#kiro imagine

[imagineanime2022]

They Realise They Are In Love With You

Kiro X Reader, Gavin X Reader, Victor X Reader, Lucien X Reader, Shaw X Reader

Requested: Anon

Request: Headcanons of how Victor, Shaw, Kiro, Lucien, and Gavin would realise their feelings for reader?

Kiro

🎤 Kiro had always found it easy to get along with people, it was part of his job after all but actually making friends with someone was something that was far more difficult, when he met you for work (you designed a lot of his looks) he realized that there might be something more when he actually looked forward to working with you. 🎤 “Are you short-sighted or far-sighted?” “Huh?” “I’ve seen you wear glasses in your dressing room and around set short or far?” “Short.” “Will having your glasses in your outfit help?” “Yeah… Actually, that would be really helpful.” 🎤 No one had ever asked his opinion about anything to do with his career, he often had to demand things, but they were never usually made with him in mind. Her was forced to cut things out of his diet and you would often supply him with the snacks he missed while he was in the chair  🎤 The moment he realised that he was in love with you was the moment that he realised that you protected him more than you did yourself.

No matter how close Kiro was with someone he always worried about that chance that they would betray him so whenever he heard a team member's name on the news or saw their name in print, he worried that something about him had been sold to the media. It was one of the days that he had been told to rest up, he was lying across his sofa scrolling through his phone, some movie playing in the background, his eyes fell on the report that centered around you and him. There were pictures of the two of you outside of work, you had been spending more time together and it seemed that you weren’t being as discreet as he had hoped.

Kiro quickly skimmed the article and found that you had refused to talk to anyone, there was a short video attached to the article that showed their attempts at interviewing you and much to Kiro displeasure that were more than a little bit physical, he almost begged for you to tell them something so that they would leave you alone, the video ended with you seeming to get away from them but that wasn’t good enough for him, he threw on some clothes and headed to your place to check on you.

He knocked on the door and waited for you to answer, when you opened the door your eyes widened “I was just about to call you.” You informed him, his eyes moving over your body looking for any indication of injury. “I’m sorry about that article I haven’t ruined anything for you have I?” 

“What?” He asked eyes moving back to connect with yours as he stepped closer “you haven’t ruined anything, are you hurt?” He asked.

“Hurt?” You asked.

“I saw the video, they pushed you around a little bit, are you hurt?” He explained as he took your hands looking over them, it was then that he saw the brace on your wrist. “You are hurt.” 

“Just a sprain, I’ll be fine.” You promised and he frowned, it was here in this moment that he realised how important you are to him, he hated seeing you hurt and he never wanted to leave you if this was what was going to happen.

“I promise I’m never going to let this happen again, you’re too important.” He said as you laughed and stepped to the side allowing him in.

“Kiro, there are other costume designers and hair and makeup specialists.” You reminded him.

“I know that but that’s not what I meant.” He said as he gently took your face in his hand. “You're important in a different way.” He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. “Don’t worry I’ll show you and while you didn’t say anything you leant into his touch not at all deterred by the kiss he pressed to your head.

Gavin 

🍃 Gavin is one of the most emotionally constipated people you will ever meet, mostly because he doesn’t see why anyone would ever want him. You never understood that he was kind and protective. Anyone would be crazy to let him go. 🍃 When you first became friends he was sure that you were going to disappear from his life when you realised that he wasn’t all that interesting but no matter what he talked about you always seemed fascinated. 🍃 “I’ll be home soon” “Good I miss you, be careful.” “I always am, see you later.” “See you later, love you.”  🍃 You and Gavin had been dating for a month and he hadn’t said that he loved you despite the fact you reminded him that you loved him every day. He had been on a pretty long mission and expected to go home and crash on the sofa, he had completely forgotten that he had given you a key in case you went out and his place was closer than yours.

Gavin kicked off his shoes and dropped his bag on the floor, he walked into the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat before heading off to bed if he even made it that far. Gavin opened his fridge and frowned, he swore it was more stocked up than it had been when he left, he noticed the small tupperware box with a note on it and took it out ‘dinner… I know that you won’t eat otherwise. - (Y/N)’. He gave a soft chuckle before taking the food and putting it in the microwave to heat up. As he waited for his food to heat up he realised that the TV was still playing in the living room, he walked into the living room to see you asleep on the sofa, he walked over to you and crouched in front of you gently moving your hair from your face. Your eyes fluttered open and you smiled softly “your back.” You said softly.

“What are you doing out here?” He asked.

“Well, I was waiting for you, I wanted to make sure that you were okay when you got back and I fell asleep out here I guess.” You answered with a shrug.

“Why don’t you go to the bedroom, you can change into one of my shirts if you want… I’ll be there in a minute.” He suggested and you shook your head. 

“I don’t want to intrude, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.” You stretched and stood up.

“Where are you going?” Gavin asked.

“Home.” You answered.

“Right… You're not doing that.” He argued as he watched you rub your eyes and yawn again and he realised just how much he loved you “I love you but that’s the stupidest idea you’ve ever had.” 

“Huh?” You asked.

“It's almost 2am and I'm not letting you go home.” He finally said and you sighed before sitting back on the sofa, he walked into the kitchen grabbing his food from the microwave, when he walked back in and sat down next to you, he started eating, it wasn’t long before you fell asleep, he glanced over at your sleeping face and smiled before pressing a kiss to your forehead and carrying you to bed with him.

Yeah he was sure that he loved you, you were the one that had taken his heart and he’d do anything to protect you.

Victor 

⌚ Victor liked to pretend that he had no time for things like love and so he never looked for it but as we all know Victor liked to bend the truth in his favour. ⌚ You appeared in Victor's life very abruptly, and his love for you developed in the same manner. He doesn’t know for sure when his feelings changed when you changed from an annoying coworker to an ideal partner in work and in life. ⌚ Victor was hard to please, he was aware of this, so he found it impressive that you had managed to make yourself the main focus of his day when he was actively trying to concentrate on something else. ⌚ “Hello?” “I swear I’m on my way, I’m just running a little bit late.” “Mm, are you okay?” “Y-yeah I’m just around the corner.” “You're lucky that I don’t have any meetings after this. I’ll wait.” 

Goldman led you to Victor's office like you hadn’t been there a million times but this time he was a little worried about you, you were wearing a face mask and you looked a little frazzled “are you sure you're okay?” He asked for what must have been the 3rd or 4th time.

“Yeah… I just have to attend this meeting then I’ll go home and rest up.” You nodded and he sighed.

“Maybe you can tell him that you're not well.” He suggested.

“I can’t postpone this, if I do we can start the new project, at least I can trust the others to get started on planning even if I’m sick.” You explained.

“This is going to end terribly.” Goldman mumbled to himself as he knocked on the door announcing your arrival and then allowing you into the office.

“You had better have a brilliant presentation considering you're late.” Victor said as he continued writing on the documents in front of him before stacking them and putting them to the side.

“Sorry about that.” You said after clearing your throat and handing him the report he had requested before sitting in front of his desk ready to start the meeting. Victor finally looked up at you and frowned. 

“What’s wrong with you?” He asked.

“What?” You asked.

“Are you sick?” He asked, glancing at the face mask and your droopy eyes. He stood from his seat walking around the desk to put his hand over the top of your head “you have a fever. What are you doing out of bed?” 

“We had a meeting.” You mumbled, he shook his head.

“Idiot.” He muttered, as he crouched next to you “it doesn’t matter how important the meeting is the only way that you are going to be able to run your company efficiently is if you are taken care of.” He pulled you from the seat effortlessly.

“I can get home myself.” You informed him “you shouldn't be this close to me, you might get sick.” 

“You can’t get home on your own, you clearly need someone to take care of you dummy.” He muttered.

Victor took you back to his place so that he could keep an eye on you, he was working at his desk in his bedroom every time that you moved he worried, his eyes watching you until you settled again, he knew that he’d have to wake you in a moment to get you to eat something and take some medicine. He realised that he really couldn’t wait for you to get better he hated how quiet you were, he’s never cared for someone like this and as he made the soup that he was going to give to you he knew that he loved you and there was nothing else that he could do but tell you when you were well enough to understand.

Lucien 

🔬 You were just a neighbour for a long while, that is until one night when he bumped into you and you started talking. You started leaving small meals and presents on special occasions when you noticed that he started early and ended late. 🔬 His real interest in you started when you asked him what he did for work and immediately called him out on the lie. 🔬 “You’re a liar.” “Excuse me?” “Well you bend the truth, the lab isn’t your only work is it?” “What’s gotten you so curious, hmm?” “Don’t dodge the question.” “I can’t answer that right now… Will you wait until I can?” 🔬 Lucien should have moved after that conversation, it wouldn’t have taken much to distance himself from you, but he never did. He told himself that it was curiosity, a scientific experiment but the truth is he fell for you that day, it just took far longer for him to realise it.

The problem rose when those in Black Swan noticed Lucien’s distraction, he wasn’t completely dedicated to his mission anymore and you were the problem. You were going to be easy to get rid of so they sent two agents to make you disappear. You had been at home cooking when there was a knock at your door, you walked over to the door opening it, you didn’t even get halfway through opening it before it was kicked, knocking you back and causing you to let out a noise of pain. “(Y/N) (L/N)?” One of the men in front of you asked.

“She's nothing special.” the other said “guess she won’t be that difficult to get rid of.”

“Is that what you thought?” You all looked behind them and saw Lucien standing at your door “I heard you cry out and thought I’d check on you.”

“Lucien?” You asked as he lifted his hand a force field appearing around you

“You will leave her be.” Lucien ordered and they looked at you before looking at him.

“Hades ordered-” 

“Do you value your life?” Lucien asked. They both nodded “then I suggest you leave now! And you tell Hades to talk to me if he has a problem with this.” They both back away as Lucien stood the side allowing them both to leave before he moved over to you the force field flickering away as he took your face in his hands. “Did they harm you?” 

“What is going on?” You asked.

“My other job comes with some danger.” He answered.

“What did they come looking for me?” You asked.

“It seems that you’ve distracted me more than I thought.” He answered as he helped you stand one hand still bracketing your face.

“I… What?” You asked.

“The time I’ve been spending with you, has not gone unnoticed by those I work with.” He explained. “There’s something about you that makes me want to spend all of my time with you.” 

“Lucien?” You asked.

“I’ll explain everything some other time all you need to know for now is that you are the most important thing to me, I need you to be safe, will you promise that you’ll stay safe?” He asked.

“I promise Lucien.” You nodded “I promise.” 

Shaw

🛹 Shaw literally bumped into you on the way around the Uni campus but after that interaction he noticed you everywhere that he went. 🛹 “Are you following me?” “What?” “You’re everywhere I am, are you following me?” “Honestly I don’t even know your name, lady.” “(Y/N).” “Huh?” “Names (Y/N).” “Shaw.” “See you round stalker.” “I’m not stalking you.”  🛹 Shaw enjoyed a joke so every chance he got he jumped out on you and before long you were close friends, he helped you study and flaunted his amazing grades in your face all the time. 🛹 He realised that you might be more than a friend when you were selected to go to another country for study purposes and you went, he wasn’t going with you and the whole time that you weren’t there he was insufferable and he would not admit that it was because he missed you.

You were getting off the plane when you realised how much you missed home, you took your phone out of airplane mode and texts started coming through from Shaw informing you that he had managed to get hold of a car to come pick you up, you smiled at the message before informing him that you were getting your bags.

The moment that you walked out of the gate, his eyes were on you, you waved at him and he walked over taking a bag from you and wrapping an arm around your shoulder, he surprised you by leaning down and whispering “missed you more than I thought I would.” 

“I missed you too.” You admitted and he took your hand leading you back to the car. You both settled in the car and for a second it was quiet, Shaw had music playing in the background but it was comfortable. “Oh!” 

“What?” Shaw asked glancing at you.

“I picked up some sweets that we can try together when we get back to the dorms.” You said as you pulled out packets a huge smile on your face.

“You are so cute sometimes.” He smiled as he took your hand in his.

“Did you just call me cute?” You asked. “Did something happen while I was gone?” 

“I realised something, that's all.” He answered.

“What?” You asked.

“I know that you can figure that out.” He teased.

“What? Can you atleast give me a clue?” You asked.

“Mm.” He hummed, he stopped at the red light leaning over to you and pressing a quick yet passionate kiss to your lips. “There.” 

“Umm.” Your face was completely red as you stayed frozen in your seat. “Is this a joke?”

“Would it be better if it was?” He asked.

“I would be a pretty bad joke.” You informed him and he smirked.

“Lucky it’s not a joke.” He squeezed the hand that he was holding and continued home.

Request Here!!

#mr love queens choice #mr love queens choice imagine #mr love queens choice oneshot #victor #victor imagine #victor oneshot #gavin #gavin imagine #gavin oneshot #kiro #kiro imagine #kiro oneshot #lucien #lucien imagine #lucien oneshot #shaw #shaw imagine #shaw oneshot #imagine #oneshot #one shot #reader insert #x reader #scenario #headcannon #mr love queens choice x reader

[yinyunnsworld]

OKAY OKAY LISTEN I KNOW I'VE REQUESTED NOT SO LONG AGO BUT I HAVE TO SHARE THIS IDEA WITH SOMEONE!! So, imagine s/o who draws a lot in class in their notebook, sometimes even in the notebooks of others. One day character X is about to study for an exam or something. While studying, X sees some s/o drawings, BUT suddedly finds a love confession on one of the pages.

AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHO CAN BE CHARACTER X SO I LEAVE IT TO YOU 🙏 OF COURSE I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A CHARACTER FROM ENSTARS (＾▽＾)

Little Notes

Character: Kuro Kiryu

Reader: GN

Genre: Fluff

Words: 1226

Warnings: Not sure, maybe some broken grammars and potential ooc.

Synopsis: (name) had always doodled on their little notes, always lost in their own world as they drew and scribbled on the notes.

A/n: GOODNESS I’M SO SO SOOO SORRY FOR MAKING THIS SO DAMN LATE. Please enjoy this! And it doesn’t matter if you just sent in requests, I’m always happy to receive cute requests such as yours ^^ <3

Please enjoy this and have a nice day!



He’d wondered.

What could ever bring a person full of wonders to be lost within the world where only they existed? Where the rest of the outside world never existed within their own, the care the world gave was just a mere word and nothing to them?

He too, wondered if he’d been in their world—at least once, as a side character, or the villain, or the love interest—though he’d take bets it’d be the side character. For they existed in his, in which he found himself lost within the woods his mind created. Undiscovered potentials he could become—treasures, sins, and saints.

Yet, they stopped him.

And so, as students collected in one room paid attention to the lecture, he’d only stared at the person before him—always seemed to be on their notes, although he could bet the words on the board had never once been on their notebook. Even so, his curious gaze never once stopped wondering what they were doing to have their focus and gazed so intently on the notebook.

“Hey,” they called to him all of the sudden, looking over their shoulders, with their eyes gazing at his. A smile etched their lips, painting their face as bright as it’s always been to him. They showed the notebook, revealing the content in which only contained tiny scribbles they’d created during the lecture. “What do you think?”

There wasn’t any feeling of obligation deep within him, to feel obligated to reply to their question, but he was obliged to tell them to focus on the teacher’s words. Troubles were always on his plate, he couldn’t risk more—especially if it’d involve them into the tiny mess they soon about to inflict between the two of them. Either way, seeing the beam on their face as they looked at him expectantly, with the tiny doodles scribbled within the missive notes, he couldn’t help but reply, “It looks cute.”

“Yeah, right?” They replied, their eyes grew to be more satisfied with their tiny masterpiece. He couldn’t help but the butterflies that were dead, came to fly around in his stomach as he gazed at their eyes growing more and more in bliss. However, their voice hinted something deeper, contradictory to their elated self. Either way, he didn’t ask, only waited for them to continue on whatever troubled their mind.

However, before they could elaborate, the teacher came with the textbook flipped on his hand. “(Name)…” the red haired student whispered, nudging their elbow with his own, hinting for them to look up and put down the doodles.

“What do you think you both are doing?”

As everyone returned to their respective homes, his figure waited outside of the classroom. The curious gaze peeked in the classroom, with the wind blowing the curtains, painted with the hues of orange coming from the sun setting outside. He’d returned from the earful scolding from the teacher, even if he wasn’t exactly the main culprit.

He still took the scolding nonetheless.

The red haired man sighed from the event that just occurred to him.

