#i wrote a proposal fic once upon a time and its one of my favourites

[sugar-omi]

okay, so i've been doing some thinking. i've been scrolling through your blog and i stepped upon these "cheating on cove with Baxter and the other way around" scenarios. (i'm sorry, i wasn't able to read them, my heart couldn't take it ;-;) but!

what if mc was like, in a normal relationship with Baxter. you know, a couple, maybe married later and stuff, while of course still being besties with Cove. later mc and Baxter have a kid together, maybe still a small baby but! plot twist! Baxter gets into an accident or something and dies. (i'm sorry, he's my favourite man but i had to kill him for that scenario:'))

mc is completely devastated and also a little panicked, because what about the baby? and then Cove stepps in, deciding to help his best friend take care of the little one and basically becomes its father. i recently watched a video of a dog "helping" a cat take care of her kittens, and there you have it.

this one may be boring, so feel free to ignore, but i can't stop thinking about it.

ITS OK<333 I figured some ppl didn't read it bc angst n pain</3 trust me I skip over angst all the time

(I even have the tag blocked😬 sorry angst writers but I will read it and not be the same for months, I read a kiribaku angst fic years ago, and was devesated for 4 months afterwards LMAO)

okay i... I cannot expand too much on this bc OUCH

(eta now that I've finished. who am I fooling? I rlly said that like I haven't wrote a whole novel 💀 anyway <3 this clearly made me pop off more than I thought I would bc I read this at first n was devastated!!! I had no words!!!! well clearly I found them LOL)

ALSO BORING??? ANON PLEASE.. BORING WHERE<///3

n im gonna fix the format later but for now here is the bare minimum. I'm going to bed rn so nini everyone enjoy a bit of angst I promise its fluffy as well<333

tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort

p/n = parental name, since I wanted to leave flexibility for all the readers here <3

but anyway yeah cove would so step up for you

will follow you to the end of the earth and do whatever you need to help you work through this and to adapt to this sudden and unfortunate change

if/when your relationship starts becoming something romantic, cove would absolutely put the brakes on everything and you'd go so slow...

I imagine he'd probably move in with you or you with him, and he'd stay somewhere else (if you're living in his house he will leave anyway, he's a gentleman like that fr) so that way you can figure out if it's not just bc he's doing all these things n you're mistaking admiration for love

you'd spend the first year going super slow, as if you've never known each other before

which technically you haven't, since you've never dated before. but cove would go so far as to find out your favorite color, song, animal, food.. all over again, even though he has it memorized and knows your likes better than his own.

once cove is sure you're ready for this (after much talk between the two of you and even with your therapist that yes you've made enough progress and are emotionally ready for this) does he finally put a label on it

now if you get married...

I imagine cove won't propose at all

like I think you'd have to talk n almost beg him...

in that case he would do a small but grande gesture to propose. or he'd propose to you before you've even left the bed for the day... no inbetween

but like 8 times outta 10, you're gonna have to propose to him

he'd cry and hug you n say yes of course.

and unless you want to keep this outta your wedding, I think cove would include baxter in your wedding.

first, ofc you'd have the picture to honor his memory

but I think he'd even go so far as to have smth in his vows. but to start, he'd say smth like:

"I know the reason we became closer was unfortunate, but I'm so happy to be able to call you and [Child] my family. and I hope I can be a good father and husband"

and "baxter will always have a place in our hearts. even though he and I didn't get along at first (watery chuckle)... I'm glad he got to love you, and I hope he trusts me to love and cherish you the same way as well.."

also if you don't want to give up your wedding ring from baxter, I think cove would even go so far as to suggest combining it with his.

!!! omg I was gonna say your and baxter's wedding bands would be black, but I have another idea

okay now, for YOUR bands, I imagine they're either black or silver and yk those infinity(?) bands? that has the 2 types of metal or whatever

that's what cove would suggest doing. and if you are worried abt people asking why your bands are different, he'd get the same twisted band but silver with say a black diamond or smth. just smth to make it look like it's intentionally different colors but same design or smth

(im overthinking a bit but it's an idea right?! I'm not crazy??<////3)

or if you don't wanna do that, I imagine you can just slip it on a necklace or leave it as is, whatever you want. he wouldn't mind even if you kept wearing it, cove would never ask you to get rid of baxter's image or memory in any way, not unless it was a real problem and your attachment to him/his things was unhealthy anyway.

now for baxter's band... well if you didn't bury it with him, I imagine you'd give it to your child

another thing I think you could do w your wedding band as well, and give them both your bands to do whatever they want with. or if they don't want it of course you're not forcing them to keep it

even though they didn't get to know baxter, the way you and cove still cherish baxter's memory does help them feel something of a connection.

I also imagine baxter would take lots of photo n video w the kid, even though they're young n just a babe, theres so many videos of baxter looking n acting so loving w them

and even a couple where he's teary-eyed n all "imma do you right by you. I love you so much.."

of course, if the kid doesn't feel that connected to baxter since they were too young to know or rmbr anything, and they don't feel anything much other than sympathy and the occasional sting when they see how much baxter loved them, you don't force it.

you both know that baxter was basically a stranger to them and even though they still respect baxter and he has a place in their heart, they don't feel like they're lacking anything.

