lidded, the way her tears ran down her cheeks as she cried out for his--

"Yingxing ! Watch out !"

The young lieutenant called, slashing his glaive towards the abomination that was about to strike his companion from behind. He looked at his friend worriedly, confused to why his friend was suddenly in a daze.

"Yingxing, are you alright ? You looked spaced out there. That's dangerous !" the young lieutenant called out, to which his friend waved off.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay. I got a little...stunned there for a moment."

Oh, if only he knew...

"What was that...?" Blade wondered as he suddenly woke up from his light slumber.

He had decided to take a short nap while waiting to pass time around the Divination Commission. The time for his part inthe script was long but arriving, and it wouldn't hurt for him to take a short break. After this...things were about to get drastic and messy.

He shook his head. Perhaps Kafka's Spirit Whispers have been getting to him lately ever since he met up with (Y/n). All sorts of memories were coming back so suddenly.

But...Kafka's has been caught by the Divination Commission already. So how could her Spirit Whisper be attacking him so suddenly...?

Perhaps spending too much intimacy with (Y/n) during the two nights was beginning to rouse something deep within him. Or the Mara was just messing with him to corrupt his mind again...

He should...stay away from her for the time being until Kafka is able to have him back in control. Who knows what might happen to her if he had such thoughts while being in this phase of his Mara...

(A/n : okay that's all from me heheheh have funn~!)

"Sanctus Medicus....that is a name I haven't heard in a...very, very long time...but...isn't exactly alien to my ears..." (Y/n) said, putting her chin between her forefinger and her thumb. She frowned as she tried to make out what intel she had received earlier.

The trailblazers had left to investigate the wanted organization hiding within the Alchemy Commissions to research forbidden methods of immortality. (Y/n) obviously stayed behind to not rouse any suspicion.

"Yes, Lady (Y/n). The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus have been around since your era in the past thousand years. But they were silent, merely worshipping the Plagues Author for their blessing of longevity. But since the Third Abundance War that happened less that 30 years ago...they have rose yet again to cause havoc..." Qingzu tried to explain to (Y/n).

Then the secretary realized something, looking at (Y/n) with wide eyes. "L-Lady (Y/n)...did you just....remember something...?"

"Huh ? Oh Disciples of Sanctus Medicus ? Y-yeah...I think...I remember that much back..." (Y/n) said, before something in her snapped.

No matter...keep running.

And in the distance, was a puff of smoke. It was puffing up in the sky, contaminating the air with its burnt smell, accompanied by the musty smell of rain.

The rain was hindering her sight, but she kept pushing on.

Snippets of pictures came to her mind. Everything was just...happening too fast. She barely remembered anything. It was...so blurry. But she could feel everything.

A body of a man lied lifeless on the ground, being held by another man tenderly in his arms, his back facing her.

Even her current self knew who that was, lying in the embrace of the Imbibator Lunae.

Could it be...?

"Lady (Y/n) !" Qingzu called out and (Y/n)'s mind came back to where she was.

She was currently on the ground as Qingzu was hovering by her side, looking worriedly, Dahao on her other side. Both of them looked pale, as if they saw a ghost.

"Wh...what happened...?" (Y/n) asked, looking at Qingzu.

Then the Vidyadhara woman looked at Dahao, then back to (Y/n). "Lady (Y/n), you passed out. You said something about Sanctus Medicus and you...suddenly fell backwards."

"A-are you alright...?" Dahao asked her as (Y/n) slowly sat up on the marble floor, looking quite confused. Her mind was suddenly snapped back and forth and she herself didn't understand it. Dahao had someone get (Y/n) a glass of water as Qingzu went to go for a phone call.

And as (Y/n) sat on the ground, sipping water slowly, Qingzu came back. Her expression was etched with worry and uncertainty, but she knew she had a message to relay. So she crouched down in front of (Y/n) who was still trying to get her bearings right.

"Lady (Y/n). The General had instructed you to go see Lady Fu Xuan at the Divination Commission. As the esteemed guests have their hands full with the undercover mission to expose the traitors, he has instructed me to escort you to see Lady Fu Xuan." Qingzu said softly, rubbing (Y/n)'s arm for comfort.

"Wh...what for ?" "I reported to the General that you had passed out trying to recollect memories of the past and he told me that it had happened to you last night too. Perhaps its better to see Lady Fu Xuan help with those blockages..."

"So...it was possible to regain my memories all this time ? Why...why didn't anyone tell me this ?" (Y/n) said, looking at Qingzu with betrayal in her eyes.

"Lady (Y/n)...please, I am only relaying the information provided to me. Perhaps Lady Fu Xuan could help you answer your questions." Qingzu said, understanding that (Y/n) must've felt lost and confused ever since she woke up, without much to help her through.

"I...I understand. I'm sorry, Miss Qingzu..." (Y/n) said, sighing as she apologized. Qingzu was right, (Y/n) shouldn't let her temper get the better of her since she was just doing her job.

"Then...let's get going. I suppose the sooner the better." (Y/n) said as she handed Dahao the cup and slowly stood up, looking determined.

"Yes. Follow me, Lady (Y/n). I'll take you there." Qingzy said, before leading the dragon lady out of the Realm-Keeping Commission.