Either way, he couldn’t put the blame on his friend, nor could he ever blame himself for having responded to the person’s call. Now as he waited outside of the class, the forest blue eyes found themselves lying on the person who’s mindlessly doodling on what seemed to be the notebook he left on his table just this afternoon.

And there it was again.

(Name) had entered in their own world once again, with their hands always scribbling with whatever was in their world that they’d envisioned. The intent gaze on their notebook, eyebrows furrowed and relaxed every once in a while in each stroke they found to their liking and disliking.

Either way, he couldn’t help but ask himself, what were they doing on his notes, what made them so engrossed in their huge world where only they existed. And for them to convey and paint it on his notebook, as if they didn’t have their own or theirs were full to the point there wasn’t any space left.

The situation didn’t help, it’d only grown and grew more… how could he put this into words…? Enchanting. As if the world had blessed, and put him and them together, to be bestowed with their own little worlds they’re currently having together.

For once, he never once felt they were in their own world—but in the world they both subconsciously created as time passed by.

He decided to wait for a bit longer, leaning on the door frame, his gaze still on their figure, watching them from afar with a curious gaze. For as long as he’d met them, he’d never once felt this close to them… even if it’d only been standing on the doorframe, and then sitting down on their seat with his notes and doodling whatever came to their mind.

As time passed by, a smile etched their lips, with a humming followed and the tint red spreading their ears. Whatever they wrote on the notes, no matter how red and happy they could get, or how embarrassing it was, he couldn’t help but be more than curious to find out what caught them to be in such a state.

They stood up from their seats all of the sudden. Catching them by a sudden change in movement, he walked away from the scene.

The red haired student walked in his room, going to his study table to study for the exams coming up soon. As he saw the note lying on the table opened, he was somewhat eager to sit down and study, growing curious as his memories returned to the figure sitting on their table whilst being enchanted with their own world.

He flipped the pages, finally finding the page where the doodles they drew were. Seeing the tiny doodles, a sigh of what seemed to be bliss escaped his face, his lips etched a smile. He continued to flip pages, seeing the tiny notes below his pages and the doodles drawn with the pencil he’d seen them with.

And as he reached the final pages of his notes, a drawing of a character in which he assumed to be (Name), spoke in its tiny bubble: “If you don’t like me, erase the doodles! They’re pencils, don’t worry. But if you’re willing to go out with me, keep them!”

His eyes gone surprised, widened in shock to see the words written. He then remembered how the smile etched their lips in bliss and the tint of red spreading their cheeks as they doodled on his notes. He, too, remembered they still flipped the page and scribbled his note. Eager to find out, the red haired student continued to survey the page, seeing the next doodle with the words written: “I like you. Thanks for lending me your notes, sorry to scribble it and making you endure the teacher’s scolding. Let’s go out on a date if you want, after the exam though. Good luck!”

Butterflies fluttered in his ears, it seemed. Even if the windows were closed, butterflies couldn’t have entered, right? Especially to enter his chest, his stomach, and his mind.

Kuro Kiryuu could only huff a smile, letting the smile touch his eyes, softening his gaze.

He was indeed in their world like how they were in his.

#yin writes☆ #ensemble stars x reader #ensemble stars #ensemble stars imagines #enstars x reader #kuro kiryu #kiro kiryu x reader

[antianakin]

Funny thing about the Mandoclone idea is that the Clones are in a unique position to experience a ton of different cultures as well as having their own on Kamino.

Via the Clone Wars they'd have the chance to experience the culture of the Jedi, Ryloth, Courusant, Kashyyyk and any other allied planet where they may have spent an extended period period of time. As compared to Mandalore which was an unaligned system that didn't interact much with them.

Like imagine if instead of "vode" the 212th used the word "nera" after Waxer and Boil introduced it to them from their time on Ryloth.

A group of Clones spend a long time living with the Wookies and adopt some of their behavior.

They spend a bunch of time on Courusant and get used to big city living.

There're limitless possibilities for the different divisions to branch out into their own miniature cultures based on who their Jedi is and the kind of people they meet out in the Galaxy. I don't know why people fixate on Mandalore.

I imagine people fixate on Mandalore because there's a lot of EU content and lore describing what Mando culture might look like which has spawned a lot of fandom engagement sort-of expanding on what Mando culture is and could be. Mandoclones are just... simple and easy. You never have to put a ton of work or thought into them, tbh, because everyone who goes for it just copy/pastes some variation on Mando culture onto the clones and calls it a day: armor means everything, they say riduurok vows or whatever, they speak Mando'a and call each other vod/vod'e, they exchange gauntlets as a form of courtship or marriage ritual, they adopt everything that moves, they like spicy food. I don't even CARE about Mandos and have never sought out fics about them or read a single book from the EU that focuses on them, but I feel like I know basically everything there is to know about them because I've read a lot of fics with clones in them that repeat the exact same things over and over.

Whereas having to go for, say, Wookie culture or even Twi'lek culture via Ryloth means having to be a lot more creative with your headcanons because you're likely going to have to come up with most of it yourself since they're VASTLY less examined in Star Wars than the Mandos have been (at least, so far as I'm aware of). It just takes more work and not everybody wants to go for that in fanfic when the easy simple obvious route is right there for the taking and it's probably in your head via osmosis anyway (despite the fact that canon doesn't showcase almost any of these traits).

But I am immensely tickled by the idea of a bunch of clones bonding with wookies during the war and learning how to understand the language the way Han does and absolutely loving the idea of living in trees and stuff and in a happy fix-it AU they just move to Kashyyyk and get adopted by a wookie family.

I'd love to see more stories of clones getting invested in various different cultures. Clones who go to Pantora because they love the cold snowy weather and the various different festivities Pantora has involving winter and snow and ice and the pretty fuzzy clothing they wear to keep warm. Clones who love Tatooine or Jakku because it might be a hive of scum and villainy in some of the towns, but deserts have their own beauty. Clones joining the community on Kiros after the war as they recover from the trauma of Kadavo and find peace. Clones who figure out a way to live alongside aquatic species like Mon Cala and Nautolans because they're still drawn to water worlds even years after leaving Kamino and they're drawn to the large ocean worlds even though they can't breathe underwater like the native inhabitants.

The options are truly endless once you break away from Mandoclones and they're all great and nobody talks about any of them ever.

#star wars #clones #clone culture #clone troopers #clone trooper culture #anti mandoclone #mandoclone critical

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC Season 2 Chapter 51 Translation (Part 1)

⚠️  SPOILER ALERT  ⚠️ This post contains a VERY HEAVY SPOILER for the chapter that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

Pushing open the door in front of him, he immediately saw the girl he had been searching for. 

She's all alone, confined within a glass container secured by layers of locks and cables.

The blinking red lights from the instruments cast an eerie crimson color on her. In that instant, he even felt like she might not be breathing anymore.

It's as if the last thread holding onto something in his mind had snapped.

Previous Lucien’s chapter -> [Here]

[Background Info]

VERY recommended to read [R&S Threshold] first for more pain

Anyway so- recently this phenomenon called space rift suddenly appeared in every corner of Loveland City. Many organizations including NW and STF have been keeping an eye on it. Lucien's chapter in this batch will be focusing on the 'the rifts'

Note that I won't delve deep into the "Odyssey" plot because it'll be the focus of Kiro's chapter. So, I will only write important plot points when the story touches that plot.

[Chapter 51-1]

There's a gaming company called Infinite that recently launched a new game called "Odyssey" and this game has managed to maintain its high level of popularity for several consecutive days. Things that's been happening like space "rifts", or discussions about the conference can't even dampen the enthusiasm about the game.

MC receives an unexpected collaboration invitation from Infinite. As she reviews the proposal, they discover that Infinite plans to use their latest virtual reality device, the Golden Apple3, for the game's promotion.

She remembers that she had experienced the previous version of that virtual reality device, Golden Apple 2 (1st Lucien's company story). In the end, her company quickly agrees to the collaboration because it's such a significant contract.

When MC returns home, it's already close to 10 p.m. And something strange happens after she steps out of the elevator.

It is almost ten o'clock when I return home from work. Just as I step out of the elevator, a sudden sense of deja vu runs through my body.

I hesitate and stop my steps for a moment, but that feeling has already disappeared without a trace.

I notice several packages piled up at my doorstep. As far as I remember, I haven't ordered anything recently.

I puzzledly try to pick up one of them, but my fingertip goes straight through the box!

MC: …!

I blink in disbelief, and the cardboard box lies perfectly intact at my doorstep as if what happened just now was just my imagination.

Am I so tired that my vision is playing tricks on me...?

I cautiously reach out and wave my hand, but the cardboard box in front of me remains untouchable as if it were a mere projection.

MC: (confused) ...What is going on?

The delivery boxes clearly have my name and address on them, but the shipping dates for all of these packages are... ten days later?

Feeling puzzled, a shadow falls beside me. I turn around, and a familiar person is standing behind me, seemingly out of nowhere.

MC: Lucien?

The strands of his bangs obscure the light, casting his already emotionless eyes into deeper shadows. The bandages wrapped around his wrist are soaked with oozing blood, the vivid dark red strikingly catches my eye.

MC: What happened to you!!

My heart tightens, and I hurriedly rush toward him, but my body "passes through" him just like it did with the delivery boxes.

In the next moment, Lucien disappears, leaving only a tightly closed door standing in front of me.

I touch the door in bewilderment; it feels cold and solid.

When I lower my head, the pile of packages at the doorstep has completely vanished without a trace just like Lucien.

MC: What on earth is happening…

??: MC?

I turn around in surprise and see Lucien walking out of the elevator with a smile on his face.

MC: Lucien-?!

I quickly walk over and, to his surprised expression, I push back his bangs.

His smooth forehead shows no signs of injury, and his deep eyes carry a slight hint of confusion, but he cooperates with my actions.

After confirming that there are no wounds on Lucien's body, I finally breathe a sigh of relief and meet his inquisitive gaze.

Lucien: Did this classmate here find something on my face?

I retract my hand from his waist, feeling somewhat embarrassed as I avert my gaze.

MC: It's nothing, I was just... I...

Seeing me a bit tongue-tied, Lucien smiles and soothingly takes my hand.

Lucien: Although I don't know what you were looking for, the hallway lighting isn't great. Come inside, and we can talk slowly.

(Lucien's 5th birthday bgm playing)

I sit on the sofa, cradling the perfectly warm hot chocolate, and take a sip. The sweet, aromatic flavor relaxes my entire body.

MC: I didn't expect Professor Lucien to start drinking this sweet beverage as well.

Lucien: While shopping at the supermarket, I remembered how you couldn't stop praising the taste of this chocolate, so I bought it.

Lucien: After all, if I invite you for tea at this hour, the Great Producer who works hard all day might have trouble falling asleep tonight.

Lucien sets his cup down and gently takes my hand.

Lucien: (getting closer) Now, can you tell me why you wanted to give me a "body checkup" as soon as we met?

I purse my lips and explain the "strange event" I just witnessed to Lucien in detail, my brow furrowing in puzzlement.

MC: Could what I saw just now be one of those "space rifts" that have been appearing sporadically in Loveland City lately?

MC: I got a little panicked earlier and didn't think about it at the moment.

Lucien: I understand. After all, concern can lead to panic.

I hear a low, deep chuckle beside me. I tilt my head slightly and am met with a deep smile, causing my ears to flush.

Lucien: But you're right; it should be one of those "space rifts," so there's no need to worry too much.

Lucien: It's not reality, at least not something happening right now.

Seeing my continued confusion, Lucien continues to speak.

Lucien: Recently, various organizations have been observing it, and I've also gathered some relevant information.

Lucien: It's caused by an unknown energy fluctuation, which tears open a "rift" in the present space and projects a "phantom" from the future.

Lucien: They can't be touched, and they don't affect reality.

Lucien: A more straightforward explanation would be some form of "foresight”.

I nod thoughtfully, grasping a certain point.

MC: So, these images from the future, are they bound to happen later?

Recalling him with bandages earlier, my heart tightens once again. As if he noticed my anxiety, Lucien clasps my fingertips and gently strokes them.

Lucien: (softly) I think the so-called doomed fate has long been shattered by you.

Lucien: Otherwise, the "doomed" comet destined for Earth should also follow its predetermined course.

His voice carries a reassuring certainty that can calm anyone as if nothing that happens can deviate from the path he holds in his hands.

Lucien: So there's no need to worry too much. Since I already know about this "future," I'll be even more careful.

MC: (worriedly) I'm just concerned if there might be any accidents... Professor Lucien, you won't be doing anything dangerous recently, will you?

Lucien: Hmm... (chuckle) Some of the experiments I'm currently working on do involve chemicals that aren't entirely safe.

MC: ... Are they toxic substances? Or the kind that could cause explosions?

Lucien: (chuckle then teasingly says)  Both, actually. But in my case, the likelihood of them occurring is almost zero.

His playful tone eases my concerns to some extent, but I still have a lingering unease. After some thought, I take out a few colorful ropes from my bag.

MC: Just in case, I want to add a "safety net."

MC: Yesterday, I had an interview right next to Grandma Wen's* shop, so I stopped by for a while afterward.

MC: She taught me a new knot, which she said could bring good luck.

Lucien leans quietly against my side, his fingertip lazily twirling the other end of the thread.

Lucien: Today, Pete was showing off the protective amulet he got from the temple at the research institute, claiming it's very effective and recommending it to everyone.

Lucien: But now it seems that I can get a more effective "amulet" without going to the temple.

MC: How could something I make be as good as something blessed at the temple?

Lucien: In Buddhism, the blessings of the Buddha are for all living beings. But what you make, all the intentions and feelings behind it belong to me alone.**

The subtle rise in his deep tone has an intoxicating effect and makes me feel entranced. In that momentary lapse of attention, the threads in my hand have become tangled.

The soft laughter in my ears carries a husky undertone as if he sees through all the restlessness in my heart.

MC: Please don't "cause trouble" Professor.

Lucien: Hmm? (chuckle) I'm just here to observe and learn.

He leans in beside me, watching attentively. After a while, a somewhat decent knot appears in my hands.

MC: (smiles softly) Although a bit superstitious, I hope it can help you ward off disasters.

Lucien: I heard that carrying these lucky charms close to your body enhances their effectiveness.

His fingertip gently traces the lucky charm, and he winks at me.

Lucien: (whispers charmingly) Would you be willing to help me put on this token of luck yourself?

*: Grandma Wen is the same grandma that taught MC to make a peace knot back in S1 chapter 9, she also appeared in Bound by Love SP (Chinese Wedding SP)~

**: This small bit is a nod to his 2023 Qixi Karma Date! 🥺. For him, her blessing and protection far outweigh any blessing that ‘god/gods’ can give him, and he is her most devout ‘believer’.

[Chapter 51-3]

After confirming cooperation with Infinite, MC is invited to experience the game device Golden Apple3 by them at the weekend.

On Saturday, I wake up early, and as soon as I push open the door, I notice that someone is already waiting for the elevator in the hallway.

MC: Good morning.

Lucien is wearing a casual but modest windbreaker. Upon hearing my voice, he turns around and there's a hint of surprise in his smiling eyes.

Lucien: You're up so early on a Saturday. Is there something going on?

MC: (smiles) I signed a collaboration with Infinite for their new game, and today, I'm going to try out their gaming equipment.

Lucien: Is it the game called "Odyssey"?

MC: Oh, you know about it too?

Lucien: Since the first-generation products of GA, they've been using a lot of technology related to brainwaves and data conversion.

Lucien: Today, they invited me to attend an internal neuroscience conference.

I recall the testing of their first-generation product with a little smile.*

MC: It's a shame I won't have another chance to be your “examiner”.

Lucien: So, you really like that role?

MC: Well, it's not every day I can get Professor Lucien to call me "Examiner".

The elevator doors also open as he speaks.

Lucien: Since our destination is the same, how about catching a ride with me, Miss Examiner?

They arrive quickly at the futuristic place. Once they're here, they part ways, and MC shakes her phone to Lucien to indicate that she'll contact him later.

MC is welcomed by the game producer, Bi Fang, who was rescued at the GR auction.

Because the game closed its first beta last week, she can't experience the game yet, however, she still can experience other things with the Golden Apple 3 device. With the accompaniment of a swan AI assistant called "Swan Lake" she experiences "Loveland City" in Golden Apple 3 VR. The technology is pretty great, "Loveland City" in the VR is identical to real-life Loveland City and her experience feels very real.