"I don't really know what to say.. or how to feel... I see how much [P/N] misses you sometimes, and we have pictures of you, and they talk about you and stuff...

but I don't feel like im missing a dad. I hope that doesn't hurt your feelings, I wish I knew you too. sometimes I wish you were still here, so I got to know you as well, even though I'm still happy to have dad cove for my dad.

I just wanna know what you were like. I wanna experience what you were like. I... I wanna miss you like everyone else misses you too...

anyway, just know that dad is great! he takes care of me and [P/N] really well! he makes breakfast in bed, and he does/used to do this thing where he lifts me in the air before bed! he's so cool. I see how he makes [P/N] happy as well, so don't worry. although, [P/N] said you always thought cove was reliable and a good guy so maybe you aren't worrying anyway.

well... that's it I guess. i hope ill get to know you one day, and maybe you can tell me you're glad to see dad took good care of us. goodbye,

baxter."

pa."

cove happily listens to anything they have to say on how they feel abt baxter btw. he accepts any of their feelings, be it that they don't feel anything at all, sympathy for others, or they feel sad abt losing him.

if they do say smth like how even though it's unfortunate and they feel bad for everyone who mourns baxter (for example/especially you), they see cove as their dad and don't feel like they're missing anything and they're happy to have cove for their dad.

ofc he cries n hugs them n tells them he loves em and he's happy n he comforts them if needed of course

I also think cove is very scared abt being a father

especially in this way... even if the kiddo doesn't remember anything, or it's hazy at best, he worries about replacing baxter.

he'd probably worry abt not living up to baxter

baxter was always much more mature, at least it seemed that way most times. cove just worries about if he has the backbone and the ability to parent the child well and be someone they can look up to and/or appreciate for being a good father

cries if they call him dad btw

if they do it before you start dating, I imagine it's one of the catalyst that cause you to talk abt your feelings for each other. or if it's in the early stage..

cove prbly freezes and runs away to the other room n freaks out, definitely cries. if you don't talk to him like right after he calls his dad n cries n shares his worries n fear

either way, when you do talk he's biting his nails n trying not to pace around the room and he's like "if you wanna distance yourselves so that they don't call me dad any more I totally understand, I mean idk it's prbly weird for you-"

n he just rambles. like none of it makes sense n u have to physically shut him up. kiss him, yell, throw a pillow, hit him w the child's stuffed animal, throw a single lego brick at his back and watch him fall to the floor like he just got a nuke thrown at him

if it's later on n theres nothing to worry abt bc youve talked abt this or saw it coming or its just the otherwise most natural step, he cries of course

but he doesn't fall apart from being his in the back w a single fucking Lego as if it hurt 🙄🙄🙄🙄 (I hate this man he's DRAMATIC)

well... actually no he does

hit him, kiss him, hug him, run him over w a hotel wheels truck.... he just cries harder

adopts them like immediately basically

I imagine you do it soon, like maybe before the wedding just so that way you can have a private moment (just to save him some embarrassment from ugly crying in front of your families. in fact he just might faint fr)

n you + the kiddo surprise him w adoption papers (depending on how old the babe is at this point, they have like no idea what's going on but they know that cove is now officially recognized by the whole world (even by the unicorns n wizards n warlocks) as their daddy))

imagine laying in bed w cove n the kid in between you two

and when you wake up, cove is alrdy awake and was watching you two. he was petting the kids wild hair and he had pulled the two of you in and kept you under his arm..

and the sunlight is coming in, the day is just perfect. n the look on cove's face is full of so much love but also a bit somber this time

(cove feels awkward being here like this sometimes. during times like this you have to remind him it's okay, and you pull him back in. of course he does the same for you on those days.)

"I love you two. so much..." he whispers, tears sticking to his lashes

the kid flips over, curling into cove and they stop their sleepy mumbling now that they're tucked into cove's chest, feeling warm, happy, and safe.

you whisper equally as tender. "we were meant to be like this too."

also!! smth I just thought of...

imagine the kid looks mostly/very much like baxter. they act very much like cove's kid

like you would think cove n baxter had a kid together LOL

(if the resemblance is too much, they ask if you're the step parent </3 pls Ik it may not make sm sense but I just think it'd be so fuckin funny)

#olba #our life: beginnings & always #cove holden #cove holden x reader #baxter ward #baxter ward x reader #angst #baxter ward angst #cove holden angst #angst with a happy ending

[riverwriter]

20 Questions Game

Thanks for the tag @suzyq31

How many works do you have on AO3? 

27

2. What's your total A03 words count? 

1,044,549

3. What fandoms do you write for? 

Only Harry Potter, though I’ve written for others that were never published. 

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A Second Look: Her best friend's life was a mess and she would have done anything to make things better for him and his sons. So, when she found her former enemy in a similar situation her heart went out to him as well... and the beautiful blond baby in his arms didn't hurt his case. It was certainly enough for her to give him a second look.

An Unexpected Malfoy: Once upon a time Hermione Granger literally ran into Draco Malfoy in a bookshop. His mother sees a connection between her son and the muggleborn that she can't ignore and determines to get to know the girl. An imagining of how things could have gone if Hermione had been taken under the wing of the Malfoy family.

A Few New Looks: Glimpses into Draco, Hermione, and Scorpius' life as a family. A sequel to my story, "A Second Look."