"It's not certain." Fu Xuan replied, her arms crossed over her chest. "We have to determine the type of interference in your mind. It could be either something is blocking those memories, or they are merely dormant in you."

"I suppose it's the latter if you are starting to remember bits and parts. The reason why the General didn't send you earlier is because he worries that too much information could be deadly to your consciousness." Fu Xuan said, as she began to walk somewhere.

"Come with me, Lady (Y/n)," The Master Diviner said, and the horned lady followed attentively behind the smaller petite lady.

"But then...why did he change his mind ?" (Y/n) asked, finding Jing Yuan's reasons quite understandable.

"Because even now, as you already are trying to remember bits and pieces, and it's threatening your consciousness, tampering and overlapping, causing your mind to revert into overdrive. It's dangerous for you to keep the unknown origins of knowledge, because it may corrupt you." Fu Xuan said as they got closer to the Matrix of Prescience.

"Don't worry. Just step in there and I'll do the rest. Whatever you see in there, you'll have to face it. If something is indeed blocking your memories, I'll be there to help guide you through it. But if it's dormant memories, I'll help block out what may come as dangerous to you, and help clear up the fog in your current memories."

(Y/n) nodded, feeling a little unsure. But this was what she had been waiting for all along, hasn't she ? But would she change after she saw everything...?

"Don't worry. I'll pull you back out shall matters become disastrous." Fu Xuan said, assuring (Y/n) with a hand on her back. "Whatever happened in the past doesn't apply to you now. You are a new person, and you are merely looking into the person you used to be and recovering information."

(Y/n) nodded, her hand going to touch the accessory that adorned her ear. With a deep breath and determination running through her veins, she stepped into the matrix domain.

"Keep calm. This wont take long." Fu Xuan said before (Y/n)'s vision went to black.

Flashes of memories came to her. All her past feats, her abilities, her friends, the way she used to live. Everything came to her in a flash without much detail, seeming to be Fu Xuan and the Matrix of Prescience filtering all what is needed for her to know and not.

She saw glimpses of faces of people she knew. People she's seen in her dreams. Jingliu...Baiheng...Jing Yuan...her brother, Dan Feng..

Yingxing...

Suddenly everything turned bright, as she was looking out the window, standing on the porch, admiring the scenery as the artificial sun on the Luofu as it set. The gold rays of light bounced all over, basking her in the warm light.

A hand softly landed on her shoulder, and a middle aged man looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling with warmth and love. The man then leaned in to kiss her cheek, his lips lingering there for a moment before he looked at his beloved with emotion so intense, it made her blush.

"Beloved...you're finally home..." 'she' said, as she faced her lover who took her soft and slender hands into his calloused and rough own.

"Yes, my Moon princess. I apologize for being late." Yingxing said, as his thumbs caressed the moisturized skin of his love. He lifted her hand and kissed her palm, earning a light giggle from the receiver.

"Where did you venture off today ? Do tell me about your affairs of the day, my star." 'She' said, her voice so mature and sweeter than the sweetest nectar.

"Nowhere of your concern. Just an old man's folly passing time with leisure of old." Yingxing replied, looking at her with love, then letting go of her hands. "I'll tell you all about it, Moon. Don't you have a meeting with the Alchemy Commission later today regarding the books of healing properties ?"

"O-oh, yes ! I must've forgotten ! Thank you for the reminder, Yingxing." the dragon lady said, her hands to her lips as she looked at her lover with surprise and remembrance. "I was researching about the ways of healing those with Mara. Successfully, I've found a way to slow it down by freezing their cores."

"Battle wise...I'd need to reconfirm with the Imbibator Lunae later to devise a plan. I've found a new technique of healing I've been elated to try ! I'll recall the details to tell you later !" the beloved said excitedly, before planting a kiss on her betrothed's cheek, before scurrying of in a flurry of exclusive cloths.

"My my...as hasty and as excitable as ever, my Moon..." Yingxing said with a small chuckle leaving his lips. Then his eyes looked down, his smile fading and wavering, for he had not told his lover the entire truth.

For the reason he had been missing all day was because he was granted access to the Dragon Palace in Scalegorge Waterscape by Dan Feng to return a favor. He went straight into the archives to recover something he had stumbled upon once.

With the access granted by Dan Feng, Yingxing went into the archives, searching for the scrolls he had accidentally seen Dan Jia storing away. The scrolls regarding methods of Immortality and the Transmutation Arcanum.

He began to ponder, looking into the horizon and recounting his day to the sky. As the man closed his eyes in regret, so did the vision of him on the lonely porch, as all began to fade to black.

"I'm sorry, my Moon...for I have betrayed you..." a voice rang out through the dark depths of void visions.

It was raining.

As she opened her eyes, she was on the ground blood pooling her form. She was weak. Everything hurt. Even breathing hurt.

"Dan Feng ! This wasn't what you promised us ! This isn't what you promised me !" A man screamed in agony, pain evident in his voice.

The middle aged man held his sword in his hand, clothes drenched with blood and grime. His body was wet from the rain, long hair coming undone from its usual updo. Blue eyes filled with grief and pain.

"You...you promised me she wouldn't be harmed !"

"Yingxing..." another voice called out, power and authority carrying through the sounds of rain that peltered the stone grounds. But even then, that voice sounded pained and destroyed.