Guided by the swan, I stroll through the virtual Central Park. The refreshing air fills my senses as I gently run my fingers over the roadside flowers, their soft petals still carrying a cool morning dew, sticking to my fingertips.

I walk all the way from Central Park to my own home. Gazing at the apartment building in front of me, I'm unable to hold back my emotions.

MC: It's truly identical. It's just a bit quiet, a little more liveliness would be great.

Swan Lake: Received the request, I have polished the scene for you.

I haven't reacted yet when suddenly my vision blurs for a moment. When it clears again, there are many pedestrians in front of me.

Someone walks by talking on the phone, and people are playing with children downstairs. I ask the little black bird next to me in a daze.

MC: Are these also data?

Swan Lake: Yes, these scenes are simulated based on the environmental data we have collected.

As I speak, I even see the familiar security guard at the entrance nodding at me.**

The familiarity of the scene made me think that in the next moment, someone should come out of the apartment building, smiling and calling my name.

In the blink of an eye, it seems like there's a blurry figure gradually becoming clear behind the glass door.

I was about to speak when I suddenly heard a somewhat urgent "beep-beep" sound in my ears.

Swan Lake: Administrator permissions detected, experience will be terminated shortly.

The scene in front of me gradually dims, and the surrounding white noise disappears. The helmet is removed by someone, and the glaring light makes me squint.

Bi Fang mentions that the company is facing some issues and they need to evacuate. He doesn't explain more and looks a little anxious. Though MC is a bit puzzled, she quickly sends a message to Lucien and follows the crowds towards the escape corridor.

??: MC.

My wrist is enveloped by a warm palm, and when I turn around, I see that familiar figure.

MC: I just messaged you, did you also receive the notification?

Lucien: It's not clear what's happening yet. Let's follow the staff's instructions and leave this place for now.

??: AH– what's that?

An unknown commotion up ahead makes the orderly crowd move faster. Just as we turn the corner, I freeze in place at the scene in front of me—

An irregular, semi-transparent shadow hovers in the middle of the corridor. A faint mist emanates from it and slowly spreads to the side.

Lucien's brows furrow slightly as he tightens his grip on my hand.

Lucien: It's a rift.

I haven't had a chance to digest his words when the spreading mist gradually creates some kind of shadowy figures of nearby people, the shadowy figures slowly lining up in a long row.

MC: Isn't this rift a bit strange…

Lucien: If I'm not mistaken, it seems to be affecting reality.

*: She’s recalling Lucien’s first company cooperation story - [Simulation Project]

**: That security guard is actually Lucien's spy that often appears in some R&S, especially in [An Elusive Man] and [The Eyes That Witnesses] 😂

[Chapter 51-5]

The sudden appearance of the eerie phenomenon plunged the crowd into chaos. The black edges of the rift in the corridor also slowly expanded outward.

Lucien raises his hand a little towards the rift, and I suddenly feel a slight heaviness in my body. The air around me seems to distort for a moment.

I immediately realize he's exerting gravity, but the rift remains unresponsive.

At that moment, another powerful energy fluctuation sweeps through, elongating those eerie rows of shadows even further.

??: Ahh-!

Amidst the chaotic noise, a scream erupts as someone is pushed to the edge of the rift. In an instant, his body begins to turn transparent.

Lucien reaches out towards him but passes directly through the semi-transparent figure. Seeing this, I instinctively pulled him too.

At the moment of contact, a familiar power within me seems to resonate strangely with the surrounding energy.

Crackle—

A burst noise echoes through my eardrums as if a signal is being disrupted, and a blurry scene flickers before my eyes.

Crackle—Crackle—

A muffled and heavy roar reverberates in my ears as if many cold metal pieces are grinding and rotating.

In the blurry picture, I faintly see some huge, heavy gears surrounding me, slowly turning.

MC: ...Gears?

Lucien: MC!

I hear Lucien’s voice and snap back to reality.

The gears and sounds have all vanished, and in that instant, I feel a tangible sensation in my palm— I’ve caught that person.

Lucien grips my wrist and we pull that person out together. Then, we retreat to a more distant place with the crowd.

Lucien: Are you okay?

I shake my head in disbelief, subconsciously recalling the scene from just now. What were those rotating gears?

I lift my head and meet Lucien's concerned gaze, noticing that his expression hasn't changed. The people around us are still in the same state of panic.

I instinctively ask.

MC: Lucien, did you see anything just now?

He shakes his head, his gaze conveying a mixture of confusion and inquiry, indirectly confirming my conjecture.

I'm the only one who sees those mysterious gears.

At this moment, a resounding and powerful sound echoes down the corridor as a team dressed in Special Task Force uniforms marches through, taking control of the chaotic scene.

STF Member: An Evolver with an uncontrollable ability has appeared inside the building. The Special Task Force has already taken control. Please do not panic and evacuate orderly through the stairs.

After receiving clear instructions, the crowd that was previously in disarray slowly regains order.

As they move further away from the rift, the distortion gradually fades.

STF Member A: The situation here is dangerous. Please cooperate with the evacuation.

The special forces officer stands between us and the rift, not allowing anyone to get closer. Lucien calmly glances at the rift that almost swallows the corridor.

Lucien: This rift is different from what we've encountered before. It just exhibited characteristics of reality interference a moment ago, and it's still expanding its scope.

Lucien: Apart from simply evacuating the civilians and controlling the scene, you might need to prepare additional measures.

The STF officer hesitates for a moment, and it seems that he hears something through his earpiece. After listening, he nods in agreement with Lucien.

STF Member A: Thank you for the information. Please leave this area for now.

I look back at that dark silhouette again before I am led away from the building by Lucien.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the car, I fasten my seatbelt and still feel a bit anxious.

MC: Lucien, what will happen after that rift?

Lucien: I'm not entirely sure, but the Special Task Force should have a plan in place to prevent any major repercussions.

Listening to this, I feel relieved and lean back in the car seat, recalling the sensations I felt when I caught that person.

Like an unspoken connection, Lucien also thinks of the same thing, and he slightly glances at me.

Lucien: How did you manage to catch that person just now?

MC: I'm not entirely sure, but I felt a surge of power resonating with the CORE, and then I can hold that person.

Lucien remains silent for a moment, as if contemplating something.

Lucien: My Evol can't interfere with it, but yours can. Perhaps it's because of the unique nature of your power.

MC: Are you talking about... CORE?

Lucien: This is just my speculation, after all, CORE possesses many powers that we have yet to fully understand.

I look at my palm in silence, carefully recalling the resonance of power I felt when I caught that person.

Lucien's guess is probably correct. But why can the power of the CORE interfere with the rift?

And also, the spinning gears I saw for that brief moment…

In the rearview mirror, Infinite's building gradually fades into the distance, but there's always an indescribable unease lingering in my heart.

The car comes to a slow stop at a red light, and a hand gently covers my cold hand.

Lucien: Everything happens for a reason.

Lucien: Don't worry too much, every problem has its corresponding solution. It may just take more or less time to find it.

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

The sunlight casts long diagonal shadows through the window, spreading across the papers strewn on the floor.

The young man with green hair sits on the floor, scribbling furiously. Messy equations occasionally fly off the edge of the paper, getting written halfway on the floor.

"The results will vary based on the change in C, but each time, it only gets infinitely closer to the threshold..."

Suddenly, a shadow appears on the windowsill. Joker doesn't pay it any mind, he just moves his papers to where there's more light and continues writing rapidly.

Along the windowsill, a young boy swings his legs and pouts.

Uno: Joker, how long do you plan to stay cooped up in here? Something interesting happened outside today.

[Chapter 51-7]

After close monitoring by the Special Task Force, the rift that had taken hold in the Infinite building completely disappeared after one day.

MC: "According to the investigation, the rift inside the Infinite building was caused by intense Evol fluctuations."

MC: "If any citizens witness similar phenomena, please don't hesitate to contact the Special Task Force at any time..."

After dinner, I lean back on Lucien's sofa, scrolling through today's news.

MC: ... I didn't expect this rift to last so long.

MC: The official explanation in the reports also matches what the Special Task Force explained on the scene yesterday.

Lucien: Until we have gathered enough information, this explanation is the least likely to cause a commotion.

The sofa next to me sinks slightly, and his familiar clean scent lingers around me. I relax and lean back, letting out a yawn.

From yesterday until now, that indescribable sense of worry in my heart has grown stronger.

I keep finding myself thinking about the rotating gears I saw when I got close to the rift and the constantly stretching shadows in front of it.

These scenes are remarkably similar to what I witnessed before at the ruins.*

Could there be a connection between the two? Is it related to the CORE?

Unconsciously, I let out another sigh, and Lucien gently ruffled my hair.

Lucien: (gently) Is it the rift from yesterday that's making you feel so uneasy?

MC: Sigh, it seems like I can never hide any little secrets from you.

Lucien: (smiles) This classmate has practically written her little secrets all over her face. Besides, you seemed a bit distracted during dinner just now.

MC: It seems like I've been a bit overly worried...

Lucien: In most cases, people don't feel uneasy about things they are certain of.

Lucien: So, turning the unknown into the known, and the out-of-control into in-control will alleviate those worries.

Listening to his words, I hesitate for a moment but still decide to tell him about the gears I saw yesterday and the "prophecy" I once witnessed in the ruin.

Lucien listens quietly, his expression shifting from a brief surprise to deep contemplation.

Lucien: Are you saying that yesterday, when you came into contact with the rift, you briefly saw a scene with many gears?

Lucien: And not long ago, you also saw a similar scene through the power of the CORE in a ruin.

MC: It seems a bit different... What I saw in that ruin, in addition to gears, there were also many human….

MC: Uh, something like "worms"?

Lucien: …'Human worms'?

MC: Yes, and then those gears eventually devoured them all…

Lucien ponders for a moment, and his eyes light up.

Lucien: Are these "worms" you mentioned similar to the shadowy figures we saw in front of the crack yesterday?

MC: If I must say, there is indeed a resemblance, but the worms I saw in the ruins were much longer than those shadowy figures.

Seeing me gesturing enthusiastically, Lucien takes out paper and a pen from a nearby cabinet and begins to write and draw on it.

Lucien: MC, have you ever heard of "four-dimensional worms"?

MC: Four-dimensional worms?

Faced with unfamiliar terminology, I shake my head.

Lucien: In the current dimension, we can only see ourselves in the present moment.

I glance sideways— Lucien is focused on the diagrams drawn on the paper, with a faint upward curve at the corner of his lips.

Lucien: But suppose we step into a higher dimension, the abstract concept of time, which is originally intangible, becomes a visible "axis."

As he sketches, a person's form from birth to old age is stretched out along a long line.

Lucien: And this shape might look like a "worm"... perhaps you've seen similar concepts in many movies.

Lucien: So I speculate that within the area where the rift appeared, there may have been a momentary phenomenon of "transitioning into the fourth dimension."

A simple sketch falls onto the paper, the slender, worm-like shape making the scenes from the ruin become even clearer in my mind.

MC: Yes... it looks just like this! Like a person stretched infinitely!

MC: So, what I saw in the ruin was actually people transforming into a four-dimensional form?

Lucien: That's right, those shadows near the rift could also be part of the "four-dimensional worm".

MC: But what could this signify?

The air falls silent once more, and Lucien speaks after a moment of contemplation.

Lucien: Some phenomena may only be visible to you as CORE, and they each have their own significance.

Lucien: Can you try to recall where else you've seen similar situations? Perhaps that could be part of the answer.

His question makes me feel anxious.

Of course, I've seen them—behind the gate known as the truth of the world.

But why did the scenes that should have appeared behind the gate show up when I touched the rift?

Complex thoughts are continuously welling up as if some subtle and unnoticed change has already begun.

Lucien: (tenderly) Are you thinking of some difficult questions?

MC: I'm just thinking... why did it appear?

Lucien: That's a very straightforward question indeed.

MC: Lucien, perhaps you know something?

He pauses for a moment, his fingers gently twirling around my hair as he plays with it.

Lucien: Because of the lack of evidence, I currently only have speculations... My guess is that these various phenomena might be related to that comet.

MC: ….!

Lucien: The earliest energy fluctuations that appeared within Loveland City coincided with the conclusion of the strange celestial phenomena brought by the comet.

Lucien: So my speculation is that perhaps it's a little "surprise" left for us by the comet. Of course, it could also be an entirely new phenomenon.

MC: I can’t believe it was so long ago…!

The timing seems too coincidental. Could the rift truly be connected to the gears or that door?

My mind is in chaos, and I sigh tiredly. In the next moment, I feel tightness around my waist as Lucien pulls my whole body into his embrace.

Lucien: In most cases, solving problems is the best way to dispel uneasiness.

Lucien: But if the problem can't be solved immediately, there are other little tricks to temporarily ease your mind.

Feeling his arm holding me tighten slightly, I bury my head into his chest and speak in a muffled voice.

MC: Then… Please help me, Professor Lucien.

Lucien: (in an almost whisper) Now, slow down your breathing rhythmically.

I begin to breathe slowly as he instructed. Soon, the faint scent of tea submerges my entire body.

Lucien: (whispers softly) Now, close your eyes and imagine yourself entering a place that makes you feel relaxed...

*BG changes to camphor tree*

As he speaks, a lush camphor tree appears in my mind. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves, and there seems to be a faint, earthy freshness brushing against my face.

Lucien: Everything that made you uncomfortable seems to have turned into specks of dust in your hands, and you are scattering them into the world.

A deep and slow voice by my ear is carrying a persuasive and gentle inducement.

I subconsciously raise my hand as he instructed, and that inexplicable feeling of unease that had been lingering in my heart seems to have truly diminished.

*BG changes back to Lucien's home*

MC: Lucien, did you perform some kind of magic trick?

Lucien: (chuckles and then whispers softly) It is a 'magic' that already exists in your body, I'm just giving it a little push."

Lucien: When people hug, their bodies produce serotonin and endorphins, which temporarily override negative emotions.

I nuzzle against his neck and shoulder lingeringly, hoping that this hug can last a little longer.

MC: I feel that it was Professor Lucien's presence that made all the negative emotions in my body disappear.

Accompanied by the low murmur by my ear, the arms holding me are squeezing tighter, deepening this hug even more.

Lucien: (whispers) So, are you feeling better now?

MC: Mm..

I take a deep breath.

Many things don't simply disappear by avoiding them, and I'm not alone right now.

Because the person who can help me uncover the secrets of the rift is right in front of me.

MC: Lucien-

Lucien: MC-

The simultaneous sound makes both of us stunned, but then we exchange smiles.

[Option 1: You speak first]

MC: You speak first.

Lucien: MC, have you ever considered... personally investigating what the rift really is?

Lucien: For you right now, this might be the quickest way to alleviate your uneasiness.

Words that felt like a meeting of our hearts and minds* left me momentarily astonished. I tilt my head to look at him.

[T/N: always love it when they use the word 灵犀 🥹. There’s no exact english word for it, I usually translate it as ‘tacit understanding’; but even that doesn't do it justice. It conveys the idea that two people understand each other's thoughts and feelings as if they share a special, almost psychic and soul-deep connection]

MC: (smiles softly) Is that also written on my face?

Lucien: (chuckles) No, this is a direction I've speculated about based on my understanding of you, perhaps one that you might find interesting.

Lucien: And for me, it's also what I need right now.

Lucien: Actually, I've been wanting to speak up today to formally invite you to help me with this favor, but I haven't found the right moment.

Lucien: MC, I need your power to continue exploring the secrets of this rift.

MC: Is it because CORE's power can interfere with it?

Lucien: Yes. I've tried before but never succeeded.

Lucien: But you might be the turning point.

Lucien: Of course, exploring the unknown comes with certain risks. So it's not an obligation, you have the right to refuse.

I tilt my head slightly and wink at him.

MC: Professor Lucien took the initiative to ask for my help, how could I refuse?

Once, when I was lost and hesitant, it was the person in front of me who gave me the answer - that only by always moving forward can you stay ahead of the world.

And now, it seems I have finally reached a point where I can move forward side by side with him.

I smile and extend my hand to him.

MC: Happy cooperation, Lucien!

Lucien: I look forward to working with you.

-

[Option 2: So... should I go first?]

MC: So… should I go first?

Lucien: (chuckles softly) Of course.

His lips curl up slightly, waiting for my next words.

MC: If I'm very interested in this rift, would you help me?

His gentle fingertips lightly pinched my ear, the sensation felt like a delicate and soft kiss.