The Beginning of Everything: Draco extracted a box from his pocket and flipped it open to reveal the most exquisite ring Hermione had ever seen. She gasped. "No Granger, I meant I literally have a proposal for you," he held her gaze as he spoke. "What do you say? Marry me and help me put one over on the Ministry. I know you're dying to stick it to them." This is a fic which is ostensibly about a marriage law.

Calla: She had been missing for more than ten years. But then she had dark magic cast on her in the Department of Mysteries, and that insidious curse did more than just injure her physically. It revealed a secret, a truth. Hermione Granger could finally be recognized as the girl she’d been at birth: Calliope Nott.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try, but not always. 

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don’t think anything I’ve written would qualify. I”m all about the HEA.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Haha, see above. 

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Yep, it seems to be, unfortunately, part and parcel to posting things on the internet. 

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Yes. I was very shy about it at first. I think I’ve relaxed but it’s still not a major aspect of my fics. (Just not my style.) 

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? 

I don’t. I’ll never say never but the closest I’ve ever come is “The Other Side” which is heavily influenced by the TV show “Fringe.” 

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I’ve had fics posted on other sites without my permission, but as far as I’m aware, nobody has ever taken credit for my work. 

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? 

People have started but never finished. It’s one reason I have stopped granting permission for translations. 

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before? 

Haha yes, unfortunately my cowriter and I live too far away from each other that we couldn’t make it work. It’s been years but we still talk about trying to figure out how to finish it. (fingers crossed)

14. What's your all-time favourite ship? 

I spend most of my free time writing Dramione so I suppose that’s the answer. But I love so many ships, even outside of the HP fandom. 

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Yeah, I refuse to admit that will happen. Unless you count “Various and Sundry” because-by its nature- it has no beginning and no end. 

I16. What are your writing strengths?

When I get going I am very plugged in. I occasionally wake up and scribble a thought down so I don’t lose it. 

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Action scenes. And I stupidly wrote a huge fic that concludes in a…battle. If any of you wonder what I’ve been doing for years, it’s been figuring out my own brain. 

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I’m not a fan. Also not a fan of writing out an accent. 

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Bones. But I was never brave enough to post any of those fics. 

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

“An Unexpected Malfoy” It’s my baby and probably always will be.

This part gives me anxiety, because I never know who to tag, so anybody who wants to participate, please do! (And if you want to tag me, do that as well, because I’d love to read your responses) 

#fanfic writing #riverwriter #hp

[broth-y]

Today marks the day I accidentally unfollowed Ms Broth.... and also my desire to Write but I don’t have Time but Gundham and Kazuichi both wanna propose to each other and Gundham sets up a big whole thing and Kazuichi thinks it would be funny to use a real ridiculous ring and so Gundham proposes at a really pretty fireworks show and then Kaz is all embarrassed and pulls out a box with a Funny Plastic Hamtaro ring in it

i am devastated - i cannot believe you would unfollow me moss 😔

however,,

proposals,,, hngnhng gOD - something about proposals gets my heart all ❤💕❤💕❤💕❤

this idea is immaculate moss - gundham definitely takes me as a classic proposal type of guy and i loVe kaz interrupting it with a hamtaro ring - god i can s e e it.

this idea makes me so so so happy - thank you sm.

#kazuichi souda #gundham tanaka #soudam #i wrote a proposal fic once upon a time and its one of my favourites #but god yeah #this - 10/10 #kaz ia ridiculous and i love him #ahshs i don't have time to tag this as much as id like i apologize #my friend is spamming me to tell me to get on minecraft 😔 i hope you understand

[clusterbuck]

@buckupbuttercup tagged me to answer fanfic questions that look like they might give me an existential crisis but like in a fun way, let's go

(definitely not doing this while i should be working, shh)

1) how many works do you have on AO3?

69 (nice)

2) what’s your total ao3 word count?

180,173

3) how many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

nine fandoms: - the 100 (23) - 911 (16) - harry potter (10) - miraculous ladybug (6) - pokemon sword & shield (6) - gilmore girls (5) - brooklyn nine-nine (1) - percy jackson (1) - object & concept anthropomorphism (1)*

*this is what ao3 decided to label suez canal/ever given fics lmao

4) what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. if your cascade ocean-wave blues come (911) 2. don't want no other shade of blue but you (911) 3. the blues, and then purple-pink skies (911) 4. what you're looking for has been here the whole time (911) 5. when you wish upon a star (pokemon sword & shield)

5) what’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

hmm well there's and it's like you can't breathe where i killed lily evans but tbh james is starting to heal by the end

so probably i can't breathe without you (but i have to) for that unrequited love goodness

6) what’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

i mean, the blues and then purple-pink skies has a real sappy proposal at the end, so there's that

in my eyes, my heart, my soul is also just... really fucking soft

7) do you write crossovers? if so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

i haven't ever done one but i probably would if an idea struck me tbh

8) do you write smut? if so what kind?

oh boy do i ever

i literally have a series on ao3 dedicated to just collecting my pwps in one place lol

for 911, which is what i'm currently writing in, so far i've only done a little bit in you look wonderful tonight, but i've got some ideas waiting to happen

9) do you respond to comments, why or why not?

no, i don't -- not because i don't appreciate them, because trust me, the serotonin i get from ao3 comments literally gets me through the day sometimes

but because my dumb brain is like "wait no if you start replying now you have to reply to every! single! one! because otherwise someone who commented on something eight years ago might see and think you hate them specifically" so it's easier to just... not

thanks, brain

10) have you ever received hate on a fic?

i mean... does this count lmao (no it doesn't)

11) have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of

12) have you ever had a fic translated?

also not that i know of

13) have you ever co-written a fic before?

no, and honestly i don't think i could, because i get weirdly particular about writing stuff (and also i think i would probably be annoying to work with tbh)

14) what’s your all time favorite ship?

i mean... usually whatever i'm focusing on is my favourite at the time, i don't know if i know how to put them in order???