"We have to save her. Don't worry, Dan Jia won't die..." the man said, standing up as he held a beating organ in his hand. The organ robbed from the chest of the fallen who lay merely a few feet away from them.

"Take my sister somewhere safe. Then immediately come back. She wont die from that," Dan Feng said. "If she died...I would've died too..."

"Make haste, Yingxing, for we have limited time if we're to carry out our plan."

"But I--!"

"Do you want her sacrifice to be in vain ?"

Yingxing stopped, looking at the Imbibator Lunae in disbelief. His blue eyes widened, lips parted. And through the heavy rain, there was a small 'what...?' barely audible.

"You agreed to mask your death to fool my sister to drop her guard and for me to take her heart. This all happened, because we planned for all this to happen to save HER ! You cannot tell me that I am heartless, for using my sister like this ! You know well enough that I am sacrificing my own position, my power and my FAMILY !" Dan Feng exclaimed, voice thundering through the gloomy weather.

"But if we do this...we could bring back Baiheng. And Dan Jia would still live. If all goes well." Dan Feng said softly before her sight of them began to blur, her vision turning dark.

"We must invoke the power of the Abundance now...you know what to do now, Yingxing."

"That's enough...(Y/n)." a foreign distorted voice said, kicking her out of her memory.

Before she knew it, she was back in the Divination Commission, looking at her with worry and surprise.

"Wh...what happened...?"

#honkai star rail #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail x you #hsr x you #hsr x reader #dragon's cradle #hsr blade x reader #hsr blade x you #hsr jing yuan x you #hsr jing yuan x reader #jing yuan x reader #jing yuan x you #blade x reader #bladed x you

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princeresnikov · 7 months

Text

it's in my nature {Tangerine} // 11

ten. the scorpion: same eyes in different people.

Summary: Clementine begrudgingly goes back to doing her actual job of guarding The Prince, though unfortunately The Prince wants to go stare death in the face and see her brother. How she knew he was on the train is beyond Clementine, who is unfortunately used to The Prince being smug and correct almost all of the time, and would rather be with the girl than let her roam this train full of killers on her own. A chapter about family or not being welcome in one.

{ Masterlist }

A/N: 5736 words. this time it's only been two months ! WOW! but also hello again friends, i'm here today to celebrate my favourite fucked up dynamic which is Clem & The Prince. i could write them forever i honestly could, I love them so much. this chapter has less editing than the last ones so it might be a bit everywhere but im very tired and haven't been back to the source material in quite a while (the book). i hope you enjoy, and as always I would love if you left a comment about what you've been enjoying so far! ALSO QUITE A BIT OF CLEM LORE???

Warnings: Don’t be surprised when the OC is a terrible person and is implied to have done terrible things along with the rest of them.

Chapter Warnings: discussions of murder, violence, unhealthy family dynamics, some allusions to torture but only faintly, drinking, grieving kind of??

Taglist: @venusthepirate @malar-region @tangerinesgf @esmaada @sarcastic-sourwolf @chuyouchu @justshutupmars @somikesoc @chachadelight @andydre4m @evangelineflowers @darkchai @bellatrix124 @kunikidaswhore @thewinterschildren178 @deadtildeath @folkloreandfall @aniglio18 @geeiz @mimidior @justice-333 @ltlthetrifecta @salsasadd @xkawax @hellsgatelove22 @brownficgirl @tangerineswife @cigarettesandfigureskates @ceciliahargrove @welcometothescreaming20s @moonlight-matcha @thyeb @emilia527 @tangerinefics @charlemagnethesecond @little-miss-bi @megplant @kalli0pes @aaronperryjohnson @nachtcirce @literatureisair @nina-isabelle @queenofspades403 @ayaahaddadd @sweetbutpsychobutsweet @persephones-garden

----

Despite how inherently she lacked one, being around The White Death's family had never made her yearn for a family of her own. Of course she's well aware that they're not exactly the model of a perfect, healthy family dynamic, but it really was all she had to go on -

[I know he's here.] Case and point, The Prince had been sending increasingly cryptic texts that Clementine could only assume was about her brother. The Prince had a way of knowing things, and more infuriatingly, jumping to conclusions based on Clementine's non-answers that were correct a frustrating amount of time.

"What have you done now -?" Clementine had answered The Prince's phone call with her patience wearing thin.

"I've found the case, our friend is just now working on getting it open for us," The Prince says, reminding Clementine of the hollow-eyed Yuchi who had tailed after The Prince into the bar cart looking like he was already half way to giving up, "and I do worry when you speak to me like that," The Prince continues with faux concern, "imagine if someone heard you talking to your poor, sweet client like that; it'd certainly blow your cover." As if she even cares about how Clementine speaks over the phone to her for the benefit of Clementine, as if she didn't simply take any opportunity she could to exert even some small amount of control over her bodyguard.

"I'm coming to check on you -"

"So proud of you for remembering to do your job," immediately The Prince fired back, voice all but dripping with sarcasm, and Clementine knows she's rolling her eyes on the other end of the line.

"Ma'am I was following your instructions of distracting the man in the blue suit."

"I didn't think you'd go on for this long."

"So you're calling me to come back because you do actually want me around?"