Lucien: How could a teacher refuse to provide extra guidance to a diligent student? Moreover, this happens to align with my wishes as well.

MC: Your wishes?

Lucien:  Actually, I've been wanting to speak up today to formally invite you to help me with this favor, but I haven't found the right moment.

[T/N: the convo stays the same as the other choice after this]

[Chapter 51-8]

"Authentication successful, identity: visitor."

I swipe the visitor card to open the gate and follow Lucien into the grayish-white-toned corridor of the Bioultima Research Institute.

He leads me to an unfamiliar room and makes a welcoming "please come in" gesture.

Lucien: Please come in, little researcher. This is our "classroom" for today.

I look around this clean and simple small research room, noticing some equipment that's different from what's usually found in normal research institutes. There's also a door on one side of the room.

MC: Is there another room inside?

Lucien: Yes, inside is today's "practice" area.

Lucien then walks over to me, and using fingerprint verification, he opens the hidden door. The moment the door opens, I can feel a faint but very familiar power.

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

The small room is empty, but in the corner, there appears a cabinet with only one corner.

The cabinet is "torn" by highly irregular lines, as if someone tore a piece of paper in half, and I can faintly see a border that's softly shimmering.

MC: Is this... a rift?!

Lucien: That's right, it's a rift that appeared five days ago, and I've managed to keep it here using some special methods.

MC: Can I take a closer look?

Lucien: (chuckles) Just in case, put this on first.

Lucien fastens an electronic bracelet onto my wrist.

Lucien: This bracelet will suppress your Evol. Once it detects an overload of CORE's power, it will activate a protective mechanism.

Lucien: This is to prevent your power from resonating excessively with the rift's power, avoiding any accidents.

I reach out to the rift and pass through it as I did last time, bumping into the cold wall.

Lucien: I've tried various ways to "communicate" with it, but all have failed.

Lucien: However, based on past experiences, I suspect that under the influence of CORE, the rift will establish some connection with reality.

Lucien: So that's why I hope you can help me verify this idea today.

MC: What do you need me to do?

Seeing my eager anticipation, Lucien smiles.

Lucien: I need you to use the power of CORE on the rift.

Lucien: If we successfully link the rift to reality, we can observe the other side of it.

MC: Make observations?

As soon as I finish speaking, a small robot drives in from the next room and stops in front of us.

Lucien: Mm. If it works, it will record what's on the other side of the rift for us.

Lucien: We can begin when you’re ready.

I nod, thinking that using my ability shouldn't be too difficult. So, I take a deep breath and concentrate on gathering that familiar power within me.

Soon, I feel a faint vibration coming from the other side of the rift.

At the same time, the instrument's screen starts displaying a large amount of data.

Lucien observes the ever changing data with a clear smile in his eyes.

Lucien: We've successfully influenced the rift.

After Lucien adjusts the parameters of the small robot, I nervously watch it slowly move forward. When it reaches the rift, its figure shimmers and merges with the scene on the other side.

Lucien: It has arrived on the other side of the rift.

MC: That's great!

I excitedly take Lucien's hand and shake it, and a small smile spreads across his lips.

Through the camera on the robot, we obtain some data.

MC: On the other side of the rift is the Bioultima Research Center 37 days from now. The passage of time there is the same as it is now...

The constant use of power has left me a little sleepy and I rub my temples.

MC: Lucien, what should we do next?

Lucien:  I want to try to see if I can get my Evol to affect the rift through the power of CORE, but….

He winks and gently taps the edge of my eyebrow.

Lucien: This diligent little researcher, why don't you take a rest for a while?

MC: I'm fine, I can continue.

I take a moment to collect myself, and see Lucien pause for a moment before turning around and leaving. When he comes back, he puts something white and fluffy in my hand.

The plush and soft texture wraps around my palm, and I lower my head to see a cute white round mochi-shaped keychain lying in my hand, with a pair of bright, lively eyes embroidered on it.

MC: This is... from KIWI's new little mochi series!

Lucien: I remember you mentioned passing by this shop before and how it always gets sold out.

Lucien: I happened to see a shop assistant restocking them on my way to work earlier, so I got one. Originally, I intended it as a gift for the lucky charm, but it has been sitting here all this time.

Lucien: Let it be your cheerleader, and boost the spirits of this hardworking little researcher.

Lucien picks up the little keychain and gives it a couple of shakes while saying this. The fluffy and bouncy little ball truly seems to be cheering me on.

I giggle and hold the soft toy in my hand.

MC: With this "cheerleader" cheering me on, and the great Professor Lucien keeping watch, I feel a lot more energized, so let's continue.

Lucien smiles and holds my hands in return.

Lucien: Don't be nervous. What you're about to do is similar to what you just did, and you can do it very well.

I close my eyes and awaken the power within me once again.

At the same time, Lucien also extends his hand – a sense of oppression emanates from all around, and the shimmering edge of the rift seems to be suddenly suppressed by an invisible force.

Unlike the situation during the interference at Infinite earlier, the rift clearly starts to contract under the influence of CORE.

As the power is released, I feel myself increasingly in conflict with a massive force.

This sensation presses down on me so hard that I can't catch my breath, and my breathing becomes increasingly rapid.

Lucien seems to sense it too. He squeezes my hand and asks if I want to stop. But when I look at the rift that has already compressed to a small size, I grit my teeth and shake my head.

The sudden contrast was so great that for a moment I was in daze. I gasp for breath, and the soothing pats on my back bring my restless heart back to its place.

The wall in front of us is clean, and the rift that had shown a corner of the cabinet has disappeared.

MC: Do we... succeed?

I look at Lucien uncertainly, and he nods slightly.

Lucien: (smiles and says in a proud tone, hint of astonishment in his voice) Yes, the first experiment to artificially close a rift is a success. Congratulations to this little researcher.

The sunlight gradually slants westward, casting a warm glow on his hair and softening the profile of his face.

I look at his eyes that still shining brightly in the gradually darkening twilight and find it hard to take my eyes off him.

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Perhaps due to the exhaustion of my power, my brain feels a bit dull. I obediently let Lucien lead me to the sofa in the outer room and sit down.

— The next moment, a hand covers my eyes.

Lucien: Take a good rest.

His body heat, carried by his dry fingertips, adds a layer of warmth to the part of our skin that's pressed against each other.

MC: Professor Lucien, what do you usually think about when you're tired?

Lucien: Most of the time, I have many research projects at hand. If I get tired of one, I switch to thinking about another.

MC: ….

Lucien: Of course, there's one subject that never tires my brain no matter how long I think about them.

Not hearing another response, I curiously open my eyes, and through the gaps between his fingers, I catch a glimpse of his slightly upturned lips.

The last rays of the setting sun hide within his gaze as he looks at me.

[Chapter 51-9]

Subtitled Video

Transcript

MC: Do you want to replace the robot and personally go into the rift?

After successfully closing the rift in the small room, we discovered a new rift in the alley near the research institute.

Lucien used a device that utilizes space-fold to "transport" this rift into the small room for further study.

On the second day, right after the successful completion of the research, he suddenly said he wanted to go inside the rift himself.

Lucien: The robot's range of movement and recorded data are both very limited. To obtain more information, seeing it with one's own eyes is the most effective way.

Lucien: We can now stabilize the rift's intervention time at 4 hours and 25 minutes using CORE's energy.

Lucien: Although it's not a long time, it should be enough to gather some information.

The rift experiments of these past two days haven't caused any danger, but I still have some inexplicable worries.

The image of Lucien with injuries and bandages in the rift that I saw back then resurfaces at an untimely time, intensifying my worries.

Based on the delivery at my doorstep around that time, it's roughly about a week from now.

MC: So when do you plan to enter the rift?

Lucien: One week from now, next Sunday.

Perhaps noticing my somewhat stiff expression, he sets down the report he was holding and walks over to me.

Lucien: What's wrong?

MC: …Lucien, do you still remember when I saw bandaged "you" at my doorstep before?

Lucien nods with an understanding look.

Lucien: According to that timing, next Sunday happens to be the day I got injured in the rift that you saw.

MC: (worriedly) Although I don't know if your injury is related to entering the rift...

MC: But just to be safe, it's probably best not to attempt anything risky on that day.

Lucien: (chuckles) Alright, I promise you. If we make it through that day safely, that "future" will also take care of itself.

Lucien: I'll postpone the planned time by one week and make some more thorough preparations.

I sigh in relief and nod. Lucien won't stop exploring because of such a thing, but for now, it's enough to give me some peace of mind.

MC: Then I'm going with you in two weeks!

His eyes flicker with a hint of surprise, then his eyebrows arch, and a soft smile spreads across his lips.

Lucien: Okay.

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The night before “Lucien” got injured in the rift, I was still so nervous that I couldn't sleep much even though we postponed entering the rift.

The next morning, I arrived at the company tiredly with dark circles under my eyes.

Every half an hour, I send him a text message. I have lost count of how many times I have checked my phone screen by now.

MC: ...It's been a minute, why hasn't he replied yet?

Not even a single word of the lengthy document in front of me enters my eyes, and I anxiously tap with my fingertips.

Buzz, buzz – my phone finally vibrates, and I quickly unlock it. Lucien seems to have sensed my anxiety, and he replies promptly to each of my messages.

Under my constant "supervision", the day passes without incident.

Finally, I can heave a sigh of relief and fully immerse myself in the promotion work for "Odyssey".

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I didn't send out the first batch of promotional advertisements until the end of this week. I walk into the residential area under a sky full of stars and let out a yawn.

Lucien has also become very busy these days, and I can only hear his voice in a few hurried phone calls.

The chat page has been stuck at noon more than a day ago.

MC: I wonder how the preparations are going…

The elevator door opens, and just as I'm about to press the floor button, a figure rushes in before the doors close.

I instinctively turn my head, falling defenselessly into a pair of smiling and dark eyes.

Lucien: Good evening, it seems that I got lucky today and ran into someone I wanted to see before going to bed.

MC: Are you done with your work?

Lucien: Mm, there was a project at the institute that needed to be rushed recently, so I was quite busy, but it's over now.

The elevator's light makes the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced, and I hold his hand with a hint of concern and distress.

MC: Are you feeling tired? Is tomorrow's plan still the same?

Lucien: Of course, it remains the same.

Lucien: Don't worry, I've set aside some time for rest, which is why I could rush back now.

Although he can't conceal his fatigue, there is a bright glint in his eyes, as if he eagerly anticipates tomorrow.

As the elevator arrives, he holds my hand and walks me to the doorstep of my home.

At my slightly confused gaze, he leans down and gently approaches me. A hint of white tea's scent fleetingly tickles my nose, and I feel a warm sensation pressing on my forehead.

In the quiet hallway, only his gentle voice resonates in my ears, accompanied by the pounding of my heart in my chest.

Lucien: (gently) Good night. I hope we both have a good dream tonight.

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Even though I have already made up my mind, I’m still feeling nervous the next day when I put on the bracelet at the Bioultima Research center.

Lucien straightens out my sleeves and takes hold of my hand.

Lucien: The device to maintain CORE energy is ready. We can depart at any time.

Lucien: Let me confirm one last time, are you really going with me to visit 37 days in the future?

The warmth in the palm of my hand is gentle, carrying a soothing touch. I take a deep breath and nod.

The warm sunlight filters through the window glass, casting a glow on the corners of his upturned lips. It feels as if we're not heading to the unknown land, but towards paradise.

The tightly clasped hands convey his longing into me, and I know that I only need to move forward without hesitation now.

The moment I step into the rift, a tremendous surge of energy comes crashing in—

I barely have time to react before I'm thrown into the chaos. I attempt to reach for Lucien's hand but find that my body seems to be out of control.

I want to scream, but I realize I can't even open my mouth. Amid the chaotic dizziness, I faintly hear some voices.

??: Energy transfer... 132%, detecting... consciousness retained.

??: Increase... output.

The words sound like fragmented whispers, as if there's a thick barrier between me and them. But soon, the voices around me begin to fade away.

In its place, there's a heavy and distant roar that’s not unfamiliar to me.

My body seems to be floating, and I struggle to open my heavy eyelids—

In the void, massive and worn gears surround me. My body is so tiny that I feel like nothing more than a speck of dust that has drifted in, instantly swallowed by the rotating air currents.

With a discordant shattering sound, a massive gear comes crashing down, and its colossal debris hurtles past me.

Crackle—

The familiar noise flashes through my mind again, and I'm dragged down into the abyss of consciousness by that great force.

In the midst of excruciating pain that feels like it's about to tear me apart, I regain some control over my body, and I struggle to open my eyes—

The scene before me is like being submerged in water, and I can only vaguely see many white figures moving about.

Cold seeps into my body through every crevice of my skin, and at the edge of my slightly distorted field of vision, I catch a glimpse of a black cable floating by.

Am I in... water?

The moment I realize it, a wave of suffocation rapidly spreads throughout my body. I instinctively open my mouth to breathe, and the icy water rushes into my nostrils and throat—

Who will come to... save me?

There's a white figure that seems to have noticed me, approaching and then stops nearby.

Shortly after, a stronger surge of energy rushes into my body accompanied by pain—

Just when I thought I might be torn apart, the door in front of me is pulled open forcefully. In a daze, I seem to I catch a glimpse of a familiar silhouette—

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At the moment he passed through the rift, Lucien felt a surge of electricity tearing through his brain. Before he could even think about what it was, his palm suddenly no longer held her.

When he turned around, he found that the person next to him had disappeared.

The place in front of him was not unfamiliar, it was the narrow alley near the Bioultima Research Institute where the rift had appeared.

He undoubtedly had successfully reached the time and space beyond the rift, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

Lucien's face darkened, and an inexplicable anxiety that he couldn't suppress spread throughout his body along his veins.

His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest, but he suppressed this restlessness and quickly walked towards Bioultima Research center.

The researchers occasionally passing by in the corridor displayed expressions of surprise, but he paid them no mind. He simply quickly located the room where they had been researching the rift.

Here, he was most likely to find the information that could explain the current situation. However, when he opened the computer and saw the time, his eyes widened in surprise.

The time displayed on the computer screen was 74 days later.

Confusion and anxiety twisting into a knot in Lucien's heart. He furrowed his brows and opened the folder on the device.

Dozens of files were spread out densely in front of him, and he quickly moved the cursor, scanning over each title.

With sharp eyes, he caught sight of the letters "NW," and his hand paused before clicking on that file.

《Four-Dimensional Rift Stabilization Using CORE Utilization Plan》

Text laden with a wealth of information flowed rapidly before his eyes, and an abundance of data surged into his mind. He could feel the rushing blood in his brain intensifying with each passing moment.

"As a higher-dimensional entity, CORE exists in one and only one timeline across all temporal axes..."

As he continued to advance through the information before him, his gaze gradually turned colder and sharper.

-As it turns out, the world was already changing as a result of the shift in trajectory.

He knew where she would be.

The information in front of him undoubtedly can answer many of his curiosities. However, at this moment, these important pieces of information hold no appeal in his eyes.

He closed the document, preparing to leave, but then he noticed that the notebook on his desk was open. There’s only two scribbled numbers that seem like coordinates on it.

The handwriting belonged to him.

Lucien: ….

The fragile paper was covered with thin ice, shattering on the floor, and the shattered ice shards reflected the darkness in his eyes.

In the blink of an eye, the scene before him shifted, and the next moment, he found himself in a cold and desolate corridor of NW.

Perhaps he should have made a more thorough plan before taking action, but he didn't want to wait any longer.

Pushing open the door in front of him, he immediately saw the girl he had been searching for. She's all alone, confined within a glass container secured by layers of locks and cables.

The blinking red lights from the instruments cast an eerie crimson color on her. In that instant, he even felt like she might not be breathing anymore.

It's as if the last thread holding onto something in his mind had snapped.

Everything in front of Lucien's eyes was dyed with a layer of crimson red.

Before even more frightening thoughts came to his mind, he saw that the girl in the glass container seemed to blink, and a little light slowly gathered in her slowly focused pupils.

And then, her lips moved imperceptibly.

"Lucien."

For a moment, Lucien only felt as if all the sounds around him had turned into sharp buzzing, and the blood in his body went straight to his head.

Some researchers noticed his arrival and showed surprised expressions.

Researcher A: Professor Lucien? What brings you here?

Lucien: (in a cold and commanding tone) Open this.

Lucien pointed at the glass chamber calmly.

Researcher A: CORE is a crucial energy source for preventing dimensional destruction. She can’t leave this place.

Researcher B: Professor Lucien, you also agreed to this plan at the beginning...