(i do have a soft spot for percabeth though)

15) what’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

there's a miraculous ladybug social media AU that i started that was going to be really funny, but i fell into the ML fandom really quick and then fell out almost as quick and so i don't know if i can get the vibes back enough to finish it

maybe i'll rewatch the show once s4 finishes airing and it'll come back to me, who knows

16) what are your writing strengths?

i think i'm good at like, inserting little bits of humour into my narration to keep it engaging, and recently i think i've been getting better at imagery and metaphor

17) what are your writing weaknesses?

well first of all i'm not good at seeing longer projects through to the end lol

and in general my fics tend to be more vibes than plot, which is good sometimes but also... sometimes plot would be good

18) what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

i mean... is there a good reason for it? if yes, sure, if i can make sure it's accurate (linguistically, culturally, and also for the character). if not, why would i?

19) what was the first fandom you wrote for?

harry potter lmao i am a stereotypical millennial

20) what’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

you would make me choose amongst my children???

but uhhhh okay here is a gilmore girls pwp i like a lot lmao and this buddie fic is just. idiots to lovers in its purest form which i love a lot. and let's not forget vampire!buck, my beloved, more of whom is coming your way at uhhh some point in the not too distant future

tagging people still makes me anxious but uhh hey @ace-diaz you wanna do this? (and anyone else who sees it and wants to!)

#shush emma #emma writes

[flydotnet]

Surprise Meeting with Fate (and Your Eyes)

(I’m way too proud of this OS just to post it on my sideblog so here you go fellow ship buddies)

Summary: Shuichi had known for the longest time the universal rule of his world: everyone had a soulmate, and it was apparently the biggest deal ever. Cases, video games and cereals alike are all about soulmates. Shuichi also thought he didn't have a soulmate. He didn't want one. He already had many problems with people and socialization. That was, until he tried to solve the events behind the ransacking of famous pianist Kaede Akamatsu's bedroom.

Fandom: Danganronpa V3 (non-Despair AU) Pairs: Saimatsu, Makaito (implied)

Word Count: 3.2K words (one-shot)

Notes: Soulmate AU inspired by Broken Destinies: "When both of your eyes meet, your soulmate's name shows up on your wrist." I've wanted to write something not a sickfic for these two in ages, and I think I managed to do the right balance between my prompt and something new which really felt refreshing. I don't exactly know how soulmates are supposed to work, so have a rather sugary-sweet take on them.I may even continue this one as its own thing after the Everybody Lives V3 fic and the other one I have in mind featuring some Saimatsu & Makaito goodness.

AO3 version available here.

It was meant to happen, someday.

Shuichi knew about that soulmate thing, he really did. He knew, from very early on, everyone had a “soulmate” whom they would meet one day. It was “bound” to happen. Everybody and everything was dealing with it one day: from his favourite shows to cases he was helping on, there usually was something about soulmates.

Killing your soulmate because you couldn’t be with them. Arranging meeting with your soulmate. Killing your soulmate’s mate because otherwise you couldn’t be with said soulmate. Dating your soulmate. Killing your soulmate’s parents so you could be with your soulmate. Finding someone’s soulmate’s pet (yes, even if it was an alligator). Pretending to be someone’s soulmate when it wasn’t the case.

Soulmate drama. Soulmate murders. Soulmate suicides. Soulmate cereals. Soulmate stories. Soulmate merchandise. Soulmate legends. Soulmate divinities. Soulmate dating sims. Soulmate myths. Soulmate rituals. Soulmate advertisement.

Everything in this world was linked to soulmates because it was such a big deal, it seemed.

Shuichi didn’t really care about dating. Not that he was a natural loner: life just decided he would be one. He had his uncle, his aunt, and his best friend. And that was enough. He was perfectly fine with his uncle, his aunt and Kaito Momota, astronaut trainee prodigy.

And he, also, didn’t have a soulmate. Not that he even cared about that.

Sure, Kaito would tell him on a daily basis how lonely he was. And maybe it was his fault: Shuichi was, undeniably, shyer than anything that had ever graced this town. He didn’t like talking first in discussions, he didn’t dare going up to people, he didn’t know how not to fluster once asked something personal like his opinions.

Honestly, he was just scared people would eventually abandon him. He knew it was both irrational and grounded in his reality: Kaito had never given up on him, even when the astronaut had found his own soulmate, but on the other hand, he had been given up on by who was supposed to be the closest to him until he was an adult.

When, in fact, Shuichi was barely an adult, and had no real mother or father.

When he thought about his potential soulmate, he just hoped he or she wouldn’t be a fan of his parents. How many remarks had he gotten over the years about that? “The Saiharas are very famous people in the show business, how come you don’t like being in the spotlight?”.

Shuichi didn’t like acting, even less lying. He knew how to lie, that wasn’t the question, but he hated lying, because his parents were at their core filthy liars. Not because his father was an actor, or because his mother could pretend to be characters to write them better, but because they had told him they would be there for him.