"Don't flatter yourself; Mister Kimura has hundreds of combinations to go through on that suitcase and I'm rather bored," at least her tone matched her words, coming with a faint, exasperated sigh.

"I struggle to believe you're yearning for my companionship in this moment," Clementine deadpans, and much to her surprise, The Prince laughs, the sound bright and genuine on the other end of the line.

"Of course not!" The Prince practically crows, though the levity dies out, "however I would like to have a serious conversation with you about withholding important information, and you not doing that again."

About a million different things run through Clementine's head at once, all most certainly incriminating, and all things she'd take to her grave. However she knows better than to panic in this moment, remembering the girl's earlier text messages.

"There are things you don't need to know, ma'am," Clementine tells her gently, all the while thinking - how was I meant to tell you that yes your brother is here, but he's dead!?

"Agree to disagree, fruit fly," and The Prince hangs up. Fuck. How would she even know about her brother being aboard the train? The girl has always known far too much, even for her resources.

As a child she'd had this insatiable curiosity that had made Clementine wary when they'd first met. The Prince had always seemed like she'd been starved for information, never giving a real reason as to why she'd poke and prod and investigate so thoroughly for someone her age. Information gathering for it's own sake, her father had always showered her with affection for her persistent nature.

"What's wrong with you?" Was the first thing The Prince had ever said to Clementine.

In The White Death's office, the next room over, The Son was arguing with his father about the budget they'd been allocated for Clementine's wardrobe and how he believed it wasn't enough to dress her like a believable socialite. Of course Clementine couldn't care less about how she's dressed as long as she's able to do her job; some of the dresses The Son had picked out hadn't exactly been conductive to some the more physical aspects of her job, but they hadn't stopped her either.

The girl is small, dark hair and eyes that reminded Clementine almost too much of The Son; this must be the sister he had occasionally complained about. Never around others, but Clementine clearly didn't matter when it was dawn and she was wiping the puke from the corners of his mouth, or putting ointment on the grazes he got after he ate shit on the sidewalk outside of a club. This is the sister he claims his father cares more about than him.

Clementine frowned at the little girl and her intrusive question.

"You're a child." Clementine still hasn't lost the Russian accent she'd adopted after leaving the country to find The White Death. She avoids using it at The Son's behest, but makes an effort to occasionally revert to it, if only to give off the impression that it was her natural accent. She's not sure why, but he looks strangely at her when she does.

"You sound like my father," the girl says, her own accent a stark contrast.

"Roshan Resnikov?"

"I'm Prince Resnikov."

"I know."

"Because you're my brother's girlfriend." It's not a question. Clementine corrects her anyways.

"Bodyguard."

"That's not what he says."

"We," Clementine hesitates, unsure of how to even interact with a child, let alone explain the nuances of the situation to her, "play pretend," she finally settles on, "to keep him safe."

"You keep him safe?" Even at six the girl had a handle on conveying her disdain. Clementine is growing less fond of this girl by the moment. She sounds, just for a moment, like the White Death himself when Clementine had initially requested to work for him. Then, after a moment and without any warning, her gaze shifts to Clementine's bare forearms where she'd rolled up her sleeves, "you let people hurt you."

Before Clementine can respond, however, an explosive shout comes from the next room -

"If you mispronounce Balenciaga one more time I'm going to kill myself!"

Both Clementine and The Prince look to the office door where they'd just heard The Son shout dramatically. Neither of them hear his father's reply, though the door remains close.

"Father and I don't take him seriously," the young girl says with such ease and casualness, but with a hint of something that sounds like a warning, something territorial. Father and I.

"If your father didn't take him seriously he wouldn't have hired me."

The girl's expression scrunches up into something disbelieving. After another moment, she fixes Clementine with a scrutinising look, an unnerving look coming from any child let alone this one.

"You'd be pretty if you didn't have those ugly scars," as if it's note most normal thing in the world, "and you don't talk right," she says, "you're meant to be nice to me." Clementine was unsure of what prompted this response; she thought she had been nice to the girl. In the years that followed, Clementine would learn that being nice to The Prince was just the same as being nice to her brother; humour them, but most importantly, agree with them.

It was, unfortunately a truth that had carried on even to the present day.

In the bar cart, The Prince is suspiciously alone, of course apart from The Wolf's corpse still propped up in the corner. Her charge is wearing that Cheshire smile that has only ever meant bad things, watching Clementine with a kind of smugness that she knew set her bodyguard on edge.

Clementine will not speak first, however, making a beeline for the bar. With lazy steps the young woman follows, going so far as to lean on the bar itself, chin resting on her hand with that same, watchful smile.

"How is he?"

Clementine glances at her out of the corner of her eye as she opens the bottle of expensive rum, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. The Prince sighs, as if disappointed with the non-answer, momentarily giving up the bit as she tipped her head to the side, the slightest frown gracing her youthful features.

"I do wish you'd watch your tone when answering my calls," The Prince doesn't actually tsk as she reprimands Clementine, but it's clearly there in her words.

"And I wish you wouldn't identify me to strangers in an effort to cause me problems, but we don't always get what we wish for," Clementine told her blithely, back to the girl as she pulled a cup from the shelf behind her.

"Yes, but he wasn't a stranger was he?" The Prince responds slyly.