Lucien: Move over.

Lucien interrupted the explanation and walked straight towards the nearby control panel. The researchers immediately stepped forward to stop him—

Researcher B: Professor-

Sharp ice spikes shot up from the ground. Crimson blood splattered in the air and then slowly trickled down the frosty ice spikes.

After half a second of dead silence, screams suddenly erupted.

Next Part-> [Here]

#it started as sweet then angst train hit you like #ok but DIDNT EXPECT IT TO BE *THIS* BLOODY??? #it's been a while since i last feel THIS MUCH PAIN #mlqc #mlqc lucien #love and producer #mr love queen's choice #mr. love queen's choice #mlqc cn #mlqc translation

[firefly-fez]

okay no but i want an echo and ahsoka reunion so badly. it’s been years of war and tragedy since they’ve last seen each other but it would be a reminder - to both of them - that rex is not the only surviving friend they have from the old days in the 501st. just look at it from echo’s perspective. the 501st had completely changed by the time he came back from skako minor. they’d lived through so many hellish missions without him. umbara, kiros, ringo vinda, fives. he never put the handprint back on his armour after the citadel. do you ever think about that? how he survived against all odds to come back to the news that the only surviving batchmate who was there to witness the habit that earned him his name, was dead.

When Rex put that handprint on his armour on the Rishi moon, it’s when he told Echo he was a shiny. He kept it there, painting it on, as a reminder of the mission that made him a soldier - a reminder that he wasn’t a shiny anymore, a reminder of Cutup, Hevy and Droidbait, his fallen batchmates. After the citadel, after fives, when he gets his new armour, he hovers his hand over the chest plate and he just can’t do it. Everything is gone. He’s not that man anymore. SO many of his brothers are dead, and when he joins the bad batch, leaving Rex, there’s no one around to notice the handprint is missing, not really, So he leaves it off, he lets that part of him die with his fallen brothers.

I can imagine Ahsoka, particularly in her younger years, would entertain herself on long hyperspace flights or camp-outs by asking the clones why they chose their name. She wasn’t there, she isn’t one of the people who picked it out. By the time Echo was assigned to the 501st, he’d dropped the habit. But he told her about it, because she was small and scared and bored and kind and a friend. As a young padawan, Ahsoka relied on her men to help her navigate the parts of war her jedi training left her unprepared to face, and after he told her the story, she’d always get Echo to repeat the next stage of orders to her to keep her mind focused on the mission.

When they reunite after order 66, it’s almost hard for him to tell whether she’s just playing dumb to keep her cover intact or if she genuinely doesn’t remember him. He hasn’t seen her since the citadel, after all, and...he does look pretty different. He’s not sure if she recognises him. She does, of course. When she inevitably reveals her jedi nature to the rest of the crew, and they dive head-first into some crusade against the empire together, it feels just like old times. They both thought they’d lost this, but it’s still here, surviving. She asks him to repeat the orders to her, keep track of the stages of the plan just like he used to. He confesses he almost thought she didn’t recognise him, and she’s practically offended at the thought. But she senses the insecurity, the grief, the loss, behind it. She jokes around with him, to ease the burden. They’re both knee-deep in some foul-smelling staining spillage leaking out from the ruined hardware around them. So she smiles and says well, how could you expect anyone to recognise you, and she dips her hand in the sludge and puts it to his chest...without the handprint. And he can’t help but laugh.

Because there is someone left to remember the handprint is missing. There is someone who recognises him, other than Rex, someone who knows why he chose his name. Most importantly, someone who survived because of Fives’ sacrifice.

And it’s not a reminder of loss anymore. It’s a statement that he’s known. That he is remembered. Whatever else he lost after the Citadel, however different he may be, physically, spiritually, emotionally, there is an imprint of everything that survived, still there, carried on his chest, in his heart. An imprint of everything that survived, of everyone who carried the fight this far, a promise of those who keep up the fight.

A reminder that he is known, that he is remembered - and that he, too, remembers.

#the bad batch #echo #arc trooper echo #ahsoka tano #captain rex #when they inevitably bring ahsoka onto the show to help omega manage her force sensitivity i don't wanna hear a PEEP about it #from the ahsoka haters okay #she's a soldier too this is her story too #imo they're setting omega up to be such a foil for ahsoka #ahsoka was never meant to be a soldier but that's all she became #omega was only ever meant to be a soldier but becomes something else #tbb is giving omega the childhood that ahsoka never had in tcw okay #PUT THE HANDPRINT BACK ON ECHO'S ARMOUR CHALLENGE 2023

[ask-carmenpondiego]

Chapter 19: The World Will always Need a Good Librarian

Weeks go by and the most progress Carmen and the others had gotten is that the holes do form a star alignment. M had held it up and the light shone through onto a table. “Thats why! It was backwards! I recognize this constellation now! But that doesn’t really tell us where this is. These stars can be seen all around.” Asta exclaimed, looking at a digital map and globe. Carmen peered over Asta’s shoulder to look. “But technically there are places where they are not. See? It never crosses over these few places. So it narrows our search, marginally but it still helps. And these lines look like a meteor shower. If we can figure out which one, that narrows it down further!”

Blendin had visited that day, he was seen swiveling back and forth on the kitchen barstool he brought in so he could watch. “Hey Mom? Can that light be dimmed a bit? The scroll looks a bit textured. Kinda looks like a map itself with the different thicknesses making shadows.” Their attention suddenly went to the light against the scroll and not what shined through on the table. Kiros adjusted the light as M kept hold of the hide. With the adjustment, more shadows formed to what did look like a near 3D render of a topography map. The inked dots lined up with where cities or villages may be. “Clever boy! I didn’t even notice that! Thats perfect! Now these locations may not exist any more but land mass may not have changed as much. Let’s get this matched up!” Carmen grinned excitedly as Blendin kicked his legs happily.

He found that he liked hanging out with the Agents when they weren’t all about being criminals. He still felt a moral divide with the fact his family was pretty much a non murderous mafia, in his opinion. He didn’t know if they collected protection money or threatened to steal things if demands were not met but seeing his mom surrounded by walking apocalypses, by his technical terms, that was all he could imagine. Outside crime, he liked everyone, save for M. Then again M was not the most open to friendships to most people. Blendin found him a bit more abrasive than everyone else. “Can I get a snack, Mom?” Carmen smiled and one arm hugged him, barely tall enough to kiss the top of his head, “Of course you can. You remember the way to the kitchen, right?” Blendin nodded and scampered out towards the snacks. “The kid has a good idea, how about we break for now and pick this up after a bit of a refresher? We have been at this for quite a while and my eyes are ready to bug out of my head.” Kiros chuckled. Drake and Vasha agreed and seemed to have already grabbed a couple of alcoholic drinks.

Blendin opened the fridge and poked around a bit, grabbing some starfruit and blueberries. Wally sat up from reading a book at the kitchen island, “Hey there Kiddo. I think you are like the first kid I’ve seen that doesnt go straight for junkfood.” Blendin sat opposite of Wally and popped a few berries into his mouth. “Eh, I just dont like junkfood. I’m a vegetarian so this naturally tastes better than greasy chips or candybars. I mean I like them as a treat but if theres fruit, I’ll take that first over junk.” Blendin shrugs, peering over to his dad’s book, “Whatcha reading?” Wally smiled and lifted the cover, “I’m catching up on your sister’s novels. This is just the first book. She seems to have a lot of fun if all this is true. I’m sure she embellishes some for the excitement of the reader but overall its fascinating!” Blendin nods, scrolling on his phone, “Yeah she takes her work pretty seriously. I mean we hang out sometimes but she’s either prattling on about work or complaining about something. I think she’s going into an emo or angry phase. She’s just so tempermental.” Wally thought a moment, “And she’s two or three years older than you.. oh I see. Mare issues. She’s probably inheriting her mom’s cycles. Moody and needy for companionship, and your mom’s can get pretty intense. Speaking of, hey Lekir! You all on a break or something?” Lekir was walking in with Asta, “Yeah we’re done for the day. Ninoga and Kiros are keeping Carm busy… its gonna be a while, the pirates are enjoying the show. Bug boy is brooding somewhere trying to find eye bleach again.” She reached over and stole a piece of Blendin’s starfruit with a wink, much to his protest. “Hey! I had plans for that!”

“You snooze, you lose, bud. There’s more in the fridge!” She called back as she followed Asta to their room. Wally laughed as Blendin pouted. “Were you looking for special treatment? You’re one of the family. They all pick on each other in a loving way.” Wally smiled, turning the page to his book. “Dad, does Mom ever hurt anyone or threaten people?” Blendin asked hesitantly, Wally looked up at the ceiling a moment before shrugging and shaking his head, “I don’t believe so. If she did, it would be unintentional. She would rather strike without warning but keep everyone alive and safe. I’ve heard people call her the thief with a heart of gold.” Blendin smiled, “So she’s not a mob boss?” Wally laughed, “She may have a crime family but she’s no mob boss. I swear she wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“Don’t be too fuckin sure on that, she can have a mean right hook and a stinging slap when she wants.” M sauntered in and looked into the fridge, taking out a tupperware of odd looking dried meat. He leaned on the countertop and he gnawed on a piece. “Haven’t you and Mom been at each other’s throats since she came back from Siberia?” Blendin asked, trying to ignore the meat. M chuckled, “Don’t worry yer little twink head. We have our disagreements but she can’t resist my illustrious charm all the time.” Wally actually cackled, “Oh she can resist alright. Like full body shivers of disgust some days!!” Blendin frowned and asked, “Whats a twink?”

M pulled on the colt’s hoodie strings, making the hood cinch up around Blendin’s muzzle. “You’ll find out when yer older. Nothin to waste time worryin about right now.” He continued to chew on the dried meat for a bit more. “But yeh, she and I will be fine. Nothin ta worry about. She and I are dealing with a bit of a heavy side subject and tryin ta figure out how to fuckin deal with it before lettin anyone else in on it, to keep it from gettin too fuckin complicated. Ya know?” M picked out a piece of wood from his teeth and threw it in the trash.

Wally put his chin in his hand as he leaned on his elbow, “Does it perchance have to deal with that hunk of junk in your mech lab?” M waggled a piece of meat at his brother, “079 is not a hunk of junk, its just a self centered prick that has this attachment to Kiros for some forsaken reason.” Wally sipped his can of soda-pop. “I thought 079 is a nice ai. Its always nice to me, in a no nonsense way.” Blendin sighs, “I wish Mom would let me see the ai but she doesn’t think I’m old enough yet.” M roughly patted his back, “Probably for the best with how it is. It aint the easiest thing to get to know. And its also fer security reasons. She don’t let yer dad in there all the time either, just when he happens to be by her fuckin side does he get a chance to talk with it.”

“I dunno, it seems to be quite friendly to me. We always have a good time chatting.” Kiros chuckled, walking past, with a happy yet disheveled looking Carmen over his shoulder. Ninoga was following behind, “If you need us, we’ll be in the dungeon!” M drooped his shoulders, growling “Didja at least fuckin clean up in there?! I ain’t yer fuckin janitor!!” Carmen smirked as she hung over Kiros’s shoulder, she held up a middle finger and blew a sarcastic kiss to M just to rile him up even more, his insect chitter growing louder as he clenched his fists. “Mom has a dungeon? Like a brig or jail? Why would they be going there?? Did she do something wrong?” Wally and M both look at each other, M cackled loudly as Wally winces embarrassingly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Son, there are things that grown ups see as fun while kids like you find as punishments…” Blendin raises an eyebrow and glances over to M who had then started choking on his own spit from laughing so hard, punching his own chest to clear it up. “Like taxes?” Wally puts his hands together and to his lips as if to pray, and deeply inhales, “Nnnnnot quite. You see.. when a mare and a stallion like eachother alot..” Blendin slow blinks, “Mom and Lekir like eachother alot too. Just say its a mating thing. I’ll find out eventually.” Wally looked so relieved, “Oh thank Celestia. I thought I was going to need to give you the birds and bees talk.” Blendin shook his head, “I know biology but the details and subcategories haven’t been taught to me yet.” M catching his breath, still chuckling, leans on the kitchen island, “So you know what fucking is but don’t know the different combos that can be used in fucking. Got it. Hang around here, you’ll catch on quick.”

“She has a WHAT?! My stars.. they’re all just a bunch of criminal degenerates.. As your elder sibling, I forbid you from cavorting with the likes of them! What kind of role model is proud of being a sex crazed cat burglar?! I mean her last caper didn’t even make sense! A rusted box that she just went to destroy?! Is she going to destroy anything else?!” The young golden yellow pegasus paced around, screaming into her phone at her younger brother Blendin. She was just reaching her 18th birthday soon and she was almost free of possibly being in a criminal’s custody. She brushed her hair, the different dark silver and grey shades almost sparkled with just having been washed. “But I’ve spent time with her, she’s a good person! She actually cares about us!” Blendin’s voice came through the speaker as Daring still got ready for the day. “It may seem like that now but I promise you, she’s up to no good! She wants to use you and your Library knowledge to get your artifacts! Don’t freakin trust her or her goons! The sooner you cut ties, the better!” She huffs, glancing at the half opened box with an obsidian dragon in her closet and shuts the door. “Dare, she is really not that bad! She has fed me, shown me a lot of what you would consider secrets, even flown in her jet! I’ve seen her be protective! Even Dad vouches for her!” Blendin goes on as she sighs, “Blen, no. Don’t even count Dad into this. He hasn’t been there either for us, I can excuse the amnesia bit but he’s still too love blind to see what she’s doing to us! And she’s trying to blind you with shiny things to gain your trust into handing the entire Library to her! Why else would she stick us into these places if not to try to use us for easy access?!” She rubs her forehead, her feathers ruffled, “Blen, we have gone over this so many times! You’re just too young and naive to understand! I’ve been out in the world, you’re just starting to see it. Get more exposure of the real world without HER and then see what you’re being blind to.”

Blendin sniffles a bit, “I really hope you are dead wrong about her! She never puts me down like you do! She’s called me brilliant and clever! You just complain I’m too young and stupid! I know I’m not a prodigy explorer like you but you don’t have to treat me like that!” Daring winces, “Bro, I didnt mean it like that, you know that! I’m trying to protect you! You’re the only family I have!” Blendin sniffles a little more, “If you just give her a chance, you can have more than just me for family! You don’t have to do it all alone! You’re the one pushing away!” Daring snapped, “Its not that simple, okay?! Its not all happiness and rainbows! I’m sorry if I call you stupid but things like this you should be more smart with! Its not all found in books!” There was silence on the other end for a little while, “I… I think I better go, let you calm down a bit. I’ll talk to you later, Dare.” The phone clicked as the call disconnected. Daring threw her phone into her small mountain of pillows on her bed and sat at her little desk by her window, her typewriter sitting with a half page already written. She pushed it aside a little bit and set some books down, opening one to a page about legendary golden eggs of Babylon.

Blendin hung up the phone and sighed, looking at his dorm ceiling. He just didnt understand why Daring just didnt want to try getting to know her family more. Other than the stealing, he didn’t see what was so bad. He didn’t condone his mother’s crime sprees, but he saw that she was a good person over all.

A knock came from his door, a messenger handed him a letter when he answered, “The Keeper is giving you an assignment. Do your research and be prepared to depart by the date stated inside. Its your first one, Congrats, young Librarian!” Blendin beamed and thanked the messenger, closing the door before jumping around cheering. “I gotta tell Daring!.. I gotta tell Mom and Dad!!” He stopped and repeated as if just realizing for the first time, “I get to tell Mom and Dad..” he grinned and ran out of his room to the Ley travel doors, letter in hand. In the letter was his permit to use the doors to his needs.