When, in fact, they had never been there for him.

So, yeah, Shuichi was pretty damn happy about not having a soulmate. Someone he wouldn’t have to cry over once they were gone. Or once they would have realized they weren’t what they wanted out of a boyfriend, or even deeper, a husband. All he had was the capacity to solve murders by luck anyway. He wasn’t the Prince Charming sold by the soulmate dramas and love stories from TV and cinema.

And especially not those his parents wrote and acted in. Those were way too cutesy for the harsh reality that was a world corrupted to the core with a false idealisation of passion and unshared love.

But nobody didn’t have a soulmate. Deep down, he knew he just “hadn’t met the right person yet”.

He didn’t even know what gender to look for. Or, rather, what gender to be weary of. He hadn’t really wondered about his sexuality too much, but if something was rather clear to him, it was that boys and girls meant the same to him. Whether or not it meant he was asexual or bisexual was, also, beyond him. It was hard to tell, when he hadn’t ever really felt in love. Just felt some weird attraction to that one trickster from his high school class, his best friend, and finding some girls pretty cute here and there.

It was all just words anyway.

Because it all came crashing down on him like a person-sized thundercloud full of painful hail.

There was this one case, he was investing upon on his own. Nothing big: something precious had been stolen from a famous pianist. According to her statements, it was a pair of clef-shaped earrings offered to her by her twin sister, a pearl choker and a hairpiece with an opal in it. His task wasn’t to find out where the jewellery was: it was what had happened in the ransacked room.

His cap firmly set to avoid looking into people’s eyes, Shuichi read again the case file before starting his investigation. There was a picture of the victim, who looked quite pretty he had to admit, and all the information he already known, plus some details here and there. He just wondered, deep down, how he had gotten this case and not a famously known detective with the prestige of a royal palace.

It was clear very quickly that the culprit knew what they were doing: only her bedroom had been ransacked, with nothing touched upon other than the broken window and the violated chest of drawers in which, he guessed, the jewellery had been kept by its owner.

He rubbed his temples. That headache really didn’t want to leave, and the room was freezing. He supposed the victim hadn’t slept in there since the theft: after all, who would? The window was more or less wide opened at any time of the day and there was still a risk. He just wished he had worn more on him, even if it was a normal spring day.

The sound of heels coming towards him got him out of his thought process as he was inspecting the floor for possible hair left behind on the crime scene by the thief. Maybe the client had hired a better detective than him. That meant he could go back to bed because, frankly, being sick while investigating sucked.

He was just there because he knew that case was very important to the victim, mostly because of how emotionally charged and meaningful the stolen items were, so it was only normal of him not to let her down. It was a simple question of decency. He had just thought it would be worth it, even if it meant going to work with a harsh fever.

And just that. A fever. A fever he didn’t even feel the symptoms of before actually coming to that place. Not even a cough. Aside from the dizziness and the throbs against his temples, that was it, he was fine.

Shuichi turned his head towards the incoming person. He didn’t need to raise his gaze to know it was the victim herself, standing there, dressed in warm pinks and purples. Her legs were pretty slim, even if they were hidden under wool leggings.

“Excuse me, Mr Saihara?”

He tried his best to sound polite and, well, fine: “Yes?”

Her bust and face entered his field of vision. She was prettier than the photo was telling of her: added to her sweet perfume, her blond hair complimented her pinkish purple eyes perfectly. She really was a beautiful woman, he wondered how she wasn’t dating anyone yet. Information he knew because, when she had been interrogated, she had insisted on not having had any previous romantic partner who could have stolen the jewellery from her.

“By chance, have you found anything? The place is a mess, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t…”

“I have one or two clues,” he replied in all honesty, “but no solid hypothesis yet. I’m sorry.”

She nodded her head with a small, reassuring smile.

“No, no, it’s okay. Don’t apologize, I know you’re doing your best. You’ve been here for a couple hours without saying a single word, after all.”

Shuichi looked at his watch, unsure. He really had spent a few hours in there. He wished he had found more than that for how long it had been, but that would have to do for the moment being.

The pianist kneeled next to him.

“Say, what don’t you have a break? It’s soon noon anyway, and I’m sure you won’t be as effective on an empty stomach.”

He wasn’t feeling any hungry, but if it meant he could slip an ibuprofen in his drink, then he’d take it.

“If you don’t mind, that is…” she added, her voice trailing off.

“I guess I have to take a break here and there,” he replied fairly. “Especially if you propose it so kindly to me.”

“Then, come with me to my living room!”

Shuichi just followed. He wasn’t sure how he was going to eat anything, even if he still had the luck to retain his sense of smell and taste, because his appetite was just completely gone. On the quick way to her living room, he just popped his inhaler and took a puff of it. Because there was no way he was having an asthma attack on the job when he had forgotten to take his medicine in the morning.

“Wait, you’re asthmatic?” she asked, noticing immediately.

Was that what they had meant by “she has exceptional hearing”? He swore he had been stealthy and that wasn’t looking.

“Oh, huh, yeah. That doesn’t prevent me from investigating though, don’t worry.”

“It’d be terrible if you got an attack on the job. Please be careful, okay?”

“I’ll do.”

Wasn’t the detective supposed to make sure the victim was safe and not the opposite way around?