"You didn't know that, did you?" Clementine frowns for a moment, looking up with genuine concern as she poured her drink. Of course it's a trap, and something almost malevolent lights up in the Prince's eyes.

"So he's not a stranger?" The Prince gives a mean little smile, adding, "I thought I may have recognised him myself," she shoots for nonchalance, "like I read something about him somewhere, or perhaps saw a picture." Clementine goes still, halfway through her first large sip of the liquor, the liquid burning her tongue. Looking over her shoulder, she meets The Prince's knowing gaze, the girl raising a single, perfect eyebrow as if in challenge. Clementine swallows the rum and slowly turns back to the girl, determined to put on a show of being unimpressed, even when alarms were going off in the back of her mind.

"He's worked for my father before," she says, gaze unwavering, like she's desperate for Clementine to react, "did you know?"

"I don't think this is -" Clementine puts her cup down, expression drawn where she meets The Prince's piercing gaze.

"Around twelve years ago, I think it was." She's giving Clementine this calculating look, as if trying to tell if Clementine knows more than she lets on. Clementine looks up blinks slowly, but it's enough for The Prince, the young woman whose known her for years, enough to divine meaning and truth from it. As if satisfied with Clementine's non-answer, The Prince raised herself from the bar, crossing her arms, cruel little smile gracing her lips, "oh how benevolent you are then, Scorpion, if your report from New York is to be believed."

"Where is Kimura?" Clementine asks instead of acknowledging The Prince's statement and it's implications. Clearly frustrated at Clementine's unwillingness to play along, the girl's grin drops, gaze flicking almost irately to the bathroom at the back of the carriage.

"Busy," Clementine watches as the girl appears to physically shake off her irritation, like it passes through her like a shiver, leaving her as bright as she'd boarded the train. These little moments, these cracks Clementine is allowed to see in her mask, she finds fascinating; where there should be humanity is simply a tide of malevolence and intrigue. From observations and anecdotes she knows that The Prince is talented at gaining fear through respect; her classmates, her teachers, any authority she appeared to come across. Clementine wonders if that's one of the reasons she despises Clementine so strongly, since she could never get Clementine to do her bidding in the way that made her feel the most powerful.

"Still, you've reminded me -" tone chipper, The Prince brings Clementine out of her thoughts and back into their reality, "- let's go see him."

"Him?" Clementine already knows who, but she really doesn't like where The Prince is going with this. As if able to read her thoughts, she shakes her head as if Clementine were a child making a mistake.

"My darling brother," she sounds sincere despite being anything but, "I know he's here," the smile remained, but something had gone cold in the girl's eyes, "and I know you know too."

"How do you know?"

"I don't answer your questions, fruit fly."

"How do you know your brother is on this train?"

There's that look again, that intrigued and cruel kind of amusement in The Prince's expression.

"It's taken you long enough to take me seriously," and beneath the cryptic wording, The Prince sounds almost triumphant. Turning on her heel she begins to flounce out, calling out that she's going with or without Clementine, and despite the day she was having, Clementine felt beholden to her station. Silent but swift, Clementine is following her back through first class.

In the small segment between carriages, Clementine grabs The Prince by the arm, insistently pulling her to head down the righthand aisle instead. When she hisses for her not to draw attention, she considers it a small victory when The Prince rolls her eyes but agrees. Several carriages later, once more finding themselves in the space between carriages, upon seeing Lemon approaching them, Clementine shoves The Prince into the bathroom, despite the girl's many initial protests -

"Let me do my job!" Clementine hissed, and thankfully the girl relented just as the doors slid open and Lemon joined the confined area.

"Oh, sorry, I -" upon realising it was Clementine, he frowned in question.

"I am a human, I do still need to pee from time to time," she said with an irate awkwardness, "but I've been waiting here for almost ten minutes -" taking a chance on The Prince's love of schemes and nosy nature, she knocks on the bathroom door, and they both hear 'still occupied!' from inside.

"Oh," Lemon says rather lamely, taking it at face value and quickly moving on.

"You owe me one," The Prince is practically preening as she leaves the stall, smug grin stretching from ear to ear. The momentary ruse had been convincing, Clementine concedes, but at what cost. Her client's ego hadn't needed even the smallest of boosts.

Outside of third carriage, they again give pause. This time, it's The Prince who stops.

"You never deserved any of it, you know that don't you?" For the first time in a long time, her tone is completely devoid of inflection. The Prince looks through the window to the passengers, while Clementine wonders if she can already see her brother, but doubts it, "neither did he, but at least he was family."

And without elaboration, she steps forwards and into the carriage. Much slower, Clementine trails behind. She's not quite sure why she doesn't warn The Prince of her brother's state, perhaps to shock the girl, to see if her brother's death could genuinely rattle her, or perhaps a small part of her believes it would have been unnecessary, that she somehow already knew.

She watches from several feet away as The Prince approaches her brother, expression unreadable. There's a moment, a single brief look that The Prince shoots to her bodyguard, the closest to hesitation that Clementine had ever seen from her, before she leaned in to get a proper look. Lifting his glass, Clementine can see he's still bleeding despite her earlier efforts to clean him, not that it mattered. Despite all the resentment she held towards him, she still flinches when The Prince spits on his corpse in disdain.