At VILE HQ, Carmen and Lekir were just finishing up a sparring session for close combat. They had the sparring room littered with various padded objects like an obstacle course to simulate a crowded area. Carmen was more of the quick jab kickboxing type while Lekir preferred a more graceful tai chi approach. Carmen tried her stronger right hook as Lekir brushed it off and deflected, hooking her arm around and locking it, twisting and flung Carmen onto her back, hitting the ground with a grunt. The two girls breathed hard and took a break, laughing. Lekir grabbed Carmen’s hand and helped her to her feet as Blendin applauded, he had just seen the last bit of the fight and was highly entertained. “Hey Kiddo. Like how I just owned your mom?” Lekir laughed as Carmen punched her arm playfully, “Oh So you owned me? I’ll get you back for that.” Lekir raised an eyebrow and licked her muzzle hungrily, “Oh I’m sure you can try, but you know I dominate not only here but-“ Carmen laughs nervously and cuts her off, “So! What brings you around here unannounced, you usually give a heads up. Not that I mind, I just thought thats what you prefer.” Blendin bounced and holds up his letter, “I wanted to surprise you. I got my first assignment out into the world!! Its not for another six months or so but I need to do my research during the waiting period. I think its due to the location only being available during certain times. But I got in!! I’m a full Librarian now!” Carmen and Lekir both cheer as Carmen hugs him tight, “Oh my heavens! That is amazing!! Congratulations!! This is so wonderful!!” Lekir thought a moment, “We should celebrate with something special.. I know! Lets bring him to someplace authentic! Like Mexico or Italy! Where do you wanna go, Squirt?” Blendin adjusted his glasses, “Um.. I always wanted to try Korean HotPot.. their vegetables look so yummy there!” Carmen smiles, “South Korea it is! I think I know a good place in Seoul that you’ll love!” Blendin smiled, “Is it ok if I bring my best friend? He’s a Librarian too. He’s a mythical sphinx with Egyptian and Sumerian parents.” Carmen nodded, “Sure! The more the merrier! Tell you what, go get your friend and meet us back here in about an hour. And we’ll go get things set up with reservations. Ok?” Blendin nodded and grins, bouncing off back to his door portal. Lekir hangs her arm around Carmen’s shoulders, “You know you basically gave that boy a reason to ask his friend on a date, right?” Carmen chuckled knowingly. “I had a feeling, but I think he can handle it. He’s old enough to start figuring things out himself now. And what better way to test the waters than with some good news and good food?”

An hour later the front door glowed blue and Blendin peeked in and helped a young blindfolded winged feline across the threshhold. Blendin closed the door behind them and took off the blindfold, “Tahdah!! Look at this place! Isn’t it huge?!” The feline blinked and looked around, “Wow, its actually kinda modest. I was expecting a ginormous palace or something. Just reminds me of one of the big rich houses on old sitcoms, just modern.” Blendin grins and holds his hands in front of him, “Ok so… I know I said I wanted you to come with me for dinner, this isnt the restaurant. My parents and her group is joining us to celebrate. They offered to cover dinner and travel.” The Sphinx tilted his head, “I was gonna say, this place doesnt look like a hotpot place…. Holy shitake.. is that a demon?!… And a dragon?? TWO DRAGONS?! Dude… who the hell are your parents?!” He retreated behind the teal colt as he saw the VILE Agents start to heads toward the foyer in some of their nicer outfits. Carmen and Waldo walked out, she in a red and black blouse and pencil skirt and he was in his usual striped sweater and jeans. “Mom, Dad, Agents, this is Ty, my best friend. Ty, this is my family. Carmen Pondiego, Waldo Wander and the VILE Agents.” Blendin introduced everyone as Ty was still wide eyed. “Dude… you ARE aware your family is like… wanted in every country for grand theft, right?” Carmen chuckles and offers her hand to shake, “Ty, its a pleasure to meet you! We may be thieves but we’re probably the nicest and most honest thieves you’ll know.” Ty nervously shakes her hand as Blendin bounced, “So where’s the hotpot??” M tapped his wrist watch a bit. “Let’s see, its about 3am in Seoul. Lets speed that fuckin day up to say… 2pm? Was that the reservation?” Carmen looked at her phone, “Yep that should be right. Got the chronoskimmer warmed up?”

“Up and fuckin ready to roll.”

“Sounds good, ok kids, into the mech lab and load yourselves into the van.”

M rolled his eyes, “Its not a fuckin van, its just a pod, like an elevator. Its not that fancy yet. Not like a fuckin Delorean.”

Once everyone entered the mech lab, the roughly made multifaceted pod stood in the corner, just large enough to hold the entire group. M opened the tall hatch door letting everyone file in as he finalizes the destination and time. 079 looked less than thrilled. “Great, the circus is in town and the clowns are getting into their car..have a good show, dont get pie all over my consoles.” M flipped it off with his middle finger, “I’d offer you to come along but I ain’t gonna even miss ya, pixelbreath.” 079 sighed, “Oh please, do hesitate to call if you need me, rude one. I won’t be waiting up.”

With a flash, the group finds themselves in an empty alley near their venue in Seoul, South Korea, a few minutes before 2pm. The two young boys were looking at their phone clocks and looking around, “This is so lit! Its supposed to be in the middle of the night here!!” Ty exclaimed, Blendin looking at the sky and back to his phone, and over to M, “Uncle M, you did it! You actually made us go through time! This is amazing! Mom, after hotpot, can we go shopping?!” Ty’s face lit up, “Hey yeah! We could get some Korean manga and gachapon!” Blendin grinned excitedly, “Do you think they have the new anime figures out yet?! You know how Korea gets things way sooner than we do!” The two teens huddled together to excitedly discuss their current anime hyper-fixations, Lekir and Kiros gently nudged and herded them towards the restaurant. Carmen met the hostess with a bow and spoke Korean to her, explaining her reservation. The hostess was surprised and pleased, requesting them to follow her to their reserved dining room. As they were seated, they were presented with drinks and menus, the table having two heating plates and one large grill in the center. They were instructed how to use everything and how to cook everything. Within moments, the food and broths were served and the group feasted and cooked the foods.

There were laughters and conversations between them all, even Ty was warming up to everyone, asking some curious questions about different strengths and powers, while Blendin was trying to explain his first assignment to his parents, asking for pointers on how to prepare for it. What they found was that his assignment was very similar to the duck hunt they were on. Blendin got worried that both missions may disrupt eachother. Carmen put her hand on his and smiled, “Hey, don’t worry. We will figure something out one way or another. We’re looking for a duck and some regular eggs, you’re looking for some golden eggs. They seem to be from the same region so we can collaborate as much as we can without interfering with your Library mission. I just wish your sister was here to celebrate.” Blendin rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, about that. She refuses to be in the same room as you. She tried to forbid me from even seeing you. She doesn’t get it. She doesn’t see what a good person you are. She’s more furious with you than dad, she just thinks he had amnesia and that you blinded him with love for your own gain. And she thinks that you are trying to blind me with good parenting just so you can get into the Library.” Carmen and Wally chuckle, “I have thought about hitting the Library a long long time ago but with their security and what they do to help protect the world, I’d rather save the library from other thieves rather than steal from it myself. I have too much respect for it and the Warehouse. Which is why I sent you kids there. I knew they would raise and educate you two the best way that I couldnt. I’m still trying to figure out what happened. I didnt feel like it was a safe environment for some young foals. We had to move the mansion around more than once because of some close calls but where its at now is the safest place we have. And you two are old enough to technically take care of yourselves. I just want to be a part of your lives before mine is over.” Carmen sneaks a glance at M who looks back at her then look away and busies himself with drinking nearly a whole pint of ale.

Blendin smiles and uses his chopsticks to grab some mushrooms from the grill and sets them on his plate with some daikon glazed with sauce. “We got a long time for that! I’m not even 18 yet! And unicorns technically would have a pretty good lifespan compared to other ponies. Not by much but a good few years longer. It might be due to their magic. How come I don’t see you use your magic, Mom? You always do it all the manual way.” Carmen sputters her drink a little, not expecting the subject. “Uum.. well. I was born with a bit of a handicap that got worse with the issue of a past trauma I had to deal with when you were an infant.” She clears her throat, realizing she hasnt spoken about it in years. “Let’s just say I’m unable to use magic without the attempt putting me into a coma. But you can! I’m so glad you can use your magic!” Blendin smiles but felt guilty for bringing it up due to her reaction, “I’m sorry, I didnt know.” Wally patted his back, “Hey, thats why you asked. You didnt know and thats ok. Its good to ask. Some people may not be ready to answer and they will let you know the best way they can. Ok? Nothing to be sorry about.” Blendin nodded, looking over to Ty. “I think I have one more question but I’ll need to wait for the right time for that.” Carmen smirks, “Take all the time you need, theres no rush. Especially when it comes to love.” Blendin looks at his mother, and blushes with a smile when she winks back, sipping her wine.

#mlp oc pony #carmen pondiego #ask blog #story update #ao3 fanfic #blendin #marehem #waldo #daring do #chronoskimmer

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Fifth Anniversary Song - Chapter of Love and Dream

Far too many things can’t be expressed in words.

Countless clumsy yet genuine sentiments

Have become musical notes composed into a melody

To be given to you, the dearest person in the world.

[ VICTOR ]

Streets where traffic flows unceasingly

Moments of idleness

Time and space converge into the only path which unfolds for you

From this moment onwards, whether it’s dawn or dusk

I’ll definitely be in your future

[ LUCIEN ]

A line of sight deeply mired in the night

Was dyed with a rainbow

Akin to a butterfly flitting past unexpectedly and lingering for a few moments

Countless inferences and conjectures

Can’t withstand the turncoat of emotions

[ GAVIN ]

The wind

Courses across the vast sky

Allowing a ginkgo leaf to be blown into your hand

Akin to the billowing of old dreams

Past regrets melt away

You’ve made whole the heart-stirring emotions from that late autumn back then

[ KIRO ]

That sunny day we met

Started a grand celebration

That brilliant confession in the sunflower field was sweeter than sugar

Let’s go on adventures together

Until we reach all the destinations in the world

[ SHAW ]

Scorching lightning glides across midsummer night sky

Akin to your probing eyes which sparkle

I'm not willing to let myself get captured that easily yet

So I'll simply call it a temporary addiction

[ TOGETHER ]

Victor: The moment you walked past when the hands of the clock paused

Lucien: Just like blooming fireworks

Gavin: The leaves fell just like yesterday

Kiro: Light poured down on me in torrents

Shaw: My heart fell alongside you

All: Flickering time

All: Engraves an unfinished chapter

All: When it comes to imagining the future, I’ve already thought about it over and over again

All: The changing seasons

All: Are echoes given to us

#mlqc #mlqc cn

[youcouldmakealife]

SOTM: David/Jake: proper preparation prevents poor performance

For the prompt: Jake's half year celebratory party thrown by David. With streamers!

This, like so many things that involve David, has spiralled out of control and sprung another part. It is his way. 

It’s not that David doesn’t know what’s involved in birthday parties, it’s just —

David really hadn’t anticipated just how much is involved in a proper birthday celebration. Perhaps it should have been obvious, since it’s like any other event, but then, David doesn’t plan non-birthday events either.

He’s been to birthday parties, of course, but not in years. Celebrated plenty, but on the team birthdays involve cake ordered by someone if it happens to fall on a game day, perhaps a sign or two during warm-ups, ‘it’s your birthday, give me your stick’ instead of ‘it’s my birthday, give me your stick’, whatever catches a player’s attention. Questions from the media about whether this game is special, whether David wants a birthday goal, like he doesn’t want a goal every other game. David would honestly prefer his birthday wasn’t acknowledged at all, rather than mentioned by people who don’t even know him.

But he’s sure Jake would enjoy it more than him, but Jake doesn’t even have that. At least, he hasn’t since he hit the NHL level, Boxing Day one of the few guaranteed days off. David imagines it was chaotic at the Lourdes house when Jake was young, between Christmas, Jake’s birthday, and the fact that hockey tournaments always landed on the days after Christmas. All of Jake’s favourite things, all at once. David’s sure Jake never complained, would say there was nothing to complain about if asked. Knows that what sounds like a nightmare to David is often something Jake inexplicably enjoys.

But it’s one thing to decide that Jake should have a birthday party that he doesn’t have to share with another holiday — or half birthday party, he supposes — and it’s something else entirely to make it happen. Not the guest list — all he needed to do was tell Allie, and she assured him that she’d make sure everyone who mattered would show up, and that she’d be discreet. 

Supplies were also not too hard, though it did get a little overwhelming, how many options there were. He’s perfectly capable of figuring out catering — and even if he wasn’t, Kiro promised he would walk him through it. He was teasing when he said it, but the sort of teasing that if David asked, he would do it, no questions asked. Probably with some more teasing, but that’s just Kiro’s default. David wouldn’t be surprised to hear Kiro cracked jokes in his sleep.

But it isn’t until David’s at the Lourdes’ lake house, surrounded by bags of decorations and party favours, some he brought from Washington, some he bought in Detroit, concerned he didn’t have enough, that he realises he doesn’t have the first idea how to put together all those disparate parts to create something festive. 

Well, he knows the logistics — streamers get hung up, balloons get inflated, the ‘happy birthday’ banner gets hung. None of it is hard, even if he suspects some of it is meant to be done by two or more people. The banner will present a problem, but David’s smart. He can figure it out, and look things up if he has to. It’ll be fine.

*

David is dangerously close to flinging every single decoration out the window when he hears a car door shut, and all frustration is replaced by panic, because if Jake walks in the door right now, it will look more like an ineffectual robbery than a surprise party.

He jumps up at the knock on the door, though he’s relieved: Jake would never knock, especially considering he doesn’t expect David to be here right now. As far as Jake’s aware, David isn’t coming to Michigan for three more days.

Allie waves at the door’s camera when David checks it, then waves again when he opens the door, like she thinks he may not have seen her the first time.

“Thought you might need help,” Allie says, and David’s torn between offence that Allie just assumed he would need assistance, and relief, because he does need assistance. Rather desperately.

“What happened to the balloons?” Allie asks, after she follows him inside.

He hadn’t wanted to use helium, after reading about the inevitable shortage down the line — he knows one tank won’t make a difference, but he still doesn’t want to contribute — but once he started inflating the balloons himself he realised why people buy them. It is not, he thinks, just for the buoyancy. It takes awhile to inflate them, and they sag if they’re taped to the walls, cluster, looking deflated, on the floor if they aren’t. They look sad. There’s so much effort involved in something that ends up looking half-assed anyway.

“It was too hard to inflate them,” David mumbles, which is true, and doesn’t involve how poorly things went after they were inflated.

“David,” Allie says, starting to smile. “You’re a pro athlete. You’re like the epitome of strong lungs.”

“I felt ridiculous,” David admits.

“Well, I can’t fix that,” Allie says. “But I can look ridiculous with you.”

David would have thought it’d be worse, looking ridiculous in front of someone else as well as feeling ridiculous, but for some reason it’s easier. He doesn’t feel any less ridiculous, but at least it takes less time. And Allie’s better at arranging the balloons in a way that looks less depressing, more like the preparations for a party than the aftermath. But even improved, it looks — David didn’t want it to look like this. David wanted it to be better than this.

“This is silly,” David says. “This all looks — this is silly.”

“It looks festive,” Allie says.

“It looks like a kid’s birthday party,” David says, feeling utterly defeated.

“David,” Allie says. “Look at me.”

David looks away from the drooping balloons, the slightly off-centre streamers, the mediocrity of it all. Not even mediocrity. It doesn’t look at all like he wanted it to. It doesn’t look like David even tried.

“He’s going to be so psyched,” Allie says. “You know that, right? It could look like crap and he’d still be psyched because you did it.”

“So you’re saying it looks like crap,” David says.

“No,” Allie says.

David gives her a doubtful look.

“It looks like you did it yourself,” Allie says. “With your super athlete lungs and my incredible balance.”

Considering she fell off a ladder an hour ago, David does not think this is a compliment.

“He’s used to the Christmas tree still being up and eating leftovers for dinner, David,” Allie says. “He really doesn’t care.”

“I know,” David says. “I just wanted it to be — I don’t know.”

“Special?” Allie asks.

“I—” David says. “Yes.”

“And if I say it’s special because you did it you’re just going to give me that look again,” Allie says

David frowns at her, and she laughs.

“Yeah, that one,” she says. “But you know Jake would say the exact same thing.”

David does know that.

“And you know he’d mean it, right?” Allie asks.

He knows that too.

“And consider it practice,” Allie says. “Because you just gave our whole family an excuse to crash the lake house and drink beer and eat cake, so this is, one hundred percent, going to be an annual thing now.”

“It is?” David asks.

“Oh yeah,” Allie says.

David looks around at the work they’ve done, knows there’s still so much more to do. How apparently it’s going to be an annual task. He takes one breath, another.

“Do you know what everyone will want to eat?” he asks, and Allie’s mouth tips up like she’s maybe about to tease him, but that’s a price he’s willing to pay

“Come on, David,” Allie says. “We’re going to buy out the entire chip aisle.”

David follows Allie to her car, protesting that decision the entire way.