They finally arrived in the living room, where she invited him to sit down on the leather sofa. Her house really was fancy: it really showed how famous she actually was.

“Would you like some tea?” she offered him.

“Sure, why not.”

Shuichi allowed himself to breathe out. A cup of tea would allow him to take a pill for his growing headache.

The pianist sat down next to him a couple minutes later, putting a small tray on the coffee table next to them.

“We haven’t been introduced properly, no? I wasn’t home yet when you arrived to investigate. I’m Kaede Akamatsu. You may have heard of me for my piano recitals. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He had forgotten her name, because he hadn’t heard of her before this case. Oops.

“I’m Shuichi Saihara, detective-in-training. Usually, I’m a literature student, but… You can just consider me a detective, considering today’s situation. Pleasure to meet you too.”

Her face mixes both worry and joy. It’s a weird bittersweet combination of an expression.

“If you don’t mind me, I have a question to ask you,” he tells her, nervous about something.

“Sure thing! What do you need from me?”

“Why haven’t you hired a more famous detective? You specifically hired me from my uncle’s office, according to the letter I got.”

A soft giggle escaped her lips.

“I thought most detectives would accept just for the potential sum I’d give at the end. According to the agency you work for, you mostly work on the side to pay for your studies and your loan. I’m sure you’ll use this money in much better ways than anyone else I could have hired thanks to my fame.”

That made him smile.

“Thank you for trusting in my work. I’ll try not to disappoint.”

“I’m sure you won’t, Mr Saihara.”

Lunch was a bit awkward. He clearly was forcing himself to eat, taking a second headache medicine pill with a glass of water. He had to admit, this Mrs Akamatsu wasn’t half-bad at cooking. She was miles over his. It was even winning over his fever, at one point, but he didn’t know if it was his mind screaming at him to eat or else she’d ask questions or if it was genuinely this appetizing.

He let her do most of the talking. Not only was he uncomfortable saying whatever was on his mind, while she was joyfully chatting about piano and her family, he was starting to feel fairly lightheaded, as if blood was rising to his head. He was, at that point, just grateful she wasn’t requesting him to take off his cap despite the fact they were seating at a table eating lunch.

In the early afternoon, Shuichi excused himself out of lunch to investigate again. Honestly, he had forgotten most of what he had seen on the morning: his notes, fortunately, saved him. He had sent the hair and fingerprints he had found on the furniture and floor to the lab already, so he should probably investigate outside.

But when he got up from his seat, he accidentally looked into her eyes, and the blood finished reaching to his head. There were stars throbbing before his eyes. That probably wasn’t supposed to happen, but he figured it was his fever playing tricks on him.

He lost his balance, and before he knew it, his cap had fallen to the ground and his client’s arms were supporting him, gently sitting him down on the sofa again. That was way too embarrassing for him not to look away, but his head was such a dizzy mess, all he had in mind was daze. His idiot streak of rebel hair was probably either pointing up from his head idiotically or pointing down because, really, he wasn’t feeling so good anymore.

Mrs Akamatsu sat down next to him and put a warm hand on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, worry dripping in her previously joyful voice.

“I… I just got up too fast, that’s… nothing big…”

God did he hate to lie, but he hated being unable to solve a case more than he hated lying.

Sweat was drenching his back, sure, but there was something wrong. He didn’t know what, he just knew he shouldn’t had been so dizzy previously for just a fever and getting up a bit too fast. Breathing was difficult too, and he knew it couldn’t be his asthma.

And there was a burning pain in his veins.

And that was when Shuichi realized, he had never known how Kaito had discovered Maki was his soulmate and vice-versa.

Looking at his wrist, while muting grunts of pain as much as possible, he noticed something which wasn’t there before. Written in gold was the name of his client. Written in gold was the name “Kaede Akamatsu”. Someone he had, in short, barely met turned out to be his goddamn soulmate.

Now that was a twist he had not only not expected, but which was also destroying any hope he had in never finding said soulmate.

Once the pain had subdued, he no longer felt lightheaded. Was the fever due to him being around his soulmate? (Still, what a weird thing to think.) She hadn’t seemed to be doing too bad earlier, well, before he had worried her at least. Did it magically heal his fever? That’d be too good, and an advantage to having found the worst source of pain possible.

Shuichi looked at the blonde woman next to him. She was holding her left wrist with her right hand and staring into his eyes with glassy irises and reddened sclerae. Tears were still around the corner of her glaze.

“You…” she whispered, looking angered. Or pained? He wasn’t sure.

After all, anyone would be angry to learn he was their soulmate. She was no exception.

“Is your first name Shuichi…?”

He gulped. His throat was knotted in a noose.

“…Yes.”

Kaede sighed.

“I guess this is how it is, huh,” she said. “I never thought I’d met them today. Not in these conditions, at least.”

A small smile appeared on her face.

“At least, I’m relieved my soulmate’s a good person. I was scared they were going to be a delinquent, or abusive, or even worse, a murderer. I know you’re not like that, Shuichi. I… can call you Shuichi, at least? You can call me Kaede.”

“Sure…”

“You were willing to help me without really knowing who I was, right?”

He looked away.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but I didn’t know you were at all before I got the case request… Maybe I’ve heard your music before, but that’s it, really…”

“You’re a broke student according to your agency, and yet you still didn’t see the case as an opportunity to get famous or gain money. You’re something entirely different, Shuichi.”