The silence between them as they head back is somehow the tensest Clementine has experienced in a long while. The Prince does not seem rattled, though she does seem somehow affected, though in what way that is Clementine can't begin to fathom. This time when she sees Lemon approaching, there's enough time for her to fit into the little cubical with The Prince herself. It's the second time she's been trapped in one of these bathrooms with another individual with probably malicious intent, yet somehow being here with The Prince was infinitely worse than her argument with Tangerine.

"You couldn't save him either," The Prince tells her coldly after several long moments of silence.

"Boomslang venom kills within thirty seconds," still, Clementine's tone does have notes of apology, not that the girl across from her much cared for them.

"How do you know that yet seemingly nothing useful?"

"I," Clementine gave pause, considering whether she should really be telling The Prince this, but figured that there was a chance it wouldn't matter after today finally ended, "hired a contractor once who used -"

"You couldn't save him if you tried," already bored of Clementine's explanation, The Prince cuts her off with a sneer and roll of her eyes. Then, cruelty bleeding through her tone, her lip curled as she looked over Clementine's attire, "you look like a joke." Biting back her retort that this is how The Prince insisted she had dressed, Clementine lets the girl have this moment over her; clearly she wanted to appear unscathed after confronting her dead brother. But he was still her family.

"I'll find some pants on the way back," Clementine concedes with a murmur, looking away from the girl, trying to give her the barest amount of privacy despite the space they were cramped in. Some of the tension in the The Prince's shoulders that had developed back in carriage three eased. It takes a few more moments before the telltale knock and Lemon's voice tentatively greeting the occupants of the bathroom. Lowering her voice and speaking Japanese, she tells him that it's occupied. After he apologises, she waits another quiet minute before letting them both out.

As promised, when they get to the next set of luggage racks just before they find themselves back at first class, Clementine puts her morals aside to find a pair of pants. Unfortunately, while her wording could have been kinder, The Prince had a point.

"I am curious," The Prince leans against the wall with her arms crossed as Clementine carefully picks the lock on a piece of luggage, "did you ever catch yourself actually caring about him?" And Clementine goes very still.

"In the beginning," she says softly, "I did care about whether he lived or died for more than just my own sake." Silence spills out between them as The Prince ruminates on Clementine's delicate answer. Clementine's not sure where her next words come from, unable to look at The Prince in these surprisingly honest moments. When she speaks, it's quiet enough that The Prince has to step forward, and she's switched to Russian, "when he was my priority, he was my everything," she admits, "and when he wasn't, I had once considered there to be no-one closer to me. I could have loved him, but he never saw me as a person," flicking a sharp look to The Prince, her voice turns sharp on the last few words, and knows without having to spell it out that The Prince understands; I know that you don't either.

"Can I ask you something, fruit fly?" It's not a real question, and the shift in both tone and language is almost jarring, like she was trying to dismiss Clementine's admission entirely, which was, of course, completely standard for The Prince in times like these. Still, Clementine nods, keeps her expression neutral as she's elbow deep in someone else's luggage, finally finding an appropriately sized pair of beige slacks.

"Knowing what you know now, what my father makes you do, how he'd make you my brother's babysitter and all that would entail," The Prince regards Clementine with this kind of scientific curiosity that she usually reserved for when she made Clementine 'test' her 'self defence' weapons, and Clementine steps towards the door to the previous carriage, "would you go back and keep your nose out of my family's business?" It's that same curious but disconnected tone, but the wording catches Clementine by surprise. Looking back at her charge she can see the malice in the girl's eyes despite her deceptively sweet expression.

"No."

For just a second The Prince's expression appears to twist involuntarily furious, betraying her.

"Of course not," almost as if to herself, sounding genuinely frustrated. Then, after a moment, as Clementine disappears through first class to the bar cart she hoped would have remained undisturbed, "why not?" Still sounding irate, The Prince picks up her pace to catch up to Clementine, snapping at her loud enough that one of the few remaining patrons in first class glared at her pointedly.

Once in the bar cart, Clementine turns on the young woman.

"Why does it matter?"

As if realising that she'd had something of an emotional outbursts, The Prince schools her expression and posture into something that reads as otherwise unaffected.

"It doesn't," she shrugs, looking away, her gaze landing on The Wolf still propped up in the corner. Clementine knows her well enough to know The Prince was still both curious and furious.

"It matters to you, Malen'kiy Prints," Clementine pushes, unable to help the faint, triumphant smirk, "don't ever forget that I could have been family; you should be glad I never married your brother -"

"I wish you had!" The Prince snaps, "I wish he'd bought you like he wanted and kept you far, far away from me for the rest of your tragic little life. You could have just pissed off to be his little lapdog you wouldn't keep ruining everything in our lives, you- you- you selfish, little Scorpion! You ruin everything you touch!"

After a long, shocked silence, Clementine takes a deep breath and starts stepping out of her shoes. The Prince let's out a shrill, frustrated noise, stalking over to one of the free lounges, throwing herself onto it, slouched down, scowling, altogether unladylike, a sharp change from the carefully calm composure she carried herself with most other times.

As she's putting on the pants beneath her skirt, Clementine's voice is the only sound other than the quiet hum of the train.

"Is this about your mother?" Clementine switches to Russian once, and The Prince turns her furious scowl upon her bodyguard.