#fic snippet #SOTM #david chapman #jake lourdes #allie lourdes

[theheirofthesharingan]

Itachi's thoughts on Sasuke in Akatsuki Hiden: Evil Flowers in Full Bloom

Uchiha Itachi.

It was the very man, the genius of the ancient and honourable Uchiha Clan, that was now a family killing traitor.

However, there was something that even Itachi, who had cut off all connections, couldn’t cut away.

His little brother. The little brother who was deeply hurt, split in two like Konoha’s mark on his forehead.

He especially remembered the day of this month. He halted the Uchiha coup d’etat, and that day was covered in Uchiha blood.

The bond of affection between Itachi and Sasuke now turned to Sasuke’s bond of hatred to Itachi, yet it was a complex link. Itachi had induced it. But he knows nothing, and was told nothing.

Itachi knew better than anyone the bitterness in handling loved ones.

When the time came for Sasuke to kill Itachi, he wanted him to kill him without feeling sorrow, without feeling anything. In his eyes, Itachi dreamed of it.

However, it seemed that it will take some time until the end.

____________

Hoping for Konoha, hoping for the Uchiha, Shisui left in the shadows, falling nobly. His way of life was a shinobi’s path. And Itachi thought like him. Carrying sin, such as wearing dishonour the same way he wears the Akatsuki garments, yet Itachi wasn’t built into them.

If he saw his older brother continue to commit crimes, Sasuke wouldn’t hesitate to kill Itachi.

_________

"Things sure get of hand when loving affection turns to hatred in brotherhood, don’t they?"

Kisame muttered as he stopped the water prison. The words were directed to the brothers of the Bee Department, but for some reason they stabbed in Itachi as well.

________

He quietly turned his back and put the two figures who’d stopped moving out of his mind’s eye.

It was his own little brother, Sasuke, that crossed his mind.

Was that the place Itachi truly imagined for him at the end of his hatred?

However, he denied the thought.

Sasuke was a gentle child. Amazingly innocent, too soon dyed in the colour of a heavy weight of a human being.

It made the heart weak and extinguished the mind.

So black, black and dark, the bewildering darkness of hatred.

In this world where battle continued, the Uchiha’s blood, so easily exposed to despair, had to use their strength to win in order for the pupil to survive.

_________

Sasuke.

He was prepared to die and give him everything. Waiting for him [Sasuke] to overcome him [Itachi].

If there was one thing he regretted.

....to die without telling his true feelings.

____________

He didn’t know if Kiiro heard him [Kiro's brother, Kodaka], but he was confident that he did in this world.

For Itachi, who held everything in his heart, he envied him.

In his final moments, what would he talk about? Then again, he wouldn't know until the second of his death.

#itachi uchiha #sasuke uchiha #akatsuki hiden #uchiha itachi #itachi #uchiha sasuke #sasuke #naruto shippuden #naruto #mine #uchiha brothers

[cuddletime-blog]

5 MLQC Male Leads’ Christmas Letters to MC

Dear MC,

Merry Christmas! Happy holidays. This year seems to have passed by quickly somehow too, but you’ve accomplished many things this year despite the challenges. You never cease to amaze me with your determination, creative ideas, and commitment to your work. I’m so proud of you, Miss Chips! Let’s continue to work better and make the upcoming year even more successful! Thank you for being my Muse and devoted fan/Soda. I want to write more uplifting songs to share with you and the rest of the world. Anyway, it’s Christmas so let’s enjoy the day together in our pajamas and test out all the new video games I bought for us to try. I can’t wait to just relax, eat snacks, open gifts, and spend the day talking and laughing together with you. I have planned out a night of board games as well with hot cocoa and plenty of marshmallows. Apple Box and Cello will get to see their new toys and want to play with you too.

                                               Yours Truly,

                                                       Kiro

  Dear MC,

           You have been once again formally invited to Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and Christmas dinner at Souvenir this year. The holidays and special occasions you have not-so-subtlely-hinted, looked forward to, and worked towards are finally here. Keep up the progress and improvements with your proposals/reports. You can always come to me for advice no matter which troubles and predicaments you may find yourself in from time to time. We will solve and face them together. I look forward to seeing your many ideas, “surprises”, and results of your efforts. Anyway, today is not a workday so let’s see how you like the new Christmas menu. I can already imagine your gluttonous smile and inability to decide between having crepes, cinnamon rolls, and waffles for Christmas brunch. I have already prepared a special Christmas treat for Pudding as well.

                                                           Victor

   Dear MC,

I know we’ve both been so busy with work this year. Let’s go for a walk together in the park and have a Christmas picnic lunch. It will be good to get some exercise outdoors and then just relax. What I look forward to the most for the holidays is spending it together with you. One of my other plans is that I already have tickets to the amusement park too so we can have fun and take photos there. We can try out all of the different rides, see parades at night with Christmas lights, eat corndogs, cotton candy, peppermint chocolate cookies, and more. If there is anything else you want to try doing, just let me know. Sparky and I look forward to having new adventures with you any time of the year.

                                                                 Sincerely,

                                                                 Gavin

  Hey MC,

           The weather outside is actually not so bad today. How about we go to the skate park and practice some tricks? I want to see the progress you’ve made and what you’ve learned so far. You’re so fortunate to have such an amazingly talented, great teacher like me. Afterwards, we can make a hotpot feast for dinner. I wonder what silly gifts you bought for me this time. In return, I’ll teach you some new card games this year. We can also watch historical documentaries and movies and quiz each other. I bought a Christmas cake since you’ve been talking so much about how good the new items at the bakery are recently. Happy Holidays.

                                                                       Shaw

    Dear MC,

           I never had much of a reason to celebrate the holidays before, but you’ve changed my mind about them. Now, I see that the holidays are meant to be spent with those we appreciate and care about. Today, we can spend Christmas doing arts and crafts and baking cookies together. You can make whichever crafts and cookies you like. I picked out some arts and crafts guidebooks and baking cookbooks for you to bookmark and use them. I am glad we went groceries shopping for baking ingredients recently. We can also visit the new cat café that you’ve been talking about. Whichever plans you decide on, I look forward to trying them all together. The holidays seem special because of who we spend them with and how we spend them. Let’s continue to make more of these holiday memories this year and the next.

                                                                       Sincerely,

                                                                       Lucien

#mlqc #mlqc headcanons #mlqc gavin #mlqc kiro #mlqc victor #mlqc lucien #mlqc shaw #mlqc bai qi #mlqc baek gi #love and producer #evol x love #mr love queen's choice #mr love dream date #mr love gavin #mr love kiro #mr. love queen's choice #mr love victor #mr love lucien #mr love shaw #mr love: queen's choice #mlqc zhou qi luo mlqc li ze yan love and producer li ze yan #love and producer zhou qi luo #love and producer xumo #love and producer xu mo #love and producer ling xiao #mlqc ling xiao #mr. love kiro #mr. love gavin #mr. love victor #mr. love lucien

[thehighpriestess1]

in SDF have kiro and gojo interacted... OMG I want their conversation to happen so bad.... like kiro defending yn and all..... OMG so cute

No they haven’t really but it would be so fun if they did. Kiro would totally judge Gojo and give him side-eyes. I feel Kiro would be so territorial of y/n. Like yeah he is a little mean to her but he would be so territorial of her. Imagine y/n just babysitting Kiro because she wants to and Gojo just being super jealous that she is taking care if someone else’s kid. While Kiro would be so territorial and purposely sit between Gojo and y/n. But Gojo can’t do anything. He would ask y/n to move with him to kyoto and Gojo’s ears would just perk up and he would stare pleadingly at y/n like a baby. At the end of day Gojo would just be super super super clingy to y/n and would whine every time she tries to get out of his arms and pull her back in. He missed out on his time with her (which is 24 x 7 x 365) so now he needs compensation 🤭🤭

#gojo satoru #ash answers 🤍 #gojo angst #gojo fluff #gojo x y/n #gojo satoru x reader #gojo smut #gojo x you #gojo satoru x you #scars don’t fade

[thedummysdummy]