“You’re not… offended that I didn’t see you as a celebrity?”

Kaede blinked, obviously surprised.

“Of course I’m not! Why would I be? I wish I wouldn’t be considered a celebrity anyway. I’m even happy you see me as a person more than a celebrity!”

Shuichi was astonished by her reaction. That wasn’t what he was used to, clearly. He was used to people whining about not getting recognized in the streets, not people wanting not to get recognized in the same streets. Who’d want to be incognito?

“Well… I guess my parents are another kind of celebrities altogether. They always wanted more fame and to be celebrated by fans and critics alike. I assumed most, if not all famous people were like that. Sorry for assuming that was your case, Kaede.”

“Your parents are famous? That may be why your name reminded me of something… I guess we’re both more or less linked to fame, then. Me because I got famous thanks to piano, you because your parents are famous. But I think we should push that to the side.”

He didn’t know what to say. For once, someone wasn’t asking him why he didn’t want to be famous. That hadn’t happened since he had met Maki, through Kaito, back in high school. It felt incredibly nice.

“I don’t know what’ll happen to us now,” Kaede continued. “You may already be in a relationship, after all. I wouldn’t want to ruin that.”

“I’m not. I’ve never been in a relationship at all, actually. Well, a romantic one I mean….”

She put a hand on his tight.

“Then… Why not keep in contact and get to know each other this afternoon? I’m sure you’ve investigated enough today. Even if we don’t date each other, we can still be friends. I’m sure it’ll work out well!”

Shuichi was so numbed by relief that he could only nod as he smiled.

Yet, Kaede’s face was still bittersweet. How could it be?

“Something’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m just wondering about something… My wrist hurt when we looked into each other’s eyes, but I didn’t go dizzy like you did. How come?”

“Huh… It may be because I was…”

Shuichi’s voice stops. Should he lie again, or shouldn’t he? He decided that, as opposed to his soulmate parents, he wouldn’t like to his.

“I was running a fever when I came here. I think it calmed down, though.”

Without a word, she puts a hand on her forehead, then on his.

“You’re a bit warmer than I am, so it’s probably not too bad. Still, I don’t think you should investigate when you’re feverish. Why don’t we go out for a bit, so we can make some chit-chat? I can even play something for you later!”

“It sounds lovely… Let’s do this.”

They got up from the sofa at the same time, grabbed some outerwear and went outside.

Shuichi still took the time to make sure the bedroom couldn’t be accessed from the broken window, to Kaede’s amusement.

#drv3 #saimatsu #saiaka #saiede #shuichi saihara #kaede akamatsu #fanfiction #my writing #ao3fic

[moiraineswife]

Fic Title: "Before We Lost Him" + "When We Were Left For Dead" + "Gone Before The Tide" + "Left With The Breeze" + "My Heart On A Platter (For You)"

“Before We Lost Him”- my originality is in the negative figures (I am just Preparing myself okay) so here is the sixteenth ‘Azriel dies’ idea: something sad and emotional, possibly his funeral but more likely the aftermath of that. Cassian, Mor and Rhys pass around a bottle of something strong and remember Az, comforting each other as best they can. Probably a few more little drabble type add-ons of them trying to live without Az in their midst - events that should have had them there, moments of them comforting one another and helping each other through the hardest days. 

 "When We Were Left For Dead"- okay the prompting here is to do something massively angsty (dude you’re really going all out to kill me here aren’t you?) but I actually want to do….well something less bad than I could have done I get points for that. Cassian and Nesta on a training exercise together in the Illyrian mountains but they end up trapped by a cave in. Nesta panics a little at the confinement and Cassian keeps her calm and looks after her. Full of…every trope I can possibly think including the timeless and essential ‘we should probably cuddle for warmth’ followed up with emotional confessions and conversations - Nesta about her Making, Cassian and his wings, the coming war, family, promises, the usual suspects. Lots of angst, drama feelings and tbh probably at the very least a steamy make out because this is nessian and I can’t control them. 

 "Gone Before The Tide"- More sad Landras because I can’t stop myself. Every year on the anniversary of Andras’s death, while the rest of Prythian celebrates the Cursebreaker and the beginning of the end of Amaranatha’s reign, Lucien takes it upon himself to honour the person that no-one seems to think of but who was just as brave as Feyre, and just as worthy of recognition. He saddles his horse and rides quietly into the woods around Spring until he finds the spot- Andras’s favourite place in the court and now the place where Lucien marked his death with a grave. Andras’s body isn’t there- no-one else wanted to cross the wall to retrieve him afterwards and Lucien couldn’t bring himself to do so, given the condition he was in…but he still likes to think he can be close to him here, can talk to him, remember him. 

One year, curious, Elain follows him and is shocked by what she finds - this brave male who changed everything and, in a lot of ways, brought them together too. She cautiously approaches Lucien and uses her magic to make something for him to offer Andras. Then she sits with him and lets him remember- not Andras’s death or the events that followed, but his life, the parts no-one ever seems to remark upon or consider- as though everything he did, everything he was, was simply a run up to that final act- his death, as though that was the most important thing. Elain understands that it’s not and she encourages Lucien to talk about him, to remember the good as well as the bad. This in itself becomes a tradition and every year she visits Andras with Lucien and learns more about the fae- the fae that her sister killed and so saved their world. 