"Of course it's about my mother, Scorpion," she spits back, initially matching Clementine's Russian before she switches back to a contempt-filled English, "she thought you hung the stars in the sky all because my idiot brother was obsessed with you," she rolls her eyes, finally looking away, "I can't believe she let him give you Baba's ring just for you to turn him down," she scoffed, lip curling as she watched Clementine now take off her skirt with the pants secured, "and you still got her killed."

"I did everything I could I -"

"It wasn't enough," The Prince glowers, finally sitting forward and levelling a look of anger and betrayal at Clementine, "and it's all your fault."

The accusation genuinely surprises Clementine, who begins to internally panic - how had The Prince come to this conclusion? She'd been so careful. Keeping a cool head, she decides to play dumb, hoping the The Prince knew less than her accusation implied.

"It was an accident."

"You were her bodyguard, my father trusted you. She wouldn't have even been in that car if my brother hadn't got himself arrested knowing our mother would bail him out; he knew you would be with her."

"He didn't get arrested to see me -"

"Of course he did! Because he knows our mother was on his side, but you couldn't be convinced! You couldn't just let him love you, couldn't let him have you like everyone in our family wanted!"

Clementine let's her rant, watching the girl get worked up in a way that only seemed to happen around her, in just the same way that The Son could only keep his lackadaisical demeanour for so long when Clementine refused to humour him. Part of her wishes she was less adept at getting under the skin of The White Death's children; they often bottled things up, and it seemed like Clementine was the only one they felt the need to lash out at from time to time.

"If you want to blame me," Clementine says carefully, "I'm not going to stop you."

"Oh I do," The Prince says matter-of-factly, punctuating it with a humourless bark of laughter, "I think my father should have killed you and the only reason you're still alive is because he knew mother was soft on you."

"She was always good to me," Clementine agreed, "I tried everything I could to save her," she then lied, "I'm sorry I survived," she pointed out rather firmly, and The Prince pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes as she regained her composure from easier. Standing, she smooths out the pleats of her skirt, taking a deep breath before she turns, expression carefully neutral.

"Come here, fruit fly," and she crooks a finger at Clementine without looking at her. Clementine fights the urge to roll her eyes at the petty power move, but takes the four steps to be beside The Prince.

Turning, The Prince steps into her space, a show of intimidation, but Clementine doesn't back down, doesn't step away.

"I don't care," she says in a dangerously quiet voice, gaze shallow as she meets Clementine's, "how many near death experiences you've supposedly survived, I don't care how resilient you are, how they say you're downright unkillable, Cockroach," she takes hold of the knot of Clementine's tie firmly, voice never wavering, threatening demeanour never dropping, "you see the second my father finally stops having a use for you, I will squash you like the bug you are. I will use everything in my power to make sure I am the one to make your actions have conveniences; I promise," she emphasises eyes going dark, "that I will be the one to make it stick."

As lucky as The Prince is, Clementine wonders if it would be enough.

The Prince tightens the tie tight enough to be uncomfortable around Clementine's neck, like a reminder of her supposed power over her bodyguard.

"Would you like me to set up a reminder in your calendar, ma'am?" Clementine's expression goes a vacant kind of pleasant, as her tone turned sweet and immediately eager to be a people pleaser.

The Prince gives her a look of utter disgust.

"You're trying too hard," The Prince scoffs, stepping away, shaking out her hands as if dirty simply from being in contact with Clementine.

"Sorry, ma'am."

"Go away before you ruin this too," her lip curls.

"Your plan, ma'am?"

"Obviously."

"May I ask -"

"You absolutely may not. Go away -"

Clementine's at the door when she hears her phone go off in her purse. The Prince makes an insistent shooing gesture, but Clementine tells her that it could be her father and she relents with an eye roll.

Except it's not an unknown number, the type The White Death usually calls with. It's the number she'd so desperately hoped would still be active only an hour before.

The name Daddy❤️ lights up the screen, and Clementine is stunned enough that it takes The Prince reminding her to answer it before she does.

"Do you have a gun?" Tangerine on the other end of the line sounds exhausted and put upon all at once.

"I- no, I-" she stumbles over her words for a moment as The Prince is asking if it's her father, "I don't have a gun on me," Clementine tells him while waving a dismissive hand at The Prince, "I gave yours back."

"And I gave it to Lemon," Tangerine sighs, "it's fine if you don't have one," though it doesn't exactly sound like it from his tone, "but how quickly can you get to the front of the train?"

"Do you need a gun?" The Prince says with surprising interest.

"Why do you need a gun?" Clementine frowns, "or me?"

"Our boss has decided to send another welcoming party to make sure we're all on schedule -"

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"And you need me to -"

"Vouch for us again, yes. Consistency," after a beat he adds, "and he may or may not have threatened to kill everyone on the train if you weren't with us."

"So he knows," Clementine mutters darkly.

"Of course he does," but Tangerine simply matches her defeated tone in the moment.

"I have a gun," The Prince says nonchalantly over Clementine's shoulder, and Clementine momentarily covers the receiver to scowl at her.

"Why do you have a gun?!" She whisper-shouts.

"Excuse you I was almost murdered with it earlier today," The Prince sounds offended to have had to remind Clementine of Kimura's gun that she'd been fussing with earlier, "but you can borrow if it means you'll leave quicker."