Telling the Sun

Another entry to the 'Fatherless Child' series.

~~~~

“That was great, Kiro, but we should run the song again so we can get the sound balance correct. The track overpowered you just a little bit.” The director waved a hand at the sound table and the music again began to play. Kiro held the microphone in his hand and looked out over the empty venue, imagining it to be full of excited fans. 

His eyes lit up as his favorite face entered the auditorium and made herself comfortable in the back row. The pop star straightened his back just a little taller and brought the mic to his lips, humming the first few bars of vocals before the lyrics started. He couldn’t really see Ms. Chips’ expression, but he just knew she was beaming back at him. 

I met you unexpectedly and at that time I knew

The sun I’d lost so long ago…I knew that light was you

The sweet tones of Kiro’s voice filled the room and echoed in a pleasing manner, blending smoothly with the music into the most pleasant dessert for the ear. He sang his concert for one and was completely engrossed in ensuring the girl knew he was singing just to her. 

But halfway through the second verse, she jumped up from her seat and ran out of the room. Kiro’s brow creased just slightly in concern. Had he done that badly? Or had something happened? His distraction caused his voice to drop and the director waved his hand. 

“Cut, cut! Kiro, what happened? You were doing a fabulous job, but then your volume dropped. Do you need to rest your voice?” 

Kiro frowned and started to shake his head, but a second thought caused him to nod. “Well, my voice is alright, but I think I need a break. Give me fifteen?” He cast his brilliant blue eyes on the director and barely waited for an approving nod before returning the mic to its stand and vaulting off the front of the stage. 

“Careful, careful! Don’t injure yourself!” the director called after the retreating form of Kiro. But the blonde paid no attention; he was intent on finding Ms. Chips. 

He burst through the door she had exited and paused, looking up and down the hallway for any sign of her. “Curse these ears,” he grumbled, adjusting the devices in his ears in a vain attempt to listen for the girl. When that didn’t work, he chose a direction and began to walk. Kiro paused outside each and every door, peering through the little windows even in the dark rooms. 

It didn’t take too long to check all but one door in the square which made up the continuous hallway. He lingered outside the only remaining door: the women’s restroom. After looking up and down the hall and seeing no one to ask to go inside and check for him, he pushed the door open just the tiniest bit and called out, “Ms. Chips? Are you in there?” 

His only answer was the sound of retching and a splash. At least, until a few moments had passed in silence. “Yes, Kiro? Did you need something?” 

The girl emerged, wiping the corner of her mouth and a single tear which had made its way down her cheek. Kiro looked her up and down for a breath before wrapping her in his arms. “Are you okay, Ms. Chips? Are you ill? If you’re ill, you need to go home and get some rest! Why are you working if you don’t feel well?!” He pulled away slightly to look her in the eyes, drying the corner of her eye with his warm thumb. 

“I’m fine,” she insisted, returning the hug before pulling away and giving him a smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’m not really sick.” She paused for a moment, unsure if she was ready to give out details yet, but the concerned look in Kiro’s eyes pulled out the confession before she could stop it. “It’s just morning sickness.” 

Kiro froze, his eyes widening as his mouth fell open. “You’re…going to have a baby?! How did that happen?! I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend! I’m jealous!” His tone was light and excited, with just a hint of sadness behind it. Why hadn’t she trusted him enough to tell him she was with someone? Despite her being his boss, Kiro felt they were close enough he should know about those kinds of things. 

“‘How’ is the question I’m asking too,” she finally admitted, her lips scrunching slightly as her eyes fell toward the floor. “I don’t have a boyfriend or I definitely would have told you about it. I just…can’t remember what happened. One day I was at the lantern festival and the next…I was pregnant. At least, that’s about the closest day the doctor can guess that it happened.” 

Her shame could have drowned a fish as she floundered in it. Kiro could see it filling her eyes and despite the surprise and concern in his own chest, he again pulled her into his arms. “Hey now. Don’t worry! Uncle Kiro will make sure that Ms. Chips’ baby has everything he or she could ever want!! And I won’t tell anyone, I promise. If you need anything, you just let your personal superhero know!” 

Kiro struck a pose and the girl began to laugh. “I appreciate that. Now, how about we get back in there and finish your rehearsal? The doors open in about an hour, you know. We can’t disappoint the fans, right?” 

“Right!” Kiro agreed brightly, his eyes lingering on the girl’s stomach for just a moment. “I’ll practice really hard so both Ms. Chips and my niece or nephew will be super proud of me!” He hurried down the hallway and the girl watched him go, her eyes full of fondness. She didn’t really know what to expect when telling the men in her life about the unexpected pregnancy, but Kiro’s reaction had given her hope that maybe, just maybe things would actually be alright.

#kiro would be the best uncle #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #love and producer li zeyan #mlqc #evol x love #love and producer victor #love and producer #mr love queen's choice #mlqc fanfic #mlqc victor fanfic

[italeean]

My amazing friends

I think it's time I share with you the list of the closest friends I've made during this little journey of mine. I also decided to add a little paragraph for everyone, I hope it's not too sappy lmaooo 😅 ALSO, if you're not on the list, please tell me... I probably just forgot. Vi voglio bene 💚🤍❤️

@jettori Well... one of my first friends around here. What can I say? I think you already know what I think of you and how much I treasure our friendship. You deserve all the love and all the cookies of the world!! 🍡🍪

@rattypatty BABY AGE!! 🌸 This is gonna be your new nickname here ^_^ You always bring a smile to my face (even when you call me baby height...). I genuinely think you're brave and tough and I hope you'll always remain as you are because you're amazing.

@fanfic-chan Such a sweetheart 🥺 Seriously, I think everything about you is cute. Also, I'm proud of all the progress you've made and of your new job. Keep going, you're marvelous and you only deserve the best!!

@kaerichan-yatta My Italian (and linguistic high school) buddyyy 💚🤍❤️ And SUCH. A. TEASE. AAAAAAAAHHH!! But remember, what goes around comes back around. (Although we both know I don't dislike your teases). Anyway, besides being teasy, you have many more qualities and I hope you know how unique and great you are.

@xiaosstepstool MOM FRIEND!! 🥰 Let's be clear now, at first you gave me Gorou vibes, but the more we talked, the more Yae-like you became (in the best way possible). But you're also so sweet and adorable... my heart can't handle this-

@xsezzie Shortieee <333 You're one of the very few people I can use this nickname with. I genuinely think that you're really cool and I really admire how hard you work. Although you're still a small bully to me!! 😭 (I'd say big bully but you know... height difference is on my side here lol)

@tickles-and-cuddles SWEETIEEEEE!! Ily but please, be more self-confident. I'm really glad you reached out to me because now I have another amazing friend, and I know for a FACT that other people would love to get to know you❣️

@wertzunge Tbh you remind me of a little cub lol 😹 I was kinda scared at the thought of approaching you (a big thanks to my social anxiety) so I guess I'll have to thank you for making that project about communication. Thanks to that I got to know a cute, little ball of sunshine ^_^

@intheheartofarainbow Idk if you expected to be on this list, but here you are my dear 😸 Your nice words supported and motivated me probably more than you can imagine. I'm glad I've met such a gentle soul

@skribblz AAAAAAAHHH you have no idea of how honored I felt when you gave me permission to write for your drawings!! I was extremely nervous at the thought of you reading my works though, since I was (and still am) basically an amateur... but your compliments really did improve my self-esteem as a writer (although I'm still rather inexperienced) 🌈

@vampirecorset One of the most mature and strongminded people I've ever met. I admire how you have your own opinions and stick to them. You're truly inspiring ✨️

@fresh-thomato LITTLE CUTIEEEE!! Let's be honest, it's adorable how easy it is to fluster you 🥰 You're one of the strongest people I know, always ready to listen. You're really special to me and I hope you know that

@simplysmilingdrew I WON'T TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH I APPRECIATED YOUR FANART BASED ON MY FIC JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SHORT PARAGRAPH AND NOT AN ESSAY 💘 Apart from that, you're always so sweet and nice, I'm honored to be able to call you a friend!!

@tickly-floof One word: BABYYYY!! 🥺 Because that's what you are (in an affectionate way obviously). Honestly, your demeanor is heartwarming... you're really a cute and sweet person!! (PS. Give Kiro a few scritches for me please, he's Baby no. 2 after all)

@leeviathaaaan Levi... or LEEvi..? Sorry, sorry... I had to say it 😅💖 Anyway, I really appreciate your support for my works and I LOVE when we talk. You're a really interesting person and I hope you agree with me here (since I'm 100000% sure I'm right)

@myreygn my fellow Takao simp 🥹❤️ Jokes aside... my Bashful Sweetheart!! Okay I'll get serious now... you're one of the nicest people around here, so sweet and cheerful, I feel like everyone would want to be your friend. But I can't let your teasing about my height and other things slide, hmph! <333

@mai-meiei Aaaaaww you really give me big sister vibes ✨️ You always have something nice to say and are always so supportive... it's a honor to have such a great friend!! Also, your drawings are AMAZING, cutie 🥰

@eliasiis Okay we haven't talked much, but I'd love making friends with you. You seem someone really sweet and funny 😸 Also, you're super talented (seriously guys, if you still aren't following him, do it right now)

@lovinglyroses Yuukoku no Moriarty is undoubtedly a great series, but another reason I'm happy for watching it is because your hcs made us meet 🥹 You are a treasure, for me as a friend and for the whole community thanks to your personality and talent 🩷

@rand0m-s1nner Aaaaahh the first time you texted me I had a giddy smile plastered all over my face!! Like, you showed appreciation for one of the fics I felt the most insecure about... and you're so interesting!! Another amazing person I have the problem of calling a friend 🍡❤️‍🔥

#my mutuals #it came out longer than I expected hehehe #and maybe a bit messier..? #but I like it the way it is so i won't change it #ily all <333

[theknightofivanhoe]

Caress - A Barrisoka Story part 1

Inappropriate Circumstances

Happy Pride to the Barrisoka camp! Hope you like this naughty little chapter where Barriss gets pretty horny over Ahsoka's body. Credit goes to KjaraGrissaecrim for a little inspiration from Barriss' Lone Mirialan character design he did for Barriss.

Ahsoka's outfit is inspired by some pinups by comic artist Scott Dalrymple. Stay tuned for more dirty Barriss x Ahsoka chapters and happy Pride. Ahsoka and Barriss belong to Disney and Lucasfilm. No copyright intended.

Barriss felt her cheeks burn, light pangs going through her stomach, but she stood where she was keeping her vacant eyes on a blue-glowing holo-map of the landscape of the planet Kiros that Ahsoka and the golden-skinned Togruta governor Roshti were examining. Ever a diligent student in the Jedi Code, Barriss had always kept her focus on the matter at hand, never to let any trifling thoughts or temptations distract her. 

Of course, now without an all-powerful Jedi Order’s rules to rigidly obey, or a master to supervise and remind her to clear her mind, Barriss was living a life where each passing day only felt like a small victory in a seemingly endless cycle of survival. It had taken the strong-willed, beautiful, rebellious Ahsoka herself for Barriss to understand that life did not have to revolve around inflexible self-deprivation and parchment-thin dogma, nor sowing chaos under the sway of the same dark force that now held the universe in the palm of its hand.

Right now, something very specific was seriously disrupting Barriss’ focus on this strategy being discussed by Ahsoka and Governor Roshti. Ahsoka, leaning over the holo-map with a hand propped casually on her hip, was still wearing that Force-cursed leotard! Dark red fabric stretched over her smooth, plump orange buttocks that just barely stayed contained within. They simply taunted Barriss who couldn’t even catch up with what was being said by the two Togruta who were laying down plans against future attacks by Zygerrian slavers for instance. 

Why, of all the garments made possible in this universe, did Ahsoka have to go for a leotard? Barriss had certainly made her stance as an outlaw independent of any galactic power pretty clear by dispensing with modesty, showing off her own thighs with the loincloth-like leather strips she had paired with her improvised armour. Yet it just confounded her how Ahsoka simply strutted around in what resembled a red swimsuit, fabric being the only shield for her nether-regions, and yet she exuded such confidence, sometimes bordering on cockiness. Pair that skimpy clothing with tall boots, gloves and a belt from which her new lightsabres hung from, and even a glance at Ahsoka ignited such warmth through Barriss, a certain thrill rushing through parts of her own body. But seeing the nearly-naked Ahsoka in battle, leaping, whirling and cutting down her opponents with her white-bladed sabres, sent Barriss’ heart thrumming louder than even the most colossal hyperdrive. What made it all the more wondrous was fighting alongside her Togruta lover, their Force-enhanced wardance hardened by the lessons of the past and one at the other’s back, their love being their strongest weapon imaginable.

“ - here, and here, right Barriss?” The torturously exhilarating thoughts in Barriss’ mind screeched to a halt at Ahsoka pronouncing her name, she and Governor Roshti turning to the Mirialan. Barriss felt as though she had clone trooper blasters trained on her, ready to zap her to death at a moment’s notice. Reminding herself she had only been distracted in the middle of a secret meeting, she looked back at Ahsoka and the elder governor who waited for her reply. “I…” Barriss piped up, the two Togruta staring at her. Surely she had been in earshot. “Of course. Yes, yes, of course.” she awkwardly agreed with…whatever Ahsoka had been saying. Ahsoka and Governor Roshti were slightly nonplussed at how Barriss acted like a kybuck in headlights. “Barriss…?” Ahsoka started to grow a little concerned. “Are you alright, my love?” “Ah - absolutely. Yes, I’m absolutely…I’m fine. Thanks.” Barriss insisted, her azure eyes maintaining as much innocence as she could muster. “I just…What was that last part again?” “I was just saying, the Zygerrians could try and advance on the village from the cover of the trees…” Ahsoka replied, pointing down at a part of the holomap where a pathway through thick woodland west of Roshti’s village grew narrower where the gates were, “so we can post some scouts in the treetops to ambush them from above.” “Even if any of them reached the village, the element of surprise will no longer be theirs.” the wise Governor Roshti put in. Ahsoka leaned one hand against the holo-map table, planting a fist on her hip ever-so-casually and asked, “Any ideas on what kinds of booby traps you could set?” While she and the governor returned their attention to the strategy, Barriss scrunched her eyes shut at what Ahsoka had just said. The word ‘booby’ made her breathing grow heavy as her brain replayed images, images of that gap in the chest of Ahsoka’s leotard. ‘Ugh, please no, get it together…’ Barriss pleaded with herself mentally. But nothing could keep the very image of orange Togruta breasts rising and falling with every steady breath Ahsoka took from invading her brain.

Stars, this wasn’t fair! From her cheeks down to her hands, Barriss felt as hot as the very air of Felucia. How could Ahsoka be so in control, so cool-headed and wear so little? The pleasure was going to send Barriss into a frenzy. As the two Togruta elaborated on ideas of village defences, Barriss thought back to the amount of times she and Ahsoka spent with each other, free to simply indulge each other in all the love and passion that had been expressly forbidden by the strictures of an Order now outlawed across the length and breadth of the galaxy.

‘Come on, Barriss, you know you like to see me in less clothes…’ Ahsoka had teased her lover once when presenting herself to her in the new leotard back then, clearly relishing showing her body off to her. She always did this on purpose! But if there were no Jedi around to discipline them, what could possibly keep Barriss from getting a little payback? Mischief twinkled in her eyes as she edged behind Ahsoka and slowly, indolently reached downwards...

“And we can set up some nets over…h -” Ahsoka, pointing at a clearing in the holomap of the woodland, froze up in an instant. Her words caught in her throat at something she was feeling. Heartbeat rising, cheeks heating up, air being sucked out of her lungs, she fell silent and her focused expression turned blank with paralysis. Governor Roshti noticed this and looked at her quizzically. “Ahsoka?” he asked, wondering if something was amiss. Still as a statue and staring past him, Ahsoka could feel fingers, and she knew whose they were, gently and affectionately caressing her leotard-clad bottom, the tips stroking her plump cheeks, teasingly tracing along the cleft where the red material was tightest. Electricity seemed to lance through Ahsoka’s body, the touch making her very nearly squeak at how ticklish it was.

In a split second, the fingers withdrew and Ahsoka just stood there, heat spreading from her face to her montrals, her heart still thumping relentlessly. But there was also pleasure in the sensation. Apart from the very inappropriate circumstances, discussing tactics with the governor, part of Ahsoka seemed to actually enjoy what she had just felt. Snapping out of her stupor, she shook her head and faced Roshti again. “Ahsoka, are you all right?” Roshti was asking, concern growing on his ageing face. “Oh, no, yes, ah, yes, governor. I - uh, I’m absolutely…absolutely…” Ahsoka was a mess, scrambling for words that would diffuse the situation. “Oh, I…just thought I…sensed something. False alarm, that’s all…” Roshti tilted his head at her stammering and obvious loss of composure. “I was just - just saying, if we set up some nets there - where the slavers might advance on the village…” As she instantly returned the conversation to the strategy, Ahsoka found herself wrestling with thoughts in her head. That touch still lingered on her bottom, the sensual rush threatening to break through her usually cool, collected demeanour. Behind her, Barriss turned her head aside and raised a hand over her lips, fighting down a giggle.

After the meeting, Ahsoka and Barriss were walking through the tranquil village back to the sleek, repurposed Z-95 Headhunter starfighter parked in a nearby clearing. Once they were out of the village and on the woodland path, Ahsoka immediately cut around Barriss and blocked her way with both hands on her hips. Though she stopped in her tracks, Barriss couldn’t help but notice the effort Ahsoka was making to glare at her, a smirk threatening to crack through her rather unconvincing mask of seriousness.

“Okay, Barriss, what was that?” Ahsoka demanded. Seeing right through the Togruta’s attempt at a scolding tone, Barriss just decided to play along and put a finger to her chin. “I have no idea what you mean…” she smirked back in jest. “There’s always a time and place for intimate gestures,” Ahsoka told her, her hips slanting in that way that always sent Barriss’ loins stirring, “but in front of the governor, in public?” “Let’s just say it's your outfit that does things for me.” Barriss feigned innocence, allowing her eyes to wander to Ahsoka’s naked thighs, thighs she could never get enough of stroking when they were alone. “Would it kill you to control yourself for a few minutes?” Ahsoka asked, throwing up a hand. “It’s like you said…” Barriss shot back with a slightly raised eyebrow, remembering how Ahsoka had teased her when first squeezing her lean, wonderful body into that tight leotard. “Perhaps I do like seeing you in less clothes.” Ahsoka could only blush faintly, trying to stifle a giggle. “What happened to Madam primp-and-proper Jedi Barriss then?” she mock-questioned. Barriss just smiled rather slyly, then let a hand wander up one of her thighs that was bared by the leather straps hanging in between. “It just so happens a certain Togruta has become a bad influence on her…” she replied, her ever-polite tone sounding strangely sultry. Ahsoka just stared at her beautiful Mirialan lover whose loose, shoulder-length locks served to frame her face to the point of heart-stoppingly angelic. The Togruta found it hard to argue with that point, seeing as how she had shown Barriss what the truest of love could do against all the horrors from Palpatine’s war and now his Sith empire. Both of them had since then dispensed with modesty, showing off their legs with their new outfits now that vows of purity had all but disappeared along with the Jedi Order.   

“What kind of monster have I created?” Ahsoka grinned in amusement, before she found Barriss edging towards her still smirking like a minx. “One who has loved you the moment you saved me from the Geonosian worms and from myself?” the Mirialan reminded her. Ahsoka’s blue eyes dilated and her smile grew tender in reciprocation of such love. “Well just between you and me, Barriss…” she replied with a light tilt of the head, letting Barriss close her body’s distance with hers, “We’re proof that love can make this galaxy a better place,” Her gloved hands slid up her lover’s sides in that way that made Barriss shiver contentedly. “And with the Force as our guide…” the Mirialan finished, leaning in and kissing Ahsoka in the privacy of the forest. They tasted one another as though their lips were slices of nuna meat eaten off the bone, making small grunts and pressing their own bodies together, their closeness palpable and precious in a galaxy that had cost people so much in the past. 

When they parted from their happy kiss, Ahsoka smirked at Barriss who lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t think I’ll forget your frisky little habits…” Ahsoka half-warned her, her hands rested on the other young woman’s hips. “I ‘suppose’ there’s a time and place for it…” Barriss smiled back teasingly. “Oh, no…” Ahsoka grinned even wider at what she was implying, her bottom tingling from being touched earlier. “There’s going to be no stopping you, is there…?” 

The two ex-padawans started up their Headhunter fighter, took to the skies and flew off Kiros back to the planet they now lived on.

#star wars #star wars the clone wars #Ahsoka #Ahsoka Tano #barriss offee #barrisoka #lgbtq #lgbt #Clone Wars #fanfiction #fanfic #lesbian

[simplysoriya]

2. Their mother? How do they think of her? What do they hate? Love? What influence - literal or imagined - did the mother have?

OC Solidifying

Jeez Amo, you just went straight for the gut punch huh? It’s Monday dude c’mon 😫❤️

Sori’s mom isn’t a light topic in the Duskhaven household. For Sori herself, Nelah is the embodiment of all things good and pure, an unshakable will that always sought to see better in others. A larger then life pair of shoes she is constantly questioning if she’s living up to, wanting nothing more than to be the type of person her mom would be proud of.

It’s kind of sad when I put it like that because frankly? I think Soriya would have exceeded any expectations her mother had by miles. Nor is it a lip service whenever her father states how much Soriya reminds him of Nelah. Soriya has her mom’s DNA ingrained into her, which is almost like a testament to what her father says since neither Kiro nor Nelah had raised her.

That’s kind of how it all shook out though. Unfortunately for everyone involved Nelah was murdered shortly after Soriya was born, meaning that Soriya never actually had the chance to meet her and learn from her. To be honest, Sori does absolutely romanticize her mother, and to be even more honest I think Nelah has been put on a pedestal, both by Kirollis and Soriya— though interestingly, Soriya has only ever heard about her mom via Kiro, so his rose tinted glasses regarding his soulmate are pretty clearly in effect (regardless if he’s fairly spot on). That in and of itself has put a lot of pressure on Soriya to live up to this shadow, and that mixes a lot with her desire to know more about where she comes from and connect with her family. It’s a bit of a catch-22 how their differing feelings about a person immensely important to both of them plays out, and I’d say it’s almost negative, but it probably reads a little more neutral then anything.

To answer the nitty gritty question though. Soriya has nothing but love for her mother, and believes she was a very good person at heart. Almost to the point where the pure hearted Sori feels like she won’t achieve that same level of saintly (even though she more or less has). She does a lot for the memory of her mom and keeping it alive. Most recently she started using her mother’s maiden name as an alias while she trains to be a rogue in Stormwind, her reason for choosing such essentially being that it was a small way of honoring her memory.

But to simplify this word salad; there is a meteor sized indent on her soul that her mother left. It affects her in ways big and small. Though in true Sori and Nelah fashion- instead of a crater, it became a lake.

Thanks @amorthonblackwood !

[link4eva]

Hi! This is the call that comes before Perception Date (hoping to have it uploaded in the next week or so 🤞)

Enjoy~

*Spoilers for future content below!*

Kiro: I’m ready to go home now!

MC: Wow…I didn’t even notice that it was this time until you said so. Thank you for your hard work, artist Kiro.

Kiro: Miss Chips, please don’t discourage me. I just said I couldn’t walk steadily in the two steps.

Kiro: This joint activity is more difficult than I imagined. It’s too much, that flower…

MC: Stop, stop!!!

MC: Kiro, no spoilers!! I’m about to arrive. Let me see for myself!

Kiro: I can’t say anything?

MC: –Can’t say anything!

Kiro: Well…I’m looking forward to what you think when you see it!

MC: …I will work hard.

Kiro: Hmm? I should be the one to work hard, right?

Kiro: Today I am still wondering if it will be too complicated…Hmm…

Kiro: Miss Chips won’t let me say anything, so I can’t ask for any suggestions–

MC: I think…just what do you want?

MC: Complicated is complicated. After all, it is your exhibition and the expression is your style!

Kiro: Really. Even if it may not be finished, it is not perfect if it is not perfect–!

Kiro: I have to think about the material of the stairs…and the ground…

MC: You spoiled again!! KI! RO!

Kiro: Oh, MC is really strict.

Kiro: Then that material, that ceiling, that flower…Is this alright?

MC: That sounds really hard on you.

Kiro: I have to persist for another half a month…I didn’t expect this to become the most restrictive place in the preparation process.

Kiro: By the way, lend me the star necklace you usually wear!

MC: Eh? What are you going to do with it?

Kiro: I have to act according to the order, and I can’t disclose any information–

Kiro: I think I have some ideas again. I’m going to pack it up and go home later!

#mlqc spoilers #mlqc #mr love queen's choice #mr love #mr love game #mlqc kiro #mr love kiro #周棋洛 #call translation #this date is something else istg #good lord 🥵