 "Left With The Breeze"-  During the war, Lucien, refusing to talk to Feyre about her sister, refusing to acknowledge the bond openly at all, but unable to deny its existence, closets himself away in his room and writes letters to a girl he barely knows. He’s held her in his arms for bare minutes. Whispered three words to her. Looked into her eyes only when they were glazed with shock and terror hatred for him and his kind…yet he can’t get her out of his head. Something within him connects them, and he can’t escape it, might as well try to tear out his own heart with his bare hands than sever that bond between them. 

For the sake of his sanity, when he can’t whisper to her hoarsely in dreams, never sure what’s sent; let alone what might be received, he writes letters he never intends to send. He pours out his heart, his soul into them, tells her things he’s never told anyone before, things he’s barely even let himself hear, he puts down on paper for her. He tells her his greatest secrets, the darkest tragedies of his life, his fears, his pains, his scars, every black thing he’s ever done or had done to him.

 Slowly, gradually, over time, as though he’s bled over these papers and the mere thought of her presence on the pages has drawn the poison from him he starts telling her different things. He talks about the things he loves- little things, things of no real importance to anyone, his favourite colour, his favourite food, a scent he likes because it reminds him of home (the good parts of home), his favourite place in the Spring Court, the things he likes.

 At first they’re the things he displays most openly- training, his prowess as a warrior, horses, riding, hunts…but slowly he starts to examine the parts of himself that have been shut off from the light so long he was sure they had completely decayed and died. He tells her about the charcoal sketches he had done decades ago- all but forgotten until Feyre arrived at the court and requested paints. He tells her about the plays he had loved watching performed on festival night every year at the Autumn Court. And music. He tells her all about music. 

Months pass in this way as the war rages and yet, Lucien manages to find a quiet space, a scrap of paper, a pen that works enough to make some sense when he tries to write down his thoughts. He never sends the letters but can’t bear to destroy them either so he tucks them away, keeps them safe. 

once the war is over the Courts come together in neutral territory to discuss the future of Prythian. With them comes Elain. They manage to find a little time to talk and, summoning courage he didn’t know he still possessed from somewhere deep within, Lucien invites her to visit him at Spring. Clearly startled at first by the offer Elain then smiles and said she’d be very glad to accept. 

 During the afternoon of her visit, after Elain confessing that she  they head out for a ride into the Spring Court lands and, after a long moment’s hesitation to steel herself, Elain asks about the letters. 

Lucien is startled by the question, he had never told anyone about their existence and rarely thinks about them anymore. After the war, after meeting Elain, he had stopped writing them. She flushes and tells him that she always knew when he was writing them, she places an unconscious hand over her heart when she admits she could feel it. She got curious about it, she knew he was writing them for her so…Her blush darkens but she admits that she started writing him letters too. She never sent them, never planned to, but they helped. 

Lucien is stunned into silence for a long time. Eventually they return to the manor and Elain hands him a small envelope containing the first letter she wrote. In turn he gives her the first one she wrote. Over time while they’re still separated by the political turmoil in the wake of the war and their own insecurity, they send one another the letters they wrote and slowly begin to get to know one another through them. 

 "My Heart On A Platter (For You)“- Nessian arranged marriage AU (with a bit of feyrhys flung in for good measure). Nesta’s family are impoverished and on the brink of bankruptcy. In order to save their house from destruction, their father arranges a marriage for her with Cassian, a young bastard son of little repute struggling to settle into his newfound status having been promoted to lordship after accepting the title of commander of his liegelord Rhysand’s armies. Nesta flat out refuses the match, stating that she is not a sack of grain to be sold to whomever wishes to purchase her. 

In desperation her father writes to Cassian and invites him to their estates to visit. Cassian arrives and brings his lord and their inner circle with them. Nesta and Cassian initially clash over every subject, to her father’s dismay and she becomes even more insistent on not following through with the marriage. The two manage to find some unexpected common ground but Nesta is still deeply wary of allowing herself to belong to this stranger and continues to stubbornly refuse to union.

 However while visiting alongside Cassian, Feyre catches the eye of Rhysand and their following engagement and marriage saves their house and means that Nesta no longer has to follow through with the proposed marriage to the commander. 

As her sister and their house celebrates their recent good luck Nesta wrestles with her conflicted mixed feelings of relief and an odd tug of disappointment when she realises that the handsome commander with the soft heart will return to his lands with the newly married lord and lady and she’s unlikely to see him again. On the eve of their departure, Cassian visits Nesta and the tensions between them finally boil over. Realising this is their last chance, Nesta kisses him and the two of them fall into bed with one another. 

The following morning Nesta bids Cassian farewell with her typical cool, collected manner, betraying nothing  of the night they spent together. Less than a week later however, she’s written to her younger sister informing her that she intends to visit her shortly. Feyre, not at all fooled by this, placidly passes the note along to Cassian to let him know of the storm that’s about to break over him. She’s never seen anyone smile as broadly as Cassian does reading Nesta’s letter. 

#nessian #elucien #landras #moriel #acomaf #mini fic #nessian mini fic #moriel mini fic #landras mini fic #elucien mini fic #fic ideas #lauren answers #ask game answers #text post tag #there's just so much concentrated Sad in this post #til you get to the end and then it's just ridiculous #answered #acotar #acotar series