After a moment of serious deliberation, she uncovers the receiver.

"I can get a gun."

"Brilliant," Tangerine actually breaths a sigh of relief, "hopefully we won't need it, but -"

"Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, I guess... I still don't like guns-" Clementine hears an unfamiliar voice in the background of Tangerine's call.

"Who is that?"

"I'll explain when you get here," and he hangs up. After taking a moment to steel herself, Clementine turns to see The Prince smiling brightly at her, completely at odds with her frustrated demeanour only moments ago.

"I can get you a gun," wearing a wide, almost innocent smile.

"I have so many questions."

"And I will answer none of them, because that's not how our relationship works, fruit fly," she says, having regained that menacing, chipper attitude with which she usually walked through the world. It takes Clementine a moment for her to process the full situation before she submits to it, closing her eyes and nodding once. While she hears The Prince chuckle softly and move to the back of the carriage and it's bathroom, Clementine keeps her eyes closed. However, with the buzzing of the phone in her hands, her eyes snap back open.

Unknown.

The last damn thing she needs.

And perhaps it's the alcohol or the onslaught of situations that would have overwhelmed a lesser person, but just for a moment her frustration escapes her.

"What?" She sighed, irate. What followed, however, was silence.

"Tone, Scorpion." The White Death's voice chills her to her core.

"I'm so sorry, sir," right as she realises her mistake she's internally berating herself, heading to the seat The Prince had recently vacated, trying her best to sound accommodating, "how can I help -"

"Your intuition has exceeded my expectations," something about his tone set her hair on end, "you are taking responsibility for both of my children." It's not a question. He knows something's wrong, of course he does; Clementine knows with absolute sincerity that he does not intend her to survive the night.

She pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Of course, sir, I'm just glad you thought to hire the operatives you did to get your son here."

"If my Little Prince hadn't been in your care already I would have had you retrieve him, however," the telling words sour for a moment on his tongue, "priorities."

"I understand," she muttered disdainfully, "but his," her nose wrinkled for a moment, "couriers, I guess you could call them, they're off the hook are they? You knew I'd be on this train, you knew I'd find him searching for my bonus, you knew I'd take responsibility for him from there."

("You couldn't save him either.")

"Of course my little Scorpion, after all, I'm confident you know better than to let harm befall my foolish Frog of a son."

"Of course, sir."

"Good to hear," he says slowly, really letting the moment sink in, "then I suppose if you're willing to give up your bonus, let The Twins return my briefcase to me as they initially intended, my son's care will fall squarely on you, as will the reward for his safe return; double what was promised to you in that bonus."

Despite how he's sweetening the deal, Clementine knows there's no real light for her at the end of this tunnel. But maybe, just maybe, if she could convince The Prince to hand over the briefcase, she could get it to Tangerine and Lemon.

"Was it a test?"

"It was my way of guaranteeing you would find my son."

"So all Lemon and Tangerine need to do is give you back your case? And if anything happens to your son, it's on me?"

"Has something happened to my son?"

"No," Clementine lies easily, "but if I punch him in his foolish mouth I don't want them being punished too."

"Yours is the only head on the chopping block for my son."

Clementine is quiet for a very long moment, eyes closed as she breathed deeply. After a few beats of silence, The White Death's voice is quiet when he speaks.

"Is that all, Scorpion?" Something about it is almost - almost - concerned. Almost - almost - like he cared.

"Can I ask you something, sir?" She hears The White Death huff the faintest laugh. She takes it as permission, "did you intend for me to kill Tangerine?"

"Yes," he says after a long moment, voice completely devoid of humour, "now, then," she knows in this moment that he means back in New York, "I know what he did to you, and I know you know, Little Scorpion; what he did to you, to..." he sighs, trailing off, clearly having forgotten the name he was searching for. Hearing it all, Clementine feels like her blood is fire in her veins, eyes squeezed tightly shut as she holds the phone to her ear and tries to hold herself together. The fire beats with a demand for retribution that she could never fully forget.

"Ilyanka."

"Ilya," there's a strange tone to The White Death's voice, a darkness that appears only in his muttering of the name, "I tried to give you catharsis. You bargain with me for him, remove him from accountability for my son. I do not understand you." In this moment, though she's not sure why, she hears a familiar voice from a long time passed, the same tone, blue eyes and cruelty in the blood, it's the same confusion and disbelief at Clementine herself that The Prince had always held, even all those years ago; what is wrong with you?

"You knew," it's not a question this time, though she just hopes he can't hear the betrayal in her voice.

"Of course I knew," is said with surprising care, "and I am always sorry it happened to you, Little Scorpion."

"Of course you knew," Clementine choked out, the fire in her veins now white-hot to hear him say these things when she knew he was lying about his own involvement, and just how long he'd known. Except he reads her reaction as merely sorrow, his voice surprisingly gentle as he calls her Little Scorpion in a voice far kinder than she'd ever heard him speak to his own son.

"Can I ask you another question?" This time her shaky voice is met with silence, yet still she goes ahead, "why are you telling me this?"

"Do you not think you've earned my trust after all these years?" His tone demands an answer.

Clementine has so much blood on her hands.

"I- thank you, sir."

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